In this week’s gaming news, Nintendo announced the Switch Lite, the latest Lord of the Rings MMO is in production from Leyou Technologies and Amazon, and Cuphead is making the leap from video game to Netflix adaptation.
Nintendo announces new Switch Lite console
A new handheld console will be on the market this holiday season. The Switch Lite, announced by Nintendo this week, is a lighter version of the Nintendo Switch and boasts a 5.5-inch screen, built-in joycons, a directional pad, longer battery life, and more. While the Switch Lite maintains 720p resolution and support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth like the Nintendo Switch, the Switch Lite is built for gaming on-the-go and does not offer players the ability to connect the device to a television. Press were optimistic about the Lite’s success without television compatibility, though, with CNET explaining, “I think about the Switch Lite as the game system my kid would want. And it could be the Switch for anyone who doesn’t care about playing on a TV.” The Switch Lite will be available on September 20 for $199. The news was reported on by The Verge, CNN, WIRED, and more.
China’s Leyou Technologies teams up with Amazon to develop next Lord of the Rings MMO
This week, Leyou Technologies confirmed that Amazon Game Studios will be collaborating with the Hong Kong-based developer to create a free-to-play Lord of the Rings title for consoles and PC. The news comes after Amazon Game Studios laid off over a dozen employees and canceled multiple unannounced games. While details of the title are sparse, press speculates that the game will take place before the events of J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Hobbit and will coincide with Amazon’s upcoming Lord of the Rings television series. Gizmodo said, “We’ll have to wait and see just how closely this game and Amazon’s TV series become intertwined—nothing’s for certain yet. But it would be about as surprising as a Took being a fool if there ended up being at least some level of tie-in.” Outlets such as Variety, Entertainment Weekly, DEADLINE, and more weighed in on the news.
Popular indie game Cuphead green-lit for Netflix show
Fans can soon tag along with Cuphead and Mugman as they make the jump from video game to television series. Netflix Animation and developer Studio MDHR this week announced that they are collaborating to bring Cuphead, the winner of the 2017 Game Awards and BAFTA Awards, to Netflix. The Xbox-exclusive indie game became widely popular due to its 1930s-inspired art style, storyline, and level of difficulty. There is currently no definitive release date, but Engadget speculated that the show is a long way off due to the game’s signature hand-drawn animation process. The Verge, The New York Post, The Hollywood Reporter, and more covered the news.