Game News 2.0

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120399796#Comment_120399796

If you go on a run of good games the skill level will increase significantly (and as a consequence the total gameplay/tactics will also change significantly). It'll drop back down again if you go on a run of being cannon fodder. This is just my own personal experience, I'm not saying this is in fact how they state it works. But certainly seems that way to me. Mostly I'll hold my own, but now and then the difficulty will spike.

Exclamation Marc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120400419#Comment_120400419

I think you're spot on. You can have two or three games where you're having a barnstormer and then suddenly you'll be in games when players are jump sliding around corners, dual wielding one-shot-kill pistols, quickscoping and you start getting picked off within seconds of spawning. I think SBMM is fine where its over a more gradual period but its deployment in COD is ruthless.

Potential-Monke

Pretty sure that's what put me off the last few. Well, that and the fact they basically ignore the OG multiplayer mode and everything is tied to f%^king Warzone now. But yeah, getting destroyed like that is not fun to me. It wasn't always like that, not sure why the more recent ones are worse for it, but I always feel like I'm 10 steps behind most, with the odd ok match. That and I'm up against people constantly playing it, using all the tricks and exploits and just a better overall knowledge of the maps, don't really have a hope.

Still don't know why we don't have better dynamic maps. Don't think I even bought the most recent one, just played some free weekend. Standard MP should be free now too, and the campaign should be completely separate purchase of €30-40. Either that, or get back to giving the standard MP it's proper attention, which won't happen because Warzone is still inexplicably a cash cow... Maybe UE5 Fortnite will upset that...

Also, where the frick is Advanced Warfare 2 already! I don't care if no one else liked it, I still think AW2 is the best. Recent rumours suggest it might, might be the 2026 release by Sledgehammer. Here's hoping!

EoinMcLovin

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/ubisoft-has-pulled-out-of-e3-2023/

Ubisoft is no longer attending E3 2023 and will host its own event in June

Last month the Assassin's Creed publisher became the first major company to publicly commit to attending the revamped E3, which is due to take place in June at its traditional venue of the Los Angeles Convention Center.

However, in a statement issued to VGC, the company said it has now decided to "move in a different direction" and will instead be holding its own Ubisoft Forward Live event on June 12 in Los Angeles.

"E3 has fostered unforgettable moments across the industry throughout the years," a spokesperson told VGC.

"While we initially intended to have an official E3 presence, we've made the subsequent decision to move in a different direction, and will be holding a Ubisoft Forward Live event on 12th June in Los Angeles. We look forward to sharing more details with our players very soon."

CatInABox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120408126#Comment_120408126

No major publishers are going to be there. I've a feeling that it'll be cancelled now, to be honest, there's zero point to it when there's other, better indie festivals.

Jordan 199

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120408334#Comment_120408334

I will miss it if it's on no more.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120408426#Comment_120408426

You can watch back over the past 4 or 5 E3's and still get excited about all the unreleased games coming.

CatInABox

It's kinda funny how out of control this MS/ABK acquisition is getting for Sony. After raising every objection under the sun against it, some spurious, some reasonable, it now seems very likely to go through. The most recent news is that several members of congress (obviously encouraged by MS) are now raising Sony's dominance in Japan during their trade talks, even going so far as to use some of the same terms and definitions that Sony used in their complaints about MS.

https://twitter.com/stephentotilo/status/1640465809448534017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1640465809448534017%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=

Some of their specific complaints relate to money-hatting of Japanese games. You'd wonder if Sony regrets going so gung-ho opposing the acquisition now, what with them having to give MS and the FTC some of their documents in the US court case.

Retr0gamer

Sony didn't have a choice. This merger going through will drop their share prices which is more important to them than anything.

johnny_ultimate

It’s just the US Congress being hyper-nationalistic as always. It’s been clear for several generations - including the one where Microsoft actually put the effort in - that Japan and Xbox don’t mix. It’s a silly, performative action by these congresspeople.

CatInABox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120409681#Comment_120409681

Oh yeah, I meant to put in my post that it meant nothing, nothing would come of it, and that it was all for show. Americans being Americans.

Still though, there might be some regret on the part of Sony, with the big one that, barring the FTC suddenly having a huge change of mind, Microsoft will soon have access to loads of Sony contracts and documents. That's got to be weighing on their minds.

EoinMcLovin

https://twitter.com/AndyPlaytonic/status/1640661432755793922?t=A_jVDGfLFS0SI1dEouJbTg&s=19

https://twitter.com/HollieB/status/1640662427372060672?t=bpjgCAmisxlwy4OCuulQ0w&s=19

Not looking good for E3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120409681#Comment_120409681

It's not important in the argument. It's Sony and their monopolisitc policies that they are after. Using their market dominance and massive player base to make contract clauses such as Final Fantasy can never be released on Xbox.

