Amid Mass Layoffs, Report Tells Microsoft Ended Internal Divisions On Physical Releases Also
Over the past few years, the argument of physical vs. digital games remained a constant debate among players. And it was not until recently that console holders began to entertain an all-digital industry. With the likes of Sony & Microsoft both featuring disc-less units, it seemed a matter of time before scrapping tangible copies altogether. Already, Best Buy has begun severing its physical game departments in its stores. Additionally, the same is also expected the same from Wal-Mart for its Xbox titles. One report indicated that the retailer is to do away with games starting off with Starfield. What also fuels this report is the recent announcement that Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga is only available via digital means and Xbox Game Pass. One source of ours shared an image of the retailer motioning the removal of Starfield from its displays which you can view below: This week, a new report went out revealing that Microsoft Gaming has laid off roughly 1,900 employees of its division. This decision greatly effected Activision Blizzard King developers. Enough so that the previously announced fantasy RPG IP from Blizzard Entertainment has been shelved altogether. To add to this development, Xbox’s effort in retail is also reported to be in trouble as well from this recent mass firing. From Windows Central Gaming’s Jez Corden, he says sources notion internal departments responsible for retail distribution has been closed as well. “Microsoft has also shut down departments dedicated to bringing Xbox games to physical retail … which if you’ve seen the digital-only Xbox console leaks … well, you can get an idea of where Microsoft is going here.” Corden does go on to warrant that his is not set in stone that Microsoft is doing away with its physical releases, but, it is concerning to say the least given the current circumstances. Saying “reducing retail teams doesn’t confirm Microsoft is quitting physical retail for Xbox games yet, they can outsource, and might be consolidating here. So, don’t run with ‘Xbox is quitting physical’ based on this. But, it does seem to be the industry trajectory. Writing is on the wall.” This worry nature of Xbox abandoning physical media has grew the last few years. With newer releases such as Hi-Fi Rush, GhostWire: Tokyo and even Grounded arriving to Xbox in the last year, the lack of retail versions do give off a stigma. Not to mention the previous leak of a digital Xbox Series X console too. You can read the full report by heading here. What are your thoughts on this new development from the Microsoft Gaming layoffs?
Skull And Bones Lays Out Its First Year Of Post-Launch Content In New Trailer
Only three years off from a full decade of the game being announced, Skull and Bones is nearing its long-awaited launch. Of course, this title was met with plenty of setbacks over the years since its reveal back in 2017. Planned to ship in 2019, the game was faced with a delay entering into 2020. And, of course, this trend continued. And even after a promised 2023 release, it was again pushed off once more. By late summer, Skull and Bones did feature a closed beta for players to feel the waters for what the game will be. But even still, no release date was set. However, it was reported that February 2024 is looking to be the final goal post for Skull and Bones. In December at The Game Awards, Ubisoft confirmed February is to deliver Skull and Bones finally. This week, Ubisoft revealed its plans for the post-launch of Skull and Bones with its first year of add-on content. You can watch the trailer in the video below: “Philippe La Peste, the main villain of Season 1: Raging Tides, is a poisonous presence on the ocean, invading from the Caribbean to sow discord and disease with his pestilant crew. Throughout the season, La Peste will send increasingly difficult fleets of attacking ships to the Indian Ocean, culminating in a boss fight with La Peste at the end of Raging Tides. The Tides of Terror world event that we took on was that climactic boss fight, and it was time to remove his presence from our waters. “After seeing the damage the Tylosaurus did to our party, I decided to switch it up to a healing class, equipping the Barque with healing bombards so I could reinforce my teammates’ hulls from a distance. La Peste’s ship is a massive, glowing green vessel, and deals heavy damage by raining poison down from the sky. Periodically, his ship would deploy floating bombs in the water, critical to dispatch before they sank one of our ships. “Agility was key in this fight to avoid poison mortars, floating bombs, and, occasionally, friendly ships. It was a brutal fight, but after a brutal barrage of cannon fire and flood-inducing firepower, we sent La Peste to the depths. La Peste is just the first pirate