Blizzard has made it no secret that it sees potential in the mobile games business. A newly discovered job posting may have now revealed which of the company's franchises its next mobile game will hail from.
As discovered by NeoGAF user Nirolak, a job opening for an FX artist on an unannounced project has been published on Blizzard's website. It specifies that this is a project for mobile devices, but its description is otherwise fairly generic. There is, however, one interesting nugget located in the job requirements: a "passion for creating imagery synonymous with the Warcraft IP."
This doesn't guarantee that a Warcraft mobile game is on the way, but it is our best indication yet of what the studio may have in the works.
As noted above, it's unsurprising to see Blizzard pursuing mobile games beyond Hearthstone. CEO Mike Morhaime said last year that the company sees a "huge opportunity" on mobile, making it likely that Hearthstone won't be the only Blizzard games on the platform.
"I think we are always looking at everything. We play a ton of games here, and we're always brainstorming new ideas," he said. "I think that still people haven't really figured out what the killer app for mobile is. I think there's a huge opportunity there. We certainly have so many people with these powerful gaming devices in their pockets that they are walking around with every day. I feel like there's a lot of unexplored ground still."
Nintendo Switch may not have very a deep library of sports games just yet, but the console will soon be home to a new golfing RPG called Golf Story.
Developed by independent studio Sidebar Games, Golf Story puts players in the role of a golfer who is "forced to give up all that he holds dear for one final shot at accomplishing his dream." The game features eight environments to explore, each with its own towns, characters, and golf courses. In true RPG fashion, you can upgrade your aspiring golfer with better equipment by completing challenges and solving puzzles.
You can watch the reveal trailer for Golf Story above. Sidebar has also released several screenshots from the game that showcase its charming 2D visuals, which are reminiscent of classic Game Boy Advance titles like Mother 3 and The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap.
Sidebar hasn't announced a price or specific release date for Golf Story just yet, but the game will arrive on Switch via the Nintendo eShop this summer.
Super Mega Baseball 2 will have an "upgraded and more realistic art style" and a bunch of new content, according to developer Metalhead Games. The latest trailer shows off the new character styles and the new stadiums you'll get to play in. Check out the video below.
The game is the follow up to 2014's Super Mega Baseball and still features that game's highly-stylized arcade-style art. However, Metalhead says stadiums, including those featured in the first game, have been overhauled and will feature new lighting conditions and more realistic dimensions. Character proportions and animations have been changed too.
The studio has also revealed a potential release month. Metalhead Games says it are aiming to release the game in September of this year on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Super Mega Baseball 2 will see several changes to gameplay, including an online multiplayer mode. There will be more options for customization; you can create your own character, team, and even league with unique logos and uniforms.
The multiplayer mode will support co-op and versus play, and there will also be a local co-op mode. Teams will take turns batting/running with every at-bat, and they'll alternate who pitches and who fields each inning. For more details, including a gameplay trailer showing off the new customization options, check out GameSpot's full coverage.
As with other Telltale series, Under Pressure will build upon the choices made in the first episode. In a press release, the developer hinted at parts of the plot, revealing that it'll focus on the Guardians' attempts to use their "mysterious new relic."
"In Under Pressure, the Guardians just can't seem to outrun the past (or their tab), but if they figure out how to control the untold power of their mysterious new relic, they might not have to," Telltale said. "With help from dubious old friends and unwilling new allies, Star-Lord and company scour the galaxy for answers. But how long can they elude the genocidal maniac hunting them? And will simmering tensions finally tear the team apart?"
The series is based on The Guardians of the Galaxy comic book series and the recent films. It is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, iOS, and Android. You can pick up the season pass for $20, or the episodes for $5 each.
Originally scheduled to release this summer, the follow-up to the 2011 indie adventure game To the Moon has been delayed until the end of 2017.
Developer Freebird Games announced that its development trajectory for the sequel, titled Finding Paradise, has changed. "Due to personal circumstances, its release has been moved to the end of this year to ensure quality," Freebird said in a statement.
However, Freebird emphasizes that work on the game hasn't stalled. "Despite such dubious delays, the game has been making good and steady ground," the statement reads. "A new progressive demo is to be released to internal testers in the coming week that would mark up to the final Act of the game, with the next demo version being the full game."
In the words of the developer, Finding Paradise and To the Moon "are meant to be two sides of the same coin." They deal with similar themes and are meant to build upon one another. Freebird also encourages people to play two free mini-episodes before playing Finding Paradise. Those can be found here and here.
In addition to the delay, the developer also announced that an HD remaster of To the Moon is out now on mobile devices. You can pick it up for $5 on iOS here or Android here.
Sega's 2D Sonic revival, Sonic Mania, doesn't have an official release window outside of this summer, but it appears an exact release date has been inadvertently revealed on Steam.
