Episode 550: Kowtowing to China

Blizzard finds itself in hot water as it finds itself having to explain its actions in pleasing the Chinese government, in news that’s still hot and doesn’t look like it’s going to cool down anytime soon. It’s enough to overshadow even an official console announcement from Sony. There’s a Gaming Flashback, the embarrassingly bad FMV game Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties.

The news this week includes:

  • Blizzard is facing a boycott after removing a Hearthstone Grandmaster
  • PlayStation 5 launches Holiday 2020
  • Doom Eternal delayed until March 2020, Doom 64 goes multiformat

Let us know what you think.

0 thoughts on “Episode 550: Kowtowing to China”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Post

Episode 502: Spring FluEpisode 502: Spring Flu

Jonah suffers from spring flu this episode, which you can probably here in his voice. There’s a long discussion about isometric roleplaying games, and for the first time in a while, there’s no Gaming Flashback.

This week’s news items include:

  • id Software partnering with Mad Max dev Avalanche Studios to develop Rage 2
  • Radical Heights developer Boss Key Games shuts down
  • Platinum claims it will “turn the action genre on its head”
  • Redditor leaks potential Star Fox racing spin-off from Retro Studios

Let us know what you think.

Guitar Hero: On Tour – 300K Units SoldGuitar Hero: On Tour – 300K Units Sold

The little DS title Guitar Hero: On Tour arrived with a hand-held attachment for playing guitar on the go. Some reviewers found it cramped, annoying and too damn small to really feel any comfort. Other reviews found it exciting, fresh and a break from standard DS games.

Reviews aside, 300,000 people are willing to bet money that the DS title was going to rock the house. The concept hit the mark for the DS because the game system is for on the go “touch and feel” style games; Guitar Hero: On Tour is definitely a touch and feel game.

Although we’ve not played it, we’re not too surprised that 300k people purchased the title, considering the install base for the Nintendo DS device itself. With such a large install base, even if only 25% of the target audience buys into the product they’ll be rolling in the dough.

Will this inspire a Rock Band style ‘drum game’ for the future from the Activision competitors or was this nothing but a fluke?

(Thanks, GameSpot)

Episode 753: Nightreign: Original Sin 3Episode 753: Nightreign: Original Sin 3



The guys discuss FTC finally dropping appeal against Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard and Metaphor: ReFantazio coming to Game Pass.

The news includes:

  • Larian insists it did not accidentally leak Divinity: Original Sin 3
  • Bonaparte: A Mechanized Revolution announced
  • ConcernedApe “hopes” to release Haunted Chocolatier within the next five years
  • Elden Ring Nightreign could receive two player mode post-launch

Let us know what you think.