New PC updates for Max Payne 3 and L.A. Noire gift all DLC for free
This week has been a bit of a strange one for Rockstar Games, at least in regards to its PC store. It began on April 19, when the Grand Theft Auto developer's entire catalog vanished from the Steam platform. It was quickly reinstated without explanation, and (for a brief period), complete with Midnight Club 2, which has not been available to purchase in three years.
One further oddity, however, concerns the surprise arrival of new updates for 2011's detective title L.A. Noire, and 2012's shooter sequel Max Payne 3, both of which have automatically dished out their entire DLC for free, gifting all those who own the titles on Steam a selection of skins, weapons, missions, and other goodies.
Today, things seem to have returned to a sense of normalcy, with Rockstar's Steam catalog all present and correct. L.A. Noire and Max Payne 3 are admittedly getting a little creaky in the bones in their latter years, but they're both pretty good games in their own right. The free DLC is a welcome, if slightly bizarre, bonus.
Sell some ancient treasures and you could afford this stylish Tomb Raider statue
Premium merchandise maker Weta Workshops has opened pre-orders on a limited edition statue of the legendary Lara Croft. The stunning display piece recalls the classic "Lost Valley" stage of the original Tomb Raider release, and depicts Ms. Croft in action as she fends off an attack from a pair of ravenous velociraptors, deep within some forgotten land lost to the annals of time.
Samurai Gunn 2 hits Steam Early Access this summer, but the Switch version is waiting for 1.0
The long-time-coming Samurai Gunn 2 resurfaced today with a blistering new trailer and a revised summer release window for Steam Early Access. What about Nintendo Switch? It's still happening — but that version won't come out until the 1.0 launch on PC, which should take "about a year or so."
The sequel had plummeted off my radar, but after catching this gameplay footage, I immediately remembered what it was like to face off in frantic one-hit-kill combat with friends. Simplicity and split-second decisions are still the name of this 2D action game. That said, there's more to chew on.
For combat, beyond the super-lethal sword and gun at your disposal, Samurai Gunn 2 now lets you "swallow" one of your three bullets to dash. Trickier yet, the dash allows you to fly through slash attacks, but not other players' shots. A small change can have a big ripple effect in high-stakes duels.
In terms of modes and content, at Early Access launch, the game will have the first of four Adventure worlds (with solo and four-player co-op support!), nine local/online Versus levels (two all-new originals, six updated zones from Samurai Gunn, and a Minit arena), and eight characters (two of which are guests). There's also a graphic novel from artist Valentin Seiche (the first of six chapters).
Wait, guests? Yeah. Indie crossovers can be used to great effect, and Samurai Gunn 2 is on the right track so far with Ana from Spelunky 2 and the cursed hero of Minit. Everyone has unique abilities, too.
For those of us planning to wait for the Switch edition or the 1.0 PC release, Beau Blyth and the team are using Early Access to "make a better game by seeing what people enjoy the most and doubling down on that." (And adding more characters.) As it stands, they say Samurai Gunn 2 is "extremely fun to play right now, and has all of the main modes and features we want in the finished game."
As much as multiplayer is the screaming heart of Samurai Gunn for a lot of people, I'm all about Adventure mode. Whichever you prefer, online support should be a huge boon for the sequel.
Xbox is removing the Live Gold restriction from a bunch of free-to-play multiplayer games today
Xbox is lifting the restrictions on its free-to-play games. While some online multiplayer games still required an Xbox Live Gold membership to play even if they didn't cost any money to play themselves, Microsoft is unlocking that today.
The company had previously been testing this feature out, and start today, the feature should go live for all players across over 50 free-to-play games. Here's the current lineup:
- 3on3 FreeStyle
- Aegis Wing
- APB Reloaded
- Apex Legends
- Armored Warfare
- Battle Ages
- Battle Islands
- Battle Islands: Commanders
- Bless Unleashed
- Brawlhalla
- Call of Duty: Warzone
- Crackdown
- Crackdown 2
- Crimson Alliance
- Crossout
- CRSED: F.O.A.D.
- Darwin Project
- Dauntless
- DC Universe Online
- Dead or Alive 5 Last Round: Core Fighters
- Dead or Alive 6: Core Fighters
- Defiance 2050
- Destiny 2
- Doritos Crash Course
- Dungeon Defenders II
- Enlisted
- Eternal Card Game
- Family Game Night
- Fishing Planet
- Fortnite
- Galaxy Control: Arena
- Gems of War
- Happy Wars
- Harm's Way
- Hawken
- Hyper Scape
- Killer Instinct
- Korgan
- Minion Masters
- Neverwinter
- Outriders (Demo)
- Paladins
- Path of Exile
- Phantasy Star Online 2
- Phantom Dust
- Pinball FX2
- Prominence Poker
- Realm Royale
- Rec Room
- Resident Evil Revelations 2
- ROBLOX
- Rocket League
- Rogue Company
- Skyforge
- SMITE
- Spacelords
- Spellbreak
- Star Trek Online
- Techwars Global Conflict
- TERA
- The Four Kings Casino and Slots
- Too Human
- Trove
- Vigor
- War Thunder
- Warface
- Warframe
- World of Tanks
- World of Warships: Legends
- Yaris
There are some big names in that list, ranging from the battle royales of Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone to the secretly uber-popular Roblox. Xbox says that the list will be updated in the future as well, as more free-to-play games launch for its consoles.
The Xbox Live experience has been changing a lot with the launch of the new console generation. Earlier this year Microsoft toyed with the idea of increasing Xbox Live Gold pricing before backtracking, and the packaging of Game Pass Ultimate has certainly been appealing for the catalog alone. We might be approaching a time where paying for multiplayer access is outdated, and honestly, it couldn't have arrived sooner.
Focus Home is in acquisition mode, purchases Space Hulk and Necromunda dev Streum On
Focus Home Interactive has acquired French developer Streum On Studio, best known for its work on Games Workshop releases such as 2016's Space Hulk: Deathwing and the upcoming Necromunda: Hired Gun. The acquisition was revealed as part of the publisher's latest financial report.
"Over the past year, and particularly the past six months, we have profoundly transformed Focus Home Interactive, said Focus board chairman Christophe Nobileau. "Our Group now has an adjusted business model and a dedicated M&A team, as well as renewed governance, a strengthened Executive Committee and a retention programme for key managers. These changes allow us to invest much more in game development and to significantly improve our profitability, starting next year. On the external growth front, we are delighted with the acquisition of the Streum On Studio."
You can check out a brand new trailer for Necromunda: Hired Gun below.
Here's what Genshin Impact looks like running on PS5
Just last week Sony and developer MiHoYo confirmed that Genshin Impact was coming to PS5 on April 28.
We knew it was happening, but it's nice to see that the studio is putting it out relatively soon in an era full of delays (they have the money for it, that's for sure!). And confirmation that it's going to support 4K visuals and the obvious SSD-related faster load times is always a plus.
Now, we get to see it in action. Sony put out a roughly eight-minute video of the PS5 port in action, which is thankfully low key, no commentary, raw footage. We get to see someone walk through the hub of Mondstadt and out into the world, with seamless load times to boot.
It really is a clear and effective way to show off the port without being too flashy. We also witness multiple locations, including some that are graphically intensive. The best part for me of course? The near-instant load times. Check one of them out here at 4:23 in the clip.
