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Blimey, would you Adam and Eve it? Yep, that’s another week done and dusted, and with it a whole bunch of (hopefully) exciting video game news to digest. Being an EastEnders fan, I know how important catching up on stuff is, so that’s why I’m here to guide you through the biggest gaming stories of the past week before you bugger off down the pub, play some Fortnite, fire up Netflix, or do whatever it is you do on a Friday night. But first, I’ll get the important stuff out of the way…
It’s all kicking off in Albert Square this week! Nearly 20 years to the day since Steve Owen clobbered his ex with an ashtray at the E20 nightclub, his son Hunter has been pulled in for questioning over the murder of step-daddy, Ray. The apple clearly didn’t fall too far from the tree. Although to be fair to Steve, he didn’t seem quite as unhinged as his son in the weeks following the crime. Poor Mel though, she’s not had an easy ride.
Meanwhile, Danny ‘I’m fxxxing Danny Dyer’ Dyer showed his sensitive side over Valentine’s Day, thanking his wife for her continued support while the pair posed in medieval clothing. I mean, it hasn’t been an easy time for Danny Boy lately, not after pictures of his willy allegedly leaked over WhatsApp. Life ain’t easy for Walford’s resident hard nut, is it?
Call of Duty 2019 confirmed to have a single-player campaign
With Infinity Ward at the helm of this year’s Call of Duty game, Activision confirmed in its latest earnings call that it will, unlike last year’s Black Ops 4, feature a traditional campaign. I’d like to think that we’re getting another Modern Warfare. The games were bonkers, but also pure Hollywood blockbuster, popcorn-fuelled entertainment. Come on, how awesome would it to be to see Captain Price and co. return? Get Craig Fairbrass involved and it’ll be like an EastEnders reunion.
Activision confirms it has laid off 8% off its staff
As previously rumoured, Activision confirmed that it is indeed cutting a large number of jobs across the company, with 8% of its workforce laid off. Usually, this is the sort of thing you’d expect after a publisher suffers a substantial loss, but it’s quite the opposite; the Call of Duty studio had a ‘record’ 2018. However, its plans to restructure and trim costs in unnecessary areas has unfortunately resulted in nearly 800 people losing their jobs.
Mass Effect is not dead, says BioWare
BioWare has its hands full with the new Dragon Age right now, although this week it’s been keen to remind people that Mass Effect is still very much a thing. Well, sort of. It’s a thing in the sense it’s not dead and they plan to make more Mass Effect games, but there doesn’t seem to be anything in the works right now. It’s good to know that Andromeda didn’t kill the franchise (it wasn’t that bad, to be honest), although it sounds like it’ll be some time before the alien-shagging simulator makes a comeback.
Nintendo Direct round-up
Ninty held its first Direct event of the year on Wednesday night, and it was a whopper. By far the biggest announcement to come out of the broadcast is a full-blown remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, and it looks bloody gorgeous, utilising a Claymation-style aesthetic that looks set to revitalise the Game Boy classic. Meanwhile, Mario is back again in create-’em-up sequel Super Mario Maker 2 for Switch, and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is getting some fresh DLC, including a free co-op update. We’re also getting a Switch version of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, a Hollow Knight sequel, and Assassin’s Creed III Remastered. Oh, and Final Fantasy VII has a release date. From the look of things, the Big N’s 2019 slate is shaping up pretty well, eh?
Fortnite emote case sees Alfonso Ribeiro denied Carlton dance copyright
Remember back when Fresh Prince actor Alfonso ‘Carlton’ Ribeiro sued Epic for its use of his iconic moves in Fortnite? Well, things haven’t exactly been going well for Ribeiro as of late, as he’s now been denied the copyright for his Fresh Prince routine. Apparently, it’s just a ‘simple dance routine,’ and therefore not liable for copyright protection. To be fair, they have a point. I mean, I reckon even I could pull those moves off – and I’m about as good of a dancer as Angel.
Sony’s Shawn Layden explains E3 2019 absence
Sony’s bombshell that it won’t be attending E3 this year was unexpected last year, although we’ve now got a better idea of why they’re missing the event thanks to Mr. Crash Bandicoot t-shirt himself, Shawn Layden. In a nutshell, Sony reckons that E3 hasn’t moved with the times. The days of magazines securing exclusives in the internet age are a thing of the past, and apparently the fact it takes place in June means it’s not a good time for retailers to plan ahead, either. Instead, fans can look forward to Destination PlayStation at some point this month.
