gaming news – Page 27 – The Gaming News Corner

Fortnite will launch directly to Android Users

Fortnite is finally releasing for Android but it won’t be on Google Play. To download it, you’ll have to do it directly from Epic‘s website. It will be downloaded as a typical APK file. Don’t download from any other website. There are a lot of scams or fake APK files for Fortnite out on the smartphones. Most Android users aren’t aware that Fortnite is not released for Android.

Why isn’t it on Google Play?

Google takes a 30% tax from each download. 70% covers everything including maintenance, development, operations. With direct downloads, Epic makes and saves more money with direct downloads. Epic can make more money and they are popular enough to have a separate download.

Which phones are supported?

You’re gonna need a strong phone to run Fortnite. According to Eurogamer, the Samsung Galaxy S7 is the base level to run Fortnite.

Sources:

Polygon

Eurogamer

Sea of Thieves’ Player Pool Expands

Sea of Thieves release this March and was criticized for the lack of content. It found a niche with players and content creators who took advantage of the cooperative gameplay and quick gameplay. According to Xbox News, Sea of Thieves racked up 300M views on YouTube and more than 40M live broadcast hours on Twitch. With weekly challenges and a consistent stream of free content, Sea of Thieves continued to grow and now has 5 million “pirates” spanned across Xbox and PC platform.

Upcoming Content kept the game afloat

The early criticism was justified on Sea of Thieves. Considering the game was released for full price, players skeptical of the luster of the game. Microsoft and Rare announced released six free DLC at E3 which kept players invested in the long run. The Hungering Deep was released earlier this year and added more dangers to the sea. Cursed Sails releases today, July 31st, and will add time-limited content to bring players back. It will also have Skelton Ships, ghost bullets, and alliances to shake up the world.

Players raise their own stakes

The biggest gameplay influence is actual players. Forming crews, exploring islands, collecting treasure, attacking other player ships, and open negotiations are unique game features that players control. There is no set meta or a “proper” way to play Sea of Thieves which gives players the freedom to play however they like. Gameplay is fairly simple and it is easy for new players to jump in.

I’ll be honest. I didn’t think Sea of Thieves was going to do well but I am glad to see the game become a success for Microsoft and Rare. Many old fans of Rare worried that the company had died under Microsoft‘s acquirement. Rare’s most recent success was their Rare Replay which is a just collection of their past games. Hopefully, Sea of Thieves brings new energy to the studio. I hope to sea future impressive changes to the game.

Sources:

Xbox News

Polygon

Valve adds the ability to see your Loot Boxes

As controversy continues regarding loot boxes in Video Games, Valve has taken the initiative to improve the process for their games. Dutch and Belgium have threatened to prosecute gaming companies regarding loot boxes in games. Their ruling stated

“Loot boxes contravene the law if the in-game goods from the loot boxes are transferable. Loot boxes do not contravene the law if the in-game goods from the loot boxes aWhre not transferable.”

Dutch declared four games were guilty and two games are from Valve. The government declared loot boxes had monetary value content but didn’t properly showcase what you earned as it is based on chance. Earlier in June, Valve disabled opening loot boxes and trading gear in the Netherlands, Belgium and Deutschland in CS:GO (Counter-Strike: Global Operative) and DOTA 2 (Defense of the Ancients 2).

Now Valve has taken another step for those regions. For DOTA 2, Dutch players can see what the loot box will contain before purchasing it. The game now restricts players by only allowing one box purchase at a time and removing the box opening animation.

Why these specific changes?

The removal of multiple purchases to prevent players from potentially mass purchasing boxes. Previously, multiple box purchases gave you small discounts or extra bonuses for more boxes. Regarding the animation, many loot boxes had fancy animations that were designed to make players feel good about opening them. Psychologist defines the feeling as ‘variable rate reinforcement.’ The adrenaline rush and the dopamines in your brain affect you more if you are unaware of the rewards but they are delivered on a periodic basis. Each game has their own animation and developers put extreme effort to make it look, sound, and feel amazing.

Do you want to see these changes in North America? Or do you think these changes aren’t the right steps to change loot boxes?

Sources

PC Gamer – The Joys of Opening Loot Boxes

Valve: CS:GO Forum 7/11 Patch

PCGAMESN – Removal of Trade in the Netherlands

Eurogamer

Eurogamer – Removal of Box Trading

Codemasters Defends huge layoffs and the Cons for Video Game Developers

Codemasters is a video game company with a focus on racing games. They are well-known for their racing games series such as Dirt, F1, and Grid. They have been in the industry since 1986. Despite their longevity, not all of their games have been successful. Earlier this year, they released OnRush, a unique racer with a focus on destroying other cars during a race. The game sold extremely poorly and barely sold 1,000 units in Europe according to Eurogamer.

Whether in response or to make back the money from the development of OnRush, Codemasters laid off many senior staff members and lead designers -including Driveclub and OnRush director Paul “Rushy” Rustchynsky. Junior members were also let go. Some employees had to re-interview for a position at the company. Employees felt the lay-off was sudden as most expected to support upcoming Codemasters titles and help develop less ambitious games.

In response to the Layoffs

While it is common for Video Game companies to have large layoffs after a game has finished, releasing the senior staff will make it difficult for making future games. Despite this, Codemasters defends the layoffs by stating “It is normal course of business for game teams to evolve as projects launch and move into service, and as other new projects start.” The spokesperson is partially correct. To keep the cost of development down, many companies hire developers as contractors.

Difficulties of the Industry

According to TargetCW, a recruiting company, ten to fifteen percent of developers are contractors for big games. Since contractors don’t receive employee benefits, companies save 30% in cost. It is rare for contractors to ever be converted to full-time employees. Often, contractors stay on for a year or more in hopes of conversion. Many young developers will be contractors for many years. The gaming industry is idealized. As huge game budgets increase, more companies found alternative methods to save on cost. Perhaps what Codemasters said is partially correct that is common to lay off contractors and employees after a game development, it doesn’t mean it’s okay. With this news breaking, hopefully, more unions or changes to protect employees in the gaming industry.

Eurogamer – Original Interview with Former Employees

Polygon – Difficulties of Contract work

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