Rumor Mill #1: Playstation Vita under $100?

The Playstation Vita is in dire straits. Sony's 2nd handheld has floundered since it was released back in 2011-2012. Even by normal console standards the Vita has struggled.

Every new console meets with difficulties during the launch period. Frankly Sony is the king of terrible launches, having mastered the artform with the release of the PS3 in 2006. But the Vita's woes have endeavored well beyond what is considered normal "growing pains". The Vita, according to VGchartz, has only sold roughly 10.5 million units in nearly four years of availability. Contrast this to the PS4, which has sold nearly twice as many units in half the time.

How is that even possible? The Vita is a better console than PS4, if I might be so bold as to say so. Cheaper, more portable and durable, with more support and wider library of games. But consumers avoid the Vita like the plague, despite being decently interested in the PS4.

This has led to persistent rumors about the Vita's future as a platform. Some apocalyptic, some more optimistic. Naturally people will always chicken little a struggling console. Some talk states that Sony might be dropping the Vita as a platform all together.

Wouldn't it be smarter to really dramatically drop the price though? Whispers have been making their way around the tubes of a potential price drop of the Vita to as low as $89 dollary-doos.

That would be a dream come true. The Vita is the console I've always wanted but never had the motivation to save for. That may sound like a bitch move but it is how I feel. Seems like a lot of other consumers feel the same way. An $89 Vita would be impossible to ignore though. That would be one of those things to line up in the wee hours of some cold morning for.

Hopefully this is more than just rumor mongering. Sony is in a desperate situation though. Why not making some money on all the Vita's you manufactured?

The Great Decline of American Video Games

One does not need to be an "accredited game scholar" to observe a change in recent years regarding the quality of video games produced by American developers and publishers. That change being a dramatic spiral into absolute garbage. From the late 80's to roughly the mid 2000's, American video games were exceptionally high quality and value but low in cost. Furthermore the culture of the industry was characterized by passionate fans and smart, bold developers/publishers who had a relationship of mutual respect. Within this climate video games flourished. Not because games were "mature" or "socially meaningful" but because they were fun and exciting. It was a hobby for all the enjoy.

But something changed. Or rather, a number of things changed. I lay the downfall of the American video game industry on four "horsemen", if you will.

• The Big Bang Theory (and television in general)
• Closely related to the above, Fad Culture
• Social Justice and the Desire for Authority and Control
• And the worst of all, global economic downturn.

I'd like to write full articles about the latter three, but The Big Bang Theory and the idiot box selling subcultures to people sort of kicked off this whole shitshow. Americans are desperate for television (usually a sitcom with massive popularity) to tell them what is cool, what should be said and done, and what shouldn't. If you don't think this is the case, remember when "the Rachel" haircut became the dominant hairstyle for women everywhere? 

The Big Bang Theory, or TBBT for short, is the new Friends. And believe me, I cannot think of a more grievous insult. But whereas Friends just inspired women to wear a medium cut hairstyle, TBBT implores its viewers to be like the "cool nerds" on the show. Who are actually, get this, a bunch of not very nerdy people but very gifted performers. Friends sold a haircut. TBBT sells a lifestyle. 

But the lifestyle that The Big Bang Theory is selling is also perfectly timed. We live in a world dominated by advanced technology that requires a lot of skill and knowledge to operate and understand. The "nerd", at least the educated, employable sort, have come to dominate. So most average American television views are interested in being a "nerd". This is where The Big Bang Theory is a horrific failure. If TBBT inspired Americans to learn more about math and science, it would be the greatest show ever and I would be its' biggest fan. But that isn't what it implores. Instead people thought the key to being "nerdy" is to play video games, read comic books, and be sort of "off" but not in a too weird sort of way.

The Big Bang Theory, and television in general, sold "nerdiness" to an entire country desperate for a "something" to be. It set the stage for an entirely new sort of video game "fan", one for whom playing video games was of minimal importance.

*A quick aside about TBBT: No theoretical physics professor at CalTech has time to live the wacky, adventurous life of a sitcom character. That has always bugged me.*

The Great Decline of American Video Games Part 2: Fads and Social Justice coming at some point.

Sexism in the Video Game Industry

Thought this was going to be a long article? Wrong, motherfucker. There is no sexism problem in the video game industry. Video Games literally could not be more "inclusive" - whatever that word means. If you want to play video games but are worried about the lack of "inclusivity", follow this simple guide.

