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Blizzard Hiring More Staff for “Unannounced” Diablo Project

Diablo 4 demo

It looks like Diablo 4 development is in high gear right now. Blizzard is hiring more people to work on unannounced Diablo game. The company is now looking for Lead Character Artist and Lead Concept Artist for Diablo 4, according to two new job listings.

According to the job listings, both positions require the person to know his/her Diablo lore. Good understanding of Diablo’s history, story, and characters is required. Both full-time positions are at Activision Blizzard’s Irvine Studio in California.

RespawnFirst is the first to spot the job listings on the official website. This comes less than a day after the French Media leaked Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4. It is no secret that the next Diablo game is in development. But the French media is the first to confirm its development in a story.

The French news publication Le Monde published a news story about recent lay-offs at Blizzard. In the same story, as a side note, the author confirmed Diablo 4’s development.

Blizzard held a Diablo 4 presentation in Paris for developers. The nature of the presentation is unclear at this point. It is possible that the Paris team is coming on-board just now to help with the next Diablo. Now the question is, when is the release date? Well, if rumors hold any merit Blizzard will announce the game at BlizzCon 2019.

It is unlikely that we’ll hear a release date for Diablo 4 but a release date for a demo can’t be ruled out. After how last year’s BlizzCon went, announcing the game alone won’t have that much of an impact, will it? Hearing that a Diablo demo is around the corner is the necessary cherry on top.

In the leak from Le Monde, the publication claimed Diablo 4 release date is set in 2020. Blizzard has no plans to push the game out this year. If that’s true we can expect the title to be a cross-gen release for current and next-gen consoles.

As for Overwatch 2, we don’t see the need for another Overwatch game since the first is doing so well. Building on the first game seems like a better idea but releasing Overwatch 2 will definitely please investors so guess which way Blizzard will go?

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Overwatch 2 Leaked By The French Media

French news publication Le Monde talked about all the employees that Activision Blizzard laid off. On a side note, the publication mentions Diablo 4 and a “new Overwatch” game.

The French media talks about Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 and suggests these games won’t release before 2020. The article is behind a paywall but we were able to roughly translate the relevant section. The following is an excerpt from Le Monde:

What about the future? The Blizzard Entertainment teams have already had the right to a presentation of the highly anticipated Diablo 4 and know that a new Overwatch is in the pipeline. But none will come out before 2020, at best, and the employees of Versailles do not know if they will here to see their release.

If this information is indeed true then this year’s BlizzCon could be very interesting indeed. BlizzCon 2018 was a disappointment but BlizzCon 2019 could be epic provided that we get to hear about Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2.

Assistant Game Director Aaron Keller was asked about Overwatch 2 last year. Back then he mentioned that the team was working on Overwatch. Here is what he had to say regarding the matter:

We have put all of that into working on the live game and the new maps, heroes, and events like Anniversary. At least for the time being, [supporting Overwatch] is our focus right now, and we’re excited to work on this game.

Overwatch is a very successful game with millions of players. It has been around for a while and the developers have been able to keep relevant with new content and seasons. If Overwatch 2 is indeed coming out in 2020, then I for one am excited to see all the changes that are made. I hope that the new game has a story mode that players can enjoy. That would be very interesting indeed. It will be interesting to see what Overwatch 2 will have to offer and how it will be different from the original game. Bungie has separated from Activision and is its own publisher. The developer just donated $400,000 to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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Diablo 4 Shown to French Blizzard Employees, Won’t Release Before 2020

Activision Blizzard showed the long-awaited Diablo 4 to its French employees. The creator recently laid off many employees. The French media reports the situation but as a side note, they mention Diablo 4.

According to French news publication Le Monde, Blizzard shown Diablo 4 in Paris. The article is behind a pay-wall but we managed to get an excerpt from Le Monde (translated by Google).

Excerpt from Le Monde:

Quid de l’avenir ? Les équipes de Blizzard Entertainment ont déjà eu le droit à une présentation du très attendu Diablo 4 et savent qu’un nouveau Overwatch est dans les tuyaux. Mais aucun ne sortira avant 2020, au mieux, et les salariés de Versailles ignorent s’ils en verront la couleur. « Activision Blizzard fera moins de bénéfices, mais fera quand même beaucoup de bénéfices », veut croire un vétéran.

Rough translation:

What about the future? The Blizzard Entertainment teams have already had the right to a presentation of the highly anticipated Diablo 4 and know that a new Overwatch is in the pipes. But none will come out before 2020, at best, and the employees of Versailles do not know if they will see the color. “Activision Blizzard will make less money, but still make a lot of money,” said a veteran.

If there is any merit to this news this year’s BlizzCon might not be as disappointing as last year’s. Blizzard might make up for the disaster of BlizzCon 2018 with Diablo 4 announcement. The article also mentions the next Overwatch game for 2020.

Diablo Immortal appeared at BlizzCon 2018 and fans didn’t like it one bit. At the biggest Blizzard event of the year, the developer chose to show Diablo Immortal. The company faced an immediate backlash at BlizzCon that made headlines across the internet.

To calm down the community Blizzard later confirmed “there are multiple Diablo projects” in development. Of course, one of these projects is Diablo 4. Diablo 3 came out back in 2012 and has since become a phenomenon (well, there are both good and bad phenomenons). Fans have waited for the game for 7 years and apparently, they’ll get it next year.

The timing of the news is intriguing and suggests that the title might be released for PS5 and Xbox Scarlett. If Diablo 4 release date is set in 2020 there is a decent chance it’ll be a next-gen game. We can only speculate at this point but we expect to know more at BlizzCon 2019.

The event is scheduled for November 1-3. Tickets are on sale but will most likely be sold out at this point.

Update: Blizzard is hiring new developers for “Unannounced Diablo” game.

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Xbox Live Is “Not a Free Speech Platform” Says Xbox Boss Phil Spencer

Xbox Boss Phil Spencer has talked about toxicity and inclusiveness a couple of times. In a recent interview, Phil Spencer talked about Xbox Live not being a free speech platform He has already posted a pretty long blog post around toxicity and hate speech and how gaming is for everyone. If you have not read it then you should.

In the interview, Phil Spencer mentioned that when it comes to Xbox Live, gamers do not have the right to say whatever they want to. The following is what he had to say regarding the matter:

The only reason we published it now is, just as we’re making progress in Gaming For Everyone, as we’re going to do more things in our services, as we’re beefing up parental controls, there’s going to be a fringe segment that doesn’t like the direction we go.


Spencer’s statement is not surprising to people that have used Xbox Live. Some people have been banned for saying something that was not appropriate. All these measures are in place so that toxicity can be kept to a minimum and hate speech is not promoted. Phil Spencer went on to mention the following about Xbox Live:

I’ve been public before: Xbox Live is not a free speech platform. It is not a place where anybody can come and say anything. And as we’re working to ensure it’s a safe and inclusive environment for everybody, I don’t want to be opaque about it. I want to be out there front and center so that you understand our motivation.

Xbox Live has always had a certain level of restriction when it came to chatting. You cannot simply say whatever you want to. Microsoft is justing building on this system and making it better. I think that this is a great initiative. I am sure that some users are not happy about it but it is for the betterment of the gaming community as a whole.

While we are talking about Microsoft, the company has confirmed that the price of Xbox Scarlett will be reasonable. We also talked about how Xbox Lockhart is no longer in development.

Source: Kotaku

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Bungie Raises $400K In 4 Hours For St Jude Children’s Research Hospital

GuardianCon 2019 Charity Marathon Benefiting St Jude Children’s Research Hospital is taking place right now. Bungie managed to raise $400,000 in a small time frame of 4 hours for St Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The gaming community has come together for a noble cause and it is great to watch.

The annual marathon is taking place between June 16 through June 23. At the time of writing, the $2.7 million of the $3 million goals has been achieved and with another day remaining, it seems like the goal is going to be surpassed this year as well.

Bungie’s four-hour block was the single largest in the history of the event. The block comprised of Bungie playing Destiny 2 with members of the community. Other Destiny 2 players and YouTubers also created awareness to the cause. One of my favorite Destiny 2 creators MyNameIsByf was also part of the charity.

Last year the goal of the charity was $2.4 million and it raised $2.8 million. From the current numbers, it is safe to say that the goal will be surpassed this year as well. This is not the first time that Bungie and Destiny 2 players have donated to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital. MyNameIsByf has taken part in this charity a couple of times and has raised awareness for some time now.

You can check out the GuardianCon 2019 website to learn more about the event. You can also donate to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

It is amazing to see what the gaming community is capable of. What Bungie and the gaming community have done for charity is no small feat. I hope to see acts of kindness like this in the future as well. The developer has teased cross-play for Destiny 2, so be sure to learn more about that as well.

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Romance In Cyberpunk 2077 Will Be Long-term And Like The Witcher 3

Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt RED has already confirmed that the game will have a lot of sex and nudity. But the romance options go deeper than just sex.

