Halo Infinite is going to be a fall 2021 game
Halo Infinite was sorely missed during the Xbox Series X launch (heck, it was even featured on the console packaging), but the decision to spend more time improving the game immediately felt like the right call. The question is, when's it coming out? 343 Industries is now aiming for fall 2021.
The new release window was announced in a wide-ranging progress update on Halo Infinite.
Joseph Staten, a former Halo series developer at Bungie who wore "many different hats over the years including writer, cinematic director, creative director—even a voice for the Grunts" was brought on-board "from the sidelines" to help get Infinite out the door. He joined 343 Industries "right as the team was wrestling with feedback from the July campaign demo," and says that conversation "boiled down to one fundamental truth: we needed more time to do things right." I hope it pays off. The series needs it.
Today's blog post goes into great detail about the team's progress since the last public showing – from improvements to the game's overall visual fidelity, to Craig's "significant makeover," to armor and weapon coatings. It's a lot of nitty-gritty stuff that Halo fans will want to dig into when they can.
As for what's next, Staten says "Insider flighting" will happen "later next year."
Director of art management Neill Harrison said 343 is "eager to show the progress the team has made in [Infinite's] Campaign as soon we can, but we want to make sure we have all the right pieces coming together and this can be tricky with a lot of moving parts and an expansive world of this scope. We know everyone is keen to see more and we look forward to sharing more in future updates in the months ahead."
Inside Infinite – December 2020 [Halo]
Flash Player is dead. Long live Flash Player!
[The internet was a very different time in Flash's heyday, and it's worth preserving those old games, animations, and even just our memories as much as possible. This blog from Nior brought me back to the early 2000s in the best way. -Jordan]
On December 31st of this year, Adobe is officially "killing" the Flash Player plugin.
I doubt I need to explain to most of you what this plugin even is. It was such a ubiquitous part of the early age of the internet, offering interactivity in the form of games and video players, that it feels weird that we're about to live in a world without it.
The simple truth is that technology moved on, and the plugin became obsolete ages ago, but those days, that early, wild west age of the internet, when the rules were not defined and no one knew what the hell they were doing, is something that is burned into my mind, in no small part thanks to Flash Player. And today, I'd like to take you back there. One last trip down memory lane, a farewell to some of my favorite things from so many years ago.
Let's do this.
If you buy Hitman 3 on PS5, you'll also get a PS4 copy so you can play in VR
IO Interactive is in a slightly strange place with Hitman 3's PlayStation VR support given the way PS5 currently works with the four-year-old headset. If you haven't dug into the details, here goes: you'll either play Agent 47's hilarious-looking VR mode "natively" on a PS4, or you'll experience it with a PS4 copy of the game running on a PS5 via backward compatibility – those are the only two options.
What gives? Sony didn't want to drop support for PSVR on PlayStation 5, but it also isn't ready for the next model. As such, we're in this weird middle ground that's better than nothing but far from ideal.
The good news, as confirmed on the PlayStation Blog, is that IO Interactive will include "a free digital copy of the PS4 version of Hitman 3 with all PS5 copies, whether you choose to buy it via disc or digital."
The studio also reiterated that Hitman and Hitman 2 locations will be playable in first-person VR, and it detailed Hitman 3's DualSense usage, which is going to give every weapon "unique haptic feedback."
My fingers are still crossed that there will be some added benefits to playing Hitman 3 in VR on PS5 hardware (like how Blood and Truth looks and runs better), but we'll have to wait for more details.
Hitman 3's DualSense controller features unveiled, plus more gameplay info [PlayStation Blog]
Skipping Cyberpunk? Maybe try Call of the Sea
I don't know much about Call of the Sea but I instantly respect it for one reason: It's one of the few games that's willing to go head-to-head with Cyberpunk 2077. When most other publishers have turned tail and ran from the Cyberpunk window, Raw Fury has marched Call of the Sea out the same week.
Don't get me wrong, this is not a David vs Goliath situation. Call of the Sea will not miraculously outsell Cyberpunk 2077. It will get squashed, but it's also not trying to win. It's simply there as "Hey, are you sick of Cyberpunk dominating the discourse? Well, this is a different new game you could try." I admire the gusto.
The decision is a little easier because many of you will not have to plunk down money to try Call of the Sea. This Lovecraft-inspired '30s-era adventure game where you try to find your missing husband after this expedition went awry is a day-one Xbox Game Pass addition. If you subscribe to Game Pass, you can play this right now on consoles. It's also on PC via Steam and GOG.
At first glance, it seems to be pretty decent. It's gathered mostly respectable review scores with a handful of standout nods. We should have a review coming sometime soon if you're inclined to wait for that. But, if you're in the mood for something -- anything -- that isn't Cyberpunk, maybe Call of the Sea can offer a bit of reprieve.
Minecraft, Roblox, and Free Fire were the most-watched games on YouTube in 2020
I get a weird satisfaction from knowing which video games humans are collectively into watching on YouTube, and the top-five most-watched list for 2020 includes a name many of us won't recognize.
Here's the breakdown this year, as shared by YouTube:
- Minecraft (201B views)
- Roblox (75B views)
- Garena Free Fire (72B views)
- Grand Theft Auto V (70B views)
- Fortnite (67B views)
You know Minecraft, but you might not know that it's bigger than ever on YouTube. You also probably know Roblox, even if you don't really "get it." Grand Theft Auto V and Fortnite need no introduction. But have you heard of Garena Free Fire before today? I only just learned about the game last week.
Free Fire is a mobile-focused battle royale phenom that has taken over Latin America, Southeast Asia, and India with over 500 million Android downloads worldwide and 100 million peak daily active users. Those are dizzying numbers for any game, much less one that many enthusiasts aren't aware of.
Another stat: according to YouTube, there are "over 40 million active gaming channels and, globally, there were over 100 billion hours of gaming content watched on YouTube." Think of all those ads.
What about the most-watched gaming video of 2020? It's this one: Minecraft Real POV.
