2.3: 2023 Awards Season
Game Awards nominees announced, Wolverine launch window, Grand Theft Auto 6 hype train approaches the station + What's Releasing This Week
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This is Volume 2, Issue 3 of Early Access for Wednesday, November 15, 2023. In this issue: The Game Awards announces its nominees, a potential launch window for Wolverine has leaked, Sony reevaluates it’s live service push, a GTA 6 trailer is on the horizon, Hogwarts Legacy finally arrives on the Nintendo Switch.
“Seriously, stop feeding our goats coffee” - Jaakko Koskelas (Alan Wake 2).
The Big Picture
1. THE GAME AWARDS 2023 NOMINATIONS
The nominees for The Game Awards 2023 have been announced. Baldur's Gate 3 (Larian Studios) and Alan Wake 2 (Remedy Entertainment) received the most nominations, with eight apiece, ahead of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games), which was nominated for seven. There are 31 awards up for grabs, including Game of the Year, to be determined by a blended vote between a voting jury of more than 100 media publications and influencer outlets (90%) and public fan voting (10%). The event will be held at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on December 7, 2023.
+ Game of the Year Nominees: Each of the games nominated for Game of the Year are from long-running franchises: Baldur's Gate 3 (Larian Studios), Alan Wake 2 (Remedy Entertainment), Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games), Resident Evil 4 (Capcom), Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo), and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo).
+ Nintendo Leads Publishers: Nintendo is the most nominated publisher with 15 nominations across its portfolio (including two for Game of the Year), followed by Sony (13 nominations), Xbox (10 nominations), and Epic Games (9 nominations).
2. WOLVERINE LAUNCH WINDOW
A concept artist working on Insomniac Games' next superhero title, Wolverine, has listed a potential 2024 release window for the title on ArtStation, a website used by artists to showcase their portfolios. The concept artist, Hung Nguy, currently lists Demon's Souls (2020; Bluepoint Games), The Quarry (2022; Supermassive Games), and Company of Heroes 3 (2023; Relic Entertainment) among his credits. Nguy quickly scrubbed his profile of the potential leak after it was posted to Resetera, and Insomniac has not commented on the rumor (or made any official announcement about a launch window). Wolverine was announced in September 2021 alongside Insomniac's recently-released Marvel's Spider-Man 2, though Wolverine was claimed to be in "very early development" at the time. Giant Bomb reporter Jeff Grubb previously reported that Wolverine could release "as early as fall 2024" but that "internally they're still very much talking about 2025, so let's not be surprised if that's what happens."
+ Cut to the Chase: Wolverine is a story-focused action game that takes place in the same universe Insomniac's Spider-Man games. It's being directed by Brian Horton and Cameron Christian, the creative leads on Miles Morales.
3. SONY REVIEWS LIVE SERVICE STRATEGY
Shortly after acquiring Destiny developer Bungie, Sony Interactive Entertainment announced a plan to launch "more than 10 live service games" by the end of the 2025 fiscal year (which ends on March 31, 2026). But with a changing video game landscape, including a rapidly changing free-to-play market, Sony is reviewing that strategy and has halved the number of live service games it plans to release. During a recent earnings call, Sony President Hiroki Totoki said the company is "trying as much as possible to ensure [these games] are enjoyed and liked by gamers for a long time" and that "[of] the 12 titles, six titles will be released by FY25." Totoki continued: "That's the total number of live service and multiplayer titles [and] mid-to-long term we want to [push] this kind of service, and that's the unchanged policy of the company. It's not like we stick to certain titles, but game quality should be the most important [consideration]."
+ What Games Are In Development: Most of the titles have not been confirmed, but we have a good idea about some of them: developer Naughty Dog is developing a multiplayer The Last of Us title; Bungie is working on a new Marathon game (which was reportedly delayed to at least 2025); developer Guerrilla Games is developing a multiplayer game based on the Horizon franchise; PlayStation's London Studios is working on an "online co-op combat game set in a fantasy London"; Jade Raymond's (Assassin's Creed, Watch Dogs) Haven Studios is working on a "AAA multiplayer experience" called Fairgame$; and Firewalk Studios is developing Concord, a new PVP multiplayer set in a sci-fi universe.
+ Free-to-Play Difficulties: The free-to-play gaming market is undergoing a transformation, and Sony isn't the only publisher curtailing away from its live service ambitions. Alan Wake 2 studio Remedy Entertainment recently announced that it is changing the direction of its free-to-play co-op project, codenamed "Vanguard." The project is now being described as "a premium game with a strong cooperative multiplayer component" and has a new codename: "Kestrel." According to Remedy, the change was made "due to uncertainties in creating a successful game to the rapidly changing free-to-play market and associated risks."
+ Bungie as Consultant: Bungie has been integral in shaping Sony's approach to live service games. PlayStation Studios boss Hermen Hulst had this to say earlier in the year: "Of course, when you're developing live-service titles, you [require] capabilities that you don't have when you're working on single-player, narrative-driven games. And these companies that we've set up inside PlayStation Studios have been helped and guided by Bungie . . . Historically, our games always worked towards an end, and this is a large cultural shift… the launch of a game is just the beginning, and it comes with a whole set of different [key performance indicators]."
