The Witcher Being Remade in Unreal Engine 5
The first Witcher will be receiving a full makeover and remake from Fool’s Theory and CD Projekt Red
TLDR:
CD Projekt Red recently announced that studio Fool’s Theory will be remaking the first Witcher game in Unreal Engine 5. CDPR’s full announcement can be read here.
CDPR has been on announcing spree as of late, likely to maximize their popularity following the Edgerunners Anime and Cyberpunk 2077 resurgence. Project “Canis Majoris”, as it was announced a few weeks back, is actually the Witcher 1 remake. The remake is being headed up by Fool’s Theory a polish based studio that has worked on titles such as Outriders and Baldur’s Gate III.
In their statement the Cyberpunk developer said, “The Witcher is where it all started for us, for CD PROJEKT RED. It was the first game we made, ever, and it was a big moment for us then.”
CDPR has asked “for patience” as it will be some time before they reveal any more details about the project. With this being a full remake, and not a remaster, I would expect a lengthy wait.
Netflix is Developing 55 Games
Netflix recently stated they have 55 more games in development
TLDR:
Netflix via their Q3 investor letter stated that they have “55 more games in development”. They also went on to explain their bullishness around gaming, and pointed to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and CP2077’s recent surge in player count.
Netflix launched their gaming service in 2021 and have since been adding additional games to its library. While some titles are simply ports it seems Netflix is interested in developing first party titles as well. Netflix now has 35 games on the service and that is included in every Netflix subscription. All indications say the company is happy with sign that gameplay is leading to “higher retention”. In a Q3 investor letter, Netflix stated they have 55 games currently in development, some based on Netflix IPs.
Former Activision/Blizzard Executive Producer, Chacko Sonny will be opening a studio under the Netflix. Sonny has worked on titles such as Overwatch and God of War. Netflix currently has four studios under its umbrella, with Sonny’s being the eventual fifth. Netflix has also said they are “very seriously” considering a cloud gaming service similar to Amazon’s Luna, or Google’s Now dead Stadia.
More games in more places is always good, but it will be interesting to see if Netflix can succeed, or if in a year or two we are talking about another tech giant failing in the gaming space.
God of War Behind the Scenes Documentary Announced
PlayStation will be releasing a behind the scenes on the making of God of War: Ragnarok
TLDR:
God of War: Ragnarok will be getting a Behind the Scenes with a new one coming each Tuesday for the next nine weeks. The series will air on PlayStation’s YouTube Channel. The first part of the series will be listed below.
The God Of War: Ragnarok Behind the Scenses series will take viewers through the Nine Realms over the next nine weeks, see what they did there? Santa Monica Studio will be sharing details on the story, development, and technical aspects during the creation process and how it shaped the game we will play on November 9th. The goal with this series to bring a light to the developers and creative teams that have made the game possible, Sony said in their announcement that it will “bring you insights from many of the team members who have made this possible.”
If this is anything like the Raising Kratos series they released with God of War (2018), then this is sure to be a great highlight and homage to the work that everyone at Santa Monica Studio has put into this wrap up of the Norse story of the God of War franchise.
God of War: Ragnarok releases November 9th, 2022 on both PS4 and PS5.
DualSense Edge Wireless Controller Releases January 26
PlayStation announced the release date and features of their upcoming DualSense Edge Controller
TLDR:
The DualSense Edge controller will release January 26th and will cost $199.99 USD/¥29,980/€239.99/£209.99. Additional information can be found on Playstation’s blog post here.
Pre-order’s start, on October 25th, for PlayStation’s newest premium controller the DualSense Edge. Premium comes at a price, prices are as follows: $199.99 USD/¥29,980/€239.99/£209.99.
DualSense Edge’s features include “button remapping, the ability to fine-tune stick sensitivity and triggers, options to swap between multiple control profiles, and a unique on-controller user interface.” The Edge will also still have the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers found on the PS5 controllers.
The most notable feature is the swappable analog sticks, which in theory should eliminate the need for buying an entirely new controller once stick drift sets in. The replaceable stick modules will be available January 26th as well for $19.99 USD/¥2,680 (including tax)/€24.99/£19.99.
Here is everything PlayStation listed as coming with the DualSense Edge:
USB braided cable
2 Standard caps
2 High dome caps
2 Low dome caps
2 Half dome back buttons
2 Lever back buttons
Connector housing
Carrying case
The Callisto Protocol Newest Trailer ft. Karen Fukuhara
The Callisto Protocol’s newest trailer “The Truth of Black Iron” shows off new characters and gameplay animations
TLDR:
The Callisto Protocol’s developer recently released a new trailer showing some in-game cinematics featuring Karen Fukuhara (The Boys) and Josh Duhamel (Transformers). Callisto Protocol releases December 2nd for PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS4, PS5, and Xbox One.
