FromSoftware Parent Company Acquires Octopath Traveler Developer

Kadokawa Corporation, the parent company of Elden Ring and Bloodborne developer FromSoftware, has acquired the studio behind Octopath Traveler.

As reported by Gematsu, Kadokawa revealed during its latest earnings results it had made the studio, called Acquire, a “wholly owned subsidiary”, placing it alongside the likes of fellow developers FromSoftware and Spike Chunsoft.

Perhaps best known for developing Octopath Traveler and its 2023 sequel, Acquire is also responsible for No Heroes Allowed VR, Akiba’s Beat, and Akiba’s Trip: Undead and Undressed.

“To strengthen the ability to create IP in games as part of our game business strategy, we have made ACQUIRE Corp. into a wholly owned subsidiary,” Kadokawa said.

“By acquiring the company, which has produced million-seller hit titles, we expect to generate synergies with our existing game-related subsidiaries, strengthen our planning and development capabilities groupwide, and enhance our lineup of console games.”

It’s unclear what the “synergies” between game studios will entail, but it’s likely related to development efficiency rather than seeing Elden Ring downloadable content in Octopath Traveler 2 and vice versa.

The Octopath Traveler is perhaps most recognised for its art style, dubbed HD-2D, which reimagines classic role-playing game pixel art in a modern and dynamic way.

The latest earned a 7/10 in IGN’s review. “Octopath Traveler 2 is a very enjoyable JRPG sequel that feels a little too safe and familiar,” we said.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Homeworld 3 delayed till May to incorporate player feedback to War Games demo

Homeworld 3‘s release date has been pushed back from March 8th to May 13th 2024, in order to build on player feedback to this week’s Steam Next Fest War Games demo, which will be available till February 12th, 10am PT or 6pm GMT. The associated joint statement from developers Blackbird Interactive and publishers Gearbox arrived within hours of me posting about said Homeworld 3 demo and saying that while I am fully onboard with many aspects of the new space strategy game, I do have reservations about its controls.

Naturally, and self-flatteringly, I’m now petrified that I’m single-handedly responsible for the delay. Please come back, Homeworld 3! I didn’t mean it! I’m pretty sure I’ll acclimatise to the control scheme with practice! True-3D starfleet management is always a bit fiddly! Besides which, I might not get to review it now!! I’m moving flat in May!!!

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Video: Digital Foundry Talks 8-Inch ‘Switch 2’ Screen, Joy-Con Compatibility

“I just want some answers at this point”.

With rumours of a potential Switch successor landing in 2024, there’s much talk on exactly what the system will entail and whether it will retain the overall concept of Nintendo’s hybrid console.

One of the most recent rumours doing the rounds is regarding the console’s screen size, with one analyst noting that it will likely come packing an 8-inch LCD screen. This is a full inch larger than the current Switch – OLED Model, and Digital Foundry has discussed the potential implications this might have on the successor’s form factor and Joy-Con compatibility.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Sony’s Helldivers 2 Gets Off to a Strong Start on Steam

Helldivers 2 is off to a strong start on Steam after the PC version launched alongside the PlayStation 5 game.

Arrowhead Game Studios’ cooperative action game is published by Sony Interactive Entertainment across PS5 and PC via Steam (on Steam the publisher is down as PlayStation PC LLC). Helldivers 2 is currently the 15th most-played game on Steam with 53,189 concurrent players, a number that will no doubt grow over the course of the day, week, and into its first weekend.

Helldivers 2 is also the second top-selling game by revenue on Steam, ahead of smash hits such as Palworld and Call of Duty. It’s worth noting Helldivers 2 is not a full-price game but cheaper at $39.99. It’s much harder to get an idea of its popularity on PS5, given Sony does not divulge player numbers on its platform.

Helldivers 2’s launch is somewhat unusual in that Sony much prefers to release its games on console ahead of PC, but it is not unprecedented for an externally-developed game it’s published. Sony published IllFonic’s Predator: Hunting Grounds, for example, across PS4 and PC on the same day in April 2020.

Whether Sony might be willing to relax its policy for its big first-party exclusives remains to be seen. The recently released Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is not available on PC and Sony has yet to announce a PC version. Shift Up’s eye-catching action game Stellar Blade is down for release on PS5 only, as is Team Ninja’s Rise of the Ronin. Concord, a brand new PvP multiplayer first-person shooter from Firewalk Studios, is however due to launch on PS5 and PC.