lord who will invade in Skull and Bones Year 1: Rise of the Kingpins. Season 2, Chorus of Havoc, will introduce the Hubac twins, who have been sent by the King of France to eliminate pirates from the region. “With two additional seasons planned, Into the Dragon’s Wake and Shadows of the Deep, each season in Skull and Bones brings a new threat who have come to take a piece of your empire, complete with the own slate of world events. With the arrival of each pirate lord, local merchants and factions will become aware of their presence, and adjust their order of operations accordingly – which in turn will affect what commodities are valued most.” What has you most engaged for Skull and Bones post-launch roadmap thus far? Skull and Bones ships on February 16th, 2024 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. Source: Ubisoft
Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal Drops Today For Nintendo Switch
After half a decade of development on the Hitman IP, developer IO Interactive has put the series on ice. Instead, the developer following the release of Hitman 3 went ahead and compiled all three modern releases into one package – Hitman: World of Assassination. Among that, it has been actively working on a new James Bond title, Project 007. Development has remained quiet on when to expect the game’s arrival. Elsewhere, developer Feral Interactive revealed it is working to ship Hitman: Blood Money on new devices. But instead, this project dubbed ‘Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal’ is focused on portable gaming with Nintendo Switch alongside Android & iOS support. In November, the mobile version shipped to The App Store & Google Play Store. Now this week, Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal officially drops on the Nintendo eShop on January 25th. You can watch the latest trailer in the video below: “You are Agent 47 — a contract killer caught in the crosshairs of rival agency, ‘The Franchise’. Embark on a daring mission to take out the conspiracy’s shadowy architects. Employ all the tricks of your trade to get the job done, and keep a low profile. Infiltrate, execute, and escape undetected,” the description from the Nintendo eShop reads. “Featuring gameplay improvements inspired by later games in the series, Reprisal is an artful redesign of a stealth-action classic, expertly adapted for Nintendo Switch […] Inspired by later HITMAN games, Instinct Mode highlights targets, guards and mission-critical points of interest for stealthy kills and quick getaways — the tradecraft of a professional assassin.” it adds, “An all-new Minimap offers situational awareness in real-time, while added alerts warn players when 47 is trespassing or arousing suspicion.” What has you interested in Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal on Nintendo Switch? Hitman: Blood Money – Reprisal is out now for Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch.
Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition Gets PC Release Scheduled For March 2024
In early 2022, developer Guerrilla Games blessed PlayStation owners with Horizon Forbidden West. From our review of the highly-anticipated sequel, we wrote: “Horizon: Forbidden West is better in every way. Aloy and the combat has matured, and top notch accessibility options ensure many types of players can experience her journey.” By April 2023, the game also faced its tory expansion ‘Burning Shores’ as well. Looking ahead, reports tell that the game studio is expanding the Horizon universe. Not only is a new flagship entry in development, but a separate co-op experience is coming as well. Elsewhere, Horizon: Call of the Mountain also shipped as a PlayStation VR 2 exclusive at launch of the peripheral. Beyond that, Horizon Zero Dawn was faced with a PC port predating back to 2020. And now entering 2024, Guerrilla Games & Nixxes Software announces Horizon Forbidden West is coming to PC via Steam & Epic Games Store this March with the ‘Complete Edition’. You can watch the PC features trailer in the video below: “On March 21, you’ll be able to explore the Forbidden West, battle awe-inspiring machines and encounter new tribes. Horizon Forbidden West is the beloved follow up to Guerrilla’s critically acclaimed Horizon Zero Dawn, and this Complete Edition for PC also includes the Burning Shores expansion, which continues Aloy’s journey and takes players to a treacherous volcanic archipelago after completing the main quest,” Nixxes Software online community specialist Julian Huijbregts writes. “Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition on PC features unlocked frame rates, customizable graphics settings and a broad range of performance-enhancing technologies, including NVIDIA DLSS 3 upscaling and frame generation. AMD FSR and Intel XeSS are also supported. For players with high-end hardware and extra headroom, image-enhancing NVIDIA DLAA is also available. The game leverages DirectStorage for quick loading times on PC.“ Beyond that, there was a separate development on the Horizon IP earlier this month. At CES 2024, Sony issued that work on the script for the upcoming Netflix series is already underway. You can read the full report by heading here. What has you interested most for Horizon Forbidden West on PC? Horizon Forbidden West ships March 21, 2024 for PC; out now for PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5. Source: PlayStation Blog
