TRIPLEPOINTS OF INTEREST – JUNE 26

In this week’s TPoI, Twitch revamps its mobile app, the SNES Classic hits stores in September, and Super League Gaming raises $15 million in funding.

Twitch to Update Mobile App With Major Changes

Twitch has announced that their mobile app will receive an upgraded design alongside new features that will launch in the next two weeks. PC Mag disclosed that the app will feature a social feed called Pulse, allowing users to like and comment on posts from other broadcasters. VentureBeat adds that streamers can livestream directly from their phone’s camera allowing for vlog-style broadcasts, but gameplay footage will still be unavailable. Nonetheless, Engadget surmises that this may help Twitch expand its platform beyond games, and is curious to see how these changes will impact Twitch. TechCrunch states that the app is slowly rolling out to iOS and Android and will be made available to all users by early July.

SNES Classic Released in Late September

Nintendo revealed that the Super Nintendo Classic will be available on September 29 for $80. Kotaku reports that the SNES will come with 21 games along with the unreleased Star Fox 2. Washington Post feels that the throwback to old school consoles is a great way for Nintendo to boost its revenue and success, since this launch will follow the release of the Switch and the NES. Thrillist expressed excitement for the release and hopes that the SNES won’t sell out as quickly as the NES Classic. Forbes reports that Nintendo has promised that there will be a significant increase in production this time around, but advises consumers to pre-order a console as soon as the option becomes available as the SNES may still be difficult to find.

Super League Gaming Raises $15 Million from Nickelodeon, DMG, and Others for Amateur Esports

Thursday, Super League Gaming which hosts esports competitions in movie theaters and online for amateur video game players, announced it raised $15 million in Series C funding. Backers include entertainment players like DMG and Nickelodeon, as well as traditional sports owners like the Tampa Bay Lightning ownership and esports VC group, aXiomatic. IB Times believes that Nickelodeon’s investment in Super League Gaming is a notable move due to the kid-friendly focus and predicts that the network will launch potential new competitive shows or partnerships in the near future. GameIndustry adds that Super League Gaming has now raised more than $28 million to date since launching in 2014. Engadget states that investors are becoming interested in esports because the industry’s estimated worth was recorded at $1.13 billion this year.

TRIPLEPOINTS OF INTEREST – JUNE 19

In this week’s TPoI, GTA 5’s shutdown of modding tools sparks anger amongst users, Capcom and Bandai Namco enter a cross-licensing agreement related to online matchmaking, and Project Rap Rabbit fails to meet its Kickstarter goal.

GTA 5’s Mod Shutdown Upsets and Frustrates Players

Developers of modding tool OpenIV revealed last week that they would be shutting down after receiving a legal notice from Grand Theft Auto developer Take-Two Interactive. PCGamer reports that OpenIV’s shutdown was not taken well by users of the mod, who took to Steam to write negative reviews. In addition to written reviews, VG 24/7 states that users down-voted GTA 5 in the Steam store, resulting in the customer reviews to be “overwhelmingly negative”. According to Gamepur, distraught fans started a petition on Change.org, calling for Take-Two to allow OpenIV to continue. Despite the impressive 50,000 signatures already collected, GameRant doesn’t believe that Take-Two will revert their decision, but presumes that it may impact sales on their upcoming title Red Dead Redemption 2 if gamers are still upset by GTA V.

Capcom and Bandai Namco to Improve Online Multiplayer

Capcom and Bandai Namco announced that they have begun a cross-licensing agreement to improve online matching in Street Fighter and other fighting games. GamingBolt disclosed that Street Fighter will be one of the first games to leverage the agreement, and with Bandai Namco’s help, Capcom should be able to release new content faster. PVP Live isn’t surprised that Capcom would band forces with Bandai Namco, as the outlet feels that Street Fighter V’s online experience has been struggling, whereas Tekken 7’s has been pretty successful. VG 24/7 agrees, hoping that Street Fighter V’s online matchmaking will be immensely better with the assistance from Bandai Namco. Forbes hopes that the collaboration with Bandai Namco will also refine Capcom’s upcoming fighter game Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite, and looks forward to seeing the upgraded multiplayer servers.

Project Rap Rabbit Falls Short of Production

PaRappa the Rapper creator Masaya Matsura and Giratoo Man creator Keiichi Yano’s “Project Rap Rabbit” ended in failure as the game did not reach its Kickstarter goal. Polygon states that the project had asked for approximately $1 million, with backers only contributing $204K thousand within the deadline. Comicbook.com theorizes that part of its collapse was due to fans wanting sequels for the titles already made, and suggests that the developers focus on that possibility. As for plans to release the title in the future, DualShockers reports that Matsura and Yano aren’t able to fund further production to relaunch crowd funding, so work on the title can’t continue at this time. The outlet further details that the game will potentially be released in the future, but it’s hard to say when that can be accomplished.

