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“Crimson Desert’s Chief Marketer Reflects on Early Announcement Impact”

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a really shonky Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom? Is it a dork ass enormity of an open world action-RPG? Is it a sort of janky Assassin’s Creedlike where you explode stuff a lot? Is it something with slippery combat that’ll break your heart? Is it a game where you’ve got to press 15 million buttons just to pick up a thing?

All of these are the sorts of questions folks have asked as they’ve grappled to understand exactly what Crimson is ahead of its release this month. According to developers Pearl Abyss’ main marketing man, that’s a consequence of the shonky enormity of exploding slippage being announced way too early.

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Changing Kingdom Laws in Total War: Medieval 3 to Prevent Unfit Heirs from Inheriting the Throne

While Creative Assembly will readily tell you that Total War: Medieval 3 is still years away from release, with the project currently only in pre-production, the team are being quite open with their plan for the long, long, long-awaited strategy game. A recent message from the game’s creative director, for instance, goes into how you can mess around with inheritance planning for the whole kingdom of France.

As someone who is currently going through the process of creating a will and signing life insurance paperwork, I am delighted to turn this boring bureaucracy into a transferable skill to ensure my friends and family can keep sticking it to the British throughout my 12th century campaign.

More importantly, potentially even than that, is how these systems are an example of the replayability Creative Assembly is hoping to build into Total War: Medieval 3 and what they’ve learned from Crusader Kings 3.

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Nvidia Releases Hotfix to Address Issues with GeForce Driver Caused by Previous Update

GeForce graphics cards drivers are having their most torrid time since, um, last year. As reported last week, Nvidia’s Game Ready 595.59 update – the launch driver for Resident Evil Requiem – spun up reported cooling fan issues, and its replacement, version 595.71, has been accidentally kneecapping clock speeds and voltage caps on the newest RTX 50 models. Cue yet another new driver, 595.76, which released yesterday as a hasty hotfix.

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11 Crucial Hints for Playing Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen and Overcoming the Elite Four

**Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen: An In-Depth Guide for New and Returning Players**

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, launched for the Game Boy Advance in 2004, are updated versions of the classic games that sparked the Pokémon phenomenon three decades back. While the gameplay remains fairly straightforward for turn-based RPGs, there are vital elements to keep in mind as you commence your adventure in the Kanto region, whether you are a fresh player or a seasoned enthusiast. Here are some insightful tips to improve your journey as you strive for Victory Road.

### The Starters as an Underlying Difficulty Level

Selecting your starter Pokémon from Professor Oak is among the initial major choices in FireRed and LeafGreen. Your selection from Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle impacts the challenge level during the early gym confrontations. The first trio of gyms concentrate on Rock, Water, and Electric types. Bulbasaur, a Grass-type, has an edge against the first two gyms and resistance toward the third. Squirtle, a Water-type, can overcome the first gym and resist the second, while Charmander, a Fire-type, faces disadvantages against both types. Nonetheless, it has the opportunity to learn Metal Claw, a Steel-type move, to assist in getting past the first gym challenge, assuming you level it up to 13.

### Legendary Beasts and Starter Decision

As the game progresses, you will meet one of the Legendary Beasts—Entei, Raikou, or Suicune—whose appearance is directly determined by your starter selection. Entei will show up if you have chosen Bulbasaur, Raikou for Squirtle, and Suicune for Charmander. This aspect not only enriches gameplay tactics but also fosters a stronger bond with your starter.

### Grasping the Pre-Physical/Special Division

In the Pokémon series following FireRed and LeafGreen, a major alteration was implemented: the physical/special division. Prior to this division, the categorization of moves was reliant solely on type, meaning all Normal moves, such as Hyper Beam, were classified as physical attacks. This impacts team formation since some Pokémon may possess superior physical or special skills than one might expect based on their type. Here’s how it breaks down for FireRed and LeafGreen:

**Physical Moves:** Normal, Fighting, Flying, Poison, Ground, Rock, Bug, Ghost, Steel.

**Special Moves:** Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Psychic, Ice, Dragon, Dark.

### Preventing Unintentional Game Resets

A critical tip for Switch players is to be conscious of the soft reset shortcut, activated by pressing all four face buttons at once. While this function is helpful for Shiny hunting, it carries the risk of losing significant progress if activated mistakenly. To reduce this risk, disable the X or Y button via the Button Mapping menu in Accessibility settings, enabling safer gameplay.

