VGC is 5 years old today
High five
Words by Chris Scullion and Andy Robinson
Today, unbelievably to us, marks VGC’s fifth anniversary.
When the site first launched on May 2, 2019 on a small and dwindling budget – expertly timed six months before a global pandemic – we made proclamations of building an outlet readers could trust, with no-nonsense news reporting from a team of experienced journalists.
A half-decade on, we’re proud and thankful for what VGC’s become, and for the support we’ve received from you and the wider games community.
VGC was formed around five years after the death of legendary UK games publication CVG (see what we did there?), a website that was in the process of evolving into a more ‘serious’, objective news publication but sadly never got the chance to mature beyond its 34 years.
The team went its separate ways – some went into game development, others went freelance, or wrote books – but the conversation in our WhatsApp group frequently turned to the idea of returning to the games media. What if we could launch our own independent site? Could it work as a business? Would anybody actually visit?
Thankfully, the answer to those last two questions proved to be yes. But that was absolutely not a foregone conclusion: launching commercial websites and building an audience is incredibly tough. The amount of energy the launch team put in, I don’t even know if I could personally do that all over again.
And we have you, the readers, to thank. Thank you to everyone who read, shared, and commented on our stories. Thank you to every journalist who cited our reports, even when we were little known, to every YouTube creator and streamer who pushed their communities to our work, and to every writer and contributor who’s gifted your excellent words.
Thank you to every industry event that partnered with us, to every game publisher who returned our calls – even when we weren’t always bringing positive stories, and to every game developer who opened their doors and showed us their projects.
For a multitude of reasons, the games media isn’t a career that people typically stay in for longer than necessary. Usually, better-paid professions with stronger career progression come along and snap up the best talent. But, speaking on behalf of those of us left on the VGC team, we still have a strong passion for covering the games beat, and we’re thankful we’re able to continue to do so in a games industry climate that has felt evermore gloomy in recent months.
We have lots of plans for VGC in the coming years, and we’re really excited to see how they play out. We sincerely hope you’ll continue to stick along with us as they do, because we’re confident they’ll be worth it for both of us.
In the meantime, if you want to support VGC, please follow us on X, Facebook, or TikTok, subscribe to our YouTube channel, or leave a review for our podcast.
VGC: 30 of the best features (so far)
We appreciate that not everyone has been aboard the VGC ship since day one, and that many of you may have missed some of the features we published earlier in the site’s life.
Partly to address this, and partly to give ourselves a little pat on the back as we reach this milestone, we’ve put together a list of 30 of our favourite features from the past five years.
There’s loads of reading to be had here, so sit back, grab your beverage of choice and warm up your scrolling finger.
Interview: How PlatinumGames is betting on Nintendo expertise to shape its future
Developer interview
Interview: How PlatinumGames is betting on Nintendo expertise to shape its future
“When I first visited the studio’s Osaka, Japan headquarters in March 2019 – two months before the launch of VGC – I reflected on how it spent its first decade making glitzy work-for-hire projects for publishers such as Sega, Konami and Nintendo, but in the process giving away ownership of its own original franchises.
“… Cut to 2022, and although it’s taken some tentative steps forward – notably in self-publishing smaller titles in The Wonderful 101 Remastered and Sol Cresta – it feels like there’s still lots of work to be done in Platinum’s mission to take control of its destiny.”
It’s time to get serious about game preservation – before it’s too late
Game preservation
It’s time to get serious about game preservation – before it’s too late
“In an age where it’s no more painless to preserve a video game for those well-versed in the subject than snapping your fingers, it’s ludicrous to think that there are still titles out there that remain virtually unplayable – and in some cases, lost to the annals of time.”
Why game credits are still a broken mess
Game credits
Game credits are still a broken mess
“Despite the huge workforces required to create modern video games – typically hundreds, and sometimes thousands of people, spread across multiple, disparate disciplines – consistently companies are still not properly crediting those responsible for creating the entertainment which millions consume.”
Opinion: I was a lead on Dinosaur Planet and the leak brought back great memories
Developer blog
Opinion: I was a lead on Dinosaur Planet and the leak brought back great memories
“This week I was as surprised as anyone to see a build of Rare’s cancelled N64 game Dinosaur Planet – the project I was art lead for 20 years ago – appear on the internet.
“Seeing it up and running again brings back terrific memories of working on the game, at a time when game development was just starting to become more sophisticated with specialised roles for concept artists and animators, rather than a small bunch of guys trying to do everything themselves.”
Interview: Paper Mario’s development team lays it all out
Developer Interview
Interview: Paper Mario's development team lays it all out
“According to Paper Mario’s development team, the series’ affection for reinvention is partly driven by a desire to motivate its development staff – some of whom have been working on the series since it began in 2001 – but mostly it’s thanks to a piece of sage advice from Nintendo’s master creator.
“The philosophy of game creation that [producer] Mr Tanabe learned from Mr Miyamoto, and that in turn he’s imparted to me, is to challenge yourself to create new gameplay,” Nintendo EPD’s assistant producer, Risa Tabata tells VGC.
PSOne’s betrayal and revenge story
Game history
PSOne’s betrayal and revenge story
“With more sales than Nintendo’s Super NES and its successor combined, Sony had pushed its former betrayer into a distant second place. But more than that, it had transformed the market and fundamentally changed the game.”
The story of PS2, Sony’s crowning achievement
Game history
The story of PS2, Sony’s crowning achievement
“For nearly three decades, no console manufacturer had ever truly dominated two console cycles back-to-back. Whether because of inevitable complacency, the market’s inherent demand for originality or some sort of corporate curse, whenever a console manufacturer had dominated the market it always seemed to decline the second time around.”
That Time When… Nintendo bought a baseball team
Game history
That Time When… Nintendo bought a baseball team
“To this day, Mariners fans are grateful that Yamauchi essentially saved the team from relocation.
“Although on paper it seemed this powerful Japanese businessman had no real interest in the team – never visiting them, never watching a single game, getting his son-in-law to appear at meetings on his behalf – the reality was that his acquisition of the team was a symbolic one, a sign of gratitude to the state that helped Nintendo establish itself in the west.
“He may not have really cared much about the Mariners, but he certainly had a soft spot in his heart for the people who did.”
That Time When… EA almost took over Grand Theft Auto
Game history
That Time When… EA almost took over Grand Theft Auto
“In early 2008, EA made an attempt to buy Take-Two, kicking off a long struggle that came very close to seeing the two games industry titans combining, which would have put GTA, FIFA, BioShock and Battlefield under the same monolithic roof.”
Interview: The man behind SNK‘s revival
Developer interview
Interview: The man behind SNK's revival
“Yasuyuki Oda isn’t just one of SNK’s most experienced game designers, he’s the man who arguably more than any other, has spearheaded its recent revival.
“…The 50-year-old director and producer helped design some of SNK’s greatest games, including Fatal Fury Special (1993), The King of Fighters ’95 (1995) and Garou: Mark of the Wolves (2000). But it was only when he left SNK, and later returned with greater experience, that he reached the peak of his powers.”
Interview: The real story behind GoldenEye HD, as told by its directors
Developer interview
Interview: The real story behind GoldenEye HD, as told by its directors
“GoldenEye Xbox Live Arcade, as it was codenamed, ultimately failed because of miscommunication between license holders and a young team who rushed ahead to create it, despite a deal for the game having never been signed.
“Speaking publicly together for the first time about the project, Goldeneye XBLA’s co-project leads Mark Edmonds and Chris Tilston told VGC that the game was born from a phone call with Nintendo, and ultimately ended when the same company’s executives changed their minds over allowing them to release it.”
Composers tell us why developers still don’t take game music seriously
Game music
Composers tell us why developers still don’t take game music seriously
“While it’s great to see some progress being made, whether that’s the growing visibility of video game soundtracks, game publishers setting up their own music divisions or others working with independent labels and music rights experts to distribute and market their music effectively, there’s still a way to go.”
It’s time for Nintendo to make amiibo fun again
Opinion piece
It’s time for Nintendo to make amiibo fun again
“You might not realise it, but there are actually over 100 games across Wii U, 3DS and Switch that have amiibo functionality, and naturally, the quality of both the games and the functionality varies by title.
“In recent times, though, most of the amiibo features have been a bit disappointing in first-party releases, either offering something underwhelming or simply providing a time-saving mechanism. Skyward Sword HD’s fast travel and the ability to insta-spawn Bowser in Bowser’s Fury are just the latest examples of this.”
