Random game chat

Don't know if anybody remembers Digitiser from the old days of Teletext but if you do, and you're sick of the mainstream commercialised gaming sites, you might want to check this out.


www.digitiser2000.com

Glad I cashed in my GAME virtual loyalty shares in November while they were high to put towards an Xbox One, shares in the company have lost 50% their value after GAME yesterday announced weak festive sales and a 7% fall in trade in the 11 weeks to January 10th. They're blaming Black Friday discounting for the fall.

megablast16 wrote:Glad I cashed in my GAME virtual loyalty shares in November while they were high to put towards an Xbox One, shares in the company have lost 50% their value after GAME yesterday announced weak festive sales and a 7% fall in trade in the 11 weeks to January 10th. They're blaming Black Friday discounting for the fall.

Discounting that they were more than happy to cash in on at the time

I never understand how Game aren't making money. In the run up to Christmas, every Game store I visited had queues running out the door. Other shops would kill to have that number of customers.

CPC6128 wrote:I never understand how Game aren't making money. In the run up to Christmas, every Game store I visited had queues running out the door. Other shops would kill to have that number of customers.

Game's profits are in pre-owned and accessories. In the run up to Christmas people are only really buying new copies of games and they have to use accessories as a disposable add-on for console bundles to remain competitive with places like Argos and online stores.

Its a messy situation and I will not be surprised if Game has another bout with bankruptcy in the next few years.

Game is still on target to make a £50m profit this year. Shares dropped because they were expected to make over £60m profit. The private equity investor that owns most of it, having bought it out of administration, is sitting on an over £200m paper profit even at this share price. No immediate worries for Game (whereas I've no idea how HMV keeps going).

As with other  'sunset' businesses, it'll own last medium term  if the future is wholly digital.

My own experience  of new Game is that they are much better than old Game - keener prices (a bit too keen on Black Friday!) and  better deals. Old Game just couldn't do that as it was suffering under the burden of debt repayments.

sorenlorensen wrote:Game is still on target to make a £50m profit this year. Shares dropped because they were expected to make over £60m profit. The private equity investor that owns most of it, having bought it out of administration, is sitting on an over £200m paper profit even at this share price. No immediate worries for Game (whereas I've no idea how HMV keeps going).

As with other  'sunset' businesses, it'll own last medium term  if the future is wholly digital.

My own experience  of new Game is that they are much better than old Game - keener prices (a bit too keen on Black Friday!) and  better deals. Old Game just couldn't do that as it was suffering under the burden of debt repayments.

There are better deals that have kept me going back lately. But like you said, things are quickly moving to digital for games. As this gen goes on digital will become more attractive, especially if the current crazy RRP pricing on the Xbox One and PS4 stores drops to sensible levels.

I'm slowly shifting as much of my gaming purchases to digital as possible going forward because it is easier for me and it will stop me forking out crazy money for Collector's Editions 

Game is only good for me for the odd good bargain, Disney Infinity figures and Amiibos when I've got money to burn.

Very rarely buy anything in store in GAME anymore, hate the way they always try to flog you everything from season passes and disc insurance to PSN/Xbox Live top ups and pre-orders when you take something to the counter.

I like refusing those things

While I'm happy to buy music, films, books, magazine and comics digitally, I'll rarely (currently) do the same for games, solely due to the lack of trad in value (and the price differential between physical and digital copies not being sufficient). As soon as the pricing gets more sensible, I'm sure I'll be all over digital games too.

I popped into Game the other day in passing and saw a copy of Dante's Inferno for the 360 with a Cash Converters sticker on the side for £4.99. I wondered to myself if the Game price on the front would be more expensive and behold it was at £7.99.

If you are going to price it higher at least peel of the cheaper sticker.

The best things I have got from game are PSP and Wii games and such now when there not popular and they are trying to shift them. Basically its got me a few RPG's on the cheap I would otherwise either of had to break the bank for or just not get

Just heard that the physical versions of Techland's zombie parkour game Dying Light have been delayed for a yet unspecified length of time, however the digital version will still be available as planned on January 30th. All Techland have said is that the disc copies take longer to produce hence the delay. This is a new one to me though, I've never heard of the physical versions of a major release being delayed while digital arrived on time before, cynics might suggest it conveniently gives the more expensive digital version a window where it's the only way to get the game if you want it.

megablast16 wrote:Just heard that the physical versions of Techland's zombie parkour game Dying Light have been delayed for a yet unspecified length of time, however the digital version will still be available as planned on January 30th. All Techland have said is that the disc copies take longer to produce hence the delay. This is a new one to me though, I've never heard of the physical versions of a major release being delayed while digital arrived on time before, cynics might suggest it conveniently gives the more expensive digital version a window where it's the only way to get the game if you want it.

