The real-world news might be looking increasingly grim these days, but thankfully, we have gaming news to turn to for a little solace (although things are often not particularly better on that front, sadly).
Perhaps we shouldn’t start off on such a grim note, though. As always, there’s lots to catch up on when it comes to this week’s gaming news, so if you haven’t been keeping abreast throughout the week, don’t worry.
Without further ado, let’s do what we do best and delve into what’s been going on in the world of gaming this week!
The Indonesian game ratings board has leaked 007 First Light info
We begin with a big gaffe on the part of the Indonesian Game Rating System (IGRS), which somehow managed to leak huge plot details for 007 First Light this week, including the game’s ending.
The footage could still be floating around online, so it’s important to avoid Googling the game if you’re looking to dodge big story spoilers.
It’s not just 007 First Light, either; Bandai Namco’s Echoes of Aincrad was also included in the leak, as were the details of lots and lots of developer emails and credentials. Yikes.
Microsoft’s new gaming head reckons Game Pass is “too expensive”
Are you, like many others, feeling perturbed by recent price hikes in Xbox Game Pass? Well, according to a new report by The Verge this week, you’re not alone on that front.
New Xbox head Asha Sharma apparently told Xbox employees that she believes “Game Pass has become too expensive” for subscribers and that a “better value equation” needs to be found.
It’s hard to disagree with her; a subscription to the top tier of the service, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, now costs £22.99 per month.
Rockstar is earning over $1m a day from GTA Online
If you’re wondering just what kind of business online sandbox crime sim GTA Online (which is itself technically a spinoff of Grand Theft Auto V) is doing, look no further than data obtained by hackers this week.
Per said data, Rockstar is currently farming over $1m per day from GTA Online. Yes, you read that right; that’s over $1 million per day, not per week or per month.
Red Dead Online isn’t quite as successful, but it’s still raking in $500,000 per week, which isn’t to be sniffed at; that’s $26m a year, after all.
Krafton might not be publishing Subnautica 2 anymore
Eagle-eyed observers spotted a big change in the Subnautica 2 Steam page this week, as Krafton is no longer listed as the game’s publisher.
This could mean a variety of things, of course, and without an official announcement, it’s impossible to do more than speculate about what the change could signify.
However, it could be anything from a simple administrative alteration to a complete washing of the hands on Krafton’s part. We’ll have to watch for any word from the publisher or developer Unknown Worlds to find out.
April’s PlayStation Plus haul is here
We now know which games are making their way to PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium this month, and there’s some good stuff here to catch up on if you’re behind on your backlog.
You’ll find the likes of Squirrel With a Gun, The Crew Motorfest, and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered joining the service for subscribers to both tiers this month.
Additionally, if you’re a Premium subscriber, you can look forward to checking out the underrated JRPG Wild Arms 4, which should provide the perfect turn-based Wild West experience for those hankering for a simpler time.
Pirate survival game Windrose is doing well
Windrose, a pirate survival game that transmutes the formula of games like Valheim into an Age of Piracy setting, is doing very well for itself indeed, developer Kraken Express has revealed.
The game has hit a million sales, which is pretty impressive considering that it’s been out for a total of six days at time of writing. What’s more, it’s got a peak player count of over 220,000 in the last 24 hours.
It’s safe to say that Windrose is going from strength to strength, although whether it can keep up this momentum remains to be seen.
007 First Light’s theme song has been released
One of the most important elements of any James Bond movie is, of course, its theme song, and this week, IO Interactive revealed the theme it’s written for 007 First Light.
Appropriately enough, the song is called “First Light”, and it’s performed by Lana Del Rey, who feels like a perfect pick for the kind of sultry, retro ballad for which the franchise is known.
The song is pretty good, so give it a listen if you, like us, have been disappointed by more recent Bond movie themes.
Metro 2039 is official and it’s out this winter
The fourth mainline entry in the Metro series, Metro 2039, was officially revealed this week, and it’ll take you back to the Metro tunnels after Exodus took place in a much broader and more expansive world.
Rather than playing as previous series protagonist Artyom, this one will instead cast you as the mysterious Stranger, and he’ll be fully voiced, so you’ll be hearing his thoughts and opinions as the game progresses.
Naturally, the game will be a first-person shooter with survival horror elements, so don’t worry; Metro isn’t deviating from what made it popular in the first place.
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced’s release date has leaked
It looks like Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced has a July release date, if a media presentation seen by Insider Gaming is to be believed.
A public reveal is apparently coming sometime this week, but Insider Gaming says it’s seen an announcement designed for “media and content creators” that confirms a July 9th release date.
What’s more, the presentation also confirms that Resynced won’t take the game in an RPG direction, so you can expect an experience more akin to classic Assassin’s Creed on this front.
