Stop me if you’ve heard this before: a major tech company launches a gaming service that hand-curates new, intriguing games on a regular, scheduled basis. The games aren’t AAA, big-budget blockbusters, but are instead charming original works from small teams of creatives.
If you were thinking, “Xbox Live Arcade,” you’re absolutely right. During my time at the Apple Park campus to check out a handful of the 100+ games (see more in the trailer below) launching with the new Apple Arcade subscription service, which itself goes live this Thursday, September 19, I couldn’t help but feel like I was back in the good ol’ Xbox Live Arcade days. Except instead of games costing $5-$10 each, it’s $5 per month for unlimited access to everything on Apple Arcade.
Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son is, yes, a canonical sequel to the 1993 classic Bill Murray film. And yes, it’s not just a video game, but a VR game at that. If all of that has left you scratching your head, take a look at the gameplay trailer above. You may agree with us in saying that…it actually looks like it works!
Like your dear old dad, you’re trapped in a time loop in the sleepy Pennsylvania town, and you’ll need to better yourself in order to escape. Learn the guitar, learn to cook, help out around town, and more. No word yet on whether or not the second act of the game is spent trying to kidnap Punxsutawney Phil and drive off a cliff.
If you want to see more, check out the original trailer above, which, fittingly, was released on Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son will be released on September 17 for PSVR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive. It is developed by Tequila Works (Rime, Deadlight, The Sexy Brutale).
iPhone 11 preorders are now live, with the phone due to be released on September 20. The device features a brand new camera, increased battery capacity, and a new range of colourful designs. If you are interested in the new handset, there are plenty of preorder deals now available to purchase in anticipation of release day.
For example, all iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max pay monthly purchases from Carphone Warehouse will come with a £50 eGift card. There’s also a £10 voucher available for anyone preordering the iPhone 11 SIM-free.
Avengers: Endgame and Infinity War co-director Joe Russo has said that he believes Sony is making a “tragic mistake” by ending its collaboration with Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios.
Talking to the Toronto Sun as part of a larger conversation about their upcoming new film Mosul, directors Anthony and Joe Russo answered questions regarding their work at Marvel. Joe Russo pointed out that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has been important to bringing Spider-Man’s new incarnation to the big screen, and that Sony is making a mistake ceasing its contract.
Around a decade after its original release, Minecraft continues to grow and reach astonishing new player records. According to Business Insider, the game reached a new monthly player milestone.
As of this week, the open-ended sandbox game has more than 112 million monthly players. This is up substantially from the 91 million monthly players that Microsoft announced in October 2018. The numbers count players on all platforms: console, PC, mobile, and others.
Minecraft still receives regular updates, while the game was added to Xbox Game Pass in April 2019; this no doubt helped expand the footprint of the popular game even further.
Minecraft boss Helen Chiang told Business Insider that Minecraft is a game that people enjoy coming back to again and again. “It may not always be the one that’s in the forefront, because there are a lot of great games that continue to come out, but it’s one that they love to return to,” Chiang said.
Microsoft acquired the Minecraft franchise and developer Mojang in 2014 for $2.5 billion. Series creator Markus “Notch” Persson is no longer involved with the franchise. He spent $70 million on a Beverly Hills mansion, outbidding Beyonce and Jay-Z for the home.
Looking ahead, a Minecraft movie is on the way. Writer Allison Schroeder (Hidden Figures, Frozen 2) was hired to pen the latest draft of the screenplay The Minecraft movie is scheduled for release in theatres on March 4, 2022. There is no word yet on if it will be animation or live action, or a hybrid, nor do we know who may star in it. At one point, Steve Carell was apparently connected to the project, though it’s unclear if that’s still the case.
The next new Minecraft game is the AR title Minecraft Earth, which is scheduled to release later this year.
Actor Orlando Bloom’s very first major movie role was none other than Legolas in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. He’s now revealed how much he was paid for the 2001 fantasy film, and it might be lower than you would think. He appeared on The Howard Stern Show recently where he said he was paid $175,000 for the first movie.
“Nothing, I got nothing. 175 grand . . . Listen, greatest gift of my life. Are you kidding me? I’d do it again for half the money,” he said, as reported by Metro UK.
Bloom, who originally auditioned for a smaller role, Faramir, added that he re-negotiated for more money for The Two Towers and The Return of the King. “I was in a good spot. They negotiated pretty well for me to buy a couple of houses; it was that kind of money,” he said, according to The Playlist.
Bloom went on to play Legolas again in The Hobbit trilogy, and presumably he was able to negotiate for a good sum. Bloom currently stars in the Amazon show Carnival Row alongside Cara Delevingne.
Borderlands 3 launched on PC as an Epic Games Store exclusive, a decision that generated some amount of controversy. Now, Gearbox’s Randy Pitchford has revealed that the PC version of Borderlands 3 is off to a tremendous start.
The executive said the number of peak concurrent players–that is, the highest number of people playing at the same time–is around double the all-time peak concurrent player record set by Borderlands 2. “WoW! You guys are great!” Pitchford exclaimed.
The launch-day peak concurrent user milestone didn’t stand for long, as Borderlands 3 grew even larger in the days after release, Pitchford said.
“This greatly exceeds expectations, and our systems seem to be holding strong!” Pitchford said about the record-breaking numbers.
Fun Fact: On PC, the data is that the launch day peak concurrent players of Borderlands 3 is about *twice-as-high* as the all time peak concurrent players of Borderlands 2. WOW! You guys are great!
Somehow, today’s concurrent player numbers are *higher* than yesterday’s record breaking numbers. This greatly exceeds expectations, and our systems seem to be holding strong!
Borderlands 3 is exclusive on PC to the Epic Games Store until April 2020, at which time it may launch on Steam and other digital storefronts.
There is no word on how the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Borderlands 3 are performing from a user perspective, but more information should become available in due course.
The 2008 Xbox Live Arcade classic is out now on Xbox One, and this week Switch owners can enjoy the beat-’em-up action in four-player co-op or take each other on in the arena. This remaster includes the original game, plus all of its DLC, all running at 60 FPS. There’s also a new mini-game called Back Off Barbarian.
More Coverage:
Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns — September 19
Available on: Switch
For the uninitiated, Puzzle Quest is an RPG where you battle foes by playing a match-three puzzle game. Once you choose a class, you can cast spells and make attacks based on combinations of colored gems as you clear the board. The Legend Returns includes the original game and all previous expansions, plus a brand-new one titled Attack of the Golem Lord.
More Coverage:
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening — September 20
Available on: Switch
This is a full-on remake of Link’s Awakening on the Game Boy. While it offers the same story and dungeons across Koholint Island, there’s also a completely fresh art style, reimagined soundtrack, and even a special dungeon editor. Tap an Amiibo, and you can unlock extra mini-games and chambers for that dungeon-builder. Tap the Link’s Awakening Amiibo specifically, and you’ll summon Shadow Link.
More Coverage:
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered — September 20
Available on: PS4, PC
Ni no Kuni’s Studio Ghibli-inspired visuals were already impressive when the original released in 2010–the beloved studio actually animated the game’s cinematic cut scenes–but the remaster somehow looks even better, running at 60 FPS. Otherwise it’s the same RPG from nearly a decade ago. Speaking of which, the original Ni no Kuni (not the remaster) is also headed to Nintendo Switch on September 20.
More Coverage:
Untitled Goose Game — September 20
Available on: PC, Switch
As the name says, this game is about a goose, and that goose’s mission is to bother the citizens of a small village. You’ll do that by running around, flapping your wings, honking, grabbing items, and generally causing mischief. Oh, and this is a stealth game at its core. Why, what were you expecting?
More Coverage:
There’s still more games to come this month. Next week, New Releases will shine the spotlight on some soccer with FIFA 20 and turn up the action with Code Vein and The Surge 2.
