Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Gaming News

  • OFFICIAL: ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ to Cease Support in September

    OFFICIAL: ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ to Cease Support in September

    Not too long ago, a rumor hit the internet that Marvel’s Avengers may be ending sooner than expected, there were hints that we’ll get an official statement next week. Surprisingly, the news came even faster as the official blog from Crystal Dynamics announced that the game will get one final update on March 31s. Overall support for the game will wrap on September 30th, 2023 marking its third year since release.

    The recent update of 2.7 with Winter Soldier and Cloning Labs will be the last new content update and there won’t be any more cosmetics being added to the game. 2.8 in March will mainly only act as a balance update for those still actively playing the game. They do highlight that even after September, the single- and multiplayer functionality will still be available.

    For those that still have credits invested in the game, the marketplace will no longer be available as of March with leftover credits being balanced through in-game currencies to develop your characters. They also will make all challenge cards and shipment cosmetics available for players for free. They are also set to gift all the marketplace cosmetics as a way to show their gratefulness to those that stuck around.

    The game wrapping up with its third year seems quite fitting even if it’s a shame we couldn’t at least finish the storyline that was set out with the Kree invasion hinted at ever since the events of A-Day. Captain Marvel has been hinted at as a character ever since Ms. Marvel was first released yet we’ll never know what their original plans were. She was just one of many more that were rumored to release long before the game launched. Guess we’ll never know.

    Source: Crystal Dynamics

  • RUMOR: Atlus May Reveal ‘Persona 5’ and ‘Persona 3 Remake’ This Summer

    RUMOR: Atlus May Reveal ‘Persona 5’ and ‘Persona 3 Remake’ This Summer

    The rumor mill surrounding the Persona franchise has been quite curious. The 25th anniversary fell flat for many fans due to the build-up potentially hinting at the confirmation of Persona 6 but no real news coming out of the event. Yes, we did get the remasters of Persona 3 Portable, Persona 4 Golden, and even Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, but it left many wondering what exactly the future looks like for the franchise.

    Then we got a surprise development with a new rumor hitting the web that we’re not only potentially getting a new mainline entry, but even a remake of Persona 3 in some form of development. It seems like an exciting time to be a fan of the franchise yet Atlus remains silent on any of its current projects. There have been hints that some of their initial plans for the 25th anniversary couldn’t come quite together as planned, but a new rumor is making the rounds that they’ll make up for it in 2023.

    Resetera isn’t the safest place for rumors, but the source is someone that has called the reveals from the anniversary and was the source behind the remake rumor. While no true details have been shared, they highlight that the Remake and Persona 6 are further down the production line with a potential summer reveal planned.

    They also highlight that they were originally set to be revealed at an earlier date but things shifted for one reason or another. Still, Atlus has not been shy to hint at “several” unannounced titles heading our way in 2023 which also adds at least some believability that something for the future Persona entries might be revealed sooner rather than later. There’s still hope that the green bucket in one of the anniversary images was a definite hint at the sixth entry.

    Source: Resetta

  • RUMOR: ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ May End Sooner Than Expected

    RUMOR: ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ May End Sooner Than Expected

    Marvel’s Avengers has been an interesting project to follow throughout the years. It was an ambitious game when it was first announced, as you’ll get the chance to play a never-ending game that slowly adds more and more heroes to its roster. Games-as-a-Service have always been controversial but the promise was there yet a botched release left a bitter taste in players.

    There was still some merit to what the game had to offer with some great combat and some fun story additions. Yet ever since the Black Panther-focused content patch, we’ve not seen any single-player offerings from the game since. We did finally get Cloning Labs recently, but Marvel’s Avengers certainly lost the momentum that it promised during its initial release.

    Now that Winter Soldier made his way tot he game, rumors continued to make the rounds that the game will eventually shut production in 2023 but still with one more big batch of content set to release. A new article published by Miller Ross, who made a name online for leaking various details from the game, has shared that the game may be ending sooner rather than later.

    In a new piece for eXputer, the leaker has shared details of what he’s heard that is happening behind the scenes over at Crystal Dynamics. It’s no secret that they’ve started work on their next Tomb Raider game under the new ownership and with Amazon Games set to release it. If this piece is to be believed, most of the skeleton crew that was still involved with the project will soon be fully moved to the studio’s new title.

    Brian Waggoner took over as Lead Developer some time ago, but due to controversy was no longer going to represent the studio or the project. He goes on to highlight that Waggoner has now completely departed the project and that has shifted some initial plans. It seems they wanted to keep the game running still going into the second half of the year but they are seemingly fast-tracking the game’s end.

    We still have to take it with a grain of salt, but Miller claims the game’s official cancelation would follow next week. While it didn’t live to its fullest potential, Marvel’s Avengers still managed to go for over two years after initially hitting shelves back in September 2020. The game isn’t going to shut down from one day to the next, as they may have one final release set and rework some elements allowing for those still playing the game to continue to do so.

    Marvel Games is about to enter a new era of offerings with releases such as Midnight Suns and the return of Spider-Man 2. We have a variety of new projects heading our way, such as the new Iron Man game from EA, which is supposedly not the only one as two other games are rumored. We also have a second Insomniac franchise in development based around Wolverine, but it does seem unlikely that Marvel is going to test the waters with a GaaS game anytime soon after the experience with Marvel’s Avengers; if it gets officially canceled soon or still continues moving forward.

    Source: eXputer

  • ‘Silent Hill 2 Remake’ Developers Promise a Faithful Revival But Tease One Major Overhaul

    ‘Silent Hill 2 Remake’ Developers Promise a Faithful Revival But Tease One Major Overhaul

    While there was a lot of excitement with the return of Silent Hill as a gaming franchise, there still were some reservations about some of the reveals. Most notably, Bloober Team hasn’t had the biggest track record with people that felt like most of their games oversold their promise of horror, and there were accusations of them mainly stealing most of their elements from others. So, them working on a remake of Silent Hill 2 had left many with some concerns.

    Luckily, it seems that Bloober Team wants to ensure that they are staying true to the original game; hoping to ease some concerns of modern elements taking away from the psychological horror that defined the franchise. DreadXP had the chance to sit down with Anna Jasińska who shared some insight into the upcoming adaptation.

    The idea of working on this project stalked us for many years, and in 2019, we received an invitation from Konami to participate in the Tokyo Games Show. To our delight, Konami asked us to prepare a concept for a remake of the original game’s second installment in exchange for the opportunity of bringing the concept to life.

    Anna Jasińska

    She shared that their concept “stole Konami’s heart” and led to them getting the sign off on remaking Silent Hill 2. She goes on to highlight that they are “bringing the distinct, visceral atmosphere back” and staying true to what made the original what it is today.

    We are focusing on bringing the distinct, visceral atmosphere back in the modernized SILENT HILL 2. Longtime fans shouldn’t worry about us “missing the point” while we’re livening up the title. We faithfully stick to the traditional story canon while remaking the gameplay and updating the graphics from the ground up.

    Anna Jasińska

    Jasińska does point out that they are updating one element from the original and that is its combat system. We saw glimpses of a more modernized take on a third-person horror game but no distinction on how that’ll be brought to life. Tank controls in the original added to the atmosphere and the clumsy combat was part of its charm, but certainly wouldn’t still work in a modern take.

    These are the reasons why Konami entrusted us with the remake in the first place. A big visible change is the adoption of an over-the-shoulder camera, which altered the perspective of a few iconic set pieces, but also meant an overhaul to the combat system. The latest technological achievements do wonder when it comes to making the visuals pop.

    Anna Jasińska

    Sadly, they wouldn’t go into any more details such as if they’d adapt the infamous kitchen scene, but for now, it seems like the remake is in good hands. We’re still waiting for a release date on the remake and a follow-up trailer showcasing the new combat system, but

    Source: DreadXP

  • RUMOR: ‘Persona 3’ May Receive a Modern Remake

    RUMOR: ‘Persona 3’ May Receive a Modern Remake

    2023 is looking like a crazy year for Persona fans. Just recently, Persona 5 Royal finally made its way to Nintendo Switch with remasters of Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden already in some form of development. Yet, it seems that there’s one more project that may revive a Persona classic in a big way. Following a recent tease by Atlus on more unannounced titles heading our way in 2023, we’re kicking off the year with a rumor hinting at Persona 3 getting a complete remake for modern consoles.

    Keep in mind that this remains a rumor for now, but this would make for quite an interesting development. It also comes from the same source that correctly announced the remasters and even the return of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. We all assumed that Persona 6 is just around the corner for an announcement, but it would be quite something if they re-focused their efforts on modernizing the third entry in the franchise, one that would redefine its success and how future entries would be developed.

    The possibility of a remake for 3 also opens up the possibility for plans for the fourth receiving the same treatment. Of course, we don’t know just how far they’ll go with these new adaptations and if the rumor is true. After the growing success of the fifth entry worldwide, it’s not too surprising they want to bank on its success, but it does leave us wondering just what the future might look like for the series if they remained focused on previous entries rather than pushing forward with its next official title, especially since Persona 5 released back in 2016.

