@Royalblues I think for me personally I'll keep an eye on the offerings on Game Pass, but also what Sony do with PS Now. Essentially they had the idea first, and all the infrastructure when they bought Gaikai. So in a way Microsoft have caught them napping with the amount of money they were willing to throw at it.
However, the way I would have approached Game Pass were I Microsoft would be to put all of my games on the service, but do so 18 to 24 months after launch. So people who want to buy the games buy them, and then Game Pass is a way of sweating more money out of your games while still being a great deal.
Putting new games day and date on Game Pass is a recipe for disaster. Halo Infinite has cost Microsoft $500m and then some so far to develop. It's a very expensive game and 10m subscribers at $10's a pop a month, or whatever it costs in the US, is not going to recoup that spend ever. It's just not. Servers cost money, other games cost money, EA Play will cost money, and all of that has to come out of the Game Pass subscription. It doesn't add up for big AAA games.
I don't think Sony could pump out games like Spider-Man, Demon's Souls, God of War, Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us etc. if they were having to drop them onto a subscription service day and date of release at the sort of price Game Pass is. At some point something would have to give, either the quality of the games, or the price of the service. I still think Game Pass will become a repository for free to play type games as a service with monetization, or episodic games with some Indies thrown in a d the odd old third party AAA game that will use it as a way to sell you DLC or a sequel. And maybe that's fine, but in its current form it isn't sustainable.
@Royalblues who was ranting? I said it was a good deal for consumers. However, at some point shareholders will want to see their ROI in the Xbox Division. The losses Game Pass has made are quite famous, but you can check it in Microsoft investor calls, it has lost them a boat load of cash now. So, at some point they'll need to see numbers growing rapidly for the service, or it turning a profit. The Xbox Division isn't a charity for gamers, although it might seem like that right now. My point is something will have to give sooner or later.
@Royalblues I'm not mad at it, in terms of value for the customer it is great. I do however seriously wonder long-term what happens to the quality of games and terms of employment for games developers. Game Pass has lost Microsoft over $2.4bn so far, more if you factor in lost revenue from sales of their first party games and associated development costs. Microsoft aren't a charity, and at some point it'll need to turn a profit. You can bet your bottom dollar EA aren't missing out on their "fee" for EA Play, so Microsoft are probably fronting them a boatload of cash. Personally I can see this all going very wrong, but hey, enjoy it while it lasts is my advice. I don't care if Microsoft bankrupt their game division trying to push Game Pass.
@Royalblues for me back then the PS1 was the enemy, I was doing reconnaissance for team Nintendo... joking, but I never actually worked on any PS1 games. The first taste of Sony hardware for me was the PS2, then the PS3 nearly broke my will to live... I still have PTSD from the bloody SPE's...
But getting back to Battle Arena Toshinden, It was a really good launch fighting game. I think I personally loved WipEout most from the EU launch games. I went for an interview once at Studio Liverpool, or Psygnosis as they still were then, was gutted when they turned me down because it would have doubled my pay. lol.
@Grindagger I think Sony were always targeting a reveal before TGS, I just do. It's the 25th Anniversary of Ken Kuturagi's awful PowerPoint presentation at TGS soon, and I just wonder whether that was always the synergy. As to Demon's Souls? Blue Point have been working on it for 3 to 4 years if you believe CV's. I was allso hearing rumblings of a new R&C game 4 years ago now too. Returnal has apparently been a pet project for a few years at Housemarque and Polyphony Digital all but confirmed 5 years ago they were already prepping all their cars and models for next gen, so I think GT7 was always going to be a next-gen game. I'm convinced Sony plan on coming out swinging this generation.
I have said for a while now, even before the PS5 reveal event I expected Demon's Souls, GT7 and Ratchet & Clank to be launch games. I accept the global Pandemic might have altered launch schedules somewhat, but, I still expect to see all three games, and a few others, notably Spider-Man Miles Morales in the PS5 launch window. Nothing has convinced me that isn't going to be the case yet... and while those are static shots... boy does it look good.
I'm no graphic designer... as all the graphic designers I know are exceedingly fond of telling me... but... The Sackboy one looks great, I kinda like the Returnal one too, the Demon's Souls one is poor in my opinion. Too much going on, but not really in a dynamic or expressive way... whereas the Destruction Allstars one has a lot going on but seems cohesive to me, there's dynamism but a story and reason for it...
But having said that I am a bit surprised that Destruction Allstars has any box art, I was under the impression it was going to be an online F2P game. Now I'm confused even more about the product... any way, if they're sending box art out, even as placeholders, these are launch window games.
@knowles2 sure, but they're doing it with a range of consoles this time, and at a time when gamers are becoming more customer to paying subscription fees for gaming with PS+ and Gold, but also things like PS Now and more specifically Game Pass. They're also clearly trying to do away with console generations this time. Microsoft appear done with that model. They're going to push for convergence around Direct X / 3D development environments and constantly iterate hardware in much the same way phones do. I'm not sure the market is ready for it, but I do think they're trying something far more disruptive this time, and in this context their baffling naming convention makes sense. Sort of.
@nessisonett it'll depend on how well the game is compressed, and how much data is needed to get the game up and running. At 16GB the average throughput from the PS5 SSD will be around 9GB/s so at that sort of speed you are looking at an average of 2 seconds to load a game that requires / uses the full 16GBs. If your game use less memory you could have faster loads times, if your game compresses better then you should see better load times, and conversely you'll have slower load times if it doesn't compress well, but average times will be around 2 seconds I guess will be normal.
