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2K Games has announced the formation of Small Axe Studios, a new developer that it says will be focused on building a new "blockbuster" sports franchise. While the publisher--which is owned by Take-Two Interactive--has commented which sport will be joining its other franchises, it looks like 2K might be taking on EA's annual soccer series, EA Sports FC. Currently, Small Axe Studios includes several former EA developers, with Aaron McHardy as studio head. McHardy had previously been in charge of EA's FIFA franchise for 15 years, and other notable names include Gary Peterson as Small Axe's head of design, Tom Pan as head of operations, technical art director John Cruz, and engineering lead Mike Thompson--all EA veterans. Small Axe Studios logo Another clue that 2K Games will be making its own soccer game is the Small Axe logo, which resembles a soccer club badge on a shirt. While EA has dominated the soccer genre on console and PC--forging its own path forward after it split with FIFA in 2023 and transitioned to EA Sports FC. There hasn't been a new AAA FIFA game since then, but the international soccer body has kept the brand active with mobile games and a World Cup game on Netflix. Now is also a good time to strike while the proverbial iron is hot, as following the recent FIFA World Cup, soccer got a huge visibility boost as record numbers of people tuned in to watch the tournament. Small Axe Studios joins a roster of game studios at 2K that focus on specific sports and have proven to be very popular over the years. NBA 2K, PGA Tour 2K, and WWE 2K have all been big hits for Take-Two Interactive, drawing in revenue not just from launch sales but from various microtransactions as well. Both Take-Two Interactive and EA have been criticized for how aggressively they monetize their games, with fans accusing them of pushing pay-to-win mechanics.
This may be a new look, new dev, and a new fighting system, but Marvel still rules the tag fighter scene. For many fighting game fans, It's impossible to look at Marvel Tokon and not think of Marvel Vs. Capcom.
Earlier this summer, Netflix-owned developer Night School released Unhinged, a horror game that was playable on televisions/screens through the streaming app. Unhinged was met with acclaim by players, and Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters recently called Unhinged one of "our two most successful cloud game debuts" during an investor call. Regardless, Night School has been shuttered by Netflix's latest round of cuts. As reported by Game File, Night School and Moonloot are the latest gaming developers to be closed down by Netflix. According to the outlet, Netflix justified the closures by noting that the streamer is narrowing its focus to games for kids, party games, story-driven titles, or "games with mainstream hooks." "We see an opportunity to be more focused in our execution, so we are making organizational changes to the business to match those priorities," said Netflix in a statement to Game File. "Games continue to be an opportunity for us to expand the variety of entertainment we offer Netflix members." This isn't the first time that Netflix has made gaming cuts at one of its developers after praising its work. Earlier this month, Netflix laid off 85% of the staff of Refactor Games, the developer behind a FIFA World Cup title that Netflix identified as the other most-successful cloud game debut alongside Unhinged. In July, Netflix boasted that its gaming engagement had gone up 600% from the previous year. While Netflix has previously shared its ambition for a larger stake in the gaming world, the company was notably uninterested in purchasing Warner Bros.' gaming assets before the proposed sale fell through and Paramount emerged as the winning suitor. Another report indicated that Netflix considered buying EA, one of the largest third-party gaming publishers. EA was later sold to a group that includes Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and taken private.
Fields Of Mistria has plenty to keep you busy--from farming to friendship, mining to marriage--but it's also home to a few secrets and cheeky references. We've collated all the things you might have missed about the game, which features plenty of easily overlooked useful features, and options to make your life easier (or more interesting!). Like its contemporaries, Stardew Valley and Story Of Seasons, Fields Of Mistria has plenty of secrets lurking beneath the surface. This guide does include several spoilers relating to plot and unlockable skills, so if you'd prefer to find them out for yourself you could instead check out our complete Fields Of Mistria crop guide, or our comprehensive guide to romance and marriage. Secrets in Fields Of Mistria Predict The Weather During Juniper's quest Stinky Stamina Potion, she will gift the player a Crystal Ball. If you're not paying attention, the gift can end up shoved in a corner of your house or--worse--consigned to life in a Chest. However, the Crystal Ball is one of the most helpful items in the game if you're focused on the health of your farm, as it reliably shows the weather for the next day, meaning you can plan your activities ahead and maximize your useful time. If you interact with the Crystal Ball it'll tell you the weather outright, but if it's prominently displayed, you can also just keep an eye on the icon that shows faintly inside it. The Crystal Ball helps you plan ahead. Secret Caves Later on in the game when you unlock the Dragon's Breath skill, you'll use it for a number of quest-specific purposes, and may even have started using it as a combat strategy in the Mines. But Mistria's map has two secret caves you can only access when this spell is unlocked. Next to Errol's Cabin is a collapsed cave entrance, which can be blasted with Dragon's Breath to reveal a gold chest and an Animal Sprite Statue. The Animal Sprite Statue can be used to automatically pet your animals every day when charged with Essence--you'll also get a recipe for it. The other cave is found just past the Beach, and can be found by jumping in the water to the right of the Lighthouse and swimming up and to the right. Once you've blasted open this cave, you'll find another chest, this time containing a Water Sprite statue (and recipe), which allows you to automate the watering of plants. One of the secret caves, next to Errol's Cabin. A Romantic Gesture If you've picked a date for the Shooting Star Festival, you might not have noticed how much it meant to them. The day after the festival, head to your date's room and check their wall--there's a nice little memento of your time together. Likewise, you can see the Shooting Star Festival was a treasured moment for one of Mistria's cutest couples, as there's a Star Brooch sitting on their bedside table… A sweet memento on their wall. Heavy Hints If you're not sure which gifts to give, first off, check out our Fields Of Mistria gift guide, but secondly, there's a really easy way to tell what people want on Saturdays. Just hover outside Darcy's stall and chat to your fellow townies--they'll let you know what drink they're craving, which makes it easy to quickly clean up some Friendship Points. Gifts From Mimics It can be tempting in the Mines to just hack and slash your way through, especially if you have the fancy armor and a sword infused with magic. But you might be missing out on a secret way to gather free items, recipes, and artifacts. Mimics--the little chest-looking enemies that bite when you approach--can be felled by sword alone, but if you throw something into their mouth before they activate, they'll self-combust and spit out something useful instead. Mimics look like a cross between a cat and a Chest. Hidden Islands If you've not yet braved the waters of Mistria you might have missed a whole area on the map--albeit a small one. Most people will use their jumping-into-water abilities to get across rivers, but you can actually jump straight into the ocean and go for a swim. Swimming down off the jetty and to the left, then back up again will land you on a hidden island where there is always a dig spot, and often a collection of Ocean Fish waiting to be caught. There's also another smaller island that can be landed on if you want even more solitude. The hidden islands are easy to miss. Legendary Fish Hack If you keep casting that reel, eventually you'll probably unlock the Fishing Skill Perk that allows you to fish for Legendary Fish. During the morning announcements under the calendar date, the game will now tell you that a "Legendary Fish is nearby". There isn't any more instruction than this, but with a bit of know-how you'll be able to narrow down your search. Each fish is tied to a location, season, and weather type. If you see the "Legendary Fish" pop-up in Spring, it'll be on a windy day where cherry blossoms are blowing around, and you'll be able to find the fish in a pond on the Eastern Road. In Summer, Legendaries arrive on stormy days, and are found in the rivers around The Narrows. Fall Legendaries are found in rivers on the Eastern Road on windy days when leaves are blowing around, and in Winter you'll find a Legendary during a blizzard in the Ocean. Legendary Fish can be a mystery, but with this tip you'll have them all in no time. Unique Reactions To Hated Gifts You might miss this one purely because you're too good of a friend, but some of Fields Of Mistria's funniest dialogue comes from gifting someone something they really hate. Friendship Points don't go down in the game once you've earned them, so you have a bit of room to experiment if you want to. Try giving Errol a Boiled Egg, for example, or if you're feeling particularly daring, give March a Redhead Worm. Wedding Customization In the days leading up to your wedding you would be forgiven for being too busy to check in on your spouse-to-be, especially as these are the last days you've got to clean up your house for someone else moving in. If you can make a little time for them, though, you'll find you're able to customize your wedding through dialogue choices--although the game will choose for you if you miss the chance. You can choose your wedding meal and the color of the flowers at the ceremony. The Mournful Clown Painting The Mournful Clown Painting is an item you can only receive if you make a point of listening to everyone yapping in the Sleeping Dragon Inn during Friday Night At The Inn events. A certain conversation between Balor and Nora turns to the painting, and a few more Fridays in, you could be leaving with it. Although, you might not want it. Easter Eggs In Fields Of Mistria The Little Mermaid If you've learned the Sunken Secrets Skill, you might come across the Mermaid's Comb artifact, which looks suspiciously like a fork. Fans of a certain movie will recognize the Easter egg. What could it be...? Story Of Seasons/Harvest Moon Reference It's no secret that Fields Of Mistria takes inspiration from the Harvest Moon/Story Of Seasons games--two classics of the genre--but did you spot the direct reference in the character creator? Given as gifts for donating flowers to the Museum in adequate amounts, the Farmer's Cap, Farmer's Overalls, and Farmer Boots when combined are the starting outfit of the default character in Harvest Moon/Story Of Seasons. If this looks familiar, you're a real one. Extortionate Angel If you've upgraded your town enough to get the second set of Saturday Market vendors, Taliferro and Wheedle, you might have noticed Wheedle stocking a very beautiful but ridiculously expensive Halo cosmetic. Costing 999,999t and coming in five color variants, fans of Gaia Online might have noticed the similarities between this and the Angelic Halo, a basically priceless item in the popular online hangout. We're willing to bet it's a knowing reference. Either way, it's a great way to show off the spoils of your farming empire.
Every NPC in Fields Of Mistria loves to receive gifts, but they can be pretty picky about which ones come their way. In general, gifts fall into six categories, and your friendship will improve (or stagnate) depending on how well you're attuned to your friends' preferences. Getting gifts right can also lead to romance, so keep our guide handy when you're exploring Fields Of Mistria's many romance and marriage options. This updated gift guide has all you need to know about gifting, including what gifts to get the new 1.0 vendor NPCs and who to give the newly introduced items to. THIS GUIDE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR FIELDS OF MISTRIA 1.0 UNLOCKABLE CHARACTERS AND ITEMS. Gifting basics Universal Gift Preferences In Fields Of Mistria All NPC Gift Preferences In Fields Of Mistria Adeline Balor Caldarus Celine Darcy Dell Dozy Eiland Elsie Errol Hayden Hemlock Henrietta Holt Josephine Juniper Landen Louis Maple March Merri Nora Olric Reina Ryis Seridia Stillwell Taliferro Terithia Valen Vera Wheedle Zorel Finding out each character's Loved items can speed up friendships. Gifting basics Gifts fall into one of six categories: Loved, Liked, Neutral, Disliked, Hated, and Banned. Gifts are worth more on birthdays, and each of these types (aside from Banned) will earn a specific amount of points. Giving on a birthday earns you far more points, so keep an eye on your calendar. Preference LevelFriendship Points From Daily Gift Friendship Points From Birthday Gift Loved2040 Liked1030 Neutral323 Disliked020 Hated020 Each character's personal gift categorization is different, so read on for a full breakdown of everyone's gift preferences in Fields Of Mistria. Some gifts are universally liked, disliked, or loved, and some cannot be given to children or animals. Remember you can only give one gift per day, so choose wisely! Speaking to an NPC once a day will also reward you with seven Friendship Points. Giving an NPC a gift they hate won't reduce your friendship points though, so sometimes it is worth giving them out just to see their (usually very funny) reactions. Elsie will give you a little bit of gossip each day, telling you which character likes which gift. If you give Loved (or Hated) items, you might get a unique bit of dialogue. Elsie will tell you one Loved or Liked gift per day. Universal Gift Preferences In Fields Of Mistria These are usually found at events and during festivals and can be purchased and gifted once at each. Rules on Banned gifts still apply (i.e. no caffeine for children or animals). Liked by all: Candied Queen Berries Chicky Hot Chocolate Floral Tea (cannot be gifted to Children or Animals) Loved by all: Cow-Shaped Donut Queen Berry Pie Scent Of Spring Disliked or Hated by all: All items categorized as "Junk" (i.e. Fibre, Hay, Sap, Pinecone, Sod) Newts (aside from Juniper who Likes them) All Bugs (aside from when gifted to Luc who Likes, Loves, or is Neutral to Bugs; Henrietta who is neutral to Bugs; and Dozy, who has several Bugs in her Liked list) Animal Treats (when not given to an animal, although Hayden is neutral to them) Clod Bombs Banned Gifts: Alcohol (when given to Children or Animals) Caffeine-containing Gifts (when given to Children and Animals) Chocolate-containing Gifts (when given to Animals - with the exception of the Chicky Hot Chocolate which doesn't trigger a negative response) Clod Bombs All NPC Gift Preferences In Fields Of Mistria Adeline Adeline loves pretty and pink gifts, as well as local produce and tart lemon-y goods. She really hates Mushrooms. Loved: Coffee Gazpacho Lemon Pie Middlemist Mistril Ingot Peaches And Cream Perfect Pink Diamond Plum Blossom Pumpkin Pie Tea With Lemon Liked: Candied Lemon Peel Diamond Heather Lemon Cake Lemon Lemonade Mistril Ore Paper Peach Pineshroom Toast Pink Diamond Pumpkin Stew Red Wine Snapdragon Spicy Cheddar Biscuit Tulip Vegetable Soup White Wine Wild Berry Pie Wild Berry Scone Disliked: Foods containing Mushrooms (aside from Pineshroom Toast which is Liked) Mushrooms All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Morel Mushroom Balor Balor is a fan of all things curry, as well as shiny gems and jewels. Ants are his worst nightmare. Loved: Alda Gem Bracelet All Perfect Gems Apple Honey Curry Chili Coconut Curry Deluxe Curry Family Crest Pendant Liked: All gems Cauliflower Curry Chickpea Curry Crystal Rose Fog Orchid Frost Lily Gold Ingot Gold Ore Golden Cheesecake Golden Cookies Jasmine Perfect Gold Ore Rose Rusted Treasure Chest Sapphire Betta Snowdrop Anemone Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Ant Balor loves a touch of spice in his gifts. Caldarus SPOILERS IN THIS ENTRY Caldarus spent too long away from the sights and smells of human life to ignore a well-cooked meal. He loves anything tasty, but hates statues of other Dragons. Loved: Apple Honey Curry Fried Rice Harvest Plate Mont Blanc Seafood Boil Seafood Snow Pea Noodles Spring Galette Statuette of Caldarus Sushi Platter Veggie Sub Sandwich Liked: Beet Soup Breath Of Flame Chili Coconut Curry Chocolate Cake Crab Cakes Fish Tacos Golden Cheesecake Golden Cookies Ice Cream Sundae Incredibly Hot Pot Lobster Roll Marigold Mushroom Steak Dinner Perch Risotto Pumpkin Pie Sea Bream Rice Spell Fruit Parfait Spirit Mushroom Tea Vegetable Pot Pie Vegetable Quiche Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Dragon Claw Dragon Scale Hated: Unknown Dragon Statuette Caldarus is as awkward as ever in his gift dialogue. Celine Unsurprisingly, Celine loves flowers, but even she has her special favourites. Just don't get caterpillars anywhere near her garden. Loved: Breath Of Flame Crystal Rose Essence Blossom Frost Lily Hydrangea Middlemist Plum Blossom Rose Snowdrop Anemone Temple Flower Liked: Catmint Celosia Chrysanthemum Cosmos Crocus Daffodil Daisy Dandelion Heather Iris Jasmine Lilac Marigold Poinsetta Rose Tea Snapdragon Spring Salad Sunflower Tulip Viola Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Caterpillar Darcy Gifting vendors can be tough as you've only got one chance per week, so choose wisely and gift her something special she can use in one of her recipes. Loved: Chocolate Coconut Milk Crystal Berries Golden Cheesecake Golden Cookies Golden Milk Golden Egg Milk Spell Fruit Sugar Liked: Apple Blackberry Blueberry Cherry Chicken Egg Coconut Cranberry Flour Glowberry Lemon Moon Fruit Orange Peach Pear Pomegranate Strawberry Tea Wild Berries Wild Grapes Wintergreen Berry Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Ant Characters are extra appreciative if you remember their birthdays. Dell Any member of the Dragonguard would enjoy Dell's favourite treats: historical weaponry and candy. Offer her broccoli and you're going to have a hard time making friends, though. Loved: Alda Bronze Sword Aldarian Sword Apple Juice Bullfrog Caldosian Sword Chocolate Golden Cookies Hermit Crab Ice Cream Sundae Jam Sandwich Liked: Apple Blackberry Caramel Candy Cattail Fluff Clay Frog Glowberry Cookies Grape Juice Grilled Cheese Hot Chocolate Lemon Cake Lemonade Lightning Dragonfly Monster Cookie Pudding Snail Stone Trail Mix Turtle Wood Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts (aside from Bugs which are either Loved, Liked or Neutral) Hated: Broccoli Dozy If Dozy can eat or play with it, he's perfectly happy, but Citrus and Chili are no-go gifts for a dog. Loved: Catfish Crystaline Cricket Dog Treat Golden Duck Egg Golden Egg Hard Boiled Egg Hard Wood Petrified Wood Tiny Dinosaur Skeleton Wood Liked: Butterfly Carrot Chicken Egg Cicada Cod Cricket Duck Egg Firefly Fuzzy Moth Grasshopper Mackerel Monster Shell Monster Whisker Pumpkin Red Snapper Rockroot Salmon Sardine Sod Tuna Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts (aside from those mentioned above) All Citrus fruits All foods made with Citrus fruits Hated: Chili Pepper You won't get much dialogue from Dozy, but you'll get plenty of affection. Eiland Eiland famously loves desserts but frogs really freak him out. Loved: Chocolate Cake Coconut Cream Pie Glowberry Cookies Golden Cheesecake Golden Cookies Ice Cream Sundae Mont Blanc Pumpkin Pie Spell Fruit Parfait Strawberry Shortcake Void Cake Liked: Apple Pie Berries And Cream Candied Lemon Peel Candied Strawberries Caramel Candy Caramelized Moon Fruit Cherry Cobbler Cherry Tart Chocolate Crystal Berry Pie Lemon Cake Lemon Pie Peaches And Cream Pomegranate Sorbet Pudding Roasted Rice Tea Strawberries And Cream Sweet Sesame Balls Wild Berry Pie Wintergreen Ice Cream Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Frog Elsie Elsie treasures the finer things in life: tea, scones, diamonds… Loved: Alda Feather Pendant Cranberry Orange Scone Crystal Rose Jasmine Tea Mont Blanc Paper Perfect Diamond Poached Pear Rose Wild Berry Scone Liked: Blackberry Jam Blueberry Jam Cherry Tart Chrysanthemum Cosmos Crystal Berry Pie Diamond Iris Jasmine Lilac Marmalade Moon Fruit Cake Pomegranate Sorbet Quiche Red Wine Rose Hip Rosehip Jam Tulip White Wine Wild Berry Jam Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Praying Mantis Despite her expensive tastes, Elsie is quite happy with a foraged flower. Errol Errol likes gifts that remind him of his mining days, hearty old-fashioned fare, and a little pick-me-up every now and then. Boiled eggs, however, raise too many questions about his missing hair. Loved: Baked Sweetroot Braised Burdock Clam Chowder Fish Skewers Miner's Mushroom Stew Miner's Helmet Pan-Fried Bream Perch Risotto Shard Mass White Wine Liked: Apple Beer Breaded Catfish Canned Sardines Copper Ore Fish Stew Gold Ore Hot Toddy Iron Ore Latter Mistril Ore Mocha Pear Peat Pomegranate Red Wine Silver Ore Sweetroot Upper Mines Mushroom Wintergreen Ice Cream Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Hard Boiled Egg Sometimes it's worth gifting something the characters hate, just to see their reactions. Hayden Hayden just wants to see other farmers thrive and loves to receive a fancy bit of animal produce. He doesn't eat fish, though, saying he thinks of them as "friends more than meals" Loved: Golden Butter Golden Cheese Golden Milk Golden Duck Egg Golden Duck Mayonnaise Golden Egg Golden Mayonnaise Pumpkin Pie Stone Horse Vegetable Quiche Liked: Apple Pie Butter Cheese Chicken Egg Coconut Cream Pie Coffee Crystal Berry Pie Duck Egg Duck Mayonnaise Lemon Pie Loaded Baked Potato Mayonnaise Milk Mushroom Steak Dinner Pumpkin Stew Quiche Sweet Potato Pie Tea With Lemon Vegetable Pot Pie Wild Berry Pie Dislikes: All Universally Disliked Gifts (aside from Animal Treats which are Neutral) All Fish, Fish-related items, and meals containing Fish ingredients Hates: Sushi Platter Hemlock As proprietor of the Inn, Hemlock likes nothing more than a spicy dish complemented by a little drink. He's also always happy to receive homemade snacks. Loves: Beer Caldosian Drinking Horn Chili Coconut Curry Crayfish Etouffee Crispy Fried Earthshroom Hot Toddy Incredibly Hot Pot Spicy Corn White Wine Wild Grapes Liked: Basil Chili Pepper Coffee Crunchy Chickpeas Dried Squid Grape Juice Honey Lemon Roasted Chestnuts Rock Salt Sesame Broccoli Spicy Cheddar Biscuit Spicy Crab Sushi Spicy Water Chestnuts Summer Salad Tea Thyme Toasted Sunflower Seeds Trail Mix Water Chestnut Fritters Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts (Aside from Newt) Hated: Newt Beer is an easy win for a lot of Mistria's workers. Henrietta Henrietta has somehow been elevated to town resident rather than farm animal, so you might want to win her favor. Berries, corn, and edible forage are the way to her heart, but if you give her garlic you might not get the best reaction. Loved: Berry Bowl Corn Deluxe Small Animal Feed Glowberry Grilled Corn Shiny Bead Strawberry Ultimate Small Animal Feed Watermelon Liked: Apple Blackberry Blueberry Broccoli Chery Chestnut Coconut Cranberry Cucumber Grass Seed Moon Fruit Orange Peach Pear Peas Pomegranate Pumpkin Wild Berries Wild Grapes Wintergreen Berry Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts (aside from Bugs which are Neutral) Lemons Meals made with Citrus ingredients (even though she likes Oranges!) Hated: Garlic Holt Mistria's premier wife-guy likes to keep things simple, as Holt's favorite gifts are mainly raw ingredients and good-quality wood for his whittling. Loved: Baked Potato Coffee Flour Gazpacho Hard Wood Loaded Baked Potato Narrows Moss Stone Horse Watermelon Wheat Liked: Beet Broccoli Cabbage Carrot Cauliflower Chili Pepper Corn Cranberry Cucumber Daikon Radish Onion Peas Potato Pumpkin Rice Stalk Snow Peas Strawberry Sugar Cane Sweet Potato Turnip Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts (aside from Puddle Spider) Hated: Puddle Spider You give a gift, you get a pun. Josephine Josephine loves all flavors of tea, and anything with a hit of spice. She's also partial to a beautiful flower to spruce up the Inn. Loved: Chili Coconut Curry Crayfish Etouffee Green Tea Incredibly Hot Pot Jasmine Tea Lavender Tea Quiche Roasted Rice Tea Rose Tea Tea With Lemon Liked: Breath Of Flame Chili Pepper Curry Powder Essence Blossom Flour Honey Jam Sandwich Jasmine Oil Rice Rose Soy Sauce Spicy Cheddar Biscuit Spicy Corn Spicy Crab Sushi Spicy Water Chestnuts Sugar Sunflower Tea Wild Berry Jam Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts (aside from Worm) Hated: Worm Juniper If it's a magical, mystical item, Juniper will probably like it. Mushrooms, crystals, and anything she can put in a potion is welcome. Loved: Ancient Royal Scepter Black Tablet Crystal Rose Fish Tacos Golden Cookies Hardened Essence Moon Fruit Cake Mushroom Brew Pizza Spell Fruit Parfait Void Newt Liked: Crunchy Chickpeas Crystal Essence Blossom Fog Orchid Frog Latte Middlemist Monster Powder Morel Mushroom Nettle Newt Night Queen Poinsetta Red Toadstool Red Wine Shadow Flower Spell Fruit Toasted Sunflower Seeds Water Chestnut Fritters White Wine Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts (aside from Newt and Sod) Hated: Sod This is as polite as Juniper gets. Landen Landen likes the finer things in life, enjoying his retirement with an enthusiasm for Golden-quality items and solid Hard Wood for crafting--though he'll take almost any craft materials you've got. Loved: Coconut Cream Pie Golden Bristole Golden Bull Horn Golden Cheesecake Golden Cookies Golden Feather Duck Golden Horse Hair Golden Rooster Feather Hard Wood Shard Mass Liked: Bristle Bull Horn Canned Sardines Clay Coconut Milk Coconut Crystal Deep Sea Soup Duck Feather Glass Horse Hair Obsidian Paper Rooster Feather Shards Stone Tomato Soup Vegetable Pot Pie Vegetable Soup Wood Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts (aside from Roly Poly) Hated: Roly Poly Louis Being from The Capital, Louis might just be the fanciest person you'll meet in Mistria. You only get one chance per week to give him a gift, so stock up on exquisite items throughout the week to surprise him on the weekend. Loved: Golden Alpaca Wool Golden Bristole Golden Duck Feather Golden Horse Hair Golden Rabbit Wool Golden Rooster Feather Middlemist Red Wine White Wine Liked: Alpaca Wool Breath Of Flame Bristle Cattail Fluff Celosia Crystal Rose Crystal Duck Feather Essence Blossom Frost Lily Horse Hair Lilac Marigold Rabbit Wool Rooster Feather Shadow Flower Sheep Wool Snapdragon Tea With Lemon Viola Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts (aside from Fuzzy Moth) Hated: Fuzzy Moth Louis extolling the virtues of Mistrian wine. Maple The most important question to ask when gifting to Maple is, "Does it make her feel like royalty". She is, however, still a child who loves an Ice Cream Sundae or a Jam Sandwich on occasion. Loved: Ancient Horn Circlet Berries And Cream Chocolate Hot Chocolate Lemon Pie Lost Crown Of Aldaria Middlemist Monarch Butterfly Mont Blanc Stone Shell Liked: Blackberry Blue Conch Shells Cheese Daisy Glowberry Cookies Golden Cookies Grilled Cheese Ice Cream Sundae Jam Sandwich Pink Scallop Shell Pomegranate Sorbet Pudding Sand Dollar Spirula Shell Strawberry Shortcake Sunflower Trail Mix Tulip Wild Berry Pie Wintergreen Ice Cream Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts (aside from Monarch Butterfly) Hated: Peat March True to his career choice, March likes a good-quality rock or metal. If he can use it in the forge, or he can appreciate its craftsmanship, he'll want to add it to his collection. He also loves sushi, but be careful not to gift him a Redhead Worm unless you want him to make assumptions… Loved: Dragon-Forged Bracelet Gold Ingot Meteorite Mistril Ingot Perfect Copper Ore Perfect Gold Ore Perfect Iron Ore Perfect Mistril Ore Perfect Silver Ore Sushi Platter Liked: Beer Chocolate Cake Chocolate Coffee Copper Ingot Copper Ore Gold Ore Grilled Eel Rice Bowl Hot Chocolate Iron Ingot Iron Ore Mistril Ore Mocha Perch Risotto Red Snapper Sushi Sea Bream Rice Sesame Tuna Bowl Silver Ingot Silver Ore Spicy Crab Sushi Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts (aside from Redhead Worm) All Flowers All Artifacts (aside from those listed above) All Forage Hated: Redhead Worm March will be a lot more grateful for gifts if you warm him up a bit first. Merri Merri is another NPC who will appreciate finer materials but is happy to receive almost anything she can craft with. She'll be polite about most gifts, but beware of anything Snail-adjacent. Loved: Golden Alpaca Wool Golden Bristle Golden Bull Horn Golden Duck Feather Golden Horse Hair Golden Rabbit Wool Golden Sheep Wool Golden Rooster Feather Perfect Diamond Perfect Pink Diamond Liked: Alpaca Wool Bristle Bull Horn Clay Coral Crystal Diamond Duck Feather Glass Hard Wood Horse Hair Latte Obsidian Paper Pink Diamond Rabbit Wool Rooster Feather Sheep Wool Stone Wood Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Snail Nora Through running the local store, Nora has developed an appreciation for good, simple food made with seasonal produce--especially as she rarely has time to make herself something to eat. Loved: Ancient Gold Coin Cherry Cobbler Fried Rice Onion Soup Peaches And Cream Pumpkin Stew Roasted Cauliflower Roasted Sweet Potato Sauteed Snow Peas Toasted Sunflower Seeds Liked: Baked Potato Beet Salad Braised Burdock Braised Carrots Butter Cabbage Slaw Candied Lemon Peel Coconut Milk Coffee Cucumber Salad Grilled Corn Latte Poached Pear Salted Watermelon Sesame Broccoli Simmered Daikon Sliced Turnip Spicy Water Chestnuts Strawberries And Cream Tomato Soup Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Moss Nora is always appreciative of a home-cooked meal. Olric Much like his brother, March, Olric likes gifts that come from underground--rocks, gems and artifacts. There's one fish in particular whose name offends him, though. Loved: Perfect Copper Ore Perfect Diamond Perfect Emerald Perfect Gold Ore Perfect Iron Ore Perfect Mistril Ore Perfect Pink Diamond Perfect Ruby Perfect Sapphire Perfect Silver Ore Liked: Copper Ore Crystal Diamond Emerald Gold Ore Hard Boiled Egg Iron Ore Miner's Mushroom Stew Mistril Ore Obsidian Pink Diamond Rock Statue Rock With A Hole Rockroot Ruby Sapphire Silver Ore Stone Horsee Stone Weightless Stone Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Rockbiter Reina Reina is always cooking for everyone else, so she loves to receive a home-cooked meal she hasn't had to make. She's especially fond of seafood. Loved: Apple Honey Curry Breaded Catfish Cabbage Slaw Ice Cream Sundae Incredibly Hot Pot Rosemary Garlic Noodles Seafood Boil Seafood Snow Pea Noodles Spell Fruit Parfait Sushi Platter Liked: Cauliflower Curry Cheese Cod With Thyme Coffee Crystal Berry Pie Daffodil Deep Sea Soup Flour Garlic Bread Garlic Grilled Cheese Iced Coffee Miner's Mushroom Stew Pizza Rice Spicy Cheddar Biscuit Sugar Turnip And Potato Gratin Upper Mines Mushroom Wild Berry Pie Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts (Aside from Tunnel Millipede) Hated: Tunnel Millipede Being gifted a plate of food never fails. Ryis Aside from useful crafting materials, Ryis is a sucker for baked goods, a throwback to growing up in a bakery. Pond Skaters give him the ick, though. Loved: Golden Bristle Golden Bull Horn Golden Cheesecake Golden Cookies Golden Duck Feather Golden Horse Hair Golden Rooster Feather Hard Wood Lobster Roll Veggie Sub Sandwich Liked: Beer Bread Bristle Bull Horn Clay Cranberry Orange Scone Crystal Duck Feather Garlic Bread Glass Glowberry Cookies Horse Hair Iced Coffee Lilac Obsidian Paper Rooster Feather Stone Strawberry Shortcake Wood Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Pond Skater Seridia SPOILERS IN THIS ENTRY One of two Dragon love-interests, Seridia takes gifts very seriously, as she will no doubt be adding them to her horde. Loved: Dragon Pact Tablet Dragon-Forged Core Dragon-Forged Fang Dragon-Forged Horn Dragon-Forged Powder Hardened Essence Monster Mash Perfect Mistril Ore Spell Fruit Parfait Unknown Dragon Statuette Liked: Ancient Royal Sceptre Essence Blossom Monster Block Monster Cookie Monster Fang Monster Horn Monster Powder Monster Shell Monster Whisker Monster Wing Night Queen Pink Diamond Plum Blossom Purple Mushroom Red Toadstool Void Herb Void Pearl Void Powder Void Stone Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts All Dragon Parts Hated: Statuette Of Caldarus Seridia takes every gift as a tribute to her greatness. Stillwell SPOILERS IN THIS ENTRY A mysterious new face at the Saturday Market who sets hunting challenges ahead of your mine-hopping adventures, the best gifts for Stillwell in Fields Of Mistria are usually found in The Mines. Despite his glum demeanor, you can still win him over with a carefully picked gift. Loved: Black Tablet Fog Orchid Red WIne Weightless Stone Liked: Coffee Crystal Crystal Wing Moth Cup Of Tea Glass Middlemist Muttering Cube Night Queen Red Toadstool Shadow Flower Shardfin Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Sunflower Taliferro SPOILERS IN THIS ENTRY Another new vendor, a snooty chef of noble blood who appreciates a finely cooked meal but very little else. Loved: Apple Honey Curry Beet Soup Fried Rice Harvest Plate Mont Blanc Seafood Boil Seafood Snow Pea Noodles Spell Fruit Parfait Spring Galette Sushi Platter Liked: Chili Coconut Curry Coconut Cream Pie Crab Cakes Fish Tacos Glowberry Cookies Golden Cheesecake Golden Cookies Herb Salad Ice Cream Sundae Incredibly Hot Pot Lobster Roll Mushroom Steak Dinner Perch Risotto Pumpkin Pie Red Wine Sea Bream Rice Vegetable Pot Pie Vegetable Quiche Veggie Sub Sandwich White Wine Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Monster Mash Terithia It doesn't take much to work out that Terithia's favorite gifts probably involve fish in some way, but this list should help sort the catch of the day from plenty of fish in the sea. Loved: Cod With Thyme Fish Stew Giant Fish Scale Lobster Roll Perch Risotto Rubber Fish Sea Bream Rice Seafood Boil Seafood Snow Pea Noodles Sushi Platter Liked: Breaded Catfish Canned Sardines Clam Chowder Crayfish Etouffee Deep Sea Soup Dried Squid Fish Skewers Fish Tacos Grilled Eel Rice Bowl Horseradish Salmon Mackerel Sashimi Pan-Fried Bream Pan-Fried Salmon Pan-Fried Snapper Red Snapper Sushi Salmon Sashimi Sesame Tuna Bowl Smoked Trout Soup Spicy Crab Sushi Tuna Sashimi Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Fiber Terithia gets easier to befriend if you take fishing seriously. Valen The town doctor doesn't mess about when it comes to her health, preferring healthy foods over anything too indulgent--although she will always thank you for a glass of wine. Loved: Beet Salad Beet Soup Beet Deep Sea Soup Dragon Scale Harvest Plate Rosemary Garlic Noodles Summer Salad Sushi Platter Vegetable Soup Liked: Coffee Cucumber Salad Cucumber Dandelion Garlic Green Tea Herb Salad Honey Nettle Pan-Fried Salmon Red Wine Rose Hip Rosehip Jam Rosemary Seaweed Salad Seaweed Spring Salad Sweetroot Sunderseaweed White Wine Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Red Toadstool Vera Clothing vendor Vera is a big fan of vegan/vegetarian food and fresh juices. She won't enjoy anything fishy or explicitly from an animal, though. Loved: Beet Soup Chili Coconut Curry Gazpacho Harvest Plate Mushroom Steak Dinner Pomegranate Sorbet Summer Salad Sweet Potato Pie Vegetable Pot Pie Winter Stew Liked: Beet Salad Braised Burdock Cauliflower Curry Chickpea Curry Coconut Milk Cranberry Juice Crispy Fried Earthshroom Cucumber Salad Orange Juice Pomegranate Juice Pomegranate Roasted Cauliflower Salted Watermelon Sauteed Snow Peas Seaweed Salad Sesame Broccoli Simmered Daikon Steamed Broccoli Tide Salad Turnip And Cabbage Salad Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts All Animal Products All Fish All Sea-related items Hated Clam Sometimes a little pick-me-up is all Vera needs. Wheedle SPOILERS IN THIS ENTRY Wheedle loves anything that looks expensive, and anything that can be used to extract a high price from his "premium" clients. Notably, however, he loves "a little wheed" (Fiber). Loved: Ancient Gold Coin Coin Lump Fiber Perfect Diamond Perfect Emerald Perfect Gold Ore Perfect Pink Diamond Perfect Ruby Perfect Sapphire Pink Diamond Liked: Diamond Emerald Gold Ingot Gold Ore Golden Alpaca Wool Golden Bristle Golden Bull Horn Golden Cheesecake Golden Cookies Golden Duck Feather Golden Horse Hair Golden Rabbit Wool Golden Sheep Wool Golden Duck Egg Golden Egg Golden Rooster Feather Ruby Rusted Treasure Chest Sapphire Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Criminal Confession Zorel SPOILERS IN THIS ENTRY Zorel seems to like almost any bounty the land gives, enjoying flowers, mushrooms, and foraged food. Really not a fan of creepy crawlies, though. Loved: Heather Middlemist Morel Mushroom Sunflower Liked: Cave Mushroom Dandelion Fennel Fiddlehead Glowing Mushroom Miner's Mushroom Stew Mushroom Rice Nettle Red Toadstool Sage Upper Mines Mushroom Wild Leek Disliked: All Universally Disliked Gifts Hated: Cicada
Pedro Pascal plays Joel in HBO's popular The Last of Us, based on the Naughty Dog game, and he has been praised for his performance. However, he wasn't the only actor in the mix for the role. Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey revealed more details on the Happy Sad Confused podcast about why he didn't star on the show. The Last of Us "was really good but it wasn't for me at the time," the actor said. He added that signing on to The Last of Us would have also meant committing himself to the project for potentially years on end. "In success, this is something you'll be doing for years and years and years," he said. At the time he was circling The Last of Us, McConaughey said he "wasn't really acting" and was focusing more on writing and leadership roles in filmmaking. It would have been a reunion for McConaughey and HBO, as he previously starred on True Detective. That is an anthology series, and McConaughey appeared in the first season only, alongside Woody Harrelson. https://youtu.be/peXOgVAUm40?si=iOBaVWIfRAm1mX3X&t=2364 Before this, The Last of Us showrunner and writer Craig Mazin said he had talked to McConaughey about playing Joel, but it was more of, "Hey, here's something we can talk about" as opposed to a definite thing was that happening. "Look, Matthew McConaughey is an amazing actor. I’m sure it would’ve been great, but it would’ve been different and I like the one that we made," Mazin said. The Last of Us Season 1 was released in January 2023 and it was a huge hit. Season 2 followed in 2025, and a third season is now coming in 2027. In addition to Pascal as Joel, the series stars Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Kaitlyn Dever as Abby. As for the game series, it's rumored that Naughty Dog is working on The Last of Us: Part III, but this is not confirmed. What we do know is that Naughty Dog is making a new game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, though we have not seen it in some time.
