Tag: games

Film and TV, Video games

The Entertainment Industry Has Forgotten How to Measure Value

The announcement that Destiny 2 will enter maintenance mode marks the end of one of the most influential live service games ever created. While the game will continue to exist, its era of major expansions is effectively over, bringing to a close more than a decade of continuous development.

For many players, it feels like the end of an era. For the wider entertainment industry, it should prompt a much bigger discussion.

How is creative success actually measured? Continue reading The Entertainment Industry Has Forgotten How to Measure Value

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Video games

How User-Generated Content Validated Age of Empires II, And Why UGC Is the Future of Gaming

User-generated content (UGC) is often framed as a nice-to-have or a community perk in gaming. But the story of Age of Empires II shows that UGC can be a de facto market test, incubator of talent, and essential signal of long-term value even convincing a major publisher to revive a dormant franchise. Continue reading How User-Generated Content Validated Age of Empires II, And Why UGC Is the Future of Gaming

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Video games

No, EA Probably Won’t Make Battlefront 3

Star Wars Battlefront II had a rough launch in 2017. The game was heavily criticised for tying core gameplay progression to loot boxes and quickly became the industry’s tipping point for backlash against microtransactions.

Developer DICE eventually overhauled the progression system, making everything unlockable through gameplay. But the damage was done. EA’s reputation took a massive hit, and for many players, trust was broken.

It wasn’t until 2020 that Battlefront II ended its live service run not with a whimper, but with a final update that was widely praised by its community. In 2021, the game saw a surprising resurgence in players. Even more impressively, it broke its own peak player count twice in 2025.

So that begs the question: has EA earned back the goodwill and is it finally time for a Battlefront III?
Continue reading No, EA Probably Won’t Make Battlefront 3

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Video games

Why the “Iron Triangle” Doesn’t Work for Video Games

If you’ve ever played a game that looked great on paper but just didn’t hit right, you’re not alone. Behind the scenes, game development teams use project management tools to plan and deliver games. One of the oldest and most common is the Iron Triangle a model that balances Time, Cost, and Scope (or sometimes Quality, depending on who you ask). Continue reading Why the “Iron Triangle” Doesn’t Work for Video Games

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Reviews, Video games

Age of Empires 2: The Three Kingdoms, First Impressions

Age of Empires II has been a cornerstone of my gaming life.

It was a crucial part of my childhood and remains a title I keep coming back to, even decades later. Since the release of the Definitive Edition in 2019, we’ve seen several expansions breathe new life into this classic but the recent release of The Three Kingdoms promises to be the biggest update since The Conquerors, which came out over twenty five years ago.

As someone who plays Age of Empires II regularly and follows the game’s evolution closely, I wanted to share my thoughts on this new expansion, how it compares to those that came before, and whether it’s worth the £15 price tag. Continue reading Age of Empires 2: The Three Kingdoms, First Impressions

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Video games

The Cost of Overexpansion: How Bungie and Hi-Rez Mismanaged Their Success

The article discusses the challenges faced by game studios Bungie and Hi-Rez as they expand into multiple projects. While trying to balance their main hits with new ventures, both companies have suffered from quality issues and resource mismanagement. The need for focused development and sustained player engagement is emphasized to avoid failure. Continue reading The Cost of Overexpansion: How Bungie and Hi-Rez Mismanaged Their Success

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Video games

Corporate Influence in Game Design: The Forgotten Age of Empires 2 Story

It’s quite a common criticism of the video game industry that corporate and other external stakeholders hold too much influence over the design team and that this culture is the result of many of the troubles in the industry. In recent years we’ve seen games pushed for early released such as Cyberpunk 2077 even though the project wasn’t ready, we’ve seen games like Overwatch 2 … Continue reading Corporate Influence in Game Design: The Forgotten Age of Empires 2 Story

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