Relying on exclusive games to bolster the Epic Games Store’s line-up has been a key component in Epic’s strategy to gain a foothold in a market dominated by Steam. The developer/publisher announced earlier today that third-party games made $251 million on the store in 2019. This figure is “60% higher than our initial forecast”, according to Epic CEO Tim Sweeney. “Epic Games Store third-party game revenue in 2019 is roughly 60% higher than our initial forecast at launch, and the pace of free game installs is several times higher than we originally expected,” he told Gamedaily....

The app, which naturally will be called Facebook Gaming, hopes to harness the power of Facebook’s 700 million monthly users who engage with game content on the website, according to a report by The New York Times. Facebook Gaming will initially only be available on Android devices, with an app for iOS rolling out down the line. Originally expected to hit later this June, the app’s release was pushed forward as a result of the global pandemic which has caused a rise in the number of users gaming and streaming at home....

According to the developer Mediatonic, it’s not going to happen this year, but we will hear more about the studio’s plans for the platforms sometime next year. “We know everyone’s excited about Fall Guy coming to Nintendo Switch and Xbox, with good reason,” said the studio. “There’s been a lot of speculation on social media connecting these new console releases to the Season 6 launch and we want to clarify that that’s not the case so no one’s left confused looking for the game on these platforms....

Coming in the spring, Invaders From Beyond will arrive, kicking off new public events and random encounters. You and your teammates will need to fend off this alien threat. Also in the spring, a Fallout Worlds update will add the ability to earn SCORE, plus the release of Season 8: A Better Life Underground. This summer, new Public Events will arrive in the game, including Test Your Metal featuring arena fights against automatons....

While it’s clear that these emails are purely intended to be a fun way of reminding people to continue playing Far Cry 6, and push those who may have dropped the game to pick it back up with some light ribbing, they have struck some as being in poor taste. It’s clear that the somewhat aggressive language used in these emails has rubbed people the wrong way. It’s worth noting that emails such as these are sent out to players regardless of their play time, albeit with different messages and stats included depending on their progress through the game such as enemies killed, and checkpoints captured....

A long time fighting game player and former English teacher, Majin Obama has gradually been building an audience as one of the communities’ most charismatic creators. Alongside their streaming work, they’ve created videos on a variety of topical topics, including the recent Street Fighter 6 closed beta, the “official FGC certification exam” and a guide on how to get Twitch rich following the earnings leak late last year. Reaching out to him via Twitter DMs, Majin Obama expressed how he felt “proud but also lucky”, the shining screens in Shibuya affirming the fortune and work that’s gone into their career up until this point....

It’s a very spoiler-y fight that’s been years in the making. If you’re ready to move on and don’t mind knowing what’s ahead, you’ve got quite the battle in front of you. FF14 The Dark Inside Phase 1 - Zodiark fight This phase pits you against Zodiark himself, and like other Trial fights throughout the expansions, you can fall off the arena. So don’t do that — or at least keep it in mind....

Like any RPG, Final Fantasy 7 Remake is driven by character growth and progression. That comes in many forms - newly unlocked materia, new weapons and weapon upgrades, extra skills - and, of course, leveling up. And level ups mean there’s a level cap - and a lot of people like to know what the level cap in a game is before starting, so they can plan ahead and possibly grind....

Hero action battle royale game Shadow Arena begins its final phase of beta testing today before it enters Early Access on Steam. The beta is available for North American, European, and Asian servers today through Sunday, April 20. New features for this testing phase include an improved matching system and character balance. You can also expect normal and AI match modes. Those playing in Normal mode should know it’s not counted toward your ranking, but for those who wish to play it more causally without competition....

French publisher Focus Home Interactive has acquired German developer Deck13 for €7.1 million (~$7.9M). The deal gives Focus full control of the studio, and its various owned IPs. Deck13 is, of course, the developer of The Surge games, and Lords of the Fallen. The team has been working with Focus since 2011, so the decision makes sense. Deck13 has a staff count of over 60 developers, and has actually published a couple of games under its Spotlight label, such as Crosscode....

