Capcom's Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is an action game with traditional Japanese aesthetics

Capcom has given us a glimpse at a new IP with a clear Japanese folklore theme and aesthetics entitled Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess at Summer Game Fest's Xbox Showcase. Now, the company has confirmed during Capcom Showcase that the single-player action RPG is also coming to the PlayStation 5, Windows PCs and Steam, in addition to the Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Game Pass. 

In Kunitsu-Gami, people have defiled a sacred mountain, and it has physically manifested as blight spreading across the lands. The diseased flora and fauna have attracted creatures called the Seethe, which you have to fight and vanquish to clear the path for the Spirit Stone Maiden so she can perform the rite of cleansing and restore the lands.

Capcom said the game follows in the footsteps of its previous titles with traditional Japanese themes, such as Okami and Shinsekai: Into the Depths. It was also developed using its RE Engine, which was originally designed for Resident Evil 7: Biohazard but was subsequently used for titles that include more Resident Evil games, Street Fighter 6 and Devil May Cry 5

That's pretty much all we know about the game so far — it doesn't even have a release date yet — but you can watch its trailer in the video below.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/capcoms-kunitsu-gami-path-of-the-goddess-is-an-action-game-with-traditional-japanese-aesthetics-054801136.html?src=rss

Capcom's Pragmata has been delayed for a second time

There's a good chance that you've forgotten all about Pragmata, Capcom's eerie, dystopian sci-fi adventure game. Now, Capcom is giving you a chance to forget about it all over again: a new teaser for the game has revealed that the title will miss its 2023 release window.

"It is with a heavy heart that we must further postpone the release of Pragmata," the development team wrote at the end of the game's new trailer. "Our team is currently hard at work making the best game that we possibly can, but we need more time."

As the message implies, this is actually the second time that Pragmata's release has been postponed. First announced in 2020, Pragmata was teased with a cinematic trailer showing a soldier and a young girl exploring an abandoned city before winding up on the surface of the moon. The original teaser hinted at a dystopian future and a close relationship between the lead characters, but little else. About a year later, Capcom released a video of the young girl apologizing for the game's delay. This year's trailer is similar, but at least it shows off some gameplay.

We now know that the young girl is named Diana, and she seems to be under the protection of her heavily armored friend. Together, we see them fighting robot-like creatures, exploring futuristic environments and teaming up for high-speed piggy-back rides. While the soldier does most of the pair's fighting in the trailer, it also reveals that Diana has special abilities.

Capcom

What are those powers? What are these two characters doing on the moon? What happened to the rest of humanity? Those questions will have to wait. The Pragmata team did not set a new release window for the game, promising instead that it was doing its best to "ensure that the final product is one that is worthy of your patience."

Pragmata is planned to release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and PC gaming platforms.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/capcoms-pragmata-has-been-delayed-for-a-second-time-002035406.html?src=rss

Watch Ubisoft's Summer Game Fest event in 13 minutes

On Monday, it was Ubisoft's turn to take center stage at Summer Game Fest. After Microsoft's strong showing on Sunday, the publisher's showcase was a more sedate affair, with Ubisoft mostly providing updates on games that it had already been previously announced. 

However, the event did have its share of highlights. One surprise announcement saw Castlevania showrunner Adi Shankar take the stage in a seriously ridiculous getup to reveal Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix, an animated series based, of all things, on Far Cry 3's Blood Dragon expansion from 2013. After years of development, Ubisoft also offered a first look at Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. But the star of the show was undoubtedly the first gameplay trailer Massive Entertainment shared for its upcoming Star Wars project, Outlaws. The 10-minute clip offered a comprehensive look at what Star Wars fan can expect from the open world title in 2024. If you missed any part of the presentation, our video summary will catch you up in less than 14 minutes.   

Catch up on all of the news from Summer Game Fest right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-ubisofts-summer-game-fest-event-in-13-minutes-213019569.html?src=rss

Watch Capcom’s Summer Game Fest showcase here at 6PM ET

It's Capcom's turn for a Summer Game Fest livestream. The publisher will host its Capcom Showcase at 6PM ET and you can watch it below. The stream will run for around 36 minutes, Capcom said, though we'll be getting things underway with a pre-show at 5:30PM. If you miss the stream as it happens, you'll be able to catch up on YouTube later.

The company has revealed three of the titles it will feature. We'll see Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, a remastered version of an adventure game that debuted over a decade ago. The latest edition will arrive on June 30th.

One segment of the showcase will be devoted to Exoprimal, a multiplayer dinosaur-slaying game that's coming to PlayStation, Xbox and PC on July 14th. Capcom will also provide another look at Dragon's Dogma 2. The hotly anticipated sequel doesn't have a release date as yet.

The publisher will have other things to share, but the rest of the lineup remains a mystery for now. Knowing Capcom, though, there'll probably be some mention of Resident Evil. Perhaps we'll get an update on the upcoming virtual reality mode for the Resident Evil 4 remake.

