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Mashcast #20: Return of the Big Three

by

September 5, 2011

This week marks the return of the big three. No, we’re not talking Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. We’re talking Redding, Hill-Williams, and Santangelo. Besides celebrating ourselves we also talk about monetization before game design, the future of Mass Effect, lack of new IP, and Bethesda not being interested in social trends. All that plus more on this Mashcast.

Hosts: Jarret Redding, Robert Hill-Williams, Nick Santangelo
Theme: “Insert Coin” – Chris Geehan of Hyperduck Soundworks

Mashcast #20: Return of the Big Three by Mash Those Buttons

Question(s) of the Week:
What do you think is the best way to combat piracy?

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Show Notes:

Gabe Newell on moetization before design
JoyStiq

Shepard leaving after Mass Effect 3
JoyStiq

MW3 on a larger scale
JoyStiq
Gamespot

Activision: gamers, not the economy, have shaped IP
GamesIndustry.biz

Driver: San Fransico dev stands up for DRM Practices
Escapist Magazine

Valve on piracy
Kotaku

Team bondi/Black Rock Studios Close
Escapist Magazine

Bethesda not intersted in social trends
GamesIndustry.biz

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Jarret Redding
Executive Editor

Jarret is Editor-in-Chief as well as one of the founding members of Mash Those Buttons. He's been playing games since before he could read and that's turned into a love of all things game related. His favorite genres include FPS, RTS, racing, and action-adventure platforming. He is currently spending way too much time playing Starcraft II followed by Team Fortress 2.

Specialty: FPS

Read More From Jarret

  • WookieeBH

    I don't think there is a good defense against piracy, as there will always be people too cheap to buy the game, but if you make the game valuable, as pointed out, then enough people will pay for the game that it shouldn't matter. Also, in lieu of DRM, if you make a game require a persistant internet connection, that would work as well, but it has to be for a good reason. Blizzard's integration with battle.net is enough for me to accept that Diablo III will need to be online even for single player play, but Blizzard's probably the only company I would trust like that. Something along the line of the driver drm is stupid.

  • Obaba

    That commercial where they ask, "Would you download a car?" best illustrates the piracy issue.
    Not because what the answer is, but the questions it creates:
    "At 1.5 Mps? How long would that take"
    "How many gigs would a 02' Ford Escort be?"
    It's not that people want to steal, it's just the convenience of a download makes it more appealing than the headache of actually going to a dealership and haggling.

    Services, like Steam has made it terribly convenient for players to get what they need right now. The lack packaging each product, means that one file can produce loads of income. No restock or floor space needed. This allows them to sell at a lower price than either the dedicated gaming outlets and the big discount shopping centers.
    This model is becoming more popular as companies turn to distribution this way with movies, books, music and software. It not only has reduced piracy, it also has lessened the impact and loss due to piracy that is still going on.