Busted Buttons

Shooters - Busted Buttons Ep. 37

December 09, 2020 TGPZ Gaming
Busted Buttons
Shooters - Busted Buttons Ep. 37
Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

We start off by ripping the UK scalper who apparently got 3,500 PlayStation 5 (PS5) units. How did they get more than retail stores? What kind of stain does this put on gaming?

We then dive into our main topic, 1st person shooters vs 3rd person shooters. Which type do we prefer? Why do we prefer them? How are the experiences different between the two?

Afterwards, we discuss video game award shows and what we would like to see from them. Are they becoming too much of a spectacle? Do we enjoy all of the musical acts and guest speakers? How do we feel about all the game reveals overshadowing the nominees?

Later, we talk video game studios. Which ones do we like? How often do we check out other games from a favorite studio. How do we feel when they try to switch it up?

We end with a conversation on the big players (Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft) possibly exiting the gaming industry one day. Will streaming video games cause this? Is it possible that Amazon and Google could be the big players one day? How will it affect the next console releases?

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Red:

Welcome to Episode 37 of the Busted Buttons video game podcast. Today we're going to talk about a group of assholes over in the UK that has somehow managed to amass tons of PlayStation fives and they're scalping them off. Don't like those people were the only ones doing it, but

Hick:

at

Red:

the most, they had some balls to do what they did first. Yep, yep. Then we're gonna spend a little bit of time talking about first person shooters versus Third Person Shooters, kind of their pros and cons and which ones we prefer. We're going to talk about award shows. I know we talked a little bit about the Game Awards a couple episodes ago. But now we're going to talk about what do we like to see from video game award shows? What do we like and dislike? We're going to pivot from that to talking about some gaming studios. That's something that kind of gets overlooked. Which studios do we love? Which ones do we really look forward to their new game releases? Now we're going to end on kind of a little speculative topic, we're going to talk about what could potentially make Microsoft or Sony, consider leaving the gaming industry altogether. So we're a little bit all over the place. But let's get right to it. I know that you have not been able to get your hands on a PlayStation five yet, correct? No. And

Hick:

you said you already knew that you don't have to rub it in. It made me upset everybody keeps on asking me about it.

Red:

Hey, I just like to rub it in because I got my series X on launch day. But you know, a big part of the fucking reason. And we've bitched about these people before we've yelled about these people before we've complained about these people before are these scalpers that get them to turn around and resell them on eBay. And we saw an item in the news here, that's really got some prominence this last week or so there is a group over in the UK that somehow managed to pull down 3500 plus PlayStation fives and resell them for massive profits. And this group, I mean, it's pretty coordinated you Yeah, I was reading into this a little bit today, you buy a subscription, like you pay this group a subscription, and they let you know when these consoles are going to be available. And they buy them up and they sell them for a huge profit. They even advertise, you know, join us now for a monthly subscription, you'll make $100 profit every single month or 100. euro or pounds, I guess in the UK profit on every unit use I mean, these people are brazen, they are not even trying to hide what the hell they're doing. So you have to be more frustrated than me because you're still trying to get one. What do you think of this story?

Hick:

I think it's all bullshit. I think the whole concept launch launch is all bullshit. Like how is how can somebody not get PS five at a try multiple times. And then you've got this group, this business that gets 3500 units, which is actually more than all the retailers like, I mean, Okay, first of all, I don't like to give them props, but that is a very coordinated effort. And they're saying, like, I hate when people think I'm fucking stupid, okay, I'm not stupid. So when you're saying you're saying, oh, but we're doing it all manually, which I believe is what they said. They said they weren't. Bullshit is so much bullshit, you cannot get Okay, I can't get one. But you can get 3500 units. Mainly, please get out here. We know you're using bots and everything. But this is just what kind of talk about like, this is a stain on gaming. Like, I've actually quit searching for PS five, because this experience has been so upsetting. Like, I guess I understand that there's a shortage. There's a shortage, every launch, but this has just been ridiculous. And then you see how many people are getting how many systems like in this case, 3500 for this ridiculous amount of money, like, it's very upsetting. And you know, what stinks is I know that target doesn't care. I know that Walmart doesn't care, because all they care about in their money, but you could take a little bit of action, we've talked about it with the reCAPTCHA like, you know, have slick pictures, you know, or whatever, right? There's a way that we could done better in the fact that Sony and Microsoft had not came out and talked about this or addressed it you know, maybe just say, Hey, we made a mistake. We'll try to do better next time we recognize even something like that would make me happy that you recognize it, but it's like nobody cares at all. And you know, first of all, like, okay, these people are not good people. I don't give a shape. You're sitting here saying that, oh, I use this money to feed my families blah, blah, blah. If you're in a scalping business, you probably did something wrong along the way so I don't feel sorry for you. You obviously have a real Go ahead.

Red:

Yeah, if you got the 500 bucks to buy the console up front. You got the fucking money you'll use that money to buy fucking food for your family. Yeah. That's ridiculous. Anyway, I had to get that in there but I'll let you get going.

