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Xbox lowered the price of Game Pass after losing "millions of users"

Xbox has given the best conference of the Summer Game Fest, presenting an interesting lineup of games for its near future, but that doesn’t seem to be enough to regain the faith of its fans. Or of gamers in general. Being the third party in contention for two generations now, they are having very serious problems positioning themselves as serious competition against Sony and Nintendo, even with the missteps of the latter, and it seems that even their successes are more reactions than anything else. A business with serious problems Matthew Ball has spoken with Chris Dring, head of […]

Xbox has given the best conference of the Summer Game Fest, presenting an interesting lineup of games for its near future, but that doesn’t seem to be enough to regain the faith of its fans. Or of gamers in general. Being the third player in the game for two generations now, they are having very serious problems positioning themselves as serious competition against Sony and Nintendo, even with their missteps, and it seems that even their successes are more reactions than anything else.

A business with serious problems

Matthew Ball has spoken with Chris Dring, head of the specialized video game newsletter The Game Business, about the situation that Xbox is currently facing. Highlighting some of the challenges and issues the brand is experiencing. The first of these is that, both in Spain and the US, there is no stock of Xbox Series. This is something Ball has addressed without hesitation.

“I can definitively say that the demand for our console exceeds the supply. We are bringing it to as many stores as possible, and we are producing it as quickly as we can. There is a serious limitation on how fast we can do this.” Although this does not translate into the number of console sales, which remains far lower than those of Sony and Nintendo, it seems to also be related to the issue of rising component prices, which is forcing them to ‘rethink everything we can about Helix’, their next console.

More relevant is that the price increase of around 50% for Game Pass caused them to lose millions of subscribers. This has forced Asha Sharma, since she took her current position as CEO of Xbox, to lower the price of Game Pass with a serious commitment: to remove Call of Duty from the service at launch.

All of this reveals a contradictory picture of Xbox. Although Ball constantly tries to assert that Xbox is better than ever and in a winning position, all it conveys is that the company is constantly reacting to questionable decisions they themselves have made in the past. Without an apparent clear roadmap, which includes the inability to define which games will be exclusive to Xbox and which will not and why, the brand’s fans remain marked by the uncertainty of a company that, although it claims to be more transparent now, still is not at all.

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Nintendo Switch 2 will have a new model exclusive to Europe

Nintendo has officially confirmed that in the coming months it will release a revised model of the Switch 2 with a removable battery. This model, initially only available in Europe, aims to comply with current European regulations that state that all electronic devices must have replaceable batteries starting February 18, 2027. A more eco-friendly console This is a necessary move by Nintendo, as they would not be able to sell the console otherwise, but it is a bit clumsy. Although the regulation will not come into effect until February of the year that […]

A more eco-friendly console

This is a necessary move by Nintendo, as they wouldn’t be able to sell the console any other way, but it’s a bit clumsy. Although the regulation will not come into effect until February of next year, it was approved in 2023, which means that by the time of the Nintendo Switch 2’s release, they were already aware of this regulation and had no reason to release a version of the console without a removable battery in the first place, complicating their production tasks even further.

In this regard, Nintendo has stated that “Nintendo products fully comply with these requirements, and Nintendo fully cooperates with the authorized regional institutions to facilitate the proper collection and environmentally respectful recovery or disposal of its batteries”. Emphasizing that it is among their plans to strictly adhere to European laws.

While there is no concrete news on this yet, it is possible that this will also affect the Joy-Con 2 and the Switch 2 Pro Controller 2. With model numbers BEE-012 and BEE-014 and BEE-008 respectively, and since Nintendo has stated that “for current products whose model numbers start with ‘BEE’, future compliant versions will have unique model numbers and the additional code ‘OSM’ visible on the packaging”, everything points to the fact that these could also have new versions with removable batteries. Therefore, for Europe, it seems that we will soon have a much more eco-friendly Nintendo Switch 2.

