This week in video games: PUBG will come to every gaming platform, the Switch breaks new sales records, and the App Store makes a lot of cash over the holidays. Here’s our roundup of the week’s gaming news.
The week in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds will be released “on every platform”, said Chang Han Kim, CEO of PUBG Corp, earlier this week. We expect Nintendo are getting 3DS dev kits ready as we speak.
In the same interview Kim revealed why players are experiencing the game’s rain and fog conditions less frequently.
The next patch for the Xbox One version of the game is also on the way, and includes “quality of life improvements and gameplay adjustments”.
The week in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds copy cats
Hi-Rez Studios’ free-to-play hero shooter Paladins is getting its own battle-royale mode, called Paladin’s Battleground (PABG, anyone?). According to the announcement trailer it will arrive at some point in 2018.
Elsewhere, Epic Games are running a new limited-time stealth mode for Fortnite Battle Royale. The event will runs this weekend and sees weapons limited to Suppressed SMG and Suppressed Pistols, traps disabled, and an increased frequency of Bush drops.
Nintendo Switch is the fastest selling console in US history
Nintendo has announced that the Switch is the fastest-selling home video game system in U.S. history. In the ten months since release it has sold more than 4.8 million units, surpassing previous record holder, the Wii, which sold 4 million units during the same timeframe.
Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime looked down upon his good work, and said:
“Fans across the country have experienced the joy of playing their favorite games at home or on the go. Now that many more people have received Nintendo Switch systems for the holidays, we look forward to bringing them fun new surprises in 2018 and beyond.”
And a Kirby game, too.
More third-party support for the Switch?
2018 should also see more third-party games for the Switch. In the same press release, Nintendo says that “Fans can also expect continued support from major publishers such as EA, Activision, Ubisoft, Capcom, Sega, Take-Two and Bethesda.”
The name check for Electronic Arts is certainly of interest. Outside of publishing duties for Fe, EA have yet to confirm any new games to follow last year’s surprisingly decent Switch edition of FIFA 18.
Lost Legacy creative director leaves Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog writer and creative director Shaun Escayg – who has worked on The Last of Us, and two Uncharted titles – is leaving the acclaimed developer. Rumours – and a not too subtle Instagram post – suggest he is moving on to work on an Avengers related project.
Seven years ago I joined the talented team at @Naughty_Dog on a project still in its infancy, The Last Of Us. Well, the rest is history. Left Behind, Uncharted 4 were fleeting and Uncharted The Lost Legacy pushed my creative growth even further- I will miss all my dogs.
— Shaun Escayg (@ShaunEscayg) January 3, 2018
Monster Hunter World final beta dated
Capcom have confirmed that a final beta for Monster Hunter World will run between January 18-22 on PlayStation 4. In addition to the previously released Great Jagras, Anjanath and Barroth quests, players will be able to battle the game’s flagship monster, Nergigante.
The first post-release update will arrive in Spring, and add the fan-favorite Deviljho. The game itself will be released for PS4 and Xbox One on January 26, with a PC release coming later in 2018.
Appy Holidays
The App Store generated $890 million in revenue during Christmas week, according to figures released by Apple, with $300 million coming in on New Year’s Day alone. Phil Schiller, Apple’s SVP of Worldwide Marketing, said:
“We want to thank all of the creative app developers who have made these great apps and helped to change people’s lives. In 2017 alone, iOS developers earned $26.5 billion — more than a 30 percent increase over 2016.”
Mad Catz returns
Peripheral maker Mad Catz has returned from the dead, just in time for CES 2018. The Mad Catz brand name and accessories line have been acquired by a group from China, and its new range begins with a RAT mouse, STRIKER keyboard, and FREQ headset.
Masters of the Miiverse
Nintendo’s Miiverse has been preserved by a collective of enthusiasts and archivists called Archive Team. The result is a 17 terabyte searchable archive of Nintendo’s defunct social community that contains 133,003,599 posts, 75,955,135 screenshots, 72,135,190 Drawings,, and a lot more beside. Head over to the Archiverse to go digging.
2017 Steam Awards announced
The winners of the 2017 Steam Awards have been revealed. This year’s lineup of idiosyncratic awards goes to games including PUBG, Cuphead, Rocket League, and Garry’s Mod. Check out the full list of winners on the Steam website.
IGF and GDC Awards nominees revealed
This year’s nominees for the Independent Games Festival and Game Developers Choice Awards have been announced. Both awards will be held during the Game Developers Conference in March. Congratulations to all of the nominated development teams.
Awesome Games Done Quick starts today
A quick reminder that Awesome Games Done Quick 2018 begins today, and runs through until next weekend. The event will feature over 150 speed runs, and all proceeds raised will be dontated to the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Games on the schedule include Batman: Arkham Asylum, Pop’n Twinbee: Rainbow Bell Adventure, Wario’s Woods, Super Monkey Ball, and Mass Effect.
Dis-Kinected
It’s as if a handful of voices suddenly cried out in terror. Microsoft have officially discontinued production on the Kinect adapter required for the Xbox One S and Xbox One X. The peripheral has been hard to come by for some time, so if you’re a new Xbox One X owner who wants to continue using the device, you’re probably going to have to turn to eBay. Such is the price of being at the cutting edge of console technology, we suppose.
In a statement to Polygon, Microsoft said:
“After careful consideration, we decided to stop manufacturing the Xbox Kinect Adapter to focus attention on launching new, higher fan-requested gaming accessories across Xbox One and Windows 10.”
Erm, Microsoft. Some games? Just saying.
And finally…
USGamer’s Caty McCarthy has pulled together an excellent round-up of the best 26 indie games to look forward to this year.
