ARK: Survival of Trendy Entertainment

The game developers behind the video game ARK: Survival Evolved are facing lawsuit charges, according to an article published by Kotaku earlier this week. Studio Wildcard, the developers of ARK, are facing a lawsuit from Trendy Entertainment, the developers of Dungeon Defenders. This lawsuit could affect ARK's development.

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According to Trendy Entertainment, its Ex-Creative Director Jeremy Stieglitz breached a contract with the company when he began working on ARK after leaving Trendy Entertainment in 2014. Stieglitz allegedly ran into problems at Trendy Entertainment and sought to part with the company. As part of an agreement, he signed a non-compete agreement that would keep him from directly trying to compete with his former company for a year. According to the lawsuit though, Trendy Entertainment claims that Stieglitz began approaching Trendy Entertainment employees with a new project within a month of his departure from the company. 

Regardless of whether or not Stieglitz broke his contract with Trendy Entertainment, there remains another question about how much influence Stieglitz actually had on the development of ARK. According to PC Gamer, Studio Wildcard denies that Stieglitz had any major involvement in ARK other than consulting. If Stieglitz was not a major part of the development of ARK, then Trendy Entertainment's lawsuit would not be able to affect ARK since the company had a contract with Stieglitz and not Studio Wildcard. 

Unfortunately, if Trendy Entertainment's injunction against Studio Wildcard is approved, the company may be forced to stop development on the game or even remove it from Steam until the lawsuit is decided. This would be quite a blow to the company considering they just released a new game mode for the game titled ARK: Survival Of The Fittest. This new free-to-play game mode is similar to the player versus player survival arena games like H1Z1: King of the Kill and The Culling, which I discuss in a previous post. 

A court hearing will be held on April 27 in the Eight Judicial Circuit of Florida to decide on the approval or denial of Trendy Entertainments temporary injunction. 

Review of Daybreak Game Company

While I usually try to use this blog as a way to share information, providing some commentary but keeping it mainly fact related, I felt a need to write a more opinionated post on Daybreak Game Company. A month ago I wrote a post about developments with H1Z1 and Daybreak Game Company. The controversy over splitting the game and charging for both parts rubbed many gamers the wrong way. Well, last week, the same gaming company announced that they will be discontinuing one of their long awaited MMO games, EverQuest Next.

EverQuest Next was announced back in 2012 as a next gen title for the company’s highly popular EverQuest franchise. The game was supposed to be released not only for the PS4 but also the Oculus Rift. Fans of the franchise and the MMO genre, including many of my friends, have been waiting ever since the announcement for the game, part of the reason being that, like H1Z1, EverQuest Next was meant to be free to play (F2P). Daybreak Game Company claimed in their announcement that they canceled the game because it simply did not live up to their expectations in terms of quality.

While I appreciate that the company chose to cancel their game for the sake of quality over quantity, I think that the cancelation comes at an interesting time. It hasn’t been very long since they announced the split of H1Z1, and I can’t help but think that this was an opportunity for them to focus instead on their cash cow, rather than a title that they haven’t finished (even after 4 years). Instead of releasing two widely popular F2P games after years of waiting, Daybreak Games has cut their popular title list in two and charged double for one of the games. Could they be making up for the revenue loss from EverQuest Next with H1Z1? I can only speculate, but I do not doubt it.

I understand that this company has to make money, and I would not fault them for covering the costs of EverQuest Next with H1Z1 sales if the game lived up to the expectations. My personal opinion is that the game really has not made any significant changes. They have updated the game a few times since the title was split, a new game mode was even added, but these updates were marred by an equal amount of bugs.

Positive updates included the addition of hitmarkers, making it easier to judge the drop on bullets when shooting from far away, and the addition of a new game mode. While I am not necessarily a fan of the new game type, I still think it is good that they are trying to add more content to the game.

However, in implementing these changes had a number of negative effects. First, there was the bug that made it impossible to drop items in stacks. Before, you could drop any number of bullets in a group for your friend to pick up, making it easy to share ammo. However, for a brief period of time, this function was broken and player had to drop bullets one at a time.

