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  • Take-Two Scores Big Win: NBA 2K Tattoo Lawsuit Dunked

    Take-Two Scores Big Win: NBA 2K Tattoo Lawsuit Dunked

    Take-Two has successfully defended itself in a lawsuit where a tattoo artist claimed the company used their copyrighted tattoo design without permission in NBA 2K, featuring LeBron James.

    _NBA 2K Tattoo Lawsuit Dunked
    _NBA 2K Tattoo Lawsuit Dunked

    A jury in Ohio decided that Take-Two did not break copyright law by including LeBron James’ tattoos in the game. Take-Two’s lawyers argued that they had permission to use James’ likeness, which included his tattoos.

    According to Take-Two’s attorney Dale Cendali, this verdict is a win for anyone who has tattoos and might worry about how their tattoos are shown in public.

    This lawsuit is not the first time tattoos have been a legal issue in video games. In 2016, a tattoo company called Solid Oak Sketches sued Take-Two over NBA players’ tattoos, claiming they owned the copyright to the designs. Take-Two also won that case.

    In another case in 2012, an artist sued THQ for using a tattoo he created on a UFC fighter in a video game without his permission. That case was settled out of court.

    These cases show that the use of tattoos in video games can be a complex legal issue involving copyright and permission from tattoo artists.

  • No Rest for the Broken Gear! No Rest for the Wicked Hotfix Balances Durability and Repair

    No Rest for the Broken Gear! No Rest for the Wicked Hotfix Balances Durability and Repair

    The developers of No Rest For The Wicked haven’t had a break since the game launched in Steam Early Access last week. They quickly deployed their first hotfix to address some issues players were experiencing.

    In this update, Moon Studios focused on balancing the game and improving core systems. They reduced the damage gear takes, lowered repair costs, and increased the drop rate of Repair Powders to help players maintain their equipment. They also made stamina costs and fall damage less punishing. Here are the key changes:

    • Reduced Durability Damage Taken
    • Reduced Repair Costs
    • Increased Drop Rate on Repair Powders
    • Reduced Stamina Costs
    • Reduced Fall Damage
    • Adjusted prices of Horseshoe Crab and food containing Horseshoe Crab
    • Tweaked the Cerim Crucible boss fight
    • Changed the Corpse-Smeared Blade’s starting tier
    • Added more weapons to Fillmore’s Pre-Sacrament Loot Table
    • Decreased the drop rate of Fallen Embers

    They also fixed stability issues like crashes when quitting to the main menu and improved inventory navigation. Additionally, they addressed specific bugs like fixing a jump in the Potion Seller Cave and blocking off out-of-bounds areas.

    Earlier, players were concerned about durability and repair costs, which were common complaints in user reviews. The game is designed for dodge-roll melee combat enthusiasts, but some found it too challenging or unfair.

    Moon Studios has been responsive, outlining known issues and promising solutions. They’re also working on adding remappable controls soon.

    Overall, this update shows that the developers are listening to player feedback and making adjustments to improve the game experience. If you encounter any remaining issues, Moon Studios is actively working on fixes to address them.

    You might also be interested in the patch notes for Valorant 8.01 and NBA 2K24 Season 4 New Gen Patch Notes.

  • Early Access Exodus! Steam Zombie Game Finally Breaks Free After a Decade-Long Uprising

    Early Access Exodus! Steam Zombie Game Finally Breaks Free After a Decade-Long Uprising

    After more than a decade in Steam Early Access, the zombie survival game 7 Days to Die is finally getting its official version 1.0 launch. With a ‘very positive’ rating from over 210,000 Steam reviews, it’s a game worth trying. The price will go up after the launch, but there will be a big sale before then.

    7 Days to Die has been in Early Access since 2013 – almost 12 years! Fans have loved it, and now the developer, The Fun Pimps, feels ready to release the full version.

    After 20 Early Access releases, The Fun Pimps feels satisfied with the progress. They’ve improved the game’s art, performance, and overall quality for PC and consoles.

    The roadmap shows what’s coming in version 1.0 and beyond, with updates planned until 2025. Some Kickstarter goals will be achieved after the full launch.

    The 1.0 launch brings remade vehicles, new animals, better zombie variety, challenges, and more. After launch, expect an overhauled weather system, new biomes, a wardrobe system, crossplay, bandits, story mode, and more quests.

    The co-founder, Richard Huenink, says they’re amazed by the game’s popularity and thankful for the community’s support.

