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Sony offers up more details on their plan for the PlayStation 5

Posted on May 21, 2019 by John Scalzo

Sony has been quietly talking up the PlayStation 5 a lot this Spring, and now they’ve offered up even more details about the next-generation platform during their most recent Investor Relations Day.

The PS5 is known internally as the “PlayStation Next Gen,” and it’s expected to deliver lightning-fast loading times on PS4 titles. Using Spider-Man as an example, Sony showed that players on the PlayStation Next Gen could be ready to play in just 0.83 seconds, versus 8.1 seconds on a PS4 Pro. This comparison is important as the PlayStation Next Gen will include full backwards compatibility with the PS4.

Sony isn’t ready to discuss when the PlayStation Next Gen will be released, or how much it’ll cost, or what its launch lineup will look like, but the consolemaker did confirm that the platform will include an “All New CPU and GPU,” as well as support for Ray Tracing and visuals up to 8K Resolution, a Blu-ray Drive, a Solid State Drive, and 3D Audio.

However, this next-generation console doesn’t mean that the PS4 is going away anytime soon. According to Sony, the PS4 will “remain the engine of engagement and profitability for the next three years.” They also reconfirmed that Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II, Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding, and Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima will all be released for the PS4. That said, the report doesn’t rule out a cross-generational PS5 re-release for all of these games (though neither does it confirm one).

While Sony has no plans to give up the Blu-ray disc format or full-game downloads, the consolemaker is hoping for an increased focus on PlayStation Now streaming with their next-generation console. Currently, PlayStation Now is sitting at 700,000 subscribers, but Sony projects that the service’s subscriber base will increase to more than five million after the launch of the PlayStation Next Gen.

You can view Sony’s entire presentation about the future of the PlayStation platform within the consolemaker’s Investor Relations Day report.

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New Retail Releases: Team Sonic Racing, More

Posted on May 20, 2019 by John Scalzo

Sonic the Hedgehog is stepping out of his famous red sneakers this week and strapping on a racing helmet in Team Sonic Racing, which will be available for the PS4, Switch, and Xbox One (and as a digital download for the PC).

The Blue Blur’s latest automotive aspirations will be joined on store shelves this week by a slew of pair of less-speedy new releases. Sony and Clap Hanz will tee it up in virtual reality in Everybody’s Golf VR for the PS4. And Koei Tecmo will begin writing the next chapter in the Atelier series with the launch of Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland for the PS4 and Switch.

Elsewhere on store shelves, publishers and developers continue to fill out the Switch’s library with seemingly every game ever released. During the next seven days, Ubisoft will bring Assassin’s Creed III Remastered (which contains the original game and the Liberation spinoff) to the Switch, while Capcom will package together a Resident Evil Origins Collection (Resident Evil and Resident Evil 0) for the platform, and 11 Bit Studios will do the same for This War of Mine: Complete Edition.

And speaking of expansions, Bethesda will release The Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One (UPDATE: The release of the Elsweyr expansion was delayed to June 4).

Finally this week, Oculus will expand their product line with a pair of standalone VR headsets (the Oculus Quest 64GB and the Oculus Quest 128GB), as well as the PC-powered Oculus Rift S.

You can find even more new releases after the break. (more…)

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Rumor: Cold War-centered Call of Duty 2020 scrapped in favor of Black Op 5

Posted on May 19, 2019 by John Scalzo

Activision has been promoting their “Three-Year Cycle” for new entries in the Call of Duty franchise for close to a decade now, but it looks like that roadmap has hit a bit of a snag heading into 2020.

With Call of Duty 2019 currently in development at Infinity Ward, it was assumed that Sledgehammer Games would take the reins on next year’s title. But if a new report on Kotaku is to be believed, Activision has decided to transfer 2020’s entry to Treyarch, who will take the skeleton of its standalone story (which would have been set during the Cold War) and rejigger it into Call of Duty: Black Ops 5.

According to the site’s Jason Schreier, the trouble began when “Call of Duty 2020” was designated as a co-production between Sledgehammer and Raven Studios. The two studios were unable to work together, and development stalled. But rather than take 2020 off, the publisher is pushing Treyarch up in the rotation to produce Black Ops 5:

For 2020, Activision had originally switched things up, assigning the Wisconsin-based support studio Raven to take a leadership role alongside Sledgehammer to make a Call of Duty game set during the Cold War (likely involving Vietnam). As of very recently, that’s changed. Now Treyarch, based in Santa Monica, California, is in charge of leading Call of Duty: Black Ops 5 for 2020.

According to those briefed on the overhaul, Treyarch will take creative leadership on this new Black Ops while Raven and Sledgehammer will serve as support studios for the game, transforming the work they’ve done on their own single-player story mode into a campaign for Black Ops 5, which will also be set during the Cold War.

