Let's get physical

May 13, 2022

If you spent any time near, well, the internet over the last week, you probably heard that Microsoft experienced a number of server outages that rendered many Xbox games unplayable. Server downtime and internet cut-outs are nothing new, of course, and when it happens it's reasonable to expect a loss of access to certain services. With Game Pass for example, a loss of service is perhaps understandable. Nobody (hopefully) is under the illusion that they own their Game Pass library. These games are loaned to you during your subscription period and taken back once that period has expired. It makes some sense that these games require some sort of online check-in to ensure your subscription is active before they can be played (although PlayStation Plus games have a slightly less intrusive 'expiry date' attached to them that matches the end of your subscription instead). Just as with Spotify and Netflix, you don't own your Game Pass content, and people have come to accept that.

The problem with this particular outage however - and far more troubling in the grand scheme of things - is that many games that had been purchased outright and were already installed on consoles also failed to work. The issue here is that many Xbox games require at least one online check-in after download in order to be playable offline. If you've downloaded all of your games to your console but haven't played them before any server outage, they won't work.

And herein lies the issue with digital purchases, and the main source of concern for advocates of physical media and game preservation in general; in years to come when servers have potentially been switched off and these consoles are no longer being supported, just how many of the games you own will actually be playable?

Obviously Microsoft has been on the wrong end of the pitchforks this week, but it would be unfair to suggest that they are the only company embracing DRM. Most do in some form, and just recently flagship PlayStation title Gran Turismo 7 was rendered almost completely unplayable due to similar issues (earning it the lowest Metacritic user score of any Sony game ever in the process). But GT 7 (and I'm not excusing it here by the way) is an isolated case as a result of the way that specific game was designed. Microsoft's DRM is system-wide, and affects games in a way that Sony and Nintendo's consoles simply do not.

Now, it has to said that despite Microsoft’s shaky DRM practices, when everything is working as it should Xbox remains the best place outside of PC to play legacy titles. The Xbox backwards compatibility program is phenomenal and was a monumental undertaking from Microsoft. If you bought Geometry Wars at the Xbox 360 launch back in 2005, you can still play it now on Xbox Series S and X, and in 4K HDR to boot! The same goes for hundreds of digital and physical games dating all the way back to the original Xbox in 2001. It's a beautiful thing, but the events of last weekend have truly soured Microsoft's otherwise incredibly sweet retro offering.

Many believe the solution is to avoid digital titles altogether and to stick to physical media. But is it really that simple? These days when a game is released you're lucky if even half of it is actually on the disc. The rest usually delivered through a colossal day-one download and across countless updates in the weeks and months that follow. In many cases, discs these days simply act in lieu of that online check-in, they grant you access to content that is still obtained digitally. In that hypothetical future when servers are no longer active, will discs really be worth what we think they are if those downloads and such large portions of the game are no longer accessible?

In an ideal world games would arrive fully formed on disc on day-one, but that’s just not how games are made anymore. That’s not how the industry works anymore. Sure, a disc is something you can hold in your hand and do with as you please, but unless the industry fundamentally changes, even that may not be enough to keep it fully playable.

As always a solution is more complicated than it may appear, but at the very least there should be an easy way for consumers to find out exactly how each company approaches DRM, and how it will affect the games we are buying both now and in the future.

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Digital vs physical is a hot topic, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. As always just reply to this email directly or catch me on Twitter and I'll be sure to get back to you.

Phew, a bit of a long one this week, apologies! But our regular programming continues below!

I hope you enjoy the issue!

NEWS

NEW RELEASES:

This week saw harrowing mini-masterpiece The War of Mine arrive on next-gen consoles, and delightful indie gem Unpacking hit PS4 and PS5.

Also available to buy this week are the [lock.on] Volume 003 gaming journal, Ninty Fresh Magazine Issue #6, and a new Retro Gamer.

