@get2sammyb I do have a faint memory of the same accusation around the internet for Baldur’s Gate 3… but now one took it seriously. It’s just the parity clause for the Series X and S. Seems like this is the natural result of the consoles releasing with different specs.
@LifeGirl I buy full price on release for games I want to support because (1) they are the types of games I enjoy and want more of or (2) they come from a favorite developer and I want to encourage them to continue what they are doing.
@Titntin for whatever reason over the last decade the gaming hobby space has gone from excitement, and a general realization that most games have flaws, to being overly negative. It’s a real bummer. I’m not sure the cause really outside the explosion of social media and online communities/communication which eventually destroys all fan communities.
@DennisReynolds Keanu Reeves is great at what he does. Kinda like John Wayne. I don’t know if he’s a great actor, but he has some all time iconic roles (John wick, the matrix, bill & Ted).
@Northern_munkey haven’t played in a few years but I played the 2019 one and first multiplayer match I was called a particularly disgusting racial slur (for a race of which I am not) and just muted all matches from that point on.
@clvr Just gonna throw it out there that 99% of Americans don’t care about the “culture war.” As far as I can tell it only exists in online comments and twitter. Never once have I heard it mentioned in real life other than people making fun of it.
@UltimateOtaku91 You’re kinda right in that a Ps5 Pro will outperform the Xbox consoles and the game will run better at a higher resolution. But the “best” place to play would be a high end PC. Regardless, I think we put too much stock in visuals and performance and the “best” place to play is whatever console you own/can afford. So for many, the best place to play is likely the series s with gamepass.
EDIT: my bad, my comment is fairly duplicative of other comments so feel free to ignore.
Factions would have had Helldivers numbers. It would have fallen significantly… like Helldivers… but that’s fine. Sony would have made a bundle while it was popular and they could have moved on when the players did. Trying to make these “appeal to everyone forever” games will continue to not work out 99% of the time. The space is to crowded and no one is leaving their current live service dopamine drip for a new version.
@AdamNovice I agree I don’t think they are ugly. I do think they are boring and super derivative though. But as soon as the put in pronouns it definitely set a certain crowd off though which I think is what started the “ugly” conversation. Unfortunately, video games are at the center of the “culture war.” Quotations used because it’s a bunch of garbage with bad actors on both sides.
Death Stranding is an amazing experience. I try and tell my friends how special it is and no one will even try it. If you buy in to what the game is trying to do it’s a truly unique experience and has moments of sheer beauty throughout.
This has been a wonderful year for smaller games for me. Dave the Diver, Balatro, Cult of the Lamb... and now Vampire Survivors. I can go another year easy without any big AAA releases at this rate just catching up with these smaller games.
@Intr1n5ic I think the lack of launch titles does have something to do with it. I also think GamePass is actually not that good of a deal. The largest subset of gamers play one or two games exclusively. Very few jump from game to game. Unless you are one of the people who like to jump game to game... I think its unlikely you will really get your money's worth from the subscription model. It just appeals to too few people.
@NEStalgia I agree with the market identity issue. At the start of the generation it was clear to me that Xbox had a goal of selling more consoles with an emphasis on gamepass being attached, basically automatically because it’s such a good deal. This would drive console sales and subscription numbers. However, the narrative has changed so much due to their mixed messaging that any person looking to invest in an ecosystem would really need to question the point of Xbox. PS offers extra (which has a ton of good games), PS exclusives (which take years to appear on PC), and now… Xbox exclusives within six months?
The lack of clarity on strategy is really what’s sinking the ship. What I thought they were doing at the beginning of the generation is not at all what they are doing now!
Among the “core gamers” I predict lots of people moving mostly to PC before the next generation. Among the casual audience I expect Nintendo and PS to control with a very small Xbox niche market going forward. It’s too bad… the OG Xbox was so exciting back in the day I wish it was still like that!
Really enjoyed the Godzilla DLC and the platinum run for Dave. Have no idea who the singer is or what the alchemy game is but I love Balatro so it’s cool to see the collab! Will Check it out!
