NEWS

Crimson Desert. Pearl Abyss has launched its open-world action RPG, and the results are mixed.

DLSS5. NVIDIA has unveiled its latest AI-based technology, and everyone hates it.

Minecraft Dungeons 2. Mojang Studios has announced that Minecraft Dungeons 2 is in development with plans to launch this fall, according to IGN.

Unknown Worlds. Bloomberg reports that a Delaware court has order Krafton to reinstate former CEO Ted Gill, return control of the early access release of Subnautica 2, and extended the period for which the team is eligible for a $250M bonus.

REVIEWS

Pokemon Pokopia. I haven’t progressed far into this game, but we’ve been playing a lot of it!

LINKS

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NEWS

Dungeons & Dragons. Wizards of the Coast (finally) released a product roadmap for the upcoming year. Titles include Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, Arcana Unleashed, Deadfall, and reference cards.

Indie World. Nintendo showcased an Indie World direct this week. Title that piqued my interest include My Little Puppy, Moonlighter 2, Minishoot Adventures: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, and Blighted. Midnight Walk, Rotwood, Grave Seasons, and The Blue Prince were also featured.

Lorcana. Ravensburger announced the next cooperative game, The Great Hunny Rescue. 

Nintendo. IGN reports that the publisher has sued the US government over its unlawful tariffs, citing that they delayed the Switch 2’s release.

Pokémon. Pokémon Pokopia was released this week. Its first limited-time event, which will feature Hoppip and its evolutions, is next week.

Sony. Bloomberg reports that the publisher will no longer publish first-party PS5 games on PC.

REVIEWS

World of Warcraft. Midnight was released earlier this week.

LINKS

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NEWS

Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. Game Informer reports that the latest entry in the Castlevania series is being developed in a partnership between Konami, Evil Empire, and Motion Twin.

Diablo. Game Informer reports that Blizzard is bringing the Warlock class to Diablo IV, Diablo Immortal, and Diablo 2: Resurrected.

God of War. IGN reports that Santa Monica Studio is working on a God of War Trilogy remake, while Mega Cat Studios has released a spinoff title, God of War: Sons of Sparta.

Winterspell. Lorcana’s latest set has released to local game stores.

LINKS

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NEWS

Ashes of Creation. The MMO just entered Early Access and its studio is shutting down.

Horizon Hunters Gathering. IGN reports that Sony has announced a co-op multiplayer game using different hunters and featuring Dauntless-like combat.

Nerdtacular 2026. Frogpants has announced that Liam O’Brien will be attending!

Nintendo Partner Showcase. Titles announced include Oblivion Remastered, Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition, Resident Evil: Requiem, FF7: Rebirth, Valheim, Monster Hunter Stories 3, Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, Scott Pilgrim EX, Star Trek Voyager: Across the Unknown, and Switch 2 Editions of Hollow Knight and Disney Dreamlight Valley.

REVIEWS

Warcraft Player Housing. Housing has been out for a while, so let’s talk about it!

LINKS

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NEWS

Daggerheart. Darrington Press announced that Hope & Fear, the game’s first expansion, will be available Summer 2026. The book will feature new campaign frames, the Dread domain, ancestries, communities, transformations, and the Assassin, Brawler, Warlock, and Witch classes.

EPIC x Unity. Gamesindustry.biz reports that EPIC Games is partnering with Unity to allow developers to publish Unity titles in Fortnite. Additionally, Unity will bring Unreal Engine support to its own platform.

Legend of Zelda Movie. Game Informer reports that Nintendo has officially shared some photos from the set of the upcoming film, slated to release May 2027.

Lightseeker. Nintendo Life reports that Bitmap Soft has opened pre-orders for its latest title, which is releasing on Game Boy Color.

LINKS

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NEWS

“AI” in Gaming. Gamesindustry.biz reports that Nexon CEO Junghun Lee and EPIC Games CEO Tim Sweeney have publicly endorsed support for including AI in games. Meanwhile, Krafton has launched a voluntary resignation program as it reorganizes as an “AI-first company.”

Magic: the Gathering. IGN reports that a series of Monster Hunter Secret Lair drops have been announced.

Rockstar Games. Gamesindustry.biz reports that the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain has filed legal claims against the developer for union-busting.

Steam Machine. GameInformer reports that Valve is making another attempt at Steam-powered consoles, along with VR headsets and controllers.

Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Nintendo and Illumination have put out a trailer for the upcoming film, featuring Bowser Jr. and Rosalina.

REVIEWS

Skigill. After discussing it in the News segment last week, I gave it a try!

Storyfold: Wildwoods. I had a chance to sit down and play Open Owl Studio’s solo board game.

LINKS

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NEWS

Rockstar Games. IGN reports that GTA 6 is delayed to November 19, 2026. Additionally, the studio fired between 30 and 40 employees in the UK for what it claims is gross misconduct. The employees and their union state that this is a clear case of union-busting.

Skigill. Achromi is developing a Survivors game that takes place in a skill forest. It is currently in Early Access on Steam.

Square Enix. Bloomberg reports that an internal presentation discussed restructuring its overseas publishing arm, leading to mass layoffs in the US and UK. Additionally, Square Enix is committed to having 70% of its QA handled by generative AI by the end of 2027.

Warhammer Survivors. Game Informer reports that Auroch Digital, with support from poncle, is developing a Survivors game featuring characters, weapons, and enemies from 40k and Age of Sigmar.

REVIEWS

Lorcana. Whispers in the Well is out now.

LINKS

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NEWS

Amazon. Bloomberg reports that Amazon is set to lay off more than 14,000 workers, with many of them coming from its gaming division.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Nintendo announced a Switch 2 edition of the game, featuring enhanced graphics, mouse controls, and megaphone. There will also be a free content update that includes Kappn’s hotel, Resetti’s cleanup service, Luna’s slumber islands, Nintendo items, LEGO crossover items, Zelda items and villagers, and Splatoon items and villagers. Both will be available on January 15th.

Crypt of the Necrodancer. NintendoLife reports that both Crypt and Rift of the Necrodancer are getting crossovers with Shovel Knight.

Lorcana. Ravensburger announced that there won’t be any character pins for rewards starting with Whispers in the Well, and ink pins will be phased out once they finish the current run.

Vampire Survivors. Game Informer reports that a Balatro crossover has been released, alongside an update for the game’s Ode to Castlevania expansion and online co-op.

REVIEWS

Valheim: The Board Game. MOOD Publishing’s adaptation of the multiplayer survival game.

LINKS

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NEWS

Blizzard. GamesIndustry.biz reports that over 400 workers from Blizzard’s Platform and Technology department voted to unionize. Employees include designers, engineers, QA testers, localization, and those who work on Battle.net.

Nintendo. GamesIndustry.biz reports that hackers breached Nintendo servers, though Nintendo confirmed that no personal or business information was leaked.

REVIEWS

Tournament Report. Mana Crypt’s Set Championship for Lorcana’s Fabled set was today!

LINKS

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NEWS

Dan Forden. IGN reports that the former Audio Director and voice of the famous “Toasty!” line in Mortal Kombat is retiring from NetherRealm.

EA. Game Informer reports that EA is being acquired for $55B by an investor consortium composed of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. They were immediately saddled with $20B of debt.

