The second week of September has ended and it had some of the biggest news stories of the year. The end of 2020 is in sight (thank the lord), and both developers and publishers alike are working hard to keep their franchises in the news.
The biggest stories of the past week involve the upcoming console war heating up, Nintendo preparing a return to Hyrule, the battle between Apple and Epic raging on, Ninja finally going home, and EA pulling more sleazy shenanigans.
Xbox Series S/X Details Finally Revealed
Microsoft has taken the initiative in the upcoming console war by announcing the Xbox Series S, which is a less powerful version of the Xbox Series X, but it comes at a much cheaper price point. The company also announced the price and release date of the Xbox Series X. The pre-orders for both systems will go live on September 22 and they will be released on November 10.
Nintendo Announces Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity
Nintendo has slowly been revealing more information about the rest of its 2020 schedule, which involved a surprise announcement for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. The original Hyrule Warriors used elements from the whole Zelda series, whereas Age of Calamity is a prequel to Breath of the Wild and will show the events of the Great Calamity.
EA Ads Commercials To UFC 4, Removes Them After Backlash
It’s common for reviewers to come down on games with sleazy monetization practices. This has led to developers adding these price-gouging elements after launch, to avoid them souring the perception of the game when it’s first released. EA tried to pull this by adding in-game adverts to UFC 4 several months after release, even though it was a full-price game. This drew a backlash from fans, causing EA to apologize and remove the ads.
Epic & Apple Drama Continues
The battle between Apple and Epic is raging on, which has resulted in Apple counter-suing and claiming breach of contract. This invited a scathing response from Epic CEO Tim Sweeney, in a growing war of words between the companies. Make sure to check The Gamer every day for the new chapters in the Fortnite vs. Apple conflict.
Ninja Returns To Twitch
Following the demise of Mixer, famed streamer Ninja was left without a home. It was revealed last week that he has signed a multi-year exclusivity deal to stream on Twitch. This came after a brief period where he streamed on YouTube, before returning to the platform that made him famous.
The PlayStation Strikes Back
Microsoft has taken the lead in the console war, with the Xbox Series S offering an incredible deal for the technology on offer. PlayStation fans expected Sony to respond, but the company remained silent for days. On September 12, Sony announced a PS5 Showcase that will be broadcast the following Wednesday. Sony hasn’t revealed exactly what will be shown at the showcase, but fans are expecting a price and a release date for the PS5.
