Not going to happen. The best they can hope for it timed-exclusives, but then those that own a PlayStation will just be patient and await the given games arrival on PlayStation, or just ignore it when it does eventually arrive...
I am also interested in Darksiders: Warmastered Edition but not really sure that I can justify buying it for a third time. Will await the reviews to see whether there is a meaningful reason to buy it. I take it there is no upgrade path for existing owners of the last game, @get2sammyb...?
Curious to see how Myst and Riven hold up all these years later, and may well opt to buy them too...
I'm just about to start the 5th biome in Saros having beaten Legion just before I went to bed last night. Absolutely loving the game, which plays flawlessly on my Pro.
I'll also be attempting a Master Horde run as a trio in Gears 5 on Harbour in a mode that is meant for 5 players. We have been at it for each weekend since the end of March, and it is proving the toughest one yet (we have managed 17 of the 37 maps thus far). We've got close a few times, dying on the final wave to the whichever boss appears. We just need to get lucky with the boss we get. So far we have had one final wave with a Swarmack and one with a Kestral on wave 50, and because of their rockets, and the lack of any decent cover, they keep wiping us out. We need basically anything else to really stand a chance. Still we keep trying, with the knowledge that when we succeed, we will have achieved something few, if any, have. Many will have done it as a team of 5, but doing it as a team of 3 is a whole other ball game.
When not playing Gears 5 on my Xbox, I'll be playing Gears of War 4 campaign as myself and my mate do our annual run through of every campaign. The way things are going, we should finish the campaign in Gears 5 just in time to go through the campaign in Gears of War: E-Day (at least, we hope it's coming this year)...
I bought the Collector's Edition, so I am also waiting for this DLC to arrive. Bearing in mind I paid £200, I would absolutely hope that this DLC is highly polished (like the game), and hopefully huge...
Honestly, that's not me, @AdamNovice. If we weren't able to be civil, I wouldn't have commented at all. I like a bit of banter as much as the next guy, but some take it too far, and for me that's simply ridiculous...
Yes, I'm not trying to minimise your disappointment, @AdamNovice, as I know I would have been gutted if Southampton had not made the final this year, but I do wonder whether, when the top teams have so much financial clout, whether it is even worth trying to compete with them.
I've said time and time again, that it would be fantastic is all these billionaires that put their money into the game were, instead of always buying the top clubs, to buy one of the struggling ones and then turn them into a top-tier team. It's very easy to buy the likes of Liverpool or Man United, etc. and then have success, but try that with a team that does not already have 30 S-tier players, and turn them into something to be proud of.
Anyway, I wish our teams well no matter what League they play in next year...
Having gone up and down like a yo-yo, @AdamNovice, you have to wonder whether the Saints are not better off in the Championship anyway, to be honest, as they don't have the money to compete with the really big teams who end up battering us. That said, I'd like to see them promoted, just to have something to be cheerful about (sorry!). What I will say is that I think, with the way we have played for the past two-thirds of the season, we would probably get automatic promotion next season, assuming we can keep the team and manager together, that it...
Message received, @AdamNovice! I'll won't mention that I'm a Southampton supporter then. Nor will I mention that they got to the play-off final. Nope! Not a word... 😂
The Talos Principle games are far and away my favourite of the puzzle games genre. I played them first on PC, and then bought them again for my Xbox. I look forward to playing this one (and the first 2 if I can find them cheaply enough!) on my Pro this time round. Such good games...
Honestly, I have no problems with this. If the developer is using their own assets for the AI to work from, and not stealing someone else's work, then it is another tool in the arsenal for them to use.
Now, I get that people will say but this will stop someone taking a role as a creative artist, but we do not know that the developer would actually employ someone extra to do this, they may well lean on their existing artists to get the work done, which in turn means that those existing artists cannot get on with other work. What this then means is that the project is slowed, and the costs mount up, and the game will take longer to come to market. Also, this then means is either the developer absorbs those costs, putting their business at risk, or they pass on those costs to us, the consumer, meaning we either pay more for our games or we see some of our beloved developers going out of business. Indeed, those arguing that someone does not get a job due to AI taking it, could well end up seeing an entire studio closed down if the costs mount up. Now that is obviously an extreme, and a studio closing down because of one extra expense of employing another creative artist is not likely, but a game too long in development can do that, plus each and every cost associated to employing people can also end up being a problem for studios.
Honestly, it is not as simple as AI bad, there are nuances...
I'll be continuing with Pragmata on my Pro. Very much enjoying the game. Capcom are killing it right now.
On my Series X I'll be attempting another Master run of Horde from Gears 5 on the map Harbour as a trio with my youngest son and a mate. We've been trying now since mid March, and have almost completed it a couple of times, getting to wave 50 and then succumbing to the boss. However, as the mode is meant for a team of 5, I think we are doing well. We will get there eventually...!
Fantastic review, @LiamCroft! I was not interested in this game until I read it, and despite being in my 30s in the 90s, I do remember the music fondly. Portishead is one of my all time favourite bands (who I actually saw live in the 90s!), and any game that has their music will instantly be worth playing...
I don't have a problem with this as when I create my own character I always create my sadly deceased wife's image of the beautiful woman I met when she was 28. So I have no problem with sexy in my games, and it's not like it is just this game that has done it; Eve from Stellar Blade, for example, didn't exactly wear appropriate clothing for her many battles and platforming.
