"I didn't think of them as scary at all" One of Zelda: Majora's Mask lead designers must be braver than all of us, because he didn't think the moon or titular mask were nightmare fuel in the slightest - Related to spin, different, games', designers, well,
"A lot of people" at Avowed studio Obsidian would be up for a Pillars Of Eternity tactics spin off
Pentiment, Pillars Of Eternity, and Fallout: New Vegas director Josh Sawyer says there's enthusiasm at Obsidian for a potential tactics game set in the same universe as Avowed and the Pillars RPGs, but he's not sure the audience is there for it. "Pillars Tactics is a thing that a lot of people at the studio would like to work on, and there are a lot of people that like tactics games," he not long ago expressed on a livestream, but they'd need to work out "a scope of development where it feels like it could actually make money." (Cheers, GamesRadar).
This isn't the first time Sawyer has mentioned such a project. He unveiled last September that a few developers at Obsidian have "floated" the idea. , the audience "is not huge, typically, but very passionate. People that are into [strategy] RPGs, tactical RPGs, they'll play a lot of them, even if they're not that good. It's a hard one to make a case for," but "every once in a while we bring it up and go 'oh, we could maybe…"
The Pentiment dev returned to these sentiments in the recent livestream. "Tactics games have a very enthusiastic fanbase, but the fanbase is not humungous," he stated. "It's sort of like that floor is high - like, if you make a decent tactics game, those people are gonna buy it. But if all of them buy it, that's still not that many people."
Obsidian Chief Egg Overseer Feargus Urquhart in recent times revealed in an Ian Games interview that the studio was still fairly modestly sized for the big budget RPG space, with nearly 300 employees compared to, for example, CD Projekt Red's 615 or Larian's 470 (thanks PC Gamer). That's not gigantic for a studio that has another RPG project, Outer Worlds 2, following Avowed later this year, so it's not surprising they'd want to be careful with how they allocate resources. Their approach to financials is refreshing too, saying in a recent DICE talk that they go into each project assuming "mild success" rather than gangbusters.
I'm extrapolating a bit here, but it sounds to me like (at the studio level at least) they're a team that want to make money so they can make more games rather than the depressingly common inverse. Whatever I thought of Avowed, that feels like something to celebrate.
I generally avoid using the word 'darling' as an adjective because it makes you sound like an bourgeois playwright two bottles of sherry deep into a n......
Just two weeks before it launched, Bethesda producer Jeff Gardiner tweaked Skyrim because he didn't trust AI player models.
Netflix has cancelled six games as part of plans to.
How is the creator of PUBG's next game different from Hello Games' upcoming Light No Fire? Well, for starters it's "not a game", apparently
Brendan Greene, the creator of PUBG, says his next game isn't like Hello Games' Light No Fire because he's "not making a game."
When you hear about the concept for Project Artemis, the ambitious follow-up to Greene's very successful PUBG, you might think that it sounds a little bit like No Man's Sky. Artemis is described as an "Earth-scale" open-world sandbox, and obviously the key gimmick of No Man's Sky is that all of its planets are realistically (more or less) sized, meaning they're difficult to fully explore. Hello Games is scaling back a touch with its next game, Light No Fire, also an open-world sandbox game that takes place on a single planet that's roughly the size of our own planet, which sounds even more like Greene's Artemis.
Speaking to GamesRadar, however, the PUBG creator explained the differences between his game and Light no Fire, noting how Hello Game's title is "procedural" as opposed to Artemis, which uses machine-learning tech. "I don't know their tech stack, so I'm not super familiar with the way they generate stuff, but I don't think it's the same goal at the end, which is providing an open-source holodeck," Greene explains. "And that's the difference. I think most people are making games. I'm not making a game, I'm building a world."
I don't know about you, but that framing ironically reminds me of No Man's Sky's early days, which perhaps over promised on certain aspects of the game (though in the years since it has been fleshed out exponentially). Still, really the big thing for Green is that he doesn't "want to make games for people, I want to make games with people," continuing on to explain that "if you give the player or the community the means to generate their own experiences, they'll go ham."
