This week’s podcast begins on a sorrowful note, as since in the past week guest host Andrew Yoon (who co-hosted episode #374) passed away after drowning during a trip to Texas, while Jonah and Paul eulogize him.
No Gaming Flashback this week, but plenty of news items:
- League of Legends tourney places limit on LGBT players
- SOE acquired, becomes Daybreak Game Company
- Nintendo wants to make a comeback with cheaper software
- EA exec: “Our games are actually still too hard to learn”
This week’s Question of the Week: “What videogame do you still get emotional about?”
Compatibility. This is all we’re really asking for when it comes to rhythm gaming on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii. So far it seems Microsoft isn’t just on board, but enforcing compatibility between instruments from Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero: World Tour and Konami’s Rock Revolution. Sony has also confirmed this behavior on their 
Ensemble Studios, owned and operated by Microsoft or, Microsoft Games Studios, has been targed to be dissolved. All employees will find new homes, a large quantity will start a new studio and continue maintaining the later released Halo Wars franchise.
First I’d like to offer sincere condolences on the passing of Andrew, that was very sad to hear, just proof that life is very short.
@LoL; I read this story as well before it was on here and I couldn’t fathom why or how any LGBT would have any kind of advantage. More over how anyone would know or why they would even care? The whole story is completely baffling.
As for any slight advantage due to genders, there was a Mythbusters episode where they tested gender biases; like “throwing like a girl”. First they had untrained kids pitch balls, they had a pattern of boys throwing harder/faster and girls being more accurate. Then when they brought in the professional players they found the differences very negligible. With training and practice any weakness or disadvantage can be overcome.
@Nintendo lower prices: Yes please, I’m all for cheaper games. Also being able to get the back log on DS that was on Wii!
@EA games too hard to learn: I agree Jonah read the manual, read forums, wiki guides, etc. There’s a ton of resources, I have several GoG and Steam games that actually do have their manuals. As for EA games I have never found them hard to learn, their games seemed to have been focusing on being as streamlined as possible.
I also find it very odd if as Jonah says that Grim Fandango isn’t that much different, aside from the sound cues, that it doesn’t work for Paul. There has got to be a way to get that game to work.
@QotW: The list is so long I’ll start with a yes there are games I get emotional with. When ever I hear the sad songs from Final Fantasy 4, 6, or 7; the music of Suikoden I and II. They bring back so many fond memories.
My condolences to family and friends of Andrew Yoon. It is a terrible misfortune to die so young. Especially following completion of a project. He sounded like a real fun guy.
@Too much kohones
I will now clean my eyes and read that again. Nope. It’s still there. What part of human logic created that idea. It’s f**king LoL, not Olympics. If they are so afraid of superior mouse clicking ability, they should also ban Michael J Fox (Parkinson’s). To be honest I was always against e-sports. We are starting to forget that video games are primarily a source of fun, not funding. But some people take it too seriously, resulting in those exiting propositions. If we could instead concentrate on banning antisocial twats from the gaming industry that would be better. Oh no wait. Then there would be no one to run the tournaments…
@Ninendo’s peasant strategy
As much as I love Nintendo games, I hate paying for them. As opposed to Xbox/PS titles which gradually fall in price, good Nintendo games stay at release price for years in UK. I am yet to find a copy of Lego City Undercover that won’t bankrupt me. However, when they re-released the Metroid Prime Trilogy for cheap, I snapped it up without a second thought. I would gladly pay for cheaper Nintendo software.
@QOTW
Mirror’s Edge Still Alive ending. Beautiful.