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@Destructablecake You are right - it was; in fact the article links to a previous EG piece that includes the tweet from Naughty Dog stating that fact: ‘…Likewise, as development started on the evolution of our Factions mode from The Last of Us part one…’ Admittedly it doesn’t state how far they got, but it was definitely a thing - so I’m not sure why the data-miner story seems to suggest it wasn’t known? |
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@lazarusnine Yep - as much as I love my Mac I do miss the broader selection of games I had when I had a PC. I’ve picked up some great native Mac games recently - Disco Elysium and Divinity 2 (the latter even made use of the touch bar, a rare treat!) but outside of a few gems the store is painfully thin. And as you said, very few exclusives (I actually can’t think of any off the top of my head). I’m hoping the move to their own processors across the whole range of platforms means that development will increase as one version of a game reaches a far bigger market now, but building ‘AAA’ games that can scale from full desktops all the way to phones might be a way off. Have to say though, I’ve kept my Apple Arcade sub going, there is always something worth playing. |
| Sad to see you go, looks like a lot of us will miss your writing and humour - but very best of luck with your next adventure! |
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@Killerbee Yep, it was you! There were loads of promising recommendations in that thread but your response jumped out for some reason! Thanks for the tip re. NG+, I love it when progress carries over in some form. I love open world games probably more than any other genre (except maybe strategy games - I note from another comment here you are a fellow StS fan!) but found I kind of bounced off most since BOtW - I wanted to love Horizon ZD for example but just couldn’t get into it. Assassins Creed Odyssey is the only one I’ve been able to get into since (I love that period of history) but for some reason Dragons Dogma just had some instant vibe to it that I really liked - the combat feels right, I love the idea of the pawn companion system (although it’s early days yet) and it sounds like I’ll enjoy the progression system. So - thanks for the tip! |
| Dragons Dogma (Switch) for me. Someone in the soon-to-be-missed forums under a ‘games you’ve completed most often’ thread was saying how good Dragons Dogma was. It’s been sitting in my backlog for ages so thought I’d give it a whirl and they were totally right, I’m hooked. Can’t put my finger on what it is that I really like about it but it’s the first game I’ve wanted to see through to the end for ages. Which looks like it will take a while. |
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@MattyRuzafa I know it gets mentioned a lot but… as someone who also doesn’t like roguelikes for the same reason, Hades is one exception to the rule for me so might be worth a spin; the art style, story, characters and the progression system all come together to form a game that I personally feel was deserving of much of the praise it recieved. Some of the hooks are subjective (not everyone likes the art style, not everyone likes the character performances etc.) but if it does click for you it’s one of those ‘just one more go…’ games that leads you willingly but unwittingly into silly hours of play. At least for me it did. Also I know you asked for platformers like Rez but just for variety I’d flag up Wargroove as a turn-based tactics offering. |
| It needs to have Deluxe Paint… but this looks really interesting. Going to be hard to resist. |
| @GamesConnoisseur I’m hoping there’s going to be a way to stream Gamepass via xCloud onto SteamDeck (it’s a PC after all) so you could have the best of both worlds… |
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Picked up a new deck builder RPG on iOS (don’t know if it’s on Android, but assume so?) called Dawncaster (always keen to support good mobile games that don’t have MTX) that has turned into a real time-sink, quite good if the genre is your thing. Other than that I’ve been really enjoying Flight Sim. But thanks to EG it looks like I’ll be playing the Back 4 Blood beta for a bit too - cheers! |
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@ttfp If you have kids, it’s also a great way of still being able to play ‘MP’ style gaming without worrying about quitting (or even better, being able to pause) to deal with sleeplessness or other issues - sad as it sounds, I used to really like setting up MP games with bots in the Killzone series for that reason. Mine are getting older with more predictable sleep now, but really decent AI that’s fun to play would be a boon for a number of reasons - and it’s something I personally want more from this gen than hi-res/high frame rates etc. (although both would be nice of course). |
