Two Upsets Heard Around the World

If there’s two things any avid sports fan can tell you with certainty, it’s that in sports you should always expect the unexpected and that a little faith can go a long way.

Which is why you are guaranteed to see two upsets this week, the U.S. will end El Tri’s reign in CONCACAF this Tuesday and the fiery “Canelo” Alvarez will set Mayweather’s kingdom ablaze on Saturday.

It was impossible to expect that with an 88% chance of qualifying Mexico is now stumbling for a third place spot in the standings. It was also unexpected that the U.S. is now almost guaranteed a spot in the World Cup after an early loss to Jamaica. Expect a gritty match with the outcome being U.S. 2 - Mexico 0 .

Mayweather Jr. is a great fighter no doubt, but not even the best athletes fare well against father time. Whereas Mayweather is approaching the end of a career, Canelo is only just hitting his peak. Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr.  has the numbers behind him, Saul “Canelo”Alvarez has the faith of an entire nation with him. Look for Saul “Canelo” Alvarez knocking out Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. in the tenth round.

There’s one more thing every sport fan can agree on, it’s gonna’ be one heck of a week.

What Nintendo Should Do to Boost Wii U Sales

It seems as though everywhere you look nowadays there is someone declaring that the Wii U is a failed console. Granted, you would have to know the difference between a Wii and Wii U first (I kid, I kid!). Nintendo however isn’t the type of company that you can simply brush off as a failure.

Time and time again they have proven themselves to come back from economic hardships. Most recently the 3DS, who at first was seen as a lackluster device now even outsells both the PS3 and Xbox 360. The point is, Nintendo understands their business model better than anyone else and they will do what they seem fit to increase their revenue.

But just in case that they needed some quick advice on how to improve sales, here some ideas to help boost the Wii U market.

Focus on the Current Audience

Nintendo’s audience started to shift dramatically when the Wii was first released. Though to be fair you can make the case that it truly shifted with the release of the Gamecube. The audience was no longer the hardcore gamer that finds enjoyment from current games such as Call of Duty, Uncharted or Halo. Their main target is a more of younger audience that still finds enjoyment in classics such as Mario, Zelda, and Donkey Kong. That isn’t to say that there are no adults that are current owners or fans of Nintendo’s offerings. But it is hard to argue that their main target is a younger audience. Thus, it it is crucial that they don’t shy away from what’s making them currently successful. It would be wise for their focus to continue appealing to a youthful generation, and from what we've seen that’s exactly what they’re doing. Support your current audience and continue to focus on distributing the content that made the company great, and you will see Wii U sale growth.

Remember the Hardcore Gamer

Nintendo is already focusing on their core audience and that’s a great thing. The sales for the Wii U will indeed improve because of this. But remember when I said that the the company appealed to a younger audience? Well, that audience does grow up eventually. Thus this next idea could possibly be the long-term plan for the company in the end. That is to approach the younger audience now and remain with them until they grow into adults. However, just because your appeal is strongly focused on the youthful gamer, you can also develop a strong case for the Hardcore gamer to come back to Nintendo. Don’t forget that that this is the same company that released Goldeneye on the N64 and more recently it is the same company that revealed those great looking Wii U Pro Controllers. If Nintendo can once again reach out to the Hardcore gamer, they will indeed see sales climb for their console.

Now you might be saying to yourself, but didn’t Nintendo already try reaching out to the Hardcore gamer with Call of Duty and FIFA? Only to fail and even lose support from EA? Yes and no. Even though some companies have gone on to say that they won’t support Nintendo unless they start selling consoles, this can still be remedied by SELLING consoles. So with focusing on your market and reaching out to the Hardcore gamer, Nintendo could also…

Begin Branching Out to Indies and Third-Parties

Honestly, I think the biggest gripe that people have against Nintendo is that they leech the heck out of Mario, Donkey Kong, and Zelda. Granted, those are some excellent games but those titles can only carry you so far. Both Sony and Microsoft are already nailing the indie support and Nintendo just recently displayed interest in supporting indies as well. The fact of the matter is that indies have the potential to dramatically increase sales for the Wii U mainly because the future of gaming revolves around indies. Nintendo should also look to bring more third party support for their system. If I have a Wii U that can play my Call of Duty, my Battlefield, or my Madden, why would I need to have a Sony or Microsoft console? Bring back the indies and the third parties that made Nintendo the thriving company it is today and Wii U sales will indeed rise.

Bonus: Continue Being Nintendo (Original)

Here’s an intriguing thought. Even though it sounds as though I am trying to make the Wii U into a PS4 or even Xbox One, it cannot be. As long as Nintendo continues to be what it’s always been, Nintendo, it can never be Sony or Microsoft and that is a glorious thing! Recall what happened with the Wii console and how it sold incredibly well with people of all ages. Nintendo could have easily gone the same route as Sony or Microsoft but by proposing a different idea to gaming (motion sensor controls) they captured a market that had never been tapped. The rise of casual gaming basically began with the Wii system and it has become a market that competing companies try their best to attain as well. With the Wii U, Nintendo introduced a tablet controller that dramatically changes the way we play console games and even though it has met with troubling short-term success, its long term success resides on that tablet controller. In short, Nintendo has always been a company that takes risks with new consoles and in an industry that thrives on innovation it’s important for Nintendo to continue being Nintendo, or original.

With the new upcoming line of first-party games and even a price drop, Nintendo has a great chance of resurrecting the Wii U and making it into a formidable console. Though things right now appear grim for the console it still has the potential to rise. If it manages to follow a couple of these guidelines don’t be surprised if it ends up becoming, “the little console that could.”

5 Tips to Help You Dominate In FIFA

Over the course of the years, my FIFA skill level has evolved drastically. I began playing as a complete noob who had absolutely no idea how to shoot effectively or even pass the ball without getting it stolen. It also didn’t help that I knew very little about the game of soccer and even teams as popular as Real Madrid and Barcelona had players I didn’t recognize, including the current greats Ronaldo and Messi.

Yet slowly but surely my knowledge of the beautiful game quickly grew and with it so did my FIFA skills. That isn’t to say that I’m one of the best players in the world, but I can say with great confidence that I win a good 95% percent of my matches online. The following are a collection of tips that have helped me step-up my game and I’m hoping that they can do the same for you.

5) Play Calmly

After I had developed my skills into an “okay player,” I knew that there were still plenty of areas where I could improve. I decided to take to the net and see what fellow players were saying about improving your game. The most common trend I discovered was that there were a lot of players who were losing simply due to frustration and uneasiness. Remember, you are playing FIFA which is more like a chess game as a opposed to a more fast paced game such as Call of Duty. When the opposing team scores on you in the first ten minutes, rather than get discouraged keep a cool head and stick with your game plan. It’s important to keep calm even when your opponent is doing “that one taunt” that gets under your skin. Play calmly and stick with your game plan. If you’re holding the controller with a rugged grip and are constantly jamming the buttons to oblivion, you are doing it wrong.

4) Play With A Mediocre Team

As I mentioned previously, when I first began playing FIFA I knew very little about soccer. Feeling a little American pride after the World Cup, I chose to support and select an MLS club when I would play online. Unfortunately for me, the MLS clubs were weak in comparison to other teams based off Spain or Europe. Let’s just say the beatings online were monumental and staggering and my team would come off defeats that equated to losing by three goals or more. Eventually it got to the point where I began to select teams with five stars just so I could win a couple of matches. It wasn’t long until I was the one taking names and beating others. What I discovered though was that by playing slowly with a mediocre team, it helped me become a better player with the better teams. When you are using a mediocre team you are forced to slow down your game. You forward isn’t going to outrun your opponent’s defense so you have think about where your next move will be, whether that’s a pass or a shot at goal. Your defensive players in the same way aren’t going to outrun your opponents forwards so you have to be aware of the gambles you make and learn to develop good predictions of what your opponent will do next. I can assure you that there will be countless losses in your record but this will ultimately make you a better player in the long run.

3) Don’t Be Flashy (Unless You Know How)

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve encountered players that think that just because they can juggle the ball, do a couple spin-moves, or even strike from midfield, they feel as though they are the best players in the world. Whereas you get points for being flashy in FIFA Street (at least I think so) you don’t get any in the yearly editions. There are a lot of players that act flashy in the game but in no way does it improve their skill. Equally, there are players that use their flashiness effectively by getting around the defense or making the right pass. The point is, you don’t have to be flashy to win in FIFA. The game is more of a mental game as opposed to unleashing the right move. In contrast, if you are already an intermediate player, consider learning a couple of the flashy moves to aid you in improving. That isn’t to say use all of them but just use the ones that fit you best. There’s nothing more embarrassing than someone trying to be flashy and losing by seven goals.

2) Pass, Pass, Pass

I cannot stress the importance of passing enough. The best players in the online world and even the best teams in the real world are some of the best passers. Passing however, is better implemented when it isn’t solely focused on attacking. For example, let’s say that your opponent has a solid defense that you just can’t seem to outrun or get past. A weak passer would only pass the ball toward the goal in hopes of breaking through. On the other hand, a strong passer will *always find the open man” and carve a new opening towards goal. This of course includes passing the ball backwards as well as forward. Instead of trying to go directly through an opponent’s defensive wall, consider going around the court, finding the open man, or passing the ball backwards. The main takeaway is that passing is crucial if you want to improve your skills and you should do it consistently and often.

1) Remember, It’s A Game

When it comes down to it, FIFA is still a beloved video game. As we have learned from even the best sports-sim games, they can never replicate real teams or players as effectively as they’d like. This comes to play in FIFA mainly when your opponent “just appears” as though they can beat you. If they have a custom team of “Atk. 99 Mid.99 Def.99,” or if Ronaldo and Messi are on the same team, or even if they are using a two level star team, it is never a good idea to underestimate or overestimate your opponent. Regardless of what you face, play a skillful intelligent game without fear. Personally, I’ve lost to very low level teams a number of times assuming that they would be easy pickings. I’ve also embarrassingly crushed opposition that would normally seem impossible to beat in real life. In the end, FIFA is a video game just like The Legend of Zelda, Uncharted, and Final Fantasy. As we have all learned, when it comes to games anything could happen.

Bonus: Know Your Players

When selecting your team, it is important to know each of player’s strengths and weaknesses. I first uncovered this tip when I began choosing Real Madrid as my team. Granted, I had only heard Real Madrid was a good team but I knew next to nothing about the players. This became a problem when substitutions came into play since I couldn’t figure out which players to use as forwards or midfields. Ronaldo is a great example since he can be effective as a forward and as a midfielder, but again,with a lack of experience in soccer knowledge I always assumed he was a forward. The best way in my opinion to know your players would be to simply watch a little more soccer every now and then with the team that you normally play as. That way you can see how the real life players are used and how you can implement them yourselves on your virtual squad.

FIFA is what I would call a thinking man’s game. For the most part, it’s a game where you’re better of making the smart choice instead of the fast one. With this in mind, try some of these tips to help you improve and see which ones work with your style of play. Remember that just like with anything else, practice makes perfect.

Ditching Used Games: 3 Reasons to Not Worry About a Future Without Used Games

With rumors circulating about Sony’s new patent that could potentially stop users from playing used games there has been much outcry from companies but also consumers as well. Whether you purchase used games or prefer to buy new, an idea such as this has the potential to change the entire gaming scene as we know it.

As someone that has purchased used games before and that has seen the gaming scene change quite a bit, my concern for not being able to play used games anymore isn’t quite worrisome. It really does appear as though we are seeing the end of the used games era but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing and here are three reasons why:

We’re Going Digital
The gaming scene has changed dramatically over the last couple of years and no change has been as dramatic as the change from physical to digital. Digital stores such as Xbox Live Marketplace and the PlayStation Store have changed the way in which we purchase games. No longer are our hands tied if we ever feel like purchasing a game from the comfort of our own home. If you’re ever in the mood for purchasing a new gaming title you can simply load up your console system, visit the online store, and browse through thousands of titles in a matter of minutes. Used games on the other hand mainly require you to visit a gaming retailer and purchase through them adding an extra step in the process. Online retailers also offer the chance to purchase used games from your home as well but the entire delivery process and the wait sometimes proves as an unnecessary step as well. Just the same as you can get great deals on used games you can get great deals from their digital counterparts. When buying digital as opposed to buying used appears more convenient, the used gaming market won’t be missed as much.

Quality Is Important
I’ve been lucky enough to have purchased used games before that have been in great condition. Just the same, I’ve also been unlucky and I have purchased used games that have been in bad shape. As someone that values his game collection I make the effort to make my games remain in the best condition as long as possible. This would mean taking good care of the gaming box, booklet, and disc. Unfortunately for me not everyone feels the same way and this is evident in the purchase of used games. When purchasing used sometimes the quality of the items in your purchase just aren’t that great. Sure the game disc might be scratch free but what if the game box is ripped? What if the game box and booklet are in outstanding condition but the game disc is littered with fingerprint marks? Every time that a used game purchase is made the buyer runs the risk of the product not being in the condition that is desired. This problem has plagued used games for an eternity and again it’s an extra step that isn’t a required when buying new. If used games are no longer available to purchase there should be no reason to worry about the quality of your purchase anymore.

