PlayStation announced Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered with a first-reveal trailer on September 24, showcasing th??e visual improvements made over the originals and introducing story beats and key players in ?the games like Raziel and Kain.

Crystal Dynamics returns as developer, while Aspyr Games takes over publishing duties? from the now-defunct Eidos Interactive.

Despite the critical and commercial success of the series, Legacy of Kain hasn't gotten a new installment since Defiance in 2003. In that time, the franchise went mostly forgotten and ignored, also failing to receive any ports to newer consoles. But the Soul Reaver remaster means big things are likely in the future for Legacy of Kain.

Studios typically use smaller, less-expensive projects as a tool to test the waters of the market, and gauge interest in a specific intellectual property. If the "feeler" product sells well, or exceeds expectations by other parameters, the publisher moves forward with a new title in the series. Capcom utilized this strategy with the Marvel vs Capcom Collection. And with the announcement of the Legacy of Kain graphic novel in August, Aspyr is probably doing the same with the Soul Reaver remaster.

Soul Reaver is part of the wider Legacy of Kain mythos, which also includes Blood Omen, Blood Omen 2, and Defiance. The series chronicles the vampire Kain's rise to power in the land of Nosgoth, and his lieutenant, Raziel's attempts to topple the overlord and restore balance to the world. The franchise as a whole received mostly positive reviews, with the Soul Reaver titles being the standouts. Aspyr Games recently worked on another remaster of a turn-of-the-century franchise in Tomb Raider I-III Remastered. Crystal Dynamics developed Tomb Raider games in the past, so perhaps a working relat??ionship between the companies may herald another revival.

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered is available now for preorder. It i??s set to release on December 10 on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC for $29.99.

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I’m as shocked as you are. As part of the Xbox Games Showcase, we’ve finally been given a new look at the Initiative and Crystal Dynamics' Perfect Dark. It's been a while. This one?? is the first trailer to include actual gameplay.

The trailer shows off what I’d expect from a sequel to the N64 classic. There’s actual stealth and gadgets, and the levels look somewhat non-linear, maybe. I did not, however, see a large-headed alien or a presidential clone, but there’s still time. We do see the series�protagonist, Joanna Dark, and mention of Daniel Carrington, though he seems to be the t?arget of the mission.

Actually, a lot of the trailer reminds me of marketing material from around the Xbox 360 release. Parkour, gunfights behind fruit, and first-person tricks. Not that I expected it to look like an N64 game. This just looks a little generic. If it borrows the objective-based gameplay of Goldeneye and the original Perfect Dark, that would be a pretty good hook.

A release date ha??sn’t been stated, and neither have its target platforms. Xbox Series X|S and PC would be a good bet.

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The remaster of the original three Tomb Raider games was released not that long ago. For PC users, there was a choice between purchasing it on Steam or Epic Games Store. However, there? seemed to be some notable differences between the two versions, which the developer has now acknowledged.

According to a post from The Gamer a couple of days ago, fans began to notice that Tomb Raider I-III Remastered was different on EGS than on Steam. For starters, the Epic Games version had different ??skyboxes in places like the Colosseum, and the Greece levels had "new light holes."

Since then, a post on the Steam page has noted that EGS had a build of the remaster that had "incomplete asse?ts," and the d?ownload contained "some work-in-progress materials" that weren't meant for public consumption.

Update also imminent

Aspyr has now fixed the problem, uploading the correct version to Epic. However, some �such as a reporter from Eurogamer and the aforementioned The Gamer article �have noted this incomplete build had better-looking assets than the Steam version. This could suggest that the two downloads are not?? evenly matched, for whatever reason.

That aside, Tomb Raider I-III Remastered is also getting its first update soon. In the same Steam post, the developer thanked fans for their "continued support, shares, and feedback" on the games, with an update s??aid to be in the works.

We don??'t exactly know what's coming, but the studio says it anticipates sending this update ou??t "in the next few weeks."

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2023 has been an utterly miserable time to be working in the video game industry. Announcements of layoffs from some of the biggest nam??es around have been dominating news sections lately. While we already knew Embracer Group was one?? of them, we now know the figures.

In the most recent sales report from the Crystal Dynamics and Gearbox Software owner, the company has said it experienced ?a 13% increase in net sales between July and September of this year (Q2 of their 2023-2024 fiscal year).

It then goes on to acknowledge that "around 900" people were part of ?the "reduction in headcount." This equates to 5% of the whole workforce. That's quite an astonishing amount of people to let go. Embracer Group said it's also "reduced the number of projects" being worked ??on and is focussing on "improving the projected return on investment within PC/Console."

At least the company is doing well...

The report goes on to s??ay that CEO Lars Wingeford would like to "put on record a special thanks to the people who have left Embracer in the quarter." Unfortunately, it's unlikely to bring much comfort to those who have lost their jobs.

We already knew that developers under Embracer's umbrella were being targeted for mass layoffs. However, this latest report really hammers home the extent to whic?h ??studios have been affected by these "reductions."

You've heard this story dozens of times already. Ubisoft, Team17, Naughty Dog, Amazon, CD Projekt Red, and many more have all been involved in redundancies, many to the tune of hundreds. One wonders whether anyone?? would still be interested in seeking a career in game development after all this.

The post The m??onolith that is Embracer Group confirms 900 layoffs in jus??t one quarter appeared first on Destructoid.

Embracer Group i??s a video game company which owns over 70 studios around the world. Things haven't been looking good for its studios lately, as they have been suffering from layoffs and closures.

The next studio to meet this fate is Crystal Dynamics which is the team behind the Tomb Raider Survivor trilogy. It is currently developing the next Tomb Raider game which will be published by Amazon.

On Twitter, the studio announced that it had to part ways with nine brand/marketing employees, as well as an IT employee. According to LinkedIn, the studio has 201 to 500 employees. Crystal Dynamics states that the difficult choice was made to?? align the studio with its current business needs.

Some of the ex-employees affected by the layoffs have identified themselves (as Eurogamer reports), including senior brand manager Nicholas Ed??wards who revealed on LinkedIn that he is no longer working at Crystal Dynamics.

Embracer Group is changing its business strategy

Embracer Group had been on a buying spree, but that has come to a halt. As revealed in an open letter, it is now focused on becoming a highly cash-flow generative business. The consequence of this has been the closure of studios like Volition and layoffs in studios such as Beamdog.

It appears that not even Embracer's biggest studios are safe, as there have been reports of the company showing interest in selling off Gearbox, the studio behind Borderlands. This leaves us wit?h unce??rtainty regarding all of Embracer's studios.

The post Crystal Dynamics cuts staff as Embracer Group studio layoffs? continue appeared first on Destructoid.

The Marvel's Avengers team is ending all support for the game on September 30. There won't be any additional character DLC, story missions, or updates; its life as a game as a service (GaaS) is nearly over. If you have ever been interested to see what the fuss has been about, Marvel's Avengers is a part of one last fire sale where you can pick it up for only a handful of dollars.

Marvel's Avengers: The Definitive Edition is going for the crazy low cost of $3.99 USD in multiple places. You can pick it up for that price on the PlayStation Store, Steam, and Green Man Gaming. That's 90% off for those who just love looking at percentages in sales. The Definitive Edition co?mes with more than 400 outfits for the heroes, along with all the DLC missions and playable characters. But keep in mind that if you want the Spider-Man DLC, you need to pick up the PlayStation version.

