Showing posts with label HITMAN. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HITMAN. Show all posts

One-on-One Discussions with Gamers: AAA Developers & Crowdfunding Solutions

In recent one-on-one discussions with gamers, SDGT Entertainment delved into the challenges that many AAA developers are currently facing. The myth of being "too big to fail" is one that these developers need to get over, as it's becoming increasingly clear that alternative routes must be considered to ensure long-term success. Concord could've been morphed into a single player mission based adventure. If it were me, I would've wanted to see Firewalk give the game a secondwind by taking this route, and even let them fly free with the title under the conditions that it remained a Playstation exclusive (in terms of consoles) for a solid period of time. 



IOI (IO Interactive) comes to mind as far as being a dev team being able to take their baby (the Hitman franchise) and soar, verses being wiped off the map. Hitman lives on and the team continues to make content like... The Splitter featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme as an exclusive Hitman target. They have other IPs in development, but... they took what they had and continued to build without trying to pump out title on top of title. Instead they adapted, married Hitman 1 to 3 and served up Hitman: World of Assassination. The additional adventures can be purchased for... Hitman: World of Assassination (initially released in Q1 2021), and this is one way to keep a game fresh while the developers figure out their next move. You can dive into Hitman with a free starter pack... right now, and play The Splitter free for a limited time!

I'm not saying Concord would've been able to last, especially with the track record and fanbase Hitman has, but... all that work didn't have to go to waste.

The Myth of "Too Big to Fail"

The notion that large developers are immune to failure is a dangerous misconception. The reality is that even the biggest names in the industry can falter if they don't adapt to changing market dynamics and consumer expectations. This was echoed by Chris J., an Ohio native visiting Orlando, who expressed his frustration with the current state of the industry:

"I hate when companies nickel and dime us for extra content that should've been in the game in the first place," says Chris J.

Not everyone will be able to go live with each title for online multiplayer action. The playerbase will have to come from somewhere and there are some badass games that a number of gamers aren't willing to part with just yet. Grand Theft Auto Online, Fortnight, CSGO, Minecraft, even COD Mobile are still ticking. I won't say run in fear when it comes to making online games, but... you have to know when to take a step back and do your homework to identify and take into account what warms someones heart enough to make that a purchase + microtransations would be okay vs a free-to-play setup or... additional DLC that adds to a complete game. These discussions also included Sims 4, which a couple I didn't get a chance to quote, had a major reaction about. They love Sims, but said similar to what I have in the past regarding how limited part 4 felt. We agreed that it was better off being a free-to-play game from the beginning. It took nearly a decade for that to occur, but they eventually adapted to the situation. I guess the $39.99 wasn't going to cut it anymore, especially with the cost of the DLC.

The Problem with Greed

Greed doesn't guarantee a continuous flow of money. Developers need to understand that their revenue comes from gamers with a fluctuating percentage struggling to make ends meet. Investments in gaming must make sense for these consumers. The big developers can play mind games with themselves, but reality will always keep it real with them, whether they like it or not.

When it comes to developers who are hesitant to revive fan-favorite games because they want to rake in piles of money on what appears to be the safe bet, it's understandable to seek success. However, the same gamers they want support from are the ones some don't seem to believe in. Even reaching out for crowdfunding for beloved games seems to be a step too far for some publishers.

Crowdfunding as a Viable Option

Newlyweds Trey and Diana S., honeymooning in Orlando, shared their thoughts on crowdfunding:

"I've given money to Kickstarters before, they just have to present it well and make the rewards worth it. I'll even pay a buck or two to get my name posted on a backer list. I don't have faith in the big developers to do Kickstarters bro, they're stuck up," says Trey S.

"If it's my job and I want to keep that job, I would listen to the customers," says Diana S.

Overall, if gamers are willing to put up the money for a game based on a calculated cost, it should be a no-brainer for developers to give the people what they're willing to invest in (if the goal isn't made thats the indicator to keep it moving). Giving gamers what they're willing to pay for seems to make too much sense for some publishers. Hopefully, this article... ruffles some feathers in the right way and helps more developers get over themselves if they're running into a wall.


 + Sophi 

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Square Enix... did what?!

Embracer grabs Crystal Dynamics + Eidos Montreal + Square Enix Montreal for $300 million! This isn't just Tomb Raider, Thief, and Deus Ex (no no no)... this includes over 50 back-catalog games.

Square-Enix seemed to have set their sights too high when it comes to certain games like Marvel Avengers and the recent Guardians of the Galaxy. You might recall that their CEO (Yosuke Matsuda) felt that Japanese devs fall short when trying to emulate Western games, but I'm instead of just placing IPs in a closet never to be seen again... at least they're being sold off (finally).

A few things happened in the past that were hints at this sale happening. Square Enix wasn't happy with the performance of Hitman, and Deus Ex back in 2017... and IO Interactive decided to go their own way with the Hitman IP to keep it alive. I think it was awesome for the Hitman developer to make that move, and it was less pressure from corporate.

I wouldn't say Embracer Group is a bad home for these dev teams and their IPs because it shouldn't be when you consider their reach and willingness to adapt, but I hope the new home is even better for the developers and gamers. Currently, Crystal Dynamics is working on a brand new Tomb Raider game (which the franchise has limitless potential in my opinion) + we can't forget about the Microsoft X Crystal Dynamics Perfect Dark reboot.