TRIPLEPOINTS OF INTEREST – JUNE 12

As we wind down and relax from the E3 madness, in this week’s TPoI, Mojang reveals cross-console play for Minecraft, Xbox One X’s price tag is debated, and Anthony Padilla of Smosh leaves the channel to move onto his own solo project.

Minecraft to Feature Cross Platform Online Play

During E3, developer Mojang and Microsoft revealed that gamers will be able to play Minecraft with friends on almost every platform due to a new server update titled “Better Together.” TechCrunch disclosed that Windows 10, iOS, Android, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch will be the supported devices allowing for unified gameplay. Mashable states that Minecraft will be moved over to Bedrock Engine, making the cross-platform play possible. As for why PS4 is not listed as a supported console, IGN reports that Sony’s Global Sales and Marketing Head Jim Ryan stated, “While Sony has no philosophical stance against cross-play at all, it’s concerned with its players’ safety on non-PlayStation platforms.” The Verge doesn’t find Sony’s reasoning to be valid, and feels it’s simply an excuse to force consumers to choose between Microsoft and Sony. GameSpot reveals that Microsoft is hoping to put differences aside with Sony and come to an agreement in the future.

Is Xbox One X Price Worth It?

Microsoft announced that Project Scorpio’s official name is Xbox One X, available on November 7, 2017 for $499. In an interview with Business Insider, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer stated that Microsoft wouldn’t be making any money from Xbox One X sales, and did not go into further details for the reasoning. GameSpot reports that Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities commented, “I think that the price point is too high. Consoles have historically failed at this price point, and consumers seem unwilling to accept anything over $399.” Forbes points out that the Xbox One X is $100 more expensive than the PlayStation 4 Pro and twice as expensive as a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One S, predicting that sales won’t be successful. Washington Post critiques that despite the impressive 4K resolution, it’s definitely a steep price to pay for consumers. PCMag presumes that Microsoft will be taking a loss for Xbox One X hardware sales, is hopeful that the manufacturing price will go down so that a profit margin appears soon.

Anthony Padilla Moves on From Comedy YouTube Channel Smosh

Smosh co-founder Anthony Padilla revealed that he is leaving the channel to pursue and focus on his self-titled channel, which currently has 1.3M subscribers. Variety interviewed Padilla, and he explained that he had been contemplating the change for several months and felt a lack of creativity as Smosh is managed by Defy Media, who approves all of the creative decisions. Vulture disclosed that Padilla and fellow co-founder Ian Hecox remain close friends and that Padilla’s departure is not tied to any personal conflicts. This move has Recode questioning how long a content creator can remain popular and lucrative and at what point would their career potentially come to an end. It’s hard to say for sure, but it’s definitely something for influencers to keep in mind. Whatever Padilla decides to work on moving forward, we wish him the best of luck!

TRIPLEPOINTS OF INTEREST – JUNE 5

In this week’s TPoI, PlayStation VR sales surpass one million, Valve replaces Steam Greenlight with Steam Direct, and Xbox extends briefing at this year’s E3.

PlayStation VR Sales Hit One Million Units Sold

During an interview with TIME, President and CEO of Sony Shawn Layden disclosed that PlayStation has sold over one million PlayStation VR units worldwide. GameRant suggests that Sony should release more exclusive titles and show off unique features of their VR headset to stand a chance against top competitors like HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. GamingBolt expressed positive sentiment towards the reveal, exclaiming, “PlayStation VR is the most successful high end mainstream VR headset worldwide.” VG24/7 points out that while the numbers are good, Sony could have potentially sold more but ran into supply constraints during the initial rollout. DigitalTrends reports that the shortage has been resolved and the numbers of the PlayStation VR sales are expected to rise in the coming months. With E3 fast approaching, outlets are anticipating major announcements and reveals from Sony.

Valve Swaps Steam Greenlight for Steam Direct

After five years, Valve has officially shut down Steam Greenlight, the service that allowed Steam users to vote for indie games to become available on the platform’s marketplace. Polygon reports that Valve will evaluate and determine if the remaining 3,400 titles under Greenlight will be approved for Steam Direct. PCGamer explains that Steam Direct will allow developers to publish their games on Steam directly for $100. The feature is set to launch on June 13th. VentureBeat states that while Greenlight helped Steam figure out what titles users liked and disliked, it was often an expensive and stressful process for developers. Direct will hopefully resolve those issues. Destructoid thinks it’s too soon to determine how effective Direct will be, but believes it’s headed in the right direction and is beneficial to developers and users alike.

