Biggest gaming stories of the year in 2022: From Activision Blizzard to NFTs

Source: Carli Velocci / Windows Central

Congrats, nosotros made information technology through the year, and what a year it was. 2022 was the commencement full yr of the new generation of consoles, with the Xbox Serial X, Xbox Series Due south and PS5 all available to buy, at least in theory. Equally a way of looking back but also forward, we're going to go over the acme stories in gaming over the final 12 months, the ones that helped define 2022 as a year.

Fifty-fifty with numerous high-profile delays due to the ongoing pandemic, there were enough of great launches, some of which joined the ranks of the best Xbox games bachelor. Yet there'southward too been some big shifts, things that for better or worse are leaving a permanent mark on the gaming industry. Let's dive into them.

half dozen. Lucasfilm Games is revived

Source: Aspyr

Kicking things off, Jan 2022 saw the revival of the Lucasfilm Games make, eight years later on Disney close downwards Lucasarts. The brand is all-encompassing, covering whatsoever games using Lucasfilm licenses in the future. While Electronic Arts (EA) notwithstanding holds Star Wars exclusivity through 2023, new developers and publishers are already working on games that'll launch after the exclusivity disappears.

Some of the upcoming titles include Ubisoft's notwithstanding-untitled Star Wars game, Quantic Dream's Star Wars: Eclipse, a remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Commonwealth and a rumored sequel to Respawn Entertainment'due south Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Guild. Meanwhile, Wolfenstein developer MachineGames is working on an Indiana Jones game.

After several years of canceled titles and missed opportunities in Star Wars games, with merely a handful of strong exceptions, Lucasfilm Games heralds a huge change, as Disney insists the Star Wars license will be open up to any pitches.

5. The rising of NFT, blockchain, and crypto nonsense

Source: Ubisoft

Blockchain technology has been around for a few years, but information technology wasn't until 2022 that it truly, noxiously invaded gaming in a large way. Publisher Ubisoft jumped aboard with Ubisoft Quartz, offering express, serial number-engraved digital cosmetics in Ghost Recon: Breakpoint. EA noted during a financial earnings phone call that information technology is exploring uses of the blockchain, though there's nothing solid yet. STALKER 2 had planned to auction off NFTs earlier backtracking after fan criticism. Fable creator Peter Molyneux announced his upcoming game Legacy would be selling virtual plots of land every bit NFTs. And that's not the terminate of it.

Still, at that place is some resistance. Steam has barred blockchain-engineering science games from its platform, while head of Xbox Phil Spencer told Axios that Blockchain-based games feel more "exploitive than about entertainment."

For meliorate or worse, this is just the start of the NFT and blockchain trend in video games, and we're certain to come across more of it in 2022.

iv. Google shutters Stadia Games and Amusement

Source: Google

Less than two years after the launch of Stadia Games and Entertainment, the Stadia outset-party family unit, Google made the call to shutter it before a single new game had been launched or even announced. While not the end of Stadia as a whole, it signaled the end of Google's investment in original games, significantly hamstringing its ability to grow.

Just a few weeks later on the closure of Stadia Games and Entertainment, erstwhile head Jade Raymond founded a new team called Haven Studios, partnering with PlayStation to publish the team's first game. Oasis Studios has besides attracted numerous other ex-Stadia developers.

Meanwhile, most of the team from the now-defunct Typhoon Games — a team acquired by Google for Stadia Games and Entertainment — reconvened to open Raccoon Logic, while likewise regaining the rights to their game, Journey to the Savage Planet.

Still even as Google shuttered its beginning-political party teams, another platform expanded dramatically.

three. Microsoft finalizes the conquering of ZeniMax

Source: Bethesda Softworks

While Microsoft announced its intent to acquire Bethesda Softworks parent company ZeniMax Media in September 2022, it underwent a few months of regulatory review. In March 2022, the bargain was finalized, and Bethesda Softworks joined Xbox Game Studios as part of the Xbox kickoff-political party group. The upshot is that outside of a handful of existing contractual obligations, the studios at Bethesda are now focused on making exclusive games for Xbox and PC, or more specifically "platforms where Game Pass exists."

Upcoming titles Redfall and Starfield, an immersive shooter from Arkane Austin and a science-fiction role-playing game from Bethesda Game Studios, respectively, are the first moving ridge of games from this acquisition. The two games are slated to arrive in Summer 2022 and on Nov. 11, 2022 respectively.

Even before these titles show up, calculation Bethesda to Xbox instantly additional the value of Xbox Game Laissez passer, with the borderline-entirety of Bethesda Softworks' back catalog added to the service. This means games like The Elderberry Scrolls Five: Skyrim and Doom Eternal are now part of the subscription moving forward, every bit volition any new Bethesda Softworks games.

2. Epic Games v. Apple trial

Source: Epic Games

Making skillful on the "Complimentary Fortnite" movement that it began in 2022, Epic Games met Apple in courtroom. Due to documents similar email conversations being unsealed and not kept away from the public'south eyes — a effect of the trial beingness held remotely due to the ongoing pandemic — a truly earth-shattering number of manufacture secrets and interesting tidbits were revealed over the course of the trial.

There numerous massive revelations unfolded in a casual way, like how Epic Games offered to pay big bucks to go Sony titles on the Epic Games Store for PC, the gritty details of marketing agreements, or who was in the loop on what conversations. The guts of a tight-lipped industry) were spilled, as companies used to operating without whatever observation suddenly had their ideas examined in court, all in the public eye.

As for the trial itself, things more often than not went in Apple's favor, with the exception of a ruling that Apple tree cannot finish developers from linking to alternate payment methods. Naturally, both Epic Games and Apple go along to appeal.

In any other year, this would easily have been the biggest story of the year. And even so...

1. Activision Blizzard

Source: Carli Velocci / Windows Central

In July, the biggest gaming story of 2022 bankrupt. It was announced that a lawsuit had been filed against Activision Blizzard, alleging the company had allowed rampant, systemic sexist practices and abusive beliefs to thrive without penalty, among other bug. From there, the visitor's response, seen as lackluster by workers at Activision Blizzard, saw the fervor escalate with walkouts and calls for reform.

Things have continued to escalate in the months since the lawsuit, with a new report alleging CEO Bobby Kotick knew of and helped supress sexual harassment claims at the visitor. Over twenty employees have been fired, more have been disciplined, while others have voluntarily resigned, expressing a lack of faith in Activision Blizzard leadership, who notably all the same stand behind Kotick as of this writing.

Over 1,000 Activision Blizzard employees accept chosen for Kotick to resign, also equally multiple publications, including Windows Central. Developers and outlets aren't the only ones to have taken notice, with the heads of PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo all commenting to the situation.

Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, reportedly told employees he was "disheartened and frankly stunned." Head of Xbox Phil Spencer noted that he was "disturbed and deeply troubled by the horrific events and action," and that Xbox was "evaluating all aspects of our relationship with Activision Blizzard." Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser referred to the situation as "distressing and agonizing."

It's non clear yet what the next steps or events will be, but it is admittedly abundantly articulate that this situation is not fifty-fifty remotely defused and volition keep unfolding, ane way or another.

What lies ahead?

With these events now in the past, nosotros're simply only start to see the consequences and benefits of what unfolded through 2022. Even as analysts note to look more game delays in 2022, there's a lot to expect forward to. New games volition launch, companies will brand bold moves and the gaming industry, a truly unique intersection of scientific discipline and entertainment, will no doubt once again exist full of the unexpected.

Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/biggest-gaming-stories-year-2021

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