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343 Industries has been largely quiet since the release of Halo Wars 2 earlier this year. With this year being the 10th anniversary of Halo 3, fans have been wondering what if anything is to be done to celebrate. In a recent news update, 343 Industries has confirmed that there are plenty of summer events on the way to celebrate as well as a smattering of other tidbits.

The post is broken up into multiple sections, each of which goes over something Halo-related that is coming up. Starting with the section about the series on Xbox One X, it has been announced that a 4K update is coming to Halo 5: Guardians. Already an impressive-looking game on the base Xbox One, the post ensures that the update will be “true 4K” as opposed to upscaling.

The next big announcement is that a bunch of old titles in the series are set to be added to the Xbox One’s backward compatibility lineup. Combat Evolved Anniversary, 3, ODST, and 4 are all part of this list, allowing gamers who still own the titles on their 360s to play them on Xbox One. This also allows players to do so without having to buy The Master Chief Collection. Who wants to spend more money on games they already own, right? Halo 2 wasn’t included in the list since it is an original Xbox game, backwards compatibility isn’t yet available for original Xbox content.

Halo Wars 2 got some more coverage during this blog post. 343 Industries briefly summarized of all the game’s updates until now and the announcement of the “Awakening the Nightmare” expansion for Halo Wars 2. The post confirms that this expansion adds new campaign content from the perspective of the Banished, and brings back the fan-favorite Flood. Two new playable leaders are set to be added, as well as the new “Terminus Firefight” game mode. The expansion should be releasing later this fall for $19.99 USD.

There is a section on upcoming events that the 343 team will be attending. This includes RTX Austin 2017, HCS Summer Finals, China Joy, and Gamescom. In each section, the post goes into detail about the events and what fans can expect from the studio there. This includes early access to the Halo Wars 2 expansion, sports opportunities and prize pools, continued announcements, etc. There’s also a section afterward that goes into detail about various other Halo goodies such as new tie-in comics and books as well as figures, models, and various artworks.

Finally, there is a section on Halo 5’s future specifically. It mostly discusses matchmaking updates, but the biggest bit of information is plans for Halo 3’s anniversary. Even though they’ve already confirmed that 3 won’t be getting the Anniversary remaster treatment, they double down on it here. Instead, there’ll be a bunch of throwback multiplayer game modes, maps, etc. put into a playlist by the developers. Some of this content will be originally made by the team but it is confirmed that a lot of it comes from the community through Forge mode.

I spend most of my days working towards my Writing and Rhetoric degree at the University of Central Florida, but I spend a lot of my down time keeping up to date on the best TV, movies, and video games the industry has to offer. Here I put all of that extended time to use discussing each of them in-depth.

Gaming

Sony is reportedly engaged in discussions to form a partnership for a potential bid on Paramount

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There hasn’t been much buzz lately about any new acquisitions in the world of video game intellectual property. According to a recent report, Sony is currently engaged in discussions with a well-funded partner to potentially acquire the renowned film studio Paramount, along with all the exciting possibilities that come with such a merger.

As reported in the New York Times (thanks, ResetEra), Sony Picture Entertainment is reportedly in discussions with Apollo Global Management, an investment firm, as per two sources familiar with the matter. In the past, Apollo had made an offer to acquire Paramount for a minimum of $26 billion, but their bid was ultimately turned down.

The terms of the joint bid are currently under discussion, and there is a chance that the two parties may decide against making a formal offer. Unnamed sources have revealed that Paramount is currently in exclusive discussions with Skydance, preventing any official offer from being made at this time. Investor opposition to the recent deal that Skydance brought seems to have been significant.

The potential impact of such an acquisition is immense. First and foremost, it would introduce adaptations of Sonic and Halo into the expanding media empire of the PlayStation platform holder. Following the announcement, Paramount’s stock experienced a significant 11% surge in after-hours trading.

What are your thoughts on the news? Is there a possibility of Sony acquiring Paramount? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Gaming

Helldivers 2 Players Face Overwhelming Hordes of Factory Striders

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In the ongoing conflict against the Automaton invasion fleet, the Helldivers 2 players have successfully halted their advance. However, the situation has now reached a tiresome stalemate. Yet again, the machines refuse to take a break from their relentless pursuit of progress, with reports emerging of the Factory Striders being deployed in record-breaking quantities.

There have been reports of alleged machines that were supposedly encountered during Operation Swift Disassembly, which was just the beginning of a larger campaign. However, these accounts should be taken with a grain of salt, as they are unverified and seem to be more on the imaginative side. Factory Striders have gained a reputation as formidable weapons platforms that can produce more Automatons while enduring significant damage. If the machines are able to withstand such a relentless assault, it will be necessary to develop innovative strategies.

Have you come across groups of Factory Striders in Helldivers 2? Which strategies are proving to be the most effective in taking down these armored brutes? The Orbital Railcannon Strike will prove to be a valuable asset in the comments section below.

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Todd Howard affirms that the timeline of the Fallout series is coherent and well-constructed

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The recent release of Amazon’s adaptation of Fallout has ignited a renewed interest in the series and brought attention to the captivating alternate history that forms its foundation. Fans have expressed concern that the TV show’s events might be at odds with the plot of the Obsidian Entertainment video game New Vegas. Warning: Spoilers ahead for New Vegas and Amazon’s show!

Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard and Fallout TV executive producer Jonathan Nolan recently sat down with IGN to discuss the timeline. Howard was taken aback when showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet presented him with the surprising concept of obliterating Shady Sands, the bustling capital of the New California Republic, in the aftermath of the events in New Vegas. Howard eventually warmed up to the idea: “After discussing it, we realized that this could be a significant story moment that many things hinge upon.”

It seems that they had to make some tough decisions to ensure everything fell into place, but Howard emphasizes the importance of preserving the integrity of the Fallout timeline: “We take great care with the timeline. There seems to be some confusion in certain areas. However, all the events from the previous games, including New Vegas, did occur. We take great caution in that matter. We’re really pushing the limits here, but the explosions occur right after the events of New Vegas.

What are your thoughts on this? Is it up to par? Even though it may not have a significant impact on the overall quality of the games or show, it is comforting to know that those in charge are paying attention. We value your feedback and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

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