Game News 2.0

RedXIV · 27-04-2023 4:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120527677#Comment_120527677

As @Retr0gamer said, don't do it for a career, it's just too soul destroying and once you get a taste for enterprise software development, you'll realise how well you can be treated.

In saying that, I'm a big fan of tinkering with personal projects. Been looking at finally playing around with Unreal after years of being too intimidated by it and it's AAA studio standard reputation but if you want something to chuck together a game quickly you can polish for a bit, I'd stick with 2D games, maybe something like godot?

30-04-2023 7:48am

https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/asus-rog-ally

Steam Deck competitor launch May 11.

TitianGerm · 30-04-2023 8:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120537800#Comment_120537800

If it's priced well I could be very tempted. I expect it to be 750+ here though.

sniper_samurai · 30-04-2023 8:52am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120537848#Comment_120537848

There are 2 models, the one at $699 is using the Z1 Extreme and there is a lower model with an unknown price point using the Z1 cpu.

The Z1 is a 6 core Zen 4 cpu with 4 RDNA3 CUs, the Z1 Extreme ups that to 8 cores and 12CUs. The Z1 is expected to essentially be an underclocked Ryzen 9 7940HS.

30-04-2023 12:12pm

It will be interesting to see full reviews once it is out. Especially battery life.

McFly85 · 01-05-2023 4:27pm

The deck is so good not so much because of raw power, moreso the integration with steam and the work on listing compatibility, the automatic integration of custom control schemes from the community for older games, and that it’s very competitively priced.

Valve hit the sweet spot with a console experience for PC games.

No doubt other handheld PCs will have better raw specs but so much more is needed to make it worthwhile.

sniper_samurai · 01-05-2023 5:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120543311#Comment_120543311

The desktop mode for the previous Windows handhelds is better than the Deck but they really need their own deployment of W11.

The lower model Ally should have slightly better performance than the Steamdeck but will most likely have significantly worse battery life due to the higher TPD ceiling.

It should be possible to install Steam OS onto this but don't expect a great experience.

Zero-Cool · 01-05-2023 6:51pm

Dredge devs release roadmap of content for the year ending with paid dlc. I still need to pick this up.

https://blog.playstation.com/2023/05/01/get-ready-to-dredge-more-eldritch-aberrations-from-the-deep/?sf266379237=1

Mr Crispy · 04-05-2023 5:02pm

There's a new Shadow Man game on the way, from Blowfish Games. I remember Valiant Comics announcing plans to bring more of their characters to games a few years back and at the time Blowfish were supposed to be working on a Bloodshot game. Don't know if that's still happening as well, or has been shelved after the Vin Diesel movie did so badly. Anyway, here's the teaser. I don't know much about Blowfish and their output, but they better bring back Jaunty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOmky34JgZ8

recyclops · 04-05-2023 5:07pm

So gamestop are, shame for bricks and mortar users and those who trade. be interesting to see what happens to ps vr now

https://twitter.com/GameStopIE/status/1654153999988211712?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Grumpypants · 04-05-2023 5:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120555156#Comment_120555156

90 cent off Funkos!

04-05-2023 6:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120555218#Comment_120555218

This sums up gamestop. The amount of times I've gone in with money burning a hole in my pocket itching to buy something, anything, only to walk away empty handed because there was just nothing worth buying.

I even tried to buy a Series X off them. I had €500 cash in my hand and was going to spend it there and then and they refused. Not because they didn't have any stock, they told me they had a bunch of them in the stock room. It was because they were all on order. Seriously, they kept nothing, not a single one reserved for walk ins. The next day I got a phone call, they had a cancellation and was I still interested. No ****? A cancellation on an xbox pre-order? You must be sh!tting me! But by then I had already ordered direct from Microsoft.

I also went into one of the closing down sales and it was just one shelf in the corner with Funkos nobody wanted for 10% off. There was literally nothing I wanted to buy so I thought I'd chance my arm and asked them if I could buy the poster above the door. They wouldn't sell me that either.

Long story short, I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did.

Also, somebody got the poster, it was still there long after they were gone so they didn't take it with them. I'll bet you anything the new proprietors either just took it for free or chucked it in the bin.

