Blog Archives
The Future of Console Gaming: My Thoughts on the Xbox One X
While E3 usually does a number on my bank account, that’s no secret, I knew my wallet was totally fucked when Phil Spencer stepped on stage last Saturday.
Phil (we are on a first name basis) announced the Xbox One X (The X) [Codename Scorpio], the most powerful gaming console ever built. It totes 12 GB of GDDR5 Ram, 6 teraflops (1.8 more than the PS4 Pro) of power and…………….asleep yet? Me too. Let’s talk what really matters–It’s going to make your gaming sessions look fucking amazing. It’s outputting true, and that’s the key word here, TRUE 4k gaming at 60fps. This wasn’t obtainable before The X (on consoles, take it easy PC master race). Gaming was either scaled up to 4K or lacked the ability to sustain high frame rates. Even the original Xbox One really only outputted 900p, which is less than the advertised “HD”.
All these fancy numbers are great and everything, but let’s talk about what this means. Beyond the 4k, beyond the incredible frame rates and even beyond the better graphics. Beyond all that, we have a new console, 4 years into the life cycle of his grandfather console, that still plays all the same games, uses all the same hardware and now does FULL backwards compatibility. The days of having to buy new controllers, games and accessories are OVER. Consoles (including the PS4) have much longer shelf lives as they inch closer towards becoming PCs. Sure, you won’t get the performance enhancements of the new games on your old system, but you can still play them. That’s the important part.
At $499 The X isn’t cheap. In fact, it’s $100 more than its competitor, the PS4 Pro. However, the upgrades are undeniable and the future of this system is very bright. I wouldn’t be surprised if VR came in the next year or so.
What do you think about the Xbox One X? Are you getting it come November?
-Matt
Video Game Trailer Alert – Titanfall 2
Why do video games make the best damn promo videos? Like, I want this to be a movie starring Tom Hardy, yesterday. The music, the visuals, the feels. All great.
I’ve had this bad boy pre-ordered since July. Can’t wait for a single player Titanfall experience.
-Matt
This Mario Maker Level Took 11,000 Tries to Complete
Let me start by saying I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of Mario Maker. That game is so classic Nintendo it hurts. This is the type of stuff Nintendo does so well year in and year out.
Now let me move onto this devil of a level (hey now rhyming). I’m pretty sure if you turn the clocks back to my 5th birthday, where I received my first video game system, the SNES, and you put this level in front of me I probably would have slammed my head through the TV on try 3. I am not usually super competitive when it comes to video games. I like playing them, but for me it’s just about having fun….except for Mario games. Mario games bring the absolute worst out of me and they frustrate me to my core, even today! I still want to slam my head through a wall when playing the third world in Super Mario 3. But I digress. I wouldn’t even know what to do at the first landing of this level. I got to give props where props are due.
-Matt
People Were NOT Happy That ESPN 2 Aired A Live Video Game Tournament Last Night
Dorm – Move over bowling, poker and fantasy sports, there’s a new leader in the clubhouse for nerdiest live programming aired on ESPN’s networks.
On Sunday night, ESPN 2 aired a live video game tournament called Heroes of the Dorm, a play on the game’s name “Heroes of the Storm.” The two-hour block showed college students going head-to-head in the multiplayer online game, with actual commentary from other gamers.
ESPN programmed this tournament against the NHL playoffs on the NBC networks, the NBA playoffs on Turner (it was an off night for ESPN and ABC aired games during the day) and it’s own “Sunday Night Baseball” on its flagship network.
Viewers were losing their minds over this — of course — and it seems like the programming was out-of-the blue, if not unprecedented (they reportedly aired a similar tournament a year ago). In the network’s weekly “This Week” rundown, which highlights programming for the week ahead, there was no mention of the video game tournament.
@TheHerd @ESPN_Colin ESPN2 showed a video game tournament!? #Apocalypse #ImDone pic.twitter.com/Zo93tcWX8h
— Applewhite (@JeffApplewhite) April 27, 2015
They broadcasted league of legends on ESPN2 last night…. we’re doomed as a society lol
— Nick Donaldson (@donaldsonnick03) April 27, 2015
SERIOUSLY LADIES AND GENTLEMAN TURN YOUR TVS TO ESPN 2. IN ALL MY YEARS I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING SO STUPID. It’s a fricken video game
— Tommy Auge (@TheeSweetT) April 27, 2015
Wtf they’re playing some stupid video game competition on ESPN 2 rn Im done this is worse than WNBA
— AT (@austin_taylor97) April 27, 2015
At this point, ESPN is basically that crazy old man who just doesn’t give a shit anymore so he does whatever he wants. He goes out for a drive and just barrels into other cars. Goes outside to pick up his morning newspaper in just his underwear because he’s been on this earth long enough and at this point who really cares. ESPN knows no other sports network can compete with them, which is why they show hours of Lebron James, Tim Tebow or Johnny Football coverage over the NHL playoffs and why they scheduled a two hour block on ESPN 2 last night to show a live video game tournament. They just do not care, and the more people go online to hate on them the more exposure they get. When’s the last time ESPN 2 trended online? Well it did last night. ESPN is backed by ABC and Disney which means they can do what they want, when they want. If they want to air a video game competition for two hours on a Sunday night, they’re going to do it. If they want to air a two hour special where Tim Tebow ties his shoes, they’ll do that too. I respect their ‘don’t give a shit attitude’ and if this is the reaction they’re going to get from random people on Twitter, I hope they do it more often.
– Ryan
This WWE 2K15 Commercial Makes Me Wants Me To Buy Every Copy Of The Game
I don’t own a video game console, but this commercial is so good I might buy the game anyway and just cradle it every night before I fall asleep. Leave it to WWE to create such a phenomenal commercial about a video game using only 3 seconds clips and a Dylan Thomas poem. If you need me, I’ll be watching this commercial on an endless loop while running around my house.
– Ryan
The Average Nobodies are on the Hunt…for a Video Game Writer!
Since its inception in May of 2013, The Average Nobodies Blog/Twitter/Facebook/YouTube has grown in leaps and bounds. At the beginning our goal was to create content that people would enjoy. 1,300+ fans later I think we have accomplished our goal, but we are not done yet! We are amazed at what two part-time writers could do with this site in a little over a year, but it is time to expand the family. The Average Nobodies want to start including more video game content on our site. Everything from game play footage, game reviews, and release dates. Here is where YOU come in. If you have a passion of the video game variety we would like to hear from you! We would like you to join us and help us expand the blog. So if you love Bill Paxton and video games, you’re the person for the job (if you don’t love Bill Paxton then this job is not for you). The Average Nobodies is still in its infancy, which means this is a chance for you to grow with us!
Here’s what we are looking for:
• Someone well versed on video game knowledge and culture
• Someone with a sense of humor to match our own
• Someone that can dedicate their time to at least 3 posts a week
• Someone with knowledge of social media management
• YOU HAVE TO LOVE HULK HOGAN
Ok, maybe the last one is just a preference, but I mean if you don’t like Hulk Hogan then we question your judgment and…I digress.
Please find us on Twitter @AverageNobodies (or email @ Mattyv191@gmail.com) to inquire about the position. I will have you send over a sample posts and go from there.
Unfortunately, at this point in time we can only pay you in rainbows and sunshine (that’s zero dollars), but the feeling of accomplishment should be payment enough (we are broke). Plus you get to be part of the best website on the interwebs.
The Average Nobodies are just getting started! Who will be joining us?
Tech Tuesday – Super Mario Meets Link Meets Star Fox Meets…
Whoever made this….thank you. It captures the sights and sounds of my childhood.
DO A BARREL ROLL!
-MattyV
