The fourth week of September has ended and it brought some huge news stories, especially in regards to the upcoming console war. Sony’s victory seemed all but assured a few weeks ago, but the company’s bungling of pre-orders, coupled with an expensive acquisition by Microsoft, means that the conflict is now anyone’s game.
Microsoft Buys ZeniMax Media, Nabbing Doom, Halo, & The Elder Scrolls In The Process
By far the biggest story of the week was Microsoft beginning the acquisition process for ZeniMax Media, as part of a $7.5 billion deal that will net studios like Bethesda Softworks and id Software. In a single stroke, the Xbox brand now owns Doom, Fallout, and The Elder Scrolls series, to say nothing of the numerous minor franchises and unannounced games that are currently being developed.
The previous console was won by exclusives. The PS4 attracted audiences with games like Bloodborne, Persona 5, and Spider-Man. Microsoft is not going to make the same mistake twice, and it has bought enough massive franchises to match anything that the PS5 can muster.
PS5 Pre-Order Delay Situation Becomes Worse
The PS5 pre-order situation might be worse than anyone imagined, as Sony has been sending out emails to customers regarding pre-order delays. It seems that the first crop of PS5s will be sent out in two batches, with the first aiming for a mid-November release that could still miss the launch date of the system. The second batch is expected to be released in December. There are currently no indications that there will be similar issues with the Xbox Series S/X at launch, but there is plenty of time left for Microsoft to drop the ball.
Sony has messed up its pre-orders, and the apology issued late last week promised that more systems are on the way, but these systems are always snapped up in a matter of seconds. The situation is looking dire for the 2020 holiday season launch of the PS5 and Sony needs to get its act together, and fast.
Konami Shadow-Drops Classic Metal Gear, Castlevania, & Contra Games On PC
Konami is seemingly done with the video game business and only trots out its classic characters to use them in pachinko machines. The company surprised the world (or it would have if it weren’t for the leaks) when it was revealed that a number of its classic games were coming to PC via GOG.
Konami has released Metal Gear, Metal Gear Solid, and Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance on PC, which have been remastered to work on modern systems. The company also released Konami Collector’s Series: Castlevania & Contra, which is a collection of games in one package, including Castlevania, Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, Contra, and Super C. All of these games are now available to purchase on GOG.
Fall Guys Creators Give Away A Skin & Peel Away The Skin Of The Beans
The PC version of Fall Guys has been rife with cheaters since launch, and the developers have finally taken steps to fix the game. All players have now received the Twinklycorn skin as an apology for the situation. More fixes are expected to be on the way, especially with the release of the second season looming on the horizon.
The developers of Fall Guys also dropped a bombshell by revealing the internal anatomy of the beans and it’s…something. It seems as if the beans were designed by H.P. Lovecraft during his brief stint at DreamWorks, as they have horrific bird-like skeletons and massive eyestalks hiding beneath their skin. The developers quickly backtracked and showed a new piece of concept art with a more wholesome anatomy for the beans, but the damage was done, and many fans have been scarred by the horror of Fall Guys.
The 2020 Tokyo Game Show Begins Online
The physical event for the 2020 Tokyo Game Show was canceled due to COVID-19, but it’s now running as a series of streaming shows. Capcom has shown off footage of previously announced games, like Resident Evil: Village, Monster Rise, and Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition, new footage of Dan Hibiki in Street Fighter 5 was released, and Nintendo showed gameplay footage of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.
Microsoft made another valiant attempt at winning over the Japanese market, but it remains to be seen whether it will stick this time. The Xbox Series S has received a price cut, as people complained that it was launching at a higher cost in Japan. Microsoft also revealed a new anime girl mascot for the Xbox brand in Japan, who kind of looks like Futaba from Persona 5.
The 2020 Tokyo Game Show is still running as of the time of writing, and we’ll have a full round-up once it has finished.
