Reyzore

@Haruki_NLI Physical versions outside and inside of Japan weren't in large quantities...they were limited because they included Magic: The Gathering cards as a bonus. And being at the top of the eShop might not be that relevant...I've seen many games in the PS Store bestsellers list where sales weren't anything special in the end...Rebirth itself, for example, was at the top of the PS Store for weeks before its release and didn't sell incredibly well.

However, I agree with you, they must have been good numbers...nothing extraordinary, but good.

But let's not forget one thing...Square is never satisfied with anything (old joke xD)

@Fishmasterflex96 That's not the problem... I mentioned this in other comment. You can read it if you want.

@johnedwin Many don't care about that...the 60 fps / 30 fps discussion isn't very relevant to the general public. As long as it's acceptable, that's what matters to them.

On one hand, I'm a little sad that this partnership with Sony isn't coming to an end...I think the third game (the final chapter; they could make bundles, packs with all 3 games) could still help Playstation sell a little more, especially in Japan...and if Sony wants to try to win over some more customers in Japan, this game would be a good help.

@johnedwin The issue isn't that... obviously the games will be released on PS5, but Playstation had those agreements for a reason.

Having FF7 as an exclusive served to compensate for the lack of (J)RPGs in its catalog because there isn't a single studio (inside playstation) that does that... and it forces the FF community and a significant portion of the Japanese audience to buy the PS5.

Now, with a Nintendo console having enough power to run the games with acceptable quality... this complicates things for Sony. Sony needs to take Nintendo seriously...

I'm interested to see how Playstation will handle this new reality... where it seems many publishers are no longer as interested in agreements.

@thechetearly The problem with Rebirth is that it's a game that leaves so many doubts and questions that many people can't even appreciate it anymore...

Yes, it's not the end of the story... but the mysteries and level of confusion at the end of the game surpass all limits... not to mention that players will only get answers years later... that is, if we even get answers to everything.

There's one thing I'll say...

Playstation is losing as many exclusive marketing deals (Capcom) as timed exclusive games (Square)...

This doesn't bode well for the future...

If the improvement is only in OLED, it doesn't make sense to me.

If it has better remote play technology to improve streaming, technology to improve input lag, Bluetooth... if it has that, maybe it makes sense.

Just the screen, I don't think it makes sense.

@add286

Skillup is a funny case.

There are reviews where I completely agree with him...

But there are cases like Ghost of Yotei or Death Stranding 2 where I disagree with him quite vehemently... sometimes I even wonder if we play the same game.

And I even think he sometimes has a certain double standard...

But what confuses me most about Skillup is him always saying in his previews, "I paid my own bills, hotels, travel... I'm completely independent"...

What's the need for him to say that again and again? Does he want to show he's better than others? Is he insinuating that many of the previews are bought/commissioned and that he's a saint?

@themaladroit What didn't you like about Exp 33? just my curiosity

The truth is that there are more and more awards of the year as the years go by...

However, it's incredible. Congratulations to Exp 33.

But I confess I'm shocked not to see KCD2 and Blue Prince receiving more awards... All the narratives beyond the game itself have caused many people to almost not attach much importance to other games... I personally don't like it when that happens.

@darylb24 Sony having its own launcher? Maybe... but most people won't adopt it... Steam completely dominates. Epic offers games, and even that isn't convincing people to buy games from the Epic Store.

A home console and a portable console... and maybe bringing their streaming service to PC/TV. I think that's the way to go. And yes... exclusives will continue to be important, just look at Nintendo as proof.

@RoomWithaMoose That's exactly it!!! If the Playstation doesn't take Nintendo seriously, it's going to have big problems...

Well, I sincerely regret the fact that Xbox consoles are dying out... but don't think that Playstation is without competition.

Playstation's competition is Nintendo and Steam. If Playstation doesn't see both as competitors, it will have problems in the medium term.

Anyone who thinks exclusives don't matter should just look at the Nintendo Switch.

I stand by my controversial opinion: If Playstation wants to grow, combat stagnation, and attract new customers... for them, exclusivity will be important!! I understand multiplayer games and think they should be cross-platform, single-player games I think should almost all be exclusive.

