Game News 2.0

Zero-Cool

Reading the comments online, people expecting the ps plus price hike to be reverted as if a new ceo is gonna come in and start giving away PS5's. I doubt much will change but would welcome some fresh ideas. Hopefully this will lead to them to putting their live service focus in the bin, sell Bungie to Microsoft and pump their money back into single payer game studios and bring a load of quality indie games to Plus.

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121167197#Comment_121167197

I'd be happy if they allowed cloud saves without needing a Plus subscription.

sniper_samurai

Official statement up now.

https://twitter.com/PlayStation/status/1707154672941973973?t=h-yV8ijRg4lhpAartTSiTg&s=19

Retr0gamer

Nixxies is handling the port of Horizon forbidden West to PC.

McFly85

First order of business for the new CEO: 60fps Bloodborne.

PixelPlayer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121167501#Comment_121167501

They should be given all the PC ports.

PixelPlayer

...

johnny_ultimate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121169154#Comment_121169154

To be fair, I don’t think any of Sony’s recent first party titles - like em or not - would be classed as ‘interactive movies’. If anything, some of them suffer from having too much repetitive gameplay and open world guff bloating the runtimes. Games like GoW Ragnarok would work a lot better if they were smaller, more focused experiences again - I miss the days of the 6-10 ten hour AAA game.

That said, Sony under Jim Ryan narrowed the scope of their output quite significantly, so it’d be great if a new head brought back the wilder side of PlayStation first party output that persisted til not so long ago.

johnny_ultimate

As much as it seemed like a weird mix of studio and game, and Sega were clearly a little confused at how to position the damn thing (talking of changing ‘business models’)… there’s something so wasteful about seeing a game canned so late in the day. Can’t imagine what it’s like seeing a game you worked on for years (and repeatedly showed publicly) dumped so unceremoniously, and jobs lost in the process.

’Games as a service’ is a cursed approach for any studio to pursue though, and so many have been and will continue to be high-profile disasters as they case that 1 in 100 hit like Destiny or Fortnite.

https://www.eurogamer.net/sega-has-cancelled-hyenas

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121169179#Comment_121169179

What made the ps1-3 so special was Sony's output where they tried to make the PlayStation brand something bigger that appealed to a wide market. So you got some really crazy inventive games so that the system would cater to a wide variety of tastes and maybe even gain cache with non gamers. The action button video on Boku no... whatever was eye opening on how the PlayStation brand was viewed by Sony Japan. I think Sony America taking over really narrowed Sony's output to just laser focusing on gamers. As a result I really don't see Sony ever having a success like the PS2 again.

OptimusTractor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121167174#Comment_121167174

*A Carlow man has entered the chat.*

Retr0gamer

Sums up my feelings on Jim Ryan

https://twitter.com/HikikomoriMedia/status/1707181539094655476?t=0gXmcceyWk-FmW0HxCqbYA&s=19

Exclamation Marc

Cocoon is out tomorrow and is getting rave reviews across the board, sitting on an 89 on Metacritic with 9/10 and 10/10 reviews aplenty. It is from Jeppe Carlsen, the lead gameplay designer of Limbo and Inside.

From PushSquare:

In a year packed with brilliant games, Cocoon manages to stand out thanks to its unique mechanics and some of the best level and puzzle design we've seen in years. It holds your attention with an intriguing sci-fi world, challenges you with puzzles spanning multiple worlds, and keeps you hooked with accessible controls and minimalist presentation. With only the most minor grievances holding it back, we're confident in saying this is up there with 2023's best.

Can't wait to pick it up.

Retr0gamer

https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/28/super-mario-bros-wonder-preview-game-of-the-year-contender-19569347/?ico=mosaic_gaming

Videogames need to calm down in 2023. I can't keep up with all the game of the year contenders.

SuperBowserWorld

I think the Switch has turned out to be the best Nintendo console.

Super Mario Wonder will be the icing on the cake.

Potential-Monke

My dogged insistence to not pay premium for the handheld aspect of the Switch and wait for a docked only cheaper version continues to prevent me from playing Nintendo games. It shall continue. If they can do a handheld only version, why not a tv only version. I'll have some back catalogue to get through if I do eventually get one. I'd imagine the poor aul Xbox would get next to no use if I got [a docked only] one.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121170562#Comment_121170562

Just buy one and... keep it docked?

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121170527#Comment_121170527

I still prefer the NES and SNES for home console and it has a long way to go to beat the DS and Gameboy but it's up there with their best. I'd probably put the Wii ahead of it as well, there's just too many good games on that system and the Switch hasn't quite got the library to match it even if the quality is extremely high.

