Come follow us down the Polaroid trail, drink from the CapCom rapids and bathe in the Baulder’s Gate 3 teasers. This week on Zed Games, Cameron puts the Cam in Cammitment with a review of Capcom‘s Street Fighter 6, Paul stretches his ocular awareness to bring us a review of indi game Viewfinder from Sad Owl Studios, and don’t forget there’s some extra saucy gaming news just to add some sizzle to your step.
Afternoon Zed Gamers, time to plug your ears with the vibrating pressure of the weekly podcast headed by Maylee, and accompanied by Zahra, Hazel and a secret being. This week the team talks lost games in Gaming News, Zahra takes time out for self care in a review of Amaru: The Self-care Virtual Pet. Maylee then brings the magic with a review of the boardgame Flamecraft.
Yuji Naka, former Sega and Square Enix developer, and co-creator of Sonic the Hedgehog, has now been sentenced after being convicted for insider trading. The punishment? Two and a half years prison time, a probation period of four years, and fines totalling 173 million yen.
However, he has been given a four year suspended sentence due to showing ‘remorse’, meaning that he will not be imprisoned, but will still need to comply with a number of rules presented by the court, and pay the fines.
87% Of Classic Video Games Are Missing
The Video Game History Foundation has revealed a study claiming that the very large majority of older video games are missing or totally unavailable to the public. And the problem may be due to outdated copyright laws.
The Entertainment Software Association claims however that ‘there’s no such thing as an obsolete game’, given that video games are largely digital.
The Video Game History Foundation has argued that ‘in cases where software has become abandoned or when companies are not willing to undertake their own preservation, libraries and other archives should be allowed to preserve and digitally release games’.
VGHF hope that with some changes, future gamers will never have to fondly think back on a childhood game that is just impossible to replay for various reasons, as well as create a more cohesive archive of video games. For historical purposes of course.
Football Rebranded
EA Sports used to be FIFA’s largest commercial partner before the two parted ways. But what is EA Sports to do instead of yet another FIFA game? A new football game, just without all that FIFA branding.
The new game, FC 24, has been revealed with its official announcement trailer, marking the end of an almost 30 year era. It’s rather motivational, although some of the comments seems to expect more of the same. Which isn’t surprising considering that football hasn’t had a major update in around 100 years.
Sega Says Blockchains Aren’t Fun
While ‘what makes a video game a video game’ and ‘what are video games’ and other such questions are often topics for debate among gamers, Sega seems to have figured out that a game should be fun. Shuji Utsumi, Sega’s co-chief operating officer, has reported that although the company were initial supporters of blockchain gaming, have now decided against pursuing it, feeling that it would cheapen their more iconic IPs.
“The action in play-to-earn games is boring. What’s the point if games are no fun?” says Utsumi.
Sega do still plan to allow third parties to use characters from their less popular IPs as NFTs, but it’s unlikely that we’ll be seeing Sonic the Hedgehog NFTs from Sega.
And now for some upcoming games!
July 13
Manic Mechanics (Switch)
Testament: The Order of High Human (PC, PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO)
Zed Gamers, welcome to another week of audio glory! This week Hazel’s organised a special treat, so with Cameron they welcome Jed Dawson & Finley (Fin) Cameron from Screen Queensland to talk how they can help YOU get your game and game creation career off the ground (paid internships now available)! Hazel then talks Nova Lands and the problems with automation in gaming. So fill in your forms and submit them by listening in, or head to your nearest podcast department and find us cowering under the desks of democracy.
This week Zahra takes control, with Caroline and Peter to talk this weeks Gaming News, a Recap of last week’s Indi Dev Night and all their favs, and lastly Caroline battles through with a review of Knight Crawlers!
SURPRISE EARLY PODCAST! In celebration of our collaboration with Netherworld for the Indie Dev Night we’re releasing this weeks podcast EARLY! So listen in as Maylee, Hazel, & Paul talk gaming news, this years not E3 announcements and Hazel does a special In Memoriam for the online phenomenon Blazeball. So gather your salutes, gird your tear ducts, and open your ear holes.