It's basic!! If your ecosystem is mainly based on one console, you have to have games that don't exist anywhere else... Playstation needs to take the competition with Nintendo and Steam more seriously.

I remember the enthusiasm in 2016 for the PS4 and its exclusives... we already had a catalog with Bloodborne, Uncharted 4, etc... but we knew that in the future came God of War, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Horizon, FF7 Remake, Death Stranding, Spider-Man, Days Gone, and The Last of Us Part 2... that enthusiasm is lacking today.

@themightyant I'm not talking about investments on the level of Microsoft...obviously not.

I'm talking about something like what Sony did with Insomniac.

Most of those studios you mentioned are support/remake/port studios...and others are live services (which so far haven't been very successful). Ironically, the only successful live service game from Sony is from a studio that doesn't even belong to them.

I'm not devaluing that, but the truth is that from those acquisitions, Sony acquired few IPs. I think Sony needs one or two more established studios. Sony's own CEO admits that they lack IPs.

You realize that Sony is losing those exclusive temporary game/marketing deals it used to have with Square and Capcom. Games that weren't previously released on a Nintendo console will now be released...they are betting heavily on multiplatform. All of this, added to what I said earlier, makes me think that Sony needs to take action to think about the medium/long-term future.

Is it just me, or does Sony not invest as much in studios/IPs in the video game industry?

I don't know...although I'm not in favor of large acquisitions in this industry...I feel that Playstation needs to invest a little more!! increase and diversify its studios a bit more (FPS, RPG...) to also try to combat these 5/6 year developments that games take to make.

@get2sammyb These are the kinds of news stories that make me come here to the website.

@Korgon

Okay, I understand... Kena crossed my mind, and I think it shouldn't have won either. However, I still think Expedition 33 is on another level in terms of budget and support because of the voice cast (better than most AAA games), the soundtrack (I think there were even live performances). I did a quick search and they say Kena cost 1 million to make and Expedition cost around 10 million or more... I don't know if those numbers are 100% accurate or not... but that doesn't really matter.

What matters is that neither should have won... this category should be for studios with few or no resources and very small teams. That's the magic of this category (in my opinion). If we continue as we are, this category ceases to make sense...

P.S.: I said 3D game because 3D games are a greater challenge.

@Korgon

Kepler, French Government, Microsoft (financial support)
A voicecast that puts many AAA games to shame
A game made in Unreal Engine 5
A game that immediately had physical and collector's editions at launch (a rare thing for an indie game)
30 hours of gameplay
3D Game
Over 400 people are credited in the game.

Tell me another indie game like this in the industry (honest question)

I had the opportunity to talk to people who work in the "indie scene"... and they all told me the same thing:

"This isn't an indie game."

@Darylb88 I think what happened with Exp33 goes beyond the game itself: the narrative of "a game made by only 30 people," "turn-based games can be good," "Final Fantasy should be like this," "devs who came from Ubisoft where they didn't have the freedom to do something different," "low budget," "a lesson for the industry," etc., etc. I think all of this caused a "wave" on social media/content creators/media that meant almost all other games weren't considered for awards.

@TruestoryYep The journalists/content creators are from all over the world...my biggest problem is that many of them haven't even played all the games in a category when they go to vote...which to me doesn't make much sense, it's simply unfair. I'm sure many haven't played Kingdom Come or even DS2.

@Darylb88 Did you play Exp33? This isn't meant as a provocation, it's a genuine question... I always like to know if people have actually played games when they talk about them xD

@lazarus11 I agree...KCD2 is more RPG (much deeper and with more decisions) and should have won. However, the people who voted thought, "I'm going to put Exp33 for game of the year, obviously it has to be the best RPG too..."

@themightyant

Perhaps it's necessary to have a truly specialized jury...and to have tremendously well-defined criteria (studio budget, number of people)...the question is, I don't know if the studios would provide this information.

@themightyant I absolutely agree... the settings should be better.

For me, what should an indie game be? I think an indie game should be a game made by a very small team with few or no resources/support... that, for me, is the magic of being an indie game.

