It’s not easy to be a video game company today. It seems like a studio is closing its doors every week; doesn’t matter if you’re big or small, no one is safe. With the budgets that are needed to create top-tier games growing every year, it becomes an even greater risk when these games don’t sell as well as hoped. Look no further than THQ, who is reeling from a lackluster holiday performance (personally, I loved Saints Row The Third, but I guess not enough people did). So if a game company is going to have to survive, they might have to make choices about what features they choose to support. Considering the development time and cost needed to create a unified single player and multiplayer experience, I would not be at all surprised to see games that traditionally featured robust options in both now start to favor one over the other. The question is:

If the developers of a game you were looking forward to buying had to cut features, would you rather have a more robust single player experience, or more multiplayer options?

(You may need to refresh the page to see the poll)

Keep in mind that I’m asking you what you prefer, not what is more likely to happen. My knee-jerk reaction to this would be to say multiplayer; I would like to think that I am always online playing with my friends in whatever game we all have. But in reality, I have been heavily reliant on quality single player games as of late.  The last real multiplayer game I’ve played was Black Ops (not counting Rock Band, which I do with co-workers monthly, and a dabbling of Assassin’s Creed Revelations, which none of my friends had anyway). So in considering what my playing habits actually are, I think I’d like to see more single-player variety if a company had to make a choice. Besides, with the way things are going with online codes being needed for multiplayer access, having a quality single-player experience ensures I’m getting my money’s worth no matter how I purchase my game.

What do you think? Vote above, and drop some comments below!

View previous ASQ: Difficulty Settings - View next ASQ: Sequel Before Prequel

A Simple Question (ASQ) is a weekly segment for Platform Nation.  Give a response and let the world know what you think; there is no right or wrong answer here. If you have a suggestion for a question, hit me up on twitter @vttym.

The Hitman series has had a cult following that has been around since the franchise’s start with Hitman: Codname 47 back in 2000. With the upcoming release of Hitman: Absolution fast approaching, Square Enix and IO Interactive are ramping up their advertising with the creation of the brand new Barcode Society. This one stop shop is sure to be a big hit with fans of Agent 47.

Dedicated to all things HITMAN, The Barcode Society is run by IO Interactive to give HITMAN fans a single place to get information about their favorite assassin. The Barcode Society Blog will give quick access to the latest HITMAN news and behind-the-scenes access to the developers, as well as insights into the processes that lie behind the development of AAA games. The site will also feature new assets, exclusive competitions and other goodies that you can’t find anywhere else.

The Barcode Society is built for the community. IO Interactive and SQUARE ENIX welcome feedback and thoughts, so fans can join in on the official forums where they can share views and register on the site to allow for comments on blog posts and access to future features. The site will be updated weekly with new stories, insights into the game, vintage assets from the archives of the previous titles, features with key community people and much more. Join the Barcode Society now by visiting www.barcode-society.com.

There’s no specific date set for Hitman: Absolution’s release but I’m sure the Barcode Society will work in keeping fans of the series busy. Please visit the Barcode Scoiety website and check out the Hitman: Absolution gameplay video below.

Any true Assassin’s Creed fan could tell you that the year 2012 has a prominent role in the overarching mythos of the series, ever since the first game back in 2007. So it was always safe to bet that a major final moment considering the Desmond storyline would surface sometime during this year. Now sources close to the project are telling the website CVG that we will hear an official announcement before March 31st, and that what they’re calling Assassin’s Creed III will take place during the American Revolution. I think taking such a huge leap in time is a brilliant idea (although I still drool at the idea of an entirely modern Assassin’s Creed game.. or Egypt during King Tut’s reign.. or China around the time the Great Wall was being erected), and I love the possibilities such a hostile and brutal era has for the series.

The exciting switch to the 18th century conflict will mark the series’ ‘biggest instalment yet‘, according to Ubisoft, and our insider indicates the game will be publicly showcased before the end of the company’s fiscal year on March 31.

The American setting was first hinted in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood’s ‘Da Vinci Disappearance’ DLC, which drip-fed players a set of coordinates leading to New York state, USA.

Another hint featured in the ending of latest series entry, Revelations, when a futuristic globe hovered over the US (pictured).

Perhaps the biggest indication though came late last year, when a Ubisoft survey asked fans where they’d like to see Assassin’s Creed go next. The options included, “The confrontation between British colonists and native Americans during The American Revolution.”

Source: CVG.com

There’s no denying that gamers love their technology.  Being able to stream video games, download extra game content, or watch movies online is something that we almost take for granted now, and was pretty unfathomable 10 years ago.  As we move towards a more digital delivery service (and 75% of you think we will be either mostly or all digital 10 years from now), we begin to adjust what we expect to receive for our money.  With digital downloads, we generally don’t get a physical copy of the game, which means no box, no box art, no collectibles…

And no instruction manual.

Now, I know not everyone reads instruction manuals.  I rarely read one before-hand unless I’ve bought the game at work, and need something to read while .. well.. when I need something to read.  But I do end up reading all of the booklets at some point.  Many are run of the mill, but some stand out (Assassin’s Creed’s first one was basically written as an instruction manual for the Animus, complete with developer’s notes in the margins).  The problem is, companies are already getting rid of instruction manuals in lieu of having an online document, and this is in the physical games I’m purchasing.  My new Assassin’s Creed Revelations was nothing more than a glorified post card telling me where to go for the manual online.  It begs the question:

Do you care that games are moving their instruction manuals online?

