PlayStation Now just go two big names: Resident Evil 7 and Final Fantasy XV
It's hard to believe that PlayStation Now kicked off at the start of 2014. Hell, I can't believe PlayStation Plus was implemented in 2010.
Sony has a lot of little programs (just like Microsoft, with Game Pass Ultimate!) so it can be hard to keep track of everything, but PlayStation Now (otherwise known as PS Now) is their cloud-based subscription service that's not quite as enticing as Game Pass; given that Microsoft's program includes huge day-one first-part releases. This week, PS Now is getting a few more games though.
In addition to WWE 2K19 (the prior, not-completely-broken-one) and Observation, Resident Evil 7 and Final Fantasy XV are arriving on the service. While Resident Evil 7 is pretty much the new darling of the series, beloved by everyone, FFXV is a bit more polarizing. But take heart! If you're a JRPG fan and have a lot of extra time to get sucked into a world, you may enjoy it yet. Go in with an open mind and give it a shot.
PS Now's September Lineup [PlayStation Blog]
Sega's Project B.L.A.C.K. is new mobile title Sakura Revolution
Well, I called it. Sega has revealed that its previously teased "Project B.L.A.C.K." is indeed a new Sakura Wars mobile title. Sakura Kakumei (or Sakura Revolution) is currently in development for iOS and Android platforms and will launch in Japan this fall.
Produced by Sega and Delight Works, Sakura Revolution is a spin-off title set within the melodramatic, mech-battling Sakura Wars universe. While story details are still a little thin-on-the-ground, a 20+ minute anime from studio Clover Works gives us our first look at the new game's cast of characters. Unfortunately, the anime is currently only available in Japanese.
What? Super Smash Bros. Ultimate allegedly almost had rollback netcode
So Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is pretty great, and it's somehow still getting content and has remained relevant (checks calendar)...nearly two years after launch. That's pretty great! But you know what's not great? Its netcode and online play experience.
While you can chalk this up as "classic Nintendo," new details from an upcoming Famitsu article seem to claim that rollback netcode was once planned for Smash Ultimate. The news comes from Nintendo insider and translator PushDustIn, who explained on Twitter that rollback netcode was "looked into during development," but due to some "adverse side effects," it was dropped. More info is said to be coming once the full Famitsu column is available.
In other Smash news, more "adjustments" will be coming to 1v1 modes in Smash Ultimate, and Sakurai confirms that Smash has peddled over 20 million copies. Given that it's sitting at 19.9 million right now on Nintendo's official site, that checks out.
If you're curious, you can find more info on how rollback netcode works here, or watch the below video! The short of it is, rollback netcode is harder to implement in many circumstances (but not all), so we don't see it as often as the industry standard: delay-based netcode.
Smash Ultimate [Famitsu via PushDustIn]
Xbox confirms 'no new next-gen news' at TGS 2020
Xbox has announced that will have no new next-gen news to offer during its Tokyo Game Show (TGS) presentation later this month.
As reported by VGC, Xbox outlined its itinerary for the annual trade show event in a tweet and accompanying blog post. Xbox clarified that its TGS presentation will consist of a 50-minute live stream "celebrating Japanese game developers and games" and will feature updates on both Minecraft and Flight Simulator. The stream will be broadcast in Japanese only.
"Our presence at Tokyo Game Show will celebrate the visionary creators and vibrant players in the region," reads a statement on Xbox.com. "Tune in to see the latest on games, content from our Japanese partners and players, and further details on Xbox services".
While Xbox has always struggled to maintain a strong presence in Japan, the lack of any next-gen news whatsoever still comes as a surprise, given the rapidly approaching launch season. Xbox' reluctance to announce a release date, price, or to confirm the existence of the industry's worst kept secret: Xbox Series S, continues to frustrate the publisher's fanbase.
Tokyo Game Show 2020 takes place the week of September 23-27.
Super Punch Patrol is a brawler from the creator of Gunman Clive and it hits Switch this month
Last month, we brought you news that Gunman Clive creator Bertil Hörberg was working on a new solo project through the COVID-19 pandemic. While it wasn't officially announced, gameplay snippets posted to Twitter over the past few months kept the game fresh in the back of my mind. In August, Hörberg was prepping to submit the game to NOA Lot Check. Things must have gone swimmingly as today, the indie dev finally revealed what this brawler is and when we'll be able to play it.
Contest: Win Creepy Tale for Switch
In today's contest you can win a creepy tale, in form of Creepy Tale, for Nintendo Switch!
Welcome, September! Summer should be about winding down, giving us a much-needed reprieve from the heat and humidity. Shower us in your windy, leafy goodness, fall!
But isn't there always something a little creepy about the changing of summer into autumn? I always thought so. Celebrate that subtle unease with a Switch copy of indie adventure title, Creepy Tale.
Nintendo files new trademarks for petrol-free 'Pikachu car' Pi!car!
In delightfully weird news from Japan, Nintendo - along with Creatures Inc. and Game Freak - have applied for several new trademarks relating to the design and realisation of Pi!car!, which appears to be an environmentally sound, Pikachu-themed motor vehicle.
The new trademarks are for the "Pi!car!" name in both Japanese and English, as well as two cutesy visual designs based around Pokemon's lead critter (which you can see in the gallery below). The three trademarks fall under the categories of "Vehicle" and "Education," but none of them appear tied to the development of any video games.
As reported by Japanese Nintendo, the Pi!car! project is a joint venture between The Pokemon Company and car manufacturer Toyota Motor Corporation, seemingly with the goal of producing a compact, petrol-free vehicle with a Pikachu theme. Whether this idea is to be realised as a mere concept car, or will actually made available to the public, remains to be seen...
...But boy howdy, do I wanna see people driving Pikachu cars in my neighbourhood.
Dead by Daylight promises 4K and 60FPS on PS5 and Xbox Series X this holiday season
If all goes according to plan, Dead by Daylight could have one of the smoother next-gen transitions.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of Dead by Daylight will run at 4K and 60FPS, and current players will be able to upgrade "for free on their new platform of choice" while retaining their progression and unlocks. Behaviour Interactive is aiming for a "holiday 2020" launch window on both consoles.
