*That* Borderlands Movie Trailer, A Nintendo Direct, And More Of What Went Down This Week
Image: Gearbox / 2K, Aspyr / Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, Bethesda / Kotaku, Photo: Michael Tran / AFP (Getty Images), Screenshot: Disney / Kotaku, Microsoft, FromSoftware / Bandai Namco / Kotaku, Frost Giant / YouTube / Kotaku, Illustration: Atlus
As yet another week passes, we get more proof that 2024 is shaping up to be a very busy year in gamingâif not for game releases, then certainly for big stories around game exclusivity, adaptions, and, as always, streamers. This week we got our first look at the highly anticipated Borderlands movie (lol), learned about Walmart stockrooms thanks to streamer MrBeast, saw a Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, and much more.
Weâve gathered the biggest news stories of the week, from February 19 to the 23, right here for your perusing pleasure. Enjoy.
Image: Gearbox / 2K
Itâs been a few years since weâve heard or seen anything about that Borderlands movie starring Cate Blanchett, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Kevin Hart. So it was great to finally get our first real look at the cast in some new screenshots and oh⊠oh no. – Zack Zwiezen Read More
Photo: Michael Tran / AFP (Getty Images)
James Donaldson, aka MrBeast aka that YouTuber who does weird charity videos aka that guy who sold me a terrible burger, is apparently visiting Walmarts and forcing employees to let him explore their storage areas and then making them restock his candy bars. – Zack Zwiezen Read More
Screenshot: Disney / Kotaku
Nintendo held its first Direct showcase of the year, and it was dedicated to third-party games coming to the Switch in 2024. This 23-minute showcase saw Xbox Studios finally announce which of their games are coming to the competing platform after weeks of rumors and speculation. But we also got some other, non-Xbox-related game announcements during todayâs Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, from Unicorn Overlord to Epic Mickey: Rebrushed. – Kenneth Shepard Read More
Image: Aspyr / Lucasfilm
Two incredibly popular Star Wars gamesâ 2004âs Battlefront and 2005âs Battlefront IIâare coming back in a new classic collection that will bring 64-player online action to consoles for the first time as well as other new features and bonus content, too. And you wonât have to wait long as these classic Star Wars shooters are launching on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC in March. – Zack Zwiezen Read More
Image: Marvel Studios
Superhero movies are in a weird place right now, especially at Marvelâs house of ideas. Even as recent films struggle to land with audiences like the surefire hits of old, the studio is ready to look ahead with the heightened interest in whatâs on the horizon. But part of that horizon includes navigating the murky waters around the next Avengers movie. – James Whitbrook Read More
Image: Bethesda / Kotaku
Things are going to get pretty Fallout-y this April. With Amazon Primeâs promising-looking TV adaptation due to hit the streamer April 12, Bethesda is leaping on its own bandwagon and releasing seven Fallout games, in one handy nuclear bomb. – John Walker Read More
Illustration: Atlus
Unicorn Overlord, the upcoming tactics RPG from developer Vanillaware, has a demo available right now on Nintendo Switch. The announcement came during todayâs short Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase. Like other Nintendo Switch demos, players will be able to get a jump start on the gameâs opening hours ahead of its March 8 release in a couple of weeks. Save data will also transfer over from the demo to the full game. – Willa Rowe Read More
Screenshot: Microsoft
Nintendo has just sprung a Nintendo Direct on everybody, but this one was a little different from the usual first-party fare. The latest Direct aired on February 21 at 6:00 a.m. PT / 9:00 a.m. ET. Unlike most Nintendo reveal events, this Partner Direct is a pre-recorded video focused on third-party titles, rather than a live stream. Highlights included news that Xbox titles Grounded and Pentiment are headed to Switch, and that a demo for Atlusâ and Vanillawareâs tactical RPG Unicorn Overlord is available today. – Willa Rowe Read More
Screenshot: FromSoftware / Bandai Namco / Kotaku
After years of rumors and questions over what it would contain, we finally got to see what the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC will entail. The three-minute-long trailer showed off a mix of gameplay and cutscene content, but of course, most of it spawned even more questions. Elden Ringâs lore is notoriously dense, and the vague dialogue in the gameplay trailer doesnât help make anything more clear. – Alyssa Mercante Read More
Screenshot: Frost Giant / YouTube / Kotaku
As 2024’s big badâLate Stage Capitalismâcontinues its grim rampage, some developers are looking to more innovative approaches to avoid the publishing industryâs self-sabotaging need for impossibly endless growth. Stormgate creator Frost Giantâa studio created by former StarCraft 2 devsâis following up on its recent Kickstarter success by now inviting players to invest in the company directly. Update: Frost Giant has explained their reasons for this campaign, which you can read below. – John Walker Read More
