Gaming
European Commission replies to criticism of a staff member’s statements towards Microsoft Activision
In response to remarks made by a senior staff member on social media, the European Commission has clarified concerns of apparent prejudice in the investigation of Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard purchase.
The Commission is striving to ensure that you may still play Call of Duty on other platforms (including my Playstation), according to Ricardo Cardoso, the Deputy Head of Unit Interinstitutional & Outreach at the regulating body, in a tweet earlier this week.
Even though the statement complied with the body’s mandate in terms of facts, some gamers criticized it for what they saw as Sony bias, especially in light of Xbox’s repeated assurances that Call of Duty will stay on PlayStation for the foreseeable future.
Now, Cardoso is not at all involved in the process, the European Commission has explained in a statement to Tweaktown.
The statement states that Mr. Cardoso is employed by the Director General for the Internal Market, not the Directorate General for Competition.
“The evaluation of this transaction is not being done by Mr. Cardoso. Furthermore, he tweets in a personal capacity, as it is crystal evident from his Twitter profile.
To be clear, I’m not involved in the merger’s evaluation and don’t even work in the department that handles mergers, Cardoso tweeted on Saturday. My comments are personal and not representative of the Commission, whose decision will be based on the facts and the law, as is evident from my profile.
The Commission is working to ensure that you will still be able to play Call of Duty on other consoles (including my Playstation). Also on our to do list: update stock pictures. These gamers have wired controllers whereas Xbox and Playstation have wireless ones since about 2006! https://t.co/Gfvsi3rKXD
— Ricardo Cardoso (@RCardosoEU) November 8, 2022
The usage of “my” while referring to PlayStation in the initial tweet seems to have offended fans the most; however, Cardoso was apparently referring to the console he owns, rather than a devotion to a platform.
The proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft has been subject to a thorough investigation by the European Commission.
The European watchdog announced on Tuesday that it has launched a “phase II” inquiry into the $68.7 billion acquisition following its initial investigations, as was expected, citing worries about possible harm to competition.
The proposed acquisition, it stated, “raises concerns that it may lessen competition in the markets for the distribution of video games for consoles and personal computers (‘PCs’) as well as for PC operating systems.”
Regulators in Saudi Arabia and Brazil have authorized the transaction, but the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has extended its probe into a second phase. Before making a final decision by March 1, it is currently soliciting public input on the acquisition from interested parties.
According to reports, the US Federal Trade Commission may rule on the transaction this month.
Phil Spencer, the president of gaming at Microsoft, recently stated that he still has confidence that the deal would be authorized and that he thinks regulatory scrutiny is “fair” and “warranted.”
Gaming
CEO of Helldivers 2 commends the remarkable determination displayed by the community during the intense Sony showdown
The experience for Helldivers 2 players has been quite turbulent lately, and we’re referring to a community that is accustomed to leaping from great heights into the most intense and terrifying battlegrounds imaginable. In the midst of a highly debated PSN account requirement for PC players and facing intense backlash, Sony has made a surprising reversal, yielding to the overwhelming force of public opinion. The CEO of Arrowhead, Johan Pilestedt, has displayed an intriguing attitude throughout this challenging period. He has shown remarkable composure, actively engaging with community managers and experiencing the difficulties they face firsthand.
Pilestedt expressed his admiration for the community’s determination and praised their ability to work together on Twitter, following Sony’s reversal. He sarcastically expressed gratitude towards Sony for their “prompt and efficient choice to make PSN linking optional.”
In the future, Pilestedt expressed his vision of working closely with PlayStation and the players to establish a groundbreaking benchmark for the concept of a live game. The aim is to foster a strong partnership between developers and the community, ultimately resulting in an unparalleled gaming experience.
Firstly, I am impressed by the willpower of the @helldivers2 community and your ability to collaborate. Secondly I want to thank our partners and friends at @PlayStation for quickly and effectively making the decision to leave PSN linking optional. We together want to set a new… https://t.co/2rayksgH1v
— Pilestedt (@Pilestedt) May 6, 2024
What are your thoughts on the commotion surrounding Helldivers 2? What are your thoughts on Sony’s involvement, Pilestedt’s attitude, and the community’s reaction? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Gaming
Hands On: Stellar Blade Nails PS5 New Game + Mechanics
Stellar Blade is an exceptional game that demands your attention. However, it truly reached new heights after the review embargo was lifted, thanks to the introduction of New Game +. In our review of Stellar Blade for the PS5, we found that one minor drawback was the inability to replay the game. Unfortunately, during the pre-launch period, this author had to start over from the beginning.
Thankfully, none of you will have encountered that problem since the title was updated just hours before its release to include the highly anticipated New Game + feature. This new game+ mode is truly exceptional. As expected, all of your abilities and unlocks carry forward, but the Korean developer has gone above and beyond by expanding Eve’s skill tree with new abilities.
The addition of these new abilities doesn’t exactly revolutionize the game, but it does introduce some fresh tools to your arsenal, ensuring that the gameplay remains engaging. Combine this with some clever enemy placement variations, and you’re practically guaranteed an enjoyable replay. In addition, all of the Exospines and Gear that you unlock in New Game + receive upgrades, enabling you to craft even more powerful builds for Eve.
Additionally, the number of outfits has been doubled. The skins in the game offer a variety of designs, with some featuring unique custom details. Unlocking all of them again adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the experience. In our comprehensive guide, we have meticulously cataloged all the different outfits and their corresponding unlock methods. So, even if you haven’t quite reached the highly anticipated New Game + stage, you can still get a sneak peek at what lies ahead by following the link provided.
Our only critique of the mode is that the difficulty scaling could be improved. You may find yourself becoming seriously overpowered, even in hard mode. Feeling an immense sense of power is undeniably satisfying. However, it would be even more captivating if Shift Up were to delve deeper into these concepts and introduce additional difficulty levels for New Game +, thereby enhancing the game’s replayability.
It would be great if the developer could consider adding additional modes to enhance replayability. A speed run option could add an exciting element to the game. Rarely does a campaign exhibit the level of tightness and replayability found in Stellar Blade. Shift Up has truly crafted something exceptional, leaving us eager for additional content to be added as the release continues to evolve.
Have you begun your new game + playthrough of Stellar Blade yet? What are your impressions of the mode, and are there any other post-release additions you would like to see implemented? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Gaming
Helldivers 2 has quickly become one of Sony’s top-selling games in the US
Helldivers 2 proved to be a surprising success, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the gaming industry. As per Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, it currently ranks as Sony’s seventh highest grossing game in the United States to date, trailing behind a trio of Spider-Man titles, a couple of God of War games, and Ghost of Tsushima. It’s only been on the market for less than three months and is not even being sold at full price.
According to Piscatella, a significant factor contributing to the game’s success is its release on PC. He mentioned that, based on Circana’s Player Engagement Tracker, the game has consistently ranked first in terms of active users on Steam in the US since its launch, including April. The release of Helldivers 2 on both PlayStation and PC has been an extraordinary triumph.
He stated that Helldivers 2 has already become the seventh highest-grossing Sony-published game in history. Without a PC, it would not currently be considered one of the top 20 games. While I’m emphasizing the success of the PC SKU, it’s important to note that I’m not disregarding the success of the PlayStation SKU. I just wanted to clarify that. This launch has proven to be incredibly successful.
Prior to the release of Helldivers 2, Sony made it clear that they would be launching their live service-style titles simultaneously on both the PS5 and PC. The success of this approach will undoubtedly strengthen their strategic vision. It will be intriguing to witness if the company reveals official sales figures in the near future, as the title appears to be one of the platform holder’s most successful sellers to date.
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