Sometimes, and this isn't exclusive to Genshin Impact, I'll refrain from going to certain places to do small tasks because of the load times involved. In an open world game, fast travel instant loading has become a godsend.
Cyberpunk 2077's clunky console port is back in the Top Ten
The notoriously busted console edition of CD Projekt RED's Cyberpunk 2077 managed to shift enough physical copies last week to re-enter the UK Charts' Top Ten, nestling in at number nine. This is likely due to in-store efforts to reduce stock surplus. Still, just because something is cheap, doesn't mean it's worth buying, and while the PS4/Xbox One editions of the RPG have seen slight improvements since launch, they remain in a relatively poor state.
Aside from this charts oddity, it's mostly business as usual for the UK's physical sales. Electronic Arts' soccer sim FIFA 21 is once again back at the number-one spot, and is unlikely to be usurped by Dreamcast title Super League anytime soon. From there onward, it's mostly the Nintendo show, with Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, and Minecraft all enjoying steady sales. Capcom's Monster Hunter Rise sits at number seven, a healthy position for a non first-party release.
It's easy to forget that we're in a brand new gaming generation at all. Around five months on from the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, and not a single title from either platform resides in the current Top Ten. Most generations begin with a whimper, it has been that way for literal decades, but with a shortage of hardware and multiple development delays, the ninth generation of gaming is sure taking its time getting out of the starting blocks.
The Guardian Games are here in Destiny 2, as is a real-life achievement-exclusive track jacket
The Guardian Games have begun in Destiny 2, which serves as an in-game Olympics of sorts for all three classes.
As Bungie points out Titans won last year, and they're hoping they'll see a new winner this time around. And as usual, Bungie is implementing "feedback" from prior events that didn't go as well as they planned, and has revamped the entire scoring system. Now medals range from one point for bronze, two points for silver, five points for gold, and 15 points for platinum.
To "account for different class population," the class that comes in third place each day gets a 10% scoring bonus, which will be applied permanently throughout the event. Events like this are pretty hard to get right, so there's probably going to be some issue at some point before it's done. For now, Hunters seem to have the edge as the most popular class overall, according to various Destiny data sites.
Rewards include near armor and an exotic Sparrow.
The crown jewel of the announcement is easily the Guardian Games track jacket, though. Following with Bungie tradition dating all the way back to the original years ago, if you manage to unlock the Sparrow, you'll get a code to purchase the jacket from the Bungie store (it's otherwise unobtainable, and merely listed on the store for ease of use).
You can also grab silver pins from the store, or a golden pin for whatever class wins the games. Mech! Bungie knows how to capitalize on it.
This Week at Bungie [Bungie.net]
Tales of Arise arrives this September
The next game in the Tales series is finally ready to set a date. Tales of Arise has been locked in for a Sept. 10 release date, and it's also arriving with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions alongside PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Famitsu revealed a wealth of new info about the new entry in the Tales series this morning. Alongside new screenshots showcasing two additional characters that seem to be joining the party—a previously-teased mage character and a martial arts fighter—there are also two new trailers. The first is the launch date trailer (in English via IGN):
It wasn't just cinematics, though. A second, longer trailer from Famitsu showcases a few minutes of gameplay from Tales of Arise. Here, we can see the new look of the series in motion, from overworld exploration and dialogue to battles.
Seeing how the team has managed to make it look completely new, with an overhauled style and systems, while still retaining the structures that make it feel very Tales-like is fascinating. I can make out what seem like Artes, and even the overworld seems hazily similar to other Tales games, but with a revitalized feel to it.
Tales of Arise had previously been indefinitely delayed, and while the studio had emphasized its new approach to the Tales series, not much was seen of it. Now, with both a release date, new platforms, and a gameplay video all out in the open, the new Tales is feeling much more real. I'm very much looking forward to September.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles will finally bring two 3DS classics to the west July 27
Prepare to don your Herlock Sholmes hat and re-open your basement detective agency. Capcom has announced that The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles will be bringing its old-school, period-sleuthing ways onto PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch this summer.
Previously spotted by the Taiwanese Game Rating Committee, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles collates two classic Nintendo 3DS releases: 2015's The Great Ace Attorney Adventures and 2017's The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve, both of which are being officially localized in English for the very first time, giving Ace Attorney fans the opportunity to plug that frustrating gap in their franchise resume.
Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Bokoblins are some of the best bumbling enemies of all time
Bokoblins, you love to hate 'em.
What could have been a generic open world enemy ended up becoming one of my most frequent sources of laughter while playing Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The Tex Avery-antics these things would get into were limited only by my imagination. They're so immensely fun to mess with, Bugs Bunny style.
This video from alterpoda encapsulates why in just under a minute. Bokoblins comically blowing themselves up is something I'll never get tired of. And really, so much of that is enabled by the way the world and its physics work.
The bit at 0:27 where one Bokoblin blows up another because it picked up a TNT crate is a contender, but the top spot for me is taken up by the part at 0:35. It's happened to me! Sometimes I'll just randomly be wandering around, see an explosion, shrug, and walk away.
I'm a sucker for this sort of enemy infighting: Monster Hunter Rise nails it on a constant basis.
New 4/20 'Stoner' bundle shows Call of Duty knows its audience
Yesterday saw Activision drop another whopping update file on its mega-seller shooter franchise Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and its sister title Warzone. Among the huge plethora of modes, maps, operators, and weapons headed to Season 3 later this week, the spirit of 4/20 was also recognized via the release of a special "Stoner's Delight" DLC bundle.
For (a pretty hefty) 2400 CP, players can bag themselves ganja-themed skins for the Assault Rifle Golf and the Light Machine Gun Alpha, as well as a weapon charm, wristwatch, stickers, and an animated emblem and calling card for your profile. Also included is a new "Zombie Express" vehicle skin for use with CoD's cars, boats, buggies, and bikes. Don't smoke and drive, kids.
Monolith Soft has been growing year after year, and I hope they keep making games forever
Monolith Soft, the company behind the Xenoblade series, has been on the up and up for pretty much its entire existence. But things really changed in 2007 when Nintendo acquired it, and they've been helping out in various first-party heavy-hitters (including Breath of the Wild) ever since; while creating their own original works, mostly of the Xenoblade variety.
This report from Nintendo Enthusiast shows their growth first-hand though, through detailed data attained from their company page. The data doesn't lie! In 2017 they were at 150 employees, and now they're at 272. Literally each year they grew as a studio, hitting 200 people in April of 2019, and are now on their way to 300, possibly by the end of the year if their growth continues.
Interestingly, the company also put a specific emphasis on how many different people they employ compared to the average Japanese developer, as 27.6% of their workforce is represented by women. Their company page also states that they have 75 million yen ($694,251) in capital.
You can find the full breakdown below. Unlike a lot of other developers, say, housed under Activision or EA, the occasional "help out on big Nintendo projects on the side while making our own stuff" arrangement seems to be working out well for them.
Company [Monolith Soft via Nintendo Enthusiast]
Virtua Fighter eSports for PS4 appears on Japanese PSN database
Following on from a recent listing by the Game Ratings Board of Korea, an unannounced Virtua Fighter title for PS4 has appeared on the database on the Japanese PSN store. The title was spotted by database hunters and store spoilers PSN Releases.
