Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Warning: EA is now a Sith Lord

It's been speculated prior, but today's launch marks EA's making good on threats to cut into the used video game market. The problem: Autolog, from Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Autolog, for the uninitiated, is the expansive online component for the aforementioned title, providing access to races, tracking your friends' statistics, and providing unique challenges as play the game. Simple, right? No. Should you buy this game used don't expect to find an unusued activation code for Autolog in the packaging. Without this code you cannot go online or do any sort of interactive gaming inside of Need for Speed. Additionally, if you should chose to upgrade your console, your Autolog access will not move with you due to the terms and conditions currently stated upon activation. $10 bucks, buddy.

Needless to say, this is an act of pure greed on the part of Electronic Arts. The only give here is the first console used to activate Autolog will allow all Xbox Live Gold members on said console to access and play online freely. Move consoles? You're screwed. Want to pick up a used game because your budget dictates as much? Add $10 to the sticker price. Paid for your year of Gold for the multiplayer? That is so 2009 - pay again. Want to loan the game out to a buddy? Hope they enjoy solace.

I am disgusted by this practice. While I understand publishers do not make money on used games - that's too damn bad. Consumers have, will, and are legally entitled (in the US) to sell their property at any time of their choosing, without the meddling of the manufacturer. The system has been designed to work like this - to allow a fair share of consumer rights to exist. EA's greed is spit in the face of every gamer out there.

Microsoft and Sony have an obligation on the part of all Xbox Live and PSN users to step in and put a stop to this practice, immediately. XBL and PSN multiplayer cost money and have little reason to allow this practice. To pay for multiplayer and then be slapped with an additional fee for the same multiplayer is not something that should be tolerated by the console manufacturers - used game or not. This is wrong. Period.

EA, you are (pardon my french) greedy assholes.

Monday, August 16, 2010

1 vs. Chris Cashman: The Complete Interview

The complete audio for our interview with Chris Cashman is now available. Download it here.

You can also read and listen to each individual part below:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Hint: You can right click > save as to download the audio to your computer.

We would like to give a final shout out to Chris for sparing us some of his time. Thank you!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

1 vs. Chris Cashman: The Interview (Part 3)

On June 15, 2010 Microsoft announced the cancelation of the highly touted Xbox 360 experience known as 1 vs 100. Chris Cashman, host of the show, recently sat down with us for a chat where he discussed a variety of topics. In the third and final part of our interview we discuss his successes as a result of working on 1vs100 and ask if he has a final message for fans of the show.

Follow this link for our interview audio or check out the interview transcript following the jump.  Hint: You can right click > save as to download the audio to your computer. Our full length interview audio will be available on Monday, August 16.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

1 vs Chris Cashman: The Interview (Part 2)

On June 15, 2010 Microsoft announced the cancelation of the highly touted Xbox 360 experience known as 1 vs 100. Chris Cashman, host of the show, recently sat down with us for a chat where he discussed a variety of topics. In part two of our interview with Chris Cashman we discuss the evolution of 1vs100 Live, what it was like working with Microsoft, and some of his thoughts on the show’s cancelation. 

Follow this link for our interview audio or check out the interview transcript following the jump. Hint: You can right click > save as to download the audio to your computer.






Thursday, July 29, 2010

1 vs Chris Cashman: The Interview (Part 1)

On June 15, 2010 Microsoft announced the cancelation of the highly touted Xbox 360 experience known as 1 vs 100. Chris Cashman, host of the show, recently sat down with us for a chat where he discussed a variety of topics. In Part 1 we discuss how he got involved with 1 vs 100, how humor has influenced his life, his early gaming experiences, and his thoughts on the technology powering the show.


Follow this link for our interview audio or check out the interview transcript following the jump. Hint: You can right click > save as to download the audio to your computer.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

We've Moved!

Digital Stardust has moved to a new domain! Please point your bookmarks to digitalstardust.info. We've got great things planned, so keep your displayed tuned - exciting things are in store!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Going....going....


