EA

Battlefield 6 developers have acknowledged criticism regarding the lack of large maps since its launch and have promised additional maps are forthcoming. Bobby Kotick revealed he offered [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: Good morning and welcome to your regularly scheduled Friday. As you prepare to embrace the weekend, take a moment to catch up on today’s Morning Checkpoint, a curated selection of noteworthy updates from the gaming industry. Battlefield 6 devs address lack of big maps and offer some hope Since its launch last month, Battlefield 6 has faced criticism regarding the absence of expansive maps. In response, EA has taken to their blog to reassure players that additional maps of various sizes are on the horizon. The developers at Battlefield Studios have acknowledged the community's creativity, particularly in the Portal mode, where user-generated maps have begun to reshape the gaming experience. In a recent playtest, I had the opportunity to explore the upcoming map, Eastwood, and it appears to be a promising addition that will likely satisfy players’ desires for larger battlegrounds. The hope remains that future updates will deliver even more expansive environments, fulfilling the expectations of dedicated fans. Bobby Kotick offered Notch .5 billion for Minecraft In a recent podcast appearance, former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick revealed that he nearly acquired Minecraft before Microsoft finalized the deal in 2014. Kotick recounted his experience negotiating with Minecraft creator Markus "Notch" Persson, stating, “We offered him .5 billion. And he said, ‘By the way, I’m quitting, and my top leadership guys are all quitting.’” With only 30 employees at the time, the deal fell through, leaving Activision to eventually gain ownership of Minecraft through Microsoft’s acquisition of the company in 2023. Insider claims RDR2 is going to get a PS5 upgrade In recent news, Rockstar announced that Red Dead Redemption will receive free upgrades for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch 2, enhancing its performance on newer consoles. According to reliable leaker NateTheHate, there are also plans for a PS5 upgrade for Red Dead Redemption 2, although the timeline has been impacted by delays related to GTA 6. The gaming community eagerly awaits further developments on this front. Phasmophobia devs don’t want the game to be a live-service ‘treadmill’ The co-op ghost-hunting game Phasmophobia has garnered a significant following, yet its developers are keen to distance themselves from the live-service model prevalent in titles like Fortnite and Call of Duty. In an interview with PCGamesN, art director Corey Dixon expressed a desire to avoid the pressures of live-service development, emphasizing the importance of creating a game that players enjoy for its inherent fun rather than as a means to retain their attention. This refreshing perspective highlights a commitment to player experience over monetization strategies. Rockstar’s firing of 31 employees is now officially being discussed in the UK Parliament Earlier this month, Rockstar Games made headlines by terminating over two dozen employees in the UK. The affected workers, along with the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain, have accused the company of union-busting and are demanding their reinstatement. Rockstar contends that the dismissals were due to the sharing of confidential information. This situation has escalated to the point where it was addressed in the UK Parliament, raising questions about the company's practices and the implications for its workforce. ICYMI: Watch This:" max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"].5 billion to acquire Minecraft before Microsoft finalized the deal in 2014. Rockstar announced that Red Dead Redemption will receive free upgrades for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch 2, and there are plans for a PS5 upgrade for Red Dead Redemption 2, though delays related to GTA 6 have impacted the timeline. The developers of Phasmophobia aim to avoid the live-service model, focusing instead on creating a game that players enjoy for its fun. Rockstar Games recently fired 31 employees in the UK, leading to accusations of union-busting and discussions in the UK Parliament regarding the dismissals.