Why is there a fire sale for Marvel's Avengers before "the end?"

Marvel's Avengers, sadly, didn't do so hot after it launched roughly three years ago. Players were unimpressed by its grindy nature, though it did earn some praise for its combat. The game was mired in "pay-to-win" controversy, as it introduced ways to buy XP boosts in lieu of simply playing the game. Publisher Square Enix was also frustrated over the game's "lower than expected" sales, ultimately leading it to sell the developer, Crystal Dynamics, to Embracer Group in 2022.

On September 30, the Marvel's Avengers owners will officially "sunset" the game. You won't be able to purchase the game or its DLC, nor will y??ou be able to buy credits. Owner??s of the game can still play its single- and multiplayer modes, and limited-time events are still planned.

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Gex is like Erntedankfest in Zoey Handley’s garage

When Limited Run Games announced that Gex would return to modern gaming platforms, I decided to revisit the lizard’s debut adventure. I had no idea?? wha??t I was getting into.

For the uninitiated, Gex is a mascot platformer released by Crystal Dynamics in 1995. It was originally developed for the 3DO console, a wildly expensive piece of hardware that, adjusted for inflation, cost around half a month’s rent in New York City. Naturally, this is how I first played Gex. Being in elementary school at the time, the only 3DO games that really appealed to me were Gex and Soccer Kid. All I remember about Soccer Kid is that there’s an enemy th??at says “get awf my laaaaaand,�which I found funny.

Meanwhile, I always internalized Gex as an underrated platformer. I even revisisted it in my late teens, where I also remember liking Gex. For th?is reason, I thought I had a pretty good handle on ??this lizard’s first adventure.

Of course, the internet has since morphed Gex into a bizarre meme format. While people still revere their Spyros and Crash Bandicoots, Gex might as well be the representation of all your Bubsys and Awesome Possums. You know, mascot platformers that solely existed as products of their time. While I understood the jokes, I've always wanted to stick up for Gex. As one of eight people who ever played a 3DO, I needed to tell these whipper-??snappers that this is, in fact, a good game. Because I know it’s a good game. It’s a good game, right?

Well, I stand before you today as someone who fell down the Gex rabbit hole. I am no longer here to tell you that Gex is a good game. Because after getting the full Gex experience, I c?an never look at this gecko the same way again.

[caption id="attachment_391830" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

A tail as old as time

Gex begins with a brief cinematic showing the titular character watching some TV. After he indiscriminately eats a fly that flies in front of his face, Gex is sucked right into the screen. See, apparently that fly was a�something created by the villain Rez. So by eating it, Gex is sucked into the Media Dimension. In other words, Persona 4 is just a Gex ripoff.

There’s more to the story, but we’ll get to that later. Oh boy will we get to that later.

The ensuing 2D platforming adventure tasks Gex with collecting remotes across five TV inspired worlds as Gex spits out a stream of 90s pop-culture references loosely related to them. These are connected by a world map that a young Tim may have generously likened to Super Mario World, which could have influenced my childhood memories. I’m not here to psychoanalyze myself when I’ve still got the entirety of Gex in front of me, but it is worth not??ing that it did look impressive at the?? time.

I also must reiterate that I played this on a 3DO, and it’d be a few months until I saw a PlayStation. All I knew is that I liked Gex more than Soccer Kid.

[caption id="attachment_391831" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

More ambitious than organizing a wine and cheese party with Eric Van Allen

To be completely sincere for a second, Gex still impresses me on several fronts. For a mascot platformer, you can tell Crystal Dynamics had some le??gitimately great ideas they wanted to see realized.

First off, Gex himself features a creative moveset. You have your standard jump and tail-whip attack, as well as a dedicated tongue-whip button to grab and subsequently use items. Additionally, by pressing down on the D-Pad while midair, Gex can perform a DuckTales-style attack to bounce off enemi??es. Gex’s signature feature, however, is his ability to climb almost any wall or roof in the game. Just jump toward any applicable surface, and Gex will stick right on.

I like this, since it utilizies the fact that Gex is, you know, a gecko. It also lets the level design feature hidden areas to uncover and secrets that take advantage of Gex's abilities. For example, you’ll encounter a few narrow passageways that the lizard can't fit in. However, since Gex clings to a surface when climbing, you can follow specific wall-climbing paths to get through these spacess. I’m not saying it’s genius, but it is unique to Gex.

I also genuinely like the theming here.? Basing levels around movie genres still feels relatively novel to this day. Additionally, there’s some nice graphical variety even within each world. You’ll see many different enemy types, occasionally strutting some impressive animation.

Plus, I’ll go on record and say that I like Dana Gould’s voice work as Gex. While the jokes themselves are�what they are�the delivery always feels on point. And considering the quality of video game voice work in 1995, Gex packs a surprising amount of personality. Remember, when Gex was released, people thought this lizard was genuinely funny. Electronics Gaming Monthly gave Gex Game of the Month, and that was the magaz?ine I trusted most at the time!

I wonder if EGM’s writers ever bothered to revisit this game, and if they had the sam??e spiral?? into madness that will detail below.

[caption id="attachment_391832" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Worse than playing a water level with a Roll n�Rocker

Unfortunately, Gex suffered from development hell. That’s a story too long to cover here, but you can read the archived words of lead pr?ogram?mer Gregg Tavares here. Playing Gex today, the cracks in its development becom?e extremely apparent.

The absolute killing blow to Gex is its controls. By default, Gex has a fairly slow walk speed, but he can run by holding the shoulder button. The problem here is that Gex feels floaty by default, and running gives Gex momentum that makes precision platforming way too difficult. And sure enough, Gex requires precision platforming more often than not. This requires a lot of awkward rocking of the D-Pad to pul??l off jumps, or just eating hits and hoping that you’ll find healing items later.

Considering the game showers you with restoratives and extra lives, I think the developers were actually aware of this issue. ??By the time I finished the first world, I had north of 30 lives. By the second world, I hit 99. Even with a lot of deaths, my reserves were comically inflated. It’s? a bandage for sure, but not a solution. As a disclaimer, this recent playthrough was on the PlayStation version of the game. Even me, one of three people who ever had a 3DO in their house, was not about to use that version to grab footage.

Additionally, you can occasionally control Gex’s jump height by holding the Up button on the D-Pad. This might not sound like a big deal, but remember that Gex’s bounce attack requires holding the Down button. This makes some jumps exceedingly awkward to pull off, requiring me to weirdly rock my thumb at exact moments that legitimately kind of hurt to do. I have no idea why they didn’t take a page from Mario’s book and control jump height with, you know, the ?jump button.

Then you get into some wildly inconsistent level design. Sure, the first horror-themed world feels great. It’s even got a banger of a level theme that oscillates between sounding atmospheric and kind of rocking out. It is truly the YYZ of campy Halloween music. But the level design starts getting straight up hateful at certain points, with virtually the entire final world existing as an exercise in frustration. Considering the final boss theme is a seven-second loop, I strongly got the feeling that the team just ran out of time and energy with Gex.

You’ll find other major issues here, of course. The large sprites relative to the small resolution leads to a few too many leaps of faith, for example. But honestly, the quality of Gex’s gameplay is not what shocked me the most? about this revis??it.

Oh no, the thing that shook me to the core was Gex’s story.

[caption id="attachment_391833" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

You’re not ready for the Gex lore

Honestly, even if I could safely tell you Gex was a masterpiece platformer, I’m not sure anyone would care. The internet knows Gex because he endlessly spits out terribly unfunny pop-culture references with few actual punchlines. With this in mi??nd, I started having certain suspicions about Gex as a character, which made me wonder if maybe the instruction manual housed any backstory that wasn’t conveyed by the approximately two-minutes of in-game cinematics.

Six pages. Six pages of Gex lore were in here. They changed everything.

Here’s the deal. Prior to the events in Gex, the titular lizard was apparently well-adjusted. He was the oldest of “three-and-a-half�kids and the son of a NASA researcher. However, his “carefree upper-middle-class life�abruptly came to a halt when his dad died in a freak NASA accident. So unable to conf?ront b?oth the tragedy and the infighting that enveloped his family, Gex decided to completely disassociate and lose himself watching TV.

Don’t worry, the story doesn’t stop there. Gex’s now-single mother apparently tried to get her son away from the TV to no success, so completely out of options, she moves the entire family from Hawaii to California. Yet even this does not shake Gex’s TV addiction. In fact, even when Gex’s mom helps introduce him to their next-door neighbor to help Gex make a fresh start, he refuses the opportunity outright. Because he explains, and I quote, “the last time he had gone outside, his dad blew up.�/p>

This culminates in Gex’s mother removing the TV from the house outright, which triggers a complete breakdown. Gex loses his mind, tells his mother he’ll never see her again, and then leaves. As the instruction manual says, “the one thing in his life that had meaning was gone.�/p>

[caption id="attachment_391834" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Gex keeps going

So after this point, Gex lives a miserable, meaningless existence of trying to make ends meet on his own. Even forced into the outside world, he misses his “TV friends� This changes when Gex’s uncle also kicks ??the bucket, but this doesn’t trigger another mental breakdown. You see, Gex’s uncle was comically rich, so his dea??th now means the family has money beyond their wildest dreams.

For the rest of Gex’s family, this inheritance is a new lease on life that lets them live lavishly and outright buy Australia. However, Gex himself decides to use his share of the cash to move back to Hawaii. His plan? He would buy a huge house and “spend the rest of his life watching all his old TV friends.�/p>

Infi??nite wealth winds up just being an enabler for ?Gex’s escapism.

So that brings us to where Gex the game begins. Rez, the villain inside the TV, apparently captures Gex because he wants to make him the mascot of the Media Dimension. Rez doesn’t want to destroy the world. Gex doesn’t need to save t?he world. He just watches so much TV to avoid confronting the trauma of his father’s death that i??t literally consumes him.

[caption id="attachment_391835" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

This is weirder than playing Omori in an abandoned Toys "R" Us

So, okay, holy shit, where do I even start?

I started this journey wondering if Gex was ever intended to be funny or aspirational. I thought maybe I’d get a few lines to make jokes about, but now making fun of Gex feels wrong. Gex tells the story of a massively depressed person who quite literally cannot cope with reality without the escapism of media. He feels so lethargic that he can’t even bother to get up and make himself a meal. ??Rez traps him simply by waving a snack in his face.

Through this lens, the fact that Gex speaks almost exclusively through TV references? becomes borderline terrifying. Even when Gex takes damage, half the time he reacts with a nonchalant quote like “I only cry at weddings� He’s so detached from the human condition that he doesn't feel pain itself. After all, the refusal of pain is why Gex is here to begin with.

I get you probably think I’m reading too hard into this. But I don’t think it’s unreasonable to connect the symbolism of TV being Gex’s crutch to cope with life and the thing literally trying to kill him. Even at the end of the game, when Gex escapes the Media Dimension, he doesn’t even leave his seat. Instead, he says “I wonder what’s on HBO�and continues to watch the screen. There is no self-awareness. No growth. Just resignation. Gex is a tragedy.

So congratulations Gex, you’ve made it on the list of the saddest mascots of the '90s. You can take your spot right under Klonoa’s throne at number one.

[caption id="attachment_391827" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Gextraordinary circumstances

I do want to reiterate that I only grew up with the first Gex game. Its sequels, which did not debut on a prohibitively expensive piece of hardware, never entered my home. While I obviously didn’t read the instruction manual until now, this is the story I had at launch. Gex didn’t have to have six pages of tragic backstory with awkward asides sprinkled throughout, ??but thatâ€??™s what the developers decided to include. Let me know in the comments if Gex ever confronts the pain of losing his father in the sequels.

Also, just now writing this, I must point out the irony that the plot of Gex, a game intended to introduce a Sonic-style mascot, involves him literally trying to not become a mascot. But my ??god, if I spend anymore time thinking deepl?y about Gex I think my head will explode.

So overall, replaying Gex was a surreal experience. I’m left with a lot of admiration for the developers, who clearly wanted to make something special in Gex. I also feel like I destroyed this happy memory of Gex being an underrated classic by realizing just how janky the game feels today. There were a lot of parts I did enjoy. At its best, I could briefly see glimpses of a game that could, theoretically, compete with a Sonic or Mario. But the execution needed a much mo??re deft hand, which clearly wasn’t going to happen with its troubled development.

In other words, when Limited Run Games releases Gex Trilogy, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend buying it for this game. Not without some crucial tweaks at any rate, and even then, I’d remind you that you could just as easily buy Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series. But on the other hand, confronting Gex was important in its own way. Sometimes we compartmentalize memories in ways that are harmful to us, and holding Gex on a theoretical 7/10 pedestal cou?ld have misled someone down the line. So while this replay was not necessarily a pleasant experienc??e, it was an important one. Unlike Gex, I was able to confront my past.

So thank you, Gex, for being the cautionary tale that I never knew I needed. I’m not saying that Gex needs a gritty reboot where he accepts that he can’t run from his trauma forever. But if such a thing did exist, it could be even better than tap?? water at Jerry Garcia's??.

The post I’ve wildly misunderstood Gex appeared first on Destructoid.

It's going to need to be 'perfect' at this rate

The age of reboots and remakes is par for the course nowadays. So when a trailer for a Perfect Dark reboot came out in 2020, it seemed like a good time to revisit the N64 FPS. At least, that was the plan, but the project appears to have suffered from development hell for some time. In fact, it coul??d still be years away from completion.

A recent (and insightful) report from IGN gives the skinny on what's been happening with the reboot of Rare's legendary follow-up to GoldenEye. Beginning life in 2018, The Initiative, a studio set up internally at Microsoft, got the ball rolling on bringing Perfect Dark to the modern gaming world.

However, conflicts rose between the studio and Certain Affinity, who came onboard? in 2019. This slowed development, even resulting in a flurry of resignations. A lack of direction also meant the project (ironically) saw a number of reboots.

[caption id="attachment_388965" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Image via NEPA Scene[/caption]

Things seem to be moving forward at the moment, with Tomb Raider's Crystal Dynamics now helping out. However, the Perfect Dark reboot still seems to be a long way from reaching us. In fact, ?sources from IGN's re?port state that it may not surface for another two or three years.

That puts the release window around 2025 at the earliest. Given that it's been in development since 2018, that's at least a seven-year cycle. While some games have been in development for l?onger, the fact that the project restarted a number of times means it will likely arrive long after its original due date.

Hopefully the final product will live up to the hype, especially for those who remember the original Nintendo 64 release. With GoldenEye getting ported to modern systems this year, the opportunity to relive retro games is very much in vogue. The chance to play a remake of Perfect Dark is probably on a lot of people's radars.

Perfect Dark remains slated to launch on Xbox Series ?X|S and PC.

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I'll miss you, Ms. Marvel

Marvel's Avengers is a game that should have run for a decade. A games-as-a-service title attached to arguably the biggest IP in the world, it had to potential to be a gargantuan hit. I remember seeing the Avengers Academy booth at E3 and how Square Enix went all out trying to get people excited about this game. And yet, for a myriad of reasons, Marvel's Avengers didn't resonate with players. This is why today, a li??ttle ?more than two-and-a-half years after it first launched, the game is getting its final content update.

As explained in January, Update 2.8 will be the last content patch for Marvel's Avengers before official support ends later this year. The patch unlocks the marketplace, adding nearly all MCU and non-MCU-inspired outfits, nameplates, takedowns, and more to every player's Hero Card. Costumes that are earned through gameplay or purchased at the Cosmetic Vendor will still need to be earned and purchased. Anyone who has earned at least one trophy or achievement before April 1 will be gifted the Iron Man Variable Threat Response Battle Suit, which turns Tony Stark into a kick-ass War Machine. The developers have a?lso announced all players will receive this new Black Panther skin.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7SNsLFui4M

If you have any unspent credits, those will be converted to in-game resources once you update the game. Additionally, Hero's Catalysts and Fragment Extractors have been removed from Marvel's Avengers and replaced with?? a permanent 1.5x multiplier on Fragments and XP.

That about covers the biggest details of the Update 2.8 patch, but there are a lot of small fixes you can read about on the official patch notes. If you're a fan of the game, I'd suggest checking out th??at link as there is a lovely thank-you message from Sandra Saad, the voice of Ms. Marvel.

If you want to give the game a go now that all the microtransactions have been removed, Marvel's Avengers is available on Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus Extra. As a reminder, official support for Marvel's Avengers will end on Sept?ember 30, 2023. The game will still be playable after that date has passed, but players should not expect any more updates or patches beyond that date.

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March 2023 will see the last bit of new content for the heroes

The Avengers team bringing its support of Marvel's Avengers to a close. The company confirms today that no new content or features will arrive after its March update, and all official support for Marvel's Avengers will end on September 30, 2023.

In a post on the official Marvel's Avengers site, the development team confirms that Update 2.8 on March 31, 2023 will mark the end of content and features rolling out. Update 2.7, which recently added the Winter Soldier and the Cloning Lab Omega-Level Threat, is also confirmed as the final new content for Marvel's Avengers??. The March Update 2.8 will contain all final balance updates for?? the game.

In an FAQ about the decision, the Avengers team says: "The decision was made in conjunction with our partners tha?t now was the right time to make? this change."

On September 30, 2023, all official support for Avengers will end. While both single-player and multi-player will still be available, most other facets of the game will shut down. This includes the marketplace for cosmetics, as after Update 2.8 is live, Credits will no longer be purchasable. All remaining credits will be converted into in-game resources. The Avengers te??am provided a table to explain how the Credits conversion will be doled out:

[caption id="attachment_359098" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Marvel's Avengers team[/caption]

Once more unto the breach

Starting March 31, 2023, all of the game's Marketplace, Challenge Card, and Shipment cosmet??ics will be made available to all players, for free. The development team says gifting the full library of cosmetic content is a way to thank the community, by letting everyone experience all the content. The main exception is that?? Spider-Man will, in fact, remain exclusive to PlayStation.

Marvel's Avengers will still be available to purchase digitally between now and September 30, 2023, and is also available in retail form. No new digital purchases will be al?lowed after September 30, though. And while servers will stay up and available for multiplayer after official support ends, forever isn't exactly guaranteed.

"The changes we are making to how the game functions will ensure as long a life as possible," reads today's statement. "However, after September 30, 2023 we can’t ??guarantee that we will be able to address issues that occur due to unforeseen circumstances."

Crystal Dynamics, the team behind Marvel's Avengers, was recently sold by Square Enix to Embracer Group. And while its history has been rocky, it's always a little sad to see an online game disappear into the ether like this. A??t least fans can have one last hurrah between now and September.

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Lara heads to a new home

Amazon Games and Crystal Dynamics have entered a new partnership to publish the latter's upcoming Tomb Raider project. The new multiplatform entry in t??he story of Lara Croft will receive support and publishing help from Amazon.

The announcement today confirms Crystal Dynamics' newest partner on the project, following the studio getting acquired by the Embracer Group. The press release also confirms this will be a single-player, narrative-driven Lara Croft adventure. Crystal Dynamics will continue to develop, while Amazon provides support and globally publishes the still-unnamed Tomb Raider.

"Crystal Dynamics has an extraordinary opportunity following our acquisition by Embracer to redefine what a publishing relationship is for Tomb Raider," said Crystal Dynamics head Scot Amos in a press release. "Transformative is what we’re looking for, and with Amazon Games, we found a team t?hat shares our creative vision, ambitions, and values for a Lara Croft universe across the spectrum of possibilities."

The new Tomb Raider is also being built in Unreal Engine 5. Lara's new adventure is still in early development, but today's news promises there will still be enemies to take down and puzzles to solve in the new Tomb Raider.

A new benefactor

For Amazon, the online shopping giant picks up another publishing deal with this project. Bandai Namco's Blue Protocol is also joining up with Amazon for publishing, helping the online RPG launch sometime next ?year.

Meanwhile, for Crystal Dynamics, t?he deal ensures some support for the next big Croft game. The studio is saying it will be the "bi??ggest" and "most expansive" to date. It's also set to carry on Lara Croft's story, though in what manner that happens remains to be seen.

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Bucky enters the fray

A new hero joins the lineup of Marvel's Avengers at the end of the month. Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, will arrive in Marvel's Avengers on November 29.

The 2.7 update will add the once-frozen warrior to Avengers a?s a playable hero, alongside the Cloning Lab Omega-Level Threat. Bucky will also have his own chain of missions, which will reward an iconic outfit once c??ompleted.

The Winter Soldier will be voiced by Scott Porter, who also lent his voice to Bucky in Lego Marvel's Avengers. As for his ??playstyle, he's apparently an "assault-focused hero?" who loves to do damage.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDBojdBAjXU

The Omega-Level Threat of the Cloning Lab carries on the MODOK storyline. It's an endgame encounter meant for a ?squad of players to tackle, and will require Power Level 175 to enter.

Avengers, assembling

Bucky is the latest hero to join Marvel's Avengers, since Jane Foster's Thor took the field earlier this year. That br??ings the total hero count up to 12, if counting the ??PlayStation-exclusive Spider-Man.

It's also been a strange year for Crystal Dynamics, the team behind Marvel's Avengers. The studio was recently bought by Embracer Group, alongside Eidos Montreal and Square Enix Montreal. The latter would soon be renamed to Onoma before getting shut down.

Meanwhile, Marvel's Avengers is still carrying on. The team says that updates past 2.7 will keep on revising and tuning heroes, as they've been doing with past patches. And Crystal Dynamics is also working on the next installment in the Tomb Raider franchise, too.

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It also asks you to choose between Kain or Raziel

A new Crystal Dynamics-helmed Legacy of Kain survey h?as popped up, and could inform the future of ??the franchise based on its results.

