A Month in Gaming
Here we are again with another summary of my gaming activities in recent months. Or in this case since last September. It’s been a while but I’ve been on a blogging hiatus until recently. However, I’ve kept myself busy gaming wise and often I find the hunt for news video games, just as entertaining as I do playing them. Perhaps that could be a future blog post. Back to the matter in hand. Gaming wise, pretty much all things related to the MMORPG genre are currently on the back burner. I’ll give specifics later but I am taking a break from these for the present. I am currently looking at trying games outside my usual comfort zone and also trying to test whether you can or cannot teach an old dog new tricks. Fortunately, the answer appears to be yes you can. Enough summation, on to the specifics.
Here we are again with another summary of my gaming activities in recent months. Or in this case since last September. It’s been a while but I’ve been on a blogging hiatus until recently. However, I’ve kept myself busy gaming wise and often I find the hunt for news video games, just as entertaining as I do playing them. Perhaps that could be a future blog post. Back to the matter in hand. Gaming wise, pretty much all things related to the MMORPG genre are currently on the back burner. I’ll give specifics later but I am taking a break from these for the present. I am currently looking at trying games outside my usual comfort zone and also trying to test whether you can or cannot teach an old dog new tricks. Fortunately, the answer appears to be yes you can. Enough summation, on to the specifics.
LOTRO Update 34: Before the Shadow. Let me state for the record that I still consider The Lord of the Rings Online to be a robust and entertaining realisation of Middle-earth. It has kept me entertained since late 2008. If you are new to the game there is a ton of content, a huge amount of lore references and a supportive and friendly community. But the last update had very little to offer veteran players. The new content was aimed at level 1 to 32 players. So apart from a new story, nothing much of note was added to the game for those with level cap characters and that is pretty much why I’m tired of this game. All it ever offers is “more of the same”.
Due to changes within EG7, I suspect a lot of the promised updates like the graphics overhauls and the console version will never be carried out and LOTRO is fated to remain essentially as it is. No major new systems or gameplay mechanics will be added. Just variations on existing content. For me that is no longer sufficient to hold my interest. Hence I played through some of Update 34: Before the Shadow when it was released last November but after a few days I just stopped logging in. I didn’t feel especially upset. In fact it felt like the right response. When you’re done, you’re done.
Red Dead Redemption 2. I returned to this RPG in January and picked up exactly where I left off in 2020. The plot was still familiar to me so it really was a seamless continuation. I played through the main story and was amazed at what a compelling experience it was. As I’ve already written a blog post about this remarkable game I won’t repeat myself too much but I consider this to be one of the best video games ever. Great game play, a compelling narrative and a feeling of immense satisfaction when you reach the end. It also keeps you thinking and reflecting upon it for days afterwards. As all great art does.
Hogwarts Legacy. Controversy aside, I really enjoyed this game. It offered everything I personally wanted from a Hogwarts themed video game. I was surprised at the quality of some of the companion side quests, especially the Sebastian Sallow story arc. I will happily return to the game if further DLC is released and I may at a future date play through the entire thing again with a new character. If they are in another house there are some unique storylines. In the meantime, the only content left to me to do is some completionist, busy work, so for the present I’ve finished with this title. It did provide over 70 hours of entertainment.
Sniper Elite 5. Nowadays, most games have a relatively short life cycle. One year is usual, so I was quite surprised to discover that Sniper Elite 5 was to get a second season pass with another “years worth” of content. New maps, new weapons, new cosmetic skins. Some may argue it’s all a bit thin but I just fundamentally like the concept behind this game. Slow, measured and tactical driven gameplay for those who want it. For those who like to run and gun, that is still an option. This fifth iteration of the game has really refined the sniping mechanics and the weapons customisation means you really can create a loadout that suits your need and style. I like the stealthy approach and setting booby traps and the game excels at this. Invasion mode where another player can gatecrash your game and hunt you down, still keeps me on my toes. I’ll happily play for another year.
Star Trek Online. What I like about this MMORPG is that you know exactly where you stand with it. You can complain about the monetisation, the ground combat and “lack of diplomatic missions” but the game doesn’t lie to you about its nature. STO is the gaming embodiment of a quid pro quo. If you grind a new event, you get a reward. If you grind all the events scheduled throughout the year, you get a bigger reward. There’s always something to do in this game. If you have time to kill, then you can play through all story arcs on all factions. There’s a lot. Alternatively, if you just have 30 minutes of gaming time, why not do the latest Task Force Operation? This is why STO is always in my gaming rotation.
Warzone 2.0 DMZ. I ended up buying a new graphics card because of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, when it was released last November. The latest iteration of the franchise also saw the release of a new version of Warzone, its free multiplayer counterpart. I’m simply not a good enough player to get the most out of the battle royale mode but the new DMZ variant, which is an extraction shooter, is damn compelling. Yes the game is flawed at present and a lot of the community are sociopathic but occasionally you get a game that hits the spot perfectly. You find a good squad, play in a coordinated fashion and gain some phat loot. And any fool that crosses your path, gets wrecked. You then exfil in the helicopter, under the cover of smoke, back in time for corn flakes. These are the days when gaming is good.
The Hunter: Call of the Wild. Finally, I bought this hunting game after watching a “let’s play” video on YouTube and am happy to report that it is a very interesting alternative take on the "first person shooter" genre. The game is slow, methodical and surprisingly immersive. It rewards patience. I didn’t think this genre would have any appeal for me but it is certainly holding my interest at present. It also has a substantial playerbase and community on reddit who are happy to share tips and information. I wasn’t expecting any of this which is an added bonus.
Red Dead Redemption 2: A Genre Milestone
I started playing Red Dead Redemption 2 on the PC upon its release in late 2019. Although I enjoyed it, I was distracted by other matters at the time and so I drifted away in early 2020. To cut a long story short, I recently picked up exactly where I left off, because I felt the need for a big, narrative driven, RPG gaming experience. Red Dead Redemption 2 certainly meets those requirements. A few days ago I finished the main story and having played through sufficient side quests and challenges, decided to call it quits. Since then I have been musing on both the game itself and the experience I had while playing through it. Simply put, I consider Red Dead Redemption 2 to be a genre milestone and one of the most significant and impressive examples of video games that I have experienced over the course of my life, along with the likes of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and The Witcher III: Wild Hunt.
I started playing Red Dead Redemption 2 on the PC upon its release in late 2019. Although I enjoyed it, I was distracted by other matters at the time and so I drifted away in early 2020. To cut a long story short, I recently picked up exactly where I left off, because I felt the need for a big, narrative driven, RPG gaming experience. Red Dead Redemption 2 certainly meets those requirements. A few days ago I finished the main story and having played through sufficient side quests and challenges, decided to call it quits. Since then I have been musing on both the game itself and the experience I had while playing through it. Simply put, I consider Red Dead Redemption 2 to be a genre milestone and one of the most significant and impressive examples of video games that I have experienced over the course of my life, along with the likes of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and The Witcher III: Wild Hunt.
In film, TV or literature, the quality of writing as well as the depth and accessibility of the characters are key elements in determining a consensus upon quality. For example Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes is such an enduring and much loved fictional character due to his rich and relatable personality. He is both aloof, yet compassionate, complex and intriguing. Readers of Sherlock Holmes quickly become invested in his character and care about his actions and deeds. A well written character transcends the text and feels like someone real. And that is exactly how I feel about Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2. After over 75 hours of gameplay, I feel that I have travelled on Arthur’s emotional journey as he transcends his life of petty crime and cruelty and learns the value of empathy as he seeks to make his life count for something.
Sumptuous graphics
The Western genre is a superb medium for exploring and analysing the human condition and Rockstar Games have done exactly that in Red Dead Redemption 2. The technical aspects of the game are certainly a major contributory factor to the games critical and commercial success (which I’ll leave to others to analyse). But the other half of the equation is the story, its characters and the themes that are explored and presented to the player to consider. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a tale of a changing world and a group of people whose lifestyle is fast becoming an anachronism. It examines what happens when the right of the individual to live their life in their own way comes into conflict with society and all its cultural and political baggage. And most of all, it is about reassessing your world view and personal values and learning that there are things of value and worth outside of one’s own life and experience. It is also about redemption.
Writers Dan Houser, Michael Unsworth and Rupert Humphries utilise many of the classic tropes, associated with the genre throughout Red Dead Redemption 2. Especially those found in classic Western cinema. The Van der Linde gang in the game are in many ways similar to Pike Bishops crew in Sam Pekinpah’s The Wild Bunch (1969). Both are trying to live an “independent” lifestyle in a rapidly modernising world, driven by a libertarian philosophy and notions of honour among thieves. The clash of cultures in Red Dead Redemption 2 leads to betrayal and inevitably to death at the hands of former allies, again reminiscent of Peckinpah's Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973). Against this background there are several intense character studies. Charismatic gang leader Dutch Van der Linde is one, as he slowly slides from ideological certainty into psychosis, like Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now (1979). Yet the other gang members are no less interesting.
John Marston
Hosea Matthews, a senior gang member and ageing conman and Rains Fall, the head of a defeated Native American tribe, represent those who are fully aware of the change that is fast approaching. Both see resistance to modernity as a pointless endeavour that will only lead to death. Furthermore, they are troubled by the unwillingness of those they love to accept reality. Gang member John Marston is caught between the lifestyle he’s only ever known and the need to leave it for the sake of his wife and son. Then there is Sadie Adler, a widow who in her own words becomes a monster for the sake of revenge. Her story arc is made more poignant by the fact that she knows what is happening to her yet seems powerless to stop it. Black Indian Charles Smith is in many ways the gang’s conscience. His racial heritage makes him the most marginalised of all characters and yet he is the most humane, being profoundly wise and pragmatic.
But it is Arthur Morgan’s story arc which is the fulcrum of the narrative in Red Dead Redemption 2. Within the first few missions he is seen to be a paradoxical character. He is fiercely loyal and supportive of his fellow gang members but dispassionate and brutal to those outside. Yet his world view and behaviour begins to change when he becomes aware of the consequences of his actions. His encounter with an ill debtor who he beats, has grave consequences for both parties and it starts a chain of events which causes him to question the point of his life. Arthur finds that acts of compassion have merit. He encounters organised religion and sees people of faith and although they don’t quite convince him of their ideology, they stir in him a need to atone. As his gang faces extinction at the hands of the Pinkerton Agency he feels that some have to at least survive, despite knowing that he is personally doomed.
Arthur Morgan
Red Dead Redemption 2 allows the player to experience Arthur’s journey in a very practical way. The facial animations and the voice acting greatly enhance the dialogue. Arthur’s actions are relatable, especially when his conscience gets the better of him and he sighs and returns to a situation he would rather walk away from, such as helping someone who has been robbed and abandoned. His kindness toward Jake, John Marston’s son, is also touching. His relationship with his horse is genuine and loving. When it is shot at the end of the story, it is especially moving when Arthur embraces the dying animal and just says “thank you”. Arthur’s fate is partly determined by the player’s choices throughout the game. If his honour rating is high at the end, then his demise is fitting. You kind of expect “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan to play.
The killcam in Red Dead Redemption 2 is somewhat Walter Hill-esque
Some films, TV shows and video games will cynically try to manipulate the players feelings in an attempt to establish a well rounded character. Standard tropes and themes will be applied in a “push button” fashion. A bad guy does something unspeakable just to establish his credentials. A hero will do something selfless because that is what they do. Quality writing stands out when it goes the extra mile and tries to explore a character’s motive. Red Dead Redemption 2 achieves this through an intelligent and accessible narrative that doesn’t deal in absolutes or present life as a binary choice. Its characters exhibit personality traits that we may have seen or experienced ourselves. It has light, shade and at times ambiguity. It is a genuinely moving story that lingers after the player has completed the game. It is this ability to elicit a truly emotional response and a degree of contemplation that is a hallmark of genuine art.
A Month in Gaming
I stopped subscribing to The Lord of the Rings Online in June. I’ve always had a very cyclical relationship with this MMO and at present I feel I need a break from the games somewhat linear formula. Plus the new content scheduled for release centred around the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen doesn’t exactly sound enthralling. So I’ve left my primary character in Langflood and will return to the game later in the year when I feel the need to catch up with content. I have also abandoned the ongoing events in Star Trek Online as they’re getting too repetitive. I would like to see a new longterm story arc rather than just a continuous cycle of short term events and repeatable content. I don’t mind working towards a goal but it has to be something I want and the rewards offered in this MMO are getting a little too generic for my liking. I shall return to the game at some point as I’m a lifetime account holder and I’m curious to see how developer’s Cryptic overhauls the Klingon story arc.
I stopped subscribing to The Lord of the Rings Online in June. I’ve always had a very cyclical relationship with this MMO and at present I feel I need a break from the games somewhat linear formula. Plus the new content scheduled for release centred around the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen doesn’t exactly sound enthralling. So I’ve left my primary character in Langflood and will return to the game later in the year when I feel the need to catch up with content. I have also abandoned the ongoing events in Star Trek Online as they’re getting too repetitive. I would like to see a new longterm story arc rather than just a continuous cycle of short term events and repeatable content. I don’t mind working towards a goal but it has to be something I want and the rewards offered in this MMO are getting a little too generic for my liking. I shall return to the game at some point as I’m a lifetime account holder and I’m curious to see how developer’s Cryptic overhauls the Klingon story arc.
I found a good deal on the latest expansion for The Elder Scrolls Online and so I purchased the Digital Upgrade Edition of Greymoor. I mainly wanted to see what the new Harrowstorms events were like and was pleasantly surprised by their difficulty. Dolmen become easier when more players are present but that is not necessarily the case with Harrowstorms. I have so far refrained from playing any of the story content in this new zone as I’m still committed to playing the narrative content in ESO in order. I like to keep the installation of ESO on my PC up to date as my twin granddaughters enjoy this game. They will often ask to see what the “lady with the burnt face and big boobies” is doing (their description, not mine) when they come round and visit. They also like the exotic cosmetic pets and the Khajit “cat people”. The recurring dragon events in Southern Elsweyr is also a source of entertainment for them.
June also saw several games uninstalled from my PC, as I had either completed them or had reached a point where I wasn’t going to return to them any time soon. So I removed Red Dead Redemption 2 as it really is a title you need to apply yourself to. To get the best out of the game it helps if you play for several hours at a time and immerse yourself in the story. I haven’t done this for a while and so my connection to the narrative was lost. Another thing I’ve noticed when playing these densely plotted RPGs is that I sometimes spend too much time pondering over decisions. Games with branching narratives are interesting but I occasionally find myself worrying that I will somehow “hobble” myself at some point in the future, if I make a “bad” choice. It’s a curious paradox as these decision making mechanics are designed to provide a sense of immersion but the “worry” they can produce can sometimes have the opposite effect.
Overall, Call of Duty Modern Warfare is still keeping me engaged after two and a half months. I do find it frustrating the way various game modes come and go. I was just beginning to learn the layout and foibles of the “Trench” map in 5 versus 5 battles when this was taken out of the game menu. However, Plunder Mode has proven to be a good alternative to the standard Battle Royale Mode in Warzone. The object is to collect cash from various stashes around the main map and then airlift it out. There are several prime landing zones in the Downtown area that are always heavily contested. However, for the more cautious player, you can explore and accrue money in the outlying areas and bank it by regularly buying Cash Deposit Balloons from Buy Stations. Combat is not so frenetic in this permutation of the game, although you do still have to keep your eyes open for players doing exactly the same as you. Auto Grouping is also not so problematic in Plunder Mode either. Players seem to take a more casual attitude to proceedings so you can play collaboratively or do your own thing if you prefer. This mode also provides a lot of XP if you’re levelling through the Battle pass.
I’ve been toying with the idea of buying Ghost Recon Breakpoint. I initially declined to do so due to the broken nature of the game upon its release and the conspicuous lack of AI teammates. They were present in Wildlands, the previous iteration of the franchise and were a boon for anyone who didn’t have a copiously populated friends list. However, Ubisoft is finally adding AI Squad functionality to Breakpoint this month so I may see if I can get a deal. A lot of the game’s problems have been fixed and there’s now over a year’s worth of content to be played through including a guest appearance by Sam Fisher from Splinter Cell. Furthermore he’s voiced once again by Michael Ironside. I may also see if there are any smaller games I can try in July to take my mind off the fact that the video game industry and associated culture just seems to be a continuous dumpster fire. It’s going to be a long uphill struggle to see these institutions evolve and adapt into something vaguely equitable and ethical.
More Gaming Amnesia
I wrote back in January 2018 about “gaming amnesia” and how if you step away from a game for a while, then often you can forget not only the basic control layout but the essential mechanics as well. Well I’ve had a couple of further instances of this recently and it got me thinking as to whether there’s a finite amount of game related data you can retain at one time. I suspect the answer is yes and that it all comes down to the old “use it or lose it” maxim. If you’re not playing a complex game regularly, then the knowledge gets superseded by information you have a more pressing need to access. Hence I do not think I’m experiencing the early signs of dementia of anything like that. Nonetheless, it can be quite frustrating and age is also a factor. Our reactions do slow as we get older and quickly recollecting information becomes more of a chore.
I wrote back in January 2018 about “gaming amnesia” and how if you step away from a game for a while, then often you can forget not only the basic control layout but the essential mechanics as well. Well I’ve had a couple of further instances of this recently and it got me thinking as to whether there’s a finite amount of game related data you can retain at one time. I suspect the answer is yes and that it all comes down to the old “use it or lose it” maxim. If you’re not playing a complex game regularly, then the knowledge gets superseded by information you have a more pressing need to access. Hence I do not think I’m experiencing the early signs of dementia of anything like that. Nonetheless, it can be quite frustrating and age is also a factor. Our reactions do slow as we get older and quickly recollecting information becomes more of a chore.
I decided to log into Read Dead Redemption 2 a few days ago. I bought the game last November and played it regularly until early January when I decided to focus on another title. I found my character at the edge of a lake with my trusty steed nearby. There is a very close bond between the main character and his horse in this game and it’s a central theme of the story. So I walked up to my horse Roach (yes I did name him thus) and pressed what I thought was the key to mount up. Instead I delivered a robust right hook to his body. Naturally, my equine chum took a dim view of this and promptly lashed out, kicking with his back legs. I lay twitching in a pool of blood, contemplating that this never happened to Randolph Scott or Audie Murphy. To cut a long story short (as Spandau Ballet would say) I couldn’t recollect any of the key mappings.
Another example I would like to cite is navigating the depth of the Mines of Moria in LOTRO. Now I spent a lot of time back in 2009 learning the quaint and esoteric routes around this sprawling subterranean metropolis. There was a time when I could ride an in-game goat from Durin’s Threshold in Eriador, right the way through to the First Hall and out into Rhovanion. Furthermore, I could do all this from memory, while eating a sandwich and recording a podcast. I recently found myself utterly lost around Zelem-melek, endlessly going round in circles in Khufdul-tharâkh, shouting at no one in particular about how it would be bloody useful to have a GPS system in this bastard game. I eventually started writing down my route and making notes of landmarks, so I wouldn’t keep looping back to the same locations.
Joking aside, there are several good reasons that mitigate my bout of “gaming amnesia”. Read Dead Redemption 2 is a console port and the thing I often find about such games is that they map the keys in a most unusual way. You often find that WASD doesn’t control movement but some other utterly bizarre alternative permutation. And with regard to Moria, I was reminded by a fellow player that the area has been extensively redeveloped since its initial release in 2008. So perhaps I’m not as incompetant as I initially thought. However, I do think that it would be useful if more developers included a tutorial that could be accessed at any point during the proceedings. All too often, your hand is held purely at the beginning of a game and it is assumed that once you’ve learned the basics, you’ll forever have them at your fingertips. Patently that is not the case. I’m also sure that I’ll experience “gaming amnesia” again quite soon.Especially in light of me returning to both Neverwinter and Call of Duty.
One Potential PC Fix for Red Dead Redemption 2
I wrote yesterday about how the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2 had gotten off to a shaky start, with the game failing to run on some systems. Rockstar Games released a substantial 2.98 GB patch late last night UK time but it made no difference whatsoever to my situation. I and many other players were still unable to start the game from the launcher and were still getting the ubiquitous “The Rockstar Games Launcher exited unexpectedly” error message. This morning I checked on the official support website to see if any new advice had been added. Sadly, the troubleshooting guidance remained arbitrary to say the least (and still does even now). Update Windows 1O, upgrade your graphics drivers, run the RDR2.exe file as an Administrator etc. None of these “solutions” have worked for me so far.
I wrote yesterday about how the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2 had gotten off to a shaky start, with the game failing to run on some systems. Rockstar Games released a substantial 2.98 GB patch late last night UK time but it made no difference whatsoever to my situation. I and many other players were still unable to start the game from the launcher and were still getting the ubiquitous “The Rockstar Games Launcher exited unexpectedly” error message. This morning I checked on the official support website to see if any new advice had been added. Sadly, the troubleshooting guidance remained arbitrary to say the least (and still does even now). Update Windows 1O, upgrade your graphics drivers, run the RDR2.exe file as an Administrator etc. None of these “solutions” have worked for me so far.
So I decided to see what the players themselves had to say and headed over to the Rockstar Games Community forums. I picked a thread that had a dozen or so comments and quite by chance struck upon some interesting advice. Some players with AMD processors had managed to get RDR2 to run when they downgraded the BIOS on their motherboard. This piqued my interest as I have an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Six Core Processor, running via a Gigabyte B450 motherboard. A cursory check showing that my PC was currently running BIOS F42h. This includes update AGESA 1.0.0.3 ABBA which apparently improve Destiny 2 gaming compatibility, according to Gigabyte. Now the intricacies of AMD Generic Encapsulated Software Architecture (AGESA) are certainly not my province. However, the consensus on the Rockstar Games Community forums was that if you downgraded the BIOS to version F40 which includes AGESA 1.0.0.2 support, then it will allow RDR2 to run.
I therefore decided to give this a go and headed over to the Gigabyte website to downloaded BIOS F40 which was released in May. I did a little research first to see if it would significantly impact upon any other aspect of my motherboard but it would seem it simply downgrades AGESA support only. I then used the @Bios program that is part of the suite of tools that came on the motherboard driver CD, to install the new BIOS. It took about five minutes to overwrite the previous version. After rebooting the PC, Red Dead Redemption 2 now runs from the Rockstar Games Launcher as intended. I have no idea how well the game will perform in the long term or whether I will suffer the various graphical glitches reported by other players. However, I can at least now launch the game, alter the various settings and start to make progress through the story. As ever, I’m thoroughly impressed by the player community and disappointed with the official support channels as they really seem to have dragged their feet over this issue. There has been a distinct lack of communication. Plus saying “sorry” goes a long way.
Now I want to make it very clear, messing with the BIOS on your PC comes with risks and so if you do not feel confident about doing this, then don’t. If you make a mistake then you could “brick” your PC. Also this solution is obviously specific to AMD processors and AGESA support. It sadly won’t help those with Intel processors who cannot play RDR2. If you want to proceed with the process that I’ve described, be aware you do so at your own risk. At the time of writing this has not been endorsed by Rockstar Games. I shall continue to collate details of any major issues I encounter playing Red Dead Redemption 2, as I have a suspicion that although I can now play the game, I’m not out of the proverbial “woods” yet. I suspect this title was released to market too earlier and may well need several further patches before it is truly optimised and fit for purpose. Good luck to all other gamers who like me, bought this game in good faith and got sold a technical problem instead.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Has a Problematic Launch on PC
As of May this year, Red Dead Redemption 2 has sold 25 million copies collectively on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Considering that is just six months on from the games initial release in late October 2018, that's an impressive figure. What will it be by the end of the year? Time will tell whether the western game can beat the milestone set by Rockstar Games previous hit, Grand Theft Auto V. Since its release in 2013 GTA V has sold over 110 million copies on console and PC. The popularity of its multiplayer component, GTA Online, being the primary reason driving sales. However, Rockstar Games have been enthusiastic about the launch of the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2. A year on from the console release, an enhanced version of the game has been developed for the PC market. Furthermore, Rockstar Games have joined a host of other developers and created their own launcher. This along with the yesterday’s PC launch of Red Dead Redemption 2 was intended to renew interest in the game and hopefully boost sales across all platforms. But “there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip” as the old proverb goes.
As of May this year, Red Dead Redemption 2 has sold 25 million copies collectively on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Considering that is just six months on from the games initial release in late October 2018, that's an impressive figure. What will it be by the end of the year? Time will tell whether the western game can beat the milestone set by Rockstar Games previous hit, Grand Theft Auto V. Since its release in 2013 GTA V has sold over 110 million copies on console and PC. The popularity of its multiplayer component, GTA Online, being the primary reason driving sales. However, Rockstar Games have been enthusiastic about the launch of the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2. A year on from the console release, an enhanced version of the game has been developed for the PC market. Furthermore, Rockstar Games have joined a host of other developers and created their own launcher. This along with the yesterday’s PC launch of Red Dead Redemption 2 was intended to renew interest in the game and hopefully boost sales across all platforms. But “there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip” as the old proverb goes.
For a substantial number of PC gamers (myself included), Red Dead Redemption 2 simply doesn’t run. And when I say doesn’t run, I mean just that. The game doesn’t start in any shape or form when you click “play” on the launcher. Those who are lucky enough to actually get the game to run have been plagued by a litany of performances issues. To put it bluntly this is a dog’s dinner of a game launch. At present Reddit is doing an infinitely better job that the developers when it comes to collating potential solutions and offering advice. Rockstar Games themselves have only offered the most arbitrary advice, none of which seems to make any tangible difference. I have updated my graphics drivers, patched Windows 10 and even upgraded my PC’s bios but the game resolutely refuses to launch. Furthermore, Rockstar Games are hardly doing an adequate job of social media. Instead of getting ahead of the problem, adopting a suitable conciliatory tone, they’re basically staying quiet and leaving irate gamers to stew in their own juice; a policy that is always a recipe for disaster.
As a man of a certain age, although I am annoyed by the fact that I cannot play this game, I have refrained from writing a strongly worded letter to The Times, or throwing my toothbrush at the cat (you get extra points if you know this literary reference). I have other games to play, gin to drink and snacks to consume. However, my calm demeanour doesn’t mean that Rockstar Games have got off the hook. This is a game developer that basks in the glory of having created a “billion-dollar game”. There’s even a documentary with that name about the development of GTA V. So the launch on PC of a title like Red Dead Redemption 2, isn’t just a belated release on an ancillary platform. This is the equivalent of a Hollywood studio tentpole film movie. Bearing this in mind, imagine if Avengers: Endgame had failed to be released on time and when it was, half of all movie theatres showing it had major projection issues. This is a bad game launch by any standard and it doesn’t make Rockstar Games look good. Also their handling of the situation is compounding matters. I hope for their sake they sort this shit out soon.