Remakes and remasters are popular, but Benson Russell, a designer on Uncharted: Drake's Fortune at Naughty Dog, has said he's not interested in a new one for the 2007 game. Speaking to FRVR, Russell said he's not against the idea of remakes and remasters generally, but he said Uncharted is "still in the zeitgeist" and available on modern platforms. "What's the point of remastering [or remaking] it?" he said. Instead of a remake or a remaster, Russell said a better idea might be to do what fans have been clamoring for: make a new one. “Take the lessons of Uncharted 4 and make a new game ..." he said. Russell went on to say a remake or remaster of the original Uncharted could feel "more like a cash grab" than something that people was thought was "necessary" to bring it up to modern standards. He would like to see Naughty Dog "take the spirit" of the franchise and make a new game. Bloomberg previously reported that Sony considered remaking or remastering Uncharted, but decided against it because it would be "expensive and require too much added design work." While Uncharted never got a remake or remaster, Naughty Dog's The Last of Us and The Last of Us 2 both had remastered versions. As for a new Uncharted game, a new entry in the series was reportedly planned some years ago and fans now believe Naughty Dog is teasing a new game. The original Uncharted game is playable today on PS5 and PS4 via Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection--this also includes Uncharted 2 and 3. These include updated, remastered versions of those three games. A lot of people embrace and enjoy remakes, while others say developers should instead spend more time and resources on entirely new games. Gaming legend Shigeru Miyamoto, for his part, defended remakes and remasters, saying they are good for a number of reasons, including to help younger generations experience games they might have missed. Additionally, money from remakes and remasters can fund future games, he said.
Wardogs, an upcoming large-scale, hardcore FPS inspired by games like Arma, is taking a unique approach with its marketing by listing 10 reasons why prospective players shouldn't buy it. In an official video, developer Bulkhead revealed September 10 as Wardogs' Steam early access release date, but also laid the rest of its cards on the table. Point by point, it outlined all the main reasons why potential players might not want to take a chance on the shooter, ranging from its lack of content, high early-access price, visual fidelity, and even the failure of Bulkhead's previous shooter, Battalion: 1944. "Before the hype train gets out of control, we want to do something most AAA marketing teams would tell their dev teams to never do--give you 10 legitimate reasons why you should not buy Wardogs," Bulkhead said in the video. Those reasons are as follows: Lack of early-access content Early-access pricing Player count will decline Monetization Performance and visuals Shifting early-access priorities Battalion: 1944 VOIP Controller support Decisions and consequences https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugkuP4a3xk4 Some of those reasons are fairly self explanatory, like lack of content during the early-access period and its price. Wardogs will initially cost $40 in early access, a steep price for some. The price will go up over the course of development and will eventually sell for $60 at the end of early access. "If the price sounds too high for an early-access game, please don't buy it yet," Bulkhead said. Other reasons require a bit more explanation. Decisions and consequences refers to Wardog's more milsim-style gameplay, where death requires a long trek back to the frontlines and rebuying lost equipment. "If you're running in like you're playing Call of Duty or Battlefield, you will likely die to someone playing more cautiously," Bulkhead said. "If you're not willing to learn from those deaths, you're going to have a bad time." While Wardogs doesn't yet have any monetization like a battle pass or paid skins, there will eventually be some way for Bulkhead to make more money and continue funding the game's development. However, that will likely be years from now, as Bulkhead said it won't monetize the game during early access. Additionally, Bulkhead won't sell weapon camos or in-game currency, with players needing to earn them through play. "It might seem strange to be talking about monetization years down the line, but we want you to be able to buy in knowing what you're buying into long term," Bulkhead said. One of the most hard-hitting reasons is Bulkhead's track record. The team previously released Battalion: 1944, a 5v5 Call of Duty-inspired shooter that died almost immediately on release, having only ever reached between 50-200 concurrent players, Bulkhead said. The studio eventually saved enough funds from work-for-hire projects to stay afloat, offered refunds to players, and refunded Battalion: 1944's Kickstarter backers, but it understands why some players may be hesitant. "It's these lessons and scars from Battalion that Wardogs has been built upon," Bulkhead said. "It's why we've been so cautious with our playtesting and why we've been so open with our marketing. To be really clear, we wouldn't have Wardogs without Battalion's failure, but if you still don't trust our studio because of Battalion: 1944, don't rush to buy Wardogs." So far, Bulkhead's list of reasons don't seem to be slowing down Wardogs' sales. It's currently climbing up Steam top-seller charts.
A week has passed since Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls launched for PC and PS5, and the new fighting game is off to a solid start. According to new estimates by Alinea Analytics, the game has reportedly sold 485,000 units as of August 12, with PS5 being the dominant platform. As outlined by Alinea Analytics’ head of market analysis, Rhys Elliott, the PS5 accounted for 74% of sales, and Steam 26%. That's not too surprising, as the game experienced technical issues on PC. Developer Arc System Works released a patch for Marvel Tokon earlier this week, aiming to address multiple performance issues on PC. Those sales account for an estimated $33 million in revenue, and Elliott also noted that only 15.1% of the units sold on PS5 were physical copies, which is surprisingly low for a new PlayStation game. Further analysis showed that Marvel Tokon attracted a crowd of hardcore fighting game fans, as 52% of people had previously played Arc's Dragon Ball FighterZ, 39% had played Street Fighter 6, and 41% had played Mortal Kombat 1. Image credit: Alinea Analytics Marvel fans also helped drive sales, as there's a strong crossover here with people who had previously played games like Insomniac's Marvel's Spider-Man titles and NetEase's Marvel Rivals. With Spider-Man: Brand New Day doing blockbuster numbers at cinemas, it's not too hard to imagine having Spider-Man in a new fighting game would also attarct potential customers--or boost sales, like in the case of Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Being close to 500,000 sales might not sound that impressive, but as Elliott explained, fighting games are still a niche genre. What they do have going for them are passionate fanbases, giving these games long legs over time. To give you an idea, Street Fighter 6 has cleared 7 million lifetime sales as of June 30, 2026. The game first launched in 2023 and is easily the fighting game of the current generation, so Marvel Tokon has its work cut out for it if it wants to dethrones Capcom popular brawler. The brand recognition of Marvel certainly helps, and the developers of Marvel Tokon have an ambitious goal to keep this 4v4 fighting game in the spotlight for the next decade. "Marvel heroes and villains are once again beating each other up in tag-based battles, and I am loving the experience of jumping in and figuring out new strategies," Jason Fanelli wrote in GameSpot's Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls review. "Rather than lean on old tropes, Arc System Works elected to put its own spin on the idea, and what they've cooked up sets a new bar for future tag fighters. Once the technical issues for PC are ironed out, there's a bright future ahead. With Marvel Tokon, Arc System Works has created the next foundational title for modern fighting games." Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Roster – Every Character Revealed (So Far) View Images
For many fighting game fans, It's impossible to look at Marvel Tokon and not think of Marvel Vs. Capcom. The crossover series defined the crossover tag genre, from X-Men Vs. Street Fighter in 1996 to Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 in 2011. For some who didn't read comics as a kid, myself included, these games were the introduction to the X-Men, Avengers, and other Marvel faces that fought alongside Capcom's top characters. With MvC dormant outside of a recent collection, Arc System Works has swooped in with Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, its own take on the Marvel tag fighter idea. The result is a wonderful fighting system and flashy new look that quickly establishes its own identity, one that is worthy of standing with the giants of the past--although the PC version isn't as super as the heroes in the game. Fantastic four Marvel Tokon's four-on-four gameplay is its most radical change to the tag format, but not for the reasons I first expected. Previous experience would suggest that each player would choose four fighters, each with their own life bar, and the first player to knock out all four of the opposing player's team members would win. That's not how Tokon works; instead, each of the four heroes shares a single life bar, and the first player to win three-out-of-five rounds takes the match. This is a fundamental and ingenious shift in how the player interacts with their team; one player could choose to keep their best fighter on point and select their assisting heroes to fit that fighter's style, or they could decide to learn four characters and incorporate tags into their strategy. It allows newer fighting game players to ease into the tag format, while entrenched players can immediately lean into the more advanced elements of the system. For a genre that sometimes struggles to find the balance in catering to new and veteran players alike, Arc System Works nailed it with Tokon's fighting scheme. Marvel Tokon Both approaches are impacted by another interesting design choice. Though you choose four fighters before a match, you only start the match with two active: a point character and one assist character. The other two assists have to be unlocked during the match, either by initiating a wall break (a move which slams an opponent into the boundary, "breaking" it and sending the character to another arena) and "assembling" your fighters in other parts of the stage, or by losing a round and gaining a hero as the next round begins. While "not having access to all selected fighters" sounds like it could be detrimental to the experience, Tokon once again exceeds my expectations. Limiting heroes is a form of balancing each match; Round 3 could start with one player up 2-0 with only two characters and the other down 0-2 with a full team. Giving the 0-2 player access to all four assists allows them to be more versatile in their approach and perhaps stage a comeback. However, in doing so, that player with the early lead slowly assembles their team, and if the match becomes 2-2, it's a full-strength slugfest in the final round. Every match is different, yet equally thrilling; I am astounded at what Arc was able to do here. Controlling each fighter is simplified too, as executing special moves adapts the Super Smash Bros. "button press and directional input" approach. There are some more advanced inputs for those who care to learn them, but the first time you pick up a controller, two buttons will let you perform a unique move. Assists work the same way, but by holding L2 when the assist emerges, you can switch to that character immediately and continue the combo. I feel like the words "easy to learn, hard to master" were plastered all over Arc System Works's Yokohama office, because that's the prevailing sense I get from every aspect of Tokon's approach, and it's tremendously successful at it. Choose your fighter The initial roster features 20 characters, which is small by tag fighter standards--Marvel vs. Capcom 3, for example, had 36 playable fighters out of the box--but it's a number that further contributes to that aforementioned balance. New players have a more manageable pool of character matchups to learn, while veteran players can find their favorites more quickly and move on to honing their skills. The roster is a mix of expected fan favorites and few interesting pulls, though I would say very few of the selections are truly unexpected. Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Magneto, and Doctor Doom are all here, while Carnage, Star-Lord, Blade, and Loki make their Marvel fighting game debut. The most obscure pull, if I had to choose, is Danger--I didn't even know the X-Men's training facility became sentient, so Marvel fighting games continue to introduce me to new characters. Deadpool deserves a paragraph all to himself. While his inclusion is not a surprise due to his massive popularity, the way Arc System Works has incorporated his fourth-wall-breaking nature is a master class. The character is a tribute to fighting game history in character form, and every match has me pointing at the screen like a Once Upon a Time in Hollywood meme. Some of the references are obvious--yes, that's Scorpion's spear from Mortal Kombat, everyone knows that--but I was amazed at just how deep the well of references goes. I doubt many newer players know what Kaiser Knuckle is, but if they see that one Deadpool pose and look it up, then mission accomplished, Arc System Works. My personal favorite characters are Peni Parker, as I really enjoy her ability to fill the arena with drones as a distraction before moving in for big damage, and Ms. Marvel, whose Dhalsim-like stretchy appendages mean that my opponent is never truly safe anywhere on the screen. Black Panther (the Shuri version this time; sorry, T'Challa) has also proven to be fun, but the one fighter I can't figure out is Green Goblin; I know the glider is a big part of his approach, but I haven't yet unlocked the best ways to do that. I suspect I'll learn the hard way from some player online soon enough. Rules of battle Tokon offers a lot of ways to play, in both single-player and online multiplayer, and while mode selection at first seems a bit limited, Arc System Works once again avoids a regular fighting game pitfall by packing these modes with enough activities that they don't feel shallow. Episodes mode tells five different stories, one for each of the four teams featured in Tokon's trailers, and each one animated by a different artist. I didn't need more than an hour to complete each one, and they tell the overarching story of Tokon in fun ways. The other main single-player offering is All-Star Arena, which is split into two sections: Arena and Survival. Arena is the closest Tokon gets to offering a traditional "arcade" experience: You'll choose a team, choose a path, and then battle against random teams before getting to the end of your chosen path. Survival is a gauntlet of up to 100 battles, with health regeneration between each match and superpowered "boss" fighters at certain milestones. Both of these are fine ways to hone your skills against CPU teams of varying difficulty, but there isn't anything here that reinvents the wheel. Marvel Tokon Arcadia Rumble takes a different approach, as it mixes standard matches with a small arena-style challenge where players roam around a small area, collecting items to earn points and power up their characters for normal battles, and whoever has the most points wins. It's enjoyable enough in small bursts, and it makes for a cool party-style experience when a group wants something different from the ordinary online experience, but it didn't grab me as much as I'd hoped. I'd rather skip right to the fighting; the item-searching part just feels extraneous. The online experience also checks the usual boxes, with ranked matches, casual matches, and custom private lobbies all on offer. There's also an Open Lobby, where you explore a chibi-style version of Tokon's world with customizable avatars and arcade machines where you challenge other players. Exploring the open lobby is neat, as there are some little minigames to find outside of the normal Tokon matches, but the real thrill is matching up with another player and throwing down on one of the open arcade machines. Technically, all of the machines could fill up, but I have yet to see that myself. I played a handful of matches in each offering, joining up with some friends in a custom room, challenged random players in ranked and casual matches, and explored the Open Lobby. Online connections were strong thanks to the rollback netcode under the hood, and I rarely saw any technical hiccups at all while playing on PlayStation 5. It's here where the PC version of Tokon must be mentioned, as its launch has been, to put it lightly, disastrous. Connection issues, choppy play both online and offline, and other issues have plagued PC players since the game's launch, and while patches have been released that are beginning to alleviate the issues, the troubles they experienced cannot be discounted. As mentioned, I reviewed the game on PS5, so I did not experience those problems for myself, but until those issues are fully resolved, PC players will continue to have a much different experience than I did. If Arc System Works can turn it around, the wait will have been worth it. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls feels like a homecoming. Marvel heroes and villains are once again beating each other up in tag-based battles, and I am loving the experience of jumping in and figuring out new strategies. Rather than lean on old tropes, Arc System Works elected to put its own spin on the idea, and what they've cooked up sets a new bar for future tag fighters. Once the technical issues for PC are ironed out, there's a bright future ahead. With Marvel Tokon, Arc System Works has created the next foundational title for modern fighting games.
Look, it's no surprise to anyone for me to admit that I like South of Midnight. I've written about it being a love letter to the American Deep South, noted how it was one of the best Xbox games of 2025, and talked about how much the game's story, characters, and setting have meant to me on video podcasts for both GameSpot and IGN. I want everyone to play this game, and there's never been a better time to do so on Steam. As noticed by Respec, Xbox is no longer listed as the publisher for South of Midnight on Steam. Instead, the game is noted as being self-published by Compulsion Games, reflecting the studio's independence following another round of severe layoffs and restructuring from Xbox. While Compulsion Games hasn't confirmed whether this is the case--who knows what type of strange and awful backroom clauses might be in place to ensure Xbox keeps getting a slice of this particular pie--this does seem to indicate that all future sales of South of Midnight on Steam will benefit Compulsion, not Compulsion and Xbox. So if you want to play South of Midnight, but you were concerned about continuing to line Xbox's pockets, this seems like the golden opportunity to finally give the action-adventure platformer a go. And you should play it! The game is so good! South of Midnight's selling point is certainly its atmosphere. The sound design and orchestral score are tied into the gameplay and story to put you right into the midst of its gothic fantasy, transforming the trauma of a resilient and multifaceted culture into the backbone of one of the most affecting video games I've ever played. Its combat and platforming aren't exactly wow-worthy, leaning on tried-and-true PlayStation 2-era mechanics without pushing them forward in any meaningful way, but those shortcomings are overshadowed by memorable characters, catchy tunes, and incredible visuals. Like I said in my South of Midnight review, "Compulsion Games hasn’t made a direct sequel to any of its games yet, but it needs to make an exception here." South of Midnight is just that great. Compulsion Games has a real winner here, and you should support the studio by buying and playing South of Midnight, and then joining me in celebrating this gaming accomplishment.
Season 5 Reloaded arrives in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Warzone later this month, and Activision has now revealed all of the details for this midseason update. Season 5 Reloaded adds a new weapon, additional multiplayer maps, and the final round-based Zombies map of the Black Ops 7 storyline. Call of Duty Season 5 Reloaded start times The Season 5 Reloaded update for Black Ops 7 and Warzone arrives on August 20. Call of Duty updates typically go live at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 5 PM BST across all platforms. This midseason update arrives only one day before the first Modern Warfare 4 beta begins. For those interested in trying this year's upcoming Call of Duty, the full MW4 beta dates and details can be found here. New events and DLC weapon New Descent Freerun map As to be expected, Call of Duty has new events lined up for the big update. The season kicks off with the Last Call event, which is celebrating the arrival of the final round-based Zombies map in Black Ops 7. While this is a Zombies-themed event, players can earn rewards across all modes: Multiplayer, Zombies, Warzone, and Endgame. Last Call includes both paid and free event tracks. The free track includes operator skins for Zaveri and Vermaak, while the paid pass has skins for the Zombies characters Nikolai and Richtofen. Call of Duty's paid event passes typically cost $10. The Freerun: Descent Challenge is a multiplayer-only event focused on the season's new Freerun map. A variety of camos, calling cards, and other cosmetic rewards can be earned by participating in matches on Descent. The Season 5 Reloaded update also adds the Mace melee weapon as the final DLC weapon for the season. Two new gun attachments will also be included as weekly challenge rewards. Multiplayer maps and LTMs Turbo Tilt MP map Two new multiplayer maps are included in Season 5 Reloaded: Turbo Tilt and Descent. Turbo Tilt is a brand-new small map for 2v2 and 6v6 modes. This map shrinks players down to fit inside a Nuketown-themed pinball machine. The map features a deadly moving pinball, and there are points-of-interest inside the machine that players will recognize from the classic Nuketown map. Descent is a brand-new map for the parkour-based Freerun mode. This new parkour course features seven zones with multiple checkpoints. As for new game modes, Call of Duty's Cranked makes its Black Ops 7 debut. This is the fast-paced mode with the "Cranked" timer, where players must keep chaining kills together to refill their timer and avoid exploding. Cranked will be featured as a moshpit playlist, which includes Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, Hardpoint, and Demolition. Final Zombies map and perk Rex Infernus Zombies map Black Ops 7's Zombies storyline concludes with the brand-new Rex Infernus map. This map suggests an arachnid theme with a new enemy type called the Deathspinner and an elite enemy called the Web Mother. The Web Mother's webbing can damage and slow players, while they also cocoon zombies to transform them into environmental hazards. Rex Infernus will feature a main story quest, which will go live with the start of Season 5 Reloaded. The map also marks the return of the popular Widow's Wine perk from Black Ops 3. Widow's Wine triggers an explosion of webs that can activate when a player's health is reduced to a certain point by melee attacks. Endgame content Season 5 launched with a new assignment called Burn Run, which challenges players to a race in a bomb-rigged vehicle. This assignment will continue to appear in Avalon for the remainder of Season 5. Treyarch did reveal Endgame will only be free-to-play until the end of the season. At the start of Season 6, Endgame will no longer be accessible via the Warzone menu and will then only be available to Black Ops 7 owners. Warzone Special Delivery Drones in Warzone Warzone's Loaded Resurgence mode will be featured as a weekend limited-time mode. Loaded Resurgence lets players drop in with their custom guns, and perks are earned by racking up eliminations. The mode will be played on a rotation of Rebirth Island, Haven's Hollow, and Fortune's Keep. The update will also add Special Delivery Drones. These drones will fly across Verdansk and Avalon in battle royale and BR casual modes. Shooting down the Special Delivery Drones will give players the chance to earn new weapon camos.
The "fine, I'll just do it myself" approach has served indie developers well, capitalizing on the hunger for games that emulate beloved classics. Indie metroidvania games, boomer shooters, and retro-style platformers all owe their rise to the same trend of homage for underserved genres. Wild Blue Skies isn't the first game that aims to fill a Star Fox-shaped hole in gamers' hearts, but it is the one that feels most like pure homage. It could practically be an expansion. Wild Blue Skies follows the formula set by Star Fox 64 incredibly closely, down to even specific details like including alternate paths through the map, all-range mode stages, and a rival company of evil pilots who hound you throughout the story campaign. The very first alternate path is revealed by one of your copilots challenging you to follow them around tricky obstacles, just like Falco in SF64. Even the world map forms a similarly tilted oblong oval with stages jutting out from the easy, medium, and hard paths. The stage design reflects the classic Star Fox sensibility impeccably well, as a fast-paced rail shooter with swarms of enemies and tight spaces to maneuver around and through. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdRggRKhNMk Stop me if you've heard this one: A group of hotshot anthropomorphic animal pilots thwarted the evil plans of a megalomaniacal scientist, who then went into hiding for years. Then suddenly the scientist reemerges, declaring war on the peaceful society, and it's up to a new generation of the pilots to stop him. This time, your fighter crew is called the Blue Bombers (no relation), headed by a German shepherd named Bowie, who fights alongside Roe (a deer), Chuck (a bull), and Thorne (a frilled lizard). The evil villain is called Grimclaw, and your own army leader is a toad, I think, named General Harding. It's all very familiar. There are a few key differences, though. Wild Blue Skies takes place on one world, not a series of planets, and so your ships are built to look more like fighter jets than spaceships. Moving through the map takes you across a series of different biomes, so functionally exploring a cold area of the map is similar to exploring an ice planet, but it does feel nicely cohesive here. And even though you aren't actually in a starship, there are moments when your fighter jets make clever use of the space, like in a canyon stage where you pull up hard and fly vertically up a waterfall while dodging boulders falling from the cliffside. Wild Blue Skies Other differences are less superficial. Your regular fire and charged shot are mapped to two separate buttons, as compared to Star Fox using just one, which is an adjustment I found actually worked really well once I got used to it. The control change required a little more split-second planning to decide when I wanted to use one fire mode versus the other, instead of just holding down the charge shot, but it also made a cleaner division of those responsibilities and less accidental charging. I also turned on the auto-fire from the settings menu so that my regular fire rate was a continuous stream, to differentiate it from the more deliberate charged shot. Similarly, the brake and dash functions are mapped to the trigger buttons, giving them a feeling more akin to a racing game's brake and acceleration. The change feels a little more natural than mapping these controls to face buttons by default in Star Fox, and allows for a little more fine control to adjust your speed while you're also firing your weapons. Like Star Fox, each stage has a number of medals to collect, on top of your regular score multipliers. These stages are meant to be plumbed repeatedly and extensively, as in the game that inspired them, so there are lots of secrets to find and score challenges to unlock for expert pilots. And that brings me to one last major distinction. Wild Blue Skies is hard. In a year without a remake of Star Fox 64, I would have assumed I had simply lost my touch, but having recently played Nintendo's title, I feel confident this isn't a skill issue. Instead, Wild Blue Skies is like Star Fox got juiced up to hard mode. Even trailing Thorne to open the first alternate path in the first stage took me several tries. The maneuver takes you through a series of waterfalls, and hitting the exact points where you can pass through, without bumping into the nearby rocks, was difficult to do without very precise maneuvers that took practice. Wild Blue Skies Your allies are also extremely vulnerable and will fall to enemy fire quickly, so it takes a few times through a stage to know exactly when they'll need bailing out. The all-range mode stages would almost always result in at least one or two of my wingmen going out for the following stage. This year's Star Fox was a treat for longtime fans looking for a nostalgic fix, but it was a remake through and through. For veterans, all of the old skills translated and the map layouts were identical. If that game left you wanting new maps to memorize and an even tougher challenge, Wild Blue Skies is it. This is about as close to a Star Fox 64 expansion as it's possible to get, with a few smart tweaks to help finesse the expert-level difficulty. It's a very straightforward homage, but in this case, that's to its credit.
Unlike its work on the Spider-Man games, Insomniac won't be throwing players into an open-world environment with Marvel's Wolverine. It's an old-school single-player game that focuses on pushing the story from Point A to Point B, but that doesn't mean that you can't take a detour or two. This will allow players to spend some extra time with Logan, as Insomniac says that players can hunt down resources for new suits and take part in combat trials that'll test their skills. "It is a story-driven adventure," senior project director Jess Reiner-Reed said to IGN. "Logan is pulled through uncovering these mysteries of his past. But you can go off the beaten path." Logan is known for enjoying his hard liquor, and as you'd expect, you can grab bottles of whiskey hidden away in stages. Collecting these will help Wolverine power up, while material crates hold raw materials that can be used to acquire new suits--similar to Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Fun fact: Logan's healing factor allows him to knock back an incredible amount of alcohol and not stay drunk, due to his regenerative abilities burning through those toxins almost instantly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i247qa_YL_A&pp=0gcJCfkLAYcqIYzv The other activity, Nightmare Doors, will take players into Logan's psyche. Described as "manifestations of the horrible things" in his head, each Nightmare Door offers its own unique trials for Logan to overcome, and again, this sounds vaguely similar to the Mysterio challenges in Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Finally, players who roll credits on Marvel's Wolverine can replay the game in New Game Plus, bringing their entire loadout and progression with them. Insomniac says that "some fun things" happen here, and there'll be sections that are either more challenging or allow Logan to really cut loose with all of his upgrades. "It’s undeniable that Insomniac’s take on Logan is firmly planted in familiar game design, but Wolverine is clearly doing more than just fitting a typical story of the character in it," managing editor Tamoor Hussain wrote in GameSpot's Wolverine preview. The game launches soon for PS5, on September 15. To celebrate the release, Sony has also announced a limited-edition Marvel's Wolverine PS5 bundle, console covers, and a new DualSense controller inspired by the game. Every Upcoming Superhero Game To Look Out For In 2026 And Beyond View Images
GTA 6 preorders began in late June, and, as expected, there was enormous demand for the game. Take-Two said GTA 6 had unprecedented preorder numbers, but the company is not disclosing a specific figure to avoid misleading investors. Sensor Tower, a research and analytics company for gaming, is, however, estimating where they may land. Karl Kontus, the SVP and GM of video game insights at Sensor Tower, told GI.biz that preorders for GTA 6 could be in the area of 25 million when the game releases, which would amount to "unprecedented preorder performance." Kontus said 25 million preorders would work out to around $2 billion in revenue. That would cover GTA 6's development cost and the majority of marketing spend, he estimated. To be sure, Rockstar has not disclosed a production or marketing budget for GTA 6, but the game was no doubt very costly to produce. The analyst pointed out that GTA 6's proper marketing campaign has not begun yet--fans can expect it to kick off with the August 27 trailer on Netflix. Kontus said the majority of preorders for GTA 6 will come in the last week or so before launch. Kontus went on to say that while early preorder data may skew toward the game's $100 edition, as Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick recently said, the final figures may be closer to 50/50 between the $80 and $100 editions. The analyst also discussed how Take-Two and Rockstar were smart to pack the $100 Ultimate Edition with a lot of exclusive items to encourage people to spend more. "Sometimes the premium SKUs are just filler content to justify a higher price, but the GTA 6 premium SKU comes with a meaningful amount of vehicles, weapons, and even a custom mod shop that you wouldn't get otherwise," Kontus said. "For a lot of people, this is the one 'must-buy' game this year, and they will want to make the most of it. I'm actually kind of surprised they didn't do a $150 SKU – feels like money left on the table (but also fewer players being angry as a result)." GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. It’s expected to be 2026’s biggest game, and it could get another jolt when the next evolution of GTA Online launches.
Starting next week, it's going to be totally acceptable to eat Pokemon. That's because Krispy Kreme on August 18 will launch a limited-time Pokemon Doughnut Collection, featuring tasty-looking pastries based on five beloved pocket monsters. You can take a bite of a Pikachu doughnut, filled with lemon creme and topped with "electrifying drizzle" as well as a Pikachu piece. Meanwhile, there's a Charmander doughnut containing a chocolate and toasted marshmallow filling. Other options include original glazed doughnuts but customized for Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Jigglypuff, and even the Poke Ball. A special-edition dozen looks to retail for about $21 in the US. The collaboration doesn't stop there, either. For starters, Krispy Kreme says that anyone who wears Pokemon threads to one of its locations on August 22 will receive a free basic glazed doughnut. There will also be five different Pokemon cups to collect, with each one housing 10 glazed gold dots. Hilariously enough, you can actually preorder the Pokemon doughnuts right now from Krispy Kreme's website. The Pokemon cups are going for about $8, or you can bundle one of those with the dozen collection for around $29. That's not really offering any additional savings, though. By the way, this isn't the first Pokemon food collaboration of the year. Target has Pokemon Pop-Tarts available, which originally came out back in 2000. The original anime also strongly hinted that people ate Pokemon. Last month, a sex toy shop launched unofficial items like the Bulbypulse to help you Pokemoan. 25 Pokemon That, Frankly, Look Delicious View Images
It'd be inaccurate to say the X-Men are having a resurgence, given that the team's escapades are perennially popular stories in comics. However, between Marvel Tokon, Avengers: Doomsday, and X-Men '97, the X-Men are certainly having a pop-culture moment. Also in the zeitgeist mix is Marvel's Wolverine, a PlayStation 5-exclusive title developed by Insomniac Games. I played a couple of hours of Wolverine and was shocked to see just how much of what I experienced lines up with the current X-Men media landscape. Wolverine takes place on Earth-1048--the same universe as Insomniac's Spider-Man games--and opens with an assault on a Weapon X base, where Wolverine teams up with his longtime hater Sabertooth. I played through this just days after watching them both do the same thing in X-Men '97. A foolhardy mission featuring Wolverine is a pretty common narrative beat in Logan's story, irrespective of format, but that sense of fortuitously timed familiarity became a feeling that permeated much of what I saw and played of Wolverine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5UuhXW32JI Wolverine is the latest in a type of game that PlayStation has become known for: a mostly linear action game that is narrative-driven and uses introspection, self-discovery, and personal growth as a theme for character development. Having spent ample time with the recent God of Wars, The Last of Us-es, Ghost of Tsushimas, Horizons and, of course, multiple Spider-Men, what I played wasn't remarkable for its unique ideas, but nevertheless made a good impression in the way it was executed. I'm neither surprised nor upset that Insomniac is sticking close to that template, as it happens to work very well for Wolverine. In this universe, Logan has lived a life spanning hundreds of years. He's been through hell (figuratively), his memory is broken, and since the X-Men team hasn't been established in this particular continuity yet, he's mostly a loner. This is a compelling starting point for the kind of tame-the-beast-within tale that packs a big punch when it comes to the character. Though Wolverine may be a game made from familiar pieces, Insomniac is putting them together in surprising ways. This became apparent from the intro, where a calm, wizened figure finds a feral Logan hiding in the wild and extends a helping hand. If you thought that person was Charles Xavier, founder of the X-Men, you'd be wrong. This time it's Nathaniel Essex, the X-Men antagonist who will become known as Mister Sinister. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQgbnQmYmGo By subverting expectations, Wolverine (the game, not the person) establishes tension and sparks intrigue, and I began thinking about Essex's inevitable turn and what could potentially trigger a schism between him and Logan. That event, it turned out, became clearer a few hours into the demo, but my immediate task was to team up with Sabertooth and Mystique. Team X, as the trio is known, was put together by Essex and seemingly disbanded, but has come together once again to find and rescue Essex from the clutches of lunatic human supremacist Bolivar Trask. Let's get the easy part out of the way: Insomniac isn't pulling any punches and has unleashed a Wolverine that savagely tears through his enemies with his iconic adamantium claws. In fact, the gameplay has actually been designed to encourage brutality so that the violence, along with being true to the character and feeling very satisfying, also feeds into the narrative. This, for me, is the most interesting part of the game thus far. Fundamentally, the mechanics of combat are the same we've seen for years now: light attacks, heavy attacks, a timing-based parry, and dodges to create openings. And, like in similar action-oriented superhero games, you can develop all of these mechanics by unlocking new skills or enhance them by unlocking passive perks, which the game calls "Adaptations." It's all the essential building blocks of the freeflow combat system popularized by Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham games and are now used in pretty much every game that has melee fighting in it. But what stuck with me was the sense of momentum that slowly builds as Wolverine lays waste to enemies, how that feeds into Logan's mental state, and how the player becomes an active participant in that mind-body connection. Although Logan doesn't know who he is anymore, he has an acute awareness that inside him is something monstrous fighting to be let loose, which scares him. In the thick of combat, that push-and-pull struggle manifests as a meter that represents his rage. Although Logan has his healing factor, he still feels pain and can be injured. Rage, which is split into segments, begins as a way of recovering health. But the longer the violence goes on, the more Logan's Rage meter builds, and the more aggressive Logan becomes. For the player, that creates a satisfying combat loop that, smartly, is in lockstep with Logan's escalating on-screen emotions. The demands and the precision required of the player to take out waves of Trask's goons changes as he gets more and more enraged, until there's a kind of parity between the player's input and Logan's blind rage and indiscriminate killing. Wolverine's opening salvo usually begins with a leap that closes the gap between himself and the enemy. With his claws out, he plunges into his target, and launches into a series of quick attacks that can be ended with a more powerful one. It's a ruthless dance of back-and-forth that requires directing Wolverine towards the most imminent threats, be they a soldier firing a gun from long range or one using a shield to take the sting out of his attacks. In one situation, Wolverine is lured into a room that takes away his healing factor, which means the player also needs to juggle taking out the devices suppressing his mutant abilities on top of the dangerous foes surrounding him. As the Rage built up, I initially used a heavy finisher where Wolverine impales enemies on his claws and, by doing so, recovers health. This pairing of attacking until a bar of Rage is available to heal and then repeating is very effective. However, by mixing in special techniques like Tornado Spin, which sees Wolverine spin with his claws out to control the crowd of fodder, it becomes easier to maintain Rage and continue building toward increasing the meter to its third level. About the same time that I reached level two, I found that the game was usually trying to overwhelm me with enemies, which pushed me to make quicker decisions in target prioritization, while also parrying and dodging, leaping to targets, attacking them, and moving on. This felt like an intentional ratcheting up of pressure specifically designed to make the eventual payoff feel intoxicating. And it worked very well. At level-two Rage, I was cutting through Trask's soldiers like they were made of butter; watching as the world around me was showered in blood and a grunting Logan leaped from one enemy to the next, claws out, shredding everything in his path. A few counters and a whole lot of eviscerated baddies later, Wolverine's Rage reached level three. At max level, Wolverine can launch into a berserker frenzy. This sees him essentially losing some degree of control as he's driven by pure, animalistic instinct. The world loses its color, desaturating into black and white, and the sound of the musical score becomes muted, drowned out by Wolverine's heavy breathing and snarls, and the snikt of his claws as they slice through bodies and the environment around him. Crucially, the player's inputs simplify to just hitting two trigger buttons to viciously maul anyone in his path, instantly killing them. That process no doubt sounds pretty ordinary on paper. But I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the synergy between the various systems building into a big, violent payoff put a smile on my face. It's one of the ideas that Insomniac has implemented to bring authenticity to the character, in the same way that exhilarating web-swinging, mid-air pirouettes, and impromptu backflips were how the studio realized the fantasy of being Spider-Man. There's a level of satisfaction that comes from that sudden shift from carefully timed strikes and evasive maneuvers to repeatedly hammering two buttons to obliterate everyone and everything that embodies Wolverine and his anger so well. But it was also a release for me, too. Like Logan, I was able to throw out the need to think about what I was doing and give in to effortless and mindless killing. In this berserker state, continuing to attack and kill adds to his Rage meter, which means it's possible to stay in that mode for extended periods of time, making the crash all the more effective when the berserker state ends and sights and sounds of the world come rushing back, leaving Wolverine and the player to deal with the death and destruction they wrought together. It's a very neat trick that, for the couple of hours I played, never got old. Whether the transition remains as effective over multiple hours remains to be seen, but I suspect that being able to unlock new techniques and Adaptations will help keep things fresh. The satisfaction of combat is what I left thinking most about, but there are a number of other noteworthy elements that I'm eager to experience more of. As mentioned, Nathaniel Essex's arc from idealist to lunatic is a major one. During my session, I reached the point where cracks started to form in his relationship with Logan, as Essex started to descend into his own kind of savagery. But there are also numerous other characters and relationships that are similarly intriguing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6cSbKIwGWQ This is one of the few instances of non-comic-book X-Men material choosing to explore Mystique beyond the usefulness of her shapeshifting abilities in subterfuge. She's actually the cooler head on Team X and often has to keep Wolverine and Sabertooth on-task. She's depicted as smart, level-headed, and very much in love with Tyger. That's a part of the character we haven't seen much of on-screen. Similarly, there's nuance in the way Sabertooth is depicted. Although he's constantly giving Wolverine grief and goading him, it's clear that he sees him as a kindred spirit and, though he never admits it, the closest thing he has to family. That means that, when the cracks in Team X start to form, Sabertooth takes it very poorly, lashing out at Logan. Jean Grey is on the run, trying to help fellow mutants while evading capture. As outcasts, Logan and Jean start to build a relationship that brings out the vulnerabilities in both of them. And, surprisingly, my time with the game ended with the introduction of The Hand, a criminal organization that usually shows up in Daredevil's stories, but are a big part of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This, in turn, paves the way for Lady Deathstrike to further complicate Logan's life. It's undeniable that Insomniac's take on Logan is firmly planted in familiar game design, but Wolverine is clearly doing more than just fitting a typical story of the character in it. From the little I played, its take on Logan, the way it continues to build out Earth-1048, and the authenticity of the character in how he plays are where the team is aiming to distinguish the game. Given that these are the same pillars that catapulted Insomniac's Spider-Man titles to success, Wolverine could shape up to be another excellent superhero game from the studio.
Kinetic Games is expanding into the games publishing business. Before today, Kinetic has only been known for Phasmophobia, its four-player ghost-hunting game that first exploded during the COVID pandemic and has remained a favorite since then. It has apparently done well enough to allow the team to expand its business into publishing, as it's announced a group of five games that make up its initial publishing efforts. The lineup includes one horror title--and man, is it a big one--and also features other kinds of games, including a punky racing game starring witches on broomsticks, a super-tense Papers, Please-like experience in space, a cozy game inspired by Spiritfarer, and a metroidvania game that does something even Hollow Knight didn't think of. Here's what's coming from Kinetic Publishing. Precognition Developed by Half Mermaid In terms of name recognition, Sam Barlow's team at Half Mermaid is the biggest one attached to the new label. Project C, Half Mermaid's previously announced working-title project with Brandon Cronenberg (of the Cronenberg body-horror film dynasty), has officially been revealed as Precognition. The team behind Immortality, Her Story, and Telling Lies is back again with another blend of full-motion-video gameplay, non-linear storytelling, and a deep rabbit hole for players to fall into. In Precognition, you'll play as Diana, who discovers she can see the future after receiving an experimental brain implant. As players explore these visions, they'll commit some to Diana's memory based on choices they make. In turn, they will alter the course of the story, which is being co-developed with Cronenberg. All three of Barlow's games to date have earned widespread acclaim, so suffice it to say this is a big get for Kinetic. Precognition is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 in Spring 2028. Precognition on Steam Aether Wizard Life Developed by Vonder Games Fans of cozy games such as Spiritfarer and Stardew Valley will want to keep an eye on Aether Wizard Life from Vonder Games. In it, you'll create your own mage and live out your life in a customizable castle that resembles Spiritfarer's boat-building tools very closely. You can tend to animals, cook meals, grow crops, and work jobs around different towns. All the while, you'll be exploring a story with a touch of darkness to it, as a secret organization is endangering the lives of mages all over, and you'll need to get to the bottom of the situation. Aether will feature romanceable characters, a wide variety of activities to perform outside of story missions, and 30+ skills to learn and master. As someone who loves Spiritfarer so much that I got a tattoo commemorating it, I'm really looking forward to this one. While the home-building tools are familiar, a lot else stands apart, so it's an enticing combination of what I've seen before next to new experiences. Aether Wizard Life is due out in Fall 2028 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2. Aether Wizard Life on Steam Shellbound Developed by Fake Lobster I have a Hollow Knight-obsessed son at home, so I can't wait to show him Shellbound. This metroidvania resembles the greats like Hollow Knight and Ori and the Blind Forest at first glance, but it adds a wrinkle that, to my knowledge, no game in the genre has had before. The world of Shellbound exists on the back of a godlike snail, with the creature's organs serving as the explorable map. But the team at Fake Lobster told me they wanted to make a metroidvania that gets away from some of the genre's normally foundational characteristics, such as backtracking and gated progress. Using an in-game mechanic called parasitizing, you can absorb the abilities of flora and fauna around you, allowing you to access pretty much any area whenever you want, provided you are willing to adopt the consequences that come with parasitizing. As you kill more enemies to parasitize them, their class may grow stronger, so by seeking to "break" the world design, which the game fully welcomes, you'll also be giving yourself more of a challenge. It sounds like a speedrunner's dream. Giving players the chance to break progression is a fascinating shift in the metroidvania formula that could help shake up the whole genre. Shellbound is set to arrive in Summer 2028 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2. Shellbound on Steam Contact Protocol Developed by Cold Zephyr Games This one was making me sweat. Cold Zephyr's Contact Protocol is like Papers, Please in space. You play as the captain of a starship interacting with others on the proverbial space superhighway. Some are corporate spies, others are smugglers, others may be totally innocent. What's universal is a sense of distrust. Contact Protocol exists in a world of fake news and disinformation. It's a paranoia-inducing experience in which no one seems to trust each other, and you'll often need to talk other ships down from blowing you up just because they don't like how you answered one of their questions. You can destroy ships that prove to be threats, but you can also just annihilate anyone, provided you're willing to live with the fallout. The demo I saw was extremely tense and made me feel like the team is well on the right track, complete with an edgy art style that matches its seedy world. Contact Protocol is launching on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2 in Spring 2027. Contact Protocol on Steam Crescent County Developed by Electric Saint Last but not least in my preview presentation of Kinetic's debut publishing slate was Crescent County, a game that straps motors to witches' broomsticks and sets players off in search of flow-state exploration around a vibrant world. Recently moving to a new town, players take on the role of Lu as she navigates the crescent-shaped island of Mor aboard her motorbroom, delivering packages by day and racing when the sun goes down. The gorgeous world is inspired by the films Kiki's Delivery Service and Akira, in naturally different but similarly apparent ways. The gameplay demo I was shown had a beautiful look to it, enhanced by an energetic soundtrack with a punk edge. Putting it aptly and succinctly, the team at Electric Saint describes the game as being about "kissing, drifting, and being a mess in your 20s." Crescent County debuts in Summer 2027 on--you guessed it--PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2. Crescent County on Steam This five-pack of games defines Kinetic's first foray into publishing. Check out their individual Steam pages to see more on each of them.
Rumors continue to swirl about who may play the British super-spy James Bond in the next movie. The latest name in the mix is Jack Lowden, the 36-year-old known in the video game world for playing T.E. Lawrence AKA Lawrence of Arabia in Battlefield 1. TV presenter Richard Osman said on his podcast, The Rest Is Entertainment, that he heard from "someone" that Lowden is being considered for the role. He said his source told him "for definite" that Lowden is in the mix, though nothing is confirmed at this stage. Jack Lowden played T.E. Lawrence in Battlefield 1. Lowden's one and only video game credit is Battlefield 1. On TV, he's known for playing River on Slow Horses and will appear as Mr. Darcy in Netflix's upcoming Pride and Prejudice TV show. Lowden also played Forodwaith Sauron in an episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. In film, Lowden appeared in Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk and voiced Gunnar in this year's Rogue Trooper movie. In May this year, Bond movie production company Amazon MGM Studios said the search for the next James Bond actor was underway and that the film studio would not comment on the casting process. Lowden is Scottish, and he would become just the second Scottish person to play James Bond, following Sean Connery. The character James Bond from the Ian Fleming book series is also Scottish. Other actors said to be in the running to play James Bond include Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jacob Elordi, Theo James, Tom Francis, and Josh O'Connor, among others. Fans have been waiting a long time for the next James Bond movie, as the latest entry, No Time To Die, was released in 2021. However, it was expected to release much sooner, but had three delays due in part to COVID. Daniel Craig played James Bond in five 007 films, and wrapped up his run with No Time To Die. Amazon MGM Studios bought the franchise and reportedly paid a lot of money to take back creative control from the longtime series stewards Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. The new James Bond movie will be directed by Denis Villeneuve, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker known for the Dune franchise. He's also directed the movies Prisoners, Sicario, Blade Runner 2049, and Arrival.
After a story trailer got Bully fans excited for the spiritual successor Agefield High: Rock The School last year, the game has officially released on PC. Unfortunately, first impressions from players aren't so kind, so you may want to temper your expectations that it could match the high bar Rockstar set so long ago. Set in the early 2000s and inspired by the humor of movies like American Pie, Agefield High's developers warn on the Steam page that this humor isn't for everyone. However, the complaints from players seem to be more with how the game runs on a basic level. Numerous Steam reviews mention the characters' very stiff animations, crashing issues, sluggish and imprecise combat, and lag, even when on very low PC settings. The last thing you see before you die Our own Jean-Luc Seipke has spent some time with Agefield High, as well, and they echo many of these same complaints, as well as the writing, so those who just want to experience the story might not have a great time either. At the very least, however, there isn't AI-generated art in it. It appears developer/publisher Refugium Games may have acknowledged these rough edges in a Steam post. Written in-character as Principal Carpenter, it says, "Please be gentle with the walls. The paint is still fresh." Perhaps everything will work more as expected once that paint has dried, but for now, it sounds like you'd have a better time just tracking down a used copy of Bully and not spending nearly $30 for Agefield High.
Helldivers 2's massive 7.0 update, Devoid of Liberty, is live now, and it brings some huge changes to the game's loveable SEAF soldiers. These NPCs are basically the equivalent of UNSC marines in Halo--fun to have around, but not particularly good at their job. Previously in Helldivers 2, SEAF soldiers could be recruited to follow players around and occasionally shoot at enemies, but were mostly good at being accidentally (or maybe not?) blown to bits by friendly fire. In the Devoid of Liberty update, the SEAF soldiers can now appear as a planet modifier, joining Helldivers in their battles. Dropships will routinely deliver SEAF soldiers into the fray, and they are more equipped for battle than ever before. Each SEAF squad will have a squad leader, a rifleman, a heavy weapon-wielding specialist, and a medic capable of stimming wounded Helldivers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLTltwbS4KY Better yet, SEAF soldiers will now interact with players in new ways. They're now capable of interacting with emotes, meaning they can shake hands, play rock, paper, scissors, or even give a hug to a Helldiver in need. The SEAF changes are just one piece of the latest Helldivers 2 update. Devoid of Liberty additionally adds two new terrifying Illuminate enemy types. One, the Wretch, looks to have been ripped straight out of EA's Dead Space franchise, with developer Arrowhead Studios advising players to aim for its limbs in order to stop its relentless pursuit. Another new enemy, the Crusher, is a walking giant capable of regenerating rapidly, meaning Helldivers will need to focus their fire and keep up the pressure in order to keep them down. On the quality-of-life front, the update massively increased Helldivers 2's level cap (from 150 to 300, with new ranks and rewards to earn). There's also plenty of balance changes, including making stims more responsive, faster recovery time after a heavy landing, and buffs to short magazines and secondary weapons. To coincide with new Void-based horrors, the game's long-awaited Warhammer 40K crossover Warbond is also available now. You can find the full Helldivers 2 Devoid of Liberty patch notes below. For those who haven't yet made the call to defend Super Earth and spread Managed Democracy, Helldivers 2 is one of this month's free PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium games. Helldivers 2 Devoid Of Liberty Update Patch Notes New Illuminate Enemies A new biome full of fresh horrors awaits, the void warps everything it touches and your foes have taken new hideous forms. The Crusher is on a deathmarch capable of regenerating while taking heavy damage and needs to be worn down quickly and consistently without a moment of pause. The Wretch is a relentless and nimble enemy that requires quick trigger fingers and focused aim as they are able to dodge and leap at the player while advancing to quickly dismantle its weapons along with their will to live. SEAF Support SEAF have entered the battle! Super Earth Armed Forces (SEAF) can now appear as a planet modifier, joining you in battle in your missions and enhancing your combat capabilities with a range of new tools (Stim pistols, Heavy Machine guns and more) The SEAF take to the stars. Super Earth High Command has mandated the SEAF be deployed directly to the frontlines of the Galactic Campaign for Democracy. Helldivers will be able to be supported by friendly SEAF NPC troops, with new and improved behavior, weaponry and updated visuals Level Cap Increased We've expanded the Helldiver rank system beyond Level 150, adding 15 new ranks and titles that carry Helldivers all the way up to Level 300. Each new rank comes with its own unique title and icon to recognize the most dedicated defenders of Managed Democracy. Super Earth thanks you for your continued service, the fight never ends, and neither does your potential. Expanded Emote Slots Helldivers, you now have twice as many ways to express yourself on the battlefield! The emote wheel capacity has been raised from 4 to 8 emotes. CASTELLAN'S CREED Warbond Channel the formidable battle prowess of the Astra Militarum’s finest in the HELLDIVERS™ 2 x Warhammer 40,000: Castellan’s Creed Legendary Warbond. Community Feedback Changes We’re trying out a new section to shout out some of the fixes and changes that are high up on the community’s wishlist! GATER Upgrades Super Earth engineers have replaced the engine and transmission in the GATER in favor of a much more powerful Super V48 Interceptor engine, this has improved its speed and handling. The Constitution … has stripper clips! Assisted Reload Rework Problem we want to solve: The original intent was a tactical action that needed collaboration with a designated reloader that carries the backpack We have reevaluated how this works and with how the game has evolved since launch we got to the conclusion that the assisted reload action require too much coordination which lead to it rarely happening Intent and expectation with the change: We want to reduce the complexity with assisted reloading to promote using it more. Allow players to keep their backpack and reload whenever you need, while also allows a teammate to easily help you if the opportunity arises. The change we made: Helldivers can now assist reload as long as one of the wielder and/or reloader of the weapon has the correct backpack Balancing Updated icons for backpack weapons and expendable weapons Problem we want to solve: Find a specific weapon in the loadout can be hard to do with all the new weapons added to the arsenal It can be hard to know if a support weapon needs a backpack or can not be reloaded when only looking at the icon. Intent and expectation with the change: We want to make it easier to find specific weapons and to plan your loadout. It should be easier to know when a weapon needs a backpack or can not be reloaded when only looking at the icon. The change we made: Stratagem Weapons that require a backpack now have a backpack icon included on their loadout icons Stratagem Weapons that can not be reloaded now have a drop weapon icon included on their loadout icons . Decreased heavy landing duration Problem we want to solve: The original intent was to make the heavy landing to feel like you recovered from a high fall. The player lost control for a long time when landing on the feet from a higher fall. Intent and expectation with the change: We wanted to make it smoother to recover from the heavy landing state and not remove the control for too long. While still make it feel like a heavy landing recovery The change we made: Decreased the duration for the heavy landing animation with around 40% Stim action input smoothing Problem we want to solve: Players can experience dead input when trying to stim when the stim action was not allowed. Intent and expectation with the change: We want to lessen the feeling of dead input when using the stim action. The change we made: We changed so the stim input is remembered for a short duration when the action is not allowed and will be executed if the stim action is allowed within that duration. This works similar to how the reload input action changes from the last patch. Ammo re-balance for Short magazines attachments and Secondaries Problem we want to solve: The benefits of the short magazines are too few compared to drum magazines. The benefits of some of the anti personnel side arms do not have enough benefits compared to other side arm options. Intent and expectation with the change: Give more benefits to short magazines to make the items more useful compared to drum magazines for the same weapon. Give more benefits to some of the lesser used anti personnel side arms to make the items more useful The change we made: Short magazines got more max spare and starting magazines. Some of the anti personnel sidearms got more max spare and starting magazines. Primaries R-2124 Constitution Added a full stripper clip reload when reloading if the magazine is empty. Primaries attachments Short magazines for: AR-23 Liberator AR-23P Liberator Penetrator AR-23C Liberator Concussive AR-23A Liberator Carbine AR-59 Suppressor Increased spare magazines 12 to 16 Increased starting magazines 7 to 9 Short magazines for: SMG-37 Defender SMG-72 Pummeler Increased spare magazines 9 to 12 Increased starting magazines 6 to 8 Short magazines for: SMG/FLAM-34 Stoker Increased spare magazines 10 to 13 Increased starting magazines 6 to 7 Decreased reload duration 2.8 sec to 2.3 sec Short magazines for: SG-225 Breaker SG-225IE Breaker Incendiary Increased magazines spare magazines 9 to 11 Increased magazines starting magazines 6 to 7 Short magazines for: SG-225SP Breaker Spray&Pray Increased spare magazines 16 to 20 Increased starting magazines 11 to 12 Secondaries P-113 Verdict Increased max spare magazines from 8 to 10 Increased starting magazines from 4 to 6 M6C/SOCOM Pistol Increased max spare magazines from 8 to 10 Increased starting magazines from 5 to 6 P-19 Redeemer Increased spare magazines from 4 to 6 Stratagems Eagle Napalm Airstrike Problem we want to solve: The Eagle napalm did not feel as effective compared to other Eagle stratagems and napalm stratagems Intent and expectation with the change: Create a larger area of effect for the napalms fire Make it more effective compared to other napalm stratagems The change we made: Increased explosion radius 8 to 10m More spread out bomb pattern to cover a larger area MD-17 Anti-Tank Mines Problem we want to solve: The explosion of the mines looks like they can destroy larger things Intent and expectation with the change: The effect of the explosion match should match the visuals better Make the mines work in more situations like destroying colony walls and bug holes from the outside The change we made: Increased Demolition strength from 30 to 40 Enemies Terminids Hunters Problem we want to solve: Hunters and their variants were unable to attack FRVs consistently They could only use their tongue to attack, and struggle to find a proper position to launch it Intent and expectation with the change: When Helldivers enter a FRV, Hunters should be able to attack the vehicle more naturally The change we made: We allowed one melee attack to be correctly triggered against FRVs Illuminate Veracitor Problem we want to solve: When the Helldiver got attacked by a Veracitor while holding a ballistic shield it could created clipping issue where the arm of the Veracitor could merge with the body of the Helldiver and sometime resulting in sending the Helldiver at high speed in the air Intent and expectation with the change: Fighting an exomech with a ballistic shield still protects against damage, but Helldivers will now ragdoll when blocking an attack Helldivers won’t be sent to low orbit anymore after blocking an attack with ballistic shield. Ballistic shield will break after around 15 direct hits The change we made: Increased Exomech melee’s force strength from 25 to 40 Conformed Exomech melee’s attack armor penetration to all correctly be Anti tank Fixes Crash Fixes Fixed rare crash that could happen when dropping down the core drill Fixed a crash which could occur when spreading fire Fixed a very rare crash which could occur when mortar sentries update their targeting aim Fixed a crash that could happen sometimes when dropping in on CR7+ missions on Cyberstan Fixed a rare UI crash on shutdown Fixed a crash when using multiple monitors with different DPI scales in Windows Weapons & Stratagem Fixes Sway and reload weapon stats now display decimals for better accuracy Stratagem Weapons that require a backpack now have a backpack icon included on their loadout icons Stratagem Weapons that cannot be reloaded now have a drop weapon icon included on their loadout icons You can now assist reload a Helldiver, using ammo from their backpack Fixed glitch where Veto pistol would receive one extra round (translating to one extra 6 bullet reload!) from the Siege-Ready armor passive. Also corrects a few other weapons which also received one erroneous extra round, magazine or heat-coil. We continue to round partial bonus rounds/mags/coils up in favor of the player. Fixed a bug where the camera clipped through the R-36 Eruptor with 2x Tube Red Dot equipped when inserting the next bullet in ADS at max FoV Enemies will no longer spontaneously attack the GATER unless the Helldiver is inside it or unless they are drilling. Enemies famously hate the democratic extraction of natural resources. Weapons will no longer lock onto the tank of the GATER Increased GATER ammo capacity, health, knockback and impact damage. Also made it harder to roll sideways Increased the speed and responsiveness of the GATER Fixed an issue where the first person animation of the LAS-58 Talon overloading would make the weapon clip with the SH-20 Ballistic Shield Backpack Fixed an issue where the Helldiver would cancel draw animations if they tried to enter the aim state while switching weapons. This would cause the Helldiver to look ready to fire, while still preparing the weapon The Ministry of Defence user experience department have made improvements to the TD-220 Bastion Mk.XVI munitions system Heads Up Display. This should make it clearer the main canon can be reloaded manually. Orbital Laser will no longer occasionally get stuck after targeting a flying enemy Exosuits will no longer get stuck in trees when being dropped off Throwable items are now being visible to other players when the Helldiver is carrying them Fixed a bug where the EXO-55 Breakthrough Exosuit would sometimes have the shield arm damage zones protrude through the shield, resulting in the arm taking damage that the shield should have protected Fixed case where the Breaker Drill could get stuck on the roof in certain hive world missions M-104 Incinerator FRV's mounted flamethrower now shows the correct icon and name Enemies Fixed an issue where the Gatekeeper's weapons clipped into each other when their target was too close Fixed an issue where visually removing the armor of the Impaler didn't match the gameplay experience Impaler close melee attack now has a damage shockwave Hunters are now able to attack FRVs more consistently Fixed a bug where enemies would disappear when the Helldiver died, thus not being able to know what just killed the Helldiver Fixed enemy navigation issues in one of the Take Down Overship locations Fixed a bug where the Veracitor's melee attack could clip through Helldivers holding a SH-20 Ballistic Shield Backpack Fixed issue where Watchers and Obtruders were not attacking players while mounted behind a Grenadier Battlement Fixed an issue where sometimes the Hive Lord scales would not visually break properly (did not affect gameplay behavior) Obtruder will now collide correctly with Helldivers Reduced clipping between Obtruder and Helldivers' vehicles Veracitors now guard outposts Fixed an issue where the Veracitor clipped through buildings and obstacles while charging. It should now destroy anything in its path and stop when hitting a wall Fixed an issue where the Veracitor clipped through buildings and obstacles while charging. It should now destroy anything in its path and stop when hitting a wall Gatekeeper spawnrate has been increased to closely match Veracitor in Encounters Fixed a bug for Gatekeeper sometimes appearing to turn in place without moving their legs Fixed bug which would on rare occasions cause enemies to not be able to move into the correct attack range SEAFs can destroy enemy spawners Enemies have learned how to climb stairs during the Establish Communication Uplink missions Miscellaneous Fixes Fixed several mission HUD inconsistencies on certain Hiveworld missions Fixed visible holes in the terrain in one of the Disrupt Shield Generator locations Fixed a bug where the factory building facade was inverted Updated the sounds for picking up medals, requisition slips and super credits one of the missions Fixed a bug where the Recoil Simulator was showing all ammo being fired at once Vehicle delivery shuttles will no longer get stuck endlessly looking for a place to drop off their deliveries when deployed in dense cities between tall buildings Helldivers will no longer ride the victory elevator with their hands in the air like some kind of rollercoaster Helldivers how have a chance to find super credits in Factory Worlds Fixed an issue in the tutorial where the incoming timer for the Orbital Precision Strike could display an incorrect duration Optimized various gameplay VFX across the game Prevented hit-markers being displayed for hits from indirect explosive damage, damage from your sentries and damage from your orbitals/airstrikes. Melee weapons, laser weapons and flame weapons will now display their hit markers correctly Fixed an issue with ragdolling causing invisible collision issues Exo Storms of class 2 and 3 will now spawn tornadoes of varying sizes, depending on the intensity of the storm. If your Helldiver cannot stim at the exact moment when the stim button is pressed, they will automatically stim as soon as they are able to (up to 2 seconds later) Fixed a bug where planting the CQC-1 One True Flag would break animations for other melee weapons. Fixed a bug where the CQC-1 One True Flag would be planted at the Helldivers feet instead of being planted in front of the Helldiver Fixed an issue where the player could see through the Destroyer ship while in a cutscene Decreased the Helldivers heavy land animation from 1.32 sec to 0.8 sec Scrolling to the bottom of the Bindings menu with a controller now correctly stops at the last available option instead of disappearing Fixed possible graphical artifacts in the Control Center Fixed a bug where Network Desync can cause SEAF Artillery shells to not be inserted properly, causing a soft lock Fixed a visual bug where the Oil Rig was displaying both destroyed and non-destroyed visual states Clothes on the upper body of civilian industrial corpses in cities now have the correct textures Optimized tree VFX materials Fixed an issue where network problems caused collision errors with enemy corpses. Fixed an issue that prevented Super Credits from spawning in Factory Cities Additional improvements to image quality when using upscaling Reduced ghosting around the edges of the screen when using NVIDIA DLSS upscaling Fixed blocky artifacts on nebula effects, especially visible on lower render scales
Amazon Game Studios looks to be getting out of the MMO business entirely, handing Western operations of Throne and Liberty and Lost Ark back to their respective developers. In two blog posts, Amazon Game Studios outlined its plans to transition both games to their South Korean creators in the coming months. For Throne and Liberty, that transition will happen in Q4 2026 as NC (formerly NCSoft) takes over, while Lost Ark's transition will happen in early 2027 and see Smilegate fully take the reins. While Amazon didn't develop the two games directly, it did publish both titles and handled live-service operations and customer support in the West. Both free-to-play games found success at launch (Lost Ark in particular saw huge numbers on Steam), but have seen player counts dwindle over time. It doesn't sound like much will change in the near term. Both games will likely experience some downtime as Amazon hands over the keys, but the two games will each continue to operate in the West. Most player data and character progress made in the two games will also carry forward. In the case of Throne and Liberty, cross-progression will no longer work between Steam and consoles after the transition. For those who don't want to hand over all of their data, there will be an option to opt out of the transition. Doing so naturally means characters, items, and other progress won't be transferred, and players will essentially need to start again from scratch. For everyone else, the data transfer will essentially be seamless, with no action needed on the part of players aside from needing to accept a new terms of service upon logging in for the first time. Amazon just a few years ago looked to be establishing itself as a major player in the MMO space. It released its own MMO, New World, in 2021 to huge initial numbers on Steam, even if it didn't hold on to that momentum for long. It then followed up that success in 2022 by publishing and operating Lost Ark in the West, with Throne and Liberty following a similar playbook in 2024. There were also plans for Amazon to publish the anime MMO Blue Protocol, though the game's Western release was instead canceled entirely. Flash forward to now and the house of Bezos has completely washed its hands of the genre. Amazon announced earlier this year that New World's servers will go offline in early 2027, following a console release in 2024 and a string of well-received updates that had players optimistic for the future prior to the shutdown announcement. The creators of New World were also working on a Lord of the Rings MMO, only for that to be reportedly canceled amidst layoffs at Amazon Game Studios.
The live-action adaptation of God of War is on the way, but the voice of the iconic god-killer Kratos, Christopher Judge, has a bone to pick with the people behind game adaptations. As the actor explained, he's annoyed that these projects fail to hire anyone from the source material to work on them, as they tend to ignore the talent behind the success of those games. "My problem with all game adaptations is you have this pre-existing, successful property, and the first thing you do is not hire anyone associated with it," Judge said during a Fan Expo panel (via Reddit), using HBO's The Last of Us as an example. "The Last of Us--loved Pedro [Pascal]--were they better than the game cast? I saw a stage reading they did. It was unreal. I have no idea why you don't just take that cast, those writers, especially when you're going to do [episodes] that are shot-for-shot remakes of the game!" God of War Ragnarok The voice actors of The Last of Us have often been praised for elevating the story with their performances, and it's not too much of a stretch to imagine Baker playing the live-action version of Joel Miller. Of course, it's not that easy, as you have various factors to consider, like availability for a shoot and contract negotiations, as well as the fact that Pascal is a bigger star in comparison to Baker--Pascal is a household name who can draw audiences to watch the series based on the recognition factor alone. Baker did appear in the series, making a cameo as a villain named James. Writing for video games and TV are also two vastly different things, but it wouldn't hurt to have some of those creatives around to assist with an adaptation in the writer's room. As Judge explained, if you're going to adapt games and do "shot-for-shot" remakes of them, hiring the writers behind them would be a smart move. "What are you thinking? These guys have been immersed in this world for 20 years, but someone's gonna know better?" Judge said about Amazon's God of War project. That show ran into trouble recently, as the original actor cast to play Kratos, Ryan Hurst, suffered a bicep tear during filming. Forced to vacate the role, former WWE star Dave Bautista is now rumored to be in talks to replace Hurst, who showed off just how shredded he got to play Kratos.
Pearl Abyss has announced that Crimson Desert is planned to come out on Switch 2 in 2027. In fact, the developer behind the huge hit--which has sold over 4 million copies on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S--has a rough release window sometime between January and June. The open-world action game heading to Switch 2 had previously been discussed by Pearl Abyss, but the company's latest earnings letter confirms Crimson Desert for the hybrid system. "In the case of Switch 2, the game has reached a playable baseline, and we are currently conducting technical reviews regarding performance optimization and quality standard compliance, targeting a release in the first half of next year," the financial briefing states. Switch 2 is the only system listed for platform expansion of Crimson Desert, with Pearl Abyss adding that no mobile version is currently planned. How the game translates to the hybrid system will be fascinating, since it offers such a ridiculous sandbox to play with. The developer is also "currently conducting extensive research from both technical and gameplay perspectives" regarding multiplayer for the game. However, the company is clear that introducing multiplayer is a "complex" endeavor. Crimson Desert made over $180 million for Pearl Abyss earlier this year, and it's been one of the best-selling games in the US for 2026. The game also has one of the best companions for your character: a fat, lazy cat. For more, check out GameSpot's Crimson Desert review. Crimson Desert Tips And Beginner’s Guide View Images
Project Sirius, the upcoming The Witcher project rumored to be a multiplayer game, is undergoing its latest chapter of upheaval. According to Kotaku, nine people were laid off from Project Sirius developer The Molasses Flood, which is now part of CD Projekt Red. An additional nine people were shifted to other projects within the organization, the report said, adding that this was done as part of a "broader shift in development strategy." In 2023, CD Projekt Red confirmed that more than 25 people working on Project Sirius were laid off as part of the developers implementing a "new framework" for the game. "We are excited with the updated direction, but we are not ready to talk about details just yet," the developer said at the time. Project Sirius was announced in October 2022 under that codename, with CD Projekt billing it as an innovative take on The Witcher series aimed at veterans and newcomers alike. The Molasses Flood previously developed The Flame in the Flood, a survival game featuring original music from Chuck Ragan. Project Sirius is one of multiple upcoming games in the works at CD Projekt Red. Some of the others include Cyberpunk 2, The Witcher 4, 5, and 6, and a game made in partnership with Scopely.
Gears of War: E-Day is Microsoft's next big exclusive, and as you'd expect, a limited-edition Xbox wireless controller has been announced for the game. Fans will also have the option to design their own controller, as the Xbox Design Lab has been updated with a new Emergence Day-themed skin. Priced at $90, the Gears of War: E-Day controller draws inspiration from the holes that the Locust spewed from on E-Day, as the design features cracked asphalt and the iconic Crimson Omen that builds up when you're nearly dead in the Gears games. The illustrations have been laser-etched onto the controller, and other neat details include blacked-out ABY buttons, a transparent red X button, matching red triggers, and a transparent D-pad. You'll also find a metallic COG tag on the battery door, and it's available to preorder now. https://youtu.be/QOpgB3iEywM Beyond that, this is your standard Xbox wireless controller, which was first introduced in November 2020 with the Xbox Series X|S. The design has endured well since its debut, as the controller can also be used on PC, smartphones, and tablets, has a strong battery life, and is quite comfy for those long gaming sessions. This controller will be sold through local retailers, or you can order one directly from the Microsoft Store. 8BitDo--which makes some pretty great controllers for PC and consoles--will also be dropping an official charging dock for this peripheral, and yes, it also has that grimy Gears of War battlefield aesthetic. Like its other chargers, it's compatible with both Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One controllers, includes an 8BitDo rechargeable battery pack, and the dock features magnetic alignment for easy drop-and-charge functionality. The other option is a custom controller featuring exclusive artwork by renowned heavy metal illustrator Luke Preece. The designer has created striking images for heavy metal groups, including tour posters, merchandise, and album covers. Preece also illustrated the official physical vinyl release and packaging for the Gears 5 soundtrack vinyl, and this new controller design features a skull perched atop crossed Lancers and surrounded by more skulls. Metal. You can choose the illustration as an option for a Design Labs Xbox controller starting September 30. Gears of War: E-Day launches for Xbox Series X|S and PC on October 6, and so far, it's shaping up to be the comeback that the franchise needs. If you're interested in going hands-on with the game, the Gears of War: E-Day open beta runs August 13-17.
Developer Sucker Punch has made several announcements about Ghost of Yotei, including a new expansion, a new combat survival mode, and a complete edition. The new narrative expansion is called Echoes of Sekigahara, and it's split between the present day and flashbacks. Players will meet a new character, Nagato, who is "a figure from Atsu's past." The expansion also takes players to new places. In the present, they'll visit a valley once inhabited by The Snake and his followers, the Vipers. In the past, players will take part in the Battle of Sekigahara. New enemies, weapons, armor sets, and dyes are also included in the expansion. The new combat survival mode, meanwhile, is called Most Wanted. The single-player mode is "our spin on a roguelike," Sucker Punch said. "You’ll accept bounties in order to start new runs, where taking down enemies will earn you perks, as well as unlock additional characters to play as," the studio said. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bQrrWCRkMY More details are coming later, but for now, the announcement trailer shows that Atsu will fight with her dual katana setup, while Oyuki battles with the kusarigama and Nagata does damage with a yari. Finally, the developer announced a $70 Complete Edition of Ghost of Yotei. In addition to the base game and everything mentioned above, players get the the online co-op mode Ghost of Yotei Legends. The bundle also includes all of the content from the game's digital deluxe edition. The Complete Edition is available now, but Echoes of Skigahara and Most Wanted don't launch until October 1. Anyone who buys the Complete Edition by September 30 will also get the Sakai armor on October 1--this armor is based on the family armor of Jin from Ghost of Tsushima. Anyone who already owns Ghost of Yotei can get Echoes of Skigahara and Most Wanted by purchasing the Complete Edition upgrade for $15. Additionally, a new patch coming October 1 adds the Beauty of Yotei mode, which is a screensaver-type experience that shows off stunning environments from the game that players can display on their TV. The October 1 patch also adds new quality-of-life updates, including the ability to keep an armor set's appearance while using a different set's stats. A high-contrast accessibility option is being added as well. In addition to these new Ghost of Yotei updates, a Ghost of Tsushima movie is in the works with John Wick's director attached.
Palworld recently launched its long-awaited 1.0 update, and developer Pocketpair is wasting no time making further improvements to the game. The patch notes for the latest v1.0.3 update reveal positive changes that should reduce the frustration of Palworld 1.0's biggest hassle of collecting World Tree Holy Water. It also addresses the bug that previously caused some Pals to freeze and stop attacking. https://youtu.be/1fpGg9wNM9A?si=3s3gO22Cy7ob99Vd Palworld 1.0 added plenty of new pals and features to the game, including the explorable new area around the World Tree. The update also added a valuable new resource called World Tree Holy Water, which has been very frustrating to collect. Thankfully, the patch notes reveal several changes to make it easier to farm this important in-game resource. World Tree Holy Water will now be available to earn as rewards for World Tree expeditions, World Tree fishing, and when using a base's large fishing pond. The update also increases the amount of World Tree Holy Water obtained from Pals in the World Tree area and collected from the Teafant Spring locations. Additionally, the weight of World Tree Holy Water has been reduced from 1 to 0.1, so farming large quantities shouldn't weigh you down as much. The developer has also extended the duration of World Tree Holy Water and added a sound effect when using the water, so it's more clear when the resource is active. There's also nothing worse than summoning a Pal to help a boss fight, but they freeze and leave you without backup. Thankfully, this update does fix the bug that previously caused summoned Pals to stop attacking mid-fight or stop helping with base work. Another notable update makes one of the game's most popular Pals more accessible. Some of the Jetragon-related technologies are lowered from level 79 down to 70. It also reduces the materials required to craft the gear used to ride Jetragon, so it shouldn't be as much of a late-game grind to get this Pal as a mount for your party. The full patch notes for the Palworld v1.0.3 update can be found below, as shared by the developer. Palworld version v1.0.3 [Game Balance and System Adjustments] ▼Items and Equipment ・Changed the unlock level of some Jetragon-related technologies from 79 to 70, and reduced the materials required for the Pal Gear used to ride Jetragon. ・Changed the technology unlock level of the Aquatic Construction Kit from Level 66 to Level 23, changed its Ancient Technology Point requirement from 4 to 1, and adjusted the required materials and work amount. ・Extended the duration of World Tree Holy Water. ・Reduced the weight of World Tree Holy Water from 1 to 0.1. ・Added World Tree Holy Water to the rewards for World Tree expeditions, World Tree fishing, and the Large Fishing Pond. ・Increased the amount of World Tree Holy Water obtained from Pals in The World Tree area. ・Increased the amount of World Tree Holy Water obtained from Teafant Spring. ・Adjusted the work amount required to craft the Ancient Armor series. ・Doubled the amount of Fiber obtained from trees. ▼Bases and Missions ・Reduced the building costs of the Crude Oil Extractor, High-Pressure Crude Oil Extractor, and Large Power Generator. ・Increased the crude oil production speed of the Crude Oil Extractor and High-Pressure Crude Oil Extractor. ・The base mission that requires building a Crude Oil Extractor can now also be progressed by building a High-Pressure Crude Oil Extractor. ▼Server Settings ・Added a server setting (bAllowEnemyCampSpawnNearBaseCamp) that disables the suppression of enemy camp spawns near player base camps. [Visual and Sound Improvements] ▼Graphics and Display ・Adjusted the boundary display in some areas to make it easier to see from a distance. ・Improved the display quality of some objects in dungeons. ▼Sound ・Added a sound effect when using World Tree Holy Water. [Major Bug Fixes] ▼Crashes and Progression Blockers ・Fixed an issue on PS5 where the game could crash when a user with parental controls enabled opened the Global Palbox under certain conditions. ・Fixed an issue on Xbox One / Xbox One S where the game could crash when moving near some Field Bosses in The World Tree area. ・Fixed an issue on PS5 / Xbox where, when ""Some world settings are too high for your system."" was displayed on the world selection screen, the cursor could disappear and progression could become blocked. ・Fixed an issue where the mission could become impossible to progress if the barrier was removed before accepting the main mission in Sunreach. ▼Multiplayer and Co-op ・Fixed an issue in co-op where lighting on the client side could display incorrectly after cutscenes or the ending played. ・Fixed an issue in co-op where some scenes could stutter during the cutscene that plays when entering The World Tree. ・Fixed an issue on dedicated servers where Fast Travel could activate unintentionally during Tower Boss battles. ・Fixed an issue on dedicated servers where Pals could appear to vibrate rapidly on the client screen. ▼Pals and NPCs ・Fixed an issue where the summoned Pal could stop fighting. ・Fixed an issue where the summoned Pal could stop helping with base work. ・Fixed an issue in multiplayer where, when the Partner Skill of Orserk or certain other Pals activated, the effect display could fail to update correctly, making it appear as though the skill had not activated. ・Fixed an issue where Alpha Surfent would not produce Leather when assigned to a Ranch. ▼Battles and Bosses ・Fixed an issue where some raid boss battles could fail to progress as intended. ・Fixed an issue where the wave effect and actual damage range did not match for some of Panthalus's attacks. ▼Bases and Building ・Fixed an issue where the placement detection for stairs and slanted roofs could fail to match their actual shape. ・Fixed an issue where stairs could not be placed correctly on the sides of foundations or roofs. ▼Items and Rewards ・Fixed an issue where the reward settings for the normal Moon Lord battle and the Ultra Raid Boss battle had not been updated to the intended settings. ・Fixed an issue where items could duplicate when performing certain actions. ・Fixed an issue where, when Katress's Partner Skill activated, switching spheres while riding could allow the player to obtain a different type of sphere. ・Fixed an issue where the World Tree Holy Water effect did not display correctly on the Pal being ridden when using World Tree Holy Water while riding. ・Fixed an issue where, after the World Tree Holy Water effect ended, riding a Pal would cause the World Tree Holy Water aura to reappear and not disappear when approaching trees in The World Tree area. ・Fixed an issue where an unintended reward was set for the desert expedition. ・Fixed an issue where the Dark Skill Fruit: Psycho Gravity did not appear on the item search screen. ・Fixed a bug where the firing interval was not set for sphere launchers ▼UI, Display, and Text ・Fixed an issue where resolution settings would not apply correctly in fullscreen mode. ・Fixed an issue where, after switching window mode with F11 / Alt+Enter, the game could unintentionally return to fullscreen mode after loading. ・Fixed an issue where, if certain effects were on screen while aiming, the entire screen could become blurred. ▼Sound ・Fixed an issue where the water sound effect could fail to play at Teafant Spring. ・Fixed an issue on dedicated servers where the BGM for Attack Choppers triggered by other players could play even from far away. ・Adjusted the BGM playback range for Attack Choppers so that it plays correctly for players who are Wanted. ・Fixed an issue where unintended footstep sounds could play when walking on furniture or facilities. ▼Controls ・Fixed an issue where, after changing the key assignment for ""Attack that enemy!"" in Controls, selecting ""Restore to Default"" would not restore the default setting. ・Fixed an issue where settings could be applied unintentionally when interacting with the change confirmation dialog and duplicate key warning in Controls. ▼Map and Exploration ・Fixed an issue where a beach-like display could remain on the water surface after Fast Traveling to an offshore base.
Sony is set to reveal the next batch of games coming to the Game Catalog for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium in August, but we already know of one of them: Helldivers 2. Developer Arrowhead announced that its hit action game about bringing Managed Democracy to other worlds will be available through the Game Catalog starting August 12. An influx of fresh recruits is perfect timing, as the Helldivers 2 community is being challenged to collectively eliminate 500 million enemies by August 18 to unlock four Helldiver PlayStation avatars. Today also marks the release of a new expansion within the co-op shooter, Devoid of Liberty. This new content will see players venture into the haunted abyss of the Void to destroy Illuminate spires and gateways, exterminate new threats, and gain new ranks along the way. As usual, the new titles will be added to the Game Catalog every few days throughout the month. PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium Games for August 2026 Helldivers 2 Helldivers 2 (PS5) More to be announced soon PlayStation Plus Premium PS Classics To be announced soon As a reminder, nine games will exit PlayStation Plus on August 18. Time is running out, so if you haven't checked out Dead Island 2, Harold Halibut, or Unicorn Overlord yet, you only have a few more days left to do so. You can also grab three games right now through any tier of PlayStation Plus--Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, For the King 2, and CrossCode.
