The Gaming Lounge: Beyond

[Marvolo]

This year's Blizzcon is going to make the Diablo Immortal snafu look like a small PR problem in comparison. I hope the people at the convention completely **** up Blizzard's presentations. Constant boos and shouting and protesting everything. Repeatedly yelling, "Liberate China!" everytime one of Blizzard's employee's try to say anything. Hijack the convention and use it as a platform to tear Blizzard a new ******* and support the protesters in China. Oh and if any executive from Tencent is at the convention ruin their day too.

 

[Sithborg]

Well, I think this is a good signal of what Blizzcon will be like.



Nintendo noping out quick.

 

[Teelie]

Not a good sign for Blizzard. China is really ****ing up a lot of companies' plans. Relying too much on China is now back-firing.

 

[Marvolo]

Not a good sign for Blizzard. China is really ****ing up a lot of companies' plans. Relying too much on China is now back-firing.

One of the big digital human rights organizations have sent a shot across Blizzards bow.

Blizzard must demonstrate its commitment to respecting the human rights of its users - Access Now

Blizzard seems to be ignoring it.

 

[Silvermoth]

Was it worth it? Surely the revenue from China isn’t larger than the west? Although I can easily be wrong

 

[Teelie]

China has a huge potential market there and a lot of businesses are using China's workforce to make their products too, including some of their software (Like that awful Diablo mobile game Blizzard announced last year).

 

[Sithborg]

Yeah, the big thing with China is growth potential. Its not that they have a ton of money into Blizzard or the NBA right now, but the money they do have is growing.

 

[Protest the Hero]

where's my 2006/2007 family at? let's get sentimental

 

[Iceman]

Yeah, the big thing with China is growth potential. Its not that they have a ton of money into Blizzard or the NBA right now, but the money they do have is growing.

Yeah. Also the US as a whole isn’t going to stop gaming or watching NBA whereas China can realistically call lights out.

 

[Marvolo]

China is a huge market, but the chinese government is incredibly petty and incredibly whiny. They ban ghosts, skeletons, time travel and all sorts of random elements to "protect" their people. They only allow a certain amount of western films per year. And the films have to be approved by the government. I hate the idea of the chinese government having any influence on western films. I hate the way Hollywood panders to China. And let's be real, the more the chinese market grows, and the more hollywood relies on it the more likely it is Hollywood will start making films that adhere to chinese censorship.

 

[Iceman]

This sounds like an amazing deal:

Xbox All Access Console Deal Offers Upgrade to Scarlett, 24 Months of Game Pass Ultimate

 

[Iceman]

China is a huge market, but the chinese government is incredibly petty and incredibly whiny. They ban ghosts, skeletons, time travel and all sorts of random elements to "protect" their people. They only allow a certain amount of western films per year. And the films have to be approved by the government. I hate the idea of the chinese government having any influence on western films. I hate the way Hollywood panders to China. And let's be real, the more the chinese market grows, and the more hollywood relies on it the more likely it is Hollywood will start making films that adhere to chinese censorship.

It's such a restricted market. It is a shame but it seems inevitable that the big companies will do what it takes to get their products available for sale there. I don't really mind stuff like including Beijing in a film or Chinese actors, as long as it doesn't involve political stuff that crosses the line (for eg if all related media has to criticise the HK protests).

 

[Sithborg]

Blizzcon starts tomorrow. So, you know, that will be entertaining.

 

[Gee]

I have no excitement for Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2...

 

[Teelie]

Me either. I never got into Overwatch and I haven't got a lot of interest in Diablo especially since they fumbled 3 then really screwed up with the mobile announcement.

 

[Sithborg]

Yeah, Blizzcon is going to be a glorious trainwreck.

 

[Gee]

One thing for sure, Blizzard are still masters of their craft when it comes to cinematic trailers.

 

[Teelie]

It's still not enough for me to go back to any of their games though. Especially with Activision taking over and running the store.

 

[Teelie]

Shadow of the Tomb Raider dropped a 2.0 patch today. 24.353 gb download.

Good thing I don't have a data cap... oh wait.

At least I shouldn't go over it this month.

 

[Iceman]

I haven't played Overwatch at all. Still really want to try it.

 

[Iceman]

Microsoft announces 50+ titles for Xbox Game Pass

 

[Zorro]

Have replayed the Mass Effect games recently and they are still some of my favorite games of all time! Yes that includes Andromeda, which I find underrated and especially after updates.

I admit though, not sure about playing as Sara or Scott Ryder again in the new game in development if that's the plan. I miss the military and spectre stuff than keep finding ancient glyphs, vaults and trying to make discovered worlds classified as "golden worlds" into habitable enough. Posting outposts and doing missions for them should be enough besides exploring.

Not terrible stuff but I just prefer being in the N7 Alliance and a galactic spectre official than what the main pathfinder ended up doing. I did get a good ending but the Kett is likely returning and it's like the first trilogy all over again with a dominant species having sinister plans being a threat to the galaxy

 

[Iceman]

The decline of Mass Effect as a franchise this gen is one of the most upsetting things in gaming for me.

 

[Zorro]

I'm 34yo and since turning 30yo, I've felt weird being a gamer. I felt old and especially since I'm a console gamer and not even pc. I've gone back and forth whether to continue gaming or just quit and sell my xbox and thought I shouldn't even consider going next gen but certain games keep pulling me back in. I finally looked up info on gaming and gamers and found very interesting supposed facts!..

-"The average age of someone who plays games is 31 years old. In fact, more gamers are over the age of 36 than between the ages of 18 to 35 or under the age of 18. They are also mostly men, but by a slimming margin. Men make up 52 percent."

-"The average age of a U.S. gamer is 35, the average number of years a U.S. gamer has been playing games is 13, and only 29% of the gamer population is under 18 years old."

-"Gamers in the U.S.
In the United States in 2018, some 28 percent of video game players were under the age of 18, while 23 percent were 50 years old or older"

-"While 48% of women in the United States report having played a video game, only 6% identify as gamers, compared to 15% of men who identify as gamers. This rises to 9% among women aged 18–29, compared to 33% of men in that age group. Half of female PC gamers in the U.S. consider themselves to be core or hardcore gamers"

-"Among those ages 30 to 49, 58% of men and 48% of women play video games. When it comes to older adults, similar shares of men and women say they play (27% of men ages 50 and older, compared with 30% of women).

-"Gamers of all ages play online games, with the average age being 31 years old."

-"As generations have grown up with video games a normal part of life, the age of the average gamer also increases. While 40 percent of video game players still come from the 18 to 35 age demographic, some 21 percent are 50 years and older."

Apparently the average age of an xbox owner in 2017 was 33yo
Leaked Microsoft research reveals the average Xbox One owner

If this is all true then I finally feel unashamed and a next gen console is more likely in my future now!

 

[Teelie]

It probably is. Video games really made an impact in the 1980's with Nintendo and Sega so most of those kids are now in their mid to late 30's or older. And that is only counting the kids who were growing up then. Adults would be in their 50's or older now.