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@StuBeck32 ‘ The part that is hard to quantify, and is often missed in the napkin math, is how many people who wouldn't have bought a game originally, but then later bought DLC for that game. DLC is usually higher margin.’ I think this is a really important point. I haven’t bought a single game besides Doom Eternal since getting a hold of a series X on All access (and thus motivated to use Game Pass) but I’ve bought a heck of a lot of DLC and add-ons for Game Pass titles. Not only is that increased revenue for MS, but it also means I’m incentivised to keep Game Pass going as I’d lose access to both the base game and all extras I’d bought, a situation made worse the longer I’m subscribed as the list of base games I’d have to buy to keep playing everything I’d paid for keeps growing. All of a sudden I’m locked into a service that, eventually I’ll be paying full price for once the offers dry up. Making the base game available in Game Pass is a classic upselling opportunity more valuable than the cost of the sub alone. |
| @ambershee Sounds like a great setup - and let’s be honest it this doesn’t help us get through those legendary Steam backlogs, nothing will! |
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@SBandy Yeah I totally get that - if you don’t much of a Steam library already it would be much less compelling - so it will be interesting to see if Steam see this as a way to explains their market and how they might make it an attractive proposition if so. As a fellow Switch fan I’m genuinely interested to see how it affects my purchases there too; I’ve been a Nintendo fan a looooong time so I’ll always buy their consoles even if just for 1st party stuff, but Steam does tend to be cheaper for 3rd party stuff. |
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@SBandy I don’t know how big the market might be that I guess I fall into, but I’ve preordered one as an ex-PC gamer. I moved over to Mac a few years ago and one of the trade-offs was losing access to a lot of my Steam library - I see this as a cheap(ish) way to get back into PC gaming (sort of) as it’s probably the one thing I miss from having a Windows PC. Maybe it’ll appeal to lapsed gamers too; handheld makes it pretty accessible for those with limited time to game? Although obviously then there is the Switch, which arguably had broader appeal. Not saying either use case is a big market but as you say it’s going to be interesting. |
| @Chtots I empathise with the playtime-sapping power of youngsters (but we wouldn’t have it any other way of course), but just think, all that extra playtime from near-instant loading now will add up! |
| @martinellis12 Apple did exactly that - issue refunds that is - for people who had the free (12 month I think but might have been 6) Apple TV+ trial that came with buying an apple device last year but who then subsequently subbed to Apple One before the trial had expired. For a few months I was getting a £4.99 credit which I thought was pretty good going to be fair - but I can see why they wouldn’t want to repeat the exercise. |
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@PickledShogun Sorry I know you probably won’t want a rambling response to your comment but I do find this very topic really compelling. For me, the pricing strategy of the ‘big three’ is one of the most interesting points of difference so far this gen, and linked closely to their broader business models. Nintendo, always having been a gaming company, seems to think games have a set value that does not depreciate over time, keeps the resale value high for physical games but makes digital ownership more expensive. (Games = Art?) Sony, a corporation with a strong music and movie business, think games have a set value that does diminish over time, so best value for patient gamers willing to wait for discounts or those that like to complete and sell on quickly. (Games = media?) And then there is Microsoft, a software service provider, who want you to accept games as a service that has value in its own right, with the ability to add in extras as you please (DLC etc). (Games = service?) It will be interesting to see how their approaches vary over time, and how potential disrupters fare (Steam Deck for example). |
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@ecco Perhaps in my simplistic mind I just envisioned a system whereby a unique way to identify the device, like a phones IMEI or similar, that could not be tampered with, was assigned to the purchasing account - as phone providers can already do this I don’t think it would add much delay, simply matching a device to an account at shipping. Then transferring the device to another owner could be something the Steam account holder could do if they wanted - heck, even just giving users the option to disassociate a device would be enough, because Valve could then stick to the ‘1 device purchase per Steam account’ rule until supply can match demand, because let’s be honest, the issues with scalping