The Biggest News In Gaming (Week Beginning 5/8/19)

Trump may have pointed the finger at video games, but what does his lack of action against them tell us? Also this week, Annapurna Interactive reassures us they aren’t going down with the ship, and the big three want to show you your loot box betting odds…

Trump Blames Video Games For “Glorification Of Violence” After More Mass Shootings

The President of the United States has caused huge controversy by blaming a series of mass shootings that took place last week on violent video games.

Following shootings in Ohio and Texas, Donald Trump addressed the media and said that a culture that glorifies violence is in part, to blame for gun crime.

The President said “We must stop the glorification of violence in our society. This includes the gruesome and grisly video games that are now commonplace.

“It is too easy today for troubled youth to surround themselves with a culture that celebrates violence. We must stop or substantially reduce this, and it has to begin immediately.” Trump continued.

The US president neglected to disclose details of what a substantial reduction or stoppage would mean, but also pointed the finger at mental health laws.

Later in the week, it was reported that Walmart, the US superstore, would cease to show adverts for, and stop sales of most video games in their stores.

After a representative from the store spoke to Kotaku, however, this has been debunked.

Shoppers also feared that this may be the case when one person tweeted a photo of empty video game shelves in one Walmart store. However, in a statement from the company, they have said the following:

“We’ve taken this action out of respect for the incidents of the past week, and it does not reflect a long-term change in our video game assortment. We are focussed on assisting our associates and their families, as well as supporting the community, as we continue a thoughtful and thorough review of our policies.”

Walmart was the setting of one of the shootings last week when a gunman killed 22 in the El Paso Walmart branch in Texas.

President Trump shifting the blame to video games this week has caused a lot of conversation and controversy in the games sphere, as many have quickly rushed to deny any correlation between video games and violence.

The president is yet to disclose any information on what action he will take against violent video games.

Annapurna Reassures Fans Amid Bankruptcy Rumours

Annapurna Interactive, the publisher of What Remains of Edith Finch and Outer Wilds, has reassured fans this week that they’re “not going anywhere” despite fears that their parent company is going out of business.

The Hollywood Reporter delivered the news last week that Annapurna Pictures, the film producer and owner of Annapurna Interactive was looking to defend themselves from bankruptcy following a year of film releases that struggled at the box office.

A spokesperson from the Hollywood company said: “The Ellison family is in negotiations to restructure their deals with the banks, they remain in full support of the company and are dedicated to Annapurna’s future.”

In a note to employees from the founder of the company, Megan Ellison, she said “Restructuring deals with financial institutions is not uncommon, yet the process is usually handled without a spotlight on it.

“Fortunately/unfortunately, people like to write about me and my family.” She continued.

“Regardless of whatever comes out in the press, the truth is that we are well on our continued path towards success. There will always be speculation, misinformation and personal jabs in the press — that’s part of the business.”

Concerns arose in the games industry when this was reported as since Annapurna Interactive began publishing indie games in 2016, they have found critical acclaim and emotional resonance with many.

One gamer tweeted his concern by saying “Man, someone needs to save @A_i [Annapurna Interactive]- I love their games and my 5-year-old son adores Donut County. Shame if they go out of business.”

The publisher then responded to the tweet by saying “We’re not going anywhere!”

Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo To Begin Disclosing Loot Box Betting Odds

The US Federal Trade Commission held a workshop on loot boxes this week, which was attended by Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, and The US Entertainment Software Association (ESA).

Michael Warnecke, ESA’s chief counsel for tech policy, announced afterward that gaming’s big three will begin to implement new policies in regards to loot boxes in video games on their platforms in 2020.

“I’m pleased to announce this morning that Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony have indicated to ESA a commitment to new platform policies with respect to the use of paid loot boxes in games that are developed for their platform,” he said.

“Specifically, this would apply to new games and game updates that add loot box features, and it would require the disclosure of the relative rarity or probabilities of obtaining randomised virtual items in games that are available on their platforms.”

In a blog post on ESA’s website, the organisation says that many of the industry’s major publishers, including Activision Blizzard, Bandai Namco, Bethesda, Bungie, Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, and Warner Bros., have agreed to implement a similar disclosure policy within a similar timeframe.

Loot boxes have been heading toward reform for some time now after years of gambling comparisons being made. The games industry has never been willing to make the first move, probably due to the large proportion of profits game developers see from their microtransactions.

Some governments, such as Belgium’s, have beaten the gaming companies to the mark by already placing heavy regulations on loot boxes and age ratings.

Warnecke says these new polices support the player first and foremost as they aim to give “a comprehensive approach to ensuring consumers get the information they need so they can make informed purchasing decisions when it comes to paid loot boxes.”

Yuke’s Removed from WWE Games Development Team After Nearly 20 Years

The Japanese developer, Yuke’s, will no longer develop WWE games for 2K.

After a 20-year partnership with WWE, sole development of the franchise’s games will now be undertaken (ba dum tss) by Visual Concepts.

2K said “WWE 2K20 will be developed by Visual Concepts, who have worked with Yuke’s on the development of the series since WWE 2K14. As we’ve continued to invest in the WWE 2K franchise, we’ve seen the Visual Concepts team display incredible passion, talent and commitment to the future of the series.

“We thank Yuke’s for their years of partnership and are excited to see what the Visual Concepts team brings to the franchise moving forward.”

It doesn’t seem as though the licensing break-up will cause Yuke’s to switch focus, however, as Video Game Chronicle reported earlier this year that an internal team at the studio have already started work on a wrestling game for a rival franchise of WWE.

More on this story as it develops.