Square Enix: How The Mighty Have Fallen

It's hard to believe that at one point in time, Square Enix used to be one of the biggest names in video games. It still is, but not in the same way. Whereas they used to be an acclaimed developer known for their amazing RPG's, they no longer warrant the attention they once deserved. But why?

Well, let's go back a ways first. You see, people don't have super fond memories of Square Enix, it's usually Square. Square is the company that came up with a little game series called Final Fantasy. Other gems include Parasite Eve, Kingdom Hearts, Legend of Mana, Vagrant Story, Xenogears, and Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Perhaps you have heard of a few of them? In 2003, Square was merged with publisher Enix best known for Valkyrie Profile, Star Ocean, and the other juggernaut RPG franchise, Dragon Warrior/Dragon Quest. Square Enix now appeared to be an RPG developer that nobody else could touch.

Too bad for Square Enix, they decided to no longer touch RPG's for the most part either. While Square was a developer, Square Enix became more of a publisher with some instances of developing games. Front Mission 4, Romancing SaGa, Kingdom Hearts 2, and Final Fantasy XII were some games that came within 3 years of the acquisition that were developed by Square Enix. Then, the turn for the worse started to become evident.

While they were never opposed to releasing handheld games, it soon became a more reoccurring aspect to their releases. From the merger in 2003 to the end of 2005, they developed 15 games and only one was a handheld game with co-developer Jupiter. This release was Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories on the DS. In a similar time frame between 2006-2008, they released 19 console and handheld games. Only 7 of them were console releases. Not to say handheld games will be terrible, but considering some of these games are Pingu's Wonderful Carnival, Snoopy DS: Let's Go Meet Snoopy and His Friends, and Mario Hoops; they don't quite command the attention a new game in a successful franchise would warrant. And of the new Final Fantasy games released, it was 4 years between XII and XIII that were littered with Crystal Chronicles, spin offs such as Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, and in recent years have re-released many of the older games.

Then perhaps one of the worst moves they ever made was to tease a remake of Final Fantasy VII, one of the most beloved RPG's of all time. After the movie Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children was released, the idea of a sequel or remake started making waves. They then touched on the Final Fantasy VII universe again with Dirge of Cerberus, but the worse offender came at E3 2005. There, they tried to show what kind of power the PS3 was capable of. And to do so, they remade the beginning sequence of Final Fantasy VII with HD graphics. They let loose the hounds of hell with this tease, and they haven't heard the end of it since.

The Last Remnant was their "biggest" RPG release between XII and XIII, and it was released to weak reviews. Although it was received positively in Japan, many complaints about it's graphics and battle system led to many reviews in the west being disappointing. While the PC version played better than the 360 version, it wasn't enough to keep the game on the tongue of RPG players who wanted more from RPG's in the newest iteration of consoles. Especially when Square Enix teased other games...

Knowing that Final Fantasy was the cash cow most companies didn't have, they began work on several games. These games were announced at E3 in 2006. On the horizon loomed Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, and Final Fantasy Agito XIII (later renamed Final Fantasy Type-0). Final Fantasy XIII was not well-received thanks to the 8-hour tutorial filled with corridors and handholding. Final Fantasy Type-0 released in Japan but is nowhere to be seen outside Japan. Final Fantasy Versus XIII is still in limbo. Later came Final Fantasy XIII-2 that made improvements, but still didn't woo the audience. That doesn't matter though as Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII is set to release next year.

Then, rumors started about an HD collection of Final Fantasy X and X-2. While X-2 hasn't been announced to my knowledge, HD Final Fantasy X did get recognition in 2011 that it was coming to PS3 and Vita due to it's 10 year anniversary. A few months later, development on the HD re-release started and then news fell by the wayside. Until last month. February 2013, Square Enix showed some HD models of Tidus, Yuna, Bahamut, and Yojimbo. And while Square Enix may be proud of where they are on the HD re-release, it has fans scratching their heads wondering why all they can show after a year of development are some HD models of a game that was released back in 2001.

And let's just ignore the disaster that was Final Fantasy XIV...

At the recent Sony press conference for the Playstation 4 reveal, Square Enix committed another act which left people confused. They showed a tech demo, which looked like a Final Fantasy game, to everyone in attendance. But what was weird though, was that they released the EXACT same tech demo the year before at E3 when they revealed their new Luminous Engine. Instead of showing more footage of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII or even something involving Thief 4 which was announced today, they decided to make themselves a laughing stock at the PS4 announcement conference by showing something everyone has already seen. Didn't attach a working title to it, didn't give anything else other than "Please look forward to E3!" And all I have to ask myself is...why?

