EverQuest Developer Daybreak Game Company Acquired for $300 Million

2020 has seen its share of notable studio acquisitions and changes over the past many months, from Microsoft's surprise acquisition of Bethesda Softworks earlier this year to several others. Joining the fray in the latest studio acquisitions for this year is Daybreak Game Company, with the developer being formally acquired by Enad Global 7 and becoming one of its largest owned studios yet.

Today, Enad Global 7 announced its acquisition of Daybreak Game Company, with plans for the sale to close by the end of 2020 for $300 million. The sale also marks the second recent acquisition of a game studio for EG7, as the company–which develops, produces, and markets video games–also purchased MechWarrior developer Piranha Games a week ago.

Coinciding with the announcement, EG7 founder and CEO Robin Flodin stated that "Daybreak is a studio I have the utmost admiration for, not only for their games but the teams behind those games and services." Flodin added that "together we have bold and exciting plans for the future, and I look forward to making those dreams a reality for gamers all over the world."

Daybreak Game Company, which was originally formed as Sony Online Entertainment, is most well-known for titles such as EverQuest, H1Z1, Planetside 2, and DC Universe Online. While in the past few years the company has experienced layoffs and other hurdles, at the beginning of 2020 the company established a restructuring plan to devote teams to several of its franchises and titles. Specifically, the company established Darkpaw Games, Rogue Planet Games, and Dimensional Ink Games to focus on three of its most popular titles: EverQuest, Planetside 2, and DC Universe Online, respectively.

Aside from its current projects and titles, Daybreak also has a few other projects lined up for sometime in the future. Specifically, the company acquired Cold Iron Studios this past August, which is currently at work on an MMO shooter set in the Alien universe.

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Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions Kicks Off Character Pass DLC This Week

Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions, Bandai Namco

Starting on December 3, Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions players will access to some international superstars via DLC. The character pass starts with just three new characters in the game, but over time, the total pass will include nine new soccer stars. Alongside the DLC, all players will get access to a new team in the game's story mode. Now, you can join Shun Nitta and help lead the Otomo Middle School team to victory. Check out the new trailer below.

The first three players joining Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions come from all over the world. Sweden's Stefan Levin brings his expert technique to the table. He'll help your created characters learn how to dominate the midfield. Thailand's Singprasert Bunnaak brings his powerful legs to the field. His training in Muay Thai makes him an incredibly sturdy opponent that is sure to challenge even the most battle-tested players.

Finally, Ricardo Espadas from Mexico brings his fleet-footed dribbling technique to the goalkeeper position. He introduces the ability to build your spirit gauge as a keeper by dribbling in the open field. That should add a nifty bit of risk-reward to games he's in.

And, of course, the new school route for the single-player story gives veteran players yet another path to explore. Plus, the team has added in some new assist modifiers that should help newer players out with the difficulty. As someone who's played through the game a few times, those should be very useful to get through some of the game's tougher matches.

Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is available now on Nintendo Switch, PC, and PS4. The Otomo story launches on December 2, while the character pass kicks off on December 3.

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Donut County Finally Makes Its Debut on Android

Donut County

Few games have managed to capture the life of being a nebulous hole as well as Donut County has, and well…not a lot of other games actually have done that, really. But in any event, the charming indie title released in 2018 has steadily made its way to other platforms over the past few years, with the game finally available for those with Android devices.

Publisher Annapurna Interactive has announced that Donut County is now available on Android through the Google Play Store, marking the latest release and new platform for the game. Initially released for PS4, PC, Mac, and iOS in August 2018, Donut County eventually made its way over to the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch a few months later, and saw a physical release from iam8bit last year. Developed by Ben Esposito, Donut County places you in the role of an all-consuming hole as you suck up objects and become gradually larger at every turn. Hilarity ensues.

You can check out the official trailer for the game's Android release below:

Alongside its release across consoles and PC, the game is also included as part of publisher Annapurna Interactive's Ultimate Collection, which features eight of its most acclaimed games in a special collector's package on PS4. A limited edition is also available with a special slipcase and art, along with brand new art and packaging for each of the collection's titles: Donut County, Gorogoa, Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition, Outer Wilds, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Telling Lies, Wattam, and What Remains of Edith Finch. Overall it's a great package of acclaimed titles, and we happened to include the collection as part of our holiday gift guide for this year's best collectibles.

