April 2017

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Pinball at the Zoo 2017: A Report

April 24, 2017

It was that special time of year when the annual Pinball at the Zoo event takes place, and once again I was on hand to check out the action. Every year's a little different, and this year was, well, no different. It was indeed different, but it taught many of the same lessons.

Pinball at the Zoo, every year, brings together a host of local pinball machine owners, who put said games on free play to allow visiting players the chance to try out said games. The end result is a room full of pinball machines from pretty much every era of pinball, from the very latest computer-driven machines to the earliest machines with scores that max out in the high four figures.

Tagged: Andrew McCutchen, Apple Inc., Arnold Schwarzenegger, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Beauty and the Beast, Bill Murray, Black Panther (comics), Boston Red Sox, Bruce Willis, Business Insider, Carl Sagan, Celine Dion, Cosmos, Doctor Strange, Pinball, Terminator 2: Judgment Day : Related Tags: pinball machines, pinball machine, fewer games, pinball, games, machines

The Future of Xbox Looks a Lot Like Steam

April 18, 2017

It's been wondered on more than one occasion: with Microsoft pushing so hard to basically make the Xbox line a kind of gaming computer, then why in the world can't we play PC games on the Xbox? We're starting to see the reverse come to pass, but why not the way that gives us access to a staggering quantity of games that can be played via wireless controller? New reports suggest we may be heading in that direction.

Recently, Microsoft made a big step, bringing in digital purchase refunds. A "self-service refund system," which is actually a console first at last report.

Tagged: 4K resolution, Gaming computer, Microsoft, Microsoft Windows, PC game, Sony, Steam (software), Windows 10, Xbox (console), Xbox One : Related Tags: games, microsoft, digital, system

File Under "What?" Nintendo Shuts Down the Classic Edition

April 17, 2017

Some business decisions look positively ludicrous on their face, and Nintendo recently made one of these itself. Starting this month, Nintendo will shut down production on the Classic Edition and, with that, take a major revenue stream out of the market.

It's a shocking move by Nintendo, especially given that the Classic Edition--a system containing 30 classic games--has been frantically selling out in stores for the last six months.

As for reason, there doesn't seem to be much of one. A Nintendo representative noted that the system was never "...intended to be an ongoing, long-term product," further noting that added shipments were brought in to augment the original plans.

Tagged: Amazoncom, Best Buy, Board game, Business Insider, NES Classic Mini, Nintendo, Nintendo Entertainment System, North America, Retail, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild : Related Tags: classic edition, makes twenties, profitable product, nintendo, classic, product

Project Scorpio: Is This the End of the Console Wars?

April 11, 2017

The recent revelation of Project Scorpio's specs represents a big advancement in gaming, thanks in large part to the sheer amount of horsepower under that hood. But there's something else underneath this concept that's got people wondering if maybe this is the end--my only friend, the end--of the console wars for good, replaced by fairly routine numbers of hardware upgrades.

The early word about the Scorpio can only be described as good: the hardware involved makes the PS4 Pro look like a sick old woman by comparison, and suggest that 4K resolution at high-end frame rates is not only possible, but likely.

Naturally the price is a concern: the early word suggests this is a $500 package ready to go, and that's higher than the PS4 Pro's $400 sticker. Additionally, there's the question of whether or not the games will be able to run at that resolution.

Tagged: 4K resolution, Blu-ray, Central processing unit, DVD, Eurogamer, Microsoft, PlayStation 4, Ultra-high-definition television, Xbox (console), Xbox One : Related Tags: project scorpio, games, system, scorpio, project, gamers

New Details Emerge on Bethesda's E3 Show

April 10, 2017

After the 2015 E3 event, where Bethesda stunned a nation of gamers by both revealing its long-awaited Fallout 4 release and announcing its release date less than six months later, Bethesda's E3 show became one of the first big things to look forward to about arguably the biggest gaming show on Earth. Now, new details have slipped out about the 2017 Bethesda event, and depending on how far you want to take rumor and conjecture, we could be in for a doozy of a 2017 in gaming.

First, the company's opening things up once again to regular folks, though it's not immediately clear just how those regular folks will be included. Some suggest a lottery or drawing system, while others figure it might be first-come-first-served. Though while the mechanics aren't clear, what's clear is that regular players will be allowed in in some percentage alongside the likely live-streaming event.

Additionally, the event's time and date has been established, so set your clocks for 6:30 PM Pacific time--do the math to apply that to your own time zone--on June 11.

Tagged: Android (operating system), Bethesda Softworks, Central processing unit, Horizon Zero Dawn, HTC Vive, Microsoft, Microsoft Windows, Oculus Rift, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Xbox One : Related Tags: regular folks, project scorpio, elder scrolls, bethesda, event, things

Is Now the Time for a Disc-Free Console System?

April 4, 2017

What a difference a few years makes. I remember, very actively, when Microsoft first brought out the notion of a disc-free system when it introduced the Xbox One back at E3 2013, a debacle so pronounced that the derisive laughter spawned by the "Official PlayStation Used Game Instructional Video" still echoes throughout the E3 floor. Now, however, there are reports to say that some gamers are ready for a disc-free future. I'm personally not one of them, but even I must admit, I can see their point.

Essentially, some are suggesting that a disc-free system could survive in the world of the present, at least potentially as a separate version to be sold alongside the standard disc-driven version.

Tagged: 4K resolution, Adventure game, Microsoft, Microsoft Windows, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Ryse: Son of Rome, Windows 10, Xbox (console), Xbox Live, Xbox One : Related Tags: needs change, playing fallout, internet access, digital, reasons, games

Bad News for Switch Fans: Your Game Data Isn't Safe

April 3, 2017

A new report emerged recently to suggest potential bad news ahead for fans of the Nintendo Switch. While there were plenty of reasons to like the Nintendo Switch, there was one significant problem that emerged: there's no way to save game data outside of the system itself.

No backup is possible with the Switch, at last report, and that means that if something goes wrong with the system, any save data that was kept on said system is likewise shot. Word from GamesRadar's Anthony John Agnello spelled out the situation following a disaster situation when, for reasons unknown and wholly unclear, Agnello's system had a critical system failure. Agnello, taking advantage of the system's warranty, sent the system to Nintendo for repair, and got disastrous news in response.

Nintendo notified Agnello that "the issue has made some fo the information on this system unreadable." With that grim pronouncement, Agnello lost save data, settings, and links established with Nintendo Accounts.

Tagged: Americas, GameStop, Horizon Zero Dawn, Launch game, Nintendo, Reggie Fils-Aimé, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Universe of The Legend of Zelda, Wii, Wii U : Related Tags: nintendo switch, system, nintendo, agnello, problem, backup

End Game

April 2017