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Articles by CJ Schummer
id Software Studio Head to Leave Company
For the past 24 years, Tim Willits has played a major role in the evolution and success of longtime developer id Software. From working on some of the earliest DOOM titles to bringing the long-awaited Rage 2 to fans this past May, Willits has become the most notable person in the company outside of its co-founders. Come the end of July, however, Willits will be moving on to the next phase in his career.
Blizzard Co-Founder is Leaving the Company
Since late last year, there’s been indication that Blizzard Entertainment is going through a set of struggles as it works to find new ways to win fans over. These new approaches have included a shift to a more mobile-focused gaming future, and the struggles have seen a restructuring of the company’s workforce. Amidst these continued changes, one of company’s co-founders has taken it upon himself to step away on his own terms.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Story Creator Mode Being Changed to Prevent XP Farming
Last month, Ubisoft added a brand new Story Creator Mode for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey designed to utilize the creative vision of the massive game’s community. With the new tool, players have the ability to design their own quests using whatever characters they wish, with branching dialogue options and more. Due to a number of exploitative creations, however, the developer has had to step in to uphold the integrity of the creative tool for the community.
Shenmue 3 Backers Won’t Get Season Pass, Deluxe Content
While the long-awaited release of Shenmue 3 has been coupled with multiple delays and changes in its development plans, developer Ys Net is committed to completing the promise it made to fans when it announced the gamefour years ago at E3. While the Kickstarter campaign broke records with the promise of a proper ending to the Shenmue story, long-time fans who supported the game with their own money may not receive all the benefits they were expecting.
Nintendo Switch Lite D-Pad Won’t Be Added to Joy-Cons
Today, the Nintendo Switch Lite was revealed, ending months of speculation and anticipation from many on what the company’s next iteration of its handheld / home console would entail. While the more compact version of the Switch comes with its limitations, there is one notable change fans are excited about: a proper directional-pad. Even though the new system’s button layout is a welcomed change, people shouldn’t get their hopes up for it to be adapted elsewhere.
Bethesda Believes It’s Convincing People To Buy Switch Consoles
Before launching back in March 2017, the Nintendo Switch was already receiving a sizable amount of third-party support. While that support includes a healthy combination of older games being ported and newer games being modified to function smoothly, given the system’s technical limitations, Bethesda has arguably been the Switch’s most enthusiastic third-party supporter.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Teases Return of Classic Map and Mode
The Call of Duty franchise has never shied away from bringing back popular multiplayer maps, modes, and even remastering 2007’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare a few years back. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4‘s upcoming Operation Apocalypse Z content update, set to launch tomorrow, looks as though it may continue this trend by adding a once-popular multiplayer mode and map in the near future.
Nintendo ‘Investigating’ 5G, Cloud Gaming
With the introduction of cloud gaming and streaming as new ways for people to play their favorite games, Nintendo has now joined the discussion as a party that may be looking into the market as well. During Nintendo‘s recent shareholder Q&A session, Ko Shiota, head of the company’s hardware department, was asked about the possibility of 5G integration in the future.
Sony and Microsoft May Reduce Console Production in China
Thanks in part to the current trade war between China and US President Donald Trump, the tech industry has been left to make some tough choices about where companies should manufacture their goods. Among some of biggest companies in the world, such as Sony and Microsoft are now reportedly looking into alternative means for hardware production, which follows earlier reports of Nintendo making similar changes.
Red Dead Redemption 2 PC Port Hinted at in Social Club Source Code
Since its launch last October, fans have been asking not if, but when they’ll see Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 come to PC. There have been rumors, leaks, and even support from upper management at Take-Two Interactive that the company would love to see the game ported for mouse-and-keyboard players in the long-term. A recent discovery in the developer’s source code has more people further convinced a PC port of the Wild West adventure will eventually arrive.
