Destructoid

THQ Nordic continues its meaty marketing campaign for upcoming remake Destroy All Humans! Having already celebrated July 4 by laying waste to Washington, yer boy Crypto is now relocating his rampage to top-secret government base "Area 42."

The new trailer, which you can check out below, sees the pint-sized prick arrive at the desert-based installation, using his cloaking abilities to access America's most-guarded facility, before letting rip with his arsenal of interstellar weaponry. Sadly for Crypto, bad news about his brethren awaits in the catacombs of the building. Originally it was all business, but now... it's personal.

Yacht Club Games is evidently digging a bit deeper than the 2D side-scrolling platformers it's best known for. Actually, it's seemingly adding a whole 'nother dimension!

In a job listing on Gamasutra (as spotted by GameSpot), Yacht Club is working on a "new 3D project" and its own custom engine. The 3D team will complement the existing 2D team, but there were no hints as to what sort of game this is.

Yacht Club is keeping busy, as it's developing and/or publishing several 2D titles like Shovel Knight Dig, Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, and Cyber Shadow. It has also been known that Yacht Club has some unannounced projects it's working on, and this 3D endeavor just happens to be one of them. Who knows how many else are in production?

My best guess? Shovel Knight Showdown was such a smash success that Yacht Club is making a 3D Shovel Knight fighter in the vein of Soulcalibur. You'd play it.

Get a job: Join Yacht Club Games as a Mid to Senior Gameplay Programmer [Gamasutra via GameSpot]

In 2021, we'll finally have a chance to squash bugs in Earth Defense Force on Nintendo Switch.

After a recent reveal in Japan, D3 has slapped an "early 2021" estimate on the Western release of Earth Defense Force: World Brothers. It's not the typical EDF aesthetic – the overgrown insects, small soldiers, and destructible cities are all present in a cutesy voxel style – but chaos still reigns supreme. I'm stoked.

We've had plenty of traditional Earth Defense Force titles, so I'm down for a quirky side-step.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers Releases In The West In Early 2021 [GameSpot]

The Mafia remake has to wear cement galoshes for an extra month. It's not sleeping with the fishes for good, but it won't surface on-time either.

Developer Hangar 13 has revealed that COVID-19-related issues have forced a one-month delay of Mafia: Definitive Edition. Originally set for launch on August 28, it's now pushed back to September 25. Some would call it fashionably late, others would say it's not wise to keep the godfather waiting.

For a taste of that sweet organized crime, Hangar 13 has a gameplay reveal trailer coming later this month. On July 22, we'll see the Mafia remake in action. It's gotta make believers out of you and your tommy gun.

Mafia: Definitive Edition Now Launches on September 25; Gameplay Reveal Coming July 22 [Mafia]

Square Enix has recently filed new trademarks in Australia and Europe for Live A Live, a Super Famicom based RPG that is yet to see the light of day outside of Japan in any official form.

Released way back in 1994, Live A Live featured numerous groundbreaking concepts, such as a narrative device that sees players guide different characters through seemingly disconnected scenarios, (think Octopath Traveler) and a constantly changing battle system, that switches up game mechanics from scene-to-scene. Despite these cool and unique features, Live A Live never came west, and is only playable in English via an unofficial fan translation.

There is no word as to Square Enix's plans regarding this low-key classic, but the new trademarks could suggest a possible re-release or remaster. Here's hoping, as it would be a shame if a wider audience didn't get to experience this intriguing title from the golden age of Square's storied RPG history. We will, of course, keep you informed should any new news be forthcoming.

Square Enix trademarks Live A Live in Australia and Europe [Gematsu]

A ridiculous gameplay trailer for a ridiculous game. That's the deal.

Cyanide Studio debuted this fittingly absurd trailer for Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood during this morning's Nacon Connect stream, and my mind is still reeling. It's a game about a werewolf slashing dudes into a bloody pulp, busting up exosuits, and snapping werewolf jaws. A tale as old as time.

I can't tell if Earthblood looks endearingly quaint or just plain outdated, but we'll have plenty of time to figure it out together – it's not releasing until February 4, 2021. Cyanide also confirmed that the World of Darkness game is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via the Epic Games Store.

THQ Nordic has announced that its mud-ripping race MX vs. ATV All Out will be hitting Nintendo Switch September 1, following on from its previous release on PS4, PC, and Xbox One in the spring of 2018.

The all-terrain racer lets players take to the track in a range of tough off-road vehicles. Choose your favourite MX bike, ATV, or UTV before getting down and dirty in a range of modes including Supercross, Opencross, National Championships, stunt showcases, and more. Customisation options allow players to fine-tune their vehicles for best balance, before giving it a slick visual design to reflect personal style.

You check out the action-packed trailer for the original PS4 release below.

It's been almost a decade since Test Drive Unlimited 2, but the island racing series is coming back with a new game in production at KT Racing Studio and Nacon called Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown.

The game's appearance during today's Nacon Connect stream didn't divulge gameplay footage (it's vague teasers, for the time being), but creative director Alain Jarniou, a developer on the prior TDU games, shared some insights. The international racing championship concept is back for Solar Crown (hence that name), and the team intends for players to have the "freedom to progress" how they want.

KT Racing is striving to keep the "DNA" of Test Drive Unlimited going strong while also "evolving the gameplay and game modes to make them more modern." (A tricky balancing act, to be sure.) "We wanted to relaunch this great franchise because there's no real equivalent at this moment."

He spoke about gravel, asphalt, "lots of customization options" for player avatars, and recreating an island at a 1:1 scale for the sake of "authenticity," but there isn't a date or even a release window.

Bugatti, Ferrari, Dodge, Koenigsegg, and Porsche are some of the confirmed names so far.

This one seems pretty far off. Any guesses on which island they'll recreate?

Do robots like cake? Will a guillotine cut through steel? These are all valid questions that are on the table in the new action role-playing game from GreedFall developer Spiders.

Steelrising is an automaton take on the French Revolution. The protagonist is Aegis, a robot in female form, who's a bodyguard to Queen Marie Antoinette. The mission is to "put an end to the massacres carried out by the robot army of King Louis XVI." 

Spiders says that Steelrising will be much more action-based than its previous games like Greedfall and The Technomancer. There's an emphasis on fluid transitions from exploring the Parisian streets to getting into fighting. Also, there are upgrades for mobility, durability, and strength, which is seemingly a look at the RPG side of playing in the style you want.

Is this Nier Automata by way of Assassin's Creed Unity? Probably not at all. But given the two prevalent themes, I'm gonna keep thinking about it that way.

Steelrising is targeting a 2021 launch on PC and next-gen consoles.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is slowly adding games to its lineup on PC, and Halo 3 will arrive as soon as next week: July 14, to be exact.

The date was announced by way of a new teaser video for this now-13-year-old game, which reminds us that the new edition is "optimized for PC." Microsoft confirms that the original 11 missions and 24 maps are intact for this port, on top of all of the Master Chief Collection extras and fixins. Currently the collection has Halo 1 + 2 (that just makes sense!) and Reach, with Halo 4 and ODST currently catching pending release dates.

As a reminder, we'll see more of Halo Infinite this month on July 24 during the Xbox stream.

Niantic is currently in preparation for the 2020 edition of its annual gathering, Pokémon GO Fest, which takes place later this month. While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has put paid to plans of a physical get-together, Pokémon GO players from around the world will still be able to partake in a special "virtual" weekend, which will offer challenges, bonuses, and a host of cute critters just waiting to be added to your menagerie.

To get the Poké Ball rolling, Niantic has released a trailer for the weekend, directed by none other than Rian Johnson, who also helmed Star Wars: The Last Jedi and 2019 murder-mystery Knives Out. The 30-second short sees Pokémon GO fans literally tearing at reality in order to discover Pikachu, Eevee, Snorlax and friends hiding in plain sight. I wish Eevee would show up at my door. That'd make my day.

It's vague, but Nintendo says that it's at least aware that their Switch Online servers aren't always up to snuff.