It's baffling to try and construct some sort of explanation to figure out exactly what Square Enix has been doing in recent years. They have done little with some of the bigger franchises they have available to them, and some of the biggest franchises they have are plummeting to their demise or surviving due to re-releases. Perhaps with the next generation of consoles they can dig themselves out of whatever hole they have created and reinforce to gamers that Square Enix is a developer you can get behind. That Square Enix is a developer who understands the fans and release games they like. And that Square Enix is no longer the joke many see them as and become the powerhouse they should be. But until the stupid decisions are abolished, nothing will be changing.

What the Next-Gen Consoles Need to Succeed

It seems the past few years we have expected the consoles to release at any time. Well, it seems that time has come. With more and more rumors coming to light and Sony having an announcement on 2/20/13 discussing the future of Playstation, the console war looks to spark up again between the next generation systems.

However, there won't be such a discrepancy between the systems as there once was. According to rumors, Sony has ditched the cell processors that were problematic for developers and are going to be on the same level with Microsoft in terms of development. They both may have the potential to collapse the used game market (unlikely, but still being talked about), both will try to have a focus on being a media box instead of solely being a game system, and integrating motion control into the system (or controller) this time is a possibility.

So what do the systems need to really differentiate themselves between the competitors? Wii U has hardware that isn't on the same level, and they are clearly going with their game pad, 1st party exclusives, and social aspect of the Wii U to be what captivates gamers. Despite those big three things, the sales for the Wii U has seemingly been disappointing in the eyes of most people, but shouldn't be counted out considering it hasn't been out for very long. It takes a while for a system to really get steam and have the potential unlocked, and that may just be the case for the Wii U. But for Microsoft and Sony to succeed next generation, they have more to prove.



1. Price

Sony knows better than anyone how much the price of a system can influence sales. The PS3 suffered heavily due to it's intimidating price point, and a more recent example can be the Vita. Not to say that each system isn't worth that amount, but for a consumer, it's not easy to fork out the amount that the PS3 and Vita asked for considering the competitor system/handheld prices.

Fortunately for Sony, they are making a system that will have cheaper specs and Blu-ray is no longer the price cow it used to be. But the magic number of $399 floats around as being the absolute most someone might spend on a new system. $450 with a game or an extra controller, but $399 for a basic system what people seem to clamor for as the most a system will cost. Hopefully this isn't completely outrageous, but I'm not a developer and I have no idea what it takes to make a profitable and affordable system. Which at first, probably won't be.



2. Exclusive Games

I think it's hard to say that exclusive games don't matter. Part of the reason Nintendo is successful is because of the love of their franchises. Originally that wasn't the case as many developers outside of 1st party could succeed on older systems such as the SNES, but recently Nintendo hasn't been as loving to outside devs. They seem to be trying to change that with the Wii U, but it doesn't change the fact that their Mario, Zelda, Smash Bros., Mario Kart, etc are what help make that system successful.

So both Microsoft and Sony need to focus on exclusive games as well. Microsoft needs to continue pumping out the Indie games, even if they are usually timed exclusives, such as Fez, Limbo, Trials, Super Meat Boy, etc. They have some big hitters when it comes to 1st party games in Gears of War, Halo, and Forza, and it's almost a guarantee those will continue to come. Sony needs the same and has been improving with their PSN games such as Journey and the Unfinished Swan. But they have also let off a lot of their studios and that doesn't bode particularly well for the future of exclusives. But they can always fall back on Resistance, Uncharted, Killzone, and Infamous. Neither company have the exclusives that even register on the same scale of Nintendo, but they need to promote the games they have and the other company doesn't.



3. Marketing

Microsoft and Nintendo know how to market their games. The same can't be said for Sony. Marketing is essential for successful games, and the biggest proof is Homefront. A game that was appallingly bad to most people but sold millions of copies. It benefited by being in a popular genre, but if it wasn't for the marketing, that game would have flopped.

So Microsoft and Nintendo...just keep doing what you're doing. Sony, come over here for a second. What are you doing? Have you realized how bad your commercials have gotten? Of course not, because most of your games have no commercials to critique in the first place. Most games don't need a ton of press because they fill a niche' market that isn't going to succeed simply because of a lot of marketing. But each game will have a specific crowd who will buy it regardless, but marketing can get sales of those unaware of the game. Look at Sly Cooper. That game is beautiful and wouldn't be terribly difficult to market, but nobody knew it came out which is disappointing. If you want to be a software juggernaut, you need to know what you are doing marketing wise. But you don't. Hopefully the new firm you are using will do a better job than the last one.



4. Apps

Long gone are the days where Netflix, Hulu, and Youtube are worth mentioning. They are almost a given. Instead these systems need something special that the other console doesn't have or won't have. Playstation Home can be considered in this topic, but nobody uses it. But no other console had something like it either. An interesting idea with poor implementation. The Wii U has an online community where help can be given or pictures can be drawn and it's super interesting. One of the best things the Wii U has going for it that the other systems should think about. Microsoft had my heart with "1 vs 100", and I absolutely loved it. But they didn't apparently and got rid of it.

