@inenai Fair enough in trying to quell the energy consumption concerns. Still, that's a moot point when a company is struggling to properly justify new tech at the same time they're implementing it.
Because crypto/blockchain/NFTs started under the idea that it's a money-making opportunity ("Get in on this new money before it takes off!"), the PR shift to "But think of what good it'll do for society! [Citation Needed]" feels like an ends to justify the means.
Also, IDK where you got the idea where I said/implied that being able to resell digital content would be a bad thing. It's just that you can do that without NFTs.
@inenai Getting past the energy consumption issue doesnt really solve its redundancy and dubiousness. So many "amazing" ways it can be used can already be done in more pragmatic ways.
Their example is that players can resell their digital items and games... but they could just make a digital buy-back program, peer-to-peer marketplace, or auction house.
With that in mind, it raises the question of what Ubi gets out of trying to impose NFTs into the equation? Given their track record, I doubt they're doing all this just for our sakes...
@popey1980 It'd be nice for New Horizons to get anywhere near as much long-term support, but both games have different design philosophies and profit incentives.
A console game getting the perks of a mobile game is like wishing on a monkey's paw, because you just arent likely to get the cool stuff that people want from a F2P game without the crappy stuff people despise about those same games.
@Spiders In the vein of trying to be respectful and transparent, I'll just say... duly noted.
I tried to avoid getting into the weeds when I was originally responding to you (mainly staying around rhetoric and pragmatism), and the other guy injected his initial tirade into our conversation, which I intended to wash my hands of this conversation after I responded to him (dude's invoking Jesus and referring to the Nuremburg Code, and there's no helping that).
It's not even about being a "vaccine fanboy." The initial frustration was seeing people find every excuse and conspiracy theory to disregard precautions that would've helped starve the virus (as this isnt our first pandemic rodeo). It's kinda too late for that now, but at least we can minimize deaths and illnesses to relieve pressure from various industries (including the healthcare sector) if enough folks get vaccinated and/or adhere to precautions... but expectations were too high there too.
I try to be sympathetic and empathetic where I can (I too would rather not go back to lockdowns), but having known folks who either died from Covid or are under occupational stress due to the pandemic, because we cant band together and get this over with, has me emotionally tapped out for those who care more about being what they perceive to be right (fighting against "controlled"), rather than doing what's pragmatically right (assuring as few people get sick and die as possible).
With all due respect, I'm ejecting myself out of this thread because I dont like getting too deep into matters that become removed from gaming on a site about Nintnedo gaming news. This was a rare exception, and I already regret it.
On one hand, it does seem weird they'd devote any such development time to a game that only stuck around for less than a year.
On the other hand, I kiiiiiinda respect their commitment? Like, it's 1000% a stupid move (especially as it added a net positive value to the NSO subscription), but dang it, if they're not sticking by that for the time being.
@shoeses I don't think there's much room to cry about a trading card game being P2W considering the entire nature of building your deck is to buy blind booster packs, and trade cards you don't want.
Unless things have changed since I last remembered, and you can buy buffs and the like in these games...
Geez, might be time to bring back the "Micro$oft" moniker. Optimistically, Microsoft has been pretty decent for gaming posterity in ways of backwards compatibility, cloud gaming, Game Pass value, and generally playing nicely with their competitors... But cynically, they have a history of underutilizing some acquisitions to a near-criminal degree (Rare in particular).
It's not like Acti-Blizz can get any worse, but I'm not crazy about the potential monopolization of Western gaming (in NA). EA and Take-Two are kinda the only other big fish left over here, and that's, uhhh... not ideal.
Normally I'm kinda nonplussed about paying the Switch Tax for ports, but $90-$140 for compilations you can neither play portably, much less own physically, is a big ask when the All-in-One package is less than 1/3 the price on PS4 (and the standalone packages are also dirt cheap).
I'm morbidly curious to give the demos a shot, but there's really no reason to jump on these unless you really dont have access by any other means.
@InsideOutsideUpside I'm sorry for your loss of job and mother's life, but you're hiding behind a lot of bad faith reasons to be anti-vaxx.
1) Considering you can supposedly get Covid more than once (due to variants and on top of other illnesses), it's recommended to get vaccinated because people younger and healthier than you have either died or are stuck dealing with "Long Covid." Vaccination among the earlier variants helped reduce the spread, and keeps you out of the hospital with recent. Getting immunized is pragmatic as it lessens the strain on the healthcare sector, and is no more "symbolic" than any other shot you got in your life (tetanus, measles, etc.).
2) Supposedly, that "Less than 1% death rate" statistic isnt even accurate 2+ years into this thing. Even humoring that stat, that's roughly 1 out of 100 people dying to this thing. Considering how less of a chance you have to be taken out in other ways (or win any contest), those are terrible odds.
3) I get the skepticism, considering past aggressions (I, too, am familiar with the Tuskeegee experiments, etc.), but that doesnt give you a blanket excuse to ignore basic health and science that is both available, and dumbed down in the most simplest of terms.
4) Viruses are egalitarian in the worst ways possible. They dont care how you feel about "big pharma", your politics, your conspiracy theories, your skepticism, nor your ethics/morals. Logic and science are the only ways to deal with it.