Hick:

I mean, she's very, very upsetting like in this 3500 units, man, that is so any immunity again. Like I said, these people I do believe in karma. It will come Back to these people, these people aren't that special man. Like I said, they messed up somewhere. You don't get to this, but you get into a real business and have a real job if you do the things properly in life, right? These guys, they probably just been, you know, hustlers all their life just trying to look for that next buck, but never, they never get that satisfaction because they gotta keep on going this, it never works out for them. So, and then they came out and I read one part of it, where they're like, Oh, we don't regret anything. Well, you're not, you know, and the people like, this is why I get so mad is that people buy from these people. Like that's the problem like this model would not work. If we weren't out there Bonnie systems for I looked recently at$100, which is absolutely ridiculous. Why are you paying it? The system's already $500. You hear about all these gamers complain about money. But then yet, how are these systems selling for 13 $100? More? So you know, if I could say or say that Walmart and Target are the problem? I don't think they really care. Yes, they are the problem. Sony and Microsoft are the problem. At the same time. The gamers are the problem too. Now, right? Some of these might be parents trying to get a system for their kid whatsoever, which I don't look, I don't really frown upon that. I understand that hope.

Red:

Oh, absolutely. Yeah,

Hick:

you didn't parents, you're you're the one causing the cheese to hear. But I mean, just this whole launch. I mean, it's definitely upsetting that, you know, I haven't got a ps4 or an Xbox series x. Right now, I'm conscious back to the PS five, you know, I just just focus on one at a time, right? But so yes, it is disappointing that I've not got one. But I've been so turned off. Like I said, I've quit trying, like, I'm not gonna hit refresh constantly. Just to have them all go within a minute. It's just ridiculous. And

Red:

you're fine. Wait until you find one in the store. Like, yeah,

Hick:

like, I just want to go online. And there be a lot available. I don't have to click refresh, refresh, refresh. That's when I want to get system. But I've talked long enough. Go ahead.

Red:

No, I do have to say I mean, the actual business model is pretty fucking savvy, because they these, these people are just getting a subscription fee. Like people are paying them a monthly fee to get alerts on when these things are available. So even the people running this thing aren't even the ones buying the consoles, they're just monitoring for stock, and then alerting the people who are paying them a subscription fee. It's almost like a frickin pyramid scheme, where it's almost no risk for the people like at the top because they're just getting paid a subscription. And they've got, you know, quote unquote, people doing it manually. Yeah, but right, you know, do it this monitoring, and this letting people know, I don't think there's anything wrong or illegal with that, or anything, it's immoral, is bucking my opinion. But then, you know, it's, there's no risk for the people who are actually buying these consoles either, because they know, they can turn around and flip it for 678 1000, whatever, you know, so much more than they paid. So it is a really interesting structure of this business. I'm sure there's like a small core of people who are just like raking in these subscriptions. And all they're doing is pressing a button on a bot. And it's like, and it's easy money for them. They don't have to go out there and try to buy them, they don't have to worry about trying to resell them. So it

Hick:

is kind of a brilliant easy money is never substantial in life. That's it never lasts all the way through. But occasionally, these people doing this shit, you know, they don't have a 401 K plans in everyday life. Right? You know, they're just wasting this money on something stupid. Right? And

Red:

I will say this, you kind of mentioned like, the retailers like Target and Walmart may not care Sony and PlayStation haven't come out and said anything. I can see this though, if this is something that continues happening, that it could be like when GameStop was getting huge off reselling games, like they buy a used game for 10 bucks and sell it for like 55 Yeah, they were making so much money that, you know, in Sony, Microsoft, all the video game developers were not getting a single cut of that resale money. And eventually, they started trying to come up with ways to tap into that revenue stream. The thing is, Sony and Microsoft are not profiting off of these you know resell or upsell values at all. They really aren't. So that's why I do think if it continues long enough, and which I think eventually supply we'll get there to where it'll catch up. And it won't be a long term problem. Well, no problem every console launch but you gotta fix

Hick:

it at launch. That's the issue. Right?

Red:

I agree completely. And like, I mean, a they just need to have more fucking stock ready at launch. Like don't launch until you have enough. I know. Yeah, I know, once one system said they had a release date, the other system had to match it or at least you know, within was a two day difference or whatever.

Hick:

I mean, I was still bad PS five, no matter or an Xbox whenever, see, I don't need to release at the same time. Like I understand your logic. But like, I think it could have released a month or two later. Like most people who want a PS five would wait and buy the PS five, I guess, release later. So I mean, I understand the argument, but I don't think it really matters, at least in my opinion. I'm buying both of them no matter when well, exactly. Yes, or ever come out for me. Right. But

Red:

I mean, it really does. Like if they if they could just release, like wait to release until they have a stock to accommodate the demand. And I know you'll never be able to perfectly predict that number. I totally get that but you know, this But you can be closer. This shit that we've dealt with this this year is absolutely ridiculous. You know, fuck these people that are doing this. It really is. You know,

Hick:

I don't mind scalpers again, like, you know, two or three, I think it's still Bs, but but the systems are a little bit more, okay. But when somebody is getting 3500, like the system is broke, it really is we got fixes so and I

Red:

do think like I said that like, if enough of this continues going on Sony or Microsoft or the retailers will eventually take notice. I mean, it happened when GameStop was just making money hand over fist with frickin Yeah, look where they're at now.

