The Face of Gaming

Note to game developers: how a character looks matters. Next year’s Wildstar is already having its own mini-crisis on the ‘sexualization’ of some of the races in the MMO by Carbine studios. Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward made headlines earlier in the year by announcing that it would allow female avatars in the multiplayer section of its game for the first time. Mass Effect 3 had a firestorm of controversy for allowing fans to pick the face of ‘FemShep’. Accusations flew that BioWare was rewriting history and sexualizing the female version of Commander Shepherd. And the list goes on, gamers have a great deal of emotion in the way the characters they play are portrayed and made to appear.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

The End of an Era

Everquest Next

2014 may see the last great year of the Post-World of Warcraft era for the MMO genre. Ever since the success of WoW the MMO market has undergone a massive upheaval. In a genre that was once satisfied with 300,000 subscribers just a decade ago, the industry now looks to the million subscription minimum, as a watermark for success. It was never sustainable and it is impressive that it lasted as long as it did. Certainly while the subscription landscape may go back to near Pre-WoW levels, the F2P market appears ready to thrive. It’s a market that will never be very stable, its very existence is predicated on highs and lows, but with more realistic expectations game developers should be able to weather the storms ahead.

A Drink in the Desert

The drought is coming. Because of game delays, system launches, and bad planning there is going to be about a three month window where nary a game will be launched. The PS3 has GT 5 and a few JRPG's in the pipeline and the Nintendo 3DS has Bravely Default, but by and large its going to be until the end of February until we see some high quality games again.

So what do you do to pass the time but also keep some money in your wallet? Sony and Microsoft both have free games programs to go along with their subscription services on their consoles and handhelds respectively. And while Sony will not have its Gaikai service up before the drought ends for the PS4 (It is tentatively scheduled to launch Fall 2014), their flagship PS3 console is the most fruitful Sony system is terms of old, new and digital-only titles.

Waking the Nightmare I

The Secret World is a frightening place. I say that with a smile on my lips, but its true. There isn’t a single MMO I’ve ever played that gives off the sense of danger as well as Funcoms' third MMO does. You are never safe, and that feeling of danger permeates every facet of the game. From word ‘Go’ you are going to get killed in The Secret World. Maybe you aggroed too many monsters, or a big named monster snuck up behind you, maybe you just got a little cocky after grabbing that shiny new piece of gear; the moment you think you’re safe, that’s when you’re not.

Seven Ways to Insure a Game Launches DOA

1. Don’t talk about the game for years. (Blade & Soul)

2. Over hype, under deliver. (Assassin’s Creed 3)

3. Make it like a movie. (Beyond Two Souls, Xenosaga)

4. Have unrealistic sales expectations (Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, Tomb Raider)

5. Completely change the economy of the game right before launch. (ArcheAge).

6. Focus on Lore before Graphics, Graphics before Gameplay, Gameplay before Story. (FFXIII, but I love you anyways)

7. Try to make everyone happy. (FFXIII-2)

Embrace the Digital

Right about now we’re coming to the homestretch. Depending on what speaks to you, most gamers are about to/or have already collected their PS4, Xbox One, Wii U or brand new spanking PC. When that happens we tend to look over the newest, shiniest games figuring on what is going to get our money. It’s OK; it’s nearly Christmas and we’re all likely to pick up a game or two that in retrospect probably isn’t going to be any good. It’s that time of the year again. Because all three consoles will have launched in the last year the quality of the games are going to be… less than we gamers might have hoped. And if you tag on handheld systems as well, things can start looking bleak. Have no fear the dreaded game drought because although neither the Xbox One nor the PS4 gaming consoles have backwards compatibility the realm to look at is Digital.

More than any previous generation digital titles will be the bread and butter of a console. Though they may prove not to be sales Titans, digital sales will drive the consumer base to spend money in-between the big AAA releases. At the very least small digital-only titles will certainly be able to tide you over until the Big Boys start producing quality games again. Banner Saga, Blackguards, and a new expansion of XCOM provide just a few examples of good solid bite sized digital gaming for the PC. The PS4 has Day One digital titles to go along with Warframe, DCUO, and Resogun. Crimson Dragon and Killer Instinct are sure to impress on the Xbox One. This is a new generation. It is a generation that will be marked by what goes on in the digital sphere as much if not more than anything that happens in the traditional brick and mortar store. Embrace the digital.