It's insulting that you're assuming my ignorance when I want to get back to a true normal as badly as anyone else. I feel for your personal circumstance, and even understand where you're coming from... but it says a lot that you cant extend the same amount of empathy towards everyone else also impacted by this pandemic. Multiplied by so many others who carry the same line of thinking is why it feels like we're no closer to getting out of this.
The 2+ years of this has worn down my patience for people who hide their own ignorance, paranoia, and selfishness under the guise of skepticism and a misplaced sense of ethics/morality.
I only have room left for loved ones, the immunocompromised, kids too young to get the shot, and all the professionals stuck dealing with anti-vaxxers/anti-mandate folks. Best of luck everyone else. (I cant believe I had to get into the weeds about a pandemic on a Nintendo site...)
I don't recall anti-vaxxers being considered racists, but there has been a lot of overlap with them being Trump supporters and anti-science as (at least in the US) Trump himself was effectively "patient zero" of doubting professionals, followed by his ilk echoing that sentiment long after the fact. And the reason why anti-mandate crowds get looped in with anti-vaxxers, is because it results in the same problem. If people were willing to get vaccinated from the jump, mandates wouldn't be necessary. But if they want to make the personal choice to not get vaxxed, then others have the right to put up with the health risk or liability.
And the BLM person who was calling the mandates problematic definitely misses the point and intention of the mandates, which is to push back against a virus that doesn't racially discriminate. I don't blame their initial concern considering other legitimately ongoing systemic issues that still need addressing (and their suspicion considering NY's mixed history), but pragmatically, getting vaccinated would make this a non-issue while also have the added benefit of protecting a lot of people.
I'd say it's less "boy who cried wolf" and more "selective ignorance fueled by political bias and/or lack of empathy [until a situation personally affects them]". Yes, there is a problem with people taking issues over the littlest things (not exclusive to the left), but that doesn't justify willful ignorance or malice in way of becoming a reactionary. Critical thinking - and especially empathy - is crucial in cutting through the noise, not being taken advantage of by bad actors and grifters, and not pigeonholing one's self into a position that might ultimately cause harm to one's self or others around them.
@Spiders I think your last sentence has effectively made the point that "the left" nor "wokeness" has little to do with any of this, and more that reactionaries are more than capable of creating noise and divisiveness without any external influence.
Like, just look at invictus4000's initial comment: Completely unprovoked, he reveled in the idea that "wokesters" and "big brother" were behind this, despite that making absolutely no sense given the context of the last 2 years.
This also isn't getting into how "cancel culture" and the like isn't exclusive to left-leaning folks, but that's getting too in the weeds for what should be a site talking about video game-related stuff...
@montrayjak The decentralization talking point is probably one of the more frustrating justifications in all of this. Because it sounds ideal on paper, but there's open acknowledgement that such a system can be abused.
And then, because of this desperate race of everyone trying to stake their claim, it begs the question how guaranteed will it be that things wont inevitably just be consolidated into different, fewer hands?
Honestly, good for them! I know these moves have that initial "Are you serious?..." reaction for IPs where the memes become bigger than the IP itself, but this actually allows them a chance to break through that.
Kinda like how "Sans Undertale" started eclipsing Undertale itself until Deltarune course corrected that. Still a lot of memes, but the variety staves off the derivativeness.
@Tobiaku Without spoiling things, I promise you that the people who dislike the story or twist arent doing so because it's "politically incorrect" or whatever you're hoping it is.
It's more like, "I thought they warned not to do this stuff in Creative Writing 102..."
@NEStalgia Oh geez, I didnt even know things were that bad in Halo. But I think there is a limit to how much people are willing to spend on something.
There'll always be a market for games subsidized by whales (usually F2P), but games with a higher barrier of entry may struggle. It's partially why I think $70 games are gonna be a flash in the pan. We already pay for that via DLC.
@NEStalgia In defense of Nintendo Badge Arcade, a lot of the fun of crane games is the thrill to potentially win a prize. At the very least the prizes could be used, even if simply cosmetically. And if you didnt spend a dime, it was kind of a generous F2P game.
The bigger problem was how stingy it all was on the money front. $2 for 10 plays for digital prizes was undeniably greedy. If they bring it back, they need to seriously rebalance that.
@JayJ I'd argue the time when they still allowed EB Games to be its own brand was the last time it generally felt alright to shop there. But I definitely agree that the eventual monopoly has done serious harm to the brick and motar gaming market.
I'm fortunate to have a couple of "mom 'n pop" gaming stores in my area, but not everyone's so lucky. And because the market is so unlikely to expand, it's why I hope GS stops screwing around and does better before it's too late.
@Browny It's ironic because their loss of relevancy is likely due to trying too hard to please investors first, and gamers second.
Had they leaned into improving customer experiences, eased up on trying to hit quotas, and dipped their toes into more honest endeavors, they might be in a better position right now.
Probably not making all the money, but losing them would be like losing Toys R Us; there's so few dedicated stores like that these days (in North America, at least).
@NinChocolate Personally, this felt more like a "Schrodinger's Cat" situation. The name "Madden" has been associated with the games for so long, that it never crossed my mind whether the person who the games were named after was still with us or not.
Personal thoughts aside, RIP to the guy. Even just seeing some of the comments around here, he seems like he meant a lot to many American football fans.
The execution is impressive (especially seeming like a two-man job), but practically, it's way too overanimated.
