Patch Notes #11 - weekly gaming digest

Welcome to the 9th edition of Patch Notes, let’s get this bad boy going.

Feb 24, 2025

This edition will cover the week from 17 February to 23 February.

What caught my attention this week

Chinese video game companies are adapting their US strategies. Niko Partners

Due to geopolitical tensions and economic pressures, Chinese video game companies are adapting their US strategies. The TikTok ban and the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA) have led to removing some Chinese-operated games from US app stores. Companies like Tencent and NetEase are re-evaluating their US operations, with some shifting focus to other regions or streamlining their overseas investments. NetEase, for example, has reduced its US operations but continues to invest selectively in overseas studios. The success of domestic Chinese studios with smaller teams and budgets has influenced this strategic shift. While geopolitical concerns are a factor, the primary driver is a more strategic and fiscally responsible approach to global investments.

Biggest news of the week

PC game sales hit $1.09bn on Epic Games Store in 2024. - GamesIndustry

Key Achievements:

User Growth: Reached 295 million PC users, an increase of 25 million year-on-year.
Cross-Platform Accounts: Grew by 94 million to 898 million after the mobile store launch.

Financial Performance:

Consumer Spending: $1.09 billion, a 15% increase from last year.
Third-Party Spending: Declined by 18% to $255 million.

Engagement and Titles:

Average Daily Users: Rose by 6% to 31.5 million.
Monthly Active Users: Increased by 6% to 67.2 million.
Released Titles: 1,100 games launched in 2024.
Top Titles: Fortnite, Genshin Impact, EA Sports FC 24, Honkai: Star Rail, Destiny 2: The Final Shape, and Alan Wake 2.

Counter-Strike 2 randomly broke its all-time concurrent player numbers on Steam yesterday at over 1.74 million. Jake Lucky

Counter-Strike 2 recently broke its all-time concurrent player record on Steam, reaching over 1.74 million players. This milestone comes after the game's player count has steadily risen, especially with the start of Premier Season 2 and the PGL Cluj-Napoca tournament.

Ubisoft announces Rainbow Six Siege X, the "biggest transformation in the game's history". EuroGamer

Ubisoft has announced Rainbow Six Siege X, marking the most significant transformation in the game's history. This update, celebrating the game's 10th anniversary, aims to introduce new gameplay mechanics, deepened tactical elements, and significant upgrades. The full reveal is scheduled for March 13, 2025.

Kingdom Come Deliverance II Sells 2 million copies. RPG Site

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II sold 2 million copies in two weeks, Warhorse Studios announced. Set in 1403, this open-world RPG follows Henry from the first game as he navigates a civil war in Hungary. Players can tackle quests in various ways, with a robust stats and skills system. The game is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, and has been praised for refining the original's rough edges while enhancing gameplay and preserving its unique style.

Final Fantasy commander decks, Cloud, Tidus, and more were revealed. IGN

Magic: The Gathering will release a Final Fantasy crossover in June 2025, featuring four preconstructed Commander decks based on Final Fantasy VI, VII, X, and XIV. Each deck includes 100 cards, blending reprints and new cards designed for Commander, highlighting the games' lore, characters, and settings, led by Cloud, Tidus, Terra, and Y'shtola. The design merges nostalgia with fresh artistic interpretations.

Each deck offers unique gameplay strategies: VI's graveyard reanimator, VII’s equipment strategies, X’s counter systems, and XIV’s focus on non-creature spells. Supporting characters from each game also feature. The set will offer regular and Collector’s Editions with unique foil cards. Fans can expect various references to all 16 mainline Final Fantasy titles throughout the product line.

Marvel Rivals team hit by layoffs despite major launch success. EuroGamer

Marvel Rivals, a free hero shooter, has seen success with over 20 million players and 250K daily players on Steam. Despite this, NetEase laid off its US development team. Game director Thaddeus Sasser expressed dismay on LinkedIn regarding this decision. NetEase's layoffs are part of a trend in the industry where, since 2023, over 25,000 employees have been cut, including 900 in 2025.

‘I had no choice’: Shuhei Yoshida says he had to take PlayStation’s indie role or leave. VG Chronicles

Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida was compelled to lead PlayStation’s indie initiative or leave the company. After stepping down as president of SIE Worldwide Studios in 2019, he focused on fostering relationships with indie developers and enjoyed the role due to his passion for indie games.

Yoshida departed Sony in January 2025 after 31 years. He aimed to enhance Sony's relationship with indie developers until his role became redundant. He now works as an independent advisor to indie publishers and developers.

Rare is making "progress" on Everwild, says Phil Spencer after recently visiting the team. Shinobi602 Twitter.

Phil Spencer recently provided an update on Everwild, Rare's upcoming game, during an interview with XboxEra. He mentioned that the game is still developing and making progress despite being announced in 2019 and having little information since. Spencer expressed his excitement seeing the team's work and reassured fans that the game is still slated for release, though no specific date was given.

