Tag: Videogames

Forbes Calls Call of Duty “Rank Up XP” Promotion Unholy

Activision and Pepsi are teaming up for a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 promotion that gives gamers time to earn double experience points when they buy participating products. The “Rank Up Your Game” web site shows Mountain Dew and Doritos as foods that will earn double XP. In a recent article, Forbes called the promotion “nothing short of unholy.” Here’s an excerpt:

The promotion is called “Rank Up XP,” and the long and short of it is that by buying certain Pepsi products, namely Mountain Dew and Doritos, players can redeem codes in the packaging for Double XP time in Modern Warfare 3. A 20 oz gets you 15 minutes, a 12 pack gets you 45, and so on.

Why is this a problem? Because XP is currency in these games, and whoever has more of it first is at a distinct advantage. More XP, especially when the game is new, means more weapons, more perks, more attachments, more killstreaks, and subsequently, usually more wins. Offering Double XP to someone who purchases Pepsi products is selling out about as much as you can, and for a franchise that’s already been accused of pushing the limits with “Elite” monthly membership and overpriced map packs, it goes to show that Activision will exploit its fans in any way they can.

Perhaps I’ve been desensitized by years of marketing, but I don’t see what’s so bad about the promo. I’ve certainly seen worse and it’s not like I expect Activision to offer a deal that rewards gamers for buying organic direct-trade fruit. It’s a marketing deal that combines a popular game with popular junk food. It’s not benefiting mankind, but I wouldn’t go as far as to call it “unholy”.

Actually, let’s take it to another level. Calling it unholy is f*cking stupid. There are people without homes and food. There are people that are being denied their civil rights. There are people without jobs and health insurance. I don’t know Paul Tassi, the author of the Forbes article, but I’m inclined to think that he’s a moron if he truly believes a “Call of Duty + Mountain Dew = double XP” promotion is unholy compared to all the other things going on in the world. If earning double XP in a questionable way is unholy, then how do you describe what’s going on in Myanmar and North Korea?!?

What do you think? Is Activision teaming up with Doritos for double XP unholy? Or is it just another marketing deal?

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Journey (thatgamecompany) Coming in Spring 2012

Thatgamecompany creative director Jenova Chen has announced that Journey will be available in Spring 2012. Oh happy day! As many of you know, I loved Flower and am a big fan of thatgamecompany. I’m thrilled that the game has a more precise release date.

Anyone else looking forward to this one?

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This Week’s Videogame Releases

There are tons of great games coming out this week! As a comic-book nerd and Silicon Knights fan, I’m most excited about X-Men Destiny. Football (soccer) fans have FIFA 12 and Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 to devour (go Man City!). The PlayStation 3 is arguably the most interesting platform this week with The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection, Child of Eden, Tom Clancy’s: Splinter Cell Classic Trilogy , and Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland set for release.

Any of you planning to pick up new games this week?

Coffee Talk #402: My Gilligan’s Island RTS Dream

Last week I had one of the silliest videogame dreams I’ve ever had in my life. In my dream, I was feverishly playing a Gilligan’s Island real-time strategy game made by Blizzard…

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, digesting outstanding birthday food, Michael Vick complaining about referees, or rooting for Manchester City, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Last week I had one of the silliest videogame dreams I’ve ever had in my life. In my dream, I was feverishly playing a Gilligan’s Island real-time strategy game made by Blizzard. I was harvesting bamboo to build war huts. I was gathering coconuts to make coconut-cream pies to hurl at my enemies. I was defending Queen Mary Ann Summers from the villainous Emperor Howell and the mad scientist Professor Roy Hinkley. From the bits I remember, it was an intense battle played out in wonderfully polished and addictive Blizzard RTS.

Yeah, pretty ridiculous, hey? It’s been awhile since I’ve had such a vivid and crazy videogame dream. I had to share it with you. I’m also trying to remember what I ate that night and wondering if anyone slipped me any absinthe….

Have you had any crazy videogame dreams lately? Please share them in the comments section! If you were playing a Gilligan’s Island RTS, which team would you pick? Are you a Ginger? Is Skipper your man? Or would you go with good old Gilligan? Also, is anyone else shocked that some hack TV executive hasn’t tried to remake Gilligan’s Island?

