Backlog: The Embiggening – September, 2026
Nelson Schneider - wrote on 08/23/26 at 02:24 PM CT
Welcome back to another look into the near future! It won’t be long before Summer is gone once again, and the annual Games Drought comes to a catastrophic end. Ya know, it feels pretty bad actually preferring the drought conditions than looking forward to the flood of new Autumn releases, just because “no games” means “no crap.” Oh, well... Time to see what the Industry it rushing out now that everyone is back to the school/work grind and doesn’t have as much free time to play...
Wow! There are a LOT of games coming out in September... and OVER HALF of them fall into one of the four Shovelware buckets. In Licensed Swill, there’s a new ‘Garfield’ platformer, a new ‘Walking Dead’ Beat ‘em Up, a “cozy” Adventure game based on the ‘Moomintroll’ Scandinavian children’s books, a destined-to-be-awful Christmas game called “The Grinch 2: Saving Chrtistmas” (which sounds like a direct to VHS movie from the late ‘80s), a ‘Hot Wheels’ Racing …
DoesItPlay.org: An Essential Tool for Inveterate Console Peasants
Nelson Schneider - wrote on 08/16/26 at 02:12 PM CT
Are you a console peasant? Do you still insist that consoles are “easy” and “just work” while denying that PC gaming has largely reached parity in that particular metric? Do you think physical media will protect you from corporate corruption within Industrial Gaming?
Well, with Nintendo’s obsession with Game Key Cards on the Switch 2 and with Sony officially discontinuing PlayStation discs in 2028, you’ve got your work cut out for you in defending that ancient way of life. You may as well churn your own butter and spin your own yarn!
Fortunately, though, long-time Gamers who value the medium as more than a way to turn a quick profit (or, in the case of modern “AAAA” gaming, take 10 years to produce a complete flop) are fighting back against the winds of change, and Games Preservation has become a significant part of 2020s gaming zeitgeist. And if you just so happen to be a console peasant who is worried about the future status of your physical PlayStation disc, …
Trying to Save the World in “Fortnite?” Give these Weapons a Shot.
Nelson Schneider - wrote on 08/09/26 at 04:33 PM CT
Last week, I took a look at the different ammo types available for ranged weapons in “Fortnite: Save the World,” and which weapons were the best in class for each. This week, we’re looking at the individual weapon types.
In “Fortnite: Save the World,” there are ranged weapons and melee weapons. Ranged weapons are divided into 6 classes: Assault Rifles, Submachine Guns, Sniper Rifles, Pistols, Shotguns, and Launchers. Likewise, melee weapons also come in 6 classes: Axes, Clubs, Swords, Scythes, Spears, and Hardware. Weapon class generally only matters when using a Commander or support characters in the Hero Loadout that boost a specific weapon class. Otherwise, it’s just personal preference and availability.
The same special terminology from last week’s article still applies, so here’s a refresher:
Flux: Flux is a rare in-game resource that can be purchased from an in-game, non-premium currency shop called the Gold Exchange. Limited amounts of Rare, Epic, and …
Trying to Save the World in “Fortnite?” Trick Out Your Arsenal with These Weapons.
Nelson Schneider - wrote on 08/02/26 at 05:08 PM CT
Well, something happened that I never expected: Epic Games, in the face of waning “Fortnite: Battle Royale” player engagement, went ahead and pulled the game’s original, intended form, “Fortnite: Save the World” out of the digital trash bin behind the studio and finally released it to the public. The MJ Crew was really looking forward to this game... a DECADE AGO, when early access testing and development really began in earnest. Unfortunately for us, when Epic introduced the PvP mode as a way to raise money for the PvE mode, it turned the game into a self-perpetuating meme and it was eventually announced that the original concept was being scrapped.
Fortunately, Epic forgot to click “empty recycle bin,” and were able to release the “finished” “Save the World” game in June of 2026. The MJ Crew has been playing it since the very day it went fully F2P (or at least trying to play it, when not dealing with summer vacations and other interruptions to our weekly …
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