Nintendo of Japan has released a sizzle reel for some upcoming indie games releasing on the Switch ahead of the BitSummit conference in Kyoto this weekend (BitSummit is a Japanese indie dev gathering). While a lot of the games are stuff we already have in the West, the big surprise comes in the form of Owlboy being on the Switch. When did that happen?
When it comes to serialized media, be it film, comics or video games, rarely does someone say with conviction that "the sequel was better." The expectations are always too high. A good sequel not only has to embody the best of its predecessor, but also be new and original enough to stand on its own. Destiny 2's gameplay premiere event didn't completely assure me that it would surpass the original game, but it's off to a great start.
Gaming and eSports have definitely hit the mainstream media. In fact, you can find FIFA tournaments live on ESPN and TBS is hyping Counter Strike: Global Offensive games as if they were championship boxing events. With Twitter and Sony already jumping into the lucrative industry, it was only a matter of time before Facebook joined the fray. In an announcement today, eSports leader ESL announced it has cut a deal with the social networking behemoth to stream exclusive events and content in six languages, all of it centered around the elite Rank S Counter-Strike: Global Offensive competition.
Source: ESL Gaming
Impact Winter releases on May 22. It is currently May 18. The game is, at times, unplayable right now.
This is bad.
On paper, Hot Wheels is a dream mashup for Forza Horizon. This is a series that has always reveled in the ridiculous, putting as much emphasis on stuff like stunt jumps as it does on technical racing. A Hot Wheels partnership seems like an evolution of that formula as it leans into the imaginative in a way that only a post-release add-on can.
Forza Horizon 3 Hot Wheels sends cars barreling through loop-de-loops, hurtling off ramps, and flying past mechanical dinosaurs. It's zany and it nails the Hot Wheels branding. Unfortunately, it's also a fundamental misunderstanding of what makes Forza Horizon great.
Earlier this year, I learned about Pizza Connection (also known as Pizza Tycoon), an off-kilter pizza business sim that I sadly missed out on in the '90s. The first two games re-released on GOG.com and Steam, and now we're getting a surprise new installment, Pizza Connection 3, next spring.
This live-action trailer might not be what you were looking for, but the game's store page is much more forthcoming with notes about a 12-mission campaign starting off in Rome, a free mode for horsing around, 75 different pizza ingredients, the ability to build out your restaurant from the floorplan to the furniture, and the thing that makes this series what it is: sabotage and bribery.
I'll be curious to see how well this oddball IP fares in 2018.
SNK has just announced that The King of Fighters XIV Steam Edition will launch on Steam June 15.
During day 2 of Google I/O 2017, the company detailed its plans for both AR and VR. If you didn't catch our live coverage earlier today, don't worry: We've cut down the half-hour talk into a much shorter clip. You can catch up on all the news about Daydream Euphrates, YouTube VR, Google Cast and much more in under three minutes.
For all the latest news and updates from Google I/O 2017, follow along here.
After announcing the Nintendo Switch Splatoon 2 bundle, Nintendo figured some people may just want to forget all that game nonsense and just enjoy a nice empty box. Whether you can't afford the bundle, already own a Switch, are an avid box collector, or want to prank your kids on their birthday, you can get the Splatoon 2 Switch bundle box for 500 yen in Japan. No Switch, no game, no manuals, no cords or accessories. Just a box.
I remember in middle school my friends and I discovered FedEx would send you however many boxes you want for free. So naturally we had like 200 shipped and tried to make forts and whatnot. How much cooler would those forts have been if they were decked out in Splatoon 2 imagery?
It's hard to name a favorite in Q-Games' excellent PixelJunk series, but the zen platformer PixelJunk Eden is certainly up there for me. You know, it might just be my number one. The studio is returning to that game concept with Eden Obscura, an "all new experience" designed for iOS and Android.
From the way Q-Games describes Obscura ("flick and spin and jump around with ease"), this will be a similar experience, albeit with touch controls and a double-jump ability. That said, it will allow you to use your mobile device's camera to "change the atmosphere and feeling of the game."
Multimedia artist Baiyon, who returns as creative producer for this project, says "Eden Obscura is a title that realizes my own desires by making use of modern smartphone technology to create something glittery and oddly see-through and as a result even as the director of the game I can't begin to predict what visual delights people will discover."
It'll be demoed this weekend at BitSummit in Kyoto, which hopefully means its release isn't far off.
Among various adjustments made in yesterday's 1.1 patch for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Nintendo stated "Inkling Girl’s animation has been adjusted." Why? Turns out she was giving the "up yours!" gesture that's akin to the middle finger in parts of Europe, pointed out by NeoGAF user Neiteio.
I don't know how much anyone would actually be offended by this, but it's nothing to be upset at Nintendo over; they just want to keep a clean image. If seven-year old Cory saw Mario or Donkey Kong turn around and give the camera the middle finger in Mario Kart 64 back in 1997, he would have just laughed.
Blizzard has begun teasing what's in store for the Overwatch anniversary event that's coming this Tuesday. Along with cosmetic unlocks, as you'd expect, we're also getting a trio of arena maps.
