Here’s who they are:

Orcs Must Die! 3 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – April 17

Orcs Must Die! 3 ushers orc-slaying mayhem to a previously unimaginable scale. Solo, or 2-player co-op, arm yourself with a massive arsenal of traps and weapons. Slice, burn, toss, and zap hordes of repugnant orcs in this long-awaited successor to the award-winning tower defense series.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (Cloud, Console, and PC) – April 23

Available on day one with Game Pass! Gather your allies for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, the grand JRPG adventure. Assemble your 6-party team from a cast of over a hundred heroes and shape your destiny in this lush, hand-crafted 2.5D world brimming with war, intrigue, and magic. Manage your town of vibrant characters, play delightful mini-games, and prepare for an unforgettable narrative of boundless charm.

Another Crab’s Treasure (Cloud, Console, and PC) – April 25

Available on day one with Game Pass! A soulslike adventure set in a crumbling underwater world. As Kril the hermit crab, you’ll need to wear the trash around you as shells to withstand attacks from enemies many times your size. Embark on an epic treasure hunt to buy back your repossessed shell and discover the dark secrets behind the polluted ocean.

Manor Lords (Game Preview) (PC) – April 26

Available on day one with Game Pass! Manor Lords is a medieval strategy game featuring in-depth city building, large-scale tactical battles and complex economic and social simulations. Rule your lands as a medieval lord — the seasons pass, the weather changes and cities rise and fall.

Have A Nice Death (Cloud, Console, and PC) – April 30

In this darkly charming 2D action roguelike, play as an overworked Death, whose employees have run rampant, completely throwing off the balance of souls – and his vacation plans. Grab your trusty scythe and show your employees who’s boss.

Game Munchables confirmed about what happened in a post on X and said it will try to stop the transactions. According to blockchain company PeckShield, the hacker stole 17,400 Ether worth around $63 million at current prices. Public data on crypto transactions confirm the estimates.

However, the exploiter appears to have changed his mind and returned the funds in full later that day, according to blockchain data. Munchables announced that “all user funds are safe,” in a post on X, adding in a separate post that the hacker did not insist on any conditions.

The game is built on top of Blast, a so-called Layer 2 that promises more efficient transactions than established blockchains, as well as loyalty points similar to airlines.

Gamers in Munchables try to win prizes by taking care of digital creatures. Earlier this week, the game said that the value of tokens stored in its log has passed $80 million.

According to Immunefi, a platform offering rewards to professionals who find security flaws in cryptographic software, security exploits were worth a total of about $1.8 billion last year, down about 50 percent from 2022.

Nintendo announced plans to create an animated Super Mario movie on Sunday, The Indian EXPRESS reports. Animation studio Illumination will join the process of creating the film.

The two companies are also partnering in the creation of the movie “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”. Its run grossed over $1.3 billion, making it the second-highest-grossing movie in theaters behind “Barbie”.

Nintendo and Illumination share that the new Super Mario movie will hit theaters in April 2026 worldwide. The film will be financed by the Japanese technology giant in the production of electronic games, as well as by Universal Pictures, which company will distribute the film worldwide.

News of the film’s creation was announced in a video by Shigeru Miyamoto and Chris Meledandri, who shared details about the idea. Illumination Studios Paris, who were involved in the creation of the first film, will work on writing the script for the second. In the video, it is also reported that the work on the creation of the new film will begin soon.

Nintendo is sharing almost no information regarding the plot of the new movie. What is known is that it will focus entirely on Super Mario and the inhabitants of the Mushroom Kingdom.

The Japanese game company made no reference that the new film would be a “sequel” to the series.

“It’ll have a bright and fun story”. “This time we’re thinking about broadening Mario’s world further.”announced Miyamoto.

We all know Nintendo as a company for creating computer games and consoles. In the past few months, however, the company has taken a new direction related to the creation of an entertainment empire.

