Daily Briefing: Friday 22nd October

Grand Theft Auto Remastered Trilogy launches next month

After enough rumours to make this the worst-kept gaming secret in however long, Rockstar have finally confirmed that a) a Grand Theft Auto remastered trilogy is indeed on the way and b) it launches next month. Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas release digitally on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, the Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on November 11th. A physical version of the game will follow on December 6th.

• It's good to finally have this thing out in the open because goodness me it feels like we've been hearing about it for a long time. Rockstar have emphasised that the trilogy is much more than a simple port, and is instead aiming to update the three classic title to bring them more in line with the modern experiences offered by Grand Theft Auto 5 and Grand Theft Auto Online. That means smoother aiming and shooting controls, an improved minimap, and other amenities like quick-select wheels for weapons. Interestingly, San Andreas will be available on launch day via Xbox Game Pass, while PlayStation Now gets Grand Theft Auto III on December 7th.

Stardew Valley creator reveals next project

It's hard to believe that it's been five whole years since Stardew Valley took all of gaming by...farm. Now, creator Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has announced his new project: a game called Haunted Chocolatier where you run a giant chocolate factory full of ghosts. The game carries a very similar aesthetic to Stardew Valley which is oddly reassuring in a way, though even the brief reveal trailer managed to show that there is something spooky at work beneath all the cozy game wholesomeness.

• While Stardew Valley, for all its friendships and romance and mining and combat, was at its heart a farming simulator, Haunted Chocolatier looks to be leaning a lot more in the action RPG direction. Players will be tasked with venturing out into the world to defeat monsters to gather ingredients to make new types of chocolate and other confectionary. In a blog post expanding on the announcement, Barone said that he "wanted to explore more fantastical possibilities" with his new project, and Haunted Chocolatier certainly seems like one worth keeping an eye on.

NetEase acquire Grasshopper Manufacture

NetEase, he second largest gaming company in China behind Tencent, this week confirmed that they have acquired No More Heroes studio Grasshopper Manufacture. The two parties signed an equity transfer agreement back in May and the deal will now be going ahead. In an official statement confirming the acquisition, Grasshopper CEO and all-round gaming auteur weirdo Goichi "Suda51" Suda stated that the deal will allow for "even higher quality" output going forward.

• According to Suda, "NetEase Games has developed many excellent games in the past and I have long been aware of NetEase's creative capabilities." He went on to say, “when talking with NetEase about developing more unique console games together, we resonated. After a lot of thought, we’ve unanimously decided to ‘get together’ in the long term through deeper cooperation to create more good content for gamers." Grasshopper will remain responsible for the creative side to ensure their games retain their signature "flavour," while NetEase will offer support services "composed of thousands of artists and technical experts in terms of game art and quality assurance." Done deal.