Gaming
Halo Series Has Sold 65 Million Copies Worldwide
Halo has sold 65 million copies since the series began, Microsoft announced. The Halo series is one of Microsoft’s biggest sellers and most valuable IPs, with the sci-fi shooter series first debuted back in 2001 with Halo: Combat Evolved on Xbox. Now, 14 years and 12 games later, the series is set to receive its thirteenth instalment, Halo 5: Guardians for the Xbox One.
Microsoft confirmed the series had reached 60 million sales back in October 2014. The latest 5 million sales were likely helped by the release of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which was released last November. Although Microsoft hasn’t released any official sales figures for this edition, it’s likely to be responsible for the latest surge in overall sales.
Microsoft announced the 65 million sales figure at a panel at Comic-Con in San Diego last weekend. The figure was actually announced at a panel concerning Halo Mega Blocks sets (which have sold 35 million units, in case you were wondering).
The early Halo titles were developed by Bungie and were originally intended to be real-time strategy games for the Mac and PC, but was later changed to be a third-person action game. In 2000, Microsoft took over Bungie Studios and Halo: Combat Evolved became a launch title for the then upcoming Xbox console. After working with the Xbox development kit, Bungie completely rewrote the game’s engine and changed it to a first-person shooter.
Halo was actually never meant to be an Xbox flagship title, both due to internal concerns at Microsoft and criticism from the press. But then VP of game publishing, Ed Fries, went ahead with the launch anyway and the game was heavily featured in Xbox marketing.
Bungie later announced it was leaving Microsoft and becoming an independent company. Bungie remained involved in the development of several Halo games, such as Halo: ODST, but the rights to the IP belonged to Microsoft. Microsoft formed 343 Studios to oversee everything relating to the series, but Bungie still remained involved. Frank O’Connor, formerly a Bungie employee, became creative director of 343.
Gaming
The cast of the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 film has added an exciting new addition with the inclusion of Shadow, who will be voiced by the talented Keanu Reeves
After a long wait, it appears that the search for a capable Hollywood actor to bring the brooding Shadow the Hedgehog to life has come to an end. Keanu Reeves, a renowned actor known for his iconic roles in film franchises such as The Matrix and John Wick, as well as his involvement in the highly anticipated game Cyberpunk 2077, has officially been cast for the role.
Speculation has been running wild lately, but The Hollywood Reporter has officially confirmed the casting, citing reliable sources in the know. News of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 being showcased at Cinemacon has quickly spread. Reeves is sure to bring his own special touch to the role, but it’s uncertain how well he will mesh with the mustachioed Dr. Robotnik, as Jim Carrey is set to reprise the character.
What are your thoughts on Keanu Reeves being cast as Shadow the Hedgehog in Sonic the Hedgehog 3? Please avoid sharing fan art in the comments section below.
ATLUS has just announced their latest event, the “ATLUS Exclusive: Metaphor: ReFantazio” broadcast. Fans can look forward to an exciting 30-minute showcase of never-before-seen gameplay from the publisher/developer. How exciting is that to anticipate?
According to Gematsu, director Katsura Hashino will serve as the host of the broadcast, which will debut on YouTube on April 22. The English version will include dubbed audio and English subtitles, and we have also expanded the list of timezones available.
- North America: 3 pm PDT, 4 pm MDT, 5 pm CDT, and 6 pm EDT.
- UK/Ire: 11pm BST
- Europe: 12am CEST / 1am EEST
- Asia/Oceania: 7am JST, 6am AWST, 8am AEST.
Additionally, there is a scheduled stream for the next day, April 23rd, with the specific times listed below. Get ready for the “ATLUS Exclusive Debut Commemoration Special—Metaphor: Stalkers Club Final,” where fans can indulge in the captivating presence of hosts Mafia Kajita and Tomomi Isomura. They will thoroughly analyze and delve into all the information disclosed during the initial broadcast. Sayawaka, a visitor who is the author of the associated manga’s story, will be with them.
- North America: 7 am PDT, 8 am MDT, 9 am CDT, and 10 am EDT.
- UK/Ire: 3pm BST
- Europe: 4pm CEST / 5pm EEST
- Asia/Oceania: 11pm JST, 10pm AWST, 1am AEDT
What are your thoughts on the influx of information about Metaphor: ReFantazio? Are you planning to watch any of the upcoming broadcasts? Share your authentic thoughts in the comments section below.
Despite the numerous praises players have showered upon Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, there is one particular aspect of the game that has garnered nothing but criticism: the perplexing wording of its retry screen, which players encounter when facing a Game Over. Fortunately, the developers have discreetly resolved this issue in the game’s latest patch. They have fixed the Platinum Trophy progression, resulting in a slightly less confusing experience for players.
If you don’t possess exceptional combat abilities, chances are you’ve come across the game’s notorious four options: “Retry from Current Battle, Retry from This Battle, Retry from Before Battle, or Resume.”. As an avid gamer, I must admit that I’ve experienced the frustration of losing precious time due to my own foolish mistake. In this particular instance, I found myself engrossed in fine-tuning my matrix and equipping my party, only to have it all go to waste when I encountered a formidable enemy. To compound my error, I made the ill-advised decision to retry the battle, resulting in an hour of agonizing repetition. Lesson learned!
The “Retry from This Battle” option has become a source of frustration for players who are struggling with the game’s final boss encounter, leading to a significant number of rage-quits. Without giving away any surprises, opting for that choice after being defeated would result in players being sent back to the beginning of the final boss encounter, needlessly forcing them to forfeit approximately an hour’s worth of hard-earned progress in battle.
After the update, players now have the option to select “Retry from the Current Phase” instead of “Retry from Before the Current Battle.”. It’s worth noting that this change is only slightly improved. It’s rather disappointing that the screen is overly convoluted, which may lead to players feeling frustrated. While it’s better late than never, we can’t help but wonder if this issue will persist in the future.
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