Latest Xbox Partnership Launches New Crystal Master Chief Helmet & Energy Sword From Swarovski
Gathering the number of partnerships that Microsoft orchestrated on behalf of Xbox’s 20th anniversary, there are a few namely mentions that encapsulates the essence of Xbox throughout the course of the past two decades. For one, the arrangement with Adidas: so far the shoe brand has featured original Xbox-inspired Adidas Forum Tech and the Xbox 360 Forum Mid sneakers. Outside of that arrangement, Microsoft also teamed up with Gucci to deliver a special edition Xbox Series X bundle which includes controllers and a themed carrying case. More notably is that the bundle is priced at $10,000 before tax and it already sold out within days of it launching for sale. However, the most insane sight has landed this week. In a new partnership with Swarovski, the two are arranging a giveaway for a crystalline Master Chief helmet and Energy Sword which will be part of a sweepstakes involved in the collaborations’ StockX ‘Campaign for a cause’. Xbox and Swarovski unveiled two epic, crystal collectibles to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Halo and the anticipated launch of Halo Infinite. Two decades after the dawn of one of gaming’s most iconic franchises, Swarovski has recreated Master Chief’s iconic Mjolnir helmet, made from a singular piece of crystal featuring 140 facets, along with the emblematic Energy Sword crafted with 204 facets from 13 different cut crystal pieces, and two polished steel tips. We’re thrilled to partner with Swarovski and deliver something really special for fans. Swarovski and Halo embody the same ideals of heroism and wonder – offering ever-present reminders of what self-discovery and imagination can do. Together, the exquisite pieces tell a story of innovation and inspiration, paying tribute to the impact of Halo over the years. Jenny Miller, Xbox Global Partnerships “In recognition of Master Chief’s iconic Spartan number 117, we’ve created 117 sets of Halo crystal collectibles, including the iconic helmet and Energy Sword. The stunning pieces will not be sold by Swarovski or Xbox. Instead, they will be available to the global gaming community via Swarovski official sweepstakes and StockX ‘Campaign for a cause’.” On Swarovski’s website, there is also a dedicated page to apply for the ‘Swarovski x Halo’ sweepstakes. One question asks if your are interested in other video game collaborations, which lists: Minecraft, Fortnite, League of Legends, Tetris, PUBG, Super Mario Bros. & Mario Kart, Pokémon, World of Warcraft, Animal Crossing, Roblox, Call of Duty, Sonic the Hedgehog, The Legend of Zelda, The Sims, and Among Us. Do you hope to win one of these crystal Halo items? Source: Xbox Wire
Microsoft & The Game Awards Reveals Xbox Winter Game Fest Scheduled For December 7 – 21
While major platform holders emphasize on big studio releases, it is refreshing to witness the same companies give independent game studios a platform to showcase smaller projects that don’t receive the same advertising space as AAA games typically receive. And with The Game Awards just around the corner for next week, now is a better time to tinker with new projects to come. In a new announcement on Friday, The Game Awards is working with the ID@Xbox team to host a new Xbox Winter Demo Fest next week. Previously, Microsoft collaborated with Geoff Keighley-hosted Summer Game Fest for the second annual Xbox Summer Game Fest Demo Event in June. Now it is carrying over to the latter of 2021 with new games. Altogether Microsoft has confirmed there will be 35 games to sample next week, but only listed a handful of titles for the blog post. Those games are: Blacktail Death Trash Loot River Nobody Saves the World The Tale of Bistun “These are not normal ‘game demos.’ Typically, the demos you see in our Demo channel are created after the game is completed (or nearly completed) and represent the final version,” said ID@Xbox Events and Community Management Lead Jessica Ronnell. “Many of these demos are early, and some are for games that won’t be out for quite some time. Think of these as akin to ‘show floor demos,’ and not necessarily indicative of the final product. “What that means is that you’ll get to experience these games early – some way early – which is awesome, but you should also note that these games will continue to evolve and be polished as they near release.” Previously, ID@Xbox reflected on its success with more than $1.4 billion in profit since the start of the program back in 2013. You can read the full report by heading here. What are you most excited for another ID@Xbox Demo Event approaching? The Xbox Winter Demo Fest takes place from December 7, 2021 to December 21, 2021. Source: Xbox Wire
Report: PlayStation Working On New ‘Spartacus’ Project To Counter Xbox Game Pass Featuring New PlayStation Plus Tiers For Extended Backwards Compatibility
