1.2: Singular Focus
Game Pass tests a family plan, EA remains committed to single-player, Netflix sucks at games + What's Releasing This Week
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Welcome to Volume 1, Issue 2 of Early Access for Wednesday, August 10, 2022. In this issue: EA and single-player experiences, Game Pass tests a Family Plan, game engine Unity gets a new acquisition offer, and Netflix sucks at games.
“I’m Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite [newsletter] on the Citadel!” - Commander Shepard (Mass Effect 2).
REMINDER: As announced on VSG’s Instagram, both editions of Early Access (weekly + monthly) will be delivered to all subscribers for the first two months of the newsletter (August + September). You can still subscribe to the Premium Tier if you want to support VSG, but don’t feel like you need to. You’ll have until October to determine if Early Access is something worth valuing.
The Big Picture
1. SINGULAR FOCUS
Electronic Arts: During its first quarter earnings call, EA addressed how single-player games fit into the company’s portfolio. CEO Andrew Wilson described single-player experiences as “a really important part” of the publishers portfolio. Per Wilson: “When we think about our portfolio and we think about building it out, we really think about it on two key vectors. One, how can we tell incredible stories? And two, how can we build tremendous online communities? And then how do we bring those two things together?” EA’s chief financial officer Chris Suh followed up, however, noting that live services account for almost 3/4 of EA’s total business, and reiterated that those games, which provide “a proven, very reliable, highly reoccurring revenue stream” will remain a “predominant driver” of the company.
+ In Development: Single-player games in development at EA include Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Dragon Age: Dreadwolf and a remake of Dead Space.
2. “PROJECT NEPTUNE” CANCELLED
Bloomberg: Bloomberg has reported that Blizzard and NetEase have cancelled an unannounced World of Warcraft mobile game after a financial dispute. The game - which was codenamed “Neptune” - was reportedly planned as a mobile WoW spin-off set in the same universe as Blizzard’s long-running PC title. The disagreement appears to have been substantial - Bloomberg reported that, prior to its cancellation, the game had been in development for three full years and had a team of over 100 NetEase developers attached the project.
+ Arclight Rumble: “Project Neptune” is different from Warcraft Arclight Rumble, a free-to-play action strategy game for mobile, that was announced by Blizzard in May.
+ Lich King: Two weeks ago, Blizzard confirmed that World: of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Classic will release on September 26, 2022, confirming an earlier leak. A new expansion, called Dragonflight, will also be released later this year.
3. XBOX FAMILY PLANNING
Windows Central: Microsoft is exploring the possibility of adding a family plan to Xbox Game Pass as soon as this year. The family plan will reportedly be integrated into Microsoft’s existing Family Account system, which is what the company uses for its Microsoft 365 Family subscriptions, and provide access to Xbox Game Pass for up to five players. Exact pricing for this plan is unknown, but it will reportedly be far cheaper than having to pay for five separate Game Pass accounts.
+ Insider Preview: Xbox Insider’s in Ireland and Colombia can currently test out the new “Family Plan” and “add up to four people to [their] subscription.”
+ Potential $25/mo. Price Point: When Preview users in Ireland and Colombia add people to their subscriptions, Microsoft converts your Xbox Game Pass membership to the “new plan” - for example, “a full month of Ultimate will be converted to 18 days of membership.” If those calculations are replicated when the plan rolls out to all users, that would amount to a $25 per month price point for the “Family” plan, as opposed to $15 per month for Game Pass Ultimate.
4. I’M LOVIN’ IT
Unity + AppLovin: Software Company AppLovin has offered to purchase Unity - one of the world’s most popular game engines - for $17.5 billion. Unity is currently in the midst of plans to merge with another mobile tech company, IronSource, but that deal would be derailed if Unity’s board of directors opts for the new AppLovin Proposal. Unity is currently evaluating the offer, which would see the current board retain 49% of voting power in the new joint venture.
+ Games, Games, Games: Unity is a game engine used in a variety of titles - from Pokémon Go to Call of Duty: Mobile.
+ Statement from AppLovin CEO Adam Foroughi: “Unity is one of the world’s leading platforms for heling creators turn their inspirations into real-time 3D content. With the scale that comes from unifying our leading solutions and innovation that would be achieved with the combination of our teams, we expect that game developers would be the biggest beneficiaries as they continue to lead the mobile gaming sector to its next chapter of growth.”
5. NETFLIX AND CHILL
CNBC: Netflix’s game offerings have been downloaded a total of 23.3m times since the company forayed into the video game market, and only 1.7 million actually engage with the games on a daily basis. To put that in perspective, that’s less than one percent of the total Netflix subscriber base. Ouch.
