The Digital Insider | Category: Electronic Games

Bō: Path Of The Teal Lotus Console Updates In Flux Due To Humble Games Layoffs

Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus launched to generally solid reviews on July 18, but those playing the hand-drawn action platformer on consoles will have to wait longer for any post-launch updates. Developer Squid Shock Studios revealed that last week’s sudden closure of publisher Humble Games has adversely affected its ability to provide timely support to those versions of the game.

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In a statement posted to Twitter, Squid Shock Studios states that Humble Games’ apparent closure last week, which saw its entire 36-person staff laid off by owner Ziff Davis in what it calls a “restructuring,” has adversely affected its ability to provide post-launch support for the console versions of Bō. The studio states that this is due to the game’s porting and QA support being tied to its deal with Humble. The PC version doesn’t appear to be affected, with the studio currently working on updates for that version. Here’s Squid Shock Studios’ full statement:

We want to give you an update on Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus. We’re really proud of how the launch went and it has been great hearing all of your feedback on our game.

That being said, our launch hasn’t been without its challenges. Most of you will know that our publisher, Humble Games, has effectively shut down, laying off all 35 team members. This took us completely by surprise and, for a small development team like us, it was a critical blow to our post-launch support.

We are now in a difficult situation when it comes to updating the console ports, as both Porting and QA Support was tied into our deal with Humble. We are actively pursuing all available avenues to allow us to roll out updates to console versions, but we regret to say this may take some time to put in place.

We just want to reassure players that we will get this resolved. We are working on updates for the PC version and we want to assure you that these updates and fixes will come to consoles in the future.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

Given the number of games Humble published, both released and upcoming, this likely isn’t the only game or studio to have this kind of wrench thrown into the works due to the sudden layoffs. If you’re planning on picking up Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus, PC seems like the best way to go for the foreseeable future.

Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is inspired by Japanese folklore, with players controlling a warrior named Bō who descends from Heaven to fulfill an ancient prophecy. Armed with his shapeshifting Bō staff, players traverse a dreamlike, Metroidvania-inspired world battling monsters. Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is available now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC.

Heihachi Is Back And Comes To Tekken 8 This Fall

Tekken 8’s next Season 1 fighter was revealed during Evo this weekend, and it’s none other than Heihachi Mishima. The mainstay villain has apparently survived his presumed death (again) and is ready to reclaim his throne.

A cinematic trailer rolls out the red carpet for Heihachi, setting up his return after he was seemingly killed (i.e., tossed into a volcanic lava river) in Tekken 7. The video doesn’t explain how Heihachi managed not to melt into goop, but he does sport a Kazuya-esque scar on his chest now, so he didn’t walk away completely unscathed.

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Heihachi becomes available sometime this fall. He follows Eddy Gordo and Lidia Sobieska, who joined Tekken 8 in the spring (i.e., July 25) and summer, respectively, leaving one fighter left for the winter season. Owners of Tekken 8’s Deluxe, Ultimate, or Collector’s Editions automatically receive these fighters, and each can also be purchased individually for $7.99.

For more on Tekken 8, check out our review.

SNK Vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos Comes To PC, PS4, And Switch With New Features

Perhaps the most unexpected announcement at EVO 2024 was the reveal that 2003’s SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos is being re-released. Not only does this make it available on modern platforms with new bells and whistles, but you can play it right now.

The game was originally launched in 2003 for the Neo Geo arcade before it was ported to PlayStation 2 (in Japan) and Xbox in the U.S. It pits 36 fighters from SNK franchises such as The King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, and Metal Slug 2 against Capcom fighters from series like Street Fighter, Mega Man, Darkstalkers, and more.

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SVC Chaos now features quality-of-life updates such as a hitbox viewer, rollback netcode for online play, and an art gallery. It also makes formerly secret characters Athena and Red Arremer available from the start. The game’s surprise launch on Steam on July 20 followed its reveal, and it comes to PlayStation 4 and Switch today. You can pick it up now for $19.99.

Samurai Jack And Beetlejuice Are Headed To MultiVersus

MultiVersus has two new fighters on the way in the form of Jack from Cartoon Network/Adult Swim’s beloved animated series Samurai Jack and Beetlejuice of, well, Beetlejuice and its upcoming sequel (don’t make me write it a third time). The game is also getting a ranked mode.

Samurai Jack and Beetlejuice are part of the Season 2: Back in Time content, which kicks off tomorrow, July 23. Jack becomes available at launch, letting players cut down opponents using his signature katana (as you can see in the trailer below). Beetlejuice arrives later in the season at an unknown date, so we don’t get to see him in action just yet. However, Warner Bros. confirms he’ll become playable before the September 6 theatrical premiere of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

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Season 2 also introduces a new ranked mode, allowing players to battle for leaderboard points to earn exclusive rank-based cosmetics. A new map, the Warner Bros. Water Tower, will also be added.

MultiVersus is available now on PlayStation and Xbox consoles as well as PC. Since its return, the game has been bolstered by new fighters such as The Joker, The Matrix’s Agent Smith, and Friday the 13th’s Jason Voorhees.

Hot Lap Racing Digital Sweepstakes

Hot Lap Racing is a “simcade” racing game powered by an in-house racing physics engine developed especially for the game. Discover the history of motorsport from GT to Formula 1 and race against your friends or compete online against more players!

Experience 15+ licensed and custom tracks for more than 70 layouts!
50+ cars: Pick from a diverse lineup of over 50 vehicles representing various motorsport categories and eras, such as Formula 1 cars from the 60s to the latest endurance releases.
Cars include the Peugeot 9×8, Alpine A110 GT4, Alfa Romeo 155 DTM, Brabham BT24, Formula Extreme created by the community, Ligier JS P320,Renault R5 Turbo 3E Tracks include Salzburgring, Jarama, Laquais, Navarra, Oschersleben, Gingerman Raceway, and more!
Challenge over 30 champions from the history of motorsports!

Software description provided by the publisher.

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Ready to go for a spin?

We have ten digital codes to give away to celebrate the release of Hot Lap Racing for Nintendo Switch™ and PC. All you have to do is choose your platform below to enter for your chance to win one.

Daily entry is available until 11:59 PM CST, July 31, 2024. You will be contacted via email after the sweepstakes closes, so be sure to use an email you check frequently. Full sweepstakes rules are available with entry below. Good Luck!

Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl Hit With Another Delay, Now Launching In November

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl has suffered yet another delay. The long-awaited post-apocalyptic shooter was slated to arrive on September 5 but will now launch on November 20 to give developer GSC Game World more time to address technical issues.

Additionally, the studio announced it will release its first-ever Developer Deep Dive video to give a comprehensive behind-the-scenes look at the game. The video will feature new gameplay footage, overviews of its world and locations, a full walkthrough of a story quest, and developer interviews. It is being made in collaboration with Xbox and will premiere on August 12.

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The delay marks another bump in the road for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. It was formally unveiled in 2020 after years of teases at the Xbox Games Showcase but has hit snags along the way, including garnering backlash for now-canceled plans for NFT implementation. The biggest disruption was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, where GSC Game World is based, which upended development and forced the staff to relocate to Prague, Czech Republic (though some team members actively fought and sadly perished in the war). Despite all of this, the game has managed to come together, and we even played it during Summer Game Fest this year.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl launches on November 20 for Xbox Series X/S and PC. It will launch day one on Xbox Game Pass. If nothing else, this delay gives players more time to catch up with the Xbox re-release of the original games that arrived earlier this year.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Is Verified For Steam Deck

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is one of the year’s biggest RPGs, and now players will be able to take it on the go. BioWare has updated the game’s Steam page to confirm it’s been verified for Steam Deck.

We’re making great progress towards our fall launch date, and can confirm early that #DragonAge: The Veilguard is going all-in on @Steam features!
We’re verified on Steam Deck.
We’ll be Steam native – meaning the EA App will not be required to play the game.

Details on…

— Dragon Age (@dragonage) July 25, 2024

As spotted by Hrungr on X, this means that The Veilguard will be fully functional on Valve’s handheld, which has not been confirmed until now. Consider this a quick PSA for PC players who enjoy playing their role-playing games on the small(ish) screen.

