Game Informer

Moon Studios' founders, Thomas Mahler and Gennadiy Korol, have been accused of sexism, racism, and bullying by developers within the studio in a new report from GamesBeat. 

Employees at Moon Studios, which is the team behind Ori and the Blind Forest/Will of the Wisps, told GamesBeat that they view the studio’s culture as “oppressive,” citing that the studio’s leaders used buzzwords about being an open and honest workplace as a cover for abuse that happens there. Examples included in the GamesBeat report include the use of offensive words by the founders, anti-Semitic jokes, and public discussion and jokes about the size of their genitals. 

GamesBeat reports that a lot of these “jokes” and inappropriate discussions happened in public chats that were open to others at the company, suggesting that Mahler and Korol didn’t find anything wrong with what they were saying. The publication also reports that turnover at Moon Studios was high, but that new employees were recruited with promises of large bonuses and other benefits. 

One developer said they stuck around despite the oppression they felt at Moon Studios because, despite it all, they felt pride in their own work on the studio’s games. They would watch fan reactions and Twitch streams of their games to reconcile with what they were dealing with. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Publisher: PlayStation Studios
Developer: Polyphony Digital
Release: March 4, 2022

Update, 2:30 p.m., 3/18/22:

Gran Turismo 7 is back online after essentially being left unplayable for more than 24 hours following an earlier update. 

In a new blog post, GT7 producer Kazunori Yamauchi explains why a maintenance period that was expected to last a couple of hours lasted longer than a day. He said that right before the release of the 1.07 update, which is the one that left GT7 largely unplayable, Polyphony Digital “discovered an issue where the game would not start properly in some cases on product versions for the PS4 and PS5.” 

Red Candle Games, the Taiwan-based video game developer behind horror titles like Detention and Devotion, has launched its crowdfunding effort for its next game, Nine Sols. 

Previously announced, Nine Sols is described by the team as “a journey of Asian fantasy inspired by Sekiro, Hollow Knight, and Katana Zero.” It’s also a “lore-rich, hand-drawn” 2D action platformer with a focus on deflection in combat.” Red Candle promises immersive storytelling and a unique “Taopunk” setting in Nine Sols, too. As for what Taopunk is, think cyberpunk meets Taoism and Far East mythology. 

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The studio wants to “build a stylish Taopunk world that blends cyberpunk/sci-fi elements with Taoism and Far Easter mythology,” Red Candle writes on its crowdfunding website. 

It also says the team is attempting to “recreate the deflection-focused Sekiro combat experience in 2D and meld it with classic side-scrolling exploration.” Visually, Nine Sols will incorporate anime and manga-influenced art that’s handcrafted and it will be set to the score of a “dark electronic sound mixed with Eastern instruments.” 

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Also on: Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Koei Tecmo
Release: March 18, 2022
Rating: Mature

Even if you love Final Fantasy games, expect to feel like a stranger in a strange land when playing Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. This violent retelling of the original Final Fantasy game from 1987 largely sidesteps the series’ adventurous spirit and heartfelt mysticism to focus on muscle, attitude, and everything extreme. Square Enix labels this remake as a “hardcore action/RPG,” an apt description for a game that rarely relents in its aggression. When swords are drawn and giant beasts enter frenzied states, this edgy experiment shines, as the battlefield lights up with a flurry of combos and magics against awesome monsters that pose a real threat. When the swords are holstered and the characters need to converse or explore, Stranger of Paradise hits lows rarely seen in Final Fantasy's storied 35-year history.

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Platform: PlayStation 4, PC
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Release: February 14, 2020
Rating: Teen

With Street Fighter 6 confirmed to be the future of the series, Capcom apparently isn't done with Street Fighter V quite yet. At least not until this new patch it's calling the "definitive update." Check out the trailer above to see some of the big changes in action.

Platform: Switch
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Square Enix
Release: March 4, 2022

Triangle Strategy is an exceptional tactics game some worried would be buried unearth the hype of heavy-hitters like Elden Ring and Horizon Forbidden West. That apparently hasn’t been the case, as the game has already sold hundreds of thousands of copies in the two weeks it’s been available.

Platform: Switch
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Release: April 28, 2017
Rating: Everyone

Nintendo announced last month that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will be getting 48 new tracks by 2023 and that the tracks would be released in six waves, with each wave adding eight new tracks. 

Platform: Xbox Series X/S, PC
Publisher: GSC Game World
Developer: GSC Game World
Release: December 8, 2022
Rating: Mature

GSC Game World has quietly updated the spelling of its upcoming FPS, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. 

