Kotaku's in Trouble... Major Spoiler for Arkham City

Tweet
Before reading this, I just want to warn everyone that Kotaku posted a massive spoiler for Arkham City as a headline, and the blog's actions will be discussed in this post. Also, the storyline for Modern Warfare 3 will be mentioned as well.

Sensationalism is nothing new to tabloids. Shock-and-awe journalism is a viable business tactic, but it brings the publication into the unethical boundaries of the profession. Kotaku could be considered a gaming-centric tabloid based on some articles in the past; most notably, the massive Modern Warfare 3 leak detailing the entire story. The plot isn't considered a major selling point for the franchise, yet the move still calls into question where Kotaku's priorities lie.

This morning, the publication outdid itself once again. Kirk Hamilton, a writer for Kotaku, recently had one hour with the game and wrote about his findings. The article itself was actually really good, but that's not drumming up debate. The argument stems from the headline "The Joker Dies in the First Act of Arkham City (Or Does He?)". Based on that headline, obviously they are implying a major character in the franchise perishes early on.

In the comments section, according to Stephen Totilo, Rocksteady blatantly stated the Joker does die in the press memo. But for fans eagerly anticipating Arkham City, the first major plot point has now been ruined. Now, even if Rocksteady did acknowledge the Joker's death, was it still appropriate for Kotaku to have that as the headline? As far as I know, Kotaku is the only gaming publication to even include information of the Joker's death in their article.

Being a great journalist isn't just networking and having excellent writing skills - every article is also a meaningful decision. Questions about fact checking and the like are obvious, but ethical, moral and professional standards should be taken into account. It's a journalist's discretion of what to include and what to filter out - to judge the relevancy of information. Coverage of consumable media is inherently the same. Film critics may be displeased with an ending, but they are sensible enough to not giveaway what happens. In this case, if Kotaku wanted to ethically include the Joker's death with limited outrage, a spoiler alert would have been sufficient.

Not splashing a major plot point around is only considerate of the audience. When I first visited the site this morning, the headline was unavoidable. It was literally staring me in the face. Now I'm not that excited for Arkham City, but I can speak for legions of fans in saying they will never read Kotaku again. Based on the site's behaviour, I'm starting to get the same vibe.

Ars Technica agrees. And funny enough, I came across that article from Totilo who tweeted "Are Kotaku comments news? Why, yes they are." with the link. Is it just me or does that display a bit of arrogance?

Scribbled Thoughts on The Dead Island Movie

Tweet

It was bound to occur sometime. The magical trailer captured many imaginations and shot the game into the collective consciousness of gaming's finest publications. To say the media and fans were mesmerized would be an understatement. Three minutes of a little girl's last waking moments with emotional music to boot is apparently all that's needed to get everyone exorbitantly excited. And now the announcement trailer rests comfortably at seven million views.

With Deep Silver and Techland outdoing themselves, both companies succumbed to overbearing hype once the release date came around. A botched PC release, hilarious third-person animations and difficulties saving plagued the zombie survival title and the massive expectations weren't met (which was well documented).

But, to Lionsgate's credit, only game enthusiasts will know of the terrible launch. The common movie-goer will likely witness a middle-class family's struggle for survival against an onslaught of mindless zombies on a beautiful island just outside Papua New Guinea. I'm no movie buff, but the concept does sound unique. Maybe Dead Island's film adaption could save the ailing genre. Or maybe not. Considering the family shown plays no integral part in the overall story (only making a cameo), it'll be interesting to see what direction Lionsgate takes while trying to appeal to gaming fans.

Regardless of the brand's faults, a movie could be hugely successful. According to Joe Drake, the co-COO of Lionsgate, the non-linear plot will focus on the human factor and the emotional struggle for survival, a first for the horror genre. Now would be the perfect time to adapt Dead Island to the silver screen, too, considering the extreme popularity with anything zombie-related (or supernatural, for that matter). The Walking Dead, the hit TV series on AMC, and Techland's new franchise have been mentioned plenty of times in the same sentence. That's enough evidence to believe a movie could be profitable.

We'll have to wait until next year to catch a glimpse of another trailer. Although the idea might be cheesy, it would be awesome to see the studio recreate the original trailer using real actors. Ryan Reynolds playing the father, a younger Halle Berry as the mother, and some unknown child actor cast as the daughter. Oh, and Lionsgate, I'm always open to becoming an extra. (I'm not looking to start a film career; I just want to point myself out and brag.)

Interview with Jim Rossignol from Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Tweet
Here on Volatile Mode, I'm trying to bring in as many unique perspectives into the discussion of gaming as possible, solely for the betterment and improvement of this industry. As such, I'll be pleading with prominent gaming journalists and bloggers to do an interview relating to any number of subjects. For the first one, Jim Rossignol, British gaming journalist extraordinaire, answered a few questions about his writing habits and life as a niche writer for the PC exclusive site Rock, Paper, Shotgun. (It's an awesome site so go take a look.)

VM: What are your methods to get in the writing mood? For example, I drink a cup of coffee and have the TV on as background noise. It is surprisingly effective!

JIM: I don't really have a writing mood anymore. I've been doing it for so long that it just happens. But I drink a lot of tea and listen to lyric-free high-tempo electronic music. 

VM: What is it like writing for a PC exclusive site? Do you prefer the focused platform, or sometimes would you wish RPS covered the broader industry?

JIM: I love it. The PC is busy and diverse. There's nothing I miss about writing for consoles, although I do play games on consoles all the time. Setting up RPS was the best decision I ever made, and I would never change its remit, except maybe to write a bit more about MMOs, or even hardware.

VM: How did you get into the industry? It's often the case writers for popular websites already have connections, so was this the case for you?

JIM: I first worked for PC Gamer UK. I applied for work there as a staff writer, and since I had some tech knowledge and a really solid grasp of online gaming, they hired me. After three years there I knew enough to go it alone and eventually conspired with Alec Meer, John Walker and Kieron Gillen to set up Rock, Paper, Shotgun. I didn't have "connections" to get into the industry in the first place, just a good degree and six months experience working for the financial press. The connections I subsequently built up were, however, vital to making RPS a success, and having people take our work seriously.

VM: What advice could you give aspiring journalists (like myself) on breaking into the industry? Please interject personal experience!

JIM: Write, talk to people, play games, write more. Talk. Write. Write more. Apply for every job you can. Do as little free work as you think you need to do to get profile. Be good. Read. Read more. Be better. Read all the pieces linked here: http://gillen.cream.org/wordpress_html/?p=1192 (this link is to Kieron Gillen's blog, a fellow writer at RPS). Don't give up. Don't say to people "you will probably think this is rubbish" or anything like that. Believe in your work. Fight. Never surrender.

VM: How did you discover your undying passion for gaming and what is your all time favourite title?

JIM: I think Eve Online was the most interesting game experience in my life, although that love affair is now at an end. I discovered I had a passion for gaming when the kid next door showed me Elite when I was seven years old. I subsequently played games almost every day for the twenty-six years that followed. Numerous high points followed: Speedball 2, Syndicate, Chaos Engine, Hired Guns, Doom, System Shock, GoldenEye, Half-Life, Quake III, Eve, Stalker. Each one confirmed to me how important gaming was as an experience.

