Gaming
- Remembering Prey, Arkane Austin’s masterpiecewww.rockpapershotgun.com Remembering Prey, Arkane Austin’s masterpiece
Remembering Prey, quite possibly the only good videogame ever made
- Helldivers 2 Community Manager Seemingly Gone After PlayStation Login Meltdownkotaku.com Helldivers 2 Community Manager Seemingly Gone After PlayStation Login Meltdown
Encouraging Steam review-bombing may have cost one Arrowhead employee their job
- What’s Even The Point Of Xbox Game Pass Now?kotaku.com What’s Even The Point Of Xbox Game Pass Now?
As Microsoft becomes more risk averse, its subscription service lacks purpose
- Making good, profitable games 'will no longer keep you safe': industry expresses fury and heartbreak over closure of Hi-Fi Rush and Prey studioswww.pcgamer.com Making good, profitable games 'will no longer keep you safe': industry expresses fury and heartbreak over closure of Hi-Fi Rush and Prey studios
Gamers and game developers are reeling from yet another wave of layoffs and studio closures.
- Nintendo makes first Switch 2 announcementwww.eurogamer.net Nintendo makes first Switch 2 announcement
Nintendo has officially discussed Switch 2 for the first time, and laid out a rough timetable for when we'll see the mu…
- Microsoft’s Xbox Is Planning More Cuts After Studio Closings
Without paywall: https://archive.ph/e7Fgt
- Xbox’s Shift To ‘High-Impact’ Games Is Misguided At Best, Reckless At Worstkotaku.com Xbox’s Shift To ‘High-Impact’ Games Is Misguided At Best, Reckless At Worst
Xbox’s move risks endangering more studios and its own projects, rather than helping the company remain afloat
- Hackers discover how to reprogram NES Tetris from within the gamearstechnica.com Hackers discover how to reprogram NES Tetris from within the game
New method could help high-score chasers trying to avoid game-ending crashes.
- Redfall's devs were reportedly building out its massively delayed Hero Pass content 'very recently'—before Microsoft closed Arkane Austin for goodwww.pcgamer.com Redfall's devs were reportedly building out its massively delayed Hero Pass content 'very recently'—before Microsoft closed Arkane Austin for good
Don't (in fact, can't) call it a comeback.
- Big Video Game Publishers Like Microsoft Are Paving Their Own Path To Irrelevanceaftermath.site Big Video Game Publishers Like Microsoft Are Paving Their Own Path To Irrelevance - Aftermath
The logical endpoint of prioritizing short-term profits over long-term anything
- PlayStation Reversing Course On Helldivers 2 Is Both Smart And A Sign Of How Inept It Iskotaku.com PlayStation Reversing Course On Helldivers 2 Is Both Smart And A Sign Of How Inept It Is
This isn’t the first time the company has had to course correct after a boneheaded decision
- Microsoft Closes Redfall Developer Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush Developer Tango Gameworks, and More in Devastating Cuts at Bethesdawww.ign.com Microsoft Closes Redfall Developer Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush Developer Tango Gameworks, and More in Devastating Cuts at Bethesda - IGN
Microsoft has closed a number of Bethesda studios, including Redfall maker Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, and more in devastating cuts at Bethesda, IGN can confirm.
- Bethesda’s Failure To Capitalize On The Fallout Renaissance Has Been So Very Bethesda - Aftermathaftermath.site Bethesda’s Failure To Capitalize On The Fallout Renaissance Has Been So Very Bethesda - Aftermath
Bethesda wasn't going to drop a new Fallout game alongside the Amazon show. But what we ended up getting was worse than nothing.
- Damnatory Arbitration
> Image shows screenshot of XCOM2: War of The Chosen: Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Terms of Service, with an added Mandatory Arbitration clause in Section 15.
Came back to the game after a year or so, just to see this:
At least they let us disagree to the ToC. Not sure if I can play the game after that though, since I just exited after clicking the
disagree
button.Also, at least they show us the changes on the top, so we know what happened.
