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Showing posts from February, 2024

Embracer Reportedly Set To Sell Star Wars: KOTOR Remake Dev Saber Interactive In $500 Million Deal

Embracer Group, the company behind the closure of Saints Row studio Volition Games and layoffs at companies like  Eidos-Montréal  and Black Forest Games , is set to sell Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake developer Saber Interactive, according to a new  Bloomberg  report . Embracer is selling the developer to a group of private investors in a deal worth $500 million, a source told the publication.  Once the deal goes through, Saber Interactive will be a privately owned company and free from Embracer, which is behind layoffs spread throughout the past couple of years. Following the transaction, the studio will continue work on its Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake, which it took over as the developer after Aspyr Media was removed from it in 2022 .  Bloomberg  reports this sale is another effort of Embracer to cut costs alongside studio closures and layoffs after a planned $2 billion deal with Saudi Arabia-backed Savvy Games Group fell through in 2023. The pu

A Spoiler-Free Romp Through Final Fantasy VII Rebirth's Junon | GI Live

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has finally arrived! If you're looking for a spoiler-free look at the full game, join Marcus Stewart as he ventures beyond the demo into the open wilds of Junon. This stream does not feature any main story content, but you can get a look a side quests and mini-games such as Fort Condor, monster hunts, and more! Be sure to check out our review of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth here .  To watch more of our livestreams, video podcasts, and series such as Super Replay, be sure to visit and subscribe to our second YouTube channel,  Game Informer Shows . Head over to our flagship  Game Informer  YouTube channel  for more previews, reviews, and discussions of new and upcoming games.  Source: Game Informer

Segway Showdown: Final Fantasy VII Vs. Like A Dragon

Both Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth inexplicably feature Segway-inspired scooters. We don't know why this happened, or if developers at Square Enix and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio were in communication, or if scooters happen to be really popular in Japan right now – we don't know. One question we can answer, however, is which one is better? Join Marcus Stewart and me as we put the two Segway-inspired scooters to the test side-by-side across a series of competitions and stunts to see which two-wheeled balancing vehicle is the best. Head over to  Game Informer's  YouTube channel  for more previews, reviews, and discussions of new and upcoming games. And watch episodes of  New Gameplay Today   right here. Source: Game Informer

EA Lays Off 670 Employees, Cancels Respawn's Star Wars FPS

Electronic Arts is laying off 5 percent of its workforce, which accounts for roughly 670 employees. CEO Andrew Wilson issued a company-wide letter informing staff of the publisher's restructuring, which will mean sunsetting some live service titles and ceasing the development of certain projects. In his letter, Wilson states that EA is restructuring to become more streamlined in order to deliver "deeper, more connected experiences for fans everywhere that build community, shape culture, and grow fandom." To that end, the company will be moving away from licensed IPs and shutting down certain titles to shift its development resources.  "We are also sunsetting games and moving away from the development of future licensed IP that we do not believe will be successful in our changing industry," says Wilson in the letter. "This greater focus allows us to drive creativity, accelerate innovation, and double down on our biggest opportunities — including our owne

Here's How New Game Plus Works In Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a great game – you can read  Game Informer's  review here to find out why we liked it so much. However, it's massive. Taking place over multiple continents on the Planet (or Gaia as it was retroacively called) with various party members, a bunch of open-world areas, and lots of side activities and minigames to partake in, you're going to be playing this game for at least 50 to 60 hours before you roll credits (I reached the ending at 80 hours).  When you've seen the story through, you might not be ready to hang up the ole' Buster Sword. Fortunately, Rebirth has New Game Plus. Well, kinda – it's complicated.  Here's How New Game Plus Works In Final Fantasy VII Rebirth After you beat the game, you'll be prompted to make a save file (heads up, you can only make 10). This will be your completed run save file and it will be marked forever with a teal tag that says Chapter Selection when viewing the file. We won't show it

Remedy Acquires Full Rights To Control Franchise From Publisher 505 Games

Remedy Entertainment, which released Alan Wake 2 to critical acclaim in October, has acquired the full rights to the Control franchise from publisher 505 Games. Released in 2019, Remedy developed Control but it was published by 505 Games, which also had a stake in the franchise's rights at the time. Now, after a roughly $18.4 million purchase, the entirety of the Control franchise belongs to Remedy.  This includes the original Control game, its in-development sequel Control 2 , the multiplayer spin-off Project Condor , and all future Control products.  "The Control franchise is in the core of Remedy," the studio writes in a statement released today. "Having acquired the full rights to Control, Condor, and Control 2, Remedy is now in a position to make the right product and business decisions focusing on long-term franchise growth."  With this deal, all publishing agreements between 505 Games and Remedy in regards to the Control franchise are terminated

Balatro Review – A Winning Hand

Reviewed on: PC Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Publisher: Playstack Ltd Developer: LocalThunk Release: February 20, 2024 Rating: Everyone I’m not a poker player. I’ve never learned the game, and my limited knowledge of it largely stems from pop culture osmosis, such as James Bond films and referential quips from X-Men’s Gambit. I couldn’t tell you what makes a royal flush, but I know it’s good to have it. Despite its premise and appearance, Balatro technically isn’t poker. It is, however, the first title to make me understand and enjoy the core premise of the card game. It also happens to be one of the most engrossing games of the year.  Calling Balatro a poker game would be disingenuous. You don’t even play against other opponents. It’s actually a poker-inspired roguelike deckbuilder. Over a series of rounds, you’re tasked with playing the best hand possible to score a minimum number of chips to advance to the next round. Yo

Former Call Of Duty: Black Ops Lead Forms 'BulletFarm' Studio To Create New First-Person Co-Op Game

NetEase Games has pulled back the curtains on its newest studio, BulletFarm. Led by David Vonderhaar, whose experience includes leading the teams behind the Call of Duty: Black Ops series, BulletFarm aims to develop a new triple-A game that utilizes first-person gameplay with an emphasis on co-op in Unreal Engine 5. It will be set in an original universe.  This unannounced and untitled game will "craft a more intimate and relatable experience while offering a fresh take on first-person gameplay," according to a press release.  BulletFarm is taking a remote-first approach to game development but considers itself a triple-A studio headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Joining Vonderhaar is the studio's creative director Chris Cowell. The studio is currently looking to hire in various roles to fill out the founding team.    "Starting this new studio has given me a chance to step out of my comfort zone and try my hand at making something entirely new and di

PlayStation Laying Off 900 Across Insomniac, Naughty Dog, Guerrilla, And More, Closing London Studio

Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced layoffs at various PlayStation first-party studios, including Insomniac Games (Marvel's Spider-Man), Naughty Dog (The Last of Us Part II), Guerrilla Games (Horizon Forbidden West), and Firesprite . It is also closing London Studio, the team behind PlayStation VR's Blood & Truth and VR Worlds. In a statement released by head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst, he seems to cite overgrowth as the reason for the layoffs.  PlayStation's Technology, Creative, and Support teams are also affected by these layoffs, according to Hulst. He writes, "These are in addition to some smaller reductions in other teams across PlayStation Studios." These layoffs will result in an 8 percent reduction of staff, or around 900 people losing their jobs.  "Our goal at PlayStation Studios has always been to make the best games for PlayStation fans, and our global community of studios represent some of the most creative and talente

Pokémon Returns To Kalos With Legends: Z-A in 2025

During today's Pokémon Presents stream celebrating Pokémon Day, we got our first look at the next major title coming to the Nintendo Switch . Called Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the teaser suggests the game will be set in Lumiose City, a Paris-inspired area first seen in Pokémon X and Y. It's not just a long-awaited follow up to Pokémon Legends: Arceus – it's an overdue return to the world of Pokémon X and Y . Check out some images from the trailer below :   The teaser, which does not contain any actual gameplay footage, shows a Pikachu hopping around a city made of glowing blue lines. While it's not immediately clear that the city is Lumiose, eagle-eyed fans will notice many familiar friends from that generation of games, including Pyroar, Flabébé, Klefki, and Hawlucha. These images are juxtaposed with architectural sketches and the words "urban redevelopment plan." This would suggest that Pokémon Legends Z might take place during the construction of Lumio

Fortnite Introduces Family-Friendly Lego Islands With 'Raft Survival' And 'Obby Fun'

Epic Games and Lego unveiled Lego Fortnite, a brick-based survival game with crafting, combat, and more , back in December. Now, the companies have unveiled a new way to experience Lego in Fortnite: Lego Islands. Available today, Lego Islands is a family-friendly, all-ages play experience that sits alongside (and separate) from Lego Fortnite, and it's kicking off with two islands.  The first is Lego Raft Survival. Created in Unreal Editor for Fortnite, Raft Survival "combines frenetic multiplayer problem solving with the classic Lego Pirates theme, as the infamous Blackbeard challenges players and their friends to stay afloat on a raft in unfriendly waters," a press release reads. Players must survive on their raft against cannon balls shot from Blackbeard's Barracuda ship, all while collecting wood and treasures as resources and building more rafts.  Here's a look at Lego Raft Survival :    The second island available starting today is Lego