visions Archives

AppWizard

May 17, 2025

World of Warcraft game director on the woeful patch 11.1.5: ‘It’s not the experience our players are expecting or deserve’

World of Warcraft's patch 11.1.5 has faced backlash from players due to numerous bugs and the implementation of time-gated content. Senior game director Ion Hazzikostas acknowledged that the launch did not go as planned and highlighted issues with the Flame's Radiance events, which were a key feature of the patch. Other anticipated features, including a bad-luck protection system and a dual-boss raid mode, experienced delays, leading to player disappointment. Hazzikostas noted that the decision to stagger releases aimed to prevent player overwhelm but resulted in frustration over the lack of content at launch. Bugs from previous patches re-emerged, attributed to the accelerated eight-week patch schedule, which is the fastest in the game's history. Developers are using hotfixes to address issues quickly, but this can complicate resolutions. Hazzikostas emphasized the importance of quality over quantity and stated that the team is committed to improving their processes based on the challenges faced with this patch.

AppWizard

May 6, 2025

NCSoft invests in Texan FPS studio Emptyvessel

NCSoft has invested in the first-person studio Emptyvessel, marking the start of a long-term partnership through its North American subsidiary, NC West. Emptyvessel is developing a first-person cyberpunk squad-based shooter called Defect, with a team experienced in titles like Doom and The Last of Us. Emanuel Palalic, the game director, emphasized the importance of creative risks and the alignment of visions between the two companies. NCSoft co-CEO Byung-moo Park praised Emptyvessel's expertise and reiterated the company's commitment to investing in new global intellectual properties and specific genres.

AppWizard

May 4, 2025

Star-trekking sandbox roguelike Approaching Infinity launches after more than 12 years in development

Approaching Infinity is a turn-based sandbox game developed by the micro-indie team at Ibology, which has been in development for over twelve years and has recently launched out of early access. The game allows players to assume the role of a customizable captain managing a modular starship, with the ability to assemble a crew of specialists. Players can engage in various activities such as surveying uncharted planets, solving problems, exploring shipwrecks, and interacting with alien species. Approaching Infinity is available on Steam for £15.

AppWizard

April 15, 2025

Gemini Advanced, Whisk users pick up Veo 2 for shareable cinematic video clips

Google has launched Veo 2, a video generation technology available for Gemini Advanced users and Whisk experimental testers, which converts text descriptions into eight-second video clips suitable for platforms like YouTube Shorts and TikTok. Users can create diverse video content by providing detailed text prompts. A new "Share" button facilitates uploading to social media. Each video will be tagged with SynthID to indicate it is AI-generated, and Gemini Advanced users will have a monthly limit on video creation. Veo 2 is also featured in Whisk, which includes "Whisk Animate," allowing users to animate images into cinematic-quality videos. Access to Whisk Animate is limited to Google One AI Premium subscribers. Whisk encourages users to generate content by providing images based on subject, scene, and style, while also offering a "Review & Edit" feature to refine AI outputs.

AppWizard

April 10, 2025

Minecraft Movie fans ‘robbed’ after learning who originally played Jack Black’s role

Viewers of the Minecraft movie are disappointed with Jack Black's performance, which has received mixed reviews from critics. British actor Matt Berry was originally cast as the lead role of Steve but had to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts from the 2023 actors’ strike, taking a minor role instead. Fans believe Berry's comedic style could have significantly improved the film. Social media is filled with reactions imagining how Berry would have delivered the iconic phrase “chicken jockey.” During screenings, audiences have reacted enthusiastically, with clips showing viewers throwing popcorn and cheering during a boxing scene. Cineworld has announced “Chicken Jockey Screenings” for April 13, encouraging fans to dress up and engage with the film.

AppWizard

April 6, 2025

Dishonored and Prey’s director says ‘I could see myself working on Dishonored 3 right now’ but the chances of that happening is in the realms of ‘science fiction’

The original Dishonored is highly regarded by gamers, and Dishonored 2 is considered one of the best games ever made. However, a third installment has not been developed due to Dishonored 2's sales not meeting Bethesda's expectations. Arkane Lyon is currently working on a new title related to the Blade franchise, while Arkane Austin faced closure after Redfall's poor performance. Raphaël Colantonio, a key figure in the Dishonored series, initially preferred to explore new concepts but has become more open to the idea of Dishonored 3 after thirteen years. He mentioned that discussions about the game are still hypothetical and that multiple concepts for Dishonored 3 exist, although there are no concrete plans. After leaving Arkane, Colantonio founded WolfEye Studio and is developing an unnamed first-person action RPG that aims to maintain the immersive qualities of his previous work.

Winsage

April 5, 2025

As Microsoft Turns 50, Bill Gates Gives A Rewind Of His Early Days

Bill Gates shared rare throwback photographs on Instagram to commemorate Microsoft's 50th anniversary, reflecting on his early days with the company. Gates humorously described the images as part of his "awkward photo shoots" era and expressed gratitude towards Microsoft. He co-founded Microsoft in 1975 with Paul Allen after dropping out of Harvard. Gates led the company through significant developments, including the creation of the MS-DOS operating system and Windows. He stepped down as CEO in 2000 and left Microsoft's board in 2020. Microsoft has become one of the leading tech giants, celebrating its history and future aspirations on its website.

AppWizard

April 4, 2025

South of Midnight

South of Midnight is a video game developed by Compulsion Games for PC and Xbox Series X/S, set to release in early 2025 at a price of .99. It features a coming-of-age story centered around Hazel Flood, a teenage track star who embarks on a quest to rescue her mother after a hurricane separates them. The game incorporates elements of Southern Gothic folklore, including characters like a talking catfish and the child thief Huggin' Molly. Hazel, an African-American teenager, navigates themes of generational poverty and historical struggles faced by Black individuals in the South. The gameplay includes platforming, puzzles, and combat, reminiscent of action-adventure titles from the PlayStation 2 era, with a total playtime of around 10 hours. The game showcases a rich visual style with detailed environments and a stylized aesthetic, supported by a soundtrack composed by Olivier Deriviere. South of Midnight has received the Editors' Choice accolade and is noted for its narrative depth and cultural significance.

AppWizard

March 7, 2025

Minecraft LIVE Goes Live 22nd March

Mojang Studios announced that the Minecraft LIVE event will return on March 22nd, featuring exclusive insights from developers, new game content, and special movie content related to Minecraft. Details for the live stream will be available on Minecraft’s official website.

AppWizard

March 4, 2025

NetEase vet Ozawa founds Studio Sasanqua

Kenji Ozawa has founded Studio Sasanqua after his tenure at NetEase Games' Ouka Studio, where he worked from December 2019 until its closure in 2024. He is now the CEO of Studio Sasanqua and is funding the studio himself, emphasizing the need for a supportive environment for creators. The studio aims to integrate creative and management efforts for cohesive game development. During his time at Ouka Studio, they released the title Visions of Mana, published by Square Enix. An announcement video about Studio Sasanqua has been released.