@zombiepie: @sparky_buzzsaw: This is certainly true, and sort of why I provided a cop-out answer of "this could also be the right answer, but I'm opposed for the following reasons."
I'll concede the list of now-ubiquitous features that Sparky provided, but I generally put far more stock in game mechanics and ideas than the meta level of marketing that surrounds and directs games these days by way of Early Access release periods, first-day patches, pre-launch DLC, microtransactions, lootboxes, and other short-sighted avarice that I'd hoped would eventually go away with some stricter industry oversight. It's sort of like judging a movie for appearing on streaming platforms instead of theatres or bowing to fan pressure (as per Rise of the Skywalker or the Sonic movie); those concerns are definitely shaping the future of that medium to an extent, but they're not what I would choose to focus on. (The Jimquistion I linked at the start goes into way more detail on the last decade of industry trends like the above though, and even if its cynicism is well-observed it's partly why I wanted to focus on game mechanics instead.)
As for @acura_max's response, I definitely have a blind spot for mobile games which seem content to exist entirely within their own (I'd say little, but the yearly earnings suggest otherwise) corner of the game industry. Same with eSports and the games that revolves around, all of which make huge bank and thus exert a lot of influence, though it's clear that any "eSports-ready" multiplayer game is doomed to a quick death if they can't find an audience. I sort of wonder how many of them will stand the test of time if they become almost impossible to play without active servers and a healthy userbase.
(As for Fortnite, I'm still a bit iffy on that. It clearly owes its success to PUBG after co-opting its battle royale model as a secondary mode to the lackluster PvE horde mode it started with, but the cash it's made since has allowed it to experiment and grow with all sorts of ideas that have spread to many games hoping to get a slice of its action. Gonna have to dwell on that one.)
@noboners: Switch. It was a little awkward using the analogue stick to move the cursor around, which I'll fully admit to doing for half the game before realizing I could use touch controls if I just played it undocked. Way better.
Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight and I, ZombiePie, am once again honored to be your host as we look back at the best creative endeavors from the Giant Bomb community! This week we have a diverse assortment of blogs, lists, reviews, and thread, but more on that latter. If there is one request I could make for all of you it would be to seek out the top blog of the week. After reading my commentary, I think you will all agree it's one of the most heart-warming things this year. Regardless, we have a lot of site-related housekeeping, so, let's jump right into it!
Two new Giant Bomb shirts will soon be available to pre-order! If you want a hint of one of the two designs, it's jea_rum's Alex Navarro's Junji Ito design from a while back. The second shirt is still a mystery and will likely be announced when pre-ordering becomes available.
Speaking of Giant Bomb merchandise, the Giant Bomb skateboard decks are shipping RIGHT NOW! If you pre-ordered a skateboard deck, you should expect to see it soon, and if not, feel free to contact Rorie on Twitter (@frailgesture).
For those who missed out on the skateboard decks the first time around, there should be a second opportunity to buy one coming soon!
On a Beastcast from June 2017, Alex spoke into existence Geoff Keighley’s Death Stranding appearance.@alex_navarro I hope you are ashamed of your words and deeds.
Giant Bomb's personal Extra Life 2019 page has raised $8,450! The Giant Bomb team has raised over $19,000 and currently features 106 MEMBERS! Donate and/or join the fun using the links above!
You can never count out Destiny 2 being a community endeavor worth following.
Some major changes are coming to clans in Destiny 2 with the release of the Shadowkeep update. Read what those changes include, and debate how you feel about them on our community Destiny 2 Clans and Grouping Utilities thread!
Who doesn't like the soundtrack from DOOM? Well, Giant Bomb user Hamst3r made a couple of DOOM music remixes that are definitely worth a listen! The two remixes they made this week combine surf rock with DOOM's throbbing death metal.
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Best Of Blogs
Here's the original character design for Vinny, as designed by the community in the thread.
Alright, so this is going to require a bit of storytelling on my part. About three years ago a Giant Bomb user by the name of Gyratyne accepted a job designing NPCs for Indivisible. They created a thread on the site when they got the job soliciting suggestions on possible Giant Bomb staff cameos. With the release of the game this week, it appears the character design proposed by the community for Vinny made the cut and you can encounter a character named "Vebaum Karravelli" in the final version of the game.
WillHeroX recently gave Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs a shot and details why they consider the original Pokémon Ranger one of the best Pokémon off-shoots out there.
Humanity finally got around to playing Devil May Cry 5 and uses their latest blog to extrapolate why they don't buy into the hype surrounding the game. Give it a read and discover why the game didn't "click" with them.
First, Mento admits to being a "lapse" Kingdom Hearts fan and uses their latest blog to share how they got themselves up to date with the franchise before jumping into Kingdom Hearts III! Second, Oknytt for their latest "Indie Game of the Week" blog! Give it a read, and I promise this one doesn't have too many puns, and discover why they enjoyed the cute little adventure game! Finally, Mento reviews everything they played and watched the month prior.
Here's what Vinny's "cameo" looks like in the final version of Indivisible.
Moderator Gamer_152 continues their retrospective on Titanfall 2 and how it is always providing players another tactical option and constantly shifting the gears of play. This week, they explore the design that makes it great.
Join The Discussions
And the Film and 40's feature for The Gate is must listen to material!
The issue of reviews always seems to whip up the Giant Bomb community into a frenzy. However, with the site's recent review format change winding down, what are your impressions of where reviews on the site go from here?
What is your preferred listening method for Giant Bomb's Film and 40's feature? Do you treat it like a podcast or do you watch the movie along with the staffers?
Speaking of Film and 40's, are you a cop? You have to tell me if you are a cop if I ask. Alright, Giant Bomb user HeelMAGGLE made a video version of this week's Film and 40's for The Gate. If you promise not to snitch, it's worth checking out.
With the end of the year drawing nigh, which game or games are your 2019 GOTY front-runners? Common Giant Bomb community picks include Sekiro, Fire Emblem, and Control.
Star Citizen Alpha 3.7 has launched, and if you want to discuss the additions and improvements with Giant Bomb users, here's the link to our community discussion thread!
Recently, Google Stadia's VP of engineering has made promises about the Stadia's use of "negative latency" will rectify any possible issues with lag. Do you buy this promise?
Do any of you prefer the top-down Legend of Zelda games to the open-world or 3D games? Which top-down Zelda games do you enjoy the most? Which handheld do you think had the "best" traditional Zelda game?
With the announcement of the PlayStation 5, which games do you think will launch with the new console as well as the next Xbox console? Share your predictions using the link above!
What is everyone's reaction to the Washington Post's new e-sports website, Launcher? Do any of you plan to use the site to follow e-sports and major gaming events?
Here's a fun, off-topic forum topic worth taking part in! Do you still use a phone case in the year of our lord, 2019? If you do, what material is your case made of? What style of kickstand, if any, does it feature?
Do you have any reactions to the recent controversy surrounding Blizzard and China? What do you make of Blizzard's statement after the fact? Which side of the issue do you err towards?
What is YOUR reaction to the recently announced delay of Doom Eternal? The majority of Giant Bomb users are saying they would rather wait and have the game be better, but what do you think?
Shenmue III is out in about ONE MONTH! Are there any Giant Bomb users out there who are waiting to play the game with bated breath? Use the link below to join our community "anticipation" thread.
Lovable Lists
This is the most adorable list I have ever seen on this site.
soupbones spent some time talking to their 11-year-old son and asked them to make a list of their all-time favorite video games. Here's what they ended up making!
Useful User Reviews
UNDEADPOOL uses their review of Control to argue why they felt it was the game "Remedy's been trying to make for a decade."
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