It seems like it took some inspiration from the Sonic CD intro, but that one kinda makes every frame count (as does the Sonic Mania intro 9 years later), while this one feels like it loses a lot of its "oomph" from everything being so fluid in both frames and character modeling.
@Shadowthrone I'd argue that part of what made SA 1& 2 so memorable was the story. But Sega/Sonic Team has been struggling to re-capture that magic since then (though, I did enjoy Unleashed).
Yeah, gameplay comes first, but that can help elevate what little plot is thrown in (like Mario Odyssey).
Crazy to think what started out as the absolute lowest of expectations for the first movie has led to legitimate interest/excitement for its sequel.
I think it really is big thanks to the redesign. While it probably wouldnt have changed the plot of the first one, I just couldnt see a reality where it'd have been tolerable with the old gremlin version.
@Zuljaras That's less of a complaint about haters and more just a prediction of them. Which wound up being proven true even now, because it's practically a compulsion at this point.
In regards to Pokemon, it'd be way more surprising if we made it through an entire article/thread without someone lamenting its success (not that they arent allowed to complain).
Even as someone who's getting something from the recent Challenge Cups that NoA ran, I'm torn on which approach I'd personally prefer in the long run.
NoA gave sizeable prizes, but to a small pool. So if you weren't Top 8 or 16 (depending on the recent events), that's 3+ hours down the drain. But NoE giving a minimum of 10€'s worth of Gold Points to the Top 100 gives you a chance of walking away with something, even if it's not terribly valuable.
@HammerGalladeBro IDK if you'll be happy or distraught to hear, but Domino's (at least the North America division) actually brought the Noid back earlier this year!
What's impressive (if not a bit cursed) is how much detail Nintendo put into the villagers' fur patterns, despite the huge majority of players who will never see those details by default.
People are joking about the pervy or prudish, meanwhile AC fan artists see an opportunity for more accurate drawings :V
"Wait, don't be fooled! It's still the same moderate platform fighter with stupid cheap hats! It still has the same lack of polish it did before!"
"...But they got new hats."
Loose Simpson reference aside, it is nice to see that this game is still getting support. While it's a shame all this didn't just come at launch, I don't think I'd mind if updates and support kept coming to a point that maybe they'd pack it all into a "Deluxe Edition" way down the line.
@Lordplops My point is that there is unfortunate subtext when the response to attempts to diversify a workforce is "Just hire the best person for the job!"
You don't think the cases with Activision-Blizzard, Ubisoft, Riot Games(?), and lord knows how much else in this industry alone, didn't already involve hires considered "the best person for the job"? Clearly, that's not fixing the underlying issue here...
@Lordplops But where are you getting the idea that skills are being scarified explicitly for the sake of diversity?
It may not be your intention, but it's that kind of thinking that winds up heavily implying that one thinks women/minority hires are inherently less capable than whatever the "norm" is.
@nessisonett Because certain camps are conditioned not to be too invested or sincere in any conversation regarding sociopolitical issues. Basically, if you care, you lose.
Cuz, heaven forbid we acknowledge that certain groups consistently get the shorter end of the stick in certain industries, much less society... Also funny how some folks in these threads will posture on egalitarianism, as if that isnt some virtue signaling in itself, rather than push for pragmatic solutions and protections for the vulnerable...
Also, cant have an honest conversation without folks resorting to the same One Joke (TM).
@Dragonite89 It's literally impossible to make everyone happy. One of the curses of being one of the most popular franchises out there is that so many folks want to be armchair CEOs and devs.
@Dragonite89 I completely understand, but I also recommend being wary of projecting that desire onto others who many not feel the same way (at least to the point of insulting them).
Like, I'm pretty certain the lack of a National Dex has less to do with console power, and more to do with development times (and everything that goes into it) needing to line up with their other multimedia and merchandising endeavors.
I'm not saying you can't have personal hangups over how the series is being handled, but it doesn't really warrant being the moral crusade you're making it out to be. You gotta take a step back from your emotions sometimes and really think about the hill you're choosing to die on.
@Dragonite89 My point is that I get the frustration of them not reaching your own expectations (whether they're realistic or not is a whole other discussion), but to insult fans who are enjoying themselves just comes off as the kind of petty and bitter that people roll their eyes at.
I think what also makes it ridiculous is that we're getting a game that's looking to actually try some new things in a little over two months from now. It may not give you exactly what you want, but it seems out of line to think TPC and GameFreak are getting complacent.
Not to make it too personal, but it feels like you're too emotionally invested for there to be good faith discourse over all this...
I feel it's in a good spot now after this update. But I think between Aces and now Super Rush, I wouldnt mind if they ditched Story Mode going forward.
I'd much rather some more content with way more replayability, than a mode that kinda functions as an elaborate tutorial with hit-or-miss dialogue.
It's a shame because NeoTWEWY is such a good game and one of the few JRPGs (action or otherwise) I couldnt put down.
Understandably, though, the series is ultimately a niche IP. It's kind of a miracle it even got a sequel... But I hope this doesnt scare SE from trying at least one more entry just to answer a few more hanging questions.
I only listened for a couple of minutes, and it sounds so surreal (in an endearing way) hearing a significantly older person effectively geek out over JRPGs of all things. I'll definitely have to check more later.
It also does put into perspective that folks playing hardcore games in their 70s and beyond will likely be the norm the further along we go. The market of "easily tricked grandparents buying the wrong games for their grandkids" will shrink substantially in the next 20-30 years!
I'm still not crazy about how unhinged the crossover potential will be, but I gotta admit, it actually looks pretty clean. The animations and effects seem to read really well (compared to Nick All-Stars).
My only hangup is that it's hard to get a feel for how fast the gameplay is. So much footage in this announcement video seems to be slowed down.
I will say, "Multiversus" is a solid portmanteau. Much more unique than another game with "All-Stars" in its title.
But it's still hard to get excited, as this is just them flexing their IP ownership again. They already spent their shot with both Ready Player One and Space Jam 2; the latter being way more frustrating for making an iconically simple concept unnecessarily complicated and ultimately forgettable...
@alecseus I think tossing the criticism of "lazy" has simply become lazy in itself. Usually lobbed by people who dont understand (or respect) the work it takes to release a competent, functioning, game in the first place.
Even in cases where devs are legit lazy (blatant asset flipping, quantity over quality shovelware ratio, cynically low-effort overall, etc.), one could probably still elaborate with a bit more than two tired words.
@RupeeClock You actually can. Pikmin Bloom is pretty passive (mainly tracks steps and location when minimized). So as long as your phone has the computing power, you can play one, while checking in on the other.
The bigger hurdle is caring about Pikmin Bloom in the first place. Go has the incentive to walk, catch, trade, collect, and battle. Bloom kinda just has walk and collect.
Mad Rat Dead is one of the best platforming-rhythm games that very few people are talking about. It may be a big ask to get folks to both juggle conventional platforming while keeping the beat, but it's very rewarding when you pull it off~
There's also a meaty demo on the eShop that lets you get a good idea if it's for you. I highly recommend it!
@SamirMalik I would argue that who's doing the censoring, and how, makes a world of difference.
A private company saying "We'd rather not host this..." sucks artistically, but it's their console/platform. So long as it's not the bad kind of discrimination or burying of information, they can make that call, no matter how arbitrary we feel about it.
A government body saying "You can't say this or you'll be fined/arrested!" is a different kind of censorship that can be inherently problematic, but also has a whole realm of nuance to talk about, depending on country and politics.
Personally, I wish people (in a general sense) could temper their reactions to the various kinds of censorship. And I say this as an artist myself.
I don't know what's funnier: The fact that Playstation owners get the clearly superior version, or the STRONG possibility that these devs might find success and double down on the furry content.
Comments 966
Re: Ubisoft: Players "Don't Get" What Makes NFTs So Beneficial
@inenai Fair enough in trying to quell the energy consumption concerns. Still, that's a moot point when a company is struggling to properly justify new tech at the same time they're implementing it.
Because crypto/blockchain/NFTs started under the idea that it's a money-making opportunity ("Get in on this new money before it takes off!"), the PR shift to "But think of what good it'll do for society! [Citation Needed]" feels like an ends to justify the means.
Also, IDK where you got the idea where I said/implied that being able to resell digital content would be a bad thing. It's just that you can do that without NFTs.
Re: Ubisoft: Players "Don't Get" What Makes NFTs So Beneficial
@inenai Getting past the energy consumption issue doesnt really solve its redundancy and dubiousness. So many "amazing" ways it can be used can already be done in more pragmatic ways.
Their example is that players can resell their digital items and games... but they could just make a digital buy-back program, peer-to-peer marketplace, or auction house.
With that in mind, it raises the question of what Ubi gets out of trying to impose NFTs into the equation? Given their track record, I doubt they're doing all this just for our sakes...
Re: Major Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Update Doubles Visitors And Adds New 'Membership'
@popey1980 It'd be nice for New Horizons to get anywhere near as much long-term support, but both games have different design philosophies and profit incentives.
A console game getting the perks of a mobile game is like wishing on a monkey's paw, because you just arent likely to get the cool stuff that people want from a F2P game without the crappy stuff people despise about those same games.
Re: 'Pandemic' Will Apparently Be Removed From The Switch eShop This July
@Spiders In the vein of trying to be respectful and transparent, I'll just say... duly noted.
I tried to avoid getting into the weeds when I was originally responding to you (mainly staying around rhetoric and pragmatism), and the other guy injected his initial tirade into our conversation, which I intended to wash my hands of this conversation after I responded to him (dude's invoking Jesus and referring to the Nuremburg Code, and there's no helping that).
It's not even about being a "vaccine fanboy." The initial frustration was seeing people find every excuse and conspiracy theory to disregard precautions that would've helped starve the virus (as this isnt our first pandemic rodeo). It's kinda too late for that now, but at least we can minimize deaths and illnesses to relieve pressure from various industries (including the healthcare sector) if enough folks get vaccinated and/or adhere to precautions... but expectations were too high there too.
I try to be sympathetic and empathetic where I can (I too would rather not go back to lockdowns), but having known folks who either died from Covid or are under occupational stress due to the pandemic, because we cant band together and get this over with, has me emotionally tapped out for those who care more about being what they perceive to be right (fighting against "controlled"), rather than doing what's pragmatically right (assuring as few people get sick and die as possible).
