Will there be a next gen Joy-Con? (Picture: Salvo Lo Cascio and Riccardo Cambò Breccia)
The Thursday letters page considers the relative popularity of Zelda and Metroid, as a reader hopes EA and Sony do a superhero crossover.
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Next gen Joy
As everyone speculates on what games could be coming early on to the Nintendo Switch 2, my question is will it still have Joy-Cons? Everything says that Nintendo should keep the same basic form factor for the new console but the problem there is that they don’t want the two consoles to be mistaken for each other. They want people to recognise a Switch 2 and make sure they buy that one.
So, I think the main part of the console will be as different as they can make it, while still being essentially a big giant screen. But how will the Joy-Cons work? Surely the current idea is too good to just throw away, but how do Nintendo make them seem new and worthwhile?
If I knew that then I could be working for Nintendo myself, but my guess would be that they’ll make them larger and have them expand out in some way so that they’re a bit bigger. They’re very small if you’re using just one and I’d like to see them address that.
I’d also be interested in more motion controls too, since I think they’ve done a good job with the Switch and only having it in games where it’s optional. Very interested to see that first reveal now, to see if I’m right!
Brontoburger
Numberwang
So let me get this straight, in the month that Starfield came out, Game Pass subscriptions went up but the number of consoles sales actually went down? Isn’t that… pretty terrible? I’m sure Starfield didn’t put people off buying an Xbox but looking at the stats, you can’t actually prove it.
Game Pass subs were up, but doesn’t that just mean that people that already own an Xbox paid up for probably just that month to play the game and probably will not pay beyond that. That’s still money in the bank but it doesn’t sound like all that much.
Maybe Call Of Duty will convince people to subscribe for longer, I can see Microsoft’s thinking behind the acquisition, but I’m not convinced. If you’re going to be that much of a skinflint wouldn’t you just rather stick with the free Warzone? I get the feeling this is not all going to go to plan.
Lemro
A tier below
Metroid Prime 4 could be a good launch game for Switch 2 even if previous games in the series haven’t been the biggest hits. I remember before Zelda: Breath Of The Wild that Zelda games were fairly poor sales wise and had a niche audience, but it’s now considered one of the most successful thanks to the reinvention of the series in the two Switch titles.
Metroid 4 could have the same effect on the Metroid series.
Mark Matthews
GC: Zelda didn’t sell poorly; it just didn’t sell as much as you’d think given its renown. Prior to Breath Of The Wild (which has sold 30.65 million on Switch) the best-selling Zelda was Twilight Princess on GameCube with 8.85 million. Metroid Dread is the best-selling entry in its franchise, on 3.07 million, followed by Metroid Prime 1 on 2.84 million. We agree Metroid Prime 4 would be good for launch, but we think it’d have to be accompanied by something more mainstream.
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That’s what we said
I have three months’ free Game Pass, which came with my new laptop, so decided to give Starfield a try, and all I can say is hmmm…
I kinda knew what to expect from the reviews, but until I actually played it myself, I didn’t realise just how pointless the space setting is. Why bother setting a game in space if you’re literally just clicking on a menu every time you want to travel anywhere!? It also doesn’t help that the combat, characters, and plot are all far less interesting than the Mass Effect series.
I’m currently about eight hours in, and on the fence as to whether or not I’ll bother finishing it.
Drlowdon
GC: We have to agree, the greatest achievement of Starfield was to have us pine for more Mass Effect.
Hit-led business
It is amazing how few big franchises Activision actually has, considering they’re the biggest games publisher in the world. Just goes to show that quality is more important than quality, or rather that one big hit can completely sink or swim a company, no matter what else they’ve got going on.
Crash Bandicoot, Tony Hawk’s Pro-Skater, Spyro/Skylanders, and Guitar Hero are the only ones worth noting and none of those are classic era 8 or 16-bit franchises and none have been major hits recently. Crash Bandicoot 4 did slightly meh and that was it, Activision just gave up on anything else instantly.
I’d like to see this change under Microsoft and yet I still can’t think of anything wilder they could bring back, that would be different that the other reboots we’ve had over the last 10 years or so.
Spamo
Two predictions
I’m loving Super Mario Bros. Wonder and have now completed it with two different people, neither of which are gamers but both enjoyed it anyway. Like any good fan though I’m not grateful, I just want more. But I have doubts as to whether Nintendo would eve make DLC for it.
They’re not strangers to the concept but it seems every time they tried to make a Mario expansion they end up going hog wild and turning it into a full game. I’m not complaining, since that’s how we got the amazing Super Mario Galaxy 2, but I do wish there was a little less of a gap between these amazing games.
A team pumping out new levels and Wonder Flowers would be amazing. I’d pay a subscription for that, but not for whatever low cost, random game they can stuff on to PS Plua to make it look like a lot. I know it’s Nintendo but in my opinion they should’ve done this for Animal Crossing as well. It’s crazy to leave all that money on the table and just stopping making things for it.
So, in conclusion: I really want DLC for Super Mario Bros. Wonder but I bet I never get it.
Focus
Speak up
An internet connection to use a disc drive?! Now I’ve heard it all. It’s always amazing when these things happen that not a single person at Sony, or wherever, ever thought to point out that it was a bad idea and that the adverse publicity would be far worse than whatever purpose they think it solves.
Stopping modding or piracy? The thing will be cracked and hacked a week before it’s even out, I bet. A completely pointless gesture that only goes to show just how out of touch Sony is beginning to get.
Shawny
More: Trending
Cross-company support
Very impressive sales for Spider-Man 2 but I find it strange that no one from Sony or Disney l has ever really commented on what exactly their exclusivity arrangements are and how much they can involve other Marvel characters. The game has the Avengers tower, the Wakandan embassy, and I think Doctor Strange’s house, although I haven’t found that yet.
So they obviously allow references, even if there are no actual cameos or anything. Although maybe that will change with Wolverine? Especially as it is being made by the same people. Spidey and Wolverine often get on in the comics, so I’d like to see a team-up for at least a couple of missions.
But presumably Sony can’t make an Iron Man or Black Panther game because EA has got that licence. It’s a bit of a shame as I’d to see the Spider-Man games become the start of a game non-cinematic universe, with the different heroes meeting up over the course of several games and then taking on a big bad together.
I don’t see how it happens though. Disney aren’t going to give Sony all the licences and can’t now anyway, for what I assume will be at least five or 10 years. But could we see companies working together to create a shared universe? That’s never been done before but as long as they share the profits is there any reason they shouldn’t?
Of course, you’ve got the additional problem that the Spider-Man games are PlayStation exclusives but, dammit, I want them to try anyway.
Ishi
Inbox also-rans
Of all the infinite number of ways that Microsoft could’ve chosen to flatter Blizzard, comparing them to Pixar seems like the silliest. What is it even meant to mean? I see absolutely no similarities in the nature of their content, the way that they work, or the success they have achieved. Unless all their films are filled with bugs nowadays?
Korbie
Apparently it’s going to cost Microsoft $2.2 billion to integrate Activision Blizzard after the takeover. Crazy to think that’s small beans compared to the actual buyout. I hope it’s worth it.
HankRogers
This week’s Hot Topic
The subject for this weekend’s Inbox was suggested by reader Hammeriron, who asks what is the scariest moment or enemy from a non-horror video game?
There’s plenty of survival horror games that are specifically designed to scare you but what’s the most frightening moment from a game that’s not primarily a horror title? Was the moment or enemy meant to to be scary and if not, why did you find it frightening?
What’s your earliest memory of finding something scary in a video game and was that intended by the developer?
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The small print
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MORE : Games Inbox: Rating Xbox Game Pass as a failure, Elder Scrolls 6 evolution, and GTA 6 success
MORE : Games Inbox: Spider-Man 2 best video game opening ever, Switch 2 Donkey Kong, and Spider-Man 3 ideas
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The Thursday letters page considers the relative popularity of Zelda and Metroid, as a reader hopes EA and Sony do a superhero crossover.
