Mostcast checks out the indie darling Monaco, the ultimate retro-minimalist-heist-multiplayer Xbox Live Arcade game.

Link: Forward, unto Youtube!

Nintendo Wii U: Death by Apathy Games Industry International has shared a scathing report concerning recent Wii U news, all of which is either unimpressive or outright disappointing.  I found myself agreeing with the article entirely.

This machine is only half a year old!  EA is out, Activision has shown no interest in sharing another Call of Duty, and the console's only non-port release so far in 2013 is Lego City: Undercover.  No, really -- every other release, even Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate-whatever, is available elsewhere.

The media keeps pointing to Pikmin to satisfy the Wii U install base.  Remember Pikmin?  The game no one bought back when it was intended to assist the Gamecube launch?  You remember Gamecube, right?

The Wii U can't even be compared to the Dreamcast; at least Sega came out swinging with a wide selection of critically-praised games during the first year (which nobody bought).  Nintendo is in a fascinating position.  They're blessed with enough cash reserve that the Wii U's failure won't end the company, but we are on a fast track to the Wii U experiencing a short lifespan.  How badly would a hurried abortion of the Wii U affect Nintendo's future ventures?

Sega's reputation was ruined after their Saturn was dropped at a short three years.  I'm of the belief the videogames market is far more critical and competitive now than it was fifteen years ago.  If the Wii U ceases to be "a thing" by 2015 Nintendo will need to drastically reinvent themselves.  Again.

More worrying are the implications of Wii U's difficulties.  Wii U is the third large-scale console launch of the past two years, and the other two, 3DS and Vita, faced similar struggles.  3DS remedied the apathy it faced through a price drop, one which devastated Nintendo's financials for the year.  Sony's Vita continues to struggle, with its own manufacturer seemingly apathetic towards the idea exploring possible solutions.  The question, then, is: what response will PS4 and the next Microsoft console face when released this holiday season?

Hit me with some thoughts, friends.  What is your perception of the Wii U?  Are owners disappointed?  Are potential buyers hardly aware of the Wii U's presence?  I'm very curious, because the vibes surrounding Nintendo's newest endeavor are unbelievably negative.

Link: Disney gives EA exclusive rights to create Star Wars games

"Those two things rarely combine into daring, high-concept games. Expect safe games created quickly in proven genres.

Let's be fair though, it's been a long time since Star Wars games have been good, so we have little to lose. That's not the best argument for this deal though, especially since EA now knows it doesn't have to actually compete against other companies making Star Wars games." -Ben Kuchera, Penny Arcade Report

A very interesting piece of news continuing the previous MOSTcast thread.  I am personally a fan of EA as a large publisher, but a few recent turns for both EA and Disney encourage me to lean towards agreeing iwth Ben Kuchera's above perspective.  EA CEO John Riccitiello resigned EA earlier this year after his leadership failed to display growth for the company.  Internet culture crafted a decidedly infamous image of Riccitiello, a longtime pusher for microtransactions, day-one DLC, season passes and other forms of unpopular (yet highly effective) digital-focused income.  On the other hand, Riccitiello was a vocal supporter of creating new franchises based on original intellectual properties, being credited for the likes of Mirror's Edge and Dead Space.  Recent years have represented an era of financial struggles and bad PR for Electronic Arts; between all that has gone wrong for the company, it is hard to pinpoint the most legitimate reason behind Riccitiello's departure.

What types of Star Wars games can we expect from a company seemingly stuck in the middle of re-branding itself?  Will we see mobile games reminiscent of EA's greatest success story of the past year, The Simpsons Tapped Out, or will those small-budget investments remain in Disney's own studios?  The struggles of Star Wars: The Old Republic on PC point away from a massive, hardcore gamer-focused endeavor, but is an online shooter with sites set on the Call of Duty and Battlefield fanbase a possibility?  Will Star Wars 1313 return to life,  or is a single-player oriented adventure game the last thing on EA's mind after LucasArts underperformed by The Force Unleashed 2?

Although the financial terms between Disney and EA remain secret, it is very hard to imagine this as a poor deal for EA.  Unless they aim to high and overestimate potential profit as they did with Old Republic this exclusivity deal with  be a much-needed boon for EA's business.  However, Ben Kuchera is right to question whether gamers will reap similar benefits from the deal.  Such a massive license as Star Wars is ripe for manipulation by manner of unfair payment schemes hidden behind beloved characters in a risk-free genre exploitation.  We will have to wait and hope that EA's new identity, whatever they mold themselves into, will represent the boldness to take risks and maintain creativity in a galaxy far, far away.

How strong is the force with this one?  Be sure to tell us the odds in the comments.  But I hope you strike back with a new pun.