As reported by GI.biz, ex-PlayStation executive Shawn Layden thinks he’s pinpointed the issues with the industry.
He believes that too much money is being spent on making games, and the focus has been taken away from creating things people love.
Layden says: ‘[In the past] we spent a lot more time looking at games and not asking ‘what’s your monetisation scheme’, or ‘what’s your recurrent revenue plan’, or ‘what’s your subscription formula’?
“We asked the simple question: is it fun? Are we having a good time? If you said yes to those questions, you’d usually get a green light.
“You didn’t worry so much about the end piece, for better or for worse. Of course back then you didn’t make a game for millions [of] dollars. So your risk tolerance was fairly high.”
This echoes what many people have said about the industry. As games cost increasingly more money to make, they need to sell more copies to be successful.
However, there are also more games releasing than ever before, meaning that there’s more competition for gamers’ money.
When there are more games on the market, companies sell fewer copies of each game.
Layden continues: “Today, the entry costs for making a triple-A game is in triple digit millions now. I think naturally, risk tolerance drops.
“And you’re [looking] at sequels, you’re looking at copycats, because the finance guys who draw the line say, ‘Well, if Fortnite made this much money in this amount of time, my Fortnite knockoff can make this in that amount of time.’
“We’re seeing a collapse of creativity in games today [with] studio consolidation and the high cost of production.’
5 days agoSouth TvComments Off on Inside China’s ‘Ghost Town of Mansions’ with lavish homes for the super rich now reclaimed by FARMERS
THIS is one of many of China’s ghost towns that have been taken over by farmers which see goats live around the shells of luxury mansions.
The eerie complex is located in Shenyang City, 400 miles northeast of Beijing.
AFPAn aerial photo showing the deserted mansions in Shenyang[/caption]
AFPCattle can be seen walking between the concrete shells of the half-finished mansions[/caption]
AFPAn interior image of the abandoned housing sales office on the Greenland development[/caption]
It features over 100 abandoned luxury mansions in that have been abandoned mid-construction by its overzealous property developer.
Greenland Group broke ground on the project in 2010 in the middle of a property boom which saw developers take on debt to build homes ahead of demand.
But now, Greenland is one of over 50 housing developers that have defaulted on their debts in recent years.
China’s developers and buyers have “tremendous faith” that the value of their property will steadily creep up – and prices won’t crash,” Max Woodworth, an expert in Chinese urbanisation, previously told The Sun.
In 2023, Greenland defaulted on over £307 million worth of international bonds but no official explanation was ever given as to why construction abruptly ended.
Greenland only sold 5% of the homes at the State Guest Mansions project in Shenyang before construction ended.
But the property developer is not alone as there are around 20 million pre-sold and incomplete homes sitting empty in China.
However, in total there are around 65 million surplus homes in the country.
With the crystal chandeliers, large stone pillars, and grand spiral staircases left to crumble to dust, local farmers have moved their cattle in.
Now, like a post-apocalyptic scene, goats and cows wander around the incomplete European-style villas in a bizarre and eerie combination of extreme urbanisation and nature.
Images from the development show cows in make-shift pens made from the crumbling verandas and arches.
Meanwhile, the interiors of some of the buildings looks like time has stood still with paintings and maps still on some of the walls and the decadent light fixings and other furnishings still in their place.
TOP PRIORITY
The reclamation of the land by farmers symbolises an issue of high priority for the country and its leaders.
China’s 2023 No. 1 central document, the first policy statement released by top authorities every year, declared safeguarding national food security and farmland as of key importance.
Explainer: China's property crash
China's property market is suffering a major crisis with a surplus of 65 million homes, defaulting property developers, and falling prices.
Property gave the country’s economy a huge boost and heavily contributed to China’s GDP.
In 1998 the state deregulated property sales, making it a much more secure investment.
With this, prices increased and more housing was built to cater for an ever-growing population.
Property developers urged by the state to make large investments reaped huge rewards in terms of profit which in turn drove rapid expansion.
The boom continued for as long as prices continued to rise and houses were being built before the demand of people looking to move in was there.
Property accounted for about 30% of the country’s booming economy but then the boom stopped when investment reforms were put in place on those buying up property as the state wanted people living in these homes.
By selling homes before they were even built, the construction of these properties depended on the sale of future ones.
The industry was entirely reliant on this format of building and so after the reforms, demand plummeted and prices crashed which in turn saw the property developers fail to pay their debts.
Such issues have been continually held in high regard by Xi Jinping since he took to office in 2013.
Since the beginning of his rule, the president has held the firm belief that “the rice bowls of the Chinese people must always be held firmly in our own hand and filled mainly with Chinese grain,” Foreign Policy reports.
According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and rural affairs, every day the 1.4 billion people in China eat around 700,000 tons of grain, 1.92 million tons of vegetables, and 230,000 tons of meat.
Having to feed such a large population means that land that has been abandoned and left to turn into a ghost-town” can be put to much better use.
This is especially true after the country gave up much of its undeveloped land for other projects.
Between 2009 and 2019, China sacrificed so much farmland for industrialisation and urbanisation that it equates to the size of South Carolina, according to FP.
It is likely that more and more farmers will turn to these ghost towns as a way to expand farming with China’s ongoing property crises due to how it approaches investments and land.
“The land system in China produces strong incentives for city governments to promote real estate and land development as a way to raise to revenue and generate economic growth,” Woodworth said.
It’s not just land that gets abandoned in China, after a graveyard full of untouched Bentley’s and £200,000 Porsches were found deep in a forest.
AFPThe interior of one of the abandoned properties with the crystal chandelier still handing from the ceiling[/caption]
AFPPapers and other signs of life can be seen laying around the shells of these buildings[/caption]
5 days agoSouth TvComments Off on Liam Payne cops question ‘five people’ over tragic One Direction star’s death & looking to bring criminal charges
POLICE have questioned five people in relation to Liam Payne’s sudden death and suggested criminal charges could be handed out in this probe.
