Pokemon Go

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I think Nintendo has finally realized they can make massive amounts of money with their properties on non-Nintendo dedicated systems. Do you think this will affect Nintendo's console decisions in the future? Their handheld market has always been lucrative for them, but by braking out of their hardware comfort zone and succeeding, how long do you think it will be before we see more game releases from Nintendo on Android and iOS? Mobile pays off as big as it does because of the sheer amount of people that have access to it. I'd love to see Nintendo realize their market potential and start releasing games on Playstation 4, PC and Xbox one as well.

Quote

But there’s more. According to SuperData, a company that tracks digital revenues, Pokemon Go has already brought in over $14.04 million across iOS and Android since release. The game is already ahead of any mobile title in the franchise, and has overtaken Pokemon Shuffle Mobile’s $14.03 figure, which it has earned since August, 2015.

https://www.vg247.com/2016/07/12/pokemon-go-has-already-made-over-14-million-report/

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

Considering their mobile games department is brand new I'm sure they'll start realizing quickly just how much they stand to gain from licensing out their ips to others. While I think the game is retarded (I mean look at all the robberies that have happened since it's release) it's a great step for Nintendo and something I've been calling for for a long time (what I wouldn't give to have a Zelda title on the PS4, just imagine how beautiful that game would be). Considering how bad the Wii U did and how bad I think the NX will do I'm sure within 2-3 years we might see more of this happening. I mean all they need to do is look at Sega and they'll see how profitable it was for them to drop out of the console market and license out their ips. Sure it hasn't been good for Sonic but everything else Sega has it's name on has done extremely well over the years. The only downside, if they choose to pull out of consoles development, is it'll kill what little competition there is on the market (yea, Nintendo hasn't really been a contender over the last few years but I don't like what the future holds if it's just Sony and Microsoft calling the shots). With this whole modular gaming aspect the console market is taking (seriously guys, we don't need a new PS4 and we certainly don't need two new XBones. There hasn't really been any outcry for 4k console gaming so why the hell are they pushing it now (4K TV's are insanely overpriced). Hell 4K gaming isn't even a big thing on PC yet. I don't like the fact that they feel console gaming needs to be like PC gaming, I don't want to be upgrading my system every 2-4 years because you guys want to give us a slightly more powerful console) I fear Nintendo dropping out will put the nail in the coffin for the console market.

While I was still in college one of my teachers said Mobile was the future for the game industry. Not only does it allow indie developers to flourish (it's probably the most friendly platform for indie developers besides PC) it also allows big developers to reach out to a much broader audience. In fact (he was the head of the game development department) he hoping to get classes added to the curriculum that focused on mobile game development (sadly this never came to be as he left shortly after I graduated and the school closed 2 years later (long, retarded story)).

[Myk JL 1,731]

I think this is just Nintendo slowly losing its ego it gained from over 30 years ago when it was declared The Savior Of Console Gaming. Sure Microsoft & Sony have their own problems when they think they can control the gaming industry. But Nintendo also had ego problems back when it was Snes vs. Genesis. IF Nintendo could outlive Microsoft & Sony in the console market part of me would expect certain games to become PC exclusive. This is partly because supposedly its harder to program of Nintendo consoles & its past with censoring games like Mortal Kombat.

Everything that has happened from Japan or Nintendo "Saving" the console industry has resulted in Butterfly Effects. This is in part because consoles had made gaming convenient.

The Sonic fan base existing is simply from Sega needing a mascot to compete against Mario. The ESRB's creation was fueled mostly by console games that non-gamers were outraged by. Sony wanting revenge on Nintendo over PlayStation. Sega's even faster fall out of the console market because PlayStation was a better competitor. Thus resulting in Sonic Fanatics need to let everyone know Sonic can defeat Mario. Microsoft being afraid that Sony would make an OS via PlayStation thus creating Xbox to compete. "Bro Gamers" becoming the average market that Sony & Microsoft would cater to. And Gamer Gate that has happened over the controversies existed before & after Bro Gamers.

