Seal-clubbing is a time honored tradition. It is the online digital gaming equivalent of hazing; of putting newbs on the frat pledge line and putting them through the ringer. In truth, it is much less “congenial” than that, if I can use that term even in reference to frat hazing (which tells you just howContinue reading “Starting Fresh in New Eden: What Exordium Means for New EVE OnLine Players”
Tag Archives: video-games
Another Studio, Same Market: Why New Game Companies Keep Missing Reality
Nope. This doesn’t make any sense. And it is exactly what I am talking about is part of the industry problem. What am I on about? Today, GameRant reported that Jason Blundell opened a new studio, Magic Fractal. This is the third studio he has opened in 5 years. None of which have shipped aContinue reading “Another Studio, Same Market: Why New Game Companies Keep Missing Reality”
Welcome to the Suck: Console Players Meet the PC Market Reality
“To be successful, games need to be on every platform.” “The most successful games are multiplatform” => They are also the ones that tend to be cross-generational. If you’ve been playing the games that supposedly “everyone plays” while they “ignore exclusives” and believe “exclusives don’t matter”, then a persistent cross-generational state of affairs in aContinue reading “Welcome to the Suck: Console Players Meet the PC Market Reality”
How Project Helix Could Wind Up Being a Very Anti-Consumer Convergence Device
If the console function is just for BC, then Xbox is asking you to pay a premium for the reward of buying a digital replacement for the Xbox Series X you already own, and then charging you an addl tax b/c they say you also need a PC to go along with it, b/c theyContinue reading “How Project Helix Could Wind Up Being a Very Anti-Consumer Convergence Device”
A Delayed Bond, a Patient Industry: What 007 First Light Says About 2026
From the WccfTech article by David Carcasole: IO Interactive had one final holiday surprise for players ahead of the release of its next game, 007 First Light: a delay. The studio announced that the game has been delayed by two months and will no longer release on its previously announced release date of March 27, 2026.Continue reading “A Delayed Bond, a Patient Industry: What 007 First Light Says About 2026”
Of Saturated Inventories and Too Little Demand (A Proof Scribbled in the Margin) – Games Don’t Need to be on Every Platform
If Steam gamer’s only spent 14% of their time in new games in 2025… Then assume that 14% = 0.14 the demand signal for new games on Steam… Steam MAU is 132mn… Give 264mn for consideration of the monetized PC gaming market to account for people playing Fortnite, Riot games, etc…anything untracked… So for anyContinue reading “Of Saturated Inventories and Too Little Demand (A Proof Scribbled in the Margin) – Games Don’t Need to be on Every Platform”
The Disintermediation Game: Xbox, Copilot, and the Next Front in Platform Power
I wish I had more time to write today. Unfortunately I don’t, so I am going to present some ideas, some queries and scenarios I asked ChatGPT to juggle, and some references for thoughts on the impact of AI on eCommerce and how it could impact the video game industry and provide insight into whatContinue reading “The Disintermediation Game: Xbox, Copilot, and the Next Front in Platform Power”
No Savior Is Coming: The Post-Platform Reality of the Gaming Industry
Yesterday, PC Gamer, along with numerous other outlets, reported on the large-scale layoff at Amazon, the corporation cutting some 14,000 jobs. The PC Gamer angle was to focus on the impact to the gaming division specifically. And I wanted to further pull this industry event apart in conjunction with the statements of yesterday from SatyaContinue reading “No Savior Is Coming: The Post-Platform Reality of the Gaming Industry”
Nvidia’s Quiet Retreat from 8GB GPUs Could Reshape PC Gaming Standards
Many console gamers have gotten it twisted in their efforts to console war with their brothers and sisters across the aisle on the Xbox side of the House. They have unfairly accused the Xbox Series S as being the culprit that is holding back gaming. But as I have often advised, it is not theContinue reading “Nvidia’s Quiet Retreat from 8GB GPUs Could Reshape PC Gaming Standards”
When the Cool Factor Fades: What Apple Gets Right and Xbox Still Misses
It’s been about a year since I made the decision to convert entirely to iOS for my mobile needs and shift to MacOS for everything I do computing, using Windows only for gaming. I have had some brief moments of remorse for my ex, Android. I still have my Google Pixel Fold and Samsung ZContinue reading “When the Cool Factor Fades: What Apple Gets Right and Xbox Still Misses”