No detailed information is available at press time, but the listing (which is not publicly viewable) is for a "Virtua Fighter eSports" and features brand new artwork of the Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown cast. All of the characters appear stylized in their VF 5 iterations, implying that this will be a re-release of the 2010 PS3 and Xbox 360 fighter. It should also be noted that the Korean listing was actually titled Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown.
We will keep you informed as and when more information is forthcoming. I'm very giddy right now. It doesn't appear to be the long-wishlisted Virtua Fighter 6, of course, but releasing an updated edition of VF5: FS, readily available on modern platforms, complete with competent online play, and a revived tournament scene, is exciting stuff all the same.
And so soon after this modder found the full game hidden in Yakuza: Like a Dragon! ORA!
Popular Sonic the Hedgehog character spotted on movie sequel set
Aren't I cute? Trying to avoid spoilers for fans by not naming the character in the headline, despite the fact he's literally fucking trending on social media, and will probably even end up on the posters and in future trailers. Look, I do my best to look out for y'all, at the expense of the mighty SEO overlords.
"A for effort" and all that... SAvEd u A CliCk!1
Sigh. Anyway, as filming continues on Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie, sneaky photos from the set have confirmed that the barrel-chested echidna, Knuckles, will be a part of the cinematic sequel. In frankly disquieting imagery, physical props for Knuckles, Sonic, and Tails were snapped among the rubble of a city street, standing stiff and tall with fixed grins and dead eyes. Tails has seen some shit...
Human: Fall Flat is getting PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions 'very soon'
It might look unassuming, but the endearingly sloppy physics goof-off game Human: Fall Flat has quietly become one of the best-selling games of all time. It was fun enough in 2016 with a co-op player to help and hinder me as we wobbled together through puzzle-platformer playgrounds. Since then, more levels have bubbled up from the community and it's only gotten stronger. The game isn't showing signs of stopping, and in a blog post, Curve Digital and No Brakes Games reaffirmed their support.
In the immediate future, we're getting PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of Human: Fall Flat. There's no release window — they're sticking with "very soon" — but the developers clarified that there would be a free upgrade. "A free patch will also be available to those that own Human: Fall Flat on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to bring the game to the latest version on your new consoles."
Coming up, Curve Digital also promised more free DLC "including new level releases in 2021, additional community competitions, skins, and more." Can they break the 26-million mark? It seems inevitable.
The Forest level, which won the Great Outdoors Steam Workshop contest last October, will be released on PC and consoles "soon." I'm not entirely sure what the holdup was, but I'm still down. Every time there's a new level, we ultimately end up going back and playing a few "while we're here." I can't get enough of this silly game. The single-player gets old, but multiplayer always calls me back.
If it's been a while since you last played, City ended up being one of my favorite stages.
As for the new console editions, sure — I'm happy to upgrade as someone who spent, uh, don't-remind-me-how-much on a second controller. I hope the DualSense feedback is hilariously intense.
Someone snapped photos of every creature's feet in Monster Hunter Rise for their Hunter's Notes
I always get a kick out of seeing what other players are up to in the games I'm enjoying on and off when time allows, especially something like Monster Hunter Rise. There's room for a bunch of different play styles and skill levels, so you never know quite what you're going to get when you hit play on a clip.
In this case, I'm not here to tell you about a perfectly calculated high-flying tail slice, fun as those are. Nah, I'm here to show you this player's complete collection of monster feet for their Hunter's Notes.
I respect Reddit user tutubutt's dedication to this amusingly time-consuming bit.
I took a photo of the feet of every large and small monster from r/MonsterHunter
What would Fugen say about this? Word travels fast in Kamura Village.
So far, I've spent essentially all of my Monster Hunter Rise energy squeezing in as many hunts as possible, so it hadn't dawned on me yet to build out a themed collection of pics for the catalog.
As this photo stash makes the rounds online, I bet some folks on the art team at Capcom finally feel seen. Getting the monsters' meaty feet to look just right is a thankless task, but an important one.
Blendo Games partners with Annapurna for its immersive space FPS Skin Deep
Blendo Games has been steadily working on its next project, Skin Deep, for the last few years. But today, the developer has locked in a partner for its immersive FPS.
Today, Blendo Games announced that it's partnering with Annapurna Interactive for Skin Deep. In a new trailer, they run down the general concept of Skin Deep: you are insurance.
Rather than an agent addressing damage after it's happened though, you're the insurance companies stow away with their precious cargo; and when space pirates board the ship and trip the alarm, you take care of the problem.
SKIN DEEP: a @BlendoGames x Annapurna Interactive partnership. Wishlist now on Steam: https://t.co/CbRmqki1OO pic.twitter.com/Ui7sB9IC5w
— Annapurna Interactive (@A_i) April 20, 2021
Skin Deep has been in development since 2018, but hopefully this partnership and trailer means a launch is on the horizon. The combination of stealth and action with holding in sneezes and Die Hard-reminiscent glass-in-foot injuries looks pretty sweet, and Blendo has made some great games over the years. (Some were even made open source last year!)
Skin Deep is currently set for PC at an unspecified date. You can find it on Steam for wishlisting purposes here.
Happy ten year anniversary, Portal 2
The year is 2011, and the haunting, distant sounds of the Aperture facility are reverberating through our unfinished basement. My brother's at basketball practice, I have free reign of the Xbox. I've spent the past half hour trying to solve this puzzle, but I'm not getting up until I solve it. "Hello, who's there?" the turrets chirp at me.
They always kind of creeped me out, but I push it aside and… aha! I climb up to the tallest platform in the room, throw myself off with reckless abandon, and land my portal at the last second. Now I'm hurtling through the air, and land gracefully in front of the exit. I pump my fist, celebrating my victory, and feeling like the smartest kid in the world.
PowerWash Simulator is somebody's dream game
A simulation game that captures the immediate gratification of power washing dirty surfaces without the maddening racket or physical stress on your arms and hands? Oh, I'm in — I'm so incredibly in. After catching this clip of PowerWash Simulator on Twitter today, I knew this big dad energy would resonate.
The good vibes have been overflowing the past few days. THANK YOU to everyone for all of your kind words and suggestions! ðŸ'œ
— PowerWash Simulator (@PowerWashSim) April 20, 2021
Here's another clean clip to tide you over to launch!ðŸ'¦
Help us by wishlisting on Steam: âï¸https://t.co/ecwdHGsEhLâï¸ pic.twitter.com/mpdDTphPvI
We've seen endless simulation games in recent years, to the point where you could jokingly suggest just about any hobby, job, or mundane activity and then look on Steam to find an honest-to-goodness real game. Many of them are formulaic and don't feel convincingly authentic, but there are exceptions.
This one's coming from FuturLab, the studio behind Velocity 2X, Tiny Trax, and Peaky Blinders: Mastermind, and I don't know — I just have a good feeling about it after spending time with the demo.
In the free demo, there's a house and playground to clean, with different nozzles suited for up-close and far-off areas, and your power-washing progress is tracked across the whole level and also in specific spots, like the garage door or the roof. In case you're wondering, no, you don't have to hold your mouse down indefinitely to spray; there's a toggle. It's a simple, breezy game. I'm not a dad, but I dig it.
