[PATREON UNLOCK] Update Patch - April 2025

Update Patch News Roundup (07/04/25)

A quarter of the way through the year, and April has already kicked down the door for some major stories in the gaming space. Following the tease of the console at the start of the year, the beginning of this month has been dominated by discussion surrounding the “Nintendo Switch 2 Direct”, and all of the trappings that come with a brand-new piece of hardware. From news about software to expect at launch, the specifications of the console, and the price of it all, there’s a whole lot of news to cover.

The Nintendo Switch 2 Releases June 5th, 2025

The main takeaway from the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct is that the new hardware will be in our homes in just a short couple of months. After what feels like years of speculation, Nintendo has lifted the curtain on one of the worst-kept secrets in recent memory, and demonstrated that the Japanese company is very much attempting to keep pace with PlayStation and Xbox in terms of raw technical specifications.

One of the major new additions to the hardware of the Switch 2 is ‘Mouse Mode’, where the new Joy-Con can be turned on their side and used as a mouse controller. This has been demonstrated through mouse aiming for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, as well as the Drag x Drive, a game that pioneers representation for wheelchair basketball.

And to sweeten the pot for people who are on the fence, the Switch 2 is releasing with the first (non-mobile-exclusive) original Mario Kart game in over a decade. Mario Kart World comes over 10 years after the release of Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U and redefines the foundation of the series, by moving towards a more open-world style and away from clandestine tracks.

Donkey Kong Bananza arrives the month after launch and marks the first 3D platformer for Donkey Kong in just over two decades. Featuring a new redesigned ape that looks more akin to his arcade key art rather than the design pioneered by Rare’s Kevin Bayliss. Donkey Kong Bananza is another tentpole release in the first year.

The presentation was rounded out by Kirby Air Riders — directed by Masahiro Sakurai and developed by Bandai Namco, as well as the return of Koei Tecmo to the Hyrule Warriors franchise. As a result, the first-party slate for the first year appears to be fairly solid, before even mentioning already confirmed games like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

The promise of Nintendo’s robust Nintendo Switch Online library growing is also an attractive sentiment, with the GameCube joining the list of systems that will now be playable through newly renamed Nintendo Classics, though exclusive to Switch 2..

Playing New Nintendo Games Will Be Getting More Expensive

With a new console comes the inevitable cost of jumping ship to the new platform, as well as the new games that come with it. This has proven to be a point of tension for fans across the board, as game prices are increasing. For first-party Nintendo games, the Switch 2 brings a noticeable increase to prices that have raised some eyebrows in the wake of the presentation. Mario Kart World’s MSRP is £75 in the UK compared to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s relatively standard £50.

Blow-for-blow, that’s a staggering 50% increase in price from one generation to another.

The same is true for the premier 3D platformer of this generation, being Donkey Kong Bananza. Where Super Mario Odyssey retailed for £50, Donkey Kong Bananza is £67 physically. Both games are cheaper when purchased through the Nintendo eShop, indicating a change in pricing strategy when considering games for Switch 2. There’s currently no indication as to whether these price changes will impact upcoming games for the original Switch, like Rhythm Heaven Groove and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream.

Nintendo of America’s Doug Bowser has labelled this pricing structure as “variable”, based on nebulous criteria that aren’t quite clear to the consumer. The extent of this variation is yet to be seen, with only two games from Nintendo having set prices at this time.

Third-Party Support Is Still Alive And Well

As well as the handful of first-party games revealed by Nintendo, there was a significant turnout for third-party studios staking their support for the new system. Highlights from these studios include:

A native port of Cyberpunk 2077 for Switch 2, from CD Projekt RED.

Supergiant Games announced that Hades 2 will be releasing on Nintendo Switch 2, alongside the original system.

CAPCOM announced that a full port of Street Fighter 6 will be a launch title for Nintendo Switch 2, featuring full cross-compatibility with PC and other consoles, as well as Amiibo figures for Luke, Kimberly and Jamie.

