Mostly Normal Monthly #0003, November 2020
Squadrons, Spending, and Speculation!
Suits on and Squads Up
By AJ Eide
Thoughts on Star Wars: Squadrons in VR!
Developed by Motive Studios, Published by Electronic Arts
Available now on Xbox, PlayStation 4, and PC
Played on PlayStation VR
During a year where a new CEO has taken over at Disney and EA’s shaky track record developing Star Wars games so far; one can’t help but wonder if Star Wars: Squadrons, EA’s high flying Star Wars dogfighting game is too little too late to save EA’s exclusivity deal developing Star Wars games for Disney. However, the October hit lives up to the hype. Priced 40 US dollars at launch this game might be considered a smaller scale experience, but for the cost the price is just right.
AJ’s X-Wing - photo captured by AJ on his PS4
Before I get too far into my thoughts on the game I do want to make it clear that I played the entirety of this title in Virtual Reality using the PSVR Headset and Thrustmaster - T.Flight Hotas 4 for PlayStation 4. Yes, yes. It was it SIIICK!
There aren’t many fantasies more prevalent from my childhood than that of being an Ace Star Wars Fighter Pilot and Electronic Arts’ new game, Star Wars: Squadrons is everything 10-year-old me could have imagined and more. Using a giant cardboard box slid over my knees as a dashboard for my joy stick, X-Wing Helmet on my head (actually a PSVR headset but it feels real), my legs and feet actually hit the walls of the cockpit shaped box but my eyes see the metal protecting me from laser fire. The experience is breath taking. Everything is quiet except the sounds of the engines and the snappy one liners of my crew mates. For now…
10-year-old AJ’s dream come true! - photo captured by AJ on his PS4
After taking in the beauty of space, the stars, the nebulas I was finally starting to get orientated. There is no up and down in space and it took a bit to get used to this in Virtual Reality, although I will give the developers credit, whatever decisions with screen blurs they made worked wonders because I never got motion sickness.
Using the flight stick and throttle took a bit of getting used to. Once I realized which direction the lasers where shooting at me from and learned a bit more about the features of the various spacecraft, I realize the flight stick did not have a button dedicated to counter measures. You know, the things that make it so missiles don’t hit you? After mapping those to a button things got a bit easier during dog fights, always check your counter measures pilots.
The game play and story itself is perfect for a flight game focused on team play. The length of the campaign is ideal for playing in VR. Not too long and definitely not too short. It was just long enough to teach me how to play well for the multiplayer matches. The game told a really good story of some old friends turned enemies who are now on opposite sides of the war. I thoroughly enjoyed all the characters on both my squads, the personality of the characters really fit with what side of the fight they were on. The Imperials more robotic and the New Republic more diverse and rebellious. I think I’m at a bit of a disadvantage using the flight stick in multiplayer because it takes so long to change speeds and directions but the immersion is worth it.
Don’t let the awe-inspiring views distract you - photo captured by AJ on his PS4
If you like multiplayer Star Wars dog fighting and space battles this is the game for you. If you have a bad internet connection or are a player that gravitates towards single player focused experiences maybe wait for this one to go on sale because the story is freaking awesome but also a glorified tutorial for the multiplayer. You’re not going to have fun if your internet can’t handle it. With those prefaces I cannot recommend this game enough. I have a blast playing this game. Squad up pilots! And may the force be with you!
The Cost of Gaming
By Jon Swanson
Game prices are rising, just like the stock prices of major publishers.
By now we’ve all come to the realization that AAA games on the newest generation of consoles are going to jump to $70. While many agree that this is an overdue change since the jump to $60 circa 2006 I’m here to offer a dissenting opinion.
First and foremost games have figured out ways to monetize outside of the original purchase price of the disc or digital download. In 2020, we are far beyond the once-nascent idea of horse armor. Many games now offer skins, emotes and DLC to maintain interest in their games well past launch date. These items are even becoming more consumer-friendly with heavy push back to publishers when games include microtransactions for pay-to-win or other obvious predatory mechanics. In the current gaming industry a company can release a game as free-to-play and still stand to make billions from these elements; Fortnite being the most obvious example. With this in mind one could argue that the cost of a AAA game should be going down rather than up.
