GTX 1650 still reigns supreme

The Steam hardware survey is a chance for both Valve and the general public to see exactly what PC gamers are playing at that particular time. It can reveal some pretty interest??ing results. For example, in the latest survey, it looks like Nvidia and AMD's new generation of graphical hardware are barely getting a look in.

You can check out June's results over on Steam (via PC Gamer). The GPU section in particular is intriguing, showing that over 90% of gamers are using DirectX 12 hardware. However, if you were curious to see where Nvidia's RTX 4000 series or AMD'??s? RX 7000 cards are, you'd think no one was buying any of them.

[caption id="attachment_390173" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Image via Tech Advisor.[/caption]

The most used video card, representing 5.67% of Steam users, is the GTX 1650, a GPU that's three years old at this point. The first instance of an RTX 4000 series is the laptop version of the 4060 at the 29th spot, with the 4070 Ti even further down. As for AMD's RDNA 3 technology, well that doesn't show up on the li?st at all. In fact, the first instance of Team Red is at the 14th position, with 2.01% of gamers utilizing just "Radeon Graphics".

Price alone could be a factor

It's a pretty good indication of where gamers stand when it comes to new hardware. While a few RTX 3000 cards are on the survey (with the 3060 being second), the fact that just a tiny percentage are using new-gen Nvidia cards is pretty telling. Gamers know just how expensive new equipment is, so it's perhaps not too surprising that just a fraction of pe??ople on Steam have an RTX 4000?? card.

Both AMD and Nvidia launched new GPUs in 2022, beginning the next era of graphics hardware (Intel also launched itself into the graphics card world, but we don't talk about that). After more than two years of uncertainty, than??ks to global tech shortages brought on largely by the pandemic, many were starting to see hardware become available again. However, if this Steam survey is anything to go by, plenty of people are happy to stick with older graphics cards for now.

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Luke & The Gang

??Capcom, a studio that is on something of a roll in recent years, is reaching out to the player community for a new user survey, asking questions about the fans' opinions on its recent and upcoming games and services.

The survey, which you can take right here, is open until Wednesday, March 22, and features questions mainly related to Capcom's upcoming releases. The sur??vey asks for your age and location, as well as the titles that you are looking forward to, as well as your spending habits in regard to sales and discounts. You do not need to input your email address or onli??ne identity. At the end of the survey, you can download the wallpaper featured in the header for PC and mobile in various resolutions.

Capcom �following on from the fallovers of Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite and the abominable Street Fighter V launch �has severely turned its fortunes around, releasing stellar games such as Monster Hunter: World, Devil May Cry V, Resident Evil Village, as well as great compilations including Capcom Arcade Stadium and Capcom Fighting Collection. With Resident Evil 4, Street Fighter 6, Exoprimal, and the mysterious Pragmata waiting in t??he wings, the long-time developer is looking to keep its success streak running in 2023 and beyond.

Capcom User Survey 2023 [Official]

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Are new Xbox Game Pass tiers in the works?

A new survey rolled out by Xbox suggests that the publisher may be entertaining the idea of cheaper, ad-based tiers for its hugely successful game streaming subscription service, Xbox Game Pass.

The survey, which was noted by the eagle-eyed video game fans over on Resetera, looks to garne??r interest in some hypothetical new versions of the subscription service. One example offered is "Xbo??x Game Pass Lite", which would offer access to the standard Game Pass library of new and classic games, but would play ads before each game launches, and would limit access to download only (so no streaming).

This suggested service would also include multiplayer access, with an example price of around five dollars. If such a service were to exist, it would almost?? certainly offer up more bang for your buck than the standard Xbox Live Gold scheme, and would likely be a successful tier for a lot of Xbox players yet to jump on the Game Pass bandwagon. Even having to sit through an ad before playing might not be enough to deter players from having access to a library of games, with multiplayer, for just a few bucks.