When distinguishing the Xbox Series platform to PlayStation, the easy gap to note is the initiative for access to games. While both platforms offer some sort of legacy support, Microsoft’s ecosystem goes beyond that with four generations of backwards compatibility. That also links close together with Xbox Game Pass that expands on that through a monthly subscription service. However, Sony has yet to design a true counter to the Xbox service. Yes, there is PlayStation Now, however, it does not shake the industry like the competitor. But, Sony Interactive Entertainment President & CEO Jim Ryan previously stated it is working to create an opponent to the service titan that is Xbox Game Pass. In a later statement from Twisted Metal creator David Jaffe told elsewhere. With the launch of PlayStation 5 last year, the industry witnessed PlayStation Plus Collection which shares some DNA to Xbox Game Pass but has yet to truly flourish since its inception. Additionally, the PlayStation firm also soft launched PlayStation Plus Video Pass in Poland as an extra incentive with no sign of a broader release. According to a new report from Bloomberg Tech’s Jason Schreier, Sony Interactive Entertainment has a project in mind for PlayStation’s version of Xbox Game Pass, codenamed ‘Spartacus’. The new incentive is said to expand upon the current PlayStation Plus service with additional tiers for more games – similar to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack which features Nintendo 64 & Sega Genesis titles. Where Project Spartacus becomes parallel with Nintendo’s service is there is plans to integrate classic PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 games. Part of that is to integrate PlayStation Plus with PlayStation Now; likely to introduce streaming legacy games through this new tier. Already, users have access to PlayStation 3 games via PlayStation Now, but, this will be more prevalent as indicated by the scope Sony has for this new project. Furthermore, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s plans to expand into cloud gaming is also said to be a bullet point for Project Spartacus. Previously, CEO Ryan explained that plans for cloud services under the PlayStation banner will be unique to the console sphere for the platform. At the moment, there is no certainty as to when this will manifest for current PlayStation hardware. What can be determined is the three tiers: the first will be PlayStation Plus that we are familiar with now. Second tier is to feature select PlayStation 4/5 titles as third tier is where the classic PS/PS2/PS3 games will be. The service is said to be aimed for both PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5. Do you favor Project Spartacus for PlayStation or is there a better way of pursuing Xbox Game Pass for the platform? Source: Bloomberg
Respawn Entertainment Delisting Titanfall From Online Stores, But The Servers Will Remain
Although many understandably want to brush under the rug that is the launch for Xbox One, there is also good that came from the start of Xbox’s third generation of console. For one, Respawn Entertainment’s inaugural release, Titanfall. While Call of Duty and Battlefield ruled the first-person shooter landscape, former Infinity Ward Vince Zampella pressed the envelope with this new IP. The game was followed-up with a sequel which broke console exclusivity offering a PlayStation 4 version alongside the current Apex Legends battle royale we know today, it all started with Titanfall. However, the game now inching closer to a decade is officially being delisted from online stores this week. Respawn Entertainment has shared that the game will be supporting the servers for years to come to the dedicated players that still log in. However, the game will not be available for purchase and to soon be removed from online services later on in 2022. “We’ve made the decision to discontinue the sale of the original Titanfall game starting today [December 11 2021] and we’ll be removing the game from subscription service on March 1, 2022. We will, however, be keeping servers live for the dedicated fanbase still playing and those who one the game and are looking to drop into a match,” the team writes in the letterhead. In terms of future plans for Respawn Entertainment, the firm has not been vocal on the decision to push Titanfall for another sequel. Despite fans hungry since Titanfall 2 shipped in 2016, much of the story is being siphoned through Apex Legends currently. However, there are claims development already began for the suspected Titanfall 3 game. The team is also working on a new unannounced IP currently as well. With work already presumed on a sequel for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order as well, the new series comes from a job listing for the Respawn Entertainment referencing “adventuring forever”. More recently, a string of leaks from NVIDIA GeForce Now reveals Titanfall 3 and the unnamed IP. The list has proven to be accurate with games such as Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – Definitive Edition alongside God of War for PC. You can read the original report by heading here. Are you affected by the decision made by Respawn Entertainment?
Hope Brews For Announcement At The Game Awards From InXile Entertainment In New Online Exchange
For the past two years, Xbox-centered announcements have took place during The Game Awards and fans are hoping these reveals will not cease in future shows. Back in 2019, Microsoft unveiled the Xbox Series X alongside Ninja Theory’s Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga. Following in 2020, The Initiative went on to feature the first trailer for its new Perfect Dark reboot underway. Fast-forward to 2021, hope is brewing for more announcements to take place. So far, there is anticipation for more Hellblade II since nothing has been pressed since the initial announcement. But, this year’s show will certainly leave an impression as it will be returning to in-person after COVID-19 made its waves across the globe. Just over a week ago, the nominations for 2021’s The Game Awards went live as well. Now ahead of the show coming next Thursday, we might have a tip on one announcement that might be there. In an exchange between InXile Entertainment and host Geoff Keighley, there is speculation it is referring to a new announcement from the Wasteland 3 developer. In terms of what could possibly be the announcement at the awards ceremony next week, the opportunity is pointing towards Project Cobalt. Originally, the project was leaked in two job listings: one for Unreal Engine 5 and the other nodding towards work for a first-person shooter, RPG. But, more details arose in a later report. From Windows Central, a new piece included details on the unannounced title revealing that the game is to be set in a Steampunk/Victorian setting. Outside of the general thesis on the creative decision the team is aiming for, the only other detail is the game is aimed for a 2023 release window. This is stacked among other anticipated announcements such as Avowed and RedFall for a similar launch time frame. Of course, the tip from the tweets is left to be speculation for the time being. But, this is not the first time something to this degree later happened to be genuine. In one tweet from 343 Industries Studio Head Kiki Wolfkill, she eggs on Master Chief actor Pablo Schreiber for a potential reveal for the Halo Television Show which later on issued a teaser trailer. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you hoping InXile Entertainment makes a reveal at The Game Awards?
Path of Exile: 2021 Closeout Schedule
As 2021 comes to a close, Grinding Gear Games has announced several 10-day events to celebrate the coming of the New Year. There will be six events spread out across five weeks and will all be free-to-play, offering some amazing prizes. Endless Delve 12/3 – 12/13 – Love Path of Exile but hate all that mapping and main story nonsense? Well GGG has something for you! Dive deep into the mines with 24/7 Delve mode! Players will experience a whole new leveling system all while keeping the darkness at bay. Zizaran’s Gauntlet 12/10 – 12/20 – Streamer Zizaran will once again be hosting his Gauntlet featuring increased monster health and damage. Players can expect to earn points by slaying powerful bosses and monsters found around Wraeclast. Endless Heist 12/17 – 12/27 – This brand new mode from GGG features players skipping the whole campaign and dropping straight into Heist content. Hire rogues, destroy the guards and escape with the loot! Be careful though – if you die you lose the loot! Atlas Invasion 12/24 – 1/3 – Have you ever thought that campaign bosses are just too easy? Why not take on map bosses throughout the campaign! These formidable monsters will reward players greatly if you dare to cross them. Delirium Everywhere 12/31 – 1/16 – Get caught in the mist and defeat powerful enemies in this new mode! Every corner of Wraeclast will be covered in the dense fog of the Delirium, making every area much harder for even seasoned players. Expect to see me running cyclone through hundreds of Delirium filled areas. Path of Exile: Royale feat. Brutus 12/9, 12/23, 12/30 – Battle Royale returns to Wraeclast in an ever-shrinking circle of mayhem! Except this time with a twist – Brutus will be in the center of the circle waiting carefully to dominate anyone who gets near. All events will allow players to be eligible for an Atlantas Mystery Box for reaching level 50, and you are entered to win other microtransactions based on additional level progression. This event’s Top Ascendancy Class reward is the elusive Demigod’s Authority. Be on the look out for Twitch Drops on the first day of each event as well! This promises to be an event filled with something for everyone, whether you are speeding through the mist of the Delirium or carefully scheming in Endless Heist. New and seasoned players will find excitement and adventure as we close out 2021!
