Grave Gamer News & Views — ps4

Microsoft Reverses Xbox One’s Shit-tastic DRM Policies

By Zeus, you’ve done it.  We’ve done it.  Our collective bitching has effectively moved mountains.  We made Microsoft budge.  Hell, that’s the metaphorical equivalent to knocking the Earth off of its axis…Which would likely kill us, but as we hurtle through space to our unknown doom, hold onto the peace of mind that we can at least lend our Xbox One games to a friend before we die.

Forgive my nonsense and dig this: Micro’s president of interactive entertainment, Don Mattrick – ‘member him? – issued a cordial update on the Xbox One’s used games and online policies in a post titled “Your Feedback Matters” (That alone deserves a tip of the hat).  The Xbox One’s DRM-like policies have, up until now, been met with “passionate” responses from the gaming community (you’re free to replace “passionate” with whichever venomous word of your choosing; all are correct).

But it would appear Microsoft, in the first expert display of damage control since the console’s reveal, has completely reassessed their stance on connectivity limitations (i.e. the “always-online” debate):

An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.

Similarly, disc-based games, which were originally to be tethered to individual profiles, thus preventing friends from using the same disc on their own consoles, has seen all potential restrictions revoked:

Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.

Mattrick goes on to state that it is his and his company’s belief that while consumers will continue to support the system’s online features, including the cloud, for playing and downloading games (a steadfast march into an all-digital age that many argue is already here), Microsoft still wants to provide the “choice of both physical and digital content.”

Practically all of my criticisms toward the Xbox One were rallied against Microsoft’s policies and contorted, arrogant ideologies in regards to the future of gaming.  There is no denying that this was a good fucking move on their part.  This is exactly the compromise needed to change a lot of minds about the Xbox One’s threading within the next generation’s tapestry.

I feel much of Sony’s thunder from E3 could be muffled by this policy assessment, but policy should have never played a part in the purchasing decision to begin with.  It should have always been a battle between games and features.  We’re back to that level, yes, but the skirmish is now also pit on the dollar – our dollar, to be precise – and the PlayStation 4 still rests at a hundred bones cheaper than the competition.

Still, MS has definitely won some good graces today.  We’ll see how far that carries them when both systems launch.

I’m only going to say this once.  Because you’re probably hearing it from every recess, avenue, and nook of the internet right about now.  So, here goes, just the once: Sony destroyed Microsoft today.

Sony sat back and did what resourceful companies do; they observed.  All of Microsoft’s weak spots, the negative reaction, even their own fans directly voicing their opinions through Twitter, blogs, and vlogs.  Sony listened, waited, and after assessing the situation…they struck.  Hard, fast, and not without some self-appreciative glee.

Sony and Microsoft have two next-gen consoles so similar in intent and execution, all the gaming public could do was look for the key differences.  Those differences, unfortunately for the Big M, came down to a war of ideologies.  And in this case Sony smartly – and deliberately –  petitioned for the people.

Wolfenstein: The New Order (PC/PS3/PS4/X360/XOne - Holiday 2013)

Apparently game after game of mowing down Nazis like anti-Semitic grass and blowing Hitler’s head off of his mechanical body have done little to sway the tide of war in the Wolfenstein universe.  The Allies lost and Nazism has descended upon the world.

Jump to an alternate 1960, Europe, where the Germans rule with a mecha army and astoundingly destructive weapons.But a resistance is swelling, and the unfortunately named BJ Blazkowicz is not one to roll over and take a conquering lying down.  This is where The New Order begins.  BJ’s tasked with a one man counter-offensive that resembles “instant suicide” every passing minute.  You’ll infiltrate strongholds, sabotage enemy armaments, wield gaudy weapons, and continue the time honored video game tradition of shooting Nazis in the face.

Behind the scenes, New Order benefits from an all-star alliance with Bethesda producing, id’s Tech 5 engine laying the groundwork for the game, and MachineGames – a studio formed by ex-Starbreeze figureheads – developing.  While this isn’t the first reboot the Wolfenstein concept has been treated to, it’s shaping up to be the most eye-popping.  Battling legions of mechanical Nazis in war torn 1960 in the series’ first next-gen shootout?  And the developers proudly position this to be a single-player only affair?  Yeah, I’m enlisting.