This should surprise no one. The game was destined to be huge. I would really love to see how many Series S consoles were pushed during this same period of time vs. PS5.
At the start of the generation I predicted a huge gain in the console space for Microsoft. Instead they seem to intentionally be killing any reason for purchasing their hardware, including only keeping a six month exclusivity period for a game that they should be positioning as a huge platform exclusive. Essentially they are telling everyone “wait six months and play the patched version on the console you prefer anyways.”
He is wrong for many reasons. He is not wrong that the current “core gamer” market is unpredictable. I do believe that’s because the volume is too high. Great games can go unnoticed while flash in the pan games can garner a huge audience. It’s a tough industry but embracer’s plan was doomed from the start and it never really made sense.
@WhiteRabbit How would you characterize the difficulty level? Leaning towards FromSoftware or more like Stellar Blade? I am seeing conflicting views on this!
@nick_dizel The complaints about prices are everywhere even though it’s technically the cheapest time ever to be a gamer with the subscription services, deep sales constantly, and even just adjusted for inflation.
@LikelySatan I would argue the best multiplayer games are those not meant to last in perpetuity. HD was $40…. All the people complaining likely got their money’s worth within the first few months so it should be quite easy to move on.
The dev team is four brothers, which I think is super cool. However, their previous games were pretty poorly received. I don’t have much hope for this game but I love the idea. Sometimes you just want stupid fun.
@breakneck oof so at launch they are doing 80% digital. My guess is pretty soon physical will be limited to steelbook editions for most releases, so if you want physical you pay extra.
@LowDefAl I dunno I think for most people it’s dead. Capcom said they were at like 93% digital sales in a recent article right? I would have assumed RE and MH were games that got a good physical release.
@MrGawain It’s just aimed at a small audience. If most consumers don’t buy more than a few games a year… why subscribe? You need to be a hardcore gamer, who also plays a wide variety of games, for it to be worth the money and thats a very small portion of the audience. Lots of hardcore gamers only play a few games a year now that there are live service games. So it’s also only a portion of that audience. The recent price increase also hurts any possibility of expansion. I just don’t understand how it’s intended to work.
Comments 677
Re: Poll: Are You Playing Star Wars Outlaws?
Where’s the Are You Playing Vampire Survivors post???
Re: Sony Accused of Signing Secret PS5 Console Exclusivity Agreement with Black Myth: Wukong
@get2sammyb I do have a faint memory of the same accusation around the internet for Baldur’s Gate 3… but now one took it seriously. It’s just the parity clause for the Series X and S. Seems like this is the natural result of the consoles releasing with different specs.
Re: Sony Accused of Signing Secret PS5 Console Exclusivity Agreement with Black Myth: Wukong
Why are we still talking about this game? Vampire Survivors is out.
Re: Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions' Snitch Has Been Dramatically Nerfed on PS5, PS4
@NEStalgia If they want to be accurate to the books with this game, only Griffindor can ever win a match 🤣
Re: Players Complain of Lengthy PS5 Matchmaking Times As Concord Numbers Dwindle
@HonestHick I think it’s only fair to say Helldivers 2 was a hit multiplayer game for them.
Re: Dealmania Hits PS Store with Around 1,300 PS5, PS4 Game Discounts
@LifeGirl I buy full price on release for games I want to support because (1) they are the types of games I enjoy and want more of or (2) they come from a favorite developer and I want to encourage them to continue what they are doing.
Re: PowerWash Simulator Tackles Shrek's Disgusting Swamp in Next PS5, PS4 DLC
@Americansamurai1 It has been fixed apparently but you may need to replay. I’m still missing the gold rating trophy.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Black Myth: Wukong?
@PsBoxSwitchOwner I don’t think I have ever played a 1/10. A score that low means the game doesn’t function.
