Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Friday, June 20, 2014
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| #BB16 - Big Brother 16 Logo |
The 16th season of Big Brother is about to begin on June 25, 2014, and the cast has finally been announced.
There are 16 people this time around, and as expected, most of the stereotypes can be checked off. Even though Big Brother tends to cast generic archetypes, each individual person is different from everyone else who has been a part of the show in the past seasons, so you never know what you're in store for.
On top of this, there are more twists to the game itself. So what is going down this summer? Let's take a look!
DETAILS ABOUT THIS SEASON:
- The house will be divided into two teams of eight.
- Both teams will have a Head of Household that will nominate two people on their team.
- The four nominees will compete in a new challenge called "Battle of the Block" where the victorious team will be safe from nominations along with their HoH.
- The winning HoH, the two former nominees, and three others selected by random will fight for the Power of Veto.
- Everyone except those three people are eligible for nomination, including the opposing team's HoH.
This seems so complicated and confusing right now, as though CBS is just tossing out extra rules for the sake of boredom. I'm not all too thrilled about the gimmick this time around.
MEET THE CAST:
Let's take a look at the people. Keep in mind that my first impressions are based on virtually nothing and usually change throughout the season. Many times, the way these people come off in their interviews and on the first few episodes is nothing like the people they are for the remainder of the game, so don't hold me to these generalizations! For all I know, the people I run down could be the nicest, and the ones I praise could be total assholes.
Amber Borzotra
OCCUPATION: Esthetician / Model
INFO / PREDICTION: Amber is super cute and very likable. She'll make a lot of friends and, in the process, make a lot of enemies. She doesn't seem to have that much of a strategy outside of creating an alliance with the girls, who could easily become jealous of her down the line and backstab her. Not only did she say in her interview that she's afraid she'll be too nice and that she's not that great of a liar, but she also chose that she'd rather be loved and lose than be hated and win. That mentality does not go far in the game. If she truly hates creating enemies like it seems and her only motivational pep talk for herself is the standardized "you might underestimate me by my looks" response, she'll be spending most of her time missing her big family and being upset over the emotional aspects of the game rather than playing to win. Calling yourself strong is not actually being strong, and most of the time, it's overcompensation. Amber risks making the mistake of trying too hard at the beginning to be likable and a competitor, causing people to view her as one of the opening threats and knock her out. Her kindness and inability to lie will kill her game unless she's so horrible at the challenges that people keep her around.
Brittany Martinez
OCCUPATION: Event Coordinator
INFO / PREDICTION: Judging by her picture, I expected her to be the airhead of this season, since she's clearly very attractive. She doesn't quite seem to be that, which is good for her. Brittany is a mother of 3 kids, which will most likely mean that she'll have more patience than others in the house. That, combined with her stamina at 29, should be a challenge to compete against. She also chose that she would rather be hated and win because there are always going to be people that hate you no matter what, which is a winning philosophy in my mind. One big negative is that she's not a fan of Big Brother from past seasons, so she may not be familiar with some typical moves that happen within the game. Not being a fan of Big Brother in the past doesn't necessarily mean that you're guaranteed to be screwed, but it definitely doesn't help at all. Brittany has a chance to make it far if she plays down her strengths and aligns herself with the right people who don't screw her over. She could be someone to watch out for as a finalist, but the pessimistic side of me thinks she'll get knocked out around the 3/4 double eviction point.
Caleb Reynolds
OCCUPATION: Adventure Hunting Guide
INFO / PREDICTION: His strategy is the "Bobber Hook & Sinker Effect," which translates to a plan of manipulating someone who will do the dirty work for him. He's going in with an open mind and no real attachments; he's here for the money and wants to win. I like him. I think he's a little arrogant, which could get in the way down the line with ego problems, but manipulative ones are usually the ones that I root for, and if they play their cards right, they can win. He doesn't seem to have hangups that are going to get in the way, and he seems to be in good shape. His job experience is weird and could be advantageous. I'm expecting him to be a possible winner, which probably means that I'll be disappointed and he'll get eliminated #2 or #3.
Christine Brecht
OCCUPATION: Barista
INFO / PREDICTION: She's a superfan and a dork and silly. Christine is going to be emotional about her husband (and even sounded choked up while saying that). She's trying to play the nice card while also being manipulative and seems a little cocky about her intelligence. She's very, very confident and enthusiastic, which is good, but who knows if that will pay off. I'm expecting her to make it to the midway point before she's removed at a week when someone turns their back on her. The team concept is going to either screw her or save her. She will either be an oddball that they knock out because she's an outcast or she'll be grouped with the right mix that she can play the puppeteer for.
Cody Calafiore
OCCUPATION: Sales Account Executive
INFO / PREDICTION: His salesmanship skills and attractiveness will help him with his social game. However, being too competitive will bite him in the ass and he'll get into arguments because of it, making enemies and turning friends into people willing to turn on him. Cody will be an IMMEDIATE target for his intimidating appearance. He also wants to win the first HOH, which won't help that whatsoever. The girls will want to knock him out because they always target the strong guys, and the other men will want to knock him out because they'll think he's their only threat. Cody can easily be the first person eliminated. If he isn't, I'll be shocked. Out of everyone on this list, he's the one person I would be confident in saying will not have a shot at winning.
Derrick Levasseur
OCCUPATION: Police Officer
INFO / PREDICTION: Cops are 50/50. The good ones are respectable, honorable people. The bad ones are some of the most despicable people on the planet. Derrick knows this and he has said that he's going to keep that from the houseguests. While he claims that he's been undercover (which will GREATLY help in this regard), it almost never seems to work well when people try to keep secrets. They break down after a few weeks. He has a 17-month-old daughter, which can help be a motivator as well as a means for sympathy. His athleticism will help him—and I'd venture a guess that he will be the person who will view Cody as the big threat and knock him out—but athleticism is not the main thing that wins this game. If you want a random prediction for a timeline of his eviction, I'd venture a guess at week 5.
Devin Shepherd
OCCUPATION: Motorcycle Sales Manager (former pro baseball player)
INFO / PREDICTION: Like the previous two, his athleticism is a huge benefit and a huge burden. He knows this paints a target on him, though. He's kind of bland, but that's very good for him. Bland people might not be the most exciting to watch, but they stick around a long time. If he doesn't intimidate them too much, he can end up slipping by the opening "vote out all the strong guys" barrage and win the game later on. That's an extremely tough thing to do, however, particularly if you look the way that Devin looks. I know if I were in this game, he'd be the first person that I'd look to make an alliance with and the first person that I would turn on in that alliance when given a chance to boot him out. He's too much of a danger to keep around because he could win it all.
Donny Thompson
OCCUPATION: School Groundskeeper
INFO / PREDICTION: The old man this season isn't really obscenely old, and he seems to be in okay shape. That could end up making him an underestimated threat. He knows he's a stingy person, so he'll have trouble with the games where you need to take risks. He also admits that he is a bad liar who can't look people in the eyes. Donny is odd, and that is either going to rub people the wrong way or will wear down their defenses and they'll keep him around for morale's sake. Donny's lasting a long time…a loooong time. Final three is a definite possibility.
Frankie Grande
OCCUPATION: YouTube Personality
INFO / PREDICTION: As a YouTube personality myself, you'd think that I would root for him to an extent. However, anytime someone is over the top and in my face in this game (as well as on YouTube), I tend to get exhausted and not want to bother with them anymore. He is Ariana Grande's brother. Who cares? I'll tell you who—America. Just being associated with her is going to get him so many votes, which is a shame. I really, really hope that he is playing up the flamboyant and SUPER FUN LOLOLZ gimmick right now and that he calms down on the show itself. Telling the houseguests of his famous sister will likely result in an immediate elimination, but if he can get past that, I'd expect him to last until the 3/4 mark.
