Perhaps the oldest and most complicated genre in video game history is the action-adventure series. Renowned for its combination of exploration and combat, the earliest recorded title in the genre was Adventure for the Atari 2600. Fans were amazed to investigate multiple screens, search for new areas, and encounter dangerous enemies. Technology then began to progress, the industry transitioned into
Read moreFans of 2D Zelda games were thrilled when Nintendo released the Link’s Awakening remaster in late 2019. In its launch weekend, the game sold over three million copies. The industry praised the upgraded aesthetics as well as Nintendo’s homage to the original game. While players continue to heap nostalgic admiration onto the 1992 remaster, Link’s Awakening is an abbreviated experience.
Read moreVideo games and credible journalism have a troubled history. While most respected media outlets feature a variety of industries on their front pages, critics continue to reserve the latter sections for the video game segments. Despite being larger than music and movies combined, the video game industry remains locked in an era defined by false perception. But one respected outlet
Read moreAs retailers continue to migrate sales to online platforms, the potential for data compromise increases. While consumers are familiar with data breaches from brick-and-mortar retailers like Target and Sears, video game publishers have seemingly protected their players’ information. But on Friday, an unsuspected industry leader had a grave announcement: a hacker compromised data from 160,000 Nintendo account login users. Data
Read moreRandom number generator (RNG) has plagued gamers for decades. Dubbed the “speedrun killer”, RNG is slowly infiltrating more video game franchises. While most gamers can tolerate a degree of randomness, an unbalanced experience is equally frustrating and debilitating. The Animal Crossing community witnessed the epitome of deranged RNG with last month’s Bunny Day event. Despite an outpouring of fan rage,
Read moreThe world of video games is no stranger to sandbox adventures. Multiple franchises afford players the option to customize their experiences, such as the Minecraft and Animal Crossing series. But the most riveting sandbox games are derived from iconic and established franchises that excel in traditional genres. Such is the case with the industry’s most famous plumber and his latest
Read moreOn Saturday, Japanese media outlet Famitsu revealed its 2019 Game of the Year Winner The company has announced a Game of the Year winner each year since 2005 While the Game Awards remains the most popular annual celebration of video games, certain regional outlets continue to demand the industry’s attention. For almost four decades, Famitsu has been the most respected
Read moreThe Internet had a collective chuckle over the memes surrounding the launch of Animal Crossing and Doom Eternal on the same day. The unlikely partnership between Isabelle and the Doom Slayer was so implausible that the community did not take the collaboration seriously. But on Saturday, a Nintendo rival revealed an even more unlikely combination: Animal Crossing and Xbox attire.
Read moreThe video game industry is no stranger to the “pay-to-play” market. While gamers are accustomed to loot boxes, season passes, and other optional content, Nintendo has largely avoided these “freemium” models. However, players of a popular Nintendo franchise have begun to exploit an obvious void. On Friday, we discovered that fans of Animal Crossing New Horizons had taken to eBay
Read moreVideo games mirror the movie industry in that companies typically earn the most revenue during launch week. While most of the industry follows this model, there are a few exceptions to the rule. The most storied example is Grand Theft Auto V by Rockstar Games, whose shelf life has lasted over six years. On Friday, CD Projekt Red announced that
Read more