Monster Hunter World: Iceborne’s second title update adds Stygian Zinogre, Tempered Ruiner Nergigante, and a new Tundra region
New Horizon Zero Dawn quests and other updates, too.
New Horizon Zero Dawn quests and other updates, too.
In The Valley of Gods, the follow-up to Firewatch from the team at Campo Santo, is on hold indefinitely while the team involved works on different games at Valve, including the upcoming VR title Half-Life: Alyx. It’s unclear whether or not work on the title will ever resume, and if it does, whether it will be the same game that was originally announced in late 2018. Now, one of the game’s contract writers–who has not been moved to another project within Valve–has opened up about how deeply he cared about the work he was doing on the game, giving some insight into what it might (or might have) looked like.
Duncan Fyfe, who wrote for Neo Cab and was working as a contractor for In the Valley of Gods after having worked previously with Campo Santo, said that he’s unlikely to work on the game again now, and is currently seeking new work. In a Twitter thread, he discussed the work he did for the game, and hinted at some of the themes and concepts the game was going to work with.
If I’ve seemed eager to find work writing video games lately, this is why. I’m disappointed to be done with a game that I really cared about. https://t.co/LG0xOudMlb
— Duncan Fyfe (@DuncanFyfe) December 4, 2019
Over a series of tweets, Fyfe explains how he started working for Campo Santo six years ago, writing articles for their website, calling it “the best and most empowering job I’ve ever had.” He talks about getting to work on the follow-up, and the research that went into his writing for the game. “I wanted to make myself invaluable to this game and to an amazing team by becoming a person who knew what it meant to tell a mystery adventure story in 1920s in Egypt,” he says. He spent time poring over “19th century maps and guidebooks, cartouche diagrams and tomb plans, theses and excavation reports, figuring out creative solutions to narrative problems.”
There are plenty of interesting anecdotes about the lengths he went to for his preparation throughout the thread, including the one below.
I really wanted the 1929 edition of an Egypt travel guide that Thomas Pynchon used to write V. I found it as a PDF behind the paywall of a private Lovecraft enthusiast forum, & I had to pretend I was a Lovecraft devotee who designed Call of Cthulhu RPG modules in his spare time.
— Duncan Fyfe (@DuncanFyfe) December 4, 2019
In his thread, Fyfe says that “the white western world of the 19th and 20th centuries twisted race science to assert that the Egyptians who actually created all that good stuff were themselves white,” and that the game, which is “about two black women in a world of white Egyptologists,” would have dealt with this directly.
Towards the end of his thread, Fyfe directly discusses what he believes the game was “about”:
For a while, I thought this game was kind of about what we lose when we die.
— Duncan Fyfe (@DuncanFyfe) December 4, 2019
There’s what we think will happen, and there’s what does, thousands of years later: people forget the basic facts of our existence, and our bodies are ground into fertiliser, displayed naked in a museum, or crushed underfoot in a dash for something pretty in our tomb.
— Duncan Fyfe (@DuncanFyfe) December 4, 2019
The full thread is worth a read to see the amount of work that was going into writing the game, and the passion for the project. One tweet from Fyfe simply reads “I loved working on this game so f***ing much.”
The fate of In the Valley of Gods remains uncertain. The next game from Valve, Half-Life: Alyx, releases for PC VR devices in March 2020.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/in-the-valley-of-gods-writer-says-it-was-about-wha/1100-6471924/
Microsoft is bringing back the Xbox Onesie, the wacky article of clothing that helps you stay warm and cozy while playing games. The new version of the Onesie, which is officially called the “Xbox Hooded Union Suit,” is now in green as opposed to the white version of the original.
The new Onesie will be available from the Xbox Gear Store beginning on December 5. Stock will be “limited” so if you’re interested you may want to act quickly. Pricing was not announced.
