Episode 450: Game of the Year Awards 2016

It’s the landmark 450th episode of Gaming Podcast — and the end of a very disappointing year in videogames (among other things) for 2016. These aren’t your usual awards though – Jonah gives the “Best PS2 Game” award to The Last Guardian, for instance. It’s an extra long podcast at almost 2 hours, so enjoy all of the banter.

There’s also news, of course, which includes:

  • Torment: Tides of Numenera and Yooka-Laylee get release dates
  • New Age of Empires 2 expansion out next week
  • Final Fantasy‘s 30th anniversary plans to be revealed soon

Let us know your favorite games of 2016!

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  • Microsoft envisions 10 year lifespan for Xbox 360
  • Activision Disappointed by no price cuts at E3
  • Michael Pachter thinks the motion control from Sony and Microsoft won’t topple the Wii
  • iPhone/iPod Touch 3.0 Firmware enhances gaming features

Don’s question of the week, what is your favorite controller and what game controller do you hate the most? Thanks for the GREAT responses to last weeks question, so many creative answers.

PlayStation 3’s Wireless Keyboard AttachmentPlayStation 3’s Wireless Keyboard Attachment

This is a prototype of the keypadSony’s done it, they’ve announced a wireless keyboard adapter to plug onto the stock PlayStation 3 controller. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of this, Microsoft pushed out a keyboard for their Xbox 360 controller last year to provide faster chat abilities and, overall, smooth the interface when needing to type.

Now, Sony’s following up with a few more advancements, “the wireless keyboard also features a touchpad mode to allow for mouse input. David Reeves, president of SCEE, said that this touchpad control mode may be used in future game development.” (kotaku)

Is there any chance our next-generation consoles will be more “PC like” out of the box? With these complex user interfaces featuring web browsers, online marketplaces and areas to enter your credit card information (and addresses) you’re really heading towards needing this type of interface. Now, they’re all starting to include chat and messenger services making it more important… if it catches on.

Perhaps the next console hitting the market will come with a keyboard as an in-the-box solution. Please note, the above image is Sony’s prototype image.

Distributed Game Development Using ContractorsDistributed Game Development Using Contractors

Gamers around the world have noticed a large trend in the video game industry in the last 15 years, massive growth with massive projects and unbelievable costs, goals and sales. We’ve seen the impossible become achievable in epic projects like World of Warcraft and huge sales figures from Halo 3 but we’ve also seen game titles fall down in a burning wreck.

Each studio tries to beat the next studio with crisp realistic graphics, real time physics engines, life-like explosions all with huge costs. Does it all sound familiar? If you’re a movie buff you’ve probably seen movie studios cranking out the same style of movie, high computer graphic effects with talented high priced actors making longer and longer films.

The only big difference? A game studio hires most of their talent for full time positions and then has to figure out what to do with them when the project ends. Perhaps this explains Microsoft’s effort to remove game studios like Ensemble, Bungie and FASA, it’s all too much to handle when a high budget project ships and time frees up in the studio.

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