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Video Game Industry Thread: August's done, go to the new one
Dude, I have so much fucking respect for Valve about the stock market thing. Fuck yes.
Um yeah well Gabe has been crazy rich since his Microsoft days. Valve has never been about the money for him.
corin7 on
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HenroidMexican kicked from Immigration ThreadCentrism is Racism :3Registered Userregular
edited September 2010
But the whole thing is accurate. Shareholders get to make decisions, and they're not consumers, they're businessmen (or wannabe businessmen), and a lot of business-driven decisions can really fuck up video game design / development. Keeping them out of the loop is a good thing.
Henroid on
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reVerseAttack and Dethrone GodRegistered Userregular
Well, Apple sure thinks they're competing with Sony and Nintendo:
Nintendo famously called Apple the enemy of the future in the video gaming space, and by golly, it looks like the Japanese giant was right; Steve Jobs just told an audience that the iPod touch alone outsells Nintendo's DS and Sony's PlayStation Portable combined, worldwide. How many games iPod touch users actually play and for how long wasn't discussed, but Jobs said 1.5 billion "games and entertainment" apps have been downloaded -- again, on the iPod touch alone, never mind all those iPhones.
Update: As many fine readers have suggested in comments, this particular statistic seems a little hard to swallow, given that the Nintendo DS alone sold roughly 132 million units -- a good bit less than the 120 million iOS devices Apple claims, and only some of which are iPod touch -- as of the Japanese company's July earnings report. We've contacted Apple for clarification and hope to be able to explain the discrepancy soon.
My guess is that he's saying the iPod Touch sells more than the DS and PSP put together monthly, but again it would be nice to have numbers to analyze that claim.
Wordherder on
Why the crap did I ever make my original name "cloudeagle?"
This software is not intended to enable piracy, and such features have been disabled. This software is intended to allow the execution of unsigned third-party apps and games on the PS3.
It will take five seconds for the piracy feature to be reenabled.
Cell phone companies should start talking about how much better they are than actual photography companies because cell phones have a camera function.
Actually, camera sales are starting to drop, largely because people are using their phones as their regular cameras.
Meanwhile, things are just getting worse for Sony on the piracy front.
Poor, poor Sony. First PSJailbreak splayed wide the PS3's security model, now PSGroove has arrived calling itself the "open source PSjailbreak." The code must first be downloaded and installed onto a $30ish AT90USBkey or a $25ish Teensy++ USB development board. After that, homebrew enthusiasts can then execute unsigned third-party apps and games on their PS3. At the moment, the ability to boot ISO files (read: pirated or "backup" games) is temporarily disabled. But we're sure that some of the internet's more nefarious types will find their way around that. Cat, welcome to the world outside of the bag.
Cell phone companies should start talking about how much better they are than actual photography companies because cell phones have a camera function.
Actually, camera sales are starting to drop, largely because people are using their phones as their regular cameras.
But that's not the point. General catch-all devices don't actually replace the quality and full functionality of dedicated devices. Or at any rate, they shouldn't.
I mean I know not everyone is out to be a professional photographer so they don't need it. But if cell phone companies started talking about how much better they are, it'd be fully ridiculous because they don't replace the tools photographers use.
So to see Apple coming out like "Oh man look at how much better we are than portable video games" is silly as shit. You can play games technically, but you're not the quality of the ones we've got going on actual portable devices. It irritates the piss out of me. Nintendo and Sony's actions don't fucking help this situation. Sony is saying they're in direct competition with Droid devices and as such are going to get fucking destroyed for it, and Nintendo is sort of enabling the illusion by saying Apple will destroy portable video gaming.
Cell phone companies should start talking about how much better they are than actual photography companies because cell phones have a camera function.
Actually, camera sales are starting to drop, largely because people are using their phones as their regular cameras.
Meanwhile, things are just getting worse for Sony on the piracy front.