Engadget has been in Los Angeles over the last few days to go hands-on with some of the many titles that have been showcased during Summer Game Fest. You can check out news, previews and impressions from the various events at our Summer Game Fest hub.

Catch up on all of the news from Summer Game Fest right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-capcoms-summer-game-fest-showcase-here-at-6pm-et-200021083.html?src=rss

New York City sets an $18 per hour minimum wage for food delivery workers

New York is about to become the first city in the United States to mandate a minimum wage for food delivery workers. Starting next month, delivery apps, including Uber Eats and GrubHub, will be required to pay their workers $17.96 per hour, plus tips, by July 12th. Then, by 2025, the city will mandate Uber, GrubHub and other players in the space pay delivery workers $19.96 per hour, with adjustments for inflation to follow thereafter.

The minimum wage in New York City is $15 per hour. By setting the hourly pay for delivery workers above that, the city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) agency notes it’s accounting for the fact Uber, GrubHub and DoorDash classify their delivery workers as contractors, who tend to pay higher taxes and often need to pay work-related expenses out of their own pocket. According to an estimate from the DCWP, there are more than 60,000 food delivery workers in New York, earning an average of $7.09 per hour.

The final hourly rate the city announced on Monday is less than the $23.82 figure the agency had called for in 2022 (PDF link). In March, the DCWP revised its estimate to account for “multi-apping,” a practice wherein some workers will deliver for more than one app at the same time. App companies, including Uber and GrubHub, pushed back against the regulation, and now that it’s set to finally go into effect, they’re still not happy about it. "The city is lying to delivery workers – they want apps to fund the $30 per hour wage by eliminating jobs and reducing tipping while forcing the remaining workers to deliver orders faster," Uber spokesperson Josh Gold told Engadget.

“While we believe New York City had good intentions, we are disappointed in the DCWP’s final rule, which will have serious adverse consequences for delivery workers in New York City,” a GrubHub spokesperson said. “Unfortunately, New York City chose not to partner with the industry on a solution that would have benefited all aspects of the gig economy.”

How delivery apps pay their workers is up to them, so long as they meet the minimum set by the city. Companies that pay only for trip time must pay approximately 50 cents per minute, while firms that compensate workers for the entire time they’re logged in, including any downtime waiting for an order, must pay approximately 30 minutes per minute, not including tips. The law comes after New York began enforcing a minimum wage for Uber and Lyft drivers in 2022.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/new-york-city-sets-an-18-per-hour-minimum-wage-for-food-delivery-workers-193338002.html?src=rss

Grubhub lays off 15 percent of its employees

The technology industry has been hit hard by layoffs this year, and GrubHub is the latest to cut staff. The company’s CEO Howard Migdal announced today that the company will be letting go of roughly 400 employees, or 15 percent of its corporate workforce. The layoffs will supposedly help Grubhub stay "competitive" with the market.

He said, "Over the last few months, I met with Grubhub teams to learn about the business from the ground up; I spoke to restaurants and diners to understand their needs – and challenges – when using our service." Impacted employees will be "notified over the next several hours." Migdal goes on to say that he understands that this will be a difficult time for all employees. For those who are keeping their jobs, he claims that more details about “our future together” will surface in the coming days.

Back in March of this year, Grubhub’s then CEO Adam DeWitt announced that he would be stepping down at the start of May amid increasing economic pressure. With Migdal as the new CEO, it’s not terribly surprising that his first move would be to try and reduce operating costs due to the continued economic pressure.

Grubhub isn’t the first and likely isn’t the last delivery service to start to cut employees. Late last year, DoorDash announced that it would be laying off nearly 1,300 employees due to "operating expenses." The company’s CEO Tony Xu said that DoorDash increased hiring during the pandemic and that operating expenses would continue to outgrow sales.

The big difference between DoorDash and Grubhub is that the former offered those who were laid off 13 weeks of compensation along with four weeks of severance pay. Grubhub’s announcement today did not mention any sort of compensation or severance pay for those who are being laid off.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/grubhub-lays-off-15-percent-of-its-employees-190005627.html?src=rss

First 'Star Wars Outlaws' gameplay trailer offers 10 minutes of scoundrel wish fulfilment

When Ubisoft shared the first look at Star Wars Outlaws on Sunday during Microsoft's Xbox and Starfield Showcase, the publisher promised it would have an extended gameplay trailer to share during its Ubisoft Forward event on Monday. And boy did it deliver. The company shared 10 minutes of footage that offers a comprehensive look at the upcoming game. 

