Jeriann Tripodi, Editor
Welcome back to the fun segment “A&E Trivia.” This week, we have a special “Award Winners” edition. We will play a little quizzo with a total of four questions — one question from each category. You will be given three answer choices. The categories are movies, television, music and celebrities. Let’s go!
Jeriann Tripodi, Editor
Header Image: PBS Kids
Welcome to the wonderful world of entertainment. The following news includes highlights of celebrities, television, movies and music this week.
Kelly Clarkson files to legally change her name
Pop singer and television host Kelly Clarkson has filed paperwork to legally change her name to Kelly Brianne. Dropping her maiden last name, the “Stronger” singer requests to use her first and middle names only. This decision comes amid her on-going and bitter divorce from her husband of nearly seven years, Brandon Blackstock. According to Us Weekly, the “American Idol” winner wants to change her name because it “more fully reflects” who she is. A hearing to decide on the matter is scheduled to take place on March 28.
Sam Hunt’s pregnant wife files for divorce
Country singer Sam Hunt and his wife Hannah Lee Fowler are splitting after nearly five years of marriage. In legal documents obtained by TMZ, Fowler has cited “adultery” and “inappropriate marital conduct” as the reasons why she is seeking a divorce from Hunt. Although the pair have not made a pregnancy announcement, the documents state that Fowler is due in May. She is asking for primary custody and child support.
“Arthur” has come to an end after 25 seasons
The popular PBS Kids show, “Arthur,” ends after 25 seasons and over 250 episodes. Based on a book series by author and illustrator Marc Brown, this cartoon show is centered around the daily life of a young aardvark named Arthur. Each episode follows his daily adventures and the challenges he faces with his friends, who are different animal species. In the final episode, “All Grown Up,” the main characters are shown as adults. Arthur sports a dark hairstyle, facial hair and a new outfit. He is happy with his career as a graphic novelist. According to Buzz Feed, “Arthur” is the longest-running children’s animated series in television history.
“Cyrano” will hit theaters on Feb. 25
The new musical romantic drama film, “Cyrano,” is an adaptation of the classic 1897 play, “Cyrano de Bergerac,” and tells the story of a talented poet named Cyrano who is in love with a young woman named Roxanne. He never tells her his feelings because he believes she will never love him back. Instead, he painfully watches Roxanne admire a young man, named Christian, from afar. Since Cyrano cares about Roxanne’s happiness, he helps the inarticulate Christian win her love by offering his poetic skills. Starring Peter Dinklage, “Cyrano” will be released in theaters across the country on Feb. 25 and is rated PG-13.
Number one on the Billboard charts: week of Feb. 26, 2022
According to “The Hot 100” on the charts, the number one song in the U.S. is “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” by Carolina Gaitan, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and the “Encanto” cast. Staying at the top spot, this is the eighth week the Disney song is on the charts. According to the “Billboard 200,” the number one album in the U.S. is Disney’s “Encanto” Soundtrack. At the top spot for the sixth time, this is the 12th week the Latin pop film score is on the charts.
Jeriann Tripodi, Editor
Header Image: CBS Sports
Welcome to the wonderful world of entertainment. The following news includes highlights of celebrities, television, movies and music this week.
Kanye West demands an apology from Billie Eilish
At her recent concert, pop singer Billie Eilish stopped her show to make sure a distressed fan in the audience got the medical help they needed. Eilish told the crowd, “I wait for people to be okay until I keep going.” Rapper Kanye West believed she was making a reference to Travis Scott and the Astroworld tragedy, so he took to social media to demand she apologize. West has threatened to pull out of Coachella unless Scott receives an apology.
Super Bowl LVI halftime show makes history, featuring all rap, R&B and hip-hop performers
At the Super Bowl LVI halftime show, rappers Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar took the stage. In addition to these rappers, R&B artist Mary J. Blige also performed. Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre opened with their hit “The Next Episode.” They also performed Dr. Dre and 2Pac’s “California Love.” 50 Cent was then shown performing upside down as he took on his hit “In Da Club.” Mary J. Blige danced and sang her hit song “Family Affair.” Kendrick Lamar then performed “Alright” with backup dancers. After that, Eminem took on his hit “Lose Yourself.” The set consisted of a row of white connecting houses with classic cars parked outside and represented Compton landmarks.
Jim Carrey reprises “The Cable Guy” role in Super Bowl commercial
During Super Bowl LVI, comedian and actor Jim Carrey starred in a Verizon commercial. Carrey returned as his famous character, Chip Douglas, from the 1996 satire film “The Cable Guy.” In this ad, Douglas obnoxiously tries to sell a woman cable but finds that she does not need his service because she has Verizon 5G internet. When he checks for himself, he is hilariously surprised that her fast service is wireless.
Channing Tatum stars in “DOG”
Starring actor Channing Tatum, “DOG” is a buddy comedy film that tells the story of a former army ranger, Jackson Briggs, who is looking to return to the military in order to become his best self again. However, he must first perform one specific task. Briggs must drive Lulu, a military dog, to the funeral of her fallen owner. This task is challenging because she is very ferocious. However, while Briggs and Lulu are on the road, they start to bond. “DOG” is rated PG-13 and will arrive in theaters Feb. 18.
Number one on the Billboard charts: week of Feb. 19, 2022
According to “The Hot 100” on the charts, the number one song in the U.S. is “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” by Carolina Gaitan, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and the Encanto Cast. Staying at the top spot, this is the seventh week the Disney song is on the charts. According to the “Billboard 200,” the number one album in the U.S. is Disney’s “Encanto” Soundtrack. At the top spot for the fifth time, this is the 11th week the Latin pop film score is on the charts.
Warner Bros. Studios
Nolen Kelly, Editor
On a recent rewatch of “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” I fell into a deep depression and found myself screaming in a hotel room, because while Ben Affleck was fine as the Batman, the writing for the rest of his movie is some real bad stank. With the upcoming release of Matt Reeves’ newest entry in the Bat Pantheon, “The Batman,” starring Robert Pattinson (“Twilight,” “The Lighthouse”) and Zoë Kravitz (“X-Men,” “Divergent”), it looks like something we have not seen before in a Batman movie. In terms of a character focus on the Dark Knight and a villain that feels eerily like Paul Dano (“There Will be Blood,” “Little Miss Sunshine”) as a real serial killer, “The Batman” is new and exciting and you should be excited that it’s here.
The last time there was an air-tight Batman movie was 2008’s “The Dark Knight,” which was a frantic story of chaos and pushing heroism to its limits. “The Dark Knight Rises” in 2012 was good, but had some unfortunate weak writing at points and a so-so ending. It has been 14 years since Batman was treated like a necessary protector of Gotham while also being shown as a fatally flawed human. Zack Snyder (“Watchmen,” “Justice League”) is not a very good character writer, in my opinion. He may have a good character or two in the majority of his movies, but none of them have good writing to back them up. The biggest intrigue of Batman is how he is still just a man — money and gadgets aside. Snyder kept all of those things in the background of his interpretation and it all felt lost, like this was not even really Batman. Batman has existed in movies since “Batman: The Movie” in 1966, and was first depicted as a serious character in “Batman” (1989), but a true representation of the flawed billionaire Bruce Wayne as the Batman has been missing for over a decade.
Director Matt Reeves has a small resume, but it consists of some notable movies. He directed the found monster footage classic “Cloverfield,” as well as “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” and “War for the Planet of the Apes” with a writing credit on the latter. If you haven’t seen those two then you should know that Matt Reeves is really good at making a movie with an abstractly quirky concept seem kind of like a nightmare. The two “Apes” movies are very good and when it was announced Reeves would be taking on the Bat in his next project, it made a lot of sense to me. I know not many know his name yet, but it is a name worth investing in. One of the first pieces of info released about the movie was the casting of Pattinson, and if you’ve been on the Robert revival train like I have, then this is a baller move.
There’s not much need to dwell on “The Twilight Saga” Pattinson started his career with, because those jokes have already been made about the hilarious vampire parody series and now it’s time to finally begin to recognize Robby as the actual dark, brooding, Death-Grips-listening, fan-trolling, Adidas-track-suit-wearing acting chameleon he really is. “The Devil All the Time” showed he can pull off a predatorial southern preacher, “Tenet” proved Pattinson can more than handle himself in the up-its-own-a**-ness of a Christopher Nolan movie, “High Life” showed a soft and caring father of an infant facing impending doom in the form of a black hole and “Good Time” was a tense day in the life of Pattinson as a bank robber and it ruled. Ever since his big push, the B-tier Edward Cullen actor has been on a killer hot streak. Now is the time to invest in Pattinson as an actor. With “The Batman,” there could not have been a better actor working today that can bring each of their previous roles into a new role that also fits that personality better than Pattinson. But Pattinson isn’t even the only perfect fit in this movie.
