Square Enix recently released the first part of an interview with Ayako Yokoyama, co-director of the upcoming Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles. Yokoyama’s entry into Square Enix came not through game development, but through PlayOnline, the company’s early internet service. Her background in HTML and web design gradually transitioned into support roles on [...]

Not saying they're perfect, but they're certainly worth looking at

The post ‘Kei’ And ‘Midi’ Are Much More Interesting Video Game Definitions Than ‘Indie’ Or ‘AA’ appeared first on Aftermath.

After 3.5 years of work, the long-awaited English translation of Illusion City for the MSX Turbo-R is finally here!

Originally released by Microcabin in 1991, Illusion City is a legendary cyberpunk RPG known for its dark atmosphere, cinematic storytelling, and advanced use of Turbo-R hardware. Now, for the first time, the full game can be experienced in English on its original platform.

Highlights of this release:

Complete English translation of the intro, end demo, and 150 in-game scripts.

• Faithful adaptation of the original text, retaining the gritty cyberpunk tone.

• Hundreds of fixes and improvements applied throughout the game.

• Includes both disk and ROM options:

- The original disk version is fully supported.

- A custom patch tool has been created to convert the game from disk format into a single ROM, allowing it to run fast and smooth — with no loading delays.

Please read the included text file for detailed patch information, credits, and usage notes.

Step into the neon-lit streets of Hong Kong, uncover the mysteries, and experience one of the most ambitious RPGs ever made for the MSX — now fully translated into English!

...

PORTLAND, Maine — Taylor and Shannon Zimmerman became first-time parents this week, welcoming their new son, Chat Zimmerman, named after the father’s Twitch chat.

“Chat has always had my back, man,” told Taylor Zimmerman in a Facebook post. “Who’s always been there to clip that when I need something clipped? Chat. Who’s always confirmed whether or not something is real when I ask, ‘Chat is this real?‘ Chat has, that’s who. I had to honor how poggers they mean to me by bestowing my firstborn with the their name.”

The Zimmerman extended family was delighted to welcome in a new member.

“This isn’t the first time this has happened,” said Taylor’s sister Cecily Zimmerman. “At his and Shannon’s wedding, he had named his chat the best man. For the speech, they just had the DJ read incoming Twitch messages off his laptop for 15 minutes. All and all, it was more moving than you’d think. Chat really has been part of this family, and now we have two Chats.”

Chat’s mom Shannon Zimmerman had more to add regarding her son’s name.

I was really against the name ‘Chat’ at first. I even tried to find a middle ground by suggesting ‘Chet’ or ‘Chad’, but my husband wouldn’t budge,” said Shannon Zimmerman. “At the end of the day, Gift Subs put a roof above our head. We owe Chat our livelihoods. The baby registry is still up by the way. If you’d like to contribute, just type ‘!registry’ in the chat and Nightbot will drop the link.”

At press time, a VoD of Chat’s birth could be found on the Zimmerman family YouTube page.

The post Twitch Streamer Names Newborn ‘Chat’ appeared first on Palette Swap.

REDMOND, Wash. — The United States Patent and Trademark Office recently granted Nintendo and The Pokémon Company a patent that states any game running at 12 frames per second is a direct infringement of their copyright.

“This is absurd,” read a post from Agumon89 on X, formerly Twitter. “Most of the games still running on Switch 1 are going to receive legal penalties because of this—even games that Nintendo themselves have made! I mean, have you gone back and tried to play Echoes of Wisdom on base hardware lately? Eiji Aonuma better lawyer up while he can.”

Doug Bowser, president of Nintendo of America, clarified the decision.

“It’s important that we maintain a strong sense of brand identity,” explained Bowser. “Choppy frame rates, inconsistent loading times, and a general sense of being slapped together at the last minute are what diehard fans of Pokémon have come to expect from the franchise in recent years. If we have someone waltzing in on our territory, doing what we do best, it might start to make these games look better by comparison. And that’s just going to confuse a whole lot of people.”

Pocketpair, the developers of Pokémon competitor Palworld, shared their thoughts on the news.

“Well at least I think we’re in the clear now,” said Takuro Mizobe, founder of Pocketpair. “We were able to release the game in a state that’s relatively finished, and it’s able to sustainably hit 60 frames per second, thank god. Now, if Nintendo receives a patent on the use of copy-pasting generative AI models, then we may really be in a pickle.”

At press time, Nintendo filed another controversial patent covering “electronic games in which players manipulate images on a video screen.”

The post Nintendo and The Pokémon Company Receive Patent on Running Games at 12 FPS appeared first on Palette Swap.

ICIRRUS CITY — Following intense controversy surrounding the American Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, also known as ICE, a Pokémon trainer who has spent the majority of his life solely focusing on Ice-type Pokémon is looking for a quick way to rebrand.

“I’m probably just going to release all of my Pokémon and start over fresh,” said Brycen, Gym Leader of Icirrus City. “I think I might do… Grass. What do you think? Do I seem like a Grass-type guy? I’m also considering Steel. Or maybe Psychic—you know, to really switch things up, and hopefully get people to stop doxxing me and spray painting my gym.”

One trainer, who has spent the last several days protecting the building without being asked, spoke up in defense of Brycen.

“It’s all about MUGA—Make Unova Great Again,” explained Backpacker Billy. “We have too many trainers—often ten-year-old boys setting off on their first Pokémon adventure—coming to this country, probably illegally, and taking opportunities away from the hard-working ten-year-old boys who were born and raised here.”

Tensions were mounting in Icirrus City with protests planned for this coming weekend.

“At this point we’re well aware that Brycen is an Ice-type Gym Leader and not an actual member of ICE, but it’s just a little too close for comfort,” explained Swimmer Steve. “And really, it’s all about sending a message to anyone who does think this might be okay. If the Unova government plans on deploying ICE agents to our city, we’re hoping that by ruining Brycen’s life and public image, it will send a clear message to them to keep out and stay out.”

At press time, ice cream Pokémon Vanillite reportedly became a mascot for the far-right and an unknowing fascist icon overnight.

The post Ice-Type Gym Leader Looking to Rebrand appeared first on Palette Swap.