GamePass. Gamesindustry.biz reports that GamePass is getting a 50% price hike. Microsoft claims this is to offer more “flexibility, choice, and value to all players.”

Project Baxter. Game Informer reports that Starbreeze has canceled development of its Dungeons & Dragons title, laying off most of the staff working on it. Those remaining will be reassigned to work on Payday.

REVIEWS

Hades 2. Supergiant’s latest game hits all the right notes, and I’m having a great time with it.

LINKS

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NEWS

Hades 2. Supergiant’s latest game is now available on Steam and Switch.

Lorcana. Ravensburger announced that a judge training program is being developed.

Nintendo of America. Game Informer reports that Doug Bowser will retire at the end of the year. Devon Pritchard will take over as President and COO.

Sonic Racing: Crossworlds. Game Informer reports that a crossover with Mega Man has been announced for Sega’s new racing title, adding to its already aggressive crossover strategy.

REVIEWS

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster. I had never played the original Final Fantasy before, so with the Pixel Remaster bundle on sale, I deemed it the perfect time to change that.

Metal Slug Tactics. This roguelike tactical adaptation of Metal Slug has been in my backlog for some time, and I was able to play quite a bit after finishing Donkey Kong Bananza.

LINKS

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NEWS ITEMS

Super Mario’s 40th Anniversary. Nintendo showcased a trailer for the Super Mario Galaxy Movie, a Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 bundle, Mario Tennis Fever, Super Mario Wonder Switch 2 Edition, and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book.

Dinkum. James Bendon is solo-developing a Minecraft-like survival game inspired by Australia.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Intergrade. The Switch 2 version launches January 22nd.

Hades 2. Supergiant’s sequel to its hit roguelike releases digitally September 25, and physically on November 20th. It will support cross-platform saves.

Virtual Boy Classics. Virtual Boy games are coming to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, as well as remodeled peripherals to hold your Switch/Switch 2.

Stardew Valley: Switch 2 Edition. Stardew Valley is being updated to include mouse controls, game share, and local splitscreen multiplayer.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Along with a release date, Nintendo showed off a motorcycle that Samus rides in the game.

Donkey Kong Bananza. DLC including DK Isle and Emerald Rush mode is now available.

Pokémon Pokopia. Koei Tecmo is developing a charming take on Dragon Quest Builders with Pokémon.

Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave. Intelligent Systems is developing a new Fire Emblem game that hints at being connected to Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

Resident Evil: Requiem. The newest Resident Evil game is coming to Switch 2, along with Resident Evil: Biohazard and Resident Evil: Village.

Nintendo Direct Wrapup. A quick rundown of the games not previously mentioned.

LINKS

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NEWS ITEMS

Donkey Kong Bonanza. The game released on Nintendo Switch 2 this week, and it’s a lot of fun!

King. Gamesindustry.biz reports that anonymous sources within King have said that AI tools will likely replace the staff who were laid off.

Roblox. IGN reports that Roblox has announced another set of safety features for teens on the platform, including age estimation technology that uses AI to guess a user’s age based on a video selfie they submit.

Subnautica 2. Gamesindustry.biz reports that Unknown Worlds’ former leadership team has filed a suit Krafton, Inc. over their termination.

LINKS

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NEWS ITEMS

Microsoft. Game Informer reports that Microsoft has laid off thousands of workers, hitting its Xbox division particularly hard. Studios impacted include The Initiative, Rare, King, ZeniMax, Raven Software, Turn 10 Studios, and Blizzard.

LINKS

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NEWS ITEMS

Magic: the Gathering. Wizards of the Coast has announced a Sonic the Hedgehog Secret Lair drop.

Resident Evil Requiem. IGN reports that the upcoming title will return to Raccoon City and the Umbrella Corporation.

Super Mario Strikers. Game Informer reports that the Gamecube soccer title is coming to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack on July 3rd.

World of Warcraft. Blizzard announced that pre-Cataclysm rare mounts will have their drop rates increased tenfold for the month of July.

Daggerheart. My initial thoughts on Darrington Press’s TTRPG, after picking up a copy.

LINKS

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NEWS ITEMS

Darrington Press. The tabletop publisher announced that Chris Perkins and Jeremy Crawford have joined the team.

Donkey Kong Bonanza. Nintendo showcased a Direct for the upcoming Donkey Kong title.

GamePass. Xbox Wire reports that among other titles, Warcraft I & II: Remastered and Warcraft III: Reforged are coming to GamePass on June 26th.

Gex Trilogy. IGN reports that Limited Run Games has asked Nintendo to pull the trilogy from the Switch 2 eShop while a backwards compatibility patch is awaiting approval for public release.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. IGN reports that an official ad for the game at London’s Oxford Circus tube station incorrectly displays an “Out Now!” message.

LINKS

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NEWS ITEMS

Dungeons & Dragons. Wizards of the Coast released another Unearthed Arcana playtest, this time for the Psion class.

Final Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice Chronicles. Game Informer reports that a remaster of the beloved tactical strategy game is coming to all platforms September 30th. The remaster includes an enhanced version of the original game with full VO, new UI, QoL features, and a graphics update, as well as a classic version featuring the War of the Lions translation and QoL features.

Switch 2. My experience with the console so far.

LINKS

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NEWS ITEMS

Bungie. Game Informer reports that Bungie has confirmed that “unauthorized use” of artist Antireal’s work ended up spread throughout Marathon’s recent alpha test. The company claims it is investigating how stolen art made it into the game.

Crooked Moon. Polygon reports that Legend of Avantris’s folk horror-themed campaign setting and player options book are coming to D&D Beyond. The Crooked Moon earned more than $4M on Kickstarter, making it the most successful D&D5E project on the platform.

Electronic Arts. IGN reports that EA will permanently end remote work and implement a full return to office. The company will require hybrid employees to work at least three days a week in their local office.

Giant Bomb. Giant Bomb announced that it has gone independent from its former parent company, Fandom. The gaming news site is now employee-owned and seeks to lean on subscriptions for revenue.

Nintendo. NintendoLife reports that the Switch 2 will only support VRR (variable refresh rate) in handheld mode, contrary to what was previously published on the official site.

LINKS

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NEWS ITEMS

Dungeons & Dragons. D&D Beyond released a new Unearthed Arcana, this time featuring subclasses based on horror. The playtest is now live and features revisions for the College of Spirits Bard, Grave Domain Cleric, Phantom Rogue, Shadow Sorcerer, Hexblade Warlock, and Undead Warlock, while also showcasing the Reanimator Artificer and Hollow Warden Ranger.

Gex Trilogy. Nintendo Life reports that Gex is returning to consoles with several bundles available from Limited Run Games. The trilogy will be available as a Standard edition for $40 starting June 16th, with a Collector’s Box ($75) and Tail Time Edition ($200) also available.

Overwatch 2. Kotaku reports that Team 4 (the Overwatch 2 team) at Blizzard has fully unionized. The union is part of the Communication Workers of America union. Last year’s layoffs across Microsoft were cited as one of the major reasons for the unionization push.

Palworld. IGN reports that PocketPair has patched out several gameplay functions that were named in the ongoing lawsuit filed by Nintendo. Players no longer throw Pal Spheres to summon Pals and will need a glider to glide around.