So these companies need to find another killer app that will convince gamers that it's too awesome to pass up. Talks of DVR's using your console would be a nice addition, and Microsoft is rumored to have a Siri-like interaction with Kinect this time around. But they can't expect that something as small as Crackle is going to be a bullet point on the back of the box to sell gamers.



5. Online Service

This may be the thing that pushes the next console out in front of the other. I have been vocal about my disgust at Xbox Live and how it's nothing more than a glorified online pass. It would be one thing if they offered free online service and then with a Gold subscription you had the additional perks such as cross game chat and better servers, but instead you are paying simply to have online access. Good online access, but online access. If Sony were to make improvements to their online service and offer the same things Gold has but not charge for it, where does that leave Gold? Perhaps they will do something similar to PS+ where it focuses more on deals and games over things you should already have access to (such as Netflix).

Which is where I'm hoping Sony knocks it out of the park. PS+. Many consider it a rental service, and it partially is. You keep the games you buy, which can be found at discounted prices, but for those that complain about it being a rental service don't often complain about Microsoft's online being a "rental service". What I'm most interested in is the Gaikai acquisition and whether that may play a part in PS+. They have been pushing the idea of an Instant Game Library, but what if they were to expand on that idea and have a Gaikai service stream games if you have PS+. And not just one game a month, but have an actual library of games you can choose from. Yes it would still be a rental service, but it would remove the need to download and install games, more games would be available at any given time, and be one hell of an incentive to have PS+ all year round.





I am truly excited at the next generation of consoles. I'm not expecting a huge leap forward, but there's something special about knowing there's a new console looming on the horizon that could come in and sweep the rug out from under our feet and leave us speechless. But for them to do it, they need to improve on what made this generation of consoles so wonderful.

Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale: My Want List

Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale is scheduled to ship to stores on November 20th here in the United States. Even though it faces a tough release schedule falling in the same month that Black Ops 2, Hitman: Absolution, Halo 4 and Resident Evil 6 all hit; I have been eagerly anticipating this game to play as some of my favorite characters in gaming. While it is clearly a rip-off of that Nintendo game that comes to every one's mind, it's the character list that seems to attract the most talk and attention of gamers.

While the roster list has more than likely been finalized, the following is a list of characters I think could be worthy additions to the game.

1. Raziel (Legacy of Kain)

 
 The Legacy of Kain series has been ignored and almost forgotten by most people, despite having one of the best looking video game character designs in Raziel. His overall moves are simple hack and slash, but being able to use the Soul Reaver and telekinetic blasts are other pluses that could be added to his move list. Also, being able to suck the soul out of Fat Princess would be quite satisfying.


2. Dart (Legend of Dragoon)

Legend of Dragoon came out to what felt like positive reviews, but over the years has received quite a bit of harsh criticism. One of which was the battle system that, like a rhythm game, relied on precise button presses at the right times to have the move extended. Take out the button combos, leave in the Dragoon transformation, and you have a great character ready for this game.


3. Vincent (Final Fantasy VII)

That's right, Vincent. Not Cloud, not Sephiroth, hell, not even Tifa. Vincent. The coolest looking character in Final Fantasy VII that I feel would suit the game best. He would have both ranged and close combat attacks, but the best reason for his inclusion would be his Limit Break transformations. Hard to deny that they would work well for the Super attacks in the game. Plus, I'm tired of Cloud and Sephiroth.


4. Spyro (The Legend of Spyro)

When you think of Playstation characters, two should come to mind immediately. Spyro should be one of those two. With the resurgence of Spyro in the Skylanders game, it feels like not only the right addition to the game, but an almost necessary one at that. While older gamers are familiar with the character, the younger Skylanders crowd would possibly help boost sales with this lovable purple dragon on the cover. Anyway, how do you not love Spyro?


5. Crash Bandicoot

Speaking of characters that should be synonymous with Playstation, Crash Bandicoot should (and rumored to) be included in Battle Royale. But I don't want the Naughty Dog version of Crash. They already have one character in the game. No, I want commercial Crash Bandicoot. Have him skydive, use a megaphone, whatever is necessary to make his character fun and interesting. If they include game Crash, I want commercial Crash as an alternate costume. Let me see that human face!


6. Nemesis (Resident Evil 3)

Nemesis is sort of the Cloud/Sephiroth of Resident Evil. He may not be the best character the series has, but he's quite well known and I feel would fit better than other villains. He has a sort of distinctive look that isn't pure mutation, plus...rocket launcher. I would much rather see Nemesis in the game not only because he was my first Resident Evil experience, but also because I don't know how a character like Chris or Jill would be fun in a game like Battle Royale.


7. Vahn (Legend of Legaia)

Yet another character from a game that has "Legend" in the title. Vahn isn't the most well known character, however he would have specific button combos that would make some fighting gamers blush. Include Super moves that feature the monsters he could summon using Meta and he could turn into one of the more different, and fun, characters in the game.


