Episode 588: Microsoft Buys ZeniMax

So, a day before the Xbox Series X preorder launch (which after the podcast was a complete shitshow), Microsoft drops the mic by announcing they just essentially purchased The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Prey, DOOM, and other major properties. Not much else to talk about, really.

The game news includes:

  • Microsoft purchases ZeniMax for $7.5B
  • Bethesda’s overhauling its engine for Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6
  • Former Skullgirls developers have launched a new studio called Future Club
  • Hades has sold 1m copies
  • Blizzard confirms BlizzCon 2021 dates

Let us know what you think.

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SimAnimals, The Next Gen Black & WhiteSimAnimals, The Next Gen Black & White

Electronic Arts has announced SimAnimals, a game where you play the godlike hand and control the lifestyle of over 60 animals. In the game you’ll play the role of a disembodied hand which moves around and life animals, pick flowers and interact with the environment much like a past Lionhead Studios game: Black and White.

EA’s not exactly being the most creative with this Wii and DS game based on the sounds of it so far, as it clones a lot of the features in Black and White, including how “animals react” when you treat them a specific way. However, we’ve not had this style of game on the Wii or DS, both very “touchy” in methodology.

Black and White had the touch sensitive control scheme using tactile feedback with the mouse implemented with Immersion technology. This brings the style of gameplay to a new level, but nothing we’ve heard thus far makes us think originality. Cute and cool, perhaps but it’s nothing new. Of course, who said it had to be new?

We know old gaming concepts sell well at this point!

Episode 643: Bits and PiecesEpisode 643: Bits and Pieces

The previous two podcasts got corrupted on upload, and now I have to reedit them completely. Be patient.

This week’s there’s a bunch of minor news items, covering things like Sony’s lawsuit, S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 and the Ukraine invasion, Minecraft frogs, various remasters, and the gang talk briefly about the newly released Tunic.

The main news items include:

Let us know what you think.

Microsoft Holds Back Bungie AnnouncementMicrosoft Holds Back Bungie Announcement

E3 was supposed to be the staging point for the next Bungie bombshell but Microsoft was said to cut it to save time. Bungie had big plans to reveal some stuff they were working on and really take best in show for E3. Was it really cut because of time?

This sounds fabricated, cutting a huge announcement because of time constraints makes absolutely no sense. Imagine a firework show where you cut the grand finale because it would push the show over by a few minutes. Just dropping a title name or a 30 second teaser video would have taken a minute at most, we’re not looking for long winded explanations, just the facts.

Perhaps the real reason was Microsoft had it in their back pocket if people found the Netflix and Final Fantasy XIII news hum drum compared to anything Sony or Nintendo were to show off. Reacting dynamically to the news, perhaps they realized Sony didn’t have any epic announcements and Nintendo just showed up to hint at their future accessories. Microsoft’s haymaker of an announcement wasn’t needed to win the show this year.

Or, maybe the low turn out to the event just wouldn’t build enough hype for Microsoft’s big announcement. They could find a better outlet to turn on the hype and get people jazzed for the next Bungie product. Three years ago there is no doubt Microsoft would have come out fighting with all their weapons; this year Final Fantasy XIII was enough to show consumers that Sony’s lost their exclusives.

After the noise of E3 fades we’re sure to hear more from Bungie. We feel bad for the employees of Bungie who were ready to make the announcements on their work in progress. Sometimes, saving it for later is the best thing you can do; think of the anticipation that will build!

(Thanks, 1up)