2K has signaled that game prices are going up in the new generation while also saying “no” to Smart Delivery and pricing its cross-gen version of NBA 2K21 at $100. Other topics include: Niantic’s team-up with Sleep No More creator Punchdrunk, the UN-release of Amazon Game Studio’s Crucible, an Xbox Game Pass success story, and more.
Content Warning: Discussion of sexual abuse and assault begins at 45:00 and ends at 1:04.
- Note: According to an update to Kotaku’s June 2 report on Ubisoft that was updated following the recording of this show, Ubisoft’s Maxime Beland has resigned from the company. Tommy Francois has been placed on disciplinary leave. Another unnamed employee has been terminated from Ubisoft’s Toronto studio. (https://kotaku.com/head-of-ubisoft-announces-plans-to-shakeup-the-company-1844252024)
- Mike Rose (@RaveofRavendale) on Game Pass and Descenders success: https://twitter.com/RaveofRavendale/status/1277626877780332544?s=20
- Niantic teams up with Sleep No More creators for new projects (Polygon): https://www.polygon.com/2020/6/30/21308049/niantic-punchdrunk-ar-immersive-theater-partnership
- Starbreeze seeks $26m to fund ongoing development of Payday 3 (GamesIndustry): https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-06-30-starbreeze-seeks-USD26m-to-fund-ongoing-development-of-payday-3
- Paradox Interactive Acquires Paris-based Playrion Game Studio: https://www.paradoxinteractive.com/en/paradox-interactive-acquires-paris-based-playrion-game-studio/
- PlayStation Indies: https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/indies/
- Change Starts Today (Ubisoft): https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/7yV2TRI9Zj3G545bnoc3ub/change-starts-today
- Evo Online canceled after co-founder accused of sexual misconduct (The Verge): https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/3/21312385/evo-online-cancelled-sexual-misconduct-allegations
- Several Smash Bros Pros Accused of Sexual Assault and Pedophilia: https://screenrant.com/smash-bros-pros-accused-sexual-assault-pedophilia/
- Your Place to Talk (Discord): https://blog.discord.com/your-place-to-talk-a7ffa19b901b
- Amazon is yanking struggling free-to-play shooter Crucible back into closed beta (Eurogamer): https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-06-30-amazon-is-yanking-struggling-free-to-play-shooter-crucible-back-into-closed-beta
- Fortnite Save the World Update | State of Development: https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/en-US/news/fortnite-save-the-world-update-state-of-development
- Nintendo Scraps the Sale of Digital Game Download Codes at European Retailers (NintendoLife): https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/06/nintendo_scraps_the_sale_of_digital_game_download_codes_at_european_retailers
- Kongregate no longer accepting new titles, undergoing layoffs (GamesIndustry): https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-07-01-kongregate-no-longer-accepting-new-titles-undergoing-layoffs
- Meghna Jayanth: https://twitter.com/betterthemask