There seems to be a lot of news still circling around the video game world these days.  I still don’t feel like I’m ready to comment on “#gamergate” as a whole.  I’ll probably never do that, because as a whole, gamergate is very confusing.  I am, however, running a fever of about 102, so the tact and restraint necessary for this topic are not within my grasp, anyway.  I’m so lost with this thing, anyway.  It seems like people are angry at the lack of journalistic integrity, then there’s something with Anita Sarkeesian that I seem to have missed.  I don’t know.  Moving on.

Given my lack of one, overall topic, I’ll instead give my commentary on several of the other news bites (not bytes) that are making their rounds.  Firstly, Microsoft bought Mojang studios for what I assume is $187 trillion.  Okay, $2.4 billion.  I won’t consider this to be the end of the world.  I’ve never played Minecraft, but I respect it.  I respect what Notch was able to do.  If this sale means that Notch never has to worry about a paycheck for the rest of his life, I’m okay with it.  What it means to Minecraft as a whole has yet to be seen.  Maybe Microsoft will leave well enough alone.  Maybe they’ll exploit it into the ground.  So long as somewhere out there, there’s a Minecraft in its original form, I think we’ll be okay.  If not, there are probably hundreds of Minecraft clones.  Just saying.

Now, one cannot do any online searching for video game news without hearing about Super Smash Bros.  I played this franchise back on the N64, and only on the N64, so I can’t say I’m well aligned with the fans of the series, but I can certainly understand why they like it.  It feels like Nintendo has been dishing out little bits and pieces of this game for over a year.  It’s just now getting to where anybody can actually play it.  I read an interesting article about how Peach’s underwear wasn’t modeled in the 3DS version.  Was that something people were looking for?  Maybe I’ve been out of the Smash Bros circle for too long, but I didn’t think this was a game that was dedicated to fan service.  Let’s leave that to Dead or Alive.  Also, nobody seems to like playing as Donkey Kong.  What is up with that?  It’s a lost art.

Speaking of video games as art, let’s talk about Baron Fang’s article from a few weeks back.  I know, giving commentary on another Enthusiacs article isn’t my normal thing, but I felt it warranted a bit of a mention.  To piggyback off the sentiment, I’d like to point out that video games are allowed to be fun.  Yes, you can make artistic games, and yes, if you are so inclined, you are free to make games that raise social issues.  You can make games that help problem solving and games that improve eyesight and reaction time.  However, despite whatever cause a person has chosen as their own, if I want to buy a game where I play as Marine McArmy, shooting a primarily faceless enemy combatant force, I’m allowed.  Let’s stop with all the self-righteous condescension that Call of Duty players aren’t as “good” as gamers who played <insert indie special interest game here.>  If there’s room in the world for Michael Bay films, there’s room for first-person shooters.  Just because something can be done artistically does not mean everyone done must be art.  Some photographs are artistic.  Selfies are not.

Arkham Knight release a mega preorder pack featuring the Batmobile.  I won’t link to it here, so as to eliminate possible competition should I choose to partake.  I’m typically all for not preordering.  I preach it to anybody who’ll listen.  It makes for very awkward conversations on public transportation.  Preordering goes hand in hand with a lot of what I don’t like about the modern gaming industry.  However, as my eight loyal readers can attest, I love Batman almost as much as I hate preorders.  It brings about a certain moral dilemma.  While I think preordering rewards a company before their work has spoken for itself, with a game like Arkham Knight, even if the reviews were mixed, I would still buy it.  So I’m in a quandary of what I should do.  Preorder the game I know I’m going to get anyway to get that awesome Batmobile statue, or stick to my principles and buy this game during a Black Friday sale in late 2015.  The choices of life, I suppose.

Finally, I’ll end with this.  Destiny had the largest video game launch of all time.  If my Facebook wall is any indication, a lot of people are playing it.  I’m hearing mixed reviews.  What are your thoughts?  Comment below.