News Tower, a newspaper media tycoon game set in 1930’s New York from indie developer Sparrow Night and publisher Twin Sails Interactive, will officially launch a closed beta on November 28th, 2023.
According to an update on the game’s official Steam page, the beta will run through December 4th, 10 AM CET. Content will include a full in-game year, involving the Mayor and the Mafia. You can also sign up for the closed beta on Steam.
News Tower is expected to launch into Early Access in Q1 2024, and remain there for “six months, up to one year”. Here is today’s full tweet announcing the Closed Beta release date:
In News Tower, players manage multiple aspects of a newspaper business, including a variety of unique employees and even the editorial tone. You’ll need to upgrade the building itself, juggle the production line, and more to grow into the leading paper.
News Tower instantly won my attention with its nifty premise and refreshing setting. The historical approach will even weave in “key moments of the 1930’s”. This will surely distinguish the game from so many tycoon competitors that rely on the profession alone for flavor.
True, News Tower does share many obligatory mechanics of the genre. However, it cleverly introduces the moral ambiguity of seeking and printing truth. That’s one of the features that intrigues me most.
It adds a personal investment in your gameplay, rather than simply testing your management skills with chores. But it’s also relevant to today’s volatile environment.
News Tower has many gameplay layers, which require players to control unexpected minutiae. For example, even the position of loud machines or vegetation can affect your building’s productivity.
This may not be especially friendly, but News Tower promises enough details and creative twists to attract longtime fans of the genre. I’m already impressed with the theme and ingenuity, and haven’t even played yet.
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