Patch Notes #6 - weekly (lol) gaming digest
Welcome to the 6th edition of Patch Notes, let’s get this bad boy going.
This edition will cover the week from 13 January to 19 January.
What caught my attention this week
Thanks to Nintendo, it was an extraordinary day, a significant occasion, and an illustrious week.
Biggest news of the week
PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and Classics Catalog lineup for January 2025 announced. - Gematsu
Sony has announced the January 2025 lineup for the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and Classics Catalog, which will be available from January 21 for Extra and Premium subscribers. Notable additions include God of War Ragnarok, Like a Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name, and Atlas Fallen: Reign Of Sand. The Classics Catalog features titles like Medievil II, Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings. The new games offer a mix of action, adventure, RPG, and strategy, catering to various gaming preferences.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD: a solid Switch port with unexpected failings. - Eurogamer
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a remaster of the original Wii-era game for the Nintendo Switch, developed by Forever Entertainment. The game has been rebuilt using the Unity Engine and features improved textures, effects, and updated character models. The resolution and frame rate are solid, but minor flaws exist, such as reduced dust cloud effects and sloppy barrel-breaking animation. Overall, the remaster stays true to the original visual design and offers a solid experience despite the Wii original being better in some respects.
PlayStation legend Shuhei Yoshida lands first video game voice role in Promise Mascot Agency. - Eurogamer
PlayStation legend Shuhei Yoshida has landed his first video game voice role in Promise Mascot Agency. He will voice a bright green, bird-like mascot named MonouGe. The game, developed by Paradise Killer studio Kaizen Game Works, also features Takaya Kuroda (Yakuza games) and Ayano Shibuya (Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom). Yoshida announced his departure from PlayStation last November after over 30 years. Promise Mascot Agency is described as the "world's first open-world mascot management crime drama" (whatever that means lol) and is set for release this year.
Tencent and Guillemot family considering new venture with Ubisoft assets - report. - Eurogamer
Tencent and the Guillemot family are reportedly considering a new venture using selected Ubisoft assets to boost the company's value. This potential deal would allow Tencent to own a stake in the venture and gain more control over some of Ubisoft's intellectual properties, enhancing its video game business outside China. No final decisions have been made yet, and discussions are ongoing. Ubisoft has been exploring various strategic options to increase its value amidst a challenging year with multiple layoffs, studio closures, and delays, including the postponement of Assassin's Creed Shadows to March 20, 2025.
Microsoft announces another round of layoffs, affecting an undisclosed number of staff in its gaming, security, and sales divisions. - Shinobi602 Twitter
Microsoft has announced another round of layoffs affecting a small number of employees across its gaming, security, and sales divisions. The cuts are unrelated to the previous performance-based layoffs announced last week. Microsoft continues to focus on high-performance talent and takes appropriate action when employees do not meet expectations. This recent round of layoffs comes after significant cuts in 2023 and 2024, including 1,900 employees from the game division and 650 workers in September 2024. Additional source: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/microsoft-to-lay-off-unknown-number-of-staff
Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma Launches May 30 - Collector's Edition Pre-Orders Are Live. - Gamespot
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma will be released on May 30 for Nintendo Switch and PC. The game, revealed during a Nintendo Direct last August, is available for preorder. There are two physical editions: the standard edition for $60 and the Earth Dancer Limited Edition for $100, which includes a plush keychain, art book, soundtrack CD, Japanese folding fan, DLC bundle, and a custom box. The Earth Dancer Edition is in stock at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. The game continues the RPG-meets-farming-sim formula and is set in a fantasy world inspired by Japanese folklore. Players take on the role of an "Earth Dancer" to restore the land through farming, village repairs, and quests.
Sony and several LA-based PlayStation studios donate to wildfire relief efforts. - VG Chronicles
Sony and several LA-based PlayStation studios, including Naughty Dog, Insomniac Games, and Santa Monica Studio, have pledged donations to support the Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts. Sony announced a $5 million donation to assist first responders, community relief, and rebuilding initiatives. The wildfires, which started last Tuesday, have caused significant destruction and are projected to be one of the costliest in US history, with estimated damages reaching $275 billion. The PlayStation studios expressed their commitment to supporting their local communities and gratitude towards first responders for their heroic efforts.
PlayStation Cancels Two Games, Including A Live-Service God Of War - Report.- Gamespot
PlayStation has cancelled two live-service games, including a live-service God of War game developed by Bluepoint Games. The other cancelled game was from Bend Studio. Sony confirmed that neither studio will shut down, but it is unclear if there will be layoffs. PlayStation's live-service initiative has seen mixed results, with successes like Helldivers 2 and failures like Concord, which led to the shutdown of Firewalk Studios.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! The ZERO DLC pack ‘Hero of Justice’ has been announced. - Gematsu
Bandai Namco and Spike Chunsoft have announced the first DLC pack for Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO, titled "Hero of Justice". This pack adds 11 new playable characters, including Gohan (Super Hero), Piccolo (Super Hero), Gamma 1, Gamma 2, and Cell Max. It also includes one costume and three custom battles. The DLC will be available for Season Pass holders on January 20 and for everyone else on January 23.
