Heavy Metal, Video Games, Horror Movies and Nerdom
Sony at Gamescom 2013 showed off new color schemes for the new PS4 controller. Look for “Magma Red” and “Wave Blue” dualshock 4 controllers sometime next year. The question now is will they be making PS4 systems that match these brightly colored controllers.
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There has been a lot going on at this years Gamescom. A lot of announcements have been made and new videogames have been shown off. While I distill the highlights here is a link to Sony’s entire Gamescom conference ( fast forward to 19:20 ) and here is a link to Microsoft’s entire Gamescom XBOX One showcase.
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Mark your calendars everyone multiple sources are reporting the PS4 launch date has been announced. Fans of the Sony console can reportedly pick up their new hardware on November 15th in North America and November 29th in Europe. This date directly contends with Microsoft who are also slated for a November launch. Sources are reporting that Sony has had over 1 million PS4 pre-orders worldwide and that the console is polling with over 75% favorability among gamers worldwide.
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Tomorrow, August 21, is the start of this years gamescom. The event has been held annually in Cologne, Germany since 2009. E3 is a big deal but Gamescom is the worlds largest gaming event. Gamescom is different than E3 because it is open to the public where as E3 is closed to the general public and is an industry only event, although if you apply early its not unlikely that a regular person could get a press pass to E3.
Obviously there is a lot of excitement for Gamescom this year. ( By the way really struggled with how to write it, Gamescom or gamescom because the official logo is stylized with a lowercase G. ) New consoles have been announced and their launch window is only a few months away. For Sony and Microsoft this is election year. E3 is where our potential candidates make their opening statements and this year the statements were very loud and polarized the entire gaming nation. Gamescom is like the next big debate for which console we should vote/pay for.
Sony to their credit really only revealed one completely new title ( The Order 1888 ) at E3 and still succeeded in one of the most exciting E3 conferences of all time with their announcements of consumer friendly policies. Microsoft on the other hand has been in a state of constant tailspin since the reveal of the XBOX One before E3. Mandatory Kinect functionality, restrictive DRM policies, poor explanations for XBOX One features and just plain arrogance on the part of former head of Microsoft’s interactive entertainment Don Mattrick did substantial damage among new and longtime gaming fans alike. Since E3 Microsoft has fought a steep up hill battle trying to win back the gaming community however recent consumer polls have shown that roughly 80% of those considering a new gaming console are in favor of Sony over Microsoft.
Their is plenty to look forward to this year at Gamescom. Which from the description sounds like its more like a videogame festival with rock and roll concerts and other entertainment throughout the event. Electronic Arts has promised a big announcement in regards to Europe’s largest sports franchise, so basically a FIFA 14 announcement. Earlier this summer president of Sony Entertainment Europe Jim Ryan commented when asked by a member of the press about Sony’s somewhat smaller showing of new games at E3 for Playstation hardware compared to rival Microsoft that its a long year with lots of gaming events and that Sony has a lot going on but had to hold some stuff back saying that they would still need some new stuff to show at Gamescom. Jim went on to say that the president of Sony Worldwide Studios for Sony Computer Entertainment alone currently has 30 titles in development, 12 of which are brand new Intellectual Properties and overall 20 of the 30 titles in development will be shipping in the launch year of the PS4.
Meanwhile Microsoft interpreted the negative response to the XBOX One unveiling as having something to do with the fact that they mostly only showed the TV capabilities of their new system and not a lot pertaining to actual games. The backlash resulted in Microsoft showing a huge amount of games at E3, even the segue between game announcements had commercials for other games. Since the negative response to the XBOX One had a lot more to do with the horribly restrictive and poorly explained policies of the new system and not so much to do with the lack of games shown at its unveiling, the plethora of games shown at E3 combined with Sony really sticking it to Microsoft by announcing more consumer friendly policies and a $100 cheaper price tag, did very little to improve Microsoft’s image with consumers.
If Microsoft continued on the original path they had in mind for its new system it is likely that the XBOX One could very well have been known as the Damien of gaming. ( See the Omen ) Anyway Microsoft did what they did and the damage has been done. ( I still can’t believe Microsoft sent employees to BestBuy’s around the country to discourage customers from buying the Wii U. ) Policies have been overturned and management has changed. They say necessity is the mother of invention, I would have say its pretty necessary for Microsoft to show the world that they really have changed for the better and they still have great things planned.
Gamescom this year promises to be really memorable. Developers will be showing off their latest and greatest software. Sony will try to continue the awesome momentum it has had this year. Microsoft no doubt will try to redeem itself. One of the most interesting parts of Gamescom is that this will be the first event where regular people who aren’t press related will be able to go hands on with the PS4 and XBOX One. We will get honest feedback about how these systems really operate from people with first hand experiences. I for one can not wait to hear what they have to say.
