March 26th 2024.
It seems like the gaming industry is going through a rough time right now. In a recent letter, a reader expressed their disappointment with Bend Studio's decision to create a live service game, while someone else shared their concerns about the potential Zelda movie. If you want to join in on the discussion, you can email us at the provided email address.
Personally, I'm not surprised to hear that publishers are resorting to sequels and familiar IPs to combat the current issues in gaming. It's disheartening to see that no one is trying to address the problems of rising budgets and stagnant growth, instead opting to focus on live service and mobile games. As someone who has been playing video games for over 25 years, it feels like the entire industry is falling apart. It's like the end of an era, similar to the decline of VHS.
But let's try to stay positive. I believe that Nintendo and indie developers will make it through this tough time. They create great games without breaking the bank. On the other hand, I'm not so sure about the other "dinosaurs" like Xbox and PlayStation. I wish we could go back to the way things were at the beginning of this generation, but I don't think that's possible for a while.
We're currently experiencing the second industry crash, and I think it's going to be a challenging few years. Let's hope that the gaming world will be in a better place when we come out on the other side.
It's hard to believe that we won't see The Elder Scrolls 6 until 2028. By then, we'll probably be well into the next generation of consoles, and who knows what the world will be like at that point. It's challenging to plan that far ahead, especially with so many possible variables and other similar games releasing between now and then.
I hope the mixed response to Starfield will encourage Bethesda to change their formula. Otherwise, the new game may end up being just like Skyrim. I'm excited to see what they come up with.
I feel for Bend Studio, having to work on live service games. It seems like every Sony studio is heading in that direction, except for a few like Naughty Dog. I can't imagine the pressure they must be under, especially after creating the fantastic game Returnal. But what happens if their game doesn't do well? Sony may have had a taste of success with Helldivers 2, but not all live service games will be hits. It's concerning to think about what will happen if one of them flops.
Moving on to other news, I admire the enthusiasm of the Zelda movie director, and I'm looking forward to the new Planet of the Apes film. However, I don't think Zelda would work well in live action. Maybe an animated film would be better, but even then, what would be the purpose of it? The story in the games is usually the weakest aspect, so why focus on that in a movie? The director claims that this is what fans have always wanted, but I'm not so sure. Who plays Zelda and thinks, "I wish this was a linear, non-interactive movie centered around the worst part of the franchise"?
I understand that the director wants to get paid, but the whole idea doesn't make sense to me. I'm also curious about what they'll do for a second Mario movie, now that the novelty has worn off. Most people don't play Nintendo games for the story, which makes them difficult to adapt into films.
On a different note, I recently started playing Balatro on my MacBook, and I'm really enjoying it, even though I'm not very good at it yet. I had initially planned on playing it on my Xbox Series X/S, but there is currently a sound issue when the sound setting is anything other than uncompressed stereo. I know it's developed by one person, but I hope they can fix this issue soon. Changing sound settings for one game and then changing back is not my idea of fun.
I'm a bit late to the party, but I recently started playing Dragon's Dogma 2, and it's a fantastic old-school role-playing game. I wasn't a huge fan of the original, but I think that's because 2012 was such a great year for games, and I was spoiled for choice. Now, with the updated version for a 2024 audience, it's like reliving those good old days again.
I think a big part of why I'm enjoying it so much is because of the game's design decisions. There's no fast travel, so each journey feels meaningful and realistic. I also like stocking up on supplies for the adventure ahead and having my pawns help me through the environment. And I know this may be controversial, but I even like the one save character rule. It means I won't spend hours re-rolling my character like I did in other games. Plus, I can switch vocations whenever I want to avoid getting bored with the same character.
One last thing, I've seen people criticize the game for microtransactions, but I haven't encountered any in the game. In fact, I haven't even been prompted or needed to use any. I'm happy for others to spend money on something they enjoy, and I hope it means we'll see more of the game through DLC or sequels in the future. The more, the merrier!
It seems like the gaming industry is going through a rough patch right now. I was browsing through the Tuesday letters page and saw that many people are unhappy with Bend Studio's decision to make a live service game. In fact, one reader even expressed concerns about a potential Zelda movie. If you want to join in on the discussions, feel free to email us your thoughts.
