Games Inbox: Does it matter that physical video games are dying?
To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk
Old argument
Reading about the super rare Xbox game going for £1,000 the only thing I can think of is… it's not even a very good game. I doubt anyone that's thinking of paying that much for it is doing it because they love the game but just because they enjoy collecting rare things. Which is fine, it's not hurting anyone, but I don't think that's a very normal motivation for most people.
I get that people don't want physical copies to go away, and everyone likes collecting something, but the relevance of physical copies went away the second that patches came to consoles. So… somewhere around 2000?
After that, what's on the disc became irrelevant, because it's never the final game. In some cases there never is a final game. So really all you're collecting is a keepsake. Personally, I'd just collect posters or action figures or something of the games, at least they're more fun to have in your room. But all this complaining about Switch Game-Key Cards… the argument was lost two decades ago, for better or worse.
Cranston
Time delay
As much as I'd like to see Call Of Duty get some serious competition, I really can't see Battlefield 6 outselling Black Ops 7 straight off the bat. We'll see I guess, but I think the problem is that by the time Activision get round to acknowledging the coemption, which will probably take a while because they're so comfortable, how quickly can changes be made?
Call Of Duty games used to take three years to make but I don't think there is any set limit now and that's why everything's got out of order – it's just a rush to get whatever they can out of the door. That's the sort of attitude that Battlefield 6's success might help to prevent but that still means we're talking 2028 at the most before there's any shift in attitude.
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Will there ever be a year where there isn't a new Call Of Duty, because Activision thought it needed more time in the oven? I doubt it, they'll just puff up some DLC instead, like they did with Modern Warfare 3.
Focus
The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long
RE: Big Boy Bent. I didn't realise the Dreamcast had such a short lifespan either. I remember selling my console to a friend, then a fortnight later he said to me that Sega had stopped making games for it, which I was genuinely unaware of but at least I'd only charged him £50 for it.
It's a shame, as it was a great console with some terrific games. I remember being blown away by the fabulous graphics of the arcade port of the boat racing game Hydro Thunder, but if I had one niggle with the Dreamcast it was the control pads, they were especially poor for beat 'em-ups.
Adams6Legend
Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk
Accurately named
Will you get the chance to review Earthion? It looks amazing, Ancient made some of the best Mega Drive games and this looks like it's following that tradition. Considering how much you liked Gradius Origins I hope this is right up your street.
Thanks again for everything, you're always a great read.
Beastiebat (PSN ID)
Currently playing: Nothing, haven't really got the time, just working through Parks and Rec for the first time with the 20 minutes I can find at the very end if the day… bloomin' school holidays. Tell a lie, I played Game Boy Tetris on my Switch for eight minutes yesterday.
GC: Good heavens, how have Ancient been going so long? We may have missed our chance with this but at the very least we'll include it in our end of year catch-up.
La Leyenda de Zelda
Speaking from the gorgeous island of Tenerife. It's been a few days of sunshine, water park mayhem, and unfortunate sunburn. But when in Spain the sun always shines. Speaking of shining, I mentioned beforehand I'd be buying Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom for Switch 2, as soon as I could. GAME just so happened to spawn at the nearest shopping mall. It's truly unique to have brought a Spanish copy of the game that will actually work in the UK, due to Nintendo being region free.
£60 for the title, but you get what you pay for. The privilege of paying top dollar to Nintendo. But at the end of the day, how many consumers can say they own a Spanish region copy, especially in the UK? That's something quite rare actually.
Shahzaib Sadiq
GC: We hope you don't already own the Switch 1 version, because the Switch 2 upgrade is only £7.99.
Simple desires
I'm going to be so upset when EA finally shut down BioWare. Let's face it, we all know it's coming and I'm amazed they've lasted this long to be honest. For EA they've been very patient with them and I'm already surprised they didn't get shut down after Anthem. Maybe EA felt guilty for pushing them into making a live service game.
What I'm hoping is that Mass Effect is easier to make into game that non-fans will make, since the originals were pretty good third person shooters, amongst other things. I'm still not really clear why Dragon Age: The Veilguard was such a flop. The trailers were bad but I can't imagine they were the only reason people stayed away, because the combat was the best thing about the game. Which I guess undermines my point about Mass Effect.
Maybe people are just getting tired of action role-players that aren't Soulslikes. I don't really understand that either, as you'd think people would appreciate the alternative an a game that wasn't ultra hard, but here we are.
I wouldn't mind if Mass Effect had a bit of a Soulslike about it, but I don't think anyone has really made that concept work with a sci-fi game based on ranged combat before. Perhaps this could be the first but for me, personally I just want it to be like the old Mass Effects but with better graphics. Does that make me shallow?
Gifford
Semi-portable
Regarding the Nintendo Switch 2. Despite being a long on the making, Nintendo did not even consider at all the ergonomics of the device. This is baffling.
It is so uncomfortable to hold. I would have preferred a much smaller handheld to be fair, as well.
Sheel
Don't ask us
I am planning to get a custom gaming PC from PC Specialist and I was wondering if other GameCentral readers could advise me on what parts to buy? As this is a lot of info to take in and I need advice for someone new (me) to buying my custom build. I would like a PC tower with 2TB SSD hard drive (a fast one, within my price range), at least 32GB RAM (fast as I can afford), i7 CPU, graphics card obviously.
My budget is £2,000. I will pay for the delivery and warranty separately to that. I have a £15 off voucher from Edge magazine for PC Specialist.
I want to target 1080p at 60fps, as that is what Simundo in the Inbox said he would do with his gaming PC when he buys it.
I have a 1080p Phillips PC monitor and a 4K LG 60 inch TV. I will run the computer on one screen at a time.
My friend is going to put my mechanical 8TB hard drive bought in July 2023 in the new PC and the Blu-ray writer both from my old PC.
I don't want a fancy case, just one that does the job and does not fall apart, like the one I bought in 2004 from a different PC vendor. Do I need to buy bays for the 8TB hard drive and Blu-ray writer when I buy a
tower from PC Specialist?
I have to get a new PC by October 2025, as my current PC will not upgrade to Windows 11.
I do use the PC for gaming but I also use it for using office programs, printing, email, web surfing, any other task I need it for.
Could a GameCentral reader or unboxer advise me please? Thank you in advance.
Andrew J.
Inbox also-ransI fully endorse the idea of a Lego Batman v Superman, they'll have great fun mocking how terrible it is, I think.
Xris
Another great Switch 2 game deal from Very.
Mark Matthews
Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk More Trending
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Games Inbox: Should Leon die in Resident Evil Requiem?
The Thursday letters page hopes that video game demos will become more commonplace as the generation goes on, as one reader recommends Forza Horizon rival CarX Street. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@ Life and death I really like the fact that Resident Evil has never had a reboot, and I wish other games had that sort of history. There are plenty that have been around for as long or longer, but you don't get that same sense of looking forward to seeing favourite characters come back or watching them age. I'd be totally fine with a game where they were getting into their 50s, because anyone that played the original would be in a similar situation and I think that's really cool. We had an Indiana Jones film recently where the actor was 80 years old but it's even easier for a game to do, because nobody's going to break their hip on set. The big question is whether any of them should be killed off, especially because you know Capcom probably won't keep them dead and there'll just pop up again in a few games' time. Especially if it's someone as popular as Leon. I say do it though. Bringing them back with prequels, set before their death is fine, but an actual canon death in the timeline I'm totally okay with. They just have to work on building up the younger characters. Rose is a bit of a non-entity, everyone in Resident Evil 6 was awful, and I can't even remember what the girl in Resident Evil Revelations 2 was called. Callum GC: That was Moira, daughter of Barry Burton. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. Try before you buy Thanks for the list of free game demos, that's very useful. I think another reader mentioned how they're starting to become more common nowadays, after being guaranteed for any Xbox 360 era game but then falling out of fashion. I know the hard data says people that play a demo are less likely to buy a game but I'm not sure how they really measure that. How can they tell they were going to buy it and then the demo put them off (either because they didn't like it or, I guess, because they feel they've already played it now)? I do see a bit of crossover there with the Game Pass effect, where too much choice becomes paralysing but for me personally, if I'm on the fence about a game or don't really understand what it is, then a demo is very welcome. Maybe things will continue to improve and they'll become more common, because betas are blatantly just demos by another name, and they definitely work. Skimble More Battles My main hope about Battlefield 6 being a success is that it makes it more likely that EA make a Star Wars: Battlefront 3. You know the question must have come up at EA because of Battlefront 2's resurgence but they won't want to be spending the money. But if half the work is done in Battlefield 6, and they think its reputation could help it, then we might be onto something. Although, if there is another one I hope they get much more into the vehicle and space combat than before. That's what really sets the game aside