Even if you're sticking to the existing versions on PC, PS4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch, you'll benefit from an upcoming "graphical overhaul" that will be delivered in free updates stretching into fall 2021.
Starting with Springwood and Yamaoka Estate, the team intends to rework "over four years of live content" to "improve the immersion." That means new lighting, textures, models, and animations. The first update will drop on September 8 with those maps and revamped lockers, generators, and palettes.
While ambitious update schedules tend to slip off course, Behaviour hopes to release visual upgrades "every six weeks," and all told, "tens of thousands of assets will be enhanced."
Content-wise, they'll still be releasing new Chapters and Archives too.
The Realm Beyond [Dead by Daylight]
This magnificent modder turned a Wii into a Game Boy
A lot of people here likely have fond memories of their Wii. But older generations can recall some of Nintendo's bygone systems, like the fantastic and time-tested Game Boy Color. This mod from creator GingerOfMods marries both worlds into one impressive system.
They call it the WiiBoy Color. The front of the system is a 480p screen, with inputs Frankensteined from DS Lite buttons and Switch joysticks. GingerOfMods hacks the system to allow GameCube controls to mirror Wiimote controls: which can also simulate waggling. The back has a fan intake and Z buttons, with a headphone jack on the side and a USB-C port on top for charging and data transfer.
GingerOfMods can simply add games via USB when they want. It'll run for "two or three hours," but you can also hook up a portable charging bank to it to keep going. Plus, they can plug the portable directly into a Wii to play on a bigger screen: Switch style!
This is one of the most impressive hardware mods I've seen in recent years. I like the commitment to the form factor of the Game Boy Color the most: it looks incredibly sleek. GingerOfMods says that you can reach out to them via their Instagram or Twitter account if you want to buy it; but it'll cost you a "premium."
Vlambeer, the studio behind Nuclear Throne and Luftrausers, is closing
The indie game scene blew up during the seventh generation. Whereas AAA developers were stagnating and doubling down on games being made by committee, creators like Polytron and Subset Games were putting out beautiful niche titles that provided a more unique experience than what was previously available. One of the pioneers of the indie revolution was the two-man team at Vlambeer.
Starting with their platformer-shooter Super Crate Box, the duo of Rami Ismail and Jan Willem Nijman gained the attention of publisher Devolver Digital, who approached the team to make a small-scale game set in the Serious Sam universe to promote the then-upcoming Serious Sam 3 release. Serious Sam: The Random Encounter was Vlambeer's introduction to those not embroiled in the PC indie scene. What followed was almost a decade of exceptional games that exemplified gaming's arcade history.
Today, on the 10th anniversary of the formation of the studio, Vlambeer announced that it will be closing its virtual doors after the release of the upcoming game Ultrabugs.
Today marks Vlambeer’s 10th anniversary, which is way longer than we could've ever imagined. We had a beautiful run, made incredible games, and worked with amazing people, but it is time for new things. So we're announcing the end of Vlambeer. pic.twitter.com/jZ4dMGxNV2
— Vlambeer (@Vlambeer) September 1, 2020
While reiterating that this isn't a sad day for the team, and thanking fans for all the love and support through the years, Vlambeer announced that it would be doing a celebration in honor of both the studio's decennial milestone as well as the beginning of its farewell tour.
To kick things off, an arcade-focused Steam sale is going on through Thursday with many of Vlambeer's games on steep discounts, including the very rarely on-sale Nuclear Throne. Along with the sale, a prototype for the team's long mulled over but never fully realized take on a tower defense game was released for the first time to the public.
While the devs will not be leaving the industry completely – and it's not like we haven't already seen the duo reaching out beyond their studio confines to collaborate on other games like Minit – it feels like the end of a chapter of gaming history. Granted it's ending much better than the way Polytron closed its doors, but it's still hard to not be a little sad about this end.
So here's to a decade of roguelites and texting my friends gloating about daily run scores. To more screenshake and getting so blindly mad at a game that you Alt-F4 and immediately uninstall. To believing that the throne may not exist, and the cruel slap in the face of the opening salvo when you actually find it. Thank you for everything, Vlambeer – your games have been some of the most fun I've had in my entire life as a gamer, and I wish you good luck in the future.
I don't thank you for the Disc Gun though, that shit can still go to hell.
Here's how to access Final Fantasy XIV's 2020 The Rising event
Final Fantasy XIV just got a fresh injection of content due to a new emotional main quest culmination in Patch 5.3 as players work through the new extreme trial and continue to enjoy the second NieR: Automata collaboration.
But while we wait for 5.4's new cavalcade of raid content, another free event is here to pass the time: yep, the seasonal festivities of The Rising returns to Eorzea. It's live now and will run all the way through September 14 at 7:59AM PT, which is plenty of time to grab some of the unique items.
Basically all you need to do to start it is head to the Ul'dah - Steps of Nald (X:10.3 Y:8.3) and talk to J'bhen Tia (just make sure you're level 15). From there the event is self-explanatory, and you'll earn a minion and a piece of wall art for your troubles.
Little events like these help add so much character to the world of FFXIV, and break down some of the less digestible stuff like hardcore raiding. It's one of the best MMOs in the business in terms of letting you feel like you're living in a virtual universe.
The Rising [Final Fantasy XIV]
Warner Bros sale is off the table as AT&T decides it's too valuable to sell
The saga of AT&T shopping around Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment has seemingly come to an anticlimactic end. It'll remain a part of the AT&T family, as it has too much upside to offload in exchange for paying down some debt.
This new information comes via Bloomberg, who has sources that state AT&T decided against the sale because WBIE is too valuable. This feels like confirmation after an August internal staff email had the WarnerMedia CEO say "Warner Bros Interactive remains a part of the Studios and Networks group."
A sale was an intriguing scenario, as Microsoft was rumored to be interested in buying the whole WBIE portfolio. That includes developers such as Rocksteady, Traveller's Tales, Avalanche Software, NetherRealm, Monolith, and WB Montreal. Collectively, a sale was estimated to be valued around $4 billion.