Potential-Monke

Would that not eventually mess up the battery? Anyway, it's my insistence to not pay (extra) for the handheld aspect when I don't want it. What I really want is a Switch Pro Docked, something that will play the games better than handheld to a modern expectation (yes, 60fps, I didn't get a C2 to play 30fps). Or just a cheaper non-handheld version in general. How much would one save if the handheld aspect wasn't needed? Console would be about €150 I reckon.

Hoping the Switch 2 will have that option at some point. I've no worries missing out tbh, I've plenty to play that are more my thing with what I currently have. I don't think it's worth it for the handful of games I would play on it (basically, Mario and Zelda). And as I said, it's dogged insistence due to the fact they brought out a handheld only version. If Nintendo want my money (they don't need it), then they need to release a console, not a handheld. I've an interior dislike to playing something handheld if it can be played on a tv, and if it can be played on a tv I don't want it hampered by also having to be able to be played handheld. It's a personal thing. Don't think too much about it.

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171138#Comment_121171138

Yep, I'd prefer a much better powered dedicated home console from Nintendo, without the portable compromises and costs. They went portable only with the lite, so fingers crossed they can go the other way too.

Jordan 199

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121170444#Comment_121170444

It's coming to Xbox Game Pass too. Excellent!

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171138#Comment_121171138

They're never going to release a pure console version of the Switch. It kinda goes against the ethos of the core design of the Switch, which is that it can be docked and played on TV, or can be used as a handheld. Yes, they released the Switch Lite which is handheld only, but that's aimed at younger kids, less chance to get damaged, lose joycons, lower price point.

A console-only version without the handheld aspect just doesn't have the same market/demand, especially since it's not going to mean the games suddenly run at 4k 60fps, not to mention that trying to achieve that would probably push the price equal or greater to the Switch itself. Probably looking closer to €250, similar to Xbox Series S but minus the SSD.

The Switch just isn't aimed at the graphics/performance market (and attempts to do so such as getting Mortal Kombat 1 running on it have been an abject failure), nor will it be.

I will say though, I've only ever played one game on my Switch which was Zelda BOTW, I played it completely docked, 55" LG C1 telly, and I had zero complaints about the framerate or graphics. The main games that one will play on the Switch, you're never going to see Mario squint slightly if he faces towards the sun, or Yoshi's balls shrink if he's in a snowy area, or Princess Peach's peach fuzz like modern AAA games love to crow about the amazing details in their games that nobody will ever notice or care about.

recyclops

That's the thing the switch USP is very practicle and once you get used to it turns it into a wonderfully brilliant little machine.

It's not like other stuff that are touted as being game changers that are a gimmick that hardly gets used after the initial release of the consoles games which really does just pump up prices console and peripheral prices.

It took me a bit longer to pick up my switch but I was delighted once I did, stellar little console

Retr0gamer

I picked mine up at launch because it's Nintendo and I wanted Nintendo games but I wasn't entirely convinced by it's gimmick. Once you have the thing in your hands though it makes perfect sense.

DeSelby83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121170562#Comment_121170562

I think you are kind of locking yourself out of some fantastic games while you wait for something that isn't going to happen.

Grumpypants

They could release a more powerful non handheld unit that streams higher quality video to the handheld units. Similar to the PS5 and PS portal handheld.

Nintendo have millions of handhelds that are very much at their limit to run native games but very capable of running streamed games to extend their life.

But more likely is a new handheld that works with the existing dock.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121171891#Comment_121171891

They did that already with the WiiU and it was a disaster and I really don't see the PS portal being anything but a gimmick that gets quickly forgotten.

johnny_ultimate

So much grim news around video game job losses recently, even at successful companies like Epic. Nearly a fifth of Epic's workforce is a pretty nasty round of cuts. Seems the UK-based Fall Guys team at Mediatonic were hit particular hard after they were acquired by Epic a while back.

Between this and Embracer shenanigans, it's really frustrating seeing successful or sustainable studios suffer in the wake of acquisitions and consolidation. As ever, it's a nasty, ruthless industry and thoughts with the people losing their jobs through no fault of their own.

https://www.eurogamer.net/epic-games-is-reportedly-laying-off-900-employees

Retr0gamer

More scumbag behaviour from epic games.

Imagine the parent publisher selss the rights of the game you worked on to another publisher and they won't give you any royalty cheques for sales. That's 100% robbery and a crime.

https://twitter.com/gosokkyu/status/1707612392388206597?t=nlVmh--mM_KaXNSpIV0zjg&s=19

Retr0gamer

Time to get excited about games again, Peter Molyneux is back!

https://www.eurogamer.net/peter-molyneuxs-blockchain-business-sim-legacy-gets-october-release

Web3 baby!