HHW Gaming Archives

HHW Gaming: ‘Indiana Jones’ Gameplay & More Teased For Upcoming Xbox Developer Direct Presentation

January 9, 2024

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Source: Xbox / Developer Direct
Xbox is showing its hand early in 2024.
Following a strong 2023, Xbox is looking to keep the momentum going and announced it will hold its first Developer Direct of the new year, and they will be bringing the heat.
The Developer Direct, which goes down Thursday, January 18 at 12:00 pm PT/3:00 pm ET, will give Xbox fans an “inside look” at highly anticipated titles coming to the Xbox Series S | X.
Like the previous Developer Direct, the game creators themselves will be taking us on a journey to Sweden to give us our first look at MachineGames Indiana Jones, Obsidian’s Irvine studio to learn more about Avowed, Oxide Games’ Maryland home for more insight on Ara: History Untold and finally across the pond to England to see more of Ninja Theory’s Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.
In the announcement of the Developer Direct, Xbox notes that we can expect updates from Activision Blizzard later in the year while promising the show will be “just a selection of our slate of upcoming games from Xbox.”
Following the Developer Direct, ZeniMax Online Studios will host The Elder Scrolls Online 2024 Global Reveal at 1 pm PT / 4 pm ET / 9 pm UK to preview 2024’s biggest update.
Xbox Has Gamers Buzzing With Excitement Early In 2024
The reactions to the upcoming Developer Direct are ones full of excitement because these are games that Xbox fans have had high on their lists and now are finally getting to see more of.
“Getting details on Indiana Jones this early into 2024 was not on my bingo card. Machine Games has always been one of my favorite studios and I am expecting them to knock this reveal out of the park,” GamerTag Radio and Kinda Funny creator Parris Lily wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

You can add us to the list as well. We also want to see precisely what MachineGames’ Indiana Jones game looks like. You can see more reactions to the news in the gallery below.
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Photo: Xbox / Developer Direct

2. Possibly

3. A spicy take

4. We all did

6. Will they?

HHW Gaming: 2024 ‘Baldurs Gate 3,’ ‘Alan Wake II’ Lead 2024 New York Game Awards Nominations

djfrosty

January 4, 2024

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Source: NYVGCC / 2024 New York Game Awards
The video game award season is not done yet. The New York Video Game Critics Circle annual New York Game Awards are back, and the nominations have been revealed.

The annual New York Game Awards are back for its 13th iteration. Thursday, January 4, the nominees were announced during a live stream at the Paley Center for Media.

The winners will be revealed during the awards show held at the SVA Theater on January 23. Returning to host will be Circle president and founder Harold Goldberg, NYVGCC senior intern Makeda Byfield, and the 2020 Andrew Yoon Legend Award recipient and former President of Nintendo of America, Reggie Fils-Aimé.
Co-President and Head of Creative at Naughty Dog, Neil Druckman, is this year’s recipient of the Andrew Yoon Legend Award. Last year, the Chief Executive Officer of Gaming, Phil Spencer, took home the prestigious honor.
“This past year has offered so many amazing games, and we’re thrilled to celebrate the magnificent work of these developers with this year’s New York Game Awards,” said Harold Goldberg, president and founder of NYVGCC. “Our team of journalists, interns, and volunteers at NYVGCC look forward to hosting and honoring so many talented people who work in the video game industry on January 23. Get your tickets now to join us for a very special awards show!”
This year’s nominees include:
Big Apple Award for Best Game of the Year

Alan Wake II
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
Baldur’s Gate 3
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Hi-Fi Rush
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Starfield

Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game

A Space for the Unbound
Chants of Sennaar
El Paso Elsewhere
Jusant
Pizza Tower
Sea of Stars
The Talos Principle II
Viewfinder

Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game

Alan Wake II
Baldur’s Gate 3
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Starfield
Tchia
Thirsty Suitors

Statue of Liberty Award for Best World

Alan Wake II
Baldur’s Gate 3
Chants of Sennaar
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Final Fantasy XVI
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Starfield

Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game

Alan Wake II
Baldur’s Gate 3
Final Fantasy XVI
Hi-Fi Rush
Tchia
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game

Amelia Tyler as The Narrator in Baldur’s Gate 3
Ben Starr as Clive Rosfield in Final Fantasy XVI
Elizabeth Saydah as Riley in Oxenfree II: Lost Signals
Idris Elba as Solomon Reed in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Melanie Liburd as Saga Anderson in Alan Wake II
Neil Newbon as Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3

Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best AR/VR Game

Asgard’s Wrath 2
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR
Body of Mine
Horizon Call of the Mountain
Humanity
We Are One

Central Park Children’s Zoo Award for Best Kids Game

Disney Illusion Island
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2
Pikmin 4
Super Mario Bro. Wonders
Tchia
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game

Hello Kitty Island Adventure
Honkai: Star Rail
Kimono Cats
Laya’s Horizon
Monster Hunter Now
Terra Nil

Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake

Dead Space
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Metroid Prime Remastered
Resident Evil 4
Star Ocean: The Second Story
Super Mario RPG

Joltin’ Joe Award for Best Esports Player of the Year

Alexis “Zen” Bernier (Team Vitality) – Rocket League
Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique (Twisted Minds/Red Bull eSports) – Tekken 7
Choi “Zeus” Woo-je (T1) – League of Legends
Lee “Faker” Sang-Hyeok (T1) – League of Legends
Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut (Team Vitality) – Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Paco “HyDra” Rusiewiez (New York Subliners) – Call of Duty

Chumley’s Speakeasy Award for Best Hidden Gem

9 Years of Shadow
American Arcadia
Conrad Stevenson’s Paranormal P.I.
Outer Terror
Slay the Princess
Videoverse

NYC GWB Award for Best DLC

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania
God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla
Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores
Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways
Vampire Survivors: Coop Mode

Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism

Andrea Long Chu, Vulture
Blessing Adeoye Jr., Kinda Funny Games
Brendan Sinclair, GamesIndustry.biz
Ed Smith, PCGamesN/Bullet Points Monthly
Hanif Abdurraqib, The Paris Review
Nicole Carpenter, Polygon
Reid McCarter, Bullet Points Monthly

Good luck to all those nominated. Keep it locked on HHW Gaming for a recap of the night.
If you want to be in the building, purchase tickets here.
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Photo: NYVGCC / 2024 New York Game Awards

HHW Gaming: ‘GTA V’ Source Code, ‘GTA 6’ Python Code, ‘Bully 2’ Files The Latest Stolen Data To Leak From Rockstar Games Hack

djfrosty

December 26, 2023

HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: Rockstar Games / GTA 6
Another day, more stolen data from a respected video game developer has leaked.
*HHW Gaming will not be providing any links to any of the hacked material.*
Spotted on Insider Gaming, the mega hack that saw over 100 GB of stolen data last still haunts Rockstar Games.
Reports began to surface Christmas night that GTA V’s source code leaked in full, along with the Python code for GTA 6 and numerous files from the scrapped Bully 2 game.

Per Insider Gamning:
Until now, transactions were reportedly being held behind closed doors, with key data such as GTA 5’s source code, stolen by a teenager in a hotel room with a mobile device last year, changing hands in secret.
It has now been shared online, according to recent screenshots.

Not only that but it has also been claimed that every file relating to Bully 2 – the follow-up to 2008’s Bully – has also been leaked. In another screenshot that is floating around, fresh Python code from GTA 6 has also been revealed, along with some early, conceptual materials from GTA 5, such as an original rendition of the game’s map.
The leaks of GTA V’s source code are concerning because they could lead to the creation of “highly sophisticated cheats,” according to the website’s report.
More News From The Rockstar Games Hack
That wasn’t the only thing to come from the hack; leaked source code revealed plans for eight pieces of DLC for GTA V that Rockstar Games decided not to release due to the popularity of GTA Online and work on next-gen versions of the game.
The names of the reported DLC include:

‘SP Assassination Pack’
‘SP Manhunt Pack’
‘SP Norman Pack’
‘Agent Trevor’
‘Relationship Pack’
‘Enterprise Pack’
‘Prologue DLC’
‘LibertyV DLC’

This latest news also comes on the heels of reports that the young teenager responsible for the hack was sentenced to life in a hospital prison.
Oh, and the big Insomniac Games hack also released stolen material after PlayStation, and the video game studio did not pay the ransom demand.
We hope that in 2024, the leaks will come to an end.
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Photo: Rockstar Games / GTA 6

PS5 Sales Top 50 Million, Xbox Series S & X Sales Dwindle

djfrosty

December 21, 2023

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Source: SOPA Images / Getty / PS5
When it comes to moving consoles, Sony remains king.
Sony has a lot to be happy about. Roughly three years after its release, the popularity of the PS5 console remains high, and according to Reuters, the company has reportedly sold over 50 million units.

The Japanese tech giant also says it has the best-ever Black Friday period for the video game console.
Per Reuters reporting, Sony expects to finish the year on a high note thanks to a strong holiday performance, putting the company on pace to reach its sales target of a record 25 million units to close out the current financial year ending March 31.

