Yeah, I've struggled with this even online as that's one way I keep up with a cousin in another state, we play games. It's gotten so boring, neither of us want to do online competitive and every other option is a microtransaction-fest it seems.
I've done a tiny bit of couch gaming with my nephews when I visit them, but there's not a ton to choose from either.
I was telling someone 20 years my junior how you could just download dedicated servers and run them. They kept referring to it as a "pirate server" and then "alternative cloud server". No, son, it used to be included in your retail copy, and you ran it on a machine on which you could actually press a power button.
Co-op has really sucked. I have a Wii and basically every game is co-op on it, provides plenty of fun. There are so many crappy games that you can buy for a buck or two and mess around with for a few days with a friend it's insane. Then of course you have the actual good stuff that has comprehensive co-op even if it's not the main focus, it's truly insane.
Not surprised, they've all been made to want that stuff. I've told my nephews I'm not buying them Robux, Vbucks or anything of that stuff. I'm getting them games this year, but it's really just a filler because I won't see them at Christmas this year. I don't really like giving gifts, prefer to spend time instead.
I can cook marginally well, but I usually am visiting other people's houses and really hate trying to cook something there.
It's easy though since we're talking about kids that are on the cusp of getting older. I'm kinda magic with teenagers anyway. If you look at kids that age most family members outside their parents either look down on them or want to twenty questions them on things like school. The family member that will just hang out and do something fun without all the baggage is worth a ton to them.
I guess I'm just glad I'm "old school" enough where this just mystifies me. If I play a free-to-play game, I generally don't purchase anything. If I play a non-free-to-play game, it's not going to be anything that asks me give them more money. (*cough cough* fuck you, Activision Blizzard *cough cough*).
I just can't imagine needing subscriptions or virtual currency for anything I play, much less needing anyone else to pay for it. If I were to receive a video game related gift, I'd much rather get a game than currency.
The majority of both girls (59%) and boys (86%) say they plan to ask for video game gifts for the holidays, with the top five specific asks being for game subscriptions (39%), game consoles (38%), game gear/accessories (32%), in-game currency (29%) and physical video games (22%).
I have a much less negative view of this than some of you seem to. Once I started playing WoW in the long long ago I didn't want any other kinds of gifts, even other games. "Just buy me WoW time cards." That was the thing I liked and I didn't want money being spent on other stuff I wouldn't like nearly as much, and especially when the accompanying 'look at all the things we got you, show us some gratitude' lectures would come so swiftly afterward.
I cannot say I have a sterling view of MTX or in-game stores, but if I was perfectly happy with my one game and didn't want any others, I would love to have more things related to that game, be it mounts, costumes, skins, or whatever. I fell out of love with physical things that would just crowd my shelves or a box in my closet, and consequently never asked for them again. My interests narrowed to computer games and just never shifted away from there since.
I mean, why would they want a brand new game that is probably pretentious slop and takes a huge risk on both your parents getting it right (big chance) and also being worth your brief chance at a chunk of free money? When the alternative is more stuff they enjoy in games they know they will get 2000+ more hours out of and usually play with all their friends instead of being a solo activity.
Maybe its just my years of WoW talking, but the same 60$ investment spent there would get me 4 months of sub time and basically all my time filled with what I wanted to be doing instead of a game that might fill a few weeks at best even if its the best thing ever during that stretch.
In terms of return on investment its absolutely the better option, and kids aren't stupid enough to not recognize that fact even if they are stupid enough to spend the money on a retarded Fortnite skin.
I used to be a hardcore 'physical copy only' guy until I bought Skyrim on PC and the only thing on the disc was a Steam downloader.
Consoles were a little better until current Gen where it's pretty much the same thing, most games do not ship with a playable game on the disc anymore so it's pretty moot. Or you get shit like Destiny 2 where if you try to install the original game the server will fucking erase it from your system.
Yeah, I've struggled with this even online as that's one way I keep up with a cousin in another state, we play games. It's gotten so boring, neither of us want to do online competitive and every other option is a microtransaction-fest it seems.
I've done a tiny bit of couch gaming with my nephews when I visit them, but there's not a ton to choose from either.
