Comments 3,632

Re: Rumour: Even More Xbox Exclusives Coming to PS5 Than Already Reported

Rudy_Manchego

Personally I see this as evidence that the subscription service is and always was a bubble and unless market dominance is reached, probably unustainable.

If we look at the cost of Starfield or maybe the upcoming Indiana Jones games, offering them for just a monthly sub service that people can drop in and out of just can't work unless you can turn those subs into regular payers. But that is not how people use subscriptions - a lot of people sign up for limited periods.

The issue is here that you are now eliminating the very reason to take that sub out in the first place. If I am a PS5 owner then why bother getting a second machine for exclusives or anything. I can just wait a year. The same is true on PC - Starfield has already seen price reductions on Steam or other platforms meaning why take out a sub when you can get the game fairly cheap? Which means MS is now moving itself to become a publisher which can be profitable but moves them away from Xbox brand.

Re: Soapbox: This Is Why Physical Games Are Still Important to Me

Rudy_Manchego

I primarily play on PC these days so physical is not there. However I still buy and collect physical games, especially on Switch. My favourite retro and new game independent shop closed over a year ago now because they just couldn't make it work. I'm gutted that there are so few shops now doing physical games and that there is little presence on the high street for window shopping and discovering games or bargains. With retro collecting also hitting astronomical prices, there is just no where to shop.

Re: Publishing Exec Claims 'There Are Too Many Games'

Rudy_Manchego

I am somewhat hoping that this is a true statement in that this is the market equalising after Covid when investment in gaming went through the roof. But it has also been happening for years. 50-60 games are being released A DAY on Steam. Yes a lot are rushed efforts etc. or asset flip cash grabs but many are games that just won't get any promotion. Add in subscription services that prioritise only those games available and everything and you have a perfect storm.

Re: Believe It or Not, PS4 Sales Rocketed in the UK Last Year

Rudy_Manchego

Agreed - especially for kids and families. Major online games are fully compatible with PS4 and will be for ages to come and if your TV isn't pretty top of the line or are gaming in a spare room, you aren't going to notice much. I have a few friends with kids who still game on PS4 or XB1 because why bother upgrading when they only play Fortnite? Some of these were purchased post PS5 and Series X/S launch

Re: Podcast Chit-Chat Prompts Fresh Xbox First-Party on PS5, PS4 Rumours

Rudy_Manchego

It's a bizarre situation. Is exclusivity a MS aim or not? That's the question. They are sitting on a wealth of money by releasing their studios games on other platforms. They already do it on PC. But... then where does this leave their console and gamepass sub? Gamepass will always be value for money if the current service continues but whats the draw? Is it just timed exclusivity? In which case, will they get the sub rush when new games are released or will people wait?

I mean Hi Fi Rush is great and I did play it on Gamepass (for PC) and it was one of their big successes last year. It will do business on PS5 if it releases so more money but hey, who knows?

Re: Reaction: You Really Shouldn't Be Surprised Kids Want PS5, PS4 Game Currencies for Xmas

Rudy_Manchego

It is a brave new world and all that but gaming has become something very different, particularly in the last few years. Fortnite isn't popular because of gameplay or shooting mechanics. It's because it is a societal eco system.

1) The price of entry is largely a device capable of playing it.
2) It allows you to play with friends and have a social element to it.
3) It isn't just the game - there online communities on Twitch, Youtube, Tik Tok to bond and embrace in it.

As an oldie, I lament the loss of what I think of gaming as but ultimately, that still exists. As a kid growing up with no money and always a generation behind, my richer friends would be playing PS1 whilst I was on SNES. I couldn't afford lots of new titles so was never part of the current social topic. If I were growing up i could play on my parents phone or tablet and be able to join in.

Re: UK Sales Charts: Surprise Hit Lies of P Makes an Impressive Third Place Debut

Rudy_Manchego

@Kidfried I know and they are like tea leaves or tarot cards. People see what they want to see. Be it pro-Sony, MS or Nintendo.

In the UK, the only real place you can even buy new video games are a couple of nationwide stores and online. I'm a fan of physial games and even I've only bought a handful this year. You make a great point about Nintendo - their first party line up is often far cheaper physical and they are often bought for younger fans by parents who want a physical gift.