Sony’s policy is in stark contrast to that of Microsoft, which releases all its games on Xbox and Windows PC at the same time. Microsoft is expected to discuss the future of Xbox in a business update next week, following reports that indicate it is ready to launch some of its first-party games on PS5 and Nintendo Switch.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Strategy game from hell Solium Infernum gets a week delay to February 22nd

League Of Geeks’s remake of cult strategy game Solium Infernum is having its release date pushed back by a week, the studio have announced. It will now launch on February 22nd, instead of its original date of February 14th – which is a damn shame, if you ask me, as nothing screams “romantic Valentine’s night-in” like trying to backstab your other half in a bid to rule hell in Satan’s absence. Alas, we’ll just have to make do with the altogether more pedestrian date of a regular Thursday in February, as the team need just a bit of extra time to ensure it’s “as polished as possible” before release.

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Microsoft’s Xbox Layoffs Hit Crash Bandicoot And Spyro Developer ‘Toys For Bob’

It reportedly includes an office closure.

Just weeks ago, Xbox’s owner Microsoft announced mass layoffs, and now in an update, it seems the Crash Bandicoot, Spyro and Skylanders developer Toys for Bob has been hit.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, 86 workers will be affected at the developer’s office in Novato, California. A state filing has also revealed the facility is closing.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

EVO Would Happily Welcome Back Smash Bros. Tournaments

“Always happy to host Smash”.

The fighting game championship series EVO this week revealed its roster for 2024 and it features the usual mix of Tekken, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, and various other notable fighting series. Unfortunately, one popular all-star series that’s been missing for a few years now is Smash Bros. by Nintendo.

Nintendo withdrew from EVO in 2022 after Sony jointly acquired the event in 2021, and while EVO issued its statement at the time about how “saddened” it was by Nintendo’s decision, it’s apparently still happy to welcome it back with open arms.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Xbox Insider Release Notes – Beta (2402.240206-2000)

Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Beta ring today.

It’s important we note that some updates made to these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.

Details can be found below!

Xbox Insider Release Notes

System Update Details

  • OS Version: XB_FLT_2402ZN25398.3487.240206-2000
  • Available: 5 p.m. PT – February 7, 2024
  • Mandatory: 3 a.m. PT – February 8, 2024

Fixes Included

Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:

Apps

  • Fixes to address an issue where Microsoft Edge would close unexpectedly.

Games

  • Fixes to address unexpected graphical issues with some titles.
  • Fixed an issue where changing the language in a game would not always download the new language as expected.

System

  • Various stability and performance fixes.

Known Issues

While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.

Audio

  • We have received reports of users experiencing intermittent issues with audio across the dashboard, games, and apps. If you have experienced issues, be sure you have the latest firmware updates for your TV and other equipment. If you’re unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance.
    • Note: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware updates, please submit feedback via Report a Problem immediately with the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”. Be sure to include as much information as possible:
      • When did the issue start?
      • Did you lose audio just in the game/app or system audio as well?
      • Does changing the audio format resolve the issue? If yes, what was the format before and after?
      • Does rebooting resolve the issue?
      • What does your setup include? Equipment, layout, etc.
      • And any additional information you can provide to reproduce the problem.

Game Card

  • Some users are reporting an unexpected black screen when opening the game card or selecting “Show in Microsoft Store” after it has opened, and we are investigating.

Networking

  • We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to their network as expected on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.

As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.

What Happens to Your Feedback

If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.

When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.

Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.

For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!

The post Xbox Insider Release Notes – Beta (2402.240206-2000) appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Toys for Bob Future Unclear Amid Studio Closure and Layoffs

The future of Toys for Bob is uncertain after the closure of its studio in Novato, California, part of the fallout from Xbox’s recent Activision Blizzard acquisition that has resulted in roughly 1900 layoffs.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that 86 workers have been laid off from the studio best-known for Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Skylanders. Call of Duty developer Sledgehammer Games was similarly impacted, laying off some 76 employees. The closures were discovered via official state filings.

The Activision Blizzard layoffs were announced at the end of January as Xbox has sought to restructure the company following its $69 billion acquisition. The cuts included the departure of former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra as well as the cancellation of a survival game in development at Blizzard.

It’s unclear whether what impact these changes will have on the long-term future of Toys for Bob. Numerous publishers across the games industry have been laying off employees and shuttering facilities as they focus on remote work. IGN has reached out to Activision for comment.

Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.