VERACITY IN GAMING
VERACITY IN GAMING
Ayuo Kawase
Editor in chief of AUTOMATON
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet trailer predicted because Masuda got a haircut
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet trailer was predicted because series director & producer Junichi Masuda got a haircut. “To know Masuda is to know Pokémon,” says Pulnaref, a fan who studies the words and actions of Masuda.
Game developers wonder if it’s time to move away from the term “Easy Mode”
Game developer Taro Masuda recently took to Twitter to ask gamers how they felt about the term “Easy Mode” on difficulty selection screens and if it gives them an unpleasant feeling.
New RPG Code Name: Wandering Sword looks strikingly similar to Octopath Traveler
Chinese developer Xiameng Studio has announced the open world RPG Code Name: Wandering Sword for Steam. The visuals of the game may give many gamers a sense of déjà vu because they look just like the graphics in Octopath Traveler.
A sequel to Madorica Real Estate, an escape game that uses a pen and paper, is in development
Gift Ten Industry has announced that a sequel to Madorica Real Estate is in development for PC (Steam) and the Nintendo Switch. Madorica Real Estate is a puzzle solving escape game where players make use of a pen and paper.
Fake The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild cartridge spotted in second-hand store
The Japanese second-hand store chain Hard-Off has found a fake The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild cartridge at one of their stores. If the numbers on the front and back of the cartridge don’t match, players should be concerned that it’s a fake.
Final Sword, the game which made news for stealing Zelda music, is coming to PS5 [Update]
It looks like Final Sword will be coming to PlayStation platforms. According to the game’s page on the Japanese PlayStation Store, the game will be released on May 19.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild player dives underwater using a glitch called SubmaLink
An underwater glitch called SubmaLink has been discovered in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild by ZeldaNeko, a Japanese player who studies various techniques and glitches found in the game.
One Japanese developer’s hamster games have sold so well they established a hamster department
Japanese game company Success has established an internal “Hamster Department” focused on developing hamster-themed games and content. The company says this is due to the favorable sales reception their hamster games have received.
Elden Ring shipped far more than Bandai Namco expected
Elden Ring shipped far more units than Bandai Namco Holdings expected. Their initial projection was 4 million units but ended up shipping 13.4 million in about a month (February 25 – March 31).
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s technique called the Slingshot has players excited
Word of the “Slingshot” technique has been spreading around the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate community. The Slingshot started spreading around the community because of a video by GimR, a professional Super Smash Bros. player.
qureate showcases The Future You’ve Been Dreaming Of’s mildly risqué features
The Future You’ve Been Dreaming Of is a 3D bishoujo stealth adventure game where you play as an invisible spirit-like being called Zashiki-Warashi, who lives inside the house of a young college student named Sachi.
Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak’s file size is larger than the base game
Capcom has announced that there will be a title update for Monster Hunter Rise on June 30, coinciding with the launch of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak expansion. It’ll be around 13GB in size, which is larger than the base game on the Nintendo Switch.
Square Enix to sell Crystal Dynamics & Eidos in a $300 million deal with Embracer
Square Enix to sell Crystal Dynamics & Eidos, along with Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Thief, and Legacy of Kain IPs in a $300 million deal with Embracer Group.
Yuji Naka sued Square Enix for removing him from Balan Wonderworld’s directorial role
Yuji Naka of Sonic the Hedgehog fame has stated on Twitter that he prosecuted Square Enix for discharging him from Balan Wonderworld’s directorial role just six months before launch. Naka went on to say that the trial is now finished and explained why he thinks Square Enix doesn’t care about their fans.
Elden Ring Ver.1.04.1 fixes Malenia’s broken healing ability & Cerulean Hidden Tear’s duration
Elden Ring Ver.1.04.1 fixes Malenia’s broken healing ability, Cerulean Hidden Tear’s duration, and an issue with some bosses dying instantly when a certain condition is met.
Pokémon developer Game Freak adopts an optional 4-day workweek program with 20% salary reduction
Game Freak has implemented an optional 4-day workweek system for its full-time employees. Those with a child (Elementary School age or less) or in need of providing nursing care to a family member are eligible, but their salaries will be slightly reduced while using the program.
Samurai Bringer is off to a good start, even selling well outside of Japan
Samurai Bringer is showing strong sales out of the gate. While PLAYISM didn’t provide us with numbers, they did say that the game is selling at a higher pace than they anticipated.
Splatoon 3 release date announced (Sep. 9) & new gameplay footage showcased
Nintendo has announced the release date for Splatoon 3. It’s coming out for the Nintendo Switch on September 9 for $59.99. Nintendo also announced that Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers can download the Splatoon 2 Octo Expansion DLC at no additional cost.
qureate to launch the bishoujo stealth game Nozokimi on Switch May 19 [Update]
qureate to launch the bishoujo stealth game The Future You've Been Dreaming Of (Nozomu Kimino Mirai) on Nintendo Switch May 19. You'll play as a spirit-like being who lives inside a young girl's house.
Former Star Fox developer asks for Star Fox Zero to get a Switch port
Former Star Fox developer Takaya Imamura asks for Star Fox Zero to get a Switch port. Imamura also added that if a sequel to the animation is made, he would like to be in charge of the scenario and storyboard.
Elden Ring’s latest update made Malenia even stronger
Elden Ring’s latest update (Ver.1.04) made Malenia even stronger, although it's likely a bug rather than an intentional buff to the character.
Shin Megami Tensei V shipments & digital sales surpass 1 million units
Atlus has announced that the shipments and digital sales for Shin Megami Tensei V have surpassed 1 million units worldwide.