(Xbox, PC) – May 10

(PS4, PS5, PC) – May 10

(PS5, Xbox Series X/S) – May 10

(PS4, PS5) – May 10

(PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) – May 13

UPCOMING RELEASES:

(Xbox) – May 17

(PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) – May 19

(PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) – May 20

GAME OF THE WEEK

A randomly selected game each week! Any and all games are eligible for selection regardless of age, platform, popularity, or otherwise.

This week, the honour goes to…

Jet Set Radio Future (2002)

Doubling the number of games in the Graffiti Rollerblading genre to two, Jet Set Radio Future was another outrageous and stylish Sega classic. Out of the console business at this point, Sega brought the series to Microsoft’s Xbox console with improved graphics and unique gameplay every bit the equal of the Dreamcast original.

Unfortunately, stunning cel-shaded visuals and a peerless soundtrack didn’t equate to high sales; Jet Set Radio Future was nominated for the unfortunate ‘Best Game No One Played on Xbox’ award by GameSpot, and won OXM UK’s ‘Most unfairly ignored game’ award.

An underappreciated gem. Well overdue an update.

GAMING ANNIVERSARIES

Another round of video game anniversaries to make you feel old... Sorry!

Click through the links to see what people had to say about them.

Uncharted 4 first launched 6 years ago!

id Software's DOOM reboot was released 6 years ago!

Yoshi's Story celebrated its 24th birthday in Europe!

The Sega Saturn launched in North America 27 years ago!

RECOMMENDED READS

This week’s recommended articles see Liam Wiseman of The Impsider go behind the scenes with Media Molecule's brilliant Dreams showcase Art's Dream, Andrew Dickinson takes a look at why developers are making new games for 'dead' hardware, and Ben Bertoli looks an the conception and design of Playdate's unique crank input.

Liam Wiseman - The Impsider

How do you sell a game like Dreams to the masses? Well, you need a showpiece. Something that highlights the pure freedom of expression you can exercise, that proves you can create almost anything you can imagine.

Andrew J Dickinson - Media Foundry

A look at the healthy indie scene on 'dead' consoles such as the Dreamcast - is it a viable platform for your game?

Ben Bertoli - Polygon

From nearly day one, Panic’s portable console has been defined by a single feature hanging off its right side. Polygon go behind the scenes to discover the story behind the crank.

CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGNS

The VM2

Chris Diaoglou - campaign not yet launched

The VM2 is a from-scratch remake of the original Dreamcast VMU with new electronics and upgraded functionality. Register your interest now!

Gold Project - A karma based Metroidvania

By Dreamirl - campaign ends May 19

The God of Light and the God of Gold are facing off in this dark fantasy metroidvania game, which side will you choose?

Perfect Organism: An Alien: Isolation Companion

By Andy Kelly / Unbound

Calling all Alien superfans! This is the ultimate unofficial guide to Alien: Isolation, considered to be part of the Alien franchise canon

VITURE One - Game & Stream Anywhere, Anytime

By VITURE - campaign ends May 25

Next Gen XR Glasses that enable you to play AAA games or watch movies anywhere, anytime on a 5G/Wifi connection.

INBOX

Last week's subject was gaming funk and a lack of motivation for playing games. Thanks to everybody who commented! Here are some of your replies...

"It's nice to know it's not just me - other gamers feel the funk from time to time, too," said Justin. "When I'm feeling it, I usually go back to older games that I love or just take a little break from playing altogether."

"I get like this quite often!" wrote Benjamin over on Twitter. "Game Pass has long provided me a solution. If I get in a rut, I look at what's "leaving Game Pass soon" and then motivate myself to play it before it's gone! This is exactly what happened just this week with The Wild At Heart and it's been a revelation!

Jason on Twitter has a sure-fire solution for just such an occasion, "I just go back to Final Fantasy X," he said. "Always have and always will. That game will come to the grave with me.

If you have any thoughts about the newsletter or gaming in general please reply to this email directly, write to [email protected], or catch me on Twitter!

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...and that's it for this week!

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I'm always looking at ways to improve this newsletter, so if you have any comments, suggestions or enquiries, please reply to this email directly, write to [email protected], or catch me on Twitter!

Thanks again, I hope to see you next week!