Category: Today’s Specials

Coffee Talk #138: Should Sony Have Made a Play for Bungie/Respawn?

Last weekend I hung out with two industry friends that argued (separately) that Sony should have made a big-time play for Bungie or Respawn. (This is what game geeks do over coffee or lunch. It’s like when jocks get together and discuss what GM moves they’d make for their favorite NBA team. In both cases, none of the participants are qualified to steer the ship.) Their arguments were basically the same — although Killzone and Resistance are respectable franchises, it would have been killer for Sony to have its own Call of Duty or Halo, exclusively. Nabbing the creators of those franchises would have been huge.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, graciously recapping last night’s Lost for me, round two of the NBA playoffs, or Rasheed Wallace remembering how to play basketball for one night, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Last weekend I hung out with two industry friends that argued (separately) that Sony should have made a big-time play for Bungie or Respawn. (This is what game geeks do over coffee or lunch. It’s like when jocks get together and discuss what GM moves they’d make for their favorite NBA team. In both cases, none of the participants are qualified to steer the ship.) Their arguments were basically the same — although Killzone and Resistance are respectable franchises, it would have been killer for Sony to have its own Call of Duty or Halo, exclusively. Nabbing the creators of those franchises would have been huge.

Today I want to invite you into the conversation. Pretend you’re a hotshot Sony executive. Looking through the retroscope, do you think it would have been wise to lay out a ton of money for exclusive deals with Bungie or Respawn? Are Resistance and Killzone big enough bullets for the company? How crazy would it have been if Bungie or Respawn became first-party studios for Sony? If you could only sign one of those companies, which one would it be (poll below)? How would you upstage Kaz Hirai at Sony’s E3 2010 press conference?

I can’t wait for all your answers today! Let’s make it fun!!!

[poll id=”41″]

Coffee Talk #137: What Do You Hate About Modern Games?

Yesterday I asked you about classic gaming features you miss. Today I want to know what modern gaming features you loathe. Games aren’t automatically more fun just because technology is more advanced and development techinques have improved. Sometimes there are trends that decrease the fun level. So get into your bitter barn and think about the things you hate in today’s games.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Bryan Danielson winning a match before E3, the lost Lost script, or your favorite Poison song, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Yesterday I asked you about classic gaming features you miss. Today I want to know what modern gaming features you loathe. Games aren’t automatically more fun just because technology is more advanced and development techinques have improved. Sometimes there are trends that decrease the fun level. So get into your bitter barn and think about the things you hate in today’s games.

As for me, I hate that consoles have to be online for some content to be accessed. It absolutely sucks that certain bits of DLC need to be verified through the Internet. If you’re Internet service is out or your playing your console on the road without a connection, there’s a good chance that you can’t play everything you’ve purchased. I understand why the online check happens, but there has to be a better way, no?

Now it’s your turn! What are the trends in gaming that irk you? Tacked on cooperative play? Day one DLC? I want to know!

Sony Selling Extended Warranties for PS3 and PSP Systems

Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced that it will offer extended warranties for its PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable consoles. Retailers like GameStop and Best Buy already offer extended warranties. While the added protection offers gamers peace of mind, warranties have proven to be quite lucrative for retailers.

Sony’s press release lists its warranty pricing as:

  • PS3 — 1-year extension ($49.99) or 2-year extension ($59.99)
  • PSP — 1-year extension ($29.99) or 2-year extension ($39.99)
  • PSP with Accidental Damage — 1-year extension ($39.99) or 2-year extension ($49.99)

It’s a smart move by Sony and I’m sure it will make a lot of money selling warranties. A lot of people don’t take advantage of the warranties they purchase. Some people forget that they even bought them. It’s a safe bet that the money Sony spends on repairing consoles covered by extended warranties will be a drop in the bucket compared to the revenue generated by warranty sales.

Are any of you going to plop down cash for an extended warranty? Or are you confident in the reliability of your PlayStation products?

Coffee Talk #136: What Classic Gaming Features Do You Miss?

Games get better all the time. Development techniques improve. Gameplay styles evolve. Consoles and PCs become more powerful, which allow them to be potentially more immersive. Despite all of these factors, there are things I miss about the good old days of gaming. Perhaps it’s the primitive charm of classic games or maybe I like how old games required me to imagine or maybe it’s simply nostalgia, but there are many things I miss about the classics.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Floyd Mayweather’s annihilation of Shane Mosley, what the hell happened to Rasheed Wallace, or your best wishes for Bret Michaels, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Games get better all the time. Development techniques improve. Gameplay styles evolve. Consoles and PCs become more powerful, which allow them to be potentially more immersive. Despite all of these factors, there are things I miss about the good old days of gaming. Perhaps it’s the primitive charm of classic games or maybe I like how old games required me to imagine or maybe it’s simply nostalgia, but there are many things I miss about the classics.

