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US politicians condemn plans for possible Bobby Kotick payout
A group of US senators has expressed concern at the possibility of a windfall payout for controversial Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick, as part of Microsoft's proposed acquisition of his company.
Four politicians, including former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, signed a letter to the Federal Trade Commission alerting it to the issue, The Wall St Journal has reported.
Players have translated Tunic's runic language
Players have already translated the runic language in Tunic.
Throughout the game, instructions from characters, signposts, and the in-game manual are written in a made-up runic language. Players aren't required to translate it; instead it adds an air of mystery to the foxy adventure and forces players to analyse visual clues instead.
Cities: Skylines' VR adaptation arrives on Meta Quest 2 later this month
Cities: VR, the virtual reality adaptation of developer Colossal Order's acclaimed city builder Cities: Skylines, is coming to Meta Quest 2 on 28th April.
Cities: VR is the work of Fast Travel Games, and the developer stresses its new edition isn't a direct port of Skylines - "VR does not allow for the size and scale of the PC version", it notes - instead choosing to emphasise "more intimate experiences set in smaller areas".
State of Decay 3 report details troubled development
A new report has shed light behind the scenes of State of Decay 3, the upcoming open world zombie game from the Undead Labs.
Details published by Kotaku include allegations of sexism and mismanagement at the Microsoft-owned studio, and paint a picture of a game project which is still struggling to get off the ground years after its official reveal.
Below the Ocean is a floaty platformer in an extremely good way
On the surface, Below the Ocean may look to be another pixel platformer paying homage to the 90s, but beneath that lies a curious twist worth exploring: floatiness.
When thinking of indie platformers, the likes of Super Meat Boy and Celeste comes to mind, and although they look joyful and cute, playing them is an entirely different experience. There is a harsh edge to the pixel precision these games often require, where a single misstep leads to a game over screen. Below the Ocean has a different approach. It sands down the harsh edges and embraces a floaty movement system that, in a palpable way, feels like swimming. If you feel intimidated by pixel platformers this might be the one to get you started.
Inti Creates' Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 heading to Switch in July
Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 - the, would you believe it, third game in developer Inti Creates' acclaimed side-scrolling action-platforming series - will be heading to Switch on 28th July.
The original Azure Striker Gunvolt, which launched to a solid reception on 3DS back in 2014, took its retro-infused cue from Capcom's beloved Mega Man series, with Inti Creates having previously worked on Mega Man Zero, ZX, 9, and 10 (Gunvolt was also executive produced by Mega Man's Keiji Inafune). A sequel arrived two years later, and both games can now be played on Switch via the Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack, if you're curious to learn more.
The best full fibre (FTTP) broadband deals in April 2022
Full fibre broadband is here. The availability of this much-faster fibre to the premises (FTTP) broadband technology has grown significantly across the UK. There's still a long way to go before it's more universally available, but there's growing competition between BT, EE, Sky, Vodafone and more to offer incredible download speeds. These providers are seeking to entice customers to switch to the new service with better offers. If you're lucky enough to be within the coverage area and want to try it for yourself, here are some of the best full fibre broadband deals out there this month.
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Twitch suspends boost train feature after porn added to front page
Twitch has suspended its paid boost train feature after porn was boosted to the front page.
The feature was introduced in March this year, but bears a resemblance to the paid boosts programme that ended in late 2021, as clarified by a Twitch representative to PC Gamer.
Abandoned devs respond to cancellation rumours
Following rumours that the PS5 exclusive Abandoned has been, well, abandoned, developer Blue Box Game Studio has released a statement addressing concerns.
The statement, which was shared on Twitter yesterday evening, reads:
The best Sky Broadband deals in April 2022
Sky Broadband deals including its full fibre (FTTP) Superfast, Ultrafast and Ultrafast Plus services are some of the most popular and well-trusted internet options in the UK right now - and there's plenty of good reasons why.
While it might not be the cheapest, Sky is still pretty reasonably priced for a premium tier broadband provider, and has a solid reputation for delivering fast, reliable internet speeds and strong WiFi connections. Not only does Sky Broadband offer a wide range of internet products, subscriptions can be easily tailored to fit your needs. This includes Sky's broadband add-ons such as WiFi Boost and WiFi Guarantee, as well as customisable options to include Sky TV.
