Andy Wang

Newbie journalist and freelance writer. I cover tech and business news with some gaming news here and there. If I'm not writing, I'm reading. If I'm not reading, I'm gaming. I've been writing for about 2 years now for various publications and I'm glad to be a part of barrelrolled to share some insights and news about trending topics.

The Forest is leaving early access and going into a full release on Steam

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The Forest is releasing as a full game soon.

The Forest is coming out of early access on Steam some time in April 2018!

If you’ve never heard of this game, it’s basically a survival game that takes place in a huge world filled with some spooky monsters. You have to gather resources, establish a base, craft weapons, harvest food, and explore the giant map freely at your own pace.

The game takes place with your character having ditched a plane crash and now you’re stuck somewhere in the wilderness looking for your son. You get a glimpse of some giant man taking your son off into the woods, so you need to go look for him on this mysterious island. Of course, you won’t be able to just find him. It’s a whole expedition and will require many days of exploration, which means you need to establish shelter, food, and get your basic necessities so you can continue looking for him.

The game has tons of lakes, ponds, caves, forests, and villages for you to gather loot from. Like pretty much any survival game these days, you’ll have to fend off attackers. Instead of it being other players like in Rust and Ark, you’ll have to defend yourself from these monsters that’ll attack your establishment and eventually you yourself. It’s considered to be a horror survival game because the enemies you face do indeed look freakin’ creepy. The environments you explore are also filled with these monsters as well. There’s even a day/night cycle and a weather system as well. The game is basically a horror survival game taken to the extreme. It’s like playing Rust with a horror mod or something.

The Forest came out in May of 2014 in early access and has made some significant leaps in progress since then. Now, it’s ready for a full release almost 4 years later. The developers have decided to release the full version of the game on PC this year. It’ll be released with patch 0.73 which contains a few updates, patches, and fixes.

Like most games, The Forest will get a price bump for the full version. It’ll jump from $14.99 to just $19.99- a modest $5 increase. If you’ve been eyeing this game, or if you like horror survival games, you’ll definitely want to check out the game on Steam.

Image via survivetheforest.com

RollerCoaster Tycoon is coming to the Nintendo Switch

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RCT is coming to the Switch!

Atari has started a crowdfunding campaign to bring the classic theme park builder RollerCoaster Tycoon to the Nintendo Switch.

Everyone knows what RCT is. It’s probably one of the best strategy tycoon games of all time. If you haven’t heard of it, you must’ve been detached from the videogame world for quite some time (or you’re new to gaming in general). It was a very addicting game and has consumed many, many hours of my childhood (and millions of others).

The campaign is hosted on StartEngine, which many won’t be familiar with. Atari is looking for $10,000 to $1.07 million. That’s a pretty big range.

The game will be developed by Nvizzio Creation, who also made the F2P RCT Touch version. The version that they’re making shouldn’t have any mobile cash-grab gimmicks like the F2P version does. It should be a fully fleshed-out RCT game for Nintendo Switch.

If you donate to their campaign, you get some perks for this game and future developments as well.

The game is said that it’ll be an original game that’ll utilize the Switch’s portable functionality and home capabilities as well. It’ll also come with exclusive features just for the Switch. Confrimed features include a career mode, sandbox mode, and scenarios. So far, these aren’t anything special as they’ve been available since the beginning of the RCT series.

We’ll have to watch out for this one. It could be the next awesome RollerCoaster Tycoon game.

Image via StartEngine.

Gaming industry brings in $37B in 2017

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The ESA has released its report for 2017's totals.

The US game industry brought in just about $37 billion in 2017 based on a report from the Entertainment Software Association.

You’re probably wondering- is this a lot? How’s the gaming industry doing as a whole?

The ESA is a group of people that analyze and represent the “interests” of videogames and hardware producers in the US. They’re the guys behind the ESRB and E3, so they know games. They just released the overall industry report for gaming in general.

So, $37B is a good number, just to calm you down.

In 2017, that number in total revenue is decent. Software sales brought in $29.1B, which is up from $24.6B last year. This includes microtransactions and subscriptions for games. Hardware sales brought in $6.9B which is up from $5.8B last year. The industry as a whole is only getting better as more and more gamers game on.

However, not all data has been released by the ESA. Sales for the Nintendo Switch, 3DS, and PC digital sales weren’t included. This includes software sales from providers like Origin, uPlay, Sony, Battle.net, and EA. The actual number would be greater than what’s reported.

All in all, it’s been a good year for the industry, which means it’s likely been good for gamers.

Microsoft Studios gets a new seasoned veteran takeover

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Microsoft Studios gets Matt Booty as the new boss.

Matt Booty is now the CEO of Microsoft Studios.

He wears the new badge of the previous holder- Phile Spencer. Spencer was promoted to Executive VP for Games by Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella.

So, what’s Booty in charge of at MS Studios?

Well, if you’ve played any game developed by Microsoft, he’s in charge of that- pretty much. They’re in charge of developing and publishing first-party titles across platforms like Windows 10, Android, iOS, and Xbox. Some games are also released on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, such as Minecraft. Spencer is still a part of the department, as Booty will report to him and develop a strategy for their studio. Booty overseas all the other departments, such as software, hardware, and online play.

Previously, Booty was just in charge of Mojang, which is the developer behind Minecraft.

Booty had a previous history of working for companies like Midway Games as an engineer and then later CEO of the same company. He joined Microsoft in 2010 and built games for Windows Phone and Xbox Live Arcade.

He’s a seasoned veteran and believes in “great games” and that “content is extremely important.”

Either way, it’s nice to see people shifting around. This brings in new tides for Microsoft Studios and possibly new processes.

Overwatch League rolls out with over 10 million viewers in its premiere

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Overwatch League has over 10 million viewers in its first showdown.

Overwatch League has hit over 10 million views in its first week based on a press release from Blizzard. That’s huge.

In case you didn’t know, the popular first-person MOBA shooter has gone pro and is now officially hosting an e-sport tournament featuring the top 12 teams from around the globe. Europe, United States, and Asia are all included and are duking it out in one fan-fueled ladder. It’s the first season of Overwatch League and the numbers are impressive.

The tournament shows every Wednesday through Saturday with three matches each consisting of four maps each. You can only watch it on Twitch as Blizzard made an exclusive deal with them.

On the first day, Overwatch League had an average audience per minute of about 408K viewers. It corrected down to about 280K on average for the whole week. This is the combination of all viewers across Twitch, MLG, ZhanQi TV, Netease CC, and Panda TV. The duel between the Dallas Fuel and Seoul Dynasty was huge. And the Blizzard Arena in LA county in California was also sold out of tickets.

E-sports is becoming more and more popular with new games going pro. If you missed the first matchup you can watch it on demand from their official site. You can also follow the bracket online.

The second matchup is already live. It pits the San Francisco Shock against the Philadelphia Fusion. You can also keep up to date with their official app as well.

Say “hello” to the Nintendo Labo – their newest product (and it’s not a console)

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Nintendo's new Toy-Con is aiming for a more interactive experience with games.

Nintendo just announced their newest toy (not console) called the Nintendo Labo.

It’s an interactive experience for kids- as the Japanese giant would like to call it. It’s basically a bunch of cardboard pieces, rubber bands, and strings that can be put together to create a real-world object. It works kind of like a 3D puzzle, but it’s capable of a lot more and has functionality beyond just something you slap together.

You can also use the Nintendo Switch with it and even plug in the Joy-Con controllers as well. They slot right into the Labo’s pieces which allows you assemble a sort of cheap augmented reality (AR) machine. It’s actually pretty cool and I’d totally like to try it out (even if it’s not marketed for adults).

Nintendo has released their teaser trailer for the Labo and some models showcased included a fishing rod, a miniature piano, and even handlebars to a motorcycle. You’re not supposed to build it and run around with it- you can actually use these objects to help you “interact” with games. You can even go the other way around by building toys that are actually powered by the Joy-Con controllers.

So far, two different versions of the Labo have been announced. There’s the Toy-Con (hah) Variety Kit (set 1) and the Toy-Con Robot Kit (set 2). The first set comes with two remote control cars, a house, a piano, a motorbike, and a fishing rod. The second set comes with pieces to build a strap of some sort that you can attach to your back. There’s also a Customization Set which includes stickers, stencils, and tape that lets you pretty-up your creations.

Nintendo Labo will be available for a special event in San Franciso and New York City. You can sign up for it here. The catch is you need to be a kid that’s 6-12 years old (which is probably none of you).

