Games like GTA: San Andreas received full ports to phones and tablets, and now we even have Civilization VI for iPad! What a time to be alive, right?

Well... no. No writing about mobile gaming can avoid mentioning the anti-consumer business models that, at this point, plague the App Store and Play Store. Buying apps, let alone games, for a one-off fee is not sustainable for many developers. We have games that prey on those with addictive tendencies. Yes, perhaps you can say no to a £1.99 in-app cosmetic item. If you are able to say no, then you are not the target customer! The whole model can be explained by the 80/20 rule, where the majority of the revenue is generated by the minority of the players. “Whales” are individuals that spend a fortune in these games and that is where the money comes from. These games deceive us and trick us into spending money and now with lootboxes being common, they can also be a form of gambling, yet it is not regulated as such. 

I think Apple is ashamed about it, though they are not incentivised to ban those practices. Those apps must generate at least multiple hundreds of millions for the App Store. 

Apple Arcade

Apple announced Apple Arcade at an event earlier this year and the premise is that you pay a yet-to-be-disclosed amount each month in return for a library of titles. Games are available offline and will have no in-app purchases. 

Apple says there will be “handpicked” titles in addition to their original content, so I presume you will still be able to purchase some games directly. I like the idea of creation of original games approach for this service. Developers probably get paid a decent amount of money upfront to work on a title with the fundamental tenets of no always-online connectivity and no in-app purchases or ads. As I will argue in a later newsletter, the business model of a game affects the core of game design. The freedom to focus on the game being an immersing experience rather than an addictive arcade game will make a vast difference and is a positive influence.

Whilst little has been disclosed about the service I am genuinely looking forward to it. High-quality mobile games really need a boost creatively as well as financially.

DualShock 4 and XBOX One S Controller Support

So this is incredibly exciting.

Touch can be a great input method but really limiting and frustrating also. It is one reason for why console/PC-style games are simply not suited for most games. And whilst Apple devices supported some expensive yet bad controllers, they have come to their senses and will be allowing Xbox and PS4 controllers with their large iPhone and iPad updates in autumn. 

Support will also come to the Apple TV, a little smart box that will surely receive a boost in sales as a result. Though looking into it, the largest storage option is 64GB which means true PC/console games just cannot fit on the device.

I am looking forward to these changes and hopefully they will have a positive impact on mobile games as a whole. 

On the topic of premium games, Holedown is an amazing game available for iOS and Android. One-off purchase, no ads, no in-app transactions. Still highly addictive. In case I work with you, no I did not play Holedown during the entire meeting. I definitely have not. Their website is here.

As always, please reply to this email with feedback and suggestions. 

Thank you for reading.

Buying each generation of console is expensive and the of course the same goes for maintaining a PC. My current PC works great for working but it is showing its age when attempting to play the latest titles at high or above levels... and that is only at 1920x1200. It is this expensive barrier that sits at the core of the problem of exclusivity as it forces a choice between one or another platform (I have written previously about the issue with exclusivity here). This is not to mention the hassle of taking care of the hardware and the software in a world were games can be over 50 gigabytes in size and require regular updates.

Mobility is another problem. Cloud saves still are not reliable. Not every friend of yours will have a PC or PS4, let alone the game you want to play preinstalled and ready to go. There are countless times when I have some downtime on a trip and I just want to be playing the game on my PC/PS4 that is collecting dust whilst I am away. 

Now imagine starting a Civilization 6 (great game!) session at your desk. You head out and continue the session on your lovely tablet whilst travelling on the bus. You are visiting a friend and show off the might of your empire on their large 4K HDR TV. 

This, combined with the promise of 5G networks, which promises a world of ultra-low latency is just one example of where the future of technology is heading. It is rare for me to be excited about promised technology that has not been proven to work yet but it is the potential that excites me. 

Google has announced a future cloud gaming service called Stadia without a release date and few technical details. It seems they are drumming up potential studios and publishers to develop for the platform. Interestingly, their staff at GDC 2019 refused to discuss any particulars with journalists, which is worrying to say the least. Seeing Google developing such a technology in the first place is odd, though their contributions are very welcome. With YouTube, they built remarkable scale and developed a strong understanding of streaming to billions of people. Not only does Google have the infrastructure for it but the technical acumen to make it work. That is to say they do not abandon then cancel the product...

They announced that it will be possible to stream to your television via a Chromecast or web browser. A controller will be specifically sold for this service and it will connect directly with the cloud service via wifi to minimise lag, which I find fascinating. It shows that Google is working with internet assumptions. Microsoft and Sony will face a threat as they will also attempt to shield their large existing businesses whilst Google is able to attract anyone that has a television or web browser.

New Genres of Games

I am not the most imaginative person but it is easy to see that new games will be created that cannot exist with current infrastructure. MMOs can turn into super-MMOs with thousands or millions of players playing simultaneously. With all the computing handled in data centres, individual servers will be nanoseconds away from each other.

