Doumou Gamer-tachi, Anan back again.

Phew, we’re almost at the end of the year. Another week stretch and off we go to 2025. Nothing much for this week’s issue, but I still want to share some thoughts.

Table of Contents

• …But FIRST

  • Of Adulting and Joy of Video Games

• The NEWS From Last Week

• Gamer Malaya and Gamer Matters GOTY

…But FIRST

Of Adulting and Joy of Video Games

Time sure flew. Feels like I barely blinked and the year just keeps climbing. Adulting is hard, and even harder when you reflect back on the time that just went to waste. “I’ll do this next time” is the eternal mantra and yet we always never do the thing.

But hey, time spent in joy is not wasted. That includes video games even as an adult. Yes, you there, the 30s and 40s still gaming like you always did since a kid. Society at large still considers gaming as childish and a waste of time yet the gaming adults population keeps growing.

Plenty of times I’ve seen marketplace listings of someone’s gaming rig or console and their game collection. Reasons to sell: getting married, having a baby, only working, no time, need money etc etc. And that invokes a somber feeling inside of me. The world isn’t too kind to us adult gamers, having to abandon our source of joy and brief escape for more pressing matters. For valid reasons too but still, you get what I mean.

Good news is, gaming has never been more accessible for us today. Gone were the days only tethered to a PC or console, we mobile now baby. Thanks to advancement in computer chips and battery technology, viable hi-fidelity video gaming on the go is no longer a pipe dream.

Not just smartphones that can power AAA quality games like Death Stranding on iPhones, we are now also flooded with handhelds like the Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally and the market leader Nintendo Switch. Instead of leaving behind our games, we carry them with us anywhere anytime. The fact that I can indulge in Balatro anytime I want is a blessing, the joy of gaming is portable.

Speaking of, this year's The Game Awards GOTY winner is Astro Bot, to the surprise of a lot of people. Same reaction also applies to Balatro’s GOTY nomination. Lined up against bombastic heavyweights like Elden Ring SotE and Black Myth: Wukong makes for a seemingly done deal against these two yet Astro Bot came out on top. Balatro pretty much swept the Best Indie title at multiple game awards.

I think I can answer why the poker-inspired card roguelike and cute platformer are fan favorites: they elicit the pure joy of gaming that we used to get during childhood. The whimsical play where everything is new and we don’t compare and judge. Like the terrible movies we watched as a kid yet we are still fond of them (FYI, mine was The Tuxedo, I still want that suit).

Even with all the doom of gloom of the gaming industry, for us gamers everything will be alright. Good new games are always around, just waiting to be discovered. Get handhelds fellow grown-up gamers, because that's the way forward for us. These devices will only get better each year, I will not be surprised if we can get an all-day battery Steam Deck in 5 years, mark my words. Enjoying good games wherever we go at any time no matter the age.

For those that celebrate, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

This has been Anan, peace out Gamer-tachi.

The NEWS From Last Week

Some notable news from last week:

• Mafia: The Old Country, prequel to the Mafia series will release in 2025

• Harimau Malaya (the football team, not the tiger) latest lineup will feature in Konami eFootball with improved collaboration

• Another factory builder automation game, Modulus announced and coming to PC. Us systems gamers eating good.

In fact, its too many announcements. Go check out the site here.

Gamer Malaya and Gamer Matters GOTY

Good news, GM Game of The Year Awards is live, and you can check them out at this GOTY hub page. The winners will release in stages, so keep on checking every day whether your favorites are chosen.

But remember, these are our picks, completely subjective to our judging and biases. Your Game of The Year is just as valid as ours and everybody else.

That is all for this week folks. For more news especially from the The Game Awards with all the new game announcement and stuff, click the button below to go to our site.

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Play games and have fun,

— Anan and the Gamer Matters Team