The Week in Gaming - Issue #4

Highlights of the Week

• The Steam Summer Sale has arrived and includes discounts for Palworld, Schedule I, Ready or Not, Hogwarts Legacy, Elden Ring, Metaphor, and more. The sale ends on Thursday, June 26 at 10AM PT. Hit the link to start browsing. Steam Store

• Netflix will be removing 22 entries from its Netflix Games service, representing an estimated 20% of its library. The releases to be removed include Monument Valley, Hades, and Braid. If you’re using the service, make sure to try them out before they expire in July. Pocket Gamer

• In an interview with Game File, PlayStation’s VP of Global Services, Nike Maguire, reinforced Sony’s stance for first-party game releases and PS Plus. They will be continuing to add select titles after 12-18 months….no day one releases anytime soon. Video Games Chronicle

Game News

• Frontier Developments has “removed the use of generative AI for scientist portraits in Jurassic World Evolution 3” after receiving mixed responses on the game’s unveiling (and feature preview) earlier this month. Eurogamer

• The recently released remake for tactical RPG Front Mission 3 appears to be using generative AI 2D art assets. Distorted hands, misplaced shadows, and weirdly merged images can be seen throughout game backgrounds, in-game landing pages, and character portraits. Nintendo Life

• Nightdive Studios has announced a delay for System Shock 2’s console launch. The development team has targeted the first two weeks of July for the new launch date, which affects XBox, Playstation, and Switch. The game released on PC this week. Nintendo Life

• Limited Run Games has patched the Switch 2 version of Gex Trilogy and intends to have the game reinstated on Nintendo’s next store update. Video Games Chronicle

• After complaints on a much harder grind to gain Renown, free currency gain has been “buffed” for Rainbow Six Siege X. From the director: “The goal wasn’t to make it a harder grind for players”. PC Gamer

• PlayStation Plus is offering Diablo 4, The King of Fighters 15, and Jusant for free in July. Polygon Gaming

• CCP’s space survival MMO, Eve Frontier, is now offering a 10-day free trial. MMORPG.com

Upcoming

• EA Sports College Football 26 is launching on July 20th. New details unveiled this week: 36 new mascots (including the Pop-Tarts Mascot), dynamic time of day, regional and seasonal differences, drone shows, and new traditional runouts. ComicBook Gaming

• Indie survival crafting game Abiotic Factor launches on Playstation via Playstation Plus on July 22. PlayStation Blog

• The Enhanced edition of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 releases on August 12. Eurogamer

• 3v3 basketball game, Drag x Drive, will be launching on August 14 for the Switch 2. Nintendo Life

• Roguelite real-time tactics game Grit and Valor - 1949 is launching for PlayStation VR 2 and PS5 on August 21. PlayStation Blog

• Puzzle platform adventure game Little Nightmares III is launching on October 10 for PS5 and PS4. PlayStation Blog

• Hotel Infinity, a virtual reality puzzle adventure game by Studio Chyr, has been announced for the PS VR2 and is expected to launch later this year. PlayStation Blog

• Arc Systems Works announced their latest interactive adventure game titled ‘Dear me, I was’. The game will be launching on the Switch 2 via the eShop later this summer. Nintendo Life

• Publisher Outright Games and animation studio Aardman have announced their title, Chicken Run: Eggstraction. The top-down heist game will launch this autumn on PC and consoles. GamesBeat

• New One Studio announced their interactive video drama for Steam and mobile, called Road to Empress. The title allows players to role-play the only female emperor in Chinese history, Wu Zetian in a semi-historical interpretation of the Tang Dynasty. GamesBeat

• Owlcat, developer of The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, has provided more information on the in-development title. The game takes place in parallel to the first two seasons of the Expanse TV show, offers a new set of characters, and kicks off on Eros Station. For more, hit the link. Rock Paper Shotgun

• Pocketpair’s Never Grave: The Witch and the Curse will be going straight to an official 1.0 release instead of launching as Early Access. PC Gamer

New Releases

• Days ahead of its official launch on June 26, the full opening hour to Death Stranding 2 was leaked online. A YouTuber, who appeared to be playing a physical copy while offline, uploaded the gameplay on June 22. Eurogamer

• Cosmic survival racer, Meteora, has launched on PS VR2 this week. Control a meteor through the cosmos. PlayStation Blog

• Umamusume: Pretty Derby’s global launch took place this week and is available now in English speaking territories on iOS, Google Play, and Steam (PC). The Cygames title originally launched in 2021 in Japan. Pocket Gamer

