Monday news, the long part two:
Developer finally accepts that Outriders' grind is just too much
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/developer-finally-accepts-that-outriders-grind-is-just-too-much/
Developer People Can Fly has announced that the next patch for Outriders, currently being tested and due to launch next week, will make major changes to the game's loot system and Legendary drops. Since launch, players have complained about how these endgame weapons and items are doled out, and not just the drop rate, but the various 'gates' placed around acquiring specific types.
Stalker 2 dev diary teases a new faction, and explains mysteries from the trailer
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/stalker-2-dev-diary-teases-a-new-faction-and-explains-mysteries-from-the-trailer/
A new developer diary has been posted by GSC Game World, following up on the game's E3 trailer and providing some more detail about what exactly we were looking at, as well as revealing a couple of easter eggs.
Two new ghosts join Phasmophobia, plus the return of Dirty Water
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/two-new-ghosts-join-phasmophobia-plus-the-return-of-dirty-water/
Co-op ghost hunting/found footage horror/cheesy documentary simulator Phasmophobia has rolled out a fat new content update today, alongside the announcement that the solo developer behind Kinetic Games has hired on two new hands to help manage the runaway success Phasmophobia has found. The early access release was a hit last year, consistently sitting in Steam's top-sellers list and enjoying big Twitch viewership for several months.
You can now see inside some FIFA loot boxes before you buy
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/you-can-now-see-inside-some-fifa-loot-boxes-before-you-buy/
For at least a short time, Electronic Arts will let players in FIFA Ultimate Team look inside a loot box before they buy it. The new Preview Packs can be "opened" before they're bought, allowing players to see the opening animation and check out the contents before proceeding to purchase the pack with either freely-earned FUT Coins or real-money-purchased FIFA Points.
Gaming-related ER visits in 2020 include 'celebration injuries,' a scorpion sting
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/gaming-related-er-visits-in-2020-include-celebration-injuries-a-scorpion-sting/
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission recorded 13,073 emergency room visits "associated with (but not necessarily caused by)" videogames in 2020. The infographic shared by the commission on Twitter shows a malevolent cartoon videogame controller declaring that it's their turn next, Luke—and perhaps Luke should be more afraid of "controller face," because a number of injuries do appear to be associated with the game controllers.
A third of the games at E3 2021 were non-violent, a big increase over 2019
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/a-third-of-the-games-at-e3-this-year-were-non-violent-a-big-increase-over-2019/
Non-violent games took up twice as much space at this year's E3 (and surrounding events) than in 2019. That's according to a recent report from GamesIndustry.biz, which found that 33% of games shown over the past week-and-then-some weren't violent, up from 17% in 2019.
This new free-to-play fairytale card game was designed by former Magic pros
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/this-new-free-to-play-fairytale-card-game-was-designed-by-former-magic-pros/
Card game autobattler Storybook Brawl released in Early Access on Steam yesterday, giving you the opportunity to draft "your favourite characters from story and myth", such as the trademark-neutral "Snow Wight", or "Princess Peep and her battle-hardened sheep". Each fairytale character has unique abilities.
Next Crusader Kings 3 patch means fewer jester hats, spectral children
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/next-crusader-kings-3-patch-means-fewer-jester-hats-spectral-children/
Crusader Kings 3 has a small update coming this week, currently in open beta on Steam, and set to release on June 22nd barring any major bugs, that fixes some problems with the foremost medieval sim's big 1.4 patch. That patch released on June 8th, with some pretty good stuff going on like new haircuts and hats, as well as some game mechanics changes or whatever like dynamic garrisons.
Back 4 Blood will be always-online at launch
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/back-4-blood-will-be-always-online-at-launch/
In response to a question about whether Back 4 Blood could be played offline in solo mode with AI team-mates, developers Turtle Rock replied, "We're looking into ways we could support offline for the future but you will need an internet connection to play at launch." That's a shame, because both of the Left 4 Dead games support offline play and some players were hoping Back 4 Blood would follow suit. It also won't have split-screen play at launch, with Turtle Rock noting that, "We'd love to support this in the future but won't be launching with it."
Battlefield 4 server capacity increased to deal with players hyped for Battlefield 2042
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/battlefield-4-server-capacity-increased-to-deal-with-players-hyped-for-battlefield-2042/
The reveal of Battlefield 2042's gameplay trailer during the Xbox and Bethesda showcase at E3 this year seems to have gone well, if the spike in player numbers for Battlefield 4 is anything to go by. Excited players have been flocking to the last 'near-future' game in the series (Battlefield 4 is set in a fictional 2020, as imagined in 2013 when it was released) in such numbers that EA has had to boost the server capacity to cope with the influx.
Castlevania Advance Collection leaked courtesy of an Australian rating
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/castlevania-advance-collection-leaked-courtesy-of-an-australian-rating/
In 2019, Konami released the Castlevania Anniversary Collection, collecting eight of the classic Castlevania games and making them available again, including on PC. It didn't include all of the fan favorites, however, like Rondo of Blood or its sequel Symphony of the Night. Word of a new collection, not yet announced by Konami, has snuck out via the Australian Classification Board. On June 18, the Castlevania Advance Collection was rated M for "fantasy violence" in Australia.
Psychonauts 2 made with 'no crunch' so far, according to senior producer
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/psychonauts-2-made-with-no-crunch-so-far-according-to-senior-producer/
Double Fine senior producer Kevin Johnson tweeted earlier today that the upcoming Psychonauts 2 had been made with "no crunch". It's fair to be sceptical of claims of "no crunch" coming from senior individuals at a game studio—overwork is often revealed by workers, not the people managing them—but it's a producer's job to manage the work schedule, and you wouldn't expect Johnson to raise the issue if he knew he could be contradicted.