Lead Quest Designer Paweł Sasko has confirmed that romance in Cyberpunk 2077 will be similar to what players experienced in The Witcher 3. Here is what he had to say regarding the matter:

So in terms of romances, you can think that it’s going to be similar to how Witcher 3 was…there were whole plot lines regarding character [romances].

Since the release date reveal, CDPR has been very vocal about the game. We are getting details about the game more frequently now. You can check out the entire conversation below:

Cyberpunk 2077 romance will cover different sexualities and sexual preferences. You can have gay and lesbian interactions if you want to. In the Witcher 3, the character was more define but Cyberpunk 2077 is more flexible. You can choose your character and customize it how you seem fit.

Cyberpunk has been under fire for being a sexist game. I believe that some portion of the population is going to be pissed no matter what you do. Let’s take Cyberpunk 2077 romance options for an example. If you can have multiple romances then people will call the game sexist for objectifying women. If you do not have the option to romance multiple NPCs then haters will say that It’s 2077 and people are not bound by nuclear family anymore. Hence the game is sexist.

I think that CDPR should go with the creative ideas that they have already finalized. Removing something just because it would displease a fraction of the potential fanbase could ending up ruining the game. I mean how many different elements can you remove from the game before it turns into something else entirely?

CDPR has also confirmed that the Cyberpunk 2077 will have multiple starting points. The devs have just revealed some new concept art which you can check out.

Let us know what you think about Cyberpunk 2077 romance and whether or not you are interested in playing the game when it comes out next year.

Source: Reddit

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Who Is The Publisher of Cyberpunk 2077?

Cyberpunk 2077 created and published by CD Projekt RED, is releasing on PS4, Xbox One, and PC next year. Cyberpunk 2077 publisher CD Projekt RED works alone in Poland but the company has partnered with Warner Bros. Interactive in the U.S

Warner Bros. is publishing Cyberpunk 2077 in the United States. It won’t be the first time Warner Bros. is working with CD Projekt RED. Previously the company helped publish The Witcher 3 in the United States.

Warner Bros. also collaborated for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Cyberpunk 2077 is CD Project RED’s most ambitious project yet. It isn’t surprising to see Cyberpunk 2077 publisher partnering with Warner Bros. in the U.S. CD Projekt Red board member and business development SVP Michał Nowakowski commented on the partnership:

We’ve worked with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment on The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and both releases turned out to be really successful, so we’re entering this new stage of our cooperation with great confidence. Cyberpunk 2077 is our biggest and most ambitious project to date, and I’m really looking forward to all the amazing things we can achieve together.

Publisher and developer CD Projekt RED works with various companies outside of Poland. Bandai Namco published The Witcher 3 in Western Europe. Things aren’t changing with the new sci-fi RPG. Bandai Namco is the publisher of Cyberpunk 2077 in Europe. Bandai Namco will publish Cyberpunk 2077 in “selected European markets.”

EU publisher Bandai Namco will cover 24 countries including:

  • Andorra
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Cyprus
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Liechtenstein
  • Luxembourg
  • Monaco
  • Malta
  • Norway
  • Portugal
  • San Marino
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • The Netherlands
  • UK

Few people know there is a multiplayer mode to Cyberpunk 2077.  Digital Scapes is working on multiplayer for Cyberpunk.

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Cyberpunk 2077 Has Multiple Starting Points Based on Background Selection

Cyberpunk 2077 has multiple starting points indicates quest designer Pawel Sasko. He first implied this feature during an interview with VG24/7 but his wording wasn’t clear enough. One of the fans reached out to Sasko for clarification on Twitter. According to Pawel, he is going to stand by what he said but can’t further comment on it. Pawel Sasko wishes to ignore spoilers but it is pretty clear he can’t speak outside of that interview.

I stand for what I have said but would prefer not to confirm too much here as it’s strongly tied to the story and spoiling it is like a crime to me. I feel you will like it, let’s keep it at that.

Based on what he said in the interview, Cyberpunk 2077 will have different starting points. These starting points depend on the life path you choose at the beginning of the game.

You can be one of the nomads as a player and you can start there, being part of a family of the Nomads. You could call them a tribe that is living in cars and they’re just driving over Badlands. They’re doing various jobs for fixers, and for people in the city, and doing various deals – I don’t want to disclose too much because not to spoil the story.

His statement suggests that players can choose to be part of various groups, tribes, gangs. The feature opens up the room for many playthroughs as part of different groups. New quest lines, dialogues, endings, the possibilities are endless. Cyberpunk 2077 publisher and developer CD Projekt RED creating a deep branching narrative. It seems Cyberpunk 2077 publisher is taking things a few steps forward from The Witcher 3.