Poor, poor Sony. First PSJailbreak splayed wide the PS3's security model, now PSGroove has arrived calling itself the "open source PSjailbreak." The code must first be downloaded and installed onto a $30ish AT90USBkey or a $25ish Teensy++ USB development board. After that, homebrew enthusiasts can then execute unsigned third-party apps and games on their PS3. At the moment, the ability to boot ISO files (read: pirated or "backup" games) is temporarily disabled. But we're sure that some of the internet's more nefarious types will find their way around that. Cat, welcome to the world outside of the bag.
Cell phone companies should start talking about how much better they are than actual photography companies because cell phones have a camera function.
Actually, camera sales are starting to drop, largely because people are using their phones as their regular cameras.
But that's not the point. General catch-all devices don't actually replace the quality and full functionality of dedicated devices. Or at any rate, they shouldn't.
I mean I know not everyone is out to be a professional photographer so they don't need it. But if cell phone companies started talking about how much better they are, it'd be fully ridiculous because they don't replace the tools photographers use.
So to see Apple coming out like "Oh man look at how much better we are than portable video games" is silly as shit. You can play games technically, but you're not the quality of the ones we've got going on actual portable devices. It irritates the piss out of me. Nintendo and Sony's actions don't fucking help this situation. Sony is saying they're in direct competition with Droid devices and as such are going to get fucking destroyed for it, and Nintendo is sort of enabling the illusion by saying Apple will destroy portable video gaming.
Actually there are quite a few good games on Apple's devices... maybe not as much as the DS or PSP, but they're there. Still, the greater point is the "good enough" factor.
For instance, your point about cell phone cameras. Do they have all the features of dedicated cameras? No. But for a BIG chunk of the market, cell phone cameras are good enough. They don't need F-stops and light levels and stuff, they just want to shoot. And a cell phone camera will do that for them, without having to stuff two devices in their pockets.
And so we go to smartphone games. Do they have the exact level of quality or complexity of games of the dedicated game systems? No. But for people who just want to play around a little bit and don't get excited by Nintendo or Sony's releases, the iPhone is good enough. It scratches the itch to play games for a big chunk of the market, without having to stuff two devices in their pockets.
Honestly, if the Wii and Facebook are competing with the 360 and PS3 (and they are), then the iPhone is competing with the DS and PSP.
Wordherder on
Why the crap did I ever make my original name "cloudeagle?"
I personally have yet to enjoy a game found on a smart phone. Then again, there's crap for games on the Android market. That might have something to do with it.
We sold a million games for a dollar, but they only sold half a million games for 30 dollars!
Comparing net revenue sucks because of the cost of physical cards eating into revenue. Still, it would make more sense than units sold. A better way would probably be to give the amount the best selling games sold, how profitable they generally are, etc. It would be a rough view at best, but it would be less shitty than this shit.
Best Ipod games are based upon stylus only controls.
Basically every game should be slow paced puzzles, point and click, flying games and Kirby's Canvas Curse.
Also the list of apps includes stuff given out for free.
The problem is, Steve Jobs hates stylii. Really, I don't get why everyone says capacitive screens are intrinsically better, when they're so much less accurate and responsive than a properly calibrated resistive one.
Best Ipod games are based upon stylus only controls.
Basically every game should be slow paced puzzles, point and click, flying games and Kirby's Canvas Curse.
Also the list of apps includes stuff given out for free.
The problem is, Steve Jobs hates stylii. Really, I don't get why everyone says capacitive screens are intrinsically better, when they're so much less accurate and responsive than a properly calibrated resistive one.
Yes. We are naturally better at aiming something like a pencil by using multiple fingers than using one big fat screen-obscuring finger.
And so we go to smartphone games. Do they have the exact level of quality or complexity of games of the dedicated game systems? No. But for people who just want to play around a little bit and don't get excited by Nintendo or Sony's releases, the iPhone is good enough. It scratches the itch to play games for a big chunk of the market, without having to stuff two devices in their pockets.
But these are people who probably wouldn't of bought a DS to begin with or are people (like myself!) who use their phone for short hops but who also own and cart around a DS for longer stays. I doubt very many people are going "Woah yeah I've got my iTouch/iPod/iPhone/iPad so now I don't have to buy a DS!". Thats where I guess I don't get Apple's point; "We have a better gaming device because we hit a different market" =/= "We have a better gaming device because we have a superior product", and yet that seems to be what they're implying.