VM: Being a UK-based site, is writing primarily for British gaming fans at all different than for an American audience? And do you feel the European and North American gaming cultures are equivalent or not?

JIM: We are a UK-based site, but we write for ourselves and everyone seems to like that. We don't really aim at a British audience, we just write as we would because we are British. US and European readers either appreciate that, or don't. You have to be faithful to yourself and your obsessions and not worry too much about who you perceive the audience to be. Chances are the people you think are reading won't be. It's the internet. This stuff is wide open.

Out of curiosity, I also asked him if RPS was looking for any contributors. He mentioned the site recently did a call-out to applicants and the position was filled. I guess I was too late on that one! I'd like to thank Jim personally for the honourary first interviewee here on Volatile Mode.

Hopefully more interviews follow. According to Mr. Rossignol, I'll be featured on The Sunday Times over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun! This is big news guys. For people just discovering my blog for the first time, why not subscribe? :D

The Quest to Become a Video Games Journalist - Part 1

Tweet
Man, times are rough. Some mornings I am heavily motivated, almost inspired, to contact the mess of gaming sites out there eagerly seeking out aspiring writers to publish my content. But then, my troublesome realizations are confirmed once again: no such site exists. Or these sites get inundated with writers in similar situations (often having more impressive credentials than myself) and my email gets junked. Getting a paying job as a video game journalist is life-sucking, stunk with joylessness, and leads to a diminutive existence.

Perhaps, though this isn't a confirmation of any sort, that I'm just a cynic. Pessimism has always rested comfortably on my shoulders - like the sky (not the world) to Atlas, but I'm less muscly. Contrarily, I quite enjoy rejection over and over and over again. The process implants a realistic self-perception in my consciousness and never fails to continuously remind me I don't live in Kirby's Dream Land.

Over nine months, exactly 300 days, and I have nothing significant to report. The little money I've made is from the gracious people who heard my pleas and interacted with various AdSense ads. Not only am I truly appreciative, but you are all very attractive and smell nice. Technically it's against Google's Terms and Conditions to ask people to click any advertisements solely to make the blogger some dough. The company expects any reader to be genuinely interested, so if you read this, please take a second to interact with any advertisements on Volatile Mode or any other Blogspot blog. I can speak for the majority of bloggers when I say: We really do appreciate the support. Blogging is a tough business.

Of the multitude of volunteer sites I've opted to write for, sadly, many use cheap tactics to get readership. Mainly recycling news from the credible sites and publications. While working for volunteer sites is a great way to build working relationships, why these writers don't think it's demeaning to lynch off popular sites is beyond me. I'd rather have an identity, a way of differentiating myself from the pack, then play follow the leader. And, to an extent, Volatile Mode has followed this creed. Distinctive gaming commentary on the broader industry from one hopeful journo attending college.

Here comes the titillating question. As a blogger, should I focus more on growing the blog's brand or my own? Usually these are coordinating entities, working for the greater good, but focusing on one or the other determines my career path. Spreading the blog means I achieve a certain standard in readership, hopefully ensuring sponsored posts from companies and review copies for cheap PR; spreading my own brand ensures I become known (and relied upon) for keen observations doing freelance work. I have yet to decide, though I'll be primarily investing time in Volatile Mode for now.

Maybe someday I'll be a top-notch reporter, the go-to guy. But then, it's also possible the blog gets huge and some company buys it out. The future is bright over here. The sun is shining, not a cloud in sight, and I have to make a beeline for school. Jeff out.

Silverblade Sunday #10 - Slaughtering Waves of Locust Ain't Never Been More Fun

Tweet

Oh, the sensation of slicing Locust in half. CliffyB knows what I'm talking about. Some might call that attitude murderous, but I promise I am clearheaded as my teammates orderly dismember waves upon waves of Locust seeking vengeance. Horde has never been purely about the massacre; that's just a pleasant bonus. Horde is strategic cooperative gameplay at its finest, and its successor in Gears 3 combines that cunning gameplay with boss battles, sturdy fortifications, and other awesomeness to keep the heart pounding. Let's examine further, yes?

Although impossible to express my delight in words, I'll try my best. Horde in Gears of War 2 wasn't perfect. Obvious flaws like predictable enemy patterns plagued the mode from reaching its pinnacle. It was the beginning with much left to be desired, and Epic answered all the calls with Horde's sequel. With the predictability relatively gone, rounds rely heavily on luck and skill, the precise placement of fortifications, and teammate positioning. Five bases on each map also allows for a team to decide how enclosed or spread out they should be for the upcoming slaughter.

After a tense countdown between rounds, a brief moment of breathing and deliberating, the fun starts. Turrets, spike strips, laser barriers, haphazard decoys, sentries and the coveted Silverback mech are all available to annihilate the impending onslaught. The Silverback being the most destructive, of course, but also the most expensive, so it's best to resort one player to save cash through the rounds and unleash havoc on the boss wave.

The climb is satisfying, but reaching the climax per ten waves is a thrilling experience. A little message pops up saying "Queen Myrrah unleashes the fury of the Locust Horde!" and the blood begins boiling. Any enormous enemy can count as a boss including the Brumak and the dreaded Lambent Berzerker. Just seeing the obstacle is instantly heart-wrenching -- especially the Lambent Zerker, perhaps the toughest enemy of the bunch. Strategic coordinated attacks are necessary to rid these behemoth creatures from existence.

Horde is vastly improved and the evidence shows. Watch any gameplay videos and it's instantly recognizable how much more fun and accessible the mode has become. Hard to say whether 2.0 is the pinnacle, but it sure is close. Shall we slaughter some Locust now?

I decided to run this as a Silverblade Sunday because Horde is such an awesome mode. Many major shooter franchises have implemented a similar mode, so its impact is far across the industry. Does Horde mean much to you guys? Do you agree with my opinion or would you rather invest time in the shotgun infested multiplayer?

Also, if you like what you see, why not subscribe? Not only does it support the bloggity-blog, but it shows you care!

Confessions of a Gamer's Girlfriend - Melee Vs Projectile Combat Style

Tweet
Hey guys. This little post was actually written by a good college buddy of mine whom never discovered the greatness of gaming. Now she's taken the sweet time of contributing to Volatile Mode. Whether this will turn into a weekly thing is still up in the air, but you can find her under the amicable name "Jessi Rose" in the Facebook box on the sidebar. Send her a message of appreciation! My thoughts on Horde Mode 2.0 will be posted tomorrow. Enjoy the weekend!

The best and worst part about being invited to play a game with the guys is choosing your weapon. As the ‘token girlfriend’ you aren’t expected to really do much more then stroke their manly egos, and try not to get yourself killed. Essentially you are the kindergartener in the eight graders playground. That being said, choosing the most appropriate combat style for your skill set (or lack thereof) could make the difference between prancing around in the background, and actually making a difference in game play.

The simplest way to understand what weaponry and fighting styles are available is to divide them into the two basic categories of Melee and Projectile.

Melee

Basic Definition:
Combat that takes place at close range with a blunt object style weapon, or even your game avatars bare hands. This could also be stretched to include weapons you would ‘operate’ such as a car, or be thrown a very short distance such as an armchair.

Common Weapons of Choice:
Baseball Bat, chain saw, axe, ‘found objects’, vehicles, bare hands, etc.

Benefits:
This style of combat is really effective in game play where the enemy will quickly enter your personal space, or pop up suddenly at close range. Being comfortable with fighting on the front lines and running into danger zones is key with melee fighting. It is also important to think on your feet and be willing to hop into that car, or grab the nearest piece of furniture to throw 10 feet or so if need be.

This style of combat does not require very good aim or refillable ammunition. Your weapon of choice will typically have a longer ‘life expectancy’, meaning you don’t have to worry so much about foraging for new weapons multiple times during the round and/or level.

Drawbacks:
In games where the action is farther away, this weapon style can be considered slow and cumbersome. If you are playing in close proximity with your teammates, you run a much higher risk of injuring them, which could damage your campaign as a whole.

There are many situations and scenarios where this style of fighting can be considered more foolish than fearless; such as when the enemy head count is MASSIVE or you have to practically commit suicide to get close. Some games don’t even offer many viable melee weapon options; meaning this fighting style is not the most transferable or most practical to generally rely on.

Projectile:

Basic Definition:
Combat style that takes advantage of mid to long-range weaponry.

Common Weapons of Choice:
Guns, grenades, flamethrowers, etc.

Benefits:
This style of combat is effective whether you want to be closer to the action, or would rather keep your distance. Depending on your specific weapon, you can kill a single enemy with precision and grace, or wipe out dozens at a time with blinding rage. It doesn’t matter what style of enemy you are up against, a good gunman is always a welcome (and usually necessary) addition to any team.

Drawbacks:
Having at least adequate aim is necessary to make this style of combat effective. Also, newer players who don’t fully understand the game play, or are easily overwhelmed may find projectile style fighting more of a hindrance. Needing to find refills for ammunition or remembering to hit reload all the time may also be difficult for players who have yet to achieve a good ‘rhythm of play’.

While we all have our own opinions on what is the ‘best’ way to play the game, the reality is that everyone has a signature fighting style unique the them and their skill level. So long as you have a solid understanding of what type of game you are playing, and how your fighting style of choice is applicable. You can make yourself a valuable asset to the campaign you are with, and be more than just a ‘token girlfriend’ in your team member’s eyes. 

Slaughtering Locust Never Ain't Been More Fun - Gears of War 3 Storyline Commentary

Tweet
The Gears are back, baby! Since Gears has such magnitude, I didn't want to do a typical review. As I've written here plenty of times before, Gears of War holds a special piece of my gaming heart, especially the addictiveness of Horde mode. (And the third one is primarily why I haven't posted here in two days.) Plus, reviews are so cliche. So, the following post isn't to destroy the game, but to celebrate it. If this approach gets a positive response, then I will post similarly about future releases.

Boy, has Gears 3 enveloped my world since Tuesday. I've done nothing else except religiously aim for the head to make Carmine say "I love when that happens!"Yes, my main character through the Gears games always will be one of the brothers, and tragically, Clayton Carmine isn't featured in EVERY scene of the campaign. Speaking of campaign, let's get to my commentary, shall we?

It's weird. Maybe the mediocrity of today's shooter has changed my perception of gaming. When first putting the disc into the console, I had this overwhelming desire to play a grandstand campaign. A storyline, for lack of a better word, that would blow my socks off. Perhaps the impressiveness of the predecessor's campaign left such an imprint that I refused to believe in anything short of spectacular. While missing the mark splendidly in some ways, the fanbase would be lying when they say the ending wasn't thoroughly satisfying.

Let's face it: Gears has always been a manly franchise. Built on the beloved male stereotypes, emotional moments were few and far between. Epic delivered friendly tension specifically for the fans, a long-term desire for those grown tiresome from the fast-paced, guts-and-glory action. For a "bigger, better, badass" type of campaign, the touching moments work somewhat well in the grander scale of the game. Though, Epic could have improved some dialogue, especially closer to the ending.

There's an "Oh shit!" scene occurring mid-game -- Act 3, Chapter 5 precisely -- exceptionally executed that changes the pace and is truly reflective of how the gang feels. The scene is almost poetic, landscape and all, and poses certain questions many of us refuse to acknowledge. Interpretations are different so I won't speak a word of my experience, but surely any player will feel some emotions. Possibly, even the most hardcore of Gears fan, a streaming tear will fall.

Overall, the campaign worked well. A fitting ending to a remarkable series. Check back tomorrow for similar takes on multiplayer, Horde and Beast modes. Toodles!

To the reader: As I said, Gears has enveloped my world. It's almost scary how addicting the game has become. Do you guys feel the same way about the campaign, and are you addicted like I am? And do you wanna play even? I mostly partake in the glory of Horde, but I'll sprinkle a few multiplayer games in there to change things up. Shoot me an email or tweet me!

Netflix Now Entering The Gaming Scene

Tweet
It's official. Netflix is now entering the gaming market. On a rather apologetic blog post late last evening, CEO Reed Hastings announced the separation of the company's two primary businesses into different entities. The DVD by mail business is now titled Qwikster while the streaming service retains the Netflix moniker. Completely separate meaning no integration at all, whatsoever. Separate credit card charges, separate movie listings, separate rating systems. Netflix is known for its accessibility, so if the company takes that away, consumers are going to get angry. And they did.

Through Qwikster, Netflix is implementing a "video game option" program, similar to its Blu-ray upgrade, letting consumers rent games on the current generation of consoles. This is to compete directly with services like GameFly and Redbox, both currently kicking ass in the American market. No telling how this will play into the ultimate ceasing of retailers like GameStop, but surely it can't be good. No word on the pricing model just yet, but as the service launches in the coming weeks, subscribers will be notified.

This could have a huge effect on the online renting industry. Netflix has supreme brand recognition, especially important being their established presence on consoles. More than half of current Netflix subscribers use consoles to access the service, so why the DVD giant waited to exploit that presence is beyond anyone. Hastings even suggested in the blog post that subscribers have been aching for a games renting service for years. Netflix could have owned this market forty times over and GameFly would never exist if the company entered sooner. Their hesitancy could cost them big.

This leaves other retailers like GameStop (also in the process of implementing an online service) in a state of limbo. The transition to online has forced the retailers to act accordingly, and they have to varying degrees, but as games get more expensive, renting is an easier and cheaper alternative. More passive players are entering the market also, further hindering potential sales. Unless the economy was to recover tomorrow, Netflix and GameFly (and other services relying on methods like digital distribution like Steam and Origin) will dominate in a few years.

Silverblade Sunday #9 - First-Person Shooters Will Never Resurge from Mediocrity

Tweet
Apart from Battlefield, the first-person shooter genre has stagnated. A developer blatantly copying the modern militaristic formula is commonplace nowadays, with only a few pathetic "variations" to ease the pain of an annual, highly disappointing Call of Duty release. And, as mockingly advertised as things are now, the industry was inundated with games from World War II before Call of Duty 4 hit jackpot. Some reporters energized the base by calling modern warfare games the "saving grace" of the genre. Oh, how they must be kicking themselves.

Essentially, it boils down to one creed: following the leader is great for business. Call of Duty established an untapped fanbase, exploited it to the highest degree, and other studios followed suit. It's the primal foundation of the genre and the medium in general. Japanese studios are now trying to appeal to Western audiences, for example. Many factors can be attributed to trending business practices, but when it's the nature of the business, that sentiment is difficult to shake. Business has taken over the role of creativity in the triple-A industry and the future economic scenario will likely falter.