 

Xbox E3 Briefing Expected to Run Over 90 Minutes

For the first time, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has announced that Xbox’s E3 presentation is expected to go over 90 minutes long. GameSpot disclosed that Spencer wanted more time to show off games explaining, “Had some games that just didn’t want to leave out to hit the time, so made a call to just run a little long.” ScreenRant hopes to see teasers and updates for Destiny 2, Call of Duty:WII, and Red Dead Redemption 2 to name a few. In addition, The Escapist states that Microsoft plans to release details on Project Scorpio such as its official name, the release date, and price. VG24/7 is curious to see if Microsoft reveals additional hardware as well, considering the lengthy presentation. We’ll just have to wait and see what’s in store next week!

TRIPLEPOINTS OF INTEREST – MAY 29

In this week’s TPoI, PS3 production has officially ceased, Apple reveals App Store earnings to date, and a Twitch streamer allows users to experience the stock market.

Sony Halts PS3 Production in Japan

Back in March, Sony briefly mentioned the possibility of PS3’s production being discontinued. MCV disclosed that the official Japanese PlayStation website stated that shipments for the standard 500GB model have “ended’. A representative from Sony Japan spoke to Kotaku in March, revealing that PS3 shipments in Japan will eventually cease and that the PS3’s production has already terminated. Launched back in November 2006, Polygon thinks the PS3 had a decent run for 10 years, but believes it may have faced difficulty keeping up with its competitor the Xbox 360. Despite the end of the PS3 era, iTechPost anticipates Sony will focus its time and effort in marketing the PS4 and its upcoming titles.

App Store Developer Earnings Exceed $70 Billion

Apple announced that their developer community has earned over $70 billion since the App Store launched in 2008. MacRumors disclosed that App Store downloads have grown over 70 percent in the past year, with the top categories being Gaming, Lifestyle, and Health. One of the biggest drivers of the store’s success was games such as Pokemon GO and Super Mario Run, according to Gamasutra. Forbes is impressed with how well the store is doing, and reports that developers can even respond directly to customer feedback or offer tech support if needed. The App Store numbers are admirable, but TechRadar is curious to see how it stacks up to Google’s Play Store.

Twitch Channel Uses Real Money for Users to Play with Stock Market

Amazon engineer Mike Roberts created the Twitch channel “Stock Stream” and invested $50,000 into the channel to start to allow viewers to invest in whatever they pleased. BusinessInsider reports that Roberts had seen the idea floating around the web for years without much progress, and finally decided to put it in action. TheNextWeb explains that players participate in 5-minute voting rounds, using chat commands to buy or sell a stock. All trades are done on the Robinhood trading app which is used to buy shares. However, if the account falls below $25,000, it will come to a close due to FINRA/SEC regulations. SlashGear finds the concept intriguing and is curious to see how it will pan out. PCGamer finds it to be the strangest Twitch Play ever due to the fact that Roberts is willing to take a huge risk with his own finances.

TRIPLEPOINTS OF INTEREST – WEEK OF MAY 1

In this week’s TPoI, No Matter Studios modifies game title to avoid legal battle, Blizzard reveals revenue data for Overwatch, and E3 announces a new series of panels for this year’s convention.

No Matter Studios Avoids Dispute With Bethesda & Zenimax

Indie developer No Matter Studios was recently forced to change its upcoming game title Prey for the Gods to Praey for the Gods after Bethesda and parent company Zenimax filed a trademark complaint for using the word “Prey”, as it’s the same spelling they’ve used for their latest title. IGN reveals that No Matter Studios seriously considered fighting it but decided against it as they’ve already spent a tremendous amount of time and effort raising funds via Kickstarter. According to Heavy, Bethesda’s legal team also clashed with Minecraft developer Mojang in 2011, which was eventually settled out of court. Hardcore Gamer predicts that readers are more likely to lean towards No Matter Studios than Bethesda and Zenimax, and is hopeful that this won’t end up hurting development in the long run.

Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch Earns $1 Billion to Date

Debuting in May of last year, Activision Blizzard announced that multiplayer and FPS Overwatch has already made more than $1 billion according to to their fiscal Q1 2017 financial statement. VentureBeat disclosed that this is the company’s fastest-growing franchise ever. GameRant surmises that part of its success stems from keeping fans engaged with ongoing limited-timed events, modes and skins. May 24 is Overwatch’s launch anniversary, and VG24/7 reports that Blizzard President Michael Morhaime may have a celebratory event or surprise in store for fans that day.

