VERACITY IN GAMING
VERACITY IN GAMING
Ayuo Kawase
Editor in chief of AUTOMATON
How Steam’s refund policy can harm short games – we asked hit Korean indie dev Somi
We asked No Case Should Remain Unsolved dev Somi about how Steam's "less than 2 hours' playtime" refund policy is causing short games to be refunded even if their reviews are positive.
Square Enix merger: “I am Setsuna” studio Tokyo RPG Factory folded into parent company
Square Enix announces merger with Tokyo RPG Factory, the studio known for titles such as I am Setsuna and Lost Sphear. The studio will be dissolved.
Steam game in which you do Nothing releases to rave reviews
Nothing - a free-to-play Steam game in which you do nothing, has been receiving positive reviews, with users finding various unexpected benefits to it.
Exclusive: Like a Dragon rep talks about Gaiden’s sales, Infinite Wealth’s tremendous volume and whether we can expect a Game Pass release (the answer is no)
An interview with RGG Studio Director Masayoshi Yokoyama about the upcoming Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and the recently released Like a Dragon Gaiden about sales, Game Pass and more.
Marfusha: Sentinel Girls to get PC sequel in Snezhinka: Sentinel Girls 2
Snezhinka: Sentinel Girls 2 is an upcoming sequel to to the dystopian base defense shooting game Marfusha: Sentinel Girls. The sequel is set to release in 2024 on Steam.
The Exit 8: Is the anomaly-spotting horror game so tricky players are mistakenly reporting a bug?
Some The Exit 8 players have been reporting a "no anomaly" bug, but the developer has been unable to recreate it, and seasoned players suspect a particularly hard-to-spot anomaly as the real culprit.
A shocking 77% of Like a Dragon: Gaiden’s cutscene data is cabaret club scenes
Yutaka Ito of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio shared some trivia about Sega's Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. It seems the live cabaret club scenes make up 77% of the game’s total cutscene data.
Latest Steam hit horror game The Exit 8 sells over 30,000 copies within a day of release
The Exit 8, an indie horror game that traps you in an endless passageway of a Japanese subway station, has become a Steam hit, selling 30,000 copies within a day of release.
Creators of original Super Mario RPG celebrate the remake’s quality, emphasize the importance of a certain key staff member
Staff members of the original Super Mario RPG have extended words of praise for the Nintendo Switch remake, naming a certain member of the staff as a key player.
Hira Hira Hihiru launches to rave reviews – an enthralling portrayal of illness, hardship and society
ANIPLEX.EXE's fully voiced visual novel game Hira Hira Hihiru depicts a disease that makes the dead come back to life, as well as the suffering and prejudice it brings.
“Like a Dragon: Gaiden is a perfect entry point to the series” RGG Studio’s comment causes turmoil among fans
The Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s official X/Twitter account referred to Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name as the “perfect entry point” to the Like a Dragon series, and fans had a thing or two to say about the statement.
Nintendo Japan makes 18+ service for Switch Online purely for the N64 classic Goldeneye
Rerelease of N64 FPS Goldeneye on Japan's Nintendo Switch Online Service was delayed by the James Bond game's 18+ age rating, requiring Nintendo to create a new adult only service.
Dave the Diver’s nomination as “indie game” sparks debate worldwide. Even developers themselves do not call themselves indie
Dave the Diver has been nominated for the best indie game category of The Game Awards 2023, raising a lot of questions in the community worldwide. Japanese developers have also raised doubts about how appropriate the nomination is.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: Akame fans fall even harder for Uika, the actress that plays her
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name released on November 8. Amidst the various responses to the new title, the Japanese celebrity First Summer Uika has been growing in popularity from her appearance in the game, gaining a new fanbase among western fans.
Nintendo Switch hit title Suika Game plagued with bootlegs and asset theft, developer shares about their struggle
The Nintendo Switch puzzle game Suika Game has become victim of asset theft and numerous cases of bootleg apps, some of which rank very highly on the App Store and create ad-revenue.
Upcoming VA-11 Hall-A inspired title lets you become a late night ramen shop owner
Midnight Ramen, an upcoming VA-11 Hall-A inspired game, will let you become the owner of a late night ramen shop, making ramen while listening to the worries of your customers.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: new “odd job” quest system revealed, but more importantly, Aerith yeets a barrel
Square Enix revealed a video introducing a new system of side quests in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, but the video has been gaining attention for a certain amusing detail.
Why did the creators of Ender Lilies come out with a Survivors-like game? We asked the developers
Interview with Japanese publisher and developer Live Wire about their new twin-stick roguelite shooter titled 9th Sentinel Sisters. The game is currently available in early access on Steam.
Nintendo Switch exclusive Suika Game is so addictive its previous daily sales have multiplied by fifty thousand
The viral Suika Game (Watermelon Game) has experienced a boom in popularity, consecutively ranking No. 1 in the Nintendo eShop, with sales multiplying by the thousands.
Hideki Kamiya to leave PlatinumGames on October 12
Game creator Hideki Kamiya announced on September 25 that he will be resigning from PlatinumGames. The company has also issued an official statement.
Pokémon Sleep to tackle issue of Helper Pokémon always being tired and sad with upcoming updates
A "mini roadmap" for Pokémon Sleep was announced on September 15, according to which future updates of the game will bring improvements related to the Energy of Pokémon.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet get major QoL updates: mini map can be locked to north, Boxes load faster
The Ver. 2.0.1 update for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet includes the release of “The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Part 1: The Teal Mask” and other helpful fixes and adjustments.