Vasaratti



Netflix revealed its latest earnings statement. And the general feeling is that the video streaming giant just about did OK, growing its subscriber base more than expected, but not quite hitting its revenue targets.

What I’m interested in here, though, is a short but hugely striking line tucked away within the Competition section of Netflix’s new Shareholders report. That line goes as follows: “We compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO.”

These few words stopped me in my tracks when I first read them, so strange did it seem for Netflix to be talking about a video game as competition for its video streaming service. But the more you think about it, the more sense the statement makes.



The reason the line stands out so much is that it forces you to abruptly rethink your ideas of competition.

Previously, discussions of Netflix competitors have centered around rival streaming services; Amazon, Apple iTunes, VUDU and so on – plus, of course, HBO, and the soon-to-be-launched Disney+ streaming service. What this line in Netflix’s Shareholder statement suddenly makes you realize, though, is that competition for the biggest entertainment platforms is no longer just about subscriber numbers, technical quality and how good/large their content rosters are. The battle has now shifted to how much of a household or individual’s available screen time an entertainment platform is able to command.

There are, after all, only 24 hours in any given day. And within that 24 hours most people will only have a much smaller time window available for staring at a screen. So once an entertainment platform has overcome the initial battle of becoming internationally recognized and racked up a healthy subscriber base, its next challenge becomes winning as many of those available screen hours as possible.

Most households will, of course, be entirely familiar with the idea of screen time competition between different sources – especially when it comes to the main family TV. The astonishing success of Fortnite, though, and the way the game’s success has spread across every sort of screen in typical modern homes, has brought the idea of competition for screen time between very different forms of entertainment to the fore like never before.

So it is that the Competition section of Netflix’s shareholder’s report talks about percentages of screen time – for both televisions and mobiles. And those seemingly half a dozen people who haven’t experienced Fortnite’s almost narcotic lure to both adults and children may be surprised to learn that even a streaming platform as massive as Netflix earns only around 10% of TV screen time in the US right now. And less than that when it comes to mobile devices. The percentages are lower, too, outside the US, where Netflix doesn’t enjoy such high market penetration.

It’s possible, of course, that Fortnite’s popularity is a) a one-off, and b) will eventually dwindle away. The concern for Netflix, though, must be that Fortnite has opened a gaming Pandora’s Box, and that the only point where it stops consuming huge amounts of household screen time is when some equally addictive gaming successor comes along.

It’s tempting to see Netflix’s recently released first stab at an interactive TV show, Bandersnatch, as an early attempt by the streaming giant to counter the interactive draw of games like Fortnite. Though if it is, the mind boggles at how much TV shows will start to cost if Netflix regularly has to make them with multiple different narrative streams and branches. Also, even the most sophisticated interactive TV shows can never truly compete with the ‘live’ second by second interactivity of a video game.


Netflix’s stated response to the new screen time war is a positive one. Namely that it wants to earn more screen time by being more compelling than its growing number and variety of competitors. “Our focus is not on Disney+, Amazon or others,” says the Netflix statement, “but on how we can improve our experience for our members.”

This statement also suggests, though, that the constant growth in the number of entertainment platforms vying for our screen time represents a potentially big problem for both the content providers and, ultimately, us viewers. After all, the more content/entertainment services and experiences there are, the less time each service may be able to command of our available viewing time. And the less viewing time any service can secure from us, the less it will ultimately be able to justify its subscription charges. And the less money it earns from subscriptions or pay per view income, the less money it will have available to invest in quality programming and better user experiences.

In other words, as well as us consumers having to try and cope with a more fractured viewing experience, we may find that after an initial positive surge as each streaming or gaming platform jostles for position, further down the line we might find the quality and quantity of new content dipping as some services start to struggle to make ends meet.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2019/01/17/netflix-reveals-that-its-biggest-threat-is-fortnite/#902f6f937638

Grand Theft Auto
At initial nrelease, GTA was largely a driving video game but with time the franchise evolutionized into the open world game which it's popular for.

