Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, PC - £6.96
Spend £15 for free p&p
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, PC - £6.96
Final Fantasy: Chrystal Chronicle - Rings of Fate, DS - £16.99
Final Fantasy: Chrystal Chronicle - Rings of Fate, DS - £16.99 delivered
Naruto: Clash of the Ninja Revolution, Wii - £27.43
Naruto: Clash of the Ninja Revolution, Wii - £27.43 delivered
Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.
How to download DRM free .mp4 videos from BBC iplayer
The BBCs iplayer is a potentially fantastic service, however one of the biggest problems with it is that you cannot download the videos without installing their software, and even then it has restrictive DRM which enforces a 30 day expiry date on videos.
License payers paid for the creation or licensing of these programs, we should not have to jump through the BBCs draconian hoops to access them.
However, I recently discovered a way to download DRM free .mp4 videos from it, which resolves my biggest issue with this service -
Instructions
1. Get Mozilla Firefox web browser (although 56.95% of you already use it)
2. Install the extensions User Agent Switcher and Firebug, restarting Firefox after installation.
3. Set up the User Agent Switcher to be the profile of an Apple iPhone.
To do this, click Tools > User Agent Switcher then go to options. Head to the user agents tab, and click "Add.." and put in this information.
Description: iPhone
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en)
App Name: AppleWebKit/420+ (KHTML, like Gecko)
App Version: Version/3.0
Platform: Mobile/1A542a Safari/419.3
Once you have done this, select "iPhone" from the User agent switcher
4. Browse to the BBC iplayer. From there, pick any video you want to download. If done correctly the video won't actually load up.
5. Open Firebug.
This is probably the hardest stage, but still not that hard. When you open Firebug, the entire code makeup of the site should be shown in the bottom panel.
First expand 'body'
then div id="blq-main"
then div id="blq-content"
then div id="bip-primary"
then div id="bip-content"
then div id="mip-container"
then div id="mip-content" class="clearfix"
then div id="mip-flash-player"
then object width="512" height="288" type="video/mp4"
Then two addresses should show, one with "mp4" in it, for example -
"http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/3/auth/iplayer_strea ming_http_mp4/b006c7t3"
Copy this address, and paste it into a new tab, hit return and your download should start!
This whole thing works because the BBC have launched a version of the iplayer for Apple iPhones which uses DRM free mp4 files, and by tricking the iplayer into thinking that your browser is an iPhone you can access those mp4 files. I seem to be getting download speeds between 50kbs and 100kbs.
Enjoy!
Update: For the videophiles out there, the file use the codec "avc1", and are in resolution 480 x 272 and 25fps, the audio is 2 channel 48,000 Hz, 16 bits per sample and a bitrate of 1.5kb/s,
Prince of Persia Trilogy, PS2 - £8.81
Prince of Persia Trilogy, PS2 - £8.81 delivered
Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam, Xbox 360 - £15.67
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam, Xbox 360 - £15.67 delivered
Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off
Ninja Gaiden Sigma, PS3 - £17.63
Ninja Gaiden Sigma, PS3 - £17.63 delivered
Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, PSP - £12.73
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, PSP - £12.73 delivered
Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off
Formula 1: Championship Edition, PS3 - £17.99
Formula 1: Championship Edition, PS3 - £17.99 delivered
A Retrospective from the Bargain Bins, part 1 - PS2
This is part one of an imaginatively named feature, parts two, three and four will be coming over the next few months.
The PS2 has been out in the UK nearly 8 years now, and releases seem to be finally dying down, and now is a great time for new owners to get a shedload of great games for really cheap, for people who already own one to build up a much more diverse library of games, and for new 60GB PS3 owners to pick up some backwards compatible games.
I will be concentrating on games which offer great value for money still today, and games which may have passed you by, or not caught your attention at full price. All games features will cost £10 or less, delivered. If you see any games you love available for under a tenner, drop me an email and I will happily add them.