In classic Nintendo fashion, the announcement of an all-new model of its flagship console wasn’t a major event. Dropped unceremoniously and without warning on a random Tuesday, the Nintendo Switch OLED Model will release on October 8, the same day as Metroid Dread, for $350. Despite the internet being ablaze with rumour and speculation, including multiple leaks from factories about a new Switch model with an OLED display, this isn’t the Switch Pro that’d been much discussed, however....

According to an interview O’Donnell did with the HiddenXperia YouTube channel, the Bungie partnership with Activision was made in order for the firm to have control over the IP, as other “big players during that period” would not agree to do that, including Microsoft. From the start, O’Donnell had reservations about signing the deal, but since the firm promised Bungie total control over the Destiny IP, a deal was ultimately made....

Apres Ski has been around for a while now, so you should have no problem finding it. To complete this challenge, you’ll need to head in and dance on the dancefloor for 10 seconds, so try to either land their first or grab a few weapons before you head out. If you are eliminated before the 10 seconds is up, you’ll need to try against in another match. If you’re not sure where you’re going, check out our map below....

The massive, planet-eating villain will finally see arrive in a one-time-only Nexus War finale live event that’s set to kick off on December 1, 2020, at 1pm PT / 4pm ET / 9pm GMT. Galactus arrives as part of the latest in a series of Marvel x Fortnite crossovers that have been on-going throughout Season 4 of Fortnite: Chapter 2. Not too much information has been shared by developer Epic Games, but we have been given a little briefing on how we can prepare for the event....

You can only pick one present each day, and one of them is intentionally blocked off so you can’t open it until the end of the event. However, it doesn’t matter which present you pick first. You’ll still be able to get them all just by logging in each day and opening a package. All Fortnite Winterfest 20222 presents Enter the Cozy Cabin by way of the giant snowflake icon from the main menu....

If this sounds a bit too good to be true, you’ll probably be unsurprised to learn that there are quite a few restrictions. Battle Pass content is divided into Pages, and you’ll need to complete previous pages and/or level up before you can get to the higher ones which (for most people’s money, I think) contain the best stuff. You also still need to purchase a base item for a skin or tool before you can apply its variant styles....

For something so important and mystical sounding, the Spirit Vessels are rather small and tucked out of the way. You’ll need to grab a Shadow Stone first as well, but fortunately, they’re easier to find. Fortnite Spirit Vessel locations - Where to find Spirit Vessels Spirit Vessels may spawn in two locations, one west of Dirty Docks and one west of Weeping Woods. Some people are reporting two Spirit Vessels spawning in the Dirty Docks area, shown circled on the map below, though I’ve only found the one near the pylon so far....

For clarity, you need to purchase the Premium Edition of the game (which will set you back some $99 / £85) if you wish to have early access to the game. Game Pass members can also purchase the Premium Add-Ons Bundle for $50. As per the in-game Hall of Fame leaderboard, there are currently over 1 million players in the title – not bad for a game that’s not actually formally out until tomorrow (November 9)....

In a statement on the game’s site, the developer announced that it’ll be nudging the release date back a bit in order to act on feedback garnered during the closed alpha test that took place in June this year. On the upside, US and EU players eager to get their hands on the game won’t have too much longer to wait to at least try the title: a closed beta test is coming on November 4 –9....

The event’s coordinator Geoff Keighley confirmed today in a tweet that the show - which kicks off Gamescom each year - will stream digitally on August 27 through to August 30. Keighley previously announced the all-digital show would go live on August 24. “Quick update,” writes Keighley. “@gamescom Opening Night Live will now take place live on August 27 and kick off 3 days of @gamescom 2020. We’re planning a spectacular show that will also be the grand finale of @summergamefest....