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Helldivers 2 Drops Below 10K Players First Time Amid Declining Player Count

Story Highlights
  • Helldivers 2 recorded a player count of less than 10K for the first time.
  • The game’s player count has constantly declined over the last few months.
  • At its peak, the co-op shooter comfortably averaged over 100K concurrent players.

PlayStation hit the home run with Helldivers 2 as it was looking to break into the live-service market. This co-op shooter is still a huge success, but it continues to record declining player counts after the mandatory PSN requirement was introduced a few months back.

While the requirement has now been lifted, Steam players seem to have moved on. Following a constant decline in player numbers, the game just dipped below 10,000 concurrent players for the first time.

Why it matters: For the first few months, Helldivers 2 had a staggering number of players, averaging over 100K concurrent players daily. But since then, it has fallen from grace, and most players have moved on from the game.

Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 has recorded a massive dip in player count.

According to SteamDB, Helldivers 2 reached 9,798 concurrent Steam players yesterday. While this is a shocking figure, it seems to have been a long time coming. Not too long ago, the game fell as low as 13K players.

Perhaps the biggest shock here is that Arrowhead hasn’t done anything wrong. Helldivers 2 seems to have naturally fallen off the radar for most players for various reasons.

The team is still just as quick to communicate with its fans and continues doing things that were popular among fans. Moreover, new content is set to arrive soon with a new Warbound, further expanding the content in this hero shooter.

Helldivers 2
The live service game hit a peak of over 450K players.

However, it seems PlayStation dug Helldivers 2’s grave itself. Following the PSN requirement, the game has never been the same, with players slowly moving on to other releases.

The fact that recent releases like Shadow of the Erdtree have been so huge didn’t help much, either.

Despite this declining player count, Helldivers 2 will remain one of 2024’s biggest success stories. In an industry where live-service games quickly die after launch, Arrowhead shocked everyone, reaching a new status as one of the biggest live-service developers.

Capcom Has No Plans To Stop Selling Physical Games

Story Highlight
  • Capcom revealed in a recent meeting that it has no plans to eliminate physical games.
  • It states that focusing on digital games is also essential for achieving steady profits.
  • The developer hopes to cater to both markets, offering physical and digital releases.

Many gamers are concerned that physical media is dying since digital media is constantly growing. A large percentage of fans prefer physical media, and physical games still account for a large percentage of sales revenue, so completely killing them off might not be ideal.

Nearly 50% of PlayStation’s first-party releases are sold as physical games, so their value is still quite visible. Capcom seems to have realized this, stating that it has no plans to discontinue physical media.

Why it matters: Digital media in the gaming industry has always been subject to criticism since fans believe you don’t own your digital titles.

Capcom
Capcom Has Been Performing Incredibly Well Since 2019

During the 45th Ordinary Meeting of Shareholders, Capcom shared many reasons for its growth and said it doesn’t plan to discontinue physical releases.

Given that a significant number of end users demand physical games, we currently do not expect to eliminate physical products.

-Capcom

Capcom has made an incredible decision, as many games are skipping a physical release in this era. For instance, Black Myth: Wukong, an upcoming action RPG, doesn’t even contain a disc in its physical packaging.

However, Capcom will also support digital media simultaneously. When asked about its recent success, the publisher highlighted that its shift toward digital media is one of the major reasons.

It also pointed to frequent sales made available through digital storefronts like PSN and Steam.

Resident Evil 4 Remake Featured Image
Capcom Outdid Itself With Resident Evil 4 Remake

Overall, the publisher’s stance is quite encouraging. Games like Alan Wake 2 skipped a physical release at launch, but fan demand led to Remedy Entertainment and Epic Games reversing this decision.

This shows that there’s still plenty of demand for physical games, so the gaming giant has made a wise decision.

Capcom has been on a winning streak for many years. Last year, the team outdid itself with Resident Evil 4 Remake, and it has no intentions of stopping anytime soon. The studio is listening to fans and making sure it moves forward accordingly.

