Capcom just tossed another lore-infused ember into the Lady Dimitrescu fandom fire.
In a message regarding a "very curious fact you may have wondered about," Resident Evil Village art director Tomonori Takano said the tall vampire antagonist and her daughters got "a fair amount of attention, far more than we anticipated," and the team is "extremely happy" fans latched onto them.
He also divulged her height: "if you include her hat and high heels, she's 2.9m (approximately 9'6") tall."
Your love for Lady Dimitrescu is loud and clear. ðŸ''
— Resident Evil (@RE_Games) February 2, 2021
Here's a message from our RE Village art director Tomonori Takano, along with a very curious fact you may have wondered about: pic.twitter.com/Lj4m5pN2dJ
In the lead-up to Village, I've been revisiting past Resident Evil games, as is the time-honored tradition. In the case of Resident Evil 7, which I've already burned through countless times before (in and out of VR), I finally started messing around with Jack's 55th Birthday, a kooky side-mode about running through stages to find food, killing Molded to extend your timer, and feeding the old man as quickly as possible. I am obsessed. In fact, I'm taking a break from S-rank attempts to write this article.
While the pre-release cycle for Village has been fixated on Lady Dimitrescu – to say nothing of Punished Chris and the werewolf gang – I hope beyond hope that Capcom doesn't skimp on the game's side activities. Whether that's pack-ins or paid DLC, I don't really mind, just so long as they're entertaining.
I know there have been some less-than-ideal missteps, but damn am I happy to be a fan right now.
BlizzConline begins February 19 and here's when to tune in
BlizzCon was called off in favor of the online-only BlizzConline, and the replacement show is nearly ready for our prying eyes. Today, Blizzard shared the dates and stream start times for the event.
Day 1 (February 19) begins at 2:00 pm Pacific with a "first look" preview of the "latest game content the development teams have been working on." It's safe to expect updates on Overwatch 2, Diablo 4, and World of Warcraft, among others. After the main opening segment, BlizzConline will have "three-plus hours" of deep-dive streaming content divvied up between "six different themed channels."
Day 2 (February 20) starts at 12:00 pm Pacific with more of the choose-your-channel approach and Q&As. "Throughout this second day, we'll be shining a spotlight on the global Blizzard community, including the winners and outstanding entries in the Community Showcase contests and exhibitions."
Everything will be streamed through Twitch and YouTube – no ticket necessary. It's free. "Most everything will be available by VOD after it's aired," according to executive producer Saralyn Smith.
I'm holding out for official news on that rumored Diablo II remake – or even just a mention of Vicarious Visions, in general. The company was recently reassigned from the Activision side over to Blizzard.
Get Ready for BlizzConline February 19–20 [BlizzCon]
Back in 2019 Sega unleashed Judgment out into the world: a spinoff of sorts for the Yakuza series that focused on detective Takayuki Yagami.
It was a success for the publisher, which I'm sure came as a relief given that it probably seemed like a gamble at the time: detaching itself from the Yakuza name. Either way it paid off, doubly so given that Sega is giving it a new lease on life very soon.
Announced today, Sega is bringing Judgment to the PS5, Stadia, and Xbox Series X/S platforms on April 23 for $39.99. There's a few things to unpack here, beyond the Stadia push, most notably the Xbox Series X release.
As you may recall, Judgment was originally a PS4 exclusive up until, well, today. It was one of many gets for Sony in the previous generation, but now, with Sega cozying up to Microsoft and putting multiple Yakuza games on Game Pass, this move makes a ton of sense.
As far as advancements go, Sega says that the game has "refined visuals" and now runs at 60 FPS, with "improved load times" and "all previously released DLC" included.
Since this was a massive "wait and see" kind of game, getting everything with all of the current-generation bells and whistles sounds like a perfect way to jump right in with two feet. It'll hit all of the aforementioned platforms on April 23.
Google calls it quits on internally developed Stadia games
We tend to associate Stadia with third-party games like Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Cyberpunk 2077 rather than home-grown games created from within Google, and that'll remain the case. As announced today, the company is moving away from developing games internally. The other shoe has dropped.
Google isn't abandoning the Stadia technology or brand, but it "will not be investing further in bringing exclusive content from our internal development team [Stadia Games and Entertainment], beyond any near-term planned games," according to Stadia VP Phil Harrison. In a blog post, he cited the "exponentially" rising costs involved with "creating best-in-class games from the ground up."
"Over the coming months, most of the SG&E team will be moving on to new roles," he said. "We're committed to working with this talented team to find new roles and support them." At least one high-profile name, Jade Raymond, is out – she "decided to leave Google to pursue other opportunities."
According to reporting from Kotaku, Google's closure of its Montréal and Los Angeles development studios will "impact around 150 developers." When I covered the latter studio's formation in 2020, I remarked that it was "wild to think about where this service will be several years from now."
As for where Google's cloud-gaming ambitions are headed, Harrison is staying on-board as VP and GM of Stadia, and he's pursuing more partnerships with external game developers and publishers.
"In 2021, we're expanding our efforts to help game developers and publishers take advantage of our platform technology and deliver games directly to their players," Harrison said. "We see an important opportunity to work with partners seeking a gaming solution all built on Stadia's advanced technical infrastructure and platform tools. We believe this is the best path to building Stadia into a long-term, sustainable business that helps grow the industry."
The told-ya-so-ers are out in full force, and I can't blame 'em. This was a futile exercise for Google.
Focusing on Stadia's future as a platform, and winding down SG&E [Google]
What is the oldest console you still have hooked up?
Over the weekend, a tweet sent out by the Game Awards had me feeling like an ancient, decrepit mummy of a man. It asked people to name the best classic Nintendo console from a selection of four: the NES, the SNES, the Nintendo 64, or the GameCube. Four excellent devices with a wealth of treasured gaming experiences, I got hung up not by the difficulty of choosing which one I like the best but by the realization the GameCube is now considered a "classic" gaming console.
Later this year, the GameCube will turn 20 years old, and the world will be treated to a deluge of articles ranting and raving about how it was "forgotten" or "under-appreciated." I still remember lining up at Walmart that November morning to pick up my purple lunchbox along with copies of Luigi's Mansion and Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II. It was a great day for me, and because that memory is still so vivid in my mind, it's tough to wrap my head around the idea that it's old enough to be thought of as old.
