Blizzard president shake-up, Suicide Squad SNAFU, CoD matchmaking + more! - GameLinked Jan. 30, 2024

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NEWS SOURCES:

 

FARIES TALE

After years of battling Activision interference, Blizzard will now be run by a former Activision executive

https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/johanna-faires-call-of-duty-alum-is-blizzard-entertainment-s-new-president

four days after layoffs https://www.pcmag.com/news/blizzard-appoints-ex-nfl-activision-exec-as-president-days-after-mass-layoffs

Previously general manager of Call of duty franchise https://www.gamesindustry.biz/blizzard-entertainment-names-johanna-faries-as-president

Former NFL executive for 12 years before https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-29/blizzard-s-new-president-johanna-faries-is-former-call-of-duty-nfl-executive

Started as head of Esports at Activision in 2018 https://lmg.gg/ttMig (Bloomberg)

First president with an Esports background https://lmg.gg/4B2ez (Game Developer)

Surprising since Blizzard faced tension from Activision execs historically https://lmg.gg/N6jJA (Bloomberg)

Johanna seems to touch on differences in an email https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/blizzard/24062302/introducing-johanna-faries-as-the-new-president-of-blizzard-entertainment

“walking into this role with sensitivity to [Blizzard’s] dynamics” https://lmg.gg/9rSQq (Blizzard)

Says she’s a big Diablo IV fan https://lmg.gg/4Nf2e (Blizzard)

Raising two boys https://lmg.gg/7OToH (Blizzard)

 

LIVE DISSERVICE

Suicide Squad KTJL snafu; Players with early access have “full story completion” on first login

https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZjbmt0TXpZd1NoRUtEd2l5OWNfTENoR2VXZXFhUXhlbTRTZ0FQAQ?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen

https://www.polygon.com/24054289/rocksteady-suicide-squad-early-access-launch-bug-offline

“full story completion” on first login https://lmg.gg/rmxmB

Rocksteady statement https://twitter.com/suicidesquadRS/status/1751938662093263232

EDITOR PLEASE HIGHLIGHT FOLOWING QUOTES IN TWEET

-          “To resolve this issue, we will be performing maintenance on the game servers.”

-          “During this time the game will be unavailable.”

After trying to downplay the whole “live service” thing https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/rocksteady-downplay-live-service-elements-of-suicide-squad-as-superhero-murder-sim-goes-into-early-access

Answered discord questions saying they want to respect players’ time https://www.gamespot.com/articles/suicide-squad-makes-a-welcome-change-to-how-battle-passes-usually-work/1100-6520665/

Battle passes can be completed at any time https://lmg.gg/mX2oy  (GameSpot)

Seasonal “episodes” are replayable https://lmg.gg/7aCjG (RPS)

-          all things that would be great if you could access the game

Reminder, this is Early Access they CHARGED for via deluxe edition

Problem has since been fixed https://twitter.com/suicidesquadRS/status/1752024211088904610

 

MULTIPLAYER BREAKDOWN

Call of Duty breaks down their matchmaking in blog post

https://www.callofduty.com/blog/2024/01/call-of-duty-update-an-Inside-look-at-matchmaking

Perhaps to silence grumbling about SBMM and EOMM https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2024/01/30/activision-finally-breaks-its-silence-around-call-of-duty-sbmm-and-matchmaking/?sh=2633a7e970e1

What SBMM is https://lmg.gg/OeGqs (Forbes)

EOMM theorized to keep players happy by giving them an easy win every once and a while https://lmg.gg/E9ATN (Forbes)

Try to debunk many fan theories https://www.pcgamer.com/unprecedented-inside-look-at-call-of-duty-matchmaking-debunks-fan-theories-on-sbmm-and-confirms-our-assumptions-skill-is-not-the-dominant-variable/

Refute claim that their “SBMM” forces everyone into “sweaty” matches https://lmg.gg/PocHp (PCGamer)

Also refute recent performance is only factor in SBMM https://lmg.gg/PBo5w (PCGamer)

claim “skill is not the dominant variable” https://lmg.gg/EkC69 (Call of Duty)

Connection is https://lmg.gg/C1ORu (Call of Duty)

 

QUICK BITS

 

TONY HAWK’S PRO SHOOTER

Cancelled CoD Future Warfare footage

https://www.eurogamer.net/cancelled-call-of-duty-sci-fi-game-from-tony-hawks-studio-neversoft-leaks-online

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rUnutyIei8

Verified by former Neversoft dev Brian Bright (scroll up) https://twitter.com/BrianBright/status/1751439942935540055

 

SHOTS FIRED

Persona 3 Reload is a mixed bag

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/persona-3-reload-review

https://www.polygon.com/reviews/24054581/persona-3-reload-review-remake-xbox-ps5-pc-atlus

Doesn’t include additions from P3P or FES https://lmg.gg/xGGHR (Polygon)

But did give male party members more stories and you don’t have to have a harem anymore https://kotaku.com/persona-3-reload-romance-social-yukari-mitsuru-fuuka-1851206843

 

REPUTABLE SOURCE

Ubisoft confirms Star Wars Outlaws choice system in GamesRadar interview

https://www.gamesradar.com/star-wars-outlaws-tells-a-tight-story-across-specific-locations-with-strong-thriving-underworlds-but-your-reputation-could-change-everything/

https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2024/01/star-wars-outlaws-ps5-sounding-like-the-scoundrel-simulator-we-always-wanted

https://www.techradar.com/gaming/star-wars-outlaws-will-feature-choices-that-impact-your-reputation-in-the-underworld

 

TENCENT’S TWO CENTS

Tencent scared its gaming business isn’t doing well

https://www.pcgamer.com/tencent-boss-worried-that-in-the-face-of-significant-challenges-and-competition-it-has-achieved-nothing/

https://www.reuters.com/technology/tencent-chief-says-gaming-business-under-threat-catching-up-ai-2024-01-30/

https://insider-gaming.com/tencent-is-worried-about-its-future-in-gaming/

 

A PUNCH IN THE GUT (THRU A WALL)

Embracer Group layoffs at Eidos Montreal

Deus Ex game cancelled https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/29/24054659/embracer-eidos-montreal-layoffs-deus-ex

Supposedly started development 2 years ago https://twitter.com/jasonschreier/status/1587515910046220288

Apparently cancelled game wasn’t an Adam Jensen story https://www.pcgamer.com/adam-jensen-voice-actor-says-cancelled-deus-ex-likely-wasnt-a-jensen-story-anyway-and-that-i-gotta-be-honest-i-gave-up-on-it-a-long-time-ago/

Never called Jensen VA Elias Toufexis in the two years of development https://twitter.com/EliasToufexis/status/1752026953799057715