October 24th 2024.
Is Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 really just a game for young people? That's the question that has been raised by the Thursday letters page, as a reader shares a deal for 20% off Meta Quest 3. If you have your own thoughts on the matter, feel free to join in on the discussions by emailing us.
Growing out of it
I've been bombarded with countless Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 ads lately. It seems like everywhere I go, whether it's YouTube or a gaming website, my screen is filled with images and videos of the game. But to be honest, it's not really having an impact on me. While I will admit that this one looks more interesting than last year's installment, I just can't seem to muster up any excitement for the franchise anymore.
Now, I don't necessarily think that the game is doing anything wrong. It's probably just me. Even when I was still playing it four years ago, I noticed that the majority of other players were teenage boys. This makes me believe that, despite its age rating, Call Of Duty is primarily targeted towards kids.
I realize that I may be a bit late in coming to this realization, but it's not as obvious as something like Fortnite. However, when you consider how ridiculous Zombies has become and who the ads are geared towards, it becomes pretty apparent. I'm not complaining, I'm simply acknowledging that the game no longer appeals to me. I'm curious to know if there are any other fans of the franchise out there in the Inbox.
Columbo
Missed opportunity
It's a shame to see what happened to Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown, but I don't necessarily blame Ubisoft for it. I remember seeing quite a bit of marketing for the game when it was released, with previews and even an expansion. However, I don't think the game was all that appealing to most people.
The graphics were rather bland, the Metroidvania genre is quite oversaturated, and the game didn't even seem to have any connection to the Prince Of Persia franchise – you don't even get to play as the titular character. No matter how good a game may be, if it doesn't catch people's attention, it's not going to sell well. I didn't buy it myself. This is a prime example of companies trying to push a franchise without focusing on the game itself. If it had been an original game with its own setting and characters, I believe it would have had better success.
Klamar
A shift in generations
I've noticed that console sales for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S have been declining rapidly this generation, and it's quite shocking. If Microsoft didn't have seemingly limitless funds, they may have given up on making consoles by now. But what about Sony? If the PlayStation 6 sees a similar decline, will we see the time between console generations getting shorter and shorter?
Meanwhile, Nintendo seems to be sitting comfortably outside of this struggle. The Switch is almost eight years old, and yet it's still outselling the Xbox in its biggest market. It's truly remarkable. I'm not sure what can be done about this, but it's clear that one major difference between Nintendo and Sony/Microsoft is their dedication to providing a steady stream of first-party exclusives. It's a pretty obvious connection, in my opinion.
Focus
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The Big Two
I may be wearing a tin hat here, but I have to admit that I'm now a fan of PlayStation and Xbox releasing games on PC. In fact, I've even found myself wishing that Nintendo would do the same with their older games. Being able to buy games for a discounted price from CDKeys or during a Steam sale has led to me purchasing many PlayStation 4 and 5 games twice.
The games run smoothly on the Steam Deck and I know that I'll be able to play them on any future PC or handheld device, with the assurance that they will upscale nicely. I understand why Nintendo doesn't do this, and with the success of the Switch, they have no reason to change their strategy. However, as a gamer, it would be great to have all three major consoles on one system and not have to constantly dig out my older consoles.
Nintendo is doing their best to shut down emulation on PC, but perhaps that points to an untapped market? I believe that the crossover between console and PC gamers is quite minimal, as the majority of people don't want to deal with the "hassle" of a PC. Therefore, I don't think it would drastically affect console sales. For developers, this would provide an opportunity to earn additional revenue from their software, and it must be a lucrative venture since they continue to do it.
Magnumstache
P.S. I noticed a lot of negativity surrounding the release of Spider-Man 2 on PC, due to the announcement that there would be no story DLC for PC or PlayStation 5.
Meta Quest 3S – now even more affordable
Embarking on a quest for savings
For those considering purchasing a Meta Quest 3 headset, it's currently 20% off if you buy it from Very and use Very Pay as your first order, which is their credit option. Pay it off a week after it arrives, and you won't pay any interest.
Even if you already have a Very account, as long as you haven't utilized Very Pay before, it will still work. My wife and I keep receiving £50 off a £100 spend from Very, which is helpful when buying console games!
Also, use a referral link for £23 in Meta Quest cash to spend for yourself and the person who referred you, towards games in the Meta store. You can find referral links in various Meta Quest Facebook groups, in case you don't know anyone with one.