There is no doubt that Gamescom is primed for some exciting announcements. I will give highlights so keep coming back to find out the latest about the greatest things from Gamescom 2013.
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The impact of The Last of Us is getting larger as developer Capcom says that the popularity of Naughty Dog’s newest title is an implication of what kind of zombie game the fans want. The Tomb Raider reboot was also given a nod for its success with a more grown up and adult approach to the franchise. A representative from Capcom further stated that Resident Evil 6 was a mixed bag garnering mediocre reviews with fans stating that the overall game “felt bloated.” The Leon missions were widely accepted in Resident Evil 6 as the most popular part and Capcom is stating this will help inform Capcom where to take Resident Evil 7 and they are promising a return to their survival horror roots.
This is exciting news for longtime fans of the Resident Evil franchise as many ( myself included ) have felt the series as drifted pretty far from the original gameplay style that had made the games so appealing in the first place. Admittedly it is with caution that I anticipate Resident Evil 7 because of Capcom’s recent track record with the franchise. I am wondering if Capcom can recapture that survival horror magic that made Resident Evil a household name. Capcom definitely has the resources. Let’s hope Resident Evil 7 is a return to form and that we get a solid/finished game without any DLC or patches to “fix” the gameplay. I for one would welcome an old-school style Resident Evil updated for this generation. Playing Resident Evil 2 are some of my fondest memories playing videogames and for me it is very exciting to here Capcom tease the possiblitly of the franchise returning to those old survival horror glory days.
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Hemlock Grove is a Netflix Original TV series based on a novel of the same name released in March 2012 and authored by Brian McGreevy. Eli Roth of Hostel fame is the executive producer of the series and the show has been nominated for an Emmy in the category of original online only web television. I have to give Netflix credit for not making something safe and taking risks. This is a show that takes out all the stops. A large part of Hemlock Grove’s allure comes from deciphering the unknown but when it comes to events happening to characters pertinent to the story the show can be quite graphic. This candidness adds a rawness and validity to an ever present sense of danger. The tension is high and the atmosphere potent.
Hemlock Grove is beautifully twisted, its Beethoven’s No. 5 painted by Van Gogh and played backwards by Slayer. A symphony for the senses. There is sex, violence, drugs, high school, young love, divorce, love triangles, unexplained pregnancies, monsters, murders, genetic manipulations and the supernatural. These ingredients are slow cooked on a rotisserie of intrigue and served in mouth watering bite sized revelations wrapped in mysteries that are fulfilling but never fill you up. The show hits all the right notes, interesting characters, believable dialogue and a refreshing take on familiar mythologies, while still giving respectful nods to source materials.
First off I have to mention the fantastic cinematography of Hemlock Grove. Almost every shot, be it an establishing shot of a landscape or a plain old alleyway, looks gorgeous. The use of lighting and filters are executed expertly and almost always seem to add to the atmosphere. Several times throughout the series I found myself just gawking at the scenery. It was seldom that I thought the image quality of a scene suffered a little but in those rare instances I couldn’t say for sure if my internet connection slowed down a little bit or if it was an intentional production choice to add atmosphere to a particular shot.
The thing to really get across with Hemlock Grove is that it is so much fun. The world created inside this show is one of limitless potential. You really feel like anything can happen. The characters are unique and satisfyingly fleshed out. While the show has many dark and gruesome moments they never feel overbearing and their is a really nice balance of levity. Another thing that I really appreciate about Hemlock Grove is that it doesn’t hold back, it embraces its premise and its previously mentioned “ingredients” and sprints full force into its own world. Nothing feels toned down, they chose a direction and they run with it. The horror elements are fully embraced and their are some really great effects used throughout the show.
The characters of Hemlock Grove are bizarre. Whenever time is taken to add exposition I couldn’t help but pay attention. Every detail just makes the show even more fascinating. Even at the very very end of the series the freight train of insanity never slows down and if anything it picks up speed. You can literally feel the tension in the air and its genuinely exciting wondering what could possibly happen next?! I don’t think I have ever enjoyed a TV show as much as this one.
Although Hemlock Grove currently only has a single season of 13 episodes each episode averages 45-50 minutes. Each episode is packed with content and a season 2 has already been approved for the series. There are a few moments of utter ridiculousness but the show is so damn entertaining that I honestly really didn’t care I was having too much fun to let these moments bother me. The climax of this series delivers in spades, the payoff to everything leading up to the end is so gratifying. Questions are answered and a lot of plot points are brought to a close but just enough is left hanging in the air of uncertainty that has me wishing season 2 was already here. If you have Netflix or know someone who does and your looking for an exciting supernatural tale of “Who dunnit?” with strong horror overtones and interesting characters go to Hemlock Grove you won’t be disappointed. In case it wasn’t obvious in my descriptions of the show its probably best you put the little ones to bed before turning this one on as the series does have a lot of adult content such as nudity and extreme violence.
