Scope out a few of the news stories from the game industry this week, hand-picked from across the world of games.
GDC Summer to Go Online-Only
Source: Gamasutra
After first being postponed indefinitely, while an online-only program was offered, GDC was moved to later in the year as “GDC Summer.” As it seems the state of California won’t be opening for that sort of business any time soon, it appeared inevitable that a change of plans for GDC Summer would be needed as well. Today, the adjustment was announced, with the originally scheduled August 4-6 event going digital
Fortnite World Cup Goes Digital Due to COVID-19
Source: PC Gamer
“It’s official. There will be no Fortnite World Cup competition in 2020, with Epic Games citing the usual list of COVID-19 health concerns and difficulties in organizing and running such an event while employees work from home.
Epic announced the decision mid-Thursday from their official Fortnite Competitive Twitter account.
“For the rest of 2020, all Fortnite competitions will be held online,” Epic wrote. “Due to the limitations of cross region online competition, there will not be a Fortnite World Cup in 2020.”
The Last of Us Part 2 Spoilers Leaked Online
Source: Gamesindustry.biz
“A major leak has spread spoilers for The Last of Us Part 2 far and wide across the internet.
Videos of leaked gameplay, cutscenes, and developer menus are now being discussed and dissected by gaming communities; a detailed thread collating the leaks can be found on Resetera. …
Neither publisher Sony or developer Naughty Dog have commented on the leaks so far, but it is rumoured to be the result of a disgruntled Naughty Dog employee.”
Sony has posted an update on The Last of Us Part 2’s confirmed release date (June 19) on their official PlayStation blog on April 27, perhaps in part as a reaction to the leak
Jagex, Developer of RuneScape, Acquired for Over $500 Million
Source: TheWrap
“United Kingdom-based Jagex, the developers behind 2001 massively multiplayer online game RuneScape, was acquired Monday for $530 million by asset management company Macarthur Fortune Holding. Macarthur bought Jagex through one of its funds, Platinum Fortune LP, the company said Tuesday morning.
Jagex will maintain its team of roughly 400 and headquarters in Cambridge, U.K. while now operating as a subsidiary of Macarthur Fortune Holding, the company said in a statement. Jagex was founded in 1999, slightly before RuneScape launched in 2001.”
GameSpot to Help full E3 void with Online Gaming Showcase
Source: GamesIndustry.biz
As major game industry events have dropped off the calendar for 2020, other influential entities in the games industry are creating online events in the spaces the live in-person events once occupied. Case in point:
“GameSpot has announced that it will hold a digital E3 alternative event this summer in partnership with major publishers to raise money for COVID-19 relief charity Direct Relief.
The event, called Play for All, will begin in early June and take place across several weeks of livestreamed programming on GameSpot, Giant Bomb, and Metacritic channels.”
Portfolio of 3DO Game Titles Acquired by Ziggurat Interactive
Source: Forbes
Heads up, classic gamers! 3DO titles could be returning to circulation, now that Ziggurat Interactive has picked up a portfolio of 3DO titles:
“The company has nabbed the rights to over 30 retro console and PC titles directly from Prism Entertainment, properties originally owned by The 3DO Company. This gives Ziggurat the ability to publish games in this extensive library on digital storefronts like GOG and Steam.
This acquisition includes returning gems like horror-themed first-person shooter Killing Time, holy first-person shooter Requiem: Avenging Angel, first-person base-building hybrid Uprising: Join or Die and its sequel Uprising 2: Lead or Destroy. Also mentioned in the press release are Captain Quazar and Wages of War: The Business of Battle.”
Do you have interesting news to share, or something coming up that would also fit into this regular feature? Let us know!