Has anything Valve has done really conformed to business trends? Episode 1 and 2 are pretty much the only DD extensions of a game world that isn't literally an expansion pack, and other than crapware collections I haven't seen anything like the Orange Box.
Though the release of Left 4 Dead 2 so quickly is a definite exception.
How are the episodes anything but expansion packs given the level of content and rate of release?
They don't require the original game and don't attach to the original game.
Neither did Blue Shift. Or the GTA episodes for that matter.
Blue Shift I never played but the GTA episodes did require a GTAIV disc on 360 and PS3, did they not? They were just standalone on the PC and then in the retail release.
Has anything Valve has done really conformed to business trends? Episode 1 and 2 are pretty much the only DD extensions of a game world that isn't literally an expansion pack, and other than crapware collections I haven't seen anything like the Orange Box.
Though the release of Left 4 Dead 2 so quickly is a definite exception.
How are the episodes anything but expansion packs given the level of content and rate of release?
They don't require the original game and don't attach to the original game.
Neither did Blue Shift. Or the GTA episodes for that matter.
Blue Shift I never played but the GTA episodes did require a GTAIV disc on 360 and PS3, did they not? They were just standalone on the PC and then in the retail release.
It's funny noone noticed I made a huge mistake and listed the GTA episodes as an example of an expansion that's standalone.
Best Ipod games are based upon stylus only controls.
Basically every game should be slow paced puzzles, point and click, flying games and Kirby's Canvas Curse.
Also the list of apps includes stuff given out for free.
The problem is, Steve Jobs hates stylii. Really, I don't get why everyone says capacitive screens are intrinsically better, when they're so much less accurate and responsive than a properly calibrated resistive one.
Yes. We are naturally better at aiming something like a pencil by using multiple fingers than using one big fat screen-obscuring finger.
The problem being using a stylus and holding a device while still leaving the other hand free, people want to use a cell phone one handed, although what there doing with the other hand I don't know... (driving?)
For comparisons between DS and iOS devices, it is pretty much impossible to make a comparison. We have a decent idea of the DS market through shit like average price, attach rate, sales info from NPD and other trackers, breakdown of sales by quarter for many companies, etc. Compared to this, we have shit on the iOS other than total downloads of entertainment/games apps and total iOS sold. The iPhone charts don't provide that much useful information because we can't guesstimate any actual numbers and just get the relative position based on revenue or total downloads. Any attach rate is going to have the huge question of average price due to the highly variable price.
Best Ipod games are based upon stylus only controls.
Basically every game should be slow paced puzzles, point and click, flying games and Kirby's Canvas Curse.
Also the list of apps includes stuff given out for free.
The problem is, Steve Jobs hates stylii. Really, I don't get why everyone says capacitive screens are intrinsically better, when they're so much less accurate and responsive than a properly calibrated resistive one.
Yes. We are naturally better at aiming something like a pencil by using multiple fingers than using one big fat screen-obscuring finger.
The problem being using a stylus and holding a device while still leaving the other hand free, people want to use a cell phone one handed, although what there doing with the other hand I don't know... (driving?)
That's what physical buttons are for. Something else that was killed by capacitive screens
Spoit on
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SirUltimosDon't talk, Rusty. Just paint.Registered Userregular
Has anything Valve has done really conformed to business trends? Episode 1 and 2 are pretty much the only DD extensions of a game world that isn't literally an expansion pack, and other than crapware collections I haven't seen anything like the Orange Box.
Though the release of Left 4 Dead 2 so quickly is a definite exception.
How are the episodes anything but expansion packs given the level of content and rate of release?
They don't require the original game and don't attach to the original game.
Neither did Blue Shift. Or the GTA episodes for that matter.
Blue Shift I never played but the GTA episodes did require a GTAIV disc on 360 and PS3, did they not? They were just standalone on the PC and then in the retail release.
Aye, the download versions required you to own GTA4, but the retail disc with both episodes did not.
