This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.
The ending to Mass Effect 3 remains one of the most controversial issues among fans. Even with the release of the Extended Cut, there’s a sense that it just didn’t work. It just wasn’t satisfying.
In this video, I explore this contentious topic. But I’m going to make the case that the Destroy ending is the worst ending in the long run.
Also, the footage in this video is taken directly from my Twitch stream.
Filed under Jack's World, Mass Effect, video games, YouTube
Years ago, I found myself caught up in the first Pokémon craze. And I am not ashamed to admit that I fueled that craze in my own special way.
For a couple of years, I put played the game for hours on end on my Gameboy, so much so that I would buy packs of AA batteries to ensure I never ran out. I was not just content with beating the game. I wasn’t even content trying to “catch ’em all.” From red to blue to yellow to silver to gold, I wanted to master every last bit of those games.
Even after all these years, I regret nothing. Those were hours well spent.
But I’m not just bringing up Pokémon for the sake of nostalgia. Recently, it became relevant for an unexpected, but intriguing reason. And it has to do with artificial intelligence.
I know AI has been in the news a lot in recent years, for better and for worse. But it’s definitely newsworthy because this technology is advancing at an incredible pace. It’s no longer this novelty gizmo that can win at games like chess, Go, or pong. Even if it doesn’t have human level intelligence, AI is changing the world. And the pace of that change is likely to accelerate.
It’s now at a point where gauging the advancing capabilities of AI is increasingly difficult. For years, the Turing Test was considered the primary means of testing an AI. But even that has proven limited and incomplete.
That’s where Pokémon comes in. I know that sounds like a weird segway, but it’s actually appropriate. I would even argue that this is a better way to measure the capabilities of an AI.
At this very moment, an AI model called Claude is being tasked with playing the classic version of Pokémon Red. There are even occasional livestreams of it. Having played that game multiple times and beaten it in every way possible, I am genuinely in favor of this. The fact that Claude has been struggling to beat this game, sometimes in hilarious ways, only proves that test has merit.
That’s because Pokémon, as a game, is very different from other games that AI has played. It’s not linear in that the point is to get a character from Point A to Point B, like in Mario, Metroid, or Donkey Kong. It also doesn’t have straightforward rules like Jeopardy, Go, or chess. Pokémon games are a lot more open ended. They’re also a lot more random.
There’s no one way to assemble, train, and develop a team of Pokémon that help you beat every gym and defeat the Elite 4. There are also multiple options on how to start the game. Your first choice is to pick a starter Pokémon in Squirtle, Charmander, or Bulbasaur.
From there, you deal with numerous random encounters in certain areas. And if you try rushing into a match against a gym leader or Team Rocket, you’re likely to lose, even if you use perfect strategy.
It’s also not enough to simply know the map and understand where everything is located. It also takes a measure of planning, patience, and resource management. You need to know which Pokémon to train, which skills to teach, and which matchups are most advantageous.
These are all capabilities that AI has not developed beyond a certain point. There’s a complexity to the game and its mechanics that it has yet to grasp. It shows in just how much the AI has struggled thus far. As I’m writing this, no AI has been able to beat Pokemon in terms of defeating the Elite Four. At times, it has even gotten completely stuck.
That doesn’t mean the AI is a failure or in some ways flawed. It just means that it’s incomplete. It’s not yet at a level where it can process tasks of a certain scope and compelxity. It’s like a child that has learned to walk, but can’t run at a sustained pace. That’s likely to change and change quickly. It’s only a matter of time before an AI like Claude finally beats Pokemon. But after that, what next?
That’s a difficult question to answer at the moment. There are plenty of other games out there that have more compelx mechancis than classic versions of Pokemon. But at some point, playing games just isn’t going to be enough for an AI. Even if it gets to a point where it can beat any video game, that doesn’t mean we’ve achieved a superhuman level of AI. It just means we’ve got an AI that is capable of more complex tasks.
That has many possibilities and implications. But for now, we can only speculate. In the meantime, we can also watch as our best AI tries to catch ’em all. Some might be cheering for it. Others may hope it keeps failing. We don’t yet know when or whether an AI will achieve the coveted title of Pokemon Master. But if it ever does, then chances are it’ll be ready to become a master at many other challenges.
Filed under Artificial Intelligence, video games
I’m usually very reluctant to make predictions about the future. Even though I try every year with the upcoming NFL season, I always disclose that my track record is not great. So, it’s exceedingly rare that I ever predict anything with confidence.
Today, I’m making an exception. Because I’ve never been more confident in predicting what will happen on May 26, 2026.
On that day, Grand Theft Auto VI is set to be released. And if, by chance, you had any plans that day, expect them to be impacted significantly. If you need to understand why, just take a moment to appreciate the trailer that Rockstar Games dropped for this game.
Even if you don’t play video games or aren’t a fan of games like Grand Theft Auto, there’s a very high likelihood you know someone who already has this date marked. I’ve highlighted before just how big this franchise is. It’s more than just a string of video games. Grand Theft Auto is one of the most valuable and lucrative franchises in all of entertainment.
Just look at the number of views for this and the previous trailer.
Look at just how much revenue the previous Grand Theft Auto game generated.
There are entire film and TV franchises that can’t even compare to Grand Theft Auto. Even if you find that annoying, thinking this game will only occupy a certain male video game playing demographic, you’re wrong. This game is going to completely overtake the entertainment landscape when it comes out.
So, between now and May 26, 2026 (assuming no delays), plan accordingly. Because it’s a near certainty that this date, as well as the entire week that ensues, will be the least productive week of the year. Grand Theft Auto VI is going to be the biggest video game of the decade, if not of all time. In terms of predictions, I’m as confident as anyone can be on this.
Filed under video games
One of the biggest stories in 2023 was the SAG-AFTRA strike, which also coincided with the WGA strike. It was one of the most impactful and extensive labor disputes in recent history. Some would even argue it was the most important strike to ever occur in the entertainment industry. I’m certainly inclined to agree with that. That’s part of why I felt compelled to mention it.
The strike by both unions had many issues of concern, but one of the biggest had to do with artificial intelligence and emerging technology like generative AI. Both writers and actors alike were concerned that studios would start using AI to effectively replace them or use their past works to create derivatives without any compensation.
It was a very legitimate concern. I’m of the opinion it was the single most pressing issue for everyone involved in the entertainment industry. Artificial intelligence is no longer just the domain of sci-fi stories. Even the limitations of existing tools are capable of producing music, art, literature, and various other forms of content. Future tools promise to be even more effective.
Eventually, in the not-so-distant future, AI tools might get to a point where they can produce content at or near the quality of any human. They don’t even need to achieve human-level intelligence. They just need the right amount of refinement, investment, and engineering.
But even with this pressing issue, both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA largely won their dispute. They were able to get a contract that included provisions protecting them from future encroachments by AI. That is certainly an important, worthwhile consideration. It helps ensure that those working in the entertainment industry can continue to make a living.
However, less than a few months after the strike ended, there are already new encroachments. And they’re happening with the full support and sanction of SAG-AFTRA. According to multiple reports, the union reached a deal with a company called Replica Studios to allow actors to license their voices to be replicated by artificial intelligence for video games.
Naturally, this has caused some concern and consternation, especially among voice actors who do a great deal of work in gaming. On the surface, it seems like an about-face. This seems like a manifestation of what they were protesting against during the strike, letting studios use AI to replicate iconic voices or figures in certain productions.
However, I don’t think it would be accurate to say this is a complete reversal. For one, SAG-AFTRA makes it clear that the intention of the deal is to ensure that those whose voices are licensed and utilized by AI receive appropriate compensation. This way, studios can’t just use a bunch of recordings of a famous voice and stick them in a game without paying the appropriate people. That is perfectly reasonable.
At the same time, there’s no denying that this will undermine current and future voice actors working within the gaming industry. The process for voice acting in most modern games can be extensive and expensive. A high-profile game like Grand Theft Auto V cost over $250 million to develop, unadjusted for inflation, and that game involved a lot of voiceover work.
Developing video games has only become more expensive over time, much more so than movies, TV shows, or music. Some are already estimating that the development of Grand Theft Auto VI could exceed $2 billion when all is said and done. No matter how you feel about video games or their development, that is not sustainable.
In that context, it makes sense to allow the use of AI tools to help cut down on that cost, especially as games and computing power increases. And it will certainly benefit those who have iconic, established voices in the video game industry.
But for those who aren’t in the industry yet or just aren’t well-known, this could be the first step in rendering voice acting in video games an unviable career path. It could become to acting what switchboard operators were to telephones.
I don’t doubt for a second that those in SAG-AFTRA are aware of this. They have to know on some levels that AI technology will continue to advance. They can’t fight it. They can’t stop it. They can’t prevent it from becoming more and more capable with each passing year.
And unlike video or artwork, mimicking voices is a more mature technology. It’s something that doesn’t really need much refinement to replace the work of a human voice actor. If they didn’t make this deal, then it just would’ve been harder to work around with each passing year.
Even if this deal is ultimately beneficial to actors and voice actors, it should still be a concern. It sets an early precedent for how unions, studios, and actors are attempting to accommodate advances in AI with their profession. While this primarily impacts the gaming industry, it is bound to affect others eventually.
There will come a point where AI is capable of replicating the imagery, mannerisms, and presence of any living actor. There will also come a point where AI is capable of producing animated content that’s difficult to distinguish from the kind that’s traditionally produced. What happens to the industry and those who work within it at that point? Would this deal that SAG-AFTRA did for gaming work? Or will it only delay further disruptions?
I don’t claim to know the answer. But if you’re involved in the entertainment industry in any way, this warrants serious attention. The existing AI tools we have now are plenty disruptive. They’re only going to get better with time, investment, and better engineering. The incentives are strong and at this point, there’s no putting the AI genie back in the bottle.
This technology isn’t just going to affect our lives. It’s going to affect how we make a living. If we don’t find a way to coexist with it, then that will only cause greater problems down the line. And it will impact far more than video game development.
Filed under AI Art, Artificial Intelligence, technology, television, video games
It’s relatively common these days for someone to claim certain news or announcements will “break the internet.” The fact you’re reading this and the internet is still intact demonstrates how much that sentiment has become cliché. And given how many dumb things end up trending for dumber reasons, it’s perfectly reasonable to roll your eyes at the very concept.
But with the recent release of the trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI, I think an exception is warranted.
This event might not have “broken” the internet, but it has perfectly demonstrated how the internet can reflect the hype and excitement for something. Whether it’s a game, a movie, a TV show, or a big moment in sports, there’s something powerful about how it reveals the interest and popularity of something. It’s just as powerful at highlighting the controversies surrounding it, even when those controversies are dumb.
In case you missed it or just want to watch it again for the hundredth time, here’s the trailer to Grand Theft Auto VI.
Unless you’re familiar with video games and the gaming industry, as a whole, you probably can’t appreciate just what a big deal this trailer is. Even if you’ve never played a video game in your life, you’ve probably heard about the Grand Theft Auto games, but not for the reasons you’ve also probably heard of Mario.
Grand Theft Auto is one of those gaming franchises that has always been in the news for the right and wrong reasons. This is the franchise that helped popularize the concept of open world games. You’re not restricted to just going from one point to another, completing objectives in a mostly linear manner. You’re free to explore an entire virtual world. And the Grand Theft Auto games are among the best at creating those worlds while also putting a unique twist on them.
