Gaming

Blizzard announces new, unnamed survival game

Follows call for designers and engineers

Published

on

Blizzard, once regaled as a darling child of the gaming world, has not released a new franchise since the still-thriving Overwatch universe. Now, many years after Overwatch’s launch, the gaming company has announced an unnamed survival game taking place in a new universe.

Tweeted by Blizzard’s official Twitter account, the announcement clearly depicts a fantasy world unlike anything else on Blizzard’s gallery of games. However, instead of an incredibly fresh fantasy world like Warcraft’s universe, another graphic depicts two people in modern-day garb with a modern-day bicycle. Going solely off these two graphics, the upcoming game will likely mix real-world elements with fantasy ones.

However, though the graphics can clearly paint such a conclusion, there is no indication that these pictures depict anything related to the unnamed franchise. Besides confirming the game, the announcement comes with a call for more employees to work on the universe. The game is likely still in its early stages.

Regardless, the description is quite clear. It’s a survival game. If it follows the current zeitgeist of survival games, it’s Blizzard’s first time in the genre.

Blizzard’s timing is interesting. Activision Blizzard is currently going through quite a rough patch. The company’s workers have recently put the leadership on notice for fostering a toxic working environment. Besides that, Microsoft recently purchased the entire company. Amid controversy, Activision Blizzard is in a transitional phase, finding its footing for its next phase.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft buys Activision Blizzard for nearly US$ 70B

Gaming

PlayStation increases the prices of PlayStation Plus

The increase affects all tiers across several regions.

Published

on

As is often reported regularly these days, another subscription is getting yet another price hike. PlayStation has recently announced that the price of a new PlayStation Plus subscription is going up in some markets around the world.

Since May 20, PlayStation raised the prices of its subscription service. As announced on X, the base Essential tier will now cost US$ 10.99 a month (from US$ 9.99 a month). A three-month purchase now costs US$ 27.99 every three months.

However, unannounced by the original post, the costs of the Extra and the Premium tiers are also increasing. A PlayStation Plus Extra subscription now costs US$ 16.99 a month, while a Premium subscription costs US$ 19.99 a month.

Notably, this price hike will not affect current subscribers (except those living in Turkey and India). Ongoing users can still enjoy the same subscription price if they don’t change or cancel their subscription.

The caveat is likely meant to prevent current users from cancelling outright after hearing the price increase. However, for those wondering about why, PlayStation says that it’s “due to ongoing market conditions,” which implicates a hardware shortage for a software-related price hike.

The prices will, of course, vary per region. Unfortunately, the announcement does not confirm which regions are getting the increases. The announcement does, however, list the American dollar, the euro, and the British pound as currencies, so users can expect an increase in those regions.

SEE ALSO: PlayStation will stop releasing its games on PC

Continue Reading

Gaming

Kingdom Come devs are working on a Lord of the Rings RPG

This is alongside a new adventure in the Kingdom Come universe.

Published

on

Proven by both entries in the duology, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is the quintessential medieval life simulator, bolstered by an engaging story to go along with its impressive gameplay. Despite having the series as the only items in its resume, Warhorse Studios has emerged as a developer you’d want to believe in, no matter what. And now, the studio is asking fans to stick with it in an entirely new world: Middle-earth.

Through now-viral posts on social media, Warhorse Studios announced two upcoming projects after Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. Firstly, the studio will return to the Holy Roman Empire in “a new Kingdom Come adventure.”

A return to the series that made them famous is notable enough. After all, the two games were worthy candidates for their respective Game of the Year awards. However, the bigger news is the announcement of an upcoming open-world Middle-earth RPG.

Yes, that’s the same Middle-earth as The Lord of the Rings. Beyond that single description, Warhorse Studios has not announced anything else about the upcoming title, but there’s naturally a lot of excitement for the game.

Tolkien’s world has had a rough history littered with lackluster titles and outright flops like Return to Moria and Gollum. The last Middle-earth games that truly made heads turn in a good way were Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War, which were both open-world RPGs.

There’s a lot of pressure riding on yet another Middle-earth game. Then again, Warhorse Studios has the chops to make it work.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a more rigorous RPG that has players learning to do everything including how to read. Will the Middle-earth RPG follow the same style?

Continue Reading

Gaming

Tales of ARISE – Beyond the Dawn Edition launches on Nintendo Switch 2

Expanded adventure arrives on Nintendo Switch 2

Published

on

Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia has officially launched Tales of ARISE – Beyond the Dawn Edition for Nintendo Switch 2.

The new release bundles together the original Tales of ARISE experience with the large-scale Beyond the Dawnexpansion. Players also gain access to extra quests centered on the game’s main protagonists, plus additional in-game items and bonus content.

To mark the launch, Bandai Namco also released an official launch trailer showcasing the adventure and key moments from the expanded edition.

Set in a world divided by oppression and conflict, Tales of ARISE follows the journey of Alphen and Shionne — two people from opposing worlds brought together by fate.

Tales of Arise

For 300 years, the planet Rena ruled over Dahna and stripped its people of freedom and resources. Alphen, who has lost the ability to feel pain, crosses paths with Shionne, whose mysterious curse causes suffering to anyone who touches her.

Together, they set out to challenge the systems that bind their worlds and pursue a different future.

Combat remains one of the game’s defining features. Players can switch between characters with distinct battle styles and combine attacks into fast-paced combo chains. Encounters encourage adapting strategies based on enemy behavior and battlefield conditions.

This Nintendo Switch 2 edition also includes Beyond the Dawn, an additional story arc that takes place one year after the events of the main game.

The expansion introduces new quests, costumes, usable items, and more content that extends the story beyond the original ending.

Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia is also running a launch giveaway campaign through its Facebook page. Selected participants will get a chance to win a clear pouch and acrylic block set, subject to terms and conditions.

Continue Reading

Trending