6 years later and 60 developers later... and it still doesn't really exist. They shafted Deck 13, and have fallen out with every developer they've got in to work on it since. Don't be surprised if in another 6 years we hear about another studio taking forward the vision of LotF2.
@nessisonett I think neither Sony nor Microsoft have shown enough actual gameplay footage, but everything Sony have shown is running on PS5, whereas MS still haven't shown anything on XSX or XSS. I think at this point it is clear both have been more affected by the global pandemic than they've let on.
Sony already knew about the XSS, it isn't a shock to them. They knew about it 2 years ago when developers did. Trust me. They knew, because they toyed with the idea too but decided against it. They also probably guessed the price as well, so my guess is all this was already factored in to their plans. I expect details from Sony around TGS.
I don't think the problem you describe over the PS5 Digital Edition is a problem at all. Sony have communicated pretty clearly that the difference is a disc drive, mainstream newspapers have reported this and even the BBC in the UK did. So that's a non issue. The price is slightly disruptive, but that's not the truly disruptive part, the monthly payment mobile model is the truly disruptive concept here. If Microsoft can convince people into these payment plans they might be able to convince people to transition to new hardware every 3 years or so without there being an actual console cycle / generations. That's the really disruptive part of their plan.
@JapaneseSonic not when it claims the criticism Activision Blizzard receives is based on their games, it's not. Just like the GaaS article it shows a distinct lack of understanding of what the debate in the wider community is, and a lack of knowledge, so I'm sorry but the writing staff here deserve both barrels.
Maybe this will appease all the Ninja Gaiden fans who were annoyed Team Ninja were working on Nioh games instead of a new Ninja Gaiden game. Maybe this adds weight to the rumours they're working on a new Ninja Gaiden game for PS5. I might be willing to fork out for the trilogy again depending on how good a series of remasters they are.
@Grindagger and you my friend have hit the nail on the head. Sadly this is the second such "soapbox" article on here in quick succession that shows a distinct lack of even cursory knowledge about the industry, and that blindly defends something in the industry that deserves no defence without any context at all. It comes across as amateurish.
@KippDynamite agree 100% with you, but all too often games journalists don't live up to the journalist part of their job title. I think the industry and gamers in general deserve a far better level of actual journalism than it currently gets. However, I'm not sure there's a fiscal model out there that works for that sort of serious journalism, because you'd need advertising money from the very businesses you would be criticising.
As always, it all depends on what it is for, and how it is handled. Micro-transactions aren't inherently bad, and it depends why they are in a game. So for me it depends on how it is implemented in the online element. As it's CDPR you know what? I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now. Not personally interested in Cyberpunk 2077 for multiplayer personally, but I hope for those who were it's not awful.
@JapaneseSonic and that's fine, but when you defend a corporation you shoud expect challenge, if they don't want challenge then stick to the games and don't cross over into baiting territory and defenses of corporations who do some pretty appalling things. In playground parlance they started it, and I think they knew what they were starting. Also, I do actually think it's about time the games industry had some serious journalists that didn't just parrot and print companies press releases. Not just aiming that at Push Square by the the way, there are far worse culprits.
@ShogunRok did they not ask for the save files? Christ, if I was working in QA on game with these problems I'd be buying you a new PS4 Pro and paying for you to ship me the one with the dodgy install so we could see what the hell was going on. I might even send a private courier to pick it up.
@Fenbops did he really? I'm not exactly a subscriber of his to be honest with you. I might catch the odd video while bored, but I don't really watch him regularly enough. Don't really have the time. Out of interest what was the Kickstarter and when was it.
@AdamNovice Jim's criticism of most corporate behaviour is spot on though. Working for these companies taints your soul just a little bit. I've never really come across any of his corporate criticisms that I thought were unfair or unfounded... except perhaps his weird fixation on all things Gearbox and Randy Pitchfork, sure they're not perfect, but there I think it's personal with Jim.
@ShogunRok did you contact the publisher / developer with the problem? Analysis of your saves files may actually be useful to them.
As to the problem, that's weird as hell. Still think you should review the game as is, as you can only really review a game based on the experience you had, rather than what others experienced. Your experience with the game is legitimate, and as such a valid voice to add to the critique of the product.
@nessisonett you're totally missing the point again. However, for the record those two subsidiaries are some of the worst offenders for treating employees like trash. The point is the corporate entity, Activision Blizzard is the one that receives the criticism, and that's who this article defends. The article totally missed the reasons they get the criticism they do saying it was about games or micro-transactions when it isn't so don't try to shift the discussion elsewhere, because that's not the discussion.
@nessisonett not really the point, the article totally misunderstood why Activision Blizzard get the criticism they do. For the record I'd defend EA to the hilt as an employer, they're actually really good, their micro-transaction shenanigans though are a different matter entirely. I have chosen not to buy any Ubisoft Games until I see the Yves Guillemot and his Executive management team are held accountable for what has gone on in their studios, and I've worked in an Ubisoft Studio. People can make whatever choices they like, that's up to them, but this does completely miss all of the points critics of the company level at them.
@nessisonett there's plenty in politics buddy, any journalist on Fox News. To be honest there has been a history in games journalism of publications being a little too close to publishers and developers. The power dynamic between even a larger organisation like IGN and say EA or Activision is pretty one sided. The publishers don't really need IGN, but without access to them and their products IGN is dealt a serious blow.
