Archive for the ‘ Opinions ’ Category

An in-depth look at Nintendo: The Past

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Founded in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, Nintendo started out not as a game development company, but rather as a card company. The company, named Nintendo Koppai, produced and marketed a playing card game called Hanafuda which shortly became popular. As demand grew for his playing card game, Yamauchi had to hire assistants to help mass produce these cards to keep up with demand. And although much of Nintendo’s focus is now on video games, they still continue to manufacture these Hanafuda cards till today and they even organize their own tournament called the “Nintendo Cup”.

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2013
04/19
CATEGORY
Opinions
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The Anti-Consumerism of Electronic Arts

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Anti-consumerism is defined as actions which discourages ever-growing purchases and consumption of material possession. This is expressed in how firms price their products and even through the selling of inferior goods. Over the years, Electronic Arts (EA) has adopted technologies and questionable business decisions which are highly anti-consumer.

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2013
03/20
CATEGORY
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Always Online: A Dark Future For Single Player

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Players may notice that games these days invariably seem to come with some form of DRM (Digital Rights Management). The most common of which we see in this day and age is a form of DRM which requires a player to be always online. Always online is used even in single player games, often causing issues such as latency problems or even outright preventing you from playing should you not be able to connect to the servers.

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2013
02/03
CATEGORY
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Games and Gamers Criticized

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Following more fallout of the Sandy Hook shooting, California Senator Leland Yee who has been vocal in critiquing the gaming industry and community has once again decided to have a go at it again.

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Yee said “Gamers have got to just quiet down. Gamers have no credibility in this argument. This is all about their lust for violence and the industry’s lust for money. This is a billion-dollar industry. This is about their self-interest.” So rather than having a sensible discussion, Leland Yee is asking the gaming community to quiet down and for him to bash us further and to blame video games further.

While this could be a sign of more things to come, Connecticut senator Chris Murphy has called out the gaming industry as well. Speaking at the Dianne Feinstein’s press conference which introduces a bill that would ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines, Murphy said that if the bill was passed, many of the victims of the shooting that took place on December 14th would still be alive. Murphy also goes on to blame video games in influencing the shooter.

“I think there’s a question as to whether he would have driven in his mother’s car in the first place if he didn’t have access to a weapon that he saw in video games that gave him a false sense of courage about what he could do that day.” Senator Murphy said.

It is important to note that to date, NO study has found any link between video games and violent tendencies in players, but yet, politicians and the media are quick to criticize the industry and its community. President Barack Obama has ordered the CDC to begin yet another study in an effort to find any links violence media and causes of gun violence in what seems to be a waste of taxpayers’ money. Money which could be spent on better healthcare for the mentally unstable to prevent further tragedies from taking place.

What this is, are politicians picking on the new kid on the block. It used to be radio/music, then TV, then movies. Now they are scapegoating video games because the industry has no clout. Trying to further their own agenda with no facts backing their claims. Once the connection to video games was made, it was the only thing that these politicians needed to come out and trash the industry and the community.

2013
01/26
CATEGORY
Gaming News
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Xbox Live Gold – Is It Worth It?

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Back in 2002, Microsoft introduced an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery system called the Xbox Live. The Xbox Live service is available both as a free and subscription based model, known as Xbox Live Silver and Xbox Live Gold.

When it was first released on the Xbox, Xbox Live Gold was a literal goldmine for Microsoft. It allowed players from all over the world to play with faraway friends and strangers in the comfort of their living room. While the Gamecube and PlayStation 2 did also manage to bring such connectivity to their systems, Microsoft and their Xbox was the only one which managed to do it successfully. However, players are only able to play online and stream Netflix, Hulu and various other TV shows if they are Xbox Live Gold subscribers.

Over the years, Microsoft invested heavily into the Xbox Live system and designed the Xbox 360 with online connectivity in mind. Microsoft has streamlined the online interface to make it more accessible to a wider audience, with only a few button taps, players are able to view what their friends are playing, chat with them and view their achievements. Over time, the Xbox 360 became the go-to system for online-focused games due to in no small part, the online infrastructure that Microsoft built that was the Xbox Live service.

Then in 2006, Sony released the PlayStation 3. While it took Sony several years and a few firmware updates for the PlayStation 3 to be on a competitive level to the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 online features can now easily trump the Xbox Live.

Compared to the subscription based model of the Xbox Live, PlayStation Network allows PlayStation 3 owners to play online with their friends and stream Netflix and other TV shows for free. And for a monthly payment, PlayStation Plus subscribers get additional features such as free games, discounts on select games through the PlayStation Store and exclusive and priority access to betas and demos. So if PlayStation Network allows PlayStation 3 owners the paid features of the Xbox 360 for free, what makes the Xbox Live Gold worth it?

So why do Microsoft still charge for Xbox Live Gold? It’s because they are making money off of it. A lot of money. But with online gaming and their various features becoming more accessible, charging for such features will only serve to push their subscribers to their competitors who can do it better and for free. Here’s to hoping that Microsoft will do away with their archaic model with the next generation and becoming more consumer-oriented.

2013
01/08
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