of any console is because of the current supply constraint situation and will alleviate at some point. As for the need for the account holder setting things up, I can’t see that being an issue for most legit customers (as long, as I said, as there is a way to sell it if you decide it’s not for you as above) - if you’re buying for a child(?), you would want to set it up for them I’d suspect, and if you are buying as a gift, Steam already has the facility to buy digital items as gifts, surely the same could apply to physical devices by needing to specify the Steam user you are purchasing for (accepting that the person receiving the gift would already need to be a Steam user, so yes there is a limitation there I guess, but one that already exists for anyone looking to buy anyway). That would also stop scalping, because if you wanted to buy five as gifts you’d need to supply the account details upfront, which scalpers can’t do. I’m sure other use cases exist but perhaps it’s my lack of imagination, I can’t see many other potential purchase cases that would find needing to set up and then transfer ownership if desired as a big issue? |
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@LordDemigod But you are a legit customer, and there should be a way to officially sell your console on if it turns out you don’t like it, that’s absolutely fair. But it would give valve an opportunity to, for example, stop you buying four of them when they are on general release and sell them on, or drop your second order down to a lower priority for your next Steam Deck purchase for example. I guess what I am saying is that I like the principle of tying the purchase to a user, and then needing some additional steps to transfer ownership- even if it’s just for this 48hr preorder window, anything that makes it harder for scalpers and fair for genuine customers - including those like yourself who have a legitimate right to shift it on if you don’t like it. |
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@George-Roper ‘ I'd have even been 100% happy if they tied Steam accounts to Steam Decks at a firmware level with hardware bans for tampering.’ Not going to lie, I think this is a great idea. |
| @memeroot It is a touch screen, don’t know what type though. |
| @Jonamok Yeah, went for the 512 model in the end. Had done the same thing as Stoomonster, pre loaded the wallet so it seemed to go through ok. |
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@Tams80 I agree there is a large portion of Nintendo’s audience that would never buy this instead of a Switch due to the appeal of Nintendo games, but I’d be interested to see if it does disrupt their business model in any way. Right now they are the only player in the mainstream handheld section, so this does represent some competition even if it is a limited crossover as you suggest; but it definitely feels different even to Sony. From the off, Valve have a very large customer base who already own a large library of games that will run day one. The Steam store is comparatively cheap, with regular deep discounts on games. It has more functionality than the Switch, so seems like it will be good for streaming etc. and it’s launched at a point where Nintendo seem to have decided against a spec upgrade at what they themselves describe as about the mid point of the Switch hardware cycle, meaning the performance gap will likely be there for a while, giving Valve more breathing space to see if they can carve out a part of the market for themselves. Whatever happens, it’ll be exciting to watch - plus in the meantime I might get to put Assassins Creed Odyssey in one pocket and Breath of the Wild 2 in the other - win-win! |
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@grundus Congratulations! I was in a similar position not long ago, commuting into London for about 2 and a half hours a day with two little ones at home and found the gaming time I could squeeze in was mainly on handhelds, Switch’s instant resume feature (hope that is on this too) being really handy. I hope it all works out in terms of getting hold of a device to give you some personal time - and best wishes for the future! |
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As much as I love my Switch, Nintendo do need some competition in this area, especially with Sony seemingly uninterested in following up the awesome Vita. This looks to be a pretty well specced machine for the price and the Steam library is vast so it’ll be exciting to see how this performs for Valve. Have a bit of a thing for handheld consoles so I’m in - hello again Steam backlog! |
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@Foolish_Monkey After the announcement of Metroid Dread I decided I might give 3DS Samus Returns a spin as it’s one I skipped, but it’s still £40 digital. I’ll wait a little longer…. I’ve been a big Nintendo fan for as long as I’ve been gaming, and I no doubt always will, but it’s definitely the most expensive bit of gaming for me at the moment. I can wait out for a sale on PlayStation, I find GamePass saves me money too, but Nintendo definitely play by their own rules when it comes to pricing! |