Sony has announced a new State of Play broadcast for next week, and this time, the spotlight is on Phantom Blade Zero. Kicking off on August 17 at 7 PM PT / 10 PM ET, Sony says that viewers can expect a deep dive into the game ahead of its release on October 29. To set the stage, a new preorder trailer for the game was shown off, revealing action movie legend Donnie Yen and the role he played behind the scenes of the game. While Yen provided the likeness and motion capture for the character Mó Yuan, the father of Phantom Blade Zero's protagonist, he has also served as a creative consultant on the game since 2023, according to developer S-Game. If you're unfamiliar with him, Yen has cemented his status as an icon of cinema with his hard-hitting action movies and slick choreography in projects like Kill Zone, Iron Monkey, Blade 2, and the Ip Man series. https://youtu.be/aOU7KOPGVYU S-Game added that the State of Play livestream will introduce new characters from the game, as well as a closer look at the buildcrafting that players can utilize to fine-tune their approach to combat. If you're planning to watch, you'll probably want to switch the comments off, as virtually every Sony platform has been besieged by angry comments demanding that the company reverse its decision to end game disc production in 2028. While the backlash to the move has been mostly negative, Sony is still committed to an all-digital future for game releases on PlayStation hardware. Originally scheduled to launch on September 9, Phantom Blade Zero was delayed to October instead--most likely a safer move, given the sheer number of high-profile games out next month. Inspired by Chinese Wuxia action movies, the game features fast-paced combat and an imaginative dark fantasy aesthetic.
I was hoping "XCOM but Star Wars" would have been a little bit more than just Star Wars painted over XCOM.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is one of Microsoft's biggest upcoming games, but it remains largely a mystery, despite being announced more than eight years ago. Today, August 11, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma provided an update on it, saying she witnessed a "live playthrough" of the game. She also teased the game's subtitle, or at least that's what it seems like. "The scale and grandeur are incredible. The story is even greater," she said. Those are buzzwords that do not mean much of anything. More intriguingly, Sharma included asterisks in her post that suggest she's referring to the game's subtitle. Her post used eight characters, and people are theorizing as to what it could be, if that is indeed what she is teasing in the first place. The Elder Scrolls 6 is indeed likely to have a subtitle, as all previous games in the main series also did. These include The Elder Scrolls: Arena, The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. https://twitter.com/asha_shar/status/2087258678000779664 In July, Bethesda provided an update on The Elder Scrolls 6, saying it understands "it's been a very long wait for the sequel." "The next chapter is on the way. We’re where we planned to be, loving how it looks, and playing it every day," the studio explained. This statement came after the mass layoffs and upheaval at Xbox related to the "reset" of the business. The layoffs hit Bethesda as well, and staff at the studio said they fear further delays for The Elder Scrolls 6 and have expressed concerns about the "crushing effect on morale" related to the layoffs. The Elder Scrolls 6 is one of multiple new games in the works at Bethesda and its supporting teams. Some of the others include remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, while Obsidian is working on some other new Fallout game. Fallout 5 is also in the works.
The head of No Man's Sky developer Hello Games, Sean Murray, has said it would be a bad idea for his mental health to think about how much money the studio could have made by charging for the game's various expansions or by selling microtransactions. "I'm sure somebody could take me aside, take me into a room and show me some PowerPoint and show me that we could have made more money if we had done in-app purchase or, you know, if we had done DLC or something like that," Murray told GamesRadar. "'And maybe that would be true. I never want to see that PowerPoint." Murray and the team decided against this, though, because the studio wanted players to have access to all of the post-release content together. "What I know is that I really, really enjoy--and I think the team really gets a kick out of--working on an update and knowing that what I'm working on, everyone is going to experience this," he explained. "Every player that we have is going to experience this. And I think we really enjoy the journey, and the journey is only possible because every update compounds." He went on to say that a feature like the Xeno Arena, a turn-based creature-battle mode, would not work "if you're fragmenting your audience." "It's a big part of our motivation, what gets us out of bed in the morning," Murray said. "So it doesn't matter if it's not the most commercially efficient thing that we can do. I think what matters is that it makes us still excited about working on it 10 years out." No Man's Sky recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, and Murray separately said players have only discovered 1% of the game's world, even now. Hello Games is now working on a new game called Light No Fire, an ambitious-looking game with dragons; it has no release date yet.
EA and Battlefield Studios have released a new trailer for Battlefield 6 that shows off the upcoming fan-favorite map Wake Island, which arrives on August 18 alongside a Top Gun-themed crossover event. Wake Island, which first appeared in Battlefield 1942, is inspired by the real-life Wake Atoll in the Pacific ocean where a World War II battle took place, and it's among the most beloved Battlefield maps ever. The newest version of the map for Battlefield 6 looks pretty incredible, at least based on the newly released gameplay footage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4tHPByfAZk EA said Wake Island was "rebuilt" for Battlefield 6, and that includes a stronger focus on naval warfare, along with updates to the land- and air-based combat. The new update for Battlefield 6 coming on August 18 also adds the F/A-81F Super Spectre and F-74A Seacat two-seat jets, bringing back a feature not seen since Battlefield 2 some 21 years ago. Three characters from Top Gun are coming to Battlefield 6 in the update, and they are voiced by their original actors. These include Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), Lt. Robert “Bob” Floyd (Lewis Pullman), and Adm. Solomon “Warlock” Bates (Charles Parnell). The game will also get Top Gun-inspired cosmetics. Battlefield 6 was also in the news recently after the game's successful launch helped EA CEO get a higher bonus. EA also laid off a number of developers who helped make Battlefield 6 a major success, and now the franchise is owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund by way of its buyout of EA.
Halo Campaign Evolved is a celebration of the franchise, but not many people are attending that party. New estimates peg sales at 1.2 million copies sold across PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 so far, around $67 million in revenue, which isn't the best start for this remake of the original Halo campaign. Also available via Xbox Game Pass, the game is estimated to have 2.1 million players through the subscription service. According to Alinea Analytics' head of market analysis, Rhys Elliott, there are several reasons for this. Sales are split almost down the middle between Xbox Series X|S and PS5 at 42% and 41%, respectively, while Steam accounts for 17% of sales. This is up from its launch-week sales, but not by much. So what's the reason behind the lukewarm sales of the classic first-person shooter, which has gotten a new coat of paint and some fine-tuning under the gameplay hood? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LimYD3Ycwo As Elliott noted, Halo: Campaign Evolved's biggest competition on PC might be another Halo--specifically, Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The Halo game compilation offers better value for money and includes Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, a 2015 remake that's pretty solid in its own right. Throw in options for multiplayer and more Halo games to the mix, and the $40 price tag makes it a much more tempting offer compared to the $50 required for Halo: Campaign Evolved, which is more barebones in comparison. Shinier graphics, extra co-op missions, and the ability to sprint in that game just aren't enough, it seems. "The price is too high for a port like this one, and the Halo brand--candidly--has lost a lot of cache, Elliot wrote. "A lot of Steam users already own Master Chief Collection--8.5 million copies sold on Steam, as per our estimates--which offers more content for less. On PS5, Halo: Campaign Evolved is estimated to have sold 544,000 copies so far, neck and neck with Xbox despite the Sony platform having a larger userbase than its Microsoft rival. Elliot explained that while plenty of PS5 owners jumped in thanks to the nostalgia factor of Halo, sales were driven by an "older, nostalgia-driven crowd" that encompasses players who are roughly 32-40 years old. Many of these people were likely former Xbox 360 owners who had since moved to PlayStation hardware, but the game didn't make a big dent with a "fresh" PlayStation audience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woUnTCVv9JU Shooters, remakes, and legacy-leaning titles still sell well on the platform, as the audience overlap skews heavily toward the late PS2, Xbox 360, and early PS4 eras, Elliot explained. While Halo: Campaign Evolved didn't achieve the same velocity as several other Xbox ports did on PlayStation, bringing the Master Chief Collection with its multiplayer suite to that platform would have "certainly" done better, Elliot wrote. "At the very least, if the rumored Halo 2 remake ships with online multiplayer, it’ll sell a great deal more, assuming it comes to PlayStation at all." The co-creator of Halo and designer of Master Chief, Marcus Lehto, also shared his opinion on the remake recently, saying that he has a few issues with it but is generally happy with how it came out. Following the final update for Halo: Infinite in November 2025, Halo Studios has now begun work on new Halo projects.
Out of nowhere, the Embracer-owned Aspyr Media announced and released a new edition of The Lord of the Rings: War in the North today across PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC. The game was originally released in 2011 for PS3, Xbox 360, Switch 2, and PC, but now it's available on the latest generation of consoles for $20 (or $18 through August 25) as part of a "Legacy" edition. The new version features online or local split-screen co-op and "optimized" solo play, though further specifics about the updates and upgrades were not detailed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_gZuaXTDEo War in the North was originally developed by Snowblind Studios, which closed in 2012. The game takes place in Middle-earth, but doesn't adapt the books or movies. It does, however, feature characters and story details from J.R.R. Tolkien's books and Peter Jackson's movie series, following EA's own games that only had the rights to elements of Jackson's movies specifically. The game has three different playable characters: the ranger Eradan, the elf Andriel, and the dwarf Farin. Players can swap between each during battle. The characters have their own unique skills and abilities, and players can upgrade them over time with new weapons and powers. The game also incorporates the franchise's iconic eagles, with players able to call in Beleram to fight. Some of the characters players will meet in the game include Aragon, Gandalf, and Elrond, while the game also takes players to famous Middle-earth locations like Rivendell, Lorien, The Lonely Mountain, and Mirkwood. The Lord of the Rings might be set for a revival for video games, as Embacer--which now owns the rights to the series--has teased a renaissance for The Lord of the Rings games in the future. Kingdom Come developer Warhorse is making a new The Lord of the Rings RPG, while Crystal Dynamics is said to be developing one as well. Both studios are owned by Embracer.
Nintendo might be preparing for a 40th celebration of The Legend of Zelda series, with Switch 2 possibly getting its first special-edition system based on the beloved franchise. A new leak on social media shows a Triforce decked-out Switch 2 dock, with what appears to be black and green Joy-Con 2 controllers decorated with flourishes of gold. The Centro LEAKS account on X posted two purported pictures of the Zelda-themed Switch 2 and Switch 2 Pro Controllers. Nintendo hasn't released any official statements about a new system or controller--let alone anything about a Zelda 40th-anniversary event. However, it's been common in the past for the company to bring out special Zelda consoles for new games in the franchise, such as the Tears of the Kingdom OLED Switch and Hyrule Edition Switch Lite that launched alongside Echoes of Wisdom. https://twitter.com/CentroLeaks/status/2087196417433485448 In June, Nintendo did unveil a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time that's set to come out later this year. That said, the leaked images above don't seem to tie into that upcoming game specifically. Instead, the supposed special-edition system and controller seem more similar to the gold Hyrule Edition Switch Lite. Switch 2 is still outpacing original Switch hardware sales, with over 23 million sold so far. That means Switch 2 has already passed lifetime sales of Wii U and Nintendo GameCube. A couple of months ago, Switch 2 celebrated its first birthday. Meanwhile, Sony has officially announced a special-edition PS5 Marvel's Wolverine system, along with other products. Best Zelda Games, Ranked – Where Does Echoes of Wisdom Fall? View Images
There is no stopping Sony's all-digital future for video games. I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but the company's decision to kill off physical game discs in 2028 and effectively turn the PlayStation Store into the only place in town where you can grab a new PS5 title won't be stopped by an endless barrage of memes in the replies section. Like Thanos preparing to snap the universe into a 50% discount on life, it's inevitable. Sony has said as much in recent comments, carefully tiptoeing around the subject with polite, investor-friendly language and stats that seemingly reinforce the plan, as the company said that 82% of games sold during the April-June quarter were digital sales. We've written about the topic, how it's the end of an era, why people are so (justifiably) upset, and the response from some of the biggest names in the industry, but now is the time to look forward and focus those energies where it counts. If Sony wants to increase its profits and sell games in a digital-only format, then it also needs to ensure that the consumer process is safe and fair, because it'll have healthy competition from other platforms. And one way it could do that is by taking a page out of Steam's book, as Valve's digital platform helped usher in an end to physical PC game sales decades before Sony was catching flak for following in those footsteps. Sony needs to protect its customers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FatSqS3VYY&t=30s It's high time that Sony built a game-refund system for the PlayStation Store. The company has been slow to adopt one of the most basic forms of consumer protection, and outside of incredibly rare instances like Cyberpunk 2077 and Concord, you've been out of luck in case you bought a game that working as advertised. That needs to change, and Sony shouldn't just emulate Steam's process for refunds--buy a game, play it for less than two hours, or own it for less than two weeks and you can claim a refund--but improve on its entire storefront as well. One major way that Sony could make using its storefront better would be by focusing on discoverability, because right now, the front page is dominated by a mix of first-party releases, free-to-play games, and upcoming AAA releases. Curation is desperately needed, especially for the smaller developers putting out the kind of in-between content that helps fill the gap between big releases. Sony has made an effort to cut down on slop through its marketplace, sweeping low-effort trophy-farming titles out the door, but it needs to focus on balancing big-name releases with smaller games that deserve to be in the spotlight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOWq-zO-5t4 This shouldn't be too difficult either, as with all the data it collects on players, having a program that generates recommendations based on your gaming habits should be feasible. Throw in more user-friendly options like a rewards program--RIP PlayStation Stars--kill any plans around dynamic pricing, and you've got the start of a healthy marketplace to herald in the next PlayStation era. A specialized focus and consumers with more investment in the storefront is an easy win for everyone, and if Sony wants to pioneer a digital future for console gamers, then it owes them the best possible experience.
The recent Mortal Kombat movies have been hailed for adapting the bloody fighting games to the big screen, but will the duology ever become a trilogy? Simon McQuoid--the director of the two movies--isn't so sure, as he's currently focused on a very different project. When quizzed by The Wrap on the topic of Mortal Kombat 3, McQuoid diplomatically replied that he wasn't sure yet if a threequel would be made, but he was open to the idea. "I think it's still going through its life cycle. So I don’t know yet. I'm not sure," McQuoid said. "I feel like there are other stories that I want to tell that aren't necessarily in Mortal Kombat, and I have multiple things in development, one of which we're just casting now, and that's not Mortal Kombat at all--something that is in the real world and very much a deep dive into a singular character and character study. I'm excited about it. But I never want to close doors. I'm just always trying to open doors." Ludi Lin as Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat 2. The 2021 Mortal Kombat movie directed by McQuoid made $84 million at the global box office, but given that theaters were reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic at the time, the low figure is understandable. The 2026 sequel didn't do much better, bringing in only $129 million during its run. Hollywood movies are typically expected to at least double their production budget when they hit theaters, and with Mortal Kombat 2 reportedly having an $80 million budget, it fell short of that mark. It's worth noting that Mortal Kombat 2 also had a lengthy delay, as it was originally scheduled to launch on October 24, 2025. If a third movie does get greenlit and McQuoid returns to direct, he has hinted at telling different stories set in the Mortal Kombat universe. “That’s both overwhelming and really exciting,” he said earlier this year. “There’s always a, ‘What about that character?’ It never really stops.” While Mortal Kombat 3 looks unlikely for now, you won't have to wait too much longer to see another live-action fighting game adaptation on the silver screen. Street Fighter will be out on October 16, and judging by the recent teaser featuring Jason Momoa's Blanka, it looks like it's going to be wild.
Supermassive Games has announced job cuts for "up to 75" people--marking the third straight year of significant layoffs at the studio. This latest round of reductions comes almost three months after the release of Directive 8020, the newest entry in The Dark Pictures horror anthology. In a statement on X, Supermassive noted the firings were "a necessary step to help ensure the sustainability of the company." That's not the first time the Until Dawn developer has cited "sustainability" after layoffs, either. In 2024, there were reportedly 90 employees let go, with up to 150 positions at risk. Supermassive pointed to "continued sustainability of the company" in regard to those cuts. Then, in 2025, there were around 36 people laid off at Supermassive. Nordisk Games acquired Supermassive in 2022 and also owns Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios as well as Metroid Dread developer MercurySteam. In the past year, Avalanche has closed down its Liverpool location, and MercurySteam has enacted a round of job cuts, too, according to GameDeveloper. Supermassive is probably best known for 2015's Until Dawn, though it wasn't behind the Until Dawn remake. In fact, Sony revealed Until Dawn 2 back in June, developed by Firesprite. Meanwhile, Supermassive took over development duties for Little Nightmares 3, after Tarsier made the first two games in that series. Supermassive’s Best Movie-Style Horror Games Ranked View Images
Take-Two, which owns Rockstar and Grand Theft Auto, is not interested in selling. The company's top boss, Strauss Zelnick, appeared on CNBC recently where he was asked if Take-Two's partnership with Netflix for the next GTA 6 trailer might be the first step toward a buyout. It is not, he said, adding that Take-Two is not interested in selling to anyone at the moment. Zelnick pointed out that Take-Two has already "made a bunch of deals" with Netflix for distributing some of its games via Netflix Games. While some GTA games have been pulled from the Netflix Games library, subscribers can still play Red Dead Redemption via Netflix. Zelnick said Netflix, as a company, is all about increasing subscribers and making more money by releasing entertaining titles, and this could include more output in games. "So, it stands to reason that they would make their way into the business of games," Zelnick said. GTA 6 is launching this November. Asked if Netflix might move things along faster by making a big purchase of a gaming company, Zelnick said that's a question for Netflix co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters. Zelnick said Netflix, historically, has not done many "big acquisitions," instead preferring to grow organically. Netflix famously announced a buyout of Warner Bros. Discovery, but it fell apart after Paramount swooped in with more cash and better terms. In terms of gaming buyouts, Netflix has done this with acquisitions of companies like Night School Studio, Next Games, Boss Fight, and Spry Fox, to name a few. Netflix's efforts in the gaming space have not been totally smooth, of course, as previous management invested in AAA games and hired big names, before the company changed course and shifted focus to smaller-scale games. As for Take-Two possibly selling itself, Zelnick said that's unlikely right now. "I think we're very proud of the way we've built this company independently and we're now the largest pure-play that's public in the space worldwide," he said. "We expect to have over $8 billion in revenue this year. We generate profits year in, year out. I don't mean to imply that's easy or even predictable. We have to get up every morning and do it. But I think if anyone deserves to be an independent company, we do." Take-Two currently trades at more than $250/share with a market cap north of $47 billion. The company remains public after some of its peers went private, with Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard and Saudi Arabia's PIF recently closing its deal for Electronic Arts. Take-Two is poised for a big year, with GTA 6 launching in November on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar will finally show more of the game on August 27 via Netflix.
Job Simulator has long been one of the best reasons to own a VR headset, and it might be bringing the glory days of working behind a counter--or cubicle hell--to a flat screen near you. Homeworld: Vast Reaches developer FarBridge has announced Job Simulator: Human Relations, which will see up to four players work together to complete tasks during their virtual eight-hour shift, like competing for resources or surviving natural disasters to appease their robot overlords. While you won't be playing as squishy humans in this co-op chaos game, you will be piloting several robots attempting to navigate the human workplace. The project is seeking crowdfunding to help make it a reality, as FarBridge has launched a Kickstarter campaign for it. If the studio successfully raises $150,000, the funds will be used to support the game's development. Backers can expect invites to private playtests, exclusive development, and VIP Discord access as they contribute to the game. An "employment package" starts at $10, and higher tiers will include a Steam copy of the completed game, in-game recognition, and an opportunity to design a JobBot face or corporate motivational poster. If stretch goals are met, the game will expand with additional disasters, customization options, jobs, and more. https://youtu.be/xu--JYZ6RIY?si=lDzCaaJ5htxPBkQL "Job Simulator has always been good at finding the joke in the everyday nonsense of work," FarBridge CEO and founder Patrick Curry said in a press statement. "With Job Simulator: Human Relations, we started wondering what that would look like if you had to deal with all of it alongside your friends. That idea opened up a lot of possibilities, and we don’t want to figure them all out behind closed doors. Kickstarter gives us a way to keep building the game with players involved from the beginning." Owlchemy Labs CEOwl--no, really, that's their title--Andrew Eiche added that with Job Simulator turning 10 this year, the studio wanted to grow the cult-classic. FarBridge was a natural fit, given that they had already worked alongside Owlchemy on several projects and gelled with the developer's vibe. "They get our sense of humor, they understand how we build playful systems, and we trust them to bring that spirit to a new kind of experience for fans new and old," Eiche said. If you haven't played it yet, Job Simulator is set in 2050 and casts you as a living exhibit in the Museum of Human Employment. Aiming to recreate human working conditions, robots have gleaned information from social media posts, corporate training videos, and toxic productivity gurus, resulting in an inaccurate nine-to-five environment. Your role in all this? Do your job and hit production goals while avoiding the chaos erupting around you, all so that you can earn some sweet promotions and gameplay perks.
Marvel's Wolverine launches next month, and to celebrate, Sony has revealed a new limited-edition PS5 console and controller design inspired by the game. Dubbed the Marvel’s Wolverine Battle Yellow Limited Edition Bundle and priced at $650, fans of the Marvel mutant can choose between a PS5 Digital Edition that comes with both a matching DualSense wireless controller and a download code for the game, or they can pick up the $75 console covers for their base model PS5 and the PS5 Pro. Sony says that these will be available through the PlayStation Direct store, as well as through select retailers starting September 15, the same day that Marvel's Wolverine launches. https://youtu.be/9KDStKJtMZY The design includes a striking yellow finish, as well as an illustration of Wolverine by Jock, the graphic artist who has worked on numerous comic books over the years and film projects like 2012's Dredd. His design includes exposed claw marks that reveal the PS5 console chassis, and the overall look is inspired by the "Battle Reborn" costume that Wolverine wears in the field. The $85 DualSense controller also ties into that aesthetic, and it will be available as a standalone purchase. "I wanted to show Wolverine at his fiercest for Marvel’s Wolverine Limited Edition PS5 Console bundle and accessories. I still draw all my artwork traditionally, so the opportunity to marry cutting-edge hardware with the energy and looseness of hand-drawn ink is incredibly exciting. I’m stunned by how well the console and accessories captured the raw energy of the drawing, bringing Wolverine to life in a completely unique way." If that design is a little too yellow for you, there's an alternate PS5 Pro console cover and DualSense controller that features the same illustration on a silver background, emulating the unbreakable adamantium that coats Wolverine's bones. It won't make your PS5 unbreakable since it's made out of plastic, so try to avoid stress-testing the cover. Compared to the PS4 generation, Sony has released far fewer limited-edition PS5 consoles. Most of these designs have also been very underwhelming, with the Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Ghost of Yotei editions being either very subtle with their designs or too flashy--with the sole exception being the classy PlayStation 30th anniversary PS5 consoles. In contrast, some of the limited-edition DualSense controllers featured incredible designs that perfectly balanced the unique identity of their video games with distinct designs. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Marathon, and Concord's DualSense controllers stood out from the pack, and it's a shame that those designs never made it to PS5 consoles.
Modern Warfare 4's first beta session arrives next week to let players get hands-on time with this year's new game. Call of Duty betas typically only include multiplayer content, but the official social media account is hinting at a potential Warzone Resurgence map for beta testing as well. The latest episode of Infinity Ward's "From The Ward" docuseries was geared toward the new Kill Block multiplayer map shown at Fanatics Fest, but fans have spotted a teaser for an upcoming Warzone Resurgence map with the codename "Zodiac." As players questioned online when this map could potentially get announced, an official Call of Duty account replied by saying, "Find out in....beta?" https://twitter.com/CallofDutyCM/status/2086980684346806348 This tease doesn't give us a lot of details, but new Call of Duty games typically integrate a new Warzone map and content with the first seasonal update, which usually arrives a month or two after the game's launch. We'll likely get more information about this mysterious Zodiac map and the future of Warzone on August 21 with Call of Duty: Next, which is Activision's annual event to showcase upcoming games. There will be a few opportunities to play the Modern Warfare 4 beta, with the first beta session going live on August 21 directly after the Call of Duty: Next presentation. The initial content confirmed for the Modern Warfare 4 beta includes various multiplayer maps and game modes. Players will also be able to unlock up to 19 different weapons during the beta, giving them a feel for the arsenal that will be available with the launch of Modern Warfare 4. If Warzone is included in the beta, this will be a first for Call of Duty's battle royale. In addition to multiplayer content, Modern Warfare 4 also launches with a full campaign and the return of Infinity Ward's DMZ extraction mode from the Modern Warfare 2 reboot. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 releases on October 23 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2.
Rockstar's long-awaited open-world crime game Grand Theft Auto 6 releases in exactly 100 days, on November 19. Despite the game launching relatively soon, Rockstar has yet to actually say much about what to expect in terms of gameplay specifics, story details, what's happening with GTA Online, and basically everything else. There have been two trailers thus far, and they've offered a tantalizing look at the game's world and characters, but that's all we've gotten. Rockstar staying quiet is no doubt by design, to help further ratchet up hype and intrigue. But the floodgates are primed to open on August 27, which is when Rockstar will offer an "extended look" at the game via Netflix. For now, here are 100 questions we have about GTA 6 to mark 100 days until release. GTA 6 launches in November for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. 100 Questions About GTA 6 1. Will Claude, Niko, Michael, Tommy, Franklin, or Trevor make an appearance or be referenced? 2. How many guns/items can you hold at one time? 3. Will there be a Disney World theme park parody? 4. Does a hypothetical GTA 6 Online mean updates to GTA 5 Online are going to stop? 5. Is there any public transportation you can take? 6. Will there be a Strauss Zelnick character model like in WWE 2K? 7. Has gunplay been revised to feel more like a traditional shooter? 8. Can you eat peyote plants and become an animal? 9. Does your wanted rating work similarly to past GTA games? 10. Can you steal a jet? 11. Will there be dynamic weather? 12. Will there be a surfing gameplay mechanic? 13. How will smart phones, social media, and tech in general play a role in the game? 14. How long will it take to load the game? 15. Will we get a version of the game on disc eventually? 16. What PS5 Pro enhancements can we expect? 17. How many cars are there? What kinds of new cars can you drive? 18. How will Online reward current GTA 5 players? 19. Is there fast travel? 20. Can you drive a boat to Cuba? 21. How many properties are available to purchase? 22. How much of the map is ocean/water? 23. Will GTA 6 Online run parallel to GTA 5 Online? 24. Are there multiple endings? 25. Can Jason and Lucia date other people or cheat on one another? 26. What locations from GTA: Vice City are being reimagined in 6? 27. Will we finally get to interact with UFOs? 28. Better yet, will we finally get to shoot those mysterious space invaders? 29. How flexible is the clothing system? How much can you add/remove/move individual accessories or outfit elements? 30. Can you grow muscles? Gain weight? Lose weight? 31. Who are the voice actors playing Jason and Lucia? 32. How long will it take to beat? 33. Will there be an alternate way to get/buy the Ultimate Edition contents? 34. Does drinking alcohol impair your character's mobility, etc. 35. Will GTA 4-style branching choices return? 36. How many minigames and activities will there be? 37. Over how much time does the story span? 38. How will Donald Trump be represented in the game? 39. Can you steal a tank? 40. Will there be a Mar-a-Lago parody? 41. Is there post-launch story content or DLC? 42. Do characters have stats, as in GTA 5? 43. What is the most ridiculously detailed in-game asset? 44. Will you be able to go inside more buildings than in the past? 45. Can you wrestle alligators? 46. Can you still work as a cab driver, firefighter, etc.? 47. Can we expect more cryptids like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster? 48. Can you play offline? 49. Is Sony going to offer the game in a PS5 bundle? 50. What sports can you play? 51. Will we have to fuel our vehicles this time? 52. Are Jason and Lucia in an open relationship? 53. How will microtransactions be structured in the new version of GTA Online? 54. Can you pet the dog? Cat? Fish? 55. Is there a first-person mode? 56. Will it have performance/quality preset modes on any platforms? 57. Can you visit the Kennedy Space Center and/or launch into space? 58. How has NPC behavior evolved? 59. How does switching between Jason and Lucia work? Are they interchangeable or do they have their own missions, GTA 5-style? 60. How long will it take to watch all the credits? 61. Will GTA 6 be banned in Australia? 62. Will it have accessibility options? Difficult settings? 63. Does your content from GTA 5 online carry over to GTA 6 Online? 64. How will the game lean into the "Florida man" memes? 65. How many outfits does each character get? 66. How much of it is swamplands? 67. Will there be any other playable areas outside of Leonida, similar to GTA 5's North Yankton prologue? 68. Will the Cement Men still be stuck at the bottom of Vice City's rivers? 69. Is there a secret third playable character? 70. How will the game leverage GTA+? 71. Are any other celebrities their likenesses or voices to GTA 6? 72. What parts of our current culture and political climate will be heavily referenced? 73. Will we get another Phil Collins concert in Vice City? 74. What kind of aerial vehicles are there? 75. Will there be celebrity radio hosts? 76. When is online coming? 77. Can you swim and generally do things underwater? 78. Can you hunt? 79. Will there be cheat codes? 80. We heard Tom Petty in the first trailer--will the game honor the late Florida legend in any other ways? 81. How will the game utilize the PS5 DualSense controller for haptics/sounds/etc.? 82. Are there hidden packages to collect? 83. How does the Ultimate Edition content work for people who buy the $80 edition--can you just not walk into the exclusive hair salon, for instance? 84. Does anything in GTA 6's single-player carry over to Online? 85. How will other Rockstar games be referenced? 86. How many radio stations will GTA 6 have? 87. How large is the install size? 88. How big is the map? 89. How will the game run on Xbox Series S? 90. How many NPCs can be on-screen at one time? 91. Will Jason and Lucia's story end in tragedy? 92. What is the most recent event that is referenced in some way? 93. Will the map further expand post-launch? 94. Are there any endlessly replayable modes or things to do in the single-player? 95. Will I get to travel to international waters? 96. When is the PC version coming? 97. How will the game utilize user-generated content (UGC)? 98. Does it have fishing? 99. Can you still hit up a casino to gamble? 100. Will there be a Switch 2 version someday?
I'm a bit bummed that I don't like Star Wars Zero Company more than I do. The upcoming turn-based-tactics game is set during my absolute favorite moment in the Star Wars' timeline, The Clone Wars, and games that are just like it--like XCOM: Chimera Squad and Marvel's Midnight Suns--are some of my most-played games in recent years. If pressed, I'd tell you that Zero Company is a good game (or at least, the four hours of it I've played are good). But of what I've seen so far, there's nothing about the game that makes it really stand out from its peers. Zero Company seems to play things too safe, sticking to a tried-and-true formula that works. Zero Company has you play as Hawks, a former military officer who is now leading the titular squad, a group of operatives who engage in all types of missions for credits. In missions, you command Hawks and several teammates (typically three others) through turn-based battles, directing how each operator uses their three action points per turn to move through a firefight and shoot enemy soldiers. Squadmates possess unique abilities that allow them to specialize in specific combat roles as well, and all share a pool of cumulating points that can be spent at any time to unleash a character's specific powerful attack, like firing a rocket launcher. If you've played an XCOM game, you already know what you're signing up for. Zero Company plays pretty much exactly like one, which is no surprise since the Bit Reactor team is founded and composed of folks who worked on the XCOM games. Now, I like XCOM. I've enjoyed playing the XCOM games. If we were to get another XCOM game, I'd want it to play like XCOM. But even with all that said, I do wish that Zero Company felt a bit more than just XCOM with Star Wars painted over it. The game is its own thing--it should feel like its own thing. And to reiterate: Of what I've played, Zero Company is good. But I look at other games that are similar to XCOM, like Midnight Suns, and I'm disappointed Zero Company doesn't do more to distinguish itself from what came before. Midnight Suns, for example, ditched using a percentage chance to hit enemies to instead rely on a system of deck-building and knocking enemies into other characters and environmental hazards. It maintained that sense of randomness and strategy that is crucial to the XCOM games, but carved its own identity to feel like a distinct experience. From what I've seen of Zero Company, it doesn't do anything to separate itself from the pack. It entirely relies upon what is already known to be good. Which is fine! I do realize that my disappointment is entirely based on my own hopes and expectations. It's also entirely possible that I just did not have a chance to see whatever evolution to the tactics-game formula Zero Company will make. Even after playing the game for four hours, I was still getting tutorials, unlocking more mechanics and features, and recruiting more characters. So even though I played the game for quite a while, it still felt like I was in the tutorial section. Once the main story gets past all the set-up, it's possible some mechanic or feature will be introduced that transforms the experience in a way I've yet to see in a tactics game. "Having worked on both XCOM games, [there's] a little bit of a legacy," Bit Reactor co-founder, CEO, and creative director Greg Foertsch told me. "And so, coming at it from more of an artist's approach, it's kind of like you have a short memory. Like the last thing I painted is the last thing I painted, and the next thing I paint, I hope to be better. And so, halfway through [the next thing], you might question it, but you know that every time you pick up a paintbrush that the next thing you do is going to be better than the last thing. So for [Zero Company], yeah, there's some familiar stuff and it's great, but it's just as great to push the genre forward." "From somebody who didn't work on XCOM or a tactical strategy game before--this is my first tactical strategy game--there's the lineage of the dev team and what they know [to consider], and it makes sense to use the muscles you've trained and to follow up with a pattern that people want," Bit Reactor narrative director Aaron Contreras added. "[And] then you also look at what's happening in the tactical strategy space and what you want to adapt and bring in some flavors from stuff that's happened outside of what you've done in the past since it's fresh. And you look at the limitations of what you're able to do between time and budget and ask, 'What is the team strong at? What is this group of people able to do? What didn't we get a chance to do on the last game that we did in this genre?'" According to Foertsch and Contreras, the Star Wars element is the "x factor" of Zero Company. That's the element that's going to help the game stand out from the likes of XCOM, as the theming of Star Wars' narrative will emphasize certain aspects of Zero Company's design that were deemphasized in XCOM and titles like it. And to be fair, I do think the setting, story, and characters could be where Zero Company surprises me the most. While the gameplay feels quite familiar to other tactics games four hours in, I was surprised by just how much Zero Company puts an emphasis on story and characters. Between missions, you'll return to your team's hub and as Hawks, you can walk around and talk to your squadmates, as well as listen in to their conversations between each other. It has a very returning-to-Garreg-Mach-Monastery or hanging-in-the-Abbey feel, like in Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Midnight Suns, respectively. "I think the hub came from Greg's design to have the third-person explorable sequences in specific missions," Contreras said. "So we had that mode in and we were going to support it, and then if you have that, you already have everything you need to move around a hub [area] in third person." In my time with the game, not every character grabbed my attention, but two or three did interest me enough to keep coming back to over and over between missions. Your squadmates have their own feelings toward Hawks, which can improve by doing missions for them or by agreeing with their moral stance on an issue during points in the game where you have to make decisions. They can also change between each other depending on how often you team them up or command them to aid each other in battle. "That's a way we can give you an experience that isn't common in tactical strategy," Contreras continued. "And then from a narrative perspective, we have a bond system--which came from the design team, like that was an existing [feature], a notion that what makes Zero Company a unit and our own unique thing--that we're really pushing. In the design of the game, the relationships between these different heroes, these operators, makes the team mechanically stronger." "So [since] that's very important to the mechanics of the game, you want to realize that in the hub space as well, so that as a player with permadeath, you're bonding with all these characters, [and] when they die or they grow, all those things are feeding each other." "It feels right for this game and it feels like a new way to transition that's very different from how a lot of these games in the past approach a series of systems that they try to wrap stories around," Foertsch added. "We've woven a story all through the systems and vice versa in some cases, so it feels much more holistic and connected than I think our previous work." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWSqVggKhFY I didn't see much of that in my time with that game, but that system of interconnectivity is what I'm most interested in seeing. While the game sees the squad fighting on the side of the Galactic Republic against the Separatist Alliance, the make-up of the squad includes former Republic soldiers, ex-Seperatist loyalists, and criminals and bounty hunters who don't care about either side. There's even a noblewoman who is simply aiding the squad in an effort to reclaim control of a planet that once belonged to her family. Zero Company could tackle one of the most politically charged moments in Star Wars lore in a way we haven't really seen in Star Wars video games before, but have seen in the books and TV shows. It really all comes down to the writing for the conversations between squadmates, and how well the changing relationships between characters could affect the overall narrative. And, of course, it matters how well the story can still be told with permadeath on the table. Squad-based games with excellent character-driven stories usually work because there's no way for the members of the squad to die until the end. Unless you specifically turn permadeath off, every character in Zero Company can die, save for Hawks. I don't mind that at all. The challenge of keeping a squad alive from beginning to end is usually a thrill in these games, and makes the pain of every lost operator hit even harder. But what I'm worried about is the story. If Zero Company does deliver a good, character-driven story, does it still do so if some of the main characters die early? Because the randomly generated characters that you can recruit don't seem to have enough of a personality to fit into any narrative holes that the death of an authored operator would create. "Hawks' story has a strong arc," Contreras said. "Whoever your Hawks is, they sort of go on this journey through to the end of it that's relatively consistent from playthrough to playthrough. Where we put the emphasis for Zero Company into choice and consequences is in the composition of your team. It's the fantasy of 'What does your team look like at the end of that journey? Did you build up these relationships? Did you take your Clone Trooper and your Umbaran--cats and dogs [even] when working together--and did you make them buddies, or did you let them stay at odds? Did you only roll with Astromec [droids]? Did you lean one way or another politically? How did your choices during Dilemmas go?' That's where a lot of the variety happens over the course of the game, [as well as] how your team ends up at the end of it." We really won't have that long to wait to see how the game ultimately shakes out. Star Wars Zero Company is scheduled to launch for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC on August 27.
Developer House House and publisher Panic announced today that their co-op multiplayer puzzle/exploration/goof-around game Big Walk has achieved huge sales success in just under a week. In a post on Bluesky, Panic announced that Big Walk has already passed over one million units in sales. For small development teams and publishers, one million is a tremendous milestone--one that plenty of big commercial releases from major publishers often fail to reach. But we've seen a fair few massive indie hits in 2026 so far. Today the official X account of Ball X Pit posted that they've just crossed 2 million in sales while also teasing future content updates. Bizarre raising sim/RPG hybrid Mewgenics also crossed the million mark, reportedly earning back its development cost in a matter of mere hours. https://twitter.com/BALLxPIT/status/2086869077469872285 Other indie darlings, such as ReStory and Mina the Hollower, have also trumpeted their sales figures--and while they hadn't hit the magic millions at the time of the posts, six-figure sales are certainly nothing to sneeze at for indie titles. And, of course, there are tremendous breakout hits like Meccha Chameleon, which has sold over 15 million copies--absolutely eclipsing the expectations of anyone, most of all its small development team in Japan. These indie success stories are certainly feel-good moments in a sea of what seems like unrelenting bad industry news. However, it's easy to forget that indie development--and success--rarely comes easily. For every massive indie hit, there are hundreds of quality indie games yearning for success and recognition that go largely unnoticed, whose developers are praying for a hit so they can finally quit their day job. If there's a small game you love, be sure to spread the word--your voices are what can help turn a small passion project into a life-changing success.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has swung into theaters and shattered numerous records; everyone and their Aunt May went to see this film, it seems. And thankfully, it’s good! After a trilogy of Tom Holland movies that purposefully went in a different direction than what fans had come to expect of the character in prior adaptations--and to divisive results--Brand New Day ties up this iteration of Peter Parker in a much more familiar web. In the latest film, the hero is devoted to his career of fighting crime, with zero time left for a personal life; he has to wrestle with his moral compass in order to stop the bad guy while remaining the hero; and he lives in a rundown Manhattan apartment that likely still costs multiple thousands of dollars. However, one of the movie’s greatest strengths also doubles as a point of weakness, particularly if you return to the Marvel's Spider-Man games developed by Insomniac after watching it. Despite Brand New Day’s best intentions to move Spider-Man toward his roots and away from his ties to the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe, the movie is still absolutely a part of the MCU machine. It sees Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk return to the films, while Jon Bernthal’s Punisher finally gets to make his big screen debut. We also get a new iteration of a popular character from Marvel comics, who ultimately acts as the film’s big bad. Spider-Man and Punisher team up in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. I call this one of the movie’s greatest strengths, because their inclusion, in my opinion, is how Marvel should be handling these kinds of crossovers. Their appearances feel natural and meaningful to the narrative rather than to simply satisfy contractual obligations or have them filmed on green screen to be inserted into existing scenes. Their interactions with Peter, both as himself and his heroic alter ego, help bolster the webhead’s story while teaching the characters meaningful lessons of their own. However, the inclusion of all these other characters also opens up the film to some critique. While I enjoyed the story director Destin Daniel Cretton and his crew chose to tell with the film’s shadowy villain, the narrative could have been much better served if that role was actually filled by a member of Spider-Man’s rogues gallery. Early on in the production of the film, it was heavily speculated Brand New Day's story would include Mr. Negative, the villainous alter ego of Martin Li who, when not organizing crime, helps run a charity for the homeless called F.E.A.S.T. While there’s the simple connection that Mr. Negative was introduced in the Brand New Day arc of Spider-Man comics, there’s also the fact that the villain of the movie is able to inhabit the minds of other people. While Mr. Negative cannot possess others directly, he does have the ability to persuade them to do what he says, and with some tinkering to the script, he easily could have served as the movie’s antagonist while keeping a lot of the other elements of its story intact. Instead, the film features a character in that role that will leave Peter’s world and go onto serve as a foundation in a different corner of the MCU, and because of that choice, Brand New Day is ultimately tainted by sins akin to those in the first Tom Holland trilogy. Mr. Negative as depicted in Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Over four films, many characters have come and gone from Peter’s orbit, pulled away by the gravity of other MCU projects or have exited due to narrative developments, some of which occur outside of the Spider-Man movies themselves. But one of the big draws to Spidey as a character is how interconnected his web of both allies and enemies is, and that is expertly displayed in the Marvel’s Spider-Man games from Insomniac. Martin Li is integral to both Marvel's Spider-Man and Marvel's Spider-Man 2. In the first game, his actions as Mr. Negative lead to the death of Miles Morales’ father midway through its campaign. Miles, who becomes another Spider-Man in his own game and serves as one of the protagonists in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, has one of the best moments in all three titles when confronting Li toward the end of that game. Li, who is trying to repent for his past crimes, teams up with Miles in an attempt to save Peter’s life. When it looks like Li might have to sacrifice himself in order to do so, Miles decides to try and reconcile with the former villain, despite having mixed feelings about it. “I won’t forgive you. It’s just not in me,” Miles says. “But I can’t carry this hate for you anymore, man. So let’s set things right.” It’s just one of the many powerful moments across the trilogy of games, and that power comes from the series’ excellent world-building. In Brand New Day we get a glimpse at Spider-Man’s rogues gallery with an opening montage of the superhero’s escapades since the events of 2021’s No Way Home. However, the only villain who gets any real screen time is Scorpion. Michael Mando’s Mac Gargan, who had a brief appearance in the first Tom Holland movie Homecoming, finally returns as a full-fledged supervillain. Yet despite being a classic Spider-Man antagonist and having been established in the MCU, Gargan serves as nothing more than a possessed puppet in Brand New Day. In the comics, as well as other adaptations, Gargan becomes the Scorpion in an experiment funded by J. Jonah Jameson, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle who absolutely despises Spider-Man. The procedure twists Gargan’s mind, as the Scorpion suit is permanently grafted to his body. As such, the villain repeatedly targets not only Spidey, but Jameson as well, often forcing the former to have to defend the latter, and neither party is ever happy about it. Spider-Man and Scorpion in their classic comic style. While the Scorpion is also featured in both of the Insomniac games, he is similarly an underdeveloped character there as well. However, he is a big part of an important moment in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 when Kraven dispatches him with ease, demonstrating the hunter’s skills and savvy, setting him up as a formidable opponent for the wall-crawler to have to deal with. Jameson also has appeared in the Holland movies too, with J.K. Simmons reprising the role after portraying the character in the original Tobey Maguire trilogy. But Simmons’ portrayal of the raging news editor in No Way Home is a far cry from his iconic interpretation of the character in the movies from the early 2000s, acting as little more than the face of an anti-Spider-Man campaign. He has little impact in the story, even if his tirades against Spider-Man do partly motivate Peter’s decision to wipe everyone’s memory of him as the wall-crawler. Holland and Zendaya provide excellent, well-rounded portrayals of Peter and MJ, but they’re the only Spider-Man characters in this quadrilogy of movies that I can really say that about. Marisa Tomei was an inspired choice for Aunt May, but in this iteration, the existence of Uncle Ben and his tragic death--which canonically only occurs because of a selfish decision made by Peter--is completely ignored or maybe didn’t even happen. The removal of Uncle Ben takes a tantalizing aspect of the young hero's development and his relationship with his aunt completely off the table. Jacob Batalon’s Ned is a fun character, but has incredibly limited development compared to the likes of Harry Osborn, the traditional choice for Peter’s best friend and whose father also happens to be Spider-Man’s greatest foe. And speaking of foes, while the villains in the Holland movies have been mostly great, they are either--in the case of Mysterio--dead, or stuck in another universe. That includes Homecoming’s Vulture, who was inexplicably transported into the world of Morbius as a way to try and connect Sony’s disastrous non-Spider-Man Spider-Man movies to the Hollandverse. The Vulture as depicted in Spider-Man: Homecoming. For the most part, every other character of consequence that has appeared in the Holland Spider-Man movies–Tony Stark, Happy Hogan, Nick Fury, Doctor Strange–has been an imported MCU character, and no matter how well those crossovers are pulled off in Brand New Day, half of the film’s cast falls into that bucket. In comparison, the Insomniac Spider-Man games develop a wealth of Spidey-first characters; Miles Morales, his mother Rio, Harry and Norman Osborn, Otto Octavius, Martin Li, Yuri Watanabe, Felica Hardy, Kraven the Hunter, Wilson Fisk--I could go on. And while a game has a lot more breathing room to develop characters, I would hazard to say that, for all their own faults, both the Maguire and Andrew Garfield cinematic outings at least attempted to grow Peter Parker’s inner and outer circles. When the Holland movies have the opportunity to do that, a slot that could be filled by one of Spider-Man’s own characters is instead given to an extended Marvel family member. I’m not expecting a two-to-three-hour movie to be able to deftly juggle as large an ensemble as the Insomniac games do over their dozen plus hour campaigns. However, the effort those titles put into fleshing out Spider-Man’s world pays off in dividends for all of its characters, while also laying fertile ground for future installments to grow from. Each of the Holland movies is narrowly focused on building up Peter as a character, and plugging in other MCU heroes where it makes sense at the behest of that goal. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man might live in a friendly neighborhood, but it’s a disappointingly small one that, after four movies, should be wall crawling with a litany of the comic run’s most iconic characters.
Overwatch is making big changes to its battle pass as part of Season 4, with a new multi-track system that even gives players an option to swap out and replace a skin they don't want. As explained in a new "Director's Take" blog post by Overwatch product director Chris McCabe, Blizzard said it recognizes that due to Overwatch's ever-expanding roster of 50+ heroes, not every battle pass will have rewards for the heroes a particular player is most excited about. The solution Blizzard is introducing is to not only break the battle pass into smaller chunks so players can more quickly pursue the rewards that interest them the most, but also offer an option to change some of the rewards entirely. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiIquLrEqC4 Starting in Season 4, players will be able to, once per premium battle pass purchase, "hack" a legendary skin at the end of a reward track and replace it with a "curated list of past Overwatch shop and loot box skins," McCabe said. "So, if you're a Tank player who's not interested in the Damage and Support skins in your battle pass, you can use your Tier Hack to swap that Cassidy skin with one you'll appreciate more," McCabe said. "Perhaps a Legendary Reinhardt skin with more crayon and duct tape than chrome? Up to you." The pool of skins that can be used to replace one from the battle pass will change every season, and will always include skins for heroes across all three of the game's roles. Season 4 will feature 12 legendary skins as part of the Tier Hack pool to choose from. This new Tier Hack system will go hand-in-hand with Overwatch's new "track"-based battle pass. Instead of one, linear, 80-tier list of rewards players need to unlock in order, the battle pass will be divided into six chunks. Players will need to complete a shorter introductory track for each season but can then choose to make progress towards any of the other five reward tracks. What track is active can be changed at any time. After all six tracks are complete, players will progress towards prestige titles and rewards as usual. A look at Overwatch's new battle pass interface. Blizzard's free-to-play hero shooter is hardly the first to employ this type of battle pass system. It's also been done in other live-service games like Call of Duty, Battlefield 6, and Blizzard's own Diablo 4, just to name a few, something Blizzard is more than aware of. McCabe said Blizzard isn't trying to reinvent the wheel, but give players more choice over what rewards to go for first. Despite the new track system and a UI/UX makeover, Blizzard made clear the number of rewards in the battle pass, and the amount of work required to make progress, isn't changing. "Instead, our goal is to give you more control over what rewards you unlock, and in what order," McCabe said. Overwatch Season 4 launches August 11, and alongside its battle pass changes, will introduce a new MEKA Tank hero, D.Mon, to the roster. In other Overwatch news, Blizzard announced last season that the game's newest core game mode, Stadium, would not receive new content going forward. Despite that news, Overwatch seems to be riding high of late overall, with a recent report attributing the shooter's recent success as a key reason for why Blizzard is now Xbox's top studio.
The removal of Rush from Battlefield 6 isn't going over well within the game's community, as developer Battlefield Studios confirms it's exploring ways to bring it back. Playlists for the mode, along with several others like King of the Hill and Team Deathmatch, were removed with no real warning or fanfare from Battlefield 6 following its minor patch 1.4.1.5 update on August 4. The modes were also removed from custom searches, relegating the modes to Battlefield 6's Portal custom games. According to the official Battlefield Comms social media account several days after the fact, developer Battlefield Studios said this was to "improve matchmaking quality by focusing players into the playlists seeing the most activity, creating more consistent matches that fill, and getting our players into the action faster." https://x.com/BattlefieldComm/status/2085773140324761604?s=20 Rush has been a Battlefield staple for years, even if its implementation and smaller player-count matches in Battlefield 6 left something to be desired. But its removal entirely from official playlists has not been a popular decision, with players on the game's forums and Reddit reacting to the mode's removal with disbelief. One Steam player with close to 500 hours even allegedly went as far to request (and receive) a Battlefield 6 refund on Steam. "Battlefield Studios, you don't get to remove the game modes I play and still keep my money," ExplorEverythingOnce said. https://www.reddit.com/r/Battlefield/comments/1vi90wa/steam_just_fully_rfunded_me_for_battlefield_6/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=post_embed&utm_term=1&utm_content=1 Battlefield Studios, for its part, stated it recognizes that some of the removed modes are "community favorites, regardless of how often they're played," and is looking at ways to bring them back into matchmaking. "We're closely monitoring the impact of these playlist changes and will continue making adjustments where they're needed," Battlefield Studios said. Battlefield 6's naval-combat themed Season 4 is currently in full swing, with the return of Wake Island and a Top Gun crossover scheduled to arrive August 18.
Out of all of Xbox's studios (of which there are admittedly fewer now following mass layoffs and studio divestitures), Blizzard is reportedly the "top performing." That's according to a new report from Windows Central based on emails sent by Blizzard president Johanna Faries to staff last week. In the emails, Faries celebrated the studio's performance ahead of BlizzCon in September, an event she hopes will "serve as a powerful springboard into a new era of momentum and excitement." Faries went on to state Blizzard ended the 2026 fiscal year as the "top-performing studio in Xbox's studios division, and this past year has marked our third highest fiscal for top line revenue in Blizzard's history." Faries doesn't elaborate on what exactly "top performing" means, but Blizzard saw its first consecutive years of growth since fiscal year 2017. Faries attributed the growth to two games specifically. "Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred and Overwatch drove exceptional performance in particular, with Overwatch delivering its strongest quarter since 2022," Faries said. Both Diablo 4 and Overwatch have certainly had big years, as did World of Warcraft, which also released a new expansion earlier this year. Diablo 4's latest expansion was well-received, even if its latest season seemed to take two steps back. Even Diablo 2: Resurrected, a remaster of a 26-year-old game, received new content in the form of the Reign of the Warlock DLC. Overwatch, meanwhile, underwent a transformation of its own earlier this year, when it dropped the "2" from its name and introduced five new heroes at once. News that Blizzard is Xbox's top-performing studio of the last year isn't exactly a shock, especially considering the poor performance of last year's Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. But it's a little surprising Blizzard hasn't been Xbox's top performer ever since Microsoft's acquisition of the studio back in 2023. Not many studios are capable of operating multiple popular live-service games at once, and Blizzard has three big ones. Though WoW wasn't cited as a reason for growth, it alone has millions of players paying a monthly subscription fee, and both Overwatch and Diablo seem more popular (and more monetized) than ever. While one of Blizzard's games individually might not be able to compete toe-to-toe with juggernauts like Call of Duty or Minecraft, it's clear Blizzard's entire output combined is a powerful source of engagement and revenue for Microsoft. As for what's next for Blizzard, BlizzCon is right around the corner on September 12-13, where there will no doubt be plenty of reveals about the future of Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo. Persistent rumors also point towards a new StarCraft game being revealed. Faries said last year 2026 will be Blizzard's "biggest year yet" and that she wants Blizzard to be the "best gaming and entertainment company in the world." This year's BlizzCon will "reflect that ambition in a bigger way," she said.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls launched last week, and its first patch is taking aim at the many technical teething issues on PC. Poor optimization appears to be one of the major issues, as many users online have reported it being demanding on their systems despite having moderate PC requirements. "We've been working on a number of fixes and improvements aimed at reducing performance issues, improving stability, and addressing some specific problems," Arc System Works wrote in an update. According to the patch notes, Arc has several fixes to help reduce overall CPU usage, improve frame rates, and address several bugs in the fighting game. Addressing the performance drops specifically, Arc noted that unnecessary checks could be the culprit, and one of the issues it identified was one where the game would unnecessarily check for available audio inputs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBw6b8VGPxk&pp=0gcJCckLAYcqIYzv Once the new patch has been installed, make yourself a fresh cup of your beverage of choice, as it'll be recommended for you to go through the lengthy shader compilation process. Here's the full list of patch notes: PC Fixes Reduced CPU Usage Multiple fixes have been implemented to reduce overall CPU usage, including: An issue where the CPU ran high throughout the start-up process. An issue where additional load on the system was being created due to periodic audio processing during matches. Sudden Performance Drops We identified an issue where the game was regularly checking for available audio inputs. These unnecessary checks could cause sudden frame drops and performance drops. This has now been addressed. Frame Rate Drops Fixed an issue where the frame rate would drop when certain resolutions were selected. Bug Fixes Battle Settings Fixed an issue where restarting the game with certain customization items or colors enabled would cause the settings to revert to default. Online Lobby Fixed an issue where changing how attack buttons were displayed to action icons resulted in some buttons becoming unresponsive during the open lobby mini games. PC Warm Up Those Shaders With the game being updated to the latest version, the PC version will prompt you to warm up the shaders. Do so now for a smoother experience. Auto Graphics Quality Setting Improved auto spec detection to select a graphics profile that better fits your system. While Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls has a high review aggregate of 88 on GameSpot's sister site Metacritic, user scores on Steam have been much lower. Many people have complained about the launch weekend issues hampering play, ranging from temperamental online lobbies to the mandatory PlayStation Network profile required for the PlayStation-published game. If you're still planning to jump into the Marvel brawler--where performance on PS5 appears to be much smoother--you can check out GameSpot's guides, like our Marvel Tokon character tier list and how long it takes to beat the single-player campaign, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Roster – Every Character Revealed (So Far)
GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen might be ready to pull the plug on his ambitious plan to purchase eBay for $56 billion, a new report claims. Cohen--who came up with the plan while seated on his porcelain throne--had been pursuing the deal ever since it was announced, but eBay rejected the offer, saying it was “neither credible nor attractive.” According to Bloomberg, Cohen is now considering a different strategy that would revolve around a partnership between eBay and GameStop to sell more collectible items like trading cards. GameStop has roughly 1,600 physical stores across the US, and Cohen has also spoken about creating a marketplace for digital gaming items through eBay. While eBay specializes in selling physical items like art and trading cards, Cohen added that video game in-game items were "massive," and eBay would be the perfect platform to sell them. This is just one of several options available to GameStop, according to people familiar with the matter, but it has declined to comment about its future plans. While GameStop hasn't succeeded yet in acquiring eBay, it does have a 9.8% stake in the ecommerce platform. The original offer made to eBay's shareholders was to purchase each share for $125--50% in cash and 50% in GameStop stock--but where GameStop would get the money to finance this remains a mystery. https://youtu.be/PeNclyAl9N4?si=cKAyYAHy66y1fOKw GameStop has a market cap of around $12 billion, while eBay is currently valued at almost $54 billion. Cohen said that he could secure $20 billion in debt financing from TD Bank, while GameStop had $9 billion in cash that could be used toward the acquisition. The rest of the cash would come from outside sources, with Middle East sovereign wealth funds reportedly being one of the sources. Cohen originally stood to receive a pay package worth approximately $35 billion if the deal went through, but he canceled this plan. "It's ultimately either going to be genius or totally, totally foolish," Cohen said earlier this year. “There are a lot of diamonds in the rough … that have sleepy management teams. I didn’t fix GameStop to stop there.” If he succeeded in purchasing eBay, Cohen said in previous comments that he'd follow his GameStop business playbook by cutting costs and expanding into live commerce further. This is something that eBay does offer through eBay Live, livestreams hosted on the site where sellers promote their products to potential consumers--similar to an old-school after-hours live infomercial.
The Nintendo Switch version of Aliens: Fireteam Elite is now completely removed from sale and impossible to play for people who bought it. Developer Cold Iron Studios announced earlier this year that Fireteam Elite, a game that runs in the cloud and not locally, would be shut down on August 5, and now that day has come. The game was delisted on the Switch's eShop earlier this year, along with other digital platforms. However, the game remains playable on other platforms in an offline state. Because the Switch version is streamed over the cloud, it's now totally unplayable. Fireteam Elite originally launched in August 2021 on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, before coming to Switch in April 2013 via the cloud. A sequel, Fireteam Elite 2, is coming this August on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, with the Switch 2 edition arriving later in the year. These kinds of issues, along with physical media going away, has prompted anger and frustration from fans, along with concerns about game preservation. Cloud gaming has been around for years, in various stages, and Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick recently said he expects adoption to continue to grow. During an earnings call recently, Zelnick said he believes the industry will be in "commercial streaming mode" within three years. He and others have theorized that expanded access to cloud gaming could help bring in more revenue by way of reaching more people. With console prices continuing to go up, people might see cloud gaming as an increasingly attractive opportunity to play the latest games without needing to own expensive hardware. For this to work, though, there needs to be low latency, Zelnick said. People would also need steady and reliable connections, along with internet plans with generous data caps, or no caps at all. The road to cloud gaming has been paved with plenty of issues. Google's Stadia service previously shut down and the cloud versions of Kingdom Hearts games, like Fireteam Elite for Switch, will be shut down in the future. These are issues that could engender mistrust with the entire concept of cloud gaming. In 2019, Zelnick said clouding gaming was not going to revolutionize the gaming industry, nor did he buy into the theory that cloud streaming would open up a whole new market of people who previously didn't play games.
Following its reveal at Summer Game Fest earlier this year, 1666: Amsterdam quickly became my most anticipated game of 2026. While the entire world seems to be pining for Rockstar's next big adventure in Vice City, after that showcase I found myself ensnared by Panache's promise of a dark tale full of witchcraft and stunningly rendered cobblestone streets. Its initial reveal--coupled with the knowledge that one of the key members behind the first few Assassin's Creed titles was attached to the game--left me extremely eager to go hands-on with 1666: Amsterdam. Fortunately, it didn't take long for the studio to extend the offer, and off to Amsterdam I went. Less fortunate, however, was my experience playing 1666: Amsterdam. Though it's important to note that Panache intends to release the game in early access, which certainly justifies its overall lack of polish, what I'm more concerned about are its glaring structural issues--issues that I hope can be addressed but seem so embedded in the overall experience that I am admittedly a bit nervous. I see the vision, I think, and am hopeful that Panache's commitment to player feedback might fix some of the game's shortcomings. But as of right now, 1666: Amsterdam needs quite a bit of work before I can muster up the excitement I once had. A tale of two (or three) timelines During my preview, I played about an hour and 20 minutes of 1666: Amsterdam, starting shortly after the events of the prologue that is currently available to play on Steam. Throughout that time, I played as both the game's main characters, Noa and Aaron, across two of its three timelines, 1999 and 1666, and in both human and Union-Cat forms. I also played, quite briefly, as Aaron's daughter Clio, who resides in that aforementioned third timeline and essentially acts as the narrator of the story as she translates and reads from a tome, referred to as the Noxifer, that details Aaron and Noa's adventure. If that sounds like a lot, it's because it is. And that's just the beginning. Despite featuring dual protagonists, my time spent playing 1666: Amsterdam leads me to believe that it largely centers around Noa, a Zaindaris witch who has been chosen as The Collector. As for what being The Collector entails, we learn that Noa has been tasked with eliminating a cadre of power-hungry figures with extraordinarily long lifespans and the ability to use Nox, a sort of dark magic, in order to restore world order. Paradoxically, Noa relies on Nox as well. Nox and Lux serve as her primary magic sources, each represented by a meter at the bottom of the screen to fuel her various spells. Both energy types manifest as glowing orbs throughout the environment, and her Union-Cat--who is actually her partner Aaron trapped in feline form--can convert Lux into Nox and vice versa, allowing you to manipulate resources on the fly. Noa in her traditional garb. To take down these corrupted souls, Noa must first collect their seal and discover their real name, the latter of which can prove difficult as most of these individuals have led extraordinarily long lives and assumed various identities throughout them. After gathering these, Noa must cast the Nominem spell on the night of the full moon, as that's when her power is at its strongest. As a matter of fact, as soon as the full moon passes, Noa is rendered completely powerless, and must wait until the next full moon before she can attempt to take down a new target. After casting Nominem, Aaron--still in his cat body--must scratch the enemy to unleash their demonic Amalgam form. Defeating an Amalgam unlocks a coffer containing a Nox bracelet (often randomized), which upgrades the Heeparan--a strange gauntlet on Noa's left arm--with new abilities. After taking down my first Amalgam, I received Erbuilden, an ability that allowed me to reconstruct destroyed objects. But while this specific power felt scripted for progression, Panache founder Patrice Désilets told me that the game's coffers are largely used as a means to incorporate roguelite elements into the game. The wrong kind of puzzling Each moon cycle--or Esbat, as the game calls them--Noa is tasked with taking down one of these demons. Typically, each Esbat begins at Noa's home, where a coffer and a contract are waiting for her. The coffer, placed there by her fellow witches, is filled with an assortment of Nox Bracelets and other boons, altering the abilities you can use. Shortly after my preview, Désilets showcased a later portion of the game, in which I saw him use an ability that gave Noa the ability to create portals for easy traversal, and another that gave her the ability to levitate enemies. According to Désilets, the game will feature several different abilities, though with it being in early access, they didn't want to share an exact number just yet. Regardless, these variations have the potential to inject some variety into the gameplay, which is crucial considering it suffers from some fairly significant issues--particularly when it comes to combat. In 1666: Amsterdam, encounters open with a bizarre Persona 5-like presentation: enemies shake their fists and spout soundbites, while stylized text reading things like "knave," "justice," and "you will fall" pop up around them. All of this feels completely out of place, given the game's darker tone. An example of what is seen at the start of each combat. You're then notified of the encounter's threat level, though every level I encountered felt similar in difficulty due to the game's rudimentary combat. Without any active Nox bracelets, combat devolves into a combination of dodging and mindlessly swinging a broomstick, making these encounters incredibly dull. Oftentimes, my enemies would get stuck in hit-stun loops, but this felt more tedious than empowering. Amalgam boss fights offered slightly more variety, requiring well-timed dodges and a bit more patience, but all in all, 1666: Amsterdam's combat largely lacks flow and sophistication. The asymmetrical puzzle-solving challenges are similarly underwhelming, with most of them relying on whoever is in cat form unlocking a door so the human character can keep walking. Later in the preview, I unlocked the ability to hiss at and possess NPCs who are afraid of cats, allowing me to assume control of key-weidling janitors or lockpicking thieves. This feature seems like it could be a lot of fun, and when paired with the abilities of your Nox bracelets, I imagine it shakes up combat, exploration, and puzzle solving significantly. I can imagine a world in which these foster Dishonored-style freedom in how you approach objectives, though it feels very far off. However, if 1666: Amsterdam is aiming to be a more stealth-driven game--like Dishonored or perhaps more aptly, Assassin's Creed--NPCs need significant improvements. As it stands, NPCs feel heinously unintelligent, making stealth and concealment lack the needed danger to be compelling. They are also extremely dated in their writing and animations--many of them feel as if they have come straight from a AA action game published in 2007. Noa asks Aaron to go inside a home to unlock the front door. Strange writing, stranger scenarios These flaws were highlighted during an utterly perplexing 10-minute sequence that took place during one of Aaron's portions of the game. After traveling forward to 1999, Aaron is tasked with going to his hotel's courtyard to retrieve an ancient tome so he can figure out a way to cure his possessed, secret-witch girlfriend. The moment Aaron opens his hotel room door to embark on this quest, "Free Bird"--yes, Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird"--begins playing. Now, you would think if a game is going to invoke "Free Bird," it would be during some absurd, over-the-top, hyperviolent spectacle, such as how it's used in Kingsman: The Secret Service. But no, in this case, the nearly 10-minute-long song plays at full blast while Aaron, donning only boxers, strolls through the hotel, and Noa, now a cat, unlocks doors for him. Absurd as that is, what makes things even stranger is that the hotel path is lined with completely static NPCs blocking off rooms. It's clear they're meant to prevent you from taking detours and highlight which doors you need to unlock, but the sheer vacancy on display is both laughable and unnerving. And though the game does delve a bit into horror, offering a few flashing screens and jump scares, this particular situation does not feel at all intentional. A mob of expressionless NPCs block Aaron's path. About six minutes into this ordeal, Aaron remarks that he just realized he was walking around the hotel half-naked--that's the kind of state he was in, he jokes. He then tells Noa that people are beginning to freak out about his state--but it's hard to believe that's true when the masses of NPCs remain utterly still and silent. In general, 1666: Amsterdam's writing needs work. Noa's dialogue was fine and her arc compelling, but Aaron's constant tone of utter bewilderment and use of expletives long after it seemed as though he'd embraced the strangeness of his situation were grating. It doesn't help that some portions of Aaron's dialogue were delivered via text-to-speech, replacing his voice actor with a fast-taking robot that took me out of the moment. Hopefully this will be fixed prior to the game entering early access. Not-so-catlike reflexes I also hope that the game will feature far better tutorials and onboarding. I am all for quiet games that emphasize unguided exploration--I am a Soulsborne sicko, after all. But Amsterdam just felt convoluted. At the very start of my preview, I was told to use my Lux to power up a body of water so I could float across it. Great, sounds fun. The game prompted me to go to its settings menu and view the corresponding tutorial, yet that tutorial omitted the actual button inputs. Confused, I went back to the game where I was just prompted to simply press "A," yet as I did, nothing happened. Fortunately, one of the developers saw me sitting in front of my PC, trying my hardest to angle Noa every possible way and visibly confused, and told me how to do it. Shortly after, I was stuck again, as the game also doesn't tell you how to jump over obstacles in the water; the developer had to inform me that navigating obstacles required pulling back on the analog stick, which felt awkward and resulted in terrible camera angles. Aaron, in cat form, peers down a vivid hall. Movement controls--particularly while in cat-form--are a frequent source of frustration. Instead of free jumping and fluid traversal, feline movement relies on a target indicator: You must position the cat until an "X" prompt appears, then press a button to execute the jump. While intended to prevent missed leaps and tumbles, the system feels clunky and restrictive, turning simple traversal into a tedious chore. Though playing as a sleuthy little black cat was one of the many things that made 1666: Amsterdam so appealing to me, it quickly became my least favorite part of the game. A sight for sore players However, I'd be remiss not to mention my favorite part of 1666: Amsterdam, which is its sheer artistry. A large part of the reason Panache flew various members of the press out to Amsterdam for this preview, I suspect, was so that we could see firsthand how meticulously the studio had managed to recreate the canal-lined city. The first day of the trip, Panache took us on a tour through the district 1666: Amsterdam is set in, and it was both beautiful and fascinating. Seeing Désilets gesture to these buildings he'd grown familiar with over the past few decades--to hear him explain how the game's concept was developed--was a treat. But what blew me away was the next day, when I played the game and realized how stunningly Panache was able to recreate this city. A cat is perched atop a building overlooking historic Amsterdam. Several specific locations are depicted in the game and in startling detail, and the soundtrack, the atmosphere, the scale--everything seemed to ring true. Sure, the Amsterdam I saw was a good 360 years later than the Amsterdam Noa inhabited and I'm certainly not a local, so take this all with a grain of salt, but I was impressed, nevertheless. It's also worth mentioning that the team seemed to do a great job accounting for the fact that the game is set in the past, recreating only the buildings that would have actually been standing back then while using extensive research to fill in the rest. Though its gameplay and writing might need a fair bit of work, 1666: Amsterdam shines in its visuals and commitment to history and storytelling via architecture. It was in this quality that I saw the throughline between Désilets' work on Assassin's Creed and his newest title, and it is the part that stands out as the most promising. But while I was struck by 1666: Amsterdam's artistry, I remain concerned about its execution. The team at Panache has clearly poured a lot of passion into recreating Amsterdam and building a dark, historical sandbox, but behind the cobblestone streets, narrow houses, and lush courtyards lies an experience burdened by clunky traversal, jarring tone shifts, baffling writing, and unrefined combat. In short, an early-access period is absolutely vital for 1666: Amsterdam, as I feel it's going to take a lot of feedback and fine-tuning to turn it into a game that's as fun to play as it is to look at.
Panache Digital Games' upcoming adventure game is interesting conceptually, but its early hours leave a lot to be desired.
In This Article Fields Of Mistria Dateable NPCs list Female Marriage Candidates Male Marriage Candidates How To Build Relationships In Fields Of Mistria Heart Events In Fields Of Mistria How To Date In Fields Of Mistria All Date Inspiration Items Getting Married In Fields Of Mistria Having A Baby In Fields Of Mistria All Fields Of Mistria Proposal Gifts One of the biggest selling points of Fields Of Mistria is the detailed and varied dating life your character can have with a range of diverse NPCs. If you're into farmhand himbos, fun-loving chefs, reserved medical professionals, actual dragons, or pretty much anything else--you'll probably find your thing among the marriage candidates. With Fields Of Mistria 1.0 introducing the final stage of romance--marriage, cohabiting, and kids, we've fleshed out our guide to include everything you need to know about Heart Events, getting engaged, having kids, and the perks of being a married couple. It's worth remembering that if romance isn't your thing, you can still build hearts and do heart events with your favourite characters, you'll eventually get a choice where you designate them as Best Friend or Dating. THIS GUIDE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE 1.0 RELEASE OF FIELDS OF MISTRIA. March's flirting dialogue. Fields Of Mistria Dateable NPCs list Candidates with a * are hidden unlockable characters that will become dateable after completing the main story and Mines quest. Female Marriage Candidates NameOccupationPrimary LocationBirthday AdelineTown LeaderThe ManorWinter 18 CelineGardenerCeline's CottageSummer 14 JuniperSorceressBathhouseFall 26 ReinaHead ChefSleeping Dragon InnFall 12 ValenDoctorClinicFall 1 Seridia*PriestessThe MinesWinter 2 Male Marriage Candidates NameOccupationPrimary LocationBirthday BalorMerchantBalor's WagonSummer 10 EilandArchaeologistMuseumSummer 20 HaydenFarmer/RancherSweetwater FarmWinter 8 MarchBlacksmithForgeSpring 16 RyisCarpenterCarpenter's ShopSpring 4 Caldarus*DragonThe TempleSpring 25 All the marriage candidates... almost. How To Build Relationships In Fields Of Mistria Friendship Points only go up, there is no way to reduce them with human NPCs (however, animals on your farm can lose hearts after poor treatment!). You can check your Friendship Points level by going into the heart icon in the menu. The illuminated hearts indicate Friendship Points, and the bar underneath shows how close you are to the next heart. Friendship Points, stats, and gift preferences can be checked in this menu. All NPCs in Fields Of Mistria love to receive gifts. If your love languages are acts of service and gift-giving, you'll find building relationships a breeze. Each character has gifts that they "Love", "Like", "Dislike", "Hate", and then those they don't mind. Check out our Fields Of Mistria Gift Guide for a more detailed breakdown of everyone's favourite treats and how many points they're worth. Remember you can only give one gift per day, so choose wisely! Speaking to an NPC once a day will also reward you with 7 Friendship Points. Elsie will give you a little bit of gossip each day, telling you which character likes which gift. They won't all be dateable, but it'll help you get your friendship up with folk across town. Elsie's nosiness comes in handy when you're trying to work out what people want. Raising your Friendship Level will reward you with hearts, which can eventually lead to a more intense relationship. You'll either become romantic partners with the character or Best Friends, depending on your choices. There is no way to undo this choice once you make it, though--Best Friends can't become romantic partners, and vice versa. Once you are engaged, all other characters you are currently Dating will change to Best Friends automatically, and write you a letter to confirm. Heart Events In Fields Of Mistria Once you reach a high enough Friendship Level with dateable characters, you'll trigger Heart Events, which are side-plots that bring you and that character closer together. These sometimes involve other characters, but don't impact your relationships with anyone other than the main NPC whose Heart Event it is. Heart Events trigger at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 Friendship Points, and only with marriage candidates. Heart Events let you get to know a bit more about the characters. After the 4 Heart Event, that character will send the player birthday letters and can be invited to the Shooting Star Festival and the Harvest Festival. After the 8 Heart Event, players can confess their feelings and begin Dating (see below for more information on Dating in Fields Of Mistria). After 10 Hearts are reached, players can craft an Engagement Ring and propose (see below for more information on getting married in Fields Of Mistria) or become Best Friends. Storylines can unfold platonically, so there's no hard feelings. How To Date In Fields Of Mistria Once you have 8 hearts with a romance candidate, you can take them on an actual date. To do this, choose the Dating option (in pink), rather than the Best Friends option when prompted at the end of the 8 Heart Event. Once again, Elsie has all the answers, and will rock up to your house and give you the basics the morning after you officially start Dating another character. Dates can only be requested on Saturday and Sunday, as characters have jobs to do during the week. You can date one character once a week, so if you're Dating two characters, you can take one out on Saturday and one on Sunday. One of the perks of dating is new photos for your house. Dates increase Heart Level more than even loved gifts. Date Types are unlocked the same way as cosmetics--you find them while doing tasks like digging or watering, and can "learn" them from your inventory. Once you've unlocked a Date Type, you can use it as many times as you want. Elsie will initially give you two: Deep Woods Picnic (if you've unlocked Deep Woods) and Inn Meal Date. If you haven't unlocked Deep Woods, Elsie will send you this Inspiration Item in the mail once you have. After the first time you go on a particular date with each character, you'll get a commemorative Date Photo which can be displayed on the wall in your home. All Date Inspiration Items ItemLocationDate Unlocked Bath SoapWheedle's StallBathhouse Date Dollhouse BenchDig Spot (Eastern Road)Park Date Inn MenuGiven by ElsieInn Meal Date Lovely SeashellFishingBeach Date Picnic SetGiven by ElsieDeep Woods Picnic Date Rough GemstoneTreasure Chest (The Mines)Gem Cutting Date You can date as many people as you want, but can only marry one. Below we give details on how to still get all the marriage gifts from each character without actually marrying them all. Getting Married In Fields Of Mistria Once you have decided which of the candidates you want to marry, you'll need to complete a few things to make it happen. First, get their Friendship Level up to 10 Hearts, complete all their Heart Events, and make sure you are officially Dating. At this point, Elsie will arrive once again to show you how to propose. She will pass on the recipe for crafting an Engagement Ring at the Forge. Crafting the ring will itself require you to have progressed the story significantly. Several of the ingredients for the recipe require you to have completed up to at least level 90 of The Mines, so you may need to get your hands dirty before you propose. Some marriage candidates might try and ask you first. Once you've crafted a ring, take it to the character you want to marry. This will trigger a cutscene where you head off somewhere private to discuss your future. Before you make any decisions or confess anything, the character in question will give you a unique gift that can only be obtained through reaching this part of the relationship quest. If you want, after receiving the gift, you can back away from the actual marriage, meaning you can accumulate every marriage candidate's gift before making your final decision (see below for a full list of Fields Of Mistria Proposal Gifts). Once you have decided, though, your character will be prompted to ask the big question. Once you are engaged, you'll pick a wedding date on the calendar, and time will pass as usual, with your newly betrothed partner commenting on their excitement occasionally, and asking for your opinion on things like wedding color-schemes and food. Wedding dates have to be set at least 5 days from the date of your proposal. The whole town helps out with your big day. The wedding day starts with a visit from Elsie and Josephine, who take you to the Sleeping Dragon Inn to prepare. The whole day is a large cutscene, but your animals will be fed and petted, and crops will be watered automatically. Once you're at the Sleeping Dragon, you can choose your outfit--either from the Wedding Attire provided by Elsie, or anything you already have in your inventory. Your spouse will also be dressed in a unique outfit at the altar. Once the wedding begins, you'll exchange vows and light candles to symbolize your partnership. The whole town will turn out to watch, and will come back to the Inn afterwards for a meal and toasts. Once the day is over, you and your new spouse will return to your farm and they will immediately move in. Their schedule will change from this day forward, waking up with you and prompting you to give them a kiss when you get up. A big feast takes place after the wedding. The day after the wedding you will receive mail from Elsie containing 3 pieces of furniture from your spouses old room, which you can place around your house to make it more comfortable for them. Spouses will interact with this furniture once it is placed. Having A Baby In Fields Of Mistria Two weeks after the wedding date, the player will be able to discuss having children with their spouse after being given a Mystical Feather in a bed-time cutscene and presenting it to them. There is a choice for players as to how the baby will arrive--either delivered by The Great Bird that gifted you the Mystical Feather, one or other of you carrying it (for female characters), or the player character carrying it (if your spouse is male but regardless of your gender). The due date will then be marked in the calendar two weeks after this discussion. Babies appear as a small bundle which can be carried by either you or your spouse, but don't impede movement in any way. Babies can also be placed in a crib in the house and left unattended. Each baby will have a unique appearance based on you and your spouse--with appearance and gender not being customizable. You can only have one baby in Fields Of Mistria, currently, and it doesn't grow any older as of 1.0. All Fields Of Mistria Proposal Gifts Discussing your future will mean a unique gift from your romantic interest. When you propose, your newly betrothed will give you a unique gift they have made themselves. The gift will be tied to the Heart Events you completed, and ties them up neatly with something sentimental before your marriage. Each of the gifts offers a special boost in some way, or a cosmetic change to the character. Most of the gifts can be placed in your farm or worn. Here is a list of every proposal gift in Fields Of Mistria 1.0. CharacterGiftAbility AdelineLifetime PlannerRenews energy to full BalorPolished GemRenews energy to full CaldarusDragonsworn StatueGives the player Essence CelineRevived FlowerRenews energy to full EilandLegacy SteleRenews energy to full HaydenCarved NestRenews energy to full JuniperProtection ScrollProtects the player in The Mines - if your health reaches 0 you will be teleported back to your bed with full health MarchMistrian ShieldCosmetic item or wall hanging ReinaCookbook ManuscriptRenews energy to full RyisPotted Hawthorn TreeRenews energy to full SeridiaDragonsworn ArmorCosmetic item, and placeable statue ValenPanacea JarRenews energy to full
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is the latest fighting game collaboration between a game studio and Marvel Comics. Generally speaking, there isn’t much to do outside of the arcade or story modes, as well as challenging combo trials to get those fingers slamming on the buttons, but little else. However, there has been a shift toward including single-player offerings, and as such, there are a sizeable number of single-player modes available from the start. Those primarily playing Marvel Tokon will challenge opponents in online fights, but even they actually need to play some single-player content in this case. Some modes have hidden unlockables, including colors and even a bonus character. So you don’t need to waste time doing Here you’ll find everything you need to know about how long Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls takes to beat, covering all Episode and Arcade modes. The Avengers relaxing as they ride a dinosaur through the Savage Lands. How Long To Beat Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls To experience all of the single-player content, it will take at least 15 hours for an experienced fighting game player. This includes finishing all five episode modes, completing the training challenges for all 20+ fighters, going through all five All-Star arena courses while exploring every available path, and completing all other available game modes. Multiplayer modes vary depending on your experience and how long you wish to commit to the game. However, you only need to win 10 casual matches to get the sole color option for all characters that’s available by fighting online, which can be done in less than an hour. The Episode Mode of Marvel Tokon is the bulk of its single-player offerings. How long is Marvel Tokon Episode Mode? When you take into account all the animated cutscenes, your first team’s episode mode should take no longer than two hours to complete. No matter which team you choose, you’ll get the Champion as an unlockable character to the already large Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls roster. You’ll also unlock Color 5 for the specific team you finish the story with. So, for example, if you complete the Knights of Doom episode, you get Color 5 for Doctor Doom, Magneto, Green Goblin, and Carnage. After that, the timescales vary slightly. If you skip the animated cutscenes, you can finish the next playthrough in approximately one hour, with the bulk of the playthrough being watching the stories unfold. Beating all episodes should take roughly eight to ten hours for inexperienced players or six to seven for those with fighting game knowledge. You can also skip battles via the toggleable setting in the options menu, though it’s highly recommended that you at least try playing with all the teams. Once you finish a chapter, you can re-play any chapter. The catch is that the CPU’s difficulty settings automatically increase. It’s currently unknown if fighting the Champion’s final form at max level unlocks anything, but it’s probably the most difficult single-player challenge you will face. You can reduce this if you want, should you lose, but there’s nothing to gain from doing this. Tryco Slatterus, the Champion of the Universe, is an unlockable fighter in Marvel Tokon. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Unlockables You will unlock the Champion as an additional character after finishing Episode Mode once. This fighter will be the only one you use the moment he becomes the Leader, but you can assign him as one of the three Assist types and keep him there for the duration of the fight. At the time of writing, there is no known way to unlock the Promoter, or the suited form of the Champion, as playable characters. The other major unlockable in Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is the extra colors for the entire base roster. This doesn't seem to count toward any of the characters or costumes in the Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls roadmap. Here is what you need to do to get these colors: Color 5 - complete Episode mode for each team to get their colors. Color 6 - win 10 Casual matches. This does not need to be consecutive. Color 7 - get 100 KOs in Survival Mode (this also unlocks Hard Survival) Color 8 - complete both Action Check and Combo Challenge for each individual character to unlock their colors. Color 9 - this was exclusive to the Ultimate Edition of the game.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is rather unique in that it's a 4v4 fighting game. However, it's a little more complicated than 3v3 fighters of the past, as the order in which you select your character fixes them into specific roles: Leader, Shooter, Vertical, and Assault. As a result, the Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls roster needs to be evaluated with everything in mind. Some fighters are versatile, while others are one-note, and that's how we'll be evaluating their overall rankings on the tier list. So just because one character has an amazing Vertical special doesn't mean that they are suited for all roles. Those paying attention to Episode Mode might also notice an extra character in the tier list at his own rank, as comparing him to everyone else is unfair. The entire roster is standing up to the Promoter and her boss: The Champion. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Tier List While Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls assigns each character an "ease of use" star rank, the reality is that some are more equal than others. Any character that's a C-tier here is there more because of a lack of versatility, rather than because they are objectively a 'bad character'. They may be one of the best characters to assign to a specific slot, and nothing else, whereas a higher-ranking character might excel at everything except what the low-tier character can do. It's like Wolverine often says: he's the best at what he does, but that doesn't mean he's the best at everything. We will also update this list with every balance patch, trending picks, and DLC updates via the Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls roadmap. Here is the current overall Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Tier List: Champion-TierChampion S-TierMagik, Blade, Magneto, Hulk, Spider-Man A-TierStorm, Loki, Carnage, Iron Man, Star-Lord, Doctor Doom, Ms. Marvel B-TierGhost Rider, Deadpool, Green Goblin, Captain America, Black Panther, Wolverine C-TierPeni Parker, Danger Magik is a phenomenal Leader. Her sword can execute some of the best damaging combos. Best Leaders Hulk is the best Leader character in the game right now, and it's all to do with just how much of a problem he causes with his armored body. By pressing his Gamma radiation unique while an opponent is down, you can easily boost his attacks and speed to problematic levels for your opponent. This forces them on the defensive, as attacking Hulk risks counters, which are very powerful in the current meta. Other easy-to-use characters such as Magik, Blade, Black Panther, and Spider-Man do very well in the Leader slot. Each one has a gimmick that is, at times, unpredictable, from Blade's kunai (if you combine with the projectile assist) to Magik's portals. Lower-tier characters like Ms. Marvel are really good at zipping around, and her moves are relatively simple to learn, but she's rather basic compared to the highest-tier fighters. Highly technical characters, such as Green Goblin, Storm, and Danger, will fare a little worse, but this is more of a symptom of the community needing to work out what they excel at. Green Goblin, for example, is highly technical and requires the player to memorize so much, from the order of which grenades he throws and their effects, to an entirely new moveset while riding his glider. It's entirely possible to do well with him, but you'll need to put in the work in training mode and learn how he works. Any character in the lower tiers has at least one issue to address. Captain America's shield-throw unique move is ineffective and slow, and his counter requires a level of precision that can be tricky in fast-paced fighters such as this one. Iron Man, on the other hand, is great at keeping foes away, but crumbles whenever anyone gets too close. Peni Parker has some randomized projectiles, making consistency an issue, especially when combined with her mech's massive body, while it's quite easy to render Ghost Rider useless by filling his heat gauge too much. And then there's Deadpool. His healing rate is somewhat too slow to deal with his need to convert S-TierHulk, Magik, Blade, Black Panther, Spider-Man A-TierMs. Marvel, Wolverine, Carnage, Magneto, Star-Lord, Loki B-TierGreen Goblin, Storm, Danger, Doctor Doom C-TierIron Man, Peni Parker, Ghost Rider D-TierCaptain America, Deadpool Doctor Doom's Shooter Assist is a big laser beam that comes out really quickly. Best Shooters The key to a good Shooter is speed and range. The higher on the tier list they are, the quicker and bigger their projectiles get. Iron Man excels here with the best projectile in the game, while both Magneto and Doctor Doom are snappy enough. Magik would be higher as her fireball is fast, but it's also smaller than Magneto's metal ball, which comes out just as quickly. Multi-hit projectiles do a little worse here, so Green Goblin and Peni Parker suffer in this department, as there is a chance only one bullet will hit. Blade just about makes it into B-tier here, as his bullets are rapid fire. The reason Black Panther is so low is that she takes way too long to throw her spear, which is easily dodged. The sole outlier here is Ghost Rider, whose ranged assist works a little differently. It pops the enemy into the air, allowing you to combo at a distance that isn't available to anyone else. It's surprisingly effective, so well worth experimenting with. While Hulk and Wolverine excel at a lot, their projectiles are a bit of a waste of a slot. S-TierIron Man, Magneto, Doctor Doom A-TierMagik, Loki, Ghost Rider B-TierBlade, Captain America, Storm, Danger, Deadpool, Ms. Marvel, Star-Lord, Spider-Man, Carnage C-TierGreen Goblin, Black Panther, Peni Parker D-TierHulk, Wolverine Blade's vertical assist has him swipe his Muramasa blade in a huge vertical arch. Best Verticals A lot of the Verticals are very similar in how high they launch the opponent and the damage they do, so much of the ranking here is based on speed of execution and its range. Both Blade and Hulk have massive hitboxes, making their anti-air assist extremely effective. Those in A-tier are quick to execute theirs, while B-tier will do just fine for most teams. Green Goblin and Danger are the ones who don't really stand out as good in this role. Goblin's anti-air projectiles are really small, so they are quite easy to dodge compared even to Black Panther's otherwise unremarkable spear. Danger has the roughest deal, as she needs to be standing next to the opponent for hers to hit. S-TierBlade, Hulk A-TierDeadpool, Ghost Rider, Magik, Storm, Ms. Marvel B-TierIron Man, Loki, Wolverine, Captain America, Star-Lord, Spider-Man, Peni Parker, Magneto, Doctor Doom, Carnage, Black Panther C-TierGreen Goblin D-TierDanger The Hulk is smashing Captain America with a big rock while Magik watches. Best Assaults Magik has the best Assault assist, as she slams her sword into the ground to create three fiery pillars. It's incredibly hard to avoid, especially if another character is performing an overhead attack to open the opponent to combos. It does less damage, only 9,500 compared to most achieving 10,000 and Iron Man reaching 10,500 respectively, but it's easier to connect and opens the foe to follow-ups. As for the rest of the S-Tier and A-Tier, there's something good about all of them, whether it's Blade's ability to cross-up your opponent, Spider-Man dragging your opponent toward you, or Loki's projectile and slashing combo doing decent damage; these characters are great picks. Peni Parker's a strange case, because despite the highest damage potential of the entire roster with her Assault Assist, it's random which gadgets she uses, so you may whiff some hits just based on the first gadget knocking them airborne while the second zips through harmlessly underneath. Danger is at the bottom because of the damage falloff as her drill flies through the air, which defeats the point of being in this role. Ms. Marvel's multihit spinning attack and Doctor Doom's orbital laser also take too long to hit, though it can be argued that the latter just needs setup to be effective. S-TierMagik, Magneto, Hulk, Storm, Spider-Man, Carnage A-TierGreen Goblin, Iron Man, Blade, Loki, Star-Lord B-TierCaptain America, Deadpool C-TierBlack Panther, Ghost Rider, Wolverine, Peni Parker D-TierDoctor Doom, Danger, Ms. Marvel The Champion is flexing his muscles to build up his Crowd Pleaser bar. The Champion Okay, let's face it, it's rather unfair to compare The Champion to everyone else. This is because he acts completely differently from the rest of the roster, preferring to go it alone, and this is especially apparent when it comes to how his assist button works. It is possible to swap him out with the tag button, but he's best used as a solo fighter to charge up his Crowd Pleaser bar. You can accelerate its progress by hitting your opponent or pressing the assist button. Once it fills, execute a Supernova Slam (his Command Grab unique button attack), and he'll transform into his Supernova form, which unlocks clones he can summon with his assist button. As for the rest of his moves, they're pretty much busted thanks to his high-damaging supers, long-range and hard-hitting normals, and a surprisingly effective command grab. He'll also rise to the occasion in the rare instance when he is put in one of the Assist slots. We also don't know how he'll factor into competitive tournaments, whether he'll receive the same fate as other boss characters, but for now he is in a class of his own.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day just cleared $1.6 billion at the box office, and that has also led to a surge in sales of Marvel's Spider-Man 2. According to new data estimates by Alinea Analytics, another 316,000 copies of the 2023 game have been sold on PS5 and PC via Steam since Spider-Man: Brand New Day swung into theaters, generating $11 million in sales. As Alinea's head of market analysis Rhys Elliot noted online, 20% of the copies sold since the film launched were physical, and another 274,000 players jumped into the game via its availability through PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for Extra and Premium tiers. In terms of pure numbers, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 now sits at 18.2 million units sold--92% of which were on PS5--and has made over $1.2 billion since launch. "While some smart discounts had an impact, hype around the movie did most of the work here, as shown by the pricing data in our platform," Elliot wrote. To put this into perspective, AA's data estimates that the game has sold 15,000 [copies] a day on PS5 at the current price of $29.39, a massive uptick when compared to the February promotion that saw Sony sell around 6,300 units per day. On Steam, sales also increased, with the game priced at $40 on PC. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/htx531h5YTY?feature=share Could this effect be repeated with the dozens of other video game movie adaptations in development right now, like Nintendo's Legend of Zelda film? Elliot added that "these lifts happen mostly by accident," and considering how unpredictable movie and video game development cycles are, syncing up two massive productions to release within one another like this would be a "logistical" nightmare to pull off. "But for the handful of publishers making movies AND games in the same IP, surely one of these has to line up. I'd kill to see that impact," Elliot concluded. To coincide with the launch of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 developer Insomniac Games added a PSSR update for PS5 Pro owners and the new "Fresh Start" costume from the movie. The film also took inspiration from the game, with star Tom Holland and director Destin Daniel Cretton talking about how some of the stylish finishers were incorporated into several action scenes. Spider-Man: Brand New Day made another $145 million at US theaters during the August 7-9 weekend, and it looks like it could clear $2 billion globally by the time its run ends, raising the bar for Avengers: Doomsday when it arrives on December 18. All Spider-Man 2 Suits And How To Get Them View Images
For big games like GTA 6, discs "don't really make sense for the consumer," but it's something Take-Two would hasn't totally ruled out for the upcoming game, the company's CEO recently said. Speaking to IGN, Strauss Zelnick said more than 90% of Take-Two's sales currently are digital, going on to say people "need to be connected" to play most games today. “So everyone's connected. So it's just a matter of the most efficient way to get the title into people's hands," he said. No discs for GTA 6. GTA 6 is not shipping on a disc, though it will be available at retailers via a code in a box. Asked if Take-Two might ever release GTA 6 on a disc, Zelnick said, "I wouldn't rule out anything at this stage of the game." "What we've announced so far is what we're doing at the moment, but we are always open minded," he said. The executive went on to say that he does not foresee any kind of negative impact financially by releasing GTA 6 as a digital-only game. On the contrary, releasing only on digital will likely help Take-Two make even more money. Zelnick added that he expects gaming to get closer and closer to near-universal adoption of digital over discs, but he believes there will continue to be a small, niche market for physical games like there is for vinyl in the music world. He also said making GTA 6 a digital-only game was "what was right" for the game, and was not influenced by Sony's own announcement that it was ending support for physical game discs in January 2028. GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game costs $80, and Take-Two believes that's a fair price for what's being offered.
When it comes to tinkering with electronics and messing with components, my fat little fingers make it difficult. Take one look at my gaming PC build and, if you’re a fan of neat cable management, you might pass out on the spot. Fortunately, ReStory: Chill Electronics Repair offers exactly what the name suggests, and this charming indie is already highly rated on Steam, so now’s a great time to grab it at its lowest price yet. Some of the best cozy games still offer a satisfying challenge while focusing on the relaxing atmosphere we all need more of. ReStory: Chill Electronics Repair (which I’ll simply call ReStory from now on) does exactly that. You run a small repair shop in the mid-2000s--clearly the peak era, if you ask me--fixing customers’ electronics while searching the early internet for replacement parts. The game leans into that nostalgia with Nintendo DS-style handhelds to clean and repair, alongside everything from retro consoles to old computers. Each customer comes with a little backstory, adding personality to every repair job. The devices are recreated with plenty of detail, making it feel like you’re actually learning how to fix them, and carefully taking them apart is strangely satisfying. It helps that I’m doing it in-game rather than on real hardware, where I’d almost certainly break something. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WJYvLOxJag&pp=ygUocmVzdG9yeSBjaGlsbCBlbGVjdHJvbmljIHJlcGFpcnMgdHJhaWxlcg%3D%3D Every action is backed by satisfying sound design, and the game never overwhelms you with lengthy tutorials or holds your hand too tightly. There’s enough guidance for players like me, who know very little about the inner workings of electronics, while still letting you experiment, clean components, replace parts, and slowly put everything back together. It’s no surprise that ReStory already has an "Overwhelmingly Positive" rating on Steam, with 97% positive reviews from more than 600 players. It deserves a much bigger audience, and it’s exactly the kind of overlooked indie gem I love stumbling across. Better yet, you don’t have to pay full price. ReStory is currently just $15.99 / £10.79 at Fanatical, a 20% discount from its list price, making it cheaper than buying it on Steam right now. If you’ve been looking for a relaxing indie to unwind with, this is an easy recommendation.
The Fortnite item shop has always been kind of annoying, because it's never had a consistent inventory you could browse like a normal store. There are more than 2,000 Fortnite skins that have been sold in the item shop, but only a few dozen are available on any given day. But Epic has never been content with just the FOMO angle--the company has been dinged by regulatory agencies all over the world for its "dark patterns" and coercive sale techniques. In some very significant ways, the Fortnite item shop is in much better shape now because of the changes those agencies forced Epic to implement--like being able to cancel an errant purchase, and knowing exactly when an item will leave the shop. Still, though, Epic continues to come up with new ways to make the Fortnite shopping experience more complicated and annoying, particularly in the past year. Let's break it down. Fortnite gift cards no longer exist You used to be able to buy a Fortnite gift card that would redeem directly for V-Bucks, but Epic stopped making those in 2025. While Epic does still have an item that it refers to as a "Fortnite Gift Card - Powered by the Epic Games Store," these are not actually Fortnite products at all. Instead, a current "Fortnite gift card" simply grants you credit in the Epic Games Store, and you can spend it on anything they sell on mobile or PC, including V-Bucks. So in reality these are EGS gift cards, and there is no current way to gift V-Bucks directly. This distinction is important because the physical "Fortnite gift cards" that are sold in stores (in denominations of $15, $30, $50, and $100) don't line up with any V-Buck purchase amounts. So if you receive a $30 card for your birthday, you can buy a 2,400 pack of V-Bucks and have $7 left over, or you can throw in $7 of your own money and get a 4,500 pack. Epic gift cards do have the added benefit of a 20% rebate in EGS credit when you put it toward Fortnite--but that's still an additional layer of stuff you have to think about beyond the original purchase, and all it really does is make you take extra steps to counter the most recent V-Buck price increase. Oh, and if you play on Switch or Switch 2, you can't even use V-Bucks purchased with an EGS gift card on your device, because your V-Buck balance doesn't transfer to Nintendo's systems. Instead, you'll have to shop in a web browser and then restart your game to receive the items. More extra steps. Prices are a mess since the latest price change The latest price increase, back in the spring, was an example of shrinkflation--the prices stayed the same, but the amounts of V-Bucks you'd receive for your purchase went down. It used to be that $23 got you 2,800 V-Bucks, but now it's 2,400, and the other standard amounts have been adjusted similarly. On top of that, Epic added a new "exact purchase" feature that would allow you to purchase only the specific amount required for the thing you want to buy. That sounds good in theory, but it's a horrendous value given the way Epic implemented it. How it works is that it charges you two different rates within the same transaction. Let's use the new Lil Tecca bundle, which costs 2,600 V-Bucks, as an example. If you use the "exact amount" feature to purchase 2,600 V-Bucks, you'll pay $27--the first 2,400 costs $23 ($.95 per 100 V-Bucks), and the other 200 costs $4 ($2 per 100 V-Bucks). That might be tolerable in small amounts, but the value becomes increasingly terrible the more you're spending. Fortnite caps the price to use the "exact amount" just below that of the next tier of V-Bucks, meaning that if you're buying less than 4,500 V-Bucks with the "exact amount" feature, you will always pay less than the $37 that a 4,500 pack costs. But since using this feature is so exorbitantly expensive, you'll reach that cap by purchasing just 3,100 V-Bucks. And that means that using the "exact amount" feature to purchase any amount of V-Bucks between 3,100 and 4,400 will cost exactly $36.49. So if you were to use this feature to buy the Addison Rae bundle for 3,600 V-Bucks, you'd be shorting yourself 900 V-Bucks to save 50 cents. The price change and the expensive top-up are changes that work in tandem, because so many past shop bundles were oriented around the 2,800 V-Buck pack. I suspect that was one of the reasons Epic opted to shrink the V-Buck packs instead of raising prices again, because it theoretically pushes folks toward the unreasonable "exact amount" purchase or encourages them to get a bigger pack of V-Bucks instead. Fortunately for players, Epic has been offering more new shop bundles that actually line up with the new V-Buck amounts--Harley and Ivy, The Odyssey, Spider-Man, and David Beckham all received bundles that cost 2,400 or less, taking most of the friction out of the process for those items. But there are still plenty of new bundles that go beyond that price, like the recent Addison Rae, Lil Tecca, and Supergirl bundles. Shop FOMO is out of control There are more than 2,000 item shop skins, and just over half of them have appeared in the item shop at any point in the past four months. There are only a few dozen skins available to buy on any given day, there seems to be a limit on how many collabs they can have available at the same time, and the most popular Fortnite-original items rotate through over and over (like Aura, who appears in the shop several days every month) while less popular ones disappear indefinitely (like this cool bag man, who first appeared in the shop for three days last June and has never returned). Even collabs frequently suffer a similar fate--just ask any of the Attack on Titan or Transformers or God of War fans who've been waiting years to see those skins return. Similarly, they seem to only sell Star Wars cosmetics in May now. The takeaway here is that it's not easy to shop for the things you want in Fortnite, because only a tiny portion of the game's cosmetics are available at a time. For Epic, that's always been the point--the FOMO system encourages you to watch the shop change every day and leap into action when something you want comes back. But if there's too much friction in that process, or if buying stuff routinely requires too much math and other mental effort, it can sour folks on the shop entirely. Other shenanigans Along with these broad, all-encompassing strategies, it appears that Epic has also been trying various other, more low-key techniques to boost sales both directly and indirectly. Since the Great AdiraFNInfo Incident back in the spring, in which Epic sued one of its former contractors for leaking upcoming collaborations, the Fortnite leaks scene has pretty much disappeared. This makes it harder to plan ahead, because we have much less of a sense of whether there's anything on the way worth saving our V-Bucks for. Epic has been frequently bringing back items individually, without the accessories that go with them or the bundles they belong to, which has been frustrating for folks who like having the full set. Sometimes they even return a skin and all its accessories but still leave out the bundle anyway, which essentially raises the price of the set. Over the past few months I've noticed a lot of strangely jumbled shop sections, like the above tab from the Toon Takeover section on June 15. It's impossible to tell with any confidence if the way this whole section was arranged--the above was one of six tabs of items and bundles from Futurama, Adventure Time, and Phineas and Ferb that were seemingly tossed together in a random order--was on purpose or just incompetence. But putting things in an order that people can't make sense of and deemphasizing the bundles so they look like just another item in the pile sounds more like a sales technique than it does an accident. Fortunately, we haven't seen this phenomenon pop up since Hot Bat Summer began in late July, so either they fixed the problem or stopped using this strategy, whatever the case actually was. The thing you have to keep in mind about all of this is that every irritation we've talked about here compounds with each other, and it ultimately creates a buying experience in which discerning customers are constantly frustrated, and undiscerning customers are overpaying without realizing it.
We’re currently experiencing a huge renaissance of Magic: The Gathering popularity. The 33-year-old card game designed by Richard Garfield introduced the world to the concept of the trading card game itself: a game where players would collect individual game pieces and craft a deck that represented spells they would cast and creatures they would summon. It was a wild new form of player expression that greatly impacted the world of tabletop gaming for all time. Magic: The Gathering also told players a story--a narrative of powerful wizards known as Planeswalkers that would traverse multiple universes and duel with other powerful wizards in search of power and glory. So it would make sense that one day, Magic: The Gathering would come to video games. While the game’s digital client Magic: The Gathering - Arena is the premier way to electronically play the game nowadays, there’s a title from Magic’s early years that’s influence is being felt to this very day. Released in 1997 for personal computers and developed by Microprose, the eponymously named Magic: The Gathering sought to capture the excitement of the tabletop game to players all across the digital realm. Coming off the heels of an unprofitable era for the company, the developers sought the challenge of adapting the increasingly complex game into a single-player role-playing game. You read that right. Magic: The Gathering’s first video game was a single-player RPG. Magic: The Gathering followed the story of the Planeswalker (the player-character) travelling to the plane of Shandalar to save it from a great and powerful evil. The plane is invaded by five mage lords who are using their combined power to cast the “Spell of Dominion” that will allow them to summon the demon lord Arzakon, who is a Planeswalker himself. Microprose adapted aspects of the paper game in interesting ways. For example, Magic: The Gathering is often represented by colors that correspond to the game’s resource systems and playstyles. These colors are represented in-game by each of the evil mage lords: White, Black, Blue, Red, and Green. The player will choose one of these colors for their starting spell book, and traverse the overworld in search of more powerful spells to add to their knowledge in hopes of attaining enough power to stop the Spell of Dominion. Magic: The Gathering (1997) While exploring the overworld, players will take on quests and visit towns. These quests will often task the Planeswalker with obtaining a specific powerful card or defeating an enemy. All battles in Shandalar are done using Magic’s robust gameplay rule system, and allows players to hone their card playing skills and decide what works and what doesn’t in their decks. In addition to quests, players can also encounter difficult dungeons that offer the iconic “Power-9” as rewards for completion. To this day, these cards are some of the most powerful cards ever printed and are a priceless tool in player’s arsenals. When the Planewalker is finally successful in defeating the mage lords, they learn that they’re too late, as Arzakon has been successfully summoned to Shandalar for a climatic final battle. Arzakon provides the greatest challenge in the game as he has the highest life total, the most powerful spells in the game, and access to all five colors of Magic. Though the Planeswalker is unable to fully defeat Arzakon, they are successful in sealing him away for a set number of years, depending on how much damage they are able to land in the final battle. In the real world, this damage is also used to calculate the player’s final score. Magic: The Gathering for PC was a critical and financial success for Microprose and received long-term support. Spells of the Ancients was the first expansion and improved on the game’s engine and UI and added cards from the Magic: The Gathering sets Arabian Nights and Antiquities that vastly improved its cardpool. This was eventually followed up with another expansion called Duel of the Planeswalkers that added cards from the sets Legends and The Dark. The game’s life didn’t end there, though. For many years, the game has been modded to add more and more cards from modern sets. These modded versions of the game, often nicknamed “Shandalar,” introduce modern mechanics and designs into the single-player RPG framework that Microprose built all the way back in 1997. The game was also one of the first acting roles for Rhea Seehorn, now known for the critically acclaimed show Plurbius. She plays one of the tutorial mages in the game’s fantastically retro FMV cutscenes. The game can also be seen as an influence on CD Projekt Red’s Thronebreaker, a spin-off of The Witcher that used the in-universe card game Gwent as the foundation for its gameplay and combat while using a similar single-player RPG framework. Magic: The Gathering (1997) But perhaps Shandalar’s greatest tribute now comes in the form of an actual playable Magic: The Gathering card. Arzakon will be depicted on a card in the upcoming Mystery Booster: Commander set. A five-color Planeswalker card, players can use his abilities to either deal three damage to any target--like the iconic card Lightning Bolt--create a Black Lotus token that they can sacrifice for three mana of any one color, or force all players to shuffle their hands and graveyards into their decks like the powerful Timetwister. Arzakon is also one of the few Planewalkers that players will be able to use as their commander in Magic’s most popular format. Shandalar was Magic’s first foray into the digital space and laid the groundwork for telling deeper stories using the ruleset that was created in 1993. It proved there was an appetite to play the game on screens and not just tables. It laid the foundation for later titles such as Magic Online and even Arena while also being kept alive and updated by a dedicated fanbase. With Mystery Booster: Commander, it's a wonderful moment to allow players to reflect on a small but important part of this wonderful game.
When Sony dropped the announcement that it was going to be ending physical disc production for PlayStation 5 in early 2028, I saw many posts on social media lamenting how this decision would have an outsized impact on certain groups and institutions. People without reliable internet, lending libraries, gaming tournament organizers, gamers in developing countries--how would the decision to move to download-only games affect these people? I reached out to several folks, some of whom I knew while others I'd yet to meet, to ask them all the same question: How do you expect physical discs going away will affect gaming in your particular region or walk of life? While I'd expected to hear many lamentations and concerns, the actual responses were surprising. If anything, the reactions seemed very mixed. Some had already anticipated the digital-only shift, some were, expectedly, annoyed, and others brought up factors and considerations that I wasn't even aware of. One of the most obvious areas of concern is access to games for people who live in rural areas with spotty local internet access. With game sizes ballooning, how are they supposed to download games reliably? Slow internet, but fast to adapt? I asked gamer Shana Gardner, who is located in a rural area of Wisconsin, for her input. She said she had already switched to digital-only purchases upon getting a PlayStation 5. "I don't have much storage space for physical media and don't trade in games, so it made sense for me to switch to downloads," she said. However, the choice came with some downsides. "I have bought games that take multiple days to download over [a] DSL [internet connection], or preordered games with an early-download perk just so I could still possibly play on day one. I have spent evenings kicking everything else off the internet so I could download the bulk of a game overnight to minimize impact on my other online activities the next day." What does she feel about the plight of other gamers in rural areas with physical discs? "I don't think that discontinuing physical media will necessarily disproportionately affect rural gamers; with the advent of services like Starlink, many of them have options for speeds greater than the 15Kbps I've lived with for way too long," Gardner said. "Patches already provide their own challenges with downloading, as do games that don't have physical media releases (though the latter are thankfully not prone to being enormous). We've already struggled with laggy online multiplayer games for years. Removing physical media entirely raises more concerns for me with the lack of ownership than it does internet speeds." "Honestly, though, with enormous patches and DLC being increasingly common, even buying physical media isn't much of an advantage as far as accessibility goes." The hidden burden of library game collections Another big concern for some is how the lack of physical discs would affect public libraries. Much like other media such as movies and music, certain library systems also loan video games to patrons. Whether a library offers games varies widely depending on the city or county where it's located: My county's library system, the Multnomah County Library, doesn't offer video games for loan at all, while the nearby City of West Linn does. I was surprised to learn that, alongside many libraries simply not handling games at all, many have already been scaling back their game offerings. Games are expensive compared to books and movies, and compared to other media, they're more commonly "lost" by borrowers, leading libraries to cut down on their purchases. Some libraries have observed dwindling popularity of game checkouts when compared to kids simply using the library's PCs and tablets to play games like Minecraft, Fortnite, and Roblox. One person I asked about the situation was Colleen Kemps, who worked and volunteered at the libraries in Meridian, Idaho. She said that games were often theft targets, and also mentioned that most games were checked out by parents rather than the kids themselves. "Most teens and adults did not check out games because the library was slow to buy the newest games," she pointed out. "Games only served a small section of the community," she continued. "Compared to DVDs and audio books, we had much less invested in games. Also, because of the various number of newer gaming systems that were constantly being released, the older games were outdated very quickly. The expense of buying new games wasn’t cost-effective for a limited (library) budget." Overall, the feeling I got was that, while being able to check out physical games at the library is a great and cost-effective way for players to enjoy various titles, they also put a big burden on the systems through their high costs. Many library workers I spoke to who handled games wouldn't mind if their libraries pared down physical video game collections, since many children and teens seemed to prefer playing online games at the library anyway. The global reality of going digital Video games are a global hobby, but the gaming experience for those in developing nations is significantly different from those in North America. Many countries don't even have their own official PlayStation Store--they rely instead on making accounts assigned to other territories and using credit to purchase games digitally. So, how would discontinuing physical games affect gaming in those territories? "I think that it will basically kill any gaming-specific shops, like BTgames (a well-known South African specialty retailer)," an avid gamer from South Africa, who opted not to have their name published, told me. "Considering the limited spending power here, casual gamers will be pissed they can't swap games or trade them in for credit, while hardcore gamers will be concerned that they don't really own the game," he said. "I wonder if people here, particularly in lower LSMs (Living Standards Measure, a South African research term similar to the concept of socioeconomic class), actually rely on the used games market to get into gaming because they can't necessarily afford new systems or games. Even in my LSM, I look for used games and heavy discounts." "I think most local gamers here are used to the always online mentality and the need to download updates," he continued. "I don't think there are tons of console gamers without at least decent internet connections." Another gamer and business owner in Ghana, also unnamed, shared their perspective. "There's actually a growing e-gaming industry, so I don't know if digital games and connectivity are as big a deal as they used to be.Secondhand games aren't really a thing because here, [and] lots of people pirate games. You're more likely to get a free hand-me-down than have to buy a discount title. Also, you can pirate a disc for about $15 or pay someone to install them on your console for a similar price, instead of getting the full-priced version. Loads of pirated discs are on the market." It might seem, then, that going strictly digital might be a way for Sony to combat piracy in these markets, but that might not be the case, either. "With digital games, (the pirates) basically log on with their accounts, download and install your requested games onto your console, and switch accounts again. All it costs them is the internet bandwidth," they said. One Kenyan fan, a public relations manager, seemed more concerned about the future of gaming accessibility in their country. "From a Kenyan perspective, I think a move to all-digital could make PlayStation gaming less accessible for a lot of people," he said. "There is definitely a secondhand market here, not just for consoles but also for physical game discs. Many gamers buy used PlayStations and then exchange or resell games once they're done. For a lot of people, that's the only affordable way to keep playing new titles." He seemed a bit less concerned about internet availability, however. "On connectivity, it's a bit of a mixed picture. In Nairobi and other major towns, internet connectivity is generally good, with fibre and 4G/5G widely available. The bigger issue is the cost of downloading games. Modern AAA titles can easily be 80-150GB, and not everyone has an unlimited home fiber connection. Large downloads can still be expensive, especially outside major urban areas." "The affordability aspect is probably the biggest factor," he continued. "Buying a physical disc gives you something you can lend, sell, or trade. If everything becomes digital, you're locked into the PlayStation Store and its pricing, which removes the secondhand economy that many Kenyan gamers rely on. Digital gaming is definitely growing among wealthier gamers who own the latest consoles, have reliable home internet, and can buy games online using international payment methods. "Console gaming itself is still relatively niche in Kenya compared to mobile gaming, (and) tend to be concentrated in urban centers, and many people first experience PlayStation through gaming cafés rather than owning a console. Those cafés also often rely on physical discs or shared game libraries, so a fully digital future could change how they operate as well. "Overall, I think an all-digital strategy makes sense in markets where broadband is cheap and disposable income is high," he concluded. "In Kenya, affordability and the ability to buy, share and resell physical games remain important parts of the gaming ecosystem." Are fighting game players KO'd? As a fighting game player, being able to go to local and regional meetups and tournaments is very important. Many of these events are run by individuals or groups of local tournament operators (“TOs”) who volunteer their consoles to be used during the events. This often requires having many copies of games to run. After seeing some speculation online that gaming tournaments could be hurt by the digital-only mandate, I wondered, does not having discs as an option make running tournaments harder? In truth: not really. Tabby is a frequent TO and event volunteer who helps run the Just Block tournament series for the Pacific Northwest fighting game community. She said that discs going away wasn't a big deal at all. "Discs are an extra thing to be misplaced or stolen at events, and don't actually allow you to run the game on more consoles than current digital offerings," she said. Discs can also be one more thing to worry about during event setup and teardown. "(Games going digital) currently doesn't affect most TOs, especially as you scale up," she continued. "The only thing that will affect them greatly is if Sony breaks the workarounds people use for consoles having multiple shared accounts." She described a method she uses to boot the same digital copy of the game on two separate consoles for offline play--a critical workaround for multiple setups and a lifesaver for budget-conscious TOs who often have to run events out of pocket. There currently isn't a program for small-scale or local tournament operators to buy multiple digital game licenses at a discount. Digital games do need to "phone home" every so often by connecting to the internet to verify their licenses, but Tabby said that isn't generally an issue for TOs, either. "(Previously) there was a pretty long window … you could get away with (being offline) for months, but I think they just changed it so that purchases need to be connected to the internet every 30 days to check licenses. For your average local TO running monthly events, it shouldn't be an issue." So will the end of physical PlayStation discs completely disrupt certain gaming communities? Going from these responses, the answer seems to be "not really," but this is a very small look at a very large topic. Regardless, it seem as though many have started to begrudgingly embrace an all-digital future, even if it's inconvenient for them. Others are finding ways to get around some of the restrictions the digital DRM imposes on them, or even just turning to outright piracy. Some expressed a bit of relief of not having to worry about discs being lost or stolen anymore. But, notably, not even the people who found discs a hassle seemed keen on the decision to kill consumer choice. Even if this decision doesn't lead to friction between gamers and actually playing their games, it still reflects concerning views on ownership. Digital media feels impermanent, no matter how it's consumed, since it can be snatched away at a whim. And as convenient and profitable as digital media may be--and no matter how much companies push global consumers in that direction--the satisfaction of owning something tangible is something that cannot be replaced.
Otome has a long history, as vibrant and complex as any other video game subgenre. For decades, most of that history has been obscured in North America. The good news is now is the best possible time to get into Otome. The massive success of Love and Deepspace has more than proven that there is a huge audience for games focused on romances with men, and more of these games get translated (and made in English) than ever before. And, should you get interested in retro offerings, there are now fan translations aplenty, making it significantly easier to play through many of the genre's best offerings. For the purposes of this list though, we'll focus on games that are commercially available on Steam, Nintendo Switch, and/or mobile with official English translations. If Love and Deepspace’s controversies have turned you off, or you just want to get away from its microtransactions, this list will give you plenty of alternatives to choose from. Mystic Messenger You could describe this as the original Love In Deepspace, in that it borrows an Otome structure and packages it into a free-to-play mobile game. But where Love in Deepspace is a sci-fi epic with a massive budget, Mystic Messenger is a charmingly low-rent game focused around texting. The game operates in real-time, which means it can slot into your regular phone use and might be a bit less of a concentrated time-sink than the other Otome games on this list. In fact, Mystic Messenger is designed around a phone's unique properties and assets. It's cutesy, joyful, and intimate in the way only texting a crush can be. Taisho X Alice As you might guess from the title, Taisho X Alice is an Alice in Wonderland riff, but the population of its looking-glass world are a bevy of gender-swapped princes, like Cinderella and Red Riding Hood, who vie for your affections. But don't let its lush art fool you. This is also one of a few Otome on this list that trade in darker themes. If you are looking for something with all the bittersweet edge of a fairy tale, Taisho X Alice is preparing a tea party just for you. Even If Tempest Look, Otome is full of nice boys. There's nothing wrong with that. But what if you want something darker, edgier, more complex? Chilled black coffee, instead of a sugary sweet latte? Even If Tempest opens with its protagonist burned at the stake and dives further into witch trials and criminal investigations. Its romantic interests are princes and inquisitors, people with relentless power over the protagonist, and some of them prove to be monstrous in more literal ways. It's an Otome with real edge and an ornate, gothic vibe to match. Collar X Malice Speaking of mysteries, Collar X Malice drops the Otome into a supernatural police procedural. After being attacked and chained with a poison collar, the protagonist becomes embroiled with a group of ex-police officers trying to solve related cases. Romance does take a back seat here, but if you enjoy visual novels like Dangonronpa, Ace Attorney, or Of The Devil, and wish those games were way more focused on interacting with cutie anime boys, Collar X Malice may be just the ticket. Variable Barricade With a premise befitting musical theater and romance novel alike, Variable Barricade is one of the sillier entries on this list. Protagonist Hibari is the lone heir of a massive fortune, but her grandfather wants her to get married and so moves her into a luxurious mansion with four eligible bachelors. The game-show-like theming and bright, cartoonish art gives this the feel of a zany romantic comedy. Obscura I wanted to include at least one English Otome, a subgenre worthy of its own dedicated attention. Otome-inspired games developed in North America or Europe tend to soften Otome's genre conventions. For example, while every one of Obscura's romantic interests is masculine, you can select the protagonist's gender at the start. But the game's interests are clearly aligned with several others on this list. Obscura is set in a black market, where masked visitors trade and sell what cannot be bought anywhere else. Obscura's men all have interests of their own and navigating their desires, as well as yours, is where the game's drama is. With every mask comes an ulterior motive. Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds Hakuoki is an example of historical fiction Otome, set in Kyoto during the waning days of the Edo era. This is an expansive one, with 12 bachelors to court and 30 endings, which fits its monumental historical scale. Any direct comparison to novels or film is a little reductive. However, if you like your romance to be grand and convoluted, full of political intrigue and sword fights, a la Outlander, Hakuoki will more than fit the bill. If you still can't get enough, this one has a sequel, Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms. Cafe Enchante This list has tended a little darker, emphasizing the genre's forays into mystery and drama. But there's plenty of cozy escapism in Otome, too. Cafe Enchante follows, well, a mystical cafe that is a crossroads between worlds. You can court angels, demons, firebenders, and even the Men-In-Black-esque bureaucrats who monitor the cafe, all while serving up delicious looking coffee and food. If you've enjoyed visual novels like Coffee Talk or VA-11 Hall-A, or cozy games like Stardew Valley or Tiny Bookshop, this could be right up your alley. Bustafellows Like Collar X Malice, Bustafellows is mystery-flavored Otome, with a bevy of "dangerous" men all trying to solve a mystery together. But where Collar has a hard criminal edge, Bustafellows is noirish and exaggerated. The courtable boys include a crooked lawyer, two underground surgeons, and a hacker--the cream of the crop of the criminal underworld. The protagonist's supernatural powers give its otherwise grounded mystery a fun, time-traveling flair. Bustafellows has two follow-ups; one is already out and another is on the way. Jack Jeanne If there is any game on this list I would recommend to anyone, regardless of their personal interest in visual novels or Otome, Jack Jeanne would be it. It follows Kisa Tachibana, whose only dream is to enter the all-boys theater school Univeil. A chance encounter with the school's principal lets her dream come true, but only if she can keep her true gender a secret and win the school's highest performing honor at the end of the year. Jack Jeanne stands out for a few reasons. For one, Jack Jeanne's boys make up a robust ensemble cast, all of whom must work together to put on the game's many performances. This gives it the sometimes-buoyant, sometimes-heartbreaking energy of the best sports anime. The art, from Tokyo Ghoul creator Sui Ishida, is verdant and cutting. Some light "raising" mechanics a la Umamusume or Princess Simulator and a surprisingly sharp pair of rhythm minigames round out a robust and heartfelt visual novel.
Can the Steam Machine truly become my all in one solution for gaming?
Since the Not-E3 blitz of summer gaming showcases, things have been relatively quiet since then. Amidst that break, THQ Nordic dropped a new showcase full of trailers to show what the publisher has on the way from its various studios. While it wasn't focused on big-name games like the ones you'd find in dedicated Xbox and PlayStation showcases, THQ Nordic instead has titles in very specific niche genres and IP. https://youtu.be/ToLh5Ruefxk Several of them are already available via early access or are already out and have post-launch plans in place, so if you're a fan of games that scratch a very specific itch for interactive entertainment, then you'll want to check out the list below of all the announcements. Let's Sing 2027 and Let’s Sing ABBA Revealed in the preshow, Let's Sing 2027 is shaping up to conquer the karaoke video game space. This year's installment features 35 songs from artists such as Ariana Grande and Chappell Roan, and you can join in on singing radio-friendly love songs with or without the original vocals. On top of that, an ABBA pack is also coming to the game on November 3, just in time for the 50th anniversary of Dancing Queen. It includes 32 tracks that your great-grandparents will appreciate, from Waterloo to Mamma Mia. Don't be surprised if they tell you to "gimme gimme gimme" the microphone, Fernando. Pinball FX Another preshow video, Zen Studios showed off its collection of Pinball FX tables that it has assembled over the years. The studio has locked down an impressive number of IP for the game, ranging from Peanuts to Star Wars, and if you're looking for some pinball fun, you can find the game on just about every PC and console. Reanimal: The Prisoner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M05D1Ynuxfg New DLC is on the way for Reanimal in the form of The Prisoner. While it sadly isn't a crossover with the groovy counter-culture '60s TV show that starred Patrick McGoohan, fans of the Little Nightmares-inspired game can look forward to new environmental puzzles and challenges set within a battle-scarred landscape. You can grab it right now. Expeditions: Samurai https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ophpG_hgKns Developer Campfire Cabal dropped a new trailer for Expeditions: Samurai, its upcoming tactical turn-based-combat game set in feudal Japan. Now out in early access on PC, the developer says that the game will receive three major updates while it works on fine-tuning the experience for players, and it'll be focusing on polishing gameplay balance, exploration, stealth, combat, and more. Titan Quest 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pred8p-zN_Q&pp=0gcJCcQLAYcqIYzv Now that The Odyssey is the hot new thing in cinemas, it might be the perfect time to check out how the Greek-inspired ARPG Titan Quest 2 is shaping up. Still in early access, today's trailer for the game showed off gameplay for the new Spirit Mastery skills that players can wield in combat. Built around mastering the powers of the Underworld, these powers will allow you to manipulate the forces of life and death to summon spirits and cast spells. Call to Arms: Panzer Elite https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYzv5ll7GUE World of Tanks doesn't have a monopoly on armored fighting vehicles, as Call to Arms: Panzer Elite also offers a pretty good spin on the lumbering war machines. A new update is now out for the game on PC, adding two new missions and two new tanks in the form of the M18 Hellcat and the M24 Chaffee. Way of the Hunter 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0hkJ6naYQ4 Oh deer, local wildlife has no idea what's in store for it when Way of the Hunter 2 launches on September 29 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The Eternal Life of Goldman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz6dr8xrU5Y The Eternal Life of Goldman continues to look impressive with every new trailer, and this latest look at the game went behind the scenes of its beautiful handcrafted art, boss fights, and level design. It still doesn't have a release date, but The Eternal Life of Goldman is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The Guild: Europa 1410 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0nBzCb2zeg Do you think that you have what it takes to keep the local peasants under control and establish a mighty kingdom during medieval times? Then you'll want to check out The Guild: Europa 1410 and see just how long your dynasty will last while you juggle your responsibilities as a noble in this feudal management game. You can choose to make your fortune through legitimate means or through some less-than-legal methods, and the game will be hitting early access in September. Wreckfest 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rALY2BE-eI Wreckfest 2 has grown throughout its early-access journey, and this new trailer was essentially a sizzle reel for the destruction derby racing game. Gothic 1 Remake https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFQ8EMaV_M4&pp=0gcJCcQLAYcqIYzv Gothic 1 Remake launched earlier this year, and developer Alkimia Interactive outlined its post-launch plans for the game. This will include various updates and new features like photo mode, mod support, alternative progression, and more. Gothic Classic Trilogy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqnfudVwoHI In case that's not enough Gothic for you, then you can look forward to playing through the original trilogy of games on console soon. Gothic Classic is now available, Gothic 2: Complete Classic launches on September 29, and Gothic 3 Classic will launch on November 24. Gothic: A Shadow's Quest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEb5i_lZj7w Rounding out the Gothic announcements was the reveal of Gothic: A Shadow's Quest, which will launch through the tabletop crowdfunding platform Gamefound on September 30. Upcoming Games on Nintendo Switch compilation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZi-I_5TWFA Finishing up the livestream was a quick reminder that several THQ Nordic games like Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, Sacred 2 Remaster, SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide, and the Destroy All Humans 2 Remakes are available for--or coming to--Switch consoles.
During the latest investment call for Grand Theft Auto 6's parent company, Take-Two Interactive, CEO Strauss Zelnick weighed in on the future of AI in game development. While Zelnick acknowledges that even his company will utilize AI, he reiterated his belief that the emerging technology won't replace anyone. "Those [AI] tools are not going to replace anyone," said Zelnick. He also expanded on the company's approach, which he characterized as focusing on creating entertainment rather leading with technology. "The first of our core pillars is creativity," noted Zelnick. "And we have 13,000 colleagues around the world, the vast majority of whom are people who are creative every day. We believe the technology can enhance their creativity, but we do not believe it can or should replace their creativity." Zelnick added that he doesn't believe that using AI will significantly lower the price of development, but he argued that it could "meaningfully increase the quality" of the games. The CEO has made similar remarks in the past. During a 2025 investor call, Zelnick said that Take-Two won't use AI as an excuse to lay off its employees. In addition to his latest AI missives, Zelnick assured Take-Two investors that GTA 6 hasn't been delayed from its launch for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19, Unsurprisingly, Zelnick is predicting that GTA 6 will carry the company through a very profitable fiscal year. He also claimed that GTA 6 preorders are "unprecedented," and it may be the most in-demand game that the industry has ever seen.
Tarik Skubal has been one of the best starting pitchers in all of baseball over the last few years, winning two consecutive Cy Young Awards as a member of the Detroit Tigers. But the Tigers have been having a rough season, and the team dealt Skubal to the Dodgers at the trade deadline this past weekend. Now, MLB The Show 26 is celebrating Skubal's move to Los Angeles with a special Diamond Dynasty card, so everyone can play as the biggest villain in baseball. Coming later today around noon PT / 3 PM ET, the New Threads Trade Deadline program contains a 99-rated Tarik Skubal. The other players and their ratings are as follows: Jo Adell (99) Taylor Ward (98) Arjun Nimmala (98) Ryan Zeferjahn (97) Luke Weaver (97) Luis Castillo (97) Liam Hicks (97) Daulton Varsho (97) AJ Minter (97) Skubal is one of two 99-rated cards in the bunch (though the extra booster packs contain a few more), and his real-life counterpart joins a team that already had the absolute best starting rotation in all of baseball. It makes the Dodgers even more of a ridiculously stacked team, and Skubal said he has no sympathy for people who blame the Dodgers for buying the best team every year. That being said, the Dodgers have been on a very rough stretch since the trade, so perhaps some form of karma is rebalancing the scales. Skubal better enjoy the next few months of playing in his Dodgers uniform, because there's a pretty good chance he's not going to get to do it again until 2028. The CBA between the players and the league is set to expire, and a proposed salary cap is the biggest sticking point.
Take-Two Interactive's quarterly earnings call had plenty of new information about GTA 6, including why the game won't have an early access perk. Speaking to investors, CEO Strauss Zelnick was also asked why Take-Two Interactive is selling fewer special versions of GTA 6--so far only the $80 standard and $100 ultimate editions are available to preorder--and why early access wasn't offered as an additional perk, when it is available for its line of 2K sports games like NBA, WWE, and PGA Tour. Zelnick explained that the pricing decisions ultimately belong to Rockstar Games, and while it could have charged more for features like paid early access, the studio was once again aiming to provide value to its consumers. "Given the hype around this title, I mean, I think we could have made any number of other pricing choices," Zelnick explained. "But as I said earlier, our focus is on delivering way more value than what we charge for something." Essentially, Zelnick explained that both GTA 6 editions are already value-packed products in the eyes of the company, and while preorders are exceptionally high, he did note that these could always be canceled before the game launches on November 19. That has led to Take-Two Interactive being cautiously optimistic, but the company is still expecting GTA 6 to help increase its revenue by 20% in its current financial year. Early access has become more commonplace for new games over the last couple of years, and in addition to Take-Two, companies like Microsoft make extensive use of it to give players extra incentive to buy a premium edition of a game--which obviously costs more than the regular version. Forza Horizon 6 offered a headstart when it launched earlier this year, and Gears of War: E-Day will also have an early access period for owners of the game's special edition. Meanwhile, GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and you can check out an "extended" preview of the game first on Netflix on August 27--if you're a Netflix subscriber. GTA 6: 241 Screenshots To Ease The Wait View Images
If you're jumping on the Fields Of Mistria 1.0 release, you'll no doubt be looking for some support in your farming endeavors. Crops can be tricky to master, as you'll need to know the right time to plant them, accounting for seasonal restrictions and regrowth time. From the moment you set foot on your new farm, you'll be presented with a bag of turnips and a bag of tulips. These are two out of four of the main plant types in Fields Of Mistria--vegetables and flowers, alongside tree fruits and foragables. Your farm will need a bit of TLC before you can plant anything, but the sooner you get those seeds down, the closer you are to making your first real money in Mistria. The process of planting is simple. Find a clear spot in your farm, use the hoe to carve a square of tilled land, plant your seeds, then water them. If you keep up your watering schedule, each morning will bring a new stage of growth, all the way up to harvest time. Rainy days are a farmer's best friend, though, as crops will water themselves. Different crops thrive in different seasons. Crops will only grow in their allocated season, though, and the moment Spring rolls into Summer, or Fall into Winter, your crops will wither and die, even if they were just about to bear fruit. Each season lasts 28 days, so plan carefully--especially with regrowable crops, or ones with expensive seed bags. Remember you can store your unplanted seeds indefinitely, they won't go bad, so if you've missed planting season this year, keep them for the next one. Some of the below crops will have a star next to them, this just means you shouldn't panic if you don't see them when you start a new game, eventually they'll be available from the general store, but you might need to do a quest or upgrade the town first. Two stars means you can only acquire the seeds through upgrading your Bountiful or Prepared Picker Skill to reward you with seeds when you water wild plants, or once you've unlocked the Seed Maker, you can make a bag of these crops' seeds. * = After quest completed ** = Through upgraded Bountiful or Prepared Picker Skill, or through using the Seed Maker Spring Spring is a great time to get to grips with the farming life, with plenty to forage as a backup if you forget to stick to your watering schedule. Many of the spring flowers make beautiful gifts, so can help boost your popularity even in the early stages of the game. Here is a list of every crop from Fields Of Mistria that is best grown in the Spring. Crops Crop NameGrow TimeRegrowth TimeSell Price Cabbage9 daysN/A180t Carrot*6 daysN/A80t Chickpea**5 days3 days30t Daffodil4 daysN/A25t Lilac**9 days3 days35t Peas*5 days3 days135t Potato5 daysN/A75t Snowdrop Anemone**6 daysN/A40t Strawberry5 days3 days125t Tulips6 daysN/A30t Turnip4 daysN/A40t Seeds can be bought from the General Store. Trees Tree NameGrow TimeRegrowth TimeSell Price Cherry Tree14 days3 days45t Lemon Tree14 days3 days45t Forageables Plant NameLocations BlueberryThe Eastern Road The Deep Woods Breath Of SpringOnly before Spring Festival (anywhere) Cattail FluffThe Eastern Road ChickpeaThe Eastern Road The Narrows Sweetwater Farm DaffodilThe Narrows Sweetwater Farm DandelionMistria Town The Narrows Sweetwater Farm FennelThe Eastern Road The Narrows FiddleheadThe Narrows Sweetwater Farm LilacThe Eastern Road Sweetwater Farm MiddlemistExtremely rare (anywhere) MorelExtremely rare (anywhere) NettleSweetwater Farm Snowdrop AnemoneThe Western Ruins The Beach* TulipThe Eastern Road The Narrows Sweetwater Farm Water ChestnutThe Narrows (along the water bank) Wild BerriesMistria Town The Narrows Sweetwater Farm The Eastern Road The Deep Woods The Beach* Wild LeekMistria Town The Eastern Road The Narrows Summer Summer is a bountiful month, brilliant for growing herbs once you've unlocked your Bountiful or Prepared Picker Skill (or Seed Maker). With these in hand, you can level up some of your dishes and make more elaborate gifts for your friends or potential partners. Here is a list of every Fields Of Mistria crop grown in Summer. Crops Crop NameGrowth TimeRegrowth TimeSell Price Basil**5 days3 days30t Catmint6 daysN/A30t Chili Pepper6 daysN/A75t Corn5 days3 days125t Cosmos6 daysN/A30t Cucumber4 daysN/A40t Daisy4 daysN/A15t Dill**5 days3 days30t Iris**6 daysN/A30t Marigold**9 daysN/A40t Night Queen**6 daysN/A40t Oregano**5 days3 days30t Sage**5 days3 days30t Sugar Cane*6 daysN/A80t Sunflower6 daysN/A30t Tea*5 days3 days135t Thyme**5 days3 days30t Tomato5 days3 days125t Watermelon9 daysN/A180t Some seed descriptions explain when they'll thrive. Trees Tree nameGrow TimeRegrowth TimeSell Price Peach14 days3 days45t Pear14 days3 days45t Foragables Plant NameLocations BasilThe Eastern Road CatmintThe Narrows Cattail FluffThe Eastern Road CoconutThe Beach CosmosSweetwater Farm DaisyThe Narrows The Western Ruins The Eastern Road Sweetwater Farm DillThe Beach The Narrows The Western Ruins HydrangeaThe Eastern Road The Deep Woods IrisThe Narrows The Beach Sweetwater Farm MarigoldThe Deep Woods The Western Ruins Night QueenExtremely rare (anywhere) OreganoMistria Town RoseThe Manor (garden) SageThe Beach The Narrows SesameSweetwater Farm ThymeSweetwater Farm Water ChestnutThe Narrows (along the water bank) Wild GrapesThe Narrows Fall Things start to slow down a bit in Fall, but there are still plenty of rich, delicious, and profitable goodies to be cultivated. There's also the Harvest Festival which is a great opportunity to show off your foraging skills and stockpile Queen Berries. Here is a list of the best crops to grow in Fields Of Mistria in the Fall. Crops Crop NameGrowth TimeRegrowth TimeSell Price Broccoli6 daysN/A75t Celosia4 daysN/A25t Chrysanthemum6 daysN/A30t Cranberry5 days3 days125t Garlic** 5 days3 days30t Heather**9 days3 days30t Moon Fruit**5 days3 days30t Onion*5 days3 days135t Pumpkin9 daysN/A180t Rice*9 days3 days150t Rosemary**5 days3 days30t Sweet Potato4 daysN/A40t Viola**6 daysN/A40t Wheat9 days3 days150t Different trees have different grow times depending on the season. Trees Tree NameGrowth TimeRegrowth TimeSell Price Apple14 days3 days45t Orange14 days3 days45t Forageables Plant NameLocations BlackberryThe Eastern Road The Narrows The Summit The Western Ruins Sweetwater Farm Cattail FluffThe Eastern Road ChestnutThe Beach Sweetwater Farm The Narrows Fog OrchidThe Eastern Road The Western Ruins GarlicThe Eastern Road HeatherMistria Town The Narrows The Beach HorseradishSweetwater Farm The Eastern Road The Beach Moon FruitSweetwater Farm The Beach The Eastern Road Queen BerryBefore Harvest Festival (anywhere) RosemarySweetwater Farm ViolaThe Eastern Road Water ChestnutThe Narrows (along the water bank) Winter Winter in Mistria is cold and barren, but that doesn't mean your crop growing days are over. Some beautiful flowers and ingredients for hearty, warming fare can still be grown if you know when to plant them. Here is a list of every Winter crop in Fields Of Mistria. Crops Crop NameGrowth TimeRegrowth TimeSell Price Beet4 daysN/A40t Burdock Root**5 days3 days30t Cauliflower6 daysN/A75t Daikon Radish9 daysN/A180t Frost Lily4 daysN/A25t Jasmine**9 days3 days35t Poinsetta6 daysN/A30t Snap Dragon**6 daysN/A40t Snow Peas5 days3 days125t Winter crops are surprisingly abundant. Trees Tree NameGrowth TimeRegrowth TimeSell Price Pomegranate14 days3 days45t Foragables Plant NameLocations Burdock RootMistria Town The Narrows The Eastern Road CrocusSweetwater Farm The Eastern Road The Beach Frost LilyThe Narrows The Beach The Eastern Road GlowberryMistria Town Sweetwater Farm The Narrows The Western Ruins The Eastern Road HollyThe Eastern Road Sweetwater Farm Ice Block (counts as forage)Sweetwater Farm The Narrows The Western Ruins The Eastern Road JasmineSweetwater Farm The Eastern Road Oyster MushroomMistria Town The Beach The Eastern Road PineshroomSweetwater Farm Plum Blossom*The Western Ruins PoinsettaThe Beach The Narrows Sweetwater Farm Rose HipThe Manor (garden) SnapdragonThe Western Ruins Wintergreen BerryThe Narrows The Deep Woods The Western Ruins
You can now check if you were picked for the closed network test for The Duskbloods, but you won't get an email invitation as you might expect. To see if you can take part in the playtest of From Software's Switch 2 multiplayer title, you'll have to go to the website for the network test. From there, click on the three-line menu on the top right of the page and select "Account" to go to your personal page. Once there, you'll see your selection results--the page will tell you either way. Unfortunately, if you see blue "You were not selected to participate" text, you didn't make it in, which stings harder than reading "YOU DIED" in Dark Souls. Here's what the selection results look like for the lucky players chosen. Those selected for the network test can find their download code on the website starting Tuesday, August 18, at 6 AM PT/9 AM ET. The network test will run at the following times: Friday, August 21: 3 AM to 7 AM PT / 6 AM to 10 AM ET Friday, August 21: 7 PM to 11 PM PT / 10 PM to 2 AM ET Saturday, August 22: 11 AM to 3 PM PT / 2 PM to 6 PM ET Sunday, August 23: 3 AM to 7 AM PT / 6 AM to 10 AM ET Sunday, August 23: 7 PM to 11 PM PT/ 10 PM to 2 AM ET There still haven't been too many details about The Duskbloods since its initial reveal over a year ago, so participants will be able to learn much more about the game firsthand through this playtest. From Software has yet to announce a release date, but The Duskbloods is apparently hitting the Switch 2 this year. Nintendo’s Top-Selling Switch 2 Games Of All Time View Images
A base PS5 or Xbox Series X|S console costs far more today than it did almost six years ago, but despite that, GTA 6 publisher Take-Two Interactive doesn't believe that the more-expensive gaming hardware will slow down its business or sales of the upcoming game. Speaking to investors as part of a briefing on its recent financial quarter, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick did mention that lower-priced gaming hardware would still be preferable, but the current state of the technology could have a surprise silver lining. "The rising cost of hardware is not a good thing. I don't think it will slow us down any because, you know, we're delivering, we believe we're delivering experiences that people want," Zelnick said. "However, a lower price point for hardware would be a good thing because there'd be more hardware in people's hands. Probably the most relevant thing is the world continues to move to open systems, and that will continue." Zelnick added that PC used to make up a fraction of sales 20 years ago--around 2%--but in the years since then, the platform accounts for up to 50% of sales. The CEO believes the gap will only continue to grow, and cloud-streaming could also play a big role in bringing more games to more people--and that future isn't too far away, Zelnick believes. "If you believe in streaming, and to be clear, we really do, and I'm happy to put a timeline on it. I think we'll be in commercial streaming mode within three years, and by commercial, I mean low latency. That can 10x the effective installed base. Now, it doesn't mean we're going to 10x our revenue--and we wouldn't project that we would--but because obviously your avid consumers already had access to video game machines. But I do think it creates great opportunity for titles that are broadly desirable, even outside of core markets." While the idea of cloud-streaming games isn't new--RIP, Google Stadia--the technology behind it has continued to improve over the years, with Microsoft making big strides in this space. As for consoles, if you haven't bought one yet for highly anticipated games like GTA 6, you might not want to delay that decision for too much longer. Prices look set to increase again next year, while PC gamers are facing another tough year as the biggest manufacturers of RAM chips have reportedly sold out all their production for 2027. GTA 6: 241 Screenshots To Ease The Wait View Images
Following the launch of GTA 6 preorders in late June, it immediately became apparent that there was, unsurprisingly, huge demand for the game. Now, in a Take-Two earnings call, the publishing company's CEO said the number of preorders is "unprecedented" across the industry. Strauss Zelnick said, "No one's ever seen anything like this before at Take-Two, or in the industry." He went on to add that exceptional preorders don't always equal exceptional sales, though. "To be clear, we haven't sold one unit yet. You can cancel a preorder." While Zelnick declined to comment on sales expectations, he said, "The news is great so far, we're incredibly excited. We couldn't be more excited than we are, and yet we are realistic and, at best, cautiously optimistic. We're going to leave it at that until the thing occurs." He continued, "The level of preorders is unprecedented and astonishing, and we're grateful for that." The claims came after Take-Two affirmed that GTA 6 is not delayed further, and will still be releasing on November 19. The company also believes that its $80 price tag is "phenomenal value."
While most of Take-Two Interactive's games are priced at $70--which became a much more common MSRP for new releases from 2020 onwards--GTA 6 is one of a handful of titles that will retail for $80--a price that the publisher believes is "phenomenal value" for the open-world game. Speaking to investors following the release of Take-Two's quarterly earnings, CEO Strauss Zelnick addressed a query about how the publisher had landed on an $80 price point for GTA 6. Zelnick echoed previous statements made regarding the value proposition of GTA 6, and how the publisher is aiming to "overdeliver" on the value attached to that title. "Our goal is to deliver way more value to consumers than what we charge them," Zelnick said. The truth is that the real cost of a AAA video game is a whole lot lower today than it was 20 years ago. Pricing has not kept pace with inflation, and our goal is to continue to overdeliver for our consumers, because how you feel about any experience is the intersection of the experience itself and what you paid for it. We expect that GTA 6 will be an incredible bargain as experiences go, [this] is a gross understatement because Rockstar Games is known for overdelivering. Our goal is not to maximize price." GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and unsurprisingly, Take-Two is expecting the game to boost its revenue significantly during its current financial year. GTA 6 — All The Potential Gameplay Activities From Trailers And Screenshots View Images
The cast for the upcoming live-action The Legend of Zelda movie is becoming clearer, and a report indicates that the legendary New Zealand actor Sam Neill, who died in July at the age of 78, has a role in the game-to-film adaptation. Deadline reports that Neill, best known to audiences as Dr. Alan Grant in three Jurassic Park films, filmed his role in the Wes Ball-directed movie prior to his death. Principal production wrapped in April. Neill's role is unknown, but Deadline adds that Chuck actor Yvonne Strahovski is also in the film's cast, apparently as a "queen character." It wouldn't be unreasonable to predict that Neill could play the king of Hyrule. Sharing the screen with Neill and Strahovski will be Severance's Dichen Lachman, who was spotted in set photos shortly after production began. Fan speculation pointed towards Lachman portraying Impa, who is usually a caretaker or protector to Princess Zelda in many of the games. Deadline's sources appear to corroborate these fan theories. The Legend of Zelda film is one of three movies that Neill is set to make a posthumous appearance in, the two others being Godzilla x Kong: Supernova (releasing March 26) and a romantic comedy titled The Last Resort. Depending on when the latter comes out, The Legend of Zelda could be Neill's final role. A survivor of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Neill ultimately passed from pneumonia. Other than Jurassic Park, Neill's most famous film appearances include Possession, Event Horizon, and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, along with some tongue-in-cheek cameos in Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder. The Zelda cast rounds out with Australian actor Uli Latukefu reportedly playing the villainous Ganondorf, facing off against Benjamin Evan Ainsworth's Link and Bo Bragason's Princess Zelda. The Legend of Zelda premieres on April 30, 2027.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is out today, but PC players are experiencing some problems with the game that their PlayStation 5 counterparts don't have have to deal with. Developer Arc System Works noted that the PC port had issues during the open beta last month and it pledged to fix them with a patch on day one. However, PC players are reporting that Marvel Tokon is still suffering from the same problems that made it nearly unplayable during the beta. As explained by a player on Reddit, Marvel Tokon on PC is plagued by dropped frame rates and stutter regardless of the specs of the machines being used. "It's a problem that [Arc System has] to fix on their side, you can't do anything about it," writes Davids Symphony. "You could be running a 5090 with a 9800X3D at the lowest settings and it'll still happen." Players who were hoping to take Marvel Tokon for a spin on Steam Deck have also been disappointed to find that it can't even launch in Steam OS/Linux. "The best part is the community manager on discord saying that, 'Asking for Linux support is like asking for a Switch port,'" writes Rinnekaton on Reddit. "The game uses EAC, and I don't even need to mention that EAC is widely supported on Linux. Linux support for EAC being a simple toggle (direct words from Valve themselves) is common knowledge at this point. In no way is it like porting to Switch." While it's unknown if or when Arc Systems will address Marvel Tokon's compatibility with Steam Deck, the developer has shared the details about its day-one patch. In the meantime, Arc Systems has unveiled a roadmap for Marvel Tokon's upcoming DLC. The first new fighter slated to be added to the lineup this fall is Phoenix Cyclops, a cosmic-powered incarnation of the character from 2012's Avengers vs. X-Men crossover event. In that story, Cyclops, White Queen, Namor, Colossus, and Magik were each given a portion of the Phoenix Force that remade them into god-like beings. If the game follows a similar direction, other members of the Phoenix 5 could be added later. The current patch notes are below. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Day One Patch Notes Performance Optimizations (Primarily for the PC SKUs) Removed unnecessary character animation updates from being performed; resulting in a reduced CPU load. Made improvements to alleviate the load on the user interface update. Made improvements to address an issue where performance significantly deteriorated when running applications that use overlays or capture video. OBS Studio: Video capture via Game Capture & Discord: Overlays, Video Capture. Added an anti-aliasing option to the automatic graphics quality setting to ensure that the appropriate anti-aliasing option is applied based on performance and prevents unintended load increases. Fixed an issue that enabled unintended anti-aliasing plug-ins (e.g. DLSS, FSR, XeSS). Also included a feature to the custom graphics quality settings and effect options that allow you to change the update frequency of the stage background characters. Selecting medium quality of low quality will reduce the update frequency and slightly reduce the load on the CPU. Have set the prompt inquiring about performing a shade warm-up at startup to ON by default, making it easier to find and perform a shader warm-up. Fixed an issue that caused the shader warm-up to run unintentionally at startup. Steam Version: Fixed an issue that caused a delay in sending input data during online matches; resulting in improved online match performance. PS5 Version: Implemented additional measure to mitigate input lag. Other Fixes Game Screen - Fixed an issue where the game would automatically switch between monitors on setups that featured multiple monitors. Online Lobby - Fixed an issue where some players would become invisible after viewing rankings in Ranked Mode and then enter the Online Lobby. Ranked Mode - Fixed an issue where the screen would become distorted when a large number of digits were displayed. Game Server Connectivity - Improved communication stability between the client and the game server. Mouse - Fixed an issue where the game would sometimes crash when using the mouse too quickly in the game's menus. Text Optimization - Fixed an issue where performance was significantly reduced when large amounts of text were on screen; particularly when set to Arabic or Thai. Connectivity- Fixed an issue where the game would become unplayable if the network connection was lost during the Challenger Alert screen. Gameplay Adjustments Input Optimization - Changed the input prioritization to 236 < 623 < 236 after 41236, allowing for a more accurate activation of 623 when using the input 6236. Danger - Revised the input handling for ground dashes. Have made it possible to cancel into a skill from a ground dash to make it less likely for aerial special moves to be accidentally triggered.
Out of nowhere, Rockstar and Netflix announced today that an "extended look" at GTA 6 will be available on the streaming platform on August 27. People have been clamoring for a new look at the game, given that it's been more than a year since Trailer 2, but few could have expected the next look at GTA 6 to come via Netflix. A lot of people are disappointed by this, saying Rockstar is effectively paywalling the next GTA 6 trailer by hosting it exclusively via Netflix ... for a time. To be sure, the Netflix exclusivity is only for six hours, as the footage will later be available on Rockstar's own YouTube page at 9 PM ET the same day. It's also all but guaranteed that people will rip the Netflix footage and post it online before then. But it's the principle of the matter that is upsetting some portion of the GTA fanbase. GTA 6's next trailer is exclusive to Netflix for its debut. For critics, the near-ubiquity of a Netflix subscription is irrelevant. They see it as an extra hoop to jump through to watch a video that could be hosted on YouTube for everyone to watch at the same time. Beyond this, people have expressed concerns that Netflix's servers won't be able to handle what is expected to be a massive server load as countless millions of people log on at the same time to watch the footage. Netflix has a spotty track record in this department, too, as previous high-profile streams of sporting events, in particular, have been marred by technical issues. Rockstar is known to be protective of its content and driven to have it be seen in the best possible light. When the game's first trailer leaked in December 2023, the company responded by releasing the official version sooner than anticipated. Hosting the "extended look" footage on Netflix comes with the risk of technical hiccups that could negatively impact how people perceive GTA 6, even if this is unlikely to have any material effect on how GTA 6 performs. Of course, it could all run entirely smoothly and without issue. Problems can crop up on YouTube and elsewhere as well, after all. For its part, Netflix said its deal with Rockstar is a "reflection of what we hope Netflix is becoming: a place where the most ambitious storytelling, from any medium, can find the biggest possible audience." Netflix has been trying to build out its gaming business for years, and this is among its biggest moves to date. Netflix and Rockstar partnering for this new GTA 6 trailer is not totally out of the blue, however. The two companies have worked together for years, with multiple GTA games being available to Netflix subscribers. They have since been removed, but Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption remains available via Netflix Games. Other terms of the partnership between Netflix and Rockstar were not divulged. Many have speculated that Netflix backed up a Brinks truck to Rockstar's offices, but the terms could be more nuanced than straight cash. GTA 6 was no doubt an extremely expensive production, and taking money from Netflix for this kind of deal could be a balance sheet matter for Rockstar and Take-Two. The companies have, after all, already done more to squeeze the playerbase. For starters, GTA 6 is launching at $80, which is $20 more than GTA 5 debuted at in 2013. GTA 6 also has a $100 Ultimate Edition that packs in many compelling digital extras and will likely drive numerous fans to the higher-priced option. One of the perks of the Ultimate Edition is access to Sara's Unisex Salon, where players can get "signature styles" for Jason and Lucia. People who buy the $80 edition of the game cannot access this, or at least Rockstar has yet to explain how they might be able to down the road or for an additional purchase. All of this is to say that Rockstar putting content behind a paywall and its efforts to extract more money from its playerbase is no surprise--it's the formula. The deal with Netflix is just the latest example of this. Here's to hoping Rockstar and Netflix eventually share more information about their partnership, but from Netflix's perspective, it makes a lot of sense as a pure and simple means to drive people to the platform. In any event, no matter how much people complain about Netflix hosting the next GTA 6 trailer, it's happening. People will need to subscribe to Netflix to watch the GTA 6 extended look right away, regardless of how they feel about it. I respect your principles if you wait six hours to watch on YouTube, but this is all shaping up to be a big win for Netflix. GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, unless it's delayed again.
After soaring past an initial goal of $100,000, a Game Industry Hardship Fund bundle on Itch.io is now nearing $200,000 raised with seven days remaining. The bundle has so far raised more than $163,000, and features 127 games for the minimum price of $10, with the proceeds going towards helping laid-off developers pay for everyday expenses. There are some bigger-name games included as well, including indie titles like Skatebird, A Short Hike, and Arranger. It's the brainchild of Necrosoft Games director Brandon Sheffield and United Videogame Workers, a CWA union benefiting game developers, who in response to repeated waves of mass layoffs in the past two years wanted to offer affected developers a lifeline. https://bsky.app/profile/itch.io/post/3msauex3trk27 "The game industry has a problem," reads the bundle. "Too many people are out of work. Reports say 33% of the industry lost their jobs in the last two years, and the jobs they could fill are disappearing as CEOs try to replace them with AI. It's hard for companies to adjust to the new shape of the game industry, but even harder for the people they should be employing." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti-ATJAz94k Developers in the United States and Canada are able to apply for aid from the fund for money to use on things like food, healthcare, rent, moving expenses, and more, with the funds being distributed by the union. More than 11,000 people have contributed so far, and while $10 is the minimum for the bundle, people are encouraged to donate more. One buyer contributed $5,000. It looks to be making an impact. OneBGS, the Bethesda Game Studios union, announced the fund had helped cover a member's moving expenses so they could return home after being laid off. The fund will still be live for another week and ends on August 13, with Sheffield hoping to double the amount raised by the end of the campaign. https://bsky.app/profile/bethesdaunion.bsky.social/post/3msevpeufsk2j The last six months alone have seen an unprecedented number of game industry layoffs. Massive cuts at Microsoft saw Xbox lay off 1,600 employees with another 1,600 cuts coming within the next year. Riot Games announced layoffs following the release of its League of Legends fighting game 2XKO. There have been significant layoffs at Ubisoft despite the success of titles like Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced. Sony even shuttered developer Bluepoint Games entirely earlier this year. It's not only larger studios that have been affected. Smaller developers are also being hit hard, ranging from Disco Elysium developer ZA/UM to a newly independent Double Fine.
Check out some high level matches featuring Deadpool, Carnage, Champion, Loki and Hulk who were not available to play in the Open Beta for Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. See timestamps for matches!
Peak, the mountain-climbing with friends "friendslop" title that sold more than 10 million copies in its first year, is set to receive its final major update on August 11, and it looks to be an appropriate challenge for seasoned scouts. Dubbed The Final Ascent, the update will introduce two new late-game biomes, the Gloom and The Citadel, which will cycle out with the game's current Caldera and The Kiln biomes. A trailer for the update shows the Gloom to be a ghostly-looking swamp, while The Citadel looks to be a medieval fortress, complete with traps like swinging flails. As if that wasn't enough to overcome, the trailer teases a monster one can only assume will hunt players during their climb. It's been a wild trail for Peak, a collaboration between developer Aggro Crab and Landfall Games that began life as a game-jam project only to find runaway success when it was released last year. It even became popular enough to receive a Fortnite collaboration that cost more than the game itself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DllRqzSwliY Part of Peak's success came down to its low price point. One of the game's devs made a compelling argument that to many players, the price of anything under $8 still feels like it costs $5. That low barrier to entry helped Peak find a huge audience. Peak has since sold millions of copies. It celebrated its one year anniversary in June, but the developers have always made clear it isn't a live-service game and that the frequency of updates and new content would slow in 2026. In various posts on Steam, the developers have repeatedly referred to The Final Ascent as the last significant content update for Peak. Both Aggro Crab and Landfall are currently working on new projects. The success of Peak, alongside games like REPO and Landfall's own Content Warning, helped popularize the co-op focused "friendslop" subgenre, though perhaps the entire category could use a new name.
