Gaming News Wrap [23 Jun 2016]

Let’s jump right into another Gaming News Wrap.

PSA: PlayStation Network maintenance scheduled for [today]

Games

• Overwatch gets Public Test Region on PC, Competitive Play beta available
• God of War was inspired by cancelled Star Wars TV series
• Bungie: We’re trying to build Destiny content quicker
  Infusion system will remain the same for Year Three.
• Star Wars Battlefront
  • Star Wars Battlefront might get offline “Instant Action” mode
  • Star Wars Battlefront gets massive patch alongside Bespin DLC
• Sony explain Days Gone’s Freaker horde: they’re ‘alive,’ have needs and behave differently
• Gwent
  • Gwent has a cool idea to combat card pack RNG
  • The Witcher 3 fans “supercharged” Gwent project
• Hotline Miami 2’s completed level editor is live
• Zelda: Breath of the Wild pushes Wii U hardware to the limit
  Digital Foundry goes hands-on with Nintendo’s most technologically ambitious project to date.

Sales & Discounts

• Battlefield 4 DLC Second Assault free on all platforms

Consoles & Hardware

• Sony says PlayStation Neo won’t shorten PS4 life cycle
• PlayStation Vue Expands to Roku Today, Launching on Android Next Week

Industry

• Happy 20th Birthday, Quake
• Vivendi now owns over 20% of Ubisoft shares
  Wants a board seat and “fruitful cooperation”.
• Catching up with the guy who stole Half-Life 2’s source code, 10 years later
  From Death by Video Game: can you love a game so much you must take its sequel?
• Popular streaming software XSplit now available on Steam
• Ludonarrative dissonance isn’t just a games problem, says Jonathan Blow
• Toxic Heroes of the Storm player schooled by customer support
• Sonic sticks the boot in to Mighty No. 9 as Inafune admits: “I own all the problems”
• Paradox sells loads of strategy games, gives away free Europa Universalis 4 DLC

Opinions

• Battlefront‘s Bespin DLC doesn’t quite dazzle, but DICE’s Star Wars shooter makes some big steps forward

Interviews

• Watch Dogs 2: “There are no towers”
  Ubisoft says you can get away with barely touching the story.

Previews

• Skylar & Plux: Adventure on Clover Island pays homage to classic platformers

Videos

• Mafia 3 Family Kick-Back Trailer

• The Division News Weapon Talents in 1.3 Underground DLC

• Kill Strain Launching July 19, Early Access for PS Plus

• Total War: WARHAMMER – Mods Weekly – Episode #2