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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
Covering video games for Axios. Co-author of Axios Gaming newsletter (sign up for it here: axios.com/signup/gaming). Former
@kotaku
EiC. DM for Signal. he/him
Brooklyn, NYaxios.comJoined April 2009
2,491 Following
107.7K Followers

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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
For those of you playing Game Freak's newest game, the Apple Arcade version of Pocket Card Jockey, Taya has a tip for you about a hidden strategy that was previously accessible only to players of an older Japanese version of the game:
We also made the effect of the technique called “Runaway Super Unity” a little weaker. There is actually no explanation of this technique in the game, so there is a chance players outside of Japan might not know about it. Because of that, I will first explain what it is. To use this technique, you have to enter the highest difficulty Level 3 area when you get to the last solitaire in a race. Then, after you deliberately mistouch the cards on the board over and over and the horse goes into a “Runaway” state, if you get a perfect clear, you will achieve a Super Unity. If you do that, the downside of the Runaway state is cancelled out by the Super Unity, so you get to have the upside of “your horse moving forward really energetically” as it happens when it goes Runaway. When this powerful technique only existed in the Japanese version, it was announced on social media by developer staff, so while a few Japanese fans know about it, I think a lot of English-speaking fans may not. While we
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
Metroid Prime Remastered isn't the only remaster/remake to not list the people who made the original game it is based on. The
@IGDA
says those names should be in there. And listed first. And there is a big publisher who did do it that way recently.... ... Nintendo
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
Dead Island 2 release date changes again. Not another delay, believe it or not. Moves up a week from April 28 to April 21 No longer releasing the same day as Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which was recently delayed to the 28th
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
Nintendo's refusal to share digital sales really messes with charts like this Nintendo said last week that sales had "greatly increased" for the digital versions of Pokemon S/V compared to previous versions
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Mat Piscatella
@MatPiscatella
US NPD PREMIUM GAMES - January 2022 Top 20 Best-Sellers (Dollar Sales, Excludes DLC/MTX)
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
Rest in peace. One of the best to ever do it.
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The Associated Press
@AP
David Jude Jolicoeur, known widely as Trugoy the Dove and one of the founding members of the Long Island hip hop trio De La Soul, has died at 54. apnews.com/article/trugoy
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
"On information and belief, Opposer is the only video game development company to be honored twice by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for its QUAKE franchise and related 3D technology. " Sounds right!
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
I asked Nintendo if people should expect new GB/GBA games each month on Nintendo Switch Online. Answer: "There is no set schedule for new releases, but each collection will continue to grow.”
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
Switch is now Nintendo's 2nd best-selling platform at 123 million units shipped as of Dec. 31, sailing past Wii (102m) and just passing Game Boy (119m). DS reigns at 154m Portables like Switch/DS/GB have an advantage: Nintendo is good at selling one person multiple versions
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
As of the end of December, more games have been sold for the Switch than for any other Nintendo platform, with the Switch's software totals passing those of the Wii and DS While Switch also now exceeds lifetime PS4 hardware sales, it lags that system's billion-plus software mark
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
Sony is very unhappy with all the documents Microsoft is asking for in the Activision FTC case. They want at least seven PlayStation execs' files To wit, from Sony: "Microsoft’s demand for performance reviews for SIE’s leadership is obvious harassment" axios.com/newsletters/ax
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
Also, for fans of fine print contractual clauses, confirmation that despite mechanisms in place to restore Bobby Kotick's salary (he asked in Oct '21 to be lowered to the legal minimum with no bonus) and even pay him a $22million bonus as of July 2022, none of that has happened
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
We don't know what's in the subpoenas beyond the logical conclusion that Microsoft and Activision want info from these companies that'd make their case that the FTC is wrong to try to block the deal
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
Google and Nintendo of America have also been subpoenaed in the FTC vs Microsoft/Activision Blizzard case. Google by Microsoft, Nintendo by Activision As with Sony, this is becoming public because the companies are asking the court for more time to limit or quash the subpoena
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
Metroid Prime Remastered on Switch includes optional narration that was in the European and Japanese versions Jarring at first, but I'm going to keep it on to see how it changes the feel
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
As leaked yesterday, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will sell for $70. But Pikmin 4, releasing later, will go for $60. So Nintendo has not raised the price of new games across the board
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
Pretty incredible that in one Nintendo Direct, Nintendo (and partners) showed a re-issue of Golden Sun, a re-issue of an old F-Zero, teased a new Prof. Layton and a new Fantasy Life. Even showed a Baten Kaitos re-issue. My conclusion: the return of the Picross 3D series is near
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
I imagine it's hard to be too worried about the impact of Call of Duty going into Game Pass in the month when Sony's recently-acquired Destiny 2 (which hasn't been in Game Pass for a while) has one of its big expansions being offered for free to PlayStation Plus subscribers
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
That said, some glimmers of hope for supporters of the deal: 1) UK no longer concerned about impact of CoD going onto GamePass (had been 1 of 3 markets they were concerned about) 2) Says it will "consider" licensing agreements/promises re: CoD as remedies to allow deal approval
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
As noted in October, the UK doesn't care if Microsoft wants to contractually promise CoD for PlayStation through 2027 or even 3027. Contracts can be changed, and loopholes can be found to advantage Microsoft (very much Sony's take, notably)
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
Yeah. Notable that Take Two boasted about NBA 2K sales today, but stuck to praising Midnight Suns for being critically acclaimed
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Jason Schreier
@jasonschreier
Some news: Marvel's Midnight Suns was a critical success but a commercial flop. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick told me in an interview this afternoon that "it's possible the release window wasn't perfect" but that he thinks it could have a long tail, like other Firaxis games
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
Take Two obliquely saying layoffs may happen: “believe that we can deliver over $50 million of annual savings, which we will begin to execute on this quarter.  Opportunities include personnel, processes, infrastructure…particularly in our publishing and corporate functions”
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Stephen Totilo
@stephentotilo
GTA V at 175 million copies shipped, Red Dead Redemption 2 at 50. Take Two: “We were also pleased with the performance of Red Dead Redemption 2, which outpaced our expectations, driven by successful holiday promotions and events.”
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