Blue Box Game Studios is heading towards not only the release of their game Abandoned, but first the launch of a real-time trailer app for the PlayStation 5. Set to release on August 10, this app now known as “Abandoned: Real Time Experience” will feature multiple in-engine videos running off the PS5 hardware. In a new tweet today, Blue Box posted a teaser image for the app that’s reviving some fan theories about the project having Konami’s and/or Hideo Kojima’s involvement.
Are you ready? We are! pic.twitter.com/dQJwjot99S
— BLUE BOX Game Studios (@BBGameStudios) July 27, 2021
“Are you ready? We are!” reads text of the tweet. At first glance the image in the tweet above looks like only a logo. I missed the true teaser hidden in the background the first few times I looked at it. Behind the blurred facade you can make out the silhouette of a person’s head, and closer inspection will reveal what looks to be an eyepatch the right eye. A white line follows along the brow of the face. Could it be a reflection of light, or possibly more text concealed behind the blur?
Twitter users are running with the image which obviously looks like any variation of Metal Gear Solid’s Snake donning an eyepatch. Some are even trying to de-blur the image to give a clearer look at the face, others are attempting to decipher the unreadable text above the logo. Now that I’m thinking about it, that font is looking very familiar as well…
Some theorists are focusing on the face:
Snake..is that you? pic.twitter.com/d0jqOVUNrr
— T-800 (@RznZen2) July 27, 2021
Others are taking a stab at the hidden text:
It looks like russian pic.twitter.com/IJQYdDC2Yw
— Vinicius Gepeto (@viniciusgepeto) July 27, 2021
Could the blurred text in the background be???
— Sven ※ (@soraroxas77) July 27, 2021
"Welcome in Silent Hill" pic.twitter.com/WWHbHisZkv
While another group of dreamers have their own grand ideas:
It was him all along... pic.twitter.com/rg0hgQHzE7
— ? (@SweetPeachGames) July 27, 2021
Blue Box Game Studios and Abandoned have been under a microscope for months regarding theories the game is connected in some way to Hideo Kojima, Konami, and the Silent Hill franchise. Some think the game's director Hasan Kahraman's name is code for Hideo Kojima, while others followed wilder clues tied to the name of the studio and the famed Death Stranding creator. Hasan denied the studios involvement with Konami and Silent Hill last month in a video posted on Twitter, however, if that's true, this new teaser image is not helping to alleviate that rumor. I was on the side of Abandoned having nothing to do with any Konami property, but now I don't know quite what to think.
We'll find out soon enough because the Realtime Experience app for Abandoned is ready for preload on July 29 PlayStation 5, and goes live with the first trailer on August 10. Hopefully there will be some answers to the gaming community's ever-growing list of questions in there. Abandoned is scheduled to releases sometime this year on PS5 and on PC "eventually."
What are your theories for Abandoned? Are we just getting trolled, or is there actually a connection here? Let us know in the comments!
Today we got word of a newly announced figure from First 4 Figures, a team that consistently pumps out some of the nicest video game collectibles we’ve come across. Available today for preorder, the company’s new line-up of figures from Insomniac’s Spyro 2 are especially striking.
The new figure line celebrates that fondly remembered 1999 PlayStation release, Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage. The statue is modeled directly off the adorable dragon’s appearance on the cover for that game, including raised right paw, forward lean, and a seeming mischief in his eyes. The statue exhibits immaculate color work, and realistic textures on Spyro’s scales, wings, claws, and more.
While Spyro himself appears the same in both versions, the trappings that surround the hero vary based on which version you choose to purchase. The more expensive definitive edition is set in a detailed resin base inspired by the portal seen near the end of the game (after taking out Ripto). The portal features light-up LED orbs and triangles. The whole PVC piece stands at 9 inches in height, and will put you back by $224.99, at least if you preorder during the “early bird” period that runs until August 11. After that, expect the price to move up to $249.99.
If you’re looking for a more affordable way to celebrate one of your childhood gaming buddies, the same statue is available through the exclusive edition, priced at $99.99 during early bird pricing, and $109.99 if you choose to wait until after August 11. The big difference here is the smaller base, which shows Spyro surrounded by fire. In this version, the figure can light up with LED lighting for a static flame effect, or an animated one, which makes it look like the fire is flickering.
Regardless of which version you select, and when you choose to order, estimated release for the new Spyro 2 figures is set for Q2 2022. If Spyro isn’t your thing, First 4 Figures works with a number of video game properties, including these Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Zelda & Link statues, or this massive Shadow statue from Sonic the Hedgehog.
Following the news that the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) is suing Activision Blizzard for labor abuse, sexual harassment, and various other reported mistreatment, the company issued a statement in an attempt to debunk and reduce the claims. Now, Activision Blizzard employees are staging a walkout in protest of the "abhorrent and insulting" statement from executives as a way to support the ongoing suit.
The walkout is poised to begin on Wednesday, July 28, and is meant to be a show of support for the ongoing lawsuit. Game Informer learned that a driving factor behind this public display is because many "don't trust [Activision Blizzard] to do the right thing and help the people asking for help" from a Blizzard employee that wishes to remain anonymous. In a separate statement to Polygon, a protest organizer told the site, “We believe that our values as employees are not being accurately reflected in the words and actions of our leadership." The statement continues, saying that the hope is to “improve conditions for employees at the company, especially women, and in particular women of color and transgender women, nonbinary people, and other marginalized groups.”
The protest is in conjunction with a statement that was made public earlier this week, a joined effort signed by over 2,500 current and former employees. The allegations against Activision Blizzard detail reported incidents that are "violations of the state's civil rights and equal pay laws." Much of the alleged behavior laid out in the lawsuit targets women and other marginalized groups, including reported evidence that shows widespread gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and long-term behavior from those in supervisor roles that is even a contributing factor to one employee's suicide.
The full letter is as follows:
To the Leaders of Activision Blizzard, We, the undersigned, agree that the statements from Activision Blizzard, Inc. and their legal counsel regarding the DFEH lawsuit, as well as the subsequent internal statement from Frances Townsend, are abhorrent and insulting to all that we believe our company should stand for. To put it clearly and unequivocally, our values as employees are not accurately reflected in the words and actions of our leadership. We believe these statements have damaged our ongoing quest for equality inside and outside of our industry. Categorizing the claims that have been made as “distorted, and in many cases false” creates a company atmosphere that disbelieves victims. It also casts doubt on our organizations’ ability to hold abusers accountable for their actions and foster a safe environment for victims to come forward in the future. These statements make it clear that our leadership is not putting our values first. Immediate corrections are needed from the highest level of our organization.The above response dropped shortly after former CEO and co-founder Mike Morhaime issued his own statement, telling former employees that he understands that he failed while expressing regret over past inaction. His statement received mixed reactions from the gaming community. Some former employees of Blizzard Activision weighed in thanking Morhaime for not deflecting, while others claimed that the former CEO knew exactly what had been going on over the past decade.
The action against Activision Blizzard is a result of over two years of investigation. In the allegations, the lawsuit alleges that HR was fully aware of the culture happening and that attempts to seek help from Human Resources were reportedly ignored. "Employees were further discouraged from complaining as human resource personnel was known to be close to alleged harassers," details the lawsuit documents. "As a result of these complaints, female employees were subjected to retaliation, including but not limited to being deprived of work on projects, unwillingly transferred to different units, and selected for layoffs."
To learn more about the current state of the lawsuit, you can read the full legal documents here.
Mattel just unleashed a list of the cars Hot Wheels Unleashed players will enjoy at launch. In addition to signature favorites, that bunch also includes famous vehicles from popular properties like TMNT, Back to the Future, and more.
The company confirms 66 cars will be available to unlock in the game on day-one. To collect them, all you'll have to do is play the game. Hot Wheels originals such as Boneshaker, Twin Mill, and more are sure to please enthusiasts. For those of us who are less plugged into the scene but would still like to drive something recognizable, a new trailer also revealed the addition of five iconic vehicles from pop culture:
Of course, “Time Machine” refers to the DeLorean in regards to Back to the Future. Snoopy, meanwhile, sits perched atop his dog house but is sadly not in full Red Baron mode despite the pose. For me, the Batmobile’s resemblance to the classic Animated Series version makes it my favorite car of the lot.
Click here to watch embedded mediaMattel also shared the list of real-life vehicles featured in the game:
If you haven’t heard of Hot Wheels Unleashed until now, the game offers a more arcade-style of racing with players speeding across the signature orange tracks to the finish. The kicker is that you’re literally a life-sized diecast vehicle (meaning you’re small) in giant rooms, like a garage for example. While it’s not a kart racer in that it doesn't feature Mario Kart-style power-ups, Hot Wheels Unleashed is still presented as an over-the-top experience. You can watch extended gameplay footage here.
Hot Wheels Unleashed crosses the finish line on September 30 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC.
Are you excited to play Hot Wheels Unleashed? What other famous cars would you like to see in the game? Let us know in the comments!