Start every weekday morning with Words About Games’ round-up of the latest news from in and around the games industry.
This morning – Microsoft are in the process of rolling out Steam-style refunds on their Xbox One and Windows 10 stores, Nintendo are discontinuing the Classic Mini NES, Microsoft originally planned to release a more powerful Xbox One last year, Bandai Namco tease a new game, Capcom say the next Resident Evil could be “very different” from RE7, NHL 17 predicts the Nashville Predators will win the Stanley Cup and Nintendo showed off HD Rumble simulating a pair of boobs.
Microsoft implements self-service refunds system – Microsoft is currently trialling a self-service refund system, similar to the one implemented on Steam in 2015, for Xbox One and Windows 10. Currently selected members of the Xbox Insider Program can request refunds of games, as long as they haven’t owned them for longer than 14 days or played for more than two hours. DLC, season passes and other add-ons are not eligible for refunds.
(via Reddit / Polygon)
Nintendo discontinuing Classic Mini NES – Despite being around for less than a year (and despite being brutally difficult to get a hold of), Nintendo are halting production of their retro Mini NES console. The console, which comes preloaded with 30 classic NES games, is being shipped to North American territories throughout April, but Nintendo has confirmed that this shipment will be the last. The Mini NES is meant to cost £50, but thanks to its rarity the only places to actually get the console are through resellers, often for two or three times the RRP.
(via IGN)
Microsoft originally planned to launch more powerful Xbox last year – Xbox boss Phil Spencer has admitted that Microsoft scrapped plans to launch a more powerful version of Xbox One in 2016. According to Spencer, plans had been in motion to launch the hardware alongside Xbox One S, offering players a beefier alternative to the standard Xbox One. These plans were later folded into Project Scorpio, which is due for release later this year.
(via Gamasutra)
Bandai Namco teases new project – Bandai Namco are teasing a new game project using the hashtag #PrepareToDine. The publisher released a short teaser, which is an original animation inspired by their upcoming game. There’s also a page for the project on Bandai Namco’s official website, which includes the teaser and a mailing list sign-up. The publisher will reveal the project on April 20.
(via Press Release / YouTube)
Next Resident Evil may be “very different” from RE7 – Speaking on the final Making Of video for Resident Evil 7, series Executive Producer Jun Takeuichi spoke of Capcom’s desire to evolve the survival horror genre with the seventh instalment in the main series, before expressing a wish that the developer would keep pushing the envelope, saying that “plans are already in motion” for the sequel and it may be “very different from Resident Evil 7 in some ways.”
(via YouTube)
EA Sports uses NHL 17 to predict Stanley Cup winner – In their yearly tradition, EA have carried out a Stanley Cup simulation to predict the winner of ice hockey’s ultimate prize. According to NHL 17 the Nashville Predators will win the playoffs, besting the Montreal Canadiens in 7 games. Last years simulation predicted that the Washington Capitals would win the Stanley Cup, besting the San Jose Sharks (which was half right – the Sharks did get beat in the finals, but by the Pittsburgh Penguins as opposed to the Caps).
(via EA Sports website)
Japanese Nintendo Direct showed Joycons simulating boobs – The Japanese version of Wednesday’s Nintendo Direct showed off a rather oddball feature for the Joycon’s HD Rumble. Marvelous announced that a new Senran Kagura game would be coming to Switch, proceeding to show off how the console’s HD Rumble would simulate the feel of a pair of boobs. The segment, cut from the European and North American Direct’s, can be viewed on Nintendo Japan’s YouTube channel.
(via Nintendo Japan YouTube)
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