The impetus for exploring the idea of selling WBIE is because AT&T reportedly has about $154 billion in debt after acquiring WarnerMedia and DirectTV. However, the video game unit is apparently staying put as AT&T opts against some fast cash to pay down a very small percentage of what it owes.
AT&T to Scrap Sale of Warner Bros. Video-Game Unit [Bloomberg]
Super Bomberman R Online is the series' bizarre yet fun take on the battle royale genre
We live in wild, wild times when even Tetris and Bomberman are joining in on the battle royale craze.
While Konami naturally doesn't enter the arena as gracefully as Arika did with the former, Super Bomberman R Online is a weird, crazy game that I'm going to enjoy diving into occasionally.
Oh my god, just announce the Xbox Series S already
Enough is enough! There's no one who doubts the existence of the Xbox Series S at this point. There are mountains of evidence. Controller packaging, devkit profiling modes, general insider reports -- it all adds up to an open secret.
Time to throw a cardboard insert onto the already-heaping pile. The Xbox Series S has also been outed by a Game Pass Ultimate trial offer that comes with new accessories:
Paradise Lost is a bleak adventure set in a post-apocalyptic WWII
PolyAmorous has released a cinematic trailer for a grim-looking adventure title, Paradise Lost, which is set in the aftermath of an alternate-reality World War II, one which saw the conflict between allies and The Reich wage for over two decades.
In Paradise Lost, the second world war ended following a volley of nuclear weapons across Europe, leaving most of the continent an irradiated ruin. Players will step into the role of Szymon, a young child living in what remains of Poland. While exploring the post-apocalyptic ruins of his homeland, Szymon comes across an abandoned nuclear bunker, housing strange futuristic technology and daubed in bizarre Pagan iconography.
The fantastic Astral Chain turns one this year, and Platinum is celebrating in style
2019 is a blur. I did not forget just about every facet of my very fun playthrough of Astral Chain, but I totally forgot it came out last August. Platinum seems pretty happy with it thus far, and are even took time out of their schedule to celebrate it in their offices this past week.
As you can see below, Platinum went all-out and created a giant whiteboard mural for the first anniversary, as well as a Lappy cake: based on the game's wholesome mascot that also serves as a mascot of the in-game precinct. Platinum designer Takahisa Taura also shared a few drawings from the game's concept artist and scenario writer to join in on the festivities.
Although people move on very quickly to the next hot thing these days, Astral Chain is a perfect example of why it's important to linger. Last August was a busy season heading into the packed holidays, but this is one action romp that I'm never going to forget. Thankfully, Platinum hasn't either.
Takahisa Taura [Twitter]
Kao the Kangaroo shows off his totally tubular nu-skool look
Tate Multimedia has released the first images of its upcoming remake of '00s platformer Kao the Kangaroo. Alongside a series of environmental screens, we also get our first look at the hoppity hero himself, sporting a somewhat less cartoony look than his original iteration.
Released in 2000, Kao the Kangaroo was one of a number of 3D platformers that flooded the market in the wake of successful releases such as Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon. In the PC and Dreamcast title, Kao bounds his way through a series of oddly juxtaposed worlds, on a mission to recuse his family from a band of hunters. Bafflingly, this quest takes our boy Kao into an underground mine and even outer space. Go figure.
The next Ubisoft Forward is next week, here's what's rumored to be shown
Ubisoft's back with its second Nintendo Direct-like streaming showcase. That's not much of a surprise considering it ended its first Ubisoft Forward by announcing a second. But now we have a hard date and a vague idea of what to expect.
In the teaser video above, Ubisoft tells us that the next Ubisoft Forward takes place on Thursday, September 10 at 1pm Pacific. On a personal note, I don't have to work on a weekend this time. Vast improvement over the first.
As for the games being shown, there's considerable footage dedicated to Watch Dogs: Legion, Hyper Scape, The Division 2 (I think), and Rainbow Six Siege. Here are some other rumors that are floating around though:
Here's how co-op works in Marvel's Avengers
While Marvel's Avengers is finally available for deluxe edition buyers (it's out fully on September 4), Square Enix has been prepping for this moment this past week. In addition to explaining how the cosmetics system works, there's also this rundown of co-op that's fairly informative.
Basically, players can go at it with the campaign on their own, but eventually they'll unlock certain missions on the War Table hub that can be played with folks online. That list includes War Zones ("expansive, explorable spaces") and Strike Teams (four-player missions with no duplicate heroes).
Beyond those frameworks, you can also embark upon different War Zone mission types, like the quick in-and-out drop zones, longer faction missions, explorable vaults (kind of like mini-dungeons), training rooms (HARM rooms), Hives and Villain Sectors. Most of these can be played solo with an AI or with other people through matchmaking or via your friends list.
One big caveat is that there is no drop-in play at launch. Here's the full statement: "Marvel's Avengers doesn't support Join in Progress Matchmaking at this time." So it could come in the future, but it's not in right now and there's no guarantees. Cross-play also isn't supported. You can, however, mute individual players.
Everything You Need to Know about Co-op Play [Square Enix]
Kate Bishop will be the first post-launch arrival in Marvel's Avengers
In the launch-week War Table stream for Marvel's Avengers, Crystal Dynamics confirmed that Kate Bishop (played by Ashly Burch) will arrive as part of the game's first post-launch operation with a new story and villain. She's up before Clint, and their operations can be thought of as a "double feature."
Kate's campaign operation, Taking AIM, will launch in "late October." Clint's story is aiming for November.
The developers said they knew they "couldn't do one [Hawkeye] without the other." And while there are some inherent similarities, Kate will have her own "set of skills, gear, and moves to unlock."
The presentation also covered the ongoing Avengers Initiative, which will cover limited-time events (some week-long, others seasonal), Mega Hives (a weekly mission type with a "gauntlet of descending floors" that uses your whole hero roster), and the AIM Secret Lab (a mission for near-maxed-out, power-level-150 players that requires "the full cooperation of a seasoned four-player team"). The latter mission will show up "once a week" and "must be completed within a set time window." FOMO strikes.
