Gaming News - Page 1

THQ Nordic has revealed that it will be publishing the new South Park game that's in development.

In 2021, Comedy Central announced a $900 million South Park deal that includes a brand new 3D South Park game developed alongside South Park studios. Then in January developer Question Games put up a job listing confirming they are working on a new Unreal Engine-based South Park game.

"Question and South Park Digital Studios are seeking a Lead Level Designer for work on a new video game set in the world of South Park," the still-live job listing reads.

Hogwarts Legacy, the new Harry Potter RPG, is the latest game to get delayed.

Hogwarts Legacy will no longer release in 2022, and has instead been pushed back to February 10, 2023 on both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The upcoming Switch version has been delayed indefinitely and developer Avalanche says a date will be revealed shortly.

"The team is excited for you to play, but we need a little more time to deliver the best possible game experience," developer Portkey Games succinctly said on Twitter.

SEGA management says that there currently are no plans to delay Sonic Frontiers even as the game faces criticism from fans.

Sonic Frontiers' original gameplay footage was widely panned for its strange world design that seemed empty and disparate, but SEGA isn't ready to push the game back. The company is taking feedback to heart however SEGA is primarily a games business and is relying on Sonic Frontiers to help make earnings throughout its current fiscal year.

In a recent Q1 FY23 earnings call with investors and analysts, SEGA executives affirm that it will be more transparent with Sonic Frontiers and that the game should get new content in 2023 and beyond.

The Grand Theft Auto franchise has made nearly $8 billion since GTA V launched in 2013.

Take-Two Interactive's new Q1 FY23 report delivers an update on total GTA earnings. According to the data provided by the publisher and compiled by us, Grand Theft Auto has earned $7.68 billion in revenues since GTA V's original release in late 2013.

The report shows that GTA earnings hit $202 million during the quarter and dropped to pre-pandemic levels. The games industry is largely correcting itself after abnormal earnings spikes during COVID-19 lockdowns.

Sony's new gaming hub may hint at features coming to new PlayStation games on PC.

Sony recently put up a new PC gaming section on the PlayStation website, and at first glance it seems like an unremarkable (yet useful) listing of first-party PC games. Scrolling down to the FAQ section gives us some interesting possibilities.

The site may hint at two very important features coming to PlayStation games on PC: PSN integration, which is valuable for Sony's metric tracking and engagement systems, and cross-saves between console and PC. Based on industry trends and the stark contrast between consoles and PCs, we're betting these two features will principally (and perhaps exclusively) apply to Sony's new live games.

Sony once had a walled garden of console exclusivity protecting its valuable first-party games. Now these exclusives are being freely advertised for PC.

Sony is taking Microsoft's lead and has released a handful of first-party PS4 and PS5 exclusives onto PC (well, they used to be exclusives). The company now realizes the power of PC gaming--an all-digital marketplace that does not require manufacturing or shipping, which is great in this COVID-19 affected industry--and wants to diversify game sales across Steam and the Epic Games Store. Sony is now willing to take a cut to sell evergreen catalog games on new platforms.

As more PlayStation games come to PC, it's extremely important that Sony creates a one-stop shop for newly released PC titles. Sony has launched a new PC gaming hub on the PlayStation website that conveniently lists, advertises, and links directly to buy options for currently available PlayStation games on PC. This is a quick and easy way for PlayStation console owners to discover games they may be able to play on PC, too, albeit for a separate fee.

Microsoft's legal counsel has responded to Sony's claims about the Activision-Blizzard deal, and has over-dramatized a common business practice among platform holders.

Microsoft representation had interesting things to say about Sony in its response letter to Brazil's CADE agency, which functions similar to the FTC in the United States. CADE is currently asking games companies about Microsoft's huge Activision-Blizzard deal and how it could affect the industry. Sony counsel implied that Call of Duty being kept off of PlayStation could cause anti-competitive harm, and said that subscription services can lower a game's overall quality. It's important to remember that attorneys and lawyers representing Microsoft and Sony have made these comments.

Now Microsoft's counsel has issued a document arguing against Sony's claims namely exclusivity. One of the more interesting sections has dramatized how exclusivity works in regards to subscription services. Legal reps allege that Sony pays video game developers and publishers for "blocking rights" to "prevent" a game from coming to Game Pass. This nomenclature can be simplified in a term that all gamers will recognize: Exclusivity.

Grand Theft Auto franchise revenues have dropped to pre-pandemic levels as the industry adjusts for an inflation market.

The games industry is starting to stabilize after record earnings during the pandemic. Major franchises like Grand Theft Auto are making less money as consumers face rising costs of living, and major platform-holders like Sony, Nintendo, Capcom, and Konami saw losses from unfavorable foreign exchange rates.

All the biggest players are getting hit, including Grand Theft Auto. While GTA V has sold nearly 170 million copies worldwide and now accounts for 44% of total GTA game sales, total series earnings dropped to pre-pandemic levels in the latest quarter. Take-Two's Q1'23 earnings show GTA revenues made $202 million, down 26% year-over-year.

Grand Theft Auto V has shipped nearly 170 million copies worldwide across physical channels, continuing the game's incremental monthly growth.

Even after 9 years with releases on 3 console generations, GTA V still isn't slowing down. Take-Two Interactive has confirmed GTA V has sold-in nearly 170 million copies worldwide. Total franchise sales are now at 380 million, so GTA V makes up 44% of total GTA sales.

GTA V has sold copies than these entire franchises:

• Assassin's Creed (155 million+)
• Final Fantasy (165 million+)
• Resident Evil (127 million)
• Monster Hunter (84 million)

Physical sales of the controversial GTA trilogy remaster collection have bombed for the second quarter in a row, Take-Two Interactive's reports indicate.

The GTA Definitive Edition remaster sold a whopping 10 million copies at launch, but our tracking shows the game has significantly fizzled out over the past two quarters. There's a big reason for this: The game is largely regarded as a failure among Rockstar fans due to graphical issues, technical hiccups, and a disastrously controversial launch that has soured public opinion.

The sales figures reflect this sentiment. According to Take-Two Interactive's recent investor's presentation, the GTA franchise has sold-in 380 million copies to date. A quick bit of math offers figures for the trilogy collection. GTA franchise shipments increased by 5 million units, and total franchise shipments also increased by 5 million. This squeezes the trilogy out of the equation with sub 1 million sales.