K1LLEGAL

I contributed as I finally bought a PS5. Not too many hours on it so far but…

Had a smile on my face almost the entire time playing Astro’s Playroom. Loved it. Then made the mistake of moving on to Sackboy… whoops.

@TheCollector316 they have the money sure but Phil Spencer has people above him so there are limits despite how it may seem. Acti-Blizz is proven with its cash cow games so that is why they allowed such a huge acquisition. If not them, then i’m sure there will be plenty of smaller studios to be snatched up. If this does go through, however, then there will be a lot more eyes on any acquisitions in the future.

I just think from a Playstation point of view this isn’t actually all that bad (from a gamer perspective. The suits probably are bricking it).

Anyone wishing for this to be blocked; you realise that will free up $70 BILLION in cash for Xbox to potentially spend on other studios?

Phil Spencer is awesome; and this shouldn’t make anyone sceptical. I play Xbox but if I got a job at Playstation so what? I’m not going to stop playing Xbox and enjoying games that I want to play.

He isn’t just his job, he’s a human being.

Excited for this - though happy to wait a long time as I have played a lot of Yakuza over the last 2 years. What a beautiful experience Like A Dragon was though. For me it’s 2nd only to Y0.

@BeerIsAwesome Xbox don’t block third party sellers so you can get it cheaper; unlike Sony. Not to dispute your point at all but just something to bare in mind.

Premium is useless for me. You have to remember the pool of games for Premium is also finite; so they have to really slowly roll them out like Nintendo (also look at GWG and BC games on Xbox; it has finally dried up due to licensing issues etc). Extra can always rotate in new games as new games are always coming out.

Never heard of it.

Students are reminded; not to breed in the corridors.

This is why I like subscriptions. Being honest, how much do people really replay games; especially these days when there are so many we don’t have time for them all. Physical and Digital won’t last forever so it’s a losing battle anyway.

I feel likes Movies are different as they are shorter and you can passively rewatch them so yea good to have access to them. Shame this stuff happens.

Incredible game and I really hope those who rejected the digital version give it a shot now. I played it on Series X so can’t speak for the PS version but it is a very creative platformer, with a strong story and smooth gameplay. And I had never played the first. It was my runner up GOTY 2021, only losing to It Takes Two.

@CapGod Very nice 👌 First couple of chapters felt slow but that game became one of my favourites in recent years. Awesome characters. I even got all the achievements. Enjoy! (And yea it’s bat-***** crazy).

This is why it would be good for games to have a removal date, as soon as it is known to Sony and the Publisher. Gamepass could do with that too.

Remember Sony released the new PS5 retail package that came with Horizon bundled in. At one point that was the only version in stock. Or was that a digital copy?

My honest opinion as someone who loves Final Fantasy but mainly plays Xbox:

I am disappointed that it isn’t coming to Xbox. I have a Series X and a PS4 so obviously only one of those is next gen. I’m not going to play the PS4 version (even though I claimed it through plus) as there isn’t any point. I also would prefer to get achievements over trophies as the rest of the Final Fantasy series has been played through on Xbox.

From Sony and Square - I think it’s a bit weird it was never confirmed as console exclusive 100%. If they had just done this originally or even now it would mean people would know for sure. I do find the way these 2 operate very strange but there we go.

From Microsoft - they knew they had disappointed players in 2022 (even if delays are done for the right reasons) so I was hoping they would put some finance behind this and secure a release. We don’t know the exact details behind the scenes of course. They are doing much better with Japanese games (though bring back Mistwalker seriously) but it’s not quite enough.

In conclusion - I want to play this. I don’t want to buy a PS5 but in a few years I most likely will and will play through all the exclusives that way. Exclusives are becoming more and more ***** in the industry in general but if something is exclusive let it be exclusive but make it clear. Timed and unclear deals are the worst.

I suppose lets just be glad these games are all kept in the PS/Xbox/Nintendo ecosystem and not elsewhere. Also no NFT ***** yet.

I actually think Crisis Core might be my single favourite video game storyline (though there are others like Kingdom Hearts and Lost Odyssey). I remember buying it from Duty Free on the way to a family holiday and just playing it the whole time. Had completed it by the end and loved it.