The former One Direction star died after he fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday.
ReutersOne of Liam Payne’s last posts was a Snapchat video[/caption]
The star died after he fell from his balcony at the Casa Sur hotel in ArgentinaGettyPolice have reportedly questioned five people in relation to the ex-One Direction members death[/caption]
The Mega AgencyPolice shared details about their investigation into the musicians shock death[/caption]
Cops reported that Liam’s room was allegedly discovered trashed as various items had been smashed and broken.
Worrying images also appeared to show white powder and burnt aluminium foil in his room after he tragically fell, according to Argentine media.
Police will test these supposed items to see if they were illegal substances.
An autopsy found the star died from severe “internal and external haemorrhaging” from the fall, and added that Liam could have been unconscious at the time.
Prosecutors have reportedly also questioned five people directly after the music star was found.
These individuals have included two women, thought to have been with Liam, 31, before his death, and three employees at the Casa Sur hotel the musician had stayed at, according to the Argentine outlet Clarin.
Police reportedly added that the two women had left the hotel before Liam’s death.
Hotel staff stated the star reacted “erratically,” in a 911 call, and said he “could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
Cops are reportedly looking to make two criminal charges in relation to Wednesday’s incident.
Local media have claimed these could be in relation to a “supply of narcotics and facilitating a place for their consumption.”
Liam was also allegedly seen arguing with a mystery woman at the hotel just three hours before the fatal incident.
A guest staying at the Casa Sur hotel, Michael Fleischmann, claimed the musician was “very upset” and shouted about money in front of other people.
Fleischmann told the local newspaper The Buenos Aires Herald that the incident occurred around 2pm local time.
Liam was found dead just after 5pm.
ClarinWhite powder and burnt aluminium foil were allegedly found in the pop star’s hotel room[/caption]
ClarinBurnt aluminium was also supposedly seen in the bath[/caption]
The American claimed he heard the singer say: “I’ll give you US$20,000 dollars just because I can. I have US$55 million and I like to help people.”
Liam travelled to Argentina with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, 25, earlier this month to watch his ex-bandmate Niall Horan perform in the country.
The couple extended their stay but the American actress revealed she was ready to go home after two weeks.
“Honestly, love South America but I hate staying in one place for too long. And we were supposed to be there for, like, five days, turned into two weeks,” Kate said in a TikTok video before Liam’s death.
“I was just like, ‘I need to go home’.”
Kate appeared in Liam’s final social media video that he posted minutes before his death.
The singer uploaded a video, which appeared to have been filmed days prior, where the pair were seen eating and talking about their plans for the day.
WORRIED FAMILY
Liam’s friends had become so worried about the star’s drinking and alleged drug use that they were planning an intervention with him this week, a source told The Sun.
His close ones said the singer has been in a dark place for the past few weeks.
They added Liam was struggling with his career and personal life.
This comes as reports suggested the singer was dropped by his record label Universal just days before the tragic incident.
“We are devastated by the tragic passing of Liam Payne,” Universal said in a statement after his death.
“His legacy will live on through his music and the countless fans he inspired and who adored him.
“We send our deepest condolences to Liam’s family and loved ones.”
instagramLiam Payne had visited Argentina with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy[/caption]
PAFans paid their tributes to the pop star with a candle lit vigil outside the hotel[/caption]
One Direction statements in full
We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say.
But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.
The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us.
We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam. – Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry.
Louis Tomlinson wrote: “His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on.
“Thank you for shaping us Liam.
“I want you to know that if Bear ever needs me I will be the Uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was.
“I wish I got a chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you.”
Zayn Malik said: “Liam I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives.
“I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life.
“When I was missing home as a 17-year-old kid, you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and that I was loved.”
He added: “When it came to the music, Liam, you were the most qualified in every sense.
“I knew nothing in comparison, I was a novice child with no experience and you were already a professional.
“I lost a brother when you left us and can’t explain to you what I’d give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly.
“I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever”.
And Harry Styles wrote: “I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing.
“His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it.
“Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious.
“He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving.
“The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend.
“My heart breaks for Karen, Geoff, Nicola and Ruth, his son Bear, and all those around the world who knew and loved him, as I did.”
5 days agoSouth TvComments Off on How the Hunter’s supermoon looked in photos from around the world
This week’s full moon was the Hunter’s supermoon, a name given to the full moon in October – the full moon that occurs just after the autumnal Harvest Moon.
5 days agoSouth TvComments Off on Andrew Garfield dragged for backing Mel Gibson: ‘You are a f–ing rube’
He’s stepped in it. Andrew Garfield has voiced support for Mel Gibson – and social media isn’t happy. In a recent interview with People, Garfield, 41, who starred in the 2016 Gibson directed movie “Hacksaw Ridge,” said about working with Gibson, 68, “I learned a lot, actually. I learned that people can heal. I learned...
5 days agoSouth TvComments Off on Liam Payne was seen arguing with woman about money in hotel lobby just hours before his fatal fall: report
Another hotel guest also came forward and alleged that she was one of the last people to speak with Payne and saw his "disturbing" behavior in the lobby.
5 days agoSouth TvComments Off on While the West dithers, Vladimir Putin is slowly but surely eating away at Ukraine
There is an odd sense of paralysis in Brussels, the capital of the European Union. Everyone is waiting for the presidential election in the United States, and the confirmation hearings of a new European Commission.
5 days agoSouth TvComments Off on Gen Z insists water isn’t ‘enough’ to ‘properly hydrate’ — so they’re drinking this as their ‘new morning coffee’ instead
