October 2021

Valve has cancelled ticket sales for Dota 2 tournament The International amid a continued covid case rise in Romania.

The International was set to return with a live audience in Bucharest from 12th to 17th October.

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We've seen a lot of retro remakes and remasters in recent times and even brand-new games built with a vintage aesthetic, but the recent arrival of Zool Redimensioned is intriguing - simply because of the way in which it was made and the ethos behind its development. Yes, one of the objectives behind the game is to return the Amiga platforming icon to gamers' attention - and yes, perhaps this is about testing the waters for some kind of return for the ninja from the Nth Dimension. But just as important as that is the fact that Zool Redimensioned was built by students at the Sumo Digital Academy, creating their own C++ engine as the foundation for the remaster. It's an investment from a major studio in nurturing a new wave of game developers.

You can learn all about it in this special DF Retro interview, where John Linneman and Audi Sorlie talk to Jacob Habgood, director of education partnerships at the Sumo Group about how Zool Redimensioned came to be, while Sumo Digital Academy intern Emma Rogers shares her experiences in helping to create the new version of the game. On top of that, we get some fascinating insights and historical perspectives from none other than Ian Stewart - co-founder of Gremlin Graphics, the 80s/90s publishing powerhouse responsible not just for Zool, but a range of almost legendary micro-computer franchises from Potty Pigeon, Bounder, Monty Mole, through to Switchblade and the officially licensed Lotus racing games - and many more.

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Yoko Taro had planned the game to be a "small, compact mobile title" but executive producer Yosuke Saito thought otherwise.

The post Yoko Taro Originally Pitched Voice of Cards as a Mobile Game appeared first on Siliconera.

Pokémon Unite is adding a new ranged attacker in the form of Eevee's Fairy-type evolution, Sylveon.

The post Sylveon Enters Pokemon Unite Roster on October 5, 2021 appeared first on Siliconera.

Today Bandai Namco hosted a livestream from Tokyo Game Show 2021 focusing on Tales of Arise and producer Yusuke Tomizawa had announcements in store for the fans.

We learn that an update and free DLC will be released on October 7 including new difficulty levels. Easiest and Unknown will be respectively easier and harder than what the game included at launch.

Three different kinds of special battles will let you fight new enemies and win special weapons.

On top of that, a paid DLC to be also released on October 7 will bring forth a crossover with Sword Art Online Alicization Lycoris. It’ll cost 1,760 yen, which approximately translates into $16.

Not only the DLC will include Kirito and Asuna’s costumes for Alphen, Shionne, and Law and Kirito’s weapon. The two heroes of SAO will also appear in a special mission and players will be able to fight them. They’ll even have a special co-op mystic arte with Alphen.

Incidentally, we also learned that Kotobukiya will produce new scale figures for Alphen and Rinwell.

You can check out a trailer (with English and Japanese voices) and images below.

Valve has announced that DOTA 2's massive professional gaming tournament The International will no longer allow fans to attend due to COVID. The event is still going forward, though, and it is scheduled to begin on October 7 in Romania, Bucharest.

"We have been carefully evaluating the continued rise of Covid rates in Romania, as well as the resulting introduction of new local restrictions in Bucharest," Valve said in a statement. "To ensure the safety of all players, talent, and production staff participating in the event, we have decided to refund all ticket sales for The International 2021."

"We wanted nothing more than to welcome fans live to the event, but we can no longer do so in a way that allows us to prioritize the health and well-being of both audience members and participants," the statement goes on to say.

Everyone who bought a ticket will receive a fund automatically.

This announcement comes just days after Romanian officials announced new COVID 19 restrictions to help slow the spread of the virus, which infected a record 12,032 people in a single day on Thursday. Some of the new restrictions include mandatory masking in some places. Perhaps more relevant to The International, the government also said restaurants, gyms, theaters, cinemas, and other indoor places could operate at 50% capacity and only for people who were vaccinated or previously infected.

While fans will no longer be permitted at The International, the show is still going ahead on schedule starting October 7. "We look forward to welcoming the best Dota teams in the world to the stage and sharing the experience online with millions of fans around the world," Valve said.

Valve has canceled all plans to have a live audience at its large-scale DOTA 2 tournament, the International, as the number of covid cases in the host city of Bucharest, Romania continues to increase. The company also announced all tickets will be refunded immediately.