The criticisms of Activision Blizzard rarely center on their games to be fair. Sure, some criticised the annual CoD games for being bland, but it's normally criticized for its business practices. You know things like banning players who express freedom of speech in Hong Kong. Or making employees redundant the day before they're due to get permanent contracts after working for them for two years. Or making people redundant just before they'd be eligible for pay rises, contractual bonuses, or anything else they should be paying their staff. The retrofitting of micro-transactions to games is only a minor transgression when weighed up against the monumentally evil stuff they've got up to. Including illegally selling player details in countries like Germany to third parties. Or Bobby Kotick taking exorbitant bonuses while firing hundreds of staff who made him the money to pay himself exhorbitant bonuses, or the massive amounts of tax evasion they're involved with, which also includes claiming hundreds of millions in tax relief they wouldn't be entitled to if the weren't evading said tax. Yet another "bizarre" opinion piece that fails to grasp why they get the criticism in the first place.
@OlosNah I think it sold roughly 2m copies, or that's what was reported on circulars inside Ubisoft at the time. I think they would have targeted sales of between 3m to 4m for a game with its budget as a bare minimum, so it wasn't a resounding success. It reviewed well though I think. I just think the market wasn't ready for some of it's ideas is all. The parkour was fluid and fast and required you to respond rather than plan, and that didn't sit well with many gamers at the time I think, although now I think gamers would be up for it.
@Rudy_Manchego I think that's the crux of this, come high or hell water given the marketing deals and budgets involved they have to ship. MS might only have 600,000 units for NA and 300,000 for EU, but it would be a launch. Not sure where Sony are right now, I keep hearing they're already air freighting initial batches into NA at least, but I think even if limited and staggered both will launch this year.
That's just physical sales right? I'd expect given the trends this year that it has done far better digitally. Everyone I know who got it (5 people) all got it digitally, and most of them are usually physical release only people as they're old school. Either way I hope those who got it enjoy the game, and that the monetization is too bad for you all.
@AdamNovice hey... I 100% agree with you. I do think it's a little frustrating we still don't know any concrete details from either Sony or Microsoft, but actually, I think given the circumstances it's understandable, and they should fully commit, and market the thing when they know they can.
They're supposedly already flying stock into the US and EU, so I think they still plan on having some sort of launch this year. Whether staggered or limited I don't know. Manufacturing the things isn't the problem, they actually got onto production of PS5's earlier than they did with the PS4, where they started mass production in July. Supposedly they've upped orders from TSMC as well, so I guess they can make the things in the volumes required, but the issue during a pandemic seems to be a logistical one, which is understandable given where the world is right now, we might even be seeing a second peak. However, I do think they intend to launch this year in NA and the EU at least.
@KippDynamite actually I think you are actually onto something. I've seen so many people defend a system that was designed to specifically disadvantage them that your explanation seems as good as any.
Also, I think the world would be a far better place if people didn't feel the need to express opinions, or indeed express opinions just because they can. I absolutely 100% agree with you on the lazy annual updates argument, and am right beside you about releasing broken shoddy product like Fallout 76, but as someone who has worked in the industry I see this sort of thing EA have pulled here as part of the wider malaise that has set into the industry. It all needs taking on, no picking and choosing fights, people need to push back against all of it and refuse to accept any of it, because if you give companies like EA an inch, they'll take a mile.
@Nickolaidas OK, so I need to address your comments specifically, because evidently you can't see where I'm coming from, and that's on me because I've not communicated well enough, so I'll highlight where I'm coming from with your words:
"Actually makes it look more realistic with ads and sponsors. Didn't bother me at all, and I actually kinda liked it."
That's a defence of them shoehorning adverts into the game post launch, because you like it. Your words, you can like it, that's fine, but it is a defence. Next:
"I said that complaining about this is stupid"
There you go, attacking others who were complaining about the product they paid money for was now using them as a product to sell adverts too. So again, a defence of EA by attacking consumers angry with EA:
"so, being baffled at the amount of outrage some people display over the silliest of things now counts as 'defending and white-knighting a greedy corporation'?"
Yes, when coupled with above comments it clearly does.
"I don't give a rat's ass about EA, especially after they ruined IPs that I loved"
Why comment and defend them, which I think from the above excerpts I've demonstrated you have done. But just in case here's you defending EA again by calling those upset by this dodgy move immature:
"Probably because they knew some immature gamers would blow a casket over such an insignificant thing like that."
And again belittling those angry about it:
"Personally I think it's stupid as hell to be angry over some insignificant crap like that"
Sorry, but you did defend EA, and you attacked those critical of EA, and if you can't see it then you're the one who needs to go away and think about what you said and why.
@Nickolaidas why do you feel the need to express an opinion on something you don't care about? I just don't buy it. If something doesn't register with me either way I might read opinions of those who do feel the need to express themselves, I might even engage, but calling people silly, which you did? Calling it pointless which it wasn't? Calling people stupid for being angry about it, all things you did, for something that doesn't bother you? Really? I stand by my criticism of you.
@Nickolaidas but that's not all you did, you attacked people who felt differently to you, and mocked them for being upset / angry about it. So yeah, you fell into the category of defending a multi-billion dollar company as you were setting yourself on the same side of the divide. If it didn't bother you why comment? You're position is getting more and more bizarre, you've not stopped once to question why you interjected in the first place.
