slump
Latest
Business and gaming boost PC shipments for the first time since 2012
Supposing you've followed the PC's steady downward spiral over the last few years, the following news might surprise you: Between April and June worldwide PC shipments marked a 1.4 percent increase compared to the same timeframe last year. Market analysis firms Gartner and IDC agree that it's largely due to business customers upgrading to Windows 10 laptops, desktops and workstations. But the latter asserts that shipments totaled 62.3 million units (representing a 2.7 increase) while the former reports shipments jumped by 62.1 million units (a 1.4 percent increase). The biggest areas of growth? Premium models and entry-level machines.
The Summoner's Guidebook: Dealing with emotional stress in League of Legends
League of Legends is a frustrating game. As much as I portray myself as an unfeeling robot in the Summoner's Guidebook, I am not a paragon of precise execution and flawless decision-making. I've mentioned that I experience rage at my fellow players just as much as the next person. In fact, I probably get upset when I play more frequently than a typical player does. As many of you have probably noticed, I take League of Legends pretty seriously. I don't screw around or play oddball characters. I don't like the idea of "playing for fun," even though I like to have fun as much as the next person. Saying "I play for fun" is just an excuse to dodge responsibility for my failures, and I don't like to play that way. I like to think that my contribution in a game matters, and two to four other people are counting on me to play my best. Even though that responsibility is hard to carry sometimes, it's better to shoulder it than to mindlessly mash my face on the keyboard and expect a win. The problem is that sometimes it wears on me. I will frequently play only one game in a day if that one game ends up causing me a lot of frustration. It isn't about winning or losing; it's about dealing with the emotional frustration that comes from a game outside my control.
LG Display to post huge Q2 profits, LCD sales expected to slump in coming quarters
While we just heard last month that flat-panel sales would be spearheading 2008 consumer electronics growth, a new outlook has those very sales looking bleak for the remainder of the year. The news come amidst the expectation of LG Display to post profits for Q2 that "more than [triple] thanks to strong demand for TVs and tight supplies of PC panels." According to James Kim, an analyst at Lehman Brothers, "earnings have peaked in the second quarter," and while he asserts that "demand to replace TVs with flat-screen models is still there, fewer consumers are buying large-size TVs because of the weak economy." Still, sales of smaller sets are expected to steadily climb in emerging markets as the Beijing Olympics draw near, but it remains to be seen how large an impact those markets will have.[Via WidescreenReview]
When the MMO love affair wanes
Did you ever find yourself suddenly disenfranchised with the current state of games? What was once a beloved personal hobby and cornerstone of your social life suddenly seems shallow and empty. Tovin over at Allakhazam paused to reflect on her own MMO anomie. For her, the problem is that none of the games released in the last year or that being released in the next couple months really light that fire. She muses on the fact that players relegated to casual schedules still have to slap down that same monthly fee, whether they use the time or not. And when she does actually get a moment to dive into a virtual world, their design seems to discourage casual social interaction. What's a gamer to do?For my part, I think Tovin is just suffering from a gaming slump. I think we've all gone through it at some point; you look around you and just don't find anything of worth in the hobby that has engaged you for so long. Of course, in my experience, this is usually a reflection of one's own personal state of mind, and not the state of the industry. But in this case, I think Tovin might be onto something. It's rare these days to play a game that really encourages the social aspects of MMOs in gamers who can't go raiding or PvPing every night. Rare, but not impossible to find. Methinks Tovin would do well to look into Pirates of the Burning Sea, as it's the most social game I've seen in recent memory. Also, Pirates! Yarr!
Tobold looks back at WoW, wonders what's next
Tobold's MMORPG Blog is one of the most popular online gaming blogs in the series of tubes, but Tobold suggesting that he and a lot of other online gamers are in a "gaming slump." World of Warcraft transformed the industry and expanded the market by leaps and bounds, but its appeal might be winding down, Tobold said. He could be right. Blizzard has been reporting active player numbers as high as ever, but a big chunk of the numbers comes from the enormous Asian player base. North American and European players might be ready to move on.But what's next? Most games these days are WoW clones, and many of them haven't done as well as expected. Does the genre need a Battlestar Galactica-esque total reboot? If so, what will do it? The new Blizzard MMO, as Tobold suggests? The fabled KotoR MMO? The Elder Scrolls Online? What are your thoughts, dear readers?
