Job Listing Reveals Respawn Entertainment Developing New IP Including “Adventuring Forever”

For developer Respawn Entertainment, the firm in its decade of operating has found to be a pivotal studio not only for publisher Electronic Arts, but for the entirety of the video game industry. After the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare trilogy, the California studio was founded as Vince Zampella and other Infinity Ward developer swiftly began working on what later became Titanfall. Of course, the series expanded with a sequel and even a spin-off battle royale which continues to stand as one of the most influential releases leading into the current console generation. Additionally, the studio also shipped Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and the recent VR experience – Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond. But looking ahead, there is surely some uncertainty. Playing it safe, it is expected that the Star Wars entry is to receive a follow-up based on the success of the first game. Most recently, word broke out that the sequel is set up to release sometime in 2022. But, there is still more planned by Respawn Entertainment that is currently under the radar from away prying eyes. According to a new job listing which the developer removed, a new IP is in the works currently. The posting asks for a ‘Generalist Software Engineer’ for a small group of developers begin to construct a new intellectual property at Respawn Entertainment. Given the diverse worlds and universes built by Respawn Entertainment already in the last ten years, it is expected the same impact will follow with future series from the developer. Most importantly, the new technologies mentioned for the project is surely an eye-opener. “Pioneer practical, new technologies to enable ‘adventuring forever’,” one bullet point reads from the listing. Even more, it is suggested that perhaps by Respawn Entertainment is planning to develop its first open-world experience. Titanfall, Jedi: Fallen Order, and even Above and Beyond all faced fairly linear story experiences, so this will be a first for the team. However, information on this unnamed project unfortunately dries up here. Elsewhere predating the recent reporting, claims suggests that by Respawn Entertainment is already developing Titanfall 3. The reports come from namely leakers within the developer’s community which does open to the possibility of being accurate. You can read the full report by heading here. What do you suspect could be the new game from by Respawn Entertainment? Source: ResetEra

Outriders Faces New Delay Scheduling The Game To Release In Early April Now

More than a year ago now, People Can Fly unveiled its new incubator project to being Outriders – a new third-person adventure title on the uncharted yet dangerous planet of Enoch. Originally, the game was scheduled to release sometime in summer 2020 following its reveal, but the Polish game studio issued a delay to this coming holiday following the evident impact of the novel coronavirus. But as time continued to inch closer to the ending months of this past year, People Can Fly returned once again to issued a second delay for Outriders. While most of the complications of working from home was address, the studio asked for more time to properly iron out the wrinkles in the game’s fabric before hanging it for release. But once again, Outriders is now facing its third delay with the upcoming title now pushed to release on the first day of April. “We have decided to move the release date of Outriders to April 1, 2021 (no joke!). We will spend this extra time fine tuning the game and focusing on delivering a fantastic play experience at launch,” the team writes in the letterhead posted this week. But despite the game now ushered to a later month, a demo is scheduled to release instead this February. “We’re excited to announce that on February 25, 2021 we will be publishing a free demo, giving everyone the chance to play the first few hours of the game with all four classes—in both single-player and co-op—along with seamless migration of your character and progress to the full game.” It is expected that the demo will be available for all listed platforms when it arrives/ Are you planning to be patient a little bit more for Outriders? Outriders is scheduled to release for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC on April 1, 2021; arrives to Stadia sometime later in 2021.

Nintendo Laughed Off Acquisition Proposal Made By Microsoft In The Early 2000s, Former Executives Reveals

When understanding the relationship between both Microsoft and Nintendo, it is fairly mutual as both illustrate to be fair competitors with each its own goals to pursue in the video game industry. In the past couple of year, the two console giants did present to be bonding closer with cross-platform play becoming the norm. This with a handful of games at the time before Sony Interactive Entertainment finally joined the party later on. But, despite the friendly encounters the two firms faced in the last two decades, there did happen to be one instance where Microsoft attempted to mend a cordial relationship into a complete acquisition. Prior to the release of the original Xbox back in 2000, Microsoft welcomed Nintendo to its Redmond campus where the firm intended to convince Nintendo in fully acquiring the firm. Interesting enough, former executives who spoke with Bloomberg recently relayed that the ambition was masked behind a talking point on behalf of the weak hardware being released by Nintendo entering the 21st century. We actually had Nintendo in our building in January 2000 to work through the details of a joint venture where we gave them all the technical specs of the Xbox. The pitch was their hardware stunk, and compared to Sony PlayStation, it did. So the idea was, “Listen, you’re much better at the game portions of it with Mario and all that stuff. Why don’t you let us take care of the hardware?” But it didn’t work out. Bob Green, Former Head of Xbox Business Development However, Nintendo was not the only candidate for acquisition for Microsoft. In fact, the firm also pursued Midway Games, Electronic Arts, and Square prior to its merger with Enix. But, the most devastating response came from Nintendo where the team was laughed at when pitching to acquire the company. Former Microsoft director of third-party relations for Xbox said this: “Steve [Ballmer, then Microsoft CEO at the time] made us go meet with Nintendo to see if they would consider being acquired. They just laughed their asses off. Like, imagine an hour of somebody just laughing at you. That was kind of how that meeting went.” And, of course, the encounter went off the record until this past interview with the two executives. Previously, there were reports of Microsoft potentially acquiring Nintendo associated studio PlatinumGames. While not a first-party team, the developer is recognized for working on the platform unique Bayonetta franchise. However, studio leads clarified the claims to be inaccurate. You can read the full report by heading here. What are you thoughts on Microsoft attempting to acquire Nintendo? Source: Bloomberg