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If you want a Steam Deck, it will now cost you 200 euros more

Valve has announced a significant price increase for all models of the Steam Deck. Both the Steam Deck OLED model with 512GB of storage, which cost €569, will now cost €779 in Europe; and the Steam Deck OLED model with 1TB of storage, which cost €679, will now cost €919. This is an increase of between €210 and €240 more, a rise that moves the Steam Deck away from the competitive price range it was in until now. A catastrophic price increase The reason for this is the economic situation and, very especially, the […]

This is an increase of between €210 and €240, a rise that moves the Steam Deck away from the competitive price range it was in until now.

A catastrophic price increase

The reason for this is the economic situation and, very especially, the reality of the sector. As Valve explained in the statement, “these new prices reflect the current situation of component costs and other global logistical challenges affecting the entire sector.” Referring to the fact that the cost of RAM, due to the rise of AI, has skyrocketed, leading to other microcomputer hardware products, such as hard drives, increasing in price accordingly.

For the rest, the consolidated computer remains the same. Despite the price increase, the Steam Deck still has the same features as at launch. It is a price increase with no justification other than the fact that it now costs them more to make them.

This has not prevented the Steam Deck reservations from selling out instantly after the price increase. It seems that the new price will not be a problem for either Valve or some of the users. Moreover, all video game companies have already made this move: Nintendo and Xbox have raised the price of their consoles once this generation, while Sony has done it twice already. This raises questions about what the price of Valve’s console, the Steam Machine, will be.

In the future, we can expect to continue seeing movements in this direction as the situation in microcomputing continues to worsen due to AI. So, if you want a console, remember: the time is now, because tomorrow, it might be more than 200 euros more expensive.

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'Goldeneye 007' is one of the best games for Nintendo 64… but it was originally made for Super Nintendo. It turned out badly, of course

Since the first official James Bond game in 1984 (there were earlier ones but without rights, like a pirate), the saga had something in common for a decade: with a controller in hand, no one seemed to get the most out of agent 007. It didn’t help, of course, that the games still had to fight to be seen in 8 bits, with titles like A View to a Kill, Goldfinger, or The Living Daylights, which adapted a completely original story and even had audio tapes that explained the story in the voice of the very actor who played Q, Desmond Llewelyn. And then, GoldenEye arrived

Since the first official game of James Bond in 1984 (there were earlier ones but without rights, pirate-style), the saga had something in common for a decade: with a controller in hand, no one seemed to fully exploit agent 007.

It didn’t help, of course, that the games still had to fight to be seen in 8 bits, with titles like Panorama to Kill, Goldfinger, or The Living Daylights, which adapted a completely original story and even had audio tapes explaining the story from the mouth of the very actor who played Q, Desmond Llewelyn. And then, GoldenEye arrived.

Agitated, mixed, improved

In 1992, the franchise didn’t know where to turn with consoles, and a final game was released for Mega Drive titled James Bond 007: The Duel, in which the agent had to overcome 5 levels, face Jaws, and escape. The problem was that, at that time, Timothy Dalton had made his last appearance as the agent in License to Kill, and they had not yet found someone to replace him.

In doubt, they used his image on the cover and pixelated it within the game, although it didn’t matter much to anyone: despite receiving decent reviews, James Bond was part of the past, and there was little that could be done to revive the interest of the youth.

This impasse only lasted until, in 1994, they announced that Pierce Brosnan would take the helm of the saga in a new spectacular film: GoldenEye. And of course, with the relaunch, they had to have their corresponding video game: immediately, Rare and Nintendo began working on a possible game based on the movie, especially after the success of Donkey Kong Country.

Moreover, from Nintendo, having little faith in the producer, they proposed making a 2D platformer for Super Nintendo, which at that time was still selling non-stop and showed no signs of stopping. A perfect plan. Or not?