(You may need to refresh the page to see the poll)

Now, I know that having a manual online (or even in game) can allow for more flexibility in how the information is presented, and can probably be more robust and interactive than a physical booklet that has to fit within the dimensions of a game box.  But I like not having to be connected to anything to learn a little bit more about the game. I like being able to be immersed in my game before I can actually play it.  I guess it’s like my preference to reading some physical magazines over digital ones; I’m more connected when I can hold something in my hands.

Unfortunately, the trend seems to be moving this feature away from gamers.  What do you think? Vote above, and leave a comment below!

View previous ASQ: Physical Or Digital Game Copies - View next ASQ: Difficulty Settings

A Simple Question (ASQ) is a weekly segment for Platform Nation.  Give a response and let the world know what you think; there is no right or wrong answer here. If you have a suggestion for a question, hit me up on twitter @vttym.

First off, all of us at Platform Nation want to wish everyone in our community a very merry Christmas! Or a happy holiday if Christmas isn’t your thing. We’ve had a great year and we owe it all to you guys out there. Anyways, Scott already through out a Merry Christmas so what do you say we get to the giveaway!

Blockbuster is teaming up with Platform Nation to offer this giveaway. Earlier this month we did a giveaway for Batman Arkham City, then we did one for Gears of War 3, and now we are doing one for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Before I tell you guys what you need to do, let me tell you why we are doing this giveaway. Right now, Blockbuster has this great deal going on their website. For any new customers, if you purchase any of these following games: Skyrim, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Uncharted 3, Battlefield 3, Batman: Arkham City or Gears of War 3, you will get a free month of unlimited games and movie rentals. So pretty much, buy any of those games, and you will get a full month of their Combo Pass.

Now for the giveaway! Check out the widget below, it goes over everything.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I want to thank the guys over there at Blockbuster who wanted to work with us for this giveaway! And for those of you that enter this giveaway, do us a favor and share it with your friends. Let your friends know about this giveaway and Platform Nation. Just by doing that you are helping us grow which then allows us the opportunity to do more giveaways like this in the future. Thank you everyone and like I said before, we hope you have a very merry Christmas!

Relevant Links:

VGA Trailers

Join the Rumble Pack Digital Secret Santa

Here’s a few great games I think everyone should take a look at:

• Serious Sam: The First Encounter ($2.99)
• Serious Sam: The Second Encounter ($2.99)
• Planescape: Torment ($4.99)
• SimCity 2000 Special Edition ($2.99)
• The Witcher ($4.99)
• The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings ($23.99)
• Psychonauts ($4.99)

And many, many more as well, just about all under $10.00. So head over to gog.com this minute, and sift through some really great games at some really great prices.

Seriously, stop reading this, and go here right now and spend your precious dollars on some sweet games.

Blockbuster is teaming up with Platform Nation to offer several giveaways over the next few days. Yesterday we announced our giveaway for Batman Arkham City (still going on), today we are giving away a copy of Gears of War 3. This copy is for the Xbox 360 and get this, it is even signed by some of the team that worked on it!

Before I tell you guys what you need to do, let me tell you why we are doing this giveaway. Right now, Blockbuster has this great deal going on their website. For any new customers, if you purchase any of these following games: Skyrim, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Uncharted 3, Battlefield 3, Batman: Arkham City or Gears of War 3, you will get a free month of unlimited games and movie rentals. So pretty much, buy any of those games, and you will get a full month of their Combo Pass.

Now for the giveaway! Check out the widget below, it goes over everything.

I want to thank the guys over there at Blockbuster who wanted to work with us for this giveaway! And for those of you that enter this giveaway, do us a favor and share it with your friends. Let your friends know about this giveaway and Platform Nation. Just by doing that you are helping us grow which then allows us the opportunity to do more giveaways like this in the future. Thank you everyone!

Blockbuster is teaming up with Platform Nation to offer several giveaways over the next few days. Today, we will be kicking off this set of giveaways by offering one of the highest rated games ever, Batman Arkham City. This copy is for the Xbox 360 and get this, it is even signed by some of the team that worked on it!

Before I tell you guys what you need to do, let me tell you why we are doing this giveaway. Right now, Blockbuster has this great deal going on their website. For any new customers, if you purchase any of these following games: Skyrim, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Uncharted 3, Battlefield 3, Batman: Arkham City or Gears of War 3, you will get a free month of unlimited games and movie rentals. So pretty much, buy any of those games, and you will get a full month of their Combo Pass.

Now for the giveaway! Check out the widget below, it goes over everything.

I want to thank the guys over there at Blockbuster who wanted to work with us for this giveaway! And for those of you that enter this giveaway, do us a favor and share it with your friends. Let your friends know about this giveaway and Platform Nation. Just by doing that you are helping us grow which then allows us the opportunity to do more giveaways like this in the future. Thank you everyone!

Some players have reported on dragons flying backwards, lowered texture resolution, broken bookshelves and armor racks, disappearing furniture, improper save loading, and so much more. I’ve already taken a hiatus from Skyrim to finish up Assassin’s Creed: Revelations and Rayman Origins, but does this mean I should continue to abstain from playing it? It sounds like this patch could possibly do more harm than good.

To be fair, though, just about every patch for any piece of software in the history of patches and software has caused problems for at least some subset of users, and given the immense number of people playing Skyrim and the incredibly unpredictable nature of its game states, I’m not surprised a lot of people are reporting problems. Are these horror stories enough to discourage you from updating?

Source: Kotaku, Bethesda forums