### Frequent Saving to Avoid Losing Progress

Considering that FireRed and LeafGreen were released before the autosave era, players need to save their games manually and regularly. Always ensure you save after significant achievements, like defeating gym leaders or capturing important Pokémon, to avoid setbacks due to resets or unexpected shutdowns.

### Version Exclusives in FireRed and LeafGreen

Like numerous Pokémon game pairs, FireRed and LeafGreen showcase exclusive Pokémon that are only obtainable in one version or the other. This promotes trading for a complete Pokédex. Importantly, Pokémon beyond the original 150 can only be gained in the post-game.

**FireRed Exclusives:** Ekans, Arbok, Vileplume, Electabuzz, Scyther, and more.

**LeafGreen Exclusives:** Sandshrew, Vulpix, Magmar, among others.

### The Importance of Hidden Machines (HMs)

In earlier Pokémon titles, players are required to use Hidden Machines (HMs) to traverse the game world effectively. HMs like Surf and Cut are useful for moving around and clearing blocked paths. It’s advisable to catch specific HM users who can utilize these moves without affecting your main team’s move selection, as HMs cannot be unlearned easily.

### Experience Sharing Arrives Later

Unlike contemporary Pokémon games where experience is distributed across the whole team, FireRed and LeafGreen necessitate manual training. The EXP. Share item, which shares experience points, is obtained later in Fuchsia City after capturing 50 Pokémon. This item can help ease some of the grinding as the game progresses.

### The Nugget Exploit for Early Affluence

Players can take advantage of a glitch in FireRed and LeafGreen to obtain an endless supply of Nuggets, which are valuable items that can be sold for a substantial amount. By consistently losing to a trainer at the culmination of a battle gauntlet in Cerulean City, players can gather Nuggets each time they interact with the trainer. This strategy can lead to quick financial gain, albeit with some repetitive actions involved.

### Local Trade Evolutions

FireRed and LeafGreen lack support for online trading, which complicates acquiring Pokémon that evolve through trading,

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Crimson Desert Marketing Director Responds to Review Controversy: “We Are Open”

**Crimson Desert: Excitement and Apprehensions Ahead of Release**

*Crimson Desert*, the forthcoming open-world adventure game from Pearl Abyss, is creating considerable excitement among gamers, mainly due to its visually captivating graphics and broad gameplay mechanics. As the release date of March 19 nears, enthusiasm is palpable, yet it is moderated by careful skepticism rooted in previous gaming failures.

During the pre-release phase of *Crimson Desert*, a continuous flow of trailers and gameplay clips has only heightened gamer enthusiasm. A particularly positive pre-release review by *Digital Foundry* praised the game’s remarkable visual quality, igniting discussions across various forums and social media about its prospects. However, in an environment reminiscent of the troubled debut of *Cyberpunk 2077*, worries are emerging regarding the game’s true performance, particularly on console platforms.

One significant concern for potential buyers is the review embargo’s timing, set for just 24 hours prior to the official launch. This limited window raises doubts about the game’s preparedness across various platforms, especially since review codes have only been distributed for the PC version. Unlike the initial excitement surrounding *Cyberpunk 2077*, which ultimately failed to meet expectations for console users, there remains apprehension that *Crimson Desert* might encounter similar problems.

Despite a sense of cautious optimism voiced by some players, there’s a noticeable tension within the community. The absence of early review chances for console versions may suggest unresolved issues that Pearl Abyss could still be working on. As the marketing team clarifies their position, claims of transparency are put forth, with Pearl Abyss Marketing Director Will Powers asserting their commitment to timely information for pre-orders. He has echoed the phrase “Let us cook?” as a plea for patience from the gaming community.

The varied reactions from those who have had firsthand experience with the game reveal a division in expectations. While some content creators offered favorable impressions, not all feedback has been universally positive, drawing comparisons to the initial reception of *Cyberpunk 2077*, where the PC version received praise, overshadowing console performance flaws.

As the gaming community awaits further insights about *Crimson Desert*, many are pondering if more performance details will emerge before launch, possibly including a follow-up analysis from *Digital Foundry*. Time is of the essence for Pearl Abyss to alleviate concerns and build support for their latest project. With gamers becoming increasingly cautious of titles that fail to meet launch expectations, the scrutiny on *Crimson Desert* is likely to escalate in the days leading up to its debut.