Grumpypants · 04-05-2023 6:32pm

Pricing was very off putting. Like you I had zero interest in browsing the store. Unless they had a silly trade in offer going on hardware I wasn't ever in there.

recyclops · 04-05-2023 8:09pm

That's it unless you were going in and trading you'd never buy a thing off them. Never liked how they would usually bundle up consoles with controllers etc. I got burnt by the dun laoghaire shop with the 360 launch with that.

super_furry · 04-05-2023 9:00pm

Stuck my head in one on the way home when I saw the closing down sale sign. 10% off is the extent of it and everything they have is still cheaper in Smyths.

CatInABox · 05-05-2023 10:35am

They really needed to look at what the Waterstones CEO did to turn that company around, but were just to caught up in the corporate sphere to contemplate it. What that guy did was to make every Waterstones store into what was essentially an independent store, staffed with knowledgable people who love books. Instead of head office making deals with publishers so that stores had to display X book in Y position, they let the staff decide what went where, etc. Without the need to tell stores what to do, it allowed him to slash the corporate head office staff instead of the retail workers.

Turned it around completely, a company that was on the ropes is now expanding again, so much so that he got headhunted by Barnes & Noble in the US, and has turned that company around too, while still being CEO of Waterstones.

Too late now I think, and a somewhat different market dynamic, but yeah, I think it's finished, and they'll keep losing their way

Retr0gamer · 05-05-2023 11:07am

I'm out in the relative sticks that is Wexford now and was looking for a physical store to get Zelda on launch day since the local gamestops closed and argos. There's really nowhere other than Smyths and it's over three hour round trip to the nearest one.

RedXIV · 05-05-2023 11:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120557879#Comment_120557879

This guy occasionally gets new releases in, may be a bit closer to you? -> https://theretrogamingstore.com/

But as someone moving from Dub to Gorey in the next few weeks (hopefully) I understand your pain, smyths carrickmines is likely to be the nearest place to pick up a decent game

Exclamation Marc · 05-05-2023 11:22am

Gamestop were great for trade-ins, particularly for some of their console trade in deals which were incredible at times. Game trade-ins were similarly very very good.

Outisde of that, new game prices were awful (always €10 more expensive for games than Smyths) and second hand game prices were awful (frequently only €5 less than a new copy).

I will miss them for the trade ins but they never really adjusted for the new age.

Zero-Cool · 05-05-2023 11:44am

Yeah, was hoping to trade my ps5 on for the pro when it's out bit more it's whatever cex will give or the wild west of Adverts.

TitianGerm · 05-05-2023 11:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120557879#Comment_120557879

Ken Black in Wexford town or Argos isn't closed until June?

Retr0gamer · 05-05-2023 12:24pm

Wexford town is still a bit of a trek. Dublin would be closer.

Retr0gamer · 05-05-2023 12:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120557939#Comment_120557939

I'm in gorey as well. You'll be grand!

johnny_ultimate · 05-05-2023 12:34pm

Smyths is usually extremely reliable for release day delivery. Last few times I've ordered from them I've got the game a day early, but no guarantee that'll always be the case.

Penn · 05-05-2023 12:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120558036#Comment_120558036

Skip adverts, I'll just trade you an iPhone 4 and 80 quid cash for it.

05-05-2023 12:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120557879#Comment_120557879

Don't Ken Black sell games?

Sorry, beaten to it.

05-05-2023 12:47pm

It really is a sad state of affairs and I'm finding it's not just.games that are hard to find in physical stores.

The amount of.cables I've sent back to amazon lately is ridiculous. And it's a major hassle to send stuff back. I just want a shop I can walk into, pick up a certified cable, get home and be sorted.

Went into a clothes shop last week and they had no clothes for a 7 year old. All the ages before and then teens onwards but a big gap for 7-12 years old. I asked them whst the story was and was told they don't sell for that age group because nobody buys them. I left scratching my head.

I also need a new set of headphones. My LS30 headband snapped and for some reason glue doesn't stick to the plastic. My heart sank at the thought of having to buy a headset online, pining for the days I could just pop into a shop and be sorted.