Of course, the advertising angle is the most eyebrow-raising part of this whole possibility. Is viewing one ad before you play a game super egregious? No, not really, if you have access to loads of great games for a small fee. But it's the thin-end-of-the-wedge element that is concerning. Ideas such as in-game advertising rear their heads frequently, usually to be beaten back by understandably irritated players, but these ideas always return, slowly chipping away at the playerbase in small increments, until they become commonpla?ce without the people even realizing.

Regardless, this whole "Xbox Game Pass Lite tier" has not even been confirmed �with the publisher clearly?? gathering feedback before it makes any decision on whether or not to add new options ?to its streaming service. There are both positives and negatives to this hypothetical situation. But, for now, we'll just have to wait and see what 2023 brings for the increasingly common medium of subscription services.

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The company tries to cool concerns about $45 Overwatch 2 skins

A survey making the rounds in Overwatch circles ??has caused quite a commotion over the seq??uel's monetization plans. But Blizzard Entertainment has issued a statement saying the survey is "not indicative" of the final product.

The Overwatch 2 survey, as shared on social media by Twitter user Portergauge, asks some questions about various tiers of skin prices for Overwatch 2. It asks about Legendary skins, priced out at $24.99 or bundled with more cosmetics for more cash, and ?"Mythic" skins, priced at $44.99.

These supposed $45 skins caused some commotion. Overwatch 2 is moving towards a loot box-less model, and that will mean some different monetization, as the multiplayer is going free-to-play.

Right now though, Blizz??ard is saying that survey isn't pointing towards any final monetization plans. In a statement to IGN, a Blizzard spokesperson says:

"This survey is entirely intended to better understand player preferences for different types of Overwatch 2 cosmetics. Prices displayed in the survey were randomized per user and ar??e not indicative of final pricing. We plan to share details on our Shop and Battle Pass system closer to our Oct. 4 launch."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aB-H8QFXA0

Skin in the game

So while the prices have been randomized, they have instilled some worry over the price of cosmetics to come. At the very least, this might dampen some concerns that Overwatch skins will be skyrocketing in price.

Still, expensive skins are not as rare as they used to be in free-to-play games. Several popular free-to-play games, like Valorant, Dota 2, Pokemon Unite, and League of Legends all have cosmetics that cost $20 or more. And rare cosmetics have gone for hefty sums on the Steam marketplace.

As Blizzard's statement notes, the studio hasn't really outlined what its Battle Pass or eventual Shop overhaul will look like. While October is still a ways away, it will be interesting to see what Overwatch 2 looks like without the price tag and loot boxes.

Overwatch 2 launches?? into free-to-play multiplayer on Oc??????????????????????????tober 4.

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What types of coverage should we focus on?

Hey, everyone. While we're always taking in feedback expressed across comments,? Qtoid, an?d other areas of Destructoid, I frankly can't remember the last time we conducted a full-on reader survey �and that's not just my shoddy memory to blame. It's definitely time.

For this particular reader survey, we're primarily asking about coverage we're currently doing that we could lean into more, coverage we aren't really doing that you'd like to see show up, and some fun what-ifs??. The survey?? will help inform our priorities going forward.

On behalf of the editorial team, and our parent company, Enthusiast Gaming, we'd ??love to have a moment of your day to hear your thoughts ab??out the site. It should be quick.

Sco??re better or worse than you thought you would? Got your own sexual Nintendo trivia to share? Let us know in the comments. 

The post How well do you know the sexual side of Nintendo? appeared first on Destructoid.

You will see it coming

Fans awaiting a western localisation announcement for Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers will be pleased to hear that it's apparently at the forefront of Atlus' minds. A new survey, directed at Persona 5 Royal players, features a question asking f??ans if they'd have any interest in said localisation, which feels surprisingly rhetori??cal.

Already available on PS4 and Nintendo Switch in Japan, Persona 5 Scramble sees The Phantom Thieves go on a cross-country jaunt through Japan, stopping off at various cities to right wrongs and steal hearts. Persona 5 Scramble takes a more action-oriented approach over Persona 5 JRPG stylings, as Joker and the gang physical??ly carve their way through hordes of shadows and boss characters, en route to battle with sh??ady elitist types.