| @PickledShogun To be fair, Nintendo games do hold their value as we know, so he will be able to sell it after he’s played it for $869,995 in 6 months time. |
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@lazarusnine Similar boat - launch model owner, battery life not so great anymore so intend to have the original Switch as the TV console and the new one as the handheld. Still impressed by how good Vita games look on the OLED screen so can’t wait to see what Nintendo can do with it. Will reconsider in the unlikely event a genuine upgraded model is announced between now and Oct. but preordered for now. |
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@CaptainAJRimmer I’m no audiophile and genuinely couldn’t say I notice a difference in actual sound quality between either the pulse or the Xbox headset, but both seem good to me for the price. Both are really comfy which I find important for long sessions but then everyone has different size/shape heads so that might not the the case for all. I have young kids, so a headset means I can play late without waking them, which is great, but again, obviously doesn’t apply to everyone. It’s a bit niche and I might be alone in liking this particular feature but for the XBox headset I like the fact you can connect to a Bluetooth device simultaneously, so you don’t have to stop gaming to answer calls on your phone and, sacrilegious as it might sound, listen to music or movies while gaming (which might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I sometimes do it). So as others have said, probably not game-changing but certainly good value depending on your needs. |
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@jetsetwillie In hindsight it seems like a silly assumption on my part but the thing that impressed me most was the fact that you access the same game state as on your xbox as opposed to the vanilla version on game pass - not just the save but also any DLC you own as well. It really is a great service. I will say though that, having Stadia, I am looking forward to MS improving their streaming tech in terms of latency, Stadia (in my experience) is definitely ahead on that front. But I prefer xCloud (and PS Now) for the library of games and the business model, so very excited for how they all develop. |
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@karlsavage Yeah I can empathise- for extended play sessions I too could find handhelds a little uncomfortable to hold after a while for similar reasons. Also, as much as I love the vita/3DS and Switch I felt I was never as precise with the sticks as I was on the home consoles. For the Switch I solved it with a controller mount that grips the console and allows me to use the Pro controller - same way as you can get mobile-phone controller mounts. Takes a bit of adjusting to get the sweet spot in terms of balance but once you’re there it gives you the best of both worlds (even if it looks a little unwieldy!). |
| @Someone72 it’s been ages since I fired the 3DS up, so not going to lie, I had to look it up but yes, seems like it did according to the Wikipedia page for the DS game! I’m going to check Koi-Koi out on the switch version now as I’ve never played it. Maybe that will make the Switch version more appealing. |
| @Grim Good shout - I sunk more hours than I care to think about into Rummy alone, awesome package. I actually prefer the original to the Switch version. |
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@Chtots As @PickledShotgun says, you’ve nailed it on balance being key (and congrats by the way), along with planning (like anything else kid related!). My youngest is now 18 months and finally into a predictable sleeping pattern, so while online multiplayer gaming (incompatible with the need to settle sleepless little ones) took a back seat for a while it’s back with a vengeance now. Other than that, gaming is an amazing way to get much needed personal time around child rearing, immersive, fun and pause-able in emergencies! |
| Picked up Strange Brigade on Switch as I’m a fan of the Sniper series, seems a solid enough game, so between that, TitanFall 2 (just slipped back into the MP after a long break and it’s amazing how it all comes back to you so quickly) and Mario Golf that’s the next couple of weeks sorted I think. |
| @_TheDarkSide_ For some reason I skipped the comma and the Forza in your second paragraph and read Perfect Dark Motorsport. It’s the spy racer I never knew I wanted! Back to your point, there is plenty on the PS5 to keep people occupied, and with the streaming coming to OG Xbox (as well as the fact the one X isn’t exactly underpowered) I think you’re right, for those who want both consoles eventually I can see why PS5 is harder to get due to higher demand, and waiting for XBox to mature is no bad thing. But what a great start to a generation though! |
