Written By: Max Mitchelson
Edited by: Mary Joaquin
Welcome to the Weekly Gaming Round-Up!
It’s been a sad week for games preservation, but not all is lost. Sony is allegedly shutting down legacy digital stores, Nightdive Studios is updating a 90s classic, and E3 2019 star Ikumi Nakumara started an inclusive studio.
Balan Wonderland releases with a potential epilepsy trigger, and Amplitude’s 4X game Humankind gets delayed.
Monday, March 22
Sony is allegedly shutting down its legacy digital stores for PS3, PS Vita, and Playstation Portable this summer, according to The Gamer.
The Gamer’s source stated Sony plans to close the PSP and PS3’s stores on July 2 and the PS Vita’s store on August 27. Afterwards, console owners will not be able to purchase any digital games or DLC. However, it remains unclear if users will be able to download pre-purchased games after the shutdown.
Sources say that Sony will officially announce the shutdowns by the end of the month. The removal of the ability to purchase legacy console content from the PS Store on the web and mobile back in October seem to further verify the direction of these claims.
The shutdown leaves dozens of exclusive games abandoned on the platforms. Additionally, it will prevent purchases of PSone classics only available for digital purchase through legacy stores. It then forces gamers into the hyper-inflated PS1 collectors market or piracy and emulation.
Tuesday, March 23
Nightdive Studios' remaster of the 90's classic Shadow Man is scheduled to release on April 15 on PC with console ports to follow.
Based on Valiant Comics’ series, Shadow Man follows Michael LeRoi, a voodoo warrior, in a battle against evil to stop the apocalypse. Players blast their way through gothic Louisiana in the third person with a variety of guns and voodoo powers to discover.
The remaster adds 4K widescreen and HDR support, along with a slew of other graphical and performance improvements. The developers also promise to include cut content from the original release.
Wednesday, March 24
Former lead designer at Tango Gameworks, Ikumi Nakamura, founded a new indie studio.
Nakamura talked in-depth about the studio in an interview with Cutscenes, a collaborative interview series from Game*Spark, and documentary channel Archipel. She aims the new studio to be an inclusive space for female creators and storytellers, after years of feeling that “she couldn’t fully be a part of” the male-dominated industry.
First becoming well-known to the general public after presenting Ghostwire Tokyo at Bethesda’s E3 2019 press conference, Nakamura left the studio three months later due to health issues, according to the interview. She describes a toxic environment of overwork, although she stops short of directly stating it as such.
Currently, the unnamed studio is developing a new IP, and Nakamura hints at updates to come in the future.
Thursday, March 25
Amplitude Studios is delaying its Civ-like 4X game Humankind until August 17 to polish and add new features.
According to the announcement, after receiving feedback through the OpenDev program, the studio decided to delay the game due to “expressed concern if the game could live up to this potential in the time until release.”
Amplitude Studios also detailed a list of all the studio plans to fix or add. The document focuses on improvements to “pacing, balancing, diplomacy, and accessibility.”
Those who already preordered the game will receive two more avatars, Lucy and Edgar Allan Poe, as a bonus when the game releases in August.
Friday, March 26
Square Enix told players to download Balan Wonderworld’s day-one patch due to a bug that poses an epilepsy risk.
Youtuber BigDaddyjende first documented the bug in the final boss battle of the game (WARNING: the video contains potential epilepsy triggers, please watch with caution). The flashing does not occur for every player as other videos do not feature it.
Square Enix told Eurogamer, "We have received reports of a photo-sensitive epilepsy risk from a potential flashing bug if playing the game un-patched. The Day One Patch prevents this issue as well as enhances the overall play experience."
The esteemed designer Yuji Naka, of Nights into Dreams and Sonic Adventure fame, led the project as its director. It follows two children guided by the magical Balan as they travel through the troubled hearts of twelve individuals and restore balance and meaning in their lives.
EGD’s Weekly Gaming Round-Up gives a quick look into the newest news in the games industry. From blockbuster triple-A games and indie startups and mods, the Weekly Gaming Round-Up covers it all.
To keep up with everything EGD, follow the EGD Collective on social media to get updates on our upcoming events and workshops (Twitter / Instagram / Facebook). We encourage you, the community on the EGD Discord server, to meet some new friends and gain access to our wide array of services and resources!
Finally, consider joining our membership program! Benefits of registering for our membership tiers include access to student support services, fellowship programs, and more. You can find more information on our website here.
Comments