After five years, great strides have been made to ease away from the collective conscious. More variability has highlighted the artistic side of the genre; whether these games are masterpieces or not is not important. Bulletstorm, for instance, took the art of killing and morphed it into an arcade slaughter-fest. Points are awarded to how gruesomely or creatively an enemy perished. Even Call of Duty contributed by implemented a Horde style zombie mode, now a vital selling ploy for downloadable content.

When doing research for this article, I found many forum-goers questioned the next trend. The obvious (and logical) guess would be outer space. Though, the future of any genre is unpredictable, so it could even be the overuse of an innovative mechanic or the oversaturation of a game mode. This has been happening lately: a direct consequence of the insane popularity for Horde was many games adapting something similar. Including the aforementioned Bulletstorm and Call of Duty, Halo: Reach's Firefight, Bad Company 2's Onslaught and the Underdome DLC for Borderlands are all directly inspired by the mode.

It's difficult to pinpoint what's next. The genre is still finding its creative identity, but as long as Call of Duty games are setting records, the environment won't change. Let's leave the trend-guessing to reporters next time. They seem to know what they are talking about.

Just a thing! If you like what you see, why not try subscribing on the side? I post daily (or much as I can given my schedule) so if this article interested you, surely others will! Thanks. :)

A Few Moneymaking Niches Dying to Be Exploited

Tweet
Hey guys, I decided to start doing a collection of posts about blogging to go up every Saturday. Gaming news on weekends is rare, so this is a great way to fill the daily void for content but also explore other passions. Silverblade Sunday is unaffected. Don't worry.
 
Blogging as a career is immeasurably difficult to achieve. Not only does it take the thorough understanding of SEO, brainstorming and the niche itself, but bloggers often maintain several blogs concurrently. This is either too straining for people or the stress isn't worth the effort. Covering two niches at once can be challenging, therefore forcing many prospective writers to bank on one site to pay the rent. This is impossible unless a blog gets million of hits, and building that credibility can take years. And having a niche blog has an immediate downside -- the limitation of audience -- but devoting posts to one topic helps build a community, increasing the chance that website becomes successful. You want people revisiting a blog repeatedly, not glancing once and never giving your site a second thought.

Before even starting a blog, a little research can go a long way. A blog can only go as far as the writer takes it, so assuring great content on a consistent basis is mind-bending. Having a niche is the perfect opportunity to thoroughly explore any topic within a niche extensively so long as the content exists. A niche blog can dig as much as desired, but having a continuous stream of content is vital for the growth and eventual success of any blog. The following niches are vast enough to have a far-reaching number of topics, a guaranteed audience, and the ability to acquire market share through unique content.

1. Technology. The big one, the mother-load of blogging niches. As technology changes the very facets of everyday life, tech blogging has exploded in recent years. In half a decade, Mashable has accelerated to the second rank of Technorati's most visited, and planted its place amongst the top websites around. The wonderful aspect of tech blogging is since the audience is ginormous -- practically everyone -- the space for growth is boundless. Also, there are opportunities to specialize within the niche (a "niche within a niche", if you will) like discussing smartphones and the App market, social networking, Internet culture, one company's antics, the economics behind the competition, etc. All these mini-niches have a wealth of content and many tech bloggers seem to hypothesize that focusing on one isn't the means to success. That's where the opportunities lie.

2. Food. In doing research to find a second blog topic, the amount of food blogs I came across was numerous. For a predominantly female audience, the discussion of cooking gives you leeway as to how to present such a blog. The more pictures the better (per step in a recipe ensures the reader follows instructions to a tee) and video content is a bonus. Unlike many business-focused subjects, food gives you the unique chance to show off your immense creativity by inventing dishes. Almost all niches don't have this do-it-yourself mentality and the potential range of content is mind-boggling.

3. Health. As obesity becomes one of the hot-button issues of our time, paired with health fanatics and people seeking viable ways to lose weight, health is a surefire topic to cover. It's often the case people live their lives around a certain disease and must care for themselves accordingly. Researching and detailing ways of improvement gives the reader a sense of self and the author the immense gratification of helping someone out. And making money in the process. The degree of variability within the health niche is extraordinary, so the idea is to look for popular trends and capitalize. A few to consider: living with diabetes, vaccines, coping with obesity, and weight loss.

4. Employment. Specifically, career changing. The economy has forced many workers to go back to college and reevaluate their lives. These folks often engage online to help make their decision and to see what types of jobs are popular or available. If strapped for content, you can also detail governmental ways of improving the job scenario, personal accounts or interviews of current job seekers, and ways to manage unemployment. This can also seep into personal finance, and readers will be thankful.

Although finding profitable niches seems impossible, it's actually easier than people think. A little research can go a long way, and using services like Google Trends can guarantee results. Millions of niches exist, plenty unexploited, so keep on top of trends and you'll find one eventually.

Volatile Mode's Official Gears 3 Review Analysis

Tweet
The dreaded embargo has now disappeared and reviews galore went up at midnight PST, basking Gears of War 3 heroically in the light of supremacy. The Metacritic score rests at an astounding score of 92, with seven different reviews grading the game as perfection. Mixing the grittiness and evolved multiplayer from the first game and bar-raising cooperative modes struck from Gears 2, "Gears of War 3 knows exactly what it is: a badass simulator," according to IGN. Joystiq so daringly wrote: "The word polish is bestowed often, but Gears of War 3 is embarrassingly well assembled." The Escapist praised met expectations: "The final game in the Gears of War trilogy is everything fans expect - massive explosions, gravelly voiced soldiers, surprising enemies, and, of course, an abundance of chest-high walls." The game, sufficient to say, has been a massive hit with reviewers, which combined with the valued response from fans over the multiplayer beta, sets up magnificent things for next Tuesday. 

Of the many oddities shrouding any finale of a successful series, Gears 3 will be critiqued and criticized, possibly mutilated, by the rabid fan base. CVG posed a major concern: "Has Gears of War 3's 'wow' factor been killed off by its own impressive predecessors?" And that's the big question. Could Gears 3 overcome the superior gameplay and transcendental storytelling of past iterations to cap off the series nicely? Bookending a metaphor comparing the Brumak to the T-Rex, Edge answered the concern eloquently: "The conclusion of the Gears trilogy exhibits a similarly accomplished blend of might, scale and evolutionary rightness." Simply, the game kicks ass.

Many reviews praised the four player co-op and how Epic rid any battlegrounds of enclosed spaces to allow malleable encounters. The studio also took a page from Bungie's book, adding a scoring system and altering gameplay options to add bonus experience. VGChartz wrote: "In addition, the campaign is now playable in four player online co-op for the first time. It’s genuinely the most impressive campaign in the series in scope and variety."

The campaign is primarily focused on instilling emotion within the player, closing many character chapters. X360A explained this well: "It’s the togetherness and that sense of being part of a brotherhood that gives Gears’ campaign so much pull." 1UP reacted negatively about the construction of the campaign, criticizing the execution of appealing emotionally to the player: "Consequently, the game's attempts at pathos fell short of the mark." Reading through many reviews, I didn't anticipate Epic would go too far into the characters' mentalities. Just being a fan of the games, the expectations are slaughtering hundreds and hundreds of Locust. Obviously these characters will be distraught about the state of the world, particularly Dom and his somberness toward his wife Maria, but the core is still defending the surface of Sera. 