| @Bosh Nah, you’re thinking of the Eggs-box. |
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Not going to lie, it was a great show overall from MS but this announcement actually made me smile the most. Day 1. |
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@Stan546 My turn for optimism: I’m hoping despite the messaging, MS are going to jump into VR this gen. Having said that if they don’t, PSVR 2 does sound good. |
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@Chroma For what it’s worth I’m in the same boat (even down to Doom Eternal being a game I didn’t think I’d enjoy but did!). I played a lot of PS5 through Christmas (Miles Morales and Astrobot especially) and it’s still getting a spin on some of my old faves now and then (I’m a sucker for Uncharted 4 MP). But since picking an XSX, Game Pass has been a massive time-sink - and in a complete turnaround from last-gen, has seen the Xbox monopolise my gaming time so far. And it’s not just the ‘big-hitters’ - having been a massive (but rubbish) Slay the Spire player I’ve just got into Monster Train for example. The diversity of releases is exposing me to stuff I just wouldn’t have otherwise played, and the pace of new releases of newer, contemporary games is the icing on the cake. |
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@UrbanSplash Yep - three years is as far as you can stack. This is from the terms and conditions at https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/xbox-game-pass#xgpterms Maximum 36 months of redeemed Xbox Game Pass Ultimate per account at a time, including any converted time from Xbox Live Gold and/or Xbox Game Pass (for PC or Console). |
| @Starforsaken Judging by the neg, you’ve been found out! |
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@Bindal The business model is, to be fair, not as attractive as I think Google would like, but from a technical point of view I have GeForce Now, PlayStation Now, xCloud and Stadia, and Stadia is by far the easiest, most reliable and best quality of those services from a platform point of view. None of them are perfect, all of them are good, but performance wise I sometimes forget I’m streaming while playing Stadia, I can’t say the same for the others. Obviously not everyone will have the same experience, but I’ve seen plenty of people have similar ones to me. Still not going to replace local gaming for me, but it’s a useful addition. |
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@TinyKaiju Bizarrely, I personally thought the dreamy, toy-essque, diorama style evoked the same sort of ‘growing up, moving on from childhood’ vibe of Toy Story, which tugged on my nostalgia and made the melancholic story land well for me, but then I guess that’s one of the best things about our hobby, we’re all going to view stuff through different lenses. While I’m here, the fact conversion like this happens here is why EG and it’s writers will always be my go-to games site. |
| @DaBoost Just checked it out (this game wasn’t known to me) and it looks like a great candidate for a video game, lots of positive reviews from owners of the sets. Of course with all the character packs it looks like a really good match in terms of business model too! |
| @bobfish09 Freedom Force! Now that’s a blast from the past! |
| The XCom meets Marvel game sounds really interesting, I love that genre and if it makes good use of the subject matter (like Mario + Rabbids) it might be great fun. |
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@35antonio Not going to lie, with the size of Ubi’s catalogue on XBox plus the fact that this service gives you the full-fat versions of their games that would be a really compelling package overall. I’ve just subbed to try it as I’m one of the five Stadia customers mentioned by another poster but I’d find it much more interesting if it was on Game Pass too, as I’m sure many would with the ‘standard’ price for next gen games as it now is. |
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@Hairy_Beardo ‘ I have not played a single PS5 exclusive so far’ I’m not being a pedant, nor trying to detract from your well made point, but if this means you have overlooked playing Astro’s Playroom, it’s definitely worth playing, especially for free. Not ‘now I’m glad I bought a PS5’ good, but really fun and makes great use of the PS5s features. |
SomethingOriginal
5 days ago
But, having said that, I still prefer Game Pass and xCloud to Stadia as the streaming service is a nice optional extra to a package that I think offers better value overall; plus exclusive content which I do think was a misstep by Google. In fact, on balance I probably prefer PS Now too on breadth of content alone. Doesn’t mean I don’t think Stadia isn’t good (I’ve no plans to leave it, and I dip in and out of Ubi Plus on it too, which as a Mac owner is currently the only way I can) but it could be so much more.