Smilegate's popular MMO Lost Ark is doing big numbers on PC, but could it ever come to console? Amazon Games boss Soomin Park said in new interview with VG247 that nothing is off the table. If fans make a clamor for Lost Ark on console, then Amazon Games and Smilegate would consider that feedback and factor it into their plans. That said, there are no guarantees. "If Lost Ark on consoles is something that fans really want, then I think it's something both parties would consider!" Park said. Amazon's other recent big PC MMO release, New World , also released exclusively on PC with no plans to launch on console. Lost Ark's FAQ page has an entry pertaining to possible other platforms. It says, "Will it only be on PC?" And the answer is, "Yes, Lost Ark is only available on PC." Smilegate's other recent big release, CrossfireX , is available on console, so the South Korean studio has a history of supporting platforms outside of PC alone. Lost Ark had about 450,000 peak … [Read more...] about Lost Ark For Console? If Fans Make Enough Noise, Amazon And Smilegate Would Consider It
Interview
Kingdom Hearts 4 Director Explains The Game’s More Realistic Design
Kingdom Hearts IV looks set to introduce a few graphical changes to the long-running series, which includes a more mature look for protagonist Sora and other updated visual tweaks. In a new interview with Famitsu that was translated by VGC , series creator Tetsuya Nomura spoke about these changes and the world of Quadratum, which serves as an afterlife of sorts. "From Sora's perspective, Quadratum is an underworld, a fictional world that is different from reality, Nomura said. "But from the point of view of the inhabitants on the Quadratum side, the world of Quadratum is reality, and the world where Sora and the others were is the other side, the fictional world." Nomura added that Goofy and Donald Duck are searching for Sora in Kingdom Hearts IV , and if he were to return to his original reality, he'd start to resemble his more cartoonish design again so that he could fit back into his world. Oversized shoes and all. As fans have discovered, Quadratum has been referenced … [Read more...] about Kingdom Hearts 4 Director Explains The Game’s More Realistic Design
Netflix Adds New “Two Thumbs Up” Option For Rating Content
Netflix users now have the ability to rate content on its service with a new two-thumbs-up feature. It's the first major shift in user ratings since 2017, when a more binary thumbs up/thumbs down replaced the previous five-star rating. According to Protocol , who was among the first to report on this change in Netflix's interface, the option of an additional thumb won out over the possibility of subscribers gaining the ability to "heart" content to let Netflix know, in the service's own words, "You're a true fan." The company says this has been a highly requested feature. “Members have never had as many great entertainment options as they have right now,” Christine Doig-Cardet, director of product innovation and personalization experiences at Netflix, told The Verge . "Being able to find the shows and movies that you’re going to love is really important. We want to continue to make Netflix the place where it’s easiest to choose something to watch." Work on the feature began a … [Read more...] about Netflix Adds New “Two Thumbs Up” Option For Rating Content
Take-Two on a potential buyout: “We like being an independent organization”
Video game companies are being acquired by bigger video game companies at a frightening pace, but it sounds like Rockstar and 2K parent company Take-Two Interactive will remain independent for the time being. In an interview with IGN , Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick expressed some hesitation about a buyout in general while acknowledging that the interests of the company's shareholders are most important. "We're a public company, and we're here for the shareholders," Zelnick said. "That said, our track record of creating value as an independent enterprise is pretty terrific, especially if you exclude the last three months. We think there's plenty of great times ahead, and we like being an independent organization. But we're here for the shareholders." Take-Two itself recently acquired mobile developer Zynga for an earth-shattering $12.7 billion, which had been the biggest acquisition in the video game industry until Microsoft bought Activision Blizzard for nearly $70 … [Read more...] about Take-Two on a potential buyout: “We like being an independent organization”