It’s now pretty much impossible to deny the fact that autumn is (or is, at least, supposed to be) well and truly upon us, and with it, the population at large retreats indoors to enjoy some introverted entertainment.
Of course, in recent years, the gaming industry hasn’t exactly provided the kind of respite you might hope for given the relentless cavalcade of bad news out there in the real world, but hey – there’s always next week.
Speaking of which, we’re here to offer another helpful (we hope!) rundown of the most important news you might have missed over the last week or so, so join us for our latest news roundup!
Marvel’s Wolverine has addressed its controversial scent trails
If, like many others, you were disappointed by just how prescriptive and linear Marvel’s Wolverine turned out to be, Insomniac had you covered this week thanks to a surprise update for its latest superhero outing.
The update tones down the intensity of some of the game’s more aggressive handholding tools, including its infamous scent trails, which demonstrate the intended route through levels to the player very clearly indeed.
Of course, you can choose to crank up the assists if you do feel like you’re getting lost, but we can’t help feeling like there’s a very low chance of that given how straightforward Wolverine’s stages are.
Microsoft has patented a truly dystopian ad system
How would you like it if, following the triumphant high that comes after a particularly difficult boss battle in a game, you were immediately inundated with ads? You’d love it, right? Right?
Well, Microsoft sure hopes so, as it was discovered this week that the company has patented a system which would show you ads after boss battles in exchange for tokens that grant additional game time.
It is, of course, worth noting that patents don’t necessarily indicate the company filing the patent intends to use it, but still, we don’t want to imagine a future where something like this is in place.
Halo is now with Activision as Xbox lays off yet more staff
Sadly, we’re not done with Xbox’s week yet, as it was revealed this week that the gaming giant will lay off yet more staff amid sweeping studio and IP changes.
Those changes have seen Halo move to Activision’s stewardship as Halo Studios has been gutted, with a skeleton crew of staff remaining to offer ongoing support and perform various other miscellaneous duties.
It’s also looking like Hellblade developer Ninja Theory will be closing down, so we wouldn’t expect the release of recently-revealed action followup Senua any time soon.
Star Wars: Zero Company looks to have passed a major sales milestone
EA and Bit Reactor haven’t released official sales figures for tactical turn-based strategy title Star Wars: Zero Company yet, but according to the ever-reliable Alinea Analytics, it looks like the game has passed a big milestone.
The firm estimates that Zero Company has passed the one million mark, and while that might not sound like a lot for a tentpole franchise like Star Wars, it’s worth remembering that this one’s genre is pretty niche.
Whether or not that means the furloughed staff of Bit Reactor can be restored to their positions remains to be seen, but it’s a pretty impressive figure nonetheless. Here’s hoping the game can sustain this momentum.
It looks like Bungie has some ambitious plans for Marathon
Last week, Bungie shared more about the future of its two key titles, namely Marathon and Destiny 2. This week, we got to learn more about the former’s part in shaping Bungie’s by-no-means-certain future.
The studio says that it wants Marathon to grow beyond the traditional extraction shooter experience and become a title that offers “connected PvE, PvP, and PvPvE experiences”, among other seismic changes.
Honestly, we’re a little sceptical that Bungie can pull this one off, as its plans sound very ambitious indeed considering the dwindling player counts the game is currently suffering. Still, time will tell, we suppose!
Build a Rocket Boy has officially entered administration
Build a Rocket Boy, the studio responsible for notorious flop MindsEye and ambitious no-show (well, mostly) Everywhere, has officially entered administration, the studio confirmed this week.
Entering administration doesn’t technically mean the studio is shutting down; instead, it simply means the company is incapable of paying its debts and requires legal protection from those to whom it owes money.
Practically speaking, though, it’s hard to see how this situation results in another game from Build a Rocket Boy, especially when the developer appears to be haemorrhaging staff at an alarming rate.
Somehow, Beyond Good & Evil 2 isn’t dead
If, like many others, you were wondering exactly what’s going on with Ubisoft’s legendarily AWOL Beyond Good & Evil 2, then you might like to know the game still appears to be alive and kicking.
This week, Ubisoft Bordeaux’s Rik Godwin announced that he’s joined the project in a support-slash-consultancy role, and while the extent of that role is unclear, the game is clearly still in active development.
Of course, that doesn’t bring us any closer to a release date for this ephemeral project, but it’s nice to know that Beyond Good & Evil 2 hasn’t been forgotten by those who are working on it.
Castlevania is 40, and to celebrate, you can play the original for free right now
If you’ve yet to experience the punishing retro delights of the original Castlevania, then we’ve got good news for you this week: you can currently download and play the 1986 classic for free.
There is a caveat, of course: you’ll have to do so on your mobile device. Still, if you happen to have a controller lying around that your phone supports, you’ll have a great (if hair-pullingly frustrating) time.
The game has been made free to coincide with Castlevania’s 40th anniversary, and you can download it until October 24th, so you’ve got plenty of time to dig out that dusty smartphone controller from your loft. No judgement!
