Gait Games

It’s the start of a new week, and you’ve got a bad case of the Mondays. Ah, but why do I antagonise you so with these twee and crushingly normative white collar office job cliches? You aren’t necessarily working a 9-5, and every day is hard, isn’t it? You’ve got a lot on your mind. You’ve got a lot on your plate. It seems there’s no end to the woe. Rest easy, my friend – no vexation you are feeling can possibly be as vexatious as the Space Invader area in Today’s Star Is.

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### The Resurgence of Square Enix’s SaGa Series: An Innovative Tourism Campaign in Saga, Japan

Square Enix’s SaGa series has made an impressive comeback in recent years, with a range of new game launches and classic re-releases sparking renewed enthusiasm for this legendary RPG franchise. This revival extends beyond the realm of gaming; it has also initiated a creative partnership with the Saga region of Japan, resulting in a groundbreaking annual tourism campaign that uniquely fuses local culture with the imaginative universe of SaGa.

#### The Partnership Launches

Commenced in 2014, this partnership between Square Enix and the Saga region seeks to highlight local crafts, produce, and traditions, offering a distinctive avenue to honor both the SaGa franchise and the region’s cultural legacy. Initially, the event was simple, mainly comprising a small exhibition in Saga’s city center, along with promotional activities at selected sites across Japan, including Tokyo.

As of this year, the project has grown considerably, enlisting eight local businesses which partake in a marketing effort that feels much like an RPG quest. Each business presents unique offerings that merge local artistry with the cherished characters and themes of SaGa, transforming the event into a multi-faceted exploration of both local heritage and gaming narratives.

#### Distinct Local Products

Among the participating enterprises is the Takeo Onsen Bussankan, renowned for its hot springs, which has unveiled Yumino dolls—traditional clay figurines inspired by Sensei, the franchise’s mascot. Other local innovations comprise specially-themed culinary items, including a crab dish made with crabs caught in local waters, along with themed tea, teapots, and dishware. Additionally, in partnership with game-themed craft beer maker Game Brew, four distinct Abyss Brew beers have been crafted, now available for purchase nationwide.

#### Effect on Local Tourism

This initiative is part of a broader movement in Japan, where regions are increasingly utilizing popular video game franchises and pop culture to draw tourists. Once perceived as a less favored destination for domestic visitors, Saga Prefecture is actively reshaping its image. Yoshinori Yamaguchi, the region’s governor, mentions that innovative projects—such as the launch of themed manhole covers featuring characters and sprites from SaGa—have received substantial attention, enhancing local tourism.

Presently, there are 32 themed manhole covers dispersed across the prefecture, alongside themed postboxes, buses, and trains, contributing to a total of over 200 tourist attractions designed to captivate both fans and casual explorers.

#### Wider Initiatives by Square Enix

Square Enix’s initiatives to promote tourism go beyond the SaGa franchise. Earlier this spring, the company initiated a Final Fantasy-themed tourism campaign in Fukushima Prefecture, showcasing its dedication to enhancing local economies through its beloved gaming franchises. As Square Enix continues to embrace the SaGa series and its cultural importance, both long-time fans and newcomers may discover enticing reasons to visit this often-neglected region of Japan.

With the next round of collaborative events commencing on October 12th, the interplay between tradition and modern gaming is set to evolve further, offering even more opportunities for immersive experiences for tourists drawn to the captivating fusion of SaGa and the cultural richness of Saga Prefecture.

Hello all! I regret to report that the Maw is in a really good mood this week. Its scales have an almost flirtatious lustre, flashing in and out of visibility as I gaze from my eyrie above north London. Its crimson coral coils and fins of mounded verdigris can be seen reflected in the distant moneytemples of Canary Wharf. Its fractal teeth and hair form expressionist whorls and divots among the haggard late summer clouds.

The Maw is merry because this week is Gamescom week – a time of much videogame news and thus, a time of feasting for extradimensional gods with a hankering for headlines. It also happens to be the week in which Rockstar and Netflix will stream a GTA 6 documentary (27th August), giving rise to many, many articles in the vein of “50 individually rendered breakfast cereal shapes you missed from the all-new Vice City”. As if all that wasn’t enough, there are a load of uncommonly chunky new PC releases to contend with. Here’s my latest list.

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Update 25/08: Paradox have officially announced Afterworld with a story trailer – read more about it here.

Our original story continues below.

What is happening across the Paradox Universe? So the publishers behind strategy stalwarts like Crusader Kings 3 and Europa Universalis 4 asked in a post to the socials the other day, which promised all will be revealed on August 25th at Gamescom. Unfortunately for those best laid plans, the name of the game in question looks to have leaked via Paradox’s forum of all places. Assuming the leaks prove accurate, it’s a post-apocalyptic survival strategiser called Afterworld.

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Formidable fantasy soulslike Mortal Shell 2 has been getting it in the shins from certain players over the decision to ‘lock them out’ of Steam achievements, when they equip the notorious Slayer Seal.

Trailers have characterised the Slayer Seal as an in-game ‘easy mode’. As Jeremy summarises in our own Mortal Shell 2 review, it gives “you a pulverising punch and your ranged weapons the ability to deal Break damage”, which goes a fair way in an action-RPG this vicious. Not being able to earn achievements with the Seal equipped (or even after you unequip it) has sparked a few Reddit threads protesting that people are being punished for declining to punish themselves… while other people (hello!) wonder why anybody cares this much about Steam achievements at all.