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Grand Theft Auto is a title that seems to only build more hype with every iteration. GTA V is no different. With every new entry in the series anticipation only seems to grow and the media response is always very loud when a new GTA is released. When mainstream media mentions a new GTA game its rarely, if ever, in a positive light and often media attention for GTA is negative. Grand Theft Auto is not the first series to have adult themes and violence. The attention the media gives to GTA has more to do with the popularity of GTA. Grand Theft Auto III and IV are two of the most critically acclaimed video games of all time and yet the news always has something bad to say about the series. Rockstar North the main developer for GTA couldn’t ask for more free publicity for their games. Every time mainstream media says something bad about GTA or creates a controversy over content in the game its like creating a giant neon parental advisory sticker in everybody’s head that screams BUY ME! BUY ME!! BUY ME NOW!!! If mainstream media had such a problem with GTA they would be better off saying nothing at all.
Are you hyped up yet? GTA V has premiered the first video detailing its online features. The online mode looks incredibly fleshed out compared to GTA IV although many of the online modes from IV appear to still be available like death matches and that sort of thing. GTA V online promises a much more immersive experience. Although Rockstar never mentions exactly how many players can exist together online the trailer makes it seem like quite a few people can exist together in GTA V’s online experience. The trailer explains the online mode as a “persistant and continually expanding living online world with multiple players, just what you choose to do in that world is up to you.” One of the first things touted in the trailer is how the combat has been completely overhauled to make a more pleasurable experience and I can say that it definitely looks much more fluid and satisfying than combat has been in previous titles.
What is really exciting it that it appears that you basically can have a full GTA experience online. Their are actual missions to do and characters to meet just like in single player story mode. If you want to go skydiving with your friend go ahead, rob a bank knock your self out, feel like racing some buddy’s on jet skis down by the pier have at it. Another really exciting feature is the ability to customize your online character. As you progress in online mode you can make cash that will allow you to upgrade and customize clothes, weapons, cars, garages and even apartments to furnish and invite fellow players to come check out. You can make friends on your journey online as well as enemies and you will also have the ability to make your own crews for whatever mischief you feel like getting into.
Grand Theft Auto V looked pretty interesting on its own with the 3 playable characters dynamic that can be switched at anytime whether you are in mission or not. Combined with this freshly unveiled online mode Rockstar North looks like they are aiming to have Grand Theft Auto V be the swan song everyone remembers as they graduate from their current consoles to the next generation. Check out the trailer here and decide for yourself.
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Rockstar Games will be unveiling world premiere footage of Grand Theft Auto V’s online multiplayer gameplay tomorrow August 15th at 10 AM Eastern. A brief glimpse of the multiplayer was shown during the first gameplay trailer released of GTA V but tomorrow’s video will showcase the online features. We can also expect the first press previews of the game tomorrow.
GTA V revolves around 3 playable characters that can be switched at anytime. This dynamic allows for all new playing scenarios as you can jump from character to character during a mission. Each character has a distinct background and social status adding depth and contrast to experiences in the game as they will vary based on which character you are playing as. Grand Theft Auto V is highly anticipated to say the least. Since the release of Grand Theft Auto III the series usually garners quite a bit of press coverage concerning the often controversial themes and scenarios presented within this adult oriented game. This latest installment is promising to be no different.
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Hey remember yesterday when it was reported that Microsoft had finally come to their senses and were no longer making the Kinect a mandatory piece of hardware for the XBOX One? That was a relief huh? Finally you could use the XBOX One to play videogames like a normal person again, not shouting expletives across your living room at people causing you injustices in online multiplayer games, or worried a troll will yell out “XBOX turn off!” in the middle of an epic boss battle? That was pretty great wasn’t it? The best part of no longer needing a Kinect to play videogames means that we no longer need to pay for a Kinect to play videogames. Well, not exactly. Everyone who would buy an XBOX One now that the system is obviously cheaper since Kinect is no longer a requirement take one step forward. Not so fast! Turns out that even though the XBOX One no longer needs the Kinect to function you still have to buy the peripheral with the system.
Yes, I wish I was kidding but Microsoft is insisting that the Kinect still be included with every XBOX One. This action is one of “What the hell?” I mean it is widely documented the unpopularity of Kinect and making it optional is a good move but you are still going to force people who don’t want it to buy it? At this time Microsoft has made no comments on the possibility of an XBOX One package without the Kinect, so for the foreseeable future anyone who gets an XBOX One is getting a Kinect. This decision is hard to accept considering that part of what makes the PS4 more appealing is that it costs $100 less than the XBOX One. This was Microsoft’s chance to price the XBOX One more competitively but no apparently Microsoft thinks that everyone needs Short Circuit’s disembodied head whether they want it or not.