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To learn more about Dragon Age: The Veilguard, you can catch up on a bevy of exclusive in-depth previews about the game from our last cover story by visiting this hub.

Fall In Love With Sexy Household Objects In Date Everything

In Date Everything, those looking for romance don’t need to look any further than their refrigerator, smoke alarm, or dining room table. That’s because this wacky sandbox dating sim by developer Sassy Chap is all about forming relationships with everyday household objects that, it turns out, are actually pretty hot.

The game bestows players with special “Dateviator” glasses that allow them to speak with objects and see them in their true, absurdly attractive forms. Dozens of objects await your affection – even elements like air and water can be courted – and branching dialogue can lead to three relationship resolutions for each character (Love, Friend, Hate). Whatever you decide will be reflected in the ever-changing 3D overworld that is your house.

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Date Everything boasts over 100 voiced characters played by performers that include Felicia Day (Critical Role, Supernatural), Johnny Yong Bosch (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Bleach), and Grey DeLisle (Scooby-Doo, Avatar: The Last Airbender). Given the huge amount of speaking roles, Date Everything boasts 1.2 million words and 70,000 voiced lines.

Date Everything looks delightfully silly, but it unfortunately doesn’t have a release window. It will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC.

Netflix’s Bioshock Film Now Has A Smaller Scope Due To Budget Cuts

Netflix’s upcoming film adaptation of Bioshock is still happening, but it won’t be as grand as originally planned. During a panel at the San Diego Comic-Con yesterday, the film’s director and producer revealed the movie now has a reduced scope due to budget cuts.

As reported by Variety, producer Roy Lee (Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, The Lego Movie) revealed during Collider’s Producers on Producers panel that since the film’s announcement in February 2022, a regime change at Netflix has affected the project. Netflix’s film chief at that time, Scott Stuber, has since been replaced by Dan Lin. While Stuber emphasized large spending for an expansive film slate, Lin has scaled back to a more modest strategy. This means the Bioshock film’s budget has been reduced, with director Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) stating its been reworked as a “more personal film”.

“The new regime has lowered the budgets,” Roy Lee said. “So we’re doing a much smaller version. … It’s going to be a more personal point of view, as opposed to a grander, big project.”

A partnership between Netflix, Bioshock publisher Take-Two Interactive, and Vertigo Entertainment is bringing the Bioshock film to life. In addition to Lawrence and Lee serving as director and producer, respectively, Michael Green (Loga, Blade Runner 2049, American Gods) was announced as its writer in August 2022.

[Source: Variety]

Mortal Kombat 1 Khaos Reigns Story DLC Arrives In September, New Guest Fighters And Animalities Revealed

Mortal Kombat 1’s much-anticipated story expansion has been revealed, and it’s called Khaos Reigns. It unfolds after the events of the story campaign and centers on the invasion of Titan Havik from an alternate reality, who seeks to spread anarchy across all timelines.

The expansion’s cinematic story introduces new playable characters, Noob Saibot and the now female Sektor and Cyrax. These three fighters make up half of Kombat Pack 2 and will be available when the DLC launches on September 24.

In keeping with the tradition of prior games, the second half of Kombat Pack 2 features guest fighters from various films. Scream’s Ghostface, Terminator 2’s T-1000, and Conan the Barbarian are on the way, but there’s no release window for their arrival. Kombat Pack 2 comes included with Khaos Reigns and cannot be purchased as a standalone character bundle.

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Animalities are making their return as a free content update upon Khaos Reigns’ release. First introduced in Mortal Kombat 3 and last seen in 2011’s Mortal Kombat, these beastial finishing moves see fighters morph into animals to eviscerate opponents. The trailer reveals Mileena can turn into a giant, horrifying praying mantis, for example, and a press release states every playable fighter will have an Animality (which would include the movie-born guest fighters for an interesting thought).

Speaking of free content, today, owners will receive the MK95 Scorpion skin modeled after his appearance in the live-action 1995 Mortal Kombat film.

Khaos Reigns launches digitally on September 24 for all platforms MK1 is available on. It will run for $49.99 on every platform except for Switch, where it costs $39.99. You can read our review of the base game here.