The Labo will retail for $69.99 and will be available for sale 4/20/18. Overall, this is pretty cool and I’m interested to see how this pan out for interacting with games. Get more info here.

Second DLC pack for Assassin’s Creed: Origins announced (and first DLC is out soon!)

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ACO fans will get their first DLC soon.

Ubisoft is about to release its first DLC ever for Assassin’s Creed Origins and has added tons of free new content.

The first DLC adds a whole new area, raised the level cap, and brought some new skins. Assassin’s Creed Origins: The Hidden Ones had Bayek destroying the Roman forces occupying a slice of Egypt, and it was up to the player to control Bayek and his team to take them down. You’ll be able to craft another two levels of your gear to get even more powerful. The level cap was also bumped up 5 levels and also scattered new weapons, armor, and mounts throughout Egypt. The DLC will be available on January 23, 2018 for $9.99.

And there will be a free quest added to the game as well that’s a prequel to the entire storyline. It’s called “Incoming Threat” and will be available to all players. Lots to get excited about.

And now they’re on their way to their second DLC pack. The second ones called  Assassin’s Creed Origins: The Curse of the Pharaohs. It adds another big quest that has Bayek traveling to Thebes to take care of a plague in the area. You’ll have to slay mythical beasts as you try to solve the puzzle. On the technical side, it bumps the level cap another 10 levels (so that’s 15 from total with the two DLC packs from the original level cap of 40 for a total of 55 levels). The second DLC will cost $19.99 and released March 6th, 2018.

It focuses a lot more on the mythical side of the game.

And finally, there’s a new mode coming out that focuses on the educational side of the game instead. It’s like a guided tour that has historians talk about Egypt’s history and has no combat. It’s called the Discovery Tour by Assassin’s Creed: Ancient Egypt. This will be free for all owners and rolls out February 20th.

It’s a good month for ACO fans. There’s a ton of both free and paid content rolling out for those who’ve already beat the game. Now you have some awesome additional areas to explore, armor to find, mounts to ride, and quests to complete!

Overwatch’s new Blizzard World map is coming soon to an amusement park near you!

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Blizzard World is coming soon to Overwatch.

A new map rolls in Overwatch that’s made just for competitive play.

It’s a map where all players can jump in to. It’s called Blizzard World, which will be available on January 23. It was first announced at BlizzCon 2017 as a special map for all players. It pays homage to the other games that Blizzard is famous for- namely Hearthstone and World and Warcraft.

The map itself features several areas each paying a tribute to the other titles. It’s like wandering through a whole museum dedicated to Blizzard games. That sounds pretty awesome.

There’s a small advertisement of an amusement park ticket showing off an old-timey admittance ticket for the map.

Overwatch League just launched and was a decent success. Blizzard broadcasts it ever Wednesday on Twitch exclusively due to the deal they made.

You can also keep up with their new app for Overwatch League:

As of now, players seem to be in Blizzard paradise with the League, new map, and new skins/sprays. Good job, Blizzard.

Netflix on Nintendo Switch – is it finally happening?

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Netflix will be coming to the Switch- but when?

In case you didn’t know, the Nintendo Switch still doesn’t have any Netflix support.

America’s favorite streaming provider is still “exploring the opportunity” to build an app for the Switch. Polygon reports this from a Netflix rep and confirms that they don’t have any confirmable plans at this time. It’s still in the air.

Netflix tweeted a tweet over the weekend that pretty much just restated what the rep announced. Their CS account, @netflixhelps, tweeted that “there are currently no plans for Netflix on Nintendo Switch.” The tweet has been removed since then.

The Switch currently only has support for Netflix’s major competitor- Hulu. Nintendo hasn’t said anything about the integration. Hulu continues to be the only streaming option on the Switch, which was launched without any streaming support.

According to various comments about the case, the Switch will get Netflix soon enough. The question is when. Many customers already have access to Netflix across many platforms, including older Nintendo consoles like the Wii and Wii U. It should only be a matter of time before Switch users can start streaming their favorite shows and movies on Nintendo’s newest console.

Twitch gets exclusive rights to Overwatch League for the next two years

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You'll only be able to watch Overwatch League on Twitch...but who cares?

