The Concord Studio Gets Shut Down And More Top Gaming Stories
This week, people desperate for Nintendo to finally pull back the curtain on the successor to the Switch instead got an announcement that the acclaimed role-playing game Xenoblade Chronicles X, previously only available on Wii U, will make its way to the handheld hybrid next year. Also, Guy “Dr Disrespect” Beahm was denied by YouTube in his efforts to have his channel’s monetization reinstated, and Sony shuttered Firewalk Studios, the team behind sci-fi shooter Concord. These stories and more await in the pages ahead.
5 Great Games To Clear Off Your Backlog
Play it on: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Current goal: Get some gaming spooks in for the season
This year, Halloween fell on a Thursday, and I was so busy with work and other things that I didn’t manage to make much time for spooky gaming in the days leading up to it. I still have a hankering for some interactive scares, however, so this weekend, I hope to play one of the landmark games in the history of survival horror, officially translated into English and released in the States for the first time: Clock Tower. The new version, Clock Tower: Rewind, comes to us courtesy of WayForward and represents my first real chance to play the 1995 SNES horror classic.
I actually don’t know much about the original Clock Tower, and I’ve kept it that way on purpose, as I want to go in knowing as little as possible and figure it out for myself. It’s scarier that way. But in short, it’s a 2D, survival horror point-and-click game that tells the story of Jennifer, a teenage orphan who’s adopted by a family with a big, spooky manor, and finds herself stalked by a horrifying entity known as Scissorman. WayForward’s release lets you play an enhanced version of the game “which features numerous gameplay additions and quality-of-life refinements,” and I may check that out as well, but for starters, I’ll be playing in Original mode, and experiencing the game just like it was when it scared the socks off of so many Japanese players way back in 1995. Sure, it may be November now, but I’m gonna linger in late October for just a little bit longer if it’s all the same to you. — Carolyn Petit
Everything You Need To Know About Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
Since Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is the same game as the original, returning players should have a pretty good idea of its length and content. If you’re new to the game, though, you may be curious how long it’ll take to complete.
An average playthrough of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered should take you around 20 to 25 hours. This includes casually dabbling in a few side activities but mostly focusing on the main story. Of course, the remaster also includes the game’s only DLC, The Frozen Wilds, which can take another 10 to 15 hours to experience.
However, those seeking to see and do everything the main game and DLC has to offer can spend up to 80 hours exploring its stunning landscapes, to clear all the bandit camps, climb all of the Longnecks, and finish a wide variety of other optional but rewarding tasks—doing that ultimately results in earning its coveted Platinum trophy.
Skeleton Crew Trailer Is The Goonies In Space
It’s challenging to watch Disney’s new Skeleton Crew trailer and not compare it to The Goonies, which remains one of the best movies of all time. But, despite what many of us would like to believe, an entire generation or hasn’t seen The Goonies; they need their own version of a rag-tag group of kids embarking on an exciting adventure. Skeleton Crew may fill the gap, but only time will tell.
Thankfully, we don’t have to wait long. Skeleton Crew premiers on Disney Plus on December 3, with the series’ first two episodes available to stream on that day.
Starring Jude Law (Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow), Kerry Condon (Unleashed), and Ryan Kiera (American Horror Story), Star Wars: Skeleton Crew tells the story of four young children who discover a strange underground bunker on their home planet, which leads to a galaxy-spanning adventure. It’s a tale filled with adventure, danger, a diverse array of alien lifeforms from throughout the Star Wars universe, and, of course, space travel, thanks to Law’s character.
Also, we didn’t expect to hear a Huttese version of Major Tom today, but that’s definitely a highlight from the trailer. Based on comments left on the trailer premier, most people seem excited for this series to air. You won’t find the usual discourse that typically surrounds upcoming Star Wars content, which is a pleasant surprise.
The first two episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew will be available to stream exclusively on Disney+ on December 3.
Now that we have a Goonies-like adventure in Skeleton Crew, it’s time for Ewan McGregor’s dream of a live-action Star Wars: Clone Wars to come to fruition. How long must we wait for the Clone Wars in totally reimagined glory?!