If you aren't overwhelmed yet, the PlayStation Blog has more details about the game's many activities.
The War Table stream began with a moment of silence for actor Chadwick Boseman, who passed away on August 28. The team said that "out of respect for a fallen true hero," it "altered" today's showing.
A Marvel's Avengers emblem for Black Panther was shown following the message.
Kate Bishop and Black Panther both appeared in a recent list of datamined characters.
In a special conference this morning, Nvidia announced its newest line of graphics cards as well as GeForce-enabled applications. Previously there were lots of swirling rumors about prices and card strength, with the target looking at 24GB of video memory on the card with a price tag of $1500. As the stream started today, myself and Dan in the Destructoid chat girded our loins for the inevitable pain of a future upgrade. What awaited us was a pleasant surprise.
As expected, the 3000 series was announced with three cards coming, all using the new Ampere architecture which will see a marked improvement over the 2000 series. The flagship GeForce RTX 3080 was announced to have 10GB of GDDR6X memory with a 19Gbps run speed, promising 60 frames per second at 4K resolution. With an MSRP of $699, it's a whole lot less of a shot to the wallet than initially expected. The "lower-end" card for the 3000 series was also announced as the GeForce RTX 3070. Boasting 8GB of GDDR6X memory, the card will launch with an MSRP of $499.
Away: The Survival Series looks a little rough but I love its concept
The sugar glider adventure Away: The Survival Series is aiming for an early 2021 release on PC and PlayStation 4, and if you're open to exploration games that are rough around the edges but set you loose in a compelling landscape, you'll want to watch this 10-minute developer walkthrough video.
Yeah, the sugar glider's movement looks iffy at times and the possess-other-creatures mechanic is a curious choice, but I can easily picture myself scouring this hidden animal kingdom for secrets.
The walkthrough covers a few facets of Away including instinct vision (to see food and threats), sneaking through grass, chasing a fast-moving meal, a nature documentary narrator, and environmental storytelling. The game is set in the "distant future," and in this footage, the player temporarily possesses an insect so they can crawl into a crack and investigate a decaying computer.
Not all games need to be an eight out of ten, you know? I just hope Away isn't too tedious.
This Stardew Valley mod marriage proposal is so wholesome
Stardew Valley is packed enough on its own: so much so that I haven't really sought out the comfort of mods. But the modding scene has been incredibly robust ever since the game hit the market, to the point where just about anyone can whip up their own custom scenario. Enter this marriage proposal.
Posted on Reddit this past week by Chubbyloveshinobi, the scene is short and sweet, and apparently happened a couple of months ago. They say that the now-fiance actually proposed in real life, too, after the in-game event. What would have happened if they hit "no" in the game?
Chubbyloveshinobi says they are getting married next week. Good luck! This is the sort of thing we all need to be seeing more of right now.
I don't know if this will present right [Reddit]
Eiyuden Chronicle crowdfunding closes at over $4.5 million
The curtain has fallen on the crowdfunding campaign for retro-infused RPG Eiyuden Chronicle. From a $500,000 target, developer Rabbit & Bear Studios successfully secured over $4.5 million USD in capital from just over 45,000 backers.
This incredible figure registers as the third-highest final total for a video game in Kickstarter history, behind Izanagi Games' Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night ($5.5 million) and Ys. Net's Shenmue III ($6.3 million). Backers have smashed through a slew of stretch goals, securing extra maps and fortresses, voice acting, multiple language support, extra characters, mini-games, and many other fun features for the base adventure.
In addition, passing the $4.5 million mark has secured a standalone "companion game," which in this case will be a town-building/management sim co-created with Natsume-Atari. The companion title is expected to launch well in advance of Eiyuden Chronicle, and will not only star some of the main adventure's cast, but will give players the opportunity to get a head-start on crafting items and armour ahead of Eiyuden Chronicle's launch, tentatively set for 2022.
Eiyuden Chronicle is a 2.5D RPG, to be hailed as a heartfelt homage to the long dormant-but-beloved Suikoden series. Boasting a mammoth cast of over 100 characters, Eiyuden Chronicle will see players exploring the troubled kingdom of Allran, recruiting friends and allies while traipsing the land, galvanising the local community, and engaging in turn-based battles with armies of enemies. Several key members of the Suikoden team are involved in Eiyuden Chronicle's production, including artist Junko Kawano and Suikoden creator Yoshitaka Murayama.
Eiyuden Chronicle is penciled for launch on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and "Nintendo's next generation console" in October 2022.
Magic: The Gathering is showing no signs of stopping anytime soon, and we're about to zoom headfirst into yet another set. But before we all crack open Zendikar Rising boosters together, Wizards of the Coast has announced a ton of new sets: basically filing their entire schedule throughout 2021.
First up, Zendikar is scheduled to be released on September 17 in Arena, with a September 25 release in tabletop form (the physical delay of previous sets like Ikoria seems to be over). Wizards has revealed new art for the set today, which includes Jace, Nahiri and Nissa planeswalker cards. The Kicker and Landfall keywords are also in, as are double-faced cards and the party mechanic.
But beyond that, a lot more is coming to Magic. Kaldheim (vikings) will enter the arena, as well as Strixhaven ("the most elite university in the Multiverse") in spring of 2021, Adventures of the Forgotten Realms (billed as "Dungeons & Dragons comes to Magic) in summer 2021 and Innistrad (across two named sets: this is the world of vampires and werewolves, a fan favorite) in fall of 2021. Time Spiral Remastered and Modern Horizons 2 are also teased, as well as new Secret Lair drops: including one that's "an exciting collaboration with AMC's hit show The Walking Dead."
Oh, and Magic: Arena is re-confirmed for mobile today, with more news "coming soon." Like I said, it's a big day for Magic! There's tons of new sets to look forward to with some classic sets returning, as well as hope on the horizon for meaningful news regarding Magic on mobile devices.
Get a look at some cards, and the timeline, below!