Beyond Good & Evil - £5.99 delivered
What the Critics said: "A new pinnacle for interactive storytelling...a marvellous game. It's a game that exhibits real personality and individuality...Michel Ancel's latest composition leaves you feeling warm and happy every time you finish playing it, and in this medium there can be no greater triumph than that." - Eurogamer
What I say: Spot on. Break it down to it's gameplay mechanics and it's a well executed Zelda-esque adventure, but the real charm is the maturity of the setting and plot.
Why to buy it: You have ever played an action-adventure and laughed at the characters, not with them, and want a bit of a change.
Why not to buy it: I can't really think of a reason, I hear it has better load times and/graphics on the Gamecube/Xbox, so maybe if you can get it there, but the PS2 version is by no means lacking.
Brothers In Arms: Road To Hill 30 - £8.81 delivered (Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.)
What the Critics said: "We have our faith in World War II games utterly, comprehensively restored. It seems incredible that such a saturated genre can still produce something fresh, but Gearbox deserves big manly bear hugs and ferocious slaps on the back for delivering on its promises." - Eurogamer
What I say: I've not played it actually, but I love everything else gearbox have put out.
Why to buy it: You like WW2 FPSs, but maybe want a bit more meat to the gameplay.
Why not to buy it: You dislike (console) FPSs.
Dragon Quest - The Journey Of The Cursed King - £5.99 delivered
What the Critics said: "The most beautiful game in the world? Well now, that’s a bold question. True beauty is more than skin deep and so to answer that question requires a whole different set of eyes to perceive and critique." - Eurogamer
What I say: Not played this one.
Why to buy it: You like old school JRPGs.
Why not to buy it: You don't like old school JRPGs
Fahrenheit - £5.99 delivered
What the Critics said: "Broken down to its base elements it's clear that Fahrenheit is by no means perfect. The control system is often counter-intuitive, the camera implementation is sloppy, and the action sequences are a square peg in the midst of the lovingly-crafted round hole that is the narrative. But yet, for every little niggle anyone could justifiably come up with (and, really, there are plenty), the amount of enjoyment we gleaned from the whole experience outweighs such minor issues to extent where the only thing you can say with any accuracy is that rating such a game is ultimately a head/heart issue." - Eurogamer
What I say: Really really good, a very contemporary take on a classic point and click adventure game, with a real ominous, dark atmosphere. Real shame about the ending though.
Why to buy it: Short of developer "Quantic Dreams" next project you probably aren't going to play anything like this any time soon.
Why not to buy it: You get easily annoyed by weak endings.
Final Fantasy XII - £8.99 delivered
What the Critics said: "Final Fantasy XII is hands-down the best instalment in the series since VII. There, we said it. It succeeds on just about every imaginable level, combining a loveable and well-designed cast and suitably twist-ridden storyline with the most unique slant on the series' traditional turn-based combat system since it went all tactical to stunning effect." - Eurogamer
What I say: Not played this one. Give me FFVI or give me nothing.
Why to buy it: Cloud is a cool dude or something.
Why not to buy it: You are as jaded as me towards the recent final fantasy games.
Global Defence Force, PS2 - £6.45 delivered
What the Critics said: "..." - Everyone
What I say: I have heard enough love on the interwebs for this and it's Xbox 360 counterpart that I will be buying them both at some point very soon.
Why to buy it: You like explosions and B-movies.
Why not to buy it: You don't like explosions and B-movies.
Gitaroo Man - £9.97
What the Critics said:"Gitaroo Man is a genuinely impressive little title with something fresh to offer fans of this rather niche market. As is usually the case, longevity is an issue here with only eleven levels to rock your way through, but the Versus mode is really quite a hoot when you've got an hour or so to kill after the pub. It's not going to be to everybody's tastes, but if you're a fan of Parappa and the like then you could do a lot worse than to pick up this charming example of rhythm-action." - Eurogamer
What I say: From the same developers as Elite Beat Agents/Ouendan, really funny rhythm game, with great music, and some nice chilled out levels (although most are insane). I even broke the "under £10 delivered" rule for it. Just buy a CD or something to bring it to £15 for free delivery.
Why to buy it: You like or are in any way curious about rhythm games.
Why not to buy it: You dislike all obscure Japanese stuff indiscriminately.
