At the time of press, there is a well-publicised protest taking place in the video games community. PlayStation 5 owners are being encouraged to log off from their consoles between 23 and 30 August – no playing games, no downloading new titles. The motivating factor is Sony’s decision to cease physical game disc production from January 2028. After that, games will only be released as digital products. In an act of poor timing or wilful defiance, Sony chose this week to send out a mass email reminding customers of their PS5 terms and conditions: “The software is licensed to you, not sold,” states the relevant clause. “You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and personal license to play … ” It knows, of course, that most customers won’t open the email, let alone read it.
There has always been a tension between game players and game publishers – an underlying sense of mutual mistrust. Players are wary of their favourite franchises being canned, or games being delayed or released with bugs. Publishers and manufacturers are wary of piracy and the capricious tastes of consumers. But now the atmosphere among many game players feels more starkly political than ever. Microsoft has been targeted by the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement for its ties to the Israeli military; the consumer advocacy group Stop Killing Games is gaining support; players have protested over the purchase of Electronic Arts by a Saudi-led consortium – boycotts have been proposed in part due to the possible ramifications regarding LGBTQ+ content in titles such as The Sims. As the games industry has grown and globalised, its impact on culture, society and politics has increased. Yet, on an individual level, gamers and consumers are feeling increasingly powerless.
Is it possible to divest from the mainstream games industrial complex as a player? Yes, but with obvious sacrifices. Your PS5 still runs physical discs (if it has an optical drive) and will also play almost all PS4 games, so you have enough single-player titles to see you out for several decades. You could buy a secondhand Xbox, PlayStation or Nintendo machine from any era and find games that are still wildly pleasurable. Instead of playing online, you could rediscover couch co-op via evergreen titles such as Micro Machines and Worms. Alternatively, it’s possible to build a functional gaming PC for about £500, especially if you source secondhand components, that will let you play most current titles on lower graphics settings, while Steam, Itch.io or GOG all give you access to the vast, rich independent gaming scene.
Short on cash? Love retro games? Apart from buying an old console, you could also invest in a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 mini computer. I bought the Pi Hut’s starter kit for £99, which gives you everything you need hardware-wise. Install the OS, download an emulator such as RetroPie, Batocera or Recalbox and, hey presto, instant retro gaming machine! (Although you’ll need to find a way to download game Roms). There is also a huge range of dedicated retro consoles and handhelds, including the lovely EverCade (which lets you buy licensed, authentic versions of classic titles) and the pocket-sized Retroid, Ayaneo and Miyoo Mini devices.
If none of this matters to you, that’s fine – keep enjoying the games you love. But for gamers truly worried about the impact of their consent and consumption, it may be time to think of video games in the same way we think of food: as something requiring ethical sacrifices. It is all too easy to succumb to a sense of powerlessness in the modern era – the systems seem to be stacked against us. But one thing games have always tried to teach us is that we have agency, we are imaginative creatures, we can challenge and beat the system in ways no one foresaw.
As for PlayStation, it’s true that a huge majority of game sales are now digital (a point Sony has made in its defence) but this week has reminded us, in stark clarity, what convenience and compliance will cost us in the end.
What to play
As a fan of games that combine different genres in interesting ways, I have just downloaded Combolands, an ingenious combination of roguelike deck builder and city-building sim. Here, you construct cute towns on procedurally generated islands by placing complementary building types next to each other, triggering combos that help grow your mini metropolis. The pixellated visuals recall the glory days of Sim City and Civilization, and I like how sessions last less than an hour before it’s time to rebuild. Oh, and it runs on a basic PC setup.
Available on: PC
Estimated playtime: 10 hours plus
What to read
I like it when war breaks out over a video game list feature – it reminds me of 90s games journalism when these things really mattered. On 11 August, entertainment website Collider posted its list of the 10 best adventure games of the 21st century. Unimpressed by the choices, game designer Greg Costikyan and his team at Indie Gamer Reviewer got together and came up with an alternative selection. Read both and make up your own mind!
The GTA VI leaks are continuing, mostly via a hacker named Cyberleek, who has released a fresh batch of game clips – this time with some, let’s say, adult-themed content. Kotaku has been following the situation closely. Meanwhile Take-Two has filed subpoena requests in federal district court to secure information from Microsoft and Discord about the online accounts involved.
As he turned 63 this week, Hideo Kojima vowed to keep making games – a relief to those of us who have spent hundreds of hours in his life’s work, hiding in cardboard boxes, walking up long ladders and delivering packages to reclusive scientists in the Australian outback. Eurogamer has more details on his social media promise. Keep on keeping on, Hideo.
What to click
‘A cognitive cacophony’: hands-on with the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 beta test
Marvel’s Wolverine: Spider-Man developers turn to a more cutthroat character
My Arms Are Longer Now – comedy stealth game sends lawlessness into new territory
The new Halloween video game has been banned in Australia – and not because of the violence
The Duskbloods: the best of FromSoftware fights in a frantic multiplayer battleground
Stupid Never Dies – a zombie fights for the love of a frozen corpse
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol 2 – once more unto the mercenary breach | ★★★☆☆
Question Block
This week, a question from Johnny, via email:
“I’ve just started getting into anime, working my way through classics like Attack on Titan and Neon Genesis Evangelion, and newcomers such as Witch Hat Atelier and Tomb Raider King, and now I’m interested in trying an anime-based video game. Can you recommend any?”
There is a very long and rich history of anime video games, going back to Taito’s Lupin III arcade cabinet in 1980. If you just want games based on specific shows, Namco’s Dragon Ball FighterZ, Pokémon Pokopia and Fairy Tail Dungeons are my picks of the current crop. If you’re happy with games inspired by anime, I’d recommend hardcore role-playing adventure Metaphor: ReFantazio, the Ghibli-co-created Ni No Kuni (which later received an anime tie-in), Nier: Automata (also now an anime) and the brilliant Persona series. My son, Zac, also recommends Edens Zero. If you want to go on a retro hunt, there are classic games based on Neon Genesis Evangelion, Sword Art Online, Mobile Suit Gundam, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and my eternal favourite, Ranma 1/2 – check eBay or CEX for copies – and ganbatte kudasai!