Although it was a fairly short run looking back on it, the series tore onto the gaming scene in 1996, exploded in 1999 with Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, and then effectively ended unceremoniously in 2003 with Defiance. Since then the powers that be attempted to resurrect the series in multiplayer form, but it also died off in its own way. But with Crystal Dynamics bought and paid for and part of the Embracer Group now, it's likely time to start tapping into nostalg?ia.

As a reminder, here are the five major Legacy of Kain games that the survey centers on:

• Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (1996)
• Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (1999)
• Soul Reaver 2 (2001)
• Blood Omen 2 (2002)
• Legacy of Kain: Defiance (2003)

Question topics for the Legacy of Kain survey include:

• Have you ever seen someone stream a Legacy of Kain game?
• How would you rate each game you've played in the series?
• What are your favorite parts about the series (mechanically and thematically)?
• Who is your favorite protagonist (Kain or Raziel)?
• What would your reaction to a new "vampire game" be?
• Do you want to see a sequel, remake, reboot, or remaster?
• Do you want a theoretical game to be single or multiplayer (co-op is also an option)?

Beyond that, one of the most important questions drills down whether or not you'd rather see a remaster/remake of any of the five core games first. For what it's worth, my top pick is probably a Soul Reaver remake. There are so many different directions you can go, but if I had to choose one possib??le outcome, that would likely yield one of th??e best-received/commercially successful single titles.

[Thanks Jeff!]

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Lara's coming home

Some legendary gaming franchises are now back under the control of their respective studios, following the completion of Square Enix' western studio sell-off to holding company Embracer Group �With the completion of the deal, several IPs now defer ownership and/or creative cont??rol to their developers of origin.

The two biggest titles to make the transition of legendary adventure series Tomb Raider, which is now back in the hands of Crystal Dynamics, and dystopian cyberpunk series Deus Ex, which has come home to roost with Eidos Montreal (formerly Square Enix Montreal). In addition, Crystal Dynamics regains ownership of Legacy of Kain, while Eidos Montreal retakes the helm of cult stealth series, Thief.

The sale comes at a perfect moment in time for Crystal Dynamics, as the studio is about to embark on the development of a brand new Tomb Raider title, one that will harness the power of modern platforms and the stunning Unreal 5 engine to create a world of exploration and adventure like none Ms. Croft has ever encountered before. With Crystal Dynamics now fully in the driving seat, this bodes incredibly well for the return of both Lara and Tomb Raider �As for Deus Ex, we'll just have to wait and see.

While it is understandable then many are feeling trepidation at the current craze for mergers and acquisitions that are swamping the games industry, it is possible for some good to come from said sales. And putting iconic franchises back in the hands of the people who know them the best can certainly be considered a major positive from the latest in a long, long, long line of Embracer Group purchases.

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That last one will be getting a name change

The ink has dried on Embracer Group's purchase of three former Square Enix studios. Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal, and Square Enix Montreal are all now ??part of the Embracer Group.

Embracer's acquisition was announced in May earlier this year, for a reported sum of around $300 million USD. Today, Embracer Group confirms that a?ll conditions for the transaction, including regulatory approvals, have been fulfill?ed.

This purchase doesn't just include the three studios, but several notable IPs that these studios have worked on. Those include Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Thief, and The Legacy of Kain. However, Square Enix is still set to retain certain IPs.

In a post from the Crystal Dynamics social media account today, it's confirmed that Square Enix Montreal will be renamed soon. More info is expe?cted at a later date.

//twitter.com/CrystalDynamics/status/1??563167307714547712

A new group under Embracer

With all three studios under new ownership, it will be interesting to see what their future development plans are. Crystal Dynamics had announced it was working on the next Tomb Raider game, building it using Unreal Engine 5. Eidos Montreal is hot off Guardians of the Galaxy, a game that really took me by surprise. I'm personally hoping Tomb Raider hasn't been affected too much? by the change ??in ownership.

This locks in a pretty big acquisition for Embracer, though the group hasn't been shy about picking up more purchases in the interim. Last week, Embracer announced a bevy of new acquisitions. They range from Tripwire and Limited Run Games to Lord of the Rings IP holder Middle-earth Enterprises. Alongside Gearbox, Aspyr, and more??, that's a lot of studios under the Em?bracer label these days.

In other acquisition news, the Sony-Bungie deal closed last month. And Microsoft, meanwhile, is working towards finalizing its purchase of Activision Blizzard.

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Jane Foster takes to the fray tomorrow

The Mighty Thor, the latest hero to join the battle in Marvel's Avengers, arrives tomorrow. Before her launch, Crystal Dynamics has published a gameplay deep dive exploring just how this Mighty Thor is familiar and not-so-familiar for Marvel's Avengers players.

The War Table deep dive posted this morning showcases Jane Foster's specific set of moves. In the Marvel's Avengers continuum, Foster is brought over? from another timeline, one where Thor Odinson gave up the ham??mer.

With Foster as the new wi?elder of Mjolnir, her moves may look a little familiar. Bu??t there are some differences that make the Mighty Thor a bit different.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxjz6fFQSJc

The video highlights Jane'?s combo abilities, which can create shockwaves as she hits or adds a catch-and-release mechanic to Mjolnir. Her big move looses Mjolnir on enemies, letting it fly around an?d pummel foes as she summons another weapon, Undrjarn. Twice the bludgeoning seems like bad news for the bad guys.

Mightiest heroes

While the side-by-side comparisons early on don't help Jane feel all too different from Thor, the later abilities do seem to offer a different and distinct playstyle. The visual design of the Mighty Thor is fantastic too; Foster will get her own cosmetics, and th??ey really lean into some fantastic armor and garb.

In today's accompanying blog, Crystal Dynamics also confirms it's working on more content for Marvel's Avengers. Two new challenges will c??ontinue to push the narrative efforts forward, with the first being a villain-focused Warzone.

It's a good reaffirmation of what's in store for Marvel's Avengers for anyone wondering what would happen to the project since Square Enix struck the deal with Embracer. Seems like support is still ongoing, at least for the near future. And in the even-nearer future, the Mighty Thor hits Marvel's Avengers tomorrow, June 28.

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That's a Lara tombs raided

No one would, could, deny the incredible impact of one of gaming's foremost adventure series, Tomb Raider. The escapades of the undeniable explorer Lara Croft have kept thousands of video game fans entertained ever since her genre-shattering '90s debut. From her humble PlayStation and Sega Saturn beginnings, through her pint-sized handheld/mobile releases, to her modern, critically acclaimed adventures, Lara and the Tomb Raider franchise are, undeniably, a household name.

Tomb Raider's new owner, Embracer Group, wasted no time in reminding the world quite how successful the jungle-traipsing, mountain-climbing, throat-stabbing explorer has been in both the digital realm and on the bottom line. According to a freshly released timeline, the Tomb Raider franchise now sits at a??n amazing 88 million l??ifetime sales, pulled from every release since the series' 1996 inception.

Of these 88 million sales, a huge 38 million comes directly from Crystal Dynamics' "reboot trilogy" �namely Tomb Raider (2013), Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015), and Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018), a series which remains Ms. Croft's most recent jaunt into Parts Unknown. The remaining 50 million sales are combined of the original Tomb Raider titles, released throughout gaming's fifth-to-seventh generation), as well as numerous mobile titles such as Lara Croft: Relic Run and Lara Croft: GO.

As for what the future holds, frankly, it's all for the taking. The sale of Crystal Dynamics and Tomb Raider to Embracer Group opens up numerous possibilities for Lara's future. The fact that the new owners have been quick to release these numbe?rs is a very positive sign �suggesting that they see a lot of potential in both the brand power and proven track record of the series. Here's to hoping that Lara returns to our screens soon...