I think the developer should include full body armour that more represents what is actually worn too, so as those that don't want sexy, can look like a tank instead. That said, if they went for realism, expect a character wearing full armour to have no agility and stamina that drained within seconds.
Cover (or not!) all the bases, so to speak.
As for body types, I can understand why the developers would remove different body shapes because having a heavily obese woman with a BMI of 40 wearing any of the above would be something close to comedy gold, and so rather than be laughed at, they remove that as an option...
So Xbox is screwed when it comes to putting the genie back into the bottle, @Stickleman. If Microsoft were to stop putting their games on PlayStation, they would still not have exclusive games so long as they are also releasing on PC. And every man and his dog knows that Microsoft will not stop putting their games on PC, particularly so when their next console is in fact a PC.
Spreading themselves so thin, putting their one time exclusives everywhere, completely negates the need to own an Xbox. If you want every game, then all you need is PlayStation, PC and Nintendo. If you were to have Xbox, PC and Nintendo, you would be missing out on the Sony exclusives. Basically, Microsoft have put themselves in a position whereby people do not need to own an Xbox in order to play every game.
Personally, I'll be surprised if Microsoft pull back from putting their games on PlayStation because in doing so they will cut out a huge swathe of revenue. They might try some timed-exclusives, but then when that happens games tend to sell less well once they are ported, so whilst Microsoft might try it, I don't think they will try it for long. And no way on Earth will Microsoft stop putting their games on PC now.
Between putting their games on PC day one, and Game Pass on both PC and Xbox, Microsoft sell far fewer games than they need to in order to bring in decent revenue, which is why they began porting their games to PlayStation, and that is not going to change any time soon...
Arguably putting their games day and date on PC massively harmed Xbox, @Balaam_, although the only reason they did that then was because of the disastrous launch of the Xbox One. Then they went further down the rabbit-hole by porting their games to PlayStation too, which has diluted the brand still further.
The good thing for Sony is that they have a solid foundation on console, something that Xbox does not have, and so for Sony the decision to withdraw from PC is an easy one. Just the decision to stop porting their games to PlayStation would be monumental of Xbox, let alone ceasing ports to PC. Basically Xbox are too far gone, and their console base is too weak for them to suddenly have everything exclusive, no matter how much many on the Xbox front would love to see that.
Revenue and ecosystems are key, and both Microsoft and Sony know that, but the difference is that the Xbox ecosystem is fractured, and they are also having some success when it comes to revenue via PlayStation, so for Microsoft the decisions are not so cut and dry...
I am honestly disappointed, @IOI. I would have pre-ordered the game had it been a straight up action game. I'd far rather a linear experience than one where I have to use stealth much of the time, or where a change of outfit is required to gain entry to an area. I hope the game finds success, but I cannot see me buying it unless many of my concerns are assuaged once the game releases...
Honestly, this is what I fear from having watched the game. It is not an action fest, it is Hitman with a James Bond skin, and as someone that does not enjoy Hitman, I cannot see me enjoying this game, which is a real shame...
To be honest, the only content I think I have every played (and enjoyed) was that made by Spiders. I don't think any of the mentioned games will be of interest to me, so will not be tuning in, though I will read up on them here just to be sure there is not something that I would actually like...
This is one of those games that I know I want without knowing too much about it, @Divergent95. I just know I loved the first two games, and have faith that they can do it again...
That's interesting. Thank you, @Divergent95. Not sure how I feel about a potential enemy the size of the Minitour, and how that fits with 'feel' of a the first two games. I'm still going to be there day one...
It's a day one purchase for me, as I loved both games. I do wonder whether the rats will feature because I thought they were drawn to Hugo who obviously will not exist in this game. After rewatching the trailer there is no sign of the rats, and it's unclear what drives the protagonist in this new game. I have faith in the studio though, so have no qualms about pre-ordering it when it becomes available to do so...
This is another game from this year that I will most definitely be pre-ordering. I love the look of the game, and the premise is very interesting. I just have to hope that the set amount of days does not get in the way of a good game...
Really sad to hear this. I loved the first Greedfall game, and have bought (but yet to play) the sequel. I also loved Steelrising, and was hoping we might see a sequel to that at some point. Very disappointed by this news...
Having only just bought a Pro, and only just started to buy games on my PlayStation instead of my Xbox, and also having bought a number of older games digitally including from the PS4 era, I am a little confused by the terminology 'PSN handshake', @get2sammyb. Does that just entail connecting to the internet on my Pro once a month (although it is actually daily for me anyway), or do I need to start each individual game to extend the licence?
Currently undertaking my annual run through every Gears of War campaign with a mate. We've finished Judgement, GoW: Reloaded and GoW 2, and have today finished GoW 3 so we'll be starting Gears 4 tomorrow, although we need to finish Raam's Shadow DLC first. It really is such an enjoyable franchise, one I have put probably close to 10,000 hours into.
I'm also playing through one of my favourite ever games; XCOM 2 on my PS5 Pro, and have to say I do not recall the game crashing as often as it does there. It crashes at least twice every day, which can be pretty infuriating at times...