World Video Game Hall of Fame. Polygon reports that Defender, GoldenEye 007, Quake, and Tamagotchi have been inducted. Nominees are judged on four metrics: icon status, longevity, geographical reach, and influence.

LINKS

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NEWS ITEMS

Grand Theft Auto VI. GameInformer reports that Grand Theft Auto VI has been delayed to May 26, 2026. The game was previously slated for a 2025 release.

Dungeons & Dragons. Wizards of the Coast released SRD 5.2.1, fixing some minor text errors and adding 15 magic items that weren’t previously included (largely items inspired by the D&D animated TV series).

Microsoft. GameInformer reports that Xbox console, game, and accessory prices are increasing. Some first-party titles will now cost $80, consoles are going up by $80-130, and accessories range from $65 (core wireless controller/stereo headset) to $200 (elite wireless controller series 2, full).

PlayStation. Sony announced that Ark: Survival Ascended, Balatro, and Warhammer 40k: Boltgun will be available to PlayStation Plus members starting May 6th.

Polygon. Ars Technica reports that Vox Media has sold the gaming news outlet to Valnet and laid off most, if not all, of its workforce. The layoffs came with no notice.

World of Warcraft. IGN reports that in an interview between Team Liquid’s raid leader Maximum, Dratnos, and game director Ian Hazzikostas, patch 11.1.7 will introduce Rotation Assist. When turned on, the feature will highlight the next recommended ability based on your class, spec, and combat situation. Additionally, it will also feature a “one-button mode.”

LINKS

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NEWS ITEMS

Switch 2 Preorder. I talk (rant) about my experience preordering a Switch 2 from my local GameStop.

Dungeons & Dragons. Wizards of the Coast announced on D&D Beyond the release of SRD 5.2, which was also released under Creative Commons.

Oblivion Remastered. IGN reports that Bethesda shadowdropped a full remaster of the Elder Scrolls title on PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5, and Xbox GamePass Ultimate. It is $50 and includes the Shivering Isles, Knights of the Nine, Fighter’s Stronghold, Spell Tome Treasures, Vile Lair, Mehrune’s Razor, Thieves Den, Wizard’s Tower, Orrery, and Horse Pack Armor.

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NEWS ITEMS

Baldur’s Gate 3. GameInformer reports that Patch 8 went live on April 17th. The final patch for the game includes crossplay between consoles, Mac, and PC, photo mode, and a new subclass for every class in the game: College of Glamour, Path of Giants, Death Domain, Circle of Stars, Oath of the Crown, Arcane Archer, Drunken Master, Swarmkeeper, Swashbuckler, Shadow Magic, Hexblade, and Bladesinging.

Dreadmoor. IGN reports that Polish developer Dream Dock Games has announced a first-person fishing/apocalyptic horror game that is heavily inspired by Dredge. It is currently available to wishlist on Steam.

Greater Than Games. The makers of Sentinels of the Multiverse and Spirit Island have drastically reduced their workforce and canceled all new projects due to tariffs. More info to come regarding existing Kickstarter projects.

Legend of Zelda. GameInformer reports that the Switch 2 Edition of Breath of the Wild will not include the Expansion Pass DLC. Meanwhile, IGN reports that both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will have a randomized daily bonus through the companion app. Bonuses include meal effects, health and stamina recovery, and equipment repairs.

PlayStation. GameInformer reports that Sony has increased the price of the PS5 in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and Africa.

Star Wars Zero Company. GameInformer reports that Bit Reactor and Respawn Entertainment are developing a turn-based tactical Star Wars game. More details will be unveiled at Star Wars Celebration on Saturday, though it will launch on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Switch 2. Nintendo announced on their website that retail preorders for the Switch 2 will open in the US on April 24th. The console’s price will remain unchanged for now, though the price for accessories will go up $5-10 due to tariffs.

LINKS

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NEWS ITEMS

Jeremy Crawford. ScreenRant reports that D&D’s Lead Rules Designer will be retiring this month.

Lorcana. Ravensburger announced that Hiram Flaversham and Fortisphere are banned from Organized Constructed Play, marking the first bans in the game since Bucky’s errata. The bans are effective immediately.

Piranha Plant Camera. NintendoLife reports that the Hori Piranha Plant Camera will only offer up to 480p resolution, while the official Switch 2 camera offers up to 1080p.

Switch 2. Nintendo of Canada announced that preorders for Switch 2 are also delayed in Canada, while The Verge reports that, according to Doug Bowser, the Switch 2’s current price tag does not factor in tariffs.

Vampire Survivors. NintendoLife reports that a new SaGa-themed expansion is out now, and it’s free!

LINKS

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NEWS ITEMS

Chris Perkins. Wizards of the Coast reports that after 28 years with the company, Lead Creative Designer and Acquisitions Incorporated DM Chris Perkins announced his retirement.

Piranha Plant Camera. The Verge reports that Hori is launching a Piranha Plant camera for the Switch 2. Technical specs are currently unavailable, but the mouth can open and close as a privacy function.

Stardew Valley. IGN reports that Wizards of the Coast issued a DMCA takedown for the popular Baldur’s Village mod, then later apologized and claimed the takedown request was issued mistakenly. Of note, Larian CEO Swen Vincke is a fan and supporter of the mod.

Switch 2. Nintendo showcased another Nintendo Direct this week. This time, it focused on the Switch 2 and games launching on it.

Tariffs. IGN reports that due to market instability and tariffs, Nintendo has delayed preorders of the Switch 2 in the US. No date has been given yet for when it’s rescheduled, and the US may see a price hike as well.

LINKS

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NEWS ITEMS

Game Informer. Game Informer has returned, with a letter from the editor that Gunzilla Games has secured the rights to the magazine from GameStop and reopened it as an independent company, with its entire staff returning.

Monster Hunter Wilds. Capcom revealed a content update trailer showing a new endgame hub, Mizutsune, Arc-Tempered Rey Dau, and Zoh Shia for Content Update 1, releasing next week. Content Update 2 will release this summer, and features Lagiacrus.

Nintendo Direct. Nintendo released a Switch-focused Direct, showcasing upcoming titles like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and Tomodachi Life.

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NEWS ITEMS

Lorcana. Polygon reports that Ravensburger has revealed the next two sets: Archazia’s Island, featuring Bolt, and Reign of Jafar.

Path of Exile 2. IGN reports that Grinding Gear Games’s sequel to its smash hit ARPG has launched in Early Access, and is receiving some tuning to its loot drop rates to make it feel less punishing.

The Game Awards. Polygon reported the list of winners. Notable titles include Astro Bot for winning Best Game, Best Game Direction, Best Action/Adventure Game, and Best Family Game (notably winning over Princess Peach Showtime, Super Mario Party Jamboree, and Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom). Balatro won Best Mobile Game and Best Indie Game, and Frostpunk 2 defeated Unicorn Overlord for Best Strategy Game. Baldur’s Gate 3 won Best Community Support.

Witcher 4. Polygon reports that CD Projekt Red is making Cirilla the protagonist of the next title in the series.

Wyrmwood. Rascal reports that the gaming-aligned woodworking company has laid off 50% of its workers and filmed both the management discussions leading up to it and the ensuing discussions with the remaining workers.

