Joystiq

Report: XBLA prices rising (slowly), Summer of Arcade review scores dropping

Mike Schramm — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:01:00 EST

XBLA Fans has done an exhaustive analysis of Xbox Live Arcade sales, Metacritic scores, and trends over the past few years in a four-part writeup. The most interesting finding in the article, in our estimation, is how the perception of rising prices squares with reality. Yes, there are more 1200 point ($15) games being released on the service as compared to previous years, but there are more 800 point ($10) games coming out as well, and there are more of those than $15 games. The average is rising overall, but it hasn't yet reached the 1200 point mark, even if that price is being assigned to some of the more high profile (and high quality) games on the service.

The quality of the Summer of Arcade, on the other hand, is dropping overall, according to the average price and Metacritic score. In 2008, the first year the promotion existed, the games had an average Metacritic score of 84.8, with an average price of 960 points. This past year, however, the Metacritic score dropped to 78.8 (which still isn't too bad), but the average price was at 1120. This is purely mathematical, remember: The games are probably more complex these days, which allows Microsoft to set a higher price, and reviews on any site are subjective.

Finally, XBLA Fans found 73% of titles on XBLA have gone on sale within their first year, though many of the games on XBLA were only on sale for a day or so. That means that patient XBLA buyers can save a lot of money, if they pay attention and move quickly. There are a few other interesting conclusions in the analysis as a whole, and lots of insight on how Microsoft's Arcade has developed over the past few years.

Report: XBLA prices rising (slowly), Summer of Arcade review scores dropping originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metacritic drops individual developer ratings for good

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST

Though Metacritic's recent policy of not only applying scores to video games, but also the individual people who created those games, drew some ire from the site's users, we thought it was a masterstroke. Assigning people arbitrary scores based on their past achievements? Seriously, the person who came up with that had to be, like, at least a 93. Sadly, the ratings were short-lived, and in a recent GamesIndustry interview, Metacritic founder Marc Doyle (a known 77) said, "We have no plans to bring it back."

Ultimately, Mr. 77 said the site isn't meant to "fuel some larger discussion over what person is more worthy than some other person." That's actually kind of a nice sentiment, but it's that lack of bloodthirstiness that's keeping Mr. Doyle from breaking into the low 80s.

Metacritic drops individual developer ratings for good originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Which publisher gets the best review scores?

Kyle Orland — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:55:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS, Hacks, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360

Ah, review scores. Besides letting us skip all that long, boring text that actually describes a game's high and low points, it also allows for some excellent statistical analysis and fanboy-infuriating numerical rankings. To that end, and spurred on by an similar EA-produced chart, Next-Gen's Matt Matthews crunched the GameRankings data and ranked the best-reviewed publishers of 2007.

Unsurprisingly, first parties Sony and Nintendo topped the list with averages above 75% -- not bad when you consider their production includes clunkers like Lair and Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast. Microsoft is slightly lower with a 69% average, behind top-ranked third-parties like Capcom, LucasArts, EA and, surprisingly enough, Atlus. Major publishers like Midway, Atari and Majesco stagnate near the bottom of the list -- none of the trio even breaks through the mediocre 60% average barrier.

The full story also breaks down the data going back to 2005 and also looks at changes in the sheer number of games released by various publishers. Check it out.

Which publisher gets the best review scores? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PS3 has best average review scores of current gen consoles [Update]

Nick Doerr — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Rants

As you may or may not know, video games get reviewed. These scores, sometimes arbitrary in nature, add up over time as more games are released for consoles. Are we being elementary enough? Anyway, as things stand right now, apparently the PS3 library has a higher average review score than the other two current gen consoles.

With the 360's longer life, it has had an opportunity to collect more "shovelware," lowering its average review score. Surprisingly, in spite of Wii's success, there are many titles the critics deem of poor quality. (Titles like Zack and Wiki and No More Heroes are quality, but don't sell for some odd reason). Still, we're impressed PS3 games can hold this title for the time being. Just like any other system, it will have its fair share of great games, average games, and downright awful games. Let's hope it can produce more of the former.

