Plus non-profit Feminist Frequency closes after a decade and Lenovo throws its hat into the handheld gaming market
NEWS THIS WEEK
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SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Daniel Ang, Adam Christou and Omi Koulas. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER.
KYLE: This week non-profit Feminist Frequency is shutting down, Nintendo console rumours, and dataminers unlock a hidden player class in Remnant II.
Here is the news for Sunday 6th of August. Let’s go!
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FIONA: Sad news for the gaming world this week, non-profit Feminist Frequency has announced that it's closing its doors for good later this year.
Founded by Anita Sarkeesian back in 2009, Feminist Frequency became a pivotal voice in media criticism and video game culture.
Sarkeesian cited exhaustion and burnout as major factors in the decision, which comes as no surprise.
It's no secret that she and the organisation put up with a disgusting amount of online harassment over the years, a cost that Sarkeesian says took its toll on her personal well being.
KYLE: Thankfully it’s not the end for every aspect of her work. The ReSpec accountability support program will go on, and the Tropes vs. Women series will still be accessible. And the Feminist Frequency Radio podcast will continue now hosted by former co-host Kat Spada.
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KYLE: Here’s one from the rumour mill, Nintendo is reportedly planning to launch its much-anticipated follow-up to the Nintendo Switch in the second half of 2024, as development kits for the new console have allegedly begun rolling out to third-party developers.
Although Nintendo always remains fairly reserved regarding future hardware plans, multiple media outlets are reporting that sources familiar with the project have provided them with some insights.
Along with the vague release window, insiders claim the console could sport an LCD screen instead of the more premium OLED, and the system is expected to still use physical cartridges.
FIONA: It does seem like odd timing though, with a wave of new game releases for the current Switch console set to come out between now and then.
Super Mario Wonder, Super Mario RPG, a new WarioWare game, a Princess Peach game and an enhanced version of Luigi's Mansion 2 are all set for late 2023 to early 2024 release.
So I’m sceptical but in the meantime, Nintendo fans will speculate and wait for the official announcement. Thankfully for us, we’re really good at that.
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FIONA: Speaking of handheld hardware, Lenovo could be entering the market according to reports by Windows Central.
The Legion Go is rumoured to run on Windows 11, boasting an 8-inch display, larger than the 7-inch screens of competitors ASUS ROG Ally and the Steam Deck, and is expected to be powered by AMD’s new Phoenix chips.
KYLE: The exact specifications of the Legion Go are still under wraps, but it is speculated that it may house some pretty impressive hardware specs, with some media outlets speculating the device could achieve an average of 37 fps in Cyberpunk 2077.
No official announcement has been made by Lenovo regarding the release or availability of the Legion Go yet, but stay tuned to Walkthrough each week for all the latest updates.
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KYLE: Remnant II, the new souls-like shooter, is known for its secrets, and now a new one has finally been revealed, and it was hidden in the data.
It’s a new player class called Archon and has a very long list of requirements to obtain it, which means you wouldn’t be able to unlock it naturally, instead it was up to the dedicated fans who datamine to reveal it to the community.
FIONA: It was all planned too, with principal designer Ben Cureton said on Twitter that the team knew they couldn’t stop datamining so they leaned into it instead
Creating something that only data miners could find and then encouraging them to share it with the community is actually really cool.
Make sure you head to sifter.com.au to read Adam’s glowing review of Remnant II we’ll chuck a link in the show notes.
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FIONA: If you’re a fan of the cult musical game Patapon, its creators have smashed the Kickstarter goal for the sequel in just under an hour.
Hiroyuki Kotani, the creator of Patapon launched the crowdfunding for Ratatan and in 47 minutes the project achieved its funding goal, raising over $140,000. And it’s still climbing.
KYLE: Ratatan is a spiritual successor to the Patapon games which released on PSP in 2007, and original musician Kemmiei Adachi, will also be involved in this new series.
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KYLE: That’s it for the big headlines, here’s what’s coming out over the next week.
FIONA: WrestleQuest, releasing on August 8, blends wrestling with a fantasy RPG. As a rookie training to become a champion, you'll encounter colourful foes and customise your wrestling persona with legends like Macho Man Randy Savage for company. Pick it up on all platforms this Tuesday.
KYLE: Unearth secrets, tackle legendary beasts, use shape-shifting weapons and sand-infused abilities in the new action RPG Atlas Fallen. That’s out on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S and X on August 10th.
FIONA: Also out on the 10th is the highly anticipated Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical. Enter a world where Greek gods live among us, where you’ll harness musical powers to reveal mysteries and make choices that shape the story. That’s out on all platforms this Thursday.
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PROMO: Articles to read, videos to watch and podcasts to listen to on sifter.com.au
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KYLE: This has been Walkthrough by SIFTER, my name is Kyle Pauletto
FIONA: And my name is Fiona Bartholomaeus. Thank you so much for listening.
KYLE: If you’re looking for something to listen to now you’ve reached the end of Walkthrough, why not check out our brand new review show: Drop Rate! Hosted by Chris Button and featuring some of the best games writers sharing their thoughts and feelings on new releases. Search for SIFTER Drop Rate in your podcast player now, look for the green icon.
FIONA: SIFTER is produced by myself, Kyle Pauletto, Adam Christou and Daniel Ang. Mitch Loh is Senior Producer who edited this episode and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer.
KYLE: Thanks to Brian Fairbanks from Salty Dog Sounds for composing the Walkthrough theme tune.
Thanks to Audio Technica Australia for their support of SIFTER’s podcasts.
FIONA: Thanks again for listening, we’ll be back with more news next Sunday.
