Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Gaming

  • Eli Roth’s ‘Borderlands’ Adds Janina Gavankar as Commander Knoxx

    Eli Roth’s ‘Borderlands’ Adds Janina Gavankar as Commander Knoxx

    It looks like the cast of the upcoming Borderlands adaptation continues to grow. Deadline has just learned that Janina Gavankar has joined Eli Roth‘s attempt at bringing the gaming franchise to life on the silver screen. The Indian actress will play the character of Commander Knoxx, who is a new key character being introduced to the franchise. It is interesting they are calling this character new, as there exists a Knoxx in the games.

    General Knoxx was introduced in the third DLC for the first Borderlands game. Now, the interesting thing is that she could be playing his daughter and they are setting up the character for a future appearance. Borderlands has franchising potential. So, it wouldn’t be too surprising if they are leaving some hints at other game characters for later down the line. Now, they could also be adapting the character to fit the story. It is just odd that they describe her as playing a character who is being introduced to the franchise.

    The actress has recently finished production on Invasion, where she starred opposite Riz Ahmed and Octavia Spencer. She is joining a stacked cast list that includes Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu, Edgar Ramirez, Haley Bennett, Olivier Richters, and Jack Black. We’ll see a plethora of familiar characters from the gaming franchise who might get a unique spin. It’ll focus on Blanchett‘s Lilith as she returns to her home planet Pandora and joins a ragtag team of unlikely heroes to face a planet overtaken by aliens.

    Source: Deadline

  • Sony PlayStation’s Future at a Crossroads as Japan and the West Struggle for Control

    Sony PlayStation’s Future at a Crossroads as Japan and the West Struggle for Control

    Just recently, we covered a story regarding internal strife over at Sony PlayStation. Bloomberg had revealed how the focus on blockbuster games created a problematic environment within the company. It looks like it has also been splashing over on their relationship with the Eastern market, as a Reddit-verified AMA has led to some rather curious internal developments. The anonymous employee revealed that the relocation of their headquarter was just the beginning of a power struggle from the West that has become rather one-sided at this point. He states the following:

    PlayStation is a historically Japanese brand. In the time since PlayStation debuted, America has grown to be the largest video game market. There’s been a lot of internal competition for the ‘control’ of the PlayStation brand and over the past several years you can clearly see where America has been winning. Relocation of HQ, shutdown of most of Japan Studios, and the DualSense’s X default confirm (as a final ‘f*** you’) are some of the notable examples off the top of my head.

    We’ve seen the first development when they shut down the Japanese developers, who worked on smaller titles like Gravity Rush. Japan Studio has a long history with Sony, and most of its development staff were let go. Asobi Team did become a new home for some developers but is claimed to be a move due to the production studios’ lack of profitability. However, the 1993-founded studio has quite an extensive history with the brand and represented their Eastern market. They even assisted the development of Days Gone and the PlayStation 5 launch title, Demon’s Souls. It might be something to keep a close eye on as the company continues to face PlayStation 5 delivery issues and Xbox’s growing competition through their Gamepass options.

    Source: Reddit via PlayStation Lifestyle, Game Industry

  • Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Tease Tachyon Anomaly and Mega Hive Reworks

    Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Tease Tachyon Anomaly and Mega Hive Reworks

    We got another minor developer stream with Crystal Dynamics. They’ve returned to the classic format by playing with the community and answering some questions from the chat. There was a brief mention of the issues that popped up with the recent 1.5.1a patch. They did drop some updates sprinkled throughout, such as confirming a release date for the Tachyon Anomaly arriving by next week. We might even get a blog post with some insights on how it will work. We won’t need a high-level character to play it, and it will include a first update for the in-game cosmetic vendors. We even got a tease in the form of a picture featuring four Kamala Khans.

     

     

    They couldn’t offer n update on the Omega-Level Threats this week, but CD has teased that we will get something next week. We will receive two OLTs when the core testing gets finished. They also revealed that a third is already in development. Their content team is also working on some interesting new levels that will offer larger set pieces. The devs also hinted that the upcoming Patrol Mode might include some great rewards, such as gainable credits and Exotic gear.

