Xbox revealed a bit more about its upcoming titles at Gamescom this week, including Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Alongside some gameplay, we also learned a release date for the title on Xbox consoles and PC… as well as a release window for launch on PlayStation 5. This seemingly contradicts an earlier statement from Phil Spencer that Great Circle would not be a cross-platform release – or at least that Xbox is not straying from its commitment to console exclusivity.
Spencer later said in an interview that “we’re running a business at Xbox” and that they were always looking for ways to strengthen their franchises while facing increasing industry pressures to grow. “I think we – as fans, as game players – just have to expect that there will be more changes, and that some of the traditional ways of how games are developed and distributed will change. That will change for all of us. But the end result has to be better games that more people can play. If we don’t focus on that, I think we’re focusing on the wrong things.”
I’m a little curious though, why did they hold back the news of a PlayStation launch until after the game came out on Xbox? Maybe the anticipation of a cross-platform release is better for Xbox than pretending it’s still going to be a console exclusive. I remember Great Circle was originally planned to be a cross-platform launch before Xbox acquired Bethesda, so maybe we gamers are the winners in the end, even after all the corporate nonsense.
Personal news: I’m still in a daze from everything that happened at Gamescom. The new footage from Monster Hunter Wilds was probably my favorite part of the event, but I’d be lying if I said Avowed didn’t pique my interest as well. Game-wise, I’m debating whether or not to check out Black Myth: Wukong – the game isn’t one of the genres I normally enjoy, but I like the Journey to the West-inspired story. Tactical Breach Wizards was also personally recommended to me, so I’ll probably give that a try as well.
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What’s playing this week
What’s new:
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Unity
- Born of dust
- predecessor
- Tactical Breakthrough Wizard
- Rise Eterna War
- engraving
New to subscription services:
- Atlas Fallen (Xbox Game Pass)
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)
- Wild Hearts Standard Edition (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)
- Cult of the Lamb (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)
- Ride 5 (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)
- Watch Dogs 2 (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)
- Sword Art Online: Last Recollection (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)
- Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)
- Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)
- Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)
- Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)
- Holiday Simulator (PlayStation Plus Premium)
- TimeSplitters (PlayStation Plus Premium)
- TimeSplitters 2 (PlayStation Plus Premium)
- TimeSplitters: Future Perfect (PlayStation Plus Premium)
- Sword Art Online: Lost Song (PlayStation Plus Premium)
- Grime: Definitive Edition (Prime Gaming)
- KeyWe (Prime Gaming)
- Figure 2: Creed Valley (Prime Gaming)
- Spells & Secrets (Prime Gaming)
- Young Souls (Prime Gaming)
- Gigantic: Rampage Edition (GeForce Now)
- Alan Wake’s American Nightmare (GeForce Now)
- Commandos 3 – HD Remaster (GeForce Now)
- Desperados III (GeForce Now)
- The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos (GeForce Now)
- The Flame in the Flood (GeForce Now)
- FTL: Faster than Light (GeForce Now)
- Genesis Noir (GeForce Now)
- House Flipper (GeForce Now)
- Medieval Dynasty (GeForce Now)
- My time in Portia (GeForce Now)
- Night in the Woods (GeForce Now)
- Offworld Trading Company (GeForce Now)
- Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You (GeForce Now)
- Project Winter (GeForce Now)
- Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun (GeForce Now)
- Sid Meier’s Civilization VI (GeForce Now)
- Sid Meier’s Civilization V (GeForce Now)
- Sid Meier’s Civilization IV (GeForce Now)
- Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth (GeForce Now)
- Spirit of the North (GeForce Now)
- Wreckfest (GeForce Now)
