Month: May 2019

Sony has finally shown of gameplay for Death Stranding, the much-anticipated PS4 title from Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima, and confirmed it will launch on November 8, 2019. Death Stranding is Kojima’s first game since leaving Konami and, both a departure from what we’ve seen him and his team do in the past and also similar in numerous ways.

During the trailer main character Sam, is shown exploring a strange open-world filled with mysterious creatures. He seems to be working for a company called Bridges, and his quest is to journey to the West and finish what Emily started. In the trailer Sam, who is voiced and performed by Norman Reedus, says, “Rebuilding America isn’t going to be easy.”

The news was revealed in a peculiar Twitch stream in which footage was slowly uncovered by fading handprints. The stream eventually showed an extensive trailer that included gameplay footage.

Until now, little had been known about Death Stranding, with Kojima Productions and Sony remaining tight-lipped for much of the game’s development cycle. The cast includes a number of celebrities, such as The Walking Dead actor Norman Reedus in the lead role, as well as Mads Mikkelsen, Lea Seydoux, Lindsay Wagner, Guillermo del Toro, and Troy Baker.

A recent report said Death Stranding could come to PS5, but that has not yet been announced. For now, it will be coming to PS4 only on November 8.

Square Enix has detailed when it plans to show off more of its Avengers game. As the name indicates, the game is based on the Marvel property and, it has been confirmed that we’ll learn more about it during Square Enix’s E3 2019 press conference on June 10 at 6PM PT. The tweet announcing the date indicates that the game may simply be called “Marvel’s Avengers.”

The Avengers Project was initially announced in January 2017, with Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics and Deus Ex studio Eidos Montreal attached to it. Although the announcement provided very little in detail–something that has remained unchanged thus far–it did lay some of the foundations for its narrative.

In the original teaser, a voice narrated, “They say the time of heroes is over. That if you’re ‘different,’ you’re dangerous. But I know the truth. The world will always need heroes. We just need to reassemble.”

Thor’s hammer, Captain America’s shield, and Iron Man’s hand were shown, but they had clearly been through many battles and looked damaged. The tagline “reassemble” suggests the Avengers may have gone their separate ways, for some reason, and in the game will be brought back together to save the planet.

“The Avengers project is being designed for gamers worldwide and will be packed with all the characters, environments, and iconic moments that have thrilled longtime fans of the franchise,” read a press release from Square Enix. “Featuring a completely original story, it will introduce a universe gamers can play in for years to come.”

In January 2018, a full year after it was first announced, Crystal Dynamics provided an update on development, after it was noticed that the team was staffing up with ex-Naughty Dog and Visceral Games developers.

“We’re committed to delivering an incredible, completely original Avengers experience to our gamers, and that means we are always looking to add amazing developers to our existing best in class studio talent,” Crystal Dynamics co-head Scot Amos said.

In August 2018, it was confirmed that a new Crystal Dynamics studio situated in Bellevue, Washington was focusing on technology development and work on The Avengers Project.

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A bill that would ban loot boxes has been officially introduced before the United States Senate. Now industry lobbying group the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has responded, criticizing the bill for what it calls “inaccuracies” and a misunderstanding of how video games actually work.

“This legislation is flawed and riddled with inaccuracies,” ESA CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis said in a statement (via USGamer). “It does not reflect how video games work nor how our industry strives to deliver innovative and compelling entertainment experiences to our audiences. The impact of this bill would be far-reaching and ultimately prove harmful to the player experience, not to mention the more than 220,000 Americans employed by the video game industry. We encourage the bill’s co-sponsors to work with us to raise awareness about the tools and information in place that keep the control of video game play and in-game spending in parents’ hands rather than in the government’s.”

The Protecting Children from Abusive Games Act, introduced by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), aims to regulate what it characterizes as predatory and casino-like mechanisms in video games, particularly ones aimed at minors. Specifically it would bar the sale of any randomized unlock, with the exception of difficulty modes, cosmetic items, and expansions. It also targets pay-to-win content, defined as anything that gives a competitive advantage.

The PCAGA defines “minor-oriented video game” very broadly, in such a way that it could impact lots of games that aren’t necessarily meant for children. It also sidesteps the ESRB’s own age classifications for these criteria.

Loot boxes have come under fire recently, following a controversy over their use in games like Star Wars Battlefront 2 and concern over their similarity to gambling. Some countries, like New Zealand and France, have already ruled that the practice does not constitute gambling. Belgium and the Netherlands reached the opposite conclusion, forcing Rocket League developer Psyonix to disable its loot box mechanic in the countries. Nintendo will be pulling a few of its own mobile games from Belgium altogether.