I thought I’d try something different this afternoon. This post is your chance to ask me a question – any question – so long as it’s about the games industry. If there’s something you’ve been dying to know, perhaps there’s some piece of trivia you’re just mildly curious about or maybe you just want my opinion on something, here’s where you ask it.
So, go on, ask me stuff. Just pop your question in the comments and I’ll get around to answering it today.
And if you’re wondering why I chose a screenshot of Far Cry 2 to illustrate this post, then you really should know better by now…
UPDATE: To judge by the response, I should make this a regular feature. If I don’t get to your question today, feel free ask it again next week!
David Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 2:45 PM
@Akra
I assume you’re talking about publishers complaining about poor sales. If you tally up revenue from digital distribution services such as Steam, as well as subscription-based models such as WOW, then I’m sure you’d see the PC games industry overall is very healthy.
Publishers are struggling to adapt their business models to the dynamic PC market. What works on console – ie. a disc in a box sold at retail – doesn’t necessarily work, or work as well, on the PC any more.
Piracy’s a massive problem of course, but the likes of Blizzard and Valve are demonstrating how to combat it. So next time you hear a PC developer or publisher whining about piracy causing their game’s poor sales, ask yourself if theye really understand the way the market’s changed.
Report PermalinkBen Abraham
March 11, 2009 at 3:04 PM
Also, “how is babby formed?” =P
Report PermalinkSteve
March 11, 2009 at 3:08 PM
Hi David,
Quick question for you here, what game released over the past 12 months (any platform) has done the most to re-invent or revolutionise it’s genre? Having been a gamer for quite a while I’m starting to get a bit of a “same old, same old” mentality from titles being released at the moment. Don’t get me wrong, still enjoy playing them, but I’d be keen to get your opinion on one I could pick up which would help break the cycle.
Cheers
Report PermalinkUnicron
March 11, 2009 at 3:09 PM
Hi David,
Why does Nintendo put so many forgetable and unwanted games on the virtual console service? As we all know there are so many good games that people want (SNES mario kart, Majora’s mask) those 2 games alone would make Nintendo a few more million $.
Report PermalinkHow and who makes the desicions on what games get the virtual treatment?
David Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 3:13 PM
@Dean
Not me. You’re thinking of an ex-editor of Hyper…
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 3:17 PM
@Andrew
To be honest, mandatory installs are a trivial issue. It’s not really that much of a hassle to delete one of half-a-dozen games you’re probably not playing in order to install a new one. At least most PS3 owners have at least 40gigs to play with. I had to pick up a 120gig drive for my 360 after filling up the 20gig with XBLA games.
Report PermalinkPiro-san
March 11, 2009 at 3:30 PM
As a 16 year teenager, who hopes to work in the gaming industry, what courses should i pick for years 11 and 12?
Report PermalinkAnd how much does a 1st year game coder, artist, programmer etc get paid?
Dr_Stef
March 11, 2009 at 3:58 PM
I always wondered: The games that are developed, do all of them always need special treatment before release dates in Germany?
Or is that only for the games with blood & gore?
Say for instance Mortal Kombat has their fatalaties faded out and green blood, or no blood.
Would actually be funny if games like Kirby would be censored too
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 4:00 PM
@Sarafan
Import games are a challenge for the local industry, especially as more titles are released region-free. I suppose that if it forces local distributors to fast-track local releases – and, to be fair, we’re not typically lagging 3-6 months behind the US any more – then it’s only good news for us.
One thing to consider about imported games though: who do you go to if you need customer support?
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 4:03 PM
@Damian
I don’t have an answer for that. Save to say, the MS Points currency conversion is fixed at 100 = $1.65. Perhaps the PlayStation Store, due to its real dollar pricing, can be more flexible as the exchange rates fluctuate.
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 4:04 PM
@Angelo
Unfortunately, EA’s lips remain sealed on this topic. I’m sure it will come out, but they will not say when at this stage.