- Nintendo Goes After 8,535 Switch Emulator Backups In Mass Takedownkotaku.com Nintendo Goes After 8,535 Switch Emulator Backups In Mass Takedown
The Zelda maker is hunting down rogue repositories on Github
- Kerbal Space Program fans react with anger over Intercept Games closure, and you know what that means: Review bombing on Steamwww.pcgamer.com Kerbal Space Program fans react with anger over Intercept Games closure, and you know what that means: Review bombing on Steam
Despite promises from Private Division, the Kerbal community is worried that KSP2 has been abandoned.
- 'We have not confirmed any instance of Vanguard bricking anyone's hardware' following its League of Legends rollout, Riot says, but there are definitely problems for some playerswww.pcgamer.com 'We have not confirmed any instance of Vanguard bricking anyone's hardware' following its League of Legends rollout, Riot says, but there are definitely problems for some players
If you bypassed the TPM 2.0 requirement while upgrading to Windows 11, you're probably going to have trouble.
- Launching A $60+ Game Seems Like A Bad Idea Right Nowkotaku.com Launching A $60+ Game Seems Like A Bad Idea Right Now
Games like Helldivers 2, Palworld, and Manor Lords are dominating at lower price points
- Don't say Manor Lords was made by a 'solo developer,' argues competing city builder maker: 'The team size on it is maybe even larger than ours'www.pcgamer.com Don't say Manor Lords was made by a 'solo developer,' argues competing city builder maker: 'The team size on it is maybe even larger than ours'
The developer of Farthest Frontier takes issue with the notion that Manor Lords is a one-person production.
- Helldivers 2 Community At War Over Controversial PSN Requirementkotaku.com Helldivers 2 Community At War Over Controversial PSN Requirement
One announcement has fractured a gaming community that was previously united and happy
- The U.S. video game industry's unemployment rate is likely far higher than the national averagewww.gamefile.news The U.S. video game industry's unemployment rate is likely far higher than the national average
Plus: 10,000 new negative reviews of Helldivers II, and 6 fascinating indie games set for release on the same day
- Government Response - Petition: Require videogame publishers to keep games they have sold in a working statepetition.parliament.uk Petition: Require videogame publishers to keep games they have sold in a working state
Require publishers to leave videogames (and related game assets / features) they have sold to customers in a reasonably working state when support ends, so that no further intervention whatsoever is necessary for the game to function, as a statutory consumer right.
tl;dr: we will do nothing about it
Full response below
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The Government recognises recent concerns raised by video games users regarding the long-term operability of purchased products.
Consumers should be aware that there is no requirement in UK law compelling software companies and providers to support older versions of their operating systems, software or connected products. There may be occasions where companies make commercial decisions based on the high running costs of maintaining older servers for video games that have declining user bases. However, video games sellers must comply with existing consumer law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs).
The CPRs require information to consumers to be clear and correct, and prohibit commercial practices which through false information or misleading omissions cause the average consumer to make a different choice, for example, to purchase goods or services they would not otherwise have purchased. The regulations prohibit commercial practices which omit or hide information which the average consumer needs to make an informed choice, and prohibits traders from providing material information in an unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely manner. If consumers are led to believe that a game will remain playable indefinitely for certain systems, despite the end of physical support, the CPRs may require that the game remains technically feasible (for example, available offline) to play under those circumstances.
The CPRs are enforced by Trading Standards and the Competition and Markets Authority. If consumers believe that there has been a breach of these regulations, they should report the matter in the first instance to the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 (www.citizensadvice.org.uk). People living in Scotland should contact Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000 (www.consumeradvice.scot). Both helplines offer a free service advising consumers on their rights and how best to take their case forward. The helplines will refer complaints to Trading Standards services where appropriate. Consumers can also pursue private redress through the courts where a trader has provided misleading information on a product.
The CRA gives consumers important rights when they make a contract with a trader for the supply of digital content. This includes requiring digital content to be of satisfactory quality, fit for a particular purpose and as described by the seller. It can be difficult and expensive for businesses to maintain dedicated support for old software, particularly if it needs to interact with modern hardware, apps and websites, but if software is being offered for sale that is not supported by the provider, then this should be made clear.
If the digital content does not meet these quality rights, the consumer has the right to a repair or replacement of the digital content. If a repair or replacement is not possible, or does not fix the problem, then the consumer will be entitled to some money back or a price reduction which can be up to 100% of the cost of the digital content. These rights apply to intangible digital content like computer software or a PC game, as well as digital content in a tangible form like a physical copy of a video game. The CRA has a time limit of up to six years after a breach of contract during which a consumer can take legal action.
