In this weeks bulletin, we discuss the new DLC for Total War: Three Kingdoms, an Age of Empires II tournament, new educational content for Minecraft, the review of a new detective game set in 1977’s Barcelona, a free educational archaeology game , a new Plague Inc. game mode and a fundraiser for the UK National Videogame Museum.
Total War: Three Kingdoms DLC out now!
The latest DLC for the strategy game Total War: Three Kingdoms has just been released. Focusing on a newer generation, the A World Betrayedis set in the power vacuum left behind by the old warlords. The game adds two new factions, new units but most importantly the stories of the sons of former warlords. The DLC can be bought through Steam for €9,99! For a more in depth overview of the DLC, read this over at Rock Paper Shotgun.
Age of Empires II Hidden Tournament watched by over 35.000!
Even though Age of Empires II came out in 1999, the game has not been dead. The developers have been giving us some updated editions of the game, with the Definitve Edition being the latest. The online community has been far from dead either. Last week, a Hidden Tournament was announced, with the top 8 players competing. The gimmick of the tournament was that the players were announced after the winner had been declared. The players were playing under an alias the whole time. The amount of people viewing were staggering! Read more over at Rock Paper Shotgun, or look at the streams of T90 over at Twitch
New educational content for Minecraft
The current pandemic has caused many schools to close down worldwide. Online classes have been set up and meetings are being held digitally. But students also find other ways to meet up when they can’t see each other in real life: Minecraft! We at VALUE have set up our own server, but the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, announced that new free educational content is now availiable over at the Minecraft Marketplace. Spencer focuses on the important role video games can play in the coming period: “We understand the important role gaming is playing right now to connect people and provide joy in these isolating and stressful times, and our teams are working diligently to ensure we can be there for our players”. Read more on Spencer’s statement and the content over at Polygon! While you are at it, have a look at our streams!
Plague Inc. announces new free mode
Plague Inc., the game where you get to design a disease with the goal of clearing the earth of humans, has announced the development of a new game mode free for all users. Instead of creating the disease, the player now has to stop the spread of a deadly disease outbreak. The developers, Ndemic Creations, have also donated $250.000 to the WHO and CEPI, another fund created to fight diseases. Read more over at PC Gamer.
The Flower Collectors review: Hitchcock in Barcelona
Eurogamer poster a review of the upcoming adventure detective game The Flower Collectors. Set in 1977 Barcelona, an ex-agent is the witness of a murder, and tries to uncover the truth. Christian Donlan of Eurogamer got to play the beginning of the game, and he was very excited: ‘ But I cannot wait to play more. This is a game, I think, about the boundary between curiosity and voyeurism, a game steeped in details and a sense of a specific time and place. And it’s a game about Hitchcock too. I’m in.’ Read the whole review over at Eurogamer!
UK National Videogame Museum starts fundraiser
The UK National Videogame Museum has started a fundraiser to help the museum get through the corona crisis. With museum closing all around the world, many are left to their own and worry if they will survive the coming period. The Videogame Museum has set up a fundraiser to help them get through the tough times, and many more museums are set to follow. Read more over at Gamastutra. Above all, support your local museums, shops, cultural activities and each other!
Excavate! Mesoamerica now free to play
Dig-It!’s educational archaeology game Excavate! Mesoamerica is now free to play for anyone. Made for middle school students, the game lets you learn more about the Mesoamerican societies through archaeology. More info over at Dig-It!