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The limited-edition White Steam Deck OLED is an exciting variant for Australian gamers, especially as it aligns with the official launch of the Steam Deck in Australia. The console’s special-edition status is largely cosmetic, offering a unique aesthetic with a sleek grey and white color scheme rather than any internal upgrades. It’s only available in the 1TB model, the highest-capacity and most premium version of the Steam Deck, featuring the upgraded OLED display and ample storage space. While it doesn’t introduce new hardware features beyond what the regular 1TB Steam Deck OLED offers, this White Steam Deck comes with a matching white carry case, a small but notable addition for collectors and fans who prefer a unique look. The price bump is modest, costing $1,099 AUD, just $50 more than the regular OLED model with the same specs. Valve’s decision to release this special edition in Australia not only adds excitement to the local launch but also provides a bit of exclusivity for early adopters interested in this limited-run design.

Square Enix has announced the lifetime sales figures for two of its most iconic franchises, Final Fantasy  and Dragon Quest . The Final Fantasy  series has surpassed 195 million units sold worldwide, while the Dragon Quest  series has reached over 91 million units in global sales. “The Square Enix Group also boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property, including Final Fantasy, which has sold over 195 million units worldwide; Dragon Quest, with over 91 million units sold globally; and the legendary Space Invaders,” Square Enix stated.

Each year, Nintendo’s legendary creator Shigeru Miyamoto gives an orientation talk to new employees to introduce them to the company’s values and the art of crafting exceptional video games. At a recent Financial Results Briefing, an investor asked Miyamoto about the contents of these talks and his approach to creative succession at Nintendo. The investor asked, “I’ve read that you speak annually to new hires at Nintendo. What do you cover in those talks? And, given your reputation for creative success, how do you ensure your approach is passed down effectively within the company?” Miyamoto responded with humility, saying, “You called me a ‘genius,’ but I actually see myself as quite ordinary. Each year, I speak to around 100-200 new graduates and mid-career hires. Many expect something unusual but end up feeling relieved to see I’m just like anyone else. I often reflect on how I can work more efficiently and how successful projects can make future work easier. In my talks, I cover the challenges that come with creative work.” He explained that his talk is divided into three parts. The first part explores Nintendo’s history, from its origins in hanafuda playing cards through its evolution into an entertainment giant. The second part discusses Nintendo’s core values in game development, including insights into Nintendo’s unique approach to interface design through the years. The third part focuses on game design itself. Miyamoto advises new developers to look beyond simply building on existing games and instead observe the world around them, shaping these observations into new, engaging experiences. He emphasizes that game design is fundamentally about planning—selecting the right hardware, considering development constraints, and using trial and error to bring a vision to life. Many new employees find this perspective enlightening, as it often differs from their own views on game design. The talk is about two hours each year, but Miyamoto believes that the Nintendo Museum will soon provide employees a more lasting connection to the company’s creative legacy. Nintendo producer Takahashi added that the producers work closely with Miyamoto, drawing on his philosophy and collaborating to shape Nintendo’s diverse range of games. Each producer incorporates Miyamoto’s insights into their own work, sharing these principles with their teams and bringing Miyamoto’s philosophy into their unique projects.

The highly anticipated first trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI  has captivated fans with its breathtaking graphics, but it has also sparked some concern about performance on current-gen consoles, especially the Xbox Series S. Known for its lower specs compared to the Xbox Series X and PS5, the Series S may struggle with such graphically demanding games. However, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick reassured fans that there’s no cause for concern. In a recent earnings call, analyst Clay Griffin questioned whether Microsoft’s Series S could present challenges for GTA VI . Zelnick responded with confidence, emphasizing that Take-Two’s studios, including Rockstar Games, have the technology and experience to accommodate various hardware capabilities. He stated, "We support the platforms where the consumers are for as long as they’re there, and we find a way to support platforms despite different levels of tech. Our labels are really good at that. I’m not really worried." Zelnick added that the company is committed to platforms with large audiences, especially noting the continued growth of PC gaming. "I’ve never worried about where hardware was going. I don’t worry about things over which I have zero control, and I believe in the audience. If you have great properties, the audience will be there, so we focus on making sure we’re present on an array of platforms." He explained that if one platform loses its value, there’s always another. The growth of PC gaming is particularly notable, with Zelnick pointing out its rise as an open format that continues to expand. Looking ahead, Zelnick anticipates that PCs will play an even bigger role in the gaming industry, saying, "I do think PC will continue to be a more and more important part of the console business going forward, and that isn’t complicated for us to support at all. We’re selective about the platforms we support, making the tech work when the audience justifies it." The Xbox Series S has presented challenges for other demanding games. Baldur’s Gate 3  experienced delays due to issues with split-screen co-op on the Series S, which ultimately led to the feature’s removal. Similarly, Alan Wake 2  faced limitations with achieving 60fps due to GPU and memory restrictions. Marvel Rivals  also suffered from drops in graphical quality, with resolutions as low as 540p, affecting the visuals. However, with Zelnick’s confidence in Rockstar’s technical capabilities, GTA VI  appears well-positioned to avoid similar performance issues on the Series S.