Part of these Butterfly Effects go right back into PC Gaming as Console Fanatics were declaring PC Gaming to be Dead. Then you had PC Gamers declaring Steam to be the savior of PC Gaming. Microsoft has now been making shifty moves to show it has been dedicated to PC Gaming. Steam Machine's Linux based existence for fear that Microsoft would force Steam out of the gaming industry.

And finally the plausibly that the worst that might've come from all of this is Steam Greenlight & whatever butterfly effects that will have. Though I'm sure something like Steam Greenlight would've came into existence simply because Smart Phones were going to make gaming convenient anyway.

....

Now if you excuse me I'm going look at artwork that sexually objectifies Female Khajiits, Argonians, etcetera. Why? Because nowadays from the neck up is way more important to me. Plus anything with a human like face would probably give me a migraine if I stare at it too long.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

Steam Greenlight doesn't seem so bad. At least most of those games are actual full games unlike Steam Early Access which is basically Steam's own version of kickstarter, except these games never have to be fully developed or even completed.
 

On 7/13/2016 at 0:40 PM, Strider Hiryu said:

The only downside, if they choose to pull out of consoles development, is it'll kill what little competition there is on the market (yea, Nintendo hasn't really been a contender over the last few years but I don't like what the future holds if it's just Sony and Microsoft calling the shots). With this whole modular gaming aspect the console market is taking (seriously guys, we don't need a new PS4 and we certainly don't need two new XBones. There hasn't really been any outcry for 4k console gaming so why the hell are they pushing it now (4K TV's are insanely overpriced). Hell 4K gaming isn't even a big thing on PC yet. I don't like the fact that they feel console gaming needs to be like PC gaming, I don't want to be upgrading my system every 2-4 years because you guys want to give us a slightly more powerful console) I fear Nintendo dropping out will put the nail in the coffin for the console market.

While I was still in college one of my teachers said Mobile was the future for the game industry. Not only does it allow indie developers to flourish (it's probably the most friendly platform for indie developers besides PC) it also allows big developers to reach out to a much broader audience. In fact (he was the head of the game development department) he hoping to get classes added to the curriculum that focused on mobile game development (sadly this never came to be as he left shortly after I graduated and the school closed 2 years later (long, retarded story)).

I wouldn't worry too much about Nintendo leaving the console market. As long as there are at least 2 companies there will always be good competition. Its the same with mobile phone / tablet gaming now. Theres only Android and iOS with windows phone in a small niche of the market just like for consoles theres only Playstation and Xbox with nintendo in a small niche of the market. Steam OS might eventually become something more main stream if game companies actually start making their games for linux.

I've said this before but I still think the consoles will eventually die off and turn into streaming only services once bandwidth and controller latency issues eventually get improved. Playstation 7 will probably be the equivalent of a roku stick with a controller. That way we'll never have to upgrade a console again. They'll just upgrade their servers that run all the games and there will always be PC quality graphics. And once that becomes a thing all the PC games will turn into streaming only services too. Even tho everyone's PCs could run the games themselves the game companies will become streaming only to stop pirating games once and for all. Sure there will be countries or locations with crap internet still, but by the time Playstation 7 is coming out the wireless networks could be so advanced we could use it's internet connection instead of having any more landlines. Then again I could be predicting something that will never happen like all those people back in the 40s thought we'd have flying cars by now.

Back to Pokemon Go.. the fact that this game became this popular and made as much money as it has already is a bit concerning. Game developers see games like this and think "More Social = More Money" Every game is slowly becoming online only, connected to online servers 24/7 and requires everyone to interact with everyone else. The good days of single player AAA campaign games are slowly coming to an end. Why would a company want to develop AAA solo campaign games that will be hacked within a week or 2 of release and torrented to everyone for free, when those same companies can put that development money into a mobile game with some of the strongest DRM ever (online only server connection required, free download, microtransactions, etc.) and get full profit. The only other way to counter that is to make AAA games like Overwatch that also requires a constant online connection to servers. Almost every solo campaign game has an online multiplayer now as an incentive for people to actually buy the game if they pirated it.