The now idolized and oft copied mode from Gears 2, Horde gets a welcome upheaval. Money is the source of protection, used to purchase fortifications, weapons, and even the chance at life once more. Joystiq highlighted the formula: "The rampant incentivizing of everything in Horde and the more forgiving nature granted by its economy – die during a round? You can buy back in, if you've got the dough – change Horde's priorities from basic survival, which got old after a while, to success." Improved matchmaking, Beast mode, and a wealth of multiplayer modes surely will delight many fans. GamesRadar enthusiastically raved, writing: "Despite our slight disappointment with the campaign, Gears of War 3’s multiplayer has never been better. We’ve already raved about the cooperative aspects, but the competitive maps and modes are equally fantastic."

This is just a highlight from many reviews that popped up last evening. When the game drops Tuesday, I'll have my own comprehensive review up by the weekend. May Tuesday come sooner. Jeff out.

Game Blogging Seems... Oddly Natural

Tweet
As I sit awkwardly amongst my new classmates, a new year, typing loudly to the rhythmic tone to which my teacher is speaking, I feel a weird sensation. Not one of remorse or grief or unjustifiable terror, but of the most pleasant kind -- comfortable. Comfortable writing a gaming blog. The process feels uncomplicated, just short of natural, an easy way to manifest my writing skills while still maintaining a strange sense of professionalism.

Playing games and documenting my adventures. At first glance, the idea seems ludicrous. "Who in their right mind would want to read my thoughts?" I often told myself. And I still do. Miraculously, I have gathered 30 wonderful, beautiful subscribers whom I've never acquainted with, never mingled with in the depths of creation, and never appreciated more. That being the power of gaming (and blogging, essentially); accumulating interesting individuals in a common goal -- to communicate.

No other form of media permits discerning and intelligible conversation like gaming. Common adventures interpreted and misinterpreted so differently, valid and sometimes inane choices passionately defended and defeated by many players. Have lunch with a Mass Effect fan, detail how your Shepard would react in any given situation, and undoubtedly the other person would have a vastly different answer. One thousand or more variables shaping the embodiment of the player inside a fictitious future -- a debacle only gaming can provide. Particularly, that makes the industry truly exciting and splendidly indecipherable.

Warning: corniness ahead. Eloquently (not to toot my own horn) pitting phrases into comprehensible form exploring and celebrating the gratification of these choices is a process I can't put into words. Literally. The rarest of occasions, but sometimes I'm so enthralled that selecting words becomes intolerable. Cheesy, but ultimately true when it boils down to it.

If anyone really wants to know why gaming means what it means, shoot me an email and we'll chat. It's rather personal, though I don't mean to soak the truth with unnecessary emotion. We'll have a pleasant conversation. Two people, sitting on a porch in a downtown metropolis, gazing upon the world falling apart before them; that will be us. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Jeff out.

Dead Island Has Made Quite a Splash

Tweet
Get it? Because islands are surrounded by water? Ha ha! You're a bloody genius Jeff! 

I have to italicize for effect. Makes me feel better inside. Anyway, the little game from Deep Silver has been causing quite a stir. Dead Island has spawned an almost cult-like following, many reviewers peering through the awkward glitches and extraordinary third-person animations to notice a splendid recreation of Borderlands in paradise. Suitably, after tussling with bandits galore, the gang could use a vacation, and lonely nerds can start salivating over a half-naked Lilith.

The original trailer scored major points with the gaming media, receiving universal praise for its articulate use of emotion to convey a zombie outbreak. It was then revealed that the family isn't actually in the final release, but movie buzz started almost immediately. Dead Island is the perfect example of how powerful a trailer can come across. The hype train was off and at the caboose laid scarce details regarding the plot and characters. The doomed setting was the beautiful island of Banoi, a fictional isle off the coast of Papua New Guinea. (Talk about bad press for their tourism industry.)

Four characters, all with a distinct specialty, and an extreme emphasis on co-op. Copying the formula of Borderlands, an established and successful model, was genius. Then the storm of controversy came roaring in and now, who knows what's next in the fabled adventure of this game. As Dead Island launched, expectations for sales weren't great, but the lingering controversy has given the game more headlines than rightfully deserved. The sexist comment and the botched PC release have tarnished the game's reputation, but in the industry like this one, any notoriety is great notoriety. Deep Silver could have a hit with such a shoddy release; funny how the world works, huh?

Developers rely heavily on presence and brand recognition for sales. Currently, Dead Island is instantly recognizable as having a failed launch, but the fact it's instantly recognizable speaks volumes when gaming fans look for something to play with friends. The game actually looks like loads of fun, and for anyone that watched the Destructoid/Bitmob stream (I caught some), you'll know what I'm talking about. The number of copies should be an interesting statistic indeed.

Should Video Game Journalism Act More Sociable?

Tweet
Much debate has arisen over the professionalism of video game journalism, and the industry finds itself divided. On one side is the blogs, sensationalistic in nature, often meddling into biased waters and thoroughly personalizing each post. These blogs dive into the obscure, discussing the off-topic culture of the industry through buzzworthy or shocking stories. Prominent examples include Kotaku, Joystiq and Destructoid. Jim Sterling is especially infamous within journalism circles for blatantly outrageous comments and he has been labeled as sexist (explained perfectly in that very, very long post) and racist. Think of these sites as the celebrity tabloids.

The other side houses the reliable news sites and publications. These are the one-stop fixtures of all gaming news, frequently breaking away and reporting on individual niches within the industry. Gamasutra covers business, for example. Other sites like IGN and Gamespot employ dozens of people who contribute a consistent stream of articles and video and could be considered "websites of record" for the industry.

Coverage of the video game industry has been criticized left-and-right as being unprofessional, completely biased, and controlled by the companies. Firing Squad did a great list of five major problems and dissected each one masterfully. As I hope to get into the field someday, I always aspire to change the perception many have about game reporting. Writing about video games as a career has existed since 1978, the honour accredited to Bill Hunkel who wrote the "Arcade Alley" column for Video magazine. Sadly, he passed away this week of an apparent heart attack, but under his wing the reporting landscape has vastly changed. Some would argue it was improved, some would agree we are headed backwards.

The reputation of video game journalism is damaging, but why can't reporters embrace this reputation and wear it proudly? My thinking goes like this: gaming is the most interactive form of media, spurring a ton of conversation. Like film, games are extensively studied, or on the verge of being studied. Unlike film however, the adventure is in the player's hands, and the player is going to interpret what transpires in his/her own way. That interpretation will ideally oppose other opinions, leading to fruitful conversation; and that's the essence of how improvement shows. So, why can't the same be attributed to the gaming press?

The blogosphere has this down to a science - catchy headlines, colourful language, pretty pictures and an overall conversational tone to each article. Read any post on Kotaku and the writer will use artful words to display tone, often sarcasm or happiness. That's not a bad thing entirely, but reputable blogging is the highest form of citizen journalism or the most pathetic version of Gonzo journalism. Again, interpretation. But having a conversational or sociable tone adds personality to a story, encouraging readers to invest valuable time to read the words. And going forward, I'm anticipating this process as a new norm once blogs become bigger.

