criticism Archives

AppWizard

November 7, 2024

Take-Two CEO says Grand Theft Auto 6 is on track for ‘fall’ next year, GTA 5 has sold over 205 million, and ‘PC will be more and more a part of [our] business going forward’

Take-Two Interactive reported net bookings of .47 billion for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, within its projected annual target of .55 to .65 billion. The company attributed its success to the popularity of its franchises, particularly Grand Theft Auto and Borderlands. Grand Theft Auto 5 has sold over 205 million units globally, and Grand Theft Auto Online's membership in the GTA+ service has grown by 35% over the past year. Red Dead Redemption 2 has sold over 67 million units. The anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6 is expected in the fall of 2026 at the earliest. The recent Borderlands film has been criticized but positively impacted catalogue sales.

Winsage

November 5, 2024

Windows 11 is finally getting gamers onboard

Windows 11 has surpassed 50 percent market share among Steam users, reaching 51.9 percent, while Windows 10's market share is around 70 percent overall. The NVIDIA RTX 3060 is the most popular graphics card among gamers, and most players prefer 1080p monitors. Windows 10 will be retired on October 14, 2025, after which it will no longer receive updates, although it will still function. Microsoft will provide a year of security updates post-retirement for Windows 10. The upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10 is free and straightforward for most PCs.

Winsage

November 4, 2024

Windows 11 continues to creep up behind Windows 10

Microsoft will cease free updates for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. As of October, Windows 11 holds a 35.55 percent share of the desktop Windows market, while Windows 10 has a 60.97 percent share, down from 69.9 percent in April. Microsoft has introduced a pricing structure for continued security updates for Windows 10 users, which has faced criticism from advocacy groups like the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). Users upgrading to Windows 11 have encountered challenges, and older hardware is excluded from the upgrade path. In January 2019, Windows 10 had a market share of 53.18 percent, ahead of Windows 7's 35.05 percent before its support ended.

Winsage

November 4, 2024

Microsoft might rebrand its AI, including Copilot to “Windows Intelligence” — Apple’s strategy fell too far from the tree.

Microsoft is considering rebranding its AI-powered features in Windows from Copilot to Windows Intelligence, following a recent file that suggested this change. The speculation comes after Microsoft rebranded its AI service from Bing Chat to Copilot last year and introduced significant updates, including Copilot Vision, which have faced criticism from users and employees. Many users have expressed dissatisfaction with the recent changes, describing them as a decline in user experience and requesting a toggle to revert to the previous version. Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft AI CEO, hinted at a future where Copilot could evolve into an AI companion, though users have indicated a preference for it to remain a functional tool rather than a personal connection.

AppWizard

November 1, 2024

Pixel phones are getting an actual weather app in 2024, with a bit of AI

Google's Weather app features an AI-generated weather report that provides concise summaries, such as "Cold and rainy day, bring your umbrella and hold onto your hat!" The app includes a weather radar for real-time precipitation insights and "Nowcasting" capabilities that predict short-term weather changes. Users can customize the display by rearranging data like UV index and humidity, but the app's data widgets are large, requiring scrolling to see the full daily forecast. The AI summary and 10-day forecast are fixed at the top, limiting personalization. Pollen data is unavailable for allergy sufferers in regions like the US, and some whimsical features, like a frog icon, are missing. Users have criticized the app for requiring saved locations to view weather conditions, integration issues with other Google apps, and aesthetic concerns regarding the weather map and app visibility.

AppWizard

November 1, 2024

To ‘appease the people who thought the game was too long,’ an Alien: Isolation modder trimmed the campaign length down to a svelte 46 seconds

Matt Filer, a modder, has spent nearly a decade creating modifications for the horror game Alien: Isolation, which critics noted could have benefited from a shorter playtime than its typical 20 hours. Filer expressed that the game should have concluded around the 10-12 hour mark. He released a new mod called Impossible Campaign, which allows players to finish the game in under a minute by altering the narrative. This mod introduces xenomorphs to LV426, preventing key events from occurring. Filer developed the OpenCAGE toolkit for extensive game editing and has experimented with various modifications. Alien: Isolation is currently available on Steam.

AppWizard

October 28, 2024

AI game testing bots will make buggy AAA launches a thing of the past

The trend of buggy launches in AAA game development is driven by market pressures prioritizing speed over quality, leading to financial losses, reputational damage, and stressed development teams. The launch of Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020 exemplifies this issue, resulting in CD Projekt Red facing refunds, removal from the PlayStation store, and significant investments in post-release fixes and expansions. Fixing production bugs post-launch can cost studios upwards of 0,000 due to the interconnected nature of game design. Advancements in AI and gaming technology have made it possible to reduce the occurrence of post-launch bugs, with automated testing systems now more effective due to deep learning and increased computational capabilities. The industry's shift towards modular development and the use of third-party tools highlights the inefficiency of manual bug hunting. Successful launches, like Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, demonstrate the benefits of investing in automated QA tools for ensuring smooth releases. Automating testing with AI-powered tools is becoming essential for cost-efficiency and competitiveness in a market that demands high-quality releases.

AppWizard

October 28, 2024

10 brilliant PC games you can enjoy without a graphics card

Modern PC gaming faces criticism for high hardware requirements, making it inaccessible for some gamers. Many AAA games have frequent issues, but there are numerous engaging titles that can run on lower-spec systems, including laptops with integrated graphics. 1. The Red Strings Club (2018) - A narrative-driven indie game that runs smoothly on virtually any system. 2. Mirror's Edge (2009) - An innovative parkour game that performs well on integrated graphics. 3. Animal Well (2024) - A Metroidvania puzzle-platformer that requires minimal GPU power. 4. BioShock Infinite (2013) - A highly regarded game that runs well on systems with an 11th Gen Intel Core CPU. 5. Ultrakill (2020) - A retro-inspired FPS that runs smoothly on any computer. 6. Firewatch (2016) - A narrative-focused game that runs well on integrated graphics. 7. Rocket League (2015) - A multiplayer game that remains visually appealing even on lower settings. 8. Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition (2013) - An accessible RPG that can run on GPUs with 256MB of VRAM. 9. The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series (2020) - A narrative-driven game with modest system requirements. 10. Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition (2014) - An action-adventure game that runs well on integrated GPUs from the last decade. Honorable mentions include Little Nightmares, Borderlands 3, Subnautica, Counter-Strike 2, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Sid Meier's Civilization V (and VI), and FIFA 22.

AppWizard

October 27, 2024

Larian Publishing Director Criticizes Ubisoft’s ‘Broken Strategy’ For Releasing Games on PC –

Larian Studios' Publishing Director, Michael Douse, criticized Ubisoft's decision to disband the development team for Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, calling it a sign of a "broken strategy" that favors subscription models over traditional game sales. He expressed concerns that the industry's shift towards subscription-based access undermines game ownership and creates instability for developers, potentially leading to job insecurity. Douse warned that while subscription services offer immediate access to many titles, they may harm the long-term sustainability of game development.

AppWizard

October 25, 2024

Critics should stop giving leeway to bad video game movies

The trailer for the Minecraft movie was released on September 4, 2024, and has received widespread criticism for its poor visual quality, awkward dialogue, and failure to capture the essence of the game. A scene featuring Jason Momoa crafting an item from a non-existent recipe and sheep with human teeth has particularly drawn negative attention. The film appears to target a younger audience, potentially alienating the game's significant teenage and young adult fanbase. Director Jared Hess's claim that adapting a game without a clear narrative is challenging is questioned, as Minecraft offers rich storytelling through its gameplay. The film's narrative has been criticized for resembling a generic adventure film rather than an authentic homage to Minecraft.