It's been another rough year for video games, with countless studio closures, staff layoffs, and projects that barely managed to even get off the ground before they were unceremoniously cut short. But things are feeling especially grim after EA trotted out two beloved franchises--Mass Effect and Dragon Age--for what amounted to a public execution via the announcement that BioWare has been shuttered. This was especially painful for Mass Effect players, who were looking forward to the upcoming Mass Effect 5, which we now know was tentatively titled Mass Effect: Universe. But it's not just BioWare fans who are upset at the moment. Fans of EA's other properties are growing increasingly concerned about the future of those franchises, if any future is planned for them at all. My colleague Levi Winslow recently wrote about their concerns for the Skate franchise in the wake of layoffs at its development studio. Meanwhile, I'm quite worried about the fate of The Sims. In the same breath it announced the end of BioWare, EA also reaffirmed its commitment to Apex Legends, Skate, and The Sims franchises. But everyone knows that when it comes to profits, EA's sports titles outrun its other IPs by a country mile. If EA is willing to pull the plug on legacy franchises like Mass Effect and Dragon Age, where does that leave its other franchises, like The Sims 4? 
EA is pivoting its focus from Project Rene to Project Evergreen. According to EA, Sims fans need not worry, as the company is committed to "focusing on the long-term potential of The Sims." Apparently, focusing on that long-term potential involves shelving a project The Sims team has been working on for years: Project Rene, AKA Project Lotus, AKA the nebulous next entry in The Sims franchise, which appears to be some kind of weird Sims MMO mobile game thing. Instead, EA will be focusing on Project Evergreen, which is rumored to be a sort of remaster of The Sims 4, with all (or most) DLC packs included, and recurring bugs squashed. "We're supporting this franchise by pausing work on one of the next titles in this franchise" doesn't exactly inspire confidence, especially after the nonchalance with which EA just killed two other beloved game franchises. But I think this actually might be the right move. It's been a bumpy couple of years for The Sims, and many players aren't particularly enthused about Project Rene/Lotus, as it seems to be once again trying to recreate The Sims Online, something EA has tried to rebuild over and over. In fact, much of the reason The Sims 4 launched in such awful shape was due to the fact that it was initially meant to be an MMO-style game that could run on mobile devices. Less than a year before launch, EA pivoted to a more traditional Sims game--but by then, so much of the game had been built with online play and mobile devices in mind that it was too late to turn back. Despite releasing over 100 DLC packs and embarking on a concentrated campaign to squash the game's many, many, many bugs, longtime Sims players are still frustrated with the state of The Sims 4, often pointing out the numerous ways it pales in comparison to its predecessor, The Sims 3. The Sims 4 is officially "done" in that there are no plans to release any more expansion packs for the game. When it comes to the future of the franchise, most players don't want the next Sims title to be yet another attempt at shoehorning online and/or mobile gameplay into a game that is, at its core, all about building and playing with digital dolls in their digital dollhouses. So EA's decision to hit pause on Project Rene/Lotus's development isn't something I find especially heartbreaking. In fact, I think it's the first truly wise decision EA's made regarding the franchise in a long time, provided EA actually plans to support Project Evergreen long-term (which the name Evergreen would suggest). Sims 4 players don't want Project Rene, but they do want either The Sims 5 or a complete, playable version of The Sims 4--ideally one that doesn't require the purchase of $1,600 in DLC packs to feel "finished." Hitting pause on its weird, experimental Sims projects in favor of attempting to preserve The Sims 4 in a stable, playable, "evergreen" state is arguably the best decision EA could make, given the current state of both EA and The Sims franchise. Pouring resources into a concept that has failed before (online MMO-style Sims gameplay) rather than a tried-and-true formula (a digital dollhouse) would only harm the franchise at this point. 
Whatever Project Rene is supposed to be, it's officially on ice for now. Of course, there's no telling what kind of shape Project Evergreen will launch in, assuming it does successfully make it to launch. It sounds like the Evergreen devs have a deadline to hit--hence the reshuffling of resources away from Rene/Lotus--but even with the increase in development resources, there's no guarantee Evergreen will be a massive hit with players. Provided the rest of development does go smoothly and Evergreen is indeed well-received by players, it may still fall short of EA's goals when it comes to profits. EA has spent the last decade doing everything possible to monetize the living hell out of The Sims 4, a game that--unlike EA's lucrative sports catalog--is largely intended to be a solitary gaming experience that doesn't require online play. Back in the olden days of The Sims 1, 2, and 3, players would purchase the base game, a few expansion packs, and maybe a couple of "stuff packs" for extra decor options, but that was all one really needed to enjoy the game. The Sims 4, however, introduced an era of seemingly endless DLC: expansion packs, game packs, stuff packs, kits--there are over 100 of them, ranging in cost from $40 to $5, and totaling around $1,600 if purchased individually outside of sales and bundles. In addition to the constant stream of DLC releases, EA has in recent years implemented daily login rewards, various events and challenges, and even a paid mod store nobody asked for--all in the hopes of getting players to spend more time and money on The Sims 4. For a while there, I half-expected EA to implement a Sims 4 battle pass. 
EA trimming down its Sims projects is fine with me, as long as the series isn't uprooted entirely. There's no telling what sort of irritating monetization tactics we'll see in Project Evergreen, but at the very least, Evergreen sounds like an attempt to try and maintain the series' roots, rather than continue chasing the mobile MMO Roblox-like direction Project Lotus seemed to be taking. Even better, Evergreen may turn out to be the game Sims players have been aching for since The Sims 4 launched to middling reviews back in 2014: a game that isn't fundamentally broken and lacking in content. The real question is if Evergreen will be successful enough to keep The Sims franchise alive. Given that EA's new owners were happy to kill off what was shaping up to be a potentially great Mass Effect game, it's not hard to imagine a world where the Grim Reaper inevitably comes for The Sims, regardless of whether players love or hate Project Evergreen. After all, feelings don't generate dollar signs, and EA's new owners have made one thing abundantly clear: killing off an iconic franchise is "worth it" if it saves EA a few Simoleons...
Publisher Activision has responded to criticism over using a devastating tragedy in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, saying that the incident will be removed from the military shooter in a November 12 update. The Seoul Halloween crowd crush occurred in October 2022 in Itaewon. Approximately 100,000 people gathered in a narrow alleyway in Seoul, resulting in 160 casualties as people were suffocated. This year marks the fourth anniversary of the tragedy, with bereaved families and community organizers gathering to remember the lives that were lost. Modern Warfare 4 hit consoles and PC on October 23, and not long after its release, the game drew criticism from bereaved Korean families. In the opening cutscene to the game's campaign--which focuses on a fictional war between North and South Korea--Modern Warfare 4 depicts a chaotic scene where one person performs CPR on a downed individual, while bodies are either laid out on the streets or carried away on stretchers. Given the game's setting and the events on screen, the 10.29 Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association and the Citizens' Countermeasures Meeting--two organizations formed after the 2022 tragedy in Seoul--were "appalled" at the calamity's inclusion and demanded that Activision remove it from the game. "Using such an incident as material for a game intended for entertainment purposes is itself highly inappropriate and a senseless act," the groups said, according to the BBC. "The Itaewon tragedy was a tragic disaster that produced hundreds of casualties, and citizens who participated in the rescue efforts or witnessed the event at the time continue to suffer from trauma. If the game developer has even a minimum level of courtesy and empathy toward the victims, they should promptly take corrective measures." Activision has heard the call and plans to remove the depiction from Modern Warfare 4 when an update arrives on November 12. In responding to the criticism, Activision said it never intended to trivialize the disaster or make light of human suffering. "In developing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, we approached the subject matter with care and respect. The game’s opening cinematic utilises some real-world news coverage to establish the game’s fictional narrative," Activision said. "It is not intended to reference or trivialise the Itaewon disaster or any other real-world tragedy in any way, shape or form."...
There's a new voice behind the protagonist of Soul in Phantom Blade Zero, and it's none other than Sonic the Hedgehog--or his longtime voice actor, Roger Craig Smith, to be precise. As spotted by Game Informer, Smith has stepped in to replace Jay Maksenuk (V in Once Human). You can still hear the latter in the various trailers for Phantom Blade Zero, and developer S-Game hasn't revealed why they brought Smith on as a last-minute replacement. Both actors have several video game credits, and as Game Informer noted, it sounds like Masenuk was replaced shortly after the game's review period began. Essentially, you won't be hearing Masenuk's voice, as the game launched earlier this week with Craig voicing the main character. You're probably familiar with Craig's voice; in addition to Sonic and Batman, he's also voiced Ezio Auditore in several Assassin's Creed games, Daigo Dojima in Yakuza Kiwami 3, and Alden Dorne in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. As a friendly reminder, set a hard limit on how much coffee Smith consumes if you're thinking of interviewing him. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MnqDEw4I_CI Phantom Blade Zero has had a strong launch week so far, reaching over 730,000 concurrent players on Steam at the time of writing. If you're planning to play this weekend, check out our Phantom Blade Zero guides hub for dozens of walkthroughs, and if you're still on the fence, read our Phantom Blade Zero review to see if it's for you. You can also learn how it fixes one of the biggest problems of soulslike-inspired boss fights...
If you thought there wasn't going to be a new Assassin's Creed game this year, think again. It's not a video game, but Assassin's Creed: Animus is out today, turning the series into an adventure-style board game for 1-4 players. A competitive game that pits players against each other as they explore distinct eras from the video games, Assassin's Creed: Animus features four protagonists to choose from in its standard edition: Eivor, Ezio, Altair, and Connor. The Collector's Edition, meanwhile, expands to 10 eras and features 16 protagonists, adding game characters like Edward Kenway, Jacob and Evie Frye, and Kassandra. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnGfEU2eXrg You and up to three of your friends (or you alone) work to complete objectives across these eras, taking down assassination targets in the way you see fit via "memory blocks." Whether you go in with your sword drawn or engage in a sneakier approach is up to you. The standard version of Assassin's Creed: Animus is available to order now for $65, while the limited Collector's Edition costs $229. Alongside the extra characters and eras, this version comes with a storage box, acrylic tokens, a metal Piece of Eden, a cloth token bag, "special event cards," and an Animus Card Holder...
EA recently announced it was shutting down BioWare, ending a studio responsible for multiple hit games over 30 years. According to a new report, EA's decision was driven by economics, as it had to choose between funding a new Mass Effect and backing the safer bet, Star Wars: Battlefront 3. Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reported that EA had to choose between two costly projects, and with the added pressure of paying off $18 billion in leveraged debt after its sale to a business consortium and Saudi Arabia's investment fund, Battlefront 3 made more financial sense. To add insult to injury, Battlefront 3 isn't even in development yet, and it hasn't been officially announced. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx0b2Xbnnrc "They chose to invest in Star Wars and shut down BioWare as a result, said the people familiar, speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to talk to the press," Schreier wrote. "Star Wars: Battlefront 3 has not even begun development yet, but EA executives saw it as a less risky, more predictable bet than a new Mass Effect--and the publisher behind Battlefield has always been more comfortable with shooters than RPGs." Schreier added that "corporate politics" may have also influenced the decision, as one of the studio's key advocates, senior EA exec Laura Miele, was reportedly sidelined when EA Sports veterans David Tinson and Cam Weber were promoted. BioWare also experienced several flops over the last decade, with Mass Effect: Andromeda, Anthem, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard failing to meet sales expectations, which further influenced EA's decision to shut down the studio. After BioWare's closure, more details on its Mass Effect project have emerged. A trailer for Mass Effect: Universe was posted online last week; the game's details made it sound like a sci-fi version of John Wick, and video game composer Austin Wintory shared an experimental score as part of his Mass Effect audition tape...
Only a few more weeks remain before Grand Theft Auto 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and while Rockstar Games recently lifted the lid on its big open-world sequel, that's still not enough. There's definitely value in approaching a game with as little knowledge as possible so that you can enjoy any potential surprises, but we're not those people. Instead, senior video producer Jake Dekker decided to grab a folder of high-resolution GTA 6 screenshots--a whole 99 of them, not including the promotional images for GTA 6's Ultimate Edition--and analyzed dozens of them for hidden details. Here's what he found in the first part of his JPEG investigations. https://youtu.be/wmKu9Uow-os Unsurprisingly, GTA 6 is loaded with small details, callbacks to previous games in the series, and some technical wizardry. There are frazzled beards, the subtle effects of gravity, realistic scars, and even NPCs showing what the ravages of time and a tropical climate can do to flesh, proving GTA 6's location of Leonida is packed to the gills with small touches. One of the best hidden details in these screenshots is the hard currency: Every dollar bill is printed right in the United States of Paranoia. Hey, it's legal tender in a video game! For more GTA 6 investigations, you can check out several more videos from the team. They've analyzed how immersive the game will be, from its introduction of a fuel economy to a closer look at how actions have consequences. In other GTA 6 news, you can read about how the cops will release the hounds to catch you, how you can be a crappy person to NPCs, and how big the game's map will be (spoiler: pretty big). Legendary rocker Cliff Richard also recently learned that some of his music is in GTA 6, and while he's not entirely clued up on the game franchise, he's still happy that his 1976 song "Devil Woman" is reaching a new audience...
Destiny's future lies in its past, as Bungie is working to bring content from the infamous Destiny vault back to the game. Big plans are in place to rework fan-favorite campaigns like the Red War and Forsaken back into Destiny 2, and while that content won't be out for quite a while, Bungie has also detailed what you should not expect from the studio as the year winds down. Long story short: Don't expect to see Destiny 3 teased at The Game Awards. "Knowing we are early in incubating our future and actively working on projects to bridge us to that new home, don't expect us to make a Destiny announcement at the TGAs this year, or to randomly drop a logo that sets the world on fire right away," head of product Josh Deane wrote. Bungie says it secured an "initial greenlight to begin scoping the work" back in June, and a yet-to-be-revealed studio will help with its Destiny legacy content revival. To keep fans up to date, the studio has unveiled a progress bar, with which will signal when major milestones have been reached: 
The new Destiny 2 progress bar. "Right now, we are in our pre-production, proof-of-work stage where we will ensure the process is working and hitting our quality bar as we port the legacy content. We expect this part of the process to last until roughly January/February. From that point we expect full production will be about 12 months. to fully complete the porting process. It’s a lot of content," Deane added. What else is on the Destiny horizon? Deane said that players can look forward to "anchor" events, like a new celebration in Destiny 2 similar to Moments of Triumph, and Destiny Legacy, which Deane described as being "the whole experience" that needs to be served to where players are today. While the wording was vague, it sounds as if Destiny 1 content might come to Destiny 2. Deane said more information will be revealed next year, and both announcements will feature a new progress bar in February. Bungie also teased a mystery third project. Overall, Bungie says it's on track with plans to unvault Destiny 2 content, has plans to celebrate the franchise, and is "building a new future" for Destiny. At the same time, Bungie is also continuing to make big changes to its extraction shooter Marathon, which launched earlier this year. March 2027 could be make or break for the game, as it continues to build out connected PvE, PvP, and PvEvP experiences, as well as options for solo players and crews...