Failure to Launch
The impending march of finals grows every closer as we inch towards deadlines and exams. Thus, it seems a perfect time to relieve some of that ever-present stress and worry with some gaming news. Some disappointment this week, with Anthem, Biowares latest IP suffering a barrage of negative reviews concerning technical and other issues. Nintendo’s president Reggie Fils-Amie has stepped down after a faithful 15 years at Nintendo of America. Writer Cecilia D’Anastasio, the woman behind the story about sexism at Riot Games, creator of League of Legends has also received the digital news award from the Writers Guild of America.
The Good
Cecilia D’Anastasio put Riot Games, and a large portion of the games industry on notice with her article “Inside the culture of sexism at Riot Games”, published late August last year, and is now receiving an award. it’s an example of excellent investigative journalism, and it’s exposed a massive problem in the gaming industry. Within the article, several sources at Riot Games painted a painful picture of the treatment of women at the company. Some women stated that working at Riot Games felt like being at a “giant fraternity”. Others found that as they were being groomed for promotions to better or different roles, they were quickly supplanted by men. Worse still, there were some women who received unsolicited pictures and texts that were far beyond the line of professionalism. Riot’s need to hire a specific “type” of person, who fit into their culture of work resulted in a highly male-dominated workplace, and that requirement has sometimes led to massive problems for the few women who work there. D’Anastasio’s article shook the League of Legends, and the gaming world, and Riot Games issued a statement that promised sweeping changes across the board. Time will tell if they make good on their word. Regardless, it is incredibly important that reporters like D’Anastasio exist, to keep the gaming industry accountable as it continues to grow.
The Bad
Anthem, the game that I had previously pegged as something to look out for has released, and the reviews have not been good. Developed by Bioware Studios, the creators behind the now-legendary Mass Effect Series, there were high expectations behind this new IP. Unfortunately, the game was unable to live up to expectations. While it certainly is a competent looter-shooter, the game suffers from a variety of issues. Technical glitches, badly designed progression, and an overall lack of creativity have marred both early access, and the launch week. Granted, Bioware have not been sitting on these complaints. Every day, the developers are communicating with their audience, sharing feedback and what they’re doing to improve and tune up the game. This sort of communication is deserving of commendation. The game however, leaves a lot to be desired. Publishers Electronic Arts expected Anthem to be massive, but it has so far been unable to get off the ground.
In a more bittersweet moment, the President of Nintendo of America, Reggie Fils-Amie has retired after 15 years. Under Fils-Amie, Nintendo in America exploded, leading the charge of new games like Wii Sports, and products like the Nintendo Switch, DS, and more. His retirement was met with widespread sadness by Nintendo fans across the world, but he has stated that he is now able to join the community, no longer as a director, but as a fan.
Who’s Next?
Coming up on the radar soon is a zombie game that looks every bit as intense as it is scary. Days Gone, developed by SIE Bend Studio for the PS4 puts you in the role of Deacon St. John, an outlaw turned-drifter and bounty hunter who lives in a post-apocalyptic world full of zombies and other threats. There still isn’t much in the way of figuring out the story,other than the fact that you can ride on a motorcycle, and that there’s a lot of zombies after you, but the trailers and previews paint a terrifying picture. Complete with a weather system, open word exploration, and enemies ranging from human soldiers, rabid animals to chain-swarms of zombies, the game seems like it’s offering a plethora of features and opportunities to explore and enjoy. With games like State of Decay, and DayZ receiving positive reception, Days Gone is looking to establish a big foothold in the genre, and if what we’re seeing holds up, it looks like it will succeed. Days Gone looks to release on April 26, 2019.
There are still a few other games to look out for, like Dead or Alive 6 or Shenmue 3. I was never the biggest DOA fan, but I’m sure that there are some people who are eagerly waiting for the latest installment. Other than these releases, that seems to be all for the game releases and news this week. Relax, prepare for finals, and make sure your body is ready for anything that comes your way.
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