PlayStation Legend Shuhei Yoshida 'Would've Tried to Resist' Sony's Live Service Push. - IGN
Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida, who led Sony Interactive Entertainment's Worldwide Studios from 2008 to 2019, revealed that he would have resisted Sony's push toward live-service video games. Yoshida acknowledged the risks of such investments. While some games, like Helldivers 2, succeeded, others, like Concord, faced disastrous launches.
Yoshida suggested that his resistance to the live service model might have been a reason for his removal from first-party leadership. He emphasized the crucial importance of managing budgets for different game types. Despite their risks, Yoshida believes combining single-player games with live service games is a balanced approach for the future.
Sony executives, including Hiroki Totoki and Sadahiko Hayakawa, discussed the lessons learned from successful and failed live service games and indicated plans to improve development processes and launch strategies for future titles.
What is Mario Kart 9’s New Twist? - IGN
The article explores potential twists in the new Mario Kart 9 game for the Nintendo Switch 2, based on a brief teaser in the reveal trailer. Here are the main theories:
Open-World Mario Kart: The most popular theory suggests that Mario Kart 9 could be the first open-world entry in the series. Clues include a hub-like setting at "Mario Bros. Circuit" and the absence of item boxes in the teaser, hinting at a more exploratory game design.
Off-Roading Mario Kart: Another possibility is the introduction of significant off-road sections within tracks. The teaser shows a ramp and a lack of barriers, encouraging off-road driving. Vehicles like Rosalina's Snow Skimmer and Bowser's Kart with large tyres support this theory.
Super Mario Bros. 40th Anniversary Celebration: The game might celebrate the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., focusing on Mario and his legacy characters. The track "Mario Bros. Circuit" and references to classic Mario games support this idea.
The article explores these theories in depth, analyzing the limited footage to speculate about what new features the game might include.
Genshin Impact Developer Agrees to $20M Fine Over Loot Box Violations. - IGN
Hoyoverse, the publisher of Genshin Impact, has agreed to a settlement with the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The settlement involves paying a $20 million fine and banning the sale of loot boxes to teenagers under 16 without parental consent. The FTC accused Hoyoverse of deceiving players, including children and teens, into spending significant amounts of money on in-game prizes with low winning odds and collecting personal information from children, violating COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule). As part of the settlement, Hoyoverse must disclose loot box odds and exchange rates for virtual currency and delete personal information collected from children under 13.
Assassin's Creed Shadows Is Getting Several New Open-World Activities. - Gamespot
Assassin's Creed Shadows introduces several new open-world activities, allowing players to create art with Naoe and Yasuke characters. Each character has unique activities; Yasuke can learn special attack moves, while Naoe's meditation reveals more of her backstory. Scouts play a crucial role in exploration, helping find essential locations, raiding enemy strongholds, and cancelling alerts. Viewpoints return with enhancements, offering 360-degree observations and fast-travel points. The Pathfinder feature assists in navigation on horseback. The game's release date is March 20 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Bloodborne 2? Bloodborne remaster? Anything Bloodborne at all? Miyazaki is just too "busy" and "doesn't want anyone else to touch it" theorises PlayStation veteran. - VG247
PlayStation veteran Shuhei Yoshida shared his theory on why there has been no new Bloodborne content. He believes Hidetaka Miyazaki, the game's creator, loves Bloodborne too much to delegate its development to anyone else despite his busy schedule. Yoshida's theory aligns with Miyazaki's previous comments, where he expressed interest in a Bloodborne PC port but acknowledged that he doesn't have the final say due to the IP rights. Yoshida emphasized that this is his guess and not based on insider information. Fans are left hoping for more Bloodborne content in the future.
Path of Exile 2 patch 0.1.1 is now live with new endgame tower maps, unique changes, improvements, and more.- RPG Site
Path of Exile 2 has received its first major early access update of 2025 with patch 0.1.1. This update introduces new endgame tower maps, checkpoints for map areas, respawn attempts for the Arbiter of Ash boss fight, and numerous monster and unique changes1. Additionally, there are improvements to controller support and item filters for console players. The update aims to enhance the endgame experience and address player feedback.
A Nintendo Direct focusing on games for the original Switch is coming next month, it’s claimed. - VG Chronicles
According to insiders, Nintendo is planning a new Direct presentation focusing on the original Switch games next month. While the Switch 2 Direct is confirmed for April 2, reliable sources Nate the Hate and Pedro Henrique Lutti Lippe report that a separate Direct for Switch 1 games will be held in February. This follows the recent release of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD and precedes upcoming titles like Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Nintendo’s share price rose to a 52-week high following the Switch 2 announcement. - VG Chronicles
Following the announcement of the Switch 2, Nintendo's share price soared to a 52-week high, reaching $15.77 before settling at $15.49. Investors are pleased with the "conservative" design approach, alleviating fears of over-innovation akin to the Wii U. Dr. Serkan Toto of Kantan Games noted that the design leak reduced the announcement's impact. Key details like price and release date remain undisclosed, with more expected in an April 2 Nintendo Direct presentation.
Biggest releases this week