Temtem is fine on PS5 if you know what you're getting into
It's worth stressing a few things about Temtem upfront now that it's released on PlayStation 5.
If you're burned out on Pokémon in general, there's a decent chance Temtem won't do enough to differentiate itself, and that's kind of where I fall. But if your love/hate relationship with Game Freak comes down to very specific gameplay criticisms – or a perceived lack of difficulty – it might just click. Besides its "familiar but different" learning curve, there's a real effort to push back and test players.
On the one hand, it feels great to be challenged again – to have to consider a bunch of short- and long-term factors and truly think things through in any given battle. On the other hand, the grind is no joke.
It's also worth noting that Temtem is still in early access on PS5. It's in a good spot, but it isn't done.
Gears 5's story add-on launches next week as part of Xbox Game Pass
Gears 5 has gotten a steady cadence of multiplayer support ever since it launched in fall 2019. Next week, it gets something no Gears game has gotten since 2011: Singleplayer story DLC.
We learned in October that The Coalition is planning a story expansion for Gears 5. It's called Hivebusters and it tells the backstory of Team Scorpio (later renamed Team Xbox One X), who makes up the trio in Gears 5's Escape mode. This DLC chronicles their first mission as a squad.
Today, Xbox released this launch trailer for Hivebusters and confirmed that the add-on comes out on December 15. It carries a $20 price tag, but it's free for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. Note the "Ultimate." If you only subscribe to the base level Game Pass, you'll have to buy Hivebusters.
The trailer's worth a watch just to see old man Hoffman if nothing else. There's a curious bit at the end where they willingly get gobbled up by some Pouncers. As for gameplay specifics, Xbox confirms the expansion will run about three hours and supports three-player co-op (split-screen and online).
Gears 5: Hivebusters Expansion Arrives December 15 with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate [Xbox Wire]
Ghost of Tsushima won the audience vote at The Game Awards
The polls are closed, and Sucker Punch's samurai action game took the Players' Voice award at The Game Awards. Ghost of Tsushima faced tough competition from The Last of Us Part II – Sony really showed up this year – but its cozy open-world vibe beat out Naughty Dog's harrowing storytelling.
I had not-so-secretly hoped that Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us Part II would essentially cancel each other out in the final round and help Hades bubble up to the top, but it wasn't meant to be.
They're all great games in their own right, and the same can be said of Doom Eternal and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, the two other titles that made it to the end. Talk about a wide spread of experiences.
Ghost isn't my game of the year (I felt like Jin's journey lost steam at points), but I can see how a case could be made for it. The awesome Legends co-op mode brightened my outlook, and the game resonated with a lot of players – it was the "fastest-selling first-party original PS4 game."
We'll find out what the jury voters ultimately landed on this Thursday during The Game Awards.
Skullomania reappears in Street Fighter V, but only as a new costume for G
That troublesome but reclusive fighter Skullomania is making his presence felt once again, but unfortunately perhaps not in quite the way fans would have hoped. While it appears that the bodysuited weirdo is finally ready to make his long-awaited return to the Street Fighter franchise, this comeback is only in the form of an alternate costume for the equally bizarre fighter, G.
Skullomania, who debuted in 1996 release Street Fighter EX, has fast gone on to become one of the Street Fighter franchise's most legendary figures. Unfortunately, licensing issues have kept the part-time superhero from returning to the roster of Capcom's flagship fighter, much to the chagrin of fans. In recent years, Skullomania made a much-appreciated comeback, featuring in both Arika's Fighting EX Layer and in SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy, albeit in genderbent form.
Street Fighter V players can earn the Skullomania costume in the fighter's current "Extra Battle" mode - which tasks players with completing a series of fights in order to earn the skin. Amusingly, even in the Skullomania guise, G retains his iconic top hat. While this may not be the comeback that Skullomania fans had hoped for, it shows that the license issues are clearing up, and with Street Fighter VI currently in development... fingers crossed?
David Cage's studio is publishing a story-driven game about a roadtrip across a divided America
It has been a while since we've heard anything from David Cage's studio, Quantic Dream. After Detroit: Become Human in 2018, the developer has mostly been silent apart from some PC ports of games that were previously PlayStation exclusives.
Now we know Quantic Dream's newest game, but not in a developer capacity. It's publishing an indie game that seems like it spiritually fits among everything in Cage's portfolio. Quantic Dream is publishing Dustborn, which is a story-driven adventure game that's set to come to PC and consoles sometime next year.
There's a lot to process with Dustborn. Broadly speaking, it's a transcontinental roadtrip in 2030 where you play as a pregnant woman named Pax who's delivering a mysterious package. The world has sort of gone to hell after an event called "The Broadcast," which seems to have been a disinformation campaign that divided America. It's literally fake news that seems to have caused a civil war of sorts, and developer Red Thread Games says Pax and her friends need to survive via "manipulation, subterfuge, and force."
Got all that? David Cage's involvement wouldn't make sense unless there was a lofty premise and a lot of promises to live up to.
Dustborn [Quantic Dream]
Could N64 hero Glover be preparing for a comeback?
In one of the strangest teases of 2020, it seems that low-key '90s platforming star Glover might be getting ready to make a slap-happy comeback in a bold new generation of gaming.
Piko Interactive - who currently holds the rights to Glover - recently tweeted fans asking what stretch goals they would like to see should a hypothetical Glover Kickstarter campaign emerge. The tweet made no specific mention of whether said Kickstarter would be for a remaster, a remake, or a brand new sequel, but it would certainly be one of gaming's weirdest comebacks - right up there with Kao the Kangaroo.
Originally released on N64 in 1998, before being ported to PlayStation the following year, Glover sees the titular... erm... glove tackle a series of courses, maneuvering balls into goals in challenging gameplay in the vein of Marble Madness or Super Monkey Ball. Somehow crow-barred into this simple, ball-rolling action was a mystical plot about a magical crystal kingdom and an evil glove known as "Cross Stitch." I miss the '90s.