The Joju-u-u Shrin e   (1516, -3576, 0142)   in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom  is located in the East Faron region near the southern coast of Hyrule. This shrine, visible from afar due to its high placement on a cliff above the Lakeside Stable, is a convenient fast travel point for the surrounding area. Here’s a guide to help you conquer the Joju-u-u Shrine and earn your rewards. Shrine Challenge: Building Bridges The main challenge in Joju-u-u Shrine, called Building Bridges , involves using the Ultrahand  ability to connect objects and create pathways. Here’s a step-by-step guide to solving it: Entering the Shrine : Upon entering, you’ll see that the shrine requires you to create bridges using various wooden planks and platforms provided within the puzzle area. First Bridge : Find a set of long wooden planks near the initial platform. Use Ultrahand  to pick up a plank, then position it to bridge the gap to the next platform. Adjust the angle and alignment carefully to ensure it’s secure, then cross to the other side. Second Gap : For the second section, you’ll likely find multiple planks of various lengths. If one plank isn’t long enough, try attaching two planks end-to-end using Ultrahand  to create a longer bridge. Attach the planks carefully, ensuring they are straight and aligned, so they don’t collapse under Link’s weight. Cross once your bridge is stable. Final Challenge – Larger Gap : The last section might have a wider gap or a more complex layout. Look around for any nearby materials to extend the bridge. If you need extra support, try building with multiple layers of planks, or secure them by anchoring the ends on raised ground if available. Carefully cross the final bridge to reach the end of the shrine. Shrine Rewards Upon completing the Building Bridges  challenge, you’ll receive a chest containing Large Zonaite , a valuable resource for crafting and upgrading Zonai devices. Tips for Success Ultrahand Precision : Ensure that each plank is securely in place before crossing, as poorly aligned bridges can collapse. Experiment with Materials : Don’t hesitate to get creative! If one bridge design fails, try different plank combinations or build support structures. Watch Your Step : Once you’ve placed the bridge, move cautiously across it to avoid slipping or toppling any unsecured planks. With this approach, the Joju-u-u Shrine should be a fun and rewarding puzzle to complete, and you’ll be one step closer to mastering the art of Zonai engineering!

Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud gaming platform is a top choice for gamers who lack high-end gaming PCs to run the latest titles. The service consistently adds new games, with recent additions including Dragon Age: The Veilguard , available for free. However, a new cap on monthly playtime for paid GeForce Now tiers has stirred up some controversy among subscribers. Unlimited playtime is now gone for the Performance and Ultimate tiers, both capped at 100 hours per month. In response, a number of users have canceled their subscriptions, although there are still reasons to keep the service for now. AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Launches at $479 Meanwhile, AMD has launched its highly anticipated Ryzen 7 9800X3D, a CPU designed for top-tier gaming performance, available at Amazon and Best Buy for $479 as of November 7, 2024. Monthly Playtime Restrictions on GeForce Now Paid Tiers According to Nvidia’s updated GeForce Now page, the free tier remains unlimited, with a 1-hour session cap, while the paid Performance and Ultimate tiers are now capped at 100 hours monthly. Both Performance and Ultimate subscribers get extended session limits of 6 and 8 hours, respectively, and can roll over up to 15 unused hours into the next month. Nvidia claims that this limit will only affect around 6% of users, as most do not reach 100 hours per month. Current Subscribers to Retain Unlimited Playtime Until 2026 Existing paid subscribers won’t feel the impact immediately; Nvidia confirmed that current members will keep unlimited playtime until the start of their billing cycle in January 2026. This gives long-time users an incentive to hold onto their memberships for now. Additional Playtime Hours Available for Purchase For users who exceed the 100-hour cap, Nvidia allows extra playtime purchases: 15 hours for $2.99 on Performance, and 15 hours for $5.99 on Ultimate. Fan Reactions: Calls for Boycotts and Cancellations Some subscribers are expressing their dissatisfaction with the new restrictions by canceling their memberships, with boycott calls spreading on social media. As the response grows, it’s uncertain if Nvidia will reconsider these new limits, but social media posts highlight the frustration felt by some long-time users.