Games can stream at 4K HDR and look stunning, according to Google, which will mean that the servers are quite capable. Developers will not be hindered by gamers’ hardware and be able to focus on new experiences. Open worlds can be humungous with rendering distances not an issue, lag will be eliminated (between the computers) resulting in fairer online matches, and download sizes become irrelevant, 

Another important aspect is that hacking will become incredibly difficult which is great news for PC online games. It is a significant problem in some communities. However, it will also limit people’s ability to mod or cheat single-player games which is a significant part of the experience on PC, which issues of ownership.

Business Models

I have been thinking a lot about potential business models. With the trend of every service becoming a subscription, it possibly will be a Netflix or Spotify style all-you-can-eat service, which the purely-digital nature suits. 

Though an issue with that is gamers who play regularly and those who seldomly play would pay the same fee. It is the norm with most services but those are significantly cheaper to operate as they do not require specialised, highly powerful servers. An avid gamer could cost Google a lot of computing time yet the service will have to be cheap enough to attract casual players.

And how will revenue be distributed between games? How will a publisher like Rockstar, who is said to have spent hundreds of millions to produce GTA V, going to be enticed to publish on that service. It makes sense if it was purely a Netflix model with Google producing and publishing their own games (which they have announced they will be doing). 

And if it was a subscription model, that would eliminate any opportunity for developers to charge for micro/in-app transactions — which would actually be a great outcome but then no free-to-play games will be successful. So perhaps it could offer free-to-play titles without a subscription but those will be able to sell micro transactions.

The Future of the Future

Microsoft is working on their own equivalent service and Sony has an offering already available on the market. With internet connections improving, cloud gaming can expect wide adoption. It will certainly become more prevalent and threaten the existence of consoles as they are today.

This is something I am definitely keeping my eye on as it would lend itself really well for some games. Whilst Civilization 6 is available on iPad, it does not support cloud sync between PC and iOS :(

Thank you so much for reading, I really appreciate it.

As always, you can send me your thoughts or feedback by replying to this email.

Sorry for the lack of newsletters. And to think I started off so well... It has been a tough few months. Got myself an iPad Pro, though!

Buying games is hard, so maybe I can inspire you with what I have been playing since the last newsletter. I am writing some stuff for future editions.

What I have been playing:

• Ace Combat 7 — I have actually completed the campaign today and I loved it. For years I imagined how great it would be be able to play one of them and they delivered a solid PC port (HOTAS and ultrawide issues set aside) and a great game. Ace Combat 2 to some extent, but mainly Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere formed a large part of my childhood gaming diet. Watching YouTube videos of gameplay was quite the nostalgia trip. Do I recommend AC 7? Yes. Absolutely yes. The plane models are life-like. There is a space elevator involved. The maps are vast. I am definitely writing more about it more in future.

• Donut County — picked it up for the iPad and it is a fun little game. Great music and a perfect game to play in small chunks. Mechanics are simple and the game is not particularly difficult. A good way to waste time.

• Beat Cop — a fun take on 80’s New York police television shows with great dialogue and interesting mechanics. Not the most fun to play but a good package overall — to elaborate, the mechanics are tedious at times and there will be patches of where nothing really happens. Also played on iPad.

• Obviously more Rocket League I am never gonna give it up! If you think the game’s community has declined, that is not the case. Psyonix has surprisingly been able to keep it going with constant updates. It is now possible to invite friends who play on other platforms to join your “party” and now I have an excuse to play even more!

• Hitman 2 — oh man oh man. The maps are incredible! Both large yet detailed. If you enjoyed 2016’s Hitman, this is more of the same with extra spice. Perhaps I was not as absorbed by it as I could have in my first playthrough due to having played lots of Hitman just before I picked it up, but this is an evergreen game that you can always come back to. There is so much to explore and experience and you can try infinite ways to creatively kill your targets. Definitely recommended.

• Arkham Knight — my second playthrough and still very enjoyable. This time I played the DLC missions. Three missions in The Season of Infamy (if I recall correctly) are integrated in the game’s campaign with the remainder being fun little standalone missions. In From the Cold was a heart-warming story which explores Mr Freeze’s dilemma thereby exploring his true motivations and character. Both Batman and Mr Freeze are painted as what they are, two humans. Perhaps one of my favourite bits of the Arkham series. I received the DLC for free due to owning it prior to the disastrous PC performance at launch (REMEMBER THAT?). I achieved 100% on the game except for the (truly awful) Riddler trophies and missions, but thankfully, they are not necessary to complete. Oh, and I have the Batman suit from The Dark Knight and it looks incredible!

Thanks for reading and never stop loving games!