With all due respect, I'm ejecting myself out of this thread because I dont like getting too deep into matters that become removed from gaming on a site about Nintnedo gaming news. This was a rare exception, and I already regret it.
Re: Random: Nintendo Shows Switch Owners How To Delete Games, Uses Super Mario Bros. 35 As An Example
On one hand, it does seem weird they'd devote any such development time to a game that only stuck around for less than a year.
On the other hand, I kiiiiiinda respect their commitment? Like, it's 1000% a stupid move (especially as it added a net positive value to the NSO subscription), but dang it, if they're not sticking by that for the time being.
Re: Surprise! Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel Is Now Available On The Switch eShop
@Jeronan My bad about the late comment, but I appreciate the clarification!
Re: Surprise! Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel Is Now Available On The Switch eShop
@shoeses I don't think there's much room to cry about a trading card game being P2W considering the entire nature of building your deck is to buy blind booster packs, and trade cards you don't want.
Unless things have changed since I last remembered, and you can buy buffs and the like in these games...
Re: Banjo-Kazooie Joins Switch Online's Expansion Pack This Week
Slow rollout aside, good on Nintendo for not hoarding this one for an overly-long time.
Feels like there's a strong possibility that Diddy Kong Racing is just a matter of time now.
Re: Microsoft Buys Activision Blizzard, Now Owns Call Of Duty And Crash Bandicoot
@NatiaAdamo I went and added "in NA" because while Ubi still exists, they're originally European publishers.
But heck, that kinda speaks of the state of gaming over there, as well.
Re: Microsoft Buys Activision Blizzard, Now Owns Call Of Duty And Crash Bandicoot
Geez, might be time to bring back the "Micro$oft" moniker. Optimistically, Microsoft has been pretty decent for gaming posterity in ways of backwards compatibility, cloud gaming, Game Pass value, and generally playing nicely with their competitors... But cynically, they have a history of underutilizing some acquisitions to a near-criminal degree (Rare in particular).
It's not like Acti-Blizz can get any worse, but I'm not crazy about the potential monopolization of Western gaming (in NA). EA and Take-Two are kinda the only other big fish left over here, and that's, uhhh... not ideal.
Re: Kingdom Hearts Cloud Collection Arrives On Switch In February, Pricing Revealed
Normally I'm kinda nonplussed about paying the Switch Tax for ports, but $90-$140 for compilations you can neither play portably, much less own physically, is a big ask when the All-in-One package is less than 1/3 the price on PS4 (and the standalone packages are also dirt cheap).
I'm morbidly curious to give the demos a shot, but there's really no reason to jump on these unless you really dont have access by any other means.
Re: 'Pandemic' Will Apparently Be Removed From The Switch eShop This July
@InsideOutsideUpside I'm sorry for your loss of job and mother's life, but you're hiding behind a lot of bad faith reasons to be anti-vaxx.
1) Considering you can supposedly get Covid more than once (due to variants and on top of other illnesses), it's recommended to get vaccinated because people younger and healthier than you have either died or are stuck dealing with "Long Covid." Vaccination among the earlier variants helped reduce the spread, and keeps you out of the hospital with recent. Getting immunized is pragmatic as it lessens the strain on the healthcare sector, and is no more "symbolic" than any other shot you got in your life (tetanus, measles, etc.).
2) Supposedly, that "Less than 1% death rate" statistic isnt even accurate 2+ years into this thing. Even humoring that stat, that's roughly 1 out of 100 people dying to this thing. Considering how less of a chance you have to be taken out in other ways (or win any contest), those are terrible odds.
3) I get the skepticism, considering past aggressions (I, too, am familiar with the Tuskeegee experiments, etc.), but that doesnt give you a blanket excuse to ignore basic health and science that is both available, and dumbed down in the most simplest of terms.
4) Viruses are egalitarian in the worst ways possible. They dont care how you feel about "big pharma", your politics, your conspiracy theories, your skepticism, nor your ethics/morals. Logic and science are the only ways to deal with it.
It's insulting that you're assuming my ignorance when I want to get back to a true normal as badly as anyone else. I feel for your personal circumstance, and even understand where you're coming from... but it says a lot that you cant extend the same amount of empathy towards everyone else also impacted by this pandemic. Multiplied by so many others who carry the same line of thinking is why it feels like we're no closer to getting out of this.
The 2+ years of this has worn down my patience for people who hide their own ignorance, paranoia, and selfishness under the guise of skepticism and a misplaced sense of ethics/morality.
I only have room left for loved ones, the immunocompromised, kids too young to get the shot, and all the professionals stuck dealing with anti-vaxxers/anti-mandate folks. Best of luck everyone else. (I cant believe I had to get into the weeds about a pandemic on a Nintendo site...)
Re: 'Pandemic' Will Apparently Be Removed From The Switch eShop This July
I don't recall anti-vaxxers being considered racists, but there has been a lot of overlap with them being Trump supporters and anti-science as (at least in the US) Trump himself was effectively "patient zero" of doubting professionals, followed by his ilk echoing that sentiment long after the fact. And the reason why anti-mandate crowds get looped in with anti-vaxxers, is because it results in the same problem. If people were willing to get vaccinated from the jump, mandates wouldn't be necessary. But if they want to make the personal choice to not get vaxxed, then others have the right to put up with the health risk or liability.
