Gaming
Here’s everything that happened in the September Nintendo Direct

For those not in the know, the September Nintendo Direct happened last night, with lots of shiny new Ninty information jam-packed into 45 minutes.
While there was no mention of Animal Crossing (which will disappoint a lot of people on Twitter I expect), there was a lot of new stuff to get excited over. We’ve summarised them all below for your pleasure.
Nintendo Switch stuff
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 finally has a release date
And that date is December 1st, 2017! With gameplay that appears to follow closely to Xenoblade Chronicles, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 offers detailed cutscenes, improved voice acting, and stunning visuals, even if it doesn’t appear to be on a new engine.
With multiple Titans to traverse and each Titan having unique scenery, we got a look at the exploration and combat present in the new game. The game will have a special edition at launch that includes artbook, steelcase and soundtrack. A special Xenoblade Pro Controller will also be available.
DOOM and Wolfenstein 2: New Colossus on Switch!
Okay so this was definitely a surprise. While everyone knew Skyrim was coming to Switch, no-one expected both Doom and Wolfenstein II. There are no solid release dates yet but if you’re after an FPS fix on Ninty’s new console, Bethesda has got your back.
Super Mario Odyssey is gonna be huge
The main focus of the evening was obviously Super Mario Odyssey. We saw a lot more gameplay and graphically, this is probably the best looking Mario game ever made. We were introduced to Crazy Capp, a store that allows you to obtain new outfits for Mario and online leaderboards for mini-game scores and time attack modes.
There were also glimpses of wedding-themed Mario Amiibo, if that’s what you’re into.
Project Octopath Traveller
Another welcome surprise is Project Octopath Traveller, a brand new RPG from Square Enix and a Nintendo Switch exclusive. With a mix of turn-based play and new mechanics called ‘The Boost System’, it features 8 playable protagonists with differing origins, strategies, and goals. From the producers of Bravely Default, it features a mix of CGI and pixel-art to create a unique art style.
A demo is available right now so check it out if you’re pining for more RPG action on the Switch.
Dragon Quest Builders
A mashup of Minecraft and Terraria but wearing Dragon Quest clothes. Dragon Quest Builders allows you to rebuild and defend towns in the DQ world, featuring gameplay similar to Minecraft.
Kirby Star Allies
This was shown at E3 and gets a bit more love here. The first Kirby game for Nintendo Switch sees players going on an adventure with up to 3 other allies, mixing abilities to create new powers and going up against a dark force that’s taking over Dreamland.
L.A Noire
With all DLC, special suits with abilities, Joy-Con compatibility and a usable touchscreen, LA Noire is the full package. A welcome return to the Nintendo fold by Rockstar. Now, where’s Red Dead Redemption?
Nintendo Arcade Games on Switch
All the fun of the arcade without your nan getting angry at the coin pusher. Arcade Archives are bringing some classic Nintendo arcade games to the Switch including the original Mario Bros. We’ll also see Balloon Fight, Ice Climber, Pinball and Clu Clu Land.
Arena of Valor
One of the more interesting surprises of the Direct event, this is a League of Legends style MOBA for Switch. With up to 30 controllable heroes, you can go head to head in 5v5, 3v3 and 1v1 PVP battles. A free beta is launching this Winter.
Skyrim
It’s Skyrim. It’s portable. It won’t have mod support but it will have a Breath of the Wild outfit. You can be a Stealth Archer.
Splatoon 2 Updates (now with added Kelp Dome)
Nintendo showed off a number of updates to Splatoon 2, including new stage Snapper Canal, a new weapon in the Tenta Brella and the return of fan favourite, the Kelp Dome. Kelp Dome returns this Friday, 9/15.
Rocket League Switch
No solid release date for this yet but we did get a glimpse of some new Nintendo themed vehicles. Mario and Luigi also made an appearance.
Fifa 18 / NBA 2k18 / WWE 2k18
Not much to report on here, just a reminder they’re happening. FIFA 18 will be fully built from the ground up, designed for Switch rather than a direct port and releases September 29. NBA 2K18 is a similar experience to it’s console counterparts, feature complete but running at 30fps rather than 60fps. It releases September 15. No release date for WWE 2K18 unfortunately.
Nintendo 3DS/2DS Stuff
Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon (available November 17)
The stream kicked off with a bunch of 3DS information, including games and hardware. As you’d expect, the two new Pokémon titles were a big focus. Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon will include a bunch of new areas, clothing items and Ultra Beasts as well as a new way of choosing starters. Most importantly, there were whispers of a Pikachu farm which sounds lovely. It’ll also include a new story involving Necrozma, a legendary Pokémon that steals light and has transformed Solgaleo and Lunala from the original games.
Metroid Samus Returns (available September 15)
Samus is back. Metroid Samus Returns features new weapons, abilities and bosses, all in a remastered version of Metroid II which released 16 years ago. It’s joined by a snazzy limited edition 3DS which you can see here.
New 2DS designs!
To coincide with the new Pokemon games, Nintendo are releasing the Poke-Ball edition of the New Nintendo 2DS XL which lands November 3rd. To coincide with (presumably) Fall, they’re also releasing an Orange and White New Nintendo 2DS XL.
Kirby: Battle Royale (available January 19 2018)
So this is the “3DS Kirby” that no-one knew about. Featuring a single-player story mode, online battles, and a battle arena mode, the game sees Kirby using a variety of abilities to fight versions of himself with the last Kirby standing being crowned the winner. No confirmation of pans or Kirby finding a Kar98k in a Supply Crate just yet.
Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition (available… right now)
Minecraft continues its quest to be available on every single electronic device available. With five skin packs, 2 texture packs, survival and adventure mode, it’s a surprise but it’s also really not. Look out for Minecraft on your toaster soon.
Mario Party Top 100 on 3DS (available November 10)
For the first time ever, a collection of the best Mario Party games can be played on a hand-held. Featuring the top 100 mini-games from the console series, Mario Party Top 100 supports Download Play. This up to four players can take part as long as one of the players owns the game card, which is pretty great.
Atlus releasing multiple games in 2018
The other big piece of news for the 3DS is Atlus is set to release Etrian Odyssey V, SMT Strange Journey Redux and Radian Historia Perfect Chronology in 2018. There’s not much information to go off but it’s great news for Atlus fans in the West.
As you can see, despite this Nintendo Direct being 45 minutes long it was absolutely jam-packed. This is just a selection of what was shown and you can see the full livestream below.
Gaming
Early Launch of Diablo 4 PS5, PS4 Has License Issues