There has has been huge development in the video games both graphically, gameplay wise and financially of course



Then:








Now:

Legend Of Zelda
The first entry of the Legend of Zelda Franchise began with you controlling a pixelated elf dude named Link trying to save a princess Zelda and ever since 33 years ago with close 20 installments in the series, Link hasnt still saved Zelda



Then:








Now:

Final Fantasy

The Final Fantasy might be one of the most obscure video games in the series but it deserve a mention due to the consistency the Franchise has kept for close to 32 years now, not many video games have achieved such feat.


From 1987 till date the Final Fantasy has maintained a good level of consistency till now, which is very surprising since the first installment in the series which was released 32 years ago was meant to be a wrap up for Square Enix as video game developer but tides turned and the series and the Franchise has so far seen huge improvement.


Then





Now:

#10: Pro Evolution Soccer (PES)

This was a game that was in the console of almost every Nigerian that owned a PS2, Pro Evolution Soccer known as PES in and formerly known as Winning Eleven is a football video game that has been around for quite some time now, while not as old as most games in this but the video game no doubt deserve a mention considering the major advancement the game has had so far both graphically and gameplay wise.

Then:









Now:

With the whole ten year challenge craze that has been going on for quite sometime now, let's take a quick look at how far/how good video games have become since the last decade. *Spoilers* You'll be astonished.

From the time video games were only played on black and white TVs to the days when arcade games were the popular and having a 2d graphic video game was considered the most "visually stunning" Here 15 Then Vs.Now Picture that depicts how far video games have evolutionized in the last decade.

Earthbound:

Wetin happen sef?

WTF!!! Can't imagine the number of mentioned you'd get in a day with this your monicker

...

Good morning

HRwells:
is it that scary?!

The game's sound alone is scary enough to make you sh!t your pants

80% of gamers won't get this meme

Message to the noobs

Nintendo the master of mischief

Psychodavidovic:
I've missed your posts.

Thanks bro, I'm back after the hiatus and would definitely be consistent

Online games in a nutshell

Continued Growth Into The Future



That’s a snapshot of Gamecrate's current gaming world, from mobile games to power machines, microtransactions to e-sports merch. Gaming has become the most popular form of entertainment in the world because it exists in so many forms to be consumed. It is only going to get more diverse form here.

As virtual reality and augmented reality devices become more common, VR and AR games will become more common as well, further increasing the reach of the gaming market. Smart TVs are now being bundled with games that can be played without a console. Game streaming services will open up gaming to users who cannot afford high-end gaming equipment. Even Google is looking to get into the gaming world.

With gaming now statistically dominating both business and culture, the future of gaming is bright. However, several outlets reporting on this same story, such as Game Debate, have noted that gaming is still rarely addressed in mass media unless it’s the topic of some sort of scandal. This likely means that gamers get much of their news elsewhere, such as online publications. It also means that media that portrays gaming as a strange niche hobby is simply, statistically, inaccurate. Perhaps we will see fewer news stories portraying gaming this way as the gaming industry continues to grow and other media industries shrink.

Cao lalasticlala

The Switch, on the other hand, is more of a gaming lifestyle product, tailored to offering several different portable gaming options to people who may not be in the market for powerful gaming devices. While the Switch is able to play many of the games that are available on PC or other consoles, many Switch exclusive games are designed specifically with portability in mind, allowing users to take their gaming experience with them.

In a sense, it allows users to tailor their gaming schedule to fit the rest of their lives. Reuters notes that this has brought about a major change in how people consume games, considering that traveling gamers can now have a high definition console experience, not a reduced handheld experience or mobile experience, while on the road.

These new diverse models were added on top of existing gaming models that have already proven to be popular. Console sales received a boost when the PS4 Pro and the Xbox One X released. Meanwhile the PC world has been suffering due to graphics card shortages, however the release of a new line of graphics cards has stabilized market prices and brought attention back to core PC gaming.

The rest of the gaming industry is fleshed out with mobile and tablet gaming, which has become far more accessible to the average consumer. In addition, low spec indie titles have opened up the gaming world to casual users who may be interested in gaming on a moderately specced laptop. An increased interest in speedrunning and gaming history has also brought new interest to retro games, many of which are purchased on digital platforms or bought through “classic” consoles, but many more of which are played on emulators on similarly low spec machines.

E-Sports, Streaming, And Mobile Gaming



Another reason that gaming has become so big is the recent diversification of gamer culture. Growing beyond a “participant” activity, gaming now exists in many forms. The rise of e-sports has turned gaming into a spectator sport and has brought in revenue from all attached businesses from merchandising to ticket sales. The very concept of e-sports has integrated gaming into several lifestyles, with several colleges and high schools forming e-sports teams.

Vasaratti

The gaming industry and community has grown quite a bit since we were all playing Super Mario Bros. on the NES. In fact, according to a report by Reuters, gaming is bigger than it ever was, bigger than every other form of entertainment.

Last year, the gaming industry produced an estimated revenue of $116 billion, beating TV and TV streaming services’ $105 billion, and that’s as close as the industry wars got. The movie industry only made $41 billion while music only made $17 billion. In addition, the gaming industry is still growing, seeing a 10.7 percent growth over last year, as opposed to other entertainment services like TV whose revenue fell by 8 percent.



The Reuters report mentions several factors that lead to the growth of gaming last year. One is the relatively recent opening of the Chinese gaming market, which is climbing in sales an average of 14 percent per year. It also mentions the takeoff of Fortnite, and its lucrative microtransaction model. Finally it mentions Grand Theft Auto V as a standout video game release, selling more than 90 million units and grossing more than $6 billion. This makes it the most profitable entertainment release of all time in any medium.




We are also seeing something of a role reversal in the relationship between the gaming industry and the film industry. Specifically, in the early days of gaming, popular films and TV shows would frequently be licensed for video game tie-ins. These days, licensed games are becoming rarer but adaptations of games such as the Assassin’s Creed movie, the Castlevania Netflix series, and the Five Nights at Freddy’s novel series are becoming more common. In fact, it appears as if game related movies have almost no expiration date as two recent movies, Angry Birds and Rampage were made well beyond their respective game franchises’ time in the spotlight.


https://www.gamecrate.com/statistically-video-games-are-now-most-popular-and-profitable-form-entertainment/20087

Vasaratti

The battle between the console giants is no doubt fierce, competitive. Alot of gamers have very strong beliefs/arguments on what the better console is, what the better gamepad is and the better video games to available on each console.


But I've brought a news that will surprise many, in a recent research conducted by LG, it's been revealed that Xbox players are better gamers than their PC and PlayStation counterparts. Dont take this too personal it's just a research isn't it?


I know, I know, I can already hear the reader/gamers on their headsets murmuring foul-mouthed rant on how this couldn't possibly be true. But, sadly, when it comes to the shooter genre, it's the Xbox players are supreme


LG did a research for the release of Call of Duty Black Ops 4, to see the reaction times and accuracy of players on different consoles or operating systems.

More than 1,400 people were involved in the research and results turns out that Xbox gamers hit the targets 78 percent of the time, PlayStation guys and girls were on 74% and PC operators were on 70% according to the New York Post.

A bit of consolation for those of you already fuming, while PC players were lowest ranked in terms of reaction time, they had the highest accuracy. Sorry PlayStation players you're not looking great here.



While the post might have been on who is the better gamer, it's clear which console is the most popular.

The PlayStation 2 sold a whopping 155 million units, with the PS1 selling 102-odd million. The PS4 drew 91.6 million to the cash register while the PlayStation 3 made 83.8 million sales.

That's a combined total of 513 million sales if we should include the PSP.

When you look at the Xbox, it staggers in comparison, with only 147 million units sold with the Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One combined. The message is loud and clear.


Sony released a press statement after the just concluded Festive period following a massive spike in PlayStation 4 sales.

"Thanks to the continued support from our fans during the holiday season," said John Kodera, president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment.


"We are pleased to announce that PS4 has reached 91.6 million units globally. We are also happy to announce that the monthly active users of PlayStation Network continues to show strong growth, and has surpassed 90 million as of end of November 2018.

"I would like to express my deepest gratitude to our passionate community around the globe, and our partners, for helping us achieve these milestones. This year, we will bring more enhanced experiences to our fans along with a highly anticipated lineup of games that are only possible on PS4."

It seem more noobs are into the PlayStation than the other consoles - no offense

Cao, lalasticlala

jaheymezz:
U just too lazy shey na every time we go dey beg u to post full story one time??......ordinary copy and paste

Nah this ain't about laziness, like Cao said, I got banned while trying to write the post, made a complaint which was rectified but was too busy to complete the post will finish it up later on

MobileGees:
Cao please unban the guy let him at least complete the post

jaheymezz:

And u know this how? I know u are a female gamer and u are most times active in the gaming section but are u also a mod on here?

cao:

I already did yesterday, he finished his other thread instead. Vasaratti, your people are waiting for you.

I'm really sorry I couldn't complete the post, got caught with something.

..

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

#10: Pro Evolution Soccer (PES)

This was a game that was in the console of almost every Nigerian that owned a PS2, Pro Evolution Soccer known as PES in and formerly known as Winning Eleven is a football video game that has been around for quite some time now, while not as old as most games in this but the video game no doubt deserve a mention considering the major advancement the game has had so far both graphically and gameplay wise.

Then:
[img]https://conteudo.imguol.com.br/blogs/3/files/2018/04/robertocarlos_winningeleven-1024x684.jpg[/img]

With the whole ten year challenge craze that has been going on for quite sometime now, let's take a quick look at how far/how good video games have become since the last decade. *Spoilers* You'll be astonished.

From the time video games were only played on black and white TVs to the days when arcade games were the popular and having a 2d graphic video game was considered the most "visually stunning" Here 15 Then Vs.Now Picture that depicts how far video games have evolutionized in the last decade.

#1: Battletoad.
Though it was released way back in June of 1991, Battletoads is still at the top of a large number of gamer's can't-beat list. I played this, I'm on that list.

This shameless Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ripoff was the brain child of Tim and Chris Stamper and was developed by their company, Rare, for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Battletoads falls under the genre of beat 'em up games, giving you control of three mutated amphibians who are named after their skin conditions. Specifically, zits, rash, and pimple.

Famous for just how difficult it is to progress even a little bit, every level of this game is said to have been unnecessarily challenging, with some claiming that it was intended to persuade gamers to buy the game instead of renting it.

Despite the dozens and dozens or hundreds of attempts it would take to pass certain stages, it has quite the cult following. I'm part of that cult, I had this game, I played this game, I couldn't beat this game, I'm going to lose my mind now that I'm thinking about it.

Lalasticlala, Cao

#2: Dark Souls II

When it was first announced at the Spike Video Game Awards on December 7, 2012, Dark Souls II came with the promise from Brian Hong, global director manager and Namco Bandai Games American that it would be viciously hard. And he didn't lie.

Though it's definitely a beatable game, the hours and amount of patience needed to get through it are staggering. An open-world action role playing game, Dark Souls II was official released on March 11, 2014 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

The developers specifically eliminated the ability to choose a difficulty, claiming the insane challenge was essential for the game to be experienced properly. And while the true difficulty is debated, many have given up on Dark Souls II, not for a lack of good gameplay, but because they simply cannot advance. Sounds like my blogging career in 2016. *sips water*

#3:Ninja Gaiden
Considered a hack and slash video game, the reboot of the Ninja Gaiden series brought with it a challenge that many found even more overwhelming than the bloody decapitations and ultra-gross monsters.

Released by Team Ninja on March 2, 2004 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, this super violent action game pits players against fast-moving antagonists that dodge almost every attack. If you didn't play the level perfectly, you died. Pretty much one mistake against a monster and you're restarting the level.

Though the original release came without the ability to change the difficulty level, a rerelease in 2005 called Ninja Gaiden Black allowed the players to take on an easier challenge. Which was a welcome enhancement by anyone who actually wanted to see how the damn game ends.

#4: Ghosts n' GoblinsN
Vastly considered by players and gaming magazines to be easily one of the most difficult games to ever torture players, Ghosts N' Goblins definitely saw it's fair share of smashed televisions with controllers sticking out of them. I can't beat it!

Released in 1985 as an arcade game before being developed in 1986 for the original NES and Ghosts N' Goblins was extremely challenging, burdening players with items that they didn't want, and if they got hit just twice, you die. But what really had players furious was the fact that after hours and hours of agonizing attempts to reach the end of the game, you find out you're in a trap and the princess you're after isn't there at all.

Oh yeah, sorry, spoiler alert in case you were gonna play this infuriating game. You're then sent back to the beginning of the game and forced to play the entire thing again with even harder obstacles to overcome to reach the real ending.