We've obviously seen tactics like that find a lot of success in games like Fortnite and Roblox, but Green has previously noted that Project Artemis could be up to a decade away still, so whether that's something players will even still want by then is really up in the air. Though it's not a game, as Greene says, so maybe that won't matter! I guess we'll find out in 2035.
is a senior entertainment writer at Polygon, specializing in pop culture and genre fare, with a primary expertise in comic books. Previously, she foun......
Avowed doesn't have a planned PlayStation release currently, though if you're playing on PC, some mods will let you imagine you are.
Modern Times Group has completed its $620 million acquisition of Plarium from its previous owner, Aristocrat Leisure Limited.
"I didn't think of them as scary at all" One of Zelda: Majora's Mask lead designers must be braver than all of us, because he didn't think the moon or titular mask were nightmare fuel in the slightest
We all know The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is a terrifying game, but apparently one of its lead developers didn't at the time of making it.
If you ask me, Zelda is at its best when it's at least a little bit scary. There's just something inherently unnerving about the series' whole reincarnation dealio in the first place, so when the games really go for the frightening angle they hit pretty hard. Obviously the game that does this the most is Majora's Mask, from that simply terrifying moon constantly moving closer and closer until it eventually crashes, resetting everything, to the titular mask itself, with its mysterious, ominous backstory. As it turns out, though, the art director of Majora's Mask Takaya Imamura didn't feel his designs for both those things were all that scary.
Speaking to Edge Magazine (via GamesRadar), Imamura explained that "Some key elements had already been decided, like the moon falling and the mask and that kind of thing. I needed to come up with a world that they would fit into and that would fit them in turn." He goes on to explain, "In terms of the design of the mask and the moon, personally I didn't think of them as scary at all. I had in mind coming up with a unique design approach for them, but everybody told me how scary they were. People on the team were like 'whoa!'. It's just how it came out, I guess."
I think we can all agree that Imamura is wrong, because there's probably no more stressful and anxiety-inducing a mechanic in any game than the moon falling in Majora's Mask, but that at least adds to the game's overall charm… if you can call it that.
If you've not actually gotten round to playing Majora's Mask, I'll remind you that the N64 version is available via Switch Online's Expansion pack, though it would be nice if Nintendo brought the 3DS remaster/ half-remake to the Switch too.
Monster Hunter Wilds mods are already here and I found the first one new players should install: a mod that adds a health bar for monsters, allowing y......
NetherRealm has shown off Mortal Kombat 1's upcoming T-1000 guest character for the first time, and, you guessed it, he's pretty violent!
is a senior entertainment writer at Polygon, specializing in pop culture and genre fare, with a primary expertise in comic books. Previously, she foun......
Market Impact Analysis
Market Growth Trend
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0% | 7.2% | 7.5% | 8.4% | 8.8% | 9.1% | 9.2% |
Quarterly Growth Rate
| Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q4 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5% | 8.8% | 9.0% | 9.2% |
Market Segments and Growth Drivers
| Segment | Market Share | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Console Gaming | 28% | 6.8% |
| Mobile Gaming | 37% | 11.2% |
| PC Gaming | 21% | 8.4% |
| Cloud Gaming | 9% | 25.3% |
| VR Gaming | 5% | 32.7% |
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity:
Competitive Landscape Analysis
| Company | Market Share |
|---|---|
| Sony PlayStation | 21.3% |
| Microsoft Xbox | 18.7% |
| Nintendo | 15.2% |
| Tencent Games | 12.8% |
| Epic Games | 9.5% |
Future Outlook and Predictions
The Game Didn Think landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements, changing threat vectors, and shifting business requirements. Based on current trends and expert analyses, we can anticipate several significant developments across different time horizons:
Year-by-Year Technology Evolution
Based on current trajectory and expert analyses, we can project the following development timeline:
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity, influencing adoption timelines and investment priorities:
Innovation Trigger
- Generative AI for specialized domains
- Blockchain for supply chain verification
Peak of Inflated Expectations
- Digital twins for business processes
- Quantum-resistant cryptography
Trough of Disillusionment
- Consumer AR/VR applications
- General-purpose blockchain
Slope of Enlightenment
- AI-driven analytics
- Edge computing
Plateau of Productivity
- Cloud infrastructure
- Mobile applications
Technology Evolution Timeline
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
Expert Perspectives
Leading experts in the gaming tech sector provide diverse perspectives on how the landscape will evolve over the coming years:
"Technology transformation will continue to accelerate, creating both challenges and opportunities."
