Opinion
Expectations mount for NX in 2016
Less and less time remains before the putative year-end launch for Nintendo's latest; is a console launch in this window even possible, let alone desirable?
Rob Fahey (Page 18)
Opinion
Microsoft hints at its Xbox endgame
Phil Spencer gave glimpses of a future for Xbox with short product cycles and a smartphone-like business model
Opinion
There's still merit in console secrecy
Not every studio gets the access needed to develop launch titles for new consoles - but there are solid commercial and economic reasons for that
Opinion
Smartphones that rival console performance are not a threat
Smartphone chipsets that rival the performance of the PS4 in late 2017 isn't a threat to consoles; the usage context remains entirely different
Opinion
Apple's Binding of Creativity
For a company which spent decades trying to appeal to creatives, Apple's prudish and wilfully inconsistent approach to games is an embarrassment
Opinion
No, Nintendo isn't going to make VR games
Saying it's “looking into” VR is merely Nintendo acknowledging VR's existence; the tech itself is anathema to Nintendo's whole design philosophy
Opinion
PlayStation's move to America won't change its DNA
Shifting the base of SCE from Tokyo to California seems dramatic - but PlayStation has always been an impressively international enterprise
Opinion
Hitman's episodic launch is a statement of confidence
Lowering the cost to entry should encourage more players to try it out - and if the game is good, it'll deliver handsome returns for Square Enix
Opinion
A final nail in the coffin of cloud streaming
Streaming gameplay from data centres was never a good idea, and now it's a dead one - but the tech that drove it is helping to reshape our industry
Opinion
Oculus must open the warchest and show us the software
$600 makes Oculus Rift into a platform, not a gadget - and that makes it absolutely essential that Oculus prove its worth in software
Opinion
Japan's console market: Lost in Transition?
The shift to mobile continued in 2015 - but there's plenty of life in the console market yet, especially if you happen to be Nintendo
Opinion
Landing Kojima was a necessity for Sony
As third-party pubs become increasingly wary of the rising costs and high risk of AAA development, Sony must step into the breach to keep PS4 customers happy
Feature
The discussion in mobile is over, Free-to-Play has won
A look back at the year in mobile shows F2P sealed a comprehensive victory, the top-grossing charts were set in concrete, and traditional publishers fell out of the frame
Opinion
Streaming's dark underbelly couldn't stall its meteoric rise in 2015
Gamers tuned in in unprecedented numbers to watch each other play games this year
Opinion
Kickstarter failures highlight the "backer" vs "consumer" divide
Kickstarter must work to reduce the numbers, and improve the experience when things do go wrong
Feature
Nintendo, Capcom top Japan's game stocks in 2015
Nintendo and DeNA's deal dominates trading in Japanese game stocks, as the market takes a cautious approach to mobile game stocks despite strong growth.
Feature
Video Game Stocks Bounce Back in 2015
Many game companies saw their shares rise to historic highs - here's how the Western firms fared in the last 12 months
Opinion
Why a 20m target for Nintendo NX is actually realistic
A much-maligned Digitimes report is actually far from crazy; Nintendo's historical data suggests that a 20 million target for NX is plausible
Opinion
Calling time on pre-Thanksgiving release madness
Forcing great games to fight over the same group of consumers only damages profits and increases risk
Opinion
'Gamer' isn't a single identity; we need diverse critics too
Backlash to Fallout 4 is founded on a daft premise - that all gamers prefer the same things - but critics need to stop echoing one another too
Opinion
Activision branches out, but it's a long way from "the next Disney"
Activision's near future is still in traditional PC/console titles, but it's laid the foundations for growth
Opinion
YouTube Red marks a turning point for games media
Google launching a subscription service focused on game content sends a clear signal; an era is ending in online advertising
Opinion
Activision and King: Wrong price, poor fit
King is a great business, but Activision's $5.9 billion buyout is the result of desperation to get up to speed on mobile, not a carefully considered strategy
Opinion
Payday 2 shows how not to change a business model
Overkill's in-game purchase may be working in the data, but alienating your most vocal fans comes at a huge cost
Opinion
Nintendo's still being slow and cautious on mobile
First game delayed to 2016, but Kimishima's first statement to investors reveals a careful, thoughtful approach to mobile and network services.