Ubisoft’s frequently delayed Skull & Bones has been rated in South Korea, suggesting it’s finally reaching the end of its long development cycle. As discovered by VGC reader@the_marmolade, a rating for thePCversion of the game was added to South Korea’s the Game Rating and Administration Committee website on Thursday, which implies development has either reached or neared its conclusion. Initial development on the naval pirate adventure started in 2013. The game was first revealed byUbisoftat E3 2017, with a release date set for the end of 2018....

Sony has criticised the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on its revised appraisal of Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. After five months of investigation, the UK regulator provisionally found in February thatthe deal could reduce competitionand “result in higher prices, fewer choices, or less innovation for UK gamers”. However, a month later the CMA seeminglyreversed its decision, saying it had updated its provisional findings after receiving fresh evidence that alleviated some of its concerns about the $69 billion deal....

Sony has announced that it shipped 3.9 million PlayStation 5 consoles during Q3 of its fiscal year, bringing the total number of consoles shipped to 17.3 million. In comparison,Sonyshipped 4.5 million PS5 units in the same timeframe last year. In its February 2022 earnings report, Sony said: “Sales are expected to be lower than the October forecast due to an expected decrease inPlayStation 5hardware unit sales, primarily due to shortages in the supply of components, especially semiconductors”...

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) Japan Asia president and corporate director Atsushi Morita has retired. He has left his position due to age,Sonyannouncedon Tuesday (viaGematsu). SIE has yet to announce a successor to Morita. Additionally, it has appointed Kazuhiko Taekda to the role of director. Sony also announced on Monday thatPlayStationveteranShawn Layden is leaving the company after three decades. Layden’s current role at SIE is chairman of Worldwide Studios. He was previously president and CEO of PlayStation’s American operation, president of its Japanese business, and VP of its European arm....

Sony has announced the release date for its upcoming Remote Play device, PlayStation Portal. A tweet from the officialPlayStationTwitter account revealed that the device will launch “in select markets” on November 15. The handheld is now available for pre-order at thePlayStation Direct storein the US, UK, France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Portugal. From September 29, it will be available for pre-order from “other select retailers” in those countries, as well as Japan and Canada....

Wondering how to recruit the Adoring Fan? InStarfield, the Adoring Fan makes his glorious return. He’s one of the several companions you’re able to recruit in the game, and he’s one of the first ones you’ll meet. However, there’s a catch, the Adoring Fan is the only companion that you’ll need to pick a specific trait to add to your crew. But how do you recruit the Adoring Fan, and how do you get rid of him if you don’t want him on your crew?...

Sarah Morgan is one of the many companions you can find in Starfield. Not only is Sarah one of the first companions that you can bring along with you on your journey, but she’s also one of the most importantStarfieldcharacters, which is why we recommend havingSarah Morganas part of your crew. Sarah Morgancan be found early in the game, meaning you can take her with you through the majority of Starfield’s missions, and you’ll be able to increase your bond with her....

Stellar Blade’s photo mode update has been released ahead of schedule. DeveloperShift Uppreviously said the game’s 1.009 Patch would launch on November 20, but it has been rolled out a day early. The game’s photo mode lets players pose protagonist Eve, change her outfit, and add new visual effects to screenshots. The update also adds four new outfits and a new accessory for Eve, plus the ability to remove her ponytail....

Switch exclusive No More Heroes 3 has been delayed to 2021, director Goichi Suda confirmed on Thursday. In a statement published on his Twitter profile, the Grasshopper Maunfacture head claimed that disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic meant that the game was unable to hit its 2020 release target. “All staff members at Grasshopper have been working as hard as possible on developing the game in hopes of releasing it in 2020, but the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have unfortunately proven to be a real body blow to our schedule,” he wrote....

Take-Two has announced Disintegration, a new science fiction first-person shooter from developer V1 Interactive, an independent studio co-founded by former Bungie creative director Marcus Lehto. The title is set to be unveiled atGamescomon August 19 and released next year byTake-Twopublishing labelPrivate Division, which was established in 2017 to work with independent developers. According to the announcement,V1 Interactivewas founded by the co-creators ofHaloand SOCOM: US Navy SEALs in 2014. Based in the Pacific Northwest, it’s described as a “small and agile studio” comprised of AAA veterans and young hungry talent....

The Epic Games Store’s next free title has been announced. The Hunter: Call of the Wild will be free to download fromEpic’sPCmarketplace from June 22-29. “Experience an atmospheric hunting game like no other in this realistic and visually breathtaking open world,” says developer and publisher Expansive Worlds. “Immerse yourself in the atmospheric single player campaign, or share the ultimate hunting experience with friends.” The Hunter: Call of the Wild will replaceGuacamelee!...

Xbox One may end up coming a distant third this console generation, but it still has a lot to boast about over its rivals. And one of those boasts is backwards compatibility: neitherSwitchnorPS4let users play their predecessors’ games, leaving millions ofWii U, Wii and PS1/2/3 libraries gathering dust. That isn’t the case withXbox One, which can play an ever-growing selection ofXbox 360and originalXboxgames. There are hundreds of games in this list and counting, so if you’re looking to delve into the archives it may be quite daunting to choose what to play....

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is reportedly “leaning toward” appealing Tuesday’s ruling against the body’s attempt to block theMicrosoft/ Activision Blizzard merger. According toBloomberg, while no decision has been made, an appeal could be filed “as early as Wednesday,” according to its source, who is said to have knowledge of the deliberations. On Tuesday, Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California denied theFTC’s motion for a preliminary injunction....