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Microsoft’s announcement last week that four of their games would be coming to other consoles came true, as both Grounded and Pentiment were confirmed for Switch andPlaystation consoles. (While Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves were announced for the PS5.

Epic Mickey is being remastered for Switch, Playstation, Xbox, and PC, with new visuals and updated gameplay. No release date was confirmed.

The original Monster Hunter Stories game, originally a 3DS exclusive, is getting remastered for Switch, PS4, and PC this Summer.

A new game in the Ender Lilies universe, Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist, was announced for this year.

Gundam Breaker 4 will release this year for Switch, Playstation, and PC.

Sega’s releasing a new Super Monkey Ball, Banana Rumble, with four player co-op and 16 player battle race modes. This will be Switch exclusive and launches June 25th.

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, is confirmed for October 10th. We can accept this Nintendo Direct farm game representation.

Suika Game, the viral puzzler, is getting a new multiplayer mode. Local mode is available now, and online multiplayer will release later. It is paid DLC, and a bundle of the DLC and the base game is available.

Shin Megami Tensei V is getting a new version, subtitled Vengeance. This new version will have a brand new route that splits right at the start of the game, adds another 80 hours of gameplay, and has updates to demon interaction. It’ll be out on Switch, but will also be getting released on Playstation, Xbox, and PC, and maybe finally run at a good frame rate.

Penny’s Big Breakaway, the 3D platformer via ex-Sonic Mania devs, is out now! (Right friggin’ now!) It’s available on all consoles.

A release of Star Wars Battlefront has been announced that bundles both of the classic original titles into one! There are new characters and maps as well, plus 64-player matches. This will be hitting every console and PC as well.

Game Freak’s 3DS sleeper hit Pocket Card Jockey got a Switch port available now. It’s really good, if you like card games, please check it out!

Switch Online’s classic games got an update, with five Rare titles added. Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll, R.C. Pro-Am, Battletoads in Battlemaniacs, Killer Instinct, and Blast Corps. are all available today. In Japan, the GBA Switch Online roster got MOTHER 3. Keep dreaming, MOTHER fans. Maybe some day. (Just go replay the fan translation, John knows he will.)

Another Japan exclusive (so far) announcement was the RPG REYNATIS from FuRyu. Its staff is absolutely packed, and John agree with the below Tweet—this better get localized.

The last announcement was a new Endless Ocean, subtitled Luminous. The old Wii games were a delight for the senses, so we are sure this will be a treat as well. There will even be up to 30 player multiplayer as well. It drops May 2nd.

There were a few other reveals, such as a date for the new Contra and Aggro Crab’s new Crab-based Soulslike, so check the rest of the Direct here.

Other Reveals

IGN also had a few reveals lined up, mostly trailers for previously announced games. However, the big new announcement was a port of the Game Boy Advance title Ninja Five-O. This is exciting, as Ninja Five-O is a solid title that many haven’t experienced due to its massive aftermarket price. Now more people will be able to experience this fun title thanks to Limited Run.

Beloved MOBA Gigantic is coming back—this time as a $20 release. The Rampage Edition will release April 9th, with a closed beta starting today.

The League of Legends fighting game, previously known by the codename Project L, is officially named….2XKO. Pronounced with each letter/number separately. Two Ecks Kay Oh. What’re we doing?

Tekken 8’s developers confirm that the game will soon receive a microtransactions shop, certainly concerning players.

The Borderlands movie got its first trailer. We’re sorry for showing you this, but news is news—and this isn’t even the worst bite this week! At least Jamie Lee Curtis gets to cosplay.

Elden Ring‘s expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, has been confirmed to release June 21st. New weapons, areas, and characters were shown off in the below trailer.

Continuing Losses

Creator of Suikoden and director of its spiritual successor Eiyuden Chronicle Yoshitaka Murayama passed away on February 6th. He was 55 years old.

Toys for Bob, the Activision subsidiary behind the recent Spyro and Crash games, laid off 36 people. Rumors said the entire studio shut down, but instead they cut around a third of their staff and went fully remote. This followed the massive 1,900 layoffs Microsoft enacted throughout their gaming sphere after the Activision acquisition went through.

Nijisanji EN vtuber Selen Tatsuki was publicly fired after a lengthy absence, which was revealed to have been due to a self harm. Now rebranded as Dokibird, she has re-entered the Vtuber space and has regained success. Nijisanji released multiple statements on the matter, but only ended up fueling further anger at them.

Kazumasa Habu has stepped down as producer of Digimon titles at Bandai Namco. There is still a new Digimon Story game in development without his involvement.

Mane6, developers of indie fighting game Them’s Fightin’ Herds, were fired from development on the game while mid-quality assurance for the last two characters in their season pass. The characters were released in an unbalanced, broken, buggy state, and it has been confirmed that further development is not planned. Promised story mode additions will not be made.

Maximum Entertainment, the current owner of the Them’s Fightin’ Herds IP, is ending active development on the fan-inspired My Little Pony fighting game, reportedly shifting their focus onto an Avatar: The Last Airbender 2D fighting game set for 2025 and Diesel Legacy, set for this year.

In other news…

Larian Studios achieves several more wins from the 27th D.I.C.E. Awards, ending on a high note by ultimately winning another Game of the Year award for Baldur’s Gate 3. Unlike the limitations that they dealt with at The Game Awards, the recipients were able to take their time in their winning speech to call out the current melancholic and unsustainable state of the games industry.

Hosts of the show this year, Greg Miller of Kinda Funny Games and Stella Chung, were also not privy to holding back on cracking scathing jokes against executives who were in attendance.

Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 also walks away from the 51st Annie Awards winning Best Character Animation in a Video Game.

2B from Nier: Automata has been released as a playable fighter in Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising.

Lady Gaga has come to Fortnite, with her music being added to the Festival mode and a new skin so you can play as Mother Monster and shoot Peter Griffin.

IGN’s Creators Guild has been voluntarily recognized by Ziff Davis. There’s still more work to be done by the union, but this is a huge step in the right direction.

And finally, a beta version of Hotel Mario has been found by YouTuber Game Pak Rat at a thrift store. This beta has unused dialogue and clear versions of old speech, meaning YouTube Poop just got DLC, baby.

The post The Bulletin: Nintendo News and Borderlands Blues appeared first on Gamesline.

It’s a long one tonight folks as John, Maverick, and Solon sit down to talk about all the news from the Nintendo Direct and the games they’ve been playing. John’s been playing more Sakuna: of Rice and Ruin, Maverick has been juicin’ in Evil West, and Solon has been playing the Blackwell series along with Satryn Deluxe. In the news, along with the Nintendo Direct, we also go over Activision getting a $35 million fine for not disclosing sexual harrassment, and Yoko Taro making an evil Sega gatcha game where I can have an S rank sexy Daytona racecar.

As always, you can support us on our Patreon, and follow us on Twitter @VGChooChoo,  @john_michonski, @Mavsplainiamania, and @ChorbySP

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The post VGCC Episode 426: Gameflying in a Nintendo Direction appeared first on Gamesline.

Here’s the full Direct if you just want to watch!

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom got a new trailer, which showed off more enemies and vehicles, but not much else. It releases May 12th, and will also be the first Nintendo Switch game to…sigh….be $70.

Pikmin 4‘s trailer revealed the new Hocotatians you’ll play as, the new Ice Pikmin, and an adorable dog-like creature that’ll help you on your quest for riches. The title releases July 21st.

Splatoon 3 is getting an expansion pass. The first wave will allow you to return to Inkopolis from the first Splatoon, letting you shop at the old stores as well. Wave two will introduce what seems to be a new story called Side Order.

Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games were added to Switch Online. Original Game Boy and Game Boy Color will be available to all Switch Online subscribers, but Game Boy Advance is only available for Expansion Pass subs. You’ll have to pay extra for Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga.

A remaster of the original Metroid Prime dropped on the eshop right after the Direct. It may say it’s a remaster, but many people are thinking this may be a full remake, with new visuals and engine effects. A physical release is coming February 22nd.

The Xenoblade 3 expansion pass has been fully detailed, with the final new hero, Masha, arriving on February 15th. Later this year, part four will release, which is a new story that stars Shulk, Rex, and other characters from the past games.

Fashion Dreamer is a new fashion design title by the creators of the Style Savvy games. No idea why Nintendo isn’t just publishing this but hey, it’s Style Savvy in all but name.

