Comments on: open wide and say “wii” http://www.challengerappears.com/blog/2007/03/open-wide-and-say-wii/ Rob Fahey on games, media, journalism and politics. Thu, 06 May 2010 08:45:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Wrestlevania http://www.challengerappears.com/blog/2007/03/open-wide-and-say-wii/comment-page-1/#comment-44 Wrestlevania Mon, 02 Apr 2007 09:48:12 +0000 http://www.challengerappears.com/blog/2007/03/30/open-wide-and-say-wii/#comment-44 "Four to six big games a year does me fine, as a consumer; I don’t really want to pay for more than that, nor would I have time to play more than that." Perfect--and I think most people would admit the same. I hate this seeming obsession in certain quarters that you must be out buying games every month. Bollocks. Am I supposed to buy the highest scoring shit game every four weeks or so, just because there hasn't been a Triple-A title released lately? I'm more than happy with a staggered, bi-monthly - or even quarterly - release schedule of top flight games for my platform and here's an example; I just bought an Xbox 360 on Friday last week with Gears, Crackdown and PGR3. That's enough to see me through now until BioForge is released in August/September--if anything else major came out before then I'd either have to forgo that title or pickup BioForge at Christmas. And then that's going to throw out Halo 3... and there's not chance MS would risk loosing even a fraction of the playerbase when it comes to Halo 3. So, what I'm getting around to repeating is that this "AAA every month or it's fucked" mentality is complete crap, spouted by people with absolutely no concept of good business--or good taste. (Incidentally, if anyone fancies shooting some aliens/criminals in the face of an evening, here's my Gamertag is - cunningly - Wrestlevania. *whoring off*) “Four to six big games a year does me fine, as a consumer; I don’t really want to pay for more than that, nor would I have time to play more than that.”
Perfect–and I think most people would admit the same.

I hate this seeming obsession in certain quarters that you must be out buying games every month. Bollocks. Am I supposed to buy the highest scoring shit game every four weeks or so, just because there hasn’t been a Triple-A title released lately?

I’m more than happy with a staggered, bi-monthly – or even quarterly – release schedule of top flight games for my platform and here’s an example; I just bought an Xbox 360 on Friday last week with Gears, Crackdown and PGR3. That’s enough to see me through now until BioForge is released in August/September–if anything else major came out before then I’d either have to forgo that title or pickup BioForge at Christmas. And then that’s going to throw out Halo 3… and there’s not chance MS would risk loosing even a fraction of the playerbase when it comes to Halo 3.

So, what I’m getting around to repeating is that this “AAA every month or it’s fucked” mentality is complete crap, spouted by people with absolutely no concept of good business–or good taste.

(Incidentally, if anyone fancies shooting some aliens/criminals in the face of an evening, here’s my Gamertag is – cunningly – Wrestlevania. *whoring off*)

]]> By: Keith Andrew http://www.challengerappears.com/blog/2007/03/open-wide-and-say-wii/comment-page-1/#comment-43 Keith Andrew Sat, 31 Mar 2007 16:12:55 +0000 http://www.challengerappears.com/blog/2007/03/30/open-wide-and-say-wii/#comment-43 I think people who worry about whether the good Wii titles are third-party or not are probably thinking about support, and the troubles both the GameCube and Nintendo 64 - for differing reasons - had attracting it. Despite the enormous amount of optimism that surrounds any new Nintendo console in the run up to release, in the West I think we've hit a level where it's GTA or bust; if Nintendo ever want to get back into that position of being the market leader, then they have to attract the big franchises. Franchises like Manhunt, funnily enough, which they've already (perhaps uncomfortably) managed to scoop. But when it comes to the experience for the actual gamer, it doesn't matter to me at all who makes the titles. For starter, I'm still Wii-less, and will remain so until either Mario Kart or F Zero hit the system. I think people who worry about whether the good Wii titles are third-party or not are probably thinking about support, and the troubles both the GameCube and Nintendo 64 – for differing reasons – had attracting it.

Despite the enormous amount of optimism that surrounds any new Nintendo console in the run up to release, in the West I think we’ve hit a level where it’s GTA or bust; if Nintendo ever want to get back into that position of being the market leader, then they have to attract the big franchises. Franchises like Manhunt, funnily enough, which they’ve already (perhaps uncomfortably) managed to scoop.

But when it comes to the experience for the actual gamer, it doesn’t matter to me at all who makes the titles. For starter, I’m still Wii-less, and will remain so until either Mario Kart or F Zero hit the system.

]]> By: Rob Fahey http://www.challengerappears.com/blog/2007/03/open-wide-and-say-wii/comment-page-1/#comment-42 Rob Fahey Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:39:57 +0000 http://www.challengerappears.com/blog/2007/03/30/open-wide-and-say-wii/#comment-42 Fair point, actually - while I think we'll probably have to agree to differ on The Godfather, I had completely forgotten that SSX Blur was actually really well done on the Wii. I'm still not convinced that they have the right approach to the console, since what they seem to be doing pretty much comes down to porting existing games with modified control systems, but you're right - they're doing it better than I give them credit for. Fair point, actually – while I think we’ll probably have to agree to differ on The Godfather, I had completely forgotten that SSX Blur was actually really well done on the Wii. I’m still not convinced that they have the right approach to the console, since what they seem to be doing pretty much comes down to porting existing games with modified control systems, but you’re right – they’re doing it better than I give them credit for.

]]> By: IanC http://www.challengerappears.com/blog/2007/03/open-wide-and-say-wii/comment-page-1/#comment-41 IanC Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:11:12 +0000 http://www.challengerappears.com/blog/2007/03/30/open-wide-and-say-wii/#comment-41 The Godfather and SSX Blur proove that EA can make games that use the Wii's controls well. The Godfather and SSX Blur proove that EA can make games that use the Wii’s controls well.

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