Tag: gaming

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Former Call of Duty developers’ Deviation Games expands into Canada

Los Angeles-based Deviation Games, a new developer founded by Call of Duty: Black Ops veterans, is expanding into Canada.

In a LinkedIn post first spotted by Push Square, Deviation said it has formed “Deviation Games Canada,” although it didn’t mention exactly where it’s located. Those interested in applying are asked to message one of the Deviation team members.

Following its founding in November 2019, Deviation has been working on a yet-to-be-revealed new IP. Last June, the studio confirmed that it had signed a deal to develop this game exclusively for PlayStation. Otherwise, nothing is known about the title.

Deviation isn’t the only Canadian studio with ties to Call of Duty. Apex Legends developer Respawn, the Los Angeles-based developer founded by members of the original Modern Warfare team, opened a Vancouver office in 2020. As well, Activision-owned Beenox, which is based in Quebec City, is a support studio on each annual Call of Duty.

Image credit: Activision

Via: Push Square

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Xbox boss wants to ‘keep Call of Duty on PlayStation’ following Activision Blizzard acquisition

Phil Spencer, longtime Xbox boss and newly appointed “CEO of Microsoft Gaming,” says the company has no intentions of taking Call of Duty off of PlayStation following its acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

On Twitter, Spencer tweeted that he had “good calls” with Sony leaders this week about the future of Activision Blizzard’s games on PlayStation.

“I confirmed our intent to honor all existing agreements upon acquisition of Activision Blizzard and our desire to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation. Sony is an important part of our industry, and we value our relationship,” said Spencer of these calls.

On January 18th, Microsoft announced plans to acquire Activision Blizzard for a staggering $68.7 billion USD (about $85.9 billion CAD). At the time, it was unclear what this would mean for titles that have historically been multiplatform, like Call of Duty.

Amid this uncertainty, Bloomberg reported that Microsoft planned to keep some games available on PlayStation while making others Xbox and PC exclusive. More recently, a Sony spokesperson told The Wall Street Journalthat “we expect that Microsoft will abide by contractual agreements and continue to ensure Activision games are multiplatform.”

What does this actually mean?

Given that the acquisition isn’t expected to be completed until fiscal year 2023, it’s impossible to say at this time whether Spencer is being truthful. For example, in the case of ZeniMax, Microsoft’s last big gaming purchase, Bethesda subsidiary Arkane Studios’ most recent game, Deathloop, was legally required to release exclusively on PlayStation 5 and PC in 2021.

However, Arkane’s next game, this summer’s Redfall, was later confirmed to be an Xbox and PC exclusive. Given that we don’t the exact nature of “contractual agreements” for Call of Duty, it’s possible that Xbox continues to release these games for some period but then, when these deals expire, shift to Xbox-only releases.

It’s also worth mentioning that some industry experts, including reliable VentureBeat reporter Jeff Grubb, have speculated that Xbox might take a hybrid approach when it comes to platform releases. In other words, they theorized that the massively popular free-to-play battle royale game Call of Duty: Warzone would remain on all platforms (especially amid rumours of a mobile version) while the main annualized entries could become Xbox/PC exclusive.

Of course, Activision Blizzard also owns a wealth of properties beyond Call of Duty that have appeared on PlayStation, including Overwatch, Diablo, Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon. It’s possible that Call of Duty remains multiplatform (either fully or only to some degree) while other franchises see Xbox-only releases. That would stay consistent with what Spencer is saying now — he only mentioned Call of Duty — while still allowing for other properties to become Xbox exclusive.

It should be noted, though, that Xbox’s current approach deemphasizes the need for a specific piece of hardware to play its first-party games. Outside of native releases on Xbox consoles and PC, Xbox Game Studios titles like Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 are playable on mobile devices via Xbox Game Pass’ Cloud Gaming service. Further, the company has confirmed plans to bring this streaming service to other devices, like streaming sticks and apps for TVs.

Therefore, even if Call of Duty went “Xbox exclusive,” the game be playable for PlayStation owners, in theory, via streaming on one of several devices they potentially already own. Streaming isn’t as good as playable natively, of course, but it would give some options besides dropping hundreds of dollars on an Xbox console or PC.

Another big question pertains to how Microsoft will handle Activision Blizzard’s allegedly rampant workplace misconduct. The company, particularly CEO Bobby Kotick, has been accused of fostering a “frat boy” culture that regularly led to the mistreatment, including but not limited to sexual abuse, of women. Many have called for Kotick to resign, although he reportedly won’t do so until after the acquisition closes.

