Super Mario 3D All-Stars has already sold more than five million copies
While there are still many questions as to why Nintendo would limit the availability of Super Mario 3D All-Stars to just six months, there's no denying it's been an effective sales tactic. After seeing big preorders and demand for the game back in September, we finally got a look at just how successful its launch was. Today, Nintendo revealed the game has sold 5.21 million copies worldwide since its release.
Its success is just one of the highlights from Nintendo's most recent quarterly statement. Paper Mario: The Origami King also proved to be a hit, moving 2.82 million copies since launching in July. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is also still showing its legs, selling nearly four million units in just the last quarter. According to Nintendo, 20 different games have sold more than a million copies on Switch in just this fiscal year.
Consolidated Financial Highlights [Nintendo]
Steam makes beta testing a lot easier for developers and players
Large-scale closed playtesting seems like something that can be kind of a pain in the ass to arrange. Developers are generally left to select hundreds or thousands of players, and distribute unique keys to each of them individually.
Steam is streamlining that whole process. Today, Valve introduced Steam Playtest which is a revamping of how beta testing works on Steam.
Here's how it works: Players request access to a playtest from the game's store page. Then they're placed in a queue that the developer has control over. They can choose how many people are in the test and how many more to grant access to. There also seems to be functionality for manually adding individual users.
It's quite simple, but this isn't something that needs to be overly complicated. Playtest seems like it'll cut down on the hassle of getting people into a beta, especially when you consider that studios no longer have to manage key distribution. That implementation alone should leave a lot of developers eager to give Playtest a shot.
Steam Playtest: Invite Players To Test Your Game [Steam]
Dontnod is working on five unannounced games
A half-dozen. Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, but six. That's now many games Life is Strange developer Dontnod Entertainment has in production right now.
That ambitious tidbit came from a GamesBeat interview with Dontnod CEO Oskar Guilbert. "Our studio is growing, with six games in production now," Guilbert said. Twin Mirror launches on December 1, and that almost certainly counts as "in production." Apart from that, all of Dontnod's projects are unannounced.
It helps that Dontnod has significantly ramped up its staffing. The developer opened a new studio in Montreal where some key Life is Strange creators will focus on a new narrative-oriented property. Between Paris and Montreal, Dontnod will have approximately 300 employees.
Dontnod's trajectory is similar to that of Telltale's, episodic games and a whole lot of 'em. Guilbert tells GamesBeat that it's important to learn from Telltale's mistakes and avoid the same outcome. "We don't want to stick to the same thing ever time," Guilbert states. "We innovate. We are reinventing ourselves in terms of quality, mechanics, and technology. Finding new ways of telling stories is really important." With five unannounced games lined up, that's a lot of opportunity to find those new ways.
Dontnod expands with back-to-back games and a new studio in Montreal [GamesBeat]
Apart from faster load times, Sea of Thieves will get a bump to 60FPS on Xbox Series X and S
Sea of Thieves might not be your first order of business on Xbox Series X/S, but the next time you're in the mood for swashbuckling, you'll benefit from some noticeable visual and performance gains.
As confirmed by Rare today, Sea of Thieves will reach 4K/60FPS on Xbox Series X and 1080p/60FPS on Xbox Series S. As expected? I'd say so. I think we're bound to see similar results elsewhere.
That said, the real win – the thing I'm most excited about for backward-compatible games, in general – is spending less time waiting to actually start playing. Both consoles will "lead to significantly reduced load times" for Sea of Thieves, according to Rare. The current slowness is a widely-held gripe.
Backing that claim up with some real-world testing, in its pre-release coverage, The Verge clocked the game's load time as 20 seconds on Xbox Series X and 1 minute and 21 seconds on Xbox One X.
"This optimized version of Sea of Thieves will be available to all players with Xbox Game Pass alongside the launch of both consoles [on November 10], and via Smart Delivery for existing owners," said Rare.
When this game first released, I wasn't sure it would still be kicking in 2020. What a turnaround.
Sea of Thieves on the Next Generation of Consoles [Rare]
Only 364GB of the Xbox Series S' 512GB SSD is actually usable
Anyone who buys an Xbox Series S will probably find themselves scrambling for extra storage before too long. Or, they'll have to resign themselves to a life of installing and uninstalling a bunch of games.
Now that next-gen consoles are making their way into the wild, we're getting some consumer reports on exactly what we can expect out of the box. Reddit user spead20 was lucky enough to find that their Xbox Series S showed up a week early. Can't complain about that!
Someone asked them how much usable storage the Xbox Series S has out of the box. Spead20 confirmed that 364GB of the console's 512GB SSD is actually usable after system updates are applied. That's 71 percent of an SSD that's already fairly small.
The options are to pony up for the 1TB proprietary SSD, make use of an external USB HDD that doesn't offer game optimizations, or to simply juggle installs. A silver lining is that Microsoft previously confirmed that install sizes will be about 30 percent smaller on Xbox Series S because it won't require 4K texture packs.
But, to frame this against the file size of one of this year's surefire most popular games, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is a 136GB install. When we're working with these kind of numbers, you can see how it'll turn into a problem pretty quickly.
Make sure to grab Borderlands 2's Commander Lilith DLC on Nintendo Switch while you can
I spent a surprising amount of time with Borderlands 2 on Nintendo Switch this year, and while I've had my fill – enough to the point where I might not ever revisit this game – sure, I'll take a moment to claim the Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary DLC while Take-Two is still giving it out. Just in case.
You can do the same if you own Borderlands: The Handsome Collection (that's the two-game bundle) or Borderlands: Legendary Collection (the compilation with three games). The Commander Lilith DLC is free to claim until December 3, 2020, and you can find it listed on the Nintendo eShop – I'd link it if I could.
Once it's installed, how do you access the quest? Hit up a Fast Travel station at level 30 or higher and look for "Fight for Sanctuary." Aside from new guns (including the Effervescent rarity tier) and more bosses, areas, and enemy variants, there's also a new level cap: it's bumped from level 72 to level 80.