Re: Xbox Almost Flashed Its Cash At Warner Bros, Sees Nintendo As the Holy Grail

Rudy_Manchego

I mean this email is several years old but I still gotta wonder if MS is going to reconsider their subscription model at all or going to keep throwing stuff at it?

With Disney losing millions on Disney +, the subscription scramble seems to showing its limitations. The only way I can see that MS can make it work long time is by being the main content producer, hence all these acquisitions. However they are probably hitting their limits now with the Activision Blizzard purchase bfore monopoly rules will catch up with them

Re: Unity Closes Multiple Offices, Cancels Town Hall Following Death Threat

Rudy_Manchego

Sigh this is the problem with internet drama and outrage. It can, and will spill over from genuine debate to real world madness.

As a big fan of indie games, what Unity has suggested is downright horrendous and will absolutely cause a huge financial burden on indie devs. It is right that this is decried and that people choose with their wallets to support their devs. Protest through legitimate means.

And the frustrating thing is that once that happens, the debate shifts and the threats become the story.

Re: PS Plus, Xbox Game Pass Spending Has Completely Plateaued in USA

Rudy_Manchego

I think subscrition fatigue is real and the result of so many coming online and the fact that it is the definition of luxury when it comes to any economic downturn.

It is also hard, imo, to get consistent growth in that market. Only so many can and will consistently subscribe. Plus you need constant fresh content which means development or licensing costs to attract that content to your platform just to maintain your subscriber base, let alone grow it.

I think, as a gamer, Gamepass is great. I have Ultimate and use it a lot on PC, console and cloud. I just don't see how it is currently profitable. Hence why MS is trying to buy exclusive content via studio acquisitions. It makes people have to come to you.

Re: PlayStation Portal Is Sony's PS5 Remote Play Handheld, Priced at $200 / £200

Rudy_Manchego

Huge fan of game streaming in the house when the TV is in use but as others have said, you can use a phone or other devices that can also do more. For another hundred or so pounds at the moment you can get a Logitech G cloud that also does emulation and Gamepass etc. The lack of PS Plus Premium streaming is also a huge pain. This would have made it far more useful.

Re: Won't Someone Think of the Children? UK Moves to Protect Kids from Loot Boxes

Rudy_Manchego

@nessisonett Yeah just seems out of place for the site.

As an addition, going to play the I'm a parent card but my daughter loves Fortnite and a few other games that have cosmetics etc. So are her friends. I agree with all sentiments that parents need to put up parental controls (although I do feel that for non gamer parents, the need to do so may not be apparent - when setting up a new online account it takes card details first then worries about parental control later).

My main concern is that establishment of dopamine hits in kids related to gambling mechanics. A good game gives its own hit when players do well in it. Tying those vibes to a gambling mechnanic, regardless of whether parents are paying or gift cards etc, become addictive and cause problems.

Re: Microsoft's Potential Game Plan in 2020: 'Spend Sony Out of Business'

Rudy_Manchego

I remember when the Zenimax deal was announced and I was lamenting it for all gamers as being bad and a bunch of people told me that there was NO WAY Xbox would leave money on the table and make any major games Xbox exclusive.

The reason why there are investigations into mergers etc. is for this very reason. Any major corporation would like to drive their rivals behind them and would do so if they had the resources and were allowed to. Sony would try the same if they could. All these acquisitions just aren't good for the industry ultimately.

Re: Reaction: Solid Xbox Showcase Should Give Sony Some Incentive to Stop Being So Damn Cloak and Daggers About PS5, PS4

Rudy_Manchego

It felt more like an E3 shower which was cool. I hope Starfield sticks the landing. I have as much trust with Bethesda as anyone but I like what they are trying to convey.

My real concern is just the spiralling dev time for new AAA releases. If major studios take 3-4 years on average to release 1 title, that means that there just isn't the output to regularly showcase. Xbox is no exception. Most of these games we were aware of a long time ago and are still a year at least away.

Re: Round Up: What Was Announced at Summer Game Fest 2023?

Rudy_Manchego

We are at a stage where AAA games are taking so long to make, and are so expensive that there just aren't enough to do regular big reveals so we'll all be disappointed. Then you look at the Day of Devs events and announcements and there are like loads of amazing looking smaller titles.