Back then, no matter how well they sold, movie adaptations were worth nothing: 2D platforms of Robocop or Batman that only slightly resembled the original title and that, in reality, would only go down in history for the most dedicated fans. Fortunately, Martin Hollis raised his voice in that meeting and insisted that the game should be made in 3D and developed for Nintendo’s new console, the Ultra 64 (which would eventually be, of course, the Nintendo 64).

What was the problem? By the time the console hit the market, the movie would have already left theaters and even the VHS market. At Rare, they were convinced it didn’t matter: the essential thing was to make a good game. The license was secondary.

They were right, of course: the game was released more than a year and a half after the movie, on August 25, 1997, but by then Pierce Brosnan was already starting the promotion for Tomorrow Never Dies, which would come out four months later, and the hand game ended up benefiting them.

It cost an absolute fortune for the time and they took much longer than usual, yes, but the result was incredible. No one cared that GoldenEye was a 1995 movie: the graphics, the extended story, the mapping, and the levels made the risk worth it. After all, masterpieces are not created every day.

It has been almost 30 years since the release of GoldenEye 007 and those who played it at the time still remember it as a canonical moment when they discovered that FPS games were not just for computers. And now, with the new 007 First Light about to be released, it’s time to ask ourselves if perhaps, none of this would have been possible without a brave person saying “I don’t see this for the SNES”. Hero.

Sony is facing a class action lawsuit due to Donald Trump

Sony could be in trouble. Two U.S. citizens from California have filed a class action lawsuit against the company, considering it illegitimate to raise the prices of their products to maintain their profits due to the tariffs imposed by the government of Donald Trump. Why? Because ultimately there have been no such tariffs and the government is going to compensate them for any losses they may have suffered as a result. An economically irresponsible government The full story is that, as promised, Donald Trump imposed harsh tariffs in the country, something that the Supreme Court of the United States overturned shortly […]

Sony may be in trouble. Two U.S. citizens from California have filed a class-action lawsuit against the company, arguing that it is illegitimate for them to raise the prices of their products to maintain their profits due to tariffs imposed by the government of Donald Trump.

Why? Because ultimately there have been no such tariffs and the government is going to compensate them for any losses they may have suffered as a result.

An economically irresponsible government

The full story is that, as promised, Donald Trump imposed harsh tariffs in the country, something that the Supreme Court of the United States annulled shortly after. Many companies raised their prices to offset the impact that this increase would have on their accounts, passing the cost onto citizens.

But upon annulling the tariffs, several companies sued the US government for the illegal application of these tariffs, potentially receiving up to 160 billion dollars in total refunds. And here lies the heart of the lawsuit. They consider it illegitimate to receive money from the government and, furthermore, to pass the cost of these increases onto users.

In fact, the laws work in their favor. The consumer protection law states that these price increases are not legal, giving them a chance to fight in court. This is further emphasized because it is not the only class action of this kind. Nintendo is also facing an identical lawsuit for the same reasons: American consumers do not want to pay twice for the loss of profits of companies.

Although everything is up in the air, how these lawsuits are decided could very well affect much more than the US. Both Sony and Nintendo have raised the prices of their products worldwide, and this could force them to lower them not only in the US but also outside of it. However, for that to happen, the courts will first have to make a ruling.

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The most underrated The Legend of Zelda can be played on PC, but you won't find it by its name

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is one of the most divisive games in the franchise. On par with Zelda II: The Adventure of Link in terms of division among fans, it is one of those games that seems to evoke as much passion as hatred among the franchise’s fans. This has not stopped a group of modders from deciding to create an unofficial port for PC called Dusk. A change from Nintendo for an FPS or to be more precise, it was called. Because after talking with New Blood Interactive, the video game studio behind the FPS […]

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is one of the most divisive games in the franchise. On par with Zelda II: The Adventure of Link in terms of division among fans, it is one of those games that seems to evoke as much passion as hatred among the franchise’s fans. That hasn’t stopped a group of modders from deciding to create an unofficial port for PC called Dusk.