Grab your Master Sword, don your fused shield , & come listen to this weeks special Zelda themed episode with Paul taking the reigns. This weeks 4 person team talks The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and all things Hyrule.
Apple has unveiled their newest creation, their first spatial computer! What does this mean? Well, it’s a headset much like your typical VR headsets that is supposed to seamlessly blend digital content with the world around you. Imagine, being able to project your workspace onto a wall, while still being totally aware of the world around you thanks to the ability to see through the headset. It features 23 million pixels across two displays, and it tracks your eyes, hands, and voice.
Your monitor and keyboard can be set up anywhere, at any time, effortlessly, so you can partake in hustle culture for the low price of $5,250 or so for Aussies.
Speaking of Corporate Greed…
Eric Covington, a former Activision Blizzard designer, wrote a few cheeky lines for a World of Warcraft Venture Co. loot goblin. The lines were approved and implemented into the game, and the jokes were promoted on the official World of Warcraft Twitter account, but uhh, that doesn’t stop you from getting fired for allegedly “inserting inappropriate non-game related content into a game”.
The lines this Venture Co. loot goblin had? “Let’s call this a cost of living adjustment.” “No profit sharing!” and “Looks like another yacht for me!”
Blaseball is Done
Blaseball, best described as a ‘cultural event’, was a game that looks like a baseball stat-tracking page. You could pick your favourite team, such as “Kansas City Breath Mints”, bet with fake money, and even partake in voting for rule changes.
With weather events such as ‘jazz’, players being able to die and be resurrected, and something about a peanut god, it is clear that Blaseball will be missed. Unfortunately it was just too costly in terms of finances, time, and resources, meaning that the developer The Game Band has had to make the difficult decision to bring it to a close after 3 years of joy, heartbreak, and absurdity.
Duke Nukem Remastered: AI Art
Blaze Entertainment has revealed a remaster for Duke Nukem 1 and 2, including some album art with some… weirdness going on with the fingers, a typical sign that it was generated using an AI tool.
AI generated art has been facing a lot of controversy recently, as the tools often use original artists’ works to train, and are considered ‘lazy’ and ‘cheap’, whilst AI artists claim that it is nothing more than utilising a unique set of skills to create something ‘new’.
Blaze Entertainment initially double-downed, but has posted a statement acknowledging that the original image was AI-generated, and that they would be commissioning a new piece of art to replace it.
Gays? In My Overwatch?
Not if you’re in countries with intolerant laws towards the LGBT+ community. All Pride content will be opt-in, giving players control over how they want to express themselves, or if they’re rather not express themselves at all.
In selected countries, the option won’t be available at all, with Pride content being blocked.
“Our values are to protect players… You can equip a cosmetic in one country and travel to somewhere else with different rules and get in trouble. So we feel like it’s our responsibility to help protect people like that” says Aaron Keller, an Overwatch 2 developer.
And now for some upcoming games!
June 8
Harmony: The Fall of Reverie (PC, PS5, XSX, Switch)
Mask of the Rose (PC, Switch)
Pro Cycling Manager 2023 (PC)
Speed Crew (Switch)
Tour de France 2023 (PC, PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO)
June 9
Greyhill Incident (PC, PS5, PS4)
June 14
Black Desert Online: Land of the Morning Light expansion (PC)
WWE 2K23: Race to NXT Pack DLC (PC, PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO)
Time to gather your infinite multiverse everything everywhere spider selves around the sparking gigabyte motherboard that is Zed Games.
This week Hazel wrangles Maylee and Tobi through the week in gaming news, and swings through the everything bagel that is a review of the movie “Spider-Man: Across The Spider Verse”. All while Paul spends some time exploring not quite inside of “Planet of Lana”.
On Zed Games this week we lock it down, Cage style. Firstly chatting this weeks gaming news brought to us by Maylee, then taking the zen moment with a parrot in Zahra’s review of Bird Alone, and lastly a going toe to toe in a discussion on the PlayStation Showcase and locking down Q!