Sony can’t recreate the buzz of the original PlayStation revolution
Feature
PS5 can’t recreate the buzz of the original PlayStation revolution
“In those days, every club worth its salt in the entire country would have a crew of people waiting outside when you staggered off home in the small hours, who would thrust a bag of flyers into your hand. Pretty much every one of those would contain a slab of black card flyers, perforated into perfect roach-sizes, emblazoned with the PlayStation logo and a quote from Edge declaring: ‘It’s more powerful than God’. Never mind that that quote never actually appeared in Edge.”
Collecting video games shouldn’t be about making millions
Opinion piece
Collecting video games shouldn’t be about making millions
“As millionaires fight over that old Nintendo game with a rare barcode, raising the prices and making it even less likely that I’ll ever be able to afford a Majora’s Mask Adventure Set or Panasonic Q, I’ve come to appreciate what really matters with my gaming collection.
“It’s not about buying the things that will one day fund my future, but collecting the trinkets that represent the things I genuinely love.”
GameCube at 20: Nintendo insiders on the failed console that changed the industry
Game history
GameCube at 20: Nintendo insiders on the failed console that changed the industry
“Marketeers involved in the launch of GameCube told VGC that in hindsight – and with knowledge of the huge success that followed with the mass market Wii and DS – they probably should have positioned GameCube more broadly than their often macho marketing managed.”
Nintendo, it’s time to release your music properly
Opinion piece
Nintendo, it’s time to release your music properly
“The company creates some of the best music in the world, but the problem is it’s leaving fans with so few ways of enjoying it.
“Many of the Nintendo soundtrack CDs were given away as promo copies through magazines or member schemes such as Club Nintendo or were only available in Japan; the recently released CD boxsets for Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing: New Horizon have to be imported.”
Seeking Perfectris: Mizuguchi on 4 years of Tetris Effect, and beyond
Developer interview
Seeking Perfectris: Mizuguchi on 4 years of Tetris Effect, and beyond
“We were so happy. It was a great honour, and it gave us confidence and energy. We were super happy. At the same time, this is Tetris Effect.
“Tetris is already a great game, but I think the positive and good reaction to the new additions and the mixing of the new technology to achieve the feeling the game can give was special. We can make a simple game like Tetris and add emotional elements and it made people cry. We did that and people’s reaction was ‘what the… what happened?’”
Remembering the time I met Shigeru Miyamoto on the Tube as a teenager
Editor blog
Remembering the time I met Shigeru Miyamoto on the Tube as a teenager
“At this point, I was simply satisfied to have met the man and minted the world’s most valuable fake press pass.
“But the experience became even more surreal when an utterly empty train carriage rolled up, and I was effectively sealed in with the guy who made all the things I love for over 10 minutes.”
Lying to Nintendo and Miyamoto shame: Banjo-Kazooie devs reflect on its 25th
Video interview
Lying to Nintendo and Miyamoto shame: Banjo-Kazooie devs reflect on its 25th
“‘It still amazes me that people still care about it,’ lead programmer Chris Sutherland says in our lengthy video call, which covers the development of the game, the time its developers had to lie to Nintendo about an impending delay, and an embarrassing incident involving Shigeru Miyamoto at an E3 party.”
Interview: Takaya Imamura, the artist behind Star Fox and F-Zero, speaks out
Developer interview
Interview: Takaya Imamura, the artist behind Star Fox and F-Zero, speaks out
“‘Within the company [Miyamoto is] still seen as very kind. He’s only strict with the team he’s working with,’ Imamura says of his former boss. ‘He has to be strict to make the games turn out so well.
“‘Even though I and other people think about games a lot, he’s on another level. He thinks about games more than any other person at the company.’ He adds: ‘Even today, I feel that Miyamoto-san’s presence motivates Nintendo developers.’”
Who is Mark Cerny, the man behind PS5?
Feature
Who is Mark Cerny, the man behind PS5?
“After almost 40 years of making games, there are few individuals with a more impressive career than Mark Cerny.”
“The multi-skilled creator has enjoyed a long and storied career in the games industry, which began in the booming arcade era of the early 80s and today sees him still at the cutting-edge of video games hardware, as the architect of PlayStation 5.”
