This chain interview is consistently interesting and surprising. No dickery from anyone, sensible comments and kind words for the competition: I love it.
Thanks for bringing this to us, Stephen. I hope you can do it again when the next show rolls around.
I remember when Microsoft had its own Sports Line of games. Speaking of which, what ever happened to the Amped snowboarding series?
I really do love this interview chain. Brilliant idea and I can't wait for the next part. How long will this series be going on for? I'd love to see this as something that sticks around for a long time.
@savemeaquaman: It will only go through Friday. As I've noted to some other folks, this only works in situations that allow me to know who my next interviewee will be. That's not the case during day-to-day reporting. But it is the case during events like E3 and GDC which we book comprehensively in advance. This chain consisted of 9 people. The one I did for MTV for GDC, which was more developer focused and had fewer execs was a couple people longer than that.
Very neat concept, I wish we didn't have to see all of this in broken up sections though, kind of feels stupid that way. I just want to see the final super-thread with all of the Q&A's in it. Good work Totilo.
@CitizenInsane27 (Would like to eat your soul please.): We decided at the beginning of the week to present it this way, in part out of concern that the post would just be way too long if presented all in one. But your feedback is noted. You're not alone in asking for this to have been presented all at once. I thought the cliffhangers would be fun, especially as it roughly replicates my experience of doing these interviews in bunches over three days.
@Stephen Totilo: It's all good, I mean I'm still reading it, it's just harder to make it all make sense sometimes, due to backtracking. But hey, it's all good, and I'm still excited to see how it rounds out!
Calling it right now, Shane Kim's answer: "Well, sports games are definitely something we'd like to get back into at some point in the future, but did you know Resident Evil 5 is coming to the XBOX 360?"
@SanaEquiesterer: It's a running joke; Shane Kim once "announced" Resident Evil 5 for XBOX 360 at a press conference like it was a major event...even though the game had been announced for the 360 weeks beforehand and everyone already knew it. He had no idea it had already been announced.
@Patriot Infinity: No, I mean Resident Evil 5. I meant what I said. :P
Besides, MGS"5" is a PSP game. Metal Gear Raiden is like Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. Yeah, it's part of the storyline, but the main team is only kinda working on it, the gameplay is different, and it'll likely end up pretty silly in the end, though the diehards will defend it like mad.
@excel_excel: Actually, Peace Walker is MGS5. Listen to Kojima. It's the fifth MGS game he's directing, the MGS4 team is developing it, and it's the game he WANTS to make.
Rising, on the other hand, is a side project being developed by a side team with Kojima only producing.
@excel_excel: As much as I would prefer MGS5 to be a console title, Kojima's making it pretty clear that the real MGS sequel is Peace Walker.
Now, that's not to say there's no point in playing Rising (I've been begging for Raiden DLC for MGS4 for months now), but if we're looking to play the next 'A HIDEO KOJIMA GAME' title, that's Peace Walker.
And besides, shouldn't you already be saving up for a PSP so you can play Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep and Parasite Eve 3?
@Archaotic: Maybe. Peace Walker interests me a lot more than those games, never did get into Kingdom Hearts. I always wanted too...and then I lost the game. AAAGGGHHH.
@excel_excel: Nope, as far as I know they didn't even put it on the PSN in Japan yet, which means its chances are likely pretty low.
Even so, PSP's growing faster than probably any other platform out there in terms of must-have software...then again, that's not particularly hard considering they were almost at rock bottom not even 6 months ago.
@fearing: Kojima didn't direct or even have all that much to do with Portable Ops. He produced it, like he's producing Rising. Just because Peace Walker is on PSP doesn't mean it's not important. Listen to Kojima. He tends to know what he's talking about.
yes console wars. Everybody has their own opinion on what's best, but they're all good. AND IT ALWAYS starts an argument between gamers and it is bullshit to say that I am better than you, we don't need that, we are better than to say something like that. We are all equal and so should be our game consoles. All consoles are good and they all have their good games, along with their merits and demerits.
