So, I have been reading alot of articles concerning new consoles in development lately. But, are the current consoles really maxed out yet? I don't think they are, and to be honest, I am tired of paying for new hardware because of lazy developers. When are any of the big three going to step up and live up to the promises made when new hardware is released? At the beginning of this generation, you had Sony talking about the PS3 as a ten year console. NOW, there are reports of PS4 being in development. I am also now seeing reports that MS is possibly launching a new console by as early as next summer. The only one that doesn't surprise me is the new Wii. That thing was underpowered day one, and as you can clearly see now, it just can't compete with the big dogs in this generation. It started strong, but has clearly lost whatever it was that made it an early contender.

You know, it's not so much the price of new hardware that has me miffed and contemplating giving up my second favourite hobby. No, it's the fact that absolutely NONE of the big three live up to the self-generated hype the put out there right before they launch said new must-have hardware.

So, I was just cruising one of my favorite community sites, SimHQ, and I happened to run across a report about multiplayer no longer being free. In this post, it states that an industry analyst in an interview with OXM says that fall 2011, you can expect to not only pay your overpriced $60 for your game, but then have to be raped for another $50, or so, to play said overpriced, unfinished, P.O.S. game online IN ADDITION! And people were crying about EA and their $10 scam.

So, let me just get out of the way... To ALL of you game publishers out there, you BETTER pull your heads out of your arses! This I promise you, and you don't have to be an analyst to figure this one out. If you follow through on this ridiculous scheme, you will kill your industry. YEP, just start looking for a new livelihood, cause your current one will be gone. Not just because I will be done with gaming, and yes, I will be DONE with gaming altogether, but because A LOT of other people will be done COMPLETELY as well. If the sales numbers aren't enough at this point to clue you in as to the state of the industry, then that absolutely stupid move will be the one to finally seal the fate of gaming. Yes, i will sell my 360 and PS3, and every game and accessory for them, and I will not buy another console. EVER, if that happens. My son who arrives this September will NEVER be allowed to game in my home again. He may play at someone else's home when he is older, but daddy and mummy will NEVER buy him a console or games, and that goes for PC as well. So I DARE you to make that stupid move. I DOUBLE DOG DARE YA to do it.

Also, I just want to clue you guys into something else. Your industry is hanging by a thread already. Yeah, it is. You sold out to the casual gamers to increase profits, alienating the hardcore audience, and NOW you are going to alienate the casual gamer AND the hardcore, catering to the idiots who aren't idiot enough to buy into your pilfering of the audience. Yeah, real smart and classy move d******s! Also, there isn't one title produced this generation I would pay extra to play online, not ONE. Rushed development cycles, people conned into paying extra for content already on disc being labeled as DLC, and even then that con isn't going all that well, is it clowns. Not to mention the lazy QC process' obviously at work these days. Games are so buggy at release these days, which should be really labeled for what they truly are, unfinished. Look at EA, releasing the same software year after year and pilfering you for $60. Not to mention, releasing a particular 'new' Tiger one year that was less than a year before the next one came out. Sorry publishers and developers, I'm out if you ever pull this card. One more thing... I have spent THOUSANDS this decade on gaming, not hundreds, THOUSANDS. So, you better have yourself a slice of humble pie, SOON. You don't have it like that people. The people spending the most money on gaming, the smart ones, will do the smart thing if this report has any merit, and DUMP gaming as a whole. Just like I will.

The business climate in this world at the moment is crazy. 'Yeah, instead of improving our product to justify purchasing it, let's just rip them off'! THAT is the true nature of business in the world right now. Even in the industry I am in, that is their mentality. Pay full price, get less than half of what you pay for. That is the true mentality of the business world at the moment. The world has truly met its hell at the handbasket, and I will tell you this, Robin Hood will raise from the dead before Jesus ever will. Don't buy into this practice gaming brothers and sisters. I am counting on you to make your voice heard on this issue. R.I.P. Gaming, you were fun while you lasted.