    Now, there was a curious reveal that they are reworking the Mega Hive. CD wants to make it less of a chore but just as rewarding. In general, I hope that the Mega Hives get included with brand new elements periodically to keep them fresh after various updates. CD also teased that challenge cards might get expanded and the potential of Daily Access rewards getting included in the future.

    Source: Twitch

  • New ‘Uncharted’ Game and ‘The Last Of Us’ Remake In Development as Sony Faces Internal Strife

    New ‘Uncharted’ Game and ‘The Last Of Us’ Remake In Development as Sony Faces Internal Strife

    Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier took a closer look at Sony’s recent issues adapting to the market and their strong focus on Blockbuster-level games. It looks like an internal shift at the company led to the company’s Sony’s Visual Arts Service Group to take a more active hand in game development. It ended up leading to some unrest with the various departments of the massive cooperation.

    There are also some game-related reveals in this report. It seems Sony is working on a PlayStation 5 remake of 2013’s The Last of Us for their next-gen console. It looks like a secretive team was working on it before it got passed back to the franchise creator, Naughty Dog. The problem was that this team was never fully supported and led Michael Mumbauer, the founder of Visual Arts Service Group, to leave the company after founding this small team. This revelation also confirms that Sony’s conservative approach to its game development may hurt them in the long term. It seems at one point they wanted to remake the first Uncharted but realized that the modern game would’ve been easier to produce, but if their work would’ve been successful, they would return to their initial pitch.

     

    Bericht: Naughty Dog arbeitet an Remake von The Last of Us - und ein Days Gone 2 wird nicht kommen • Eurogamer.de

     

    Their strong focus on only allowing successful or proven studios to take the reigns on massive projects has led to some internal strife. Santa Monica, Naughty Dog, and Guerrilla Games have become their go-to choices. Their niche teams and studios have seen a high turnover, such as the Japanese office seeing massive departures. The teams behind Gravity Rush and Everybody’s Golf are no more, as the studio moves away from niche projects that aren’t 100% proven profitability worldwide. This development proves a point made by Iron Galaxy Studios founder Dave Lang.

    The people funding the work are often risk-averse, and if they have to pick between a team that’s done it before, and someone trying to do it on their own for the first time, I can see why some people pick the prior developer over the latter.

    The Sony Bend division has also seen the results of this new direction. Their pitch for a Days Gone sequel was canceled due to the initial game’s decent sales and mixed reviews. Now the studio is split to help Naughty Dog with a multiplayer game, which many still believe to be part of the initial The Last of Us 2 release. The other half of their team is working on a new Uncharted game. Naughty Dog will supervise the project. Yet, it is uncertain at what stage this project is at the moment. Sadly, the small team led by Mumbauer has pretty much disbanded, and these decisions are opening up a lot of questions about Sony’s future approach in the gaming market.

    Source: Bloomberg

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Updates Roadmap; Confirms ‘Black Widow’ Tie-In For May

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Updates Roadmap; Confirms ‘Black Widow’ Tie-In For May

    It’s already been a few weeks since Clint Barton got released as Marvel’s Avengers’ second DLC character. At the time, we got our first look at the game’s roadmap, and we’ve been anxiously waiting for an update on when we can expect the various events to release. The first to arrive is the Tachyon Anomaly, which most of us guessed as an April release. They even have a tie-in event to the upcoming Black Widow film titled Red Room Takeover, which seemed like the perfect release for May. The recent delay of the upcoming Marvel Studios film could’ve been a sign that the tie-in missions may have gotten delayed. Well, the latest War Table blog revealed that it is sticking to its May release date. It even confirms our theory regarding the Tachyon Anomaly.

     

     

    Now, we still don’t have an exact release date for the Tachyon Anomaly. Yet, its placement might point to it potentially getting revealed by next week. Its structure would also point to each one of these events or releases taking place within a month. So, Black Panther may release in August going by this structure. We know that the Omega-Level Threat Missions will also drop once they are ready. This roadmap is just an indicator for the next few months, and they might continue to update it as time goes by. It is great to know that we’ll get our first event this month as the game starts to expand beyond its current structure.

    Source: Play Avengers

  • Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Reveals a Brand New Superior Iron Man Skin

    Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Reveals a Brand New Superior Iron Man Skin

    We got another developer stream with Crystal Dynamics discussing some developments for Marvel’s Avengers. It was a shorter one again, but we still got some minor updates and one reveal. They revealed that a smaller update (1.4.1a) will be released probably next week. It will aim to fix various minor bugs. They also fixed the PS Plus Hawkeye issue for those that haven’t downloaded it yet. CD is actively looking at a way to correct it for those that got the wrong skin.

    Now, let’s get to the big guns. They revealed that we will get a roadmap update next week with potentially exact release dates for Tachyon Anomaly and the Black Widow-inspired Red Room Takeover. We also got a minor update for Omega-Level Threats, and it seems they were able to allocate some resources to fix the issues. They confirmed that one of the issues they faced was that also due to a part of their team being busy with other content. So, once the last bugs get squashed, they’ll test it one last time before rolling it out. CD also revealed a comic-accurate costume for next week’s marketplace inspired by 2014’s Superior Iron Man run. They didn’t only tease it but even “leaked” our first look at the design:

     

     

    We even got a short showcase video of the new skin in action. We have to keep in mind that it was shown on an older model of the game. So, it will change a bit once it officially releases:

    https://twitter.com/PlayAvenger/status/1378099040731213826?s=20

     

    It was a great stream, as they openly discussed patch fixes as they promised last week. The skin showcase was a great touch, which I hope we’ll see more of in the future. CD also hinted that they are still actively looking into their Reddit thread for the upcoming Wasteland Patrol Zone. If you are interested in getting your ideas to the developers, you can check out the Reddit thread by clicking here. Here’s hoping we get more details next week to prepare for the first Marvel’s Avengers event.

    Source: Twitch, Twitter

  • Tom Holland’s ‘UNCHARTED’ Film Delayed Slightly

    Tom Holland’s ‘UNCHARTED’ Film Delayed Slightly

    According to a trade report, the upcoming Uncharted movie adaptation, starring Tom Holland, has seen its premiere date delayed by a week. The film is eyeing a February 18, 2022 release. After going through 2020, when every other week there was news of studios postponing their most relevant IPs for several months, this feels somewhat like a best-case scenario.

    The project, which is adapting one of the highest-regarded videogame franchises of the XXI century to the big screen, has had its fair share of delays, going back to its original release date of June 10, 2016. Since then, several directors have attempted to adapt the iconic gaming franchise. They also went through several actors for the Nathan Drake role. It was not until May 2017 that Holland officially signed on director Ruben Fleischer (Venom), who only got confirmed in late 2020. Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Banderas, and Sophia Taylor Ali joined the project at different stages, with Wahlberg playing Victor Sullivan, Nathan Drake’s friend, and mentor.

     

     

    Considering Holland and Wahlberg’s age, the movie will present us with a younger Nathan Drake than the one we found in the games, probably taking a few hints from the flashback sequences in both Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. We will witness the beginnings of their friendship. It could even end up being their first shared adventure. In the games, their relationship was already well established from the start, and after their first meeting in a flashback sequence in Uncharted 3, there is quite a gap in their story just waiting to get filled.

    Source: Variety

  • Latest ‘Spider-Man: Miles Morales’ Update Includes a New Free Suit

    Latest ‘Spider-Man: Miles Morales’ Update Includes a New Free Suit

    Here’s an interesting little update. We’ve been talking a lot about Marvel’s Avengers game until now, but it looks like the other 2020 Marvel game, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, is getting some more love. Insomniac and Marvel Games took to Twitter to announce that the upcoming patch will include a nice little bonus suit. As shown in the tweet below, we will get the Advanced Tech Suit, which combines Miles’ iconic color scheme with a more technologically advanced version. It seems inspired by Peter Parker’s Anti-Ock Suit from the first Insomniac Spider-Man game.

    The Spider-Man games have been incredible at adapting iconic costumes. The latest remaster of the first game even added some new skins. Of course, Peter Parker has a long history in the comics and live-action. So, they were able to include a long list of costumes that we’ve seen throughout our childhood. Miles Morales may be a recent addition, but he also includes some incredible costumes. Insomniac has also included some great-looking original costumes, which they continue with the latest free inclusion. I always like how the designers play around with the iconic Spider symbol by making them feel more distinct with each suit. It’ll be interesting to see what the next Spider-Man game might surprise us with.

    Source: Twitter

  • Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Offered Update on ‘Black Widow’-Tie In Event

    Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Offered Update on ‘Black Widow’-Tie In Event

    It’s the first week since Marvel’s Avengers Clint Barton DLC was released, and we finally got another developer stream. This time around, it was a shorter stream with a stronger focus on tackling the bugs that plagued the game since the latest patch. So, they wanted to address them head-on in their initiative to be more transparent. It was also uncertain if the Black Widow-themed event would keep its Spring release due to the film’s release delay. Luckily, they approached it directly in the stream.

    • Black Widow’s Red Room Takeover will not get postponed. They teased some great rewards for the event, which included animated nameplates.
    • Crystal Dynamics hinted at a team-look for the Avengers in the next marketplace update. It will fix a loot issue, the PS5 trophy transfer glitch, and a progressing issue in the Reassemble campaign (Golden Acres).
    • Hawkeye’s recovery arrow glitch is still getting looked at, but they are making good progress on it.
    • We will likely see a new patch (1.5.1) next week that addresses various bugs.
    • They clarified that sometimes fixes are finished, but can only get released with specific updates, such as King Hulk’s hair.
    • Originally, the loot from Elite Villain Sectors was going to be made available in other modes. The latest fix accidentally went live before they could adjust it. Cargo robots and the Flashback missions

     

    How To Save Marvel's Avengers, A Game That Deserves A Second Chance

     

    • CD wants to hear from the community what they hope to see from the Patrol Mode. They uploaded a Reddit thread where players can drop their wishes for the new mission type, which you can check out by clicking here.
    • They teased that multiple Omega-Level Threats will get dropped once the issue has been fixed. So, we expect to see their evolution once they are made available.
    • Crossplay is getting looked at, but it isn’t an easy thing to develop. They will offer insight once they figure out a way to approach it.
    • OLT villains can potentially get a Villain Sector. So, there is no rule set here by the developers.
    • Cargo Bots will not drop exotic gear but unique gear sets.
    • They teased some modifications and updates for the War Table.

    The half-hour stream still had plenty of info. We got a brief tease for the upcoming event, but nothing juicy to discuss now. It still seems very plausible that the Tachyon Anomaly will get released in April. So, hopefully, we get some more details on that in the next week or so. It is fantastic that the Red Room Takeover is not getting delayed even if Black Widow won’t release until July. We’ve seen inspired outfits release last year, so it’s not too surprising they aren’t affected by it. Here’s looking forward to what the next developer stream might have in store for us.

    Source: Twitch

  • ‘Mortal Kombat’: First Look at Nitara Revealed

    ‘Mortal Kombat’: First Look at Nitara Revealed

    We’ve been anxiously awaiting the next attempt at a live-action adaptation of Mortal Kombat. The franchise found its footing on the silver screen in 1995. As technology wasn’t as advanced at the time, they focused on specific characters that wouldn’t be easy to adapt. Plus, the roster has only grown since then, as the game franchise is already on its eleventh incarnation. When they started advertising the film, we got a slew of character posters that revealed the massive roster. Yet, eagle-eyed viewers noticed that the trailers were hiding some secrets. It wasn’t until later that we got our first look at Cabal. Well, it seems one more classic fighter is joining the upcoming film, as Greg Russo has revealed our first look at Nitara:

    The character made her debut in 2002’s Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. She is a vampire that preys on the life of others, similar to Shang Tsung. Unlike him, she requires blood rather than soul energy. It looks like her live-action design will keep the iconic wings, but her body seems covered in something. There is a chance that she might be able to transform. So, we’ve only gotten a glimpse at her true form. Hopefully, she’ll still stick to her gothic design from the games, or at least they pay tribute to it. The character is neutral and doesn’t serve anyone. It’ll be interesting to see how large a role she might have, but if they didn’t even give her an official announcement, she might be one of the many Fatality victims throughout the film.

    Source: Twitter