4. GRAND THEFT AUTO 6 TRAILER
Rockstar Games has confirmed that it will debut a reveal trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI in December 2023, confirming rumors from earlier in November. Rockstar: "We are very excited to let you know that in early December, we will release the first trailer for the next Grand Theft Auto. We look forward to many more years of sharing these experiences with all of you." It added: "Thanks to the incredible support of our players worldwide, we have had the opportunity to create games we are truly passionate about — without you, none of this would be possible, and we are so grateful to all of you for sharing this journey with us."
+ When in December: Rockstar's announcement began by noting that the 25th anniversary of Rockstar will also arrive in December, leading to speculation that the trailer would debut on the same date. The problem is that we don't quite know which day Rockstar was founded; company documents only list a vague "December 1998" window for its foundation date. One possible venue for the trailer, however, is at The Game Awards, which takes place on December 7.
+ Possible 2024 Release: Rockstar hasn't given any indication on a Grand Theft Auto VI release window, but in earlier 2023, publisher Take-Two Interactive projected massive financial gains in fiscal year 2025 (between April 2024 and March 2025). Take-Two wouldn't do that without reason. One possibility: it's expecting the release of a highly anticipated, and enormously profitable, series like Grand Theft Auto.
5. HOGWARTS LEGACY ARRIVES ON SWITCH
Hogwarts Legacy has finally been released on the Nintendo Switch, with minimal fanfare from developer Avalanche Software or publisher Warner Bros. We're still waiting on reviews for the Switch edition, but comparison videos between the Switch version and the Xbox/PlayStation/PC versions are about what you would. The game "could have been far worse," according to SwitchUp. In order to get the game running, the port adds 30-50 second loading times to its open world. SwitchUp notes that "none of these things are deal breakers for most people, but as far as gameplay goes, having to load between every single shop in a town that has about 10-15 buildings, it certainly does impact the flow."
6. BOTTOM OF THE NEWS
+ Black Friday 2023: Black Friday is just around the corner. Some early deals have already gone live, and PlayStation has announced its dates for Black Friday, with deals on consoles, controllers, console covers, games, PlayStation Plus (up to 30% off a 12-month plan), and more landing on November 17 through the 27th. Expect Microsoft to offer similar promotions for its console.
+ Games Coming to Game Pass (Nov 2023): Microsoft has confirmed the next batch of titles heading to Xbox Game Pass for console, PC and cloud: Persona 5 Tactica is coming to Cloud, Console and PC on November 17, Dune: Spice Wars is coming to Console and Cloud on November 28 and Rollerdrome is coming to Cloud, Console and PC on November 28.
Read the Reviews
Here are some highlights from the past week in review aggregation. Check out…
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name (Release: November 9, 2023; Platforms: PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO, PC; Developer: Ryū Ga Gotoku Studios). With 54 reviews, Like a Dragon Gaiden is currently at 76% recommended. VSG's Verdict: "Like a Dragon Gaiden isn’t revolutionary, and it feels like more of a luxury than a necessity, but it does exactly what it was meant to do: to bring Kyriu back into the spotlight and whet your appetite for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, coming in January 2024." PLAY IT.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (Release: November 10, 2023; Platforms: PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO, PC; Developer: Sledgehammer Games). With 20 reviews, Modern Warfare III is currently at 0% recommended. VSG's Verdict: "Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer shines and is expected to carry the load, but this is easily the worst Call of Duty in a decade, a wild recycling of ideas cobbled together on a rushed production schedule." SKIP IT.
WarioWare: Move It! (Release: November 3, 2023; Platforms: SWITCH; Developer: Intelligent Systems). With 48 reviews, WarioWare: Move It! is currently at 52% recommended. VSG's Verdict: "Fun mechanics and crazy minigames are let down by unreliable motion controls and a lack of innovation." SKIP 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 Game Releases - 11/15 to 11/21
Now . . . bring me that horizon.
Upcoming games calendar:
Checkmate Showdown [PC] – November 15
Lake: Season's Greetings DLC [PC, PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO] – November 15
The Last Faith [PC, PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO, Switch] – November 15
Teardown [PS5, XSX] – November 15
Teardown: Time Campers DLC [PC, PS5, XSX] – November 15
Assassin's Creed Nexus VR [Quest 2] – November 16
Astlibra Revision [Switch] – November 16
Dredge: The Pale Reach DLC [PC, PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO, Switch] – November 16
Flashback 2 [PC, PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO, Switch] – November 16
Jagged Alliance 3 [PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO] – November 16
The Kindeman Remedy [PC] – November 16
Loddlenaut [PC] – November 16
Tobor [PC] – November 16
Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections [PC, PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO, Switch] – November 17
Persona 5 Tactica [PC, XSX, XBO] – November 17
Super Mario RPG [Switch] – November 17
The Walking Dead: Destinies [PC, PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO, Switch] – November 17
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin [PC, PS5, XSX] – November 17
In Stars and Time [PC] – November 20
Construction Simulator - Spaceport Expansion DLC [PC, PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO] – November 21
Worldless [PC, PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO, Switch] – November 21
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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