According to the game's Steam page, Sonic Mania is slated to arrive on August 15. The date can be seen at the end of the featured trailer. We've taken a screenshot of the date and included it below:
Curiously, the release date only seems to appear on European Steam pages; the trailer on the US page still lists the game for "Summer 2017." Sega has not yet commented on the date.
Square Enix's recent announcement that it plans to divest ownership of Hitman developer IO Interactive came as a surprise, and it raised a number of questions. Chief among those: What does this mean for the future of Hitman?
When Square Enix first revealed its plans to explore a sale of IO, it did not indicate whether the Hitman IP would be sold off with it; it wasn't out of the question that Square Enix could hold onto the rights and allow the franchise to become dormant. But that doesn't appear to be the plan, based on a newly released English transcript of Square Enix's post-earnings results briefing.
"Our decision to withdraw from the IO Interactive business was the result of a review of our portfolio that we conducted as part of our effort to concentrate our resources in order to strengthen our development capabilities," Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda explained. "Because the firm is engaged in the development of Hitman and other renowned titles, we are negotiating with prospective external investors capable of ensuring that these titles carry on."
That last bit is where the promising news comes in. Whether it sells the Hitman IP rights along with IO or is willing to license them out, there's apparently a willingness on Square Enix's part to allow Hitman to continue. As for the other "renowned titles," IO is also the developer of the Kane & Lynch series. It is--or was--also at work on a new IP.
During a subsequent Q&A, Matsuda was asked for further specifics regarding the decision to sell IO. He responded, "Given the nature of the competitive landscape in the western markets as well as other considerations, we decided we needed to concentrate our development resources. The decision to withdraw from that business was the result of a review of our Group's allocation of both financial and human resources."
Since the news first came out, IO has suffered a round of layoffs, the extent of which are still unknown. The move could signal a potential sale or may simply be a move to make the studio more attractive to potential buyers. There's not yet any word regarding who might be interested in buying the studio.
If you haven't yet picked up Overwatch and are interested in checking it out, you'll want to set aside some time this weekend. The previously announced free weekend event begins today.
Starting today at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 7 PM BST, Overwatch will be free to play on all platforms. That said, you will need a PlayStation Plus subscription if you intend to play on PS4, or an Xbox Live Gold membership if you're playing on Xbox One. Playing on PC requires a Battle.net/Blizzard account, but you can create one for free if you don't already have one.
There are no restrictions on this version of Overwatch--you can access all modes (with the apparent exception of Competitive Play), characters, and maps, leveling up and earning Loot Boxes as you play. If you decide to purchase the game, any progress you make during the free weekend will carry over.
Now is a good time to jump into Overwatch, as the Anniversary event that recently began allows you to earn a variety of new cosmetics, including Legendary skins. Coinciding with that, Blizzard has also released a new Game of the Year Edition of Overwatch; both that and the standard version of the game can currently be picked up at a discount.
The free weekend runs until Monday, May 29, at 11:59 PM PT (or 2:59 AM ET / 7:59 AM BST on May 30). The console versions weigh in at around 20 GB, while those on PC will only have to deal with a 12 GB download.
The free demo allows Switch owners around the world to square off in online matches of the motion-controlled brawler ahead of its launch. However, like the Global Testfire event held back in March for Splatoon 2, the demo is only available to play during specific blocks of time.
The Global Testpunch runs throughout this weekend until May 28, and again the following weekend from June 2-4. Switch owners can download the demo from the Nintendo eShop now, but it can only be accessed during the following one-hour sessions:
Arms launches on June 16. Those who decide to download the game from the eShop won't have to worry about using up too much of their console's space; the game only takes up 2.2 GB. Nintendo has also said it will continue supporting Arms with free updates, such as additional characters, stages, and weapons, in the months following its release.
Rising Storm is a multiplayer World War II shooter in the Red Orchestra series, and it originally began as a standalone expansion to Red Orchestra 2. It is set in the Pacific theater of the war and features asymmetric gameplay--the American side has higher firepower and technological capabilities, while the Japanese side can use guerrilla tactics and gear.
The game also includes all of the multiplayer content from the original Red Orchestra 2 release. As a result, you can also play on maps set in the European theater.
If you pick up Rising Storm, you'll be emailed a key to redeem on Steam. The promotion ends tomorrow at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET.
This promotion is part of the Humble Store's spring sale encore, which features discounts of thousands of other games, as well. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is currently on sale for $25, a discount of 50%, and you can pick up Fallout 4 for about $20. Check out all of the discounts here.
The first trailer for Far Cry 5 has been released, along with confirmation that the game launches on February 27 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Set in the fictional town of Hope County, Montana, Far Cry 5 lets players create their own character, a junior deputy, and then set out to take down the religious cult Eden's Gate. You're supported on your journey by Pastor Jerome, an African American priest who has lost his flock to the cult; Mary May, a bartender with a penchant for flammable cocktails; and Nick Rye, a pilot who wants to create a better future for his child.
