067 Google spends millions removing competition, Blizzard pulls games from China, Yuji Naka arrested for insider trading, and plenty more!

//DeadDrop{TRANSFER}:"21st November, 2022"// Today's transfer includes Google’s anti-competitive “Project Hug” paid game studios, Blizzard and NetEase dispute over games in China, Sonic Creator accused of insider trading, Dead Island 2 delayed, and plenty more! Welcome to The Dead Drop, your secret cache of game news delivered safely and securely to your podcast player.

Guest on the Dukes of Gaming podcast!

“A Plague’s Tale: Requiem” Spoilercast with Dukes of Gaming and Game ’n Watch was a great chat about the game, its flaws, its triumphs and whether it belongs on the Game Awards’ “Game of the Year” list. Check it out on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1655852676 or wait for the episode to release on Dukes of Gaming in your podcast player: https://pod.link/1565104246. 

Sources for the stories in this episode:

Story 1: Google paid Activision, Riot millions to stop competitive app stores

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/google-reportedly-paid-activision-riot-millions-to-prevent-them-from-opening-rival-app-stores

Story 2: Blizzard games pulled from China after NetEase licensing dispute

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/blizzard-games-set-to-be-pulled-in-china-after-dispute-with-netease-over-license/

Story 3: Sonic co-creator and Square Enix employees accused of insider trading

https://www.pcgamer.com/former-square-enix-employees-arrested-over-dragon-quest-related-insider-trading/

Story 4: Volition moving to Gearbox group in Embracer after terrible Saints Row performance

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/volition-will-become-part-of-gearbox-after-disappointing-reception-to-saints-row/

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Quick Headlines:

QH 1: Dead Island 2 delayed until April 28th, 2023.

https://deadisland.com/news/importantupdate

QH 2: Overwatch 2 adds audio transcription of reported “disruptive behaviour”

https://www.eurogamer.net/overwatch-2-adds-audio-transcription-to-pc-chat-to-beat-disruptive-behaviour

QH 3: Scalper bots easing off targeting PS5 products for resale, despite increase in stock

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/scalper-bots-slowly-starting-to-lose-interest-in-ps5-report-suggests/

QH 4: Within days, first mod for Pokemon Scarlet/Violet removes Ed Sheeran’s track from credits

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2022/11/pokemon-scarlet-and-violets-first-mod-has-removed-ed-sheerans-song-celestial

QH 5: Nvidia hit with class action over melting RTX 4090 adapters

https://www.pcgamer.com/nvidia-hit-with-class-action-suit-over-melting-rtx-4090-gpu-adapters/

QH 6: AC: Valhalla post-launch support ends with the Last Chapter DLC release

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/assassins-creed-valhallas-post-launch-support-will-end-next-month-with-the-last-chapter/

QH 7: Team NINJA reportedly rebooting “Ninja Gaiden” and “Dead or Alive” franchises

https://noisypixel.net/ninja-gaiden-dead-or-alive-reboots/

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