So let me propose a solution. Let's just say that all 3 major companies merge together (Nintendo, sony, and Microsoft) NINSONISOFT. Yeah I like that, let's go with that. So they are merged together and they make one universal console, the NINSONISOFT DEVASTATOR. It will have all the majors like resistance, killzone, gears of war, halo, Mario and Zelda all in one console.
Now that there would be one universal console, what the hell are we going to say then? My console that is the same as yours is better? Hell no. one universal console can end all diversity among console ethnicity differences. Meaning that it would just kill the whole "oh mine is bigger better than yours" (and the only time that is really necessary is when you are comparing size fellas, AND women if that's the case, YEAH I said women, I guess the smallest would be best in the woman's situation)
ANYWAYS, if they merged, then all the sales would go all into one company. And they would have so much money they could be using 100 dollar bills as fuckin' pieces of paper for spitwads. They would have money coming out of their wallets, their banks, their investments, THEIR ASS!
But the only problem with that would be that the companies probably wouldn't get along according to the way they see things (Nintendo is for the kids and older adults. Microsoft is looking towards the teenage audience. And sony has more of an adult feel)
But don't worry fellow kotakuites, the fanboys won't let the system and company merge happen because deep down inside a lot of us don't want our prized gaming franchise associated with one that we hate or dislike.
I don't really see why they would argue. Just have each company work on their own games and the console could be the landfill where they just dump their games onto it. Why should they pick and choose to what goes into the console if the console is made to be for everybody in the first place? Microsoft isn't really aiming for teen audiences its just that more teens buy that console. BUT Microsoft definitely isn't aiming for the same audience as Nintendo. Sony and Microsoft both have the same audience type. both Sony and MS have adult oriented games like mass effect for MS and the upcoming Heavy Rain for Sony. Soooooooooo "fanboyism"-sounds like a freaking religion-Is just a cesspool or ignorance, arrogance, foolishness, and refusal to be open minded.
not alot of people realize that stalin had more kill/ death ratios than hitler. people always look at hitler for having the most mass genocide, but stalin had more.
so yeah, you can say that stalin is the king of the kill/death ratio .leaderboards
@bableebooblah-new and improved.: Anyway, in all seriousness the market would be so watered down with all the games out there going to one system that rising above all the rest would be impossible.
You say there wouldn't be fanboys but you don't seem to realize theres already GoW fanboys who hate Halo fanboys.
Surely you don't think that the merging of consoles and companies would also mean franchise fanboys would cease to exist.
Don't kid yourself, you're being the hippie of the gaming world.
"Can't we all just get along?"
No, conflict is human nature. The existence of games and the console wars are proof enough of that alone.
Like it or not, fanboys are the lifeblood of the gaming industry. It's like professional sports; people have a favorite team, and they back that team with their support through the ups and downs, hoping to taste the sweet nectar of victory now and again.
If nobody really cared about professional sports and had an indifferent disposition, professional sports would die out. The same is true for the console industry. Nobody is out there saying, "Gosh, I don't care who wins the baseball game, just as long as everybody has fun. And why do we have so many gaming consoles? Just give me one console with a couple fun games and I'm set for life", because that's an absurd notion.
Frankly, I don't see how any intelligent person could conclude that less competition would make for a better industry.
@jamesjohnson01: Yeah, but the "question" he came up with was more of an "adverquestion"..."infoquestion?"...."questionmercial?" Something like that anyway. At least when you ask the competition about your stuff you take the chance of it blowing up in your face and being more interesting.
It's beautiful to see quite a positive comments section!
:)
I'm sure I'm not the only one who grew up in a rough neighbourhood where games were definitely a positive choice and harbours warm fuzzy feelings of nostalgia of NES sessions when they read the comments of Samus appreciation by Mr Schappert.