Nintendo has ramped up its legal efforts, filing a lawsuit against streamer Jesse Keighin, known as EveryGameGuru, for allegedly streaming pirated and emulated Nintendo Switch games before their official releases. The suit, filed on November 6 by Nintendo of America, claims Keighin streamed pre-release games such as Mario & Luigi: Brothership, over two weeks before its release, across platforms like TikTok, Twitch, Kick, and YouTube. Starting in 2022, Keighin allegedly played at least ten Nintendo games before launch. Nintendo says they issued multiple takedown notices, but Keighin would simply create new “burner” accounts, even reportedly telling Nintendo he had “a thousand burner channels” and could “do this all day.” In addition to streaming unreleased games, Nintendo claims Keighin actively promoted illegal downloads of ROMs, as well as emulators that support pirated games. He reportedly sent an email to Nintendo stating he would continue helping users access “newer and updated copies” of emulators, despite ongoing legal actions against similar projects. Nintendo seeks damages of up to $150,000 per infringement, potentially reaching $7.5 million, with a 47-page case filing that includes extensive evidence such as screenshots of Keighin’s streams and Discord activity.

Warner Bros. Discovery has acknowledged that MultiVersus, its free-to-play Smash Bros.-style brawler, has fallen short of expectations, resulting in an additional $100 million writedown for its gaming division in 2024. In July, Warner Bros. Games acquired Player First Games, the developer of MultiVersus, just two months after the game’s relaunch on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Player First Games co-founder Tony Huynh expressed optimism at the time, noting that joining Warner Bros. Games would strengthen MultiVersus by integrating the development team with the publisher’s resources. Yet, in a recent earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery executives, including CEO David Zaslav and CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels, revealed that MultiVersus' underperformance has further impacted the company’s financials, adding to a $200 million writedown earlier in the year and bringing the total impairment for the gaming segment to over $300 million. The company’s only new title for the third quarter of 2024, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions , also saw minimal traction. “The games division is currently performing well below its potential,” Zaslav remarked. Wiedenfels further explained that the additional writedown primarily stemmed from MultiVersus, contributing to a notable decline in studio profits. Player data from SteamDB indicated just 686 concurrent players for MultiVersus at the time of reporting, with a 24-hour peak of 1,741 players—far from its peak of 153,433 players set over two years ago, before the game was taken offline and overhauled. Player counts for other platforms remain undisclosed. With Season 4 launching on November 12, Warner Bros. has not specified what’s next for MultiVersus. However, earlier in the year, plans were reportedly scaled back for other underperforming titles, such as Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League , leading to layoffs. Warner Bros. Games reported a 31% revenue decline year-over-year in Q3 2024, citing a strong prior-year performance from Mortal Kombat 1 as a contrast to this year’s slate. In the current quarter, Warner Bros. anticipates stable or slightly improved results, with last year’s Switch release of Hogwarts Legacy balancing out lower costs. Going forward, Warner Bros. plans to concentrate on its major franchises, including Hogwarts Legacy  (a sequel is in development), Mortal Kombat , Game of Thrones , and DC, with an emphasis on Batman. This strategy includes new projects like Batman: Arkham Shadow  on the Meta Quest 3 and a Wonder Woman  game from Monolith Productions. "Our focus is now on developing core franchises with proven studios to improve success rates," Zaslav stated.

