In The News
Happy Xbox One X launch day!
Stay tuned for TheDW’s unveiling of the Scorpio Edition Xbox One X.
Analyst forecasts were upgraded based on pre-order feedback, with Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter telling GamesIndustry.biz’s James Brightman that “he’s upping his Xbox One X sales forecast from 1 million to 1.5 million for 2017, and now IHSMarkit has raised its numbers as well.”
Xbox’s Phil Spencer said in a newly-published interview with Bloomberg’s Dina Bass that “‘Our ability to go create content has to be one of our strengths. We haven’t always invested at the same level. We’ve gone through ups and downs in the investment’ … The company plans to increase investment in developing in-house video games, including starting or acquiring studios to do so.”
Ronda Rousey made her way into an Xbox One X ad with Conan O’Brien. “On the less serious side of the Microsoft marketing machine is a new Conan O’Brien video in which UFC star Ronda Rousey demonstrates ‘the true power’ of the console,” GameSpot’s Eddie Makuch explains.
Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, now owns compLexity Gaming. “Owned and operated by industry veterans Jason Lake and Jason Bass, this brand has been a mainstay of the esports space since its formation having won over 130 championships in 26 different competitive titles,” the press release reads. “Complexity will be centralized at The Star, home of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters in Frisco, Texas.”
2017’s end could see “The combined PC online and mobile games revenue in [Southeast Asia] … reach $2.2 billion,” TechNode’s Emma Lee reports. “The number of PC online and mobile gamers in SEA is projected to reach 300 million by the end of 2017, rising to more than 400 million by 2021.”
Jason “videogamedunkey” Gastrow has a bone to pick with Nintendo. The YouTuber tweeted “fuckin dumbass nintendo” with a screenshot of a video that was taken down because it “includes copyrighted content.”
Polygon’s Julia Alexander writes that “Dunkey’s tweet was met with similar airing of grievances from other YouTubers in the gaming community, including Boogie2988, who have called out Nintendo in the past.”
Fortnite hit 20 million players with help from its Battle Royale mode. “Fortnite is available on PC as well as Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and that 20 million player counts everyone across those platforms who has ever downloaded and booted it up,” Venture Beat’s Jeff Grubb reports.
Hearthstone might come to the Nintendo Switch, Trusted Reviews’ Jordan King reports. “Speaking at BlizzCon 2017, Hearthstone senior game designer Peter Whalen said ‘I dunno, I don’t think anyone is working on it, but I wouldn’t rule it out either.’”
KSV eSports signed a PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds team that includes Kim “EscA” In-jae and Lee “Leetaejun” Tae Jun.
PlayStation VR is “‘just at the beginning,’” according to marketing VP Mary Yee. “‘We’re continuing to get excitement and support from gamers about the products and I think the future looks bright. It is something that we are very invested in for PlayStation,’” she told AListDaily’s H.B. Duran. “According to Yee, PSVR currently has over 100 games. Between now and 2018, the company plans to release more than 60.”
Grezzo is looking for Unreal Engine 4 programmers, Game Informer’s Imran Khan writes. Grezzo’s “best known in recent years for 3DS remakes of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask … The website, when translated to English, describes hiring developers for a new project by asking ‘Would you like to make a legend together 2?’”
Bon Games, a developer based in Finland, has raised “$1.4 million in seed funding to help bring its first game to market,” GamesIndustry.biz’s Haydn Taylor reports. “Slated for a full release on November 16, Transit King enjoyed a soft-launch in July.”
Confirmed! Assassin’s Creed Origins and Watch Dogs take place in the same universe, Ubisoft confirmed.