The creator of Chulip, Moon, and Little King's Story is working on his final RPG
There were a lot of great announcements during the Game Awards on Thursday, but my favorite of the night wasn't part of the show. It was a simple tweet from the Onion Games account announcing the developer is at work on a new RPG.
What is the game? Who knows, but with Yoshiro Kimura involved, you know it'll probably be something special. In a blog post on the developer's website, Kimura gives a little bit of info on what he and his team are planning. The game will be a sandbox RPG with a world that's full of "irrational events." It will feature the "romantic, fairytale nature of RPGs," which is right in line with everything else Onion Games has developed.
Whatever this RPG turns out to be, it looks like it'll be the last one from Kimura. He promises to see the project through to the end, but recognizes he's getting up there in years and doesn't have the energy he once did. Nevertheless, he ends the post by stating, "I'm going to pour my all into it, and if it all ends with this, then so be it. The adventure starts now."
As a massive fan of Onion Games, I wish him and his team the best in their development.
Declaration of Production: A New RPG [Onion Games]
Contest: Win Cyberpunk 2077 and a Johnny Silverhand statue, courtesy of fun.com
In today's contest you can win a copy of Cyberpunk 2077 and this neat Johnny Silverhand statue from fun.com!
I saw something the other day that it's been over 3,000 days since Cyberpunk 2077 was announced. The wait is finally over! Fans of the cybernetic dystopian genre are finally getting their hands on the series, and now you can, too!
We're giving away a copy of the game (your choice for platform) and this awesome Johnny Silverhand statue, courtesy of our friends at fun.com!
Here are all the winners of the 2020 Game Awards
Despite what you may think about the show, it is nice to get a reminder of just how good the games have been in 2020. At the Game Awards, the best of the year got their due...you know what, I still can't get over Sephiroth in Smash. That's all that's been on my mind throughout the awards.
Anyway, here are the winners from this year's socially distanced show:
Mass Effect came to The Game Awards just to pronounce itself still alive
I don't know that the next Mass Effect game needed a teaser trailer right now, but here it is, and I'll probably care a lot more about the story implications once I get comfy with the remastered trilogy.
"BioWare is in the early stages of what is on the horizon for the Mass Effect franchise."
Hopes? Dreams? Fears? I'm not even in a mindset to think about that yet. This feels so far off.
Another console franchise makes the jump to smartphones with Just Cause Mobile
Well, this is unexpected. Announced during the Game Awards, Just Cause is coming to smartphones with Just Cause Mobile. The game will feature a top-down perspective, cooperative and competitive multiplayer, drivable vehicles, and more on iOS and Android in 2021.
Right on cue, Master Chief is coming to Fortnite with Blood Gulch
Fortnite is starting to borrow video games' biggest icons. After Kratos' recent appearance, it's only right that Master Chief would show up next, and it's fitting that we'd hear the news at The Game Awards.
If you play a round on Xbox Series X/S with the outfit, you'll unlock a Matte Black style.
The classic Halo multiplayer map Blood Gulch is also appearing in Fortnite starting tomorrow, December 11, at 10:00 a.m. ET if you're up for a little capture the flag in Creative mode. Then it's Daryl and Michonne from The Walking Dead on December 16. When is Nintendo getting in on this action?
Skyrim joins Xbox Game Pass on December 15
Xbox has fallen into a biweekly routine of letting us know all the imminent-arriving games on Xbox Game Pass. We're due for another one of those soon, but we got word about a high-profile game a little early.
During tonight's Game Awards stream, Microsoft announced that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is coming to Xbox Game Pass on December 15. Great news for anyone who somehow doesn't own that game yet. The Bethesda acquisition keeps paying immediate dividends in the form of a more robust Game Pass library.
This pre-rendered trailer for Evil West certainly looks sharp
Cowboys fighting monsters is always a winning formula for me, but I'll need to see some actual gameplay footage of Evil West before I start giving it my full attention. The game, from Flying Wild Hog and Focus Home Interactive, features vampire hunter Jesse Rentier as he shoots, stabs, and basically kills his way across the wild west. And, he won't have to do it alone as the game will feature co-op.
