With Japanese video game company Square Enix (the company behind the Final Fantasy franchise) finally reaching a deal with Swedish based gaming ‘The Embracer Group’ to sell Western Studios for a reported $300m. Along with this deal includes the IP of many notable and recognisable game series’ such as Tomb Raider which has sold around 88m units (which is more than double popular Square Enix title Kingdom Hearts) along with Dues Ex, Legacy of Kain and Thief.This news which came associated with their published accounts for their last financial year. Square Enix reveals their plans to “establish new studios” while acquiring others. All of this comes in the same month of a ‘big rumour’ of Sony apparently looking to buy Square Enix. https://metro.co.uk/2022/05/03/playstation-buying-square-enix-is-the-big-rumour-admits-insider-16577300/

Jeff Grubb a man who is often on the money when it comes to rumours and information not reported on yet did add that he doesn’t claim to have any insider knowledge of whether this is actually happening.

https://twitter.com/JeffGrubb/status/1521284936795258881?s=20&t=ffaHnOVOmBEMf3BrdsmmPw

For now its just a case of sitting tight and waiting with Final Fantasy XVI announced the title that has essentially kept Square Enix in business. You only need to look at the most recently released financial reports where the heartbreaking decline in non-MMO titles was offset by the most recent release in the Final Fantasy franchise (which is available on the Go2games website if you’re yet to acquire your copy) saving Square Enix from the disappointing releases of the Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy game that didn’t reach its initial sales expectation. Also, coincidentally the developer for that title was Eidos Montreal which was one of the studios picked up in the Embracer deal. Which is probably why the right to Marvel games are now in the hands of Embracer for an eye-watering loss for Square Enix. This loss is reportedly at an overall $200m across both Marvel games release the other title of course being Marvel’s Avengers. That $200m estimate was reported by the Metro  https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2022-05-13-final-fantasy-14-drives-strong-financial-year-for-square-enix  But it appears as if Square Enix are best positioning itself for acquisition which if bought by Sony would potentially impact returning characters for the Super Smash Bros title with Cloud, Sephiroth, Hero and Sora at risk. This is of course if Sony do in fact purchase Square Enix and with IPs such as Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts still owned by Square Enix, who needs Lara Croft?

The post Square Enix and their future plans first appeared on Get2Gaming.

The Pokemon Company has announced that it will release a Pokemon Trading card game themed around Pokemon Go. The announcement caught everyone by surprise when it was made official the Japanese Twitter account, accompanied by a brief teaser video released. This set in particular will be named “Pokemon Go” and to feature card art taken from Pokemon Go. The set appears to be a mini expansion, as booster packs released in Japan will only contain 6 cards, and will feature Mewtwo as one of the set’s mascots. Nothing else was announced about the set, such as if it will include any mechanics inspired by Pokemon Go. 

The special set release date is June 17th 2022. As of right now, there is no plans on an international date at this current time. The cards will likely either be integrated into a full US set or released through a series of special box products, its important to note that retailer listings has confirmed that the US/International audience would their special set in June, which has not been announced yet. So there’s a possibility that they could have a simultaneous release for both US and Internationally.

For those unaware; Pokemon Go is an 2016 augmented reality (AR) game developed and published by Niantic in collaboration with Nintendo and The Pokemon Company for iOS and Android devices. A part of the Pokemon franchise, the game is the result of a collaboration between Niantic, Nintendo and The Pokemon Company. It uses mobile devices with GPS to locate, capture, train, and battle virtual creatures, called Pokemon, which appear as if they are in the player’s real-world location. The game is free-to-play, with options to purchase certain items at certain times in the game.

The new card set continues a collaboration between Pokemon Go and the Pokemon Trading Card Game which started last year with release of Professor Willow themed card, during that time, Niantic has stated that further collaborations were possible, so it does look like we’re seeing it come into fruition now.