Speaking to investors at the most recent shareholder meeting, company president Shuntaro Furukawa acknowledged a statement that straight-up called out Switch network services as "going down easily." Downplaying the connectivity a bit (like Smash Ultimate not working consistently isn't a big problem), he notes that "there have been cases during limited-time online events...where there's a sudden influx of server access that exceeds [their] expectations."

Going on, he says that Nintendo wants to address the issue by "predicting the scale of access as accurately as possible in advance, and being ready with systems that comfortably handle the volume." Something's gotta give with Switch Online either way.

I realize and respect that you're paying a fraction of what it costs on other platforms to play online. But at the same time, Nintendo needs to justify that cost. It dumped a bunch of NES and SNES games on the service in a drip-fed manner not unlike the early days of the 3DS and kind of just said "that's good enough."

It allows you the pleasure of purchasing NES and SNES remotes for the Switch for limited purposes...and....that's really about it in terms of perks. You'd think Nintendo would be scrambling to add benefits during a global pandemic where everyone's attention is divided between a million other things right now.

Q&A Summary [Nintendo]

Evocative RPG Ys Origin is coming to the Nintendo Switch later in 2020. The news was announced this morning by publisher Dotemu, who also took the time to reveal not one, but two physical editions from boutique retailer Limited Run Games.

Originally released on PC way back in 2006, Ys Origin would eventually make the jump to PS4, PS Vita, and Xbox One a little over a decade later, with additional content and options. While there's no doubt that the wait has been a long one, Ys Origin is a solid entry in the legendary franchise, and will no doubt feel right at home on the Switch platform, perfect for lengthy commutes and late-night adventuring.

While working from home has been a boon for some studios, several Japanese outfits are having issues acclimating. The good news is, Nintendo seems to have settled in for the most part.

Speaking to investors at their latest shareholder meeting, senior managing executive officer Shinya Takahashi explained that although the company as a whole is "a little behind schedule" due to the current pandemic, "game releases this fiscal year (through March 2021) are currently not affected." That could of course change (Takahashi event intimates this if the situation is prolonged), but for now the ship has been righted.

As for the benefits of working from home, Nintendo reveals that Jump Rope Challenge was essentially a game jam project of sorts. Takahashi says that the game was built with pandemic-centric physical fitness in mind, so it slots perfectly into the Switch's lineup as a free release.

Right now, Paper Mario: Origami King is the only major first-party release on the horizon, but that could change at any moment. Nintendo has been announcing things at the drop of a hat, and the summer isn't over.

Q&A Summary [Nintendo]

Back in June we learned that a Kingdoms of Amalur remaster was coming, and now we have the full confirmation tour this morning from THQ Nordic.

As expected the full title is Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning, and it will launch on September 8 on PS4 and Xbox One for $39.99 (standard) or $54.99 (Fate Edition). The publisher boasts "stunning visuals, refined gameplay and all-new content." Previous DLC is included with the re-release.

Amazingly, that new content also includes an above-and-beyond expansion push. Yep, the Fatesworn DLC will be arriving in 2021: you can watch a short teaser trailer for that below.

A month ago I said that Amalur deserved a new lease on life, but didn't know this was coming. If it leads to a sequel, I'll be floored.

Capcom has released its newest developer diary for mega-selling adventure title Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. The video takes a look at all of the exciting new features, challenges, and festivities headed to the island over the coming summer months.

Title Update 4 - previously delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic - will finally launch on all platforms July 9, bringing a majestic new giant to your hit-list. Alatreon is a devastating Elder Dragon infused with Dragon, Fire, Thunder, and Ice elemental attacks. It will be joined later this summer by Frostfang Barioth, which is a tempered variant of the classic, long-fanged Wyvern. Both of these beasties are just gagging to put you six feet under. Hope you're prepared.

[Update: Inti Creates has officially announced that Dragon Marked for Death will launch digitally on PS4 July 22. (Via Gematsu)]

It would appear that Inti Creates' mythic platformer Dragon Marked for Death is preparing to take flight on PS4 at some point in the near future, after a PlayStation Store database entry was discovered by top-tier leakers Gamestat.