Goldenlay
A virtual vacation
I couldn't help but feel the sincerity in GameCentral's suggestion to ask readers if they would buy a Meta Quest solely to experience Batman: Arkham Shadow. I've spent triple the amount for a terrible 10-day holiday that I couldn't wait to escape from.
This puts things into perspective for me, but it's also a depressing realization that I am more inclined to shut out the real world and immerse myself in a virtual one. I find more satisfaction in inhabiting a virtual world. I've been thinking about addressing this topic in a weekend feature, but it's a complex subject that requires more succinct explanation than I could provide.
Do you agree with our thoughts on Meta Quest? Share your views with us.
Is Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 only for young people nowadays? That's what the Thursday letters page seems to think, as a reader shares a deal for 20% off Meta Quest 3. If you have any thoughts on the matter, you can join in on the discussion by emailing us.
Personally, I have been bombarded with ads for Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 lately. Everywhere I go online, whether it's YouTube or a gaming website, I am met with images and videos promoting the game. However, I can't say that it's had much of an effect on me. While this one does look more interesting than last year's installment, I just can't seem to muster up any interest in the franchise anymore.
Now, I don't think the game is necessarily doing anything wrong - it's probably just me. Even when I used to play it about four years ago, the majority of players seemed to be teenage boys. This leads me to believe that, despite the age rating, Call Of Duty is really geared towards a younger audience. It may have taken me a while to realize this, but it's not as obvious as something like Fortnite. However, when you consider how silly the Zombies mode has become and who the ads are targeting, it becomes quite apparent. I'm not complaining, I'm just acknowledging that the game is no longer for me. I'm curious to know if there are any other Inbox readers who still consider themselves fans.
Moving on, I was saddened by what happened to Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown, but I can't say that I blame Ubisoft. They did put out a fair amount of marketing for the game, including previews and even an expansion. However, at the end of the day, I don't think the game was appealing enough to most people. The graphics were lackluster, the Metroidvania genre is oversaturated, and it didn't even have anything to do with Prince Of Persia - you don't even get to play as the titular character. Ultimately, no matter how good a game may be, if it doesn't catch people's attention, they're not going to buy it. I certainly didn't. This is a prime example of companies prioritizing a franchise over the game itself. Had it been an original game with its own setting and characters, I believe it would have been much more successful.
On a somewhat related note, I can't help but be shocked at how quickly console sales for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S are dropping this generation. If Microsoft didn't have seemingly endless funds, they probably would have given up on making consoles by now. But what about Sony? If the PlayStation 6 follows suit and sales drop off quickly, will we see the time between console generations continue to shrink? And then there's Nintendo, who seems to be thriving despite their Switch being nearly eight years old. It's unbelievable, really. As for any potential solutions or explanations, I think the key difference here is that Nintendo continues to support their console with a steady stream of first-party exclusives, whereas Sony and Microsoft seem to be lacking in that department. It's a pretty obvious connection, in my opinion.
Switching gears, I used to be indifferent to the idea of PlayStation and Xbox games being released on PC, but now I'm a fan. I've even found myself wishing that Nintendo would do the same with their older games. Being able to buy games at a discounted price from CDKeys or during a Steam sale has led me to double-dip on most PlayStation 4 and 5 games. They run well on the Steam Deck and I know I can play them on any future PC or handheld console, knowing they'll upscale nicely. I understand why Nintendo doesn't do this, and they're doing great with the Switch so they have no reason to change their strategy. But for someone like me who would love to have all three major consoles on one system, it would be a dream come true. It's interesting to note that while companies are trying to shut down emulation on PC, it may actually point to an untapped market. I believe the crossover between console and PC gamers is minimal, as most people don't want the "hassle" of PC gaming. Therefore, I can't imagine this having a significant impact on console sales. For developers, it's an opportunity to make some extra money on their software, and it must be worthwhile because they continue to do it.
Lastly, I appreciated GameCentral's suggestion to ask the reader whether they should purchase a Meta Quest solely for the Batman: Arkham Shadow experience. I've spent triple the amount on a terrible 10-day holiday that I couldn't wait to get away from. This really puts things into perspective, but it's a depressing realization that I am more inclined to escape to a virtual world than to engage with the real one. I've been contemplating writing in with a weekend feature discussing this topic, but it's a complex subject that demands a concise approach.
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