The subtitle on the game was previously spelled “Heart of Chernobyl,” which features the Russian spelling of the location where the game takes place. However, likely as a result of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine (the studio has been vocal about its support for Ukraine), GSC Game World has changed “Chernobyl” to “Chornobyl” to reflect the Ukrainian spelling of the word, as reported by PC Gamer. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive
Developer: Avalanche
Release: 2022

Today's PlayStation State of Play presentation focused solely on Avalanche Software and Portkey Games' upcoming Harry Potter prequel game Hogwarts Legacy.

The game puts players in the robes of a custom character and sends them to school at the legendary wizarding academy Hogwarts. However, Legacy takes place in the late 1800s, meaning players are free to embark on their own legendary journey free from the shackles of the Harry Potter books and movies. 

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Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Finji
Developer: Tunic Team
Release: March 16, 2022
Rating: Everyone 10+

Welcome to the most chaotic episode of The Game Informer Show in 2022. Join us on today's show, where we're breaking down our glowing review thoughts on Tunic, trying to make sense of Stranger Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, and gauging our hype levels on Overwatch 2. If that's not enough, we finish off the pod with another fun edition of Listener Questions, where we finally go over our favorite (or least favorite) nightmares.

Pokémon cards continue to grow more and more popular, with pack pulls becoming ever so popular on Twitch and YouTube. However, another facet of Pokémon card collecting remains popular: buying extremely rare ones at auctions. 

For example, a rare Illustrator Pikachu card sold for nearly $1 million last month. Now, the latest rare Pokémon card sold at auction is making the rounds in the trading card community: a Snap Magikarp card, one of 20 known to exist. First reported by Nintendo Life, these Snap cards were given to winners of a Pokémon Snap competition held in Japan decades ago. If you were a winner, your winning Pokémon Snap in-game photograph was turned into an actual Pokémon card, so not only are these rare right off the bat as a result but only 20 of each was made.

Nintendo Life reports that one of 20 Snap Magikarp cards was recently sold at a Japanese auction for 5 million yen, or roughly $136,000. You can watch this video about the card below, uploaded by smpratte, the person who appears to be the winner: 

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Update, 3/17/22:

Sony has responded to the latest allegations of sexism and misconduct filed in an ongoing lawsuit by eight more women that previously worked at the company. 

This news comes by way of Axios, which reports that Sony Interactive Entertainment says it is taking these allegations seriously. 

"To be sure, SIE takes the substance of the newly submitted declarations seriously," the company's lawyers write in a new court filing. "Although most are by former employees who no longer work at SIE, SIE either has addressed or will address the issues raised in them in due course, as SIE values its female employees and takes proactive steps to ensure they have every opportunity to thrive and be heard." 

Despite this, Sony is still conceding to none of the legal accusations made against it, as noted by Axios, as the company is still seeking that a court dismisses the case, which is in the process of growing into a class-action lawsuit. For more about the lawsuit and updates on it since the start, read the original story below. 

The original story continues below...

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Original Story, 3/9/22:

Eight more women, some current and some former employees, have added their accounts of sexism experienced at Sony PlayStation to a proposed class-action lawsuit. 

Platform: Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Finji
Developer: Tunic Team
Release: March 16, 2022
Rating: Everyone 10+

First revealed as Secret Legend way back in 2015, Andrew Shouldice's Tunic is now out, with a surprise day-one launch on Xbox Game Pass yesterday. It's also available on PC, and regardless of where you decide to play, it's well worth your time – it's a Game Informer must-play title, after all, receiving a 9.75 out of 10 in our review. 

Platform: PlayStation 4, Switch, Xbox, PC
Publisher: LucasArts, Aspyr
Developer: LucasArts
Release: February 28, 2005 (Xbox), March 1, 2005 (PC), April 6, 2021 (PlayStation 4, Switch)
Rating: Teen

Platform: Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Finji
Developer: Tunic Team
Release: March 16, 2022
Rating: Everyone 10+

The long-awaited indie, Tunic, just released, and it’s one of Game Informer’s best-reviewed titles of 2022 so far. Part of the game’s magic stems from its cryptic nature, and even the simplest things, from where to go to how to use items, can be puzzling. So, having beaten the game and uncovered many of its hidden secrets, I’m ready to dish out some specially constructed hints. These spoiler-free suggestions won’t rob you of the satisfaction of figuring things out for yourself but may just help you avoid pitfalls.

Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers now have access to three additional titles, this time all Sega Genesis games: Alien Soldier, Super Fantasy Zone, and Light Crusader. 

Announced in a press release, these retro games are now available to download and play if you’re a subscriber to Nintendo’s premium Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service, which gives you access to not just Sega Genesis games, but Nintendo 64 titles as well. Here’s what to expect with each of these three Sega Genesis games:

Alien Soldier

“In Alien Soldier, the acclaimed developers at Treasure invite you to take on the role of a bird-man with steel wings in his fight against 25 bosses. In this challenging game, you can learn new tactics with every defeat…or take advantage of that handy Rewind feature to perfect your run.”

Alien Soldier is a run-and-gun action game first released for the Genesis in 1995. In the U.S., it was only available via the Sega Channel cable service. The game was re-released on the PlayStation 2, and years later, it was released again on the Wii Virtual Channel and Steam. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Supermassive Games
Release: June 10, 2022
Rating: Mature

In most '70s and '80s slashers, the rules are clear: if you have sex, you die. If you don't have sex, you live. Take the original Halloween, one of the more famous examples of the trope. Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is a slightly nerdy, romantically inept character. While her friends Annie and Lynda (played by Nancy Kyes and P.J. Soles, respectively) are with their boyfriends, Strode is stuck babysitting. Annie and Lynda are brutally murdered by killer Michael Myers – the former on her way to pick up her boyfriend, and the latter immediately post-sex. Strode, a virgin, fights back, ultimately being saved and avoiding death. 

Platform: PC
Publisher: Humble Games
Developer: Pocketwatch Games

Monaco: What’s Yours Is Mine lets players live out their movie heist fantasies either alone or in a group when it launched in 2013. The newly announced Monaco II enlists fans back for one more job nearly a decade later.

Monaco II features procedurally generated 3D environments emphasizing verticality. During today’s Humble Games Showcase, creator Andy Schatz discussed the design by saying players can now break into buildings by scaling their walls or tunneling underneath them. You can even repel from the ceilings of some rooms Mission Impossible-style. Monaco 2 remains a top-down isometric game, but improved camera mechanics will seemingly provide more angles on the action.   

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Platform: PC
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Developer: Daniel Mullins Games
Release: October 19, 2021
Rating: Not rated

Last December, creator Daniel Mullens announced the beta for a mini-expansion to his acclaimed deck builder Inscryption called Kaycee’s Mod. The mode would allow players to indefinitely replay the game’s cabin section in a roguelike fashion but accessing it required players to (intentionally) jump through some hoops. After months of tweaking, Kaycee’s Mod is complete and readily available. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Release: May 7, 2021
Rating: Mature

Netflix has released a trio of bloody posters for its upcoming live-action Resident Evil series alongside news that the horror show will hit the streaming service this July. 

More specifically, the series, which is simply called Resident Evil, will hit Netflix on July 14. The posters reveal this release date and unfortunately, for those looking for some more story details, that’s about it. However, the three posters are very nice to look at thanks to their minimalistic (and still bloody) design. 

Private Division, a publishing label within Take-Two Interactive, revealed four new publishing partnerships to join its portfolio of titles that already include games like Kerbal Space Program, OlliOlli World, The Outer Worlds, and more. 

This news comes by way of a press release from Private Division, where the publisher reveals that one of these new partnerships is with Yellow Brick Games, a studio comprised of former Dragon Age developers, including Mike Laidlaw, Assassin’s Creed devs, and more. The other partnerships are with developers Die Gute Fabrik, Evening Star, and Piccolo Studio. 

“At Private Division, we champion the best reactive talent in the games industry, and these four teams and the experiences that they are building represent an array of genres that will appeal to many different gaming audiences,” Private Division executive vice president Michael Worosz said. “Die Gute Fabrik, Evening Star, Piccolo Studio, and Yellow Brick Games each have their own wildly diverse creative visions, and we’re thrilled to help introduce their games to the world.” 

Die Gute Fabrik was founded in 2008 by Nils Deneken and is now led by CEO Hannah Nicklin. They are perhaps best known for Mutazione. With this new partnership, the studio “aims to draw inspiration from a variety of disciplines and histories, and to push the boundaries of what games can be,” according to a press release. The studio is working on a new story-driven game. 