Donut County is available now on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, and mobile.

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Desperados 3 Developer Mimimi Games Reveals Next Game

Mimimi Games, Codename Süßkartoffel

If you haven't played it yet, Mimimi Games' Desperados 3 is one of the best tactics games to come out in a while. The game is a fantastic take on the genre, with a compelling cowboy tale and an innovative showdown mechanic that lets you set up some truly ridiculous shootouts. Today, Mimimi officially announced its next game. It's another real-time tactics game called Codename Süßkartoffel. 

Codename Süßkartoffel represents an intriguing change for Mimimi Games. Previously, the team worked with THQ Nordic (Desperados 3) and Daedalic Entertainment (Shadow Tactics) to publish their titles. However, they've made the change to self-publish this next title. That gives them "full control and responsibility" over every aspect. Additionally, the team received a grant from the German government to help fund the game.

Otherwise, the only thing I can tell you about the game is that Süßkartoffel means sweet potato in german. Is this a tactical cooking game? Are you controlling sentient sweet potatoes in their quest to fight against baked potatoes? Who can say?

What is for sure is that I can't wait to see what Mimimi Games does next. After being absolutely enthralled by Desperados 3, I immediately dived into Shadow Tactics. Both games are phenomenal. If you haven't had the chance, let me again highly recommend giving them a try. You won't regret it.

Once more is known about Codename Süßkartoffel we'll be sure to pass that info along. For now, just go pick up Desperados 3. It's available now on  PC, PS4, and Xbox One. It's worth your money at full price, but I would be very surprised if it doesn't' go on sale during the holiday. Give it a try. You owe it to yourself.

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Dead Cells New DLC Fatal Falls is Coming in Early 2021

Motion Twin's roguelike Dead Cells has been one of the most acclaimed indies of the past few years, and since its official launch in 2018, the studio has continued to expand on the base game with new content and DLC. For players that can't get enough of dying again, and again…and again, more DLC is on the way in the beginning of 2021 that is going all in on new challenges and enemies to face.

The developer has announced that the next paid DLC for Dead Cells is called Fatal Falls, and will be arriving in early 2021 for consoles and PC. The DLC, which is priced at $4.99, will offer players one of the biggest expansions for the game yet and will offer a ton of new content with its release.

You can check out the official trailer for Fatal Falls below:

Specifically, the DLC will feature two brand new areas called The Fractured Shrines and The Undying Shores, alongside a new boss fight for players to encounter. As stated by Motion Twin, these new areas will "provide significant new options for fans looking for middle-run exploration," and as the title implies, the expansion is "brimming with new ways to succumb to a terribly painful death." Alongside the new areas and boss fight, the expansion will also add new weapons for players to find and customize their build with.

Overall, the Fatal Falls DLC marks the 22nd content update for Dead Cells since its release, and is the second paid expansion after The Bad Seed released earlier this year. To date, the game has sold over 3.5 million copies and continues to see a steady stream of new content and updates introduced, which speaks to how successful the game has been since its launch out of early access.

Dead Cells is available now on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, Linux, and mobile.

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Rocket League: Season 2 Officially Kicks Off December 9

Even five years after its initial release, Rocket League has continued to hit its stride with a passionate player base across consoles and PC. After its transition to a free-to-play release earlier this year, Psyonix is continuing to give fans new content to look forward to with the introduction of in-game Seasons and events, with the next major Season to start in a week.

Developer Psyonix has officially announced that Season 2 for Rocket League will begin on December 9, 2020 and will "celebrate all things music." According to the studio, Season 2 will introduce a new Rocket Pass and Arena, alongside some brand new customization options such as Player Anthems and fresh music, including tracks from artist Kaskade.

You can check out the official trailer for Season 2 below:

Specifically, Psyonix detailed that the Season 2 Rocket Pass will include a brand new car–the R3MX–that sports a bright, neon-themed exterior. The new car is unlocked immediately with the Rocket Pass Premium, and players can work their way up through the Pass to unlock the final version of the car, the R3MX GXT. The new Arena called "Neon Fields" also continues the music theme with bright lights and colors, and will be available to play in online playlists or private matches.

Psyonix made the jump to a free-to-play structure for Rocket League this fall and went to its new home on the Epic Games Store for PC players. Recently, the developer also outlined the enhancements that players on PS5 and Xbox Series X/Series S can enjoy on the new consoles, including options for 4K resolution and 120fps.

Rocket League is available now on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, and Linux.

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KonoSuba: Fantastic Days: Sora Amamiya (Aqua), Jun Fukushima (Kazuma) Share The Love With English Fans In Video Interviews

KonoSuba Fantastic Days feature Kazuma Aqua Megumin

As we previously reported, the KonoSuba gacha game, KonoSuba: Fantastic Days, will be launching in English in 2021 on iOS and Android. For the occasion, Nexon published special video interviews with the voices of Aqua and Kazuma, Sora Amamiya and Jun Fukushima.

In her interview for the Global release of KonoSuba: Fantastic Days, Sora Amamiya brought up she's very happy overseas fans will be able to enjoy the game as well. Amamiya knows KonoSuba is very popular outside Japan. As such, hearing the Global release of Fantastic Days is on the way makes her very hyped. Sora Amamiya also pointed out Fantastic Days includes multiple original characters.

Sora Amamiya, the prolific seiyuu who voices our favorite useless goddess Aqua, is also known for voicing characters such as Kasumi Yoshizawa in Persona 5 Royal, Elizabeth in The Seven Deadly Sins, and Mayuri in Date A Live.

Meanwhile, in his interview, Jun Fukushima explained voicing Kazuma for the anime and voicing Kazuma for the game is slightly different. Mainly because the seiyuu recorded their lines for the game separately. This means they had to imagine themselves talking with someone, even if they were alone. Moreover, this allows the characters to display stronger emotions.

Jun Fukushima is also known for voicing Jin Muso in Aquarion Evol, and Hariham Harry in HUGtto! Pretty Cure. Be careful not to mix him up with Jun Fukuyama, another popular seiyuu.

KonoSuba: Fantastic Days Interviews with Sora Amamiya (Aqua), Jun Fukushima (Kazuma)

KonoSuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World! Fantastic Days is out in Japan since February 27, 2019. Nicknamed KonoFan, it includes many voiced scenes and very high production values. It's a must play for any KonoSuba fan, as long as you aren't allergic to gacha systems.  For the Global launch, official socials have been launched on Instagram, Twitter and Twitch too, with the PlayKonoSuba official site.

The first KonoSuba game localized in English is KonoSuba: Fantastic Days. However, multiple console games exist:

Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! -Kono Yokubou no Ishou ni Chouai wo! , a visual novel by Mages. It launched in Japan on PS4 and Switch on September 24, 2020. Each girl has her specific route in the game.

Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! ~Kibou no Meikyuu to Tsudoishi Boukensha tachi Plus~. A dungeon crawler available on PS4 and Switch, only in Japan.

Lastly, the first KonoSuba console game was Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! -Kono Yokubukai Game ni Shinpan wo!-, released in 2017 on PS Vita and PS4. It was another ADV (visual novel) by Mages.

Never heard of KonoSuba?

KonoSuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World! is originally a web novel part of the Isekai boom, written by Natsume Akatsuki. Its publication ran from 2012 to 2013 on Shōsetsuka ni Narō. A much longer Light Novel version ran in Japan from 2013 to 2020, with illustrations by Kurone Mishima. Overall, it's a fantasy series with a huge focus on comedy using quirky characters. The novel got multiple anime and manga adaptations and is quite popular worldwide. Combatants Will Be Dispatched!, another series by Natsume Akatsuki, is a must-read as well.

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Xbox Game Pass is Finally Adding Control and More in December

It's hard not to argue that Xbox Game Pass is currently one of the best deals across console and PC gaming, with the subscription service continuing to offer a huge selection of games for a relatively low monthly/annual cost. As is tradition, the start of a new month means the arrival of a new roster of games that are coming to Game Pass, with one long-requested title finally making its way over very soon.

