TODAY: Silent Hill's art director working on new secret project — First pictures of DualShock 5 controller leaked — Nintendo isn't worrying about cloud gaming just yet

Top Story

New Switch model coming mid 2020?

Despite analysts agreeing that Nintendo is unlikely to fragment the Switch user base and development community with an upgraded flagship console, another report claims that “new model of Switch” is just around the corner.

The Switch has already been through one hardware revision, incorporating the updated chipset from the Switch Lite into the flagship model – and there are persistent rumours about a more powerful Switch Pro.

PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are due late 2020

DigiTimes reports that the new Switch model will “begin volume production at the end of first-quarter 2020” according to“sources from the related upstream supply chain.” However, there's no word on exactly what this new model actually is – so it could just be another hardware revision.

Sony and Microsoft are both gearing up to start the new console generation in the final quarter of 2020, and it's not unlikely that Nintendo has a plan to stay in the race.

On the other hand, Nintendo has not really been competing on performance since the GameCube and the Switch was released 3 years after the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One – or 3 years before the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, depending on how you look at it.

Time For A Quick Daily Quiz?

Timesplitters was developed by the team behind what classic FPS series?

• Doom
• Goldeneye
• Call of Duty
• Half-Life

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.

News Bits

Silent Hill art director Masahiro Ito “working on a title” but can’t say what

Silent Hill fans have been left hanging ever since Konami cancelled Kojima Productions' Silent Hill reboot – but there is a glimmer of hope. Art director and character designer Masahiro Ito has revealed that he's a part of a core team working on ... something new: “... I can tell you nothing yet,” he added.

TimeSplitters Rewind fan project lives

Crytek UK, the remains of what used to be Free Radical Design, has given their blessing to the team behind Timesplitters Rewind, a fan project using the CryEngine 3 to continue the TimeSplitters saga.

The game won't feature any assets from the original games, but the team seems to be progressing regardless: They just posted an image saying “Time to split.... SOON...” on their Facebook page. TimeSplitters Rewind will be free to download when it's done.

Daily Fact

Metal Slug 7 was the first game in the series to release first on console

Noise Factory's Metal Slug 7 – actually the eighth game in the series – for Nintendo DS was both an ending and a new beginning for the long-running-and-gunning arcade series: It was the last game in the series, and the first to launch on consoles rather than in arcades.

To make matters more confusing, is was re-released as Metal Slug XX and eventually hit arcades after launching on PlayStation Portable and then slowly making its way to the PC via Xbox 360, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. This version featured online co-op and even DLC – yet more firsts for the now moribund franchise.

Join up with our community on Twitter and Facebook to discuss today's fact.

Daily News

PlayStation 5’s new DualShock design glimpsed in leaked images

Images of the new DualShock 5 controllers have leaked, alongside shots of a PlayStation 5 dev kit getting a nice little wash.

The pictures aren't particularly revealing, since you only see part of the new DualShock controller – and there are no close-ups. The new controller appears quite similar to the DualShock 4.

Will Sony unveil PlayStation 5 at CES2020?

The images appeared on Reddit, courtesy of someone who had received the pictures from a friend – who had specifically asked for them not to be shared. Online clout clearly trumps friendly promises.

Since the controllers are part of the dev kit, they are probably not the final retail-ready hardware revision, as suggested by the absence of the iconic cross, circle, triangle and square symbols from the face buttons. The PlayStation 5 is expected to release by the end of the year.

Nintendo doesn't think cloud gaming will replace consoles any time soon

Despite the cloud streaming gold rush headed by Google's Stadia – which hasn't exactly set the world on fire – Nintendo's president Shuntaro Furukawa doesn't think dedicated hardware is under threat.

“It’s possible that cloud gaming could capture the public’s interest in 10 years from now, however at this point in time, I do not think that dedicated hardware will go away,” Furukawa told Nikkei. Nintendo have yet to announce any cloud gaming strategy, while Sony has been slowly building their service for half a decade and Microsoft recently started pushing their own.

Google Stadia platform has seen a mixed reception

“It’s a long way off before we’ll really know the outcome. With that said, it would be pointless to solely focus on methods of play that can only be had on dedicated hardware,” he continued. Nintendo is no stranger to innovating in the console space, or trying out new form factors: The Wii presented a bold new vision for home consoles, while the Switch is essentially a smartphone platform.

“Once your audience starts saying they can play on other consoles or smartphones instead, you’re finished.” Nintendo's Switch is currently the best-selling console, and is expected to keep its lead through 2020 – but that doesn't mean Nintendo isn't hedging its bets: Their mobile free-to-play Mario Kart Tour launched on iOS and Android in September last year.

News Bits

Astroneer for Switch rated by ESRB

The ESRB recently rated Astroneer for the Switch, meaning release is just around the corner. The PC and Xbox One versions launched in February last year, while the PlayStation 4 version dropped in November.

Ni No Kuni hits Netflix on January 16th

The anime adaptation of excellent JRPG series Ni No Kuni is hitting Netflix later this month, with an English dub debuting on January 16th on the US and UK services. The movie is set in the same universe as the games, but features a brand new story with all-new characters: Two teens go on a magical quest to save the lives of their friend – and her counterpart in another world.

Quiz Answer - Did You Get It Right?

Timesplitters was developed by the team behind what classic FPS series?

Answer: Goldeneye!

TimeSplitters was originally sold on the merit of its team, which was comprised of veterans from Rare's GoldenEye. The series featured extensive customization and multiplayer features, as well as level editors: Pretty far ahead of its time, and arguably still unsurpassed.

Weekly Giveaway

Blackmoor 2 on Nintendo Switch

We're kicking off this year's weekly giveaway with some Switch codes for Blackmoor 2, which is releasing on the Nintendo Switch eShop today.

Blackmoor 2 is a beat-em-up platformer that supports 4 player co-op action. Please follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be entered into this giveaway. We will be sending out one code each day this week, and good luck to everyone that enters.

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