It’s your video game industry news update for February 22nd, 2018 – Rumors swirl for a 2018 reveal of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch, the free Xbox Live Gold games for March 2018, and Gordon Freeman is back in gaming headlines. The video game industry changes every day and your time is important. Let’s get you caught up, starting right now, on Games in Time!
HEADLINES
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch Rumors
Nintendo insider Emily Rogers has kicked up rumored talk of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch, posting on ResetEra that a Smash Bros. title would be announced and released for Switch later this year and that 3DS and Wii U content has been re-worked, in addition to adding brand new content. No further insight was given on how the game would be marketed – whether it would be a deluxe definitive edition or a new sequel. While Rogers has been in the Nintendo rumor business for many years now, some credibility is due here, considering the accuracy of the sources she developed during the Wii U and Switch transition period.
If you ask me for my speculation, this has all the makings of being a deluxe definitive edition to not only continue the competitive and casual life of the Wii U game, but also to give Switch a title that is worthy of customers paying for a network service. That said, an E3 reveal in June and a September launch with the paid service seems ideal. I can only hope that the entire roster, including third-party DLC agreements, would make it over from Wii U. As far as anything new goes? Ice Climbers feels like a safe bet, especially after technical limitation talks for the 3DS version. Instead of targeting Wolf and Snake from the past, I would say Nintendo’s new IP characters should be the focus – Splatoon’s Inkling at the very least, or even a character like Spring Man from ARMS. If we’re talking new third-party, throw the indie scene a bone with Shovel Knight. Regardless, the hype is high for Smash on Switch.
Xbox Live Gold Games for March 2018
Microsoft has announced the free games that will available to Xbox Live Gold members during March 2018. From March 1st-31st, Ubisoft’s mash-up of Trials of the Blood Dragon will be available on Xbox One. The “time moves when you do” first-person shooter Superhot will be on Xbox One from March 16th to April 15th. On Xbox 360, Disney Pixar’s Brave is available in the first half of the month, and the puzzler Quantum Conundrum will be in the second half. These games are all playable on Xbox One, due to backwards compatibility.
Gordon Freeman Comes to Final Fantasy XV
Gordon Freeman is in gaming headlines once again, but not for the reason you’d think. When players buy Final Fantasy XV: Windows Edition through Steam before May 1st, they will gain access to the Half-Life protagonist’s famous outfit for use in the single-player campaign and the multiplayer Comrades mode. The outfit will be available via Steam Workshop. Additionally, a free demo of Final Fantasy XV: Windows Edition will be available on Monday, February 26th. This is just another example of why hell will freeze over before Half-Life 3 is ever announced.
QUICK HEADLINES
- From last week, it has been confirmed that Monstropolis from Monsters, Inc. will be represented in Kingdom Hearts III. New trailers from Japan’s D23 Expo featured the return of Marluxia and Vanitas, Ariel as a summon, a new look for Riku and King Mickey, as well as the new theme from Utada Hikaru – “Don’t Think Twice.”
- Also from last week, Kotaku UK reports that Activision and Vicarious Visions are currently working on a Spyro the Dragon trilogy remaster, which will be announced in March 2018 and released in Q3 2018.
- This week, NPD figures for January 2018 peg Monster Hunter: World as the top selling game and Nintendo Switch as the top selling hardware, when it comes to units sold in the United States.
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild took home Game of the Year at this year’s DICE Awards. It also won the Adventure Game, Game Direction, and Game Design categories.
- After weeks of rumors and leaks, Burnout Paradise Remastered has been announced, coming March 16th to PS4 and Xbox One.
- Broly and Bardock have been officially confirmed as the first DLC characters to come to Dragon Ball FighterZ.
- Politics and video games crossed over as voice actor Paul Eiding read a segment of the Robert Mueller indictment of thirteen Russian nationals on his YouTube channel in the style of Metal Gear Solid’s Colonel Roy Campbell.
- And finally, here are your recent notable game releases:
- From last week, Dynasty Warriors 9 is out now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance is out now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC
- Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology is out now on Nintendo 3DS
- Secret of Mana is out now on PS4, Vita, and PC
- Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 are out now on Nintendo Switch
- Fe is out now on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch
- From this week, Metal Gear Survive is out now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC
- Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is out now on PC
- Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 Plus is out today on Nintendo Switch
- Them’s Fightin’ Herds is out today on PC
- Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is out on Friday, February 23rd on PS4, Xbox One, and PC
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Peter Spezia
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