Patch Notes #5 - weekly (lol) gaming digest
Welcome to the 5th edition of Patch Notes, let’s get this bad boy going. (Apologies for the delay, I was living)
This edition will cover the week from 06 January to 12 January.
What caught my attention this week
All the leaks around Switch 2, and the pain Nintendo is going through. Fuck that.
Biggest news of the week
Devastating Los Angeles fires shut down Fallout season 2 Production suspended as natural disaster spreads. - Eurogamer
The devastating wildfires in Los Angeles have led to the suspension of production on Fallout season 2 and several other projects. The fires have caused significant damage, with five confirmed deaths and over 130,000 evacuations. Major studios like NBCUniversal, CBS, Disney, and Warner Bros. have halted production due to poor air quality and the need to keep roads open for emergency vehicles.
Production on Fallout's second season, which began in November and was set to resume this week, has been impacted. The first season was a significant success, with over 65 million viewers in its first 16 days.
Hitman Hitman passes 75m player milestone Popping off. - Eurogamer
Hitman: World of Assassination has reached a milestone of 75 million players. Launched initially as Hitman 3 in 2021, it was retitled when content from the trilogy's other games was added. In December alone, the game saw a player surge, partly due to a mission starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as a limited-time Elusive Target.
Notably, only 40% of players have succeeded in taking down Van Damme. IO Interactive is also working on new content for Hitman, a James Bond 007 game, and a mysterious fantasy project. The company now handles publishing duties for MindsEye, a game from former GTA producer Leslie Benzies.
Infinity Nikki studio details upcoming improvements for gacha hit A-dressing the fanbase. - Eurogamer
Infinity Nikki developer Papergames has announced a range of improvements and optimizations for the dress-up-themed free-to-play gacha game.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition reveals more details in a new trailer and reveals an early purchase bonus. -RPG Site
Nintendo and Monolith Soft have released a new Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition trailer before its March 20 launch on Nintendo Switch. The definitive edition features enhanced visuals, new story elements, new characters, and new Skell mechs. Early buyers who purchase the digital edition on the eShop before April 6 will receive the Exploration Support Pack, which includes various bonus items like credits, weapons, and armour. The game, originally released on the Wii U, follows humanity's struggle for survival on Mira after an intergalactic war destroys Earth.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii New Game+ will arrive in a free post-launch update- RPG Site
During the Like a Dragon Direct livestream, Sega confirmed that Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will receive a New Game+ mode in a free post-launch update. The live stream also showcased the game's locations, combat, ship customization, crew building, side activities, and limited collector's edition. The game is set to launch on February 21, 2025, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC (Steam).
Assassin's Creed Shadows delayed to March 20 - RPG Site
Ubisoft has announced that the release of Assassin's Creed Shadows has been delayed to March 20, 2025. The delay aims to incorporate community feedback and ensure a more ambitious and engaging experience at launch. Ubisoft remains committed to delivering a high-quality game and will continue to update fans on the progress. Assassin's Creed Shadows
Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 update, dated January 22, showcases Astra Yao and Evelyn - RPG Site
The Zenless Zone Zero version 1.5 update, "Astra-nomical Moment," will launch on January 22, 2025. This update introduces two new playable characters, Astra Yao and Evelyn, along with new storyline episodes, gameplay features, and limited-time events. Astra Yao is the game's first healing-specialized character, while Evelyn is a fire-attack character. The update includes multiple new game modes, customization options, and events like "Mach 25" and the "Elpis Ultimate Angler." Players can expect new outfits for characters and additional story content involving Astra Yao's New Year concert at Starloop, New Eridu's landmark.
Elden Ring Nightreign Closed Network Test is set for February 14 to February 17, with registrations now live. - RPG Site
Registrations for the Elden Ring Nightreign Closed Network Test are now live, with the test scheduled for February 14-17 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Three players can team up during the test to take on the Nightlord. The game will be released in 2025 and available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC (Steam). Elden Ring Nightreign is a standalone multiplayer co-op PvE game in the Elden Ring universe, featuring eight unique characters and dynamic gameplay. Players can register for the test until January 20.