@data_monkey: Doesn't work that way, because I have to know who I'm talking to next. That's why it only works at events like GDC or E3 when I know what my full interview schedule is
Expect Dille to flatter Microsoft in his answer, followed by a quick and blunt criticism of having to pay for it and how PS3 offers a better experience for no money.
@Slagathorian: That was kind of the point. There's really only one way to answer that, making it a boring and uneventful wait for the answer unless we get thrown a curveball.
Totilo: "John Schappert asks, 'What do you think of Xbox Live?'" Dille: *immediately slaps Totilo in the face* Totilo: "Ow, what the... why did you--" Dille: "Go ahead, ask me again." Totilo: "What? No, I--" Dille: "Ask me about Xbox Live again, mother f***er!"
06/17/09
Thanks for bringing this to us, Stephen. I hope you can do it again when the next show rolls around.
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I really do love this interview chain. Brilliant idea and I can't wait for the next part. How long will this series be going on for? I'd love to see this as something that sticks around for a long time.
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06/17/09
06/17/09
06/17/09
06/17/09
"WHATS UP MAN YA STOKED DDDUUUDDDE!!!"
"HELL YEAH MAN I'M AMPED!!"
"and I'm constipated!"
06/17/09
06/17/09
06/17/09
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Besides, MGS"5" is a PSP game. Metal Gear Raiden is like Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. Yeah, it's part of the storyline, but the main team is only kinda working on it, the gameplay is different, and it'll likely end up pretty silly in the end, though the diehards will defend it like mad.
06/17/09
06/17/09
Rising, on the other hand, is a side project being developed by a side team with Kojima only producing.
Which one sounds more like "MGS5" to you?
06/17/09
Ok god damn it Peace Walker.
I just don't have the monies for a PSP and now its all coming down on me *curls up into a ball and cries uncontrollably*
06/17/09
Now, that's not to say there's no point in playing Rising (I've been begging for Raiden DLC for MGS4 for months now), but if we're looking to play the next 'A HIDEO KOJIMA GAME' title, that's Peace Walker.
And besides, shouldn't you already be saving up for a PSP so you can play Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep and Parasite Eve 3?
06/17/09
06/17/09
06/17/09
Did SE release it on the PSN?
06/17/09
Even so, PSP's growing faster than probably any other platform out there in terms of must-have software...then again, that's not particularly hard considering they were almost at rock bottom not even 6 months ago.
06/17/09
06/17/09
06/17/09
06/17/09
06/17/09
Console wars.
yes console wars. Everybody has their own opinion on what's best, but they're all good. AND IT ALWAYS starts an argument between gamers and it is bullshit to say that I am better than you, we don't need that, we are better than to say something like that. We are all equal and so should be our game consoles. All consoles are good and they all have their good games, along with their merits and demerits.
So let me propose a solution. Let's just say that all 3 major companies merge together (Nintendo, sony, and Microsoft) NINSONISOFT. Yeah I like that, let's go with that. So they are merged together and they make one universal console, the NINSONISOFT DEVASTATOR. It will have all the majors like resistance, killzone, gears of war, halo, Mario and Zelda all in one console.
Now that there would be one universal console, what the hell are we going to say then? My console that is the same as yours is better? Hell no. one universal console can end all diversity among console ethnicity differences. Meaning that it would just kill the whole "oh mine is bigger better than yours" (and the only time that is really necessary is when you are comparing size fellas, AND women if that's the case, YEAH I said women, I guess the smallest would be best in the woman's situation)
ANYWAYS, if they merged, then all the sales would go all into one company. And they would have so much money they could be using 100 dollar bills as fuckin' pieces of paper for spitwads. They would have money coming out of their wallets, their banks, their investments, THEIR ASS!
But the only problem with that would be that the companies probably wouldn't get along according to the way they see things (Nintendo is for the kids and older adults. Microsoft is looking towards the teenage audience. And sony has more of an adult feel)
But don't worry fellow kotakuites, the fanboys won't let the system and company merge happen because deep down inside a lot of us don't want our prized gaming franchise associated with one that we hate or dislike.