The developers released this "proof of concept" slice on itch.io last year and the reception was reassuring enough to convince them to pursue a fleshed-out commercial title. Flash forward to today, and PowerWash Simulator has plans for a Steam Early Access release in Q2 2021. It's almost ready.
Clean every nook and cranny! ðŸ'¦#indiedev #indiegame pic.twitter.com/WQ6P7OqNYx
— PowerWash Simulator (@PowerWashSim) April 18, 2021
The expanded Steam version will have a career mode (in which you run a power-washing business and unlock tools and upgrades), challenge modes (with a leaderboard), and even multiplayer — you can "invite a friend to join you on career jobs, or create multiplayer hangouts for up to six friends."
That all sounds so pleasant, especially the idea of chilling with your buds while you spray the gunk away. As the creators themselves admit, it's hard to believe this idea for a PC game wasn't done sooner.
"If it wasn't for the outbreak of a global pandemic and the global decision to transition millions of people to a 'stay at home unless you really really have to leave the house' protocol then perhaps we never would have found the right moment in time to introduce this idea to the gaming world," said FuturLab.
"There is a recognition amongst the team every day that we are working on the right game at the right time with a vision that is not only simple and elegant, but also overflowing with creative and technical potential."
I've had my fun with guilty pleasures like House Flipper, but this feels more... polished.
Marvel's Avengers creative director leaves Crystal Dynamics to return to Naughty Dog
The creative director of Marvel's Avengers, Shaun Escayg, has left Crystal Dynamics to return to their prior studio of employment, Naughty Dog. Escayg's return was celebrated by the Naughty Dog team, who gifted their long-absent team-mate a postcard and a sweet-ass mug.
"Happy to be back with the Dogs!" remarked Escayg on Twitter.
Escayg had previously worked with Naughty Dog on flagship franchises Uncharted and The Last of Us, ultimately becoming director for the excellent 2017 spin-off Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. Escayg would leave the studio shortly thereafter for a role at Crystal Dynamics, serving as creative director for Square Enix's Marvel's Avengers. The epic comic-book adventure - designed as a long-term, games-as-a-service title - immediately failed to find its playerbase, continuing to meander months after its initial September release.
Now, back in the fold of the much-vaunted Naughty Dog, Escayg is expected to feature in a creative director/writer role on the studio's future releases. The studio is reportedly at work on a new Uncharted title, as well as a PS5 remake of The Last of Us, though neither of these projects have been confirmed.
Square Enix confirms it has plans for E3 2021
Summer is closing in, which means it's time for the rollout of new game announcements. E3 2021 has already confirmed a number of participants, and now another publisher has confirmed it will have something around the digital conference.
In an interview with Nikkei, as translated by VGC and Siliconera, Square Enix CEO Yosuke Matsuda commented on what games of Square Enix's he was looking forward to this year. Alongside upcoming games like this week's Nier Replicant and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Matsuda confirmed there's more to come.
"We'll be announcing the rest of the line-up [later]," said Matsuda (via VGC). "And we're also planning to make an announcement at E3 in June, so please keep your eyes peeled."
Square Enix wasn't among the first batch of companies confirmed for this year's E3, which had other publishers like Nintendo, Xbox, Capcom, and Ubisoft. It's unclear whether Square Enix is planning its own showcase or will have announcements as part of another company's presentation.
E3 2021 is fully digital this year, and the ESA has said that it will not be trying to put any content behind a paywall after a report about the matter surfaced. The full schedule has yet to be announced—though Ubisoft has confirmed its next Forward—but the event will be taking place June 12 through 15.
Nooo, don't internalize misogyny, you're too good at video games
The "pick me" girl has always existed in one form or another, you might recognize her as a proponent of the phrase "I'm not like other girls," or for being "one of the boys." This particular incarnation, often depicted as sinister and possibly prone to hair-twirling, originated on TikTok, a spoof of the Grey's Anatomy scene where Meredith pleads that Derek "pick me, choose me, love me." "Pick me" girls on TikTok essentially say misogynistic things, like how other girls are sluts and that the 19th amendment should be revoked, stuff like that, in order to identify with and be validated by men. The impulse to do so isn't entirely their fault. Many cultures normalize and reward misogyny, and it can be difficult to separate yourself from cultural values even if they actively harm you. Then, not-"pick me" girls ("pick them" girls?) are, naturally, upset with "pick me" girls for putting women down. "Pick me" girls then get angry at detractors for being a bunch of dumb sluts, the wheel keeps turning.
And gaming is absolutely not immune to the eternal battle between "pick me" girls and … regular girls (???). In fact, it's been a topic of many viral TikToks. User @lindseyszn, who makes TikToks on gaming and Discord culture, for example, often features a "pick me" character in her comedy videos. This one, where a "pick me" fights with fictional boy Alex's girlfriend about being the person he Snapchats most often (kids these days!), has 1.1 million likes and 4.2 million views since it was posted on March 9. "This made my blood boil, my ex's name was Alex," one TikTok user commented.
Gamer "pick me" girls always want to be the only girl in their Discord server, they make fun of other girls for innocuous things like wearing pink, and cannot stand their fellow players' girlfriends. Across the board, "pick me" girls kind of suck, but I also feel bad for them.
NieR's Yoko Taro teases 'off-beat' mystery project
With NieR Replicant mere days from release, it seems series director Yoko Taro has already begun shifting focus toward a brand new mystery project, currently in development at Square Enix.
Speaking in an official NieR Replicant live stream yesterday, the eclectic game designer revealed that he was already hard at work on a "somewhat unusual game" - a project he described as "off-beat" as well being both "nostalgic and new." Perhaps most bizarrely of all, Taro teased that he has no idea how to get people to play the new title, despite being told by his team that the game is a guaranteed best-seller... Ok.
The confusing non-explanation is pretty much business as usual for the 50-year-old industry veteran, who is known for his eccentric personality, oddball sense of humor, and creative mind. Despite the lack of clear information presented by Taro, it appears that said project is definitely planned for public release as a digital-only title, with more information coming in the very near future... or should that be the very NieR future?
NieR Replicant launches April 23 on PS4, PC, and Xbox One. The updated release features a rearranged soundtrack, re-recorded voice-overs, updated visuals, tweaked combat, and short order of extra content, making it the definitive edition of the 2010 action-RPG.
Yoko Taro working on new title with Square Enix [Gematsu / Games Talk]
Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan is leaving Blizzard
Longtime Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan has announced he is leaving Blizzard Entertainment. Aaron Keller, a founding member of the Overwatch team, will be stepping into his role moving forward.
In an announcement blog, Kaplan thanked his fellow developers and Blizzard employees, as well as Overwatch fans. You can read his statement in full below:
i am leaving Blizzard Entertainment after 19 amazing years.
it was truly the honor of a lifetime to have the opportunity to create worlds and heroes for such a passionate audience. i want to express my deep appreciation to everyone at blizzard who supported our games, our game teams and our players. but i want to say a special thanks to the wonderful game developers that shared in the journey of creation with me.
never accept the world as it appears to be. always dare to see it for what it could be. i hope you do the same.
gg,
jeffrey kaplan
In his own statement, newfound director Keller says development of Overwatch 2 is "continuing at a good pace." Keller says there are exciting reveals planned for this year as the team ramps up to launch, and that it will be sharing "more frequent updates" about Overwatch 2's progress and features very soon.