Inside 84, Tokyo’s secret Nintendo bar that needs your help
Writer blog
Inside 84, Tokyo’s secret Nintendo bar that needs your help
“In the heart of Tokyo’s Shibuya district lies one of the most interesting collections of rare and unique Nintendo items, but only a select number of people have ever visited it.”
Exclusive: Picross developer Jupiter on nearly 30 years of puzzling prowess
Developer interview
Exclusive: Picross developer Jupiter on nearly 30 years of puzzling prowess
“Despite its continued success, Jupiter remains something of an enigma to some, given how rarely it speaks publicly.
“That’s why, as we sit across from managing director Norichika Meguro and president Hirofumi Murakami, we’re keen to take this rare opportunity to get more information on how Picross is doing, how the series’ regular collaborations work, and what’s in store for the future.”
Toshihiro Nagoshi interview: ‘I will not betray my fans’
Developer interview
Toshihiro Nagoshi interview: ‘I will not betray my fans’
“Recently, VGC was the first Western media outlet to visit Nagoshi Studio, the creator’s new NetEase-backed company situated on the outskirts of Tokyo’s trendy Shibuya district.
“A minimalist meeting room, decorated only with a framed picture of the company’s name in Japanese calligraphy, is all we get to see of the developer’s headquarters.
“But we get the impression that, behind its walls, one of the Yakuza director’s typically cinematic game experiences is taking shape.”
Yes, video game piracy is bad for players
Opinion piece
Yes, video game piracy is bad for players
“Is piracy bad? I’m not really going to debate that with you. It’s a nuanced topic and almost everyone has their own interpretation of what is and isn’t acceptable.
“Is it ok to emulate at 20 year-old game that you can’t buy anymore? Is it alright to download a game illegally if you weren’t going to buy it otherwise? Is it alright to download a copy of an unreleased HD version of a 1997 N64 shooter for review purposes? It’s a complex debate.”
Suda51 interview: ‘Ending No More Heroes allows us to do something new’
Developer interview
Suda51 interview: ‘Ending No More Heroes allows us to do something new’
“Ever since Suda founded Grasshopper a quarter of a century ago, the developer has been defined by its fiercely independent nature and the unique, offbeat, eccentric games it releases.
“Now that it’s been acquired by an enormous Chinese tech company in NetEase, Grasshopper finds itself in unknown territory. But, as Suda explains to us, it’s territory that – for want of a better phrase – is both wonderful and strange.”
Looking back on Ubisoft’s wild child
Feature
Looking back on Ubisoft’s wild child
“’I had people laughing at me in the corridor,’ says Patrick Plourde, creative director on Ubisoft Montreal’s 2014 RPG Child of Light. ‘[They were saying] ‘oh, you’re making the little girl game’. But I didn’t care’.”
“As it turned out, Child of Light was a lot more than just a ‘little girl game’. After receiving praise from reviewers across the board it turned a profit within seven months, won in five categories at the Canadian Video Game Awards, and spurred Ubisoft to turn its developers into a new core team within the company. Last year, it was ported to Switch, which led to renewed calls from loyal fans for a sequel.”
Why Remedy is glad it took 13 years to make Alan Wake 2
Developer interview
Why Remedy is glad it took 13 years to make Alan Wake 2
“After more than a decade battling to get a sequel off the ground, Remedy’s creative director Sam Lake took to the stage in Los Angeles earlier this month to present the near-final version of Alan Wake 2 to press. The struggle, he said, had all been worth it.”
Q-Games’ Dylan Cuthbert on Star Fox, preservation and big PAL borders
Developer interview
Q-Games’ Dylan Cuthbert on Star Fox, preservation and big PAL borders
“We ask Cuthbert if he was frustrated to see something he’d worked on for so long being scrapped at the time. ‘Yeah, but there’s so many games – I mean, not so much Star Fox 2 because obviously it’s a bigger title and people noticed it more – but there are so many games that didn’t get released and just disappeared, especially in the ‘90s,’ he points out.
“‘And each one had some reason why it just didn’t come out, or maybe three months from the end they ran out of money and the company went under, or something that – there’s loads of that stuff in the history of the games industry that you’ll probably never see ever again.’”
