The Weekly Wave

Welcome back to the Weekly Wave! Let’s see what news, updates, and announcements have risen to the surface this week!

Invoke Studios has a new D&D game in the works!

According to numerous reports, Wizards of the Coast is teaming up with Invoke Studios to work on a new D&D video game. Details are scarce and most of the info we have so far is more intended to tease rather than inform, which is expected with a game that’s in such an early stage of development. This isn’t the first collaboration between WOTC and Invoke. The two giants actually worked together on D&D: Dark Alliance back in 2020/2021. Invoke went by the name Tuque back then!

Today, Wizards and Invoke are working behind the scenes on another D&D title that they call, “an AAA game derived from the Dungeons & Dragons universe and developed on the Unreal 5 engine.” At least that’s how they described it in an official press release that came recently. Again, we don’t know much about the game itself, but we can speculate that it will try to surpass Dark Alliance with a Witcher meets Dragon Age open-world format. 

As we speak, Invoke is beefing up its development department and should have a team of 200 in the next two or three years. Whether the whole team will be tackling this one title is not yet known, although we wouldn’t be surprised if this was an all-hands-on-deck project. 

Obviously, no dates or other key details have been announced yet, but we’re going to be following this game’s development closely. If anything major comes through, we’ll be sure to have an updated version of this added in. Also, if you hear anything on your end, be sure to let us know in the comments below. We’ll check back every so often.

Kazuki Takahashi is a hero!

For all you Yu-Gi-Oh! fans out there, this story should warm your heart. Kazuki Takahashi, Yu-Gi-Oh’s creator, tragically passed away back in July. This news came as a shock to all in the gaming community, especially due to the way in which he was killed. For those who don’t know, Takahashi drowned in the sea in Okinawa, Japan. At first, many couldn’t understand how or why Takahashi came to be in the situation that caused his death, which only made the blow that much more shocking. However, new details have surfaced that give a clearer picture of what happened…and why!

According to reports, Takahashi was attempting to rescue a U.S. soldier, an 11-year-old girl, and her mother from the sea’s strong riptide. The three were caught up in the heavy current and found themselves unable to swim to shore. So, Major Robert Bourgeau, a scuba instructor serving in Japan, sprung into action. However, the conditions were too harsh for him to save all three. 

Takahashi was one of the onlookers, and as the events unfolded, he decided to dive in and assist in the rescue. Unfortunately, he was swept away by the current just before he could reach Bourgeau. During an interview after the rescue, Bourgeau was quoted saying this about Takahashi: “He's a hero. He died trying to save someone else.” This bold, selfless display of heroism may not have succeeded, but Kazuki Takahashi will forever be remembered as a hero…and will always hold a special place in our hearts!

A new Michael Whelan design has come to our collection!

In case you didn’t see our email or Newest Arts and Artists blog, we recently welcomed a new Michael Whelan art to our site. Like many of the stunning designs in his portfolio, this one served as the cover art for Melanie Rawn’s epic novel of the same name. All hail the Dragon Prince!

Melanie Rawn’s Dragon Prince tells a treacherous tale of love, war, magic, and madness. Such a story calls for awesome cover art that can convey the power of the words that are between the pages. Back in 1988, there were a handful of talented artists who could bring these elements to life, visually…and Michael Whelan was one of them. 

Since then, the book has become a bestselling favorite among fantasy fans, and the art has been added to the list of Michael Whelan’s best. And now, it’s come to the Inked Gaming collection. So, whether you’re a fan of the book or just want another Michael Whelan design in your stockpile, you should pick up your Dragon Prince piece today!

That’s all for now! Stay tuned for our next edition of The Weekly Wave for more fun stories and updates!

Sincerely,

Inked Gaming