80.) Gaming Culture Today

79.) Are Video Games Linked to Violence?

78.) Microsoft Project xCloud

77.) How Ethical are Loot Boxes?

       Loot boxes, microtransactions, and pay-to-win mechanisms have come under mainstream scrutiny over the past year. Its crazy to watch Electronic Arts dispute loot boxes being linked to gambling. I was against microtransactions when I first witnessed the industry moving more towards games as a service model back at GDC Next 2013. Its crazy how its led to gambling mechanics in games marketed to or played by children. It looks bad on the gaming industry as it stands. As consumers, we can do so much more than vote with our wallets. I've been writing blog posts and sharing videos about these unethical business practices because its important to be vocal about these things. Now these mechanics are in games tailored towards kids whom are susceptible to spend money easily without fully being aware and misguided. It leads them down a dangerous path into addictive personalities all tilted by these loot box systems. 

76.) Why are Creators Abandoning YouTube?

       

       Back in 2017, YouTube no longer let creators earn money off its platform unless a creator's channel reaches 10,000 lifetime views [1]. YouTube, a platform initially built on the backs of independent creators is slapping creators in the face for content they upload. YouTube's policy is very strict, especially copyright issues. For example, it prohibits users to upload duplicate, explicit, third-party content without owner’s permission. YouTube’s love for corporate content leaving almost no wiggle room for creators. Check out the video by Angry Joe back in April this year. His video got claimed by SME for having 4 seconds of a song playing in the background! It's gotten so out of hand.

       The advertising shift caused major problems for major big YouTube creators like Philip DeFranco and PewDiePie; however merchandise such as hats and shirts for instance, has become their new main alternative source of income.  YouTube seemed to welcome the wonderfully weird, innovative, and earnest, instead of turning them away in favor of late-night show clips and music videos. It all comes back to demonetization which is a fancy way of describing censorship in a different light and watering it down. The copyright system is out of control for everybody, but the Anime Community on YouTube is taking the biggest hit of all.

       YouTube needs to cherish their biggest creators as legends and cherished assets to be placed in their hall of fame instead of vilifying them and shoveling their channels into a grave. I fell in love with YouTube because it became an incredible platform for teachers in education. Teachers and creators alike were no longer limited to the classroom to teach and could provide video tutorials of their subjects on YouTube free of charge. Many of my game development resources on my engine blog showcase entire tutorials and playlists from YouTube to help people jump-start their journey into creating games or game engines.


Are there YouTube alternatives? 

LBYR 

       Check out LBRY, a free-speech guaranteed, de-centralized, monetized and optimized viable alternative to YouTube.

       "After having learned my lesson the hard way, I have one piece of advice for creators posting content online: Own Your Data Don't put yourself at the mercy of YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, SoundCloud, Snapchat, Tumblr, Vine, Google+, MySpace, or any of these other third parties! Unlike the more established content sharing platforms, LBRY is free, open and decentralized. This has several benefits over the traditional closed and centralized platforms: Content creators on LBRY remain in ownership of their content. It’s a peer-to-peer platform with no middle man standing between the creator and their audience, and no single entity controls the entire network. It’s a fairer platform, there is no arbitrary algorithm that decides who gets exposure and who doesn’t. There are no ads which means subpar content will not get rewarded just because of clickbait titles and thumbnails. Instead, content is rewarded by the community through tips and purchases."

        ~Michael Hebo


Sources: 
1. https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-stops-creators-with-less-than-10000-views-from-making-money-2017-4

75.) No Man's Sky VR

74.) Massive Job Layoffs Have Hit The Video Game Industry

       This is Corporate greed at its finest! So Activision can afford to give newly appointed executives $15 million worth of awards as part of their welcoming party, but meanwhile employees are getting laid off and developers are being asked to cut costs. Its as if integrity is rare this day in age with major publishing companies. Nintendo serves as an inspiration by taking pay cuts so that their staff wouldn't suffer as a result of bad sales. To executives, it is always the fault of the workers, it's never their own poor vision or planning.

       This is pure selfish! Its such an inflated sense of self-worth taking that much money in compensation while hurting the lives of 800 people. The industry was doomed the moment it shifted its focus from pleasing the consumer to pleasing the investor. It blows my mind that players still support them and attempt to justify their purchases by saying its helping the developers. These companies want game developers and artists to work hard for them to make them money but in the end they're expendable and can be let go at a moment's notice. Is this what the gaming industry ultimately has become? This news was the last few months so I'm a bit behind. Here recently, EA laid off 350 employees to address their challenges. Its crazy how these employees have to suffer for the unethical business practices of these executives who are responsible for it.

       I might have to change the title of this blog to, "It's Hard Out Here for a Game Developer!!!"