This seems like the best way forward, with Capcom even considering a shift away from $70 games after Dragon’s Dogma 2 launched this year.

Former Rockstar Dev Warns GTA 6 Won’t Be Too Different From GTA 5

Story Highlights
  • GTA 6 has the entire industry excited.
  • A Rockstar developer has warned that some fans might be disappointed after it eventually releases.
  • He praised the first trailer but does not expect the game to be wildly different from GTA 5.

GTA 6 is undoubtedly the biggest game coming next year. It boasts a wave of excitement that can’t be matched by any other release since Take-Two has previously stated that Rockstar is aiming for perfection.

The publisher has also made bold claims that hint GTA 6 will be revolutionary. However, a former Rockstar developer has warned fans to keep their expectations in check.

Why it matters: Gamers have been disappointed by highly anticipated releases time and again. While publishers and developers are often to blame for this, audiences also create unnecessary buzz for many releases.

In a recent interview, Obbe Vermeij, a former Rockstar developer who worked on various Grand Theft Auto entries, was asked to share his thoughts on the GTA 6 trailer that debuted several months ago.

The developer initially praised the trailer for its atmosphere and portrayal of Miami. He also liked the beach scene, where Rockstar showed hundreds of NPCs on screen with different animations and detailed models.

However, Obbe Vermeij quickly pointed out that people expect too much from GTA 6. In his opinion, Rockstar is pushing the same formula to its limits, but the core foundations might not be too different from those of GTA 5’s.

I don’t think it is going to be wildly different from GTA 5. I think people might be a little disappointed.

-Obbe Vermeij

The developer also followed this statement with more praise for the trailer, stating that it will most likely be the ‘best game out there.’

GTA 6 Ray Tracing
GTA 6 Will Feature Ray Tracing

Further explaining his point, the developer outlined that technology no longer evolves as quickly as it used to. He pointed to the massive jump between consoles like the PS1 and PS2.

On the other hand, the PS4 and PS5 are not nearly as different, making it difficult to achieve revolutionary leaps in gameplay and visuals.

Obbe Vermeij makes solid points about GTA 6 but acknowledges that the game will be a huge hit. Much like the fans, the developer also seems to be quite excited about everything that Rockstar is doing, but it remains to be seen if the team will live up to everyone’s expectations.

Xbox Reportedly Working On Cloud-Only Game Pass Tier

Story Highlights
  • Microsoft is said to be working on a cloud-based tier for Game Pass.
  • The tier would be cheaper and more approachable than the Game Pass Ultimate. 
  • Microsoft is also exploring the potential of ad-based tiers, but no active plans are being worked on for this service.

Amidst the controversy over Xbox degrading Game Pass, while inflating the price, Microsoft could be working on further changes to the subscription. A new report states that Microsoft is working on a new, cheaper cloud-only subscription tier.

Why it matters: Microsoft’s intent has been quite clear for the past few months. As it continues to focus on software sales, it recently listed a bundle on Amazon that only featured the Xbox controller, Fire Stick, and Game Pass Ultimate.

Microsoft Xbox Activision Blizzard King
Microsoft is working on a cloud-based subscription tier.

According to Windows Central’s Jez Corden, Microsoft is looking to make Game Pass more accessible. The new tier is said to be much cheaper and more approachable than Game Pass Ultimate since it won’t require an Xbox.

Furthermore, Jez Corden discussed the potential ad-based tier that recently became a hot topic. According to his sources, this is something Microsoft is interested in. However, the gaming giant is not actively working toward such a tier.

Ultimately, the gaming giant aims to make Game Pass as affordable and accessible as possible. The report also hints that more information about the Game Pass Friends and Family Plan could be coming soon.

Xbox Game Pass
Microsoft was criticized for degrading Game Pass.

As Game Pass continues to evolve, the service is expected to make over $5.5 billion in revenue by 2025. The cloud-only tier could help the revenue growth even more since it would eliminate the console requirement altogether.