Maybe it's because I'm 35 and fighting the gray that's trying to take over my scalp, but I still think of classic consoles as the shit I played when I was a young child. The NES, the Sega Master System, the Atari 7800, those are the classics to me, though I guess as time marches on, I'm just going to have to accept that some of my favorite gaming experiences will forever be referred to as retro. It'll be tough, though. I don't think I'm ready for people to start calling Star Fox Adventures a "classic game" in the same way I was never ready for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to be considered old enough to begin airing on TV Land.
But if the GameCube is now a classic, then I guess that makes me a classic gamer. Through the magic of an HDMI adapter, I still have my console hooked up for the once in a blue moon when I'm in the mood for some Chibi-Robo or The Simpsons: Road Rage. It's the oldest console I own. It may not get much play with the PS5, Series S, and Switch all battling for my attention now, but unlike those consoles, I don't see myself selling my GameCube when I move onto the next generation of gaming. This thing is going to be with me until I die or it dies.
That's the oldest piece of gaming equipment I have in my house. Let us know which retro hardware you're still rocking in the comments below.
MLB The Show 21 is coming to Xbox and PlayStation in April, but no word on Switch yet
In one of those unexpected "Oh, right... neat!" moments, MLB The Show 21 is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on April 20, 2021 – and there's even online cross-play and cross-progression.
Sony's long-running (and fairly well-liked) baseball series hasn't appeared on Xbox before, and it's a welcome sight. Curiously, when we first heard in 2019 that MLB The Show would venture outside of PlayStation, Nintendo of America responded with a baseball emoji on Twitter. No word on a Switch port.
For PlayStation and Xbox players, there will be a standard edition and a collector's edition of MLB The Show 21, but the latter wasn't shown off yet – more details about the game will roll out on Wednesday. MLB The Show 21 will cost $60 on the older consoles and $70 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Sony says that there won't be an "upgrade path" across console generations, so if you want to own, say, the PS4 and PS5 versions, you'll need to buy "any collector's edition of MLB The Show 2021."
Cross-generation saves won't let you import "year to year saves" into MLB The Show 2021, according to an FAQ. As for cross-progression, you'll be able to "earn and use content on whichever platform and generation you choose" – with caveats. Purchases of the Stubs currency won't transfer from one platform to another, but Stubs "earned through gameplay" can "be used on any platform."
For multiplayer, you'll need PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold and you can compete "against other players who are on a different console, including all console generations," which is a nice surprise. In other words, "PS5 to Xbox Series X and PS4 to Xbox One," or PS4 to PS5 and XSX to Xbox One.
What's the one thing from Final Fantasy VII Remake that you want to see carried over to Part 2?
There are a lot of lingering questions when it comes to Final Fantasy VII Remake - Part 2.
Like...what does it entail? How far off the beaten path will the new story go? Is it going to be a true open world adventure, or another linear, narrative-driven action romp? Right now, as of the end of January 2021, all Square Enix is saying is that it will introduce people to the world at large.
It's vague! But I'm also kind of glad that the publisher isn't giving us wild promises, or even timelines right now. We'll get Part 2 when we get it, and a lot of those potential story twists should be concealed, so they're surprises when they actually do happen (much like they were with the remake).
God of War has a free 'Enhanced Performance' boost for PS5 players
There's a list of must-play PS4 games that warrant a visual and performance upgrade on PS5, and soon, we can check off God of War. Sony Santa Monica is pushing out a free PS5 update on February 2.
The update adds an "Enhanced Performance Experience" as the default graphics setting in God of War. With it enabled, you can bond with your boy at 60 frames per second and 4K checkerboard. Fans have been calling for an upgrade of this sort, and it's arriving seemingly well before Ragnarok – perfect!
The old visual setting – Original Performance Experience – will still be available should you want to stick with 4K checkerboard at 30 frames per second while playing God of War on your PlayStation 5.
Who's up next for the free-PS5-boost treatment? Horizon Zero Dawn? Lead right into Forbidden West.
I know some of you would prefer to have thoughtful DualSense feedback and other PS5 niceties that you might see in a full-on PS4-to-PS5 remaster, but for a free update, I'm happy enough.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons once again rules the UK Charts
Next month will see the first anniversary of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. That's one whole year of Nook Island shenanigans. And the Nintendo Switch social sim has more than proven its staying power, once again returning to the number one spot on the UK Charts.
Since launch, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has dallied in and around the Top Ten, returning to the number one spot on numerous occasions throughout its first year of release, with many players openly noting how its cheerful and social nature has helped lift spirits during this miserable COVID-19 times. Nintendo continues to add seasonal updates and events in its cute fantasy world, and with Festivale just around the corner, this looks set to continue into spring and beyond.
Elsewhere in the charts, there is little to report. IO Interactive's murderthon Hitman 3 has already dropped out of the Top Ten, having spent one week in the premier position, and now sits just outside at number 11. The rest of the Top Ten is rounded out by the steady physical sales of Grand Theft Auto V, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, FIFA 21, and Switch releases such as Ring Fit Adventure and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, bringing a stagnant end to a very quiet January.
My Nintendo is dishing out double Gold Points for several Switch games
This is much more of a friendly low-key PSA than an urgent drop-what-you're-doing notice, but if you're thinking of getting Paper Mario: The Origami King or one of several other older first-party Nintendo Switch games anytime soon, you can earn double Gold Points for your My Nintendo account.
This eShop promo runs until 11:59 pm Pacific on February 28, 2021. Here's the list of supported games:
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Super Mario Odyssey
- Paper Mario: The Origami King
The idea of spending $60 on a not-that-new Switch game in order to earn 600 Gold Points (instead of the normal 300 Gold Points) is so incredibly Nintendo, it hurts. For those of you who haven't bought anything in a while and need a refresher, the points conversion would be $6 off (instead of $3 off).
At least Origami King came out in 2020! For the rest, talk about staying power.
MGM already at work on movie detailing GameStop-Wall Street wildness
Well, I guess I called it, though - to be fair - it was an inevitability. MGM has already landed the movie rights to an as-yet-unwritten book charting the chaotic events of the GameStop stock / Wall Street carnage, which is still unfolding in the finance world today.
The new book will be written by NYT best-selling author Ben Mezrich, whose previous works have been adapted for the big screen as The Social Network and 21. Titled The Antisocial Network (ehh), the book will meticulously detail the events of the past week, when members of Reddit group WallStreetBets rocketed the stock price of ailing retailer GameStop, causing major headaches for hedge fund traders. The "once-in-a-lifetime" happening has received global media attention, and has even found its way to the nation's capitol, with the U.S. government "monitoring" the unfolding situation.
