Gaming
Microsoft is being prevented from buying Activision Blizzard
Sued by the FTC
The year started off with a bang. Microsoft, already a respectable name in the gaming industry by itself, announced the impending acquisition of Activision Blizzard for US$ 68.7 billion. Perhaps it’s fitting that the year will end right back where it started. The FTC is officially suing Microsoft to block the monumental purchase from going through.
Announced today, the United States’ FTC (or Federal Trade Commission) has filed a legal claim against Microsoft, stating that the acquisition will allow the company to suppress competition between its rivals in the gaming industry. The commission believes that it has enough to effectively block the purchase. Allowing Microsoft to go through with the purchase will supposedly enable the company to prevent Activision Blizzard’s titles — including the Call of Duty franchise — from coming out easily on other platforms.
Since the announcement of the acquisition, Activision Blizzard has gone through a rocky year. The company had its dirty laundry aired out: a plethora of disagreeable practices from within the company. Exacerbated by the rocky launches of Diablo Immortal and Overwatch 2, it’s not exactly a stellar year for the company.
In fact, it’s not a good year for monopolistic practices either. Recently, Ticketmaster found itself under the microscope after a massive kerfuffle preventing Taylor Swift fans from purchasing tickets to the star’s upcoming concert.
While the deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard is still up in the air, it seems company acquisitions aren’t as easy as this year has made them out to be.
Gaming
Nintendo confirms a Switch successor is coming within the year
Original Switch turned 7 this year
Leave it to Nintendo to confirm the Switch successor in the most Nintendo way possible. After months of nonstop speculation surrounding the upcoming console, the company has officially confirmed that the Switch 2 (or whatever it’s called) will make its debut sometime within this fiscal year.
Since the rise of handheld consoles from the PC world, everyone started speculating when Nintendo was going to respond in kind. After all, the current Switch lineup is already seven years old (and nine years since its announcement). Other consoles have passed the Switch by, in terms of pure hardware.
Today, Nintendo’s Shuntaro Furukawa has confirmed that an announcement about the Switch successor will come this fiscal year. For reference, Nintendo’s fiscal year ends in March 2025.
This is Furukawa, President of Nintendo. We will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year. It will have been over nine years since we announced the existence of Nintendo Switch back in March 2015. We will be holding a Nintendo Direct…
— 任天堂株式会社(企業広報・IR) (@NintendoCoLtd) May 7, 2024
Nintendo leaves it at that. As always, it’s the most casual way to announce a potentially groundbreaking console. No specs, teases, or details.
If anything, it’s heavily rumored (and expected) that the next Switch will come with a much-needed slate of upgrades for the dated hardware. However, despite the upgrade, the company promises that current-gen Joy-Cons and games will still play well on the successor.
As a last word, Furukawa says that Nintendo will hold a Nintendo Direct in June for the upcoming slate of Switch software and games. Then, he coyly says that “there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during that presentation.”
SEE ALSO: Nintendo might have quashed rumors of the Switch 2 in 2024
Apple Arcade is adding four more titles playable starting June 6, 2024. The gaming service will soon let subscribers play Rabbids: Legends of the Multiverse, Return to Monkey Island+, Tomb of the Mask+, and Fabulous – Wedding Disaster+. A fifth title, Where Cards Fall, will be available on Apple Vision Pro on May 30, 2024.
Moreover, updates to titles like Hello Kitty Island Adventure, WHAT THE CAR? and Ridiculous Fishing EX will take place starting May 16. Meanwhile, more updates will roll out to games like Bloons TD 6+, Crossy Road Castle, and Disney SpellStruck next month.
Rabbids: Legends of the Multiverse
The well-known Rabbids have a new adventure. In Rabbids: Legends of the Multiverse, players will explore five outlandish universes, from the Noodles Valleys of Dragon Land to the mighty Mount Rabbidsmore. Throughout, they will encounter absurd Rabbids and will need to embrace the chaos in this new action strategy game.
Return to Monkey Island+
The latest point-and-click adventure follows The Secret of Monkey Island and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge. Return to Monkey Island+ continues the story of Guybrush Threepwood, his zombie pirate nemesis LeChuck, and his true love Elaine Marle. The title will be playable iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Tomb of the Mask+
This retro-style platformer takes players to a torturous labyrinth full of unpredictable twists and turns. Inside, they must find a strange mask that allows them to easily climb walls. Equipped with such mask and strange new abilities, players must face a variety of traps, enemies, game mechanics, and power-ups in this action-packed title.
Fabulous: Wedding Disaster+
Lastly, players will step into the world of wedding planning in GameHouse’s perfect fusion of romance, celebrity gossip, time management, and fashion. In this wedding-themed time management game, the character is ready to take the New York bridal scene by storm. Players will put their dress designing skills to the test, as they travel to unique bridal boutiques across six glamorous locations.
Where Cards Fall
Meanwhile, The Game Band’s immersive visual masterpiece will soon be enjoyed by Apple Vision Pro users. Not only will players get to solve challenging spatial puzzles. They’ll also experience dream-like landscapes in this title that pushes the boundaries of puzzle games.
Released in 2020, Hades is still one of the most memorable roguelike games today. Everyone is naturally excited for the upcoming sequel simply titled Hades II. Today, the sequel is finally getting a much-needed update. Hades II is now available on Steam’s Early Access program.
Much like the original game, Supergiant Games is slowly dripping Hades II to its fans. Last month, the studio launched a technical test period where players can run through the game’s starting area and fight the first boss.
Now, the Early Access version is much more expansive. While the game is still in development, players can now access much of the main game.
🌒HADES II is HERE !!🌘
Experience the bewitching sequel to our god-like rogue-like, now available in Early Access.
🌜Steam: https://t.co/MwAiwL8ZeW
🌜Epic Games Store: https://t.co/bKD6BvLhw6#HadesGame #Hades2 #DeathToChronos pic.twitter.com/jXhqctKj95— Supergiant Games (@SupergiantGames) May 6, 2024
Supergiant Games hopes to keep the game in this state until the end of 2024 at the very least. Through the year, the studio will introduce larger updates to introduce more of the game’s story.
In case you’re worried about everyone playing the Early Access version and spoiling everything online, the full release will still have the game’s true ending and a full list of achievements.
That said, if you’re really feeling that FOMO (and want to take part in the game’s active development), you can grab the game now on Steam and the Epic Games Store. Supergiant Games is also working on a console version of the game.
SEE ALSO: Hades is coming to Netflix
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