Dish Network’s Blockbuster Movie Pass Goes After Netflix

Earlier today, Dish Network announced its Blockbuster Movie Pass. This option lets subscribers stream video content to PCs and television sets. An optional mail-in program allows subscribers to rent physical discs, including movies, TV programming, and videogames. Here’s more information on what the service entails from the press release:

  • Mail It! – More than 100,000 DVD movies, TV shows and games available by mail. No additional charge for high definition Blu-ray movies. One, two or three disc plans available. Queue management made conveniently from a link at www.dish.com.
  • Stream it! – Stream more than 3,000 movies to the TV. Stream more than 4,000 movies to the PC. Watch hundreds of on-demand TV shows.
  • Play it! – More than 3,000 video games by mail for Xbox, Xbox 360, Playstation 2, Playstation3, and Nintendo Wii.
  • Exchange it! – Unlimited exchanges of DVDs and video games at participating Blockbuster stores.
  • Watch it! – More than 20 premium entertainment movie channels from studios like MGM, Epix, Sony Movie Channel, PixL and more.

Blockbuster Movie Pass aims to steal customers away from Netflix, Gamefly, and the upcoming Netflix spin-off Qwikster. Starting at $10 per month, the service costs more than Netflix, but Dish promises that the content choices will be superior. Initially, the service will not have apps for mobile operating systems like Android and iOS, but my evil twin brother at Padvance found out that Blockbuster Movie Pass mobile apps are on the way.

Blockbuster Movie Pass should be an interesting Netflix alternative, especially when the mobile apps roll out. As a gamer, I can’t help but wonder how Gamefly is handling all of this. In less than a week two major competitors popped up. Ouchie.

Any Dish Network subscribers out there? Are you tempted to sign up for Blockbuster Movie Pass? What do you think of the game-rental option?

Conan O’Brien Does Gears of War 3 Spoof

Check out this clip of Gears of War 3 from Conan. It’s cute and cool. I absolutely love that videogames are a regular part of late-night television hosted by younger comedians. Shows like Conan and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon feature games all the time. Of course it helps that people with gaming backgrounds, like the excellent Gavin Purcell, are behind the scenes. One day soon, gamers will control the media and the government. Then there’s no stoppin’ us! Muahahahahaha!!!

Anyway, check out the clip and let me know what you think of it (please!).

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

My Diablo III beta key arrived earlier this week and I’ve barely spent time with the game. That changes this weekend. I plan to play the hell out of the beta. I’m also toying with going to an Apple Store and seeing if one of the Geniuses will let me try the game on a high-end iMac. Yeah, I can’t afford one at the moment, but I’m curious to see how the game runs on a fully-loaded 27-inch iMac. Maybe I should fly to RPadholic TheJediRevan’s store….

How about you? What’s on your weekend playlist?

Coffee Talk #401: Heavy Characterization vs. Transparency

Do you prefer videogame protagonists with deep characterization or ones that are more transparent? The former allows for characters with richer backgrounds and back stories, while the latter allows you to slip into…

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, mixers that go well with top-shelf tequila, your AL East Champion New York Yankees, or looking forward to a large birthday steak, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Do you prefer videogame protagonists with deep characterization or ones that are more transparent? The former allows for characters with richer backgrounds and back stories, while the latter allows you to slip into the hero’s armor, space battle suit, bell bottoms, etc. I’m sure you’ve enjoyed both styles in several games, but I’m also sure you have a preference. Which one is it?

Let’s use the Dragon Age games as an example. In Dragon Age: Origins, you could select from a variety of relatively transparent characters. Yes, they all had back stories, but for the most part you could transpose your personality on the lead character. In Dragon Age II, you played as an established character named Hawke. Yes, you could make him/her really good, really sarcastic, or somewhat evil, but the choice were much more limited. In terms of plot and characterization, it’s a huge difference (and one of the reasons the second game is so polarizing).

