Tag Archives: gamasutra

Opinion: Why The Diablo III Backlash Got Overheated

Posted on by

[Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris examines the backlash from this week’s controversial Diablo III news, stating Blizzard “doesn’t make decisions rashly” and those vowing boycotts “are blowing smoke.”]

Amid all the wailing and gnashing of teeth over Monday’s Diablo III announcement, I have to admit I saw things a bit differently.

Between the kerfuffle over the always-connected DRM, the decision to disallow modding and the real money auctions, players didn’t even blink when the company all but announced that the game wouldn’t be out this year. Those same people were the ones who just a week ago were seriously jonesing for the chance to get repetitive stress injuries from the non-stop clicking.

Read more at Gamasutra

Opinion: Nintendo Slashes 3DS Price, But Did It Do Enough?

Posted on by

Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris questions whether today’s major Nintendo 3DS price drop is enough to “resuscitate” long-term hardware sales in a world of smartphones and Angry Birds.

Welcome to the post-iPhone world, Nintendo. We were wondering when you’d take those blinders off.

Thursday’s announcement that the game giant would be slicing the price of the 3DS by nearly one-third after just four months was significant on a number of levels. But as the mobile gaming world continues to evolve at a breathtaking pace, it may not be enough to secure the system’s long-term future.

Read more at Gamasutra

THQ’s Newfound Porn Obsession

Posted on by

Gamasutra Editor-at-large Chris Morris takes a look at THQ’s use of adult entertainment stars in the promotion and voice talent for its Saints Row games, seeing risks for the franchise in the publicity stunt.

I know my way around the world of pornography.

One of the perks of being an editor-at-large at several publications is you often pick up some interesting assignments. Among the ones I’ve been handed were a series of stories about the business side of the adult entertainment industry. It’s actually an industry that reminded me a lot of the video game field – one that’s very easy to judge on the surface, but one that’s a lot more complex once you peek behind the curtain.

Read more at Gamasutra

Interview: Ubisoft’s Guillemot Talks Early Adoption Of Wii U

Posted on by

Ubisoft’s chairman and CEO Yves Guillemot talks to Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris about his company’s early adoption of the upcoming Nintendo Wii U, and about how the new transition means that Sony and Microsoft need “new machines soon.”

When it comes to early adoption, gamers don’t have anything on Yves Guillemot.

The chairman and CEO of Ubisoft has long taken the approach that as a new gaming system approaches, his company wants to be one of the flag bearers for the launch lineup. It did it with the Xbox 360. It did it with the 3DS. And it’s planning to do it once again when Nintendo’s Wii U hits store shelves next year.

Read more at Gamasutra.com

Microsoft’s Durkin: Entertainment ‘Driving Platform Momentum’ On Xbox 360

Posted on by

[Dennis Durkin, COO of Microsoft’s IEB, tells Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris, “Not only has gaming usage gone up [on Xbox 360], but non-gaming has as well,” as the company evolves the console into a do-it-all entertainment box.]

When Elijah Wood first showed the world the Xbox 360 on MTV in 2005, the system was laser focused on games. But as the industry has evolved since then, so has the 360.

These days, while games are still at the core of the system, other entertainment options have elbowed their way into the spotlight – and, with the addition of live television to the offerings planned by the end of this year, games will have even more competition for people’s attentions.

Read more at Gamasutra

Analysis: Putting Zynga’s IPO In Perspective

Posted on by

If we’ve learned one thing from today’s long-awaited Zynga IPO filing, it’s this: Damn, would it be nice to be Mark Pincus.

The founder and CEO of the social games juggernaut stands to make an insane amount of money when trading of the company begins on Wall St. (likely 3-4 months from now). He’s already bucks up from selling 7.8 million shares back to the company in March for $100 million – and he’s still holding another 105 million shares in his portfolio. It’s nothing short of a massive payoff for his four-year old company.

Read more at Gamasutra

Analysis: Why Do Video Games Face Such Resistance?

Posted on by

[Despite Monday’s Supreme Court victory, we still have a long way to go until the general public understands our ratings system and acknowledges their children are safe. Gamasutra editor at large Chris Morris discusses why our jobs now are to help them understand.]

For the past year, I’ve pretty much lived and breathed Brown v. EMA.

I kept a close eye on the case as the Court considered whether to address it. I was in the room in November when oral arguments were presented. And I’ve stayed in touch with attorneys about ramifications in the long wait for a ruling.

With the decision now in, I found myself doing a series of round-robin interviews today on morning radio shows on news/talk stations around the country.

Read more at Gamasutra

Analysis: Despite Ruling, Threats Remain For The Games Industry

Posted on by

There’s plenty to cheer about today in the video game industry — and for good reason.

The definitive Supreme Court ruling that video games are entitled to First Amendment protections is something developers, publishers and industry backers have been actively trying to secure for years. Achieving the goal is laudable, but it’s not the end of the fight — not by a long shot.

Read more at Gamasutra

Interview: Sony’s Tretton Addresses Hackers, Downplays iPhone Threat

Posted on by

[In this interview with Gamasutra editor at large Chris Morris, SCEA CEO Jack Tretton talks candidly about April’s PSN security breach and outage, and how low-priced mobile titles aren’t necessarily “training people to pay $5 for games.”]

While Sony would probably argue otherwise, the rest of the world tends to agree that the company’s public handling of April’s data intrusion was a textbook example of PR fumbling. After waiting what many consider to be too long to address the problem, the company finally apologized, but the sentiment seemed rehearsed — and less than sincere to many.

But when Jack Tretton stepped on stage at this year’s pre-E3 press conference and addressed the issue for the first time, he did so without a script or teleprompter, choosing instead to speak from the heart.

Read more at Gamasutra

Iwata: Wii U Planning Started Immediately After Wii Release

Posted on by

[In an interview with Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris, Nintendo’s Satoru Iwata says his company began thinking about the Wii U right after the Wii’s launch, and outlines the firm’s home console and software pricing strategies.]

Hindsight’s a funny thing.

Given the staggering out-of-the-gate success Nintendo saw with the Wii, you might have expected the company to push back its next generation planning for a year or two to focus on ensuring third-party partners understood how best to succeed on the Wii, ultimately extending its appeal in the market.

Read more at Gamasutra