I mostly agree, @UltimateOtaku91. It is difficult to know how they can both please the investors, and also please the gamers when it comes to something like exclusivity in particular. Also, I don't know how they can quantify whether keeping a particular game exclusive is a success or not. I mean, it's not just about that particular games sale because if it was just that they had to be concerned about, then offering it up for sale in as many places as possible is the obvious solution. However, Microsoft also have to factor in new subscribers to Game Pass, and also new people buying consoles, and then lastly consider sales beyond that game brought about by someone entering the ecosystem. How Microsoft can possibly calculate the ripple effect a game might have by being made exclusive, and then way that up against lost sales by virtue of not being on PlayStation, is totally beyond me.
My guess is it's not an exact science, and in the end, Microsoft will opt for the obvious revenue that a game brings in by being multiplatform, and keep porting their games to PlayStation (albeit they might dabble with timed-exclusivity first)...
In fairness to Xbox, they are under new management, and it stands to reason that they may now take a new approach.
As for what they will do next, I think they may dabble in timed exclusives for a year or two, but will quickly revert to releasing everything day and date on PlayStation...
Whenever I am unsure, that is exactly what I do, @Queesh. When several thousand people review a game on Steam, you get a good feel for game. It's why I prefer to read what other people have to say...
Game Pass has been increasing in price for a long time, @Godot25, not just since the rumours of the push for 30% profit margins, and the rumours of the sustainability of Game Pass have been circulating for almost as long as it has existed. The truth is, if Game Pass was ever profitable, then it was only just so.
Microsoft internally predicted that Game Pass would hit 100 million subscribers, and indeed it was part of the bonus package for Nadella until the numbers stalled around 30 million, and the profits it was expected to make based on far higher subscriber numbers, which meant the business model was in tatters pretty early on.
Your maths regarding how much Game Pass would bring in based on raising the price by 50% is spot on, except there are three glaring problems with it; firstly, people like myself who have stacked their subscriptions for years ahead are not affected by the price increase because Microsoft have already had our money, so they could raise it by 10,000% and it would not make any difference to me. Secondly, in places like the EU, I am led to believe that once you sign up to a subscription service at a certain price, that price is fixed, so again, they are unaffected by the price increase and Microsoft receive nothing more from them. And thirdly, if you read through the forums following the last price increase, the number of people either dropping to a lower tier, or abandoning Game Pass altogether was absolutely stark to see, so far from Game Pass generating more revenue following the 50% increase, in all likelihood, revenue took a drastic downward trajectory, which is why (combined with the losses that Call of Duty was incurring) Game Pass has been reduced in price now. The truth is, if Game Pass was bringing in more money following the 50% increase, Microsoft would not have felt the need to reduce it now. Something had to change, and Microsoft blinked pretty significantly...
I think if Microsoft did not have so many games they intend to release this year, and of course with GTA 6 and other big third-party games still to come, then they would have delayed FH6 until the PS5 version was also ready.
I actually think that having this period of accidental exclusivity will hurt sales because many PlayStation gamers will choose to play FH6 via Game Pass instead of buying it outright on the PS5. In many ways, I think Microsoft will be kicking themselves that another game was not ready in time to take the place of FH6 this May...
Thanks for the replies, guys, @EpicMouse @Oram77 @MrPeanutbutterz @themightyant. I absolutely understand where you are coming from, some of the views posted are simply ridiculous, but I find if you put them in date order so that the most recent appear first, you weed out most of the ones that talk about bugs (which will have been (mostly) fixed many months later), and also it tends to weed out the fanboys. What you end up with a more nuanced take on the game.
The problem with just having a score is that if a game releases in a buggy way, but is then fixed, those scores that reflect the bugs are still taken into account when in reality they are no longer an issue.
After all, you will still have a score to take into account even if there are written reviews too. It just provides more information, which is sometimes very helpful...
As someone that has recently switched to maining on PlayStation, the one thing that I wish Sony would introduce that is available on Xbox is the ability for people to comment on games in the Store. Sometimes the review score does not tell the whole story, and people views would be very welcome...
I agree, @Tyrii, most are just (rightly) enjoying, and taking advantage of, Game Pass. It is something that often get's discussed on Pure Xbox, but when I say it is unsustainable I usually get dismissed by many because 'Microsoft said it was sustainable', even though they keep raising the price of the Service. I mean, if it is sustainable, it means it can fund itself, it is self-sustaining. Well if that's the case, then Microsoft are simply being greedy whenever they increased the price, which whilst I do believe is factor in the price increases, as I think they believe(d) that we gamers would pay whatever they chose to charge, but I think the truth is they never got enough subscribers to balance the books, and that is the real reason why they increased prices. The model would have been sustainable if they had hit the target of 100 million subscribers, but they never got close, and so the only option was to charge more of those that did subscribe...
I wouldn't say the Xbox community was totally unanimous in believing that Game Pass was sustainable, @get2sammyb. I certainly didn't think it was, and still don't, and have often said as much. From a consumer perspective, it is (was) a great deal, but I highly doubt it is profitable at all. I've said many times now that I think Game Pass, as it currently exists, will be a thing of the past within the next 5 years...
This game shows a lot of promise and most definitely something I would enjoy. Really hoping that it turns out well, and that we don't have to wait too long to enjoy it...
I pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition of the game, but am still to start it because I have not finished the game I am currently playing, and unless I am not enjoying a game I always like to finish one before moving on to the next. I'm not going to lie though, I cannot wait to start, only problem is, I might have to start it after Saros now, as I'm not sure I'll be finished with Pragmata in time to start that one either. So many quality games right now, which is always a great problem to have...
