player expectations Archives

AppWizard

May 23, 2025

Remedy director says that FBC: Firebreak ‘respects player time’ instead of relying on FOMO, which has ‘infected modern games’

Remedy Entertainment's upcoming title, FBC: Firebreak, is a co-op shooter and a spin-off from the Control series. Director Mike Kayatta emphasized a philosophy of maintaining a responsible team size, budget, and development time, while respecting player time and avoiding industry greed. He noted the importance of delivering a product that meets player expectations without overcharging. Kayatta criticized the concept of FOMO in modern games, stating it does not align with FBC: Firebreak's vision, which aims to provide value without daily check-ins or timed battle passes. The game is designed to encourage player return and foster a sense of accomplishment over time.

AppWizard

May 17, 2025

World of Warcraft game director on the woeful patch 11.1.5: ‘It’s not the experience our players are expecting or deserve’

World of Warcraft's patch 11.1.5 has faced backlash from players due to numerous bugs and the implementation of time-gated content. Senior game director Ion Hazzikostas acknowledged that the launch did not go as planned and highlighted issues with the Flame's Radiance events, which were a key feature of the patch. Other anticipated features, including a bad-luck protection system and a dual-boss raid mode, experienced delays, leading to player disappointment. Hazzikostas noted that the decision to stagger releases aimed to prevent player overwhelm but resulted in frustration over the lack of content at launch. Bugs from previous patches re-emerged, attributed to the accelerated eight-week patch schedule, which is the fastest in the game's history. Developers are using hotfixes to address issues quickly, but this can complicate resolutions. Hazzikostas emphasized the importance of quality over quantity and stated that the team is committed to improving their processes based on the challenges faced with this patch.

AppWizard

April 18, 2025

PC is the definitive way to play The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered

Sony's exclusives on PlayStation hardware are known for their seamless performance, but PC ports can vary in quality. The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered has been released on PC, offering a polished experience and various customizable graphics settings, including level of detail, texture quality, shadow quality, NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency, AMD Anti-Lag 2, and upscaling technologies like NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS. While the gameplay experience is generally smooth, some minor graphical glitches may occur. The game has received patches since launch to improve performance. It retains a stunning aesthetic, enhanced by modern PC capabilities, making it a worthwhile investment for both newcomers and those who have played it on PS4 or PS5. Players are encouraged to check their system's specifications to ensure compatibility for an optimal experience.

AppWizard

March 7, 2025

Starfield promises it still exists as silence drives fans to space-madness, but it mostly just annoys everyone: ‘They are deliberately choosing not to communicate more’

Baldur's Gate 3 has become a monumental success, attracting tens of thousands of players daily, while Starfield's user review score on Steam has dropped to a mixed 58%. Bethesda has acknowledged fan impatience regarding updates for Starfield but has provided little specific information about future content. The ambiguity of their communication has left many fans uncertain about the timeline for updates, leading to frustration within the community. Critics suggest that Bethesda's cautious communication strategy is a response to the challenges of managing player expectations.

AppWizard

March 6, 2025

Minecraft Live 2025 showcase is airing in two weeks

Minecraft's annual presentation is scheduled to occur earlier this year than in previous years, generating curiosity and excitement within the gaming community. This change may be a strategic move by the developers to align with trends and player expectations, potentially capturing a broader audience's attention. Speculation about new gameplay mechanics, expansion packs, or narrative directions is prevalent among players.

AppWizard

November 30, 2024

Witcher 4 dev not sure if CDPR will take a Baldur’s Gate 3-style PC-first release

Charles Tremblay, the vice president of technology at CD Projekt Red, discussed the platform release strategy for The Witcher 4 in an interview with Eurogamer. He was asked about the possibility of a PC-first launch, similar to Baldur's Gate 3, which could help avoid development challenges faced by Cyberpunk 2077. Tremblay expressed reservations about this approach, highlighting the importance of a balanced strategy that considers the diverse gaming landscape and player expectations across various platforms. He emphasized a commitment to delivering a polished experience for The Witcher 4, regardless of the launch platform.

AppWizard

October 11, 2024

A new Tomb Raider Remastered series is coming in 2025, complete with the game so bad it ‘almost killed the series’

Aspyr is set to release a remastered trilogy of Tomb Raider 4-6, including The Last Revelation (1999), Chronicles (2000), and The Angel of Darkness (2003), on Steam on February 14, 2025. The remastered games will feature updated graphics, refined controls, health bars for bosses, a photo mode, and a range of achievements. The remaster aims to address past criticisms, particularly of The Angel of Darkness, which has been described as "infuriating, buggy, and ultimately boring." Developers may consider framing the remaster as a historical artifact to manage player expectations.

AppWizard

September 4, 2024

PlayStation pulls Concord from sale

Sony Interactive Entertainment has decided to withdraw its hero shooter, Concord, from the market and will take it offline on September 6th. The game sold only 25,000 copies, with 10,000 on Steam. Sony will issue refunds to customers who purchased the game.

AppWizard

August 29, 2024

Real-time strategy almost came back from the brink of death and then fell flat on its face

Four years ago, the real-time strategy (RTS) genre was perceived as nearing extinction, with only a few developers still engaged. The last significant release was StarCraft 2 in 2010. Recent titles like Company of Heroes 3 and Homeworld 3 received mixed to negative reviews, failing to meet player expectations. Company of Heroes 3 struggles with a Mixed rating on Steam, while Homeworld 3 has a Mostly Negative rating. Stormgate's early access launch was underwhelming, and other recent titles like The Great War: Western Front and Dune: Spice Wars did not leave a lasting impact. None of the new RTS games have inspired repeated play, which is crucial for the genre. Sins of a Solar Empire 2 has received positive reviews but lacks a campaign. The RTS genre's competitive spirit has diminished, leading to concerns about a potential decline. Despite the enduring popularity of remastered titles like Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition, attracting new players remains a challenge. The future of the RTS genre appears uncertain, with a possibility of fading community engagement.

AppWizard

August 29, 2024

Bandai Namco and Amazon say no refunds as they kill off anime MMO Blue Protocol, but they’ll give you 5,000 funbucks a month until it dies

Bandai Namco will conclude the Japanese version of Blue Protocol on January 18, 2025, and has canceled its planned release in Europe and the United States. The development team expressed their inability to meet player expectations despite their efforts. Players have voiced disappointment, particularly those who invested money into the game. Bandai Namco will not provide refunds for in-game currency but will distribute 5,000 Rose Orbs monthly from September until January and offer the newly released battle pass for free. Executive producer Sokichi Shimooka noted that the company had to investigate a significant player drop-off, indicating challenges faced by the game.