Re: Round Up: Star Wars Outlaws PS5 Reviews Are Hit and Miss
@Titntin for whatever reason over the last decade the gaming hobby space has gone from excitement, and a general realization that most games have flaws, to being overly negative. It’s a real bummer. I’m not sure the cause really outside the explosion of social media and online communities/communication which eventually destroys all fan communities.
Re: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Movie's Debut Trailer Shows Off Shadow, Voiced by Keanu Reeves
@DennisReynolds Keanu Reeves is great at what he does. Kinda like John Wayne. I don’t know if he’s a great actor, but he has some all time iconic roles (John wick, the matrix, bill & Ted).
Re: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Movie's Debut Trailer Shows Off Shadow, Voiced by Keanu Reeves
Sonic is a franchise that always puts my world view into perspective. I have never actually met a sonic fan but there are clearly a lot of them.
Re: Yep, Indiana Jones' PS5 Trailer Just Got Uploaded to the PlayStation Channel
@BloodyBlact Yea I don’t game on PC either classic sofa console gaming is by far my preferred way.
Re: Here's Your First Look at Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's Chaotic Competitive PS5, PS4 Multiplayer
@Northern_munkey haven’t played in a few years but I played the 2019 one and first multiplayer match I was called a particularly disgusting racial slur (for a race of which I am not) and just muted all matches from that point on.
Re: Things Are Getting Worse for Floundering PS5, PC FPS Concord
@clvr Just gonna throw it out there that 99% of Americans don’t care about the “culture war.” As far as I can tell it only exists in online comments and twitter. Never once have I heard it mentioned in real life other than people making fun of it.
Re: Yep, Indiana Jones' PS5 Trailer Just Got Uploaded to the PlayStation Channel
@UltimateOtaku91 You’re kinda right in that a Ps5 Pro will outperform the Xbox consoles and the game will run better at a higher resolution. But the “best” place to play would be a high end PC. Regardless, I think we put too much stock in visuals and performance and the “best” place to play is whatever console you own/can afford. So for many, the best place to play is likely the series s with gamepass.
EDIT: my bad, my comment is fairly duplicative of other comments so feel free to ignore.
Re: Star Wars Outlaws Smuggler Makes the Kessel Run, Beware Spoilers
I think I will be playing this at launch. Been playing a lot of smaller indies lately and some Ubisoft checkbox gameplay might feel nice.
Re: PS5, PC FPS Concord's Poor Player Numbers Have Predictably Gone Viral
@Frmknst A traitor to a corporation? What are you talking about?
Re: PS5, PC FPS Concord's Poor Player Numbers Have Predictably Gone Viral
Factions would have had Helldivers numbers. It would have fallen significantly… like Helldivers… but that’s fine. Sony would have made a bundle while it was popular and they could have moved on when the players did. Trying to make these “appeal to everyone forever” games will continue to not work out 99% of the time. The space is to crowded and no one is leaving their current live service dopamine drip for a new version.
Re: Poll: Are You Playing Concord?
@AdamNovice I agree I don’t think they are ugly. I do think they are boring and super derivative though. But as soon as the put in pronouns it definitely set a certain crowd off though which I think is what started the “ugly” conversation. Unfortunately, video games are at the center of the “culture war.” Quotations used because it’s a bunch of garbage with bad actors on both sides.
Re: Hideo Kojima to Host Special Death Stranding 2 Presentation at TGS 2024
Death Stranding is an amazing experience. I try and tell my friends how special it is and no one will even try it. If you buy in to what the game is trying to do it’s a truly unique experience and has moments of sheer beauty throughout.
Re: Magic Takes Flight in Nostalgic Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions PS5, PS4 Gameplay
@Icey664 to be fair quidditch isn’t competitive ever. The rules make little sense and griffindor always wins.
Re: You'll Need This Crucial Vampire Survivors Guide Before Picking It Up Next Week on PS5, PS4
This has been a wonderful year for smaller games for me. Dave the Diver, Balatro, Cult of the Lamb... and now Vampire Survivors. I can go another year easy without any big AAA releases at this rate just catching up with these smaller games.
