Ducklizard

Thanks for Gex and Dead Space. Keep making art, even if it’s only for yourself. 👋

@ThisIsPete To build off of what you said, I think Nintendo’s studios that they own and partner with are encouraged to prioritize the craftsmanship of the gameplay over the sophistication of the presentation. Games from Next Level (Luigi’s Mansion 3) and Velan (the latest Star Fox 64 remake) feel like they were Japanese made because of their accessible yet highly polished mechanics. They’re both two of the most gorgeous games Nintendo has made, but they don’t forget that they’re games first. This doesn’t just come down to the discipline of the studio but the guidance of the publisher. I liked Metroid Prime 4, but I feel like that game’s divided reception indicates Retro Studios may have lost sight of that philosophy during the LENGTHY development.

Back on topic, as others have pointed out, indie developers have taken up the mantle of “fresh game concepts”. So the bigger publishers probably feel they’re spared the burden of experimentation, but they’ve traded that for the burden of massively investing in saturated genres/markets. I wish I knew what the solution was that doesn’t lead to more job losses, but at the risk of sounding like a fan boy, I feel Nintendo’s approach is the best possible option right now (mix of AAA and AA titles with relatively modest budgets at a manageable release cadence).

Yeah I guess the biggest publishers today don’t make stylish rhythm games with flat, cartoony graphics…. Except Rhythm Heaven Groove which just came out! He’s not wrong necessarily, but there are exceptions. Glad Nintendo hasn’t forgotten the old ways.

Maybe I could accept an all-digital future if we had any kind of ownership over our digital goods. What depresses me is how all of our art/entertainment is essentially becoming invisible commodities with this move. Corporations seem to value enthusiasts less than indifferent casuals because they believe casuals will put up with any consumer right violation. But I have a feeling those casuals WON'T put up with the sky-high prices that Sony and Microsoft will no doubt ask for their future hardware and software, and will stick with their phones and tablets. If I had known how transient digital purchases would be, I would have been much more discerning of where I put my money. I'd say more, but I'm at work.

This is a terrible shame. We need organizations like this now more than ever. Here’s hoping this one finds some way to survive.

Whew! Good thing I bought a lightly used Pocket. That would be awful not being able to use my Everdrive carts. Hope they can find a workaround for this.

@N00BiSH I was going to tell you who developed Crash 4, but someone already did. Didn’t want to pile on, so I edited it out.

An unusually wholesome exchange on X. We could use more of that. Velan mostly worked on VR/AR games, Mario Kart Live for instance. If this Star Fox is successful, I wonder if they’ll become a regular, partner developer for Nintendo.

@DestructoDisk Regular people are already being harmed by AI before any bubble burst has happened. I was sure that was the point I was making earlier. At least if/when a bubble burst happens, it will shake investors out of their stupor over the AI hype. We already live in a world where much of Gen Alpha can't even focus on a book. The last thing they need to improve their cognitive skills is a tool that eliminates the need to develop those skills.

There's a lot of things to hate GenAI for, many of which I'm sure have been brought up. In regards to using it to produce background assets, that's something a few junior artists/graphic designers would have happily done. And they almost certainly would've done a better job! And would have something cool for their portfolio!! GenAI is taking away tasks that would have gone to entry level employees, thus preventing them from gaining experience to further their careers. JUST MAKE THE AI BUBBLE POP ALREADY!!!

I wonder if Hidetaka Miyazaki will give condolences, considering how inspired he was by the Fighting Fantasy books. He couldn't read English back then, so surely Blanche's artwork played a key part in exciting his imagination.