GamersHeroes Monday, August 18, 2025 5:53 PM Starting with Pokémon GO Fest 2025: Max Finale this weekend, groups made of up to 100 Trainers will be able to join in the same battle against a Gigantamax Pokémon. The post 100 Player Raids Coming to Pokémon GO Starting This Weekend appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Monday, August 18, 2025 5:26 PM The team at Toplitz Productions is getting a head start on the gamescom 2025 festivities with new trailers for Permafrost and Vampires: Bloodlord Rising. The post Permafrost and Vampires: Bloodlord Rising Official gamescom Trailers Released appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Monday, August 18, 2025 4:39 PM Ahead of its release next month, Brownies inc. and Bandai Namco have released a new demo of their 2D isometric roguelite Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree for PC and consoles. The post Roguelite Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree Demo Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Monday, August 18, 2025 3:31 PM Featuring creature collection and MetroidVania-like progression alongside an emotionally impactful story, BAFTA-award winning studio Herobeat has announced its new title Rewilders: The Lost Spring. The post Open-World Action Roguelite Rewilders: The Lost Spring Announced appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Monday, August 18, 2025 3:06 PM Lizardcube and SEGA have announced SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance's SEGA Villains Stage DLC, which will release in early 2026. The post SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance SEGA Villains Stage DLC Revealed appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Monday, August 18, 2025 1:04 PM The team at Singularity 6 has released Palia's Botanical Bliss update to the title, bringing with it fresh flora, new Plushes, Flourishing nameplates and a Petal-Packed event. The post Palia Botanical Bliss Update Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Monday, August 18, 2025 5:46 PM
After being grumpy about it at first, I'm now convinced this is a better system The post Fine, I'll Admit It: <i>Battlefield 6</i>'s Open Weapon System Is Good appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Monday, August 18, 2025 4:59 PM
What, you don't want a famously creepy doll on your bookshelf? The post <i>Conjuring 4′</i>s Popcorn Bucket Features Annabelle And Fans Don't Want It appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Monday, August 18, 2025 4:36 PM
Gamescom Opening Night Live promises everything from Ninja Gaiden 4to Fallout season 2 The post Geoff Keighley Teases <i>Silksong</i> Ahead Of The Last Big Gaming Showcase Of The Summer appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Monday, August 18, 2025 3:26 PM
The devs behind this year's upcoming Skate game are promising some big numbers The post EA's <i>Skate</i> Reboot Will Feature 100 Songs And Servers That Support 150 Players appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Monday, August 18, 2025 3:06 PM
Valve will be removing reviews in other languages from the user rating The post Steam Makes A Big Change To How Review Scores Are Calculated appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Monday, August 18, 2025 2:59 PM
NetEase says to 'stay tuned' on whether or not it has some characters of its own design coming down the pipeline The post <em>Marvel Rivals</em> May Get Something No One Asked For: Original Heroes appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Monday, August 18, 2025 1:57 PM
Good Boy is a horror movie viewed from the perspective of a loyal dog The post An Acclaimed Horror Movie Starring A Dog Finally Gets Its First Trailer appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Monday, August 18, 2025 1:50 PM
The new images also include our first looks at Lucy, The Ghoul, Maximus, and others who will appear in the next season The post <i>Fallout</i> Season 2 Images Tease New Vegas Before The Bombs Fell appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Monday, August 18, 2025 12:22 PM
I know at least two childhood bullies who owe me an apology The post <em>Pokémon</em> Fans Are Still In Denial About How To Say This One Name appeared first on Kotaku. |
PCGamesN Monday, August 18, 2025 6:47 PM Over the many years since it was first announced, the anticipation for Hollow Knight sequel Hollow Knight Silksong's launch has steadily increased. With the recent news that Silksong would be playable at this week's Gamescom, and tomorrow bringing the Opening Night Live showcase, the fervor surrounding Team Cherry's long-gestating project seems to have reached new heights. Now, as evidence of this, eagle-eyed fans have noticed a tweak to Silksong's GOG page that has them convinced the game's soundtrack was just quietly added to the digital storefront. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Indie Games, Hollow Knight Silksong release date, Upcoming PC Games |
PCGamesN Monday, August 18, 2025 5:20 PM Back when Left 4 Dead came out in 2008, one of its most notable features was an AI game system referred to as the 'Director.' This Director worked to keep the co-op game fresh, no matter how many times players shot and slashed through its levels, by dynamically adjusting elements like item and enemy spawn points or music cues based on individual player skill and status. Now, in an effort to improve player experience in a similar way, the Helldivers 2-style co-op game Starship Troopers: Extermination has added in its own version of L4D's director through a new update. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Starship Troopers Extermination crossplay, The best FPS games 2023, The best co-op games 2023 |
