News

News (169375)

Persona and The Elder Scrolls are two old and accomplished RPG series, but just how long does it take to finish every game in each franchise?

Amazon has announced the opening of a new game studio in Montreal, Canada. The move comes after the company’s new CEO recently reaffirmed its commitment to game development. The new studio will be focused on AAA game development and joins Amazon’s existing studios in Seattle, San Diego, and Orange County.

According to Amazon’s press release, the Montreal studio is actively hiring and is helmed by veteran designers who once formed the core of the development team for Rainbow Six Siege. With that kind of expertise in its pocket, Amazon states that the Montreal team’s first project will be a new online multiplayer title. 

“Building upon 8 years of experience with Siege, we are excited to start with a blank page and the creative freedom to create a unique experience in the multiplayer space,” said Xavier Marquis, Creative Director of the Montreal studio.

“Montreal's rich vein of creative talent will be a valuable asset as we continue building our development and publishing teams,” said Christoph Hartmann, VP of Amazon Games in the press release. “The highly skilled and experienced team at our new Montreal studio shares our commitment to creating best-in-class online games and brings with them a wealth of knowledge and passion for building deep, community-focused multiplayer experiences. I look forward to watching them invent on behalf of customers as they grow their team and develop their first project.”

While it’s nice to see Amazon’s commitment to games in action, the company's initial projects have had a rough time getting off the ground. Their first released game, the free-to-play hero shooter Crucible, didn’t catch on, and Amazon pulled the plug on it only a few months after it launched. Meanwhile, its upcoming MMO New World looks promising but has suffered a few delays and is currently slated to release this August. On the plus side, Amazon recently launched its Luna streaming service as a competitor of sorts to Google Stadia. While Luna seems positioned as a fundamentally better deal compared to Stadia's model (Netflix-style subscription vs buying games individually), it's too early to tell whether or not it can be deemed a success as of yet.

What do you make of Amazon’s current positioning in the game industry? Share your thoughts in the comments!

There is an incredible arsenal of weaponry in Call of Duty but none are quite as unique as the Wunderwaffe DG-2.
Netflix announced new cast members who will be joining season two of The Witcher, including a few familiar faces from beloved franchises.
A focus on deeper and more complex themes could really revive the Star Wars formula, and give better insight into this vast universe they've created.

The upcoming Mortal Kombat movie reboot is less than a month away and to celebrate, a new March Madness promo has arrived showing off even more footage from the latest film adaptation.  

The March Madness promo is honestly perfect when you look at the tournament backdrop of the entire Mortal Kombat series. The latest video shows off more about the characters we'll see on the big screen (and HBO Max), including Cole Young, Mileena, Goro, Sonya Blade, and Kung Lao's epic intro. Oh, and can we talk about Sub-Zero again for the billionth time? Because Joe Taslim is incredible as the iconic fighter. 

Just because your March Madness brackets were ruined doesn’t mean you kan’t start preparing for the next big tournament. Katch #MortalKombatMovie in theaters and on HBO Max April 16. pic.twitter.com/JiqiL5hsgA

— Mortal Kombat Movie (@MKMovie) March 22, 2021

With the movie's launch on April 16, many fans of the beloved franchise from Netherrealm Studios are excited to see the latest live-action itertion. The original 1995 film was a beast and developed a cinematic following that still is held dear to this date. 

The reboot was originally slated to launch this month, but COVID-19-related delays impacted the film's progress, though not for very long (thankfully). Our own Brian Shea saw a small preview of the upcoming movie and loved what was shared, which you can read more about here

According to the reboot's synopsis, courtesy of New Line Cinema: 

In Mortal Kombat, MMA fighter Cole Young, accustomed to taking a beating for money, is unaware of his heritage—or why Outworld’s Emperor Shang Tsung has sent his best warrior, Sub-Zero, an otherworldly Cryomancer, to hunt Cole down. Fearing for his family’s safety, Cole goes in search of Sonya Blade at the direction of Jax, a Special Forces Major who bears the same strange dragon marking Cole was born with. Soon, he finds himself at the temple of Lord Raiden, an Elder God and the protector of Earthrealm, who grants sanctuary to those who bear the mark. Here, Cole trains with experienced warriors Liu Kang, Kung Lao, and rogue mercenary Kano, as he prepares to stand with Earth’s greatest champions against the enemies of Outworld in a high-stakes battle for the universe. But will Cole be pushed hard enough to unlock his arcana—the immense power from within his soul—in time to save not only his family but to stop Outworld once and for all?

We'll be able to see these powerful characters in action for ourselves soon, because the Mortal Kombat movie reboot arrives on April 16 in theaters and HBO Max. Are you excited to see the full film for yourself? Any concerns over the casting choices? Get over here and sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below! 

Bethesda's upcoming game Starfield could flip the studio's well-known RPG formula on its head, with huge implications for future Bethesda games.
After its official announcement at last month's Nintendo Direct, World's End Club from the creators of Danganronpa and Zero Escape reveals gameplay.