A Nintendo Change for an FPS

Or to be more precise, it was called. Because after speaking with New Blood Interactive, the video game studio behind the FPS named Dusk, they decided to change the name to Dusklight to ensure that there would be no errors or overlaps of any kind. Something that New Blood Interactive has tried in good faith at all times, going so far as to state that Twilight Princess “is the CEO of New Blood’s favorite Zelda, so all of this is a very funny coincidence.”

Dusklight offers a new way to play The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess without limitations. With the ability to play at higher resolutions, no frame rate limits, the option to add mods, and the ability to play on PC, it is a must-have for fans of the original. And the perfect opportunity to give it another chance for those who didn’t like it.

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A man has been arrested in Japan for making a bomb threat against Nintendo

The police of the Kyoto Prefecture had to intervene today due to a threat of an attack against the headquarters of Nintendo in the city of Kyoto. Authorities had to show up at the offices of the famous video game company on March 16 in search of suspicious objects, under the threat that several bombs had been placed in the building. Fortunately, the police found nothing. The culprit is a 27-year-old unemployed man from the city of Hekinan, a little over 150 kilometers from the city of Kyoto

The Kyoto Prefectural Police had to intervene today due to a bomb threat against the headquarters of Nintendo in the city of Kyoto. The authorities had to show up at the offices of the famous video game company on March 16 in search of suspicious objects, under the threat that several bombs had been placed in the building. Fortunately, the police found nothing.

The culprit is a 27-year-old unemployed man from the city of Hekinan, a little over 150 kilometers from the city of Kyoto. Although no material evidence of the attempted attack against the company has been found, the police have arrested him for sending the bomb threat on charges of forcibly obstructing the normal operation of the company.

Although it has ultimately become an anecdote, in Japan they take this kind of situation very seriously because sometimes they are very real. At Kyoto Animation, one of the most important anime studios in the country, they suffered an arson fire on July 18, 2019, which claimed the lives of 36 people and injured another 34, including the suspect, a 41-year-old man named Shinji Aoba who was found guilty and sentenced to death.

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Not even the original designer of Star Fox likes the redesign of his characters

Takaya Imamura, the original creator of Star Fox, has stated that he prefers the designs of Fox in the Super Mario Galaxy movie over those in the new video game of the franchise. An opinion that has caused controversy and has been supported by many people, who believe that the new designs are quite ugly and questionable, not capturing the charm of the original designs. A man of fluctuating or complex opinions. That does not prevent him from declaring that he is tremendously proud that they are making a remake of his game, even thanking Miyamoto himself for it. But in what […]

Takaya Imamura, the original creator of Star Fox, has stated that he prefers the designs of Fox in the Super Mario Galaxy movie over the new video game in the franchise.An opinion that has caused controversy and has been supported by many people, who believe that the new designs are quite ugly and questionable. Not capturing the charm of the original designs.

A man of fluctuating or complex opinions

This does not prevent him from declaring that he is tremendously proud that they are making a remake of his game, even thanking Miyamoto himself for it. But regarding the designs, it seems he is among those who think they are not as good as they could be. Stating that “I guess this is what happens when I’m not supervising… or something along those lines. I think the concept is fine”, he does not fall into the category of those who hate the designs, but he has not shown much enthusiasm about them either.

Or so we thought. After his statements became news over the weekend, Imamura himself has come out to assert that “the character design of Star Fox on Switch 2 is exactly as I imagined it in my head in Star Fox 64”. This seems to contradict his previous statements.

From this point on, there are several possible interpretations of why this change in tone occurred. It is possible that someone at Nintendo scolded him and he had to come out to defend the designs, that nuances were lost in translation or in his expression of what he wanted to say, or simply that he finds the version of the movie cuter and they should have used that instead of the one he had in mind during the development of the original game.

What is clear is that the game is not leaving fans indifferent. Not even its original designer. But to know if the designs are good or not, we will still have to wait until next June 25, which is when Star Fox is released exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2.

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The Nintendo Switch 2 is officially more expensive now, and it seems like there's no limit to it

I remember perfectly when, not so long ago, we waited to buy consoles to have a smaller version or a more affordable price in exchange for missing out on the novelty. However, now it’s the complete opposite: prices are not going down, but up, and if the starting price already seemed outrageous to you, the solution has been to tell you “This is the highest price so far.” If you don’t have money, then settle for the normal Nintendo Switch and get out of our way, poor thing. Fun at an impossible price That’s right: on September 1, Nintendo Switch 2 […]

I remember perfectly when, not too long ago, we would wait to buy consoles to get a smaller version or a more affordable price in exchange for missing out on the novelty. However, now it’s the complete opposite: prices are not going down, but up, and if the starting price already seemed outrageous to you, the solution has been to tell you “This is the highest price so far.” If you don’t have money, then just settle for the regular Nintendo Switch and get out of our way, poor thing.

Fun at an impossible price

That’s right: on September 1, Nintendo Switch 2 will increase in price in the United States to $500, and this capitalist frenzy is expected to reach all territories. In Europe, it will rise from €469.99 to €499.99 (make good use of that cent!), in Canada from $629.99 to $679.99, and in Japan from ¥49,980 to ¥59,980. The Japanese will actually feel the impact as early as May 25, while the rest of the world will have time to save up until autumn. Yay, what exquisite generosity.

The video game crisis will not only affect hardware. In addition, Nintendo has announced that Nintendo Switch Online will also increase in price in Japan and South Korea, a clear warning to the rest of the world that when we see our neighbor’s beard being shaved, it’s time to wet our own. At least Shuntaro Furukawa has had the courtesy to apologize for these prices, which is a bit like when your boss apologizes for firing you but doesn’t offer any alternative solution.

Nintendo Switch 2 has already sold more than 20 million units, and its profits have risen by 98.6%. One would think that with these numbers, they should give a “high five” to their audience and lower prices, but at Nintendo, we are not here for flowers and making friends, but to earn absolutely outrageous amounts of money… and until the AI bubble bursts, it doesn’t seem like things are going to get any better. The game is for everyone (those who have saved money).

Nintendo unexpectedly announces a remake of one of its most beloved games from Nintendo 64

Star Fox 64, or Lylat Wars in Europe, will have a remake for Switch 2 according to an announcement by Nintendo in a completely surprise Nintendo Direct. Broadcast at midnight Central European Time, it focused exclusively on the presentation of this game which, although a remake, will be called exclusively Star Fox. In the game, we will embody Fox McCloud, a lead pilot of a squad composed of Peppy Hare, Falco Lombardi, and Slippy Toad, all of them anthropomorphic animals, who must thwart the plans of Andross, a scientist as brilliant as he is evil. The game is a rail shooter, which seems that […]

Star Fox 64, or Lylat Wars in Europe, will have a remake for Switch 2 as announced by Nintendo in a completely surprise Nintendo Direct. Broadcast at midnight Central European Time, it focused exclusively on the presentation of this game which, although a remake, will be called exclusively Star Fox.

In the game, we will embody Fox McCloud, a lead pilot of a squadron composed of Peppy Hare, Falco Lombardi, and Slippy Toad, all of whom are anthropomorphic animals, who must thwart the plans of Andross, a scientist as brilliant as he is evil. The game is a rail shooter, which seems to not touch any aspect of the remake, but does change with new difficulty modes, the introduction of challenges, and level selection, in addition to a graphical facelift and a redesign of the characters.

Along with the campaign, a 4 vs 4 online battle mode based on objectives has been announced, promising to offer more variety and replayability to the game. In addition to compatibility with both the Nintendo 64 controller and the mouse mode of Switch 2.

The game has a release date announced for June 25. Considering the excellent reception this announcement has received, and the recent rise in popularity of Fox McCloud after his cameo in the new Super Mario movie, it is expected to be one of the most talked-about games this summer.

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