In the end, the trajectory that *Crimson Desert* follows could either restore gamers’ confidence in Pearl Abyss or plunge the studio into the same conversations of disappointment that followed *Cyberpunk 2077*. Only time will reveal if this much-anticipated title will fulfill expectations or disappoint, leaving a trail of disenchanted fans.

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Control 2 Developers Talk About the ‘Focus, M’ Awkward Dialogue Scene from the Trailer

**Control Resonant: Responding to Dialogue Critiques Amidst Anticipation for the Sequel**

Last month, at Sony’s prominent State of Play event, Remedy Entertainment revealed fresh gameplay footage from their eagerly awaited sequel, *Control Resonant*. The announcement was celebrated by fans keen to delve into the next installment of the beloved franchise. However, some parts of the gaming community expressed concerns regarding the dialogue present in the demo, which they believed echoed the criticisms of simplistic and contrived writing often linked with AAA titles, particularly reminiscent of the viral “Focus, M” clip.

*Control Resonant* is poised to build on the semi-open-world structure introduced in its predecessor, *Control*, offering players a significantly larger NYC environment and a greater focus on dynamic, aggressive combat. During a recent preview event, prominent developers, including creative director Mikael Kasurinen and lead gameplay designer Sergey Moho, carefully guided journalists through an exciting gameplay segment, highlighting the game’s innovative mechanics and captivating world.

In a following Q&A session, a question was raised regarding the aforementioned critique of the dialogue from the State of Play. A prominent tweet highlighted a moment between the main character Dylan and an off-screen handler, implying it fell prey to the sort of “AAA dialog” scrutiny directed at mainstream games for their frequently formulaic banter. Addressing the concern, communications director Thomas Puha indicated his initial unawareness of the meme, stating, “We’re kind of busy working on the game. Ultimately, I would think [we here at Remedy] know how to write good dialogue…and narrate a compelling story.”

The original tweet pointing out the dialogue issue gained traction soon after the State of Play, prompting Puha to respond with confusion as players compared the exchanges to the dialogue style found in superhero films. He stated, “Okay…I really don’t comprehend this, it’s all very reasonable dialogue and not some enigma being unraveled, but okay, taking the feedback in. Apologies for the delayed response.”

Two weeks later, while responding to further questions, Puha recognized the feedback but stressed that the dialogue displayed in the gameplay was not indicative of the entire narrative experience. He countered assertions about the writing’s quality by mentioning that much of what was heard in the presentation was “placeholder” text. He added, “Not to downplay people’s opinions on this, but you’re witnessing an isolated conversation from an experience that is very lengthy.”

Mikael Kasurinen, when asked if he had anything to add, reinforced Remedy Entertainment’s dedication to narrative integrity: “We at Remedy, of course, care profoundly about the characters and stories we wish to tell, and we want everything that serves the player [to] feel significant and important and so forth. That will be the case with *Control Resonant* as well.”

With its release expected later this year on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, *Control Resonant* seeks to achieve a balance between engaging gameplay and substantial storytelling, aiming to reassure fans that both the narrative and character interactions will be carefully crafted. As anticipation builds for the sequel, it will be intriguing to observe how Remedy handles both expectations and criticisms as the launch approaches.

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Ubisoft Unveils Plans for New Assassin’s Creed Game and Confirms Black Flag Remake

Following a major shift in leadership within the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Ubisoft has disclosed its vision for the series, shedding light on upcoming games, providing updates on the Netflix adaptation, and officially announcing the eagerly awaited remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.

On March 4, Ubisoft published a detailed blog outlining the future trajectory of Assassin’s Creed. In the post, it was confirmed that the remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is indeed in development. This revelation came alongside a piece of concept art for the new title, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. The title had previously surfaced through ratings last year.

Jean Guesdon, the head of content for the franchise, hinted at the ambitious nature of the remaking process. He stated, “Nothing is true. Everything is permitted.” However, the blog emphasizes that fans should anticipate significant changes, which have sparked discussions within the community. Additional details will emerge as development advances.

### Upcoming Titles: Codename Hexe and More

In the same blog post, Ubisoft provided updates on two more titles, notably Codename Hexe, which is expected to be the next primary series entry. Set against the backdrop of the witch trials in the Holy Roman Empire, the game is under development by Ubisoft Montreal. Guesdon will assume the role of creative director, following the departure of the previous lead, Clint Hocking, from the project. The blog does not delve into Hocking’s contributions to Hexe or any other titles.