Originally launching on Nintendo Switch in January 2019, (although having been on the cards since way back in 2010), Dragon Marked for Death allows up to four players to venture into the hazardous Kingdom of Medius, on a mission to rescue their abducted oracle and restore the legacy of their noble Dragonblood Clan. Choosing from one of four distinct classes - Empress, Witch, Warrior, or Shinobi - players sally forth on a fast-moving platform adventure, all realised in colourful and highly detailed sprite work.

Speaking to investors, Nintendo gave us a bit more info on the recent Universal Studios of Japan's Super Nintendo World expansion, but as expected, it's news of a delay.

Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa explained that it was originally slated to open before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (next July), but the schedule was altered due to the current pandemic. This matches up with a statement made by Universal Studios itself, who delayed the opening of the park just over a week ago.

Representative director and Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto (who served as a creative consultant for the park) adds that he "expects Universal Studios Japan will announce a new opening date after taking measures to ensure safe operation." After Japan gets a handle on things, the US and Singapore expansions are still on the table at this time.

The thing is, a lot of the framework is actually done already, and Japanese citizens have been walking or driving by the construction shot to take candid photos and videos. As you can see from Twitter user Ayato below, the park is making huge strides this year in terms of its construction.

A miniature Mario zone is seemingly finished, complete with spinning coins, pipes and a Thwomp that has eyes that light up at night. You can also see a giant replica of Bowser's Castle in the shot: all of those elements are part of the above concept art. Just teleport me there (when it's safe)!

Q&A Summary [Nintendo]

In today's giveaway, you can take a key for the Gift of the Twisted Noble pack for Neverwinter Avernus expansion!

The best time to get free stuff is around the launch of a new game or DLC. You probably already knew that from the sheer amount of brand new stuff we give out, but still. The more you know.

Neverwinter just launched its Avernus expansion, featuring brand new missions and content. And you know what that means -- free stuff!

If a mod is an amendment -- and, strictly speaking, it is -- then you have the right to bear arms in Dark Souls III. When you have a gun, none of the other rules matter a whole lot.

As reported by PC Gamer, modder Asasasasasbc has imagined a take on Dark Souls III that's a lot less punitive than From Software ever intended. It's trades the broadsword for the AK, and it's a lot easier to go medieval on someone's ass when you just have to let the lead fly.

The Modern Firearm mod takes guns that are mostly modeled after Resident Evil weapons and transplants them into Dark Souls. They replace specific regular weapons. So, the Light Crossbow turns into a Vector SBR, the Heavy Crossbow is an AK-47, the Knight Crossbow is an M16, the Repeating Crossbow is a Thompson SMG, the Sniper Crossbow is a sniper rifle, the Avelyn is a MP5, and the Arbalest is a shotgun.

Here's what it looks like in action. Warning: This video paints a picture of a preposterously easy game when it's actually quite difficult!

Over the past few years, Microsoft has been aggressive in bolstering its in-house family of Xbox Game Studios teams by acquiring existing well-known developers. Double Fine, inXile, Playground Games Ninja Theory -- these are all studios that have become Xbox subsidiaries over the past few years. If recent reports are true, Microsoft's pursuing a whale that would top any of these names.

According to The Information, Microsoft is in talks to acquire Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. (The majority of the article is behind a paywall.) It seems as though Warner Bros. parent company AT&T is looking for a $4 billion deal. It's said that AT&T wants to offload some assets after acquiring WarnerMedia and DirecTV, which helped rack up $154 billion in debt. However, AT&T isn't yet convinced that it actually wants to sell WBIE.

If Microsoft is able to pull the trigger on this deal, it'd be a landmark acquisition for Xbox Game Studios. WBIE has many notable subsidiaries to its name including: Rocksteady Studios (the Arkham franchise), Traveller's Tales (developer of the LEGO games), Avalanche Software (responsible for the next-gen Harry Potter game),  NetherRealm (Mortal Kombat), WB Montreal (reported to be working on two DC Comics titles right now), Monolith (the Middle-earth games), and more.

I feel like a restless kid on an all-day road trip who only left home twenty minutes ago.

"Is it ready yet? Is it ready yet?" No, Stardew Valley hasn't gotten its 1.5 update yet – "it's still in a 'nose to the grindstone phase'" – but creator Eric Barone posted a new teaser on Twitter for fans to dissect.

