That’s right: the world continues to turn, and it’s time for another look at what’s been happening in the world of gaming in the past week.
The industry continues to be in something of a gloomy spot at the moment, with layoffs looming and stability looking like an increasingly fragile pipe dream.
Still, it’s not all doom and gloom, so let’s take a look at what’s been going on in the gaming world this week!
Xbox handheld could be coming
In an interview with Polygon this week, Xbox boss Phil Spencer talked at length about what it would take to create an Xbox handheld.
Spencer says that he wants to consider “different form factors and things” that Xbox could look into in order to create an Xbox gaming experience on the go.
He also says that he doesn’t want handhelds to be restricted to a single device or brand. Spencer says if he wants to play his games on the go, he doesn’t “want to only be able to buy one brand of handheld”.
Looks like we could either be getting a dedicated Xbox handheld or a significantly improved software experience on an existing device in the near future.
Control multiplayer spinoff details start to appear
It’s been a while since Remedy announced its multiplayer Control spinoff, currently codenamed Condor. This week, we got our first tantalising look at what that game could look like.
If Remedy’s investor report for 2023 is any indication, Condor will invite players into the Oldest House once again in order to fend off a series of supernatural threats.
The game is being developed on a budget of around 25 million euros and will be built on the Northlight engine, which also powers Alan Wake 2 and Control.
Granted, this isn’t a whole lot to go on, but it’s nice to see that Condor development is continuing, even if it might be a while before we actually see the game.
No Man’s Sky gets a big new update
Hello Games’ remarkable work with No Man’s Sky continued this week, as the space sandbox game got another major update, this one titled Orbital.
The Orbital update has lots in store for fans of the game, both lapsed and continuous. Additions include new ship customisation options, new mission types, and lots more.
Really, though, we’re mainly including this update simply because we want to pay tribute to Hello Games’ diligent work in continuing to ensure that No Man’s Sky remains a going concern.
It’s difficult to imagine any other studio sticking with a game for this long, especially after No Man’s Sky’s initial hostile reception, so hats off to you, Hello Games.
April’s PlayStation Plus games have been announced
In April, three new PlayStation Plus games will be heading your way, and two of them are playable on PS4 as well as PS5, so you won’t be left behind if you’re still on last-gen consoles.
The first new PlayStation Plus title is Immortals of Aveum, a magic-based shooter that flew under the radar when it was first released. It’s worth a look if you’re a subscriber!
Next up is Minecraft Legends, a rather surface-level but still somewhat enjoyable real-time strategy game. It won’t trouble you if you’re a genre aficionado, but first-timers and younger gamers should have fun.
Lastly, PlayStation Plus members are getting Skul: The Hero Slayer in April. It’s a fun side-scrolling roguelite platformer that will appeal to fans of Dead Cells.
Castlevania is coming to V Rising
Speaking of Dead Cells, fans of the Metroidvania genre will want to keep an eye on the survival game V Rising later this spring, because it’s getting a superstar crossover.
The world of Castlevania is making its way to V Rising in May, bringing the heroic Simon Belmont with it. Unlike other Castlevania crossovers, though, you won’t be playing as Simon here; you’ll be fighting him.
If you manage to defeat the legendary vampire hunter, you’ll learn the secrets of his fighting style, and you’ll also be able to wield his whip.
The crossover also comes with cosmetic content and new music, so if you’re a fan of Castlevania – and why wouldn’t you be? – then you’ll definitely want to make sure this is on your radar.
Take-Two buys Gearbox Interactive from Embracer
It’s a well-known fact in the gaming industry that Embracer Group is shedding studios and staff at a pretty rapid rate, and the latest studio to leave its umbrella is Borderlands developer Gearbox.
This week, it was announced that Grand Theft Auto parent company Take-Two has purchased Gearbox for around $460 million.
We also learned that work on a new Borderlands game is well and truly underway, so if you’re a fan of the irreverent looter-shooter franchise, you’re quids in.
We don’t know when that Borderlands game will arrive, or even what we can expect from it, but at least we know that the franchise many gamers know and love won’t be coming to an end anytime soon.
Sega lays off staff and sells off Relic Entertainment
Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be a week in the gaming industry without news of layoffs, and that’s exactly what we got this week courtesy of Sega.
According to an internal email seemingly seen by a number of publications (including IGN), Sega laid off around 240 employees this week, mostly concentrated around Sega Europe, Total War studio Creative Assembly, and Sega Hardlight.
As well as those layoffs, Sega also sold off Dawn of War and Age of Empires 4 developer Relic Entertainment, which will now revert to being an independent studio, allowing it to seek whatever publishing partner it wants for upcoming projects.
It’s worth saying that Relic will continue to support its existing games, including Company of Heroes 3 and the aforementioned Age of Empires 4, so if you were worried that your favourite Relic game would disappear, it doesn’t look like you’ve got anything to worry about for the time being.
