The Gamers Nation

Tuesday, 29 June 2021

Sony Acquires Housemarque, Developer of PS5 Title Returnal

Today, Sony announced that Housemarque had officially become an in-house studio.

Traditional Japanese Handicrafts Meets Pokémon Seems Like A Great Idea

Earlier today, a 48-second, live-action clip appeared on Pokémon’s official Japanese YouTube channel.

Sony has acquired Returnal developer Housemarque

Finnish developer has a new home Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced that it has acquired Finland-based developer Housemarque, the studio...

The post Sony has acquired Returnal developer Housemarque appeared first on Destructoid.

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Sony buys 'Returnal' developer Housemarque

Sony has acquired Housemarque, the Helsinki-based studio behind PlayStation games including Returnal for the PS5, and arcade-style shooters like Super Stardust HD and Dead Nation. Financial details have not been disclosed. The move sees Sony Interactive Entertainment further bolstering its in-house gaming roster after previously snapping up Ratchet and Clank developer Insomniac Games in 2019. Before that, it acquired Killzone developer Guerilla Games and Sucker Punch, the studio behind the critically acclaimed Japanese period epic Ghost of Tsushima.

With the addition of Housemarque, Sony Interactive Entertainment now has 13 companies under its PlayStation Studios banner. The deal should help it to go toe-to-toe with Microsoft, which recently completed a massive acquisition itself by snagging Bethesda's parent ZeniMax for $750 billion in order to beef up its Xbox Game Pass subscription service.

After a run of classic PlayStation games, Housemarque recently reiterated its credentials with Returnal, a AAA sci-fi adventure for the PS5 that was greeted with widespread acclaim. Sony said that the studio's day-to-day operations will continue to be run by its current management team with input from PlayStation Studios personnel.

“Housemarque has flexed its creative palette on a wide range of PlayStation games over the years that have continually showcased the power of our hardware,” said Jim Ryan, president and CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment. “The addition of Housemarque to PlayStation Studios reiterates our commitment to elevating the best development teams in the industry and delivering new experiences that can only be found on the PlayStation platform.”

“After more than 15 years of successfully collaborating, we’re excited to amplify our potential even further and join PlayStation Studios,” said Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder and managing director, Housemarque. “Returnal is a testament to our strong relationship with PlayStation Studios and the organization believing in us to take a risk and give us the freedom to explore our creativity and develop something unique. We can’t wait to bring PlayStation fans more fresh, new experiences.”

This is a developing article, please refresh for updates.

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Fans Unhappy That Iconic Anime Characters Being Used For Tokyo Olympics

The Tokyo Olympics kicks off next month in Japan. To promote the games, iconic characters like Sailor Moon, Astro Boy, and Naruto have been enlisted.

Google's new support website will help you locate local US food banks

Google has launched a new website called Find Food Support, which puts important resources on how to locate free and affordable food in the US in one place. Perhaps the most useful feature the website can offer is a new Google Maps tool that can point you to the nearest food bank, food pantry or school lunch program pickup site.

As the tech giant explains, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated hunger for people around the world. According to Feeding America (PDF), 45 million people in the US alone had no reliable access to affordable food last year, including children who lost access to school lunches. That's a 30 percent increase from 2019. The non-profit has a slightly better forecast for 2021, but it still believes 42 million people in the country — 13 million of which are children, and 1 in 5 of which are Black individuals — may experience food insecurity this year.

Google worked with No Kid Hungry, FoodFinder and the US Department of Agriculture to add 90,000 places with free food support across 50 states on Maps. The company said it will add more locations in the future. To use the tool, you only have to go to the website, whether on a PC or on mobile, and type in your location. It will then show you the nearest food banks and pantries with their addresses, phone numbers, and the days and hours they're operational.

Find Food Support also houses YouTube videos showing how food insecurity affects people from all walks of life. The hope is to destigmatize food insecurity, since the stigma associated with getting help prevents people from seeking groups and organizations that can assist them in their time of need. In addition, the website contains links to food support hotlines, benefit guides per state and information for specific demographics and communities, such as seniors, families and children and military families. And in case you don't need food aid and want to help out, you can also find information on how you can donate food, time or money on the website.

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Monday, 28 June 2021

How I inadvertently became a vinyl nerd

I became a vinyl nerd this year and purchased the U-Turn Audio Orbit Plus turntable and the Kanto YU4 powered speakers.

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