Among Microsoft’s 1,900 Mass Layoff, It Also Shelves Upcoming Blizzard Entertainment Fantasy RPG IP
Nearly three years following its inception, Microsoft was successful in its acquisition of Activision Blizzard King. In part of an established agreement with Microsoft Gaming, the Xbox firm arranged for then-CEO Bobby Kotick to depart from his role in late December. Looking forward, there was promises for prosperity with unionization being a leading factor looking ahead for the publisher conglomerate joining team Xbox. However, nearly at the end of January Microsoft has laid off 1,900 employees – a large sum being of Activision Blizzard King – roughly cutting the Xbox division staffing by 8 percent. Reported by The Verge, this also squandered progress on the untitled fantasy RPG IP from Blizzard Entertainment which has now been shuttered entirely. From IGN, the outlet has provided the memo issued by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer. You can read it below: It’s been a little over three months since the Activision, Blizzard, and King teams joined Microsoft. As we move forward in 2024, the leadership of Microsoft Gaming and Activision Blizzard is committed to aligning on a strategy and an execution plan with a sustainable cost structure that will support the whole of our growing business. Together, we’ve set priorities, identified areas of overlap, and ensured that we’re all aligned on the best opportunities for growth. As part of this process, we have made the painful decision to reduce the size of our gaming workforce by approximately 1,900 roles out of the 22,000 people on our team. The Gaming Leadership Team and I are committed to navigating this process as thoughtfully as possible. The people who are directly impacted by these reductions have all played an important part in the success of Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax and the Xbox teams, and they should be proud of everything they’ve accomplished here. We are grateful for all of the creativity, passion and dedication they have brought to our games, our players and our colleagues. We will provide our full support to those who are impacted during the transition, including severance benefits informed by local employment laws. Those whose roles will be impacted will be notified, and we ask that you please treat your departing colleagues with the respect and compassion that is consistent with our values. Looking ahead, we’ll continue to invest in areas that will grow our business and support our strategy of bringing more games to more players around the world. Although this is a difficult moment for our team, I’m as confident as ever in your ability to create and nurture the games, stories and worlds that bring players together. Phil. More on the new development with Xbox shaving its employment in its newest addition to its repertoire, it was also revealed that Blizzard Entertainment president Mike Ybarra & chief design officer Allen Adham are also to be departing as well. Previously, Ybarra ventured to Blizzard Entertainment following his two-decade campaign at Microsoft already prior to news of the purchase by Xbox. On X, he writes: “I want to thank everyone who is impacted today for their meaningful contributions to their teams, to Blizzard, and to players’ lives. It’s an incredibly hard day and my energy and support will be focused on all those amazing individuals impacted – this is in no way a reflection on your amazing work. If there’s anything I can help with, connections, recommendations, etc., DM me. “To the Blizzard community: I also want to let you all know today is my last day at Blizzard. Leading Blizzard through an incredible time and being part of the team, shaping it for the future ahead, was an absolute honor. Having already spent 20+ years at Microsoft and with the acquisition of Activision Blizzard behind us, it’s time for me to (once again) become Blizzard’s biggest fan from the outside. “To the incredible teams at Blizzard – thank you. Words can’t express how I feel about all of you. You are amazing. Continue to do incredible things and always keep Blizzard blue and the player at the forefront of every decision.” This recent mass firing follows the recent Riot Games spree of layoffs as well. You can read the full report by heading here. How surprised are you by the decision by Microsoft?