Xbox Unveils Muse: AI Model for Gameplay Ideation. Shinobi602 Twitter

Xbox has introduced Muse, a generative AI model designed to aid gameplay ideation. Developed in collaboration with Ninja Theory, Muse can generate game visuals and controller actions, demonstrating a significant step towards generative AI models that empower game creators.

Blog ➡️https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2025/02/19/muse-ai-xbox-empowering-creators-and-players/

Palworld reaches a massive new player milestone, and year 2 promises to be even better. GameSpot

Palworld has surpassed 32 million players since its January 2024 launch. Developer Pocket Pair announced updates, including co-op cross-play and endgame content. Though available via Game Pass, it hasn't sold 32 million copies. Despite a lawsuit from Nintendo and The Pokemon Company over patent infringement, Sony and Pocketpair have partnered for a merchandise deal to expand the franchise beyond games.

Netflix culls staff at Oxenfree developer Night School Studio. EuroGamer

Netflix has laid off an undisclosed number of staff at Night School Studio, the developer behind Oxenfree. The layoffs, announced in January 2025, came as a shock to the team. Despite this, Night School Studio's current projects will reportedly not be affected. The studio was acquired by Netflix in 2021 as part of its expansion into interactive entertainment.

FromSoftware didn’t want Sony to publish Dark Souls as it was ‘disappointed’ by how Demon’s Souls was treated. VG Chronicles

FromSoftware opted against collaborating with Sony on a Demon's Souls sequel due to dissatisfaction with the game's handling. Former PlayStation exec Shuhei Yoshida stated that Sony underestimated the game's global appeal and chose not to localize it for English audiences. As a result, Atlus published Demon's Souls in the US and Bandai Namco in Europe. Following this, FromSoftware partnered with Bandai Namco to develop Dark Souls. Sony eventually worked with FromSoftware on the PS4 exclusive Bloodborne, which Yoshida hailed as one of their best titles.

Ex-PlayStation boss said that Japan Studio closed because the "Double-A" market disappeared. GameSpot.

Former SIE president Shuhei Yoshida said the closure of PlayStation's Japan Studio was due to the decline of the double-A game market. Although Japan Studio had strong products, they struggled to achieve AAA-level success, hindering their smaller games. For instance, Gravity Rush 2 had difficulties getting sequels approved. The closure allowed director Keiichiro Toyama to start his studio, resulting in the 2024 release Slitterhead. Team Asobi, known for Astro Bot, includes remnants of Japan Studio.

Limited Run Games says two of its recent NES releases could damage the console. VG Chronicles

Limited Run Games has advised customers not to play two of its recent NES releases, Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland and Piopow, due to potential damage to the console or cartridge caused by voltage regulation issues. The company is investigating and will re-manufacture the cartridges with a trusted partner.

Pokémon Go developer Niantic reportedly in talks to Sell Video Game Business to Saudi-Owned company behind Stumble Guys. IGN

Niantic, the developer behind Pokémon Go, is reportedly discussing selling its video game division to Scopely, a Saudi-owned company, for $3.5 billion. The deal, if finalized, would include Pokémon Go and other mobile games. Scopely, acquired by Savvy Games Group in 2023, aims to expand its gaming portfolio and establish Saudi Arabia as a global hub for games and esports by 2030.

Konami announces salary increase for employees. Genki Twitter

Starting March 2026, Konami will raise the base salary of its Japanese employees by 5,000 yen ($33) per month. This marks the company's fourth consecutive year of salary increases. Additionally, new graduates' starting salaries will rise to 305,000 yen monthly. Konami aims to create a stable and rewarding work environment for its employees. https://konami.com/news/en/release/2025/0219/

Kitao Sakurai to Direct New Street Fighter Live-Action Film. Shinobi602 Twitter

Kitao Sakurai, known for his work on Bad Trip and The Eric Andre Show, has been chosen to direct the upcoming Street Fighter live-action film. The movie, co-produced by Legendary and Capcom, is set for release on March 20, 2026

➡️https://hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/street-fighter-finds-its-director-1236140934/

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti review: 4080 territory, or more with an overclock. EuroGamer

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti offers great value, delivering performance similar to the RTX 4080 for $750. It uses the 4N process and features faster GDDR7 memory and updated architecture. The reviewed MSI Ventus 3X OC model includes three axial fans, a substantial heatsink, and supports DisplayPort 2.1 and HDMI 2.1.

With 8960 CUDA cores and a 2.45GHz boost clock, the RTX 5070 Ti can match the RTX 5080 when overclocked. It provides significant performance gains with multi-frame generation, making it ideal for gamers.

Valve releases Team Fortress 2 source code, opening the door to new fan-made games. Eurogamer

Valve has released the whole client and server code for Team Fortress 2, encouraging fans to "change, extend, or rewrite" the game non-commercially. This massive Source SDK update allows minor tweaks to complete game conversions. TF2 mods can be published on the Steam Store as new games.

