Episode 605: Microsoft At It Again

After announcing most Zenimax games will be exclusive to PC and Xbox, now the rumors are swirling that Microsoft will buy Discord, the mammoth VOIP that is rivaling Twitch and Facebook for active users.

The news includes:

  • Report: Microsoft in talks to buy Discord
  • PS3, PSP, and PS Vita stores to reportedly shutdown this year
  • Serious Sam 2 surprises fans with substantial new update

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The Beatle’s Change Wii Price Point, Rock Band StyleThe Beatle’s Change Wii Price Point, Rock Band Style

By now everyone is used to paying more for Rock Band than meets the eye. The game disc is usually packed in several bundles for guitars, drums and, of course, stand alone. With The Beatles: Rock Band, MTV Games plans to release one product SKU, a game only disc. That game only disc, on the Wii is going to cost the same as other consoles: $59.99.

beatlesYou remember when Wii games were $49.99 and everyone made titles that hit this price point or lower? MTV isn’t going to stick to this standard, regardless of “last gen graphics” because you’ll buy it anyway, right? Rock Band is one of those games that has hit huge strides in the market over the last few years as people buy big plastic instruments to rock their house.

Now we’re going to see if those same people willing to pay $10.00 more than normal in order to play The Beatles songs. The Wii has a large audience of gamers but they’re the style of gamer that wants a good value for their product, after all, the Wii is cheaper than every other console and the games probably should match its differences compared to games for the other consoles.

This is an interesting decision, as the market plunges into despair MTV gouges games for $10.00 more because “The Beatles” happens to be in the title. Are you going to pay more for the Beatles? Not us.

(Thanks, 1up)

Episode 400: So Long, PaulEpisode 400: So Long, Paul

Well, the fateful day has come on this landmark podcast, as Paul says farewell as a regular podcast host. We can all look back at Jonah’s debut in episode 200, with the knowledge that the next episode will make him the longest running host or co-host on the show – and that’s just scary. A former host leaves a message as well.

This week’s news includes:

  • Creator of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is crowdfunding a fighting game
  • Xbox head discusses why Final Fantasy 14 is not on Xbox One
  • Pachter: “The console installed base is as big as it’s ever going to get”
  • Andrew House: the PS4 is struggling against censorship in China
  • Analyst: 30 million VR headsets by 2020

The Question of the Week: “What’s the creepiest videogame you ever played?”

Has Rare Lost Touch With The Gaming Industry?Has Rare Lost Touch With The Gaming Industry?

In an interesting interview this week at 1up.com, Peter Moore, now at Electronic Arts, believes the skillset that Rare holds is a bit dated for our gaming industry. Moore, best known in his role of VP at Microsoft in their Interactive Entertainment Business division, understands how great Rare and their games once were but seems to believe the industry has passed them by.

Looking at their latest Microsoft titles, mainly Perfect Dark Zero, Viva Pinata and Kameo: Elements of Power, it’s not hard to believe his statements as fact. None of the titles have blown away a market full of Grand Theft Autos, Halo’s and other top selling titles. None of their games hit the epic review scores of Bioshock or Crysis. It’s not all first person shooters are taking the big sales numbers; Spore was given rave reviews by online review sites (sans Amazon) and that’s a completely different style of game.

Popcap’s Peggle has had more fame and glory than some of the bigger titles from Rare, probably made with less money. Is Rare a dying breed of developers with no good direction to react to the changing ways of the game industry?

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