He set the tone early on by announcing Office for iPad within weeks of taking over. Clearly, the product was being developed internally for much longer, but management were reluctant to publish it in order to avoid cannibalising Office’s desktop sales and not to strengthen Apple’s mobile OS. Four years into Mr Nadella’s tenure, we have seen further dramatic changes. Internally, employees are free to use whichever computer they please, whether Windows, Linux, or Mac-based — hard to imagine at the company that produces an OS. They even started using Git! Office is now everywhere, Windows has become a “service” with regular updates, and people working there seem to be more passionate than ever. Azure is their new growth-driver, the industry that sees no slowing in growth, where even Amazon Web Services, the largest player by far, grows rapidly. And in order to attract the “developers developers developers” we all love to your cloud platform, you have to cater to as many as possible. Mac or Windows; Linux or Windows Server, Azure wants your money. To achieve that, the cultural shift to openness was necessary.

So how does this bode for their gaming division? Microsoft has been struggling very much in this console generation, with a sloppy start (bundling Kinect with the Xbox One and marketing it as a TV set up box, on top of weak components) which partly arose due to the arrogance of them being the “winners” of the last generation with the Xbox 360. What they forgot is that the powerful network effects created during the span of one generation with each new console release are lost — the machines for the most part, are not backwards compatible, and as such there is little to no incentive to stay loyal to a company. If Sony produces a better new generation machine, it can easily tempt over customers with no sense of losing out. Everyone starts from scratch.

For Microsoft, this position of weakness may be the reason for some pro-consumer changes like enabling cross-play in games like Fortnite and Minecraft. Cross-play is the ability to play multiplayer games against individuals who own consoles of other platforms. On Fortnite, PC gamers can play against Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and even mobile games. That is an incredible step in the right direction for consumers. In my last newsletter, I discussed the downsides of exclusive games but in this case, two players may own the exact same game on different platforms are still are prevented from facing each other online. Most interestingly, developers openly admit that there are next to no technical limitations to allowing cross-play and it is all up to the who controls the platform.

Sony infamously prevented cross-play for Fortnite on their consoles which lead to a visceral backlash against the company. Whilst they did concede on Fortnite, they have not enabled it for other titles as of yet. This saga has really earned Microsoft some credibility amongst the gaming community.

There are some other things Microsoft has achieved recently that are simply fantastic. They created and promoted their new “Adaptive Controller” to improve accessibility. Furthermore, they have shown off their new streaming service that is not limited to their consoles but lets you stream console games even on your phone. The Xbox Game Pass has been a modest success, what many call a Netflix-like approach to video games. Microsoft is certainly willing to experiment and open up their platforms, and even finally acknowledged that Windows is their other gaming platform, now that we have some Xbox exclusives also released on the PC (e.g. Quantum Break). Game Pass, Mr Nadella just announced, will soon be available on PC, too. I do not game on an Xbox One, nor do I know many who do, but it is great that not owning their console does not prohibit me from at least playing their games on PC. It is also great for the developers now that their art can reach more people.

If this pro-consumer push continues into the next generation, Sony will struggle a lot, they will have to continue to utilise their biggest leverage: their outstanding exclusives produced by their studios with rich history. Sony definitely understands gamer in a way that Microsoft sometimes does not. The pipeline for exclusives on PlayStation is incredibly rich and only comparable to Nindendo. Microsoft seriously lacks behind in this regard and in future, if it is to attract the most customers, must address this. Building relationships with studios, or owning them, as well as trusting them with the creative process is vital. Scalebound is the prominent cancellation where some reports do suggest unnecessarily high levels of meddling and disagreements by the company with the developers. There is hope. Interestingly, under Mr Nadella, the company’s approach to acquisitions and the corporate development that follows has improved significantly. What used to be the case, an example being Bungie, the prolific studio responsible for the Halo series, the studio and the staff were required to move to Microsoft’s HQ, and hand over much control by having to comply with the bureaucracy of a megacorporation, and losing the company culture in the process.

Now, companies who are acquired by them, like Wunderlist, LinkedIn, and GitHub for example, are allowed to continue to be based in their home locations with the ability to maintain their culture or even their existing structure. A company is not a set of ideas but the environment in which those ideas come to light. It is, quite frankly, idiotic to spend vast sums on acquiring an organisation, and in the transition process to lose most of the value. Instead, keep companies independent where possible. Guerilla Games and Naughty Dog are fully owned subsidiaries but remain autonomous thanks to the structural segregation. What Microsoft could offer is to create or acquire companies under their umbrella and to offer their business services (accounting, HR, legal) and wealth, offloading aspects like funding, sales, and marketing from the studios, allowing the studio to focus fully on their core competency just like Sony Interactive Entertainment takes care of those aspects for their own studios

The result, of course, is the symbiotic relationship that lead to games like Horizon: Zero Dawn or Uncharted, some of best-selling games of the last few years all whilst being limited to one console. Sony’s ability to nurture great studios, provide creative freedom with tremendous business and technical support is responsible for that. Another benefit? Sony’s studios can provide first-hand feedback when designing future hardware. Microsoft has a lot to learn in this regard.

It does look like Xbox is changing slowly for the better. Pro-consumer behaviour will only be beneficial for all of us and set a good precedent for others to follow. If such changes continue, then I do want to see Microsoft succeed. Competition is beneficial for innovation and Sony has been far too comfortable this generation.