But it’s that freedom to explore unique worlds that has also led to the many controversies surrounding this franchise, going all the way back to the early 1990s. As the title suggests, one of the major activities in these games often involve committing crimes and following stories that involve any number of criminal activities. From robbing banks to doing heists to assassination plots, there’s all sorts of devious activities to be had in these games.
Naturally, that has always drawn the ire of the anti-fun puritanical whiners from all ends of the political spectrum. Grant Theft Auto was among the franchises singled out by some of the industry’s most vocal critics. And it’s still often cited as the embodiment of the worst elements of modern video games, from how it glorifies violence to how it presents female characters to how it satirizes American politics.
But despite all these controversies and crusades, there’s no denying one critical detail. This franchise is insanely popular. It is one of these most successful franchises in the history of gaming. And its developer, Rockstar Games, is one of these most successful and respected video game publishers in the world. They may not be iconic in the same way as Nintendo, but make no mistake. This series and this company are among the greatest success stories in the history of video games and media, in general.
To understand the breadth of that success, you need to look beyond the simple sales figures of those games. Granted, Grand Theft Auto games tend to be among the highest-selling video games of all time. Both Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas sold over 20 million copies in the early 2000s. And they put up those numbers, despite some controversies that threatened to pull them from store shelves.
But even these sales figures pale in comparison to the success of Grand Theft Auto V, the current gold standard of the series. This game, which was originally released in 2013, has sold 190 million copies worldwide across multiple platforms. For any game or any media product of any kind, that is not a trivial figure.
But it’s the revenue generated by Grand Theft Auto V that’s truly worth noting. As of December 2023, this game has generated approximately $8.3 billion in revenue. This includes both sales of the game and the money generated by its online features. That’s not just a lot of money by most measures. That kind of revenue makes this one Grand Theft Auto game one of the most successful media products of all time.
It made more money than every Avatar movie.
It made more money than nearly every TV show or series.
It made more money than any musician, band, or artist.
Unless the franchise involves Star Wars or Marvel, this one game probably out-grossed it all. Even with it being the biggest target among anti-gaming critics, it has become one of the biggest success stories in the history of modern media.
And now, Rockstar is preparing to give us a sequel. It’s been in the work for many years, even while Grand Theft Auto V was still generating plenty of revenue. It’s also expected to be one of the most expensive games to develop of all time, with costs expected to range between $1 billion and $2 billion. But to anyone who has watched the trailer and knows Rockstar’s track record, it’s clear they’re putting that money to good use.
I don’t claim to know how much money this game will make. But it’s worth noting that, when the trailer released, it generated over 100 million views within the first 36 hours. To put that into perspective, that’s more than the trailer for Grand Theft Auto V has generated over 12 years. These are figures that rival that of the Avengers: Infinity War trailer or a Taylor Swift music video.
With all these numbers and perspectives in mind, what does this ultimately mean for this game and the millions of gamers looking forward to playing it? Nobody can say for certain. While Grand Theft Auto might not be my favorite gaming franchise, I have played these games. I understand why they’re so popular and why they’re so controversial.
The popularity of these games may not be as obvious as packed concerts or crowded movie theaters. But the reaction to this trailer, both in terms of raw figures and the discourse surrounding it, should offer some insights into just how popular this series is. And if it’s even as remotely successful as its predecessor, it’s certain to generate more reactions and controversies for the right and wrong reasons.
Filed under video games
This is another video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video is my quick reaction to the Super Mario Bros. Movie. I tried to keep the spoilers to a minimum, but I do mention a few. It’s somewhat unavoidable in discussing everything that made this movie so great. Enjoy!
Filed under Jack's World, Movie Reviews, movies, video games, YouTube
This is another video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video is my quick reaction to the season one finale of HBO’s The Last of Us. Like my other quick reacts, I didn’t script this or structure it like a video essay. As a result, I stutter and stammer a lot. I also make a few errors here and there. But I still try to get my point across.
