25 weeks of The Week in Games

#25: Thank You

July 29, 2022

The Week in Games is 25!

Well, 25 issues anyway. It may not sound like much, but 25 consecutive weeks producing this newsletter is something I'm quite proud of. It can be pretty time consuming putting it all together each week, but the feedback and support (and the chance to write about my passion every week) makes everything worth it.

I love talking about games, and I love sharing the things I find with others. The Week in Games allows me to do just that and to send what I find directly to people who feel the same way. This is an awesome thing that I don't take for granted.

I'd just like to say a huge thank you to those who have supported me along the way, helped spread the word, and made 25 issues possible. Each bit of feedback I've received and every recommendation means the world to me.

But what about the future?

I have some plans going forward to mix things up a little and hopefully keep the format from becoming stale. I'd also like to do more Special Editions such as the 10 Years of Journey and 10 Years of Fez issues, which were fun to make and seemed to go down well. Indie games in general are something I'd like to feature more often too, so if you're an indie dev or publisher with a game on the way, please get in touch!

Finally, I'd really love to start featuring opinions from you, The Week in Games readers. Let's make this a bit more of a two-way thing, eh? If you'd like to write a little opinion piece or talk about a game you're playing (and get your words and name in front of a few hundred people) please get in touch by replying to this email directly.

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If you enjoy The Week in Games and would like to support it, please consider a small tip or a membership from just £1 per month. That's 25p a week, or 16 issues for less than the price of a pint. Not a bad deal I don't think.

Alternatively, if you would like to show your support in another way, the best thing you can do is to simply forward this email or recommend it to anybody you think might like it. The Week in Games is completely reliant on shares and word of mouth, so your help is crucial, and hugely appreciated.

Anyway, enough of that sort of thing (until issue 50 anyway!). Normal service will resume next week.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the rest of the newsletter.

Take care, and thank you!

Jeff

NEWS

Deals!

  • If you're not currently a PlayStation Plus subscriber, Sony are offering a 7-day free trial of their new Extra and Premium tiers.

  • The PlayStation Summer Sale rolls on . With up to 75% off games.

  • The Xbox Ultimate Game Sale is also still on. With up to 80% off games.

  • Nintendo are currently offering 10% back in Gold Points on purchases from the eShop, which can be used to save on future purchases.

More!

The new issue of the wonderful Switch Player magazine is out now, and nearly all back issues are now also in stock. You can browse the entire library here.

This week also saw the launch of Time Extension, described as "a new site from people behind Nintendo Life, Push Square and Pure Xbox which aims to celebrate the rich and vibrant history of the interactive entertainment industry we all know and love".

There's good pedigree behind this one, and there's already plenty of content on there. Give it a look here.

And if that's not enough, this week also saw the release of Jumping for Joy, the new book from Chris Scullion exploring the history of platform games. You can check it out here.

NEW RELEASES:

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 hit Switch this week. A game that thankfully (and perhaps predictably) has been getting top marks across the board, including a coveted Essential from Eurogamer.

(iOS, Android) – July 26  – Read review

(PS4) – July 26  – Read review

(iOS, Android) – July 27

(PC) – July 28

(PS4, PS5, PC) – July 28

(PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) – July 29

(Switch) – July 29

UPCOMING RELEASES:

(PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) – August 3

(Xbox, PC) – August 4

GAME OF THE WEEK

A randomly selected game each week! Any and all games are eligible for selection regardless of age, platform, popularity, or otherwise.

This week, the honour goes to…

Firewatch (2016)

An utterly gorgeous, painterly art style from Olly Moss set the scene for a brilliantly scripted and naturally acted tale that hits hard early and continues to enthral throughout. The relationship between the two leads is consistently subtle, surprising, and always natural.

GAMING ANNIVERSARIES

Another round of gaming anniversaries to make you feel old… Sorry!

Click through the links to see what people had to say about them.

Max Payne first released 21 years ago!

Sonic released in Japan on the Mega Drive 31 years ago!

Dr. Mario is 32 years old!

RECOMMENDED READS

Rowen Cameron - [lock-on} 004

A brilliant article about classic LucasArts adventure Grim Fandango, from the upcoming gaming journal [lock-on] volume 004.

Jason Schreier - Bloomberg

With a new tone at the company and a change in creative direction, GTA VI will probably feel very different from its predecessor.

Dan Driver - The Mega Driver Mega Blog

Sega's first major international console, the Sega Master System, simply does not get the recognition it deserves. Dan discusses why.

Aaron Crocco

An excellent weekly newsletter that sends you "3-6 interesting tech, culture and nostalgia stories from unravelled parts of the internet that you won't easily find on your own." I subscribe to this newsletter myself and can recommend it, plus Aaron has been supportive of The Week in Games so I'd be grateful if you'd consider checking it out.

CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGNS

Perfect Organism: An Alien: Isolation Companion

By Andy Kelly / Unbound

Calling all Alien superfans! This is the ultimate unofficial guide to Alien: Isolation, considered to be part of the Alien franchise canon

[lock-on] Volume 004

By Lost in Cult - Campaign ends August 1st

A premium gaming journal delivering thought-provoking stories, insightful features and carefully curated art from industry talent.

The Ranchers

By Ethan - Campaign ends August 4th

An open world country-life sim game for 1-4 players on PC & consoles.

Abyssal Archive

Tune & Fairweather - Pre-orders close August 14th

The most comprehensive study of Dark Souls' mythos ever published.

Kloa - Child of the Forest

Wildpad Games - Campaign ends August 18th

An Action-Adventure filled with beautiful natural scenery, fast paced combat and intriguing puzzles

Game Boy & Virtual Boy Anthology

Geeks Line - Campaign ends August 21st

The Ultimate Reference On The Nintendo “Boy” Systems.

PIXELS FOREVER

Red Right Hand - Campaign ends August 24th

A massive guide all about creating pixel art and pixel animations.

Please support The Week in Games!

If you enjoy The Week in Games, please consider showing your support with a tip, or with a sub from only £1 a month. You'll help keep it sustainable in the long-term, get a Twitter shout-out, and your name and social link of choice in each issue.

A huge thank you to Jake @BitBloggist and John @johnXprinter. Your support means the world, and helps keep The Week in Games sustainable.

Friends of The Week in Games!

From custom framed art and premium journals, to gaming sites, fellow newsletters and beyond, our friends share similar values, a passion for quality and a willingness to support others.

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...and that's it for this week!

I hope you enjoyed this issue of The Week in Games! I’d be delighted if you would consider forwarding this email to anybody you think may like it, by sharing this link on social media, or simply telling people about it!

I'm always looking at ways to improve this newsletter, so if you have any comments, suggestions or enquiries, please reply to this email directly, write to [email protected], or catch me on Twitter!

Thanks again, see you next week!