Valve Shares Ambitions To Work On Half-Life Series After Half-Life: Alyx

The release date for the highly-anticipated return to the series with virtual reality prequel Half-Life: Alyx is set to arrive in less than a week. And although we have yet to delve into the story that fans of the universe have waited over a decade for, Valve has already shared discussion for more potential entries in the franchise following this coming release. In an interview with Game Informer at the beginning of the month, developer Robin Walker talks about the history, development, and other ambitions that the team took to creating this new entry through the growing peripheral. Near the end of the conversation with the video game outlet, Walker talks about Half-Life 2: Episode 2 and urges fans to freshen up on the events that occurred in to 2007 story add-on. Even more, this presses the question on the matters of the myth that is Half-Life 3, where Walker explains that this will surely not be the last time we will see the series after Half-Life: Alyx is in public hands in the foreseeable future. There are also people on the team for whom Half-Life: Alyx is their first time working on this series at all – and many of them certainly hope it’s not the last. We absolutely see Half-Life: Alyx as our return to this world, not the end of it. Since the announcement of Half-Life: Alyx, chatter has yet to cease about the long-awaited return for Valve’s most notorious franchise. So it does not come as a surprise that the team is ambitious to create more installments later on. It definitely must have been a surprise for Valve when it was discovered that Valve Index sales more than doubled in the last quarter of calendar 2019 in response to the game’s announcement. Prior to the recent report, it was shared in a separate interview with Greg Coomer, a game designer for Half-Life: Alyx who told that despite the game being unique to virtual reality on PC, the console bounded PlayStation VR is not entirely ruled out from being an exception. However, it is expected if that was the case – the game would be an addition to the headset following the initial release. You can read the full report by heading here. Do you plan on picking up Half-Life: Alyx at launch? Half-Life: Alyx is set to release for Valve Index on march 23, 2020. Source: Game Informer
Sony Reassures The Full PlayStation Library Will Come To PlayStation 5 backwards Compatibility

Earlier this week, Sony finally went to the lengths to discuss some of the architectural advancements taking place within the upcoming PlayStation 5. Among the aspects that counteract the competing Xbox Series X, one similarity that both will be bringing to the next generation of consoles is backwards compatibility support. Although Microsoft’s flagship unit is prepared to ship over three generations of titles this coming holiday season, Sony on the other hand will only feature the current PlayStation 4 library to players transitioning to the fifth approaching iteration. To make things more precise, lead System Architect Mark Cerny disclosed that only the ‘Top 100 Titles’ are scheduled to be playable when launch arrive to the PlayStation 5. However, it was later clarified on the PlayStation Blog that Sony’s ambitions for backwards compatibility also extends to the 4,000+ published titles that arrived on the PlayStation 4 this generation: adding that the team will continue testing to introduce more games following the console’s release. Now in an updated segment released on the blog post, Sony reaffirms the statement by clarifying that most projects, regardless of being first-party or third-party, are expect to be supported on PlayStation 5. With all of the amazing games in PS4’s catalog, we’ve devoted significant efforts to enable our fans to play their favorites on PS5. We believe that the overwhelming majority of the 4,000+ PS4 titles will be playable on PS5. More on the matter, it was also addressed that these titles that will be supported on PlayStation 5 backwards compatibility are said to be issued ‘boosted frequencies’ alike the initial hundred that will launch with the console. This applies to better performance framerates and higher graphical output for the respected games. Although the titles will essentially be supported with a packaged augmentation similar to what you experience with PlayStation 4 Pro enhancements currently, Microsoft with the Xbox Series X goes the extra step. All games that will be supported with backwards compatibility at launch, for either platform, will be converted to the new hardware with HDR support instantly. Despite the addition of two previous Xbox platforms being supported for Xbox Series X backwards compatibility, the same does not look so bright for PlayStations side of the creek. According to Kotaku’s News Editor Jason Schreier, the possibility for PlayStation 3 or prior support on PlayStation 5 apparently isn’t in the picture. What title do you hope to be supported for backwards compatibility at launch for PlayStation 5. PlayStation 5 is said to be released sometime later on in 2020. Source: PlayStation Blog
GameStop Keeps Its Doors Open Despite Increasing Tension Of Growing Virus, State Governments Say Otherwise