Also, I do mention some heavy spoilers from both the show and the games. So do keep that in mind. Enjoy!
Filed under Current Events, HBO Max, Jack's World, technology, video games, YouTube
When it comes to general rules in entertainment and pop culture, the rule always works until it doesn’t. What I mean by that is trends are fickle. What seems certain, logical, and even unavoidable one day for a particular genre might be shrouded with doubt the next.
In decades past, there was a general rule that there would always be a prominent place for western movies. Granted, there’s still a place for them, but it’s not nearly as prominent.
Just a few decades ago, there was a general rule that if you put someone like Nicholas Cage and Arnold Schwarzenegger in any movie, it would easily gross over $100 million. That’s no longer the case, either. It’s been quite a while since either actor achieved that level of success at the box office consistently.
I’m also old enough to remember a time when superhero movies were seen as extremely niche with limited appeal. I even remember the reaction to “Batman and Robin,” which for a time felt like a massive setback for the genre that would last a generation.
These rules were once general assumptions in the entertainment world. And they were assumed to always apply, but then they didn’t. We should never assume a rule or trend will always apply, especially when it comes to pop culture. And I say that as someone who never wants to see superhero movies go out of style.
With that in mind, I think it’s time we finally change our rules and assumptions about video game adaptations.
Now, I’m not just saying that because I’ve been watching “The Last of Us” on HBO and have been repeatedly blown away by how great it has been. One good movie or show is a fluke. That’s why there are so many forgettable “Die Hard” knock-offs from the 1990s. The reason I think the time has come to adjust our attitudes is because “The Last of Us” feels like the last critical part of a new trend that has been unfolding for a while now.
And as someone who loves video games and wants to see more successful adaptations, I welcome this. In fact, I think it was overdue. I’d been hoping for something like this for years and have been burned by one too many “Resident Evil” movies along the way.
Even if it has taken way too long, I think “The Last of Us” has finished what “Sonic: The Hedgehog” and “Castlevania” started. It helped further distance audiences from the old mentality that video game adaptations tend to suck by default. It made the case that a video adaptation can be done and done well. There’s even a proven process to it, which has become more and more refined, going back to the days of the first “Tomb Raider” movies with Angelina Jolie.
A big part of what makes “The Last of Us” work so well is that it stays remarkably true to the source material in terms of ambience and theme. It doesn’t completely retell the story of the game. It nicely supplements it. The game is the foundation and the scaffolding. The show is the meat and the substance.
Even a movie like “Sonic: The Hedgehog,” which doesn’t closely mirror any of the games, still captures the heart and tone of character. The Sonic you see in the movie feels like a natural extension of the one you play in the game.
A show like “Arcane” takes it even further than that. It actually uses that foundation to build new, more compelling lore for every character involved. Even elements not covered in the game can get fleshed out, but in a way that doesn’t involve reinventing or reshaping the characters or world. More importantly, it doesn’t just rely entirely on the built-in audience to fill in the blanks. There’s a real, concerted effort to tell a cohesive story beyond the action.
This all seems obvious now, but it wasn’t that long ago that it was deemed impossible or incompatible with video game adaptations. I think we need to ditch that mentality once and for all. That’s not to say that video adaptations will stop sucking entirely. Even with their current popularity, superhero movies can still be awful. Just look at “Moribus.”
I’m also not convinced the upcoming “Super Mario Bros” movie will be great, but that might just be because I still cringe at the 1990s adaptation that had Dennis Hopper playing Bowser.
But the precedent has already been set.
The standards have already been raised.
A show like “The Last of Us” and a movie like “Sonic: The Hedgehog” is no longer a fluke or a one-off. They are now part of a tangible, verifiable trend that video game adaptations can be great in their own right. And personally, I hope to see more in the future. There’s definitely a place for them in popular culture.
Video games have come a long way since the days of Tetris and Pong. Players today expect more story and depth than ever before. That sort of thing can definitely translate into blockbuster franchises or shows and they should. Because regardless of the medium or source, there will always been an audience for great stories with memorable characters.