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy - £5.99 delivered
What the Critics said: "Jak & Daxter is a decent length for a videogame at roughly ten hours, and it boasts an enormous number of hugely varied tasks to complete and beautiful sights to see. Capped off with an elegant control system and intelligent game design, this is the platformer to bury both mediocre rivals like Banjo Kazooie and old classics like Mario 64." - Eurogamer
What I say: Only played a little of it, seemed pretty.
Why to buy it: If you like platformers, particularly the early crash bandicoot games.
Why not to buy it: Don't like anything bordering cutesy characters.
King Of Fighters XI - £8.73 delivered
What the Critics said: "King Of Fighters XI is absolutely essential stuff for anyone still keeping the 2D dream alive. It's hands down the best new sprite-based fighter in years, and while purists will probably find it hard to drag themselves away from genre favourites like Capcom vs SNK 2 and Street Fighter III, SNK has done an exceptional job of proving that there's still life in 2-D fighting." - Eurogamer
What I say: Kick-ass, biggest problem is finding someone to play with.
Why to buy it: Looking for a technical, 2D fighter.
Why not to buy it: Not got anyone else to play with.
Metal Arms: Glitch in the System - £3.49 delivered
What the Critics said: "All round Metal Arms is a undoubtedly a quality offering that deserves far more attention than it's ever going to get this time of year, but lacks that crucial X factor to elevate it to the top rungs. Simply put it borrows a hatful of ideas, implements them well but never truly wows you as a landmark gaming experience." - Eurogamer
What I say: Genuinely funny, good enough that Blizzard acquired the developers straight after its release.
Why to buy it: If you like the sound of a 3rd person shooter with a sense of humour and platforming elements.
Why not to buy it: If you can get your hands on the Xbox version, in my opinion it controls a little better, and it looks a little prettier.
Metal Slug Anthology - £9.99 delivered
What the Critics said: "You should still buy this game, and not because it shows us how far we've come either - but rather because, in the case of 2D art and gameplay design, it shows us just how far we've since regressed." - Eurogamer
What I say: Such fantastic value, if I ever see a Metal Slug arcade machine I often empty a fiver into it. Games that are still as fun as when they were made.
Why to buy it: You have any vague tendency towards 2D platformers/shooters.
Why not to buy it: You might want to consider the PSP version if you want it for on the go, the wii version has rudimentary waggle, but I guess wireless controllers could be a plus.
Peter Jackson's King Kong - £7.99 delivered
What the Critics said: "But by the end of King Kong there's still plenty to go back and see; and there are some standout moments that will probably stay with you forever. As a piece of gaming entertainment it's well worth buying regardless of what you might think of the movie - but assuming it's the action blockbuster it promises to be, it'll serve as the perfect accompaniment, fusing thrilling first-person combat with some of the most explosive hand to hand sequences you can imagine. If only all movie-based games were this entertaining." - Eurogamer
What I say: Not even seen the film, but I love this game. From Micheal Ancel, famous for being the man behind the Rayman games. Lots of fantastic moments.
Why to buy it: Maybe if you liked the film, or like FPSs with something a little different to them.
Why not to buy it: If you can get it on Xbox, Gamecube, Xbox 360 or PC (but watch for starforce) it is probably better on all those platforms.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time - £3.49 delivered
What the Critics said: "The Sands of Time is a towering achievement in far more areas than any other similar title. You've probably done a lot of the things you'll do in Prince of Persia before, but never to this standard, and apart from the innovations, the consistency, the logic and the spell-binding presentation, what makes it so special is just how well made it is." - Eurogamer
What I say: Easily one of the best platformers of last generation, the combat is a little weak, but by no means enough to hold it back, fantastic level design that I think holds it above either of the sequels.
Why to buy it: If you have any love for the old Prince of Persia games, platformers in general, or Time Reverse gameplay.
Why not to buy it: Because you are getting this instead, or failing that getting it on Xbox or Gamecube.