I know Harvey Norman sells some and smyths too. But not a good selection and my god the prices 😯

I'm tempted to just gaffer tape it back together, I'm sure I can get gaffer tape in a shop, maybe!

keane2097 · 05-05-2023 12:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120558342#Comment_120558342

I had you pegged for way older than 7

super_furry · 05-05-2023 4:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120557735#Comment_120557735

Would love to think that the lads behind Chapters, having rescued it, might try something similar with Games World, and stick one down the back of the store in the same way the original Chapters and Games Worlds worked. If I remember rightly, Gamestop actually bought out Games World to get their foot in the door of the Irish market.

quokula · 05-05-2023 4:59pm

I don't know if there's that much of a market for bricks and mortar game shops anymore with the rise of digital sales and the availability of online delivery for those who still want hard copies. It's not like a clothes shop where you want to try it on or any other product where you might want to physically inspect it before buying - it's just data and there is absolutely no advantage to buying something in store when it comes to games.

Personally I haven't bought a physical game in a shop in at least 5 years. Any time I've wandered into Gamestop it's just full of crap overpriced merchandise. It's surprising it's lasted this long really.

super_furry · 05-05-2023 6:52pm

Yeah I think the only way it could work is if you combine a retro game shop with somewhere that also sells new releases.

RedXIV · 05-05-2023 7:25pm

I think at this point any place that's going to have a physical presence needs to lean more into the opportunities that affords. Retro gaming tournaments, maybe an arcade machine in the shop that could have it's games changed regularly, trying to tap into the retro and modern markets, basically a decent community hub for gaming. Maybe a gaming area to rent out a couch for co-op gaming by the hour or to try out VR headsets or headphones. Hell you could combine with a place that does painting classes and you can do bottomless prosecco while painting Sonic arm wrestling Mario.

I think at this point, the only thing that's going to keep a game store competing with online is to have real gamers run it who know what they can take advantage of by having a physical presence

Grumpypants · 05-05-2023 7:47pm

I still love a good browse. If I'm in the UK I'll still find a Game and spend an hour in there. GameStop didn't have that. 2-3 year old second hand games were still too expensive to take a random punt in due to liking the box art.

But I would love a game store that was built around the old record store model when I was young, where you went in and chatted about music for hours. Got excited about things, they would order you in special versions.

The new Zelda is coming. There is a limited edition. Pay it off over the weeks. Have buying games be an event.

johnny_ultimate · 05-05-2023 8:04pm

Smyths obviously has the benefit of being not just a games shop, but you can still stroll in there and actually browse. Fairly frequently they have sales where a good range of recent games are steeply discounted, to the point I’ve been surprised a few times at how good the deal is even compared to digital prices. That’s something GameStop lacked - even beyond the extra fiver/tenner slapped on new game prices compared to Smyths, the sales and deals were almost always terrible. Their hilariously terrible 10% off sale is a perfect final testament to that, assuming the discount won’t ramp up as they get more desperate to offload stock.

I do still miss that wonderful period around 10-15 years ago where you had the likes of HMV aggressively competing in price - often a full €20-25 cheaper than the GameStop next door. Obviously it wasn’t sustainable, but was fun while it lasted 😅 That period also felt like a last hurrah where you could browse a relatively broad selection of games in a shop like Game or HMV, even if that was itself a step down from the glory days of the 1990s. I can’t quite recall whether Game Grafton Street was really that good or I was just young and easily impressed, but the PC big box game selection in particular was always a source of true joy to browse.

Zero-Cool · 05-05-2023 8:53pm

I wonder where you can get a psvr2 when GS closes? Same as above, I loved browsing in Game and it was always a good atmosphere in there with customers and staff. GS was depressing between the awful choice of games, the high prices and half the shop being funko pops and toys. 90% of my purchases in there also had some kind of back and forth with the staff as well like trying to charge me more, new release never came in and don't know when, promised discount wasn't going through on system, i always slightly dreaded getting a purchase from there as i knew it wasn't going to be straight forward.

