Our weekly news liveblog, with this week’s freshest videogame releases
Time for another sorry week of heaving news-fuel into the Maw’s thousand-and-one gullets and urgh, what’s that brooding stench? It reeks of embargoes in here. The air is foul with it. This week is the week of the inauguralTriple-I Initiative showcase, aka the IIIIs, aka a 45-minute dollop of trailers and announcements from such studios as Slay The Spire creators MegaCrit andDarkest Dungeondevelopers Red Hook. We know of a couple of the announcements in advance; others, we’ll learn about alongside you on 10th April.
There won’t just be game announcements this week, of course. In a shocking twist with unforeseeable implications, people are actually releasing games too. Here are a few we think might be OK-to-brilliant: “Lofi Girl: The Game"Spirit City: Lofi Sessions(8th April); arty sniper festChildren Of The Sun(9th April); LovecraftianFreelancerhomageUnderspace(early access, 10th April); third-person stealth fantasyEreban: Shadow Legacy(10th April); isometricMad Max-alotBroken Roads(10th April); swoopy cosy MMOSky: Children of the Light(early access, 10th April); mythological Chinese roguelikeLotus Lantern: Rescue Mother(12th April).
As ever, our servitude to the Maw often produces catastrophic tunnel-vision, and there may be a few more potentially great videogames out this week that should have been mentioned above. Please, please tell us about them in the comments. I am not made of eyes!The Mawismade of eyes - together with suckers, motorised mandibles, assorted quantum superpositions, bits of medieval poetry and pieces of cosmic whalebone - but it has never left us a comment. Which is probably for the best.
Our live coverage of this event has finished.
BLUE MONDAY
The air is literally crackling with suspense! All news writers gain +10 conductivity. Chase the weasels out of the centrifuge and FEED THE MAW.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
–Nic Reuben
–Nic Reuben
–Nic Reuben
Incline ～Railway of devil’s valley～is… a game where you exorcise demons using a sloping railway, set in “the retro-romantic world of Japan in the late Meiji era.” I have no prior experience to bring to bear on this. Does exorcism feature anywhere in Railroad Tycoon?
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
Sonic co-creator and recently convicted inside-trader Yuji Naka had some warm words forout-goingDragon Quest producer Yu Miyake over the weekend, accusing him of lying to a court (caveat that I’m going by a machine translation of the below tweet).
スクエニ｢ドラクエ｣責任者の三宅氏が異動､テコ入れへ#会社四季報オンラインhttps://t.co/Zt9nXnyfBgやっとかと言う感じ。裁判に嘘(証拠あり)を書いたメモを提出するような人なので早くいなくなれば良いのにと思ってました。会ったことないですが、新しく社長になった人は良い人かも知れませんね
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
Speaking toThe Gamer, Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida has thrown a bone to Final Fantasy Tactics fans. “It’s probably about time that we do a new one.”
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
More in railway news: they’veadded nuclear powerto Railgrade, together with a minimap for sandbox mode, different zeppelin docks, and the ability to automatically adjust train behaviour when they stop at stations.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
Recently released MiniMatt favourite Captain Of Industry has also been updated. The additions include a new map called Armageddon that has a massive crater in it. Scenic!Full patch notes here- it’s a biggie.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
The boy Jarviswrote about thisa few months ago and it does seem good.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
Some very intriguing paper titles. This seems worthy of the illustrious Sunday Papers.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
You’ll soon be able to reactivate old seasons in Deep Rock Galactic - here’show that works.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
Despite its first season being yet to premiere,the Fallout TV show already has a second season in the works, it seems! Amazon’s been handed $25 million in tax cuts to film in California, because they were presumably short of a bob or two. Anyway, does this mean we might see an NCR-centric continuation of the post-apocalyptic adaptation?
–Matt Jarvis
It looks like the Splinter Cell remake might be about to reappear after years in the dark, as devs Ubisoft Toronto tease a possible re-reveal in June.
–Matt Jarvis
Unnerving £2 gem Buckshot Roulette is fresh out on Steam with a new update, and working on a multiplayer mode so you can play shotgun roulette with pals.
–Matt Jarvis
Baldur’s Gate 3 studio Larian will likely bring their next game to early access again, but admit the work-in-progress approach isn’t right for every dev.
–Matt Jarvis
–Nic Reuben
–Nic Reuben
LOVE YOU TILL TUESDAY
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
–Nic Reuben
According toEurogamer, there are layoffs and other cost-cutting measures underway at UK retailer GAME. Ah, GAME - one of the last big high street trade-in places. Everybody form a defensive circle around CEX.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
Triple Triad/Tetra Master homage Tetra Tactics - previously Card Craft - isleaving Steam early access todaywith a brand new soundtrack, an overhauled tutorial, hero power bugfixes and various quality-of-life improvements.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
–Nic Reuben
Abig updatefor lairy dungeon physics-me-do Noita. The game is 60% off on Steam to celebrate.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
They put the eclipse in Call of Doody.
There is a solar eclipse happening on Rebirth Island in Warzone to coincide with today’s solar eclipsepic.twitter.com/L7EaNwZhaf
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
–Nic Reuben
There’s a screening of Destiny 2’s Final Shape expansion happening at 9.30am PT / 12.30pm ET / 5.30pm BST - you can watch it live below.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
EA continue their endless quest to find even a single studio who can make a good Battlefield game. They’ve announced that EA Motive - them from the Dead Space remake -are building a team to have a shot at it. Their Iron Man game remains in development, too.