And the BLM person who was calling the mandates problematic definitely misses the point and intention of the mandates, which is to push back against a virus that doesn't racially discriminate. I don't blame their initial concern considering other legitimately ongoing systemic issues that still need addressing (and their suspicion considering NY's mixed history), but pragmatically, getting vaccinated would make this a non-issue while also have the added benefit of protecting a lot of people.
I'd say it's less "boy who cried wolf" and more "selective ignorance fueled by political bias and/or lack of empathy [until a situation personally affects them]". Yes, there is a problem with people taking issues over the littlest things (not exclusive to the left), but that doesn't justify willful ignorance or malice in way of becoming a reactionary. Critical thinking - and especially empathy - is crucial in cutting through the noise, not being taken advantage of by bad actors and grifters, and not pigeonholing one's self into a position that might ultimately cause harm to one's self or others around them.
Re: 'Pandemic' Will Apparently Be Removed From The Switch eShop This July
@Spiders I think your last sentence has effectively made the point that "the left" nor "wokeness" has little to do with any of this, and more that reactionaries are more than capable of creating noise and divisiveness without any external influence.
Like, just look at invictus4000's initial comment: Completely unprovoked, he reveled in the idea that "wokesters" and "big brother" were behind this, despite that making absolutely no sense given the context of the last 2 years.
This also isn't getting into how "cancel culture" and the like isn't exclusive to left-leaning folks, but that's getting too in the weeds for what should be a site talking about video game-related stuff...
Re: Talking Point: What Could NFTs Mean For Gaming, And Why Are They So Divisive?
@montrayjak The decentralization talking point is probably one of the more frustrating justifications in all of this. Because it sounds ideal on paper, but there's open acknowledgement that such a system can be abused.
And then, because of this desperate race of everyone trying to stake their claim, it begs the question how guaranteed will it be that things wont inevitably just be consolidated into different, fewer hands?
Re: Among Us Is Getting Turned Into A Manga
Honestly, good for them! I know these moves have that initial "Are you serious?..." reaction for IPs where the memes become bigger than the IP itself, but this actually allows them a chance to break through that.
Kinda like how "Sans Undertale" started eclipsing Undertale itself until Deltarune course corrected that. Still a lot of memes, but the variety staves off the derivativeness.
Re: Mini Review: Twelve Minutes - A Tedious Time Loop That Squanders Its Potential
@Tobiaku Without spoiling things, I promise you that the people who dislike the story or twist arent doing so because it's "politically incorrect" or whatever you're hoping it is.
It's more like, "I thought they warned not to do this stuff in Creative Writing 102..."
Re: GameStop Is Betting The Farm On NFTs, And Investors Are All For It
@NEStalgia Oh geez, I didnt even know things were that bad in Halo. But I think there is a limit to how much people are willing to spend on something.
There'll always be a market for games subsidized by whales (usually F2P), but games with a higher barrier of entry may struggle. It's partially why I think $70 games are gonna be a flash in the pan. We already pay for that via DLC.
Re: GameStop Is Betting The Farm On NFTs, And Investors Are All For It
@NEStalgia In defense of Nintendo Badge Arcade, a lot of the fun of crane games is the thrill to potentially win a prize. At the very least the prizes could be used, even if simply cosmetically. And if you didnt spend a dime, it was kind of a generous F2P game.
The bigger problem was how stingy it all was on the money front. $2 for 10 plays for digital prizes was undeniably greedy. If they bring it back, they need to seriously rebalance that.
Re: GameStop Is Betting The Farm On NFTs, And Investors Are All For It
@JayJ I'd argue the time when they still allowed EB Games to be its own brand was the last time it generally felt alright to shop there. But I definitely agree that the eventual monopoly has done serious harm to the brick and motar gaming market.
I'm fortunate to have a couple of "mom 'n pop" gaming stores in my area, but not everyone's so lucky. And because the market is so unlikely to expand, it's why I hope GS stops screwing around and does better before it's too late.
Re: GameStop Is Betting The Farm On NFTs, And Investors Are All For It
@Browny It's ironic because their loss of relevancy is likely due to trying too hard to please investors first, and gamers second.
Had they leaned into improving customer experiences, eased up on trying to hit quotas, and dipped their toes into more honest endeavors, they might be in a better position right now.
Probably not making all the money, but losing them would be like losing Toys R Us; there's so few dedicated stores like that these days (in North America, at least).
Re: NFL Coach, Broadcaster And Video Game Icon John Madden Passes Away At 85
@NinChocolate Personally, this felt more like a "Schrodinger's Cat" situation. The name "Madden" has been associated with the games for so long, that it never crossed my mind whether the person who the games were named after was still with us or not.
Personal thoughts aside, RIP to the guy. Even just seeing some of the comments around here, he seems like he meant a lot to many American football fans.
Re: Capcom Will Reveal More About Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak In Spring 2022
@CharlieGirl That would be cool, but wonder if they'd allow people with a near year head start to play with people starting fresh?
Re: Capcom Will Reveal More About Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak In Spring 2022
It's super wishful thinking, but I'm hoping Capcom hits us with a "Hey guys, turns out we actually were able to figure a way to do cross-saves!"
Obviously it's highly unlikely at this point, but man, could you imagine?
Re: Check Out This Never-Before-Seen Intro To BioWare's Now-Decanonized Sonic Brotherhood
The execution is impressive (especially seeming like a two-man job), but practically, it's way too overanimated.
