Video Games
‘Resident Evil Survival Unit’ Now Available on iOS and Android Devices [Trailer]
February is an agonizing ways away for Resident Evil fans, but at least Aniplex Inc. and JOYCITY Corporation are easing the pain with the release of Resident Evil Survival Unit, which is available now on iOS and Android. The free-to-play real-time strategy game capped its launch with a brand-new trailer, which showcases the game’s atmosphere and strategic gameplay.
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.
In addition to Survival Unit‘s varied gameplay elements, including single-player missions and puzzle-based survival challenges, players can form alliances and coordinate strategies with others for a tense and tactical survival experience.
And, if you’re one of the over 2 million players who pre-registered prior to the game’s launch, you’ll be able to enjoy the pre-registration bonuses, which will make your start in the game a little easier.
Meanwhile, for those eyeing the bigger prize, the upcoming ninth entry in the main Resident Evil series, Resident Evil Requiem, launches February 27.
The rumoured cuts at Xbox have come to fruition, with plans to lay off 3,200 employees. In addition, five studios are also set to be let go, with Double Fine and South of Midnight developer Compulsion breaking off to go independent, while Ninja Theory (Senua) and Undead Labs (State of Decay 3) have been sold.
The fifth studio, Marvel’s Blade and Dishonored studio Arkane Lyon, is set to be divested from Xbox Game Studios, though details are still being kept under wraps.
Per Xbox Wire, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma confirmed the layoff and divestment plans at Xbox, but announced no plans for closures or game cancellations.
According to Sharma, Xbox is operating at “margins that are 3-10x lower than comparable platform and publishing businesses.” Sharma acknowledged Xbox’s previous pivots to Game Pass, multi-platform, and a “broader portfolio of content” have resulted in “meaningful value”, but it hasn’t been enough.
“Since 2018, we have aggressively expanded our studio portfolio while the number of games created each month across the industry now outpaces the last ten years combined,” she said. “We now find ourselves competing not only with the largest publishers, but also with smaller independent studios. It is neither possible nor desirable to own every great independent studio.”
As a result, Compulsion Games and Double Fine Productions “will return to management and transition to independent studios with their IP, catalog, and runway for their next games.” Meanwhile, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs “have entered terms to join new ownership with funding to complete and grow Senua and State of Decay 3.” As for Arkane Lyon, the studio’s management “is beginning required consultation with its Works Council to review potential strategic options.”
The 3,200 cuts will be made throughout Xbox’s financial year across departments, with some areas being more affected than others. This is expected to affect around 20% of the developer’s workforce.
In addition, Bethesda will also undergo “a significant overhaul”, and will pivot to focus on its core franchises: Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein. None of our first party publicly announced games or projects are being cancelled as part of these reductions.
“These changes are about a bigger future for Xbox, not a smaller one,” says Sharma. “The next decade of gaming will be larger, more global, and more creative than anything we’ve seen before. This year, we’ll invest as much in Xbox as we ever have, but we’ll invest with greater focus, greater discipline, and greater clarity, all in service of making Xbox where the world plays and creates.”