Anyway, bring back xtravsion where you could rent games a tenner for a week, the glory days.

johnny_ultimate · 05-05-2023 9:21pm

It goes without saying that thoughts with the hundreds of staff impacted by the closure. I’m sure the forced upselling was as awful for them as it was for the customer, but that was the company policy they had to endure.

Just looking on social media threads about the closure and there were a lot of parents in particular praising individual staff members in GameStop stores for their friendliness, and how kind they were when dealing with their excited kids (in some cases kids with autism or additional needs). That’s a benefit of in-person retail that it’s easy to forget. I know my local store had some bad managers and long-time staff back in the day, but also plenty of decent people just doing a day’s work in the often deeply unpleasant world of retail, and doing their best to dig up working discs in a chaotic filing system.

RobbingBandit · 05-05-2023 9:32pm

Smyths will be starting to sell the VR2 soon.

sniper_samurai · 05-05-2023 10:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120560531#Comment_120560531

Not sure if they're going to stock it. I think the exclusivity period for Playstation Direct/Select retailers expires later this month though so we'll see.

RobbingBandit · 05-05-2023 11:15pm

Yes Smyths are stocking it

I wouldn't post here saying so if they were not.

06-05-2023 7:13am

I think there is still room for a bricks and mortar gaming shop even in the age of digital. There are 2 target markets, parents and enthusiasts.

Official cconsole cables and accessories for the parents. Also needed by enthusiasts.

PC parts for enthusiasts. Quality cables, accessories and peripherals.

They just need the stock. There isn't a single person who wouldn't prefer to walk into a shop, buy what they need and have it in their hand there and then rather than having to order online from a foreign website.

I don't work in retail and I have never understood why Irish retail is so enept at competing on price with foreign websites. It shouldn't be the case. If that can be addressed then I think there is definitely still a very strong business case for a gaming bricks and mortar.

pixelburp · 06-05-2023 7:41am

No more than music shops, it could just be gaming shops become as niche, little independent stores for physical media or communal spaces of that ilk. Ala those vinyl record stores et al. Tangential but somewhere like the restaurant Token in Dublin showed there's appetite (no pun intended) for arcade machines and gaming centric establishments - even among young demographics you'd not have thought would care for old arcade machines.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120561429#Comment_120561429

It's not Irish retail, all retail struggles to compete with online because of the huge amount of physical overhead a physical store demands. Wages, outfitting, marketing, electricity, rent; on and on compared with a warehouse that just plugs into a commercial delivery option. There's just no way a retail store could realistically ever compete with prices online - let alone random sites in countries with lower cost of living where that warehouse setup is even less costly.

Retr0gamer · 06-05-2023 9:43am

Humanity has gone gold. 16 May release date.

Zero-Cool · 06-05-2023 6:00pm

I was in my local Gamestop today (picked up Saints Row for 8 euro) and it was buzzing. Packed with parents and kids. Heard parents saying "you can pick any game but only because there's a discount". Had me wondering are they only there for any bit of a deal or genuinely that GS would get more custom if they sold their games for a tenner less like Smyths. Anyway, was actually nice having a bit of atmosphere in there.

Jordan 199 · 06-05-2023 8:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120563177#Comment_120563177

Did you buy any Funko Pops? 😃

Mr Crispy · 06-05-2023 8:33pm

And did you immediately throw them in the recycling? 😁

RobbingBandit · 06-05-2023 10:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120561674#Comment_120561674

Looks amazing love the dog immediately makes me want to play

Mr Crispy · 09-05-2023 12:07am

SF6 open beta is happening next week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMAao7ooWhY

petes · 09-05-2023 12:15pm

Played the demo for ten minutes, soon as it got to the 'hub' that was enough for me for a 'fighting game' 😂

marcbrophy · 09-05-2023 4:32pm

Yeah, it opens out into GTA 😁

Mr Crispy · 09-05-2023 10:56pm

Game Freak are working on a brand new IP, which will be published by Private Division. It's a long way off but going by the piece of concept art they revealed, it'll be a far cry from Pokémon.

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/private-division-signs-a-new-action-adventure-ip-from-pokemon-studio-game-freak/

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