Re: Over 12 Million Fans Have Pre-Registered to Play PS5 Fashion RPG Infinity Nikki
@Dalamar There are a lot of great games that deal with loss which I have found comforting over the years.
Re: Reaction: It's Time for Xbox to Tell Us Which Games It's Bringing to PS5, and Which Games It Isn't
@Intr1n5ic I think the lack of launch titles does have something to do with it. I also think GamePass is actually not that good of a deal. The largest subset of gamers play one or two games exclusively. Very few jump from game to game. Unless you are one of the people who like to jump game to game... I think its unlikely you will really get your money's worth from the subscription model. It just appeals to too few people.
Re: Over 12 Million Fans Have Pre-Registered to Play PS5 Fashion RPG Infinity Nikki
Once again, I am completely out of touch with what people want 🤣
Re: Reaction: It's Time for Xbox to Tell Us Which Games It's Bringing to PS5, and Which Games It Isn't
@NEStalgia I agree with the market identity issue. At the start of the generation it was clear to me that Xbox had a goal of selling more consoles with an emphasis on gamepass being attached, basically automatically because it’s such a good deal. This would drive console sales and subscription numbers. However, the narrative has changed so much due to their mixed messaging that any person looking to invest in an ecosystem would really need to question the point of Xbox. PS offers extra (which has a ton of good games), PS exclusives (which take years to appear on PC), and now… Xbox exclusives within six months?
The lack of clarity on strategy is really what’s sinking the ship. What I thought they were doing at the beginning of the generation is not at all what they are doing now!
Among the “core gamers” I predict lots of people moving mostly to PC before the next generation. Among the casual audience I expect Nintendo and PS to control with a very small Xbox niche market going forward. It’s too bad… the OG Xbox was so exciting back in the day I wish it was still like that!
Re: Dave the Diver Joins Forces with Mxmtoon, Balatro, and Potion Craft in October
Really enjoyed the Godzilla DLC and the platinum run for Dave. Have no idea who the singer is or what the alchemy game is but I love Balatro so it’s cool to see the collab! Will
Check it out!
Re: Incredibly, Mafia: The Old Country Will Feature a Full Sicilian Dub on PS5
@nessisonett I don't blame companies chickening out on anything there is a lot of money/jobs on the line!
Re: Incredibly, Mafia: The Old Country Will Feature a Full Sicilian Dub on PS5
@nessisonett Such a great idea but waaaaay to risky currently for a developer. They pretty much have to play it safe these days.
Re: Preview: Dying Light: The Beast Pulls a Lost Legacy as DLC Turned Full PS5 Game Impresses
I know it doesn’t really matter… but are the trophies still broken for DL2?
Re: Jul 2024 USA Sales: College Football Immediately Overtakes Helldivers 2 as Best-Selling Game This Year
This should surprise no one. The game was destined to be huge. I would really love to see how many Series S consoles were pushed during this same period of time vs. PS5.
Re: Xbox's Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Comes to PS5 in Spring 2025
@breakneck he has a fairly narrow world view but no one makes better predictions or has better analysis on SIE.
Re: Xbox's Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Comes to PS5 in Spring 2025
At the start of the generation I predicted a huge gain in the console space for Microsoft. Instead they seem to intentionally be killing any reason for purchasing their hardware, including only keeping a six month exclusivity period for a game that they should be positioning as a huge platform exclusive. Essentially they are telling everyone “wait six months and play the patched version on the console you prefer anyways.”
Long story short I know nothing.
Re: Embracer CEO Says PC, Console Segment the 'Bad Guy', Video Games a 'Volatile' Business
He is wrong for many reasons. He is not wrong that the current “core gamer” market is unpredictable. I do believe that’s because the volume is too high. Great games can go unnoticed while flash in the pan games can garner a huge audience. It’s a tough industry but embracer’s plan was doomed from the start and it never really made sense.