Marvel's Avengers is out today for some people and it has a lot to prove
Marvel's Avengers has been a roller coaster of a game from the announcement all the way up until its launch today: so long as you're a Digital Deluxe owner.
We first heard it existed back in 2017, but when Square Enix showed it off at E3 2019, people couldn't believe that it was nearly finished. It didn't look finished, that's for sure! The publisher seemingly agreed, and pushed it back further a few months, citing the need to polish it more.
It probably could have used a bit more time, but with Marvel breathing down their neck, it's possible they got as much as they were allotted. Today, we get what we get. And there's plenty of fun to dig around for in this oddity of a game.
Nintendo now allows users to cancel pre-ordered games on the eShop up to a week in advance
While legislation has been "looking" at loot boxes for some time, a lot of powers that be have set their sights on a new target: the right to refunds.
Steam got ahead of the situation very early by offering a generous refund policy, but a few other marketplaces have a long way to go. Nintendo is throwing people a bone as of this week when it comes to the eShop.
A new policy on their official site has made digital pre-orders a little more forgiving as of today: "You may cancel your pre-orders up until time of payment." Breaking that down further, "payment is processed and download is started immediately for preâ€'orders placed within seven days before game launch." In other words, as long as you cancel more than a week ahead of time (before the money is transferred), you're good. As Engadget points out, this process kicked off today at 15:00 JST (2AM ET this morning).
This will likely change as refunds are looked at under a microscope in the coming months or even years. For now, this is a minimal effort token "change" that Nintendo can show to anyone to prove that they were playing ball. And it's something you should probably know, just in case! It should come in handy for lengthy delays, as well.
About Pre-orders [Nintendo via Engadget]
Resident Evil Village will appear at Tokyo Game Show 2020
Capcom has announced that the newest entry in the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil Village, will be showcased at this year's Tokyo Game Show (TGS), which takes place later this month.
Capcom revealed the news in a tweet earlier this morning, where the famous developer/publisher apologised to fans for a lack of info regarding the gothic horror sequel. Resident Evil Village will feature in a TGS presentation to be held on Sunday, September 27. The presentation will offer up new details - and hopefully new footage - pertaining to the eighth mainline entry in the survival horror franchise.
Here's a more detailed look at Destiny 2's upcoming patch
If you missed the Gamescom Opening Night Live Destiny 2 stasis power clip: I don't blame you! It was in the middle of the day, after all.
But while stasis was the highlight last week, it isn't coming to Destiny for quite some time. Instead, Bungie opted to talk about the more recent hotness of patch 2.9.2 following the stream; which is coming to Destiny 2 on September 8.
The big thing to note is that Warmind's Sleeper Nodes (which are being retired eventually) should now be easier to collect, as Bungie had a secret backend checklist that was separate from the in-game one (classic), and the discrepancy has been altered. Bungie calls it "bad luck protection," which begs the question of why it wasn't in the game to begin with.
The patch also deals with some more brass tracks type stuff, like Gambit freeze bugs, cosmetic issues, an expansion of Spider's bounties (now there's three instead of the typical one) and a fix for the Merciless Fusion Rifle exotic perk. "More general bug fixes" are also in but aren't detailed yet.
Good luck! My focus is mostly forward on the expansion, and seeing if they don't botch the implementation of the vault.
This Week at Bungie [Bungie.net]
Although Sega Ages is done, M2 says to 'stay tuned' for further Sega collaborations
In case you haven't heard, the Sega Ages re-release line is done. That's bad! But apparently, M2 isn't done collaborating with Sega. That's good!
In a hilarious turn of events, directly following a statement to Game Watch from a Sega creative producer that he can't confirm whether or not M2 is working with Sega on an upcoming project: we get direct confirmation from the M2 Twitter account that something is brewing. For reference, M2 is not owned by Sega, and is a go-to developer for many retro re-releases for several publishers.
In response to this lovely fan art for M2 from Twitter user Tracker, M2 replied with the following statement: "Thank you for the great art, and your continued support! While we have concluded the Sega Ages series with Herzog Zwei, we are expecting further collaboration between M2 and Sega. Please stay tuned, and we wish you AGES of fun!"
In case that it wasn't clear that M2 isn't coming back with that very coy statement from Sega, the studio's Twitter account may have spilled the beans. I'll take what I can get!
M2 [Twitter]
Cyberpunk 2077 bags multiple 'Best of gamescom' awards
As if the gaming community wasn't already on tenterhooks for CD Projekt RED's long-awaited Cyberpunk 2077, the action-RPG adventure wowed judges at gamescom this past weekend, scooping up no less than five "Best of gamescom" awards.
The future-noir title, currently in development for PC and both current and next-gen consoles - came out on top in multiple categories, walking away with the awards for Best RPG, Best PC Game, Best PlayStation Game, Most Wanted, and the coveted Best in Show/Best of gamescom. No doubt this will only help to stoke the anticipation of fans awaiting Cyberpunk 2077's November 19 launch.
In other categories, DontNod's dramatic tale Tell Me Why won Best Xbox Game, while Reflector's mysterious Unknown9: Awakening won Best Announcement. Tarsier Studios' Little Nightmares II won the Best Trailer/Presentation and Best Nintendo Switch Game awards. The Most Wanted Hardware award was won by Xbox Series X, though it appears that this category only included three nominees - none of which was PlayStation 5 - which frankly makes the award completely moot.
You can check out the full list of winners below, courtesy of GamesIndustry.biz.
(Update) Street Fighter V and PUBG are huge gets for September's PlayStation Plus lineup
[Update: These games are live later today! Make sure you grab Fall Guys and Modern Warfare 2 if you haven't already.]
PlayStation Plus! You're back again!
Last month gave us the unlikely pairing of Fall Guys and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, with the former scoring very big within the PlayStation community. This month we're getting another shooter, as well as another fairly interesting pick.
Alongside of the ever-enduring battle royale PUBG, the always-polarizing Street Fighter V will arrive on PlayStation Plus on September 1. We've reached out to Sony to clarify exactly what that release entails, but it seems like this is going to be the $19.99 "PlayStation Hits" version and not the "all-the-bells-and-whistles-edition." Capcom's got DLC and extra SKU add-ons to sell you! As a reminder, the Championship Edition Upgrade Kit is $24.99.