I'd love to know exactly what those ridiculous things were. I think most of us imagine that it was to make everything Live Service, but whether that is wide of the mark is another matter...
Easily the best game to release last year, in my opinion. I got every achievement in the game, and loved it so much that I then bought it again on PlayStation as a way of showing my support for the developers.
So hope we get a sequel in the not too distant future...
Undoubtedly having a staggered release for the game will have hurt sales on PlayStation. Either people will have played the game on Game Pass already, and have no need to return to it now, or people are over the game by now as there are newer, shinier games to be playing such as Crimson Desert. Also, people have been slating Starfield for years now, many of those doing so have never even played the game, but as is always the case, when your reputation takes a hit (warranted or not), it gets ingrained in people's thinking. Read that the game is bad often enough, and you'll believe it must be bad, whether or not that is the case.
Lastly, just to be clear, I have not played the game myself, so I cannot speak to the quality of it, but I've been around life for long enough to see this happen so very often...
The lack of exclusives has massively hurt Xbox in terms of console sales, but has also lined the pockets of Microsoft in the process. I think Microsoft will choose to continue to put their games on PlayStation even if that hurts sales of the Helix because I believe the sales of their games will bring in more revenue than they lose as a consequence of selling fewer Helix's.
The fact about exclusives is it is not how much an individual game makes that matters, but rather how much people spend within your ecosystem having been attracted there by that particular exclusive, but I'm not entirely sure that Microsoft can see that particular big picture, instead choosing to focus in on the initial burst of revenue that a title brings in. That amount is tangible. How much a person spends within an ecosystem because of a particular exclusive title is not so easy to quantify. Plus, Microsoft have the added problem of the Helix being a PC, and their releasing all their games on PC anyway.
In other words, I cannot see Microsoft returning to fully exclusive games.
I have argued previously that I believe Microsoft should stop putting their first-party games on Game Pass day one, and that they should sell their games on their own consoles as exclusives for the first 12 months. Thereafter, they should then allow the titles to go on Game Pass, and also then port the games to PlayStation, although I think that should happen two years after the initial release. That way Microsoft can sell their games for the first 12 months, then attract people to Game Pass at the 12 month point, and then 12 months later they can sell their games on PlayStation. Let's be honest hear, most PlayStation gamers would prefer to wait 2 years for a game rather than buy an Xbox, and many of us already own both a PlayStation and an Xbox anyway so would not have to wait. Of course, with the next generation being tipped to being particularly expensive (especially with the Helix), the number of people owning both systems will probably drop quite drastically, and the price in itself may well feed into people choosing to wait for the games to drop on PlayStation rather than buying an Xbox...
Comments 1,716
Re: Hellraiser PS5's Latest Trailer Is Too Gruesome for Sony's YouTube Channel
Looks pretty good, although the character movements look a little stilted. Still, I am definitely interested. Really hoping the story is good...
Re: Xbox Fans Flock to Online Suggestions Box to Tell Microsoft to Keep Games Off PS5
Not going to happen. The best they can hope for it timed-exclusives, but then those that own a PlayStation will just be patient and await the given games arrival on PlayStation, or just ignore it when it does eventually arrive...
Re: Don't Worry, PS5 RPG Dawnwalker's Got a Range of Difficulty Options Despite Its Hardcore Design
I'll be there day one, and I'm very much looking forward to it...
Re: These 24+ New PS5 and PS Plus Games Are Coming Out Next Week (18th-24th May)
I am also interested in Darksiders: Warmastered Edition but not really sure that I can justify buying it for a third time. Will await the reviews to see whether there is a meaningful reason to buy it. I take it there is no upgrade path for existing owners of the last game, @get2sammyb...?
Curious to see how Myst and Riven hold up all these years later, and may well opt to buy them too...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 633
I'm just about to start the 5th biome in Saros having beaten Legion just before I went to bed last night. Absolutely loving the game, which plays flawlessly on my Pro.
I'll also be attempting a Master Horde run as a trio in Gears 5 on Harbour in a mode that is meant for 5 players. We have been at it for each weekend since the end of March, and it is proving the toughest one yet (we have managed 17 of the 37 maps thus far). We've got close a few times, dying on the final wave to the whichever boss appears. We just need to get lucky with the boss we get. So far we have had one final wave with a Swarmack and one with a Kestral on wave 50, and because of their rockets, and the lack of any decent cover, they keep wiping us out. We need basically anything else to really stand a chance. Still we keep trying, with the knowledge that when we succeed, we will have achieved something few, if any, have. Many will have done it as a team of 5, but doing it as a team of 3 is a whole other ball game.
When not playing Gears 5 on my Xbox, I'll be playing Gears of War 4 campaign as myself and my mate do our annual run through of every campaign. The way things are going, we should finish the campaign in Gears 5 just in time to go through the campaign in Gears of War: E-Day (at least, we hope it's coming this year)...
Re: One Year Later, DOOM: The Dark Ages DLC Is Nowhere to Be Seen
I bought the Collector's Edition, so I am also waiting for this DLC to arrive. Bearing in mind I paid £200, I would absolutely hope that this DLC is highly polished (like the game), and hopefully huge...
Re: The Talos Principle 3 Revealed as the 'Grand Finale' to Great Puzzle Series
Honestly, that's not me, @AdamNovice. If we weren't able to be civil, I wouldn't have commented at all. I like a bit of banter as much as the next guy, but some take it too far, and for me that's simply ridiculous...