While developer Interactive Studios did begin work on sequel Glover 2, the project was never completed, with Glover eventually confined to the cupboard of forgotten gaming heroes. But given Piko Interactive's suggestive tweet, perhaps the time to let our fingers do the walking is nigh.
Re-release of N64 classic Glover appears to be taking shape [NintendoLife]
The absolute disrespect of relegating NieR Replicant to the Game Awards pre-show
With regard to events, the prefix pre- almost always indicates something is lesser-than. Are more people watching the Super Bowl or the Super Bowl Pre-Show? What's more interesting: Pre-loading your game or playing your game? There's exactly one pre- that's better than the main event, and that's pre-gaming before going out drinking. A night out is almost always less fun than the eight at-home drinks that precede it.
That's why it's criminal to put NieR Replicant Ver. 1.22474487139 on the Game Awards pre-show. You know it'll be better than -- let's guesstimate conservatively -- 75 percent of the stuff that's shown on the proper show.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake pushed back to March 2021
Ubisoft has announced that its remake of classic platforming adventure Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time will no longer meet its previously announced release date of January 21. The chrono-puzzler will now launch for PS4, PC, and Xbox One on March 18, 2021.
"2020 was a year like no other," said Ubisoft on its official Twitter. "Today we would like to inform you that we need more time to complete the game. With that, the release date of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake has been moved to March 18, 2021. We believe this is the right decision to ensure we deliver a game you enjoy."
"Thank you for your patience and continued support of the Prince of Persia, and we hope you remain safe and healthy during this holiday season."
Here is exactly when each part of World of Warcraft: Shadowlands' first raid will open
We've all had some time to get used to World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, but now, the hardcore fun begins. So here's the final rub, now that the first raid, Castle Nathria, is scheduled to release later today at roughly 5PM ET.
Taking place in the heart of Revendreth (hey, that's my home!), it's going to be a fairly hefty romp, consisting of 10 bosses with a minimum item level of 170 requirement. The normal and heroic version of the raid opens up today, which will be cleared in a matter of hours. On December 15, Mythic opens up, which is going to be when you see all of the "world first" runs and Twitch stream madness: look forward to it!
But that's basically for the 1%. For the literal 99%, the first wing of the Raid Finder opens on that same day, with subsequent wings opening on January 5, January 19, and February 2. When that latter date arrives, the entire raid will be open for business for the casual audience.
As a reminder, raid finder (or looking for raid/"LFR") is a tool that allows everyone to queue up and play an easier version of each raid. It typically unlocks in waves to allow for the more hardcore hype to build for higher difficulty settings.
Castle Nathria Raid Preview and Schedule [Battle.net]
Over $300,000 of Nvidia RTX 3090 cards stolen in warehouse theft
Manufacturer MSI has reportedly had a huge shipment of its new Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 graphics cards stolen from its warehouse in China. As noted by Tom's Hardware, the haul is valued by Chinese press to be in the region of 2.2 million yuan, or roughly $335,000 USD.
Police are currently investigating the theft, though it would seem MSI believes that some of its own employees may be involved, given the specifics of the theft and the ability to bypass the warehouse's security systems. An internal memo from MSI is offering a reward of 100,000 yuan ($10,000 USD) to anyone who comes forward with information, alongside protection for any in-house whistle-blower.
The latter half of 2020 has seen an increase of hardware thefts within the gaming industry. The missing 3090 cards join a list alongside a string of PlayStation 5 consoles that mysteriously vanished while en route to their unfortunate buyers last month. The Nvidia RTX 3090 card retails for around $1,500 USD, though scalpers have been attempting to sell them for prices higher still.
MSI's Nvidia RTX 3090s stolen in China [Tom's Hardware / Eurogamer]
Zelda: Breath of the Wild players are still finding ways to stunt on Lynels
For the past few years I've had experience training against Lynels in Zelda: Breath of the Wild. So when my wife and I played together recently in tandem (with two Switch devices), I felt like Goku coming out of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. That's kind of how gorgonzolawithhoney (great name) felt in this video.
As we've gone over many times before, "stunt videos" are fairly popular in the Breath of the Wild community. Folks have found innovative ways to completely destroy the toughest enemies in the game at every turn, and as we're coming up on four years now of the game being in existence (!), people are still finding more.
This clip starts at the end of a fairly dramatic battle with a Lynel that wouldn't be out of place in an official trailer. Managing to dodge or parry all of the fire blasts, gorgonzolawithhoney stuns them with a quick arrow, then before going to enact the riding slash prompt they throw a boomerang; which promptly circles around the Lynel, hitting them constantly. It's a double-whammy situation and brings back memories of this gem.
I don't typically use boomerangs when I play, but now I wanna.
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II coming to mobile next week
Obsidian Entertainment's old-school RPG Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords will be making a comeback on mobile platforms next week. Developed by Aspyr Media, the sci-fi sequel will be available to download on iOS and Android from December 18.
"Fans have been asking for a mobile version of Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II for so long, and we're thrilled to finally bring it to them," said Aspyr Media's VP of publishing Elizabeth Howard. "We're proud to continue working with Lucasfilm to bring classic titles like Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II to modern platforms."
Originally released on PC and Xbox in 2004, KOTOR II sees players in the role of a young Jedi, fighting back against the might of the Sith Lords who have hunted the order to almost complete extinction. Featuring the huge worlds, complex narratives, and moral dilemmas that Obsidian is renown for, KOTOR II received a positive reception from critics and fans, appreciating the mammoth effort of attempting to capture the same adventure and excitement as found in its fantastic predecessor, Knights of the Old Republic.
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords launches on iOS and Android December 18, priced at around $15.
Persona 5 Strikers announcement trailer is back up and pre-orders start soon
It was up, then down, and now it's up again. As promised, Atlus has officially announced a western release for its Persona x Musou mash-up Persona 5 Strikers. The game, which launched in Japan back in February, is heading to our part of the world on February 23, 2021. Not only are we getting the game on PS4 and Switch, but a Steam release is in the works as well.
