So, a couple of days ago IGN showed a video where Sean Murray from hello games did a quick run through of their upcoming ps4/PC release No Man’s Sky. This video gave us an idea as to exactly how mind numbingly large the game world is and how much exploration is actually possible. Things like the game having its own periodic table, the billions of uniquely generated planets and countless unique plant and animal species really gives you an appreciation for the game and the vision of the creators.
On purchasing this game you are literally purchasing an entire galaxy and the ability to explore it for the rest of your natural life. In essence hello games has created the longest game in history. A game that you can play every day for the next 50 years and still not see even 1/100th of it. This seems like a breath of fresh air in a time when games are being released as unfinished buggy messes and it seems like you’re only getting half a game upon release and the other half through the purchase of horrendously overpriced DLC.
This got me thinking, what if hello games had gone to Activision to publish this game? Just looking at what was done to destiny it really makes you wonder how differently things would have been. What would No Man’s Sky be like and what would gamers have to look forward to? Well, I could be wrong but looking at current trends in gaming and knowing the gaming history of Activision I think I can give a pretty accurate guess on the answer to those questions.
So, here is my list of changes I would have expected to see if Activision published no Man’s Sky:
1: You would have gotten the first 100 planets included with the game and additional planets to be released in 4 subsequent DLC packages of 100 planets each.
2: A special hardened edition would be sold with 1000 planets, 20 ship skins and a model of your starting ship for $150.
3. Only about 20 elements on the periodic table would be available at first and the rest would be released in DLC packs of 2 in each pack for $1.50 per DLC pack.
4. Only about 30 animal species would be released on day one with the others to be released in future DLC.
5. There would be a planet somewhere where you could go to fight alien zombies. This would be DLC of course.
6. The other billions of planets would be used in future installments of No Man’s sky 2 through 15.
7. There would be the option to purchase in game credits with real money. Something along the lines of 15000 credits for $9.99.
8. Somehow they would find a way to allow random 9 year olds to contact me and tell me how often they slept with my mom.
The one thing this game has shown me is how much we need to support indie devs as it seems they are the last remnant to a gaming world that shows it actually cares about their customers. The uniqueness and fun factor of a lot of the indie games we are getting have really put to shame a lot of the AAA devs and the regurgitated mess of COD, Assassins Creed and Battlefield games we have been getting for the past 10 years, every year. At a time when you pay $60 for a game and another $50 for the rest of it over a year in DLC purchases, games like No Man’s Sky actually deserve our support. It’s something new and different and could be the start of something big and fresh in the gaming world.
With Microsoft’s long list of poor messaging and poor decisions this week, combined with rumors of behind-the-scenes problems with some of its top games, one frequent point that keeps coming up is how much weight has been thrown behind Xbox/PC/Ultimate Game Pass.
Well fancy that. A Forbes article with common sense.
Microsoft's only shot to get more gamers, being the devils advocate, is to go Mobile and free to play with ads to grow their fan base. With maybe a subscription to games like cod on Mobile to get more to buy in what they are offering.
But mobile isn't like consoles or PC at all. You can't charge huge amounts for games because that platform is used to cheap or free content. Can't go to Nintendo and Sony with game pass because they'(competitors) aren't stupid to destroy their own platforms with Microsoft's rental service. And PC gamers dabble with it but they're fine with Steam and other, similar offerings. Casuals are their target but do casuals really care because up to this point, they haven't.
They put themselves in a bind and I'm not sorry for them in the least. When you kill your own sales of hardware and software, you groom your base to not buy but to rent, and do everything you can but do what works for Nintendo and Sony in creating games that grow the industry, this is the results. Dead last.
Why was/is it so hard to just make great games and from that, EARN respect that would lead to an increase in consumers? Never made sense how stupid they are when they had the finances to compete and pretty much outdo Nintendo and Sony combined. They just chose greed and annual fees and lack of effort instead.
The gaming world is still reeling from the announcement that Microsoft is shuttering Tango Gameworks, the studio behind last year’s big Xbox hit, Hi-Fi Rush.
There's no logical or good reason to give for closing Tango Gameworks. They make great games consistently and Hi-Fi Rush was the highest rated Xbox game in literal YEARS. Closing the studio was just plain stupid and nonsensical.
EA has come under fire for making unexpected changes to its FC 24 Team of the Season unlocks.
That would be terrible idea.
"On purchasing this game you are literally purchasing an entire galaxy and the ability to explore it for the rest of your natural life."
You are hyping up something beyond your wildest dreams and it will completely disappoint you.
A little circle-jerky to be honest
We should all be greatful and thank Sony for funding and making this game possible, Playstation is indeed the best gaming company in the world one that inovates and the rest of the indusrty follows
It would be awful to have pay so much to make a game enjoyable.