New Dr. Mario World Trailer Previews Multiplayer
Nintendo is continuing to bring more of its beloved franchises to the mobile market, and the upcoming release of Dr. Mario World is the next step in that process. Announced just a couple weeks ago, this mobile adaptation of Dr. Mario brings a gameplay style similar to the successful Candy Crush Saga, and it will be incorporating its own take on online multiplayer with friends.
Ghostbusters Remaster is Exclusive to GameStop at Retail
Last month, Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered was announced, and this Ghostbusters remaster will launch later this year for current gen consoles. The re-release will see the typical upscaling in visuals most games strive for today, with 4k resolution and a modernized control layout coming to this enhanced version of the 2009 title. For those who want to pick up a physical copy of the game though, they may need to head over to their local GameStop for any chance of doing so.
Steam Revenue Split Considered ‘Outrageous’ By Developer
Since launching in 2003, Steam has been a force in the world of PC gaming, with the platform acting as the favored digital marketplace for many players that prefer mouse-and-keyboard over home consoles. Lately however, Epic Games has begun pushing back with its own digital store, which has caused many developers to speak up about what they lose when releasing their games on Steam.
PS5 Will Focus on Hardcore Gamers, Says New Report
With Sony’s PlayStation 4 generation slowing winding down, fans are beginning to get excited for the company’s next hardware release, likely to be called PlayStation 5. While the new console, which is still more than a year away, will continue to push the technical envelope with improved specs and features, Sony’s CEO has come forward to say the system isn’t being designed for a majority audience.
Flappy Bird Battle Royale Mobile Game is Available Now
It’s been over half a decade since the brief mobile sensation of Flappy Bird caught the attention of many. While it first released in May 2013, the creator of the endless running side-scroller, Dong Nguyen, chose to remove the game entirely from digital stores the following February. While Flappy Bird received significant attention at the time, it appears the rise of battle royale has inspired a new collaboration most people didn’t see coming.
Cyberpunk 2077 Dev Hints at New Game Plus Mode
For developer CD Projekt RED, its upcoming release of Cyberpunk 2077 is set to be the largest game the company has ever created. Even with the likely hundreds of hours players will need to uncover all Cyberpunk 2077 plans to offer, a single journey through Night City may not be enough for some. The Lead Quest Design for Cyberpunk 2077, Pawel Sasko, followed up to a question on Twitter asking how character stats would compare to the likes of The Witcher 3.
Borderlands 3 Director Reveals How Long Game Will Take to Beat
While it’s been almost seven years since a mainline release, Gearbox Software’s Borderlands 3 is set to launch in just a few months. While the next game in the developer’s well-received FPS franchise will take players in a new direction with villains, planets to explore, and a ton of loot to collect, there’s also a much bigger story this time around for everyone to enjoy.
Former PlayStation Boss Kaz Hirai Retires from Sony
After announcing his upcoming retirement earlier in the year, former President and CEO of Sony Kaz Hirai departed the company on June 18th. Hirai, whose career with Sony spans a total of 35 years, stepped down from his Chairman position this past April, and will remain available as a Senior Adviser should Sony’s management team require any assistance in the future.
Bloodstained Receives Shovel Knight Crossover
After suffering from delays and being cancelled on multiple systems, the long-awaited Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has finally released for PC and consoles, and will be launching on Nintendo Switch next week. As a promise by reaching its funding stretch goals, the Castlevania-inspired side-scroller is set to receive numerous updates, both at launch and at a later unspecified date, for free.
Fallout 76 Battle Royale Beta Extended Indefinitely
During its E3 press conference last week, Bethesda announced a number of new additions and updates coming to Fallout 76 as well as a free trial period for the game that is set to end today. If getting a chance to try the game out for free wasn’t enough, Bethesda revealed its Nuclear Winter mode, the game’s own take on the battle royale genre.
Xbox Scarlett Won’t Be Microsoft’s Last Console
As this console generation begins to wind down, both Sony and Microsoft have begun briefly mentioning details about the upcoming PlayStation and Xbox hardware, which are expected to release in the next year. With the rise of subscriptions and streaming services, however, the future beyond the next generation has been brought into question, with some wondering if physical hardware will continue to be a necessity.
Watch 20 Minutes Of Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2
This past March at GDC, Paradox Interactive announced the return of a long-dormant franchise with the reveal of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. Nearly 16 years after the original game was released on PC, the narrative-driven RPG showed off some new gameplay footage from E3 this week, showing players how missions, combat, and narrative decisions will be handled in this long awaited sequel.
Fortnite Will Have Stranger Things Crossover
The streaming service Netflix has made its intentions clear to start adapting some of its original shows and movies into video games. While interactive content, such as Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, Minecraft: Story Mode, and Bear Grylls’ You vs. Wild, have started to scratch the surface of Netflix’s user-controlled experiences, full-scale games are still a work-in-progress for the company.
Each Final Fantasy 7 Remake Episode Is As Long As A Standalone Game
Over the past few days, tons of news has begun surfacing about Square Enix’s highly-anticipated first part of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. This year’s E3 thus far has provided fans with an extensive look at the game’s combat, the reveals of beloved characters, and even a release date. If news about the future of this ambitious, episodic approach to the lore of Final Fantasy VII is anything worth noting, fans will have much to look forward to for a very long time.
Future Final Fantasy 7 Remake Parts Won’t Take as Long to Develop
After years of seeming to be stuck in development limbo, news about the first part of Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake has been coming in waves since the beginning of E3. With a set release date, and an extensive gameplay reveal during the company’s press conference, more news about the remake’s episodic release approach has been outlined.
Infinity Ward Co-Founder Weighs In On Modern Warfare Reboot
This fall, Activision and Infinity Ward will be reimagining the vision of the Call of Duty franchise with its upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare reboot. While the popular shooter has been around since the early 2000s, much as changed internally at Infinity Ward since the franchise’s inception, and one of the studio’s co-founders has voiced his thoughts on the upcoming reboot.
How Microsoft Kept the Keanu Reeves E3 Appearance A Secret
In what was easily one of the biggest surprises at this year’s E3, CD Projekt RED revealed its upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 would star actor Keanu Reeves as a main character. While the reception upon Reeves’ reveal as well as his presentation on-stage during Xbox’s E3 press conference was astronomical, the process of keeping the actor’s appearance from being rumored or leaked proved to be just as impressive.
Respawn Confirms Apex Legends Won’t Be Adding Titans
Before Apex Legends launched back in February, developer Respawn Entertainment voiced its desire to eventually add Titans into its new battle royale game. Given Apex Legends resides in the Titanfall universe, coupled with a live service model designed to provide frequent updates and content add-ons over time, this approach seemed like a viable one. However after months of trial and error, the development team has reached its breaking point.
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered Trailer, Release Date
This year’s E3 has brought with it a slew of JRPG remaster announcements in just the first few days. Following in the footsteps of Square Enix, both developer Level-5 and Bandai Namco have revealed they are remastering 2013’s Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, one of their beloved PS3-exclusives, later this year. The significance of Ni No Kuni‘s announcement is that it isn’t a Sony exclusive, as the game will release on PlayStation 4, PC, and the Nintendo Switch.
The Last Remnant Remastered is Available Now for Switch
Square Enix’s E3 conference was filled with tons of JRPG announcements. With major franchises such as Final Fantasy taking up most of those reveals, the announcement of The Last Remnant for Nintendo Switch came as a surprise to many. What was even more surprising about the reveal is the game is available right now to download on the Nintendo eShop. The Last Remnant first released on Xbox 360 back in 2008.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Gameplay Shows Off Guard Scorpion Boss Fight
At its E3 press conference, Square Enix revealed more details about the upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Remake. While the gameplay presentation went more in-depth on how combat works, and also showed new footage from the game’s very first boss fight. Some key details to point out from Final Fantasy 7‘s Guard Scorpion boss fight include a more open battlefield, various stages in the fight where the enemy will alter its strategy, and how the environment changes.
