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Category: Gaming

Game Empress’s main gaming hub — featuring news, opinions, industry analysis, and coverage of the games and developers shaping the medium today.

  • Gloomhaven Studio’s Demo Debuts Alongside Devastating Downsizing

    Gloomhaven Studio’s Demo Debuts Alongside Devastating Downsizing

    Indie developer Flaming Fowl Studios, known for games like Fable Fortune and Gloomhaven, made a surprising move by releasing a demo for their new game, Ironmarked, on Steam while laying off more than half of their employees.

    Flaming Fowl explained that due to financial challenges in the games industry, they had to pause production on Ironmarked and reduce their studio size. They hope that sharing the demo will highlight the talent of their former team members and help them find new jobs.

    The studio was started in 2016 by former Lionhead employees to finish and release Fable Fortune after Lionhead closed. They later created Gloomhaven, a popular dungeon crawler based on a tabletop game.

    Craig Oman, Flaming Fowl’s CEO, mentioned that Ironmarked was dropped by its publisher in 2023, and despite funding development themselves, they struggled to find a new publisher interested in the game. Many publishers now prefer very large or very small projects, leaving mid-sized games like Ironmarked in a tough spot.

    If you want to know about other news related to gaming, then you can also read these articles by clicking on the links given below:

    After the layoffs, Flaming Fowl’s team is now focusing on developing a smaller self-funded strategy game by the end of 2024. They hope that by sharing Ironmarked’s demo and gaining more wishlists on Steam, they can attract a publisher willing to support the game.

    Ironmarked is described as a co-op RPG with turn-based combat, set in a fantasy world inspired by medieval Italy. Players hire mercenaries for quests, each with unique abilities and personalities that affect gameplay.

  • Dragon’s Dogma 2 Patch Nerfs The Grind: Did Capcom Chicken Out?

    Dragon’s Dogma 2 Patch Nerfs The Grind: Did Capcom Chicken Out?

    Dragon’s Dogma 2 is designed to be tough. It’s not like games where you easily defeat enemies. Here, when you finish a hard battle and find an inn to heal, that relief is intense.

    Capcom made Dragon’s Dogma 2 intentionally hard. The fights are tough, sometimes feeling unfair. Griffins might even join your battles unexpectedly. This game aims to show the tough journey of becoming a hero in a fantasy world.

    Dragon's Dogma 2
    Dragon’s Dogma 2

    Even finishing the game isn’t just about defeating the dragon. The hero (Arisen) isn’t like a typical hero. Winning the game and sitting on the throne doesn’t end everything.

    The game cleverly weaves in extra challenges and replays into the story. Starfield tried this too, but Dragon’s Dogma 2 nails it better by focusing on breaking the typical hero cycle.

    In Dragon’s Dogma 2, part of the thrill is climbing onto a boss to defeat it or distracting enemies with bait. The constant threat of Dragonsplague adds to the tension.

    The game originally had Dragonsplague as a dangerous element. Some players didn’t like this because it could destroy important places and characters. But that’s what made the game interesting.

    It’s disappointing when important characters can’t be harmed. In other games like Starfield or Skyrim, some characters are invincible for story reasons.

    Dragon’s Dogma 2 isn’t perfect, but it’s immersive. Your actions matter. For example, fighting a dragon near Griffin territory makes things tougher.

    Only a few players have faced Dragonsplague. They warned others about it. Now, Capcom is reducing the chance of encountering it, which might go against the game’s original design.

    The game aims to be tough and real. It’s not about making things easy for players. The developer should stick to this vision, even if it’s not what every player wants.

  • Take-Two Scores Big Win: NBA 2K Tattoo Lawsuit Dunked

    Take-Two Scores Big Win: NBA 2K Tattoo Lawsuit Dunked

    Take-Two has successfully defended itself in a lawsuit where a tattoo artist claimed the company used their copyrighted tattoo design without permission in NBA 2K, featuring LeBron James.

    _NBA 2K Tattoo Lawsuit Dunked
    _NBA 2K Tattoo Lawsuit Dunked

    A jury in Ohio decided that Take-Two did not break copyright law by including LeBron James’ tattoos in the game. Take-Two’s lawyers argued that they had permission to use James’ likeness, which included his tattoos.

