I still have never seen whatever the newest version of xbox is called in the stores. I’ve seen PS5’s now and then, but still never even seen an xbox to buy.

Right, so your rebuttal is trying to attack ME, not my argument. The mask is off now buddy.

just naming semi-recent games that I enjoyed

point proven.

No, I’m not confusing them. There’s nothing once in a generation about either one to be frank. they are fine games, better than most, but in no way would I define either one a once in a generation game.

You’re putting words into my mouth. If anyone is arguing in poor faith here it’s you. I didn’t say those games were bad, I said there are people that didn’t like them. and you LITERALLY did say gaming was good because you liked those games and they were good in YOUR opinion. I like all those games. Baldur’s gate was one of the best games I can remember playing. Elden ring was amazing after i got over the difficulty curve.

the issue YOU’RE not seeing here is you keep defending these AAA titles with loot boxes and everything by “digging past” it. What do all the GOTY titles we’ve spoke about have in common? no loot boxes. no seasons. none of that bullshit. there is no concessions to be made. your argument of “gaming is in a good place because there are a couple good games that you have to dig to find” is flawed. There is ALWAYS going to be games that rise to the top. always. the point of the original article is that we are in a crap time in gaming, not because there are not ANY good games, but because the majority of what’s being released relies on Loot boxes, seasons, etc to make money instead of making and selling a GOOD game FIRST. The majority of games being released are made with a “service” in mind, be it season passes, battle passes, loot boxes, nickel and diming players to death.

and your “stab” about “you seem very passionate” is a bullshit line. that entire last paragraph is a cop-out because you have no argument that makes sense and you know it so you’re “bowing out of the conversation” in a sad attempt to save face. Feel free to respond but I likely don’t give a shit.

I wouldn’t consider Outer Wilds a “once in a generation” game. I was a lack luster space shooter. Elden Ring is right on that edge, good, great even, but it’s difficulty limits the player base. But you’re just naming recent “GOTY” candidates. Of course those ones are good. You’ve named 3-5 games that are “good”. how many shit games come out that are absolute trash? For every Elden Ring there are 15 trash knockoffs on Steam. For every Outer Wilds, there is an “Anthem”. “just some of MY favorites”, again, you’re using YOUR bias to try and prove your point. I know many gamers who didn’t like Baldur’s Gate, Elden Ring, or Outer Wilds because they aren’t “multiplayer” in the way that say, Helldivers or Conan or Apex are. Throw enough shit at the wall and something’s going to stick. There’s a reason emulators are so big. Old games had a certain charm that makes them almost infinitely replayable. People today can pick up Super Mario Bros and have a ball. Mario 3 is one of the best games ever made. Super Metroid is a masterpiece. None of these games had to resort to “seasons” or “loot boxes”. They delivered full, complete games. Publishers today just bank on DLC and “games as a service” to make money instead of making a fun, complete game. I get bug fixes, sure. Games today are far more complex than they ever have been. Season passes, Battle passes, DLC, Loot boxes, skins, etc all drive at the point being made here. Modern gaming isn’t about the game its about how much the publisher can get into your wallet. THAT is why modern gaming sucks.

you’re defending the indefensible. Modern gaming is largely shit. games are boring, with little to no replay value other than “seasons”. Games are regularly released in total shit show conditions only to be patched later. Your argument of ‘we have so much more’ is a bad one as it doesn’t matter how many games we have available, if the large majority of them are garbage or in a garbage state. of course the more shit you throw at the wall, the more will eventually stick. Baldur’s Gate is a once in a generation game.

In other words: “Because I’m not bothered by X, neither should you be”.

how is it hypocritical? idgaf what you think, just like you likely don’t gaf what I think. you’re just out to call people names behind the safety of a keyboard and screen.

sorry my life doesn’t revolve around your internet drama. got real shit to deal with. like work. and life. idgaf what you think about me of what point you think you’re making. have fun with what little “power” you think you have here. i couldn’t care less about this.

Thank you for proving my point.

Stereotypes exist for a reason. They aren’t made up, non-existent characteristics. 90% of people that are getting offended by such things are not even part of the group that’s being stereotyped. It’s usually white liberals that are “offended” by any of this. Are they beneficial? probably not, but they sure are not nearly as harmful as people like you make them out to be. As a straight white man, I’m vilified by the mob regardless of my positions on anything, and that in itself is a stereotype. So I don’t put any stock into hypocritical perceived slights against humanity.

eh. i get the ‘need’ for these companies to have the disclaimers and i honestly appreciate that they are not changing anything here. but the mob is fickle and seemingly can’t distinguish real life from the online life where being offended somehow gives them clout.

This is fine, no issues really, but if you’re offended by something in a video game fictional story that was made over 20 years ago you should go touch grass.

people with an extreme moral superiority complex emboldened by the anonymity of the internet.

In these situations 6 months is exactly what I’d imagine. Where I live I can’t imagine any house staying vacant for 6 months. It costs more to rent a house here than it does to buy one. My mortgage payment is $1400/month, but I could rent my house for over $3k a month. it’s ridiculous.

to be fair it’s leveled out since. it’s still up that much, but didn’t continue the meteoric rise.

did you read the article?

i HIGHLY doubt the houses being referenced in the article have been vacant for 7-20 years.

they don’t appreciate nearly fast enough to make up for the lack of income.

depends on where you are. i bought a new house 3 years ago and within a year the value of my house had increased nearly 100k.

I think EA makes games like this to reinforce THEIR notion that single player games are dead so they can use that as leverage to make more “games as a service”. If they made things people actually wanted to play, they’d find that single player (yes even shooter) games are still just as popular as they ever were and poorly thought out, poorly executed, and poorly marketed games still suck.