Major console producers Microsoft and Sony discuss future plans, meanwhile indie studio Endnight Games drops an Early Access sequel that has become one of the biggest launches of 2023 thus far. Today, Game Rant's weekly recap takes a look at some of the most notable headlines from the past week.

Following departures from Firaxis Games, Tango Gameworks' founder and CEO announces he is leaving his company in the hands of younger talent. Game Rant also talks to Shigeru Miyamoto as Super Nintendo World opens at Universal Studios Hollywood. All that and more in this week's roundup of games industry news.

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Microsoft Announces 10-Year Agreement to Publish Xbox Games on Nintendo Consoles

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Microsoft's ongoing acquisition of Activision-Blizzard has led to much debate among governmental bodies and development studios like Sony, which argues the loss of franchises like Call of Duty would have a major blow. However, just this week Microsoft signed a 10-year contract to continue bringing games to Nintendo consoles, highlighting Call of Duty in particular. A similar 10-year deal was also announced between Microsoft and Nvidia GeForce Now.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gets Controversial Showcase at State of Play

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PlayStation's first State of Play presentation took place on February 23, offering fans a look at five PlayStation VR 2 titles alongside showcases for Resident Evil 4, Street Fighter 6, and more. A big chunk of the event was spent on Rocksteady's upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, but audience reception wasn't wholly positive. Among other things, the Suicide Squad game will have live-service elements like a "gear score" system, substantial amounts of DLC, and require solo players to always be online.

CEO Shinji Mikami Leaving Tango Gameworks

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Shinji Mikami is one of the most renown creative forces in the industry, having pushed the survival-horror genre forward with the original Resident Evil and Dino Crisis at Capcom. His storied career thereafter included additional Capcom titles like Resident Evil 4 and God Hand, as well as titles like Vanquish at PlatinumGames. He opened a new studio in 2010, but just this week Mikami announced he is leaving Tango Gameworks after making his mark once again through franchises like The Evil Within. Mikami took to Twitter and said "the young people have grown up well," highlighting Tango's bright future with diverse releases including Ghostwire: Tokyo and Hi-Fi Rush.

Endnight Games' Sons of the Forest Has Massive Early Access Launch

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In terms of 2023's most-anticipated games, many might not have expected Sons of the Forest to rival Starfield and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. However, Endnight Games' sequel to the 2014 indie survival-horror game The Forest has made a name for itself. After being the most-wishlisted game on Steam, Sons of the Forest's Early Access launch rivaled Hogwarts Legacy's concurrent player numbers thanks to over two million copies being sold in 24 hours. The launch is believed to be partially responsible for a Steam outage on February 23.

Atomic Heart Developer Apologizes for Offensive Cartoon, Promises Edits

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Another anticipated 2023 game was Mundfish's BioShock-inspired Atomic Heart, but it has proven to be a controversial title. While some issues have been tied to design elements like Atomic Heart's dialogue, specific parts of its alternate-reality Soviet world have also drawn attention. Mundfish recently apologized after an offensive cartoon from the Soviet era was discovered in Atomic Heart, one depicting a stereotypical African tribe. The developer said it will edit out vintage cartoons and music that have "caused hurt or insult."

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Features

This weekend marks the one-year anniversary of Elden Ring, FromSoftware's latest Soulslike title that many feel revolutionizes open-world game design akin to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It's likely the game will continue to resonate if long-anticipated DLC is announced following its Game of the Year win at The Game Awards 2022, but even if that never comes there are smash-hits like Sons of the Forest which could occupy a similar place in players' hearts.

Movies & TV

Following Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the brand based on J.R.R. Tolkein's work has consistently cropped up with new projects. From The Hobbit trilogy to Monolith Productions' Middle-earth games, and most recently Amazon's TV series The Rings of Power, there's almost always something in the pipeline. Now, Warner Bros. has announced new films in the Lord of the Rings universe, giving fans something to anticipate alongside Daedalic Entertainment's The Lord of the Rings: Gollum.

Guides

The Kirby franchise is hot as ever following the dual releases of Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Kirby's Dream Buffet in 2022. Just this week, Nintendo and HAL Laboratory put out Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe - a remake of a beloved Wii title from 2011. Those who are on the fence about whether to pick up this adventure might find it helpful to see how much of a time investment they'll be putting in.

Game Rant Exclusives

After a successful launch in Japan, Super Nintendo World is now also open at Universal Studios Hollywood. Game Rant spoke with Super Mario's creator and famed Nintendo big wig Shigeru Miyamoto about the theme park and Nintendo's modern endeavors, where he discussed the fact that characters from Splatoon almost appeared alongside park cameos such as Pikmin.

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