1. Multi platform games are not being locked down by Nintendo. They own and release their own IPs which are of course exclusive. Just the same as Sony and Microsoft.
2. I have no loyalty to Nintendo, even though I love some of their IPs. I like my Link avatar but it’s not my favourite series.
3. Why are people arguing that games that are currently available to multiple platforms should be restricted to only a few platforms? I’m not supporting Microsoft doing it or Sony doing it.
There is no reason for gamers to argue for restricting games from others gamers unless it’s petty console wars.
Sony doesn’t need to send messages. They are already winning.
Xbox are losing players. Their console sales are down 30% from last year.
It’s the players who are deciding and showing Xbox that they need to change their strategy. and Xbox are responding by releasing more games on PlayStation.
I still stand by my point. Just because a player chose Xbox doesn’t mean they should be punished for it.
The point is these games are available now to all. It makes no sense to hope for other players to lose out on games just so you can win a petty console war.
You won’t win anything if Sony did that. Other people would just lose.
The blind pettiness of console warriors is a scourge on gaming just as much as corporate greed is.
And for the record, Sony is wiping the floor with Xbox. Sony doesn’t need more help to get exclusives. As Sammy pointed out above, some are avoiding Xbox entirely because of low sales.
Again though, no Xbox gamer is at fault for that just because they chose one console over the other.
@Andy22385 it really is skewed though. Even the average Push Square user is in the upper end of the average gamer.
Having said that, you are correct that more gamers have 120hz screens.
Before I was simply talking about 4K TVs not monitors. There are far more gamers with 120hz monitors especially now that the average STEAM user has a PC almost on par with a PS5.
Having said that. Most PC gamers who are aiming for 120fps are doing it at 1080p and 1440p not 4K.
That’s the big difference.
Personally, I don’t really know why consoles can’t have HD/2K modes at 60/120fps and then 4K modes at 30/60fps.
@Andy22385 there is information out there. I was being generous with the 10% of gamers, it’s likely around 3% or less.
The stats for 120hz monitors is higher.
There is a reason that most TV Chanel’s output HD and not 4K.
Why?
50% of Americans still don’t have a 4K TV. 60% of UK still uses HD (1080p) and HD Ready (720p) TV.
90+% of 4K TVs are 60hz. And even today the majority of TVs sold are not 120hz.
People live in bubbles thinking everyone is buying new tech and upgrading TVs all the time. Yet even the richest countries in the world have less than half have 4K TVs when they’ve been out for a decade.
Just think what the rest of the world is like where budgets are tighter.
@Artois2 I think you missed my point a bit. I wasn’t meaning the player base.
Overwatch isn't just still played. It is also talked about and reference a lot. It helped redefine the hero shooter and brought it mainstream, spawning multiple similar games.
Elden Ring is single player and I guarantee you it will be spoken about and referred to for the next decade, just like Overwatch, BotW, God of War, and many other GOTY winners.
The other games on the list for 2016 are part of big franchises or were good games in their own rights, but they didn’t have the long term appeal that Overwatch has had.
@Oram77 sorry, but I think Overwatch deserved GOTY in 2016.
The competition was:
Overwatch
Uncharted 4: A Theif’s End
Titanfall 2
Doom (2016)
Inside
All great games. But Overwatch was a great multiplayer game, had a massive player base, and is still being talked about today (albeit negatively).
Titanfall 2 was great, but lacked commercial success. Uncharted 4 was a cinematic treat. Inside was a unique game that deserved a spotlight. Doom sparked a franchise reboot.
So they were all good, but objectively, Overwatch deserved the win. It is the one that stuck around the longest, had the biggest impact in gaming (spawning numerous ‘clones’ despite itself being a clone) and at its peak with new cinematic, constant updates and heroes etc. It was a fantastic game.
This was a great read. Reminded me of old times when my Mum, who is registered blind, would play games with me but couldn’t see well enough. Except Mario Kart, which she loved.
On the Tomb Raider front though, she bought it for me. I had a nightmare. It was labelled demonic, and I couldn’t play it again until I was older.
What was with us wimps and Tomb Raider?
Even my gay friend who was scared of everything and had posters of Lara Croft (he was fooling no one) completed it before I was brave enough.
Two of my friends got a PS1 the first Christmas it released and I had to wait over two years to get mine; saving pocket money and combining my Christmas and two birthday presents making a deal with my Dad in order to get one (money was tight).
I would cycle to Toys R Us and play on their display models, once or twice getting told to leave because I was there too long (although I always let other kids play and was a mini sales person for them).
I even remember having dreams that I had a PS1. I would wake up excited to play and then feel sad I didn’t have one. I must have been 9 or 10.
When I finally got it, it was glorious. And that start up sound effect became a gateway into escaping the troubles of my little world and enjoying countless others.
Only had a couple of games. Final Fantasy 7 being my main game. I remember getting to the end before fighting Sephiroth and then restarting the game again because I didn’t want the journey to end.
Good times. And I’m still having them now 30 years later.
This game is not really like GTA. Unless people call Cyberpunk 2077 a GTA style game.
It’s a whole load of flashy combat and supernatural stuff in a big city.
I’d say it’s more Stellar Blade / Persona / Genshin Impact / Yakuza than it is GTA (imho).
Anyways, there are gameplay videos on YouTube. Their X account has a number of trailers. I’d recommend looking into it as it’s quite different than what I was expecting.
@hitmanfan47 I got the Platinum for Edith Finch last night in a single sitting. An amazing game. I’m actually quite taken back by it as I had no idea what it would entail.
@Oz_Who_Dat_Dare thanks, yeah, I never got around to it in the end as I was playing other things. I was holding out for the PS5 patch, but that doesn’t seem to be coming. I might just have to buy it.
The budget on this was smaller than Concord, it doesn’t need other players for matchmaking and actually playing the game, and this game has the benefit of releasing on Switch.
It looks great on the base PS5 so it will be interesting to see the improvements.
The FPS boost on games like FF7R and FF16 are more of a draw to me though than fancy graphics.
A stable 60fps is all I ask for. Shame I have to spend more to get that because developers won’t fix their games on the base PS5 and I’m assuming new releases will be capped at 30 on the base moving forward. 😢
@GeeEssEff I think it’s important to remember that people online are a subsection of society as a whole, so try not to be too discouraged.
PushSquare regulars, for example, buy and play far more games than most gamers. So when we see a poll about if we bought the latest Sony release it is skewed massively compared to the average market of PlayStation players who’d have a lower purchase rate on new games.
The same happens online. There are echo chambers. Communities geared for certain topics. And even if you’re in a community that supports your views, you likely will be talking about the community that’s anti your views and putting your arguments forward. And it can become draining.
The majority of people though are good people. And the industry needs to try to focus on them and not the extremes.
This is the problem I was trying to highlight. It seems that if a game is perceived to have an agenda there is an aversion to it by certain crowds.
And often times when there is political toxicity, the neutrals also stay clear to not get involved.
I don’t think this game had a big campaign against it (although clearly some very racist folks as you pointed out). I think it was likely more a lack of experience from the creator in marketing and the game failing to capture people.
But I do think that since it was promoted quite well, and yet failed commercially, there are lessons to learn there.
As a marketer I’ve had an interest in this game. Its struggling sales didn’t come as a surprise.
Unfortunately the game was just ‘average’ in a Metroidvania market whose hardcore fans require ‘good’ as the minimum.
But I don’t think that was all its problems. No game is marketed simply to those who like a certain genre (most gamers don’t even know the word Metroidvania and cross pollinate with lots of genres). It had a wider appeal, but failed to grab the audience.
For many neutrals. It wasn’t being marketed for its gameplay or story. But it cropped up a lot due to an apparent DEI agenda (which we know puts some people off).