SQUARE-ENIX announced that a HD Remaster of Bravely Default will be a launch title, with new content built for the Switch 2’s Mouse Mode. A port of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will also be released, with plans to look at the remainder of the remake trilogy.

A “Director’s Cut” of Yakuza 0 was also announced that adds new narrative moments spread across the game, as well as a brand new multiplayer mode that is a timed-exclusive for the console.

Fromsoftware are releasing a native port of Elden Ring for the Switch 2, as well as a brand new PvPvE multiplayer IP, The Duskbloods, being exclusive to the system.

Where the original Switch was home to a scant few breakthrough ports, this slate of high-profile releases immediately demonstrates that the Switch 2 is well on par with other platforms in terms of third-party support. In conjunction with Nintendo’s own offerings, this support is encouraging for people looking to pick up the console out of the gate, and definitely positions the system attractively against the emergent competition of Valve’s Steam Deck.

Nintendo Discovers Game Chat

In arguably one of the funnier twists of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, we discovered what the mystery “C-Button” is used for, after months of heated speculation,where people were imagining the potential for second screens, it was ultimately revealed that the button is a shortcut for accessing GameChat. Something that is functionally identical to other platforms (or even other social applications), the C-Button allows you to invite your friends to chat and even share gameplay of their games as you watch.

While the entire process looks smooth and unintrusive, many were left questioning if this was the truly innovative feature that Nintendo needed for this generation. In conjunction with this feature, the compatibility of either an official Nintendo Switch Camera or a compatible USB-C camera means that Nintendo has also leapt into the world of Kinect (and perhaps closer, the EyeToy), as shown by a demonstration of the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Super Mario Party Jamboree, that has players physically moving their bodies to hit a Question Block in a minigame.

It remains to be seen if Nintendo plans to make full games centred around the camera functionality, or if this is a gimmick that’s going to be deployed with careful discretion, as with the original Nintendo Switch’s ill-fated IR Camera functionality.

The Nintendo Switch 2 Is (Basically) Fully Backwards Compatible

Nintendo has been one of the stranger companies when it comes to backwards compatibility with its previous systems. No other console maker has changed physical formats as much as Nintendo has, but it feels like we might be settling into a comfier era of relying on our older games.

In an entertaining result (and a result that means Nintendo must now permanently offer a disclosure), the only totally incompatible game with Switch 2 is Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Kit 04: VR Kit. Not for anything to do with software issues - but the physical fact that the Switch 2 is too big to fit into the Labo VR Goggles.

Any otherwise incompatible game can be played by using Joy-Con from the original Switch, primarily meaning any games using specific accessories (like Ring Fit Adventure) or the IR Camera on the original Joy-Con (R).

Third-party software is also faring well — with an exhaustive list of games that are currently being tested for compatibility. The vast majority of games are playable on Switch 2, with a small handful of games that are facing some issues. These will undoubtedly be patched over time.

Nintendo Switch 2 Upgrade Paths

There are also a handful of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades that are available for some key games being released for the Switch and Switch 2. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Pokémon Legends Z-A, Kirby and the Forgotten Land and the two 3D Zelda games for Switch are all among the games being upgraded under this label and all feature improvements from performance, and control schemes to downright exclusive content for games like Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Super Mario Party Jamboree and Breath of the Wild, as well as Tears of the Kingdom. Each one asks a modest upgrade fee, with both Zelda games’ updates being free if you’re a member of Nintendo Switch Online.

With the swirl of information, the nature of these physical releases is currently waiting to be confirmed. There is speculation that these versions with be Nintendo Switch cartridges with download codes for the Switch 2 version. There are also game key cartridges that function as download codes on a cartridge, that require you to connect to the internet to install the required data before you can play. This has been limited to third-party games as of current, with most games opting for full Switch 2 cartridge releases.

This will be an emergent trend that will develop naturally as more games actually get launched to retail.

Update Patch News Roundup (14/04/25)

Moving beyond the Nintendo Switch 2, the second week of April has brought some news from across the whole industry. The BAFTA Game Awards were held earlier this week and proved another chance for the industry to celebrate the tireless work of the talented developers who support it. Looking forward, there have been confirmations of digital showcases that will reveal information on anticipated titles in the near future.  From across all areas of the industry, this week has been busy. 

Celebrating The Industry At The BAFTA Games Awards

The BAFTAs are a hallmark of the British entertainment industry and video games are no exception. The latest BAFTA Games Awards was held on the 8th of April and - like its contemporaries - focused on celebrating the work of talented developers from across the entire industry over the last year.  Just like any awards ceremony, the BAFTAs remind us that there are still things to love about this space. 

In terms of key awards from the evening, Astro Bot walked away with a healthy five awards, including best overall game, mirroring the majority of other award shows. Astro Bot also won awards in Animation, Audio Achievement, Family and Game Design, demonstrating once again how PlayStation’s little guy has managed to defy expectations and leave a mark.

Other noteworthy winners include Neva, which won the award for Artistic Achievement. Best British Game went to the delightfully cheeky (and yet shockingly authentic) Thank Goodness You’re Here!. Balatro managed to secure the award for Best Debut Game, with Ben Starr accepting the award on behalf of LocalThunk.  Vampire Survivors also managed to win the award for Evolving Game, against the likes of Diablo IV, Final Fantasy XIV Online, and World of Warcraft. 

Yoko Shimomura was also the recipient of the famous BAFTA Fellowship Award, an award that recognises an outstanding contribution to film, TV, or, in this case, games. Yoko Shimomura is synonymous with RPG soundtracks across decades worth of titles. Many will know her music from Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy XV and the Mario and Luigi series of games, but her mark on the industry can’t be understated. She has also worked on classic soundtracks from games like Final Fight, and Street Fighter 2. The BAFTA Fellowship Award aims to acknowledge that, and it speaks to the reverence that the show holds for the medium. 

Digital Showcases Abound

Xbox announced its plans for an extended digital showcase at the start of June, coinciding with the set date for Summer Games Fest. The Xbox Games Showcase is currently pencilled in for the 8th of June, to be followed directly by a showcase for The Outer Worlds 2. 

In light of Xbox’s pivot to supporting other platforms and having the majority of its tentpole releases landing on competing hardware, there are some pretty interesting questions to ask going into this showcase. Phil Spencer recently indicated that Xbox would not shy away from including the logos of alternative hardware in its presentations, for relevant releases.

As a result, it feels like this might be less of an Xbox presentation, and just a presentation of games that are simply coming out relatively soon, on Xbox or otherwise. Xbox has had some major advertising partners in previous years, including a significant deal with Atlus with both Persona 3 Reload and Metaphor: ReFantazio being promoted as Xbox titles first and foremost. 

As well as demonstrating its multi-platform strategy, this event will be a key opportunity for Xbox to demonstrate how its first-party studios are faring. It’s impossible to ignore some of the grievous events of the last year concerning Xbox, so the pressure is on for Redmond-based company to deliver on upcoming projects. Games like Fable have been floating around nebulously for over half a decade now, the same being true for the prematurely announced Elder Scrolls 6. 

Do I expect to see The Elder Scrolls at this event? Absolutely not. Starfield is still the focus for Bethesda right now as their most recent release. Despite this, Xbox has something to prove, and for many, this presentation will determine a lot of forecasts moving forward. 

Another Fighter Hits The Streets

For all of its successes in the last few years, Capcom can’t seem to properly nail down the ongoing development of Street Fighter 6. It’s a bizarre situation that only seems to get more noticeable as we move forward, and the release date announcement of Elena only highlights this more.

Marking the official end of Year 2 content for the game, Elena releases on June 5th alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game. On some level, this makes sense; it would be strange to release a “complete” version of a game to immediately make it redundant. 

On the other hand, this reflects an increasingly serious issue with the state of Street Fighter 6. Looking purely at the timeline for Year 2, the gap between Terry and Mai was a whopping 5 months. The gap between Mai and Elena will be exactly 4 months when she finally releases. Looking at releases for previous games, this is a staggeringly slow pace that has led to some raised eyebrows in the broader community. 

Capcom addressed these concerns in a post at the end of January and has since committed to redoubling efforts for content that can be used in the core fighting gameplay, rather than focusing on avatar cosmetics that are left unused in all competitive scenarios. While this isn’t a comment on the release timeline for characters, the release of Elena marks the start of Year 3 and the implementation of these changes. 

For now, Elena will be another exciting addition to a game that is already considered a significant step up from previous entries.  

Marathon Is Finally (Properly) Shown Off

Marathon was always a bit of a strange game; ostensibly a reboot while also attempting to be something new, the curtain was finally raised on this first-person extraction shooter earlier this week. Where the original Marathon was a story-focused shooter, this reboot puts the focus on multiplayer. 

The art style is bold, and the guns are seriously crunchy. All of the parts are there for Bungie to carve out its own little space in the extraction shooter space. Being the pioneers behind Halo and Destiny, the studio’s pedigree should be enough to settle concerns and hopefully draw a healthy population to the game. 

Despite this, it’s hard not to feel a little bit of hesitation after watching the extended gameplay presentation. The live-service model is one that has come under some serious scrutiny in the last few years, and this game seems to be in the same ballpark as other ill-fated games in the genre. 

Time will tell whether Marathon can stick the landing. A closed alpha for the game is currently scheduled to happen on April 23rd, running all the way through until May 4th. 

The Last of Us Gets Another Swing

Ahead of the premiere of the second season of the HBO adaptation, The Last of Us has been renewed for a third season at the studio. This might be unsurprising, given that the second season sets out to adapt about half of the second game, rather than aiming for the full story.

Season 1 of the show received critical acclaim on its release in 2023 and managed to successfully introduce general audiences to a story that was already held in high regard. The second season aims to do the same with the far more divisive sequel, with a grander scope in mind. 

Showrunner Craig Maizin has previously stated that The Last of Us Part 2 was simply too immense to squeeze into just the one sequel season, and so the announcement of a third season feels closer to a formality than any kind of burning announcement. It would be far more shocking if they didn’t renew it, frankly.  

This comes alongside the reveal of a bundle of The Last of Us Part 1 (a remake of the original game) and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, under the moniker of The Last of Us Complete. For the few people who haven’t actually got around to playing these games by now, this collection is a neat way to get both in the best form possible. 

For everyone else? The value might be slightly lost. Whether or not this is actually “the last” of The Last of Us is anybody’s guess. 

Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Are Still Up In The Air

Much of the storm around the Nintendo Switch 2 has been of Nintendo’s own creation; confusion around prices, software SKUs, hardware compatibility and everything in between has contributed to some major misconceptions about what the system will actually be when it launches in June.

But this pales in comparison to the delay in Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in America, a situation that has largely been out of Nintendo’s control. As a result of the uncertainty surrounding the United States’ approach to imposing tariffs on imports, Nintendo has chosen to pause the sale of pre-orders until the situation calms down.

While this hasn’t impacted the console’s actual launch date in the territory, it is an indication of just how widespread the effect of these tariffs is. It’s impossible to avoid. As of writing, this situation has yet to be fully resolved, but will likely be done so within the coming days. 

It’s the cherry on top of what has already been a chaotic week for Nintendo. This is ultimately small potatoes when considering the rest of the world, but is important nonetheless. Everybody can and will be affected by these policies, even when you may not think so.

Update Patch News Roundup (21/04/25)

Mario Kart World Direct Most Definitely Happened

The discussion around Mario Kart World has been intense; Nintendo’s anticipated follow-up has been the subject of much scrutiny as a result of an inflated cost and questions around the supposed value of the game. For many, the dedicated Nintendo Direct presentation for Mario Kart World was the sink-or-swim moment for the game and whether it would justify itself. 

For many, the answer still remains unclear. While the presentation honed in on everything that we had learnt beforehand, there wasn’t much to share in terms of brand-new content. In an interview with IGN, Nintendo of America’s Bill Trinen hyped up the presentation just before it aired, suggesting that this presentation would reveal a significant amount of new info about the game. 