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Genshin Impact's 2.2 update Into the Perilous Labyrinth of Fog comes out 13th October, developer miHoYo has announced.

This is the update that makes Aloy from Sony's Horizon series available for free on all platforms, including PlayStation, PC and mobile (Aloy was previously only available on PlayStation).

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The new story will follow two Tokyo high school students who mysteriously appear in The Cage as they try to return home.

The post Square Enix Teases New NieR Reincarnation Story Coming This Fall appeared first on Siliconera.

Following the reveal of update 2.2 of Genshin Impact, MiHoYo hosted a livestream to showcase the first gameplay and more information.

In case you missed the memo, the update, titled “Into the Perilous Labyrinth of Fog,” will be released on October 13.

First of all, we get to see the first gameplay and an in-depth explanation for the new character Thoma.

Next, is a look at the new area that will be introduced with the update, Tsurumi Island.

Third-party developers have provided new assets about upcoming add-on aircraft and airports for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Just Flight showcased a brand new look at the Hawk T1/A advanced jet trainer, showcasing how you can simulate weapons and payload. It’s worth mentioning that you can’t actually use weapons, but they still influence the weight and performance of the aircraft.

More videos have been released about the upcoming Pilatus Porter PC-6 by FlightSimGames, showcasing a variety of elements. Interestingly, one of the videos shows the flip checklist box that is often seen used on the Porter.

Sure, Nickeloden All-Star Brawl is out in a few days, but that doesn’t mean the hype cycle must come to end anytime soon. It was revealed this weekend that Toph, from the popular animated show Avatar, will be joining the Nickeloden All-Star Brawl roster.

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Square Enix will release an offline version of MMO Dragon Quest 10 in February - although it's Japan-only for now.

Dragon Quest X: Rise of the Five Tribes Offline launches on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam on 26th February 2022 in Japan, Square Enix announced. If you bought the PS4 version, you can upgrade to the PS5 version for free.

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Stefanie Joosten, who played Quiet in Metal Gear Solid 5, is creative director of a new mech combat title called Vengeance is Mine.

Joosten unveiled the game, which is due out on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S at some point in 2023, in the video below, alongside a snapshot of a character.

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Put on a scarf, dust off your wings, and get to skating.

The post Skatebird Provides Hours of Bird-Like Fun and Struggles appeared first on Siliconera.

While characters have not been confirmed, director Akihiko Maeda seems open to fan suggestions.

The post Chocobo GP Will Feature At Least 20 Playable Characters appeared first on Siliconera.

While Sword Art Online Alicization Lycoris has been out for over a year, Bandai Namco is still working on the upcoming DLC “Myostis,” also known as “Blooming of Forget-Me-Not” for the west.

Today, during an event from Tokyo Game Show, the publisher revealed new footage, including an event in which Kirito, Eugeo, and Alice have to dress elegantly in order to infiltrate a high society party.

We then take a look at a romantic date between Kirito and Asuna.

I can’t help but be drawn to Steph Gingrich. Like many fans, I loved her when she first appeared in Life is Strange: Before the Storm as a passionate dungeon master and gifted artist. Chloe Price might have said it best in her journal when she wrote that she couldn’t tell if Steph was the coolest or nerdiest person in Blackwell. That’s part of Steph’s charm and appeal; she completely indulges in her interests without caring what other people think. 

When Deck Nine brought Steph back for True Colors, she reached a new level of awesome, still completely throwing herself into roleplaying, but also pursuing her passion for music by working in the record shop and DJing for Haven Springs’ local radio station. The new Wavelengths DLC serves as a True Colors prequel to bridge the gap between Steph moving to Haven Springs after the events of the original Life is Strange and Alex Chen’s arrival in the small Colorado town. Deck Nine once again excels with witty and relatable writing, while finding intriguing ways to involve the players in Steph’s story that do justice to her personality and interests.

It’s a good thing when hundreds of thousands of people are trying to play your game. However, as with most things in life, too much of a good thing is well... bad.

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Arc System Works also revealed the game's opening animation, and provided some gameplay demo footage featuring VTubers Korone and Miko.

The post Kunio-kun’s Three Kingdoms Will Feature 2-Player Online, Local Co-Op appeared first on Siliconera.

Wowza! After a few weeks of mostly quiet release slates, here comes the first full week of October to remind us all that we are truly in the Fall season. Things are going to get busy.

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You will be able to face off against Kirito and Asuna, as well as obtain exclusive weapons, outfits, and a new Mystic Art.