Sorry for the delay in sending this issue out but I hope it has been insightful. Writing is hard! I will try to flesh out some of the thoughts articulated here in future.

As always, hit reply with feedback and comments. Thanks so much for reading.

Developer tools have improved to the point where cross-platform development on consoles and PCs is an expectation. Similar to smartphone operating systems, with many apps and games being available on both major platforms, iOS and Android. During the “smartphone wars” developers had to decide whether to develop and build their business on one or the other platform just like game developers. To contrast this to today’s situation where many indie developers regularly publish cross platform.

So this is why it bugs me to hear stories about exclusive titles in today’s environment, where it simply exists to funnel customers towards one platform. The situation has been ignored, particularly with Microsoft falling behind in this “generation” of consoles. It was much more difficult to put a finger on either the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, even for me, because each platform had their own fantastic titles. 

Sony keeps pumping out high-quality exclusives at a good pace. In 2018 alone we have seen God of War and Spider-Man, games that captured the imagination of millions. Sony has invested monetarily and with trust — offering developers true freedom without worrying too much about budgets and squashing the developer’s desires. For the player, though, committing to any single platform carries a financial investment and very few can, or want to choose to buy more than one console. Smart business strategy? Yes. Secure a customer and reap the rewards through games purchases and subscription for years. But all I see is works of art being held back from much of the population. 

Exclusivity can allow for integrated and optimised experiences to fully suit the console, which allows for titles like Uncharted and Kid Icarus to look so stunning on the relatively weak consoles they were designed for. Being able to focus on one platform makes it much easier to create a great experience, you hear some argue. It enables developing for a console and utilising all of the potential. That was a key concern in the last generation of consoles for Sony developers. Whilst the PlayStation 3 used a complex processor designed by IBM that was not well understood until very late in the console’s cycle. Now, the PlayStation 4 utilises a straightforward processing unit similar to that of Microsoft’s counterpart and cross-platform development now is not the monstrous task it used to be and achieving platform parity is easily achievable. The tools developers have at their disposal now are much more friendly yet powerful. Multi-platform releases are the norm now and there is no excuse to limit the player base artificially.

Exclusives provides an edge over the competition: Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Horizon: Zero Dawn without a doubt pushed many to buy Sony and Nintendo consoles. For many, those are titles that do warrant the purchase of a £200-£300. The new Zelda perhaps singlehandedly made the Switch the popular console it is today!

Exclusivity robs us of the choice to play a game on a platform we are most comfortable with. Exclusives are anti-consumer. They limit choice. They limit reach. It is my belief as a proponent of the medium to spread these works of art to be touched by as many people as possible. 

The current situation for exclusives has much improved compared to the years prior, though it remains an important issue for me. Whilst not an apt analogy, is is always possible to recommend a film to someone. Every computer or phone can run Netflix and any Blu-Ray player plays Blu-Rays. I want to be able to recommend games without having to worry about the person owning the right console. In today’s age it is difficult enough to tempt people into paying for any game, let alone get them to buy new expensive machines just to try a new shiny game they may not like. 

Thank you for reading. As always, reply to the email if you have feedback.

Having watched the series, I tremendously enjoyed watching many hours of a guy running around futuristic cities and analysing the nuances of individual design choices of buildings. When I first played the game myself, it quickly became apparent that it is more than just another sci-fi game and the architecture definitely played a part in that.

Sarif Industries HQ

Human Revolution takes on the ethics of human enhancement and what the merging of man and machine (transhumanism) which are made possible in this fictitious future through significant breakthroughs in biotechnology research sparked. It takes this and digs deeper: new social issues arise, such as the poor not being able to afford augmentation, and therefore do not have access to life-enhancing, or even life-saving, technology. The wealth gap has widened exponentially. The poor stay poor or suffer from Neuropozyne addiction, a drug that is required for the human body to accept the external augments. The rich now have a tighter grasp of wealth and power by being able to choose better augments and to fund neural implants that boost intelligence. The wealth gap is interestingly portrayed through architectural and environmental design in Deus Ex. In Detroit, there is a contrast between, say, the Sarif Industries office building and Derelict Row in the North, where the homeless roam. The transition is subtle but powerful. It certainly feels very atmospheric, walking through the streets with the fantastic ambient music.

Another city area, lower Hengsha, is poor as a whole. The entire city is in the shadow of another city built on top of it — upper Hengsha. This in itself is symbolism for the placement of the wealthy in society. Simon had a further comment to add to that. He discusses how historic cities, be it Paris or Rome, have “layers”. With time, debris builds up and city of old is lost to time and the new prevails. In Hengsha, the lower class are hidden away left to suffer with the powerful not having to worry about crossing paths with them. The unimportant are reminded of their place in society by simply looking up.

