Rockstar Acquires Australian Studio & THPS 3+4 Release Date Announced | This Weeks Gaming News 🕹️

Hello !👋,
Who else can’t believe it’s March already… here’s what we have in store today:

• 🔥 Latest deals including 90% off Anno 1800

• 🚨 Rockstar Australia now exists

• 🛹 Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3 + 4 release date announced

• 💰 Monster Hunter Wild’s Sales figures are in

• 📈 Steam breaks it’s own concurrent user records

Plus Civ 6 roadmap revealed, Warzone updates and more!! 👇

THE THRIFTS 🔥

This weeks best deals

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THIS WEEK’S UPDATES 📈

1/ Rockstar Acquires 'Video Games Deluxe,' Reuniting with LA Noire's Director

Rockstar Games just made a power move, snapping up Sydney-based developer Video Games Deluxe and giving it a shiny new name: Rockstar Australia. This move reunites LA Noire director Brendan McNamara with Rockstar, as Video Games Deluxe joins its parent company’s network of studios.

The two companies have worked together on several projects, including the VR Case Files for LA Noire and updates to the GTA Trilogy: Definitive Edition.

While Rockstar hasn’t officially confirmed whether Rockstar Australia will contribute to the highly anticipated GTA 6, the acquisition positions the studio to potentially play a role in its development ahead of the game's rumoured fall release window.

You can read more about the acquisition published on BusinessWire 🚀->

2/ Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remaster – Coming July 11!

The worst kept secret in recent gaming history has officially been announced! Alongside the classic locations and skaters we all know and love, the game will feature brand-new parks and some fresh additions to the roster – including Doom Slayer (on the Digital Deluxe version anyway).

What’s New:

• Skate Parks: Relive every iconic park from THPS 3 + 4, plus explore the new Waterpark level with ramps and railings galore.

• Skaters: Fan favourites join forces with new faces like Rayssa Leal, Chloe Covell, and Yuto Horigome.

• Soundtrack: Classic hits like "Amoeba" by Adolescents and "Ace of Spades" by Motorhead return, alongside brand-new tracks.

• Multiplayer: Take on friends across all platforms with 8-player cross-platform online multiplayer.

• Customisation: Create and share your custom parks with a robust Create-A-Park mode!

The game will set you back £39.99 for the standard edition, and £59.99 for the digital deluxe. As a reward for pre-ordering, you can gain access to the 'Foundary Demo in June'.

THPS 3 + 4 will hit the PC Game Pass or you can pre-order on Steam here ->

3/ Monster Hunter Wilds is Capcom's Fastest Selling Game - Ever!

Monster Hunter Wilds has set a new benchmark for Capcom, officially becoming the company’s fastest-selling game. Here’s what you need to know about this historic launch:

• Fastest-Selling Capcom Game: Over 8 million units sold in just three days.

• Massive Player Base: Reached 1.38 million concurrent players on Steam over the weekend.

• Platform Records: Propelled Steam to an all-time high of over 40 million online players.

The game’s big win? A massive global marketing flex. We’re talking appearances at PlayStation’s State of Play, The Game Awards, and enough online beta tests to make your thumbs sore. It’s no wonder it’s off to such a strong start.

Now let’s talk numbers—Capcom’s Platinum Title list is still ruled by the heavyweights. Monster Hunter World is crushing it at 21.3 million units sold, with Monster Hunter Rise trailing at 16.7 million, and the Resident Evil 2 remake pulling in 15 million. But could Monster Hunter Wilds dethrone its big siblings? Well it's off to a good start...

Once again, Monster Hunter proves to be Capcom’s crown jewel and one of the most lucrative series in gaming history.

4/ Steam Hits a Milestone with 40 Million Concurrent Users

On March 4th, 2024, Steam hit a jaw-dropping milestone—34 million people online at the same time. Fast forward a year, and Steam has done it again, smashing its own record and hitting a whopping 40 million concurrent users. The exact number - 40,270,997.

Here are the key highlights from Steam's latest record-breaking achievement:

• 40 Million Active Users: As of March 2, 2025, Steam reached a new peak with over 40.2 million active users being online at the same time, according to SteamDB.

• Steady Growth: Steam has seen exponential growth, climbing from 2 million active users in 2010 to 20 million in 2020, and now doubling to 40 million in just five years.

• 12 Million Players in-game: Out of that staggering number, more than 12 million users are actively playing games at any given time.

• Game Contributions: Titles like Monster Hunter Wilds (1.3M+ players over the launch weekend), Counter-Strike 2 (1.8M peak users), and other hits like PUBG and Dota 2 have driven the platform's growth.

Were you online this weekend? What game were you playing? Reply to this email and let us know!

BYTE SIZED

Just the Headlines, No Side Quests 🤏

CoD Black Ops 6 & Warzone Season 3 has been delayed
Activision has announced that Season 3 of Call of Duty Black Ops 6 and Warzone, originally set to launch on March 20, has been delayed to April 3. The team promises this update will be "a big moment" and is taking extra time to ensure a great experience. The delay adds two weeks of waiting, but with Warzone's 5th anniversary and potential teasers for the return of Verdansk, there’s still plenty for fans to look forward to!

The Civ 7 Development Roadmap has been released
Firaxis has revealed the roadmap for Civilization 7, focusing on UI and player experience improvements. Update 1.1.0, available now, adds the Bermuda Triangle natural wonder and UI upgrades, with Mount Everest coming March 25 in update 1.1.1. April’s update (1.2.0) will bring multiplayer teams, new resources, and a "one more turn" feature for the Modern Age. Future updates will include modding tools, larger maps, AI upgrades, and more UI enhancements.

Crowdfunding for The Sinking City 2 begins
Officially announced during an Xbox Partner Preview held in March 2024 - The Sinking City 2 is looking to Kickstarter and their fans to finance the games development. The campaign kicked off on Wednesday and has amassed over £165,000 as of time of writing.

Sequel to Islanders has been announced 
Publisher Coatsink has announced Islanders: New Shores, a sequel to the acclaimed minimalist city builder. The new game will feature expanded gameplay, including “boons” (one-time power-ups), High Score and Sandbox modes, 44 unique building types, seven island properties, and a photo mode. While there’s no specific release date yet, the game is set to launch 'this summer'. You can watch the announcement trailer here->

More Assassins Creed Shadows Details Released
In an interview with Japanese journalist Genki, AC Shadows Creative Director Jonathan Dumont shared that it will take 40 hours to complete the main story, and 80 hours to complete all of the side quests. Dumont also added that the open world will be as vast as it is dynamic. Genki has summerised the key points into a tweet here ->