Four Player Co-op 01.11.12: PS4, 3DS, SOPA, and Other Acryonyms!
Posted by Stephen Randle on 01.11.2012
What is God of War IV going to be about? Should Nintendo be worried about their near-total reliance on Mario titles to make money? Will we really be seeing the PS4 and XBox 720 at this year's E3? What is Anonymous trying to prove by their latest attack on Sony? The 411 Staff debates these topics and more!
Mathew Sforcina has joined the game.
Stewart Lange has joined the game.
Todd Vote has joined the game.
Dan Watson has joined the game.
Quizmaster
Greetings, and welcome to another edition of Four Player Co-op. I am the Quizmaster, I ask questions, I hear the answers, and I dole out points like so much candy. Mmm…candy…
…
Wait, what were we talking about? Start the game!
QUESTION ONE: This year's E3 might be really, really full of interesting news, as there are reports floating around that in addition to the latest news on the Wii U, both the PS4 and whatever the successor to the 360 will be called are set to be revealed at the show. In fact, Michael Pachter says there's no chance it's going to happen, which practically confirms that it will. I guess the only question here is: Are you ready?
Mathew Sforcina
(Insert the rest of the DX catchphrase here).
Hmmm. Well, I think it's a case of what you consider to be a 'new console'. And what you consider a 'reveal'. I believe that they'll both announce some new sort of Kinect/Move bundle pack, possibly with improved or in some other good way. But will the consoles be 'revealed'? I do believe they'll announce the plans, and maybe even show a picture of the console, but in terms of actual gameplay or anything beyond "This will be the Xbox 360-2/PS4"? Nope. A mock up, a date, that'll be it.
Stewart Lange
Yeah, I'm ready when they are. We've had a good run from this generation of consoles, my only concern is backwards compatibility. I have a bollock-load of games and DLC I don't want to have to keep an extra console for, so with any luck the cloud storage both the 360 and PS3 now support will allow for me to continue with certain titles. I don't think there will be any big releases that haven't already been announced before mid-2013 though. Should the world still be around, you know.
Todd Vote
I was all ready to jump on the Quizmaster's shit about believing anything Michael Pachter says, but then I reread the statement. If Pachter says it isn't so well then you can pretty much believe the opposite. Which to me sort of sucks, I was hoping we would get a lot more life out of my 360. But, if Microsoft is ready to launch a new console, history has shown us that they will just drop any and all support for their current console right out of the gate. Oh well, I won't make the mistake of buying one of their crappy launch models this time around. I'm going to wait so I can soak up all the good deals that the people who don't buy right away are privy to. Remember, companies do not reward loyalty, they reward late adopters.
Dan Watson
I am not ready. I am hoping this is not true and is delayed until 2013 meaning for a release of the consoles sometime between late 2014 and mid 2015. Just typing those dates seem so far away and so futuristic but i feel we need that time for the PS3. The console is starting to gain some ground and just like the PS2, may be moved past too soon. The PS2 was still selling great games strongly when PS3 came out. The Xbox 360 was rushed out this past time and look at the issues we had with RROD. Both consoles are running strong right now and I feel like they shouldn't be replaced because Nintendo has their next sub-par console coming out too soon. Microsoft could bring more focus to Kinect. Sony has their exclusives as well.
Quizmaster
Damn, Todd actually paid attention to the first rule of 4PC ("Pachter is never correct") so I can't punish him…yet. However, Sforcina has what I believe is the closest answer to the truth of what, if anything, we'll get at E3, so he gets 92 points.
QUESTION TWO: Some good news for Nintendo in 2011 after all, as the final numbers on the 3DS comes to four million units sold. Of course, most of that success can be laid at the feet of Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7, which, hey, go with what works, but should Nintendo be more worried that it seems like the only way they can be successful is with their Mario-related titles, especially with the Wii U on the way?
Mathew Sforcina
You're asking if Nintendo should be worried that only their Grade A Bankable Franchises are selling right now on the 3DS? Not really. Of course the console's only working because of the GABaFs, that's what they are there for. They sell the consoles up until the point where other developers work out how to make the console work. Mario and Smash Bros and Samus... Ok, not her, Other M killed her off, but the rest will keep the thing afloat until good games appear. Like Professor Layton V Phoenix Wright, aka the only game other than Smash Bros I'll buy the 3DS for.