The Callisto Protocol is being directed by Glen Schofield, and based on footage available, looks to very much be a spiritual successor to the Dead Space franchise co-created by Schofield. The Callisto Protocol will be aiming for a visceral sci-fi horror experience, paired with deep story telling, and A-list acting. Gameplay that was shown earlier this year looks brutal as mistakes and errors can make for some horrifying deaths and the combat looks brutal and gory as well.
In the new Black Iron trailer we get a look at some in-game cinematics, featuring Karen Fukuhara, and some additional gameplay. Fukuhara has recently stared in Suicide Squad as well as the hit series The Boys. Based on the trailer her character model looks very accurate to her and in general the game’s facial animations look very life like. We also got a good look at Josh Duhamel’s (Transformers 2007) character and the notable actors in the game are starting to add up.
The Callisto Protocol will be releasing December 2nd on PS5, PC, Xbox Series S/X, and PS4, Xbox One.
Stadia Shutting Down in January
Stadia will be shut down in January 2023.
TLDR:
Google has said Stadia will be shut down by mid-January of 2023. Refunds for games and hardware purchased through the Stadia and Google Store are set to be refunded.
You can read the full statement from Stadia General Manager, Phil Harrison, here.
Google recently made the announcement that they would be winding down, and most importantly, refunding all Stadia purchases by mid-January of 2023. This comes after repeated denial of the service shutting down. Google has said that all hardware and software (games, DLC, etc.) will be refunded. Most if not all refunds are expected to close on or before mid to late January. Stadia owners will continue to have access to their library and platform until January 18th.
In a recent statement Stadia General Manager, Phil Harrison, said Stadia “hasn't gained the traction with users that we expected so we’ve made the difficult decision to begin winding down our Stadia streaming service,”.
Harrison remains bullish on the core tech behind Stadia stating that they still see ways to “apply this technology across other parts of Google like YouTube, Google Play, and our Augmented Reality (AR) efforts—as well as make it available to our industry partners, which aligns with where we see the future of gaming headed,”. He also went on to say Google is “deeply committed to gaming”.
Add another product to the Google Graveyard.
RIP Stadia 2019-2023
Scorn Release Date Moved Up
Scorn will release one week earlier than anticipated
TLDR:
Scorn will be releasing October 14th instead of the previous 21st. Scorn will be released on Xbox Series S/X and PC as a Day One Game Pass title.
Scorn is a walking-sim/puzzler that seems deeply inspired by H.R. Giger’s work, Giger is best known for his work on the Alien franchise. The hands on experiences from reviewers is a bit of a mixed bag, although a general consensus is that the game visually interesting. This is none to surprising based on the concept art and in-game footage that has already been shown.
Scorn was initially announced back in 2014 and then followed up with a pair Kickstarter campaigns. In a time where delays are more the norm, a bit of welcomed news is coming from EBB Software in the moving forward of release date of Scorn. Scorn will now release October 14th instead of the previous October 21st it was slated for. EBB did not provide a reason for the change, but a moved up date is surely welcomed.
The Last of Us Trailer
The Last of Us trailer gives us our first look at the highly anticipated show.
TLDR:
HBO and Naughty Dog Released a trailer for the upcoming Last of Us show. The trailer showcased both Joel and Ellie, and the world as a whole. The trailer is linked below and it looks great and very game accurate. The Last of us will be on HBO and HBO Max in 2023 per the trailer.
The trailer must be watched to fully appreciate but Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey look incredible as Joel and Ellie respectively. It really seems like HBO and Naughty Dog have worked hard to bring a game-accurate representation of the beloved franchise. Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) is producing and if the quality and immersion of Chernobyl is the benchmark the Last of Us is sure to be a great watch. Last of Us will release on HBO and HBO MAX in 2023, an exact release date is unknown at this point.
GTA 6 Gameplay Leak (Rockstar Responds)
A recent leak of GTA 6 surfaced online and Rockstar put out a statement
TLDR:
A leak surfaced online of a very early build of GTA 6. The breach came from an external third party and was illegally accessed. Rockstar issued a statement acknowledging the leak’s authenticity and was “extremely disappointed” by the breach.
Leaks on Leaks on Leaks
Grand Theft Auto 5 was one of the most successful pieces of entertainment ever created. Throughout its life GTA 5 has netted Rockstar over $6 Billion in revenue. The massive success has lead to wild speculation about and anticipation for the successor in GTA 6. So much so that a recent “hacker” illegally accessed and distributed nearly 90 minutes of in-game play from GTA 6. The footage was from a very early (potentially pre-alpha) build and should be taken with a dump truck full of salt, but robberies, gunplay, conversations, and the the male and female protagonists were all shown in the recordings.