Ghost Recon Breakpoint Has The Terminator
With the upcoming release of Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Ubisoft announced during its E3 press conference that The Terminator will in the game. Details on the character’s inclusion, whether it be as a pre-order bonus or part of an exclusive mission in-game, is yet to be determined. This is the second time in two days a major game company has announced the likeness of The Terminator will be used in an upcoming game release.
Rage 2 Rise of the Ghosts Expansion Detailed at E3 2019
During Bethesda’s E3 press conference, id Software and Avalanche Studios revealed new details on Rage 2‘s upcoming expansion, called Rise of the Ghosts. In addition to new details on the DLC, it was confirmed that both teams will be working to release weekly Rage 2 updates sure to bring a new look to the post-apocalyptic open-world sequel. There’s no set release date, as of now, for Rage 2′s Rise of the Ghosts expansion, other than that it’s expected to launch later this year.
Bethesda’s Orion Streaming Technology Will Make Stadia and xCloud Better
Given recent announcements the past few days, it seems more and more likely that cloud gaming will play an integral role as a viable platform for people to play their favorite games on. For Bethesda, the company has made its own digital footprint on the ecosystem by revealing its own set of cloud streaming tools during its annual E3 press conference, which will release in beta later this year.
Gears 5: 14 Minutes of Escape Mode Gameplay
Following the announcement of its official release date at the Xbox E3 Press Conference. The Coalition, the team behind Gears 5, has revealed gameplay for one of the franchise’s newest game modes, Escape. The new wave-based mode shows similarities to the classic horde mode that fans have grown fond of in the past, with a few added twists in order to help make it feel fresh.
Minecraft: Dungeons Gameplay, Release Window Revealed
During Xbox’s E3 Press Conference, Minecraft: Dungeons, the cooperative RPG title set in the Minecraft universe, released its first gameplay trailer today. The new trailer showed a number of gameplay mechanics, what type of environments players will jump into, as well as a release window for the game. While it was originally announced back in Fall 2018, Minecraft: Dungeons looks to offer a similar gameplay style along the likes of Diablo with its isometric-RPG style.
EA Originals Confirms Three New Indie Games in Development
While much of Electronic Art’s business model revolves around high-profile sports titles and AAA franchises such as Battlefield and Star Wars, the company’s EA Originals Program takes a different approach by allowing smaller teams full creative freedom for the games they’re working on. With past successful titles such as Fe, Unravel, and A Way Out, EA Originals looks to continue its success with new games going forward.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Has Over 100 Hours of Content
After nearly two decades of fans waiting for a proper sequel, Baldur’s Gate 3 was revealed this past week during the Google Stadia presentation, the major tech company’s introduction into the gaming space. The plans are set for the future of the Baldur’s Gate franchise following its lengthy hiatus, and luckily fans will have much to look forward to once the third installment is available to play.
Sony CEO Doesn’t Know if PS5 Will Be Its Last Console
So far, 2019 has been a year of speculating, both about the next generation of hardware as well as how the introduction of streaming platforms will change the future of gaming as a whole. With new consoles confirmed from both Microsoft and Sony, likely to launch in the next fiscal year, the latter’s CEO shared his opinions on the future of Sony hardware. While he’s been with the company for over 25 years, Jim Ryan has held the position of CEO of Sony’s PlayStation Division since just April.
Days Gone Survival Mode Downloadable Content Update Available Now
Back on its launch day, Days Gone developer SIE Bend Studio announced its post-apocalyptic open-world game would be receiving free DLC content in June. While the content’s detail were simply outlined at the time, the latest launch video for the DLC, which went live a couple days ago, shows off some of what players can look forward for the next few months.
