GYGO: Cyberpunk Crunch and A New Challenger Approaches for Smash

This week in gaming was one of distinct industry highs and lows, with some longstanding issues for the gaming community seeing new airtime as execs do what execs do best. But all is not lost, with some charming news for gamers of beloved franchises. Let’s get started!

CD Projekt Red announces Pre-Release Crunch for Cyberpunk 2077

Continuing his long history of reporting on labor in the games industry, Jason Schreier broke the news on Tuesday, September 29th, that CDPR was going back on their promise of a crunch-free release for their latest IP.

This met with considerable backlash from fans on both sides of the issue, from those decrying CDPR’s choices to those who thought Schreier was making a mountain out of a now common industry molehill:

Steve Minecraft Confirmed for Smash

On Thursday, October 1, the newest fighter coming to Super Smash Bros Ultimate was announced, and it’s STEVE FROM MINECRAFT! He and a brand new Minecraft stage arrive to the game on October 14th.

Fall Guys Promises Spooky Stuff for Season 2

The clumsy jellybean battle royale that’s taken the world by storm is getting ready for the start of its second competitive season on Thursday, October 8th. The included image promises not just a new season, but the advent of Halloween costumes for our beloved Fall Guys, in case you were tired of being a can of banana water (I’m not):

PlayStation 5 Specs and Performance

The first reports of PlayStation 5 play performance began coming out this week, and one noticeable through-line to the commentary is that the PS5 does not suffer from the common problem of excessive fan noise that plagued the PS4. We’re still waiting for specific looks at the UI, but performance reports are promising.

Gamers are still, however, concerned with the 825GB storage space of the new console, as games continue to balloon in size:

The Harry Potter MMO Continues to Be… Like That

Despite earlier statements about how JK Rowling is not involved with Hogwarts Legacy, Jason Schreier pulled out statements from Warner Bros. Games President David Haddad, who refused to take a strong stand on Rowling’s history of transphobia. While in the follow-up tweet Schreier reports that WB Games is working with LGBTQ rights groups and particularly trans voices through GLAAD, no explicit condemnation of Rowling or acknowledgment of the ways in which she will benefit from the purchase of this game, which may in turn lead to more platforming of her hate, followed.

And Now: A Final Palate Cleanser

It was a good week for Minecraft fans, with the addition of an adorable new mob creature, the axolotl. I am dying to see this bucket of which they speak, personally.