+ Down Bad: How could Netflix be failing so miserably in the gaming space? One reason might be that the games, while only accessible to Netflix subscribers, do not come as part of the main Netflix app itself, and have to be downloaded separately from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store.
6. BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
+ Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Dominates: Critic darling Xenoblade Chronicles 3 had the largest launch in the history of the Xenoblade franchise, and was the best-selling boxed game in the UK last week, according to data shared by GamesIndustry.biz. Interestingly, both previous entries (Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition) generated more money during their launch weeks, owing to special editions sporting higher price tags. But the third installment sold more units. With the strong start, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is now the fifth biggest Switch launch of the year, behind Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Nintendo Switch Sports, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and Kirby and The Forgotten Land.
+ Spider-Man: Insomniac Games has confirmed that the PC version of Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered (releasing August 12) is Steam Deck Verified.
Read the Reviews
Here are some highlights from the past week in review aggregation. Check out…
Two Point Campus (Release: August 9, 2022; Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, PC, Switch; Developer: Two Point Studios). With 62 critic reviews, Two Point Campus is currently at 92% recommended. VSG’s Verdict: The humor is hit or miss, but Two Point Studios took everything that worked so well in Two Point Hospital and elevated it to a whole new level. Two Point Campus is a familiar yet wildly different game that delivers in every aspect. PLAY IT.
Since launching in 2018, VSG has covered over 560 games and aggregated almost 40,000 critic reviews. Read more stats about VSG, and how the aggregator works.
New Free + Subscription Games - 8/10 to 8/17
Free is the freest form of free.
PlayStation Plus:
Little Nightmares [PS4] - August 2 to September 5
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 [PS5, PS4] - August 2 to September 5
Yakuza: Like a Dragon [PS5, PS4] - August 2 to September 5
Yakuza 0 [PS4] - August 2 to September 5
Yakuza Kiwami [PS4] - August 2 to September 5
Xbox Games with Gold:
Calico [XBO] - August 1 to August 31
Saints Row 2 [X360] - August 1 to August 15
Relicta [XBO] - July 16 to August 15
Monaco: What’s Yours is Mine [X360] - August 15 to August 31
ScourgeBringer [XBO] - August 15 to September 15
Xbox Game Pass (PC + console):
Cooking Simulator [PC, XSX, XBO] - August 11 to (tbd)
Expeditions: Rome [PC, XSX, XBO] - August 11 to (tbd)
Offworld Trading Company [PC, XSX, XBO] - August 11 to (tbd)
Epic Games Store:
Unralled! [PC] - August 4 to August 10
Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! [PC] - August 11 to September 1
Prime Gaming:
Beasts of Maravilla Island [PC] - August 1 to (tbd)
Family Mysteries: Poisonous Promises [PC] - August 1 to (tbd)
Recompile [PC] - August 1 to (tbd)
ScourgeBringer [PC] - August 1 to (tbd)
StarCraft: Remastered [PC] - August 1 to (tbd)
Zak McKracken and the Allen Mindbenders [PC] - August 1 to (tbd)
New Premium Releases - 8/10 to 8/17
Now . . . bring me that horizon.
Upcoming games calendar:
South of the Circle [PC, PS5, PS4, XSX, XBO, Switch] - August 3
Lost in Play [PC, Switch] - August 10
Arcade Paradise [PC, PS5, PS4, XSX, XBO, Switch] - August 10
Cult of the Lamb [PC, PS5, PS4, XSX, XBO, Switch] - August 11
Tower of Fantasy [PC] - August 11
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered [PC] - August 12
Voyage [PS5, PS4, XSX, XBO, Switch] - August 12
Backpack Hero [PC] - August 15
Blossom Tales 2: The Minotaur Prince [PC, Switch] - August 16
Tribes of Midgard [XSX, XBO, Switch] - August 16
Way of the Hunter [PC, PS5, XSX] - August 16
Catizens [PC] - August 17
Notable game announcements/delays:
Temtem 1.0 [PC, PS5, PS4, XSX, XBO, Switch] - 1.0 announced for September 6, 2022 release date (Seasons, new island, multiple combat modes, cosmetics).
MultiVersus Season 1 [PC, PS5, PS4, XSX, XBO] - August 9 release date delayed to an “unconfirmed date”; Morty character also delayed.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns [PC, PS5, PS4, XSX, XBO, Switch] - October 2022 release date delayed to Spring 2023; Switch version remains (tbd).
Arc Raiders [PC, PS5, XSX] - 2022 window delayed to 2023.
View all of the upcoming video game release dates (including DLC) for PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, Nintendo Switch, and more, over at VSG.
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