A word of warning: I've seen some players report that the DLC is crashing Borderlands 2 (especially the comments on the YouTube trailer embedded above), so it's probably worth waiting for the all-clear.
Otherwise, in general, Borderlands 2 is pretty good on Switch (if you're still into it).
The dream of a global Yakuza launch is just that – a dream – but it feels more tangible than ever.
Yakuza has skyrocketed beyond niche status in the West thanks to the best-in-class Yakuza 0, and as word of mouth continues to spread, curious players who don't usually play these sorts of games have taken a chance on the wacky, bold, unapologetic series they've heard so much about over the years.
No one else is really doing what Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has been able to consistently pull off.
I maintain that Kiryu's origin story is the high-water mark – Yakuza 0 is one of the defining greats – but if you're looking for something new to try or you've been there and done that in the cabaret clubs and you don't want to commit to a full series playthrough, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is an enticing next step.
With a new Dragon Quest-loving protagonist, a much larger city to hang out in, a vastly different combat system to master, and little in the way of narrative baggage, this could easily be your introduction.
Xbox Series X has a really handy filter for quickly finding your games that have next-gen upgrades
Seeing as how Xbox Series S/X is completely backward compatible with Xbox One, a lot of people are going to have a new console that populates a very large library of already-owned games. But, how to quickly find the games that get the most horsepower out of the Xbox Series S/X?
Microsoft has created a nice quality-of-life filter that sorts by games that are optimized for Xbox Series S/X. Xbox's Major Nelson showed it off this morning:
Sniper Elite 4 reveals sharpshooting Switch gameplay
This month, stealth 'n' snipe adventure Sniper Elite 4 will arrive on Switch, marking the series official debut on the Nintendo platform. Developer Rebellion has released a new trailer, giving wannabe sharpshooters their first decent look at the Switch version in action.
It's referred to as a "gameplay trailer," but aside from the opening 10 seconds is still a little too "quick-cut" to really get a feel for how the Switch will handle the third-person adventure. We do get to see our man in Italy, taking down the Nazi regime one bullet at a time, as expertly demonstrated through Sniper Elite's gloriously gory X-ray kill cam.
The video also espouses some of the features incorporated into the Switch port, including gyroscopic aiming, HD Rumble support, character customization, and local multiplayer modes for up to four perfect shooters. Let's hope you don't get me on your squad, decades of coffee have left my hands about as steady as a rock grinder.
Sniper Elite 4 launches November 17 on Nintendo Switch. Pre-ordering via the eShop will bag you a 15% price discount.
Yes! New SteamWorld games are on the way, sequels 'not ruled out'
The SteamWorld series has been near and dear to my heart since 2013 (sorry SteamWorld Tower Defense), ever since I first played SteamWorld Dig on my 3DS.
Developer Image & Form really had a hit on their hands, which they've expanded upon to great success with SteamWorld Heist, Dig 2, and Quest. Moving into strategy and RPG realms was a big move for the company, but they pulled it off and managed to craft a fun and unique shared universe along the way. Now, after around a year of near-silence regarding the franchise, we could see it expanded even further in the near future.
Speaking to a fan on Twitter, Image & Form explained that they are "making new SteamWorld games" (first of all, yes) and they are "not ruling out sequels." Going a tad further, the studio says that they would "love to revisit earlier games in the series." Boom. That's like, triple-confirmation!
Obviously our imagination could run wild here, but I think turning SteamWorld Dig into a trilogy is the most obvious move. Next, a whole new game in a completely different genre would be my next bet. Either way, the world is Image & Form's oyster. They seem to have a firm foundation of a fanbase around them and are expanding far beyond the confines of the SteamWorld universe, developing titles like Gunk on PC/Xbox.
Image & Form [Twitter]
This OutRun Arcade1Up cabinet makes me think I need to get a bigger apartment
Even though I was rarely good at them, one of the great joys of going to the arcade back in the '90s was taking a seat in one of the many racing games and putting the pedal to the metal. Games like Crusin' USA, Daytona USA, and Hydro Thunder devoured many of my quarters on these trips. I would have unloaded many more into OutRun, but sadly, my local arcade only had the upright version of the cabinet.
I guess now is my chance to play the game in a way I never got to with the OutRun cabinet from Arcade1Up. This is the first seated racing cabinet from the company and it includes the Sega arcade classic along with Turbo OutRun, OutRunners, and Power Drift. The cabinet features a 17" LCD screen, steering wheel, gas pedal, brake, and dual speakers.
BlizzCon Online won't have a premium watch fee, Blizzard says
BlizzCon Online is slated to stream on February 19-20: a format that Blizzard can easily control the messaging for and be shielded from potential "boos" from the audience.
But unlike previous shows, there will not be a "premium pass" or anything of the sort that's required for full access. Instead, on a recent "2020 Blizzard Fireside Chat" video, Blizzard president J. Allen Brack confirms that the event will be completely free. Brack is fairly plain in his statement in the first minute of the below clip, noting: "We wanted it to be a big virtual celebration, so BlizzCon Online will be free to watch and engage in."
There are a lot of unknowns and some relatively "given" announcements coming here. Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm will probably get expansion and hero reveals respectively. World of Warcraft will likely dish out more details on what's coming next for the Shadowlands expansion, due out this month. Starcraft II, now in maintenance mode, could be done for good when it comes to new reveals.
But the rest is shrouded in mystery. What about Diablo 4 news? How substantial will that update be? Or more importantly, what even is Overwatch 2 at this point? Will Blizzard walk back the idea of forcing people to pony up for a sequel and integrate it into Overwatch proper? Could we see a new game?
Lots of questions! Although the fiery hype for BlizzCon has had setbacks over the years, I'm sure a lot of people will be tuning in to see what happens regardless.
Awesome Games Done Quick reveals schedule for 2021 event
Awesome Games Done Quick is getting set for its 2021 iteration. The organizer of the annual speedrunning marathon has released a tentative schedule for the event, revealing over 150 titles from the pantheon of gaming - all being played in efforts to raise money for a worthwhile cause.
