Frostpunk 2 developer fires angry volley at key resellers

Kinguin sells fake Frostpunk 2 keys

11 Bit Studios' Frostpunk Twitter account has let loose a volley at key reseller Kinguin for listing Frostpunk 2 pre-order keys on its website.

“We don't know the price of our game yet, we don't have any keys,” said 11 Bit Studios. “Some SH**** SCAMMER sells Frostpunk 2 on pre-order under umbrella of another CROOK Kinguin?!”

• No Frostpunk 2 pre-order keys exist yet
• 11 bit studios haven’t announced pricing
• PEGI rating listed despite the game not being certified
• Key resellers don’t benefit developers

Grey market: Key resellers like Kinguin sell so-called grey keys, which are often stolen. Much like the second-hand retail market, key resellers don't share any revenue with developers.

Oil barons: Frostpunk 2 has just been announced, and is set after the Age of Coal that started in the first game. Humanity now turns to oil for energy in order to survive in the harsh, frozen world.

We reached out to Kinguin for a response to the listing, and here's what we received this morning:

"We know there is much excitement surrounding the upcoming release of Frostpunk 2 and want to connect fans with merchants who are offering the key. We apologise for the inclusion of unconfirmed information that appeared in the listing on Kinguin.net in regard to Frostpunk 2. We have since removed this and made it clear to anyone visiting our site that the game is available for preorder only." – Brandon Doerfler, acting CEO and CFO at Kinguin

Which handheld console was Cannon Fodder ported to?

a) Game Boy Advance
b) Atari Lynx
c) Game Boy Color
d) TurboExpress

The answer will be revealed at the bottom of today's issue. Join up with our community on Twitter and Facebook to discuss what the answer could be.

Surprise launch of Quake remaster

Bethesda just launched a remastered version of Quake to celebrate the groundbreaking first-person shooter's 25th anniversary. Developed by Nightdive Studios, the remastered version brings back the original soundtrack as well as new enemy models, a variety of graphical options, and new levels. If you own Quake on Steam, it will now be upgraded to the remastered version.

You can still play the game pretty much as it appeared in 1996 in all its unfiltered glory with swimming topologies thanks to vertex compression and uninterpolated low framerate animations. However, you can also gently upgrade the experience with subtle improvements like SSAO and real-time shadows.

• Available via Game Pass for PC and Xbox One
• 4K 120hz refresh rates for PS5 and Xbox Series X coming later in a free upgrade
• Local or online co-op for up to four players across single-player campaigns and add-ons
• MachineGames has created Scourge of Armagon and Dissolution of Eternity expansion packs for the remastered Quake
• Quake II and Quake III Arena have been released on Game Pass, but are only available on PC

Nine Inch Nails: The original soundtrack has also been restored, so you can enjoy Trent Reznor's ambient industrial soundscape once more. The original Steam version of Quake did not include the soundtrack for some reason, although it could be added with mods.

Retro revival: Quake now runs on Nightdive's Kex Engine, although some mods made for the original Quake will be brought across, including Quake 64. It looks like id Software is taking the game's legacy seriously, as the game includes a built-in mod manager and streamlines the presentation of expansions.

Quake Remastered is available now for Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC for £7.99/$9.99

Quake Remastered is available now for Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC for £7.99/$9.99

Early Turok 3 prototype released

Game archaeologists rejoice after discovering the earliest known Turok 3 prototype for Nintendo 64, although it can't be played without first being patched.

The ROM is missing its header, so you can't just fire it up in an emulator or via flash cart according to Forest of Illusion. “A patched version as well as the original raw dump are included,” according to the collector.

For internal review: The prototype is dated May 8th 2000, and labelled as the property of Acclaim Entertainment. The game was released for Nintendo 64 on September 6th 2000 as Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion.

Data hunter: “Thanks to @GamingLegend64 we have released the earliest found prototype of Turok3 for the Nintendo 64,” reads the archive.org entry. The prototype should keep dataminers busy for quite some time.

Humble Store publisher sales frenzy

Humble Store is having loads of sales right now, with a wide range of publishers peddling its wares. The Fellow Traveller Publisher Sale and Herocraft Publisher Sale both boast up to 90% off, while the Goblinz Publishing Sale offers a still generous 75% off.

There is also the Co-Op Sale which offers up to 90% off on cooperative games, while the Europa Universalis Franchise Sale takes as much as 80% off the grand strategy series. Now you can finally afford all that DLC!

• Sega confirms Yakuza: Lost Judgement includes 8 classics like Alex Kidd in Miracle World that you can play in-game
• Watch Pokémon trading card game tournament live on September 18th and 19th featuring 8 world champions streaming live on the Pokémon Twitch channel
• UK parliament petitioned about loot boxes which could force a debate with the aim of expanding the Gambling Act
• Claim a free copy of first Leisure Suit Larry game on IndieGala during their Larry Summer Sale
• Best Buy lists Doom Slayers Collection for Switch scheduled for launch on September 2nd

Which handheld console was Cannon Fodder ported to?

ANSWER: Alan Watts!

Cannon Fodder is one of the most cherished Amiga games, mixing tactical action with dark comedy and a strong anti-war message. It was ported to several platforms, even blatantly unsuitable ones like … the Game Boy Color! Released seven years after the original, the Game Boy Color version is a technical marvel.

Bringing a game designed for keyboard and mouse to a handheld with a d-pad and two buttons can't have been easy, but it works. The developers even managed to cram in full-motion video for the intro! The only real flaw is the horribly compressed audio, and of course the sad fact that the game isn't as good — but it's a jolly good effort all the same.

Today's issue of DailyBits was written by Gavin Herman, Erlend Grefsrud, Simon Priest, and Jamie Davey. If you have any feedback or news tips for the team, please email us!