THE GAMER

Sony is out, but the E3 show must go on

Jacob Say or

THE GAMER

Video games journalist Jacob Saylor has covered the massive Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles. Follow Jacob on Twitter @skulldrey.

The Electronic Entertainment Expo is the biggest show of the year in video games, and it’d be wrong for us to ignore it. The show took over the Los Angeles Convention Center – and indeed, the airwaves – from June 11 to June 13. Sony opted to step aside this year and let Microsoft and Nintendo go to war, which is a bit surprising. Nevertheless, E3 is still the year’s most exciting moment for gamers.

A Microsoft and Xbox revived

It’s been no secret that Microsoft and its titular Xbox One have struggled to find footing in this console cycle’s grudge match. The company hasn’t released official sales figures for the console since November 2014, and the last concrete number to make its way out of the bramble was in January 2016. At that time, the Xbox One had sold just 18 to 19 million units, putting it ahead of Nintendo’s Wii U but behind Sony’s PlayStation 4 in the arms race. Considering Microsoft’s footprint in the space, it’s hard to believe how far the brand has fallen since the Xbox 360’s unstoppable rampage.

But there’s good on the horizon.

Specifically, we’re excited for the return of two franchises: Halo and Gears of War. Each one will be seeing a new entry in the next couple of years, and if you’ve followed video games for any amount of time, you’ll know that these series were the Xbox 360’s most popular. While Gears of War was certainly a behemoth, Halo 3 was perhaps one of the most influential and downright fun games to ever grace the industry.

New trails blazed from Nintendo

I think there are very few who would argue the point that Nintendo has been the most consistently creative among gaming’s power punchers. For better or worse, the company has strewn together an impressive tapestry of peripherals and handhelds. While Nintendo’s most successful venture in recent times is almost certainly the Nintendo DS – and its many, many variations – we’re left to wonder what’s next up its veritable sleeve. It’s fair to say that Nintendo is a company for which success is built almost wholly upon its treasure trove of fantastic characters.

Think along the lines of Mario, Link, Pikachu, Captain Falcon, Yoshi, Samus, Donkey Kong and the like. You probably grew up with some of these faces.

In a way, this is a double-edged sword. Sure, it’s good to have these time-tested personalities to fall back on. At the same time, there’s the reality that innovation is and always has been king in the video game arena. In fact, the stable of characters Nintendo has built is the product of said creativity. So, what I’d really like to see from Nintendo is a focus that’s less trained on the hardware. It’d be absolutely momentous if the company unveiled a host of new intellectual properties set to debut on the Nintendo Switch and 3DS.

Sony’s absence makes the heart grow fonder

In November 2018, Sony shockingly announced they wouldn’t be attending E3 2019, ending a more than 20-year relationship with the convention. To say

that was a gut punch for the event is an understatement, and it’s got me worried about the continued health of E3 as an institution – but that’s for another time.

Sony’s PlayStation 4 has decidedly crushed all of its competition during this console cycle, and there’s very little currently on the horizon that’ll change this. The system has sold 91.6 million units at the time of this article’s writing, making it the sixth best-selling console of all-time. For reference, the PlayStation 2 currently holds the top spot, having sold 159 million units.

With such a stoic lead in-hand, it’s not surprising Sony’s opted to take what appears to be a breather. With almost 100 million units in households across the globe, the PlayStation 4 has cemented itself in the hearts and minds of gamers. This means Sony doesn’t need to shell out as much in the way of advertising dollars or drag its premiere developers away from their workstations for the song and dance of E3. All in all, I think it’s a good move from the company, but I do hope it uses this opportunity to bolster strategy for next year.

A dynamic, important event sets the stage

While Sony’s departure from E3’s festivities no doubt put a damper on things as a whole, it does mean we get to put a magnifying glass on both Nintendo and Microsoft. Given that the two companies have been untypically quiet throughout 2019’s first half, we’re expecting some big reveals and surprise announcements. No matter where you stand in the three-pronged console war, this year’s E3 is a litmus test for the two combatants.

Be sure to check back with us next month, where we’ll follow up on all this and do a deeper dive on everything that happened at E3 2019.

Use an all-weather approach to investing

Marty edge

DOLLARS & SENSE

Marty Edge is a financial advisor with First Financial Services, an affiliate of First Community Bank of Central Alabama.

As the summer season is now upon us, many of us are looking forward to a lot of outside activities. During this time of the year, many people become very active. They take trips, go to barbeques, visit the beach, spend a lot of time on lakes and rivers and attend other outdoor events. It’s a fun and very busy season. In many ways, the market cycle is a metaphor for the seasons of the year. Each cycle of our economy and stock market has its own defining characteristics.

For instance, the summertime in the market is a time of growth. The economy is traditionally doing very well. There is a lot of activity going on; a sense of excitement and anticipation is associated with this season.

Eventually, summer gives way to autumn. The leaves begin to fall. The temperature begins to cool. Beach trips come to an end, as do most activities outdoors. During the autumn, the market and economy begin to slow down and show signs of weakening. As a result of these two factors, market returns begin to diminish. This is commonly a precursor of an impending decline.

The next stage is winter, figuratively. In economic terms, this is called a recession. The economy is shrinking, and the markets are declining. The term “bear market” is appropriate for this particular season of the cycle. It’s a very cold and dreary time. The economy and markets feel like they are in hibernation. This is the time in the market when it is best to cope with the harsh days ahead. Many people stay indoors and just ride out the winter. That is the right course to take as an investor, as well. All you can do is be prepared; and the good news is, winter won’t last forever.

Finally, the much-anticipated spring will come around. This is when everything begins to bloom. You can start planning those outside activities again. Just as nature is starting its rebirth, the economy begins to heal itself. The markets have finally reached the bottom of the downward cycle and are beginning to start an upward movement. This is generally the time when the markets experience their most rapid growth. The economy normally continues to become healthier throughout this season. We then return to consistent growth as we move forward into summer again.

In summary, the four seasons of the year are a metaphor for the full cycle of the economy and markets. We never remain in just one season of the economic and market cycles. Similarly, we do not remain in one season of the year. We continually move through each cycle with periods of growth, periods of decline and periods in between.

The best course of action to take is to use an all-weather approach toward investing. Do your best to prepare for all seasons. You need investments that allow you to participate in the growth of the market, but you also need to blend in investments that are designed to perform better in declining markets. Thinking long term is a prudent way to invest. The seasons may change, but your approach should not.