Evil West launches in 2021 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Monster Hunter Rise gets a demo in January
Can't wait to get monster huntin' on your Switch? Open season comes a couple months early, but for a limited time only.
Capcom gave us a new look at Monster Hunter Rise at The Game Awards. It was accompanied by the announcement that it's getting a demo in January 2021. You'll be playing Monster Hunter Rise a lot earlier than you expected. Don't complain, that's good!
It Takes Two is an out-of-control co-op adventure from the makers of A Way Out
When I heard that It Takes Two, the next co-op adventure from A Way Out developer Hazelight, had a story about magical dolls trying to return to their bodies and work through their serious relationship woes, this wasn't what I expected. At all! But it looks genuinely fun to play with another person.
Between the out-of-control action setpiece moments and what looks to be pretty inspired teamwork-oriented gameplay, I'm excited. As with A Way Out, if you buy one copy, your friend won't need another.
Hazelight is aiming for a March 26, 2021 release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Super Meat Boy Forever hits Epic Games Store this month
So many announcements come quite quickly during the Game Awards, and it can be easy to miss one or two of them. This one almost got by us, but I'm happy to say the wait for Super Meat Boy Forever is almost over. As revealed in the blink-and-you-miss-it trailer, the game hits Epic Games Store on December 23, 2020.
Microsoft Flight Simulator lands on Xbox next summer
PC users have been at cruising altitude for months now. Xbox folks, well, the doors didn't close for an on-time departure.
At The Game Awards, it was revealed that Microsoft Flight Simulator lands on consoles in the summer of 2021. Microsoft says that players can expect the same level of detail on Xbox Series S/X as can be found on PC.
However, interestingly enough, it seems as though Microsoft Flight Simulator isn't coming to last-gen consoles. The Xbox Wire writeup makes no mention of an Xbox One version, and the trailer ends with "Coming to the all-new Xbox [in] summer 2021." That would make it the first game that leaves behind the old generation of Xbox.
Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection looks weirdly off
I didn't expect Ghosts 'n Goblins to show up looking like this, but then again, I also wasn't expecting Arthur to get an "all-new adventure" on Nintendo Switch. Here's our first look from The Game Awards:
It's hard not to associate this series with tough gameplay, and on that front, there are three difficulties (Squire, Knight, and Legend) along with a "Page" mode that has unlimited on-the-spot respawns.
Capcom also announced Capcom Arcade Stadium for February. It'll be a free-to-start download with additional games (including Final Fight, Giga Wing, and Ghouls 'n Ghosts) sold as add-ons.
Hell yeah I want Evil Dead: The Game
Now this the type of announcement I want to see at The Game Awards. An Evil Dead game? Yes.
According to the announcement trailer, Evil Dead: The Game is in the works for current and next-gen systems and will release in 2021. Looks like a co-op shooter, which may be a plentiful genre these days, but none of those other games have Ash Williams. Fingers crossed it turns out good.
Did they turn Fall Guys into one giant ice level?
Those idiot Beans already slip and stumble around. Throwing a bunch of snow and ice on the ground isn't going to end well. It'll just end up as a bunch of frivolous slip-and-fall lawsuits.
Fall Guys' Season 3 trailer is here, and it's a winter wonderland. Looks cold. Make sure to wear that wolf costume because maybe that'll keep your earsies warm.
Season 3 kicks off on December 15, and Devolver promises it'll be outlined in more detail in the coming days.
Ark II is an honest-to-god Vin Diesel video game
I am formally nominating Ark II as the wildest moment of The Game Awards. I can't even process it.
Proud to announce, tonight at the TGA’s:
— ARK: Survival Evolved (@survivetheark) December 11, 2020
ðŸ"¹ ARK II starring Vin Diesel as Santiago
ðŸ"¹ ARK: The Animated Series exploring Helena’s story
Catch the Official hi-rez ARK II trailer rendered in-engine using game assets, and an extended Animated Series trailer, tomorrow A.M!
🦖🦕 pic.twitter.com/JpCtPv16va
World Premiere of ARK II! A brutal new world of primitive survival! Continue @survivetheark's story of humankind's evolution in this next-generation sandbox survival experience! 🦕 #ARK2 #TheGameAwards pic.twitter.com/W8iHpLkOWf
— The Game Awards (@thegameawards) December 11, 2020
In the lead-up to us seeing the title, I was convinced we were getting a rabid new Turok with Vin Diesel. Instead – and I can't stress enough how much I'm still coping with this – it's a sequel to Ark. That Ark.
Season looks right up my alley
Bicycle road trip game? Count me in! One of the more relaxing reveals at the Game Awards tonight was Season, coming to PlayStation 5 and PC. You play as a traveller recording the final moments of different cultures before they're no more.
Love the premise and I can't wait to see more of it in the future.
Score free Unreal Tournament gun skins in Warframe when you download from the Epic Games Store
Digital Extremes' Warframe is closing in on its eighth year of operation and it is showing no signs of slowing down. The looter-shooter launched last month on the PlayStation 5, and an Xbox Series X version is in the works as well. However, before that happens, Warframe is making its way to the Epic Games Store, and it's bringing some goodies along with it.
Starting today through Christmas Eve, new and current players who open or sign into an Epic Games Store account and download the game from the service will receive three guns skins modeled after popular weapons from Unreal Tournament.
Here's your first look at the new Dragon Age
If it feels like we've been waiting for years, well, it's because we have. But finally the veil has been pulled back. We have our first look at BioWare's new Dragon Age game.
Simply called "Dragon Age," this official reveal doesn't divulge a whole lot. There's no actual gameplay or important details. Here's the description from the trailer's YouTube page: "The world of Dragon Age needs a new hero -- someone who can take on the evil forces threatening Thedas. Get a first look at some of the new locations you'll discover and the factions fighting by your side in the next chapter of Dragon Age."
At least it's something. Another Dragon Age is confirmed and we're going back to Thedas... sometime.
Open Roads is a road-trip romp from Fullbright
The next game from Gone Home and Tacoma developer Fullbright is Open Roads, a road-trip mystery, and... I'm in. Doubly so given Annapurna Interactive's involvement. They're on such a hot streak.
The atypical art style grabbed my attention, and the on-the-road premise sealed the deal.
"One fine fall day, Tess Devine and her mother Opal discover a cache of old notes and letters carefully stashed away in the attic of their house. Hints of deep-rooted family secrets, decades-old burglaries, a lost treasure somewhere near the Canadian border... What they uncover suggests a much darker mystery, best left well enough alone. But that's not going to happen."
Open Roads is coming to PC and consoles in 2021.
The Callisto Protocol is gonna remind you of Dead Space in all the best ways
In the mood for a singleplayer, third-person, story-driven horror game set in space? What if I told you that the monsters look fuckin' terrifying?
You're gonna get Dead Space vibes from The Callisto Protocol and for good reason. The CEO and founder of developer Striking Distance Studios worked on Dead Space, and has set out to make "the scariest game."
Other than that, The Callisto Protocol's debut trailer speaks for itself. It'll be ready for PC and consoles sometime in 2022.
(Update) Forza Horizon 4 gets the Cyberpunk 2077 car
[Update: It'll be available tomorrow, seemingly for everyone who plays the game.]
All roads lead to Night City. Get the Quadra Turbo-R V-TECH starting tomorrow. @TheGameAwards. @CyberpunkGame pic.twitter.com/cG8BGpVCli
— Forza Horizon (@ForzaHorizon) December 11, 2020
Forza Horizon players can rip around England with some futuristic flair. CD Projekt and Playground Games have collaborated to make the Cyberpunk 2077 car playable in Forza Horizon 4.
Judging by the naming convention from Forza Horizon 4's car tiles, its make is "2058 Quadra" and its model is "Cyberpunk 2077 Quadra." That's just specific stuff. Everyone knows it as "The Cyberpunk car." It probably has a V-Tech. Get it? V-Tech.
Here's what it looks like, courtesy of user acreamymeme on reddit:
Back 4 Blood is going to fill the Left 4 Dead void
The team best-known for Left 4 Dead (and also Evolve) is back with a new cooperative first-person zombie shooter. The name Back 4 Blood should ring a bell – and if it doesn't, the gameplay sure will.
Assuming business practices and content schedules don't get in the way, this should just fundamentally work as a game. We'll get a better grasp later this month; a closed PC alpha test is set for December 17.
Back 4 Blood is planning a June 22, 2021 release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Xbox's new studio, The Initiative, is rebooting Perfect Dark
When I was a kid, I found every piece of cheese in Perfect Dark. Every level was hiding one wedge of cheese in it somewhere, usually very cleverly disguised. You didn't get anything for finding them. The game didn't even acknowledge that you found them.
That's my way of saying I'm extremely fucking pumped that Perfect Dark is alive again. Xbox's new game development studio, The Initiative (which has poached talent from places like Sony Santa Monica and Rockstar), is working on a Perfect Dark reboot.
All we have thus far is the name (simply "Perfect Dark"), confirmation that it stars Joanna Dark, the reveal trailer, and the dataDyne logo. No gameplay details, release window, etc. It's very vague and, for me, very exciting. 2020 wasn't a bust after all.
Sephiroth is the unexpected next fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
In retrospect, maybe we should've seen this coming. We overthought it. Why put [literally any other video game character] in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate when you can just invite Sephiroth to the party?
Nintendo is sticking with a "December 2020" release window for the time being. This feels right.
It's dragon-riding warfare in Century: Age of Ashes
Miss Game of Thrones? Always wanted to live our your Nazgul dream of raining fire on everything that stands in your way? This might be the thing for you.
Century: Age of Ashes is a new multiplayer game where you ride dragons and battle other dragon-riders. The game's site describes a 6v6 team deathmatch, a 6v6v6 survival mode, and capture the flag. There are also three classes of dragons and some sort of customization model.
Sign up for the February beta if this has piqued your interest. Or, if you can't handle the heat, stay off the dragon's back.
Can it be April already? I wanna play Nier Replicant
We're extremely ready for Nier Replicant. I would've loved to spend my whole holiday break with this upgraded "alternate edition" release for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, but April will do. I'll make time for it.
Square Enix brought a gameplay trailer to The Game Awards (well, the pre-show), and here it is, looking pretty much like what you'd expect. I'm expecting Yoko Taro to hurt us all over again.
Tchia kinda has Breath of the Wild and Everything vibes
The second reveal at The Game Awards might end up being one of the most indescribable ones all night. The only way I can think to explain Tchia is through the lens of other games.
Like, it has majestic open-world exploration (and parachuting) that looks a lot like Breath of the Wild. There's sea-faring rafting like Wind Waker. Also though, you can inhabit any object like Everything. Oh yeah, and there's the acoustic guitar strumming just like The Last of Us Part II.
The official description reads "Climb, glide, swim, and sail your boat around a beautiful archipelago in this physics-driven sandbox. Use Tchia's special ability to take control of any animal or object, and Jam on your fully playable Ukulele."
Check it out on Steam if you're interested.
Loop Hero is a deck-building adventure from Devolver Digital
Devolver Digital kicked off the 2020 Game Awards pre-show with... its own game of the year award – for a game called Loop Hero that had, up until right that second, not yet been announced. Those rascals.
It's a retro strategy game with decks and base building, but you're gonna want to watch the trailer.
"The Lich has thrown the world into a timeless loop and plunged its inhabitants into never ending chaos. Wield an expanding deck of mystical cards to place enemies, buildings, and terrain along each unique expedition loop for the brave hero. Recover and equip powerful loot for each class of hero for their battles and expand the survivors' camp to reinforce each adventure through the loop. Unlock new classes, new cards, and devious guardians on your quest to shatter the endless cycle of despair."
I feel like I need to play this to fully grasp the inner workings, but I'm listening.
Let's close out this disaster of a year by watching The Game Awards together
Tonight -- a night when people usually dress up all fancy and gather together for the most high-profile celebration of games -- won't see any tuxes or gowns or high heels or graphic tees underneath blazers. This year, which is the spiritual embodiment of wine in a can, will instead celebrate games from a racer-style chair with a bookshelf full of anime and Funko Pops behind it.
Double Dragon Neon is showing up on Nintendo Switch this month
I mostly remember Double Dragon Neon for Jake Kaufman's firing-on-all-cylinders soundtrack that, at least in my mind, eclipsed the gameplay, but if you're in the brawler mood and you want to punch Abobo for old times' sake, a Nintendo Switch version is releasing in North America on December 21, 2020.
WayForward confirmed that co-op play is still local-only, so expect the Switch port to be in line with the original PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 releases. The UK eShop launch "shouldn't be too far off."
I'm happy to see more WayForward titles show up on Switch. Bring 'em all.
The Wolf Among Us 2 is being made all 'at once' rather than episode by episode
Last year at The Game Awards, we found out that The Wolf Among Us 2 was moving forward after Telltale Games went under and LCG Entertainment picked up the rights. Today, ahead of tonight's news-filled award ceremony, Telltale shared an update on the project. Season 2 is still happening.
"We know you're excited to hear more about TWAU2. And we look forward to telling you more when the time is right. What we can say is that we are developing the entire season at once and there is more to do before we're ready to share what's next for the Fabletown gang. It's just not time yet."
In a statement on Twitter, the company reiterated that Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures, Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, and Telltale Texas Hold'Em were just re-released, to say nothing of the Batman adventure series and Tales from Monkey Island. "As for questions about other Telltale titles, some games reverted back to the IP owners and their fate is not currently in our hands."
Wolf was always my favorite Telltale series next to Tales from the Borderlands.
@TelltaleGames [Twitter]
The Epic Games Store has 15 days of free games lined up for the holidays
We're in the habit of ducking into the Epic Games Store every Thursday for a free game or two – today it's Pillars of Eternity and Tyranny from Obsidian – but starting December 17, we'll need to check in daily for the rest of the month. Epic is planning to give out a free PC game every day for 15 days straight.
"Each game will be free to claim for just 24 hours, but they're yours to keep forever," says Epic. For reference, a similar 2019 holiday giveaway included titles like Into the Breach, Celeste, FTL, and Ape Out.
December 17 will also mark the start of the Epic Games Store Holiday Sale, and if last year was any indication, I hope we'll see the return of those ridiculous $10 coupons. They go such a long way.
As for next Thursday's freebie, it's a mystery. Grab those two CRPGs while you can.
Genshin Impact stream to detail the incoming Version 1.2 update
December 23 will see the arrival of a major update in globally popular gacha title Genshin Impact. While this momentous occasion is still a fortnight out, publisher miHoYo is planning a live stream in order to reveal all of the juicy deets pertaining to the incoming patch.
Scheduled for tomorrow, the Genshin Impact Special Broadcast is keeping its lips sealed for now, spreading the good word on social media with the hashtag #TheChalkPrinceandtheDragon. Fans can more than likely expect a selection of new characters, various bug fixes, and some extra features - including private chat functions, auto-play dialogue options, a trackable pin system, and various U.I. streamlining tweaks.
Genshin Impact has seen incredible success since its launch on console and mobile platforms back in September, having raked in a stunning $400 million USD in its first two months of release - a figure that does not even include its sales on the Android platform in China. November has seen a minor drop-off in profit, with TiMi Studios' unstoppable Honor of Kings finally returning to the top of the mobile charts.
The Genshin Impact Special Broadcast will be available for viewing on the official Genshin Impact YouTube channel tomorrow, December 11, at 08:00 PT / 11:00 ET / 17:00 BST.
Sonic is getting an animated Netflix show...but not anytime soon
If I was a studio bigwig -- a promotion I've been passed over for many times now -- I would've been hesitant to greenlight a Sonic the Hedgehog series before 2020. Then, after the success of the movie, I would've tripped over myself rushing to greenlight it. Being a bigwig means you have to analyze market factors, and the people demand more Sonic in their markets.