It gets better though. Microsoft today has announced that 8 of the 21 countries that were supposed to be getting the new XBOX upon launch day this fall will now have to wait until “as soon as possible 2014.” ( Don’t worry though one if those countries is not the U.S. ) Apparently Microsoft is saying they jumped the gun and were too ambitious with their goals. Issues with region specific languages and dashboard content are being touted as some of the larger concerns right now. This is yet another thorn in the side of Microsoft as they try to compete with Sony for the title of top next-gen console. The 8 countries removed from the initial launch window this fall are Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Norway, Finland, Russia, Switzerland, and Sweden. Previously Microsoft had already announced that Japan would not be getting the XBOX One until 2014. The 13 countries still getting the XBOX One on its original launch day are Austria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom, United States, and New Zealand.
While the countries omitted from the XBOX One’s initial launch window aren’t exactly in the biggest gaming markets it still doesn’t reflect well on Microsoft who have struggled greatly with the concept of what they wanted their new console to be versus what the people want their new console to be. Since the XBOX One was revealed last May a fierce war between company and consumer has been waged. Every time it felt like the consumer has won a battle against an unpopular feature on the XBOX One Microsoft has found a way to ruin that victory for everyone. The restrictive DRM was taken away, score one for the consumer, Microsoft takes away their poorly explained family sharing feature, everyone loses. The always online requirement is taken away, now people including soldiers overseas without a solid internet connection can still enjoy videogames in their downtime, then Microsoft announces that a day one online download is still mandatory for the XBOX One to function offline. Most recently with the news that the Kinect is no longer necessary for the XBOX One to function Microsoft insists that Kinect still comes in the box. Are you seeing a pattern here?
Microsoft has stated recently that at this years Gamescom event in Germany that they have some big exclusives yet to unveil. One exclusive is said to have something to do with Europe’s biggest franchise of which I am almost certain deals with the FIFA franchise. Hopefully whatever Microsoft does at this years Gamescom its something positive.
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Sorry for the delay on the follow up for the last Nintendo Direct but I had trouble tracking this one down. The latest Nintendo Direct highlights a new Wii U exclusive game called The Wonderful 101. A game about 100 unique superheros. I assume that the final “1” is either a hidden character or a way of saying the actual player is the final hero in the game. The art style is cartoonish in the vein of Viewtiful Joe if you have ever seen that series.
You start out with a handful of superheros and go throughout the game unlocking more superheros as you progress. Each hero brings an individual ability/personality to your group as well as makes your group stronger. During gameplay all of your unlocked superheros are present on screen and they move in a mob. New powers and abilities are unlocked and can be upgraded throughout the game like the ability to summon giant swords or hammers. The actual characters you control become the weapons you create to fight giant monsters. Your abilities are also used for solving puzzles for instance making giant ladders or bridges. The different abilities are activated when the player draws a simple specific design into the center of their gamepad.
The overall tone of the game is very over the top. The trailer for the game was kind of like a Dexter’s Laboratory crossover with the Powerpuff Girls with lots of references to current superhero movies. Dexter’s Laboratory kept popping up in my head because I am pretty sure Wonderful “Green” is voiced by the same actor as Dexter was. The pacing of the trailer was very similar to that of the Powerpuff Girls and the villains seemed very similar with one villain almost like a robotic female version of Mojo Jojo. In fact the whole game feels like it could have been a show on Cartoon Network during the same time as Dexter and the Girls.
While the game has an obvious cartoon presentation it is a little hard to figure out who this game is supposed to be marketed to. The Wonder Pink character comes off as a Russian dominatrix. She wears pink leather, carries a whip and during her superhero transformation she actually says “bad boy, time for a little punishment.” Wonder Pink also contributes a giant pink whip to the team that you can use to fight enemies and navigate levels. The overall gameplay of Wonderful 101 looks like a platformer with some puzzle solving and instead of controlling one character you control a mob of characters.
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XBOX fans rejoice! Kinect is no longer mandatory! According to IGN during a recent Ask Microsoft Anything event XBOX Corporate Vice President Marc Whitten has stated that the Kinect is no longer required for the XBOX One to function. You can now use your videogame console for playing videogames just like nature intended. No awkward camera controls, no restrictive DRM policies. The removal of the mandatory Kinect functionality should come as a huge relief to fans as not having the peripheral means that now you should be able to acquire the new machine at a lower price and owners of the XBOX One will no longer have to worry about what happens to their console if the Kinect becomes damaged or broken.
The mandatory inclusion of the Kinect 2.0 peripheral for the XBOX One to function was a puzzling choice for Microsoft to make considering that the original Kinect had a fairly high dissatisfaction level among the people who bought it. It is understandable that Kinect 2.0 is supposedly a much more refined device but with the original Kinect’s poor reception among users, a mandated successor to the Kinect for the brand new XBOX One to function seemed counterintuitive.
Making the Kinect an option and allowing the XBOX One to function freely without it is the latest in Microsoft’s policy reversal’s. After the removal of the XBOX One’s highly restrictive DRM policies and always online requirements this latest concession from Microsoft is promising for the future of their newest console. The mandatory Kinect was one of the unpopular XBOX One features to survive the post E3 fallout where Microsoft reversed many of its other unpopular features. Microsoft’s direction with the XBOX one has changed drastically since this year’s E3 in June. This is largely in part because of abysmal reactions from the entire gaming community. Its inspiring to see fan feedback affect a billion dollar company like Microsoft so dramatically.
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Ever wondered what happens when Danish rockabilly metal meets the wild west? Pat dons his cowboy hat and duster to find out for you. In this episode of Pat’s metal reviews the featured artist is Volbeat, formed in 2001 from Copenhagen, Denmark. “Outlaw Gentleman and Shady Ladies” is Volbeat’s 5th studio album. Find out “the good, the bad, and the ugly” in Pat’s latest review. If you like Pat’s Video make sure to click the like button and join the GessNation by subscribing to his Youtube channel here.
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You can now add Bethesda Softworks to the growing list of 3rd party developer/publishers who aren’t making games for the Wii U. Some of the games Bethesda has brought us over the years include The Elder Scrolls and Fallout 3. Bethesda’s parent company ZeniMax Media acquired legendary developer id software in 2009 thus all games created by id are now published by Bethesda this includes the highly anticipated Doom 4.
Bethesda’s reasoning for not developing new titles for the Wii U is different than other 3rd party developers who claim that there just isn’t a high enough home install base for the console. Pete Hines, Bethesda’s Vice President of marketing told Joystiq in a recent interview at Quake-con that “it’s largely a hardware thing.” Stating that Bethesda makes the games that they want to make on whatever hardware that will support those games.
Yesterday 8/7/13 Nintendo held another Nintendo Direct broadcast online. It started off with Sonic Lost World which has really bizarre level designs sort of like navigating cylinders through strange backgrounds you can move 360 degrees to progress. I can’t help but think this game was originally intended to be a tech demo for Sonic. The game does support 3DS and Wii U cross play. It wasn’t clear if your progress from either platform would carry over to the other but you can share items between gaming devices. Only a handful of Wii U games were mentioned and for the most part were even glossed over like a recent Luigi U title. These games included Art Academy Sketch Pad, Pikimin 3, Pokemon Rumble, and Windwaker HD a Wii U an HD update of a twelve year old Zelda game and of course the previously mentioned Sonic Lost World.
The Nintendo 3DS got a lot more attention at the Direct event. Many retro classics are coming to 3DS including the likes of the original NES version of Donkey Kong, Tecmo Bowl and Super Mario Bros. 3. Professor Layton will be seeing two new titles coming to America in 2014 and one of those games will be an Ace Attorney Pheonix Wright crossover game. The Professor Layton games were the most impressive of any titles shown at the Nintendo Direct event and they look amazing. Zelda has another 3DS title coming out called A Link Between Worlds. Part of the concept of the game is that their is a dark mirror version of the Tri-force. It sounded like an interesting idea but it was further described like the game would have two worlds that were almost exactly the same “but slightly different” and Link can now become a living cave painting that can walk on walls.
There will be a new feature coming to Animal Crossing known as the Plaza. It is sort of a hub for users to socialize and learn about upcoming events in the Animal Crossing world and that feature is free to download. That is about all that was covered at yesterday’s Nintendo Direct Event and another Nintendo Direct event was announced for tomorrow 8/9/13 called the “Wonderful 101 Direct Event.” An update will be posted after the event so come back tomorrow to learn all about this upcoming Wii U superhero game.
Before I go I would like to have a quick Jerry Springer-esque moment like Jerry Does at the end of all his shows. To be brutally honest a lot of these games look painfully cutesy. With the exception of the new Professor Layton games for the 3DS, which look very promising, most of the games shown look like they are appealing to children under the age of 6. I know Nintendo prides itself on its whimsy and the children at heart but you can still make great looking games within those parameters. Here is the link to the Pokemon Rumble U trailer and here is the link to the Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy trailer. Pokemon is releasing on the Wii U home console and Professor Layton is coming out on the handheld 3DS. I get that they are entirely different style games with different demographics but if Professor Layton is possible on a handheld gaming console would it really be so much to ask to make the Pokemon game at least somewhat resemble the cartoon show it was based on? Its puzzling to see Nintendo allow a game involving a franchise with a huge fanbase like Pokemon to look this poor considering the potential of the games basic idea, especially when you are trying to sell consoles.