Xbox Game Pass has received plenty of criticism recently, but it’s clear that nothing is set in stone yet. The service is constantly evolving, so fans should expect plenty of changes in the coming years.

Considering the quality of the games coming in the upcoming months, Xbox’s cloud-only tier does not sound like a bad idea. By the time it arrives, cloud gaming will have improved a lot, making it useful for millions across the globe.

Honestly, I Want To Wait Before Getting A Copilot+ PC. Here’s Why!

Story Highlights
  • After the “Recall” feature was pulled back, other AI features added little appeal to the Microsoft Copilot+ PCs.
  • These PCs have excellent battery time, light design, great performance, and plenty of features. However, the “AI angle” seems disappointing.
  • Reviews have shown performance issues and bugs in the new Copilot+ PCs. Therefore, waiting some time before getting them would be the smart move.

Microsoft Copilot+ PCs are here, but it’s not everything Microsoft claimed them to be. The major “Recall” feature that sets the PC apart from others is missing. Plus, they have little practical usage when it comes to AI. So, should you still want to get your hands on it, or maybe wait a couple of months? 


What Is Microsoft Copilot+ PC?

Microsoft announced the launch of their revolutionary Copilot+ PCs, marketed as unique AI-driven devices that promise to transform the way users browse and fetch information, along with offering various other conveniences.

However, things didn’t go as planned. The Recall feature which was the biggest marketing subject of Copilot+ PCs faced backlash from users and security experts who criticized it for breach of user privacy and confidential information.

Microsoft Surface Laptops With Copilot+
Microsoft Surface Laptops With Windows 11 Copilot+ (Image By Bloomberg)

Consequently, Microsoft responded to the user concerns and delayed the release of the Recall feature until further notice. Following this, the Copilot+ PCs were shipped without the integration of this tool in June 2024.


Did It Live Up To The Claims?

Microsoft Copilot+ PCs were marketed as the “Next-Gen AI PCs” and Microsoft sure did add a lot of features in that area. While the Recall tool was pulled from the devices, other AI features still rolled ahead with the launch. However, it was a little disappointing that most of them focused on photo and video enhancements.

One new addition is the Cocreator tool in the Windows Paint app. You draw a rough painting or a sketch and tell the AI tool what it is and the kind of image you want. Then, use the tool’s slider to let AI work its magic and transform the painting into a proper visual output. There’s also an “AI” button in the native Photos app that lets you restyle your images in different types of visual outputs.

Microsoft Cocreator Tool
Microsoft Cocreator Tool (Image By Microsoft Blog)

Apart from these, the Windows Studio Effects for Webcam lets you change or blur the background during meetings or maintain fake eye contact with the webcam. Personally, these tools impressed me at first, as with all new things, but in terms of practicality, they offer little usage.


The Copilot AI Assistant

These PCs feature Microsoft Copilot, an AI assistant you can use even without an internet connection. The Copilot+ PCs feature a dedicated button to launch the chatbot. While it’s feasible, I don’t see how it serves much use when other AI assistants have been doing exactly the same thing. 

On a fun note, B&H Photo Video Pro Audio on YouTube asked the Copilot assistant to create a jingle about the Copilot+ PC and the Microsoft Surface Laptop. This is what it came up with, and no doubt, it’s catchy.


Will I Buy Them?

According to Just Josh on YouTube, both Samsung Galaxy Book 4 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 Snapdragon Copilot+ PCs had performance issues. The prior did not have a working graphics driver, while the latter had charging issues and switched off abruptly. Such problems can interfere with the everyday user experience.

Considering the feedback and reviews from around the web, I would wait before getting my hands on the Copilot+ PC. For me, laptops serve as a crucial device that I use regularly for work and academic purposes and my Lenovo Legion has been a perfect partner till now.

Lenovo Legion Is A Powerful Laptop For Multitasking (Image By Tech4Gamers)
Lenovo Legion Is A Powerful Laptop For Multitasking (Image By Tech4Gamers)

Therefore, I wouldn’t buy something that is clearly new and has known performance issues. Maybe waiting a year is the better decision until Microsoft fixes the bugs and glitches in these Windows 11 PCs.