The analyst forecasts that Nintendo Switch 2 will sell 4.3 million units in the US in 2025. Circana expects PS5 to outsell Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025 - VG Chronicles
Mat Piscatella, an analyst from Circana, forecasts that the Nintendo Switch 2 will sell over 4.3 million units in the US in 2025 if released in the first half of the year. Despite this strong start, he expects the PS5 to be the best-selling console in the US for the year. Piscatella notes that the Switch 2's sales will depend on manufacturing capabilities and early demand. Circana will release an entire 2025 outlook later this month. Recently, it was reported that the Nintendo Switch surpassed the lifetime sales of Sony’s PS2. Nintendo is expected to reveal its Switch successor during this fiscal year, and there's speculation about an April 2025 launch.
Helldivers 2 is getting a film adaptation, and here's hoping it's not just a shot-for-shot Starship Troopers retread with Chris Pratt's face plastered over a Bile Titan. - VG247
During its CES 2025 press conference, Sony confirmed that Helldivers 2 is getting a film adaptation. While details are scarce, there's hope that the movie will not directly copy the Starship Troopers, even though the game already heavily draws from that movie.
Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions are developing this adaptation, and players have taken to Reddit to speculate humorously on the casting. Some suggestions include Chris Pratt as a Bile Titan, Tom Holland and Timothee Chalamet as bug divers, and Danny DeVito as the voice of every Automaton.
Assassin's Creed Shadows parkour detailed by Ubisoft in new system overview - RPG Site
Ubisoft has detailed the new parkour system in Assassin's Creed Shadows, which will be released on February 14, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The system, tailored for Feudal Japan, emphasizes seamless movement across urban and natural landscapes and includes enhancements like a physics-based grappling hook, prone movement, and refined input mapping.
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Nintendo Nvidia RTX 5090 revealed: ‘Twice the performance of the 4090’ . Nvidia has announced its most powerful graphics card ever, doubling the power of the RTX 4090 - VG Chronicles
Nvidia has unveiled its new graphics cards, including the powerful RTX 5090, at CES. The RTX 5090, which will launch on January 30 for $1999, boasts twice the performance of the RTX 4090. It features 92 billion transistors and over 3,352 trillion AI operations per second. Other cards in the lineup include the RTX 5080 ($999), RTX 5070 Ti ($750), and RTX 5070 ($549), with the latter two available in February.
The RTX 50 series will also be available for laptops starting in March. It features Nvidia DLSS 4 technology, which significantly boosts frame rates. The RTX 5090 GPU can run Cyberpunk 2077 at over 200 FPS at max settings, compared to the RTX 4090's 100 FPS.
Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang highlighted the innovation of AI-driven neural rendering and ray tracing, marking a significant advancement in computer graphics.
Former Annapurna staff are reportedly taking over Private Division’s portfolio. Private Division games like Kerbal Space Program will have a new publisher - VG Chronicles
Private equity firm Haveli Investments has reportedly acquired Take-Two's former indie publishing label, Private Division. Haveli plans to launch a new company to publish Private Division's games, including titles like Tales of the Shire, the Kerbal Space Program series, and an unannounced game from Pokémon developer Game Freak. The new company will reportedly be staffed by former employees of Annapurna Interactive, who resigned last summer after a dispute with their previous owner.
Some of Private Division's 20 staff members will be laid off as part of the transition. Established by Take-Two in 2017, Private Division has published several notable titles, including Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey and The Outer Worlds.
