Gaming
Nintendo On Mobile Games And Not Calling Them ‘Free-To-Play’
Nintendo has shared a bit about its plans to get into the mobile gaming market in partnership with DeNA. When the plans were first announced, many gamers were sceptical about the idea of Nintendo mobile games, particularly when it comes “freemium” games. That’s the type of game where you can play it for free at first, but then after a while continuing the game becomes essentially impossible without paying for some in-app bonuses. You know, microtransactions. Nobody wants to have to pay 99 cents each time they want to catch a Pokemon.
At a shareholder meeting, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata said that he doesn’t want Nintendo to use the term “free-to-play” to describe these games at all. “We do not want to use the free-to-play terminology that implies that you can play games free-of-charge. Instead, we use the term “free-to-start,” as this term more aptly describes that at the beginning you can start to play for free.”
First of all, that actually sounds like a good idea. It’d be nice if all mobile freemium games would adopt that terminology. But since they won’t, let’s move on. “The fact of the matter is, game software with a one-time payment system has not been doing a great job on smart devices,” Iwata said. He believes that mobile game prices are just so low, there’s no point in developing the kind of games for mobile devices that would only require a one-time payment.
“Since Nintendo wants to cherish the value of software, there will be a limit to how low of a price we might want to attach to our game applications for smart devices. The price of our game applications on smart devices will be compared with the prices of other smart device game applications. We believe we should not limit our payment system only to one-time payments.” So Iwata basically wants the pricing of Nintendo mobile games to match the pricing of other mobile games. Which, sadly, means microtransactions. But Iwata didn’t rule out providing one-time payment options.
Candy Crush Saga is one of the most notorious free-to-play games out there, designed to become so difficult that players have no way to proceed without microtransactions.
Iwata was also sure to let people know he’s aware of the negativity surrounding microtransactions. “Some games are designed so that the players will be so excited psychologically… that they do not think twice about pushing the button, which immediately completes the monetary transaction and the player is charged with the bill. We know that some of such games have become a social issue.” Iwata reckons the number of people who actually spend money on these sorts of games in Japan is quite small. But because that small number of people spends enough money in microtransactions to buy “several dedicated video game systems,” the free-to-play/free-to-start model is very profitable.
But he says that’s not the case overseas. Many freemium game companies are asking less and less of their customers. He doesn’t think the model he described for Japan would work abroad. Emphasising the importance of making games that appeal to all demographics around the world, Nintendo wants to make games that are cheap but popular. “In other words, even if a consumer makes a relatively small payment, because of the large consumer base, the game can generate big revenue.”
Iwata also emphasised that Nintendo doesn’t want to adopt the “notorious” business model of charging a small number of players a lot of money. He said that could harm Nintendo’s brand.
So the bottom line here is that Nintendo is, for now, treading carefully into the mobile world. It seems they have a good understanding of the gaming community’s dislike of the traditional free-to-play business model and are trying to be as transparent as possible. That’s particularly clear in their desire to call their games “free-to-start.” As long as Nintendo’s mobile games include some sort of one-time-pay option (perhaps a full version and a free version), we won’t have much to worry about.
Helldivers 2 proved to be a surprising success, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the gaming industry. As per Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, it currently ranks as Sony’s seventh highest grossing game in the United States to date, trailing behind a trio of Spider-Man titles, a couple of God of War games, and Ghost of Tsushima. It’s only been on the market for less than three months and is not even being sold at full price.
According to Piscatella, a significant factor contributing to the game’s success is its release on PC. He mentioned that, based on Circana’s Player Engagement Tracker, the game has consistently ranked first in terms of active users on Steam in the US since its launch, including April. The release of Helldivers 2 on both PlayStation and PC has been an extraordinary triumph.
He stated that Helldivers 2 has already become the seventh highest-grossing Sony-published game in history. Without a PC, it would not currently be considered one of the top 20 games. While I’m emphasizing the success of the PC SKU, it’s important to note that I’m not disregarding the success of the PlayStation SKU. I just wanted to clarify that. This launch has proven to be incredibly successful.
Prior to the release of Helldivers 2, Sony made it clear that they would be launching their live service-style titles simultaneously on both the PS5 and PC. The success of this approach will undoubtedly strengthen their strategic vision. It will be intriguing to witness if the company reveals official sales figures in the near future, as the title appears to be one of the platform holder’s most successful sellers to date.
Gaming
The developer of Stellar Blade for the PS5 Expressing gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support amidst a recent controversy surrounding censorship
Shift Up, the Korean developer, seems to be reconsidering its contentious alterations to the Stellar Blade outfit. In a message to fans, they have urged everyone to stay tuned for updates and expressed gratitude for the passionate feedback from players. For those who may not be aware, a petition gained significant attention over the weekend when gamers discovered changes made to a few of the game’s costumes through a day-one patch.
The launch day update includes a fantastic New Game + mode, but some players were disappointed by the changes made to protagonist Eve’s outfit. These alterations sparked debates about censorship. Director Hyung-Tae Kim later clarified that this was the studio’s original vision, but he acknowledged that it may require further persuasion to win over users. Internal discussions were also underway to address any concerns.
Thanks to all our Stellar Blade fans for your passion & feedback. Stay tuned for updates🤍 pic.twitter.com/jCRzM4OQBS
— StellarBlade (@StellarBlade) May 1, 2024
There is no definitive confirmation regarding the reversal of the outfits, but considering the language used in the statement and the widespread controversy surrounding the alterations, it is highly likely that a future patch will restore the original costumes. If you want to get a sneak peek at all of Eve’s different outfits and learn how to unlock them, be sure to take a look at our comprehensive guide, All Outfits and How to Get Them.
It’s quite possible. Fans all over the world are interested in Shift Up’s highly anticipated action-adventure game, Stellar Blade. With its captivating post-apocalyptic setting reminiscent of Nier and a compelling protagonist named Eve, it’s no wonder the game has generated such widespread attention.
The game consistently impresses with its stunning visuals and high-octane action, leaving players in awe with each new trailer.
Yet, just like other noteworthy second-party and third-party game releases, fans are pondering: Will Stellar Blade be available on PC?
In this article, we delve into the details to determine the platform availability of the highly anticipated title.
Will Stellar Blade be available on PC? Allow me to provide you with the answer.
Unfortunately, Stellar Blade will not be available on PC, at least not initially. Currently, the game is only available on PlayStation 5 starting on April 26, 2024.
Regrettably, it appears that there is no indication of a potential PC release for Stellar Blade in the future. In most cases, trailers for PlayStation timed-exclusive titles conclude with a disclaimer that specifies the duration of their exclusivity.
In the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth launch trailer, it is explicitly stated that the game will only be accessible on other platforms starting on May 29, 2024.
Regrettably, when it comes to the stellar blade, there is no indication of such.
It’s important to note that Sony Entertainment Interactive published Stellar Blade, unlike Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. This means that the chances of it being released on PC or other platforms in the near future are even slimmer.
However, it is worth noting that there is a chance the game might be released on PC in the future, given PlayStation’s track record of bringing their exclusive titles to the platform. However, it could be a while before this comes to fruition.
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