Despite the presence of this survey question, I think a localisation has always been an inevitability. Persona 5 was an absolute smash hit in North America and Europe, leading to titles such as Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth and a triple-whammy of Persona Dancing releases. While Persona 5 Royal did not exactly set sales ablaze in Japan, (and may thus turn out to be even less successful overseas), I still think its a safe bet to suggest we'll be seeing Persona 5 Scramble on these shores in the future.

Persona 5 Royal is out now on PS4. Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers is available in Japan on PS4 and Nintendo Switch. A demo is available now on the Japanese PSN store and eShop.

Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers surv?ey ques??tion [Persona Central]

The post Persona 5 Scramble survey hints at localisation plan?s appeared first on Destructoid.

When banging on about it for years isn't enough

Publisher Atlus has released its annual customer survey in its home territory of Japan, which this year includes a new ??and tantalising question specifically asking which Atlus releases fans would like to see ported to the Switch platform.

The survey question... in question... asks the reader which releases would garner public interest, should they hypothetically receive a straight port (with no new or additional content) to Nintendo's console. The checklist includes a run of Shin Megami Tensei titles - including Personas 1-5 and Persona Q - the Etrian Odyssey series, Catherine: Full Body, Devil Summoner, and Dragon's Crown Pro.

Now, this could easily just be generic stat-gathering - the existence of a survey doesn't guarantee we'll see any of these ports come to fruition. But similar surveys from Sega lead to ports and localisations of titles such as Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise and Yakuza Kiwami. Given fans have been clamouring for a Switch port of the Persona series ??for a long time now, here's hoping that Atlus will finally listen to the people.

Atlus wants to know if you'd like Persona, Etrian O?dyssey on Switch [NintendoLife]

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Give us your feedback on the show

A little over a year ago today, Podtoid returned. After going on break back in 2017, the show relaunched w?ith a new format and a new set of hosts ready to talk about video games. I was lucky to find talented cohorts in Occams, Dan, and Chris, and the cast was fully rounded out when Charlotte joined a few weeks later. It's been a lot of hard work putting this show together, and now that we're on hiatus for the winter holiday, I wanted to take a moment to look back at this past year and toward the future.

One of the things we want to do in 2020 is grow. Podtoid doesn't have the listener numbers it once did,?? back when more famous names were attached to the program. While we may never obtain a subscriber count that high again (we know the score), I believe we can do better than what we're doing now. So I want to hear your thoughts on this curr??ent version of Podtoid. If we're doing something wrong or doing some really right, please let us know so we can continue to shape this show.

I obviously can't promise we'll be able to implement every suggestion we receive, but knowing what the audience wants will hopefully help steer us in the right direction for 2020. Please take the survey below anytime between now and December 29 at 11:00 pm PST to make sure your voice is heard.

The post Help make Podtoid better in 202??0 by taking this surv??ey appeared first on Destructoid.

In the name of the lore

Japanese gaming journal Famitsu are asking for fan feedback for English language editions of their Persona 5 "Mementos" fan-books. A new survey wants to hear about your experience with the game, as well as your thoughts on ?its cast of lovable characters and Goro A??kechi.

The first volume of the series is already available in Japan, containing the answers to community questions such as "How did Ann and Shiho first meet?" accompanied by delightful new artwork. Each volume will cover a chronological time-frame of the Persona 5 calendar, with Volume 2 looking at the second and third pa?laces, along with the official formation o??f The Phantom Thieves.

If you'd like to throw your own thoughts and questions into the hat, then check out the survey right here. This is the perfect opportunity for me to learn all about nobody's Best Girl but mine, Ichiko Ohya, while also finding out why the owner of the DVD library never charges you late fees. Persona 5 is available now on PS4. An updated edition, Persona 5 The Royal, will launch in Japan later this year.