Ultimately, though, it’s too early to say either way regarding exclusivity and company reform. What we do know, though, is Activision Blizzard and Microsoft will operate independently for at least another year. That means that the former’s imminent slate of games, including this year’s inevitable annual Call of Duty, will definitively release on PlayStation. Likewise, Microsoft will not be able to make any changes at Activision for the time being.

Image credit: Activision

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Montreal-made Monopoly Tycoon launches on Android and iOS

A new Monopoly game has launched on Android and iOS.

From Montreal-based Nvizzio (RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch) comes Monopoly Tycoon, a 3D city-building simulation game.

The game features three famous Monopoly locations, Atlantic City, Paris and London, across which there are over one thousand buildings and decorations that players can collect, build and upgrade. Meanwhile, Monopoly board staples like Go, Community Chest and Chance will offer various benefits to your real estate business.

Monopoly Tycoon is now available to download for free on iOS and Android (with in-app purchases).

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Halo Infinite appears to be down right now for some users

Following January 19th’s hotfix for Big Team Battle and Oddball, it appears Halo Infinite is down for at least some users.

I’ve been unable to access the game for the last few hours and there are several reports of the outage on Twitter and other social media platforms.

In a tweet from four hours ago, 343 Industries detailed Infinite’s January 19th patch, stating that it includes fixes for ‘Big Team Battle’ and improvements to the ‘Oddball’s’ physics.

As it stands right now, it’s unclear what the cause of the issue is, but it seems to be tied to the online aspect of the title as in most instances the game is unable to launch from the Xbox’s dashboard.

In my case, I receive an error code that says the following:

“The Person who bought this needs to sign in. Sign in with the account that bought the game or installed the app. If the game has a trial version that expired, buy the game from the Microsoft Store. For detailed instructions, select help. (0x803f9006)”

It’s unclear when this issue will be fixed. This story will be updated when more information is available.

More to come…

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Open-world card game Arcanium comes to Netflix

Los Angeles-based publisher Rogue Games has released its Arcanium: Rise of Akhan game on Netflix.

Arcanium is a single-player, open-world card game that features a procedurally-generated 3D map that players must traverse while making choices that shape the experience. Along the way, you’ll collect new heroes with their own unique decks of cards that can be used to control a party of three in classic turn-based combat.

This is Rogue’s third game for Netflix’s burgeoning gaming platform, following Card Blast and Wonderputt Forever. 

Meanwhile, a second new game, Krispee Street, has landed on Netflix.

Based on a webcomic, Krispee Street is a Where’s Waldo?-esque hidden object game that’s set in what Netflix describes as a “feels-like-a-warm-hug world.”

Originally launched on mobile in November, Netflix Games is a platform through which the streaming giant offers a handful of games at no additional cost to subscribers. Titles are available on both through the Netflix app on both Android and iOS.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

‘Banjo-Kazooie’ hits Nintendo’s Switch Online Expansion Pack on January 20

Marking the first time since the bear and the bird has appeared on a Nintendo home console since Banjo-Tooie’s release on the N64 back in 2000, Banjo-Kazooie will release on Nintendo’s Switch Online Expansion pack on January 20th.

The classic 3D platformer was confirmed to be coming to the Expansion Pack last year, but its exact release date was unknown until now.

While Rare did release a few Banjo-Kazooie titles for the Game Boy Advance in the mid-2000s, the last main entry in the series was 2008’s Nuts & Bolts on the Xbox 360 following Microsoft’s acquisition of the developer. Banjo Kazooie and its sequel Banjo-Tooie are also part of Rare’s collection of classic titles for Xbox consoles, Rare Replay.

With this latest Switch re-release, it seems Nintendo and Microsoft have come to some sort of licensing agreement regarding the iconic characters. For added context, Banjo and Kazooie were added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate back in 2019.

Given Paper Mario hit Nintendo’s Expansion Pack last month and Banjo-Kazooie arrives shortly, it looks like the Japanese gaming giant has plans to bring a new N64 title to the platform monthly.

Hopefully, Banjo-Kazooie’s emulation on the Switch works better than the service’s current lineup of titles. For example, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time suffers from delayed button presses and strange graphical anomalies.

Banjo-Kazooie was the first video game I purchased on my own for the N64 way back in 1998, so I have a pretty strong nostalgic connection to the series. That said, if Nintendo’s other N64 Expansion Pack titles still suffer from technical glitches, I’m not sure I’m willing to shell out the extra cash to upgrade my Switch Online subscription yet.

Nintendo’s new ‘Expansion Pack‘ online tier costs $63.99 for a 12-month individual membership (one account) or $99.99 for a 12-month Family Membership (up to eight accounts). The subscription includes Switch Online, SNES, NES, N64, Sega Genesis and Animal Crossing New Horizon’s first paid DLC, Happy Home Paradise.

