Today, Microsoft announced plans to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. When the transaction closes, Microsoft will become the world’s third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony.
The planned acquisition includes iconic franchises from the Activision, Blizzard and King studios like “Warcraft,” “Diablo,” “Overwatch,” “Call of Duty” and “Candy Crush,” in addition to global eSports activities through Major League Gaming. Bobby Kotick will continue to serve as CEO of Activision Blizzard and once the deal closes, the Activision Blizzard business will report to Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming.
The acquisition also bolsters Microsoft’s Game Pass portfolio with plans to launch Activision Blizzard games into Game Pass, which has reached a new milestone of over 25 million subscribers. Upon close, Microsoft will have 30 internal game development studios.
Today, Techland released the latest Dying 2 Know More video, diving deeper into one of the core game mechanics of Dying Light 2 Stay Human — parkour. In this interview with Lead Game Designer Tymon Smektała, viewers learn more about the parkour mechanics, in-game gravity, how to make a game close to reality, and why this realism is important for the player experience.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human launches on February 4th on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch (Cloud Version).
Ubisoft has announced that The Settlers is coming to PC on March 17th, rebooting the long-running real-time strategy franchise in which players explore new lands, build cities, and train an army, all while managing a growing medieval economy that lets you watch your individual citizens at work. A closed beta is planned from January 20-24; to sign up, visit thesettlers.com.
Today’s final episode of Dying 2 Know, the behind-the-scenes web series diving deep into the world of Dying Light 2 Stay Human, was devoted to Techland’s fans, offering answers and video presentations for the long-awaited topics of 4-player co-op and cross-gen console comparisons of performance and visuals.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human launches on February 4th on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch (Cloud Version).
Today, IO Interactive shed new light on the Year 2 content for Hitman 3 that will become available starting on January 20th and throughout 2022. Originally announced last November, IOI have now revealed that the new Year 2 content will include:
Nintendo has released a new gameplay video for Pokémon Legends: Arceus ahead of the game’s launch for the Nintendo Switch on January 28th.
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences today announced the nominees for its 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. The winners will be revealed at a special 25th Anniversary edition of the D.I.C.E. Awards ceremony on February 24th from the Mandalay Bay Resort Las Vegas, as the culmination of the week-long industry gathering, the 2022 D.I.C.E. Summit.
Fifty-nine games released in 2021 received nominations. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart leads the pack with nine nominations, followed by Deathloop earning eight. Tying for six nominations each are Inscryption and It Takes Two, with Returnal earning five nods, and Kena: Bridge of Spirits and Resident Evil Village each taking four. Finalists for 2021’s top honor, Game of the Year, are: Deathloop, Inscryption, It Takes Two, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and Returnal.
Today, in a post on Twitter, GSC Game World announced their decision to postpone the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl to December 8th.
— S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) January 12, 2022
Tomorrow, Techland will present the sixth and final episode of their behind-the-scenes web series Dying 2 Know (D2K). A lot of information about Dying Light 2 Stay Human has been saved for this finale, including details on the 4-player co-op experience and a new gameplay video. To dispel any doubts and uncertainty about the state of Dying Light 2 Stay Human on previous-gen consoles, during this episode of D2K, viewers will see a comparison between those consoles and the latest generation.
Fans can watch the final episode of Dying 2 Know on Twitch tomorrow at 3pm ET / 12pm PT.
Capcom today announced Monster Hunter Rise is now available via Steam. The PC release of Monster Hunter Rise offers features including 4K resolution support, advanced graphics options, voice chat, ultra-wide monitor support, and more. Monster Hunter Rise transports players to the Kamura Village as it prepares to defend against the looming Rampage. At launch, hunters can tackle all previously released post-launch and collaboration content up to the Nintendo Switch 3.6.1 update solo, or with up to three other players in cooperative online play.
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