Author: Joel

On a recent episode of the Xbox Era podcast, it was reported that Microsoft is in discussions to re-license and re-release previously delisted Marvel games, including Deadpool and Marvel Ultimate Alliance, on the Xbox store. The co-host of the podcast, Shpeshal Nick, shared details about these ongoing negotiations. According to Shpeshal Nick, Microsoft is currently in the process of securing the necessary licenses to reintroduce these games to the Xbox platform. Originally launched as Xbox One titles, both Deadpool and Marvel Ultimate Alliance could potentially become available for purchase again and run on Xbox Series consoles via backward compatibility. However,…

Kaitlyn Dever, the actress chosen to portray Abby in the second season of HBO’s highly acclaimed series, The Last of Us, has reportedly been provided additional security measures during filming. This decision is in response to concerns regarding potential backlash from certain members of the gaming community who hold negative sentiments towards the character. These concerns stem from the controversy surrounding The Last of Us Part II. This information surfaced during a recent episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, in which host Josh Horowitz interviewed Isabela Merced, who portrays Dina in the upcoming season of the series. Horowitz expressed apprehension…

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is set to launch on September 19, 2024, for the PS5, Xbox Series S|X, and PC. This remastered version brings significant visual and gameplay improvements, updating the classic zombie-slaying experience for modern audiences. However, it has sparked some controversy among longtime fans due to the removal of points for taking “erotic” in-game photos. In the original Dead Rising, players could earn points by using the in-game camera to capture suggestive images, often featuring NPCs or zombies. These “erotic” points were awarded for photographs that highlighted elements such as cleavage or other provocative details. While this feature…

Bungie reportedly shifting to lighter content updates for Destiny 2, moving away from large expansions. Additionally, the rumored Destiny project ‘Payback’ has been canceled. Bungie recently experienced layoffs, raising concerns about the future of the Destiny series. Industry insider Jeff Grubb revealed that players should expect “lighter” and “smaller” content drops for Destiny 2, signaling a shift away from the substantial expansions that have traditionally defined the game’s updates. According to Jeff Grubb, speaking on Game Mess Mornings, Bungie remains committed to supporting Destiny 2 but plans to shift towards more streamlined and less resource-intensive updates, which they internally refer…

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently expressed concerns regarding the recent price adjustments and modifications to Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, highlighting potential consumer issues. In response, Microsoft has defended these changes, asserting that they are beneficial for gamers. The FTC criticized Microsoft’s decision to discontinue Game Pass for Console, noting that users would face a substantial price hike to transition to Game Pass Ultimate. The FTC referred to the new Game Pass Standard as a “degraded product,” emphasizing that it costs 36% more and excludes day-one releases. According to the FTC, this exemplifies the consumer harm they had cautioned…

Bandai Namco originally released Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster for the Nintendo Switch, initially believed to be an exclusive. However, in early June, they unexpectedly released the remaster for PC on Steam. Having already played the collection on the Nintendo Switch, I wanted to evaluate the quality of the PC port. While the port appears to be well-executed, there are some noticeable drawbacks. One significant issue is the control layout. Bandai Namco seems to have overlooked that the game is now running on a PC with an Xbox controller. The controller layout remains similar to that of the…

Microsoft had been rumored to be developing a cloud streaming device internally codenamed Keystone. This speculation gained traction with the recent discovery of a new patent. The patent provides insights into what Microsoft aimed to achieve with their Xbox streaming device. Initially announced in 2021, the device was intended to stream Xbox games to TVs and other devices without the need for a traditional console, offering a more affordable and hassle-free alternative. The project was designed to be budget-friendly, targeting a price point of around $99 or $129. However, due to design challenges, achieving this price point was not feasible…

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Hidetaka Miyazaki, President of From Software, expressed his interest in developing a traditional Japanese role-playing game (JRPG). This marks a significant departure from his well-known work on action RPGs like the Dark Souls series and Elden Ring. Miyazaki revealed that, while he is intrigued by the idea of creating a traditional JRPG, he does not foresee it being connected to From Software’s 2006 title, Enchanted Arms. This game was directed by Masato Miyazaki, now an employee at Capcom, and is not related to Hidetaka Miyazaki. Reflecting on the studio’s history, Miyazaki stated that…

Bandai Namco has officially released Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster for PC via Steam. This release brings the acclaimed Nintendo GameCube franchise to a new generation of players with enhanced visual fidelity and updated gameplay features while preserving the core elements that defined the original games. For a limited time, players can access the Month-1 edition, which includes exclusive concept art, character designs, and development documents. This special edition will be available until July 17, 2024. After this date, the Standard edition of the game will become available. The Baten Kaitos series is renowned for its distinctive Magnus…

Unannounced PC versions of several high-profile games have been leaked through a new platform related to the Epic Games Store similar to SteamDB, known as EpicDB. Among the notable discoveries are potential PC releases of Naughty Dog’s “The Last of Us Part 2,” Square Enix’s “Final Fantasy IX” remake, and Rockstar Games’ “Red Dead Redemption.” The information surfaced as users navigated through EpicDB, searching for various publishers and examining their pages on Epic Games Store. These investigations led to the discovery of multiple codenames for unannounced PC games. By delving into the Cloud Saves sections associated with these codenames, users…