This game had a lot of help in marketing. It was given a big platform by the industry. It was announced at the Game Awards and regularly pushed by Sony/Xbox in their stores and in their email marketing etc. I saw it pop up regularly and it was particularly highlighted at various points of the year for Indigenous People’s events and so forth.
It really had every opportunity to succeed but it wasn’t enough. And DEI doesn’t sell games, in fact, it can hinder them - a portion of gamers avoid them entirely.
I think if the game had a bit more polish and if it was marketed more for the game than its representation, then it could have done better.
Countering my own point somewhat, I think the angle that drew me in was the game being an homage to his father and the creators love for games. I wanted the game to succeed for those reasons alone.
But it also felt the presenting of the game was a bit more about the main guy (who played Bayek, from my favourite AC game, Origins) and clearly he’s an actor so enjoys the spotlight. It was his first game. He’s new to this marketing stuff. So I felt it could struggle even though I wanted the guy to do well. I felt for him.
Headlines often though have been more about him and his comments than the game. And we know there is a political war (or 20) going on and the last thing you want is for people to associate your game with that. Especially when it hasn’t had a chance to gain a fanbase.
Anyways, I know I’m gonna get hate just for mentioning DEI, but I’m just hypothesising as a marketer based on my observations.
Well, of course the leadership of the company is exploring all options. If they weren’t then they’d be incompetent at their jobs… well, even more incompetent.
This statement doesn’t give us anything new, but it sure helps to fuel our speculations.
@Carck yeah, I get that for the individuals it can be hard.
However, the company is struggling and needs all hands on deck. These people have well paying jobs in a market that has lots of layoffs.
They have to adapt to that. Commute to the office three times a week, help the company recover, or jump into a job market that has lots of competition.
It sucks, but I’ve personally been hit in the same way and for the company it was the best choice, even if for me it was less favourable.
It’s just the way it is unfortunately. Until we become our own bosses we can’t dictate our way. And ultimately what is best for us as individuals isn’t always best for the company.
When my boss mandated we get back in the office after lockdown. Some of us grumbled. But we did what we were told and our efficiency went up. And this is just 3 days.
@torquex the number of staff doesn’t change my point.
They choose as a company to release lots of games. Many of those games could be improved with more time in development.
Their huge number of staff might point to the bad management at the company. They’ve over bloated their teams and have quantity over quality, just like their games.
They are paying the price now because people don’t want to spend their money on half baked games and investors don’t want to invest in mismanaged companies.
@Korgon I wasn’t offended by your comment so no worries. You can tell me off. I can be wrong sometimes. 😅
Yeah, there are lots of political arguments going on and a lot of it is silly (Although their Nendoroid thing using a Nagasaki bombing symbol is insane). But for me I’m more concerned about the polish.
My general view is Ubi needs to slow down a bit and just keep things in the oven longer. 4 years sounds like a long time, but these AC games are huge. Massive games that have so many parts. It takes a long time to get things right.
My friend loves Star Wars Outlaws, his game of the year so far. So not everyone is unhappy.
Comments 1,176
Re: Sony Becomes Kadokawa's Biggest Shareholder As Companies Form Alliance
@SuperBloodborneMaker what planet are you on?
1. Multi platform games are not being locked down by Nintendo. They own and release their own IPs which are of course exclusive. Just the same as Sony and Microsoft.
2. I have no loyalty to Nintendo, even though I love some of their IPs. I like my Link avatar but it’s not my favourite series.
3. Why are people arguing that games that are currently available to multiple platforms should be restricted to only a few platforms? I’m not supporting Microsoft doing it or Sony doing it.
There is no reason for gamers to argue for restricting games from others gamers unless it’s petty console wars.
Re: Industry Analyst Argues Either Sony or Microsoft Will Need to Exit the Console Market
@BeerMonster you’re asking the important questions.