Hayden Voss
OCCUPATION: Pedicab Driver
INFO / PREDICTION: So this guy is a rehash of "Crazy James," who I thought was beyond annoying. Duuuude he's like sooooo chillll. He fancies himself someone that everyone will like, but that doesn't always work out that way. As I mentioned above, if you're bland, that can be what saves you in this game. Hayden could easily be the type of guy who is the equivalent of background furniture. He'll be the quintessential floater this season. Because of that, there are two possible ways that this will end up for him. Either he will be the expendable person to eliminate on a week when the plans to awry and nobody wants to pull off any bit power moves, or he'll make it to the final stretch and everyone will be wondering how he did it, because he didn't contribute all that much.
Jocasta Odom
OCCUPATION: Minister
INFO / PREDICTION: The way she acts, I never would have assumed she's a minister. She's got a lot of spunk and she's flashy, rather than the reserved mentality that you normally see from people that are heavily rooted in religion. Jocasta doesn't stand out to me as anything particularly special or different in any way whatsoever, but that's in a good way for her game. She's probably not the best with the athletic side of the competitions, but she appears to be well-rounded with the social game to make up for it. She'll be a mid-season eviction when her team is up on the block and there's not all that much going on, so they just need a sacrificial lamb of sorts.
Joey Van Pelt
OCCUPATION: Hairstyle & Makeup Artist
INFO / PREDICTION: As a general rule of thumb, I hate it when people try to be quirky. Thus, Joey is off to a bad start with me. There are so many things that bother me about this type of a person. Women should not have male names (and vice versa, all you guys out there named Janice or Beth) because it isn't cute, it's needlessly confusing. That outfit and that hair? You're trying way too hard, Joey. All of this is a false sense of empowerment. I can't stand anything that has a goal of standing out and boosting someone's self-confidence just by being different—as if that's a compliment in and of itself. Different and better is good. Just different? Ugh. I can 100% see why she's on this show, though. She's a big personality, has a lot of energy, and there will be a buttload of people who are obsessed with her and love her to death. She'll make it far in the game. While I don't have anything specific to dislike about her right now other than judging the book by its cover, she's someone who will have to win me over as opposed to someone who is going in with a better first impression. Who knows, maybe that will happen, right?
Nicole Franzel
OCCUPATION: Nursing Graduate
INFO / PREDICTION: She says that women tend to dislike her. If that happens here, she's done. You can't win this game if you are a woman that the other women hate. At the very least, I can't remember a situation where that's resulted in a victory. Nicole seems rather young and impressionable. She'll be a fantastic person to add into your alliance for numbers purposes as well as a follower that will do what the majority wants. I can't see her making any big moves on her own and shaking up the system. She'll be the object of the affection for a lot of guys, which will keep her around longer in the game than what she'll accomplish on her own. I also think she'll have a few surprise wins up her sleeve in the physical competitions.
Paola Shea
OCCUPATION: DJ
INFO / PREDICTION: I have absolutely no read on Paola. I can't pinpoint anything about her. Part of me thinks she's going to win the whole thing, and part of me thinks she's the second or third person eliminated. She's definitely the most difficult personality to even attempt to crack. Paola could be an enormous threat on the social side of things by being able to befriend both sides of the house (as far as men and women go). In her interview, she says she has the memory of a goldfish, but earlier in it, she remembers what seasons Jeff appeared on when even he was confused, so maybe she's just selling herself short. Funny girl, infectious attitude, nothing offensive about her (so far)…watch out for her this season, everyone.
Victoria Rafaeli
OCCUPATION: Photographer
INFO / PREDICTION: Victoria is going to be the cause of fights, without a doubt. She seems privileged and entitled. Nothing in her strategy of dazzling everyone with her beauty and how amazing she is compared with everyone who is mean to her and has no reason to hate her sounds like an actual plan. She's there to stir trouble, and she'll do just that. Somehow, those people tend to last until at least the midway point in the game. You can blame it on a conspiracy theory with the producers wanting to keep them on board—and there may or may not be some truth to that, by the way—but one way or another, Victoria is going to be a big focal point and she definitely, without a doubt, will not win this game.
