#Xbox Developer Direct 2024

[geekcavepodcast]

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle - Xbox Developer Direct Gameplay Reveal Trailer

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle hails from MachineGames, Lucasfilm Games, and executive producer Todd Howard. The music is by composer Gordy Haab. The game takes place between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. Sinister forces are searching the globe for an ancient power connected to the Great Circle.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a first-person, single-players action adventure, though the game will also feature some third person scenes as well. Players will reportedly have quite a lot of freedom in combat and exploration with the ability to choose whether to engage or sneak around enemies and several optional puzzles. Indy's iconic whip can be used in combat, exploration, and as a distraction.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will launch in 2024.

You can check out the entire Developer Direct video here.

[lemmonhead67]

NEW INDIANA JONES GAME REACTION ( Xbox Developer Direct 2024)- Nerd Squa...

[felassan]

[link] to a video interview with DA:TV Creative Director, John Epler.

Notes:

In-world it’s been 9 years since the events of DA:I

“At the end of Trespasser, Solas declared he was going to break the world to rebuild it”

The section of the game that we saw in the Gameplay Reveal takes place “after Varric and another handful of adventurers, the initial Veilguard, have been tracking him down throughout Thedas”

If you have played previous DA games, there’s a lot of lore and references in DA:TV that will add to the experience

No save transfer, but there are opportunities to reference what you did in previous games

Tevinter is the most impressive civilization in modern Thedas because it’s a nation that runs on magic

Lore/art direction: “Magic has started seeping into the world through Solas’ ritual”, “and so you’re seeing the effects of that on the space, and on the visuals as well”

The CC team and character art team spent a lot of time working on making sure that hairstyles behaved appropriately, in a realistic way, and on representing a lot of different hairstyles

They wanted to provide more opportunities to spend time with the characters in a way that previous games didn’t allow for as much

They “did start a first version of Dragon Age 4 after Trespasser. Anthem came out, we needed to ship development to that. And when we came back we really rebooted development, started fresh, but the story has remained the same throughout, the goals of that story have remained the same. We’ve always wanted to take Solas’ story and put a final conclusion on that” (Fel note: the previous project was code-named Joplin. It was since revised to such an extent that its code name changed to Morrison, per the Bio25 book. This sounds like lots of the story, beats, themes etc from Joplin have remained despite the project change :>)

“A lot of what we want to do in this game is show the story as much as tell through conversation, dialogue”. They want the spectacle to be part of the storytelling, they want the player to be able to feel the story happening around them as much as it being told to them

They aren’t getting more specific regarding the release date as yet beyond Fall 2024

Game is coming out on Xbox Series S and X, PS5, PC

Will it be playable on Steam Deck? They are “not going to get into that quite yet, so”

[source]

[wearesecretmode]

Still Wakes the Deep’s Awards (so far)

From The Chinese Room:

"Ever since we launched Still Wakes the Deep nearly one year ago, we have been blown away by the reception it received. From glowing reviews by the media and content creators experiencing the demise of the Beira D alongside their chat, all the way to every single review and comment made by our incredible players, including you reading this right now - it has truly been heartwarming.

What made us even happier were the awards that we were not only nominated for, but won! While there are still some award ceremonies to come in the following months, we wanted to take the time to celebrate the successes Still Wakes the Deep has had over the past year with you. After all, a game is nothing without its players."

The awards Still Wakes the Deep has won:

BAFTA:

New Intellectual Property

Performer in a Leading Role (Alec Newman as Caz)

Performer in a Supporting Role (Karen Dunbar as Finlay)

NYX Awards:

Xbox Best Horror Game (Grand Winner)

Xbox Best Art Direction (Grand Winner)

Xbox Best Narrative (Grand Winner)

Xbox Best Audio Design (Gold Winner)

Creature Design (Grand Winner)

TIGA:

Heritage in Games

Audio Design

Horror Game Awards:

