_{Issue #43}

Rune: Gaming = Utility

_{Aug 28, 2024 • 10 minutes}

The gaming world is buzzing with excitement and surprises as Chinese landmarks offer free entry to players who beat Black Myth: Wukong, while the Sonic 3 director reflects on his long history with Shadow the Hedgehog. In other news, Foamstars is going free-to-play after a rocky launch, and Ubisoft is asking PS5 players to restart their progress in Star Wars Outlaws due to a patch issue. Meanwhile, Valve bends its own rules for Deadlock's Steam page, and rumors continue to swirl about the PS5 Pro, which is reportedly still set for a 2024 release with potential pricing speculation stirring the market.

Gaming News

Chinese Landmarks Offer Free Entry to Players Who Beat Black Myth: Wukong

Black Myth: Wukong is swiftly becoming one of 2024’s biggest gaming successes, with over 10 million copies sold despite minor issues. To celebrate this monumental achievement, several Chinese landmarks, many featured in the game, are offering free entry to players who complete the title. Locations like Mount Huaguo and Lingyan Temple, which appear in the game, are participating in this promotion, granting lifetime or seasonal access to those who conquer the game’s challenges. This crossover between virtual and real-world culture highlights the game’s deep connection to Chinese history and mythology, making it a unique celebration of both.

Sonic 3 Director's Long History with Shadow the Hedgehog

Jeff Fowler, director of Sonic the Hedgehog films, recently revealed that his connection to Shadow the Hedgehog dates back nearly two decades. Fowler's career in visual effects began with animating the iconic character for Sega's Shadow the Hedgehog (2005), a game that was initially met with mixed reviews but has since developed a cult following among Sonic fans. Now, Fowler is bringing Shadow to the big screen in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The film, which sees Sonic teaming up with Dr. Robotnik to take on the escaped experiment, Shadow, will feature Keanu Reeves voicing the brooding hedgehog. As part of the Year of the Shadow initiative, Sonic Team is also spotlighting Shadow with the upcoming Sonic X Shadow Generations game.

Foamstars Goes Free-to-Play After Struggling Launch

Toylogic's party shooter Foamstars is shifting to a free-to-play model on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 starting October 4, less than a year after its February release. Originally priced at $29.99, the game saw its player base dwindle soon after launch, prompting this change. To entice new players, the requirement for a PlayStation Plus subscription has also been dropped. As compensation, early purchasers will receive a 'Legacy Gift' featuring exclusive in-game items. The move has been positively received, with many hopeful that the game might find new life, potentially even expanding to other platforms.

Ubisoft Asks PS5 Players to Restart Progress in Star Wars Outlaws

Early access to Star Wars Outlaws has turned sour for some PlayStation 5 players. Ahead of the game's full release on August 30, Ubisoft deployed a new patch (1.000.002) and asked PS5 players who pre-ordered the game to erase their progress and start over. The request came via an email from Ubisoft, explaining that players who continue on prior saves after the update could encounter significant issues and progression blockers. This problem appears exclusive to PS5 users, with no reports from Xbox or PC players. The affected players had invested $100 in the Gold Edition, leading to frustration after losing several hours of gameplay. Despite the game's high expectations, Star Wars Outlaws has received mixed reviews, with criticisms of its story, polish, and main character.

Valve Bends Its Own Rules for Deadlock's Steam Page

Valve's laid-back approach to promoting its new hero shooter, Deadlock, has taken an amusing turn. Despite the game having an active player base of over 50,000, Valve has been slow to officially acknowledge it, and when it did, it was without any fanfare. A fellow developer recently pointed out that Deadlock's Steam page is breaking Valve’s own publishing rules by lacking the required five screenshots. Instead, the page only features a short video of one of the game’s environments with music. While this might seem minor, it highlights Valve’s ability to bypass its own rules, given that it owns the platform. Deadlock is a 6v6 third-person hero shooter with a unique 1900s aesthetic, blending elements of Overwatch with MOBA gameplay. Despite its popularity, Valve hasn’t released a roadmap or any concrete plans for the game's future, and the only way to access it is through an invite from a friend who already has access.

Feedback

We strive to create a gaming ecosystem that is inclusive for everyone in the community. Please take this 2-minute survey to help us improve the website and launcher.