--- title: "News Mash-Up - Week # 41" description: "News Mash-Up - Week # 41" image: https://blog.sparkers.com/hubfs/News%20Mash-up/News%2014.jpg --- [![sparkers - your entertainment data companion](https://blog.sparkers.com/hubfs/web/session-sparkers2021/assets/img/logo.svg)](https://www.sparkers.com) - [Services](https://www.sparkers.com/services/market-insights/) - [Market Insights](https://www.sparkers.com/services/market-insights/) - [Cockpit](https://www.sparkers.com/services/cockpits/) - [Audiences Insights](https://www.sparkers.com/domains/audiences/) - [Advisory](https://www.sparkers.com/services/advisory/) - [GSD](https://www.sparkers.com/domains/gaming/) - [Blog](https://blog.sparkers.com/) - [People](https://www.sparkers.com/about/) - [About](https://www.sparkers.com/about/) - [Jobs](https://apply.workable.com/sparkers/) [Contact](https://www.sparkers.com/contact';%20?%3E) [News](https://blog.sparkers.com/tag/news) # News Mash-Up - Week # 41 Monday, 25 October 2021 [Share this blog post on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=I+found+this+interesting+blog+post&url=https://blog.sparkers.com/the-future-is-digital-right-0-1-0-1-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0-1-0) [Share this blog post on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.sparkers.com/the-future-is-digital-right-0-1-0-1-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0-1-0) [Share this blog post on LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.sparkers.com/the-future-is-digital-right-0-1-0-1-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0-1-0)     | ![micro 4](https://blog.sparkers.com/hs-fs/hubfs/News%20Mash-up/micro%204.png?width=134&name=micro%204.png) | ## **Top News Items** | | --- | --- | - - EA and FIFA have officially confirmed speculation that they will end their licensing agreement. FIFA announced, *"FIFA is bullish and excited about the future in gaming and esports for football, and it is clear that this needs to be a space that is occupied by more than one party controlling all rights"*. The license deal with EA will expire in 2022, so *FIFA 23* could be the last FIFA from EA and could mark the end of three decades of the EA/FIFA partnership. EA has trademarked the name *“EA Sports FC”* and it is most likely it is under this new banner future football games from EA will be released. - A 12-month subscription for the new Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack will come to $49.99 for a single Nintendo account. This is more than twice the value of the regular Nintendo Switch Online subscription of $20 per annum. The family option for the “Expansion Pack” of up to 8 Nintendo accounts will be $79.99, again more than double the price of the regular subscription for the family option of $35. The new service is an extension of the multiplayer access that comes with the Nintendo Online package, with a collection of nine N64 games and fourteen SEGA Mega Drive games to begin with. A further seven games will join the service in the future. The service will go live on 26th October 2021. - Microsoft shareholders have given their voice of approval for the *“right to repair”*. Microsoft has responded that it will run its own study on how to reduce waste and analyze the *"environmental and social benefits"* of making Microsoft devices easier to repair. In the week Microsoft was looking at the right to repair, Valve released a video on YouTube on how individuals can open, fix or upgrade components for the forthcoming Steam Deck. - Hitman developer IO Interactive released its belated annual financial report for 2021, ending in March. The company generated $78 million, a year-on-year increase of +136%. Net income increased fourfold to $42 million. - IGN reported that *Final Fantasy XIV* has become the most popular game in the franchise. The *MMORPG* game, initially released in 2010, has now acquired 24 million registered accounts. - Activision released a new anti-cheat software called “Ricochet” for the game *Call of Duty: Warzone*. Ricochet will roll out for the PC and will be kernel based, but according to Activision, the kernel program will only activate during gameplay. - Ubisoft’s new Battle Royale game, *Ghost Recon Frontline*, has been shelved for the time being. The beta that was scheduled to run this week has been pulled. No reason was given for the decision to shelf the game. - Valve has banned all games that use blockchain or NFT technologies, such as the game *Age of Rust*. The reasoning behind this decision is that these products retain “value” in the real world and Valve does not allow items that can have real-world value on their platform. - Best Buy in the US has been accused of scalping the PS5 and Xbox Series consoles. To buy one of these consoles’ clients must sign up for a $200 membership subscription called “Totaltech” which offers numerous warranty support and insurance for devices. | ![Artboard 1](https://blog.sparkers.com/hs-fs/hubfs/News%20Mash-up/Artboard%201.png?width=137&name=Artboard%201.png) | ## **New games** | | --- | --- | Week commencing Monday 18 Oct. 2021  | **Date** | **Title** | **Platform(s)** | **Genre(s)** | **Developer(s)** | **Publisher(s)** | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 19 Oct. | The Caligula Effect 2 | NS, PS4 | Role-playing | Historia | NIS America | | | Dying Light: Platinum Edition | NS | Action-adventure, survival horror | Techland | Techland | | 20 Oct. | Corpse Party | Win, NS, PS4, PS5, XBO, XSX | Survival horror | 5pb. | GrindHouse | | | Klang 2 | Win | Rhythm | Tinimations | Ratalaika Games | | 21 Oct. | Disciples: Liberation | Win, PS4, PS5, XBO, XSX | Turn-based strategy | Frima Studio | Kalypso Media | | | Echo Generation | XBO, XSX | Action role-playing | Cococucumber | Cococucumber | | | Evertried | NS | Strategy, puzzle | Dangen Entertainment | Dangen Entertainment | | | Skul: The Hero Slayer | NS, PS4, XBO | Platform | SouthPAW Games | Neowiz | | | Toy Soldiers HD | Win, NS, PS4, XBO | Action, strategy | Signal Studios | Accelerate Games | | 22 Oct. | The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes | Win, PS4, PS5, XBO, XSX | Interactive drama, survival horror | Supermassive Games | Bandai Namco Entertainment | [![sparkers - your entertainment data companion](https://blog.sparkers.com/hubfs/web/session-sparkers2021/assets/img/logo-dark.svg)](https://www.sparkers.com) **Services** - [Market Insights](https://www.sparkers.com/services/market-insights/) - [Sales Insights](https://www.sparkers.com/services/cockpits/) - [Audiences Insights](https://www.sparkers.com/domains/audiences//) - [Advisory](http://www.sparkers.io/services/advisory/) [**GSD**](https://www.sparkers.com/domains/gaming/) [**Blog**](https://blog.hubspot.com) **People** - [About](https://www.sparkers.com/about/) - [Jobs](https://apply.workable.com/sparkers/) [contact](https://www.sparkers.com/contact/) --- - ©2021 Sparkers - [Privacy Policy](https://www.sparkers.com/privacy-policy/) - [Cookie Policy](https://www.sparkers.com/cookie-policy/) - [![](https://blog.sparkers.com/hubfs/web/session-sparkers2021/assets/img/icon-linkedin.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/sparkers)