Famitsu wants to hear from English-speaking Persona 5 fans [Siliconera / Famitsu]

The post Famitsu wants to hear your Persona 5 memories for fan book ser?ies appeared first on Destructoid.

Give 'em that Virtua Fighter 6 hint they just aren't taking

Legendary video game developer Sega is asking fans across America for their opinions on some of the company's p??opular games and franchises. A new survey has been drawn up to gather voxpops and ?information to help shape the direction of future projects.

The survey, which takes about 10 minutes to complete, includes questions regarding the future of brands such as Yakuza, Super Monkey Ball, Bayonetta, Valkyria Chronicles, Phantasy Star and, of course, Sonic the Hedgehog. Entrants can also enter sweepstakes to win a Sega Online gift card, which you can't spend on Virtua Fighter 6 as it doesn't exist.

Your opinion will be gathered on a huge array of franchises, including titles such as Altered Beast, Virtua Tennis, Gunstar Heroes, Crazy Taxi and other distant memories, but no Space Channel 5. Outrageous. You can take the survey right here. Entering your state of residence is mandatory so don't you lie and just pretend you come from America, right?

Sega Player Survey [Official]

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Did X "give it to you", LIKE IN THAT SONG?

Well, Resident Evil 2. Tha??t was certainly a long-awaited remake that ultimately delivered on its fans' hopes and nightmares. At least I think it did, that appears to be the word on the street at any rate, and I'm the hip guy to go to when you wanna what?? what all the kidz are down with.

Still, THE MAN at Capcom isn't entirely sure what you made of it, despite the fact that you threw a fortune their way, and has thus released a questionnaire to gather fan feedback on the survival horror title. Obviously the que?stions cover topics such as platform and demograph, along with your views on the game's aesthetics, controls and scare factor.

No doubt the correlated feedback will be used to gather intel on future projects, such as DLC or the now seemingly inevitable remake of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. So if you don't mind giving up your thoughts, alongside some personal information, then you can find the survey right here.

Resident Evil 2 is available now on PS4, PC and Xbox One.

The post Capcom wants to know wh??at you think of ??Resident Evil 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

The same can't be said for film, though

According to a recent survey by childcare.co.uk, 86 percent of parents in the United Kingdom allow their kids to play games that are mature-rated w??ithout any sort of supervision and wit?hout knowledge of the games' content. The sample group consisted of 2,171 parents, 72 percent of which (1,563) were mothers.

However, these same parents are much more discerning about film. When asked similar questions about cinema, only 23 percent of them admitted to not fol??lowing guidelines about mature-rated movies. A mere 18 percent said they'd let their child watch an 18+ movie.

Some of these parents associate changes to their ?kids with these adult-aimed video games. 43 percent claim their child's behavior has turned more neg??ative as a result; 22 percent say these games have caused their child to start using offensive language.

The ?takeaway? The UK is a lawless place and we were right to secede.

Okay, the real takeaway? It feels short-sighted to pin undesirable traits as a consequence of video games. Kids are inf??luenced by everything in their environment -- their friends, the school yard, how their parents behave, ??the media they consume, etc. Of course video games are a part of that. They aren't the only part though.

But yeah, parents cou??ld probably stand to be more informed about the games their kids play. That's a sentiment that doesn't just apply to the UK.

Half of parents allow young kid?s to play 18?+ games unsupervised [Childcare.co.uk]

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Question: What is a Man?

The beat goes on in studio Koji Igarashi, as his team sink their fans into the development of not-Castlevania-but-it-is-really adventure title Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. A new survey has been released to garner fan feedbac??k on the game's Kickstarter, social media skills, and future DLC options.

The survey is less about what you want in the game itself, more about the marketing and post-r??elease of the hotly-anticipated title. The questions pertain to topics such as news announcements, backer goals, developer communication and the any? future DLC plans.