Dano, Kravitz and Jeffrey Wright (“Westworld,” “No Time to Die”) as The Riddler, Catwoman and Commissioner Gordon respectively are all flawless casting decisions. Dano is another wickedly talented chameleon who always delivers a top quality performance, especially in “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Prisoners.” Kravitz is another up and up talented actress that seems to be getting better in every role she takes on. See “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “X-Men: First Class.” Wright is Commissioner Gordon and, while his backlog may not all completely support this choice, it still makes sense. Wright is a soft spoken yet super dramatic actor who knows how to put himself in each role he is in, especially in “Casino Royale” and “Westworld.” From all of the trailers and character posters released so far, it looks like Dano’s iteration of Riddler is heavily inspired by The Zodiac Killer, David Fincher movies and the Riddler character from the “Arkham” video games. Talking in rhymes, threats against Batman but with actual weight to it, mysterious symbols and disturbing methods of torture all increase Paul Riddler’s chances of becoming one of the best comic villains portrayed in a live action movie. I didn’t even get to mention Colin Farrell (“In Bruges,” “The Lobster”) as The Penguin yet, that’s how incredible this cast is.
Somewhere someone who likes movies or comics might read all of this and still not be excited for this movie and that is kind of baffling. Are you still not convinced? Fine. Here are some actually awesome facts about “The Batman” that will hopefully make you a convert to the cause for the cowl.
I am excited for this movie, and it seems there is a lot of excitement for it, but, in my humble eyes, it feels like it could be way bigger. I have Nirvana’s “In Utero” angel tattooed on my leg and I played and loved all of the “Arkham” games, yes, all of them. “The Dark Knight” is my favorite movie of all time and I wrote this article as a magnum donker of a love letter to a movie that has not been released yet. You clearly see my passion for this movie and I hope you find some excitement in you too. If this changed a few minds on how great this movie will be then I’m glad I did my job. If the movie bombs and is actually a mess (it won’t be) then you should never listen to me again. “The Batman” will be in theaters March 4.
Jeriann Tripodi, Editor
Welcome back to the fun segment “A&E Trivia.” We will play a little quizzo with a total of four questions — one question from each category. You will be given three answer choices. The categories are movies, television, music and celebrities. Let’s go!
Nolen Kelly, Editor
Header Image: Glamour
Greetings, lovers and movie lovers. It’s Movie Season and Valentine’s Season. In previous editions of this column I used the convenience of the holiday to gauge your favorite movies of a specific genre or specific holiday-theme but this time I want to look at a specific emotion. I’m talking about love, and just in time for Valentine’s Day. To clarify, this is not specifically your favorite romance movie, this is movies about love. Whether that be the hilariously chaotic romances of “Crazy, Stupid, Love” and “Palm Springs,” the heartbreak and turmoils of “Blue Valentine” and “Marriage Story,” or the alluring sensual encounters like those of “Closer” and “Vicky Christine Barcelone.” Here are some picks that you gave, from my social media, of your favorite movies about love, but first:
Nolen’s Favorite: “Punch-Drunk Love” (2002)
In Sept. 2021 La Salle University hosted Adam Sandler (“Uncut Gems,” “Big Daddy”) for a week so he could shoot a new movie here on campus. To celebrate the Sandman’s birthday I watched “Punch-Drunk Love” for the first time and the world was a different place after that. Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (“There Will Be Blood,” “Boogie Nights”), the movie follows Sandler as a blue-suit wearing, toilet plunger business owner named Barry Eagen, who is crippled by his social anxieties surrounding love, himself and his family of seven sisters. Barry falls in love, but then also has to juggle dealing with a group of scammers trying to hurt him and his new girlfriend, Lena. Adamantium Sandworm brings a sad but lovable performance, Emily Watson (“Chernobyl,” “Corpse Bride”) is the perfect pick to ground Sandler and make us fall in love too, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman (“The Master,” “Magnolia”) gives another testament as to why he was one of the greatest of all time as the lead scammer. The performances are some of the strongest of anyone in this movie’s career. Despite the romance, this movie is tense as hell but funny as well, and the lighting is so bright if you watched at night you could lose your sight. Jon Brion’s score helps keep the tension and adds some personality to the movie especially with the inclusion of Shelley Duvall’s “He Needs Me” from the “Popeye” movie. Used in both a heartbreaking and a heartwarming context, the song is so perfectly used that anytime I hear it I bawl and crawl into a ball. The song’s inclusion works swimmingly alongside the chaos that ensues but backs up how Lena and Barry need each other in this hectic story of finding oneself through someone else. “Punch-Drunk Love” is on HBO Max and I can’t recommend it enough. A few of my other favorites include “Moonlight,” “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” “Blue Valentine,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Moonrise Kingdom.”
That’s enough about me. Let’s talk about you. You have good taste in movies and we should talk about it. Here are some of your favorites.
Sanera Powell, ‘22: “Hitch” (2005)
“One of my favorite movies about falling in love is ‘Hitch’ which stars Will Smith and Kevin James. I remember watching it as a kid and laughing so much and awwing at the romantic moments because it is such a cute movie with a great message. To me, it’s one of the best rom-coms because of how funny each character is. The movie shows how love can be funny, messy and complex. You don’t have to change yourself for someone to fall for you, you just need a push from a friend or love counselor to show them what they’re missing. Overall such a light-hearted and cute movie and a must-watch for anyone who loves rom-coms.”
Aidan Brandt, ‘25: “Frozen” (2013)
“‘Frozen’ is a great movie about love because it puts a twist on the classic ‘Prince Charming’ movie trope. The charming, handsome Prince Hans, who we are convinced will be the savior of our heroine, Anna, betrays her and leaves her to die. In the end, sisterly love saves the day when Anna’s love for her sister saves the kingdom and helps Elsa control her powers.”
Izzy Hill, ‘22: “Flipped” (2010)
“I don’t think ‘Flipped’ is as known as it should be. Directed by Rob Reiner, ‘Flipped’ is a perfect blend of budding romance and coming-of-age philosophies that I use in my own life. It follows and flips (no pun intended) back and forth between the two protagonists throughout their young life, maturing into their own and maturing in and out of infatuation with each other. It leaves you with an optimistic bliss and leaves you very content with an open-ended ending. From start to finish, Reiner really showcases the lives of these two kids, not only with their romance, but their own problems and struggles outside the relationship.”
Gregory Shannon, ‘22: “Shark Tale” (2004)
“While normally people don’t look at ‘Shark Tales’ as a romance movie, the themes of it are very much there. The movie focuses heavily on the relationship between Oscar and Angie. No matter how many times Oscar messes up or how much money he gets, Angie still supports him through all of it. The movie teaches us that while money and fame can get you anything it doesn’t compare to having someone who loves you while you’re at your lowest. Moral of the story: find your day one.”
Other People’s Favorites:
With all of those to consider for your Valentine’s Day viewings here are a few favorites of the Collegian community. Fellow Joseph Gordon-Levitt enjoyer Aidan Degnan was broken after “(500) Days of Summer.” On opposite ends of the romantic timeline, Tori Sciarra stared at Ryan Gosling just like I did in “La La Land,” while Eric Valenti stared at Barbra Streisand just like I did in “The Way We Were.” The Collegian’s Managing Editor David O’Brien is not like the other dudes in the club since he chose David Lynch’s “Wild at Heart.” The other unique and different dude is the Collegian’s Sports Editor, Enrique Carrasco’s choice of “The Dark Knight Rises.”
Big thank you to everyone who submitted a response and to those who shared their thoughts on their favorite movies about love. Have a happy Valentine’s Day if you celebrate it but if you don’t, happy Monday, Feb. 14.
Jakob Eiseman, Editor-in-Chief
Header Image: Monolith Soft
On Feb. 9, Nintendo had its first Direct presentation for 2022. The last major Nintendo Direct presentation was on Sept. 23, 2021 and was the first time we heard about titles like “Kirby and the Forgotten Land,” “Splatoon 3” and the “Super Mario Movie.” While rumors about a Direct presentation coming soon have been rumbling for about a month now, this Direct was only announced yesterday, Feb. 10, leaving fans just a short time to speculate about what new announcements were coming. Some expected appearances included more information about the previously mentioned “Kirby” title set to release in March, “Splatoon 3” which was believed to be a summer title and “Triangle Strategy,” which was delayed from 2021 into early 2022. The following is everything announced at the February Direct:
“Nintendo Switch Sports” — April 29, 2022
A followup to everyone’s 2006 bowling obsession, “Nintendo Switch Sports” is a full followup to “Wii Sports.” “Nintendo Switch Sports” includes fan favorite sports bowling, tennis, golf and sword fighting, as well as the introduction of soccer, badminton and volleyball, all equipped with motion controls like the 2006 title.
“Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Booster Course Pass” — March 18, 2022
The best selling Nintendo Switch game of all time “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” is finally getting more content added to it after almost five years of being a kickback staple for nearly every Switch owner. The Booster Course Pass promises to add over 40 new racecourses to the title by the end of 2023.
“Mario Strikers: Battle League” — June 10, 2022
“Mario Strikers” is a soccer game series that adds all the childish zane of Mario to the classic sport. The other titles in the series are praised as incredibly fun party games for friends and family, and the new eight player mode in this title seems to live up to that reputation.
“Xenoblade Chronicles 3” — Sept. 2022
“Xenoblade” is a cult classic series that barely even got a sequel in America, but after the success and popularity of “Xenoblade Chronicles 2” in 2018 it appears that the series is here to stay. This dramatic expansive trailer shows the depth this new title looks to bring and appears to be a promising followup to its predecessors.
The following are some of the other notable announcements from the presentation.
“Kirby and the Forgotten Land” — March 25, 2022
“Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes” — June 24, 2022
“Portal: Companion Collection” — 2022
Additionally, further details were given for the previously announced “Advance Wars 1+2: Re-boot Camp,” “Metroid Dread,” “Triangle Strategy” and “Splatoon 3,” as well as new announcements for “Front Mission 1st,” “Chrono Cross,” “Live A Live” and other smaller announcements. A full list of content and further details can be seen on Nintendo’s website or in the full Direct below.
Jeriann Tripodi, Editor
Welcome to the wonderful world of entertainment. The following news includes highlights of celebrities, television, movies and music this week.
Rebel Wilson gets restraining order against man who claims they have a son
A judge has granted actress Rebel Wilson protection from a man who keeps showing up to her house. According to TMZ, the 39-year-old man leaves gifts and letters. In these handwritten letters, he refers to the “Pitch Perfect” star as his former partner and mentions that they share a 20-year-old son. Wilson, who does not have any children, has stated that she has never met this man.
ET Canada
Kat Von D finds intruder in her home
Tattoo artist and former reality star Kat Von D and her son were asleep at their home when a man broke in. According to TMZ, the “LA Ink” star was suddenly awakened. She then saw a beam of light moving inside her home. The famous tattoo artist quickly left with her 3-year-old child and called the police. When authorities arrived, they found a man in his thirties who told them he entered because he needed to use the restroom. The man was arrested for residential burglary.
The Cut
“Love is Blind” new season coming to Netflix
New episodes of the second season of the hit dating reality series, “Love is Blind,” will arrive on Netflix on Feb. 11. In this show, contestants form relationships without knowing what their partner looks like. Communicating with each other through the wall, dozens of singles will choose their partner based solely on their personality. The couples will then see each other face-to-face for the first time when they get engaged.
Stylist
“Murder Mystery 2” is in the works
The sequel to the hit Netflix film “Murder Mystery” is currently in production. The stars, Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler, announced the upcoming movie through their Instagram accounts. Aniston was the first to post. She shared a picture of herself posing with Sandler on a Mexico beach. The caption stated, “Back to work with my buddy #MurderMystery2.” Sandler then posted the same picture and caption. The original “Murder Mystery” follows a New York couple who are framed for a billionaire’s death while vacationing in Europe.
Daily Mail
Number one on the Billboard charts: week of Feb. 12, 2022
According to “The Hot 100” on the charts, the number one song in the U.S. is “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” by Carolina Gaitan, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto Cast. Staying at the top spot, this is the sixth week the Disney song is on the charts. According to the “Billboard 200,” the number one album in the U.S. is Disney’s “Encanto” Soundtrack. At the top spot for the fourth time, this is the tenth week the Latin pop film score is on the charts.
Amazon
Jeriann Tripodi, Editor
Welcome back to the fun segment “A&E Trivia.” We will play a little quizzo with a total of four questions — one question from each category. You will be given three answer choices. The categories are movies, television, music and celebrities. Let’s go!
I hope you all enjoyed this week’s “A&E Trivia,” and hopefully got a question or two right. Email tripodij2@lasalle.edu any questions you’d like to see asked in the next edition.
How the swiping of big name developers could affect you and your wallet.
Jakob Eiseman, Editor-in-Chief
Header Image: Sony
In a move that might not seem like a big deal to those who don’t pay attention to the tech industry, Microsoft has announced one of the largest acquisitions of an entertainment publisher to date: planning to purchase the video game company Activision Blizzard for $95 a share, roughly $68.7 billion. The deal, which is expected to go through in the fourth quarter of 2023, is currently being reviewed by the Federal Trade Commission.
Activision Blizzard carries such a large price tag because it is the parent company of juggernaut game franchises like “Call of Duty,” “World of Warcraft,” “Candy Crush” and “Overwatch.” In 2021 alone, the “Call of Duty” games “Vanguard” and “Black Ops Cold War” were the number one and two best selling games, respectively, worldwide, according to the NPD Group. Acquiring “Call of Duty” alone would have essentially been a license to print money for Microsoft, but the acquisition of long-praised Blizzard franchises like “Overwatch,” “Diablo” and others, as well as the “Candy Crush” franchise of mobile apps which made $1,190 million in the year 2020 according to Business of Apps, sets Microsoft up to dynamically change the way the games industry operates.
Microsoft’s direct competitor, Sony Interactive Entertainment and their PlayStation line of systems, has long been a thorn in the side of the Xbox company, and has been touted by many as the better and more popular of the two since 2013. The companies have always pushed each other to create new, better exclusive properties and products, going head to head with some of the best games of the generation with Microsoft’s “Forza,” “Halo,” “Ori” and other franchises going up against Sony’s “Uncharted,” “God of War,” “Spider-Man” and more, not to mention their feats in hardware development.
But, since the two mega-corporations started beefing, there has always been a sense of respect and profitability that came from sharing a majority of giant titles between the two systems, with games like “Call of Duty,” “NBA 2K,” “Fortnite” and others being available on both at the same time and for the same price.
Xbox
In the summer of 2020, Microsoft began the process of trying to close the gap between themselves and Sony in popularity by acquiring ZeniMax Media, parent company of the “Elder Scrolls,” “DOOM,” “Fallout” and “Wolfenstein” franchises, for what at the time seemed like an unfathomably large number: $7.5 billion. Sony did not flinch at the loss of these storied franchises, and instead kept pursuing their own goals such as creating new installments to some of their highest praised games or making deals with companies for their subscription services. But, after news of Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition, coming in at almost 10 times the value of ZeniMax, Sony has been forced to move their hand.
“Bungie,” which is to be purchased for $3.6 billion, are ironically the masterminds behind the “Halo” franchise, Microsoft’s cash crop. But, in 2007, Bungie split from Microsoft, becoming an independent studio. In the time since, Bungie has blown up as its own entity, creating two of the highest selling games of the generation: “Destiny” and “Destiny 2.” Sony has acquired Bungie, no doubt to get their hands on all that “Destiny” money, but also to show that they have a new, first-party studio willing to sell to them. To further the irony, the “Destiny” games were made with the help of Activision, the headlining studio now acquired by Microsoft.
If this is all a bit in the weeds for you, here’s what you have to know: Xbox is buying up giant studios to crush their competition; PlayStation is fighting back with their own acquisitions and we are all probably worse off that this is happening.
Platform exclusive titles have a tendency to review higher and receive more praise from consumers, which bodes well for these acquisitions. But, they also have a tendency to take longer to make and infrequently drop in price. Beyond this, while before platform owners could own a single device and still enjoy a majority of the games on the market, these acquisitions and exclusive deals will take away dozens of options unless a consumer owns both an Xbox and a PlayStation, which will run you well over $1,000 nowadays.
While Xbox offers many of their exclusive titles on their subscription service, Gamepass, at no extra charge, and PlayStation tends to provide occasional deals on their products, the prices are only going to go up from these business decisions. What was a cold war for many years is turning red hot as these giant corporations begin to gobble up once independent or public companies, taking options away from their competition and their competition’s fans.
Bungie’s $3.6 billion pales in comparison to ZeniMax’s $7.5 and Activision Blizzard’s $68.7 billion, but Sony is not a small company, and if they wanted to make money moves the way Microsoft has been, they can. This Bungie acquisition might just be a warning shot — but it could also be the shot heard around the world. Many eyes have turned to fan favorite publishers like Capcom, which owns franchises like “Street Fighter” and “Resident Evil,” Sega which owns “Sonic” and “Persona,” or Konami which owns “Silent Hill” and “Metal Gear” as possible collateral to this clash of the titans.
Obviously, it will be up to each company to take care of their consumers and to not ruin this still budding industry, but when billions upon billions of dollars are being slung in what is effectively a “gimme gimme, more more” era, the consumers will likely be the ones who face the harshest consequences in the form of even higher price hikes, a lack of game availability and a reduction in output for their favorite franchises. There are obvious benefits to this process, such as higher quality games and a more streamlined experience on a system, but, overall, the games industry is heading into a dystopian-esque megacorp-driven future unless these giants stop acquiring studios. It’s worth keeping your eye on if you have any interest in playing games, even casually.
The La Salle Collegian 