Gaming: Releases, announcements

The UK says it was close to finally approving Microsoft's $69-billion bid for "Call of Duty" video game maker Activision Blizzard after the deal addressed regulatory concerns.

The Competition and Markets Authority says in a statement that "the restructured deal makes important changes" and "opens the door to the deal being cleared".

Microsoft, maker of the Xbox gaming console, had last month submitted a new proposal to the CMA after a previous version was blocked. — AFP

Japan's Sony is launching a new brand that will offer PC gaming gear, the company announces, as it aims to expand beyond its flagship PlayStation console. 

The move comes as Sony looks to compete for a share of the gaming peripherals market, valued at $3.88 billion globally in 2019 according to Grand View Research.

The first offerings from the new Inzone brand, targeted primarily at PC gamers, will be three wireless headsets and two monitors, the priciest of which will retail for a suggested $899.99 in the United States. — AFP

Two manga-like avatars lock swords against a comic strip backdrop, as Alexander Poone explains the different worlds of "The Traveller" -- a video game based on a graphic novel.

The 27-year-old from Johannesburg is showcasing his creation at the annual Africa Games Week taking place in Cape Town. 

Organizers of the continent's largest gathering of game developers aim to help the gaming industry meet demand for African-made content and boost the potential of local talent. — AFP

US tech giant Epic Games says it will shut down its popular survival game Fortnite in China, months after authorities imposed a series of strict curbs on the world's biggest gaming market as part of a sweeping crackdown on the technology sector.

Beijing has embarked on a wide-ranging regulatory clampdown on a number of industries in a drive to tighten its control of the economy, with tech firms taking the brunt of the pain.

In September, officials said they wanted to curb addiction in the gaming-mad nation by announcing drastic cuts to the amount of time children can spend playing online and ordering players to use ID cards when registering. — AFP

Chinese authorities order gaming giants Tencent and NetEase to end their focus on profits and cut content perceived to be breeding "effeminacy", as Beijing tries to direct youth culture, gender ideals and the reach of big tech.

The move is the latest by authorities to tighten their grip on the embattled technology sector and sent shares in some of the industry's biggest names plunging.

Officials on Wednesday summoned gaming enterprises including Tencent and NetEase, the two market leaders in China's multi-billion-dollar gaming scene, to discuss further curbs on the industry, which has already been ordered to limit gaming time to three hours a week. — AFP

Troubled game Cyberpunk 2077 will return to PlayStation stores from next week, Sony confirms, six months after it was pulled over bugs and compatibility issues.

The dystopian-themed game was reportedly one of the most expensive ever made and its release was hotly anticipated, but the rollout was mired in problems.

In December 2020, Sony said it was pulling the game from PlayStation stores around the world citing "customer satisfaction" after multiple complaints about glitches and even health risks. — AFP

Japanese games giant Nintendo is teaming up with the US firm behind runaway hit Pokemon Go to develop augmented reality smartphone games, the two companies say.

Their first joint venture will involve Nintendo's lovable half-vegetable, half-animal Pikmin characters in a game expected to launch sometime this year.

Augmented reality (AR) technology allows images and animations to be superimposed on the real-world view seen on a smartphone's rear camera. — AFP

Sony says it was pulling the much-hyped Cyberpunk 2077 from PlayStation stores around the world, citing "customer satisfaction", after complaints of bugs, compatibility issues and even health risks.

"SIE (Sony Interactive Entertainment) strives to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction, therefore we will begin to offer a full refund for all gamers who have purchased Cyberpunk 2077 via PlayStation Store," the firm says in a statement.

Shanghai-based software company Montoon is set to release a spinoff game for Mobile Legends: Land of Dawn, a successful RPG mobile game.

Hanqing Mei, marketing manager of Montoon, said that Mobile Legends: Adventure, an idle RPG card game, will be released by the end of July.

The new RPG game will be told in the perspective of Layla, exploring a more in-depth and cohesive story on the heroes via cut-scenes, comics, dialogues and more.

The main mechanics of the game include a carefree idle gameplay, where players can still get resources, upgrades and other rewards even when they are offline.

Bite-sized updates on the gaming industry and software developers this year can be found here.