Ah 2012, how I will remember you fondly, and not just for the wonderful games that were released over your twelve-month lifespan, but also for all of the exciting (and heartbreaking) news that took the industry by storm.
Over these next four days, we'll be looking at some of the biggest headlines of 2012. Please join me as we dive into four particular stories that make quite the splash earlier this year.
1. Assassin's Creed III Reveal Trailer Tomahawks A Red Coat
Do you remember the first few months of 2012? I'm willing to best most of you weren't all too excited at the thought of yet another Assassin's Creed game. However, that all changed when Ubisoft blew the lid off of the new setting that would be featured in their third proper installment. After hearing that the game would star a Native American during the time of the American Revolution and seeing that jaw-dropping reveal trailer with our own eyes, nearly everyone's feelings toward the franchise did a complete 180, causing the pangs of disappointment from Revelations to feel like a distant memory.
Assassin's Creed III's setting reveal made it readily evident to the industry that developers don't necessarily need a new IP to spur creativity. Not all franchises that are slowly growing stale need to be put to rest entirely, as many just require a fresh take and an exciting new concept.
2. Mass Effect 3's Ending Sucks, Sign Petition To Change It
Just about every gamer and their mother were flying high after playing Mass Effect 2. As such, it is easy to understand why anticipation was off the charts going into the third and final chapter in Commander Shepard's story. Bringing together all of the loose ends and tying them up into a unique and personalized conclusion that satisfied everyone was no easy feat, and in the eyes of many, BioWare failed. In fact, some were so disappointed that they started online petitions, filing complaints, and/or hurling insults. The ending to Mass Effect 3 quickly became the most talked-about gaming topic for weeks on end, with many "fans" demanding that the ending be changed.
While the outcry of fans was in and of itself a huge news topic, BioWare's response was perhaps even more astounding. In an effort to appease the incredibly vocal haters, the studio crafted a revised ending that provided additional exposition on how the story ends. It set a new precedent for the industry and quite possibly served as the tipping point which led to the departure of BioWare's co-founders.
3. PS4 Codenamed Orbis, First Details And Possible Specs
Sure, rumors of Microsoft's next-gen console (codenamed Durago) got quite a few gamers chatting, but the initial reports of Orbis took the hype for next-gen hardware and cranked it up to eleven. The initial rumor not only revealed that Sony was looking into using off-the-shelf parts from AMD, but also that the next PlayStation may feature some sort of anti-used game protection.
This reignited the industry-wide discussion on the sale of used games, its affect on publishers and developers, and the ramifications that come with destroying such a market. We've seen strategies like online passes, a whole mess of DRM efforts and other attempts to remedy the issue, but in the end, the community has made their opposition to such a move so apparent that Sony would be foolish to move forward with something that prohibited the play of used games.
4. Bioshock Infinite Delayed Into 2013
One of the year's most anticipated games was set to launch in October, but that quickly changed after Irrational Games revealed that BioShock Infinite would be pushed into 2013, leading many to fear that the game was in some serious development trouble. At the time, we didn't have a whole lot beyond a bunch of sequels to look forward to around the holiday season, which only made the news that much worse.
There's no doubt that this year has been a bit disappointing as far as big-name holiday releases go, and having BioShock among the mix would have certainly helped, but now that we know it's on track for a March 2013 release (delayed from a February release) and it looks absolutely amazing, the delay is far easier to swallow. That, however, doesn't change the fact that many months ago, the news of its delay was like a punch to the stomach.