Here are some other things to know about Far Cry 5:
It's the first Far Cry game set in America.
It's also playable on PS4 Pro and Project Scorpio.
You can play the entire story solo or in two-player co-op.
You can fly planes and take part in aerial dogfights.
Vehicles include American muscle cars, ATVs, boats, and big rigs.
Weapons include guns, grenades, sledgehammers, and baseball bats.
You can recruit other people to fight for you.
You can also recruit animals like bears and cougars.
There is a map editor that will have "new features that add a new dimension to the content created by fans."
PS4 players are getting a free Far Cry 5 skin pack at launch.
Ubisoft Montreal is leading development, with support from Ubisoft Toronto, Ubisoft Kiev, Ubisoft Shanghai, and Ubisoft Reflections.
"As the new junior deputy of fictional Hope County, Montana, players will find that their arrival accelerates a years-long silent coup by a fanatical doomsday cult, the Project at Eden's Gate, igniting a violent takeover of the county," Ubisoft explains in a press release. "Caught off guard and drawn into a power struggle, players must disrupt the carefully laid plans of the Project at Eden's Gate, and fan the fires of resistance to help liberate the Hope County community and themselves.
"Under siege and cut off from the rest of the world, players will join forces with residents of Hope County and form the Resistance. The fight against the cult will take players to unique locations throughout Hope County that provide different gameplay experiences," it continues.
"During their journey, players can fly planes to engage cult forces in aerial dogfights across Big Sky Country. While tracking down cult members and gathering resources for survival across farmland, forests, mountains and rivers, players can get behind the wheel of iconic American muscle cars, big rigs, ATVs and boats. Vehicles also provide refuge when under attack by animals or as a way to quickly escape when things don't go as planned."
As the trailer shows, you can hire dogs to distract enemies and pick up weapons for you. Additionally, you can fly planes and perform bombing runs, while throwable weapons like pitchforks are part of the game, too, which sounds pretty cool.
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On May 24, Ubisoft published the cover for Far Cry 5, which featured artwork inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper. With the new details, we now know that the man sitting in the middle is Joseph Seed, leader of the Eden's Gate cult. The people surrounding him include his siblings John, Jacob, and Faith. Together, this family serves as the game's antagonists and the foundation of the Eden's Gate cult.
To see more of our new Far Cry 5 videos, check out the links below.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and TT Games have released a trailer for Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2, setting up the story for the sequel and showing off the diverse set of Marvel heroes that will be featured in the game.
The trailer begins with Rocket Raccoon talking about Chronopolis, a new location that has become home to "every weird thing in all of time." Someone has clearly been fiddling with the space time continuum, and the result has brought different worlds--and characters--from across the Marvel universe together.
Doctor Octopus, Loki, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man 2099, Captain America, Hulk, Ms. Marvel, and a whole bunch of other recognisable characters also make cameos, as does Kang the Conquerer, the villain for Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2.
Finally, the video confirms the Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 release date as November 14, 2017. It will be available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on that date, with a Nintendo Switch version coming "this holiday." Check out the trailer above and see some screenshots from the trailer below.
Click image to view in full screen
The first Lego Marvel Super Heroes was released in 2013. In GameSpot's review Chris Barylick awarded it a 7/10, saying its "inviting visuals, surging music, and hilarious character interactions make for breezy entertainment."
He continued: "Weird moments, such as accidentally turning Mr. Fantastic into a tea kettle, and Iron Man doing the robot, further widen the smile you're sure to be wearing on your face. It's moments like these, along with taking down a suit of flying Hulkbuster armor via the House Party protocol from Iron Man 3--wherein half a dozen Iron Man suits soar in to pound on your opponent--that keep you coming back for more.
"Whether you're looking for a way to take down the Juggernaut or working to help a random citizen in Free Play mode, Lego Marvel Super Heroes is all sorts of web-slinging, shield-flinging, Hulk-smashing fun."
The Final Challengers is an updated version of the original Street Fighter II, and it adds several new modes, updated graphics, and two new characters, Evil Ryu and Violent Ken. A new cooperative mode lets two players fight together against AI enemies, and players can also flip between original and updated visuals by pressing a button. Players will now also be able to change characters' costume colors.
The game also introduces Way of the Hado, a first-person fighting mode that uses motion controls. Although Ultra Street Fighter II is a 2D sprite-based game, Way of the Hado is 3D and uses assets from Street Fighter IV. You can see gameplay of Way of the Hado here.
In addition, this version adds an art gallery that includes 1,500 pieces of Street Fighter art, including some that have not been released previously.
Ultra Street Fighter II is out now on Nintendo eShop and at retail for $40.