Further testament of the designer’s commitment to the game is the careful design of the ceilings. Yes, ceilings. Even they tell a story in Deus Ex: Human Revolution. In the image above we see David Sarif’s office and his personality shines through here. The complexity of the design of the ceiling shows that David is a complex individual and a thinker, Simon argues. There is also the aspect of opulence. A subtle addition throughout the game with a powerful impact. Each important area of the game is uniquely designed with incredible ceiling design… Who would have thought?

In this world set in the near future, we have elements of modern and futuristic design that mix quite well. When travelling to China or Singapore in the game, it is great to see the contrast in design to Detroit and Montreal. Hengsha is inspired by current-day Hong Kong and Eidos really nailed the fact that each city truly feels unique. Lower Hengsha is my favourite video game city of all time and every time I return to it, it gives me this feeling of awe and fascination, as if it really was the golden age of technology.

Human Revolution has many memorable moments but the design is what puts it a step above all others. As a whole the game is exceptional, the design adds this important layer that is needed to fully immerse the player into a cyberpunk world. I just hope Square Enix does bring out a new sequel and do not blame their incompetence as a publisher on the studio that created one of the best cyberpunk sci-fi games of our time.

Thanks for reading, as always, and you can find Simon’s video series on YouTube here.

Yes it’s long but it’s worth it if you have completed the game yourself.

Reply to this email for feedback and comments and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Realising I was engulfed by police entertainment, I started to think about the strengths and weaknesses of each medium. What does each medium do best? Are there any constraints that limit the story? What unique opportunities are available to games that allow it to stand out?

Text is, and has always been, an effective medium for storytelling — after all, it has been around for centuries. Our understanding of good writing has been fine-tuned to the point where literature has become an art that is rewarded with Nobel prizes. Is text hindered by the fact that it does not utilise our senses to observe the medium? Well, books rely on descriptions; they require you to project an image in your mind. How that image looks is entirely dependent on your imagination and your life experiences.

Personally, I have little imagination to the point where it is impossible for me to close my eyes and imagine the face of the person sitting in front of me. Is my experience hindered by the medium's limitation? Yes, whilst I enjoy reading non-fiction, I struggle with many novels and my brain turns off at important descriptive sections.

Books and film are art forms which have had time to settle into our culture. They are widely accepted culturally and studied in schools and universities. Furthermore, there is a larger pool of books to use to reflect upon when creating new ones, meaning that it is easier to create a good book than a video game. The Harry Bosch books are interesting, it explores a unique character in a real-life Los Angeles setting.

So what story does This is the Police tell?

You are a police chief who is forced to retire in six months and, for personal reasons, have to save $500,000 within that timeframe. Each "level" is a day which starts with you see the top newspaper headlines informing you of events, some of which are impacted by you. You go to the office to start the working day, which primarily is assessing incoming reports of crime and sending police units accordingly to the location; you have to judge how many officers are needed and whether SWAT involvement is required.

You have a limited number of officers at your disposal and the core mechanic is balancing the number of units you send, to ensure that there are enough officers available in case of other reports. Some reports are false so sending your units will still consume time but are unavailable for other events until they return to the station, so it's important to read every incoming report. If you cannot manage the police department well, you are punished by the mayor with budget cuts, forcing you to dismiss police officers. Another tool in your arsenal are detectives, who find evidence for you to solve crimes, which are represented as puzzles. You also manage hiring of officers and detectives, maintaining discipline, and training.

The routine is mixed up with events, such as the mayor asking you for personal favours, which vary wildly from providing additional protection to his allies or suppressing protests, gaining you respect, which in turn puts you in a position where you can request an increase in the police budget. Favours are also asked by other parties, such as the mafia or wealthy citizens in exchange for money, or simply keeping them alive. The random events can catch you off-guard and at times, and can be quite entertaining and challenging. The game is able to convey some sense of urgency even with a very predictable structure.

The books and shows can tell stories, This is the Police allows you to be the story. Your choices have an impact throughout the game. In fact, I had to replay a month due to my bad management causing me to have a tiny budget. I was not even able to respond to more than two calls at once, which had the effect of harming my relationship with the mafia and the mayor; meaning my budget kept getting cut and I was not able to help with any favours, as I was stuck in the cycle of losing more and more money.

I really enjoyed the Bosch TV series and the two books I have read so far, but at no point did I feel as invested in either medium as I was in This is the Police. What it offered me was an intriguing story, told similarly to the first two Max Payne games, with its comic style. With that came fantastic music, you can use your salary to buy vinyls with classical or jazz music, making the atmosphere perfect, whilst at the same time you are given a choice, adding to the sense of control which you have.