I haven't played Pokemon Go yet, but I am going to try it this weekend. I want to see what locations near me are considered gyms so I can avoid hitting people with my car in those areas when they walk into the street staring at their phones.

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

30 minutes ago, Sledgstone said:

I've said this before but I still think the consoles will eventually die off and turn into streaming only services once bandwidth and controller latency issues eventually get improved. Playstation 7 will probably be the equivalent of a roku stick with a controller. That way we'll never have to upgrade a console again. They'll just upgrade their servers that run all the games and there will always be PC quality graphics. And once that becomes a thing all the PC games will turn into streaming only services too. Even tho everyone's PCs could run the games themselves the game companies will become streaming only to stop pirating games once and for all. Sure there will be countries or locations with crap internet still, but by the time Playstation 7 is coming out the wireless networks could be so advanced we could use it's internet connection instead of having any more landlines. Then again I could be predicting something that will never happen like all those people back in the 40s thought we'd have flying cars by now.

I seriously doubt this. There's always going to be a physical copy of the game because publishers need to get their money's worth out of games and I know I'm not the only person out there that refuses to pay $60+ for a digital copy of a game when it comes out.  Also they have to reach the broadest audience and as you said there are those who have shit internet service or none at all, you can't possibly make money when you're ignoring up to 40% of your consumer base. Not to mention not everyone can afford the price of high speed internet or would even be willing to pay the price for said internet. With how graphically and bandwidth intensive games have been becoming to pass that amount of data through on say my connection speed would result in a piss poor gaming experience, something I don't want (which is the reason I need to upgrade to 120, I've been having some series troubles playing FFXIV lately due to internet fuck ups).

Plus the way you're saying this will go what would be the point of even owning a PS or Xbox stick when you could just get the game through steam on you're PC. You're effectively killing the game market as there would be no use to having two console developers anymore. Exclusives would be gone because what developer would side with a stick manufacturer when they could reach more consumers by just releasing on Steam or another Steam like application. It'd be more cost effective to this and you only have to code for 3 different OS's (if you choose to) and one server setup. Plus I've never heard how Playstation Now is doing, I know some people don't like it but I've never really heard overall numbers of users or games being played (sadly I won't pay a fee to stream a game on top of my PS+ membership, that's a little to much money for my tastes). I know I'll stop gaming if they go streaming only, it might be my age showing but I still like having physical copies of my games (the only digital downloads I own on my PS4 are the free titles we get every month, Sword Art Online (I forget the rest of the name), and the Definitive Edition of Dishonored. I refuse to buy digital downloads due to limited hard drive space since digital games take up more room then disc copies) and that will never change. The only exception I make for this is PC games, it's just easier to get the digital version through Steam and a lot of PC games are switching to digital only (plus I have hard drive space for days between all my external hard drives).

39 minutes ago, Sledgstone said:

I wouldn't worry too much about Nintendo leaving the console market. As long as there are at least 2 companies there will always be good competition. Its the same with mobile phone / tablet gaming now. Theres only Android and iOS with windows phone in a small niche of the market just like for consoles theres only Playstation and Xbox with nintendo in a small niche of the market. Steam OS might eventually become something more main stream if game companies actually start making their games for linux.

