Back in 1982, Parker Brothers released the very first officially licensed Star Wars video game for the 2600.
"The Empire Strikes Back" was based on the Hoth Battle from the movie of the same name. You didn't have turrets, or Rebels fighting in trenches, or tow cables, or light sabers. Just you piloting a snow speeder on a scrolling 2D battlefield, shooting at AT-ATs. It took many shots to destroy it, unless you were lucky enough to hit the weak spot when it flashed. Then you moved onto the next one. Gameplay was typical of games of this era-- If you destroyed all 5, more came. More powerful than before. You could not beat it, eventually all your snowspeeders got destroyed and the game ended. They only challenge was getting a high score.
Multiplayer modes? Yes! But again typical for the era, that just meant you took turns with someone else.
Graphically it was pretty blocky. The AT-ATs and snowspeeders were shown in silhouette. Other than the Star Wars theme played beep-boop style at the beginning of the game and during "use the force power up" (limited invincibility), there was little here to convince you that you were playing a Star Wars game at all. (It's been derided as "Bird vs Camel")
Gameplay can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/wat...
Even back then as a kid who loved the movie, it wasn't that much fun. I recall playing in 10-15 minute spurts before getting bored and moving onto something else. It was even less fun than that other infamous movie game, "E.T." (supposedly the worst ever!)
I don't know the exact retail price of this game in 1982, but big name new games for the 2600 typically ran $29.99-$39.99. Adjusted for inflation, that's $74-$99 today!
In comparison to this game, Battlefront wouldn't seem so overpriced even with season pass nor lacking in content. $110 for both is about $45 in 1982 dollars, only slightly high for a 2600 game. Back then, we only dreamed of the day games would look and play as well as BattleFront. If you showed us that game, we would have lost our minds! We would have payed more than that easily to play it.
I'm not saying that Battlefront is pinnacle of Star Wars games. Just giving a little perspective. So many gamers today act like they are constantly being ripped off when they don't realize how good they actually have it compared to the past.
Microsoft announced its financial results for Q3 of fiscal year 2026, including an update on its gaming Xbox business and more.
Not looking good. Hopefully Asha Sharma is able to turn Phil’s disaster around.
To me it's still quite remarkable how they can cash-in 5.3bn in revenue in a single quarter, since their hardware is basically dead.
The stock mark is what makes Microsoft remarkable, They have convinced every institutional and retail investor to just keep piling money into them. Like many big tech giants they are just a big growing pyramid scheme. As long as people keep dropping money into ETF's that cover the market Microsoft will always be liquid. At the same time it is completely stifling innovation and competition. People need to start being more discreet in how they invest their money as it's killing the system.
Riiiiight because people will just flock back to them for one or two games per year.
15+ years of bad performance is what they call irreparable in business. It is time for them to sell off the assets and get out of entertainment.
These declines are on the back of extra revenue received from releasing games like Forza horizon 5 on PlayStation. So I’m being sarcastic here when I said they should go back to exclusives. Killing off a revenue stream from Ps5 sales will only make things worse
The charity event will be streamed live from Gamescom in August.
Thanks to the slip-up of an artist working on the title, we now have more evidence that a new Injustice game is in the works.
'Adjusting' your point only on inflation rates is wrong because you should also take under consideration what is the standard practice and expected quality in both time-lines you have mentioned.
Today when we pay $60 we expect a full game, which means a SP campaign and a multiplayer component.
When a game launches with out one we automatically react as if you are cheated (not in the case of 50 hr long games).
Publishers just put salt to injury when they have you pay 60 for a limited content game then try and convince you shell out another 50 (season pass) to get the 'full experience' which was supposed to be included in the original game.
Back in the ps one/ ps 2 era games were $20-$50 with sp campaign, multiplayer campaign, free unlockables, mini games, alternate paths, map editors, cheat codes, multiple endings for freeeeeeee. Sorry, but I need content in my games which indie games provide in spades.