This week on Zed Games Hazel, Zahra, and Caroline talk playing with their plorts before Zahra brings us the week in Gaming News with the team talking Screen Queensland funding and monopoly. Zahra then plays god in the remake Age of Mythology: Retold. Then the crew touts the treasures awarded in this year’s Australian Game Design Awards.
Silent Hill Fans Are Not Silent
The Silent Hill 2 Remake has launched, and the Wikipedia page had to be locked due to editors just stating lies like the game had “received the worst reviews imaginable” despite receiving very positive reviews, and otherwise vandalising the page.
The motivation? Unclear, although there was some discourse about the remake being ‘woke’ due to changes to characters’ facial features and clothing, discourse about Bloober Team being the ones to develop the remake, and discourse about there being a remake at all.
I just hope everyone is having fun and that you all win.
Screen Queensland Funding
Nine independent studios in Queensland have been awarded a collective amount of $1.3 million in funding, securing the development of 12 games, and supporting an additional 40 positions for developers throughout the region.
Benefiting from the Games Grant funding includes studios Sbug Games, who developed Webbed, Maxart, who is developing Servonauts, 5 Lives Studio, who are developing Cozy Caravan, and many more.
“We are proud to be driving a step-change in ambition and opportunity across an industry where Queenslanders can be world leaders in the creation of unique and innovative games… we achieved a 133% increase in the number of projects we are now supporting and these indie games are driving real ‘bricks and mortar’ highly skilled technical jobs,” stated Jacqui Feeney, Screen Queensland CEO.
If you’re a dev, next round for grants commences in December 2024.
Epic Games vs Google
Epic Games butted heads with Apple in 2023 regarding the App Store, where Epic alleged that Apple were engaging in monopolistic behaviour, and although they weren’t successful in their case, they were successful in requiring Apple to allow alternative payment methods on the App Store.
Now Epic Games has taken Google Play to court and has won a significant antitrust case, compelling Google Play to open up and offer alternatives to its Google Play store for downloading apps on Android phones. Epic appears to be building up their mobile market, after recently launching its own mobile store. There are plans to draw in developers with a free games program, reduced commission fees for studios using Unreal Engine, and more.
Google do plan to appeal the Epic Games verdict, stating that Apple and Google compete directly for consumers and for app developers, and that ‘Android is open and Google Play is not the only way to get apps’.
Epic and Google will form a small committee to review technical issues with Google’s compliance.
Less Timewarping For You
If you’re a World of Warcraft fan, you’re probably familiar with Timewalking events, where old dungeons and raids are available at their current level, earning rewards and experience. As a recurring event, there is an array of mounts, toys, pets, badges, and Timewarped gear to earn. However, collecting the Timewarped Badges necessary will be a bit more difficult, with the number of badges you earn being nerfed.
With a quest that would’ve originally given you 500 badges, players can only expect that reward for their first character on their account. Subsequent characters will only earn 300 badges for the raid, and 200 for the dungeon.
Right before World of Warcraft’s 20th anniversary event on October 22nd. Fans aren’t too happy.
News Nibbles!
Paradox Interactive seems to be done with Vampire: The Masquerade, according to deputy CEO Mattias Lilja. “It is not in our strategic direction to make this kind of game, so if Bloodlines 2, God willing, is successful, Bloodlines 3 [will be] done by someone else… we don’t know that stuff, so we should probably let other people do it.”
The Shinobi series by Sega will be getting a film adaptation! The hack-and-slash games followed Joe Musashi, a ninja fighting evil, although plot details haven’t been revealed. Stuntman and filmmaker Sam Hargrave will be a director, along with Ken Kobayashi writing the script.
Red Dead Redemption will finally be officially on PC on the 29th of October. Barbie Horse Adventure fans, it will soon be your time. We ride at dawn.
And now for some upcoming games!
October 11th
October 15th
Paul, Zahra, and Caroline battle the void before Maylee brings us the week in Gaming News and the team talks The Sims microtransactions. Paul dressed up to paddle some balls in Pinball Spire from Apparition Games. Then Zahra double dips with two reviews. Firstly, they put on their gardening shoes in Pikmin Bloom from Niantic Labs and then struggle with the puzzle in Coral Cove. And don’t forget some of us will be down at PAX next week!
Are there any PlayStation fans out there who had a bit of trouble getting online yesterday? You’re not alone! The Playstation Network suffered a major global outage that caused problems on both the PS4 and PS5. The outage lasted for around eight hours and meant players couldn’t sign-in, play multiplayer games, load videos, or play any singleplayer games with online requirements. Sony hasn’t said much about what caused this problem in the first place, but (at the time of writing this) things at least seem to be running normally again.
Pictures of the upcoming Sims game (Project Rene) have been leaked from it’s playtest and fans are not happy. This comes only weeks after EA announced that Project Rene is not, as most people assumed, the Sims 5 and they aren’t planning a Sims 5 at all. EA assured players they would be taking the series “beyond linear, sequential releases and offer more options for players than ever before.”Unfortunately, to a lot of players, these pictures from Project Rene suggest a bland, basic, and possibly micro-transaction fuelled mobile-gaming experience: Not what anyone is asking for.
On the 1st of October, Devolver Digital announced the launch of a new publishing label under its belt – “Big Fan”. This new branch will focus on working with indie creators who want to make games with existing IPs, as well as the people who own those IPs and want a game made. This isn’t about making marketing tie-in games for other media; it’s about creating fun and inventive games that stand on their own. In their own words “We believe (and have seen firsthand) that great games that propel existing franchises can offer a connection with a fan that only an interactive experience can offer. Independent games created in these universes can explore them in new and unexpected ways, and it’s our goal to raise the bar of what fans can expect.”
On October 4th –
• SpongeBob Squarepants: The Patrick Star Game is coming to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC
• Until Dawn is coming to PS5 and PC
Then October 8th is a big day for game releases, which will see:
• Turn-based tactic game Dead Season release on PC.
• Diablo IV’s Vessel of Hatred DLC will release on all platforms.
• The remake of Silent Hill 2 is coming to PC and the PS5.
• Annd if you have the ultimate edition, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero will release on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|
Maylee and Peter join us again for a view into social gaming before Paul brings us his signature Gaming News. Peter revisits The Spell Brigade from Bolt Blaster Games as it hits early access. And Maylee gets overwhelmed with fluids in Tavern Manager Simulator.
State of Play
Sony held a State of Play this week to promote upcoming titles for the PS5.
Off the bat we saw the soon to be released DLC for Astro Bot, featuring 5 speedrunning levels and 10 new bots including Helldivers and Stella Blade. Other DLC announcements included: A Sonic X Shadow Movie Pack featuring Keanu Reeves as Shadow releasing on December 12th to tie in with the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 film and the Final DLC for Alan Wake II , “The Lake House” which will be out in October and looks to be leaning heavily into the horror aspects of the franchise.
A remaster the classic games Soul Reaver 1 & 2 will be coming December 10th by Aspyr who were recently responsible for the Tomb Raider remasters.
Palword for the PS5 got a release date of, that very same day and Monster Hunter Wilds finally got a release date of February 28th 2025.
Despite many thinking Sony had already abandoned the platform, PSVR2 had a strong presence in the State of Play including Metro Awakening VR, Hitman World of Assassination and the newly announced The Midnight Walk made by the developers behind lost in random. A striking adventure game, entirely handcrafted in clay and stop motion animated, it’ s playable in VR and flatscreen.
The show ended with the big announcement. The sequel to Ghost of Tsushima was revealed. Set 300 years after the events of the original game and with a new protagonist players will be welcomed into the world of Ghost of Yotei in 2025.
News Nibbles
As if startled by the announcement of Ghost of Yotei, Ubisoft has announced Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been delayed until February 14th next year. How romantic.
Nintendo, like a middle-aged giant tortoise is now 135 years old. Happy Birthday you absolute freak.
Meta have announced the Quest 3s! This headset create an new more affordable VR entry tier giving the power of the Quest 3 with the optics of the Quest 2. It will be available at a starting price of $500 AUD
After recent layoffs and restructuring, Behaviour Interactive (Dead by Daylight) has acquired Red Hook Studios (Darkest Dungeon) in a bid to diversify and reduce the individual risk to both companies.
Platinum Games has done the near unheard of and managed to acquire the IP for one of their games from Nintendo. The Wonderful 101 is now in the safe, loving hands of its developer.
Game Releases
Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 (PS5, PS4, Switch), Mechabellum (PC), Shadows of Doubt (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC), EA Sports FC 25 (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – September 27
Reynatis (PS5, PS4, Switch, PC) – September 28
Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Plus (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC), Throne and Liberty (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) – October 2
This week on Zed Games… Zahra, Hazel, and Paul start us off with confirmation that Zahra’s brain is indeed blue from all the Sonic they consume, then Tobi brings us the week in Gaming News. Zahra interviews Deola D’brown from MADE Concepts and their PLAYGRND Showdown and their eGame competition happening at the Brisbane Showgrounds 21st and 22nd September. Paul ages rapidly in the multi-aesthetic/dimentional The Plucky Squire developed by All Possible Futures. Zahra channels their intergalactic conservationist flute player while reviewing Creatures of Ava from Inverge Studios. And Paul shares the haptics in Astro Bot.
In Aussie Gaming Headlines, Billy Mitchell has finally arrived on Australian soil in his bid to sue youtuber Karl Jobst for defamation. The disputed Donkey Kong record holder is defending the claim that his actions against the late youtuber Ben Smith aka Apollo Legend were a “significant factor in Mr Smith taking his own life” and that he “hounded Mr Smith to death.” The case is ongoing.
Dungeons and Dragons has again been caught in the crossfire as an Albany council held a meeting regarding the removal of sex education books to be removed from the library. While the motion was defeated the group Keeping Children Safe Albany lead by former One Nation candidate Michelle Kinsella called the books “borderline pornographic”, and has previously claimed that transgender people hijacked Pride for an ”agenda” and that D&D could be used to “groom children.”
In better news, Australian Games Classifications will be updated from September 22 to push the classification of games that allow the purchase of chance, mystery items, or loot boxes with real money to the M rating (not recommended for children under 15 years of age) and any game containing simulated gambling to R18+.
On the Business side of gaming (also known as – hiring, firing, and foreclosures), all 25 staff from Annapurna Interactive have resigned after the gaming division failed to convince founder Megan Ellison to allow them to spin the gaming segment as its own company. After Ellison pulled out of negotiations earlier this month president Nathan Gary, and co-heads Deborah Mars and Nathan Vella resigned. Ellison has stated the company is still committed to the upcoming games releases such as Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth, Ghost Bike and Wanderstop. Annapurna Interactive is known for the games Stray, Outer Wilds, and more
Microsoft went through a round of restructuring September 12, laying off another 650 “mostly corporate and supporting” staff in from Activision Blizzard and Xbox to add to the 1,900 staff cut in January. Xbox chief Phiil Spencer announced the layoffs in an internal memo claiming the cuts were needed for to organise the “business for long term success.”
And now for the bytes.
Now for the Game Releases!
This week Hazel and Zahra take the reins, talking what they’ve been playing before Maylee brings us a doozy in Gaming News and the team discusses the disappointing PS5 Pro announcement. Paul then enjoys jumping off cliffs in safety while reviewing Caravan Sand Witch from Plane Toast. Then Hazel and Zahra get crazy/crabby while reviewing the crab based cartoony soulslike Another Crab’s Treasure from Agro Crab.
On Tuesday the 10th of September Sony held a technical presentation revealing the details of the
upcoming PS5 Pro console. It’s set to release on November 7th of this year and preorders will
open on the 26th of September. Alongside the technical specifications, Sony revealed that the
PS5 Pro will cost a whopping $1199 AUD.
So, what is the PS5 Pro offering to justify that mammoth price tag?
Well, the biggest improvement is higher-fidelity graphics and smoother frame rates which
they’re promising to deliver with a bigger GPU, Advanced Ray Tracing, and some AI-driven
upscaling. Storage is also getting an upgrade. Where the original console came with 825GB of
space, the PS5 Pro features a 2TB SSD.
There are some downgrades though. The PS5 Pro does not have a disc drive so if you have a
collection of physical games you’ll need to invest in a separate drive for $159 AUD. The PS5 Pro
is also missing the vertical stand that came with previous versions of the console, and yes you
can buy it separately but that will drive the price even further up.
If you’ve been paying attention to the games industry this year, there’s no way you’ve missed the
huge number of layoffs hitting studios big and small. It’s a depressing trend that’s forced a lot of
talented people out of the industry, but not everyone is sympathetic.
As a guest on a recent episode of My Perfect Console podcast Chris Deering, the ex-president of
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, disputed that the trend is a result of corporate greed.
“I don’t think it’s fair to say that the resulting layoffs have been greed. If the money isn’t coming
in from the consumers on the last game, it’s going to be hard to justify spending the money for
the next game.”
There’s definitely truth to that, and Chris wouldn’t have come under fire if he’d stopped there,
but he didn’t stop there. “It’s like the pandemic,” he continued “You’re going to have to figure out
how to get through it, drive an Uber, or whatever. Find a cheap place to live and go to the beach
for a year.”
In a post on Twitter, X, Martyn Ware from the British band Heaven 17 shared that Rockstar
Games had contacted him about using the song Temptation in GTA6. He was excited about the
opportunity until he saw what they were offering. $7500 for a buyout of any future royalties from
the game forever.
Considering GTA 5 has made over $8.6 billion in revenue, the offer does seem quite low, but
many people were quick to argue that the exposure from being in a GTA game was more than
worth it. To those people, Martyn only had one thing to say: “Ah, but think of the exposure… Go
fuck yourself”
Late last week, Larian Studios dropped a new update for Baldur’s Gate 3. Alongside typical
gameplay improvements and bug fixes, Patch 7 brings changes to honour mode, improved split
screen, and added an in-game mod manager.
OH! And a bunch of evil ending cinematics if that’s your thing. They even renamed the “Show
Cinematic Nudity” toggle to “Show Sexual and Violent Cinematics” so people can avoid “a few
select moments of extreme violence that may be distressing to some” in these new endings.
While Larian has said that Patch 7 isn’t the last they’ve got in store for Baldur’s Gate 3, future
patches will likely be a lot smaller as the team focuses on their next project.