Hick:

So there's right one, exactly. It's easy, money is never substantial. That's

Red:

what I said. And you know, when actually this is a topic we're going to talk about a little bit later is, you know, streaming video games could be the solution, when you don't have you know, you don't have a physical console release. So we'll get to that topic here in a little bit. But man, these kinds of people really do piss us both off. And one of the best ways though, to kind of blow off steam, when you're pissed off about a topic is play a good old fashioned shooting game. And there's two real distinct types of shooting games, you got your first person shooters, you got your third person shooters, your first person shooter where you're looking directly through the eyes of your of your character, you know, your your doom, your halo, your call of duty, then you get your third person shooters where you kind of have that over the shoulder look, you know, Gears of War is a really popular one right now, things like that. So I wanted to spend a little bit of time talking about kind of our preference, when it comes to shooting games, kind of the strengths and weaknesses of each. So I'll kick it to you Do you really have a preference in playing a first person versus a third person shooter?

Hick:

I hate first person, like, it doesn't matter if it's a shooter, it doesn't matter if it's open world, I just hate first person. And the only time that really have liked it isn't Halo. And I think that's just because I'm so used to playing that game like that. But other than that, oh, man, I just I hate not being able to see my body. It's the same way like this isn't a shooter. But in racing games, I hate being in the cockpit. Like I had to be behind the car. I just like seeing my characters. And there's just so many like, I don't know, when you're sitting there, I noticed from the eyes of like the person, but like, I'm feel like I'm walking around out of body. Like I feel like I'm walking around like a head and I got like half an arm. And then in that arm is a gun. So because I'm used to Halo I played a lot of multiplayer. But other than that, I'm usually a third person per like kind of player shooters, open world racing, it doesn't matter, I like to be able to see my character. And when you go to aim, the aim is still pretty similar. Like you're looking through the, you know, aiming, whatever you call it on a gun, you know, like that part is not really I mean, the perspective might be a tad different. But when you're aiming a gun, you're aiming a gun in gaming. So it really just relates to how you move around. And if I'm like, you know, doing platforming, or trying to jump to areas or whatever, like I like to be able to see my body or I can easily miss that area. This is why I wasn't that good at Halo man, well shot jump from platform to platforms, I couldn't see where I was going. When I ran into that grenade at one time, you know, that was dropping one time like I thought there was a wall right there that was gonna run into and stop me in that wall. I didn't run into that wall. So I am somebody that I really like to see my body I like to be because for me, I feel like I'm better able to control it. And then again to the whole like I said perspective of the gun and aiming. It's very very similar. So I am a third person person, how about you?

Red:

I generally I'm actually the opposite on this but I do generally prefer first person but you do bring up some really good points about the third person like when you have platforming in gaming you know you have to be able to see your body and see where you're landing you know things like stealth to like anytime you have to sneak you know if you're doing first person half your body might be you know your your fake body because like you said you don't you have a head and an arm and that's about it. But half your body might be sticking out from cover and you don't realize it so third person does give you I feel like a better perception of like space and where you are and because like I said you can see your whole body and I tell you what, with how awesome graphics and things like that are starting to look now and how awesome characters are looking. There is a benefit to being able to see your entire character I think you know, because it just looks badass sometimes. Or I'm not gonna lie if you're playing as a female protagonist. I don't mind the view for an entire game just saying but but no but in general though, I do prefer first person shooters and I think a lot of that is what is just goes back to where I started as a gamer you know so much of our experiences and things we like now relate back to where we were or where we started gaming and GoldenEye Yeah, it was one of the very first shooting games I ever played. And it was a first person view and I think that that just really caught on

Hick:

and then do you also do back in the day to

Red:

zoom back in the day and then of course from there it went to Halo and so I before I ever gotten anything like Call of Duty or any of the other first person shooters I heard, I really was like Halo force for years, so I'm just so used to that first person perspective, I generally think the shooting is a little bit more precise in my opinion. And that's that's probably a subjective thing though. I mean, it also depends on how well the game is made.

Hick:

I think it's more the game that is like first person versus third person.

Red:

Yeah, but I but I do agree. Like if a game tries to force some of that first person game rather tries to force some of that stealth or platforming it can get frustrating but I really just think the fact that so much of my gaming, especially in terms of shooters, has been revolved around first person that like I just naturally gravitate to that in my other big knock on like Third Person Shooters, and this is something I've experienced, whether it's Mass Effect Gears of War specops the line it all seems like they're they're kind of cover shooters, where the whole idea is you get behind the cover

Hick:

pop up, get back behind here's a was really bad about that gear, it always the first one, I never play pass the first one that was bad.

Red:

I just beat four as well, because I was trying to beat four before jumping into like the Xbox series x enhanced five is still bad. I mean, that is literally two thirds of the game is popping up from behind cover. And you know, sometimes they can be innovative, like Mass Effect has more of a squad, things like that. But to me at the end of the day, if you walk into a room and you see a bunch of waist high barriers or walls, or you know, you're about to get into a shootout and yeah, I wish there was more they could do with that third person view when it comes to shooters, but it really does just seem like first person shooters are a little more gung ho balls to the wall just run in. Whereas, you know, the third person really does seem to rely more on that cover mechanic. So I'm, they both have their strengths. They both have their weaknesses. I prefer first person like I said, that's just where I started my domain. You're

Hick:

the game right there. Same with the next gen console and you're not the only person doing this, which is making me mad that I don't have the system you send them your plain old games on the new system. And to me it's just infuriating. Hey, well, Halo one he's talking about playing Gears of War for like said you're not the only guy I talked to multiple people who are like, yeah, I'm playing the halo collection. Yeah. Are you shitting me while we're busting my ass trying to get a system anyways, just had to get that's not just you. That's That's a lot of people that well

Red:

if these if these frickin Microsoft and Sony would have had some better first party games.