The AGDQ 2021 schedule includes a huge list of great titles, old and new. In attendance will be GDQ mainstays from The Legend of Zelda, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario Bros. and Metroid series, alongside games making their GDQ debut. These include Supergiant's Hades, WayForward's River City Girls, and Activision's Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 & 2. Also on deck are a selection of fun and unique retro titles such as Mr. Bones, Snow White: Happily Ever After, and Rollergames.
As was the case with summer's SGDQ 2020 event, AGDQ 2021 will be an online affair, keeping all runners and staff safe and socially-distanced in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The week-long event is expected to feature giveaways and competitions, alongside hours upon hours of awesome gaming action. All runs will be broadcast live over on the official GDQ Twitch channel.
The proceeds raised by generous viewers will be directly donated to the Prevent Cancer Foundation, with which GDQ has long been a benefactor. Earlier this year, AGDQ 2020 raised a record-breaking $3.1 million for the cause, so here's to hoping the 2021 event will be every bit as successful.
AGDQ 2021 takes place January 3-10. You can check out more details on the GDQ website.
Here's a list of Pokemon that still aren't in Sword and Shield yet, after the DLC
Pokemon Sword and Shield is seemingly done with DLC. Now, there's a chance Game Freak could announce an additional expansion or even a second season pass, Gearbox style, but at the moment, this might be the "complete" edition of Sword and Shield.
The Crown Tundra add-on introduced a ton of legacy Pokemon into the game (as well as a few new ones), but there is still a large amount of creatures that just simply are not supported. As in, you cannot find them out in the game world (or in either expansion) and they can't be transferred in.
According to Serebii.net, there are exactly 234 Pokemon that still have not made the cut. You can check out a full list here, which includes a host of Generation 1 characters and several starters like Chikorita. At the time of publication, the current grand total of all Pokemon across all games is 898: the list ends with Calyrax, the new Crown Tundra legendary. With a new generation, that number could break 1,000.
In spite of its issues, I enjoyed my time with Sword and Shield well enough. But if Game Freak never adds the ability to recoup most (if not all) of these Pokemon, it'll likely be forever-talked-about in the community. Game Freak has the opportunity to turn the conversation around on this, but I don't know if they will.
Unobtainable Pokemon [Serebii.net]
Ghostrunner cuts a path onto Nintendo Switch November 10
Co-publishers 505 Games and All In! have announced that cyberpunk hack 'n' slash adventure Ghostrunner will be slicing 'n' dicing on Nintendo Switch on November 10, following its release just last week on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.
Ghostrunner tells the story of a highly skilled but amnesiac young warrior who awakens at the base of a mega structure known as Dharma Tower. Seemingly the last remaining example of an experiment to create an army of unbeatable soldiers, our protagonist must climb Dharma Tower in order to face off against the mysterious "Keymaster" who runs the stacked metropolis with an iron fist. You know Dredd? Kinda like that.
Equipped with highly tuned senses and multitude of acrobatic and deadly skills, players guide the Ghostrunner in a vertically climbing war against an army of underlings. Both the Ghostrunner and his prey are defeated in a single hit, so be sure to use every technique at your disposal in order to reach the summit of Dharma Tower and face destiny.
You can check out our own Anthony Marzano's glittering review right here.
Ghostrunner launches on Nintendo Switch November 10. Players purchasing the game in the first month of release will unlock two exclusive in-game swords.
Fire Emblem Heroes getting its Ninja Rap on with new update
Nintendo has released a new trailer showcasing the next update for its free-to-play mobile battler, Fire Emblem Heroes. The new event, which launches November 6, re-imagines several members of the Fire Emblem roster as that stealthiest of assassins: the ninja.
The quartet of heroes joining the gacha barrel are Fire Emblem Heroes' own Laevatein, Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light's Navarre, Path of Radiance' Zihark, and finally The Blazing Blade's Lyn, accompanied by her bestie Florina. Each character is decked out in attractive new shinobi gear, all set for a life of running rooftops and striking from the shadows.
As always, the new update brings with it a new paralogue chapter, titled "In the Moment". The new update will go live in-game on November 6 at 00:00 PT / 03:00 ET / 07:00 BST.
Fire Emblem Heroes is available now on iOS and Android devices.
Sega's parent company sells off majority of its physical entertainment business
Sega Sammy Holdings has announced that they are jettisoning off 85.1% of their entertainment business shares to the Japanese mega-corporation GENDA: retaining the other 14.9%. What does this mean for Sega/Atlus videogames? Absolutely nothing for now, as it's more of a broad strokes picture of what's going on at Sega as a whole.
As most of you know, Sega merged with pachinko magnate Sammy in the mid-2000s, in a bid to takeover both the home and retail entertainment markets. It was a good arrangement for a time, but given the current outlook of physical gaming spaces for the near future, something needed to change.
According to an official statement, Sega Sammy plans on transferring most of their physical business to GENDA, which will help that department remain solvent. Naturally, savvy businessmen have their sights on low-cost investments that could grow exponentially in a post-pandemic world: whenever that may be.
Again, what does this have to do with games?! Well, the pachislot industry is certainly gaming, or gaming-adjacent, but this deal impacts Sega as a whole. Although their physical entertainment industry is the only space impacted here, it could help ensure that Sega Sammy doesn't have to make any cuts for existing studios. The future is uncertain, but it seems like Sega Sammy had no real choice here other than to find a buyer.
The corporation even explains it in their own words, noting that the "utilization of facilities has declined remarkably, and a significant loss was recorded at 1Q of the fiscal year ending March 2021."
Sega Sammy [Sega via Explica]
Mayhem Brawler is rocking that Streets of Rage 4 vibe
Hero Concept, the indie outfit behind the Doughlings series, has revealed that it is hard at work on a brand new side-scrolling beat 'em up. Mayhem Brawler is currently in development for PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch and is expected to launch sometime in 2021.
