Gaming News

seitora · Jul 17, 2023

Limited Run Games is getting new re-releases done of some old games that have had publisher rights limbo, or just not been bothered with.

Clock Tower (SNES)
Gex Trilogy, getting a remaster
Tomba
Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection

There is a new Shantae game, Risky Revolution. But it isn't a 'new' new game, but rather what was planned to be a GBA game that was unpublished being finished up finally. Plus, when it gets a physical release, it will be released on a cart that will be compatible with Game Boy Advance cartridges.

And to torment Nintendo, there is a 'spiritual successor' to the Zelda CD-i games being made, called 'Arzette: The Jewel Of Faramore'

the full list of physical releases that I can see:

seitora · Jul 18, 2023

A study finds that only about 13% of all games released prior to 2010 are commercially available in some form today to purchase and play. 1 2

Jimbobob5536 · Jul 18, 2023

Thank god for emulators and roms then.

PCHeintz72 · Jul 18, 2023

seitora said:

In my eyes it is actually worse than that fairly bleak number. The problem is a game from 20-30-40+ years ago in general, if you have the disc/disk/cartridge/etc... and either the old original hardware or a emulator you can still play that game today... So... that purchase from 20-30-40 years ago is still a valid and useable resource. Even if you cannot or do not want to play it anymore, perhaps your kid, or a niece/nephew can.

A purchase from up to about 20 years ago, in many cases, is either crippled or completely unusable since even with the correct hardware, you likely do not have the servers up anymore. I know some games that lock out a number of desired game features since the severs are no longer in operation. And I know some other games are all but unusable without the servers or stores up and if it needed them no subscriptions are valid anymore. So, unlike the older games, in many case that purchase from up to about 20 years ago is basically worthless.

There are cetainly exceptions. Star Trek Online is one such to come to mind, and hardly the only one, but those are pretty rare.

seitora · Jul 28, 2023

Zelda: Oracle of Ages/Seasons are on Nintendo Switch online now

chronodekar · Aug 1, 2023

PCHeintz72 said:

To play the Devil's advocate, it is possible to still play PS4 disc-based games and even cartridge-based switch games from a few years back - as long as you were willing to keep the console in offline mode. I say this as someone with such a collection.

Having said that, when purchasing a game, I had to go out of my way to ensure that - yes, it was playable offline. So, your general point still stands PCHeintz72. (Not that I was trying to refute it, to begin with)

-chronodekar

silentorphan · Aug 17, 2023

Microsoft announced that the Xbox 360 Store, the Xbox 360 Marketplace, and the Movies & TV app for Xbox 360 are being axed on July 29, 2024.

Well, it is an obsolete console, but it's still a bit sad to see support for it completely yanked.

silentorphan · Aug 21, 2023

Charles Martinet Retires From Voicing Mario

Martinet started at Nintendo in 1991, and his first major performance as the mustachioed plumber was in 1996’s Super Mario 64, the landmark 3D platformer that introduced much of the world to Mario’s enthusiastic Italian intonation.

He’s credited for voicing Mario — and a handful of other Mushroom Kingdom adventurers including Luigi, Wario and Waluigi — in over 150 Nintendo games.

Michelle · Aug 25, 2023

I'm new here, and I have some questions.

All I see is the option to post previews and works in progress and stuff like that. Where can I post my COMPLETE works? I never share my works until they are COMPLETE and most of my fics are one-shots (though I have posted a few multi-chaptered fics), even when I write a series, each part of the story is very often a one-shot. I was looking forward to sharing my COMPLETE works that I wrote and posted in the last 3 years and get some positive feedback maybe, here on this forum. I wrote and still write fics for different fandoms, but it's mostly; The Legend of Zelda, Castlevania, Pokemon, The Shadowhunter Chronicles, and Guardians of childhood/Rise of the Guardians.

Also, in the rules it says, "Adult content (as defined by Google Adsense policies) go in the restricted forums, no exceptions." Where are the restricted forums (link please)?. And what you mean by adult content is M-rated and E-rated fics, right? Because some of my written works/content is definitely M-rated and E-rated. So where am I allowed to post it on here?

Sorry in advance if I didn't post this in the right place. It's just that I'm new here (I made only one or two posts here, but I'm looking forward to interacting with people that I can share my fics with and get some positive comments and support) and I'm not sure I understand how everything works here but I was hoping that someone would just answer some basic questions for me because that would make things a little easier for me.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to help me.

Michelle.

da_fox2279 · Aug 25, 2023

Contact the mods for NSFW forum access. Works go in the appropriate section Previews; complete, in progress, just mark them as such.

Welcome to TFF, try not to lose your mind.

silentorphan · Aug 30, 2023

Ah, yes, Nintendo piling on the Front Mission announcements because Armored Core VI is taking all the hype right now.

silentorphan · Sep 2, 2023

Saints Row developer Volition permanently shuts down

In the [company's LinkedIn] post, the company explained that the reason for Volition’s closure was tied to parent company Embracer Group’s new restructuring program.