Hick:

Yeah, I'm not gonna lie. Like, I would probably not play Spider Man. But I would probably play sackboy but like I said, I'm always one of those people that I want to get a game if I'm gonna like it or not, that will kind of use the next gen slex like to its maximum capacity. But anyways, I can't talk to you like still on this whole sheer thing. Yeah. Do you feel like you get more into that? This is a question I'm gonna throw to you. Do you feel like you get more into the character? Like in any way first person versus a third person?

Red:

It's tough because like first person I do feel like is a little more of a of an immersive experience, especially now with with VR and I haven't really tried that yet. But I know that that is a thing. Yeah. But you know, just you feel like you are the character when you're in the first person view. So from that standpoint, yes, but third person, I feel like you get a little more connected to your character when when you see them when you get to see their face. Or you know, in this case, the backside because you're usually from behind view. Yeah, you get to see your character throughout the entire game. I do think you form a little bit more of a stronger connection to that character because you're seeing their face and their body and everything throughout the entire game. And it

Hick:

just matters to me like I never play a game to think that I'm that person. Like you know, so like, you know, I play the place of link because he doesn't have a voice. I freakin hate that whole argument. I made stupid. Like I play games. Yeah, like I play game to play a character. I'm not that character. I'm not in the game. I'm playing a character through a game so for me, he brought a good point with third person seeing him throughout the game and kind of you know, obviously in cutscenes, too, you do grow an attachment to that character. Now, at the same time, let's take Halo Master Chief you do form a connection to him and everything but of course I know like I don't mind it. I don't mind Halo. But when you go into their body, like I don't need to feel like I'm mad. Like I'm actually masterchief I just need to feel like I'm connected to that character. I play the characters in games. I don't play myself but

Red:

anyway I think it helps the third party or third third party goodness gracious third person games are getting stronger and stronger. Yeah narratives I mean games and these great shoot these aren't shooters per se but like your god of war, your Witcher three your horizon like these awesome third person like more action RPG games, the writing is getting stronger and stronger. Whereas I feel like first person shooters, the writing as stagnant you know what to expect when you're getting

Hick:

more about the experience with first person shooters

Red:

really is I mean, you know what you're getting from a Halo game in general, you know what you're getting from a Call of Duty game, you're normally not playing it for the you know, top notch writing and I do think that you know, the third person genre what or what, whether it's shooters RPGs adventure, whatever is coming a long way away. But you know, a lot of this does come down to preference. And I because as you just heard, we have two different preferences on which one's our favorite, but, you know, I want to kind of stick with that preferences, what, and totally switch it to a different category here. That was the smoothest transition you've ever felt.

Hick:

Hey, I'm good with them, too, man. But, uh, you know,

Red:

we've got the Game Awards coming up. And you know, they've been announcing, like, there's musical acts, guest presenters, all this stuff. We know, every year, we're gonna get big reveals. And I just want to kind of spend a few minutes talking about what do you expect? And what do you want? And what do you like, when it comes to video game award shows and I'm not just talking about just the Game Awards, although, you know, that is the big one, the big presentation, everything. But you know, I feel like these Game Awards shows, you know, they're they're getting so much bells and whistles, and fluff. Like I said, You've got the actual award presentations, which are awesome getting to hear from the developers and all that. But then you get guest speakers, you get musical performances, and the biggest thing you get these upcoming game reveals, that is a lot to take in for these Video Game Awards show. So I kind of want to toss it to you. Do you like all that extra stuff in these award shows?

Hick:

I think it's important because five years ago, we would love to have a game show like this, right? Oh, and now we have one. So I think you got to grow like do I like it? No, no, not really, you know, per se, but I think it is important. And that's what we see with every award show. Like, you know, it's like, yeah, you're recognizing, like people that have had great performances, like whatever industry they're in. But also it's an event that you like, you know that you watch. So for me, the one thing See, here's where I really struggle. I love the reveals, but it does overshadow the games have come out in the past year. So it's kind of like where's that happy medium like where we can celebrate the games that were great this year, and also get information on the new games, but you can't the reveals cannot overshadow those games and performed well. Like Let the games that did well this year have their time you will have your time in the future. But um, you know, the whole guest speakers like you know, I like that one time we had Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo all three of the whatever position they were in the head guys, when they all came on stage, you know, and talk like that was very cool. So you know, just having these different?

Red:

That is probably Reggie for Nintendo. Yeah, it was. him get up there and talk anything.