PlayStation cuts 90 jobs as part of "global transformation"
At least 90 jobs have been lost within PlayStation's North American business, a new report has revealed.
The roles were primarily based in the company's sales and marketing divisions, Axios reported, largely in positions that dealt with physical retail stores.
Save up to 50 per cent on Razer's Ornata V2 mechanical-membrane keyboard
Although there are dozens and dozens of excellent gaming keyboards to choose from, very few have soft, quiet keys that also provide great tactile feel.
Thankfully, Razer have a keyboard for the rest of us. The Ornata V2 is currently on sale at nearly half price from Amazon, and available for just £54.99. And US gamers don't miss out either, as Amazon US have it on sale too for $54.99.
Rogue Legacy coming to the Epic Games Store
Rogue Legacy will be available for free next week from the Epic Games Store.
Also joining it will be The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is biggest Kirby launch in Japanese history
Kirby and the Forgotten Land has earned the biggest launch for the series in Japanese history.
As Famitsu reports, the game sold 380,000 copies in Japan in its first week, floating its way to the top of the charts.
Don't Starve Together brings multiplayer survival to Switch later this month
Don't Starve Together, developer Klei Entertainment's co-operative multiplayer twist on its acclaimed survival adventure, will be making its way to Switch on 12th April.
If you've already played Don't Starve, you'll be right at home with Together; it takes the original's deliciously dark survival conceit - in which you awake in an expansive, wonderfully twisted world and must forage, maim, eat, and build in order to survive long enough to orchestrate an escape - but enables you to do it all with friends in tow.
What we've been playing
Hello! Welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we've found ourselves playing over the last few days. This time: foxes, a unique take on running, and spooky stuff.
If you fancy catching up on some of the older editions of What We've Been Playing, here's our archive.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 puts the video game back into the film series
One of the best things about the first Sonic the Hedgehog film is it has its own personality. Sure, it features the blue blur you know and love, but putting him on Earth in the real world puts a new spin (pun intended) on the franchise. Unlike Sonic '06, anthropomorphic animals and humans together somehow make sense.
Yet where the first put the hedgehog into the real world, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 puts the video game back into the film, its plot now hinging on entire setpieces that honour the game series. There's a water-logged labyrinth! Snowboarding! The Tornado biplane! This is a film as much for the adult fans to pick apart as it is for kids to laugh at the silliness.
Adorable dinosaur park sim Parkasaurus is going aquatic in new Sea Monsters DLC
Developer WashBear Studio's relentlessly adorable (and highly enjoyable) dinosaur park management sim Parkasaurus will be welcoming a host of aquatic exhibits for the very first time come the arrival of its newly announced Sea Monsters expansion "soon".
Parkasaurus, if you're unfamiliar, takes obvious inspiration from the likes of Theme Park and DinoPark Tycoon, giving players all the tools they need to build and staff their very own dino-flavoured tourist attraction. Crucially, that involves providing the perfect habitats for a wide variety of adorable prehistoric creatures, with each dinosaur having specific terrain, water, food, privacy, and scenery requirements.
E3's digital event now officially ditched following cancellation of in-person show
E3 has officially ditched its digital-only event this year, which, following the cancellation of its in-person show back in January, means there'll be no E3 at all in 2022.
E3's 2022 started to look shaky in January, when show organiser the ESA confirmed it wouldn't be holding a physical event this year due to potential risks from covid - though several journalists subsequently suggested it had actually been scrapped before Christmas - marking the third year in a row E3's in-person component has been cancelled.
Hyper Light Drifter is getting a fully 3D rogue-lite follow-up with online co-op
Developer Heart Machine has unveiled Hyper Light Breaker, a fully 3D rogue-lite spin on its acclaimed 2016 action-adventure Hyper Light Drifter that's coming to PC early next year.
While Hyper Light Drifter served up a tautly designed single-player adventure blending rich exploration with challenging melee combat in a strikingly presented top-down, 2D world, Hyper Light Breaker looks like a very different take on the same universe.