Activision declined to comment on the report, as they’re busy preparing to unveil Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty 2019 (widely expected to be Modern Warfare 4) sometime in the next few weeks.

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Craft your own world with the AR-powered mobile game Minecraft Earth

Posted on May 17, 2019 by John Scalzo

In the ten years since it launched, Minecraft has slowly taken over the gaming world with its blocky environments and promises of limitless creativity. But now it looks like Microsoft and Mojang want to help the franchise take over the actual Earth with the announcement of Minecraft Earth.

Minecraft Earth is currently in development for iOS and Android devices, and according to an FAQ, it’ll give players the opportunity to build Minecraft-style creations in the real world through their smartphone’s screen in an augmented reality game that should operate similarly to Pokemon Go:

What is Minecraft Earth?
Minecraft Earth is an all-new augmented reality game you can play on your mobile devices that brings the Minecraft world into our universe! Through the lens of the game, you’ll be able to build creations with friends and place them in the real world at life-size.

You’ll discover exciting new mobs to use in your builds. And you may need to put your survival skills to the test as you explore a new side to your neighborhood and battle Minecraft mobs in real life!

Minecraft Earth is currently planned as a free-to-play game, and it should launch sometime in the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, a Closed Beta will be available this Summer, and if you’re interested in checking out the next evolution of Minecraft before anyone else, you can apply for a invitation at Minecraft.net.

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Castlevania Anniversary Collection’s Launch Trailer is here to whip your retro gaming memories into shape

Posted on May 16, 2019 by John Scalzo

Konami has released more than 30 titles in the sprawling Castlevania franchise beginning with the Akumajo Dracula in Japan in 1986, and fans will get the chance to relive some of the earliest adventures of the Belmonts (and their allies) in the newly-launched Castlevania Anniversary Collection.

Available to download now for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One, the Castlevania Anniversary Collection includes eight games from the first eight years of the franchise. That lineup includes three games that originally appeared on the NES (1987’s Castlevania, 1988’s Castlevania: Simon’s Quest, and 1990’s Castlevania: Dracula’s Curse), two Game Boy spinoffs (1989’s Castlevania: The Adventure and 1991’s Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge), the first two 16-bit adventures (1991’s Super Castlevania IV and 1994’s Castlevania: Bloodlines), and Kid Dracula, a comedic reworking of the franchise that had never been released outside of Japan until now.

If those titles are stirring up a few nostalgic memories of pixelated vampire hunting, then you’ll definitely want to take a look at Castlevania Anniversary Collection’s Launch Trailer, which has been embedded above.

The Castlevania Anniversary Collection is part of Konami’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. An Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection was released back in April and the publisher will continue their retro rewind with the Contra Anniversary Collection later this Summer.

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John Romero’s Sigil “MegaWAD” for Doom has been delayed

Posted on May 16, 2019 by John Scalzo

As the co-creator of Doom, John Romero will always have a special connection to the first person shooter masterpiece. In celebration of the game’s 25th anniversary, Romero decided to venture back to one of his earliest triumphs and create a brand new “MegaWAD” for Doom known as Sigil. In Romero’s eyes, this free update would serve as the unofficial fifth episode to the game.

Sigil was originally expected to be available in February, but it’s unfortunately hit a handful of snags along the way. Delays seem to be inevitable with Romero’s projects, but put away your Daikatana jokes, as the developer has admitted (via Twitter) that the most recent problem lies with the production of the limited Beast Box at Limited Run Games:

Sigil has been done for quite a while at this point. There were two production issues at Limited Run — the [pewter statue of John Romero’s head on a spike] and the [soundtrack] disk. The head is now heading through production.

All units are crafted and finished by an individual artist. The second is the disk which is expected in shortly. There was also an issue with that. These are beyond the control of Romero Games, and we desperately wish that we could release it right now. We regret the delay, and have expressed your frustration to Limited Run.

Romero would go on to say that while he isn’t happy with the delay, it’s required because he and Limited Run want to ensure the components in Sigil’s Beast Box are built with the highest quality parts:

We’re sorry. We want Sigil in your hands more than you know. We have to wait until Beast Box players get it before we release the free version. For their part, Limited Run isn’t happy with the delays either, and looks forward to releasing the game.

The Limited Run team has been doing everything it can to resolve the delays and are as frustrated as we are. We all want the game in our hands. The delays are due to making these items higher quality, because we and Limited Run believe you deserve the best possible product. They could have accepted earlier revisions and shipped an inferior product, but we both believe that you deserve better.

A new release date for Sigil wasn’t announced, but it should be available soon.

