Tag: gaming

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Blizzard shows off Diablo IV gameplay at Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase

Blizzard unveiled gameplay footage from its hotly anticipated Diablo IV at the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase.

The footage came after a teaser trailer that confirmed a new playable class: the Necromancer.

Rod Fergusson, the Canadian producer of the Diablo series, then took to the stage to introduce the gameplay demo. From there, we see Xbox Series X footage narrated by various Blizzard developers.

Diablo IV is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC in 2023. Cross-play between all platforms will also be supported.

More to come…

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Mojang working on new Minecraft game called Minecraft Legends, coming 2023

Mojang has unveiled a new Minecraft game called Minecraft Legends.

It’s an “action strategy” game in which players can roam a block-y world with friends to get up to all kinds of adventures.

Here’s the full trailer, which debuted at the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase:

Notably, the only mentioned Xbox consoles and PC, but given that other Minecraft games are on other platforms, it remains to be seen whether Legends will be as well.

More to come…

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Bethesda’s Redfall gets full gameplay demo, coming 2023

Bethesda-owned developer Arkane dropped a sizeable gameplay demo for its new IP, Redfall.

The game is a single-player/multiplayer experience featuring a post-apocalyptic world overrun by vampires.

Overall, it looks like a mix of Left 4 Dead and Arkane’s own Dishonored in terms of special powers. Check out the full demo below:

Following a recent delay, Redfall is set to come exclusively to Xbox Series X/S and PC in the first half of 2023. The game will also be on Xbox Game Pass on day one.

More to come…

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What did you think of WWDC and Summer Game Fest?

This past week, WWDC and Summer Game Fest went down, offering viewers a look at various new Apple products/OS updates and, of course, video games. However, both events felt pretty stale compared to years past to many observers, including myself.

WWDC 2022’s keynote gave us a look at Apple’s iOS 16, the new M2 chip, a redesigned MacBook Air and quirky features like ‘Continuity Camera,’ which allows you to use an iPhone as a webcam on a Mac. For me, the most exciting reveal was iOS 16’s highly customizable lock screen. Beyond that, none of the other announcements caught my eye, though this could be because I’m primarily an Android device user. Overall, I enjoyed Google’s I/O 2022 presentation more.

Meanwhile, Summer Game Fest offered a few notable game reveals, but for the most part, it was a pretty low-key event — especially compared to last year. Some of my highlights include Cuphead: The Delicious Course and Callisto Protocol, but these weren’t new game reveals, just extended looks at both titles. Further, the event ended with The Last of Us Remake, an announcement that leaked ahead of Summer Game Fest.

Last year’s Summer Game Fest included titles like Salt and Sacrifice, Vampire: The Masquerade, Solar Ash, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands and Elden Ring (which I was hyped about). You could also argue that last week’s excellent PlayStation State of Play left Summer Game Fest with a lot to live up to.

With all of this in mind, for this week’s community question, we want to know: how did you feel about WWDC and Summer Game Fest?

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Indigenous detective game Hill Agency: Purity & Decay coming to PC on August 31

Hamilton, Ontario-based indie developer Achimostawinan has revealed that its detective game, Hill Agency: Purity & Decay, will release on PC on August 31st.

The news came during Glitch’s Future of Play Direct on June 11th, in which a new trailer for the game was revealed.

In Hill Agency, you play as Meygeen Hill, an Indigenous private investigator looking into a woman’s murder. As Meygeen, you’ll travel through a Blade Runner-esque neon-drenched world filled with Cree language. In place of combat, the game is focused on exploration and conversations, with your dialogue choices affecting the trajectory of the narrative.

Notably, Achimostawinan is an Indigenous-owned Canadian indie developer focused on telling Indigenous stories. Hill Agency is the team’s first game, which has been in development for several years. Last month, Achimostawinan won top honour at the Ubisoft Indie Series for its work on Hill Agency.

For more on Hill Agency, check out our recent interview with Achimostawinan co-founder Meagan Byrne.