Prince Of Persia: The Two Thrones - £7.99 delivered
What the Critics said: "It's just as well there's so much to love about this one as a whole, too, with that same determined one-more-go feel about it as The Sands of Time. In all the respects that matter, The Two Thrones is the sequel we were hankering after all along. It's got a takes a measured approach to combat, pitches the atmosphere at the same eery, mysterious level that we loved about the first game, and wraps it all up with one of the more flexible control systems imaginable that make it possible to enjoy the kind of trap laden environments that would make Lara's eyes bleed at the prospect." - Eurogamer
What I say: Not quite as good as sands of time, it has a bit of filler, but it also has some great bosses, and concludes the trilogy nicely. Far better than Warrior Within
Why to buy it: You liked Sands of Time.
Why not to buy it: Because you are getting this instead, or failing that getting it on Xbox or Gamecube.
Second Sight - £3.49 delivered
What the Critics said: "But, in truth, Second Sight rises above many of the quibbles that you could justifiably level at it. A key ingredient in its success is its engaging concept, which comes layered with a satisfying narrative structure and credible characters. Factor in Free Radical's trademark attention to detail and instantly gratifying controls and it's a game you can't help but be drawn to." - Eurogamer
What I say: Yeah, this game is great, really nice narrative.
Why to buy it: If you like any other Free Radical game, or even goldeneye or Perfect Dark, you should check this out, it's not particularly similar to them, but it is of the same quality and has the same charm.
Why not to buy it: If you can get this on the Xbox or Gamecube it'll be a bit prettier on them.
Sonic Mega Collection Plus - £9.99 delivered
What the Critics said: "There are some truly magic moments here that transcend nostalgia. Even now, that first time you achieve absolutely blinding speed is exhilarating. For us, it was the Chemical Plant Zone in Sonic 2, watching Sonic go so fast that he practically breached the right-hand side of the screen. Ten years and hundreds of other platform games have done nothing to dull the impact of the blue blur pushing the boundaries. Heck, he probably invented that turn of phrase, too." - Eurogamer
What I say: Unless you own these games on some other format, buy it, buy it now.
Why to buy it: because I said so.
Why not to buy it: You own it on Xbox or maybe Gamecube (although the Gamecube version is missing a few of the extras here)
Spider-Man 2: The Movie - £5.99 delivered
What the Critics said: "Whether you should buy it or not is a matter of how much you want a superhero game that leaves you feeling unbeatable and unique when you're swinging with effortless grace around the city, but then tarnishes that brilliance by serving it alongside some badly judged missions, less than brilliant visuals and our old chum the dodgy camera." - Eurogamer
What I say: Forget it's shortcomings, this puts you in control of Spider-Man, and you will grin through the patches of bad design.
Why to buy it: Bruce Campbell does the voice overs, big open New York, web swinging, it's based on Spider-Man 2 not 3.
Why not to buy it: If you don't like Spider-Man, or get bored of open world games easily.
The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction - £5.99 delivered
What the Critics said: "In terms of value for money, Ultimate Destruction is one of those games that's relentlessly enjoyable and hugely entertaining from the first minute to the last. You could bracket it firmly within the '30-seconds of fun over and over' school of game design." - Eurogamer
What I say: It's basically a hulk simulator, without the danger of gamma radiation.
Why to buy it: You like free roaming open world games, comic books, action games, explosions, tactical espionage (you'll know what I mean when you play it) or all of the above then you can't go wrong. Fans of Mercenaries or Spider-Man 2 should like this.
Why not to buy it: If you can't stand Hulk I guess, but even then I would say give it a shot.
The Red Star - £5.99 delivered
What the Critics said: "While you could argue that it's relatively short, it has variety: new enemies are introduced on almost every level and each boss is distinctive, differing in size, strength or attack pattern to the last."- Eurogamer
What I say: A unique gem of a title, that could easily be ignored in the vast PS2 library, but it's one of the most original games I have played in a long while.
Why to buy it: You like Shmups, or beat 'em ups, or just unique games in a very cool setting.
Why not to buy it: You don't like it when games kick your arse and it's your fault.
Timesplitters 2 - £3 delivered
What the Critics said: "It's a cliché, and it's silly, but I'm going to say it anyway - TimeSplitters 2 feels like the spiritual successor to GoldenEye, but with fantastic graphics, much more varied environments and enemies, and the promise of frantic action-packed segments as well as more cerebral stealth missions...TimeSplitters 2 is stacking up to be the FPS title to beat in console terms." - Eurogamer
What I say: Couldn't agree more, way better single player than it deserves, and full campaign is playable in coop.
Why to buy it: You are looking for a fun, relatively arcadey FPS to play either alone or with a friend.
Why not to buy it: Didn't enjoy Goldeneye or Perfect Dark back in the day, or if you can get it on Xbox or Gamecube.
Viewtiful Joe - £2 delivered
What the Critics said: "More than your average year-late port, Viewtiful Joe remains an essential addition to any PS2 gamer's library. Artistically and mechanically it's timeless enough that the wait hasn't had any negative effect, and anybody who passed on it on the Cube is in for a real treat. It's plainly not for everyone (ask yourself: is a rock-hard scrolling Capcom fighting game something you could get on board with? Yes? Keep reading) but assuming it is the sort of thing you can handle, it's a startlingly inventive and engaging game, which dares to be different - and does it with style." - Eurogamer
What I say: Probably my pick for most stylish game last generation, painfully unloved by the wider gaming public, and damn good fun.
Why to buy it: You like the sound of Old School beat 'em up with modern design flair, produced by the man behind RE4, God Hand and Devil May Cry.
Why not to buy it: You are narrow minded enough to not play a game because it is 2D.
X-Men Legends - £3 delivered
What the Critics said: "If you're not especially thrilled by X-Men in general, it's likely you'll see Legends as "OK", as mediocre, as middle of the road. It's a good superhero console RPG, a well-made game with some terrible dialogue, genuinely good combat and multiplayer, but some obvious camera issues. The story is long, unique and involved, but your liking for Legends will stand or fall on its premise: you're controlling superheroes in an action RPG." - Eurogamer
What I say: Far from perfect, but quite a lot of mileage multiplayer coop fun.
Why to buy it: because X-men are cool.
Why not to buy it: No body to play with, or if you could get it on Xbox/Gamecube.
There you have it, a handful of my top picks of the PS2. Part two will be on the way in the next few weeks.
No More Heroes, Wii - £26.94
No More Heroes, Wii - £26.94 delivered
Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.
Uncharted: Drakes Fortune, PS3 - £25.96
Uncharted: Drakes Fortune, PS3 - £25.96 delivered
Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.
Alien Quadrilogy, DVD - £9.99
Alien Quadrilogy, DVD - £9.99 delivered
2 of the best films ever made, and some bonus DVDs or something.
Well, seriously, even the worst films in the series are better than most other films, if you like terror, suspense, action, tension, sci-fi and just really atmospheric films you have to get this. No damn excuse to not own it.
My mates band 'Uninformed' just finished their first EP
So a friend of mine's band 'Uninformed' have just finished recording their debut EP, it's a free download here. It's 'alternative rock', whatever the hell that even means these days. Anyway, it's really good and it's free which makes for a great combination.
God Hand, PS2 - £13.43
God Hand, PS2 - £13.43 delivered
One of my favourite games I have played in the last few years, from the man behind Viewtiful Joe, Resident Evil 1 and 4, and Devil May Cry.
The problem with God Hand is...
Bully: Scholarship Edition, Wii - £29.29
Bully: Scholarship Edition, Wii - £29.29 delivered
Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.
Army of Two, PS3 - £36.99
Army of Two, PS3 - £36.99 delivered
Apply code "Cheap Games" for free delivery
Army of Two, Xbox 360 - £35.99
Army of Two, Xbox 360 - £35.99 delivered
Apply code "Cheap Games" for free delivery
Bully: Scholarship Edition, Xbox 360 - £27.99
Bully: Scholarship Edition, Xbox 360 - £27.99 delivered
The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion - Game of the Year, PS3 - £26.99
The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion - Game of the Year, PS3 - £26.99 delivered
Includes Shivering Isles and Knights of the Nine.
