Comments 649

Re: Opinion: A Big Life Change Means I'm Happy To Wait For A Brand New Animal Crossing

PharoneTheGnome

I look at a series like AC and think to myself, what can they possibly do to make a NEW version of the game with out deviating too far from the series to the point where it's not an AC game anymore?

To me, what we have right now is the pinnacle of AC. A new AC will either be one of two things: too much of the same OR differs so far from the norms of AC that it doesn't feel like an AC game.

So, what do we do in that case? Obviously for Nintendo, the answer is to keep putting out new expansions for the existing game, and I'm not opposed to that.

As far as a graphics upgrade, they already got that with the Switch 2 edition, so reality is they probably just need to create a new expansion for the existing game that offers a ton of new content. Possibly going to a new island.. or dimension... or planet.. etc.

Re: Ubisoft Layoffs At Two Swedish Studios Expected To Impact 55 Jobs

PharoneTheGnome

I hate to see anyone lose their job no matter if the company they work for sucks or not. I hope they find work soon!

That all being said, the only reason I did not play Star Wars Outlaws was because the game required you have an Ubisoft account to play the game.

I don't understand why game companies think it is ok to force you have an account with their company just to play a game you BOUGHT at the store.

This whole always connected thing needs to go away.

If you buy a game, it should be able to be installed and played WITH OUT connecting up any account related to the game company that made the game.

If you have to have an account with the game company who made the game, then you didn't buy a game. You paid for the right to access a service.

The industry needs to stop selling services and get back to selling products in my opinion.

Again, I am truly sorry for the people who lost their jobs and I hope they recover quickly.

Re: "I Don't See AI Taking Over" - Split Fiction Director Josef Fares On The Rise Of AI

PharoneTheGnome

@PinderSchloss its a tool. There are many, many different tools we call AI today, and there will be many more in the coming years. Eventually, people will stop calling it AI and just refer to it as the product the AI is used in.

The problem is that people keep referring to everything as AI like as if it's some big mythical monster that is here to take over humanity. And... I can't help but to roll my eyes every time I hear it.

It... is... a.... tool.

Nothing more.

Re: Mini Review: Stardew Valley: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - Almost The Cream Of The Crop

PharoneTheGnome

@DennisReynolds You are literally getting free updates and addons to this game for years after it was originally created and sold. And... its done by one guy basically that just does it to give to the community. This isn't UBISOFT or EA throwing trash content at you or Nintendo selling you under-developed over-priced games that they intend to sell you DLC for a couple months after you bought their game for $70 or $80. Not sure what your hostility is about towards Concernedape.

Re: Talking Point: Does It Bother You That Big Games Companies Are Using GenAI?

PharoneTheGnome

See this is the problem with these discussions. People seem to think that Ai is a human replacement.

It's not.

It is a tool that a HUMAN uses to help them do their work.

These discussions will never be useful until the majority of the world understands exactly what Ai is and is not. Ai is not Data from Star Trek The Next Generation. As cool as that would be, it simply is not the case.

Re: Talking Point: Does It Bother You That Big Games Companies Are Using GenAI?

PharoneTheGnome

@somnambulance as a professional programmer of 3 decades in the industry, I can tell you 100% that you are not correct when you say " There’s some novelty there, but it doesn’t truly improve much in terms of quality and doesn’t expedite anything either".

It is a tool, and when the tool is used properly, it does expedite the work and can improve the quality of the output. Again, it is a tool.

Re: Talking Point: Does It Bother You That Big Games Companies Are Using GenAI?

PharoneTheGnome

If what they make is crap, don't buy it.

Do you remember the ton of crap games we got on the market back when the CDROM was invented? There was a crap ton of trash level CRROM games that came out simply because they could put full motion videos on them. They disappeared almost as fast as they appeared.

The industry learns from their failures.

Let them fail with bad Ai implementation, and they will adapt.

Re: UK Charts: Metroid Prime 4 Falls From The Top Ten

PharoneTheGnome

Look at the games in the top ten and remember this is less than two weeks before Christmas.

Parents and Grandparents are buying games with titles they recognize for their children/grand children.

  • Mario Kart World
  • EA Sports FC 26
  • Pokémon Legends: Z-A
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
  • Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
  • Minecraft
  • Donkey Kong Bananza

Re: The Game Awards 2025: Time, Date & How To Watch

PharoneTheGnome

Never really cared for award shows. They've never appealed to me no matter if it is game awards, movie awards, or music awards. Usually I find that my ratings don't even come close to that of some industry insider who decides these things. Just ends up feeling like someone telling me what I should like.

No thanks, but I hope those of you that like that sort of thing enjoy it.

Re: Pokémon Pokopia Reveals "Peculiar" New Forms In Extended 10-Minute Trailer

PharoneTheGnome

@SlowPokemon that is the one reason that I started buying games digitally. I got tired of wanting to power up a game for a little bit and having to go swap out cartridges to do so.

The opportunity that Nintendo missed out on with game key cards was they should have made it so you put the in the game key card and it downloads the digital version and NOT require you to put the card back in ever.

Re: Opinion: Animal Crossing On Switch 2 Has Me Equal Parts Buzzing And Baffled

PharoneTheGnome

Nintendo is going to want a full $70 game to sell in each of their IPs for the Switch 2.

This $5 Switch 2 upgrade is just a way for them to make a little extra money off of an existing game.

You can count on a new Animal Crossing made specifically for the Switch 2 in the next year or two. I guarantee it.

You can count on a $70+ new game made specifically for the Switch 2 for all of the following:

  • Mario Kart (already done)
  • Donkey Kong (already done)
  • Mario Brothers
  • Luigi's Mansion
  • Zelda
  • Yoshi
  • Paper (RPG)
  • Pikmin
  • Metroid
  • Animal Crossing
  • Soccer
  • Tennis
  • Golf
  • Kirby
  • Fire Emblem
  • Mario Party
  • Super Smash Bros

The only question is WHEN each will come about, but you can mark my words that each and every one of these will get a main line $70+ Nintendo Switch 2 only game in this system's life time. Nintendo is in business to make money. These are their money makers.