Set in a dystopian "urban fantasy," Mayhem Brawler will follow the exploits of Stronghold law enforcement agents Star, Dolphin, and Trouble as they take to the streets in a fist-throwing fight against a sinister megacorp and its army of super-powered minions. The heroic trio will face off against, thugs, werewolves, wizards, and vampires in a knock-down, drag-out battle with the fate of the city's freedom at stake. WIZARDS.
From the short trailer below, we can quickly ascertain that the title is clearly inspired by DotEmu's fantastic sequel Streets of Rage 4, and will similarly feature multiple characters, three-player co-op, and painstakingly hand-drawn art and animation. Mayhem Brawler will also feature 12 unique boss characters, comic-style presentation, and even multiple endings. It's no secret that I'm personally a huge fan of this genre, and there's always room for another great, modern-day brawler.
Mayhem Brawler will launch on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in 2021.
Contest: Win Jetboard Joust for Steam
In today's contest you can win Jetboard Joust for Steam!
Remember how we used to turn to fantasy to escape the harsh truths of reality? Let's do that. Like, right now. We need it.
Retro, arcadey shooter Jetboard Joust just hit Steam -- and it's a looker! Live out your dreams of destroying intergalactic bugs as the Silver Surfer in this skybound action game. Chant with me: FAN-TA-SY! FAN-TA-SY!
How have you been liking Genshin Impact?
Genshin Impact has been out for around a month now and it's pretty insane the positive buzz the game has for being a free-to-play gacha game. Despite the inherent dangers of gambling your money away on in-game content, the game beneath the gacha mechanics is really good. I am an unapologetic sucker for games with grinding mechanics, and Genshin Impact has grinding in spades.
Will Super Lone Survivor keep its mask mandate in place?
Lone Survivor is still my favorite game about suffering from psychosis, and as much of the world reaches month eight of government-mandated COVID-19 precautions, it's now proven to be one of the most prophetic as well.
Even under cheerier circumstances, the game was an intriguing downer, balancing quiet moments of isolation with your pet with tense, often horrific voyages into the outside world. Balancing the need to gather supplies, try (and often fail) to take care of yourself, and maybe even put an end to all the terrible things in your life made for a game with plenty of depth, despite mostly taking place in small, cramped spaces. I wasn't kidding when I said it was prophetic.
Now Lone Survivor is coming back in a new engine for Switch and PC. Lone developer Jasper Byrne is remaking it from the ground up for modern consoles, and after having talked with him a few times over the years about his thoughts and feelings about making games, I'm nothing short of shocked. I really thought he was done with this particular chapter in his life, but I guess if 2020 has taught us anything, it's that we can never be sure what our ever-changing world will inspire in us.
Jasper's even adding new scenario to the story, which will no doubt offer reflections on his experiences since the original title was released in 2012. Look for it in 2021.
PlayStation 5 will boost Days Gone to 60FPS and dynamic 4K
Slowly but surely, we're checking off Sony-published PS4 games that will officially look and run better on PlayStation 5. Days Gone is next on the list with a confirmation from Bend Studio that the gargantuan open-world romp will reach "up to" 60 frames per second with dynamic 4K on PS5.
According to senior staff game designer Eric Jensen, you'll need the 1.70 patch – a recent 25GB download that brought stability improvements, optimizations, and bug fixes, among other things.
That's as good of a reason as any to start up a New Game+ run (when your backlog allows it, of course). For many of us who never made time for Days Gone despite seeing a pretty favorable reception from players, we'll be able to check out the game on PS5 with the day-one PlayStation Plus Collection.
This game has always felt like a big commitment to me – there's only so much room in my life for open-world gaming, and I don't like leaving games half-finished – but I still want to circle back eventually.
I hope this 60FPS trend continues. There are more games on the PS Plus list I want to hit up.
@BendStudio [Twitter]
Xbox Series X reveals launch-day entertainment apps including Netflix, Disney+, and Spotify
Xbox has revealed the line-up of entertainment and streaming apps that will arrive on Xbox Series X and S come launch, which is just one short week from today, believe it or not.
Once they unwrap their shiny new box, proud owners will be able to use a selection of the most popular TV and Video streaming services, which to be fair are probably available on every other device in your house, but the choice is still nice. Services available include movie channels Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, TV streamers such as HBO Max, Disney +, and NOW TV, alongside popular online services such as YouTube, Twitch, and Spotify.
Xbox not only promises that the services will boost the image clarity, color, and dynamic sound experiences of your favorite services, but also notes that it has slashed the loading time of the Microsoft Store and its respective services in half, allowing you to access your entertainment faster than ever before.
You can check out a full list of the available services on the official Microsoft blog. It should be noted that certain channels may or may not be available dependent on country.
Xbox Series X launches November 10. Xbox will be holding a launch live stream to mark the occasion.
Friday the 13th support killed off, and I guess that's pretty fitting
There's been another gruesome murder, this time of Camp Crystal Lake's most popular camper: Dedicated servers.
These stories always end the same. Survival is a matter of how long rather than will they make it. Inevitably, there's always a body count and some grief. That's just the score when you wade into these waters.
Like the victims in a slasher flick, online multiplayer games aren't long for this world. Friday the 13th: The Game is the latest example. Developer IllFonic will stop supporting it this month. The game is getting a final patch in the coming weeks and then the dedicated servers are being turned off.
It's a grim fate for Friday the 13th but it's not the end of the road. The game will still be playable via peer-to-peer connections. IllFonic is also keeping the database servers in commission so that progress can be tracked. Friday the 13th isn't dead, but it's also not alive and well. It's been critically wounded.
That's the circle of life, I guess. Kill, kill, kill, kill, be killed. IllFonic has other killers to worry about nowadays.