Re: The Talos Principle 3 Revealed as the 'Grand Finale' to Great Puzzle Series
Yes, I'm not trying to minimise your disappointment, @AdamNovice, as I know I would have been gutted if Southampton had not made the final this year, but I do wonder whether, when the top teams have so much financial clout, whether it is even worth trying to compete with them.
I've said time and time again, that it would be fantastic is all these billionaires that put their money into the game were, instead of always buying the top clubs, to buy one of the struggling ones and then turn them into a top-tier team. It's very easy to buy the likes of Liverpool or Man United, etc. and then have success, but try that with a team that does not already have 30 S-tier players, and turn them into something to be proud of.
Anyway, I wish our teams well no matter what League they play in next year...
Re: The Talos Principle 3 Revealed as the 'Grand Finale' to Great Puzzle Series
Having gone up and down like a yo-yo, @AdamNovice, you have to wonder whether the Saints are not better off in the Championship anyway, to be honest, as they don't have the money to compete with the really big teams who end up battering us. That said, I'd like to see them promoted, just to have something to be cheerful about (sorry!). What I will say is that I think, with the way we have played for the past two-thirds of the season, we would probably get automatic promotion next season, assuming we can keep the team and manager together, that it...
Re: The Talos Principle 3 Revealed as the 'Grand Finale' to Great Puzzle Series
Message received, @AdamNovice! I'll won't mention that I'm a Southampton supporter then. Nor will I mention that they got to the play-off final. Nope! Not a word... 😂
Re: Saros Squashes Trophy Bugs and Other Nasty Issues in Latest PS5 Patch, Available Now
Tis a fantastic game. I am thoroughly enjoying it...
Re: The Talos Principle 3 Revealed as the 'Grand Finale' to Great Puzzle Series
Ahh, sorry to hear that, @AdamNovice. Would now be a bad time to mention that I'm a Southampton supporter...? 😂
Re: The Talos Principle 3 Revealed as the 'Grand Finale' to Great Puzzle Series
The Talos Principle games are far and away my favourite of the puzzle games genre. I played them first on PC, and then bought them again for my Xbox. I look forward to playing this one (and the first 2 if I can find them cheaply enough!) on my Pro this time round. Such good games...
Re: The Talos Principle 3 Revealed as the 'Grand Finale' to Great Puzzle Series
Football last night, @AdamNovice? Who do you support..?
Re: Lies of P Dev Is Making Headlines, But Not for Reasons Anyone Wants to Hear
Honestly, I have no problems with this. If the developer is using their own assets for the AI to work from, and not stealing someone else's work, then it is another tool in the arsenal for them to use.
Now, I get that people will say but this will stop someone taking a role as a creative artist, but we do not know that the developer would actually employ someone extra to do this, they may well lean on their existing artists to get the work done, which in turn means that those existing artists cannot get on with other work. What this then means is that the project is slowed, and the costs mount up, and the game will take longer to come to market. Also, this then means is either the developer absorbs those costs, putting their business at risk, or they pass on those costs to us, the consumer, meaning we either pay more for our games or we see some of our beloved developers going out of business. Indeed, those arguing that someone does not get a job due to AI taking it, could well end up seeing an entire studio closed down if the costs mount up. Now that is obviously an extreme, and a studio closing down because of one extra expense of employing another creative artist is not likely, but a game too long in development can do that, plus each and every cost associated to employing people can also end up being a problem for studios.
Honestly, it is not as simple as AI bad, there are nuances...
Re: These 8+ New PS5, PS4 Games Are Coming Out Next Week (4th-10th May)
Interested to see how Directive 8020 turns out. Not taking a chance on pre-ordering it, but will look out for the reviews...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 632
I'll be continuing with Pragmata on my Pro. Very much enjoying the game. Capcom are killing it right now.
On my Series X I'll be attempting another Master run of Horde from Gears 5 on the map Harbour as a trio with my youngest son and a mate. We've been trying now since mid March, and have almost completed it a couple of times, getting to wave 50 and then succumbing to the boss. However, as the mode is meant for a team of 5, I think we are doing well. We will get there eventually...!
Re: Mixtape (PS5) - A Truly Special Story Experience
Fantastic review, @LiamCroft! I was not interested in this game until I read it, and despite being in my 30s in the 90s, I do remember the music fondly. Portishead is one of my all time favourite bands (who I actually saw live in the 90s!), and any game that has their music will instantly be worth playing...
Re: Lords of the Fallen 2's Idea of Female Armour Is Downright Embarrassing
I don't have a problem with this as when I create my own character I always create my sadly deceased wife's image of the beautiful woman I met when she was 28. So I have no problem with sexy in my games, and it's not like it is just this game that has done it; Eve from Stellar Blade, for example, didn't exactly wear appropriate clothing for her many battles and platforming.
I think the developer should include full body armour that more represents what is actually worn too, so as those that don't want sexy, can look like a tank instead. That said, if they went for realism, expect a character wearing full armour to have no agility and stamina that drained within seconds.
Cover (or not!) all the bases, so to speak.
As for body types, I can understand why the developers would remove different body shapes because having a heavily obese woman with a BMI of 40 wearing any of the above would be something close to comedy gold, and so rather than be laughed at, they remove that as an option...