Managing to do something special with very little. That's what it's all about for me.

If I were to make a game now, I'd hardly be able to have a cast like Exp33 had. To be honest, it's a cast that many triple-A games don't even come close to. Using UE5, having a good compositor, etc., etc... that costs a lot of money.

And once again, I have nothing against Exp33 (maybe I gave that impression), I just want things to be done well... and the indie category deserves special care because these are games that need visibility to survive, many of them.

@themightyant Come on, man...

This studio had support from Kepler, the French Government, and Xbox (the game is on Game Pass).

The game has hundreds of people (around 400) who worked on it. The game has about 30 hours of gameplay, and very well-known voice actors...

Let's not kid ourselves... we all know that Expedition doesn't belong in that category. It's a great game, but let's not put it where it doesn't belong.

I know there's an "Exp33 wave"... which should be a lesson for the industry... and yes, the industry needs change... but it doesn't need to get to this point.

@themightyant That's a good message!!

But you know... my problem is more about how these votes/nomination selections work.

I talked to people involved in indie gaming, did a lot of research... and came to the conclusion I already suspected. Exp33 is not an indie game. It's taking the place of games that desperately need recognition. Last year we had another big mistake... which was having a DLC nominated for game of the year.

We're in the 11th edition of this event... shouldn't there be a willingness to correct certain things? Shouldn't there be more rigor/criteria in these nominations? Shouldn't there be a guarantee that those who vote (the jury) should have played all the games in the category?

That's my problem...

Let's be honest...nobody's surprised, right?

Congratulations to all the winners, especially EXP 33 obviously... however, I have something to say:

I confess I had some hope in the indie categories, and that the winners would be fair...but the people who decide the winners don't understand and have no clue about anything.

On a personal level, I want to congratulate DS2, Dispatch, and KCD2. I think they deserved something yesterday. The "wave/narrative" of EXP 33 was too strong...something that even surpasses the quality of the game itself. It even seems like it wants to send a message to the industry.

Geoff... let's go to edition 11...because there isn't:

• A MORE RIGOROUS SELECTION OF NOMINEES/CATEGORIES?
• A GUARANTEE THAT THOSE WHO ARE VOTING HAVE PLAYED ALL THE GAMES IN THE CATEGORIES?
• IT IT ONLY IMPORTANT TO ANNOUNCE AT THE END, WITH A POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THAT THE EVENT HAD MANY SPECTATORS ?

I know a lot of people are excited about the TGA... but I preferred the E3 announcements. Back then, it was guaranteed that everyone would show up and display their weapons, we had breaks between events, and we didn't have to put up with advertisements.

@get2sammyb You have a point, but...you know where I'm going with this conversation. We all know that Exp 33 shouldn't be in this category.

With all due respect...the "game made by 30 people" narrative kind of fried the brains of the people who voted.

Again...the quality of the game isn't in question!! What's at stake here is a game that should be occupying Exp 33's place and that desperately needed and deserved more visibility.

"...and Keighley curates free slots for what he personally wants to champion"

This might be a bit controversial... "If you're not close to Geoff, you have to pay."

......

"One source said that Sandfall Interactive, the team behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, bought many more tickets (apparently $300 each at face value), in addition to the two complimentary ones, to ensure more of its team could attend"

Any indie game would do that...right? ...right ?

• I know my opinion is worthless, but I'll say it anyway:

It's 99% certain that Exp. 33 will win the GOTY category... my problem is that it will probably win categories it shouldn't (we all know Exp. 33 isn't an indie game, right?).

And winning certain categories proves that the selection/voting at this event should be more rigorous... something tells me that many people who voted haven't played KCD2, DS2, and Blueprince. Dispatch is another unfairly treated game and further proof that this event needs some changes to be taken more seriously.

• Obviously, the TGA will never be perfect... but please !! 11th edition, Geoff!!! There are things that should and could be better.

Well, I know some will say it's the Playstation exclusives' fault, but I ask:

Where is Kingdom Hearts 4?

Where is Dragon Quest XII?

Where is the FFIX remake?

Where is the Chrono Trigger port/remaster?

...

