Hi everyone!
We’re about to wrap up another month, and with it, the first half of 2020. It has been a chaotic first half, and we’ve seen so much transformation within the gaming industry alone. There is still a lot on the horizon, and we’re excited to explore the unknown with you.
Now sit back, relax, and enjoy our latest issue of gaming news, curated just for you. If you like what you see, do subscribe to receive The Iterative Digest every week!
Microsoft announced that Mixer is getting shut down this July. Talk about mixed feelings. Their partners will be transitioned into Facebook Gaming with equivalent agreements, while exclusive streamers such as Ninja or Shroud are now free to decide where they want to go next.
The latest wave of abuse allegations around assault and toxicity towards women in the gaming industry has been deeply concerning. From streaming platforms to game companies, many women have stepped up to share their stories. Twitch and Ubisoft are amongst the companies who have responded, emphasizing on their priority in investigating the cases and taking disciplinary actions.
There’s no better time to learn game development as many resources are being made available to support creators during the pandemic. Unity is making its premium learning tools available for free in perpetuity, including more than 300 hours of courses and tutorials as well as access to industry experts.
In this week’s finance-related news: Treehouse Games landed $2.6 million in funding to focus on collaborative games; Deck13, the studio behind The Surge, was acquired by Focus Home Interactive for €7.1 million; Ready at Dawn, the developer behind Lone Echo, was acquired by Facebook.
Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City Wire was filled with exciting announcements and reveals. There’s a new official trailer showing more gameplay features and a reveal for an anime series called Cyberpunk Edgerunner for Netflix.
CDPR won’t be the only studio with a TV show in the works, as ZA/UM joined forces with DJ2 to produce a TV show based on their award-winning hit Disco Elysium. The game’s psychodrama-fueled story and vibrant dialogues (not to mention lack of combat) will pave the way for a smooth transition towards television.
The TV hype train doesn’t stop at Disco Elysium station, as it goes full steam ahead to Netflix’s latest reveal of the Cuphead Show. The teaser shows us a brief glance at the design process and voice acting of the show. Finally, ‘Cuphead’ and ‘stress-free’ can now go in the same sentence.
During WWDC 2020, Apple announced Divinity: Original Sins 2 for iPad. This is the first time we see a game of this scale landing on iOS and is likely the most anticipated game for the platform. The showcase also hinted at mods, which have been vital in the game’s popularity on PC.
30th June
Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III (Switch) is a JRPG with a turn-based battle system and a well-crafted story. This sequel to the already popular franchise is a fantastic blend of classic and modern roleplaying with the beloved school setting and many quality-of-life improvements.
Hunting Simulator 2 (PS, Xbox) lets players go on wild hunting trips with their dog companion in many picturesque environments. You can go at your own pace and look for clues to track your prey or run around hoping to bump into one.
1st July
Trackmania (PC) is once again brought back to life by Ubisoft as a remake of the 2006 racing game Trackmania Nations with better graphics while maintaining its core gameplay. The game will be free-to-play with a tiered business model.
2nd July
Biped (Switch) is a physics-based action-adventure game with a strong focus on collaboration. Overcome challenges as Aku and Sila, two adorable robots, to save the Earth. Watching some Wall-E afterwards is highly recommended to complete the ensemble.
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We are The Iterative Collective - an indie games incubator! Each week, we shed light on the latest gaming trends for all folks interested in the scene by going through a summary of the latest news from the industry as well as promising upcoming game releases!
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