Check out a Nahtzi stomping gameplay preview hereabouts.

#PS4NoDRM: Xbox One Backlash Might’ve Changed Sony’s Mind on Used Games “Solution”

#PS4NoDRM and #PS4USEDGAMES may be two hashtags you’ve come across recently if you happen to follow a huge group of, specifically, pro-Sony, avid gaming Twitter activists.  If not, hunker on down — I’ve a tale to weave.

Sony’s been experiencing a heightened amount of positive press lately, and their ace-in-the-sleeve tactic has been to simply kick back and allow rival Microsoft to fire round after round into their own foot.  Microsoft’s new console is catching flack and it’s not just because the Xbox One burst onto the scene with barely any games to show and an unhealthy fixation on TV.

The gaming community at large is pretty miffed about rumors and confusing, alarm-raising statements regarding Xbox One’s used game contingencies — namely, the one that tethers purchased titles to a single profile, forcing others to buy a sort of license to unlock a disc’s content.

Sony, on the other hand, has stated the PS4 will be able to play used games…but it’s important to pay attention to the fact that that’s all they’ve said.  As Bonus Round’s Geoff Keighley puts it, Sony is being painted as the “white knight,” when really, we may being giving them a smidge too much credit for what’s been said instead of focusing on the details they haven’t been open about.  The perception is that Sony is not restricting used games in any way, but Keighley doesn’t figure that to be the whole picture.  “Based on some of the things I’m hearing, I don’t think that’s entirely true.”

We’re going to dip into rumor-y waters right about here, but the source in question — a NeoGaf user, of course, and potential insider — hit the nail on the head with predictions made about February’s PS4 reveal.  The user now claims Sony has had a used games “solution” in mind for months now and have held their hand over a big, red DRM-shaped button, wondering if they should push it.

“The past week’s PR nightmare for MS has not been lost on Sony,” says the NeoGaf user, adding, “They are basing decisions off of this…

“This past week is pushing them strongly into ‘Yeah, let’s not use that.’”

The user — FamousMortimer if you were wondering — also cautions a guess that Microsoft is likely asking themselves the same hard questions given the — let’s be honest — terrible goddamn reception the Xbox One has received.  When it comes to used games, the publisher-retailer-consumer ladder is lousy with slippery rungs and people haphazardly hanging off the side, shouting, “Where’s my cut?!”  But in answering the next generation’s used game question, Sony and Microsoft need to assert whether or not the consumer is at the top of that ladder or all the way at the bottom.

Infamous: Second Son (PlayStation 4)

It’s been seven years since the Beast came to New Marias.  Cole McGrath’s story of heroism – or tyranny, depending on your choices – has ended and his efforts have saved the world. The price for this salvation came at the expense of the Conduits; superpowered humans now pushed toward extinction status in the fallout of New Marias.  Still fearful and reeling from the destruction wrought by the Beast and Cole’s battle, our government has labeled all surviving Conduits as bioterrorists.

Second Son takes the series to the real world city of Seattle, Washington where players will don the role of Delsin Rowe, a twenty-four year old whose innate powers as a Conduit are triggered by an incident related to these so-called “bioterrorists."  Delsin’s specialty, however, isn’t of the electrical variety but instead stem from his ability to control smoke.  For fans who felt like an unstoppable thunder god playing as Cole, harnessing smoke may seem like a few rungs below awesome on the power ladder.  But Delsin, who also wields chain-like melee weapon Belmont-style, is promised to have a more robust and intriguing arsenal than what’s been revealed, some tapping into powers beyond the manipulation of smoke.

He’ll need it since just being a Conduit is the same as having a big, bright target painted on the back of his head.  Your central antagonist, the Big Brother-like DUP (Department of United Protection), wants Delsin bad and aren’t too particular on whether that means riddled with holes or not.  Luckily, being a superpowered demigod means you’ll at least make for a hard target.

Second Son is one of the first attention robbing blockbusters the PlayStation 4 owns.  Supposedly a launch title for Sony’s latest and sleekest, developer Sucker Punch has yet to peg it down with an official date.  My hope against hopes?  This bad boy dropping on launch day.  That’d be mighty fine.  Mighty fine, indeed.