As reported by Hollywood publication Deadline, MGM leapt on the movie rights to Mezrich's book, scoring the deal within days of the book's initial proposal. MGM has assigned producer Aaron Ryder (Donnie Darko, The Prestige, Greyhound) to the project, which the studio considers a "priority" given the highly topical nature of its story.
For details on this fascinating story, check out our earlier report from Anthony Marzano.
MGM lands rights to The Antisocial Network [Deadline / Eurogamer]
This Monster Hunter Rise Frost Islands concept art is beautiful
Monster Hunter Rise continues to amaze me.
The demo did a pretty good job all on its own, but the concept art and the zones themselves really take the cake. This could be the coolest collective of Monster Hunter locales to date.
Just take a look at the Frost Islands concept art below (as well as a gameplay video), which proves my point. The official Monster Hunter Twitter account has been showing off many aspects of the game near-daily, including how various weapons work and art for the game.
Ice is a huge aspect of the series (they even just had a full icy expansion for World!), and it looks like they're nailing it here.
Monster Hunter Rise [Twitter]
SuperGroupies unveils range of Cyberpunk 2077 apparel
Fashion and Cyberpunk have always gone hand-in-cybernetic hand. And while we aren't quite in a place where we can replace our faces with super-cool, x-ray laser beams, Cyberpunk 2077 fans can at least bag themselves several slick items of apparel from Japanese fashion label SuperGroupies.
The premium brand has unveiled a range of clothes, watches, and other accessories based on CDPR's futuristic neo-noir, all of which are now available to pre-order from the outlet's official stockists. Of course, this being SuperGroupies, interested parties might want to check their wallets before ordering.
The new range includes a Cyberpunk 2077-themed jacket for $268 USD, a ring & cuff set for $198, a wallet at $118, a sweatshirt at $108, and a pretty sleek watch for a princely $308. There's also some replica clothing styled after Cyberpunk 2077's protagonist "V". A variant of V's cool "Samurai" jacket is available for $268. Additionally, a pair of slip-on hi-top sneakers will set you back $118, while some cool short-heeled boots retail for a pricier $198. Perfect for you or the drekhead in your life.
Finally, there are a range of more discreet items based on some of Night City's gangs. These include bags and watches sporting the logos of Tyger Claws, The Mox, Voodoo Boys, Animals, and Valentinos. To check out the full range of all of the above items, or for pre-order information, visit the U.S. SuperGroupies store right here. Pre-orders close on February 14, with all items scheduled to ship across the remainder of 2021.
Destiny 2 vows to cut down on FOMO but will keep seasons and vaulting
Vaulting and a heavy focus on seasonal cadence, both in tandem, has probably been the worst decision Bungie has made when it comes to Destiny 2. And I've seen some head-scratchers.
In the before-times, Bungie could create larger expansions, which had longer lifetimes and less of a sense of a ratrace-esque seasonal grind. Now, we're getting the worst of all worlds, it seems. Beyond Light is very small in terms of content, a ton of (good) old content was straight-up erased from the game, and seasonal progression, coupled with vaulting gear (most notably armor for some reason), creates a situation where earning certain items feels pointless: since their efficacy will be nuked mere months later.
We're at the point where some sort of shakeup needs to happen. But for the time being, Bungie is sailing ahead with the above plans: with a twist. On their newest This Week at Bungie blog, the publisher explains that they're going to be cutting down on FOMO (fear of missing out) with some new changes. Here's the basic rundown of what they hope to achieve:
The Medium already turning a profit in its release week
The horror aficionados over at Bloober Team are resting easy this week, following the news that their latest spooky-ooky joint The Medium has already become profitable after just a few days of release.
Despite being an unknown IP, in a relatively niche genre, and only being available on two platforms, (PC and Xbox Series X), The Medium has managed to recoup all of its development and marketing costs since it hit the market on January 28. Going forward, all future sales will now be profit, which is the kind of success that studios today see as a green light to get an inevitable franchise up-and-running.
From a critical stance, the third-person adventure has been very polarizing, with some outlets leveling praise at The Medium's use of technology, visual storytelling, and mind-bending dual-worlds, while others have decried its pace and lack of scares. The Medium seems to be an interesting experiment and such titles - in any... uhh... medium - will draw a differing response. Either way, Bloober Team's new entity has achieved financial security, allaying publisher fears bigger than those of any boogeyman.
The Medium is profitable after just a few days [Money.pl / Gamespot]
Sonic's former voice actor isn't done with the industry, thanks fans for support
Last week, Sonic (and Chris Redfield, and Ezio) voice actor Roger Craig Smith, who has predominately voiced the character for the last decade, announced that they would be no longer be playing the role of the Blue Blur.
Following an outpour of support for the actor, here's what Smith had to say in a video message to his fans.
Skullgirls teases new DLC character and I hope it's Black Dahlia
Publisher Autumn Games, in conjunction with developer Hidden Variable, has released a new gameplay trailer for Annie, the next character headed to excellent tag-fighter Skullgirls 2nd Encore. No date was revealed for The Star Child's debut, but she is available in Skullgirls Mobile right now.
Annie's gameplay trailer, which you can check out below, sees the literal superstar battling Skullgirls regulars Ms. Fortune, Filia, and Painwheel on the set of her hit TV show, where she showcases her fast-paced, knife-wielding style. Annie - who has been a long time coming - lost out on the character vote during Skullgirls crowdfunding campaign, but has been fortunate enough to find her way into the fighter via its mobile counterpart
Is Marvel's Avengers still salvageable for you?
Can Marvel's Avengers even afford the "Real Reborn Treatment?" Will people come back if it does miraculously get it? These are things I wonder at random moments whenever I see the icon flash across my PS5 menu.
Marvel's Avengers was always fighting an uphill battle. No matter how much Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics showed of it, a lot of folks felt like it didn't capture that Marvel, or even general comic book spark.
Now that Reggie Fils-Aimé, is working for himself and no longer with Nintendo, we've gotten a number of frank post-mortem observations from him: it's refreshing! This time Fils-Aimé spoke again on the subject of the Wii U, and how the burned phoenix of its remains allowed Nintendo to achieve an ever greater feeling of success with the Switch.