Quite frankl??y?, she is an institution. As much of a treasure as anything unearthed within any temple.

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Major acquisition deal struck with Square Enix

The bottomless pit of cash that is the Embracer Group has gone on another spending spree, announcing its intention to acquire three studios from legendary Japanese developer/publisher Square Enix. The company has entered into an agreement to purchase developers Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal, and Square Enix Montreal for a reported sum of a??round $300 million USD.

"We are thrilled to welcome these studios into the Embracer Group," Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors said in a press r??el?ease. "We recognize the fantastic intellectual property, world-class creative talent, and track record of excellence that have been demonstrated time and again over the past decades. It has been a great ple??asure meeting the leadership teams and? discussing future plans for how they can realize their ambitions and become a great part of Embracer."

"Embracer is the best-kept secret in gaming," is the curious statement from Square Enix America CEO Phil Rogers. "A massive, decentralized collection of entrepreneurs whom we are thrilled to become a part of today. It is the perfect fit for our ambitions: make high-quality games, with great people, sustainably, and grow our existing franchises to their best versions ever. Embracer allows us to forge new partne??rships across all media to maximize our franchises�potential and live our dreams of making extraordinary entertainment."

Alongside the acquisition of Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal, and Square Enix Montreal, Embracer Group will pick up much of the studios' respective IP catalogs, which include popular and financially successful franchises such as Deus Ex, Thief, Legacy of Kain, and, of course, Tomb Raider. The deal, set to close in fall 2022, will also see Embracer add 50 previously released titles to its big book of licenses, which potentially includes the great Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy and the not-great Marvel's Avengers, pending license holder discussions.

According to industry analyst Daniel Ahmad, Square Enix has been looking to offload much of its western development division for some time, with the publisher reportedly disappointed with what it sees as "underperforming" releases within the sector.

The three Square Enix studios join Embracer Group's mighty portfolio of developers and publishers which includes THQ Nordic, Gearbox Entertainment, Koch Media, and Saber Interactive as well a huge range of subsi??diary and partner stud??ios such as Coffee Stain, DECA Games, Asmodee, and Easybrain.

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Stop, hammer time

Square Enix is laying out the road ahead for Marvel's Avengers. And it looks like that future lines up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as Marvel's Avengers looks to add Jane Foster to the lineup.

In today's April dev update, the team is looking ahead to Update 2.4. It'??s currently set for a May release, and will continue to focus on system improvements. Even furthe?r out is Update 2.5, which doesn't have any timing window just yet. But the update will include a new playable hero in Jane Foster, the Mighty Thor.

The Avengers team says ??Foster will?? have some similarities to Thor Odinson, given they're both wielders of Mjolnir. She will also have elements that are "distinctly Jane." More info on that is coming in the future.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgB1wUcmbbw

Peace, love, and thunder

Foster's inclusion in the Square Enix live-service Avengers lines up neatly with news of her appearing in the MCU. The recent trailer for Thor: Love and Thunder, the upcoming Thor movie, ends wit?h the reveal of Foster's Tho??r.

For more on how exactly Jane Foster became Thor, and what history it has in the comics, Polygon has an excellent write-up. It's a surprisingly fun inclusion though, and could let the Avengers team explore the complex backstory of how the Thor mantle has moved around over t??he years.

As for Marvel's Avengers, maybe this helps provide more shocks to its system. The live-service game has trucked on through a bad initial reception. Updates have still been rolling out, and seem intent to keep on rolling out. It's gradually made good on delivering characters like Spider-Man, as well as a full content pack in the War for Wakanda expansion.

Meanwhile, even more Marvel games are spinning up. Skydance New Media, helmed by Amy Hennig, is working on a new narrative-driven game in the Marvel universe, and Marvel's Midnight Suns is still due sometime later this year.

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Lara to start sporting bootcut jeans?

Jeff Ross, director of Sony Bend's successful survival horror adventure Days Gone, has announced that they have saddled up the ol' hog and taken up a new role with Crystal Dynamics, the studio behind the hugely successful Tomb Raider reboot. Ro?ss will work at CD in the role of Design Director.

Ross confirmed the news on social media, though the director remained tight-lipped regarding the projects he will now be plying his trade on. Given that Crystal Dynamics literally announced a new, Unreal 5-based Tomb Raider title earlier this week, and given Days Gone's atmospheric "wilderness" nature, it seems a pretty snug assumption???? that Ross will be helping to form Ms. Croft's next journey into the undergrowth.

Despite the (admittedly surprising) sales success of Days Gone, which even beat NetherRealm Studios' Mortal Kombat 11 to the top of the UK Charts, Sony Interactive Entertainment was seemingly disappointed with the open-world adventure's success, putting the kibosh on a planned sequel. While he has not openly expressed this, one would assume that Ross' movement to Crystal Dynamics might afford him the opportunity to transition some of his Days Gone 2 ideas into Lara's equally dangerous world.

The untitled Tomb Raider project is in developm??ent now at Crysta?l Dynamics.

//twitter.com/JakeRocket/status/1511388957056983046?s=20&??amp;t=xsNSCDpUDnNV3D_JZE-Qog

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Returning to their Croft

The next entry in the Tomb Raider series is on the way, and it'll be built in Epic's engine. Crystal Dynamics confirms that it's working on the next Tomb Raider in Unreal Engine 5.

The news arrived during today's State of Unreal presentation, where Epic launched UE5 to the public. The engine is now available to use, alongside some extra tools like the Lyra Starter Game and a city sample from The Matrix Awakens Unreal demo from late last year.

//twitter.com/tombraider/status/151136871227??9904258

Legacy of the Tomb Raider

No details were announced yet on where this journey will go or how it links in to previous Tomb Raider games. Crystal Dynamics helmed the first two reboot games, starting with 2013's Tomb Raider and then Rise of the Tomb Raider. Eidos-Montréal, meanwhile, took up 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Things have been quiet for Lara since then, as Crystal Dynamics went to work on Marvel's Avengers and Eidos-Montréal went to Guardians of the Galaxy. Now, it looks like CD is back on the Tomb Raider franchise, a?nd I??'m interested to see where they take the character from here.

It'll be some added work, as Crystal Dynamics is also collaborating on the Perfect Dark reboot with The Initiative. That's another project we've yet to see much of, outside of the initial announcement. It's unclear when we'll see either Jo?anna Dark or Lara Croft back on the screen again.

With all that, I'm happy to see Tomb Raider games back in development. I was a fan of reboot trilogy, and would definitely like to see where Crystal Dynamics could go. The Matrix demo was pretty impressive too, and Tomb Raider games have usually be??en good showpieces?? for tech and visuals.

The new Tomb Raider is also now one of several projects in development on Unreal, including the next Witcher game from CD Projekt Red. Today, Epic confirmed over 85 studios are working on UE5, including those two and The Coalition. Seems lik?e Unreal is off to a running start with the new engine.

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Happy birthday, Lara

We all love celebrating the anniversaries of our favorite classic games �why not support the next generation of game designers in the process? In honor of Tomb Raider's 25th anniversary, Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix have partnered with a number of renowned artists to create a limited edition set of reimagined box art prints from the series. In addition to creating beautiful art to help fans commemorate the special occasion, 100% of proceeds from sales of the prints will go to Girls Make Games, a fundraising organization that encourages young girls to pursue careers in the gaming industry. Fifteen different artists contributed to the project, and all of their work can be seen in this gallery, where you can also? download specially themed computer wallpapers.

