The First Descendant Faces Backlash Over Monetization

The First Descendant, launched by Korean developers Nexon, is already encountering significant player dissatisfaction due to its controversial monetization practices. Despite Nexon's experience in the free-to-play market, the game is receiving "mixed" reviews on Steam, with a recommendation rate of just 46%. A major point of contention is the game's paint cosmetics system. Initially criticized during the beta for locking different colors behind a gacha system, Nexon reworked the feature based on feedback. However, the reworked system now charges players real money for each single-use color scheme, even if they wish to use the same color on multiple characters. This extends to Twitch Drops, which also have one-time uses. Players have labeled these practices as "disgusting" and "predatory," comparing them unfavorably to games like Warframe, where paint palettes can be bought for a dollar and reused without additional cost. This backlash highlights a challenging road ahead for Nexon in regaining player goodwill.

The First Descendant Launches with Impressive Player Numbers Despite Issues

The First Descendant, a new free-to-play co-op shooter from South Korean developer Nexon, has made a striking debut with over 170,000 active players on Steam at launch. This impressive start showcases significant interest in the game, which features genetically modified warriors known as Descendants battling an overwhelming alien threat in a post-apocalyptic world. The gameplay combines fast-paced, action-packed combat similar to Warframe, with extensive character customization through weapons, armor, and items earned in missions, dungeons, and boss battles.

Phantom Liberty "Couldn't Have Been Possible" Without Negative Cyberpunk 2077 Feedback

Paweł Sasko, lead quest designer for Cyberpunk 2077, attributes the successful development of the expansion Phantom Liberty to the critical feedback received at the game's launch. Speaking with TheGamer's Santi Leguiza at Gamescom Latam, Sasko explained that the harsh reception of Cyberpunk 2077 forced the company to rethink its development approach, ultimately benefiting the creation of Phantom Liberty.

When Cyberpunk 2077 was released, it garnered positive reviews from critics, primarily based on the PC version. However, the game's performance on consoles, especially PS4 and Xbox One, was significantly worse and largely untested by critics before release. The backlash was severe, leading to Sony temporarily removing the game from the PlayStation store.

Years of patches later, Phantom Liberty launched in 2023 to much better reception from both fans and critics. The expansion performed well from the start, despite the version 2.0 update causing some performance issues on consoles. This overall success marked a win for CD Projekt Red.

Now, Sasko has taken on the role of associate game director for the next Cyberpunk game. The studio aims to avoid repeating the troubled launch of Cyberpunk 2077, and the lessons learned from that experience will be crucial moving forward.

Helldivers 2: Player Decline Doesn't Signal the End

Recent headlines have highlighted a dramatic 90 percent drop in Helldivers 2's PC player base, but such claims lack crucial context. Despite the decrease from a peak of 458,000 concurrent PC players at launch to around 45,000, the game remains one of the top 100 most-played titles on Steam.

The reduction in player numbers is a common trend for most major releases. Initial high engagement often dips as players consume available content and move on to other games, awaiting new updates. Helldivers 2's developers have intentionally slowed content release to focus on more substantial updates, with a new enemy faction already in development, which is expected to draw players back.

Additionally, these figures don't account for PlayStation users, where Helldivers 2 was the most-played PSN title worldwide in March 2024, surpassing giants like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone.

In summary, while Helldivers 2's player count has dropped from its launch peak, it remains a strong contender in the gaming community, and future content updates are likely to rejuvenate its player base.

New World Record for Internet Speed: Download Call of Duty in Under a Second

Researchers in Japan have shattered internet speed records with a new peak of 402 terabits per second, an astonishing feat that dwarfs the typical maximum speeds available to consumers. This breakthrough, achieved by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), is over 400,000 times faster than the 1,000 Mbit/s speeds common in Germany.

The researchers surpassed their previous record of 321 terabits per second from October 2023 by 25 percent. This monumental speed was accomplished using advanced fiber optic cables and specialized technology over a distance of 50 kilometers. The key to this achievement was an optical transmission system covering all transmission bands of low-loss standard fibers, enabling a signal bandwidth of 37.6 THz—over 100,000 times more than the new WiFi-7 standard.