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NEWS ITEMS

Civilization 7. Gamesindustry.biz reports that Firaxis has shifted its development and release strategies due to the surprising number of Civ 6 units sold on Switch.

EA. Gamesindustry.biz reports that EA has added 23 new patents to its library of free accessibility tools for developers. Patents include photosensitivity analysis plugins, intelligent personalized speech recognition, and generating expressive speech audio from text.

GOG. Ars Technica reports that per its new policy, GOG will still provide support and maintenance for games that have been delisted from its store, such as Warcraft and Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness.

Haunted Chocolatier. ConcernedApe posted a blog update regarding his next title, noting that he doesn’t always share notes when there’s progress and will not release the game into Early Access.

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NEWS ITEMS

Azurite Sea. Lorcana’s latest set is now available, featuring themes around pirates, inventors, aliens, and robots.

Never Stop Blowing Up. Polygon reports that Dropout’s absurd action film TTRPG based on Kids With Bikes is now available and it’s free.

Warcraft. Blizzard detailed a roadmap of upcoming content for World of Warcraft, including the Siren Isle, Undermine, a customizable car mount, Midnight, player housing, and a return of Plunderstorm. Additionally, Warcraft and Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness have been remastered and are available in a bundle with Warcraft 3: Reforged, which also received a big overhaul.

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NEWS ITEMS

Activision Blizzard. Gamesindustry.biz reports that QA staff at Activision Blizzard’s Eden Prairie, Minnesota office walked out in protest against the firm’s return-to-office mandate.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete. Nintendo Life reports that the mobile title is getting a pay-to-play offline version when the current online version shuts down. The Complete version costs $10 through 1/31/25, after which it will cost $20.

Nintendo Music. Nintendo Life reports that Nintendo has released a music streaming app for mobile devices.

World of Warcraft. Polygon reports that Warcraft’s next content patch will feature the Siren Isle, a pirate/naga-themed island reminiscent of the Forbidden Reach.

Xenoblade Chronicles X. IGN reports that the spinoff Xenoblade title from the Wii U era will get a definitive edition for Switch in March.

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NEWS ITEMS

Assassin’s Creed. IGN reports that the Assassin’s Creed Shadows Collector’s Edition has dropped $50 in price as the season pass and early access portions are canceled.

Magic: the Gathering. Polygon reports that with the Final Fantasy set, Universes Beyond cards will become legal in all formats, and the release schedule will be increased to six sets per year. Upcoming sets include Final Fantasy, Innistrad, Aetherdrift, Tarkir, Edge of Eternities, and Spider-Man, alongside a Spongebob Secret Lair. Separately, WotC has also established a new Commander Panel, this time with 17 people who are now paid consultants.

Metal Slug Tactics. IGN reports that the upcoming strategy title will be released on November 5th. The game is coming to all consoles and Steam.

Nintendo. IGN reports that playtesters broke their NDA to leak information on Nintendo’s mysterious playtest. The test appears to be a social MMO focused on building and farming.

Vampire Survivors. IGN reports that the indie hit is getting a Castlevania DLC expansion. The expansion will be released on October 31st for $4.

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NEWS ITEMS

Hades 2. Polygon reports that Hades 2 received a big update with a new region, weapons, and characters.

Magic x Marvel. Polygon reports that Wizards of the Coast revealed an upcoming Secret Lair to promote their Marvel crossover at NYCC. The cards in the Secret Lair will include Captain America, Black Panther, Iron Man, Storm, Wolverine, and cards related to them. Getting all the characters in this drop will require about $200.

Microsoft. Gamesindustry.biz reports that Microsoft has settled its antitrust case over the Activision Blizzard acquisition. As a result, the case has been dismissed with prejudice.

Subnautica 2. IGN reports that another installment to the underwater survival series has been announced, featuring a new planet and coop multiplayer. It is slated for a 2025 release on PC and Xbox.

Ubisoft. Gamesindustry.biz reports that 700+ employees at Ubisoft France walked out on a three-day strike in protest over the company’s return to office mandate.

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NEWS ITEMS

Civilization 7. IGN reports that Firaxis is working with the Shawnee tribal nation to ensure “an authentic, sincere recreation” in the upcoming title. The partnership also includes a donation of hundreds of thousands of dollars in language revitalization programs.

Horizon: Zero Dawn. Gamesindustry.biz reports that Sony has delisted the game's original version on Steam and replaced it with a bundle that requires you to use PSN.

Nintendo Alarmo. IGN reports that Nintendo has released an interactive digital alarm clock that responds to your movement and features over 35 scenes from various Nintendo titles.

Sea of Legends. IGN reports that a PC adaptation of Weisman’s Sea of Legends board game is in development. The pirate-themed CRPG will feature deckbuilding, romance, and open world exploration.

Sunderfolk. IGN reports that Dreamhaven’s debut game is a tactical deckbuilding RPG that integrates with phone and tablet support.

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NEWS ITEMS

Dungeons & Dragons. IGN reports that WizKids has opened preorders for official Baldur’s Gate 3 miniatures, including Astarion, Gale, Karlach, Lae’zel, Shadowheart, Wyll, and Withers. The set is being sold for $49.99

Final Fantasy XIV. IGN reports that in light of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene in the southeastern US, Square Enix has halted the automatic deletion of character houses due to inactivity. This was done to give those affected by the storm ample time to log back in to maintain their homeownership.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. IGN reports that the latest Zelda title is the first mainline game of the series not to credit Shigeru Miyamoto.

Magic: the Gathering. Wizards of the Coast announced that following the resignation of the Rules Committee, they will take over moderation and management of the Commander format.

The Sims. Eurogamer reports that Sims 4 is getting a spooky update that will include embalming, a grim reaper job, reincarnation, ghosts, and more.

Valheim. Polygon reports that a crowdfunding campaign for Valheim: The Board Game is live on Gamefound. A preview video showcases gameplay elements that include exploration, crafting, and a cute cardboard house to keep your crafted items!

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NEWS ITEMS

Annapurna Interactive. IGN reports that the publisher’s entire staff resigned as a group last week, citing disagreements over the direction of the division, chaotic departures, communication breakdowns, and a lack of leadership transparency.

Baldur’s Gate 3. IGN reports that a modder named katszenBurger has used the dev toolkit to create two new maps - a seaside citadel and a section of Avernus.

Concord. Kotaku reports that Ryan Ellis, game director at Firewalk, has resigned. The remaining staff at the company are anxious about their future - some speculate they will be moved to other Sony projects, while others fear layoffs or studio closure, given Sony’s recent history.

Daggerheart. Polygon reports that preorders are now open for Darrington Press’s TTRPG.

PocketPair. Almost every gaming news site reports that Nintendo and The Pokemon Company have filed a lawsuit against the Palworld developer for patent infringement in Japan.

Square Enix. Gamesindustry.biz reports that the Final Fantasy developer has confirmed sales of FF7 Rebirth and FF16 did not meet expectations.

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NEWS ITEMS

Baldur’s Gate 3. IGN reports that Patch 7 has been released. The latest major update includes new legendary actions for several NPCs, official mod support, and many new endings catered to evil playthroughs. Larian Studios has confirmed that this will not be the final patch.

