PlayStation Tries to Hide Price Hike - GameLinked August 31, 2023

[JakobRush]

PS+ = “PAY SONY +”
PS+ price hike, up to $40 more a year, cheapest tier going from $60 to $80
https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/30/23852353/playstation-plus-prices-increase-essential-extra-premium
PS owners are upset https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2023/08/ps5-ps4-owners-are-understandably-irate-with-ps-plus-price-hike
Probably because of how they announced it https://blog.playstation.com/2023/08/30/playstation-plus-monthly-games-for-september-saints-row-black-desert-traveler-edition-generation-zero/
No not at the top, silly; all the way down here https://lmg.gg/gc144 (PlayStation Blog)
Following Xbox’s increase of Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate in June https://www.purexbox.com/news/2023/06/microsoft-announces-price-increases-for-xbox-series-x-and-xbox-game-pass
They say it’s to “enable [PlayStation] to keep bringing high-quality games,” yet subscription deals for indie publishers are drying up https://www.gamesindustry.biz/weaker-subscription-deals-have-hit-indie-publishers-says-analyst
Larian’s Director of Publishing comments on this https://twitter.com/Cromwelp/status/1696682874718556325

 

IT JUST…IRKS?
Todd Howard says Bethesda has “Gaming’s smartest fans” as Starfield reviews come in
https://www.reddit.com/r/Starfield/comments/165kcki/from_all_of_us_here_thank_you/
Some people love it:
https://www.theverge.com/23852390/starfield-review-xbox-pc
Praise of game design https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/2023/08/31/starfield-review/
Others have some design critiques https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/starfields-map-is-even-worse-than-fallout-and-skyrims
Polygon not a fan https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23852522/starfield-review-xbox-series-x-pc-exclusive-bethesda-microsoft
Elder Scrolls 6 finally in “early development” after teaser 5 years ago https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-elder-scrolls-6-is-officially-in-early-development-but-more-info-is-still-years-away/1100-6517354/

 

NO EATING SEEDS AS A PASTIME ACTIVITY
Call of Duty introducing chat AI that detects toxicity
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/call-of-duty-is-getting-a-new-ai-powered-voice-chat-moderation-system/
Called ToxMod, from company Modulate https://www.videogamer.com/news/mw2-mw3-ai-voice-chat/
Tries to identify “hate speech, radicalization, and self-harm in real-time” https://www.engadget.com/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-iii-will-use-ai-to-clamp-down-on-toxic-voice-chats-160027704.html
Might have unintended consequences, like Xbox’s new strike system https://www.reddit.com/r/XboxSeriesX/comments/164c6h1/seriously_saying_wtf_is_suspendable/

QUICK BITS

 

CD PROJEKT IN THE RED
CDPR says Cyberpunk 2077 only getting one DLC is “technological decision”; switching from REDengine to UE5
https://www.ign.com/articles/cyberpunk-2077-only-getting-one-expansion-was-a-technological-decision-cd-projekt-red-says
Next Witcher will be made with UE5 https://kotaku.com/witcher-a-new-saga-unreal-5-epic-games-cd-projekt-red-1848680592
260 devs working on it rn https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/nearly-260-developers-are-now-working-on-the-next-mainline-witcher-game/
UE5 switch probably cost decision, revenue drop in H1 2023 https://www.gamesindustry.biz/cd-projekt-h1-revenue-sees-a-14-drop

 

PHIL SPENCER BODY PILLOW INCOMING
Former Playstation exec joins Xbox to help with Japanese partnerships
https://www.gamescensor.com/2023/08/former-playstation-executive-joins-xbox.html
Philly Spence tweets about it https://twitter.com/XboxP3/status/1696917170775589189
Spencer acknowledged demand for Japanese games in Japanese interview last year https://game-watch-impress-co-jp.translate.goog/docs/interview/1440935.html?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp  (Game Watch)
Xbox struggles to break into Japanese market due to dominance of Nintendo, Sony, mobile https://www.dualshockers.com/xbox-struggling-attract-japanese-developers/

 

NOT OF THEIR OWN VOLITION
Saints Row dev Volition shuts down
https://www.gematsu.com/2023/08/volition-shuts-down-after-30-years
parent company closed it “effective immediately” https://twitter.com/Wario64/status/1697288775968174478
Just days ago, Saints Row account seemed active, confirmed no remakes https://metro.co.uk/2023/08/31/saints-row-remakes-are-not-going-to-happen-says-volition-19425204/
Probably due to lackluster reception of Saints Row reboot https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2022/08/22/saints-row-reviews-are-here-and-they-are-bad/?sh=59ded5a86f55

 

NEW SOULSBORNE GAME UNVEILED
Nintendo Direct all about Super Mario Wonder
https://www.polygon.com/23850429/nintendo-direct-2023-august-switch-super-mario-wonder
VOD here https://youtu.be/G0m_uNaSres?t=1790
And Mario is now JUST LIKE Dark Souls https://www.eurogamer.net/watch-todays-super-mario-bros-wonder-nintendo-direct-here  
NO really, the multiplayer is EXACTLY like Elden Ring https://www.gamesradar.com/i-cant-believe-super-mario-bros-wonder-multiplayer-looks-this-much-like-elden-ring/
Just because you can see shadows of other players when connected online https://kotaku.com/super-mario-bros-wonder-nintendo-direct-trailer-switch-1850791435

 

BGE 2: BEYOND MIDDLE SCHOOL
Beyond Good and Evil 20th Anniversary Edition coming to modern consoles
https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2023/08/iconic-ps2-platformer-beyond-good-and-evil-appears-to-be-coming-to-ps5
leaked by ESRB webpage, now taken down
Ubisoft announced sequel 15 years ago https://www.pcgamer.com/15-years-after-announcing-the-sequel-ubisoft-is-gonna-try-to-remember-how-to-release-a-beyond-good-and-evil-game-with-a-new-edition-of-the-first-one/