The Future of Friday the 13th: The Game [Friday the 13th]
The Demon's Souls remaster will provide nearly 200 in-game hint videos
Before Sony first showed off its "card-based" UI for the PS5, there were a lot of questions as to what the PS5's menus would even look like. But buried underneath the new look and feel was a very curious feature: official guides.
Similar to a concept Stadia showed off a while back, Sony wants players to stay in the game rather than look elsewhere for information, which they'll facilitate through "activities." In short, if you're a PlayStation Plus subscriber, you can access short little videos or hints that will show you where collectibles are; or how to solve a certain portion of the game.
Review: The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
Supermassive Games is serving up another communal horror adventure just in time for Halloween.
Whether you dug Until Dawn and only Until Dawn, or you also played Man of Medan and thought it was decent cheesy fun, or you're removed from this whole Dark Pictures Anthology saga but are kinda in the mood for a suspenseful, not-too-spooky Halloween game, I have to give Little Hope the thumbs-up.
It's striking at the right place and the right time with the right setup: a town haunted by witch trials.
The last Marvel's Avengers datamining efforts uncovered quite a bit
Some time ago, a rather large datamining effort uncovered a ton of potential characters that could enter the world of Marvel's Avengers. Now, someone else seems to have figured out which ones are coming next.
While we know that Kate Bishop and Clint Barton are coming in early 2021 as a Hawkeye duo (as well as Spider-Man as a PlayStation exclusive at some point); we have little knowledge of what's actually arriving after that. Thanks to Avengers fan Miller, who has been tweeting out the latest discoveries, it seems like Black Panther and War Machine could be next: as their character models are fully visible.
This could also be our first confirmation of additional levels and missions, too. The phrases "Crystal of Kadavus, Draupnir Tactigon, Norn Stone of Protection, Norn Stone of Alliance, Norn Stone of Attunement, and Norn Stone of the Fanatic," were datamined, which could lead to potential future storylines.
Of course, none of this is official yet, and could be content left on the cutting room floor that may never see the light of day. Given the situation this game is in, some of the stuff that's been datamined could be cut at some point. Square Enix still has to ship the "next-gen upgrades" and they are already behind schedule with DLC rollouts.
Accelerate Games is a new publisher from the founder of Acclaim
Anyone who enjoyed console gaming in the '90s will be more than familiar with the publisher Acclaim. First founded in 1987 by friends Greg Fischbach, Robert Holmes, and Jim Scoroposki, the New York-based outfit would go on to publish a huge range of successful home releases such as Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam, and various WWE titles.
Well, it appears that one of the original founders, Greg Fischbach, is returning to video game publishing with a brand new company. Accelerate Games is, much like Acclaim, hoping to build long-term relationships with budding developers, helping to get their wares out onto the market and into the hands of video game fans worldwide. As the former president of Activision International during the company's fledgling years, Fischbach no doubt hopes to bring his decades of marketing experience to the new endeavor.
The first studio to sign with Accelerate Games is Signal Studios, whose upcoming remake Toy Soldiers HD will be the first title published under the Accelerate label. Signal Studios' partner John Gow is also credited as an Accelerate co-founder, so this important first release is very much an "in-house" affair.
"What we love about Toy Soldiers is it combines historical accuracies, hardcore action and strategy, and humor with infectious fun gameplay," Fischbach said in a press release. "The game's off-the-charts replayability and multiplayer features are sure to recapture the attention of previous enlisted fans and recruit an army of new ones...We look forward to helping the small, but talented team at Signal Studios reach their goal of introducing Toy Soldiers to new audiences worldwide across console and PC platforms."
Toy Soldiers HD is currently in development for PC and consoles. This title is not to be confused with Toy Soldiers 2: Finest Hour, which is currently in the works at Ubisoft.
Capcom shares Resident Evil Village next-gen features
It's not too often that I get to write about true next-gen exclusives, but it completely slipped my mind that Resident Evil Village is only slated for PC, PS5 and Series X/S. Given how much Resident Evil 7 pushed the formula I'm really anxious to see what 8 can bring to the table; but before then, Capcom is starting to share some of those shiny next-gen features with us.
Detailed on the official PlayStation site for the game, naturally, Village will take advantage of next-gen SSDs for "almost no load times." It'll also use adaptive triggers for the DualSense, as well as haptic feedback to "simulate the feeling of firing a real gun." Although 3D audio has been around for some time, it'll be supported in Village as well (this is one of Sony's big selling points, especially with the new headset). Visually, Village is re-confirmed to support 4K settings as well as ray tracing.
As a true next-gen game (seven more days and it'll be current-gen!), these are the sorts of things you're going to be seeing a lot of going forward. Actual SSD support and 4K are basically the standard now outside of cross-generational games that might not fully support it.
Resident Evil Village [PlayStation]
BloodRayne 1 & 2 returns to PC in upgraded 'Terminal Cut' on November 20
Ziggurat Interactive has announced that 2002 PC release BloodRayne, along with its 2004 sequel BloodRayne 2, are to receive all-new enhanced editions later this month. Best of all, players who already own the original versions of both titles will receive the upgraded editions free of charge.
BloodRayne: Terminal Cut and BloodRayne 2: Terminal Cut - titled after the studio that handled the remasters, Terminal Reality - will support resolutions up to 4K, with improved rendering and upscaled cinematics to match. The BloodRayne engine has been overhauled to offer better textures, lighting, water, fog and reflection effects. Additionally, support has been added for a wider range of controllers.
For the BloodRayne faithful, this under-the-hood boost should provide a more versatile and immersive experience with the third-person adventure classics. "The response was tremendous when we announced that we had taken over stewardship of the BloodRayne series," said Ziggurat's Wade Rosen in a press release. "Fans have been asking what's next for the series, and now we're excited to show off the great work that's been done by Terminal Reality on the first two titles."
BloodRayne 1 & 2: Terminal Cut launches November 20 on PC via Steam and GOG.
BloodRayne enhanced versions coming to PC on November 20 [Gematsu]
Don't forget to sign into the Wii U or 3DS eShop once a week for free My Nintendo Platinum Points
Now that physical rewards are returning to My Nintendo, there's an actual reason to use the service again regularly.