So, if you are buying it solely for the AI features, it’s not the right time to jump on the bandwagon. AI integration in laptops is still in its baby phase so I would rather prioritize built, battery time, and performance than chasing the “AI dream.”


Baldur’s Gate 3 Still Reaching 100K Daily Steam Players One Year After Launch

Story Highlight
  • Baldur’s Gate 3 will be officially one year old in a few days.
  • The RPG still consistently hits more than 100K concurrent players on Steam daily.
  • With this type of staying power, it can rival many live service games.

Baldur’s Gate 3 shocked the industry last year. Not only did it win the prestigious GOTY award, but it also redefined the perception of RPGs, elevating Larian Studios to unimaginable heights.

However, the game is nearly one year old today. Released in August 2023, this RPG hit nearly 1 million concurrent players at its peak. Almost a full year later, it continues to show strong results, hitting 100K concurrent players each day.

Why it matters: Such longevity is typically the goal for multiplayer titles. Even then, very few games achieve these types of player counts, with most rapidly losing players in a few months.

Baldur's Gate 3 Steam Player Count
Baldur’s Gate 3 Steam Player

According to SteamDB, the game peaked at over 112K players in the last 24 hours. While impressive, this is nothing out of the ordinary for this title. Since this figure only shows the concurrent players, the number of daily players is likely much higher.

Baldur’s Gate 3 presents an experience where players can easily sink in hundreds of hours. With its staying power now rivaling the likes of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, the game stands out as one of the biggest RPGs of this generation.

One major reason for this healthy player base is Larian Studios’ continued support. While single-player games don’t typically receive updates for a whole year, this team is challenging many live service studios with its post-launch support.

The latest Baldur’s Gate 3 update, coming in September, will introduce mod support and fix split-screen issues. Moreover, Larian Studios has confirmed that it won’t be the final update, even though the team has moved on to new projects.

Baldur's Gate 3 Larian Studios
Larian Studios Has Risen To New Heights Since Its Last Release

Future updates will include requested features like cross-play and photo mode, making the game even better. Thanks to this type of support, you’d be forgiven for mistaking Baldur’s Gate 3 for a live service title.

Larian Studios has also begun work on its next game. The team has parted ways with Baldur’s Gate, but its next RPG will likely be just as special.

Nvidia Delayed RTX 5000 Series Launch To CES 2025, Hints Leaker

Story Highlight
  • Nvidia plans to launch its new GeForce RTX 50 lineup at CES 2025, breaking away from its usual launch practices.
  • Initially expected in Q4 2024, the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 launches have been postponed to align with CES 2025.
  • Nvidia, AMD, and Intel are all aiming to release their next-generation GPUs around CES 2025, indicating a competitive year for the PC graphics market.

According to Kopite7kimi, CES 2025 is supposedly the debut event for Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 50 lineup. Although the launch of new desktop GPUs is usually not linked with CES, separate events may no longer be used to launch discrete desktop RTX series.

Why it matters: The Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 series was initially expected to debut in Q4 2024, with the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 coming out first. However, it appears that those plans have been abandoned in favor of a launch near CES 2025.

Nvidia Blackwell Vs Hopper
Nvidia Unveiled Its New AI GPUs Earlier This Year

Despite Kopite7kimi’s solid track record, one should take these leaks with a grain of salt. When it comes to Nvidia, It is possible for release dates, specifications, and prices to change at any point.

Seasonic also recently updated its wattage calculator homepage with the GeForce RTX 50 lineup. Therefore, fans can expect more leaks and hints along these lines to continue showing up ahead of CES 2025.

It looks like Nvidia, AMD, and Intel are all planning to launch next-generation cards next year. On the positive side, this allows you more time to put money aside for the upcoming releases.