Kaplan has been the public face of Overwatch for some time, even garnering some memes. He started at Blizzard Entertainment in 2002, with credits stretching back to World of Warcraft. After stepping down from game director on WoW to spearhead the eventually-canceled Titan, Kaplan then became the lead for what would become Overwatch.
Overwatch garnered tens of millions of players under his tenure. Now, with Overwatch 2 looming—though still without a launch target—we'll see what the road ahead looks like with a new leader at the helm.
"While I have no pretenses about filling Jeff's shoes, I'm excited to step into the game director role and continue to be part of a team that's putting all of its heart, talent, and focus into the next iteration of Overwatch, and I'm honored to continue serving this incredible community," said Keller.
They did it, they put Batman in the Fortnite world
We knew the Batman/Fortnite crossover was coming, but I don't think I was truly preparing myself for it.
The gist: Gotham City's skies crack and reveal a rift, which sucks Batman into the world of Fortnite. Given that old Brucie has gone back to Prehistoric times and beyond, it's not even the craziest thing Batman has ever done. But having him tangle directly with Fortnite named characters like Fishstick is a little weird, in a mostly good and confusing way.
Zero Point issue #1 is out today for five bucks, and it comes with a code for a "Rebirth Harley Quinn Outfit" in Fortnite (you also get a code if you're a DC Universe Infinite digital comic subscriber). DC points out that the outfit will be "available later this summer," so it's not exclusive if you want it: but it's going to be cheaper to get the five-dollar comic either way.
For reference, I got my code this morning via email, approximately 30 minutes after reading the comic. The next issues are due on May 4, May 18, June 1, June 15, and July 6.
If you're curious, it's roughly 24 pages of story, and Batman enters the Fortnite world on page eight: so soonish! It's silly fun, and Batman grappling around structures in Fortnite makes a lot of sense, but it's the sort of imagery that's going to elicit groans, side-eyes, and vomiting from a large swath of people. I get it.
Zero Point [DC]
Spiritfarer adds new character Lily today
Last year's Spiritfarer was a bit of a surprise. The cozy management sim about a boat sailing spirits through the afterlife made for a pretty compelling journey, and there's more on the horizon.
Developer Thunder Lotus announced today that the Lily Update is live for free, to celebrate Spiritfarer clearing 500,000 copies sold. The update is currently available across all systems, including Xbox Game Pass where it's still part of the lineup at the moment.
This update adds Lily the Butterfly Spirit, a new character that will apparently add some details about protagonist Stella's story. Without spoiling the general narrative of Spiritfarer, that's a pretty good reason for those who have already wrapped up their run of the game to come back. There are also some improvements to local co-op and other various bug fixes.
As previously announced, Lily is the first of three updates in store for Spiritfarer this year. It's pretty nice to see Thunder Lotus continue to roll out reasons to come back to Spiritfarer this year; it was a cozy refuge for me last year, and new story segments combined with some added gameplay and quests seems like a good enough excuse for more hours spent on the river. Gotta catch all those fish, right?
Super Mario 64 Plus is a fan-enhanced port of the classic with permadeath
Will I ever get sick of Mario 64 fan projects? Probably not.
It's an absolute classic. You know it. Nintendo knows it. It has a banger of a soundtrack and timeless level design, in a digestible format. From launch to the current era, it's one of the easiest 3D Mario games to just pick up and play "for a few stars."
The modding community knows all of this too, which is why they try and keep the spirit of the game alive on a constant basis. Take this project from Mors for example, which aims to provide a 60 FPS PC port of Mario 64 with the added wrinkle of permadeath.
Mors also promises "more responsive controls, an improved camera, extended moveset, and the ability to continue a level after getting a star (!)." The permadeath mode is incredibly intriguing, as it's such an easy way to issue a blanket gauntlet challenge to your childhood friends.
"How many stars can you get before you die?" It's so simple, yet compelling. Given that I own the Nintendo 64 version, the DS edition, and now the Switch collection: you know I'm always down for a good Mario 64 challenge. It's one of my most-raced games with friends.
Resident Evil Re:Verse is getting a third open beta tomorrow
If you're yet to check out Resident Evil Re: Verse - the multiplayer side-title accompanying the upcoming Resident Evil Village - then you're going to have another opportunity real soon. Capcom has announced a third beta test for the crossover shooter, scheduled to kick off on all platforms tonight/tomorrow.
If you want to check out the action for yourself, all you need do is download the client on your platform of choice, sign up for a Capcom account, and then you'll be set to go once the servers go live tonight at 23:00 PT and tomorrow at 02:00 ET / 07:00 BST. The beta will run for 24 hours and is open to all players, it does not require a Resident Evil Village pre-order.
Resident Evil Re:Verse is a celebration of the legendary survival horror, and lets up to six players partake in a variety of deathmatch-style modes. Packed out with characters, locations, and weapons cherry-picked from across the entire franchise, Re:Verse will let you finally see who would win in a battle royale between, say, Jack Baker and Ada Wong. The previous beta test, unfortunately, ran into numerous technical issues, but hopefully Capcom has ironed some of these problems out. After all, that's what a beta is for.
Magic: Arena has a code for free levels as an apology for recent bugs
Magic: Arena launched a big expansion in the form of its Strixhaven set, and naturally, there's some bugs.
It's not uncommon to see bugs at the start of a huge patch (Fallout 76, ho!), but Magic: Arena has become sort of known for it, especially day one. But a few bugs lingered for nearly a week before being fixed, and Wizards of the Coast is giving players a little something for their trouble.
In short, a lot of players (myself included) found that their quest bar at the bottom of their main menu was missing. This prevented players from seeing XP-boosting quests properly, and thus halting progress for the Mastery (season) Pass. Other players reported problems seeing their friends list, which is a mighty big issue if you play socially often.
So a hotfix just launched last night, and fixed both of those problems. Wizards is "sorry for the confusion," and decided to launch a code to provide some compensation. To unlock it, just use the code "RestorativeBurst" in the storefront (itself a card reference) to grab two free Mastery Pass levels.
That brings me up to level 18 of 90! The next set is due in July, so I have some time left.
Magic Arena [Twitter]
In a fascinating and quirky revelation, a modder has discovered that a full build of Sega's Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown is housed inside action-RPG Yakuza: Like a Dragon, as well as its predecessor, Yakuza 6.
While hero Ichiban Kasuga has always been able to enjoy a few rounds of the excellent fighter by simply entering one of the cityscape's arcades and parking himself in front of a cabinet, PC modder "Silent" was able to unlock the full Xbox 360 edition of VF5: FS in its entirety - complete with training mode, challenge mode, arcade mode settings, and more.
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is just as good as I remember
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne is criminally unloved. I mean, the real ones know, but as a whole, it's one of the more forgotten JRPGs, with projects like Persona 4 Golden taking the spotlight away from, well, most of Atlus' back catalog.
With Atlus' new HD remaster, I think a lot of people are going to realize they've been sleeping on a classic.
Void Terrarium's PS5 content will be available on Switch and PS4 as DLC
Void Terrarium is a game that will stick with me for a very long time. It's a rather sad affair with a bleak outlook on mankind's future, but with a kick-ass gameplay loop that totally hooked me last year. It's really worth a playthrough, even if I can't guarantee you'll be all that happy when you watch the credits roll.