Back by popular demand and just in time for the Holidays: The Xbox ‘Hooded Union Suit’ (aka “Onesie”) is back – this time in green. It will be dropping in limited quantities TOMORROW – Thursday 5-December on the Xbox Gear store. I’ll remind you tomorrow when it goes on sale 🎄💚 pic.twitter.com/8qDt7LdESh
— Larry Hryb (@majornelson) December 4, 2019
The Xbox Onesie was created by Xbox Australia in 2016 as a unique marketing ploy that ended up gathering a lot of traction and interest among fans. Microsoft updated the design in 2017 to promote the release of Forza Motorsport 7. Up until now, the only way to get the Onesie was to win a contest, but the launch in the Xbox Gear Store this week will open it up to a wider audience.
The Xbox Onesie features enlarged pockets to fit Xbox controllers and other remotes. It also has a pouch for your phone, and leg and arm sleeves that roll up for a better fit. The hood is oversized to leave space for a headset.
In other Xbox news, Phil Spencer is already using the next-generation Xbox Scarlett console at home. On top of that, rumours have re-emerged that Microsoft is working on a cheaper, less powerful, and disc-free Scarlett console under the codename Lockhart.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-onesie-returns-and-this-time-its-on-sale-for-/1100-6471925/
Microsoft’s new Xbox console, codenamed Project Scarlett, is set to launch to the public in Holiday 2020. Some people inside Xbox are already using the console at home, however.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer said on Twitter that he brought his Project Scarlett console home this week. “It’s become my primary console, playing my games, connecting with the community, and yes, using my Elite Series 2 controller, having a blast,” he said. “2020 is going to be an incredible year.”
And it’s started….this week I brought my Project Scarlett console home and it’s become my primary console, playing my games, connecting to the community and yes, using my Elite Series 2 controller, having a blast. Great work by the team, 2020 is going to be an incredible year.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) December 4, 2019
Project Scarlett is due to launch next holiday but Microsoft has yet to announce key details like price, release date, launch lineup, and final specs. The console will be more powerful than the Xbox One X, and it will feature a solid-state drive that should help games load faster.
In other news, The Verge, Brad Sams, and Kotaku all reported this week that Microsoft is working on a second Project Scarlett console that will be less powerful and less expensive.
Project Scarlett is said to be the overarching name for Microsoft’s next-generation console strategy. Anaconda is reportedly the name of the more powerful next-generation console, with Lockhart serving as the less-power next-generation console. In essence, it’s believed that Anaconda is the successor to the Xbox One X with Lockhart standing as the next Xbox One S.
A Microsoft representative said, “We do not comment on rumors or speculation.”
Plans can change, so it’s possible that even if Microsoft is indeed considering a less powerful, cheaper Xbox Scarlett, the company won’t actually release it. Or it will. For now, all that is completely official is that at least one next-generation console from Microsoft is coming next year.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-boss-is-already-using-project-scarlett-at-hom/1100-6471923/
It appears NHL 20 is adding its first celebrity commentator. The game’s Twitter account posted a silhouetted image of a person bearing the resemblance of Snoop Dogg. The caption says, “It’s about to go down, fo’ shizzle,” so this is all but certainly a reference to the rapper and actor.
When EA Sports announced NHL 20 in June, the company said it would be looking to introduce celebrity commentators over time, and it appears Snoop Dogg will be the first.
Snoop Dogg has experience in the broadcast booth, as he joined the commentary team for a Los Angeles Kings game earlier this year. You can check out the video below.
The NHL has also recruited Snoop Dogg to help explain the rules of hockey in a silly yet informative video posted in 2018.
It’s about to go down, fo’ shizzle. #NHL20 pic.twitter.com/8QSXMAjNR3
— #NHL20 (@EASPORTSNHL) December 4, 2019
Will Ferrell as his Anchorman character Ron Burgundy also did commentary for L.A. Kings games in the past, so it will be interesting to see if he comes to NHL 20 as well. The celebrity commentators helped bring more attention to the sport of hockey, and EA appears to be attempting to do something similar with NHL 20.
The developer isn’t confirming any celebrity guest appearances yet, but a slide shown to GameSpot earlier this year also included people like Drake and Wayne Gretzky.
EA has also attempted to broaden the appeal of NHL 20 by introducing NFL and NBA players to the game as playable characters.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/it-looks-like-snoop-dogg-is-coming-to-nhl-20/1100-6471921/
With December presenting the opportunity to reflect on the year’s releases, Apple’s hopping onto the trend by gathering its best of the best for 2019. The company has announced its best games and apps of 2019, with Journey developer thatgamecompany securing the iPhone Game of the Year award.
In a blog post, Apple announced that thatgamecompany’s Sky: Children of the Light was awarded the iPhone Game of the Year accolade. The adventure game about life’s various stages launched on July 18 for Android and iOS, garnering a positive reception for its themes of coping with change and forming connections. Apple also went through its various other platforms, handing out awards for iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and the recently-launched Apple Arcade subscription service.
The iPad Game of the Year went to 2016 indie smash-hit Hyper Light Drifter, which saw an iOS release on July 25. Indie adventure-platformer GRIS was given the Mac Game of the Year award, and throwback action-adventure game Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap received the Apple TV Game of the Year award. Finally, the pop album game Sayonara Wild Hearts closed the list out with the Apple Arcade Game of the Year award.
Check below for the full list of Apple’s Best Games and Apps of 2019.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/apple-reveals-its-game-of-the-year-for-iphone-ipad/1100-6471922/
Get a head start on this block-building RPG.
15 unique characters and 50 battles.
Pokemon Go‘s Friend Fest has come to an end, but a new event is set to begin very soon. Niantic has announced the game’s first evolution-themed event, which kicks off this week and makes it easier to find Pokemon that evolve in unique ways–as well as another new Shiny Pokemon.
The evolution event runs from December 5-12. During that time, Pokemon with unique evolution methods–such as Onix, Eevee, and Roselia–will appear more frequently in the wild, Raid Battles, and Field Research tasks. Lickitung, Scyther, Togetic, and Ralts will appear as Raid bosses as well, while Tyrogue, Feebas, Burmy, and Happiny will hatch from 2 km eggs. You’ll also have your first chance to catch a Shiny Burmy.
Those aren’t the only bonuses available during the event. Any Lure Modules you use during the event will last for one hour rather than 30 minutes, and you’ll receive twice as much XP for evolving Pokemon as normal. Additionally, you’ll receive evolution items like the King’s Rock and Sinnoh Stone from Raid Battles and special event Field Research tasks.
Finally, as part of the evolution event, Niantic is hosting a special Evolution Raid Day on Saturday, December 7. From 11 AM to 2 PM local time, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, and their evolved forms will appear as Raid bosses, and you can receive up to five free Raid Passes from Photo Discs during the event. You can read more details on the official Pokemon Go website.
That isn’t the only event happening this month. December’s Community Day weekend is set for December 14-15. During that two-day period, all featured Pokemon from previous Community Days will be available again in the wild and Raids, and there will be various bonuses to take advantage of. The Legendary Pokemon Terrakion is also still available in five-star Raids until December 17.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-pokemon-go-event-makes-it-much-easier-to-get-e/1100-6471917/
The Division 2 is getting a big new update that, among other things, gives the post-apocalyptic shooter a wintry makeover, complete with Santa hats and a weapon that shoots snowballs.
Title update 6.1 launches on December 10 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and the winter-themed event is called Situation: Snowball. As part of the update, a number of the game’s enemies are now wearing red Santa hats, and taking them down will reward you with a special weapon that shoots snowballs. You can see the hat and the snowball gun in the image below.
Ubisoft is also releasing new winter-themed apparel through the “Silent Night Cache.” This includes 35 items of clothing to collect over time. Players who log in between December 10 and January 7 will receive one key, while those who own the Year One pass will get a further three keys to help with their progress toward unlocking all the new items.
In the spirit of the holidays, Ubisoft has also introduced a new gifting option for apparel. The Silent Night and other caches can be purchased with the real-money in-game currency and then sent to friends through the game. Additionally, everyone who logs in to The Division 2 during the Situation: Snowball event will get their own red Santa hat to wear.
The Division 2’s 6.1 update also introduces a new Hardcore Mode, which makes death permanent in the campaign. Ubisoft recommended that players work together in co-op for their best chance to survive. The Hardcore Mode is described as a “beta,” so aspects of it could change in the future.
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-division-2-adding-santa-hats-snowball-shooting/1100-6471919/
This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.
Learn more Fox Yes