Platform: PlayStation VR
Publisher: Polyarc
Developer: Polyarc
Release: March 31, 2022
Rating: Everyone 10+

Despite getting a grand reveal in last year’s PlayStation State of Play showcase, developer Polyarc has been almost as quiet as a mouse on the game’s details. However, the floodgates are about to open. Fans can look forward to Moss: Book 2 unfolding on PSVR March 31.

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Developer: From Software
Release: February 25, 2022

Bandai Namco and From Software announced yesterday that Elden Ring has already sold more than 12 million copies, revealing that the companies are planning to extend the brand beyond just video games. Now, From Software has released a new update for Elden Ring, Patch 1.03, and it brings a ton of changes and fixes to the open-world, action RPG. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Rebellion Developments
Developer: Rebellion
Release: May 26, 2022
Rating: Mature

Rebellion's latest in its sharpshooting World War II series, Sniper Elite 5 now has a release date, and it's just a few months away. Fans of Karl Fairburne's Nazi slaying adventures will get to play the new installment on May 26 when it releases globally. Along with the announcement, Rebellion has released a brand new trailer which you can conveniently view with your eyes in the video player below.

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Platform: PlayStation 5, PC
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Release: October 11, 2022

Heroes come in many different forms, and stepping into the role isn’t an easy decision. Sometimes it’s done out of necessity, while other times, it comes down to a person’s honor and virtue. In some instances, even greed and fanfare drive these desires. No matter the reasoning, it takes great confidence and courage to take up the mantle, and sometimes finding those attributes is what makes a hero’s journey so interesting. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Release: 2022

Escape rooms have become increasingly popular over the last decade, but not everyone has one in their area or the time/friends to complete one. Escape Academy brings the concept home as a co-op puzzler.

Revealed during today’s ID@Xbox showcase, the game comes from publisher iam8bit Presents and tasks players, either alone or with one other partner, to become the ultimate escape artist by unraveling a variety of puzzling locations under a time limit. The reveal trailer shows off locations such as a “mundane” office rapidly filling with gas to something as elaborate as an American Ninja Warrior-esque obstacle arena. Since you control a student attending an escape room-centric academy, you can explore the puzzle-laden campus and meet its colorful faculty members. Co-op is both local and online, with the trailer showing off split-screen gameplay.

Platform: Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Finji
Developer: Tunic Team
Release: March 16, 2022
Rating: Everyone 10+

ID@Xbox focuses on indies and other titles. If you missed today's event or are looking for a recap of everything highlighted during it, we have you covered. Here’s everything announced during today’s ID@Xbox event. 

Platform: Switch
Publisher: The Pokémon Company
Developer: Ilca, Game Freak
Release: November 19, 2021
Rating: Everyone

Reviewed on: PC
Also on: Xbox One
Publisher: Finji
Developer: Tunic Team
Release: March 16, 2022
Rating: Everyone 10+

Tunic brilliantly captures the feeling of that special childhood title that made you fall in love with video games. Using a virtual simulation of an old-school guidebook, the game masterfully balances telling players almost nothing with giving them all the information they need. The result is a game brimming with genuine, triumphant discovery.

With its every pixel stuffed with reverence for gaming as a medium, Tunic revels in its historically inspired design. Players steeped in the hobby’s traditions will find following their instincts richly rewarding as they quest through its gorgeous world. Impressively, Tunic also melds the charm of the past with the sensibility of modern titles. As an isometric action/adventure, Tunic has a heaping helping of early Zelda games with generous handfuls of the Souls titles thrown in for good measure. It’s a winning combination.

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Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Developer: Bandai Namco
Release: 2022

Digimon Survive has been floating around the digital ether for a few years now, and while there’s still no release date in sight, a new teaser trailer introduces us to the cast. 

Though the video premiered earlier this month during Digmon Con, today’s trailer is an English version of it. Digimon Survive is a tactical RPG that stars Takuma Momozuka, a student who gets transported to the Digital World during a school camping trip. He befriends fan-favorite Digimon, Agumon, and sets out to save the world from danger. He’s not alone though. A party of fellow youngsters and their respective Digimon partners accompany Takuma and Agumon, who you can meet in the trailer below.

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Publisher: PlayStation Studios
Developer: Guerrilla Games
Release: February 18, 2022
Rating: Teen

Guerrilla Games is hard at work at making Horizon Forbidden West the best it can possibly be, fixing bugs and progression blocks, improving its visuals, and more. 

Today, Patch 1.08 went live and like the patches before it, it brings a wealth of fixes to the open-world RPG alongside some graphical improvements. As usual, the patch notes also include issues Guerrilla Games is aware of but still working to fix.

