411 Games Fact or Fiction 01.03.12: PSP Vita, Hitman, Xbox Live, Myst, More

Posted by Stewart Lange on 01.03.2012

Is it too early for Square Enix to trademark the name of the next Hitman game? The "No guns" rule on Xbox LIVE's avatars a big fuss over nothing? Will the PSP Vita struggle in Europe and the US like it did in Japan? 411's Donald Stewart and Lee Jones debate these topics and more in this week's 411 Fact or Fiction: Games!

Hello and welcome to the first 411 Games Fact or Fiction of 2012! Everybody know that nobody celebrates the New Year like us Scots, so this week I have both the Reader Voices from the Top 5 along for an all Scottish New Year special. Hope you all enjoy it!

---

1- The PSP vita will struggle in Europe and the US as it has in Japan.



Donald Stewart: FACT- I think that Nintendo have such a strong hold on the handheld gaming market that'll it will be a tough nut to crack. The PSP Vita is saddled with a slightly poor rep for the original PSP and from buyer apathy. With DS and Nintendo riding a slightly waning wave of popularity at the moment, I don't see how the PSP will be success.

Lee Jones: FACT- At least initially. Vita looks a good piece of kit but a lot of people will have felt burned by the PSP. Word of mouth will be Sony's friend here as I do expect people to gush over it. But what happens after 3 months will make or break it, do we continue seeing some strong titles or will there just be previews to keep us going? Word of mouth = better than obscure arty commercials. I am glad to have seen that 3G doesn't affect online play at all (still need to be in Wi-Fi zone to play) so unless you're planning to use its other media features save some money and go for Wi-Fi model.

1 for 1: I do quite like the look of it, but I rarely use handheld consoles so it'd be wasted on me.

---

2: It's a bit early for Square Enix to trademark the name of the next Hitman game.



Donald Stewart:FICTION- It's their IP and if they feel they have to trademark it then go ahead. It could be in order to stop someone else using a similar name in future like the Minecraft/Bethesda trademark issues recently and also to stop people making websites to profit from the name. Although I don't like the direction the next Hitman game is taking(47 is an assassin not a straight up fighter) I've got a feeling that the next game will be a success.

Lee Jones: FICTION- its good business sense to trademark everything you can if you think you or someone else will find a use for it. Square Enix could trademark 100 Hitman names and I wouldn't bat an eyelid. If I had plenty of cash I'd probably be a dick and try to copyright Diablo 4 or Final Fantasy 20 because you know the companies will want to use them. Hmm I wonder if there's laws stopping companies trademarking rivals future project i.e. Activision trademarking Battlefield 4.Someone wanna drop Sforcina a query about that?

2 for 2: Sure, they can trademark what they want, but it may be counting their chickens a little bit.....

---

3: The 3DS marketplace is filling up enough for you to merit a purchase, if you haven't already.



Donald Stewart: FICTION- Not in the slightest bit interested in 3d. I think 3d is a repeat of the late 60's/early70's fad but with better tech. I don't have a 3d TV, don't go and see 3d movies and not interested in the 3DS. I really don't see the point in it. Sorry folks.

Lee Jones: FICTION- I haven't purchased and don't ever plan to. I'd buy a DSXL before a 3DS and enjoy a strong catalogue of games. I'm waiting for Vita's first price drop before I go back into portable gaming, unless The Hype gets to me. I'm not bothered bout 3D gaming yet but I do see the potential of it so hope it doesn't go away, however when I do get into it it'll be on a big 3D TV, which I don't own :-(.

3 for 3: The marketplace looks pretty good for Nintendo's handheld, but I'd have to get one for a total bargain.

---

Tweet, Tweet!

Follow @StewartLangeMMA
Follow @411mania
Follow @411wrestling
Follow @411moviestv
Follow @411moviestv
Follow @411games
Follow @411mma

Got a twitter? Click the above links for up to date news from across the 411 spectrum!

---

4: Myst being remade will prompt demand for the rest of the series



Lee Jones:FICTION- Yes okay I suppose a few people will want to play the others but not in the numbers the publisher will be bothered about. This isn't like an Uncharted where you only have a few games to catch up on, it's an established franchise that's been going since 1993, I have a large enough pile of games to play already without that kind of addition and I'm sure the key casual audience cares even less. As a side note, much as we're starting to complain about all these remakes/redefinitions/HD collections, think about the games YOU want redone, the more come out the better your chances (looks at Soul Reaver). As a side to my side note, you'd think that 're' before a word means it's already been done once right? I lost a bet the other week bout refried beans, turns out fried once at most, whets up with that?

