In this week’s recap of gaming news, the eShop marketplaces for both the Wii U console and 3DS handheld will be shutting down as of March next year, while some functionality will remain. Capcom’s not particularly subtle countdown led to the unveiling of the next Street Fighter game. The massive next-gen update for Cyberpunk 2077 is now available for players, and includes a ton of new features/improvements. Horror/thriller game Martha is Dead is receiving some unintended changes specifically on PlayStation consoles due to a censorship concern. All that and more in this week’s roundup of the biggest news in the gaming industry.
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Nintendo Wii U/3DS eShop Shutting Down In 2023
As the Nintendo Switch sees continued success, Nintendo has announced its legacy consoles and services are shutting down. The Nintendo eShop on both the Wii U console and 3DS handheld will be closing as of March 2023, meaning any and all sales (not downloads) will no longer be possible. Before that, adding funds to the eShop via credit/debit card will be unavailable as of May 23, 2022, and redeeming eShop funds via physical card will be unavailable as of August 29, 2022.
Capcom Countdown Reveals Street Fighter 6
Capcom’s not-so-mysterious countdown was eventually confirmed to be the announcement of Street Fighter 6. Following the conclusion of this year’s Capcom Pro Tour tournament, fans were treated to a short teaser of Ryu and recent newcomer Luke getting ready to duke it out. Though the trailer was just a brief teaser of the art style/direction, the brief trailer showcased an updated look for both the legendary series icon and franchise newcomer, showcasing how different this new entry would be. Additional news regarding Street Fighter 6 will be coming “summer 2022” according to this teaser, though no release window has been confirmed.
CD Projekt Red Releases Next-Gen Update For Cyberpunk 2077
This week, CD Projekt Red deployed update 1.5 for Cyberpunk 2077, bringing with it the next-gen update for PS5 and Xbox Series X players (as well as PC). Players can now experience the game at dynamic 4K, either at 30 or 60 fps on ray tracing or performance mode, respectively. Additionally, amid various other bug fixes and, there were a ton of new features and overhauls brought with this patch as well. AI fixes, gameplay balancing, mechanic tweaks, alongside new functionality all came with updates 1.5.
Among the biggest updates, players can now purchase additional apartments, of which their chosen romantic partners will now stay at. Additional interactions between V and their partners have also been added. Extensive AI changes have been made to combatants, increasing their range of reactions to gunfights, and crowd AI is more responsive (and can potentially be more hostile). Appearance customization has also been implemented at mirrors in apartments/safehouses. Driving mechanics, in-game economy rebalancing, balance changes to perks, among other more in-depth changes. CD Projekt Red published the full patch notes on the Cyberpunk 2077 website.
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Thriller Game Martha is Dead Censored On PlayStation Consoles
Gory thriller game Martha is Dead has been delayed indefinitely on PlayStation platforms due to an unforeseen decision to censor a graphic scene in the game. While both the PC and Xbox versions will remain unedited, an unspecified scene from the game will have to be altered “with some elements no longer playable.” Though neither Sony nor developer LKA has stated which scene is being censored, a viral video of graphic mutilation from Martha is Dead is being cited as the possible culprit.
Ex-CD Projekt Red Developers Start New Independent Studio
Ex-developers from CD Projekt Red have announced the forming of a new independent studio, Rebel Wolves. Members of the studio are currently working on “a dark fantasy, story-focused open world AAA RPG” reportedly based on The Witcher 3’s Blood and Wine expansion. Rebel Wolves co-founder Konrad Tomaszkiewicz stated that it’s first project wouldn’t release until 2025, but is planning to release the game on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
No Man’s Sky Sentinel Update Brings Several Combat Changes
No Man’s Sky received it’s next big Sentinel update this week, bringing with it a ton of new combat and enemy/AI changes. As the titular update suggests, enemy AI and behavior for the hostile Sentinel robots have been overhauled, alongside new types of Sentinels as well. Different kinds of enemy units, like heavy units or mechanic units, will challenge the player. However, most interestingly, players will now be able to harness their own AI drone companion, as well as control their exo-mechs via AI as well. This is also paired with updates to existing combat systems, as well as additional lore regarding the Sentinels and how they came to be.
Embracer Group Reasserts ‘Active Development’ of Dead Island 2
Though long thought to be canceled or otherwise in development hell, Embracer Group recently remarked on the existence of Dead Island 2. During an investor call Q&A, Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors did mention the existence and “active development” of Dead Island 2 in response to a question by Q&A host and Carnegie equity research analyst Oscar Erixon. Though a 2023 release was evidently hinted at during the exchange, further comments from Deep Silver did not confirm or deny that release window.
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