Blizzard couldn’t expect it to be flawless, could they? The Ultimate Edition’s four days of early access to Diablo 4 on PS5 and PS4 has caused many license errors. Blizzard may not be able to fix Sony’s issue, which is preventing them from playing.
“We are seeing reports regarding PlayStation users experiencing Invalid License errors,” community manager PezRadar writes. We’re investigating and will update.” PC and Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One players have been able to play since the game launched less than an hour ago, suggesting a Sony flaw.
Only the Ultimate Edition of Diablo 4 has early access, with the full launch on June 6, 2023. After accessing Diablo 4, consult our guide. Do you have licensing issues like PS5, PS4 players?
Gaming
Ubisoft’s E3-Style Livestream Is Worth Watching

A new sizzle reel promises gameplay for games we’ve been waiting for at Ubsoft’s annual Forward showcase on June 12 at 10 am PT / 6 pm BST. Expect live updates on Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and The Crew Motorfest during the French publisher’s spotlight.
Publisher showcases are now commonplace. Over the next week and a half, we’ll be eating well as E3 announces exciting video games.
Ubisoft’s Forward event—what are you hoping to see?
Gaming
The PS5 and PS4 narrative adventures The Expanse revives Telltale Games

The Expanse: A Telltale Series will release its first five episodes on PS5 and PS4 on July 27. New gameplay footage was released in a trailer.
This isn’t the original Telltale team, which imploded two years ago in a twist many saw coming. Deck Nine and LCG Entertainment are developing and publishing The Expanse, a hermit-crabbing game.
If you missed that hot moment when we were swimming in episodic narrative content, your chance is coming. The Expanse: A Telltale Series: your thoughts? Try this doppelganger?
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