Monthly Archives: December 2018
Xbox: The State of Every First-Party Developer
Microsoft made huge strides towards solving their long-running first-party game deficiency this year with the creation or acquisition of over half a dozen studios. So what the heck are each of them doing? Let’s take a look at what we know – or have heard – about each of Xbox’s dozen first-party development studios.
Current Known Project: Halo Infinite
Status: Halo Infinite, aka Halo 6, was officially unveiled at E3 2018. It’ll utilize a brand-new graphics engine called Slipspace, which, along with the fact that it wasn’t given a 2019 release window like other Xbox titles at E3, leads us to believe it will be launched alongside the next-generation Xbox, codenamed Scarlett, probably in Fall 2020. It will likely be playable on the current Xbox One console family, as well.
Xbox Live Currently Experiencing Game Purchase Issues
Some users may be unable to currently purchase backward compatible content on Xbox Live, according to Microsoft.
The Xbox Live status page notes that the issue appears to be with backward compatible content purchased through the Xbox One, advising players instead to buy content through the Microsoft website.
"We're aware some users are unable to purchase backwards compatible content on the Xbox One. While we investigate the issue, please purchase this content through the Microsoft Store website," the status page reads.
"Our engineers and developers are actively continuing to work to resolve the issue causing some members to have problems purchasing content. Stay tuned, and thanks for your patience," it continues.
How Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 Ended Up on Switch
Following the surprise announcement of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 exclusively for Switch, Nintendo has shed a little bit of light on how that deal came together.
In an interview following The Game Awards, we asked Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aime about working with Koei Tecmo, who is developing Ultimate Alliance 3, and if previous collaborations on Hyrule Warriors and Fire Emblem Warriors helped make this project happen.
“It did. What happens in the world of development is you have companies who have positive experiences in working together, coupled with franchises being available, and the franchise owner wanting to do something with a particular franchise,” Fils-Aime told IGN. “And in this case, those three elements came together in order to create the opportunity for that game."
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Has $3.5 Million Opening Night
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse enjoyed a big opening night yesterday, bringing in $3.5 million through showings at 3,321 North American theaters, reports Variety.
Today, Into the Spider-Verse is expanding to 3,813 theaters, a move that's expected to help it top box office sales for the weekend.
Sony has forecasted a $30 million weekend haul for the $90 million film, but some are predicting the movie's strong reception could sling it even higher to more than $39 million.
Golden Wind Is the Best JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Arc so Far
There is no doubt you've heard of JoJo's Bizarre Adventures at least somewhere on the web. Whether it's in the form of the To Be Continued... meme, exaggerated poses, old dad rock bands coming into the picture twenty or more years later, JoJo has crept back into the world like an infectious enthusiasm. What was once considered an old running series is now one of the most popular franchises in anime again, and plenty of reason too: the show is notoriously unique for being inventive, fun, and crazy, stringing together some of the most interesting and strange parts of enjoying anime as a medium. It's a show I personally still recommend to anime enthusiasts new and old, as there's a great joy in experiencing JoJo: it's not a show that can really be encapsulated through a simple Wikipedia summary or explanation on TV Tropes. You kind of just have to sit down and give it a go.
Fortnite Removes ‘Overpowered’ Infinity Blade
Epic Games has removed the newly introduced Mythic Infinity Blade item in Fortnite after it turned out to be too powerful, saying on Twitter that it "messed up" and that the Blade was too strong.
"We messed up and rolled out the Infinity Blade overpowered / without good counters, especially in the end game. The Infinity Blade has been Vaulted and we are re-evaluating our approach to Mythic items," the studio tweeted.
Earlier this week, Epic announced that it would be removing its Infinity Blade series from the App Store, but revealed that the sword from the game would be popping up in Fortnite as a Mythic weapon.
Riot Games COO Suspended for Workplace Misconduct
Riot Games COO Scott Gelb has been suspended without pay for two months following allegations of workplace misconduct, reports Kotaku.
A company email obtained by Kotaku explains that the disciplinary action was handed down after multiple employees reported Gelb had touched subordinates' genitals or butts or farted in their faces in attempts at comedy.
Several employees informed Kotaku that they felt a two-month suspension was far from satisfactory given Gelb's alleged offenses.
Gelb was at the center of an in-depth Kotaku investigative report earlier this year that painted a toxic work culture at Riot Games, one that has been plagued by sexism. These allegations apparently led Riot to contract law Firm Seyfarth Shaw to conduct an investigation into Gelb overseen by Riot's Board of Directors following that report. Following that investigation, the decision was made to keep Gelb at Riot after his suspension and mandatory training.
Afterparty Voice Cast Includes Walking Dead, Horizon Actors
Night School Studio, developer of Oxenfree, has revealed the voice cast for its upcoming adventure, Afterparty.
Alongside the previously announced Janina Gavankar (Star Wars Battlefront II) and Khoi Dao (Detective Pikachu), Night School has confirmed Horizon Zero Dawn's Ashly Burch, Telltale Games' The Walking Dead's Dave Fennoy, and The Wolf Among Us' Erin Yvette are among the voice cast.
Check out the gallery below for a breakdown of the voice cast, alongside full character descriptions, and concept art.
The full cast includes:
Rockstar Giving Out Additional in-Game Gifts to Red Dead Online Beta Players
Rockstar has promised additional in-game rewards of gold bars and cash to Red Dead Online players.
Red Dead Online's latest title update sees beta players getting in-game thank you rewards from Rockstar for participating, including 15 gold bars and varying amounts of cash based on the edition players have purchased.
The rewards come in the wake of other in-game gifts offered to Red Dead Online beta players earlier this month. This first update followed complaints about the game's economy that saw Rockstar promise a re-balance "to ensure all activities are appropriately rewarding and fun."
Sakurai Explains What the Super Smash Bros. Logo Symbolizes
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has used the same circle with two lines through it as a logo since the N64 original, and now fans can finally learn what it symbolizes.
In a recent Japanese YouTube video, series creator Masahiro Sakurai explained that the logo is no random bit of design.
According to a translation from @FarmboyinJapan on Twitter, Sakurai said that the two intersecting lines are a nod to the many franchise "crossovers" present in Smash Bros. The intersection also has the effect of slicing the circle into four sections representing Smash's four-person multiplayer.