isn't content to just be an average, everyday city-builder, and the game's commitment to doing something unique goes beyond its central concept. The obvious thing that makes different from other games in the genre is its blend of tactical battles into the mix, which gives it an extra dose of appeal. This isn't the only feature that's hard to find elsewhere, however, and another fairly unique addition also contributes to making its medieval settlements feel more like real places with real people.
Could subscription services rescue the AA-tier game? | Opinion
12.04.2024 - 11:27 / gamesindustry.biz / Saber Interactive
The demise of the "AA" tier of video games is not a new topic of discussion; it's something that has been pointed out and/or lamented for well over a decade at this point, with the Xbox 360 era often pointed to as being both the swansong and the beginning of the steep decline for lower budget, more quickly developed, and usually more rapidly discounted AA titles.
The gap this has left in the market, however, has been thrown into even sharper relief by a handful of recent events. The move to $70 price points for AAA games has made consumers very conscious of how many self-styled AAA games are actually just AA-tier games tottering around in heavy make-up and their older sister's high heels.
Meanwhile the notion of an "AAAA" game has been trotted out by some executives (most notably at Ubisoft, although Microsoft seems to actually be responsible for the coinage), essentially responding to the same issue from the other side of the field by trying to differentiate titles in the increasingly overcrowded and broadly defined "AAA" category.
At the heart of the problem is the way in which the industry's output has effectively been polarised; at one end there are AAA games priced at $60, and now increasingly at $70. At the other end there are indie games usually priced below $20.
There's precious little in the middle – while some games do launch at mid-range prices, they're relatively uncommon, and almost all projects from major publishers and studios find themselves bracketed in the AAA category. Whether that's based on genuine market research suggesting that mid-range price points don't work well, or simple vanity, is hard to say.
It's probably a little of both in some cases, but it's also fair to say that many developers aren't happy with pressure to label everything they work on as AAA and launch it at a $70 price point. There's strong interest in exploring other price points (with all that entails, including stricter budget controls on projects), but also a sense that doing so is risky – not just for the game, but for the future of the studio and its staff, who fear being unfairly pigeonholed for working on "sub-AAA" games.
Those concerns are real, and the desire for a studio to be seen as a high-end AAA developer is understandable – but the situation of having no path to market at a sensible price point for mid-range games doesn't feel sustainable.
That's a point hammered home by situations like the one facing Ascendant Studios, who were reported this week to have furloughed around 30 of their staff. The studio hadn't confirmed the news at the time of writing but if true it would probably mean that it is now operating on a skeleton staff, only nine months after the launch of its first game, the EA-published
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gadgets.ndtv.com
23.04.2024 / 08:34
'Lord of the Rings' Owner Embracer Group Announces Plan to Split Into 3 Standalone Companies: Details
Embracer Group, the embattled gaming conglomerate that owns the rights to 'The Lord of the Rings' franchise, has announced that it is splitting into three different companies. The group, which went through significant restructuring this year and sold off major game studios like Saber Interactive and Gearbox to reduce debt, will separate into Asmodee Group, Coffee Stain & Friends, and Middle-earth Enterprises & Friends. The three games and entertainment companies will be standalone, publicly listed entities, Embracer said, with the split “enabling each entity to better focus on their respective core strategies and offer more differentiated and distinct equity stories for existing and new shareholders.”
gamingbolt.com
19.04.2024 / 10:51
Visions of Mana Doesn’t Have Co-op Multiplayer, Could Receive it in the Future
Square Enix’s Visions of Mana is the next big title in the long-running action RPG series, with a story focused on Val as he accompanies his friend Hinna to the Tree of Mana. Combat incorporates special abilities via Elemental Vessels, which can also result in different classes. However, it won’t have one thing that the series is renowned for: Co-op multiplayer.
videogameschronicle.com
16.04.2024 / 19:33
Players can now playtest The Witcher 3’s official mod tools
The official mod editor for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on Steam is now open for playtesting.
gamerant.com
13.04.2024 / 02:34
Rockstar Games is Making the GTA+ Subscription Service More Expensive
Rockstar Games' flagship GTA Online-focused subscription service, GTA+, is receiving a price hike with no formal announcement. This news is likely to make fans of Grand Theft Auto Online who were already critical of the service even less pleased with it.
eurogamer.net
12.04.2024 / 19:59
Now Rockstar's GTA+ subscription service prices have gone up too
Following the recent price hike for EA Play, as well as price bumps for other video game subscription services over the last year, Rockstar's GTA+ is getting more expensive too.
videogameschronicle.com
11.04.2024 / 21:21
Baldur’s Gate 3 wins Best Game at the 2024 BAFTA Games Awards
Baldur’s Gate 3 has won the award for best game at the 2024 BAFTA Awards.
rockpapershotgun.com
11.04.2024 / 12:39
$70 titles are doomed to go “the way of the dodo” says Saber Interactive CEO
The $70 release day price for standard AAA titles is both unsustainable and on the way out, claims Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch, via an interview with IGN reporter Rebekah Valentine.
gamesindustry.biz
10.04.2024 / 17:43
Saber's Matthew Karch: "The AAA model is going to change"
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engadget.com
10.04.2024 / 17:41
The EA Play subscription service is getting more expensive
Electronic Arts just raised the price of its EA Play subscription service. The standard EA Play tier increased from $5 per month to $6 per month, while the annual fee rose to $40 from $30. These updated prices also impact premium EA Play Pro subscriptions, which allows access to the publisher’s games as soon as they launch. This tier now costs $17 per month, an increase from $15, and $120 each year, an increase from $100.
gamesradar.com
10.04.2024 / 12:49
New Furiosa footage is reportedly "a sonic and visual onslaught" of everything we could possibly want from the Mad Max prequel
New footage from Mad Max: Fury Road prequel Furiosa debuted behind closed doors at this year's CinemaCon in Las Vegas – and it sounds like we're in for a treat of a movie.
gamingbolt.com
10.04.2024 / 02:31
Saber Interactive Boss Believes Big-Budget $70 Games Aren’t Sustainable
CEO of Saber Interactive, Matthew Karch, has said in an interview with IGN that he believes that games that cost $70 will eventually start disappearing. Karch spoke about various aspects of development, saying that studios and publishers will eventually start looking at ways to reduce costs for AAA projects.