According to reports, the GeForce RTX 50 range will represent a significant advancement in the PC graphics market. AMD’s RDNA 4 architecture is also said to be quite advanced, with new additions targeting ray tracing improvements.

There’s Never Been A Greater Need For A Big PlayStation Showcase

Story Highlight
  • PlayStation hasn’t had an exciting showcase in a while.
  • With a lack of communication and the impending release of the PS5 Pro, the gaming giant needs to deliver a solid showcase soon.
  • The competition has also begun to pull ahead, with both Nintendo and Xbox offering solid showcases last month.

Among the big three console manufacturers, PlayStation is often known for having the best showcases. However, last year’s showcase was an utter disappointment, the latest State of Play was far from great, and Sony skipped a showcase in 2022.

PlayStation is doing better than ever, yet it’s easy to sense a lack of communication from the gaming giant. With fans growing restless and Xbox putting on an incredible showcase this year, PlayStation’s big showcase has never been missed as much as today.

Why it matters: Showcases are a huge deal in the gaming industry since they serve to create buzz within the community while allowing developers a chance to showcase their work.

Sony PlayStation
PlayStation’s First-Party Lineup Remains A Mystery For Now

The First-Party Roadmap

Everyone knows that PlayStation’s first-party lineup has been quite great so far. However, it’s easy to ignore all the problems when games like Horizon Forbidden West, God of War Ragnarok, and Spider-Man 2 release one after another.

Behind the slew of incredible releases, PlayStation teams like Naughty Dog are currently struggling to find their footing after a challenging few years. Moreover, with no announcements under their belt, the future of Santa Monica and Guerrilla Games remains unclear.

Looking at the future, it’s difficult to say where PlayStation is headed next. Will it continue to rely on third-party exclusives like Stellar Blade and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth? Your guess is as good as mine.

This is why a PlayStation Showcase would be such a huge deal for Sony this year. Even small teasers for its future roadmap would be better than leaving fans in the dark.

Surely, the gaming giant isn’t looking forward to another barren year for its first-party lineup like 2024.

PlayStation PS5 Pro
The PS5 Pro Has Been Showing Up In Leaks For Months

PS5 Pro

The PS5 Pro is another elephant in the room that needs addressing. It’s clear that this console exists, yet leakers have recently discussed the idea of a potential delay.

A new piece of hardware would certainly help PlayStation deal with this dry period. Imagine PlayStation announcing several new first-party games, and the PS5 Pro ends up as the icing on the top that keeps the 4K 60FPS dream alive.

That sounds like a great showcase. Moreover, the PS5 Pro announcement would also be exciting for PC gamers as they await the launch of the next-generation graphics cards, which may have been pushed back to 2025.

If rumors are to be believed, the PS5 Pro will give everyone a taste of what RDNA 4 will be capable of. This alone should make the console interesting for PC enthusiasts.

Xbox Games Showcase 2024 Ft
Xbox Had A Stellar Showcase Last Month

The Competition Is Pulling Ahead

While PlayStation’s first-party lineup has always been considered ahead of the curve, Xbox and Nintendo are arguably in a better spot right now.

The next year looks particularly strong for Xbox, with Fable and Doom: The Dark Ages serving as two huge first-party releases. At this year’s showcase, the gaming giant pulled out all the stops and showed PlayStation how things are done.

Similarly, Nintendo was able to put a surprisingly great Direct so late into the Switch’s lifecycle. Rumors suggest that Switch 2 will arrive in 2025, so Nintendo might just begin teasing its next console this year. This would steal the spotlight.

Fortunately, all hope isn’t lost. While PlayStation is continuing to remain quiet, it has been said that a showcase could arrive in September. Coincidentally, the PS5 Pro announcement is rumored for the same month.

If the stars align and PlayStation finally returns with a huge showcase, the gaming giant could set the tone for this industry’s future. With big studios like Naughty Dog, Santa Monica, Sucker Punch, Bend, and more possibly revealing their hand, there’s plenty of reason to anticipate what comes next.