    According to Take-Two’s attorney Dale Cendali, this verdict is a win for anyone who has tattoos and might worry about how their tattoos are shown in public.

    This lawsuit is not the first time tattoos have been a legal issue in video games. In 2016, a tattoo company called Solid Oak Sketches sued Take-Two over NBA players’ tattoos, claiming they owned the copyright to the designs. Take-Two also won that case.

    In another case in 2012, an artist sued THQ for using a tattoo he created on a UFC fighter in a video game without his permission. That case was settled out of court.

    These cases show that the use of tattoos in video games can be a complex legal issue involving copyright and permission from tattoo artists.

  • Early Access Exodus! Steam Zombie Game Finally Breaks Free After a Decade-Long Uprising

    Early Access Exodus! Steam Zombie Game Finally Breaks Free After a Decade-Long Uprising

    After more than a decade in Steam Early Access, the zombie survival game 7 Days to Die is finally getting its official version 1.0 launch. With a ‘very positive’ rating from over 210,000 Steam reviews, it’s a game worth trying. The price will go up after the launch, but there will be a big sale before then.

    7 Days to Die has been in Early Access since 2013 – almost 12 years! Fans have loved it, and now the developer, The Fun Pimps, feels ready to release the full version.

    After 20 Early Access releases, The Fun Pimps feels satisfied with the progress. They’ve improved the game’s art, performance, and overall quality for PC and consoles.

    The roadmap shows what’s coming in version 1.0 and beyond, with updates planned until 2025. Some Kickstarter goals will be achieved after the full launch.

    The 1.0 launch brings remade vehicles, new animals, better zombie variety, challenges, and more. After launch, expect an overhauled weather system, new biomes, a wardrobe system, crossplay, bandits, story mode, and more quests.

    The co-founder, Richard Huenink, says they’re amazed by the game’s popularity and thankful for the community’s support.

    7 Days to Die 1.0 launches in June 2024 (with an experimental launch in May) for $44.99. Before the price increase, there’s a big Steam sale from April 22 to April 29, offering a 76% discount. It’s your last chance to get the game cheap!

  • Red Rover Interactive Blasts Off with $15M Series A Funding Round

    Red Rover Interactive Blasts Off with $15M Series A Funding Round

    Red Rover Interactive has announced that it has raised $15 million in funding for its Series A round. This is the second time Red Rover has raised money within a year, after its initial seed funding last June. Both rounds of funding will support Red Rover’s upcoming survival game, codenamed Project Coltrane.

    Krafton led this funding round, with support from Tirta Ventures and Overwolf, along with existing investors The Games Fund, Behold Ventures, Lifelike Capital, and Acequia Capital. Maria Park, VP head of Krafton’s corporate development division, mentioned that Krafton is interested in Red Rover and Project Coltrane because of similarities to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG).

    Red Rover’s focus on player feedback and iterative design aligns with PUBG’s philosophy, as observed through regular playtests with players and streamers.

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    Project Coltrane is described by Red Rover as a post-apocalyptic survival game where trains are a key element. Red Rover aims to bring a unique twist to the survival genre with this game. With the new funding, Red Rover plans to expand its development team and speed up the game’s progress.

    Fred Richardson, Red Rover’s CEO, highlighted their approach of involving the community and content creators early in the development process. This approach, focusing on what matters most to players, has been crucial to their rapid progress.

  • Mario Kart 8: Stats Don’t Lie – Picking the Winning Character Every Time

    Mario Kart 8: Stats Don’t Lie – Picking the Winning Character Every Time

    Everyone has their favorite Mario Kart character to play as, but is there a character that can give you an advantage over others – to go a bit faster or recover quicker?

    Yes, some characters are mathematically better than others. This is true even when you consider the different kart parts – bodies, wheels, and gliders – that you can mix and match to adjust your racer’s stats. So, how do you choose?

    Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Update
    Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Update

    A data scientist named Antoine Mayerowitz researched this. He found that there are 703,560 different build options when you consider all the characters and kart pieces. But many of these are very similar, so you can narrow it down to 25,704 unique options.

    From there, you need to figure out which ones work best for different styles of play, whether you prefer speed or acceleration. Mayerowitz used a method from Vilfredo Pareto, a clever thinker from the 1800s, to find the best options.

    The fastest characters based on speed are Bowser and Wario, but they lack acceleration. The best overall character according to Pareto’s analysis is Cat Peach, although you could also choose Villager (female), Inkling Girl, or Diddy Kong.

    There are several good options to choose from. However, some characters, like Koopa Trooper, are usually not the best choice. Using Pareto’s method, Mayerowitz found 585 builds with unique speed and acceleration properties, then narrowed it down to 14 most efficient candidates.

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    Reducing the options from 703,560 to 14 is a good start. You can use a tool called X’s 3D to explore these options further. Donkey Kong, Wario, and Peach often stand out with this tool.

    The analysis concludes with a popular build used by professional players: Peach, the Teddy Buggy, Roller tires, and the Cloud Glider. This setup optimizes speed, acceleration, and mini turbo boost. However, you might prefer playing as a different character. I like playing as Toad because I prefer smaller, speedier characters.

    The research is fascinating, even though the differences in performance are small. It’s worth experimenting with these findings. But will it stop you from playing as Koopa?

  • Helldivers 2: Brace For Retreat! Devs Warn Of Strategic Loss In Next Major Order

    Helldivers 2: Brace For Retreat! Devs Warn Of Strategic Loss In Next Major Order

    Helldivers 2 players have been dealing big blows to the robot Automatons and space crab Terminids lately. But now, these enemies are really mad and want payback. A developer from Arrowhead Studios warns that it’s going to be tough for troops to hold them off.

    Helldivers 2 Players Spot Warbond Armor
    Helldivers 2 Players Spot Warbond Armor

    Recently, Helldivers defeated two billion space crabs in just half a day and pushed back the Automatons in the Galactic West. But this success has made the enemies angry and determined.

    The game’s community manager, Spitz, shared some inside info on the game’s Discord channel. He mentioned that players will intentionally lose ground on one front. They’ve provoked the space crabs and given the robots time to recover. Now, both factions are fighting hard to reclaim territory.

    Defending against these attacks will happen a lot, and players need to decide where to focus their efforts. But it’s unlikely they’ll be able to protect everything.

    Spitz’s advice for players is to choose their battles wisely and focus on specific planets. In the past, dividing forces and lack of focus caused Helldivers to lose against the Automatons. So, being organized and setting priorities will be crucial this time. Good luck, troopers!

  • Stardew Valley Delves Deeper: New Mine Layouts And Mysterious Fish Frenzy!

    Stardew Valley Delves Deeper: New Mine Layouts And Mysterious Fish Frenzy!

    It seems like ConcernedApe (Eric Barone), the creator of Stardew Valley, is constantly working on updates for the game. After the big 1.6 update a month ago and a few follow-up patches, now there’s a new mini-update called 1.6.4.

    This update adds more mine layouts once you reach the bottom of the mines and also includes new layouts for the volcano mines.

    Stardew Valley is a farming game where players can explore deep mines and even volcano mines. In this update, many bugs have been fixed, including issues with disappearing pets (pets are a new feature in 1.6), and some changes have been made to balance the game.

    There are also improvements for modders and players who use mods, as ConcernedApe promised that 1.6 would be mod-friendly.

    One interesting addition mentioned in the update is “fish frenzies.” This could mean that during certain times or weather conditions, you might encounter a lot of fish all at once, making fishing more exciting.

    PCGamer also noted that two inappropriate names have been removed from the name generator, but it’s not clear what those names were.

    Despite the frequent updates, fans hope for a break so ConcernedApe can work on his next game, Haunted Chocolatier. It’s exciting to think about having two great life simulation games to enjoy!

  • Did Helldivers 2 Players Squash 2 Billion Bugs In A Blitzkrieg? Or Is The Kill Counter Bugged?