8. Ezio (Assassins Creed 2)

 I believe it's just a matter of time, but thanks to the minor exclusivity agreements Ubisoft has with Sony, Ezio from Assassins Creed would seem like a shoe-in for this game. Despite not being able to easily counter attacks in this game, having the assassin use his various arsenal in the game and call for help would make him a viable threat to other characters.


9. Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)

When the roster announcements came out, I don't think Lara Croft crossed anyone's mind. But she had a huge role in Sony's success thanks to her numerous games. I don't recall her being an amazing fighter in the game (as I could never finish them), she does have other items to inflict damage. As long as she doesn't moan in pain that would cause fanboy hatred to flood the Internet, she should be okay.


10. Kevin Butler

Easily the best character this game could include. He could be the man who "only does everything" by copying the moves of other characters in the game. Or if that wasn't enough, use Sony branded products at his disposal like the PS Eye or PS Move. The utter ridiculousness and the possibilities that could stem from his character being in the game are unfathomable, and for that, I hope to god Superbot adds him at least as DLC. But, I doubt it would ever be as good as what we envision him to be...




As of now, the roster looks like this (after leaked information):

• Big Daddy (Bioshock)
• Colonel Radec (Killzone)
• Dante (DMC)
• Evil Cole (Infamous)
• Fat Princess (Fat Princess
• Good Cole (Infamous)
• Heihachi (Tekken)
• Jak (Jak & Daxter)
• Nariko (Heavenly Sword)
• Nathan Drake (Uncharted)
• Parappa the Rapper (Parappa the Rapper)
• Raiden (Metal Gear Solid)
• Ratchet (Ratchet and Clank)
• Sackboy (LittleBigPlanet)
• Sir Daniel Fortesque (Medievil)
• Sly Cooper (Sly Cooper)
• Spike (Ape Escape)
• Sweet Tooth (Twisted Metal)
• Toro (Sony Macot)

Two characters have still not been shown, but there's no reason to believe at this point that the list isn't accurate. However, with the characters I have stated above, Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale could be the game to give Super Smash Bro's a run for it's money. But it has to take itself less seriously, inject more fun and crazy into the formula, and add more characters that has helped define the Playstation brand in the past 18 years.

The Backwards Compatibility Enigma

The recent talk about the looming next generation of consoles have brought up a topic that has led to heated discussions. It involves the ability to play games one already owns on a new system that is being released. Many have gone on record saying that if the new systems are not capable of playing older games then they will not bother purchasing them. We all know how that will turn out, but for the sake of argument, let's say that's true. I want to quickly go over the backwards compatibility discussion and state that it shouldn't matter whether or not it's available in upcoming systems.

1. If you have the games, keep the system

There's this false assumption that with every iteration of a new console, the big three companies MUST put backwards compatibility in it. I think what most of these gamers forget is that backwards compatibility is a luxury, not a standard for consoles. Think about it. To my knowledge, the PS2 was the first console to really allow gamers to play games from the previous generation. We never had that with the transition to other consoles like the NES to SNES, the Genesis to Saturn, SNES to Gamecube, etc. You could argue that handhelds for the most part has been able to do that, but there's iterations there where that isn't true.

The problem is, most companies hear consumers complain about the price. In their effort to make the systems cheaper, they have to cut out parts of the system. If gamers are concerned about playing old games, shouldn't they have the system for those games already? If not, why get rid of it since there shouldn't be any guarantee the new system can play them? Companies are not held to any obligation to keep old system hardware in a new hardware iteration. This isn't anything new, and has happened for quite some time. The transition from VHS to DVD. Cassette tapes to Cd's. This is just going to be another transition where they held on to the ability to do it for a while, but it's time to phase that option out. Gamers need to get over it and keep the system they want those games on or realize that companies need money to function. One of their ways to capitalize on this idea, is by offering new methods to pay for old games.

2. Collections and Classics

There's been an influx of video games coming both digitally and retail involving the purchasing of old video games from previous generations. For example, you can purchase old Final Fantasy games on PSN from the PS1 Classics part of the store. If you enjoyed games like God of War or Devil May Cry, both have had HD collections of past games on a disc. Gamers who've already played these games see it as a money grab from them, but they forget there's new gamers who have never experienced these games. If anyone should be buying these, it's those gamers. Not the smitten ones.

This is yet another reason why the companies will keep the systems from having backwards compatibility. Why allow them to play old owned games from systems they didn't feel were worth keeping around when they can release them again to be purchased? Final Fantasy 4 is the perfect example of this as it's released on practically everything. It's become such a staple for a console/handheld that it should be mentioned up there with the likes of Ridge Racer and it being a release day game.