Re: Final Fantasy 7 Devs Suggest Which Rebirth Girl Is Best (for Cloud)
Yeah, Tifa is the one.
I thought that from the first time I played FF7 and in mind they were together in Advent Children (raising their adopted kids).
It’s lore to me regardless of what anyone else says. 😅
Re: Monster Hunter Wilds Dev Making 'Steady Improvements' to PS5 Performance, PS5 Pro Patch Set for Launch
60fps mode on base PS5 makes this a Day 1 purchase for me.
God bless Capcom.
Re: Sony Becomes Kadokawa's Biggest Shareholder As Companies Form Alliance
@PSDeckSwitchOwner
Sony doesn’t need to send messages. They are already winning.
Xbox are losing players. Their console sales are down 30% from last year.
It’s the players who are deciding and showing Xbox that they need to change their strategy. and Xbox are responding by releasing more games on PlayStation.
I still stand by my point. Just because a player chose Xbox doesn’t mean they should be punished for it.
Keep multiplat games multplat. Simple.
Re: Sony Becomes Kadokawa's Biggest Shareholder As Companies Form Alliance
@PSDeckSwitchOwner surely you’re just trolling.
The point is these games are available now to all. It makes no sense to hope for other players to lose out on games just so you can win a petty console war.
You won’t win anything if Sony did that. Other people would just lose.
The blind pettiness of console warriors is a scourge on gaming just as much as corporate greed is.
And for the record, Sony is wiping the floor with Xbox. Sony doesn’t need more help to get exclusives. As Sammy pointed out above, some are avoiding Xbox entirely because of low sales.
Again though, no Xbox gamer is at fault for that just because they chose one console over the other.
Re: Sony Becomes Kadokawa's Biggest Shareholder As Companies Form Alliance
@PSDeckSwitchOwner
Maybe we should be rooting for the players?
I love my PlayStation, but I’d hate for Xbox players to be locked out of games just so one mega corp can stick it to another.
Re: Sony Becomes Kadokawa's Biggest Shareholder As Companies Form Alliance
Sony owns 10%. They aren’t going to be integrating their other studios with this or anything. They just want some rights to Anime.
The likelihood is we won’t see a change in the gaming world. FromSoftware games will stay multi platform and that’s a good thing.
Re: Sony's Giga Hit Helldivers 2 Blows Up on PS5, PC All Over Again
I’m jumping back in. The announcement at the Game Awards reminded me how much fun it is and I need to ensure the new enemy gets a taste of freedom!
Remember: “Every bullet fired is a freedom seed planted in the hearts of our enemies.”
Re: Elden Ring: Nightreign Will Not Have Crossplay
Well, that’s not GotY quality, is it now. 😅
Re: Poll: Are You Happy with Your PS Plus Extra, Premium Games for December 2024?
I’m quite happy with Sonic Frontiers and Jak & Daxter alone.
And in all honestly they’re likely the only games I will play.
My kids want to play Phogs.
Re: Feature: The 10 Best Games on PS5 Pro, as Voted By You
@Andy22385 it really is skewed though. Even the average Push Square user is in the upper end of the average gamer.
Having said that, you are correct that more gamers have 120hz screens.
Before I was simply talking about 4K TVs not monitors. There are far more gamers with 120hz monitors especially now that the average STEAM user has a PC almost on par with a PS5.
Having said that. Most PC gamers who are aiming for 120fps are doing it at 1080p and 1440p not 4K.
That’s the big difference.
Personally, I don’t really know why consoles can’t have HD/2K modes at 60/120fps and then 4K modes at 30/60fps.
It isn’t that hard and they do it for PC anyway.
Re: Feature: The 10 Best Games on PS5 Pro, as Voted By You
@Andy22385 there is information out there. I was being generous with the 10% of gamers, it’s likely around 3% or less.
The stats for 120hz monitors is higher.