The clip opens on the planet of Toshara with protagonist Key Vess and her trusty companion Nix sneaking through a criminal syndicate facility. Key can call on the adorable Nix to help her traverse the environment, while she takes care of knocking out enemies. If she's caught sneaking by a guard, Key has a moment where she, like Han Solo before 1997, can shoot first. Once things get messy, combat revolves around a blaster pistol that features a handful of different ammunition types. For instance, there are enemies with energy shields. In the heat of battle, Nix can retrieve blaster rifles dropped by enemies for Key to use, though it appears they come with limited ammunition. Star Wars Outlaws won't limit you to walking everywhere on foot. You can traverse the game's world on a speeder bike, and even take to the skies and space with a starship, with seemingly no loading between different elements of the game.  

Star Wars Outlaws will be available next year on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. Massive Entertainment, best known for its work The Division franchise, is leading development on the project, with what seems like Ubisoft's entire stable of first-party studios on support duties. The game runs on Massive's in-house Snowdrop engine and looks stunning as a result. 

Catch up on all of the news from Summer Game Fest right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/first-star-wars-outlaws-gameplay-trailer-offers-10-minutes-of-scoundrel-wish-fulfilment-184921702.html?src=rss

'The Crew Motorfest' brings open-world racing to Hawaii on September 14th

Ubisoft's main answer to the Forza Horizon series is coming soon. The publisher has revealed that The Crew Motorfest will be available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. It's a sequel to 2018's The Crew 2, but there are some clear changes to the gameplay in this third title.

Rather than spanning the entire US, The Crew Motorfest will center on a downscaled version of the Hawaiian island of O'ahu, where you'll compete in a Forza-style racing festival with a variety of on- and off-road events that include street races and beach adventures. The eclectic choice of cars is also a highlight — you can drive everything from the classic VW Microbus through to the Hummer EV and Lamborghini Revuelto.

Motorfest has some pedigree behind it. Some of the developers at Ubisoft Ivory Tower also have experience from the first two Test Drive Unlimited games. While a lot of time has elapsed since the 2011 release of Test Drive Unlimited 2, fans of that series might see this as an unofficial sequel.

Catch up on all of the news from Summer Game Fest right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-crew-motorfest-brings-open-world-racing-to-hawaii-on-september-14th-182256390.html?src=rss

Ubisoft confirms holiday release for ‘Assassin’s Creed: Nexus VR’

Ubisoft has given us the first proper look at Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR for the Meta Quest platform and confirmed a holiday launch window. The news comes via the company’s Ubisoft Forward streaming event as part of the Summer Game Fest. Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR releases for both the Meta Quest Pro, Meta Quest 2 and the recently-announced Meta Quest 3, though OG Quest owners are out of luck.

We knew this was coming, as Meta just held a games showcase event that featured Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR, but there’s now a dedicated trailer. This trailer is light on actual gameplay and heavy on CGI cutscenes, but it definitely confirms that you play in first person as an actual assassin through the magic of VR. Ubisoft says the title lets you experience parkour-style movement, stealth combat and good old-fashioned hand-to-hand fisticuffs in virtual reality.

The game brings back former series protagonists like Ezio, as you’ll be interacting with their memories to access levels. For those weary of the nausea associated with VR, particularly while performing elaborate parkour moves, Ubisoft says the title includes “best-in-class comfort features” to help with vertigo or fear of heights, though we aren’t exactly sure what that means. There’s no price yet, but top-tier Quest titles cap out at around $40. Also, the game looks to be a Quest platform exclusive at launch.

Catch up on all of the news from Summer Game Fest right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ubisoft-confirms-holiday-release-for-assassins-creed-nexus-vr-181108767.html?src=rss

Netflix's ‘Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix’ is an anime love letter to the '90s

Ubisoft revealed a teaser trailer today for Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix. The upcoming Netflix anime is based on the 2013 Blood Dragon expansion for Far Cry 3 — but it appears to be at least as much of a tongue-in-cheek remix of Ubisoft IP and early 90s nostalgia.

Series creator Adi Shankar (producer of Netflix’s Castlevania series) introduced the trailer in a campy cyborg getup befitting the source material. “Seven years ago, I got a call from Ubisoft, offering me the opportunity to adapt one of their very, very, very serious franchises into an anime,” Shankar deadpanned. “But instead, I came back to them with a crazy concept inspired by the mood of Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon. This concept used Ubisoft’s vast library of characters, and remixed them into one delirious anime series that would become this love letter to the 90s… or at least how I remembered the 90s.”

Shankar describes the series as a violent, dystopian fiction in the spirit of the works of Aldous Huxley, as well as a spoof, satire, dark comedy, love story and “the most philosophically conscious show you’ve watched in a long time.” Bobbypills Studio handles the animation.

Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix is scheduled to premiere worldwide on Netflix this fall. You can watch the “Easter-egg-filled” teaser trailer below.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflixs-captain-laserhawk-a-blood-dragon-remix-is-an-anime-love-letter-to-the-90s-180409644.html?src=rss