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Atlus Exclusive Special Metaphor: ReFantazio Livestream with Katsura Hashino Slated for April 22nd

ATLUS, the renowned video game developer, has unveiled an exciting livestream event titled “ATLUS Exclusive,” set to showcase its highly anticipated fantasy RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio. The livestream is scheduled for the 22nd of April 2024, at 3PM PT/6 PM ET, and will be broadcast on the ATLUS West YouTube channel and Steam. During the livestream, viewers will have the opportunity to be guided through never-before-seen gameplay footage by Studio Zero director Katsura Hashino. For the convenience of international fans, the livestream will feature English subtitles along with dubbed audio. Metaphor: ReFantazio is a full-scale fantasy RPG crafted by the creative minds behind the popular Persona series. In this immersive gaming experience, players will have the chance to write their destiny and rise above fear as they venture into a captivating fantasy world unlike any other. The game is set to launch in Spring 2024 on the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 platforms. Additionally, Metaphor: ReFantazio is available for wishlisting on all platforms, allowing eager fans to stay updated on the latest developments and announcements leading up to its release. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to get a first look at Metaphor: ReFantazio and delve into the enchanting world crafted by ATLUS. Mark your calendars and tune in to the ATLUS West YouTube channel or Steam on April 22nd to join the adventure!

Take-Two Interactive will lay off 5% of its employees and will cancel games

Take-Two Interactive, the company behind Grand Theft Auto, the Mafia series, and other 2K games announced it will lay off 5% of its workforce. On top of that, they will drop multiple projects and cancel games as part of a plan to save costs. This is the latest major round of layoffs following similar actions by Microsoft, Electronic Arts, and other companies earlier this year. It was only a few weeks ago when Take-Two Interactive announced it would be acquiring the creators of the Borderlands series, Gearbox Entertainment for $460 million. Take-Two plans to release Grand Theft Auto VI in early 2025, which is their biggest game coming out in the next year. GTA 6 has already entered its final stages of development and it is unknown if these new layoffs will impact the highly anticipated title. When it comes to the Mafia series, Take-Two apparently began preparations a few days ago for an announcement regarding the iconic franchise. This comes from insider Kurakasis on X (Twitter) who has been reliable in the past. Source: Bloomberg

Nintendo announces Indie World Showcase for April 17

Nintendo announced they will be hosting a brand-new Indie World Showcase on April 17, 2024. The presentation will announce new indie games coming to the Nintendo Switch over the next few months. One of the rumored games that will be at the Showcase is Hollow Knight: Silksong which was just rated in Australia. The Indie World Showcase will go live tomorrow at 7:00 AM PT / 10:00 AM ET and will feature roughly 20 minutes of announcements and updates. You can watch it live on the official Nintendo YouTube Channel. New #IndieWorld Showcase incoming! 💡 Tune in tomorrow, 4/17 at 7am PT for roughly 20 minutes of announcements and updates on indie games headed to #NintendoSwitch in 2024. Watch live here: https://t.co/jGiccyBhME pic.twitter.com/V31Dfuxs0N — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) April 16, 2024 Nintendo has been quiet when it comes to upcoming Directs and it’s possibly because they are planning for their next console. Recently it was reported that Nintendo will be skipping Gamescom 2024 after going in full force last year to the largest trade show in Germany.

Story Kitchen and Nekki Announce SPINE feature film adaptation

In an exciting announcement, leading video game developer Nekki has partnered with franchise-building media company Story Kitchen to adapt the highly anticipated gun fu action game, SPINE, into a live-action feature film. SPINE tells the thrilling tale of Redline, a daring street artist, and her sentient combat implant, SPINE. Together, they take on an oppressive AI regime and its minions at the Tensor Corporation to rescue Redline’s brother. The story is set in an immersive cyberpunk world, exploring the complexities and implications of AI, rebellion, and survival. Nekki, renowned for its hit Shadow Fight series and the proprietary animation software Cascadeur, which powers SPINE’s cinematic action, is at the forefront of innovative game development. Meanwhile, Story Kitchen, founded by Sonic the Hedgehog Producer Dmitri M. Johnson and former APA Agent/Partner Mike Goldberg, specializes in universe building and franchise architecture, with a focus on adapting ‘non-traditional’ IP into film and television. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Story Kitchen to bring SPINE to life on the big screen,” said Dmitry Terekhin, Founder and CEO of Nekki. “We believe that great stories resonate across all mediums, and we’re confident that the SPINE universe will captivate audiences everywhere.” The team at Story Kitchen shared their excitement about the partnership, stating, “When we first heard about SPINE, we were blown away. The character of Redline is absolutely badass, and we knew we had to be a part of this project.” Set to launch for PC and consoles in the future, SPINE is not just limited to gaming. Nekki plans to expand the franchise into a multi-platform experience, including downloadable content, comic books, a board game, and merchandise. Players can wishlist SPINE on Steam and stay updated through the official website, Discord, Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit. Additionally, Nekki has released a webtoon comic titled “SPINE: Bullet Dancers,” allowing fans to delve deeper into the world of SPINE ahead of the game’s release.

After Years Of Going Offline, New Fan Project Breathes New Life Into Lawbreakers As Online Lobbies Are Up With Creator’s Backing

The IP that kicked off Cliff Bleszinski’s new studio with Lawbreakers was a game that was overshadowed by other projects at the time. In Rectify Gaming’s review for the game, we wrote, “Lawbreakers is a fantastic game. It has brought back the arena shooter genre in a way that it needed to come back for a long time. […] This is a game I always have fun with and will probably continue to have fun with for years to come.” However, the project eventually fell through the cracks as lobbies were deserted. At one point, the title was seen with hardly a dozen players on Steam at the time. What’s more, after other similarly performing projects from Boss Key Productions, the team officially shuttered later on in 2018. However, the game is facing new life as of this past weekend. On X, reports of the game resurfacing reveals a new fan-backed initiative ‘Project RELB’ went live bringing the original game back online after five years of being turned off. Additionally, creator Cliff Bleszinski is giving a platform for the new fan endeavor by sharing the Discord and details for the weekend stress test. “Even with all the issues seen during the stress-test our primary goal was to see if our whole backend could handle a large amount of players and it’s held up beautifully. Massive thanks to everyone in the team who helped make this happen and of course to the people who hosted servers. We’re really excited about the future of this project and we hope everyone else is as well!” one admin on the Discord writes. Although the length Project RELB will go is undetermined, it is exciting to see a community bring plenty of traction for a game in a unique position like Lawbreakers. In a complete opposite direction on behalf of Bleszinski, he recently stated that he is stepping away from Gears of War more than a decade after leaving Epic Games. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you surprised by the news surrounding Lawbreakers?

New Crowdfunding Campaign For Invincible AAA Project Goes Live, But Only For Two Weeks

One of the biggest animated series – Invincible – after its recent surge on Prime Video is now on the way for a video game adaptation. Well, not just yet at least. In a new Republic crowdfunding campaign set up by Skybound Entertainment, the publisher is asking for $5 million to kick off a new AAA Invincible game. However, the window to gather backings is only live for two weeks. “Most crowdfunded video games are centered around indie games and retail investors rarely have the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of AAA game publishers. Skybound is developing a highly produced, high-octane blood bath that is anything but indie. Our bona fide global hit IP, Invincible, is at the center, and we’ve hand-picked our own team, consisting of more than 30 gaming industry veterans to make it happen,” the campaign description reads. By developing this game in-house, under complete control of our team of franchise stakeholders and Invincible IP creator Robert Kirkman himself, we are creating a highly coveted game that is guaranteed to have fans of the comic, the global hit TV show, and serious gamers alike, wholly captivated by this first-of-its-kind Invincible experience. Plus, by creating this project in-house, we will reap the benefits of being the IP rights owner, developer, and publisher, providing increased value to our stakeholders. You’ve never seen a game like this from Skybound before. We have a talented team of more than 30 experienced employees from the likes of Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts (EA), Epic Games, and more as the driving force behind our in-house studio. The studio will be headed by newly appointed Head of Games Publishing, Chris Paulson (formerly of Activision Blizzard), and EVP of Games Production, Patrick Gilmore (formerly of Amazon Games).   “Invincible is under development with a team of veteran developers with decades-long careers and multiple AAA games to their credit. With cutting-edge competitive gameplay, premium production values, and the most advanced online and technical foundations, Invincible will release under a premium model with multiple DLC expansions and special editions designed to cater to every level of fandom.” It continues: “In both competitive and local play modes, the game is designed to contribute new stories to the Invincible multiverse, enabling future releases, expansions, new character arcs and adventures for years to come.” Details remain light on the direction the game will go in, but as of reporting the Republic campaign has only generated $463,380 – short 10 percent of the $5 million budget asked. Elsewhere, Invincible character Omni-Man recently starred in a different title. Back in November, the character was featured in Mortal Kombat 1 as part of the Kombat Pack post-launch plan. You can read the full report by heading here, Are you interested in an AAA Invincible title? Source: Skybound Entertainment

Orcs Must Die! 3 and Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Headline Xbox Game Pass Mid-April 2024 Update

For Xbox Game Pass, the service is still offering the most value inside the Xbox ecosystem. In late March, the subscription added titles Evil West, The Quarry, Ark: Survival Ascended, and more, of course. Additionally, the transition into April 2024 also welcomed games including Lego 2K Drive, Kona, and Botany Manor. Beyond the consumer side of Xbox Game Pass, new developments have surfaced. One report shares that many of the ‘gold mine’ deals for independent game studios have evaporated in recent times. What’s more, the ability to stack service is also being barred. In select regions, a new subscription extension limit has been placed to withhold users from doing so. Now in a new update posted on Tuesday, Microsoft has revealed the new roster of titles for Xbox Game Pass in late April 2024. You can view the full list below: Console Orcs Must Die! 3 – 4/17 EA Sports NHL 24 [EA Play] – 4/18 Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes – 4/23 Another Crab’s Treasure – 4/25 Have A Nice Death – 4/30 PC Orcs Must Die! 3 – 4/17 Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes – 4/23 Another Crab’s Treasure – 4/25 Manor Lords – 4/26 Have A Nice Death – 4/30 Cloud Orcs Must Die! 3 – 4/17 Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes – 4/23 Another Crab’s Treasure – 4/25 Have A Nice Death – 4/30 More exciting news is that Xbox Game Pass Core is also expanding its condensed roster as well. In the new update, it is revealed three more titles are being added: Deep Rock Galactic, Superhot: Mind Control Delete, and Wreckfest. Slowly, the base subscription is being drip fed new and popular titles which is a good sight. As per usual, there is also a list of leaving titles set for April 30th. Those games being 7 Days to Die (Cloud; Console; PC), Besiege (Cloud; Console; PC), EA Sports NHL 22 (Console), Loot River (Cloud; Console; PC), Pikuniku (Cloud; Console; and PC), and Ravenlok (Cloud; Console; PC). What has you most excited about this new update? Source: Xbox Wire

Ermac Joins Mortal Kombat 1 Roster In Early Access Today, Arrives For All April 23rd

When reflecting on the initial announcement for the Mortal Kombat 1 Kombat Pack, it was one of the most anticipated lists for the series. Including Omni-Man, Peacemaker, Homelander, as well as Ermac & Quan Chi, players were excited to see the post-launch roll out for the game. One missed opportunity was John Wick, creator Ed Boone revealed. He told in one interview the licensing was a big problem to take head on prior to the game’s release. As for the released characters thus far, players have indulged heavily in the big-named characters already. In November, Invincibles’ Omni-Man arrived to the full game. Additionally, DC Comics’ Peacemaker also dropped for Mortal Kombat 1 earlier this winter in February. There is still room lingering in what ever order NetherRealm Studios decides to roll out these fighters. This week, Mortal Kombat 1 Early Access adds its next fighter – Ermac. You can watch the new trailer in the video below: “Ermac joins Mortal Kombat 1 in Early Access April 16, full release April 23. Mavado joins the Kameo roster later in May,” the description for the trailer on YouTube reveals. Of course, with Ermac soon to be available to all players, this still leaves room for the last awaited fighter – Homelander. Details on the release still remains unknown, but it is understood Antony Starr will not be reprising his role for the character. What’s more, alike the prior Mortal Kombat 11, there is hope that NetherRealm Studios continues to support the game with a second Kombat Pack. At the time, Kombat Pack 2 featured Rain, Mileena, and John Rambo. You can read the full report by heading here. What has you most excited for Ermac coming to Mortal Kombat 1? Mortal Kombat 1 is out now for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Nintendo will not attend Gamescom 2024

It has been reported that Nintendo is planning for their next generation console which is rumored to be the Nintendo Switch 2. And now it’s reported by Games Wirtschaft that Nintendo will not be attending Gamescom 2024 as they received an official statement from a representative. In 2023, Nintendo attended Gamescom and that’s when the first reports of their new console came out. It was claimed that Nintendo was giving developers a behind-closed-doors showcase of the Switch 2 with gameplay of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild in 60 FPS. This could be a sign that Nintendo is planning for its next generation which is rumored to begin in March 2025 with the release of the Nintendo Switch 2. Gamescom 2024 will take place from August 21 to August 24. We should still expect many other publishers and developers at the biggest video game tradeshow of the year. Source: Nintendo Everything

Grounded’s Newest ‘Fully Yoked’ Update Goes Live

When it comes to consoles, platform exclusives are a selling point for most companies. But for Microsoft, this traditional business model is being experimented now with select games coming to more platforms. In total, there are a predetermined four titles now on the way to PlayStation & Nintendo consoles. However, it is pressed the list does not go beyond the confirmed games selected. Among these titles, Obsidian Entertainment’s Grounded is enroute for new platforms. On Tuesday April 16th, the online experience is now making way for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5. Additionally, a recent with Limited Run Games confirms Grounded is to receive a physical release for both Xbox & PlayStation later this year. The same day as its release, a new update for Grounded is to also arrive. The Fully Yoked Update brings more depth to the three ant colonies, New Game+, and the new ASL (Advanced System Library) to upgrade weapons beyond what was possible before. Of course, new achievements will go live alongside the promised implementation for crossplay across all systems. “Each of the three ant colonies in Grounded now has a royal leader you can meet, the Ant Queen, who can be found deep within their respective hills. You will face a crucial decision with each queen: to befriend or betray her with a delectable offering. The path you choose determines not only the unique rewards you’ll receive but will also shape how the entire colony reacts to you. But tread carefully – some decisions have ripple effects that might not be immediately obvious…” The blog post continue: “The New Game+ mode brings a thrilling twist to every corner of your backyard, heightening your gaming experience with unique challenges. Each playthrough morphs the backyard in astonishing ways, introducing a multitude of new system enhancements. “Accessing this mode isn’t a walk in the yard – you’ll need to conquer the Broodmother, Mantis, Wasp Queen, and emerge victorious in the Javamatic fight. After defeating those bosses, players can choose to leap into an alternate dimension courtesy of Wendell’s new creation, the REMIX.R. Expect different creature spawns, tougher bosses, and a host of eerie anomalies and hidden secrets in these otherworldly dimensions.” What has you excited for the newest Grounded update? Grounded is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Source: Obsidian Entertainment