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I am not sure if you know this, but Nintendo has a new console. In fact they have had a new console on the market for about nine months now. The console is called the Wii U. Which is actually similar to the sound a child makes when they are impersonating an ambulance siren. This is kind of a fitting analogy because the Wii U for all intents and purposes is getting very close to being put on life support. ( Brace yourself because here comes a few sales figures. I know its like math but I simplified it you’ll be fine. ) Since its release last November the Wii U has posted sales of about 3.6 million units worldwide. To put things into perspective Nintendo’s previous console the Wii sold 9.3 million units in the same amount of time. If you compare unit sales between December 31st and June 30th of their respective launch years the Wii sold just over 6 million units while the Wii U has sold about 550 thousand units. These numbers are fairly troublesome for a company that wishes to stay relevant in a market where Microsoft and Sony are poised to release two of the most anticipated video game consoles ever this fall. Pre-orders are selling out world wide for both the PS4 and the XBOX One, ( Although it has been documented that Microsoft is intentionally giving retailers smaller inventory of the XBOX One to boost demand. ) there is a lot of hype for these consoles.
E3 ( Electronic Entertainment Expo ) was a major publicity event this year for both Sony and Microsoft. Whether it was the surreal moment at the end of Sony’s conference where they openly took shots at Microsoft’s unpopular and poorly explained DRM ( Digital Rights Management ) policies or some very bone headed comments by the then President of Interactive Entertainment at Microsoft Don Mattrick, the XBOX One and the PS4 were all anyone could talk about. E3 is a platform that all video game developers use to publicize new software and hardware for consumers and investors alike to be aware of and excited for.
Nintendo has held a conference every year at E3 since the very first E3 in 1995. This year however Nintendo decided instead of a conference at E3 they would air a special pre-taped event about upcoming software and hardware on their Nintendo Direct internet channel. While Nintendo did have a presence at E3 this year, not having a conference feels like a major misstep for the videogames legend. The special Nintendo Direct event underwhelmed most viewers with one of the highlights being Nintendo executives coming out in cutesy cat suits to make light of a new feature coming to a new Super Mario game. I have read that the games actually shown on the floor at E3 were solid games, but without the impact of the E3 conference its hard to think that the games are all that good. If the games are so great why couldn’t they have been shown off at a conference, just like Sony and Microsoft do every year and like Nintendo has done every year before this one?
E3 for those of you who are unaware is the Super Bowl of video gaming to many people. There are many other platforms during the year where companies show off videogames and related hardware worldwide but E3 is usually where the big names in gaming bring out the big guns and show off their latest and greatest projects. Few, if any, videogame related events receive anything near the media attention that E3 receives every year and this year was pretty big with the PS4 and XBOX One coming out this fall. Not doing a conference is an acknowledgement, be it conscious or otherwise, that Nintendo doesn’t believe its console can compete with Sony and Microsoft.
For Nintendo to remain relevant they have to appear in full force at E3. They can’t opt out of their annual conference to do a “Nintendo Direct” broadcast. Whether its true or not this seems like an action of surrender. The mindset seems to be that they are OK with Microsoft and Sony grabbing the majority of the video game market as long as the the hardcore Nintendo fans keep supporting them. Titles like Mario and Zelda have large drawing power and respectfully are videogame legends, few titles have lasted half as long and still managed to be relevant.
The problem is Nintendo only has a handful of these types of exclusive titles. These games are great in their own respects but Nintendo’s apparent refusal to evolve these titles or to develop new IP’s ( Intellectual Properties ) are definitely points of concern. We all love Mario but people are burning out on him. Mario games seem relatively the same since the Super Nintendo days, only now the games have updated graphics and ( sigh ) magic cat suits. Their have been tweaks to the level designs and presentation and the differences may be substantial to the people who actually play them but to people on the outside looking in these games appear more and more like the same old thing. At least Link has received several different character designs over the years to help distinguish one game from the next.
The issue isn’t with Mario so much as it is with Nintendo relying so heavily on tired franchises. By the end of this year there will have been 5 Zelda games and 4 Super Mario games released in the last 2 years! Meanwhile 3rd party developers are getting very hesitant to create anything new for the Wii U. Earlier this year an executive for EA ( Electronic Arts ) actually went as far as to say publicly that the console was “crap” and as of right now EA has nothing in development for the Wii U. Most of the 3rd party titles coming to the Wii U right now are bad ports of games from other consoles. Many features like online multiplayer aren’t even being developed for games on the Wii U. Most recently Warner Bros has stated that their upcoming Batman: Arkham Origins for the Wii U will not have online multiplayer capabilities because they want to concentrate development for the largest online multiplayer audiences possible. To add insult to injury large retailers around the world are pulling the Wii U from their shelves in favor of “consoles that actually sell.” ASDA a Wal-Mart subsidiary and one of the U.K.’s largest retail chains will no longer offer the Wii U in their stores. Some Wii U games may still be available in store but if you want the console it will now have to be ordered online from the ASDA website.