Update: It looks that the State of Pennsylvania will be the next providence in the United States to close all GameStop locations in the respected region. This news, however, comes from Reddit poster ebtwarlord1 who shared an image of a notice for closure processed by the State’s Governor, Tom Wolf. You can view the image below: “Notice is hereby given that as of this date the Operating Permit (License) of: [Name of Establishment: GameStop,” the document shared reads. The paperwork essentially withholds the company’s license from being a retails location. As of now, both California alongside Pennsylvania are the two states that required GameStop to close all standing locations due to the widespread coronavirus ailment. It is expected that New York will do the same tomorrow following the statement Governor Andrew Cuomo made on the matter. Original: Here on Rectify Gaming, we have already discussed the increasing amount of gaming-related events that were initially scheduled to take place in the coming future, but were shelved or outright cancelled due to concerns regarding the continuing spread of the COVID-19 virus. Annually anticipated shows like E3 being cancelled or the rescheduled GDC now taking place in August has already been mentioned, but the topic on retail storefronts like GameStop has yet to be affected. While other stores have already initiated precautionary measures to better reduce the spread of the coronavirus ailment, GameStop just yesterday put into effect similar actions that deducted the amount of hours the store will be open alongside postponing other services provided at the brick and mortar locations. You can read the full letterhead by going here. Unlike establishments like grocery stores and pharmacies that require to stay open for individuals to purchase everyday needs, GameStop on the other hand is not essential to that matter and does not apply as other stores do. However, corporate figures would like to think otherwise according to a memo that was forwarded to Kotaku yesterday. “Due to the products we carry that enable and enhance our customers’ experience in working from home, we believe GameStop is classified as essential retail and therefore is able to remain open during this time,” the document to store staff tells. But following the placement of countermeasures against the COVID-19 pandemic placed by the Californian state government, all GameStop locations as of today are scheduled to close “until further notice”, a new document sent to store staff reads. The state happens to be the select few to mandate closure of all non-essential establishments which essentially puts the state into lockdown. However, it also looks that despite the statement made by GameStop previously, New York might be the next to follow. State Governor Andrew Cuomo just released at a press conference in Albany that will effectively shutdown recreational stores and locations starting this coming Sunday, March 22. This will be the second state to do so when the executive order is put into effect. Do you agree that GameStop should close its doors for the time being? Source: Kotaku
Another Listing For Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered Emerges Online

While fans are having a pseudo-nostalgia trip with the latest entry of Call of Duty with Modern Warfare, there are fleets of players who still anticipate there to be a remaster for some of the most memorable installments in the series. Back in 2017, Infinity Ward when shipping that year’s Infinite Warfare also debuted the first remastered title by releasing one for 2009’s Modern Warfare. However, fans only want more and the same treatment to be handed to the sequel, Modern Warfare 2. And luckily, there has been some traces of the highly-requested remaster for the 2009 title as a rating for the title emerged on the Pan European Game Information website last year. But unlike the initial title, the updated version would only feature the story campaign for the game which is odd to say the least. Now according to a new finding made by @Nibellion on Twitter, the game has been listed on a Korean Ratings Board: again the listing reinstates the Campaign Remaster to be the advertised game, abandoning the multiplayer/special ops portions of the last gen title. Now this being the second occurrence that has stumbled upon the game’s presence, it is only left to when the game will eventually be announced and later released. When any property makes it as far as rating boards or listings online, the tendency of its legitimacy is fairly likely which essentially is a premature announcement for the game ahead of the developer or publisher involved with the respected property. The only raised question is why only the storyline for the game to be returning to newer hardware? Most fans who anticipated this to arrive expected to jump back into multiplayer lobbies with decade old friends, but the ability to will not ship with the game. Atop of the controversial ‘No Russian’ story mission, that also is another concern to question. Perhaps either Infinity Ward or Activision is planning to later ship the online segment of Modern Warfare 2 at a later time? Do you think you’d pick up just the Modern Warfare 2 campaign remastered? Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is available now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, and Xbox One via backwards compatibility; no timeframe has been revealed for the remastered project as of yet.
Organizers For EVO 2020 Still Planning This Year’s Event For Mid Summer

