Daily Briefing: Wednesday 13th October

More Avowed details surface thanks to leaks

The new little chunk of information surfaced earlier this week courtesy of Windows Central who, quoting the usual sources familiar with goings-on at developer Obsidian, said that Avowed will be a first-person title feature multiple different classes and playstyles. They also said that the game's combat system will take inspiration from the dual-wielding system seen in games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Players will reportedly be able to wield two weapons at the same time, power up their magic with powerful two-handed casts, or go for a tidy mix of both.

• Of course, as with all leaks, it's important to remember that nothing is verified and to neatly divide your pinches of salt as necessary. Windows Central claim to have received documents confirming that Avowed is currently deep in pre-production and close to having a workable early build, though it is still in a pre-Alpha state. At any rate, it's nice to finally have a little bit more information about the game, even if it is just in the form of leaks. Microsoft announced Avowed way back in July 2020 and we haven't heard of it since really.

Paradox staff open up further on "culture of silence" at the studio

A few weeks ago details emerged of multiple allegations of harassment and discrimination at Swedish developer Paradox Interactive - the team behind well-loved titles like Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings. The report, published by a labour union using testimonies from several current and former Paradox staff, highlighted a suite of deep-seated problems alongside a "culture of silence" that saw perpetrators protected from the consequences of their behaviour. Around the same time Paradox CEO Ebba Ljungerud left the studio due to "differing views" on its direction and was replaced by former CEO Fredrik Wester, whom Ljungerud had replaced back in 2018.

• In short, it's all a bit of a mess, and it isn't getting any tidier following a new report from Swedish daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet which doubles down on this idea of a "culture of silence" at Paradox. The report revolves around a senior manager serving in a "leading role" at Paradox despite having a reputation for "unwelcome approaches and harassment" that persisted after joining the studio. Seniority appears to be a prevailing problem at the studio, with sources telling Svenska Dagbladet that harassment typically involved senior figures "who did something to someone below them in the hierarchy."

EA renew player likeness deal amid considerations of FIFA name change

An interesting piece of news to surface recently was the idea that EA Sports are considering the future of their licensing deal with FIFA. If the longstanding partnership is not renewed then EA's flagship football series (y'know, the one with all the terrible monetisation that coined the term "surprise mechanics") will have to be renamed to something inevitably unimaginative like EA Sports Football or something. FIFA Ultimate Team will likely become Football Ultimate Team so EA can keep the FUT branding ticking over and bringing in coins.

• Regardless of whether you actually play them, a world without branded FIFA games is a bizarre future to consider. It's like if Call of Duty just started calling itself Shoot Bang Gun one year and we were all expected to be alright with it. One of the reasons the FIFA branding seemed so inextricably tied to EA Sports' games though is that it was so deeply linked to the player likenesses and club branding that make the FIFA series feel so authentic. Well, EA just renewed its contract with player representation FIFPRO which will allow them to continue using "thousands of player names and likenesses" as part of a new "long-term commitment." In a statement, EA said that "our players regularly remind us that one of the most important aspects of an EA Sports experience is the deep immersion created through authentic use of the world's greatest leagues, teams, and talent." Sure does look like EA are setting up for a messy FIFA divorce, doesn't it?