Xbox buys Bethesda and Hades is the new hotness

Microsoft won't try to buy industry dominance | Opinion

A big focus of this past week's discussion was whether or not Xbox is planning to take over the industry with acquisitions. This of course was sparked by Xbox's massive purchase of ZeniMax Studios, which includes Bethesda.

This op-ed takes a broad look at why that concern is baseless. As far as I can tell, we'll have competition within the industry for years to come. I can't say if it will always be PS vs. Xbox, but I know it will be some company versus another.

I can't wait to see where the industry takes us.

Image credit: Xbox

A Worker-Owned Game Studio Rises From the Wreckage of 'Skullgirls' Developer

The fall of Lab Zero seemingly happened so quickly. I found myself confused on what happened and shocked that it happened so quickly.

But now, the ex-devs from Lab Zero are already working on establishing their new game studio: "Future Club." It's so cool to see there determination to build a company where everyone owns the company. It's nice to see stuff like this in an industry that is often flooded with news about corporate greed.

I'm excited to see where this company goes!

Image credit: Future Club

Microsoft And GameStop's Next-Gen Console Payment Plans Should Be Permanent

One of the coolest things Xbox has done with their new consoles is the All Access plans, which basically let you get the new console and pay it off over 24 months, interest free. Xbox has done this before, but the lack of PlayStation's response to this has some people talking.

I feel like this generation switch is notable different than those in the past because PlayStation and Xbox are going different directions. Some might see it as Xbox being more consumer friendly while PlayStation is being greedy, or it could be seen as Xbox focusing on services while PlayStation focuses on the incredibly high quality first party games that they're known for. In this situation, Xbox is continuing their strategy from the past with All Access, so why should PlayStation change theirs?

I agree that something should be done to help with the hurt of the pandemic, but I also feel that offering an All Access plan isn't something that PS would do. I'm sure their management is relying on retailers like GameStop and Walmart to provide those options so they don't have to. It will be interesting to see where PS goes after this.

What do you think? Should PlayStation introduce their own All Access program? Let me know!

Image credit: Xbox

Let's Take A Breather

Let's Talk!

Each issue of Load Save is filled with articles that encourage discussion. If you have any comments on this week’s issue or just want to say hey, shoot me an email!

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Back to the basics

Last week I tried something new: focusing on a specific topic each week. It didn't pan out like I thought it would, and it reminded me that people enjoy this newsletter because it focuses on stories from all across the industry. So, I apologize if last week's issue wasn't your jam. I'm always learning and improving!

This week we're back to the original scheme. The biggest headlines this week were Xbox's acquisition of Bethesda (still shocked by that) and just how great of a game Hades is. Outside of that, we have some gems from around the industry, so dive in and enjoy!

Sidenote: sorry for the fashionably late issue this week. This week got the best of me and I wanted ot make sure this issue was rock solid before hitting send.

As always, enjoy the read!

Development

Demon's Souls Remake PS5: Gameplay Trailer Tech Breakdown + First Next-Gen Frame-Rate Analysis! - Video

Wow, watching this just makes me happy.

Demon Souls Remake looks so good that it's hard to not pick it up at launch. If you're a fan of Souls games or gothic style adventures, this one is a must have.

Confession time: I've never beaten Demon Souls, nor any Souls game for that matter, but I've bought everything single one and have had a blast with them. Right now, DS Remake isn't on my list to grab on release, but after watching this video, I might just have to splurge.

Image credit: Digital Foundry

Gamasutra: Simon Carless's Blog - Bethesda x Xbox - what does it mean for 'regular' game devs?

One of the biggest stories from this past week of Xbox's purchase of Bethesda - developer behind hit series like Fallout and Elder Scrolls.

Simon Carless, gaming newsletter OG and otherwise great guy, gives a great perspective of what this purchase means for the industry. From a customer perspective, this news rocks if you're in the Xbox ecosystem. If you find yourself outside of it, this might hit a bit hard. You can expect that the next flagship entries in Fallout and Elder Scrolls will be Microsoft exclusives.

It might be time to start thinking about that xCloud/Game Pass subscription.

Image credit: Xbox

Hades Interview — The Beatles, Tom Hiddleston, And Creating Zagreus

Oh man, do I love Darren Korb.

Korb is the composer of Transistor and Bastion, two game OSTs that blew away my perceptions of what game music can be. If you track it back, those were the roots of my love for VGM.

Hades recent launch on Switch has thrust this game into the spotlight. It looks to be a fantastic game by Supergiant (who's known for fantastic games) and I can't wait to give it a go myself!

Image credit: Supergiant Games

Before You Go

Thanks for reading!

Thanks for checking out this issue of Load Save! If you have any critiques on how I can make this newsletter better, I would love to hear them. Reach out to me anyway you want by checking out the "Let's talk!" section of this issue and let me know what you're thinking!

Until next time, stay safe!