Back in June, Embracer Group announced this restructuring program after the news broke that a $2 billion investment deal with the company had fallen through. Though Embracer kept secret who was on the other side of that deal, Axios reported that it was none other than Savvy Games Group, the gaming arm of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. As a result of the deal’s failure, Embracer said that it would restructure the company, including pausing development on some games, reducing spending, and selling off or shutting down studios. Volition is seemingly the first such studio publicly impacted by Embracer’s restructuring.

chronodekar · Sep 3, 2023

Michelle said:

da_fox2279 said:

I'm going to confess that I'm not sure how to do this. Just had a peek at some of the mod options and ... those are settings I do not want to experiment/mess with. Will pass the issue onto Wata or Ero (the admins).

Sorry Michelle - you'll need to wait a bit longer till one of them sees the issue.

-chronodekar

chronodekar · Sep 15, 2023

There is some gaming news about the Unity engine;
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023...nst-unitys-new-per-install-pricing-structure/

They are changing their licensing model so that a game studio will be charged a flat-fee, PER-INSTALL of their game. Yes - you read that right, per-install. Which means if you buy a game developed in Unity on steam and install it on 2 devices (eg: your PC and a steamdeck), it will count as 2 installs which will be charged to the developer.

My initial reaction to the news was - are they crazy? That sounds like one of the fastest ways to get all your customers (i.e. game developers) to jump _away_ from your engine ASAP.

After a bit of speculation, I did a bit more digging and found this out,

https://www.reuters.com/breakingviews/unity-discovers-how-real-revenue-struggle-is-2023-09-13/
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/unit...eXYA1tW0BMEZPzrOUeoEqpCKSSdj6_zdRmQNatY4GmlN9

Basically, Unity, as a company, has *never* been profitable since inception! That surprised me. And explains their current idiocy - like, if they are at risk of bankrupcy, why not screw all their customers as a last-ditch attempt? You've got nothing to lose at that point.

That is *NOT* to say they are doing the right thing - heck, it's a really SCUMMY move they pulling here. But ... I can understand their motivations - even if I do not agree with their course of action.

Saddest thing must be the game developers caught in the middle. When working on a multi-year project, to have one of your primary tools pulled out from under you is ... soul-crushing.

-chronodekar

seitora · Sep 15, 2023

This whole Unity thing sounds like another shitshow in the making. But we have lots of stories already of tech companies trying to do scummy stuff, and usually getting completely demolished in PR and in revenue over it.

In other news...

Tales of Arise getting a story DLC in November. I'll grab it, but it definitely feels weird having story DLC being released a full 2 years after the base game for a single-player JRPG.

Jimbobob5536 · Sep 15, 2023

I've read people are assuming it's a retooling of an aborted sequel.
That's a rumor based on absolutely no evidence, mind you.

seitora · Sep 15, 2023

Jimbobob5536 said:

I can believe it, since they were hiring for a new Tales game a year ago. That, and the timespan between Bersaria and Arise is the longest gap in the franchise for new titles, and it looks like there's going to be a similar gap coming up.

seitora · Oct 10, 2023

The PS5 Slim we've been waiting for all along has just been announced, with a limited roll-out starting in the U.S. in November. It's not outright being called a Slim, but it does shrink the volume down by 30%+, and the weight by 18-24%. And it'll be the only model, with the current PS5 model being retired.

chronodekar · Oct 13, 2023

seitora said:

On one hand, I'm happy to hear this. It means that this model *might* fit in the space under my TV. Will wait from repair outlets to see if the battery can be replaced easily. Though - if Sony is not calling this a slim edition, then they likely have another upcoming model for it in mind. No idea how many years it would be before we see it. :/

On the other hand ... I just spent all my gaming budget this month buying board games. Going to have to save up for a few months if I really want a PS5. Which is the problem - it's been weeks since I even powered on either my TV or PS4. Do I still want it?

Decisions , decisions.

-chronodekar

seitora · Oct 13, 2023

I've been using my PS4 regularly enough I may as well. Plus, a lot of the newer games from the last 2-3 years have free PS5 upgrades that will help run better/load speeds.

In other news. Microsoft finally gets go-ahead to take over Activision-Blizzard. In other news, Bobby Kotick is leaving next year.

seitora · Nov 9, 2023

Nintendo and Sony are teaming up again. No, not to make another console, but to direct a live-action Legend of Zelda movie, by the guy who produced most of the recent Spider-Man movies.

My only questions (well, I have more) will be, leftie Link or right Link, twink Link or manly Link, and smol Link or actual average-sized or even tall Link?

seitora · Dec 12, 2023

E3 is officially permanently canceled

The end of an era

AoMythology · Dec 12, 2023

seitora said:

The end of an era indeed. (Tears up.)

PCHeintz72 · Dec 13, 2023

seitora said:

Hmmm... kind of weird to end it, to my eye... while I've never attended it, it seems odd the game makers and the console makers would not back it. comparatively cheap compared to marketing advertising, since profits and expenses are shared to some extent at such events, or they should be. they can also make announcements and get feedback, something not really viable with mere advertising.

Allowed for cross competing and snatching as well. As you are not just targeting fans of console x but potentially luring in fans of console y.

Oh well...

seitora · Dec 14, 2023

It was just a shambles near the end. I think some of it was that it had to start competing with other events when it seemed to have a near-monopoly on being 'the' big thing for the 2000s era, and suddenly PAX started being a thing, and company-exclusive events (Nintendo Directs have some real media power). Plus for quite a while, E3 was fairly lax on what counted as 'press', so regular people could easily grab a pass. After it cracked down I think was when it started to tumble.

In other news...Sega released a press trailer at TGA announcing new releases in several inactive franchises.

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