Magic: Arena is giving away free Bob Ross-inspired lands
Magic: The Gathering Arena often does random "free code" drops, and this time, they're giving away themed lands.
Dubbed "Happy Little Lands," these basic cards are themed after the paintings of Bob Ross, and come in all five varieties (plains, islands, swamps, mountains, and forests). You have until December 14 to redeem them, and you can find all of the codes below. Make sure you try them with all caps if you're having issues, and enter them in the corner of the "store" tab in-game.
All of this is to promote the "Secret Lair" concept, which is a rather controversial effort by Wizards of the Coast to sell more themed products directly to players. The Secretversary 2020 store is open now, which is selling all sorts of premium products, as well as "Artist Series" SKUs that feature the work of Seb McKinnon: one of the most prolific Magic artists ever.
As Magic continues to truck on with all sorts of new influences from Hasbro, I'll mostly continue down the path I have been this past year or so: focusing on Arena, and on the standard sets. Although pre-release events and Commander are a ton of fun, it's been tough meeting up in real life this year; so all of that will have to wait.
For now, free lands!
Blizzard claims that World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is the fastest-selling PC game of all time
Just this morning, Blizzard informed Destructoid that World of Warcraft: Shadowlands has become the "fastest-selling PC game of all time."
With numbers to back that claim up, Blizzard reports that Shadowlands sold through 3.7 million units on "the first day of launch," which beats out every other game, comparatively. The publisher notes that it bested its own record of Diablo III, which hit 3.5 million copies sold on its first day back in 2012. Blizzard states that these numbers were obtained from "sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and reports from key distributors."
According to the publisher, the game is booming more this year than it has in the past decade, with the highest number of monthly players and long-term subscriptions than any period in the last 10 years. It's only going to get more lively, as the first raid and major season starts today, following the two-week holding period in which players started to really get acclimated to the expansion.
By my estimation, there's going to be a lot of folks toiling away with alts too for the next few years, given the fairly open leveling system. Now if you'll excuse me, the Shadowlands weekly reset is happening soon and I need some more renown.
47's world is glossier and deadlier than ever before in Hitman 3 gameplay trailer
Developer IO Interactive has released the first full gameplay trailer for Hitman 3, the third and final chapter in Agent 47's globe-trotting "World of Assassination" trilogy. The video showcases everyone's favorite Suspicious Bald Person as he travels the world meeting interesting people, and killing them.
The three-minute video sees the ICA assassin tackling a whole new series of missions in a selection of distinct locales. From rain-filled neon streets, grim fog-covered marshland, and swanky upscale parties, our one-man army brings the sting of death to some of society's most powerful and seemingly untouchable villains.
While it can't be denied that the action in Hitman 3 looks mostly comparable to that of previous releases Hitman and Hitman 2, powerful next-gen graphics bring character models, visual effects, and opulent locales to life like never before. Mr. Tobias Rieper asking to use the bathroom seems a very, very long time ago.
Hitman 3 will launch January 20 on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Stadia. A Nintendo Switch port - utilizing cloud-streaming technology - is also in the works.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Season One trailer unveils shadows from the past
Russell Adler is a pretty shifty dude. The 'nam veteran and CIA operative might be a master at both getting his hands dirty and getting things done, but only while leaving a trail of broken bodies and lives in his wake. Well, it looks like one such broken life is back, and now the hunter has become the hunted.
Activision has released a cinematic trailer teasing the arrival of season one in its blockbuster shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Arriving on December 16, the season one narrative introduces former KGB agent Vikor "Stitch" Kuzmin, whose chemical weapons program - situated on the notorious Rebirth Island - was destroyed by Adler in the late '60s. In the video, we see Adler and the squad visit an incident at a New Jersey mall, only to find Kuzmin alive (not so much "well") and with a score to settle with the U S of A.
Fire Emblem Heroes Book V reveals mech armor and exciting steampunk aesthetic
Nintendo has lifted the lid on the newest expansion to its mobile battle title Fire Emblem Heroes. Book V, which launches this week, takes a side-step from the swords and sorcery of previous seasons, adding intricately engineered armor, powerful mech units, and a new steampunk aesthetic
The background story sees the realm of Nioavellir master the fusion of both science and magic, resulting in the creation of hi-tech weaponry and battle armor. The apex of this technology comes in the form of domineering battle mechs known as Gullinbursti, which will definitely make their presence felt among the dragon riders and archers of the free-to-play title. You can check out the style and aesthetic of Book V in the new trailer below.
I am dismayed to report that the rats are better. I'm not exactly sure how they're better, but they're definitely better.
Late last week, we got a press release that confirmed Warhammer: Vermintide 2 has been optimized for Xbox Series S/X. Without mentioning specifics of the technical upgrade, we were only told "Vermintide 2 now runs smoother than ever before, allowing for some truly silky smooth and visually satisfying rat killing."
I needed to take the weekend to process and cope with the fact that the rats are now better. The rats are smoother. The rats are silkier. Next-gen was a mistake.
Xbox is allegedly announcing something big at The Game Awards
It's the most excruciating week of the year for a games blogger, the week where the only stuff that qualifies as news is "Something might happen at The Game Awards." Thus, I am here again to tell you that something else might happen at The Game Awards.
There's a breadcrumb trail of evidence that Xbox has something up its sleeve for The Game Awards. First and foremost, Xbox has been promoting the show through its social channels. Xbox has also mentioned The Game Awards elsewhere, like in its most recent Game Pass post. Most interesting (via VGC), is that Jeff Grubb said on a new GamesBeat podcast that "Microsoft has something coming to The Game Awards, I know that much."
The smart money (or at least the wishful "This could be a really big announcement" money) is that Xbox will lift the veil on whatever its new studio, The Initiative, is working on. The rumor that has picked up the most momentum over the past few months is that it's some sort of full reboot of the Perfect Dark universe.
That speculation may come to an end on Thursday evening. Xbox has something up its sleeve. Last year, it was the formal introduction (and official name reveal) of the Xbox Series X. Of course, Microsoft owns a whole bunch of studios now, so this announcement could come from any corner. It's expected to be big, whatever it is.