You can include your own thoughts on such matters by filling in the survey right here. It's certainly been a long road for Bloodstained, ?but now the moon is fat and the end is nigh, with the game scheduled for releas??e this year on PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night fan survey [Official]

The post Fan survey wants your input on Blo??odstained: Rit??ual of the Night appeared first on Destructoid.

You have already voted

[Update: It appears that the Hokuto ga Gotoku survey question has bee??n pulled as the team rece?ived an adequate sample size. So, here's hop??ing we get that localisation announcemen??t real soon, right]

Today is a good day to be a fan of the Yakuza series. The delayed Yakuza 6: The Song of Life finally releases internationally, with Yakuza Kiwami 2 to follow later this year. However, it's been hard to overlook the elephant in the room, which is the absence of news about Hokuto ga Gotoku, the Yakuza team's upcoming game based on the legendary Fist of the North Star series.

As players have been starting up their brand new copies of Yakuza 6, they've been discovering a new survey that has come with the game, which ends on a question we all know the answer to: Are you interested in Fist of the North Star?

It's become clear, given that the subject has featured in multiple surveys, that it is still possible for Hokuto ga Gotoku to remain solely in Japan. To quote the survey itself: "While no localization has been announced at this time, how interested are you in the Fist of the North Star game created by the developers of Yakuza?" Fans can then answer on a five point scale, wi??th "Would not buy it" being the lowest and "Day one! I would pre-order it!" being the highest.

At this point, it can't be a matter of how well Yakuza titles sell, as we've had Kiwami 2 confirmed since the last survey. It has to be a concern over how well those sales will translate to another franchise, as not every Yakuza fan will necessarily buy Hokuto ga Gotoku. Sega will also have to take into account the expense of translating the game and having to deal with the license on an international scale. Anime and manga li?censes aren't necessarily cheap to deal with, just look at Namco's shaky release history with its own licensed titles for proof.

Luckily, the link to the survey has been found, and you can take the survey yourself here. Be warned, however, that it is written with the assumption that you have purchased Yakuza 6. Regardless of whether you own a PlayStation 4 or not, if you like Fist of the North Star, or are a fan of the Yakuza series, just vote to help get this game out of Japan so, at the very least, fans of Fist of the North Star can have a good game to look forward to.

The post (Update??)?? Interested in Fist of the North Star? Yakuza 6 wants to know appeared first on Destructoid.

Vote on it!

Were you excited by the announcement of Yakuza: Kiwami 2 and that sick-looking Fist of the North Star game on August 26? Do you know someone who was interested in them? Are you looking for a way to express interest to Sega that you would throw money at them for those games besides screaming on social media and buying a dozen copies of Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza 6?

Well luckily for you, Sega has the answer in the fo??rm of a four-question survey.

The survey is extremely simple compared to many others of its kind. It's just four questions, and no personal information is required. The questions ask if you had heard of any of the three games involved before taking the survey, and individual questions for how interested you are in Yakuza: Kiwami 2, Yakuza Online, and Hokuto ga Gotoku. You can see the exact contents of the survey below.

Remember, if you, or someone you know, is interested in these games, vote on the survey. The survey is for Sega to judge how much interest there is before localizing them. Everyone wins by getting more games out of Japan, and it potentially encourages Sega to take more risks down the road. Hell, when was the last time we had a decent Fist of the North Star game? It takes next to no time to vote, so if you have any interest at all, o??r want to help bring the games over for?? someone else, show your support. It's also not clear when the survey ends so get your votes in as soon as possible.

You can find the survey here.

The post Sega hosting survey in order to gauge interest? about Yakuza: Kiwami 2, Fist of the North Star appeared first on Destructoid.

Complain that it isn't called '7ekken'

The long-awaited Tekken 7 has been available in the West for nigh-on thre??e months now. I think it's great. Do you?

Well, don't tell me, tell Bandai-Namco, as they have released a survey asking for pe??ople's opinions, impressions and suggestions for the 3D fighter. The survey covers a myriad of topics, good points and bad, including online play, DLC, the pro-tour and much more. It's surprisingly thorough.