@KippDynamite as someone who studied psychology and neuroscience (and went into AI) I think you might be right. I've often said that brands seem to take the place of religion now for many, and so when faced with cognitive dissonance, because these brands have become part of the self they view it as a personal attack. It's still weak to me though, it's deeply unpleasant to have to face such a challenge, but running away from it isn't mentally healthy, I've had my worldview shattered twice in my life, and I think I became a better person for it. What I don't get though is those with no skin in the game whatsoever, don't like EA, don't work for EA, don't own the game defending shady practices and telling others how to feel. Feelings are legitimate, because you have them, they might not always be healthy, and often you have to deal with them, but you are allowed to feel them, and let them motivate you. I just can't wrap my head around some of these defenses.
@KippDynamite I'm really starting to worry about the youth of today. Seriously, just giving in to shady corporate practices and letting themselves get shafted. Wouldn't want to be in the trenches with any of them... "Oh no, we've been invaded. Better surrender then". The argument that there is no point complaining is the most supine piece subservient nonsense I have ever read, doubly so because consumer backlash gas changed things many time over. Also the defence of this practice is thoroughly baffling to me.
@themightyant good question, I guess there were quality of life improvements to both Crash Trilogy and Shadow of the Colossus, I'd also expect Demon's Souls to make some QoL changes. Personally as long as the spirit of the games are maintained I'm OK with QoL stuff, if it changes the nature of the game though, say adding guns to Demon's Souls wouldn't be cool. I think Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1&2 shows how it should be done, wasn't a big THPS fan when they were first launched, they were OK, but again got my hands on this remaster over the weekend and I really enjoyed it.
@Nickolaidas I actually am interested in a discussion, because I just want to understand why someone would come into a discussion, for something they said they don't care about to have a go at consumers who are rightly annoyed at a shady business practice deployed by a multi-billion dollar company. So if you weren't defending EA pray tell what were you doing? Telling others how to feel and what to think? I do think you were defending EA, whether that was you first thought or not isn't really relevant, telling people not to care about a shady practice is tacit support of that shady practice. No need to misrepresent you, because I think you got involved in a discussion without engaging your brain. Those who defended it who had played the game were doing so from a position of knowledge / personal investment, so while I might disagree with them I can respect their position, but people like you are just bizarre. I too have played the game this weekend, and the adverts were jarring, and did take you out if the game, my friend who owns the game was rightly annoyed, you don't get to tell him not to be annoyed.
@Nickolaidas so you buy a product, and then later on after paying for the product, the person who sold it you shoehorns adverts into it, and you don't have any rights to be annoyed. Give your head a wobble. Also you did defend EA, you even laughably suggested this could mean DLC would be free, yeah, sorry chap you were shilling for EA.
@Gaia093 I always seem to forget Ghostwrite: Tokyo, but whenever I'm reminded of it I remember how much fun it looked. I'm certainly keen to see more of it that's for sure.
Really looking forward to what CDPR have done with 2077. Probably my most anticipated confirmed title for 2020. Really glad they're in the final stretches.
@Richnj this is what I don't understand about people. If people have a vested interest in either the games, or the companies behind the games I get the defence of certain business practices. However, the blind defence of rampant exploitative capitalistic endeavour without any skin in the game is truly baffling to me. Just can't wrap my head around it. This is demonstrably a s***y move by EA, signaled by the fact they chose to sneak it out, they knew it was scummy, so they do it post release, there's no defence of this, even if you worked for EA. Yet people who seemingly don't care apparently feel the need to defend EA. Why?
Comments 834
Re: You'll Still Have to Pay for EA Play Independently on PS5, PS4
@Royalblues I think for me personally I'll keep an eye on the offerings on Game Pass, but also what Sony do with PS Now. Essentially they had the idea first, and all the infrastructure when they bought Gaikai. So in a way Microsoft have caught them napping with the amount of money they were willing to throw at it.
However, the way I would have approached Game Pass were I Microsoft would be to put all of my games on the service, but do so 18 to 24 months after launch. So people who want to buy the games buy them, and then Game Pass is a way of sweating more money out of your games while still being a great deal.
Putting new games day and date on Game Pass is a recipe for disaster. Halo Infinite has cost Microsoft $500m and then some so far to develop. It's a very expensive game and 10m subscribers at $10's a pop a month, or whatever it costs in the US, is not going to recoup that spend ever. It's just not. Servers cost money, other games cost money, EA Play will cost money, and all of that has to come out of the Game Pass subscription. It doesn't add up for big AAA games.
I don't think Sony could pump out games like Spider-Man, Demon's Souls, God of War, Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us etc. if they were having to drop them onto a subscription service day and date of release at the sort of price Game Pass is. At some point something would have to give, either the quality of the games, or the price of the service. I still think Game Pass will become a repository for free to play type games as a service with monetization, or episodic games with some Indies thrown in a d the odd old third party AAA game that will use it as a way to sell you DLC or a sequel. And maybe that's fine, but in its current form it isn't sustainable.
Re: You'll Still Have to Pay for EA Play Independently on PS5, PS4
@Royalblues who was ranting? I said it was a good deal for consumers. However, at some point shareholders will want to see their ROI in the Xbox Division. The losses Game Pass has made are quite famous, but you can check it in Microsoft investor calls, it has lost them a boat load of cash now. So, at some point they'll need to see numbers growing rapidly for the service, or it turning a profit. The Xbox Division isn't a charity for gamers, although it might seem like that right now. My point is something will have to give sooner or later.
Re: You'll Still Have to Pay for EA Play Independently on PS5, PS4
@Royalblues I'm not mad at it, in terms of value for the customer it is great. I do however seriously wonder long-term what happens to the quality of games and terms of employment for games developers. Game Pass has lost Microsoft over $2.4bn so far, more if you factor in lost revenue from sales of their first party games and associated development costs. Microsoft aren't a charity, and at some point it'll need to turn a profit. You can bet your bottom dollar EA aren't missing out on their "fee" for EA Play, so Microsoft are probably fronting them a boatload of cash. Personally I can see this all going very wrong, but hey, enjoy it while it lasts is my advice. I don't care if Microsoft bankrupt their game division trying to push Game Pass.