    Did Helldivers 2 Players Squash 2 Billion Bugs In A Blitzkrieg? Or Is The Kill Counter Bugged?

    The developers of Helldivers 2 recently set a challenge for players: defeat two billion Terminids in about six days. Surprisingly, players reached this goal in just 12 hours, which is a lot faster than expected.

    Some players are wondering if the game was keeping track of kills correctly during this challenge.

    One player noticed what they believed to be an issue with how kills were being counted. They calculated that Helldivers 2 was counting three Terminid kills for every kill made.

    The Current MO is triple counting kills.
    byu/The_Mandorawrian inHelldivers

    Another player mentioned that this might be similar to how ‘Personal Orders’ work in the game. If a team of players collectively kills a certain number of enemies, the game might count it as if each player individually killed that many enemies.

    Right now, there isn’t solid evidence to support these claims, but they do seem reasonable. The game developers haven’t commented on this issue yet, but they usually communicate with players through Discord and Twitter, so we might hear from them soon.

  • The Monolith Sleeps, Astor Awakes: A New Name Dawns For The Epic RPG

    The Monolith Sleeps, Astor Awakes: A New Name Dawns For The Epic RPG

    C2 Game Studio has renamed their third-person action RPG, Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients, to Astor: Blade of the Monolith. This game will be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam in 2024.

    Luis Correa, the founder and game director of C2 Game Studio, explained the reason for the rebranding: “We wanted Astor: Blade of the Monolith to have a strong, unique identity that stands out. We think the new title offers something punchier and more distinct. And you won’t have to wait long to play it, as Astor: Blade of the Monolith will launch on all platforms later this year!”

    In Astor: Blade of the Monolith, players will explore the vibrant planet of Gliese, once inhabited by an ancient race and now home to their sentient creations called the Diokek. After the ancients disappeared, the Diokek lived peacefully until malevolent creatures known as the Hiltsik began causing chaos among their settlements.

    Astor, a young Diokek warrior, embarks on a journey across Gliese to uncover the mysterious disappearance of his creators thousands of years ago, believing they may have left behind the key to their salvation.

    Inspired by games like Devil May Cry, Bayonetta, and The Legend of Zelda, Astor: Blade of the Monolith features intense combat mechanics and thrilling exploration. Players will learn new attacks, abilities, and combos, harness runic power to summon powerful constructs in battle, and collect legendary weapons to defeat hordes of enemies.

    For more details about Astor: Blade of the Monolith, C2 Game Studio has shared two Dev Logs. The first offers insights into the game’s deep combat system, while the second delves into the mystical world of Gliese.

    If you want to read more articles about other games, check out No Rest For The Wicked Game Release Date and Genshin Impact Version 4.5 Update Release Date. We appreciate your interest in our site! Make Gameempress.com your go-to source for gaming knowledge.

  • Mech Mayhem! New Multiplayer Game Channels Inner Armored Core – Beta Sign-Ups Live!

    Mech Mayhem! New Multiplayer Game Channels Inner Armored Core – Beta Sign-Ups Live!

    Counter-Strike 2 is a popular team-based shooter where teamwork is key. Mecha Break, a new game by Amazing Seasun, combines this cooperative play with the intense mech combat of Armored Core 6. In Mecha Break, 60 players control customized mechs on a massive map in a squad-based battle royale.

    Some mechs are like tanks, leading the charge with heavy damage and clearing obstacles. Others focus on melee combat with swords and spears. The game’s biggest achievement is its balance – mechs feel heavy and realistic but are still agile and easy to control.

    Mecha Break will be released on Steam later in 2024, but before that, there’s a closed beta from Friday, April 26 to Monday, April 29. During specific hours (3 am to 9 am PST / 6 am to 12 pm EST / 10 am to 4 pm GMT / 11 am to 5 pm CEST), players can join the beta to experience the exciting mech battles firsthand. If you’re interested, this is your chance to sign up and try it out!

  • Did Sony Leak The PS5 Pro? New Video Hints at Accidental Reveal!

    Did Sony Leak The PS5 Pro? New Video Hints at Accidental Reveal!