You may want to pull up a current image of Willy's Fish Shop.

Stardew Valley 1.5 update... notice anything new in Willy's shop? Progress on the update is coming along steadily. It's still in a "nose to the grindstone" phase, but some good milestones have been met. This update adds a significant new piece of end-game content and much more! pic.twitter.com/FmjgDJnqYO

— ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) July 6, 2020

At a glance, I wasn't sure what was new or different or out of the ordinary. Here it is: in the 1.5 update, the wall-mounted bobbers and ladder will be moved to accommodate a door in the back of the shop. What's on the other side? That's for Eric to program and us to imagine. (It's probably just a room, right?)

Turtle Rock Studios is a giant, emphatic oh-for-one with major releases after re-venturing out on its own. The asymmetric multiplayer Evolve was neat in theory, but never really found a sizable a permanent audience to keep itself alive. The team that is responsible for Left 4 Dead is returning to its roots in hopes of capturing some of that cooperative zombie-killing magic.

This isn't a new story but you'd be forgiven if you forgot the original. In March 2019, Turtle Rock announced Back 4 Blood -- another cooperative zombie shooter. It was painfully light on details. Warner Bros. is publishing it. There's a campaign and PvP. It's on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, but next-gen is looking increasingly likely at this point. It's not a battle royale (because apparently it was still funny to clarify that every game wasn't a battle royale in early 2019). Turtle Rock didn't even show us screenshots or a trailer!

On Saturday, Turtle Rock tweeted this concept art that appears to be the first publicly-released Back 4 Blood image of any kind:

If, like me, you miss the antics of Splatoon 2's Hostesses with the Most..esses, Pearl and Marina, then your spirits might be lifted by this image of their incoming Figmas, which are currently in the works at fine merch manufacturers GoodSmile.

While both Marina and her better companion Pearl are presented here unfinished and unpainted form, we can already see that the Off the Hook duo will feature the expert sculpture and precision articulation of which the Figma range is renown. The Splatfest hosts will no doubt look absolutely fabulous in their final forms. Unfortunately, there is still no release date announced for the rap-rock duo, pre-orders are expected to go live later in 2020, so we'll be sure to keep you informed.

Mortal Shell caught my eye as a particularly Dark Souls-leaning action-RPG a couple of months ago, and now there's a chance for me – and you! – to get our hands on it. After letting the press, streamers, and content creators preview a build of the game, Cold Symmetry has extended the beta to PC players.

You can grab the Mortal Shell beta right now on the Epic Games Store. (As a reminder, the full game is also coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in Q3 2020, and a Steam release is listed for 2021.)

According to the developers, "this beta does not include spoilers (we decided to keep the story a secret for just a little longer) and we have deliberately cordoned-off much of the open sprawling marshland of Fallgrim to keep you focused." Another choice quote: "It is vindictive design, assembled with spite."

I haven't made time for this yet, but I'm intrigued by the way Mortal Shell handles classes – they're bodies ("shells") that you can possess and be knocked out of. The player character's harden ability that lets them take a free hit and find openings in combat also sounds interesting. From what I've seen and heard though, the mechanic isn't necessarily used to its full extent (at least not in the beta content).

I'm curious, and I imagine plenty of you will be too. Plenty of imitators have come and gone with varying degrees of success. Something about Mortal Shell tells me it'll be a cut above the average Souls-like.

At any rate, I hope they take the beta feedback to heart.

Naughty Dog's grim end-of-the-world adventure The Last of Us Part II has successfully retained the top spot of the UK Charts for the third week running, fending off the week's solitary physical release, Sony's Marvel's Iron Man VR, which made its debut at number two.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, the selling-off of discounted Nintendo 3DS stock continues at retailers across the U.K., which results in Square Enix' Bravely Second: End Layer nestled comfortably at number four, while Nintendo's Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer and Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash both re-entered the charts at numbers 13 and 34 respectively. Strange days.