Get the new Nine Inch Nails album.
And that's an order.
Head to ghosts.nin.com and get the new 4 part NIN album.
There are several way to get it -
Free for part 1 (DRM-free download including artwork),
$5 for the complete album (DRM-free download including artwork),
$10 (+international shipping of around $12) for a 2-disc copy and 16-page booklet, (also includes download)
$75 for Hardcover fabric slipcase, 2-disc + Data DVD (multi track) + Blu Ray
I went for the $5 download, and it is fantastic, all instrumental, and wonderful. If you don't like/have never heard Nine Inch Nails then this is a must have.
So I hear PC gaming is dead - What can I do?
I know this blog is normally 100% focused on it's core function of video game bargains, but every now and again something comes up that I feel I need to talk about, and now is one of those times.
There has been a lot of talk recently about how PC gaming is 'dead', and that there is going to be an increasing shift away from big name games on PCs as publishers and developers seek higher revenue and profits from console markets. There is almost certainly some truth to this.
I, for one, love PC gaming, and would hate to see an industry in 10 years time with far less PC centric games like Realtime Strategies, Turn-Based strategies, First Person Shooters, Graphical Adventures and RPGs. Sure, lots of these games can be played on consoles, but there are a whole bunch of advantages that the PC platform provides.
As customers, we have several options. What kind of things can be done to improve the situation for PC gamers?
1. Reduce Piracy.
This is a pretty big one. Nobody can accurately measure the impact of piracy on publishers and developers. It would be sheer ignorance to claim that every individual game pirated is lost revenue for the PC games industry. However, an unquantifiable proportion of people will pirate games as an alternative to paying for them. If money is the issue, then be patient. PC games drop in price pretty fast, sometimes even waiting a few weeks after release can net big savings. Don't use a lack of disposable income to justify copyright infringement, or if you do, realise that you are sacrificing your right to complain in the future when PC gaming is dead.
Is this you?
If yes, then genuinely stop and think about what you are doing. If you can afford to buy PC games but choose not to, then I seriously urge you to ask yourself why? Think of any one game you have played in the last few years that you absolutely loved. Now imagine a world where the developers last game sold half as much because people chose to pirate it for free, they would have had much less creative freedom over their next project, if indeed they were able to secure financing for it. Making games is expensive, and if customers do not foot the bill then it will stop. Simple as that.
Is this not you?
You aren't a dirty filthy pirate? Then I salute you good sir or madame, however, there is still things you can do to help reduce the impact of piracy on developers revenue stream.
Load up any torrent site you care for. I'm not going to name names because I don't want target any one in particular. See if they have any torrents for PC games available. Hosting torrents is perfectly legal, absolutely no copyrighted content is held on these sites, and they are untouchable by the law. However, there are other ways to get to them.
Most, if not all, of these sites contain advertising. Because of the way internet advertising works, the companies represented on any given web site may not be aware of which sites in particular they have adverts shown on, they just deal with an advertising agency which acts as a third party between advertisers and web sites. I know if I were running 'Dell computers' I would not want to be associated with copyright infringement, particularly not of software that I sell.
If you ever see a legitimate, reputable business advertising on one of these sites, here's what I suggest you do. First take a screenshot of the site, with their advert showing. Then do a whois search on their domain, and send an email to their Administrative Contact explaining how shocked you are to see a reputable company like theirs supporting web sites which facilitate copyright infringement, and ask if they are aware of it. If they brush you off with stock responses, then take to the tubes! Social network, Social media, blogs, video streaming, these are our tools, our weapons. Use our democratised media for good by naming and shaming any companies which provide a revenue stream for piracy.
If enough people do this, eventually businesses will see that their brand is being harmed by this, and will seek out advertising agencies which do not condone and profit from facilitating copyright infringement.
Legislation against torrent sites only marginalises their users and pushed them further underground, legal action against individuals only fosters negative feelings towards 'the man', and restrictive Digital Rights Management only turns more consumers away from PC gaming. The only way to help developers profit from their hard work and still be around to make games in the future is to foster an economic environment by which operating web sites which facilitate copyright infringement is not profitable.
