New Switch 5.0 Firmware Released

PlayStation

• PS4 exclusive, Days Gone, has been pushed back to 2019 from its expected release this year.

• Naughty Dog’s Creative Director, Niel Drukman, has been promoted to Vice President of the studio. He will retain his position as the Creative Director for The Last of Us Part II.

Nintendo

• Nintendo Switch firmware 5.0 has released with a feature set that doesn’t warranty a full version release in my opinion. The full patch notes from NOA are:
  • Facebook and Twitter friends that also use Nintendo Switch can now be added through Friend Suggestions
  ◦ Friend suggestions are based on the Facebook and Twitter accounts you have linked to your Nintendo Account
  ◦ To view your friend suggestions, from the top left of the HOME Menu head to your User Page > Friend Suggestions
  ◦ You must be 13 or older to use this feature
  • Select from 24 new ARMS and the Kirby series icons for your user
  ◦ To edit your user icon, head to your My Page on the top left of the Home Menu > Profile
  • Digital software purchases made from a PC or smart device will start downloading sooner than previously, even if the Nintendo Switch console is in Sleep Mode
  • Filter News to view only unread news or news from specific channels
  • To keep the Parental Controls PIN private, the default method for PIN entry has been changed to entering using the Control Stick and buttons instead of the on-screen number pad
  ◦ When prompted to enter you Parental Controls PIN, press and hold the + Button to change between input methods
  • Captured videos in the Album will be restricted by Parental Controls depending on the Restricted Software setting and Software Rating Organization
  • Using the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app, add specific software titles to your whitelist to exclude them from the console’s Parental Controls Restricted Software setting
  ◦ Play-Time Limit restrictions will still apply even when the software title has been whitelisted.
  • Receive notification when pre-purchased software is ready to play
  • Nintendo Switch Pro Controller grip colors will now display in the Controllers menu
  • Resolved an issue that caused Play Activity to display incorrectly in the Profile section of your User Page

Industry News

• Fortnite Battle Royale will support cross-play and cross-progression across PC, Mac, iOS, Android, and PS4. Oddly, Xbox One owners are left in the cold for the time being.

• Gabe Newell said Valve will start shipping games again during an event for Dota 2’s themed card game Artifact at the company’s headquarters. Game said Valve’s focus on hardware and Steam over the past several years was “an investment in the future” Gabs went on to say

  “Artifact is the first of several games that will be coming from us. So that’s sort of good news. Horray! Valve’s going to start shipping games again!”

• Dozens of Fortnite players say hackers have infiltrated their accounts. Over the last month, players have noticed fraudulent charges of up to hundreds of dollars on their Epic Games accounts. Epic says it’s aware of the problem and is working to resolve it.

• Steven Spielberg’s latest flick Ready Player One had its world premiere at SXSW on Sunday and many critics are in love with what they’re calling a touching tribute to pop culture and nostalgia. That’s a good sign! (I had little hope)

• PUBG team rolls back anti-cheat patch after it crashes the game for some players