Sheikah

And how do you think the date was chosen?

His response could have been about the game network; wasn't clear from his post.

Yeah, it can happen, but I feel PS4 was poised to capture the same crowd the 360 had. The mid-generation thing will pretty much decimate any chance I can see of Nintendo doing the same thing here. This generation really is interesting - Nintendo pushed a last gen console (power, storage, online infrastructure) with clunky gamepad that nobody asked for while Xbox went down the route of Kinect and anti-consumer policies. Almost like everyone except Sony literally lost their fucking minds at the start of the generation. In some ways, if the X1 had done better I imagine PS Plus offerings would have remained more competitive.

Regarding the 'there'd be no third party issue if EA reunited with Nintendo', do people really believe that? Like, if EA started releasing every game they normally release on Nintendo's next console, do you think Nintendo would be drawing people to their console with that? And that other devs would follow? Or do you think the people into games like FIFA/COD will continue to buy them on alternate consoles, where their friends/digital libraries already are? And where the console manufacturers have experience and know what they are doing with regards to online/parties? And that sums up the issue for me. Developer support for games like these on Nintendo's consoles will always be limited because the anticipated uptake of these games on Nintendo platforms vs other platforms will be poor. There is no conspiracy, non hate, and no plan to deliberately shaft Nintendo with regards to not releasing feature-rich versions of games on their consoles. Nintendo generally make their console in such a way as to be unattractive to these developers so they have no obligation to support if 100%.

Once you get the BT line though, it's been all good for me (that said, I know from previous experience their customer service is a bit shit). I wouldn't have overlooked my property through lack of Virgin service!

After the PS4 conference last year it would be madness to not tune in again, if only for more info/footage on those games. The chat was electric. What was it last year, three mega bombshells for PS4?

If I were Blade I would start with Dark Souls 3 - you have a shield in it. Having said that, Bloodborne is one of the finest games ever made, so you really can't go wrong either way. Just stick with it when it hands your ass to you at the start.

Don't have any of those problems. Maybe your broadband is just a bit fucked?

Nah, you can pretty much play them in any order you want.

Absolutely loving this game at the moment. Have to say that I'll be very sad if this really is the last Souls-type game as the gameplay in these is like crack. Bloodborne 2 I hope! Slowly piecing together the NPCs and world and admiring the stunning level design.

Definitely agree, and that's kinda what I was getting at. Yeah, it's free. But it's a bit shit.

So very few though. And to be honest, I find the online services for those games quite lacking (to the point that I personally wouldn't be happy to pay for it).

That is, and always has been, PC. There's barely anything to play online regarding Nintendo's games anyway, so to me the fact it is free isn't exactly much of a plus point.

I reckon there is about as much chance of that happening as Reggie lassoing a pig and flying it to the moon. It would be pretty cool if they do a remaster, although unless they're already some way through there's probably not really that much time for them to do it before ME:A's release. The first game though never really grabbed me, and to be honest would feel pretty outdated even if remastered.

I will of course be attending! First week of June I will be away - will update with any other weeks I can't do later (wedding at some point, forget when). For now, can make time most weekends!

Gutted that a Vita release is unlikely.

Sorry to hear that. Out of interest, what was it that made you pick the Oculus over the Vive? Was it lack of space for a decent setup?

It is tomorrow, but at the same time I got Dark Souls III early and am totally absorbed in it. Will try rip myself away from it for a bit for this.

Yep, said it before but BC is a feature that a vocal minority always demand and praise; when it comes down to it, BC has very little sway on the grand scale of things. Most people buy a new games console to play new games. If that console has the new games they want to play, they buy it. And people will readily buy remasters. Agree with everything you said. The controllers issue has become a bit of a joke - what's worse, most of the controllers are pretty garbage. Nintendo need to cut the past loose on this one.

Same, TheGameCollection.

Not even a hint of a clue. Genuinely embarrassed for the li'l fella.

Pipe down man, you mad a crappy comment and used Nintendo as a very poor example. As I said, right now few people will be on board with VR and they have opted for lots of little games to show off different potential uses of VR rather than pump lots of time into one effort. Shigeru Miyamoto confessed to spending months just having Mario run around a room to get the feeling of movement right for Mario 64. Totally different objectives for the 64 and current VR, so not at all surprising to see a difference in game quality. Also have you thought that Nintendo's budget might be a bit less than the competition is because they're usually always behind the curve in terms of specs? Cheaper to make SD or 720p games than then next step up, etc.

All the best software developers out there aren't going to sink their typical budget of millions of pounds into making a game that only a few thousand people are able to buy on launch (early adopters with big pockets). Every software developer worth his salt knows there is currently a 1.5-1.6k GBP outlay for new PC VR customers and as such you're not going to see many big games like that for a while. Mario 64 was made in a much cheaper time and with much cheaper tech. The mainstream could buy into it at the price it was sold at. The best thing they can do right now is showcase the potential, which is what the lots of little games are doing. Showing off new tech in cool ways draws a crowd; in the mean time they can refine their tech, make it cheaper, and those customers and developers will come.

And your point is? Do go on.

I think the NSMB style and themes are done; I had simply lost interest in it by the time NSMBU came around. The levels didn't particularly take me either.