Telltale's current season for The Walking Dead, A New Frontier, wraps up next week with the release of the fifth episode. Recently, the developer published a trailer for the episode which gives a sense of what you can expect.
If you haven't played the fourth episode, Thicker Than Water, then you probably want to stay away from this trailer, as there are possible story spoilers in it. But it gives a sense of the tone of the finale, and it shows off some cool horse combat, as well. Check it out below.
Telltale said previously that the fifth episode, titled From the Gallows, is "the most tailored episode to date," referring to the fact that it'll build upon all of your choices from the previous four episodes.
The episode launches on May 30 and is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, iOS, and Android. If you've already purchased the season pass, this episode will be unlocked upon release.
A New Frontier is the third season in Telltale's The Walking Dead series. You can read GameSpot's reviews for the first four episodes through the links below.
The Monster Hunter Championship event is scheduled to take place this weekend, and it's likely more about the game, and its Switch version, will be discussed there.
Monster Hunter XX is an expanded version of Monster Hunter Generations that was originally only announced for the Nintendo 3DS. Generations was released in the west in July 2016, some eight months after its Japanese launch.
Capcom has not yet announced a release date for Monster Hunter XX on 3DS or Switch. It also hasn't confirmed that they will be available outside of Japan. Historically, however, Monster Hunter games are localized and made available in other territories, they just take a little extra time to come out.
The next big showcase of upcoming Switch titles will be at E3 2017. Nintendo has detailed its plans for for the show and it includes a Nintendo Direct-like stream, treehouse events, and tournaments. You can find out more about Nintendo's E3 2017 plans here.
DICE will host a livestream event tomorrow, May 26, where it will show off and discuss Battlefield 1's May update. The hour-long livestream event starts at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET. Check out the image below to find out when the stream begins wherever you live around the world.
Stay tuned for the #Battlefield 1 May Update Exclusive Sneak Peek Livestream tomorrow Friday, May 26 at 1 PM PDT / 21:00 BST. pic.twitter.com/5xz9prSQJY
As announced in April, Battlefield 1 is now on a once-a-month schedule for new updates. May's update focus on "streamlining the flow into matches (especially Operations) and improving many gameplay grievances that will hopefully make the action feel more balanced and fair," among other things that will presumably be discussed during the livestream event this week.
Battlefield 1's next expansion, In the Name of the Tsar, is scheduled to come out this summer, and it will be shown off during EA's E3 event in June. The expansion's main addition is the Russian Army. Alongside four new maps, the pack will include Russian vehicles, soldiers, and weapons.
To promote the new movie Wonder Woman, comedian and late night TV host Conan O'Brien trained with the film's star, Gal Gadot for a silly segment for his show.
Gadot trained for sixth months to prepare for her leading role Wonder Woman, but O'Brien wanted to get in shape much faster than that. You can probably imagine where this video goes... O'Brien asks Gadot at one point if he could be her love interest in a sequel, and with the magic of video editing, it looks like it's going to happen (it is not going to happen).
Early box office predictions suggest that Wonder Woman will have a solid opening weekend, with a take of at least $65 million in its first three days. While this is well below the openings for previous DC movies Suicide Squad ($133 million) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice ($166 million), it is in line with the debut for such Marvel films as Captain America: The First Avenger ($65 million) and Ant-Man ($57.2 million).
As part of GameStop's latest earnings report today, the retailer said overall software sales dropped year-over-year, but there was one nice positive: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
During a call with investors, management revealed that it sold more than one copy of the game's Switch version for every Switch console it sold.
"The bright spot within software was that we sold more than one copy of the Switch version of Zelda for every Switch console we sold, indicating that consumers are coming to GameStop for additional games and accessories," the company explained.
For GameStop's first quarter ended April 29, new software sales dropped 8.2 percent due to a tough comparison last year, when Ubisoft's record-breaking The Division was released.
For lots more on GameStop's latest earnings report, check out the stories below.
Electronic Arts today announced more details about its E3 2017 event, including the musical guests and more confirmed games.
EA Play 2017, taking place in Hollywood, will end its first day with performances by Nas, DJ Green, and Dave East. The trio will perform on June 10, from 6-8 PM PT.
EA also confirmed today that its FanFest event will feature more than 140 gaming stations where attendees can play unreleased games such as Star Wars: Battlefront II, FIFA 18, the new Need for Speed game, and Battlefield 1's In The Name of the Tsar expansion, among other titles and content.
EA Play FanFest Games Include:
Star Wars Battlefront II
FIFA 18
Madden NFL 18
NBA Live 18
The latest Need for Speed experience
The Sims Mobile and The Sims 4
Battlefield 1: In The Name of the Tsar
New content from Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes and Titanfall 2
The first 2000 people to play Battlefront II on every day of the event get a numbered, limited-edition poster, while the first 500 people to play FIFA 18 and Madden 18 on Sunday and Monday will receive a free copy of FIFA 17 and Madden 17 respectively.