I enjoyed Origins tremendously. It was fun marching around Ferelden through different perspectives. Whether I was a human, dwarf, Dalish elf, or city elf, I enjoyed molding my hero to fit my personality. I also enjoyed Dragon Age II. It was fun learning about Hawke, his history, his family, etc. Instead of the enjoyment of transposing myself onto the hero, I enjoyed learning about a character’s background and taking his/her life in new directions.

For the most part, I enjoy characters that are heavily written. Don’t get me wrong; I definitely enjoy transparent characters too, but as a writer I prefer experiencing characters other people have written instead of ones I imagine myself to be. I suppose some of that stems from being a comic-book geek. I just love learning about and adventuring with other people’s characters (you down with O.P.C.?!?).

And you? Do you prefer characters with heavily scripted backgrounds and personalities? Or do you prefer transparent characters that let you imagine what it’s like to be the hero?

DC Universe Online Moving to Free-to-Play Model

Sony Online Entertainment has announced that DC Universe Online will be switching to a free-to-play model featuring three tiers. Between the attractiveness of being “freemium” and the popularity of DC Comics’ “The New 52“, the game stands to catch another wave of success. Here are some more details from executive director of development Lorin Jameson via PlayStation Blog:

  • Free Access – Just like it sounds. Download and play the game for free. You also get all ongoing game updates (except DLC packs).
  • Premium Access – This next level of access opens up to you if you spend at least $5 in the in-game store. Premium Access grants you additional benefits that improve your experience in the game, such as more inventory slots, more character slots, bank slots and more free Vault tickets. So all you have to do is pick up some cool items in the store or buy a DLC pack and you unlock Premium Access. The best part? Once you unlock Premium Access you keep it for the life of your account.
  • Legendary Access – With Legendary Access you can unlock the maximum level of features and benefits. To unlock Legendary Access you can pay for a $14.99 per month game pass, or save big with a discounted multi-month pass. Lifetime members are automatically granted Legendary access. Legendary Access also includes all DLC packs at no extra charge.

I haven’t touched DCUO in months, but I’d be interested in giving it another go if any of you are down. So how about it? Any of you guys and dolls thinking of playing DCUO when it becomes free-to-play?

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Qwikster = Netflix Disc Business + Videogame Rentals

Netflix has announced that it will be separating its streaming business from it’s disc-based business. A new spin-off company named Qwikster will handle disc-based rentals, including videogames. Similar to Blu-ray pricing, videogames will be an optional premium service on top of the monthly Netflix Qwikster fee. In a letter to Netflix customers, CEO Reed Hastings wrote:

Qwikster will be the same website and DVD service that everyone is used to. It is just a new name, and DVD members will go to qwikster.com to access their DVD queues and choose movies. One improvement we will make at launch is to add a video games upgrade option, similar to our upgrade option for Blu-ray, for those who want to rent Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 games. Members have been asking for video games for many years, but now that DVD by mail has its own team, we are finally getting it done. Other improvements will follow. A negative of the renaming and separation is that the Qwikster.com and Netflix.com websites will not be integrated.

A-ha! All of the sudden Netflix’s recent price increase makes a lot more sense! It will be interesting to see how this all pans out. Obviously streaming is where all media is heading, but many consumers still prefer discs due to things like DVD features, multi-language subtitles, and the unmatched quality of Blu-ray. There are also more movies and TV shows to choose from on disc, though the gap is getting smaller all the time.

Then there’s the GameFly factor. It’s very, very smart for Qwikster to get into the games business. GameFly is, by far, the leading rental service in the country. I wonder how many people have both Netflix and GameFly subscriptions. I also wonder how many of those people will cancel their GameFly subscriptions when Qwikster game rentals become available. Since I’m doing a lot of wondering, I’ll just wonder about the number of people that were considering cancelling their Netflix subscriptions, but are giving it second thoughts now that games are part of the mix.

Naturally, I want to know what you make of all this (I can make a brooch or a hat or a pterodactyl!). What do you think of Netflix as a standalone streaming video service? What do you think of Qwikster as a service that lets you rent movies, television shows, and games? Will you subscribe to both, one, or none of these services? You think the peeps at GameFly ought to be worried? Shout it out in the comments section (please)!