October 25th 2024.
Hey there! Have you heard the news? A new Call Of Duty game is out now! But on a different note, the Friday letters page has some interesting discussions going on. One reader is hoping for the return of Driver and Colony Wars, while another is recommending Microsoft Rewards. If you want to join in on the discussions, just shoot an email to the address provided.
I have to admit, I have nothing against Call Of Duty in general, but I am getting so tired of seeing ads for Black Ops 6 everywhere. I read that its marketing budget is equivalent to that of a major movie, but I think that's an understatement. I've never seen such widespread advertising for a game before. And to be honest, it's having the opposite effect on me. Instead of getting excited, it's actually pushing me further away from the game.
It's pretty obvious what's going on here. Xbox is not doing so well and Microsoft's profits are heavily reliant on Activision Blizzard's games. So what do they do? They throw a huge amount of money into marketing, thinking it will bring in more profits. But in reality, they end up spending more than they make. It doesn't make sense to gain 20 million extra sales if you've spent a fortune on marketing and the profit remains the same.
And now they are saying that they expect Black Ops 6 to boost Game Pass subscriptions. But let's be real, people might try it out for a month or so, but after that, they will most likely drop the subscription. As others have pointed out, Microsoft is always looking for shortcuts and their solution always involves throwing more money at the problem. It's a bit disheartening to see.
Moving on to a different topic, have you heard about the potential remakes coming to the Switch? It's a pretty random selection of older games, but I'm not complaining. Personally, I would love to see the Driver franchise make a comeback and this could be the first step towards that. I also have to agree with another reader that Splinter Cell Blacklist was the best one.
On a side note, I really wish Sony would do something similar with some of Psygnosis' old games. It would be amazing to see a revival of games like Colony Wars and G-Police. They did bring back Forbidden Siren, so there's still hope that they haven't forgotten about their older titles.
However, I can't say the same for Rayman. As another reader mentioned, I would love to see a sequel to Rayman Legends, but I have no interest in a remake of the original or any of the 3D games. It's clear that these games were not popular at the time, so it doesn't make sense to remake them now.
Moving on, there was a comment about Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown and its underperformance. I have to say, I don't think it's because of the game itself, but rather its price. It's a 2D game that costs more than £20, and that's a big ask for a lot of people. Sure, some Nintendo properties can get away with it, but for others, it's a huge barrier.
It's a shame because it seems like the game has a lot of content to offer. But the argument of production values and how it affects the price of games is a whole other topic. What's unfortunate is that there is competition for these types of games at a lower price point. For example, Animal Well is only £20 on PlayStation Store and the Ori games are even cheaper on other platforms.
I do want to give a shoutout to GC for their fantastic reviews and news. You guys are the best! Speaking of which, have you heard of Sanabi and Abathor? They seem to have flown under the radar, but they were released within the last few weeks. Sanabi looks like a grapnel hook samurai action game with stunning pixel art, while Abathor is a rebirth of Rastan. I hope GC can review them soon, or if any readers have played them, please share your thoughts.
On a different note, it seems like Sony is getting a bit stingy with their PlayStation Stars program. I never signed up for it or the different tiers of PS Plus, and I haven't had PS Plus for a couple of years now. Personally, I prefer buying physical copies of games because I can save money by selling or trading them in. With the points system, it seems like you're getting pennies in return for paying £10 more than the physical copy. Eventually, I think players will realize it's not worth it and Sony might just abandon the program.
Lastly, I want to commend GC for always giving a fair comparison when it comes to game prices. I have to admit, I was close to writing in to complain about Microsoft Rewards and how they constantly make it harder to earn and redeem points. It's frustrating when you have to wait a month just to prove that you're the real owner of the account. But then when you see the prices of games on the store compared to physical copies, it's hard not to appreciate the savings. Keep up the great work, GC!
Hey there! Have you heard about the new Call Of Duty game that just came out? It seems like everyone is talking about it. But on a different note, have you seen the latest letters to the editor? One reader is hoping for the return of Driver and Colony Wars, while another recommends using Microsoft Rewards.
Speaking of Call Of Duty, I don't have anything against the game in general, but I have to admit, I'm getting tired of seeing ads for Black Ops 6 everywhere I turn. Apparently, the game has a massive marketing budget, and it's starting to feel a bit overwhelming. In fact, it's having the opposite effect on me - instead of wanting to play the game, I just want to avoid it altogether.
I have a theory about why there's so much hype around Black Ops 6. It seems like Xbox is struggling, and Microsoft is banking on the success of Activision Blizzard's games to keep their profits afloat. But instead of focusing on creating a quality game, they're just throwing money at marketing. It's not a sustainable strategy, and I can't help but feel a bit grossed out by it.
Did you hear about the potential remakes of some classic games for the Nintendo Switch? I'm all for it, especially if it means bringing back franchises like Driver and Colony Wars. And while they're at it, I hope Sony considers remastering some old Psygnosis games, like G-Police. It's nice to see them bring back Forbidden Siren, so maybe there's still hope.
But I have to admit, I'm not sure anyone is clamoring for a Rayman remake. Sure, a sequel to Rayman Legends would be great, but do we really need a remake of the original game or any of the 3D ones? They weren't even that popular to begin with.
Moving on to a different topic, I noticed a letter discussing the price of Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown. Personally, I don't think the game's underperformance was due to its content - I loved Metroid Dread, and I thought it was worth every penny. But it seems like there's a market out there that doesn't believe a 2D game is worth paying more than £20 for. It's a shame, because it's not always about how much was spent to make a game.
Speaking of games, have you heard of Sanabi and Abathor? They both seem like interesting titles, but unfortunately, it looks like we missed the boat on Sanabi - it came out last year. But we'll definitely keep an eye out for Abathor and try to do a catch-up review in December.
Lastly, have you noticed Sony's recent changes to PlayStation Stars? It seems like they're getting a bit stingy with their rewards. Personally, I prefer buying physical copies of games, as it allows me to save money and potentially trade them in later. But with the changes to PlayStation Stars, I'm not sure it's worth it anymore. Maybe Sony will eventually realize this and scrap the program altogether.
Okay, that's all from me for now. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to send in your thoughts and comments to the email address provided. And before I go, I just wanted to say a big thank you to the team at GC for their fantastic reviews and news updates. You guys are the best!
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