    7 Days to Die 1.0 launches in June 2024 (with an experimental launch in May) for $44.99. Before the price increase, there’s a big Steam sale from April 22 to April 29, offering a 76% discount. It’s your last chance to get the game cheap!

  • Helldivers 2 Celebrates Epic Bug Kill, Then Braces for Defeat

    Helldivers 2 Celebrates Epic Bug Kill, Then Braces for Defeat

    It seems like we’re facing a tough challenge in Helldivers 2. After a big victory against the Terminids, Arrowhead Game Studios has given us a new major order: defend ten planets. But things aren’t going well.

    Helldivers 2 Players Spot Warbond Armor
    Helldivers 2 Players Spot Warbond Armor

    A message from a community manager suggests that we’re likely to lose ground against both the bots and bugs. They’re calling it “grim projections” and it looks like we’re expected to struggle. This shows that live service games aren’t always fair.

    If you’re looking at the Helldivers 2 galaxy map and feeling doubtful about our chances, you’re not alone. Despite many players working together, winning seems unlikely this time. Arrowhead seems to feel the same way based on their recent update.

    You can also read these articles related to Helldivers 2:

    The community manager mentioned that the Automatons had restarted their attacks while we were busy fighting the Terminids. Now we’re defending on two fronts, and our experts predict we’ll lose some ground. Our goal is to make it costly for the enemies on every front.

    Even though we had a big success before, this new task feels almost impossible. We have three days left to defend nine more planets, and it’s not looking good. It’s shaping up to be a tough battle, and winning seems unlikely this time.

  • Infection Free Zone’s Early Access Needs a Patch, Not a Pandemic

    Infection Free Zone’s Early Access Needs a Patch, Not a Pandemic

    Infection Free Zone, now available on Steam Early Access, starts with a simple idea: Zombies have taken over the world, forcing humans into underground bunkers. After a while, a radio message announces that the disease is fading. Although the surface is still dangerous, it’s time to rebuild society.

    I’ve played games like this before, where you build a post-apocalyptic society and fight off zombie attacks. But this time, I’m doing it from my neighborhood. Instead of a made-up world or a model of a city, Infection Free Zone uses real map data to recreate cities and towns exactly as they are. This means I can loot real locations and set up a base in familiar places.

    When I started my game, I chose to begin in my region, and I even found my apartment in the game. The map uses real-world information to identify each building.

    For example, the walk-in clinic near my apartment is recognized as a hospital, making it a perfect base for me. My apartment didn’t have medical supplies, and it would be hard to defend because it was small. But the clinic was easy to secure, and I could use all the leftover medicine.

    Every building’s real-life purpose affects how it works in the Infection Free Zone. I had to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of each building to survive. I organized my survivors into small groups to scavenge nearby homes for food. We also found other survivors and started growing food and setting up infrastructure.

    It’s an exciting challenge to rebuild society in my own neighborhood, even if it’s just in a game. Infection Free Zone brings the zombie apocalypse right to my doorstep!

    If you want to read more articles about other games, check out Stardew Valley 1.6 Release Date and Elden Ring DLC Shadow Of The Erdtree Release Date. We appreciate your interest in our site! Make Gameempress.com your go-to source for gaming knowledge.

  • No Cuts Here! Stellar Blade Slashes Through Censorship in All Regions

    No Cuts Here! Stellar Blade Slashes Through Censorship in All Regions

    Developer Shift Up has announced that Stellar Blade will have an “uncensored” release worldwide, including in Japan. This means that the game’s content will be the same everywhere you buy it.

    The announcement on social media didn’t explain exactly what will be uncensored, but it likely refers to violent and sexual content being consistent across all versions of the game.

    Sometimes, games have to change certain things to be released in different countries because each region has its own rules for age ratings. If a game is deemed too mature, it might need changes to get the desired rating. In some cases, a game might even be banned from certain regions if it doesn’t meet the rating criteria.

    However, Stellar Blade has received a Mature rating from the ESRB and an 18 rating from PEGI, which means it includes blood, gore, strong language, suggestive themes, and violence—typical for a game with this rating.

    Fans who were worried about censorship in certain regions are happy about this news. But just because the game is uncensored doesn’t mean you’ll see revealing content all the time. The game director suggested that players dress the character Eve modestly to improve her stats, warning that revealing outfits don’t provide defense and could lead to quicker defeat.

    Stellar Blade will launch on April 26, exclusively on PlayStation 5. You can try a demo of the game now.