The Merc

You know, life is somuch more busy and stressfull these days, that we are all looking for something that takes us away from that stress and add a bit of fun to our lives. Something that takes us away, although it be very briefly, from our real, everyday lives. For me, I have a couple of things that do that for me. Motorcycles, and gaming. Well, I used to have two. Gaming, at least the multiplayer side of it, has become more of a stressfull chore, more than a time for me to check out of the real world for some relaxation. BUT, th single player side of gaming has never looked as good, until now.

When I turn on my consoles or PC for some good 'ol fragging or racing, the LAST thing I want to do is get into a verbal war with some twelve year old handing my ass to me. But, you either get that, or the immature douche bags ragging on the female gamers, all because said girl wouldn't say hi to him, or engage in immature, INEXPERIENCED I might add, sex talk. What is so fun about having to mute 30 or 40 percent of the suddenly brave e-thugs that infest the FPS multiplayer rooms these days because their moms went to work, so now they can freely overuse every 4 letter word in our language, and verbally abuse any female that doesn't want to see said 12 year olds penis It's not just the FPS gamers now either, it's more and more in other genres as well. Racing, sports, you name it, gaming appears to attract every emo teenager on planet Earth today. Hence the subject,single or multiplayer.

For me today, the single player game is what I am chosing more of these days. Not because of the same old FPS junk they keep pumping out every year, but because I can actually come out of a couple hours of gaming feeling good about it, rather than think about the idiot that ran his mouth so much, he made me consider becoming a serial killer! LOL With games like Assassin's Creed, Tomb Raider, Hitman, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age, I can get into a good story, kill a bunch of baddies, and go on with the rest of my day feeling good about my experience. I do like XBox Live, but the chore of finding a game, waiting for everybody to ready up, the load times, the lag, the dropped connections... I JUST WANT TO BLOW SOMES**T OR SOME PEOPLE UP, AND GET ON WITH MY DAY ALREADY! There is alot to be said for a great story. I don't read either, so I have to get my good stories from games or movies. Gaming just shouldn't be that much work for a good time.

Now, some of you might say I'm afraid of competition, or I need a thicker skin. NO, what I need is for my recreation time to be enjoyable, and fulfilling. So, the single player experiences are where I will be spending most of my future gaming time. As I get older, I will be 39 soon, more and more of lifes adult responsibilities are biting into my gaming time. I just found out my wife and I are having a new baby. I have one daughter left in high school. My job is wanting more out of me for less money these days. So, I don't have time for clans and gaming schedules, or time to wait all night on some group of idiots to get theirs**t together so we can get back to the action. Gaming is supposed to be fun, and I am having way more fun with Assassin's Creed 2 right now, than with Modern Warfare 2.

Thanks to all of you developers out there who continue to pump out the great single player gaming experiences that are in abundance at the moment. Mass Effect 2, Assassin's Creed 2, Dragon Age Origins, the Tomb Raider's, the Hitman's, the Uncharted's, the just released Heavy Rain, and the God of War's. Those games are making me remember why I got into gaming in the first place. For the experiences, not because I don't have a life.As I get older, and life deals me more resposibilities, I have even less time to game, so I have to make hard choices as to where and what I spend my time doing. But another good thing about getting older, is that you learn more about yourself, and what your true passions are. As I get older, I realize I don't need a full online room of people to enjoy a good game, and that I don't need to play EVERY good game out there to be considered a true gamer. I like my racing, sports, action/adventure, AND NOW RPG titles. So, that is where I will be spending most of my game time. I will dabble in the ocassional FPS, but, that is what it will stay, dabbling. But, when I want to settle into a real marathon of a gaming session, it will be with a good action/adventure, or racer, or sports title. Another great thing about getting older, is that you figure out what you like, so your time spent doing that thing is much more pleasurable and rewarding.

You know, come to think of it, this getting older thing ain't NEARLY as bad as I thought it was going to be... ;)

Are secret achievements really necessary? Have you ever noticed how lame some of them are? A LOT of them aren't even really achievements in the first place. You get some of them for just creating a team with a certain name, or for doing things that you would do in the normal course of play in the first place. Hence the question, are they really necessary? I have two major points when it comes to achievements. One, that you get those points for actually achieving something. Two, if they are gonna be secret achievements, PLEASE include some degree of difficulty for achieving them. Is that too much to ask?

