_{Issue #40}

Rune: Review Bombing

_{Aug 7, 2024 • 10 minutes}

In the ever-evolving world of gaming, a few standout stories have captured the industry's attention. One year after its full release, Baldur's Gate 3 continues to dominate global charts, showcasing the enduring appeal of Larian Studios' RPG masterpiece. Meanwhile, the debate around Bloodborne's potential remaster rages on, with many arguing that a simple update would suffice to rejuvenate this beloved title.

Financially, Square Enix faces challenges as it reports a significant year-on-year sales drop, despite the much-anticipated launch of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. On the blockchain front, OKX and Aptos have joined forces to launch a $10 million accelerator, aiming to boost innovative projects in the crypto space. In a similar vein, Curio, a new web3 gaming studio, has secured $5.7 million in seed funding to develop its unique blockchain-based games.

These stories underscore the dynamic nature of the gaming industry, highlighting both the ongoing success of established titles and the ambitious strides being made in emerging technologies.

Is Review Bombing a Fair Way to Express Dissatisfaction with a Game?

Review bombing has become a common tactic for gamers to express dissatisfaction, but its fairness and effectiveness are hotly debated. On one hand, it allows players to voice their frustrations directly, potentially drawing attention to serious issues like bugs, poor gameplay, or controversial content. These collective voices can pressure developers to address problems swiftly, potentially leading to improvements in the game.

However, review bombing often goes beyond constructive criticism, devolving into a campaign that can unfairly tarnish a game's reputation. It can be triggered by reasons unrelated to the game's quality, such as political disagreements or corporate practices. This can mislead potential buyers who rely on reviews for informed decisions and harm developers who may not be directly responsible for the grievances.

Ultimately, while review bombing can highlight genuine issues, it often lacks the nuance needed for fair critique and can cause disproportionate damage. Constructive feedback through proper channels might serve both players and developers better, fostering a healthier dialogue and leading to meaningful improvements.

Gaming News

One Year Later, Baldur's Gate 3 Remains a Global Phenomenon

Baldur’s Gate 3 has been out of early access for a year, and its influence shows no signs of waning. Larian Studios' RPG masterpiece continues to captivate fans, who immerse themselves in its rich narrative, diverse characters, and intricate gameplay mechanics. The game's prolonged early access period allowed Larian to refine and innovate on its established formula, blending it seamlessly with the Dungeons & Dragons universe. This careful development process culminated in a release that immediately dominated the gaming world.

Since its full release, Baldur’s Gate 3 has maintained its position as one of the most-played and top-selling games across multiple platforms. Social media is still buzzing with fan discussions, artwork, and testimonials from players and developers alike, all attesting to the game’s profound impact. Larian Studios has now solidified its place among the top game developers, with Baldur’s Gate 3 marking a significant milestone in its history. The game’s success brings both pressure and excitement for what the studio will produce next, even as it continues to support its current masterpiece.

The cultural footprint of Baldur’s Gate 3 is vast. Its characters, particularly Astarion and Karlach, have become iconic within the gaming community, with their stories and personalities leaving a lasting impression. The game's cast has become regulars at conventions, and their continued involvement with the community ensures that Baldur’s Gate 3 will remain a beloved title for years to come.

The depth and nuance of Baldur’s Gate 3’s writing have laid a strong foundation for a dedicated fanbase, who continue to explore and expand the game’s universe. Players are still uncovering new dialogue, gameplay secrets, and creating mods that enhance the original experience. This continuous engagement speaks to the game's endless possibilities and its lasting appeal.

Looking ahead, the true influence of Baldur’s Gate 3 on the gaming industry will unfold over the coming years. Its success in making the complex cRPG genre accessible to a broad audience by prioritizing character development and player choice is a legacy that will inspire future game developers. Baldur’s Gate 3 has set a new standard for storytelling and gameplay, ensuring its place in the annals of gaming history.

Bloodborne Doesn't Need A Remaster, Just An Update

As Bloodborne approaches its tenth anniversary, fans are clamoring for more of Yharnam’s gothic allure. However, the calls for a remaster or remake seem misplaced. Despite its age, the game’s distinctive art style, imbued with Lovecraftian horrors, keeps it visually compelling. The primary issue is the sluggish 30fps, which could be easily remedied with an update rather than a full remaster.

While a Bloodborne PC port is a sensible desire, enhancing accessibility without altering the core game, the trend of remastering recent titles for profit is unnecessary. Games like The Last of Us and Until Dawn are already playable on modern consoles, and graphical improvements have plateaued over recent generations. Revisiting a game from just one generation ago offers little visual difference, making a remaster redundant.

Fans hoping to recapture the original thrill with improved graphics or added features may find the novelty short-lived. Historical examples, such as Dark Souls Remastered, often fall short, feeling unnecessary and less impactful than the original. Furthermore, a remaster would divert resources from potentially new and unique projects, possibly involving different developers and risking the integrity of the original game.

