Apple pulled 39,000 games from its App Store in China on December 31, 2020 including NBA 2K20 and Assassin's Creed Identity. ...
The veteran producer announced his departure on Twitter over the holidays, and left the Tokyo-based first-party studio at the end of December 2020. ...
Cyberpunk 2077 is a game all about player choice, and that includes romance options. Aside from one-night stands and hiring prostitutes, there are a handful of more fleshed out characters who you can get to know and, if you play your cards right, you can start a more meaningful relationship with them. Our Cyberpunk 2077 romance guide will walk you through how to romance Judy, Panam, River, Kerry, and Meredith, so you don’t have to worry about whether you’re making any wrong decisions during your journeys.
If you're in the US, you can head to the PlayStation Store in your browser and download the Ys IX Monstrum Nox demo.
The post Ys IX Demo Is Now Available to Download appeared first on Siliconera.
More KOF XV and Samurai Showdown Season Pass 3 information will be revealed very soon.
The post Reminder: KOF XV and Samurai Shodown Season Pass 3 Announcements Coming This Week appeared first on Siliconera.
When most people pop to the shops, they pick up a few things. When Epic Games goes shopping, it buys the local mall.
This week, Epic agreed to purchase the Cary Towne Center, a 980,000-square-foot site just down the road from its current home in Cary, North Carolina.
The vast complex will become Epic's new home campus, which will open in 2024 after a three-year plan to refurbish and rebuild the area. I'm hoping for some statues of Fortnite fave Fishstick.
Long-lived online fantasy game Runescape celebrates its 20th birthday today.
Developed by Jagex, the aging MMO first launched on 4th January 2001 - making it older than Neverwinter Nights, World of Warcraft (and indeed Wikipedia, where I'm now checking all of these dates).
Jagex today said the game had been played non-stop for 7306 days (presumably with toilet breaks), welcomed 300 million player accounts, and is actually still doing very well for itself thank you very much.
Ever since the good ol’ Wii days, Nintendo has shoved Miis into lots of things. We have Miis in Mario Kart; there are Miis on the 3DS; Miis exist on the Switch, and we even have Mii fighters in Super Smash Bros. now.
And according to a modder, even the NPCs in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild have been created using an advanced version of the Mii character format. HEYimHeroic on Twitter has even found a way to inject most Mii characters into Breath of the Wild, and they’ve even started to consider taking commissions to help players get their favorite NPCs into the game.
You can see the initial tweet down below from HeyimHEROIC that shows off some of the NPCs that have been made by importing Miis like Barret from Final Fantasy VII, Matt from Wii Sports, and the modder’s personal Mii, Alice.
With just a month to go to the western release on PS4 of Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, NIS America just released a demo.
The demo is available only for PS4 and can be downloaded both on the North American PlayStation Store and on the European one.
It includes two locations from the full game, alongside a chance to experiment with the new mechanics related to the game’s “Monstrum.”
If you’re unfamiliar with Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, it’s the latest chapter of the Ys series, and it was released in Japan only for PS4 in September 2019.
It’ll come to the west with both English and Japanese audio and English and French subtitles for PS4 on February 2 in North America, February 5 in Europe, and February 12 in Oceania.
Nintendo Switch and PC versions, which were never launched in Japan, will be released in the summer of 2021. The demo has not yet been released for Switch and PC.
Here’s how the publisher describes the game.
Renowned adventurer Adol “the Red” Christin and his companion Dogi arrive at Balduq, a city annexed by the Romun Empire, only for Adol to be detained before setting foot inside. While imprisoned, he meets a mysterious woman named Aprilis who turns him into a Monstrum, a being with supernatural Gifts and the power to exorcise monsters. Now, Adol must ally with his fellow Monstrums to fend off the fearsome threats emerging from a shadowy dimension called the Grimwald Nox, as well as unravel the mysteries of the Monstrum curse, and the truth behind the unrest within Balduq.
To say that not everyone was impressed by CD Projekt Red’s decision to limit Cyberpunk 2077’s perspective to first-person would be a major understatement. When the game was first introduced to the public at E3 2018, a wave of upset rippled across the internet from those who had presumably been expecting to be able to see their character as they had done in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Unfortunately for them, CD Projekt Red never did end up including a third-person option despite the obvious appetite for it amongst players. But there’s good news this week for those on PC as the game is actually now playable in third-person thanks to the wizardry of a very talented modder.
Well, more or less playable anyway. NexusMod creator saranuba’s “JB – TPP MOD WIP third person” for Cyberpunk 2077 does deliver a third-person perspective, but, as the name suggests, it’s very much a work-in-progress.
