Annapurna Interactive Shares Pursuit To Form Internal Studios With Recent Job Listings

Just over a year ago dating back to August 2019, video game publisher and subsidiary of Annapurna Pictures Annapurna Interactive was suggested to potentially go belly up following along the reports of its parent company closing in the foreseeable future. However, the firm shared amid the speculation that it is staying put regardless of how Annapurna Pictures performs leading forward. And in contrast to the thought of the publisher shutting down, the firm as of recent announced to be in search for individuals in forming an internal studio at Annapurna Interactive. In that, a handful of job listings on the company’s website went up recently along with a statement from the head of the firm left. We’ve had the immense honor of working with some of the most talented independent game creators in the world. Many of us came from an internal development background and are excited to make this a part of Annapurna Interactive moving forward. We can’t wait to share more about what’s to come—anything is possible. Nathan Gary, Annapurna Interactive President Among the postings published so far, Annapurna Interactive is searching for likely candidates to fill positions for a Game Director, Senior Producer, Marketing Coordinator, Marketing Data Analyst, and Release Manager. Upon reflecting on the current portfolio that Annapurna Interactive has so far, it is only more exciting to see what can be produced from the firm leading forward. Most notably, entries like Sayonara Wild Hearts, Journey, Outer Wilds, and What Remains of Eidth Finch is just some that were published by the firm. That is not to mention the strong frontrunners like Stray and 12 Minutes currently underway. What are you interested to see from Annapurna Interactive to form a internal studio? Source: Annapurna Interactive

Todd Howard Presses On Starfield Revealing Game Is Completely Single Player, Still “A While” Away For More To Be Shared

As Bethesda continues to operate as we are inching just a week away from the next console generation to arrive with Xbox Series X|S, the questions still continue to conjure what is next from the firm. And while fans do have their own theories, the most concrete forecast for now is Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI. Yes, while there is Deathloop and GhostWire: Tokyo, those projects are only published by Bethesda and not developed in-house. The two very ambitious, next-generation titles while holding fans anticipation hostage is still left with very little detail to articulate around. And that is primarily due to Todd Howard at the helm believing the two are not ready to be fully unveiled. Both when revealed back at E3 2018 were given short cinematic trailers only illustrating the understanding of the games’ settings. Now well over two years later, fans are still conjuring in their minds what exactly these titles will be. In a recent interview as part of the Develop:Brighton Digital 2020 virtual event, Todd Howard disclosed the Starfield, at least, is still quite a while away. He goes on to elaborate the reasoning to share why tease the game so early on. The reason we announced that stuff is we’re – at the time doing [Fallout] 76 and a Elder Scrolls [Blades] mobile game and we wanted to make sure our fans knew; hear the things coming up. We knew at the time these things are going to be a ways off, but it still felt better to engage and say “here’s what we’re making.” Look, it’s going to be a while till people hear about it and really really see it – and I could debate that. So a lot of us say we should just start showing stuff, but then you worry about showing some things and then people get really excited then they’re like the next question is “when’s it coming out?”, you’re like “well, just wait” or then it gets delayed or you know etcetera etcetera and we like to as much as possible when we show it really be able to show what the final product feels like, looks like, and we’re closer to release so that we’re 100 percent confident – here it is, here’s what it does and here’s when you can play it. Framed from how Howard spoke on the coming future for Starfield, Betehsda Game Studios is still working on what works best to reflect how the game will be presented in resemblance to the retail release of the game. In contrast to The Elder Scrolls VI, the game appears to at least be closer than the project years of waiting for the title as told by Bethesda’s Pete Hines back in May. Howard does verify that the two will be readied for Xbox Game Pass at launch. In the same discussion, Howard also reiterated on the engine update for the proprietary engine used for Bethesda titles moving forwards. In the original interview, Howard described the advancement of the update to be the “largest engine overhaul since Oblivion.” You can read the full report by heading here. What are you more excited for from Bethesda?