Sony also says that Street Fighter V tournaments will start on September 4 in the US and Canada, with prizes that include a "unique PS4 theme" and a custom in-game title. Both games will be listed on the service until October 5, so make sure you redeem them starting next Tuesday.
September's free PS Plus games: PUBG, Street Fighter V [PlayStation Blog]
The new Astro Gaming A20 is one wireless headset that can work with both PS5 and Xbox Series X
It was only a year ago, when I moved into my new apartment, that I realized I'd been enjoying an insufficient audio experience whenever I hopped on to play some games. There is so much technology out there creating amazing sound, and here I was settling for the cheapest Sony headphones I could find at Best Buy. When I was able to test out the A40 Astro Gaming last year, it was like I was actually hearing these games for the first time. Since then, I've upgraded to the wireless A50 headset, which provides equally extraordinary sound quality.
With the next generation of consoles right around the corner, there is a real possibility I'll be getting both the PS5 and Xbox Series X. One for the exclusives, the other for GamePass. If that is the road I do indeed travel, there's a good chance I'll also pick up the second generation A20 headset from Astro Gaming as it will be its first wireless headset to work with both Sony and Microsoft consoles, as well as PC and Mac.
Here's how your Astro Gaming headsets will work on PS5 and Xbox Series X
Sony and Microsoft have already laid out how current-generation controllers will work on their next-gen consoles, but if you've spent money on a headset you really like, you might be wondering if you can still use those when you pick up a PS5 or Xbox Series X. The good news is, if you use Astro Gaming headsets, they're most likely going to be compatible with the new consoles.
These fan-made Zelda: Breath of the Wild amiibo go nicely with the official figure
It's always amazing to witness how much raw talent the Zelda community brings to the table. I see it on a regular basis! But this duo of fan-made Guardian amiibo really stands out in this crowded month of great fan creations.
MarkelangeloStudios says that the figures were 3D-printed and hand-painted: by way of a Photon S SLA printer (which will run you roughly $380 MSRP) and Zbrush. The bases on the newer Guardians are custom, with little etchings from the Zelda franchise embossed on them. They even went the extra mile and embedded backup NFC chips inside of the fan-creations, based off of the original Guardian style.
For reference, the middle figure is the Guardian Skywatcher: a flying (and very annoying) variant of the Guardian machine. The left-most figure is the Guardian Turret. The original amiibo mirrors the Stalker line.
MarkelangeloStudios is musing on the idea of crafting tutorial videos: if that ever happens, I'll try and track them down!
I made some custom guardian amiibo [Reddit]
It's hard to believe this walk in the park was made in Dreams
It's a treat to watch the Dreams community settle into the tools and flex its creative and technical muscles. In some cases, without the little "Made in Dreams" watermark (and the ability to actually play this stuff), it would be easy to doubt that what we're watching was created on a PlayStation 4.
That's how I feel about "Walk in the Park," the latest video from creator BadRobo82.
Pulling off this kind of complexity and realism within the confines of Dreams is staggering, especially for those of us who have slapped something together and run up against the very finite thermometer. If you dig in and inspect every single element, you'll notice repetition, but the effect is still convincing.
As lovely as everything looks, the creator says "it can still be done better." It's early days.
This nature walk isn't available from the Dreamiverse, but you can check out BadRobo82's progress in Dreams on Twitter and watch other equally impressive exploration scenes on their YouTube channel.
[Via ResetEra]
Horizon Zero Dawn PC's new patch fixes...more bugs
As the quest to improve Horizon Zero Dawn on PC continues, Guerrilla has dropped its third major patch since the August 7 launch.
It's yet another lengthy patch with some provisos: alongside of the bug fixes is the implicit statement from the development team that there is more work to do. The currently known major issues are still very much on their radar (most notably the specific GPU/hardware optimization problems), and some crash fixes are already implemented as of today.
Two major GPU bugs (a resource leak and a hang) should shore up the general instability of the game, as well as at least four crashes that would trigger off of specific instances. The DLC area is also a little smoother (snow particles were giving players trouble in the past), as is the operation of 4K scaling (no need to go back to the menu to swap this back every time after booting it up).
There's more work to be done, but a lot of the legwork is done already. You can find recaps of 1.01 and 1.02 at the preceding links.
Horizon Zero Dawn 1.03 [Reddit]
Grime is a surreal creature-absorbing action-RPG
We've seen a fair few soulslikes, and plenty of metroidvanias, but it's not every day that a game can lean in both directions and still stand out in the crowd with an unmistakable look. Grime is getting there. It's aiming for a 2021 release on Steam courtesy of Clover Bite and publisher Akupara Games.
Apart from a surreal world with "weeping caves," "face-covered deserts," and nasty "living weapons," I'm most intrigued by the way you gain skills in Grime – you can absorb enemies and "use their traits against them." That goes for bosses, too. The big lugs can teach you combat and traversal abilities.
According to Akupara, "other platforms" will be announced later, so there's hope for console players.
I don't think I've ever played a game with a centipede whip before.
MrBeast, Ninja, G2, and Aim Lab win Fall Guys' charity auction with a $1 million bid
By their bank accounts combined, four sets of deep pockets chipped in together to win Fall Guys' "Battle of the Brands" charity auction. That's bending the rules a bit, but no one's gonna cry foul when a cool mil is going to a good cause.
YouTuber MrBeast, streamer Ninja, esports org G2, and FPS training software Aim Lab came up with a collaborative bid of $1 million for charity. Fall Guys developer Mediatonic chose UK-based Special Effect as the recipient of the proceeds. Special Effect is dedicated to making gaming accessible for people with physical disabilities.
ScourgeBringer, an air-dashing roguelite, comes to PC, Switch, and Xbox One on October 21
Not only is ScourgeBringer leaving Steam Early Access on October 21, the roguelite action game's launch plan will also include same-day Nintendo Switch and Xbox One versions (and PC Game Pass support).