Re: Poll: Did You Buy a PlayStation at Launch 25 Years Ago?
@Royalblues for me back then the PS1 was the enemy, I was doing reconnaissance for team Nintendo... joking, but I never actually worked on any PS1 games. The first taste of Sony hardware for me was the PS2, then the PS3 nearly broke my will to live... I still have PTSD from the bloody SPE's...
But getting back to Battle Arena Toshinden, It was a really good launch fighting game. I think I personally loved WipEout most from the EU launch games. I went for an interview once at Studio Liverpool, or Psygnosis as they still were then, was gutted when they turned me down because it would have doubled my pay. lol.
Re: Poll: Did You Buy a PlayStation at Launch 25 Years Ago?
Yes I was there day 1 with WipEout, Ridge Racer and Battle Arena Toshinden I believe.
Re: Two New Demon's Souls PS5 Screenshots Have Shown Up Alongside Placeholder Box Art
@Grindagger I think Sony were always targeting a reveal before TGS, I just do. It's the 25th Anniversary of Ken Kuturagi's awful PowerPoint presentation at TGS soon, and I just wonder whether that was always the synergy. As to Demon's Souls? Blue Point have been working on it for 3 to 4 years if you believe CV's. I was allso hearing rumblings of a new R&C game 4 years ago now too. Returnal has apparently been a pet project for a few years at Housemarque and Polyphony Digital all but confirmed 5 years ago they were already prepping all their cars and models for next gen, so I think GT7 was always going to be a next-gen game. I'm convinced Sony plan on coming out swinging this generation.
Re: Two New Demon's Souls PS5 Screenshots Have Shown Up Alongside Placeholder Box Art
I have said for a while now, even before the PS5 reveal event I expected Demon's Souls, GT7 and Ratchet & Clank to be launch games. I accept the global Pandemic might have altered launch schedules somewhat, but, I still expect to see all three games, and a few others, notably Spider-Man Miles Morales in the PS5 launch window. Nothing has convinced me that isn't going to be the case yet... and while those are static shots... boy does it look good.
Re: PS5 Placeholder Box Art for Returnal, Gran Turismo 7, and More Revealed
I'm no graphic designer... as all the graphic designers I know are exceedingly fond of telling me... but... The Sackboy one looks great, I kinda like the Returnal one too, the Demon's Souls one is poor in my opinion. Too much going on, but not really in a dynamic or expressive way... whereas the Destruction Allstars one has a lot going on but seems cohesive to me, there's dynamism but a story and reason for it...
But having said that I am a bit surprised that Destruction Allstars has any box art, I was under the impression it was going to be an online F2P game. Now I'm confused even more about the product... any way, if they're sending box art out, even as placeholders, these are launch window games.
Re: Reaction: PS5 Price Under Scrutiny After Disruptive Xbox Series S Reveal
@knowles2 sure, but they're doing it with a range of consoles this time, and at a time when gamers are becoming more customer to paying subscription fees for gaming with PS+ and Gold, but also things like PS Now and more specifically Game Pass. They're also clearly trying to do away with console generations this time. Microsoft appear done with that model. They're going to push for convergence around Direct X / 3D development environments and constantly iterate hardware in much the same way phones do. I'm not sure the market is ready for it, but I do think they're trying something far more disruptive this time, and in this context their baffling naming convention makes sense. Sort of.
Re: Kena: Bridge of Spirits Takes Two Seconds to Boot on PS5
@nessisonett it'll depend on how well the game is compressed, and how much data is needed to get the game up and running. At 16GB the average throughput from the PS5 SSD will be around 9GB/s so at that sort of speed you are looking at an average of 2 seconds to load a game that requires / uses the full 16GBs. If your game use less memory you could have faster loads times, if your game compresses better then you should see better load times, and conversely you'll have slower load times if it doesn't compress well, but average times will be around 2 seconds I guess will be normal.
Re: Lords of the Fallen 2 Creates New Team Hexworks for PS5 Development
6 years later and 60 developers later... and it still doesn't really exist. They shafted Deck 13, and have fallen out with every developer they've got in to work on it since. Don't be surprised if in another 6 years we hear about another studio taking forward the vision of LotF2.
Re: PS5 Pre-Orders Reportedly Imminent, But Retailer Removes Tweet
@nessisonett I think neither Sony nor Microsoft have shown enough actual gameplay footage, but everything Sony have shown is running on PS5, whereas MS still haven't shown anything on XSX or XSS. I think at this point it is clear both have been more affected by the global pandemic than they've let on.
Re: PS5 Pre-Orders Reportedly Imminent, But Retailer Removes Tweet
Sony already knew about the XSS, it isn't a shock to them. They knew about it 2 years ago when developers did. Trust me. They knew, because they toyed with the idea too but decided against it. They also probably guessed the price as well, so my guess is all this was already factored in to their plans. I expect details from Sony around TGS.
Re: Reaction: PS5 Price Under Scrutiny After Disruptive Xbox Series S Reveal
I don't think the problem you describe over the PS5 Digital Edition is a problem at all. Sony have communicated pretty clearly that the difference is a disc drive, mainstream newspapers have reported this and even the BBC in the UK did. So that's a non issue. The price is slightly disruptive, but that's not the truly disruptive part, the monthly payment mobile model is the truly disruptive concept here. If Microsoft can convince people into these payment plans they might be able to convince people to transition to new hardware every 3 years or so without there being an actual console cycle / generations. That's the really disruptive part of their plan.
