Zahra, Hazel, and returning Special Guest Tom from Netherworld coming spookily at you this week from Zed Towers. This week Paul screams the weeks #GamingNews into the void of space, and then the team talks Borderlands Beneficence and upcoming events at Netherworld:
– Nov 4 – Extra Lives (the world’s first Audience ARPG)
Then Special Guest Tom from Netherworld spookily reviews the re-release Silent Hill 2: RENEW, and the team plays some spooky Gamer Focused True or False.
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
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero – PS5, Xbox, PC
Europa – Switch
Metaphor: ReFantazio – PS5, Xbox, PC
Nick Jr. Party Adventure – PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC
Starship Troopers: Extermination – PS5, Xbox
Transformers: Galactic Trials – PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC
