Gaming News - Page 313

All the latest gaming news, with everything related to PlayStation releases (PS4 & PS5), Xbox, PC Games, Nintendo Switch & plenty more - Page 313.

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Sony could revolutionize PlayStation gaming with Discord's help

Derek Strickland | Feb 1, 2022 2:34 PM CST

PlayStation functionality has arrived on Discord. It's pretty basic right now, but it could evolve into a real game-changer for both.

Sony could revolutionize PlayStation gaming with Discord's help

Yesterday PlayStation became integrated into popular chat app Discord. The features are barebones and aren't any different to how Xbox accounts are integrated. As Discord hints, this might be just the beginning, though: "We're excited to continue our partnership with PlayStation and explore how we can collectively create great shared experiences for your friends and communities."'

So what's next? Discord may be a part of the most transformative PlayStation feature introduced to date.

Continue reading: Sony could revolutionize PlayStation gaming with Discord's help (full post)

FTC investigates Microsoft's Activision-Blizzard buyout for anti-trust

Derek Strickland | Feb 1, 2022 1:34 PM CST

The FTC, not the Justice Department, will examine Microsoft's buyout of Activision-Blizzard for instances of possible anti-trust.

FTC investigates Microsoft's Activision-Blizzard buyout for anti-trust

The Federal Trade Commission will be scrutinizing the Microsoft-Activision deal. The convergence of the two tech giants would see Microsoft becoming the third most lucrative video games company in the world behind Sony and Tencent while locking down billion-dollar properties like Call of Duty in the process.

Sources tell Bloomberg that FTC regulators plan to closely investigate whether or not the deal constitutes anti-trust or unfair advantage. If its determined that Microsoft's acquisition of Activision-Blizzard will materially harm competition (for example, Sony could lose over $260 million a year if Call of Duty were kept off of PlayStation platforms), the FTC could sue to block the acquisition similar to how the commission is trying to block NVIDIA's takeover of ARM.

Continue reading: FTC investigates Microsoft's Activision-Blizzard buyout for anti-trust (full post)

Game devs condemn NFTs, tell fans they will never support them

Derek Strickland | Feb 1, 2022 11:02 AM CST

UPDATE:Team17 is ending its NFT worms project.

Game devs condemn NFTs, tell fans they will never support them

On the news that Worms developer Team17 is supporting NFTs (much to the dismay of its employees), multiple indie studios stand in solidarity and push back against the speculative platform.

NFTs are a hot unregulated craze that's rife with profit, speculation, and scams. Major games-makers like Ubisoft, EA, and Square Enix have expressed interest. Konami and Ubisoft have actually pulled the trigger and minted NFTs based on Castlevania and Ghost Recon. Now smaller publishers like Team17 are using their brands to do the same.

Continue reading: Game devs condemn NFTs, tell fans they will never support them (full post)

Zelda NES world map built with LEGO bricks defines the word epic

Derek Strickland | Jan 31, 2022 2:45 PM CST

An old-school gamer has recreated one of the most iconic video games of all time with LEGOs.

Zelda NES world map built with LEGO bricks defines the word epic

YouTuber Ian Roosma has built the entire Legend of Zelda NES overworld map using LEGOs. The huge map took 25,000 LEGOs to make and was created as a wall decoration with significant meaning. The map is a whopping 30 x 85 inches and fully mirrors the feature-complete map of the NES classic, with enemies, trees, and of course the iconic dungeons.

Roosma told Kotaku that he used website Bricklink to secure all the myriad of parts (thousands of green and brown pieces) and the map design took roughly 4 months to outline.

Continue reading: Zelda NES world map built with LEGO bricks defines the word epic (full post)

Bungie buyout signals big evolution of Sony's games business

Derek Strickland | Jan 31, 2022 1:51 PM CST

Sony's $3.6 billion buyout of Bungie demonstrates just how much the PlayStation ecosystem will evolve.

Bungie buyout signals big evolution of Sony's games business

Like Microsoft with Xbox, Sony also wants to bring PlayStation outside of consoles. Exclusivity helped propel the PS4 and Xbox One era to new heights, but the new frontier of gaming sees live services dominating traditional sales, and these models require access over exclusivity.

Sony has traditionally been slow to adapt to specific ecosystem trends, but this is rapidly changing. It all started with cross-play coming to PS4s in 2018 and offline downloads on PlayStation Now. Then it made the biggest move of all: Bringing first-party games to PC.

