The GameShadow Blog

Don’t get me wrong, Gameshadow does an excellent job of delivering the latest demos to the PC masses.

Problem is, not only are the major developers of the gaming industry threatening to abandon the PC gaming market in a ‘ the grass dollar is always greener’ nod to console owners but the cross-platform games that are (eventually) released on the PC miss out on that key selling feature: the demo.

Perhaps it’s my age but since the Sinclair ZX Spectrum +3 to the Amiga and then finally the PC I’ve always enjoyed playing demos and more importantly made decisions to purchase based on their quality.

Look at Gears of War, Assassin’s Creed and Mass Effect;  big on the 360 and PS3, big demos, big sales figures.  Then the PC versions limp along much later and the sales figures are found wanting.  The finger of blame is pointed soley at piracy but is there more to it than that?

Try before you buy . . . yes, that’s right, I want a chance to test your game, decide whether or not I like it and then, if it ticks the appropriate boxes, I’ll buy it.  Why should I shell out for a game I’ve never played before - console owners aren’t expected to make that step into the unknown so why should PC gamers.  In fact, it’s crucial that PC gamers are given this opportunity - it goes someway to negate the outcry of horrow when that aging graphics card can’t give you a smooth 60FPS and you’ve spent £35+

Fingers crossed that the highly anticipated autumn/winter releases have demos otherwise I’m going to be asking for a 360/PS3 for Xmas - well if you can’t beat them . . .

We here at GameShadow have been watching and taking in the recent press around publishers getting more active in pursuing PC gaming pirates. The thing about PC gaming is that it definitely needs to be protected. There are some superb games for the platform and we want to make sure that publishers and developers feel that it is just common sense to continue developing for PC. It’s a pretty simple economic equation though. If you see a high (albeit sometimes perceived) piracy rate for your new title it’s going to lose you money and put you off developing on the PC.

DRM is clearly part of the solution and people should just get used to it. It needs to be restrictive in some cases but allow the freedom of multiple installs if you have to rebuild your PC for instance. There are also some things that developers could do that I haven’t seen for a while. Allowing gamers to use a single purchased game for multi player. It’s been done in the past, Blizzard allowed a “spawned” copy of Diablo to be used for multiplayer antics and others have followed…but not recently.

By incorporating some flexibility into DRM systems and even some sweeteners..how about extra content and unlocks if you buy the DRM/online authenticated copy…people will get used to the system. Bottom line is people will have to get used to it otherwise the few will hurt the many with continued piracy. We can all benefit with the continued development on our beloved platform. We don’t want companies like Crytek abandoning the PC platform, after all it is the most powerful platform of all for triple A games like Crysis.

TT

Recently I’ve been playing the Pure demo (console only, atm) and trying to answer this question. Is Pure; SSX in mud, or Sled Storm with wheels?

After only watching the trailers I thought it looked cool – and it definitely had that SSX ‘thing’ about it - but to be honest I wasn’t excepting it in the gameplay.

Right now, after playing the demo, I’m still just about leaning towards SSX but some things still concert me:

• It’s Track based, so no open mountains for you!
• It’s from Black Rock Studio and Disney (don’t know about you but those pages hardly inspire me with confidence).

Odd, it’s a shorter list than what I was expecting, maybe it’s just I’m scared of getting excited about something which could turn out like Sled Storm after all – Crap!

Blizzard Entertainment has revealed the anticipated release date for World of Warcraft - Wrath of the Lich King.

The second World of Warcraft expansion pack will be released on November 13th, and will aim to achieve the success of the first expansion pack, The Burning Crusade, that sold a record number of copies on release day in 2007.

I know you guys love to hear about the new ways you can team up with your mates to slay monsters or overthrow a Nazi invasion but I really had to post about FIFA 09’s demo. I downloaded it on my 6th xbox (a post for another time maybe), and instantly took a liking to it…

Well done EA. Nice one. You remembered to add the “EA sports, it’s in the game” mp3 - it just wasn’t the same without it. =D

I should say I didn’t buy Euros so I don’t know if that had it, or if it had any of the stuff below.

Anyway ‘remembering’ the mp3 really sums up the other improvements too. Basically EA have added all the stuff they keep forgetting like linesmen, players pointing where they’re about to run to and a through-ball control that actually works.

That and they’re added some cool new features; players throwing their arms up when they think an opponent’s offside, the player stat update thingy and subbing without the huge interlude.

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed it and suggest every football game owner to at least get the demo.

Oh and one last thing… Please, please, please bring back the invisible walls option!

Konami has secured the official UEFA Champions League licence for Pro Evolution Soccer 2009.

The deal means Konami can use the elements and features of the tournament to create an authentic game mode for the upcoming October title.

It is a major boost for the PES series, as it aims to add more official licences, from both teams and tournaments, as well as heating up the competition over the rival FIFA 09 title from Electronic Arts.

In previous years, Electronic Arts had released the official Champions League titles, separate from their FIFA releases.

Warner Bros. Interactive has announced the new name for the sequel to the 2005 shooter F.E.A.R.

It will now be F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin – formally known as just Project Origin - and will be released in February 2009.

The name has been purchased from original owners Activision/Blizzard.

OK, so everyone is probably playing SPORE. I’ve been looking forward to this game for two reasons. The first being I genuinely love this type of game and secondly I’ve been looking for something my son can play without me constantly worrying that there is some profound violence or language just around the corner. I’ve only spent 20 minutes playing so far but I’m already hooked, my son has already progressed to terra-firma and is way ahead.  The great thing is his mum has also become involved, helping him with some of the reading but also becoming a bit intrigued with this one…keep you posted but so far it is mucho fun. One slight disappointment for the boy was the lack of co-op to which the response was a big “sigh”…maybe next time true multiplayer…

Following news that Fallout 3 has had to remove certain drug references in order to gain classification in Australia, the game’s Product Manager, Pete Hines, has lashed out against the ratings agencies, and their varying standards.

“The frustrating thing for us is that the standards and rules can be so varied across territories, that we work with five or six ratings agencies and each one has different ‘hot buttons’,” he said.

“In one place nudity is a big deal but violence is fine, and in another place drugs are a problem but nudity is fine. I guess that’s the way of the world - not every country is the same. You’re not aiming at one target, you’re aiming at six different ones, worrying about how each one will feel about different things.

“We just go through and make the game that we want to make - We have our eyes wide open, mindful of the things that could be flagged up and how we’re going to resolve them if that becomes a problem,” he added.

The rumour’s done the rounds before, but Joystiq is re-reporting that Halo 4 is well in production, and being undertaken by the massively experienced team at Gearbox.

The rumour comes after various leading comments by Gearbox front man Randy Pitchford, and news from Variety that the developer has definately had talks with Microsoft concerning just such a project.

Watch this space.

EA has confirmed that private discussions are now to take place between itself and Take Two over the proposed acquisition of the latter.

This is the latest development in a story that’s been running for months. Take Two repeatedly dismissed EA’s increasing bids for the company, vowing not to even consider a sale until after the launch of GTA IV. In response, EA turned its bid public, and then hostile, but to no avail.

Acquisition has since been considered unlikely, but recent news that EA was to perform an audit on Take Two reopened the topic, leading to the latest announcement that the companies were to re-enter negotiations.

No more news will be posted on the subject until the firms either close talks, or come to an agreement.