So here's what you do.
Keep dreaming.
WHY?
Because the bullshit man said so.
06/17/09
random
06/17/09
Just a shame someones going to be in with their 'oh that'd be terrible, one consoles future, nah nah'
06/17/09
06/17/09
holy shit, you are right. but hey, communism is just one big party.
get it?
06/17/09
I don't really see why they would argue. Just have each company work on their own games and the console could be the landfill where they just dump their games onto it. Why should they pick and choose to what goes into the console if the console is made to be for everybody in the first place? Microsoft isn't really aiming for teen audiences its just that more teens buy that console. BUT Microsoft definitely isn't aiming for the same audience as Nintendo. Sony and Microsoft both have the same audience type. both Sony and MS have adult oriented games like mass effect for MS and the upcoming Heavy Rain for Sony. Soooooooooo "fanboyism"-sounds like a freaking religion-Is just a cesspool or ignorance, arrogance, foolishness, and refusal to be open minded.
06/17/09
06/17/09
not alot of people realize that stalin had more kill/ death ratios than hitler. people always look at hitler for having the most mass genocide, but stalin had more.
so yeah, you can say that stalin is the king of the kill/death ratio .leaderboards
06/17/09
06/17/09
You say there wouldn't be fanboys but you don't seem to realize theres already GoW fanboys who hate Halo fanboys.
Surely you don't think that the merging of consoles and companies would also mean franchise fanboys would cease to exist.
Don't kid yourself, you're being the hippie of the gaming world.
"Can't we all just get along?"
No, conflict is human nature. The existence of games and the console wars are proof enough of that alone.
06/17/09
It would be like saying lets end racism by painting everyone gray.
Its never that simple.
06/17/09
Like it or not, fanboys are the lifeblood of the gaming industry. It's like professional sports; people have a favorite team, and they back that team with their support through the ups and downs, hoping to taste the sweet nectar of victory now and again.
If nobody really cared about professional sports and had an indifferent disposition, professional sports would die out. The same is true for the console industry. Nobody is out there saying, "Gosh, I don't care who wins the baseball game, just as long as everybody has fun. And why do we have so many gaming consoles? Just give me one console with a couple fun games and I'm set for life", because that's an absurd notion.
Frankly, I don't see how any intelligent person could conclude that less competition would make for a better industry.
06/17/09
06/17/09
06/17/09
"Do you like _______?"
-"Yes, I do. Do -you- like ______?"
"I sure do, I wonder if ______ likes _____"
06/17/09
I applaud them for not taking the bait.
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06/17/09
It just sounds so awkward.
06/17/09
Where did this meme come from?
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06/17/09
hmmm, yes i do believe that i concur with this exeptional comment as known as "the first post" and all that it says in the depth of the gaming topic.
yes, i do believe this is interesting. i do agree my good man.
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06/17/09
yes. rather.
06/17/09
Tea and Crumpets anyone?
06/17/09
06/16/09
:)
I'm sure I'm not the only one who grew up in a rough neighbourhood where games were definitely a positive choice and harbours warm fuzzy feelings of nostalgia of NES sessions when they read the comments of Samus appreciation by Mr Schappert.
06/16/09
Great idea Totilo, can you keep this going all year? Just carry it on whenever you talk to any dev on the phone or anywhere!
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06/16/09
You heard it here first, folks!
06/16/09
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06/16/09
Totilo: "John Schappert asks, 'What do you think of Xbox Live?'"
Dille: *immediately slaps Totilo in the face*
Totilo: "Ow, what the... why did you--"
Dille: "Go ahead, ask me again."
Totilo: "What? No, I--"
Dille: "Ask me about Xbox Live again, mother f***er!"
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06/16/09
Peter will be neutral.It's a beneficial experience that strengthens competition in the marketplace,etc,etc.
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