About Matthew Byrd
Matthew Byrd
Matthew Byrd covers the gaming industry including indies, consoles, PCs, iOS and Android apps, as well as topics related to entertainment and technology.
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch: Which Console Won 2019?
November 27, 2019 | Matthew Byrd2019 may not have quite been the worst gaming year of the decade, but it’s certainly in the conversation. While no year is devoid of notable games, this year was marred by delays and the growing shadow of the … Read More
Biggest Video Game Disappointments of 2019
November 25, 2019 | Matthew ByrdIn a video game year that wasn’t exactly the best of the decade, there was no shortage of disappointments to shake your head at.
That might sound incredibly negative, but the truth is that you’ve got to take the … Read More
Best Video Game Years of the Decade, Ranked
November 24, 2019 | Matthew ByrdWhat a long, strange gaming decade it’s been.
It’s up to future generations to decide what will ultimately define the 2010s, but what we can tell you now is that it was a decade that consisted of some truly … Read More
The Game Awards 2019: The 10 Biggest Snubs
November 20, 2019 | Matthew ByrdThe Game Awards 2019 nominees have been revealed and, to be honest, they’re not bad. Granted, it’s been a bit of a slow year, but it feels like most of the major games of 2019 are represented in some … Read More
10 Most Surprising Games of the 2010s
November 8, 2019 | Matthew ByrdThere’s something about surprising games. While you see some great games coming from a mile away, there are others that nobody could have anticipated. More often than not, it’s those games that you remember most.
That’s almost certainly going … Read More
Why The PlayStation 2 Will Never Be Outsold
October 31, 2019 | Matthew ByrdYou may have recently heard that the PlayStation 4 recently outsold the Nintendo Wii and the original PlayStation. The final figures aren’t quite in yet, but it’s pretty clear at this point that the PS4 will comfortably rest as … Read More
Overwatch 2: Too Soon For a Sequel?
October 28, 2019 | Matthew ByrdOverwatch 2 hasn’t been confirmed, but recent leaks suggest that it’s basically about as confirmed as Diablo 4. That is to say that we’re just waiting for Blizzard to say the words.
It’s in this awkward in-between period between … Read More
Should Diablo 4 Be More Like Dark Souls?
October 22, 2019 | Matthew ByrdThere are no guarantees in life, but it’s really starting to feel inevitable that Blizzard will announce Diablo 4 at BlizzCon 2019. Aside from the avalanche of rumors that hint at the game’s pending reveal, there’s also the fact … Read More
Does Fortnite Need a “Classic” Mode?
October 14, 2019 | Matthew ByrdFortnite is more than a video game. It’s a cultural phenomenon that elevated the battle royale genre and captured the attention of older and younger gamers alike. It was even featured in the highest-grossing film of all-time, Avengers: Endgame.
PlayStation 5: Five Possible Launch Games
October 8, 2019 | Matthew ByrdSony recently shocked absolutely nobody by confirming their next console will be called the PlayStation 5 and that it will release late in 2020. Now, though, questions regarding the console turn to some of the more interesting specifics.
With … Read More
News
Why PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X Will Depend on Single-Player Games
January 24, 2020 | Matthew Byrd
I’ve always supported single-player games, but there was a point in my life when I would actively root against multiplayer titles. There was really no good reason why, but in my mind, at that time, I saw multiplayer games … Read More
Why Did Call of Duty Dominate Video Game Sales This Decade?
January 17, 2020 | Matthew Byrd
Figures compiled by the NDP Group have seemingly revealed the top-selling video games of the decade. In many ways, the list (which accounts for revenue as well as total sales) is not that surprising. Grand Theft Auto 5 and … Read More
Why Xbox Killing Console Exclusives Is a Good Thing
January 13, 2020 | Matthew Byrd
Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty caused quite a stir recently when he revealed that the Xbox Series X will not feature any Microsoft exclusives for years to come.
What does that mean? Well, it means that for … Read More
Articles
Why Did Call of Duty Dominate Video Game Sales This Decade?
January 17, 2020 | Matthew Byrd Figures compiled by the NDP Group have seemingly revealed the top-selling video games of the decade. In many ways, the list (which accounts for revenue as well as total sales) is not that surprising. Grand Theft Auto 5 and … Read More
Make Me a Quake as Fast as You Can
January 16, 2020 | Robert Endyo
Recently I watched a great short interview from Noclip with Tim Willits, a former director and co-owner at id Software of the Quake franchise. He went through the history of Quake and discussed some of the development processes … Read More
Why Xbox Killing Console Exclusives Is a Good Thing
January 13, 2020 | Matthew Byrd Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty caused quite a stir recently when he revealed that the Xbox Series X will not feature any Microsoft exclusives for years to come.
What does that mean? Well, it means that for … Read More
Reviews
Rage 2’s use of Open-World design does not work
June 4, 2019 | Robert Endyo
Recently, I finished Rage 2. I set out in the game with the hope that it would deliver something reminiscent of the magnificence of Doom while drawing some of the enjoyable open-world aspects of an Avalanche developed game. I … Read More
PlayStation Now: Does it Need to Change to Survive?
March 25, 2019 | Matthew Byrd
In many ways, PlayStation Now is shaping up to be Sony’s biggest missed opportunity of the PS4 era.
PlayStation Now sounded like a pretty exciting service when it was first revealed in 2014. At the very least, it offered … Read More
Crackdown 3 or Anthem: Which is More Disappointing?
February 21, 2019 | Matthew Byrd
February 2019 was supposed to be one of the biggest months for games in recent memory. Headlined by titles like Metro Exodus, Crackdown 3, and Anthem, many gamers were left wondering just how they were going to play all … Read More
Opinion
Playing a Game vs. Watching a Playthrough
January 25, 2020 | Robert Endyo
I recently saw a poll on twitter asking the question “Can you be a fan of a game if you’ve only watched a playthrough of it?” The results were a resounding “yes,” but I found myself disagreeing with this … Read More
How Do You Decide What Game to Play?
January 21, 2020 | Robert Endyo
Being an adult came with some great advantages when it came to gaming. Namely that, with an income, I’ve been able to buy several of the games I want to play. Combining that with bundles, event-based sales, and now subscription … Read More
Make Me a Quake as Fast as You Can
January 16, 2020 | Robert Endyo
Recently I watched a great short interview from Noclip with Tim Willits, a former director and co-owner at id Software of the Quake franchise. He went through the history of Quake and discussed some of the development processes … Read More