It's the Podtoid Mailbag Extravaganza
It is the first new episode of Podtoid for the month, and throughout 2020, that has meant opening the mailbag and answering your questions. In the past, we've got a handful of interesting inquiries, enough to make the Goddamn Mail a featured segment in the back-half of the show. But this week, the community came through with so many great questions that we had to super-size this episode of Podtoid to answer as many as we could. Want to know our thoughts on games from 2020, what we'll do when COVID is over, licensed titles, and more? Then sit back and chillax all cool with Podtoid Episode 469.
Rust is still coming to consoles, just not in 2020
Garry Newman meant it when he said the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Rust weren't "something we wanted to rush out." A year after the ports were announced, they've been delayed beyond 2020.
In a blog post, Double Eleven said Rust was coming to consoles "just a little later than planned," but stopped short of announcing a new release date. The studio also explained why it's been so quiet.
"The world of games dev is a fickle beast; you never have the full picture up front and the development process often becomes more of a journey of discovery when bringing a PC title to console. As much as engaging with players is extremely important, we believe it also has to be meaningful and as we've been working away behind the scenes, we haven't felt ready to share anything with you yet."
"We've always had some remote workers," Double Eleven said, "but moving the entire company home to keep everyone safe has presented challenges as we've found new ways to work with each other in the new normal that this year had in store for us."
As much as some of us have moved on from Rust, it's still very active on PC – it took the #10 spot today on Steam for most concurrent players – and it has such huge potential with the console audience.
Rust Console Edition Update [Double Eleven]
Forza Horizon 4 is surprise dropping a new game mode tomorrow
Forza Horizon 4 is one of the best Xbox games in years and it just keeps getting better. Playground Games has supported it far beyond the treatment these games usually get -- that might be a pleasant byproduct of being an Xbox Game Pass standout -- with a couple major expansions, a free battle royale mode, a bunch of big title updates, and weekly content updates.
Tomorrow, it gets a little wackier and a lot more dangerous. Forza Horizon 4 will receive a new game mode called Super7 that places floating out-of-place ramps all over England. Check out the trailer above to get an idea of how it looks.
Here's the description from the Forza forums: Introducing the Horizon Super7, an all-new game mode that celebrates community-created challenges. Create individual challenges based on drift, speed, air, and more. Then, when choosing to play Super7, seven randomly selected challenges appear, with each being a total surprise. If you can win all seven challenges in a row, you'll get your hands on an exclusive reward. You'll be able to enhance your challenges with Blueprint Builder, a first in Forza history, that lets you place stunts, structures, and scenery in your challenge -- whatever you want, wherever you want."
So, it's part stunt extravaganza and part level editor. And part infuriating randomness when you need to knock out seven challenges consecutively with no way to practice them. It's also worth noting that this isn't a PvP mode. Super7 seems to be strictly singleplayer (aside from the fact that you're playing other people's creations). You don't need to compete with other players while trying to knock out these stunts.
It all arrives December 8 as part of a free update. Playground gets a little closer to its vision of turning England into an amusement park.
El Shaddai is getting a better-late-than-never PC port on Steam
If you never got around to playing the hidden gem El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron on PS3 or Xbox 360, you might have better luck on PC. In a tweet today, the game's director, Sawaki Takeyasu, confirmed that his studio Crim (which acquired the rights in 2013) will bring El Shaddai to Steam.
The PC version is "currently in development," but there isn't much else to share. No date yet. Takeyasu did note that they're planning to have options for English and Japanese voice-overs and text."
I think it's fair to say that El Shaddai garnered a mixed response, but it had an unmistakable style and unique premise that drew from the Book of Enoch, so it's great to see it live on with a Steam release.
In his original review for Destructoid – an oldie but a goodie – Jonathan Holmes called El Shaddai "constantly unpredictable," citing "heaping loads of surrealism, 2D platforming, sexy dudes, dance numbers, transforming robots, and giant yellow hot dog people." I missed the boat.
@Sawaki_Takeyasu [Twitter via Gematsu]
Epic will not be holding in-person Fortnite events in 2021
Many of 2020's major gaming events were understandably curtailed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As 2021 beckons, it seems that the coronavirus will continue to make its presence felt, with some publishers already forgoing plans for large gatherings in the new year.
Epic Games, publisher of the biggest title on the planet, Fortnite, has already announced that it will not be holding any in-person live events for the duration of 2021. While online tournaments, streams, and presentations will take place - including the heralded Fortnite Championship Series - Epic is not ready to start cramming international crowds into arenas across the glove. Quite sensibly, I might add.
"With so much still unknown about what is practical and safe, we do not plan to hold in-person events in 2021, including a Fortnite World Cup," said Epic in a press release. "We will continue to provide online competitions throughout 2021 with the hopes that physical events, in some form, can return at some point in the future."
"FNCS (Fortnite Championship Series) will be the constant measure of success in competitive Fortnite, but we're looking at other avenues for high-level competition 2021. Beyond our biggest competitions, in 2021, we're putting together a schedule featuring more weekly tournaments, unique tournaments, and Creator Cups throughout the year. There will be plenty of competitions (not just Trios!) to scratch the competitive itch between FNCS seasons."
While Epic Games is the first company to err on the side of caution when it comes to planning its 2021 schedule it seems - with the COVID-19 pandemic still heavily prevalent throughout North America and much of the world - that it will not be the last.
Epic won't hold in-person Fortnite events in 2021 [GamesIndustry.biz]
Josef Fares and his 'Fuck the Oscars' swag are making another Game Awards appearance
No matter how dull The Game Awards end up Thursday night -- and who knows how this all-at-home version of the show will end up -- there's guaranteed to be at least a couple minutes of fireworks.