2. Approach new business models with an open mind.
EA recently announced Battlefield Heroes, a free download, relatively low hardware requirements, micro-transaction based spin off from the Battlefield series. Why do you think they would do this?
Valve have released new Half-life content in a (kinda sorta) episodic manner, Telltales' Sam & Max games have done the same. What reasons could there be for this?
Steam itself now have a huge amount of games in it's library, all at, on the whole, pretty fair pricing.
The PC games industry is moving away from a situation where you put a disc in a box and sell it on a shelf for £40. The number of middlemen involved in doing that creates tonnes of overheads.
If we can look to these new channels of distribution, and embrace them, it is perfectly possible that games could sell the same number of units, experience smaller nominal revenue, but still experience increased profits, as less of the money goes towards getting data and packaging from A to B, and more goes towards creating games.
3. Embrace new types of games.
Lets have a quick look at the top selling PC games of 2007 (excluding online distributed games, like steam downloads) -
1. World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade – Vivendi (Blizzard)
2. World of Warcraft – Vivendi (Blizzard)
3. The Sims 2 Seasons Expansion Pack – Electronic Arts
4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – Activision
5. Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars – Electronic Arts
6. Sim City 4 Deluxe – Electronic Arts
7. The Sims 2 – Electronic Arts
8. The Sims 2 Bon Voyage Expansion Pack – Electronic Arts
9. Age of Empires III – Microsoft
10. The Sims 2 Pets Expansion Pack – Electronic Arts
What do you see here? I see sequels, I see games in genres that I have been playing for years, I see three Sims expansion packs, and I see only three (since the Vivendi/Activision merger) publishers represented.
Now, of this list I have played COD4 and C&C3, and think both are pretty damn good.
I also realise that the people reading this blog probably aren't the same people playing "The Sims 2 Pets Expansion Pack".
However, there is another way.
For every mega-blockbuster, quality, game there are tonnes of games which cost much less, and are the same quality. I am not by any means suggesting you stop buying the big name games, but maybe go out of you way to spend maybe half of your gaming budget on the smaller, indie titles that won't have the mass market appeal and marketing budget of their big brothers.
You also have the power of word of mouth at your command. I bet every one of you reading this knows someone who is addicted to The Sims, or World of Warcraft. Maybe you are one of them?
Why not take the time to make some recommendations of other games they might like? Games that might be on the border of making a loss and making a profit could be tipped over the edge by just a small number of increased customers. The Sims is a massive cash cow for EA, but their is no reason customers of The Sims wouldn't buy other games. Off the top of my head there is The Ship, but I bet you guys can think of even more. Treated properly The Sims instead of being unjustifiable criticised as ruining the PC games industry could be one of the most powerful gateway drugs out there.
Same goes for World of Warcraft. Why not try to convince one player to go without WoW for one month and use the saved money to try out something like Mount and Blade.
By making games like these commercially viable you are fostering an industry where great games are successful, and quality developers stay around to continue making games into the future. Let's make success be influenced more by quality than it is by marketing budget.
4. Stop letting reviews tell you what to buy.
Reviews are great, good ones that is.
I personally find that Eurogamer's reviews are great. I also really enjoy The Gamers Quarter (not that they have updated in ages) VideoGaiden/Consolevania, Zero Punctuation and Way of the Rodent.
But you know what. Games are subjective.
How can you put a discrete numerical value on busting out of Nova Prospekt? How can you quantify how fun it is to ruthlessly crush a galaxy with your iron fist in GalCiv2? and what is the real difference between a metascore of 84 and a metascore of 85?
Traditional games reviews on big commercial publications are geared to make profit by homogenising what I love. Lord knows some of them seem to have lost sense of journalistic integrity.
Why do we let big companies tell us what to buy?
I emphatically suggest you look to the communities, the forums, the relatively small scale reviewers, your friends, 'word on the street', word of mouth. Take risks with games, buy games from developers you haven't even heard of, without even checking a review score. Worst case scenario is you are disappointed, best case scenario you are rewarded with an amazing game made all the better by it being a surprise.