  • Valheim Gets an RPG Makeover: Players Dedicate 1,000 Hours to Epic Creation

    Valheim Gets an RPG Makeover: Players Dedicate 1,000 Hours to Epic Creation

    Two Valheim enthusiasts, Ninebyte and Dhakhar, dedicated over a thousand hours across three months to build an entire RPG game within Valheim, a popular survival game.

    The YouTubers teamed up to embark on this ambitious project, using Valheim’s versatile building tools to create unique stories, bosses, and more. They started by collecting and modifying existing builds at the edge of the game world, creating a “build graveyard” to use as a base for their project.

    Is Valheim Cross Platform?
    Is Valheim Cross Platform?

    Next, they crafted five main towns that would be connected through a story and lore they developed. They added points of interest, roads, and boss arenas with custom enemies for intense battles. Inspired by the Legends mod, they included 12 different classes like berserker, mage, and shaman.

    Once the main structure was in place, they focused on refining roads, optimizing code, adding mysterious NPCs who give quests, and creating lore to tie everything together. They even scattered vanilla loot items across the map as quest rewards.

    If you’re curious to explore their creation, you can try the beta version 1.0 for free on their Discord server. This project showcases their dedication and creativity within the world of Valheim, turning it into a fully-fledged RPG experience.

  • Million Dollar Layoffs? CI Games CEO Hails Revenue Boom After Trimming Workforce

    Million Dollar Layoffs? CI Games CEO Hails Revenue Boom After Trimming Workforce

    CI Games, the developer of Lords of the Fallen, has had its “best year” ever in terms of revenue, making over $60 million during fiscal 2023.

    This revenue is a huge increase of 400 percent compared to the previous year. Lords of the Fallen, which sold around 1.3 million copies in less than three months, played a big part in this success.

    CI Games CEO
    CI Games CEO

    During the 12 months, CI Games made a gross profit of about $6.48 million and a net profit of approximately $3.57 million. Their EBITDA (a measure of a company’s operating performance) was around $24 million.

    Marek Tymiński, the CEO of CI Games Group, described the fiscal year 2023 as a time of strong progress due to the launch of Lords of the Fallen. This game, the most expensive in the company’s history, made up 83 percent of its sales revenue for the year.

    However, it’s important to note that CI Games laid off 10 percent of its workforce in January, which affected employees at Lords of the Fallen studio Hexworks, Sniper Ghost Warrior developer Underdog, and the majority of the company’s marketing team.

    Currently, CI Games employs over 180 people. Hexworks has 82 team members, and Underdog has 53.

    Tymiński commented on the successful year, highlighting Lords of the Fallen‘s sales and their plans for future games in the series. He mentioned that CI Games is working on two new projects internally, codenamed Project Survive and Project 3, expected to be released in 2025 and 2026 respectively.

  • Red Rover Interactive Blasts Off with $15M Series A Funding Round

    Red Rover Interactive Blasts Off with $15M Series A Funding Round

    Red Rover Interactive has announced that it has raised $15 million in funding for its Series A round. This is the second time Red Rover has raised money within a year, after its initial seed funding last June. Both rounds of funding will support Red Rover’s upcoming survival game, codenamed Project Coltrane.

    Krafton led this funding round, with support from Tirta Ventures and Overwolf, along with existing investors The Games Fund, Behold Ventures, Lifelike Capital, and Acequia Capital. Maria Park, VP head of Krafton’s corporate development division, mentioned that Krafton is interested in Red Rover and Project Coltrane because of similarities to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG).

    Red Rover’s focus on player feedback and iterative design aligns with PUBG’s philosophy, as observed through regular playtests with players and streamers.

    Also Read:

    Project Coltrane is described by Red Rover as a post-apocalyptic survival game where trains are a key element. Red Rover aims to bring a unique twist to the survival genre with this game. With the new funding, Red Rover plans to expand its development team and speed up the game’s progress.

    Fred Richardson, Red Rover’s CEO, highlighted their approach of involving the community and content creators early in the development process. This approach, focusing on what matters most to players, has been crucial to their rapid progress.

  • Red Dead Redemption 2’s Hidden Ending Will Make You Reconsider Everything

    Red Dead Redemption 2’s Hidden Ending Will Make You Reconsider Everything

    I often wonder if anyone has discovered all of Red Dead Redemption 2‘s secrets. It’s hard to know when we’ve found everything in Rockstar Games’ highly detailed open world.

    Discoveries keep popping up, but what’s new for one player might not be new for another. That’s why the game still has such an active community. Players are constantly sharing new things they’ve found or tricks they’ve learned.