The standards outlined above apply to digital content where there is a contractual right of the trader or a third party to modify or update the digital content. In practice, this means that a trader or third party can upgrade, fix, enhance and improve the features of digital content so long as it continues to match any description given by the trader and continues to conform with any pre-contract information including main characteristics, functionality and compatibility provided by the trader, unless varied by express agreement.
Consumers should also be aware that while there is a statutory right for goods (including intangible digital content) to be of a satisfactory quality, that will only be breached if they are not of the standard which a reasonable person would consider to be satisfactory, taking into account circumstances including the price and any description given. For example, a manufacturer’s support for a mobile phone is likely to be withdrawn as they launch new models. It will remain usable but without, for example, security updates, and over time some app developers may decide to withdraw support.
Department Culture, Media & Sport
- Kerbal Space Program 2 studio reportedly shut down by Take-Twowww.eurogamer.net Kerbal Space Program 2 studio reportedly shut down by Take-Two
It appears that Take Two is closing down Intercept Games, the studio behind Kerbal Space Program 2
- Farm Folks CEO On Boob Physics: ‘We Don't Want To Attract Nasty People’kotaku.com Farm Folks CEO On Boob Physics: ‘We Don't Want To Attract Nasty People’
A bizarre post from an in-development indie game has sparked controversy and questions
- Any action RPG with HD-2D art-style?
HD-2D, as in, the artwork that resembles the style of Octopath Traveller, Triangle Strategy and Bravely Default series? I would love to see something that resembles the gameplay of the Mana series in that art-style.
- A 30+ Year Old RPG System for the Commodore 64setsideb.com A 30+ Year Old RPG System for the Commodore 64
It's been months now since I announced my plans to release some project involving LOADSTAR, a 17-year computer magazine on disk, either here or on itch.io, or both. I'm still working on them. In the meantime, I present this, a packaged-up release of Dungeon on itch.io, a complete old-school R
Downloadable on Itch at https://rodneylives.itch.io/c64-dungeon
- Mariokart 8 Sucks.
Just came here to rant.
The other Mariokarts have charm. They're polished in their own way.
Mariokart 8 is a polished turd.
Boooooooooooooo
- [Macro] FRIENDS VS. FRIENDS Overview
YouTube Video
Click to view this content.
Sharing this video because this game is seriously an underrated gem, I can't recommend it enough. Love supporting an indie dev with such a unique concept.
- [factorio] First time creating a timelapse, not perfectly happy but meh
Video
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- Escape From Tarkov dev finally caves, says people who paid $150 for the game will get access to its new mode 'in waves'www.pcgamer.com Escape From Tarkov dev finally caves, says people who paid $150 for the game will get access to its new mode 'in waves'
Battlestate's COO stated he was "sorry that fans and the game community in general are experiencing these feelings."
- Tarkov studio claims it actually doesn't have the server capacity for everyone who bought the game for $150 to play its upcoming PvE mode, still wants players to pay extrawww.pcgamer.com Tarkov studio claims it actually doesn't have the server capacity for everyone who bought the game for $150 to play its upcoming PvE mode, still wants players to pay extra
Battlestate Games continues to assert that this upcoming mode does not constitute "DLC," and is thus not part of the $150 bundle.
- Nintendo forces Garry's Mod to delete 20 years of content — Garry confirms Nintendo is behind Steam Workshop purge | Tom's Hardware
Nintendo is literally a depressing company right now....
- This Fallout-inspired post-apocalyptic wasteland game runs in Excel, because spreadsheets will outlive us allwww.pcgamer.com This Fallout-inspired post-apocalyptic wasteland game runs in Excel, because spreadsheets will outlive us all
Some would argue using Excel was like living in a post-apocalyptic wasteland already. Zing!
- 'Marketing's dead, and I can back this s**t up': Larian's publishing director says players 'just want to be spoken to, and they don't want to be bamboozled'www.pcgamer.com 'Marketing's dead, and I can back this s**t up': Larian's publishing director says players 'just want to be spoken to, and they don't want to be bamboozled'
In our State of PC Gaming roundtable, Larian's Michael Douse argues marketing isn't the right way to reach today's gaming audience.