Josef Fares, creator of Brothers -- A Tale of Two Sons and A Way Out, will make an appearance:
Danganronpa Decade art compendium looks back at ten years of murder 'n' mayhem
This year saw the wild, off-the-wall Danganronpa franchise celebrate its 10th anniversary. And Monokuma and friends certainly did so in style, with mobile remasters, a fresh in-house publisher, and an excellent web series, shining the spotlights on the grisly-yet-gripping murder mystery anthology.
Spike Chunsoft isn't quite done just yet, as pre-orders are now open on Danganronpa Decade, a lavish art compendium that reflects on every entry in the cult gaming franchise. Danganronpa Decade compiles several previously released tomes, housing a total of four titles and a whopping 1,500 pages of artwork, concept sketches, storyboards, and more - all pulled from the twisted minds of Danganronpa director Kazutaka Kodaka and series designer/artist Rui Komatsuzaki.
In addition to the reproduced artwork, each book features production notes, fan surveys, and developer interviews - though unfortunately Danganronpa Decade is only available in Japanese. If you want to pick up a copy for your own bookshelf, then pre-orders are open right now at various importers. Retailing for ¥18,700, or roughly $170 USD, Danganronpa Decade is admittedly quite expensive, but is certainly an opulent piece of merchandising for the dedicated Danganronpa fan.
Project Athia has a two-year console exclusivity window on PS5
It's not every day that we hear specific time windows for platform-exclusive games, and that goes double for exclusivity periods that last two whole years. In a new Sony video meant to hype up forthcoming PS5 games, there's a bit of fine print about Square Enix's release plans for Project Athia.
(Skip ahead to the 0:33 mark to see the Athia footage and "PlayStation 5 Console Exclusive" disclaimer.)
In the video, Sony and Square Enix describe Project Athia as being "in development for PS5" and "also available on PC," as previously known. However, the exclusivity asterisk also mentions that the game won't be "available on other consoles until at least 24 months after [the initial] release date."
It's good to know what kind of timeline we're working with for planning purposes, but jeez. That's a long time. And something tells me these deals are only going to get more aggressive in the next few years.
Side-note: if you're struggling with the wait to play Final Fantasy VII Remake on PC or Xbox, last we heard, it will remain a "timed exclusive" on PS4 until at least March 3, 2021.
[Via @Wario64]
Cyber Monday had little impact on last week's UK Charts
While we have already passed the typically lucrative Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend, the UK Chart remains relatively stagnant this week. The same ten titles occupy almost the exact same ten spots that they did last week, with Electronic Arts' FIFA 21 retaining the coveted number one position for a third week running.
The Top Ten is rounded out with some of 2020's most recent releases, including Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and Sony's pseudo-sequel Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Nintendo regulars Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Super Mario 3D All-Stars are present and correct, maintaining the steady sales that each Switch title has seen since launch.
There's a new gun in town however, and this week's launch of the long-in-development and highly anticipated Cyberpunk 2077 is guaranteed to cause a stir when it launches December 10. With the UK high street temporarily out of lockdown, and Holiday shopping in full effect, it is very likely that next week is CD Projekt RED's for the taking.
Worms has been a part of my life since I was a kid.
My first foray into the world of tactical wormy combat was on the Game Boy many moons ago, and my wife and I have been jamming the series together for over a decade. For the most part though, things have been relatively comfortable for Worms. It might get a new gimmick, another theme, a level editor, or more customizations — but at the end of the day, you're inching around shooting guns in a turn-based manner.
This is why I applaud Team17 for experimenting yet again with Worms Rumble, even if it comes up a bit short.
The sultry Scorpina brings her sting to Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid
Publisher nWay has released the full gameplay trailer for Scorpina, the next character headed to the fun tag-fighter Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid. After a slew of Ranger-based characters, the arrival of one of Rita Repulsa's most unique and dastardly lieutenants is quite anticipated.
Appearing in the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers series, Scorpina ventured into battle with the super-radical rangers alongside fellow villains such as Goldar. One of the few Power Rangers villains to be sans-mask, Scorpina used her alluring looks to catch her enemies off-guard, before unleashing her curved sword with deadly intent. It seems that both Scorpina's fighting style and her femme fatale ways have been neatly recreated in Battle for the Grid, as the trailer below (courtesy of IGN) demonstrates.
Scorpina is the third character to arrive as part of Battle for the Grid's third season pass, following on from Jungle Fury's Robert "RJ" James and Super Samurai's Lauren Shiba. Scorpina will launch in-game tomorrow, December 8, and is a most welcome addition to the fighter's somewhat samey roster.
Where is our review for Cyberpunk 2077?
So the global review embargo for Cyberpunk 2077 has lifted, and we don't have a copy yet. For US outlets in particular, this is actually the norm.
The short of it is, CD Projekt Red gave select folks access to Cyberpunk 2077; typically in countries other than the US like the UK, Australia, and India (or outlets that have a major international presence). Only a few outlets in total were allowed to play the game before today. Last week, we were told that we were getting an advanced copy. That changed when CD Projekt Red opted to not deliver keys to mass media; down to the wire, last Friday.
As usual, this could mean a ton of different things! Now, some people might see this as a complaint, but it's not. I'll explain!
Chrono Odyssey is a stunning Korean MMO coming to PC in 2022
Korean studio NPIXEL has announced a brand new MMORPG, headed to PC and mobile platforms in 2022. Chrono Odyssey will be an epic adventure gaming blending fantastic and captivating worlds and characters, set in a universe where fantasy and sci-fi collide.
The second project from NPIXEL following its previous release Gran Saga, Chrono Odyssey will tell the story of a special organization known as "Idraiginn", who are tasked with battling a legion of all-powerful gods. Utilizing the power of Unreal 4, Chrono Odyssey will feature large-scale battles, stunning vistas, and exquisite character models - a style which you can see encapsulated in the beautiful trailer below. The soundtrack is composed by Cris Velasco, who previously scored titles such as Resident Evil 7, Overwatch, and God of War.
Currently in production for release on PC as well as iOS and Android devices, NPIXEL CEO Spike Bong-gun Bae has noted their desire to see Chrono Odyssey transition to PS5 and Xbox Series X following its initial release. It certainly looks very enticing so far.
