Rob Fahey
-
What is the elevator pitch for a PS5 Pro? | Opinion
Without the 4K upgrade to justify its existence, Sony’s new hardware may struggle to explain itself to consumers
-
Discoverability is a problem that will never be solved | Opinion
Even as digital platforms battle low-quality dreck, the bigger problem remains intractable – too many products, and not enough consumer attention to go around
-
From Epic to the EU, Apple is all about the drama | Opinion
Pulling Epic’s developer account is the latest twist in a melodrama where Apple seems content to play the villain – but the European Commission is a much more dangerous foil
-
Nintendo's Yuzu lawsuit puts emulation in the spotlight | Opinion
Few companies have been impacted by piracy as badly as Nintendo, so its litigiousness is understandable – but there are no good possible outcomes from this new legal action
-
Where is the console hardware market headed? | Opinion
A Switch successor may not appear until next year and Sony may be prepping a Pro model of the PS5; after a quiet 2024, console hardware looks set for a very busy 2025
-
For Sony and Microsoft, revenue growth is more important than any "console war" | Opinion
The framing of the "console war" seems less and less relevant as both companies chase bigger fish
-
The "live service" model is all played out | Opinion
Players are voting with their wallets – like any other industry trend or fad, live service games have seen their moment pass; companies able to pivot away should do so fast
-
Genshin Impact's protesting players aren't just "entitled gamers" | Opinion
Protests against underwhelming in-game rewards should be treated as valuable feedback on a monetisation strategy gone awry, not as ingratitude or entitlement
-
Not everyone bows to the inevitability of subscription models | Opinion
Larian boss Swen Vincke is the latest industry figure to push back against subscription models; the growing mess in TV and movies makes clear why that perspective is important
-
Cyberpunk’s redemption took both hard work and uncanny luck | Opinion
The three-year path from one of the industry's most catastrophic launches to widespread acclaim is the story of a miracle, not a case study to be emulated
-
2023's great games were a backdrop for industry failure | Opinion
A constant tolling bell of industry layoffs defined 2023 – with job losses for thousands being in stark contrast to a stellar release schedule and record-beating acquisition numbers
-
Video games in 2024: Eager anticipation, or just treading water?
With pandemic-delayed titles finally arriving in 2023, and GTA 6 not due until 2025, next year could see a slump in blockbuster games – creating opportunities for other titles
-
You shall not (Game) Pass | Opinion
Microsoft's CFO reiterates a vision for Game Pass on rival consoles – but the obstacles make it a near-impossibility, and go far deeper than questions of revenue sharing
-
Steam stumbles on regional pricing | Opinion
Valve's new policy of using USD denominations in countries with unstable currencies will hurt consumers there – but the real target is region-spoofing consumers elsewhere
-
In the absence of the low-interest economic climate that created it, the recklessness and unsustainability of Embracer Group’s aggressive acquisition strategy is laid bare
-
Blizzard’s Overwatch League was ambitious and doomed | Opinion
One of the most interesting experiments in esports history comes to an expensive close – with the game itself struggling, the writing was on the wall for the league
-
Does Sony have a long-term software strategy? | Opinion
PlayStation's studio system is world-class today – but with reports of cost-cutting and cracks showing in the expensively-acquired Bungie, there are concerns about tomorrow
-
Microsoft joins the publishing top table | Opinion
By adding Activision Blizzard to its existing studios, Microsoft has created a publishing behemoth – and in its financials this week, it was keen to underscore the commitment this represents to gaming
-
What did Microsoft want from Starfield? | Opinion
Bethesda's latest is a bona fide hit, topping US sales charts – but for Microsoft's plan to use exclusives to drive Game Pass subscriptions, that success is a double-edged sword
-
Unity's crisis is much bigger than John Riccitiello | Opinion
What Unity's customers need isn't a sacrificial scalp, it's a clear plan for how the company they rely on is going to achieve financial stability
-
Resident Evil Village on iOS makes cases both for and against cloud streaming | Opinion
Capcom's impressive port shows once again that cloud streaming isn't required for high-end mobile gaming – but it might be the only path to commercial success
-
Meta's Quest 3 fires the starting gun on consumer AR devices | Opinion
Apple and Meta are betting big on augmented reality – but expectations of a revolution to rival the introduction of smartphones should be tempered
-
Microsoft's hardware strategy looks more and more traditional | Opinion
Xbox Series X|S once presented a radically different vision; a console platform that would evolve and improve, ending the hardware generation cycle for good. What happened?
-
The pressure of expectation adds a sour note to Starfield’s launch | Opinion
Bethesda’s latest is exactly what the studio’s fans would expect – but deeply unsuited to carrying the weight of Microsoft’s ambitions
-
PS Plus price hike: We'll all pay for a subscription-based future | Opinion
There's a flicker of Sony's old arrogance in the bump to its PS Plus prices, but it's also a reminder that current subscription pricing is a land grab, not a sustainable business model