In Warner Bros.’ Q3 earnings call, CEO David Zaslav said the company is transforming its “biggest franchises” from three- to four-year releases into “more always on gameplay” experiences through live services, multiplatform releases, and free-to-play extensions. Warner Bros. wants “more players spending more time on more platforms” to “drive engagement and monetization of longer cycles at higher levels”. It also ...
Read More »Switch Version of Level-5’s Fantasy Life Game Delayed
Today’s update addresses concerns that Level-5’s Switch release Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time may not release in 2023. A Japanese advertisement (via Ryokutya2089) suggests the game’s launch date has moved from this year to 2024. Level-5 hasn’t announced a delay, but the last major update was in February, when a trailer teased this RPG-inspired life simulator for ...
Read More »Nintendo’s 330M+ Accounts Will Build “Lasting Relationship With Consumers”
Nintendo in its latest financial update announced that there are “over” 330 million Nintendo accounts worldwide and plans to use the same account system to make the transition to the next generation easier. This figure includes 164 countries and regions, including some where the Nintendo Switch and other Nintendo hardware aren’t sold, with the company’s mobile app engaging more players. ...
Read More »The Ubisoft publisher cuts 124 jobs
Ubisoft’s Montreal studio (Assassin’s Creed) was the hardest hit, cutting 98 jobs. Ubisoft is cutting 124 jobs as part of a global reorganization. Some affected positions include administration, IT, and Ubisoft’s IT and SFX teams. It’s doing this to improve operations and company efficiency. Notably, this restructure won’t affect production teams. “These are not decisions taken lightly and we are ...
Read More »Super Mario Bros. Wonder Is The “Fastest-Selling” Mario Game Ever
Nintendo’s latest 2D platformer, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, debuted on Switch last month and is a hit. The “biggest release” and “fastest-selling” Super Mario title sold 4.3 million units worldwide in two weeks, according to Nintendo’s latest financial results. “Super Mario related titles also tend to sell consistently over a long period of time. We anticipate this title will be ...
Read More »Nintendo Says Mario Movie Had “Positive Impact” on Game Sales
Nintendo’s Mario Movie, released earlier this year, has greatly boosted Super Mario game sales and downloads. Nintendo saw immediate year-on-year sales increases for its evergreen Switch titles after 169.84 million viewers and $1,361,250,000 billion in global box-office revenue. Nintendo’s Mario mobile game app downloads and merchandise sales increased year-over-year: “Sell-through of evergreen titles related to Super Mario from April through ...
Read More »Splatoon 3’s Next Splatfest Begins This Month With Regional Themes
After Halloween, Splatoon 3’s next Splatfest has been announced for November 18–19, with a three-team battle in the Splatlands. Regional themes will change the format of this next one. Yes, your region’s Splatfest question and optional teams will vary, so check now. This time in Europe, “What’s your go-to greeting?” includes Team Handshake, Fist Bump, and Hug. Japanese splatters will ...
Read More »The Free Spin-Off to PS5’s Most Anticipated Game Is Out Now
You recall Phantom Blade Zero, right? The game was announced during a State of Play broadcast and seems too good to be true. S-GAME released Phantom Blade Executioners, a free-to-play side-scrolling spin-off, on PS5 while that ambitious adventure is still a while away. The “fast-paced action game” promises a “rich storyline of kung-fu adventures” and is available for download now. ...
Read More »My Sandrock Experience Gets Major Update, Here Are The Patch Notes
After its Switch release on November 2, 2023, Pathea Games released an extensive patch for My Time at Sandrock. We reported several technical issues at launch in our review of the game, and while this patch won’t fix everything, it will at least address many of them. Let’s examine what’s included: Critical Issues Fixed: – Fixed an issue where pressing the ...
Read More »Technical Analysis of Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 by Digital Foundry
Last week, Konami’s Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 hit the Switch, and Digital Foundry has released its technical analysis. DF says it “could, and should have been so much more” because Metal Gear Solid 1, 2, and 3 have “limited enhancements” compared to previous versions. “The first MGS, for example, runs via an emulator at the same resolution ...
Read More »