Despite this anticipation, the Mario Kart World Direct largely spent its 15 minutes just re-emphasising things that we already knew about the game from the extended Nintendo Treehouse segments at the start of the month. Where people were expecting the announcement of post-launch support, new characters and hidden features, it seems like Nintendo may have already said all that it wants to say about the game before it comes out.

On some level, this makes sense. Not everyone will have stuck around to watch the Treehouse presentations. On the other hand, this has done little to quash the ongoing storm around pricing. 

Based purely on several hands-on impressions, there’s no doubt that Mario Kart World will be a quality game, but whether that quality reflects the increased price is an entirely separate debate that will likely continue for a while yet. 

Tekken 8 Patch Woes

With EVO Japan just a few weeks away, the Season 2 update for Tekken 8 has ruffled more than a few feathers in the community, with Bandai Namco releasing an emergency patch and an apology for players who have been impacted by the changes. 

Tekken is no stranger to regular balance patches; they’re a good way to maintain discussion around the game and foster a healthy competitive space. Usually, patches will avoid completely flipping the table when it comes to how the game is played, instead focusing on small adjustments to level the playing field. This wasn’t true with the beginning of Tekken 8’s second year update, which introduced significant changes across the entire roster that brought significant changes to basic gameplay.

The Year 2 Patch was released at the start of April and was subsequently updated on the 17th of April with a promise to further rectify the unintended impacts of the changes. This is an issue that impacts every player, from casual to competitive. For players attending EVO Japan from the 9th of May to the 11th, this has been a massive speed bump that will absolutely impact the competition. 

At the time of writing, recent reviews on Steam are “overwhelmingly negative”, and it doesn’t seem to be letting up as of now. All eyes will be on Bandai Namco to see if Tekken 8 manages to return to where it was.

Xbox Doubles Down On Cross-Platform Commitments And Game Pass

To some extent, Xbox’s complete change of stance when it comes to first-party software is still somewhat hard to grasp. Over a year after many exclusives made the jump to other platforms, Phil Spencer has indicated that this is still the intention moving forward with Nintendo Switch 2. 

In an interview with Variety, Phil Spencer was fairly forthright when it came to talking about plans for the new handheld, suggesting that cross-platform releases are the key to letting Xbox “continue to grow our community of people that care about the franchises that we have.” 

The original Nintendo Switch has been home to some landmark Microsoft releases like Minecraft, Grounded, and Pentiment, and the increased power of the Switch 2 has seemingly increased the scope of potential for these projects to be brought to a new home. 

While there haven’t been any games specifically confirmed for release on the Switch 2 through this interview, this is certainly encouraging news for players who are interested in the Xbox library outside, but still don’t own the hardware.

In the same interview, Spencer also addresses the ongoing position of Game Pass in the Xbox ecosystem, referring to it as “an option” and refraining from positioning it as the primary way for people to experience games.  Game Pass has increasingly been the subject of some level of scrutiny from critics; the service has been increasingly associated with removing ownership from people who play games and skewing the perception of value. 

It’s apparent that Game Pass is going to be important moving forward for Xbox, but it’s interesting to see that Phil Spencer is still trying to sit on the fence with just how integral it is to their brand identity right now. PlayStation attempted to draw on the same with its reinvented PlayStation Plus programme; the impact that Game Pass has had is undeniable. 

Another Round Of Lay-Offs At Niantic

Following the acquisition of the company last month, Niantic Spatial is laying off 68 more staff. This isn’t the first major round of lay-offs at Niantic, following a massive round of lay-offs in June 2023, totalling 230 employees. 

The sale of Niantic to Scopely has had a significant impact on the direction that the company has taken, with this change of focus being the alleged reason for the layoffs. It’s a devastating addition to the previous two years of layoffs across the entire industry. 

The sale of Niantic’s games division has previously prompted reassurance from the actual development team of their games, suggesting that the impact on players will be negligible in real terms for games like Pikmin Bloom and Pokémon Go. While the fears of intrusive adverts or energy-based play restrictions have been swept under the rug, it’s clear that the real impacts of this sale were waiting for the people unlucky enough to be the victims of these layoffs.

