Sunday, 28 August 2011
Gamestop Apologise
Recently Gamestop have been in the news due to the fact they were taking out coupons for a streamed version of Deus Ex on Onlive, which seem to have got a little more publicity than they would have with the coupons alone. Shortly after this they pulled the game and stopped selling it all together. Now they have officially apologised and are offering a free $50 GameStop gift card and a Buy 2 Get 1 Free pre-owned purchase. All you need to do is take in the apologetic email and your store receipt to your nearest GameStop and they will give you your bribe. I kinda wished I ordered the game from GameStop to get these free coupons actually. It's good to see them at least attempting to make up for there shady business.
Razers Big Announcement
I know I'm a bit late writing about this as it was announced 2 days ago but I've just got back from 3 days away from home. So I haven't had the time or the internet to do so. Anyway Razer put up a interesting website under the name of PC Gaming Is Not Dead this was quite intriguing and it seems they have released a high end gaming laptop called the Blade. It does really look pretty good spec wise which can be found here. What is pretty cool is the interactive touchpad to the right of the keyboard. The buttons and display on it change depending on which game you have running, which is a nice touch. Hopefully there will be a decent amount of games compatible with it on release. With games such as World of Warcraft and Starcraft I can see it being quite handy, maybe with games like Counter Strike for buying things at the start of rounds aswell, I'm not really sure what else in game it could be used for. Again it is a pretty awesome looking gaming laptop, the price on release later this year is said to be $2,799. For that kind of money you could build a much better desktop and still have some cash left over. Is it worth nearly 3 grand... I dunno I wouldn't buy it, but I am happy enough to sit in the house and game, I don't have a need for portable gaming. Unless you do to would you really want to throw away 3 grand. Don't get me wrong this isn't a dig at Razer and this product, it is looking like a fantastic piece of tech and they obviously have enough of a market for it otherwise they wouldn't invest in making it. But it's gaming laptops (be it from Razer, Alienware or wherever), they really aren't my thing. If I had plenty of disposable income I probably would think about buying one, but until the price goes down there is no chance in hell i will even consider one tbh.
Cross platform gaming with Steam for CS:GO
As we all know Valve are bringing out a new version of Counter Strike under the name Global Offensive. There is now use of cross platform being implimented between Playstation and PC, with Xbox hopefully joining suit in the near future. The PS version of CS:GO will have keyboard and mouse support, along with Playstation move (although I'm not sure how good/accurate this feature will be but fair play to Valve for using peripheral devices available to them) and of course Dual Shock Controllers, so you can play on PS however you choose.
For years there have been debates over which is better consoles or pcs. Now with Valve implimenting this we will be able to find out. While keyboard and mouse are obviously more accurate than controllers, I do think there will be some guys on PS that will give PC gamers a run for there money. Hopefully Valve can work things out with Microsoft and have Steam over on Xbox as well and we will have fully cross platform compatibility. So you can play against your buddies no matter what platform you happen to play and prefer. I do hope this is a sign of things to come and that we see more cross platform games in the future. Microsoft could (and should of IMO) have started cross platform play with GFWL and XBL. All they had to do really was put in keyboard and mouse support for Xbox, so they at least have the choice of having the same as PC guys, and just chuck a few ports of Xbox games over to Windows. While they did start porting over with the likes of Gears of War, and the first two Halos, which were all (apart from the original Halo I reckon anyway) were quite poor ports of the original Xbox games. Hopefully Valve and MS will work something out as this would be great to see more games playable with people across all three platforms. We shall see soon enough.
I can see a lot of die hard PC gamers complaining about Valve branching out. I applaude them for forming this bridge between gamers. This imo is the first step to creating a bigger, better and greater gaming community for everyone. A chance for Xbox gamers to play with friends that only have a Playstation or PC and vice versa. And for Valve to be doing this is amazing as they do have great PR and actually listen to what customers want (except hiding away a certain Freeman but that's a completely different story. But everyone knows Valve uses Valve Time and gets things done when they get it done). I can see this making us a little more competitive and can prove once and for all who is better, Consolers or PC gamers.