Speaking on the New York Gaming Awards stream, Fils-Aimé recalls the "poor performance" of the Wii U, and how the achievement of the Switch is a "lasting memory" for him. He reminds us that "when the Wii U launched, the performance over that life cycle was so poor," and calls it the "worst-selling platform," outside of the Virtual Boy. He goes on to state that it "underperformed pretty radically," something we know due to hard sales figures.
Fils-Aimé says that when "your only business is video games," it's kind of important for your flagship product to soar. So when the Switch did what it did, both in terms of concept and cold hard sales, it's something he can "always be proud of." Boldly, he says that the Switch was a "make or break product" for Nintendo, and that it "luckily was a hit."
It's hard imagining a world where the Switch, which did basically everything the opposite of the Wii U (both in terms of marketing and ease of hardware), wasn't a hit, but it would be really interesting to see the state that Nintendo would be in if it failed.
New York Game Awards [Twitch via Nintendo Life]
Nintendo once again denies that new Switch hardware is coming soon
Is the Switch Pro out yet? No? Well, it's a normal day then.
As part of the festivities of the new Nintendo financial dump, Bloomberg's Takashi Mochizuki reports that Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa proclaimed that there would be no announcement for new Switch hardware "anytime soon." Naturally, they also play around with Furukawa's statement a little bit. As they point out, last year Furukawa noted that there would not be a Switch Pro in 2020. Well, that happened! But now it's "not anytime soon." So maybe later in the year? Around E3 perhaps?
It's all wild speculation, and frankly, when it comes to the Pro, not an arena I want to enter fully (but I'll peek in from the outside). A lot of Switch Pro rumors have been some of the most worthless bits of info in years, but a select few, from mostly trusted sources, could have a tinge of truth to them.
Nintendo also reminds us that there's going to be a Mario edition console in February and a Monster Hunter version in March: sneakily avoiding the whole Pro debacle altogether.
Nintendo Smashes Expectations With Best Quarter Since 2008 [Bloomberg]
Sega announces new show Sonic Prime, right after departure of the character's main voice actor
Today, Sega is vaguely teasing the next generation step for Sonic the Hedgehog's long TV career: Sonic Prime.
Sega is very mum on details at the moment, but right now, we do know that the series will involve a joint production between Sega and WildBrain, and will premiere in 2022 on Netflix. Right now the plan is for a 24-episode order, and the show is aimed at "kids, families, and long-time fans."
WildBrain Vancouver will handle the show, and Man of Action Entertainment, of Ben 10 fame, will take up the showrunning duties. A voice actor for Sonic has not been announced at this time; but many suspect that Ben Schwartz, who voiced the character in the feature film series (and is now free after the cancellation of the DuckTales reboot), is expected to tackle the role.
This comes directly following the departure of Roger Craig Smith, who announced that he would no longer be active in the Sonic franchise this past week. It seems like Sega was paving the way for someone else.
Tokyo store's attempt to sell PS5 stock ends in crowd chaos
Photo credit: @yamato_1234
It's been almost three months since the launch of Sony's brand new gaming platform, PlayStation 5, but as a hapless Japanese retailer found out this weekend, the customer drive to bag the next-gen hardware remains as hot today as it was back in November.
Police were called to Tokyo-based outlet Yodobashi Camera on Saturday after the store's efforts to sell a fresh batch of PS5 consoles descended into crowded chaos. Despite having implemented a ticketing system - in order to service several hundred individual customers in a noble effort to prevent scalping - the crowd became unmanageable once said tickets became available, pushing forward en masse and forcing staff into retreat.
Ultimately, police were called and Yodobashi Camera was forced to cancel the entire sale. A teeming mass of people surging in a single direction is dangerous at the best of times, but when you add the risks from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to the mix, you have a very dangerous recipe for disaster. Pokemon designer Dave Gibson was on the scene, noting that he'd "never seen that kind of insanity" in Japan before.
Launching on November 12, 2020, PlayStation 5 has already seen worldwide success, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and a struggling economy. The hardware has, however, fallen victim to a global scalper market that seems far more prevalent than that of previous console launches. As noted by Bloomberg back in December, the Japanese reseller scene is particularly savvy, using smart software to scoop up swathes of units, before selling them online at inflated prices. This global issue constitutes largely to ongoing PS5 shortages.
Crowded chaos ensues at a Tokyo store due to PS5 restock [PSU]
The Switch Lite has nearly outsold the Wii U on its own
Oh Wii U. We'll probably never stop talking about it in some capacity. I mean, people still readily reference the Virtual Boy! Even Reggie talked about that amazing red-hued eye-burning system recently.
But to shift gears back to the Wii U, Nintendo's other financial failure (and only financially, because that system utterly ruled), it's been surpassed yet again by a sub-console. As per its new financials, Nintendo reports that the Switch Lite has pushed 13.53 million units by the end of December 31, 2020. That's roughly one sixth of all Switch hardware sales, which have hit 79.87 million in that same timeframe. Here is additional data.
One big thing to really nail home? The Switch Lite has nearly outside the lifetime figures of the Wii U. Nintendo still displays them on their site (which leaves off the Virtual Boy), and the number is forevermore at 13.56 million sold. The Lite probably already has beaten the Wii U, because data from January alone would likely push it over the edge: we just don't have it yet.
Coupling in the Lite, the Switch in general is still doing fantastic. With the new 79.87 million figure, it's encroaching the top-10 all-time best-selling system list. It just needs to crack the 80 million-ish sales of the PSP, then it's ready to take on the Game Boy Advance line next, which boasts 81.51 million.
IR Information: Sales Data [Nintendo]
What is this strange Nippon Ichi Software site teasing?
Always fans of a good mystery, the scamps at Nippon Ichi Software (NIS) are at it again, with the appearance of a strange and creepy new website that is teasing a new title.
The site itself features several red hands clawing toward its central video embed. Playing the video results in some old-school fairground-style music, along with a stuttering image with what appears to be brief glimpses of a corridor of sorts. A warning about flashing images is accompanied by a button-eyed bear, who isn't supposed to be possessed at this hour. A matching Twitter account titled "Bokumetsu" was also launched, featuring silhouettes of a large cast of characters. Curious.
Given that NIS are key publishers of some Japan's most weird and eccentric titles, the video could be teasing an anime franchise sequel, a visual novel spin-off, or an entirely new IP. Either way, we'll be sure to let you know when NIS finally shows its hand.
Probably something to do with school kids and alternate dimensions and death, right?
The time has come to gather around the fire and look at the latest Nintendo software sales data. We have new information today as per Nintendo's fiscal financial results (ending December 31, 2020), and the million-seller chart is starting to heat up significantly.
