In recent years, gaming has witnessed a significant rise in popularity thanks in part to behaviours during the pandemic and the release of consoles such as the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S.
Gaming today is a broad and varied experience, offering players a multitude of options to enjoy. From indie titles on the Nintendo Switch to virtual reality experiences. If you ask me, it has never been better to be a gamer.
Closing out 2023, it’s time to look back at a period many have dubbed the “best year in gaming”, but how true is that statement? And what have been the highlights of the year?
The year had some of the biggest game releases, from Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which elevated the Jedi force-wielding experience, to October's Alan Wake 2, which breathed new life into the survival horror genre.
Several consoles also experienced a bumper year with sales. The PlayStation 5 sold more than 22.5 million, according to the Financial Times, while Nintendo’s dynamic Switch continued its success, with more than 130 million units sold to date, per the company's quarterly financial results released in September.
These numbers prove that there’s a real hunger for gaming across the board. More and more people are exploring the different types of games available to them. Memorable experiences were also created by way of many of the most famous franchises, which released plenty of new titles in the past 12 months.
Those playing on the Nintendo Switch enjoyed the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which arrived six years after the release of the last in the series. The game sold more than 19 million copies by September and won several awards, including the Best Action/Adventure Award at The Game Awards last month.
On the PlayStation 5, gamers experienced a busy year with titles such as the aforementioned Jedi: Survivor, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Baldur’s Gate 3. Towards the end of the year, Alan Wake 2 was released by Finnish studio Remedy; the game ushered in a new experience in storytelling and gameplay.
It shows that an important marquee release can come from a smaller studio and still advance the medium. Those who played Alan Wake 2 attest to the incredible graphics as well as the gripping storyline.
Elsewhere, the year also marked a continued interest in games such as Fortnite, which registered more than 235 million active players last month.
Cyberpunk 2077, which was first released in 2020 to a disastrous reception due to a multitude of bugs and crashes, returned this year with a more fleshed-out experience. It offered gamers new downloadable content, which earned a better reception from players.
It also reminded players that titles do need more time to arrive ready to be played, rather than being rushed to the market.
Funnily enough, the most talked about and exciting gaming moment of last year centred on a title that won’t be released for possibly two years. After a decade of anticipation, gamers finally received confirmation from Rockstar Games of its next instalment in the Grand Theft Auto series.
The trailer for the new game, titled Grand Theft Auto VI, racked up more than 120 million views in the first 72 hours after its release. Today, the video has more than 160 million views. And while the trailer ends with a potential release date of 2025, excitement will only grow from here for, possibly, the most anticipated game to date.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm
Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Top speed: 250kph
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: Dh146,999
The%20specs
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Fighting with My Family
Director: Stephen Merchant
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell
Four stars
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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More about Middle East geopolitics
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
Her most famous song
Aghadan Alqak (Would I Ever Find You Again)?
Would I ever find you again
You, the heaven of my love, my yearning and madness;
You, the kiss to my soul, my cheer and
sadness?
Would your lights ever break the night of my eyes again?
Would I ever find you again?
This world is volume and you're the notion,
This world is night and you're the lifetime,
This world is eyes and you're the vision,
This world is sky and you're the moon time,
Have mercy on the heart that belongs to you.
Lyrics: Al Hadi Adam; Composer: Mohammed Abdel Wahab
THREE
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