It's easy for them to make money off of love for old games. Add in something like achievements or better graphics in parts (not all, even) of the game, and it's likely to still sell. That will be one benefit the companies see in phasing out backwards compatibility and offering these games again for not only cheap, but slightly better versions of the game graphically.


3. Forced to Buy

Customers have this warped sense of logic when it comes to re-release of old games. They believe that if a company removes backwards compatibility and releases the game digitally or on disc, then they MUST purchase the game. Customers apparently have all free-will stripped from their souls when companies do this, because they have no choice but to purchase these games they release.

It's all utter nonsense as the companies aren't forcing gamers to purchase anything. Just because they don't allow the game to be played on a new system and are releasing it in new formats doesn't mean it's the only way to play it now. If you have the game, go play it on the system it was created for. This selfish and ridiculous belief that the game you own is unplayable now and the new release is the only method to experience it is possibly the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

It's one thing to dislike the company for removing something you felt was a bonus, but it's something else entirely for an idiotic notion that it's the only way to play the game now. These gamers need to rethink what they say before they spout these imaginary realities of how consumerism works.


4. It's a Bonus

I have to reiterate this. These console developers are not obligated by any means to incorporate ways to play old games. The consoles are being created to play new experiences with possible means to play older games. If those means are to repurchase the games, then so be it. That is their decision to make. If consumers don't like it, they have other means to play the games. Either by the console the game was created for or emulation. The first option would be preferred, but some games I can't really frown on by using the latter.

If this generation of consoles didn't allow for users to play old games like the original models allowed (which didn't work on 100% of games anyhow), would this still be a problem? Probably. The Internet wasn't really available to everyone in earlier years of gaming, so I'm not sure how loud the outcry is over backwards compatibility between consoles, but I'm sure it was still there. But it's loudest now because it became a reality. But it's something the companies gave their consumers as a bonus and never once did they say they will continue to release consoles with the ability to play older games. We as fans seem to ignore that and expect it. We are greedy, but like to project our greed on companies to make them seem greedier.


5. Fans Do Have a Point...

Companies shot themselves in the foot by showing it's possible. They can't really blame the consumers for wanting something as great as backwards compatibility for new consoles when they showed it's possible to do so. Gamers want a reason to buy a new console and ditch the old one. Why do they want 8 different consoles in their home when they can condense it down to two or three? And why would they want to purchase the same game on different platforms when they already own a copy?

Piracy and emulation is something that a lot of publishers and developers may frown on, but when gamers already own one (or in some cases many) copies of a game, they don't want to purchase it once again. They will go to more extreme measures to play the game especially if they feel cheated by big wigs who don't look at it from their point of view. You take into consideration that some of these games are no longer in print, their copy has stopped working, or any other potential problems, the fallback solution may not rub those looking to sell another copy the right way.

Consumers should be heard. It's their money being spent on games that are changed very little but have the same going price as a brand new game from 15 years ago. If they can purchase a used game off eBay for $5 for the Gamecube, why would they want to then spent $29.99 on the same game for the WiiU especially if there were no changes other than it being put on a different disc format? Fans are not hesitant to verbalize their feelings on the statement, and it's not unreasonable for them to do so either.

As a fan, backwards compatibility is fantastic. It allows me to sell or trade in an old console and buy a new one and reduce the number I have lying around my TV or shoving into the back of my closet. I can spend my money on newer games instead of games I already have in my collection and I also have games to fall back on while newer games are in production. But as someone who also sees the side of the companies, it makes sense for them to take the option off. It lowers the price of the console like most gamers want and gives them the ability to re-release games to not only give the experience to new gamers, but also make money off of anyone who wants to play the game on the new system. However, it is their right to take out backwards compatibility and re-release old games whenever they want. It is their product and they can make it however they choose.

Looking Ahead to E3 2012

This time next week will be one of the most exciting moments in video games to happen this year. Between June 5-7, E3 will be taking place in Los Angeles. Like most people, I will not be there. Instead I'll be paying attention to the various news outlets who will feed us numerous videos and articles prominently featuring important (and not so important) news to come from E3. What I wanted to do was pull a reverse-Mr. Caffeine and look ahead to what E3 more than likely has in store.

*Doodly Doodly Doop*

*Doodly Doodly Doop*

• Sony - After the *ahem* lackluster performance of the Vita, it will be no surprise that most of their press conference will revolve around selling their new handheld system. They will probably show more of the connectivity between the PS3 system and the Vita by showcasing games like Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale (which was recently announced for the Vita as well as PS3) and a game we haven't really seen since last year's E3, Ruin (now titled Warriors Lair). Of course I'm sure they'll have PS3 games to show as well including God of War: Ascension, The Last of Us, Dust 514, and LittleBigPlanet Karting. Wouldn't it be nice to see some Grand Theft Auto V footage here? If there's a conference to have it, I'm going to go with Sony. Those expecting a new system announcement...I'm guessing you'll need to hold your breath.

• Microsoft - I think Microsoft has sort of fallen under the radar for E3 this year since most people can really only name Halo 4 as something they will show. Alan Wake was rumored to have a sequel underway, so that's a possibility, along with Forza which seems to be a staple almost every year. It would be no surprise to have Kinect shown for a while with more application uses and games, but I think Microsoft will try and go with exclusive content for the main serving of content. Since the Resident Evil demo was a timed exclusive for the 360, I'm guessing there may be some gameplay footage shown at this conference. And of course, don't count them out of holding out exclusivity for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 as well. New console here? Nope. Hold it just a little longer.

• Nintendo - Here's that new console you were wanting: the WiiU. Although most people were looking forward to it last year, there wasn't a whole lot to go off of. I would say we can expect to see a price for the system, to see the system itself, and perhaps...a name change. Mario and Pikmin have already been announced for WiiU so those should be seen, and remember that mention of Smash Brothers last year? Maybe a quick video of that will be shown as well. Then some name drops of games coming out for the system and finally the time period it'll be released. Maybe not an exact day, but I would say "Winter 2012". But before all of that, expect a lot of 3DS games, including ones mentioned last year. Luigi's Mansion seems like a no-brainer along with the New Super Mario Bros. 2 game, but I have a feeling there may also be a new Kirby game in the works and some sort of RPG shown at the conference as well.

• Ubisoft -  What do you honestly think? They have one of the biggest games coming out this year in Assassins Creed 3, so there is no doubt that it will come up for a lengthy amount of time during their press conference. The same with Far Cry 3 which was also shown last year and seems to be another of their core game they want to push. Rayman Legends has recently been announced and the predecessor had time devoted to it last year, so there's a good chance it'll be shown. They also announced Shootmania to be shown at E3, and it seems like something that would find it's way into their conference as well. The crux of their presentation will depend on if they have Mr. Caffeine do the hosting. Despite how terrible he was, I found enjoyment in all of his bombed jokes.

• EA - I would say EA should have a strong appearance at E3 this year. They have Madden 13 to show and all the various updates to the game that seem to be receiving some praise, Crysis 3 which was recently announced with lots of high-tech bow and arrow action, and Medal of Honor may make an appearance with Warfighter. Also, remember that ending of Mass Effect 3 that caused the Internet to implode with hatred? Well, I expect them to show hints of the "true" ending DLC that they said they would make on the fans behalf. With Katy Perry having some sort of The Sims involvement, maybe they'll even treat everyone to a performance by her as well! Oh yeah, and that new SimCity game that they plan to drop on PC's next year. You remember that game right?

Side notes of confirmations, rumors and speculations:

• Skyrim DLC: Dawnguard - It's already been announced and...that's about it. If they want to show gameplay of it (or anything else for that matter), there would be no better time than at E3.
• Epic & Unreal Engine 4 - Epic plans on revealing Unreal Engine 4 and minds will be melted. In so many words, that's what has been promised upon the showing.
• The Last Guardian - I said it last year, and I'll say it this year. Eventually I'll have to be right...right? But after Fumito Ueda's departure from Sony, it may speed up the process. But I didn't add it to Sony's press conference...just in case.
• Overkill & Valve - Earlier this week there was talk of a collaboration between the PAYDAY: The Heist and Left 4 Dead crews. While it may seem early, it would sure be nice to see what kind of collaboration is taking place exactly.
• Kingdom Hearts - Tetsuya Nomura may have put his foot in his mouth by saying Kingdom Hearts is due for another console game. Whether this an HD collection or Kingdom Hearts 3, he may want to do some calisthenics if nothing is mentioned shortly. He said we may know if we finish Dream Drop Distance (releasing in July), but that's soooo far away.
• Just Cause 3 (and 4?) - Well, since Just Cause 4 already has web domains in the works from recent news, that could mean Just Cause 3 is underway. That could mean an appearance next week at E3. Hopefully someone from Eidos parachutes it in.
• Half-Life Episode 3 - You can't have a rumors and speculations section without including this game. No real basis for it...but yeah.

Up until doing this, I was kind of hesitant about E3. This year in general has felt somewhat underwhelming in video games other than an occassional few. The constant push-backs in release dates aren't helping at all with Bioshock: Infinite, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Tomb Raider, etc now shipping in 2013 instead of 2012 have caused me to feel a sense of sadness from how big this year was going to be. In truth, this year still has potential for being a pretty amazing year. There's a lot of games lined up that we know about, but may not think about all the time. Then there's the ones that still haven't been announced. Add in the potential of the WiiU being released by the end of this year and 2012 doesn't look half bad. Sometimes it just takes a list to see that.

Why Nintendo SHOULD have the edge in the console wars

This generation of console sales was pretty one sided with Nintendo dominating in the sales charts. They successfully pulled in the casual consumer with their motion controller, despite weak software sales due to lack of third party support. With Project Cafe on the horizon, that should all change. And if it does, Nintendo is truly a force to be reckoned with...IF...they learn from their mistakes and take advantage of everything they have.

1. Strong Back Catalogue:

Between the three companies, only Nintendo and Sony have the right to say they can pull out games from a vault and sell it to users. Sony is somewhat doing this well with their PS1 classics on the PSN store, the problem being that most of the games people want are being released in Japan, but not so much everywhere else. That seems to changing a bit with recent releases of Parasite Eve, Suikoden, and Chrono Trigger being an upcoming release.

Nintendo on the other hand have the Virtual Console. With almost 30 years of games under their belt, the VC should be packed full of games that nostalgia has us banging on the door for. The problem Nintendo faces is basically ignoring any and all online support they could have had for the Wii and forgetting to market these games that people could want. Nostalgia is a great way to bring in sales, especially if that nostalgia is relatively cheap to put on the system, easy to get to and a cheap enough price that gamers can't shrug off. Nintendo will need to use their back catalogue to the best of their ability to bring in side sales but they need to also market the products as well as Xbox Live instead of what they did with the Wii.


2. The Best First Party and Exclusive Support

Remember that nostalgia thing I just talked about? It's an even bigger component here. Because on no other console will you see Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Donkey Kong, Kirby, or Pokemon. People grew up with these games. And whether Nintendo decides to do another successful game to capitalize on that nostalgia in the same vein that Super Mario Brothers Wii did or do a fresh new game like Donkey Kong Country Returns; it's these games and characters that intrigue players. If Project Cafe does indeed bring back the hardcore gamer, these will be one reason why. None of these games require a deep knowledge of each respective world. It's jump in and play. Which is more than most first party/exclusive games can say on the 360 or PS3. And like I said, I don't see any of these franchises jumping ship to another console. But Nintendo has featured Sonic in Super Smash Brothers and the same with Solid Snake. Notice however that some games that were at one time exclusive, such as Metal Gear Solid and Mass Effect, are now going multi-console. So again, to reiterate my point, Nintendo has first party exclusive games that will NOT be going to a different console. And if Project Cafe puts up the sales numbers that the Wii did, it will be even more incentive for various developers to jump onto the Nintendo console. Whether it big time companies like Activision or the low-on-the-totem-pole Indie developers, they all want money. And there is more chance for money where there is a bigger install base with people who will buy their product. Which again, Nintendo will have if they bring back the hardcore gamers.


3. Learn from Microsoft and Sony

Virtual Console. DSIware. Wiiware. Friend Code. If anyone knows what these are, they also know these are complete failures on Nintendo's part. Despite the Wii having the most sales, it's not motion controlling that has had the biggest impact on gaming this generation, it's the online component. Nintendo can not flounder in this department again with the upcoming console. They don't even need to do anything revolutionary, just get an online system going that WORKS. They need to know how to market games correctly that they are trying to sell online, they need to find an easier way to get some sort of online gaming network going, and they definitely need to keep the music they have for their various shops. Say what you want about their virtual stores, but their music beats out Sony and Microsoft's hands down.


4. Do not worry about the console specs

So rumor is that Project Cafe has more power than the Xbox and PS3. Fine. But as the 360 and PS3 have shown, specs aren't everything. Although the PS3 should be producing better looking games...it really doesn't. There is only a handful of games that I could use as examples for the PS3 being above the 360 in terms of power. So if Nintendo has the "better" console, fantastic. But in the long run it doesn't mean much, especially if you take a look at their track record. Nintendo is not about up-to-date tech. They use older tech for cheaper cost. Which is both a good thing and a bad thing. For the good, it makes for cheaper consoles. I'm sure everyone remembers the "new" tech that Sony released that was the PS3. $700 I believe? Too much for an average gamer. It wouldn't be until years later that their price dropped enough for the consumer base to rise to be a contender for the 360. So even if Microsoft and Sony released a console in the next few years, it will probably be more expensive than the Nintendo console's release price, and definitely more expensive than the Nintendo console will be upon the new 360/PS3 console release. The bad would simply be an outdated system the minute the new Xbox or Playstation console is released. So with this almost Dreamcast approach to release a console between generations, Nintendo may actually be making a smart business decision with the release of this console.

5. Backwards Compatibility

More rumors about Project Cafe claims it will also be able to play Wii games and possibly Gamecube games. If this is true, this is something that should also be advertised. Despite the hardcore gamers Snively Whiplash way of thinking (a foolproof plan it is not) that they are the only consumer base Nintendo should worry about, the truth of the matter is that the casual base is quite important still. If they include backwards compatibility, they have a chance of bringing back casual gamers on top of hardcore ones bumping up their sales and keeping the casuals away from Sony and Microsoft. So I would expect the controllers that were purchased for the Wii to still work for some games which would also avoid the alienation of Wii owners.