The thing is, if you've been neglecting it for a while, you might be logging into zero Platinum Points, which doesn't really help you pick up 600+-cost rewards. We've shown you a few easy ways to earn points over the past few years, but there's one fairly innocuous mission that a lot of people are probably ignoring right now: the legacy system mission.
While we have no idea when Nintendo will actually realize that this mission exists and turn it off, for now, it's ready to claim every week. All you need to do is log into the Nintendo eShop on a Wii U or 3DS with the same My Nintendo-linked account, and you'll earn 30 Platinum Points per week.
That's literally all you need to do. Just sign in for a few seconds and you can earn 120 easy Platinum Points per month in addition to whatever else you're bringing in. My Wii U is still hooked up and I keep my 3DS fully charged on a dock near my bed (with a docked Vita!): so this is super easy for me to remember.
It's not every day I get to write about the Wii U and the 3DS. If there isn't a reason to, I'll invent one!
Missions [My Nintendo]
Dontnod's Twin Mirror feels like an evolution of Life is Strange
This all feels so familiar. I've been here before but I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe if I look around a bit --really focus and think hard and try to shake the cobwebs off my brain -- it'll all come rushing back.
Oh yeah, I've seen this before just by a different name. First it was Max. Then Chloe. Then the Diaz brothers. I'm playing a Life is Strange game, but with a pulpier feel and less import given to teenage relationships. There's no mistaking the Dontnod DNA though.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night boss Bloodless will become playable character 'soon'
Koji Igarashi's spooky platform adventure Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is set to get some new content this month. Joining the beautiful Creatures of the Night that make up the game's roster of playable characters will be the parasol-spinning vampire, Bloodless.
Encountered by protagonist Miriam in the Dian Cecht Cathedral, the beautiful but terrifying Bloodless is found soaking in a bathtub of claret-colored liquid - which I'm willing to bet ain't Cran-Apple. Bloodless' offense mostly consists of streams of the red stuff, with which she has deft control over. Also to hand is Bloodless trusty parasol, which itself is a deadly weapon in the dark one's hands.
While Team IGA did not offer any specific information as to when Bloodless will grace us with her presence, the developer noted that she would arrive in November, with more details arriving in the coming days. It's great to see Bloodstained still receiving fun new content well over a year after launch, giving fans another reason to take a fresh wander through the halls of The Hellhold once again.
Final Fantasy IX is launching physically on Switch in Asia this month
Square Enix is at it again with their Asia-exclusive physical Switch carts!
This time the beloved Final Fantasy IX is being immortalized in physical form once again; which is just as well since this game should never be subject to legacy systems and digital storefronts that will eventually die out. Instead, it will live on with Switch beyond the confines of the eShop, but only in certain regions.
Square Enix Asia's Facebook account has confirmed that the physical edition of IX will arrive on November 27, which will allow for English language support (on top of French, Italian, German, and Spanish). Note that this release is region-free, so if you're keen on importing it for $49.99 (plus fees), you can play it on your western Switch. This version will retain the booster system as well as the "high speed" and "no encounters" toggles that were born out of the Final Fantasy VII PC release and beyond.
So yeah, as long as you can read one of those languages, you're good on importing this one and enjoying it forever. Just remember to charge your Switch battery regularly in the decades to come!
Square Enix Asia [Facebook via Nintendo Soup]
The Medium has reportedly been refused classification in Australia
Bloober Team's mysterious psychological horror title The Medium has seemingly fallen foul of Australia's notoriously stringent ratings system. A listing on the Australian government's classification database shows that The Medium received a "Refused Classification" rating when submitted to the board back in July.
According to a report by Kotaku, Neither Bloober Team nor the Classification Board has come forward with a reason as to why The Medium did not make the grade. While it could be that a simple admin error was made in the title's submission, Australia is notoriously strict on video game ratings, often censoring or outright banning adult video games for minor infractions, particularly the use of drugs. Over the years, many titles have been troubled by Australian censors, including South Park: The Stick of Truth, Hotline Miami 2, Silent Hill: Homecoming, The Witcher 2, and DayZ.
The Medium is definitely one of the most interesting early releases on the new Xbox platform. So here's hoping that this is merely a small submission error, and that Australian horror fans will have the opportunity to enjoy The Medium in all of its mind-warping glory when it launches, December 10, on PC and Xbox Series X.
An Xbox Series X console exclusive has been refused classification [Kotaku]
Godzilla will be doing the stomp in Fall Guys today
Happy Godzilla Day, Destructoid! And what better way to celebrate the King of the Monsters than by stomping all over your fellow competitiors in Mediatonic's battle royale phenomenon Fall Guys...
...Well, you could always replay Destroy All Monsters, but just humor me.
A costume representing building-bashing lizard is now available to purchase in the Fall Guys in-game store, costing a pretty meaty 10 crowns. It looks great. He's even carrying a little car, which is a nice touch. Sadly, you can't blast opposing beans out of the way with radioactive breath, so you'll just have to keep pushing them off The Whirlygig instead.
Devolver Digital released a new trailer showcasing the Shinjuku Cultural Ambassador (no, really) in full effect. According to the publisher, the video also contains a few sneak peeks at other content coming to Fall Guys in the future, so be sure to keep those eagle eyes peeled.
Review: Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia
For this review, I went a little above and beyond. I did some training. Training with Bakugan toys: to really get into the vibe of this new Switch game.
Seriously! Ahead of the review period, the publisher sent me a box of Bakugan balls and an arena. How could I not try it?! My wife and I spent round after round battling it out together, chucking these things into a ring and comparing stats. I can see the appeal.
Unfortunately, the Switch iteration doesn't quite capture most of the fun of the physical game.
Well, this was wholly unnecessary. With next-gen consoles on the horizon, a remake of Demon's Souls launching alongside the PlayStation 5, and so much else happening in the world, Elden Ring has kind of gone forgotten about.
