Articles by Rob Fahey - Page 2
Rob Fahey, Contributing Editor
Rob Fahey is a former editor of GamesIndustry.biz who spent several years living in Japan and probably still has a mint condition Dreamcast Samba de Amigo set.
Recent articles by Rob Fahey
Microsoft goes all-in on the 'evergreen platform'
Bowing out of launch exclusives for Xbox Series X means Microsoft is now fully committed to the bold vision it's talked about for so many years
Is Switch Pro the right move for Nintendo?
A possible hardware update in 2020 has set the rumour mill turning - but where Switch Lite solved a problem, a Pro model seems less well-defined
Console makers lay out their 2020 visions | Opinion
Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo all have very different ideas of where the console market is going in 2020 and beyond - and it's even possible that they're all correct
A (Magic) leap backwards | Opinion
The woes experienced by the over-hyped AR firm were easily predictable -- but the backlash will cause headaches for the sector at large
Nintendo Switch faces an uphill slog in China | Opinion
China is a country with little interest in consoles, so success for the Switch will require building a whole market segment from nothing
Half-Life: Alyx changes the game for VR exclusives | Opinion
Never mind the hardware -- Valve is dipping deep into its own playbook to become the default storefront for VR software
Storm in a Pokéball | Opinion
The vocal complaints from some Pokémon fans point to a basic truth about how fragmented the audience for a big franchise can become
The AR revolution creeps closer | Opinion
Augmented Reality has been “a few years away” for around a decade now - but with major tech firms lining up real product launches, the countdown has started in earnest
Has Blizzard solved the sequel dilemma? | Opinion
Launching a sequel to a service-based game can easily lose player goodwill -- but Overwatch 2 may have found a clever way to thread the needle
PS4 slows as the transition nears | Opinion
Sony's next year will be vital; as PS4 sales decline faster than expected, can the company balance support for its older console with building excitement for the new?
Google Stadia's stealth launch does not inspire confidence | Opinion
After its bombastic announcement, Stadia's low-key and poorly communicated launch will fuel suspicion that it's another of Google's passing fads
Big spending whales aren't the problem with free-to-play games | Opinion
A player spending $150k on a mobile game isn't a problem -- but we should still be conscious of players that struggle with compulsion
Publishers risk being trapped between the US and China | Opinion
After decades of deepening engagement with Chinese giants, publishers are on the frontline of a battle that goes beyond trade -- and will far outlast the Trump administration
Acquisition and conversion costs threaten a mobile bust | Opinion
Acquisition and retention costs for mobile games show no signs of plateauing -- for many firms, this segment is becoming unsustainable
Switch Lite takes aim at a broader demographic | Opinion
Nintendo's latest hardware update takes a leaf from the 2DS and Wii Lite -- pruning features and an aggressive price aimed at reaching new markets
Influencers and E3: Invasion of the tweens | Opinion
E3 as a festival for influencers and celebrities may horrify some, but is likely a good move - as long as we're realistic about the age demographics it will reach
Indie game pricing is in a familiar death spiral | Opinion
Data suggests a race to the bottom in PC indie game pricing, and Apple Arcade is a reminder of where this process leads
WoW Classic reminds us of all we've lost | Opinion
Nostalgia for an earlier version of Blizzard's MMO is a stark reminder of how much of gaming's creative history continues to be lost entirely
The future for platform holders is cooperation, not just competition | Opinion
Companies like Sony and Microsoft will always seek a competitive advantage, but the clear lines of the console wars are all but gone
Stop asking "is it political?" It always is | Opinion
Asking developers if their games are "political" has become an exercise in avoiding outrage; there are better ways to explore this complex, important question
Trump's video game scapegoating feels downright nostalgic | Opinion
In an era when the industry's real problems are internal and divisive, a flashback to being united against an external foe feels deceptively good
The Fortnite World Cup is a glimpse of esports' future | Opinion
After decades of disappointment, esports is creating huge events and breakout stars -- but it's not quite the sporting world its pioneers hoped for
Whoever wins the console wars of tomorrow, Microsoft will profit | Opinion
Satya Nadella sees a future where every game “platform” will ultimately run on Azure's infrastructure
UKIE's Jo Twist is right: the words we use matter | Opinion
If we casually use terms like "addictive" it robs us of the ability to have a proper discussion when games do cross a line
Nintendo reaffirms its toy-maker identity | Opinion
Ventures into mobile games and streaming might have clouded Nintendo's self-image -- but the company is still first and foremost a toy-maker