EA is also hosting various livestreams throughout the three days, featuring developer interview, new gameplay reveals, and more.
GameSpot and Blizzard Entertainment are excited to give readers the chance to win some awesome Overwatch prize packs in celebration of Overwatch's first anniversary!
Four lucky readers will win a prize pack filled with Overwatch merch, including a mug, "Heroes Logo" t-shirt, scarf, light-up lanyard, and Tracer Pop! Vinyl figurine.
In addition, one super-lucky grand prize winner will win an Overwatch prize pack, as well as a copy of Overwatch - Collector's Edition on their platform of choice! The Collector's Edition features exclusive skins, a visual sourcebook, soundtrack, and Soldier: 76 statue.
To be in the running, simply fill in the form below and provide your most creative answer to the following hypothetical:
"You've been tasked with creating the next Overwatch hero. What is their name, and how do they fit in the Overwatch universe?"
GameSpot staff will hand-pick the winners based on the creativity of their answers. This competition will close on Friday, June 8 at 9:00am AEST.
This competition is only open to residents of Australia. All entrants must be over 18 years of age.
If you already own a copy of Overwatch - Collector's Edition you may choose to opt-out of being considered for the grand prize.
Please use the form to enter the competition, answers written in the comments section are invalid.
Following the big Destiny 2 reveal event last week, developer Bungie has now confirmed more details about the shooter in the area of servers, networking, and the PC edition.
In Bungie's latest weekly blog post, engineering boss Matt Segur started off by talking about how the game's "networking model" works and why there are no dedicated servers.
"Every activity in Destiny 2 is hosted by one of our servers. That means you will never again suffer a host migration during your Raid attempt or Trials match," Segur explained. "This differs from Destiny 1, where these hosting duties were performed by player consoles and only script and mission logic ran in the data center. "
Bungie said it does not use the term "dedicated servers" for Destiny 2 because the game actually uses a "hybrid of client-server and peer-to-peer technology," just as Destiny 1 did.
"The server is authoritative over how the game progresses, and each player is authoritative over their own movement and abilities," Segur said. "This allows us to give players the feeling of immediacy in all their moving and shooting--no matter where they live and no matter whom they choose to play with."
Is Bungie trying to save money by using a peer-to-peer model for Destiny? "Nope!" Segur said, adding that Bungie has invested "heavily" in new server tech for Destiny 2, including cloud servers for gameplay, a feature that wasn't used for Destiny 2.
"We really believe this is the best model for all of Destiny 2's varied cooperative and competitive experiences," Segur said. "Engineering will always involve tradeoffs and cost-benefit analysis, but as a team we've got no regrets about the unique technology we've built for Destiny 2."
Destiny 2 is coming to PC, and with the peer-to-peer model, some might be concerned about cheating and other potential issues. Bungie acknowledged that PC as a platform come with "unique security challenges." But Bungie is confident that its security team is up to the task.
"Our security Ninjas have spent several years building a plan for how to engage with this new and vibrant community," Bungie said. "We have a variety of top-secret strategies to ensure that the life of a cheater in Destiny 2 PC will be nasty, brutish, and short. And, regardless of what platform you play on, all changes to your persistent character are communicated directly to our secure data center with no peer-to-peer interference."
Bungie believes that the frustrating moments where you might get shot through a wall or experience other glitches of that nature will be "reduced" for Destiny 2, but the studio can't say they will be completely eliminated, of course.
"Fundamentally, we are trying to strike a balance between three hard problems: (1) make the game feel responsive, (2) make the game accessible to players all over the world, and (3) make the game fair for all. We'll continue to refine that balance as players engage with the Crucible in Destiny 2."
Fans can test Destiny 2's servers for themselves later this year, when the beta begins this summer. Players can send feedback to Bungie and the studio says it will adjust the game as needed.
The Destiny 2 beta is on track to start this summer, though a specific date has not been announced. We do know that people who preorder get in first.
The next big Destiny 2 reveal is coming up at E3 2017, so there is not much time to wait.
Nintendo isn't the only company benefiting from the early success of its new Switch; Best Buy sales have also risen thanks in part to demand for the hybrid console (via Bloomberg).
The company revealed that comparable-store sales rose 1.6% in the first quarter of the fiscal year, which ended April 29. This growth came as a surprise to analysts, who had projected same-store sales would decline 1.5%. Laptops also saw "robust gains" for the chain thanks to new high-end offerings from Microsoft and other suppliers. As a result, Best Buy shares hit their highest point in nine months, closing on Wednesday at $59.92.