The Pokemon Trading card game is set to release its first English set sometime this month. The new expansion will add a new “VSTAR” mechanic to the game, which gives players the chance to use a VSTAR power once per game. The mechanic acts as a combination of sorts for the Pokemon VMAX mechanic currently used in the game, as well as the GX mechanic used in the previous “Sun and Moon” period. The next set for release is will feature Pokemon from Pokemon Legends; Arceus,a new Pokemon mechanic labelled as “Sparkling Pokemon” is also set to be introduced in the game at some point.

The post Pokemon Go is set to get its own Pokemon TCG expansion first appeared on Get2Gaming.

As reported by various news outlets like  Bloomberg and CNET ,the FTC will conduct an investigation of the deal to determine whether the purchase of the publishing giant constitutes unfair competition, according to an anonymous source.

To be clear, it is understood that the investigation will not be carried out by the justice department, who do work with the FTC to handle similar cases. Currently as I am reporting this, Microsoft has declined further comment on the matter when reached out for a statement. Respectively the FTC have also do not comment on the situation at hand either.

The purchase of Activation Blizzard means that Xbox will gain exclusive ownership of some of the biggest game franchises to date like Overwatch, Crash Bandicoot, Guitar Hero and many, many more . The deal is expected to close in Microsoft’s fiscal year of 2023, however, the deal would only be closed if it meets the closing conditions and completion of the regulatory review.

Competition laws are looking to control market competition by regulating anti-competitive conduct by companies. On the basis of mergers and acquisitions, regulators can prevent deals that are considered to threaten market competition or suggest remedies such as an obligation to divest part of the new business. Reacting to Microsoft’s plans, DFC Intelligence said the following;

“Will this deal go through? Regulators will take a close look and franchises like Call of Duty may not be exclusive to Xbox platforms because of antitrust concerns.”

David Cole, owner of the DFC had said the following;

The big issue is if COD becomes a Microsoft exclusive. Right now, I don’t think [it will]. For one thing, it would be hard to get it past regulators if they want to lock the competition out.” Talking to GamesIndustry.Biz.

Microsoft still have plans to create “some” games for PlayStation following the purchase of the publishers, Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox claims that “it’s not our intent to pull communities away from that platform”.

The post The FTC has reportedly stepped in to review Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal first appeared on Get2Gaming.

Xbox Game Pass has reportedly received £4,780 ($6,317.35/AU$8,823) worth of games in 2021, which is an insane amount considering when you think about this year’s subscription Microsoft services only being £49.99/$59.99/AU$80.

The cost of the new Xbox Game Pass titles was calculated by The Loadout which was based off of the value of every title that was added to the pass on console and PC during the course of 2021 on the Microsoft Store.

The loadout also reported what was the best month for Xbox Game Pass in terms of value which turned out to be March 2021, March oversaw several Bethesda Game Studio titles hit the subscription service which included The Evil Within 2 and Rage which collectively came up to around £740 alone (around $964/AU$1,347).

The month that oversaw the least amount of value was back in April 2021, with the games totaling £247.69. When you consider the price of a month’s subscription is only £7.99($9.99/AU$15.95) it still comes up to a sizable fee. To fully experience every game added to the subscription service, you’d need to pay for the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (which is currently on sale at this present time). Granted it’s more expensive the standard Game Pass but it still only comes up to £101.70 for the entire year, when you put in perspective the value of the game titles that are added to the Game Pass, it’s a very reasonable trade-off. Xbox Game Pass doesn’t come without it perks, with the Ultimate Game Pass, you gain access to Xbox Cloud Gaming and exclusive in-game rewards.

An Outsider’s Analysis: Xbox Game Pass is fantastic value for money

 I’m not going to lie to you, I have not played Xbox or paid their subscription fee since 2014 but as someone who currently pays for PlayStation and Nintendo services I have to admit, the deal you get for the Xbox Game Pass compared to PlayStation Plus and Nintendo Online is currently second to none, I have to say that there’s no deal out there at this current time that offers what the Game Pass offers in exchange for a reasonable subscription fee. Not to say that each respective companies Game Passes have their own impressive rewards and offers but with the Xbox Game Pass, not only do you have an abundance of game titles to choose from this year alone but Microsoft have also given its subscribers incredible savings that they can enjoy.