Re: Soapbox: Let's Give Activision a Bit of Credit, Yeah?
@JapaneseSonic not when it claims the criticism Activision Blizzard receives is based on their games, it's not. Just like the GaaS article it shows a distinct lack of understanding of what the debate in the wider community is, and a lack of knowledge, so I'm sorry but the writing staff here deserve both barrels.
Re: Ninja Gaiden Sigma Trilogy Listed for PS4 by Hong Kong Publisher
Maybe this will appease all the Ninja Gaiden fans who were annoyed Team Ninja were working on Nioh games instead of a new Ninja Gaiden game. Maybe this adds weight to the rumours they're working on a new Ninja Gaiden game for PS5. I might be willing to fork out for the trilogy again depending on how good a series of remasters they are.
Re: Soapbox: Let's Give Activision a Bit of Credit, Yeah?
@Grindagger and you my friend have hit the nail on the head. Sadly this is the second such "soapbox" article on here in quick succession that shows a distinct lack of even cursory knowledge about the industry, and that blindly defends something in the industry that deserves no defence without any context at all. It comes across as amateurish.
Re: Soapbox: Let's Give Activision a Bit of Credit, Yeah?
@KippDynamite agree 100% with you, but all too often games journalists don't live up to the journalist part of their job title. I think the industry and gamers in general deserve a far better level of actual journalism than it currently gets. However, I'm not sure there's a fiscal model out there that works for that sort of serious journalism, because you'd need advertising money from the very businesses you would be criticising.
Re: Cyberpunk 2077 Multiplayer Will Have Microtransactions, Says Developer
As always, it all depends on what it is for, and how it is handled. Micro-transactions aren't inherently bad, and it depends why they are in a game. So for me it depends on how it is implemented in the online element. As it's CDPR you know what? I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now. Not personally interested in Cyberpunk 2077 for multiplayer personally, but I hope for those who were it's not awful.
Re: Hands On: Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning Has a Game-Breaking Bug and Crashing Issues on PS4
@ShogunRok did you uninstall the game?
Re: Soapbox: Let's Give Activision a Bit of Credit, Yeah?
@JapaneseSonic and that's fine, but when you defend a corporation you shoud expect challenge, if they don't want challenge then stick to the games and don't cross over into baiting territory and defenses of corporations who do some pretty appalling things. In playground parlance they started it, and I think they knew what they were starting. Also, I do actually think it's about time the games industry had some serious journalists that didn't just parrot and print companies press releases. Not just aiming that at Push Square by the the way, there are far worse culprits.
Re: Soapbox: Let's Give Activision a Bit of Credit, Yeah?
@Fenbops ah yeah... Zoë Quinn... not touching this subject with a barge pole. I guess she just ghosted backers right?...
No, not touching it, it's a trap.
Re: Hands On: Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning Has a Game-Breaking Bug and Crashing Issues on PS4
@ShogunRok did they not ask for the save files? Christ, if I was working in QA on game with these problems I'd be buying you a new PS4 Pro and paying for you to ship me the one with the dodgy install so we could see what the hell was going on. I might even send a private courier to pick it up.
Re: Soapbox: Let's Give Activision a Bit of Credit, Yeah?
@Fenbops did he really? I'm not exactly a subscriber of his to be honest with you. I might catch the odd video while bored, but I don't really watch him regularly enough. Don't really have the time. Out of interest what was the Kickstarter and when was it.
Re: Soapbox: Let's Give Activision a Bit of Credit, Yeah?
@AdamNovice Jim's criticism of most corporate behaviour is spot on though. Working for these companies taints your soul just a little bit. I've never really come across any of his corporate criticisms that I thought were unfair or unfounded... except perhaps his weird fixation on all things Gearbox and Randy Pitchfork, sure they're not perfect, but there I think it's personal with Jim.
Re: Hands On: Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning Has a Game-Breaking Bug and Crashing Issues on PS4
@ShogunRok did you contact the publisher / developer with the problem? Analysis of your saves files may actually be useful to them.
As to the problem, that's weird as hell. Still think you should review the game as is, as you can only really review a game based on the experience you had, rather than what others experienced. Your experience with the game is legitimate, and as such a valid voice to add to the critique of the product.
Re: Soapbox: Let's Give Activision a Bit of Credit, Yeah?
@nessisonett you're totally missing the point again. However, for the record those two subsidiaries are some of the worst offenders for treating employees like trash. The point is the corporate entity, Activision Blizzard is the one that receives the criticism, and that's who this article defends. The article totally missed the reasons they get the criticism they do saying it was about games or micro-transactions when it isn't so don't try to shift the discussion elsewhere, because that's not the discussion.
Re: Soapbox: Let's Give Activision a Bit of Credit, Yeah?
@nessisonett not really the point, the article totally misunderstood why Activision Blizzard get the criticism they do. For the record I'd defend EA to the hilt as an employer, they're actually really good, their micro-transaction shenanigans though are a different matter entirely. I have chosen not to buy any Ubisoft Games until I see the Yves Guillemot and his Executive management team are held accountable for what has gone on in their studios, and I've worked in an Ubisoft Studio. People can make whatever choices they like, that's up to them, but this does completely miss all of the points critics of the company level at them.
Re: Soapbox: Let's Give Activision a Bit of Credit, Yeah?
