STOVE

hello!
Thanks to the holidays, a short but fun week is coming to an end haha Thanks to the presidential election, we have another fun holiday in the first week of June, so let's all cheer up!
What kind of news did the gaming industry create without resting during this holiday? Let’s find out with Gamezzakshik!
🕹️ [Console News of the Week] Even MS! Prices for Xbox and Accessories Increase Across the Board 🚗 [Great Car Theft of the Week] GTA6, Release Delay, Gives Pain, Trailer Release 📊 [Game Odds of the Week] What is a AAA game? 🤣 [Game Humor of the Week] Japanese government admits, “BLACKPINK is not a game.” 😶‍🌫️ [Steam Recap of the Week] 🔞 World Adult Gaming Expo 2025 Begins! 👨‍⚖️ [Games and Law of the Week] Falworld Apologizes for “Disappointing” Game Changes to Bypass Nintendo Patents 🔊 [Game News of the Week] Short but important industry news
The title is on a blue background , so you can quickly find only the news you are interested in ^^
🕹️ [Console News of the Week] Even MS! Prices for Xbox and Accessories Increase Across the Board
Sony's PlayStation, PS Plus and game title price hikes, It seems like it wasn't long ago that we heard the shocking news of Mario Kart ($110) and Donkey Kong Bananas ($100). As expected, precedent is scary. Even Microsoft has announced that it will be raising the prices of Xbox consoles and various accessories worldwide starting May 1st.
MS announced that the price increase was a 'careful decision made in consideration of market conditions and rising development costs.' We know that these changes are challenging and will be met with resistance, but we want to provide a way for people to play more games on more screens in the future. We will ensure value for Xbox players,” he added.
All products are increased by at least $80. It is essentially a price adjustment at the generational level . Of course, “the price goes up without any increase in performance.”
PC users aren't entirely immune from the impact of these price increases, either.
Even without an Xbox , the Xbox controller, which is popular as a PC controller due to its unique comfortable grip and compatibility, is also increasing in price . The regular edition will cost $10 more, while the Elite controller will cost up to $25 more .
Xbox Wireless Controller: Originally $74.99 → $84.99
Xbox Wireless Controller Special Edition: Originally $89.99 → $99.99
Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 Core: Originally $159.99 → $184.99
Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2: Originally $229.99 → $249.99
It might be hard to find a stove controller gift;;
In North America only, the Xbox Wireless Headset and Xbox Stereo Headset will also be priced higher.
Xbox Stereo Headset: $64.99
Xbox Wireless Headset: $119.99
It doesn't stop there, first-party Xbox games releasing over the holiday season are also expected to see a price increase . The price of the existing full-price games ($69.99) has increased by another $10. Coupled with the strength of the dollar, it seems likely that we will soon see games priced at over 100,000 won for the full game alone .
The era of the basic game edition costing 100,000 won has arrived. In fact, it is already a price that is not lacking in being called the 100,000 won era.
🚗 [Great Car Theft of the Week] GTA6, giving you a bottle of smoke and a drug with a trailer
▷ GTA6 will be released next year…
GTA6, which was originally scheduled to be released this fall, has been postponed to May 26, 2026 due to lack of completion, and its release date has been confirmed .
This is disappointing news for gamers who have been waiting for GTA6, but the gaming industry has breathed a sigh of relief.
Historically, GTA developer Take Two has been infamous for its “crunch mode” – working extremely hard to meet deadlines on projects . Because of this, there has been a past where I have often been criticized and pointed out, and I have even promised to fix this.
Hopefully this performance will break the crunch mode habit while still maintaining the right balance of quality .
Meanwhile, when Borderlands 4's Randy Pitchfork said, "Our release date has nothing to do with GTA6," it was surprising. Now that I look at it, there are reactions like, 'Didn't he know that he was going to be the only one acting?'
Some people even say, “Goal update: Survive until 2026!”, talking about the goal of a happy life while waiting for the anticipated work .
Meanwhile, with GTA6, which had reserved all seats for GOTY this year, out, there were also messages of anticipation for a series of release dates for games that had not been announced or had their release dates delayed.
▷ GTA6 turns all public opinion upside down with the release of the second trailer
On a meaningless Tuesday, the second trailer for GTA6 was released without warning and turned the gaming industry upside down. It's approaching 100 million views in just three days since its release, making it "the fastest-growing video in YouTube history" excluding music videos . As if it weren't just a video that piqued curiosity, it's receiving a lot of attention, with 5.34 million likes and over 450,000 comments.
The official Guinness Book account also commented, “We are paying close attention to the viewer counter,” which received 180,000 likes.
This video, which was uploaded the day after the trailer for Squid Game Season 3, rose to the second place in the most popular videos, easily beating out Squid Game.
Experts in the gaming industry also analyzed the trailer for GTA6 and wrote articles focusing on the game's details and various effects. Even game objects that can be easily overlooked have etching effects, wrinkles on a collar, and the ripples in a bottle of beer. He praised it for its numerous details, saying it took graphics to a “new level” and that “only GTA VI could do it.”
The public opinion that was disappointed with the delay changed to “a happy wait until next year” in an instant .
▷ GOTY candidates for the first half of the year are starting to get attention, but what are the prices of these games?
With GTA6, which had been a clear frontrunner for GOTY, out, other candidates that had been 'overshadowed' have begun to receive the spotlight .
It has been said that games released in the first half of the year, even if they received good reviews from critics or for their completeness, would not win the Game of the Year (GOTY) award. Because GTA6 was booking all the award spots. That's why I gave it a roundabout compliment, saying, "If it weren't for GTA6, it would have been the GOTY winner!"
But with GTA6 being delayed until next year, the GOTY race among these candidates is heating up again.
“Split Fiction”, which shows the essence and new peak of cooperative games (91 points) “Blue Prince” (92 points) is a fresh and challenging fusion of 3D puzzles and roguelikes. And “Claire Obscur: Expedition 33” (92 points) received rave reviews in terms of visuals, music, and gameplay, and was even praised by the President of France.
In particular, other game companies have either kept their release dates secret or postponed them to avoid competition with GTA6. Games that have confidently taken a gamble with their gameplay are once again receiving attention. This year's GOTY is expected to be a fun one.
And there is one more thing that these people who received attention have in common: These games all had one thing in common: “They are not full-price games, and they are games developed by small developers.”
Split Fiction, which costs $49.99, is different from other multiplayer games in that if one person buys it, the other person can play for free with a friend pass. Blue Prince followed the average indie game pricing policy of $29.99. Claire Obscure: Expedition 33 launched at a price of $49.99, but the game's quality rivals that of many AAA titles.
This sends a very important message to the industry.
AAA budget games that do not take on new challenges but instead repeat proven methods and pay for “content expansion rather than innovation” continue to fail or lose money. However, games that offer “new experiences” by small teams with small budgets and challenges are giving much better returns on their investment.
In particular, these games are games that embody the philosophy of development, which is to “clearly focus on what they are trying to do.”
A typical example of a well-made game that was overpriced and received a bad review is “Samurai Maiden.”
Also, we can't leave out talking about price.
Just because the prices of the above games are more expensive than they are now, it doesn't mean that the essence of the games has changed. When prices go up, people want “something new that is worth the price increase.”
However, current full-price games do not provide such new value, and simply pass on the burden of increased prices through increased development costs to users.
In fact, on Steam, among the “games that are no longer being updated”, the more time passes = the greater the discount, You often come across games whose ratings recover or rise. We expect something proportional to the price, and the lower the price, the lower our expectations tend to be.

In that respect, you could say that the above games "gave us more than our price tag."

It may just be a coincidence that all the games that received a rating of 90 or higher over the past 25 years are priced under $50.
However, Clop 33 popped the champagne to celebrate selling 1 million copies . Dragon Age: Veilguard has been declared a failure after selling 1 million copies .
The post “I will never pay $80 for a game unless it is more fun or richer than these games!” has 37,000 likes.
📊 [Game Odds of the Week] What is a AAA game?
▷ A word derived from credit ratings in the financial field

The term “AAA game”, which is often used in the gaming industry, is surprisingly a term that has no official definition .

The terms are used interchangeably with a variety of meanings, such as masterpiece, large publisher, technological prowess, and popularity, but the criteria are not clear.

One thing that is clear is that the term comes from the credit rating in the financial sector (AAA) .

In the 1990s, as the game industry was reorganized around capital, the expression “making a AAA-level game” began to appear among developers and marketing professionals.

At that time , AAA was used to mean “a high-budget project that uses the latest technology and is reliable and has a high chance of success.”

Since 2007, it has been widely used as a general term in marketing for Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty, declaring it a "AAA game!"
The expression “AAA game” originated from the symbolic meaning that “this game is a high-quality product that is stable and reliable, like AAA-rated bonds.”
With the failure of AAA games like Anthem, Babylon's Fall, and Concord, the word 'credibility' is starting to fall away.
▷ Failure of AAA-level games and the changing meaning
In finance, AAA is not just a rating; it signifies high investment reliability and return potential .
In the early days of the gaming industry, AAA was used as an image of “the most likely and reliable game to succeed.”
For gamers, it was a symbol of trust that said, “You won’t lose money if you trust and buy.”
However, this formula did not last long.
There were many cases where development costs were astronomical but failed miserably , such as Anthem, Fall of Babylon, and Concord.
Recently, there have been cases like Dragon Age: Veilguard where the investment was not recovered despite a certain level of sales success.
There are so many gamers who are addicted to AAA games that there is now even a saying, “If it’s AAA, I avoid pre-ordering it.”
In the past, just having a “huge budget” was enough to earn the title of AAA, and that in itself became a marketing tool.
The formula of high budget = guaranteed success no longer works.
Eventually , the meaning of 'reliability' in AAA gradually disappeared.
Final Fantasy VII, considered the world's first AAA game (image is the remake version)
▷ Could it be that the place that actually makes AAA games isn't a AAA-level company?
Final Fantasy 7, considered the first AAA game
However , Square (before the Enix merger), which created this game, had a reputation far removed from that of AAA.
※ Note: During the same period, Sega and Capcom had sales of 50 to 100 billion yen.
That square invested $40 million, which was the largest investment in the industry at the time.
《Papan 7》 is an attempt at top-notch technology and Hollywood-style marketing targeting the entire world.
This is the first blockbuster game by a Japanese game company aimed at the global market, and is often cited as the beginning of the AAA concept.
The same goes for Poland's CD Projekt RED .
Before The Witcher 3, the company was so unstable that it was on the verge of collapse.
Backed by a bold investment of 81 million dollars, The Witcher 3 was a success and helped the company leap forward as a AAA developer.
At one point, it surpassed Ubisoft in market capitalization.
Take-Two, famous for the GTA series,
In the beginning, the company had a strong non-mainstream image due to its low-priced titles and various controversies.
However, the success of GTA 3 established the identity of Western AAA games (high degree of freedom and popularity), solidifying its current position.
GTA3 is considered to have defined the definition of Western AAA games.
Of course, there are also many AAA games that originally came from big publishers like EA, Ubisoft, and Microsoft. However, many representative AAA games were the result of adventures and experiments that risked the survival of the company .
Ultimately , the definition that AAA games are necessarily made by 'big publishers' or 'platform holders' is also
In reality, it shows that there are more exceptions .
▷ AAA games without technical stagnation and challenges
AAA games are always the market that adopts the latest graphics technology the fastest . When technologies like ray tracing, frame generation, and upscaling are announced, AAA titles are always the first to demonstrate them.
However, the application of new technologies like this is mainly focused on ‘graphics’ .
Even recently, works that have simple structures similar to classic games but are filled with flashy graphic effects have become the subject of internet memes and are being satirized.
AAA games of the past weren't just big-budget games, they were also at the forefront of technological challenge and experimentation that brought 'innovation' to the industry .
Introduction of an open world that maximizes freedom and interaction - GTA Capacity (Mb·Gb) shock exceeding hardware limits - Papan 7 NPC system with real-time weather changes and routines - Shenmue “Games can be made like movies” - Cinematic directing - Laoer
These attempts were popularized one by one through AAA titles, and AAA games were the ones leading the trend and raising the standards of the entire gaming industry .
However, unlike in the past, the current AAA market is structured in a way that large budgets are invested but new experiments are reluctant to take place.
There is an increasing focus on risk avoidance and safe sales models, opting for repetition over innovation .
Instead, new challenges are becoming the exclusive domain of the indie game market.
Novel attempts such as AI-based narrative, dynamic story branching, and genre fusion,
This is becoming a more common sight in indie games made by small teams and creators, rather than AAA games .
Claire Obscure: Expedition 33 shows a “new turn-based” that beautifully combines turn-based and real-time combat.

This is what Papan was supposed to show us.

▷ AAA games, how should we view them now?
Although it is not an exact definition, if we were to define AAA games without any disagreement,
AAA games are commercial games developed with large budgets and manpower.
But there are no specific criteria to define this—no budget size, no staffing figures, etc. This vague definition makes the term AAA even more confusing.
The first AAAA-level game that spent a whopping $200 million (about 260 billion won) on development...
If we look back at the definitions above, we will notice some common incorrect expressions used in the industry .
I use these expressions sometimes, but expressions like AAA graphics, AAA narrative, and AAA quality are not necessarily appropriate. The expression “Korean AAA-level game!” is not really correct, since it didn’t have that much of a budget invested.
It's like saying, "Graphics that seem like they spent money, narrative that seems like they spent money, quality that seems like they spent money, a game that a lot of money was invested in in Korea," but that's clearly not what they meant, is it? Rather, it is mostly used to mean 'a game that looks like a masterpiece and makes you look forward to it.'
But there are examples that even deny this undisputed definition.
For example, Mabinogi Mobile is a huge project with a development cost of 100 billion won , but it is a mobile MMORPG genre. Because of the image of it being a Korean online game , no one called it a AAA game.
Smage's Lost Ark also had a development period of 7 years and a development cost of over 100 billion, so there is no problem at all in categorizing it as a AAA game. It is common for games not to even be classified as AAA games due to their genre, Korean developer, and partial freemium model.
This shows that the term AAA is not simply a matter of budget, but a label that is only attached when it matches the image of an 'ideal masterpiece' that users and the industry have in mind .
It could be called a AAA game since 100 billion was spent on development, but no one calls it a AAA game.
Ultimately, the term AAA game is an industry slang that is used without any precise criteria, and has now become a concept closer to an 'interpretation' than a 'definition' .
Today's AAA is not a guarantee of success or game quality, It might be more accurate to use it simply as a term to classify commercial blockbuster projects that have invested industrial capital .
So now when someone says "AAA game", It's important to remember that nothing guarantees quality, perfection, or even fun other than the fact that "a lot of money went into this."
🤣 [Game Humor of the Week] Japanese government admits, “BLACKPINK is not a game.”
In Japan, there is a Z-Collection tablet PC used exclusively for the education of elementary school students. Of course, since it is an educational device, games are automatically blocked and a message is displayed saying that installation is not possible… but Blue Archive is installed!

Even the Japanese Ministry of Education admits that "Blue Aka is not a game."

Even Galaxy admits, “Blue Ark is not a game.” Haha ...

So what is Blue Aka?

It's just a novel. Since it has an illustrator in it, it's a "visual novel"!

▷ Hey, it's hell ahead. ◁
4 It looks like there will be a lot of amazing people and veterans appearing, such as drones, bunkering, and battery probes. Welcome to Hell, where the ghosts of Allah walk rampant!
▷ Expedition 33, isn't the narrative plausibility too low? ◁
probability = face
▷ PS5's Top 3 Games in Sales ◁
Microsoft Acquires Bethesda in 2021 - Oblivion Remastered 2014 Microsoft Acquires Mojang - Minecraft Microsoft Studios, Play Grounds - Forza Horizon Series
Is there something wrong with the screenshots? They're all XBox or Microsoft games?

Sony games that didn't make it into the main rankings

MS's self-reliance in killing consoles with games like that!

▷ Will it be Sannabi ? Will it be Night City ? Will it be Katana Zero ? ◁
A self-governing city where the corporation has administrative power ? A staple in gaming!
But no matter where you go, isn't it true that your dreams are hopeless?
▷ Why do Koreans play games so quickly? ◁
Oh, I'm chasing after you with a knife! Hahahahahahahahahaha What to do with the competitive spirit of Koreans! I have to get first place!
😶‍🌫️ [Steam Recap of the Week] 🔞 World Adult Gaming Expo 2025 Begins!
Of course, this is not an official Steam sale, but a third-party sale event.
This is a sale event being held by Eternal Alice Studio, which has published many famous (?) adult games such as Arena of Jerez, Swordsmanship, Adventurer Yang Caught?!, and Come Down! Ice Phoenix. And along with Mango Party, this publisher is also famous for its active Koreanization. In addition, it is a sad company that habitually suffers from regional restrictions in Korea.
Anyway, this publisher is holding an Adult Game Expo (discount event) to celebrate 'Uniting the World with Adult Games'!
In addition, it is a good opportunity to see the games that the publisher is planning to release in advance. It's a good opportunity to prepare for the open run by adding games that suit your taste to your wish list in advance.
I was never the type of person to buy adult games and receive notifications like this. However, since the games that were left until they became reasonably priced are now being region-locked, there is a negative effect where people are buying even adult games that they wouldn't otherwise play.
The Arena of Jerez, which had 1 and 2 on its wishlist, has been regionally locked. I have to buy 3 before it gets regionally locked! ㅠㅠ
▷ Steam's features that surprisingly many people don't know about
You can earn 'trading cards' by playing games on Steam, and you can purchase the remaining trading cards to complete them as badges. If you click on any of these 'Trading Cards' here, you will be able to see the original wallpaper used as the image for that card.
You can also right-click and choose Save As > Use as wallpaper, etc. Once completed with a badge, you can view the wallpaper at any time, even if you don't currently own the corresponding trading card.
So what if the game you really like supported trading cards? You must collect trading cards to complete the badges!
We are also promoting the “Trading Card Farming Program” on this occasion! https://page.onstove.com/indie/global/view/9810383
Example of a Some Some Convenience Store Trading Card
There are no Steam trending games this week, but
In celebration of Star Wars Day (May the 4th Be With You) , there are massive discounts on the Star Wars franchise. A variety of Star Wars franchises are on sale, including Jedi: Survivor (80%), Jedi: Fallen Order (85%), and Battle Frontier 2 (80%) .
It's at an all-time low , and the game quality is pretty good. If you've always been interested but haven't tried it yet, this is a great opportunity!
May the force be with you!
▷ New productivity game recommendations!
A very good productivity game called 'Ithya: Magic Studies' has been released. Set in a fantasy world, the emotional low-fi music will help you focus. Current score is 98% positive!
About productivity games? https://page.onstove.com/indie/global/view/10532035
This unique emotional music and development log are all available on YouTube, so it might be a good idea to check it out before purchasing the game! https://www.youtube.com/@BlueTurtle/videos
“Ithya: Magic Studies” features a fantasy world with a variety of animations and dreamy low-fi music.
👨‍⚖️ [Games and Law of the Week] Falworld Apologizes for “Disappointing” Game Changes to Bypass Nintendo Patents
Falseworld, which is engaged in a fierce legal battle with Nintendo, recently released an update that circumvents the patent. And I wrote a post on X (formerly Twitter) apologizing and asking for understanding for having to “go through this disappointing patch.”
In the v0.3.11 patch released on November 30, 2024, the method of summoning monsters by throwing the existing “Pale Sphere” was changed to a method of summoning them statically next to the player. The recent v0.5.5 patch announced that the way to fly will change from riding a falcon to using a glider . You will still be able to receive the gliding passive buff from the falcon, but it will be changed so that you will need to have a glider in your inventory to use the existing gliding.
This clearly appears to be an acknowledgement that this could worsen the players' gaming experience. Although Falworld still claims that the patent is invalid, it would rather have the legal conflict spread to gamers than harm them. They stated that they decided to compromise because they believed that content supply was the priority .

"It's ridiculous to attack with a patent for throwing a round ball and a patent for flying around riding a monster."

This is the reaction from Reddit and the community. Even gliding while riding a monster is a common theme in many MMORPGs such as WOW ,

I just can't understand the patent concept of gliding while riding your own 'Pokemon'.

A lot of games have a mechanic where you can ride a monster and fly or glide.

The patent system that protects the rights of creative works is clearly important. However, it seems necessary to reconsider cases where it is abused as a 'tool' that hinders creative freedom and development.
🔊 [Game News of the Week] Short but important industry news
🔊 Half-Life 3, playable in its entirety without any split parts , will be released sometime this year . 🔊 Claire Obscure: Expedition 33, 2 million copies sold in 12 days / Recorded as the highest-rated original IP in PS Store history 🔊 The Louvre Museum's 'Nintendo 3DS Audio Guide Service' has ended. It's been 13 years since the service began! 🔊 Paradox Interactive Unveils Universalis Europa V. While 4 was set in the 1400s (Joseon-Sejong), 5 will be set in the 1200s (Goryeo) . Officially localized in Korean!!
🔊 Stardew Valley, “We may make a sequel someday, but for now it’s easier to just add new things to the original Stardew Valley .” 🔊 Genshin Impact , in accordance with US law (related to lottery), has effectively become a game prohibited for those under the age of 16. Age verification and authentication procedures for accounts will be conducted until May 20. 🔊 Representative non-profit organization related to games: Japan Game Preservation Association, on the verge of closure due to financial crisis, all cash will be depleted by September 🔊 'Menhera Farm', a simulation game for raising beautiful girls , has been discontinued in the US and Europe due to the head and torso expressions appearing to be of minors
Uh... um... minor? Not just deformed?
🔊 Canada's GameStop Acquired by Quebec Toy Maker, Rebranded as EB Games 🔊 Square Enix to release Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy on Switch 2. "It has enough performance."... If that's the case, why didn't they do it on PS4? ㅠㅠ The Switch 2's performance is known to be slightly lower than that of the PS4 PRO and XBOX SERIES S. 🔊 Diablo 4 x Berserk collaboration, many gamers are disappointed by the excessive inducement of spending money (186,000 won virtual goods purchase is required for the entire set, which is more expensive than the game + DLC) Meanwhile, there has been a lot of criticism raised about the collaboration content that is not even faithful to the original work .
🔊 Nintendo sues Genki for “trademark infringement” after revealing Switch 2 mockup at CES 🔊 Valve Disbands Counter-Strike: Classic Offensive Mod Team, Ending 8-Year Development 🔊 Gears of War : Reloaded, a remastered version of the original Gears of War, is scheduled to be released in summer 2025 🔊 Curate will release a new Pac-Man game called 'Magical Nut Ikuno' in 2026. Squirrels are famous for storing so much food in their bowls that their mouths almost burst, lol.
A squirrel fairy suddenly sealed in a t-shirt
Let's collect acorns, chestnuts, whatever, to keep the squirrel from starving! This part is just like the game of Pac-Man.
You really stuffed the nuts in it so hard it looked like it was going to burst! Hahahahahahahahahahaha This is totally an omega labyrinth hahahahahaha
If you watch the gameplay video, the game itself doesn't look that fun, but the concept is really novel!
Everyone, thank you for your hard work this week!
The news of GTA6's delay and trailer was the biggest topic of conversation this week, but It was such a big topic that there was no one who didn't know about it... so it was pushed down a bit in the rankings haha
I was thinking, "Is it really necessary to write this when everyone already knows?" but I couldn't leave out such important news. I wrote this in case there are still people who haven't heard the news.
We'll be back on Fridays around 7pm with some new and fun news from Gamez. See you again!

Moist Potato Chips

🫡🫡🫡 I live each day to enjoy the game.

I love pretty girl games and construction management games!

🤪 Profile 👌 Recommended Posts ✨ Making a Seal

Details