DISPATCHES SEPTEMBER
The modern things
We live in the interesting transitional period between console generations, when some of us were lucky enough to grab a PS5 or Series X/S (constantly refreshing Twitter would be my tip), and others are still happily gaming away on now last-gen machines.
Now, I understand why new-gen games are becoming more and more pricey and harder to justify splashing out on, but what strikes me as odd is how, as new games continue to be released across generations, free upgrades are still on offer for people to capitalise upon when they finally get their hands on an elusive XboxStation 5.
Yet why are these different iterations priced differently? Surely I’m not the only broke cheapskate who, having spent most of his budget on the console, is buying the PS4 version of, for example, Judgment, and cheekily upgrading immediately for free, saving a considerable amount of money over the PS5 copy in the process? I’m no businessman, but it hardly seems like a profitable venture. This price difference seems exclusive to physical media; the PS Store commonly bundles both versions into a single price.
My question is, how long before retailers wise up to this exploit, or is it left to our consciences to refrain from such skulduggery? Free upgrades surely won’t be around forever, so, much like a gamebreaking money exploit, isn’t it best to make the most of this cheat before the inevitable patch comes out?
Jake Mellor
Spending your money wisely hardly feels unscrupulous. If you’re prepared to put in the effort to wangle a free upgrade, more power to you. As you say, these offers won’t necessarily be around too much longer – although given the continued rollout issues with new hardware, it’ll probably still be worth seeking out these bargains for a little while yet.
On and ever onward
I have been thinking a lot lately about how games can provide therapy to those who play them. I had a nervous breakdown in 2014, and have struggled with mental illness since then, usually in the form of anxiety and paranoia. Great art – and I do certainly believe that videogames are art – outlives the critical response. After a time, who really cares that Joe Hack thought Citizen Kane didn’t reach his standards? Especially when that art is connecting with countless persons in a meaningful way. This is not to dump on the profession of criticism, but instead to affirm the value of a direct relationship with a piece of art. I considered suicide, seriously and often, after my breakdown. When my father asked me, after a particularly bad bout of paranoia, what I wanted to do that I could not do, I responded: “Play BioShock Infinite.”
BioShock Infinite got a lot of bad press for various dubious reasons that had little to do with what the game was about, which is the redemption of a soul who failed those he loved. This is not a pseudo-intellectual affair, it is an emotional and a spiritual one. Its politics may be “wrong” but it remains a considerable achievement in videogames, eight years after its release. The beauty of Columbia and the pain and growth of Booker DeWitt resonated with me when I considered ending my life. It was not only a world to escape into, but a chance to reckon with myself and my past and to see the value in living. So let us sing praise for the “wrong” games, which nonetheless have a powerful artistry to them, which give us hope in our darkest times. The relationship with a game, which occurs over many years,
“How long before retailers wise up to this exploit, or is it left to our consciences?”
is surely the most important thing, and not its Metacritic score. Let us detach from the concept that we need permission to enjoy a piece of art, and instead take it head on, feel the thrill and the affirmation of life and keep on going.
Paul Casey
Joe Hack? That guy’s the worst. You don’t even want to know what he thinks of Paddington 2. But thank you – we’re always happy to discover stories about videogames’ power to help through difficult times. A year’s worth of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will give you a few more games worth getting stuck into, no permission required.
Big time sensuality
It’s Pride month, and seeing all the gay representation in the current state of videogames makes me very happy. I’m proud of the many battles that have been won. But before making a note here with ‘huge success!’, I want to point out that there’s still a lot to do.
As part of the sex-positive community, I’ve learned that sexuality is so much more than being attracted to certain genders. Sexuality is something people do, and honestly, how it’s done is not represented in videogames that well.
Now, I understand that there are a few barriers. Most obvious is how hard it is to translate expressions of love into digital commands. The best I have come across is in Ladykiller In A Bind, which is simply choosing branching texts. Dragon Age: Inquisition is probably the best mainstream example; while being very limited, it at least has Iron Bull explaining the importance of consent. Oh, and please don’t mention Heavy Rain’s attempt.
If I’ve missed better examples, please let me know. Which brings me to the second point: people get squeamish about sex in games. Probably because it leaves us vulnerable. However, if you look at the stories written in fanfic communities, and the artistic endeavours shared in sex-positive corners of the web, there’s the complete opposite of a feeling of shame. Indeed, we’ve already felt how wholesome it can feel to be more than just heterosexuals in games. But there is simply so much more fun to be had! (Case in point: how disappointed were you in Dream Daddy when everything was so limited to talking?)
One day, we will have beautiful lovemaking in games and the playerbase will want to share their enthusiasm. I predict the usual backlash – ‘Think about the children!’ ‘The gay agenda is being forced upon us!’ ‘Feminism is ruining games!’ – you know the drill. Please do not let this inhibit you. Share how you express your love in games! Be proud of what you enjoy in them!
Robert August de Meijer
There is indeed a long way to go. Quantic Dreams’ attempts to map intimate moments to button and stick inputs (we still shudder at Fahrenheit’s analogue-stick thrusting) might be misguided – and in light of recent events their inclusion feels a little more awkward – yet few other mainstream games are even attempting to grapple with sex and sexuality. The recent Apple-Epic court case handily demonstrates the puritanical attitudes of most major platform holders and publishers, what with Apple using the presence of the Itch.io app on the Epic Game Store as a stick to beat its opponent with – decrying the presence of “so-called adult games” that were “so offensive we cannot speak about them here”. Naturally, if you’re looking for examples of sex-positive games, we strongly recommend you head there to scratch that, er, itch.
An echo, a stain
I recently saw a YouTube review of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance, in which the reviewer referred to the poor reception of the game as ‘negative hype’ – implying that the poor reviews were not a critical look at the game, but simply an attempt by ‘biased’ game journalists to stop people from buying it. The YouTuber then tried to position themselves as a fan and not, as they actually were, another reviewer. Coming off the back of an E3 which saw influencers and fans host the big summer marketing shows, it struck me how much fandom is now openly used as a marketing tool.
I suppose it’s been this way for a while, but until now I’d been able to separate games marketing activity from thirdparty fan community stuff. Nowadays, that’s not the case. Influencers, directly or indirectly, are becoming that much more influential in selling a game.
Game companies, both publishers and developers, seem totally happy with this, of course. An overexcitable community will buy and advocate for your game, and be cheap at doing so. It doesn’t even matter if the game is rubbish. Any lingering sentiment towards critical reviews can just be written off as ‘negative hype’.
Maybe I’m being a bit cynical, but I’m finding it harder than ever to watch or read about games without it explicitly selling me something. Fortunately, I still have Edge to give me an insight into the videogame landscape that isn’t predicated on me being a blinkered super-fan for whatever game it’s discussing. Particularly in the Hype section of the mag!
Conor Clarke
Ah, let’s not be too harsh on influencers. After all, those gaming chairs don’t pay for themselves. Actually, hold on, they do! But you’re right, the changing landscape of game promotion throws up all sorts of problematic issues. On the one hand, why shouldn’t super-fans be given special treatment in the run up to the launch of a game that holds particular interest for their followers? It’s a simple, low-cost solution for game-makers looking to reach a captive audience. On the flip side, with barely any regulation in place, the world of YouTube game reviews still feels like the Wild West, some 16 years in.