PCGamesN Monday, August 18, 2025 7:26 PM Over the last several years, NCSoft, the company behind MMO giants like Throne and Liberty, Blade and Soul, and Guild Wars 2, has shown off early footage of an upcoming project dubbed Project LLL. It made a strong impression with its striking sci-fi style and tactical shooting, reminiscent of The Division 2, Destiny 2, and Warframe. Today, the project has resurfaced with the name Cinder City, and its makers have provided new details on what to expect when the game finally launches next year. |
PCGamesN Monday, August 18, 2025 3:32 PM At one point in time, it seemed like every other videogame was set during the Second World War. The 2000s were dominated by huge FPS series like the early Call of Duty and Battlefield games, Medal of Honor, and Return to Castle Wolfenstein. There were also strategy giants like Company of Heroes and action hybrids such as Red Orchestra and Brothers in Arms. One series from that era that's not as well remembered is Combat Mission, which is about to change now that its first three entries — Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord, Combat Mission 2: Barbarossa to Berlin, and Combat Mission 3: Afrika Korps — are set to relaunch with improved versions on Steam very soon. |
PCGamesN Monday, August 18, 2025 3:31 PM You can now reap the benefits of owning a super-fast Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 gaming GPU without having to hand over an enormous sum of cash for a new graphics card, according to Nvidia. The company has just added an Nvidia GeForce Now RTX 5080 tier to its streaming service, saying that it can run your games at 360fps without suffering from latency issues. Nvidia senior marketing manager Andrew Fear described the move to us in a press briefing as "one of the biggest updates we've ever had in the history of GeForce Now, and a big leap forward." As we found in our Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 review, this GPU is supremely powerful, although it also benefits from a lack of competition from AMD in its market sector. It's one of the top picks on our guide to buying the best GPU, and now Nvidia says you can get this level of performance without needing to buy one. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 review, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 review, Best graphics cards |
PCGamesN Monday, August 18, 2025 2:25 PM Blackmill Games has made a name for itself by concentrating on a specific niche in the FPS genre. Rather than design games with the special abilities and nimble movement of Apex Legends or Call of Duty Warzone, the studio takes a more grounded approach, focusing on the battles of the First World War. After proving itself with games like Verdun, Tannenberg, and Isonzo, Blackmill has returned to announce its latest project, the squad-based FPS Gallipoli. |
PCGamesN Monday, August 18, 2025 2:25 PM August 18, 2025: The first few free Bingo Blitz credits codes of the week are here. What are the new free Bingo Blitz credits? You won't be playing much bingo without them, that's for sure. Even if you've exhausted your usual free credits in Bingo Blitz through login rewards and premium subscriptions, the secret to playing another round is through our Bingo Blitz credits links. New Bingo Blitz free credits links work in much the same way as Monopoly Go dice links. One click and your account is automatically topped up with credits ready to be used on multiple rounds or one big blow-out session with multiple cards. The choice is yours. Continue reading Free Bingo Blitz credits August 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Bingo Blitz credits, Best card games, Best PC board games |
PCGamesN Monday, August 18, 2025 1:18 PM There's no shortage of life sims for fans of the genre to check out. Classics like Stardew Valley, The Sims 4, and Coral Island offer plenty to do, even for players who have spent hundreds of hours with them already. The more recent Palia has also garnered plenty of attention for its blend of fantasy aesthetics and Stardew -style farming and crafting. Now, it's expanding even further, with today's launch of the new Botanical Bliss update. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Palia fishing locations, Best Palia mods, Best MMORPGs |
PCGamesN Monday, August 18, 2025 12:57 PM Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a cinematic masterpiece complete with an original narrative, beautiful aesthetics, a powerfully cathartic soundtrack, and a combat system that oozes Persona 5. It was the first game from developer Sandfall Interactive, and it's left me hungry to see what it'll do next. Of course, if you haven't played it yet, you should absolutely change that as quickly as possible, and now would be a good time to do so, as Fanatical is selling it for less than $40 (for just a couple of days). MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Clair Obscur Expedition 33 weapons, Best Clair Obscur Expedition 33 builds, Best Clair Obscur Expedition 33 Pictos |
PCGamesN Monday, August 18, 2025 12:27 PM What are Woody plants in Grow a Garden? If you're hoping to help Jack's magic beans become a mega beanstalk every other hour, you may have to donate as many of these specific plant specimens as possible. Woody Grow a Garden plants on Roblox take some time to grow. Sow the seeds now, though, and you'll have plenty of time to reap the rewards over and over again. Before you start rearranging your whole farm to fit more Grow a Garden woody crops, you might want to check out the Grow a Garden seeds tier list and accompanying Grow a Garden pets tier list. We also have lists of all Grow a Garden prickly plants, tropical plants, and vegetable plants. Continue reading All Grow a Garden woody plants and fruits MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Monday, August 18, 2025 12:26 PM August 18, 2025: Looked for new Vox Seas codes for UPD 1.2.0. What are the latest Vox Seas codes? Ready for release and the long line of bugfixes that follow, we have a growing list of new Roblox Vox Seas codes for you to redeem. They won't net you much in the way of in-game currencies, but with EXP buffs and stat resets, you'll have what you need to power toward the level cap and take on enemies with more valuable drops. That counts. Using Vox Seas codes on Roblox can get you one step closer to brawling with the adventure's growing number of end-game bosses. And even if you're gunning to be a PVP master or infamous bounty hunter, our Vox Seas tier list can help you decide which fruit to build your character around. Now those stat resets are making sense, right? Continue reading Vox Seas codes August 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Monday, August 18, 2025 12:17 PM What are vegetable plants in Grow a Garden? While this one sounds self-explanatory, with so many otherworldly crops available in the massive Roblox game nearly a year on from its release, we can understand the confusion. Maybe a GaG vegetable fruit isn't such an absurdity. If you're hoping to grow the Roblox beanstalk during this forgiving request period, you'll want to start harvesting straight away. Vegetable plants in Grow a Garden can quickly take over your farm. So, before you dig up your berries and bushes to make room, read up on the Grow a Garden seeds tier list and Grow a Garden pets tier list to see if the rewards are even worth it. We also have lists of all GaG tropical plants, Grow a Garden prickly plants, and GaG berry plants for when you need them. Continue reading All Grow a Garden vegetable plants and fruits MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Monday, August 18, 2025 12:02 PM Nexon, the developer of looter shooter The First Descendant, has apologized and says it's investigating after an AI ad for the game appeared to use a streamer's likeness without their permission. A series of AI-generated ads encouraging people to play the game appeared on TikTok over the weekend, and while all are pretty god awful, one has been highlighted in particular for using the likeness of 'DanielTheDemon.' While not directly addressing this specific allegation, Nexon says it's aware that "inappropriate" AI videos were posted to its main account, and that it's launching a joint review with TikTok to figure out what happened. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The First Descendant system requirements, The First Descendant characters, The First Descendant crossplay |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, August 18, 2025 1:00 PM  Look, we know you're here for the latest PC gaming updates, but that doesn't mean micro PCs aren't adorable in their own way. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, August 18, 2025 12:14 PM  The Battlefield 6 open beta is over. I'm sure everyone let out a final burst of fire that sounded equally triumphant and tragic at its conclusion. But wait, say EA, FPS lovers, where do you all think you're going? It's at this point the publishers whip out Battlefield 2042, the much-maligned at release previous entry in the series, like they're yanking a rabbit out of a marine's helmet. He's not Battlefield 2042 anymore, they say, he's the "road to Battlefield 6". A road one can only assume is littered with IEDs and checkpoints where five people are standing around looking mean. |
Siliconera Monday, August 18, 2025 5:00 PM
Bandai Namco announced the next Bleach Rebirth of Souls DLC character will be Retsu Unohana, and the version of the fighter's appearance features a number of spoilers for her lore from the anime and manga. She's available for those who bought the $24.99 season pass now. People who decide to pick her up separately will be able to get her on August 25, 2025, and she'll be $7.99 then.
Editor's Note: The Bleach Rebirth of Souls Retsu Unohana DLC trailer features major spoilers for the character.
For the opening part of the Retsu Unohana trailer, she behaves and looks like we expected from the outset of series. However, at about the 33 second mark, there's footage showing her other form. After a certain point in the series, we learn she wasn't always the captain of the Fourth Division. Prior to that, she served as the captain of the Eleventh, which is currently run by Kenpachi Zaraki. This form also changes her hairstyle and involves her carrying her Zanpakuto Minazuki. To go along with this, the gameplay clip during that segment features her facing Zaraki.
Here is the full video showing off the next new character:
This Gotei 13 captain is the second piece of Bleach Rebirth of Souls DLC, and one of two that features spoilers for the manga and anime series. The first was another version of Ichigo Kurosaki. That debuted in June 2025. It was based on his Thousand Year Blood War Arc appearance and abilities.
Bleach Rebirth of Souls is on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the full launch of Retsu Unohana happens on August 25, 2025. She's available for season pass holders now. The Bleach anime, including Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, are streaming on on Disney+ and Hulu. Viz Media handles the manga series outside of Japan.
The post Bleach Rebirth of Souls Retsu Unohana DLC Trailer Shows Spoilers appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, August 18, 2025 4:00 PM
Capcom announced it plans to issue Monster Hunter Wilds PC fixes and updates based on feedback about performance and stability, but also stated that we won't see them until Title Update 4. That is expected "this winter," though the roadmap didn't note if we'll see it around December 2025 or if that could mean January or February 2026.
Here is the full statement from Capcom on social media. It specifically referenced Monster Hunter Wilds CPU and GPU adjustments will be a part of the performance and stability patch in Title Update 4. It noted there will be more patches leading up to that major update that will address issues. It also didn't get into any specific changes beyond "performance and stability" and "CPU and GPU related optimizations."
This is one of multiple confirmed updates and responses in regards to Monster Hunter Wilds player feedback. Some concerns ended up being raised about endgame activities and difficulty. As a result, ahead of Title Update 3, 9-star difficulty monsters and Talismans appeared.
Here's the most recent Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update roadmap image from Capcom.
Monster Hunter Wilds is available on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, Title Update 3 will appear in September 2025, and Title Update 4 will be out in Winter 2025.
The post Monster Hunter Wilds PC Fixes, Updates Coming in Title Update 4 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, August 18, 2025 3:00 PM
On August 21, 2025, we'll start seeing a trio of Umamusume: Pretty Derby Legend Races appear, and the full schedule for the three of them starring Winning Ticket, Vodka, and Tokai Teio appeared in-game. This comes after the monthly schedule confirmed they'd appear around the same time as the Narita Brian Trainee banner and Champions Meeting: Taurus Cup.
The first races will involve Winning Ticket. Of the three, she's the most common, as she's only a two-star Trainee. Her races will start on August 21, 2025, then run until August 24, 2025. The Vodka races start on August 24, 2025, after Winning Ticket's end. (She's a two-star character.) Those go until August 27, 2025. Finally, the last Umamusume: Pretty Derby Legend Race will involve the three-star Tokai Teio. Hers will run August 27-30, 2025.
As for the Champions Meeting: Taurus Cup, it's already possible to sign up for open or advanced ranked league. Round 1 registration runs August 21-23, 2025. We'll then see the second round between August 23-25, 2025, and the final one between August 25-26, 2025.
Narita Brian will be around for both the Legend Races and Taurus Cup. Her banner starts on August 20, 2025. It'll appear until August 31, 2025, after which she'll join the general pool of available Trainee characters.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby is available for the PC and mobile devices.
The post Umamusume: Pretty Derby August 2025 Legend Races Schedule Set appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, August 18, 2025 2:00 PM
Nijisanji English Vtuber Scarle Yonaguni abruptly canceled a stream on August 17, 2025, only sharing a social media post that said, "ER. No stream today." She then shared a message explaining it was caused by cardiomyopathy. Though she said she wouldn't stream, she then did appear for about an hour on YouTube to explain what happened.
Here is Scarle's statement gong over what happened and her absence for much of the day. She noted that "chest pains and heart palpitations" preceded the incident. She went to the ER for further investigations, let people know she is being treated, and apologized for possibly worrying people.
During the most recent Scarle stream, the Nijisanji Vtuber went over the situation with a few extra details. She explained she experienced anxiety and chest pains, and that it had been going on for a bit longer. When she visited with her family, she noted it was worse than usual. So much so that she said she felt neck, jaw, and shoulder pain along with numbness in her extremities. She also said she hadn't drank any Red Bull, ruling that out as a cause. Her family then insisted and took her to the ER for an EKG and examination. She said the doctors then diagnosed her with cardiomyopathy and said she didn't have any blocked arteries.
Scarle did say at one point, "And yeah, no, I'm not going to take a break." However, she also noted, "…I promise I will start taking care of myself a little better. No more Red Bull."
Here is the full Scarle Yonaguni stream going over the situation, with the Nijisanji English Vtuber spending most of the time explaining what happened and her response.
Scarle Yonaguni has been with Anycolor since July 2022, and she debuted alongside Nijisanji English Vtubers like Aia Amare, Kyo Kaneko, Maria Marionette, and Ren Zotto.
The post Nijisanji Vtuber Scarle Yonaguni Explained Recent ER Visit appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, August 18, 2025 1:00 PM
Nintendo's latest Pokemon Legends: Z-A trailer highlighted the Z-A Battle Club Link Battle multiplayer gameplay features. It spent over a minute showing what the competitive mode will look like in-game. This will essentially put four people against each other with their selected characters.
The Pokemon Legends: Z-A multiplayer gameplay video begins with four characters heading into a Z-A Battle Club Link Battle. Each of these fights will last for three minutes, and it will involve actual other players. (A Nintendo Switch Online membership would be required for multiplayer.) Each of the four people and their active Pokemon will be on-hand. In the footage, we see each person has three with them, and the screen shows the opponents and their active allies. All of them meet in the middle of a park, and it's possible to collect items to "power-up" their Pokemon to give them a better chance of winning. The person currently in the lead will have a crown over their avatar's head, and the person with the most points for making opponents faint goes into the lead. It's also possible to swap your active character. Mega Power can be collected, allowing someone to Mega Evolve creatures. In the footage here, Mega Dragonite appears and ends up defeating multiple characters at once.
Here's the full Pokemon Legends: Z-A Battle Club multiplayer trailer.
Pokemon Legends Z-A will come to the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 on October 16, 2025, and pre-orders are open.
The post Pokemon Legends: Z-A Battle Club Multiplayer Highlighted in Trailer appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Monday, August 18, 2025 3:22 PM
The Marvel universe has no shortage of unique, interesting, or silly characters, but that's apparently not stopping NetEase Games from potentially going full fan-fiction and making up their own in Marvel Rivals.
This is according to a new interview with MP1st, where the hero shooter's creative director, Guangyun "Guangguang" Chen, stated, "yes, we are allowed to introduce characters" into Marvel Rivals. He later went on to only tease to "stay tuned" on the subject, but I'm here to ask, why? And to also say, no, do not do it. Please.
A classic Jurassic Park quote comes immediately to mind for me. Speaking of the creation of dinosaurs, Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm says the iconic line: "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
I really, really hope that NetEase considers the latter half of this phrase. There is simply no need for Marvel Rivals to go create-a-character mode and come up with their own wonky superhero when there are nearly limitless options from Marvel canon to begin with.
There are decades of source material for NetEase to pull from when it comes to telling stories with fun characters. And judging from previous leaks and data mines, the company has already gone to the archives to pull some obscure ones like Paste Pot Pete, Locus, Jia Jing, The Hood, and others. And that's before even getting into the discussion of a sprawling list of characters that players actually want.
There are multiple rosters of X-Men, Avengers, Spider-Verse, Asgardians, and countless other teams to comb through before we even consider the idea of original characters. And that day may soon come, especially if NetEase continues on this torrid pace of releasing one new hero every month. We could get there sooner than we think, but even then, I think we should get weirder with existing material than going into the realm of created characters, which would greatly cheapen the experience.
I'm probably being a little bit dramatic, because I doubt that Marvel wouldn't in some way oversee the creation of new characters. And maybe NetEase could cook up something genuinely pretty cool. But I think that the myriad of options NetEase can deal with before getting to this point must be exhausted twice over before ever adding in an OC.
Marvel Rivals takes place across the multiverse, with different variants and versions of heroes through storylines and timelines. I'd rather see alternate versions of the same exact character before an OC, and I feel like I won't be alone in this sentiment, especially when it comes to comic book fans.
A lot of the excitement for this game comes from Marvel fans who want to see their favorites as playable heroes. I don't think many want to see made-up characters that they have no attachment to whatsoever, and so I can't help but feel like original characters would make the game feel like a cheap knock-off of the Marvel experience. Please just give us any and every possible hero and villain before an original character is allowed to reach the concept phase.
The post NetEase says it has permission to make original characters in Marvel Rivals. But please, for the love of God, don't do it appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, August 18, 2025 3:06 PM
The Pre-Season Transfer Update objective has been released in EA FC 25, and it's a surprising set of tasks that you can complete to get up to two FUTTIES items.
The objective, released on Monday evening, includes a set of simple tasks that can be completed in Ultimate Team. The central theme of the objective revolves around cards of footballers who have made a switch in the summer transfer window.
Let's take a look at how to complete all the tasks, along with the rewards on offer.
EA FC 25 Pre-Season Transfer Update objective guide
The Pre-Season Transfer Update has five tasks to complete.
If you manage to score 10 goals in Squad Battles on Amateur, you get to pick Evan Ferguson FUTTIES. The 97-rated card has decent stats, but the task can be quite boring. I am more excited about the reward you get for completing the full set.
The complete set rewards you with a 97-rated Joao Pedro FUTTIES item. The Brazilian, who recently made his summer switch to Chelsea, receives a special card as part of the FUTTIES promo. The packs you get can always land you with a 99-rated FUTTIES item from the Pre-Season Re-Release Batch 3 if you're lucky enough. The batch includes over 260 special cards from older promos and FUTTIES, and there are a few 99-rated cards in the mix as well.
The post All EA FC 25 Pre-Season Transfer Update objective rewards and tasks appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, August 18, 2025 2:49 PM
If you've spent even a little time around members of the younger generation, you've probably noticed they love throwing the linguistic jumble that is "Skibidi" around like it's an actual word. Well, guess what? Now it is.
You read that right: Skibibi, alongside a plethora of other Internet-born sayings, is now an official word in the English language thanks to the latest update to the Cambridge Dictionary. If you're asking yourself, "How the hell did we get here?", you're in good company.
Like it or not, Skibidi Toilet has forever changed the English language
Anyone even remotely active on the Internet has probably heard of Skibidi Toilet. Created by Alexey Gerasimov, aka DaFuq!?Boom! Skibidi Toilet follows (and I'm being completely serious right now) a war between a horde of singing, human-headed toilets bent on global domination and an army of appliance-headed cyborgs fighting to save the world. It's weird, it's surprisingly well-animated, and it's taken the world by storm.
Since its launch in 2023, Skibidi Toilet has become an Internet phenomenon of unparalleled proportions. It's got an official toy line, a skin in Fortnite , and an upcoming film adaptation helmed by Michael "if it can explode, it will explode" Bay. The first half of its name has also become one of Generation Alpha's favorite shibboleths.
As a substitute teacher, I hear kids talk a lot, and I can't count how many times I've heard them use "Skibidi" in a complete sentence. It's usually used as an adjective, meant to emphasize how cool whatever the kids are talking about is. This, of course, brings us back to the Cambridge Dictionary. It's like the water in a flushing toilet, you see; it cycles back into itself.
Over the last year, the Cambridge Dictionary folded skibidi and over 6,000 other words into its library, formally inducting them into the English language. Many of these words, skibidi included, were born on social media, reflecting the many ways the Internet has changed how we speak to each other. Colin McIntosh, Cambridge's Dictionary Lexical Program Manager, admitted as much while speaking to the Rolling Stone.
Wanna know what the Cambridge Dictionary has to say about skibidi as a word? Here's a link to skibidi's official dictionary page. Take a look if you dare.
The post What started as a war between man toilets and cyborgs just rewrote the Cambridge Dictionary appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, August 18, 2025 2:30 PM
Lucky Pokémon fans who attended the Pokémon World Championships 2025 last weekend got their hands on a Pokémon Legends Z-A demo. Among many discoveries, fans learned that poisoned Pokémon will take poison damage outside of battle.
This mechanic will return after being abandoned in Pokémon Black and White in 2010, when poisoned Pokémon stopped taking damage outside of combat.
X user Stealth shared that their poisoned Mareep was taking damage over time out of combat in Pokémon Legends Z-A, not every step. Their Mareep was losing one HP every three to four seconds while standing still, but only because it was outside of the Poké Ball. Their Fletchling, which was also poisoned, didn't take any poison damage before being called to his side. As soon as he withdrew Mareep, it stopped taking that damage.
This means that not only has the mechanic returned in Legends Z-A, but it also works differently due to Z-A's real-time combat that ditches the turn-based system from previous titles.
In a brief section of another player's demo recording, we can see that poison damage also takes place over time during combat, not after every move like in turn-based games.
Higher difficulty or just a gimmick?
Some fans replied to Stealth's video, saying poison damage will make the game a bit more difficult. Others weren't too impressed and said it would be an annoyance. And I mean, I'm part of the second group.
"Are you kidding me?!" an incredulous fan replied. "A Pokémon game having some form of difficulty? insane," a second added.
Pokémon games usually offer loads of ways to heal your Pokémon's status conditions. Some Pokémon moves cure poison, like Blissey's Heal Bell. Antidote and Pecha Berry cure poison, too. How annoying poison will be boils down to how much access players will have to these items and Pokémon Centers in Legends: Z-A. Considering previous titles, it should be easy to stock up on Antidotes to cure your poisoned 'mons.
Otherwise, moving somewhere where you can heal your party isn't usually an issue. Even in Scarlet and Violet's open world, it's easy to get to Pokémon Centers quickly, especially once you earn the right to fly everywhere, which is a staple in the series. Even in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, it's easy to fast travel to your tent to heal, so it's safe to assume the same will happen in Legends Z-A.
Poison damage outside of combat will call for us to be mindful, but probably won't be a major problem. It might hinder our progression for a few minutes, forcing us to retreat, but that's it.
You should be worried about poison during combat
I think poison's main issue will be during Pokémon battles, which is when it's the most annoying, especially if you consider the long Rogue Mega Pokémon fights. Imagine being poisoned early into a five-minute combat and taking poison damage every three seconds. This sounds like a nightmare and something you want to avoid.
This perspective makes poison damage out of combat the smallest of issues. You want to be mindful of poison during battles, because they will be much, much longer than in turn-based games.
Players who like the Nuzlocke challenge would hate this mechanic, but there's good news for them. The demo video shows that poisoned Pokémon are left with 1HP and can't faint from poison out of combat, like Stealth's Flectchling. In Nuzlocke, among other rules, you must consider a Pokémon dead and release it whenever it faints. So, since they can't die out of combat to poison, that's one less thing to worry about on your next Nuzlocke run.
The post 'Are you kidding me?!' Pokémon fans decry old mechanic in Legends Z-A demo after its removal 15 years ago appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, August 18, 2025 1:59 PM
Europe's premier gaming event is set to take hold of the community for yet another year, as gamescom 2025 is ready to kick off with several days of announcements and reveals.
Geoff Keighley's Opening Night Live presentation will kick off the festivities on Aug. 19 at 1pm CT, including several new reveals and updates on existing titles. Trailers, release dates, new gameplay, and more will take place to drum up hype for the rest of 2025 and beyond.
So far, the confirmed list of titles set to appear during ONL are Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Resident Evil Requiem, Ghost of Yotei, Ninja Gaiden 4, The Outer Worlds 2, Silent Hill f, and World of Warcraft: Midnight. The second season of Prime Video's Fallout series will also make an appearance.
Personally, I cannot wait to see more of Resident Evil Requiem. We got a very small taste of it earlier this year during Summer Game Fest, but it seems like it'll have a big appearance during the show. I'm hoping to see some actual gameplay featuring the new character, Grace, but also, I really want Capcom to confirm that old man Leon S. Kennedy is back for one final romp.
Outside of what we know will be shown, Keighley's shows are always fun for the games that are kept as a surprise. ONL doesn't have a track record for big reveals like Summer Game Fest or The Game Awards, but last year we got a surprise announcement of Borderlands 4, so it's reasonable to expect something similar.
What are your expectations for gamescom this year? Will ONL this year be a snooze fest, or will we get a Half-Life 3 reveal and Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer? Let us know in the comments below what you're looking forward to most, and take our poll as well to prepare for the show tomorrow.
The post gamescom Opening Night Live begins in 24 hours. What are you most excited to see? appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, August 18, 2025 1:58 PM
The Two From The Top Evolution brings a very welcome surprise to EA FC 25 Ultimate Team, as we have received an upgrade exclusively meant for strikers.
This evolution, available for free, can upgrade one of your cards to an overall rating of 97. You can use it once for free, and there are some fantastic options to consider. Let's take a look at how to complete the evolution and who the best potential options are.
Table of contents
EA FC 25 Two From The Top Evolution requirements
Here are the requirements of the Two From The Top Evolution in EA FC 25.
EA FC 25 Two From The Top Evolution upgrades
There are five levels of upgrades, and here are the requirements.
Level 1 upgrades
Level 2 upgrades
Level 3 upgrades
Level 4 upgrades
Level 5 upgrades
Level 1 upgrade conditions
Level 2 upgrade conditions
Level 3 upgrade conditions
Level 4 upgrade conditions
Level 5 upgrade conditions
Best players to use in Two From The Top Evolution
Here are some of the best players to use in this evolution.
Your club's evo chain candidates can provide unique solutions exclusive to your Ultimate Team squad.
The post Best players for the EA FC 25 Two From The Top Evolution appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, August 18, 2025 1:30 PM
Palia's next big update, Botanical Bliss, is now live on all available platforms, and there's plenty in-store for the players to enjoy and explore.
The latest update gives us new ways to explore the magical world and deck out our housing plots. Additionally, 1st and 2nd Anniversary Plushies are also available to all as part of a limited-time login campaign.
Table of contents
All major Palia Botanical Bliss features
The new update has plenty of events to engage in. Completing the events will allow us to win special rewards.
Flower Bloom Event
This event will be available to all players at 12pm game time in Palia. You will have to take part in a co-op-focused flower-filled challenge to complete the tasks and unlock the rewards. You can also attempt to go solo, but it could be slightly tricky.
The event will be available to beginners and veterans alike. If you're just starting in Palia, complete the tutorial to gain access to the event. You might be missing the watering can, but you can still enjoy the remaining content that the event has to offer.
To make matters easier, a new Bulletin Board is available for all. You can use the board to explore seasonal themes, take part in limited-time activities, and win various rewards. You can also find mini narrative-driven objectives to win even more rewards.
New decor items
If you're looking to add more color and style to your house in Palia, make sure to explore the eight flower-themed nameplates. The nameplates are available from Flower Bloom Event rewards and Bulletin Board quests.
You can find more options in the Premium Store, which also gets new updates. Fresh items like the Beastslayer and Yacht Club outfit collections, Torocat Pet and Glider, and the Beastslayer Tool Skin will be available as part of Botanical Bliss.
You can also find new Plushes like the Floatfish Toadstool, Piksii, and Floatfish Midnight during the event.
New flora
Sticking true to the theme of the event, you will find ten new floras to explore, combined with nine stylish planters.
Here's the complete list of all flora items/recipes and how to acquire them.
Additionally, the update continues to bring plenty of bug fixes and solutions to some pesky glitches that have been found in Palia so far.
The post Palia Botanical Bliss update patch notes – new event, plants, and more appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, August 18, 2025 12:55 PM
The unreleased Pokémon Champions will be the official video game of the World Championships 2026. It's the first time any non-mainline game, new or remake, will be the VGC title of competitive Pokémon's highest level.