E3 Introduces New Panel and Series, “E3 Coliseum”

For the first time ever, E3 will be officially open to the public and that’s not all. GameSpot revealed that Journalist and Video Game awards host Geoff Keighley announced E3 Coliseum, a two-day series of talks and panels from gaming companies occurring on June 13-14. This new series is intended to take attendees behind the scenes of the gaming experience and VG24/7 disclosed that Bethesda Softworks, Microsoft, Gearbox Publishing, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Ubisoft are just a few of the publishers that will make an appearance at the panels. CinemaBlend hopes Gearbox Publishing has Borderlands 3 in the works, and predicts this year’s E3 to have one of the highest turnouts. For those unable to attend, Polygon reports that a live stream will be available to view on Twitch and other platforms.

TRIPLEPOINTS OF INTEREST – WEEK OF APRIL 17

In this week’s TPoI, we bring you the latest updates on Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass service, Twitch’s new subscription service, and the possibility of a Mini SNES Classic Edition from Nintendo.

Xbox Game Pass Coming Later This Spring

Microsoft is preparing to launch Xbox Game Pass, a subscription gaming service similar to Netflix that gives users access to over 100 Xbox One and Xbox 360 titles for $9.99 a month. Gamespot notes that the service’s alpha test is coming to an end on April 28, signaling an impending launch, and CinemaBlend predicts that it could come as soon as E3. Michael Pachter is confident that Microsoft won’t be able to replicate Netflix’s success, due to the lack of newly released titles being offered on the Game Pass.

Twitch Expands Subscription Service Options

Twitch has announced new $24.99 and $9.99 level subscriptions options, allowing fans to support their favorite streamers in bigger ways. TechCrunch reports that higher payment level subscribers will count more toward a channel’s overall subscriber number than non-paying viewers. EsportsPro believes this could significantly increase partnered streamers’ revenues, with a potential for streaming to turn into a full-time job for more users of the platform. Per Eurogamer, Twitch plans to release the beta version “very soon.”

Nintendo to Release a Mini SNES Classic Edition?

With the global discontinuation of the NES Classic Edition, there is speculation that Nintendo has plans to launch a Mini SNES Classic Edition, according to a report from Eurogamer. Nintendo has neither confirmed nor denied the rumor, but Fortune surmises that this may have been why production of the NES Classic was stopped. If the SNES is to be released, GameSpot expects it to launch sometime around December, a perfect gift for the holidays. Polygon suggests that Nintendo implements a pre-order program to prevent the type of shortage issues that were present at the NES Classic launch, with Forbes going so far as to advise Nintendo to triple the amount of SNES available.

TRIPLEPOINTS OF INTEREST – WEEK OF APRIL 10

Here’s the scoop in this week’s TPoI: Nintendo soars in the US with Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sales on the Switch, Microsoft introduces a new refund program for Xbox One and PC games, and Germany instructs Twitch streamers and YouTubers to purchase a broadcasting license. With spring in the air, we give you full permission to indulge in chocolate covered sweets!

Nintendo Surpasses Own Record With Switch and Breath of the Wild Sales

New data released by Nintendo and NPD reveals that the Switch is now the fastest-selling console in Nintendo history, with Breath of the Wild attributing to its success. IGN reports that in North America, Nintendo sold 906,000 Switch units while Breath of the Wild sold 925,000 copies. WCCFTech explains that this means the title has an attach rate of 100%, possibly due to consumers unable to obtain a console along with the game. TheVerge adds that Nintendo is working hard to ensure that everyone who hasn’t purchased a Switch will be able to do so in the near future. While the numbers are impressive, Business Insider is curious to see how the upcoming launch of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Splatoon 2 will affect Switch sales. CNN believes the Switch needs more data before concluding that it’s a hit. Polygon disclosed that Nintendo will unveil worldwide Switch sales on April 27, so a final verdict won’t be made until then!

Microsoft Store Revamped in Response to User Feedback

 Nothing’s worse than spending money on an app or game online and not knowing what to do with it once you’re done playing. Due to overwhelming response from gamers, Gamespot revealed that Microsoft sent a message to those enrolled in the Xbox Insider program, stating “In support of offering gamers the freedom of choice, we’re making changes to the Microsoft Store purchase experience by offering customers a simple way to instantly return digital products like games and apps through account.microsoft.com.” According to ArsTechnica, only Alpha members currently have access, but the feature should be available to the public soon. Metro reports that Microsoft will monitor activity and block users that attempt to abuse the program. BGR finds it to be almost identical to Steam’s refund system, but commends Microsoft’s decision and encourages other companies to take the same steps. Waypoint foresees that this may entice users to choose Xbox titles over PlayStation, but expects Sony to release their own refund system to keep up with its competition.