Zach Rance
OCCUPATION: Economics Graduate
INFO / PREDICTION: "I will lie, cheat, steal, and KILL for a chance at that money." Good. He's unemployed, which will make people think he's rich. That's bad. He considers himself a con artist and keeps talking himself up. He's easily the most arrogant person in the house, and that cockiness is problematic because it causes tension all the time. This guy plays up the camera more than anyone else, and he'll be fun as hell to watch for someone like me. His favorite player is Mike Boogie, who is in my top five (the other four being Will Kirby, Dan Gheesling, Eric Stein, and Evel Dick Donato).
OVERALL FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THIS SEASON
The first episode hasn't even aired yet and personalities change throughout the entire season, so it's always difficult to know what's going to happen. Still, speculation is fun, and right now, I think this could end up being better than last year. If that's the case, you'll see more posts from me here about it, but at the very least, you can hit me up on Twitter @ToeKneeManGo to get my thoughts on Big Brother 16.
As of right now, I would say my personal favorites are Amber, Caleb, Devin, Paola, and Zach (in alphabetical order); my least favorites are Frankie, Hayden, Joey, and Victoria. The rest I'm indifferent to. When it comes to who I think will win, I could see the final three being Caleb, Paola, and Donny, with the victory going to Paola.
What are your first impressions of this group? Who would you like to see win? Tell us in the comments below!
Posted by
Unknown
- Thursday, June 19, 2014
Universal Studios has finally released the opening date for the highly anticipated Diagon Alley expansion for Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Harry Potter stars James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), and Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) excitedly made the announcement alongside creative director Theirry Coup and Universal President and Chief Operating Officer Bill Davis on Wednesday.
Muggles and magical folk alike will be able to pass through the brick archway into the narrow streets of Diagon Alley on July 8, just as Harry, Ron, and Hermione did each year to stock up on all their magical equipment and Hogwarts apparel in the best selling Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling.
It's been a long and exciting wait as the Orlando theme park kept its summer 2014 opening date unannounced to the muggle world (including park employees) well into the vacation season. The anticipation skyrocketed as Universal released teasers for their new ground-breaking ride, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, which reunited Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint to reprise their roles for special 3D scenes.
Although Universal's opening date may come as a disappointment to the fans who had hoped for an earlier opening, the park moved cautiously to ensure the new technology was up to speed for its debut to avoid a repeat of Wizarding World's tech issues at its 2010 opening.
The new 20-acre expansion of the original Wizarding World - Hogsmeade—which opened four years ago—is expected to be extremely overcrowded. The wait time for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Hogsmeade was around 9 hours during its opening weeks, according to a park employee at Hogsmeade, and lines for the park stretched out into CityWalk.
Hop aboard The Hogwarts Express train that connects Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure for a one-day park-to-park ticket that costs $136 per adult. The ride will take guests from Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross station, passing by replicated scenes of London and the British countryside. (You must buy a park-to-park ticket in order to ride the Hogwarts Express and enjoy both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.)
Diagon Alley will include fully replicated Gringotts bank, Ollivander's, the Leaky Cauldron restaurant, Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment, and more—but that's not the only magical part about the attraction. Grab your wand a find special medallions on the ground that each include a different spell to unlock a whole exciting adventure as you practice your magic!
Both Diagon Alley at Universal Studios and Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure are a collaboration between Warner Bros., which owns the rights to the Harry Potter film franchise, and Universal, which operates the theme parks.
An exclusive Harry Potter vacation package will allow guests to visit Diagon Alley starting June 29. Starting at $109 per night, the package includes 4-night accommodations, 3-day park-to-park tickets, breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron, and 1-hour early park admission.
Don't forget to stop at Ollivander's and find out which wand chooses you, see what fun Fred and George Weasley have come up with at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and enjoy a nice glass of butterbeer!
Fanboys, ready your wands! Let us know how excited you are in the comment section below!