How To Get Paldium Fragments in Palworld
Paldium Fragments are used to craft Pal Spheres and other important facilities in Palworld. When you start the game, it can be difficult to start catching Pals because Paldium Fragments aren’t nearby. You must go out and find Paldium Fragments on your own and harvest them for crafting purposes. But unlike Wood and Stone, finding them in the natural environment isn’t common. Fortunately, if you know where to look, Paldium Fragments are more common than they initially seem. Methods of Obtaining Paldium Fragments Paldium Fragments can be found while exploring but they are rare objects. You only get one Fragment at a time which isn’t efficient. Fortunately, you can find Paldium clusters near cliffs and water sources that contain greater numbers of Paldium Fragments. These clusters are far more common throughout the world and provide you with the resources you need. Crafting a Stone Pickaxe and using it on the clusters speeds up the harvesting time. If you are in a pinch, you can manually punch the cluster to harvest the Fragments but it’s not very efficient. Always carry a Pickaxe with you to avoid slowing your progress. You will constantly require Paldium Fragments for Pal Spheres and other structures, making it helpful to remember where these clusters are located. The clusters do respawn in case draining a finite supply is one of your worries. It’s also possible to find Paldium Fragments while you are mining large rocks or converting Stone through a Crusher. These methods aren’t as efficient as they take more time and you are probably looking for other resources. The advantage of the Crusher is the convenience of automating the process with certain Pals. Setting up your base near a few clusters helps when you start constructing large amounts of Pal Spheres and other structures. Once you know how to find Paldium Fragments, building stockpiles will be easy for future crafting purposes.
How To Defeat Rayne Syndicate Tower Boss In Palworld
The Rayne Syndicate Tower Boss is the last part of the tutorial in Palworld. While it isn’t mandatory to fight the boss, it is your final objective and you see what awaits you in future tower battles. Unlike other weak Pals you fight, this Tower Boss is considerably more powerful. Without the right preparation and strategy, you can waste lots of time and resources trying to win. Thankfully, the Rayne Syndicate Tower Boss isn’t too hard compared to other threats in Palworld and you can win within 10 minutes. Rayne Syndicate Tower Boss Preparation The tutorial will give you a decent start to obtaining Pals and constructing your base. But you must explore beyond the starting area to find Pals that are effective against the boss. The Rayne Syndicate Tower Boss in Palworld is a duo with almost 30,000 HP and fires a series of Electric attacks at you. You never fight Zoe directly and defeating Grizzbolt is the same as defeating them together. Grizzbolt is an Electric-type and you should find Pals that are the Ground-type or have Ground-type moves. Rushoar is a great example of a Ground-type Pal that can do well against Grizzbolt. Direhowl is a Neutral-type Pal that comes with a Ground move, great for backups in the event of an emergency. Bring Pals with good HP and leave the Water-types at home to avoid early KOs. For your player character, getting a bow and some arrows will help you support your Pals from a distance. Don’t use melee weapons; Grizzbolt is too dangerous to fight up close even with a spear. While the default Cloth Outfit can be sufficient protection, Pelt Armor is a better choice due to the health bonus. Practice dodge-rolling since you must quickly dodge attacks. Tower Boss Strategy After a brief introductory cutscene, Palworld’s Rayne Syndicate Tower Boss will begin. Start by deploying your Pal and run behind one of the pillars. Your strategy is to let your Pals do most of the fighting while you provide ranged support behind the pillars. If Grizzbolt looks your way for more than two seconds, it starts moving towards you. That’s your cue to keep moving around the pillars, doing your best to break its sight. The pillars help block attacks but always look out for electric attacks near you, since it’s not a guaranteed defence. Keep running around to distract Grizzbolt while your Pals launch their attacks against it. Always prioritize safety over offence; if Grizzbolt moves towards you, stop fighting and run even if your Pal misses their attack. When Grizzbolt is distracted by your Pal’s attacks, hide behind a Pillar and fire your arrows. Should your Pal get too weak, switch it out for another Pal instead of letting it get KOed. Any recovery time helps and you need Pals to draw Grizzbolt’s attention. While the battle has a 10-minute time limit, it’s highly unlikely you will need the full amount of time. Ground-type attacks will chip away at Grizzbolt’s health and durable Pals will stay in the fight. Don’t expect your arrows to deal lots of damage; you are just helping out and possibly giving your Pals an opening. If you can whittle the bosses’ HP down to 20,000 within a few minutes, you can win the battle. You might need more preparation if that doesn’t happen. Otherwise, continue your strategy of running, dodging, and Pal management to beat the Rayne Syndicate Tower Boss.
How To Disassemble Structures in Palworld
When you build a structure in the wrong place or plan to move your base, it’s expensive to make a second copy. But if you disassemble structures, you get all of your materials back and you clear a structure without destroying it. Disassembling isn’t something you learn in the beginning, which is frustrating when you are working through the tutorial and learning how to build. Once you know how to disassemble structures in Palworld, you conserve resources and easily shift your base wherever you want. Start Disassembling Structures Return to your base or wherever you left a structure. Access the Build Menu and aim your central cursor on the structure that you want to disassemble. You get the option to see what you get back and a chance to back out in case you change your mind. Once you accept the disassembly, it happens instantly and the resources fall to the floor. If you have enough room in your inventory, some resources will transfer over. You barely lose any resources while disassembling, allowing you to take back mistakes made in case you build something wrong. This also helps when moving your base because it doesn’t penalize you for changing locations. There is no option to disassemble multiple structures at a time but it shouldn’t be difficult to convert several buildings into resources. You can build multiple bases, preventing you from constantly disassembling your base if you find a better location. However, the option to disassemble structures in Palworld is useful if mistakes are made or you want to transfer structures between bases. This also helps you get a feel for creating bases, especially when you don’t have to stick to the tutorial’s instructions. Feel free to disassemble structures in Palworld when you feel like you can create specialized bases or if something doesn’t fit your design. While resources do respawn, it is frustrating to harvest everything a second time. Use disassembly to conserve your efforts and make sure that your bases have the correct structures to achieve your goals.
Pokémon Company to Investigate Palworld for IP Infringement
The Pokémon Company, the official owner and licensor of the Pokémon franchise, has issued a statement regarding the game Palworld, which was released in January 2024 by another company. The statement claims that the Pokémon Company has not authorized the use of any Pokémon intellectual property or assets and that it plans to take legal action against any violations of its IP rights. Palworld is a sandbox game that features creatures called Pals, which bear a striking resemblance to Pokémon. The game allows players to capture, breed, trade, and battle Pals, as well as use them for various tasks such as farming, mining, and building. The game also has a darker tone than the Pokémon series, as it depicts Pals being exploited, abused, and killed by humans and other Pals. The Pokémon Company’s statement reads: “We have received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024. We have not granted any permission for the use of Pokémon intellectual property or assets in that game. We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokémon. We will continue to cherish and nurture each and every Pokémon and its world, and work to bring the world together through Pokémon in the future.” The statement does not mention the name of the game or the company behind it, but it is widely assumed to be referring to Palworld and its developer, Pocketpair. Neither Palworld nor Pocketpair have responded to the statement or the allegations of IP infringement as of yet. The Pokémon Company is known for being protective of its IP and enforcing its trademarks and copyrights. In the past, it has shut down fan-made games, websites, and apps that used Pokémon assets or names without permission. It has also sued or threatened to sue companies that produced unauthorized merchandise or services based on Pokémon. The Pokémon Company’s statement has sparked mixed reactions from fans and gamers. Some have expressed support for the Pokémon Company and its right to defend its IP, while others have criticized it for being too aggressive and stifling creativity and innovation. Some have also pointed out the irony of the Pokémon Company accusing another game of IP infringement, given that the Pokémon series itself was inspired by other media such as Godzilla, Ultraman, and Dragon Quest. Palworld is currently available for PC on Steam, where it has received mostly positive reviews from players. And it’s available on Xbox. The game is still in early access and is expected to receive updates and improvements in the future. It is unclear how the Pokémon Company’s statement and potential legal action will affect the game’s development and availability. Source