Judging that this is something that is affecting the EU release of the game I would say it is one of three things:

1. The game has some major bugs that the US release testers aren't fussed about and the EU release testers failed the game on Day One Patch or no Patch.
   
2. There is a ratings board issue for the game. PEGI, USK, etc. see something in the game that means it can't be released in its current from. Easy to change for the Digital release but not so easy for the physical release.
   
3. A mixture of 1 and 2.
   

The line that "disc copies take longer to produce hence the delay" is sort of true because they will have to fix the issue and begin reprinting the discs with the updated content/fixes on it.

Dunno, you know more about this kind of thing more than me Cal although it affects all areas outside of North America, just can't remember something like this ever happening before for a major retail release.

megablast16 wrote:Dunno, you know more about this kind of thing more than me Cal although it affects all areas outside of North America, just can't remember something like this ever happening before for a major retail release.

I've never known it to happen with a retail release but things like the short last minute delays on episodes of The Walking Dead between EU/US are similar.

cal_el wrote:Judging that this is something that is affecting the EU release of the game I would say it is one of three things:

1. The game has some major bugs that the US release testers aren't fussed about and the EU release testers failed the game on Day One Patch or no Patch.
   

Given Techland's past history, this is the most likely/almost too obvious option

The only problem with that is since when do testers fail a game due to bugs? I mean look at all the games that passed for release last year full of bugs, some games such as AC: Unity and Driveclub arrived pretty much unfinished. Still think there's more to it than that.

megablast16 wrote:The only problem with that is since when do testers fail a game due to bugs? I mean look at all the games that passed for release last year full of bugs, some games such as AC: Unity and Driveclub arrived pretty much unfinished. Still think there's more to it than that.

NDAs and me wanting to stay working in the games industry prevent me from answering this in detail but I will say that next-gen game development has a lot more requirements than the previous gen.

I really want to break down the dev cycle from a testing point of view but I think a ninja would appear from nowhere and serve me legal papers 

OK Cal fair enough. lol


EDIT: Techland have commented further, basically pointing the finger at publisher Warner Bros. Interactive. 

Their statement in full.

"We would like to remind fans and media that Techland is responsible for developing and creating Dying Light. The publishing and distribution is not handled by us. Once we at Techland know more about how the release of the game will be coordinated, we will immediately inform everyone." So even the developer seems to be in the dark about the delay of the retail release.

Yesterday Nintendo announced that Club Nintendo will be closing come September so if anyone has any stars to use do it soon.

dste01 wrote:Yesterday Nintendo announced that Club Nintendo will be closing come September so if anyone has any stars to use do it soon.

I like Club Nintendo and have bought some decent stuff over the years.  I do tend to forget to register games and then the Stars expire though - realised I'd 'lost' about 2000 when registering after this announcement.  Still had just enough to get the Japanese Mario Kart 8 t-shirt though

8-bit Bayonetta game.  

http://www.platinumgames.co.jp/404/

Just come across Xbox DVR, a site that has all the game DVR stuff from Xbox Live. It has a cool little feature though. You can make gifs out of any video posted on the site!



Link: http://xboxdvr.com/

Despite my best efforts to get some friendly competition going on the excellent Resogun a few months ago, it never got off the ground so I'm hoping that the latest update will inspire some of you to return to this game.

The free Challengers update sounds like the sort of stuff that's right up my street and it also gives a great reason to return after nabbing the Platinum a few weeks ago.

Also more details about Defenders DLC which is due next week at a very reasonable price (even better for season pass holders), just a pity that that will be the last bit of content for the game.

Can anybody recommend a decent gaming podcast? All of my previous favourites are now discontinued and I'm looking for a new show to subscribe to. I need my weekly dose of gaming news to accompany me on my journeys to and from work.

Any ideas welcome.