EA saw how many studios Embracer has been shutting down and got worried about losing their record for killing off the most game studios.
EA saw how many studios Embracer has been shutting down and got worried about losing their record for killing off the most game studios.
Good for them. Also glad they are going to continue developing the KOTOR remake, although with everything that’s happened with that project it feels like it will be years before we see it again.
You know if anyone needs to be let go maybe it’s the management who were spending like there was no tomorrow and are now throwing everyone overboard to stop the ship from sinking. Or, you know, just keep cancelling games and shuttering studios. I’m sure that’ll work out eventually.
It’s crazy how far micro-transactions and monetizing games have come since Bethesda charged $2.50 for cosmetic armor to put on your horse. If you’d told someone back then that one day an in-game mount would cost more than the game itself they would have laughed you out of the room.
Seven years feels about right for a length between consoles. I am curious to see what they do with it. It’s hard to see Nintendo not sticking with the handheld console approach with the Switch 2, but just building a more powerful Switch doesn’t feel very Nintendo, if that makes sense. Like there has to be some feature or gimmick to set it apart from the Switch.
They’re charging people higher prices and refusing to allow them to keep their digital content? They’re basically just handing out the pirate hats and eye patches at this point.
It’s really been whiplash inducing to go from reading about how Microsoft was going to dominate gaming because of the Activision buyout to reading about how Microsoft is going to be the next Sega and are possibly exiting the console market. And it all happened in the span of a few months.
Man can’t catch a break can he? I hope something he’s working on actually makes it to release.
Finally got around to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, so I’ve been making my way through that. Enjoying the turn-based RPG game-play a lot more than I was expecting. Focused on the main story right now, but the side-content I’ve dabbled in has been pretty fun. Feels like one of those games I’m going to be chipping away at for a while.
I’ve also been playing Dread Delusion and absolutely loving it. I don’t tend to pick up Early Access games, but hearing it described as a “Morrowind-like” RPG caught my interest and it is the perfect way to describe the game. It really captures that feeling of playing Morrowind for the first time, of being a nobody in a strange land. The game doesn’t even give you a map when you start out. You have to get by on directions and landmarks until you complete the side quest that gives you a map. And even then you have to fill it out as you explore the world. More than that, it’s that sense that you never really know what you’re going to encounter around the next corner. You can wander into a town looking for your contact to continue the main quest only to end up accepting a quest from the atheistic Inquisition to help them hunt down a rogue god and their followers.
Like I said it’s still Early Access so it is a little rough around the edges. There’s more than a handful of bugs and the combat is…fine, but not much else. Then again there’s such a focus on sneaking, talking, and magicing your way around problems that that might be intentional. Still, what I’ve played so far has got me excited for when the finished product releases.
Sure, it was. That was the big problem when the game launched. And I’m sure all the other claims in the article are equally true.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon. I’ve been meaning to get to it for a while. Still early on in the game when it’s still introducing new mechanics, but I’m enjoying it so far. I was kind of skeptical if I’d enjoy a turn-based RPG Yakuza game as much as I’d enjoyed the previous ones, but the combat is winning me over. Being able to summon a flock of pigeons to peck enemies unconsciously certainly helped.
Honestly, it’s refreshing to see someone actually brainstorm solutions to these problems rather than just telling people to get mad. It’s a long shot but a legal win in any major market could see business practices start to change. Like when the EU revamped its privacy laws and suddenly every website gives you the option to reject some of their tracking cookies. Or whatever the impact of China’s new regulations on spending in games actually ends up being. It’s worth the effort at the very least.
While it’s better than nothing, and I understand why they made the choice, it’s still disappointing it’s a settlement and not going to trial. Oh well. Just have to wait and see what happens with the other lawsuits he’s tangled up in.
Not surprising given Take-Two’s history when it comes to trademark disputes. I’m pretty sure they went after the developers of It Takes Two because of the name, plus any random business that has Rockstar in the name.
Given how many companies have been embracing AI tools it was really only a matter of time until they were allowed on Steam. At least you’ll know before hand if you’re going into a game with AI-generated content.
Now we just need a PlayStation brand air purifier.
Good. Not every studio needs to be snatched up by a massive corporation. Embracer’s yearlong meltdown is a great example of how that can end badly.
All valid points and it is perhaps for the best that E3 just ended rather than continuing on as a shadow of its former self. Still, I hope something emerges that fills the void E3 left behind, even if I don’t think that is likely. Summer Games Fest is fine, but it’s still a far cry from what E3 used to be and all the scattered streams and announcements don’t really capture that concentrated excitement you had back when E3 was at its peak.
Not terribly surprised they are shutting down, but I am a little shocked that it is happening less than a week after the game released. I kind of expected them to at least attempt the old “we’re sorry you are disappointed and are working to fix the game” routine before bolting. Then again judging from all the articles and videos it doesn’t really look like there was any way to fix it or even really bring it close to the game they promised they were going to release.
I’ve been grinding away at Yakuza: Like A Dragon. Spent the last few days running up against the brick wall of the Chapter Twelve Two-against-four boss fight that still manages to make you feel outnumbered. I was suspicious of just how the insistent the game was about checking out the battle arena, but it kind of feels mandatory if you want to get through that fight. Also managed to get spoiled for that Chapter 14 boss fight while looking up strategies, so I’ve got that to look forward to.