New Nintendo DMCA, Steam Restricts Refunds, Weird Sony Patents, + More! - GameLinked Apr 25, 2024

[JakobRush]

 

NEWS SOURCES:

 

AS NINTENDED?

Nintendo now coming for Garry’s Mod

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/04/garrys-mod-is-taking-down-20-years-worth-of-nintendo-stuff/

Post to Steam by Garry https://steamcommunity.com/games/garrysmod/announcements/detail/4200245595694413053

It’s Nintendo, or IS IT? https://twitter.com/brewsterkoopa/status/1756767363112763649

Supposed fraudster takedowns occurred months ago https://steamcommunity.com/app/4000/discussions/5/4211497623308213915/

DMCA request sent by “notice@mm-nintendo.com” supposedly by someone named Aaron Peters  https://twitter.com/brewsterkoopa/status/1762991915635458072/photo/2

In 2021, this same email was used to issue a takedown to an NSFW site, alleged the email is fake since its domain is different https://twitter.com/brewsterkoopa/status/1763353362899087661

Garry Newman claimed Facepunch did an investigation https://twitter.com/garrynewman/status/1783374453562290376

But was “assured that the takedowns have been verified by Nintendo as legit” https://twitter.com/garrynewman/status/1783501547361411494

 

RE:FUNDS

Steam closes loophole, will stop issuing refunds if you play two hours of a game before launch day

https://www.theverge.com/24138776/steam-refund-policy-change

News post implies it only applies to Advanced Access https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/593110?emclan=103582791457287600&emgid=4195741362094579140

Advanced Access is the platform’s term for “deluxe bonus” allowing early play before release https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/453F-5C96-EAC2-9145

Updated steam refund policy https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/

Early Access/Advanced Accesss play time now counts toward 2 hour limit https://lmg.gg/wAiql (Steam)

Some additional details https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/steam-closes-refund-policy-loophole-comes-up-with-official-term-for-the-thing-where-you-can-play-a-game-early-if-you-pre-order/

Beta testing doesn’t count (free invite to play) https://lmg.gg/vMKRX (PC Gamer)

Advanced access players can now post reviews https://lmg.gg/CQsMi (PC Gamer)

 

AUTO-PLAYSTATION

Sony patent for emotion-based dynamic difficulty

https://exputer.com/news/playstation/sony-patent-game-difficulty-emotion/

Patent https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=US427658131&_cid=P10-LV8Q97-55307-1

Use example of horror game, can increase health or change brightness to make you more scared https://lmg.gg/YSbtu (Exputer)

Exclusively considers multiplayer game https://lmg.gg/f6hLQ (Exputer)

Not to be confused with their OTHER new patent for AI autoplay https://www.vg247.com/sony-latest-patent-playstation-plays-your-games-for-you

patent https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=US427159498

Will play portions of games you find boring https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2024/04/latest-sony-patent-wants-to-take-the-grind-out-of-games-by-playing-them-for-you

 

QUICK BITS

 

GOOD MANORS

CEO of Manor Lords’ publisher explains why price hasn’t been announced

https://kotaku.com/manor-lords-steam-price-medieval-city-builder-1851434943

https://www.reddit.com/r/ManorLords/comments/1cba5qk/manor_lords_pricing_why_we_are_sharing_at_launch/

Might be worth whatever price it ends up being https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/manor-lords-review

 

TECH MAN FEELS KINSHIP WITH GAME

Stellar Blade reviews

https://twitter.com/Pure_PS/status/1783347320509137405

https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/stellar-blade-review-nier-as-it-can-get/1900-6418215/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/video-games/2024/04/24/stellar-blade-review/

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/stellar-blade-ps5-review-1235005926/

https://twitter.com/Pure_PS/status/1783143635737055554

Stellar Blade graffiti incident

https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2024/04/25/explaining-the-deeply-unlucky-stellar-blade-hard-r-situation/?sh=7e6801c223e2

 

ELITE: DANGEROUS IDEAS

Elite: Dangerous’s real-money ship sales spark “pay-to-win” outrage

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/04/elite-dangerouss-real-money-ship-sales-spark-pay-to-win-outrage/

https://www.mmorpg.com/news/players-are-infuriated-with-elite-dangerous-plans-to-sell-ships-for-cash-2000131303

https://www.ign.com/articles/elite-dangerous-dev-frontier-announces-plans-to-sell-ships-for-real-money-sparking-backlash

 

DOLPHISN’T

DolphiniOS’s Wii and GameCube emulator isn’t coming to the App Store, in part because Apple won’t allow DolphiniOS to use the Just-in-Time compiler, which improves the performance of games.

https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/22/24137369/dolphinios-emulator-apple-app-store-jit

Post from developer OatmealDome https://oatmealdome.me/blog/why-dolphin-isnt-coming-to-the-app-store/

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/04/why-a-gamecube-wii-emulator-may-not-be-possible-on-the-ios-app-store/

 

TONBOOTY

Final Fantasy 16 DLC Rising Tide

https://www.eurogamer.net/final-fantasy-16-is-finally-complete-though-its-dlc-wont-appease-critics

“Tonberries look more terrifying than ever.” https://lmg.gg/QZw17 (Eurogamer)

Feature some caked up Tonberries https://www.gamesradar.com/games/action-rpg/final-fantasy-16-dlc-makes-the-most-of-the-rpgs-mature-tone-by-audaciously-adding-some-caked-up-tonberries-oh-no-not-their-tonbussy/

https://twitter.com/tidusyuna/status/1782832788229509601

The translated essay at the bottom of this article https://automaton-media.com/en/news/final-fantasy-16-dummy-thick-tonberry-butts-cause-flurry-of-improper-thoughts/