Image credit: YouTube (Nintendo) 

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Embattled Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick expected to leave after Microsoft acquisition

Bobby Kotick, the scandal-ridden CEO of gaming giant Activision Blizzard, may finally step down, reports The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

Citing multiple company sources, the WSJ says Kotick is currently only expected to remain as CEO until Microsoft’s $68.7 billion USD (about $86 billion CAD) acquisition of Activision Blizzard has closed. Microsoft expects this to be completed “in fiscal year 2023,” which means Kotick will likely remain as CEO for up to 18 months. It’s unclear whether other leaders are expected to depart as well.

Kotick has faced numerous calls to resign following a July 2021 California lawsuit alleging a years-long “frat boy culture” that led to sexual harassment, abuse and unfair hiring practices towards women. Then, in November, a WSJ report alleged that Kotick was not only aware of these issues, but actively worked on keeping them out of the public eye.

Kotick, meanwhile, has said he’ll only do so if the company’s issues aren’t fixed “with speed.” In a new interview with The New York Times regarding Microsoft’s acquisition of the company, Kotick also wouldn’t confirm whether he’ll step down after the deal closes, simply saying he’ll be “available as needed.”

Of course, the deal needs to actually be approved by all of the requisite U.S. regulators and lawmakers. While it’s possible it could be blocked, Microsoft (post-Activision Blizzard acquisition) would still only account for less than 15 percent of total gaming revenue behind Sony and Tencent. Therefore, analysts expect that it will likely go through.

As Xbox boss Phil Spencer noted in a press release, Activision Blizzard will “continue to operate independently” from Microsoft until the deal is complete. Once that’s happened, Activision Blizzard will report to him directly.

It’s worth noting that Spencer had previously said he was “deeply disturbed” by the allegations surrounding Activision and that Xbox was reevaluating its relationship with the company accordingly. Following the news of the acquisition plans, some gamers have pointed out that acquiring the company full-stop is an odd way of doing that.

Bloomberg‘s Jason Schreier also noted on Twitter that he’s heard from some Activision Blizzard employees who simultaneously feel optimistic about change amid Xbox Game Studios’ “positive culture,” and “fury toward Microsoft for giving Bobby Kotick a big payday and soft exit.” Further, criticism was levied at Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who said he’s “grateful to [Kotick’s] leadership and commitment to real culture change.”

However, given the legalities surrounding a major acquisition like this, it’s unlikely that Microsoft could comment further on the issues. As VentureBeat‘s Jeff Grubb pointed out on Twitter, Spencer or other Microsoft executives providing any elaboration could have been seen as “price manipulation” that would have impacted the deal.

In a statement posted to Twitter, the ABK Workers Alliance, a group made up of employees of Activision, Blizzard and King, said the acquisition news is “surprising” but “does not change [its] goals” with regards to improving Activision Blizzard.

“The news of Activision’s acquisition by Microsoft is surprising, but does not change the goals of the ABK Worker’s Alliance. We remain committed to fighting for workplace improvements and the rights of our employees regardless of who is financially in control of the company. We will continue to work alongside our allies across the gaming industry to push for measurable change in an industry that desperately needs it. We called for the removal of Bobby Kotick as CEO in November for shielding abusers and he still remains CEO as of this writing. The strike for Raven QA is in its fifth week, and our striking staff has still not received response from leadership regarding our request to negotiate. And finally, 3 out of 4 of our original collective demands to improve the conditions of women in our workforce have not been met. Whatever the leadership structure of the company, we will continue our push to #EndAbuseInGaming, and appreciate the outpouring of support we’ve experienced in the last year.

The Raven strike, in particular, is referring to dozens of developers at the studio behind Call of Duty: Warzone protesting the sudden termination of 12 quality assurance (QA) contractors. QA plays a significant role in ensuring that a game runs sufficiently, and Warzone has been plagued with bugs amid these layoffs. Multiple QA workers told The Washington Post that they attribute these issues to Raven’s now-reduced QA team. Others said to Inverse that Activision Blizzard has yet to address their concerns.

Source: Wikipedia

Categories
Mobile Syrup

The Cuphead Show! to premiere on Netflix on February 18

Netflix has confirmed that The Cuphead Show! will begin streaming on February 18th.

As the title suggests, the animated series is an adaptation of Cuphead, the hit 2017 run-and-gun platformer from Canadian indie developer Studio MDHR.