In regards to more modern releases, a sales spike has seen Animal Crossing: New Horizons climb to number three, while THQ's remake SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated dropped out of the upper echelon after just one week, ultimately resting at number 12.

Anime publisher Aniplex has announced that it will release the Persona 5 anime adaptation on Blu-ray worldwide this September. The anime, which first screened in Japan in 2018, is a direct adaptation of Atlus' 2016 RPG and tells the tale of a group of young friends forced into otherworldly action by a society of Shitty Adults.

It feels like Nintendo has been running their mobile platform in a backward fashion for some time now.

Back when Super Mario Run was released it was considered a figurative failure, so the company immediately rushed into the world of microtransactions, individual game subscriptions and gacha. Now, the industry is shifting back toward that original Mario Run model with Apple Arcade. Go figure.

Although it was suggested recently that Nintendo might "cool it" when it comes to mobile development, company president Shuntaro Furukawa defended the division to investors at a recent Q&A, hinting that the strategy is here to stay for multiple reasons. Calling the arm "significant," Furukawa explains the individual ways in which several of their games have indirectly benefited the company beyond the scope of cold hard cash.

He states that Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp has done a great job of getting women interested in the IP and Nintendo as a whole: a demographic that later when on to purchase New Horizons on Switch (he also lumps Fire Emblem into that conversion argument). As far as Mario Kart Tour goes, Furukawa says that the project was great for "getting people to create Nintendo accounts" (kind of a low bar!).

Nacon (formerly BigBen Interactive) is teasing a new entry in the legendary driving simulator series Test Drive, to be revealed tomorrow, July 7. The new game is expected to be premiered during the "Nacon Connect" presentation, showcasing upcoming products from the gaming/peripheral developer.

Beginning as far back as 1987, Test Drive was the first racing franchise to focus on realism over speed and arcade action, making the series a forerunner to genre giants such as Gran Turismo. The most recent release was 2012's Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends, so it's been some wait for fans of this high-speed franchise. While there are no details pertaining to the new title, it will likely be the previously hinted third entry in the Test Drive: Unlimited sub-series, currently in development at French studio Kylotonn.

The Nacon Connect presentation will go live tomorrow, July 7, at 10:00 PT / 13:00 ET / 18:00 BST. Also expected to make an appearance are Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood and the next title from GreedFall developer Spiders. You can check out the news over on the official Nacon YouTube and Twitch channels.

In case you forgot, you're not out of the woods yet when it comes to "summer streams."

Although the vast majority of publishers already put their best foot forward in June, the month of E3, Ubisoft moved their showcase (Ubisoft Forward) to mid-July. Although the original teaser was literally just a 16 second vague Twitter video featuring the wilderness, a newer clip gives us some idea of what's to come.

In order, the below teaser gives us a glimpse at Watch Dogs: Legion, Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Hyper Scape: the latter of which is Ubisoft's new foray into the battle royale genre. We could also see a full trailer reveal for Far Cry 6, with a potential Giancarlo Esposito villain tease: we'll know his distinct voice as soon as we hear it.

Ubisoft Forward will be held on July 12 at 12:00PM PT. Yes, that's a weekend!

MMO worlds are no stranger to crossover events, but it feels like Final Fantasy XIV has been working on overdrive the past several years.

With Square Enix and producer "Yoshi P" greasing palms, the team has managed to snag IPs both within their realm of ownership and out of it. They're also not opposed to bringing events back, and this time the Dragon Quest crossover is returning for a short period of time.

It's live now and will run through July 27 at 7:59AM PT, and you can head over to Ul'dah - Steps of Nald (map coordinates X:12.1 Y:8.2) to grab some rewards while fighting golems out in the open world. It's a very simple set of quests with a simple set of rewards, but it's fun to see the crossover event scattered about the world nonetheless.

Although XIV is always running some sort of event: it's smart of the team to bring back something beloved during the long wait for the next expansion. Right after it ends people will be gearing up for the August 11 launch of update 5.3: Reflections in Crystal.

Peculiar Petrous Presence Baffles Miners [Final Fantasy XIV]

Izanagi Games has announced that its bizarre FMV mystery title Death Come True will be launching on PC via Steam July 17, following on from its release on Nintendo Switch and mobile platforms last month.

