News from the lovely world of the Games Industry.

[Valmy]

Party of three? Goddamnit.

That annoyed me way back in KOTOR.

A huge part of the fun fights in DA was centered around positioning. So what? We are going to just rely on the AI in boss fights? LOL?

That sounds lame. DA was never Darksouls or even BG2 when it came to challenging combat but it had some really good fights and tactical challenges.

[Syt]

From the trailers it looked a lot like Mass Effect combat.

[Legbiter]

The next Dragon Age will likely hit a wall too. They have removed so many features from the old games and are trying to convince us that less is better.

Yeah IGN, bless them, is trying to hype it up but the vibe isn't there like it used to be.

Bioware games used to have compelling stories and characters combined with decent VA and often iconic soundtracks. Gameplay sections look like a mobile game, you jump around and wait for your 3 abilities to get off cooldown.

Who is this game for? People who simultaneously like CRPGs and Raid: Shadow Legends? 

[Legbiter]

First bit of competent marketing so far for Bioware, a Brit plays through the game. 

[Syt]

Skyrim grandma retires: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/im-just-doing-it-for-fun-and-it-isnt-fun-anymore-skyrim-grandma-shirley-curry-is-hanging-up-her-gauntlets-and-retiring-from-making-more-gaming-videos/#comment-jump

'I'm just doing it for fun, and it isn't fun anymore': Skyrim Grandma Shirley Curry is hanging up her gauntlets and retiring from making gaming videos

After nine years of traversing northern Tamriel and amassing over one million subscribers on YouTube, Skyrim Grandma Shirley Curry is done with making gaming videos.

The 88-year-old announced her retirement in a 13-minute video titled "No More Gaming Videos," explaining that she wasn't entirely happy with her decision but that it's for the best. "I'm old and I'm tired, and I don't feel like doing much anymore," Curry said. As well as her age, it seems like the classic content creation burnout has hit our Skyrim Grandma pretty hard.

"It seems I spend most of my time sitting in here at this computer, and lately—probably for the last month—I walk in here, look at my computer and think 'I've got to make a video today,'" she said. "And then I just shake my head at myself and say 'I don't want to, I have no desire to,' and I walk back out."

She continued: "I'm just doing it for fun, and it isn't fun anymore. I'm tired of it, and I'm bored to death with it. So I'm making the decision now, totally, finally. I am not going to be making any more game videos." Curry points out that she's amassed an entire library of gameplay videos over the years, encouraging her upset fans to go back and rewatch those if they want their dose of Skyrim Grandma gaming anytime soon.

It won't be the last we see of Curry, though. She might be done with games, but she says she'll "continue to make vlogs every so often," as well as checking in occasionally to share books she's been reading or potentially even chapters from a book she's thinking of writing.

But for now, it seems like Skyrim Grandma is going to be putting her newfound free time to some backburner projects. "I'm going to start making a quilt I've been wanting to make for a very long time," she said. "I designed the squares a long time ago, so it's going to be a quilt I've designed." Maybe while she does that, Bethesda can fulfil her request and "hurry up" with The Elder Scrolls 6, as she said back in 2022: "I want to play before I die."

9 years is a good run in content creation, and she hung on longer than I did - but I understand those feelings. "Ugh, I'm bored with this now!"

[Syt]

Assassin's Creed franchise lead has spoken out against the "outcry" online against the protagonists in the upcoming Assassin's Creed set in feudal Japan (apparently people are OUTRAGED about the protagonists being African-born black samurai Yasuke (who has been featured in plenty of media before this) and a female assassin.

https://www.pcgamer.com/games/assassins-creed/it-looks-like-ubisofts-finally-had-it-with-the-assassins-creed-shadows-outrage-mill-when-we-self-censor-in-the-face-of-threats-we-hand-over-our-power/

[...]

"The stories we tell, the characters we create and the game worlds we build are instrumentalized by those who seek to silence creativity, to stoke fear and incite hatred. I believe we are facing what Fareed Zakaria calls an 'Age of Revolution', a time when the real conflict is not between the left and the right, but between societies that close themselves off and those that open themselves up to the world. Throughout history, it's the open societies that have always eventually prevailed. While there may be setbacks over years or even decades, it is openness that has continually pushed humanity forward.