    Sony may have accidentally revealed some details about the rumored PlayStation 5 Pro after taking down a YouTube video with a copyright strike.

    PlayStation 5 Pro Release Date
    PlayStation 5 Pro Release Date

    There’s been talk for a while that Sony is working on a new version of the PlayStation 5 called the PlayStation 5 Pro, which could come out by the end of the year. Although nothing official has been announced, insiders in the gaming industry have been sharing information about the new console, including its specs and any special features that might make it appealing for players to upgrade.

    One YouTube channel, Moore’s Law Is Dead, made a video discussing the PS5 Pro with the latest leaks and their thoughts on the potential console.

    The video was taken down due to a copyright strike from Sony, which has made people think the information might be accurate, or at least close enough to worry Sony.

    While there’s still no official confirmation, it would make sense for Sony to be working on a new console.

    Last year, documents about a new version of the Xbox Series X were leaked during the Microsoft V FTC trial. Earlier this year, more details and even pictures of that new Xbox were leaked too.

    Given this, it’s logical for Sony to consider releasing a more powerful version of the PlayStation 5 to keep up with Microsoft’s new hardware.

    There are also rumors that Sony is already working on the PlayStation 6, which suggests that while the PS5 Pro might be a big upgrade from the current model, there are even more exciting things to come for PlayStation users.

    Rumors suggest that Sony might reveal more about this mysterious console over the summer, with a potential release planned for later this year.

  • Get Over Here! New Gender-Swapped Ninja Infiltrates Mortal Kombat 1

    Get Over Here! New Gender-Swapped Ninja Infiltrates Mortal Kombat 1

    Mortal Kombat 1 just got a new DLC character, Ermac, today. But there’s a potential leak about another DLC character coming in the future.

    A model and fashion designer named Jiwon Ra posted something interesting on Instagram. She said she provided the face model for Harumi Hasashi in Mortal Kombat 1 and hinted that she’ll be in the game as a female version of Scorpion.

    Mortal Kombat 1 DLC Characters Release Date
    Image Source NetherRealm

    It sounds like this version of Scorpion might not be a fully playable character. Her post suggests picking Harumi as a “Kameo” (cameo), using the hashtag #Kameo. This likely means she’ll appear in the game but not as a main character.

    If this leak is real, it could mean a new Scorpion Kameo is coming in Mortal Kombat 1’s Kombat Pack 2, which hasn’t been officially announced yet.

    This wouldn’t be too surprising since they did something similar with Janet Cage in Kombat Pack 1, making her an alternate version of Johnny Cage.

    In the original story, Harumi was the wife of Hanzo Hasashi (Scorpion), who was killed along with their clan. But in Mortal Kombat 11’s timeline, Harumi is alive and married to Kuai Liang (another version of Scorpion).

    For this Kameo, it looks like they’re exploring a different timeline where Harumi becomes Scorpion after Hanzo’s death. We don’t know yet how her moves and appearance will differ from other Scorpions, but it seems she might focus more on using swords.

    Remember, this is just a leak and hasn’t been confirmed by NetherRealm Studios or Warner Bros. There’s only Jiwon Ra’s post as evidence for now.

    We’ll probably have to wait several months for an official announcement, possibly around June at Final Kombat or later this summer after the current DLC finishes with Takeda.

  • Activision Swings the Banhammer: 50,000+ MW3 & Warzone Cheaters Face The Wrath!

    Activision Swings the Banhammer: 50,000+ MW3 & Warzone Cheaters Face The Wrath!

    Call of Duty has been battling against cheaters for more than ten years. In 2021, Activision introduced a special anti-cheat system called ‘RICOCHET’ to fight against cheating in the game. Despite ongoing improvements to their anti-cheat technology, cheating remains a problem in games like Modern Warfare 3 (MW3) and Warzone in 2024.

    Just before Season 3 started, Activision announced that they had banned 27,000 accounts due to cheating. They mentioned that more bans were expected. On April 10, they confirmed that they had indeed banned another 58,000 cheating players. This means that over 85,000 accounts were banned within just five days.