The company will engage in the creation of amusement parks and film production. The new change in the organization hints at its desire to target new territory that is beyond the console market.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Super Mario, is working on new projects to bring the tech company into the film industry as well. He’s helping Nintendo make a new transition, transforming from a game-making organization to a Disney-like entertainment powerhouse.

Read more:
1. Authors Sue NVIDIA for Plagiarism
2. Calls for AI Regulation
3. ChatGPT Now Reads Cooking Recipes While Walking Around the Kitchen

During the Developer_Direct show we previously told you about, details were released of five new TOP titles that will be released on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Game Pass and/or cloud later this year. Joe Scrabbles, Xbox Wire’s Editor-in-Chief, tells us the details around them on the Microsoft blog.

Joe, who along with fellow team members attended the show, shares with readers that during the show guests had the opportunity to visit the studios that created the games Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Avowed, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II and Ara: History Untold,.

The developers of the big name games in turn allowed attendees a glimpse into the workings of their creation.

Here’s what Joe Scrabbles has to say about the TOP games coming out this year

Avowed – launching in the fall of 2024

Game Director Carrie Patel shares details around gameplay in Obsidian’s upcoming fantasy action RPG – from the dynamic combat, to the thoughtful reactivity, to the “colorful, vibrant and strange” world in The Living Lands.

What you get from it is that Avowed continues Obsidian’s characteristic style of making games with deep themes and player choice at the forefront.

Avowed’s aim is to offer choice in combat as well. From gameplay director Gabe Paramo, we find out more about the game’s weapons and their variety – from melee weapons, guns and bows for long-range combat to magic wands. You’ll also have the option of changing gear.

Art director Matt Hansen makes it clear that The Living Lands is a mysterious island made up of extremely diverse regions that offer visually varied backgrounds and intriguing environments to explore. With secrets hidden in the regions, you’ll be introduced to deserts, verdant forests, volcanoes and more.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II – launched on 21 May

Developer_Direct attendees get a behind-the-scenes look at the game’s studio in Cambridge to get a closer look at Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, and meet some of the team, as well as learn more about work on the new title, which is in its final months of development.
The video talks more about Senua’s new journey, which takes her to Iceland, a ruthless country ravaged by myth and tyranny. The video gives a new glimpse into Senua’s experience of the world, seen through her eyes as someone experiencing psychosis. Senua’s violent battles that she fights are also in view of the audience.

We also find out details about what players can expect from the game’s story and how the spatial audio will immerse players deep into the world of Hellblade.

Ara: History Untold – Launching Fall 2024

Oxide Games executives give an all-new look at the game, and also share more details around the major features that will appear in Ara: History Untold.

During the show, viewers had the opportunity to learn more details around the system the game was developed with, as well as the unique approach to simultaneous moves and more.

A curious fact
Did you know that the Oxide Games studio partially includes former Civilization developers? Oxide Games has announced that the game will only be released for PC for the time being.

Visions of Mana – Launching Summer 2024

In a surprise appearance, Square Enix joined the show to present Visions of Mana, the first new mainline entry in the series in over 15 years, and its debut on Xbox platforms. Series producer Masaru Oyamada presented a sneak peek at the gorgeous new RPG, sharing gameplay and behind the scenes footage before its launch in Summer 2024.

Koichi Ishii – father of the Mana series and creator of many of its iconic monsters – discussed the implementation and design of the enemies in Visions of Mana, and introduced the adorable new animal companions, “pikuls” and explained the design process behind them.

Oyamada then shared some details regarding the game’s score and revealed that the tracklist for Visions of Mana contains 100 songs in total, including works from musical talent who worked on previous Mana games. Oyamada also shared details of the adaptive music system that allows seamless transition from map exploration to battles, demonstrating a snippet of the background music changing as you enter or leave combat.

