What have I missed?
2021 has been a notoriously poor year for video game enthusiasts with there being delays to many major titles. While this is understandable, with a number of studios yet to get back to full capacity, it is still frustrating for many gamers, especially those who bought next generation consoles and are still unable to play the games that were teased upon release.
Despite the disappointment, even now there are reasons to be cheerful with updates, DLCs, and developments still trickling out, as well as there being plenty of fun gaming related stories being reported on in the media. Choosing an online gaming platform is never easy but if you fancy a break from the doom and gloom, why not play some fun online games?
In this piece we’ll be exploring the latest gaming news to come out over the past month.
FIFA 22 disappoints again
It should not come as a surprise to anyone at this point but EA’s latest installment has once again been met with disappointment with players complaining about the slower pace, a contrast to its high scoring and fast paced predecessor. While this does put more emphasis on playing tactically and in a more measured way, that isn’t why FIFA used to be so fun.
The game does have some positives to it though with the new animations adding yet more realism to the gameplay while the technical aspects to the game such as controlling the ball, playing a through ball, and how the ball is hit have also been praised. The game does seem to be a better product but this seemingly also comes at the expense of the game’s tempo.
One thing EA is still yet to solve is how to translate greatness in real life into being good in-game. Players like Harry Kane and Jorginho look bang average when you play with them while relatively average but speedy forwards Anthony Martial and Timo Werner play like the regens of Gerd Muller and Ronaldo because pace, power, and balance are so important.
Legend of Zelda sold by Goodwill
Eric Naierman, a video game collector, reportedly found a sealed copy of the famous NES game Legend of Zelda when he visited their online store. The branch is located in Connecticut and received the highly sought after item via an anonymous donation. Do you think the donator knew how valuable the item was when they dropped it off at the store?
Mr. Naierman, a Florida based dentist, won the online auction for a whopping $411,278 (£305,626) after beating the rest of the online competition. The online store, usually used for selling antiques, furniture, and every other item under the sun, experienced a huge amount of online traffic with video game collectors flocking to the site to try and buy the item.
Having beat almost 150 bids, the 35-year-old dentist received the item, which will come without a grading certification, and it will be added to his collection of other rare items. Mr. Naierman also owns a first-print Castlevania and a sealed copy of Mario Arcade, as well as a large collection of 90s era baseball cards. He owns over 250 sealed video games in total.
Would you wear gaming finger gloves?
Razer have announced that they will be launching a branded finger sleeve that will reportedly help gamers with their aim and control. This release, following Razer already having branded face masks and chewing gum, is just another foray by the gaming equipment company to force their way into the lives of gamers. Is this item needed? Probably not. Is it cool? Yeah.
The idea behind these slightly ridiculous looking finger sleeves is that they will help prevent your fingertips from getting sweaty and therefore reduce the likelihood of you slipping mid-game. This isn’t an entirely new invention, finger sleeves have been used for some time by mobile gamers, but this is the first time Razer have made a move to capitalise on them.
Why would Razer want to roll out a product line for mobile gaming? Isn’t mobile gaming just Candy Crush and Minecraft? Well no, mobile gaming is reportedly worth over $15 billion in the United States alone with many major titles such as PUBG, Fortnite, and Among Us being massively popular on mobile devices. With the rise in cloud gaming, this will only grow.
PETA wants to add a chick to Smash Ultimate
PETA’s habit of targeting Nintendo has made it into the mainstream once again with the much trolled animal rights group this time taking aim at the company’s latest Smash Bros. title. PETA previously used the Switch, Super Mario 3D Land, and Pokemon to raise awareness, a smart strategy given that these products often attract a lot of attention.
Their latest opportunist endeavour has seen the company make a joke using the widely used “my uncle works at Nintendo” meme to post photoshopped images that imply that their ‘Not a Nugget’ mascot will be the latest character to feature in the hugely popular video game. In case you’re unaware, ‘Not a Nugget’ is a baby chick, implying that chickens aren’t food.
Since their viral tweet, PETA have posted a petition calling on Nintendo to make their dream a reality. In all fairness, the petition is full of Smash Bros. related pop culture references. This has attracted criticism because it follows PETA’s criticism of Pokemon because they claim that it glamorizes animals fighting each other for the benefit of their trainers.
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Make sure to keep an eye out for cyberpunk adventure game Neuronet: Mendax Proxy over the next few weeks with the demo being available to play during October, with a full release slated to come sometime in 2022. The game will let players control the city of Catena with the aim of aiding the citizens living there by making sure things keep ticking over.
Did we miss any major gaming news? Please get in touch with us on social media to let us know what gaming events you’re most looking forward to in the coming new months.