From Software is here to reopen that wound and pour salt in it.
Where were you when Tony Hawk landed the 900? Where were you Danny Way jumped over the Great Wall of China? Where were you when I went over the half-pipe, through the secret room, collected the hidden tape, and grinded the quarter-pipe along the whole back wall?
Iconic moments in skateboarding history. More iconic than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles skating all over Smite? Tough to say.
Smite's new battle pass launches tomorrow, and it's completely TMNT-centric. We learned about this collaboration last month, and how Hi-Rez Studios is reskinning the Turtles to play the roles of existing gods. We were not prepared for the sheer number of ollies and kickflips and pizza-eating that we'd get. Judging by the new trailer that dropped today, I'm not convinced the Turtles will make good on any of the battle arena aspects of MOBA.
And maybe that's why I love this trailer. It's not bogged down in attack stats and roles. There's no minutiae, there's just skateboards and pepperoni. Here are the TMNT Battle Pass update notes for anyone who is interested in the nitty gritty. I'm just here to watch Michaelangelo catch big air over a Fire Giant.
Dragon Quest XI S has a 10-hour Definitive Edition demo on PC, PS4, and Xbox One
If you're in the mood for Dragon Quest XI S and want to get a head-start on December's Definitive Edition release for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, there's a meaty new demo on all three platforms.
The demo spans "the entirety of the opening chapters," according to Square Enix, and apart from being able to transfer your file to the full game, you'll earn three stat-boosting Seed of Skill items as a bonus. It's pretty wild to think about a demo exceeding the length (and quality) of full commercial games.
There's a lot packed into this version of Dragon Quest XI, hence that long-ass name. This improved port of the Nintendo Switch game runs better and has all of the previous niceties like the orchestrated soundtrack, an ultra-fast speed toggle, Japanese VO, and the nostalgia-inducing top-down 2D mode.
Things get a little funky when you look into side-by-side-by-side comparisons of Dragon Quest XI, the Switch edition, and this Definitive Edition release, but I think the pros far outweigh the cons.
Is it just me, or has there been an influx of unusually generous game demos lately? I'm in heaven.
Podtoid starts November by remembering its favorite Treehouse of Horror episodes
There are many great autumn traditions we celebrate in this country. Pumpkin-spiced everything, Thanksgiving, radio stations playing Christmas music way too damn early, but my favorite tradition is taking time to watch the newest "Treehouse of Horror" episode on The Simpsons. Are they are good as they used to be? Nah, but they're still usually better than the rest of the season.
That's just one of the topics on this episode of Podtoid. CJ, Chris, Occams, and Charlotte talk TV, No More Heroes, Duolingo, Silent Hill, and Cruel Jaws. All that, plus we answer some listener questions, on Podtoid Episode 465.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot just added a free card battle mode and I'm getting Triple Triad flashbacks
Final Fantasy VIII. Final Fantasy XIV. The Witcher 3. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. Am I just naming cool RPGs, or games that have card battlers inside of them? Both!
The onslaught of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot DLC and updates continues, as Bandai Namco just recently added the free new mode "Card Warriors," which allows players to build decks and take on opponents...in card form. This joins the Time Machine mechanic (that lets you go back and repeat previous content) and two major DLC packs (one of which is still on the way).
The below video will give you a gist of the game, which should be enough to judge whether or not it's worth booting up or re-installing your copy. In short, you build your deck with 25 character or event cards, as well as five "SP" cards (which are triggered by combinations of event cards). Your job is to defeat your opponent by knocking down their health total (much like Magic or Hearthstone): simple enough! It even uses the Hearthstone "mana" style economy, with the power to "bank" energy once.
As someone who regularly plays a ton of deckbuilders (Marvel Champions, Lord of the Rings LCG, Arkham Horror: The Card game, Magic, Hearthstone), I'm glad that card games are still so prolific in just about every corner of media.
Raw Fury's Kingdom is free on Humble right now
"My kingdom for a horse." King Richard III would've done well to live 500 years later because Kingdom is free and it comes with a horse.
Humble is doing that thing again where it gives away games for keepsies. This time it's Raw Fury's Kingdom, the side-scrolling simulation game where you ride a horse and everyone tries to steal your gold and your crown. Kingdom is good enough that it spawned two highly-regarded sequels.
Anyway, go hit up Humble if you want a no-strings-attached freebie. The promo ends on November 9. I promise to never bastardize the words of Shakespeare like that again. That first paragraph was far more tragedy than comedy.
Kingdom: Classic [Humble]
You have until November 22 to celebrate World of Warcraft's 16th anniversary
Ever since I created my Orc Warlock 16 years ago, I've been playing World of Warcraft annually. That sounds pretty crazy out loud now that I think about it.
Nearly two decades of playing the game same: a sentiment that many have eye-rolled over the years as they waxed poetic about the "good days" of WoW and how they no longer play it (or in the case of several people, have gotten out of games entirely). People change, and so has World of Warcraft.
Blizzard is cashing in on that nostalgia, as they do every year, with a 16th anniversary celebration in-game that lasts until November 22. Check your Azeroth mailbox for a gift package, which includes: 200 Timewarped Badges, an experience and reputation boost item (16% for one hour) and a "Letter from the Timewalkers" questline item. There's also an event that involves WoW trivia if you head to Historian Llore in Stormwind or Historian Ju'pa in Orgrimmar.
Oh, plus "level 30 and above" characters can fight Lord Kazzak, Azuregos and "one of the four Dragons of Nightmare" each day for extra loot and 50 Timewarped Badges. You may recall the former name from one of the first WoW viral videos where he was kited to Stormwind. Ah, back when YouTube videos were harmless and in glorious 240p.
Finally, Alterac Valley has been added as a "throwback battleground" (PVP) in the form of Korrak's Revenge. I can't wait to log back in and mess around with all this stuff before the imminent release of the expansion.
