Game Bytes: Activision Blizzard Settles One Suit, Tokyo Game Show’s Big Reveals
October is finally here and it’s been a heck of a week. New York Comic Con is right upon us and while fans of comics are surely excited, there was also a ton of gaming news this week.
On Thursday, Electronic Arts announced that they will be promoting chief studios officer Laura Miele to chief operating officer. Miele, who already had significant leadership at the company overseeing 25 different studios, is now going to be one of the most powerful women in the video gaming industry. Most high ranking women in video games are usually in charge of positions such as HR or finance but Miele will be in a position directly involved in video gaming.
It’s been a few weeks since we heard any news on the Activision Blizzard scandal and it seems like we are getting closer to a conclusion finally. In a separate suit from the initial and still ongoing lawsuit brought by the state of California, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Activision Blizzard have settled a lawsuit over the games company’s charges on sexual harassment and discrimination. As part of the settlement, Activision Blizzard will create an $18 million fund to compensate employees who claim damages. “We will continue to be vigilant in our commitment to the elimination of harassment and discrimination in the workplace. We thank the EEOC for its constructive engagement as we work to fulfill our commitments to eradicate inappropriate conduct in the workplace,” said Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick in a statement on the agreement. While for many this might be enough for them to continue supporting the studio and it’s properties we will see in the months and years to come if anything does change with Activision Blizzard or if it was just all talk. In addition to the California suit, Activision Blizzard still faces a suit from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and an investor lawsuit over the allegations.
The biggest gaming news this week came from the Tokyo Game Show which highlights mostly Japanese games. For fans of JRPGs and the like it had some major announcements. Monster Hunter Rise revealed it’s next collaboration with Ghouls n’ Ghosts and Sonic the Hedgehog during the show as well as showing off more of the upcoming major expansion called Sunbreak. Square Enix announced a couple of games including a new trailer for Echoes of Mana, a new trailer for Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier, new trailer for Triangle Strategy and announced a new dungeon crawler titled Dungeon Encounters which will arrive Oct 14th. Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires got a launch date in the west for February 2022 as well. The new Tales of Arise game will have an upcoming collaboration with the popular anime Sword Art Online; and Koei Tecmo unveiled Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream.
We ended September with a bunch of games and started October with a few, here are the games that came out this past week. Released on September 28th were Away: The Survival Series (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC), Before Your Eyes (Mac), Chernobylite (PlayStation 4, Xbox One), Ghostrunner (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S), Harvest Moon: One World (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One), In Sound Mind (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC), KeyWe (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4), Lemnis Gate (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC), Neo: The World Ends With You (PC), New World (PC), Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC), and Steel Assault (Switch, PC). Insurgency: Sandstorm (PlayStation 4, Xbox One) was released on the 29th. Aeon Drive (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC), Astria Ascending (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC), Darksiders III (Switch), eFootball 2022 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC), Hot Wheels Unleashed (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC), Imposter Factory (PC), Rogue Lords (PC), The Last Friend (Switch, PC), and Unsighted (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – all released on the 30th. We started October with FIFA 22 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) and Phoenix Point (PlayStation 4, Xbox One)both releasing on Oct. 1.
For those attending New York Comic Con please be safe and have a fun time and for those not, enjoy the start of your spooky month. Remember to follow us on YouTube and Twitch or any other platform you like to use for reviews, articles, cosplay and so much more of the content you all love.