Filed under HBO Max, television, video games
When it comes to certain holidays, I tend to be more proactive than most people. Talk to anyone who knows me fairly well and they’ll attest that I’m the kind of guy who has his Christmas tree up the first week of November. It’s just part of who I am. For certain holidays, I like to draw out the festivities and the spirit in my own unique way.
One of those holidays happens to be Halloween. I’ve always been fond of Halloween and its various spooky themes. While I don’t decorate my home the same way I do with Christmas, I still try to get into the spirit. A big part of that spirit involves watching a bunch of horror movies and Halloween specials.
To that end, I’ve always had my share of favorites. A good slasher movie like “Friday The 13th” and the original “Halloween” is usually a good place to start. Plenty of shows also have great Halloween special, like the many Treehouse of Horror episodes from “The Simpsons” and “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”
In more recent years, I’ve grown fond of some newer entries into my Halloween themed watch-list. Movies like “Happy Death Day” and “Hubie Halloween” have quickly become personal favorites of mine. But for Halloween this year, I’d like to offer another show that has steadily worked its way into my Halloween viewing list. It’s an animated series on Netflix called “Castlevania.”
Now, this is not a new show, relatively speaking. This show actually began airing in 2017 and when it began, it only had three episodes. Even though I watched those episodes and liked what I saw, it wasn’t even that clear that it would continue beyond that.
There was a good reason for that. This show was based off a video game by the same name. If you owned a Nintendo or Super Nintendo system back in the early to mid 1990s, you probably heard of “Castlevania” the game. And it was a damn good game, as well. It was often held in high regard for its gameplay and its monster hunting themes.
But since it emerged in the early era of gaming, it wasn’t particularly known for its story. I doubt it was ever at the top of anyone’s list in terms of video game franchises that deserved an adaptation. It certainly doesn’t help that video game adaptations have a rather nasty legacy of being terrible, regardless of whether they’re animated or live action.
Despite those limitations, Netflix dared to invest in “Castlevania.” It dared to give this franchise some full-scale world-building, taking iconic characters from the game and fleshing them out in a meaningful way. And the end result was truly remarkable.
This isn’t just a series that makes for good viewing during Halloween.
This is a legitimately well-written, well-developed show on every conceivable level.
Yes, it still has the armies of monsters, goblins, and demons that made the video game so iconic. But it also has a genuinely compelling story with genuinely well-rounded characters. Trevor Belmont, Sypha, Alucard, and even Vlad Dracula himself are given distinct, multi-layered character arcs that are all distinct. They all exist in a dark, flawed, and corrupt world set in Medieval Europe. It’s not a world driven by good or pure evil. Everything exists in varying shades of both. And everyone has agendas, goals, struggles, and burdens.
It’s also a show that really hits the ground running. It’s not a slow build towards the action. Within the first few minutes of the show, an innocent gets burned at the stake and Dracula goes on a grief-fueled rampage against the whole of humanity. It gets bloody, violent, and dark very quickly, all of which feel very appropriate for Halloween. But it also has moments of heart, introspection, and melodrama.
Seriously, there are moments within the brutal violence that are genuinely heartbreaking. But those moments only make the horror themes work even better.
The early seasons were good. That, I never denied. But once the later seasons came out and really completed the story, “Castlevania” became much more than a video game adaptation that didn’t suck. To me, it became a perfectly crafted horror story that maximized the appeal of vampires, magic, goblins, ghouls, and monsters.
Seriously, what more could you want from a Halloween story?
While “Castlevania” was never marketed as a Halloween story, it definitely checks most of the necessary boxes. So, if you’re looking for something new to add to your Halloween watch list this year, give Netflix’s “Castlevania” a watch. Even if it doesn’t get you into the Halloween spirit, it’s still a damn good show.
Filed under television, video games
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