from Battlefield and other shooters, but it feels like a bit of an afterthought even in Battlefront 2. Beef that up, don't bother with a single-player mode, and make sure there's plenty of content at launch. Maybe they can tie it in with the Starfighter film Ryan Gosling is making, if they need an excuse to focus away from ground combat. Loni Email your comments to: gamecentral@ Remaking the remake Very glad to see the rumour that they're remaking Resident Evil Code: Veronica. That one is the one I wanted the most because it's very important to the overall storyline but it often gets forgotten because it was originally a Dreamcast game. It's also quite a flawed game and I'm curious to see if Capcom will actually improve it, especially as it's got that pointless rehash of Resident Evil 1 in the middle. To be honest, as good as the other remakes are, what they did with Resident Evil 3 doesn't give me much hope. That was already a lesser entry and they somehow made it even worse in the remake, taking out the few things that made it special. But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, that they learned from that, especially as I believe that was the B-team working on that one. Not sure why they threw it out so carelessly though. It was a mainline sequel and now they're left with the difficulty of trying to make Resident Evil 0 decent. Maybe they should do a remake of the remake of 3 instead? Gazza Curated selection I might rate Game Pass more than PS Plus Extra/Premium but one thing the latter is good at, is its picks for the day one indie games it has. There's been Stray, Humanity, Rogue Legacy 2, Sea Of Stars, Teardown, Animal Well, The Plucky Squire, Dave The Diver, Blue Prince, and this month Sword Of The Sea. Good month in general for me with that game, Indika, Earth Defence Force 6, and Unicorn Overlord all peaking my interest. Simundo GC: Unicorn Overlord is great. Cross-platform customer As well as defining a 'gamer' in that spending report, we also need to determine what they mean by a person. Yes, I know that sounds silly but let me continue. I, for example, have a presence in four gaming sectors: Nintendo, where this year I have bought a Switch 2, some peripherals, Nintendo Switch Online, and quite a few games across both Switch platforms. So about £800. Microsoft, where I have a Game Pass Ultimate subscription but have bought no games or peripherals: £168. Sony, where I have the lowest PS Plus subscription and this year have bought two games: £200 Apple, where I have not paid anything beyond the Netflix subscription that includes games but regularly play free games like Pokémon Go. So, does the survey consider me to be one person spending about £1,200 per year on games, or four people that are spending an average of £300 each? Also is hardware included? And how does it factor in mobiles, tablets, and PCs that also have non-gaming applications? PazJohnMitch Out of touch I'm not sure the graphics are what most people were worrying about when it came to Football Manager 26 but at least it seems like it's actually going to release this year. I didn't know what to do without it last Christmas. We all complain they're too similar every year but being stuck with the current one for longer than usual, I'm yearning to play the new version. Football Manager used to be so good at understanding its audience, I hope this doesn't mean they've lost that touch. Skinner Budget drive Thought I would send in my thoughts of CarX Street on Xbox Series X, as it's had me hooked since release. I love open world racing games but got bored of Forza Horizon and Need For Speed; CarX Street does things a bit different and for the better. Firstly, this is not a sim but has more realistic handling than any other open world racer. Hitting objects will slow or stop you, so you can't just plough through everything. Even going offroad will slow you down and get real slidey, this is a tarmac racer. The AI is really good, even seeming to act quite human with no catch-up. The world looks great and the devs said they are going to expand it even though its already big. I love that there's so much traffic, if you turn it to max there's full-on traffic jams, though it does affect performance. The cars aren't licensed but look like their real world counterparts, with extensive tuning and customisation. So at least there's no chance it will get shut down to licensing issues. Also, it's cross-play, so there's always full lobbies, something all racers should have. My only problem is occasional slowdown and no car damage, but the devs are still working on it with a roadmap. More impressive is it's only £25; it's gonna keep me busy for a while. Rob Inbox also-ransGame I'm looking forward to is Cronos: The New Dawn. George GC: We should be seeing it, and speaking to the developer, at Gamescom next week. People talking about the Switch 2 Lite, I don't understand why Nintendo doesn't sell the current model but just without the dock? They could sell the dock on its own too, if anyone wanted it later, and probably end up charging more for both separately. Cubby More Trending Email your comments to: gamecentral@ The small print New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers' letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content. You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader's Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot. You can also leave your comments below and don't forget to follow us on Twitter. MORE: Games Inbox: Is an Xbox Game Pass subscription worth it? MORE: Games Inbox: Does it matter that physical video games are dying? MORE: Games Inbox: What's the best way to play Nintendo Switch 2?
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Drag x Drive review - dragging down Nintendo's reputation
Nintendo's latest first party game for the Switch 2 is a budget-priced wheelchair basketball game, that makes very clever use of the Joy-Con controllers. One shouldn't judge a book by its cover, or a video game by its trailer, but Drag x Drive has turned out to be exactly what it appeared to be. It's a tech demo masquerading as a game, with so few options and features it feels more like a cheaply made indie title, rather than what is so far Nintendo's one and only attempt at an original IP for the Switch 2. While all this is true it doesn't mean the game isn't fun, but it does feel incredibly thin. Anyone upset that Welcome Tour wasn't given away free really weren't missing out on anything, but this definitely should've been a free pack-in for the Switch 2. Because as insubstantial as it is, it is a good demonstration of what a developer as inventive as Nintendo can do with mouse controls. However, since there's no way to play it locally (apart from anything, you need two Joy-Cons per player) its longevity depends entirely on how much you're going to be playing it online. Which we're going to bet is not very long. The premise of Drag x Drive is very simple: it's a low fantasy version of wheelchair basketball, that is faintly reminiscent of Amiga classic Speedball 2. It's not nearly as violent as that game but the edges of the arena do have skateboard park style halfpipe ramps you can drive up, so it's not meant to be a realistic simulation. In terms of the controls, the idea is that you hold a Joy-Con in each hand, using them in mouse mode to simulate you rolling the wheels on the wheelchair. Since the Joy-Cons work perfectly well on your thighs (assuming they're covered by something with an even texture), there's no need to be near a table, even if that is the preferred option. It's a wonderful idea, of the sort that only Nintendo would come up with, when presented with a new control system, but it's a crying shame there isn't much of a game to go along with it. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. To move forward you simply brush the Joy-Cons on your legs, while turning involves what are essentially tank controls, i.e. you hold the left one still (or pull it backwards) but push the right one forward to turn left. That's not a control system most people will be used to, and it takes a good few minutes to gain even a semblance of control over your character. Actually competing in a match is, naturally, even more difficult, as while the game is very generous in terms of how close you need to be in terms of collecting the ball you still have to manoeuvre around the court, while avoiding other players or purposefully knocking into them to get the ball, or getting into position to try and catch it if it's thrown. We always approve of any game that requires you to learn new and interesting skills and getting to grips with Drag x Drive's controls is initially very rewarding. It's also a very good advert for the Switch 2's mouse controls, in terms of its precision and the potential for other games, beyond simply controlling a cursor. Catching and throwing the ball involves physically lifting the Joy-Con up and using its motion controls. You don't have to be terribly precise with this, which is probably wise on Nintendo's part, while you can also use the same controls to wave your hand when you want someone to pass you the ball (or you just want to celebrate). The instant segue from mouse controls to motion controls and back again is great, while also being reminiscent of how Metroid Prime 4 switches control systems on the fly – which we assume is going to be a common theme amongst first party Switch 2 games. In terms of the basic action, Drag x Drive is very good but when it comes to longevity and variety it doesn't even seem to be trying. It's reasonably cheap but not inconsequentially so – not when you'll probably have had enough of it all after just a day or two. The problem isn't the core action but the fact that there's only one main play mode – a basic 3v3 online match – and virtually nothing else. There's only one arena, no unlockables beyond different helmet designs, and a small range of mini-games that make you question whether the controls are really as precise as the main mode makes them seem. You can play in single-player against bots but since there's no meta game it's pointless as anything but practice. More Trending Even stranger than all that is how visually drab the whole game is. Quite inexplicably, especially for a Nintendo game, the primary colour scheme is