Continue reading: Bungie buyout signals big evolution of Sony's games business (full post)

Destiny won't be PlayStation exclusive following Sony buyout

Derek Strickland | Jan 31, 2022 1:15 PM CST

Sony plans to buy Bungie for $3.6 billion, but Destiny and future Bungie games will not be PlayStation exclusive.

Destiny won't be PlayStation exclusive following Sony buyout

Soon Bungie will be owned by Sony. Unlike Microsoft's Activision-Blizzard and ZeniMax buyouts, the Sony x Bungie acquisition wasn't about securing exclusives.

This deal is similar to how Tencent operates studios with a hands-off approach; Sony is transitioning from a platform holder to a service holder. Live services thrive on access and exclusivity only restricts engagement.

Continue reading: Destiny won't be PlayStation exclusive following Sony buyout (full post)

Sony buys Bungie: Destiny dev remains independent, self-publish games

Derek Strickland | Jan 31, 2022 12:32 PM CST

Sony plans to buy Destiny and Halo creator Bungie for $3.6 billion, however the studio will remain independently run and continue self-publishing its own games.

Sony buys Bungie: Destiny dev remains independent, self-publish games

Sony's acquisition of Bungie won't instantly lock down everything to PlayStation. This is a lot like a Tencent buyout; Instead of coming in and laying down on rules and mandates, Sony will let Bungie operate, create, and distribute its games independently without managerial oversight.

The clarification is especially important since Bungie received a huge $100 million investment from NetEase to fund its "bold new vision." Bungie has also filed trademarks for something called Matter, and is currently working on another Destiny project as well as a new IP.

Continue reading: Sony buys Bungie: Destiny dev remains independent, self-publish games (full post)

Sony is buying Bungie, creators of Halo and Destiny

Derek Strickland | Jan 31, 2022 12:06 PM CST

Sony is buying Bungie, the creators of Destiny and Halo.

Sony is buying Bungie, creators of Halo and Destiny

Sony is striking back with a megaton purchase of its own. Sony is buying Bungie, the original developers of Halo and the Destiny franchise for $3.6 billion.

Microsoft recently purchased Activision-Blizzard for $68.7 billion and ZeniMax in 2020 for $7.5 billion. In 2018, Bungie re-purchased the Destiny franchise from Activision-Blizzard and received a massive $100 million investment from Chinese juggernaut NetEase to fund its "bold new vision."

Continue reading: Sony is buying Bungie, creators of Halo and Destiny (full post)

Sony goes cross-plat: First PlayStation Studios game coming to Switch

Derek Strickland | Jan 31, 2022 11:51 AM CST

First Sony's PlayStation exclusives came to PC, then games released on Xbox. Now Sony will release its first PlayStation Studios game on Nintendo Switch.

Sony goes cross-plat: First PlayStation Studios game coming to Switch

Today the MLB announced that MLB The Show 22 will release on April 15, 2022 on PlayStation, Xbox, and for the first time ever, Nintendo Switch. This is a great business move that will leverage the Switch's mighty 92.87 million install base and also marks a historic occasion as the first-ever PlayStation Studios game to release on the Switch (MLB The Show games are developed by Sony's San Diego Studio, a wholly-owned subsidiary).

MBL The Show 22 will have full cross-platform play with PlayStation and Xbox gamers, alongside cross-progression.

Continue reading: Sony goes cross-plat: First PlayStation Studios game coming to Switch (full post)

Last of Us actor Troy Baker heeds fans, abandons NFT plans

Derek Strickland | Jan 31, 2022 11:16 AM CST

After significant push back from fans, voice actor Troy Baker will no longer get into NFTs.

Last of Us actor Troy Baker heeds fans, abandons NFT plans

Troy Baker, who has voiced countless characters from Joel Miller in The Last of Us and The Joker in the Batman Arkham games, is abandoning is plans to support voice-based NFTs.

"Thank you all for your feedback and patience. After careful consideration, I've decided to not continue the partnership with VoiceVerseNFT. Intentions aside, I've heard you and apologize for accusing anyone of "hating" just by simply disagreeing with me," Baker said on Twitter.

Continue reading: Last of Us actor Troy Baker heeds fans, abandons NFT plans (full post)