In the new Sea of Thieves Tall Tales, other players won't be able to mess with you
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/in-the-new-sea-of-thieves-tall-tales-other-players-wont-be-able-to-mess-with-you/
As revealed in Rare's Sea of Thieves: A Pirate's Life presentation today, the five new Tall Tales included in the Pirates of the Caribbean crossover will take place in new locations. Players will visit The Sea of the Damned, a realm filled with pirate ghosts, and The Sunken Kingdom, a watery world filled with sirens (evil mermaids). The new adventure will also introduce several new crustacean enemies called ocean crawlers who, unlike skeletons, can actually board your ship to attack you.
Combine city builder and god game to get The Immortal Mayor
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/combine-city-builder-and-god-game-to-get-the-immortal-mayor/
Chinese indie studio Star Chess is working on a city builder with a particularly Chinese twist, taking the land god of Taoism to the video-game-logical conclusion: In The Immortal Mayor you're the local land deity, and with more worshippers comes more prestige, therefore it's up to you to ensure the prosperity of the locals. To do so, you direct the expansion of their town, including building protection from attacks by wild monsters, and use your godlike powers and divine inspiration to direct the town around.
>> Tried the demo at Steam, had to give up after a while because only half the game is translated to English and I had no f*cking idea of what was going on or what I had to do.
A certain door in Call of Duty: Warzone is murdering players
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/a-certain-door-in-call-of-duty-warzone-is-murdering-players/
A Call of Duty: Warzone player on Reddit has found a bug where a certain door in the salt mining facility instantly kills you when you touch it. Other players have also experienced the wrath of the murder door.
Silent Hill fans have convinced themselves a new game is going to be announced
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/silent-hill-fans-have-convinced-themselves-a-new-game-is-going-to-be-announced/
In April, a trailer for a game called Abandoned by Blue Box Studios was posted to the PlayStation channel. (The studio later suggested it will be coming to PC as well as PS5, tweeting that, "The PC community shall rejoice.") It's a vague trailer, suggesting a first-person shooter set in a spooky rural area. There are woods, and a sign for "God's town", and a voiceover ranting about a community led by "a religious nutjob".
The Silent Hill community, desperate as ever to hear about a new game in the series, quickly convinced themselves that Abandoned was a revival of Silent Hills, the cancelled Hideo Kojima project.
>> Perfect example of what being delusional means.
Ubisoft server shutdown leaves Might & Magic X players without purchased DLC
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/ubisoft-shuts-down-servers-rendering-might-and-magic-x-dlc-inaccessible/
Numerous players of 2014 RPG Might & Magic X - Legacy are reporting that parts of the game from its sole DLC, The Falcon & The Unicorn, are no longer accessible following the shutdown of servers used to check DLC ownership. After the server shut down on June 1st, players who own the DLC reported that not only were they unable to access the DLC areas, they were unable to play the game past Act I if it was installed.
>> Shall we give Ubi a slow clap for such fantastic work?
Here's 10 minutes of gameplay from the Salt and Sanctuary sequel
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/heres-10-minutes-of-gameplay-from-the-salt-and-sanctuary-sequel/
Salt and Sacrifice is the upcoming sequel to 2016 Soulslike Salt and Sanctuary, one of the best-received of the early Soulslike games. Developers Ska Studios have posted 10 minutes of gameplay from the current, in-development build of the game, showing off an armored warrior bashing, sliding, slashing, and wall-jumping their way around an environment populated by spooky, ghostly warriors and very, very large glowing wizards.
PUBG's Taego map update might add self-pickup and other features
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/pubgs-taego-map-update-might-add-self-pickup-and-other-features/
A brief teaser has been released showing the "exclusive features" coming to PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds with the release of its new map, Taego. It's only seconds long, but there's enough to suggest several additions—most notably a player is shown on their knees using a medkit, which has been interpreted as a self-pickup ability for downed players.
Recompile, the 3D action platformer set inside a mainframe, is out this summer
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/recompile-the-3d-action-platformer-set-inside-a-mainframe-is-out-this-summer/
Recompile, the platforming-shooter-hacking hybrid, now has a release window. The pandemic smashed through developer Phigames' release plans for 2020, but suddenly, it's not that far off—Recompile is due to release this August. Above is the new trailer featuring music from No Man's Sky composers 65daysofstatic.
Tekken x Street Fighter has officially 'died' after 11 years
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/tekken-x-street-fighter-has-officially-died-after-11-years/
Unfortunately, it looks like Tekken x Street Fighter is officially dead in the water, nearly 11 years after it was originally announced.
Tekken creator Katsuhiro Harada and Tekken 7 director Kouhei Ikeda broke the news in the latest episode of Harada's Bar, revealing that the project was canned while Bandai Namco was roughly 30% into development (thanks, TheGamer). "We were working really hard on that, we really were," the developers said. "Wish we could show you the models and stuff."
>> Anyone's surprised?
This short beautifully captures the long-term World of Warcraft experience
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/this-short-beautifully-captures-the-long-term-world-of-warcraft-experience/
CarbotAnimations is a Canadian studio best-known for its occasional collaborations with Blizzard, the most high-profile of which was probably this delightful cartoon makeover of Starcraft. But Carbot's made animations and videos about pretty much every Blizzard property (and they're all really good!) which is probably why, when it decided to make something a little more heartfelt, it slammed me right in the feels.
