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#Or a phone that could play DS games or something; Japan does a lot more with mobile devices than the US
raifuujin · 1 year
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-opens a pre-owned Japanese Conan manga to skim for a particular panel-
-apparently no one read this volume, because ad inserts from 2007 fall out-
...Well, I guess it's nice to confirm with my own eyes that the first 'Detective Conan Magic File' is a bunch of episodes put into a special DVD set. Bit sad seeing M11 as the big movie. And the 'train your brain' DS game ad is cute, gives five little puzzles as a sort of tiny demo for what the game offers.
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diaboluslapis · 6 years
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Ryukishi07′s Q&A at Animecon in Finland
Full Q&A video:
Part 1: https://youtu.be/DBQe_zsF-tk
Part 2: https://youtu.be/WOh-MWhv4UE
Translation under the cut:
Part 1:
Interviewer: Could you start out with explaining how your career started and how the circle 07th Expansion was born?
Ryukishi07: It’s a very boring story, but I just thought about what I wanted to do with my life and simply decided to try what I wanted to do, and this is what happened!
I: Your career started in doujinshi circuits. What’s it like making games for an audience similar to Comiket?
R: I did work for an audience similar to Comiket happening in August and it’s been very stressful but also rewarding.
I: Wasn’t there another happening in December as well?
R: For the happening in August there’s a lot of time to do work to prepare, but for the happening in December there’s only 4 months to prepare which makes it harder.
I: Could you tell us how your masterpiece Higurashi no Naku Koro ni was born?
R: I got an idea from the American movie The Blair Witch Project and thought it’d be fun to make a Japanese version of the movie’s scenario.
I: Higurashi is told through many stories that raise questions about the plot, questions which are then answered in the later games. Where did the idea for constructing the plot like this come from?
R: By drinking Coca-Cola, you get a lot of ideas! *laughter*
I: Which character is your favourite in Higurashi?
R: It depends a lot on when you ask the question because it changes for me all the time, but at the moment it’s Satoko Hojo.
I: 07th Expansion’s games are described as sound novels, where the world of sound plays an important role. How does this affect the writing?
R: For example, you can hear sound in an anime. I wanted to combine anime, manga and visual novels and create my own coherent ”chain”.
I: Your games have been released for various consoles. PC, Playstation, and Nintendo DS. Do you have a favourite console?
R: At the moment it’s either Playstation 4 or Nintendo Switch.
I: The When They Cry series later became very popular and was made into manga, anime and even movie adaptions. How does this popularity feel?
R: I’m very grateful for all the support that I get from everyone.
I: Was it possible to imagine, when making the first Higurashi, that it would ever become this popular?
R: In my dreams I thought it’d be amazing to become that popular, but of course it was still a surprise.
I: Nowadays a lot of visual novels use shocking and horror elements. Do you feel like Higurashi was a ”trendsetter” in that regard?
R: I feel like works like that existed before as well, I don’t feel like a ”trendsetter”. I’m an especially big fan of Kamaitachi no Yoru, it was an inspiration for me because it was also connected to horror, so I wanted to a work with horror as well. It was presumed that sound novels were mostly based on horror, but nowadays you can find a lot of cute girls in them as well. But even these cute girls can be horrifying! *laughter*
I: After the Higurashi series, there was Umineko no Naku Koro ni. What inspired you to write it?
R: I wanted to make a more Western-based story, since I previously made a story based on Japanese country life.
I: Did you have to do any background research for writing Umineko?
R: I went to a small island where there was believed to be a ghost. Of course there was no ghost but I tried to capture the feeling from that island, but since there wasn’t actually a ghost there I had to come up with some white lies in my work. *laughter* It was challenging, since there wasn’t actually anything on that island.
I: What motivated you to show clearer answers in the Umineko manga?
R: Because as the final release, I thought it would make it special.
I: In Umineko there is a character named Yasu, whose persona and feelings are presented to the reader indirectly through the stories she has written. How was the process of creating this character?
R: From the start, I had considered a character who was a criminal, but then felt like that would be too extra, and so I ended up with a character like Yasu.
I: There are apparently plans for a new episode of Umineko, could you tell us about this?
R: There will be a new character, who will be revealed soon, so be prepared for that.
I: There is also a new When They Cry game in the works, could you tell us more about this?
 Part 2:
R: It will be more international this time, and there might even be a Finnish character!
I: Higurashi refers to cicadas, while Umineko refers to seagulls. Do you already know what the next When They Cry series will refer to?
R: I haven’t decided yet, but I want it to have the same theme, like being connected to plants and rain. It’s still in the works, please wait and be excited.
I: Do you know if the new part will be released in English?
R: If someone is ready to translate, then absolutely. My English abilities aren’t enough for this.
I: What’s your opinion on the games being translated to English and gaining an international audience?
R: I’m very thankful and appreciate that people have been able and wanted to translate my works. I see a lot of appreciation for the translators and they’ve definitely had a lot to work with.
I: You’ve previously worked with Key Studio on their game Rewrite. Rewrite’s art director Itaru Hinoue also visited Finland this year. When working on Rewrite, did the two of you get to work together?
R: Yes, it was our first time working together.
I: Who are your favourite characters from the game Trianthology?
R: There are a lot of characters, but Alice is my favourite.
I: A game called Iwaihime is also in the works. Could you tell us about this?
R: I was asked for a horror work and I decided that since there are primarily two types of horror in Japan, creepy horror and horror that focuses on monsters, I wanted to bring these two types of horror out in the finished work.
I: Video games are very popular today, perhaps more than ever before. How well do you think visual novels are surviving in the video game genre?
R: I hope that it could become as big of a thing as novels, anime and manga, and I think it has a chance, but at the moment smart phone games are more popular in Japan, which makes me a bit sad but I’m still hopeful.
I: Which work you’ve written are you most satisfied with?
R: A very hard question... *laughter* It’s always the one I’ve most recently released that I’m the most satisfied with.
I: How do you stay motivated when writing?
R: At the moment I’m very motivated simply because work is work, but previously my motivation was that I played war video games on the Xbox and when I lost, it made me so angry that I wanted to work! *laughter*
I: You said that your most recent work is always the one you’re most happy with. If you could go back and change something about an earlier work like Higurashi or Umineko, would you change anything?
R: I gave it my all, so there’s nothing I would like to change. If I changed something, that would make it an entirely different story. A lot of people ask me about going back 10 years in time, but 10 years back in time would mean that the pages would be empty, there wouldn’t be any text yet, which would probably mean playing a lot of games!
I: What other hobbies do you have beside playing war video games?
R: All kinds of killing games!
I: What’s your favourite anime?
R: Girls und Panzer.
I: What’s your favourite game?
R: Even though I like war video games, I also like zombie video games.
I: What’s the best thing about your work?
R: The state of flow, when you’re so focused on your work that you forget to eat and even to go to the bathroom.
I: When you write a story, how do you come up with the characters? Do you get any inspiration from other characters or real people?
R: I want to connect older characters to newer characters, it’s very important to me to make that connection. But sometimes when playing games I just see a character that I think is cute and it gives me inspiration.
I: Have you ever thought about adding your old characters in a new game, like for example having the characters from Higurashi in a new story?
R: Inside my head, these characters are my friends, but now that the work on that story is done, these characters are gone. But if I had to work with the same story, the characters would probably return back into my head.
I: What advice do you have to aspiring writers and visual novel creators?
R: Seriously or not seriously? It’s important to think of your own style. If you want to make it your job, it’s very important to know what your own thing is. There are three different styles: liking money, wanting praise from other people, and just liking writing. So if you like writing, but also like getting money from it, that’s very good! You should consider, even though there are people who write and write and write without making money, money is still a big motivation. And even though you like getting money, you should also want to write because you enjoy it, that’s more important.
I: What kind of stories do you like writing the most?
R: Of course it’s fun to think about women with big boobs, but it’s also fun to think about environmental issues... *laughter*
I: You’re mostly known for writing games, but would you ever want to try making an anime?
R: I don’t think I’m good enough at drawing for creating it, but if someone else would do that I would be very proud and happy.
I: Our interview is coming to a close. Is there still anything you would like to tell the audience?
R: I want to complain about how warm Finland is, I had heard about how cold Finland is and only brought long-sleeved shirts, and then I got here and it was sultry and far too warm, so I would like to say that nobody told me Finland would be warm!
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littledonkeyburrito · 7 years
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Some lint
1. Have you ever punched someone and broke their nose? Haven’t broken their nose but I’ve certainly hit a few in the face bc karate
2. What is the longest time you have gone without sleep? Forty-something hours without even a nap
3. Have you ever been someplace tropical? Several places
4. You see an ant on the ground, do you squish it? If it’s in my house, yes.
5. Have you ever baked a pie? I don’t think so.
6. What is your favorite social networking site? Instagram probably
7. Has anyone in your family fought in any of the wars? Dad’s dad was in WW2. Dad fought in Belfast in the 70s I think
8. Would you make any changes to your current bedroom? Yeah, I would like $100,000 to magically appear under my mattress.
9. Has a stray dog ever tried to bite you? Playfully. I stop playing with strays when they get boisterous bc rabies
10. When riding a bus, do you prefer to sit up front, down back or the middle? Middle-back generally
11. Have you ever been on a cross-country train ride? Yes, in a few places. I freaking love sleeper trains, I think they’re so fun with a group. On one of the sleeper trains I went on in China we accidentally taught the guy with the food/drink trolley the english word for beer because we bought more every time he went past.
12. Is there currently any caffeine in your system? No
13. Look around, are things organized? Yes, I keep my apartment very tidy.
14. Is there any TV show that ended that you wish hadn’t? Don’t Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23
15. Know what you’re planning to do after this? Attempt to kill time for a couple of hours until I can go to bed
16. How often do you update your Facebook status? I don’t really do statuses, just post photos from my instagram.
17. Do you even wear any jeans other than skinny anymore? All my jeans are of varying levels of skininess. From slim-fit to practically painted on.
18. Are you sensitive to caffeine? Yes. I would have a rum and coke right now but 1) I don’t have any coke, and 2) if I drank any it would take me a long time to get to sleep.
19. How do you usually get around? Walking or metro
20. Which languages do you wish you could speak fluently in? It would be nice to be fluent in spanish but if it happened magically overnight it wouldn’t be fun because I like the challenge. It would be cool to magically become fluent in arabic and/or mandarin.
21. Have you ever been accused of being too clingy? No
22. Can you speak any French? No.
23. Have you ever stayed in a hotel? Dozens. I travel a lot.
24. What is in your pocket? Some lint.
25. Is there a secret you’ve never told your parents? There are certainly some details of my life that I have omitted. Such as some experiences with sex, drugs and alcohol.  
26. Who was the last person to smoke a cigarette in your presence? People from that office I briefly worked at. Or probably more recently just random people on the street.
27. Have you ever lived with a friend? Yeah, a few.
28. What are a few of your favorite tv shows? iZombie, Brooklyn 99, Jane The Virgin, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Club De Cuervos, Parks and Rec 29. What kind of socks do you like to wear? Brightly coloured ones with wild patterns 30. Do you have your own house key, and how often do you actually use it? Whenever I need to get into my apartment. (This question must have been written by a teenager)
31. How often do you eat chocolate? Not actually that often. I don’t have as much of a sweet tooth as I did when I was younger. 32. How often do you wash dishes at your house? Every 1-3 days depending on how lazy I am.
33. How much sleep did you get last night? ~7 hours 34. When was the last time you went to a cemetery and why were you there? Last year on halloween myself and a few other drunk people from the party I was at decided to go wander around the nearby cemetery. 35. What were you doing when you heard about the attack on the twin towers? I don’t remember specifically hearing about it. I was only 7 so I wouldn’t really have cared anyway. Mostly what I remember is that they took cartoons off tv to play non-stop news for at least a week. 36. Doesn’t John Mayer suck? I have no opinions on him. 37. When was the last time you saw the sun rise? When I was in Colombia. One night in Cartagena I stayed up with a swedish and a colombian guy chatting in spanish while we watched the sun rise over the river. Then the cops came over and told us to leave.
38. What was the last picture you took? It was of my DS because I started playing pokemon in spanish and I was sending the picture to a couple of friends to say that the pokemon names are still the same in this language.
39. Are there many traffic incidents in your area? I don’t drive anymore so I don’t pay attention. 40. Have you ever been for a ride in the back of a truck? Probably at some point during travels. I’ve done a lot of weird shit 41. Are you currently downloading anything? No. 42. Does your father have any facial hair? No
43. Have you ever played golf? My mum attempted to get me into golf when I was a kid (maybe young teen?) and I absolutely hated it. It was the most infuriating game I’ve ever played.
44. What was the last tv show you watched an episode of? The Defenders 45. Do you like beer? If so, what’s your favorite brand? Beer is fine. I’m pretty used to Moritz and Estrella Damm because they are common local brands. The fucking worst beer is Balboa in Panama. God it was so awful. Also not a fan of San Miguel which is common across all of spain. 46. Do you feel bad when you throw food out? Yes 47. When was the last time you waxed anything on your body, if ever? I’ve never waxed. I just shave. 48. What’s your favorite fast food place? I don’t have one. I don’t really eat takeout here. 49. When was the last time you went out for a meal? A few weeks ago. 50. Have you ever been in a car accident? A few minor ones but not while I’ve been driving. 51. What colour shirt are you wearing right now? Navy blue
52. Have you ever had a bonfire on the beach? Y’know I actually don’t think I have... I should get on that.
53. Are you skilled when it comes to working in the kitchen? I don’t burn anything. That’s a skill, right?
54. When was the last time you went to a campground? That would have been back in April, camping in the Sahara Desert.
55. Do you listen to music while driving? Yes, and I sing along Very Loudly.
56. When was the last time you hung out with people younger than you? I have absolutely no idea. 
57. What is the closest blue object to you? Box of tissues on the coffee table.
58. How much did you spend on your last shopping trip? Probably about 25 euros at the grocery store
59. Have you ever gone over your cell phone plan by accident? I used to go over my data limit pretty regularly at my old job.
60. Can you honestly say you’ve been drunk before? Very, and many times. (this question must have been written by a teen)
61. Where did you get your last bruise from? Probably that mystery bruise I got in my armpit in central america. I’m pretty sure I got roofied that night so I don’t remember anything at all but I am still sooooo curious how I got that bruise. Nobody I was with knew how it happened either but then again they were all pretty trashed anyway so even if they saw they might not remember.
62. Are you a person that likes to take chances? Depends. Sometimes I take calculated risks.
63. Would you consider your life to be great right now? Right now it’s pretty mediocre but a month ago it was freaking awesome.
64. Do you remember the dream you had last night? Not exactly but I think it involved me getting tattoos on my arm
65. Do you get emotional easily? I don’t really have emotions tbh
66. Do you get obnoxious when you’re drunk? Nah, I get fun when I’m drunk
67. Who was the first person to ever give you flowers? I’m not sure anybody has ever given me flowers.
68. What was the last thing you heated up in your microwave? Chicken and veggies to go with my baked potato the other day
69. Were you born somewhere other than a hospital? No.
70. What was the last flavor of ice cream you had? Mango. It was homemade by a woman in Comuna 13 in Colombia 71. When you go out drinking, what do you prefer to drink? Beer or rum and coke 72. Is there a trash can near you? Yeah
73. When and where was the last time you took a picture of yourself? I think I took a selfie in my kitchen a few days ago 74. When was the last time you stayed up throughout the entire night? Cartagena, Colombia. ~8 weeks ago. But I stayed up until 2 or 3am a few times after that.
75. Have you ever considered a foreign-exchange program? No, I just fucked off overseas on my own accord.
76. Are sex and sexual activities something you enjoy? Yep 77. What’s an interesting fact about the state in which you were born? I know literally nothing about the region I was born in.
78. What’s one aspect of your life that did not turn out as you expected? Well I definitely didn’t expect to learn spanish 79. Is there a subject about which you know a great deal? Probably, but nothing immediately comes to mind 80. What was the last thing that you put off doing? I should probably vacuum and mop my apartment 81. What did you do instead of that activity? Anything else.
Before and after: 3 years ago, today
82. What size is the last bed you kissed on?  - Double.  - A single bed in a twin room in a hotel. Tbh I probably could have swapped to a double room but at that point I didn’t realise he’d be staying with me
83. When was the last time you were sick? - I got the flu pretty bad in 2013. Probably should have gone to hospital but instead I only took 2 days off work. - I had a mild cold when I got home from my last trip. 84. Do you have any summer plans yet? - I ditched summer in favour of going skiing in Japan - Summer just ended. I don’t know whether my next summer will be here next June/July, or back in Aus in January. Will depend on whether I find a job 85. When was the last time you shaved your legs? - Probably within 2 weeks - Earlier today 86. Is there someone you wish you were closer with? - I think I had just started developing a crush on a guy that I later dated briefly and then he cheated on me, lied about it and broke up with me by facebook message while I was on holiday overseas. So, not the best idea really. - I’m all g. 87. Do you tend to waste a lot of money? - I made 1 or 2 poor decisions with money but I was earning enough to cover my ass. - It’s not a waste when it’s something I actively want to spend the money on. 88. What did you last drink? - Probably pepsi - Orange juice 89. Have you ever received an injury from a hook up? - Uhhh no? - Not unless that’s how I got that mystery bruise in my armpit. 90. Do you have any good friends of the opposite sex? - Yes - Yes, the same ones 91. When was the last time you had a crowd at your house? - Probably around this time 3 years ago was my housewarming - I have never had more than 2 people visit this apartment at a time. Last time I had a crowd would have been my moving out party (from the place I just moved into 3 years ago) which was a bit over a year ago.
92. How many cell phones have you had? - 5 - 7, if you include the work phone I had 93. Where do you get all your clothes? - JayJays - H&M, C&A, Mango etc 94. Have you ever regretted kissing someone? - Nah - Nah 95. Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket? - No. - I got one just under 3 years ago 96. Would you rather sleep with someone else or alone? - Alone - Depends. Sometimes I wouldn’t mind having someone here 97. Do you think age matters in relationships? - To an extent - Not really 98. Have you ever lived with a girlfriend/boyfriend? - No. - No 99. When will your next kiss be? - Probably the next party I went to. I made out with a lot of people that year - No idea 100. Add up all the digits of your cell phone number. What do you get? - 40 - 50 101. When you lost your virginity, do you honestly feel like you were ready? - I didn’t regret it but I probably wasn’t emotionally ready for it. - Same as above I guess. You only lose it once.
102. Was the person you lost your virginity to younger or older than you? - Older. - ^^
103. Were you sexually experienced whatsoever when you lost your virginity? - Not at all - ^^
104. Have you had sex with more than one person? - Yes - Yes by a larger amount
105. Have you ever had sex with the lights on? - Yes. - Yes
106. Have you ever had sex on a floor? - No - Yes
107. When is the last time you had sex? - Probably like at least 6 months before - About a month ago (can’t believe my trip ended so long ago)
108. Do you care for that person? - Eh - I guess
109. Is this your boyfriend or girlfriend? - No - No
110. The first time you got drunk, how old were you? - 16 - ^^
111. Where were you located the first time you got drunk? - The afterparty of my highschool formal. It was in the backyard of a girl in my grade - ^^
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crippledboyfriend · 7 years
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pie-for-everyone
replied to your post
“Here’s one where Yurio gets a bad cough and Viktor and Yuri worry....”
This was lovely <3 is there going to be more? The end just sounds, like there is more to come and I would happily read it!
You know, I had pretty much forgotten about this, but I do want to continue it!
Missed Practice Part 2
        Yuri stood outside the door to Viktor’s room.
        “This cough medicine hurts my throat going down,” complained Yurio. “Can you get me the kind we had in Russia?”
        “Probably not, kitten,” Viktor sounded remorseful. “But I’ll ask Yuri if there are any kinds he thinks might be more agreeable to you. It would be hard to find one with as pleasant of a taste as to what you’re used to, though.”
        Yurio coughed, and Viktor rubbed his back for him.
        “Let me take your temp. It’s been a while,” suggested Viktor.
        “It has not been a while,” Yurio grumbled as the older man stuck the thermometer in his mouth.
        Yuri frowned. From what he could hear, Yurio didn’t seem to be feeling much better. He didn’t want to eavesdrop anymore.
        “Yurio?” Yuri opened the door, making the sick boy jump a bit. He gasped and started coughing, turning his head into Viktor’s chest as he struggled to keep the thermometer in his mouth.
        “I didn’t mean to startle you,” Yuri touched his chest, a bit surprised himself to find that Yurio was cuddled up in Viktor’s lap. “I just brought a fresh cold compress.”
        “Oh, thank you, Yuri,” Viktor smiled as he rubbed Yurio’s back.
        “I’m really sorry,” Yuri blushed. He wasn’t expecting Viktor’s hands-on approach to cuddly caretaking. The forehead touching he’d seen was already cute, but now Yuri was starting to picture being the sick one while with Viktor, and it was absolutely not the time. He was trying to have a conversation! As Yuri daydreamed, Viktor continued speaking.
        “I think the fever’s just making him act anxious,” explained Viktor. “I’m sure you understand, Yuri.”
        “No, I completely understand!” said Yuri. “I’m not sure what to do about your cough syrup predicament, though. I’ve never known any to taste good.”
        “Maybe you could just find some that’s weaker. He’s sensitive,” said Viktor, realising that Yuri must have been waiting outside of the door. “His throat’s starting to get sore.”
        “Oh, I didn’t know,” said Yuri.
        Yurio nodded to Yuri, looking pissed off. He was hyper-aware of his throat.
        “I’ll have whoever goes to the store next buy another kind to try,” promised Yuri as the thermometer went off. Yurio took it out and read it himself.
        “100.2,” Yurio told them.
        “What is your fever doing?” asked Viktor, cupping Yurio’s forehead. “That’s a little better, but maybe your virus isn’t almost done running its course after all…” Viktor brought his fingers through Yurio’s hair, trying to be soothing.
        “I’ll just leave this here. Let me know if I can do anything,” Yuri sat the cold compress next to the sofa. “Should I go to the store now?”
        “No,” Viktor shook his head. “I doubt you’ll find exactly what he wants for his cough.”
        “Sorry,” Yuri bowed slightly as he exited.
        Yuri rested in bed, playing Animal Crossing. It was weird having the day off of practice. Viktor told him he could get a bit of work in if he wanted, but not to do as much as usual in case they were starting to come down with this, too. Something was going around Hasetsu. Yuri did work out a bit, but he didn’t want to get on the ice without the others, and his mother agreed that he should be taking it easy if something’s going around. Yuri hadn’t had much free time since Viktor decided to be his coach, but he still struggled to relax when given the chance, even with his degree out of the way. He focused on the chores in his game to distract him from real life. It did help a lot, but he was drained from spending the day wondering if he was fussing over Yurio too much or not enough. He really wanted Viktor to think that he was good at taking care of sick people. Suddenly, Yuri’s phone alarm went off and startled him.
        “Change Yurio’s Cold Compress” Right. Yuri closed his DS and swiped away the notification, hurrying down to the kitchen. It was his turn again. He couldn’t help but overhear Viktor, who was on the phone in the living room. This eavesdropping was starting to become an awful habit.
        Viktor was speaking Russian, but Yuri could understand a little of it. He’d gotten curious before and learned a few terms for cold related things.
        “That’s good advice…Yeah…” Viktor listened to Yakov. “But can you describe how I take oral temperatures again? I’m just not sure I know how to do it accurately enough. The readings of his temperature are all over the place.”
        “Well, remember that there’s a conversion. His normal temperature in his mouth is going to be 98.6. If he’s coughing all the time and drinking hot tea like you say, that’s going to distort the reading a bit,”
        “We do want to fit in with the Katsuki’s while we’re in Japan, but I’m just not so sure continuing with this method is best for the poor baby,” frowned Viktor. “He’s been coughing so much, and he seems like he gets dizzy and has trouble breathing after his fits. Do you know how to take pulse?”
        “He’s not going to lie around and let you examine everything, Viktor,” Yakov reminded him. “Just do your best to keep him medicated and help him hold the thermometer under the side of his tongue.”
        “Alright,” Viktor touched his temple. “I’ll call you again later. Thanks for letting me complain to you.”
        “Goodbye, Vitya. Tell Yurochka he’s welcome back at the rink whenever,”
        “Bye,” Viktor hung up.
        “Uh, Viktor?” Yuri asked, getting his coaches’ attention. “Are you not sure you know how to take Yurio’s temperature?”
        “Wow! I didn’t know you understood Russian that well!”
        “Oh, no, no,” Yuri blushed and made a frantic gesture with his hands. “It’s hard to speak, and also hard to respond to, so even if I overhear something, don’t think much of it. Please speak English with me.”
        “I understand. Well, Yuri…Back in Russia I would’ve tested Yurio’s temp under his arm, you see?” Viktor explained. “But here in Japan, I feel like I’m getting inconsistent readings.”
        “Oh,” said Yuri. He tried to pretend that he didn’t already know this from stalking Viktor on social media over the years. When his mom wanted to take Yurio’s temperature orally, he just went with it because he didn’t want to discuss any of this and get unnaturally flustered.
        “This is dumb and I’m probably interrupting you,” admitted Viktor, getting embarrassed. “Were you up to change the ice out for Yurochka?”
        “Yeah, it’s my turn,” said Yuri, holding up the cold compress and shuffling on his feet. “But when I’m done, do you want to meet me in my room with the thermometer? I can show you how to take temperature. It’s not dumb to be worried about someone’s health.”
        “Ah, okay,” Viktor gave a slight nod.
        “You don’t have to,” blushed Yuri. “I could just be the one to take his temperature since I know what I’m doing, if that would make you feel better.”
        “No, I’ll come to your room with you,” Viktor stood up. “Let’s just get this to the sick little boy first, да?”
        “うん,” Yuri looked away and headed up the stairs with Viktor following.
        “Yurio?” Yuri called, opening the first door into Viktor’s room. “Yurio, it’s time to change out your cold compress.” Yuri slid open the door to Yurio’s small “room”. The blonde was curled up on his futon.
        “Here you go,” Yuri bent down and took care of the ice for the younger skater. “This should feel better.”
        “Спасибо,” said Yurio. The boy couldn’t believe that Yuri and his parents were coming in every 20 minutes without forgetting to change out his ice pack. Mari came in instead of one of them every now and again, too. The whole family was making sure that the kid wasn’t forgotten about it. None of Yurio’s family ever takes the time to keep checking on him like that, even though he does have people in Russia that know what will make him feel best and will coddle him when he’s willing to put up with it.
        “Can I do anything else for you?” asked Yuri as the Russian Fairy coughed.
        “No,”
        “Okay then. I’m going to borrow Viktor for a little bit,”
        “A-alright,” Yurio cleared his throat and coughed a bit more.
        Yuri closed the sliding door to give Yurio a bit of privacy and stepped out with Viktor, who had picked up the thermometer and alcohol wipes. Yuri’s heart was pounding as he let Viktor into his room. Yuri immediately shut the door behind them and sat on his bed.
        Viktor looked around the small room curiously.
        “You hardly ever let me in here,”
        “There’s not much to see,” said Yuri. “Sit down and I’ll show you how this works.” Viktor slowly made his way to the bed and sat down. He was as close to Yuri as he could be without touching him. Yuri swallowed nervously.
        “It won’t work properly if Yurio speaks, coughs or has just taken a drink,” Yuri explained. He quickly wiped the thermometer and turned it on.
        “Open,”
        Viktor opened his mouth and let Yuri push the thermometer under his tongue. He closed his lips around the device.
        “You have to make sure the tip is under the side of his tongue. There’s a heat pocket under each side. Just push it far back there and hold the end up for him,” Yuri’s heart pounded as he sat next to Viktor, holding onto the thermometer. This was feeling like even worse of an excuse to be alone playing doctor with his idol the longer that Yuri thought about it.
        Viktor touched Yuri’s knee, not breaking eye contact. Surprised, Yuri had to look away and blush, but he didn’t retreat. When the thermometer went off, Yuri gently slipped it out from Viktor’s pretty lips and showed him the result.
        “Here, see? 98.6. It worked perfectly,”
        “Ah, yes. I’ve forgotten about that number being the norm under the tongue and it’s frightened me a bit. But, it’s a degree up from auxiliary,”
        “Mmhm,” Yuri nodded, cleaning off the thermometer with an alcohol wipe.
        “…and a degree down from anal. It’s more of a middle ground. I need to remember it that way,” Viktor smiled, but Yuri couldn’t help but turn red at how easily Viktor was able to talk about that.
        “Why would he word it that way?” Yuri thought to himself. “He literally just said ‘anal’. Oh my god.”
        “Y-y-yes,” said Yuri, nervously touching his chin. “It’s obviously a lot harder to take Yurio’s temperature since he’s coughing, but do you feel more comfortable with it now?”
        “A bit. I think the important thing I should take away from it is that I should probably start holding unto the thermometer for him. Like this, right?” Viktor took the thermometer from Yuri and put his hand on his shoulder as he forced the device into the Japanese skater’s mouth.
        Yuri blushed and smiled at first, but then he nodded quickly and spit out the thermometer.
        “Yeah, exactly. You’ve got it,” said Yuri.
        “Good,” Viktor sighed and folded his arms. “I’m sorry you’ve all had to help with this. I’ve been rather worried. He’s not normally like this. While I’m lucky to have all of you and Yakov, I ended up calling Yurio’s grandfather for some Yurio-specific help. But, they all act like I’m doing everything right.”
        “You pretty much are,”
        “It doesn’t feel like it. And Yurio depends on me. I need to pull myself together,” Viktor fixed his hair. “Yurio doesn’t have much family, and his grandpa…Is very ill. Too ill to take care of himself, much less Yurio. It was very obvious when Nikolai got worse. Yakov told him that Yurio could live with him and that he’d looked after his skaters before. Nikolai was surprised and didn’t want to give Yurio up, but he’s certainly quite grateful. Yurio’s always looked up to me and I often let him spend the night or a weekend with me so Yakov can have a break. I owe Yakov,” Viktor smiled.
        “Besides, I like taking care of Yurio,” said Viktor.
        Yuri touched Viktor’s arm, a better picture coming together of Viktor and the other Yuri’s relationship. He was realising the past day that Viktor had to be a lot more responsible for taking care of the brat than he initially thought.
        “If it makes you feel better, you CAN use this thermometer under the arm. We don’t mind. We’re all trying our best to make him feel better.”
        “I might just do that,” said Viktor. “I’ll ask him which method he likes best.”
        “Good,” Yuri stood up quickly, but Viktor took his time, carefully looking around the room.
        “It’s amusing to picture you growing up in here,”
        Yuri didn’t know what to say. He looked at Viktor, and then brought his gaze down and started to head out of the room.
        “That sounds awful,” Viktor frowned, rubbing Yurio’s back as he tried to soothe him through a particularly rough coughing spell. “I can’t get you more cough syrup yet, though.”
        Yurio bent forward a bit, covering his mouth even harder as he gagged a little.
        Viktor yanked a few tissues out of the box and covered Yurio’s face for him. The blonde took the tissues as vomit started to drip between his fingers. The older man quickly brought the trashcan to Yurio’s lap and started to rub his back again as Yurio let go of the tissues and gripped the rim of the trash. He spit up the vomit in his mouth as his coughing fit continued, triggering his gag reflex again. Not holding back now, Yurio vomited a little more.
        Unable to handle the situation, Viktor quickly ducked forward and sympathy vomited into the same receptacle. He wished he could stop himself, but there was no way. He grabbed some tissues to clean himself up with as he continued to rub Yurio’s back.
        Yuri’s mother rushed into the room without knocking.
        “Was he just ill?”
        A bit embarrassed, Viktor nodded and took a tissue to blow his nose.
        Yuri appeared behind his mother.
        “Oh, Vic-chan,” Yuri’s mother looked exasperated. “Not you, too…”
        “It’s just kind of a reflex when I see him get sick,” admitted Viktor, sweating. “I’ll be fine after a glass of water. Yurio’s our main concern, да?”
        “Viktor, oh my god,” Yuri rushed to Viktor’s side and felt his forehead. “Viktor, you’re warm.”
        “Help Yurio,” Viktor insisted as he pulled himself together.
The blonde spat into the trash before grabbing another tissue. Yuri helped and used a tissue to wipe a drop of vomit from Yurio’s face.
Yuri’s mother, however, let the boy be and checked Viktor’s forehead while the 2 tried to pull themselves together. She didn’t say anything after she pulled away.
“Are you done, Yurio-chan?” asked Hiroko.
“Yeah,” Yurio’s voice came out weak and he wouldn’t look anyone in the eye.
Hiroko cooed and touched Yurio’s arm before getting the trash from them.
“Mom?” asked Yuri. “Did he feel warm to you?”
“I think he’ll be fine once he calms down,” said Hiroko as she left.
“Do you both have water?” asked Yuri, and Viktor nodded and blew his nose again.
“So you sympathy vomit?” Yuri kept talking.
Another nod and a bit of a gasping noise came from Viktor as he started to breathe normally again.
“I know your instincts make you want to go to his side when he’s ill, but you have to get me to help when this happens,” said Yuri.
“It happened too fast,”
“I know,” Yuri touched Viktor’s shoulder. “I’m not blaming you. I just don’t want you throwing up.”
Yurio seemed to be feeling much worse as he slumped back into the couch and swore. He let himself tilt over until he was cuddled into Viktor’s side. Viktor put his arm around Yurio.
“I know, I know,” Viktor tried to be comforting to the sick one.
“Did he just cough too hard and gag himself?” asked Yuri.
“It sure seemed like it. That’s all that was, right, Yurochka?”
“Yeah,” Yurio coughed.
“Can I do anything?” asked Yuri.
“No, I’m alright. I’ll be back to the caretaker role in just a minute,” Viktor flashed a victory sign.
“Tell me if you think you’re getting sick,” insisted Yuri. “I can help.”
“That’s very sweet of you. I’ll be sure to let you know.”
Yuri’s mother came back in the room with the trash cleaned out.
“Do you think you’re done?” she asked, and everyone nodded.
“Good,” she bent down and felt Yurio’s forehead. “You haven’t eaten much. Dinner may help settle your stomach. What would you like me to cook?”
“I don’t know, just some soup,” Yurio sat up slowly. He looked pale, and his eyes seemed tired.
Hiroko bent forward and kissed Yurio’s forehead.
“I’m sorry,” she frowned. “You’re so far from home and I don’t think you completely understand what’s going on, do you?”
        “What’s in this?” asked Yurio, putting his spoon back into his soup. “This is weird.”         Viktor made himself a spoonful and blew on it before trying it, not thinking about germs at all as Yurio coughed.
        “Onion. Mushroom and tofu, too,” Viktor said simply. “It doesn’t have a strong taste. You can drink this.”
        “I know, I just want to know what it is,” said Yurio, taking another soup. “I can’t remember if I like tofu.”
        “You’ve eaten it before,” pointed out Viktor.
        Yurio had a few more spoonful’s and sat the bowl down.
        “Viktor?” Yurio’s’ voice barely came out.
        “Yes?”
        “I’m nervous that I’ll puke it up. I haven’t been hungry. Maybe that’s for a reason,”
        “Can you not try to eat anymore?” asked Viktor.
        “I don’t think I should,” said Yurio. “I feel all hot and gross. I just want to pass out.”
A bit surprised, Viktor felt the warmth from Yurio’s sweaty forehead. “Oh. Well, go brush your teeth while I put this in the fridge.”
        “You’ll be right back?” Yurio coughed.
        “I promise, Yurochka,” Viktor kissed Yurio’s temple. “I’m proud of you for trying to eat.”
        Viktor brought the bowl downstairs.
        “He didn’t eat much,” mentioned Hiroko.
        “No,” frowned Viktor.
        “Did he like it?”
        “I think so. He’s just scared that he’ll vomit,” said Viktor.
        “Try to get him to have something else in an hour or so. Viktor, you’ll be staying up and comforting him tonight, right?” she asked, a bit nervous that Viktor wasn’t mature enough to think to do that on his own.
        “I don’t think that will be necessary. He looks like he’ll sleep through the night. He’s quite tired right now so I’m going to be putting him to bed. He may be an early riser tomorrow since he’s falling asleep at 8, but he might just need the extra rest.”
        “If he’s up, someone needs to be up with him,” insisted Hiroko.
        “Oh,” said Viktor. “Well, I will get out of bed and take care of him if he wakes me.” Viktor hoped this was the right answer, but he was a little unsure why she was questioning him about this to begin with.
        “But, if you want to go to sleep, you have to let someone know that he’s up so they can take care of him,”
        “We’ll be fine,” Viktor smiled. “Thank you for worrying about us.”
        Hiroko reached up and felt Viktor’s head with the back of her hand. Viktor thought to himself how the Katsuki family seemed to do that a lot as she pulled her hand away.
        “Alright, you cooled back down,” she smiled. “My Yuri gets anxious a lot and it can unfortunately be contagious. I was starting to worry that you were coming down with this, too. But, you’re not even coughing. That’s ridiculous.”
        “Ah,” Viktor smiled. “Thanks for your concern.” Viktor covered the soup and put it in the fridge while Hiroko finished putting the dishes away and left. Viktor then took out a bottle of rum, which he poured into a shot glass and drizzled in honey, just for assurance that Yurio would go straight to sleep.
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Lifespeed (Brand-new 3DS EShop) Evaluation
Lifespeed (New 3DS EShop) Review
When that's installed, you can begin playing. Today few Switch games are maximized for the touch display (it's generally Voez and also Skylanders), which makes the tablet-only technique of playing a little much less remarkable. My love for video games originates from playing video games on the first Nintendo console, Household Computer system, during the 80's in Japan, and I have actually constantly admired the console. The Nintendo eshop card codes generator is the tool which will offer totally free code for Nintendo as well as wii games. DS Code Generator Online. After that click "Beginning" and also allow our generator do the remainder. Please allow me know in the remarks of this post or on any electrical outlet I've shared this article on. , if you've found any kind of inaccuracy please allow us know asap.. You could retrieve 2048 for any type of 3DS/2DS and eShop area as long as there are still free copies left from our download codes vault. The 3DS and also Wii U codes can be gotten across Europe beyond Nintendo's eShop, as well as VIDEO GAME is valuing them less expensive compared to the eShop does, a minimum of online. Free nintendo eshop codes 3dsI need cost-free pin code totally free minutes for a straight talk phone many thanks? Last days, get 20% off extra on all price with the coupon code on our e-store.
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porchenclose10019 · 7 years
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Everything Sony Told Us About the Future of PlayStation
Pull your gaze from Nintendo’s bedazzling Switch for a moment and consider Sony’s now widespread PlayStation 4. Console sales have in general outperformed the most buoyant analyst and pundit prognostications. Not merely because of Nintendo’s overnight dark horse, or its scarce as hen’s teeth NES Classic. Sony’s PlayStation 4 is having some belt-notching moments of its own.
Sony now says its flagship games platform has sold-through—meaning to buyers and not just stores—close to 60 million units worldwide since its launch in November 2013. That, according to Sony global game development boss Shawn Layden, is the fastest pace set by any PlayStation, life-to-date, including the all-time industry record holder PlayStation 2.
“As you’ll recall, last year we performed the daredevil stunt of launching three new pieces of hardware in 60 days. Probably won’t do that again,” quips Layden during a sit-down with TIME. He’s talking about the $399 PlayStation 4 Pro (a souped up PlayStation 4 that outputs way snazzier graphics), PlayStation VR (a $399 virtual reality headset that couples with the PlayStation 4 for wraparound alt-reality experiences) and a slimmer, sleeker $299 version of the baseline PlayStation 4. All three arrived last fall, and Sony says sales have been booming.
PlayStation VR now boasts more than one million units sold worldwide, up from about 900,000 in February 2017. According to Sony, it’s been sold out from day one. “We don’t see it as a fad, it’s a brand new medium, not only for gaming entertainment, but non-gaming entertainment,” says Layden. And of every five PlayStation 4s Sony sells, Layden says one is a PlayStation 4 Pro, a laudable achievement given its $100 price premium, enthusiast target demographic and the nascency of the 4K television market (where it’s real allure lies).
“It is way ahead of our expectations,” adds Sony global sales chief Jim Ryan. “As with PSVR, and I suppose in forecasting these things we haven’t done a very good job, the product is in desperately short supply. So that’s one-in-five under severe constraint.”
“All of the rumors of the demise of the console are very much premature,” says Layden. “In fact if you’re watching [sales tracker] NPD for PS4 and Xbox One sales, you put those together and console gaming has never been as big and vibrant as it is right now. And that’s just here in the States.” Zip across the pond, and the story tilts further in Sony’s favor. “It’s been pleasing that in North America, we’ve been 2-to-1 against Xbox,” says Ryan. “But in Europe, it’s really been fortress PlayStation by at least 3-to-1 in unit sales.”
“It’s also the breadth of type of games,” he continues. “And once you get up in the heady heights of 100 million units, you’re talking of a different audience altogether, where having this range of stuff like Detroit: Become Human and FIFA and Call of Duty and Star Wars, it makes the job a whole lot easier.”
Layden says the Japanese publishers are also coming back, listing off recent games like Resident Evil 7, Nioh, Nier: Automata, Persona 5 and Final Fantasy XV as examples. “That’s super important for us,” he says. “I think a lot of Japanese developers lost their way chasing the mobile games yen, if you will, but they’re coming back to console in a major way. And speaking of, we’ll have some big announcements at E3 in that precise vein.”
This notion of mid-console refreshes—an enthusiast-angled limbering act you could argue Nintendo pioneered with its perennial Game Boy, DS and 3DS revamps—has a flip side. The PS4 Pro’s power has been effectively slaved to the baseline PlayStation 4. Games on the PS4 Pro, while graphically sharper and lusher, must be functionally identical to the experience as had on the standard model. It’s a leave-no-consumer-behind mentality that’s so far been echoed by the competition: Microsoft’s revved up PS4 Pro rival, codenamed Project Scorpio and due later this year, will likewise observe gameplay parity with the Xbox One.
“Because the games need to play on both Pro and standard PS4, there can’t be a radical departure between the two experiences,” says Layden. “But I think we’ve hit a happy medium by enriching the visual experience, and developers enjoy having that extra oomph while knowing they’re making games that play well on all 60 million PlayStation 4s. I guess we’re trying to have our cake and eat it too.”
Would Sony back away from that requirement if sales leveled off down the line? “Today, my answer is that we’re going to stay the course,” says Layden. “There’s still a lot of juice to squeeze out of the PlayStation 4 platform, full stop. So ensuring PlayStation 4 games play on both consoles is our winning formula right now.”
Another winning-so-far formula few saw coming is Nintendo’s notion of a games console you can play anywhere you like, shifting from your hands to your TV in seconds. In 2005, Sony began its own foray into handheld gaming with a device it dubbed the PlayStation Portable. The PSP sold in excess of 80 million units, and in 2012, a followup dubbed the PS Vita arrived—a contemporaneously mighty mobile, but one that sold a fraction as many units. In light of what Nintendo seems to be illustrating, that there is appetite for a consumer device that preserves the higher-end console experience on the go, would Sony ever revisit a once formidable bailiwick?
Layden calls the Switch “a great success for Nintendo” and admits that “it’s definitely what that fanbase has been waiting for.” But he sees the system as less a rival than a complementary traveler, claiming that Switch sales have had no discernible impact on the sell-through for PlayStation 4. “When you look at our numbers, I think it shows that a lot of gamers are a two-console family,” he adds. “And quite often those two consoles are PlayStation and Nintendo sitting side-by-side.”
Layden says Sony still views the Vita as a viable development platform: Though new Western releases have slowed to a trickle, he notes games are still being made for it in Japan. But for now, a Vita successor isn’t in the cards. “To be honest, the Vita just didn’t reach critical mass in the U.S. or Western Europe,” he says. “I don’t know if it was that it was more technology people had to carry around, or more things to charge, or whether their phone or tablet were taking care of that. But once the content slowed in that pipeline, it became hard to keep the Vita as a going concern.”
Another concern occasionally raised by PlayStation devotees involves the company’s once-ubiquitous PlayStation 2. While Sony has in recent years devoted resources to bringing a handful of popular older titles to the PlayStation 4, the better part of that library is lost to time. For now, it seems that’s where it’ll remain. “When we’ve dabbled with backwards compatibility, I can say it is one of those features that is much requested, but not actually used much,” says Ryan. “That, and I was at a Gran Turismo event recently where they had PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 games, and the PS1 and the PS2 games, they looked ancient, like why would anybody play this?”
By contrast, the company says it intends to double down on things people do want to play, namely the explosive eSports phenomenon. “It’s a subject that is occupying us quite a lot these days, and something we’re looking at very carefully,” says Ryan. “We’re trying to find precisely what the role of the platform holder is in that value chain. Seeing how we can actually make the whole eSports thing bigger, better, different and bespoke to PlayStation is something you’re going to be hearing quite a lot about in the next year or two.”
Speaking of broadening its messaging to a growing competitive elite, Sony says it’s aware some have made noises about a boutique version of the company’s acclaimed DualShock 4 controller in the vein of Microsoft’s own Xbox One Elite gamepad. “The idea of a premium interface in exactly the same manner as we now have a premium console has a lot of logic to it, and there are such products already available in the market from third parties,” says Ryan. “But it’s definitely something we continue to look at.”
To questions about where other technologies like PlayStation VR go from here, Layden stresses virtual reality’s non-gaming possibilities. “We have Hollywood luminaries and TV show runners, places like the Smithsonian and [NASA’s] Jet Propulsion Laboratory looking into what the technology can do for them. And recently you may have seen Vince Gilligan, the show runner for Breaking Bad, has leaked some information that we’re working together, which we are, in bringing a Breaking Bad experience to virtual reality.” What exactly is that going to be? “I have no idea, but Vince has shown that he can deliver,” says Layden.
Sony doubtless intends to push its phase one VR ideas as far as the market will bear, but the pressure to iterate is fierce. “Technology cycles are shortening, and there’s no reason to expect VR to be any exception to that,” says Ryan. “If we have aspirations to take this into a mass market space, clearly things will need to happen to the form factor, whether it’s wireless or a lighter headset or all of these things.”
“The key is advancing the technology without stepping off the platform,” adds Layden. “We want to make sure we have a target platform developers can grow against. We’ll find ways to bump it up, whether that’s through the physical design of the product, which needs tweaks, of course, as everything does. But we also want to make sure we’re firmly grounded in PlayStation 4, so people don’t think they need something else to drive the experience.”
As for the experience awaiting PlayStation buffs when the curtain lifts on Sony’s E3 media event, live streaming from the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall (online as well as in select theaters) next Monday, June 12, Layden says to think of it less as a press conference than a software showcase.
“The crowd will only have to suffer I think in aggregate 90 seconds of me,” he jokes. “And in the middle will be all the games.”
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repwincoml4a0a5 · 7 years
Text
Everything Sony Told Us About the Future of PlayStation
Pull your gaze from Nintendo’s bedazzling Switch for a moment and consider Sony’s now widespread PlayStation 4. Console sales have in general outperformed the most buoyant analyst and pundit prognostications. Not merely because of Nintendo’s overnight dark horse, or its scarce as hen’s teeth NES Classic. Sony’s PlayStation 4 is having some belt-notching moments of its own.
Sony now says its flagship games platform has sold-through—meaning to buyers and not just stores—close to 60 million units worldwide since its launch in November 2013. That, according to Sony global game development boss Shawn Layden, is the fastest pace set by any PlayStation, life-to-date, including the all-time industry record holder PlayStation 2.
“As you’ll recall, last year we performed the daredevil stunt of launching three new pieces of hardware in 60 days. Probably won’t do that again,” quips Layden during a sit-down with TIME. He’s talking about the $399 PlayStation 4 Pro (a souped up PlayStation 4 that outputs way snazzier graphics), PlayStation VR (a $399 virtual reality headset that couples with the PlayStation 4 for wraparound alt-reality experiences) and a slimmer, sleeker $299 version of the baseline PlayStation 4. All three arrived last fall, and Sony says sales have been booming.
PlayStation VR now boasts more than one million units sold worldwide, up from about 900,000 in February 2017. According to Sony, it’s been sold out from day one. “We don’t see it as a fad, it’s a brand new medium, not only for gaming entertainment, but non-gaming entertainment,” says Layden. And of every five PlayStation 4s Sony sells, Layden says one is a PlayStation 4 Pro, a laudable achievement given its $100 price premium, enthusiast target demographic and the nascency of the 4K television market (where it’s real allure lies).
“It is way ahead of our expectations,” adds Sony global sales chief Jim Ryan. “As with PSVR, and I suppose in forecasting these things we haven’t done a very good job, the product is in desperately short supply. So that’s one-in-five under severe constraint.”
“All of the rumors of the demise of the console are very much premature,” says Layden. “In fact if you’re watching [sales tracker] NPD for PS4 and Xbox One sales, you put those together and console gaming has never been as big and vibrant as it is right now. And that’s just here in the States.” Zip across the pond, and the story tilts further in Sony’s favor. “It’s been pleasing that in North America, we’ve been 2-to-1 against Xbox,” says Ryan. “But in Europe, it’s really been fortress PlayStation by at least 3-to-1 in unit sales.”
“It’s also the breadth of type of games,” he continues. “And once you get up in the heady heights of 100 million units, you’re talking of a different audience altogether, where having this range of stuff like Detroit: Become Human and FIFA and Call of Duty and Star Wars, it makes the job a whole lot easier.”
Layden says the Japanese publishers are also coming back, listing off recent games like Resident Evil 7, Nioh, Nier: Automata, Persona 5 and Final Fantasy XV as examples. “That’s super important for us,” he says. “I think a lot of Japanese developers lost their way chasing the mobile games yen, if you will, but they’re coming back to console in a major way. And speaking of, we’ll have some big announcements at E3 in that precise vein.”
This notion of mid-console refreshes—an enthusiast-angled limbering act you could argue Nintendo pioneered with its perennial Game Boy, DS and 3DS revamps—has a flip side. The PS4 Pro’s power has been effectively slaved to the baseline PlayStation 4. Games on the PS4 Pro, while graphically sharper and lusher, must be functionally identical to the experience as had on the standard model. It’s a leave-no-consumer-behind mentality that’s so far been echoed by the competition: Microsoft’s revved up PS4 Pro rival, codenamed Project Scorpio and due later this year, will likewise observe gameplay parity with the Xbox One.
“Because the games need to play on both Pro and standard PS4, there can’t be a radical departure between the two experiences,” says Layden. “But I think we’ve hit a happy medium by enriching the visual experience, and developers enjoy having that extra oomph while knowing they’re making games that play well on all 60 million PlayStation 4s. I guess we’re trying to have our cake and eat it too.”
Would Sony back away from that requirement if sales leveled off down the line? “Today, my answer is that we’re going to stay the course,” says Layden. “There’s still a lot of juice to squeeze out of the PlayStation 4 platform, full stop. So ensuring PlayStation 4 games play on both consoles is our winning formula right now.”
Another winning-so-far formula few saw coming is Nintendo’s notion of a games console you can play anywhere you like, shifting from your hands to your TV in seconds. In 2005, Sony began its own foray into handheld gaming with a device it dubbed the PlayStation Portable. The PSP sold in excess of 80 million units, and in 2012, a followup dubbed the PS Vita arrived—a contemporaneously mighty mobile, but one that sold a fraction as many units. In light of what Nintendo seems to be illustrating, that there is appetite for a consumer device that preserves the higher-end console experience on the go, would Sony ever revisit a once formidable bailiwick?
Layden calls the Switch “a great success for Nintendo” and admits that “it’s definitely what that fanbase has been waiting for.” But he sees the system as less a rival than a complementary traveler, claiming that Switch sales have had no discernible impact on the sell-through for PlayStation 4. “When you look at our numbers, I think it shows that a lot of gamers are a two-console family,” he adds. “And quite often those two consoles are PlayStation and Nintendo sitting side-by-side.”
Layden says Sony still views the Vita as a viable development platform: Though new Western releases have slowed to a trickle, he notes games are still being made for it in Japan. But for now, a Vita successor isn’t in the cards. “To be honest, the Vita just didn’t reach critical mass in the U.S. or Western Europe,” he says. “I don’t know if it was that it was more technology people had to carry around, or more things to charge, or whether their phone or tablet were taking care of that. But once the content slowed in that pipeline, it became hard to keep the Vita as a going concern.”
Another concern occasionally raised by PlayStation devotees involves the company’s once-ubiquitous PlayStation 2. While Sony has in recent years devoted resources to bringing a handful of popular older titles to the PlayStation 4, the better part of that library is lost to time. For now, it seems that’s where it’ll remain. “When we’ve dabbled with backwards compatibility, I can say it is one of those features that is much requested, but not actually used much,” says Ryan. “That, and I was at a Gran Turismo event recently where they had PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 games, and the PS1 and the PS2 games, they looked ancient, like why would anybody play this?”
By contrast, the company says it intends to double down on things people do want to play, namely the explosive eSports phenomenon. “It’s a subject that is occupying us quite a lot these days, and something we’re looking at very carefully,” says Ryan. “We’re trying to find precisely what the role of the platform holder is in that value chain. Seeing how we can actually make the whole eSports thing bigger, better, different and bespoke to PlayStation is something you’re going to be hearing quite a lot about in the next year or two.”
Speaking of broadening its messaging to a growing competitive elite, Sony says it’s aware some have made noises about a boutique version of the company’s acclaimed DualShock 4 controller in the vein of Microsoft’s own Xbox One Elite gamepad. “The idea of a premium interface in exactly the same manner as we now have a premium console has a lot of logic to it, and there are such products already available in the market from third parties,” says Ryan. “But it’s definitely something we continue to look at.”
To questions about where other technologies like PlayStation VR go from here, Layden stresses virtual reality’s non-gaming possibilities. “We have Hollywood luminaries and TV show runners, places like the Smithsonian and [NASA’s] Jet Propulsion Laboratory looking into what the technology can do for them. And recently you may have seen Vince Gilligan, the show runner for Breaking Bad, has leaked some information that we’re working together, which we are, in bringing a Breaking Bad experience to virtual reality.” What exactly is that going to be? “I have no idea, but Vince has shown that he can deliver,” says Layden.
Sony doubtless intends to push its phase one VR ideas as far as the market will bear, but the pressure to iterate is fierce. “Technology cycles are shortening, and there’s no reason to expect VR to be any exception to that,” says Ryan. “If we have aspirations to take this into a mass market space, clearly things will need to happen to the form factor, whether it’s wireless or a lighter headset or all of these things.”
“The key is advancing the technology without stepping off the platform,” adds Layden. “We want to make sure we have a target platform developers can grow against. We’ll find ways to bump it up, whether that’s through the physical design of the product, which needs tweaks, of course, as everything does. But we also want to make sure we’re firmly grounded in PlayStation 4, so people don’t think they need something else to drive the experience.”
As for the experience awaiting PlayStation buffs when the curtain lifts on Sony’s E3 media event, live streaming from the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall (online as well as in select theaters) next Monday, June 12, Layden says to think of it less as a press conference than a software showcase.
“The crowd will only have to suffer I think in aggregate 90 seconds of me,” he jokes. “And in the middle will be all the games.”
from DIYS http://ift.tt/2qQ1GhC
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