If and when you do find a game like that, be vocal about it, let others know how much you loved it.
That's all I can think of. Maybe their are some other ideas you have, please contribute them in the comments section.
If PC gaming must die, it won't be without a fight.
TL:DR -
Be the change you want to see in the world.
Official Gamecube Controller (purple/clear) - £6.99
Official Gamecube Controller (purple/clear) - £6.99 delivered
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, DS - £10.99
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, DS - £10.99 delivered
Lost: The Videogame, PC - £16.99 delivered
Lost: The Videogame, PC - £16.99 delivered
Might want to wait on a review for this, looking at the price of the PC version compared to the console version the PC port might not be great. Could be a pleasant surprise though.
Megaman ZX: Advent - £23.51
Megaman ZX: Advent - £23.51 delivered
Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off
Xbox 360 - HD-DVD Player - £37.67
Xbox 360 - HD-DVD Player - £37.67 delivered
This is coming from Amazon Germany, but you can use an Amazon.co.uk account, the menu's are pretty self explanatory, but if you run into any trouble, let me know.
Spider-Man 3, PS3 - £17.93
Spider-Man 3, PS3 - £17.93 delivered
That has to be one of the most unintentionally hilarious box-arts ever.
Halo 3 - Legendary Edition, Xbox 360 - £39.99
Halo 3 - Legendary Edition, Xbox 360 - £39.99 delivered
It's the USA version, but it's completely region free.
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, Gamecube - £3
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, Gamecube - £3 delivered
John Woo Presents: Stranglehold, Xbox 360 - £13.99
John Woo Presents: Stranglehold, Xbox 360 - £13.99 delivered
DS games 3 for £30
DS games 3 for £30
Plenty of Shovelware, but also some great games too, I would personally recommend Contact and Bomberman
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth, PC - £11.99
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth, PC - £11.99
Spend £15 for free p&p
I guess I will be finding Microsoft bargains again...
As you many or may not have noticed, I have not been posting deals for Microsoft products recently.
This has been in support of Ben Paddon (aka Squirminator2k), you can read the details of the whole thing here.
He has recently decided to accept that no matter what, it appears Microsoft are not going to compromise whatsoever on this issue, and so he has told me that I should start listing Microsoft bargains again, as it is only hurting you guys, my readers, by not posting those bargains.
I have emailed Major Nelson with my thought on the issue, maybe that will change their mind, maybe not. I can only suggest that if you feel strongly about it, that you send a polite email to him at "Major@xbox.com".
Ben has also started a web site to keep track of loopholes and problems in the Xbox live infrastructure which leave some customers screwed over, I suggest you check it out if you want to read more on the topic.
Looks like 'The Man' may have won this one, I guess you have to choose your battles.
Stuntman: Ignition, Xbox 360 - £9.96
Stuntman: Ignition, Xbox 360 - £9.96
Spend £15 for free delivery
Clive Barker Clive Barker's Jericho by Clive Barker, Xbox 360 - £12.99
Clive Barker Clive Barker's Jericho by Clive Barker, Xbox 360 - £12.99 delivered
Pearly White Nintendo GameCube with Mario Smash Football - £27.98
Pearly White Nintendo GameCube with Mario Smash Football - £27.98 delivered
Add this to you basket then apply code "feboffer" for £3.
GBA SP Mario vs Donkey Kong Hardware Bundle - £27.98
GBA SP Mario vs Donkey Kong Hardware Bundle - £27.98 delivered
Add this to you basket then apply code "feboffer" for £3.
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, DS - £15.96
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, DS - £15.96 delivered
XII Stag, PS2 - £3
XII Stag, PS2 - £3 delivered
Really nice vertical Shmup from the makers of Trizeal, got to be worth a pop at this price.
Super Smash Brothers Brawl, Wii - £27.43
Super Smash Brothers Brawl, Wii - £27.43 delivered
Apple voucher "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.
No More Heroes, Wii - £26.45
No More Heroes, Wii - £26.45 delivered
Apply code "PP-02-DISCOUNT" for 2% off.
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