Review: Deathbound (Steam Nextfest Demo)
Developer – Trialforge Studio Publisher – Tate Multimedia Platforms – PC (Reviewed) Review copy given by Publisher Steam NextFest Note: The Following Review is of the Demo released during the Steam Nextfest , a multi-day celebration of upcoming games where you can Explore and play hundreds of demos. This Steam Next Fest will take place from February 5th – 12th, 2024 @ 10:00AM Pacific. The following Review is of the Demo released during Steam NextFest , The game may change before release. In the grim expanse of Zieminal, where the clash of Faith and Science forms the crucible for the upcoming souls-like experience, Deathbound beckons players into a reality where Life and Death are in a perpetual struggle. The narrative unfolds in the enigmatic “Lower Street,” a battleground won by the Church of Death, yet besieged by the nightmarish results of essencemancer experiments. Rooted in the betrayal of Goddess Life against her sister, Goddess Death, the backstory weaves a tale of the First Men—a race created with stolen powers and cursed with immortality. The collapse of their advanced civilization sets the stage for a new era, where the Essencemancers, seekers of forbidden knowledge, endeavor to deceive Death once more using the First Men’s lost technology. You, as the result of these experiments, stand on the precipice of a world scarred by ancient mistakes, delving into the murky motives of both the oppressive Church of Death and the resistance-led Cult of Life. The characters within each faction bring complexity and depth, from the zealous noble Therone Guillaumen to the remorseless fighter Agharos Of Meriva of the Church, and the disenchanted assassin Anna Leups and freedom fighter Ilia Tchevlaskia from the Cult of Life. As you navigate the turbulent narrative, the intertwining of political intrigue and personal struggles molds the choices you make. The oppressive Church of Death, dominant in Zieminal, pursues those who deviate from their creed, while the Cult of Life, a disparate alliance resisting Death’s followers, struggles for freedom. The Essencemancers, pivotal to the narrative, seek immortality at any cost, blurring the lines between right and wrong. Morphstrikes emerge as the heartbeat of Deathbound’s gameplay, offering a groundbreaking approach to the souls-like genre. Seamlessly morphing between four characters in the heat of combat introduces an unprecedented level of adaptability. Each fallen warrior absorbed into your party contributes a unique playstyle, demanding mastery of their strengths and weaknesses. The strategic use of Morph Strikes and Morph Dodges not only influences combat but shapes the narrative, presenting a multifaceted experience. The synergy between characters becomes a tactical dance, with traits such as perfect parrying and health leeching adding layers to the strategic depth. Mastering these skills is not just a matter of survival; it is a journey of exploration and puzzle-solving, showcasing Deathbound’s commitment to offering a dynamic and varied gameplay experience. In essence, Deathbound transcends the boundaries of conventional souls-like games by seamlessly weaving a rich narrative, political intrigue, and innovative gameplay mechanics. As you traverse the unforgiving landscapes, the choices made in combat echo through the overarching storyline, immersing players in a morally complex world where the lines between life and death blur with every Morphstrike. With its compelling story, well-crafted characters, and groundbreaking gameplay, Deathbound stands as a promising entry into the souls-like genre, inviting players to embark on an unforgettable and transformative journey, and is one of the best Demo’s for a game I’ve played in years, I can’t wait to get my hands on the completed game.