Yes Xbox have been lazy and outright non existent in Japan. But it's still not the point.

johnny_ultimate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120411797#Comment_120411797

As opposed to, say, Xbox buying Bethesda to ensure their games are never released on PlayStation?

Both companies are terrible in their own ways, but this particular action is purely congresspeople engaging in a bit of casual and performative ‘America first’ nationalism. I mean, we’re talking about Microsoft here - a company that has indulged in monopolistic practices outside of gaming on a pretty unprecedented and destructive scale. But for US politicians that’s ok, because they’re American. It’s impossible to take this particular move in any way seriously.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120411842#Comment_120411842

I'm not sure how else you raise the issue except through congress?

I know Microsoft have a history of incorporating features into windows and thereby killing competition. But that is not Xbox and MS were rightly brought to justice on Internet explorer and some others that I can't recall the details on. By politicians.

Being nationalist is probably within their mandate. It's a pity it can be used as an argument against what is clearly xbox's right to retaliate to Sonys accusations when in fact it is Sony, not them using their monopoly to quash competition.

Do we even know if MS are even involved or have these politicians taken this on under their own volition?

If MS are the ones driving this then it is no surprise that the politicians they have convinced are nationalistic. I'd imagine other politicians have much more pressing agendas to deal with for their electorate.

You can't dismiss it based on the politics coming from the different end of the spectrum to your own political views. Tell us why Sony should not be held accountable or have to at least explain and defend themselves.

I'm well aware of the "defending a multi billion dollar company" argument and I really don't care about them as a company. I care as a gamer that Cod and Diablo come to game pass because it benefits me greatly. I also play PlayStation games, lately and going forward from now on always on PC.

I am fully on board and fully believe Xbox and Spencer in particular when he says he wants gamers to play games anywhere and however they want, including PS players.

Sony games on PC has been fantastic for example. They also have their games on Boosteroid, a 3rd party streaming service.

The extra accessibility is the whole point. Sony available on PC and streaming services is a very welcome change from their antiquated business model of restricting access to pump console sales. It is very gamer friendly and as such consumer friendly. I want to play good games, all the good games on whatever device I want.

sniper_samurai

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120411925#Comment_120411925

This is definitely a result of lobbying from Microsoft, 6 of the 10 members of congress protesting are from Washington State.

The Raging Bile Duct

Somebody's after guzzling the XBox Koolaid...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120412045#Comment_120412045

Maybe. I like what they've been doing lately. A lot. It's completely reinvigorate my love of gaming. Yeah OK I sound like a complete fan boy. But I've just ordered my new PC, only waiting on the cpu cooler to arrive and that is where I will be gaming from now on. PlayStation, xbox, Steam, Epic, Gog, GFN, Game Pass, Boosteroid... I'm not picky, give me good games and I will play them. In fact the 2 games I've picked to play first on my new PC are Frost Punk (via Game Pass) and The Last of Us...via wherever the cheapest I can get it. Possibly Boosteroid if they approve it soon.

So 2 games, via 2 competing subscription services.

Competition is good. Multi billion dollar corporation fuelled fan boyism and exclusivity is most certainly not good for competition or gaming.

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120412089#Comment_120412089

TLOU is £35 on CD Keys.

One thing I have absolutely no shame in admitting is that I am a complete Boosteroid fan boy. Love what they are doing, the selection of games is nothing short of superb.

They already have Cod and must be sniggering over all this fuss about it coming to game pass.

Retr0gamer

Sega out of e3 now.

Retr0gamer

https://twitter.com/jasonschreier/status/1640786777660338176?t=ioSIfm7U3a102z51CYE8kw&s=19

Dogs

EoinMcLovin

https://twitter.com/summergamefest/status/1640782979348701212?t=W5p9GZD2ECaLpbqD0RqbYQ&s=19

______

Zero-Cool

The Geoff loving all of these E3 pull outs.

Mr Crispy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120412503#Comment_120412503

Ditto Tencent and Devolver.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120413146#Comment_120413146

I'd take E3 over Geoff and his mates show.

johnny_ultimate

I absolutely hate the corporate sterility of the Keighley shows - even the Game Awards are an excuse for ads, ads and more ads. But he’s smart and has identified the core appeal of E3. Yes, journalists and video makers etc may have enjoyed their trips to LA to cover games and network, but really for the vast majority of the audience it’s just the announcements at the main show. Keighley knows that, and so has designed his ‘rival’ E3 simply to let publishers promote directly to their audience over the course of the summer. It’s cynical, and yet it absolutely works.