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Nintendo will add a Story Mode, Mario 3D World Style, co-op play, and a lot more to Super Mario Maker 2

Posted on May 15, 2019 by John Scalzo

Thanks to the game’s Announcement Trailer, fans already knew all about the addition of slopes and the Angry Sun to Super Mario Maker 2. But today’s new Nintendo Direct has pulled the red curtain back on even more new features coming to the course building game. The entire is definitely a watch (or a rewatch if you’ve already seen it), but let’s look at some of the highlights…

Nintendo included more than 60 pre-built courses in the original Super Mario Maker, and it looks like they’re increasing that number in the sequel. Super Mario Maker 2 will include a brand new Story Mode that contains more than 100 courses crafted by designers at Nintendo:

In the single-player Story Mode, which can be played entirely offline, Mario sets out to help rebuild Princess Peach’s castle. To fund this reconstruction project, he needs to collect Coins, which he can earn by accepting jobs from the bulletin board and completing the associated courses. Story Mode is a great way for makers to get inspired, with more than 100 original Nintendo-crafted courses to play.

Nintendo is encouraging prospective course creators to use Story Mode as a place to find new ideas for their own creations, and to help with that, they’ve added a number of new Course Parts to the game. Slopes and the Angry Sun are just the beginning as players will get to set ON/OFF Switches, change the Water Level, and more:

What’s New in Super Mario Maker 2

  • Slopes – Create angled surfaces by just picking a direction and setting the length. Gentler slopes are an additional option.
  • Angry Sun – Remember the Angry Sun that attacked Mario in the Super Mario Bros. 3 game? It’s back and ready to put the pressure on players in this new game.
  • ON/OFF Switch – Hit an ON/OFF Switch, and all the red and blue blocks in the course will swap! Setting them up wisely will help players create tricky puzzles and obstacles.
  • Water Level – The water level in Super Mario Maker 2 can be adjusted in the Forest theme, so only half the course can be underwater if that’s what the player wants. Water can even be set to rise and fall at different speeds over time.
  • Banzai Bill – The red variations of these classic Super Mario enemies have a homing function, and chase poor Mario wherever he goes.
  • New Course Themes – In addition to all the course themes from the original game, players will be able to create and play courses using the Desert, Snow, Forest and Sky themes. These themes feature new music by veteran Super Mario series composer Koji Kondo. The new Moon course part can be used to unlock night versions of themes. Depending on the theme used, wild things will happen at night, including floating Goombas, dimmed lighting in the Ghost House and sandstorms in the Desert. Some items might even transform in the nighttime…
  • To Be Continued – There are more secrets in Super Mario Maker 2. Players will have a blast experimenting with all the tools and features they can use to create.

With two Joy-Con controllers, two players will be able to edit a course at the same time, and several new multiplayer modes (including Co-Op and Versus) will give players new options in how to tackle those courses.

Course Styles based on Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and New Super Mario Bros. U will all return in Super Mario Maker 2, but Nintendo also plans to offer players even more Styles this time around, including one based on Super Mario 3D World. The Super Mario 3D World Style will feature several unique parts that evoke some of the best moments from Mario’s 2013 adventure:

Features Unique to Super Mario 3D World Style

  • Cat Mario – Cat Mario can climb walls, scratch, slide and pounce on enemies. Players can even use Cat Mario to climb up the Goal Pole!
  • Clear Pipe – Clear Pipes can be placed in any shape the player wants, but they have to be careful, as enemies can also slide through them.
  • Koopa Troopa Car – Hop in this sweet ride and zoom through the course. Players just have to make sure not to crash!
  • Track Block – The Track Block will follow any path the player draws. The blue one starts moving when the player steps on it.
  • Piranha Creeper – The Piranha Creeper follows the path that the player draws, extending its dangerous spiky stem around the course.
  • Who’s Who in Super Mario 3D World? – A cast of other familiar faces will also make appearances in Super Mario Maker 2, so players are in for a treat!

At least one more Extra Style will be included in Super Mario Maker 2, which is scheduled to launch on June 28.

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Ubisoft has three unannounced games coming in Early 2020 but they’ve delayed Skull and Bones yet again

Posted on May 15, 2019 by John Scalzo

Is Ubisoft hard at work on Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell 7? Nobody’s entirely sure, but the publisher has confirmed that they’ve got three unannounced “AAA” games in the hopper, all set to launch sometime between January 1 and March 31 in 2020.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot spoke a bit about these games, calling them “very distinct gaming experiences,” during the company’s most recent quarterly financial report:

We are coming with three very distinct gaming experiences. We wanted to give those games the development they needed because we know they’re long-term sellers, so it’s important that they come with the best opportunity.

We won’t say anything more today. You’ll know more soon.

Sadly, the publisher also said that players hoping to sail the high seas in Skull and Bones will have to wait a bit longer. The pirate-themed multiplayer was penciled in to launch this year, but now it won’t be released until sometime after April 1, 2020. This is the second major delay for the game (it was originally scheduled to be out in 2018), but the development team provided a short update via Twitter, promising that “[their] focus remains on quality”:

Skull and Bones will not be on display during Ubisoft’s presentation at E3 2019, but presumably the three unannounced games will be.

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