Re: These Numbers Explain Why Sony Is Stopping Porting PS5 Games to PC
So Xbox is screwed when it comes to putting the genie back into the bottle, @Stickleman. If Microsoft were to stop putting their games on PlayStation, they would still not have exclusive games so long as they are also releasing on PC. And every man and his dog knows that Microsoft will not stop putting their games on PC, particularly so when their next console is in fact a PC.
Spreading themselves so thin, putting their one time exclusives everywhere, completely negates the need to own an Xbox. If you want every game, then all you need is PlayStation, PC and Nintendo. If you were to have Xbox, PC and Nintendo, you would be missing out on the Sony exclusives. Basically, Microsoft have put themselves in a position whereby people do not need to own an Xbox in order to play every game.
Personally, I'll be surprised if Microsoft pull back from putting their games on PlayStation because in doing so they will cut out a huge swathe of revenue. They might try some timed-exclusives, but then when that happens games tend to sell less well once they are ported, so whilst Microsoft might try it, I don't think they will try it for long. And no way on Earth will Microsoft stop putting their games on PC now.
Between putting their games on PC day one, and Game Pass on both PC and Xbox, Microsoft sell far fewer games than they need to in order to bring in decent revenue, which is why they began porting their games to PlayStation, and that is not going to change any time soon...
Re: These Numbers Explain Why Sony Is Stopping Porting PS5 Games to PC
Arguably putting their games day and date on PC massively harmed Xbox, @Balaam_, although the only reason they did that then was because of the disastrous launch of the Xbox One. Then they went further down the rabbit-hole by porting their games to PlayStation too, which has diluted the brand still further.
The good thing for Sony is that they have a solid foundation on console, something that Xbox does not have, and so for Sony the decision to withdraw from PC is an easy one. Just the decision to stop porting their games to PlayStation would be monumental of Xbox, let alone ceasing ports to PC. Basically Xbox are too far gone, and their console base is too weak for them to suddenly have everything exclusive, no matter how much many on the Xbox front would love to see that.
Revenue and ecosystems are key, and both Microsoft and Sony know that, but the difference is that the Xbox ecosystem is fractured, and they are also having some success when it comes to revenue via PlayStation, so for Microsoft the decisions are not so cut and dry...
Re: 007 First Light: A Full Debrief After 3 Hours with IO's New James Bond Game
I am honestly disappointed, @IOI. I would have pre-ordered the game had it been a straight up action game. I'd far rather a linear experience than one where I have to use stealth much of the time, or where a change of outfit is required to gain entry to an area. I hope the game finds success, but I cannot see me buying it unless many of my concerns are assuaged once the game releases...
Re: 007 First Light: A Full Debrief After 3 Hours with IO's New James Bond Game
Honestly, this is what I fear from having watched the game. It is not an action fest, it is Hitman with a James Bond skin, and as someone that does not enjoy Hitman, I cannot see me enjoying this game, which is a real shame...
Re: Just Hours After Closing Its RPG Studio, Nacon Confirms Showcase Date for Next Week
To be honest, the only content I think I have every played (and enjoyed) was that made by Spiders. I don't think any of the mentioned games will be of interest to me, so will not be tuning in, though I will read up on them here just to be sure there is not something that I would actually like...
Re: PS5's Plague Tale Prequel Still Set for 2026, Story Details Revealed
This is one of those games that I know I want without knowing too much about it, @Divergent95. I just know I loved the first two games, and have faith that they can do it again...
Re: PS5's Plague Tale Prequel Still Set for 2026, Story Details Revealed
That's interesting. Thank you, @Divergent95. Not sure how I feel about a potential enemy the size of the Minitour, and how that fits with 'feel' of a the first two games. I'm still going to be there day one...
Re: PS5's Plague Tale Prequel Still Set for 2026, Story Details Revealed
It's a day one purchase for me, as I loved both games. I do wonder whether the rats will feature because I thought they were drawn to Hugo who obviously will not exist in this game. After rewatching the trailer there is no sign of the rats, and it's unclear what drives the protagonist in this new game. I have faith in the studio though, so have no qualms about pre-ordering it when it becomes available to do so...
Re: Dawnwalker Is PS5's Most Promising RPG, Chomps Down on September Release Date
This is another game from this year that I will most definitely be pre-ordering. I love the look of the game, and the premise is very interesting. I just have to hope that the set amount of days does not get in the way of a good game...
Re: Steelrising, GreedFall PS5 Dev Spiders Is Reportedly Soon to Close
Really sad to hear this. I loved the first Greedfall game, and have bought (but yet to play) the sequel. I also loved Steelrising, and was hoping we might see a sequel to that at some point. Very disappointed by this news...
Re: PS5 Confirmed to Be Affected by Game Expiry Issue, Sony Support Sends Mixed Messages on DRM
Ahh, cool. Thank you, @cragis0001. That's a great explanation. Much appreciated...
Re: PS5 Confirmed to Be Affected by Game Expiry Issue, Sony Still Silent on DRM Worries
Having only just bought a Pro, and only just started to buy games on my PlayStation instead of my Xbox, and also having bought a number of older games digitally including from the PS4 era, I am a little confused by the terminology 'PSN handshake', @get2sammyb. Does that just entail connecting to the internet on my Pro once a month (although it is actually daily for me anyway), or do I need to start each individual game to extend the licence?
Thank you...
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 630
Currently undertaking my annual run through every Gears of War campaign with a mate. We've finished Judgement, GoW: Reloaded and GoW 2, and have today finished GoW 3 so we'll be starting Gears 4 tomorrow, although we need to finish Raam's Shadow DLC first. It really is such an enjoyable franchise, one I have put probably close to 10,000 hours into.
I'm also playing through one of my favourite ever games; XCOM 2 on my PS5 Pro, and have to say I do not recall the game crashing as often as it does there. It crashes at least twice every day, which can be pretty infuriating at times...
Re: 'We'll Share More When We're Ready': Xbox Wants to Make the 'Right Decision' on Exclusivity and PS5
I mostly agree, @UltimateOtaku91. It is difficult to know how they can both please the investors, and also please the gamers when it comes to something like exclusivity in particular. Also, I don't know how they can quantify whether keeping a particular game exclusive is a success or not. I mean, it's not just about that particular games sale because if it was just that they had to be concerned about, then offering it up for sale in as many places as possible is the obvious solution. However, Microsoft also have to factor in new subscribers to Game Pass, and also new people buying consoles, and then lastly consider sales beyond that game brought about by someone entering the ecosystem. How Microsoft can possibly calculate the ripple effect a game might have by being made exclusive, and then way that up against lost sales by virtue of not being on PlayStation, is totally beyond me.
My guess is it's not an exact science, and in the end, Microsoft will opt for the obvious revenue that a game brings in by being multiplatform, and keep porting their games to PlayStation (albeit they might dabble with timed-exclusivity first)...
Re: Xbox Is Flip-Flopping on PS5 Again, and It's Truly Getting Tiring
In fairness to Xbox, they are under new management, and it stands to reason that they may now take a new approach.
As for what they will do next, I think they may dabble in timed exclusives for a year or two, but will quickly revert to releasing everything day and date on PlayStation...
Re: PS5 Firmware Update Out Now, We Hope You Like Emojis
Whenever I am unsure, that is exactly what I do, @Queesh. When several thousand people review a game on Steam, you get a good feel for game. It's why I prefer to read what other people have to say...
Re: Xbox Game Pass vs PS Plus: Was Sony Right All Along?
Game Pass has been increasing in price for a long time, @Godot25, not just since the rumours of the push for 30% profit margins, and the rumours of the sustainability of Game Pass have been circulating for almost as long as it has existed. The truth is, if Game Pass was ever profitable, then it was only just so.
Microsoft internally predicted that Game Pass would hit 100 million subscribers, and indeed it was part of the bonus package for Nadella until the numbers stalled around 30 million, and the profits it was expected to make based on far higher subscriber numbers, which meant the business model was in tatters pretty early on.
Your maths regarding how much Game Pass would bring in based on raising the price by 50% is spot on, except there are three glaring problems with it; firstly, people like myself who have stacked their subscriptions for years ahead are not affected by the price increase because Microsoft have already had our money, so they could raise it by 10,000% and it would not make any difference to me. Secondly, in places like the EU, I am led to believe that once you sign up to a subscription service at a certain price, that price is fixed, so again, they are unaffected by the price increase and Microsoft receive nothing more from them. And thirdly, if you read through the forums following the last price increase, the number of people either dropping to a lower tier, or abandoning Game Pass altogether was absolutely stark to see, so far from Game Pass generating more revenue following the 50% increase, in all likelihood, revenue took a drastic downward trajectory, which is why (combined with the losses that Call of Duty was incurring) Game Pass has been reduced in price now. The truth is, if Game Pass was bringing in more money following the 50% increase, Microsoft would not have felt the need to reduce it now. Something had to change, and Microsoft blinked pretty significantly...
Re: Microsoft Surely Kicking Itself for Not Having Forza Horizon 6 on PS5 Ready for Next Month's Launch
I think if Microsoft did not have so many games they intend to release this year, and of course with GTA 6 and other big third-party games still to come, then they would have delayed FH6 until the PS5 version was also ready.
I actually think that having this period of accidental exclusivity will hurt sales because many PlayStation gamers will choose to play FH6 via Game Pass instead of buying it outright on the PS5. In many ways, I think Microsoft will be kicking themselves that another game was not ready in time to take the place of FH6 this May...
Re: PS5 Firmware Update Out Now, We Hope You Like Emojis
Thanks for the replies, guys, @EpicMouse @Oram77 @MrPeanutbutterz @themightyant. I absolutely understand where you are coming from, some of the views posted are simply ridiculous, but I find if you put them in date order so that the most recent appear first, you weed out most of the ones that talk about bugs (which will have been (mostly) fixed many months later), and also it tends to weed out the fanboys. What you end up with a more nuanced take on the game.
The problem with just having a score is that if a game releases in a buggy way, but is then fixed, those scores that reflect the bugs are still taken into account when in reality they are no longer an issue.
After all, you will still have a score to take into account even if there are written reviews too. It just provides more information, which is sometimes very helpful...
Re: Huge and Highly Praised Crimson Desert PS5 Patch Out Now, Difficulty Options and Better Visuals Included
Does difficulty affect Trophies, @LiamCroft? I imagine not, bearing in mind these are additions, but you never know...
Re: PS5 Firmware Update Out Now, We Hope You Like Emojis
As someone that has recently switched to maining on PlayStation, the one thing that I wish Sony would introduce that is available on Xbox is the ability for people to comment on games in the Store. Sometimes the review score does not tell the whole story, and people views would be very welcome...
Re: Xbox Game Pass vs PS Plus: Was Sony Right All Along?
I agree, @Tyrii, most are just (rightly) enjoying, and taking advantage of, Game Pass. It is something that often get's discussed on Pure Xbox, but when I say it is unsustainable I usually get dismissed by many because 'Microsoft said it was sustainable', even though they keep raising the price of the Service. I mean, if it is sustainable, it means it can fund itself, it is self-sustaining. Well if that's the case, then Microsoft are simply being greedy whenever they increased the price, which whilst I do believe is factor in the price increases, as I think they believe(d) that we gamers would pay whatever they chose to charge, but I think the truth is they never got enough subscribers to balance the books, and that is the real reason why they increased prices. The model would have been sustainable if they had hit the target of 100 million subscribers, but they never got close, and so the only option was to charge more of those that did subscribe...
Re: Xbox Game Pass vs PS Plus: Was Sony Right All Along?
I wouldn't say the Xbox community was totally unanimous in believing that Game Pass was sustainable, @get2sammyb. I certainly didn't think it was, and still don't, and have often said as much. From a consumer perspective, it is (was) a great deal, but I highly doubt it is profitable at all. I've said many times now that I think Game Pass, as it currently exists, will be a thing of the past within the next 5 years...
Re: One of PS5's Most Promising RPGs Gets a Gameplay Blowout and Release Date Next Week
This game shows a lot of promise and most definitely something I would enjoy. Really hoping that it turns out well, and that we don't have to wait too long to enjoy it...
Re: PS5 Pro Just Made Pragmata Even Better in New Patch
I pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition of the game, but am still to start it because I have not finished the game I am currently playing, and unless I am not enjoying a game I always like to finish one before moving on to the next. I'm not going to lie though, I cannot wait to start, only problem is, I might have to start it after Saros now, as I'm not sure I'll be finished with Pragmata in time to start that one either. So many quality games right now, which is always a great problem to have...
Re: 'I Didn't Listen to Him': Ex PlayStation Boss Shu Yoshida on Why Jim Ryan 'Fired' Him
I'd love to know exactly what those ridiculous things were. I think most of us imagine that it was to make everything Live Service, but whether that is wide of the mark is another matter...
Re: More Cronos: The New Dawn Content Incoming, Teaser Suggests
Easily the best game to release last year, in my opinion. I got every achievement in the game, and loved it so much that I then bought it again on PlayStation as a way of showing my support for the developers.
So hope we get a sequel in the not too distant future...
Re: Metro 2039 Goes Back to Its Roots for Series' Darkest Game Yet, Out on PS5 This Winter
Really looking forward to this new game. So much so that I'm going to play through the first 3 once again. They really are very good...
Re: Starfield PS5 Sales Estimates Leave Much to Be Desired
Undoubtedly having a staggered release for the game will have hurt sales on PlayStation. Either people will have played the game on Game Pass already, and have no need to return to it now, or people are over the game by now as there are newer, shinier games to be playing such as Crimson Desert. Also, people have been slating Starfield for years now, many of those doing so have never even played the game, but as is always the case, when your reputation takes a hit (warranted or not), it gets ingrained in people's thinking. Read that the game is bad often enough, and you'll believe it must be bad, whether or not that is the case.
Lastly, just to be clear, I have not played the game myself, so I cannot speak to the quality of it, but I've been around life for long enough to see this happen so very often...
Re: Rumour: Xbox Debating Whether to Make Its Games Exclusive Again
The lack of exclusives has massively hurt Xbox in terms of console sales, but has also lined the pockets of Microsoft in the process. I think Microsoft will choose to continue to put their games on PlayStation even if that hurts sales of the Helix because I believe the sales of their games will bring in more revenue than they lose as a consequence of selling fewer Helix's.
The fact about exclusives is it is not how much an individual game makes that matters, but rather how much people spend within your ecosystem having been attracted there by that particular exclusive, but I'm not entirely sure that Microsoft can see that particular big picture, instead choosing to focus in on the initial burst of revenue that a title brings in. That amount is tangible. How much a person spends within an ecosystem because of a particular exclusive title is not so easy to quantify. Plus, Microsoft have the added problem of the Helix being a PC, and their releasing all their games on PC anyway.
In other words, I cannot see Microsoft returning to fully exclusive games.
I have argued previously that I believe Microsoft should stop putting their first-party games on Game Pass day one, and that they should sell their games on their own consoles as exclusives for the first 12 months. Thereafter, they should then allow the titles to go on Game Pass, and also then port the games to PlayStation, although I think that should happen two years after the initial release. That way Microsoft can sell their games for the first 12 months, then attract people to Game Pass at the 12 month point, and then 12 months later they can sell their games on PlayStation. Let's be honest hear, most PlayStation gamers would prefer to wait 2 years for a game rather than buy an Xbox, and many of us already own both a PlayStation and an Xbox anyway so would not have to wait. Of course, with the next generation being tipped to being particularly expensive (especially with the Helix), the number of people owning both systems will probably drop quite drastically, and the price in itself may well feed into people choosing to wait for the games to drop on PlayStation rather than buying an Xbox...
Re: Pragmata (PS5) - Brilliant Combat Is the Star of Yet Another Capcom PS5 Hit
Thank you, @Quintumply. Your answer is appreciated...