Everyone has a fighting chance
FanFest is a big deal. Roughly 4,500 Final Fantasy XIV players headed to Paris in early February, filling the lofty Grande Halle de la Villette to capacity with friendly cheer. Almost all were desperately seeking more news on Shadowbringers, the upcoming expansion due out on July 2. But behind these headline announcements, it was also the epicentre of a community celebration unlike any other.
Game Workers Unite, an organization seeking better working conditions for games industry employees, is calling for Activision-Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick to be fired. #FireBobbyKotick is the social media hashtag that emerged after Tuesday’s ATVI investor call and the announcement that 800 Blizzard employees had been fired. “Upending 800 workers’ lives while raking in millions in bonuses for you and your C-suite buddies isn’t leadership, it’s theft,” reads the manifesto.
Far Cry: New Dawn is the first direct sequel to a Far Cry title. How does New Dawn serve the franchise? Can it stand on its own or would it have been better to leave the story in a pile of nuclear ash where Far Cry 5 left off? Let’s find out.
Crowfall players have a new series of campaigns called The Trials of the Gods. The Trials feature unique campaign worlds dedicated to each of the Gods. Over the next few months, players will encounter “unique maps, rules, and rewards themed to [each] God’s unique persona, powers and domain”. The first Trial is underway. Called Trials of Malekai, the campaign will run for two weeks and “pits players against each other in battle to win the favor of Malekai the Faceless God of Deception”.
Fortnite players will be able to earn a free Season 8 Battle Pass just by playing the game. All that is required to earn the Battle Pass is for players to complete 13 free Overtime Challenges by February 27th. Once the Battle Pass is live on a player’s account, two Outfits are instantly added and more can be earned throughout the season’s duration.
Ubisoft has a great deal for those who choose to preorder The Division 2: A free game! Players can choose from Ghost Recon Wildlands, Watch Dogs 2 or Far Cry Primal. Games can be downloaded now, but will not be playable until March 15th when The Division 2 is released. Free games will need to be claimed by March 31st or the deal disappears forever!
Vainglory has officially launched on Steam with full cross-platform compatibility between PC, Mac, Android and iOS devices. Players can create teams irrespective of platform thanks to the “proprietary E.V.I.L. cross platform engine”. Vainglory is a free-to-play MOBA with 48 heroes, each with unique abilities, strengths and weaknesses.
If you’re anything like us, building up your battlestation is about more than just your PC. After your PC and accessories are set, it’s time to start looking into the rest of the room and designing your perfect, modern gaming center. Today, we’re looking at the first of two Nanoleaf smart products with the Canvas. They’re customizable, integrate with your smart home, and look great, but are they right for you? This is our full review of the Nanoleaf Canvas.
Sega has brought the next chapter in the Yakuza series to PC with the remake of the first Yakuza game in Yakuza Kiwami. Although chronologically Yakuza Zero happens before this, the first game came out before it on PlayStation 2 in 2006. Kiwami means Extreme, and that is what Sega tries to bring its fans with retelling Yakuza. Does it succeed on PC? This is our Yakuza Kiwami PC review.
Twitch Prime members who also play RuneScape and / or Old School RuneScape will be interested to hear that the developers are giving away a $50 package of goodies from now through March 17th. The package includes a number of in-game items including Treasure Hunter Keys and Runecoins.