Weekly Gaming Round-Up

Written by: Mary Joaquin

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Welcome back to the Weekly Gaming Roundup!

Every week, we cover the latest in the gaming world. Not only did games go meta in a few ways, it also found its way outside its digital realm via clothing, an esports training academy, a jazz album, and even STEM learning. Oh, and Maid of Sker upped its scares.

How did any of this happen? Well, let's get right into it!

Leaks went meta on Saturday, May 15, as The Division: Heartland’s gameplay got leaked—including a warning against leaks.

The gameplay video—previously available on Vimeo but later taken down by Ubisoft for copyright—had poor quality, according to PC Gamer. However, it did show emotes.

Another leak from SkyLeax’s Twitter, whose account is currently suspended, featured a sneak peek into what Heartland is about. According to Eurogamer, lead game designer Taylor Epperly talked about the game being an open-world survival action shooter with PVE and PvEvP modes called Expedition and Storm, respectively.

On Sunday, May 16, EVOS Esports added PUMA to its long list of collaborations for exclusive virtual and physical products.

The collaboration led to a tracksuit carrying both brands and a lifestyle clothing range, with the Malaysia arm of the Southeast Asian esports organization getting to don the new threads. The tracksuit comes with a redeemable code for an EVOS Battle Emote in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

“We’re excited to collaborate with a global brand like PUMA,” said Ivan Yeo, CEO of EVOS Esports. “They truly understand the value in connecting with the younger generation via esports.”

Guild Esports opened The Guild Academy, on Monday, May 17, giving resources and support to players aged 11+ to hone their gaming abilities.

“The academy will contain the most comprehensive training platform in esports, with individualized support and tailored training programs provided to develop the esports stars of tomorrow,” said Carleton Curtis, Guild Esports’ executive chairman.

“Ingrained in all aspects of the academy will be our culture of excellence, and our priority is nurturing aspiring gamers to develop in all areas of their life.”

Currently, the Academy only features Fortnite, Valorant, Rocket League, and FIFA 21, with more titles to come. The Academy is available for a 30-day free trial, and thereafter roughly $7 a month.

WalesInteractive announced on Tuesday, May 18, that Maid of Sker will be featuring new FPS Challenge Modes starting May 26 across multiple consoles.

Aptly titled “Sker Tactics”, it features new weapons, enemies, achievements, and additional support for PS DualSense Controller. The new modes, titled The Long Night, Axe of Kindness, Nightmare at the Hotel, and In Darkness, all put the player’s skills to the test with limited lives among other constraints. Escape, fight, and persist.

Technical enhancements are also inbound to PC and old-gen and next-gen consoles alike.

On Wednesday, May 19, Scarlet Moon Records released Prescription for Sleep: Stardew Valley in collaboration with game creator, ConcernedApe.

The album features twelve tracks with an original song by GENTLE LOVE, the band behind the album. ConcernedApe worked closely with the band himself and even hand-picked the tracks himself. His recording notes and liner notes are also available in the album’s digital booklet, along with an interview with the band.

“I actually listened to a lot of GENTLE LOVE while developing Stardew Valley,” said ConcernedApe. “And now, to hear my melodies masterfully re-imagined and expanded upon by them is a great honor and a treat to me.”

On Thursday, May 20, Get-A-Grip Chip and Learning Factory won Games for Change’s STEM Your Game Challenge, gaining a combined $150K funding for their games.

The challenge aims to improve the quality of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) games to enhance middle school students’ learning experiences. The funding Redstart Interactive and Luden.io receive will be going into redeveloping their respective games to make them STEM-learning friendly.

They will make a return to the 2021 Games for Change Festival from July 12 to 14 to showcase their development process.

This time around, games went meta on Friday, May 21, as Nice Game Publishing announced Game of the Year—a board game about making video games.

Players become video game developers on a quest to craft the most worthy game possible with more than 30 genres, 120 themes, and 132 features available. More importantly, conquer the gaming industry and defeat rival games all while growing their own studio to win the coveted GoTY award.

Game of the Year is playable solo, co-op, or competitive up to four players. The Kickstarter goes live on June 28.

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EGD’s Weekly Gaming Round-Up gives a quick look into the newest news in the games industry. From blockbuster triple-A games to indie startups and mods, the Weekly Gaming Round-Up covers it all.

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