ATEI 2009 preview...
Remember the arcade?...
If you haven't paid a visit to London's Namco Station or one of the new breed of uber-arcades recently, then mention of the arcade is likely to trigger rose-tinted memories of button-bashing Konami's original 'Track and Field' or greedily feeding twenty pence pieces into a SEGA OutRun machine at some fleapit fun-palace in Cleethorpes or Southend.
You may also be surprised to hear that the UK arcade scene is far from dead. Ubiquitous home console gaming, far from killing off the arcade, has given it a new lease of life. Though editor of arcade trade newsletter the Stinger Report, Kevin Williams, does agree the age of the single arcade is over, telling T3 that: "The market now represents 'public space' gaming - game experiences in hardware unachievable at home.
"This means motion, big display, unique interfaces and tournament networking for prizes. With this in mind the new developers for 2009 fall into three camps - 'mid-size attractions', 'pure arcade play' and 'gaming terminals'."
One of the most popular 'mid-size attractions' set to be on show at next month's ATEI arcade trade show in London is bound to be SEGA's 'HUMMER' – a humungous 4x4 racer using full motion cabinets and featuring a unique two player driver swapping feature.
"I mean, where else can you take part in a fully realistic Hummer race with four of your mates?" asks SEGA Amusements General Sales Manager, Justin Burke....
Hell is Us is a game set in the fictional country of Hadea, where Rémi, a former peacekeeper, returns to find his parents. The game features a blend of future technology, nature, and horror, with a unique atmosphere and design.
2025 cloud gaming trends are looking good, but it’s not all smooth yet. We break down what’s working, what’s not, and what comes next.
As someone who has been gaming nearly as long as gaming has been around (since the early 70's), you'd think I'd be against this. Having grown up with all the major platforms and the whole notion of physical ownership... but I'm not. i embrace this as it is a revolutionary convenience. And one i know for a fact many (especially here) have not even given the fair chance to use. I get it... i was there too. But now i have a new outlook on it. It really is a hell of an option if you just want to play with no commitments. By no means am i saying this should replace traditional gaming, its an option. And one that people should look at optimistically as a way to compliment traditional gaming. There is room for both to thrive.
I tend to use streaming on new games in GamePass. To see if I like the game. If I do, I'll download it for a better experience. It's so convenient & useful.
Obey, hide or fight the system. It's all in your hands. And remember: "War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength."
"Ministry of Truth: 1984" is an upcoming political dystopian simulation game developed by Ukrainian studio 'False Memory Dept.'
