Welcome to “All the news that’s Futt to print” for Wednesday, March 13, 2013. Can’t spend your entire day on Twitter or bouncing from news outlet to news outlet? Fine, I suppose you’re entitled to your “real life” and your “job.” Here’s what you missed today.
News!
It’s a quiet news day, so I’ll make this brief.
One of the most annoying things about posting trailers for M-rated games (and viewing them, for that matter) are age gates. It’s so easy to circumvent them that they can’t be considered a legitimate measure to prevent under-age viewers from gaining access. This week, the ESRB has given publishers their permission to create general audience trailers for adult-oriented titles. The concept is similar to green-band movie trailers that have been a staple of the film industry for years.
Additionally, the ESRB loosened rules on cross-promoting mature titles with those that have received ratings for broader audiences. This practice dates back to at least the PlayStation 2 era, when Konami bundled a playable demo of Metal Gear Solid 2 with Zone of the Enders. Traditionally, the ESRB has allowed demos for M-rated games (or those likely to receive that rating) to be included only with other mature audience products. Under the new guidelines, the ratings board has given itself the authority to allow more diverse pairings, on a case-by-case basis. Don’t worry, though. It’s unlikely that Skylanders Swap Force will include a sample of the latest Call of Duty.
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CD Projekt Red has told Eurogamer that the studio’s next title, Cyberpunk 2077, will include “multiplayer features.” Before you start having SimCity nightmares, the specific nature of how you’ll play with friends (or foes) has yet to be detailed. The developer also hasn’t ruled out multiplayer for The Witcher 3.
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Nintendo is finally ready to talk about their plans for the Wii U Gamepad’s near-field communication capabilities. The latest installment in the Pokémon Rumble series will be a downloadable title, with seven toys available for purchase at launch. According to the latest issue of CoroCoro magazine (translation available at Serebii.net), the figures will store battle data. I await the inevitable Skylanders X Pokémon title.
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Entertainment!
The island of Yamatai is haunted, and Lara Croft is up against her most terrifying foe: floating flashlights. This happened to me today, and I thought I was losing my mind. Thankfully, an intrepid YouTuber caught it on film (and in the process confirmed my sanity… at least in this regard). All this needs is a monochrome filter and those wonderful actors from Syfy’s Ghost Hunters.
Michael Futter 