Obama’s Research Into Violent Video Games
Following the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, a viscous witch hunt began to determine. what was responsible for the mental degradation of shooter Adam Lanza. While gun controls had been initially shoved to the front of the conversation, things took a bizarre turn when it was revealed Lanza had played Call of Duty. Suddenly, the conversation turned from gun control to video game control. First, key members in the industry were called to a summit with Vice President Joe Biden. Following the summit, President Barack Obama announced a $10 million study into the violence of video games. Solid evidence that video games are more harmful than any other medium has yet to be discovered, but a lens followed the industry closer than ever before.
Sony’s Invitation to the future
It had long been speculated that the next generation of video games had been coming in late 2013 or early 2014, but Sony got in front with a press conference that announced their console and a slate of launch window games. While failing to answer the tough questions, Sony showed off hardware that would inject excitement into video games once again. Speculation about launch titles and features would dominate the video game world as everyone anxiously awaited E3.
BioShock Infinite
The arrival in Columbia is a moment that dominated the conversation when discussing one of the finest games from 2013, BioShock Infinite. While the original BioShock began with feelings of horror and dread, Infinite introduced played to a gorgeous city in the sky, picturesque and perfect. Then, over the course of the next 10 hours, the team at Irrational destroyed this fantastical world in systematic and ruthless fashion. People might like to speculate about the ending of BioShock Infinite, but the reveal of Columbia is still the moment I knew I was in for something special.
Lucas Arts Closes
It had been a long time coming, as the studio once responsible for some of the most exciting advances in video games had become one of the most boring developers, failing to provide any excitement despite a list of thrilling properties. While it was not a major surprise to see Disney shut down the studio and look elsewhere to develop the Star Wars license, it was a sad day for a storied studio nonetheless. It is possible–although unlikely– that Star Wars 1313 or First Assault could have breathed new life into the sinking studio, but those games are lost to the ether.
Microsoft Xbox One Reveal
PAX East and GDC were unique situations in this past year. The PlayStation 4 had been announced, with games and features already being discussed, however Microsoft was still mum on their next-gen console, refusing to release any details. In the grand scheme of things, a couple of months mean almost nothing in the console race, but in the day-to-day world of news and announcements, it felt like we waited a long time after Sony’s announcement for Microsoft to talk about their new console. When the announcement did finally come, there a mix of support and backlash, asking about a lack of games shown and the online requirements of the Xbox One. No one knew it at the time, but Microsoft was setting the stage for one of the most stunning policy reversals in video game history.
PlayStation Sells Out
A matter of weeks after the Xbox One reveal, the stage had been set for one of the biggest E3’s to date. Microsoft took the stage and detailed their future, using online connectivity and an all-in-one entertainment center as the focus of their presentation. Quickly news leaked about the Microsoft used game policy and everyone looked to see how Sony would respond. Sony’s press conference blew fans away with a promise to leave used game policies and the single-player experience alone. The response spoke for itself as the PlayStation 4 sold out online in a matter of hours, then stores sold out in a matter of days. The rapid-fire rate of purchase for Sony–and Xbox to a lesser degree–proved to the world that the console gaming experience was alive and its fan base was hungry for more.
Ryan Davis
Video games, like any other industry, lose beloved icons every year, but when Giant Bomb’s Ryan Davis passed away in July, the outpouring of support was something entirely different. Davis had long been a fan favorite of the Giant Bombcast and a video game personality that connected to thousands of fans. From the people who listened to his podcast religiously to the competitive news outlets that worked alongside Davis, the outpouring of support for the Giant Bomb team was a moving thing to witness and was an important reminder of the impact such personalities have. Davis will forever be remembered for his jovial attitude, his charming humor, and the way could make strangers listening to him over the internet feel like they were his life-long friends.
PAX Prime
It was nothing new for PAX to sell out. The Expo regularly filled its venues with excited video game fans, hungry to see the latest and greatest in gaming. However, it was the speed and the excitement surrounding this last fall’s PAX Prime that set a new tone for the convention. The hype for new consoles was at fever pitch and everyone wanted to spend as much time as possible discovering the next generation for themselves. PAX Prime continues to be a place where the walls between developer and player become a little thinner and the two sides can interact in a positive, and exciting way.
Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto V almost speaks for itself. Call of Duty had spent a healthy few years dominating video game sales charts, daring anyone to compete with its monumental numbers. While Grand Theft Auto was an undeniably popular series, it was still mind blowing to read about the ferocity with which the game flew off of the shelves. The game left plenty to be desired, with gameplay flaws and a messy narrative, but the attention of a nation was so wholeheartedly captured by the action-crime drama that it was impossible to escape the pandemonium the title created. From sales records to pop culture fascination, Grand Theft Auto V reminded everyone how big the series is and made people wonder how big it can get.
Steam Machines
The speculation of the Steam Machine had existed for years, as each year the PC platform had become more and more mainstream. The user friendly experience of Steam and the importance of the client to the PC market begged for a hardware roll-out that would directly compete with consoles, which had long dominated the living room gaming market. It is hard to tell how much Steam can compete in the console space, but Steam OS and Big Picture mode proves that Valve has designs to get people thinking about Steam in a different way. Who knows, the release of the Steam Machine may be one of the most important moments in PC gaming in a handful of years as Steam continues to grow and win more people back to their desktop gaming experiences.
Next Gen Arrives
Easily the biggest story of 2013 is the release of the next-generation of consoles. In the month of November it was all but impossible to talk about video games without bringing up the new hardware that was working its way into living rooms across the country. Topping family and techie Christmas lists alike, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One demonstrated that these consoles could still appeal to a variety of demographics. Video games captured the attention of the nation, igniting a drive in launch consoles that had never been seen before.
Youtube Restrictions
The uneasy truce between publishers and players seemed to be at a boiling point earlier this December, when YouTube announced new restrictions and a promise to crack down on copyright infringement relating to video game streaming. Few aspects of games have blown up in the last few years like the prominence of YouTube players and live-streamers, as these personalities have given birth to a whole new way to take in video games. YouTube’s threats of sanctions and rolling out of warnings was met with much hostility and threatened to turn into an ugly situation. While most publishers have rushed to come out in favor of YouTubers and Streamers, offering to help them get videos back online and avoid getting banned from YouTube, the line of copyright and streaming has never felt more thin.
These are some of the biggest stories of 2013, but what was most important to you? Let us know what you felt the biggest news in 2013 was.
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