To reprint the first four Super Mario games on a Wii disk and ship them for an insanely low price with an art book and an arranged CD including tracks ranging from the original to SMG 2 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of SMB. Dumb as shit.
Only downside is that it looks like it is the inferior all stars version.
To reprint the first four Super Mario games on a Wii disk and ship them for an insanely low price with an art book and an arranged CD including tracks ranging from the original to SMG 2 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of SMB. Dumb as shit.
Only downside is that it looks like it is the inferior all stars version.
UPDATE: Nintendo has told MCV that all talk of the game "is purely rumour and speculation" at this point.
UPDATE 2: Nintendo of Japan has now officially confirmed the title for release in the territory.
And it’s called (deep breath) Music Unlimited Powered by Qriocity
As was speculated yesterday, Sony is to launch an iTunes-rivalling digital music service for a number of its home entertainment products.
Though technically it sounds impressive the branding could perhaps do with a little work – it’s called ‘Music Unlimited Powered by Qriocity’.
Nonetheless, the European PlayStation Blog reports that the service is built around the cloud-computing principle and will be accessible for owners of PS3, Vaio PCs, Bravia TVs and some Blu-ray players.
“We are excited to offer our customers high quality, cloud-based entertainment experiences across many of Sony’s network-enabled devices,” Sony’s Networked Products & Services Group president Kaz Hirai stated.
“Services ‘powered by Qriocity’ will revolutionize the way that users play, listen, watch, share, communicate, learn, discover and create their digital entertainment content.”
Michael Pachter believes recent $10 increase in Xbox Live subscriptions will earn MS up to $150m a year
Earlier this week Microsoft announced that it is to increase the price of some Xbox Live subscription packages – but Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter thinks the platform holder is preparing to take things much further.
“The extra $10 translates to around $100-150 million per year in additional revenue for Microsoft,” Pachter told Industry Gamers.
“I think that they will reinvest at least this much in developing other new applications, and will roll out a premium service with $100-200 million worth of enhancements. If they can get 2m users to switch from the $60 plan to the $100 plan, they'll make an extra $80m a year, and can keep investing to try to grow that business.”
But what additions could Microsoft offer to temp punters into nearly doubling their annual subscription costs?
“The Xbox 360 can work as a media center, and conceivably could do things like managing a music library,” he speculated. “Although Apple and Microsoft aren't the best of friends, I could see Apple letting Xbox Live members manage their iTunes accounts through their 360s, and other such premium services.
“I'm not the guy to speculate as to what they will offer, but I'm sure that there are many talented and creative people at Microsoft working on such a plan right now. For all I know, the Platinum plan might include virtual goods credits for various Microsoft games. If members could get specialized Halo armor or weapons worth the extra $40, they might be more willing to sign up, and it doesn't really cost Microsoft anything to offer things like that.”
To reprint the first four Super Mario games on a Wii disk and ship them for an insanely low price with an art book and an arranged CD including tracks ranging from the original to SMG 2 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of SMB. Dumb as shit.
Only downside is that it looks like it is the inferior all stars version.
Yeah, that would be dumb. They should just release Super Mario All-Stars on the Virtual Console for $10-$15.
Oh wait, nobody but Sunsoft supports the Virtual Console anymore.
Posts
Um yeah well Gabe has been crazy rich since his Microsoft days. Valve has never been about the money for him.
Hence respect.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/01/apple-claims-50-percent-of-portable-gaming-market-ipod-touch-o/
My guess is that he's saying the iPod Touch sells more than the DS and PSP put together monthly, but again it would be nice to have numbers to analyze that claim.
It will take five seconds for the piracy feature to be reenabled.
Actually, camera sales are starting to drop, largely because people are using their phones as their regular cameras.
Meanwhile, things are just getting worse for Sony on the piracy front.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/01/ps3-homebrew-jailbreak-released-into-the-wilds/
Edit: Curse yooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuu
But that's not the point. General catch-all devices don't actually replace the quality and full functionality of dedicated devices. Or at any rate, they shouldn't.
I mean I know not everyone is out to be a professional photographer so they don't need it. But if cell phone companies started talking about how much better they are, it'd be fully ridiculous because they don't replace the tools photographers use.