The ongoing collapse of the crypto gaming industry claimed another victim this week, with blockchain startup Proof of Play announcing its demise roughly one year after shutting down its flagship game, Pirate Nation. Founded by FarmVille co-creator Amitt Mahajan, Proof of Play was one of the many companies that attempted to pair familiar, casual gameplay with crypto token incentives and player-owned assets in the form of NFTs--a premise that most gamers never warmed up to. “When we started out, we believed games using blockchain tech had the potential to usher in a new, decentralized internet,” the team wrote Tuesday on X. “Ultimately, we couldn't build a product and sustainable business that proved out this thesis at scale.” Launched in 2022, the browser-based Pirate Nation featured card-driven ship battles and island base-building mechanics, with crypto features layered on top. While Pirate Nation saw initial interest from players, demand faded as the crypto gaming trend lost steam and broader token and NFT prices cratered. Last August, Proof of Play--which raised $33 million in venture funding--said it would shut down the full Pirate Nation game and instead roll out smaller minigame experiences. The game’s demise also poked a hole in the studio’s claims that Pirate Nation could run forever due to its code being “fully on-chain.” “The truth is, it wasn't ever going to be a breakout, mass market success,” Proof of Play co-founder and Pirate Nation Product Lead Adam Fern admitted on X last August. With the studio’s closure, Proof of Play has open-sourced much of the game’s code and art “so it can be helpful to future builders and agents,” per the official X post. The game’s PIRATE crypto token will also continue to be tradeable, though it has fallen 99.8% from its peak price reached soon after its 2024 rollout. Proof of Play’s downfall is yet another blow to the blockchain gaming trend that has occasionally grabbed headlines, but has so far failed to produce sustainable results. As Bitcoin surged to new highs in 2021, the Pokemon-inspired monster-battling game Axie Infinity lured in millions of players with the promise of crypto token income--but only if they bought or borrowed unique NFT monsters selling for hundreds of dollars apiece. Many gamers were vocally resistant to the idea of blockchain gaming, however. Not only is crypto widely associated with scams, but the idea of games built around expensive assets fueled fears that publishers could use the framework to extract more cash from fans. And ultimately, crypto titles that looked and played like knockoffs of better-known games weren’t going to convince them otherwise. Axie Infinity’s in-game economy collapsed a few months later, with a $625 million crypto heist from North Korean hackers adding insult to injury. While some blockchain-linked games have gained attention in the years since, such as Gunzilla Games’ Off the Grid, many more have crashed out--including Deadrop from the now-shuttered Midnight Society and streamer Dr. Disrespect. And most major gaming tokens have fallen 99% or more from their peak prices. Even traditional gaming titans that dabbled in the space are starting to pull back. Square Enix ended its NFT game Symbiogenesis last year, and just last week, Ubisoft said that it will shut down Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles in October, after telling players in May that it would “progressively transition away from blockchain functionality.”
The live-action The Legend of Zelda movie from Sony Pictures and Nintendo has already cast its Zelda and Link, but what about all the other roles? A new report claims that Australian actor Uli Latukefu, best known for the TV series Young Rock, will play the villain, Ganondorf. This is according to veteran Hollywood reporter Kyle Buchanan of The New York Times. He said he's "been hearing" that Latukefu got the role, but it's not yet officially confirmed by the studio. Deadline also reported on his casting, going on to say he made a multi-movie deal. Uli Latukefu could play Ganondorf. In terms of confirmed casting, we already know that Bo Bragason is playing Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth is portraying Link. Photos that leaked from set appear to suggest that Severance actor Dichen Lachman may be playing Impa. The live-action The Legend of Zelda movie releases in theaters on April 30, 2027 from director Wes Ball (The Maze Runner). “The team is working hard to deliver the film to everyone as soon as possible. There’s less than a year to go until release, so thank you for waiting," producer Shigeru Miyamoto said. Marvel veteran Avi Arad is another producer on the movie. For more info on the highly anticipated film adaptation, check out everything we know about The Legend of Zelda movie. As for the game series, the next entry in The Legend of Zelda franchise is this year's highly anticipated remake of Ocarina of Time for Switch 2.
The writing is on the wall for PlayStation and its plans for an all-digital gaming future--or on the PlayStation 5 packaging, to be exact. With Sony ending the production of game discs in January 2028, the PS5 manufacturer has reportedly begun to slap warning stickers on restocks of its console, informing consumers that games will only be available in a digital format 17 months from now. Spotted by YouTuber Behind the Games--who says the console was purchased by a "trusted source" they know--the sticker includes the following disclaimer: "From January 2028, newly released games on PlayStation will be available for purchase on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital format only. Discs for games released before January 2028 can continue to be played on this console." The sticker looks legitimate--and Behind the Games has uploaded a video of it since then--as the same text can be found on the listings for PS5 consoles through European Amazon storefronts, likely so that Sony can comply with consumer laws in that region. https://twitter.com/BehindTGames/status/2085059320694100095 The company's decision to no longer offer a physical version of PlayStation games has been met with significant backlash so far, with many users calling for a boycott of the company and constantly replying to social media posts with calls for Sony to reverse its decision. Despite the ongoing campaign, Sony is still moving ahead with its plans, with Sony CFO Lin Tao commenting on the backlash during a Q&A session for investors this week. Tao acknowledged that the announcement had been met with "strong views," but she said that Sony would continue to "cautiously" proceed. The company has in recent months noted how the ratio between physical and digital game sales has only widened in recent years, and in the last quarter (covering April to June), 82% of its game sales were digital.
The co-creator of Halo and designer of Master Chief, Marcus Lehto, has weighed in with his thoughts about the latest Halo remake, Halo: Campaign Evolved. Posting on social media, Lehto said he has been slowly playing through the game on the Heroic difficulty and he has some issues but mostly he's having a great time and is happy with the game. "Overall, I really love the upgrades: movement, cinematics, visuals. Damn, the lighting is brilliant," he said. "Do I have gripes? A few, but they are taking a back seat to the fun." As for why he played on Heroic, Lehto said this was the difficulty level that the original team at Bungie used to test a level for its "fun factor." The Legendary difficulty level is only for those "who love punishment," he said. A scene from Campaign Evolved. Lehto shared a number of other insights in his social media posts. He said the team at Halo Studios deserves credit for making the game run in the Unreal Engine, saying this took "real effort" to do. In terms of his gripes, Lehto said a few of the newly added cinematics are "absolutely cringe," including the new outro cinematic for Assault on the Control Room. Lehto said he "can't un-see" that. But overall he said he enjoyed many of the creative liberties taken and new additions. Lehto also addressed the improved lighting, saying the original lighting in Combat Evolved for the Flood missions was "f**king awful," going on to call it a "mountain of sh**." He added that the Assault Rifle in Campaign Evolved "feels great," and he was also impressed by the Covenant weapons. "Much more brutal with a solid punch," he said. In terms of Campaign Evolved's new system that gives players hints about what to do and where to go next, Lehto said, "I think the hints are too heavy-handed--pandering to a new era of players with 0% attention span." Also on social media, Lehto addressed the online negativity surrounding Campaign Evolved, saying a platform like X/Twitter "fosters that hate." He said if people got together in the same room to discuss Campaign Evolved and play it, "I bet we would all eventually have a pretty damn good time playing the game together." Campaign Evolved is notable for being the first Halo game on PlayStation. Early sales data suggests it's not doing great on Sony's console, in part because it's too expensive, according to one analyst. Campaign Evolved is just the latest remaster of the first game, following 2011's Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. Campaign Evolved, as its name suggests, is a campaign-only game with no multiplayer support. It also features three new prequel missions as part of the Operation Meteorite story arc. Remakes of Halo 2 and Halo 3 are coming next, according to reports, along with reportedly a brand-new Halo game that is "like Fortnite."
At long, long last, a fresh look at GTA 6 is coming later this month--if you have a Netflix subscription. More than a year has passed since Rockstar last uploaded a proper trailer for its highly anticipated open-world game, and on August 27, it'll be a Netflix exclusive for several hours--or several minutes, knowing the current state of the internet. The other concern around Netflix hosting this extended look at GTA 6, is if it can even handle the influx of traffic. Previous GTA 6 trailers pulled in millions of views on YouTube, and with all of the hype behind it, Netflix's servers could be under a massive strain when it people sign in to see the new GTA 6 footage. It wouldn't be the first time that that the streaming platform has buckled under the weight of its users, as the infamous Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight saw it struggle to livestream that sporting spectacle. Widespread buffering issues and crashes made it almost impossible for many people to properly view the bout, and GTA 6 is much bigger than watching a retired boxer go several rounds against a divisive sports personality. Let's be real: People are already making plans to rip that trailer and post it online as soon as possible, all in the service of chasing down social media views that could potentially be very lucrative and draw eyeballs to their accounts. It's not exactly a novel idea, and even though Netflix has several systems in place to protect its intellectual property, there are ways around it via browser plugins or an old-fashioned camera aimed at a TV screen. If you stream it, they will rip it! What this means is that you'll likely see a flood of videos hit sites like YouTube. I'm no psychic, but if gambling sites allowed it, you could make free money by starting a betting pool for guessing what kind of an over-the-top thumbnail people will have prepped for their GTA 6 trailer reaction video. It's worth noting that YouTube's Content ID system could see these channels hit with copyright strikes as well, but there are ways around this. While they vary from video to video, YouTubers have resorted to tricks like changing audio pitch, cropping videos, and adding overlays to game the system. Given the loose enforcement on platforms like X, in particular, don't be too surprised to see the entire trailer pop up there during Netflix's window of exclusivity. The site has become a haven for stolen content over the last couple of years, with one notable example being the leak of the animated movie Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, earlier this year. Within hours of its upload, copies of the film spread like wildfire across sites, spoiling what was intended to be the grand relaunch of the fan-favorite IP. But for everyone else, that Netflix exclusivity won't be too long! Once the trailer is uploaded properly to YouTube, the official version will likely be at the top of any search results for it. Overall, this is an interesting departure from your standard video game marketing and possibly a sign of things to come as Rockstar explores a new frontier. Video games have begun to draw the attention of massive corporations like Disney over the years--which has a sizable investment stake in Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite--and GTA 6 could be the first of many high-profile games prioritizing new platforms over the standard YouTube model of promotion. Who knows? The next look at The Elder Scrolls 6 or Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet could require you to sign up to Disney+ or Apple TV to get a sneak peek at it. GTA 6: 241 Screenshots To Ease The Wait View Images
Get an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI: premiering on Netflix Thursday, August 27 at 3 p.m. ET and will also launch on the official Rockstar Games YouTube channel and the Grand Theft Auto VI site at 9 p.m. ET on August 27.
Rockstar Games will provide an "extended look" at GTA 6 on August 27, and it'll air on Netflix. The video will be released on Netflix at 3 PM ET and it will later be posted on Rockstar's own YouTube channel at 9 PM ET that day. Rockstar has worked with Netflix before, as the company brought multiple games to the Netflix Games catalog, including GTA titles. Those have been removed, but Red Dead Redemption remains available to play on Netflix. Fans have been waiting a long time for a new look at GTA 6, as the last trailer was released all the way back in May 2025. Netflix has published a landing page for the GTA 6 video. The Rockstar Games website for GTA 6 has been updated, too. While fans have to wait until August 27 for the new trailer, new artwork for GTA 6 has been released, providing a new look at main characters Lucia and Jason. In particular, we can see Jason wearing a "Leonida" shirt featuring manatee riding a surfboard. Fans have theorized that GTA 6 might add surfing as a mechanic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq76pQsI1iw Preorders for GTA 6 began in June, priced at $80 for the base game and $100 for an Ultimate Edition that comes with a lot more content. Rockstar has said GTA 6 is a single-player experience, and it remains to be seen how GTA Online may evolve when GTA 6 arrives. The new GTA 6 art. GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. It's expected to be 2026's biggest game, and one of the biggest releases in the history of entertainment.
The sun is out, forever burning my skin and making me wish for fall. Summer, in my humble opinion, kind of stinks--but if there’s anything that makes it better, it’s sale events like these. Not that I need an excuse to stay indoors, anyway. Steam’s Summer Sale may be long gone by this point, but the Fanatical Summer Sale has only just started, and many of these Steam keys are even cheaper than Valve’s own discounts. Sorry, Steam. I’ve put together a list of essential additions to your Steam library, from monster-hunting adventures to hack-and-slash spectacles. These are some of my favorite titles of recent years, so now that they’re at their lowest price ever, there’s no excuse not to play them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOeL3Hgil1I Monster Hunter Wilds Monster Hunter Wilds launched to both fanfare and disappointment. The improvements were impressive, but the performance wasn't. Fortunately, many of those issues have since been addressed, and patient players are now rewarded with a 63% discount. For those unfamiliar, Monster Hunter Wilds takes you to an unexplored region of the world, where you work alone or with companions to hunt dangerous beasts, using their resources to strengthen your gear. Finishing the narrative is only the beginning, as the endgame keeps you playing by taking on stronger monsters and fine-tuning your skills with each hunt. Monster Hunter Wilds is now $25.89 / £22.19 at Fanatical. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9e-PlQbOo4 Metaphor: ReFantazio If you loved the Persona series--or simply enjoy turn-based RPGs with strong narratives--Metaphor: ReFantazio is one of the best RPGs I've ever played. Every character has an important role in the story as you attempt to awaken the prince from a deep slumber following the king’s assassination, hoping to save the Kingdom of Euchronia from the tyrannical Louis. It’s a 100-hour journey that asks you to build the perfect party by using Archetypes to create the right boss-defeating squad. The ability to change each character’s Archetype, adjust their skills, and manage the protagonist’s kingly virtues makes the adventure consistently rewarding, which is why it was my personal Game of the Year in 2024. Grab Metaphor: ReFantazio for just $25.24 / £21.89 at Fanatical. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmWvxUdTXyo Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Reading the title alone, I have no doubt the iconic theme is already playing in your head. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle isn’t just a great adaptation of Harrison Ford’s archaeologist and adventurer; it’s one of the best interpretations of the character to date. Troy Baker delivers a performance that captures Ford’s voice remarkably well, while the gameplay blends immersive sim elements with Uncharted-style globe-trotting adventure, making it one of MachineGames’ finest releases. It manages to tell a mystery that feels perfectly suited to Dr. Jones while stretching what would normally be a two-hour movie into a lengthy single-player adventure without losing the nonstop action the franchise is known for. If there’s one game you buy from this list, make it this one. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is now $37.39 / £32.39 at Fanatical. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEmmnKzCJsE Nioh 3 Chances are, if you’re a soulslike fan, you enjoyed Elden Ring. Who didn’t? It was a massive hit when it launched back in 2022, bringing together many of FromSoftware’s best ideas in one open-world adventure. However, what if I told you I actually prefer Nioh 3? Nioh 3 takes a faster, more hack-and-slash approach to the soulslike formula, making combat more fluid while remaining just as demanding. Bosses hit hard and fast, while the ability to switch between Ninja and Samurai stances makes every encounter feel tactical without becoming overwhelming. The open-world structure also gives you more breathing room between battles before, inevitably, another enemy jumps out to ruin your day. Nioh 3 is currently just $39.89 / £37.04 at Fanatical. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJxnAqgonzM Dynasty Warriors: Origins As a big fan of musou games, Dynasty Warriors: Origins strikes the balance the long-running series has needed for years. It serves as both a prequel and a soft reboot, refocusing the franchise as more of an action RPG with challenging mini-bosses, larger-scale battles, and a stronger narrative while retaining the spectacle the series is known for. It helps that the combat absolutely slaps. The variety of weapons keeps each mission feeling fresh, encouraging you to adapt your strategy as objectives change. In my eyes, it’s the best game in the series so far, and the thrill of defeating 100 soldiers in a single sweep remains at the heart of the experience. Dynasty Warriors: Origins is just $43.04 / £39.96 at Fanatical right now. You can browse the full Fanatical Summer Sale to see what else catches your eye. There’s no shortage of deals, and every day brings three new Star Deals with even deeper discounts, making it worth checking back regularly. Disclosure: GameSpot and Fanatical are both owned by Fandom. This story was created in collaboration with Fanatical's deals team.
Back in August 2025, Nintendo increased the price of the original Switch console in accordance with ongoing tariffs, but after the US Supreme Court declared these to be unlawful, it didn't hesitate to claim a refund. With the release of its quarterly earnings (April 1 to June 30) for the current financial year, we now have a clear picture of just how much these refunds helped Nintendo, as it recorded a 52% increase in its operating profits year-on-year, totaling $300 million. It's worth noting that Nintendo didn't reach this figure purely with tariff refunds, as the company says that "solid software sales and the resulting increase in the proportion of software in net sales" also helped. The US tariffs--that Nintendo sued the US government over--were previously recorded as cost of sales, and Nintendo also noted that its gross profit margin increased by 22.0 points to 54.3%. Just don't expect to see any of this cash trickle back down to the consumers, even with the specter of a class action lawsuit hanging above the company. Filed on behalf of Nintendo consumers, the suit argues that Nintendo has an obligation to pay back customers who purchased hardware and software at an inflated price, but Nintendo has argued against this. "Nintendo or one of its retailers set a price for each product, and consumers decided whether that price was worth paying," the company's response to the lawsuit reads. "Those who bought Nintendo's products received exactly what they bargained and paid for: a console, game and/or accessory at a price to which both parties agreed." Nintendo added that it imposed "modest and selective" price adjustments, bearing the brunt of the tariffs. The Switch has also remained at its initial MSRP since launch, but that will change in September when price hikes for the console come into effect, thanks in part to the ongoing components shortage crisis. Sony is also benefiting from tariff refunds, as those helped the PlayStation manufacturer record an increase in operating income for its April - June quarter. Nintendo’s Top-Selling Switch 2 Games Of All Time View Images
Nintendo has posted its latest quarterly financial results--ranging from April 1 to June 30--and while the Switch 2 continues to be the company's fastest-selling system, sales have dropped considerably in the last three months. Overall, Nintendo's operating profit increased 150.5% thanks to higher software revenue and $300 million in US tariff refunds that won't be passed on to consumers. A total of 3.82 million Switch 2 consoles were sold during this period, a steep drop compared to the same period last year when Nintendo sold 5.82 million units during the June 2025 launch. That figure is understandable, as the Switch 2 arrived with plenty of hype and demand behind it, fueling sales at the time and setting several new records for Nintendo. The Switch 2 is doing some big numbers. With the new quarterly sales numbers, 23.68 million Switch 2 consoles have been sold in its first 13 months on the market. In comparison, the original Switch sold 17.79 million units during the same period, while the Wii console reached over 20 million units sold. Nintendo is estimating that it will sell another 12.68 million Switch 2 consoles over the next three quarters, which will work out to 16.5 million Switch 2 sales during its current financial year and 36.35 million lifetime sales if it reaches that target. On the software side, sales rose year-over-year as Nintendo released more titles and its playerbase steadily increased. Mario Kart World has now sold 15.39 million units to date, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream reached 7.96 million copies in its first three months on sale, Kirby Air Riders has reached 1.9 million sales, and the Switch 2 edition of Super Mario Party Jamboree is sitting on 1.15 million units sold so far. As for recent releases, exact numbers for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book and Star Fox haven't been shared yet, but Nintendo says that the two games continue to perform within expectations. Tomodachi Life has been a big hit this year. Switch 1 games are also performing well, as another 450,000 units of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe were sold during the last quarter, increasing its lifetime sales to 71.53 million. Nintendo added that Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate have both sold 380,000 units each, further increasing their impressive lifetime sales numbers. Amidst all the talk of a digital-only future for games at companies like Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo also briefly spoke about the gap between digital and physical. Digital sales rose to 61.5%, an increase of around 2%. Looking ahead, several big Switch 2 games are still on the way in 2026, including Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave (September 17), Switch Sports Resort (October 22), and the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake that is scheduled to launch before the end of 2026. Here Are The Switch 2’s Best-Selling Games So Far View Images
Go beyond the fourth wall and break your opponents with this Character Guide! We break down Deadpool’s reckless combat style that the most beloved mercenary built thanks to a fighting game guide!
House House's critically acclaimed co-op puzzle-solving game Big Walk has only been out for two days, but one modder is taking it upon themselves to add a new dimension to the gameplay. Independent solo developer CircuitLord has announced that they are developing a VR mod for Big Walk. A brief demonstration of the mod was posted on social media as proof of concept. https://twitter.com/CircuitLord/status/2084802172525367443 CircuitLord subsequently posted a follow-up video that showed off the progress of the VR mod. In this iteration, the player's character can pick up objects and interact with them. But CircuitLord notes that it needs some refinement to make "throwing a tad bit less powerful." https://twitter.com/CircuitLord/status/2084895283117224028 Subsequently, CircuitLord confirmed that the mod will support crossplay with players using the normal version of the game. "You'll be able to see VR player hand movements and how they're holding objects and stuff as long as everyone has the mod," added CircuitLord. For now, there's no timetable for CircuitLord to finish and release the mod. In the meantime, House House has announced that it's working on a mircophone fix to address the issue of some players sounding quieter than the developers intended. Big Walk hit a critical milestone as the highest-rated title to debut on day one on PlayStation Plus Essential. GameSpot's sister site Metacritic notes that Big Walk has a 94 score among reviewers. GameSpot's Big Walk review echoes those high marks calls it one of the best co-op games ever created. Players who want to dive into the game should check out GameSpot's eight tips you need to know ahead of playing Big Walk. We've also put together guides on how to get shiny and how how to solve the 4166, 1899 puzzle. Big Walk is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, Switch 2, and Mac.
Two years ago, NPC Studio launched its farm life fantasy RPG Fields of Mistria into early access. Today, that preview period has officially ended with the 1.0 release of Fields of Mistria. A number of improvements have been added to the game with that update, including the ability to ride around the town of Mistria on a big chicken mount. https://twitter.com/FieldsofMistria/status/2085045585485185118 As part of the transition, previously incomplete quests like The Town Repair and The Museum can now be completed. Two new quests, Saturday Market Plaza and Repair the Bell Tower, have been added to the game, and players' Town Renown Cap has now been raised to 100, while the NPC Heart Level Cap has been raised to 10. Since Fields of Mistria is primarily a game about romantic relationships, the 1.0 update has added 10 Heart Proposal events, wedding events, marriage, and children. For veteran players, the newly arrived Steam Achievements will be awarded retroactively. However, players do have the option of starting fresh without retroactive achievements if they choose to start a new save file. For international players, beta localization has been added for the following seven languages: Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Traditional) French Japanese Korean Russian Spanish According to NPC Studios, players will be able access all of the features and content of the 1.0 update regardless of which language they select. However, certain text features may currently be missing or incomplete. The studio notes that further improvements to the beta localizations will be regularly added to the game. In the meantime, some missing text will "temporarily appear in English." Fields of Mistria is one of GameSpot's picks for the best cozy games to cuddle up to in 2026 and the best Steam Deck games to play. You can find the complete patch notes below. Fields of Mistria 1.0 Patch Notes New Features Gameplay Unlocking Stillwell will allow you to access Mission Quests from his Mission Board at the Saturday Market. Unlocking Zorel will allow you to purchase Crystal Resonators and Song Crystals at the Saturday Market. This feature allows customization of the music that plays on your farm and in the rooms of your home. The exterior of your house can now be customized from a selection of styles after it’s been fully upgraded. Note: You will receive a letter from Landen after fully upgrading your house, which will unlock this feature in the Carpenter’s Shop. 7 new perks have been added to the game, including: Cooking: Espresso Yourself Ranching: Playtime Eggstra Close Bond II True Trust Woodcrafting: Hammer Timing IV Deliberate Debris II The “Engagement Ring” item will now become craftable at a Forge after reaching 10 Hearts with an NPC you’re dating. Note: Elsie will deliver the recipe to you the morning after reaching Heart Level 10. Use the recipe scroll to unlock it. “NPC Special Items” received from NPCs 10-Heart (Proposal) Events have been added. Note: It is possible to view all events and collect all the special items before deciding to proceed with a proposal (if desired), as 10-Heart events can be retriggered with the Engagement Ring until you choose to propose and become engaged. Elements of your wedding (such as flower color, cake flavor, and meal served at the reception) can be customized via wedding planning dialogue with your fiance in the days leading up to your wedding. The “Mystical Feather” item will now become available via a cutscene in the weeks following your marriage, allowing you to trigger an optional family planning discussion for players who wish to have a child. Via the Combat Perk “Friend-Shaped,” all monsters now drop Pet Skins that make your pet take on the appearance of that monster. The Big Chicken mount has been added to the game. An additional “Friday Night at the Inn” storyline has been added after finishing the Mines Storyline. New Requests have been added to the Request Board. 2 new Museum Sets and associated rewards have been added. Honey Set Terrarium Treasures Set Quality of Life The player character can now be rotated in the customization menu. Players can optionally disable the break-up letters and associated follow-up lines that acknowledge the change in status from “Dating” to “Best Friends” that occurs by default after getting engaged (when dating multiple NPCs). Note: this setting will not disable the break-up themselves, and will become available in the gameplay settings menu via the engagement tutorial cutscene. Players can optionally disable the status change from “Dating” to “Best Friends” that occurs by default post-engagement (when dating multiple NPCs). Note: this setting will disable the break-ups entirely, and will become available in the gameplay settings menu via the engagement tutorial cutscene, but must be toggled prior to confirming an engagement in order to take effect. Art Cloud shadows now appear outside on sunny days. NPCs NPC Heart Level Cap has been raised to 10. 10 Heart (Proposal) Events have been added. Engagement dialogue has been added. Wedding Events have been added. Events related to having a child have been added. Post-Marriage dialogue and NPC routines have been added. New dialogue has been added to the game. Sound A new winter song has been added. 4 existing seasonal songs will now swap to special extended versions after progressing through the game. 10 new songs have been added via Song Crystals Updates Gameplay You can now interact with NPCs you are dating, engaged to, or married to, to kiss them. Taking an NPC on a date will now increase their heart level more. Town Rank Quests have been added to better guide existing progression. Museum Wing rooms can now be entered to view your collection. The order of popups when donating items to the museum has been updated such that Museum Set Complete popups now appear directly after seeing their respective donated items popup. Previously inaccessible cooking recipes are now available in-game. Quality of Life Drop rates on items received from Mines treasure chests have been improved. Ritual Chamber and Treasure room spawn rates have been adjusted to be more common. Your animals will be fed and your crops watered automatically during March’s 8-Heart Event. The speak interaction now takes priority when multiple interactions overlap near NPCs. New Graphics settings have been added to the settings menu, including brightness & saturation sliders and options to better customize the game’s performance on your machine. The Birthday selection screen now has a header that says "Select Your Birthday." Art Ryis’ Hawthorn tree now has an intermediate growth stage. The Bathhouse water wheel now animates. Additional UI indicators have been added, including a directional arrow when placing furniture, an arrow icon over Mines ladders, and a talk icon over Caldarus’ Statue. New furniture items have been added to the game, including: Monster Set Ornate Set Bonsai Set Dragon Set And more! New cosmetics have been added to the game, including: Barrel Hat Wedding Outfits Beetle Mandible Horns Dragonfly Wings And more! Bug Fixes Substantial improvements to performance since the last update. Fixed early errors on startup which prevented the game from launching on certain old PCs. Reduced the game's VRAM usage by over 50%, which should help with performance on older machines. Players can no longer walk on water by moving diagonally into corners. The game no longer crashes due to the Pet being in the wrong location while their job is active. Players can no longer earn second place in the Harvest Festival despite turning in a winning amount of Queen berries. Hayden’s weathervane now correctly reappears on his barn after you return it during the Find the Weathervane quest. Stepping stones on the beach now play stone footstep SFX. Certain popups (e.g. unlocking new hairstyles) have been widened to better fit on the screen. Repeatedly ringing the Bell no longer raises the Ranching Skill level. Placeable forge animations have been restored. Rock Stacks can no longer get stuck in an idle animation. Flame Spirits no longer get stuck idle after attacking. The game no longer encounters a rare crash when scrolling through the museum menu rapidly. Shooting Star Festival-related dialogue can no longer fire past midnight on Summer 27. Players can no longer obtain cosmetics from the Chicken Statue for animals they haven’t unlocked yet. It is no longer possible to equip armor and miss unlocking its associated cosmetic. NPCs eat specific meals where intended during certain cutscenes instead of randomized meals. The camera no longer zooms rapidly when tabbing back into the game window during the End of Day pan. NPC sub-icons on Date Photos have been restored. You can no longer get stuck in certain doorways. The Flying Tome now appears at the appropriate depth relative to its wind attack VFX. Hotfix A crash on startup related to the introduction of localized languages has been fixed!
I recently got my hands on Big Walk--an adorable "friendslop" puzzler from the minds behind Untitled Goose Game--and I can't seem to put it down. But when I do finally pry my fingers from the keyboard and log out of Steam for the night, I can't stop thinking about it, either. Something about Big Walk has been bothering me since I first laid eyes on it, but there's nothing wrong with the game itself. In fact, I'm with my colleague Mark Delaney on this one--Big Walk is one of the best co-op games ever, and it's also a game that's sort of difficult to define. Maybe that's why it's taken me so long to realize that what's been bothering me isn't the game itself, but the fact that it has been categorized as "friendslop." On paper, Big Walk falls firmly in the "friendslop" genre--its characters are goofy-looking, its physics are purposefully unpolished, and many of its best moments are born out of its use of proximity chat. But it's not slop. It's a thoughtfully designed, calming experience that is often very funny, but also quite relaxing. It's not the kind of game that makes you think, "Ah, yes, the scream-at-top-of-lungs YouTubers will love this one." It's a charming, chill title with surprisingly beautiful graphics, and while it may not get your heart pounding, its uncomplicated, enjoyable gameplay loop will keep you (and your friends) coming back for more. Big Walk has all the hallmarks of a friendslop game, except for the "slop" part. The term "friendslop," as I see it, generally refers to an indie/low-budget/no-budget game that was quickly thrown together to capitalize on whatever is currently trending on TikTok or Twitch, is meant to be played with friends, and utilizes proximity chat. Big Walk checks some of those boxes, but it certainly wasn't thrown together quickly--developer House House first conceptualized the game during the COVID-19 pandemic, when genre-definer Among Us was at the top of the Steam charts. But instead of releasing Big Walk immediately, the House House team spent the post-pandemic years refining the game, and it shows. Big Walk is a delightfully weird little experience with genuinely breathtaking scenery and cute, funny-looking little player-characters that remind me of Pikmin. The soundtrack is soothing, and while the game is bound to get some funny gameplay clips trending on social media, it lacks the frenetic, in-your-face pacing of other friendslop games. Calling Big Walk "friendslop" feels reductive, mean, and frankly, inaccurate. It's like calling Baldur's Gate 3 a "dating sim"--it's not wrong, technically, but that description certainly doesn't represent the full picture the way "turn-based fantasy RPG" does. Should we really be calling it "friendslop" if we genuinely do not believe the game's quality is slop? And if not, what should we be calling this specific genus of indie co-op games? One thing that really stands out to me about the best friendslop games is the fact that they mimic the games we played on the playground at recess. From structured activities like hide-and-seek to more abstract games with more abstract rules, the genre we call "friendslop" is pretty similar to the games we invented as kids: low-cost, low-stakes, meant to be played with friends, and over by the time the bell rings. From Among Us to Big Walk to Meccha Chameleon, "friendslop" games always remind me of the fondest years of my childhood, and I think it's high time we stop calling them "slop." Simplicity in game design doesn't necessarily imply a lack of effort on the part of the developers, nor does it mean a game is sloppy. I humbly propose an alternative. Stop calling them friendslop, and start calling them bro-ops: co-op games you play with your bros (of all genders). Big Walk features simple character designs, but its environments--modeled after the Australian outback--are breathtaking and realistic. Okay, fine, "bro-op" is mostly a joke, but I still think it works better than "friendslop," because the unfortunate truth is that "friendslop" has become shorthand for "whichever low-effort co-op game the most annoying streamers on the planet are screaming about at any given moment." Alternatively, maybe we should just rename all game genres to be as honest and self-deprecating as "Friendslop" is. In that case, we should probably start with free-to-play shooters, which shall henceforth be known as "Overpriced Cosmetic Skinslop." All jokes aside, calling it "friendslop" doesn't just insult the games it's used to describe--it also pigeonholes them into the "Among Us clone" category, which doesn't do anyone any favors. Players who go in expecting an Among Us-style experience will probably be disappointed, while players who might otherwise enjoy the game may be reluctant to even try it if they aren't fans of Among Us and other popular "friendslop" titles. And that can lead to brilliant little games like Big Walk sometimes slipping under the radar, lost in a sea of other "friendslop" games with which it has very little in common in terms of both quality and general vibes. When I think of friendslop, I think of co-op games that are fast-paced, in-your-face, and often half-assed. Big Walk is none of those things, and "friendslop" doesn't do much to convey what kind of game it actually is.
For the first time ever, a Halo game is available on PlayStation with Halo: Campaign Evolved. The game is having a "notably slow start" on Sony's console in terms of sales, however, according to gaming analyst Rhys Elliott. He estimated that Campaign Evolved sold 351,000 copies on PS5 during July and 452,000 to date, generating nearly $28 million. By comparison, Elliott said Campaign Evolved has shifted 212,000 units on Steam and about 900,000 on Xbox across console and PC thus far. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LimYD3Ycwo The analyst said the game's price point--$50--was partly to blame. "Fifty dollars for what’s essentially a graphical touch-up of a 2001 game was always going to be a hard sell, and players clearly weren’t having it," he said. Beyond graphical improvements, Campaign Evolved also features three new prequel missions via the Operation Meteorite story arc. Multiplayer is what Halo is perhaps best known for, but Campaign Evolved--as its name suggests--does not feature multiplayer support. Also in his comments, Elliott said the slow start for Halo on PS5 "stings even more" when compared to the success of the Black Ops 1 and 2 ports on PlayStation. Those games reportedly combined to sell more than 11 million units, generating hundreds of millions of dollars. Elliott went on to lament the slowing sales and diminishing profile of Halo as a franchise in general after the series peaked with Halo 3 and Halo: Reach years ago. "One can’t help wondering what could have been if Halo had kept the trajectory it had around Halo 3 and Reach. A remake of the game that started it all landing this softly on a new platform makes me pretty sad, as a Halo fan," he wrote. There are more Halo games in development, including one that's been described as "like Fortnite" with regards to its live-service approach. Developer Halo Studios has said future Halo games will also be on PlayStation, but those comments came before Asha Sharma became Xbox CEO and pledged to release more exclusive games for Xbox.
Minecraft is officially launching October 27 for Nintendo Switch 2, bringing with it what developer Mojang calls "Vibrant Visuals" as well as an upgrade path for original Switch owners. While Minecraft has been playable on the Switch 2 thanks to backwards compatibility, the Switch 2 version will bring some improvements that take advantage of Nintendo's latest hardware. In a blog post, Mojang labeled the Switch 2 version's graphical improvements as a new "Vibrant Visuals" experience that will offer enhanced lighting, shadows, and more. Not everything will support "Vibrant Visuals," according to Mojang. Playing in split-screen or using certain worlds or content from the marketplace will not feature the visual upgrades. One piece of content that will, however, is the Super Mario Mash-Up pack that is exclusive to the Nintendo versions of Minecraft, which is being updated to support the improvements. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBL7nJLH8ro Mojang confirmed there will be a digital upgrade path available for those who purchased Minecraft on the original Switch. Whether that upgrade will be free or cost a fee remains to be seen, with Mojang simply stating there will be "more details to follow." For those worried about losing their worlds and progress, Mojang has previously confirmed save data from the original Switch version of Minecraft will carry over to the Switch 2. In other Minecraft news, Mojang recently added the ability to sit. A sequel to Minecraft Dungeons is releasing in September, with the A Minecraft Movie sequel slated for 2027. Minecraft itself looks like it's becoming an even bigger focus for parent company Microsoft amidst recent organizational changes (and mass layoffs). Mojang, as well as Candy Crush developer King, now report directly to new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, something that has been a cause for concern among fans who worry Microsoft meddling may ruin Minecraft.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has teased that an Xbox version of PlayStation's Platinum trophy system could be coming to Xbox, and potentially soon. Replying to a social media user who asked when Xbox might get an "equivalent" to Platinum for Xbox achievements, Sharma said, "Team is working on something for later this year!" https://twitter.com/asha_shar/status/2085043552837636502 Platinum trophies are awarded when players unlock all the other trophies. It's a badge of honor, of sorts, for some people. There is no equivalent on Xbox currently for when people unlock all achievements. While Xbox fans wait, the newest Xbox update is rolling out now with new improvements and features for the achievement system. Users can now sort games by name, completion percentage, Gamerscore earned, and number of achievements unlocked. The update is out now for Xbox Insiders and will be available to everyone else later. Sharma took over as Xbox CEO earlier this year and one of her first big moves was to "reset" the Xbox business to help it return to profitability and growth. This has involved mass layoffs, game cancellations, and studio divestitures.
Diablo 4 is reportedly headed to Nintendo Switch 2 this September, in what may be the first of multiple Diablo-related announcements coming as part of this year's BlizzCon. As detailed by Dealabs reporter billbil-kun, game classification organizations in Indonesia and Taiwan both point towards a Switch 2 version of Diablo 4 existing, with Dealabs independently reporting a September 15 or 18 release date. The site also reports it will allegedly retail for $70 and receive a physical release, though it will only be a code in a box and not a physical cartridge. What's currently unclear is whether or not Diablo 4 on Switch 2 will include both of the game's two expansions, including the most recent, Lord of Hatred. The base version of Diablo 4 currently retails for $50 on other platforms, with a $70 "Age of Hatred" collection including both expansions also available. That could be an indication the Switch 2 version of developer Blizzard's ARPG will include the complete Diablo 4 package, but that remains unconfirmed for now. When this new way to play Diablo 4 will be officially revealed remains to be seen. It's certainly possible it could be announced at Gamescom August 26-30, where Blizzard parent company Xbox will have a presence. However, it seems more likely the port will be announced as part of BlizzCon on September 12-13, with the game's alleged release date being just a few days later. It wouldn't be the first time Diablo appeared on a Nintendo platform. Blizzard previously released both Diablo 3 and Diablo 2: Resurrected on Nintendo Switch. It's been a big year for Diablo 4 already, with the game's Lord of Hatred expansion being well received, even if its current season caught flak from fans for major changes to how Mythic items work. Blizzard will be revealing more details about the game's next season at BlizzCon, but has already confirmed it will add classic items from previous Diablo games as well as allow players to use the same character each season. There will likely be other Diablo-related announcements as well. As for BlizzCon, Blizzard has certainly been hyping up this year's show. Blizzard president Johanna Faries said earlier this year that 2026 is Blizzard's "biggest year yet" and that it's cooking up "major swings" for its franchises that will be revealed at the show. "I have total confidence that the teams are going to come very, very big, both with the heart and soul of what I think our core-most fans long for in a BlizzCon, but also bringing some very new things to the table," Faries said.