    Source: GameRant

  • Ubisoft’s Creative Director Teases Massive’s Open-World Star Wars Project

    Ubisoft’s Creative Director Teases Massive’s Open-World Star Wars Project

    2023 is set to be another major year for gaming, as many iconic franchises are making a return. We’re getting remasters of previous Persona games, more rumors hinting at the return of Metal Gear Solid, and more. There’s also the release of Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, which will see the return of Cal Kestis and a new game in the Star Wars franchise. That is not all, as it seems that we might finally get an update on the open-world game set in this universe by Massive Entertainment.

    We first heard about the game’s development back in January 2021, but outside of it being open-world, we didn’t know anything else about the project. It was also the first game to not be developed by EA in any way, which would set a new direction for Lucasfilm Games. We haven’t heard anything since but a new tweet by Julian Gerighty, the Creative Director for Ubisoft, shared a new tweet hinting at the project in 2023.

    While it doesn’t mean that the game will release this year, there’s a chance we at least get an update. They may wait until the March release of Jedi Survivor, as it gives them some time to focus on advertising the project before they focus on their next game in the iconic franchise. Here’s hoping that the wait isn’t much longer until we get a closer look at what the open world game may be like. Here’s hoping we might get to play Mandalorian staking out bounties in the galaxy.

    Source: Twitter

  • Atlus Teases “Several” Unannounced Titles

    Atlus Teases “Several” Unannounced Titles

    Persona’s anniversary in 2022 hasn’t quite lived up to the hype in some aspects. While it did finally lead to the confirmation that Persona 3 Portable (oddly without a name change) and Persona 4 Golden are heading to consoles, there was no sign of the sixth entry of the franchise.

    It’s great that they aren’t rushing out the sequel but not even a sign or brief teaser to capitalize off of its anniversary seemed odd. Persona 5 was released back in 2016 and many hoped to avoid a similarly long wait that occurred between that game’s release and Persona 4 in 2008. Yet, it seems like the wait will be quite a bit longer but a new statement by Atlus may have given some hope going into 2023.

    In 2023, we will start with the remastered releases of P3P and P4G, and we are also preparing several new unannounced titles. Please look forward to it!

    Sadly, they don’t give away anything but we can at least expect some new games from Atlus to get announced eventually. They may be holding back on some releases due to the production timeline needing more time and if Persona 6 is on the menu, they’d likely want to make sure they won’t keep postponing it like they did last time around.

    Sadly, we’ll just have to wait and see what is heading our way for now. There are also quite a few other franchises under the Atlus umbrella that might get their time to shine. Soul Hacker just got a new entry last year and who knows if another Shin Megami Tensei title is already further along in production. Perhaps last year was just the prelude to many more titles heading our way.

    Source: Famitsu via Persona Central

  • ‘Midnight Suns’ Scratches an Itch ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Never Did

    ‘Midnight Suns’ Scratches an Itch ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Never Did

    I’ve long been someone that’s defended Marvel’s Avengers early on in its runtime. While it’s been a rough run for the game, the gameplay offered something special by truly allowing most of the Avengers to feel unique from each other. DLC characters have become more carbon copies as the game dialed back its ambitious plans to months of silence, it’s still a fun game to jump back in now and then. The only thing truly lacking was a gameplay loop in its endgame that would inspire replayability beyond its looting system; a usual crutch for most Games-as-a-Service.

    Now, a new Marvel game has come around to offer something unique in the form of Midnight Suns. The game has its own charm in using a strategy-based card system to utilize different members from across Marvel’s supernatural and heroic pantheon of heroes. Yet, the more I played it, the more I realized it did something that was part of my initial hopes for Marvel’s Avengers when it was announced early on. There’s more to do besides the core missions.

    I don’t play GaaS games a lot. Even after trying out Destiny 2 or The Division, there’s just nothing really holding me from playing the game outside of some interesting story beats. It’s what initially kept me playing Marvel’s Avengers, as it had a delightful campaign and the promise of even more story missions in the game’s future. Now that the game has all but left that part behind, there’s a certain lack of wanting to return to that world even with Winter Soldier’s recent addition. The same missions with different characters simply aren’t enticing outside of getting to play as a new Avenger.

    Midnight Suns, however, manages to scratch an itch that keeps its world and a potential return compelling. The hub world known as The Abbey offers quite a bit of a way to interact with characters or take challenges. Characters actually ask you for advice and the relationship system inspires you to spend time outside of the main missions. Your actions even lead to your main hub evolving, such as adding new functions to your site to ensure you can develop new tools to aid in battle.

