Kaser Focus: Sony and Microsoft's fight is a popcorn movie
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Watching two big companies battle it out in legal proceedings is one of the most entertaining things you can find as a journalist. Before starting this job, I would have thought that legal documents would be boring - on the contrary, I have since discovered. Corporate legal teams throw deliciously passive-aggressive (and sometimes aggressive-aggressive) punches at each other. This week my entertainment of choice is the Sony-Microsoft arguments over the UK Competition and Markets Authority investigation.
I can't make this stuff up. Microsoft accused the CMA of "[adopting] Sony's complaints without the proper level of critical review". Sony said of the CMA's investigation, "We want to ensure PlayStation gamers continue to enjoy the highest quality gaming experience, and we appreciate the CMA's focus on player protection. I am sure that these two companies can settle this fairly and the status quo will be restored. But seeing these two companies having such a public spat has me reaching for my popcorn. I haven't had this much fun since Epic Games v. Apple legal papers.
In other news, Meta has unveiled its brand new big device for your face: the Meta Quest Pro. Meta's Mark Zuckerberg was selling it primarily as an enterprise device, not so much about its gaming potential. Maybe that's why he didn't really reveal many VR games at the event. Among Us VR looks promising, though - it's one thing to watch your little avatar roam the dark hallways, but quite another to navigate those claustrophobic environments yourself.
For my part, in addition to a few other games whose titles I can't reveal yet (*wink*), I decided to try Coral Island. We know from previous shows this year that we're about to be inundated with farming sims, and Coral Island - which is still in early access, but available to Game Pass subscribers - is one of the first salvoes. It is, like all farming sims, basically Harvest Moon (I think that should be the name of the genre at this point, like Soulslike or roguelike), but it's also pretty and charming in its own way.
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register hereWhat's New:
Contempt Dyson Sphere program NHL 23 PGA Tour 2K23 LEGO Brick Tales PC Building Simulator 2 Eville Dragon Ball: The Breakers Ozymandias: Bronze Age Empire Simulator Kamiwaza: The Way of the Thief The Last Oricru swamp paradise Asterigos: Curse of the Stars trifox Full of energy darkest tales Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime SpeedwayNew to subscription services:
Costume Quest (Xbox Game Pass) Coral is...
Want to learn more about the future of the video game industry? Join gaming executives to discuss emerging parts of the industry in October at GamesBeat Summit Next. Sign up today.
Watching two big companies battle it out in legal proceedings is one of the most entertaining things you can find as a journalist. Before starting this job, I would have thought that legal documents would be boring - on the contrary, I have since discovered. Corporate legal teams throw deliciously passive-aggressive (and sometimes aggressive-aggressive) punches at each other. This week my entertainment of choice is the Sony-Microsoft arguments over the UK Competition and Markets Authority investigation.
I can't make this stuff up. Microsoft accused the CMA of "[adopting] Sony's complaints without the proper level of critical review". Sony said of the CMA's investigation, "We want to ensure PlayStation gamers continue to enjoy the highest quality gaming experience, and we appreciate the CMA's focus on player protection. I am sure that these two companies can settle this fairly and the status quo will be restored. But seeing these two companies having such a public spat has me reaching for my popcorn. I haven't had this much fun since Epic Games v. Apple legal papers.
In other news, Meta has unveiled its brand new big device for your face: the Meta Quest Pro. Meta's Mark Zuckerberg was selling it primarily as an enterprise device, not so much about its gaming potential. Maybe that's why he didn't really reveal many VR games at the event. Among Us VR looks promising, though - it's one thing to watch your little avatar roam the dark hallways, but quite another to navigate those claustrophobic environments yourself.
For my part, in addition to a few other games whose titles I can't reveal yet (*wink*), I decided to try Coral Island. We know from previous shows this year that we're about to be inundated with farming sims, and Coral Island - which is still in early access, but available to Game Pass subscribers - is one of the first salvoes. It is, like all farming sims, basically Harvest Moon (I think that should be the name of the genre at this point, like Soulslike or roguelike), but it's also pretty and charming in its own way.
EventNext GamesBeat Summit 2022
Join gaming leaders live October 25-26 in San Francisco to examine the next big opportunities within the gaming industry.
register hereWhat's New:
Contempt Dyson Sphere program NHL 23 PGA Tour 2K23 LEGO Brick Tales PC Building Simulator 2 Eville Dragon Ball: The Breakers Ozymandias: Bronze Age Empire Simulator Kamiwaza: The Way of the Thief The Last Oricru swamp paradise Asterigos: Curse of the Stars trifox Full of energy darkest tales Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime SpeedwayNew to subscription services:
Costume Quest (Xbox Game Pass) Coral is...What's Your Reaction?
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