Games likeCall of Dutywill still launch on PlayStation, too The acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft is still under scrutiny by regulators. Today we got a glimpse of what the deal might entail if it goes through, as series likeCall of Dutycould wind up on Game Pass. Xbox head Phil Spencerwrites in a new blog todaythat Microsoft intends to bring Activision Blizzard’s library of games onto Game Pass. This includes, specifically, titles likeOverwatch,Diablo, andCall of Duty....

Trendy is ‘focusing on what fans really want to see There was backlash when Trendy Entertainment announcedDungeon Defenders II. While the game was always going to retain its tower-defense foundation, the studio was planning to add a competitive,MOBA-style mode. That didn’t sit well, ultimately becoming a point of obsession for some fans. It’s out now. Gone. Just like that. “We had strayed from making the kind of game fans wanted and the kind of game we wanted to develop,” said marketing director Philip Asher....

Covert Sneakers are widely considered the best Boots inModern Warfare 3, so Sledgehammer Games responded in Season 4 by decreasing the volume of enemy footsteps to devalue using the perk. As part of theSeason 4 update, all enemies have quieter footsteps. Since Covert Sneakers eliminates footstep audio, it’s rendered redundant, considering everyone makes less noise. This comes after Sledgehammer Games already attempted to overhaul the Boots category in Season 3 Reloaded....

Publisher patches the mobile port On this day in 1980,Pac-Mandebuted in Japanese arcades. Now, publisher Bandai Namco has decided to celebrate the arcade classic’s 35th anniversary in the most depressing way possible. The company has passed along a note announcing the existing mobile versions of the title have been updated with “a new,classic-inspireduser interface.” Please attempt to contain your excitement. “We are excited to bring a new, refreshing look toPac-ManforPac Man’s 35thbirthday celebration,”Pac-Manmobile products producer Ben Acevedo said in a statement, probably straining to keep a straight face....

Also, Lost Levels In Wii U news,Castlestormhas new DLC available andSuper Mario Bros. The Lost Levelshas been added to the Virtual Console. That’s it for Wii U news (sadface). Yoshi’s New Islandis the heavy hitter for the 3DS this week, with a number of smaller releases to follow. It’ll be available at midnight on March 14th on the eShop and at retail. The 3DS is also getting a solid Virtual Console game in the form ofGalaga....

Samus! Samus! Samus! Psyonix revealed some new details for the upcoming release ofRocket Leaguefor the Nintendo Switch. While we knew there would be content exclusive to the port, it wasn’t clear what any of it would be. That is until today, where Psyonix revealed what surprises were in store for Switch owners.. Behold not only the standardMariothemed cars, but also another franchise. AMetroidthemed car. The three cars, called the “Mario NSR”, “Luigi NSR”, and “Samus’ Gunship”, will be included for free, however they will need to be unlocked first....

Everywhere else gets one, though Quantic Dream’sHeavy Rainis getting a remaster on PlayStation 4 at the beginning of March. In all different regions, people have the option of picking up theHeavy RainandBeyond: Two SoulsCollection, or just getting the digital version. Well, except in North America. According to a regional launch schedule that Quantic Dream posted onFacebook, there’s no physical edition ofHeavy Rainon PS4 in North America — not even the collection that’s being released everywhere else....

Even though we got a bit of ascooplate last night/early morning on whenLord of the Rings Onlinewould come out (April 24), what I didn’t want to get into was what the pre-order program would be like for the game — which if you’re a fan, you and your wallet will be very happy. Check it out: Turbine, Inc. and Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY) today announced the details of the revolutionary pre-order Founder’s Program for The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar....

New selection of outfits, dances and other goodies Today, Blizzard begins its second-year anniversary celebrations for its immensely popular arena-shooterOverwatch. A new selection of unlockables will be made available for the duration of the event, although one fan got the party started a little earlier with avideo leakof the new skins, coming toOverwatchtoday. As you can see below, cool new gear is on the cards for multiple characters, including a sweet tuxedo for Doomfist, a Bucaneers’ outfit for Junkrat, a neat forest design for Orisa and a Magician getup for the ever-frustrating Symmetra, Gunslinger McCree gets, of all things, a Sherlock Holmes cosplay....

Pre-orders blast off tomorrow Later this month, shmup fans will finally be able to take flight in PlatinumGames’ interstellar sequel Sol Cresta.The April Fools’ joke turned real release will launch on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch onFebruary 22. However, in new news released this morning, Limited Run Games has announced that it will be givingSol Crestaits typical hard copy treatment. Eager collectors will be able to pick up a standard boxed copy ofSol Crestaon PS4 or Nintendo Switch (price TBA) or, can go all-in on a special Limited Collector’s Edition....

30 games for 30 bucks It doesn’t haveDonkey Kong CountryorGoldenEye, butRare Replaydoes offer a neat challenge forBattletoadsfans: how long can you stay alive on the infamous speeder bike sequence? During a hands-on session with the 30-game bundle, I was told that someone at the studio managed to survive for four minutes before wiping out. I got nervous just hearing about it. Besides bundling 30 years of history onto a single Xbox One disc,Rare Replayhas little challenges for some older titles and behind-the-scenes interviews with current and former staff....

In the wonderful world of intellectual property law, patent lawsuits are a dime a dozen. Often, they’re ridiculous, transparent attempts at money grabbing. Here’s another one. Worlds.com, a website that no one has ever heard of, filed a patent back in 2000 for a “method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space” in an “interactive virtual world system”. In 2007, this patent was approved. Now that they basically have a patent on the internet, they’ve gone ahead and initiated a lawsuit against NCsoft, known for MMOs likeGuild Wars,Aion, and the soon-to-be defunctTabula Rasa, for infringing on said patent....

Well, blow me down I always wanted to play a more brutal game centered on pirates, but as the years went by I was continually disappointed.Sid Meier’s Pirateswas an interesting ride, but it was too lighthearted for me.Seaworthy, a real-time strategy title that features pixelated pirates, looks like it’s going to go a long way in delivering that brutality I’ve been looking for. Right nowit’s on Kickstarter, and while there’s plenty of Kickstarter-based titles that I balk at, this one looks like it could actually be worth getting into....