The top story is easily the rise of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Last March, it didn't have a spot, because it didn't exist. That's less than a year ago! But already, over the course of roughly nine months (as far as this report is concerned), it's skyrocketed to 31.18 million units. That's right on the heels of the (still-selling) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which was released in April of 2017. Yes, nearly four years ago. That's huge!
New headway in the charts includes Super Mario 3D All-Stars, which pushed 8.32 million units since it arrived, about as much as Ring Fit Adventure, which is now comfortably in the 8.68 million territory. If Ring Fit continues this momentum and pushes through to roughly 10 million sold, it could enter the coveted top 10 of all time list soon: imagine that level of success for what is ostensibly a peripheral game.
Another low key story? Nintendo is reporting that Pikmin 3 Deluxe has sold 1.94 million units. It's the little franchise that could! The publisher has already noted that it's proud of the sales thus far, and it brought back the doomed Wii U port from the clutches of failure. Pikmin is still very much alive and well.
Other interesting numbers include Mario Kart Live (1.08 million), and the continued desire of Pokemon Let's Go (billed as a pair, now at 13 million) and Splatoon 2 (now at 11.90 million) to grasp on to the top 10 all-time seller list.
You can check out the full easy to read results here, as well as the full breakdown on page 19 here.
Million-Seller Nintendo First-Party Titles [Nintendo]
G.I. Joe's master ninja Snake Eyes now available in Fortnite
Well, that didn't take long at all. Following a short teaser at the start of the weekend, Epic Games has revealed that '80s toy/cartoon/comic book line G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is indeed crossing over with the studio's mega-popular battle royale title, Fortnite.
Now available from the official Fortnite store, the Arashikage Clan set brings G.I. Joe's top infiltrator and highly skilled master ninja Snake Eyes to the Hunter roster. Shrouded in mystery, Snake Eyes was one of the first commandos to join G.I. Joe, and while his identity and background remain a mystery to this day, Snake Eyes has won many a battle via his totally rad ninja skills and commitment to the cause.
The Arashikage Clan set includes the Snake Eyes skin, a Katana Pickaxe and some Back Bling - which kills me a little more each time I write it. Sadly there's no sign of his trusty dog, Timber. Epic Games has not stated whether Snake Eyes will be joined by any of his G.I. Joe comrades of Cobra adversaries in the near future.
Still, he can always fight it out with the Predator... or Sarah Connor.
Kamiya jokes that we should all 'forget about Bayonetta 3' for now and 'reset'
Earlier this year, Platinum rockstar producer Hideki Kamiya explained that they would probably have something to show for Bayonetta 3 at some point this year. So what better time to check in on that than (checks watch) two weeks later?
Speaking to VGC, Kamiya explains that it's still very early in the year yet for updates: "It's not really our position to say, but… it's January. We've got to have something come out, right? I guess it's safe to expect that something will come out. There's still a lot of the year left is what I'm saying."
Bitingly, VGC asks about providing something "more substantial than another CGI logo." At which point Kamiya laughs and responds, "I understand it's driving the fans crazy! In light of that, my suggestion would be that maybe we should all reset and forget about Bayonetta 3. Then when something finally does happen, it will be a nice surprise, won't it?"
Truth! But like Square Enix has learned many times before it, showing something far too early can have repercussions. The problem is that Bayonetta 3 is so heavily hitched to the Nintendo wagon, which creates all sorts of problems with expectations. Every time a potential Nintendo Direct "leak" (most of which are bogus or guesses) happens, Bayonetta 3 is almost always on it or speculated on.
That's not necessarily Platinum's fault (especially if it was Nintendo's decision to show it early to drive Switch hype), but that energy is out in the universe now. You can't put it back in the bottle!
Interview: Platinum on PS5 [VGC]
Final Fantasy VII Remake developers check in to tease more of what Part 2 will entail
Here we go again!
Final Fantasy VII Remake "Part 2." The name alone probably strikes ire in the heart of many fans. But the original Remake garnered so much good will (way more than I expected it to) that I think a lot of people are willing to see what Square Enix has to offer before getting up in arms.
When is it coming? Well we don't really know. What do we know about it? Vague platitudes! Such is the way of most Final Fantasy game release schedules; with the exception of XVI (so far), which thankfully has the upfront and battle hardened Yoshida at the helm. Thankfully, Final Fantasy VII Remake star translator Audrey has some new news for us coming out of CEDEC+ Kyushu 2020 Online.
Although much of the digital event dealt with the history of Part 1 (retreading on some stuff we already knew), Part 2 was brought up eventually. Co-director Naoki Hamaguchi chimed in to state that in terms of "goals" in mind for Part 2, the team "wants players to experience what the rest of the world is like." "Rest of the world," is quite the lofty goal!
But of course, with Remake tinkering with the timeline a bit, producer Yoshinori Kitase thinks there's plenty of room to subvert expectations. Kitase explains "Although those who played the original game know the story, they're probably thinking what will happen now? We want to create something that can surprise them and that they can enjoy that lives up to their expectations. We did something similar in Part 1."
Hamaguchi says that's "all [they] can reveal about Part 2 right now," and the interviewer jokes that they "hope" we'll get to experience the large field map post-Midgar. Hamaguchi laughs and says they'll "take note of that." They do confirm, however, that there is a "new wave of staff" coming on for Part 2, which, mind, is still being made in part, remotely.
It all sounds pretty exciting, and vague! As Audrey points out, it's entirely possible that Part 2 might be way shorter than anticipated. I can easily see that, as Square Enix has the ability to add in all sorts of backstory with Zack and Cloud, as well as new zones and mechanics that eat up a ton of time.
While Part 2 might not cover a large swath of the "old FFVII narrative," it has the power to open up all sorts of fresh doors. As long as it's fun to play and Square Enix doesn't go bankrupt before it's finished, I'll willingly go along for the ride.
Audrey [Twitter]
Review: Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout was my introduction to the long-running Atelier series. And while I definitely enjoyed it, it didn't leave enough of an impact for me to run with it and check out the rest of the millions of other games in the series. That's a big commitment, and that sort of thing terrifies me.
However, it did leave me thirsty enough for a sequel which has now arrived in the form of Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy. It's time to hit the cauldron again and stir up some adventure and also find out if anyone has gained some fashion sense since the last game. Spoiler: they haven't.