Celebrate 16 Years of World of Warcraft [Battle.net]
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart won't be on PS4, according to Insomniac
Some of the first big PlayStation 5 games we saw this year – Sackboy, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and even Horizon Forbidden West – will also be playable on PlayStation 4. But that should be it, at least as far as Sony-backed titles go. Another big-hitter, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, will only launch on PS5.
It's easy to point to Rift Apart's SSD-dependent dimension-hopping design and shrug off the notion that this game could ever possibly get an inferior PS4 version, but if Horizon Forbidden West can make a dual PS4/PS5 release happen (which I'm curious – and anxious – to see play out), then who's to say?
Well, how about Insomniac itself? The studio reiterated Rift Apart's PS5-only status on Twitter.
It’s a PS5 exclusive
— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) November 2, 2020
We weren't led to believe otherwise, but on the off-chance there were any lingering doubts, there you go. (The responses to this tweet, as with all tweets about any conceivable topic, are pretty ridiculous.)
As an aside, as much as the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S are in the spotlight right now, it's nice to consider folks who are sticking with their current consoles that will still have a few more (seemingly) great games to look forward to. The PS4 has had such a strong "final" year – if you even want to call it that.
[Via Eurogamer]
The new Gungrave game is still alive, here's a new brief look at it
In case you missed it, developer Iggymob gave us a detailed look at the new Gungrave game (that's still scheduled to be released on PS4 by the end of this year in Japan). Yes, I said "new Gungrave game."
Despite the misstep with the VR game, Gungrave G.O.R.E is decidedly not a VR title, nor is it a retread. Instead, it's the first mainline release in the series in many years; following the 2002 release of the PS2 original, the 2003 anime, and the 2004 Overdose sequel. It's a monumental moment for fans, like if the Trigun game Planet Gunsmoke was suddenly revived out of the blue. In the tease we get to see Beyond the Grave himself (albeit with his back to us) facing down an Orgman enemy, as well as a new look for the Death Hauler coffin weapon.
But is this thing actually coming out by the end of the year? And what about a potential PS5 release, given that so much has changed since we had our last development update? Well, we still aren't getting more info on that just yet; as the official Twitter account for the game asked people to stay tuned.
Uh, I think I will. Given how little pure character action games are released these days, I'm going to follow it until the end.
Gungrave G.O.R.E [Twitter]
FIFA 21 fends off Watch Dogs: Legion in this week's UK Charts
Despite the launch of three brand new titles, Electronic Arts' football sim FIFA 21 has managed to retain the top spot of this week's UK Charts, at least as it applies to physical sales.
Ubisoft's open-world sequel Watch Dogs: Legion, Nintendo remake Pikmin 3 Deluxe, and Bandai Namco's horror title Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope all debuted in the Top Ten, but failed to secure the number one spot, landing at numbers two, seven, and nine respectively. Of course, with the ever-increasing shift to digital sales, the digital charts may tell a different story.
Next week sees the start of the next generation of video gaming, a generation that will likely see digital sales further supersede physical sales. While there will always be a market for physical games sales, via online retailers and the high street, recent years have seen a constant and undeniable market shift towards digital downloads, which is very unlikely to halt anytime soon.
Orwell's Animal Farm launches December 10 on PC and mobile
The Indie Collective has announced a release date for the video game adaptation of George Orwell's seminal novel Animal Farm. The strategy-based adventure title will launch on PC via Steam, as well as iOS and Android platforms, on December 10.
Developed by Nerial, Orwell's Animal Farm will put players in charge of managing the resources and defense of the notorious Manor Farm, where a menagerie of barnyard animals have overthrown their human owners in an effort to make a better world for themselves. However, under the rule of pompous pig Napoleon, the other species soon come to learn that while some animals are equal, some are more equal than others.
Publisher The Dairymen has released a new teaser trailer, recounting the infamous moment when Napoleon explains to his fellow animals how it would be better for everyone if Napoleon makes all the choices befitting the governing of the farm's affairs, to save them from making "the wrong decisions".
Guild Wars 2 is stalling its Steam release to focus on the new expansion
Earlier this year, we were given a teaser taste of Guild Wars 2's next expansion: which would later come to be known as End of Dragons.
But while we waited for the next chapter of the Guild Wars saga to begin, ArenaNet dished out some juicy news that the game was coming to Steam (sans account transfers). Well, that plan is changing, at least temporarily. According to a short post from ArenaNet, the company has made the decision to "put the Guild Wars 2 Steam release on hold for the time being."
The reason given? Their "number one priority" is focusing on the End of Dragons expansion and the "epic climax" to the current storyline, to deliver "high quality" content. In fact, the first major look at the upcoming Icebrood Saga conclusion is coming this week on November 5.
For those of you who don't play Guild Wars 2, the idea is that the game is part of a "living" world, where storyline changes can come through major or minor patches. Although other MMOs like World of Warcraft have "pre-patches" and the like to facilitate similar story arcs, Guild Wars 2 is built around its narrative at its core.
While it's a bummer that the game isn't coming to Steam anytime soon, I'm sure veterans don't mind as they can't transfer their accounts anyway.
Guild Wars 2 Steam Release News [ArenaNet]
In the 1980s, an abundance of horror movies hit the U.K. shores overnight, all thanks to the affordable invention of the VHS player. The then-British film censor, James Ferman, went on a zero-tolerance crusade against these "video nasties" which Ferman felt were oozing onto his country's shores and slowly corrupting the nation and its youth.
Ferman and the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) swiftly and hysterically drew up a list of on-screen elements that the board should always consider taking the scissors to - should they ever crop up in any film under review. Among the material Ferman was convinced posed a risk to British sanity were sexual titillation mixed with violence, Asian/ninja-style weaponry, and, most importantly, "blood appearing on breasts".
Fortunately for Ferman, D3 Publisher's OneChanbara series would not make its debut until 2004, some years after the censor's retirement and passing. Given the stringent bullet points listed above, I can't help but feel that maybe, just maybe, he would not have looked too kindly upon it.
