Will it be a good one this year? (Credits: Frank Micelotta/Picturegroup)

The Wednesday letters page thinks GTA 6 will be very different to its predecessors, as one reader looks forward to the next Monster Hunter.

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The longest night
With The Game Awards having long taken over from E3 and its pretenders as the biggest event to announce new games at, and having a pretty well-respected awards show, it’s kind of become the most important day in the calendar for gamers. Which is a little weird as it’s December, when nothing that’s shown is likely to be out for months.

Either way, I’m going to stay up and watch the whole thing this year. Or at least try to. Which I imagine guarantees this will be a boring one and GTA 6 will actually be the next day or something. It’s got to be at the awards though, hasn’t it? It’s really popular, as far as I understand, so the built-in audience is huge and there’s no reason I can see why Rockstar wouldn’t want to take advantage of that.

Plus, it sounds like a new Monster Hunter, probably a shadow drop for Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox… I think it’s gong to be big. I do wish it was on at a time of day that wasn’t entirely to suit America though.
Grant

Staff changes
I do feel GTA fans are maybe setting themselves up for a fall with the new game. The recent Reader’s Feature contemplating the idea that it might be a disappointment had a point. It has been a very long time since GTA 5 and a lot of people have left Rockstar since then, and you can’t get anyone more important than the three main writers.

If tech people leave they can be replaced with the player realising but everyone’s going to know if the style of jokes and dialogue is different. I don’t see how it can be, to be honest, considering those people are no longer there. That doesn’t mean it can’t be as good, or maybe even better, but I am definitely prepared for it being different.
Kobold

Scrolling on
Bethesda trying to get people to change their negative reviews on Steam is just about the saddest thing I’ve ever seen a games company go. My respect for the company has really sunk since Starfield. They’re so high on their own hype that they refuse to change their ways and that’s why the game was a disappointment.

It was using outdated tech and refused to change in any way from Skyrim and Fallout, just bolt on some uninteresting space battles and start a weird reliance on fast travel. It’s not that they couldn’t do better it it’s that they didn’t think they needed to, and that’s what loses my sympathy.

Now watch them convince themselves that it’s everybody else that’s wrong and they’re right about the game being a classic, so that nothing gets changed for The Elder Scrolls 6. I’m willing to bet that will be a disappointingly small step up from Skyrim and all because Bethesda believe their own hype.
Golem

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Suddenly famous
As a fan of Monster Hunter for many years I’m still kind of shocked that World was such a big hit. I was used to the games being super niche and having to hunt (do you see what I did there?) for other people to play with. To find it suddenly become a mega hit after all these years warms my heart.

I’m not sure what to expect from the new game but I’m hoping to be surprised. My preference would be if it wasn’t a sequel to World, just because I like to see all-new locales, but obviously it’s the monsters that are the most important.

Hopefully they’ll be able to take full advantage of the next gen consoles, as I’d like to see some big improvements in the monster animations, to make them more fluid, and more destructive scenery. Basically, make it as realistic and beautiful as possible. Also, a proper Triceratops style monster, it’s been too long!
Rosti

Digital takeover
On the one hand I can understand kids being the least aware of/nostalgic over physical video games but aren’t they also the group that’s most likely to be short of money? You would’ve thought they’d appreciate being able to trade them in for something else.

Mind you, if their parents are thinking of spending over £400 on them at Christmas it doesn’t seem like they have any money worries. Where was the survey conducted? Beverly Hills?

But seriously, it’s sad to think we’re racing towards a digital only future and the reality Xbox One imagined, where nobody owns anything and games can disappear without warning, will proven to be only a decade too early.

We’ll miss it when it’s gone, but unfortunately, unlike 4K Blu-ray there’s no difference to playing a digital game compared to a physical one and so it’s harder to convince those on the fence of the merits.
Dempsie

Boardroom role
I think I know why Gabe Newall does not make single-player games anymore.

A look at the Steam concurrent player charts will show the answer. Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Team Fortress 2 regularly either top the chart or remain in the top 10, basically always. Counter-Strike 2 clocks over 1 million concurrent players during a 24 hour period almost every day it seems.

Valve were one of the first developers to embrace microtransactions when they became a thing. When over 1 million players play Counter-Strike 2 every day, you can see why they put their resources into these types of games.

Oh, and if things could get any better for them, they just did. Steam Deck has been selling like hot cakes, and now the OLED version has just released to very favourable reviews across the gaming media.

I get the impression they are not sitting in their offices doing nothing with their time.

They don’t make games now that I myself play, and I would love a Half-Life 3 also, but I am not surprised by their output these days.
r-s-w

GC: Unless you’re suggesting that they’re only in it for the money, that doesn’t answer the question of why they don’t make non-VR single-player games anymore. Especially when you realise that it cannot be because of a lack of resources.

Next Friday
Am I the only one that was getting annoyed by the constant talking of the pawns in the new Dragon’s Dogma 2 footage, just by watching it? I can’t imagine what it’s like to actually play it, if they’re like that all that time.

I never played the original but was mildly interested in the sequel because it’s Capcom but I dunno, I think I’ll wait for next Black Friday at best.
Coulthard

More: Trending

From Game Boy to Steam Deck
Literally never thought this would be possible. One of the most graphically advanced and massive titles running on a handheld system. It speaks to how far handheld gaming has come. If you think about it, we’ve gone from running a game like Snake on a mobile device to Alien Isolation being ported to Switch. From Resident Evil 4 releasing on GameCube to Village recently releasing on iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max – which I plan to pick up next year.

Today, we’re seeing Elden Ring on handheld and this massive adventure making waves on Steam recently. My point is that it’s a dream to see how far we’ve come, regarding handheld gaming. I still believe that mobile is the worst platform for gaming but it may be improved by what Apple is bringing to the table.

I’m honestly grateful for the evolution. My only qualm is it’d be nice if some companies strived for this type of compatibility. Maybe then games such as Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Returnal would be supported. Just saying.
Shahzaib Sadiq

We’ve come a long way from Super Mario Land (Picture: Shahzaib Sadiq)

Inbox also-rans
RE: Neeps’ enquiry about a Twin Peaks game and your reply. If there was ever a game award awarded for terrible graphics and clunky gameplay mechanics versus the best plot and, more importantly, the best ever characters ever in video games then yes… Deadly Premonition.
Chevy Malibu (PSN ID)

I remember Adventures Of Robin Hood on the Amiga, which was quite an inventive non-linear game as I remember, where the characters would wander around and do their own thing. It was also very buggy though and I never beat it.
Trespils

This week’s Hot Topic
The subject for this weekend’s Inbox was suggested by reader Cranston, who asks what are the best and worst video game presents you’ve ever received?

As Christmas approaches, and family members struggle with the age old problem of what to buy the gamer in their life, we want to know what the happiest is you’ve ever been with a gift and what was the most disappointing moment?

It can be for a birthday or any other occasion, not just Christmas, but let us know the circumstances, including whether you tried to hint at what the present should be and whether your initial impression of the gift changed over time.

E-mail your comments to: [email protected]

The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

MORE : Games Inbox: GTA 6 at The Game Awards 2023, Mario Kart X Crossover, and Super Mario RPG length

MORE : Games Inbox: If Xbox gave up hardware and went third party, Death Stranding 2, and GTA trailer date

MORE : Weekend Hot Topic, part 1: Your favourite 16-bit video game

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The Wednesday letters page thinks GTA 6 will be very different to its predecessors, as one reader looks forward to the next Monster Hunter.