    An Activision spokesperson explained to CharlieIntel that players should not trust cheaters who try to sell subscriptions to cheating tools. They emphasized that their anti-cheat team, Team RICOCHET, is actively targeting cheat vendors.

    As Season 3 began and more ban waves occurred, some players in the community complained that they were wrongly banned. This was especially true for those who used unlock tools, which can lead to permanent bans.

    In response to these complaints, Activision clarified to CharlieIntel that permanent bans in Call of Duty are not mistakes. They stated that all permanent bans are final, and there are no false permanent bans according to their policies.

  • Lightsabers Are Back! Everything We Know About Fortnite & Star Wars Day 2024

    Lightsabers Are Back! Everything We Know About Fortnite & Star Wars Day 2024

    Since 2019, Fortnite has teamed up with Star Wars, and it’s been really popular. The first crossover happened when “Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker” came out. They added Rey and Finn skins and special Lightsaber weapons to the game.

    Every year since then, Fortnite has had Star Wars crossovers. They’ve brought in characters like The Mandalorian, Luke Skywalker, Darth Maul, Darth Vader, and others.

    Now, in 2024, they’re doing it again for the fourth time. This new collaboration is coming just before Star Wars Day on May 4th.

    Here’s what we know about the new Star Wars x Fortnite collab in 2024.

    Fortnite & Star Wars Release Date

    Epic Games just put out a trailer for the new Star Wars crossover in Fortnite. The trailer starts with the line, “I’ve got a good feeling about this…”, which is a famous line from Han Solo in the movies.

    They also announced that the crossover will happen on May 3, 2024, just a day before Star Wars Day on May 4th. The trailer hinted that the Star Wars stuff will be part of LEGO Fortnite and the Fortnite Festival, not just the usual Battle Royale modes.

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    Fortnite & Star Wars Leaks

    In the current Chapter 5 Season 2 of Fortnite, data miners found Star Wars-themed items in the game files, suggesting they might come out in May. Now, with the official announcement of the upcoming collaboration, these rumors and leaks seem more likely.

    According to leaks by HYPEX, the collaboration will include a new powerful weapon called the Wookie Bowcaster, outfits for Rebel Leia Organa and Chewbacca, the return of Lightsabers and Force Abilities, and new LEGO Fortnite stuff.

    Also, it’s been revealed that John Williams’ Cantina Band music will be in the Fortnite Festival on May 3, 2024, as part of a special musical collaboration. There are also leaks about a Rocket Racing track and a Star Wars-themed car.

    Epic Games hasn’t given all the details yet. Players are expecting more news with the next Fortnite update on April 30, 2024.

  • Say Goodbye To Always-Online! No Rest For The Wicked Launch Trailer Promises Freedom

    Say Goodbye To Always-Online! No Rest For The Wicked Launch Trailer Promises Freedom

    I’m a big fan of Ori And The Blind Forest, so I’m excited for Moon Studios’ new game, No Rest For The Wicked. This game is an online action RPG that’s quite different from Ori—it’s all about intense fights against creepy monsters covered in mud and gore.

    In a recent early access release trailer, Moon Studios announced that there will be no microtransactions, no always-online requirement, and no anti-cheat software bundled in the game. This is great news for players who prefer straightforward gaming experiences.

    The game features a variety of cool weapons like fireball staffs, curved blades, bows, claymores, spears, fiery broadswords, and scimitars.

    The monsters you’ll face are also pretty unique—lots of tall, thin creatures with floating tendrils and capes, almost like they could have been basketball players if they weren’t so creepy-looking.

    No Rest For The Wicked will launch on Steam early access on April 18th. The early access version will include the first chapter of the story, many weapons, bosses, additional quests, and a dungeon called “Cerim Crucible” that you can play over and over.

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    The game will also have four-player co-op, PVP (player versus player), new map regions, and more features added before it’s fully released.

    If you’re curious about how the game plays, you can check out Katharine’s preview from Rock Paper Shotgun (RPS). She found the game very challenging but also compelling and exciting. Despite tough battles and scary enemies, she couldn’t wait to dive back in and explore more of the game’s world.