Oyamada also revealed that in Visions of Mana, The Elementals will assist the player in battle in the form of specialized items, which will each have a different effect in combat. Combined with aerial combat that allows for weapons and magic to be used in mid-air, the combat is fast-paced and flexible.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – Launching 2024

The official reveal of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was debuted during Developer_Direct with over 13 minutes of gameplay footage and developer insights. This new journey starring the legendary archaeologist comes from the award-winning team at MachineGames – the minds behind Wolfenstein: The New Order and Wolfenstein: The New Colossus – in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games and executive produced by Bethesda Game Studios’ Todd Howard.

Which are they?

• YouTube.com/Xbox
• YouTube.com/Bethesda
• Twitch.tv/Xbox
• Twitch.tv/XboxASL
• Twitch.tv/Bethesda
• Facebook.com/Xbox

Which regional channels will the show air on?

The show will also be streamed simultaneously on regional Xbox and Bethesda channels around the globe, as well as on Steam.

Indiana Jones game

What will feature Developer_Direct?

Developer_Direct will feature an in-depth look at upcoming Xbox titles from the developers themselves including the Indiana Jones game, Avowed, Ara: History Untold, and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.

It will be a big day

On January 18 other two livestreams will be streamed. Earlier in the day, Blizzard will host a Diablo IV Developer Update Livestream at 7:00 pm EET. Shortly after Developer_Direct, ZeniMax Online Studios will host The Elder Scrolls Online 2024 Global Reveal at 11 pm EET to preview 2024’s biggest update.

The Developer_Direct will not contain new details on upcoming Activision Blizzard games.

For more details visit here.

Despite a few fake versions of the game’s trailer being released beforehand, which even included the watermark, Rockstar managed to upload the real trailer to their Rockstar Games YouTube channel.

In just 12 hours, the trailer has almost 60 million views on YouTube, 568 thousand comments and 7 million likes.

Fans of GTA 6 are fascinated by the way the game has been made and are eagerly awaiting its release, even though it is over a year away.

GTA 6 is expected to be released in 2025.

Emphasizing the ROI in the Player Experience
The Return on Investment (ROI) stands out as a crucial metric underscoring the significance of the PX. Research indicates that each $1 allocated to enhancing the player experience can result in a $3 return. This underscores the considerable financial benefits that gaming companies can unlock by prioritizing the delivery of outstanding player experiences.

Beyond Financial Advantages
The impact of investing in player experiences within the gaming industry extends beyond mere monetary gains. Through seamless API integration with LLMs such as LLaMa, gaming companies can afford players convenient access to vital features like in-game assistance, tips, and enriched virtual environments. This not only heightens player satisfaction but also reinforces player loyalty and engagement.

Favorable Effects of AI-Powered Assistance:
Harnessing AI-powered assistance for player experience optimization yields further positive outcomes. It simplifies player interactions, leading to diminished operational costs and heightened efficiency. Through the automation of routine tasks and the provision of precise and timely information, gaming providers can redirect resources toward addressing more intricate and strategic facets of game development.

Proving value in a competitive environment:
In the swiftly changing landscape of the gaming industry, showcasing the significance of PX and its correlated ROI is crucial. Embracing cutting-edge AI technologies, such as the DeepInfra API models, enables gaming companies to create smooth and personalized gaming experiences for their players. This leads to increased satisfaction, enhanced engagement, and, ultimately, greater success in the gaming industry.

Elevating the player experience isn’t just a smart business choice; it’s a strategic step towards cultivating lasting player relationships and maintaining a leading position in the competitive gaming industry.

“We regularly review our businesses and make adjustments to center on long-term strategic growth areas. Following a recent review, we’ve made the difficult decision to restructure our gaming business,” a ByteDance spokesperson told TechCrunch in a statement.

The round of mass layoffs began today and many Nuverse employees are awaiting a decision on their future. It is unclear how many employees will be affected by the restructuring. The unit employs about 3,000 people, according to Chinese tech news publication LatePost.