Luckily, this bug was fixed. However, as soon as it was, the new update threw in another bug. If you are a passenger in a covered vehicle, the camera glitches by changing perspective at about 10fps. In all seriousness, this sort of glitching should have come with an epilepsy warning, but for those who do not have epilepsy it was still quite an eyesore. As far as I am aware, this bug had not been fixed as of March 18. A smaller issue is the missing graphic of the player profile pictures in the lobby, but this is a small bug that does not affect game play.

Other changes to the game can be found on the Steam update page, but in my opinion none of these updates really add to the game but are, instead, fixes.

The one thing Daybreak had going for them was that H1Z1 was one of the few games of its type. However, there is now a new game titled The Culling which is very similar to H1Z1 in that it is a battle royale type game, but with smaller server groups and more crafting. The reviews for this game are also very positive, and perhaps it could become an alternative to H1Z1.

While I will continue to play H1Z1, I am curious to see where they go with the game, I am beginning to have my doubts when it comes to Daybreak Game Company. They have canceled one of their most long awaited projects, one that they had made numerous promises about, and it makes me wonder if we will ever see any development with H1Z1: Just Survive. H1Z1, though still popular, now has mixed reviews on steam, which is not necessarily good feedback for a company. Overall, I am simply not impressed with the company or the promises they haven’t kept. 

Microsoft's UWP: The End of Console Wars?

As with any large community, there is bound to be disagreement, and the gaming community is no different. For gamers, the term "console wars" is one likely to make blood boil in defensiveness or heads shake in annoyance. This so called war is really just a dispute over which of the two popular consoles is better: Sony's Play Station or Microsoft's Xbox. These two consoles often have exclusive games and similar new hardware developments that compete for a spot in the homes of gamers around the world. The war, as silly as it may seem, represents the competitiveness (or not lack of competitiveness if you consider only two companies are truly competing) of the industry.

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However, on the sidelines sits a different kind of system, the PC, that is more flexible and able to play most console games. Because of its open capabilities, PC gamers have coined themselves the "PC Master Race," a term used both jokingly and seriously by Internet users. 

Steam has been the most commonly used PC gaming application, gathering all of the game launchers in one library for easy access, and allowing users to easily find and purchase games and items through the store.  Run by Valve, the application is the hub of PC gaming, acting as both as a gaming access point and social media where users can create profiles, add their friends, join groups, and create discussions. 

Microsoft, which has largely focused on console gaming with the Xbox, has decided to step into the PC gaming world by using its new Universal Windows Platform (UWP) to combine Xbox One and PC experiences. According to Keith Stuart from the Guardian, head of the Xbox division Phil Spencer claimed two weeks ago that the UWP would allow crossplay between the console and PC and that the company had plans to create an Xbox app for Windows 10 users to do just that.

However, Spencer stated that the UMP technology is not necessarily meant to "unify", but to allow Microsoft to get a foot into the PC gaming industry. With the UWP, users could have access to titles through Microsoft's Window's Store, and developers could create UWP compatible titles to be distributed by Microsoft. The Windows Store is seeking to become a competitor of Steam. 

Despite Spencer's statements, the platform does allow for greater interaction between PC and the Xbox, which could be a good thing for console gamers seeking greater flexibility when it comes to their game play. Developers too will have an easier time porting games between console and PC, so long as they are designed to be UWP compatible, perhaps ending the competition between consoles and PC's. 

But not everyone is thrilled about the new software. The CEO of Epic Games Todd Sweeny criticized the initiative in an article on March 4, claiming it may be "the first apparent step towards locking down the consumer PC ecosystem and monopolising app distribution and commerce." Sweeny expressed worry over the Windows Store; he claimed the default settings for the UWP required that users purchase games and apps through the store and not the developer sites, potentially limiting the direct relationships between consumers and developers. While this setting can be turned off, it is not easy to get to for the average PC user. If true, this could also affect mods, since many are developed by the game's fan base and may not follow the Windows distribution model.