Review: Chorus
Developer – Fishlabs Publisher – Deep Silver Platforms – PC, Xbox, Playstation Chorus, originally shown during the Series X premier showcase and known for confusing everybody with the look of it’s title card. Now that I’ve spent a dozen hours with it, I can firmly state that Chorus is not as confusing as the title card implied, and is in fact a tremendous throwback to classic space bound action adventures. Chorus is a semi-open world game, with several massive hub worlds featuring towns, quests, side missions, random encounters and various NPC’s to speak with and meet. It honestly surprised me when I first started playing, as most space flight games fall into two camps as of late. On the one hand, you have titles such as Elite Dangerous, and the many games that followed suit. Hardcore space sims, sandbox in nature with very little narrative thrust. On the other hand, you have rogue-lites. Games with strong gameplay but not many inter-connected systems and their run based nature don’t lend themselves to a narrative arc by an large. Chorus is a throw back to a different time. When games such as Warhawk, Starfox 64, Colony Wars, and Wing Commander. Space opera’s used to be the norm once upon a time, and it’s quite a long time since the genre has seen much growth. From the very moment you begin the game, Chorus thrusts players right into the thick of it. Playing as Nara, a chosen warrior piloting for a vast cult known as The Circle. After an explosive intro, you are placed in the first hub. Nara, now an exile from her former cult, is in hiding and scavenges to get by. Without getting into specifics, she has to reunite with her most powerful weapon, a sentient ship that can enhance her powers known as “Forsaken.” Once united with her ship, Chorus goes from a space opera to a full blown character action game in a ship. Players get introduced to a mechanic known as a drift trance. This mechanic completely transforms the moment to moment gameplay of Chorus. When activated, you enter a trans like state that allows you to take deep cuts and normally impossible angles while remaining locked onto a target. Developing your skill at the trance is key to progressing through the campaign, as it becomes essential to survive most combat encounters. This isn’t the only power you gain however, through out the campaign multiple abilities will unlock that provide a nice suite of powers to augment the more traditional weapons and flight this genre provides. As you venture into various hub spaces and engage in more traditional open world activities, you gain tiered upgrades and power-ups for your weapons, ship and powers. Chorus at no point tries to become a sprawling RPG. Upgrades are straightforward, and the arsenal at your disposal is small and focused. Lasers for shields, kinetic weapon for hull, and missiles for larger targets. Using this triumvirate of weaponry alongside Nara”s power set and mobility create a completely different flow to combat. Each encounter feels exciting instead of cumbersome, and the expanded power set brings a satisfying power fantasy to the end game content. The expanded tool-set is important, because Chorus is actually challenging. You are a small fighter, and even later on you can’t really take much direct hits. Most space games can feel a bit easy, with the only challenge provided comes from a lack of upgrades. The enemies in Chorus are ruthless, and if you stand still for a moment they will hound you relentlessly. Chorus is also a great looking game. Playing on the Series X, not once did I encounter any performance issues regardless of how massive the battles became. The music is stellar as well, with a game titled Chorus, the main theme resonates and the tribal choir’s and drums provide a very unique audio backdrop than the average sci-fi adventure. Not all was perfect however. The side quests and mission chains they can lead too were just okay at best, and they would frequently break and cause mission failure states over and over again. Multiple side missions where you have to follow a target would lead to a fail state despite having the target right in front of me for no reason at all. These failure states happened less following the day 1 patch, but still happened enough to frustrate. Despite the issues I encountered with side quests, the main story and the core gameplay and story were incredibly satisfying to experience. Nara and her story arc, the spells mixed with technology combat and the great visuals all come together to create a well paced homage to a long lost genre.
Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack To Include Nintendo 64’s Paper Mario Next Week
Over at Nintendo, fans instantly grew excited to learn that the Nintendo Switch is receiving virtual library support for the Nintendo 64 platform. Yes, Nintendo Switch Online would be branching to the most notable platform of Nintendo’s DNA. In addition to that, the update will also include Sega Genesis titles as well. But, it will cost users more with the service price increasing to $49.99 for the new tier. It was in a later announcement that the service would then go on to include the November-release Animal Crossing: New Horizons DLC Happy Home Paradise as well. But, there is some drawback from the reveal. In a later statement from Nintendo Support, ownership of the new tier if expired would cut players off from the expansion if not renewed. While Nintendo Switch owners are still questioning Nintendo’s decision, the company moves forward with its first addition to the Nintendo Switch Online Nintendo 64 virtual library: Paper Mario. You can watch the announcement trailer in the video below: “Experience the Nintendo 64 classic that launched the entire Paper Mario series, now on Nintendo Switch for the first time ever. Prepare yourself for a flat-out hilarious adventure, from the tropical jungles of Lavalava Island to the frosty heights of Shiver Mountain, when Paper Mario pops up in the Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Switch Online library,” Nintendo writes in the press release. Since the announcement of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, there has been speculation that Nintendo would go on to increase the value of the subscription tier with more DLC included at the new flat price. But, for the time being, newly added games will be what fuels for those looking to upgrade to the higher service. Recently, Nintendo shipped Nintendo 64 Controller support for Super Mario 64 for Super Mario 3D All-Stars. Now, players can indulge in the classic experience with the original controller on Nintendo Switch. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you excited Paper Mario officially hits Nintendo Switch? Paper Mario arrives to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack on December 10, 2021. Source: Nintendo
It Takes Two Under Fire From Take-Two Interactive After Claim Filed Against Likeness To The Parent Company’s Name
With notable releases like Brothers: A Two Sons and A Way Out, Hazelight studio lead Josef Fares is recognized well beyond his response to the Oscars a few The Game Awards shows prior. More specifically in 2021, Hazelight is pinned for being the team responsible for It Takes Two: the latest co-op experience that ties players together in a journey of divorced parents overcoming obstacles physically and emotionally. Following the release of the game, Josef Fares remarks on the game selling 1 million copies. In that, Fares explains that the desire for rich, cooperative experience is still prevalent, and that the industry is responsible to offer more tales aligned in scope to It Takes Two. However, the name now puts Hazelight in hot water. In a new report from Eurogamer, Hazelight has abandoned the name for It Takes Two after a claim has been filed by Take-Two Interactive. As you can gather from situation, the game and the Rockstar Games parent company share a likeness in the names and is likely the culprit for the legal decision made by Take-Two Interactive. According to a statement from an Hazelight spokesperson, the firm “cannot comment on ongoing disputes,” but is “hopeful it will be resolved.” When visiting the United States Patent and Trademark Office page for It Takes Two, there is a document for ‘Trademark Application Expressly Abandoned’ signifying that the developer is not fighting back the claim. More worrisome is if the changes will affect the game’s future with the reputation it received recently. For those unfamiliar, It Takes Two has been nominated for two of the largest awards for The Game Awards: Best Game Direction and Game of the Year. The new report leaves uncertainty for how the game will be received if winning these awards or will be retracted from the nomination outright thanks to the legal feud. The story comes at no surprise with Take-Two Interactive on a continuous crusade against smaller companies that share a likeness to the firm’s owned IPs. This even expanding to fan-made mods for legacy Grand Theft Auto titles ahead of the release for Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you surprised by the new legal battle from Take-Two Interactive? Source: Eurogamer
Quake Receives Surprise Horde Mode In New Update
Over at Bethesda, the firm continues to evolve legacy IPs as we are very familiar with. From Wolfenstein to Doom and even Prey, the publisher delivers defining experiences for entries that left an impact on the industry a decade before. What came at a larger surprise when the series that might have started it all was returning to modern hardware. Yes, Quake and its follow-ups is what I’m referencing. While Quake Champions has been out for a couple years, Bethesda during QuakeCon this past summer revealed that Quake, Quake II, and Quake: Arena will all be arriving to Xbox Game Pass following the announcement. And while it appeared to be a one and done for that unveiling, that does not appear to be the case according to the latest announcement this week. From id Software, Quake receives a new update which delivers a new Horde Mode to the first-person shooter. You can watch the gameplay trailer in the video below: “Update 2 contains a brand-new Horde Mode made by MachineGames with 1-4 player co-op (including optional bots), new Add-on “Honey”, some quality-of-life improvements, and bug fixes,” the overview for the title update shares. The update also welcomes Quake to Epic Games Store as well for users that solely use that storefront. For users on Doom Eternal or Quake Champions, there are new skins to unlock. Logging-in with your Bethesda ID will reward you with the Ranger Slayer Skin in Doom Eternal and the Quake Guy Ranger Skin in Quake Champions respectively. Not too long ago did developer id Software ship a horde mode for Doom Eternal. After being long-promised an Invasion Mode, the team decided to scratch that in favor for the game mode players received in October. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you excited for Horde Mode in Quake? Quake is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. Source: Bethesda
