Resident Evil Village Producer Explains Why Ethan Winters Returned

resident evil village

Resident Evil Village is the eighth mainline entry in the storied horror series, and will be hitting two generation of consoles come this May. The game is unique for a few reasons, and I'm not just talking about the very tall vampire lady. The game will be a direct continuation of the plot of Resident Evil 7 and see the return of Ethan Winters and his wife, Mia. Producer Peter Fabiano breaks down why that is.

Why the franchise is known for introducing a lot of characters, it's not known for keeping them around. In fact, Ethan's return will be the first time since the original Resident Evil 2 where a new playable character was introduced and then returned in a sequel. Up until this point, only protagonists from the original two games returned and would do so with a one-off new character.

According to Fabiano in the latest issue of PlayStation Official Magazine (March 2021, issue 185), it really was a simple thing of the crew really taking a liking to Ethan as they ended development on RE7, and wanting to see his arc continue on. While there have been many character introduced via the RE canon, he was also the first one in a long time where he was the main focus and not a side character to one of the iconic cast. No doubt the massive success of RE7 didn't hurt either, leading into a sequel they hope to be bigger and better.

"Concepting and planning was something going through our developers' minds since towards the end of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. The team grew quite attached to Ethan as a character so we knew we wanted to continue his story arc. We wanted to continue to have players experience the game through the eyes of protagonist Ethan Winters. This is a continuation of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard after all.

"This really helped to keep our vision on target. And since we are constantly sharing information across Resident Evil teams, that really helped inform us in making what we consider the best survival horror game to date."

Resident Evil Village will release May 7th for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC.

Sega Reports Overall Sales Down, But Increases Forecast Due To Strong Performance In Gaming

Sega

While the brand of Sega will always mean a certain thing to those who grew up in the period when they were a platform holder, the company itself has changed quite significantly over the last several years. Right now, it seems that their overall fortunes are down, but it seems strong game performance is keeping them optimistic for the future.

The company reported their financial result for the fiscal year quarterly period going from April to December of 2020. Overall, their net sales were down 25.2% from last year, while operating income was down an even worse 51.8%. Entertainment Contents Division, which is what Sega's games fall under, was also down, but fared much better as that only saw a drop of 10%. The biggest upside was ordinary income, which was up 106.8% from the previous year.

Despite the overall down nature of the last quarter, they did increase full-year forecast for both sales and profits. They believe that through the end of the rest of the fiscal year, which will end March 2021, that those strong sales will continue and that new games have sold well alongside older catalog titles selling at a steady pace. You can read the full report through here.

Like many companies, Sega was hit by the COVID pandemic, especially their arcade and pachinko divisions. Still, it seems video games are still going strong for them. The next game set to be released by the company is the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Stadia version of Judgement on April 23rd.

Xbox Series X/S Controller Disconnect Issue Gets Workaround In Latest Firmware Update

Xbox Series X_S

Last year saw Microsoft launch two separate new generation consoles with the Xbox Series X and Series S. Overall, it seems the Xbox Series line saw a successful launch, though stock issues have potentially hampered it somewhat. Unfortunately, just like all hardware launches, it's not without issues. A pesky controller problem has popped up for Xbox and now there's a workaround.

In the latest firmware update, Microsoft stated they were aware of a pesky issue where the controller for Xbox Series X/S would randomly disconnect for no reason (the issue was first noticed in Xbox Series X last month, but it seems that it's universal with the Series S as well). The issue is not fully fixed, but there is a workaround they recommend of either reconnecting your controller or connecting a second controller. They encourage players to keep reporting the issue, as well. You can read the text below or on the official website here.

"We're aware of an issue in which some Xbox Series X/S controllers are losing connection with the console. If you see this behavior, try reconnecting the controller to the console wirelessly or with a USB cable, or if possible, connecting another controller and then submitting feedback. Then reboot the console and try reconnecting the controller."

While the Xbox Series X/S is technically available now, both systems are seeing issues with stock which are expected to continue throughout 2021. For those who did manage to get a system, the latest firmware is live now.

Deathloop Receives New Gameplay in Short Trailer

deathloop

Arkane Studios' Deathloop is still on track for release in May and the official PlayStation Twitter has a new trailer. It's fairly short but explains the premise very well. There's also some new gameplay to be had, showcasing the different abilities and weapons (including a mini-gun) that players can wield. Check it out below.

The story focuses on Cole, who ventures to Blackreef island to take down eight targets. Due to strange experiments that occurred on the island, it's stuck in a time loop, causing Cole to relive the same couple of hours upon dying. Thankfully, he retains his memories after every loop, allowing him to learn more about his targets. Meanwhile, Agent Julianna works to thwart him (which allows other players to invade you).

Deathloop releases on May 21st for PS5 and PC, and is a one-year timed exclusive for the former. Though Bethesda was recently acquired by Microsoft, the timed exclusivity deal will still be upheld. Stay tuned for more details and hopefully more gameplay in the coming months.

Nintendo Switch Tops Unit Sales, PS5 Nets Most Dollar Sales in NPD January 2021 Charts

nintendo switch

Along with revealing software sales for January 2021, The NPD Group also outlined video game hardware sales for the month. The Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console in terms of units sold. In fact, its sales total for January was the highest in the month's history since the Nintendo Wii launched in January 2010.

However, in terms of dollar sales, the PlayStation 5 emerged as the top platform thanks to a higher price tag. It achieved the highest dollar sales total in the month's history since January 2009 with the Wii. The DualSense Wireless Controller White was also the best-selling accessory for the month while the Pulse 3D Wireless Headset topped headset/headphone sales.

Overall, video game hardware sales for the month hit $319 million, a whopping 144 percent increase over the same month last year. It's also the highest total in the month's history since January 2011 which saw $323 million in hardware sales. Hardware sales for Xbox consoles were not included by the tracking firm.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Reigns Over US Sales Charts for January 2021

call of duty black ops cold war

The NPD Group's video game software and hardware sales charts for the US in January 2021 are out and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is still on top. Based on dollar sales, the first person shooter was not only the best-selling game for the month but also the 20th best-selling title in tracked US history, as per analyst Mat Piscatella. Interestingly, Cyberpunk 2077 dropped from second to 18th place in the charts though its digital sales were not included.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla, meanwhile, ranked as the second best-selling title of last month and is also the second fastest-selling title for the franchise in US history. It currently lags behind Assassin's Creed 3 in terms of sales. While Animal Crossing: New Horizons only ranked fifth in the overall charts, it's still the Switch's best-selling title.

Overall consumer spending across the industry hit $4.7 billion, which is 42 percent higher compared to the same period last year. Every category, from hardware and accessories to software, saw increased spending. Check out the top 20 best-selling games based on dollar sales in the US for January 2021 below.

  1. Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War
  2. Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
  3. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
  4. Madden NFL 21
  5. Animal Crossing: New Horizons*
  6. Mario Kart 8: Deluxe*
  7. Ring Fit Adventure
  8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
  9. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*
  10. NBA 2K21*
  11. Super Mario 3D All-Stars*
  12. FIFA 21
  13. Immortals: Fenyx Rising
  14. Mortal Kombat 11
  15. Just Dance 2021
  16. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*
  17. Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition
  18. Cyberpunk 2077*
  19. Super Mario Party*
  20. UFC 4

*Digital sales not included

Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection Shows Off Weapon Variety And Gold Armor

Ghosts 'n Goblins R

Later this month, an old classic will return with Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection. It won't just be the same thing with a new coat of paint, however. Sir Arthur has a lot up his sleeve this go around, and we got a nice look at it today.

They have shown several new options for Arthur earlier, showing this entry has a lot of new tricks you'll be able to utilize in your quest. Via the official Capcom Twitter, they have shown a little more in practice. You can see below that you can use a crossbow, discus and shield against enemies. They all function slightly different, so you can use them in different situations potentially. Alongside this they also show another new item, the gold armor. Having it will power up your weapons even more, though if you know the series, you also know that just one hit is all it takes to lose.

Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection will release on February 25th only on the Nintendo Switch

Guilty Gear Strive PC Requirements Revealed

Guilty Gear Strive

Arc System Works looks to continue on with their flashy fighting series that helped put them on the map with the upcoming Guilty Gear Strive. The game looks to keep with the frenetic action of past games with a tad more accessibility. They have been releasing starter guides for the roster, but now you can see what kind of PC you will need.

The game's Steam page has now gone live, and it looks like you won't need a beefy system. On the minimum, you'll need an AMD FX-4350 or Intel Core i5-3450 and Radeon HD 6870 or GeForce GTX 650 Ti with only 4 GB RAM. Recommended bumps it up only slightly, needing Intel Core i7-3770 and GeForce GTX 660 with 8 GB RAM. For whatever reason, the AMD version is not listed as of now in recommended. Both also list needing 16 GB of space.

Guilty Gear Strive is set to release April 9th for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC. You can read up on the offline single player content the game will also offer through here. An open beta is also set for PlayStation players February 18th-21st.

MINIMUM:

    • OS: Windows 8/10 (64-bit OS required)
    • Processor: AMD FX-4350, 4.2 GHz / Intel Core i5-3450, 3.10 GHz
    • Memory: 4 GB RAM
    • Graphics: Radeon HD 6870, 1 GB / GeForce GTX 650 Ti, 1 GB
    • DirectX: Version 11
    • Network: Broadband Internet connection
    • Storage: 16 GB available space
    • Sound Card: DirectX compatible soundcard or onboard chipset

RECOMMENDED:

    • OS: Windows 8/10 (64-bit OS required)
    • Processor: Intel Core i7-3770, 3.40 GHz
    • Memory: 8 GB RAM
    • Graphics: GeForce GTX 660
    • DirectX: Version 11
    • Storage: 16 GB available space
    • Sound Card: DirectX compatible soundcard or onboard chipset

Destruction AllStars Double XP Weekend Kicks off Today

destruction allstars

Destruction AllStars developers Lucid Games have said in the past that they plan on supporting the multiplayer car combat title for some time to come, and while that's going to entail new content down the line – such as additional modes and playable AllStars – smaller updates to keep fans occupied and engaging with the game can also be expected.

Double XP periods are a time honoured example of the latter, and Destruction AllStars is going to kick off its first one soon. Lucid Games recently announced via their official Twitter page that a double XP weekend for the game will be kicking off today, at 3 PM UTC. That means you'll be able to rack up AllStar Coins – which you earn every time you level up in the game – at a much faster rate, and have more to spend on cosmetics.

Destruction AllStars is currently available exclusively on PS5, and will be free for all PlayStation Plus subscribers until the end of March. You can read our review of the game through here.

Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One Previews Combat And Investigation In Gameplay Teaser

sherlock holmes chapter one

Frogwares has made quite the name for themselves using the Sherlock Holmes property. After several games of the iconic detective, they are now going to his past with Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One. While there have been some deep dives talking about what to expect, we now get a little taste of the gameplay.

The first  teaser was originally released as part of the Epic Games Store Showcase, and you can see it below. It previews both combat as well as some investigation the fresh-faced sleuth will do. It does seem largely familiar to what we've seen in the past, but perhaps a little more refined. The main story is said to be roughly 12-15 hours long and far longer with side content.

Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One is set to release sometime in 2021 for most major platforms. We actually got a chance to sit down and talk with Producer and Community Manager Sergey Oganesyan about the game last year, and you can read the full interview through here.