Not to say IGN and the larger mess of sites will fail outright, but as gaming journalism develops, there's many perspectives still to be established. Gaming is wildly expansive, and who knows, Volatile Mode could fill a gap soon. At least that's what I'll be calling for. Enjoy your morning, sip your coffees, and have a leisurely stroll as autumn gets recognized. Those winds are chilling and calming at the same time. Jeff out.

Silverblade Sunday #8 - How Could Generations New Eclipse This One?

Tweet
Nintendo's Wii U next year and other consoles expected by 2013... The next generation is quickly approaching and gradually, gaming fans are growing suspenseful. The transitional period between major generations is always weird and extremely awkward, but also one of the most exciting. While I won't denote a new round of systems as unnecessary, otherwise graphically, how could novel hardware possibly innovate?

The industry isn't there yet, but soon enough, gaming will be equivalent to and as widespread as music and film. This generation is mostly to thank. Think about it: more people than ever are partaking in this industry through Facebook and their smartphones; consoles are now an essential part of any entertainment center through Netflix and social networking; and certain games sell ridiculous amounts. Understanding what has made this gen so triumphant and important is vital to ensure success of future hardware.

Console manufacturers have managed to stretch the limits of their gaming boxes from strictly gaming to more integration with other mediums. Music services like Qriocity, Zune and Last.fm; movie platforms like Hulu Plus and Netflix; and even streaming TV like ESPN have been added the last three years to drastically increase the console's presence in consumable media. Three-dimensional gaming is now upon us, similarly online gaming has reached its maximum versatility. Beyond that, what else can be done?

Perhaps the industry has reached its pinnacle? Not graphically, but interactively. Perhaps the industry now must spend the valuable time to reevaluate the state of gaming today, keep interactiveness stagnant, and make a giant push for the hefty improvement of graphics. Or, push the bill to regenerate interest in dead or dying genres (survival horror, we're all looking at you). Or, create new genres. This next generation is the ideal moment to greatly expand the creative landscape of gaming and not so much focus on the green stuff.

A man can dream, right? It's highly unlikely any business will heed this advice. The industry is bigger than ever and every publisher is eager to completely monetize each game. But the growth of indie development could change the environment in a big way. The indie scene is fluent with expression and more brilliant ideas will be given funding, beckoning further creative diversity. Business mixed with pleasure - the best of both worlds? We'll have to find out. Jeff out.

How Twitter is Changing The Face of Blogging

Tweet
Okay guys, gonna try something different today. It's Saturday, feeling a bit giddy, coffee and a brief rush of adrenaline, and we are good to go. The first (official) tech post on Volatile Mode!

I'm no tech expert. I take pride in my vast video game knowledge, but my lack of understanding for the insane interest in social networking could be my downfall. SEO, including the use of social networks, is necessary for a blog to survive and thrive. But now there's a growing concern the effectiveness of Twitter and Facebook is having an adverse effect on the blogosphere - mainly because of how accessible these services have become.

The whole culture of Twitter is very distinguishable in a small number of letters. Generally blog posts stretch longer than the infamous total of 140 letters and give a mess of information, some tidbits not directly related to the topic discussed. A tweet, however, is incredibly straightforward and bare with information, instantaneously making a conclusion. In this high-velocity, tech-powered world, prospective readers might not have the spare time to venture through the mind of someone else in an extended blog post. Conversely, reading a tweet is convenient and not time-consuming. The process is easy, efficient, and more information can be gathered rifling through tweets than reading a topic-centric blog post.

Blogging isn't dying. The biggest contributor to the lack of successful blogs these days is purely the outstanding presence of the services. Current estimations say upward of 156 million blogs exist and the number is steadily increasing. Social networking, though, isn't killing the blogging industry - it has actually changed it considerably from when the medium started. In its infancy, blogging was an efficient platform to swap information and this usually meant elongated blog posts with high amounts of detail. Today, readers expect the conclusion quickly, as many have other blogs to frequent, tasks to attend to, or perhaps update their own blog. 250 words is the suggested length of any posts (which I have already crossed, go figure).

Internet specialists will argue each side fervently, but it's something the blogging community was both fearing and embracing concurrently. Professional blogging aides have written extensively on how to utilize social networking effectively, however none I've seen have wrote about the change in expectations among the blogging community. Maybe it's just a change I'm noticing? Who knows. Jeff out.

Flame Red Tomorrow, But 3DS Already on Fire

Tweet
Following a rather controversial price drop on August 12, Nintendo's first foray into the third dimension is selling like hotcakes. Understandably, an $80 price cut on anything will guarantee success, but to have a Nintendo handheld easily falter then come roaring back is extraordinary. The equipment inside might be expensive, but selling loads of the gadget is what's ultimately needed to ensure a bright future.

The price guessing-game is essentially over, a horrible experiment gone wrong. With 235,000 sales in North America for the rest of August and 205,000 sales in only four days after the price drop in Japan, the move resonated reasonably well with consumers.

With the massive sales count, however, someone has to play "pin the blame on the machine". What caused the slump? Though a mix of factors attributed to slow sales, three major reasons stand out:

1. The price was too damn high. Overshadowing the traditional asking price of many Nintendo handhelds, $249 now matches the seventh-generation of consoles. If Nintendo had done credible research beforehand and not relied on profit alone, the company could have done exceptionally well originally.

2. The rise of mobile gaming. Before the industry began mapping uncharted waters with the smartphones, the only major competitor was the PSP. But now, consumers have the choice of spending $40 on 3DS games or 99 cents on oversimple titles like Angry Birds. Inexpensive is the new mentality forcing companies like Nintendo to reevaluate their business practices.

3. The overabundance of anything 3D. The last is more of a personal opinion, but one that needs discussing. The novelty once warmed our hearts, but now it's sickening to even mention the technology. Fortunately it can be turned off, though that wasn't a heavy part of the advertising. Only researching further could one find that information.

Nintendo, for the most part, is a brilliant company. The recent slip-up, including the exhaustive debacle that is the Wii U, is a gauge that times are changing and companies need to respond accordingly. Today, the new Flame Red colour comes to retail with Star Fox 64 3D, touting a respectable Metacritic score.

To the reader: Has the price drop made you reconsider purchasing the machine, and if so, what stopped you before? And, what games (already out or coming out) are you most excited for?

Dead Island Review Mash-Up

Tweet
To counterbalance the atrocious launch of Dead Island, I feel dutiful to present a list of reviews I enjoyed. Jeff out.

1. RipTen: "A lifeguard informs me that these women aren’t on their periods, they’re just zombies."

2. IGN: "From that perspective, I was on the island; not my character. In the beginning, I'd slaughter every zombie I saw, but by the time I got to the city and found tight alleyways overrun with monsters, I began to just run from objective to objective."

3. GamesRadar: "It’s a sprawling, ambitious foray into trying to do something new with zombies, and it succeeds in being new, but its ambition also outstrips its execution."

4. Button Combo: "The potential that the game appeared to have, in that it would introduce emotion and a more personal side of a zombie apocalypse, has pretty much gone out the window. Dead Island is by no means a bad game; I just felt the game could have done more.

5. Edge: "Conceived in 2005, Dead Island finally makes its shambling way to shop shelves, invigorated by a promotional boost but carrying some telltale traits picked up during its six-year gestation."