Here's a sneak peek at three new ARENA MAPS coming soon to our Overwatch Anniversary celebration.
— Overwatch (@OverwatchEU) May 18, 2017
The party begins May 23! 🎉🎂 http://pic.twitter.com/umXbr0bq7k
These appear to be offshoots of existing maps like Dorado and Eichenwalde, and with that "arena" moniker, they're presumably designed for 1v1 and 3v3 matches similar to Ecopoint: Antarctica.
Segue a prévia de alguns EMOTES DE DANÇA novos que chegarão durante a celebração do #OverwatchAnniversary.
— Overwatch (@OverwatchBrasil) May 18, 2017
A festa começa em 23/05! 🎉🎂 http://pic.twitter.com/zdzVFJ3yjI
Forget skins, I need all of these dance emotes.
The anniversary event will run from May 23 to June 12, along with a free trial from May 26 to May 29.
Bungie wants to make it easier to join and play with other people in Destiny 2. Previously, clans were a complicated affair, making you log on to Bungie.net and connect your PSN or Xbox Live account to join them. During a live event today, Bungie revealed that a revamped Clan and matchmaking system will exist in the game itself. This and other new features fell like a welcome push to make the Destiny 2 experience more comfortably social.
Source: Destiny/Twitter
After a boom in sales for one of the longest holidays of the year, sales receded back to lower-than-average numbers across the board. Basically, everything evens out. Sales should begin to return to average figures in the following weeks.
The only new title released this week was the Attack on Titan visual novel. It sits two spots above NieR: Automata which continues to make a strong showing. The Nintendo Switch sold less than 40,000 for the first time since launch.
The conclusion of the Utawarerumono trilogy of games will come ashore in America and Europe on September 5, 2017 physically and digitally on PlayStation 4 and PS Vita (except the European PS Vita version, which is digital only). Pre-ordering will include a special box and a double-sided pillow case featuring Yamato priestesses Uruuru and Saraana. Not quite the size of a dakimakura, but you'll be able to hug both these priestesses together.
The original game, which launched a franchise including anime and manga, released back in 2002 and did not get an official localization. The sequel, Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception, came 15 years later in 2015, but won't release in the west til next week on May 23, 2017. Two sequels in the same year after never getting the first.
Some new details have surfaced about the port of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 to the Switch. Along with the requisite motion controls (you can "perform" a kamehameha) comes ad-hoc co-op play for up to six players, single joy-con 1v1 multiplayer action and a few time limited bonuses for picking up the game on launch.
The first timed special comes in the form of the entire campaign from the first Xenoverse game. Called "Time Patrol," there is no time frame for how long this option will be available. I'm guessing it will be free DLC for the first few weeks or so. The second bonus will be available in first print copies of the game and it pertains to a code to unlock 70 characters immediately.
No word on whether or not this port will be heading West, but the game will be launching in Fall 2017 in Japan. The Switch is region free, so if you've been waiting for this game on a portable console, at least you can play it on a US unit.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Releases In Japan In Fall 2017 For Switch, Here’s What’s New [Siliconera]
A new flash coupon at GMG puts the PC version of Mass Effect: Andromeda and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III at their lowest prices to date. The savings won't last long, but right now both Spring 2017 Triple-As are 50% off.
We've talked about Andromeda's price drop quite a number of times in the past few months, and we suspect you'll be seeing more discounts as we head towards Summer and Fall. While we're pretty sure the console copies will arrive at 50% off sooner rather than later, the PC Origin copy listed below may only reach 50% off again later this year (just by basing on sales pattern from Origin titles of the past - even titles that aren't well received such as Mass Effect: Andromeda).
Use Code: 0W4YV3-HICY2K-V3XQZS
The discount code at GMG is only valid to gamers in the US and Canada. The code entered in the "vouchers" tab at checkout. It expires tomorrow, May 19 at 5am Pacific (8am Eastern).
Just recently GMG was running a sale to $35 for both games in their now expired Birthday sale. Our best guess is the $35 discount didn't move enough units - so here we are at 50% off.
Game deals from Dealzon. Sales help support Destructoid.
Today during the Destiny 2 gameplay reveal event, we got our first proper look at this fall's sequel, "a new beginning for everyone." The studio previewed Homecoming, the first mission in the story campaign, and reiterated that the light-stealing antagonist is Primus Ghaul of the Red Legion.
Besides the early-game showcase, the presentation was mostly concerned with hitting the same pillars that make up the Destiny experience and how they've changed (or haven't). For instance, the Crucible is now four-versus-four across all modes -- including a new one, called Countdown -- and players will be able to launch into every game activity without the tiresome need to go into orbit.
Clan support will be baked directly into Destiny 2, so you can expect things like in-game rosters, tools for assembling your Fireteam, and custom banners. There's also going to be a shared reward system benefiting everyone clan-wide, and Guided Games, a sort of looking-for-group feature in which solo players can be matched with existing clans to face group activities like raids and Nightfalls. As for locations, we're looking at Earth, Titan, Nessus, and Io.