The dying (perhaps dead?) gameplay convention I miss the most is turn-based combat in RPGs. I totally understand why RPGs have moved towards real-time combat — it’s more appealing to a broader audience. I get it…but I don’t like it. I loved the combat in Japanese RPGs like Final Fantasy IV/V/VI. The epic turn-based battles in titles like Final Fantasy Tactics, Ogre Battle, and Disgaea are some of my fondest gaming memories of all time. Sadly, that gameplay style is on the endangered species list.

Today I wanted to ask you about aspects of classic gaming you miss the most. What conventions and gameplay styles get you teary eyed? Perhaps there’s a storytelling technique you miss. Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

Why Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Will Beat “Sugar” Shane Mosley

The biggest fight of 2010 — “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather vs. “Sugar” Shane Mosley — is hours away. I’m super excited for this fight. It will be the biggest challenge in Mayweather’s unblemished career and another stiff challenge for Mosley. Personally, I’m hoping that Shane beats the crap out of Floyd…but I don’t see it happening.  Although Shane has a decent chance, I think Mayweather safely boxes his way to a unanimous decision. Here’s why.

Age — Mosley is 38 years old. Although he’s smarter in the ring, he’s clearly a step slower than he used to be. His hand speed and foot speed aren’t what they were five years ago. Mayweather is 33 and much closer to his prime; he’s also one of the fastest and smartest fighters in the history of the sport.

Mayweather’s Jab — All of Mosley’s losses came against fighters with effective jabs — Vernon Forrest, Winky Wright, and Miguel Cotto. Some experts have argued that Mosley has trouble with tall and lanky fighters, which is certainly true in the Forrest and Wright fights. However, Cotto is a pretty…compact fighter that isn’t particular tall and doesn’t have a long reach. He was also able to use his jab to contain Mosley. Mayweather has an excellent jab and I can see him sticking it in Mosley’s face all night.

Mosley’s Win Against Margarito is Overrated — A lot of people have been pointing to this fight as Mosley’s “born again” moment. That’s a bunch of crap. Margarito is a slow, plodding, and uncomplicated brawler that was perfect for Mosley. It was a good win, but entirely overblown and made people forget about Mosley’s other recent fights. It took Mosley a long time to get rid of Ricardo Mayorga. He also went 16 rounds over the course of two fights with Fernando Vargas. Both Mayorga and Vargas were shot fighters when they faced Mosley. A prime Mosley would have gotten both of them out of there in a single round. Again, Mayweather is in his prime and his skills are top notch. He’s on an entirely different echelon than Margarito, Mayorga, or Vargas.

The Mayweathers Know How to Beat Mosley — I believe that Shane Mosley lost his second fight against Oscar De La Hoya. “The Golden Boy” landed more punches and out-boxed Mosley. De La Hoya’s trainer for that fight? Floyd Mayweather, Sr. Although Mosley’s trainer, Nazim Richardson, has been getting a lot of (well deserved) attention for his work with Mosley, a lot of people have forgotten that Mayweather, Sr. was part of the aforementioned De La Hoya camp. Although Mosley won the official decision, a lot of people thought he lost the fight. Either way, Mayweather, Sr. knows what it takes to frustrate Mosley.

Five years ago, I would have taken Mosley over Mayweather…possibly by knockout. That said, I can’t pick a 38-year old Mosley over Mayweather. I’d love to be wrong and I’d love to see Mosley inflict some permanent damage to Mayweather, but I can only see this fight ending in a unanimous decision for Mayweather. There will be some moments where Mosley’s speed and power will challenge Mayweather, but ultimately Floyd’s speed, smarts, footwork, and defense will allow him to pot shot his way to a win. I hate that guy.

Coffee Talk #135: Do Villains Make the Hero?

My friend and I were having a nerd lunch yesterday, talking about Iron Man’s crappy rogues gallery. It was extra funny because we were eating at a restaurant made famous by Swingers and there were a few minor celebrities around. As Hollywood did its thing, we wondered if Iron Man’s popularity wasn’t as high as it could have been due to his extraordinarily bad villains. Crimson Dynamo?!? The Mandarin?!? Fin Fang Foom?!?

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, being jealous of RPadholic smartguy’s HTC Incredible, the chances of Mark Cuban holding an NBA championship tropy, or why you think Shane Mosley will beat Floyd Mayweather, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

My friend and I were having a nerd lunch yesterday, talking about Iron Man’s crappy rogues gallery. It was extra funny because we were eating at a restaurant made famous by Swingers and there were a few minor celebrities around. As Hollywood did its thing, we wondered if Iron Man’s popularity wasn’t as high as it could have been due to his extraordinarily bad villains. Crimson Dynamo?!? The Mandarin?!? Fin Fang Foom?!?

Every hero needs a good villain to fight. Batman probably has the best assortment of baddies, which is one reason he’s globally popular. The X-Men have to deal with Magneto’s brand of mutant justice and a large portion of the world hating/fearing them. Heroes like The Flash and Daredevil have been elevated in popularity thanks to their villains. Heck, Flash’s adversaries call themselves “The Rogues”, while DD has edgy opponents like Bullseye, Elektra, and Kingpin.