During Sony's recent quarterly financial conference call, CFO and COO Hiroki Totoki shared insights into the PlayStation business. PlayStation Engagement & Sales Growth Sony announced that cumulative play hours on PlayStation rose by 11% year-over-year for the quarter spanning July to September 2024. Astro Bot  has sold 1.5 million copies in just nine weeks, with 37% of buyers having not purchased a Sony first-party title in the past two years. The game is popular among young users and families, marking a strong step in Sony's efforts to attract new players. Learning from Live Service Successes and Challenges Totoki emphasized that Sony has gained valuable insights from the success of Helldivers 2  and the struggles with Concord , especially in managing live service games. These learnings will be applied across its studios, particularly in development management and in refining the process of ongoing content updates and service scaling. Strategic Focus: Single-Player and Live Service Games Sony aims to develop a balanced game portfolio by focusing on high-potential single-player titles, leveraging their well-established IPs, while also investing in live service games that bring additional, though riskier, revenue opportunities. This balanced approach forms part of Sony’s mid-range strategy for growth. Platform and Studio Business Outlook Sony’s platform business is showing robust growth, and the company expects steady increases in user engagement and revenue through the second half of the fiscal year and beyond. In contrast, the studio business may experience a year-over-year dip in sales and profits in the second half, given tough comparisons with recent releases like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2  and Helldivers 2 . Nonetheless, Totoki confirmed “steady progress” in the development pipeline, with plans to launch major single-player games annually starting next fiscal year, beginning with Ghost of Yōtei . Optimizing Game Development and Release Timing During the Q&A session, Totoki mentioned that Sony is not only restructuring its business but also revising its approach to game development and portfolio management. Cost-cutting efforts are ongoing in multiple areas, including sales and marketing investments, to optimize profitability. In terms of live services, Totoki highlighted the need for early and frequent “gates”—user testing and internal evaluations to better anticipate user reactions and detect issues earlier. Totoki also expressed plans to carefully select optimal release windows for games to avoid overlapping launches and to maximize game performance. PS5 Sales Target and Promotions Sony remains committed to its goal of selling 18 million PS5 units this fiscal year. Although sales in the first quarter fell slightly below expectations, the second quarter met projections, and additional promotions are planned to boost sales in the latter half of the year. Notably, Sony has avoided a PS5 price cut, a departure from its approach with the PS4, yet sales remain strong. Furthermore, the pricing of the PS5 Pro has not negatively impacted overall sales. PlayStation Network Account Requirement on PC Addressing questions on the requirement for a PlayStation Network account on PC, Totoki acknowledged the potential for "pushback" but stressed that Sony aims to create a secure environment for all players. Maintaining a balance between safety and player freedom is essential, and Sony will continue to refine its approach to achieve this. Sony’s financial targets remain ambitious, with plans to continue enhancing player experience across platforms while adapting to market dynamics and user feedback.

Sony Group Corporation has confirmed that Team Asobi’s 3D platformer Astro Bot  has surpassed 1.5 million copies sold. In its financial report for the second quarter ending September 30, 2024, Sony revealed that Astro Bot  achieved this milestone as of November 3, 2024. Fans of Astro Bot  will be pleased to know that the popular 3D platformer has enjoyed solid sales so far, with strong potential for continued success throughout the holiday season. On a recent Gameindustry.biz podcast, host Chris Dring shared positive insights on Astro Bot’s European performance. He reported that the game became the top seller in its launch week, with “really strong” sales. Notably, Astro Bot sold 2% more than Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, 52% more than Crash Bandicoot 4, double the sales of Sonic Frontiers, though 48% lower than the Spyro Reignited Trilogy remake and 59% below the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy remake for the same period. Previously, Dring also mentioned that Astro Bot  became the fastest-selling original platformer (excluding Mario) in the UK over the past decade, making it a more successful franchise than Sonic , Crash , Yoshi , and Kirby  in that market. In the U.S., Astro Bot  has similarly thrived: Mat Piscatella, Executive Director and Video Game Industry Advisor at Circana (NPD), noted that Astro Bot  ranked as the second-best-selling game across both physical and digital platforms for the week ending September 7, 2024, following only NBA 2K25 . Piscatella also highlighted that the Astro Bot DualSense controller was the best-selling gaming accessory that week.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest has been around for nearly thirty years, but only this week, a new cheat code was discovered. The cheat allows players to exit a level early and return to the map screen, even if they haven’t finished the stage. To activate it, pause the game and input the following sequence: right + Y, left + A, up + B, and down + X. If entered correctly, the code’s effects will appear immediately. This discovery was first shared by user h4v0c21, with X user tnkt_kong spreading the news on social media. It’s almost ironic that this code surfaced just now, given that Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest has been in the spotlight recently. In addition to being added to the Nintendo Music library, new icons from the game are now available to Nintendo Switch Online members. Originally released for the SNES in late 1995, Donkey Kong Country 2 was followed the next year by Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble , developed by Rare.

Kojima Productions surprised fans today by announcing that Death Stranding  will be coming to Xbox Series S|X, along with Amazon Luna. The studio also confirmed it now fully owns the Death Stranding  intellectual property, giving them complete creative control over the franchise's future. In an official press release, Kojima Productions expressed its goal to bring Death Stranding to a wider audience. With full IP ownership, the studio has the flexibility to explore sequels or updates independently. They are already developing a sequel, slated as a PlayStation 5 exclusive, with an expected development completion date in 2025. Alongside the Death Stranding  sequel, Kojima Productions is creating a new horror IP, OD , for Xbox, and collaborating with Sony on an action-espionage project titled Physint . The Death Stranding Director’s Cut  offers expanded gameplay, with new content, locations, and mechanics. Players guide Sam Bridges across a fractured United States, tasked with restoring communication after the disastrous “Death Stranding” event. Enhanced features include new areas like the “Ruined Factory,” traversal tools such as cargo catapults, and additional combat techniques. Death Stranding Director’s Cut  is now available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, iOS, and Amazon Luna.