Meanwhile, all three of the ‘big three’ console makers have devised in-house ways to promote their wares whenever they damn well want. Every ‘Nintendo Direct’ or whatever turns into an event, so why enter the endless battle to ‘win E3’ when they can just put out a Direct when they’re ready to show something?

The E3 format doesn’t really make sense in that context… although honestly the planning for this year’s ‘reboot’ must have been uniquely chaotic if they couldn’t even convince Ubisoft to get on board!

Mr Crispy

Keighley rubbing salt in the wound, as per.

https://twitter.com/summergamefest/status/1640849632547819521?s=20

Retr0gamer

E3 was originally meant for game publishers to meet with suppliers and retailers and convince them to buy units of their games which mutated into the media frenzy once games media started to cover it. I don't even see E3 getting back to the way it used to be considering how dire videogame retail is now.

TitianGerm

https://twitter.com/IGN/status/1640708090587652096?t=UVGqei1KS0D9urbjITcnCw&s=19

Japan have approved the Microsoft Blizzard takeover.

super_furry

I just want Diablo IV on Game Pass so I don't have to buy it, so everyone else needs to hurry up and approve the deal.

Grumpypants

There was also a time when E3 was an event and getting E3 coverage was a big deal for the media. They would scramble to get the best coverage. Journalists would get tons of content, interviews, behind the scenes looks at games and could write about it for weeks. Yeah, it was hectic and often not pleasant but there was a reason to go.

Now everything is streamed live so by the time you have published an article an hour later it is old news. Interviews are so managed that you never get anything good. It is always some presenter with preset questions that get answered in a very marketing way. So they may as well just do that on their own set, in their own time and avoid the flood.

Zero-Cool

Saw this posted on another thread, too good not to share here. Game is out a week and Devs manage to patch it to 60fps.

https://twitter.com/awaceb/status/1640663973652488194?t=y8lQoVcYodtbl48sFqqZbw&s=19

TitianGerm

https://twitter.com/IGN/status/1641537951430483986?t=V3C1PXkN8KVxdoi-KYf4gw&s=19

E3 gone for 2023. Can't see it ever coming back.

Retr0gamer

Good night sweet prince.

Mr Crispy

Yeah, I'd say that's that. Thanks for the memories E3, good and bad. Now we're stuck with Blandrew Blanderson for the foreseeable.

J. Marston

Trailers, reveals and cringe. E3 was good fun, I'll miss it.

Zero-Cool

Always a good laugh with the E3 thread on here, not so much with summer games fest. Will miss you E3 :(

Jordan 199

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120421626#Comment_120421626

Staying up for the Bethesda showcase at 3am on Monday morning. Good times, good times.

Penn

A shame. I always loved E3 but it's become so diluted the past few years that it was always going to be a shadow of its former self anyway, so probably best just to let it slip off. It's too easy for everyone to do their own thing now.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120419580#Comment_120419580

Exactly, don't need to be a fan boy or someone who "defends a multi billion dollar corporation" to see that.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120412142#Comment_120412142

I'm a little rusty, been a while since I've bought games since streaming services have been my go to for the past while. Almost pulled the trigger and then I remembered my old mantra. Never pre-order. Never get sucked into the hype. Wait to see if a game is sh!te first.

Glad a I remembered this 😂

Oh I'll pick it up for sure....later....cyber punk later.

Mr Crispy

Hot on the heels of winning BAFTA's game of the year award, Vampire Survivors is getting a new expansion in a couple of weeks...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iZVpnu5Dmc

pixelburp

Man I had to uninstall Vampire Survivors; that loop was too much like crack. Plus, like all randomised games of that ilk, I quickly hit that ceiling of "is that it?" I tend to eventually discover.

Retr0gamer

I was saying Boo-urns

Mr Crispy

Can we all just take a second to appreciate Glowstick Entertainment? Monster Energy are suing them for having the audacity to call one of their games Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals (which has been out since 2020 by the way). Thankfully Glowstick are going to contest the case.

https://twitter.com/VincentLivings/status/1641068531314995201?s=20

https://twitter.com/VincentLivings/status/1641068533684785153?s=20

https://twitter.com/VincentLivings/status/1641068535387660291?s=20

McFly85

God, it’s like Tim Langdell and the whole Edge thing again, except way worse.

sniper_samurai

New big budget Street Fighter movie announced.

https://twitter.com/StreetFighter/status/1643660498150227977?t=v4Lc6Q4xxHvxbilccgSIfw&s=19

pixelburp

Oh god, not again. Why do they keep trying with this series?