various shades of grey, creating a sense of ugly grubbiness. Which would be fine if they were making a military shooter or a survival horror but it's absolutely bizarre to see in what is meant to be a fun, family-friendly multiplayer game. Even the music is bland and forgettable. No attempt is made to give any of the players any personality, which reinforces the impression that Nintendo just gave up work halfway through, after meaning to add in proper presentation and a full suite of features later but never getting around to it. If it was a launch game there'd be some excuse, but two months after the Switch 2's release we feel confident in saying that nobody was on tenterhooks waiting for Drag x Drive to come out as soon as possible. Nintendo should've just put Drag x Drive (even the name is rubbish, but we believe it's meant to be said 'Drag and Drive') back in the oven and waiting until it was ready. Because along with Welcome Tour that's now two first party duds for the Switch 2, both of which are unforced errors that would've been better off not existing at all, rather than tarnishing Nintendo's reputation in this way. In Short: A bafflingly under-designed multiplayer game that features some classic Nintendo innovation in terms of controls, but deeply unengaging presentation and zero longevity or variety. Pros: The controls make extremely clever use of the Switch 2's new Joy-Cons and learning to get good enough to compete against other players is engaging. Cons: There's so little structure, and so few options, it feels more like a demo than a full game, with longevity that is measured in hours rather than days or weeks. Inexplicably dour presentation. Score: 5/10 Formats: Nintendo Switch 2Price: £16.99Publisher: NintendoDeveloper: NintendoRelease Date: 14th August 2025 Age Rating: 3 Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. 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Destination X viewers slam 'unfair' twist as they warn they're going off show
Fans of Destination X on BBC One have been left furious by a 'rubbish' twist. The reality competition has been heating up in recent weeks, as fans are getting closer to winning £100,000. Rob Brydon's new BBC reality show, which has been tipped as Race Across the World meets The Traitors, sees players try and figure out where on earth they are by picking up on the clues dropped through various games, and the look of the area around them. Ultimately, the person to guess the furthest location from where they truly are by the end of the episode is booted out of the coach. However, in a huge twist, Josh was given the chance to sabotage someone and move their X 250km away from the point they chose – and he chose Nick. This led many fans on social media to share their fury over the decision, with @alexanderls3 writing on X: 'WHY do these shows always throw in stupid twists?! 'What do you mean Josh can move someone's pinpoint 250km away….. that's just straight up cheating as he's obviously going to choose the best player (Nick) and how is that fair? #DestinationX' @RebelDiamond_ added: 'If #Nick goes on that ridiculously unfair twist I'm going to be savage #DestinationX' @DrabWilly similarly said: 'Having a competitor move someone's pin 250km away from their guess makes a mockery of the show, just becomes a game of luck and randomness rather than skill (including deception) and intelligence. 'Prob won't bother watching if Nick ends up eliminated as a result #destinationx' @thraxar also wrote: 'Well I liked DestinationX until tonight's episode. Adding special abilities to totally change someone's guess and then ending on a a cliffhanger is rubbish 👎🏽 It felt fresh and interesting until now #destinationX' Meanwhile, @darwizzyszn_ described the 250km move as 'sabotage' and said it 'ruined the game'. This comes after fans slammed contestants for missing an 'unforgiveable' clue in last week's episode. More Trending The contestants were driven through beautiful landscapes as they stopped off at a castle to listen to music from artists linked to the final destination. Eventually, they listened to a song from The Sound of Music when Julie Andrews sings 'Do Re Mi'. However, one contestant, London cab driver Daren Parr took a while to come to the conclusion many viewers had already come to, at one pointing calling the noises 'nonsense'. Destination X airs at 9pm on BBC One on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Destination X's casting decisions are holding it back from success MORE: Game of Thrones star's 'underrated' period drama now streaming on Amazon Prime MORE: Strictly 2025 line-up confirms ninth contestant as history-making model