I respect Bloober Team's persistence in the realm of psychological horror games. They're not for everyone, and I understand the complaints that their games lack a certain impact, but I like 'em okay.
The Medium, Bloober Team's latest release following the back-to-back Layers of Fear 2 and Blair Witch, feels higher-profile. The horror-adventure game has been pushed quite a bit as an early Xbox Series X/S title due in large part to its distinct "two worlds" split-screen concept, but it's also out on PC.
That's where I played it, and after seeing the recommended specs, I was surprised to have pretty good performance with my setup: an i7-7700K, GTX 1080 Ti, 16 GB RAM, and SSD. I didn't have to make too many visual compromises at 1080p. Whether Marianne was in the spirit world, the real world, or she was inhabiting both realities at the same time side-by-side, the game ran consistently well for me.
But apart from The Medium working on a technical level, is its world worth exploring? Is it actually scary? And what about those stealth encounters with a trash-talking demon voiced by Troy Baker?
Did you back any of 2020's record-breaking Kickstarters?
Love it or hate it, the concept of crowdfunding came into its own last year - at least in regards to video games - with a record-breaking amount of money raised for gaming-related projects on prolific backer site Kickstarter.
As reported by industry analysts Ico Partners, 2020 saw a total of $23 million USD raised specifically for video game-related projects on the crowdfunding site - representing a 35% increase in backer donations when compared to 2019. Ironically, the actual number of projects themselves was slightly down on the previous year, with 1,331 Kickstarter projects accounted for, compared to 2019's 1,403.
Of course, not every project that opens itself up to the crowdfunding market will achieve its goals, and of the aforementioned 1,331 projects, only 408 actually hit their respective targets. Most notable among these are Suikoden spin-off Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, which absolutely shattered its initial Kickstarter goals by raking in a staggering $4.5 million USD in funds.
Despite these impressive numbers, Ico Partners suggests that video games continue to have a rollercoaster ride on Kickstarter, and are yet to return to the same level of prevalence as the medium held in the earliest years of crowdfunding. Regardless, 2020 has seen a definite upturn in both project interest and success stories, which is likely to continue in 2021.
Games projects raised $23m on Kickstarter in 2020 [GamesIndustry.biz / Ico Partners]
You have until tonight to download the Monster Hunter Rise Switch demo
So, the Monster Hunter Rise demo is pretty good! But as a reminder, you only have a certain amount of time to download it.
When, exactly? Well, at 3AM ET on February 1 (that's tomorrow morning, US), it'll be removed from the shop and multiplayer will be shut down. However, you should still be able to play it offline, if the phrase "online play will be disabled after the trial period for this demo, at which point you will have to use local play," at the start of the demo is accurate.
Amazon Luna is a stunning example of why data caps suck
A few years ago, Amazon seemed like it was taking the correct steps to establish itself as a player in the video game industry. In 2014, it purchased Double Helix Studios, which was then riding high on the successful rebirth of the Killer Instinct franchise. In 2016, it announced a trio of ambitious multiplayer titles: Breakaway, Crucible, and New World. It was Amazon getting its foot in the door in a big way.
But things just haven't panned out. Breakaway never made it out of alpha, and Crucible crashed and burned in less than six months. New World is still on its way and is slated to launch later this year. But if that goes the way the dodo as the other Amazon Game Studios titles have, the world's biggest retailer may already have its back-up plan ready to go: Amazon Luna.
The streaming service launched in Early Access last October by invitation only. Last week, I received my invitation and spent several days seeing what the service is all about during my week-long free trial.
Resident Evil Village's Lady Dimitrescu is more than just a fan-art flavor of the month
[Art by Marmalade Mum]
I don't think Capcom knew what they had on their hands with Lady Dimitrescu, Resident Evil Village's long monster lady. In her debut appearance a few weeks ago, she didn't try to look conventionally sexy, or even particularly scary. But she didn't need to. She's exactly what a big chunk of gaming wants right now, so she became a star overnight.
We don't yet know if she's a vampire, a creature based on Hachishakusam (a tall Japanese ghost monster that wears a big hat and stalks children), a bioweapon, or some combination of the three, and we don't need to know. In fact, that mystery allows us to fill in a lot of the blanks with fan art, making her all the more compelling to artists everywhere.
In a lot of ways, she's almost the antitheses of the kind of brooding, macho dudes who starred in nearly every AAA game of the past 20 years (I'm looking at you, Chris Redfield), and she's also better than them. In fact, she can pick them up like babies then eat them without even working up a sweat.
That's true of a lot of women from the Resident Evil series, though, Alexia Ashford and Alex Wesker to name just two. What makes Lady Dimitresu different is that she's motherly and sassy, ready to dom all comers, but in an unabashedly classy way, sporting an old-world charm that'll make you nostalgic for a time before you were even born. Basically, she's Nadja from What We Do In The Shadows, except extremely tall and busty.
Like Bowsette before her, the good lady has become a lightning rod for the imagination of artists everywhere. We've collected some of our favorite tributes to Dimitrescu (Dimitrescbutes?) for you here. Funny, scary, strongly suggestive, and everything in between, these fan arts from the likes of Mariel Cartwright, Alex Ahad, and a host of others are sure to raise a few eyebrows. That one pic of her in the style of Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 gave me a particularly strong case of the vapors.
Cblogs of 1/23 to 1/29/2021: Resident Evil 2, Spiritfarer, and Nintendo Switch Pro
Cblogs Recap: Week 4
-Kerrik52 declares Trails of Cold Steel IV as his game of the year.
-Lord Spencer reviews Thousand Arms as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.
-Hokogan shares his thoughts on the indie game, Spiritfarer.
-Osc continues the development of his hobbyist game.
-ChronoLynxx opens last week's TGIF opens community forum thread.
Balan Wonderworld is saving its best bits for the full game
Balan Wonderworld made a huge splash when its debut trailer dropped in the pre-show for an Xbox Games Showcase last July. It was bright, colorful, and full of as much whimsy as its creator, Yuji Naka. I was immediately smitten with it as it looked like a dream. After a week of repeatedly playing through its demo, I'm happy to report it plays like a dream as well.
Taito blaster Halley's Comet is the newest Arcade Archives release
This week's offering from Hamster's Arcade Archive range is another forgotten shmup for days of yore. Now available on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, it's Taito classic Halley's Comet.
Released in arcades in 1986, Halley's Comet is a surprisingly smooth vertically scrolling shmup where players must first defend Earth - and then other planets in the solar system - from both invading alien forces and the titular comet, which is on some bizarre collision course whereby it can apparently hit every single planet in the galaxy.