Other companies are also experiencing positive effects from the console; GameStop reported an increase of year-over-year sales thanks in part to "robust" Switch sales, which are outpacing Wii sales through the system's first two months. According to the company, Switch systems have been selling out before they even arrive at its warehouses, and GameStop expects supply shortages to continue throughout the year. Retail chain Target also says its electronics sales "leapt forward" because of Switch.
Polish game developer CD Projekt Red today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2017, showing an increase of 17 percent in total revenue to 99.3 million PLN.
Notably, CD Projekt Red's gaming division grew by 10 percent despite the fact that it didn't launch a new game. Additionally, the company's GOG division saw revenue jump by 63 percent.
The good times extended to profit as well, as the company made 45.3 million in net profit for the period, up by a healthy 40 percent compared to last year.
Helping the company is continued sales of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Notably, the game sold more copies in Q1 2017 than it did during the same period last year, CFO Piotr Nielubowicz said. Not only that but revenue from the game and its expansions rose year-over-year, despite price drops. Also boosting CD Projekt Red's bottom line during the period was Gwent, the free-to-play card game. According to the developer, it generated "tangible revenue." The game is now available on PC, Xbox One, and PS4 through an open beta.
CD Projekt Red also noted today that it invested 16 million PLN in Q1 2017 for the production of new titles, including Cyberpunk 2077 and Gwent.
For Gwent specifically, CD Projekt Red laid out some of its future plans for the game, including more marketing efforts to boost the game's visibility. A Chinese version of the game is also in the works, alongside support for other languages. The game is free, but the studio is also adding paid single-player campaigns in the future.
For lots more on CD Projekt Red's latest earnings report, you can read the company's official earnings documents here.
Speaking today during a post-earnings call with investors, GameStop management discussed a number of interesting topics, including the Red Dead Redemption 2 delay and E3 2017.
Starting with Red Dead Redemption 2, GameStop executives said a big game like that can "suck some dollars" away from other titles in the market. GameStop is not changing its overall revenue forecast because it believes those dollars will be spent on other titles.
"When you get a game like Red Dead, or what Red Dead was expected to do in the Fall, it's going to suck some dollars away from the other games," management explained. "So it's not an entire impact when it moves. You'll get some of the buyers that would have bought Red Dead buying Call of Duty or some of the other games, Destiny [2]."
With Red Dead Redemption 2 being delayed and Nintendo Switch stock still in short supply (GameStop said, "We don't have great visibility" into when more units will be available), you might think that the retailer would revise its sales forecast downward. However, the company isn't doing that in part because of what it said about Red Dead Redemption 2, along with the fact that new games will be announced and shown at E3 that could generate a lot of excitement--and sales.
"I also think at E3, you'll see some of the excitement around some of the games that we'll have that will help to share with you why we felt comfortable keeping [guidance] there."
GameStop and other retailers are often briefed by publishers on game reveals and announcements before they are announced, so it seems the store knows more than it is sharing at this point.
E3 2017 is just around the corner, taking place in early June. GameSpot will bring you all the news from the show as it's announced.
Update: Ed Boon has now revealed that the first gameplay trailer for Red Hood will debut this Sunday, May 28, at the Combo Breaker fighting game tournament. We'll bring that to you once it's available, but in the meantime, you can check out another screenshot of Red Hood in action directly below.
Original Story: The first three DLC characters for Injustice 2 have already been revealed but without any indication of when they will arrive. At least one of those three, Red Hood, is apparently launching in the near future.
Developer NetherRealm Studios' creative director, Ed Boon, shared the news on Twitter today, stating simply in a tweet, "Red Hood coming soon." This was accompanied by the screenshot below, which shows him lying on his back, juggling an opponent in the air with a pair of handguns.
Red Hood is on his way to the game as part of Fighter Pack 1, which also consists of Starfire and Sub-Zero (from Mortal Kombat, NetherRealm's other fighting game series). The original announcement offered only a tease of what they each look like in Injustice 2, but no actual gameplay, making this screenshot our first real glimpse of Red Hood in the game.
A release date and price for Fighter Pack 1 have not been announced, but it's included as part of Injustice 2's Deluxe and Ultimate editions. We'll report back as NetherRealm shares more.
Update: GameStop's post-earnings conference call has concluded. We've rounded up some of the most interesting things the company had to share, and as expected, there was quite a lot of talk about Switch.
The company doesn't know how many Switch units to expect during fiscal Q2 (runs runs through July).
Most of GameStop's allocation of Switch systems sells out online before it even makes it to its warehouses.
"Nearly" six pieces of software and accessories are being sold for each Switch system GameStop sells. That's nearly "double that of the rest of the industry."
GameStop was "heavily allocated" on Switch, but it was still at a level below current-gen consoles (PS4 and Xbox One are around 50%).
GameStop doesn't know when Switch supply problems will be resolved, as it hasn't "seen supply even come close to matching demand at this point."
Red Dead Redemption 2's delay was a factor on the company's guidance, but its moving out of the fall means some people who would have bought the game will now buy other things.