Game Companies Will Be More Aware of Your Support
One of the main arguments for not purchasing used games is that it steals money from the companies that work incredibly hard on the games they produce. When purchasing a used game you are paying the previous owner rather than the company that produced the game. In the case of gaming retailers, when purchasing a used game you are paying the retailer instead of the gaming company as well. Producing a quality game takes time and effort and if we as consumers still want to continue receiving quality titles the new game purchases allow game companies to know that they did an outstanding job. When buying new you are supporting teams that dedicate themselves in providing great visuals, story-lines, and gameplay all while making your voice heard by letting these companies know that you support their efforts. When buying used your voice is limited but when buying new your voice is heard. In a no used games scenario your voice will now definitely be heard.

As I have stated before it really does appear as though the used games era is coming to an end. Whether that era ends in the next-generation of consoles remains to be seen. The good news is that if used games do come to an end the gaming scene will still be fine if not better than before.

Dividing Social Media: Why I Only Focus on One

Yesterday I created my new MySpace page after I had received an invite from the site. The new MySpace is really nice focusing strongly on gorgeous imagery and music and it definitely looks like it can be a legitimate competitor to Spotify. You can read about my initial impressions of the site here.

When I first received the invite I have to admit that I was a little ecstatic and my first plan was to give as many people as I could an invite. Immediately, I called a good friend of mine and asked him if he wanted an invite to this new service. Without hesitation he agreed but, what he said next left me at odds. He jokingly said, “Wow, I’m not sure how many more of these social networking sites I can take.” I paused for a bit and I said to myself, neither can I.

MySpace represents to me an old site being reborn in hopes of making a comeback and it really is an underdog story. I’ve been on MySpace for only a day but already I’m hoping to experiment with it periodically. Google+, according to my RescueTime tracker, has taken much more of my time in recent months so I believe it’s safe to say that I’m pretty much a Google+ power user. My Facebook also has been steadily receiving activity due to some added leisure time. The point is, among the three sites my time, attention, and energy, are being spent in all three. That is simply unacceptable.

Social Media is great because it allows us to connect with the people, topics, and ideas, that we all care about most. So why is it so difficult to have one site dominate all the others? The answer is simple really, since each Social Media service is appealing for different reasons. Facebook has the people, MySpace has the music, Instagram has the photos, and Google+ has the ideas. Each service is great because they each provide something unique. However, is it beneficial to actually use all three together?

As I’ve said before plenty of our energy is being invested into these sites and I can’t help but think that being involved extensively in all three is really unhealthy. This thought hit me as soon as I decided to update my profile pic on my new MySpace page. As soon as I uploaded the photo I asked myself, am I really going to do this for all three sites? What about for a status update?  Let’s say I get married, graduate, get a job promotion etc. am I going to update every single website that I am on with the same status update? Talk about counterproductive!

There’s absolutely no way that I am going to update every status, post, or photo, on all three sites. It really is extra work that is highly unnecessary (excluding business purposes). Plus, I only really enjoy one out of the three. So, my solution to this dilemma is simply to focus on one site rather than the three.

I’m already a Google+ power user and I’m on the site more often of the three. There is where I’ll be updating my page more frequently than the rest. MySpace is nice and I’ll experiment with it to see if it develops into something better, but only occasionally will I visit the site. Everyone is already on Facebook and just as I’ve done for months past, I will be on the site but my updates will be minimal.

This however is only my solution and might not fit everyone’s needs. Here are a couple of ways to decide upon a solution. Do you enjoy Facebook the most? Focus on Facebook. Do you enjoy Instagram more? Focus on Instagram. What if you still want to use all three? Try setting up days/times/weeks focusing on one site over the other. In reality, there are plenty of solutions out there. Try experimenting and try to discover which one fits your own needs.

With so many Social Media websites out there it definitely becomes difficult to manage a combination of them. There are benefits to each site accordingly and my suggestion would be to focus on the service you enjoy the most so that your time is being well spent.

How do you manage your combination of Social Media sites? Do you focus on one? Or do you divide your attention amongst your combination?

Buying Digital vs. Buying Physical: A Method to End the Dilemma

With the most recent Sony Network (PlayStation Network) update on the PS3 one of the games that I have been waiting to buy is available at a significant price drop. The game is Persona 3 Portable and I have to say that at a mere ten dollars it is definitely a steal. There is a catch however, the game is only available at that price in “Digital” form.

This isn’t the first time that I’ve encountered this specific scenario and if you’ve been following my posts I’ve probably mentioned this once or twice before. There’s been numerous times where I’ve seen a game become available at a much more convenient price only to discover that it’s in digital form.

It makes sense that digital copies are not equally priced as physical copies too. For one, you are not getting the actual disc or booklet that you would normally get in the physical copy. Second, you won’t ever be able to hold the game or feel it in it’s physical state. Still, I can’t help but ask is this really such a major tradeoff?

It’s important to take a look at the benefits of owning digital games as well. If you were to buy digital the game box would never be a problem again in terms of physical clutter. The disc also won’t ever pose a problem if it were to get scratches. As for portability, you would now have the freedom of having multiple games inside your devices without taking along each individual disc or cartridge with you.

Basically, the choice for buying digital over physical copies is all a matter of choice, however, I believe that I have found a good solution to get the best of both worlds. Simply, don’t be afraid to buy digital over physical, buy a balance of both, and don’t pass up on great deals.

The first part of this solution is meant for the people that are worried that their digital copy won’t always be there for them. I’m not one to assure you that they will be there “forever” but from what we’ve seen before chances are your media isn’t going anywhere. Let alone, digital distribution is probably the safest bet when thinking of the future. Every major company from Nintendo to Amazon has found a new appreciation for digital distribution and they have shown no signs of letting this idea go.

Second, I would suggest buying a balance of both digital copies and physical copies. This is pretty self-explanatory, try buying both so that you are not left out of the benefits of either side. Personally I buy games that I am really fond off in physical form while other games of franchises that I’ve never played I buy in digital form. Try buying both so that you don’t miss out on the benefits of each.

Third, don’t pass up on a great deal regardless the form of the game. Persona 3 Portable is only ten dollars in digital form while its physical counterpart via Amazon is a full twenty dollars. In other words I can get this game at a great 50% discount. Imagine if the latest Call of Duty was available digitally at a full 50% discount, I would not think twice of passing up this deal. Don’t be afraid to buy digitally specially when it means that you can save some money in the process.

As I have mentioned before I tend to buy a combination of both digital and physical copies and this is the best method that I have discovered when buying games. However, this method doesn’t just apply to games since it can also apply to any other form of media as well such as books, movies, music, etc. Deciding whether to buy digital or physical copies shouldn’t be an issue and this method may help ensure that it never is an issue ever again.

Do you buy digital over physical? Physical over digital? Or both?

Why Is It So Wrong to Unfriend?

I had a discussion with a friend not too long ago and I mentioned to her how I had unfriended someone on Facebook. She gave me a surprise response by saying, “Oh no, you shouldn't have done that.” She told me that if I unfriend someone on Facebook it is basically saying that I don't consider them a “real friend” anymore.

This isn't the first time that I've encountered a viewpoint such as this. I've heard numerous cases from both friends and family about someone becoming upset over being deleted online. Most recently, I had a case where one friend told me that I am no longer their real friend because I'm never on Facebook.

At first I thought that this entire concept was a bit silly. For one, the reason that I would delete someone on Facebook is a good reason. I don't want to see any of their content. If I delete someone online it does not mean that if I ever see them down the street that I won't stop by to say hello or jump-start a conversation.

My friend got me thinking though, was it really a bad idea to delete someone? Did I really just end a friendship when I hit that “Delete” button?

In a way, this notion seems to hold plenty of truth. When someone creates an online profile they are creating what I believe to be an “Identity of the Self.” Their own existential being becomes manifested into this online persona and in many cases this persona becomes a “true” representation of themselves. In other words, it is possible that many users online see their “true” self's on an online profile.

So if a person's true being exists in their online profile it is only natural that they will become upset once they have realized that they have been removed from some else's Friends list.

It very well seems that the idea of a real friendship is no longer limited to physical interaction either. An online friendship can be just as real as one offline, or so it appears.

At the moment, this whole idea troubles me. If I delete someone from Facebook or my Google+, I don't want them to think that I no longer want to be their “real” friend, but rather it means that I don't enjoy the content that they produce.

But it is becoming more and more apparent that clicking this “Delete” button might actually do more harm than good.

Honestly though, even though I accept this idea as a possibility I will continue to delete people that produce content that doesn't interest me. The way I see it, the profile is solely mine and if I choose not to see content from certain individuals, others should respect my decision to do so and there should be no reason why anyone should be upset.

Yet even though my mind is made up, I can't shake the feeling of “what if?” whenever I click that Delete button.