Diablo 4 Boss’ Original Plan For Gears 6 Was Space Travel
It’s been five years since the last Gears games, and while Gears of War: E-Day was announced at Microsoft’s last big Xbox Showcase, there’s no word on if and when The Coalition will be continuing work on the story left behind in Gears 5. That game’s executive producer, Rod Ferguson, recently shared what his plan was for the sequel at the time, and it’s not at all what I was expecting.
One of the final open-world exploration sections of Gears 5 revolves around exploring an old space program that belonged to the UIR in order to re-launch a Hammer of Dawn that can be used to fight off the resurgent Locust. It’s one of the most beautiful sections of the game, complete with impressive sandstorms, striking industrial ruins, and Mars-like red sandscapes. Ferguson said on the latest episode of IGN’s Podcast Unlocked that this was The Coalition tipping its hand to what he had in mind for Gears 6.
“At the highest level, I was just getting us off [the planet of Sera],” he said regarding early planning docs for the sequel. “So Gears 6 was to leave Sera, and so that was something we were building to. If you watch the story, if you pay attention to the story in Gears 5, you kind of come across that UIR rocket technology and that kind of stuff we were laying the seeds and the groundwork that by taking over this UIR territory, we’ve also kind of inherited their space program. So what I wanted to do with Gears 6 was to get you off Sera to encounter what that could mean for the rest of the galaxy or at least the rest of the solar system.”
Ferguson, who left The Coalition in 2020 shortly after Gears 5 launched and is currently leading Diablo IV at Blizzard, said that space exploration would have been less like Mass Effect than the Sputnik era of the 1950s space race. Presumably, travel would be slow, costly, and strategic. It no doubt would have introduced new alien enemy types as well, potentially introducing some interesting sci-fi mysteries about the origins of human and Locust life on Sera.
The industry veteran suggested those ideas, which didn’t sound like anything more than a pitch document at the time, were scrapped as The Coalition works instead on mining Gears’ past with a prequel centered around Emergence Day, the franchise’s version of the Invasion of Normandy when millions of Locust came out of holes in the ground to attack humanity, eventually leading to the use of weapons of mass destruction that ended up crippling Sera’s surface-dwelling nations.
Gears 5 also ended with a cliffhanger related to a choice about which main character to rescue, the consequences of which would seemingly get hashed out in Gears 6. It sounded like the plan was for the most popular choice among players to become the canonical one. Though, at the rate the franchise is going, it could be years before fans get to see that play out in a game.
Chappell Roan’s SNL Look Has Dragon Age Fans Excited
We love Chappell Roan here at Kotaku. The “Good Luck, Babe” singer puts out queer bangers, dresses up in chainmail at award shows, and has cultivated a fanbase of gay nerds who record her shows on Nintendo handhelds. So when she shows up on Saturday Night Live this weekend on November 2, I will be tuned in and seated. But before the show airs, Roan has already appeared in some promotional material for the show, and her outfit has activated Dragon Age fans, as if they aren’t already having a stimulating week after the launch of The Veilguard on Halloween.
Roan is scheduled to be the musical guest for this week’s Saturday Night Live, with stand-up comedian and former SNL writer John Mulaney set to host the show. Both appeared in some promotional videos for the episode, and yeah, Mulaney is there, but Roan’s elaborate outfit is the star of the show. The green and gold outfit features a huge crescent headpiece with gold waist pieces stretching out to the side that seemingly double as armrests. The whole fit is something straight out of a fantasy RPG, and folks in fandoms like Final Fantasy are jumping on the jokes. However, Dragon Age is fresh in everyone’s minds and I, too, had to laugh at how Roan’s outfit is evocative of Ghilan’nain, one of the elven gods the player faces in The Veilguard.