"We are still very focused on VR. PlayStation VR continues to be our No. 1 product, but we're kind of waiting for E3 on that [to talk more about VR]," CEO Paul Raines said.
GameStop forecasts full game downloads on PS4/Xbox One to be around 35%, and about 5% for GameStop.
By contrast, Nintendo has "very, very low full game download penetration." As a result, GameStop "doesn't see that as a real threat," Raines said.
Kongregate is a "really important asset," but it also helps GameStop to establish relationships and partnerships with companies that can in turn be leveraged by its collectibles business.
PowerUp Rewards members have reached 53 million, and there's been a "dramatic increase" in new paid Pro members. Paid memberships are up 16-17% compared with a year ago.
The original story follows.
GameStop has reported the results for its first fiscal quarter of 2017, which ended on April 29, 2017. Sales were up for year-over-year, thanks in part to what the company described as "robust" sales for the Nintendo Switch.
Total global sales were up 3.8% to $2.05 billion for the quarter, while comparable store sales were up 2.3%. International saw a big jump of 17.1%, while US store sales were down 2.3%. New hardware was up 24.6% due to the March launch of Switch, whereas new software was down 8.2%. GameStop said that decline is due to "tough overlap" with games released during the same period last year, which included releases such as Dark Souls III, The Division, and Street Fighter V.
Net earnings were down to $59 million from $65.8 million, but there were other positives. Recent years have seen GameStop attempt to diversify its business, and those non-gaming areas continued to grow during the quarter. Collectible sales were up 39.1% to $114.5 million (attributed to "strong global sales" of Pokemon products), while Technology Brand sales were up 21.5% to $201.4 million.
GameStop will host a conference call with investors and analysts this afternoon to discuss its quarterly results. It's been known to share interesting tidbits during these; we'll report back with anything noteworthy that it has to share.
Rockstar Games has announced the next major update for Grand Theft Auto V's multiplayer mode. "Gunrunning" is a "massive" expansion for GTA Online that is slated to launch in June.
The developer did not share much in the way of specifics about Gunrunning, but as its name suggests, it will involve the illegal weapons trafficking industry. It builds on the previously released Executives & Other Criminals and Bikers updates, with an eye on criminal activity.
"While sharply dressed CEOs trade Special Cargo from lavish air conditioned suites, and leather-clad Bikers own the roadways moving illicit consumer goods," Rockstar said. "New opportunities are opening in a highly lucrative and equally malicious network hidden underground ripe for takeover by the VIPs, CEOs, and Biker bosses of Los Santos and Blaine County."
In Blaine County, there will be "hatches" available to players. These are "mysterious properties" that can be acquired to stock with "military-grade vehicles and weapons manufacturing equipment." Players can earn "top dollar" for participating in weapons trafficking.
Rockstar will announce more details on Gunrunning, including all of its new weapons, upgrades, and vehicles in the time ahead. An amphibious vehicle called the APC is one of the new vehicles, while the Tampa gets a weaponized upgrade.
We'll report back with more information as it's released. For now, you can see the first images from Gunrunning in the gallery above.
It is a great time to be a Star Wars fan. In the past decade, fans have already gotten two critically acclaimed movies--The Force Awakens and Rogue One--along with two animated series--The Clone Wars and Rebels. On the gaming side of things, the Battlefront series was revived in 2015.
It doesn't stop there, though. The next few years are going to be huge for the Star Wars universe as there is a Battlefront sequel as well as numerous movies and series on the way. Here is what you have to look forward to in the upcoming couple of years.
There are lots of returning actors for this series: Daisy Ridley as Rey, Felicity Jones as Jyn, and Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata. Forces of Destiny will launch in July on Disney's YouTube page, and in addition, eight more shorts will come to the Disney Channel in the fall.
Battlefront II - November 17, 2017
At Star Wars Celebration, fans of 2015's Battlefront got new details about Battlefront II coming later this year, including story elements, a campaign mode, and more. The trailer for the upcoming game gave fans insight into the story through the eyes of Commander Iden Versio. We also saw Luke Skywalker, Kylo Ren, and Darth Maul. who will all be playable in the game.
Walt Williams and Mitch Dyer are writing the story for the game, and game director Mark Thompson said the two have an "encyclopedic knowledge of everything that existed" in the franchise.
EA/Origin Access subscribers will be able to play a portion of the game five days early. However, those playing Battlefront II on the PC will not be able to partake in offline split-screen co-op, a feature that is present on Xbox One and PS4.
Finally, those who pre-order the deluxe version of the game will get access three days early, upgraded versions of all four trooper classes, and more. Pre-orders for the standard edition come with exclusive Kylo Ren and Rey-themed looks, which are inspired by The Last Jedi, as well as a few other things. You can find out all the pre-order bonuses here.
Star Wars Rebels: Season 4 - Fall 2017
The fourth season of the animated series Star Wars: Rebels is coming to Disney XD this fall. A trailer was released during Celebration, and we learned during the Rebels panel that Forest Whitaker will reprise his role from Force Awakens as a young Saw Gerrera. In addition, Warwick Davis (Return of the Jedi) will be playing Rukh, Thrawn's assassin bodyguard from the novel Heir to the Empire.
Sadly, it was also revealed that this will be the last season of the series. Creator Dave Filoni explained it was his decision to end the show: "I know that's tough. It's tough for me. But believe me, I can say I know what it's like when I don't get to end a series [referring to the cancellation of The Clone Wars]. What happens when you don't end a series is you end up making t-shirts and you have to prolong, and it wasn't as fun. So believe me, this show--by no means--represents an end to anything we're doing in animation."
Star Wars: Episode VIII: The Last Jedi - December 15, 2017
Chris Miller and Phil Lord (The Lego Movie) are directing the film and released an image from the set of Han Solo's blaster, which you can see here. The only surprising thing we've heard from the set revolves around Han Solo's name, which will be revealed in the film.
The last film currently on the slate will not come out until 2020. It's the third solo Star Wars film, and there is no confirmed information as to what or who it will be about. Many fans would love to see a Boba Fett solo film, and since both Rogue One and Han Solo take place prior to A New Hope, a movie about Boba Fett becoming the bounty hunter fans know and love would surely be a hit.
The latest update to Nvidia's graphics driver--version 382.33--brings optimizations for two upcoming games on PC: Tekken 7 and Star Trek: Bridge Crew. In addition to fine-tuning performance for these new releases, version 382.33 fixes the following issues from previous drivers:
Windows 10 Creator's Update: The Windows Store does not open when 3D Vision is enabled with a GTX Titan X.
Windows 10 Creator's Update: In multi-display mode, extended monitors cannot be be put into sleep mode with a GTX 1070.
Blue-screen crash occurs pointing to driver (Nvlddmkm.sys) after the system reboots from sleep mode with a GTX 1060.
SLI cannot be enable unless Norton 360 is disabled or Windows is booted in Safe Mode with GTX 970 cards.
There are also a handful of known issues still present in this latest driver:
DirectX 11 games: On some titles, in-game V-Sync does not work if Fast Sync is selected from the Nvidia Control Panel. Consequently, the game frame rate is not locked to the maximum refresh rate, resulting in possible tearing.
SteamVR titles: SteamVR may crash when launched. To workaround, uninstall GeForce Experience or reinstall the Nvidia driver.
GeForce GTX 1070: Games (Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, For Honor) do not recognize the custom refresh rates set using the Nvidia Control Panel.
GeForce GTX 1080 with Battlefield 1 XP1: With SLI enabled, corruption appears in the game when switching between full-screen and windowed mode.
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti with Mass Effect: Andromeda: Random memory errors may occur when playing the game.
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti with Sid Meier's Civilization VI: G-Sync/SLI/DirectX 12--Black corruption appears while entering the in-game menu after skipping the cutscene.
For a full breakdown of what Nvidia's 382.33 driver does, check out the complete release notes. If you're an Nvidia user, be sure to download this update through GeForce Experience or the company's website.
Tekken 7 launches June 2 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Tekken 7 is a series debut on the PC platform, and producer Katsuhiro Harada stated that using the Unreal Engine made it easier to release a PC version. The game is set to launch on June 2 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Star Trek: Bridge Crew is exclusive to virtual reality for both Oculus Rift and HTC Vive on PC, and PlayStation VR. The game allows for a team of four to take on different roles within a spaceship in the Star Trek universe. It comes out May 30 for the aforementioned VR platorms.
Hello Neighbor is officially coming to Xbox One. We already knew it was bound for PC, but it's now been confirmed for the console, with both versions releasing later this summer.
We're also getting an under-the-hood look at the Neighbor himself, in all his creepy glory. Developer TinyBuild has released a video showcasing the game's AI. In it, the studio explains how the Neighbor changes modes, depending on the threat level, and learns how to intuitively counter your moves. You can check out the video below.
Hello Neighbor debuts on Steam and Xbox One on August 29. The game has you sneaking into your suspicious neighbor's house to find out what he's hiding in his basement. The Neighbor has "advanced self-learning AI that learns from your every move." He sets traps, stalks you, and if he spots you, breaks into a chase.
The game is following an "open development method" and has been in early Alpha since October 2016. TinyBuild has released a total of four alpha builds, the first of which is available for free to everyone. Subsequent updates are available for $25, which also entitles you to a copy of the full game once it launches.. Get a look at some of the latest gameplay below.
You can play a pre-Alpha demo and Alpha 1 too, both of which are available for free on the game's website.
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