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Not content with stealing everyone’s attention at Gamescom by unveiling a cheeky extra expansion for a decade-old RPG, CD Projekt Red have decided spend their Monday afternoon locking in the year that The Witcher 4 will be coming out. It’s set to emerge from a lake full of drowners in 2028.

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Pretty much since the day Red Dead Redemption 2 was released and they saw its map included Red Dead 1 states New Austin and West Elizabeth, but didn’t extend south of the border, modders have been looking to add in their own re-creations of Mexico. There have been a few attempts already, but the latest looks the most detailed yet and is due out in September.

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**The Progression of YouTube Culture: The Rise of LARPtubers**

Over the course of twenty years, YouTube has positioned itself as the premier platform for video entertainment, merging user-generated content with elements from traditional commercial television. The site is characterized by its dynamic, frequently contentious culture, which consistently ignites debate and discourse. For many younger audiences, the content they were raised on within this platform carries nostalgic weight, despite the imperfections of certain creators and their behaviors. YouTuber and journalist Steven Asarch has undertaken a thorough investigation into this phenomenon, particularly spotlighting fans eager to emulate their favorite streamers, regardless of any questionable histories.

In a recent video, Asarch underscores how children born post-2000 have largely engaged with content via YouTube, often without any safeguards regarding their viewing choices. “A decade is a long time on the internet. And as a creator, you either evolve or you perish,” he remarks, highlighting the unending transformation necessary in this rapid digital environment.

A notably captivating trend on YouTube, as pointed out by Asarch, is the rise of “LARPtubers.” These creators not only replicate the video style from prior YouTube epochs but also actively impersonate past creators. This trend generates a surreal and somewhat nostalgic atmosphere, akin to an Elvis impersonator reciting wedding vows. While charming to some, this “impersonation” can also revive memories that many might prefer to leave behind.

YouTube’s design incentivizes creators to strive for grander, more theatrical content, often at the cost of decency. The platform has struggled to balance user engagement with advertiser comfort, resulting in numerous controversies. Incidents involving notable personalities—such as PewDiePie’s outrageous comments or Logan Paul’s notorious Japan episode—demonstrate the platform’s ongoing battles with its content regulations. In spite of efforts to regulate, YouTube remains in a state of flux, attempting to fine-tune its algorithms and monetization policies in response to the prevailing trends influencing its audience’s views.

LARPtubers often long for the chaos that characterized YouTube’s early days. One case study highlighted by Asarch is ILarpzTV, a young creator who looks up to Ian Kane Jomha, widely known as iDubbbz. Jomha is acknowledged for his politically incorrect humor, which he has now moved past. The longing for nostalgic content has spawned imitators, placing Jomha in a complex position as he wrestles with the ramifications of his previous work. “I think my feelings are a little bit complicated,” Jomha confesses, recognizing that while he cannot dictate the nostalgia of his audience, he aspires for the newer content to be a “watered down, hopefully less slurs version” of his previous creations.

Numerous individuals from the earlier YouTube era have either redefined their online identities or shifted to platforms more aligned with their content style. As Asarch notes, even well-known figures like Mr. Beast have had to adapt to the requirements of newer creators. However, a notable issue within the LARPtuber trend is the concerning case of TechnoLarp, a young streamer who aimed to pay tribute to the late Minecraft icon Technoblade by mimicking his voice and avatar. While meant as a tribute, the attempt backfired, inciting backlash from fans and Technoblade’s family, whom deemed the imitation inappropriate. StrikerMC, the creator behind TechnoLarp, reflected on the situation, admitting, “I did something I really shouldn’t have.”

StrikerMC has since shifted to producing original content, resulting in growth in his fanbase. In some cases, LARPtubers may utilize their imitative videos as a strategy to cultivate their own streaming identities. However, the trend suggests that many do not move towards healthier or more innovative paths.

In summary, the rise of LARPtubers on YouTube poses significant questions about nostalgia, creator accountability, and the progression of content in the digital era. As the platform continues to evolve, so too will the dialogues surrounding the influence of past creators on new generations of content producers.

Steam’s latest head-scratching hangout game (don’t call it friendslop, you will rekindle Discourse) is How to Fish, a macabre novelty in which hideous worm people boat out to small cursed islands, reel in angry sealife, and blast the creatures into submission with golden sniper rifles, spending the proceeds on weapons and gadgets. I could be misinterpreting, but I don’t think the idea is sincerely to teach you How to Fish.

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Last week, Rockstar Games’ parent company Take-Two were filed subpoenas asking for info from Microsoft and Discord to help uncover the identity of the hacker or hackers behind the ongoing GTA 6 leaks. With clips of the game continuing to hit the net and the potential threat of story spoilers starting to drop soon, it was an understandable request for the company to have made, even if questions could be raised about the amount of data it might give them access to.

One of the two companies subpoenaed, Discord, have now said that as of last night they’ve yet to be served with any subpoena from Take-Two, and that if/when they are, they’ll not comply without first considering the ramifications of doing so.

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