Remember, Sony and Microsoft both received a bit of backlash when their compatibility was removed from consoles. Microsoft technically did not remove it I believe, but it only allows certain first gen Xbox games to be played. Sony did remove it fully in later PS3 hardware. If Nintendo keeps backwards compatibility, still releases games for the Wii, their Wii software sales will probably increase as well too. Especially if they release older games such as Mario Galaxy or Super Smash Bros Wii that the detracted hardcore gamers never got to play in the first place. So while the Wii may eventually die off, Nintendo could still squeeze out sales from the Wii software and even get more sales for it post-Wii than they did present-Wii.

6. Innovation

Nintendo has done quite a bit for gaming. There has been negative response such as the Virtual Boy and there has been lukewarm response such as motion controls, and there has been positive response like the Game Boy. Say what you will about some Nintendo products, but they can normally put SOMETHING different out there. Some are thinking that the controller may be this type of innovation with it's touch screen and what that could mean for potential games, and some are thinking they could take a step beyond what failed with the Gamecube and find a way to link games between the handheld systems and the console itself. With next to nothing known about the new console, these are the only two real possibilities. Remember, 3D was originally thought of on the Gamecube as well, and the same with motion gaming. Both fell through and showed up in later forms. The link between the GBA (I believe it was) and the Gamecube was also something that never quite worked out. However, with the number of handheld love growing since the release of the DS's all the way to the 3DS, there's a chance that these handhelds may not be required, but can give players more incentive to own both the handheld and console for exclusive gameplay.


7. Third party and indie developers

And the straw that broke the camels back for Nintendo. The only thing that worked for the Wii were first party games or acutal party games. The Wii was not the console for third party developers and very weak for independent devs as well. Any ports from consoles were done poorly and it got to the point where no developers other than first party were worth supporting on the Wii. Project Cafe is already said to be correcting that with Rockstar already being mentioned as a developer for the console. So with Nintendo being the company with the best selling first party games, the third party games now appearing on the new console, and the other consoles finding themselves with fewer and fewer exclusives, Nintendo may be riding high with games upon the release of Project Cafe.


Depending on who you ask, the console wars boil down to two things. The fans will say that the winner of the console wars is the one that gets played the most. The companies themselves would say the sales are what matter the most. If Nintendo takes the proper steps, they can win both sides of the argument and make the next generation of consoles for Sony and Microsoft to be embarrassments. I don't think this will be the case since Nintendo tends to hold back leaving room for the other companies to improve on what Nintendo should do. The possibility is there, however, and if Nintendo wants to put an end to these console wars they need to look past the boardroom and at the fans. We know what we want.

PSN - Awaiting the Next Kevin Butler Commercial

With the recent update from Sony saying that people may have had personal information stolen, I finally feel the need to post my first blog entry.

What the hell, Sony? As one of the biggest electronics companies in the world, how could something like this happen? How could you, a company that has between 50-100 million people using it's PSN service, not have the security to avoid something like this?

Now don't get me wrong, Sony. I am not putting the blame entirely on you. I know the true blame goes to the hacker(s) out there who have possibly stolen this information whether it be for a rush, to purposely hurt others, or even prove a point. However, millions have paid for a product that should be protecting private information for those who purchased it. And if that wasn't bad enough, then the information was held from the public and even worse, the people who it may be effecting. Now, you may not have known exactly how problematic this was going to be. You may not have expected it to take this long. Hell, half the time I'm not sure you know what the hell you're doing at all. But the minute the information from one of your PSN members is possibly at risk, they deserve to know. Instead, you kept everyone in the dark.

I, fortunately, delete all my billing information after I place my order. Now, I don't know if they know a way around this to still find that information, but if not, than I luckily don't have to worry about it. Millions out there, on the other hand, are SOL. It also doesn't help that I tend to use the same username and password most places I go. So now I'm having to take the time to think of any possible site I don't want a hacker to get to and change the password to something I doubt I'll remember within 20 minutes.

So to basically sum this up, Sony...you fucked up. Not a minor scratch, nor a blemish, but you have been left bloody and broken in a dark alleyway left with nothing but some change for a phone call. What you choose to do from here will be a factor to many about whether or not they want to continue with the playstation brand. Stepping up your security is a good move and hopefully that will prevent this from happening again. Hopefully you provide some sort of apology for the inconvenience and something to do to make up for it (and this means something more than the normal PR "oops, we messed up. But dont' worry, we'll still provide the same fantastic experience the PSN offers" garbage). And what I want to see the most is for the ones responsible for this hack attack to be caught. I want to know people like that don't get away with it and put at least a tad bit of fear into others who think they should try something along the same lines. But even with these thoughts, I know many will feel it's not enough and that you have alienated them regardless of what actions you take. What's done is done, and the trust and faith of your PSN service has been broken.

The ball is in your court, Sony.