6. Bloody Disgusting: "You'll need to be alert every second you spend in this island city, because every sound and every shadow can give you important information about just what the fuck that thing is that's waiting for you around that next corner."

7. Nyleveia: "What could easily have been ‘just another zombie game’ has for me become the definitive survival horror game, providing the most intense, graphic and destructive zombie experience to date."

Dead Island has been received favourably by the gaming media, many reviews even playing-down the ever persistent glitches usually found with the Chrome engine. I don't think I've seen such a disparity in reviews before: Edge gave it a 3/10 whereas some sites graded the game as high as 9/10. Now, of course, opinion is opinion, but with Edge being one of the more respected publications within the gaming media, to see them berate a title this much outside the consensus is quite shocking.

Publishers Have Had an Incredible Year

Tweet
Hey guys, sorry for the sporadic schedule lately. School is starting again, and so I've been trying to get as much writing done as possible to try and keep up with the daily postings. Being in a journalism program is mentally demanding, especially dealing with the college staff here, alongside all the writing involved in the program. Literally, I spent half of my time writing and the other half conducting interviews. But time must be sacrificed in order to play Gears of War 3. I'll be posting extensively about the record-setting ending epic, so please look out for those. Sadly, adjusting the schedule isn't what I wanted to do, but homework will control my life. I'll cook something up.

Gaffes galore, publishers are having such a strange year. Most recently, Deep Silver released a buggy and clearly unfinished version of Dead Island on Steam. Then, Square's poor response to the racist controversy of its hit prequel Deus Ex: Human Revolution caused a media frenzy. Moreover, the well-publicized hacking of the PlayStation Network brought Sony to its knees. Therefore, can a correlation be made between these incidents and more expected throughout the year, or is it just one of those years?

Ironically enough, the careless handling of Dead Island's PC port might actually help the game in sales. A video was posted showing the hilarious third-person actions while running and swinging melee weapons. My first time seeing that, I grew especially appreciative of the first-person perspective. The botched release gives Dead Island the opportunity to soak up even more spotlight, thus solidifying more sales. Careless or not, Deep Silver's actions show the difficulties of digital distribution, and similar incidents will happen with future games.

The character of Letitia, supposedly existing on the hard streets of Detroit in 2027, is a sight for sore eyes. The questioned video is of a down-on-her-luck black woman who served as an informant back in Adam Jensen's police days. This article captures the essence of the argument - a horribly designed, appalling voice-acted caricature of a person hampering a stellar game. In my opinion, this whole situation has been blown drastically out of proportion and the character is the lone case of bad planning. Racially-driven or not, this whole controversy is ridiculous, and overshadowing the amazing game Square has created.

Sony's little debacle dominated headlines and isolated the company from competitors. Having "the worst breach of consumer information in history" on the corporate track record is certainly one massive achievement. Regardless, as horrible as that situation was, what's worse was Sony's lackluster response. Not informing consumers until a week after the actual attack, the company was berated by consumer groups and many in the gaming media as irresponsible and unprepared for a breach. To Sony's credit, three million users have been added since April, a remarkable number given the circumstances. Though, players can create multiple accounts, so the statistics probably read better on paper.

The company's episode shows the direction, and eventually dependence, of online and the Internet for gaming in the near future. The rise of Steam and digital distribution is terrific for this industry, but the constant threat of hacking is a necessary evil. However, the gaming gods have been gracious in blessing bloggers and journalists will something to rant about this year. The last little while will enter the gaming history books as one of the awkwarder years; not filled with needless court cases or stupid business tactics, just general strangeness.

To the reader: Hey, if you guys like what you see, would you mind subscribing on the sidebar? Not only does it help out the blog but it shows you care!

Star Wars: Battlefront 3, Where Art Thou?

Tweet

I hate paralyzing myself in anticipation, even over writing this post. The subject puts me in such a state because it's difficult to decipher who's to blame over delaying the inevitable release of Star Wars: Battlefront III. LucasArts would be the obvious culprit, almost too obvious, but I feel the situation involves more parties.

Hardly a Star Wars fan myself, relating to the devotion and passion of some fans seems wrong. Almost criminal. Though common knowledge is enough to warrant excitement for the impending announcement of any future installations. In fact, battling on the snowy grounds of Hoth and in the sandy villages of Tattooine gave myself a newfound appreciation for the franchise (and for anything spacefaring really).

What the Battlefront series did was so refreshing and enlightening that it forced non-fans to succumb to excellent story-driven gameplay and an incredibly addicting multiplayer component. No other games within the long lineup of Star Wars releases have persisted so, and no "nonexistent" game has received as much fanfare in the last five years as Battlefront III.

It's impossible to dictate where development currently stands, and if it even has a standing. LucasArts has priorities and conflicting reports claimed the developer/publisher permanently shut down any chance of The Force Unleashed 3. Despite disappointing review scores, both previous games miraculously sold well and a second sequel was likely. A new turn for LucasArts, maybe?

A long-running fan site dedicated to any news continuously posts updates on rumours, but nothing has been outright confirmed by anyone. (It's quite depressing to read through the catalog of posts on the site and notice the blaring sense of hopelessness protruding from each article.)

As Star Wars continues to exist, as will the rumours. Sadly, all the attention will shift to The Old Republic, the massive MMO from Bioware seeking to overtake World of Warcraft's throne. The interest generated, as well with the rerelease of both trilogies on Blu-ray, should keep the fans appeased for now, but the calls for Battlefront 3 won't die down anytime soon. At least not from me.  

Silverblade Sunday #7 - Nintendo in The New Age of Gaming

Tweet

Since the release of Nintendo's first "entertainment system", gaming has been a different beast. Rattled by a devastating economic crash, if it wasn't for the likes of Mario, Mega Man and the Tecmo lineup of sports games, our beloved hobby probably wouldn't exist like it does today. The industry has Nintendo to thank, and it's been quite gracious with 25 continuous years of success. But, with diminished sales of the 3DS and a conflicted weirdness from Nintendo regarding the Wii U, has the company lost its way? Will the leadership torch be passed to another console manufacturer?

As disappointing E3 was this year, all the hype centered around Nintendo's conference and the already confirmed "Project Cafe". The commonest question posed was how the company could keep the triumphant Wii train going while appealing to the core audience. What seemed like an impossibility turned possible with the revelation of the system, but conflicting reports about performance and the memory capacity deterred them from stealing the show.

Most tragically, however, is how much sales of the 3DS have slumped. Sales were initially strong but have since dropped off the map. The high starting price of $250 was certainly a factor, but given the technology used, the price was justified. Nintendo even went against history and enacted a price drop effective immediately that will probably increase sales figures into the busy Christmas shopping season.

The question must be asked though. Should the company be worried or is their current situation being blown out of proportion? The answer is the latter, but that doesn't mean the company shouldn't take notice. Gaming audiences have always expected Nintendo to be mind-numblingly revolutionary when releasing new hardware, though it should be said the company isn't perfect. They will make mistakes, they will learn from those mistakes, and everyone will trust them again.

The biggest paradox is why Nintendo acknowledged the Wii U's existence before their show, because they look unprepared to unveil it to the world. Being so suspiciously obscure with details lost the faith of many on the show floor and that obscurity resonated with readers. By being vague and not direct with hardware inside the machine, graphical limitations or other concerns, they shot themselves in the foot. And still, there are more unanswered questions than answers given. If the company had waited a year, better preparation and full disclosure would give it the roaring hype needed going into the holiday season.