Katamari Damacy Reroll Gets Xbox One & PlayStation Versions Set To Release Later This Month

For many, the game that is Katamari Damacy sits close to the hearts for a myriad of people that played the original game back on the PlayStation 2. While unique at the time to Sony’s second generation console, it was surely a surprise over a year ago when Bandai Namco announced the game would be returning – only for PC & Nintendo Switch. Unveiling Katamari Damacy Reroll, the title has been revamped for modern hardware. And now with well over a year since the game hit Steam and the Nintendo eShop, the firm has decided to announce that Xbox One and PlayStation 4 users can expect the game to ship to the respected systems as well. And more excitingly, it arrives in the middle of November for users that are excited to finally return to the shoes of the Prince of Cosmos. You can watch the new announcement trailer in the video below: “The stop-at-nothing pushing prince is back and ready to reroll! When the King of All Cosmos accidentally destroys all the stars in the sky, he orders you, his pint-sized princely son, to put the twinkle back in the heavens above,” the synapse for the game reads on Steam. “Join the King and Prince of Cosmos on their wacky adventure to restore the stars – now in full HD! The beloved roll-em-up game returns with fully updated graphics, completely recreated cutscenes and in full HD!” In addition to the exciting reveal, Bandai Namco also discloses that the game will also be supported on Xbox Series X|S. While not disclosing much, the game is expected to be supported via backwards compatibility. It is unsure if Katamari Damacy Reroll will be a Smart Delivery title for the new console generation at the time of writing. Do you plan to roll up new stars later this month? Katamari Damacy Reroll launches for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on November 20, 2020; out now for Nintendo Switch and PC.

Epic Games Lays Out Upgrades For Fortnite On Next-Gen Machines

As you might already envision in your head, the success of Fortnite and the continued support for the game will be continuing forward onto the next-generation of consoles. Developer Epic Games previously back in May disclosed that the popular battle royale will be receiving a new version for the coming Xbox & PlayStation systems scheduled to release later this holiday. The firm later went on to feature The Last Laugh Bundle which is the first piece of evidence suggesting the game will be primed for release the same time as the new consoles ship in November. Now, with the aforementioned Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 set to arrive later this month, Epic Games lays out some new details on what users can find uniquely for the game. For starters, the game is primed to ship as soon as you set up your console. Not only that, but players can also find that their progression from the current systems will be ready to continue forward on the newer hardware. Once you’ve taken in that sweet smell of unboxing a brand-new Xbox or PlayStation (or both, if you’re super lucky), a next-gen version of Fortnite will be ready and waiting for you to download. The Fortnite builds on Xbox Series X|S and PS5 aren’t simply tweaked last-gen builds but new native ones to harness the power of the new consoles! If you’re already a Fortnite player, you’ll easily be able to continue your progress, and if you’re new to Fortnite, it’ll be a great time to jump in. Whether you’re a veteran player or looking to play for the first time, you’ll be able to download the game on your new console Day 1 and enjoy a truly “next-gen” Fortnite experience. For Xbox Series X|S and the PlayStation 5, the enhancements are just about split even: resolution output for 4K is supported alongside a guaranteed 60 frames per second performance, dynamic visual upgrades with more items on screen with better textures, more time playing as loading is minimized greatly, and split-screen is also bumped up with 60 FPS support also implemented. As for unique offers, Xbox Series S is told to offer all the mentioned characteristics with the exception of running at 1080p with 60 frames per second. Additionally, PlayStation 5 owners can find DualSense support primed at launch alongside the new Activities feature also being back by Epic Games for Fortnite. Hopefully, Fortnite will also face a makeover similar to what happened on PC. Recently, Epic Games shared to drastically reduce the file size of the game by roughly 60 GB – now sitting at 27 GB for keyboard & mouse users. You can read the full report by heading here. Which console are you playing Fortnite on? Fortnite ships for Xbox Series X|S on November 10, 2020; PlayStation 5 on November 12, 2020 and November 19, 2020; out now for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. Source: Epic Games