Not sure how the gameplay holds up but the story and characters and the sense of a collapse of Zack’s way of life from the start of the game to the end was so well done.

Though just realised I probably shouldn’t have commented in this article as everyone seems to be posting spoilers for VIIR. Whoops.

You know where Gamepass has benefitted me that no one really talks about? I’m the sort to shell out for games but my friends aren’t, or try new experiences where they stick to the big AAA titles. So we missed so many multiplayer experiences in the past. With Gamepass, all of us have access to the same multiplayer games and I can finally convince them to check out games they wouldn’t have otherwise. It’s been a game changer for me in that respect.

Thats also where the “day ones” become really awesome.

Xbox isn’t just one opinion. That’s what confuses me when everyone responds saying he’s lying or whatever. Like Xbox made the acquisition but Matt Booty is saying we don’t want to splinter these big communities. Those 2 things can both be true.

Also it seems like everyone here wants Xbox to have Xbox games and Playstation to have Playstation and Xbox games. Bit silly when Final Fantasy looks to be going the way of having their community cut too.

In my opinion i’m just happy these are all still within this gaming community of PS/Xbox/Nintendo and not elsewhere.

This is how they might actually get me! Makes sense to not be mandatory actually. Will be interesting to see how the trend goes and which games do or don’t get them. FF Tactics please.

@themightyant I remember the old Xbla games used to do this. I coughed up the 800 points and those sweet achievements would unlock retroactively.

Weirdly this could actually put some trophy hunters off the trial - as they will have an “incomplete” game on their list. Great if you want a handful of bronze trophies though - or if you know you want the game anyway and just play the trial in the meantime.

Dynasty Warriors 2 & 3 Definitive Edition next please.

@UltimateOtaku91 Yea that is basically why i’m playing through it as well. Next game should be a turn-based RPG I assume? I still haven’t gotten around to playing a Suikoden game…

Can’t tell you how much of this will matter in the next game though - got no idea. Garoo is a cool character though if he pops up

You could play it on Gamepass? But assuming you want the trophies; it doesn’t look like anything is missable which is a lifesaver in a RPG. Means you can just chill and play through without worrying about missing a random chest or monster. Even the Hard Mode trophies, sounds like you can just load up your clear data, flick on hard mode, beat a boss and then switch back.

@UltimateOtaku91 you can’t change it - but it does have a ‘simple’ mode (which you can switch on or off whenever you like I think) which I believe makes link attacks easier to pull off. However once you beat it you get access to a hard mode (which is required for some achievements and I assume trophies). It’s not difficult - i’m 8.5 hours in so far and enjoying it; but a lot of it is fetch quests lol.

@UltimateOtaku91 pretty sure he was talking about 343 Studios.

@tallythwack a lot of people aren’t interested in Flight Sim or even something like Death Stranding but they can still be quality products.

@Apfelschteiner mate i’ve been wanting Sony and Microsoft to both do that with their IPs. At least test it out. Smaller concentrated experiences (and more of them!).

It can go both ways of course - everyone trashing Halo but Forza Horizon 5, Gears 5, Gears Tactics and Flight Sim are quality products. They even added Hivebusters to Gears 5. Not bringing in Psychonauts as that was developed separately. But just because it works for Xbox doesn’t mean it would work for Playstation so his comments make sense (financially I assume).

@UltimateOtaku91 you own all 3 as well don’t you? So by that logic you shouldn’t care either.

All they had to do was limit the stacking to, say, 3 years, just like Xbox. Couldn’t even manage that. At this point they should take the hit and keep the goodwill but nope they went the other way. Lol.

Sounds like required playing to understand the story of Kingdom Hearts IV. I’m in!

@Phelaidar not if the company gaining Market Share is the one behind. How does this mean less competition? Surely it means more…

Microsoft bringing the heat to Sony should do exactly the opposite of what you just said (except maybe prices as clearly Sony wants to charge a premium regardless).

@Richnj Good point, well made.

@RogerRoger there must be some fans out there somewhere. I’m sure a campaign to have it remastered would get some attention. Even if it is just 7 sigs lol.

And to think I was playing the superior version if Phantom Menace that whole time…

@Bunchesopuppies Tiny Tina’s Wonderland is not the same as Assault on Dragon Keep. You may be mixing them up!