Donald Stewart: FICTION- Although I disagree with Lee about the casual audience not caring about it being redone/remade, I think the casual gamers won't even care about Myst in the first place. I think as a franchise/series Myst has had its day, heck I'm 31 and have never even played one. It'll sell as a curio piece and maybe as a steam sale down the line but I don't see any more demand for the series further on from the first.

4 for 4: I loved Myst when I was younger, so I'd play that, then Riven, then give up.

---

5: The "Capcom bar" in Japan is an idea that will catch on (in Japan).



Lee Jones: FICTION- To catch everyone up, Capcom and another company have teamed up to open a bar, with drinks, games, merchandise (when I'm drunk!!! Evil) and possibly karaoke. Why fiction? Been there done that. Japan already has other gaming bars like 8bit cafe, Qunai Bros and 16shots in Tokyo alone. The Japanese love this stuff, and seem to support niche ventures like these more than us (visit once, if it's convenient, maybe) westerners, and more power to them. So no it won't catch on, it's already here.

Donald Stewart: FACT- Capcom are huge in Japan from their various franchises to conventions and the amount of cosplay folk you see in vids, etc must be a market for it. Think about it, the bar's business partners aren't going to not put money in for this blind, they'll have done the research and the venue will more than likely be used for corporate ventures by Capcom too. Like seminars, company jollies that sort of thing. Karaoke is still a huge part of Japan and I'm sure that this would generate some Yen. Booze, games and bad singing, what's not to like? On a side note, there used to be a Star Wars themed bar in Glasgow, Bar Jedi, didn't last very long, I agree with Lee on one point, us Westerners don't really embrace niche too well.

4 for 5: It could prompt other companies to do the same. Well reminded on Bar Jedi too Donald, it looked terrible.

---

6: The "No guns" rule on the Avatar marketplace is a fuss over nothing.



Lee Jones: FACT- FUCK THIS PC CRAZY WORLD. Dear Microsoft, games have guns, gamers will be exposed to gaming guns, kids will be exposed to gaming guns... morons. Know what lets have Nazis fire paint guns, lets hunt ducks with elastic bands, let's have Batman's parent killed by hugs and kisses... idiots. As a plus if you have a gun in your avatar it's still valid but come on, will the next gen Xbox have the same rule? Course it will, because we laid down and took it. Isn't it funny that the 'rebellious' part of our society rarely rebels while the 'safe' part fights constantly to get their way? Here's a British Christmas reference for you, want me to keep supporting safe corporate crap? Fuck you I won't do what you tell me!

Donald Stewart: FACT- Whilst I can see why Microsoft is doing this I do think it's a little bit of a waste of time. Calling it an amnesty, in my opinion, makes it a mockery of all the real amnesties that go in, from knifes to guns. Also if they are doing this to avoid either your FAKE avatar from having a FAKE gun to not really do much with in order to avoid bad press or to stop little Timmy from getting his VIRTUAL self a FAKE gun then his parents finding out, then that what parental controls are for. I agree with Lee's points about there being guns in games anyway, Xmas no 1 reference outstanding by the way.

5 for 6: If they insist on CHARGING for the crap, surely you can have what you want?

---

BONUS- So, what went down for you at New Year? Craziest story wins!



Donald Stewart- Lamentably I was working the new year, need to keep the pennies coming in to pay the bills. Everybody needs to pay the piper.

Lee Jones- My girlfriend smuggled some Caribbean Rum (she swears by it, got the job done for me) into the country so we got drunk on that then had some bedroom fun. Sadly this could have been a better night as the girlfriend goes both ways and had convinced a friend to spend New Year with us with a threesome in mind but the friend pulled out. Balls.

Stewart Lange- I bought a car. Then got really drunk in my house. Then fell asleep. Then threw up in the bath-tub instead of walking the extra two feet to the toilet. My wife was thrilled when she woke up to that.

---

My Scottish friends go 5 for 6 this week but what do you think? Play along below, and I'll see you in seven!