Platform: PC
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Release: November 11, 2022

Bethesda released the second episode of its Into the Starfield series today. The developer diaries provide glimpses into the game’s development with discussions from the designers about what the game entails while sprinkling concept art and even some light game footage. 

EA has revealed that it will not be holding its usual EA Play Live event this year, which is traditionally an event the company uses to reveal new games and share more info about existing games, typically held during the summer. 

This news comes by way of IGN, which reports that rather than hosting an EA Play Live event like in previous summers, the publisher will instead reveal more about its projects “when the time is right for each of them.” Here’s what an EA representative told IGN in a statement sent to the publication: 

“We love EA Play Live as it’s our way of connecting with our players and sharing what’s new with all of you. However, this year things aren’t lining up to show you everything on one date. We have exciting things happening at our world-class studios and this year, we’ll reveal much more about these projects when the time is right for each of them. We look forward to spending time with you throughout the year.” 

EA Play Live events have basically become EA’s own E3-like showcase, with the publisher even opting to hold it usually around the same time as E3. It’s been doing EA Play Live since 2016. Before the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the event was a live in-person event where players could play things shown during the showcase and more. However, as a result of the pandemic, the event became a steaming one, akin to something like a Nintendo Direct or PlayStation State of Play. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Developer: From Software
Release: February 25, 2022

Elden Ring has been out for just 20 days and already, it’s sold a meteoric 12 million copies, making it the best-selling From Software Soulsborne game yet. 

One of my favorite recently-created and thankfully recurring events is returning this month in the form of a third Japan Fighting Game Publishers Roundtable. Thanks to Fighters Generation, we know who's scheduled to show up to the panel.

Traditionally, some of the companies involved bring some sort of news or update for their ongoing products or upcoming projects. Whether it be new character DLC plans being announced, the first look at a trailer, or plans for additional tournament support, these roundtables have provided something to get excited about in fighting games.

「第3回 日本格ゲーメーカー連合会」を生配信決定🎥

全6社が参戦し、格ゲーをテーマに語ります‼
セガからは青木チーフプロデューサーが初登場✨

配信はこちらより、3 月21 日（月・祝）15 時～👇https://t.co/pJ5zZwYUnD#日本格ゲーメーカー連合会 #VFes #バーチャファイター pic.twitter.com/b7WlfTlhnL

— セガ公式アカウント🦔 (@SEGA_OFFICIAL) March 15, 2022

The confirmed guests for this roundtable include:

Platform: Switch, PC
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Release: March 26, 2021 (Switch), January 12, 2022 (PC)

Along with a June release date, Capcom revealed brand new locations and monsters coming to Monster Hunter Rise with the upcoming Sunbreak expansion. You can watch the entire digital event and read about the exciting new monsters, characters, and locals below.

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Platform: PlayStation 5, PC
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: Tango Gameworks
Release: March 25, 2022
Rating: Teen

Ghostwire: Tokyo launches in just over a week, and PlayStation 5 players will have a lot to consider in terms of getting the most out of the spooky experience. That’s because the game sports not one, not two, but six graphical and performance options.

We’re reviewing Ghostwire: Tokyo and have listed each mode along with their in-game explanation. However, the game only lays out what the two primary modes do, which are:  

Quality Mode: A high-fidelity rendering mode with ray tracing enabled. 30 FPS limit

Platform: PlayStation 5, PC
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: Tango Gameworks
Release: March 25, 2022
Rating: Teen

GhostWire Tokyo, one of our most anticipated horror games of 2022, is incredibly stylish. Developer Tango Gameworks' open-world environments are as ambitious as they are unsettling, as twisting hallways and shifting rooms give way to dreadful encounters with Yōkai – wayward spirits inspired by Japanese folklore. In this episode of New Gameplay Today, I sit down with Blake Hester to share our preview impressions from the second chapter of GhostWire Tokyo. We're accompanied by footage from my hands-on gameplay session, which I captured via PS5 performance mode. 

Platform: Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Developer: 343 Industries
Release: December 8, 2021
Rating: Teen

Halo: The Series is set to premiere on Paramount+ next week, on March 24, and to prepare viewers for the journey ahead, a new two-minute trailer has been released. 

The trailer features voice-over by multiple characters we’ll likely learn more about in the series, including what sounds like Dr. Halsey and others. It, of course, features plenty of the Covenant, including an Elite with a sword, and a handful of very-cool Master Chief moments. 

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