One thing we didn't touch on (or I totally wasn't paying attention) is the advent of Twitch Plays, and what that means for both games and the streaming of them. It's a brilliant use of the technology, though I don't know how practical it is. With services like Twitch, the primary pull, outside of watching a stream, is being able to interact with a streamer, as well as the rest of the audience. In Twitch Plays, it seems that there is less room to interact with each other, as everyone is focused on getting the character in play to do their bidding.

Also interesting, that DMCA enforcement that we expected is here, and quite jarring:
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/08/thousands-of-twitch-videos-silenced-as-streaming-site-mutes-copyrighted-audio/

I think it's worth pointing out that Twitch has had these guidelines in place prior to the Google buyout, they just put the onus on the copyright owner to take action. (http://help.twitch.tv/customer/portal/questions/987917-playing-music-in-stream)

Now, it seems that Google is nipping any future lawsuits in the bud; it's a move to CYA. This is only affecting archived streams, for the moment, but I'm sure that Google is hard at work to figure a way to mute live streams, as well.

Ha, I was just coming over to post about twitch muting videos with copyrighted audio. Looks like you beat me to it Scrypt! I'll still share my link though: http://www.gamepolitics.com/2014/08/07/twitch-muting-video-contains-copyrighted-audio

Reddit AMA with Twitch CEO Emmett Shear: http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2cwfu2/i_am_twitch_ceo_emmett_shear_ask_me_almost/

Via Joystiq, it is pointed out that the muting of in-game musics is a "mistake". "We have zero intention of flagging original in-game music." Shear says.

Why is it that I just noticed the forums? I also noticed that the square to the left of the page that usually shows my profile pic is missing, except for my name. I also noticed that my profile pic (smaller sized) is right next to my notifications.

I'm curious as to how the forums will differ from regular posts. I don't believe I've really explored the "back channel" much. As for the profile pic, the one that's missing, I just assumed that my browser wasn't fully loading the page.

Yeah, I suppose that does make sense.

Apparently it is worth $90, because that's what people have been paying for years for this kind of content. There are a few that I think are worth that, for my library. It all depends on what you're into. I'm about to shell that out for Destiny, but I wouldn't have done it for a game like Watch Dogs. Time will tell if I get my moneys worth out of it (if they Alpha and Beta are any indication, I believe I will). No Man's Sky is another that I'd consider spending an exorbitant amount of money on.

@Zach_Foster "Considering that i paid $60 for Borderlands 2 when it came out, then dumped another $45 or 50 for season pass two months later, i can definitely see myself spending $90 upfront to know that i'm getting what i will eventually want."

This is exactly it. It's a predetermined purchase. I knew that when Bioshock Infinite came out, I was going to buy the story based DLC. It's just a matter of when I'm spending the money, now or later. As you say, @jdodson, As long as you have an idea of what you will be getting, this is a good deal. However, if all I received from this were variations on the Clash in the Clouds DLC, that had nothing to do with the core story, I would have felt disappointed and deceived, thus making the purchase a waste of money. In that case, a Collector's Edition would be preferable, since I know, more or less, exactly what I'm getting with my money. A replica statue of Songbird, soundtrack, artwork, etc. have an immediate value, and arguably add just as much to the experience, by extending your enjoyment of the game into the living world. While the digital content will lose monetary value almost immediately, real world objects retain, and sometimes increase in value, based on quality and rarity.

The whole usage of "full experience" or "complete experience" is as @Travis states, a marketing ploy. It's another part of the experience, but by implying a finite perimeter to that experience and calling it "full" or "complete" gives the impression that "there is nothing more than this." This isn't just all of The Next Generation episodes, it's TNG in full 16:9 ratio, with a Riker/Troy sex tape, the entire TNG soundtrack played by Patrick Stewart on a Ressikan flute, Geordi crossing universes to meet Scott Summers and talking visor technology, and, finally, all the information you have always wanted on Guinan and the El Aurian race, and what powers they could possibly have over the Q (*whew...). It's like a Director's Cut or high level Kickstarter campaign. I imagine a custodian of these projects pulling all the files and drawings and sounds into a giant Santa's sack of gifts that you would never otherwise see, but now you can. For $90, or whatever the cost is (likely over $1000 for that TNG bullshit, and I would PAY IT! Everyone would pay for that!).

Having the total price be upfront, rather than trickled over time, is a more honest approach. I don't think the reality of it will, or does change anything, except that companies are becoming bold enough to lay it out there, day one. I doubt most people are like us, though, and they are perfectly happy with the core game. By the time the DLC comes out anyway, most people are usually on to the next.

Off topic, but I both love and hate that we know so little about the El Aurians. Guinan is one of my all-time favorite Sci-Fi characters because of it, and honestly the reason I like Generations as much as I do (i.e. learning more about her, and meeting another El Aurian). I know most hated it because of the treatment that was given to Kirk, and I agree completely, but I really like the ideas surrounding the rest of the film.

Can't believe I forgot to mention Sony in all of this. Have you seen what they are doing with Playstation Now? The pricing structure there is unbelievable. Granted, it's in beta (open beta...), but upwards of $50 for a 90 day rental? Insane.

http://kotaku.com/playstation-now-is-still-way-too-expensive-1614022375

Except that at the lowest rental tier, the cost is about $3 for 4 hours. That's the shortest rental time. 4 hours. I wish it was $.99 a day, or even a couple dollars for a day. That would make so much more sense.

Sometimes I'll watch if it's a game I haven't played before, to see what it's about. Tournaments are fun, especially the League of Legend games, since I know a bit more about the game and the scene. There are also times when I'll have a stream - someone that I'm following just because I like...whatever: their perspective, communication, etc - playing in the background as I draw or design. I've always liked having music, or some environmental noise, on while I work.

There are games that I can't watch because it's annoying not being able to grab the controls. It can also be annoying watching someone play a game that you've already "mastered", but then with Twitch, you can actually chime in and say "Hey, look behind that building" or "Just do this instead of what you're doing, it's easier." Streamers will sometimes poll the chat for what to do, or what to play next. I don't know. I find the whole thing pretty fascinating.

Nice!