Hick:

Whether they be characters or studio heads, or whatever, like, you know, I do like them coming out and talking. Now I can tell you one thing that I don't like, and I understand it is all this eSports stuff and all these awards for the sports stuff. And who's the best online player? Yes, I get that gaming is going that way. But there is still like gamers out there like us who just like, for the most part, do the single player campaign love a game for what it truly is, you know, as core like, which I do think is the single player campaign. I think all this online multiplayer stuff. Yes, it's what a game is designed for. But I don't think it's like, you know, at the core? What? I don't know exactly I want to say here. I don't know exactly how I want to go back there. But right, you know, I do understand the esports stuff and everything but nice, a little bit. I don't know if you I want you to have your own show or whatever like that. But I just hate it cuz it's the esports thing is getting too big for me. And as a Game Awards have gone on year over year, it seems like this is multiple, you know, entities, it's not just the Game Awards, it seems like they're just starting to recognize that stuff too much. Right? I would really like to see them, you know, get back to the games like what's the game of the year? What's the best platform best soundtrack? Best our direction? Best studio? Like, those are the kind of wards that I like to see, like, you know, cat, what's your whole feeling on the Game Awards, presentations, award shows, whatever you want to call it, like going forward, like, you know, what do you want to see? What do you not want to see whatever,

Red:

in general, I do think I'm kind of torn on this because on the one hand, I understand, I understand the need to entertain a very large, diverse group of people because there's not just gamers is not just a homogenous group of people. Like Yeah, it is a very wide, very diverse group of people. So I get you know, people want to see, you know, the guest speakers especially like you said, when it's people from Microsoft, Nintendo Sony or one of the video game studios, you know, people don't mind like, you know, the musical performance as long as it's tied to the video game like that

Hick:

one year when the Kratos voice actor came out and talk that was awesome.

Red:

It's cool. And like, you know, last year they had like, people like the musical performances, for the most part were actually related to like game soundtracks, like the band. Yeah,

Hick:

I love that.

Red:

Yeah, like the band churches came out and did a song from from his Death Stranding. Actually, you know, one of the nominations. So like, that makes sense to me. I get that. I like that. But in general, I do think it is just gotten so bloated, like I get one of the big reasons people tune in is for the reveals. And that does draw in a huge audience. And this is a perfect place for them to show the reveals. But I'm 100% with you where I think it does overshadow the people we're trying to honor and that in the games we're trying to honor when the next day, you're not talking about who won Game of the Year, you're talking about who won soundtrack of the year or art design of the year you're talking about. Did you see the teaser trailer for Breath of the Wild too? Did you see the teaser trailer for the new Call of Duty? You know, I, I get it. Like I said that brings in the eyeballs. So I

Hick:

understand why they hate when I get stuff. But I don't like it. Man. That's my biggest problems in gaming.

Red:

It really is. And that's something we run into a lot. Just I mean, it's not just gaming, that's just life. Yeah. Yeah. But no, I wish they would strip it down a little bit. You know, I do like when the industry people come out and talk and like do presentations, maybe give a quick little two or three minute blurb before giving a presentation. Because the

Hick:

studio has need to be recognized to for what that's

Red:

only Absolutely. The acceptance speeches are usually amazing. Yeah, I love when the people come up. It's just

Hick:

like, you know, because they're passionate. Like, that's one thing about the gaming industry is like, when these guys get there, and they talk about their game, they are passionate about the game, because developing games is hard work. And it does take time. And you see how like, you know, upset gamers can get it, there's just like a little glitch or something wrong with your game. So I mean, oh, there's just like these little things that can make or break it that I would never want to get into game development. Like I understand how fun, but No, thanks. But um, here's one issue that I've kind of had with award shows overall. And that's that they've not given enough Awards on screen like Take, for example, the Grammys, it's just a bunch of musical performances. They'll give out like maybe five awards, but there's actually like, 100 throughout the night, or what, you know, I don't know exactly how it works, but it doesn't happen on camera, right. So I think what we'll say is, if we're going to add all this other stuff, musical performances, which I'm cool, if it's a game soundtrack, you know, guest speakers game reveals. But let's still give out a decent maybe make it faster. Let's still give out a decent amount of boards during the printed the whole presentation. Let's not just give out three awards and say, Oh, well, there's actually 20 more that we gave away. You just didn't see it. No, I want to see it. Because I want to see people Yes, yeah, I might not go on the internet. Look at this stuff. I actually want to see the studio that made this game so I can check them out. You know, so um, absolutely. What do you have anything else you want to say on that? No. All right. Well,

Red:

no, not really. I mean, I just do the reveals and all that shit. Do that in E three, do that on your own tendo tree houses or your Sony showcase or your Microsoft? I forget.

Hick:

Remember, the Game Awards are always at the end of the year, which is around the holidays. So we'll see a game reveal stupid because you're not going to get it for the holidays, I guess.

Red:

But I couldn't get it for another year to be. Yes. Yeah. That's about all I had it. But you know, you know, gaming awards. You know, we talked about the studios getting to come out and celebrate, like their creations and their accomplishments and in gaming awards really are a chance for the studios to get that bragging rights for their games. And I feel like studios is not something we talk a lot about on this podcast, even though we could probably sit here and rattle off 20 or 30 of them. And some of our favorite man is historically speaking probably maybe not active right now. Yeah, let's take a little bit of time talking about Game Studios. What are some of your favorites? What are some things about like you know, their styles that bring you to them? And do certain game studios are their studios that make you want to go out and buy their games no matter what so I'm just gonna turn it over to you go nuts on studios.

Hick:

This is something that I've actually been paying more attention to lately, like back in the day, I didn't pay attention to it at all like you know, obviously I knew that Nintendo made their own games but when you get away from like Nintendo and Sony and Microsoft, like I didn't pay that much attention, but now I am because I'm starting to use Kinect the whole thing like if you play a game from a studio and you enjoy it like you want check out game other games from that studio brought this hook like you know I did for me was I'm playing New Super Lucky's tale and just I'm absolutely loving it just a great I'm a huge fan of 3d platformers like I've always said I love 2d platformers too, but they're too damn hard developers. I'm gonna say 2d platformers I'm gonna get on you make your damn 2d platformers easier. Give me a difficulty level that I can change to make the game easier

Red:

for Celeste has been your weapon boy has been

Hick:

more than that Ravel was an oriental will the last Jedi who play that one because I tried to play the first one. I got to level three and couldn't get past the jump. So anyways, 3d I love 3d platformers and playing New Super Lucky's tale. And she's the game like I'm really really enjoying the game like the art style is beautiful. It's very playful is very cute. And this is one of the things that matters the most to me. It controls like really well, like I'm much up to Mario levels controls, then we'll get

Red:

that high praise. Yeah.

Hick:

And so it's just smooth. And so this guy has me thinking, I don't know if this studio is by playful studios. I don't know they've actually done any other games. I'm sure they Yeah, I looked at their Twitter, they had like a lot of characters, like on their cover photo, so I'm sure they have other games, or they're all from that one game. I don't know. But um, you know, it got me thinking like, I would actually love to check out other games by the studio, which kind of brings us to our whole conversation here. Like you know, studios are becoming more and more important, I think because you know, you got ones that develop vantastic games like Naughty Dog, like they have Uncharted they had the last of us, The Last of Us, so like when they released that aside it spit it out there. So like when they release a game it's like, you know, it doesn't matter like if I think I'll like your night it's like oh, night dog made this like yeah, I'm gonna check that out is the same way with the cyberpunk 2077 is CD Projekt RED like Witcher three like okay, well like cyberpunk 2077 is my type of game I don't know, but I know who made it and so I want to check it out. And like I said, this is something that I really didn't pay a lot of attention to. But I have more lately I think a lot of is like you like a particular game obviously it studios for the most part they make similar games Yeah, they will throw like you know, a screwball here and there and do something differently but for the most part, studios have an identity it's so it's just like I don't know what to expect from him you really gives you an idea like for what games you exactly what to play next, but I'll go with you count, like you know, how do you go about studios? How does it determine what games you might play next, you know, blah blah. Just said whatever like the

Red:

last couple times and I made fun of my own transition, but that was just beautiful. So it is funny and like studios seem to becoming like more and more I'm not sure prominence the right word, but more public like more out there. And and I'm not sure if that's just where the industry social media, that's a huge part of it. Or if it's just the fact that the last couple years you and I have gotten more into like obviously with the podcast and the YouTube channel, we've been talking more and more about games, we're researching it more

Hick:

so I wonder if YouTube related Zelda so you know, we weren't doing that but definitely the podcast has kind of opened our eyes to more about gaming it really

Red:

has so but I really love talking about like these studios and also the whole like and this isn't even really you know related but like the relationship between studios and their publishers and stuff like that, but no, I you absolutely hit it on the nail on the head when you said if you play a game or two that you love from a studio You are so much more likely to look forward to Yeah, the next game and even potentially buy it like sight unseen. Like you know, CD Projekt RED was a perfect example like Witcher three is for one of us. I mean, God you've heard us talk about it on this podcast so many every episode it comes up for something and it is you know, it makes CD it makes a cyberpunk an absolute must by no matter what like I trust their work enough that even though they're shifting from a fantasy, you know, RPG to this first person shooter still an RPG, but like a whole different perspective, a whole different setting. I'm excited to do they do with Naughty Dog. Absolutely perfect example like I was gonna buy The Last of Us part two, no matter what I was gonna buy Uncharted four, no matter what it's like they set a bar some of these studios set a bar so high that you know, you're gonna go out and buy the next game. Yes, because like you loved, maybe not everything but a lot of what they've done before, or even like, and this is kind of almost a backhanded compliment. Something like Ubisoft in Montreal that is responsible for the vast majority of the Assassin's Creed. The Far Cry games. It's like, if you buy an Ubisoft game, you kind of know what you're getting. Yeah, big open world with a lot of question marks on the app with some fun mechanics and like, you know, it's it's, on the one hand

Hick:

that's half assed graphics are playing on pc 900 DPI, so maybe I shouldn't bash on it that much.

Red:

Right. So you know, like, on the one hand, you're like, yeah, okay, maybe it's familiar. Maybe that's not the greatest compliment. But on the other hand, they're usually pretty high quality games. And there is something to be said for the familiarity of picking up an Assassin's Creed game or a far cry game. So like, I do so sorry, Ubisoft Montreal. That was a little backhanded. Like I said, but you know, there's something to be said for like that security blanket, you know, about the level of excellence or come

Hick:

up stop. It's like, could they do better? You're like, Yeah, but then like, if they wince they might be like, No, no, no, come back. Come back. Right.

Red:

Exactly. It's like I'd like to see them try to like push themselves a little bit. But hey, they know that they

Hick:

push the envelope like they need to like yeah, their games are spectacular. No, no, no, their games are good. They need to be great.

Red:

They and they could be they could be I

Hick:

know there's so many moving parts and they're giant open world games. release that may that's the problem is they released too many games right? They just said more. Now I understand that whole part two of it you know why they didn't release the game once every three years when we can release it once a year and it's gonna sell like hotcakes

Red:

or you can do the another studio that we both generally like Rockstar, you know it's what frickin Grand Theft Auto five is about to be on its third video.

Hick:

Coming out on next gen console to

Red:

console it's been on freakin ps3 ps4 it's about to be on PS five. I mean, I know we had Red Dead Redemption two in there and they keep making their changes to the online. But it's still like blows my mind again, if you buy an open world Rockstar game, you know what you're gonna get? I mean, I have not changed that much from what was it? Grand Theft Auto three was the first massive like huge success. And you know, since then,

Hick:

here's the thing, I understand what they're doing. Let's kind of go off topic, obviously. So we're on topic tangent, about Grand Theft Auto five, like, Okay, I understand the whole concept of doing a bunch of online stuff and everything right, right. But okay, you need to release Grand Theft Auto six, and then continue that going forward. Like they released this game so long ago, when the whole online and downloadable content wasn't that big of a deal. So right like make one more game and if you want go like the halo infinite route, which we think Halo is going to go That's what they say you can do that. But at least give us a new game and then do DLC forever.

Red:

Remember how and yeah, we are kind of going off a rabbit trail here. But remember how excited everyone was at like the PlayStation like first game footage reveal rockstars logo came up and they're like, Oh, it's another port.

Hick:

Six is like nope, nope, just some DLC another port.

Red:

Oh my god, that was ridiculous. But you know, like, there is something to be said though, for these studios that just they stay in their lane. They're good at what they do you know what you're going to get from them. I gotta say, though, and I think I have one of the best examples of this I've ever seen is when a studio does decide to get out of that lane and try something different. Like it can be scary. And as a fan of the studio, you might be like, Hey, what are you guys doing? What are you guys do it but freakin Guerrilla Games, man, they went from making a first person shooter series it was just me you know just okay. Not to critically acclaimed to make in Horizon Zero Dawn would Yeah, massive, massive success for the PlayStation four eventually made its way to PC and it's gonna have a sequel that's gonna sell like gangbusters on PlayStation five. If you might have it. Oh, yeah. If anyone has one. Yeah, those 35 fuckers sitting on him up there. Yeah. Okay. But would you like when a studio maybe tries to like branch out and do something a little different?

Hick:

I do now with Sucker Punch. They did a goshima Oh, is that kind of like in line with it? What they do? Or was that some I not looked into sucker punch that much. So was that completely different? Or was that kind of in line

Red:

they had done like a superhero kind of open, they did the infamous series, which was like a superhero. Talk about so still a little open world. But I think shifting over to like the ghost of Tsushima was a bit of a pivot for them for

Hick:

me, as well as things like, do I like it depends on the game. Like I mean, if you say or do something differently, and it's actually terrible, then no,

Red:

I don't like get back in your lane. Oh,

Hick:

it's awesome. Yes, I do like it. But I don't mind them trying, I don't mind is to say, Hey, we're gonna try a little something different. You keep on doing the same thing over and over, you're never going to progress. So you got to get there and try something different. So I do admire any studio that tries to do something different. Now do I like it or not? It depends, you know, we're talking about gaming, video games, it depends on how good the game is. But there's also kind of relate to that. We can also kind of talk about Santa Monica and maybe how you don't do a different game, a different style game, but you do like a franchise differently with god of war. Like you know, first three games, they kind of follow a certain like, you know, structure and style. And then like, you know, they kind of stayed a little bit close to that path. But with the new god of war, they really changed up how that game was played and everything so I wouldn't say that's completely different. But you know, it is different a little bit it's a tweet, or something like that because man that guy I mean that's definitely a top 10 game for me like that was just an amazing experience so you don't have to necessarily go out and do a whole different style game maybe you just need to change up your formula a little bit and maybe that can like do just like you know go like do worlds for you which it did because they weren't Game of the Year I thought that Red Dead Redemption two is gonna clean up everything that I was pretty glad game or one but um, you know, just I've really liked I really like the studios I'm getting into a more that gives me an idea of what games at checkout next. And I really like how they're pushing things forward. Like you know, trying to venture in and just figure out what works for them. What can work for them. What do we got changed? What don't we change but um, anyways, kind of talking about the Hey In gaming and the people that control gaming Well, I went I don't know, if you say that studios control they do a little bit they control gaming a little bit.