Another reason why a proper E3 conference was and is so important to the Nintendo brand is that many people think that the Wii U is just a new controller for the old Wii. The fact that Nintendo has failed to properly explain the Wii U to the mass market as a brand new console is unforgivable. This year’s E3 was Nintendo’s chance to clarify to the world what the Wii U is all about and what kind of future consumers can expect with the new console. Instead they chose to stream a special on their own Nintendo Direct of which most casual gamers outside of Nintendo have never heard of or for that matter know how to access. If Nintendo’s faith is in the casual gaming market because of the success of the original Wii then why were the casual gamers excluded? Casual gamers are not looking up a special feed to watch Nintendo’s pre-recorded Direct event.
The Wii U itself doesn’t exactly have the highest specs for a console and will be considerably under-powered compared to the XBOX One and PS4. However the Wii U does support full 1080p high definition graphics and comes with an interesting tablet style controller that has a large screen built into the center. The Wii U only has 32 gigabytes of memory but the controller has multiple motion gaming capabilities and other features such as a built in camera. Since basically the dawn of home videogame consoles the console with the highest specs has rarely won the so called “console wars.” The console with the “killer app” is almost always the one that wins the majority of the market share. In earlier years it was exclusive games like the original Super Mario, or Sonic the Hedgehog that helped a console sell. Nintendo themselves proved one of the most recent examples with the original Wii. The Wii didn’t even have high definition graphics and yet for a while it was outselling its competition at a factor of 6:1.
If the Wii U fails is it possible that Nintendo could leave the console market all-together and concentrate solely on software development? Its not likely as of right now. It is possible that the Wii U is mid swan song and if nothing substantial happens with the console soon it could very well be on its way out. Nintendo does have one card up its sleeve though. The Nintendo 3DS is one of the best selling handheld gaming devices of all time. Amazon reported that pre-orders for the handheld doubled that of the Wii in some regions. Currently the 3DS has an install base of about 33 million units. The question now is if the Wii U tanks will Nintendo forget about competing in the home console market and concentrate only on handheld gaming? Maybe Nintendo could use the profits from the 3DS to develop an all new console. Chances are that Nintendo spent a significant amount of money developing the Wii U and that could understandably make them weary of immediately developing a new console even if they can afford it.
Most recently Nintendo has released Pikmin 3, a long anticipated sequel to the 2004 Nintendo Gamecube game Pikmin 2. Pikmin 3 does seem popular with Nintendo fans right now and is helping to move some consoles. Something to consider is that even if Pikmin 3 does become a hit, with the high cost of videogame development and the relatively small install base of the Wii U will the success be enough to lure other developers to the console? The Wii U is navigating troubled waters right now. Their is a lot of hype for the PS4 and XBOX One coming out this fall. Nintendo has to bring out the heavy artillery if they want to remain relevant in the home console market and I fear Mario just isn’t enough anymore. For Nintendo this holiday season could be particularly cold.
-Z3R0TH3RT33N
Follow Sonic Mercury on Twitter @SonicMercury and like our Facebook page Sonic Mercury
Editors Note 8/1/13: 3D TV’s work perfectly fine during the day as well.
There seems to be some misconceptions about 3D televisions. I myself enjoy 3D movies and was interested in the possibility of viewing 3D movies at home. Then I heard that you could play certain video games in 3D as well. After reading an article about someone who had played a God of War video game in 3D I was definitely excited about the possibility of getting my own 3D TV. I can’t remember exactly where I read the article but I do remember the article seemed a little over exaggerated as the writer described it as if he had never really experienced a video game before he played one in 3D. He went on to say after about 15 minutes of gameplay on the 3D set he was convinced that 3D was a legitimate option for experiencing video games.
After reading all this I was definitely interested. I set out to learn all that I could about the differences among 3D TV’s on the market. I went online but the descriptions were a little too vague for me to really grasp the differences. Its easy to say something is better on paper but if you can’t experience it first hand how can you really know which TV is actually better? It was quickly becoming apparent that many people were excited about the 3D TV’s but few seemed to have any solid facts about the devices. Even more disappointing was that even most of the people in the stores that sold 3D TV’s didn’t know much about them.