The good ol’ days - via the Elder Scrolls page on Neoseeker
To further elucidate my point let’s look at a few of today’s biggest AAA publishers. In 2006, around the release of PS3 and Xbox 360 you could buy a share of Activision or Take Two Interactive stock for around $7 and $17, respectively. Fast forward to November 2020 and these jump to a staggering $75 and $175 per share! That’s over a 10-fold increase in stock price over a fourteen year period. A number that is certainly in staggering excess of what could be expected due to simple inflation.
Next up let’s discuss publishing and distribution. Even before the world was stricken with COVID-19 (which I lovingly refer to as “The ‘Rona”) digital downloads were starting to dominate the gaming market. Data pulled by statista.com points out that in 2009 digital downloads accounted for only 20% of the market. By contrast, in 2017, this number jumped to 83%! Keep in mind that these numbers reflect all games not just those purchased on consoles. More digital downloads means decreased production costs for game discs and cases and lower shipping costs meaning more profit for the publisher.
“The Rona” - image courtesy of the CDC Image Library
I think we all could agree that if this extra money were going to the developers whose artistic talent and hard work bring us joy we would be more than happy to pay it. After all, as has been reported numerous times in recent years many developers are being pushed to “crunch” as games approach launch; in many cases without receiving any extra incentive to do so. The sad truth is that this is far from what occurs.
I’ll leave you with the most troubling and unsurprising fact about the cost of gaming. As described by As You Sow (a non-profit shareholder advocacy organization) and reported by Liz Lanier of Variety magazine, the CEOs for EA and Activision Blizzard were among the most overpaid executives in 2019. Bobby Kotick of Activision Blizzard made off with well over $28 million in 2019 while Andrew Wilson of EA said, “here, hold my beer,” and ended the year with nearly $36 million.
Perhaps my views posted here sound a tad socialistic. While I assure you I am far from that, I think the gaming industry at this time is a prototypical example of the wealth in this country but the misallocation of it. The $10 increase in price won’t exclude most of us from continuing to game but it certainly won’t help the accessibility of gaming especially during a rough economic time.
The Xboxer’s Case for PlayStation 5
By Chris Stern
The grass is always greener… well, maybe bluer? What color does PlayStation associate with anyway? Did Sony switch to white with the PS5? Why am I writing so much in this little subhead part? Does anyone even read these? Email me at podcast@mostlynormalgamers.com if you do!
I have found it hard to contain my excitement about getting my hands on fun, new technology this year. How much of that was just my mind looking for any kind of distraction from the circle of hell that is 2020, we may never truly know. With the next generation of consoles finally arriving this week (!!!), I would like to make my argument for buying the system that I am holding off on… Without further rambling, here’s an Xbox Series X buyer’s love letter to the PlayStation 5.
1) Just look at that thing! Sony designed a bold statement piece that belongs in the Jetsons’ living room. When vertical, the PS5 looks like Dubai’s planned Burj Jumeira skyscraper. Horizontally, I get Big Scandinavian Art Museum Energy. Either way it looks like the future.
The PlayStation 5 - image via Yahoo Finance
2) The DualSense is the missing link between a DualShock and an Xbox Controller. Early reports and reviews claim that the haptic feedback and responsive triggers are the most next-gen thing out there. Its no wonder Sony showed off the controller way before anything else. Also, it really does look like Totoro!
Had to steal this one from Kotaku!
3) You can use that controller to play some actual exclusive games! What a concept! Putting aside Sony’s bad-faith messaging that they “believe in generations,” the Demon’s Souls remake looks gorgeous. They’ve even taken a page out of Nintendo’s book and packed in Astro’s Playroom, the sequel to one of the best 3D platformers from last generation. Hell, three of my most anticipated games are PS5-exclusive, timed or not. Who knows how long I’ll have to wait for Deathloop and Final Fantasy XVI to come to Xbox? And the answer for God of War: Ragnarok is obviously for-ev-er.
Deathloop Concept Art - via Bethesda’s Deathloop website.
The list goes on and on… A proprietary SSD that so fast it could change how games are designed. The $399 price tag on the Digital Edition. Built-in hint videos. The PlayStation Plus Collection games. It is all very hard to argue with, and is going to make for steep competition for Microsoft. I can’t wait to get ultra jealous of my PS5-playing co-hosts, and eventually catch up once they put out a Slim or Pro model that will actually fit in my entertainment center.