Ghost Trick is getting a modern port. This will also be available on Sony and Microsoft consoles as well as PC this Summer.

We Love Katamari is getting the Reroll treatment, dropping a remaster of the beloved second game in the series June 2nd. There will also be a new mode called Royal Reverie where you can play as a younger King of All Cosmos. This will also be available on all other consoles.

Level-5 is back from their hiatus, announcing three titles in one Direct! The first was a new IP, DECAPOLICE, in which you solve mysteries and otherwise perform police duties (the fictional good kind, for what it’s worth). They also announced a new Fantasy Life, Fantasy Life i: The Girl who Steals Time. Both of these titles are due this year. Finally, a new Professor Layton game was teased, Professor Layton and the New World of Steam. No release date there, but it’s fantastic to see our favorite top hat gentleman return.

Advance Wars 1+2: ReBoot Camp has a release date of April 21st. Previously delayed due to the Ukraine war, hopefully it releases and there aren’t any other historical events that run into its release. Again.

The first details of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC’s fourth wave are here, and it will include a Yoshi’s Island course and the addition of Birdo as a playable character. Every time I (John) think of Birdo I just hear the audio clips from Mario Advance. This truly will be as far as I go.

Fire Emblem Engage‘s DLC was also detailed, with new Emblems Soren, Hector, and Camilla released now and Chrom/Robin and Veronica coming in wave three. Wave four will include a new story, “Fell Xenologue”.

Etrian Odyssey‘s first three entries are getting HD remasters, all releasing on June 1st for Switch and Steam. They will be $40 each or $80 for all three, and preordering the games will get you Shin Megami Tensei-related character portraits for each game.

Both Baten Kaitos games, deckbuilding RPGs for GameCube by MonolithSoft, are getting remasters for Switch. These remasters are pretty standard fare, with updated graphics and new battle functions, but not much else. This bundle will release this Summer.

Samba de Amigo is back with Party Central, allowing for the Switch Joycons to be used as maracas for rhythm fun. It’ll be out sometime this Summer.

The newest Mickey Mouse and co. game, Disney Illusion Island, will release July 28th. 

The remaster of Kirby’s Return to Dreamland, the lesser-known Kirby title for the Wii, has a demo available now. There is also a new Magalor focused epilogue and new mini-games. The game launches February 24th.

TRON: Identity, an narrative puzzler set in the TRON universe by Bithell Games, releases in April.

There were more tidbits in the Direct, but for now let’s move on…

In other news…

YouTube contractors in Texas went on strike in protest of a policy requiring a mandatory return and reporting back to in-office work. Workers allege that Alphabet, YouTube’s parent company, have recently tried to reinforce the policy as a union busting tactic.

The Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States (SEC) is fining Activision-Blizzard due to its failing to disclose the issues of workplace sexual harassment to its investors, hopping in on the train of now more than a handful of government agents still taking legal action against the company. The SEC notes that the company failed to properly report and collect information on instances of workplace issues, which is deemed necessary to disclose to certain parties.

In a continuing string of the sunsetting of several games, Knockout City will be shutting down this coming June. However, there are at least intentions of a private-server version of the game to be released some time after.

CrossfireX servers will be shutting down in a much earlier time in mid-May. The Xbox Store has started halting purchases and providing refunds associated with the game.

Turtle Rock Studios has also ended Back 4 Blood’s string of post-launch content hopping on to focus on their next title.

Square Enix is apparently not doing so hot financially, citing their numbers of the previous fiscal year starting in mid-2022. Sales of games failed to reach numbers on part of the year prior, which also overlapped with the recent decline of mobile game use.

Meanwhile, Dwarf Fortress is popping off, and developer Bay 12 Games is celebrating the game’s latest, fantastic earnings report by finally considering the hiring of another person on the team. Bay 12 has been primarily ran by brothers Tarn and Zach Adams for years, powered by the donations of a dedicated playerbase that supported the original game.

Friend of the site Food4Dogs will be starting to take it easy on her video output in order to take care and prioritize her health. We wish her all the best! You can listen to our Starlight Car interview with Food4Dogs here.

The post The Bulletin: The Latest Nintendo Direct and More appeared first on Gamesline.