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Microsoft previously attempted to buy a mystery mobile game publisher, according to documents published this week by the UK’s competition watchdog. On Wednesday, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it wasblocking Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzarddue to concerns about the deal’s impact on the future of the cloud gaming market. While the merger has often been framed asMicrosoftseeking to purchase Call of Duty,XboxbossPhil Spencerhas consistently claimed that the $69 billion deal isprimarily driven by the company’s mobile gaming ambitions....

Millions of dollars’ worth of Pokémon cards, which were claimed to have been printed prior to the creation of the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) itself, may have been faked, it’s been claimed. Prior to the introduction of thePokémonTCG, prototype cards were made in order to test the game mechanics. Naturally, these cards are incredibly rare, with copies of them largely being lost to time, or hidden in private collections....

The global theme park rights to Minecraft have been acquired by Merlin Entertainments, the group behind Alton Towers, Peppa Pig World, Madame Tussauds and Legoland. As part of the deal, two attractions are planned to open in the UK and the US in 2026 and 2027 respectively. These first attractions won’t be full-scaleMinecrafttheme parks, but will instead be included as themed areas in existing Merlin locations. “We are everywhere digitally, Merlin is everywhere physically,”Microsoft‘s vice president of franchise development for gaming Kayleen Walters toldThe Guardian....

Sony has released a new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare trailer showcasing the PS4 exclusive Special Ops Survival mode. Survival is a horde mode which challenges up to four players to fight off waves of increasingly difficult enemies in a variety of situations on one of three multiplayer maps. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Special Ops will include three modes:Operations, Missions and Survival. The headline mode features a series of interconnected Operations, in which teams of four players are tasked with completing multi-phased objectives tied into the overarching story of Modern Warfare....

Capcom has announced Monster Hunter World Iceborne, a “massive expansion DLC” pack for its hit action role-playing game. The $39.99 expansion pack requires the base Monster Hunter World game to play and will release on June 12, 2025 forPS4andXbox One. APCrelease will follow in winter 2019. Iceborne features a new story that begins after the events of Monster Hunter World, and an amount of content whichCapcomsays rivals the main game, including new monsters, environments, moves and equipment....

Netflix has greenlit a live-action Assassin’s Creed series. The show will be produced and run by Emmy nominees Roberto Patino (DMZ, Westworld, Sons of Anarchy) and David Wiener (Halo, Homecoming, The Killing),Ubisoftannounced on Thursday. TheAssassin’s Creedlive-action series is described as “a high-octane thriller centered on the secret war between two shadowy factions,” and according to its creators, will follow various characters across pivotal historical events. Margaret Boykin, executive producer and head of content at Ubisoft Film & Television, said in a statement: “We are so excited to work alongside Roberto, David, and ourNetflixpartners to bring this beloved franchise to series....

Warner Bros. Games and Rocksteady have launched a new Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League video series alongside pre-orders for the game. Viewable below, the first episode of ‘Suicide Squad Insider’ covers the game’s main story, the Squad’s traversal mechanics, and offers a peek at the world of Metropolis. Billed as a “genre-bending action-adventure shooter” set in an open-world Metropolis, Suicide Squad wasannounced in August 2020for PS5,Xbox Series X/SandPC....

Nintendo of America has announced a range of Black Friday deals, including a Mario Kart hardware bundle and several software promotions. The headline hardware offer isthe same as it was for Black Friday 2020– aNintendo Switchconsole with a download code forMario Kart 8 Deluxeand a three-month Nintendo Switch Online subscription for $299.99. The hardware bundle will be available at participating retailers beginning on November 21 and while supplies last....

Nintendo has started informing members of the public who registered for the chance to attend Switch 2 preview events whether they’ve been successful or not. Following years of speculation about its next console,Nintendofinallyannounced Switch 2 earlier this month, ahead of a full reveal planned for April 2. It also announced plans to hold a series ofSwitch 2 preview events, giving attendees the chance to try out the console before it’s released....

Sony has announced that it has acquired UK-based studio Firesprite as the latest of its PlayStation Studios developers. The Liverpool-based developer was established in 2012 by former members of SIE Studio Liverpool, after it was closed down bySony. Now the studio, including many staff who were employed as part of Studio Liverpool, has become an official part of the ‘PlayStationStudios family’. Prior to the acquisition, Firesprite had been recruiting for two titles: a ‘game-changing huge multiplayer shooter and an ambitious dark narrative blockbuster adventure’....

A key industry analyst has said that skipping E3 2020 would be “a huge mistake” for PlayStation. Sony Interactive Entertainmentwas a surprise omission from 2019’s E3 event and it’s looking possible that the platform holder could skip the show again in the year ofPS5. According to VGC sources,Xbox’s events team is working under the assumption thatPlayStationwill not be at the Los Angeles show and is upping its plans accordingly....

The latest episode of VGC: The Video Game Podcast is now available. This week, the VGC team chats about the unendingSwitch2 leaks, and how it will affectNintendo‘s plans going forward. We also chat aboutAssassin’s CreedShadow’s latest delay, and what’s next forUbisoft. If you enjoy this podcast, you can get more podcasts, videos, and more atPatreon.com/VideoGamesChronicle. If you enjoy our podcast, don’t forget you’re able to get more bonus podcasts from VGC on Patreon....

A new story trailer for Prince of Perisa: The Lost Crown has been leaked ahead of its reveal at The Game Awards. The new trailer promotingUbisoft‘s upcoming 2.5D action platformer was set to appear at the annual awards ceremony later today. However, the officialPlayStationBrazil YouTube account posted the trailer early, allowing some users to download and share it before the video was taken offline. The trailer also states that a free demo of the game will be released on January 11, a week before the game’s full release....