It seems like it took some inspiration from the Sonic CD intro, but that one kinda makes every frame count (as does the Sonic Mania intro 9 years later), while this one feels like it loses a lot of its "oomph" from everything being so fluid in both frames and character modeling.
Re: The Plot Synopsis For Sonic Frontiers Has Been Revealed
@Shadowthrone I'd argue that part of what made SA 1& 2 so memorable was the story. But Sega/Sonic Team has been struggling to re-capture that magic since then (though, I did enjoy Unleashed).
Yeah, gameplay comes first, but that can help elevate what little plot is thrown in (like Mario Odyssey).
Re: Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Movie Poster Revealed Ahead Of A First Look At The Game Awards
Crazy to think what started out as the absolute lowest of expectations for the first movie has led to legitimate interest/excitement for its sequel.
I think it really is big thanks to the redesign. While it probably wouldnt have changed the plot of the first one, I just couldnt see a reality where it'd have been tolerable with the old gremlin version.
Re: Pokémon Diamond And Pearl Remakes Passed 6 Million Sales In Launch Week
@Zuljaras That's less of a complaint about haters and more just a prediction of them. Which wound up being proven true even now, because it's practically a compulsion at this point.
In regards to Pokemon, it'd be way more surprising if we made it through an entire article/thread without someone lamenting its success (not that they arent allowed to complain).
Re: Nintendo's Hosting An Online Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Tournament, And Prizes Are Up For Grabs (Europe)
Even as someone who's getting something from the recent Challenge Cups that NoA ran, I'm torn on which approach I'd personally prefer in the long run.
NoA gave sizeable prizes, but to a small pool. So if you weren't Top 8 or 16 (depending on the recent events), that's 3+ hours down the drain. But NoE giving a minimum of 10€'s worth of Gold Points to the Top 100 gives you a chance of walking away with something, even if it's not terribly valuable.
Re: Random: Domino's Is Trying To Lure In New Workers With The Chance Of Winning A Nintendo Switch
@HammerGalladeBro IDK if you'll be happy or distraught to hear, but Domino's (at least the North America division) actually brought the Noid back earlier this year!
Re: Random: Bizarre Animal Crossing: New Horizons Glitch Is Making Villagers Lose Their Clothes
What's impressive (if not a bit cursed) is how much detail Nintendo put into the villagers' fur patterns, despite the huge majority of players who will never see those details by default.
People are joking about the pervy or prudish, meanwhile AC fan artists see an opportunity for more accurate drawings :V
Re: Free Alternate Costumes Are Coming "Very Soon" To Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
"Wait, don't be fooled! It's still the same moderate platform fighter with stupid cheap hats! It still has the same lack of polish it did before!"
"...But they got new hats."
Loose Simpson reference aside, it is nice to see that this game is still getting support. While it's a shame all this didn't just come at launch, I don't think I'd mind if updates and support kept coming to a point that maybe they'd pack it all into a "Deluxe Edition" way down the line.
Re: Updated Nintendo Policies Push For Increased Transparency And Diversity
@Lordplops My point is that there is unfortunate subtext when the response to attempts to diversify a workforce is "Just hire the best person for the job!"
You don't think the cases with Activision-Blizzard, Ubisoft, Riot Games(?), and lord knows how much else in this industry alone, didn't already involve hires considered "the best person for the job"? Clearly, that's not fixing the underlying issue here...
Re: Updated Nintendo Policies Push For Increased Transparency And Diversity
@Lordplops But where are you getting the idea that skills are being scarified explicitly for the sake of diversity?
It may not be your intention, but it's that kind of thinking that winds up heavily implying that one thinks women/minority hires are inherently less capable than whatever the "norm" is.
Re: Updated Nintendo Policies Push For Increased Transparency And Diversity
@nessisonett Because certain camps are conditioned not to be too invested or sincere in any conversation regarding sociopolitical issues. Basically, if you care, you lose.
Cuz, heaven forbid we acknowledge that certain groups consistently get the shorter end of the stick in certain industries, much less society... Also funny how some folks in these threads will posture on egalitarianism, as if that isnt some virtue signaling in itself, rather than push for pragmatic solutions and protections for the vulnerable...
Also, cant have an honest conversation without folks resorting to the same One Joke (TM).
It's depressingly predictable at this point.
Re: Pokémon's Diamond & Pearl Remakes Become The Second Biggest Switch Game Launch In Japan
@Dragonite89 It's literally impossible to make everyone happy. One of the curses of being one of the most popular franchises out there is that so many folks want to be armchair CEOs and devs.
Which kinda brings us back full circle...
Re: Pokémon's Diamond & Pearl Remakes Become The Second Biggest Switch Game Launch In Japan
@Dragonite89 I completely understand, but I also recommend being wary of projecting that desire onto others who many not feel the same way (at least to the point of insulting them).
Like, I'm pretty certain the lack of a National Dex has less to do with console power, and more to do with development times (and everything that goes into it) needing to line up with their other multimedia and merchandising endeavors.
I'm not saying you can't have personal hangups over how the series is being handled, but it doesn't really warrant being the moral crusade you're making it out to be. You gotta take a step back from your emotions sometimes and really think about the hill you're choosing to die on.