Now that the showcase season is behind us, the stage is set, and the ball is in Sony’s court. All that’s left to do is to wait and see if PlayStation will return with a showcase this year.

Phantom Blade Zero Is Easier Than Souls Games To Reach Wider Audience

Story Highlights
  • Phantom Blade Zero removes the frustrating parts of Souls games.
  • The team states that it doesn’t have the same privilege as FromSoftware to frustrate players.
  • S-Game wants to cater to a large audience with its latest action RPG.

Souls games are known for being extremely hard. This is mainly why the genre isn’t for everyone. However, a number of games are attempting to eliminate the entry barrier associated with the genre while using mechanics from Souls games.

Phantom Blade Zero is the latest to capture everyone’s attention since it is more of an action RPG. According to the developer, it won’t be nearly as frustrating as a Souls game.

Why it matters: Souls games are known for their challenging nature, but they can often frustrate players too much. Various new games are attempting to balance this difficulty.

Phantom Blade Zero
Phantom Blade Zero Will Not Be A Souls-like Game

In a new interview with PCGamesN, S-Game shared details on Phantom Blade Zero’s accessibility. It spoke about how the game shouldn’t be treated like your average Souls-like since it is completely different.

We decided we weren’t going to do another Souls-like. We wanted to remove the frustrating parts and add more positive feedback.

-S-Game

The developer clearly stated that the team had decided from the beginning that it was not going to be another Souls-like. Instead, the team wants to reward players with flashy animations and stylish combos.

It also hopes that eliminating the difficulty will allow it to reach a much wider audience. The developer thinks that it is not privileged enough, like FromSoftware, to make players frustrated while playing.

This comment makes sense since FromSoftware has already earned a solid reputation. In fact, difficulty is already a given when players go into a game designed by FromSoftware.

 

Like Phantom Blade Zero, Black Myth Wukong is going a similar route, with both games borrowing elements from Souls-likes without committing to the genre’s difficulty.

The former is said to feature multiple difficulty options. S-Game has also confirmed that enemies won’t reset upon death, so the game is breaking away from more than a few Souls-like staples.

Nonetheless, Phantom Blade Zero looks quite exciting for fans of fast-paced games.

It received some criticism at the start, but eventually, everyone was proven wrong when the gameplay video was released. S-Game hasn’t shared a release date yet, but it promises to offer at least 30-40 hours of content.

Ubisoft Allocated Biggest Marketing Budget For Star Wars Outlaws

Story Highlights
  • Star Wars Outlaws has the highest marketing budget for any Ubisoft game ever. 
  • Ubisoft expects the game to have a strong launch based on the fan feedback they’ve received.
  • The company also expects a rise in revenue due to multiple game releases and post-launch content.

Star Wars Outlaws is set to release in almost a month, and Ubisoft is taking the game very seriously. A new report has emerged stating that it will have the highest marketing budget for any game by Ubisoft.

Why it matters: Ubisoft is setting up Star Wars Outlaws as their next heavy-hitter. Therefore, they are putting all their assets into promoting the game and helping it reach its promised potential. 

Star Wars Outlaws
Ubisoft expects Star Wars Outlaws to have a strong launch.

According to a recent earnings call Q&A, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot confirmed that Star Wars Outlaws has the highest marketing budget for any of their games till now. This makes sense too considering the huge ‘Star Wars‘ brand associated with it. 

Guillemot also stated that Ubisoft is expecting a strong launch for the game. The CEO called it one of the most anticipated games of the year based on the audience reactions so far.

we are coming with the biggest marketing campaign ever so far for a Ubisoft game.

– Ubisoft CEO

Guillemot also emphasized that Ubisoft’s revenue is expected to increase this year. He factored in big launches, holiday sales, and post-launch content for Star Wars Outlaws, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and Rainbox Six Seige.

However, things aren’t looking too smooth for the game ahead of the launch. The latest gameplay showcase attracted a lot of criticism, especially because the gaming looked quite unpolished and had rough character animations.