"As the authors of 'How Democracies Die' so powerfully stated, democracies crumble when good people decide to stay silent. The same is true, I think, of our creative freedom when we allow fear to stifle our voices. When we self-censor in the face of threats, we hand over our power, piece by piece, until freedom and creativity both wither away. We cannot let that happen. It's time for us as creators to stand firm on our commitment to our values, by telling stories that inspire, that challenge and that help people connect. Our silence cannot become complicit."

[...]

The article has osme more context about the controversy, including pointing out that the series was never taking its historical setting too serious, like when you drove Leonardo's concept "tank".

[The Minsky Moment]

There's been a best-selling novel and two miniseries about the somewhat obscure story of an English sailor who became a samurai; no one blinks an eye there.  But touch the obscure story of an African retainer to a Portuguese Jesuit who became a samurai?  WOKEWOKEWOKEWOKE  Move along, no racism to see here . . .

[Josquius]

Yeah, it's bizare they're screaming murder about how the new ac is just playing some woke diversity card.
Is valhala the only ac game they've played before?
The first game that gave the series it's name was about an Arab. This game is going to be set in Japan. I recall the games always open with a text about how the team who made them was diverse and means no offence.

Really odd special hate for black guys.
Given the success of the Shogun remake it makes perfect sense to see the Yasuke story boosted.

[Syt]

https://www.pcgamer.com/games/roguelike/balatro-dev-swings-at-pegi-for-rating-it-18-because-of-its-evil-playing-cards-jokes-that-he-should-add-microtransactions-like-ea-sports-fc-25-to-lower-that-rating-to-a-3/

Balatro dev swings at PEGI for rating it 18+ because of its 'evil playing cards', jokes that he should 'add microtransactions' like EA Sports FC 25 to 'lower that rating to a 3+'

While I joke plenty about Balatro being a secret psychic prison that's claimed the minds, heart, and souls of about half of PC Gamer's staff, it's only in jest. Balatro is, up and down, exceedingly solid value for money—a modestly-priced indie game without microtransactions or paid DLC and, despite its poker aesthetic, zero interest in promoting gambling behaviour. Unless you ask the Pan-European Gaming Information rating system, which has rated it 18+.

Balatro's developer, LocalThunk, took to X late last week to tear into the decision, writing: "Since PEGI gave us an 18+ rating for having evil playing cards, maybe I should add microtransactions/loot boxes/real gambling to lower that rating to 3+ like EA sports FC."

For context, the PEGI rating for Balatro very directly cites the game's use of poker mechanics as a problem—stating that it "teaches—by way of images, information and gameplay—skills and knowledge that are used in poker ... this knowledge and skill could be transferred to a real-life game of poker."

The hypocrisy that LocalThunk decryeth is the fact that EA Sports FC 25, a game with microtransactions in the form of "random card packs and other game items", is apparently suitable for 3 year olds. Looking into it, the game does at least appear to outright tell you the odds of getting players in its various packs—but the point still stands that one of these games has you actually 'gambling' with real money, the other does not.

"Just to clear it up," LocalThunk adds, "I'm way more irked at the 3+ for these games with actual gambling mechanics for children than I am about Balatro having an 18+ rating. If these other games were rated properly, I'd happily accept the weirdo 18+. The red logo looks kinda dope."

Now, to play devil's advocate, here, PEGI's rating is at least internally consistent. As per the rating system's site, as of 2020, a game that could be considered to "encourage or teach gambling" is an automatic 18+. Balatro does, technically, teach you some of the basic rules of poker—even if it has precious little to do with the actual game itself—whereas you can't get your lootbox fix outside of the game you're playing. It's not like real-life casinos are offering pulls on D.Va skins.

Whether that rating's fair or effective, though, is another thing entirely. Back in 2019, a researcher from York St. John University linked videogame loot boxes to problem gambling, stating that "the more money people spend on loot boxes, the more severe their problem gambling is. This isn't just my research. This is an effect that has been replicated numerous times across the world by multiple independent labs." For context, "problem gambling" refers to the actual behavioural disorder related to gambling. In other words, problem gamblers will sink money into gacha games just as they do real-life slot machines; anime girls or hard cash, it makes no difference.