When you include the word 'secret' in an achievement, you tend to think of something very few achieve or know anything about. So, why wouldn't you put more thought into what you are giving them for? Don't get me wrong, I feel just as good as the next guy every time one of those things pops up when I am playing. But com' on, you have to admit some of them, a lot of them aren't really achievements at all. Anway, I am not going to make this a long topic. I just had to get it off my chest. Remember people, don't swear off a game just because of it's difficulty in play or achievement harvesting. Fight Night has a pretty good achievement list, and you really feel good when you earn one. Don't get me wrong, it still has a couple of lame ones mixed in as well. But on the whole, they did a good job with that list.

Respond if you must. Happy achievement hunting!

Why can't fanboys just grow up, leave their mothers basements, and just get a life? I mean really, do they have to jump in with their juvenile trash talk EVERY TIME somebody says something good about a console they own, or a game they play that said fanboy doesn't have? It is really getting pathetic. The funny part is when they start threatening violence. That just makes me laugh! I would LOVE to see the look on a fanboys face, one that threatened me once, if he were to ACTUALLY show up on my doorstep some day, and see me in the doorway waiting for him. That moment when he realizes he PROBABLY made a BIG mistake! LMFAO

It is bad enough we have to listen to their juvenile rants and threats. But, it's their infatuation with whatever system they are touting that really makes me sick. You clowns DO realize it is just an inanimate object you NAMBLA members are makeing love to at night, don't you? lol It's a toy people! REALIZE that and get out of your mom's basement! I bet alot of fanboys are raised by single mothers. Douche-Bag doesn't BEGIN to describe their social level.

What is even worse than their antics, is their utter lack of technical knowledge of whatever system it is they are supporting. These guys quote spec's from hardware they probably can't even name. They're constantly making grammatical and spelling errors. The list goes on and on when it come to just how pathetic an existance they really occupy on a daily basis! I just wish we could corral them up into one US location in the middle of no where, and drop a nuke on their pathetic asses! LMAO

Fanboyism should be treated like SARS or the Swine Flu! It HAS to be eradicated SOON! When are you TOOLS going to get your ***T together? They're just games clowns. They are just games. And to be clear... NONE of the systems are 'winning' ANYthing! Hear that stupid? Yeah, you! So one outsells the other one at some point, what have they won?! And if I have to hear ONE more PS3 fanboy talk ***T about 'exclusives', and how the PS3 is SO much better because of them, I am going to beat the ***T out of somebody! Yeah, their exclusives just nullify EVERY other aspect of that systems features, huh? Then tell me this GENIUS, why was the PS3 so far behind the 360 in sales then if the 'exclusives' were so great? Don't have an answer, DO YOU?!

Please fanboys, do us all a favor. Just kill yourselves. NOW! They're just games people, they are just games...

DECEMBER 7TH 2009, I DECLARE TO BE 'KICK A FANBOY DAY'!

The Merc

The best news I have heard out of Sony ALL year was announced today on PlayStationBlog.com. Not only will there be a version of the game that includes BOTH GoW1 AND 2,BUT the graphics will be in 720p, anti-aliased,AND running at 60 fps! I play WAY more 360 than PS3, but, I have to give it to Sony, you can mark that down as Game of the Year for 2010 RIGHT NOW! Good job Sony listening to the fans and giving them what they want. It's about time. Can't wait for March now! Lots of good stuff coming next March. HELL, September is going to break me! LOL

Since they do not have contact info or a reply option in their moderation e-mails, I have to respond this way. I made a comment on the story about EA's viral advert, and the negative response from the catholic community. They docked me a rank, and delted the comment. Some of you may find this crazy, but now I am considering suing them for this. Why? It's the principle of the matter. I in NO WAY said anyhting offensive in my comment. There weren't any curse words, I did not attack the catholic religion, I did not attack anyone personally, and the comment was about the topic of religion, not happy clapper bashing. Not only tha, but the deleted my comment and penalized me without giving me the opportunity to respond to their decision, and without regard for my personal right to frre speach. They acted without due process. I personally find that a violation of my right to free speach, AND evidence of their discriminatory practices.

Why descrimination? Well, they appear to be supportive of the catholic or religious members of this site commenting how EA's out of line with their advertising tactics, but they are not OK with me responding with my own personal beliefs in response to their religious objections. THAT is discrimination on their part. I take discriminiation VERY seriously, and will be discussing my legal and media options with my attorney before the hour is up. Somebody has to stand up for the ones who can't defend themselves. I also think the fact that not having some type of protest process shows just how negligent they are in regards to acting before allowing a fair disciplinary process the opportunity to mediate these sort of issues. This might be just a gaming site, but even they have a responsibility to the public to conduct themselves professionally and without prejudice. A representitive of GameSpot is obviously invited to try and resolve this matter before it escalates to possible legal action.

I am so happy E3 has returned ALMOST to its former glory. What was there not to like? What was the best part? Call me a pervert, but the BOOTH BABES were definitely, BY FAR, the best part of E3. Even living in Southern California, we still can be amazed at the beauty of some women. We all should give a BIG thank you to the organizers of E3. I think it is fair to say that the games industry has the HANDS DOWN BEST yearly get together than ANY other industry. I myself, work in one of the lamest industries. The asphalt industry. Yes, my life is constant struggle to get through everyday.. :( I am lucky enough to be in management, so I get paid well. But, if you can think you can come up with a more boring, lifeforce suckingjob than I have, I DARE you! LOL

But seriously, this past E3 was a serious success. My faith in the developers has been almost restored. Why almost, because I played the Fight Night Round 4 demo, and was FANTASTICALLY disappointed! :( Man has that game taken a HUGE step backwards. What a shame... :cry: But HEY! God of War 3 will be here next March! :D For me, seeing that demo was one of my highlights of this years E3. What a game! I don't think Alan Wake is as impressive as we have been led to believe. Microsofts new NATAL looks AMAZING! Ubi's lineup looks impressive as ever. I sure can't wait for Assassin's Creed 2! There was so much to be impressed with, I am trying to figure out how I will be able to make the time to play them all! Seriously people, if you aren't impressed with the stuff coming later this year after this show, then maybe it's tme you found a new hobby.

I would also like to take the time to send EA a personal message. EA, your latest sports releases have been less than stellar. Which is a massive shame because that is what EA was all about in the beginning. That is the foundation of your company, and you have really run it into the ground. I am really disappointed in your decision to make EA a publishing giant in favor of being the premier sports game developer. The Need For Speed series is a shell of what it started as since you took over that license. Madden is clearly being run by your greed than your creativity. As all of your sports games are. Your NASCAR game is a JOKE! How you ever saw fit to release that game is astonishingly shocking! LOL The only games of yours I play now are the NBA Live series, and once in a while, the Tiger Woods series. I will NEVER play that trash version of Madden you are now peddling. Dead Space was overrated. Once again, WTF HAPPENED to the once great sports gaming greatness that was EA? Also, how did you let Kobe make the cover of the new 2K basketball game? Someone is asleep at the wheel, and you guys better figure it out, because you are no longer the prenier game development company you obvioulsy hoped you would become. But my whole reason for this rant is this... You FINALLY get Mike Tyson in whathas beenheralded as quite possiblyyour best sports franchise in recent years, the Fight Night series. Round 3 was the best in the series to date. THEN, I played the demo for Round 4... Just depressing. :cry: Just tell me why? WHY have you taken the game in this new obvious direction. You finally got something right, only to mess it up by catering to a crowd that will never make or break a franchise. The casual gaming idiot. If the gaphics had not suffered so much, not because of technical issues, but for artistic style and presentation reasons, MAYBE, JUST maybe, I could have lived with the changes. BUT, hear this... You have now lost a customer until I see some drastic changes in your creative choices. I am not just a guy that was buying one or two of your games a year. We are talking someone who was giving hundreds of dollars yearly to you chumps, only to get buggy, half-ass developed games from you (EA). So no more!

Anyway, I have to get back to work now. Just had to get that stuff off my chest. It thrills me to see the industry still thriving. I hope E3 gave you all stuff to look forward to. Long live gaming!