Star Wars Outlaws
The game received criticism for looking unpolished.

Fans also demanded that the game be delayed for polishing, but Ubisoft stated that they remain confident about their final product. Considering the publisher’s ambition, it would be disappointing if the game ends up falling short of expectations.

Aside from the marketing budget, Star Wars Outlaws’ development seems to be rather expensive as it has a massive open world. The game is more or less guaranteed to sell well since it belongs to the Star Wars brand.

The Elder Scrolls Deserves Its Own TV Series From Bethesda

Story Highlight
  • After Fallout, The Elder Scrolls should follow in the same footsteps with a TV series.
  • The world of Elder Scrolls is vast, with countless stories to explore, making it perfect for a TV Show.
  • This would also be the perfect opportunity to create more buzz before the next game’s arrival.

TV and film adaptations of games have had a rough history until recent years. This was mainly due to the interactive elements that were difficult to translate into cinema. However, recent adaptations have shifted this perception and proven to be some of the most successful pieces of film and television today.

Detective Pikachu, Sonic The Hedgehog, Super Mario Bros, and more are just a few examples. Meanwhile, The Last of Us and Fallout recently saw immense success as TV adaptations.

This also opens the door for more adaptations. Following the success of Fallout, Bethesda should take similar steps with The Elder Scrolls and give us a TV show based on the popular franchise.

Why it matters: Fallout has already proven quite successful as a TV show for Bethesda, even boosting the IP’s sales. For a franchise as popular as The Elder Scrolls, Bethesda is almost guaranteed to succeed with an adaptation.

The Elder Scrolls TV Transition Would Be Perfect

The Elder Scrolls 6
The Elder Scrolls 6 Is Unlikely To Arrive For Several More Years

The Elder Scrolls’ lore is never-ending and spans several entries and books that tie in with the games. This lore is scattered across different provinces and races of the beings living in the world of Nirn.

Every bit of story, whether from the games or even side stories occurring in the world of Nirn, can be easily translated into cinema, but it requires careful choices to pick the best plot lines.

Most people see similarities between the franchise and Game of Thrones, which is true to some extent since the plot of Jarls fighting over the throne is similar to that of Game of Thrones.

However, there is so much more in Bethesda’s fantasy world that this could just become a side plot. The stores in the world of Nirn are ever-lasting and range from heroic journeys to sole-crushing tragedies.

Instead of adapting any single mainline entry into a TV show, I think Bethesda should go the Fallout route and create an original story. There are many options here, such as how Jagar Tharn took the Imperial crown from Uriel Septim or a Dragonborn from a different era. An adaptation could even explore the Dark Assassins or Thieves.

Making The Wait For Elder Scrolls 6 Less Painful

Elder Scrolls 6
The Elder Scrolls 6 Is Set To Be Bethesda’s Most Ambitious Game

In my opinion, a TV series could serve to fill the gap as Bethesda continues work on The Elder Scrolls 6. The game is unlikely to arrive in the next two to three years, but a TV adaptation would probably not take as long to produce.

Therefore, existing fans would have new content to keep themselves busy while waiting for The Elder Scrolls 6. Like Fallout, a TV adaptation would also lead to a huge surge of interest in the IP.

If this were to happen, a much bigger audience would be prepared for the next game by the time it arrives.

Hope For A Future Adaptation

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls 5 Is One Of Gaming’s Best-Selling Releases

When asked if other Bethesda franchises would receive treatment similar to Fallout, Todd Howard quickly said nothing was in the works. As for Elder Scrolls, he states that he would most likely reject any potential pitches.

However, that’s the exact statement he gave for Fallout before Kilter Film Company’s pitch for the Amazon series happened. The pitch was so good that Todd Howard had to give it the green light.

Judging by the success of recent TV shows like The Last of Us and Bethesda’s own Fallout, The Elder Scrolls is destined to make the jump to television once a good pitch is sent Todd Howard’s way.

