Concept art for the supposed 2024 entry into the Call of Duty franchise has reportedly popped up online after they were supposedly datamined from a Call of Duty Warzone mobile test. The images came from Twitter user @RealiityUK – whose account has been suspended but you can still view the images below – and appear to show four maps from Treyarch’s upcoming title. The images showcase an F117 aircraft that was popularised at the time of the Gulf War, leading many to speculate that this is when the game will be set. If this period is true then that will set the game as a chronological prequel to Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War. READ MORE Sony Patents a Way For PS3 Accessories to Work on Modern Consoles Call of Duty Warzone mobile seems to be offering a tonne of data for upcoming entries into the franchise, including new Verdansk gameplay. 2023 is also the first year in nearly 20 years that will not see a Call of Duty release as Activision Blizzard has opted to skip this year’s annual release. The decision was reportedly due to executives stating that it was releasing the entries too frequently and were failing to meet expectations. //MWII MAPS LEAKEDMAGES OF 4 MAPSSABAMUSEUMOIL FIELDGRAND PRIXFOLLOW @MW2CODNEWS @RealiityUK CREDIT FOR THE LEAK pic.twitter.com/c9Wxjsey0q— MW2 NEWS + LEAKS (@MW2CODNEWS) July 3, 2022 The decision was reportedly not influenced by the fact that Microsoft is set to acquire Activision Blizzard by 2023, despite the year off coinciding with the proposed acquisition date. However, Activision Blizzard has reiterated that this has not affected the decision to take a year off. There will still be a 2022 release for the series, marked Call of Duty Modern Warfare II and will be a sequel to the 2019 Modern Warfare which was a pretty great entry into the franchise. These are not to be confused with Call of Duty Modern Warfare 1 and II which were released a decade ago as this seems to be a series reboot. Call of Duty Modern Warfare II will also break the tradition of launching exclusively on the Battle.net launcher and will also be sold on Steam, marking its return to Valve’s store. Source: Twitter

Sony has just filed a new patent on 30 June that outlines ways to emulate PS3 accessories on modern PlayStation consoles. The patent titled ” Systems and Methods For Converting A Legacy Code Into An Updated Code” details Sony’s intentions to make older PlayStation accessories compatible with new hardware. The patent covers quite a large range of accessories and even other hardware including the PSP Go handheld gaming device. It also includes the PlayStation Move controllers, PlayStation Eye and something called the Legacy Card Reader which by the sound of things might be a memory card accessory Sony will release that allows users to plug in older memory card accessories. READ MORE EA’s Seattle Studio Hiring for Next Battlefield Single-Player Campaign The patent doesn’t exactly confirm the existence of PS3-emulated hardware on the PS4 and PS5 but by the look of things, Sony has secured a way to make accessories work on the PS4 and PS5. You also need to keep in mind that while this is good news for the PS3 era, it doesn’t help that most of the PS3 accessories aren’t available for purchase any more. You can only easily get hold of the PlayStation Move Controllers due to the fact that they are used for the older PS VR system. The patent suggests that the PS5 won’t nessecarily require compatibility with the hardware and accessories. Instead, the console will emulate support and functionality. What Sony plans on doing with this older hardware isn’t clear yet. However, reports claim that Sony is currently investigating ways of making PS3 games compatible with the PS5 console through emulation. This is to combat the current cloud streaming restrictions on the new PlayStation Plus service. If Sony was to successfully emulate PS3 games locally on the PS5, the company might extend the experience to accessories. Don’t expect this to happen any time soon. Source: Game Rant Written by Marco Cocomello Original article on GLITCHED

EA has begun recruiting developers to join its new Seattle studio to begin work on an upcoming single-player Battlefield campaign, according to a job listing. The listing states that the studio is looking to create “rich, exciting stories with memorable characters and powerful experiences all in the Battlefield universe”. One specific job mentioned is Design Director, which will be tasked with leading the single-player side of the series, and would be responsible for “orchestrating the mission design, narrative, game mechanics, and systems to create the highest quality experience possible”. READ MORE Loot Boxes Will Soon be Banned in Spain and The Netherlands The listing seemingly confirms that EA will be bringing single-player campaigns back to the Battlefield series of games. Though, it’s not clear if this will be a recurring point in all future entries or if this is a single-case scenario. EA formed the Seattle studio last year and already hosts talent such as Marcus Lehto, responsible for co-creating the Halo franchise while still at Bungie as well as acting as art, creative and game director. This is the second studio in the area which was set up by former Monolith Productions lead, Kevin Stephens, and it’s claimed the studio will focus on open-world action-adventure titles. ICYMI: According to a job listing by EA, Marcus Lehto's Seattle studio is looking for a Design Director to manage the design team & design vision of a "new #Battlefield single player campaign experience" while embracing "the core tenets" of the franchise https://t.co/iqKW84dpKQ. pic.twitter.com/UEZdHVVvaW— Battlefield Bulletin (@BFBulletin) June 27, 2022 While the new Seattle studio will be seemingly creating a new Battlefield single-player campaing, DICE’s general manager, Rebecka Coutaz, has affirmed that the developer is by no means stepping away from the series. Coutaz reportedly told GamesIndustry.biz that the studio has “no-time” to pursue non-Battlefield projects. “We are only focusing on Battlefield 2042. There is no time for anything else and this is what we want to do. In three years, we want to be the first-person shooter powerhouse that DICE deserves to be, and that is what we’re going for”. EA has already admitted its failures regarding Battlefield 2042 to its staff in an internal meeting, though they haven’t given up on the game just yet. Despite this, there is already a new Battlefield game that is in pre-production which it seems the Seattle studio will be involved in. Source: EA Original article on GLITCHED

Over the weekend two European governments submitted a motion to ban loot boxes in the region. The first is Spain which aims to crack down on loot boxes and blame them for pathological behaviour in children. The second region is the Netherlands which now wants to regulate loot boxes in the country after discovering there’s a link between loot boxes and gambling. These countries follow Belgium where loot boxes are now currently banned and games that contain them aren’t able to release in the region. The Spanish government believe that loot boxes promote “thoughtless, compulsive and even pathological” behaviour. Consumer Minister Alberto Garzon says that the ban is almost already done and in a few weeks the government will start to regulate gaming features that offer prizes with an economic value in real and virtual markets. This also includes NFTs or cryptocurrency. READ MORE God of War Ragnarok Collector’s Edition Details Leak Garzon says that the new law will allow gamers to have fun while preserving their health and, in particular, keep the most vulnerable safe from harm. The government has yet to share exact details on the new law but if they follow Belgium, it would see loot boxes banned in the region completely giving developers a challenge to release games in the country. As for the Netherlands government, they have already put forward the motion to ban loot boxes. According to the report, 94 out of the 150 people in the House of Representatives have voted for the motion to ban the in-game purchase system in video games. In addition, 44 of the 75 people who have seats in the Senate have also voted for the motion. Basically, this motion is as good as approved. The motion reads: Noting that children in video games are manipulated to purchase microtransactions and that with so-called loot boxes there is also a form of gambling; Noting that these transactions are addicting and can impose unexpected bills for these transactions, with all applying disruptive effects; Noting that consumer associations from eighteen European countries together ask for regulation of these loot boxes; Noting that the Dutch Gambling Authority attempted to regulate these loot boxes, but that the Council of State ultimately did not to along with this; Noting that in Belgium these loot boxes are banned; Ask the cabinet to investigate the possibility to also ban these loot boxes in the Netherlands and where necessary change the law, The motion still needs to go through the House of Senate. However, most members of these parties have already shown their support. It is just a matter of time before the law is put in place. Source: Rueters / Resetera Written by Marco Cocomello Original article on GLITCHED