1. Buy a video game and, if needed, the necessary platform to play it.
2. Set it up.
3. Play your fucking video game.

Notice how none of that involved gender, race, or sexual/gender identity. No game will ever forbid your from playing due to your sex chromosomes or racial background or anything else.

Gender/Racial/Sexual Diversity of a development team is absolutely meaningless as an indicator of quality as well. A team of 100 white men can make a great game the same as 100 black women or 100 polygender ambrosexuals can.

That's about it, folks. The reason so many people continue to complain about being "marginalized" or "harassed" based on these issues is because they have no relevancy outside of their perceived "oppression". If any of these shrill, nagging diversity queens didn't have the "boo hoo I'm so mistreated" angle going for them they would be soundly ignored.

The whining children complaining about "lack of diversity" in video games do not produce anything worthwhile. As such, their future in the Industry is dubious.

E3 2015 Press Conference Review: Microsoft

Microsoft has never been much for real earth shaking surprises at E3. Halo, Gears, a little sports here, a little hardware there, etc. This year they knew they had to step their game up after a weak Xbox One launch and first year.

Overall they had a decent showing. Dark Souls III was a stunner, as was the new, modifiable Elite controller.  Backwards compatibility was announced for Xbox 360 games, but before you go losing your mind, it appears to be some sort of "backwards compatibility*", asterisk definitely intended. No idea how that shit is going to work. It does not seem like it will be as simple as "put your 360 game in the Xbox One disc drive". Shame.

Here's my list of what really jumped out at me during the conference.

ReCore : New IP from Inafune which seems to involve switching out orb-like "cores" into different robots which then aid you in a lonely looking action adventure game. Looks brilliant and inventive - I'm a sucker for robot companions.

Rare Replay: I'm a hardcore Rare fan. The day Rare was sold to Microsoft is still the worst day of my life. That being said, this collection doesn't look too bad. $30 for 30 games is a good deal no matter how you slice it. If Conker's BFD has online multiplayer it could be a console seller. Please Lord give us back Live & Reloaded multiplayer!

Sea of Thieves: "...I had a dream once", Captain Blackeye will say, if you hunt him down in Jolly Roger's Lagoon in Banjo Tooie. The dream is now real. Rare is nearly done with their long shelved pirate adventure. If it plays like it looks this game has a lot of potential.

Dark Souls III: 'nuff said.

Cuphead: Indie action platformer that looks like a 1930's Disney cartoon, complete with grainy stock. A brief clip of this title turned a lot of heads at last years E3. It seems it has been expanded into a full title. Old school action platforming with a cool, unique setting - this is what the video game industry needs more of.

Gears 4/Halo 5: A staple of Microsoft E3. I will never get to see Banjo Threeie at a Microsoft E3, but I get one of these two every year. Gears 4 looked, aesthetically, quite impressive except for being too damn dark. The game itself seemed a little stale. The encounter and gameplay felt so scripted. Same problem with Halo 5. The world of Halo 5 seems so cluttered. Everything is so well animated but there is just too much of it. We'll have to wait and see more of these two before a final judgement is passed.

This is a smaller sampling of the highlights. If you want to watch the conference in its entirety, you can find it on Youtube here.

Oculus Rift E3 "Conference" is a Humiliating Spectacle

The fate of the Oculus Rift was sealed when Facebook purchased Oculus VR for $2 billion last March. This author remembers the devastating disappointment felt on that rainy, dreadful day. Facebook and Oculus Rift developers, however, promised that Facebook's power play would not affect the video game focus of the rift in any way.

It would seem that Facebook did not ruin the Oculus Rift - Oculus Rift developers are accomplishing that on their own. Nothing could prove this more concretely than the Oculus E3 Conference which occurred on Thursday, June 11th, just a few days prior to the official start of E3. All that was needed to confirm all our worst fears was what you can see at 3:25 of this segment of the conference found on Youtube.

Notice how excited she seems.

Is VR really going to be about us virtually playing video games in a virtual living room? How is that even remotely different from just playing a video game in your living room? As in, in real life. Hopefully there are far more imaginative uses of the Rift than this. If this is what Virtual Reality is going to be, maybe Oculus VR should make a game where you can virtually stand in an empty electronics store, with hundreds of virtual, unsold Oculus Rift units stacked everywhere.

It's Been Ages

Deeply sorry. I go through periods of thinking video game criticism is pointless and moronic. Then I remember that although that is true, writing about video games and the Industry is fun.

More from me soon - a little about Splatoon, a lottle about E3.