[Via Kotaku]

Editor's Note: Hey everyone. There are a few points we'd like to clarify for those of you arguing the comments section. These figures were provided by Next Gen (all our sources can be seen by clicking "Read"). Also, there are quality games on all three systems, no matter which one is your preferred system. Some of the more inflammatory language has been edited out of this post, and we apologize.

PS3 has best average review scores of current gen consoles [Update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii Warm Up: Enter initials

JC Fletcher — Mon, 14 May 2007 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Virtual Console, Wii Warm Up

Dude, so we were playing some Alien Crush, and we killed the bonus stage with the dragons over and over again. We totally scored like five billion points and it was so AWESOME that we had to call everyone we knew and tell them about it.

Okay, we're embellishing a bit. When we say we "totally scored like five billion points," we mean that we "continue to be awful at Alien Crush despite playing and loving it for eighteen years." But without our humble admission, you'd have no reason to doubt us! And that leads into our discussion.

Simply put, we want leaderboards. We aren't going to get online play in VC games any time soon (or ever,) so we'll ask for the next best thing. We want to be able to see the high scores for games that, you know, have scores. We don't need prizes or anything. We'd be motivated enough by the idea that we could put our three-letter tag (mine: JC!) at the top of a nationwide or worldwide list if we were any good, which we aren't.

Are high score leaderboards worth doing? Do you see value in friendly competition like this? Or did you always flip right past the high score page in old gaming magazines? Perhaps most importantly, what are your high score initials?

Wii Warm Up: Enter initials originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 May 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pack your bags! Australian game reviewers offered hookers

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 21:59:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Business

When hookers are offered to game reviewers for better scores ... well, the game industry just got a whole lot more interesting! Official Australian PlayStation 2 Magazine's former editor Richie Young says he was offered sex, money, gifts, overseas trips and advertising support to influence game review scores.

Well, let's see, the advertising support is a common practice. So are the trips and gifts (those are just called junkets). The money is interesting -- but hookers? In Australia? Imagine what the American game reviewers get offered. EGM Editor Dan Hsu's now classic editorial spoke to this issue, but to this day he hasn't stepped up to the plate with a follow-through.

A lot of issues dredged up in Young's post are just the truth of what happens. It's dirty and it's sad. None of it is anything the magazines and review sites don't have to deal with every single day ... it's just the hookers that make this story over the top.

[via ScreenPlay, thanks Flyingdoormat]

Pack your bags! Australian game reviewers offered hookers originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Mar 2007 21:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next-gen launch reviews projected

Kyle Orland — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 11:20:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Retro, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360

Are you anxiously awaiting the reviews scores for the PS3 and Wii launch games? Be anxious no longer -- Next Gen has kindly projected those scores weeks in advance by studying review scores for past console launches.

While every console launch is different and past performance doesn't necessarily predict future success, it's interesting to see how the earliest games for earlier systems have fared. Unsurprisingly, a 36% plurality of launch titles tend to be mired in the mediocrity of 70 to 80% average scores, while only one in ten games break past that magical 90% average. More surprising is that Nintendo launches (N64 and GameCube) tend to fare slightly better on average than Sony launches (PS1, PS2). In fact, the GameCube had the most well-rounded launch in the modern era, with an 80.2% combined GameRankings average.

Curmudgeon Gamer has a more detailed breakdown and downloadable spreadsheets to play with the numbers yourself.

Next-gen launch reviews projected originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 26 Oct 2006 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A comprehensive list of Famitsu review scores

Jason Wishnov — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 10:49:00 EST

Filed under: Reviews, Fan stuff

Famitsu, the most popular gaming magazine in Japan, is notorious for their uncompromising and strictly regulated review system. Indeed, only six games in their history have ever received a perfect 40/40 review score.

Since their opinion is highly valued, a couple people over at GoNintendo have compiled a comprehensive list of the top-scoring DS games on the market. First place belongs solely to Nintendogs, picking up one of those coveted 40/40 scores, followed by Meteos with a 38/40, and then Animal Crossing: Wild World at 37/40. For a (very) full list, click that underlined blue clicky thing at the bottom of the post.

(If you were wondering, the six perfect scores belong to (in chronological order): The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Vagrant Story, Soul Calibur, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Nintendogs, and Final Fantasy XII.)

A comprehensive list of Famitsu review scores originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 20 Aug 2006 10:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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