Although the new speed record is groundbreaking, it remains out of reach for consumer use. Even if a new Call of Duty game were 300 GB, it would download in just six milliseconds at these speeds. However, current PC hardware, such as SSDs, would bottleneck such speeds, as the fastest PCIe 5.0 SSDs only reach about 12,000 MB/s.

While consumer internet speeds continue to improve, the incredible benchmarks set by Japanese researchers highlight the vast potential of future technology, even if it remains primarily within the realm of scientific research for now.

Sony Expands Web3 Strategy with New Acquisition

Sony Group is making significant strides in its web3 strategy with the acquisition and rebranding of WhaleFin, a crypto exchange platform. Formerly under Amber Group, the platform is now named S.BLOX Co., following its acquisition by Sony subsidiary Quetta Web last August. This move represents a major step forward in Sony's web3 initiatives.

In January 2024, Sony introduced digital birth certificates for images at CES, using in-camera digital technology to authenticate content, similar to NFTs. By April, Sony had partnered with Polygon to pilot a stablecoin tied to fiat currency, aiming for integration within Sony's gaming and sports IPs.

The rebranding of WhaleFin as S.BLOX Co. is part of a broader strategy to rejuvenate the platform. Although the acquisition terms were undisclosed, WhaleFin has announced a significant renewal, including a new app launch with enhanced features and an improved user interface.

WhaleFin's announcement emphasized improvements to service offerings and UI design, aiming to create new value in cryptocurrency trading through collaborations with various Sony Group businesses. This move marks another step in Sony's expanding web3 ventures.

In April, Sony's stablecoin trial with Polygon involved issuing tokens pegged to the Japanese yen, conducted on the Polygon blockchain. This trial, expected to last several months, will explore the legal implications of using yen-backed stablecoins. Sony enlisted SettleMint, a blockchain firm, to assist with technical and regulatory complexities.

Sony's venture into web3 also includes a patent filing for integrating Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) into gaming, allowing users greater flexibility in managing in-game assets. Additionally, Sony has been collaborating with Startale Labs to establish its proprietary public blockchain network, now entering the execution phase after over a year of development.

Sota Watanabe, founder of Astar Network, highlighted the importance of the partnership with Sony, focusing on achieving widespread blockchain adoption. By leveraging Sony's extensive reach, the goal is to introduce blockchain technology to a broader audience beyond web3 enthusiasts.

Logan Paul Sues Coffeezilla for Defamation Over CryptoZoo Coverage

Logan Paul, a prominent internet personality, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Stephen Findeisen, known as Coffeezilla on YouTube, over allegations related to Paul's NFT game, CryptoZoo. The lawsuit, filed on June 27th in a San Antonio district court, claims Findeisen knowingly spread false information to boost his online presence.

The dispute originates from Coffeezilla's late 2022 video series, which accused Paul of fraudulent activities by collecting funds from CryptoZoo's NFT sales without delivering a functional product. These videos garnered millions of views and became central to Coffeezilla's content. In response, Paul released a video defending his intentions, stating that CryptoZoo was still in development, but later removed the rebuttal from YouTube. Court documents assert that Coffeezilla omitted crucial details, such as Paul's intent to create a legitimate blockchain-based game.

The legal filings also blame adviser Jake Greenbaum and developer Eduardo Ibanez for the project's failure, describing Ibanez as incompetent and alleging mismanagement of funds. Paul's legal team seeks $75,000 in damages, plus legal fees, interest, and additional compensation to be determined by the court. The lawsuit emphasizes Paul's aim to restore his reputation, citing Coffeezilla's alleged dissemination of defamatory falsehoods as the cause of significant harm.

Following the controversy and CryptoZoo's failure to launch, Paul announced plans to personally buy back NFTs to mitigate investor losses. The legal battle between Logan Paul and Coffeezilla underscores broader issues in blockchain gaming, highlighting the need for transparency, accountability, and investor protection as NFTs and blockchain projects gain traction.