December 17th 2024.
It's been a hot topic on the Tuesday letters page lately - the Xbox multiformat policy has left readers feeling confused and uncertain. One reader even took the opportunity to envision what gaming might look like in five years' time. If you want to join in on the discussions, be sure to email us at the address provided.
On another note, we here at the gaming community are currently gearing up for the holiday season. As we prepare our content for the Christmas period, we are in need of several Reader's Features. If you've been meaning to write one but just never found the time, now is the perfect opportunity to do so. We would greatly appreciate as many submissions as possible before Monday, December 23.
Speaking of features, I wanted to share my second impressions of The Games Awards. At first, I thought it was an incredibly enjoyable event to watch. However, upon reflection, I'm not so sure. It's not the fault of the event itself - in fact, I thought it was the best one yet. But the announcements, unfortunately, left me feeling underwhelmed. The biggest reveal was probably The Witcher 4, but it was a stark reminder that the game won't be released for quite some time. And while Naughty Dog's game was technically a big deal, the trailer itself wasn't all that exciting. Even the mention of Elden Ring, which is always welcome, was met with speculation that it might just be repurposed DLC. And as for games like Onimusha and Ōkami 2 - they all look great, but they're still years away. Overall, there was very little to get excited about in terms of upcoming releases, especially considering the lack of GTA 6 and a new Switch model. The absence of a new GTA 6 trailer also leaves open the possibility of a delay, and let's not forget that a Switch 2 could potentially be on the horizon as well. In my opinion, it's time for Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo to step up and host their own showcases next year. The Game Awards did what it could, but it's not enough.
Moving on to another topic, it's becoming increasingly frustrating not knowing Microsoft's plans for multiformat games. I've heard it explained that the reason for the seemingly random approach is that some studios are better equipped to handle multiformat games than others. So, for the time being, Microsoft is allowing it to happen naturally before making it a mandatory requirement in the future. While that may be the case, I can't help but wonder why they don't just come out and say it instead of leaving it up to speculation and insider information - which may or may not be accurate. The same issue applies to Sony's lack of communication. It's either they come across as aloof or incompetent, or sometimes both. One has to wonder why they can't see the importance of having a State of Play (or whatever the Xbox equivalent is) and just explaining their plans, instead of keeping everyone in the dark and fueling endless speculation. It's doing them more harm than good.
On a lighter note, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lagger's Reader's Feature over the weekend. He shared his preference for shorter games due to his limited free time, and I can definitely relate. While I do enjoy a longer game every now and then, they are few and far between for me. For example, I was able to play Zelda: Breath of the Wild during lockdown, Final Fantasy 7 Remake in the brief period between jobs, and Rebirth earlier this year when I had a bit of extra time. I have no idea when I'll be able to play the finale - it's not like I can plan my career around game releases! There have been so many amazing games released in the past few years that I know I'll never get around to playing, such as the highly praised Metaphor: ReFantazio, but I just don't have the 80+ hours to invest in it. Or, if I do, it would be spread out over a period of six months. Like Lagger, I tend to prefer games that I can complete in a few sessions or ones that I can play co-op with my wife. On that note, I also wanted to say that I'm really enjoying the new look of the site and the increase in more in-depth pieces. Keep up the good work! And thank you for another year of excellent coverage - in my opinion, it's still the best on the internet. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!
On a lighter note, I couldn't resist sharing my favorite Names In Games. Here are a few that come to mind: Tom Raider, Norman's Sky, Alan Is Awake, Mark Is The Ninja, Gary & Mark Of The Wolves, and Rachel & Clark: Drift Apart. And since we're on the topic of fun names, here's a takeaway curry bonus: Armored Korma IV: Fries and a Rubicon. Enjoy!
Lastly, I have a question for you - will you be doing a review of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind? I've seen some mixed reviews and it's not exactly cheap for a retro-styled game, so I'm hoping you'll be able to review it. From the previews, it looks like a blast from the past with its super scaler style sections, reminiscent of late '80s to early '90s Sega arcade games before polygons took over.
Thanks for taking the time to read my letter. Looking forward to your response!
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Hey everyone, I just wanted to share some thoughts on the recent gaming news and events. First off, it looks like we won't be getting The Witcher 4 anytime soon. It's a bit disappointing, but at least we have some other exciting things to look forward to.
The Tuesday letters page has been buzzing about the Xbox multiformat policy. One reader even shared their thoughts on what gaming will be like in five years. If you want to join in on the discussions, feel free to email us!
On another note, just a heads up that we are currently getting ready for the Christmas season and will need some Reader's Features to fill our content. So if you've been wanting to write one but haven't gotten around to it, we would appreciate it if you could submit it by Monday, December 23.
Now, let's talk about The Game Awards. Initially, I was blown away by the event and thought it was the best one yet. However, after thinking about it for a few days, I'm not so sure anymore. The event itself was great, but the announcements were a bit underwhelming. The biggest deal was probably The Witcher 4, but it's not going to be released for a while. And while Naughty Dog's game was technically big news, the trailer wasn't all that exciting. The same goes for more Elden Ring footage, although I do agree with a reader's comment that it might just be repurposed DLC.
Some other announcements, like Onimusha and Okami 2, are exciting but they're also years away. There wasn't much revealed that will be coming out soon or solving the issue of so few big name games being released next year. Unfortunately, the absence of GTA 6 and the Switch 2 really hurt the event. And with no new GTA 6 trailer, there's a possibility of a delay. I wouldn't rule out a delay for the Switch 2 either.
In my opinion, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo need to have their own showcases next year. While The Game Awards did what it could, it's not enough. We need more updates and announcements from these companies.
Moving on, let's talk about the confusion surrounding Microsoft's multiformat games. It seems like they're just letting things happen organically instead of making it mandatory, at least for now. But why not just tell us that instead of leaving it to insider information? The same goes for Sony – they have a total lack of communication which makes them seem aloof and incompetent. Can't they see that this is doing more harm than good? It would be great if they could just have a State of Play or something similar to explain their plans instead of leaving everyone to speculate.
On a lighter note, I really enjoyed reading Lagger's Reader's Feature over the weekend. They only play shorter games due to lack of time, and I can relate to that. While I do enjoy longer games, they are few and far between for me. I recently played Zelda: Breath of the Wild during lockdown and Final Fantasy 7 Remake two years ago when I had some free time between jobs. I'm not sure when I'll be able to play the finale of a game – I can't plan my career around game releases!
There are so many games that have been released in the past few years that I know I'll never get around to playing. Most recently, I've been eyeing Metaphor: ReFantazio, but I just don't have 80+ hours to dedicate to it. Well, I do, but it would take me about six months to finish. Like Lagger, I prefer games that I can complete in a few sessions or play co-op with my wife.
On a final note, I'm enjoying the new look of the site and the increased number of in-depth pieces. Keep up the good work! And thank you for another year of great coverage – in my opinion, still the best on the internet. Merry Christmas to all of you!
Oh, and before I forget, someone shared their favorite Names In Games and I just had to include it in my letter. Check these out: Tom Raider, Norman's Sky, Alan Is Awake, Mark Is The Ninja, Gary & Mark Of The Wolves, Rachel & Clark: Drift Apart. And as a bonus, a takeaway curry game: Armored Korma IV: Fries and a Rubicon. How creative!
Lastly, I saw some mixed reviews about Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind. I was hoping you guys could review it since it's not cheap for a retro-styled game. I saw some previews and it looked amazing with the super scaler style sections reminiscent of late '80s to early '90s Sega arcade games before polygons took over.
That's all for now. Thanks for reading and see you all in the next letter!
Dawn French Of War
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