"After 130 weeks of development, 30 weeks of Steam Early Access, 4 updates, and 150 pizzas, we can hardly believe the date is almost upon us," Flying Oak Games said in a message to Early Access players. "We couldn't have done it without the support of our amazing community."
I put a few hours into the unfinished version this year, and while it was light on lasting appeal, the aerial combat felt fluid, and I liked the pace of progression during my average dungeon runs. ScourgeBringer isn't going to win over folks with serious roguelike fatigue, but it'll click with some of you for sure.
What's new for launch? The 1.0 release will have a new zone called The Beyond, tweaks to the item and weapon mod systems, new shops and NPCs, mini-bosses and other content to help freshen up the older areas, secret rooms, and Chaos Roots, "a new post-game mode with a bunch of run modifiers."
I'd recommend using Game Pass for PC if you can. Otherwise, the Switch port sounds fab.
Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One has an elephant going to the gallows
In a bizarre twist, Sherlock Holmes finds himself fighting for justice for an elephant. That's just one of the weird cases waiting in Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One. An elephant (who is presumably innocent or at least misunderstood) is sentenced to death by hanging from a crane.
Eccentric and horrific, right? That's some shit they used to do! I didn't want to start my week by researching pachyderm capital punishment but it happened on accident. I'll spare you the details but it's easy enough to find if you want. The world sucks now, but it also sucked like 100 years ago and 200 years ago and basically for all of time.
Anyway, Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One's "Mediterranean paradise" also sucks because this island is overrun with crime and Final Fantasy XV-ass haircuts. Get a load of the revenge pillars where someone does something violent and then sticks a knife in the pillar. There are so many knives!
Unannounced Mass Effect trilogy remaster might slip out of its unannounced October release date
There's going to be a Mass Effect trilogy remaster in the next six months or so. That's a drum that GamesBeat's Jeff Grubb has been banging for a while now. Grubb has knowledge of EA's plans to get the Shepard Trilogy remastered and released by the end of the fiscal year (March 31, 2021).
On a recent GamesBeat podcast (embedded above), Grubb says that EA may have been forced to push the Mass Effect remaster back from a planned October launch (as reported by Video Games Chronicle). "Up until like this last week, I know the plan for sure was to announce it in early October, release in later in October," he states. However, Grubb goes on to say that his sources think maybe COVID-related issues will put a temporary damper on those plans.
Grubb adds "I think they were planning to have this Mass Effect trilogy be the other big thing for $60 this holiday [alongside Star Wars Squadrons], so that's why I'm still pretty confident it will make it out. But with everything else falling apart, like across the board, I could see them also wanting to just delay."
Here are some potential targets. It could launch in October as intended. It could slip to November 7, a/k/a N7 Day (which is a Saturday and not a traditionally good day to launch video games). However, EA might want to steer clear of getting current-gen remasters on shelves that close to new consoles. That's why it might just move into 2021 altogether.
As for PS5 and Xbox Series X taking the wind out of the remaster's sails, it shouldn't be too much of an issue. Both next-gen machines will run the previous console's games, meaning that these Mass Effects will be automatically backward compatible so to speak.
Mass Effect trilogy remaster 'scheduled for October release but could slip,' journalist claims [Video Games Chronicle]
Cris Tales shows its charms with new gamescom trailer
During this weekend's Future Games Show publisher Modus Games released another trailer for its delightful-looking fantasy adventure Cris Tales, which is currently in development at both Dreams Unincorporated and SYCK for PC - as well as current and next-gen consoles.
Cris Tales is a chrono-chaotic adventure about a young time mage, Crisbell, who is sent on a quest across the four kingdoms of Crystallis in order to stop the machinations of the diabolical Time Empress, who has seized power and now rules a tyrannical empire. Along the way, Crisbell will party up with a cast of talented allies, while making decisions that will have far-reaching consequences for herself, her new friends, and maybe even time itself.
Bushiden brings its Strider stylings to PC and consoles in 2021
Humble Games has announced that it has secured the rights to publish upcoming retro arcade-action title Bushiden, which is currently in development for PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch.
Developed by Pixel Arc Studios, Bushiden is a callback to the heady coin-op titles of the late-'80s and early-'90s, and sees a "cybergenetic" ninja on a do-or-die mission to rescue his missing sister, seemingly abducted by the diabolic Gaoh and his cyberised army of martial-arts masters. Our hero must pick his way through a stylised sci-fi universe, carving a swathe through a wide variety of villains and bosses is his to get to the bottom of his sister's disappearance.
You can check out a new trailer below, courtesy of Gamespot.
Wizards of the Coast needs to revamp Magic: Arena's battle pass philosophy
Ah battle passes: the "natural evolution" of the loot box.
But it's not so natural for a lot of studios, who saw the legislative writing on the wall for loot boxes and decided to give their playerbase another rat race to run. While several big companies are surprisingly doing right by the system, Magic: Arena still has a long ways to go, even after a number of course corrections.
PS5 is skipping backward compatibility for PS1, PS2, and PS3, according to Ubisoft
Don't pack up your original PlayStation 3 just yet if you're invested in PS3 games or backward compatibility with PS1 and PS2. If anything, superglue that sucker in place – it's not going anywhere.
While Sony hasn't divulged the full details on how extensive backward compatibility will be on PlayStation 5, reading the room, it's looking like support for the "overwhelming majority" of PS4 games is our best bet on the new console and everything else – PS1, PS2, and PS3 – is wishful thinking.
While this isn't the be-all and end-all on the subject (and it sure would be nice to have clarity from Sony), according to a Ubisoft support page, backward compatibility "will be available for supported PlayStation 4 titles, but will not be possible for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, or PlayStation games."
[Update: After widespread circulation, Ubisoft removed that sentence from the support page.]
The meaning behind that wording could be interpreted in a few different ways, so for comparison's sake, it's worth looking at the equivalent support page for Xbox Series X. As Ubisoft puts it, backward compatibility "will be available for supported Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Xbox titles" on Xbox Series X.
