New Years Resolutions 2018: Gaming Industry Edition

New Years Resolutions 2018: Gaming Industry Edition

With the page turning on 2017, and the new calendar year upon us it is a chance to start fresh, make changes to your life and undoubtedly see how you follow through on the goals you set. Whether you want to reinvent yourself, or just stop being the butt end of holiday punchlines, the new year marks a way to do a new you. Below are what should be the major focus of some of the bigger players in gaming for 2018 for freshening up their approach.

 

Microsoft – Join the exclusive club

Microsoft ended 2017 with a bang, releasing the powerful Xbox One X and seeing some major success from the launch of Playerunknown Battlegrounds. It doesn’t take a forensic scientist to see what they’ll need to do to keep pace with their competitors. It may be pie in the sky, but expect to see a commitment to more exclusive titles from Microsoft by the time E3 rolls around. Otherwise, Microsoft risks becoming the relative with the expensive education who still lives in their mother’s basement.

Sony – Be a virtual winner

It was another successful year at the cash registers, coupled with some big holiday sales numbers thanks to incentives on Playstation VR bundles. Sony needs to continue their commitment to the Playstation VR and ensure it doesn’t become the next Kinect, or Playstation Move for that matter. With a solid lineup of exclusive titles set to drop for the PS4 in 2018, if Sony can keep their focus on refining the VR experience, they’ll have a firm foothold on an important piece of future tech in gaming. And while we know Sony is already developing the PS5, revealing it to the public too soon might be like that kid who spoils Christmas by looking at his presents early.

Nintendo – There ain’t no party like a third party

As news comes out that Nintendo Switch is the fastest selling console in the United States, Nintendo should look to avoid repeating the mistakes of the Wii U and ramp up their deals with third party developers to ensure that those shiny new consoles don’t collect dust waiting for the next great must play first-party title like Metroid or Super Smash… They should also announce Super Smash already.

 

Electronic Arts – Smarten Up

Let’s face it – Electronic Arts has made some really fun games. And, as far as their sports titles go, if it’s in the game, it’s in the game. Somewhere along the road EA has lost their way. While you can bank on the easy bucks with Star Wars and sports titles, it should be concerning that the commercial flops of recent releases like Titanfall 2 and Mirror’s Edge Catalyst could be an indication of how people are going to choose with their wallets when ANTHEM hits the shelves.

Rockstar Games – Be careful

Following reports of online monetization of Red Dead Redemption 2 – we can only assume that the recent struggles EA experienced during the launch of Battlefront 2 is a cautionary tale of what not to do with a surefire hit. And assuming Red Dead 2 is going to be the year’s biggest game, Rockstar should tread lightly when monetizing the game, or face the wrath of the fans.

Bethesda – Breaking up is hard to do.

Listen, everyone loved Skyrim, but it’s time to move on. We know you’re obsessed with it, we were too – and every once in a while it’ll be good to look back on our time together and laugh. But we’re really hoping you get out of this obsessive phase and announce something like Doom 2, or Prey 2. I know sequels usually get a bad wrap, but you’ve done so well with them… Don’t be that person who is stuck in the glory days of high school: move on already!

Ubisoft – Install Norton antivirus already!

Ubisoft has been releasing some sneaky good titles for some time now, including my personal 2017 GOTY – Assassin’s Creed Origins. While their games aren’t short on fun, there is a lot of concern that the online content doesn’t add up. Making a commitment to improving multiplayer experience should be the top priority for Ubisoft, especially in games like Rainbow Six Siege which are primarily online and face fierce problems for newcomers.

Gamers: When it comes to the big guys STOP pre-ordering!

This writer has been guilty of this in the past, but it’s time we put a stop to pre-ordering games, specifically when they’re coming from big developers. A little collective effort might actually have an impact on how games are released if companies aren’t given a guarantee that they’ll be sold before the finished product is even close to being completed.  Furthermore, try an indie title or two – it’s money well spent, and who knows, you could be funding the next studio that a bigger publisher will inevitably purchase and then shutter.

 

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