I would say that Epic Games should've considered placing their hat in the race also... if they want to become a bigger threat as far as PC gaming platforms are concerned, but I wouldn't want there to potentially be restrictions on where the games would be available. Epic is still in the mix with several Eidos Montreal projects being developed with the Unreal Engine 5... so hopefully, it's a win-win for all (especially the gamers). We don't know what that full list of games is that were acquired, but one was Legacy of Kain. I highly doubt Parasite Eve would be part of the package, but one could dream... especially if Square Enix doesn't do anything with it. They annoy the crap out of me with that. Do something with it... do a crowdfund if you don't believe in it, sell it, let someone else work their magic with a remake, collab with Capcom, whatever... make something awesome!



HITMAN2 - EXPANSION PASS


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游戏开始!
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HITMAN 2 Gold Edition



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Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden



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Phantom Doctrine


We received this game from the cool folks over at Good Shepard Entertainment recently, and so far I can sum it up in one word, addictive. - Yang 

I didn't play it yet, but it looks badass. I hesitate because I suck at RTS games. This is turn-based but still, I get a little intimidated. It's all good, I can kick back, eat snacks and enjoy the gameplay. - Luis D. Lucha

Phantom Doctrine pulled me in from the jump, and after getting a taste of the tutorial... I was ready for action. Not to downplay this story at all, but I think the developer (CreativeForge Games) could also create a Hitman game with a similar feel. The adventure would be different... so it wouldn't be stepping on this IPs toes. Anyway, check out Phantom Doctrine's info below and look forward to the pending review... after I've gotten the opportunity to actually dive deep into the story + the other ins and outs. Game on! - Blu

Save 10% on Phantom Doctrine until... August 28th! (TICK TOCK) - RkRk


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FTS: Hitman Sniper Hits 10 Million Players... now it's free for a limited time! Mobile gamers get your copy ASAP!




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HITMAN SNIPER HITS 10 MILLION PLAYERS AND IS NOW FREE TO PLAY FOR A LIMITED TIME



Montréal (March 28, 2018) – Square Enix® Montréal has today proudly announced that its award-winning competitive mobile shooter, Hitman Sniper® has exceeded the 10-million players' landmark. To celebrate this achievement, for the first time since its release Square Enix Montréal is offering a free to play version of Hitman Sniper for iOS® and Android®, which will be accessible for a period of one week from today through April 4, 2018.

Since Hitman Sniper’s launch in 2014, the competitive mobile shooter has become one of Square Enix Montréal’s key titles, with worldwide recognition. Seasonally themed content, game optimization, and in-game additions are continuously updated to enhance the Hitman Sniper's player experience.

Hitman Sniper is available on the App Store® and on Google Play™ for free play only between March 28, 2018, and April 4, 2018.

Download Hitman Sniper:

• On the App Store: https://goo.gl/EDT1s3
• On Google Playhttps://goo.gl/UY14nw
 



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Net Neutrality out Online Fees in? + Square-Enix parts with HITMAN!


If you haven't heard the news, the FCC's resident public enemy... Ajit Pai is seriously bringing the ax down on Net Neutrality with a sharp repeal.

I can't say with confidence that most internet users are willing to get rid of their internet if it affects internet speed, but it would serve the lobbying cable companies right to suffer record loses. This isn't our first time mentioning this (we're rodeo legends at this point), it's been almost a yearly tradition but some internet users are still not aware of it and what could happen.

If lag becomes more prevalent in online gaming... I would not be surprised, and the same applies to the prices of items sold online in order to keep the website up to speed. No... I would not be surprised because its almost a backlash to eliminate some of the freedoms we have online, freedoms they can't currently profit from. This isn't the result of anything else except for greed (and control). The cable companies providing internet, do not appreciate business they receive from us month after month, they want more... and more... and more. It's disgusting and its annoying as hell. Without net neutrality in place, these companies can do what they want to exploit the needs and wants we have to use the internet.

Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
Ajit Pai doesn't care to listen to the people speaking out against it either because his associates are on the other side of this, but that's the result of us being seen as numbers. Land of the free, home of the controlled internet?

Imagine your phone service only having good connection some of the time and... you weren't able to call everyone because the mobile carrier blocks certain numbers. That's the potential result of the Net Neutrality repeal... but if certain ISP's have the guts to be fair, I hope they show up the competition to the point that ships sink. 

I'm serious about that because I'm tired of the people who figure their big money means they have the right to control the average Joe & Joanna. It's actually the support of the average Joe & Joanna keeping these companies from going out of business. The average home phone service isn't as popular now, so who knows what may happen as a result of this.

+ Square Enix parts with HITMAN!

You may call this post a bit of a double whammy... but I don't think so. Square-Enix parts with HITMAN... but in a cool way. They could've simply parted with IO Interactive, put them into the hands of another publisher and kept the IP... but... they let IO Interactive roll as an indie studio... with the HITMAN IP. You may be asking why, but IO Interactive is Agent 47's home with or without Square-Enix publishing him.

The decision came as a result of a number of things... which both include HITMAN and other factors beyond HITMAN. I have a problem with developers wasting resources on games they release as a total trainwreck... and Square Enix's CEO (Yosuke Matsude) didn't want to end up in that situation with Hitman. 

That gets two thumbs up from me because he wasn't willing to compromise the quality due to a potential lack of resources to properly develop the 2nd and 3rd seasons. He also didn't want IO Interactive to be without the game so that their baby was potentially in the hands of someone else to be misrepresented. He took a look at his cards and made the right decision... because he could've sold the company to a bad publisher or closed the doors, but HITMAN lives on based on the right decisions. Since HITMAN (2016) was well received, I see the other seasons doing just fine when their time comes. Square-Enix doing Marvel IPs and IO Interactive doing their own thing as an indie developer. As long as the support remains, so should the games!

Get the GOTY Edition... now!



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