Report: InXile Entertainment Job Listing Shares New, Unnamed Project Is A First-Person Shooter RPG

It was just this past year in 2020 that developer InXile Entertainment shipped the long-awaited and highly-anticipated Wasteland 3. The top-down RPG that countless fans anticipated especially following the studio’s acquisition by Microsoft blossomed even more acknowledging the near-endless resources to deliver the envision set by the developer. And now with the release finally behind fans, it is now in the interest of the team’s followers as what is to come next. But it did not take long for users to uncover some details already. Predating Wasteland 3’s launch, users discovered that InXile Entertainment is working to develop a virtual reality game. Of course, the information comes scarce leaving out details to define what the experience will truly be. In addition to that, it was in a separate job listing dissection that InXile Entertainment is also looking for preferable candidates for an upcoming, untitled next-generation release. At the time of reporting for the listing, the Xbox Series X was still codenamed Project Scarlet and it is suspected plenty has developed since the initial writing. But now in a new job listing for the California studio, it is revealed that the new game is a first-person shooter. As you might expect from InXile Entertainment, the game remains an role-playing title despite the new viewpoint for the experience. We are searching the globe for our next hyper-creative Senior Gameplay Designer to work on our unannounced, next-gen project. You will team up with the creatives from across the development team, designing and implementing gameplay systems such as powerful, tactile first-person weapons and unique combat abilities that draw the player right into the middle of the action. Upon reading the job listing for the Senior Gameplay Designer position and other listings posted, they do happen to also corroborate with a previous report on behalf of InXile Entertainment. In that, the developer with its new project is already using Unreal Engine 5 ahead of the release for the Epic Games suite releasing later in 2021. It was in a recent interview that Xbox boss Phil Spencer disclosed his excitement for Xbox-bounded RPGs. He praises the new teams welcomed from the Bethesda acquisitions alongside the teams already established in Xbox Game Studios. Spencer also mentions his excitement for first-person shooters looking forward. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you interested to learn more about InXile Entertainment’s first-person shooter RPG? Source: Twisted Voxel

Arkane Studios Director Tells New IP Is Underway With Dishonored & Prey Teams, Praises Microsoft & Bethesda Relationship

While developer Arkane Studios has remained a standing and well-established developer in its two decades of operating, the team currently is most recognized for its releases regarding the Dishonored franchise. However, the team is also noted for the release of the 2017 reboot Prey and the approaching Deathloop hitting PlayStation 5 & PC this spring. But, fir future entries, Dishonored is not likely to be on the playbook for the French game studio. In fact, the team disclosed that the mainline series has already crossed all bridges with the first two installments. However, there is room for a return later on through a spin-off says Creative Director Dinga Bakaba. That is already apparent with 2017’s Dishonored: Death of the Outsider. But now in a new interview with Arkane Studios Austin director Harvey Smith, a new IP is in the works. While not directly referencing the new project, he does issue that the team responsible for Dishonored alongside Prey are both involved. “At the end of Dishonored 2 I went back to Austin. I’m not at Deathloop, I’m on something else, working with those who did Dishonored and Prey,” the interview reads after being crunched through an online translator. When speaking with Spanish-based publication Vandal, Smith does also press on the matter of the recent Microsoft acquisition of Bethesda parent company, Zenimax Media. While the deal is still being finalized entering 2021, Smith pronounces the relationship between both firms to be a complementing “fit” for both companies. “I think the process is still unfolding, I can’t say much about it because I don’t know much either. “I would say there has been no change at Arkane so far, but if I were to imagine the ideal partner, thinking of all the publishers and the people I know who work for them, it would be very, very difficult to find a better partner for Bethesda than Microsoft. They fit perfectly.” Given that Smith is not familiar with the internal dealings between Microsoft and Bethesda, it is reassuring that the deal is not affecting development currently. What do you suggest might be coming from the new Arkane Studios project? Source: Vandal