Launch is set for September 8 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC (exclusively through Blizzard's Battle.net), but before then, there will be a beta this summer.
Way back in '93 or '94, I saw a pirated version of Reservoir Dogs and fell in love. My mum, not knowing what it was about, bought me a legit copy for my birthday and I screened it for my friends at the party. Needless to say, they were unimpressed, bored to tears by the lack of action. I remember having to fast forward to the end, annoyed that they didn't get it and that the thrills were found in the endlessly quotable dialogue.
Reservoir Dogs was never meant to be an action movie, but boy, do people try to make it that way for the sake of a quick buck; mainly due to those fleeting flashbacks of Mr. Pink being chased down the street and Mr. White dual wielding his handguns. Bloody Days is not the first time someone missed the point, as some might remember the misguided 2006 game, but I really hope it's the last.
After a boom in sales for one of the longest holidays of the year, sales receded back to lower-than-average numbers across the board. Basically, everything evens out. Sales should begin to return to average figures in the following weeks.
The only new title released this week was the Attack on Titan visual novel. It sits two spots above NieR: Automata which continues to make a strong showing. The Nintendo Switch sold less than 40,000 for the first time since launch.
With Seurat, Google is giving game developers and movie studios a simple way to bring their 3D imagery down to mobile VR. Named after the French painter, Seurat can break down complex 3D scenes so that they can be easily rendered on phones. It basically takes the headache out of manually scaling down a 3D scene.
French developer DONTNOD Entertainment today announced that a new Life is Strange game is coming.
The announcement comes alongside news that the first Life is Strange sold over 3 million copies.
Meet the new Sega, same as the old Sega.
In an attempt to capitalize on a new wave of hype, the Japanese company intends to regularly release a new video series called "Amazing Sega," the first of which you can watch below, featuring Yakuza director Yoshihiro Nagoshi. While re-branding (and in this case, attempting to bottle nostalgia while maintaining the human element of the corporation) is typical of just about every country in the world, this funnels back into Sega's attempt to "revive major IPs," which we could see the impact of as early as E3.
You've already sounded off as to what franchises you want to make a return, and I think most of you made the best case for Jet Set Radio -- which would make quite a splash given that Tony Hawk and similar extreme sports games are basically dead.
Activision and Bungie want to show you what playing Destiny 2 is like. And, lucky for you, the pair will do so via livestream. The future is a pretty wild place, no? We're on the ground in Los Angeles catching all the news firsthand, and if you want to watch along with us, that's what the embedded video player below is for. The whole shebang starts at 1pm Eastern and you can bet that there will be at least a few instances of Nathan Fillion charming us all as robot Cayde-6. You know, like he did in the Destiny 2 teaser trailer back in March.
Source: Bungie (Twitch)
Whether or not you're excited for Destiny 2 is irrelevant -- it's coming, and will probably have a huge launch coupled with tons of people at work talking about it.
If you're a fan or just a casual observer, Bungie is kicking off a livestream today with a gameplay reveal and new info for the sequel at 1PM ET, which you can watch over on Twitch or on the official site. All told I'm just glad it's seeing less hype than the original, which hosted a major press event where folks attended and didn't actually even see the game.
As someone who played and beat every raid within a week (or day) of its release, you could say I was somewhat invested in the original. But over time I'd notice many of my squadmates quitting for greener pastures, mostly because Bungie didn't really know how to handle retention outside of recycling the same events and gametypes over and over. Here's hoping there's a more healthy cycle of content now that they've learned their lesson.
Despite having just announced 11 Mobile Suits in this week's issue of Famitsu, Namco has no intention of slowing down the reveals for Gundam Versus this week.
It's a big day for the 3DS, as Fire Emblem Echoes, a remake of the second game in the series, is out. Strangely you can also opt to buy the Season Pass, which is $5 more than the $40 retail game. Also on 3DS is Drancia Saga, Mysterious Stars 3D: Road to Idol (and A Fairy Tale), and Dodgebox.
The Switch is getting a Disgaea 5 Complete demo, as well as Dark Witch Music Episode: Rudymical (!?) and Galaxy Fight: Universal Warriors. The Wii U is oddly hosting some stuff this week with Blazing Lazers and the long delayed Darksiders: Warmastered Edition, on top of Pinball.
It's 5AM, and my empire is crumbling.
The clock ceased to be a concern quite a while ago. My heavy investment in scientific pursuits over militarism means that although we have better tech than the competition, we're not nearly as good at getting steel on target, and the enemy has been probing my meager defenses for what feels like decades. Raiders and pirates are blockading my most valuable colony worlds, and since my empire can't seem to protect them, there's talk of revolution on half a dozen systems. Meanwhile, I've made accidental first contact with a local cyborg insectoid race who live by one rule: expand, or die. They seem totally uninterested in negotiating peace, and the only reason my patrol ships are able to escape them is their superior engines and ability to bypass the beaten path. Once the robo-bugs learn the secret of warp drive, they'll move in and wipe us out. It's not a question of if, it's a question of when.