Neither the book nor the TV show can offer you the actual power of a police chief. How could they? This makes video games special. But what also sets the game apart is the ability to choose how you approach certain events. You see Harry Bosch ally with certain characters, but you are not able to tell him whether or not to not do that. Whereas in This is the Police, there are multiple points at which you make fundamental decisions that have a profound impact on the story, and ultimately the ending. There are multiple endings, which depend on how much money you make (how many cases you solve, how many bribes you take etc) and who you ally with. The game technically ends if you wind up the mafia and they, well, will take you on a holiday to Belize…

It is only a matter of time until video games receive the same level of cultural acceptance as books and film. Just like comic books were argued to be “bad” video games is currently moving out of that phase. But as more and more people who grew up with video games get older, and more and more mothers play Candy Crush on their smartphones, the medium will receive more acceptance. There have already been some “blockbuster” video games that made waves to the point where video games affect the film industry. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation’s famous plane scene was inspired by Uncharted 3, District 9 drew inspiration from Halo, and there are many more examples of scenes or entire movie plots inspired in part or fully by video games.

Video games are much more powerful as a medium. They allow for freedom in the game, player agency, and they can utilise tools like text, images, or cutscenes. In the Witcher 3, you will find books in your journey, and you will read some of them, which you cannot do in films, it would be nonsensical for a director to put up full pages of a book on film. In video games you can because you are a character in the world, and you are able to read at your own pace. Many great games use text heavily: the new Shawdowrun series and Sunless Sea are both fully text-based, and they are fantastic games. A contrast to that are games like Killzone 3, which uses over 90 minutes of cutscenes in the 6-7 hour game. All three games are fantastic experiences, and their decision to shape the game with different tools shows just how versatile the medium can be.

Now, This is the Police is a great game, but there is one overlying problem with video games: they are also infinitely more difficult to craft. For a game to be good, every element has to work together. The biggest weakness of are the mechanics. They are, for the most part, two-dimensional. The lack of depth does make the game tedious and repetitive at times, sometimes having large gaps between major plot points. I stayed with the game for twenty-eight hours for the story and the world. But if I had little time, I would have given up before the halfway point. The story is the only relevant element of a book; whilst the game’s mechanics were weak, they were able to keep me going because of the other attributes which kept me more invested in the story.

The ability to pick and choose elements from other media and insert them into a game makes video games so much more powerful than books and TV. We have yet to reach the peak of creativity.

The future is bright for the young medium, especially with the advent of, both, Virtual and Augmented Reality, artists are still learning how to take a step even further in how one can be immersed and involved with a story. New ways of storytelling will be explored. New, unthinkable worlds will be experienced, and at a much more intimate level.

I always love hearing your feedback and opinions.

Thank you for reading.

Sleeping Dogs comes around in 2012 and it looked like it would offer a fresh open world experience with a unique setting. Around the same time we started experiencing many critics and pundits being “exhausted” by the number of open world titles that were being released. Quite simply, open world video games are fantastic for the average player with the room for manoeuvre they offer to shape your own journey through non-mandatory side missions or quests with the ability to focus on building character traits that are most important to you. Oh, and open world games offer fantastic money spent/time played ratios, offering a strong value proposition with costs of £40+ for many games.

In Sleeping Dogs you play as Wei Shen, an undercover police officer who has returned to Hong Kong after spending his teenage and much of his adult life abroad. Unlike GTA, which is a parody of modern America, this is more grounded in reality. Wei Shen offers depth as a character with a unique history that offer him the drive to push forward in the dangerous responsibility he carries working for the Hong Kong Police Department. This nuance of his character are what made me adore the game, as I was able to connect with the character on a personal level.

The plot takes inspiration from the iconic Infernal Affairs (which The Departed is also based on) where Wei Shen’s inner conflicts are explored, as his mission of penetrating the Triad gang moves ahead. In essence, the story consists of two tracks for gameplay purposes. The blue missions are where you work directly for the police, and the red working for the Triad. The police missions consist of multiple cases, do not contribute to the plot development but do explore characters. Equally importantly, they offer an opportunity to further explore Hong Kong’s rich and beautifully rendered city. There are some exciting missions that span from homicides to kidnappings that draw on the large, detailed map of Hong Kong. The Triad missions are about furthering your rank within the gang, as well as reacting to significant events which happen as the story progresses. Wei Shen attempts to understand the structure of the organisation, and as the investigation progresses, he reports his findings to his HKPD colleagues in secret. As he garners respect from the gang, the split within his character becomes very clear. His youth is explored through a character he has been friends with since childhood, draws him to his old self, making him gravitate towards the criminal life.

At one point it becomes questionable which “side” he is on, even for the player himself. This is underlined by Will Yun Lee’s outstanding performance, that subtly allowed a change in tone from a calm professional undercover officer to a rogue senior member gang member. Questions are raised: you wonder whether Wei Shen wants to transition to the world of crime with the pace he gains power within the organisation. Was his intention to use the power of the police to weaken one gang in favour of another? I will leave it to you to find out what happens.

To go as far as saying the story is fantastic is an extreme, but it is a strong narrative that are reinforced through the mechanics within its open world. Elements of the plot are generic, yet it has never been explored in a video game — especially not in the setting of Hong Kong. What is important to note, is that the story is broken down into reasonable, realistic objectives, and is paced well. The journey is unique, and the world the story takes place in has a purpose; every area in the city is crafted with detail in and not empty space, with side missions and hacking objectives spread around in every corner of the city. This is important with many open world titles providing beautiful areas with no actual gameplay substance that make use of the unique locations.