Best Indie Horror Game

Technical Achievement

NAVGTR: Use of Sound

Debug Indie Game Awards: Best Sound Design

Xbox Excellence Award

EDGE Magazine: Best Performance (Alec Newman as Caz)

New York Times: Best Games of 2024

Smash Jump: Best Horror Game

The awards Still Wakes the Deep has been nominated for:

BAFTA:

Artistic Achievement

Audio Achievement

Narrative

British Game

Performer in a Supporting Role (Michael Abubakar as Brodie)

Golden Joysticks:

Best Audio Design

Best Supporting Performer (Neve McIntosh as Suze)

DICE:

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

Outstanding Achievement in Story

MCV/Develop:

Audio Innovation of the Year

Narrative Innovation of the Year

Campaign of the Year

TIGA:

Creativity in Games

Action and Adventure Games

UKIE:

Best UK PC Game

Best UK Console Game

Best UK Game of the Year

NAVGTR:

New IP (Adventure)

Lead Performer (Alec Newman as Caz)

Horror Game Awards:

Horror Game of the Year

Best Performance (Alec Newman as Caz)

Music and Sound Awards:

Best Sound Design in a Video Game

Best Vocal Performance in a Video Game (Alec Newman as Caz)

Debug Indie Game Awards: Best Voice Acting

DIGY (Dope Indie Games of the Year): Best Horror

G.A.N.G: Best Ensemble Cast Performance

IGN: Best Horror Game

Gameluster: Goldilocks Award for Excellence in AA Gaming

"Thank you all so much for your continued support. We are truly honoured to receive these awards, and wouldn’t be able to achieve this without you."

[satoshi-mochida]

Yakuza Kiwami coming to Switch on October 24 - Gematsu

Publisher SEGA and developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio will release the Yakuza series for Switch for the first time with Yakuza Kiwami on October 24, the companies announced. It will be available via Nintendo eShop for $19.99.

Yakuza Kiwami first launched for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 on January 21, 2016 in Japan, followed by PlayStation 4 on August 29, 2017 worldwide, PC via Steam on February 19, 2019, Xbox One on April 21, 2020, and Luna on December 22, 2022.

Here is an overview of the game, via SEGA:

Yakuza, the first installment in SEGA’s critically acclaimed action series, gets an extreme remake in Yakuza Kiwami. To save his best friend, Kazuma Kiryu takes the fall for a crime he didn’t commit, and ends up with a 10-year prison sentence. After being released, Kiryu finds himself expelled from his yakuza family, and alone in a world he no longer recognizes. Events take a turn for the worse when 10 billion yen vanishes from the vault of the Tojo Clan, Kiryu’s former yakuza family, igniting a war in the red-light district of Kamurocho. Together with a mysterious girl named Haruka, Kiryu must fight to survive and uncover the truth hidden amidst the chaos surrounding them.

Watch the announcement video below. View a set of screenshots at the gallery.

Nintendo Direct: August 27, 2024

English

Japanese

[hardcore-gaming-101]

Gylt

Horror was once a rare gaming genre, with little variety, typified by the gameplay styles of Resident Evil and Silent Hill. With the rise of the indie scene, we suddenly saw a massive increase in horror games, such as Five Nights at Freddy’s, Choo Choo Charles, and Poppy Playtime, which took the gameplay and themes in different directions. While horror was seen primarily as an adult-oriented genre, some of these indie horror games became popular with kids. In 2019, Tequila Works, the Spanish developer of such games as Deadlight and Rime, released a horror game that was not only more accessible to families but actually stars a kid, has a Pixar-esque art style and is focused on psychological horror more along the lines of Silent Hill, rather than focusing on jump scares. And they released it… as an exclusive on Google Stadia, Google’s failed experiment of a game-streaming service. (Google even had a deal where people who paid for Stadia Pro could get Gylt as a pack-in game.) In 2023, after the fall of Stadia, Gylt managed to break out and make its way to PlayStation, Xbox and the PC, followed by a Switch release in 2024.

Read more...

[demifiendrsa]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl — Bolts & Bullets Trailer

Strider Trailer

Final Release Date Announcement

Not a Paradise Trailer

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl will launch for Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG) on September 5, 2024. It will also be available via Xbox Game Pass.

Screenshots

Message from GSC Game World on the delay:

While there is absolutely no way to make another delay sound less dim, we decided to be clear about our reasons to postpone the game for the sake of yet another wave of polishing. During Gamescom 2023, GSC Game World decided to show a small part of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 to the players publicly for the first time ever. This one-time initiative then transformed into a journey from one event to another across Poland, France, Brazil, Singapore and other countries. Thousands of players were able to play the game themselves and give the much-needed direct feedback afterwards. Two key points emerged from that. The first one was: it absolutely felt and played like a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game, which basically summed up both the key intention and the main inspiration for the project from the very beginning. The second one was: on the technical side of things, the game apparently needed more time in the oven. Throughout the frankly challenging development process, time was of the team’s main essence. Seeing the scope of polishing and understanding the limits of the players’ patience, GSC was absolutely dedicated to releasing the game in Q1 2024. That, however, doesn’t change the fact that at the beginning of this year, certain technical imperfections still hold S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 below the expected standards for the final experience the fans are waiting for. This extended journey to the release will be supported with much more content from the game to be shared later this year.

Overview

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a brand-new entry in the legendary series, enjoyed by millions of players worldwide. The unique combination of first-person shooter, immersive sim, and horror is back. With unprecedented scale, advanced graphics, freedom of choices, and the thickest atmosphere of a deadly adventure, it’s going to be the ultimate S.T.A.L.K.E.R. experience. Welcome to The Zone—an area of exclusion around the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Full of radiation, mutants, and anomalies, it keeps drawing adventurers from beyond the perimeter. Bounty hunters dwell deep into the Zone, driven by its treasures and mysteries. These people are known as stalkers. Are you ready to become one of them?

[csudev2025]

Digital Resources - Minecraft

I installed and played Minecraft, which is a sandbox survival-based video game developed for PC and consoles like Xbox, and is aimed at children and young adults, though people of all ages play and enjoy the game. The main goal is to gather resources and build an armoury to find and defeat the Ender Dragon, though there is no linear plot as such, so players can explore the various biomes, encounter enemies, build a home and gather animals for farming and/or to keep as pets, or many players will enter “Creative Mode” and let their creativity thrive by building things like ships, castles that can then be posted online for sharing (see: Richlarrousse on YouTube).

With the recent popularity of the Minecraft film, and with how popular the game has been over the past few years with social media content creators dedicating many hours of their time to recording and sharing themselves playing the game either by themselves or with friends (see: Dr Gluon on YouTube), I felt as though it was a good thing for me to have at least a basic understanding of some of the elements of the franchise (such as the icon which is the face of an enemy known as a Creeper), so that I can better help children and young adults who come into the library asking for Minecraft related things. 

Prior to installing and playing the game for myself I had very little idea what the point of Minecraft was - the way my brain works I generally need structure and a guided plotline in games I play so I have a sense of direction - but upon both watching some other people play it, and ultimately playing it myself, it now feels like when I used to play with Lego as a child - blocks of different colours and shapes that can be put together to create almost anything, or you could play the survival mode and gather resources to defeat the Ender Dragon, providing a goal to achieve. I feel as though there is still a lot in Minecraft for me to learn so that I can engage with and support children and young adults who come into the library and ask about Minecraft, and that in itself is honestly quite exciting.

Minecraft can be played either single player or multiplayer (both local and on dedicated multiplayer servers that can be hosted and shared worldwide and can be accessed at any time as long as there is a working internet connection), and there are very few physical means by which to install the game (i.e. the game only has physical cartridges for Nintendo Switch, and the launcher must be downloaded for PC and other consoles). This means that at any time, Microsoft (or each respective console’s online storefront) can remove the Minecraft launcher from their store, and it would no longer be available for download on new devices - similar to how streaming services are reportedly removing content, rendering it completely unavailable (Sun, 2023). Similarly, if players access a multiplayer server hosted by someone they don’t know, the host has the ability to reset the world at any time, thus removing any buildings, resources and achievements gained previously. There is very little security in a nearly completely digital resource such as this game, and that is disheartening for those who can spend hundreds if not thousands of hours building something, only to never be able to access it again.

References

Sun, M. (2023). Why are movies and TV shows disappearing from streaming services?. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/jun/28/why-are-movies-and-tv-shows-disappearing-from-streaming-services

[bigraagsbigblog]

Small Paper 2 (Tools)

3/31/25

The Mind in Motion: Motion Capture’s Role in Understanding Cognition

Word count: 558

In the study of higher-order human cognition, language alone is not always sufficient to describe a person’s thought process. Co-speech gestures, often analyzed through video, can reveal hidden aspects of cognition. However, motion capture (MoCap) technology offers a powerful new avenue for studying movement as a window into higher-order human cognition. Specifically, MIT Researchers developed RISP (rendering invariant state-production network), a large scale neural network that analyzes dynamic systems and creates a “digital twin” from the motion alone (Hinkel, 2022). This allows for a full 3D model to be recreated from a single shot, allowing for analysis of movement from different angles. This was previously possible in only very stable, research conditions. Now, by completing 3D recreations of movement using only video - regardless of lighting conditions or rendering information - fundamentally transforms how we understand and analyze motion. By integrating MoCap with neural networks, researchers can examine everything from microexpressions and co-speech gestures to large-scale crowd dynamics, revealing intricate connections between movement and cognition.

Traditional MoCap systems track movement using foam optical markers (as in film production) or near-infrared structured light patterns (as with the Xbox Kinect). Newer systems, like OpenPose, enable real-time motion tracking without markers using machine learning-based pose estimation (Vina, 2024). These advancements allow for high-precision analysis of human gestures, along with enhanced 3D recreation. As a result, researchers gain access to richer data, offering deeper insights into cognitive processes that were previously difficult to quantify. 

Co-speech gestures are one example of a direct link between motion and cognition. These types of gestures, typically hand motions associated with specific parts of speech, can externalize thought processes, and reveal internal reasoning (Cassell et al. 2001). While typical video analysis, through manual and automatic gesture tagging can allow researchers to quantify these gestures, MoCap allows for the ability to analyze movement in full 3D. When combined with RISP, gestures can be tagged and studied from multiple angles, further enhancing the depth of analysis.

Beyond individual gestures, MoCap has been instrumental in studying collective behavior. Crowd movement patterns, for example, provide insights into social cognition. Koilias et al. (2020) used MoCap in a Virtual Reality world to create a baseline for human walking behavior in the middle of a crowd, showing the influence of the crowd’s movements on individual behavior. It has also been used to map large crowd motion, revealing emergent properties, such as self-organization and implicit coordination (Worku and Mullick, 2024). MoCap has also been used to model complex animal behavior, capturing individual joint movements in dynamic, uncontrolled environments(Siliezar, 2021). These capabilities make MoCap invaluable for studying emergent behavioral patterns in human and animal groups.

Currently, MoCap is already being utilized to investigate embodied cognition as it relates to learning and environmental interactions. In Glenberg and Megowan-Romanowicz’s paper, they explore the relationship physical movement plays in comprehension of new concepts (2017). Those that learned with high embodied / active environments (manipulating tasks using MoCap through a Kinect sensor) achieved significantly higher test scores on gesture based tasks. Including more gesture and body movement into classroom lessons, and allowing for active embodiment interaction through MoCap technology, allows us to take advantage of the ways in which our human cognition already works. 

Motion capture is more than just a tool for film or gaming, it’s a powerful instrument for helping decode the mind through movement. By bridging the gap between physical motion and cognitive processes, MoCap is reshaping how we study thought, communication, and social interaction. Through it, we can study gestures, change how learning is presented, and study complex, dynamic behaviors in wild, unpredictable conditions. 