Cyberpunk Top-Down Shooter The Ascent Gets New Release Window Framed For 2021

When learning that Microsoft would be hosting a third-party showcase to feature which titles best represent the next-generation of Xbox, it was surely a surprise to see what Neon Giant could offer with The Ascent. During its debut at the May-scheduled show, the Swedish studio presented the very ambitious top-down shooter set in a diverse and very detailed Cyberpunk dystopia. During the time of the presentation, Microsoft alongside publisher Curve Digital disclosed that viewers can anticipate to get the game in their hands by the end of this year – either on the current Xbox One or the approaching Xbox Series X as well. However, that release window for late 2020 might have been an overshot for the team behind the development. In a new post shared by Neon Giant, the developer announces that The Ascent will now be shipping beyond the game’s holiday release later on in 2021. We want to give you The Ascent at the best possible quality so on Xbox Series X consoles you’ll see increased fidelity, Ultra HD support, and improved loading times which will make each thrilling moment in this corporation-run universe feel ever so real. Daniela Pietrosanu, Curve Digital Communications Manager In addition to the abrupt announcement shared recently, Neon Giant also offered a new gameplay trailer for the game as well. Noted, despite the headcount at the studio only breaking just close to a dozen employees, the developer has illustrated its ambitious approach to bring a thriving world from a small team. It is also worth mentioning that anticipated fans will not need to worry about purchasing The Ascent if already subscribed to Xbox Game Pass. If so, users can pick up the game day one on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Perhaps Android as well will be primed for the game’s debut next year as well. Are you excited to get your hands on The Ascent later on in 2021? The Ascent is said to ship sometime in 2021 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Source: Xbox Wire

Tomb Raider Sequel Starring Alicia Vikander Delayed Indefinitely After Pulled From Its March Box Office Release

For those that might need a refresher, 2018 was met with the first potential catalyst for a strong line of impactful video game-adapted films. In reference, I’m looking at the Tomb Raider film directed by Roar Uthaug. While the production certainly had some takeaways worth noting, it did, however, grab anticipation for the upsetting lineup of other films derived from video game franchises previously as many viewers did grab a liking to the movie when it shipped. When glancing over the box office success that the film was met with, it became clear that a follow-up would be organized to take place in the coming future. Most importantly, it would be essential for Alicia Vikander to reprise her role for when the second entry begins filming. Last April, it was reported that Vikander would be returning with the addition of Amy Jump to pen the script for the sequel. Now in a new report from Deadline, it is told the production is to be halted indefinitely. September last year, the second film was told to be framed for a March 2021 release as relayed by Deadline, however, now the production has been pulled from the timeline altogether as the projects is now left undated for the time being. According to the IMDB for the film, the status for the film is still marked ‘announced’ as of reporting. And despite there being more than a year since the film’s inception, there is no word if filming has been completed as of yet. It is assumed that the phase of production is close to completion, but that has yet to properly be announced. Ben Wheatley (Rebecca, High-Rise) is told to be helming the sequel as director. Additionally, Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody, World War Z, The Town) will be returning to produce the follow-up film as well alongside Elizabeth Cantillon (Concussion, Charlie’s Angels). Are you planning to watch the Tomb Raider sequel film? Source: Deadline

Tom Holland’s Uncharted Movie Officially Finished Filming Recently

For the most part, recent video game film adaptations has not truly grasped audiences in anticipation for its box office release. Even following the opening for Sonic the Hedgehog, many were not very enthusiastic after witnessing the first render of Sega’s most iconic mascot. But, of course, the team that created the hedgehog went back and gave the notorious blue blur a makeover to meet the liking of the viewers. Howbeit, the most chatter many fans are continuing to discuss is the up and coming Uncharted film. After almost a decade, the production is finally coming together. Starring Spider-Man: Home Coming actor Tom Holland as Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg as Victor Sullivan, this motion picture began picking up ground when the leading actor shared filming to begin earlier this summer in July. Then followed by a string of images shared by Holland and Nathan Drake voice actor Nolan North, fans finally grabbed a glimpse of Nathan Drake with the Uncharted star in full costume this past week. Now, Sony Pictures went to announce that filming has finally completed for the long-awaited production. The firm done so by sharing an image of the film’s clapperboard with the title branded on the front of the object. The post also brings attention to a new Uncharted Movie Twitter account a well: although created last October, the profile was not active until late September this year upon reflection on its posts. Reflecting on the background of the production, it is relieving to see filming finally reach its end. With over a handful of directors that abandoned the production after being at the helm of the film, the project is to be completed with Ruben Fleischer in the chair. Fleischer has worked with successful Sony-produced films as of recent like 2018’s Venom and 2019’s Zombieland: Double Tap. In addition to the ceasing of production officially, co-star Mark Wahlberg shares the first look at Sully’s iconic shirt online. You can view the image of his costume by heading here. What are you most excited about the Uncharted film finally coming together? Uncharted is scheduled to release on July 16, 2021.