Before Wei Shen’s rise in rank at the Triad, we see  the game start off in North Point, with its older buildings and clearly less affluent environment. The streets are engulfed by the iconic Hong Kong billboards with the paint of the buildings showing erosion. The tight, busy roads filled with shops, pedestrians and cars. At night, the city is transformed completely as Hong Kong lights up, and if it rains it turns into one of the most beautiful video game locations I can think of. Over time, missions start to take place in Central and Kennedy Town, the newer-looking, flashier parts of the city. This shift takes place over hours and feels in life with the progression as a successful gang member. Driving from North Point to Central can be done quickly, but the change in the city is very subtle. Without the same level of experience as Rockstar, it is an impressive feat for an open world city to feel this organic.

In Central we notice the cars are nicer, and the apartments of other characters you meet for mission briefs are modern. Pedestrians are now seen wearing suits and the cars driven are more luxurious. The game nails the feeling that it should — Central Hong Kong is after all one of the world’s financial capitals. The map is the very foundation of an open world game, and Sleeping Dogs hits the nail on the head. It is not the pillar of the game, merely a sandbox that exists to contain the experience. Yet it plays a vital role in adding character to the game and complementing the mechanics as well as the narratives. This is especially the case in an open world game, with the freedoms they allow.

Virtual Hong Kong is beautiful. The PC version, with HD textures installed (original release version) or the the newer Enhanced Edition look stunning. It is exactly what I anticipated from Hong Kong in a video game. And I will admit that I bought this game to play in Hong Kong, to explore the city that I have always been so curious about. Central looks new and shiny, whilst the harbours look seventy years old. Even Victoria Peak is part of the map. The overall size is manageable and does not overwhelm — unlike GTA 5, it does not take seven minutes to drive from one point to another which keeps the experience cohesive.

A small feature I really like is the ability to buy cars and having them stored at a parking garages spread throughout the city, allowing you to pick one at any of the multiple parking garages that are spread around the city. A convenient feature that is worth the suspension of belief. A lot of effort is put into avoiding a lot of the typical open world grind by streamlining the gameplay. A strong user experience (UX) very importantly ensures the experience remains immersive. We do not want video games to be interrupt us just as much as we do not appreciate pop ups that interrupt your writing whilst typing into a text editor. To notice good UX is to not notice it.

The game’s voice acting is unbelievable, just take a look at the cast. The game is in English, however, the characters mix it up with some Cantonese slang and profanities, making the whole experience feel a bit more authentic. I cannot judge if their Cantonese sounds “fake” but it works for me (sorry). Again, this is another attention to detail that makes this game so special.

Guns are a rare sight in much of the world, and Hong Kong, similar to the United Kingdom and Australia, has very tight gun control laws. Yet the developers United Front Games saw this as an opportunity, where the vast majority of combat is kung fu street fighting. The hand-to-hand combat mechanics are inspired by Rocksteady’s Arkham games and whilst it does not flow as well, it is a strong system. Fitting with the world and its characters, the combat is aggressive and brutal. Opponents can be killed by smashing their heads into moving fans or throwing the body into an ice chipper... Such unique elements are important and just add to the character of Sleeping Dogs. The rarity of guns allow for some interesting encounters in Hong Kong’s dark, tight alleys.

Every aspect of the game allows the player to lose themselves in a different world, in a city that has a fascinating, unique blend of culture like Hong Kong. That is what made me love Sleeping Dogs and why I believe it is one of the best games created over the last ten years. If it was not for its identity, it would have flown under my radar completely. I do not look back and think about many games after completion, yet Sleeping Dogs is always on my mind. It is one of the few titles to have absorbed my concentration whilst playing completely. I keep revisiting the game and it saddened my that there will not be a sequel. The story compelled me and I was able to get lost in the world, twice, even during my replay.

This piece is important to me because it highlights the generic nature of many popular releases. They cater to the lowest common denominator and as such lose all identity. I wish more games offered this type of escapism and unique experience in a real city with a fresh take. United Front Games invested significant resources into this game, which becomes clear as one plays it. I hope that we will see games in another Southeast Asian megacity in particular, perhaps Jakarta, Manila or Bangkok in future, with a fully fleshed out city. Diversity is lacking in games and Sleeping Dogs did something to change that. Too many games are based in familiar Western locales and I appreciate the risk that was taken to bring us a great experience with a unique flavour.

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Consumer Choice versus Business

Grand Theft Auto is, without a doubt, one of the most beloved and popular video game franchises of all time. It has captured the imagination of tens, if not hundreds of millions with its blockbuster releases, only getting more popular with each game. Games that have become satire of modern American culture, with corruption, extreme levels of gun violence, and ludicrous advertisements. Much of the subtle criticism is aimed at corporations.