As a result of their games work being given to Scopely, Niantic’s own projects have shifted towards what they describe as a “geospatial AI model to understand the world”, according to its own website. This is a significant pivot away from game development, and it seems like the project is running into its own obstacles if these layoffs are anything to go by.

Scopely has committed to maintaining the arm of the company that it is taking on, but this acquisition brings its own issues, especially regarding the financial association with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The state’s history of human rights abuses means that this financial investment is one that comes with some pretty major ramifications. 

Star Wars Games Are Back

After years of silence and vague development updates, Respawn Entertainment and Bit Reactor’s collaborative project has been fully announced as Star Wars Zero Company, set to be released in 2026.  

While there isn’t much about the game we do know, it’s been announced as a turn-based tactical shooter, in the vein of a game like XCOM or similar. It feels like another natural fit for Star Wars and has been received well by general audiences following the premiere of the trailer. 

Star Wars games have been a steady fixture of release calendars over the last few years, with this game adding a new flavour to the mix, and leaning into a different part of the Star Wars mythos for its backdrop. 

This comes in conjunction with the announcement of Star Wars Outlaws’ second DLC expansion coming out in May, as well as sharing that Star Wars Outlaws will be released for the Nintendo Switch 2 on September 4th, only a couple of months after release. Ubisoft has not confirmed whether or not the currently released DLC for the game will be included at launch.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remaster Is (Almost Definitely) Real

The existence of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remaster is undoubtedly one of the worst-kept secrets in recent memory. For what feels like months now, we’ve been hearing speculation about a remaster that is no doubt intended to tide expectant players over until The Elder Scrolls VI finally resurfaces.

Screenshots and promotional materials were extracted from the developer Virtuous’ website and show a complete visual overhaul to the game, far more than just an HD scale-up.

Clearly aware of how significant these changes are, there are comparison images that put scenes side-by-side from the original game against the remaster, and the changes are staggering. 

As well as the visual overhaul, details regarding some mechanical changes have been circulating as well. Reported all the way in January of this year, the remaster adapts the blocking system to be more intuitive, as well as general improvements to the user interface, as would be expected in a 2025 release. 

The only thing left is for Bethesda to officially confirm the existence of the project and the supposed shadow-drop that has been corroborated by industry veteran Jeff Grubb.

Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders And Price Debacle Reach A Resolution For Now

After weeks of uncertainty and confusion around how to buy the new console in the United States, Nintendo has finally confirmed that pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 will be going live on April 24th for consumers in the US. 

This comes after much speculation regarding the impact of tariffs that we covered last week on Update Patch. While these tariffs have had a small impact on the price of accessories for the console, the system itself will be launching at the same price, with the same being true for software, too. 

While this news certainly doesn’t bring much relief to the problems that were already there before the tariffs, there’s a small silver lining to hearing that it isn’t getting explicitly worse for the most part. Nintendo stated that “Other adjustments to the price of any Nintendo product are also possible in the future depending on market conditions”, but for now, these prices are settled.

Most prices are increasing by $5 - $10, but these are subject to change depending on the next few weeks and months. We can only hope that this sticks and doesn’t get worse. At the very least, Nintendo has confirmed that accessories and controllers that were usable with the original Nintendo Switch will be completely compatible with Nintendo Switch 2 hardware and software. (You’ll have to wirelessly connect your original Joy-Con as a result of the Switch 2’s magnetic attachment rails.)

Update Patch News Roundup (27/04/25)

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Remastered Is Very Real

In the conclusion to a months-long saga of leaks and speculation, Bethesda has lifted the curtain on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Remastered, and proceeded to release it earlier this week. 

In an extended presentation, it was revealed that Virtuous Studios has been working alongside Bethesda on a ground-up remaster of the classic RPG in a collaboration that further confuses the definition of “remaster” in a modern age.

In terms of visuals, every aspect of this remake has been faithfully recreated in Unreal Engine 5, maintaining the vision of the original against the clarity afforded by modern hardware. Everything else is just as it was back in 2006; the presentation was very clear when stating that preserving the “charm” of the original game was a top priority for the team at Virtuous, and that seems to be true. 

New dialogue has been recorded in line with the stilted performances of the past, and famous ‘eccentricities’ have been preserved, with a famous double-take managing to make the cut. 

The reception has been immense and caps off a fevered cycle of discussion surrounding the existence of the remaster; the shadow drop of the game immediately following the presentation has meant that hundreds of thousands of players have been able to jump into the experience with all DLC included.

Ghost Of Yōtei Is Coming Soon

In a bizarre surprise announcement, PlayStation’s premier release for the year has been given the release date of October 2nd 2025. The sequel was originally announced in a State of Play presentation in September of last year, and immediately stood out as the next flagship title for the PlayStation 5. 

The trailer itself reveals more about the actual story of the game, and demonstrates the different angle that Sucker Punch Productions are taking to Ghost of Yōtei compared to Ghost of Tsushima. 

Ghost of Yōtei as a game exists largely separately from the original, being a sequel in spirit more than in a direct narrative sense, since it is set over 300 years after that first game. This split from the original has meant that Ghost of Yōtei is able to fully explore a new character in Atsu without feeling tied down to Jin from Ghost of Tsushima.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Shatters All Expectations

The buzz around Kepler Interactive’s debut RPG has been immense; Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been praised as a landmark title of 2025 and has ascended quickly to be the highest-rated game on Metacritic of the year following reviews earlier this week. 

As well as glowing critical reception, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been met with commercial success, selling over 1 million copies in its first 72 hours, which is a staggering achievement for a studio that has just released its first major title. 500,000 were sold during the first 24 hours. 

It’s clear that the audience was prepared to put their money down to support a game with so much ambition and creative drive. We’ll have our own review of the game coming soon, but the majority of critics have praised the game for embracing itself as an RPG and towing the balance between modern sensibilities and the inspirations that the team have described.

Prior to release, Kepler Interactive were very upfront with its inspirations for this unique RPG, citing games like Final Fantasy and Persona as tentpoles for development to spring from. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 uses these influences to build something wholly unique that manages to exist singularly, rather than feeling like just a homage. 

Split Fiction Is Coming To Cinemas

After releasing in March to critical acclaim, selling over 2 million units during the launch window, and being confirmed as a launch title for Nintendo Switch 2, Split Fiction has been greenlit to be adapted into a feature film. 

The live-action adaptation is set to be directed by Jon M. Chu, known recently for Wicked, while the film is being written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The only confirmed casting is Sydney Sweeney in some currently unknown role, but our money would be on her playing one of the dual protagonists, likely Zoe. 

Split Fiction (and Hazelight’s games in general) are built on the premise of sharing the experience; it is impossible to play those games solo. Part of the unique charm of these games is that they are built from the ground up with co-op in mind. 

While there’s nothing impossible about Split Fiction’s story that would stop it from being adapted, it does feel like part of the charm of the game might be lost in the transition from game to movie. 

Capcom Is Candid About IP Successes And Failures

Capcom has always been fairly candid about its franchises and the direction that it wants to take its long-running series. After announcing a sequel to the cult-classic Ōkami in December of last year, it’s clear that Capcom are interested in cultivating its back catalogue and fostering new interest in franchises.

Speaking on X (formerly Twitter), Masakazu Sugimori suggested that the Ace Attorney franchise would have failed to develop into a franchise under current market conditions and that it was Capcom’s commitment to growth that has allowed it to become a franchise. 

In his post, Sugimori states that “Ace Attorney is truly an IP that Capcom “nurtured,” and that it was a result of director Shu Takumi’s commitment to seeing the series grow that it was allowed to take time to find its feet. 

In an industry climate where numbers are seen as the be-all and end-all of new releases – especially new IP –  it’s a refreshing if bittersweet story to hear that Ace Attorney was afforded the chance to naturally grow an audience instead of being expected to sell millions out of the gate. 

Several large publishers have recently reported disappointing launches for several of their games, and this has impacted development pipelines across the board. It speaks to a greater issue within the industry at large; Sugimori’s testimony here is an important reminder that there is far more to success than just the launch window. 

Ziff Davis Sues OpenAI For Content Theft

Following an increasing push against large AI conglomerates, Ziff Davis has engaged OpenAI in court proceedings, accusing it of stealing content to train its Large Language Models.  This is part of an ongoing controversy surrounding journalism and the media’s relationship to AI models in general.

Language models like ChatGPT have contributed significantly to the layoffs of dozens of writers and have come under significant scrutiny as a result. Generative AI has been slowly phased into most aspects of online media, and has had a massive impact on the readership of various websites, creating a significant obstacle to growth in many cases.

While Ziff Davis isn’t clean of layoffs in its own workforce, it’s a significant step that such a large publisher is taking a stand against OpenAI. It’s categorically true that training LLMs on existing published work is tantamount to stealing, and no writer sees any form of compensation when this does happen, if they’re even aware it’s happening at all. 

OpenAI has tried to refute the case raised by Ziff Davis by suggesting that its LLMs are “grounded in fair use” and, consequently, not a problem and not a case of theft. “Fair use” generally refers to the use of copyrighted material that is allowed without permission. This tends to be for parody or critique, for instance. The training of AI models is far different to these and is undeniably theft. 

In the greater media landscape, this lawsuit marks an important turning point in the conversation around the use of AI in writing, with other publishers hopefully making the decision to pursue action against AI conglomerates in defence of their talented writers and contributors. 

FBC: Firebreak Has An Official Release Date

Remedy Games has notably been transparent about its upcoming slate of games, and this week has announced that its first multiplayer game will be releasing on June 17th across PC, Xbox and PlayStation.

FBC: Firebreak has been in development for close to four years and was always billed as a premium multiplayer title as opposed to a free-to-play one. This decision was met with some raised eyebrows at the time, thanks in large part to the popularity of free-to-play online games and the question of value, but Remedy appears to be smartly navigating these concerns.

As well as being set in the existing extended universe across both Alan Wake and Control, Remedy has previously said that it is avoiding elements of FOMO through timed exclusive content on its roadmap for the game. 

This decision comes off the back of Helldivers 2 implementing a very similar approach to cosmetics, instead keeping them as permanent unlocks rather than having season passes that go away. 

Remedy has also stated that the game is launching on both Game Pass and PlayStation Plus on day one, allowing subscribers to enjoy the game as a part of their respective subscription services. This strategy has been employed by other games in the past, and often means that people will pick the game up to try. 

FBC: Firebreak draws on the liminal charm of Control and recontextualises it into a far more fast-paced experience that looks wholly distinct. Whether or not this game contributes to the ongoing narrative between the two franchises is another question, and if this game will continue planting seeds for the already confirmed Control 2. 

Discord Commits To Going Public And Changes CEO

Discord has grown from a grassroots project to being a pivotal part of gaming culture in the modern era. For both work and communities, Discord has developed into something far more ingrained in everyday communication. 

The extent of this growth can be seen in how current CEO Jason Citron is standing down from his position in favour of Humam Sakhnini – the previous Chief Strategy Officer at Activision Blizzard.

This transition is being pushed as the first step to transforming Discord into a public company, with the change of leadership being the catalyst for the push. This decision hasn’t been without some serious scrutiny, with Discord already being previously criticised for some egregious monetisation over the years, particularly with cosmetic profile avatars and decorations.

There’s no indication as to how (or if) this change will impact everyday users, but such a large change of leadership would suggest that new ideas are in the process of being considered for the platform. 

Discord had previously attempted to rebrand away from gaming as a whole, instead positioning itself as a wholesale competitor for other online chat clients. This has since been reconsidered, but demonstrates that Discord as a platform is interested in exploring other options. 

As of May 2024, the focus has been brought back to gaming, but there’s the possibility of change still there under a new leadership and the promise of going public.