Discussion keeps the world turning.
This is Roundtable.
You're listening to Roundtable with myself He Young.
I'm joined by Steve Heatherly and Yu Xun in the studio.
Alright, ladies and gentlemen, gamers of all levels, grab your controllers, rally your crew, and get ready to dive into the world of co -op gaming.
cooperative gaming is proving that teamwork sells.
We discussed why. And life's best moments from the soundtrack of your heart to little things that make you smile.
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Let's switch it up Duo gaming is having a moment from the runaway success of it takes two to the instant hit split fiction cooperative games or co -op games are proving That two is the magic number players are moving away from high -stakes solo grinds to while also battle royals embracing story -driven interactive experiences designed for...
mainly two. And with co -op titles selling millions and reshaping game development strategies, maybe it's telling us the future of gaming isn't just about competition, it's about connection!
What are co -op games these days?
They're exactly what they say they are, cooperative games and it emphasizes teamwork.
So you've got a couple of players, sometimes more, but at least a couple of players.
You work together. You're trying to achieve a common goal.
These types of games are totally different from, for example, Fortnite, or Call of Duty.
Those are also co -op games, but you're often battling against another person.
I remember I played Fortnite for about 10 minutes, and it was the most stressful 10 minutes of my life.
I was dropped into the middle of this world, I didn't know what was going on.
Somebody ran by. I assumed that was my friend, so I chased them.
I couldn't talk to them, but I was like, hey, what's going on?
They turned around and shot me.
That was it. Then I was dropped into the world again.
I said, I hate this and I never want to do it again.
So you can see from my reaction there, the difference between that style of game and what these types of games are.
Here, players typically play together.
They can play on one console, although I think there are examples of playing online as well.
One console, two controllers, and that's why they're called couch co -ops sometimes.
And you team up, and you're trying to work together to play a goal, or to accomplish a goal.
These games are the opposite of what I explained before.
Also in the sense that they're very kind of low pressure a lot of the time.
There's not somebody often you know in your face trying to kill you or you know, it's not like It can be at moments during some of these games, but it's a much more relaxed environment yeah, and all of these levels are something that a lot of players would like to investigate because not like these kind of like gun fighting games that is that was so intense of course you need to Deal with and solve all of the puzzles that you're going to come across so Also, that could be the hard part that could be the interesting part Quick question from somebody who doesn't play video games but talks about video
games all the time on the show so I've heard of the massive multiplayer online games Fornite for exams Yeah, MMOs, which everybody probably knows by now.
And you guys mentioned Team Up isn't, you know, that kind of game about teaming up and teamwork as well?
It's a different type of teamwork.
Like if you play Call of Duty online or there are other examples like Call of Duty, sure, you're together with your team, but it's just a much more stressful goal that you're trying to accomplish – there is an immediate enemy looking for you.
In these types of games, it's more relaxed, you don't get that anxiety or that pressure or stress.
Which by the way – Sometimes you do actually.
Well, yeah, you can but in shorter bursts, I think.
And that level of stress and anxiety, that's why people love Call of Duty in games like that too, right?
So if it's what you're looking for.
Great. But these types of games are successful because it's just something different, not everyone wants to be in a massive battle royale every single second of the game.
Well the reason why I brought this up is initially when I saw okay cooperative gaming, then cooperative is sort of the keyword to me and I read some articles talking about oh this is about collaboration, and then it just reminded me when my little nephew tried to convince his mom and I happen to be at the same dinner table, why he wants to play the massive multiplayer online game.
That was because he said, mom, I am training and cultivating my leadership skills.
I'm just a little boy in real life, some random teenager, sorry, nephew, terrible in math, but doesn't matter, in the gaming world.
And he's some, like, battle general or - and he's, like, commanding, like, three other chaps, or maybe gals, who knows, online, and then they talk to each other in real time, and it's collaborative in a way.
It is. And they have these real relationships too.
So, that was kind of my typical understanding of what these games are, But tell me, so the co -op games are different and Steve just pointed out a main characteristic, but what are the really popular titles and, you know, really how popular are these things?
Yeah, so, one of the examples is recently the really popular one Split Fiction.
This is the latest title from game studio, Hazelight Studios created by renowned developer, Joseph Fares.
it's a two player cooperative adventure game where players must work together to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles so as we made examples unlike these kind of Call of Duty or a PUBG kind of thing that you actually can you are having a team but you can operate by yourself you are you can achieve the goal by herself if you can really dominate the whole scene right but in these kind of games You have to collaborate with your another player.
Yeah, you have maybe stand on one mechanic.
And then open the door and then the the another player will get into the door, open another mechanic mechanic, then you can go further.
So that is how people collaborate in these kind of games.
Yeah. And this split fiction, by the way is really popular.
The reviews are fantastic.
30 ,000 reviews on Steam, and there was a 98 percent approval rating.
Even for a popular game, they generally don't get a 98 percent approval rating.
It was out for 48 hours, and within that time, it surpassed 1 million copies sold.
And by the end of the first week, that went to 2 million.
And that far exceeded the 1 month milestone that it took its predecessor, It Takes Two, which we'll talk about in just a sec, to reach one million sales.
That game is also really, really popular.
Everybody's loving Split Fiction.
Everybody loved It Takes Two.
If you talk about the gaming websites that do reviews for video games, there's one called a really popular one called IGN.
And IGN China gave it a 9 out of 10.
And Metacritic, another site, gave it 91 .92.
So 91 out of 92, or 91, 92 %?
I'm not sure. But anyway, really incredibly popular.
One of the most -watched games, by the way, Split Fiction.
On the streaming platform called Twitch. Also, data from Gamealytic shows that the game's dominance in China continues to grow.
You know, the Steam version of this game sees 61 % of its players coming from China far surpassing the US, which is, around 11%, and Germany 2 .6%, and it is still currently sitting at the top of the Steam bestseller charts in China.
So that's one example.
Let's talk about It Takes Two.
This is also a couch co -op game, again this was the previous work from Joseph Faris and Hazelight Studios.
So this one's really fun.
This one's a love story, it's Cody and May.
Oh, yeah. And Cody and May are a married couple, but they have decided to get a divorce.
But Cody and May have a young daughter and she's very upset about this divorce.
So she creates two dolls.
One is Cody and one is May.
Then, magically, the parents become the dolls and they're in this world where the couple who was planning on getting a divorce now are forced to work together to achieve their common goals.
I was Cody yesterday.
Oh, you played it yesterday?
Yeah, I was playing.
You were Cody, huh?
Cody, yeah. So this game was also a massive success, selling 20 million copies and winning the prestigious Game of the Year Award, which we a lot of times that referred it to as the Oscars of the gaming industry.
So also in a February 2024 interview on the MinMax podcast the producer Joseph Fares really revealed that, you know, nearly half of the game's global sales came from Chinese players which with total sales surpassing 23 million copies so this is something that is really popular in the field of, you know, co -op gaming.
Another one chained together, this is another one where players must work together to escape from the depth of Hell.
A lot of these games are popular because a lot of the streamers will like to play it and live stream it and a lot of people will like to watch it.
One example is this Chained Together.
BBC reported that it became incredibly popular last year partly thanks to major streamers like Kai Sanet and iShowSpeed, who helped bring it into the spotlight.
Yeah, I have a question about It takes two because a lot these types of games are really great for content creation Right.
So they'll live stream their game and sometimes it's couples playing together It doesn't have to be it can be two buddies to friends playing together It doesn't matter but you know, the couples will be playing together and some of the clips are really funny Yeah, right So I watched one clip where the the girlfriend she had to get into a car and then the boyfriend Cody he had to pull the car back and then launch her up and he failed like three times and she got Like really mad and then he was like get in the car.
She's like no he's get in the car No, I'm not getting in the car anymore.
It's like fine I'll get in the car and then she immediately crashed and burned and they both had a great laugh, you know, so That's a really kind of fun thing for for people to watch It's a fun thing for people to play too.
Yeah, it's interesting you brought up a heterosexual couple in the game setup because well, I sometimes do take the Perspective of gender studies when looking at this.
I wonder if it were for two girls or two guys friends playing this game Who's playing the man?
Who's playing the woman?
I don't know. It's it's at all in the minds of gamers at all Well split fiction, that's two female characters right?
So you don't have the option.
Both characters are female but in the clips that I watched online I saw couples playing with each other, I saw female friends playing with each other, I saw guy friends playing with each other.
The players themselves don't really seem to care that much. Oh interesting.
So why is this so popular?
I can give you just a quick anecdote.
The other day in the elevator and I heard two male colleagues from a different department talking about hey this is the biggest marriage tip I can give you buddy that is you got to be playing a co -op games with your wife.
I think he was alluding to it improved his relationship and when you hear guys in this building talking about this you realize oh it's massive why is it so The content and quality of these games are definitely the top priorities.
As I said I played this it -takes -two game with my girlfriend.
And the level design is truly captivating.
How clever and intricate and incredibly fun they designed all of these levels is something that attracts most people to play these games.
I think it's more than that.
I think it's way more than that in It Takes Two.
Remember, this is a couple that was going to get a divorce, right?
And in their guide in the game, is a love book, right?
He speaks with a French accent, I forget his name.
But anyway, through the course of the game, like during the break scenes, they'll have almost like couple therapy moments where Cody will complain or May, yeah, he's complaining to the book.
Yeah, she's never home.
You know, she's never home.
I don't get to spend time with her and she replies, what do you want me to do?
You want me to clone myself?
And then the magic book says you want to clone here you go And then she's got a clone in the room and then very good So so what I mean is I think these types of games can inspire real conversations between the couples Bringing up topics from the game that actually apply to their own lives as well, right?
But I'm not a very good gamer and I can completely imagine if I'm playing this with my bestie she's very good at gaming and she could easily be playing the blame game with me.
Ho Young, you're so slow why are you so clumsy?
You're better in real life than in this game she can be quite harsh on me.
I wonder if it can always be like a good thing for the relationship maybe it Now everybody has downsides too?
You know that's, that's why you know some some say you know one of the fastest ways to get to know someone or get to know someone truly who they are is to travel with them and the other is to play a game with them.
You know especially in these kind of games you need to reveal all of the aspects or your personality of maybe your patience your communication skills or problem -solving abilities these are the things that you can reveal while you're playing these games and also when you're playing well okay and you find yourself lost in the you know kind of endless praise and admiration from your partner hearing you're so smart you how did you just find out how to go there and over and and you can't just help but feel that this game just keeps getting more and more fun.
Okay, so I guess - I mean, not always!
I can see it backfire as well.
Let me say this first, I love my wife very much. Noted.
I tried to teach her how to use a PlayStation controller.
Oh, excuse me, someone's revealing something deep down in his heart!
I'm not... I wasn't mansplaining.
I was not mansplaining.
She just was unfamiliar with the controller and how it works.
Now the Playstation controller is very, very different from a computer, right?
So you do need to learn how to use it.
I was trying to teach her and the character..
I was telling this to you Shaun.
Her character was like constantly staring at the sky, I was like, No, you gotta move the thing, move it!
And she's like, I don't wanna play anymore!
Yeah, yep, yep. It could be really hard you know, using the controller, actually I spent almost six months to get used to one of these controllers.
So, understandable.
Yeah, 100 % understandable.
Yeah, so this is having a really positive effect on the industry as well.
Can we maybe just quickly tell everybody some of the things worth their attention.
The industry itself, one of the, I mentioned it just a moment ago one of the really it's it's almost like a symbiotic relationship isn't it because this is content creation for for the players who are playing and that means that there are people watching millions of people watching these clips or just watching people play through a live stream right this is wonderful for the industry and for the game promotion because there's so many people watching this you think of the early days of video games in the 1980s, the 1990s.