Stewart Lange
Maybe, just maybe, Nintendo should stop diluting their consoles with shovelware crap and then they will be taken a bit more seriously. There are lots of great, non-Mario titles for the Wii, the DS and so on, but for every Skyward Sword or Metroid, there are 5 "Imagine Babysitting" or "Cheerleader Party" titles. Plus, having played a 3DS, the first title to really impress me on it was Street Fighter, which came out too long after release.
Todd Vote
What Nintendo should really take away from this is not necessarily that Mario is the only thing they can sell, but more that Mario is the only thing they have that will move console units. Seriously, if Nintendo ever launches another console without a Mario game or two at launch, then they are begging for the same problems. Mario is a title that will sell consoles, and open you up to get some other games out to keep the new console owners interest.
Dan Watson
Nintendo should be seriously worried. They pushed their fan base away for a gimmick of a console and then have abandoned many of their strong titles in order to push out mini games that they sell as major releases. Think of the series that N64 had, Pilotwings, Blast Corps, Conker, Banjo Kazooie, Star Fox, Perfect Dark, and so many more. What does Wii have? Red Steel? Really a sword game that barely worked is the best they could offer? Outside of Mario and Zelda, Nintendo isn't selling their major titles anymore. Get back to the fun variations and the different games. Maybe it is because Rare is Microsoft's company now but I don't know. I just wish Nintendo would release more fun games that had different concepts.
Quizmaster
Todd, if they didn't learn that lesson with GameCube and attempting to make Luigi the "star" of the launch, they never will. Dan and Stewart are on the right track, splitting 239 points, and the best indicator is the fact that in 2011, name five titles that Nintendo released for the Wii without including Skyward Sword. The worst part is that they blew through all their exclusives in the first two years on the Wii, and then had nothing left, and they'll probably do it again for the 3DS and Wii U.
QUESTION THREE: So, the Stop Online Piracy Act is pretty much all that's making the news these days, and of course, where there's controversy and video games, there's Anonymous, who are making threats against Sony over their stance on the bill. But not against the PSN, or maybe against the PSN, or just Sony execs, or something. You guys figure out what the hell they're trying to prove here.
Mathew Sforcina
Asking what Anonymous is up to is like asking what the population of New York City like on their sandwiches. A complete answer is impossible, an average answer is useless and the question itself is flawed. Anonymous is, as I've said before here, is just a group of loosely associated hackers, copyright infringers and people who post on message boards. They are as controlled and as focused as a herd of cats, and about as dangerous. Although I'm talking in terms of D&D housecats, the ones that can take a man down at three paces...
Stewart Lange
The whole thing is stupid. Anonymous are stupid, the bill is stupid and maybe I'm stupid, because I stopped having the ability to CARE to understand what's going on about 2 months ago. Also- the suggested term for piracy is longer than the one for actual theft, so instead of downloading, do they want to encourage looting and shoplifting? Just saying.
Todd Vote
They will sit in mom's basement, excuse me, The Command Center, and have a circle jerk. Last one to go eats the cracker.
Dan Watson
Anonymous is putting that threat out there because of the previous attack. People remember that their consoles were worthless for two to three weeks because of the previous attack. So, when they hear that Sony may be attacked again, they write and call and bitch and moan to make sure that Sony doesn't piss this group off again. As reported in other stories, the association that most major video game companies are part of supports this act. So as long as the individual companies say they hate it, they are still supporting it through their association. In the end, the act is bullshit and when you start talking about shutting down sites because possible pirating it becomes even worse than bullshit.
Quizmaster
Stewart takes 4893 points for using "stupid" more times than an angry Randy Orton, although I did enjoy Sforcina's sandwich analogy, although he forgot that you'll also get insulted for daring to ask them the question.
QUESTION FOUR: It's a slow news week. How slow is it? The only big story left is that God of War IV may have been confirmed by the guy composing the soundtrack, although Sony won't say anything. Any early speculation on what that game's going to be about, after they essentially wrapped up Kratos' story in Part 3?
Mathew Sforcina
Well it's obvious. God(s) Of War IV will be be set in Rome, wherein the Roman empire, having taken over where the Greeks have fallen due to Kratos' killing of the Gods, and the new Gods have risen, some of which were the Gods Kratos didn't get round to killing wearing funny hats. There are 2 characters this time, to allow multiplayer Co-Op. I would guess they'll end up being two similar but different clones of Kratos, but I'd like to see one be the clone the other be a female warrior. But regardless, they go about to kill the Roman gods, and begin a new trilogy. And then they finish with the Norse Gods in another trilogy...