Check out the action in the video below, courtesy of YouTuber SidMania.
It feels like just yesterday that Yacht Club Games was formed: now it's publishing stuff. Our little shovel studio is growing up!
The first publishing duty on the docket? Cyber Shadow.
R-Type Final 2 will blast off on PC and consoles April 30
NIS America has announced that incoming sci-fi shmup R-Type Final 2 will launch in the west on PS4, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch on April 30 - a mere day after the long-in-development title's Japanese release.
R-Type Final 2 is an amalgamation of sorts of everything that has ensured Irem's classic series remains an enduring icon of the shmup genre. Players will select from one of a number of hi-tech spacecraft before jetting off into battle against the might of the evil Bydo Empire. Featuring spruced-up audio/visuals, a huge hosts of gameplay modes, and stacked with explosive weapons and power-ups, R-Type Final 2 looks set to be a fan's dream.
Indeed, the fans have only themselves to thank for this release, having generously donated the equivalent of almost $935,000 USD to developer Granzella's Kickstarter campaign back in June 2019. The dedicated R-Typer might want to check out the official NIS America online store, where a special "Inaugural Flight Edition" is now available to pre-order.
Review: Dead Cells: Fatal Falls
It only took a single (unsuccessful) stab at Dead Cells for me to get back in the swing of things and boy does this game still feel fantastic. Its sense of ferocity and flow is up there with the best of 'em.
I didn't just boot up Dead Cells for the heck of it – there are a few new premium levels to check out today. Following the first paid DLC, The Bad Seed, you can now spice up your Dead Cells runs with Fatal Falls. The first level pack was successful right out of the gate, and this next one proves it wasn't a fluke.
Fractured Shrines, Undying Shores, and The Mausoleum slot right into the mid-game.
Fortnite seems to be teasing an incoming G.I. Joe crossover
Epic Games' Fortnite - which is certainly going into overdrive when it comes to pop culture crossovers - seems to be teasing the next franchise headed to the popular battle royale title. And it appears to be none other than '80s toy-line/TV series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.
Fortnite's official Twitter has posted a new video featuring radio intel from Agent Jonesy, where the hero teases the arrival of some new heroes. The message not only makes reference to the incoming characters' "laser guns" and "cool codenames", but tellingly signs off with the iconic catchphrase "And knowing is half the battle", which you all no doubt will recognize as the catchphrase from G.I. Joe's notorious public service announcements.
In particular, Jonesy references an agent that players "will never hear coming", which sounds a hell of a lot like G.I. Joe's resident ninja master, Snake Eyes. The G.I. Joe brand is pretty much a perfect fit for the world of Fortnite, so now it's just a case of waiting to see which characters make the cut. Of course, if Duke, The Baroness, and Cobra Commander aren't part of the entourage, then I'll be very surprised.
Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid?
This week, a gang of Redditors broke Wall Street for the lolz. Incredible. That story will become a movie someday, like Boiler Room but with far more memes and emojis. It was a trip, that's for sure, but one that's not for me to take. Once I get beyond my 10 fingers, I've reached my mathematical limit. Playing the stock market is an endeavor that would see me out on my ear in double-quick time. Less "Jordan Belfort," more "Homer Simpson selling his stock before the Germans bought the power plant."
Staying in my lane, I've been bouncing between a few games. Nothing out of the ordinary during this quiet period, just some grinding on Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, some fisticuffs on Street Fighter V, and a quick revisit to some old SNES favorites. I'm currently keeping the slate clear as I might have something rolling in for review in the next day or two, so for the most part my gaming time has been spent treading water.
But we aren't here to talk about me, (even though we have been all article), we're here to talk about you. You know how this works - jump into the comments below and let us know what games you've been playing this week, or have lined up for your weekend. It doesn't matter if it's old, new, or simply new to you, you're our fine community, and we love hearing about it. So bring us up to speed, friends.
Have a safe and pleasant weekend, from all of us at Destructoid.
Contest: Win the SOLD OUT Project Warlock on Switch from Super Rare Games
In today's contest you can win a Switch copy of Project Warlock from Super Rare Games!
If you slept on picking up a super limited edition of Project Warlock from Super Rare Games, I've got some bad news -- that shit sold out, yo! It's gone. Donezo. Fin. Adios.
Good thing we snuck Mr. Destructoid into their offices (he went up through the toilet like a shitty, reverse Santa) and stole a copy to give away! Win it here, since you can't buy it anymore!
More than anything else in Monster Hunter Rise, I just want to dress up my Palamute
Monster Hunter Rise is now a video game about crafting the best-looking armor for my Palamute.
Forget my Switch Axe, forget the grind, forget the thrill of hunting with strangers – my dog needs to look fresh. Just one problem: there are too many good choices and I'm never going to settle on a single look. I eventually got over that analysis paralysis with my Palico in World, but this will be even tougher.
A Palamute armor round-up surfaced on my Twitter feed this week, and I haven't been able to shake it. Capcom posted a similar recap last November – it didn't wow me. This gear, on the other hand...
This is what it's all about. This is worthy of a half-covered Do it For Her plaque. Eye on the prize.
Like many of you, I got around to playing the demo even though I was pretty sure I'd enjoy this game as is. I like Rise's whole vibe more than expected coming off of the big and bold Iceborne, which is running better and loading faster than ever for me now that I've moved it over to PlayStation 5. There was an adjustment period, for sure – Capcom had to make trade-offs on Switch – but it's nothing I couldn't adapt to during the demo, and that potential concern is no longer sitting in the back of my mind.
Instead, my head is completely filled with these Palamute sets, to say nothing of crossovers Capcom could and should create. I didn't expect to see a Palamute wearing a tie, but if that's the starting point, as it were, imagine where things could go next. There are plenty of monsters left to confirm for Rise.
I'll continually brutalize every last one of these beasts for my pooch. That's the true endgame.
Debuting during the golden age of home computing, Turrican shook up the action gaming genre with a string of explosively popular releases that, whilst somewhat different in and of themselves, are all typified by their dynamic combat, ruthless difficulty, awesome soundtracks, and eye for exploration.
Initially developed for the Commodore 64 in the late 1980s by German coder Manfred Trenz, Turrican would make a name for itself thanks to Factor 5's stunning Amiga port, bagging a bevy of media plaudits and awards while simultaneously blowing players away with its huge host of technical achievements. 1991 sequel Turrican II: The Final Fight would only serve to further establish the brand as one of the premier shooters, thanks in no small part to composer Chris Huelsbeck's legitimately industry-changing score.