I must admit, the start of this year has been a lot better than I thought it would have been. There are some GREAT games out right now. It is definitely a great time to be a gamer at this present time. The only question is, can the momentum keep up. I have to say that I think it will. Great releases so far, in my opinion have been Race Pro, Killzone 2, MLB '09 The Show, Empire: Total War, World In Conflict: Soviet Assault, Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X... The list goes on, and there is something for everyone. Let's not forget, there has been a flood of great DLC as well. Lost and the Damned, a couple of Tomb Raider Underworld levels, some Burnout Paradise additions, and Midnight Club LA is coming with some content as well. MAN, is it a great time to be a gamer. Not to mention all of the games that came out through the last quarter of the year in '08.

When I look at the games coming later in the year, I can't help but get even more excited. Fight Night round 4.. and TYSON is in the game! Now I can box Ali's trash talkin' mouth shut! LOL Dirt 2! God of War 3! Uncharted 2! Codie's is coming out with a new F1 game too! Even Alan Wake might make it this year. Gran Tourismo 5 is finally slated for this year. On one hand, I dread getting a year older, but on the other, I just can't wait for all these great games to come out. We are definitely lucky to be living in this particular time and space, even if the economy is making it rough on all of us. HELL, there is even a flight game, IL2 Birds of Prey, coming out this year. It is based on one of, if not THE best WW2 flight sim ever made for the PC. The early screens look absolutely spectacular.

The other thing I really noticed about my zeal for gaming these days is that my taste for certain genre's of games is changing quite a bit. I am not sure yet if that is a good thing or not? But, I do seem to be narrowing the types of games I am preferring to spend my time with. As you get to my age, almost 38, wives, kids, jobs all get more of the free time you used to have. So, shooters will probably get less of my time, as well as sports games. I definitely look forward to more single player type games, and online is definitely falling down my list of how I want to spend my gaming time. I do appreciate a good story these days, and it is nice to just immerse yourself in a game like God of War and forget about your bad week or day.

All I have to say is keep the good stuff coming guys! And thanks for all the great games you have given us so far this year.

UrbanMerc (XBox LIVE! & PlayStation Network)

Sony.. Microsoft.. What do they have in common? They don't know WHAT the hell they are doing right now. The PS3 is bombing, and does anyone care? I surely do. How about you? Competition keeps the great games coming. As we have seen with the EA/NFL deal, and now the Capcom/MotoGP deal, exclusivity contracts SEVERELY hurt quality. But, the obvious aside, that is not what I am here to write about today.

My gripe today is about all of these studio closures we are all hearing about these past few weeks. I find it a bit crazy that after a year of not only sales success, but industry growth in regards to profits, too many good studios are being closed. In some cases, like with Ensemble, now they will be able to create whatever they want, and for whatever platform they want, now that they are out from under Microsoft's thumb. Some of the choices by these companies are really, from a business point, retarded? Rare, after all of their LACK of success, is being kept and reorganized/tasked? But, Ensemble has been shut down? Who is the idiot that made that decision. But more importantly, why does that idiot still have a job? If he does, of course. ;) That utterly baffles me.

As a gaming fan, some of these decisions as of late disturb and worry me about the direction gaming is headed. I look at the coming year, and I am somewhat excited, because I know that the games I am looking forward to already are in good hands with the third party developers making them. I think racing fans will be happy with the games coming this year. That is one of my favorite genre's. But, what else is coming out that makes me giddy inside? Not much really? Fight Night Round 4.. God of War 3, if it makes the holiday window.. Maybe Madden and NBA Live, but we get those every year.. But, I don't see much else, except for the racing community. Race Pro, Dirt 2 with an expanded online, and F1 from Codie's was talked about as an '09 release, and if it happens, Gran Tourismo 5 might make it this year. I have lost all hope for the MotoGP series after '08 was released. Now that Climax (now Black Rock Studios) is no longer making that series, my only motorcycle hope for this year is Superbike from Milestone. :(

I think it is time for these big companies to rethink their staffing decisions. It is apparent that some of the exec's in the two big players houses are out of touch with the gaming community AND business as a whole. You definitely don't need to be a genious or have a college degree to see that. One thing is for sure, '09 is shaping up already to be a crazy year for the gaming business all together!

UrbanMerc (Live! & PSN)