The problem is Sega was in the same boat when they left the market only for Microsoft to swoop in and take their spot effectively forcing Nintendo into Sega's old niche market. Sadly we won't have that option if Nintendo goes the way of the dinosaur (and no Steam machines won't take that niche. They're jokes that run on Linux and only have 250 so games from the Steam library that actually can run on Linux). Sony and Microsoft have to much say and power in the industry (which I think is one of the reasons Nintendo can't get out of its funk (besides their bad choices in developing new consoles)) currently and we've seen what choices they've made over the last decade swaying how game development and console development go (before Microsoft hit the market their was no real call for online multiplayer games on Nintendo, Playstation, and Sega consoles (though Sega did start it with some of their games (Phantasy Star Online is an example here) which is why we had those massive single player only campaigns. People had PC if they wanted to play online games. It was Microsoft that started pushing for digital only as well, we saw how well that worked out for them). I still feel, much like our political system, more then two choices is a must which is why I worry for the future of gaming if Nintendo bails on the console market (I have no hopes for our political system but thats for another topic).

56 minutes ago, Sledgstone said:

Back to Pokemon Go.. the fact that this game became this popular and made as much money as it has already is a bit concerning. Game developers see games like this and think "More Social = More Money" Every game is slowly becoming online only, connected to online servers 24/7 and requires everyone to interact with everyone else. The good days of single player AAA campaign games are slowly coming to an end. Why would a company want to develop AAA solo campaign games that will be hacked within a week or 2 of release and torrented to everyone for free, when those same companies can put that development money into a mobile game with some of the strongest DRM ever (online only server connection required, free download, microtransactions, etc.) and get full profit. The only other way to counter that is to make AAA games like Overwatch that also requires a constant online connection to servers. Almost every solo campaign game has an online multiplayer now as an incentive for people to actually buy the game if they pirated it.

Other mobile developers have already been pushing this forever. Look how much money games like Candy Crush and Clash of Clans have made since they're release (the numbers are astronomical). Developers already know the amount of money they can make, Nintendo just proved that a major developer can make a shit ton of cash on already established properties. Hell Square Enix is releasing a Final Fantasy game for mobile now as well (Mobius, it looks freaking amazing and I plan on picking it up).

DRM isn't really that strong on mobile devices. With a rooted phone or tablet you can get access to various games no problem, bypassing the android/apple markets by just getting you're hand on a copy of the .apk file through a site (and you can even get cheated versions as well) and it'll still have access to the games live servers. Hell I think you can even get iOS games on android (and vice versa) through this method (I don't know, I don't really pay attention to the root community. As much as I'd like to root my phone it's just not worth the hassle).

I digress now, we've really pushed this off topic. I tried Go for all of 5 minutes in my room. After realizing there's only two Pokestops in my town I quickly uninstalled it (plus, out here in the boonies, people still view gaming as completely childish and even more so if they hear you're playing Pokemon. The social stigma is overbearing). Plus, while the concept is cool, I just don't like the idea of it. What this game is doing as somewhat of a social experiment, however, is nuts. It's really bringing the gaming community together but it's also bringing the seedier elements of society together as well (the amount of deaths, robberies, and other games contributed to this game are sad).

[Myk JL 1,731]

2 hours ago, Sledgstone said:

Steam Greenlight doesn't seem so bad. At least most of those games are actual full games unlike Steam Early Access which is basically Steam's own version of kickstarter, except these games never have to be fully developed or even completed.

Part of me probably shouldn't have an opinion on Steam Greenlight as all my examples of why Steam Greenlight is bad come from Jim Sterling.

-

Back to Pokémon Go I would probably get this in hopes I could find Meowth/Persian & Purrloin/Liepard if I wasn't waiting for Augmented Reality Glasses.

http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=378

[Sledgstone 8,672]

That vgcats comic.. lmao!

5 hours ago, Strider Hiryu said:

Also they have to reach the broadest audience and as you said there are those who have shit internet service or none at all, you can't possibly make money when you're ignoring up to 40% of your consumer base. Not to mention not everyone can afford the price of high speed internet or would even be willing to pay the price for said internet.

I think of it more as who is going to pay the most money overall (i hate this concept i'm about to type tho). I think of games like battlefield, titanfall, call of duty, etc. They all are focused on that 60% of the consumer base of online players with broadband internet. The other 40% with crap internet or no internet can either play against some AI bots or get a campaign only with battlefield. If the console makers wanted to trim costs they could cut down on console production and focus solely on that smaller market with the best internet because they could potentially get a higher profit ratio. The rest of the people will just not get those games anymore and will have to settle with alternatives like hand held game consoles, mobile or tablet games that can be played offline. I doubt this would happen unless high speed internet becomes much more available across the country tho. But I could see it as a possibility because other companies do the exact same thing already. If someone lives in the middle of nowhere, cable companies wont install their lines on that person's street for just one customer. Same with a town's sewer and water lines. If you're not in the service area you have to get a well and septic tank. Its pretty shitty, but wherever I'm looking at houses for sale, I have to take into consideration all the services available to that location so I don't get screwed in the future. All those companies running the towns/village services wont make enough profit off that 1 or 2 customers to justify the expense of catering to their living locations, so they straight up ignore them instead. I think of blockbuster as another example too. Everyone used to rent physical videos and games, then netflix destroyed the business model. All those 60%ers out there with good internet have netflix, psn, xbox live, steam and enjoy themselves. The other 40% now have to go to a kiosk at a grocery store and have a selection of 10-15 movies to watch and 4-10 games instead of hundreds at a blockbuster. For all of us with good internet, everything keeps getting better. But for everyone with crap internet, their options keep dwindling. We don't hear about it online, because those people literally aren't online to complain about it. If this same trend continues to happen and only people with broadband high speed connections are the new and only customers, then everything digital will prevail and physical games could eventually disappear.

5 hours ago, Strider Hiryu said:

Plus the way you're saying this will go what would be the point of even owning a PS or Xbox stick when you could just get the game through steam on you're PC.

Hypothetically I think it'll depend on what company eventually makes the best streaming services with the best performing servers, controllers, etc. Plus it'll give the companies competition because each one would charge different fees to game companies and possibly pay companies for exclusives. PSN and Xbox could very well not even make a stick, but instead become apps like netflix and could work on a variety of devices or even be built in with Smart TVs with bluetooth for game controller input. Companies like Steam and Apple take at least 30% of the sale of all games. If PSN and Xbox didn't have competitive prices, they could all be charging crazy rates and game developers would be even more screwed. I would think of a PSN or Xbox app as competitors to steam at that point, just like amazon prime video and hulu are competitors with netflix.

5 hours ago, Strider Hiryu said:

DRM isn't really that strong on mobile devices. With a rooted phone or tablet you can get access to various games no problem, bypassing the android/apple markets by just getting you're hand on a copy of the .apk file through a site (and you can even get cheated versions as well) and it'll still have access to the games live servers.

Wow. I did not know that. I have installed games by bypassing the market and installing .apk files on my android because of the original humble mobile bundles. I didn't know other installed games could still access company servers tho.

5 hours ago, Strider Hiryu said:

(plus, out here in the boonies, people still view gaming as completely childish and even more so if they hear you're playing Pokemon. The social stigma is overbearing).

I hear ya. x_x I know 60+ year old coworkers that play the hell out of angry birds, farmville, etc. tho. But thats the exception. My parents have no significant interest in games and theres plenty of people I know that would think playing a video game is for kids and would rather go to a bar and throw darts while drinking beer. My younger brother plays all kinds of games but he hates pokemon go and told me the other day that as an adult he didn't have time for that childish crap. lol.

 

 

And back to Pokemon Go. (lmao, this has gotten way off topic, but its a great read imo. Its very interesting to toss around theories like this.)

I installed pokemon go and caught a couple pokemon while sitting on my ass:

And then I checked the surrounding area.. There is a poke stop in the cemetery across the street from me, but I've never noticed anyone actively going there. And it looks like a location near or at the local grocery store a couple streets away is a poke gym.. it could be the liquor store actually. lmao. I wont know because I uninstalled it. The game is an interesting concept, but I'm not interested in taking a road trip to hunt pokemon. The AR feature of the game is pretty interesting tho. These pokemon just float on your screen and if you can line them up on stuff it looks like thats where they are standing, like on my toilet paper roll. I've noticed that you have a limited amount of pokeballs and the things have a tendancy of flying all over the place when you throw them. Thus ensuring that you will eventually run out and need to buy more. I'm assuming pokecoins are obtainable in game somehow, but the microtransactions are real in this game:

Nah.. I know I have a tendency to go OCD on some games, but this setup along with having to literally go all over the place isn't for me.