If you missed out on the title in 2020, NIS America is re-releasing the game next month for PlayStation 5 as Void Terrarium++. This new version of the game will include everything from the original and adds new emotes, hairstyles, diseases, and a new environment to traverse.
(Update) Amazon China leaks Luigi expansion kit for LEGO Super Mario
[Update: And just like that, the set has been officially announced! The LEGO Luigi Starter Pack launches August 1, priced at $59.99/£59.99. Pre-orders are live at the official LEGO store.]
A since-removed listing from retailer Amazon China has leaked the existence of a new LEGO Super Mario expansion set that will see Mario reunite with his slippery-footed brother, Luigi. The set was originally spotted by dedicated LEGO site The Brick Fan.
Titled "LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Luigi", the new set will add a Luigi variant of the interactive LEGO Super Mario figurine, along with a brand new Starter Course. The kit includes platforms, warp pipes and question blocks, alongside LEGO figurines of Pink Yoshi, Bone Goomba, and Boom Boom. The kit contains 280 pieces in all, and had a listed launch date of July 9, although no price was specified.
(Update) Eustace arrives in Granblue Fantasy: Versus April 20 and is it hot in here or...?
[Update: Version 2.51 is now live in Granblue Fantasy: Versus, bringing a glut of fixes as well as numerous character balance tweaks. You can check out the full patch notes for the update over on the official website.]
CyGames has announced a release date for the next fighter headed to its stylish one-on-one slugfest Granblue Fantasy: Versus. As teased back in early March, literal lone wolf Eustace will be joining GF:V's stupidly stylish roster of fighters on April 20.
Master marksman Eustace patrols Skydom as a wandering vigilante, delivering judgment to the wicked via the business end of his ornate custom rifle "Flamek Thunder" and a handful of explosive devices. Afforded heightened senses thanks to his raw... animalistic... untamed... wolf-like nature, Eustace is a fearsome opponent, equally dangerous at both long-range and in close proximity.
As with all previous Granblue Fantasy: Versus DLC characters, Eustace comes complete with a custom lobby avatar, star character icon, and RPG quest chapter. Be sure to check out the Japanese GF:V Twitter account for a selection of short videos showing off Eustace's moveset as we see our fuzzy boy locked, cocked, and ready to unload... Ok, I'm calling this article right now.
It's time to claim Horizon Zero Dawn for free on the PlayStation Store
Sony's next free game for Play At Home 2021 is Horizon Zero Dawn, the trap-laying, robot-beast-hunting adventure from Guerrilla Games. If you need it — specifically the Complete Edition — it's time to add it to your library. You can claim HZD from the PlayStation Store until May 14 at 8:00 p.m. Pacific.
Of course! That's what we're here for. And if you act before April 22, there's still time to grab nine other free games including Subnautica. Sony also says it'll have "another Play at Home update to share soon."
Worth remembering: you don't need PlayStation Plus. This is actually "free."
Apart from the substantial base game, Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition also comes with The Frozen Wilds (an expansion quite a few of us missed), some miscellaneous outfit and gear packs, a digital art book, and a PS4 theme. Normally, Sony charges $20 for this version, so it's a pretty nice giveaway.
As a sort of refresher, here's a clip of someone going to town on a Thunderjaw:
A Seasoned Hunter VS A Mighty Thunderjaw from r/horizon
I'm not sure what else needs to be said about this game — you all know it well enough by now. You've either played through it already, you've chipped away at it but never finished Aloy's journey because the open world distracted you (same here), or you've needed a nudge like this giveaway. Or you don't care.
By all means, claim away. It's no accident that HZD has a strong fan following and people are generally feeling good about the sequel's potential. You might end up loving it. And with Horizon Forbidden West staying essentially silent lately, there should be plenty of time to get situated. No rush at all.
I'd consider giving Horizon Zero Dawn another spin from scratch if there was 60FPS support on PS5, but as is, I'm leaning toward trying out Days Gone the next time I have wiggle room in my backlog. Maybe. I'm very much in a pick-up-and-play mood right now and neither of them resonate with me that way.
After seeing it in action, Resident Evil Village looks like a natural evolution from RE7
Resident Evil Village is one of my most anticipated games.
I mean, some of you know I've played every Resident Evil entry in existence (even the lightgun ones, with the accessories!), but coming off of Resident Evil 7, I really want to see how Capcom is going to follow it up. RE7 set a huge bar for what the series has now become.
Existing on a different plan entirely than say, the complete fumble that is RE6, the newest mainline entry brought folks back to basics with horror at the forefront. Based on what I've seen of Village so far, it looks like they're going to nail it again.
Dota: Dragon's Blood is getting a second season
Netflix's Dota 2 series premiered fairly recently, and it's already been locked in for another season. The Dota 2 Twitter account has confirmed that Book 2 of Dota: Dragon's Blood is on the way.
A tweet today says the second season of Dota: Dragon's Blood is in the works. No more details have been provided, though it also notes that Free to Play—a documentary following several professional Dota 2 players through the first International—is now on Netflix as well, with an updated end credit sequence.
Book 2 is coming! The second season of DOTA: Dragon's Blood is in the works.
— DOTA 2 (@DOTA2) April 19, 2021
While you wait, revisit the story of the tournament that started it all â€" FREE TO PLAY is now available on @netflix with an updated end credit sequence. pic.twitter.com/CINeVNlheM
I'm pretty pumped about this news. The first season of Dota: Dragon's Blood was solid, and it left some threads hanging that I'd love to see tied off. Also, there are a ton of weird Dota characters that would be a blast to see animated. I know Pudge and Rubick are obvious favorites, but I would love to see what Storm Spirit or Enigma would look like in a series like this.
This also adds to the pile for Netflix's video game adaptations. Castlevania's final season airs next month, even more Witcher is in the works, and Resident Evil's CGI movie lands in July. There doesn't seem to be a shortage of video game series, and now that includes some more Dota.
What did you think of the Resident Evil Village demo?
Capcom didn't make things simple with the new Resident Evil Village demo that can only be played for a certain amount of time on certain days and certain platforms. It's enough to justify an explainer.
I'm not here to recap all of that nonsense again, but after playing the first slice of the demo on Saturday on my PS5 — a quick 30 minutes in the village area — I wanted to talk about the rollout. Will Capcom try this stunt again with another game, or is this a one-off experiment? Either way, it needs tweaks.
The whole "8 Hours in Village" branding only makes the demo schedule more confusing at a glance.
A bit of background. If you were in the right time and place on April 17, you could've spent half an hour with Resident Evil Village on a PS4 or PS5 during an early-access phase that lasted only eight hours.
I happened to be around, and I'm stoked for Village, so I pre-loaded the demo and was ready to go. Except when 5:00 p.m. Pacific rolled around, I didn't immediately start playing — instead, I began watching someone else's playthrough in a YouTube live stream. I wasn't going to waste my demo!
As silly as that sounds, it felt warranted. By watching another playthrough, I knew to turn off ray tracing in the main menu (not in the pause menu!) so the game would run at 60 frames per second. I also learned the demo was cutscene-heavy, and that the timer didn't stop during cutscenes. You can skip them to save time, and for several minor scenes, once I got the gist, I totally did. It felt bad.
