This week in video games: PUBG stumbles on Xbox One, the Nintendo Switch hits 10 million sold, and Predator comes to Ghost Recon Wildlands.
There’s Christmas shopping to be done, so this week’s update will be a little shorter than usual. However, as my grandma likes to say, “video games never sleep”, so here’s a quick round-up of the week’s biggest gaming stories.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds news update
PUBG is out now on Xbox One. Hurrah! PUBG plays like crap on the Xbox One. Boo! That appears to be the general consensus of an Xbox One port that is struggling with bugs, frame-rate issues, control problems, and the occasional UI spelling mistake.
As it’s in Game Preview, we perhaps shouldn’t rush to judgement. That said, Microsoft are pushing the game like a AAA release, so the complaints are understandable. Digital Foundry puts PUBG on Xbox One under the microscope.
Meanwhile, during an appearance on Mixer, Brendan Greene assured players that work on improving the game will continue:
“It’s a little rough, right, but we want to work over the next coming months with the community, with Microsoft and really polish it off and really make the game run as smooth as we can across all consoles.”
Nintendo Switch hits 10 million units
The Nintendo Switch has sold 10 million units worldwide since its release on March 3, and is closing in fast on the lifetime sales of the Wii U. Nintendo of Europe’s roguish president, Satoru Shibata, said:
“We are thrilled that fans all across Europe and around the world are enjoying the gameplay experiences that only Nintendo Switch can offer, whether it be the newest adventures with Super Mario and Link, or unique games such as 1-2-Switch, where players look at each other and not the screen.”
Call of Duty: WWII tops November’s NPD report
This week’s NPD report showed that Activision’s Call of Duty: WWII was the best-selling game in November, and 2017’s best-selling game to date. Assassin’s Creed Origins has also performed well, generating the franchise’s highest consumer spend since Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag in 2013.
Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection coming in 2018
Capcom have announced a 12-game compilation of games to mark the 30th anniversary of Street Fighter. It will be released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC in May 2018. The collection brings together various editions of Street Fighter 2, Alpha, Street Fighter 3, plus the oft-forgotten original.
Official Nintendo Build-A-Bear range launched
Nintendo and Build-A-Bear have partnered to produce a new range of Super Mario-themed bears. Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Bowser, and Toad are among the lineup, but Princess Peach is our favourite by far.
Predator comes to Ghost Recon Wildlands
This week saw the start of Ghost Recon Wildlands’ Predator Special Challenge event. Until early January, players will be able to take on the famous Predator in solo or four-player co-op combat modes. We haven’t had a chance to play it yet, but it looks like great fun, and we expect it’s just what Tom Clancy would have wanted.
Metal Gear Survive Beta date confirmed
Metal Gear Survive – a game that no one seems to want – is due for release at the end of February. This week Konami showed off more of the its single-player mode, and detailed the upcoming beta.
Ni No Kuni II delayed again
Bandai Namco have confirmed another delay for Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom. The much-anticipated RPG will now be released on PC and PlayStation 4 on March 23, 2018. Level-5’s Akihiro Hino says the extra time is needed to “ensure everything works together in a fun and cohesive package.”
Ataribox pre-orders open and close
Atari announced that pre-orders were opening for the new Ataribox console this week. And then a few days later, the reversed the decision. In a statement to backers, Atari said the postponement was necessary “to create the platform and ecosystem the Atari community deserves.”
Take-Two announce Private Division
Take-Two have announced Private Division, their own indie-focused publishing label. Initial projects include an unnamed RPG from Obsidian, and Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey from Panache Digital Games.
Oxenfree dev reveals new game
The developers of Oxenfree, Night School Studio, have announced their next game. Afterparty is a new adventure game set around a pub crawl in Hell, that culminates in a drink-off against Satan. The game deserves top marks for originality, that’s for sure.
Party Chat coming to the Xbox App?
Microsoft is currently testing a party chat function on the Xbox beta app. The new feature allows players to stay connected across Xbox One, Windows 10, Android, and iOS platforms. There’s no indication on when, or if, the feature will come to the live Xbox app. If it’s a success, maybe Microsoft can licence the tech to Nintendo to use on their fumbled mobile app.
Infinity Ward opens new studio
Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward has opened a new studio in Krakow, Poland. Cunningly named Infinity Ward Poland, the studio will be led by principal rendering engineer, Michal Drobot, and will focus on research and development. Infinity Ward’s Dave Stohl, said in a blog post:
“We’re building a world-class R&D studio that will tap into the creative local game development culture and talent in Poland. This expansion will further solidify our position as one of the most dedicated and accomplished teams in the industry. We look forward to great things to come.”
Christmas sales on PS4 and Switch
If you’re looking for something to play over the holidays, there are a few decent sales live at the moment. Sony’s 12 Deals of Christmas campaign on PlayStation 4 discounts the price of a new game every two days. And Nintendo has chopped the price of over 270 Switch, 3DS, and Wii U titles in the eShop Festive Sale.
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