This week in gaming: Nintendo premieres a massive Direct, Death Stranding features a “Very Easy Mode”, Melbourne gets its own dedicated Esports space, and more!
In the spirit of keeping our readers up to date with what’s happening in the video game industry, the Doublejump Digest is a brief collection of the major news stories from the past week. Keep an eye out for the Digest every Sunday night, and head on into the archive for news from weeks gone by!
FROM DOUBLEJUMP
- Luke produced a very interesting discussion about the perfect mix of circumstances that has brought about Minecraft’s resurgence.
MAJOR NEWS
Nintendo puts on yet another massive Direct:
Nintendo headlined its latest virtual conference by confirming that Overwatch is coming to Switch next month and that it has added selected Super Nintendo titles to its Nintendo Switch Online offering alongside wireless Super Nintendo controllers.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fans can now enjoy playing as Banjo and Kazooie right now and should look forward to playing as Fatal Fury’s Terry Bogard in November. In another cool “available now” announcement, TOYBOX has released a Switch port of Swery65’s Deadly Premonition and is also working on a follow-up titled Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise.
The Switch port fun continued with Nintendo announcing that Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast is coming to Nintendo’s latest system later this month ahead of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition in October. Ubisoft has joined by compiling Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Assassin’s Creed: Rogue as Assassin’s Creed: The Rebel Collection. Additionally, Phoenix Labs is bringing its popular Monster Hunter-like title Dauntless to the Switch.
Animal Crossing fans can look forward to playing the fun new crafting system in Animal Crossing: New Horizons with three other players on one Switch system or seven others online. Nintendo capped off its stream by announcing that Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is coming to the Switch next year.
Kojima reveals that Death Stranding will have a “very easy” mode:
Taking to Twitter late this week, Death Stranding Director Hideo Kojima revealed that the action game will feature a “Very Easy Mode” that is specifically designed for players who are new to gaming and/or would like to enjoy the game’s cinematic moments with less effort.
Normally there’s only Easy Mode, but we added Very Easy Mode for movie fans since we have real actors like Norman, Mads, Lea starred in. Even Yano-san who never completed the 1st stage of PAC-MAN, was able to complete the game on Very Easy Mode ???? https://t.co/fMZmuZltZw
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) September 6, 2019
The Southern Hemisphere’s largest games and esports centre is opening in Melbourne:
Vicinity Centres and Fortress Esports have announced that they are planning to open the South Hemisphere’s “biggest video gaming and esports venue” inside Melbourne’s Emporium retail precinct “early” next year. The venue will feature an arena with 200 seats, 160 PCs, and streamer “pods” in addition to a dedicated play area for tabletop and role-playing games, two bars, and a restaurant.
Uplay+ is out now on Windows:
Just a few short months after announcing it at E3, Ubisoft has finally launched its Uplay+ game subscription service on Windows. Users can sign up for a free trial through September 3, after which the French publisher will charge them AU$19.95 per month.
Industry veterans “revive” Telltale Games:
LCG Entertainment, an asset holding company led by industry veterans, has announced that it has acquired rights to Telltale Games’ defunct brand and properties. Former Galaxy Pest Control CEO Jamie Ottilie and former Havok game engine marketing manager Brian Waddle are leading the “new” studio, with Ottilie telling Polygon that this new company has acquired the rights to its name sake’s original games as well as selected licensed games such as The Wolf Among Us and Batman.
GhostWire: Tokyo Creative Director, and E3 fan favourite, leaves Tango GameWorks:
Ikumi Nakamura, the Tango GameWorks Creative and Art Director who endeared fans at E3 when premiering GhostWire: Tokyo on Bethesda’s stage, has announced that she has left the Japanese studio after almost a decade.
After 9 years as Creative director & Art Director at Tango and Zenimax – I felt here is one of ends of the journeys . I learned from the talented people I've worked with and I respect. ?? Contact me if anyone wants to work with me! → https://t.co/4VKLdY2ejl pic.twitter.com/Hbsuta3Rgo
— Ikumi Nakamura ? (@nakamura193) September 4, 2019
Rainbow Six Siege boasts 50 million players:
Ubisoft announced that its popular multiplayer has now passed the 50-million player mark in a short tweet to mark the milestone.
We've said it before, and we'll say it again…
We are here to stay.Thank you for 50 Million players! pic.twitter.com/9IpTFlFARL
— Rainbow Six Siege (@Rainbow6Game) September 6, 2019
NOTABLE GAME RELEASES
- Catherine: Full Body (PS4, Vita)
- Final Fantasy VIII Remastered (PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One)
- Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
- NBA 2K20 (PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One)
- WRC 8 FIA World Rally Championship (PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One)
VIDEOS AND TRAILERS
Gears 5 – Official Launch Trailer:
Geez, someone really liked Mad Max: Fury Road.
Apex Legends – Stories from the Outlands – “Voidwalker”:
Take a look at an important moment in Wraith’s troubled past.
The Surge 2 – You Are What You Kill Trailer:
Check out the sweet loot up that we’ll get to play with.
Tekken 7 – Season Pass 3 Release Trailer:
Zafina’s entering the arena this coming week.
Ghost Recon Breakpoint – The Pledge Live Action Trailer:
Mr. Bernthal is not happy with his government’s attitude towards its fallen soldiers.
First look at a new experience for Nintendo Switch:
Should we call the police?
INDIE SPOTLIGHT
Azure Reflections is coming to Steam later this month:
Developer Souvenir Circ. is teaming up with Sony Music Entertainment Japan’s publishing label, UNITIES, to bring this unique, vibrant, side-scrolling bullet hell to Steam on September 20 – almost a year and a half after it was released on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. The new version will come with a “boss rush” mode, as well as two additional battles against the game’s main characters, all of which will become available on the Switch and PS4 versions on the same day.
The Eyes of Ara is coming to Nintendo Switch:
The Melbourne-made fantasy puzzler has won a swath of awards since its release on Android, iOS, Mac and Windows PC, and developer Ben Droste – also known as the one-man studio 100 Stones Interactive – is set to bring it to Switch on October 15, with dedicated touch screen and Joy-Con support to boot.
OTHER NEWS
- Bungie has detailed the major sandbox changes coming in Destiny 2: Shadowkeep: Polygon
- Cube World is finally coming out… six years later: Forbes
- FIFA players aren’t happy with Kaka’s FIFA 20 card ratings: Eurogamer
- Pokémon GO developer Niantic is trying to discourage players from trespassing: GamesRadar
- Epic Games has moved the Combat Shotgun, Drum Shotgun, and Proximity Launch to Fortnite’s Vault: GameSpot
- Celeste’s Farewell story chapter is coming out next week: Polygon
- Double Fine’s not sure if it will continue publishing games going forward: Destructoid
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