So now that E3 is all done and dusted (and my only prediction was proven completely wrong), we can start looking forwards to some actual games coming out. Prototype, inFamouse and Punch Out have just hit, but apart from Batman: Arkham Asylum, the next few months looks pretty bare, which is fairly usual for the Summer months. But then once we get into October and November, the floodgates open again: Borderlands, Assassin's Creed 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Splinter Cell: Conviction, Bioshock 2, Modern Warfare 2, Ghostbusters, DJ Hero..... it's another packed Autumn/Winter where I'm not going to be able to afford the games I want. I mean I want to get them, but rushing them out at the end of the year never makes sense to me. Look at Prototype: it was meant to be coming out at the end of last year, but a delay for some final polish and you've got the game coming out now with pretty much nothing competing with it (ok, apart from inFamous....).



I thought the industry would learn some lessons about what games come out at this time of year. But looking at the schedule, it's only some games that have something to worry about. Last year, EA admitted that it was a mistake to launch new IPs at the end of the year when they were competing with existing franchises. Mirror's Edge and Dead Space supposedly suffered for this (but not enough to sell millions of copies and earn sequels), so why does the industry still make the move of launching new games over the "Christmas period"? I mean, we're all going to get Modern Warfare 2 right, so why not hold it off to maybe February or March 2010? Why not hold Brutal Legend or Ghostbusters off until the new year and give them a chance to be taken up by gamers who are maybe looking beyond more of their favourite games. I'm all for the sequels of the big games of 2007 and 2008 (shit, I'm willing to give Assassin's Creed 2 a chance)



A while back ago, Y0j1mb0 wrote about the "The Brotherhood of No", the ones who find all manner of reasons to not buy games. I'm going to sound like one of them when I say, I'm not going to get all the games I want in the end of year rush. Why? I just can't afford them. I will buy games, don't get me wrong, but what's going to happen is that I'm going to probably have to trade in all the games I've got, just to get the new ones I want. And even then I won't have enough cash. Last year, I had the benefit of a housemate who gave me and my wife rent money of $100 a week in cash, which we split. So for the months leading up to that crazy two weeks when we had Far Cry 2, Fallout 3, Dead Space and Fable 2 all released at the same time, I was able to save up some cash a while in advance, use some money off vouchers and pre-order games if they came with a discount. This year it's going to be tight: said housemate has moved on, and despite the fact I've had two pay increases at work (in this financial climate? Lucky me), disposable income isn't readily available. Apart from my Aussie government stimulus cash which my wife has safely nestled away from me (she knows I'd blow it all on music anyway).



I'm just hoping I can save up enough cash. I hope I can finish the games I've got before October comes around (I want to complete all Left 4 Dead campaigns on expert before November comes around. 3 to go.)