So to see Apple coming out like "Oh man look at how much better we are than portable video games" is silly as shit. You can play games technically, but you're not the quality of the ones we've got going on actual portable devices. It irritates the piss out of me. Nintendo and Sony's actions don't fucking help this situation. Sony is saying they're in direct competition with Droid devices and as such are going to get fucking destroyed for it, and Nintendo is sort of enabling the illusion by saying Apple will destroy portable video gaming.
But then again, so are most $70-$150 digitals. Just less terrible.
It is nice that you can get an excellent camera for $200-$250 these days with rather powerful processors.
Good thing they disabled that Other OS support!
Actually there are quite a few good games on Apple's devices... maybe not as much as the DS or PSP, but they're there. Still, the greater point is the "good enough" factor.
For instance, your point about cell phone cameras. Do they have all the features of dedicated cameras? No. But for a BIG chunk of the market, cell phone cameras are good enough. They don't need F-stops and light levels and stuff, they just want to shoot. And a cell phone camera will do that for them, without having to stuff two devices in their pockets.
And so we go to smartphone games. Do they have the exact level of quality or complexity of games of the dedicated game systems? No. But for people who just want to play around a little bit and don't get excited by Nintendo or Sony's releases, the iPhone is good enough. It scratches the itch to play games for a big chunk of the market, without having to stuff two devices in their pockets.
Honestly, if the Wii and Facebook are competing with the 360 and PS3 (and they are), then the iPhone is competing with the DS and PSP.
Pretty much.
Comparing net revenue sucks because of the cost of physical cards eating into revenue. Still, it would make more sense than units sold. A better way would probably be to give the amount the best selling games sold, how profitable they generally are, etc. It would be a rough view at best, but it would be less shitty than this shit.
Basically every game should be slow paced puzzles, point and click, flying games and Kirby's Canvas Curse.
Also the list of apps includes stuff given out for free.
BTW from George Broussard's twitter:
Oh snap.
The problem is, Steve Jobs hates stylii. Really, I don't get why everyone says capacitive screens are intrinsically better, when they're so much less accurate and responsive than a properly calibrated resistive one.
Yes. We are naturally better at aiming something like a pencil by using multiple fingers than using one big fat screen-obscuring finger.
So, someone is picking up Duke Nukem Forever, then?
But these are people who probably wouldn't of bought a DS to begin with or are people (like myself!) who use their phone for short hops but who also own and cart around a DS for longer stays. I doubt very many people are going "Woah yeah I've got my iTouch/iPod/iPhone/iPad so now I don't have to buy a DS!". Thats where I guess I don't get Apple's point; "We have a better gaming device because we hit a different market" =/= "We have a better gaming device because we have a superior product", and yet that seems to be what they're implying.
Current rumor is Gearbox Software. Apparently there's likely to be an announcement at PAX this weekend. I'm debating going to their panel.
Blue Shift I never played but the GTA episodes did require a GTAIV disc on 360 and PS3, did they not? They were just standalone on the PC and then in the retail release.
It's funny noone noticed I made a huge mistake and listed the GTA episodes as an example of an expansion that's standalone.
The problem being using a stylus and holding a device while still leaving the other hand free, people want to use a cell phone one handed, although what there doing with the other hand I don't know... (driving?)
I'm actually shocked (AND ANGERED!) that there's no Ouendan/Elite Beat Agents styled game for the iOS devices.
Aye, the download versions required you to own GTA4, but the retail disc with both episodes did not.
To reprint the first four Super Mario games on a Wii disk and ship them for an insanely low price with an art book and an arranged CD including tracks ranging from the original to SMG 2 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of SMB. Dumb as shit.
Also, it would be a shame if they didn't include World or World 2.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/40712/Super-Mario-All-Stars-for-Wii
That is a hilariously shitty name.
http://www.mcvuk.com/news/40717/100-Premium-XBL-service-predicted
Yeah, that would be dumb. They should just release Super Mario All-Stars on the Virtual Console for $10-$15.
Oh wait, nobody but Sunsoft supports the Virtual Console anymore.
Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire,