wisdumcube

@xobballox said:

@Zaapp1 said:

@DukeT said:

Fantastic article Patrick. I have to say though, this trial is spinning out of control for Activision. I wouldn't be surprised if we heard about a settlement very soon.

Yeah, I can't imagine that Activision's willing to take many more statements being made public where they say they just want to get rid of their employees, true or otherwise.

I have a feeling that Jason West and Vince Zampella are not willing to settle. They are already rich, and are mostly out for revenge.

SO MANY SCOOPS

"Fortunately, they're all malnourished and out-of-shape due to their constant computer use, so you pretty much just have to hit them once to win."

DOES NOT COMPUTE.

Call of Duty: Brown Ops

Janitorial edition! (comes with a voucher for a solid gold plunger and an exclusive custodian skin)

...I spent the last ten minutes thinking of dumb COD sequels/spinoffs and this is my favorite.

HEY GUYS, I WONDER IF IT'S GOING TO BE BLACK OPS 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

I think everyone is really curious about the new design since it could affect the aesthetics and functionality of the site, and because of how fundamental this is, it's a much harder pull to upgrade than the occasional jar video, load our last save or some other nonsense.

Speaking as a concerned user I want this information easily available to me (basically free) because I feel more entitled to it since its such a bigger deal than the other stuff, especially given their acquisition by CBSi. However, I don't think its wrong for this to be premium content because if I was paying for a premium membership I would want exclusive access to any inside information about the redesign to justify my $50/year membership. I can't afford it, so I am not in this camp.

Ultimately, I recognize the value proposition of premium content, so, I can deal with not knowing this information, but at the same time, it's right there at the top of the page, being dangled in front of me, taunting me. Oh, Giant Bomb, why are you such a tease?

Edit: So apparently there wasn't anything important in that broadcast, but I still think this is an important discussion considering this might still come up again before the new design is launched.

@137 said:

I seriously doubt there is a lack of confidence with all of the smack talk in the ad campaign going on, but what are people going to do, cancel their pre-orders I don't even understand the repercussions a game company experiences when people take their 5 dollars back for a game that doesn't come out yet.

Maybe not among DICE, but EA is certainly showing signs of lacking confidence, or probably more accurately, they are anxious and cannot afford to have BF3 under-perform so they are trying to undercut MW3 at every opportunity, thinking this kind of ostentatious display will convince people to buy the game. The truth is that it forces a comparison between BF3 and MW3 that can only lead to disappointment and misaligned expecations. They are very different shooters, and these kind of tactics just encourages pointless flame wars between fanboys, and mislead consumers who might not be familiar with the Battlefield series and thinks its going to play like Call of Duty with better graphics and larger maps. Let the game stand on its own. Don't muck it up with needless aggression.

It sounds like BF3 could have used a couple more months of development time and distribution preparation. Obviously there are certain logistical realities that prevent a delay, including but not limited to the fact that no one wants to bump heads with MW3. There's a heavy air and an uncomfortable, unspoken anxiety surrounding the release of this game that I haven't felt before, almost as if everything could fall a part at any moment if the wind blows the wrong way. I don't know what kind of crazy acrobatics EA and DICE is are pulling behind the scenes to make everything come together at the last second, but it must be impressive because aside from a few rumors nothing seems terribly wrong on the surface. A massive marketing campaign goes a long way in hiding internal issues that may be present leading up to release, but it may doom them in the long run if the game comes out a buggy mess, and the likelihood of disappointment increases. I just had a thought: if the there is a day one patch, what does that say about the state of the game, printed on the disc? How will this affect consumers who are not connected to the internet and are buying BF3 for the campaign? What if there are much larger issues that haven't been "leaked" yet?

Everyone here who's disappointed because it's an old game need to be slapped across the face. Jesus, how old are you guys? When did it become acceptable to judge a game based on age or graphics only? Chrono Trigger is a masterpiece. And despite its dated graphics, the art style is still great, the mechanics hold up well, and the soundtrack is brilliant and memorable. Well, this is my opinion anyway.

Additionally, I don't understand how people can get so flustered just because it wasn't exactly what game they wanted or what pairing they wanted. Based on how some of you are reacting and what kind of specific expectations you had, it would seem that It was impossible to please you all from the start.

Oh well, it doesn't affect my enjoyment of it.