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

4 hours ago, Sledgstone said:

For all of us with good internet, everything keeps getting better. But for everyone with crap internet, their options keep dwindling. We don't hear about it online, because those people literally aren't online to complain about it. If this same trend continues to happen and only people with broadband high speed connections are the new and only customers, then everything digital will prevail and physical games could eventually disappear.

Eventually this will end up imploding on itself as people get faster and faster connections dwindling this 60% down to 30% and so on as internet prices continue to skyrocket. People are extremely predictable and those of us willing to pay for those 120 meg connections will eventually turn into those who wouldn't pay for it when 500 meg on up connections become available to the public (you know those prices are going to be astronomical compared to what we're paying now and newer games are going to require faster connections). It's a sad, never ending cycle but I never really see the physical media disappearing. We as a society put a lot of emphasis on what we own physically as if it was a symbol of power. Doing away with this sense of ownership is more harmful then good as we can't own a streamed game (or show proof we own a digital copy of something), we'll pay a fee to be allowed to play it for say a month (similar to what MMO gamers like myself do to play our favorite MMO's and this works for them) on top of the fee we play for Live or Plus and on top of what we would pay for a service like Now (which I believe is $10-$15 a month). Once that month's up we now run the risk of either having to pay for another month to play the game or just give up on the idea of playing it anymore. We think paying for premium on Battlefield or other games like it to have access to maps is bad, just think of the outrage people are going to have when they have to pay say $5-$10 a month to stream Battlefield on top of some sort of premium membership for map packs (you know this won't be going away, it's making them to much money to allow it to die). You're looking at, theoretically, $15-$25 a month to play the game with the added $50-$60 you pay for you premium membership for you're preferred console (yea I'm using the current market) which is between $180-$360 a year just to play one game (without said map packs/dlc). I know things could get cheaper but with the greed that is Capitalism I doubt things are going to be cheaper then what I said (hell it could be more). The cool thing about services like Netflix is that we pay an access fee and get instant access to their whole library of movies/shows/etc until our month is up and we have to repay, we don't pay a fee to watch each individual episode/movie. There is no way a service like this will be allowed in the current game market, you will be forced to pay a monthly access fee along with a fee to play each individual game (which is the current system for Now).

I would cover the other point but most of my worries are encapsulated above the only real thing I'd have to do is take into consideration what different features Sony and Microsoft would put in to either entice or charge you more to use there app/stick. Honestly Sony and Microsoft, I feel, would go away from this and just focus on their other money makers (Sony with it's electronics and Microsoft with it's software). Again I don't think exclusives would be a thing, there really is no competition anymore in this model. Look at Apple versus Android. What exclusives does Apple have that you want on you're Android phone? What about vice-versa? I honestly can't think of one app/game Apple has that I want for my Android because almost everything now either has an equivalent on the other or it's just released for both platforms. The only real competition comes from preference and this would be the only competition between Microsoft/Sony, which major corporation do you want to support.

Yea, you can get Pokecoins in game I believe either by battling other trainers or beating gyms. You can refill you're basic Pokeballs at Pokestops I believe but yea they pretty much force you into spending real money for their in-game currency, much like every other F2P mobile game. You eventually reach that point where you need to spend money to actually get anywhere in the game (I've run into this problem on Clash of Clans more then once having spent quite a bit of money to get further in the game. Thankfully I stopped doing this and don't spend money anymore (I only recently started playing again after like a year away form the game)).

Edited July 17, 2016 by Strider Hiryu
Apparantly I don't like to finish my sentences