Games Inbox: Could EA Be Heading for a Downfall?

Table of Contents

The Thursday letters page looks forward to Persona 6 being similar to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 , as one reviewer anticipates a Resident Evil 9 unveil during Summer Game Fest.

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Dead end

I genuinely can't decipher where the gaming sector is headed, given all these ongoing layoffs. 700 people affected. EA last year, 400 now Who’ll remain to create their games? The individuals with the skills and experience will have either departed or been dismissed long before this.

I understand that it's challenging in the tech industry right now, but I believed video games Were meant to be artists? You won't come across the type of technically skilled artists required for developing a video game at your typical job center. This expertise and skill set is fading away, potentially never to return.

I'm genuinely concerned that EA might be heading towards collapse. It's not because I care much about them—considering how rarely I purchase their titles—but they're becoming yet another major player in gaming that now seems perilously unstable.

I'm hesitant to sound overly pessimistic, but I genuinely believe that gaming seems stuck in a groove where it won't progress much further. Going forward, the landscape might consist only of Fortnite along with roughly ten other perpetual live-service titles (excluding Apex Legends), and everything else will likely be categorized as indie games.

Ansel

The moneymakers

It's really disappointing that they might have almost got Titanfall 3 It was completed, but EA scrapped it regardless. While we're not certain about this happening, these kinds of situations do occur occasionally with films, and I have a hunch they happen similarly with video games too.

It goes to show you though, that when we’re all complaining about boring mass market games like EA Sports FC and Call Of Duty, they are breadwinners for these companies. Like Assassin’s Creed for Ubisoft. It doesn’t make any difference for Activision, who don’t make any other games, but EA does, a bit, and it’s completely in character that they’d immediately stop as soon as things get dicey.

I really hope EA Sports FC 25 sells because without it, we might not see any more Split/Second Velocity games or Star Wars titles.

Carton

Bottom of the barrel

I find it hard to imagine a Zelda spin-off more undesirable than Hyrule Warriors 3. It might do well in Japan, but it clearly isn't gaining much traction in the Western market, which leaves me puzzled. Perhaps their intention was to cater to fans who wished to control Zelda directly? To put it bluntly though, players want to see her take center stage in an authentic Zelda title rather than in what feels like a Dynasty Warriors knockoff.

I would have preferred pretty much any remastered version or sequel over this, or even any sort of spin-off you could think of. Something like 'Link’s Crossbow Training 2' or ‘Kirby: Air Riders’ would have seemed more enticing. These alternatives seem so odd and appear as though Nintendo made a questionable decision rather than picking logical titles for launching games on their new console during the initial phase.

Loanstar

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Paying the rent

Tell me if you think I'm insane, but is having the ability to play two instances of a game simultaneously Online, where nobody feels entitled? I mean... what makes someone think they have the right to do that? The thought never crossed my mind to attempt such a thing. If stopping at two copies seems arbitrary, then why not go for three, four, or even an unlimited number?

Everyone desires freebies, yet we must consider when enough is enough. Not every business can afford to give away products like giants such as Microsoft or Amazon; many need profits for survival. For companies focused solely on gaming like Nintendo, generating revenue becomes even more crucial.

I'm not saying their titles aren't pricey, but perhaps we ought to reserve our complaints until after we find out how much PlayStation 6 games will set us back. After all, I'd wager that they probably won't implement dynamic pricing based on the specific game.

Let's admit it, prices are sky-high right now, but I can't really claim that Nintendo is overcharging us. Unless Mario Kart World ends up being terrible, which it certainly won't be.

Benson

Colourful rumours

I believe many people have mentioned this since Persona 5 was announced, but Atlus definitely takes their sweet time with the development of the next game. From what I understand, the only information that has leaked so far regarding the upcoming title is the color palette; thus, we still know practically nothing about it.

I'm hoping that the developers will revamp the combat system in this game since it seems outdated next to "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33." Although it may be too late for these changes to affect "Persona 6," Atlus needs to recognize that "Clair Obscur" has set a new benchmark for turn-based battles.

Lampy

Summer dreams

Therefore, the announcement for Resident Evil 9 is surely happening during the Summer Game Fest, correct? Capcom has utilized this platform previously, and considering how long we’ve been waiting for a glimpse of the game, I'm inclined to think it will indeed be showcased there.

So far this year, I've barely gotten into playing video games. I haven't purchased any of the recent releases, and without aSwitch 2 on the horizon, there isn't much else catching my attention. Of course, I'm looking forward to GTA 6, but having just that title as something to anticipate feels insufficient. This is particularly true considering the uncertainty around its release date.

Resident Evil 9 sounds great as an initial release, but let's dream big: I'm really hoping for news about the rumored next BioShock game after all this time. Additionally, The Witcher 4 would be fantastic, along with a new Tomb Raider installment. Of course, I realize that aside from Resident Evil 9, we might not actually see any of these titles materialize soon. However, since these projects have lingered without updates for quite some time, I wonder whether they're still in development at all.

I understand that game development times have become quite extensive nowadays, which means many of these concepts might have been discussed for more than half a decade. It's definitely time we start seeing tangible outcomes from this prolonged planning phase.

Gascoigne

GC: Resident Evil 9 might make an appearance during the Summer Game Fest, but as it's highly improbable for it to release this year, its confirmation isn’t guaranteed.

Price checker

Big appreciation goes out to reader Euclidean Boxes for suggesting Deku Deals. Following their tip, I've enrolled and included several Switch (2) games on my checklist. Finding this service handy as it also provides insights into the pricing trends over time.

I've observed that the Mario games I have queued up on my "save for later" list at Amazon have been out of stock for one or two months now.

Charlie H.

Low cost future

I fully concur with all the accolades directed at Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Although I've spent just about six hours playing it, I am thoroughly captivated by how it pays homage to classic RPGs such as Final Fantasy 7, yet simultaneously carves out its distinct identity, giving depth and authenticity to its characters.

I also agree with the reader who said that it was a real shame that Ubisoft let these talented developers slip through their fingers and go off and form their own company. Clearly it turned out great for Sandfall, but why couldn’t Ubisoft have let them make this and have a whole new franchise to run into the ground… oh, I guess I’ve answered my own question there.

However, seriously speaking, considering the ongoing layoffs at major publishing companies, I genuinely hope that these kinds of 'super indie' games become popular. I wouldn’t object to paying last-generation prices for such high-quality titles.

Actually, I'm very pleased to reward people who have provided entertainment through an enjoyable gaming experience instead of handing everything over to a large company that seems primarily interested in me as a consumer only if I purchase numerous cosmetic items and additional content.

Cheers to Sandfall for their great work; may they set an example that many others will follow. Please, just make sure not to get swallowed up by Microsoft or Sony once you achieve success.

Tony T.

Inbox also-rans

I assumed Call Of Duty would cease introducing these novelty skins? Seth Rogan And those two characters from "Clerks" are nearly as absurd as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Gorker

I'd be excited to witness Nintendo take on a fresh Star Fox title; however, I believe enough time has passed that it might struggle to gain momentum among newer audiences. The concept of anthropomorphic creatures piloting spacecrafts could seem quite bizarre to those who aren’t familiar with it.

Dusty

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