There are four different camera options available, from directly behind V to an over-the-shoulder Resident Evil-style, but the animations are pretty stiff, and non-existent in some cases. It also looks particularly wonky when in combat, for example, and don’t even think about trying to swim!
Still, as a first attempt at providing an option to simply check out V’s appearance as you traverse Night City, it’s surprisingly decent.
Presumably, the mod will improve over time, too — though quite by how much is likely to depend on whether CD Projekt Red delivers the sort of robust toolset found in games like Skyrim and Kingdom Come Deliverance.
Cyberpunk 2077 was one of the most highly anticipated video game releases of 2020, and while its myriad bugs and glitches have been all anyone’s been able to talk about since its launch, there are a few other aspects of the game itself that we feel could’ve used some improvement as well. Here are five ways Cyberpunk 2077 could’ve been even better.
Nier: Automata is a game with multiple endings, filled to the brim with hard-to-find secrets. Mod-enthusiast, Lance McDonald, however, did more digging than anyone else to find Automata's final "cheat code." Apparently, players can skip to the game's "E" ending right after defeating Automata's first boss encounter. I love Nier: Automata (and I really want you to love it too). Its unexpected finale sequence is still one of the most memorable gaming experiences I've ever had. I'd recommend playing through the game's three story routes before seeing the true ending. Nevertheless, you can watch the video below for more details; Lance was kind enough to end the footage before any major spoilers can be seen.
I found a cheat code in NieR Automata that allows you to skip to the last ending immediately after killing the first boss and unlock the bonus modes. I'll do a full video soon. It's not a glitch, it's an actual cheat code hard-coded into the engine. @yokotaro pic.twitter.com/FtuNPovq6F
There's a pleasant surprise awaiting you on PSN if you're a fan of Nihon Falcom's long-running Ys franchise. A demo for the upcoming entry, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, is now available, so you can head over and download it now for a test run before it launches on February 2.
Ys IX follows our red-headed hero Adol as he gains supernatural abilities and the power to exorcise monsters. During his adventure, he'll meet others gifted with these abilities who all have their own specialties to help you traverse the city and use in combat. Each party member has its own affinity for strike, slash, or piece attacks, allowing you to swap to the most effective one depending on the situation. Flash moves and flash guards from Ys VIII will also return for bonuses for blocking and dodging at the right time.
You can experience itself in the PS4 demo, which can also be downloaded on the PS5. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is also coming to Switch and PC, but we currently don't know if we'll see a demo for those before the game's release.
Bethesda has made it abundantly clear that The Elder Scrolls 6 (still unnamed) is a long way off yet, but that hasn't stopped the studio from teasing fantasy fans about what's next. While fan theories about the next step for the franchise will have to offer are rampant, a recent teaser from Bethesda ringing in the new year has fanned those flames once more about a possible Hammerfell focus.
In a recent tweet, The Elder Scrolls official Twitter shared an image of a Tamriel map with the caption "Transribe the past and map the future. Here's to a Happy New Year!" Fans immediately took the first part of the messaging to be a challenge to decrypt some clues and it looks like this is from the opening Skyrim cinematic when one character mentions that he would be "halfway to Hammerfell."
Transcribe the past and map the future. 📖
Here's to a Happy New Year!🕯 pic.twitter.com/bL44CzLDIE
On December 31, in the biggest single-day purge in the company's history, Apple removed over 39,000 mobile games from the Chinese version of its mobile gaming storefront: App Store.
As reported by Reuters, Apple's scorched earth motion saw the App Store lose over 39,000 mobile games and over 46,000 non-gaming apps. Further investigation from research company Qimai suggests that of the top-selling 1,500 iOS games available, only a mere 74 titles survived the cull. Titles that failed to make the grade include Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Identity and 2K Games' NBA 2K20.
Apple had previously warned developers that all iOS releases would require up-to-date licenses, including an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) officially obtained from China's National Press and Publication Association. Apple had been removing non-compliant apps from its store since August 2020, but December 31 represented the deadline for developers to get said licenses in order, leading to Apple taking a scythe to the App Store's inventory.
Apple removes 39,000 game apps from China store [Reuters / Game Industry.biz]
It's a good day when I get to talk about F-Zero.
I feel like I only get the chance a few times a year at most, but this Nintendo series has been dormant for far too long, and deserves a relaunch. Former producer (and now Yakuza franchise developer) Toshihiro Nagoshi thinks so too.
Speaking to Red Bull France, Nagoshi explained that he "wouldn't mind" working on F-Zero again. Here's the full quote, as translated by Nintendo Everything:
“Mmm… Putting aside the odds of it happening, I must admit I have a lot of affection for F-Zero GX. If the opportunity were to present itself, I wouldn’t mind. And in that case, I’d like to make it a challenging game. I believe that if Nintendo just wants a racing game that is ‘fun and accessible’, they already have Mario Kart for that purpose.”