@nessisonett there's plenty in politics buddy, any journalist on Fox News. To be honest there has been a history in games journalism of publications being a little too close to publishers and developers. The power dynamic between even a larger organisation like IGN and say EA or Activision is pretty one sided. The publishers don't really need IGN, but without access to them and their products IGN is dealt a serious blow.
Re: Soapbox: Let's Give Activision a Bit of Credit, Yeah?
The criticisms of Activision Blizzard rarely center on their games to be fair. Sure, some criticised the annual CoD games for being bland, but it's normally criticized for its business practices. You know things like banning players who express freedom of speech in Hong Kong. Or making employees redundant the day before they're due to get permanent contracts after working for them for two years. Or making people redundant just before they'd be eligible for pay rises, contractual bonuses, or anything else they should be paying their staff. The retrofitting of micro-transactions to games is only a minor transgression when weighed up against the monumentally evil stuff they've got up to. Including illegally selling player details in countries like Germany to third parties. Or Bobby Kotick taking exorbitant bonuses while firing hundreds of staff who made him the money to pay himself exhorbitant bonuses, or the massive amounts of tax evasion they're involved with, which also includes claiming hundreds of millions in tax relief they wouldn't be entitled to if the weren't evading said tax. Yet another "bizarre" opinion piece that fails to grasp why they get the criticism in the first place.
Re: Rumour: Prince of Persia Remake Planned for Ubisoft Livestream
@OlosNah I think it sold roughly 2m copies, or that's what was reported on circulars inside Ubisoft at the time. I think they would have targeted sales of between 3m to 4m for a game with its budget as a bare minimum, so it wasn't a resounding success. It reviewed well though I think. I just think the market wasn't ready for some of it's ideas is all. The parkour was fluid and fast and required you to respond rather than plan, and that didn't sit well with many gamers at the time I think, although now I think gamers would be up for it.
Re: Talking Point: Could PS5 Be Delayed?
@eddie429 you better have something to thoroughly clean your hands, because hotwings and the DualSense will not a good combo make!!! lol.
Re: Cyberpunk 2077 Is Being Prepared For Final Certification, Another Delay Unlikely
@LiamCroft why 2021? You got a big backlog or you waiting for the PS5 version?
Re: Talking Point: Could PS5 Be Delayed?
@Rudy_Manchego I think that's the crux of this, come high or hell water given the marketing deals and budgets involved they have to ship. MS might only have 600,000 units for NA and 300,000 for EU, but it would be a launch. Not sure where Sony are right now, I keep hearing they're already air freighting initial batches into NA at least, but I think even if limited and staggered both will launch this year.
Re: UK Sales Charts: Avengers at Number 1, But Sells Less Than a Third of What Spider-Man PS4 Managed
That's just physical sales right? I'd expect given the trends this year that it has done far better digitally. Everyone I know who got it (5 people) all got it digitally, and most of them are usually physical release only people as they're old school. Either way I hope those who got it enjoy the game, and that the monetization is too bad for you all.
Re: Talking Point: Could PS5 Be Delayed?
@AdamNovice hey... I 100% agree with you. I do think it's a little frustrating we still don't know any concrete details from either Sony or Microsoft, but actually, I think given the circumstances it's understandable, and they should fully commit, and market the thing when they know they can.
Re: Talking Point: Could PS5 Be Delayed?
They're supposedly already flying stock into the US and EU, so I think they still plan on having some sort of launch this year. Whether staggered or limited I don't know. Manufacturing the things isn't the problem, they actually got onto production of PS5's earlier than they did with the PS4, where they started mass production in July. Supposedly they've upped orders from TSMC as well, so I guess they can make the things in the volumes required, but the issue during a pandemic seems to be a logistical one, which is understandable given where the world is right now, we might even be seeing a second peak. However, I do think they intend to launch this year in NA and the EU at least.
Re: EA Disables UFC 4's In-Game Ads Following Player Outrage
@KippDynamite actually I think you are actually onto something. I've seen so many people defend a system that was designed to specifically disadvantage them that your explanation seems as good as any.
Re: EA Disables UFC 4's In-Game Ads Following Player Outrage
Also, I think the world would be a far better place if people didn't feel the need to express opinions, or indeed express opinions just because they can. I absolutely 100% agree with you on the lazy annual updates argument, and am right beside you about releasing broken shoddy product like Fallout 76, but as someone who has worked in the industry I see this sort of thing EA have pulled here as part of the wider malaise that has set into the industry. It all needs taking on, no picking and choosing fights, people need to push back against all of it and refuse to accept any of it, because if you give companies like EA an inch, they'll take a mile.
Re: EA Disables UFC 4's In-Game Ads Following Player Outrage
@Nickolaidas OK, so I need to address your comments specifically, because evidently you can't see where I'm coming from, and that's on me because I've not communicated well enough, so I'll highlight where I'm coming from with your words:
"Actually makes it look more realistic with ads and sponsors. Didn't bother me at all, and I actually kinda liked it."
That's a defence of them shoehorning adverts into the game post launch, because you like it. Your words, you can like it, that's fine, but it is a defence. Next:
"I said that complaining about this is stupid"
There you go, attacking others who were complaining about the product they paid money for was now using them as a product to sell adverts too. So again, a defence of EA by attacking consumers angry with EA:
"so, being baffled at the amount of outrage some people display over the silliest of things now counts as 'defending and white-knighting a greedy corporation'?"
Yes, when coupled with above comments it clearly does.