Re: Pokémon's Diamond & Pearl Remakes Become The Second Biggest Switch Game Launch In Japan
@Dragonite89 My point is that I get the frustration of them not reaching your own expectations (whether they're realistic or not is a whole other discussion), but to insult fans who are enjoying themselves just comes off as the kind of petty and bitter that people roll their eyes at.
I think what also makes it ridiculous is that we're getting a game that's looking to actually try some new things in a little over two months from now. It may not give you exactly what you want, but it seems out of line to think TPC and GameFreak are getting complacent.
Not to make it too personal, but it feels like you're too emotionally invested for there to be good faith discourse over all this...
Re: Pokémon's Diamond & Pearl Remakes Become The Second Biggest Switch Game Launch In Japan
@Dragonite89 I feel like the moment this argument comes up, all bets are off.
Like, it's not even about the quality of the game at hand anymore. It's just cynicism for the heck of it.
Re: Feature: Our Verdict On Mario Golf: Super Rush's Version 4.0 Update - The Final New Characters, Courses And Modes
I feel it's in a good spot now after this update. But I think between Aces and now Super Rush, I wouldnt mind if they ditched Story Mode going forward.
I'd much rather some more content with way more replayability, than a mode that kinda functions as an elaborate tutorial with hit-or-miss dialogue.
Re: NEO: The World Ends With You Has 'Underperformed Expectations', Square Enix Says
It's a shame because NeoTWEWY is such a good game and one of the few JRPGs (action or otherwise) I couldnt put down.
Understandably, though, the series is ultimately a niche IP. It's kind of a miracle it even got a sequel... But I hope this doesnt scare SE from trying at least one more entry just to answer a few more hanging questions.
Re: Random: You've Met Animal Crossing Grandma, Now It's Time For Shin Megami Tensei Grandma
I only listened for a couple of minutes, and it sounds so surreal (in an endearing way) hearing a significantly older person effectively geek out over JRPGs of all things. I'll definitely have to check more later.
It also does put into perspective that folks playing hardcore games in their 70s and beyond will likely be the norm the further along we go. The market of "easily tricked grandparents buying the wrong games for their grandkids" will shrink substantially in the next 20-30 years!
Re: MultiVersus From Warner Bros Is A Free-To-Play Platform Fighter, Skipping Switch
I'm still not crazy about how unhinged the crossover potential will be, but I gotta admit, it actually looks pretty clean. The animations and effects seem to read really well (compared to Nick All-Stars).
My only hangup is that it's hard to get a feel for how fast the gameplay is. So much footage in this announcement video seems to be slowed down.
Re: Rumour: Official Teases Point To Smash Bros. Imitator "Warner Bros Multiversus"
I will say, "Multiversus" is a solid portmanteau. Much more unique than another game with "All-Stars" in its title.
But it's still hard to get excited, as this is just them flexing their IP ownership again. They already spent their shot with both Ready Player One and Space Jam 2; the latter being way more frustrating for making an iconically simple concept unnecessarily complicated and ultimately forgettable...
Re: Review: Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl - A Middling Pair Of Remakes
@alecseus Unless you're being facetious, my general point is to not boil criticism [or praise] down to one or two words.
Re: Review: Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl - A Middling Pair Of Remakes
@alecseus I think tossing the criticism of "lazy" has simply become lazy in itself. Usually lobbed by people who dont understand (or respect) the work it takes to release a competent, functioning, game in the first place.
Even in cases where devs are legit lazy (blatant asset flipping, quantity over quality shovelware ratio, cynically low-effort overall, etc.), one could probably still elaborate with a bit more than two tired words.
Re: Here Are All The Details You Need For Pikmin Bloom's First Community Day
@RupeeClock You actually can. Pikmin Bloom is pretty passive (mainly tracks steps and location when minimized). So as long as your phone has the computing power, you can play one, while checking in on the other.
The bigger hurdle is caring about Pikmin Bloom in the first place. Go has the incentive to walk, catch, trade, collect, and battle. Bloom kinda just has walk and collect.
Re: NIS America Sale Discounts 34 Games On Nintendo Switch
Mad Rat Dead is one of the best platforming-rhythm games that very few people are talking about. It may be a big ask to get folks to both juggle conventional platforming while keeping the beat, but it's very rewarding when you pull it off~
There's also a meaty demo on the eShop that lets you get a good idea if it's for you. I highly recommend it!
Re: Sony's Censors Strike As Switch Gets '20 Ladies' While PS4 Gets '20 Bunnies'
@SamirMalik I would argue that who's doing the censoring, and how, makes a world of difference.
A private company saying "We'd rather not host this..." sucks artistically, but it's their console/platform. So long as it's not the bad kind of discrimination or burying of information, they can make that call, no matter how arbitrary we feel about it.
A government body saying "You can't say this or you'll be fined/arrested!" is a different kind of censorship that can be inherently problematic, but also has a whole realm of nuance to talk about, depending on country and politics.
Personally, I wish people (in a general sense) could temper their reactions to the various kinds of censorship. And I say this as an artist myself.
Re: Sony's Censors Strike As Switch Gets '20 Ladies' While PS4 Gets '20 Bunnies'
I don't know what's funnier: The fact that Playstation owners get the clearly superior version, or the STRONG possibility that these devs might find success and double down on the furry content.