You can tell he's clearly thought about this before the question was asked. Nagoshi has a vision for the franchise: one that involves a bit more technicality, and creates its own niche. It's amazing how Nintendo will trot F-Zero out every now and then like a mascot, but won't give it another go.
It's also not an impossible situation; to see Nagoshi working on F-Zero one day. Nintendo frequently taps other studios to work on big franchises, especially long-dormant ones (see Platinum and Star Fox, among many others). I think we'll see F-Zero make some sort of return eventually, and I hope passionate ex-developers like Nagoshi are involved.
The 2020 remaster of classic 3D platformer SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom is getting set to make its debut on mobile platforms later this month. Publisher HandyGames has announced that Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated will arrive on iOS and Android devices on January 21, priced at a modest $8.99 USD.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated is Purple Lamp Studios' remaster of the 2003 PS2, Xbox, and GameCube title, and sees SpongeBob, Patrick Star, and Sandy Cheeks embark on an epic adventure to save their quaint hometown from the evil schemes of the nefarious Plankton, who is up to he usual megalomaniacal tricks.
Not only does Rehydrated rebuild the original Battle for Bikini Bottom in its entirety - powered by a new, modern day engine - but the remaster also adds a selection of content cut from the original release due to developmental time constraints. Also included is a brand new multiplayer mode, in which players face off hordes of attacking enemies.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated launches on iOS and Android January 21 and is available right now on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
With Valorant‘s current season (or Act) finishing up next week, you might find yourself wondering what new stuff is in store for Riot Games’ magical tactical FPS. Well, according to a Russian leak, a new character is on the way. It looks like Agent 14 will be a new sneaky teleporting lad named Yoru, who can fake footsteps and turn himself completely invisible. I already don’t want to fight against him.
Over six years after The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth came out, the rad roguelikelike dungeon-crawler is preparing to launch a huge new DLC. Repentance is the final expansion’s name, and it’s coming on the 31st of March. It’ll add two new playable characters along with oodles of new items, bosses, levels, and such. As someone still playing Isaac, I am cautiously stoked.
Get your speedrunning shoes on and prepare your glitches: Awesome Games Done Quick has arrived for its yearly speedrunning extravaganza. As with previous years, the charity event is raising money for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. It’s been live since yesterday evening and runs until this Sunday, and there are already some fab runs in the likes of Mirror’s Edge and Dragon Age: Origins to catch up on.
Stuck in bed most days due to an ongoing medical condition and paralyzed from the chest down, I don’t have a lot of options for cardio exercise. Hand bikes, weights, and tension bands are boring. You know what’s not boring? Beating the hell out of Hori’s drum controller for Bandai Namco’s Taiko No Tatsujin games.
How do you evolve a franchise with an almost-static main character? You look to his antagonist: Bowser, King of the Koopas. Also known by his objectively superior Japanese name: Great Demon King Koopa.
Get ready to sit back and listen to Persona 2, 3, 4, and 5 soundtracks on Spotify, as well as albums from various spin-offs, concerts, and rereleases.
The post Persona 2, 3, 4, and 5 Soundtracks Come to Spotify appeared first on Siliconera.
Square Enix also shared the results of a recent player survey for the game.
The post Octopath Traveler: Conquerors of the Continent OST Will Release in March appeared first on Siliconera.
Another Taito Spiritale Hatsune Miku figure is on the way, and this time it's a Sakura Miku variant.
The post Taito’s New Sakura Miku Figure Costs $270 appeared first on Siliconera.
There are three new Stranger of Sword City Revisited classes, and a new NIS America video shows them and three new dungeons off.
The post Stranger of Sword City Revisited’s New Classes Shown in a Trailer appeared first on Siliconera.
"In the face of increasingly frequent and deadly zoonotic disease outbreaks, the City Council has decided that the most effective method for reducing the risk of infection among residents is via the extermination of all avian life within 18 miles of city limits."[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/cyberpunk-2077-panam-romance-guide"] That makes the appearance of a living bird in the game particularly notable, and one with such close association to Ciri feels like a deliberate choice to some fans.
Today, NIS America released a new trailer of the upcoming dungeon-crawling JRPG Strangers of Sword City Revisited.
The trailer showcases the new features that will be added to the original Strangers of Sword City, including three new classes, additional battle elements, expanded character creation, and three new dungeons.
You can check out the trailer below.
The game will launch for Nintendo Switch and PC on March 16, 2021 alongside Saviors of Sapphire Wings, which is set in the same world.
If you’re unfamiliar with the games, you can read an official description directly from Steam.