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 4:14 PM
@Ben Abraham
@Sam Burnett
I knew I’d get this question! My advice would be to create your own blog and start writing. Consider it practice. Involve yourself in the games blogging community and in doing so spread word of your own writing.
Making the step from amateur to professional is tough because there are so few opportunities for paid work. Your best bet is to approach a publication with a sample article you’ve written specifically for them. Email the appropriate editor with an outline or the first few paragraphs. Also link them to your blog so they can see evidence of your ability. If they bite, great; if they don’t, try pitching it to another outlet.
Finally, don’t look at it as a full-time career. And remember you have to be a writer first and a gamer second, so practice the former just as much – if not more – than the latter.
Report PermalinkBen Abraham
March 11, 2009 at 4:25 PM
Great tips. Thanks David.
Report PermalinkSneaky Otter Man/Woman
March 11, 2009 at 4:37 PM
When will xbox live have download-able versions of retail games like Burnout Paradise or Lost Planet 2? Recently news broke that the download restrictions are now just recommendations.
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 4:45 PM
@Mr Explody
Late last year Microsoft were hopeful it would launch in early ’09. I asked them about it a few weeks ago and they did not have a timeframe for the launch of Community Games channel. Nor did they know when Xbox Live Primetime would launch. If you look in the “too hard” basket, you’ll probably see them lying next to Video Marketplace and Live Anywhere.
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 4:46 PM
@Sam
Call them.
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 5:13 PM
@Ben Abraham
You’ve played Fable 2, haven’t you?
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 5:30 PM
@Steve
I love what Far Cry 2 did for the single-player FPS, bringing in an open world element that allows the player to approach the action at their own pace and with their own tactics. Going back to playing a linear, scripted shooter like FEAR 2 or Killzone 2 afterwards was difficult.
Both Burnout Paradise and Test Drive Unlimited did similar things for the racing genre, as well as adding a real community vibe.
LittleBigPlanet, Left 4 Dead, Braid, Wii Sports, Drawn To Life, to name a few more, have each contributed innovation to their genres in recent-ish times.
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 5:38 PM
@Unicron
I wish I knew the answer to this! My guess is that third-party publishers choose titles from their own back catalogue and submit them to Nintendo. These are then placed in a queue and released according to some inscrutable formula that takes into account potential sales, the format it was on, the genre, and whether the publisher may wish to tie it in to promote another full price release. And no doubt a bit of blind luck as well.
I imagine that Nintendo would rather hold back such first-party titles as Super Mario Kart and Majora’s Mask because they know they stand to make even more money should they choose to re-release them on DS.
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 5:40 PM
@Dr_Stef
German censors are sensitive to the blood and gore you mention, but also Nazi references. Unlike here and in the US though, sex and nudity is alright with most European countries.
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 5:45 PM
@Sneaky Otter Man/Woman
Given the majority of 360 owners have only a 20GB hard drive – of which only 13GB is actually available – I’d suggest a future of downloadable full price games is some way off for now. However, with the 60GB console becoming standard, this will change.
As a side issue, I’ve never understood why the 360 hard drives were so overpriced considering the only reason you need one is to buy more stuff from Microsoft…
Report PermalinkSarafan
March 11, 2009 at 8:03 PM
Re: David
If by customer support do you mean Msoft support telling my friend that his import copy of GTA IV from the UK is cause of his console getting RROD and that an Australian copy wouldn’t have done that? If so i think i can do without local customer service :P
Report PermalinkDavid Wildgoose
March 11, 2009 at 8:11 PM
@Sarafan
As stupid as that is, your friend did hand them that excuse…
Report PermalinkSarafan
March 11, 2009 at 9:02 PM
Re: David
Ahaha i so agree i still give him a hard time over it. I did try telling him that it wasn’t worth importing GTA IV for the tiny difference in the first place so that was the icing on the cake for me :D
Report PermalinkBrady
March 12, 2009 at 12:51 AM
David what is your favorite:
Report Permalink1) Video Game (from each genre if you can’t pick just one)
2) Anime
3) Movie (same rules as 1)
4) Gadget