It is no question that the continually increasing concerns that surround the COVID-19 (novel Coronavirus) is making a large impact on the gaming industry for both games in development alongside the hosted events initially scheduled to take place throughout the course of 2020. This is also applied to the multiple esports competitions and tournaments that are also planned to be hosted later on this year. However, we have witnessed the Megalodon of gaming shows, E3, being cancelled as a result from the looming tension that continues to grow in the United States. Now the same has occurred to competitive video games with events like the Overwatch League Homesteads for the next two months being cancelled as well. Although these indications on the scare from the coronavirus is implementing these precautions for now, organizers alongside health officials do expect things to simmer over in the coming months leading into the summer. So for the annual EVO Championship Series held in Las Vegas, the event is still going according to plan, for now. While the show is still expected to commence for later this year, the team which organizes the event does disclose to be monitoring updates put into place by the nation’s health organizations if the decision is necessary to postpone or even cancel the event. In light of EVO being rescheduled/dropped for 2020, it is reassured that refunds will be provided for those planning to attend the event. August looks to be the safest timeframe for events alike to take place. Just this week, Informa Tech who orchestrates the Game Developers Conference (GDC) announced that the –March-postponed show will now be taking place just a few days after EVO 2020 is scheduled to take place. You can read the full report by heading here. Do you think July/August is a safe window for organizers to host events for the public? EVO 2020 is slated to initiate on July 31, 2020 and running until August 2, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
GDC Organizers Reschedules March-Postponed Event To August Later This Summer

Dating to the start of March, the group that orchestrates the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) shard that they will be postponing the event as looming concerns tail the COVID-19 ailment. This is a direct result from the established State of Emergency put into place for the City of San Francisco by Mayor London Breed. The decision left an impact on the industry which later swayed similar events like the Austin, Texas-based South By Southwest (SXSW) and even the stubborn ESA who host June’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) to shut its doors to not extend further spread of the pandemic virus. The GDC organizers explained that the show will only be postponed to a later date coming this summer. Now in a recent update post made this week, news comes out that the event will be taking place in the first week of August. Informa Tech had this to share on the newly shared plans: GDC Summer’s conference program will consist of high-quality technical content, mixed with valuable roundtable discussions to foster conversation and connection. The event will host a new series of microtalks and fireside chats, as well as a dedicated space for comprehensive career development sessions covering topics such as how to pitch your game, effective communication strategies, how to land an investor/publisher and business development strategies. Alike previously held GDC events, there will of course be a series of different technology-centered talks and held speeches for people to attend to alongside the show floor experience. Informa Tech tells that the 2020 summer show will introduce a “community partnership program” which allows parties attending the event to host arranged meetings which will be ongoing alongside GDC itself. Informa Tech goes on to clarify that this decided timeframe is an optimistic estimation to safely host GDC then, but will continue to watch closely to health organizations for more on the matter leading to the summer and for future shows. “Safety remains the GDC organizers’ paramount concern and the GDC team will continue to monitor the latest information from health officials to ensure a safe and compelling event for everyone at GDC Summer, GDC 2021 and beyond.” Do you plan on attending this rescheduled show in San Francisco this August? GDC will commence on August 4, 2020 to August 6, 2020 in San Francisco, California. Source: Informa Tech
Google Adds First Cross-Play Title, The Division 2, To Stadia – More Ubisoft Titles Following

Last week, Google revealed that Stadia will be receiving a Ubisoft care package of titles that will be arriving to Stadia in the coming weeks leading into late April. While there are only three games, they are staples in the Ubisoft library which I’m sure many users who transitioned to Google’s stream-based platform are excited to return to on Stadia. With the titles arrival to the platform, this also introduces a new feature that has yet to be supported for any game available on Stadia, cross-platform play. While there are games like Destiny 2 which partnered with Google during the launch to ship with cross-save in supporting transitioning to different platforms with ease, the implementation of cross-play, however, has yet to be established yet. Massive Entertainment’s The Division 2 which arrived to Stadia on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, will be the first to debut cross-play to Google’s young gaming platform. Prepare to return to Manhattan on an intense manhunt to take down rogue agent Aaron Keener. Both cross-progression and cross-play with PC players will be available at launch. Google in preparation for the recently launched Warlords of New York expansion for the 2019 title timed the game’s addition to Stadia perfectly. Crossplay-enabled support is expected to be implemented between Stadia and users who own the game on the Epic Games Store. Following The Division 2’s release on Stadia, Google also revealed that two other titles will be arriving later on in late March and the latter half of April. On March 25, Ivory Tower’s The Crew 2 is scheduled to release while Engine Software’s Monopoly will be shipping on April 28. However, cross-play support was not mentioned for the later Ubisoft-published additions as of yet. Do you plan on using cross-play on Stadia or Epic Games Store? The Division 2 is out now for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC (Epic Games Store / Stadia). Source: Google