As a long-time gamer, I can't say I am surprised by the publishers' response to the current issues in the industry. It's disheartening to see them resorting to sequels and relying on familiar IPs instead of addressing the underlying problems with skyrocketing budgets and stagnant growth. It seems like the solution is to give up and focus on live service and mobile games. To me, it feels like the video game world is falling apart, or at least on a steady decline. And what's even more concerning is that these issues have been around for years, yet the response from publishers seems to have come out of nowhere. As someone who has been playing video games for over 25 years, it's saddening to see the current state of the industry. It's almost like we're witnessing the last days of VHS.
But let's try to stay positive. In the midst of all this chaos, there are two groups that will likely survive: Nintendo and indie developers. They not only make the best games but also manage to do so without breaking the bank. As for the other big players, like Xbox and PlayStation, I'm not so sure. I do wish we could go back to the way things were at the start of this generation, but I have a feeling that won't happen for a long time.
It's hard to believe that we won't see The Elder Scrolls 6 until 2028. By then, we'll likely be well into the next generation of consoles. Who knows what the world will look like at that point with all the uncertainties and potential challenges. It's difficult to plan for such a distant future, especially in the constantly evolving gaming industry. And with so many similar games coming out between now and then, it's hard to predict how The Elder Scrolls 6 will fare.
I hope the mixed reception to Starfield will push Bethesda to shake things up and change their formula. Otherwise, we may end up with another game that's too similar to Skyrim. I can't help but feel disappointed by the news of Bend Studio working on live service games. After creating the amazing game Returnal, it seems like they've been given the task of churning out a battle pass-filled live service game. I really hope that's not the case, but it's hard to imagine otherwise.
And what happens if these live service games don't perform well? Sony seems to have gotten a taste for success after the release of Helldivers 2, but not every game is guaranteed to be a hit. Unlike single-player games, there's no guarantee that even a good live service game will sell. I shudder to think of what will happen when one of them flops big time.
On a different note, I recently saw the trailer for the new Planet of the Apes film and I have to say, it looks well-made. However, I can't say the same for the idea of a live action Zelda movie. Maybe it could work as an animated film, but even then, I'm not sure what the purpose would be. The story has never been the strong point of the games, so why would a film focus on that? The director claims that this is what fans have always wanted, but I'm not so sure. When I play Zelda, I don't wish for a linear, non-interactive experience centered around the weakest aspect of the franchise. I can understand the director wanting to get paid, but the whole idea just doesn't make sense to me. And now I'm left wondering what they'll do for a second Mario film now that the novelty of the first one has worn off. After all, people don't play Nintendo games for the story, which makes them difficult to adapt into films.
On a lighter note, I recently caved in and bought Balatro for my MacBook. I'm really enjoying it, even though I'm not very good at it yet. I was planning on getting it for my Xbox Series X/S, but unfortunately, I ran into some issues with the sound. It seems that unless I have the sound settings set to uncompressed stereo, there is no in-game audio. I know the game was developed by just one person, but I hope they address this issue in a timely manner. Does anyone know if the developer is aware of this problem and working on a patch? I don't want to keep changing my sound settings every time I want to play.
Speaking of games, I recently started playing Dragon's Dogma 2 and I have to say, it's a fantastic old-school role-playing game. I didn't love the first one, but that may have been because 2012 was such a great year for games and I was spoiled for choice. But with the second installment, it feels like I'm reliving those good old times again. I think a lot of that has to do with the game's design decisions. The lack of fast travel makes each journey feel meaningful and immersive. And stocking up on camping supplies and equipment adds to the sense of realism. I also appreciate the one save character rule. It means I don't have to constantly re-roll my character, like I did in other games. And if I get tired of my current vocation, I can easily switch to a different one without having to create a whole new character.
Lastly, I wanted to address the controversy surrounding microtransactions in the game. From my experience, I haven't encountered a single microtransaction in the game. And to be honest, I'm okay with other people spending money on something they enjoy. Who knows, maybe the extra revenue will lead to more DLCs or sequels in the future. The more, the merrier!
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