The new generation of Pokémon, generation 10, should come out next year, though it hasn't been announced yet. 2026 is when Pokémon celebrates its 30th anniversary, and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet turn four. We never had a drought of new mainline games longer than four.
Whenever a main game like Scarlet and Violet releases, the World Championship is played in these new titles. New games have updated moves, abilities, Pokémon stats, and new Pokémon that everyone can use, but always follow the pure turn-based system with Pokémon moving one at a time based primarily on their speed stat. If that wasn't going to change with whatever game is coming out next year, it would make sense that this Gen 10 game would be the official title of the VGC World Championships.
Since that's not happening, the announcement of Champions makes it clear to me that the Gen 10 game will have simplified or completely different Pokémon battles.
Yet another battle system
The most obvious change would be to borrow the battle systems from Legends Arceus and Legends Z-A, which mix real-time and turn-based combat. Z-A will go further and include movement in Pokémon combat, and a lot of it in the recently announced battle royale mode called Z-A Battle Club, a free-for-all four-player battle. It would be redundant if the Gen 10 game simply released with such a system.
I'd love to see Pokémon having improved real-time dynamics while keeping its turn-based system, such as in Sea of Stars and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Doing so would be contrary to the logic of competitive Pokémon.
Such a big change would catch competitive players unaware and intimidate them with little time to master new mechanics at a high level. By keeping Champions as a competitive turn-based video game, the company can make any change it wants in Gen 10, whenever it wants.
Make battles more casual
My second theory is that Gen 10 will have a simplified Pokémon build system that will make combat more casual, just like Pokémon TCG Pocket became a laid-back TCG experience.
I would bet on fewer moves, no abilities, or a unified system of effort values (EVs) and individual values (IVs). Since Pokémon Champions will be a battle simulator in the traditional turn-based system, I expect it will let you optimize your Pokémon like usual. If these systems were in Gen 10, there would be no reason to take competitive to Champions. If Gen 10 was released after Worlds, the tournament could still be held in Scarlet and Violet one last time.
Whichever path the Pokémon Company decides to take for Gen 10 of Pokémon, I'm sure it will have the guts to change its battle system again. It will probably be the first time we'll see a mainline Pokémon game take this different and unique approach that's usually saved for spin-offs.
These spin-offs allowed The Pokémon Company to say that any changes they made were an experiment, and the traditional Pokémon game would remain as usual. I'm hoping they give up on the safety of the bulletproof turn-based game and try something different in Gen 10. And I'm also happy that, even if that happens, we have Pokémon Champions to give us that traditional competitive spirit and Pokémon gameplay that many of us grew to love, understand, and enjoy.
If either of my Gen 10 predictions comes true, they would show Pokémon's age-old combat formula isn't as sturdy as it looks. The Pokémon player base would get the novelty it has always wanted, and most of all, people who want to like Pokémon but don't like its style may finally get something different that they can also enjoy.
There's a third scenario where all my theory falls apart: We get no Gen 10 Pokémon game in 2026, and that's the only reason Champions becomes the official VGC title next year. I just don't think this would be justified in the game's 30th anniversary, so I'm considering this as an impossible scenario.
The post I'm convinced Pokémon's Gen 10 will be a mold breaker thanks to gutsy changes coming with Legends: Z-A and Champions appeared first on Destructoid. |
WGB Monday, August 18, 2025 12:27 PM Gamescom is approaching, and Bethesda's schedule has mysterious "TBC" slots, sparking speculation about surprise announcements. Potential reveals include remasters, Dishonored 3, or a new Elder Scrolls game. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, August 18, 2025 5:45 PM Showcases the protagonist's abilities. The post Lost Soul Aside Gets New 'Arena Power' Gameplay Trailer appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, August 18, 2025 5:12 PM Adds several enhancements. The post Shenmue III Enhanced Officially Announced appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, August 18, 2025 4:47 PM The Update also adds several new race and car themed events. The post Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced Gets New Update That Adds DLSS 4 appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, August 18, 2025 4:10 PM It also adds new weapons and vehicles. The post Battlefield 2042 Gets New Update That Adds Battlefield 6 Rewards appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
MonsterVine Monday, August 18, 2025 1:00 PM As summer winds down, Palia is leaning into cozy vibes with its Botanical Bliss update, the latest patch that adds new flowers, stylish planters, limited-time events, and adorable plush companions. On top of that, developer Singularity 6 is celebrating the game's two-year anniversary by rewarding players with exclusive plush items to mark the milestone. More […] |
Level Up Monday, August 18, 2025 1:05 PM  <strong>Update (August 18 at 12:02 a.m. CT): </strong>Following publication of this story, it became apparent… |