References: 

What is OpenPose? A Guide for Beginners. Published Apr 3, 2024.  By Abirami Vina. https://blog.roboflow.com/what-is-openpose/

Siliezar, Juan. “CAPTURE-ing Movement in Freely Behaving Animals.” The Harvard Gazette, 25 Feb. 2021, https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/02/tech-breakthrough-combines-motion-capture-and-neural-learning/.

Hinkel, Lauren. “A One-Up on Motion Capture.” MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, 29 Apr. 2022, https://bcs.mit.edu/news/one-motion-capture.

Johnson-Glenberg, M. C., and C. Megowan-Romanowicz. “Embodied Science and Mixed Reality: How Gesture and Motion Capture Affect Physics Education.” Cognitive Research, vol. 2, no. 24, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-017-0060-9.

Bossavit, Benoit, and Inmaculada Arnedillo-Sánchez. “Using Motion Capture Technology to Assess Locomotor Development in Children.” National Library of Medicine, 13 Dec. 2022, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9756361/.

Koilias, A., Nelson, M., Gubbi, S., Mousas, C., & Anagnostopoulos, C.-N. (2020). Evaluating Human Movement Coordination During Immersive Walking in a Virtual Crowd. Behavioral Sciences, 10(9), 130. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs10090130

Spiro, Ian, Thomas Huston, and Christoph Bregler. “Markerless Motion Capture in the Crowd.” Department of Computer Science, Courant Institute, New York University, 12 Apr. 2012, https://ar5iv.labs.arxiv.org/html/1204.3596.

Worku, S., and P. Mullick. “Detecting Self-Organising Patterns in Crowd Motion: Effect of Optimisation Algorithms.” Journal of Mathematics in Industry, vol. 14, no. 6, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13362-024-00145-w.

[tomsriverroofworks5]

The Gaming Revolution: Charting the Future of Interactive Entertainment

The gaming industry stands at the cusp of a monumental transformation. Technological advancements, evolving player preferences, and innovative business models are converging to redefine interactive entertainment. This article delves into the key trends shaping the future of gaming, offering a comprehensive analysis for enthusiasts, developers, and industry stakeholders.

The Ascendancy of Cloud Gaming

Cloud gaming is revolutionizing how we access and experience video games. By streaming games directly from servers, players can enjoy high-quality titles without investing in expensive hardware.

Advantages of Cloud Gaming:

Accessibility: Games can be played on various devices, from smartphones to smart TVs, eliminating the need for high-end consoles or PCs.

Instant Play: With no downloads or updates required, players can dive into games immediately.

Cross-Platform Compatibility: Seamless gameplay across different devices allows for a unified gaming experience.

Leading Platforms:

Xbox Cloud Gaming: Offers an extensive library of games accessible via the cloud.

NVIDIA GeForce Now: Provides high-performance game streaming with broad device support.

PlayStation Now: Sony's cloud service delivers a vast selection of PlayStation titles to various devices.

Immersive Experiences: Virtual and Augmented Reality

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are breaking new ground in gaming, offering immersive experiences that blend the digital and physical worlds. Visit - https://mahs.org/

Virtual Reality (VR):

Modern VR headsets, such as the Meta Quest 3 and PlayStation VR2, provide realistic graphics, precise motion tracking, and haptic feedback, allowing players to fully engage with virtual environments.

Augmented Reality (AR):

AR games overlay digital elements onto the real world, creating interactive experiences that encourage exploration and social interaction. Titles like "Pokémon GO" have popularized this technology, and more games are integrating AR features to enhance gameplay.

The Expansion of Esports and Competitive Gaming

Esports has evolved into a global phenomenon, attracting millions of viewers and significant investments.

Esports Leagues:

Major titles like "League of Legends," "Dota 2," and "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" host organized leagues and tournaments that draw massive audiences both online and in-person.

Diversity in Competitive Gaming:

The rise of new esports genres, such as battle royale games ("Fortnite," "Apex Legends") and mobile esports ("PUBG Mobile," "Free Fire"), is diversifying the competitive landscape, attracting players from different regions and demographics.

Monetization and Sponsorship:

With the growth of esports, opportunities for monetization are expanding. This includes advertising, sponsorship deals, merchandise, and even direct fan contributions through platforms like Twitch and YouTube.

Social and Multiplayer Gaming: Fostering Connections

Social interaction has always been a cornerstone of gaming, but the emphasis on social and multiplayer experiences is greater than ever.

Social Gaming Platforms:

Platforms like Roblox and Fortnite have evolved into social spaces where players can not only play games but also chat, attend virtual concerts, and participate in community events. These platforms are becoming virtual playgrounds where players can socialize and create content together.

Cross-Platform Play:

The push for cross-platform compatibility continues to break down barriers between players on different devices. Whether you’re on a console, PC, or mobile device, cross-platform play allows you to connect and compete with friends regardless of the hardware they use.

Community-Driven Content:

Games like "Minecraft" and "LittleBigPlanet" empower players to create their own worlds and share them with others. In 2024, more games are incorporating community-driven content creation, fostering creativity and collaboration among players.

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Procedural Generation

Artificial intelligence (AI) and procedural generation are transforming how games are developed and experienced.

AI-Driven NPCs:

Non-player characters (NPCs) are becoming more intelligent and responsive, thanks to advancements in AI. These NPCs can adapt to players’ actions, offer more meaningful interactions, and create a more immersive and believable game world.

Procedural Generation:

Games like "No Man’s Sky" and "Hades" use procedural generation to create vast, ever-changing environments and content. In 2024, procedural generation is being used to craft unique experiences for every player, ensuring that no two playthroughs are the same.

Personalized Experiences:

AI is also being used to tailor gaming experiences to individual players. From adaptive difficulty levels to content recommendations based on playstyle, AI is making games more personalized and engaging.

The Emergence of Web3 and Blockchain Gaming

Web3 technologies are ushering in a new era of gaming, characterized by decentralization and player empowerment.

Blockchain Integration:

Blockchain technology ensures transparency and security in gaming transactions, allowing for true ownership of digital assets. This decentralization reduces the risk of fraud and enhances player trust.

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs):

NFTs enable players to own unique in-game items that can be traded or sold outside the game's ecosystem. This real ownership transforms in-game assets into valuable digital collectibles.

Play-to-Earn Models:

The play-to-earn paradigm allows gamers to earn real-world value through gameplay. By participating in in-game economies, players can generate income, blurring the lines between work and play.

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs):

DAOs empower gaming communities to participate in decision-making processes, influencing game development and governance. This democratization fosters a sense of ownership and engagement among players.

Market Projections and Industry Growth

The gaming industry is poised for exponential growth in the coming years, driven by technological innovations, increasing global accessibility, and evolving player expectations. Market analysts forecast significant revenue expansion across various gaming sectors, from traditional console and PC gaming to emerging areas like mobile, cloud, and blockchain-based gaming.

Global Market Expansion

The global gaming market is expected to surpass $300 billion in revenue by 2026, with major growth fueled by mobile gaming, cloud services, and subscription-based models. Asia-Pacific remains the largest gaming market, contributing nearly half of the global revenue, while North America and Europe continue to experience steady growth due to increased player spending and high console adoption rates.

Rise of Mobile Gaming

Mobile gaming is the dominant segment in the industry, accounting for nearly 50% of total gaming revenue. The accessibility of smartphones and advancements in 5G technology are enabling smoother, high-quality gaming experiences. Titles such as "Genshin Impact" and "Call of Duty: Mobile" demonstrate how mobile gaming is evolving beyond casual experiences to full-fledged AAA-style gameplay.

Subscription-Based and Free-to-Play Models

The success of subscription services such as Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, and Apple Arcade is reshaping how players access games. These services provide vast libraries at a fixed monthly cost, making gaming more affordable and reducing the barrier to entry.

Free-to-play (F2P) models, supported by in-game purchases and microtransactions, continue to dominate revenues in games like "Fortnite" and "Genshin Impact." Developers are increasingly adopting hybrid monetization strategies, combining battle passes, cosmetic items, and premium content.

The Future of Console and PC Gaming

Despite the rise of mobile and cloud gaming, consoles and PCs remain integral to the industry. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S continue to drive strong hardware sales, with new game releases optimized for next-gen performance. Meanwhile, PC gaming benefits from customizable hardware, esports growth, and increased adoption of gaming laptops.

Investment and Mergers in the Gaming Industry

The gaming industry has seen record-breaking acquisitions and mergers, as companies compete for market dominance. Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Sony’s investments in live-service games, and Tencent’s expansion into Western markets highlight the aggressive strategies of major players. These mergers are expected to shape the future landscape of gaming, with more studios consolidating under larger publishing umbrellas.

A Dynamic and Evolving Future

As gaming continues to evolve, the industry is set to break new boundaries with advancements in AI, VR, cloud gaming, and blockchain technology. Whether through immersive experiences, social connectivity, or innovative monetization models, gaming is transforming into an ever-expanding universe of entertainment. The next decade promises exciting developments, ensuring that gaming remains a dominant force in global entertainment.

[arunmehta]

NEW EPISODE! Arun and Patricia talk about:

Shrek 5 delayed until December 2026 and Minions 3 moved to July.

POST-THOUGHTS: Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

‘Moana 2’ Sparks Copyright Lawsuit As Animator Revives Idea Theft Claims.

Wonka named biggest home entertainment movie of 2024 in the UK.

Houston Texans’ Joe Mixon curses during Nickelodeon NFL Broadcast.

Disney Renaissance Animator Mike Toth Has Died.

Nintendo denies that controllers at CES were official Switch 2 controllers.

SEGA Shared a Glimpse at a New Virtua Fighter Game.

Atari's Re-Revealed Handheld Console Comes With A Trak-Ball, Paddle, And Keypad.

Microsoft announces Xbox Developers Direct.

Retro gaming museum in UK devastated by floods as historic arcade machines covered by ten inches of water.

SONY DEVELOPING 4D TECHNOLOGY THAT LETS YOU SMELL PLAYSTATION GAMES.

[lefkosahaberleri]

Xbox yeni Developer Direct aktifliği için kolları sıvadı

New Post has been published on https://lefkosa.com.tr/xbox-yeni-developer-direct-aktifligi-icin-kollari-sivadi-28266/

Xbox yeni Developer Direct aktifliği için kolları sıvadı

Xbox, Ocak 2024’te birinci parti oyunlara ait yeni bir sunum hazırlayabilir. Birinci Xbox Developer Direct aktifliğini Ocak 2023’te, ikincisinin ise bu yılın Ocak ayında gerçekleştiğini hatırlamakta yarar var. The Verge’den Tom Warren, Bluesky …

https://lefkosa.com.tr/xbox-yeni-developer-direct-aktifligi-icin-kollari-sivadi-28266/ --------

[altinbilgiler]

Xbox yeni Developer Direct aktifliği için kolları sıvadı

Xbox, Ocak 2024’te birinci parti oyunlara ait yeni bir sunum hazırlayabilir. Birinci Xbox Developer Direct aktifliğini Ocak 2023’te, ikincisinin ise bu yılın Ocak ayında gerçekleştiğini hatırlamakta yarar var. The Verge’den Tom Warren, Bluesky profilinde Microsoft’un aslında Developer Direct’in üçüncü sürümünü Ocak 2025’te gerçekleştireceğini tabir etti. İşte detaylar… Xbox Developer Direct 2025…

[satoshi-mochida]

ATLUS and Vanillaware announce tactical RPG Unicorn Overlord for PS5, PS4, Switch, and Xbox Series

Gematsu Source

Publisher ATLUS and developer Vanillaware have announced tactical RPG Unicorn Overlord for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, and Xbox Series. It will launch on March 8, 2024 worldwide.

In Japan, the game will cost 8,778 yen for the standard physical or digital edition, 17,578 yen for the physical Monarch Edition, and 13,178 yen for the digital Monarch Edition.

The physical Monarch Edition includes a special box, 16-bit arrange music album, 132-page art book, original card game, and a copy of the game. The digital Monarch Edition includes the 16-bit arrange music album download code, digital art book download code, and a copy of the game.

Here is an overview of the game, via ATLUS:

About

Liberate your kingdom, reclaim your destiny From the masterminds that brought 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim and Odin Sphere, ATLUS x Vanillaware presents the rebirth of tactical fantasy RPG. Fight against fate and embark on a royal adventure to regain your reign alongside trustworthy allies. Unicorn Overlord combines the timeless tactical RPG genre with overworld exploration and innovative battle system for a unique epic fantasy experience in the iconic Vanillaware style.

Key Features

Traverse a vibrant world, assemble units and direct them into exquisitely animated battles

Perform heroic deeds and grow renown throughout the five nations

Cultivate a grand army with over 60 unique characters, from humans and elves to massive beasts and heavenly angels

Watch the announcement trailer below. View the first screenshots at the gallery. Visit the official website here.

Announce Trailer

English

Japanese

[maximuswolf]

Are we ever going to get a sense of normalcy back for the AAA gaming space?

Are we ever going to get a sense of normalcy back for the AAA gaming space? Just saw a post that explains how Activision has a patent in place for a system that maximizes exposure of players with bought skins towards non-paid skinned players. Just reminds me of how desperately greedy every AAA company as seem to turn into. It's as if -The push for live service for every single company in the industry. -Ubisoft's yearly pumping out of same formulaic copies for every IP they have, becoming worse and worse every time till they get to the point where the entire company is looking to sell-Sony's obsession for high profile/cinematic/high fidelity games to get block buster sales numbers. Apparent push for live service games when single player games were what made them get the lead in the I dustry in the first place. Why does it seem-Rockstar's refusal to develop any games outside GTA and RDR to utilize their extremely monitored online modes for years/decade to come-EA's total flop of battlefield/battlefront do to short sighted decisions of the company, and there entire scorched earth approach towards shutting down so many studios-So many god damn broken releases with studios having to deal with outside forces that always end up prioritizing money so far from the actual quality of the product. Even outside of that, we have constant stories of infighting in long standing studios that one way or another have an inherent lack of direction and leadership to get a working product out. This makes the lack of quality in a lot of games an issue involving terrible leadership in developer studios as much as outside interference from share holders.Can make the list twice as long but you get the picture. It's crazy just how fucked the industry is, especially with how many studios have shut down during and after COVID, and I honestly don't believe the aftermath of COVID has had the most affect in this regard. These companies have been going down this route throughout the late 2010's and took it to overdrive this generation. I mean just look how far Sony has fallen from before, it's good damn mind blowing how much they are fumbling this generation, it's as if anyone in the company with any sense of the industry were lobotomized. With the pending recession thats bound to happen soon, along with the aftermath of so many studios shutting down in the past 5 years, I feel like decades of progression and development of the industry itself from now to at least the 90's is going to be totally lost. There are a handful of high profile leaders in the thick of it that are rumored to be developing new studios as we speak, but the economy is turning to shit and these kinds of studios need proper funding to get through and I just don't think many publishers are going to have reasonable demands anytime soon.I can't help but to feel we aren't going to back to a sense of normalcy in the AAA space. We got some AA studios that have show up, plenty of indie's, but I for one miss the kind of quality, tightly and fully developed games we used to have back in the ps2-ps3/xbox-xbox360 and some of the PS4 eras (where the momentum for monitizaion really picked up). I personally don't believe the amount of indie's, majority of them on early access most of its life on the market, makes up for the lack of experiences we used to have before hand in the gaming space. And I don't believe that's speaking with rose-tinted glasses, as much as reddit likes to preach otherwise. Submitted December 11, 2024 at 05:11PM by NamedFruit https://ift.tt/hK79jwr via /r/gaming