D&D Beyond. Wizards of the Coast has revealed that the subscriber benefits for this month include character sheet backgrounds featuring art from the Astarion and Karlach Secret Lair bundles for Magic: the Gathering. Notably, one of the pieces of Astarion art is heavily inspired by Jurassic Park.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake. The official PlayStation blog reports that the upcoming remake of the classic JRPG will feature a new job, Monster Wrangler. The job will incorporate a variety of monster-themed skills and the ability to capture friendly monsters hidden across the world to do battle in an arena.

Legend of Zelda. IGN reports that Nintendo confirmed at Nintendo Live 2024 in Sydney that Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are not part of the main Zelda timeline. Instead, they are part of their own separate timeline.

No Man’s Sky. Polygon reports that the enormously open-world space exploration game has received an update that adds a fishing minigame. The update was inspired by a piece of fan art!

World of Warcraft. Kotaku reports that the legendary neutral Pandaren player NeutralAgent has hit level 80 in The War Within, still in the Wandering Isle.

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NEWS ITEMS

Argonaut Games. GamesIndustry.biz reports that the former Star Fox developer has returned as a publisher after closing 20 years ago. They are working on releasing a remaster of Croc: Legend of the Gobbos for PC and consoles.

D&D Direct. Wizards of the Coast held a direct to talk about the upcoming revised core books, provide a roadmap of new books, and Project Sigil. The upcoming books include an anthology of adventures featuring dragons, a player’s guide to Faerun, a DM’s guide to Faerun, and yet another new Starter Set.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. IGN reports that the archaeologist’s iconic ripped-shirt look from Temple of Doom is locked behind a $100 premium edition. The premium edition includes the base game, the cosmetic skin, a digital artbook, and a story expansion to the game.

Nintendo Direct. Nintendo hosted both an Indie World Showcase and Partner Direct. Notable titles shown include Metal Slug Tactics, Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope DX, Civilization VII, Castlevania Dominus Collection, Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection, and Rune Factory: Guardians of Azura.

World of Warcraft. The War Within was formally released this week. Although the expansion is incredibly fun, there have already been some controversies, including Early Access.

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NEWS ITEMS

Among Us. Inner Sloth has announced a collaboration with Critical Role for Among Us. The collaboration features Critical Role-themed character skins, hats, and kill animations.

Baldur’s Gate 3. Gameindustry.biz reports that the stellar RPG from Larian Studios has won another award - a Hugo Award, for Best Game or Interactive Work. Nominees included Alan Wake 2, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

EPIC Games Store. Gamesindustry.biz reports that the service has launched on mobile. It is available on Android devices worldwide and on iOS devices in the European Union.

Rachael Lillis. Gamesindustry.biz reports that the voice actress of Misty and Jessie from the Pokemon series has passed away at 46 years old.

RetroRealms. IGN reports that Boss Team Games is working on two new 16-bit platformer titles - one for Halloween and one for Ash vs Evil Dead.

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NEWS ITEMS

Blizzard. Gamesindustry.biz reports that Blizzard has received approval from Microsoft to create a new AA studio under its portfolio. Some King employees will be shifted to the new studio, which will work on titles based on existing Blizzard franchises.

Capcom. Polygon reports that Capcom has partnered with Humble Bundle to offer a games bundle to benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and Breakthrough T1D. The bundle features games like Street Fighter V Championship Edition, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy, and more.

Dungeons & Dragons. Wizards of the Coast has announced that signups are now available for a closed beta of their upcoming virtual tabletop, codenamed Project Sigil. You just need a D&D Beyond account and then opt-in to sign up.

Lorcana. Shimmering Skies has been released! Notable mechanics include Racer synergy, tutoring, damage matters, and playing a song when a character enters.

The Instance 2.0. Scott Johnson of Frogpants has announced that he is reviving his venerable World of Warcraft/Blizzard podcast. The podcast will initially relaunch as a monthly release with seasons but may change based on feedback, workflow, and news releases.

Vampire Survivors. IGN reports that the wildly successful indie game is coming to PlayStation! The port will be released on August 29th.

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NEWS ITEMS

Bungie. Gamesindustry.biz reports that the Destiny developer has laid off 220 staff, is transferring 155 to Sony Interactive Entertainment, and transferring 75 to a new studio being formed under Sony.

Dungeons & Dragons. GamesRadar reports that Astarion and Karlach miniatures were found in a test build of Project Sigil, the virtual tabletop platform being developed by Wizards of the Coast.

GameInformer. The Verge reports that the prominent gaming magazine has ceased operations and laid off its staff. GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen had previously stated that “every expense at the company must be scrutinized under a microscope and eliminated.”

Humble Games. Polygon reports that the publisher has seemingly shut down, causing panic and confusion among the development studios it served. Humble Games rep Michael Brown has stated that “nothing has changed and no developers have had to change their porting plans; every project is moving ahead” and that developers who are confused are still “getting synced up with their new points of contact…”

Paizo. Polygon reports that United Paizo Workers has won a Diana Jones trophy for excellence in gaming. The trophy was awarded to them as the first workers’ union in the TTRPG industry.

Wildermyth. Eurogamer reports that the storytelling RPG will be brought to consoles in October. Wildermyth is coming to Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch.

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NEWS ITEMS

Bethesda. IGN reports that the studio is the first Microsoft development studio to fully unionize. Microsoft has recognized the union, which filed under the Communication Workers of America.

Dungeons & Dragons. Wizards of the Coast has announced that the 2024 Player’s Handbook will be available for sale at GenCon.

Fortnite. GameSpot reports that Fortnite’s Cursed Sails Pass is now live, introducing Pirates of the Caribbean content. The pass is available until August 6th.

Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. Polygon reports that Link will be playable, according to an ESRB filing.

Riviera. GamesRadar reports that the cult classic JRPG for the GBA has been released on Steam.

Xbox. IGN reports that the FTC has released a statement that GamePass’s new pricing tiers are product degradation, which it warned against during the Activision-Blizzard merger hearings.

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NEWS ITEMS

Dungeons & Dragons. Previews of the new green dragons, black dragons, and paladins were posted this week.

Hironobu Sakaguchi. GamesRadar reports that team members have sometimes scolded the Final Fantasy creator for playing too much Final Fantasy 14.

Horizon: Zero Dawn. IGN reports that the Netflix series based on the Sony franchise will not be moving forward.

Kien. Kotaku reports that the Italian-made action-platformer was finally released on the GBA 22 years after development. Physical versions for the GBA and digital versions for emulators are available.

Roll20. Engadget reports that the virtual tabletop platform Roll20 experienced a large security breach via unauthorized access to an admin account. Data that may have been exposed includes First and Last Name, Email, Last Known IP Address, and the Last Four Digits of your Credit Card.

Wii U. Nintendo Life reports that Nintendo’s repair service for the Wii U has ended, as the company has run out of replacement parts in Japan. The repair service had already ended in other regions.

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NEWS ITEMS

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD. An HD remake of the Wii title will be released on January 16 and includes bonus content from the 3DS version.

Dungeons & Dragons. Wizards of the Coast revealed content from the upcoming 2024 Player’s Handbook in a series of videos covering an overview of character options and changes to the fighter, paladin, and barbarian. More videos are coming next week.

Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. The newest Zelda game will be another 2D game using the Link’s Awakening remake engine and star Zelda herself.

Marvel vs Campcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics. Fighting game fans will be overjoyed that this collection of seven games from the series is coming to Switch later this year.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership. The latest iteration of the acclaimed Mario & Luigi RPG series is heading to Switch on November 7 and features all of the core gameplay elements that made the series a hit.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. The long-awaited Metroid title first announced in 2017 is set to release in 2025 and showed a gameplay trailer, the first update in years on its progress.

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NEWS ITEMS

Civilization VII. Polygon reports from Summer Games Fest that the next iteration of the strategy series is in development and set to release in 2025.

Dungeons & Dragons. Wizards of the Coast announced preview videos covering content in the upcoming Player’s Handbook revision. June 18th will include character basics and options; June 19th will include details about fighters; June 20th will include details about paladins; and June 21st will include details about barbarians.

LEGO Horizon Adventures. Gamesindustry.biz reports that the LEGO adaptation of Sony’s flagship series, Horizon, is coming to PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Lorcana. Polygon reports that set 5 is titled Shimmering Nights and will feature characters from Wreck-It Ralph.

Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind. Summer Games Fest announced a Turtles in Time style sidescrolling brawler featuring the original Power Rangers team.

Winter Burrow. Xbox announced an upcoming “cozy survival” game featuring little woodland creatures.

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NEWS ITEMS

Baldur’s Gate 3. Gamesradar reports that official mod support is coming to the RPG in September.

Demiplane. Demiplane - the broader TTRPG alternative to D&D Beyond - announced that Roll20 has purchased it and will be integrated into its platform.

Dungeons & Dragons. IGN and Dexerto received exclusive reveals of the upcoming Monster Manual covers. The standard cover features Minsc, Boo, the Blackstaff, and a beholder, while the alt cover features the Emperor from Baldur’s Gate 3.

Monster Hunter Wilds. IGN reports that the upcoming Capcom title will feature crossplay and confirmed several new monsters in a new trailer.

Octopath Traveler. IGN reports that Octopath Traveler I and 2 have been shadowdropped onto PlayStation and GamePass.

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NEWS ITEMS

Destiny 2. Polygon reports that Dungeons & Dragons is having another unlikely crossover event - this time with Destiny 2, in the form of D&D-inspired armors and ships.

God of War: Ragnarok. Gamesradar reports that the title will require an active PSN account to play on Steam.

LEGO. Nintendo unveiled a Legend of Zelda LEGO set featuring the Deku Tree in two forms - Ocarina of Time and Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom. The set costs $300 and is over 2000 pieces.

Pixelborn. The unofficial F2P Lorcana software will be discontinued as of June 16th, due to a C&D from Disney.

ZeniMax. GamesIndustry.biz reports that workers at ZeniMax Studios are now legally covered under Microsoft’s labor neutrality agreement with the Communications Workers of America.

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NEWS ITEMS

Dungeons & Dragons. The team gets back together to discuss Beacon and the upcoming D&D rules refresh.

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NEWS ITEMS

Black Flag. Kobold Press released a reference document for their system, published under the ORC license.

Critical Role. Polygon reports that the RPG actual play company is launching its own subscription service, named Beacon. The service will have the flagship shows (which will also remain on YouTube and Twitch), and provide new content for subscribers, such as The Re-Slayer’s Take, Critical Role Fireside Chat, and Critical Role Cooldown.

Dungeons & Dragons. Wizards of the Coast announced that the upcoming 2024 Core Rulebooks will add content to a new 5.2 copy of the SRD, which will also be published under Creative Commons.

Hades II. Supergiant announced that its upcoming and ambitious sequel to the smash hit is now available on Steam as Early Access. Users report that the game thus far is surprisingly fleshed out and feature-complete.

Helldivers 2. PCGamer reports that Sony pulled the recent title from 177 countries over requiring users to log in via the PSN. Users took to Steam to publish scathing reviews over the decision, which Sony has reversed.

Microsoft. TheVerge reports that shuttering Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, and Alpha Dog Games won’t be enough for Microsoft, and that more layoffs are expected.

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NEWS ITEMS

Asmodee. Wargamer reports that the tabletop company was saddled with $958M of debt as part of the Embracer split. The other two divisions did not receive any debt.

D&D Beyond. Wizards of the Coast announced changes to the D&D Beyond marketplace - namely that the physical/digital bundles will now be available, while a la carte purchasing has been removed.

Game Changer. Kotaku reports that the maze game from Game Changer’s recent episode, Deja Vu, is available to play for free on itch.io - the password is GC123.

Hasbro. Gamesindustry.biz reports that Hasbro has over $1B invested in video game development - including new IP. Titles include a Dungeons & Dragons game, a Snake Eyes game, “something spooky,” and Exodus, a new sci-fi IP.

Square Enix. Game Developer reports that Square-Enix records $140.8M in “content abandonment losses” after making cuts to streamline its development pipeline.

Unity. Venturebeat reports that Zynga’s former COO Matthew Bromberg has been appointed as CEO, president, and board member.

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NEWS ITEMS

Embracer Group. TheVerge reports that corporate conglomerate Embracer is splitting into three separate companies: Asmodee (for tabletop games), Coffee Stain & Friends (indie, mid-market, and F2P games), and Middle-Earth Enterprises & Friends (AAA games that include Dead Island, Tomb Raider, and Lord of the Rings). Additionally, Embracer’s CEO Lars Wingefors admits that he “deserves a lot of criticism.”

EPIC v. Apple. TheVerge reports that the legal battle between the two corporations reignited, and this time things may swing in favor of EPIC.

Humble Bundle. A $20 farming sim bundle is available on Humble Bundle to benefit Kiss the Ground, which promotes regenerative agriculture. The bundle includes The Witch of Fern Island, Cornucopia, Immortal Life, Cattails: Wildwood Story, Ikonei Island, Everdream Valley, Littlewood, and No Place Like Home. The bundle ends May 10th.

Roll20. Polygon reports that Roll20 is working on Discord integration so that you can view that playing board directly in Discord. Notably, GMs may still need to keep the browser open to make changes.

Tales of the Shire. TheVerge reports that an Animal Crossing-style game set in Middle Earth is coming Fall 2024 to consoles and PC.

World of Warcraft. IGN reports that Blizzard is aware that paid early access is a controversial idea. Players who purchase an upgraded expansion bundle get three days of early access to the War Within content. Additionally, there will be no BlizzCon this year.

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NEWS ITEMS

Champions of Otherworldly Magic. PCGamer reports that the developers of Champions of Otherworldly Magic have opted to pay an AI image generator $15k/month for 10 hours of “work” generating AI images and performing “touchups” instead of hiring an actual art team. Champions cards are NFTs that can be traded or purchased with cryptocurrency.

Cynthia Williams. According to SEC filings, Cynthia Williams has stepped down as president of Wizards of the Coast.

Fortnite. GameInformer reports that Fortnite’s next crossover with Star Wars will span its LEGO, Festival, and Battle Royale modes.

Golden Axe. Polygon reports that an animated comedy series is in production at Titmouse for SEGA’s arcade classic.