Whilst there are no guarantees this information will lead to Lucky Chloe getting mad buffs, or the return of Tekken Force, it's nice to have the opportunity to put such requests in, and to know that the company is taking an interest in?? the ?fan's opinions.

Tekken 7 has been a real success thus far, and I'm sure Bandai-Namco realise this. It makes sense for them to try and keep the fanbase satisfied going forward. If you wish to participate, you can find the survey at the link below. It takes about five?? to ten minutes to complete.

Don't forget... Lucky Chloe... S-Tier.

Tekken 7 Survey [Research.net]

The post You can tell Namco what you think about Tekken 7 appeared first on Destructoid.

Spoilers

In the latest update, Final Fantasy XV poses a survey to players asking what so??rt of DLC they'd like to see in the future, allowing just a single vote. Don't view ?the image below if you want to avoid story spoilers. Choices include a hard difficulty mode, "new stat-changing magic," new story content, and new playable characters. Story content options including exploring Ardyn's past, the line of Lucis, and Lunafreya's activities. The choices for playable characters are Cor, Aranea, Iris, Lunafreya, and Gentiana.

I'm unsure if Square Enix plans to release all of this eventually and are simply asking what they should do next, or if it's just going to do the most popular choice(s??). If all of it is released at some point then I suppose I really won't be starting this game for another couple years. On the other hand, if only the most popular selections are added it will feel somewhat disappointing to not see the other options realized.

In any case, its an interesting choice to ask fans directly what they'd want rather than make an in-house decision based on what should be added. I haven't played the game yet so I can't make a choice more specific than "all of the above p?lease."

Final Fantasy XV?'s New Survey Asks for Story Content Suggestion ~ Update 1.10 [All Games Delta]

The post Final Fantasy XV survey has you voting on ??future content in?cluding playable characters appeared first on Destructoid.

Can't catch the stinky tofu man

An update is coming to Final Fantasy XV tomorrow, May 24. It will fix various bugs, including one that crashes the game on the Timed Quest rankings screen; add the winning photo of the snapshot contest to the front of the Hammerhead restaurant; a??nd provide a survey on the title menu about future updates. The most important addition is, of course, Ignis's new mellow-flavored Stinky Tofu, thanks to the results of a Taiwanese survey.

Additionally, a "Jumper" outfit for Noctis will be availab?le for download on May 30th. It's got a weird rendition of a Behemoth on the back of a black leather jacket. Cool?

I'm kind of surprised they are continuing to support this game. After the final two episodes (Prompto and Ignis) and Comrades DLC come out, it may be time to move on to new projects. It's a nice notion to continue supp??orting a game so long after release, but it's punishing people who buy and play early. I've come this far without playing; I can wait longer until all the DLC is available.

Updates [Square Enix]

The post Latest Final Fantasy XV update includ?es sti?nky tofu and a survey appeared first on Destructoid.

Greenberg 'surprised' it in was included in a recent survey

When Microsoft issued a recent customer survey inviting our thoughts on a digital trade-in deal, we responded by getting pr??etty bloody excite??d about it.

Turns out our excitement was a tad premature. Responding to comments on Twitter, Head of Xbox Games Marketing Aaron Greenberg admitted surprised that it had even been asked in the survey, adding the compa??ny was nowhere near “actively planning” such a service.

Of course, surveys sometimes do lead to changes - just looks at Sony’s efforts to introd??uce Offline status and? friend online notifications following recent user feedback. LOL.

Happy [Good] Friday! <3

Xbox 10% digital trade-in survey was just “exploratory”?? – Microsoft [VG24/7]

The post Microsoft not ‘actively planning’ digital trade-in service appeared first on Destructoid.

You decide! Well. Ish.

SEGA wants you to help it make better games.

In an online survey, the publisher and developer has invited fans to shap?e how SEGA works in the future. 

We’d like to learn more about our players,” states the survey. “Your feedback will help us make bette??r games.