There is a reason that most TV Chanel’s output HD and not 4K.
Why?
50% of Americans still don’t have a 4K TV. 60% of UK still uses HD (1080p) and HD Ready (720p) TV.
90+% of 4K TVs are 60hz. And even today the majority of TVs sold are not 120hz.
People live in bubbles thinking everyone is buying new tech and upgrading TVs all the time. Yet even the richest countries in the world have less than half have 4K TVs when they’ve been out for a decade.
Just think what the rest of the world is like where budgets are tighter.
Re: Feature: The 10 Best Games on PS5 Pro, as Voted By You
@Rich33 You are right. Most people don’t have 120hz TVs.
About 1% of the general public have them and less than 10% of gamers.
Most people are happy with 4K 60fps.
By the sounds of things, even 60fps is pushing it for most who are happy with 30fps. Sadly.
I’d personally just like to see 4K 60fps normalised as that’s the most popular tv settings and developers are failing to hit that over and over.
Re: 3 Bonus PS Plus Premium PS2 Games Available to Download Now
Jak and Daxter was a Christmas gift for me many moons ago.
I never thought it would be on my Christmas holiday play list for 2024, but I’m adding it!
Re: Former Blizzard Boss Slams Marvel Rivals, Comparing It to Horizon-Like Light of Motiram
@Artois2 I think you missed my point a bit. I wasn’t meaning the player base.
Overwatch isn't just still played. It is also talked about and reference a lot. It helped redefine the hero shooter and brought it mainstream, spawning multiple similar games.
Elden Ring is single player and I guarantee you it will be spoken about and referred to for the next decade, just like Overwatch, BotW, God of War, and many other GOTY winners.
The other games on the list for 2016 are part of big franchises or were good games in their own rights, but they didn’t have the long term appeal that Overwatch has had.
Re: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Players Fed Up with Activision's 'AI Slop' Artwork
They have the money to pay real artists yet choose to do this. They won’t get my money.
Unfortunately, there are too many people willing to feed off the garbage these mega corps throw at them so it won’t have an impact.
Re: Former Blizzard Boss Slams Marvel Rivals, Comparing It to Horizon-Like Light of Motiram
@Oram77 sorry, but I think Overwatch deserved GOTY in 2016.
The competition was:
All great games. But Overwatch was a great multiplayer game, had a massive player base, and is still being talked about today (albeit negatively).
Titanfall 2 was great, but lacked commercial success. Uncharted 4 was a cinematic treat. Inside was a unique game that deserved a spotlight. Doom sparked a franchise reboot.
So they were all good, but objectively, Overwatch deserved the win. It is the one that stuck around the longest, had the biggest impact in gaming (spawning numerous ‘clones’ despite itself being a clone) and at its peak with new cinematic, constant updates and heroes etc. It was a fantastic game.
Re: PlayStation Boss Hermen Hulst: AI Won't Replace the 'Human Touch' in Game Development
I think every game that uses AI should have a label attached. Let the consumer decide what they prefer.
However, even though I’m a dinosaur and will fight against AI and for physical media, I think AI impacting gaming is inevitable.
Re: Feature: Robert's PS1 Memories
This was a great read. Reminded me of old times when my Mum, who is registered blind, would play games with me but couldn’t see well enough. Except Mario Kart, which she loved.
On the Tomb Raider front though, she bought it for me. I had a nightmare. It was labelled demonic, and I couldn’t play it again until I was older.
What was with us wimps and Tomb Raider?
Even my gay friend who was scared of everything and had posters of Lara Croft (he was fooling no one) completed it before I was brave enough.
Re: Happy 30th Birthday to PlayStation
Two of my friends got a PS1 the first Christmas it released and I had to wait over two years to get mine; saving pocket money and combining my Christmas and two birthday presents making a deal with my Dad in order to get one (money was tight).
I would cycle to Toys R Us and play on their display models, once or twice getting told to leave because I was there too long (although I always let other kids play and was a mini sales person for them).
I even remember having dreams that I had a PS1. I would wake up excited to play and then feel sad I didn’t have one. I must have been 9 or 10.
When I finally got it, it was glorious. And that start up sound effect became a gateway into escaping the troubles of my little world and enjoying countless others.
Only had a couple of games. Final Fantasy 7 being my main game. I remember getting to the end before fighting Sephiroth and then restarting the game again because I didn’t want the journey to end.
Good times. And I’m still having them now 30 years later.
Re: Anime GTA-Style Game, Confirmed for PS5, Is Now Being Tested by Chinese Players
This game is not really like GTA. Unless people call Cyberpunk 2077 a GTA style game.
It’s a whole load of flashy combat and supernatural stuff in a big city.
I’d say it’s more Stellar Blade / Persona / Genshin Impact / Yakuza than it is GTA (imho).
Anyways, there are gameplay videos on YouTube. Their X account has a number of trailers. I’d recommend looking into it as it’s quite different than what I was expecting.
Re: Horizon Rip-Off Light of Motiram Will Actually Come to PS5
Clearly the games have very different directions.
Horizon is about storytelling, atmosphere, discovering a forgotten world, the characters, as well as the robots and combat.
This game showed one single character and a whole lot of action, combat, and even building your own robot to fly around on.
They seem to be very different games with very similar aesthetics. And there is nothing wrong with that.
Re: PS5 Handheld Device in the Works at Sony, New Report Claims
Hallelujah!
I wanted to love the Portal, but I can’t handle streaming. This will be a day one purchase for me (as long as I can beat the scalpers).
Re: Feature: Why Would Sony Want to Buy Kadokawa?
Makes more sense than Bungie did.
Not sure I’m a big fan of these moves though.
Re: Reminder: PS Plus Extra, Premium to Lose 18 Games in a Week
@hitmanfan47 I got the Platinum for Edith Finch last night in a single sitting. An amazing game. I’m actually quite taken back by it as I had no idea what it would entail.
Thanks for the recommend.
Re: Reminder: PS Plus Extra, Premium to Lose 18 Games in a Week
@Oz_Who_Dat_Dare thanks, yeah, I never got around to it in the end as I was playing other things. I was holding out for the PS5 patch, but that doesn’t seem to be coming. I might just have to buy it.
Re: Sony's Had a First-Party PS5, PS4 Game Nominated for Game of the Year Ten Times in a Row
@UltimateOtaku91 compared to Xbox I think PlayStation has both the quality and the quantity right now. 😅
Re: Sony's Had a First-Party PS5, PS4 Game Nominated for Game of the Year Ten Times in a Row
Some things to note about the Game of the Year nominees:
That’s a pretty good year for team blue.
Re: MGS Master Collection Update 2.0 Boosts Resolution on PS5, PS4
So, MGS gets MGS gets MGS?
Translation: Metal Gear Solid gets More Graphics per Screen which gets More Gold for Steve (the CEO of Konami).
Re: Hot on the Heels of LEGO Horizon Adventures PS5, Official LEGO Horizon Set Leaks
@Nowings I’m thinking this game will do fine.
The budget on this was smaller than Concord, it doesn’t need other players for matchmaking and actually playing the game, and this game has the benefit of releasing on Switch.
Let’s not create drama where it isn’t needed.
Re: Reminder: PS Plus Extra, Premium to Lose 18 Games in a Week
That’s a bit of a brutal list for me.
I’m part way through both Chorus and Kingdom Hearts. Won’t finish beforehand so will likely buy them.
I’m going to try out RDR2 and see if it my cup of tea.
Also, I’ve been meaning to play What Remains of Edith Finch for ages. So I will start and finish that over the weekend as I know it is short.
Re: Hypnotic PS5 Pro Boot Screen, Background Worth the Upgrade
This is like a Babylon Bee or Onion headline.