There are three primary backgrounds you can choose and each will affect your interactions. For example, if you choose “Street Kid” you will have better luck speaking with gangs as opposed to “Nomad” and “Corporate.”

  • Street Kid — Someone who grew up on the streets
  • Nomad — Ex-Corporate employee fired and blacklisted
  • Corporate — Corporate employee working to secure their interest

Cyberpunk 2077 is releasing on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on April 16, 2020.

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More PC Gamers Will Switch to iOS and Android Games: Report

According to the new Newzoo report, more PC browser gamers will shift to mobile. Newzoo believes PC gamers shifting to mobile devices will result in a 15% revenue drop for PC browser gaming.

But the gaming industry, in general, will see significant growth in 2019. Revenues should be up 9.6% compared to 2019. Global Games Market revenue report predicts $152.1 Billion in revenue for gaming in 2019. Revenue will go up from $135 Billion in 2018.

23% of worldwide gaming revenue will come from the PC gaming market, PC gamers will contribute $35.7Bn. Meanwhile, mobile games will contribute $68.5Bn or 45% of worldwide gaming revenue. Console revenue will see a slight dip by the end of 2019 which will last till 2021.

The mobile gaming market has seen exponential growth over the past few years. It is the primary cause of big-name publisher focusing more on mobile platforms. While gamers may not appreciate their favorite IPs reduced to a bare bone experience, there is no stopping mobile games.

Global Gaming Industry Revenue Report 2019

PC games developers Activision and EA have already shown their commitment to mobile games. Diablo Immortal, Call of Duty, Command, and Conquer are some of the titles coming to mobile.

Mobile gaming (smartphone and tablet), meanwhile, remains the largest segment in 2019, growing +10.2% year on year to $68.5 billion—45% of the global games market. Of this, $54.9 billion will come from smartphone games. PC gaming will be both the smallest and slowest-growing segment, increasing +4.0% year on year to $35.7 billion. Despite the segment being smaller in size, PC’s status as the bedrock of innovation in the games market remains evident to this day.

These IPs were once exclusive to consoles and PC. Bethesda’s Fallout Shelter and The Elder Scrolls Blades are also contributing to the mobile cause. Although most of these mobile projects are frowned upon by PC gamers, they still managed to make millions.

As mobile devices become more powerful, we will see bigger and better games.

Speaking of better games, video game streaming on mobile is a great way to experience AAA games. Microsoft’s Project xCloud and Google’s Stadia will allow players to stream AAA titles. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Doom Eternal are some of the games coming. PC and console games can now be played on mobile devices via streaming platforms.

With the rise of streaming services, PC browser games market is expected to see a significant drop in the next few years. But PC gaming, in general, is expected to see 4% growth year on year.

Source: Newzoo

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Apple iOS Mobile Gaming Is Now Bigger Than Nintendo

When you think of the biggest gaming companies in the world, Apple isn’t the first company to come up. The company is popular for its iOS devices but its iOS gaming scene is low key.

It’s surprising to know that Apple has become the fourth biggest gaming company in the world. It’s ranked fourth biggest gaming company beating Nintendo and EA. Apple edged out Call of Duty creator Activision thanks to iOS games.

Apple made billions from its iPhone and iPad games in 2018. According to the latest Newzoo report, the tech giant made $9.4 billion last year from iOS mobile games.

Mobile games revenue from iPhone and iPad games is 32% up year-over-year. Won’t be surprising to see Apple’s iOS mobile games revenue go up to 45% this year.

Companies that outperformed Apple are Sony, Microsoft, and the Chinese tech conglomerate Tencent. Tencent is the biggest video games company in the world. The Chinese corporation has its finger dipped in many companies involved in the video games industry.

Tencent has shares in Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard, Riot Games, Take-Two Interactive, and more. Google is 6th, Netease is 7th, EA is 8th, Nintendo and Bandai Namco shared the 10th spot. Others including Ubisoft, Take-Two, Warner Bros., and Konami fail to hit top 10.

Mobile gaming makes up for the majority of worldwide revenue of the gaming industry. The video games industry revenue expected to reach $152.1 billion this year, 9.6% up from 2018.

$68.5 Billion is the estimated revenue for the mobile gaming industry in 2019. It’s a safe bet that Apple will see significant revenue growth this year from its iOS games.

An interesting prediction in the Newzoo report is about the PC gaming market. More PC gamers will switch to iOS Android mobile gaming in 2019, triggering a 15% fall in revenue. Meanwhile, Nintendo Mini will cause a boost in revenue for Nintendo, Newzoo predicts.