GYGO: Riot Settles and Overwatch 2 Pivots

It’s another week of Get Your Game On news, where announcements for more games sadly come accompanied by more unsavory industry nonsense!

Overwatch 2 Scraps PvE Mode

In a rather strange move, representatives have declared that Overwatch 2 will no longer have a PvE Hero Mode.

The PvE Hero component would have allowed players to have a shared narrative experience in multiplayer. The mode also promised a progression system that would enable their characters to unlocked new skills and talents. PvE Hero Mode was a highly anticipated feature promised since OW2’s initial tease back in 2019 and representing a major distinction from the first game.

According to Gamespot’s interview with game director Aaron Keller and executive producer Jared Neuss, that, “this decision was made for the good of the game and its live multiplayer component.”

Riot Games Settles

Riot Games has been subject to more lawsuits and issues in the past couple of years than we can count. The company has agreed to paying out over $100 million in a settlement addressing a 2018 lawsuit about gender discrimination. This payout is addressed to over 1,500 people who have been impacted, and has been sent to all claimants.

Riot faced another suit in 2019, accusing then-CEO Nicolo Laurent of sexual harassment. Laurent is stepping down from his role as CEO, turning over the position to current CFO A. Dylan Jadeja. Jadeja will slowly transition into the role this year.

In other news…

Humble Games premiered several teasers in a recent showcase of new and upcoming indie titles. These games include #BLUD, a cartoony dungeon crawler animated and developed by Long Island-based studio Exit 73, and Stray Gods, an “interactive role-playing musical.”

United Paizo Workers announced that they have formally reached their first tentative collective bargaining agreement with Paizo. Workers at Paizo initially declared their intentions of unionization back in 2021, making them the first successful case of unionization in the tabletop games industry.

Mortal Kombat is getting a reboot. The game is slated to still be developed by NetherRealm Studios, like other titles of the modern series.

Crypt of the Necrodancer developer Brace Yourself Games faced a series of layoffs that impacted about 50% of the studio’s employees.

CD Projekt Red has also confirmed a series of layoffs to their spinoff studio, Molasses Flood.

Blumhouse Productions confirms the Five Nights at Freddy’s movie adaptation is slated for October 27, 2023.

Dead by Daylight introduces Nicholas Cage.