The Thursday letters page expresses frustration over an increasingly online-only future for digital game downloads, as a reader obtains Saros a day early. Games Inbox collects reader letters, comments, and opinions. To join discussions, email gamecentral@metro.co.uk.
New Hero
I see that Insomniac is talking about showing more of Marvel's Wolverine 'this spring.' But does that mean the usual not-E3 event, which Sony has held in late May (still technically spring), or a separate event beforehand? I know no one knows, but I would be happy if it got its own event because I want to know more about the game and also get it out of the way so Sony can announce more new stuff and showcase Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. I am not convinced that Wolverine will be as good or popular as Spider-Man 2. For a start, Wolverine lacks a cool movement system like web-swinging and does not have the same rogue's gallery as Spidey. I also think the game will be too gory for casual gamers, especially since giant robots and magic powers do not mix well with blood and guts. Maybe I am wrong, as I have never read the comics, but I am unsure what interesting gameplay he can offer, especially since he cannot be killed.
Specialist Audience
I am not sure who the Steam Machine is for. If you are a Steam fan, you already have a PC and do not need a console version, especially if it is not powerful. So it is for people who want a gaming PC but do not have one, yet have £600+ to spend. That seems like a small group. It is no skin off my back, but flops often divert money from other projects. I do not want Steam sales to suffer or Half-Life 3 to be cancelled.
Different Games
I was dismayed to read on Eurogamer that a slew of movies from the Nintendo Cinematic Universe are in the pipeline. While intrigued by a live-action Metroid, these movies will likely be generic and critically panned, like the MCU. Worse, they will make Nintendo a ton of money. What is good for Nintendo is not necessarily good for gaming. Given the industry's challenges, there is a temptation to pivot toward monetizing IP through theme parks, merchandise, and shops, rather than video games. It might have been better if the Super Mario Galaxy movie had bombed.
PS: Despite the trigger warning, I thought the news about XCOM would be game-related, like a remaster. I would say the warning was insufficient. I did not get on with the Marvel spin-off; too much dialogue to trawl through. I did purchase it, though. GC: It was game-related, just not video games. A Donkey Kong spin-off movie was mooted; that is why he only had a cameo in the Galaxy movie.
In the Wild
I just scooped up Saros from CeX, of all places, where every title is second-hand and it is impossible to buy a game before release. Unlike Amazon or GAME, you cannot pre-order; you wait until it arrives in store. Somehow, two copies were sitting in a store in Essex. I picked up the first copy, and it sold out immediately. I used two vouchers to reduce the cost to £28.95, saving £34. GC's review already sold me on the game, but the talk of difficulty modifiers sealed it. As brilliant as Returnal is, it has a low completion rate on PS5 (I cannot speak for PC). Housemarque took feedback on board and made changes, which is promising. I know I will be slaughtered repeatedly, but it is a boon when games like Hades and Hades 2 offer alternatives to make difficulty manageable, unlike Black Myth: Wukong, which needed difficulty settings to compare to God of War. Wukong lacked a shield, parry, or block, while Saros has a shield and Lies of P has a parry. Wukong has a skill tied to parrying, which is questionable. Elden Ring used its open world to make traversal enjoyable; if under-levelled, explore elsewhere. I do not ask to be mollycoddled, but I appreciate titles like Hades, Elden Ring, and Saros for their approach to difficulty. Not every gamer has time to spend hours on bosses. I look forward to Saros and hope it is easier than Returnal, so I can see Arjun Devraj's story through without frustration. As for May releases, I am not sold on 007 First Light or Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. I will wait for reviews, as Crimson Desert taught me.
Take Two Games
Rockstar Games returning to older franchises is interesting, but I do not really believe them, and many do not hold up. L.A. Noire was sold on its graphics; updating it would require changing gameplay. Realistic faces are not enough. I would prefer new IP. Given their position, they have not used their freedom. There is nothing they could want to do that Take-Two would not agree to, yet I fear the only next game will be Red Dead Redemption 3.
Live Service Lite
Apparently, the PlayStation DRM thing is to close an exploit where people buy games digitally, take their console offline, and refund the game, abusing the returns system to play for free. The DRM is time-limited and lifts after the return window closes. Not elegant, but people cannot have nice things. I agree with the article on PlayStation's live service approach: they have live service lite games in their catalogue, ostensibly single-player, that are more successful than targeted efforts. Examples include Ghost of Yotei, which has had multiple large content updates adding multiplayer options. This seems less risky; if they had tested small-scale multiplayer modes for The Last of Us and God of War, they might have had something to show instead of cumulative decades of work wasted. Going straight to 'This is the new Star Wars and will make us billions' was madness. I am sure they have learned their lesson.
Culture Bomb
That Take-Two boss has always seemed knowledgeable, but he is right about people taking time off for GTA 6. That game will be like a bomb going off in pop culture. Everyone will talk about it constantly. Movies do not have that impact nowadays, but GTA 6 will be the one thing everyone discusses this winter and for months afterwards.
Always Online
I am on my second PS5. I had a disc version 18 months after launch, but I traveled for work in 2024, so I sold it and got a digital version to avoid carrying discs. None of the games work if I am not connected to the internet when powered on. They require checks more often than every 30 days. Sony customer service told me to nominate it as my main console by reading the serial number under my first PS4, which I sold years ago. I had a small handful of digital games on my disc PS5 and never had this issue. It feels like Sony thinks I shared my account password. I have never had more than one PlayStation console at a time. Another factor: I never registered a card on my account, only redeemed gift cards, so there is no ID attached. It is not fun. I now connect via my phone's hotspot in case my internet goes wonky and I cannot play games I paid for.
GC: It is bad, and we fear it will get worse for all consoles as companies squeeze out physical games and piracy. Sony or others caring about an edge case like this is unlikely.
Inbox Also-Rans
I see Marathon's player numbers are getting close to under 10,000. That is not good. I do not think Bungie will last the year at this rate. Should have made a game with a story instead.
I was convinced there was an Umbrella reference in Dino Crisis, on a box or something, but now I cannot find evidence. Mandela effect?
The Small Print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at weekends. Readers' letters are used on merit and may be edited. You can also submit your own 500-600 word Reader's Feature anytime via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will appear in the next available weekend slot. Leave comments below and follow us on Twitter.