Broadcasting License Required for Twitch Streamers and YouTubers in Germany

German broadcast authority Landesmedienanstalt has deemed live-streaming as “radio broadcast”, enforcing YouTubers and Twitch streamers to provide a broadcasting license from now on. VG24/7 reports that YouTuber PietSmiet was informed he’ll need to apply for a license by April 30 if he were to continue making videos. Depending on the number of viewers, a license may cost between 1,000 to 10,000 euros, and SegmentNext believes streamers may have to turn to alternative websites or launch a Kickstarter to receive donations from fans. PCGamesN warns that those who fail to comply to the ruling will have their channel classified as a pirate station and subject to fines. Thankfully, Gamezone states that Germany is aware that this ruling is outdated and may be overruled in the future, but streamers are not exempt until further notice.

TRIPLEPOINTS OF INTEREST – WEEK OF APRIL 3

For this week’s TPoI, we dive into YouTube’s latest partner program update, PETA’s dispute with Nintendo, Atlus’ debatable decision to enact a strict streaming ban, and the launch of Twitch’s very own gaming store.

YouTube Enacts Stricter Creator Monetisation

In an effort to catch suspicious channels, YouTube has changed its partner program by enacting stricter guidelines for channel monetization. The Verge reports that going forward, YouTube won’t allow monetization until a creator has reached 10,000 lifetime views on their channel. MCV speculates that the true reasoning behind the move is to lessen the chances of brands finding themselves aligned with hate speech or racist content, an issue that YouTube has been battling. Aspiring creators will undoubtedly have a harder time earning money with this new policy in place, but ArsTechnica advises that using GoogleAdSense is an option to obtain ad revenue without relying on the total view count. Furthermore, Fortune revealed that YouTube plans to add a new review process for the partner program that will monitor a video publisher’s activity to ensure the creator is adhering to the rules and regulations.

PETA Shames Nintendo For 1-2 Switch Milking Game

Milk, one of 28 mini games on Nintendo’s multiplayer party game 1-2 Switch has been deemed unrealistic according to PETA president Ingrid E. Newkirk. The milking simulator portrays no cows on-screen and the farmers appear to be happy-go-lucky during the entire process. Polygon reports that Newkirk personally wrote a letter to Nintendo to address her concerns stating, “We have more than 35 years of experience investigating dairy farms where cows are exploited for their milk, and it is NEVER that pleasant for these animals. Can we have some realism here, please?” Uproxx adds that Newkirk suggests either Nintendo depicts the cruel reality of animal abuse or consider simulating a game where no animals suffer. Nintendo has yet to respond but we anticipate a thought-out and respectful rebuttal.

Atlus Threatens Gaming Community With Harsh Consequences

The long awaited Japanese RPG series Persona finally launched its fifth entry to the series Persona 5 outside of Japan on April 4. The day after its release, a report from Kotaku revealed that developer Atlus threatened to issue channel strikes and content ID claims on any streamer or YouTuber that showed footage beyond 7/7, a date in the calendar of the game. The purpose of the ban is to prevent spoilers for those who haven’t obtained or played the game, but Forbes argues that users could easily search for a playthrough of the game considering it’s been released in Japan for a whole year. Atlus’ concerns are valid, but ArsTechnica adds that in this day and age, gaming companies should view gameplay videos as a way to boost exposure not hinder it. In recent news, Polygon reports that several streamers and YouTubers are showing content past the 7/7 mark and are well aware of the potential repercussions to follow.

Shop and Stream: The Future of Twitch

Amazon-owned Twitch has released a purchasing system for streamers and audience viewers. The Escapist disclosed that users will now be allowed to buy a game while watching a stream, with over 50 different titles released so far. Games can be downloaded and played through the Twitch launcher or on a publisher’s service, such as Uplay. Not only that, streamers will get a cut of the sales as well, with partnered streamers earning up to 5% of the sales that originate from their channel, according to The Verge. This is a smart move on Twitch’s part, as it offers revenue for both the company and streamers. Although Engadget believes this is a smart move, it worries that content creators may abuse the system and only stream games purely for financial gain. PCWorld agrees, but also argues that it’s a great way to showcase a game and see a streamer’s honest reaction and feedback.