Episode 425: Paul’s Return Part 1

Paul returns to the show to drown his sorrows in the discontinuation of a game series he loved, and the podcast ran so long it has to be split into two parts.

The first half of this podcast includes the following news items:

  • Why Disney Infinity 4.0 was shut down
  • Microsoft kills Project Spark for Windows, Xbox One

Stay tuned for Part 2.

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The PSN FiascoThe PSN Fiasco

It’s now the US government’s turn to question Sony about its online security, which follows the UK government’s scrutiny into the company’s affairs.

In a letter addressed to PlayStation executive deputy Kaz Hirai, the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade has prepared a list of questions related to the intrusion; the list can be downloaded from the New York Times here. The letter asks several questions that Sony has not disclosed to the public, such as:

  • How many PSN users had a credit card on file
  • Why Sony cannot determine if credit card was stolen.
  • What are Sony’s plans towards increasing its security in the future.

The Subcommittee’s press release states:

“Given the amount and nature of personal information known to have been taken, the potential harm that could be caused if credit card information was also taken would be quite significant. The Subcommittee on Manufacturing, and Trade has a longstanding interest in consumer privacy, identity theft, and industry efforts to address threats posed by unauthorized access to consumers’ personal information resulting from a data breach.”

The Subcommittee is requiring a reply by no later than May 6, as part of a privacy driven effort “to protect consumer information.”

Meanwhile, Kaz Hirai will be holding a press conference tomorrow from Sony Japan, to address the PlayStation Network hacking crisis.

(more…)

Episode 668: Elon Musk’s Twitter FailureEpisode 668: Elon Musk’s Twitter Failure

Twitter continues to be a tire fire, as does cryptocurrency. One wonders when either one will shuffle off the stage and fade into obscurity. Both seem to have become synonymous with chaos and instability, and it feels like there’s a new scandal or controversy every week. Twitter, under Elon Musk’s leadership, has faced constant changes in policy, mass layoffs, and a significant dip in user trust, making it increasingly difficult to see a clear path forward for the platform. Cryptocurrency, on the other hand, seems to have become more about speculation and volatility than about real-world utility or widespread adoption. While the promise of decentralized finance and digital currencies seemed promising, the market’s swings, coupled with major scandals like the collapse of FTX, have left many questioning whether crypto will ever truly deliver on its early hype. Secure Cryptocurrency Trading platforms provides secure environments for users to trade and manage their digital assets. It feels like both industries are desperately clinging to relevance, hoping to regain their former glory, but with each new misstep, they drift further from the ideals they once espoused. Anyway, lots of news this week, along with a Gaming Flashback of Dishonored.

News includes:

  • Musk reportedly laid off everyone who ran Twitter’s million-follower gaming account
  • GameStop to end FTX partnership, will refund crypto gift card purchases

Let us know what you think.

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XBLA offers great opportunities for the indy developer but everything comes at a price. Over the last three years Braid‘s developer Jonathan Blow spent a reported $180,000 to create the popular Braid title on Xbox Live. He’s going to need a lot more sales before he can celebrate the highly valued, highly reviewed title.

The Independent Games Festival was kind to him, giving him the “Innovation in Game Design” back in 2006, since then he’s put his money where is mouth is; his own money. There are good times and bad times when you’re discovering your dreams. The reviews surely made him feel great about the work he has done over the last three years but a review won’t pay the bills.

It may be a hard road ahead for Jonathan, hopefully at least breaking even on the project. Although he may not look back at the game as a financial success we can only imagine he’ll have a lot easier time getting funding or publishing for his next title, if that’s the path he chooses.

(Thanks, Kotaku)