Written by Danganronpa's Kazutaka Kodaka, Death Come True is the story of an amnesiac young man, Makoto Karaki, who awakens in an avant-garde hotel wanted for murder and stalked by a deranged killer. Teaming up with an equally confused detective, (Battle Royale's Chiaki Kuriyama), Makoto must uncover the truth not only behind the brutal slayings, but also his bizarre new time-hopping powers. That's life in the big city.

Nintendo has been riding high with the Switch these past few years, and it's still very much in demand: especially given the current stock issues.

Speaking to investors in a recent shareholder meeting (the 80th annual meeting, actually), Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa once again expectedly sung the praises of the Switch, but alongside of senior executive officer Ko Shiota: who further hinted that the next console from Nintendo could continue the "portable/TV" legacy of the system. Furukawa explains that momentum for the console is still increasing due to the hybrid nature of the system, and that the company wants to "extend the life cycle" of it as a result.

Ko Shiota then re-iterates the strength of that hybrid design, but also states: "We see scenes on social media of children and their families sitting around a game console to play, which gives us a renewed sense of the value of our dedicated video game platform. We will utilize these experiences in carefully considering the form our future game consoles will take." Ominous!

Indirectly, Shiota seems to be hinting that TV-based consoles are here to stay for Nintendo, at least for the next generation. In another portion of the Q&A, Miyamoto stresses that "Nintendo has never tried to compete on game console performance," so don't expect their philosophy to drastically shift if that does end up happening. He explains that "Dokuso" (original/unique, Nintendo says) is still a focus at the company, as is the idea of having a direct interface with the player.

Although things could change at the whims of different leadership (Nintendo is experimenting with concepts like gacha mobile games after all), for now, it seems like Nintendo is still going to be very much Nintendo: at least for another 10 years or so.

The recent Xbox Series X game showcase came and went, and a lot of people were disappointed that it didn't show enough gameplay.

This time around Microsoft is raring up to remedy that mishap with their July "Xbox Games Showcase," and now we have a firm date and time: July 23 at 9AM PT. Before all that happens we're getting a pre-show with Geoff Keighley at 8AM PT, so you can tune in early if that's your thing.

So far we know for sure that we're seeing Halo Infinite, but anything could show up: from the previously announced to the unannounced. With all of Microsoft's studio acquisitions in the past few years, they'll likely have something else first-party to show off.

You what we all really want to see though? A damn date and a price.

Xbox [Twitter]

Shadow Warrior 2 ended on a cliffhanger. At the end, and here are some vague spoilers for a game that released four years ago, an ancient dragon is accidentally freed from its eternal prison.

That brings us to the third game in the rebooted series. Whether or not developer Flying Wild Hog meant for the allegorical parallel to opium dens, Shadow Warrior 3 is about chasing the dragon. Publisher Devolver Digital sums up the plot by saying "Lo Wang must traverse uncharted parts of the world to track down the dark beast and push the apocalypse back yet again. All it will take is the mask of a dead god, a dragons egg, a touch of magic, and enough firepower to tear down the encroaching Shadowlands."

Although this trailer is qualified as a "teaser," it's chunkier than most teasers. It outwardly confirms the existence of Shadow Warrior 3, it reveals some new mechanics (grappling hook and wall running!), and it gives us that ultra-gory violence we've come to expect -- complete with Lo Wang ripping out a demon's spine a la Mortal Kombat.

More information about Shadow Warrior 3 is just on the horizon. The first gameplay trailer will debut during Devolver's Direct on July 11. Among the unknowns, we don't have platforms for this third stab at Shadow Warrior -- hopefully it's next-gen! -- and we don't have a release window. And just like that, Lo Wang flips the bird and peaces out. What a badass.

All eyes aren't on Squall: they're on the next "part" of the Final Fantasy VII Remake.

What parts of the game will it entail? How many parts will it be? Will anything carry over? Will the story be drastically different compared to the original work? A lot of these questions have been vaguely answered, but now thanks to a new interview from The Guardian, we have some inkling of where Square Enix is at in terms of the second part's production.