If you were hoping for Twisted Metal III to be mediocre, your wish is granted
Twisted Metal was an institution on the PlayStation. Much like the landmark titles Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and Resident Evil, it exploded its genre, resulting in a bevy of pretenders. For Twisted Metal, it was vehicular combat; average, everyday cars with guns taped to them battling it out for supremacy. Games like Interstate '76 and Carmageddon would step up to try and take the throne over the next decade.
It was followed up a year later with Twisted Metal 2, a game that had a significant impact on my childhood. It was creepy, edgy, and the right amount of goofy. Discomforting cutscenes, creepy characters, lots of fire; it fit with the mid to late '90s theme of pushing the limits of taste. It was also really, stupidly fun.
But then developer Singletrac got bought up and the rights to Twisted Metal stayed with Sony. They passed development onto 989 Studios, a division of theirs that normally just acted as a publisher. Their first result was Twisted Metal III, and we're going to need the jaws of life to get through this wreckage.
Earthblade is the next 2D action game from the Celeste team
After TowerFall and Celeste, you better believe I'll keep tabs on Earthblade, the next 2D game from Extremely OK Games. The team shared a "vibe reveal" today alongside a preview of Lena Raine's soundtrack, the logo and a teaser poster by Pedro Medeiros, and a studio check-in from Maddy Thorson. Put another way, we're still in for a bit of a wait here, but they've landed on a direction.
Earthblade 🌷 Vibe reveal! (ðŸ"Šsound on!)
— Extremely OK Games (@exok_games) April 19, 2021
A 2D explor-action game in a seamless pixel art world. The next release from the Celeste team, coming 20XX. pic.twitter.com/ceAM80PEaG
The developers are calling Earthblade a "2D explor-action game in a seamless pixel art world." I'm immediately picturing what it'll be like to wield a sword given how fantastic Celeste and TowerFell felt.
Here's the full poster (is that a castle tower, a giant sword, or both?):
"Finding the right project is hard," Thorson wrote in a blog post. "It has to hit that tiny sweet spot between the unknown and the comfort zone. The unknown is exciting, but scary and difficult. The comfort zone is safe and easy, but boring. It's tempting as an artist to push yourself too far into the unknown, into a project that's not going to get finished given the constraints of your circumstances."
The team didn't strike the right balance on its first, second, or even third try. In the time since Celeste — can you believe it's been three years? — they built a few game prototypes that didn't pan out.
"Prototypes EXOK1–3 taught us a lot, but ultimately we ventured way too far from our comfort zone for them to realistically ever get finished," the designer continued. "It took a while, but we feel like we've settled on the right compromise between the two with Earthblade."
"I am so excited about this project," Thorson said. "I can see the whole thing in my head. Not perfectly, mind you — most of the details are still pretty blurry in my mental image, and I'm sure a lot will change along the way. But I can see the general shape of it, and I feel really good about where it's going."
Unlike Celeste, which had very public-facing updates on Twitter ("we basically tweeted out whatever interesting-looking thing we were working on day-to-day"), Earthblade will be more secretive — at least for now. Extremely OK Games believes "an air of mystery lends itself particularly well to this project, so we've opted to save it all up for a big reveal that will hopefully blow your socks off."
They know how to make great-feeling games, so vague or not, no matter how long it takes, I'm in.
Hitman developer IO Interactive expands with new Barcelona studio
IO Interactive, developer of the popular and critically acclaimed Hitman franchise, continues to flourish since stepping away from Square Enix to go independent. The Danish developer has recently announced that it is expanding its operations with a brand new studio, opening in beautiful Barcelona, Spain.
"There are exciting times ahead at IO Interactive and I am proud to announce the next step in our plans for the most desirable game company in Europe," said IO CEO Hakan Abrak in an official statement. "IOI Barcelona will become the third studio to join our efforts to create phenomenal experiences for our players and communities."
"All three of our studios have extremely talented developers who are passionate and driven towards making an impact in our industry. A core part of our philosophy is that everyone at IOI has a significant and impactful role to play in realizing our dreams, regardless of where they're located. Think of it as one studio, in multiple locations."
IOI Barcelona joins the developer's previous two studios IOI Copenhagen and IOI Malmo, and will be used for the development of IO's current and future releases. This is expected to include Hitman, the exciting James Bond title "Project 007" and a third, unannounced IP. IO notes that all three of its studios should be recognized as "elite," as all will be equally focused on the developer's releases going forward.
In choosing to leave Square Enix to go it alone in both development and publishing, IO Interactive took an enormous risk at a fragile time in the industry. But having since bagged the sought-after James Bond license, delivered an excellent release in the form of Hitman 3, and the opening of its new Spanish studio, it seems that this risk has paid off - IO's future is looking sunnier than ever.
Apex Legends Mobile will begin beta tests later this month
It has been a hot minute since we last talked about EA bringing its wildly successful battle royale Apex Legends to mobile. The console and PC versions of the shooter recently surpassed 100 million players worldwide, but if the success of PUBG Mobile is any indication, its greatest successes may still be yet to come. After keeping quiet on the game for the better part of two years, Chad Grenier, game director on Apex Legends, has pulled back the curtain on the mobile, free-to-play shooter.
Designed in-house at Respawn, Apex Legends Mobile takes its battle royale formula and reworks it for the touchscreen controls at the forefront of the mobile experience. As such, there will be no cross-play with the console and PC versions, and Apex Legends Mobile will have its own unique battle passes, cosmetics, and unlockables.
Closed beta tests on Android platforms will begin soon. However, Respawn is initially limiting these to a few thousand players in India and the Philippines. I can't wait to see these tests come to our shores, and I'm quite interested in seeing if my phone will be able to run this game or if it'll be time for me to upgrade to the newest Pixel.
Apex Legends Mobile Regional Betas [EA]
Amazon cancels Lord of the Rings MMO after dispute with Tencent-acquired partner
Amazon Game Studios' ambitious MMO set within the Lord of the Rings universe has hit the bricks, following failed negotiations between Amazon and its development partner's new owner, Tencent.
According to a new report from Bloomberg, the project was a joint development between Amazon Game Studios and holding company Leyou Technologies. The latter company was acquired by Chinese conglomerate Tencent in 2020, forcing new contract negotiations. But it seems that Amazon and Tencent failed to find common ground on the new terms, which has led to Amazon canning the LOTR project altogether.
"We love the Lord of the Rings IP, and are disappointed that we won't be bringing this game to customers," an Amazon spokesperson told Bloomberg. "We have been unable to secure terms to proceed with this title at this time."
The Lord of the Rings will now go in Amazon's storage closet alongside previously canned releases Crucible and Breakaway. Sandbox MMO New World remains in development for PC, with a tentative launch date of August 31. Since it officially announced it was entering video game development back in 2014, Amazon Game Studios is yet to see a successful release. Having just opened new digs in Montreal, Canada, it seems that the retail giant is still all-in on its digital endeavors.
Apex Legends' 'Northstar' cinematic is a blast from Titanfall's past
Apex Legends has always been set in the Titanfall universe, utilizing many of the series' weaponry and linking characters into the broader narrative. The latest story cinematic for the free-to-play battle royale is a serious gut-punch for Titanfall 2 fans, though.