After expressing his concern over the UWP, Microsoft's corporate vice president of Windows Kevin Gallo claimed, "The Universal Windowns Platform is a fully open ecosystem, available to every developer, that can be supported by any store." While this claim contradicts Sweeny's criticism of the exclusivity of the platform, users and developers alike will have to wait and see how the UWP will affect gaming as it develops.

Counter-Strike: The Growth of Competitive Gaming

Gaming is no longer just a hobby for the interested few. The industry has grown over the years, and the Entertainment Software Association reported in 2015 that 155 million Americans, almost half of the population, plays video games. Because of the growing popularity of gaming, it has become a viable source of income. YouTuber's and Twitch streamers can make millions entertaining people by sharing their gameplay videos. 

While many gamers gain fame due to their personalities, there are also those acclaimed for their talent. As with sports, there has emerged a professional class of gamers who participate in competitions around the world, showcasing their skills and building fan bases that rival even those of national sports teams.

Counter-Strike: Global Offense (CS:GO), is a popular first-person shooter that has gained a lot of interest over the past year. According to PC Gamer's report on Twitch, CS:GO was the second most watched game in 2015, and it was also the second most played game on Steam. Just today, the game peaked at 677,135 players, which is almost ten times the amount of the third most played game. 

CS:GO has no campaign and, instead, focuses on multiplayer modes. The most popular mode, Competitive, pits two five-man teams against each other. The terrorists attempt to arm a bomb and destroy a site, while the counter terrorists try to kill the enemy team and defuse the bomb. Because teamwork and strategy play such a big role in this mode, Competitive is perfect for entertainment sports.  

Valve has recognized the growing interest in the game and has promised a $1,000,000 prize pool for the next Major tournament. In fact, on February 23, Valve announced that after MLG Columbus 2016, the prize pool for all Majors will be $1,000,000, a hefty sum for a tournament of any kind.  MLG Columbus will also be the first Major held in North America. 

Those aren't the only changes being made to the CS:GO community. FaZe Clan, a gaming group made popular by their Call of Duty team, recently stepped onto the CS:GO scene and bought up the team G2Games for $700,000. This became the most expensive team purchase in CS:GO history, according to Daily Dot. 

This kind of financial support helps legitimize gaming as a profession. One cannot deny that gaming has become a sport, an entertainment sport, but a sport nonetheless. It is possible to make a living now playing games, which is a concept that surprises most people who do not follow the gaming industry. The fact that players can compete in a professional environment with real money on the line hopefully means that the stereotype of the lonely nerd gaming in his/her parents' basement will soon be forgotten. Instead, we should start recognizing these professionals as the skilled players that they are.

Video Games as News: Sensationalism and Journalism Ethics

According to The Observers, a site run by French news site France 24, Iranian state television stations have been showing footage from the 2010 video game Medal of Honor, while claiming it is real footage of a sniper killing six ISIS members. The Observer reported on February 17 that the footage was accompanied by headlines claiming the sniper was Hezbollah.



The video, also shared by another press agency Mizan News, included fuzzy footage from what appears to be the shooter's point of view and voices speaking in Arabic. As The Observers points out, the video is identical to a scene from Medal of Honor. The only difference is that the contrast has been altered, and it seems like someone used a camera to record the gameplay as it was displayed on a computer or television screen, making it fuzzy and out of focus.

As a blogger who reports on video game related news and controversies, I have two issues with this story. One, this was simply bad reporting on the part of the Iranian press. It is unclear if they fabricated the video or were simply duped, but either way, they did not check their sources. If they were tricked, than it was because they were rushing to release the story and did not pay close attention to the video. A few things point to this being fake, such as the notification that appears at the bottom of the screen that indicates a player made a head shot. While I am not weapons expert, I do not know of any sort of technology implemented into a scope that can tell the shooter when they've hit the enemy's head.

The second problem I have with this footage is the intent with which it was shared. The release of this footage calls to question the idea of sensationalism in the news. Was this just a ploy to gain views? The reason gamers share videos like these, frag montages, is to show off their skill at killing. It would seem that the intent was the same here, to show a successful sniper in action. However, there is a big difference between six virtual characters made up of pixels and six real people made of flesh and blood. While reporters certainly have a duty to report news and share pertinent information with their country, I do not necessarily see the need to share a video like this if it were real.