The prints are being sold as a bundle of 15 for $??49.99 from February 14 (which the website excitedly tells us?? is Lara's birthday) through March 7, 2022.

These purchases are pre-orders, with the prints expected to ship sometime in April. Square Enix has also set up an official website ??where you can follow all o??f the festivities they have planned for the 25th anniversary.

[caption id="attachment_308760" align="alignnone" width="1000"] _{[Image Source: Girls Make Games]}[/caption]Girls Make Games was established in 2014 by Laila Shabir and her husband as a summer camp for young girls who wanted to work in the games industry. Since, the organization has grown significantly, and now in addition to the summer camp holds game jams and coding workshops, and even releases information for parents and teachers to best help them prepare the young women in their lives for careers in games. Companies like Riot, BioWare, and Double Fine have hosted field trips for camp attendees, and in 2018 Google Play partnered with Girls Make Games to provide a scholarship prize for the winner of ??their ga??me design competition.

I think this is a fantastic partnership to celebrate Tomb Raider's 25th anniversary, considering Lara Croft was one of the first female protagonists of a tentpole series in games. Girls Make Games has done and continues to do incredible work in making the video game industry a more welcoming, inclusive place, as well as celebrating women's contributions to the titles we love.
_{[Featured Image Source: Game Informer]}

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Set off on a Tomb Raider adventure for free

The new adventures of Lara Croft are on a pretty good discount today. The rebooted Tomb Raider trilogy is today's Epic Games Store freebie, with all three of the new Tomb Raider titles available to download and keep.

That includes 2013's Tomb Raider and its sequels Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Each version is the "definitive"?? or fu?ll collection of the series, so you'll also be getting all the additional content too. From extra costumes to new challenge tombs, that's a lot of surviving and tomb raiding.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_FIyNcQSgA

This is part of Epic's ongoing holiday celebration festivities, with free games going up every day. The past few days have had some extremely good gets, like the automated RPG Loop Hero and wacky, zany couch co-op adventure Moving Out. This three-for-one deal is a pretty big one though, running from now through Jan. 6. Then the next freebie, Gods Will Fall, will arrive.

And those Tomb Raider games are pretty solid. The re-envisioning of Lara Croft's journey made for an excellent action-adventure game in 2013's self-titled reboot. Then in Rise of the Tomb Raider, we saw more puzzles, more challenges, and some interesting survival elements incorporated for those looking for a good challenge. And even though I'm not personally the hugest fan of Shadow of the Tomb Raider, it did have its moments.

Though we haven't seen much of Lara since that latest entry in 2018, it'll be fun to have an excuse to jump back into these reboots and see how the new version of Lara Croft evolved through the trilogy. For the low, low price of free, it's hard to look down on a deal like this. Find all three on the Epic Games Store for PC here.

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Don't get me pictures of Spider-Man

It's taken a year and a day, but Square Enix has finally, finally released the PlayStation-exclusive Spider-Man DLC for its limp comic-book adventure Marvel's Avengers. And, after multi?p??le delays and lots of furor, Spider-Man, Spider-Man, is ready to do everything a spider can... (just not story missions).

Despite being almost a year late, it appears that the Spider-Man DLC will simply offer up Peter Parker as a selectable hero, with no accompanying story mode or campaign. It's just Spidey. Swinging around the city and fighting criminal scum, but in a manner that looks distinctly less interesting and fun than his Insomniac counterpart. Hell, maybe even his LEGO counterpart. While Spidey can be used in all Marvel's Avengers content, he will not be receiving any missions of his?? own.

"We want to spend our efforts on content that everyone can enjoy, so we chose to spend a lot of our energy on the Klaw raid that's coming up at the same time," explained gameplay director?? Philippe Therien to IGN. "Really that's a simple decision for us. Spider-Man can play all the content, but then we release a piece of content that's good on all platforms. Really that was a decision that's been that ??way since the beginning."

Weaksauce Spidey is a fitting end to Marvel's Avengers' Spider-Man saga, just one of an abundance of marketing missteps that has surrounded what seemed to be a "can't-miss" prospect on its initial announcement. Fans had already started shuffling nervously pre-launch, as more and more news came out about Marvel's Avengers and its Games as a Service focus. Square Enix treated us to boring gameplay videos, strange product placement tie-ins, delays, and a breakdown of the title's cosmetic-heavy slant, all of which turned off a large portion of the ?audience before the title had even hit.

The reveal that this Spider-Man DLC would, ultimately, be a PlayStation-exclusive only furthered agitated fans, leading to a very limp launch for what seemed to be a game designed with a long-term future. Even when out in the wild, the problems continued, with the loss of its creative director, a fan-angering walk back on paid-XP microtransactions, and now this, Spider-Man's?? belated, super-vanilla arrival �years after two incredible Spider-Man ??games already exist.

Regardless, he's almost here. So if you want to see the web-crawler swinging his way through a digital world, and neither of Insomniac's excellent releases fulfills that need, you can purchase the DLC for Marvel's Avengers from November 30.

//twitter.com/Nibellion/status/14627494??95184265221?s=20

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The PlayStation-exclusive hero finally makes his debut this month

A friendly neighborhood superhero will make his way into Crystal Dynamics' superhero brawler at the end of November. Spider-Man will finally arrive in Marvel's Avengers for PlayStation owners on Nov. 30, 2021.

Announced in the weekly War Table blog, Nov. 30 will bring a bunch of updates to Marvel's Avengers alongside Spider-Man. The Klaw raid will arrive, set after the War for Wakanda expansion and taskin?g players with taking down the big baddie for some high-end gear.

Spider-Man's arrival will also come with the Spider-Man: With Great Power Hero Event. Here, you'll get to play through Spider-Man's story, as he teams up with Ms. Marvel and Black Widow to fight AIM. It seems like the crux of the Spider-Man narrative in Marvel's Avengers will be about Peter learning to work with a team, rather than fighting? solo.

Some improved systems will also arrive in this update, including gear recycling, a Power Level increase to 175, and Per-Hero Weekly Objective?s.

Crystal Dynamics also addresses earning cosmetics, rather than just buying them. Shipments arrive as a 500 Unit-cost box which pulls from a collection of possible ?items. You will be able to see what's in a Shipment before getting it, and there's a small chance a Shipment might hold a premium Outfit you can't get anywhere else. You'll automatically get that after picking up 100 Shipments though, so you won't have to rely on dice rolls forever. More is coming about this new system in the coming weeks.

Marvel's Avengers has been in hot waters lately over its controversial paid XP consumables, which Crystal Dynamics has since removed. There were also some tough words about the game's progress in the recent Square Enix financial earnings.

What 2022 will look like for Marvel's Avengers remains to be seen, but Spider-Man arriving in Marvel's Avengers has been a long-awaited addition for the game. Maybe it can right the ship a b?it a??s it sails into a new year.

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Both purchasable Hero's Catalysts and Fragment Extractors will leave the shop today

Crystal Dynamics has announced it will be removing its paid consumables from the Marvel's Avengers Marketplace. The two items will still be earnable rewards, but the option to purchase them will lea?ve the store today.