It's a stark contrast. I get that BC support isn't a priority for Sony and many players, but for those of us who do care about it – enough to dig up a Ubisoft support page for details – it's such a big deal.
Mentally, I'm at the point where I just hope all of my PS4 games work on PS5. The bar is that low.
Transitioning PlayStation 4 titles to next-gen versions [Ubisoft via @Nibellion]
Heroes of the Storm is eliminating Brawl and making ARAM an official mode
Once again, huge changes are coming to the very much alive Heroes of the Storm.
Amid reworks for D.va and Gazlowe, the game is also eliminating Heroes Brawl (RIP and replacing it with ARAM (All Random All Middle). In case you forgot, Heroes of the Storm introduced "Brawl" (in the same vein as Hearthstone) several years ago. While it was decently received at first it never really stuck, as Blizzard seemingly ran out of resources to support it; over time, it stopped producing new Brawls and just recycled old ones.
ARAM, on the other hand, has been thriving. Up until this month it hasn't been an official mode, so folks have either been waiting for it to randomly arrive in that week's Brawl or play it unofficially via private games, using Discord servers to meet up. Now all you need to do is click a mode and go: just like several other high-profile MOBAs.
The game itself is also getting a huge mechanical shakeup with the Nexus Anomaly "Gladiator's Medallion." Taken from the classic WoW item nomenclature, the idea is that everyone (except Deathwing and Gall) now have a baseline item that can be activated to provide unstoppable (a self-cleanse): countering things like roots and stuns. This powerful ability will run on a 300 second cooldown for balance purposes.
The ripple of this anomaly will be felt throughout the game. Players have been complaining for a long while that certain supports don't have a cleanse and that the game is too stun/crowd-control (CC) heavy; but the jury is out on whether or not this is a long, or even short-term solution.
You can take a look at the full patch notes for the alterations below. In other balance news, Alarak is getting a small buff, Cassia is getting a small level seven talent nerf, Chromie is getting a small nerf, Deckard's Ruby ability is being toned down (the cooldown is now 20 seconds), Stitches will gain a small buff for slam (10% more bonus damage to minions and mercenaries) and E.T.C., Imperius, Orphea, Tassadar and Yrel are all getting small nerfs. You can find those changes here.
Here's a look at Heroes of the Storms' D.va and Gazlowe reworks
Overwatch's D.va was introduced to Heroes of the Storm in mid-2017 to a mixed welcome.
Although there are D.va fans out there and folks who can make her work, she's slowly lost favor with the general playerbase due to a mixed-flavor kit that's frankly outdated. A "D.va rework" has been in the cards for some time as a response, and now it's hitting the game today in PTR (until "the week of September 7"), alongside of a surprise Gazlowe rework and some other changes.
D.va has become more of a "traditional bruiser" in the words of Blizzard, with an expansive talent selection that has some of her more important aspects baked directly into her kit. On paper, she should be a lot more formidable and fun to play (Big Shot now being available baseline is a huge change). We'll see once she's in the hands of players.
Gazlowe, one of the first-ever heroes to enter the fray, is also getting a much-needed second pass. The little turret-laying goblin now uses scrap instead of his mana bar: drastically changing his playstyle and allowing him to become more uniquely flavorful and thematic. Turrets are now less powerful overall but his other basic abilities (Deth Lazor, Xplodium Charge) no longer have any cost associated with him.
His Robo-Goblin Heroic (the old favorite) also has an unstoppable activation built into it, with Grav-O-Bomb seeing a reduced cooldown of 60 seconds. Even if those were the only changes he'd feel different, but Blizzard has now allowed him to embrace a more frontline role: which should hopefully result in more engaging teamfights and less "Gazlowe is playing his own game by himself" situations.
Oh, and the underutilized Brawl mode is now officially ARAM (no more private games via Discord servers!) and the new Nexus Anomaly is designed to combat hard stuns. You can find more info on that facet of the game here.
Paper Mario: The Origami King came out very recently, and while a lot of people seemed to dig it; a lot of folks still did not appreciate the fact that that it was settling further into the "new" action-centric Paper style and less in the vein of the RPG classic entries. That's fine!
Nintendo even explained that this shift was because Mario & Luigi served as the "RPG" companion to the "new Paper Mario" style: but with the former seemingly out of commission for now, who knows what the future might bring. Series producer Kensuke Tanabe is seemingly in the same boat.
Speaking to Eurogamer Germany (as translated by Nintendo Everything), Tanabe says that although the goal was to completely move away from the RPG genre with Sticker Star, it is possible that the series could go back to its roots, stating: "Even though we've stuck to that decision so far [of being an adventure game with a focus on solving puzzles], we haven't decided yet whether or not we will keep doing so in the future. Personally speaking, I want to keep developing Paper Mario games that are both innovative and unique."
Tanabe says that he isn't "opposed" to listening to fans on the matter, but subscribes to Shigeru Miyamoto's brand of game development, which puts "innovative and unique gameplay systems" at the forefront. This explains why all of the last three Paper Mario games have felt different, right or wrong, and Tanabe wants to keep "surprising" fans, even if there's "no guarantee" that they'll succeed.
No matter how people feel about the shift, I admire Tanabe for being so candid about this series: at least, more so than a lot of other Nintendo developers. I liked Color Splash and Origami King just fine, but I also wouldn't say no to a true sequel to say, The Thousand-Year Door.
Paper Mario [Eurogamer.de via Nintendo Everything]
I'm ready for the controlled chaos of Bright Memory: Infinite
As part of the Future Games Show, held this weekend as part of the gamescom festivities, developer FYQD-Studio and publisher Playism released a new trailer for the upcoming hybrid action title Bright Memory: Infinite.
The new video sees special agent Shelia receive a new mission from her agency, SRO, before tooling up and heading out of her apartment, ready to face off against another realm-breaking phenomenon. Arriving at the mission location in the midst of a violent electrical storm, Shelia grapples, slices, and shoots her way through a squad of enemies, before finally facing off against a frightening samurai-like villain - but where, (or when), did this ferocious opponent come from?
