play station official magazine

022

The Big 10

STORIES EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT

10

IAN DEAN

EDITOR

JESS KINGHORN

STAFF WRITER

OSCAR TAYLOR-KENT

GAMES EDITOR

MILFORD COPPOCK

ART EDITOR

What 2018 videogames trend

should be banished in 2019?

OPEN BETAS NEED TO

GET BACK TO THEIR

ORIGINAL PURPOSE

AND STOP BEING

ANOTHER WAY TO HIT

OUR WALLETS

Betas are fast becoming

yet another way for

publishers to eke out

more cash from us

gamers, and steer games

away from genuine

criticism. They used to be

a way for devs to test

servers, spot flaws, and

do free QA testing ahead

of release, but when you

consider Fortnite has

been in beta for over a

year, and you had to pay

to access it, and more

publishers have followed

suit, the lines are being

blurred. Worse still, being

in beta can be used as a

pass card for criticism.

Terrible lootbox levelling?

“It’s in beta, it’ll change.”

Betas aren’t bad, but

they’re open to abuse. Q

WE’VE ALREADY GOT

ASHE, MERCY, AND

WIDOWMAKER...

ISN’T IT TIME FOR

SOMEONE ELSE?

It’s not a problem

exclusive to Overwatch,

but one can’t help but look

at the roster of male

heroes and marvel at the

diversity on offer. But,

gosh, it’s almost like

looking into a mirror for

just under half of the

female lineup. I appreciate

a strong eyeliner wing

but I’ve got plenty of

avatars to filter my own

power fantasy through...

what about absolutely

anyone else? Things are

better than they were but

games still aren’t sure

how to depict women,

especially if they aren’t

white, thin, and youthful.

The time of sniper grans,

weight-lifting ladies, and

black female leads is long

past due in our medium. Q

ONGOING GAMES

NEED TO BE CAREFUL

ABOUT HOW THEY

SELL THEMSELVES.

On paper, the proposition

seems simple: why try to

get players to buy a load

of games when you can

corral them into one

ongoing experience? It’s

good for players too, as it

means updated content.

But devs need to be

careful not to make this

confusing. Fortnite

Season 7 updates the

map, but 7 is a big

number, and I can’t help

but feel put off by that. So

too is Destiny 2 only just

finding its groove with its

seasonal offerings –

though newcomers can

be confused about what

Destiny 2 even is. Ongoing

games are a great

concept, but people need

to know what they’re

buying if they’re going to

stick around. Q

PAID-FOR EARLY

ACCESS TO GAMES

PUTS MOST OF US

AT AN IMMEDIATE

DISADVANTAGE.

Online shooters like

Battlefield V live and die

by their online modes, and

the recent trend to grant

a head start to people

willing to pony up the

extra cash for a premier

edition gives them an

immediate advantage.

Early access players are

more familiar with maps,

have ranked up earlier

and possess a better

arsenal. My release day

BFV experience consisted

of: peer over the top or a

trench? Pop! My head

explodes. Peek around

the corner of a panzer?

Bang! I’m dead. Time and

time again I feel like

quitting (and I like to think

I’m pretty good at

games). All I’m asking for

is a level playing field. Q

just one more question...

the team debate this month’s burning issue

ABS NOT ADS

In-game advertising has arrived in

Street Fighter V, added to stages

and character costumes. Even the

the old master has succombed to a

modern trend. The good news is,

you can turn it off.