The newest Stories from the Outlands, titled "Northstar," premiered earlier today. Right away, we see some Titanfall imagery: specifically, a Pilot's helmet. After a deal goes south, our main character Kairi Imahara even meets up with Titanfall 2 antagonist Kuben Blisk. But then she pulls out a card—an Apex card, similar to one held by the members of Blisk's pack in Titanfall 2—and it becomes clear this isn't just a quick cameo spot.
It's revealed that Kairi is the daughter of Viper, one of the Titan Pilots that Titanfall 2 protagonist Jack takes down over the course of the campaign. Viper piloted the high-flying Northstar configuration, and you face off against him on top of a ship near the end of the campaign.
While Viper certainly makes an impression in Titanfall 2, "Northstar" is here to not only flesh both this character and Kairi—who's joining the Apex Legends lineup as Valkyrie—but to make me feel pretty bad about winning that boss fight. Viper was cool as heck and has one of my favorite Pilot intros in Titanfall 2. Dang.
It's nice to see the worlds collide, however. And the resolution it arrives at, with Kairi choosing to forego vengeance and forge her own path, even repurposing the Northstar wreckage to craft her own weapons (seemingly with the help of fellow Legend Rampart), is a solid one. Definitely makes me want to hop back into Apex Legends after a long time away.
Some Respawn devs had previously said that this upcoming season would have some Titanfall content in it, so we're already off to a good start. It's still not a new Titanfall, but since it seems iffy on when or if that will ever happen, these neat side stories that expand on the broader universe are pretty great, too.
Double Fine reaffirms Psychonauts 2 is coming this year
There might be some delays already this year, but Double Fine has reassured it's still aiming for 2021. The studio tweeted today that yes, Psychonauts 2 is still slated for this year.
The statement reaffirms what the company's Twitter account has said a few times before: that Psychonauts 2 is "this year." No specific date has been set yet, "but it is real. It is playable. It is coming."
And yes, Psychonauts 2 is this year and yes I've been mentioning that here and elsewhere for a while but no I can't tell you when because someone from THE COMPANY would arrange for a mysterious "cactus accident" to happen to me...
— Double Fine (@DoubleFine) April 19, 2021
But it is real. It is playable. It is coming.
Even if it's been said before, some confirmation is nice to have. Games like Deathloop and Guilty Gear Strive have already had their release date pushed back, and the effects of the pandemic have resulted in a number of game delays over the last year or so.
Psychonauts 2 hasn't been immune to delays either. Some confirmation that work's progressing is reaffirming at the least. The company also recently put out a trailer for its next Amnesia Fortnight game jam documentary, which will premiere later this month on April 29.
The Japanese commercial for Magic: Arena mobile is wild
Magic: The Gathering Arena just launched wide on mobile, and Wizards of the Coast wants people to know about it: with a Japanese commercial.
Like many commercials in the region, it starts with a bored salaryman at work dreaming of something more. He looks at the clock, and it says "MTG" as he falls asleep standing up. Suddenly his boss turns into a Danny Devito-esque troll and a bunch of big Magic: The Gathering lore characters start appearing to inspire him to play more video games at work. Classic. Chandra and Jace in the workplace!
Oh, and it has subtitles! And it's sort of a musical! And has some actual gameplay. It kind of has it all, given that it clocks in at just under 1:49. Love the glowing Jace eyes.
Enjoy the ride and smile on a potentially busy and rote Monday.
PlayStation reverses course on PS3, Vita store closure
Last month, Sony confirmed a report that it would be closing the online storefront for PlayStation 3, Vita, and PSP. Today, the company announced it would no longer be closing two of those stores.
Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan said in a statement on the PlayStation Blog that while Sony had recently planned to close the stores this summer, upon further reflection it was clear that it made the wrong decision. The PlayStation Store for PS3 and Vita will stay operational, though PSP commerce functionality will still retire on July 2, 2021 as planned.
"When we initially came to the decision to end purchasing support for PS3 and PS Vita, it was born out of a number of factors, including commerce support challenges for older devices and the ability for us to focus more of our resources on newer devices where a majority of our games are playing on," said Ryan.
"We see now that many of you are incredibly passionate about being able to continue purchasing classic games on PS3 and PS Vita for the foreseeable future, so I'm glad we were able to find a solution to continue operations."
This is certainly a positive for people who want to hold onto their old games, or might want to explore what they missed out on at some point in the future. Getting old games backed up was already proving to be a bit of a slog too, so having two of these storefronts stay online and operational is rad. (Sorry for those holding out hope for the PSP, though.)
Nintendo files new suit against alleged Team Xecuter hacker Bowser
Nintendo of America has filed a new lawsuit against an associate of long-time hack-maker Team Xecuter.
Following an F.B.I. investigation, Canadian Gary Bowser was arrested in the Dominican Republic in September 2020, before being extradited to the U.S. to face felony charges for the alleged creation and distribution of Nintendo Switch "jailbreak" devices such as the SX Core and SX Lite.
As reported by Polygon, Nintendo served a new lawsuit in a Seattle court last week, alleging that Bowser infringed on Nintendo's copyright by creating and distributing the hacking devices. The lawsuit demands restitution in the amount of $2,500 USD for each trafficked device, and $150,000 for each copyright violation, as well as the complete shutdown of Bowser's mod-making operations.
Bowser is one of a trio of Team Xecuter members facing felony charges for their part in alleged Switch hacking operations. French National Max Louarn was also arrested in September in Canada, with authorities still seeking U.S. extradition. A third associate, Chinese national Yuanning Chen, is still being sought by authorities.
The Team Xecuter arrests are part of an ongoing investigation and crackdown by Nintendo on the makers and distributors of hacking devices. Earlier in September 2020, Ohio-based hack-maker Uberchips was directed by the courts to pay $2 million USD in damages to Nintendo for its part in the distribution of Team Xecuter's products.
Bethesda is ready to share more details for Fallout 76 Season 4, and another roadmap update
The big news in Fallout 76 is the impending release of the "Locked and Loaded" update, which brings in a ton of quality of life upgrades for Daily Ops, among other facets of the game.
But it's also heralding a brand new season: one of Bethesda's many monetization tools for Fallout 76. We're up to Season 4 now, and it's called "Armor Ace and the Power Patrol in Cold Steel," going along with the classic sci-fi b-movie/'90s cheese feel of the older seasons. It's a shame one of Fallout 76's most charismatic elements is locked behind a time-gated monetization system, but that's more of a sign of the times than anything.
Anyway, Season 4 is happening on April 27, and will feature 100 ranks to climb, as well as mannequin rewards, power armor, weapon skins, CAMP objects, backpack flairs, badges, and a Nukashine. Oh, and a "carry weight booster" that lets you carry 50 extra pounds for 30 minutes. Yeah, the art team knocks it out of the park for seasons, but the monetization intent is scummy.
Oh, and Bethesda also just put out a new community calendar that's a bit more immediate than the giant "end of 2021" infographic they released recently. In May the team is focusing on CAMP creations with an event every weekend, then the "Summer Heat" Moleminers focus, then the July Steel Reign 2 update that also has a big emphasis on legendary items and crafting.
Inside the Vault [Bethesda.net]