The Switch is getting a free eShop shmup after Christmas
Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? - Infinite Combate was released earlier this year in the US, but it did not initially come with its special shmup companion game: Is It Wrong To Try To Shoot 'em Up Girls In A Dungeon? on all platforms. Publisher PQube has since rectified that, but it has one platform left to make good on: Switch.
While you can pick up the shmup for free on PC right now and select PS4 regions, there was a complication with the Switch version. As stated on their Twitter account, PQube notes that the game will "now be heading to Switch after Christmas," and will "let [fans] know" if that changes. PQube clarified that this was due to a "hiccup with the eShop submission."
The gist is that you'll take a small party of five characters through a four-stage, four-difficulty setting shmup, with classic power-ups and bosses in tow. Amazingly, the free shmup is actually rated much higher than the base game, so it probably behooves PQube to actually follow up on this and garner some goodwill.
The Switch is no stranger to these sort of free Japanese gaiden games, especially on the 3DS. I can't believe Mighty Gunvolt came out over six years ago: when the 3Ds was alive and well!
PQube Games [Twitter]
After years of being in limbo, the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World game is coming back in January
Licensing is messy! And in this age of streaming, where different studios produce content and license it out to various services, retaining control of your creation can really suck.
That's basically what happened with 2010's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, a beat 'em up released to rave reviews and fan reception that was basically nuked from existence. Just four years after it was released, it was delisted from every marketplace available: sent to the ether...forever? No! As it turns out.
Earlier this year it was revealed that the powers that be had reached an agreement to re-release the game as a "Complete Edition," which would see it arrive on PC once more, as well as the new platforms of PS4, Switch, Stadia, and Xbox One. As far as we knew Ubisoft was sticking to the "holiday 2020" timeline, but we've just learned today from the game's official social accounts that we're looking at a January 14, 2021 launch on all platforms. It'll help usher in a fairly busy mid-to-late January for games.
The greater proliferation of platforms ensures that it's going to be a little harder to keep down this time (especially the Switch). If it does happen again, the community will likely be ready.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World [Facebook]
Curse of the Sea Rats reveals publisher, release window, and next-gen editions
I am very much looking forward to Petoons Studios' Curse of the Sea Rats, which was confirmed for development this past summer after smashing its crowdfunding goals on Kickstarter. Today brings a rum barrel of news for the anthropomorphic "Ratroidvania," with the arrival of several exciting announcements.
Firstly, Curse of the Sea Rats has found a publisher in the form of PQube, also responsible for bringing titles such as Gal*Gun, Kill la Kill - IF, and Cat Quest to the shelves. PQube will ship Curse of the Sea Rats in 2021 confirmed, with PS5 and Xbox Series X ports added to the previously announced editions on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
PQube has released a neat new trailer to celebrate the announcements, which depicts our furry heroes as they track down the notorious with Flora Burn, in efforts to return to their original - and far more human - selves. I'm very much looking forward to this stylish adventure, and am eager to hear more about our party of seafaring adventurers soon.
GTA Online launches 'first major expansion of geography since launch'
As long as Grand Theft Auto Online has the population of a real-life city, Rockstar will continue to support and monetize it.
Years after the launch of the original the online component is still kicking; and regularly getting updates following a stalled rollout. Now, it's getting several big expansions each year, including this newest one called "Cayo Perico Heist." Rockstar calls it the "first major expansion of GTA Online's geography since launch," and "sets the scene for the biggest update in the game's seven-year history." It's hitting on December 15 on all platforms.
But the heist isn't the only thing that's getting added in, and it may not even be the main draw. Quietly over the weekend Rockstar showcased more of the expansion's content, including a new club called the "Music Locker," which is seated beneath the Diamond Casino and Resort. In short, there's going to be a new dance floor, with real featured DJs (Blessed Madonna, Solomun, Dixon, DJs Moodymann, Keinemusik, Palms Trax, and Tale of Us are name-dropped).
There's also a few mechanical upgrades coming that build upon the previous "After Hours" dance update from the game's past: like dancing with a partner and new dances in general. As a Second Life substitute, GTA Online can do the trick for a lot of people, with a large community and player count to boot. It's amazing what it's accomplished so far, and what it continues to accomplish.
The Music Locker [Rockstar]
Fall Guys teases season three's festive holiday costumes
This weekend, Mediatonic teased new information regarding "Winter Knockout," the upcoming third season of its popular battle royale title Fall Guys. The developer revealed a selection of festive and wintry skins, soon headed to the quirky slapstick multiplayer game.
A tweet on the official Fall Guys Twitter shows off four of the new skins including a reindeer, a yuletide candle, a yeti, and what appears to be a take on the Snow Princess of Russian folklore. There's no Santa Claus, surprisingly, but there is still more season three content to be revealed.
The tweet concludes asking fans to tune into the Game Awards on December 10, where we will no doubt be shown further content. It is also expected that a start date for the third season will be revealed. Given that we're already a third into December, it's pretty snug to suggest that it will be within the coming days.
Review: Immortals Fenyx Rising
Ubisoft is sometimes referred to as the king of open world games. For some of you, it has a divine right to rule. For others, it's a proverbial crown that needs to be overthrown.
Immortals Fenyx Rising (the artist formerly known as Gods & Monsters) doesn't really make a strong case for either position. It exists in a purgatorial state of sorts; albeit clawing its way up to the heavens.
Things have gone from bad to worse, from unfortunate to bizarre, and from Kinda Suspect to Super Murdery. That's Dontnod's MO, and everyone should know it by now. The French developer loves examining personal relationships, amplifying them through the lens of a much larger conflict, and then heaping an avalanche of emotion on top of it all.
Twin Mirror is Dontnod's first attempt at explicitly leaning into the psychological thriller label, something it toyed with in previous games but never outright committed to. In a lot of ways, it feels like Alan Wake by way of Life is Strange. However, Twin Mirror is also Dontnod's first self-published game and that might be the reason it falls short of its promise. Everything isn't quite alright in the end.
Hostages: The original Rainbow Six Siege
Now five years into its lifespan, Rainbow Six Siege is arguably more popular than it's ever been. After an admittedly stumbling debut, Ubisoft's intense multiplayer shooter has gone on to attract over 55 million registered players with its taut, unforgiving, and breathless tactical gameplay. Eschewing the typical run-and-gun nature of most FPS shooters, Siege rewards patience, planning, precise team synergy, and efficient use of weaponry to create fast-paced, heart-stopping action.
Rainbow Six Siege is the sixth entry in the Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six series of strategy-based shooters that took the PC scene by storm in the 1990s. In the ensuing decades, the tactical franchise has been reinvented time and again in releases such as Rogue Spear, Rainbow Six: Vegas, and the canceled Rainbow Six: Patriots. For many, Siege represents the natural evolution of the franchise, melding everything that came before into one explosive and utterly compelling title. One of the greatest shooters of all-time? No doubt.
But Ubisoft is not the first developer to create a counter-terrorist gaming experience, nor was Red Storm Entertainment - the team behind the original 1998 release Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six. Way back in the late '80s, French developer Infrogames - still some years out from their industry-changing horror title Alone in the Dark - took its own shot at the high-drama, high-stakes world of siege warfare.
Cute Taito platformer The Fairyland Story returns on PS4 and Switch
If you're up for a hardcore dose of classic Taito cuteness, then retro publisher Hamster has you covered. Arriving this week in the Arcade Archives range is the sickeningly adorable platformer The Fairyland Story, now available to download on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.
Released in arcades in 1985, The Fairyland Story exists within the same universe as other Taito classics such as Bubble Bobble, Parasol Stars, and The NewZealand Story. Players guide a super cute young witch known as Ptolemy, as she battles her way through single-screen stages against small armies of fantasy creatures. Fortunately, our little magic master has perfected the art of turning people into cakes, which she can then use to squash her other enemies. Once the screen is clear, it's on to the next stage.
Check out the action below, in this video from YouTuber World of Longplays.
Cblogs of 11/28 to 12/4/2020: Kingdom Hearts, Virtua Fighter, and waving goodbye to Flash
Cblogs Recap: Week 49
-Nior mourns the end of Flash Player by focusing on some of the best games designed with that limited program.
-JagGentlemann analyzes the history of the Musou games through its spin-offs.
-Kerrik52 reviews Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters as part of his Traveler in Playtime review blogs.
-Black Red Gaming reviews Chronos: Before the Ashes on PCs.
-Riley1sSpook thinks the publisher ignore function in Steam is a joke.
-Chimpomagee wonders about how video games can convey the past in the language of its own medium.
-Humantofu revisits Far Cry 2, which is actually a popular blogging topic here.
-Black Red Gaming shares a list of his most anticipated games to be released in December 2020.
-Shoggoth2588 shares his gaming journal of November 2020.
-CorruptAI125 reviews Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory.
-Virtua Kazama sheds a light on Virtua Fighter x eSports.
-Gamingnerd shares their thoughts regarding the Idle/Clicker genre.
-Queen of Philosophy opens last week's TGIF community thread.
-RiffRaff shares their Top 5 music albums of 2020.
Naughty Dog promotes Neil Druckmann to Co-President
Developer Naughty Dog has announced that it is promoting its Vice President, Neil Druckmann, to the position of Co-President. Druckmann will now work alongside President Evan Wells, overseeing the Sony partner studio going forward.
"Neil Druckmann now joins me as Co-President of Naughty Dog, after serving almost three years as Vice President," said Wells in an official press release. "In addition, we're welcoming Alison Mori and Christian Gyrling as Vice Presidents of Naughty Dog. Prior to becoming Vice President, Alison served as our Director of Operations and Christian served as our Co-Director of Programming."
"We have such an incredible team at Naughty Dog and being able to work alongside each and every one of them is especially meaningful these days. I feel proud of the team when I'm able to recognize their accomplishments and contributions to the studio. Please join me in giving them all a big congratulations!"
Druckmann has worked with Naughty Dog almost his entire video game career. Joining the company in 2004, The Israeli-American worked as an intern before taking up coding roles on titles such as Jak 3 and Jak X: Combat Racing. Druckmann's break came as a designer on the Uncharted series, which would eventually lead to a celebrated creative director role on uber-grim adventure The Last of Us.
Druckmann was promoted to the position of Naughty Dog Vice President during the lengthy production of equally dark sequel The Last of Us Part II. Druckmann's new role as Co-President arrives in the wake of the title's release this past summer, where it sold over four million copies worldwide in its opening week. Druckmann will also serve as a producer on the coming The Last of Us television adaptation.
Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid?
And just like that, it's December. 2020 - both the fastest and longest year in the history of time and space - is about to come to an end. As the nights draw darker and the air a little chillier, the winter months see the coming of GOTY awards, spending sprees, gift-giving, and lashings of eggnog and hot chocolate. Even if a year as strange as this one, there's likely to be no stopping the typical spirit of the season. Just, y'know? stay sensible and safe. I'm not your dad (unless I am) but I do care about the well-being of you and your loved ones.
With the major review season mostly under wraps, I've actually taken a little time out from playing games this week, and instead have focused on trying to take a little time out when the day is kind enough to offer me the opportunity. I've been dropping in and out of regular haunts such as Street Fighter V, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and Bloodstained (nearly finished!), but mostly I've just been trying to recharge the brain cells and reflect upon this particularly grueling year. Oh, I have had a run around in cutesy brawler Wonder Blade, so you expect some words about that soon.
I hope all y'all are still finding lots of great titles to keep you occupied on these frosty nights. Whether still beaming starry-eyed at your new next-gen console, cramming in some last-minute hits of 2020 for your own personal GOTY awards, or just sitting back with familiar favorites, we love to hear what you've been up to. You know the score, drop into the comments below and fill us in on the games that are keeping you warm as winter approaches.
Have a safe and pleasant weekend, from all of us at Destructoid.