@RogerRoger it was Star Wars Kart racer. Like how many other games can say that? I had fun with it but I was around 10 or so. Unfortunately I don’t see that getting a remaster! But sequels with the other films would have been cool!

And man the amount of time I spent on Phantom Menace (on PC, trying to jump over that gap at the beginning where Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon get separated)… got a lot of nostalgia for that one.

@RogerRoger haha weirdly Super Bombad Racing…. Was my first PS2 game haha (back before I had a memory card). Oh the shame!

And thanks - It was from memory apart from those cross gen releases at the end

It seems like there are a lot of Star Wars games at the moment but in the PS2/Xbox/Gamecube gen there were a lot more (List Time!):

Rogue Leader
Rebel Strike
Kotor
Kotor 2
Clone Wars
Revenge of the Sith
Super Bombad Racing
Jedi Starfighter
Racer Revenge
Battlefront
Battlefront 2
Jedi Outcast
Jedi Academy
Obi-Wan
Bounty Hunter
Republic Commando
Starfighter
Lego Star Wars

There were other games that released on these consoles but were cross-gen with Xbox 360 and sometimes PS3/Wii:

Lego Star Wars II
Republic Heroes
Force Unleashed

I might even be forgetting some! Then there were also the handheld games released in the same timeframe which we don’t really get anymore. I think it just seems like a lot at the moment because we are getting the Aspyr ports. Also interesting how many were exclusives back then; each console got their fair share of awesome games.

Last gen, besides Ports we only got:

Battlefront (2015)
Battlefront II (2017)
Jedi: Fallen Order
Squadrons
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens

@RiceC03 they said before release it was the end of the “Dark Seeker Saga” but not the whole series.

So excited for this - but will be more so nearer release.

All each company needs is one strong IP that someone considers a must-play and they have to get that system. Currently I don’t need a PS5 but if Square Enix were to throw in with Sony (even more than they already are) and announce full exclusivity then yea… I would need a PS5 (or a super beefy PC I suppose).

Also remember that with these subscription services; a key point about an acquisition is the back-catalogue that can be thrown onto the service as a permanent fixture of the library. Konami would obviously be a good one but then so would Sega/SE/Capcom.

@__jamiie hahahahaha that made me laugh out loud for some reason. Like “errr whoops”.

Thats a really weird error given that they added that point about being able to switch specifically.

@Richnj haha jeez you got me beat. I’m gonna have to go and finish off Hexic HD or PD0 (fat chance).

@twitchtvpat they stopped due to licensing issues but at least with the ActiBlizz acquisition they may soon be able to add Tony Hawk/Cod/Spyro/Crash etc to BC.

@Richnj did the same with Blue Dragon; something like 14 years later just to get the last 4 achievements. Had to load up random saves to finish them off. Absolutely mental that it works so well. Also Dragon Age Origins and a few others 👌

*just checked True Achievements and I think my biggest time between first and last achievement for a completed game is Feeding Frenzy at 5018 days, 22 hours and 40 minutes (Blue Dragon was 4507 days). I find stats like this so interesting because i’m cool.

All I know is I love going and getting achievements from Xbox 360 games on my Series X. STILL trying to get through FFXIII-2 (which i’m not liking) but no doubt it plays amazing and love not having to plug a 360 in to play it. BC is awesome.

Thing is; putting Returnal on there - that is a fairly recent game - some people may be inclined to not purchase at launch and now wait for it to hit the service. Same issue happens on Xbox’s side (except not with First Party obviously). I wonder if this will happen.

@ATaco not sure as i’m not on the dev team? Still not a microtransaction.

@ATaco not sure what game you are referring to recently unless it’s Halo Infinite’s multiplayer… which was actually F2P.

Feels like maybe they should assess this on a case by case basis. As @Rob_230 said; GAAS games could still be added day one and would probably benefit/thrive from doing so.

However I don’t see a drop in quality from Xbox adding day one games. In fact they are almost better than ever (Psychonauts 2 says hello!). Not everything needs to cater to the “critic” 10/10. E.g. I have always had a blast with the Dynasty Warriors Series (except 9 blah!) despite it’s relatively crappy metacritics. I hate the idea of games being designed in a certain way for better review scores (besides better general quality of course). I’m going off on one now.