Photo: Blizzard

Yet another week has come to a close, which means it’s now time to catch up on the latest video game news! If you’ve had a busy seven days and haven’t managed to keep up with all of the gaming news, fear not, for Fails and Feels is here for you! Let’s dive right in!

Fails

Alien: Blackout Stars Amanda Ripley in a Mobile Horror Game

It seems like the gaming industry refuses to learn that mobile games need to be handled extremely tactfully. You should launch your mobile title alongside an announcement for a proper console/PC game. Distract us with the good stuff, and then announce your mobile title on the side, otherwise, you will hear about it.

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To no one’s surprise, the teaser trailer for the new Alien: Blackout mobile game didn’t go down too well. While it might star Amanda Ripley and boasts similar gameplay to the fantastic Alien Isolation, the game’s teaser trailer now sits at 453 likes and over 10,000 dislikes…not a great first impression!

Overwatch Contenders’ Female Player Ellie Was an Impostor

It’s been a confusing time for Overwatch Esports fans, what with a supposed female pro player having been outed as an impostor. This female pro player, known as “Ellie,” was initially accepted into the Second Wind team roster, before apparently leaving due to the negative backlash against her. Following this announcement, evidence came to light about “Ellie” not being who she was claiming to be.

Blizzard Entertainment confirmed that this player was not who they said they were. While “Ellie’s” true identity has not been revealed, it is thought that a male player known as “Punisher” was to blame. It’s alleged that Punisher was treating this as a “social experiment.” It’s all very bizarre. You can read GameRevolution’s full report here.

Facebook Rejects Gris Ad for ‘Sexually Suggestive’ Content

Facebook has proven a little too harsh when it comes to the policing of potentially offensive advertisements. Publisher Devolver Digital apparently found itself blocked from posting ads for new game GRIS. The ad’s image, which contains no nudity whatsoever, was rejected due to being “sexually suggestive,” according to a now widely-shared tweet made by the developer.

Feels

Bungie to Acquire Destiny 2 Publishing Rights From Activision

Bungie has announced that it will be parting ways with Activision, going on to self-publish its own games. This includes future Destiny titles.

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It’s not yet clear why the agreement has been terminated two years early, as the 10-year contract was scheduled to end in 2020. In a statement, Bungie commented: “Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce plans for Activision to transfer publishing rights for Destiny to Bungie. With our remarkable Destiny community, we are ready to publish on our own, while Activision will increase their focus on owned IP projects.”

Resident Evil 2 Remake Will Have a Telltale-Style Decision Tracking System

While Telltale Games is all but wiped from the development scene, with the remaining members of the team suffering in a state of limbo with their final obligations, the gameplay mechanics that they founded are still inspiring studios across all genres. The Resident Evil 2 Remake is going to adopt a “global totals and trends” evaluation at the end of missions, allowing players to compare their accomplishments and decisions with those of others playing through the game.

The recently launched “1-Shot Demo” offers a preview of this. Once the 30-minute demo trial is over, players are able to compare their own stats with the rest of the community’s. The official Resident Evil 2 website has a dedicated area where players can view a wide range of statistics and milestones.

G-Sync Compatible Monitors Include FreeSync Displays With New Nvidia Driver

Technobabble aside, this is fantastic news! The Nvidia driver that is scheduled to launch on January 15 will introduce support for FreeSync displays. This means gamers using Nvidia hardware, who want the smoothest of frame-rates and no tearing, will no longer have to fork out the extra money required for G-Sync. This is huge for PC gamers!

In the PC gaming world, this is the equivalent of Sony and Microsoft suddenly allowing cross-play between all of their multiplayer games. It’s just so unexpected!

Dirty Bomb Microtransactions Removed in Final Update

With development ending for the free-to-play Dirty Bomb, developer Splash Damage has made one final (massive) change to the game: completely removing microtransactions. The game’s premium currency, called RADs, has been removed. Players who purchased the “All Merc Pack” at $39.99 are being refunded.

This is huge news for players of the game, who persevered through paid-for weapons and characters. The removal of microtransactions may act as an incentive for PC gamers to revisit the free-to-play title, helping to increase the pool of players within matchmaking.

Devolver Digital Runs Shadow Warrior 2 Sale After an Email From a Fan

“If you don’t ask, then you don’t get.” This is the philosophy that one cheeky PC gamer follows, as they apparently emailed Devolver Digital with a request for Shadow Warrior 2 to be put on sale “right away.” DD honored the request, responding with: “Sure thing, boss. You’ve got one hour.” During the hour that followed, Shadow Warrior 2 was available with a 75 percent discount.

Whether this is just a clever marketing stunt, or genuinely good customer service, Devolver Digital knows how to please its audience. As we’ve witnessed during the publisher’s E3 showcases, it is no stranger to memes and what it takes to blow up online!