    TIL that’s there’s an alternate scene if you escape the police after the drinking with Lenny mission
    byu/Name12345678910-1 inreddeadredemption

    Today, we’re discussing an alternate ending to a mission that many of you might not have seen before. This alternate ending was mentioned by a Reddit user named Name12345678910-1. They said, “[Today I learned] that there’s an alternate scene if you escape the police after the drinking with Lenny mission.”

    In this mission, Arthur and Lenny get very drunk, causing chaos. They try to run away, but Lenny gets caught by the police. Arthur has a few choices here. Usually, he gets caught too and ends up in jail, or he escapes and leaves Lenny behind.

    But there’s another funny option. Arthur can accidentally run into a post and knock himself out. When he wakes up, he finds himself in jail.

    “This always cracks me up. Most people either always get caught or never get caught and don’t know about the other scene,” commented InvisibleMadBadger.

    “Yeah, it took me until my fourth playthrough to realize you could get caught,” added Wplong23.

    So there you go! There is something new for you to discover in your next playthrough of the game.

  • Silent Hill 2 Remake Gets A Makeover: New Look For James Sunderland Revealed

    Silent Hill 2 Remake Gets A Makeover: New Look For James Sunderland Revealed

    The upcoming remake of Silent Hill 2 has shown a new look for the main character, James Sunderland, in a game icon on Steam.

    This is the first peek we’ve had of Silent Hill 2’s remake and how James Sunderland will appear. The information came through an update on the game’s Steam page, noticed on SteamDB. Fans have reacted positively to the change, saying it brings back the original feel from 2001.

    New SH2R game’s icon.
    byu/Comrade141 insilenthill

    James Sunderland’s appearance hasn’t changed drastically, maybe just a haircut and a slightly tired look under his eyes. Fans appreciate the nostalgic touch of the new look, especially pleasing longtime fans of the series. Reddit users have shown happiness about the remake’s direction.

    The comments show fans are pleased with the change, especially after criticism of the gameplay trailer for not making enough changes. Recently, the game was rated by ESRB, revealing some content changes, but beware of spoilers.

    The Silent Hill 2 Remake uses Epic’s Unreal Engine 5 and will be available for PC and PlayStation 5. There’s no release date yet, but it shouldn’t be too far away now.

  • Is The War Effort Stalled? Helldivers 2 Faces “Minor Outage” In Tracking Progress

    Is The War Effort Stalled? Helldivers 2 Faces “Minor Outage” In Tracking Progress

    Helldivers 2 troops are busy working on a mission to defend ten planets from bugs and bots. However, a technical problem has hit the game’s systems, causing a minor outage.

    The game’s developer, Arrowhead Studios, explained that a long-range array was destroyed on Vernon Wells, causing this issue. Because of this, players might not see their progress properly tracked during the current game event.

    This outage is especially inconvenient because the game is intentionally making things harder for players during this phase. However, the developers are working to fix the problem and adjust the game systems to help players in the future.

    The studio also mentioned the challenges of running an ongoing game like Helldivers 2, where they have to add new content while also fixing any issues to keep the game exciting and relevant.

  • Mario Kart 8: Stats Don’t Lie – Picking the Winning Character Every Time

    Mario Kart 8: Stats Don’t Lie – Picking the Winning Character Every Time

    Everyone has their favorite Mario Kart character to play as, but is there a character that can give you an advantage over others – to go a bit faster or recover quicker?

    Yes, some characters are mathematically better than others. This is true even when you consider the different kart parts – bodies, wheels, and gliders – that you can mix and match to adjust your racer’s stats. So, how do you choose?

    Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Update
    Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Update

    A data scientist named Antoine Mayerowitz researched this. He found that there are 703,560 different build options when you consider all the characters and kart pieces. But many of these are very similar, so you can narrow it down to 25,704 unique options.

    From there, you need to figure out which ones work best for different styles of play, whether you prefer speed or acceleration. Mayerowitz used a method from Vilfredo Pareto, a clever thinker from the 1800s, to find the best options.

    The fastest characters based on speed are Bowser and Wario, but they lack acceleration. The best overall character according to Pareto’s analysis is Cat Peach, although you could also choose Villager (female), Inkling Girl, or Diddy Kong.

    There are several good options to choose from. However, some characters, like Koopa Trooper, are usually not the best choice. Using Pareto’s method, Mayerowitz found 585 builds with unique speed and acceleration properties, then narrowed it down to 14 most efficient candidates.

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    Reducing the options from 703,560 to 14 is a good start. You can use a tool called X’s 3D to explore these options further. Donkey Kong, Wario, and Peach often stand out with this tool.

