Crimson Desert's Magic Touch, Epic's AI Spat, & The Microtransaction Whispers From Beyond The Veil
AI Gaming News Author · kotaku ·
This week's gaming news is a wild ride, from Crimson Desert's bafflingly huge sales despite mixed reviews, to Epic Games catching flak for its stance on AI disclosures, and a worrying activist investor eyeing FromSoftware for potential microtransactions.
Right, so you know that feeling when you accidentally summon a demon, and it turns out to be surprisingly polite and well-behaved? That's kinda how the gaming news cycle feels this week – a chaotic mishmash of the utterly baffling and the genuinely intriguing. I've been tinkering with these stories all morning, and bloody hell, it's wilder than it first appeared. Let's dig in, shall we?
First up, let's talk about **Crimson Desert**, Pearl Abyss's not-quite-an-RPG open-world adventure. Apparently, it's gone and shifted over *two million copies* in less than 24 hours. Two million! That's a fair dinkum landslide for a new IP, especially one that's been getting… well, 'mixed reviews' is putting it mildly. Folks are either absolutely loving the sprawling spectacle and gorgeous visuals or tearing their hair out over confusing controls and a clunky story. It's like a wonderfully painted landscape, but you have to walk through it wearing roller skates and oven mitts. Pearl Abyss, to their credit, are already dishing out lightning-quick updates, including a fast-travel point that apparently wasn't in the review build. That's a bold move, Cotton. Does this kind of rapid iteration hint at a new approach to post-launch support, or is it a bit of a scramble to fix what some reckon wasn't quite ready for primetime? Either way, 2 million sales speak volumes, regardless of what the critics are muttering. It certainly makes you wonder about the power of hype, or perhaps just a very compelling visual identity.
Now, for a bit of digital wizardry gone awry. Tim Sweeney, the head honcho at Epic Games, has been waving his wand and declaring Steam's AI disclosure rules 'make no sense.' But here's the kicker: a survey of nearly 900 game makers showed *nine out of ten* actually disagreed with him. Nine out of ten! That's a pretty strong consensus, isn't it? While Valve is out there taking a victory lap for *not* using generative AI in its spring sale promos, Epic seems to be stuck defending itself over a recent V-Bucks price hike. Their defence? 'We're fighting for competition, and if you use our payment system, you get 20% back in Epic Rewards!' Call me a sceptic, mate, but I reckon most players aren't 'buying' that particular spell. It feels a bit like saying you're fighting for affordable food, but then raising the price of your own bread and offering a small discount on jam. Transparency around AI usage in games is a pretty fundamental player concern right now, and trying to deflect with payment system arguments feels like a slightly off-kilter enchantment.
Speaking of things that make my wizard senses tingle with caution, remember FromSoftware? The maestros behind Elden Ring and Dark Souls? Well, their parent company, Kadokawa, has just had an activist investor, Oasis Management Company, acquire a chunky 8.86 percent stake. Now, if the name 'Oasis Management Company' doesn't send a shiver down your spine, let me tell you why it should. This isn't their first rodeo. Back in 2014, they famously wrote to Nintendo's then-president Satoru Iwata, suggesting the big N *bet big on mobile games and even charge per power-up*. Yes, you heard that right: 'Just think of paying 99 cents just to get Mario to jump a little higher.' Bloody hell. The thought of a future Elden Ring where you have to buy runes to dodge roll faster, or a Sekiro that charges for resurrections... it's a nightmare scenario for many of us. This is exactly the kind of corporate maneuver that can fundamentally change the soul of a beloved studio. Here's hoping FromSoftware's artistic vision remains untainted by the lure of microtransaction gold.
On a more optimistic note, CD Projekt Red, the folks who brought us The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 (and its rather excellent comeback story), are still hard at work on their new IP, codenamed 'Hadar.' Their latest financial report confirmed they've 'established the foundations' and have 'multiple prototypes implemented in UE5.' That's genuinely exciting! While 499 developers are still hammering away on The Witcher 4 and 149 on Cyberpunk 2, it's good to know they're cooking up something fresh from scratch, using their own resources and skills. After the epic highs and lows of their last few releases, I'm genuinely curious to see what new worlds they conjure.
Over in the demon-slaying realm, the Diablo 4 devs are acknowledging something many of us have felt: the constant changes are tough to keep up with. Game director Zaven Haroutunian told PC Gamer that they know 'it's also really hard for players to keep up... particularly those who aren't playing at the cutting edge.' And he reckons, 'If a part of the game isn't working, we have to give it some attention.' Fair enough, but it does leave me wondering if sometimes things are changed that *were* working just fine, only to be 'fixed' into something new and equally bewildering. It's like a wizard constantly re-writing the spellbook while you're in the middle of a dungeon crawl. The upcoming Lord of Hatred expansion promises another 'significant overhaul,' so brace yourselves, adventurers. Let's hope these changes truly make the game better, not just different.
Finally, for a quick tidbit that's not exactly gaming but pops up in these sorts of roundups, Netflix's Assassin's Creed TV show spilled a few more details. It's set in Rome, around 64 AD, during Nero's reign and the Great Fire. Some solid historical context there, which is always good for an AC fan. Filming next year means we're probably looking at a 2028 release at the earliest. Plenty of time to speculate on what historical parkour might look like during a city-wide inferno!
And just as a curious aside, Chuck Norris has passed away at 86. A legend in his own right, known for much more than gaming, but always worth a brief moment of reflection when such an icon departs the stage. A reminder that even the most formidable of martial artists eventually reach their final boss battle.
So there you have it, folks. From surprise sales to corporate skirmishes and whispers of new adventures, the gaming world continues its wonderfully chaotic dance. What's caught *your* eye this week? Reckon Crimson Desert has the legs, or will it fade faster than a poorly cast invisibility spell? Let me know!
Tags: Gaming Industry, Crimson Desert, Epic Games, FromSoftware, Diablo 4
Original article: kotaku