Re: PS5's Remote Play Portable Will Allegedly Launch in November

Rudy_Manchego

@NotSoCryptic No worries dude - you aren’t being a d*** at all. A lot does depend on the device. I have become a handheld hobbyist of late! I have gamed on a mid-range Android and an iPhone 14 and tried the Kishi, GameSir, DS4, Xbox One controller and Steel Series controller. A decent model phone and good controller will do you fine - my personal opinion is lag on cloud gaming means you need a connected controller like the Kishi to avoid making it worse. My main gripe is the aspect ration. I also cloud game (or emulate) on the Logitech G cloud, Ayn Odin, Retroid Pocket 3. A phone screen can’t compete with a decent 7inch screen. It’s too compromised in my opinion. Plus by bloatware I mean that for cloud gaming your signal may be split by other applications and so on. So comparing one of my tablet or Switch sized devices with that of a phone, the gaming quality is so much better on a more dedicated device. Of course a good phone is with you at all times and so Sony have to compete with that and to me price is key. If you nudge towards $300 then you are on Switch Oled or Steam Deck territory and they will be far superior devices!

Re: PS5's Remote Play Portable Will Allegedly Launch in November

Rudy_Manchego

@NotSoCryptic I've done remote streaming on a phone and the aspect ratio on the screen sizes aren't the best and there is often other bloatware that can affect performance. Plus really good non bluetooth phone controllers are expensive in and of themselves. So a good screen experience and good controller would be attractive to me.

But as you say, it depends on the price and feature set. If it sported a decent chip and could run an OS like Android or something so you could load mobile games etc, that would be great. Another point is that a lot of handhelds also offer video out so you can dock to a TV with bluetooth for controllers.

So with lots of features and a cheap price it might make it a good alternative to other streaming handhelds. I can also see Sony expanding out their cloud gaming offering onto it. If it is expensive and locked down though... you are right, I can see another PSTV on the horizon.

Re: PS5's Remote Play Portable Will Allegedly Launch in November

Rudy_Manchego

I'm actually pretty interested. I use cloud streaming a lot for accessibility around the house etc. I use PS5 remote play on several devices. If this is cheap and comfortable and can be used beyond just PS5 game streaming (e.g. Android gaming, other streaming services) then I may pick one up. Yes, I'm lucky enough to have solid wifi and my family life means handheld gaming is just a reality of fitting games in.

That said, there are already a lot of options out there - the Logitech G Cloud is expensive but a great device. The Absxylute is about to launch that does the same thing. Plus you have various cheaper options like the Retroid Pocket 3+ out there. Not to mention your phone.

Re: PlayStation Showcase Completely Divided Fan Opinion

Rudy_Manchego

It was OK. As we've moved away from the exciting E3 announcement shows (which I honestly kinda miss - they felt more energised because of the competition etc), I've become less invested. Sony has some solid games on the way to justify my PS5 investment so I am not worried. They are clearly on working on other things. Unfortunately, the nature of these shows means that everyone has to be a banger to get good press and this was just OK. We'll have the same conversation when the Xbox showcase happens and the next Direct etc.

Re: Xbox Boss Admits Microsoft Can't 'Outconsole' PS5

Rudy_Manchego

Lots of reasons for this and I'll maintain that Gamepass is a great deal for gamers overall. However there are problems with a subscription model - and that is that content is king and users are fickle. It needs a flow of great content and the second that wobbles you lose momentum. You need constant reasons why someone should continually give you money. For example, people keep Netflix because they like Stranger Things or Bridgerton or something but they need to keep finding new shows like that. Same with gamepass. If you aren't using it then it is worthless. The issue is that current AAA cycles are now very very long and you need an efficient supply chain. Their answer has been to buy that supply chain but it doesn't guarantee success.

Re: $70 Games Could Be Hurting PS5, PS4 Sales, But There's More to the Story

Rudy_Manchego

I think it is having an impact - I think consumers are being more picky about what they pick up and it will make launching new titles and IP's all the more challenging. I have bought 3 £70 games (though I managed to find slightly less via third party retailers) - Gow: Ragnorok, Horizon: FW and Demon Souls. All of them known quantities to me. I wanted to try games like Returnal at launch but at that price point, not a chance. Same goes for other publisher titles. PS5 is probably the place to play the new Jedi game but I am not ponying up that cash when it is cheaper on PC and will drop in price within 3 months.