mikeck • Comments

• UK's first eSports bar to open in London

• mikeck 13/05/2013

  @dapperbandit Loading - they have a bar in Cornwall and now have a pop-ups/temporary residency in Soho.
  
  They're great guys, wish more gamers would support bars like these. Reply +3

• Open world zombie base-building game State of Decay due June on XBLA

• mikeck 15/04/2013

  @Lrub State of Decay has been 360 (console) exclusive since first announced - nothing to do with Day Z going to PS4. Reply +2

• Double Fine "optimistic" of regaining Stacking, Costume Quest rights

• mikeck 28/02/2013

  @oreillymj
  
  "Why does a developer even need a "publisher" for a downloadable game. Surely this role is in danger of extinction in a digital world.
  The same goes for the traditional world of book publishing.
  What do they do apart from marketing?"
  
  I understand that to some people it seems a bit overkill to have a publisher for a downloadable title, but you say "what do they do apart from marketing" like that's a very small thing.
  
  The majority of developers out there have no marketing teams, or expertise, in-house, or they believe they can do it themselves and then realise (usually too late) the actual value that having specific marketing teams brings to the table.
  
  As someone who has worked in marketing teams on the publishing side, I can attest that when looking at moving developer side to offer marketing experience, they're usually not interested in bringing that marketing expertise in-house; instead preferring to concentrate on the development of the game and allowing publishers (with their larger and more focused teams) to utilise their specific marketing relationships with the 1st party platform holders to handle that part of the process. Reply +1

• Spaceteam review

• mikeck 15/02/2013

  Great game, some colleagues and I were playing this a couple of weeks back in the office - had to move into a meeting room though, as the game gets so loud :D Reply +1

• Crysis 3 open beta available on EU PlayStation Store today

• mikeck 30/01/2013

  @gigantor21 Laws around 18 rated content are very strict in Germany. It's the only way they can get round offering it in Germany (as free content over 16+ is not permitted, therefore giving to Plus users essentially proves their age, and circumvents that law). Reply +1

• Minecraft XBLA outsold Minecraft PC in 2012

• mikeck 11/01/2013

  According FADE data from Nov '12, Minecraft had made over $82M in gross revenue.
  
  Not too shabby ;) Reply 0

• The War Z dev apologises to gamers who "misread" Steam page, hits out at "extreme DayZ fanboys"

• mikeck 19/12/2012

  @Nikanoru You know what, my mind may have raced a few steps ahead of where the conversation was probably going (and was also indirectly referencing other comments in this same thread where people are attacking EG for discussing this matter whilst also taking ad revenues from the same company), so yeah, in hindsight I kinda skipped ahead. My second comment wasn't meant to come off as a rant.
  
  My first comment was tongue in cheek (in tone), didn't mean for anybody to take offence to it...some people are too sensitive on here I guess (must remember forum behaviour is not always taken well in wider comment threads).
  
  Regardless, I know very well how advertising works thanks - working in marketing and advertising myself, I know the metrics, and the ins-and-outs of this area, you can't lecture me on that. Awareness, impressions and click through rates are widely different metrics, and every advert is geared to doing something very different.
  
  Maybe I shouldn't block these ads, seeing as I'm condoning behaviour that I am also complicit in getting served, but they are intrusive, and when sites I read regularly become a paid for service in lieu of adverts, I'll sign up. Reply +1

• mikeck 19/12/2012

  @Nikanoru I'm actually addressing a point that quite a few misguided posters keep bringing up; the fact that EG are accused of bias every time they discuss a title that has adverts on their site.
  
  Editorial and advertising teams are very different, some people just can't get their heads around that. Work in the industry and you'd realise that.
  
  Me an asshole, yup sure, because I'm the one calling people that online.
  
  Blocking adverts doesn't effect anyone, because I wouldn't click on them anyway, so all the clients would get from me is an impression, not a click-through. Therefore they've lost nothing from me not seeing, nor clicking their ads.
  
  Therefore, please have an informed opinion before trying to call me out online. Reply +4

• mikeck 19/12/2012

  To those moaning about the War Z adverts; if you're seeing adverts you're doing the internet wrong - why on earth don't you have Ad Blocker by now? Reply -11

• Ken Levine asks players to vote on BioShock Infinite's reversible cover

• mikeck 13/12/2012

  @GelatinousDude Covers 2 and 6 were actually featured covers on Games Informer in the US many months ago, which is why I imagine they are in the list.
  