After inquiring what game systems you’ve used in the past and present, the survey seems to focus upon your thought about mobile gaming with questions like “What is the likelihood you’d download a SEGA mobile game in the future?&r?dquo; (Slim-to-none in my own case I’m afraid, guys).

Once you’ve completed the survey, come b?ack here for a?? chat. I’d love to know how many of you have used a Commodore 64 or SNES to game in the last 90 days…

The post What should SEGA do next? appeared first on Destructoid.

Bethesda, Ubisoft, and more to join in?

It looks like EA might be looking to ??expand EA Access (its subscription service on Xbox One that gives access to a whole host of EA games) to PC, and to include other publishers, if a survey sent out by market research company Chadwick M?artin Bailey is to be believed.

PCGamesN has reported about the survey, which asks participants about an “all-you-can-play video game subscription service on your PC”, and what sort of plan they would be most likely to pay?? for. The publishers involved in this hypothetical service include Bethesda, Take-Two, Ubisoft, Activision, and of course EA.

The survey then continues with a tidal wave of different plans, each with a different combination of how soon after launch a game is added, how many games are available each month, which publishers are involved, monthly costs, and a whole load of othe??r factors.

The survey is huge and repetitive, so it’s the description at the beginning which is the most interesting thing (you can see the whole survey in this Imgur album if you're curious what eight identical slides looks like). You ca??n see the survey's description in the gallery below.

Is EA planning on bringing EA Access to PC, and is it going to let other publishers join? Is it even still ??going to be called EA Access once it&?rsquo;s officially announced?

I think the selection of games listed shows this project is a bit further along than EA is letting on. Most are either frequently discounted, or aren't the newest versions in their respective IPs (Borderlands is missing The Pre-Sequel, and Call of Duty is missing anything beyond Black Ops II, for example.)

It sounds like a realistic and informed planned list of games, rather than the best case scenario EA woul?d obviously be hoping for, so if we do hear anything, I think?? it'll be soon.

We’ve asked EA?? for? a comment, and will update should we get one.

Would you pay for a Netflix-for-games on PC?

Are EA making Netflix for ??games? Fan survey hints at 'all you can eat' service featuring Bethesda, Ubisoft, Act??ivision titles [PCGamesN]

The post EA is asking about?? an EA Access-style service for PC, with other publishers involved appeared first on Destructoid.

They eat their young and grow antlers

Streamers are a bit of a strange lot, with their "Kappas", raidings, and being sociable to strangers… I don’t really get it, and I've streamed for years.  However, their mysterious world may have just been opened up, as Ted Lee from LogicHole has carried out a survey all about streaming and it&rs?quo;s pre??tty interesting stuff.

T?he key things to take away from Lee’s research is that there are three ‘stages’ of Streamer, each with their own ??challenges and hurdles to face while regularly streaming:

• New streamers tend to fight with their own technology – software, cameras, hardware etc. are all big hurdles to actually getting started. However, the aim of the game for new streamers is more to find friends and like-minded people rather than going in to it with the aim of it becoming a career or a big part of their life. Oh the innocence of youth, like a flower yet to bloom it gracefully fucks around with XSplit for half an hour.
• While the technological problems have more or less been ironed out, the ‘Adolescent streamer’ is like a moody teenager or an episode of Skins. They begin to face a lot of self-doubt and longing for a community, rather than simply doing it for the fun like newer streamers do.
• And now we’ve got the bitter, battle-hardened, gruff streamers sat in a dark corner of the bar: the ‘mature streamer’. Mature streamers are very much business and status: the business opportunities gained through streaming, and their standing within communities they longed for during the adolescent phase, have become big, important things in their streaming life.

Honestly I’m simplifying the results a lot, because there are some huge, data-filled write-ups about the survey. It’s definitely interesting to see just how this part of gaming, which is being seen ??more and more as ‘the future’, affects people over time.

