22Cans
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New World is the upcoming MMORPG from publisher Amazon Game Studios and developer Double Helix, though according to the original plan, it was supposed to be out by now. The game was scheduled to be released last August, but was delayed in the interest of refining the experience. The revised release window was spring 2021, but today Double Helix announced that launch is being pushed again.
Click here to watch embedded mediaAccording to the latest development update on the New World site, the game will now be released on August 31 – a year after its original date. However, considering all of the challenges that studios have been facing in terms of development during a pandemic, some moved release dates are easy to understand.
Double Helix doesn't specifically cite those issues, but giving a game more time to reach its potential is rarely a bad move. That seems to be the main motivator, according to the studio's explanation. In announcing the new date, Double Helix's post reads (in part):
We’ve been hard at work on compelling end-game features we believe are important to include at launch. These features won’t be ready for the Spring timeframe that we had communicated. With that in mind, we will release New World on August 31, 2021. With this extra time we’ll be able to add these substantial improvements while polishing and fine tuning the whole game before we open Aeternum’s shores to the world.Though the delay is certainly news people should know, New World is more than its release date. If you want to learn more about the game itself – including its story, combat, and even romance options – then check out our interview with members of the development team. You'll get plenty of insight into the game's vision and the team's approach to bringing it all to life.
What are you thoughts on the August release date for New World? Are you disappointed you need to wait longer? Are you just excited to see the final result, whenever it's ready? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Monday, 15 February 2021 17:30
Peter Molyneux's Studio 22Cans Hit With Layoffs
Written by Liana Ruppert 
Peter Molyneux founded the studio 22Cans back in 2012 based in Guildford, England. Molyneaux started this venture following his work at Bullfrog Productions and Lionhead Studios, the latter shuttering its doors back in 2016. With 22Can's first game launching back in November 2012, the company is faced with the difficulty of layoffs going into 2021.
As reported by GameIndustry.biz, the UK-based studio has begun an unfortunate round of layoffs, though the exact number of those affected has not been disclosed at this time.
"Unfortunately, due to a number of factors including projects reaching a certain stage in their development, we can confirm that a number of roles at 22Cans have been made redundant," a studio spokesman said to the site. "Development at the studio is continuing, however."
22Cans
While this is a situation that no one wants to see or experience, it does look like the studio is taking steps to care for those impacted by the layoffs, including "some support" for the newly released staff in an effort to help place them in a new employment situation as soon as possible.
Currently, 22Cans is working hard on a new simulator game called Legacy for PC players, though release date information remains under wraps. According to the spokesperson, development on the current title will remain on-course and will not be negatively impacted by the recent change. This new project follows after Godus, a game meant to be the spiritual successor to Molyneux's previous title Populous, which was developed for PC and mobile but the PC version hasn't seen an updated beta since 2016, though the mobile version continues to see support. It has been reported that following the end of lead developer Konrad Naszynski's contract that there is no one at the studio with plans to work on the Godus for PC.
Layoffs, while sometimes unavoidable, are never something anyone wants to go through. Our hearts are with those employees affected by the sudden shift. If you or someone you know is impacted by the news, please check out this resource here within the industry that has a constantly updated list of employment opportunities.
[Source: GameIndustry.biz]
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Monday, 15 February 2021 17:26
The Shapeshifter Getting Enhanced NES Port | Game Rant
Written by Brittni Finley
The Shapeshifter surpasses yet another milestone on Kickstarter, meaning that the Game Boy game will be ported to NES consoles at a later date.
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Monday, 15 February 2021 17:12
Zack Snyder’s Justice League: Why The Joker Meme Is Actually Very Important
Written by Samuel Nicholls
As shown in the trailer for the Snyder Cut, Jared Leto's Joker says "we live in a society"... is this Snyder actually sending fans a message?
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Monday, 15 February 2021 17:00
Assassin's Creed: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Isu
Written by Rhett Roxl
An influential and important species in the Assassin's Creed universe, the Isu have quite a storied and mysterious history.
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Monday, 15 February 2021 17:00
Daisy Ridley Open To Returning To Star Wars After The Rise Of Skywalker
Written by Eul Basa
Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley says previous reports were taken out of context and she would gladly suit up again as Rey, given the chance.
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Monday, 15 February 2021 16:59
Leaker Hints Call of Duty 2021 is Called Guerrilla Warfare
Written by Dalton Cooper
A well-known and sometimes accurate Call of Duty franchise leaker seemingly teases the subtitle for the 2021 Call of Duty game.
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Monday, 15 February 2021 16:55
Dragon Age 4 Fans Shouldn't Be Worried About 'Live Service' Elements
Written by Oliver VanDervoort
Dragon Age 4 fans are nervous about rumors and mentions of a 'live service' game, but they should give BioWare a chance before writing it off.
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Monday, 15 February 2021 16:49
Nintendo NX Switch Prototype Discovered | Game Rant
Written by William Miracle
Images of a 2016 Nintendo Switch prototype have surfaced online, and the 'NX' console looks much different than the Switch looks now.
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Monday, 15 February 2021 16:46
Rian Johnson's Star Wars Trilogy Reportedly Still In The Works
Written by Colin McCormick
Despite little news, The Last Jedi director is reportedly still involved in a new Star Wars trilogy.
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Monday, 15 February 2021 16:32
Fans Want to See Mario Kart 9, Breath of the Wild 2 at Nintendo Direct
Written by Michael Beckwith
The new Nintendo Direct naturally has everyone excited and a lot of fans are hoping/expecting a Mario Kart 9 or Breath of the Wild 2 announcement.
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Monday, 15 February 2021 16:03
The Last Of Us TV Series Fanart Shows Off Pedro Pascal As Joel
Written by Liana Ruppert 
The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal has been confirmed to be taking on the role of Joel in the upcoming The Last of Us TV series on HBO alongside Game of Thrones actress Bella Ramsey as Ellie. While we haven't seen either in full costume at this time, one fan decided to create art based on the casting news to see how Pascal fits the bill as our hardened smuggler-turned-best-dad.
The below art was submitted by Reddit user 'Misty1789' and shows off a scruffier-looking Pascal with white littering his beard and in his more usual clothing style. From the guarded expression in his eyes to the aesthetic changes made to make him look more Joel-eque, this art has me a little more excited to see if the upcoming show is a true tribute to the first game from Naughty Dog.
Thought it might be an interesting experiment to try and envision Pedro Pascal as Joel, so this happened from r/thelastofus
The latest adaptation will be a story set within the first game. Though exact details haven't been revealed quite yet, the team behind the new show has said in the past that it will "enhance" what fans fell in love with in the first place. Naughty Dog, the studio behind the game, is working alongside Sony Pictures Television, The Mighty Mint, and Word Games to make this series a reality with Kantemir Balagov (Beanpole) as the show director and Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) as co-executive producer and lead writer.
Neil Druckmann, the creator of The Last of Us and co-president of Naughty Dog, has said in the past that this adaptation is in the right hands because of Mazin's "deep understanding" of the source material.
It will be interesting to see what other casting news will be revealed to get a closer look at what the upcoming The Last of Us TV series will have to offer. Since we have our Joel and Ellie, however, we've got to ask: How are you feeling about the upcoming show? Could it be a loving homage to the first game or are you seek of seeing adaptations altogether? Sound off in the comment section below!
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