  Therefore, not hastily put together at all ;) Reply 0

• Sony debuts its cross-controller support with LittleBigPlanet 2 DLC next week

• mikeck 13/12/2012

  @Xs1ght You've got to hope that other publishers see the mistake in this and develop, and enable, the functionality for customers for free.
  
  Sony really should have given this DLC to their fanbase who have already bought the Vita and PS3 and LBP2 for no extra cost. Reply +5

• Guardians of Middle-earth review

• mikeck 11/12/2012

  @Dizzy Agreed with what you're saying on kill rewards.
  
  Getting killed in a true 'MOBA' is a real disadvantage - gifting your opposition money, xp as well as time without resistance.
  
  What GoME misses is the penalties for death, yes you have respawn times, but there is no other distinct penalty that I can see.
  
  I am enjoying this game though, I've been looking forward to it since playing it at Gamescom, and even though there are obvious server issues, it's a fun, balanced game.
  
  Diluted 'MOBA' somewhat, but for the console crowd, it's great. Reply +1

• Shenmue retrospective

• mikeck 26/11/2012

  @darkmorgado I agree with everything you've just said. I feel the pain. Reply 0

• mikeck 25/11/2012

  @darkmorgado No, understood, that's a fair point.
  
  I can't say more though unfortunately.
  
  (There are posters here on EG who know me and who I work for, and would attest to my reliabilty) :) Reply +1

• mikeck 25/11/2012

  @darkmorgado Heh. Has a lot to do with the company I work for. Reply +1

• mikeck 25/11/2012

  @darkmorgado Nope. There is no 'sitting on a completed HD version'. Absolute myth. Reply +1

• Editor's Blog: New Editorial Policies

• mikeck 09/11/2012

  @mr_bez That's a good question.
  
  From a publisher point of view we use preview events to gain coverage of our titles, and let consumers gain even more knowledge/awareness of the games.
  
  They are not controlled, so if sites come along and hate the game they've seen, then they'll write that. Therefore the onus is on the publisher/developer to make a great game and only have a preview event when confident in the game (or don't have one at all). Reply +2

• mikeck 09/11/2012

  @photoboy
  
  Editorial and advertising are two very different things on sites like EG, and have different teams. The editorial team does not necessarily know what adverts have been arranged by the advertising team
  
  It bothers me that so many readers (and I'm not putting you into this category) seem to think that advertising money dictates review scores. There is no conspiracy, and it is not true.
  
  (I can attest to this by working for one of those evil publishers who tries to advertise our games across the internet) Reply +1

• Peeling back the layers of Dishonored with Harvey Smith and Raph Colantonio

• mikeck 07/11/2012

  I adored everything about this game, and even though I ended up getting the high chaos play-through, I spent about twenty hours slowly exploring my way through the game world. Everything from the art design, level structure, environments, characters, it all really added to one cohesive, living breathing world for me.
  
  Looking forward to a much less destructive play-through at some point in the near future to see the other set of consequences for my actions. Reply +1

• Deadly Premonition: Director's Cut due in March

• mikeck 02/11/2012

  @munki83 Wow, I have to play this game if all the cut-scenes are like that.
  
  This is one of those so bad they're good games right? Reply -1

• Borderlands 2: Captain Scarlett and her Pirate's Booty review

• mikeck 18/10/2012

  @Mike_R Love yourself much?
  
  There are a lot of people here that work inside the game industry, they just don't like to shout about it; therefore your existence on this forum is not required. Thanks though. Reply +5

• Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed trailer debuts actual NASCAR driver in the game

• mikeck 11/10/2012

  @BonzoBanana Gilius Thunderhead (dwarf from Golden Axe) is actually in the game, you can see him in the last gameplay trailer that was released. Reply 0

• Guardians of Middle-Earth release dates clarified

• mikeck 08/10/2012

  @Dizzy Yes!
  
  I played it at Gamescom, and it was fantastic. There are console players who want to play MOBA games, and I for one am very excited about this title. Reply +6

• Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit review

• mikeck 27/09/2012

  @Cjail No worries, I was about to point you to my post about it ;)
  
  http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2012/09/13/hell-yeah-wrath-of-the-dead-rabbit-terrorises-ps-plus-next-month/ Reply +1

• mikeck 26/09/2012

  @Cjail nope. The discount is SCEA only. SCEE gets it free! Reply +2