They did this for clicks and views right? To troll the community. To incite violence in the comments. All publicity is good publicity etc. Right?
They’re not becoming the tabloids of the gaming world are they?
I have so many questions.
And I think I fell for their trap…
Re: 'Mind Boggling' Horizon Forbidden West Has the Best Console Image Quality Ever on PS5 Pro
@Matroska well, you seem to know more than me so I will trust your judgement and hope you are correct. 😇
Re: 'Mind Boggling' Horizon Forbidden West Has the Best Console Image Quality Ever on PS5 Pro
It looks great on the base PS5 so it will be interesting to see the improvements.
The FPS boost on games like FF7R and FF16 are more of a draw to me though than fancy graphics.
A stable 60fps is all I ask for. Shame I have to spend more to get that because developers won’t fix their games on the base PS5 and I’m assuming new releases will be capped at 30 on the base moving forward. 😢
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Lays the Foundation for a New Modern-Day Narrative
They could remove the modern day stuff and just have you play in the historic setting and nothing of value would be lost.
Re: Tales of Kenzera: ZAU Dev Surgent Studios Puts Game Team on Hiatus
@GeeEssEff I think it’s important to remember that people online are a subsection of society as a whole, so try not to be too discouraged.
PushSquare regulars, for example, buy and play far more games than most gamers. So when we see a poll about if we bought the latest Sony release it is skewed massively compared to the average market of PlayStation players who’d have a lower purchase rate on new games.
The same happens online. There are echo chambers. Communities geared for certain topics. And even if you’re in a community that supports your views, you likely will be talking about the community that’s anti your views and putting your arguments forward. And it can become draining.
The majority of people though are good people. And the industry needs to try to focus on them and not the extremes.
Re: Tales of Kenzera: ZAU Dev Surgent Studios Puts Game Team on Hiatus
@ShadowofSparta I agree.
This is the problem I was trying to highlight. It seems that if a game is perceived to have an agenda there is an aversion to it by certain crowds.
And often times when there is political toxicity, the neutrals also stay clear to not get involved.
I don’t think this game had a big campaign against it (although clearly some very racist folks as you pointed out). I think it was likely more a lack of experience from the creator in marketing and the game failing to capture people.
But I do think that since it was promoted quite well, and yet failed commercially, there are lessons to learn there.
Re: Tales of Kenzera: ZAU Dev Surgent Studios Puts Game Team on Hiatus
As a marketer I’ve had an interest in this game. Its struggling sales didn’t come as a surprise.
Unfortunately the game was just ‘average’ in a Metroidvania market whose hardcore fans require ‘good’ as the minimum.
But I don’t think that was all its problems. No game is marketed simply to those who like a certain genre (most gamers don’t even know the word Metroidvania and cross pollinate with lots of genres). It had a wider appeal, but failed to grab the audience.
For many neutrals. It wasn’t being marketed for its gameplay or story. But it cropped up a lot due to an apparent DEI agenda (which we know puts some people off).
This game had a lot of help in marketing. It was given a big platform by the industry. It was announced at the Game Awards and regularly pushed by Sony/Xbox in their stores and in their email marketing etc. I saw it pop up regularly and it was particularly highlighted at various points of the year for Indigenous People’s events and so forth.
It really had every opportunity to succeed but it wasn’t enough. And DEI doesn’t sell games, in fact, it can hinder them - a portion of gamers avoid them entirely.
I think if the game had a bit more polish and if it was marketed more for the game than its representation, then it could have done better.
Countering my own point somewhat, I think the angle that drew me in was the game being an homage to his father and the creators love for games. I wanted the game to succeed for those reasons alone.
But it also felt the presenting of the game was a bit more about the main guy (who played Bayek, from my favourite AC game, Origins) and clearly he’s an actor so enjoys the spotlight. It was his first game. He’s new to this marketing stuff. So I felt it could struggle even though I wanted the guy to do well. I felt for him.
Headlines often though have been more about him and his comments than the game. And we know there is a political war (or 20) going on and the last thing you want is for people to associate your game with that. Especially when it hasn’t had a chance to gain a fanbase.
Anyways, I know I’m gonna get hate just for mentioning DEI, but I’m just hypothesising as a marketer based on my observations.
Re: Opinion: The Price of Playing PS5 Games Day One Is Getting Higher and Higher
Nintendo games I buy day one. And I have no quibbles.
I’m not sure I’ve bought an Xbox or PlayStation game day one this gen.
Monster Hunter Wilds might change that though…
Re: Test Your PlayStation General Knowledge - Issue 29
4/10 - I’m not sure why I keep punishing myself with these quizzes but I think I’m addicted to them.
Re: Detroit: Become Human PS4, PC Sales Evolve Past 10 Million Paid Units
Detroit Become Human was one of my favourite games on PS4. It absolutely deserves success.
Re: Ubisoft Comments on Buyout Reports, Says That It 'Regularly Reviews Options'
Well, of course the leadership of the company is exploring all options. If they weren’t then they’d be incompetent at their jobs… well, even more incompetent.
This statement doesn’t give us anything new, but it sure helps to fuel our speculations.
Re: With Timing Being Everything, French Union Calls on Ubisoft Workers to Strike
@Carck yeah, I get that for the individuals it can be hard.
However, the company is struggling and needs all hands on deck. These people have well paying jobs in a market that has lots of layoffs.
They have to adapt to that. Commute to the office three times a week, help the company recover, or jump into a job market that has lots of competition.
It sucks, but I’ve personally been hit in the same way and for the company it was the best choice, even if for me it was less favourable.
It’s just the way it is unfortunately. Until we become our own bosses we can’t dictate our way. And ultimately what is best for us as individuals isn’t always best for the company.
Re: Date the Girls from Dead or Alive in Venus Vacation Prism for PS5, PS4
Are they releasing a one handed controller to go with this game?
Re: With Timing Being Everything, French Union Calls on Ubisoft Workers to Strike
Change hurts, but it’s not a crazy ask.
When my boss mandated we get back in the office after lockdown. Some of us grumbled. But we did what we were told and our efficiency went up. And this is just 3 days.
Get back to work.
Re: Ubisoft Backs Out of Tokyo Game Show at Eleventh Hour, Cancels Livestream
@torquex the number of staff doesn’t change my point.
They choose as a company to release lots of games. Many of those games could be improved with more time in development.
Their huge number of staff might point to the bad management at the company. They’ve over bloated their teams and have quantity over quality, just like their games.
They are paying the price now because people don’t want to spend their money on half baked games and investors don’t want to invest in mismanaged companies.
Re: Ubisoft Backs Out of Tokyo Game Show at Eleventh Hour, Cancels Livestream
@Korgon thanks.
I honestly hope they can fix the game. I really enjoy the series and don’t want to see it or Ubi crash and burn.
Re: Ubisoft Backs Out of Tokyo Game Show at Eleventh Hour, Cancels Livestream
@Korgon I wasn’t offended by your comment so no worries. You can tell me off. I can be wrong sometimes. 😅
Yeah, there are lots of political arguments going on and a lot of it is silly (Although their Nendoroid thing using a Nagasaki bombing symbol is insane). But for me I’m more concerned about the polish.
My general view is Ubi needs to slow down a bit and just keep things in the oven longer. 4 years sounds like a long time, but these AC games are huge. Massive games that have so many parts. It takes a long time to get things right.
My friend loves Star Wars Outlaws, his game of the year so far. So not everyone is unhappy.
Re: Assassin's Creed Shadows Delayed on PS5 Until 14th February
I mean, I think that’s wise. They really messed up with the Nendoroid thing.
Using a memorial to the Nagasaki nuclear bombing… to promote the game…
Jeez.