It could be the perfect rollout for the next entry in the franchise, which is still under development and won’t be launching anytime soon. Missing out on a TV show would be foolish; after all, there is plenty of lore to be explored in this universe.

Far Cry Has Become A Shadow Of Its Former Self

Story Highlight
  • Far Cry is one of the staple Ubisoft IPs, having laid the foundation for its open-world games.
  • The series has only regressed in recent years, with the games getting repetitive and boring.
  • I have mixed thoughts about Far Cry’s future, and I no longer trust Ubisoft with the franchise.

Far Cry is one of those IPs that laid the foundation for open-world games and the infamous Ubisoft template. The series is definitely one of the biggest franchises ever made by Ubisoft in its peak era.

However, Far Cry hasn’t had a good entry in many years, in my opinion. It has regressed in recent years, with the sixth entry being the final nail in the coffin. The franchise is far from over, but I don’t trust Ubisoft with the IP again.

There are already leaks about the next entry, but they seem far from intriguing. In my opinion, Far Cry won’t ever be the same again, and the franchise is closer to dying than being resurrected.

Why it matters: The downfall of such a staple IP shows how Ubisoft has changed for the worse over the years. The future of Far Cry isn’t that shiny and bright, and the franchise may never fully recover.

What Went Wrong?

Far Cry 6
Far Cry 6 Was Nowhere As Refreshing As It Needed To Be

Several things went wrong with the franchise, but the most important thing I’d say was the lack of innovation. Ubisoft stopped trying to innovate with the IP, which caused it to regress over the years.

We can all agree that the series peaked with the third entry, which was groundbreaking in every aspect. Far Cry 3 is one of the best video games ever made for several reasons. Thanks to its antagonist, gameplay, and open-world mechanics, it stands out as a critical entry.

The spin-off, Far Cry: Blood Dragon, is also one of the best spin-offs ever. More so, the game feels entirely different. The sci-fi setting showcased how innovative Ubisoft was at that time.

Far Cry 4 borrowed much from its predecessor, and it was a decent game overall. However, this is where the franchise began to run out of steam, relying on established tropes and ideas.

By the time Ubisoft launched Far Cry Primal, the repetition problem was on full display. This game was basically a reskinned Far Cry 4 with a different setting. While the changes were interesting in some ways, it was clear that Ubisoft needed to change things up.

However, the series never quite found its footing again. Far Cry 6 is arguably the worst entry this IP has ever seen. The narrative was all over the place, and it felt like Ubisoft mashed together various clashing concepts into a single game. The so-called “AAAA” title from Ubisoft failed to live up to its predecessors.

The Antagonist Problem

Far Cry 6
Far Cry 6 Featured Antón Castillo As The Main Antagonist

The IP is known for featuring some of the most iconic antagonists ever in video games. Vaas from Far Cry 3 is recognizable to almost everyone. Pagan Min, Joseph Seed, and Antón Castillo were also quite memorable.

However, Ubisoft couldn’t balance the villains and the other elements. The latest entry highlights this issue the best, with Ubisoft’s whole selling point for Far Cry 6 becoming its villain, Antón Castillo, played by Giancarlo Esposito.

The actor has played iconic characters, such as Gus Fring in Breaking Bad, so Ubisoft bet on him to sell the game. However, the villain was barely in the game, which was bizarre after the marketing was practically centered around him.

What’s Next For The Franchise?

Far Cry 6
Far Cry 6 Was A New Low For The IP

Two Far Cry titles—Far Cry 7 and a multiplayer title—are currently in development. Project Maverick and Blackbird were initially a single title but were later split into two.

Future Far Cry games are being taken in an entirely different direction, with Drew Holmes taking the project lead. Drew has plenty of experience with narrative games, having worked on Far Cry 5 and Bioshock: Infinite.

The director also promises big things for the franchise. However, I won’t set my expectations high, although I do appreciate the new direction the franchise is headed in.

Future Far Cry games are also expected to be based on the Snowdrop engine, a departure from the previous entries that used Dunia and Cryengine.