— Industry Expert
"Organizations must balance innovation with practical implementation to achieve meaningful results."
— Technology Analyst
"The most successful adopters will focus on business outcomes rather than technology for its own sake."
— Research Director
Areas of Expert Consensus
- Acceleration of Innovation: The pace of technological evolution will continue to increase
- Practical Integration: Focus will shift from proof-of-concept to operational deployment
- Human-Technology Partnership: Most effective implementations will optimize human-machine collaboration
- Regulatory Influence: Regulatory frameworks will increasingly shape technology development
Short-Term Outlook (1-2 Years)
In the immediate future, organizations will focus on implementing and optimizing currently available technologies to address pressing gaming tech challenges:
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
These developments will be characterized by incremental improvements to existing frameworks rather than revolutionary changes, with emphasis on practical deployment and measurable outcomes.
Mid-Term Outlook (3-5 Years)
As technologies mature and organizations adapt, more substantial transformations will emerge in how security is approached and implemented:
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
This period will see significant changes in security architecture and operational models, with increasing automation and integration between previously siloed security functions. Organizations will shift from reactive to proactive security postures.
Long-Term Outlook (5+ Years)
Looking further ahead, more fundamental shifts will reshape how cybersecurity is conceptualized and implemented across digital ecosystems:
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
These long-term developments will likely require significant technical breakthroughs, new regulatory frameworks, and evolution in how organizations approach security as a fundamental business function rather than a technical discipline.
Key Risk Factors and Uncertainties
Several critical factors could significantly impact the trajectory of gaming tech evolution:
Organizations should monitor these factors closely and develop contingency strategies to mitigate potential negative impacts on technology implementation timelines.
Alternative Future Scenarios
The evolution of technology can follow different paths depending on various factors including regulatory developments, investment trends, technological breakthroughs, and market adoption. We analyze three potential scenarios:
Optimistic Scenario
Rapid adoption of advanced technologies with significant business impact
Key Drivers: Supportive regulatory environment, significant research breakthroughs, strong market incentives, and rapid user adoption.
Probability: 25-30%
Base Case Scenario
Measured implementation with incremental improvements
Key Drivers: Balanced regulatory approach, steady technological progress, and selective implementation based on clear ROI.
Probability: 50-60%
Conservative Scenario
Technical and organizational barriers limiting effective adoption
Key Drivers: Restrictive regulations, technical limitations, implementation challenges, and risk-averse organizational cultures.
Probability: 15-20%
Scenario Comparison Matrix
| Factor | Optimistic | Base Case | Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation Timeline | Accelerated | Steady | Delayed |
| Market Adoption | Widespread | Selective | Limited |
| Technology Evolution | Rapid | Progressive | Incremental |
| Regulatory Environment | Supportive | Balanced | Restrictive |
| Business Impact | Transformative | Significant | Modest |
Transformational Impact
Technology becoming increasingly embedded in all aspects of business operations. This evolution will necessitate significant changes in organizational structures, talent development, and strategic planning processes.
The convergence of multiple technological trends—including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and ubiquitous connectivity—will create both unprecedented security challenges and innovative defensive capabilities.
Implementation Challenges
Technical complexity and organizational readiness remain key challenges. Organizations will need to develop comprehensive change management strategies to successfully navigate these transitions.
Regulatory uncertainty, particularly around emerging technologies like AI in security applications, will require flexible security architectures that can adapt to evolving compliance requirements.
Key Innovations to Watch
Artificial intelligence, distributed systems, and automation technologies leading innovation. Organizations should monitor these developments closely to maintain competitive advantages and effective security postures.
Strategic investments in research partnerships, technology pilots, and talent development will position forward-thinking organizations to leverage these innovations early in their development cycle.
Technical Glossary
Key technical terms and definitions to help understand the technologies discussed in this article.
Understanding the following technical concepts is essential for grasping the full implications of the security threats and defensive measures discussed in this article. These definitions provide context for both technical and non-technical readers.
platform intermediate
AR intermediate
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