When asked about how the current pandemic is impacting development, producer Yoshinori Kitase fired back by stating that although the situation is "unprecedented," the team is "still making the next game via remote working." He does give us a standard proviso, noting that "performance will temporarily drop below 100% efficiency" during this period, but they are working hard, and they hope the Remake gives "a moment of relief" during these stressful times.

It was a pretty incredible sight to see L.A. Noire, one of my flawed-yet-favorite games of the past few generations, get another lease on life in 2017.

Billed as "The VR Case Files," the game was handled by former Team Bondi developers who worked on the original L.A. Noire, and it seems like Rockstar is happy enough with the project to greenlight another game. According to a Linkedin listing on Video Game Deluxe's page, the studio is allegedly working on a new "open world AAA title in VR" for Rockstar.

They have "a number of job openings" for the project, including Senior Programmers, an Engine Programmer, a Designer and an Animator. The scope of VR has changed so much these past few years, necessitating all of these positions. Although VR originally debuted with a number of tech demo-like experiences, there have been many strides in terms of "AAA" projects or even open world games recently.

Rockstar also has access to numerous IP, but it could also be something wholly original that we might not see for several years. Given that GTA VI could be really far out, this could serve as an open world buffer appetizer until then.

Video Games Deluxe [Linkedin] Thanks Rick!

Nintendo has released a trailer for the next update headed to its mobile battler Fire Emblem Heroes. Still feeling the summer sun, this new Summoning Event will bring another selection of famous faces to the roster, every one of them ready to rock the sands of Fodlan.

The Overseas Memories update adds a squad sun-time, fun-time heroes from the 2019 release Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Joining the mix are the Blue Lions' Ingrid and Sylvain, the Black Eagles' Dorothea, and a new "Duo" hero in the form of Byleth and Church of Seiros leader Lady Rhea, who is leaving the sanctity of her church to catch some rays. All of the above characters are looking just dandy in their vacation gear. Dorothea in particular is outstanding in her giant floppy hat.

Is this late or is it too early? With the lack of an E3 this year, we're currently being drip-fed scattered live streams and announcements. Understandable in the face of 2020 being an utter hellscape. Still, it doesn't mean we can't look to the future or have predictions, or even divinations, and the Destructoid community is always glad to provide questions.

When we did this in the past, I would take on a Persona theme and do tarot readings. There will be a kind of tarot reading here, but we're switching the venue to Final Fantasy XIV since I'm a part-time Astrologian there, a soothsayer who divines the future through cards imbued with power drawn from constellations.

It's basically the same wheelhouse of Fruedian and Jungian themes as Persona, but I also leveled a Dark Knight steeped in Carl Jung's shadow integration concepts as well, so I'll let my dark side give some answers, too.

And then there is this little fella, The Great Serpent of Ronka. A divine being looked to for prophecy by the Ronkan people in times long past. He shall also give answers to your questions and totally did not have his answers written by Occams instead.

So let's see what the cards, my shadow, and this weird snake have to say.

Please don't sue us, Square Enix.

Have you ever played a zombie game where you choose between treating others with humanity or becoming as monstrous as the undead cannibals that are threatening to eat you all? Me too. It's a pretty neat trope, and from the looks of things, people are yet to tire of it. 

That said, the last time the cliche really hit home for me was with the story of Negan in The Walking Dead comics. Not to spoil it, but writer Robert Kirkman avoided going down the usual  "death-or-redemption" fork in the road that villains usually face at the end of their stories. At least, that's what I thought happened. As I discovered this week, Negan's adventures aren't over yet. Last week, Kirkman and his team surprised his sizable fan base with the release of a new comic called "Negan Lives". Even more shockingly, they did it for free, in an effort to help struggling comic book stores stay afloat amid the COVID-19 crisis.

The biggest surprise of all came in the form the tease at the very last page; a two-word promise from Kirkman at the end of the letters column stating "P.S. Clementine Lives". At first glance, that might not seem like a big deal, but when regular The Walking Dead comics ended in 2019, the letters pages ended with the words "P.S. Negan Lives". It doesn't take a crack reporter to deduce what it all means.