For years there have been debates over which is better consoles or pcs. Now with Valve implimenting this we will be able to find out. While keyboard and mouse are obviously more accurate than controllers, I do think there will be some guys on PS that will give PC gamers a run for there money. Hopefully Valve can work things out with Microsoft and have Steam over on Xbox as well and we will have fully cross platform compatibility. So you can play against your buddies no matter what platform you happen to play and prefer. I do hope this is a sign of things to come and that we see more cross platform games in the future. Microsoft could (and should of IMO) have started cross platform play with GFWL and XBL. All they had to do really was put in keyboard and mouse support for Xbox, so they at least have the choice of having the same as PC guys, and just chuck a few ports of Xbox games over to Windows. While they did start porting over with the likes of Gears of War, and the first two Halos, which were all (apart from the original Halo I reckon anyway) were quite poor ports of the original Xbox games. Hopefully Valve and MS will work something out as this would be great to see more games playable with people across all three platforms. We shall see soon enough.
I can see a lot of die hard PC gamers complaining about Valve branching out. I applaude them for forming this bridge between gamers. This imo is the first step to creating a bigger, better and greater gaming community for everyone. A chance for Xbox gamers to play with friends that only have a Playstation or PC and vice versa. And for Valve to be doing this is amazing as they do have great PR and actually listen to what customers want (except hiding away a certain Freeman but that's a completely different story. But everyone knows Valve uses Valve Time and gets things done when they get it done). I can see this making us a little more competitive and can prove once and for all who is better, Consolers or PC gamers.
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
GameStop takes out Deus Ex coupons from Retail Copies
Retail PC copies of the new Deus Ex game apparently along side having a physical disc of the game also got a coupon for the game to use at Onlive (a service I haven't used but do think is a hell of an idea, cloud gaming, even if you have a shitty computer you can still play the latest games so long as you have a decent internet connection).
Apparently the higher ups at Game Stop have been telling employees to remove the added version of the game. Whether this is happening at every Game Stop we don't know, we don't know why they are doing this as of yet, hopefully we'll get an update on the situation soon enough. It does seem a strange move though, I think it may just be a bit of a dick move hoping they will get more people downloading from Impulse (gamestops DD service), while Impulse and Onlive aren't exactly the same thing they are quite similar and I would say on the same level, no where near up to Steam level but still do okay for themselves. That's pure speculation though though is quite possible as Game Stop have been known to do shady things in the past. Neither Onlive or Square Enix (who made a deal from the coupons to be there) have made a comment on the matter. It all seems a bit shady to me to be honest.
There has been user comments on articles about this defending GameStop saying it's okay they are just reducing competition. Or that it's a low move by Onlive to have coupons for there service selling at game stop. To these type of comments, I say bullshit. Yes removing the vouchers would be reducing competition, does that make it okay? Hell no it doesn't, especially when they remove it, rewrap the code and still sell it as new and don't mention the voucher has been removed. If the game has been opened between Square Enix shipping them off and me buying the game, it's is technically used, maybe not the disc. But the customer should be the first person to open it, whether or not this is illegal, I don't know but it is a dick move by them. As for the Onlive shouldn't be promoting there system through someone elses. Again bullshit, the fact of the matter is there is a voucher in every PC retail copy so they are not trying to have a go at GameStop and Impulse they are merely doing what companies do and trying to widen there customer market. GameStop is in the wrong here, if you disagree frankly you are wrong. Onlive did nothing wrong except promoting there company. They made a deal with a games developer. These things happen and they always will. By the logic of stopping competition they shouldn't sell the likes of Battlefield 3 as it needs Origin, making the need to buy from Gamestop or download from impulse unnecessary, we can't have any competition trying to better themselves now can we. Anyway I'm going to end my rant here.