Twitch has locked in the third-party rights to stream Overwatch League exclusively for two years. The news rolled out that Blizzard and Twitch (owned by Amazon) have already decided to bring 20 esports categories to the leading streaming platform for gamers throughout 2018. Of course, this will allow Twitch to throw out some goodies for Twitch … Read more

Overwatch preps for Season 1 League tourney (and gives a few freebies to celebrate)

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Overwatch League is here! Get a free skin to support your favorite team!

Overwatch League skins/sprays are now up for grabs! The latest patch is now live and mainly focuses on integration for the Overwatch League. Yup, if you haven’t been following this game, it’s finally got to the point where the first season of competitive Overwatch is a real manifestation. The patch will add a whole new … Read more

Sony’s free games for January 2018

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Sony's freebies aren't that bad.

Sony’s free games for January are now live for download! It’s a new month, which means more free games. Isn’t that the gift that just keeps on giving? This month, PlayStation Plus subscribers get their hands on some decent titles. Mankind Divided is the main game for PS4 this month. It’s the highlighted freebie which … Read more

Iron Harvest will have destructible terrain and allow you to hide behind obstacles

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Iron Harvest

Iron Harvest is an anticipated RTS game coming up that features giant mechs and realistic graphics. The game is based on artist Jakub Rozalski, who wanted a game based on huge mechs roaming the earth in a WWI-wrecked landscape. The game takes place in an alternate universe similar to ours, but not exactly. Iron Harvest … Read more

Sony shutting down servers for many games – including Killzone 2 and 3

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sony server shutdown

Sony has announced that it’ll be shutting down its servers for several titles ranging across a variety of platforms. Killzone 2 and 3 are probably the most popular games out of the crew. Killzone 2 dates back to 2009 while Killzone 3 released in 2011. These games were heavily advertised and considered to be some … Read more

Teemo from League of Legends may be getting his own game

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teemo's adventure riot games lol

The tiny little yordle from the popular MOBA League of Legends is possibly getting his own game. It’s called “Teemo’s Adventure” and is developed as a standalone product by Riot Games, based on a rumor floating around that was first seen on a Chinese website. The game was apparently noticed by the AVDPA of China, … Read more

Cuphead is coming to iPhone and iPad…not.

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Cuphead on a Tesla.

  A Cuphead imposter was found on the iTunes store today. It basically presented itself as a port of the wildly-successful difficult platformer by Studio MDHR, which released the game a few months ago. It’s pretty much a sidescroller Rambo-style platforming game with old-fashioned animation and graphics. It was very well-received among its audience and instantly blew … Read more

Ataribox pre-ordering delayed due to development problems

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Ataribox pre-ordering delayed due to development problems 1

Did you order your Ataribox retro console yet? Well, it turns out that you can’t- according to a report on Engadget. The retro gaming console was due for pre-order availability today, but it never came through. Apparently, the console had some development issues so it’s currently delayed. The developers have stated that they need more time to … Read more

Indie game removed from Steam because it’s “porn”

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you must be 18 or older porn game removed from steam

An indie game was removed from the ubiquitous Steam platform because it’s porn. The game’s called (as appropriately titled) “You Must be 18 or Older to Enter” and focuses on your character trying to watch pornography in the middle of the night- without getting caught by anymore. Your goal is to sneak onto the computer an … Read more

Rainbow 6 Siege just keeps on giving…

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Rainbow Six Siege update.

Over 25 million players have been on the battlefield of Rainbox 6 Siege.     The tactical FPS from Ubisoft has now accumulated over 25 million people around the world. This was probably sustained by their generous free DLC-worthy updates and patches/fixes for the game’s issues at launch. See what happens when a developer actually … Read more

Dragon’s Crown Pro remake comes with a new OST and DLC included

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Dragon's Crown Pro remake by Atlus and Vanillaware.

Dragon’s Crown Pro is an action sidescroller RPG that’s coming in 2018. It’s a remake of Vanillaware’s 2013 classic. It comes with enhanced 4K visuals and a brand-new OST from Hitoshi Sakimoto and both Japanese and English audio. It’ll also have cross-platform compatibility with the original game. You can also transfer your saves between both releases. … Read more

Amazon’s Alexa will become more “humanlike” with voice recognition

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Amazon's Alexa will recognize your voice.

Amazon’s Alexa gained the ability to recognize different voices in the household last month. With this feature, Amazon will be able to use its voice assistant to even further customize its weather reports, traffic, jokes, and of course, ordering process. Developers have been testing this ability out and it should be rolling out to more … Read more