The post Tales of Arise Will Have a Collaboration With Sword Art Online appeared first on Siliconera.

It's an RPG about cooking and eating monsters to survive in a dungeon with character designs from the artist behind Disgaea.

The post Shikabanegurai no Boukenmeshi is a Dungeon Survival and Cooking RPG appeared first on Siliconera.

There is still no confirmation if this will appear in the west.

The post Dragon Quest X Offline Version Will Appear in February 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.

A total of five Hololive English VTubers will appear during the two-day-long online event.

The post Amelia Watson and Takanashi Kiara Will Appear at DigiKomi appeared first on Siliconera.

We’re about a month away from the launch of Shin Megami Tensei V’s November 12 launch, and what better way to celebrate than to get more glimpses at the game? Today, we have exclusive info and screenshots that show off the demons you’ll encounter and what’s awaiting you in Da’at, an alternative, post-apocalyptic Tokyo.

Flauros and Rakshasa are both returning from past SMT games and spin-offs.

The post SMT V’s Flauros and Rakshasa Will be Heavy Hitters in Battle appeared first on Siliconera.

Today Bandai Namco released a new English trailer of its upcoming mobile JRPG That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI Memories, tied in with the popular light novel, manga, and anime franchise.

This time around, we get an in-depth reveal of the gameplay, which will include some rather fetching turn-based battles and a town management minigame. Interestingly, players will also be able to explore the town on their own feet.

There will also be an extensive story mode, including well-known and original characters, some of whom are certainly… interesting.

We already know that That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI Memories will be released simultaneously in all regions this year, including North America, Europe, and Asia.

You can check the trailer out below.

If you’re not familiar with That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, originally named Tensei Shitara Suraimu Datta Ken in Japan and familiarily nicknamed TenSura, was born as a light novel series by Fuse in 2013.

Atlus is continuing to release its long-running series of trailers focusing on the over 200+ demons of its upcoming JRPG Shin Megami Tensei V.

This time around we get to see the gameplay of Flauros, which debuted in the series with Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner in 1995.

You can watch it below.

What is that thing sitting at the table opposite me? All I can see are its orange eyes swirling in the darkness like the snake from The Jungle Book. And I tell you what it makes me feel: menaced. I know this thing doesn't like me and I feel like it wants to hurt me, but I can do nothing about it. I have to play its games, and it feels like it's my fate at stake.

I catch a glimpse of the thing every so often. I see a large, knobbly hand, green and weathered, and I hear its cheesegrater voice, scraping out words. Sometimes I see a face, or the outline of a face, but it's gone as soon as I realise it, engulfed again by shadow or obscured by a mask. And if it is a mask, it becomes a caricature for me, playing the role of a yee-haw gold prospector for a special boss encounter.

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Today Atlus released a new gallery of screenshots and artwork of the upcoming JRPG Shin Megami Tensei V.

We get to take another look at the demons from the other branches of Bethel, Khonsu from the Egyptian branch, Vāsuki from the Indian branch, Zeus from the Greek branch, and Odin from the Scandinavian branch.

On top of them, we also get to see more of Joka and plenty lesser demons.

More screenshots showcase the world of Da’at and Gustave, which will send you to search his minions called Miman across Da’at. Your rewards will increase depending on how many you find. You can even obtain the Glory required to unlock Miracles. You can also trade him Macca for a variety of items.

In the world, you can find vending machines and chests that can let you gain Macca, items, or even Glory. Collecting Magatsushi also lets you fill your Magatsushi gauge and recover HP and MP.

Stone demon statues from ancient wars that you can find in the world will increase your own demons’ levels, while rare demons named Mitama drop items that you can exchange for money, experience, and Glory.

If you find giant red obstacles named Abscesses which spawn powerful enemies in their defense, but destroying them will unlock Miracles.

Another important element is the demon Amanozako that serves as a support and navigator. Other demons can fill the same role during quests.

Demons scattered around the world will also give you quests and reward you with items if you complete them.

You can check out all the screenshots below.

It’s time to sound off for our Switch OLED poll Surprise! It’s a Switch OLED launch poll. Given that it’s...

The post Are you buying the Nintendo Switch OLED? appeared first on Destructoid.

So says the new trailer out of TGS 2021 It’s been a few months since the closed beta test for Final...

The post Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier is still on track for 2021 appeared first on Destructoid.