I actually had a conversation with someone who worked in the electronics department of one of the bigger retailers that went something along the lines of this. Me– “Hey so I am really interested in these 3D TV’s.” Salesman– “Oh yeah they are pretty cool check them out.” Me– “I did, I was wondering what the differences were? and which kind you think is better?” Salesman– “These TV’s do 3D” Me– “Yes I know, but what are the differences in models?” Salesman– “These TV’s do 3D” and that was basically the answer to every question I had from there out. Not very reassuring when you are thinking about investing in something as pivotal as a new TV when the conversation you have with the person who is supposed to be selling these things quickly boils down to a bad Spinal Tap skit. So needless to say this pushed me back on the side of caution. Since the salesman didn’t know anything about these things I decided it was best to put off getting one.
Then about last November I was in one of those big bargain warehouses that sell everything and I noticed the prices on 3D TV’s had come down considerably. I decided I would take another look. After talking with someone who worked there and trying out a few demo’s I decided I would give it a shot. I knew Killzone 3 can be played in 3D and I was dying to try it. I settled on a 47 inch LG 3D TV. It took me a day or two to figure out how to optimize the 3D. What I had to do was go into my Playstation 3 settings and have it scan the TV for all its features. Once I figured this out it was game on!
I think the first 3D Blu-ray I bought was the third Transformers movie. The story is meh but the visuals were stunning. We are talking full 1080p in 3D! Giant robots are flying off the screen, whizzing through space, blowing each other up. The experience was unreal! Then it was on to the video games, how would they stack up? First I tried out Assassin’s Creed III. Once I figured out the 3D setting in the options menu and tweaked them for the size screen I was playing on it was awesome. I was walking through a 3 dimensional colonial Boston in the mid 18th century. The environments in Assassin’s Creed III are so vast and rich that experiencing them in 3D enhances it so much more. You feel like you really are walking through these places. Killzone 3 was another great experience the 3D honestly makes everything more immersive. The particle effects at times can feel a bit gimmicky but most of the time they really do add to the atmosphere of a hostile alien planet. Its kind of wild the first time you site your weapons in the game, in 3D you suddenly feel like everything has more depth and mass. The Avengers movie is one of the best examples of why you should try a 3D TV. The 3D on the TV is better than in the theaters and I am not exaggerating.
There are legitimate concerns about adopting the 3D lifestyle. First and foremost is cost. When 3D TV’s first came out they were definitely a high-end item. Now though you can get a really nice 50 inch 3D HD TV for about $785 on Amazon. You can get a 42 inch for under $500. The 3D Blu-rays do cost about $5 more than a traditional Blu-ray but most of them also come with the DVD copy as well as a digital copy you can put on your computer or MP3 player. A 3D Blu-ray player will cost about $70. Any Playstation 3 can be used as a 3D Blu-ray player.
Another concern with 3D TV’s are the glasses. Part of the debate on what 3D TV to get was which kind of 3D glasses do you want to use? There are two different kinds, active and passive. The active glasses either need batteries or need to be charged but the point is they are a powered 3D pair of glasses to enhance your experience and the passive glasses are just like the ones from the movie theater and require no power at all. They come in plastic sleeves with small boxes to store them in and a little cloth to wipe them off if they get smudged. The TV’s usually come with at least 4 pairs of glasses included. The passive glasses can cost about as low as $3.25 a piece and the active glasses can be as low as $13.00 a piece if you ever need more. Personally I have only used the passive glasses and I think they work great.
Here is another myth about 3D TV’s. You don’t have to watch everything in 3D all the time. It totally functions as a normal high-def TV just with the bonus feature of being 3D capable. Obviously content made for 3D will look the best in 3D on your TV but you can convert regular TV to 3D if you want, it just won’t look quite as good as actual 3D made content. So don’t panic you can use the 3D features on the TV when and how you see fit.
People say the glasses give you headaches and after a little while they become intolerable. It takes my eyes about five to ten minutes to totally adjust and in that time I honestly forget I am even wearing them. Movies and video games both feel more immersive with 3D. 3D TV’s I think were the victim of poor marketing. Manufacturers I guess assumed that 3D movies were doing well so 3D TV’s would sell well but with poor messaging about how a 3D TV actually functioned and an initially steep price tag made many consumers hesitant calling 3D TV’s just a fad.
3D programming is being discontinued on cable networks right now. ESPN is discontinuing their 3D channel soon, if they haven’t already, and the BBC has announced they will be taking a 3 year hiatus from their 3D programming at the end of this year. A low number of 3D TV adopters are quoted as being the reasoning for these cancellations. While this news isn’t exactly great news for 3D TV owners now is a good time to try one out. If you are in the market for a new TV, a 3D capable set is priced fairly competitively with TV’s that don’t have 3D abilities. New 3D video games and movies are released all the time and the 3D library of content is continuously growing. Hopefully this clears up some of the questions you might have had about 3D TV’s.
-Z3R0TH3RT33N
Follow Sonic Mercury on Twitter @SonicMercury and like our Facebook page Sonic Mercury