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Doom 64 re-release will include a completely new chapter and other upgrades
Bethesda tapped Nightdive Studios last year to re-release Doom 64 alongside Doom Eternal, but it looks like the long-forgotten shooter will be getting an upgrade for its 21st century debut.
Speaking to USgamer, developers from Nightdive had a lot to say about the psuedo-canonical second sequel to 1993’s Doom. The biggest news, delivered by Senior Developer James Haley, is that Doom 64 will ship with a completely new chapter that’ll link it even more closely to the events of 2016’s Doom:
Doom 64 has been discussed a lot in the lead-up to Doom Eternal, especially by Eternal’s co-director Hugo Martin. Can you talk about any connections Doom fans should keep an eye out for in either game?
James Haley, senior developer: On our end, persistent players will have the opportunity to unlock a new chapter in the Doomguy’s saga, taking place shortly after [Doom 64’s] original campaign concludes. The Mother Demon you defeated in that outing had a sister, and since you’ve been messing up Hell non-stop, she tries to get rid of you by sending you away. If you can make your way back and take revenge, you’ll be rewarded with a bit of lore that fans of both series, new and classic, should enjoy.
This new version of Doom 64 will include a number of other upgrades, including an Autorun option, new brightness settings (Doom 64 was notoriously hard-to-see on CRTs), a blood color toggle (Japanese players got green blood back in 1997 and now everyone will have that option), and touch control of the automap and optional motion aiming on the PS4 and Switch.
Doom 64 will be available to download for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on March 20.
2K Games will release a “non-simulation” NFL Football game in 2021
2K Games is getting back into business with NFL Football… but it’s not NFL 2K21 (or even the heavily-rumored XFL 2K21).
The publisher announced today that they’ve reached an agreement with the NFL to produce multiple “non-simulation” football games, with the first set to launch in 2021. Instead, their football games will focus on the “fun and approachable” side of the NFL.
“The NFL is one of the most successful sports brands in the world, known for creating incredible entertainment for fans,” said David Ismailer, the President of 2K Games. “We’re thrilled to be back in business with the NFL in a partnership that will span multiple video games centered on fun, approachable, and social experiences. It’s exciting to bring together 2K’s expertise in creating award-winning sports games with the NFL’s renowned status as a world-class entertainment and sports organization.”
Finally, 2K Games said that we’ll learn more about the “game titles, developers, and release dates” connected to their new NFL Football initiative at a later date.
Posted in News
Nintendo is teaming up with The Lego Group for… something
Today is March 10th, which means that it’s also MAR10 Day, Nintendo’s unofficial holiday to celebrate their mustachioed plumber. It’s a little goofy, but the consolemaker has previously used the date to give fans a little Mario-shaped surprise in recent years. Though they may have outdone themselves with this year’s announcement.
Nintendo has revealed (via Twitter) that they’re cooking up… something… with The Lego Group. Is it Mario-themed Lego sets? Is it a Lego Super Mario game? Your guess is as good as mine, and this short video doesn’t seem to tip the scales in either direction:
Something fun is being built! Stay tuned… #LEGO #LEGOSuperMario @LEGO_Group pic.twitter.com/rAt4YvU91g
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) March 10, 2020
Believe it or not, Nintendo produced a collection of Lego-compatible bricks in the 1960s known as N&B Block. American audiences will most likely remember the building blocks from their cameo appearance in Super Mario Land 2‘s “Mario Zone” in 1992.
Activision will launch free-to-play battle royale Call of Duty: Warzone tomorrow
Activision is dropping a new entry in the battle royale genre with Call of Duty: Warzone, which will be available as a free download for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One beginning tomorrow, March 10.
Up to 150 players will be able to compete in a Call of Duty: Warzone match, and more details about how it all works can be found on the Activision Games Blog:
At launch, players can squad up in trios with their friends on Playstation 4, Battle.net for PC, or Xbox One across two game modes: Battle Royale and Plunder.
In Battle Royale, fight to be the last squad standing while escaping the deadly gas in the swiftly closing circle with up to 150 players.
In Plunder, the race is on to collect the most in-match Cash by looting across the map, taking down enemies to steal their Cash, and completing in-match Contracts.
Warzone takes place in Verdansk, an expansive city with multiple named zones and well over 300 points of interest. Each zone features distinct landmarks like the Gorengard Lumber Yard or the Gora Dam; the zones take place across different environment types like cities and rural areas for unique engagements. Change up your drop location in each match to get a better lay of the land and take advantage of what Verdansk has to offer.
Players will be able to move around the map using a wide variety of vehicles (including ATVs, Tactical Rovers, SUVs, Cargo Trucks, and Helicopters), but death isn’t the end if they get caught on the wrong end of an enemy attack. Once eliminated, all players will be able to fight it out in The Gulag 1v1 against another player for a chance to get back into the game.
Call of Duty: Warzone will also share a unified progression system with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and players who own Modern Warfare will be able to bring all unlocked Battle Pass items, Operators, weapons, and customization items into Warzone.
The first trailer for Call of Duty: Warzone has been embedded above.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Mortal Kombat 11 goes to Hell with Spawn beginning on March 17
Real-life kombatants gathered in Chicago this weekend to compete in NetherRealm Studios’s Final Kombat tournament for Mortal Kombat 11, but the developer had a prize for all of us. NetherRealm used the event to give fans their first look at Spawn, the final fighter set to be included as part of Mortal Kombat 11’s Kombat Pack.