Do you think villains make the hero? Does a comic-book protagonist need top-shelf baddies? Or can the hero win the hearts and minds of the public regardless of who he/she is fighting?

Activision and Bungie Sign 10-Year Publishing Agreement

In a tremendous move with all sorts of implications, Activision and Bungie have closed on a 10-year publishing-agreement. Here’s a snippet from the press release:

They have entered into an exclusive 10-year partnership to bring Bungie’s next big action game universe to market. Under the terms of the agreement, Activision will have exclusive, worldwide rights to publish and distribute all future Bungie games based on the new intellectual property on multiple platforms and devices. Bungie remains an independent company and will continue to own their intellectual property. Additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The partnership is brilliant for Activision on several levels. It helps take attention away from nasty legal battle with its former Infinity Ward employees. It also replaces the talent lost from Infinity Ward creators jumping to Respawn. Since Infinity Ward clearly isn’t going to be the powerhouse studio it once was, Activision needed to replace it with another top-notch studio. Bungie is one of the few studios that can match the quality and success that Infinity Ward brought to the table. There are many gamers that would argue that Bungie makes better games.

As for Bungie…well, it has a partner with a boatload of money and global marketing muscle. Gamers will also see its titles on multiple platforms, which will be huge.

Naturally, I want to hear your thoughts on the partnership. Let ’em fly (please)!

Source

PadCast: EEDAR’s Jesse Divnich Talks iPad, DLC, E3, and More

EEDAR vice president of analyst services Jesse Divnich is the latest RPad.tv PadCast guest. My favorite analyst in the business discusses all sorts of videogame topics, answers reader questions, and reveals the super power he covets in this clip. Here’s the laundry list of talking points:

  • The Nintendo 3DS
  • Whether the PSPgo is a dead system
  • How awesome Sony’s E3 press conference would be if it were hosted by Kevin Butler
  • How the Apple iPad impacts the gaming market
  • Whether investors and venture capatilist have cooled on the console market in light of the hotness of mobile and social gaming
  • Whether Sega, as we once knew and loved it, is gone forever
  • DLC trends
  • E3 2010 predictions
  • What’s coming on 10/10/10
  • What super power he would chose and why

Give it a look, give it a listen, and leave any comments you have below.

Coffee Talk #131: You Down with DLC (Yeah You Know Me!)

Yes, today’s column was totally inspired by Naughty by Nature’s “O.P.P.”, which has been stuck in my head for the last hour. Anyway, I wanted to see what your issues were with DLC. Perhaps I’m getting soft in my advanced age, but I’m not really angry about things like DLC on day one or DLC on a retail disc being unlocked over time. “Features” like that piss some gamers off. I can see why, but I also see how these types of DLC are useful in halting used-game sales.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, former light heavyweight champion Tomasz Adamek schooling Chris Arreola (a really fat heavyweight), Javier Vazquez sucking in Yankee pinstripes, or today’s BlackBerry announcements, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Yes, today’s column was totally inspired by Naughty by Nature’s “O.P.P.”, which has been stuck in my head for the last hour. Anyway, I wanted to see what your issues were with DLC. Perhaps I’m getting soft in my advanced age, but I’m not really angry about things like DLC on day one or DLC on a retail disc being unlocked over time. “Features” like that piss some gamers off. I can see why, but I also see how these types of DLC are useful in halting used-game sales.

Like I said, I don’t have a problem with these DLC deterrents, if you will (said like Dusty Rhodes). How do you feel about them? Do they irritate you? Do they make you not want to buy certain products? Or are they an acceptable nuisance? Maybe you’re like me and it doesn’t really bother you? Share your thoughts on the matter (please)!

Coffee Talk #130: Games You’ve Enjoyed Thanks to Friends

For the most part, we all know what kind of games we’ll like and won’t like. Every now and then, a surprise comes our way. One of the best ways to receive a gaming surprise is through friends. A great friend of mine recently dropped by for lunch on his way back up to San Francisco. We’ve gone through a lot together, but there’s one game that always reminds me of him: Culdcept. I admit that I would have totally ignored this game if he didn’t put it on my radar. Thanks to him, I’ve gotten dozens of hours of entertainment from a game I wouldn’t have tried on my own.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Tim Tebow going so early in the draft, the Yankees’ first triple play in more than 40 years, or whether the world is passing Nokia/RIM by, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

For the most part, we all know what kind of games we’ll like and won’t like. Every now and then, a surprise comes our way. One of the best ways to receive a gaming surprise is through friends. A great friend of mine recently dropped by for lunch on his way back up to San Francisco. We’ve gone through a lot together, but there’s one game that always reminds me of him: Culdcept. I admit that I would have totally ignored this game if he didn’t put it on my radar. Thanks to him, I’ve gotten dozens of hours of entertainment from a game I wouldn’t have tried on my own.

Do you have any gaming surprises like that? Are there any games you like or love thanks to recommendations by friends? Surely there must be a game you would have dismissed but didn’t, thanks to a pal telling you about it. I want to hear your friends-turn-you-onto-game stories today!