So Electronic Arts announced today that they were OFFICIALLY jumping on the Nintendo Wii bandwagon...okay they didn't say a word about Wii but still, they said they were joining forces with Hasbro to make several "Casual Games" and have even formed a new wing in honor of this called "EA Casual Games" (http://www.ea.com/article.jsp?id=hasbro21108) then a day later announced a proposed lineup which was Wii-heavy. Ugh.
Allow me to translate: Hasbro and EA both CONTINUE to have dollar signs as
pupils (and I mean both in their "eyes" and "I's") and are going to make several games on the Nintendo Wii and DS because they sell well...This comes as disappointing news to this "Serious Gamer" as it basically says they are not concerned with replay value or gameplay but selling units. Granted, in capitalist America, they WILL sell hundreds of thousands of copies of poorly made Transformers games to fanboys, fanmen, and fankids everywhere. Good for them? Bad for us...this means EA dumps their mighty (2nd to Activision) dollar into games that will sell, not win awards or be WORTH playing to most of us serious gamers.
While I can understand why they make this move...after all they are in DIRE need of a hit outside the Madden Family and, again, Activision has veritably stolen their crown as THE biggest Publisher on the planet...I cannot understand why they would sacrifice their fanbase. I love Electronic Arts, really, I do. We all did at one point, I'm sure. If it weren't for them, gaming would never have taken off like it has today. But seriously...Hasbro? I thought companies like Bandai were reserved for Namco...let THEM fall into a deeper abyss than they are already in.
I understand that EA also has some great looking serious games on the horizon but that is a small consolation. They have a budget and with an increased budget on casual games almost certainly comes a decreased budget on other games. It's a fact of corporate life.
It's sad how corporate Video Games has become...it's always had that "Corporate Sector" but now it seems this epidemic has gone mainstream. I think the result of a move like this could prove devastating for other large publishers. "Hey look, EA is making money off of crap, lets buy a whole Dairy Farm and sell it to our consumers! We'll make a KILLING! And waste perfectly good steaks..." (subtle BS reference)
Okay MAYBE I'm exaggerating here but still, my point remains. I am NOT happy
with this move. It just shows us all that selling out is now a mainstay in the growing Video Games industry...as if Acclaim didn't prove how deadly it could be in the FIRST place!
All bitching aside, the bottom line is the Nintendo Wii and DS may be changing the face of gaming as we know it. We can only sit here and PRAY they are the new "Arcade" audience and they don't slowly but surely drown the industry in subpar titles.
Replaced is a staggering visual achievement, blending 2.5D retro-futurism with a captivatingly grim premise.
Pragmata has sold 1 million copies in two days, Capcom has announced.
I didn't know it came out last Friday, or I would have bought the game. I will try again for this upcoming weekend.
Im really digging it. It reminds me of games from the PS2 era, not visually or how it plays, but like the spirit of it. If you were around for that golden age of gaming, you’ll get what I mean when you play this.
Have you tried Kanitsu-Gami: Path Of The Goddess (also Capcom)? That feels like a PS2-era Capcom game.
Agreed! The art style is amazing in that game. I bought it immediately after I played the demo but haven't started it lol
I want a physical copy of that game sooo bad. It seems like it won’t happen and I may have to use some of my Xmas PS gift cards I always get this winter but I’m still holding out with very little hope.
I know what you mean. I think it really feels like Vanquish, with some Dead Space and Binary Domain thrown in. So maybe more PS3 era but yes it is great.
The next thing I'm mine when I've had my fill of crimson desert. A nice linear action game to contrast the open ended 😗👌
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has now become the second title to win Game of the Year at all five major awards shows.
It just wasn't for you in that way i guess. Can't really argue with it when it wins all the awards and it's the highest rating by players of all time
I thought this game was a load of rubbish. Trying too hard to be art(sy) by people who don’t really understand art but want to make it look like they do. Found it obvious and shallow and just not a fun game. Just seemed like every relentless second they were clutching at trying to feed this superior narrative… the irony being that’s kind of what I’m doing now… maybe that’s art imitating art….
Didn't know the Golden Joystick fan votum was considered one of the "major awards"?
I always thought it's "only" the Big Four - VGA, Bafta, GDC and DICE.
Nonetheless, congrats to Clair Obscur!
ripples through the indusry for years to come, wether thats good or bad is yet to be seen. I mean without the XBLA and the PSN store would we ever have seen titles like Flow or or Everyday Shooter? I don't know. I do fear that some of the larger publishers will turn their backs on their core audience to go after the quick cheap money. If some of the "hardcore" games get shortcutted because devs are being pulled to work on cheap casual titles the industry will eventually eat itself from the inside out. I shutter to think of that day.