In modern-day video games, open-world design has become synonymous with adventure on a grand scale. As the industry continues to add depth and breadth to these designs, the amount of content has increased exponentially. From open fields to endless side quests, the growing magnitude in games has left many players feeling overwhelmed and drained. After struggling through my own backlog
Read moreIn recent times, rewards systems have inundated the retail industry. From in-store credit and discounts to points systems and memberships, stores have employed an abundance of rewards systems to increase customer involvement. While this approach is commonplace for brick-and-mortar outlets, the video game industry been slow to adopt rewards systems. Gamestop’s PowerUp program is currently the industry standard; however, Nintendo
Read moreNothing gets the Internet buzzing quite like a Nintendo Direct presentation. While the events have been sporadic over the last 12 months, Nintendo’s cadence of game revelations and updates has steadily increased. On Wednesday, Nintendo hosted a fifteen-minute Indie Showcase, which included many surprises. Below is a list of every game update so let’s dive in. Small But Mighty It
Read moreMost video games lose popularity a few weeks after launch; however, Animal Crossing: New Horizons continues to trend worldwide. From the start of the pandemic, Nintendo’s cutesy social simulation game remains a global phenomenon. With the help of new customization tools, New Horizon players have overcome the depression of social distancing by expressing their innovating sides. From hosting online weddings
Read moreDespite unprecedented levels of success, the Nintendo Switch is underpowered in comparison to PlayStation and Xbox. While Nintendo has optimized most first-party offerings, third-party developers have struggled with performance issues on the hybrid console. The result is a library graphically inferior games that cannot achieve the most basic level of HD quality at 720p. As Sony and Microsoft prepare to
Read moreWhile Minecraft stands atop the pantheon of best-selling video games, the widespread availability of the pixelated adventure on nearly every platform is largely responsible for its success. Although console exclusivity severely limits opportunities for certain franchises, one new 2020 release dares to challenge the paradigm. As sales of Animal Crossing New Horizons continue to skyrocket, the industry begins to wonder:
Read moreFew companies have experienced peaks and valleys quite like Nintendo. From the ground-breaking success of the Wii to the disaster of the Wii U, the iconic video game company was on the brink of financial ruin. But Nintendo quickly regained status among the industry’s titans with the release of the Nintendo Switch. As the hybrid console continues to sell at
Read moreAs the video game world anticipates the release of Sony and Microsoft’s next-generation consoles, the Nintendo Switch remains the most popular platform across the industry. On September 9th, Bloomberg published a report indicating that Nintendo increased its annual target of Switch console sales by 120 percent. While the statistics are impressive, Bloomberg revealed another pivotal detail concerning the Switch: Nintendo
Read moreWhile Nintendo has provided occasional updates on Twitter, over a year has passed since the last official Nintendo Direct. As Nintendo remained oddly silent throughout the pandemic, fans grew restless about the future of the hybrid console. Critics also began comparing the lackluster Nintendo Switch 2020 lineup to the Wii U era. But after a series of surprise announcements, the
Read moreThe age-old proverb is that success breeds additional success. While maintaining positive momentum is challenging, the start of the journey is often the most difficult phase. Earning the trust of key influencers is paramount and requires time and proven excellence. The developer behind the popular hack-and-slash Dynasty Warriors series, Koei Tecmo, not only earned Nintendo’s trust but also landed the
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