When I started doing the Wayward Roundup, I approached it with an aim to cover everything important. It has been 7 weeks now, and I have come to the conclusion that I should have known day 1; the bad news is bleak and unrelenting.
And that is not what you want for a Saturday morning read, or afternoon this time, thanks to sciatica disrupting my sleep. It certainly isn’t what I want to write, especially since we get enough of that in the regular news. So, we are changing track and are going to cover more positive stories. They might be smaller, but maybe it’s what we need.
Badlur’s Gate 3 is getting a TV series
In the past, if you heard a gaming property was being transformed into a film or TV series, you would instantly panic. A lot of them were pretty bad; Raul Julia as M Bison being the exception. However, I think lately the stance has softened a bit. Detective Pikachu and The Super Mario Bros. Movie weren’t too bad, and Fallout and The Last of Us performed very well. Next will be the turn of Baldur’s Gate 3, and I have mixed feelings.
On the plus side, it is being worked on by Craig Mazin, co-creator of The Last of Us’ HBO show. So he is proven with adaptations. Unfortunately, Larian won’t be included, which is a worry. Swen Vincle did say that Mazin has reached out to speak to Larian, so they will have minimal input.
My biggest fear is that Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the biggest player-choice-driven RPGs in a long while. The show is going to follow the ending of the game, but there are tens of thousands of ways the game could shake out. Also, are they going to include Tav? If so, which Tav? And how do you approach casting characters who are so intrinsically linked to their voice actors, on a scale I haven’t seen before? Neil Newbon IS Astarian; there would be riots. It will be interesting to see how this develops.
Blizzard staff ratify new union contract
We are moving on from layoffs and looking at a workplace win. QA staff have finalized a union contract that will guarantee more pay, benefits, and layoff protection. Perhaps the biggest point is a clause that governs AI use. It might be used, but to support workers, not replace them. Negotiations took three years, but it is a huge win.
However, that is not the biggest reason this brings a smile to my face. A few years ago, Blizzard was almost a curse word, thanks to a culture led by Bobby Kotick. Boos and Hisses all around. I am delighted that this post-Kotick era is going from strength to strength. It probably isn’t all gone; we are being more positive, not naive, but this is a fantastic step.
Stardew Valley is receiving two new marriage candidates
Can you believe that Stardew Valley is a decade old? I can, because it feels like people have been gushing about it for ten-hundred years, not just ten. It has been a phenomenally successful farming sim, and still shows no signs of slowing down, with update 1.7 looming. And Eric Barone can’t help but fan the flames of the fandom.
In an interview with IGN, Barone revealed he will be adding two new marriage candidates to the game. But, he stopped short of saying who. They might be new arrivals, or maybe current characters have taken a shine to the Player. Barone has said he will announce who on Stardew’s tenth birthday, February 26th. I know there’s a corner of the internet that would go feral if it were Robin, but I feel Barone is too wholesome to break up her and Demetrius for that.
Speaking of wholesome, remember how Stardew Valley lets you turn your children into doves who then haunt you? And straight up try to murder you? Maybe Robin’s divorce wouldn’t be a big step. The point of this heavy-handed segue is this: the update will also add more dimensions to being a parent. So that’s nice.
Bonus Barone entry; Haunted Chocolatier still exists
On the topic of Barone, he recently provided something of an update on the development of Haunted Chocolatier. It boils down to it is still in development, and the game will be out when it is ready. He also answered a few negative comments people have made about it in the style of someone swatting a bothersome fly, and it just made me chuckle. I support developers taking their time to make a perfect product.
The Posthumous Investigation combines Deathloop and Noir movies
I have said before that I don’t cover upcoming games much because it is all this would be. Maybe a separate weekly list in the future, we shall see. Regardless, I want to discuss The Posthumous Investigation because I adore the old Noir detective feel. You are contracted by Brás Cubas, a dead man, to solve his murder.
And by contracted, I mean trapped in a time loop until you do so. Cubas had many connections, and you will need to use the power of the Groundhog Day to investigate, interrogate, and find clues to solve his murder. It is scheduled to release March 31st, but there is a demo on Steam to try. Like I say, I love detective stuff and the Noir theme, so this is right in my wheelhouse. Now to perfect my Columbo; just one more thing.
Hitman: World of Assassination adds cross progression
This one is just for me because I bloody love Hitman: World of Assassination, and I want to discuss it whenever possible. IOI have finally implemented cross progression to WOA, so now you can continue Agent 47s adventures on whatever platform you have at hand. Expect Nintendo Switch, because there’s an issue with achievements that IOI is working on.
I don’t have a Switch, so that’s fine. Although I have been considering it more and more for the new shiny tech. Anyway, I am delighted that I can now continue my Xbox WOA adventure on my iPhone if I am ever on a plane or train again. WOA being more accessible in any way will always be a good thing.