The value of ByteDance’s spending in recent years on acquisitions is in the billions of dollars. This includes a $4 billion purchase of a Shanghai studio called Moonton. Earlier this month, Reuters reported that the company wanted to sell the studio and had met for discussions with another Saudi Arabian company.

ByteDance’s struggles in the video game industry, as well as its foray into virtual reality with Pico, raise questions about the broad effectiveness of its data-driven A/B testing approach that propelled TikTok to worldwide prominence. While ByteDance has accumulated an unparalleled wealth of consumer insights through its short video apps, the success of video games requires a more protracted and patient creative process, presenting a challenge distinct from the immediate satisfaction provided by dopamine-infused video clips. In contrast, competitors Tencent and NetEase are investing heavily in games with lengthier development cycles.

The extensive layoffs at Nuverse contribute to the ongoing challenges faced by the Chinese internet industry, which has been grappling with a pervasive regulatory crackdown in recent years. This has resulted in diminished business activities and workforce reductions across the sector, TechCrunch writes. The video gaming industry, in particular, experienced significant setbacks due to a pause in license approvals. Despite the resumption of the approval process, the sector’s recovery has been constrained by broader macroeconomic challenges.

The biggest new addition appears to be a “survival mode” called No Return, which “is designed to allow players to prove their mettle in randomly selected encounters and relive the battles from The Last of Us Part II,” said Naughty Dog’s Jonathan Dornbush in a blog dedicated to the game’s announcement.

You’ll be able to play as some new characters and go through “a variety of stealth and combat encounters that will pit you against a range of enemies, with unique twists that can add new, unexpected factors to each encounter.”

Concerning technical advancements, Dornbush states that the game provides a native 4K output in fidelity mode, upscales to 4K at 1440p during performance mode. Additionally, for users with TVs supporting VRR, there’s an option to unlock the framerate. Improved loading times and the inclusion of DualSense features, such as haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, are also noteworthy aspects.

Information about Remastered surfaced from the PlayStation Network earlier this Friday. Originally launched for PS4 in 2020, The Last of Us Part II received a PS5 optimization patch in 2021. Sony also released a PS5 remake of The Last of Us Part I last year.

While the second season of HBO’s outstanding The Last of Us adaptation may be a considerable time off, you can revisit Remastered in the interim to refresh yourself on certain story elements that might unfold in the upcoming season.

One of the most important updates is early access to Unity Muse, an AI-powered suite designed to simplify content creation for game developers.

Muse offers features like Muse Chat, which allows developers to get answers and resources in Unity and receive usable code. Additionally, Muse Sprite generates 2D sprites and multiple variations, and Muse Texture creates high-quality 2D and 3D ready textures. These features are powered by a purpose-built deep learning model that ensures data integrity.

Unity Muse is in the early access phase, while Unity Sentis, designed for seamlessly integrating intricate AI data models into Unity Runtime, is currently in open beta. The official release for Unity Sentis is anticipated to coincide with the launch of Unity 6 in 2024.

Scheduled for 2024, Unity 6 represents the next significant software release, pledging notable improvements in visual quality coupled with substantial performance boosts. Additionally, it promises an expedited process for creating multiplayer games and heightened support for artificial intelligence. Unity’s overarching goal is to empower developers to explore new frontiers by leveraging enhanced mobile functionalities and cutting-edge support for virtual reality devices.

Unity has underscored its backing for Apple Vision Pro through the unveiling of PolySpatial. Unity is initiating the beta program for its visionOS, which encompasses access to Unity PolySpatial. This program is available for Unity Pro, Enterprise, and Industry subscribers, facilitating the development of spatial applications tailored for Apple Vision Pro.

Despite the leadership transition, Unity is resolute in its commitment to ongoing projects and initiatives. As Unity hopes to put a tumultuous period behind it, the announcements this week signify the start of a new chapter and rebuilding of relations with game developers.