Image credit: Achimostawinan Games

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Canadian-made Spiritfarer coming to mobile via Netflix Games

Spiritfarer is making to way to mobile platforms as part of Netflix Games and its grander push into the gaming space. Developed by Montreal-based Thunder Lotus Games, Spiritfarer is an indie management simulator and has seen quite the acclaim.

Netflix has revealed that the 2020 indie darling is breaking into the mobile space. Spiritfarer is coming to Netflix’s games offering. In its continuous pledge to be in the gaming market, Netflix states the game will be “coming to mobile for the first time on Netflix this year.”

Spiritfarer tells the tale of a ferry master known as Stella. This character befriends the dead and assists in their arrival to the afterlife. As you get to know these other characters and help them, you’ll have to build your boat, craft items, and gather materials. It’s a deeply emotional game with a message about life, death, and those you love. 

Once available, Spiritfarer can be accessed on a mobile device as long as you have an active Netflix subscription. Netflix Games has been slowly building its catalogue. However, many are preexisting titles and range in depth. Some of the marquee games available include Stranger Things: 1984, Stranger Things 3: The Game, Shooting Hoops, Teeter (Up) and Card Blast. 

Netflix Games supports Android and iOS devices. In addition to Spiritfarer, Netflix revealed that Devolver Digital’s Poipy is available. Raji: An Ancient Epic and The Queen’s Gambit Chess is also coming to Netflix Games.

Image credit: Thunder Lotus Games

Source: @NetflixGeeked

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Cobra Kai creators tapped to adapt Duke Nukem for film

A Duke Nukem film adaptation is officially in the works. Legendary Entertainment is tapping Cobra Kai creators to bring the 1990s titular character to the big screen.

The project is based on the franchise of the now-dormant game series from Gearbox. Duke Nukem sees Cobra Kai creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg reunite under their Counterbalance Entertainment banner. Legendary Entertainment is also producing the film alongside Jean Julien Baronnet, who has had his own hand in video game adaptations. Baronnet previously produced the Assassin’s Creed film.

In the 90s, Duke Nukem was a wildly popular character and gaming franchise. It first began in 1991 and hailed from Apogee Software. The titular character is inspired by many 80s action heroes like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and others. Alongside other notable FPS games like Doom, Duke Nukem helped popularize the genre. In 1993, the sequel Duke Nukem II launched on PC. Duke Nukem 3D followed in 1996. Following its heyday in the 90s, Duke laid dormant until 2011’s Duke Nukem Forever on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

While there was a temporary resurrection of the 80s-inspired action hero, Duke hasn’t been seen in over a decade. Back in the 90s, the IP stood out for its self-referential and often abrasive humour. Looking back, a lot of Duke’s personality traits haven’t aged all that well, especially the over-the-top male chauvinism seen in Duke Nukem Forever.

Currently, the film adaptation is on the hunt for a writer. Additionally, the film does not have a director attached. Though, reports claim that Heald, Hurwitz or Schlossberg could fill that role. Looking at the treatment of Cobra Kai, there are some similarities between the starring character Johnny Lawrence and Duke himself. If the film can capture the depiction of an out-of-touch character in a modern world, as Cobra Kai does, there may be some potential.

A Duke Nukem film has been slowly been pitched as an idea since the late 90s with Lawrence Kasanoff signed on as producer. Even in 2017, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford teased that an adaptation was being workshopped.

Image credit: Gearbox Software

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

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Resident Evil Village cloud demo available to play on Capcom’s website using Google Stadia

It’s now become easier to test out a demo of Resident Evil Village thanks to Google Stadia. As Capcom has launched a demo for its critically acclaimed entry in the Resident Evil series, it’s powered by Stadia’s cloud innovations.

Google’s vision is to enable players to test out the game prior to purchasing it no matter the device they own. Therefore, while partnering with Capcom, anyone can try the Resident Evil Village demo. The best part is you don’t even have to be a Google Stadia subscriber.

Previously, Stadia users had access to the Resident Evil Village demo. Now, anyone with access to a supported web browser and a relatively stable internet connection can try it. Google consistently claims users should have a 10mbps connection to thoroughly enjoy Stadia. Users must simply navigate to the Capcom website, enter a valid birthday, and hit the play button.

In the Resident Evil Village Online Streaming Demo, players venture two relatively short snippets of the game. You can venture to the village and castle areas, two locales from very early on. The demo supports mouse and keyboard as well as Xbox Wireless Controller and PlayStation’s DualShock 4 or DualSense.

The resolution of the demo tops out at 1080p. Although it does not take away from the experience, it’s certainly a step back from what you’ll experience on a decent PC rig or an Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.

However, Google’s vision for Stadia opens up a new vector of possibilities. If future demos are available similarly to Resident Evil Village, more people can test games prior to purchase. This marks a huge boon for accessibility. Players can test out a game, see its UI, and how it operates to make a decision on a purchase.

In recent news, Apple and Capcom announced that Macs will soon support Resident Evil Village natively. Later this year, MacBook Airs powered by M2 can run the game in 1080p. The Mac Studio, on the other hand, will support up to 4K resolution.

Image credit: Capcom

Source: Google Stadia

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How to watch the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase on June 12th

On June 12th, Microsoft is hosting the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase. The virtual event is being held at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles and begins at 1 PM ET/ 10 AM PT.

Although E3 is not officially happening this year, Microsoft is holding its annual conference. Designed to show off first-party titles the event will also show off games from third-party partners. This is the second year since the Bethesda acquisition. Thus ZeniMax Media studios are folded into the Xbox Game Studios umbrella.

The Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase is expected to run between 60 to 90 minutes. Like previous years, we can surmount that Microsoft will offer updates on previous games. The likely suspects this year are Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5. 343 Industries has been providing a clearer roadmap for Halo Infinite Season 2 and 3. The Xbox showcase could give us a look at the upcoming campaign co-op. Additionally, Forza Horizon 5’s success undoubtedly hints that meaningful DLC could be in the works.

While fans were extraordinarily excited for the imminent release of Bethesda Game Studios’ Starfield and Redfall from Arkane, both have been pushed back to the “first half of 2023.” That said, the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase is the best place for Microsoft to debut new footage and perhaps gameplay. If both will be missing the summer and fall, seeing something new will have to tide fans over for the time being.

On top of that, you have known quantities. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, State of Decay 3, Fable, Everwild, Indiana Jones, and Perfect Dark could all make an appearance. While a few of these titles may show up in some capacity, most seem like they are at least another year or so away from launch.

That being said, the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase should offer some surprises and exciting moments, keeping the E3 spirit alive. If you’re eager to tune in, you can watch the event on the Xbox YouTube channel, the Bethesda YouTube channel, or Xbox’s Twitch channel.

Image credit: Xbox

Source: Xbox Wire

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God of War: Ragnarok could release in November: report

During Sony’s PlayStation Showcase event in 2021,  Santa Monica Studio gave us our first real look at God of War: Ragnarok. Now, after roughly nine months, a Bloomberg report suggests that the long-awaited sequel to 2018’s God of War will see an official release in November.

The title, which up until recently was rumoured to have been delayed to 2023, will release in November, and an exact date will be announced this month, says the report. Bloomberg, via information received from inside sources, suggests that the game was originally scheduled for release in September but was pushed back to November, likely due to complications of producing a big-budget title in a pandemic environment.

God of War: Ragnarok could still be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, according to the publication, though it almost certainly is on schedule for a November release.

God of War: Ragnarok is the sequel to the 2018-released God of War that saw Kratos transition to a caring father and a wise fighter who only kills those who threaten him or stand in his way. Ragnarök doesn’t pick up where its prequel left off, however. The trailer suggests that the event of Ragnarök take place a few years after its prequel, and from what we know so far, Thor will be the main antagonist in the title.

Image credit: Sony

Source: Bloomberg