Produced by Netflix Animation, the 12-episode series follows Cuphead (Tru Valentino) and Mugman (Frank Todaro) as they get up to all kinds of misadventures on the Inkwell Isles. In addition to the two bowl-shaped brothers, other characters from the game set to make an appearance include Ms. Chalice (Grey Griffin), the Devil (Luke Millington-Drake) and King Dice (Wayne Brady).

Chad and Jared Moldenhauer, who founded Studio MDHR, serve as executive producers on The Cuphead Show! 

2022 is set to be a big year for Cuphead. Beyond the animated series and the fifth anniversary of the game coming in September, the long-awaited The Delicious Last Course expansion is set to release on June 30th, 2022 on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and PC. The DLC will add Ms. Chalice as a new playable character alongside new bosses and levels.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Xbox Game Pass has hit 25 million subscribers

Microsoft has confirmed that its Xbox Game Pass service has reached 25 million subscribers.

The company revealed the milestone as part of its landmark announcement that it will acquire Activision Blizzard in a deal valued at $68.7 billion USD (about $85.96 billion CAD).

Game Pass is Microsoft’s Netflix-esque service that offers unlimited access to hundreds of games for a single monthly fee. In addition to Xbox consoles, Game Pass is available on PC and mobile devices (via ‘Cloud Gaming’ streaming). Game Pass on console and PC is priced at $11.99 CAD/month, while Game Pass Ultimate — which includes both versions of Game Pass, Xbox Live Gold, EA Play and Cloud Gaming — costs $16.99/month.

Of course, one of the main reasons why Microsoft is purchasing Activision Blizzard is to bolster Game Pass. In a statement, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said the company will “offer as many Activision Blizzard games as [it] can within Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass, both new titles and games from Activision Blizzard’s incredible catalogue.”

This means that titles from the likes of the Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Starcraft and Crash Bandicoot franchises could eventually make their way onto Game Pass.

The payoff of Microsoft’s last major gaming purchase, ZeniMax, has also yet to be fully realized. Two major titles from the company’s Bethesda subsidiary, this summer’s Redfall and November’s Starfield, will launch exclusively on Xbox and PC with day one Game Pass availability. Other games, like last year’s critically acclaimed Deathloop and the upcoming Ghostwire: Tokyo, are also expected to come to Xbox following one-year PlayStation exclusivity periods.

It’s also worth noting that PlayStation is rumoured to launch its own Game Pass-esque subscription service, codenamed ‘Spartacus,’ early this year. Spartacus is said to combine PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now on top of offering an expanded games catalogue that includes PS1 and PS2 games. Should that happen, it remains to be seen how the two services will compete.

Source: Xbox

Categories
Mobile Syrup

What’s new on Xbox Game Pass on console, PC and mobile in late January 2022

Every month, Xbox adds new games to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service.

Typically, new games are rolled out in two waves, and now, Xbox has revealed January’s second batch of Game Pass catalogue additions.

As previously confirmed, Canadian games Rainbow Six: Extraction (Ubisoft Montreal) and Nobody Saves the World (Toronto’s DrinkBox) are coming to the service on day one. However, there are several other titles hitting Game Pass in the final weeks on January:

  • Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Anniversary Edition (Cloud, Console and PC) — January 18th
  • Nobody Saves the World (Cloud, Console and PC) — January 18th
  • Death’s Door (Cloud, Console and PC) — January 20th
  • Hitman Trilogy (Cloud, Console and PC) — January 20th
  • Pupperazzi (Cloud, Console and PC) — January 20th
  • Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction (Cloud, Console and PC) — January 20th
  • Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege: Deluxe Edition (PC) — January 20th
  • Windjammers 2 (Cloud, Console and PC) — January 20th
  • Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master (Console and PC) — January 27th

Meanwhile, the following nine games have received touch controls on mobile:

  • Anvil (Game Preview)
  • Archvale
  • Exo One
  • The Forgotten City
  • Nobody Saves the World
  • One Piece Pirate Warriors 4
  • Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator
  • Stardew Valley
  • Unpacking
  • Death’s Door (when the game releases on January 20th)

Finally, these four titles are leaving Game Pass on January 31st:

  • Cyber Shadow (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • Nowhere Prophet (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • Prison Architect (PC)
  • Xeno Crisis (Cloud, Console and PC)

Xbox Game Pass is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Android and iOS in beta. Game Pass for Console and PC Game Pass each cost $11.99 CAD/month.

Meanwhile, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $16.99/month and is required for streaming (which Xbox refers to as ‘Cloud’) to mobile devices and browsers. On top of that, this tier includes Game Pass for both Console and PC, as well as subscriptions to Xbox Live Gold and EA Play.

Find out what came to Game Pass earlier this month here.

Image credit: IO Interactive

Source: Xbox