A Revealing Epic Store Leak, New Star Wars Outlaws Details And More Of The Week's Big Stories

Image: Dandylion, Nintendo / Kotaku, Square Enix, Microsoft / Sony / Kotaku, Kotaku / Valve, Ubisoft, BioWare, Extra Nice, Ubisoft / Lucasfilm / Kotaku

Summer Game Fest took up a lot of the oxygen in the room last week, and from there, we got new details on Star Wars Outlaws, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and more. But there was no shortage of stories from beyond the showcases and show floor, too. An Epic Games Store leak hinted at some big things on the horizon, for one thing, and it seems a Nintendo Direct is coming very soon, for another. You’ll find all that and lots more in the pages ahead.

Image: Dandylion

“Write what you know” is a popular piece of advice for authors and other creators. But what happens when your audience wants something that you don’t know much about? Well, you have to tell your fans on Steam that, no, you can’t add dating to your anime-themed tactical RPG because you and your team don’t have the real-life “experience” needed to create such a system. - Zack Zwiezen Read More

Image: Nintendo / Kotaku

It wouldn’t be Summer Game Fest and the ghost of E3 season without a big Nintendo Direct. Previously teased for June, it now looks like the big Switch showcase could happen as early as next week thanks to a suspicious early announcement from Among Us maker Innersloth. - Ethan Gach Read More

Image: Square Enix

A new tool used to scrape info from the Epic Games Store may have just exposed tons of unannounced upcoming games, like a long-rumored Final Fantasy IX remake and a new Turok. If accurate, the database listings could end up being the biggest batch of clues about new games since the infamous Nvidia leak. - Ethan Gach Read More

Image: Microsoft / Sony / Kotaku

Apparently it’s update day in the world of current-gen consoles. The PlayStation 5 is finally getting direct Discord integration and other improvements, while the Xbox Series X/S address dynamic background and Wi-Fi password frustrations. This is the lowkey console UX war we love to see. - Ethan Gach Read More

Image: Kotaku / Valve

People do like to try to sue Valve, most often alleging that Steam has some sort of monopoly over the PC games market. This is likely because Steam just might have some sort of monopoly over the PC games market. The latest attempt to break the Washington-based developer’s stranglehold comes from the little island that rarely can, the UK, where a suit claims the company has overcharged 14 million British customers. - John Walker Read More

Image: Ubisoft

When Ubisoft unveiled Assassin’s Creed Shadows in May, there was backlash directed at the inclusion of Yasuke, the game’s Black samurai co-lead and real-world historical figure. Some argued that the reaction was simply over a matter of what they saw as historical inaccuracy, as they repeated that the real Yasuke was not a true samurai. Others who joined in the backlash made no effort to hide that they were just racists upset at the idea of a Black man starring in a game set in feudal Japan. Ubisoft producer Marc-Alexis Côté talked with Game File about the backlash, and how Yasuke fits into Assassin’s Creed’s historical fiction. - Kenneth Shepard Read More

Image: BioWare

BioWare changed Dragon Age: Dreadwolf’s title to Dragon Age: The Veilguard to better represent its story. This new name refers to your party as a whole, and the characters who make it up were the stars of the new cinematic trailer the studio showed off at the Xbox Games Showcase. But if you’re a Dragon Age diehard, you might recognize some of these characters from books, comics, and past games. Here’s what we know about Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s party. - Kenneth Shepard Read More

Image: Extra Nice

Steam Next Fest, which kicked off in 2021 as the successor to the Steam Game Festival, remains one of the best ways to see what good games are on the horizon. The event, which runs several times a year, acts as a hub for in-development titles to offer demos. We’ve been through the latest batch to highlight some of the best from the event, which runs from June 10 through 17. - Willa Rowe Read More

One of the many amazing games shown off during the 2024 Xbox Showcase on June 9 was the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 3 remake. Officially titled Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, the new trailer gave us a fresh look at the gorgeous updated graphics for the 20-year-old game. In tandem, Konami also updated the game’s website with new information, including a fascinating reveal that damage will permanently mark Snake. That feels like a proper Kojima-esque design flourish, and fans are absolutely here for it. - Willa Rowe Read More

Image: Ubisoft / Lucasfilm / Kotaku

On June 10, Ubisoft held its annual Ubisoft Forward event as the final big event of Summer Game Fest 2024. The show was a bit subdued compared to past years, but we did get a huge look at Star Wars Outlaws, which is set to launch on August 30, 2024 on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. - Zack Zwiezen Read More