Video Games
‘Hunt: Showdown’ Receiving Engine Upgrade Next Year
Five years on, and Crytek is still keeping at it with their PvPvE shooter Hunt: Showdown. And much like what Behaviour Interactive did with an engine upgrade for Dead By Daylight a few years ago, Crytek is also following suit next year with Hunt: Showdown upgrading to the latest version of CryEngine for PC and consoles.
Speaking with PC Gamer, Hunt general manager David Fifield, Hunt enters “a new era” with the upgrade, which despite what some players want, is as close to a proposed sequel as you’ll get for the time being. “That has been a conversation internally about when or if we should rename or rebrand the product with some major update, or when we launch with the integrated engine update to run native on the latest generation of consoles. Watching how those transitions have gone with other service games, we decided on continuing Hunt: Showdown and to not set expectations of replacing it.”
The upgrade to Hunt‘s engine will grant Crytek the ability to crank out updates easier, as well as trying out new ideas, allowing “fewer people [to] get more things done faster,” such as in the case with this year’s “Tide of Shadows” Event that introduced the boss Rotjaw into the game. According to Fifield, Crytek’s strategy with Hunt is akin to Epic Games’ Fortnite, where the former’s tech was gradually upgraded alongside the larger changes in the “Chapter” updates.
“If you want to think of it as Hunt 2 you’re welcome to,” Fifield said, “but I’m not going to charge you, I’m not going to take away anything you’ve bought, I’m not going to decrease your value or your investment because I want you to keep playing.”
As such, the upgrade will result in Hunt: Showdown dropping support for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions, as the system requirements will push the older generation consoles out of reach. Fifield sees this as a necessary evil, as older console players make up less than 10% of the game’s console engagement. Not to fret, as free upgrades to the current-gen versions will be available for previous-gen players.
Alongside the upgrade in 2024, Hunt: Showdown will see its first new map in three years, and a revamp to its progression system.
Hunt: Showdown is currently available on PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and the Xbox Series.
Video Games
Limited-Time Crossover Event for ‘Resident Evil Survival Unit’ With ‘Monster Hunter’ Announced [Teaser]
If you haven’t yet checked out Aniplex Inc. and JOYCITY Corporation’s Resident Evil Survival Unit, the free-to-play real-time strategy game has just announced a new collaboration with another Capcom property in Monster Hunter to entice prospective players. Kicking off on July 2 and running until July 29, the limited-time collaboration will introduce Monster Hunter–inspired elements into the post-apocalyptic world of Resident Evil Survival Unit, adding large-scale monster encounters to the game’s strategic systems.
Details on the collaboration are being kept under wraps for now, but during the event, players will be able to participate in collaboration-exclusive in-game events that will earn them special rewards inspired by the Monster Hunter series. We do get a brief teaser trailer for the upcoming event, which in addition to teasing various monsters for players to battle, also promises new units for players to recruit.
Set in a parallel world inspired by the Resident Evil universe, the game features an original storyline and real-time strategic gameplay designed for mobile platforms. Players will build bases, secure resources, and battle creatures in a collapsed city. Iconic characters such as Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield, and Jill Valentine appear throughout the game, allowing for team formations that bring together characters from across the Resident Evil franchise, enabling unique combinations not seen in the original titles.
Resident Evil Survival Unit is available on iOS and Android devices.