And now, some 30 years since release, ININ Games has compiled Turrican and Turrican II - as well two of its console-based pseudo-sequels - to create Turrican Flashback. This new compendium will offer fans and newcomers the opportunity to experience this iconic franchise, with every weapon, every power-up, every boss, every secret, and every joystick-snapping death exploding onto modern platforms.
To paraphrase a classic: Welcome Back to Turrican.
Thomas Was Alone heads to Switch in February and there's a demo now
If you have a soft spot for 2012's Thomas Was Alone – or you think you'd be into a cozy, minimalist puzzle-platformer about a cast of blocks making their way through the world with full narration helping to tell an honest-to-goodness worthwhile story – the game is resurfacing soon on Switch.
As relayed by creator Mike Bithell today, the Nintendo Switch version of Thomas Was Alone will be out on February 19, 2021, with a 20 percent early-bird discount pushing the regular price down to $7.99. There's also a Switch demo, and it's playable now on the eShop. I love to see it.
So much has changed in the indie scene over the past decade, to say nothing of Bithell himself, whose career has only grown. Many games have come and gone, but Thomas Was Alone still resonates.
As for the Switch port, it's only right. This game was on Wii U. Nothing can be left behind.
Silent Hill's next DLC team-up is with Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals
Silent Hill is reaching new audiences with crossover DLC in multiplayer horror games, and the longer this goes on, the more impatient fans will become. I hope it's all building to something more substantial.
Konami's next cross-game collaboration for Silent Hill is with Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals, a maze-chase horror game on Steam that's popular in the Let's Play circuit. This afternoon, Glowstick Entertainment shared a teaser video with audio and visuals plucked from the hibernating horror giant.
"The new Silent Hill guest DLC will arrive in February 2021," according to the developer. Funny enough, the just-delayed Dark Deception Chapter 4 will feature "Lucky the Rabbit" and "Reaper Nurses." Fitting.
Dead by Daylight's tie-in with Pyramid Head made a certain sense to me – that game has a widely-established reputation for partnering with horror icons – but I'll admit it, this one feels out of left field. On that note, Glowstick has "more big mystery additions coming to Monsters & Mortals after Silent Hill."
It's a mega-weird time to be into this series. We might need to hug it out with Splinter Cell fans.
Fallout 76 just got a fairly large update as far as inventory management is concerned: which...turns out is a huge part of this series!
Yep, the "inventory update" is currently being put through the paces by players, and overall, on paper, it does a whole lot right. One could argue that a lot of that functionality should have been there at launch; and some would state that the house of cards code prevented it from becoming a reality far longer than it should have. But we're past the point of all that. Fallout 76 has been fighting an uphill battle since it was first shown, and they're still trying to regain the confidence of Bethesda fans as a whole.
That strategy includes constant updates for Fallout 76, including a new PTS build that will be available "at the end of next week." It's more quality of life stuff, including the very welcome ability to "reboot" (respec) your character's SPECIAL attributes at level 25 and beyond for no cost. You can also save and swap between multiple loadouts and builds, RPG style. You'll do this at Punch Card Machines littered across the wasteland.
They're doing the same for CAMP (base) loadouts, too. Bethesda explains it all, stating: "Your characters will be able to build multiple different C.A.M.P.s, each with its own location, build budget, custom name, and even a unique map icon. While you will only be able to have one active C.A.M.P. at a time, you can easily switch among them using a new C.A.M.P. Builds widget or your C.A.M.P. icons on the map." That's kind of huge for role players! On top of that, more daily ops are coming to mix things up, as well as aim assist options for controllers, batch crafting (!), and the tuning up of melee abilities.
So what's next on a big picture scale? More Brotherhood of Steel story. As Bethesda reminds us, the Steel Dawn update was a "phase one" of sorts, with more Brotherhood narrative beats to come.
By the time this game is "complete," it might feel like a mainline Fallout!
Inside the Vault [Bethesda.net]
Valve faces lawsuit over Steam Controller patent allegations
Valve Corporation is facing a lawsuit over allegations that it plagiarized the design of its Steam Controller hardware from a similar design already patented by another manufacturer.
Ironburg Inventions, acting on behalf of third-party controller maker SCUF, claims that it warned Valve back in 2014 that the design for its Steam Controller infringed upon Ironburg patents, but that Valve went ahead with the design anyway. The Steam Controller launched in 2015, where the pricey pad sold an estimated 1.5 million units. The device was then discontinued in the fall of 2019.
The patent in question refers to the Steam Controller's rear-side triggers, which sit on the reverse on the pad and can be operated by the player's middle fingers. A patent for such an invention was filed by Simon Burgess and Ironburg CEO Duncan Ironmonger back in 2011. Ironburg has since officially sub-licensed the design to the Xbox brand.
In opening arguments, Ironburg's lawyer Robert Becker called the situation "the classic David and Goliath story," claiming that "Valve did know that its conduct involved an unreasonable risk of infringement, but it simply proceeded to infringe anyway."
Valve, meanwhile, appears to have complete confidence in its defense. "Ironburg's case will be based on altered graphics, modified pictures, and skewed viewing angles [...] then they'll ask you to make that decision based on an altered reality," Valve lawyer Trent Webb told jurors. "Nothing you will see or hear from Ironburg will change what you can see with your own eyes and feel with your own hands when you get that Steam Controller. Alternative reality has no place here."
Video game giant ripped off controller patent, jury hears [Law360]
Mother Music Revisited album is now available on Spotify
Fans of Nintendo's mythic series Mother, (or EarthBound for most of y'all), will be able to spend the coming weekend kicking back to some of the 1989 adventure's charming score, as the Mother Music Revisited album is now available to stream on Spotify.
Released on vinyl in Japan earlier this week, Mother Music Revisited features 10 tracks from the cult RPG series, lovingly rearranged by original composer Keiichi Suzuki, who is known for his majestic work on both the big and small screen. Given that this and previous Mother vinyl releases failed to make their way overseas, music streaming services remain the best way for westerners to massage their brains to Suzuki's iconic scores.
You can check out the track listing for Mother Music Revisited below. Another vinyl set, featuring a similarly rearranged soundtrack for 1994 sequel Mother 2/EarthBound, will release in Japan February 10. Hopefully this too will be made available on the Spotify service.
