Nintendo is NOT Happy About This - GameLinked Jan 23, 2023

JakobRush · January 23

NEWS SOURCES:

PALEFACTORS

PalWorld is popping off; second-most played game ever on Steam

https://www.ign.com/articles/palworld-overtakes-counter-strike-to-become-the-second-most-played-game-ever-on-steam

SteamDB stats https://steamdb.info/charts/?sort=peak

Some reviewers like it https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2024/01/20/palworld-is-absolutely-insane-and-actually-incredible/?sh=6cc2958b59b9

Others seem to hate it https://www.eurogamer.net/is-palworld-actually-any-good-of-course-not

Criticized for using gen. AI, except… there’s no evidence for that?

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/palworld-embroiled-in-ai-and-pokemon-plagiarism-controversy/

Some Pokemon fans don’t like it https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/pokemon-with-guns-game-goes-viral-angering-nintendo-loyalists-1.2025065

Pokemon fans taken to tear them apart for copying Pokemon designs https://twitter.com/onion_mu/status/1748108600935919688

Diglett https://img.pokemondb.net/artwork/large/diglett.jpg

Wiglett https://img.pokemondb.net/artwork/large/wiglett.jpg

Some took it a little far with death threats https://www.pcgamesn.com/palworld/death-threats

“A representative of Nintendo Co., the primary distributor of Pokémon games, said the company is aware of the new title but declined to comment on individual cases.” https://lmg.gg/vXZwb (BNN Bloomberg)

The company was VERY aware of the Pokemon mod, though https://kotaku.com/palworld-pokemon-mod-nintendo-dmca-toastedshoes-1851188559

DMCA’d creator ToastedShoes https://twitter.com/ToastedShoes/status/1749711480050827433

Since reposted video showing mod, but aren’t releasing mod https://youtu.be/AbsF5R7Zf0E

Features voiced Ash Ketchum; apparently not an AI but the VA wants to remain anonymous https://lmg.gg/nCgXO (Kotaku)

STARFIELD IS GARBAGE

Walmart memo leaks, stores disposing of physical Starfield copies

https://twitter.com/the_marmolade/status/1748473984440524905

Corroborated by Wario64 https://twitter.com/Wario64/status/1748480396596244645

ResetEra user Rychu corroborates, claims to work for Walmart https://lmg.gg/nanKa (ResetEra)

Further claims Walmart has been discussing getting rid of physical games https://lmg.gg/AUkbJ (ResetEra)

Memo says supplier is funding disposal, implying Microsoft/Bethesda https://www.tweaktown.com/news/95706/report-walmart-to-dispose-of-physical-copies-starfield-at-behest-microsoft-bethesda/index.html

Memo was released a day after Xbox confirmed Hellblade 2 would be digital-only release https://www.thegamer.com/hellblade-2-senuas-saga-digital-only-release-no-physical/

Furthering fears of physical media death

UK retailer Game ending trade-ins, pre-owned sales https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-67983764

But Walmart has given a statement https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/one-mans-trash-is-another-mans-treasure-walmart-will-reportedly-throw-out-physical-copies-of-starfield-if-no-one-buys-the-disks-for-3-cents

“the action appears to be part of a regular markdown that occurs when a new version of a game becomes available.” https://lmg.gg/yIBRW (Windows Central)

“Walmart will box up and return Early Access copies of Starfield and then continue to sell the latest copy of the game.” https://lmg.gg/saItv (Windows Central)

TACTICAL RESPONSE

Riot Games laying off 530 employees, around 11% of workforce

https://twitter.com/riotgames/status/1749568564162625923

Statement to players https://www.riotgames.com/en/news/2024-player-update

Statement to staff https://www.riotgames.com/en/news/2024-rioter-update

Studio made “big bets” since 2019 that have fallen short https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/riot-games-overreached-with-big-bets-and-now-530-people-are-losing-their-jobs

Legends of Runeterra team being reduced, focusing on game’s PvE mode https://lmg.gg/71cuq (Riot)

Sunsetting Riot Forge, internal studio that developed/published LoL offshoot games https://lmg.gg/eED1j (Riot)

"We're not doing this to appease shareholders or to hit some quarterly earnings number–we've made this decision because it's a necessity. It's what we need to do in order to maintain a long-term focus for players." – Riot CEO Dylan Jadeja https://lmg.gg/wcEqf (Game Developer)

Plus side: seems like they’re doing a lot for the laid off employees:

- Minimum 6 months severance https://lmg.gg/UhTvs

- Additional pay to cover health benefits https://lmg.gg/J29Yt

- Can request a laptop to help find jobs if they don’t have one https://lmg.gg/5ou50

- Support for employees with work visas https://lmg.gg/DptiV

- Career support https://lmg.gg/CLUes

QUICK BITS

IT AIN’T OVER TIL IT’S OVERWATCH

Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS) rises from the ashes of the Overwatch League

https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/overwatch/24033788/the-future-of-overwatch-esports

partnered with FACEIT https://www.engadget.com/blizzard-partners-with-esl-for-an-open-overwatch-2-esports-circuit-170033793.html

open to literally any player, can find teammates https://lmg.gg/UkAfm