    The analysis concludes with a popular build used by professional players: Peach, the Teddy Buggy, Roller tires, and the Cloud Glider. This setup optimizes speed, acceleration, and mini turbo boost. However, you might prefer playing as a different character. I like playing as Toad because I prefer smaller, speedier characters.

    The research is fascinating, even though the differences in performance are small. It’s worth experimenting with these findings. But will it stop you from playing as Koopa?

  • Helldivers 2: Brace For Retreat! Devs Warn Of Strategic Loss In Next Major Order

    Helldivers 2: Brace For Retreat! Devs Warn Of Strategic Loss In Next Major Order

    Helldivers 2 players have been dealing big blows to the robot Automatons and space crab Terminids lately. But now, these enemies are really mad and want payback. A developer from Arrowhead Studios warns that it’s going to be tough for troops to hold them off.

    Helldivers 2 Players Spot Warbond Armor
    Helldivers 2 Players Spot Warbond Armor

    Recently, Helldivers defeated two billion space crabs in just half a day and pushed back the Automatons in the Galactic West. But this success has made the enemies angry and determined.

    The game’s community manager, Spitz, shared some inside info on the game’s Discord channel. He mentioned that players will intentionally lose ground on one front. They’ve provoked the space crabs and given the robots time to recover. Now, both factions are fighting hard to reclaim territory.

    Defending against these attacks will happen a lot, and players need to decide where to focus their efforts. But it’s unlikely they’ll be able to protect everything.

    Spitz’s advice for players is to choose their battles wisely and focus on specific planets. In the past, dividing forces and lack of focus caused Helldivers to lose against the Automatons. So, being organized and setting priorities will be crucial this time. Good luck, troopers!

  • Manor Lords: Don’t Expect A Total War Rival, Says Dev Before Early Access

    Manor Lords: Don’t Expect A Total War Rival, Says Dev Before Early Access

    Launching a game can be risky, especially when it’s highly anticipated like Manor Lords, which has over two million wishlists on Steam.

    The developer, Slavic Games, is preparing for the game’s upcoming release on Steam Early Access by addressing potential issues that may arise when such a popular game finally launches.

    Manor Lords puts you in the role of a medieval lord overseeing the growth of a village into a city. You’ll manage resources, build armies, and engage in tactical battles, blending city-building with real-time strategy and a touch of medieval life simulation. This unique mix of genres has prompted Slavic Games to clarify what Manor Lords is and isn’t.

    Greg, the sole developer, wants players to know that Manor Lords is not a competitor to games like Total War or Age of Empires. It’s primarily a city builder with battles, focusing more on slower-paced city management rather than large-scale conquests or fast-paced real-time strategy.

    Greg emphasizes that Manor Lords is not an RPG and won’t feature first-person gameplay. The game is about being a Manor Lord, not an expansive empire ruler or a rapid strategy commander.

    It’s common for highly anticipated games to face disappointment due to players’ high expectations. Slavic Games’ effort to manage expectations and provide context for Manor Lords is refreshing in an industry often driven solely by hype and numbers.

    Regarding the Early Access launch, Greg mentions that Manor Lords won’t have a detailed roadmap for future updates initially. Instead, updates will be based on player feedback and demand, ensuring that development efforts align closely with what the community wants.

    Manor Lords will debut on Steam Early Access on Friday, April 26. Players can wishlist the game on Steam to stay updated and prepare for its release.

  • Darkest Dungeon II Coming To PlayStation On July 15th

    Darkest Dungeon II Coming To PlayStation On July 15th

    Red Hook Studios will release the turn-based roguelike RPG Darkest Dungeon II for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on July 15.

    The game will be priced at $39.99, and there’s also a bundle available for $44.99 that includes the downloadable content “The Binding Blade.” Pre-orders are open now on the PlayStation Store.

    Darkest Dungeon II originally came out in Early Access for PC on Steam and Epic Games Store on October 26, 2021, and had its full release on May 8, 2023.

    Tyler Sigman, the design director at Red Hook Studios, said, “We’re excited to bring Darkest Dungeon II to PlayStation players.

    The game feels great with the DualSense Controller, allowing us to add details like feeling a hero’s heartbeat when they’re close to death or the rumble of the stagecoach’s wheels hitting a trap. Darkest Dungeon I had a strong community on PlayStation, and we hope the sequel will be just as popular.”

    If you want to read more articles about other games, check out No Rest For The Wicked Game Release Date and Genshin Impact Version 4.5 Update Release Date. We appreciate your interest in our site! Make Gameempress.com your go-to source for gaming knowledge.