Re: Hands On: Black Myth: Wukong PS5 Performance Isn't Perfect, But It's Perfectly Fine
@DennisReynolds Okay awesome I handled Stellar Blade so this game probably wouldn't drive me insane.
Re: Hands On: Black Myth: Wukong PS5 Performance Isn't Perfect, But It's Perfectly Fine
@WhiteRabbit Very good description I know exactly what I would be getting into now! Thank you!
Re: Hands On: Black Myth: Wukong PS5 Performance Isn't Perfect, But It's Perfectly Fine
@WhiteRabbit How would you characterize the difficulty level? Leaning towards FromSoftware or more like Stellar Blade? I am seeing conflicting views on this!
Re: Until Dawn PS5 Is Priced at $60 / £60
@nick_dizel The complaints about prices are everywhere even though it’s technically the cheapest time ever to be a gamer with the subscription services, deep sales constantly, and even just adjusted for inflation.
Re: Helldivers 2 Community Fractures, Traitor 'Chaosdivers' Want to See Super Earth Burn
@beltmenot A study of the parasocial fanbase or the studios insistence on constant balance updates to a PVE game? Both have been weird.
Re: Helldivers 2 Community Fractures, Traitor 'Chaosdivers' Want to See Super Earth Burn
@LikelySatan I would argue the best multiplayer games are those not meant to last in perpetuity. HD was $40…. All the people complaining likely got their money’s worth within the first few months so it should be quite easy to move on.
Re: Test Your PlayStation General Knowledge - Issue 25
Had to guess on most of them this time… not a good showing
Re: Rumour: Xbox to Announce a 'Big' Game Coming to PS5 at Gamescom
@Specky I wouldn’t play either the only Xbox exclusives I think I would get would be a halo 1-3 collections and a gears 1-3 collection.
Re: Rumour: Xbox to Announce a 'Big' Game Coming to PS5 at Gamescom
@Frmknst Hellblade 2 is way smaller than Forza or Starfield on pretty much every metric though…
Re: Dino Shooter Son and Bone Achieves Peak Video Game in PS5 Gameplay
The dev team is four brothers, which I think is super cool. However, their previous games were pretty poorly received. I don’t have much hope for this game but I love the idea. Sometimes you just want stupid fun.
Re: Alan Wake 2 Still Hasn't Made Remedy Any Royalties, But Work Is Underway on Max Payne's PS5 Remakes
@breakneck oof so at launch they are doing 80% digital. My guess is pretty soon physical will be limited to steelbook editions for most releases, so if you want physical you pay extra.
Re: Alan Wake 2 Still Hasn't Made Remedy Any Royalties, But Work Is Underway on Max Payne's PS5 Remakes
@LowDefAl I dunno I think for most people it’s dead. Capcom said they were at like 93% digital sales in a recent article right? I would have assumed RE and MH were games that got a good physical release.
Re: Fortnite's Next Season Will Make Unthinkable Sums of Money on PS5, PS4
@Malaise Fortnite’s success was when I realized I was old and just didn’t understand these youths.
Re: Alan Wake 2 Still Hasn't Made Remedy Any Royalties, But Work Is Underway on Max Payne's PS5 Remakes
@Alexface Remedy budgets are famously low for the quality of their games. Unfortunately, reports have been that the game did not sell well.
Re: GTA 6 Won't Be on Subs Like PS Plus at Launch Because Take-Two Makes 'Rational' Decisions
@MrGawain It’s just aimed at a small audience. If most consumers don’t buy more than a few games a year… why subscribe? You need to be a hardcore gamer, who also plays a wide variety of games, for it to be worth the money and thats a very small portion of the audience. Lots of hardcore gamers only play a few games a year now that there are live service games. So it’s also only a portion of that audience. The recent price increase also hurts any possibility of expansion. I just don’t understand how it’s intended to work.
Re: Dead Rising's PS5 Remaster Will Strip Bonus Points for Erotic Photos
@DeepEyes Isn’t demolition man about a utopia where people from the past return and destroy it.