Eric Lempel, senior vice president for global marketing, sales, and business operations at Sony Interactive Entertainment, said, “Given the momentum we’ve had in November and a lot of what we’re seeing in December, just in general, we’re feeling very good about sales overall.”
Remember that this number could have been higher, but PS5 sales were hampered due to supply chain issues when the console first hit the market.
Still, despite that, you can expect to see a PS5 in a home thanks to a solid first-party game lineup with games like God of War: Ragnarok and, most recently, Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
Xbox & Nintendo Are Not Seeing The Same Success With Its Consoles
The outlook isn’t so rosy for the PS5’s direct competitors, Microsoft’s Xbox Series S | X and the Nintendo Switch.
IGN reports the Xbox sales have hit a snag. According to the website, PS5 sales are up “65% to 22.5 million units,” while Xbox’s sales took a dip to “about 15% to 7.6 million.”
The Nintendo Switch, which at one point was impossible to find on shelves during the pandemic, has fallen nearly 20%.
We are curious to see if Sony can continue its dominance in the gaming space in 2024.
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Photo: SOPA Images / Getty

HHW Gaming: Zack Snyder Is Down To Direct A ‘Fortnite’ Movie

djfrosty

December 20, 2023

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Source: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty / Zack Snyder
Zack Snyder is currently building a Star Wars-like world with his Rebel Moon franchise, but that’s not stopping him from looking toward the future and wanting to make a movie out of his favorite video game, Fortnite.

The architect of the now-dead DCEU is a huge fan of Fortnite, and who can blame him? The game is highly addictive, and its latest updates have injected new life into the video game.

During a recent interview for his new film Rebel Moon, which critics lambasted by critics, Snyder was asked about the prospect of directing a Fortnite movie.
“I mean, of course,” Snyder told the interviewer, who asked if he ever “want to combine” his passion for filmmaking and playing the addictive video game.
Snyder even noted his valiant attempt to get free skins based on his Rebel Moon characters into the game.
“Look, Fortnite is an amazing world, and it is an amazing distraction for me,” Snyder said. “It’s really cool, and the alchemy that they’ve created there is really unique. When I started playing it, I thought I knew what it was, and then it was something entirely different.”
He continued, “You definitely don’t know. You definitely can never say never. That’s my mantra in this business.”

Consider us intrigued at the thought of a Snyder-esque Fortnite universe, full of his love for slow-motion shots and intense action.
But please, Zack, we know you love to make things rather dark, and Fortnite is far from that. We don’t need another DECU/Snydevers situation here.
Lighten it up a bit, and have some fun. Fortnite is a goofy game that makes it possible for hulky Peter Griffin and Optimus Prime to face off against each other.
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Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty

HHW Gaming: Gaming Community Rallies Around Insomniac Games After Stolen Data Leaks On Internet

djfrosty

December 19, 2023

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Source: Insomniac Games / Marvel’s Wolverine
Hacks are wack… PERIOD. The gaming community is rallying around Insomniac Games after files were stolen from their highly anticipated Marvel’s Wolverine game and other highly-sensitive information hit the web.
Full disclaimer: HHW Gaming stands in solidarity with Insomniac Games and other game studios and will not share any links to stolen material.
With that out of the way, leading up to last night’s unfortunate events, Rhysida, a ransomware group, demanded $2.3 million from Insomniac Games, the studio behind PlayStation-exclusive titles like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Miles Morales and more.
According to Cyber Daily, after Insomniac Games did not meet Rhysida’s ridiculous demands, the ransomware group leaked 1.67 terabytes of data comprising over 1.3 million stolen files.
The files included level design and character information from Marvel’s Wolverine. Internal company presentations leaked Insomniac Games and Sony’s unannounced games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 3, Venom, an X-Men game, and, unsurprisingly, a new Ratchet & Clank game.
There were also screenshots of internal spreadsheets with other information on development and budgets.
The leak of the Insomniac Games employee’s personal information made this hack even more egregious.
Insomniac Games joined the growing list of other game studios that also experienced hacks. Rockstar Games saw early development footage of GTA 6 leak, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Witcher: Wild Hunt developer CD Projekt Red, Bandai Namco, and Riot Games.
The Gaming Community Denounced The Hacks On Social Media
While thirsty folks eager to feast their eyes on Insomniac’s Wolverine game circled the stolen material like hungry vultures on rotting flesh, the gaming community rallied around the studio to denounce the leaks.
“Leaks are scary, frustrating, damaging and often happen without consent or any planning,” one user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote.
“Our sympathies to @insomniacgames and all the affected team members. After all the effort and dedication they have poured into their games, they didn’t deserve this. No one does. The hackers also leaked employee’s personal information, which is truly disgraceful and shameful,” Alan Wake 2 developer Remedy wrote on its official X account.

Add us to the list of people who feel for Insomniac Games and all of the other studios who were victims of bored losers who had nothing better to do with their computer skills.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: Insomniac Games / Marvel’s Wolverine

HHW Gaming: E3 Is Officially Dead, Gamers Pay Their Respects To Beloved Video Game Convention

djfrosty

December 12, 2023

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Source: FREDERIC J. BROWN / Getty / E3
The zombie that was E3 finally got the blow to the head to keep it from returning. The Electronic Entertainment Expo announced via X, formerly Twitter, that it has run out of extra lives for the convention.
The great Gene Park at the Washington Post broke the story before E3 confirmed the sad news that the beloved convention born in 1995 will not return.
“After more than two decades of hosting an event that has served as a central showcase for the U.S. and global video game industry, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has decided to bring E3 to a close,” the Electron Entertainment Expo said in a statement. “ESA remains focused on advocating for ESA member companies and the industry workforce who fuel positive cultural and economic impact every day.”

In a post on X, E3 wrote, “After more than two decades of E3, each one bigger than the last, the time has come to say goodbye. Thanks for the memories.”

The once popular gaming convention has been on life support since COVID came through and shut down the in-person video game convention in 2020. The ESA tried to hand on for dear life with a virtual convention in June 2021 that everyone agreed was a mess.
The ESA did make a valiant attempt to bring the in-person convention back but failed in 2022 and 2023 due to the conference failing to attract exhibitors.
Before the then-raging pandemic officially killed E3, the convention was dying slowly. Game Awards founder Geoff Keighley, who claims he was at every E3 since its exception, pretty much assisted in taking down E3 by founding Summer Game Fest in 2020.
The last time there was an in-person E3 event, only 66,100 people came out.
Gamers Are Sharing E3 Memories
With the announcement, gamers and people in the gaming industry have shared their fondest memories while saying goodbye to the convention.
“I understand why this happened, but it’s heartbreaking all the same. E3 was like Christmas for gamers and having all the conferences take place in one week was such a treat. So many good memories spanning so many years. Thanks for everything, E3,” Sony Santa Monica writer Alana Pearce said on X.

“E3 has had a huge significance in my life,” Spawn On Me founder Kahlief Adams wrote in a post on X.

What a sad day for the gaming world. Attending E3 was a dream for me, and I was close to achieving it, only to learn this year’s convention was canceled.
So long E3.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: FREDERIC J. BROWN / Getty

HHW Gaming: ‘LEGO Fortnite’ Kicks Off New Era For The Popular Video Game

djfrosty

December 7, 2023

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Source: Epic Games / LEGO Fortnite
The world of Fortnite and how players can enjoy it continues to grow. Starting today, loyal fans of the game can now boot up LEGO Fortnite, the latest addition to Epic Games’ ridiculously popular video game.
Thursday, December 7, Epic Games launched LEGO Fortnite, a new survival crating game it developed in partnership with the LEGO Group.
Some are describing it as Fortnite and LEGO’s version of Minecraft, another popular title owned by Microsoft. Instead of downloading a separate game, you can access it by selecting it on the Fortnite menu, just like when you choose the battle royale mode.
Epic says the procedural map players can explore is 19x more significant than the battle royale map, and you can either play in a creative mode where you can build whatever you want or a survival mode where skeletons, wolves, and other enemies will generate.
[embedded content]
Players will also have to monitor not only their character’s health but also their hunger and extreme heat warnings.
Source: Epic Games
Fortnite is also famous for the skins it introduces into the game, and that continues to be the case in the new mode. Speaking with The Verge, Saxs Persson, Epic’s executive VP, says more than 1,200 Fortnite skins have a LEGO variant players can use.
Source: Epic Games
LEGO Fortnite Isn’t The Only New Mode Coming To Fortnite
LEGO Fortnite is also the first of many in-game experiences coming to Fortnite. Beginning tomorrow, December 8, players can look forward to Rocket Racing (from the creators of Rocket League) and Fortnite Festival on Saturday, December 9 (from the studio behind Rock Band and Guitar Hero).
The latter will allow players to play rhythm-based games similar to Rock Band and Guitar Hero alone or with friends, as well as songs from artists like Eminem, who just recently got his own skin in the game and was a part of the Big Bang event.
Fortnite sounds like it’s the ultimate place to be.
For more news on LEGO Fortnite, head here.
Hit the gallery below to see more images.
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Photo: Epic Games / LEGO Fortnite

1. LEGO Fortnite