Comments 202

Re: US Research Analyst Believes Gaming Could Become 100% Digital By 2022

TheMadPolarBear

There are so many factors here to consider:

1) PC market made the shift more or less with Steam. These days, almost all PC games are digital only with multiple stores (Origin, Uplay, Blizzard app etc)

2) Mobile market is already digital only however, the games are small in size and are quick and accessible compared to other platforms.

3) Not all countries/areas have good internet, which can mean it may take hours or even days for some people to play the game they just bought in comparison to a physical copy, which can help to mitigate the download size. PC gamers know what they’re getting into but for console only users, this could be a shock. Furthermore, bandwidth caps may limit the amount of games a consumer can purchase in a month.

4) Download speeds on PC and mobile are usually able to use the full speed of your bandwidth. Some consoles download slower e.g PS4 whilst others are perfectly respectable with their allowed download speed e.g Xbox.

I think it’s too early for the console market to completely switch over to digital only based on the above. The key issue to me is mainly the internet speeds available to certain countries/parts of countries, which may lead to some consumers delaying their purchase due to frustrations with internet constraints.

Re: Nintendo Takes A Swipe At Sony Over Fortnite's Cross-Platform Issues On Switch

TheMadPolarBear

@OveDue You are correct. Rocket League has cross platform with PC but is unable to play with Switch ane Xbox.

Portal 2 on PS3 also has cross platform play with PC via logging into Steam, something the Xbox 360 did not support because Microsoft refused.

Sadly in Portal 2’s case, as of 22nd May 2018 due to GDPR, Valve has opted to shut down Steam support for Portal 2 and CSGO on PS3, meaning that for Portal 2 at least, there is no more cross platform support and you can no longer play online, meaning you cannot get all the trophies anymore. Apparently the reason given is the tech to update PS3 titles at Valve was retired years ago. Such a shame.

Re: Guide: How To Play Fortnite On Switch If You've Played Before On PS4

TheMadPolarBear

@Anti-Matter If you have NEVER played Fortnite and logged into your Epic account on Fortnite, then you will be fine.

You use your Epic account for Cross platform play between PC, Switch, Xbox One and Mobile. The moment you log in on your PS4 Fortnite and link your account, then this happens:

  • Progress is locked to PC, PS4, Mobile
  • Unable to use Epic account on Switch, Xbox One.

It is at that point you would need to make a NEW Epic account.

Short version - Have one Epic account for PC, Switch, Xbox, mobile but make ANOTHER Epic account if you ever intend to play Fortnite on PS4

Re: Dead Or Alive 6 Might Come To Switch If Technical Hurdles Are Overcome

TheMadPolarBear

@BraveLilac Turning down settings can only get you so much. There are other factors that play a part in a games performance that simply changing the settings cannot fix. A few simple examples would be:

  • Memory size and bandwidth limitations (PS4 and XBO have access to around 5GB useable RAM whilst Switch has 3GB or so). Lowering texture quality can help but further tricks may be required + new lower quality textures may need to be made for the Switch
  • CPU performance. Switch’s slower CPU speed may require further efforts in getting a game to run. Examples of factors that are affected by a slower CPU include physics (bullet drops, realtime, collision etc), netcode, graphics (yep!), AI, number of AI on-screen, larger maps. The Pro and One X, whilst having pretty good GPU’s are also suffering from slow CPU’s. Checkout PUBG’s Xbox performance or Destiny 2, those games cannot hit anything higher than 30fps so imagine if they’re struggling then some things mah be impossible to get running on Switch’s weaker CPU.
  • Different architecture. A game engine may not be designed to work on ARM architecture, which means extra effort to the entire game engine will need to be done so it supports it. PS4 and XBO on the other hand are x86, much like a PC, making development easy for those. For some companies like EA, this is the reason why Frostbite games haven’t appeared because the cost to make an engine support ARM architecture, plus port the game is probably not enough to make a profit or may take too long and thus cause further delays.

Those are just some possible reasons to try and give you a rough idea. I had to write this very quickly due to work but i hope it helps somewhat.

Re: Rejoice, Fortnite Fans: Switch Battle Royale Title Crazy Justice Is Shaping Up Nicely

TheMadPolarBear

Eh, there are two juggernauts really in the BR genre - PUBG (PC) and Fortnite (mainly consoles). I don't see any other BR suddenly making waves or surging to popularity.

Fortnite's massive turnaround and success is due to hard work by EPIC games but equally, they took advantage of a number of shortcomings by PUBG. PUBG's failure to get a decent working version of the game onto Xbox and PS4 left the console market open and allowed Fortnite to reinvent itself as a free to play alternative to PUBG, to marked success.

Regardless, I agree with other posters saying the BR bubble will pop. PUBG and Fortnite are the Call of Duty and Battlefield of the genre so it is doubtful any more games will rival their success.

Re: No, Sega Is Not Returning To The Home Console Arena

TheMadPolarBear

@Moroboshi876 The handheld market can have more. The PSP sold 80+ million units. By no means is that a failure, despite the DS selling 150+ million. Yes they didn't win, but the PSP still sold well.

The PSVita was completely mishandled. No marketing, proprietary memory cards that were extremely expensive, lack of exclusives and support from Sony itself, lack of support from other developers, all of these contributed to the Vita's failure. The 3DS on the other hand, Nintendo managed to save after screwing up the launch.

No market is impenetrable. Lets not forget that Sony's entry into the home console market was unthinkable with Nintendo's and Sega's dominance at the time, as was Microsoft's with the OG Xbox.

Re: No, Sega Is Not Returning To The Home Console Arena

TheMadPolarBear

Years ago I wouldn’t have minded. The Dreamcast was way ahead of its time and it had solid exclusives to boot, let down only by Sega’s mismanagement and financial situations due to failures with the 32x, Mega CD and Saturn.

These days Sega’s IP’s are of pretty poor quality. Shenmue 3 is on PS4, Sonic Team can’t get its s*** together for a 3D Sonic game and PSO2 is Japan only to name a few. If Sega’s IP’s had better quality over the years, I wouldn’t mind a Dreamcast 2 but as it stands, their games aren’t good anymore

Re: UK Retailer GAME Sees Revenue Rise Thanks To Switch, But Profit Is Down Year-On-Year

TheMadPolarBear

I stopped buying from Game purely because they are massively overpriced in my area compared to online retailers such as Amazon or even regular supermarkets such as Tesco. Bayonetta was £54.99 in my area at Game compared to £40 on Amazon.

For the prices they charge, no way. Same thing with their used games. Inconsistent quality, incomplete. I'd rather by a used game from Ebay so I can see what I'm getting before purchase.

Re: Playerunknown's Battlegrounds On Mobile Gives Hope For Switch Port, Says Digital Foundry

TheMadPolarBear

@XenoShaun It is due to CPU issues. The Xbox One and PS4 used an AMD Jaguar 8 core CPU, which when the consoles were released, was already massively outdated (the GPU’s were alright though for the time). The PS4 Pro and One X use slightly faster versions of the same CPU’s but it’s nowhere near on par with even the cheapest CPU’s out there today (checkout DF’s Destiny 2 video to demonstrate this).

PUBG heavily relies on the CPU for a variety of factors, including the following:

Netcode to keep track of 100 players movements
Player physics across the open map
Bullet drop/travel for all players
Vehicle physics and movements
Telling the GPU to render the massive map, geometry, textures, players etc.

These factors significantly impact the Xbox One (X)’s ability to run PUBG, leaving the devs not much headroom due to how weak the CPU is in the One (X). It’s also the reason why open world games like Assassin’s Creed and Shadow of War are only 30fps (AI also puts strain on the CPU, as does alot of the above factors in these games).

The mobile version is impressive, so it does mean there is a possibility for a Switch version IF they use the mobile version as a base. It may not be worth it though.

I’m happy with the PC version myself, runs amazingly on my old PC so i’ll stick with that. I would not recommend PUBG on consoles until PUBG is at least running at a stable 30fps.

Re: Review: PAYDAY 2 (Switch)

TheMadPolarBear

Got the game for free from Steam a few years ago, the game is just not for me. Found it to be rather boring though my pals enjoyed it.

Given what i’ve read about the Switch version, combined with devs track record surrounding consoles, i’d advise people to be cautious with this one.