"I don't give a rat's ass about EA, especially after they ruined IPs that I loved"
Why comment and defend them, which I think from the above excerpts I've demonstrated you have done. But just in case here's you defending EA again by calling those upset by this dodgy move immature:
"Probably because they knew some immature gamers would blow a casket over such an insignificant thing like that."
And again belittling those angry about it:
"Personally I think it's stupid as hell to be angry over some insignificant crap like that"
Sorry, but you did defend EA, and you attacked those critical of EA, and if you can't see it then you're the one who needs to go away and think about what you said and why.
Re: EA Disables UFC 4's In-Game Ads Following Player Outrage
@Nickolaidas why do you feel the need to express an opinion on something you don't care about? I just don't buy it. If something doesn't register with me either way I might read opinions of those who do feel the need to express themselves, I might even engage, but calling people silly, which you did? Calling it pointless which it wasn't? Calling people stupid for being angry about it, all things you did, for something that doesn't bother you? Really? I stand by my criticism of you.
Re: EA Disables UFC 4's In-Game Ads Following Player Outrage
@Nickolaidas but that's not all you did, you attacked people who felt differently to you, and mocked them for being upset / angry about it. So yeah, you fell into the category of defending a multi-billion dollar company as you were setting yourself on the same side of the divide. If it didn't bother you why comment? You're position is getting more and more bizarre, you've not stopped once to question why you interjected in the first place.
Re: EA Disables UFC 4's In-Game Ads Following Player Outrage
@KippDynamite as someone who studied psychology and neuroscience (and went into AI) I think you might be right. I've often said that brands seem to take the place of religion now for many, and so when faced with cognitive dissonance, because these brands have become part of the self they view it as a personal attack. It's still weak to me though, it's deeply unpleasant to have to face such a challenge, but running away from it isn't mentally healthy, I've had my worldview shattered twice in my life, and I think I became a better person for it. What I don't get though is those with no skin in the game whatsoever, don't like EA, don't work for EA, don't own the game defending shady practices and telling others how to feel. Feelings are legitimate, because you have them, they might not always be healthy, and often you have to deal with them, but you are allowed to feel them, and let them motivate you. I just can't wrap my head around some of these defenses.
Re: EA Disables UFC 4's In-Game Ads Following Player Outrage
@KippDynamite I'm really starting to worry about the youth of today. Seriously, just giving in to shady corporate practices and letting themselves get shafted. Wouldn't want to be in the trenches with any of them... "Oh no, we've been invaded. Better surrender then". The argument that there is no point complaining is the most supine piece subservient nonsense I have ever read, doubly so because consumer backlash gas changed things many time over. Also the defence of this practice is thoroughly baffling to me.
Re: Rumour: Prince of Persia Remake Planned for Ubisoft Livestream
@themightyant good question, I guess there were quality of life improvements to both Crash Trilogy and Shadow of the Colossus, I'd also expect Demon's Souls to make some QoL changes. Personally as long as the spirit of the games are maintained I'm OK with QoL stuff, if it changes the nature of the game though, say adding guns to Demon's Souls wouldn't be cool. I think Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1&2 shows how it should be done, wasn't a big THPS fan when they were first launched, they were OK, but again got my hands on this remaster over the weekend and I really enjoyed it.
Re: EA Disables UFC 4's In-Game Ads Following Player Outrage
@Nickolaidas I actually am interested in a discussion, because I just want to understand why someone would come into a discussion, for something they said they don't care about to have a go at consumers who are rightly annoyed at a shady business practice deployed by a multi-billion dollar company. So if you weren't defending EA pray tell what were you doing? Telling others how to feel and what to think? I do think you were defending EA, whether that was you first thought or not isn't really relevant, telling people not to care about a shady practice is tacit support of that shady practice. No need to misrepresent you, because I think you got involved in a discussion without engaging your brain. Those who defended it who had played the game were doing so from a position of knowledge / personal investment, so while I might disagree with them I can respect their position, but people like you are just bizarre. I too have played the game this weekend, and the adverts were jarring, and did take you out if the game, my friend who owns the game was rightly annoyed, you don't get to tell him not to be annoyed.
Re: EA Disables UFC 4's In-Game Ads Following Player Outrage
@Nickolaidas so you buy a product, and then later on after paying for the product, the person who sold it you shoehorns adverts into it, and you don't have any rights to be annoyed. Give your head a wobble. Also you did defend EA, you even laughably suggested this could mean DLC would be free, yeah, sorry chap you were shilling for EA.
Re: PS5 Exclusive Returnal Looks to Be Targeting a 2021 Release Date
@Gaia093 I always seem to forget Ghostwrite: Tokyo, but whenever I'm reminded of it I remember how much fun it looked. I'm certainly keen to see more of it that's for sure.
Re: Cyberpunk 2077 Is Being Prepared For Final Certification, Another Delay Unlikely
Really looking forward to what CDPR have done with 2077. Probably my most anticipated confirmed title for 2020. Really glad they're in the final stretches.
Re: Outrage as EA Shoves Real World Ads Into UFC 4 After Review Period Is Over
@Richnj this is what I don't understand about people. If people have a vested interest in either the games, or the companies behind the games I get the defence of certain business practices. However, the blind defence of rampant exploitative capitalistic endeavour without any skin in the game is truly baffling to me. Just can't wrap my head around it. This is demonstrably a s***y move by EA, signaled by the fact they chose to sneak it out, they knew it was scummy, so they do it post release, there's no defence of this, even if you worked for EA. Yet people who seemingly don't care apparently feel the need to defend EA. Why?