I think you could make a very strong argument that PEGI's rating system is a little antiquated, here, especially if loot boxes have strong links to real-world gambling conditions—what's more dangerous, a game that teaches you some rules for a real-world gambling card game without the gambling element, or a game that has you paying real-world money for footie gacha? Or actual gacha. Genshin Impact has a rating of 12+.

I especially feel for LocalThunk here, considering the guy's so anti-gambling he's got it in his will that casinos can't make copies of his game. He doesn't even like poker all that much—me either, for the record, though I adore Balatro, even if I am cursed with incredibly bad luck. I just needed a four, man. I had, like, three in my deck. This is why I don't go to Vegas.

[The Minsky Moment]

I recall when the Balatro thing came up, totally insane.  And they are on the money with their response.  Sports gambling is a far bigger problem than poker addicts, and EA sports games are riddled with exploitative microtransactions that appeal strongly to children who are a key marketing target for those games.  PEGI used to give Fortnite an age 12 rating, even though the core gameplay is to go on a mass murder spree for no reason.  The fact that PEGI is industry backed only makes the apparent disparate treatment of a highly successful indie title even more dubious.

[Norgy]

I recall when the Balatro thing came up, totally insane.  And they are on the money with their response.  Sports gambling is a far bigger problem than poker addicts, and EA sports games are riddled with exploitative microtransactions that appeal strongly to children who are a key marketing target for those games.  PEGI used to give Fortnite an age 12 rating, even though the core gameplay is to go on a mass murder spree for no reason.  The fact that PEGI is industry backed only makes the apparent disparate treatment of a highly successful indie title even more dubious.

"Mom, can I have money to buy Pelé in my dream team?"

EA are absolute garbage. But they have certainly set the path for several other companies.

I see Bethesda are releasing a "DLC-sized" mod about vampires for Skyrim. For money, of course. No free lunches.
It is like when you buy a car. The price is high, but you have to buy the extras that actually makes it a decent car.

Or like flying with RyanAir?
"So you want to bring LUGGAGE?", asked the leprechaun.
"Fine, but it'll cost ya".
"Oh, you wanted an actual seat to sit in?"
"Fine, but it will cost ya".

[Josquius]

The problem of EA and lootboxes I recall being talked about yearssss ago...but never seemed to get anywhere.
As yes. Its horrid.

[Barrister]

"Mom, can I have money to buy Pelé in my dream team?"

EA are absolute garbage. But they have certainly set the path for several other companies.

I see Bethesda are releasing a "DLC-sized" mod about vampires for Skyrim. For money, of course. No free lunches.
It is like when you buy a car. The price is high, but you have to buy the extras that actually makes it a decent car.

Or like flying with RyanAir?
"So you want to bring LUGGAGE?", asked the leprechaun.
"Fine, but it'll cost ya".
"Oh, you wanted an actual seat to sit in?"
"Fine, but it will cost ya".

I really think the "loot bag" type of gambling is far, far worse than DLCs.

I think it's hard to imagine a game company releasing content, for free, years after a game has first been sold.  There's just no revenue in it.  But if your DLC clearly states what you'll get, there's no randomness involved, and the game will still operate fine without purchasing the DLC, then what's the issue?

Even if the DLC is just for horse armour.

[Barrister]

Now that being said - it doesn't really help that the initial complaint is about EA Sports franchises, which notoriously have very few changes year-by-year other than roster updates.  But again - nobody forces you to buy each year's version of the various franchises.

[Neil]

There's been a best-selling novel and two miniseries about the somewhat obscure story of an English sailor who became a samurai; no one blinks an eye there.  But touch the obscure story of an African retainer to a Portuguese Jesuit who became a samurai?  WOKEWOKEWOKEWOKE  Move along, no racism to see here . . .

I've been thinking about this lately, whether the explicit push for representation has poisoned the well to some extent.  I guess that's not really testable, since you can't run a control group, but I do think that the acceptance of heroines in film and game prior to the drive for female representation compared to today might indicate something.