Nobody knew what was going on.
There was no internet at that time.
These days, people love watching live streams or clips afterwards.
They become interested in the game.
They'll go out and play the game.
It's– like I said, it's symbiotic.
It's just a win -win for both.
Yeah, and it's also pushing a lot of the thriving industry of something like, offline gaming venues, you know, these kind of esports and entertainment venues have also recognized the potential of these kind of co -op games, and launching all of these Overcooked, it takes to you in split -fiction as they're trendy attractions for customers.
And not only these kind of venues, but also like screen companies, computer companies are also maybe in some way thrived by a of these popularity of these games.
Yeah, 100 percent, then you've got this kind of snowball effect of the TV industry, right?
Where you get TVs now being designed with games in mind instead of television shows in mind.
Yeah, after listening to you guys talk about co -op games - You want to play?
I'll consider it. Well, after all, the most meaningful connections are built on collaboration, communication, and a shared sense of adventure, maybe both in game and in life.
Coming up next, welcome to the happiest corner on the Airwaves.
Round Table's Happy Place.
Delivery, delivery, delivery.
What is it? Happy place from Round Table.
Yuxun, what's your Happy Place?
Yeah, so my Happy Place is a film that I watched called Flow or in Chinese, It's a Latvian animated movie.
It won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature this year, making the history as the first indie film to claim this award. Quite astonishing.
Also, in this film, Cat is the main character.
When a great flood destroys its home, it finds refuge on a boat filled with different species.
Is actually a cat. Yes, and they know subtitles.
No language. No human languages Total a silent movie, but it was amazing.
Yes. I wasn't sure what to you know, you know make of it I felt a bit, you know on focus But as I kept watching I realized just how thought -provoking it could be so despite having no dialogue you never felt dull, you know and the film takes you on a fascinating journey through the eyes of a cat and And yeah on IMDB Review described it as a very the quiet power of connection and I really agree with it It's a heartwarming and relaxing film and perfect for a kind of laid -back movie night, and I really recommend you to watch We're some what was one of the themes that you remember.
What was one of your big takeaways from it?
You know I really enjoyed the films you know kind of pacing and visuals and also immersive world building because I don't want to spoil too much about the plots of the movie.
Anyway, the whole design of the movie is really fascinating and it's just very tranquil and and kind of light -hearted movie that you can actually enjoy with even a workday night.
Yeah, oh that sounds nice.
Yeah sometimes it's nice to sort of enjoy these low -key entertainments.
And I'm so excited to share with you my happy place Dr. Shen Bing.
She's a pianist, scholar, and educator, is bringing her immersive literary concert to Beijing for the first time on March the 30th.
This event blends piano solos and ensembles with poetry readings and stunning visual art.
this multi -sensory piano and poetry experience is one of a kind, bringing together the timeless dialogue between the works of 11 renowned composers such as Schumann and Tchaikovsky and nine literary giants including Shakespeare and others.
And I've had the pleasure to watch Dr. Sch198's piano performances on WeChat videos and I must say, I'm super impressed by her ability to bring out the emotional depth of each piece.
and she's a perfect example of Chinese homegrown talent having honed her craft through training and performances in some of the world's most prestigious music academies, bringing a true global perspective to her artistry.
So I'm very excited to go see this concert coming up in a couple of days.
And on top of all of this, the concert is taking place in Zhongshan Park music hall.
which is in that park on Sunday March the 30th which means that it's a perfect opportunity to go for a spring outing after the concert and you can enjoy a lovely stroll in the park and so can the beautiful spring weather which is something that I very much enjoy right now.
I will pop in the pills, have allergies and then walk around, have a arty and relaxed weekend.
And that's something that I think is a deserving weekend after a long week.
You're going to go check it out?
I planned to do so.
Very nice. Give us the report then if you could.
Let you know. Yes. And that brings us to the end of today's show.
Thank you, Steve, and You shouldn't for joining the discussion.
I'm her young. We will see you next time.