Re: Review: Bayonetta (Switch eShop)

TheMadPolarBear

@retro_player_22 I always try to purchase a physical copy where possible and it is incredibly disappointing when companies don’t release one (Bayonetta, RE Revelations 1+2, Yooka Laylee).

However, there is a reason why Digital titles will never be cheaper than their physical counterparts, despite the cost savings from not having to do a manufacturing run. The reason? It will put retailers out of business. Most retailers are already struggling as consoles slowly shift to a digital era, much like the PC did with Steam so having cheaper than retail prices would likely have a severe impact.

Nothing beats a physial copy in my opinion but there are those who simply go where the price/convenience is.

Re: Video: How Overwatch Helped A Street Fighter Legend Overcome His Hatred Of Video Games

TheMadPolarBear

@GoldenGamer88 Of course, don’t get me wrong, I completely agree. Moaning in an unranked, non-competitive mode is uncalled for as winning/losing has no real impact at all other than “better luck next time” or “on to the next one”. It is a shame that you’re experiencing that in Quickplay. Those people should stick to competitive if they want a meta based, competitive play to win try hard experience.

Re: Video: How Overwatch Helped A Street Fighter Legend Overcome His Hatred Of Video Games

TheMadPolarBear

@GoldenGamer88 In MP games like Overwatch, I have no problem with players doing what they like. It’s a game, have fun!

However, in games that have a specific competitive mode such as Overwatch (Ranked), CSGO, Dota etc, then it becomes incredibly frustrating if people are not playing to win. Competitive modes to me are for those who want to win, whilst the unranked playlists (quickplay in Overwatch) are for when/people who just want to have fun and not care about ranks.

Yeah competitive can be stressful but it is also rewarding when you do something that makes your team win or tip the balance in your favour. The ranking system usually helps to match you with people of your skill level so you gradually improve and get more intense matches. If you’re at a semi-decent level and get this one guy who decides to not play as a part of a team in a ranked match, then yes I think that person should not be playing the competitive playlist because they’re ruining the game for their team.

Re: Switch Surpasses Wii U Lifetime Sales in UK, But Its Dominance Isn't As Strong As Elsewhere

TheMadPolarBear

@Cosats He means that the UK game market is not the same as the European one. Europe tends to favour PS4/Nintendo in Western Europe with PC being more popular in Eastern Europe.

Xbox on the other hand, doesn't fair as well in Europe compared to NA but has a strong presence in the UK. Nintendo has a stronger presence in Europe and other regions but this is not reflected in the UK.

Basically, the UK games market needs to be treated differently and Nintendo need to come up with a different strategy for the UK as a 'European' strategy has proven to be ineffective.

Re: Switch Surpasses Wii U Lifetime Sales in UK, But Its Dominance Isn't As Strong As Elsewhere

TheMadPolarBear

@roadrunner343 Yeah, see it always annoys me. The funny thing is, if you call them out by saying how good quality the games are, people usually reply saying Mario/Zelda/Pokemon are exactly the same games "every year".

You should see the look on their faces when you ask them whether they buy Fifa/Cod/Battlefield/Assassins Creed every year. Suddenly the rules no longer apply, despite Nintendo's exclusives innovating and taking years to release. It is laughable at this point.

Re: Epic Games Is Interested in Bringing Fortnite to the Switch

TheMadPolarBear

Having played PUBG since it’s early access release back in April, Fortnite never looked appealing at all to me.

However, there’s no denying its popularity with console players (especially since PUBG is too difficult to run at a decent FPS right now on Xbox). If Epic bring Fortnite to the Switch with cross platform support for Xbox and Switch ala Rocket League, i’ll probably consider giving Fortnite a chance.

As it is, i’m happy with my Chicken Dinners on PUBG.

Re: Sorry Netflix Fans, You Won't Be Watching Stranger Things On Your Switch Anytime Soon

TheMadPolarBear

@SIMOMEGA Because they’re not allowed to hint that they’re outsourced. Believe it or not, a lot of people do not like dealing with tech support who ‘don’t know what they’re talking about’ because they’re not actually a part of Netflix themselves, rather a contracted support centre.