Rockstar issued a statement acknowledging the authenticity of these videos and expressed their disappointment. Rest assured Rockstar has said this will not affect development or release of the game. Reception to this very early build video were mixed to say the least. Many seemed furious by the quality, textures, and shading shown, which is ridiculous to be frustrated at given how early on in development these clips were from. In their statement Rockstar also committed to updating everyone soon and to introduce it “properly” when it’s ready. Video game development is a long complex process and even the best games look unfinished and choppy when they are …. unfinished.
I think it best to wait for Rockstar to show GTA 6 when it’s ready before jumping on the “this game is going to be awful” wagon.
Rockstar Statement
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 and Reveal
TLDR:
Activision held a livestream showing off Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0 gameplay and information. MWII releases on October 28th 2022 while Warzone 2.0 will release November 16th.
Activision will be releasing the multiplayer and campaign for Modern Warfare II on Friday, October 28th, 2022 across all platforms. An exact release date for Warzone 2.0 has also been announced and is set for November 16 2022 across all platforms. It has been confirmed that betas will be coming for Modern Warfare II, with the first coming to PlayStation pre-orders. The need for explanation infographics to convey beta release times is an issue but not a surprising one given Activision’s affinity for pre-order prioritization.
Beta Information
A multiplayer beta will be available to everyone but only after some exclusive windows for both PlayStation and customers who pre-ordered.
Beta times are as follows:
PlayStation Pre-orders: September 16-17
All PlayStation: 18-20
All Platforms Pre-orders: September 22-23
All Platforms Open Beta: 24-26
Activision
Showcase Event Recap and Link
Activision and Infinity Ward held a showcase event and multiplayer reveal on September 15th. The livestream had over 370K concurrent viewers on YouTube alone. Jump to the 32-ish minute mark for the actual showcase start.
Al Mazrah is the name of the new map in Warzone 2.0 and takes place in a fictional region of Western Asia. A new game zone mechanic will be in place where multiple circles appear and change instead of the single circle in most BRs. A revamped Gulag 2.0 is also coming where players will battle in 2v2 instead of the 1v1 of the original. There will be additional AI added to increase the situational combat of the Warzone experience.
Deathloop Coming to Xbox Game Pass 9/20
Deathloop will be coming to Xbox and Game Pass
TLDR:
Deathloop is coming to Game Pass and Xbox storefront on 9/20. You can pre-install or pre-order as of 9/15.
With Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda and all of its IP there is no surprise in hearing that Deathloop will be coming to Game Pass. The game had an initial exclusive launch window with PlayStation, prior to the closing acquisition of Bethesda to Microsoft. Deathloop currently sits at an 88% and 87% for PS5 and PC, respectively, and received some recognition at the Game Awards last year, walking away with Best Game Direction and Best Art Direction.
Deathloop will be available on 9/20, for Game Pass, Game Pass Ultimate, and Xbox All Access — pre-orders and pre-loads will be available on 9/15.
Sony State of Play 9/13/22
Sony State of Play Livestream and Recap
TLDR:
Sony held a State of Play and showed off various upcoming titles. The video linked below is the entire showcase.
Sony recently hosted a State of Play and provided updates on a number of games coming to the PlayStation. Sony said this show would focus largely on the Japanese Developments and for the most part that was what was shown over the course of the 22-ish minute presentation.
Some of the games and updates included in this showcase:
Tekken
Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge (VR)
Damio (VR)
Pacific Drive
Rise of the Ronin
Like a Dragon Ishin
God of War: Ragnarok
Cyberpunk 2077 Expansion and More Announcements
Cyberpunk has an upcoming expansion
TLDR:
Cyberpunk will be getting its only and final expansion named ‘Phantom Liberty’ and a VP at CDPR recently committed to making more Cyberpunk content.
Cyberpunk 2077, despite its controversial launch and post-launch debacles remains, in my opinion, a great RPG set in one of my favorite worlds and sub-genres.
MIchal Nowakowski, VP of Business Development at CD Projekt Red, recently commented on the future of the Cyberpunk IP during an earnings call. Nowakowski said: "we’re totally fully committed to developing the Cyberpunk IP further, beyond this particular Cyberpunk expansion." This is welcomed news for fans of the Cyberpunk universe as this is the first firm commitment that more content will be coming in the future.
CD Projekt Red also recently announced the upcoming and final expansion for Cyberpunk 2077 dubbed “Phantom Liberty”. It seems Keanu Reeves is also reprising his Johnny Silverhand role based on the trailer below. Given Cyberpunk’s various endings it will be interesting to see how they canonize V’s story leading into Phantom Liberty. Additionally CDPR announced an upcoming modding tool (REDMod) that is sure to bring a lot of community content into the game.
Couple the commitment from Nowakowski with the success of Netflix’s Cyberpunk Edgerunners and the recently announced Phantom Liberty , things are looking positive for the Cyberpunk IP and its fans.