Ghilan’nain is a blighted elf, and without getting too into the weeds, that means her body has been twisted into a monstrous eldritch horror. This lady has multiple sets of arms and tentacles, and her face is hidden under a mask connected to a crescent headpiece. In close-up shots you can see her face is just as horrifying beneath the mask, and why she was so willing to become this monstrosity is part of the story you’ll uncover in The Veilguard. With the headpiece and tendril-like appendages, Roan’s outfit calls to mind the elven god of guides and navigation, so Dragon Age fans are all making the same joke.
Ghilan’nain is nothing like Chappell Roan, though. Is the elven god a queer icon? I mean, not yet, but she could be. But all I’ve ever seen her do is try to kill the queer friend group that is The Veilguard. That’s not very “ally” of her.
The Veilguard Sets Launch Day Steam Record For EA
Long-time fans of the Dragon Age franchise impatiently waited for ten years between the launch of Dragon Age: Inquisition and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Despite the lengthy downtime between entries and the drastic changes in gameplay and art style in the latest release, it appears BioWare didn’t lose its magic touch for the series. It’s been revealed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard is EA’s biggest single-player game launch on Steam to date, outshining even Star Wars Jedi: Survivor last year, which topped charts and broke player records for the publisher.
On launch day, Dragon Age: The Veilguard enjoyed an all-time peak player count of just over 70,000, which is truly impressive for a single-player game. The day after launch—a work day for most people—saw those numbers sitting around 62,000. Now, I know many people will think 70,000 isn’t all that impressive, as it doesn’t break the top ten most-played games on Steam, but it did surpass Baldur’s Gate 3 for a time, which is no small feat. Even more impressive is that, on day one, Dragon Age: The Veilguard outsold Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on Steam, pushing the FPS down a spot on the top seller’s leaderboard.
If you spend any amount of time online today, you’ll find plenty of discourse surrounding Dragon Age: The Veilguard. A vocal minority continues downplaying its significance, claiming the Monster Hunter Wilds beta test outperforms the full Dragon Age release. Yeah, it does. But Monster Hunter Wilds is a free-to-play, limited beta. So, obviously it’ll outperform a full-price RPG. We can celebrate both!
So, why is Dragon Age: The Veilguard outperforming EA’s other single-player hits? It’s a well-crafted RPG with action-combat mechanics, impressive world design, perhaps one of the best character creators in the genre, and an expansive storyline spanning nearly 100 hours to complete. Oh, and it’s Steam Deck compatible and doesn’t require the EA App!
If you’re jumping into Dragon Age: The Veilguard this weekend, pay close attention if you want to unlock the game’s secret ending!
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Aeternum, As Told By Steam Reviews
On launch, New World broke records and amassed a massive playerbase of over one million concurrent players. But like my high school bully, that towering monstrosity of an MMORPG somehow managed to peak quickly and drop off the face of the planet. Despite the lackluster reception after its first month, Amazon Game Studios didn’t throw in the towel as so many expected of them. Instead, they kept refining the gameplay, redesigning entire zones, and offered players in a handcrafted world with some of the genre’s best gathering and crafting elements. Now, a few years and a single expansion later, the team revamped the experience with New World: Aeternum.
What is New World: Aeternum? It’s a total overhaul of the MMORPG, featuring large-scale PvP, a 10-player raid, end-game solo content, a revamped solo experience for story-centric players, better quality-of-life features, controller support…oh, and swimming mechanics. It’s a lot to take in, especially if you’re a returning player willing to give Amazon’s MMO one more shot.
Read More: How To Get Started in New World Aeternum
Order New World: Aeternum: Amazon | Best Buy
However, if you are a returning player, remember that to access all of the content in Aeternum, you require the expansion, Rise of the Angry Earth, which retails for $29.99. It’s an expensive entry price for an MMO with a history of mediocrity in many players’ eyes.
That said, it’s sitting at ‘Mixed’ reviews on Steam following a lackluster launch—yet again—that left many fans fidgeting in their gaming chairs. Most didn’t mind leaving a negative review, though, so we have plenty of those to sift through. Unfortunately, it was tough to find any ASCII artwork or meme reviews this time, which is highly unusual for Steam user reviews. Most people simply wanted to complain about poor UI changes, controller support, and Amazon customer support. Despite the negativity, it’s steadily seen a healthy 40,000 concurrent players since relaunch, albeit a micro-slice of the 913,000 it once saw three years ago.
If you’re on the fence about whether to play New World Aeternum, here’s a look at the MMO from a different perspective—that of your peers within the gaming community. Here is New World: Aeternum, as told by Steam reviews!
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Dark Pictures Anthology Headlines Humble’s Horror Bundle
Halloween may be over but that doesn’t mean that you have to stop enjoying everything scary. For those who love a good thrill, Humble Bundle has a great deal going, letting you snag seven horror games for only twenty bucks. Available until November 12, the collection’s headlining title has to be the entire Dark Pictures Anthology thus far, which will treat you to a handful of horror stories pulled right out of classic B movies.
For the unfamiliar, The Dark Pictures Anthology is an ongoing series developed by Supermassive Games, the team best known for PlayStation’s cult classic Until Dawn. Like that 2015 title, The Dark Pictures Anthology seeks to capture the feeling of a horror movie that you can play. In each of the anthology’s titles (of which there are currently four), you’ll be responsible for deciding the fate of each cast member. What makes these experiences so enjoyable are the permutations the story can take depending on your mood. Sure, you could save everybody and let them live happily ever after, but it’s a bit more fun to see just how much mayhem you can cause, even if it means letting the killer take out the entire cast. Choosing your own style also makes the Dark Pictures games perfect to play with a group of friends.
Because the Dark Pictures games are an anthology, you can pick up any of the four titles first. Each one has its own horror vibe to fit the mood you’re in. For my money, the best of the four is 2021’s House of Ashes, which leans into Lovecraftian cosmic horror in a claustrophobic cave setting out of 2005’s horror flick The Descent. The third title in the series, it’s clearly the one on which Supermassive hit its stride, both in narrative and gameplay. The roughly six-hour experience never lets up, constantly putting pressure on you and the cast. It also has a great star in Ashley Tisdale (of High School Musical fame), and she turns in a pretty fantastic horror performance.
In addition to the rest of the Dark Pictures games, the Humble Bundle will also net you Little Nightmares, its expansion, and Little Nightmares 2. For $20 that’s a pretty great belated Halloween treat.
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Mario Kart Racers Look Awesome As McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys
As a grown adult, you likely don’t make a habit of ordering off the kid’s menu. I bet the only thing that could change that is a unique collab with a rare toy or collectible up for grabs. It’s that time again, as McDonald’s is partnering with Nintendo for the Mario Kart x Happy Meal collab. (Add that to the list of non-Switch 2 Nintendo announcements.) This collab is present at all McDonald’s locations throughout the United States, but it’s unclear whether other markets will receive the same promotion.
While these exclusive toys are technically meant for children, precisely ages three and up, we know plenty of people who’ll be ordering a Mario Kart-themed Happy Meal are those who grew up facing their siblings head-to-head in the game. Hey, I’m not judging. I want that Toad Kart!
In total, there are ten limited-edition Mario Kart x Happy Meal collab toys to acquire, including:
- Mario Kart
- Peach Kart
- Luigi Kart
- Toadette Kart
- Donkey Kong Kart
- Gold Mario Kart
- Toad Kart
- Yoshi Kart
- Bowser Kart
- Pink Gold Peach Kart
Each Mario Kart toy comes in an exclusive box. The front features the usual Nintendo marketing, and the side features the iconic McDonald’s smile commonly found on the Happy Meal.
Of course, every Happy Meal is different, and you may receive the same toy multiple times. You can ask to buy one of the toys separately, although many locations don’t go for that tactic and may outright deny you. Most require a meal purchase.
This promotion is specifically for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which launched on the Nintendo Switch on April 28, 2017. It’s an old version of the racing game, and many people feel it’s quite tricky, but it gives us hope that Nintendo is gearing up for another release within the franchise.
Click or scroll for a look at each toy and its box.