“Knights, Assemble!: Muster all your might and cunning to confront the forces of the Overlord of Darkness! Assemble your party, develop your own playstyle with traps and tactics, and exploit your enemies’ elemental weaknesses to overcome the most powerful servants of darkness.
Valve already has a reason to celebrate in 2021 after its gaming client Steam broke concurrent user numbers just days into the new year. Over the weekend Steam saw 25,418,674 concurrent users, beating out the previous record 24,776,635 in December.
The figures come from Steam analytics site SteamDB, which has tracked seven new Steam concurrent user number records over the past 12 months.
The uptick is perhaps explained by COVID-19 stay-at-home measures across the globe, with the most recent record also fuelled by a combination of cold winter weather and the holiday season. Prior to the COVID-19 era, Steam’s highest concurrent users were 18.5 million, which was largely attributed to PUBG’s immense popularity at that time.
The past 12 months have actually yielded a number of new records in terms of spending habits from players globally, with companies like SuperData, Sensor Tower, and The NPD Group all reporting record highs across different facets of the industry.
April 2020, for example, saw an unbelievable 73% year-on-year growth for spending on the US video gaming market, hitting a whopping $1.46 billion, which was largely attributed to lockdown measures during COVID-19’s spring peak.
Persona fans rejoice! It’s been revealed that not just one or two, but about a dozen new Persona soundtracks are heading to the music streaming service, Spotify, on Jan. 5 at midnight. And these soundtracks are completely original and aren’t just covers or remixes, like the ones you would find if you were to search for ‘Persona’ on Spotify today.
AniPlaylist shared the Spotify playlist via Twitter that includes all of the music tracks from all of the albums coming this week. It’s not available just yet to listen to, but you can still find it on the streaming site right here so that you’re prepared to groove to all of your favorite Persona bops.
Today 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim developer Vanillaware released its traditional new year art by president and artist George Kamitani.
Many pay particular attention to the art released in this occasion, as it often includes hints to the developer’s plans for new games.
For instance, the artwork released in 2013 pretty much revealed 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim ahead of the official announcement in 2015.
That being said, hints are rarely that explicit, and often none exists (or at least none is found), so we’ll have to wait and see on this.
That being said, the artwork is certainly meaningful in another way as it portrays a creature called Kutabe (or Bai Ze) in Chinese tradition.
According to Japanese folklore, its image has the power to ward off disease. I don’t think I need to explain this one.
Vanillaware has teased a possible new fantasy game to come after 13 Sentinels, and promised to reveal it after the release of the game.
Yet, we’re still waiting to hear more.
In the meanwhile, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is currently available exclusively for PS4. We recently learned that it shipped over 300,000 copies.
My personal experience with Genshin Impact has been an odd one. I’d dabbled with it a little when it first launched, but quickly decided it wasn’t for me and dropped it in favor of other games that I was playing at the time. I decided to come back to it in early December, though, and this time, it stuck.
I won’t bore you with my gushing; simply put, it’s everything everyone has hyped it up to be. With the exception of recent missteps (the Zhongli debacle, for instance, which MiHoYo has promised to address with much-needed character buffs), Genshin Impact undoubtedly feels like an extremely polished game. There are daily commissions to do, quests to look forward to as you level up your Adventure Rank, and every little thing you do in the game feels rewarding in some way.
Before update 1.2, which released late December, Genshin Impact had already grabbed me. I was playing the game frequently enough to justify buying the Welkin Pass, and I stuck with the grind everyday to level up slowly and unlock more quests to do. And with the new Dragonspine update, it feels like I could, quite literally, play this game forever.
First off, update 1.2 adds a whole new region for players to explore. The icy mountains of Dragonspine, which were previously rudely blocked off to anyone who tried venturing outside of the map’s boundaries, are now open for exploration. It introduces a new sheer cold effect that gradually depletes your HP once you’ve veered away from the heat for too long, making it feel like a much more dangerous place to step foot into.
There are some new enemy types to contend with, new resources to collect, and a new currency called the Crimson Agate. As you can probably guess at this point, the Crimson Agates can be turned in for rewards, and oh believe you me, the rewards are certainly plentiful and well worth the effort.
Mindscape, developer of the iconic 1997 Lego game Lego Island, laid off the project's team to avoid paying them various bonuses.
The small team which built Lego Island had worked on the game for two years and had already begun work on an underwater-set follow-up. But when it became clear how successful Lego Island would be, Mindscape bosses took action to avoid paying them their contracted royalties.
It's an eye-opening detail dug into by Lego Bits N' Bricks, a new and officially-sanctioned podcast series from the Lego Group which is being released episodically to celebrate this year's 25th anniversary of Lego joining the world of video games.
Fortnite’s maker has a new map, with about a million square feet of space