Stewart Lange
I didn't finish God of War 3 due to the fact I couldn't be bothered with it after a point, so i don't know what happened to Kratos. If he's not going to be the pivotal character, maybe it'll be about a new God of War, or another Demi-God following in Kratos' footsteps? Who knows.
Todd Vote
I haven't seen how Kratos' story wraps up yet, so I really do not want to speculate on anything, and beg the readers not to spoil it for me. Having said that, they said the trilogy wrapped up this story, not necessarily Kratos' story. It's similar to what Epic is doing with the Gears of War series. Gears 3 ended a trilogy, not the story. There is plenty of good shit to mine out of Greek Mythology, why not try to craft another amazing trilogy of stories? I am all for it.
Dan Watson
I'm about to get tons of heat for this but I have to say it. I have never played a God of War game. I am sorry. I want to play the series just never found time. I really am sorry.
Quizmaster
If they really want to stir up some controversy, maybe they should send Kratos after the Judeo-Christian pantheon. Okay, Penny Arcade already made that joke, but it's still funny.
BONUS QUESTION: I need to get back to The Old Republic. Talk about whatever you want.
Mathew Sforcina
Where's My Diablo? Where's My Diablo? *lunchcart screen falls on head*
Stewart Lange
After plenty of drama, I should be picking up my new car today, if not, then Friday. Good stuff. Other than that, check out this weeks MMA 5 & 1. If you haven't read it before, I try and keep the actual MMA content to a minimum, so everyone can enjoy the lovely pictures. I'm also short of volunteers for the next couple of weeks games Fact or Fiction, so if you want to play, email me directly at stewart.lange@gmail.com.
Finally, I started Rage and it's f'n awesome. KTHNXBY.
Todd Vote
I'd like to talk about Mediacom and their customer service if I may. You see this weekend, they had a free preview weekend of Showtime, complete with the weekend's Strikeforce event. So the preview wasn't working on my TV. I called Mediacom customer service. Unsure of the problem they told me they would reset my cable box and I should be returned to service in about 10 minutes. Great, no problem. 45 minutes later, I called back because the box hadn't been reactivated. Got disconnected, so tried to call back for a third time. The automated machine told me that the records showed I had just called about my TV service being out is that still the problem. So after being connected to a third customer service worker, this one decided that instead of trying to help me with my problem, he would just try to sell me on Mediacom's phone service. Third call, very angry, and this asshole is trying to sell me phone service. F-U Mediacom!!
Dan Watson
Well.... I was wrong. Tim Tebow beat Pittsburgh and I just don't know what to say. The game was bullshit and now I have to either cheer for a shitty QB or Tom Brady. It doesn't get much worse than that...oh but wait it does. I just wasted five minutes watching a stupid ass entrance by Brodus Clay. This is what the hype was all about? A 400 pound man dancing and singing to stupid ass music. Fuck, I hate life. What has this planet come to?
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Um, Matthew, the Greek Gods and Roman Gods were THE SAME GODS. They just had different names.
For example:
Jupiter = Zeus
Mars = Ares
Neptune = Poseidon
Minerva = Athena
Kratos can't kill the Roman Gods because he's already killed them!
Posted By: J-Dizzle (Guest) on January 11, 2012 at 12:01 AM
@J-Drizzle - the Romans stole the Greek pantheon and renamed them, but they also made up new mythology to go with them.
I think that seeing as its thousands of years since anyone practised the religions and we're looking for religious accuracy in a video game, maybe you could cut a bit of slack this time.
Posted By: Rasher (Guest) on January 11, 2012 at 12:05 PM
"We've had a good run from this generation of consoles."
No we most certainly have not. There's zero need for new consoles for the next 3 years at least because they simply will not bring anything new other slightly shinier graphics.
"Remember, companies do not reward loyalty, they reward late adopters."
Why most people choose to ignore this i'll never know. They go to midnight launches and buy 70 dollar games only to NOT finish them an do the same 3 weeks later, when just waiting a couple months, probably the time it takes for you to get tired of the first game, will net you the second one at half the price. Same with consoles. Late adopters get better stuff at far, far cheaper prices. I haven't spent more than 30 bucks on a video game yet this generation and i have most of the big releases.
And Dan, Funkassaurus owns your existence.
Posted By: Guest#6428 (Guest) on January 11, 2012 at 12:25 PM
Plus, you know, it' a Video Game. Hell, turn that into a plot point. "You tried to kill me Kratos, but I'm back! With a new hat!" and so forth.
Posted By: mlsq42 (Registered) on January 11, 2012 at 06:47 PM
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