Welcome to the Nano Gaming News Weekly Rewind for June 5, 2021 where we cover gaming news stories and events that we missed out on covering over this past week.
From Hokko Life exploring the casual community simple life to the hard struggle of a homeless man in a grim city fighting his way to the top in Garbage, the theme of this past week was game releases. In all the release frenzy there were also some upcoming release announcements. Alekon, a photography-focused creature collector is coming to Steam by June’s end. Then on July 6, the Throne War PvP MMO Crowfall will open its servers and the mayhem will begin.
The Epic Game’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple courtroom trial part has concluded and now the outcome is in the judge’s hands. With the trial part over there are some interesting takeaways.
Alekon Photography Creature Collector Arriving in June
The Alekon Company announced that their photography-focused creature collector game Alekon is set to launch in June 2021. Coming later in the month is a game full of creatures and mini-games.
Dozens of whimsical creatures await players who are going to try to photograph them. Solving various puzzles will get them to strike collectable poses. One can befriend the creatures via unique quests and mini-games such as tuning crystal harps, organizing parties, and telling ghost stories. The game invites players to indulge their artistic side with creative tools like editing photos, designing constellations, and crafting snowflakes.
There are over 50 characters with unique personalities, dialogue, quests, and collectible poses. Gameplay is centered around photography with photo scores that unlock new levels that progress the game. Both free roaming and classic on-rails movement. In addition an original soundtrack inspired by Nintendo 64 classics accompanies gameplay.
Alekon is heading to Windows PC through Steam later in June. The game will be priced at $15.99 USD. For more information about Alekon follow @AlekonTheGame on Twitter or visit the game’s website at alekongame.com.
Crowfall Set for July Release Date
ArtCraft Entertainment is getting ready for a July release of Throne War PvP game Crowfall. With the July 6 launch players will break free from the static realm or server lock that most MMO games force on characters.
In Crowfall each world offers a unique experience. There are different maps, different politics, and different rules. The Dregs is a world with forts, keeps, and castles that support 100v100 sieges. God’s Reach is a perpetual 3-faction battleground server. HungerDome is a 12 team, 60 player battle arena. The Eternal Kingdoms are player-built worlds that offer guilds and monarchs the ability to terraform the terrain and construct vast cities and strongholds.
Players control the direction of the game in this dynamic universe. Cities will rise and castles will fall. Choices out in the field will change the battle and change the shape of the world. Ahead of the game’s launch a new animatic video Eternal Heroes, Dying Worlds has been released that introduces the emergence of Crows who are divine champions that fight to earn glory.
Crowfall will launch commercially on July 6. Players can purchase special backer packs that will disappear after the game’s launch on the Crowfall website. For more information about Crowfall follow @CrowfallGame on Twitter or visit the game’s website at crowfall.com.
The Epic Games vs. Apple Trial Is in the Judge’s Hands Now
The Epic Games v. Apple trial is in the hand’s of Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. A ruling is not expected for several months.
With just three weeks, the trial revealed some interesting takeaways. The judge through her questions of Tim Cook hinted at that gaming apps subsidizes other free apps. Specifically judge pressed the question using banking apps as an example. Cook eventually stated that gamers are one of the largest groups that do transactions on the platform. According to Apple’s gaming chief Michael Schmid, the company made over $100 million through in-app purchases from Fortnite.
Court records also revealed that Apple gave Netflix a preferable deal when in 2018 the company was considering the removal of in-app purchases from its iPhone and iPad apps. Instead of demoting Netflix, Apple gave them preferential treatment and allowed the company to provide discounts and other benefits to app subscribers.
Elsewhere however regulation is a real threat for Apple. Epic Games is still taking legal action in Australia against Apple plus there is the previously discussed in this column filing of a complaint in the UK. In the European Union regulators recently went on to claim that forcing rival developers to use Apple’s payment system and then pay the company a 30% commission violated antitrust laws. This in a way echoed several of Epic Games’ grievances with Apple.
Now with the trial over it is merely a wait and see what the judge will have to say game in the United States. Everywhere else is still fair game on what can happen.
Thank you for reading the June 5, 2021 Edition of the Nano Gaming News Weekly Rewind. Be sure to check back next Saturday for a brand new edition of Nano Gaming News Weekly Rewind and until then, keep on gaming.