More importantly though, soon we may learn the secrets behind the streamers’ power. We may finally devise a way to hold off against them until morning comes once again. And it will come soon, it must do. It’s been months. Hush, my children. Don’t listen to the scratching. It’s the streamers trying to get in again. Kappa, my darlings. Kappa. 

Disclosure: I took part in the survey, so I had a tiny i??mpact on how the ?final data looks.

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The average player is older than Jesus

The Entertainment Software Association has released its yearly findings charting gaming in America through surveys of 4,000 American households. 155 million people in America reportedly play games. That's close to 50% of the country (though, bizarrely, less than last year's report of 59% of Americans playing games), wit?h 42% playing at least three hours per week.

Men and women are fairly evenly represented as far as playing and frequently purchasing games. The aver?age age of women who game frequently is higher than men (43 to 35), contributing to the fact that, "Women 18 years or older represent a si??gnificantly greater portion of the game-playing population than boys 18 years old or younger." The average player is 35 years old with 26% of players coming in at under 18, 27% over 50.

A heart warming stat is that just over half of frequent players play multiplayer games weekly and say that the hobby, "help[s] them connect with friends" and "enable[s] them ?spend time with family." The majority of parents (60%) whose kids game play games with their kids weekly as well.

Oh, and we spent $22.41 billion on games (including "hardware and accessories") in 2014. Of that, 52% comes from digital sales, compared to 29% in 2010.

More Than 150 Mil??lion Americans Play Vid?eo Games [ESA]

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Just more Rock Band, to be honest

The Rock Band franchise has shown promising signs of revitalization lately. Earlier this week, there was the surprise announcement of a trio of fresh downloadable tracks. Now, Harmonix has posted a survey throwing all sorts of hypotheticals at players that probably just want more Rock Band.

The questionnaire started off by asking what sort of familiarity people had with past entries in the series, and what their primary mindset was when playing. Looking more forward, the survey asked that the following be ranked by order of importance: weekly DLC, compatibility of hardware, campaign mode, variety of venues, in-game events, local multiplayer, online multiplayer, large library of songs, Pro instruments and lessons, compatibility of existing DLC, ??cha??racter customization, and competitive leaderboards.

Perhaps the most interesting of those dozen choices was the recipient of its own question: "Assuming that it would have compatibility with existing hardware, which version of a new Rock Band experience would you prefer to receive?" Harmonix might have a difficult time convincing its audience to buy ?a new roun?d of plastic instruments. But, if that barrier to entry's removed, well, that's one good reason for the band to get back together.

Rock Band [Survey Monkey]

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Even more than their own hypothetical company

The Independent Game Developers Association surveyed over 2,200 developers on where they'd like to work, with Valve winning out. Even over working for themselves. M?aybe they wouldn't have liked their boss. Or just want good pay, stability and healthcare. Why else would Activision be number three?

But Valve has always seemed like a cool place to work. That's why it was surprising when a number of people jumped over to Oculus this year. That Facebook money. 

Full list:

1. Valve
2. My own company 
3. Activision 
4. Blizzard 
5. BioWare 
6. Ubisoft 
7. Current employer 
8. Nintendo 
9. Naughty Dog 
10. Double Fine 
11. Bethesda Game Studios

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On either current or legacy consoles

It's been a few number of years since Harmonix last implored us to flood our living rooms with plastic instruments in the spirit of faux-rock stardom, but the music games developer is gauging interest in a return to form. Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos has hinted in the past that the company's actively considering a new Rock Band title; now, it's asking for direct input from fans??.

In a short survey, Harmonix asks players how invested they still are in the series, and how likely they'd be to join in on a reunion tour. Apart from wanting to know how often fans play Rock Band&nbsp;games, buy DLC, and what peripherals they have, the survey also asks for interest in a new title in the franchise on current or legacy con??sol?es.

While many would love to see a continuation of Rock Band, it's likely not the number one priority right now for Harmonix. It's currently managing at least three other projects, including Fantasia: Music Evolved, Dance Central Spotlight, and Kickstarter success story Amplitude.

Rock Band Survey [Survey Monkey]

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