April Fools has come and gone, which means one thing: fake articles. Happily, not that many this year, I only got tricked by one of them that mentioned a free Game Pass tier. I have done my research, though, and I can confirm the Wayward Roundup is certified joke-free. Except for my writing, of course.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet servers may be shutting down for Pokémon Champions
We start on shaky ground. As reported by Centro Leaks, so pinch of salt, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have kicked off their final ranked season. This will last until the servers are shut down, at which point Pokémon Champions will pick up the competitive battles. Obviously, this is expected since that is the entire reason for Champions, but I am quite worried about this.
Mainly because, from what I have read in multiple places, it looks like Champions will be a microtransaction hellscape. Whilst you certainly can play it for free, there is a yearly subscription for exclusive content. And you have very limited Pokémon slots unless you buy more. There is also a starter pack that “makes it easier to both obtain and train Pokémon”. So, the new competitive battle home looks to be heavily pay-to-win. No, thank you.
USPTO rejects Nintendo character-summoning patent
Now, for a win against Nintendo. After originally approving Nintendo’s patent request for the mechanic to summon a creature and have it fight for you, the United States Patent Office was roundly dogpiled. Since then, the same patent was rejected by Japan, and after a re-examination in the United States, it has now been rejected there too.
That is the general overview. Nintendo has two months to appeal, which no doubt they will, but it is another blow in their battle with Palworld. And one I welcome. I do like a lot of Nintendo games, and I am inching closer to breaking and buying a Switch 2. But they are such a greedy company, so I am enjoying this series of losses in a totally not-smug fashion
Stormgate developers deliver a quick single-player mode after AI issue
This is both a win and a loss for our community. Stormgate, an RTS developed by Frost Giant Studios, made up of ex-Starcraft 2 developers, is losing its multiplayer servers. This is due to server company Hathora being purchased by an AI company, which is winding down the service to create more slop with.
Frost Giant are hopefully they will find another partner to restore online services soon, fingers crossed. In the meantime, they have put together a patch to enable offline play to tide players over. Whilst this is a worrying time for the workers, I just want to say, this is how you deal with a shutdown. Not naming any names, Square, but an offline mode so fans can still enjoy a game after the end of service should be mandatory. If a team can do it at short notice, it must be doable for all.
Resident Evil creator’s new studio with Stellar Blade dev
Whilst one small developer struggles, another rises. Although small is the wrong word, because our next studio, Unbound, is headed by Shinji Mikami. He is the developer behind the first Resident Evil, the first Dino Crisis, and the first The Evil Within. Mikami has a niche, and is fantastic with it. Although he also directed God Hand, which I did not know, and that is amazing.
Rather unexpectedly, Unbound has been purchased by Shift Up, developers of Goddess of Victory: Nikke and Stellar Blade; two overly anime games. Unless Unbound is working on a tie-in game for Highschool of the Dead, that is an odd combination. Shift Up has said that they will be handling the publishing and resources of the game, and hopefully, that’s their full input. Give Mikami the resources, step back, and let him create the magic he is known for.
Crystal Dynamics linked with upcoming Lord of the Rings game
We are definitely saving the best till last this time. Insider Gaming has been at the forefront of breaking news about a new Lord of the Rings game, and it seems that Crystal Dynamics are on board to develop it. When approached by IG, they declined to comment, which, in cases like these, screams yes.
Crystal Dynamics has worked on some incredible series, like Legacy of Kain and, of course, Tomb Raider. I even like Marvel’s Avengers, although I hope this won’t be that type of game. Perhaps in the style of Rise of the Tomb Raider, a Dúnedain sneaking across Middle-earth. Close to Shadow of Mordor and its sequel. A spiritual successor would be a money-making machine.
