November 29th 2023.
Will it be a good one this year? With The Game Awards having taken over from E3 as one of the biggest events to announce new games, it's become a key date in the calendar for gamers. Which is why I'm going to stay up and watch the whole thing this year, hoping that GTA 6 will be announced. I'm holding out for a big reveal, considering the built-in audience is huge and it's something Rockstar would take advantage of.
Plus, I'm expecting a few big surprises - a new Monster Hunter, a shadow drop for Baldur's Gate 3 on Xbox, and more. It's a shame it's at a time of day that isn't entirely suited to everyone, but I'm sure there will be plenty to talk about afterwards.
The recent Reader's Feature on GTA 6 was an interesting one. The tech side of things can certainly be replaced, but when three main writers have left Rockstar it's going to be difficult to maintain the same style of jokes and dialogue. It doesn't mean it won't be as good, but it will certainly be different.
Bethesda's recent attempt to get people to change their negative Steam reviews was a bit of a low point. I'd been losing respect for them since Starfield, and this didn't help. They seem to be so high on their own hype that they refuse to change their ways, and that's why the game was a disappointment. I can't sympathise with them for that.
On the other hand, I'm still surprised at how big a hit Monster Hunter World was. It's been so long since the game was so niche, and now it's become a mega hit. I'm not sure what to expect with the new game, but I'm hoping it will be full of improvements, especially with the next gen consoles.
Finally, it looks like the digital takeover is well underway. Kids are less aware of/nostalgic over physical video games, which makes sense if their parents are willing to spend over £400 on them. It's a shame, as we're heading towards a digital only future where nobody owns anything. I'm sure we'll miss it when it's gone.
I think I now understand why Gabe Newall doesn't make single-player games anymore. When you have games like Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and Team Fortress 2 regularly topping the charts and clocking over 1 million concurrent players, it makes sense to put your resources into those types of games. And now with the release of the Steam Deck OLED version, Valve are doing better than ever.
So, that's my round-up for this week. All that's left to do is wait for The Game Awards and see what's in store. I'm sure there will be plenty of surprises, both good and bad.
Will it be a good one this year? With The Game Awards taking over from E3 as the biggest event to announce new games and having a well-respected awards show, it has become the most important day in the calendar for gamers. Everyone is looking forward to the big announcements, and I'm definitely planning to stay up and watch the whole thing this year. It's definitely going to be an exciting day, with rumors about a new Monster Hunter, a possible shadow drop for Baldur's Gate 3 on Xbox, and of course, GTA 6.
The Wednesday letters page thinks GTA 6 will be very different to its predecessors. This has me a little worried, as three of the main writers at Rocktech have left since GTA 5, and it's impossible to replace their writing style. It's possible that the game could be just as good, or even better, but it's hard to tell without seeing it.
Bethesda's recent attempt to get people to change their negative Steam reviews was rather sad. My respect for the company has gone down since Starfield, as they seem unwilling to change their ways. They were quite content to stick to outdated tech for Starfield, and it ended up being a disappointment. It seems like they still believe their own hype instead of listening to the fans, and I'm worried The Elder Scrolls 6 will be the same.
On the other hand, I'm very pleased that the Monster Hunter series is doing so well. It's been a niche game for many years, so I'm glad that it's finally getting the recognition it deserves. I'm not sure what to expect from the new game, but I'm hoping for some big improvements, with more fluid animation and more realistic and beautiful scenery. Plus, a proper Triceratops style monster!
Finally, I've figured out why Gabe Newall doesn't make single-player games anymore. The Steam concurrent player charts speak for themselves, with Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and Team Fortress 2 regularly topping the charts. Plus, the popularity of Steam Deck is only adding to the success. It's understandable why they're focusing their resources on these types of games, but I still hope they make a Half-Life 3 someday.
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