1. Skull & Bones, initially promoted as a AAAA game by Ubisoft, will be released on Steam next month after failing to attract an audience on Ubisoft's own store and the Epic Games Store. 2. The game is set to launch on August 22, allowing players to navigate the high seas, engage in naval battles, and build their empire. 3. This move to Steam is part of Ubisoft's usual strategy, as they do not release games day-and-date on Steam due to their deal with the Epic Games Store.

1. Gamescom's Opening Night Live (ONL) charges high fees for trailer slots, with 30 seconds costing $125,000. 2. The prices are higher for the main event compared to the pre-show. 3. Slots for the main show are already sold out, indicating publishers' willingness to pay these high fees.

1. Helldivers 2 introduces its biggest update, Escalation of Freedom, in August; 2. Features a new Super Helldive mission with Combat Rating 10 difficulty; 3. Includes new enemies, missions, and a new map biome.

1. Lucy from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is set to debut in GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- as the first guest character. 2. This collaboration between CD Projekt Red and Arc System Works marks a significant milestone for the Guilty Gear franchise. 3. Lucy will be introduced in 2025 as part of the 4th Season pass, making her first gaming appearance outside of Cyberpunk 2077.

1. Ubisoft is investing more in the marketing of Star Wars Outlaws than any other game in its history. 2. The CEO of Ubisoft, Yves Guillemot, announced a strong launch plan for the game, considering it one of the most anticipated games of the year. 3. The game is set to launch on August 30, and a significant increase in marketing and ad placements is expected in the coming days and weeks.

1. Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass price increase, despite being controversial, is expected to significantly boost revenue. 2. Subscribers may pay up to 35% more due to the price hike and incentives for the Ultimate tier. 3. The revenue from Game Pass is projected to grow by over 200% to $5.5 billion by 2025, partly driven by the addition of Call of Duty.

1. Marvel Rivals, a Hero shooter similar to Overwatch and Paladins, is sending out its first wave of closed beta invites. 2. The beta test on Steam has already started pre-downloading, while console beta invites are expected soon. 3. The reception of Marvel Rivals will be interesting to observe, especially following the recent beta of PlayStation’s Concord which had less-than-stellar numbers.

1. MultiVersus introduces Samurai Jack and Beetlejuice in Season 2; 2. Season 2 includes a ranked mode and reward skins; 3. Game continues updates despite struggling to maintain player interest.

1. Humble Choice subscription service is offering a 30% discount for the next six months. 2. The promotion is available for new, paused, and cancelled members until August 6th. 3. July's Humble Choice includes 8 titles such as A Plague Tale: Requiem and Ghostrunner 2.

1. GAME UK, a prominent UK video game retailer, is facing significant challenges and is likely to become an online-only retailer soon; 2. The company has struggled to maintain relevance due to the shift towards e-commerce, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic; 3. Despite the challenges, GAME holds nostalgic and formative memories for many, representing a significant part of the gaming culture in the UK.

1. EA Sports FC 25 has announced its PC system requirements, which are similar to its predecessor; 2. The game introduces a new 5v5 Rush mode and an enhanced FC IQ for better strategic control; 3. Improved Manager and Player Career modes allow players to experience real-world football stories.

1. Techland announces an open beta for the Tower Raid multiplayer event in Dying Light 2 starting August 1st. 2. The beta is accessible to all, regardless of owning the game, and aims to gather feedback for improvements. 3. Players will navigate through a tower filled with zombies to earn new gear usable in other game areas.

1. Sony's Concord, a live-service game developed by Firewalk Studios, has seen low player engagement during its PC open beta, peaking at just over 2,300 players. 2. The game's £35 launch price may be a significant factor in its low player count, as many popular games are now free-to-play. 3. Sony may need to reconsider its launch strategy and possibly delay the game's release to improve player reception.

1. Valve has announced 11 more Steam sales for 2024, including genre-specific events and major seasonal sales. 2. The sales cover various genres such as tower defense, fighting games, rhythm games, and more. 3. Dates for 2025 sales have also been revealed, including RTS, idler, visual novel, and couch co-op sales.

1. MSI has partnered with Kepler Interactive to offer Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn with select Z790 motherboards. 2. The game, developed by A44 Games, features a vast world, fast-paced battles, and a Souls-lite combat system. 3. The promotion includes several MSI motherboards and runs from July 18th to August 18th, 2024, with product registration required by September 1st.

1. PowerWash Simulator celebrates its 2nd anniversary with a free update, including two community-voted jobs 'Aquarium' and 'Stadium'. 2. The game has sold over 12 million copies since its launch and continues to release free updates and crossover DLCs. 3. A trailer accompanying the announcement hinted at more content to come.

1. Pacific Drive, a first-person driving survival game, has sold over 600,000 copies since its release in February. 2. The latest update introduces a 60fps performance mode for PS5 players, along with new features such as Photo Mode, paintable car headlights, and an interactive jukebox. 3. The game has received praise for its atmospheric storytelling and survival gameplay, making it a must-play indie title of 2024.

1. Helldivers II and The Last of Us Part II Remastered are the top-selling games in the UK for 2024, both published by Sony. 2. Helldivers II has sold over 12 million copies globally, while The Last of Us Part II Remastered, a PS5 remaster, has taken second place despite no official sales figures from Sony. 3. The success of The Last of Us Part II Remastered may be attributed to the new audience attracted by the TV show adaptation.

1. GeForce Now adds nine new games to its library, including recent releases like Dungeons of Hinterberg and Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn. 2. Two of the new games are available for free streaming with a Game Pass subscription. 3. Nvidia offers a 50% discount on GeForce Now Premium memberships during its summer sale.

1. Splitgate reached V1.0 in 2022 after an extensive period of early access development, followed by a year-long open beta. 2. 1047 Games has announced plans for a sequel, Splitgate 2, which is set to launch in 2025 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PS4. 3. The sequel aims to recapture the audience and retain them, amidst a saturated market of team-based multiplayer shooters.