Suicide Squad studio Rocksteady reportedly suffers more layoffs. Some programmers, artists and QA staff at Rocksteady have been made redundant, it’s claimed - VG Chronicles
Rocksteady Studios, known for developing Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, has reportedly faced more layoffs at the end of 2024. The layoffs affected programmers, artists, and QA staff following an earlier round of cuts in September 2024. The studio's recent game underperformed commercially, leading to significant financial losses for its publisher, Warner Bros. Rocksteady, announced that it will end support for Suicide Squad after its final update this month.
The studio is facing challenges but reportedly working on new projects, including a potential single-player game. Let's hope things turn around for them soon.
Sony's Aniplex and Crunchyroll are adapting Ghost of Tsushima into an anime titled "Ghost of Tsushima: Legends". - Shinobi602 Twitter
Notch Says He ‘Basically Announced Minecraft 2’ Insists he's "100% serious." - IGN
Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson has hinted at "Minecraft 2" after polling his social media followers on what game they would like him to make next. In the poll, 81% of the 282,968 voters chose a spiritual successor to Minecraft, dubbed "Minecraft 2." Notch has stated that he is "100% serious" about the possibility and is excited to work on a game that resonates with fans.
Notch emphasized his willingness to create a game similar to Minecraft and expressed his intention to avoid infringing on the work of the Mojang team and Microsoft. He is committed to producing a game that meets fans' expectations and brings further success.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth PC Specs Revealed, But No Info On Steam Deck Verification Yet. The game launches on PC later this month. - GameSpot
Square Enix has revealed the PC specifications for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, which will be released on January 23. The game will have three default settings: Minimum, Recommended, and Ultra, requiring 155GB of storage. The specifications are designed to offer gameplay at 30fps at 1080p for Minimum, 60fps at 1080p for Recommended, and 60fps at 2160p for Ultra settings. Depending on the hardware, the PC version can reach up to 120fps and supports refined lighting, improved environmental textures, PS5 DualSense, keyboard, and mouse controls.
The game is not yet confirmed as Steam Deck Verified, but the development team is working on optimization for the handheld. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth recently won the Best Score and Music category at The Game Awards 2024.
Freedom Wars Remastered System Trailer shows changes from the original Vita release - RPG Site
Bandai Namco has released a new trailer for the upcoming remaster of Freedom Wars, highlighting gameplay systems and changes from the original PlayStation Vita release. The trailer, known as the "System Trailer" in English and the "Changes Introduction Trailer" in Japanese, showcases graphical updates, a customizable control scheme, and separated weapon upgrade modules. It also introduces a new, harder difficulty level, Deadly Sinner Mode.
Bandai Namco has shared the minimum and recommended system requirements for PC players to run the game at optimal settings. Freedom Wars Remastered will be available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on January 10, and the Japanese console release will be on January 9.
Konami shares snippet of dialogue gameplay for Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars - RPG Site
Konami has shared a clip of English gameplay from Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars. The snippet features Riou recruiting Mondo in Rokkaku in Suikoden 2.
The remasters will be released on March 6 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam). Konami previously showcased a minute of gameplay at the Tokyo Game Show and has released two opening movies. The Suikoden Twitter account has been counting down to the release with character profiles.
The new clip highlights the updated English localization for the remaster, offering a glimpse of the dialogue improvements.
Marvel Rivals Season 1 details and first trailer released. The Fantastic Four join Marvel Rivals on January 10 - VG Chronicles
NetEase has unveiled the details for Marvel Rivals Season 1, accompanied by the first trailer for the update. Titled Season 1: Eternal Night Falls, it will launch on January 10 at 1am PT / 4am ET / 9am GMT.
This vampire-themed season introduces the Fantastic Four, who will fight against Dracula and his forces.
The storyline involves Doctor Strange being trapped in the Entangled Astral Plane, Dracula and Doctor Doom causing eternal night in New York, and vampiric creatures unleashing.
Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play 6v6 team-based shooter developed by a team at NetEase, featuring talent who previously worked on major franchises like Call of Duty and Battlefield.
Released on December 6 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, the game reached 10 million players in its first three days and 20 million players within 11 days.
Biggest releases this week