There's clearly a management problem and also an identity problem... Square tries to please everyone, but someone needs to tell them that a game for everyone is a game for no one.

maybe Saros ?It reminds me of some things from the last trailer.

@get2sammyb Great review !!! Congratulations!!

• Does this game suggest that there will be DLCs (new stories/characters) in the future?
• If I'm on PS5/PS4, can I play co-op with someone on PC/Xbox 7/Switch?

@StitchJones Yes, the situation with The Last of Us Part 2 was unbelievable...it's true it had a "happy ending" because it sold a lot and won many awards. But the situation with Laura Bailey and others was disgusting...The Last of Us Part 2 proves that the gaming community lacks a lot of maturity.

So many "content creators" who live off these woke controversies, sexualized characters, etc., etc...

These people are doing so much harm to the industry.

And the saddest thing is that these people have many followers/views. What worries me is whether these groups are gaining enough traction to harm the games...I hope they remain just noise.

Unfortunately, Intergalactic is already in the crosshairs of these internet idiots...it won't be an easy journey.

@StitchJones I asked if you had played them simply because I see a lot of people on the internet talking about and comparing games they haven't even played... and that irritates me quite a bit. If you've played both, great, there should be more like you.

The only thing that irritates me a little regarding Exp33 is that it's in award categories it shouldn't be in...

@StitchJones
Have you played Expedition? I'm asking because sometimes I see people comparing games without even having played them xD

Great game and well-deserved success... and the fact that it wasn't among the 6 TGA nominees doesn't change that.

I hope there's DLC, I'd like to see an ambitious expansion from Sucker Punch on the level of what CDPR usually does with their games... that map still has a lot to explore on the right side and Atsu as a character still has a lot of potential.

@PuppetMaster My opinion is worth what it's worth… but melee combat is too simplistic for me and not enjoyable. I like shooting arrows/projectiles, but practically always using that type of combat against machines and humans is tiring. I saw some interesting things in the latest Horizon MMO trailer; maybe Guerrilla will take some ideas, get inspiration from Monster Hunter too. Heavier weapons, lighter weapons, daggers, the possibility of using a shield, for example, parrying?… Guerrilla has so many options in this universe!! Obviously, you'll have to adjust the enemy AI. I don't have a concrete answer to your question… but I know the potential for melee combat is great, and I really hope there's a lot of investment in Guerrilla.

Another thing I think Horizon could greatly benefit from in combat is being able to place the camera further away from Aloy.

For me, the only hope for Bloodborne is the PS6 presentation event...if it doesn't happen at that event, my hope for a return is gone.

You can call me crazy, but I think Horizon still has tremendous potential to explore.

If Guerrilla manages to fix certain aspects of the franchise (improve melee combat, improve traversal in the game (climbing, traversing the interiors of buildings), give the possibility to zoom out a bit from Aloy, etc.), I have no doubt that they will make an extraordinary Horizon 3.

Great news!!! I didn't expect to see an update like this in 2025.

I hope they make an expansion/DLC for Yotei... I think Atsu still has a lot of potential to be explored... and the world map too.

@Ainu20 So... at least let Troy win... so this doesn't look so bad.

Expedition will win GOTY and other categories... that's for sure.

----But there are serious errors in these nominations----

• Dispatch is a case study; its absence in certain categories (story, best performance...) is incomprehensible.
• Expedition 33 is not an indie game... and you all know that.
• Troy Baker (Higgs in DS2) not being nominated is a crime...

@windxtravelerx It's nonsense... but could anyone with a brain think that Exp 33 is an indie game?!

A slot that could be filled by games that urgently need promotion...

@PuppetMaster

The problem is that Exp 33 is taking the place of an indie game that needs to be promoted... it seems like everyone clearly wants to give it as many awards as possible.

That, to me, is absurd.

Is Expedition 33 an indie game?

A game that has:

• A cast of actors that almost looks like a Hollywood movie
• A game in Unreal Engine 5
• More localization options than most Japanese games
• A game with a duration of 30 hours
• Funding from the French government, etc.

I don't know...

Is the free update also for those who have a physical copy of RDR for PS4?