Good morning and good day. I’m very busy right now, so let’s not waste any time and get right to today’s news. Welcome to Morning Checkpoint, Kotaku’s daily roundup of news and other stuff you might care about. This time we’ve got info on a big FBC update, news on multiplayer in the MGS3 remake, and some other stuff, but I’m very busy and…yeah, okay, cool. Bye.
Remedy is trying again to relaunch its failed co-op shooter
FBC: Firebreak, Remedy’s co-op shooter released earlier this year, hasn’t been a big hit for the studio. While I enjoyed it for a few days, the game failed to hook me due to finicky menus, frustrating progression issues, and other complications that made it hard to enjoy with friends. Since launch, Remedy has spent a lot of time fixing and improving the game. Now, as announced in a Steam post on September 25, the studio is releasing a massive free content update that will change FBC in some big ways.
The new update, named “Breakpoint,” is launching on all platforms on September 29. Perhaps the biggest change in this new update is the removal of the Job Board. It’s being replaced with a Crisis Board that fills up with randomly generated missions with various modifiers. The idea is to make FBC more replayable, surprising, and chaotic. To help with that, Remedy is also adding more variety to missions, new weapons, and fresh enemies to kill or be killed by. I’m also excited about the changes to progression, which will simplify some parts, making it easier to get cool guns and have fun, but will also add more customization options for weapons as players spend more time completing missions.
“We have taken a lot of feedback to heart,” explained the studio. “Over the summer, we have worked hard on releasing updates to the game. Still, Breakpoint is only the first major step, we know we need a few more, bringing significant improvements and new systems, as well as content, into the game, incorporating community feedback alongside our own ideas.” The team also thanked players for “sticking” around as it essentially redevelops FBC post-launch. I hope it all works out, and I’m excited to hop back in to the new FBC: Firebreak as we enter spooky season.
Payday 2 is getting a subscription service for all its DLC
Did you know that 2013’s Payday 2, a co-op heist shooter, has over 60 pieces of DLC? That’s wild, huh? The game has so much DLC that developer Starbreeze is now offering people a monthly subscription service that grants them access to all of it. The new sub comes in two flavors: $4.99 a month or $19.99 for six months. It’s not a horrible deal, and for new players or folks just wanting to play with friends who might own everything, it’s a fine option.
But many players aren’t happy that, alongside this subscription launch, the studio has increased the price for a bundle that includes all the DLC. Previously, buying all the DLC cost around $135. Now it’s marked up to $170. Yikes! Starbreeze tells PCGamesn that the price increase is “completely unrelated” to the subscription service. Sure! Regardless, it’s left a bad taste in many mouths and is likely to make folks assume the new sub is just a way to squeeze more money out of folks not willing to pay $170+ for all the DLC.
Nintendo just released a new Fire Emblem game, but…
So a new Fire Emblem game was shadow-dropped overnight on September 24. That should be exciting. However, people who have downloaded and played Fire Emblem Shadows have discovered it’s a not-so-great Among Us-like free-to-play social deduction game. That’s not what a lot of Fire Emblem fans wanted, and early impressions are bad, with some people reporting that the game feels extremely underbaked and barebones. But don’t worry, there’s a battle pass and plenty of ways to spend money.
MGS Delta’s multiplayer mode is launching next month
On September 25, as part of Tokyo Games Show, Konami announced that the multiplayer mode for its recently released MGS3 remake will launch on October 30. It will be part of a bigger free update arriving for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater next month.
The cat-and-mouse online PVP stealth mode will support up to 12 players across all platforms and is arriving about two months after MGS Delta: Snake Eater launched to mostly positive reviews. It doesn’t seem anything like my beloved Metal Gear Solid Online, but it could be fun, I guess.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7‘s beta will include Zombies content
For the first time in the franchise’s long history, the next Call of Duty game’s beta will include some Zombies content. Players will be able to check out a small survival map and mode in the upcoming October beta, as well as standard multiplayer action, too. The beta starts on October 2 on all platforms.
ICYMI:
- Here’s everything Sony showed off at yesterday’s State of Play
- Read our Hades 2 review
- Call of Duty devs say last-gen isn’t holding the series back