FromSoftware, fresh off releases like Elden Ring and Armored Core 6, has exciting prospects ahead. A return to franchises like Tenchu or Ninja Blade, or an evolution of the soulslike genre akin to Sekiro, holds more promise than a rehash of past glories. Even a Bloodborne sequel would be more thrilling than a remake.

A simple 60fps patch would breathe new life into Bloodborne, offering a substantial enhancement without the resource drain of a full remaster. Bloodborne remains one of FromSoftware’s best works, and a minor update is all it needs to continue captivating players. Anything more would be an exercise in redundancy, fostering a trend of unoriginality in the gaming industry.

Square Enix's Year-On-Year Sales Drop Despite Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Launch

Square Enix's recent earnings report reveals a challenging period for the gaming giant. Despite the high-profile release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth in February, the company's net sales have dropped by 18.4 percent year-on-year. The downturn comes amid reported struggles with the sales of other major titles, including Final Fantasy 16, prompting the publisher to reassess resource allocation and cancel several projects, resulting in a $140 million financial hit.

The lack of significant releases in the most recent quarter (April 2024 – June 2024) compared to the previous year, which saw the launches of Final Fantasy 16 and the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, is cited as a primary factor for the decline. Additionally, the mobile division has faced weak sales from existing titles like Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis, though cost optimizations have kept this segment profitable.

In contrast, Square Enix's MMO division is thriving, with increased sales and profits thanks to the success of Final Fantasy 14's Dawntrail expansion. Despite these bright spots, data analyst Daniel Ahmad notes that the company’s profitability currently hinges on its MMO and mobile sub-segments, with PC and console games contributing a mere 0.5 percent to operating profits.

Square Enix faces a critical period of transition. The company must decide how to address the sales challenges of its flagship titles and balance its reliance on MMO and mobile games. The industry will be watching closely to see how Square Enix navigates these turbulent times and what strategies it adopts to ensure future growth and stability.

OKX and Aptos Launch $10 Million Blockchain Accelerator

Aptos Foundation and OKX Ventures have unveiled a $10 million accelerator fund aimed at supporting projects on the Aptos blockchain. This initiative is designed to stimulate growth in infrastructure, decentralized finance (DeFi), real-world assets (RWA), gaming, social applications, and artificial intelligence.

Jeff Ren, a partner at OKX Ventures, expressed optimism about Aptos becoming a significant player in the blockchain space, highlighting the potential beyond just Ethereum and Bitcoin networks.

The accelerator fund will develop a program in collaboration with Ankaa, focusing on nurturing quality projects within the Aptos ecosystem. Selected projects will receive venture support, mentorship, market exposure, and access to an extensive network of experts from the Aptos Foundation, OKX Ventures, and Ankaa.

Bashar Lazaar, head of grants and ecosystem at Aptos, emphasized the team's dedication to creating an environment conducive to innovation and growth, aligning with their vision for the Aptos blockchain.

A panel from the Aptos Foundation, OKX Ventures, and Ankaa will select five promising projects for the first accelerator cohort starting in September. Ankaa will act as the initial investor and manage daily operations. The accelerator will focus on critical areas like infrastructure, DeFi, RWA, gaming, social applications, AI, and other dApps essential to the Aptos ecosystem and web3 development.

OKX Ventures, with a fund size of approximately $1 billion, has invested in over 300 projects globally in the past two years. Through this partnership with Aptos Foundation, they aim to further support and explore cutting-edge blockchain innovations, committing to long-term ecosystem value. Interested projects are encouraged to apply in August for the program commencing in September.

Curio Secures $5.7 Million to Build Blockchain Games

Curio, a new web3 gaming studio, has raised $5.7 million in seed funding, co-led by Bain Capital Crypto and SevenX Ventures, with participation from OKX Ventures. This funding milestone will support Curio's development of web3 games and blockchain gaming infrastructure.

Co-founder Kevin Zhang emphasized Curio's unique approach, focusing on the simplicity and replayability of classic board and card games rather than emulating existing video games. Their flagship project, Duper, exemplifies this by blending game mechanics with meaningful stakes to ensure accessibility and engagement.

Previously involved in NFTs through partnerships with Universal Music Group, Curio has pivoted to building an on-chain gaming platform. The latest funding round, combined with a previous $2.9 million investment, brings their total to $8.6 million. This capital will accelerate the development of Duper, a live poker-like game show integrating high-stakes wagering strategies and classic game mechanics.

Stephan Cohen, partner at Bain Capital Crypto, praised Curio's innovative merging of blockchain technology with social dynamics and skill-based wagering. He highlighted Curio's commitment to enhancing traditional gaming experiences like Poker and Mahjong through immersive gameplay.

With this new funding, Curio is poised to make a significant impact on the blockchain gaming industry. By combining classic board and card game elements with modern video games, Curio aims to set new standards for web3 gaming, backed by strong investor confidence in their approach.

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