Red:

Some of those to really

Hick:

control gaming are Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony. And here's kind of what I want to present to you. In the future. We're streaming, is there a chance that we see maybe Sony and mica now this is a ways down the road, right? There a world a gaming world that we can see Sony and Microsoft get out. And companies like, you know, Amazon, or Google, like, you know, come into this whole streaming thing, because they've already gotten started with it. And what made me think about this was blockbuster and Netflix. How everybody was like blockbuster will never die. Netflix came in with a new model streaming, and it put blockbuster out of business. So it can happen but yet, what do you think in the future? Do you think something like this could happen? Well, first of all, Netflix

Red:

just raise its prices? About two or three? I got that email last week. Anyway. No, it is absolutely something that can happen. And I know you always sit here say oh, they're they're so big, Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo are all so engrained in the gaming industry. You can't ever imagine them going away. But it wasn't that long ago that people we're talking about Nintendo switching to making video games only instead of consoles. And we saw what happened with Sega. So I could already met Atari. Yeah,

Hick:

that's an old school example. But hey, we were that old way. Yeah, well, we are that old. Not Dead Yet,

Red:

but but I can definitely see. And I think the more likely of the two is Sony. I mean, because Microsoft has really seems like it invested the money into PC two. They had the PC money, they have the you know, they've got windows, they're good there but they're also doing the x cloud and they're they're really trying to diversify like their gaming base their whole message generation has been as you know, yeah. It's all been game the way you want to and that includes the streaming with x cloud and also the fact that Microsoft kind of has buck your money and and to give money to Microsoft on a little Well yeah,

Hick:

they probably have more Yeah, there's windows on every single computer in the world.

Red:

Exactly. Exactly. So but like whereas PlayStation I know like PlayStation now is trying to get there and things like that, but it just seems like x i

Hick:

feel like they're a little behind

Red:

the Yeah, Xbox is a little more on the forefront even like I said Amazon and Google for as much as we've bashed especially on poor on poor Google,

Hick:

but even still feel sorry for Google they know poor Google they don't shitty with stadia that's on Oh man, they really hard for them.

Red:

I haven't even heard shit about stadia and like good

Hick:

that's how

Red:

But no, it's like I could see a future where like maybe Sony gets out of it or just because I feel like they haven't invested in it enough as much as some of these other companies have. And plus Sony I mean, you know Sony's got its TV money. It's got all its other appliances. It's it's not hurting. Yeah, at least as far as I know. I'm not an investor or insider or any of that stuff. But I could definitely see if like these consoles get to the point where like, the you know, the games aren't making enough money the consoles making aren't making enough money. They're not making enough off the subscriptions like PlayStation Plus or Playstation now, then I can see where they kind of go by the wayside. Yeah. And like I said, Microsoft is at least trying to get into that industry with the x cloud and everything like that. The one that does concern me that has done nothing for its online infrastructure is Nintendo. And there will always be the diehard Nintendo fans. I

Hick:

mean, we're out there first party games are so good, though.

Red:

First party collection is amazing. But I mean, all it takes is like one or two generations in or like let's say the switch would have failed as bad as the the Wii U did.

Hick:

Oh, I think I don't know possible.

Red:

That'd be a pretty amazing. Yeah. I could see a future where we're one or two, get just kind of go by the wayside, because that's streaming. But

Hick:

what do you think I said, Nintendo for a long time, needs to have like a little streaming box, like, you know, an Apple TV, Amazon, fire, TV cube, whatever the hell it's called. You just have that and you can stream every single game that is in their library, like day is what Nintendo needs to do. But they're not. They're not capitalizing, they're not taking advantage of it. So um, I think it's pi. We're running out of time, but I definitely think it's possible. I think it's going to be very interesting over these next, let's say next gen seven years, it's gonna be very interesting to see how streaming takes is definitely going to take over gaming a little bit. But how far exactly does it go? It will we see consoles, like, you know, the big console systems, will we see them go away and they just become like, you know, like your streaming devices like little boxes and you

Red:

wouldn't have to worry about running out and getting a PlayStation six on launch day. Yep, yep, yep.

Hick:

Now read. I know behind the scenes, we talked about doing a game next episode, but I'm not gonna lie my personal life. I got a little project. I'm working on the garage in the garage insulation and drywall. So red. Let's put up that game that we talked about for Episode 39. We'll just talk about the industry. Next episode anyways, sounds good once you wrap up all the links will be in the description but you can support us on Patreon or PayPal. If you can't support financially leave a review or rating and be sure to check out our websites mainly just tg PC gaming. We got a lot of video game merchandise on there. It's very very cool. We also have a blog and we may earn a commission on purchases through our links read you can talk about some of the other stuff we got going on.

Red:

Well we're all over YouTube we have two YouTube pages we have two guys playing Zelda and we have tgp z gaming calm obviously or.com It's a YouTube page but obviously the two guys playing Zelda Zelda oriented DGP z gaming is all gaming a lot of our Busted Buttons podcasts end up on their our our Discord server is so much fun. We talk we talk Nintendo Xbox, PlayStation sports, booze, TV shows we talk everything over their

Hick:

chips you bear tell me how to get those PS five units are gonna ban you from the discord.

Red:

All right. And of course we're on social media. You can check us out on Twitter and Instagram. We're at Busted Buttons PC. thank everyone for listening in. We're looking forward to coming back next week and keep on getting Episode

Hick:

Episode. Next episode but we will see you on the next episode.

Next-Gen Console Scalpers
1st Person vs 3rd Person Shooters
Video Game Award Shows
Video Game Studios
Big Players Exiting Gaming?
Wrap Up