Game Updates

• The Cyberpunk 2077 team has delayed its upcoming 2.3 update, with CD Projekt saying it needs “more time to make sure we’re happy with it”. Eurogamer

• Valve announces Team Fortress 2 is getting 'a much-needed update' focused on its Mann vs. Machine game mode and has asked the community to submit their desired maps and missions. PC Gamer

• Elder Scrolls Online launched player add-on support for console players. MMORPG.com

• Remedy Entertainment is overhauling some systems in FBC Firebreak, to turn the tide on the mixed reviews the title has been receiving since launch. Some changes have already made it to the game and others are planned to be adjusted with future updates. MMORPG.com

• Diablo Immortal (iOS, Android) is adding the Druid class in an update on July 3. Pocket Gamer

• Netmarble has announced a crossover event for its mobile title, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross. The event features characters from anime Solo Leveling. Pocket Gamer

• Dying Light 1 got free audio and visual “enhancements” this week, as a part of its tenth anniversary celebration. Eurogamer

• Stalker 2’s latest patch includes 700GB of official modding tools. Eurogamer

• The latest live patch for Dune: Awakening introduces the Deep Desert PvE area less than a day after the patch went into public testing. Rock Paper Shotgun

• World of Warcraft Mists of Pandaria Classic launches on July 21st, with a Pre-Patch available next week. MMORPG.com

• R.E.P.O players received a new update this week that included the Museum of Human Art level, random matchmaking, the Cart Cannon, and the Overcharge mechanic. ComicBook Gaming

Spotlight: Rumor Mill

• Final Fantasy 16 producer, Naoki Yoshida, hinted that a Switch 2 version of the game could be on the way. Eurogamer

• Nintendo insider and leaker Nash Weedle teased that Luigi’s Mansion 4 is going to be “amazing” on the Nintendo Switch 2, prompting new rumors for the title. ComicBook Gaming

• An insider update indicates that the long-rumored Bloodborne film is still in the works and is being developed behind the scenes at Sony. ComicBook Gaming

Spotlight: Upcoming DLC

• Two Point Museum’s latest DLC, Fantasy Finds, is launching on July 17. The DLC content introduces magically mysterious exhibits and a set of Fantasy Experts to hire to track down curious curios. Eurogamer

• Indie RPG Chained Echoes is launching their Ashes of Elrant DLC for Switch on August 7. Nintendo Life

• Bohemia Interactive has revealed their next expansion, Badlands, for DayZ. The expansion is touted to be the largest region to date, where players will face border crossings, deadly heat and dehydration, and new region-specific challenges and opportunities. MMORPG.com

Social Impacts

• Daredevil's Charlie Cox feels "like a total fraud" following Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 praise. The actor said he only spent four hours in the recording booth to voice Gustave for the title. Eurogamer

• BAFTA announces 2025 Young Game Designers competition winners. The five winners were aged between 13 to 18-years-old. Hit the link for details on these talented young designers. GamesIndustry.biz

• Global Qualifiers are open until October 16 for Red Bull Tetris. The tournament is open to players 18 years and older, with the World Final taking place on December 11-13. NAG

• The Nintendo Museum in Kyoto is opening an art gallery this September that aims to explore a “wide range of game artwork” and will include character illustrations and concept art. Nintendo Life

• The National Videogame Museum, in partnership with the UK Pavilion, will be presenting interactive exhibits for their showcase, “Videogames Transforming Lives”, in Osaka Japan from July 18 to July 24 as a part of the World Expo 2025. Curated games in the exhibits include PowerWash Simulator, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Monument Valley, and more. GamesIndustry.biz

• Jamal Reed-Obafumi has been arrested in Marin County, California, for stealing “approximately $10,000 worth” of Nintendo Switch video games from US libraries. He faces 12 felony charges, including multiple counts of burglary and committing a felony while out on bail. Eurogamer

• Sega is launching a new store in Tokyo, Japan. The store is expected to open in Shibuya’s Parco department complex. Eurogamer

Spotlight: Silver Screen

• Hollywood producer Adi Shankar has acquired the (assumed TV) rights to Duke Nukem. Eurogamer

• The Street Fighter movie has cast Callina Liang as Chun-Li, Jason Momoa as Blanka, 50 Cent as Balrog, and Noah Centineo as Ken. MSN, Video Games Chronicle

Till next week,

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