Surprisingly, the success of the Wii may hurt the company going forward. Overcoming expectations is extremely difficult, especially in this industry, but Nintendo doesn't lack the experience in dealing with these types of situations. They'll turn it around and Christmas next year will see a Wii U in most holiday bundles. But first, the 3DS must dominate this year. It should be interesting to see if Sony's recent price drop has any effect, or if Microsoft will follow suit.

Nintendo is still the king of the castle, and its competitors are the dirty rascals.

The Drastic Rise of Mobile Gaming

Tweet
The smartphone has come a long way. A relatively unknown technology five years ago, it now encompasses 125 million units sold annually and 8% of the US gaming market. The reason why the American number is so important is business trends start there and spread internationally. Many of the top tier companies have tried their hand at the new tech, but Google has made the biggest push to topple Apple's crown. The Android operating service is used in 48% of all smartphones, and the company's own smartphone, the Nexus, released last year, was received favourably.

The smartphone revolution presents small developers the chance to get a fan base cheaply and effectively. The games are simple in nature but complex in execution, or just mindless fun. But the key is the price. Less than a dollar is a great selling point, and with everyone constantly on the move, we need something to pass the time. Games like Angry Birds provide that 15-20 minutes of pure entertainment and are simple yet challenging.

The portion of the gaming market made up from smartphone sales went up 3% from 2009-2010. That's pure profit of $300 million. Year-over-year, that's a gargantuan jump. To think, smartphone gaming sales could hit the coveted billion mark this year. Many more gaming sites I visit are advertising mobile games, and they are slowly getting more recognition in the gaming media. Therefore, that begs the question: just how big can mobile gaming get?

In this article, the author cites a report suggesting mobile gaming is already bigger than PC gaming. That's an alarming statistic, given the short lifespan of the smartphone, but not surprising considering how wildly popular smartphones have become. PC gaming earned $700 million in sales, although this number is up to speculation because Steam doesn't publicly release sales numbers.

My hope is that mobile gaming can become a viable platform for any developer to get a great start. Although it might not be a concern now, if mobile gaming keeps rising in popularity, console/PC games will have no choice but to go cheaper to stay competitive. I'll never make mobile gaming my prime platform (consoles for now, PC if I actually have a quality rig), but in the distant future I may start doing reviews for smartphone games. They seem particularly easy to review, and the price is great so I don't spend myself into bankruptcy. :)

The Hack Actually Worked in Sony's Favour, Go Figure

Tweet

In an unexpected turn of events, Sony CEO Howard Stringer recently spoke at an event in Berlin claiming sales of the PlayStation 3 have unusually soared since May. Withstanding the whole GeoHotz debacle AND the assault from Anonymous, the console has sold three million units since the hacking. This even happening when the attacks became common anti-gaming fodder for the news channels.

The remarkable turnaround could have something to do with the recent price drop, but solid numbers haven't been released since that was enacted only two weeks ago. But for the company, this could be just business as usual. Rumours surfaced overnight claiming, from an "anonymous source," a new console could be released as early as 2013.

Surviving one of the biggest breaches of personal information in history, the aftermath shows the true resiliency of the gaming industry. Though, as the industry moves forward into the busiest (and crowded) Christmas season ever, the boost in sales should work nicely in Sony's favour.

The Alarming Precedent of Overpriced DLC

Tweet
Eurogamer reported today that Call of Duty: Black Ops has sold 18 million units of its outrageously-priced downloadable content. To quote Eric Hirshberg, the CEO of Activision, along with the original $60 asking price, "...users have spent an average of $76 on the game - an 18 per cent increase of the sticker price." It doesn't take an economist to recognize that's a whole hell lot of money. Doing some quick math, that means the collection of map packs made the publisher an extra $270 million on top of the 1.5 billion from new game sales.

This is a big deal. News will spread like herpes in a hot tub (thank Stephen Colbert for that joke; brilliant man) and other publishers will turn this into a trend. The problem is, though, there's already precedent established meaning the publishers think the gimmick could work for all future DLC. I'm unfairly generalizing, but rest assured many companies have at least given the pricing strategy some thought.

Black Ops is the best selling game of all time, so I guess it's only fitting its publisher leads the industry. But I feel strongly that if implemented by other publishers, it won't achieve the same effect. The Call of Duty franchise possesses a league of its own in the sales department, and for whatever reason, each iteration outsells the previous one. The infectious hatred toward the series has seeped into the fan bases of other popular games, and charging high prices for content will reflect badly on the publisher. The fans will surely recognize the inspiration for the price hike and perhaps go as far to start resenting the publisher and the franchise.

I don't mean to throw the term "enslaved" around, but diehard Call of Duty'ers don't use rational thought when purchasing these extremely expensive pieces of content. Bethesda was railed against for charging too much for horse armour, so why hasn't the same riotous attitude been geared toward Activision? I'm not trying to dictate where people should spend their money, but these fans shouldn't feel obligated to buy overpriced map packs. It might be hard to believe but Call of Duty isn't the only franchise out there.

Angry! That's how hearing this news makes me feel. Activision would only have the right to charge such amounts if the original asking price was cheaper. Preferably cut in half. Think about how many sales would happen then. Anyway, here's my post for the day. Enjoy the rest of your day and avoid the earthquakes!

If you like this, why not subscribe? That can be done with the "Follow by Email" tab on the sidebar.

The Times Are a Changin' on The Bloggity-Blog

Guys, guys! Thanks for the support yesterday! 300 page views, tripling my old record of a meager 100. If your computer screen was fixated on my lovely blog both days, I'd like to thank you personally. Not only have you made me more appreciative, but every new person reading reflects remarkably on the blog. And, to seemingly celebrate my success, Google went and dramatically transformed the Blogger interface to be more streamlined - probably to be compete with the growth of other services like Wordpress. Any Blogger user recognizes what I'm talking about.

Gradually, I'll be expanding the amount of topics to feature on Volatile Mode. For the last eight months I've almost exclusively pandered on about the video game industry, and that won't likely change. But I want many people to share in the gratification of reading each post that I have in writing them. Systemically (over a couple of months, not instantly), I'll be mentioning a far higher number of topics revolving around tech, blogging and SEO. Just to test the waters and see which posts gain more interest.

Reading up on the process of blogging and expanding one's brand online has opened up a web of interest I never knew I had. Previously, I thought advertising was boring and bland, never even giving the subject a remote thought. But now, web marketing is accelerating in popularity, and frankly, I'd love to be a part of it. People have made millions helping start-up blogs, claiming to be masters on fully utilizing social networking and such. That's the fascinating part. The Internet is slowly transforming our lives and humanity is finally capitalizing on the quick migration of information worldwide through blogging and other platforms.

For my subscriber base, don't worry. I won't be abandoning my one true passion: video games. I'll still feature a post mostly daily about the game industry, and this wouldn't heed true more with the amazing lineup coming this Christmas and into next year.

For the subscription base, I recommend this being a perfect time to start your own blog. Not only use the tips and tricks I'll provide forthcoming, but to also learn the process and immerse yourself in the future potential of the platform.

Anyway, it's early and I have a big day today. A post will be up later on about video games; that I can promise. Hallelujah!