Netflix is giving the people what they want. Sega is teaming up with kids' entertainment development companies Wild Brain HQ and Man of Action to create a 3D animated Sonic the Hedgehog show. However, it's at least a year away because it's not expected to premiere until 2022.
Now here's the annoying part (for me, probably not for you). Netflix deleted the tweet shortly after posting. Apparently this announcement was a little premature, a bit too fast if you will. Fortunately, @Wario64 caught a screenshot:
Focus Home Interactive has two 'major reveals' planned for tonight's Game Awards
Focus Home Interactive has given its fans a heads-up that the publisher will have not one, but two new titles in attendance at The Game Awards 2020, which take place online this evening.
While the publisher offered no clues whatsoever as to what the two mystery titles will be, Focus is known to currently be busy beavering away with multiple developers and projects. Most recently, Focus announced it was working with Shadow Warrior studio Flying Wild Hog on a brand new IP, alongside various projects with A Plague Tale's Asobo Studios, Vampyr's Dontnod Entertainment, and Crysis Remastered's Saber Interactive. That's a lot of possibilities.
Personally, I'd love to see the reveal of a sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence - a solid title that, with a little more polish and finesse, could spawn a five-star follow-up. Dontnod's Vampyr also performed better than expected when it initially launched back in 2018, suggesting that a sequel would not be unlikely. This is all speculation on my part, however, and we'll all have to tune in tonight to see what, in fact, Focus has up its sleeve.
The Game Awards 2020 goes live today at 16:00 PT / 19:00 ET / 01:00 BST
Doritos sent us a Cyberpunk 2077 fuel cell, and against all odds, we got limited edition number 69
[Update: Success! The designer of the fuel cell got in touch with me and I was able to get the unit working. Images are in the gallery below: it alternates between red and blue lighting, triggered by a motion sensor.]
What are the odds of getting number 69 out of 77?
Well, one in 77. But it kind of rules when you hit the jackpot, right?
Nintendo Download: Doom Eternal
I've said it many times, but Nintendo's push holiday push for the Switch seemed to end with Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. But that doesn't mean third parties are slouching.
Doom Eternal is probably the biggest release for the Switch, and it's out now. But it doesn't completely upstage the fact that Q-Games is still alive and kicking, making PixelJunk games like it was 2007 again. PixelJunk Eden 2 is out on Switch as well, and if you want more puzzles in your life, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is hitting Switch too.
There's a lot of stuff to choose from! Pretty much everyone should be happy at this point with how many publishers are porting and releasing things on the eShop.
Call of the Sea is the debut game from Out of the Blue Studios, a Spanish outlet comprised of industry veterans that's dedicated to creating narrative and puzzle titles. Their first product is a marriage of the two genres - a first-person, narrative-driven, adventure-puzzle game that evokes the spirit of old film serials and the Jules Verne Voyages extraordinaires novels that they liberally borrow from. It makes a stunning first impression, but it doesn't take long to realize the developers might have been a bit too eager to show you everything they have up their narrative sleeve.
Back in August Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition was released and it had...a few problems!
In addition to some lingering quality of life issues and bugs, there was also the big holdup of wonky online play. While Square Enix has addressed a few of those things with a major post-launch patch, they still have more work to do. And now, we have a vague timeline of when the next set of fixes will arise: "mid-to-late December."
The gist is that all platforms will get a ton of bug fixes, as well as mechanical alterations like enhanced focus attack efficacy. But perhaps most importantly, a few lobby glitches are being patched, including a bug that could result in players getting disconnected if they enter a lobby at the same time.
You're also going to get a few more options in general, like the power to return to the world map after a boss defeats you if you just want to leave. Mobile devices are the only platforms getting specific fixes, as they will now sport an "improved reaction speed" when picking up items.
A few of these are so obvious and needed in 2020, and weren't there at launch. But alas, if you already bought the game and are holding out, you might find enough here to jump back in. You can find the full patch notes below!
Patch Notes [Square Enix]
As Call of Duty: Modern Warfare wraps up season six, there's no hint of future content
This week sees Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's sixth season of content come to an end. And as the mission clock ticks down on the shooter's most recent Battle Pass, there is no word from publisher Activision or developer Treyarch of a Season 7, suggesting that the Modern Warfare DLC timeline might be going dark for the foreseeable future.