Future of Destiny 2 ViDoc: More Customization, Evolving World, and More
It was apparent when Bungie and Activision ended their partnership earlier this year, there would be big changes coming to Destiny 2. Since taking full ownership back of its IP, Bungie has remained relatively quiet about what the future of Destiny 2 would look like. After having time to get things in order, plus with the help of a major announcement today from Google, the creative vision of what Bungie hopes will come of Destiny 2 has been revealed.
THQ Nordic Revealing Three New Games Over Next Three Days
Some people just can’t wait until E3 to make their big announcements. With the games industry headed to Los Angeles next week for the yearly trade show, developers and publishers are gearing up for a week of big announcements and reveals. However, one of the biggest publishers, in terms of how many titles it releases, plans to get ahead of the game with a few announcements set to come very soon.
Rumor: Nintendo Will Announce More than 20 New Games at E3 2019
With E3 just around the corner, retailers, industry insiders, and influencers have become hungry for any possible rumors and leaks to get excited about ahead of the annual trade show next week. If a recent listing from retail chain GameStop has anything to say, it’s that Nintendo plans to pull back the curtain on a ton of new projects coming to the Nintendo Switch by the time the convention gets underway.
Fallout 76 Dev Was Aware of Game’s Issues Before Launch
When Fallout 76 launched last November, fans were met by a litany of unfortunate bugs, glitches, and mishaps both in and outside of developer Bethesda’s newest open-world multiplayer title set in the Fallout universe.
Minecraft: Story Mode Is Being Delisted From Online Retailers
Since Telltale Games closed its studio suddenly last September, the dominoes have continued to fall, from lawsuits by former developers to games becoming unavailable for purchase entirely. The latter has been confirmed to add a new victim, as another one of the defunct studio’s narrative-driven adventures will soon be removed from the online market by the end of this month. Starting on June 25th, Seasons 1 and 2 of Minecraft: Story Mode will be delisted from all online retailers.
Death Stranding News Coming This Week
If there’s anything fans can be sure of with the marketing plan for Sony-exclusive Death Stranding, it’s that as more news is revealed about the game, the more cryptic its overall message becomes. As the three year anniversary of Death Stranding‘s official reveal draws near, more news looks to be on the horizon in the coming days, and could quite possible offer a time frame for its release.
This Week’s Xbox One Game Deals Discounts Some of the Console’s Best Games
Currently, the Xbox One marketplace is offering tons of deals across various games and services. While today marks the last chance for a great deal towards Game Pass, a number of popular indie games, as well as Xbox 360 backwards compatible titles, have been marked down this week. Arguably the best deal available this week on Xbox One involves Xbox Game Pass, the company’s gaming subscription service. Today is the last day for users to get three months worth of Game Pass for just $1.
Epic Games Store May Block Accounts For Buying Too Many Games
Since the Epic Games Store was introduced back in December, the newest digital marketplace on PC has had to learn on the fly. Even though it offers a greater revenue split for developers, instances of email fraud, as well as back-and-forth banter between Epic Games and its main competitor, Steam, have brought questions into how the store has been handled. It turns out the store’s latest “Mega” sale has caused another issue to surface as well.
Ubisoft May Tweak Division 2 Raid On Consoles
Despite facing numerous obstacles outside of their control, at least a few teams of players for the newest raid in The Division 2have finally beaten Operation Dark Hours on console, after nearly a day and a half of trying to complete it. With PC players having much less trouble and taking less time to complete the same raid, developer Massive Entertainment has said it is open to the possibility of making changes to Dark Hours on consoles.
Borderlands 3 Temporarily Removed from Epic Store During Game Sale
A few days ago, the Epic Games Store launched its “Mega” sale, a month-long promotional period offering deals such as $10 off games listed at $14.99 and higher, as well as other title-specific price cuts. It turns out discounts for pre-orders, however, were unintentional for upcoming releases such as Vampire 2: The Masquerade – Bloodlines and Gearbox’s Borderlands 3.
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