Rounding out the week is yet another batch of video game news, including the announcement of the Genshin Impact PlayStation 5 release date. In addition, Square Enix has denied recent acquisition rumors, the NPD Group revealed that the PS5 is the fastest-selling console in the United States, and more. Here’s the video game news you might’ve missed on April 16, 2021.
PS5 Is the Fastest Selling Console Ever in the United States
According to the NPD Group, PlayStation 5 is now the fastest-selling console in United States history in “both units and dollars.” This, as explained by Mat Piscatella of the NPD Group on Twitter, comes after only five months on the market. The PS5 has done well thus far, but Sony has had trouble keeping up with demand, as system shortages are still prevalent.
https://twitter.com/MatPiscatella/status/1383042564756893703
Genshin Impact PS5 Version Gets Release Date
Genshin Impact will come to PlayStation 5 on April 28 with a handful of visual improvements. This enhanced version of the free-to-play action RPG features improved textures, faster load times, and 4K support. The PS5 edition launches day and date with the game’s 1.5 version, which comes with new features such as additional enemies, more characters, and gear to unlock. All of this content will be free upon release later this month.
Travelers! Today, Paimon has some exciting news to share with you all — Genshin Impact will be coming to PlayStation®5 on April 28!
Stay tuned to our official social media channels for the latest updates!#GenshinImpact pic.twitter.com/0wHtxp8Gap
— Genshin Impact (@GenshinImpact) April 16, 2021
Read More: Genshin Impact launches on PS5 April 28, brings 4K support, enhanced textures, and more
Black Ops Cold War, Monster Hunter Rise, and Outriders Were March 2021’s Bestselling Games in the U.S.
As part of the same NPD results mentioned above, the bestselling U.S. games of March 2021 were revealed. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War regained the number one spot as the bestselling game of the month, followed by Monster Hunter Rise at number two and Outriders at number three. Outriders saw tremendous success thanks to Xbox Game Pass, though this data does not take Game Pass downloads into consideration. The full list of bestsellers can be seen below.
https://twitter.com/MatPiscatella/status/1383042767002107904
The Next Ubisoft Forward Will Air This June During E3
The next Ubisoft Forward will debut on June 12, 2021 as part of this year’s digital E3 event. Ubisoft Forward is the publisher’s version of a Nintendo Direct, featuring announcements and updates on its latest games. It first debuted the digital event last year during the COVID pandemic and has continued to use this as a way to inform the community about its upcoming games. It’s unclear if Ubisoft will return to an in-person E3 event next year as it has in the past. Typically, the live press conferences are expensive to produce, so it’s generally more cost-effective to hold a digital event instead.
Announcing the next #UbiForward 🔥 Part of #E32021
👉 https://t.co/wadfUzS9PM pic.twitter.com/YrE3o6NHyB
— Ubisoft (@Ubisoft) April 15, 2021
Square Enix Denies Acquisition Rumors, States It Isn’t Considering Selling the Company
Yesterday, Bloomberg relayed word that multiple companies had expressed interest in purchasing Japanese publisher / developer Square Enix. It wasn’t clear which companies were apparently interested, but Square Enix released a statement today confirming that it is not for sale. “We do not consider selling off the company or any part of its businesses, nor have we received any offer from any third party to acquire the company or any part of its businesses,” Square Enix said in a statement.
Read More: Today’s Media Coverage