Spawn will be voiced by the incomparable Keith David, and his chains and cape will play a big part in his moveset. The demonic character also packs a heavy punch and his use of gadgets gives off a vibe similar to Injustice 2‘s Batman. You can see Todd McFarlane’s creation square off against Scorpion and Erron Black in the new trailer embedded above.
Kombat Pack owners will be able to download Spawn beginning on March 17, while those of us who plan to purchase him as a standalone download will have to wait until March 24.
In addition to his Mortal Kombat 11 debut, Spawn will also inspire Jacqui Briggs’s new “Hellspawn” Skin, and the Matinee Skin Pack will transform existing characters Kotal Kahn, Erron Black, and Jacqui Briggs into “Osh Tekk Vandal” (Conan the Barbarian), “Swashbuckler” (Indiana Jones), and “Space Marine” (Ripley).
Finally, congratulations to Dominique “SonicFox” McLean on their nearly flawless victory in the Final Kombat tournament.
Red Band trailer for Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge is ridiculously bloody
A few weeks ago, Warner Bros. Animation unveiled a Green Band trailer for Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge, giving fans their first look at the latest adaptation of the popular fighting franchise. But I’m not sure anything could prepare us for the film’s Red Band trailer, which has been embedded above.
The two-minute clip is not for the faint of heart, and it’s packed with spurting blood, severed limbs, gory Fatalities, and even a little swearing. Needless to say, it is very much not safe for work.
Retelling the story of the first Mortal Kombat game, Warner Bros. Animation also announced that Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge will be released this April. The film will be available to rent through video-on-demand platforms beginning on April 12, with a 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD launch to follow on April 28.
Roundguard is a Peggle-inspired roguelike that’s launching on March 13
Players will get a chance to flex their Peggle muscles next week as they explore the procedurally-generated dungeons of Roundguard, which will be released for the PC, Switch, and Xbox One on March 13 (a PS4 launch will follow “shortly after” that date).
The three members of the Roundguard (a Warrior, a Rogue, and a Wizard) will hurl themselves into the game’s dungeons (and off the walls) to complete quests and collect gold. But rather than crawl their way through torchlit hallways, players will use Peggle’s pinball-like gameplay mechanics to find the exit and return with the loot:
About Roundguard
Roundguard is a bouncy dungeon crawler with pinball physics, lots of loot, and a randomized castle full of oddballs. Press your luck against hordes of dangerously cute monsters and challenging roguelike elements in this all-round bouncy adventure!Features
- Bouncy Fun: Intuitive pinball physics-based gameplay like no other dungeon crawler.
- Multiple Classes: Play as the Warrior, the Rogue, or the Wizard, each with their own unique skills, items, and cheeky sense of humor.
- Randomized Dungeon: Each time you play, levels are procedurally generated, and quest events and elite monsters are randomly placed.
- Permadeath with Benefits: When you die, you’ll have a chance to bring a special trinket with you on your next run. The more gold you grab, the more powerful the trinket!
- A Cast of Oddballs: Chat with the castle’s colorful cast to pick up quests. You’ll meet a goblin poet, a smarmy teenage skeleton, a dark elf master chef, and tons more.
- Lots of Loot: Over 100 items and trinkets, each with effects that present strategic choices and combo possibilities.
- Show Off Your Skills: Compete on the leaderboards and try to master all the challenging, rule-bending relics.
A new trailer for Roundguard, which was developed by Wonderbelly Games and will be published by The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild, has been embedded above.
Nintendo PlayStation sells at auction for $300,000
The Sony PlayStation launched with a $300 price tag in 1995, famously undercutting Sega’s planned $400 price point for the Saturn. So it’s only fitting that in 2020, the fabled Nintendo PlayStation prototype sold at auction this afternoon for $300,000.
The new owner of this rare artifact is currently a mystery, but the winning bid may have been placed by Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, who wrote about his interest in the auction on Twitter back in February.
The Nintendo PlayStation was previously owned by Dan Diebold, who took it “around the world and back again” after his father discovered it among some “junk” that had once belonged to former Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Olaf Olafsson:
At one time, this particular unit was owned by the founder, first president, and first chief executive officer of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Olaf Olafsson. Olaf eventually left Sony to join Advanta Corporation, and became its president in 1998. A little over a year later, Olaf left Advanta to join Time Warner — but he left his Nintendo PlayStation prototype behind at Advanta. Roughly around this time, Advanta filed for bankruptcy and began gathering up everything in their corporate office to sell at auction. As the story goes, the Nintendo Play Station prototype was grouped together with some miscellaneous items that was boxed up with a group lot, the contents of which were veiled. A nice Easter egg for the winning bidder, indeed!
By far, this is arguably one of the most notorious, mysterious, and controversial artifacts of the video game industry. This prototype has been around the world and back again, admired and appreciated by video game enthusiasts from all over. Even though this is the closing of this portion of its narrative, it will continue to remain a pivotal piece of video game history no matter where it ends up.
According to the auctioneers at Heritage Auctions, the purchaser of the Nintendo PlayStation will also have to pay a $60,000 “Buyer’s Premium” on top of the winning bid, bringing the total to $360,000.
UPDATE (3/7/20): Forbes is reporting that Greg McLemore, the founder of Pets.com, is the mystery man behind the winning bid in yesterday’s Nintendo PlayStation auction. McLemore is an avid collector of arcade machines, game consoles, and original artwork, and he told the publication he plans to open a permanent museum to house his collection.