GameNama Weekly #17
Ali Hasan January 16, 2023
Welcome back to GameUtha.com’s GameNama Weekly, where we bring you the latest and greatest from the gaming world every single week! In this week’s coverage, we have news of yet another delay to a long-awaited title from Ubisoft along with updates on Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard. Also, in this week’s coverage is news of a potential Dead Space movie and the initial reactions to The Last of Us TV series. For this and more, continue reading!
A Dead Space Movie is in the Works
The Dead Space remake is around the corner, with the game launching in just under two weeks and rumblings of another project related to the franchise have already started. Legendary horror director, John Carpenter (best known for the 1978 smash hit, Halloween) recently let slip that a Dead Space movie is in the works. Carpenter expressed interest in directing a movie based on the popular horror survival game last year but it seems like a completely different director is attached to the project now.
In a recent interview, he said ‘Oh, when are you gonna do it?’ I’m not gonna do it. I think they already have another director involved. And they haven’t asked me to do it. So, until someone asks me, I wouldn’t do it. But there’s a new version of the Dead Space video game coming out in January, and I’m there.” The supposed Dead Space movie is yet to be officially announced. The Dead Space remake launches on January 27. 2023.
Skull and Bones Delayed Yet Again
Skull and Bones, the pirate adventure game from Ubisoft was initially revealed to be in development in 2013. The game was a pseudo-spin-off of Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag, essentially taking the fan-favorite naval battles and ship traversal mechanics from that title to create an entirely new offering. The game was officially revealed in 2017 with a 2018 release date but since then, has faced delay after delay.
Earlier last year Ubisoft finally re-revealed the game with a firm release date slated for late 2022, but that too got delayed following a lukewarm technical test. The latest delay comes following Ubisoft’s cancellation of several unannounced titles with Skull and Bones being delayed due to ongoing feedback and polishing resulting from additional technical tests. Skull and Bones is currently set to be released in the fiscal year of 2023.
Ubisoft Cancels Several Unannounced Games
Ubisoft has had a tough couple of years as the company faced harassment lawsuits, aging franchises, and games not performing up to par. Last week, in addition to delaying Skull and Bones yet again, Ubisoft announced that it had canceled three unannounced games. Ubisoft said it was facing “major challenges as the industry continues to shift towards mega-brands and long-lasting titles”.
The French gaming giant also said that it will be more cautious about new projects going forward. It is unclear what these titles were but it’s safe to assume that all announced projects should continue as normal. Earlier last year Ubisoft axed seven announced titles. Bringing the total to ten.
Google and Nvidia express concerns over Microsoft’s Acquisition of Activision-Blizzard
As the high-profile acquisition of Activision-Blizzard by Microsoft continues, two more major players threw their hats into the ring. Both Google and Nvidia stated to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that this deal will grant Microsoft an upper hand in cloud streaming, mobile, and subscription. Up until now, Sony has been very vocal about not wanting this deal to come to fruition, Google and Nvidia’s statements effectively put more pressure on the deal.
Even though Microsoft has stated that Call of Duty, Activision’s biggest franchise won’t become a console exclusive (and even offered to put the long-running first-person shooter franchise day one on Sony’s PS+ subscription) Sony has not shown any signs of backing down. The deal is set to close sometime in 2023 but that is looking bleaker and bleaker now.
Xbox and Bethesda Showcase Slated for January 25
Xbox didn’t have the greatest year when it came to 2022. While its main competitors, Sony and Nintendo put out some incredible exclusive titles for their respective consoles Microsoft failed to put up a great lineup with their biggest title of the year, Starfield, being delayed into 2023. Microsoft, however, said that 2023 is going to be the biggest year for Xbox and it certainly looks to be it as an Xbox and Bethesda showcase is slated for next week.
While this show won’t feature Starfield (a separate in-depth event is planned for that title) it will feature previously announced Xbox titles like Redfall, the new Forza Motorsport, and Minecraft Legends. The Xbox Bethesda showcase is slated for January 25, 2023.
The Last of Us TV Show Receives Widespread Critical Acclaim
The television adaptation of the Last of Us is probably the most anticipated new TV series of this year. The show stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay in the roles of Joel and Ellie with game creator Neil Druckkman and Craig Mazin (the mastermind behind the excellent Chernobyl series) at the helm.
The show premiered on January 15 and the reception has been extremely positive. It currently holds an aggregate of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes which is one of the highest for any TV show ever, in addition to being the highest rating for a video game adaptation. The first season of The Last of Us is now airing on HBO with new episodes available every Sunday.
That’s all for this week! tune in next week right here on Gameutha.com to make sure you’re updated on the latest happenings in the gaming world.
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