Take-Two Interactive Software is an American company that fully owns Rockstar and 2K. Last year’s revenue: 1.4 billion USD. Without a doubt, Rockstar is their most valuable company, with GTA V being the most lucrative asset years after the initial release. Some analysts estimate that at least 250 million USD of that revenue comes from GTA 5 and its online component GTA: Online. It may seem natural to be protective of your most beloved possession, but at what cost?

The creators of OpenIV, a modding tool for GTA that swaps in-game assets with custom ones, have received a cease-and-desist request from Take-Two. This, of course, resulted in quite an uproar by fans and proponents of single-player modding. Rightfully so, in my opinion.

Modding and cheat codes have been vital to the GTA community on PC for over fifteen years. OpenIV does not meddle with in-game files, and certainly does not affect the multiplayer, yet, Take-Two “fears” hackers which negatively affect the GTA: Online experience, and most importantly for the publisher leads to decreased sales of Shark Cards: a means to buy in-game currency without earning it in-game. (There is some irony to them being called Shark Cards.)

One of my favourite games of all time, GTA: San Andreas has a thriving modding scene which led to the creation of many brilliant mods, like San Andreas Multiplayer. It garnered a vast following, with millions of people playing the multiplayer mod over the years. At the time of writing, 3,880 servers are online with 58,929 players playing it right now — to put this into perspective, its current population is equal to that of Team Fortress 2, which is listed as the eighth most played game on Steam. Remember that GTA: San Andreas is about thirteen years old. It shows how passionate the players are about modding in GTA and how much they care for the games, and how much important it has been for sales of PC copies.

Analysing the Business of Shark Cards

Usually, large games sell most of its lifetime copies in the first two weeks, with a rather rapid dip following it. That is why big launches are necessary for AAA publishers. However, for games like Skyrim and Cities: Skylines, we see sales decrease much more slowly, with no sudden dip in sales. There is simply one reason for this: the modding community. Mods are actually a “feature” that people will buy a game and keep playing them for, as it provides longevity, and thus, brings more value to the consumer. Late into the game’s lifecycle, people normally lose interest and sales drop off but with a strong modding community, the number of mods keeps increasing, almost forming a “network” effect. Another way to think about this, Skyrim now, almost six years later, provides much more value than it did at launch — issues that caused issues with players can now simply be rendered irrelevant thanks to the ability to customise through modding. Some features that people wanted have been added by hobbyists, and the list goes on.

I feel robbed! - John Kosmaczewski

Rockstar has lost all interest in producing single-player content due to GTA: Online being a phenomenal success. They have been providing free DLC updates for the online component for a few years to keep the community going, some of which are quite fun (I particularly enjoyed the stunt races, which sucked me into the game for a few weeks).

The way they make money from the free DLC is by grabbing your attention. Getting a player to play the game one way or another leads to sales of their Shark Cards. Players are compelled to buy new cars and weapons, which result in players saving up for them by grinding, meaning they engage with the world by completing missions and heists to earn money. Rockstar wants the players to spend time in the game; to keep the world active. However, they raised the costs of the new vehicles and items, to the point that it can take tens of hours to save up for larger purchases. It is possible for those who do not want to pay actual money for it to save up but the easiest way to buy things is, of course, to get Shark Cards.

As a rule of thumb, 80% of revenue is generated come from 20% of the customers, so Rockstar knows for a fact that very few people are ever going to purchase a Shark Card, so it relies on the few people willing to buy Shark Cards. Keep the 20% happy with a thriving online scene (by getting non-paying gamers to spend more time engaging with the world) with the 80% of the players. Developers cater to the “ whales” who generate most of the money1.

Favouring GTA: Online is a sound business decision. Actually, it is a fantastic one. The CEO of Take-Two himself cannot believe the success, calling it a “gift that keeps on giving”. The unfortunate side effect is that Take-Two and Rockstar have been aggressively trying to protect it to keep players in the game to generate Shark Card sales. Even if it means cancelling the alleged single-player DLC. Whilst it is not ideal for fans of the series, it does not hurt the consumer.

By going the extra step with the modding ban, Rockstar and Take-Two further funnel the non-online player’s attention towards GTA: Online, by limiting their options. The following diagram demonstrates why it is so vital for GTA: Online’s business.

I do think that Rockstar and Take-Two are on the wrong side here. They should be focussing on improving the dire online loading times and connectivity issues of the game — which I believe actually does harm the GTA: Online experience, unlike modding.

As I have just outlined, the financial reasons are clear. Who Rockstar and Take-Two ignore, however, is the consumer. Throwing around your legal team at modders who produce content for free sets bad precedent. As a firm believer in consumer choice, I think it should be up to the player to do what they want with their purchase, as long as it does not harm anybody online; OpenIV does not even function online, in fact, its developers have gone out of their way to prevent it! Rockstar and Take-Two may have backtracked but this stain should not wash off easily. Consumers must hold companies accountable to avoid further mistreatment and show companies, like Rockstar that they cannot be lied to.