Today brought devastating news for gamers, and the comic book community at large, when it was announced that beloved actor Kevin Conroy, whom most people recognize as the unmistakable voice of the Caped Crusader, has passed away at the age of 66.
As we grieve the death of one of the most talented people in the entertainment world, the industry pushes ahead with a number of hotly anticipated sequels, like Baldur’s Gate 3, which will finally get a definitive release date in December. Remedy Entertainment has also confirmed that Control 2 is a thing, so fans of Jesse Faden can rejoice knowing their reality-bending heroine is making a comeback.
This is your daily roundup of news and developments from the gaming world.
God of War Thor is the ultimate Thor, the internet decides
These days, most folks immediately think of Chris Hemsworth at a mention of the Norse deity associated with thunder, but with the release of God of War Ragnarok, we’re getting yet another take on Thor, who is much more lore accurate this time. The Nordic pantheon is all but lined-up for the killing so far as Kratos is concerned, and one of these is the God of Thunder, though not the quipping care-free version you’ve come to know and love thanks to the MCU.
Despite spending just a few hours with the character, the internet has deemed the game version worthy of wielding Mjolnir and possessing the power of Thor. Sorry, Chris, but you shouldn’t have gotten rid of the dad bod.
The comic world says goodbye to Kevin Conroy
He only had the opportunity to portray Bruce Wayne in live-action once, but no one would argue that he is the best Batman in the long list of actors and thespians who have ever portrayed the Dark Knight. Best known for his role as the World’s Greatest Detective in animated shows, movies, and even video games —Rocksteady’s Arkham trilogy— Conroy was the iconic voice of Batman for three decades. And now, with his passing, the entire comic community has bidden Conroy farewell with many emotional and eulogizing words.
Mark Hamill, who played opposite him countless times as the Clown Prince of Crime, wrote: “Kevin was perfection. He was the ideal partner — it was such a complementary creative experience. I couldn’t have done it without him. He will always be my Batman.” We couldn’t agree more.
Gears of War fans really want to see Dave Bautista as Marcus Fenix
Dave Bautista is throwing himself out there yet again as the perfect candidate to portray Marcus Fenix now that Netflix has confirmed work on the live-action adaptation is still a thing. The MCU alum had previously cosplayed as the Gears of War protagonist, and now that fans have seen him in costume again, they want the streaming juggernaut to offer him the role. And hey, if you have another person lined up to portray Marcus, you could always cast Bautista as one of his squad members. The man really was born to portray a COG, so why fight it?
Remedy officially confirms Control 2 is in development
As Sam Lake’s next peculiar project, Control was a serious contender for Game of the Year in 2019, and it seems that the game’s commercial success is allowing Jesse’s journey to continue with a sequel. Remedy Entertainment is partnering up with 505 Games to develop this ambitious follow-up, which is currently in the conceptualization phase. Control 2 will be developed from the ground-up for next-gen consoles, with 505 handling the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X ports, while Remedy itself will prepare the PC version.
It’s also stated that the development budget for Control 2 sits at around $50 million, and 505 is splitting the marketing costs and taking half the revenue, though Remedy still retains the IP rights.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is still coming out in 2023, release date to be announced in December
Larian —arguably the most acclaimed RPG developer in recent memory thanks to the two Divinity games— is spearheading the next game in the Baldur’s Game franchise. The title has been available through Early Access for quite a while, but the studio still needs some time to smooth out the rough edges. Fortunately, Larian has just announced that Baldur’s Gate 3 is still slated for release in 2023, and the exact date will be announced in December, so stay tuned.