    There’s a purpose to your central hub beyond just selecting missions; a far cry from how Marvel’s Avengers approached it. By the time Black Panther’s DLC rolled out, you had four hub areas to choose from and there didn’t seem to be any true purpose besides selecting specific missions or using their shops. Eye candy can only get you so far and there never was a real reason to leave the Helicarrier once updates made it easier to just grab all the necessary missions in one location.

    Early on when the final trailer dropped, there was a hint of you being able to restore the Helicarrier to its glory through your actions in the story. Technically, it is true but that only applies to the main campaign as it is visually repaired and once again functional. Outside of that, there’s no real purpose to the Helicarrier, which is quite a shame given how even Marvel-themed browser games used it as a central hub to develop research, send SHIELD soldiers out to missions, and more.

    Midnight Suns doesn’t fully bring that concept to life, but its main hub feels purposeful and there’s something that just brings you into the game besides the gameplay missions of taking on HYDRA (or AIM if you’re playing Marvel’s Avengers). It adds a sense of progression to the endgame content and would give players a reason to return. Trying to get gear for a new mission that drops once a year isn’t going to really inspire long-time players to stick around.

    There’s no clear hint if we can expect Midnight Suns to potentially end up evolving as a GaaS-type experience, but with four new characters confirmed in its future, there’s a chance they could keep it running for a long time by adding new missions, characters to connect with and more. If they also provide new ways to evolve existing characters through new training regimes, expanding new locations or functionalities to the Abbey, the game might end up doing what Marvel’s Avengers never could.

  • Konami’s ‘Metal Gear Solid’ Producer Teases “Many Announcements” in 2023

    Konami’s ‘Metal Gear Solid’ Producer Teases “Many Announcements” in 2023

    We’ve seen quite a few rumors about Metal Gear Solid getting remakes in some form or another. We’ve heard stories that the first entry on Moses Island was going to get adapted with others hinting at the story of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater potentially getting the remake treatment. While we still have no official confirmation, long-time Konami and Metal Gear Solid producer Noriaki Okamura hinted that 2023 might be a bit year.

    The producer has hinted that “2023 will be a year of many announcements” for the franchise and even used the wording “long-awaited.” Of course, this kind of statement potentially hints that multiple rumors could end up being true but with no exact window, we’ll have to see when these announcements come together. Perhaps they’ll pull something similar as they did with Silent Hill, just dropping multiple game announcements in a special coverage.

    It should be noted that Metal Gear Solid is very likely going to be developed by an external studio since Konami moved away from the gaming industry’s usual standards. There’s also the fact that the mastermind behind the franchise is no longer involved with Konami and left in bad blood. It seems unlikely to think that Hideo Kojima and his self-owned production company would adapt a new entry with how their relationship ended all that time ago.

    There’s also a movie in development with Oscar Isaac attached as Solid Snake. Production has been moving forward slowly with the film adaptation, and it’s unclear if it is still in some form of active development. Sadly, many projects eventually land in development hell if there’s not enough push behind them. Still, here’s hoping it comes together and perhaps we finally get some update as part of this new tease for 2023.

    Source: Famitsu via Insider Gaming

  • Marineford and Dressrosa Confirmed for ‘One Piece Odyssey’

    Marineford and Dressrosa Confirmed for ‘One Piece Odyssey’

    January will finally see the release of One Piece‘s most ambitious project yet, One Piece Odyssey. The game will explore our favorite Straw Hat pirates revisiting their own history through memories with slight changes adding never before seen challenges. While we still don’t have all the details on the game, Jump has been busy promoting the various storylines that’ll be featured and it seems Jump Festa was used to confirm two more new additions.

    It’s unclear if this includes all storylines, but it looks like One Piece Odyssey will include two new additions to its stories, Marineford and Alabasta. Most of the showcases seem to closely follow the stories we know with some rather curious additions such as Sabo joining the confrontation against Donquixote Doflamingo, or Corazon taking Luffy’s place in stopping him from stomping on Trafalgar D. Law.

    They shied away from teasing any new events during Marineford, but it’ll be interesting to see how closely they stick to the original tales or how they try to twist them in new and interesting ways. Marineford saw Monkey D. Luffy face the marines on his own with some unlikely help form his time in Impel Down.

    Now, he has his crew with him that could make all the difference even if they are powered down due to JRPG logic. One Piece Odyssey is shaping up to be quite an interesting entry in the franchise and might offer something unique even to long-time fans of the franchise. Here’s just hoping they haven’t revealed everything and we also have some East Blue stories in there as well.

    Source: Twitter