–Graham Smith
–Graham Smith
–Graham Smith
–Graham Smith
Varietyreportthat indie horror haul ‘em up Dredge is the latest game to have its movie rights snapped up by Story Kitchen. It joins Disco Elysium, My Friend Pedro, Life Is Strange, It Takes Two, Sifu, Sleeping Dogs, SLime Rancher, Streets Of Rage and Vampire Survivors.
–Graham Smith
–Nic Reuben
–Nic Reuben
A WEDNESDAY CAR
FEED THE MAW. It’s the Triple-I Initiative tonight, so you can expect a fair bit of today’s news to be clustered towards the evening.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
SEGA have announced that it’s “the year of Shadow” (the Hedgehog). Why you do this, SEGA.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
World of Warcraft Cataclysm Classic will release on May 20th,Blizzardhave announced.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
As Edwin noted earlier,World of Warcraft Classic will revisit 14-year-old story arc Cataclysm next month, with a pre-launch patch landing on April 30th ahead of the expansion.
–Matt Jarvis
Eldritch fishing game Dredge is being made into a movieby the people behind the Sonic the Hedgehog films.
–Matt Jarvis
Palworld is adding its own Pokémon Stadium modewith multiplayer PvP arenas later this year.
–Matt Jarvis
A remake of Dead Space 2 was reportedly in the works, but has since been shelved due to poor sales of the first game, according to regular industry insider Jeff Grubb. The news follows developers EA Motive shifting to work on the Battlefield series, alongside their upcoming Iron Man game.
–Matt Jarvis
Well, wouldya believe it,EA have now denied the recent claims that a Dead Space 2 remake was cancelled due to ‘lacklustre’ sales of the first game, with development of the sequel reportedly never under consideration to begin with.
–Matt Jarvis
Belated heads-up that all of tonight’s big Triple-I Initiative announcements can be foundright here. Apologies, Mawers - I’ve been neglecting the feed today.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
I LOST THURSDAY
(As requested by MiniMatt.)
Any thoughts on last night’s Tripliiis, then? Nice to see Simon Belmont getting work. I liked the leggy car as well. FEED THE MAW.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
Ta! Here’sthe Steam announcement. Amongst other things they’ve created a new Archfiend, Belphegor, who is “the embodiment of Sloth and Indolence”. Teach me, Belphegor!
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
–Nic Reuben
A new Stardew Valley patch is happening, out next week.
There’s another PC patch underway (1.6.4), which will fix more bugs and add a few goodies as well. It should be out some time next week
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
Our siblings-from-another-Future over atPCGamerpoint out that the leaker who correctly described Destiny 2’s new Prismatic subclass also claimed that Destiny 3 is in development about a month ago.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
–Nic Reuben
ViaTechraptor,Threads Of Waris a tank roguelike inspired by Namco’s Battle City, which looks like a work of textiles. It’s being developed by a Ukrainian programmer and his son, and portrays the liberation of Ukrainian territories during the first year of Russia’s war on Ukraine, from Hostomel to Kherson.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
There’s a chunkyupdatefor Naraka Bladepoint - highlights include a Hot Potato mode, which is sort of dodgeball but with swords and also, the ball is alive and wants to kill you.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
Sky: Children Of Light is now out on Steam and just in time for the"season of nesting”, aka players getting homes.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
FRIDAY ON MY MIND
Stir the cauldrons and polish the sundials! FEED THE MAW.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
Fallout 4 isgetting updatesto mark the Amazon TV show’s launch, including widescreen and ultra-widescreen support, as well as fixes to Creation Kit and a variety of quest updates.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
ViaIGN, Todd Howard has poured cold water on the idea of an Elder Scrolls TV show. “I’ll probably say no.”
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
Wanted: Dead - one of the most preposterous, aggravating yet somehow entertaining B-movie games I’ve played - hasreceived a major updatewhich rebalances the combat and introduces new abilities, amongst other things.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
–Nic Reuben
Immortals of Aveum developer Ascendant Studios have furloughed the majority of their staff,accordingto former employee Kris Morness. The claim has been corroborated by Polygon’s Nicole Carpenter.
This lines up with what I’ve heard at Immortals of Aveum developer Ascedant Studios — that a large portion of the staff was recently furloughed. Haven’t been able to confirm numbers, and Ascendant hasn’t responded to multiple requests for comment.pic.twitter.com/WNjcIJpOBH
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
–Nic Reuben
A new story briefing trailer for Homeworld 3.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
And a trailer for Remnant 2’s just-announced The Forgotten Kingdom DLC, out 23rd April. Honestly, who forgets a kingdom? Also wouldn’t this be more accurately titled The Remembered Kingdom?
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
–Nic Reuben
Any old TI calculator owners in the house? You might likethis.
–Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
As Nic shared earlier,Steam’s FPS Fest unloads a clip full of deals and demos for shooters next week.
–Matt Jarvis
Baldur’s Gate 3 does what Elden Ring couldn’t, sweeping yesterday’s BAFTAs tobecome the first video game to win all five big GOTY awards.
–Matt Jarvis
After laying off half of the studio a matter of months ago,Immortals of Aveum developers Ascendant have now reportedly furloughed most of those left.
–Matt Jarvis
64-player Pac-Man battle royale game Chomp Champs escapes the grave of Google Stadia onto Steam next month. It looks like it could be fun!
–Matt Jarvis
I’ll leave you with a fun one for the weekend - after the recent speedrunning dog, someone else is apparentlyteaching a dog to play video games for a college study. I look forward to being able to ask my spaniel to grind out some levels in Final Fantasy 14 for me.
–Matt Jarvis