Launching back in November 2019, Modern Warfare essentially rebooted the blockbuster Call of Duty spin-off franchise (a "spin-off" that ultimately proved to be the most popular brand, no less). But since its launch, Call of Duty has gone all-in on its mega-popular battle royale title, Warzone, a project so huge in scope and so popular among the community, that it seems even the recently released Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is fighting to stand against it.
However, speaking of Cold War, the latest update to Call of Duty's '80s adventure has implemented a new "dashboard-style" title menu, from where the player can launch Cold War, Warzone, or Modern Warfare - provided that respective titles are installed. From this, we can ascertain that Modern Warfare remains a relevant, mainstream member of the current Call of Duty family, even if Activision are, indeed, done with creating new content for it.
Ultimately, there are only so many hours and so much worktime allotted to a day. As such, it's understandable that the development team might be focusing on the two newest titles going forward. Call of Duty: Cold War will receive its first season of content next week, bringing new maps, operators, and weapons to the game. Now if you can just see to adding the Farah to the CW operator roster... well that'd be just peachy, if a tad anachronistic.
Season 6 of Modern Warfare is officially over [ModernWarzone / Eurogamer]
Here's how hacking works in Cyberpunk 2077
With a name like Cyberpunk 2077, you'd expect hacking, right?
Well, you've come to the right place! Here's a quick rundown of how hacking works and what it can generally do for you in-game.
The Final Fantasy XIV 'Dad of Light' creator has passed away
In case you haven't heard the story of "Dad of Light," stop what you're doing and listen in for a moment.
Back in 2017, Square Enix worked with a production company to adapt the "Dad[dy] of Light" blogs into a live-action drama, based on the experiences of a player named "Maidy." In short, they were able to use the power of Final Fantasy XIV to heal a strained relationship with their father in secret; all while playing as the aforementioned avatar. Eventually, "Maidy" revealed themselves to their father, and they reconciled.
The events therein are beautifully portrayed in a 2017 television show, which is still airing on Netflix in the US, and it was also adapted into a full feature film two years later. Even if you don't play Final Fantasy XIV you should be able to follow along with the familial drama of it all.
Unfortunately, the Twitter accounts for said film and the television show brought us some bad news this morning: the real-life Maidy and the inspiration for the adaptations has passed away: they announced a cancer diagnosis this year. A host of players who were inspired by Maidy (and Square Enix itself) have been expressing their sorrow, myself included.
Dad of Light was an inspirational story born out of a very loving community; a rarity in this increasingly hectic world. Our thoughts are with Maidy's family.
FFX14_Dol [Twitter]
It delights me to see Q-Games add more entries to the PixelJunk series, especially a sequel to Eden.
It's arguably not the best of the bunch, but Eden – a minimalistic platformer about catching plumes of pollen to reinvigorate garden landscapes – has long been a favorite of mine. It's a hypnotic experience.
Whether you missed PixelJunk Eden on PS3 and Steam or you simply miss it, period, this is such a great way to close out the chaotic year. Turn on your Switch, pump up the volume, and melt into your chair.
Daemon x Machina now supports cross-save between PC and Nintendo Switch
XSEED Games' sci-fi mech battler Daemon x Machina has just received a neat new update that allows for cross-saving between the PC and Nintendo Switch editions of the game.
Players can use Steam Cloud in order to seamlessly transfer save data back and forth, allowing fans to fire through machines in their custom Arsenal units on PC, before transferring to Nintendo Switch should they wish to continue their apocalyptic actions whilst on the go. The smart feature ensures that there is truly no rest for the domineering Immortals.
Having celebrated its first anniversary back in September, Daemon x Machina continues to entertain players with its fast-paced action and future-fantasy universe, alongside a steady string of drip-fed content and features. If you are yet to give the futuristic third-person shooter a spin, now might be just as good a time as any.
Whoa, Nintendo will reveal a new Smash Ultimate character tonight
Smash Ultimate is still riding quite high, with weekly events, random online tournaments, and new characters. Steve from Minecraft was a huge reveal (and I think the salt dust has settled a bit now), and reinforced the fact that yes: Nintendo can get to anyone.
While nothing will probably top the Sonic or Solid Snake reveals in a lot of minds, we still have a few fighters left for Nintendo to show their stuff. We could get an explosive character tonight, in fact, as Nintendo just shared on Twitter that they'll be revealing the next Smash Ultimate fighter tonight at The Game Awards.
Here's the full tweet:
"A new Super #SmashBrosUltimate fighter will be revealed tonight at #TheGameAwards! Tune in to the show, beginning at 4pm PT, to be ready for the reveal!"
No specific time was given; so note that at any point, Nintendo could drop the news. Other publishers are going to be giving us rapid-fire info too, but this could be the one that breaks the internet if it's big enough.
Nintendo of America [Twitter]
A few My Nintendo rewards are back in stock for the first time in weeks
So the My Nintendo rewards store has been pretty popular again, thanks to the addition of actual physical products. Now it's not nearly as sweet as Club Nintendo (you pay for shipping, and there aren't as many rewards), but it works.
Over the course of the last few weeks, a number of items have gone in and out of stock rather rapidly, including all of the Animal Crossing and Xenoblade items. Amazingly, the holiday cards and ornament are also all gone, and possibly won't be restocked given the seasonal nature of the items.
So what went back in stock? Well, the coveted Mario 3D All-Stars poster set (800 platinum), the Mario zipper case (800), and the Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit lanyard (800) are back. At the time of publication, the Xenoblade sticker sheets, Mario Kart Live decoration kit, and Origami King origami set and postcards, as well as the Pikmin 3 decals and coasters are still in stock.
It also looks like the Tom Nook keychain has been completely removed from the My Nintendo store; and doesn't even have a placeholder for "this item is temporarily out of stock." As the most expensive item to date at 1000 points, this thing went pretty fast.
As a reminder, we have a giant guide on all things My Nintendo here. Jump in and bookmark it if you want to bank some points. Remember, the art print for Age of Calamity still hasn't gone on sale yet: we expect it to be around 1000 points.
Rewards [My Nintendo]
Cyberpunk 2077 breaks Steam records with over one million concurrent players
After years and years of development, CD Projekt RED's Cyberpunk 2077 is finally in the hands of the people. Almost immediately after launch, the dystopian RPG hit over one million concurrent players on PC, breaking all-time Steam records for the most players simultaneously engaged in a single-player title.
As reported by PC Gamer, this record was achieved within the first two hours of Cyberpunk 2077's launch, leveling out at a peak of 1,003,264 players - with a further one million people tuning into streams of the neo-noir adventure on Twitch. This almighty number doubles the previously held record of 472,962, achieved in 2015 by Bethesda RPG Fallout 4.
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.
Control is Remedy's fastest-growing IP in a long time
Based on your perspective, this news tidbit kind of shifts around -- much like The Oldest House in a sense. In a year since launch, Control has gone on to become Remedy's fastest-growing property to-date.
This comes out of Remedy's first Capital Markets Day presentation, as reported by GamesIndustry.biz. That's nothing but good, as Control joins the ranks of Max Payne in terms of games that were quickly adopted. However, it's less exceptional and more expected when framed with the context that Control is Remedy's first game in a long time that had a true multi-platform launch.
For instance, Alan Wake was an Xbox 360 exclusive and then launched on Windows PC a couple years later. Quantum Break released simultaneously on Xbox One and PC. Control is the first since 2003's Max Payne 2 that launched on a Sony platform alongside PC and Microsoft's console.
If you're the hard data type, maybe this will be more useful: Control has racked up two million sales thus far. The player count is probably far higher, though. Control was added to Xbox Game Pass last week, meaning that subscribers can play it for free. And, as a very related side note, get crackin' if you're a Game Pass subscriber who hasn't checked out Control yet. It was my very favorite game of 2019.
Control has sold more than 2m units [GamesIndustry.biz]