While specifics about Hexe remain limited, Guesdon reassured fans about the game’s ambitious design, suggesting that further information will be disclosed in due course. Ubisoft aims to ensure that community enthusiasm is duly acknowledged and utilized throughout the process.

### Multiplayer Innovations with Codename Invictus

Additional announcements included Codename Invictus, a new multiplayer spin-off being created by a dedicated team of For Honor veterans at Ubisoft Montreal. Unlike previous multiplayer experiences, Invictus promises a unique approach that departs from what fans might expect based on earlier games like Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. Guesdon highlighted that player feedback will be pivotal in shaping this new multiplayer adventure.

### Project Jade and Co-op Features

Project Jade, another operational title revealed in 2022, received a brief update confirming its ongoing development. The mobile-only game, set in third-century China, was initially anticipated to launch in 2023, but this has since shifted due to undisclosed delays. Additionally, Ubisoft hinted at a potential return of cooperative gameplay. Guesdon acknowledged earlier reports regarding the scrapping of co-op features but expressed optimism about learning from the experience for future endeavors.

### Insights on Netflix Adaptation and Game Updates

Ubisoft is also gearing up for a highly anticipated live-action Assassin’s Creed series on Netflix, with indications that more casting news and details will be shared shortly. Fans are eagerly anticipating insights into the nature of this adaptation.

Moreover, the company announced a 60FPS patch for Assassin’s Creed Unity, set to be released on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5. This update aligns with Ubisoft’s ongoing trend of upgrading older titles to effectively utilize newer hardware capabilities.

In conclusion, with the significant leadership changes and the promise of new content across various platforms, Ubisoft is guiding the Assassin’s Creed franchise toward a future filled with excitement for both long-time fans and newcomers alike.

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Worries Among Fans About Pokémon’s Track Record with Quadrupedal Starters and Pombon’s Future

**Title: Pombon and the Evolution Discourse in Pokémon Winds and Waves**

The announcement of Pokémon Winds and Waves by Game Freak has sparked vibrant debates among fans, especially concerning the future of one of its starter Pokémon: Pombon, the Pomeranian fire puppy. The pivotal question capturing the community’s interest is whether Pombon will transform into a bipedal figure akin to the Weregarurumon design, a notion that arises from a deep-rooted tradition in the Pokémon franchise where starter Pokémon evolve into progressively sophisticated forms.

Since its introduction, Pombon has generated numerous memes and discussions revolving around its charming design. Enthusiasts have passionately deliberated on the possible evolution paths for this delightful fire type. Traditionally, many starters begin as small, lovable creatures and later evolve into more powerful and often bipedal shapes. This artistic approach has resulted in some Pokémon adopting designs that align with a more anthropomorphic look, evoking a blend of intrigue and apprehension among fans.

As mentioned in the recent episode of the Pokémon podcast “It’s Super Effective,” the evolution into bipedal forms from starter Pokémon raises concerns regarding the equilibrium between preserving the core characteristics of a Pokémon and the inclination for more human-like features. Classic Pokémon such as Charizard and Blastoise stayed true to their monstrous origins while evolving into bipedal forms. Conversely, newer designs like Delphox, Cinderace, and Incineroar have faced backlash, as these Pokémon often encapsulate human traits that some fans find less attractive, partly due to a latent anti-furry sentiment within the community.

The matter is further complicated by the statistical composition of starter evolutions. Of the 27 final forms historically, only seven are quadrupedal, with a significant majority adopting a bipedal form. As fans eagerly anticipate Pombon’s potential evolution, concerns arise that another bipedal fire-type Pokémon may simply replicate earlier designs. With nostalgia for prior generations, the community is cautious of repetitive ideas in starter evolutions, especially for fire types.

Speculative designs for Pombon’s evolution have started to emerge, with some fan concepts focusing on a Cerberus-inspired theme. This direction could provide a refreshing twist that veers away from conventional bipedal trends and introduces an entirely new notion of a three-headed creature. The success of such a design might depend on preserving Pombon’s four-legged status after evolution, which would defy current expectations.

No matter the outcome, it appears fans will remain captivated by Pombon in the forthcoming gameplay of Winds and Waves. Their excitement stretches beyond the possibility of familiar evolution patterns to a yearning for innovation from Game Freak. With trends evolving towards more diverse and creative designs, the community is keen for surprises that transcend traditional molds instead of revisiting established archetypes. The evolution of Pombon could symbolize a larger narrative about development and transformation within the Pokémon universe, resonating with what players desire in the continually changing realm of Pokémon design.