It would seem that there is a trend in the news these days: who can shock the most people? While a video like this would certainly be shocking, does it have informational value? A report could convey the same information, but it would not bring in as many viewers. While it is important at times to shock your readers and make them uncomfortable when told the truth, I fail to see how this video, which glorifies the skills of the sniper, would offer any sort of informational value.

Assassin's Creed: Will This Historical Game Have a Future?

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Two days ago on February 11, 2016, game developers Ubisoft announced that they would not be publishing a new Assassin's Creed game in 2016. After the release of the first game of the series in November of 2007, Ubisoft has consistently released a game every year, totaling 9 full-length titles as of 2015. But this year, Ubisoft claims it is "re-examining the Assassin's Creed franchise." 

What does this mean for lovers of the series? Well, it is hard to say. Ubisoft has not made any claims in regards to whether they will continue with the series, but they have been having some issues lately with consumer feedback. 

While the early Assassin's Creed titles were widely popular, selling a million copies easily in the first week, the most recent game, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, had a slower start. Compared to the title from 2014, Syndicate did not sell as many copies within the first week, something publishers admitted after the launch. 

Ubisoft attributed the first-week failings to the release of Assassin’s Creed Unity, which had a whole host of problems that gamers were not too shy to complain about. These problems effected the most basic of gameplay experiences, even dropping the frame rate and occasionally crashing the game. It was these failings that most likely made people hesitant to buy the next title.

However, Ubisoft learned from the disastrous release of Unity and Syndicate received fair praise with little complaint. Still, the fact that no new Assassin’s Creed game will come out in 2016 could indicate that the franchise is slowing down. Perhaps this popular series, which has rivaled even Call of Duty in number of titles, might be nearing its end.

H1Z1: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

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Fans of the survival/first-person shooter game H1Z1 will be pleased to hear that after spending over a year in early access, some of the game will be released on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 in the summer of 2016. 

According an announcement from the the game's developer, Daybreak Game Company, the game will actually be split into two parts: Just Survive and King of the Kill. This split  spawned from the original game's differing modes that all gained favor within various groups of gamers. H1Z1: Just Survive will consist of the survival mode from the early access version where the focus is on killing zombies and navigating the post-apocalyptic world whereas H1Z1: King of the Kill will include the player vs player modes like the popular Battle Royale.

The split will officially take place on February 17, 2016, and players can still purchase the combined title until then. Those who have the combined title will receive both copies of the split game on the 17th. But for those who only want to purchase one part of the game, they can do so after the 17th for $19.99 on Steam. However, since the combined version is $19.99 on Steam now, players might want to consider purchasing the title before the split. 

Daybreak Game Company has also assured that any in-game items players own will transfer over to the new version so players don't have to worry about losing their items. The in-game transactions will still play a part in both games for PC, so players will still be able to sell and buy game items as they wish. 

Now for the bad news. While H1Z1: King of the Kill is set to come out of early access this summer (already a vague release date), the developers have not made any promises about H1Z1: Just Survive. Already players have been waiting over a year for the official release, and it looks like they still have quite a wait ahead of them. 

And the ugly? Well, the reason behind so many players waiting for the game's official full release is because the game was supposed to be a free-to-play title once out of early access. Early in 2015, president John Smedley of Sony Online Entertainment (now Daybreak Game Company), claimed on reddit that the game would eventually be free to play. However, Day Break Games has stated in their game release announcement that they do not intend to make H1Z1 free after all. 

While I anticipate that fans of the game will be exited about the release on consoles and even the splitting of the game (it seems most people play one mode or the other), I have a feeling some will not be so pleased that they will have to pay $39.98 (at least for early access after the 17th) for the whole package after waiting over a year to play it for free. While companies certainly need to make money from their products, one has to wonder whether Day Break Gaming is simply taking advantage of the growing popularity of their game and cashing in on it. What was supposed to be free with in-game transactions to support it will now be the same price as the full early access title, for only half of the game. Will it be worth the money? Players will have to wait until the 17th to find out.