There was always a reason Garfield hated Mondays. Many owners of older PlayStation 3's will wake to the news of a late Sunday post over at the PlayStation blog announcing the "Install Other OS" option will be removed from the system in the upcoming firmware update.  The reason cited includes being able to "continue to have access to the broad range of gaming and entertainment content from SCE and its content partners on a more secure system." (Emphasis added.) Users can continue to keep this feature by declining to upgrade, at the expense of the PSN, "future" Blu-ray titles, media servers with DRM, and future PS3 features. (*cough* bullshit *cough*)

Bad form Sony, bad form. The "Install Other OS" option was a touted feature at console launch, and despite this particular option falling into obscurity, it sets a nasty precedent for the future of "fat" PS3s. We fully expect Sony to make some sort of statement, be it official or otherwise, reassuring gamers backwards compatibility or other features will not be removed from older consoles. Problem is, Sony has gone on record stating they don't intend to "bring back" backwards compatibility, and it's reasonable to assume this potentially means not supporting existing BC as well - an argument further supported by the gradual phase out over the console's lifespan. In addition to this, there's the factor of the cost of supporting multiple firmware options on the same basic system - Sony stands to save a lot by standardizing the features offered across all PS3s.


Are we saying BC or other features are going away? No, but Sony has most certainly planted some very sinister seeds of doubt in the minds of many and unfortunately the Japanese giant seems to have a way of causing seeds to bear fruit.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Six Months Later - Tidbits of Interest

Digital Stardust has been mute primarily for a single reason - we have had nothing to say for quite a while. Our stated mission statement remains "Analysis and Commentary on the Video Game Industry" but the problem is so little has changed in a significant way in the industry since our last post in August 2009. A few things have crossed the radar, but nothing alone has been enough to warrant a standalone post. Rather than continue to wait, we present several small items of interest we believe keep in line with our mission statement.

Analyst Claims Wii May be in Hot Water
Industry Gamer reports analyst Mike Hickey has been crunching the numbers and is predicting the Wii will "Fade meaningfully" during this year. Consoles typically last around four to five years in traditional lifespan, and the Wii appears to have been designed on this timetable. Nintendo is also releasing all their big-hitter titles this year (Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid: The Other M, and Zelda), leaving a fog of uncertainty once the release cycle completes. Can Nintendo afford to announce and launch another console when the 360 and PlayStation 3 appear to have plenty of steam left? Hickey suggests Nintendo instead offer a console price drop and open the door wider to third-party support.

Source: Industry Gamers


Music Gaming Sales Down
Billboard reports music gaming sales are down about half when comparing December 2008 to December 2009 ($468m to $250m). Several commentators around the internet have speculated, and I have to agree, the trend is being caused by lack of real innovation in the formula employed across most music games - timing notes move toward a fixed point on the screen and you press a button, hopefully in time with the music. This has been the case since beatmania and persists into recent titles such as Guitar Hero: Van Halen. Solution? Change the formula to be fresh and new. Will Power Gig accomplish this? Time will tell.

Source: Billboard


Reggie Has Spoken
One of DiS' biggest gripes is the lack of the Regginator's crowd-exciting speeches we heard back five years ago before the Wii launch. We're pleased to report Reggie has spoken with Forbes magazine. The results, however, have left us scratching our heads - for instance, Reggie indicates Mii clothing will not be made available as "it's not an idea that creates value for the consumer" (Nevermind the fact 360 Avatar clothing has made enough money to draw big names like Disney). He also states Nintendo is not interested in HD as it does not create new experiences for gamers. We smell a bit of Sony attitude here, and we don't like it.

Source: Forbes


GameStop Alternatives Going, Going, Gone?
Some shoppers love GameStop, some hate it (I do). It appears GameStop's position as one of North America's dominant game retailers has been strengthened with Movie Gallery's (owner of Game Crazy) filing for bankruptcy this week. Reports claim a combined 760 Movie Gallery, Hollywood Video, and Game Crazy stores will be shuttered. Several of my local Game Crazy stores have gone off into the abyss, so if you're inclined, check in with yours to ensure they'll be there when you need them.

Source: The Lamron


This is Digital Stardust, signing off.