Welcome to Tech Bytes! In this series, we bring the biggest news hitting the Tech and Gaming fields, getting them into a simple brief for you to quickly catch up on, so you’re up to speed over that dinner and drinks.
November is a little more relaxed after a hectic last few months with big events announcing the latest tech devices and exciting reveals from game companies. Still, a few notable nuggets of information to come out from this month are of interest. Check them all out here!
Skydance reveals a new Marvel game in the works
Marvel has been a big hit at the movies, and recently they have been looking to extend that to the video game realm as well. The likes of Spider-Man and Avengers have been released by Marvel Games, while titles like Marvel’s Midnight Suns and Wolverine are among those they are being anticipated in the future.
Now, there is another to add to the list. Skydance New Media, the video game division of the film production company Skydance Media, has announced that they will collaborate with Marvel on a new game.
The new game will be a “narrative-driven, blockbuster action-adventure” title within the Marvel Universe that will feature an original story. Not much else is known about the game, but Amy Hennig, who worked on series like Legacy of Kain and Uncharted and now heads Skydance New Media, is a name that will be attached to its development.
It will undoubtedly be years away before we get to see more of the yet-to-be-named game, but Amy Hennig’s involvement is an intriguing and exciting prospect.
Netflix Games officially launches on mobile
Netflix has previously dabbled in bringing their properties to gaming, but now they are bringing the two mediums even closer together. After announcing their intention to bring games onto their platform, the company has now made it official — you can now play games on Netflix.
The service is currently available only on mobile devices, with both Android and iOS able to access a list of games within the Netflix app. Selecting a game to play will invite you to download it from the corresponding app store at no additional cost.
Right now, the games available on the platform are Stranger Things: 1984, Stranger Things 3: The Game, Shooting Hoops, Teeter (Up), and Card Blast. Another game, Hextech Mayhem: A League of Legends Story, will be released at a later date.
It is admittedly a small list of games, but it is still early days. Netflix after all, just recently acquired developer Night School, the company behind Oxenfree. They will be most certainly be making use of their talents in the future, and there is every reason to believe that they won’t be the only ones joining the Netflix company.
Xbox’s backwards compatibility catalogue levels up
The backwards compatibility program from Xbox has been a massive hit with gamers, allowing them to relive their favourite older titles on their current systems. The company recently celebrated their 20th anniversary, and as part of the celebrations, they will be adding a final slate of titles to the catalogue.
Over 70 Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, of which over 20 of them are for the latter system. The list of additions includes the entire Max Payne and F.E.A.R. franchise along with cult classics like Binary Domain and Ridge Racer 6. In addition, original Xbox titles like Dead or Alive Ultimate, Star Wars: Jedi Knight II, Star Wars: Starfighter can also be found in this update.
While all of these added titles will already see improved visual fidelity from Auto HDR, 11 games from this list will also enjoy an additional lift from the FPS Boost feature. Games like F.E.A.R., F.E.A.R. 3, Binary Domain, and NIER will now be able to showcase double their original framerate — up to 60fps.
With this seemingly being the final update for the backwards compatibility program, it marks a suitable send-off for a program that has been very successful.
Xbox launches the Halo Infinite multiplayer early
Halo has been the face of Xbox from the very beginning, releasing alongside the original Xbox’s launch. So with Xbox having their 20th anniversary, the series is also joining in the fun.
While the upcoming Halo Infinite is still set to release on 8 December, the game’s multiplayer is seeing an early launch for everyone to play. Those with an Xbox One, Xbox Series S or X, and PC can now fire up the mode and have an early experience with the new Halo game.
It is currently listed as a beta, but any progress made can be transferred over, come launch day. The beta also brings access to everything from Season 1, such as maps, core modes, Academy features, and Battle Pass.
Many players have anticipated Halo Infinite since its unveiling. While its delay from last year stung the hearts of many, the earlier than expected launch for its multiplayer component will more than likely soothe those old wounds. After all, Halo is finally back.
This marks 2021 November’s edition of Tech Bytes, and we hope this roundup gives you a little insight into tech to be excited about. Check with us again in December 2021, as we bring you more byte-sized news every month!
Visuals courtesy of Skydance New Media, Netflix, and Xbox.