Apparently the higher ups at Game Stop have been telling employees to remove the added version of the game. Whether this is happening at every Game Stop we don't know, we don't know why they are doing this as of yet, hopefully we'll get an update on the situation soon enough. It does seem a strange move though, I think it may just be a bit of a dick move hoping they will get more people downloading from Impulse (gamestops DD service), while Impulse and Onlive aren't exactly the same thing they are quite similar and I would say on the same level, no where near up to Steam level but still do okay for themselves. That's pure speculation though though is quite possible as Game Stop have been known to do shady things in the past. Neither Onlive or Square Enix (who made a deal from the coupons to be there) have made a comment on the matter. It all seems a bit shady to me to be honest.
There has been user comments on articles about this defending GameStop saying it's okay they are just reducing competition. Or that it's a low move by Onlive to have coupons for there service selling at game stop. To these type of comments, I say bullshit. Yes removing the vouchers would be reducing competition, does that make it okay? Hell no it doesn't, especially when they remove it, rewrap the code and still sell it as new and don't mention the voucher has been removed. If the game has been opened between Square Enix shipping them off and me buying the game, it's is technically used, maybe not the disc. But the customer should be the first person to open it, whether or not this is illegal, I don't know but it is a dick move by them. As for the Onlive shouldn't be promoting there system through someone elses. Again bullshit, the fact of the matter is there is a voucher in every PC retail copy so they are not trying to have a go at GameStop and Impulse they are merely doing what companies do and trying to widen there customer market. GameStop is in the wrong here, if you disagree frankly you are wrong. Onlive did nothing wrong except promoting there company. They made a deal with a games developer. These things happen and they always will. By the logic of stopping competition they shouldn't sell the likes of Battlefield 3 as it needs Origin, making the need to buy from Gamestop or download from impulse unnecessary, we can't have any competition trying to better themselves now can we. Anyway I'm going to end my rant here.
Happy Birthday Team Fortress.
So Team Fortress turns 15 today. For the next 24 hours, if you play TF2 you will get a free party hat (more hats yay...), A free noisemaker (which will probably be annoying as hell) that have unlimited uses on TF's birthday and can only be used each year on that day! Free cake and gifts (in the form of remodeled health kits and ammo packs)!
You will also see some birthday items of previous years including: a TF birthday beach ball and the Celebration Gib, which causes gibbed players to explode in a shower of balloons and confetti (which sounds pretty cool)
I never have been about for any of Team Fortress's birthdays so I think I may go for a couple games of 2fort and get my free hat. Also I haven't played any TF for a week or 3 so it's a good enough excuse.
You will also see some birthday items of previous years including: a TF birthday beach ball and the Celebration Gib, which causes gibbed players to explode in a shower of balloons and confetti (which sounds pretty cool)
I never have been about for any of Team Fortress's birthdays so I think I may go for a couple games of 2fort and get my free hat. Also I haven't played any TF for a week or 3 so it's a good enough excuse.
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Ubisofts DRM so successful it's getting removed
Everyone knows about Ubisofts constant online DRM and the majority hate it with a passion. They recently called it a success, as it apparently reduced piracy figures. Or it could be do to the amount of people boycotting the company due to this system whose to say. Anyway with the recent release of a wee little game called 'From Dust' which was apparently not going to have this 'successful' DRM implimented, but ended up having it anyway, thus pissing even more people off. They have now decided this was a bad idea and are now removing it according to a post on their forum. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come and they will start using DRM people have accepted with the likes of Steamworks or GFWL (I know alot of people hate it but I want more gamer points dammit).
Monday, 22 August 2011
Pre Ordering Borderlands 2, months in advance.
You can now pre order Borderlands 2 right now from Amazon and Gamestop according to the Borderlands 2 website. That's right in a time of global skintness you can waste 50 bucks, 60 if you go for a console copy (I cba to go google how much it is in GBP) on a game you won't be seeing until mid to late next year. $50 that could be spent on one of the many new and frankly awesome looking games that seem to be on the horizon, such as Rage, Deus Ex, Dead Island and other such titles I can't really think of off the top of my head but I know there is a few coming soon. I know I won't be pre ordering any time soon.
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