Mike Ybarra. Kotaku reports that the former Blizzard CEO shared across social media that he wishes AAA quality games had an option to tip the development team.

Nintendo Indie World Showcase. Personal highlights from the showcase include Big Kitty, Little City, Cat Quest 3, TMNT Splintered Fate, Another Crab’s Treasure, and Steamworld Heist 2.

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NEWS ITEMS

Baldur’s Gate 3. Polygon reports that a new epilogue introduced in patch 5 canonizes Bing Bong, a fan-favorite NPC from the one-shot run by Mark Hulmes starring the cast.

Dave the Diver. Destructoid reports that Game Awards host Geoff Keighley addressed why Dave the Diver was nominated for Best Indie Game, despite its development studio being a part of Nexon. Keighley argued that the dev team was small and the game likely had a small budget, but ultimately it was determined by judges “[using] their best judgment.”

Dragon’s Dogma 2. Capcom premiered a showcase of the upcoming title, giving an overview of the story, the character creator, bonuses in the deluxe edition, and some new additions to character options. The game is set to release on March 22, 2024.

Pathfinder 2nd Edition Remaster. Polygon reports in an exclusive preview from Paizo on Howl of the Wild, the first new book published since the edition’s remaster. Part bestiary, part player supplement, the book tries to further distinguish Pathfinder from Dungeons & Dragons. Archetypes from the book include the Wild Mimic (basically Blanka), Swarmkeeper, and Werecreature.

Rusty’s Retirement. GamesRadar reports that Rusty’s Retirement is a charming idle farm-sim that revolves around building a network of tiny farming machines to assist with running your farm. The game is set to launch in Q1 2024 on Steam.

Unity. Reuters reports that the embattled engine provider is terminating its agreement with Weta FX, only two years after purchasing Weta’s technology and engineering division. The termination will result in the layoff of 265 employees as Unity undergoes a “company reset.”

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Embracer. TechRadar reports that the holding corporation has announced that it has laid off a total of 900 employees over the past quarter - roughly 5% of its workforce, and saw a 5% decrease in sales across PC and console platforms. Despite that, it claims the last quarter has been one of the strongest for new releases ever. Embracer has threatened to shut down Free Radical Design (TimesSplitters), and closed Volition (Saints Row).

For more context, check out podcast episodes 288 and 289.

Lorcana. Chapter 2: Rise of the Floodborn is now available at game stores. The hot ticket items so far include Alice - Growing Girl, Beast - Relentless, Beast - Tragic Hero, Belle - Hidden Archer, Cinderella - Stout-Hearted, and Scar - Vicious Cheater. Products will be made available to general retailers starting December 1st. Additionally, Comicbook.com reports that Ravensburger has confirmed that several unreleased cards from an upcoming set were leaked online and they are investigating the theft of the card sheets.

Nintendo Indie World Showcase. Nintendo held an Indie World broadcast this week, showcasing upcoming indie titles coming to Switch. A few highlights include Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution - a sequel to original Shantae for the GBA that was never released (2024), Core Keeper - a survival base-building game set in subterranean caverns (Summer 2024), Howl - a tactical strategy game where you seek answers to a werewolf curse (available now), Backpack Hero - a roguelike deckbuilder RPG where inventory management makes you stronger (available now), Moonstone Island - a monster collector/farming sim hybrid (Spring 2024), and Outer Wilds - Archaeologist Edition (December 7, Physical 2024)

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Enshrouded. GamesRadar reports that a demo of the survival RPG was a big hit with the crowd at Steam Next Fest. The game mixes survival mechanics and open-world action RPG gameplay in what was touted as “a blend of Valheim and Dark Souls.” The game releases in January.

Legend of Zelda Movie. Nintendo issued a press release announcing that it will develop a live-action Zelda film in conjunction with Sony and Avi Arad. The film will be directed by Wes Ball.

Overwatch League. IGN reports that six years after launching, the Overwatch League is being disbanded as Blizzard refocuses the game’s esports program. The League’s fate was subject to a vote by the teams, with any teams who opted not to continue receiving a $6M payout. Notably, viewership and investment money were starting to dwindle, and many team owners were operating at a loss.

Pathfinder 2E. Bell of Lost Souls reports on details concerning new Orc and Elf Ancestries coming in the Remaster. Changes include new ancestry feats, orcs being included in the core rulebook, and half-orcs and half-elves being overhauled into their own new “Mixed Ancestry” options.

Super Mario Bros. Movie. Kotaku reports that the Super Mario Bros. Movie is coming to Netflix in the United States on December 3rd. It is currently streaming on Peacock.

Xbox. Microsoft issued a press release that Xbox is pairing with Inworld AI to develop generative AI tools for game developers. The toolset is slated to include an AI design copilot (writes scripts/dialogue/quests) and an AI character runtime engine (dynamically generates stories/quests/dialogue).

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BlizzCon. Blizzard’s annual convention returned this year. Notable announcements include three upcoming WoW expansions (The War Within, Midnight, The Last Titan), a Diablo 4 expansion, Catch-up Packs in Hearthstone, and Warcraft Rumble.

Bungie. Bloomberg, GameInformer, and IGN report that the Destiny and Helo developer has laid off roughly 100 employees just 15 months after PlayStation’s acquisition. CEO Pete Parsons told staff that the layoffs were due to Destiny 2’s underperformance. Sales at Bungie are apparently 45% below projections.

Ghost. GameInformer reports that Greg Street (Ghostcrawler) and NetEase Games have announced a new studio, Fantastic Pixel Castle. This studio is developing a new AAA MMO codenamed Ghost with a founding team composed of talent from World of Warcraft, League of Legends, Guild Wars 2, Fortnite, Overwatch, and Valorant. The studio has committed to a fully remote strategy and collecting community feedback early and often. There is a livestream AMA set for 2PM ET on 11/8.

Invisible Sun. Polygon reports that Monte Cook’s Cypher-based TTRPG is being reprinted on BackerKit. The campaign is currently live and finishes on 11/17. The box set includes four hardcover books, 1000 cards with unique spells, items, and incantations, physical components, a GM notebook, two maps, and an art book.

Twitch. The Verge reports that Twitch is ending support for its Nintendo Switch app. The app will be removed from the eShop on 11/6, and those who have downloaded it will lose access on 1/31/24. Notably, the app does not allow you to view chat, subscribe to channels, or broadcast your own gameplay.

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Bandcamp. The Verge reports that roughly 50 percent of staff at the indie music platform were effectively laid off as part of the company’s sale to Songtradr. Songtradr has not voluntarily recognized Bandcamp’s unionization efforts at the time of recording. Employees who were not extended offers from Songtradr will be eligible for severance, according to the platform’s previous owner, EPIC.

Bethesda. The Verge reports that Bethesda’s head of publishing, Pete Hines, is retiring. Hines has been with Bethesda since 1999, when he joined as Senior VP of Global Marketing and Communications. He is best known as the public face for the Fallout series.

Candela Obscura. Polygon reports that Darrington Press’s Illuminated Worlds TTRPG will be released on November 14. The game features the Victorian gothic setting of the Fairelands, and the players are members of a secret society that investigates strange occurrences and dangerous magick. Critical Role has both a how-to-play video and an actual play series to showcase the game. The book will have two versions - a standard hardcover for $40 and a limited edition hardcover for $60.

Fallout. IGN reports that some of the cards and mechanics from the upcoming Fallout commander decks for Magic: the Gathering were revealed. The four decks will feature Dogmeat in a Naya deck revolving around Auras, Equipment, and Junk tokens; Caesar, Legion’s Emperor in a Mardu deck revolving around token generation; Dr. Madison Li in a Jeskai deck focusing on energy counters; and The Wise Mothman in a Sultai mutant deck that tries to proliferate rad counters. Of particular note are cards like Rad Storm (3U, Instant; Storm, Proliferate), Nuka Cola Vending Machine (3, Artifact; 1,T: Create a Food. Whenever you sacrifice a Food, create a tapped Treasure), and Crucible of Worlds (3, Artifact; You may play lands from your graveyard).

Junk tokens are an artifact that lets you exile the top card of your library to play that card until the end of your turn. For Radiation, if you have any rad counters at the beginning of your precombat main phase, you mill that many cards and lose 1 life and a rad counter for each nonland card milled that way.

Magic: the Gathering. Polygon reports that Wizards of the Coast will be consolidating Draft Boosters and Set Boosters into one product, called Play Boosters, in 2024. The change will begin with the Murders at Karlov Manor set. The price will match the cost of a Set Booster and contain the following: 6 slots for common cards, 1 slot for a common or card from The List, 2 slots for uncommons, 1 slot for a rare or mythic rare, 1 slot for a basic land, 1 slot for a non-foil wildcard, 1 slot for a foil wildcard, and 1 slot for an ad, token, helper, or art card. Wizards is hoping this will reduce the burden of carrying multiple SKUs on local game stores. Longtime players will note that the game has only had different types of boosters for a few years. 

Pokemon. Polygon reports that the Van Gogh Museum will no longer offer a special Pikachu promo that ties in with its Pokemon exhibit due to safety concerns. Scalpers and fans ransacked the gift shop in a manner befitting a stereotypical Black Friday doorbuster sale. The museum said the card will be made available for purchase at the Pokemon Center online store and participating Dutch retailers, but will never again be available at the museum.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Mario’s next adventure is now out to widespread applause. Ars Technica notes that the game is like “somebody at Nintendo asked, ‘What if we made a game where every level was like [infamous SMW2: Yoshi’s Island level] Touch Fuzzy, Get Dizzy?” GameInformer and IGN praised the creative Wonder effects and badges as mechanics to augment gameplay.

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Activision Blizzard. IGN reports that the Microsoft and Activision Blizzard deal has gone through, and that Bobby Kotick will step down as CEO as of January 1, 2024. Although Kotick will receive at least $390M in stocks and incentives, the Communication Workers of America union views the buyout favorably, as Microsoft has committed to remaining neutral with regard to unionization discussions.

Animal Crossing. IGN and GameInformer report that Nintendo is once again teaming up with LEGO to develop five Animal Crossing sets. They will release in March 2024 and feature Isabelle, Tom Nook, Kapp’n, and a few villagers (Rosie, Bunnie, Marshal, and Julian). The sets have a similar structure and feel to the Mario and Donkey Kong-themed sets. Prices range from $15-75.

CD Projekt Red. Eurogamer reports that employees at the Polish development studio have formed a union in response to three rounds of layoffs that affected 159 staff members across various studios. The union is part of the national OZZ IP union. Membership, however, does not extend to Vancouver-based staff or anyone not on a Polish contract.

EPIC. The Verge reports that the Unreal Engine developer is changing the pricing structure of the software for individuals not involved with game development, such as film- and automakers. The new structure will move to per-set pricing, which is consistent with software like Creative Cloud. Unreal Engine will continue to use its current pricing structure for game developers, and educators and students will still be able to use it for free.

IGN, meanwhile, reports that EPIC and Psyonix will no longer allow item trading in Rocket League to bring the game in line with its other properties that have item shops. The claim is that this will allow Rocket League vehicles to come to other EPIC games, supporting cross-game ownership. The change will go into effect on December 5th.

PlayStation. The Verge reports that Sony will be bringing cloud-streamed PS5 to various regions throughout October. This is a feature available to PlayStation Plus Premium members. Japan will be the first region on October 17th, followed by Europe on the 23rd, and finally North America on the 30th. Sony has not announced which titles will be available yet but will include those from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog, digital games players own like Resident Evil 4, Genshin Impact, and Fortnite, and trials for games like Hogwarts Legacy and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

Stardew Valley. Polygon reports that Festival of Seasons, a Stardew Valley concert tour by SOHO Live, will be starting an international circuit on February 17th, 2024. Eric Barone (ConcernedApe) announced tour dates and locations on Twitter, but notably the tour will include Boston on 2/23 and NYC on 2/29. Tickets are now on sale.

Unity. TheVerge and GameInformer report that CEO John Riccitiello is retiring, effective immediately. Unity’s interim CEO, James Whitehurst, is an advisor at Silver Lake, a private equity firm that owns roughly 9% of Unity. This comes in the wake of the disastrous pricing fee structure announcement that Unity has since walked back.

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Bluey. IGN reports that a Bluey game is in development from Outright Games and BBC Studios. The game will feature all four of the show’s main characters and include an original story, but also feature familiar activities. The game will have 4-player coop, and seamlessly matches the cartoon’s art style. Bluey: The Video Game will release on Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC on November 17.

Cult of the Lamb. Polygon reports that Massive Monster will not, in fact, take the game offline on January 1st, but will experience delays on new projects as dev teams switch to new engines.

Dungeons & Dragons. Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk released today. The updated starter adventure will include new material up to 12th level and feature a longer, sinister plot involving mind flayers and other aberrant denizens of the Underdark.

Embracer. Game Developer reports that the Embracer-owned studios Beamdog and Crystal Dynamics have laid off employees as part of Embracer’s restructuring efforts. 26 employees were let go from Beamdog, which include producers, artists, and QA staff. Affected departments at Crystal Dynamics include project management, PR, editing, and 2D art.

Final Fantasy XIV. SiliconEra reports that Square-Enix has announced a new TTRPG based on the popular MMORPG. The starter set will release May 2024 for $59.99, and will include a Player Book, GM book, premade character sheets (Warrior, White Mage, Dragoon, and Black Mage), a set of dice (6d20 and 10d6), a rules summary, strategy guide, encounter map, character tokens, and ability markers. The recommended party size is 3-5, including a GM.

Re-Logic. GamesRadar reports that the Terraria developer plans to donate $100k each to two open source engines (Godot and FNA), with $1,000 monthly donations to both moving forward. In Re-Logic’s statement, they, “unequivocally condemn and reject the recent TOS/fee changes proposed by Unity and the underhanded way they were rolled out. The flippant manner with which years of trust cultivated by Unity were cast aside for yet another way to squeeze publishers, studios, and gamers is the saddest part. That this move was wholly unnecessary pushes things into the tragedy category - a cautionary tale the industry will not soon forget.”

Unity. Bloomberg (Jason Schreier) reports that Unity might consider limiting total fees to 4% of a game’s revenue, and suggests this limit would apply to customers making over $1M. The fees would also rely on developers self-reporting installation numbers.

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