The Xbox Game Pass included magnificent game titles like Halo Infinite, Forza Horizons 5, Battlefield 2042 and Psychonauts 2, those titles alone at full price is more than one full year of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and with that being said, I can see why people would opt for the Game Pass in the first place; with that you have the option to buy these AAA titles day one.

Now, here’s the thing; if you’re affected by the fact that the Game Pass only allows you to rent titles, it can be overshadowed by the fact that any game that hits the service can be bought digitally with a 20% discount to go with it, not a bad deal for Xbox users there ay? If that’s not enough, Game Pass subscribers can also enjoy discounts on various DLCs too.

Well, my verdict is if you’re looking for a new console, I’d highly recommend giving some serious thought to an Xbox One, Xbox Series S or X if you don’t own one already. Microsoft has seriously improved its product over the last few years, righting the wrongs that has been pointed out over the years. Xbox right now is widely considered as “Sleeping Giants” but how things are going right now, they won’t be sleeping any longer. Now If you excuse me, going to have to see a certain store about certain Microsoft product I would possibly like to invest my time in.

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The post The value of the titles added to Xbox Game Pass in 2021 reportedly passed £4,780 first appeared on Get2Gaming.

The UK Pokemon Center is open for business!

The Pokemon Center, a vast online market for various Pokemon-themed merchandise that can’t be found in regular stores, has been available for US and physical stores have been placed across Japan. However now the UK have also been included in the chain of online stores featuring the cuddly creatures everyone knows and loves.

The website is still very early in its development – “We’re excited to welcome you with the best possible experience, but this site is still in its early stages, so you may see a few hiccups,” A note on the website states as its first customers load the page.

Go back to the year of 2019, where hours and hours of queues were itching for the look into the beloved pop up Center based in London. However as of now its simply a press of a purchase button and wait for “delivery in 3-6 days”.  – Pokemon Center UK Launch FAQ.

With a range of items between plush toy to clothing and even pins, searching for a Pokemon gift for a loved one this Christmas is easier than ever.

But keep in mind though – the best time would be to “order by 11:00 am GMT December 18 to allow for delivery by December 24,” as stated by the Holiday Shipping FAQ, otherwise your order may not make it in time for the 25th.

The post Soft-Launch for UK Online Pokemon Center first appeared on Get2Gaming.

Nothing comes close to this celebratory event

The day has finally come for Halo fans to get a hold of their copy of Halo Infinite and immerse themselves once more as Master Chief. We have already written loads regarding all the different events and collaborations Xbox has done to celebrate the release, but this one really tops them all.

For a limited time only, Halo fans in the UK will be able to visit London’s Saatchi Gallery to admire a 6-metre wide piece of art specifically commissioned for the first-person shooter series.

Halo at the Saatchi

Xbox commissioned renowned artist Iva Troj to produce a large 6m by 3m painting to display at the Saatchi Gallery for the celebration of Halo Infinite’s launch date.

The painting has been created in a Renaissance art style, the style Troj is most famous for, and depicts Master Chief engaging in battle with his enemies. The painting was so big that Xbox had to build a special cubicle for Trouj and her team to work on it.

The piece of artwork was revealed on the Xbox YouTube channel titled “Masterpiece”, in which a choir stands next to the painting singing the iconic Halo theme.

 

Creating this painting was a labour of love for me. I love the Halo universe and the storytelling in it, and I also know what this work will mean to fans of the series. I wanted to get everything right, from the colours to the characters – I must have drawn and redrawn Master Chief 50 times – and it also had to tell a story. I hope that people see the painting has been created with love and respect for the world of Halo. It was an amazing experience for me. – Iva Trouj

 

It is currently being displayed at the Saatchi Gallery located in Duke of York Square (near Sloane Square Tube Station) for one week only so you better visit quickly! There is also a smaller replica of the piece on display at the Carrousel du Louvre shopping centre in Paris until December 19.

Halo Infinite is now available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Grab these voucher codes for our website for some discounts! Offer ends December 20th!

Use code FAMILYGAMES – For 5% off Sonic Colours Ultimate (all platforms)

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The post Halo Infinite: Xbox Commissions Art for London’s Saatchi Gallery first appeared on Get2Gaming.

Ubisoft announced its plans to open a theme park and entertainment centre in France by 2025

Video games have always had a popular fanbase, yet gaming companies are always looking for more and more ways to increase their fanbase and appeal to others that might not have already been sold on the concept. These strategies include creating a metaverse for other mediums to be experienced in the game (i.e. virtual concerts in Fortnite),  but another way is building a theme park for the video games to be experienced in real life.

Nintendo has already ventured into that realm with the Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan, but now Ubisoft has announced it will also be doing the same.

The Ubisoft Entertainment Center

Ubisoft announced recently that it plans to build an entertainment centre that will open by 2025 and then plans to build a theme park around it shortly after. The French company is partnering with Storyland Studios to create a “multi-brand theme entertainment experience” based on the publisher’s game franchises.

The Ubisoft Entertainment Center will be located at Studios Occitanie Mediterranee in France, but if it’s successful, Ubisoft has already teased it would open up the theme park and entertainment centre in more places in the future.

 

Gaming has grown to become the biggest form of entertainment. It makes sense that we partner with France’s leading game publisher to create a new kind of immersive experience that celebrates gaming culture. – Bruno Granja, Founder of Studios Occitanie.

 

The Ubisoft Entertainment Center will be situated a 40-minute drive from Montpellier and will feature a professional film studio, several entertainment offerings, retail, dining, and hospitality. It is unclear what rides will be in the theme park, but Ubisoft has an array of properties it can use- Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Ghost Recon, Just Dance, Rayman, Riders Republic, Rainbow Six, Splinter Cell, and Watch Dogs. Maybe it can even make a Monopoly-themed ride with the new game it is currently publishing.

Super Nintendo World has had great success in Universal Studios Japan so it’s no surprise other gaming companies will soon follow the likes of Ubisoft and start using their IP to create attractions to gain more fans across the world.

What ride would you like to see at The Ubisoft Entertainment Center? Personally, I can see the adrenaline junkies queuing up for an Assassin’s Creed ride titled The Leap of Faith. 

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The post Ubisoft: A Theme Park and Entertainment Centre to be Opened by 2025 first appeared on Get2Gaming.

The PlayStation Direct store is finally coming to Europe!

PlayStation has announced the good news that PlayStation Direct, the official store that sells consoles, games, and accessories directly to consumers, has officially landed in Europe!

The store has opened up first in Germany, with more countries soon to follow.

PlayStation Direct

PlayStation Direct was set up in the US back in September 2019 to allow players the option to buy PlayStation hardware and software directly from Sony.

Now it makes its debut in Europe after today’s official launch in Germany. The PlayStation Direct Germany website is already up and running and offers

Since its launch, PlayStation Direct has generated all the latest hardware, games, and accessories to be shipped to your door without going through another retailer first.

It has been confirmed that the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg will receive their own PlayStation Direct online stores soon, yet no confirmed date as of yet.

PlayStation’s online store expands to Europe!

Starting today with it's official launch in Germany, with the UK, France, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg launching soon.

Stay tuned for more details on the UK launch. pic.twitter.com/2GHPLeQMjY

— PlayStation UK (@PlayStationUK) November 8, 2021

Since its launch, PlayStation Direct has generated over $5 million in the fiscal year 2019, over $200 million in 2020, and is expected to bring in over $600 million during the current fiscal year.

 

PlayStation Direct has achieved significant revenue in the US market within little more than a year of starting operations. We plan for 300 percent further growth within this fiscal year, helped by our upcoming launch in Europe. – Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment.

 

Sony is also hoping to combat PS5 shortages during Christmas via air freight.

Since the UK has yet to receive its own PlayStation Direct store, make sure to check all the PlayStation merchandise on offer at Go2Games!

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The post PlayStation: Direct Now Available in Germany, UK Soon to Follow first appeared on Get2Gaming.

The EuroPlay Video Games Contest took place at Gamescom yesterday and the winner was our very own!

The UK has finally won Eurovision!

No, not the singing competition where we received nil points earlier this year, but EuroPlay, the Eurovision equivalent for unreleased video games.

In EuroPlay, 15 studios from 15 countries battle it out with their unreleased projects to be crowned the champion of EuroPlay, and the UK came out on top with Robot Turtle‘s photography-based puzzle game Viewfinder.

Viewfinder

The game is still currently in development at indie studio Robot Turtle, yet the puzzle game had already won Ukie’s Game of the Show earlier this week, an award to demonstrate the creativity and skill behind UK game developers, making it qualify to be put forward for EuroPlay.

The way games complete in EuroPlay is via a public vote and after 10,000 votes were cast, Viewfinder took home the title of EuroPlay champion!

The game itself consists of players using a Polaroid-style camera to take photos of their surroundings that can then make the photo’s contents come to life. Players must solve open-ended puzzles that encourage thinking outside of the box as you gradually master your abilities.

The game is set within a colourful retrofuturistic utopia inspired by brutalism and impressionism. Uncover this world’s mysteries as you’re drawn into a story exploring themes of transhumanism and utopianism. Along your adventure discover bizarre illusions, interactive gadgets and hidden secrets.

We won! 🥳 https://t.co/jQ6tpEOXst

— Viewfinder (@Viewfinder_Game) August 26, 2021

A release date has yet to be announced for the photography puzzle game but we are very excited and happy for the game winning!

Grab these voucher codes for our website for some discounts! Offers must end on September 3rd!

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The post Gamescom: UK-Made Video Game Wins Europlay, The Eurovision of Video Games first appeared on Get2Gaming.

Chinese gaming giant Tencent has announced its intention to fully acquire British studio Sumo in a £900m deal.

Tencent, which has already invested in more than 800 firms, is one of the biggest companies in the world by market value. They have stakes in various well-known publishers and developers, including a 40% stake in Epic Games, a 5% stake in Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard, and many more. Just this year, Tencent used its subsidiary Proxima Beta Europe BV to acquire a 22% stake in French developer Dontnod Entertainment. Tencent also wholly owns the developer Riot Games, the studio which brought us League of Legends and the ever-growing Valorant.

It seems Tencent is continuing this trend as they are now looking to purchase the British developer Sumo in a deal worth more than £900m. Tencent already owns 8.75% of Sumo and is its second-biggest shareholder. Sumo has 14 studios spread across five countries and is known for titles such as Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Crackdown 3 and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.

“The Board of Sumo firmly believes the business will benefit from Tencent’s broad videogaming eco-system, proven industry expertise and its strategic resources,” said non-executive chairman Ian Livingstone in a prepared statement.

Daniel Ahmad, the senior analyst at Niko Partners, said that Tencent would likely continue its hands-off approach to Sumo’s management.

“Tencent is acquiring Sumo Digital for its breadth of experience developing and operating AAA games and live service games, the majority of which are developed for clients such as Sony, Microsoft, Sega and others,” he said.

“Tencent will continue to support Sumo on these work for hire projects, but the company could also be an invaluable partner for Tencent as it looks to push into the AAA game space itself with its own projects.”

“The deal would also help Sumo utilize Tencent’s expertise regarding games development and publishing within China.”

This news comes shortly after rumours that Tencent was looking to buy Crysis developer Crytek. It seems Tencent is making bigger moves than ever.

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The post Tencent to buy British developer Sumo first appeared on Get2Gaming.