Microsoft has officially announced the lineup of games coming to Xbox Game Pass for December 2020, which boasts an impressive roster of 17 new games. Specifically, one of the biggest new additions is Control, which is finally making its way over to Xbox Game Pass after previously being confirmed by Phil Spencer (and  then de-confirmed by Remedy) in the past for the service.

Following Remedy's acclaimed title, this month also sees a number of new additions for Game Pass across console, PC, and Android devices. Some of the brand new titles that will release in December include Call of the Sea and Haven, while Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition will bring the massive JRPG over to Xbox for the first time. DOOM Eternal was also confirmed to be coming to Xbox Game Pass on PC later this week.

Alongside the newly-announced games coming to the subscription service, Microsoft is also offering potential new Game Pass subscribers a deal to get their first three months of the service for $1 starting on December 3, 2020. With the holiday season in full swing, this is likely a great gift that you can offer for a loved one or family member that is in into gaming.

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Elden Ring Was Rumored to Release in Early 2021 but May Have Been Internally Delayed Due to COVID

Elden Ring

Elden Ring is the game that supposedly exists although FromSoftware has yet to show us anything about it. Outside of the game's initial reveal trailer back at E3 2019, news on the game has been essentially nonexistent. Fortunately, if a popular rumor proves to be true, we could start to see and hear more about the title quite soon.

In a new report from AltChar, it is said that FromSoftware and Bandai Namco Entertainment internally have been planning to release Elden Ring in early 2021. This information comes by way of an "insider" named Taepo on ResetEra who purports that this information is true based on what they have heard. That said, the COVID-19 pandemic and the strain it has put on developers around the globe is said to have caused FromSoftware to potentially push back the game's launch by a few additional months, meaning that it may not arrive until closer to the summer.

Obviously, it's hard to know if any of this info is true given the way that it is coming about, so take it with a major grain of salt. That being said, despite the fact that FromSoftware has been so silent on Elden Ring this year, a potential release in 2021 doesn't seem outlandish. The studio's last project, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, released in early 2019 which means we're nearly at the point where it will have been two full years since FromSoft launched a game. Given the previous timelines for release with other titles the studio has worked on in the past, it stands to reason that this gap between Sekiro and Elden Ring would be more than ample for the latter project to get finished up.

As 2020 comes to a close, there is always the possibility that Elden Ring could show up at the year's biggest remaining gaming event which is The Game Awards. While I wouldn't encourage you to get your hopes up for a re-reveal at this venue, I know that I'll for sure be crossing my own fingers that we learn something new on December 10.

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Sonic the Hedgehog Sequel Expects to Begin Production in March 2021

sonic the hedgehog, paramount pictures

While the film had a bit of a bumpy road to release at the beginning of this year, Sonic the Hedgehog actually turned out to be a surprisingly successful adaptation of a well-known video game series. In the tradition of major film franchises, the success of the first film has led to the promise of an upcoming sequel, with production officially set to begin within a few months.

Over on the website for the BC Creative Film Commission–an organization that looks over film and TV projects shot in British Columbia–a listing appeared for a production called "Emerald Hill." Naturally, as Sonic fans would know, this is a reference to the opening level of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and notes that the set is scheduled to start production in March 2021 and wrapping up in May.

At the moment it seems that the sequel is on track to begin filming around a year before its expected release in spring 2022, though the biggest question looming over the production is if there may be any potential delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Film and TV production has resumed in many parts of the world with COVID-19 guidelines in place, though several productions have experienced pauses or delays due to rising cases. Netflix's The Witcher experienced this recently during the production of its second season after an outbreak took place during the course of filming.

The first film was released earlier this year to commercial success and, compared to most other video game adaptations, also received a warm critical reception. To date, the film is one of the top-grossing movies worldwide and domestically, though it happened to release at an opportune time right before the surge of the coronavirus pandemic around the world. Following its success at the box office, it was officially announced by Paramount Pictures and SEGA Sammy that a sequel was officially in development and is scheduled to release in April 2022.

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