It’s heatwave season in Blighty so I’m writing this from safety of one of the few air conditioned cafes in Manchester. I’ll be undertaking the exhilarating task of FAN SHOPPING on my lunch break so if you have any recommendations please do hit me up. I’d like to procure the Henry Hoover of temperature regulation devices. Iconic. Timeless. Always watching.
How ominous.
Speaking of—did you catch the Marathon Season 2 reveal that dropped this week? It seems like Bungie is leaning properly into the extraction shooter’s uncanny penchant for dread and horror. Were those reanimated carcasses hunting down Runners in the dead of night? Sign me up.
It’s still unclear how well Marathon has sold, which usually wouldn’t be too much of a concern but I really, really want this one to go the distance. On that note, Bungie is running an open play week from June 2 to June 9 so folks can try before they buy. I’ve been having such a blast with this one (it’s almost certainly going to be on my personal GOTY list) and I encourage you all to see whether it hits the spot. Even if you’re playing solo, I promise you’ll have a rollicking good time.
Okay, that’s my good deed for the week. Thank me later, Bungie. Now, let’s talk headlines.
via Game Developer // Fancy nabbing up to $2,500 while creating jobs for budding developers? Then you’ll probably be interested in Global Game Jam’s new micro-grant program, which is handing out cash to indies willing to collaborate with emerging talent on small, focused tasks that can be completed in around 48 hours. Pretty neat!
via Game Developer // Video game consoles are now appreciating in value. That’s a sentence I never thought I’d be writing, but here we are. The standard 512GB Steam Deck OLED will now cost a staggering $789 in the United States, while the 1TB model will set you back $949. That price hike is being reflected in other major markets, too. There is no escape…
via IGN // … and yet, despite that rather extraordinary pricing surge, the Steam Deck OLED sold out in the United States mere hours after Valve confirmed it was back in stock. It’s unclear how many units sold at that price, but perhaps folks figured it’d be sensible to nab one before another price hike is rolled out?
via Kotaku // Valnet is still doing its utmost to single-handedly eradicate video game journalism as a profession. Around a year after acquiring Polygon and enacting layoffs, the company has now reportedly decided that writers at TheGamer don’t deserve to be paid for their work unless their articles accrue a certain number of views. With an employer like that who needs enemies?
via Game Developer // The Witcher 3 has sold 65 million copies worldwide and has been a mainstay for developer CD Projekt Red, so it’s not entirely surprising to hear the studio is working on another slab of DLC for the acclaimed RPG. Still, it’s rare for any video game to receive a significant update after over a decade on shelves—let alone a single player offering. The expansion is called Songs of the Past and will launch in 2027.
via Game Developer // Sony has sent another one of its live service offerings to the great GameStop in the sky. Destruction AllStars is being laid to rest after five years on shelves. The vehicular brawler was initially billed as a premium PS5 launch title but seemingly struggled to attract players when it arrived a year later than planned for just $20.
via Game Developer // After choosing not to voluntarily recognize a group of unionizing Magic: The Gathering Arena developers, Wizards of the Coast is now reportedly sending letters to workers warning of the apparent perils of collective organization. I’m certain this will not rub employees the wrong way whatsoever.
via The Verge // Earlier this year, newly-minted Xbox CEO Asha Sharma decided lower the price of Xbox Game Pass just a few months after Microsoft opted to charge more for its subscription service. According to an internal memo seen by The Verge, that u-turn seems to be paying off with Sharma explaining Microsoft has seen Xbox Game Pass “acquisitions grow and retention improve” following the price reduction.
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