You would be surprised how often people get annoyed at it (if they figure it out) whilst the vast majority either don’t care or don’t know. Regarding big business decisions such as Netflix being on a new device, it is standard procedure to say there are no plans if head office hasn’t announced anything. Customer support has to word it in such a way that there is no outright denial but also no hint of a confirmation. To do either causes a PR headache and the customer support centre can get into trouble.

It’s actually rather interesting. And specifically regarding what you said about customer support saying they haven’t heard from head office, the immediate response to that is for customers to ask for head office’s details, which obviously the support centre can’t give and again could cause a headache.

Re: Soapbox: Dark Souls’ Ruthless Recipe Perfectly Suits Switch’s Evolving Audience

TheMadPolarBear

@KingSandyRavage DS1 is the best of the trilogy. It's also the most difficult. Too many games these days handhold you and basically play the game for you, it is refreshing that Dark Souls dares to challenge you like the old days.

DS1 is more difficult than its successors and if you've never played it, you will die. But like any game, it has a rhythm. Enemies all do massive amounts of damage but have attack patterns. Patience, care and being inquisitive reward you with powerful weapons and gear, as well as giving you a massive advantage (rolling to me is far better than blocking for example). Every area will have you on edge, you know you're strong if you're patient and learn the enemies (that doesn't mean dying over and over) but you also know that you are equally vulnerable to them. And when you finally beat that boss or clear that area that you were struggling with, you will feel a sense of accomplishment. Then as you proceed into more difficult areas, everything you learned till that point will balance out the difficulty curve to the point where you will be questioning why you ever struggled with the early game. And if you do get stuck, you have loads of players ready and willing to help guide and help you through the area's through co-op.

It may seem boring to watch, but it is something else to play. Dark Souls will challenge you and if you're not used to its style, it will cause you to die a lot. But if you stick at it, Dark Souls is one of the most rewarding and entertaining games you could possibly play. I highly recommend you give it a shot, borrow from a friend if you must or try the original on PS3/360 from a friend before committing to the remaster on Switch or another platform of your choice.

Re: GAME Praises Nintendo and Talks of 'A Constant Supply of Stock' for Switch

TheMadPolarBear

@GC-161 Agreed. I want nothing more than for Nintendo to get more recognition in the UK as it is well deserved but it seems to be a retail issue just as much as it is the way the consumer perceives Nintendo. I've always owned Nintendo systems since the N64 and OG Gameboy and would love for people here to take Nintendo a little more seriously.

Granted, some of my friends and people I know are genuinely interested in the Switch though they're still not convinced.

Re: GAME Praises Nintendo and Talks of 'A Constant Supply of Stock' for Switch

TheMadPolarBear

@MisterKorman Basically in the UK, where I live at least, everyone just assumes Nintendo is for kids. They’re the same people that claim Mario and Zelda haven’t changed and are the same game (despite years in between releases and innovations) yet are more than happy to buy their yearly Battlefields, Call of Duty’s and Assassins Creed.

Irony at its finest but sadly this mentality and image of Nintendo is everywhere here. Disappointing since this wasn’t the case during the Gamecube era.

On top of that, since the Wii U started failing, Nintendo has next to no shelf space for their home consoles. Even now the Switch has only one small section. I think if retailers like GAME actually gave the Switch more shelf space it would probably help build awareness.

Re: Video: See How Well DOOM Holds Up on Switch Compared to Xbox One

TheMadPolarBear

@Jokerwolf 60fps affects response time in the controls as well. The result is the game can feel more sluggish when running at 30fps, not just the look of the game.

For quick reaction games such as FPS/Racing and SOME platforming games, the slower response time in the controls can be frustrating. That said, I'm expecting Doom to be used as a Single Player experience so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I'll pick this one up on the Switch again.

Re: Review: Sonic Forces (Switch)

TheMadPolarBear

Playing the Switch version and only got to stage 6 at the moment. So far the game is actually enjoyable. I don't think it's as bad as everyone says. I expected it to play like Generations and that's exactly what it feels like, good enough for me.

My only gripe is the rushed feel to the game with some things told to you in text when changing the scene and the somewhat typical 3D Sonic drama story.

Of course my current opinion may change later in the game but so far, it's a "if you liked Generations, you'll like this" from me.