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! It has been an entire year since we first kicked off The Dace Man Show from a hotel in Oklahoma City! Tonight we celebrate that year the most Dacetacular way we know how: a party in the Dace-ment!! So come prepared with a bunch of your favorite moments of the past year, and we'll bring ours. Join hosts from past, present, and future as we kick off another year of Dacetacular podcasting. Master of ceremonies Chris Dace will be live in the Dace-ment with his partner in crime Gibby kicking off the festivities live at 7:30 p.m. EST here on Fanboys Anonymous with a live pre-show. At 8 p.m. Chris and Gibby will be joined live on Mega Powers Radio by Frank Ward and the Iowa Gang as they begin the historic 52nd Episode of The Dace Man Show!! After the show goes off air, stick around here on Fanboys Anonymous as they continue the party celebrating 1 full year!!
Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime
Posted by
Justin Hedvat
- Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Cartoon Network announced on Monday that their beloved original series The Powerpuff Girls will be returning to television in 2016, over a decade after their last appearance on the air.
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| "Remember us?" |
"The original Powerpuff Girls was a franchise phenomenon for Cartoon Network, paving the way for a new generation of innovative storytellers and enthusiastic fans worldwide," said Rob Sorcher, chief content officer of Cartoon Network, during an announcement at the 2014 Licensing Expo in Las Vegas. "We are calling these girls back into action based upon an overwhelming demand for sugar, spice, and Chemical X."
The adorable super-powered kindergarteners saved the day from the dastardly schemes of their nemesis Mojo Jojo in a 78-episode run spanning six seasons from 1998 to 2005, winning two Emmy Awards and releasing a full-length feature film in the process. The brand is one of Cartoon Network's highest grossing ever, with over $2.5 billion in retail sales.
"As the original ambassador of 'girl power,' The Powerpuff Girls brand continues to resonate with people of all ages and there is tremendous excitement around introducing Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup to a new generation," Pete Yoder, Cartoon Network's vice president of North American consumer products, stated in a press release. "With proven success and great content plans in place, there's so much potential that we're looking forward to explore with our licensing partners in the coming weeks."
The network has not stated whether original series creator Craig McCracken is attached to the project. McCracken's clever writing was a large part of what made the show such a huge success, and it would be downright evil if the new reboot didn't continue the original's unique brand of humor.
What do you think, Fanboys? Are you excited for this new rendition of the Powerpuff Girls, or is Cartoon Network just making a much-needed cash grab from one of their more lucrative properties? Let me know in the comments below!
Posted by
Unknown
- Monday, June 16, 2014
An open secret in the world of video game enthusiasts is that PCs are the best platform on which to play video games. PCs take the cake, even as current consoles tout better features and performance than ever before. Some of the reasons are obvious, while others require more intimate knowledge of the gaming community. The debate has been moot for a decade; I'm just here to explain why. Welcome to the dark side.
Reason #1: Next-gen consoles bring nothing new to the table
What are some of the reasons to buy a next-gen console? Every article discussing the pros of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One listed the same items: smoother dashboards (otherwise known as operating systems), cable TV integration, tablet functionality, additional social media sharing options, motion controls, faster mandatory installations (all PS4 and Xbox One games require installation to be played), and an improved online experience. Basically, consoles are becoming PCs. The needle has been moving this direction for a long time. Previous console generations saw this to a limited degree, but they lacked the hardware to imitate the capabilities of PCs.
Nintendo's approach to console development has centered around unique controllers instead of powerful hardware. This sets it apart, but not always in a good way.
The controllers for Nintendo consoles are great for their first party games, but provide a horrible experience for anything else. Imagine playing Madden, Call of Duty, or Street Fighter with a WiiU GamePad or a Wii Nunchuk. Pointless, right? Nintendo finally caved in this generation and offered the Wii U Pro controller, something that finally resembles a usable gaming instrument. Nintendo deserves credit for actually attempting to be innovative, but they alienated many gamers along the way.
Many people have shied away from PC gaming in the past because the only way to play was with a keyboard/mouse setup, or with a poorly made USB controller. Those days are over. There are now many options to play games on PC that only require plugging the chosen option into the open USB slot, including console controllers. How's that for simple?
Reason #2: System requirements are easy to meet
I recall trying to play Unreal Tournament in 1999 on a Compaq desktop. I hadn't known what minimum system requirements were, but I learned that day. I could play UT99 as long as I turned the resolution way down and turned all graphical settings to low. Internet play was an option, but trying to keep up with the online warriors on a dial-up connection was frustrating.
Technology has improved greatly since then. Embarrassing photos reach the people you don't want to see them at lighting speeds, and many desktops only need a cheap upgrade to the power supply and graphics card to run games as well as a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360. Recommended system requirements (the hardware required for a game to be visually impressive while still running smoothly) for AAA titles are not stiff for the average Joe or Jane. Quad core processors and 4 GB of RAM are standard in most desktops sold today. It's not expensive or difficult to put together a desktop that gives great performance. Let's compare the set-up costs for a PlayStation 4 and for a desktop found on Tiger Direct with a quad-core processor, 6 GB RAM, and a 1 TB hard drive.
PlayStation 4 costs
- Console: $400
- Extra controller: $60
- Online: $50 for one year of PlayStation Plus
- Number of games purchased for $100: Maybe 3 if each are bought used
- Total: $610
Desktop costs (including video card and power supply)
I left out display options for the PS4 so that its costs didn't skyrocket. In addition, a PC with similar hardware can be built for less money without purchasing a prebuilt PC from companies such as Dell or HP, but it was important to show the potential costs for a person who would not be comfortable building a PC with individual parts. The price of games will determine which chosen platform is the most expensive in the long run.
Performance-wise, the desktop above would be capable of running nearly any title with all graphic settings maxed out at a 1920x1200 resolution at around 30 frames per second. That's much better than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and not far below the PS4 and Xbox One. An experienced PC builder with a $700 budget could build a desktop that exceeds the performance of the PS4 and Xbox One.
Also, 1080p resolution is laughable on PC, yet PS4 and Xbox One struggle to reach this resolution even for AAA titles, including an inability to sustain even 30 frames per second. To demonstrate why this is silly, here's a screenshot of my benchmark results from my 5-year-old PC with a low-level video card with all graphical settings maxed out on the latest edition of Street Fighter 4.
Bragging about the number of frames per second is deceptive. FPS is just a number that notes how smoothly the hardware runs the graphics engine. The fact that console developers are aiming for 30 frames-per-second is telling. Next-gen games have to look demonstrably better than PS3 or 360 games or else consumers will question the merit of purchasing a next-gen console. The problem is that Sony and Microsoft are adding more weight than the console hardware can carry until developers get more experience programming for the specific hardware. For consumers, the inconsistent visual performance of next-gen consoles is a legitimate concern, one that shows a nasty consequence of Sony and Microsoft rushing their products to the market.
Reason #3: Better online communities
Online play is free —I guess that's always the first thing to mention. There are games in the MMORPG genre that require a subscription to play online, such as World of Warcraft. Other kinds of PC games that require additional money to play online after purchasing the game are hard to come across. Exceptions exists in the vast depths of the internet, but it's a rare occurrence. Also, online connections always work best for PC gaming. Explaining why would bore you to death, so just trust me or Google the indisputable facts on this one.
Playing games online for PC has been a thing since the mid-'90s, so those multiplayer communities had a chance to flourish long before console developers acknowledged the potential of the internet. That's why it was weird to watch Nintendo fanboys get so excited about the announcement of Mario Maker for Wii U when PC mods have been around for many popular games for the past 20 years. (Per usual business operations, Nintendo is going to wait to allow gamers to use Mario Maker on Super Mario World, Super Mario 64, etc., so they can milk gamers for more money down the road.)
Warning: The following video is very entertaining, but contains NSFW language.
Not all mods are meant to send you into a rage-induced coma, but it's a fun twist that allows gamers to experience Super Mario World in an entirely new way. Mods come in all shapes and sizes, such as alternate skins, new campaigns, and entirely new gameplay. If you can imagine something, it either exists or is a few months from becoming a reality. So sayeth the internet!
Until recently, most console video game publishers have tried to shut down any alteration of their intellectual properties. PC companies have been open to the mod community since the beginning, even providing the source code to the public with mods. For example, Valve's official page for Source SDK reads as follows: "Valve is dedicated to providing the best tools and resources for the modding community. The Source engine and SDK give you all the tools you need to produce brilliant game creations." This is a world that console gamers do not even know exists, despite the fact that no one is hiding the information.
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| Yes, Gangnam Style in Skyrim. Long live mods! |
It's also worth nothing that while the PC community has an older, more mature base of gamers, there are plenty of bad apples to ruin the experience. Overall, it is a better experience for people over the age of 16, but there's no running away from the jerks who want to ruin the fun for everyone. Playing video games online is a mixed bag no matter which way you play.
Reason #4: No backward compatibility issues
Halo: The Master Chief Collection was announced during this year's E3. The collection contains Halo 1-4 with shiny new graphics (Microsoft is promising 60 frames per second...) and other bells and whistles that someone, somewhere, is excited about. In other words, buy this game that you already own but can't play on our new console because we don't allow backward compatibility. Sony is doing the same thing. Nintendo has been re-releasing games since Snoop Dogg was still cool. (Keep in mind, that's a partial list which doesn't include every instance where the same game is repackaged multiple times.) Re-releasing games is not evil, but selling them for the same price as a standard new title is ridiculous.
Back in the dark ages known as the 1990s, PCs did have legitimate compatibility problems across different operating systems and hardware, but digital distribution models have eliminated this problem.
Reason #5: Cheap games—Steam sales, Humble Bundles, etc.
The open secret that PC gamers have tried to share with the world is now at hand: Games are way, way, way cheaper on PC, by way of several incredible discounts such as Steam Holiday Sales and Humble Bundles.
Like art, the glory of Steam Holiday Sales is hard to explain. You have to experience the moment to understand its allure. Here's a short list of some of the deals I took advantage of:
The Witcher 2: $4.99 USD
Cthulhu Saves the World & Breath of Death VII Double Pack: $0.99 USD
Batman Arkham City: Game of the Year Edition: $14.99 USD
Sleeping Dogs: $4.49 USD
Hitman Absolution Professional: $7.49 USD
Deus Ex: Human Revolution Augmented Edition: $4.49 USD
Rayman Origins: $6.79 USD
I also pre-ordered Sonic Generations for $29.99 on a week without a Steam sale. Earlier, we allotted ourselves a budget of $100 to buy video games. If we tallied up all of my purchases listed here from Steam, we're still left with $25.78. What should we do with the remaining funds? How about checking out the latest Humble Bundle?
Humble Bundles are deals that allow gamers to purchase a bunch of DRM-free games (Steam keys are often available) at whatever price they choose. The money used to purchase the bundle is split between the game developers, a chosen charity for the bundle, and a Humble Tip that's given to the great people who make these bundles possible. The minimum payment for a Humble Bundle is $1. The maximum is up to the buyer. If the buyer purchases the games for a price above the median, they are allowed access to additional games that are revealed at a later date, and occasionally soundtracks are thrown in for good measure. The median never goes above $8. Is this gamer heaven? Yes, yes it is.
In short, you are looking at purchasing no less than 15 games with the remaining $25.78. Assuming we spend $8 on three Humble Bundles, the $100 budget purchases 23 PC games. The same budget bought three used PlayStation 4 games. Gamers save way more money in the long run by spending a little more money upfront on a PC, because the games are far more affordable. No further elaboration is necessary.
Is this assessment of PC gaming versus console gaming fair? Please give your thoughts in the comments, and let Fanboys Anonymous know who you side with!
As always, thanks for reading.
Brittany Martinez
Caleb Reynolds
Christine Brecht
Cody Calafiore
Derrick Levasseur
Devin Shepherd
Donny Thompson
Frankie Grande
Hayden Voss
Joey Van Pelt
Paola Shea
Zach Rance