Survival crafting games are where it’s at for co-op. Valheim, 7 Days, Grounded, etc.
Which means if you don't like or are already sick of that single genre its back to square one.
I was telling someone 20 years my junior how you could just download dedicated servers and run them. They kept referring to it as a "pirate server" and then "alternative cloud server". No, son, it used to be included in your retail copy, and you ran it on a machine on which you could actually press a power button.
Co-op has really sucked. I have a Wii and basically every game is co-op on it, provides plenty of fun. There are so many crappy games that you can buy for a buck or two and mess around with for a few days with a friend it's insane. Then of course you have the actual good stuff that has comprehensive co-op even if it's not the main focus, it's truly insane.
A jailbroken wii is an extremely versatile coop beast:
https://communities.win/c/emus/p/16biTq4Va4/through-the-magic-of-emulation-a/c
I Homebrewed my Wii years ago, it was awesome. Probably going to get another one soon and completely redo it.
Not surprised, they've all been made to want that stuff. I've told my nephews I'm not buying them Robux, Vbucks or anything of that stuff. I'm getting them games this year, but it's really just a filler because I won't see them at Christmas this year. I don't really like giving gifts, prefer to spend time instead.
I can cook marginally well, but I usually am visiting other people's houses and really hate trying to cook something there.
It's easy though since we're talking about kids that are on the cusp of getting older. I'm kinda magic with teenagers anyway. If you look at kids that age most family members outside their parents either look down on them or want to twenty questions them on things like school. The family member that will just hang out and do something fun without all the baggage is worth a ton to them.
I guess I'm just glad I'm "old school" enough where this just mystifies me. If I play a free-to-play game, I generally don't purchase anything. If I play a non-free-to-play game, it's not going to be anything that asks me give them more money. (*cough cough* fuck you, Activision Blizzard *cough cough*).
I just can't imagine needing subscriptions or virtual currency for anything I play, much less needing anyone else to pay for it. If I were to receive a video game related gift, I'd much rather get a game than currency.
What can I say, I'm kind of a badass! /s
https://archive.vn/qdUgL
Grim times ahead...
Kids associate Half-Life with Skibidi Toilet more than the actual games.
Okay, I kept hearing that name but I only now finally looked it up. What the FUCK.
Youtube Shorts Brainrot.
I have a much less negative view of this than some of you seem to. Once I started playing WoW in the long long ago I didn't want any other kinds of gifts, even other games. "Just buy me WoW time cards." That was the thing I liked and I didn't want money being spent on other stuff I wouldn't like nearly as much, and especially when the accompanying 'look at all the things we got you, show us some gratitude' lectures would come so swiftly afterward.
I cannot say I have a sterling view of MTX or in-game stores, but if I was perfectly happy with my one game and didn't want any others, I would love to have more things related to that game, be it mounts, costumes, skins, or whatever. I fell out of love with physical things that would just crowd my shelves or a box in my closet, and consequently never asked for them again. My interests narrowed to computer games and just never shifted away from there since.
Same experience with Magic: The Gathering back when it was good.
I mean, why would they want a brand new game that is probably pretentious slop and takes a huge risk on both your parents getting it right (big chance) and also being worth your brief chance at a chunk of free money? When the alternative is more stuff they enjoy in games they know they will get 2000+ more hours out of and usually play with all their friends instead of being a solo activity.
Maybe its just my years of WoW talking, but the same 60$ investment spent there would get me 4 months of sub time and basically all my time filled with what I wanted to be doing instead of a game that might fill a few weeks at best even if its the best thing ever during that stretch.
In terms of return on investment its absolutely the better option, and kids aren't stupid enough to not recognize that fact even if they are stupid enough to spend the money on a retarded Fortnite skin.
I used to be a hardcore 'physical copy only' guy until I bought Skyrim on PC and the only thing on the disc was a Steam downloader.
Consoles were a little better until current Gen where it's pretty much the same thing, most games do not ship with a playable game on the disc anymore so it's pretty moot. Or you get shit like Destiny 2 where if you try to install the original game the server will fucking erase it from your system.