The Hero's Catalysts and Fragment Extractors consumables were recently added to the Marvel's Avengers Marketplace. The move elicited almost immediate negative reactions f?r?om its player base, criticizing the addition of paid XP boosts.

"We apologize for not responding sooner to your concerns about the addition of paid consumables in the Marketplace," read today's statement. "We introduced them as an option for an evolving player base, and did not see them as pay-to-win since they don't offer power?? directly."

//twitter.com/PlayAvengers/status/14555808617??18405124

By end of day, the consumables will be removed from the store, th??ough they'll still be useable for anyone who has already purchased them.

"We ??hope that this can be the first step in rebuilding your confidence in us as a team," said the statement.

Marvel's Avengers has had a rocky year. After launching in 2020, the superhero game endured a rocky launch. The War for Wakanda expansion did go live earlier this year, and the games-as-service game just hit Xbox Game Pass.

But even with a roadmap laid out for the rest of 2021, a microtransaction controversy might have caused some more troubles for Marvel's Avengers. As a new year approaches, it seems like the co-op supe??rhe??ro brawler will have a little extra work ahead to keep gaining ground.

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The Tomb Raider reboot could have been quite different

Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics have been celebrating 25 years of Tomb Raider this year, and today, they showcased something a little different. A few videos shed light on Tomb Raider: Ascension, the project that eventually became the 2013 reboot, and ?how different it could ?have been.

Tomb Raider: Ascension was the name for a project that would eventually become 2013's Tomb Raider. In a new video highlighting early footage from Ascension, you can see both the simila??rities and stark contrasts from Lara's eventual journey across Yamatai.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIIUPeClBTU

It is very, very survival horror. Rather than gruff dudes with guns, Ascension's Lara is dealing with supernatural monsters. The first part of the footage is all set in a cave, dimly lit by the glow of Lara's torch. Later, she can be seen lighting creatures ablaze with an improvised flamethrower, using her bow, and even riding a horse as a massive monster gives chase. Am I wrong, or did that part have some Shadow of the Colossus vibes?

As the YouTube description notes, Tomb Raider: Ascension took Tomb Raider deep into the survival horror side of things. It was made during the exploratory phases of what would eventually become Tomb Raider (2013). And it was through Ascension that ?the team honed in on both an origin story premise.

You can also see the familiar camera angles, animations, and other aspects that made Lara's new adventures stand out. Two other videos were also uploaded, showcasing branding for Ascension and some early Ascension concepts. It's a surprisingly transparent look at how much work went into Ascension, and fascinating to see just how the Tomb Raider reboot emerged from this project.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvlz2aEnTYY

Of course, it's not hard to look at this and dream a little wistfully about a survival horror Tomb Raider game. It woul??d fit really well, especially with where the reboots left off with Lara. And while there are supernatural aspects to these games, one that focuses even more heavily on the scary monsters could be cool.

If anything, I'm just trying to stay hopeful for more Tomb Raider. With Crystal Dynamics working away on both Marvel's Avengers and now assisting on Perfect Dark, and Eidos Montreal closing in on the launch of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, who knows when that day might come. But in the meantime, this Ascension footage gives u?s some fascinating insight into the process behind the reboot, and some interesting "what-if's"? in the process.

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Comic adventure u-turns on "Pay-to-Win" mechanics

Thoroughly unsurprising, as inevitable as Thanos, paid XP boosts have been added to Square Enix's RPG Marvel's Avengers. Fans of the game have taken to so??cial media to express their disappointment at the new update.

Players can now purchase "Consumables" from Marvel's Avengers' in-game store, allowing characters to expedite their individual level growth in exchange for real-world money. While the addition of these boosts comes as no shock, (given that Marvel's Avengers has been a cash register since before its launch), players are particularly chagrinned as it was previously stated that paid boosts would not feature in the game.

The Marvel's Avengers Reddit features comm?ents from players criticizing the move.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4eLICd73gw

The paid XP boosts join a laundry list of disastrous marketing ideas that surround what should have easily been one of the most promising IPs of 2020. Even before launch, the ire of Marvel and gaming fans was raised with an abundance of piecemeal deals surrounding the title, including platform exclusive characters, a slew of microtransactions, and gimmicky marketing crossovers that tied in-game content to internet providers and even chewing gum bran??ds.

For the most part, the audience voted with its wallet, with Square Enix noting that launch sales for Marvel's Avengers were far lower than expected. The game's creative director, Shawn Escayg, left Crystal Dynamics in April to return to their old stomping ground of Naughty Dog, and the epic comic-book adventure has continued to limp on throughout 2021, with one of its biggest draws, the PlayStation-exclusive Spider-Man, still unreleased one year on from his controversial reveal.

Marvel's Avengers called out by players over "Pay to Win" updat??e [ComicBook.com]

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What a pleasant surprise

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain is the latest in a long line of PC games to elicit an "Oh sweet, it's easily playable on modern machines!" The top-down action-adventure game with the sick af box art is back via GOG �it'll be $6.99 normally, but ?for a limited time, it's just $6.29.

Whether it's tangled-up IP rights �which seems to be the main factor here?? between Silicon Knights, Crystal Dynamics, and Square Enix �or other outside factors holding back a re-release, you love to see a piece of gaming history like this pop up out of the blue.

As someone who's not really tapped in, I hadn't realized that Legacy of Kain wasn't previously available on GOG, but fans have been calling for it and I'm sure they're thr??illed. Even though you could say this about a lot of these "good old games," this one strikes me as a particularly nostalgic re-release, whether you have vivid memories of vampire revenge with the PS1 original or the 1997 PC port by Semi Logic Entertainments.

Blood Omen is a memorable start to a storied series with super passionate fans, but apart from playing Soul Reaver �and more recently, as a thirtysomething, watching a full playthrough of Legacy of Kain �I feel like I've missed out. The story and world are awesome. And while I can't say I'm dying to play through (what looks to be) a chal??lenging and in many ways dated experience, I appreciate having the option to do so on a whim.

??In othe??r words, I'm happy for y'all. Go slice up some mages for me.

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Both the base content and the expansion assemble on Game Pass

If you've been holding out on the persistent superhero game Marvel's Avengers, there's a good chance to jump in coming soon. Xbox and Crystal Dynamics announced today that Marvel's Avengers is coming to Xbox Game Pass on Sept. 30, just a cou??ple days from now.

Marvel's Avengers will be coming to Xbox Game Pass for PC, console, and cloud gaming. It will also include just about every piece of content that's been released, from the base campaign up through the recent War for Wakanda expansion pack. The only exception being the eight cosmetics in the Endgame Edition DLC, which is on the Xbox Marketplace.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObIWfAkTSgo

There are still some events going as the month of September winds down too, including a Quad XP event running from Sept. 30 through Oct. 4. And updates have been bringing some new heroes, as well as new missions to complete, into the game and are expected to roll out throughout the year.

So while Game Pass players will still seemingly be out of luck when it comes to a friendly neighborhood addition to the game, it seems like a good time for Xbox owners to give Marvel's Avengers a sh?ot if they haven't yet. It's been on my long list of service games to check out for a while, and now that heroes like Black Panther are joining th?e roster, it might be the right time.

Marvel in general has a lot of games in the pipeline now, too. Guardians of the Galaxy is set to debut in October, Midnight Suns is set for 2022, and Insomniac is working on both a Spidey sequel and a new Wolverine game. Seems like a Marvel game in most ??ma?jor genres is hitting over the next few years.

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