​Tomorrow, Bethesda’s latest RPG epic Fallout 4 lands here in the UK on PS4, Xbox One and PC. The follow up to 2008’s Fallout 3 (Unsurprisingly) is a game that has been well… shall we say, somewhat anticipated. Fallout 4 is set to be this year’s hottest release, much like Skyrim was in 2011. Bethesda games are no joke; they are massive games with tons of content that keep fans entertained for months after initial release. There are still parts of Skyrim that most people haven’t even seen in the four years since it came out. And come tomorrow, we will know if Fallout 4 lives up to its lineage.

However, we can’t really talk about Fallout 4 until it’s in our hands. So, it’s time to talk pre-orders. And oh sweet lord, was the Pip Boy Edition a disaster on all fronts for UK Fallout fans. The Death of Video Games makes it triumphant return, with UK retailer GAME all set to be tore a new one.
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So, GAME, does your handling of pre-orders spell the Death of Video Games? Or is it a problem with pre-orders and special editions in general?

Let’s carry on with the one of the worst weeks in gaming.

So, Valve and Bethesda suddenly sprung a major change into the PC game modding scene, only to have it rightfully blow up in their faces. It’s an interesting time in the state of gaming when stereotypical ‘good guy’ devs like Valve and Bethesda are playing the role of the Fagin. Thing is, I don’t know why we were all shocked that A) This happened and B) It crashed and burned as badly as it did.

So, let's ask the question: Does Valve and Bethesda's behaviour over the paid mod system mean the end to modders making money before it's even started?

In the olden days (Read: Circa 1995-2005), when you bought a video game and it didn't work, it was the fault of the retailer or the fault of the developer and you’d get your money back because you had been sold a faulty product. Somewhere along the line, the games industry collectively decided that this didn’t make any sense. I mean, why should you be held accountable for making and selling a faulty product and asking full retail value? Come on, be fair, it’s hardly a breach of the Trade Descriptions Act of 1969. Oh wait, it is.

So, why exactly have developers and retailers alike decided to place themselves above accountability when it comes to aftercare with their products? And more importantly…

Will the shitty practice and poor customer service of these developers bring about...

As stated, despite the name of this series, I do love video games. As such, I get irate when there is an entire factor of gaming I haven’t experienced. Out of the consoles that were released in my lifetime, there was one big one I never owned: The Sega Dreamcast. Whilst I was more of a Playstation kid growing up, I rarely even saw a Dreamcast due to its poor sales worldwide. However, with new-found adulthood comes work. With work comes pay. And with pay comes questionable purchasing. I had never owned a Dreamcast at the height of their popularity in the early 2000's, but now I can fix that.

I went out and bought a used Dreamcast and decided to see what it was I missed out at the turn of the century. So, this week, I’m going to discuss the Dreamcast as a console and run down some of the games I have played in preparation for this article.

Will a retrospective experience of the Dreamcast hold off the Death of Video Games?

When Destiny was revealed in 2013 at the PS4 reveal event, I was hyped. Then when we saw what it would play like at E3 later that year, I was even more hyped. Oh paper, it should have been one of the greatest games of this generation: An FPS with RPG elements, randomised loot like Borderlands, drop in/out online co-op gameplay with elements of shared online worlds, from the people who made the Halo games. It seemed like the logical conclusion to games like Borderlands, which I have a huge affinity for. 

After playing the alpha, I decided I would give the game a gamble on release day and picked up a copy. What followed was one of the strangest relationships I’ve ever had with a game, and the start of an abusive relationship between me and Bungie.

Will Destiny’s downfall contribute to the Death of Video Games? Let’s find out.

I love video games. I've genuinely been playing them for as long as I can physically remember. I teethed myself on a Sega Mega Drive, have preserved every single console and game I have ever owned, from Streets of Rage 2 right up to Destiny. Before I had to go to work like a normal functioning human being, I would spend every waking moment with a controller in my hands, and the experiences I've played through have been some of the most emotionally engaging, fun and challenging experiences I have ever witnessed. Hell, I'm even working on a video game!

And recently, I haven’t wanted to go anywhere near games.