The first week of February brought tons of news for some of the biggest franchises, including Mass Effect, Final Fantasy 14, and Sonic. While BlizzConline is still two weeks away, we got some unfortunate news about Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4. A lost remaster of GoldenEye was discovered by a very patient fan, and Warner Brothers finally secured a patent for the Nemesis system.
Here are the biggest video game news stories of the week.
WB Patents The Nemesis System
After five years of trying, Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment has finally secured a patent for the Nemesis System. Created for Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, the Nemesis System has been hailed as one of the greatest innovations in gaming over the last decade. Unfortunately, WB's patent means the chances we'll get to see the system grow and flourish are relatively slim.
Recent job listings indicate that WBIE is working on a variety of new games, so it's possible we haven't seen the end of the Nemesis System entirely. Whether the mechanic shows up in another Middle-Earth sequel or perhaps in the upcoming Harry Potter game is unknown, but what is known is that few, if any, developers will get the chance to use the Nemesis System in other games — at least until the patent expires.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Gets A Release Date And More
A brand new 4K trailer for Mass Effect: Legendary Edition premiered this week. The remake/remaster of the original Mass Effect trilogy launches May 14, 2021 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The trailer shows off some of the major enhancements coming to the trilogy, including big changes to Eden Prime, upgrades to FemShep, and updates to...certain camera angles.
Here at TheGamer, we've been celebrating Mass Effect all week with tons of exclusive interviews with the cast, a preview of the Legendary Edition, and tons of behind-the-scenes info about the making of the trilogy. Check out our Mass Effect page to catch up on all the awesome stories and details about the series.
Final Fantasy 14 Expansion Officially Revealed
Square Enix revealed the next Final Fantasy 14 expansion during a livestream event yesterday. Called Endwalker, the expansion is set to conclude the current storyline and move the MMO into the next era.
Endwalker will feature two new job roles, though only one has been revealed so far. The Sage is a new healer-type that protects party members using barriers. While the other new role wasn't detailed, director Yoshida revealed that it would be a melee DPS class. Other additions in the new expansion include a higher level cap, new areas to explore, and a new tribe of Beastmen called the Arkasodara tribe of the Matanga.
Overwatch 2 And Diablo 4 Aren't Coming In 2021
BlizzConline, the first online-only Blizzard fan convention, runs February 19-20. Fans can expect some big reveals an new details about upcoming games, including Diablo Immortal, Diablo 4, Overwatch 2, and WoW updates 9.1 and 9.2. Unfortunately, a fourth-quarter earnings call has revealed that Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 are not expected to launch in 2021.
Both Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2 were announced at BlizzCon 2019. While it was clear that Diablo 4 was early in development, many were hoping that Overwatch 2 would be ready in 2021. That doesn't seem to be the case, however, according to executives on the earnings call. At this point, the only game we can assume will release this year is the mobile title, Diablo Immortal.
GoldenEye 007 Xbox Remaster Leaks Online
Last week, a YouTuber called Graslu00 uploaded footage from a canceled GoldenEye 007 remaster on the Xbox 360. The game was developed in 2007, but according to the Xbox boss Phil Spencer, became locked in a complicated legal limbo over the rights to James Bond. Between Microsoft, Nintendo, and EON (the owners of the James Bond license), it was simply too difficult to come to an agreement on business terms, and the game was eventually shelved. Graslu00, whose video shows the game in its entirety, was cagey on where the new footage came from, saying only "patience is key."
This week, the unreal-powered remaster leaked online in its entirety. The game can only be played via Xbox 360 emulator on PC. Online gameplay, leaderboards, and achievements are not available, but the remaster does feature the ability to switch back and forth between the original N64 graphics and the updated HD graphics.
Sonic Netflix Series Revealed As Voice Cast Exits
It's been a strange week of ups and downs for Sonic. Netflix announced that its upcoming 3D animated series will be called Sonic Prime and is coming to the streaming service in 2022. Meanwhile, several long-time voice actors from the series revealed that they won't be returning to their signature roles. Roger Craig Smith, Colleen O’Shaughnessey, and Cindy Robinson have revealed that they won't be returning to voice Sonic, Tails, and Amy in Sonic Prime. Luckily, Eggman voice actor Mike Pollock has confirmed that he will continue to voice the villain in video games but did not confirm whether he would perform Robotnik in the Netflix Series.
For a bit of good Sonic news, the Sonic Mania Lego set has been officially greenlit from Lego Ideas to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the franchise.