Samurai Pizza Cats: Blast From the Past Game Announced. IGN

Developer Blast Zero and publisher Red Dunes Games announce Samurai Pizza Cats: Blast From the Past, celebrating the 35th anniversary of the classic anime. The game, based on the 1990s cartoon, is in development for major platforms and features a 2D action RPG format. Players switch between members of the Samurai Pizza Cats, each with unique combat and puzzle-solving abilities in Little Tokyo. Early in development, the announcement trailer showcases gameplay footage and reunites the original English voice cast, including Rick Jones, Sonja Ball, Terrence Scammell, and Dean Hagopian. Fans can track progress and wishlist the game on Steam.

Sam Lake and Lucas Pope to be honored at this year’s GDC Awards. VG Chronicles

Sam Lake and Lucas Pope will be honoured at this year's Game Developers Choice Awards during the Game Developers Conference. Sam Lake, known for his work on Max Payne, Alan Wake, Quantum Break, and Control, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Lucas Pope, the indie developer behind Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn, will be given the Pioneer Award. The awards recognize their significant contributions to the gaming industry, highlighting their innovative storytelling and impactful gameplay.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater announcement teased in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's latest map. EuroGamer

Hints of a new Tony Hawk project have surfaced in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's latest map update. The remastered Grind map features an easter egg with the date 03.04.25, suggesting an announcement on March 4th. This follows previous hints from Tony Hawk and pro skateboarder Tyshawn Jones about a potential remaster of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4. The announcement is expected soon, and fans can enjoy the new Grind map and its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collaboration.

Dune: Awakening: Everything we know about Funcom's survival MMO. PCGamer

Dune: Awakening, Funcom's MMO set in the Dune universe, will launch on May 20, 2025. It offers a vast world for hundreds of players, featuring base-building, crafting, and PvE/PvP combat. The story presents an alternate timeline without Paul Atreides, altering events in Arrakis. Players encounter sandworms and harsh desert conditions while harvesting spice and constructing bases. Unique mechanics include paying taxes in spice and glimpsing the future. Early gameplay combines survival and RPG elements as players face Arrakis's dangers.

Cyberpunk 2077's sequel will boast "the most realistic and reactive crowd system in any game to date" if CD Projekt hits its goals, so no pressure. VG247

CD Projekt aims to create "the most realistic and reactive crowd system in any game to date" for the sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, codenamed Project Orion. This ambitious goal is highlighted in job listings for their new Boston studio, where they are recruiting for various roles, including a lead encounter designer.

Fans are excited but sceptical about whether CD Projekt can surpass the detailed NPC interactions in games like Red Dead Redemption 2. The new crowd system addresses one of the original game's weaker points and sets a new standard for open-world games.

Saber Interactive developed AAA games based on “tentpole” Hasbro IP. Gematsu

Saber Interactive's Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II team is developing a AAA game based on a significant Hasbro intellectual property. Announced by Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks during an earnings call, this new game will combine high-octane single-player action and multiplayer features using Saber’s Swarm tech. The specific Hasbro property has not been disclosed, but notable brands include Dungeons & Dragons, G.I. Joe, Magic: The Gathering, Power Rangers, and Transformers.

Pokemon Presents is set for February 27. Gematsu

The Pokemon Company will host a Pokemon Presents broadcast on February 27 at 6:00 a.m. PT / 9:00 a.m. ET to celebrate Pokemon Day 2025. The broadcast will feature the latest Pokemon news, which can be watched on YouTube in English and Japanese.

Hades II's second major, The Warsong Update, is now available, bringing in Ares and much more. RPG Site

Supergiant Games has released The Warsong Update, the second major update for Hades II, which is currently in Early Access on PC. This update introduces new encounters, the god Ares, updates to Arcana and resource collection, an updated Altar of Ashes, a new Animal Familiar, over 2000 new voice lines, new music tracks, and improved boons. Players can now explore new content and challenges, including the Final Confrontation on the surface and gaining Ares' Boons. The update is a free, automatic download for all Early Access players.

Star Wars KOTOR 1 and 2 are free on the Epic Games Store mobile app. VG Chronicles

The mobile versions of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords are free on the Epic Games Store mobile app until March 20. The app, launched last year, offers a free game each month, with plans to increase the frequency to weekly later this year.

Currently, the app is available on Android worldwide and on iOS in the European Union, with hopes to expand to more regions. Any free games claimed through the app are free to keep indefinitely.

Tales Of The Shire: A Lord Of The Rings Game Has Been Delayed Again. GameSpot

Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game has been delayed again, now set to release on July 29, 2025. Developed by Private Division and Wētā Workshop, the game was initially scheduled for March 25, 2025, after being delayed from its 2024 release window. The developers aim to ensure a consistent and cosy experience across all platforms.

The game focuses on the tranquil lives of Hobbits, allowing players to create their characters and engage in activities like farming, gardening, and decorating. It will be available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC.