Jul 18, 18:00


GamersHeroes Friday, July 18, 2025 4:36 PM
    

Gamers Heroes recently asked MercurySteam some questions about Blades of Fire, learning more about its weapon forging system, its incredible music by Óscar Araujo, and its stellar community - learn more with our interview.

The post Blades of Fire Interview – MercurySteam Talks Customization, Music, and Community appeared first on GamersHeroes.


Kotaku Friday, July 18, 2025 4:50 PM
    

The Coldplay concert kiss cam incident is the most viral moment of 2025. It's also a video game now, sort of. Coldplay Canoodlers was thought up by Jonathan Mann, best known as the guy who has uploaded a new song to YouTube every day for over a decade (Remember "GTA: This Is Why We vVdeo Gaming?") It's a…

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Kotaku Friday, July 18, 2025 4:30 PM
    

Hey ya'll! Here we are at the end of yet another weekend on this little blue ball circling a vast fiery orb of death. I'm particularly sensitive to that orb because I chose not to buy a new air conditioner this summer. Brilliant, I know.

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Kotaku Friday, July 18, 2025 4:00 PM
    

I was called a "regurgitated cum bubble" within the first minutes of booting up Gunzilla's free-to-play battle royale shooter, Off The Grid. And the crass insult wasn't shouted by another player, but by an obnoxious soldier dude who is the game's announcer. Things only got worse and weirder from there.

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Kotaku Friday, July 18, 2025 2:55 PM
    

In nearly every cozy game under the sun that I've spent far too long playing, fishing is the one mechanic that's omnipresent yet differs just enough between games to prove annoying. It's also usually the one minigame that makes me pull out my beard in frustration. In Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, you won't unlock…

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Kotaku Friday, July 18, 2025 2:45 PM
    

DC's latest attempt at a Superman movie actually captures the heroic spirit of its lead, and it shows in moments big and small. Most of the best segments in the film weren't about Clark Kent doing sick shit with his superpowers, they were him showing kindness, determination, and empathy, even when someone might not…

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Kotaku Friday, July 18, 2025 2:35 PM
    

Shareholder meetings are usually pretty boring affairs, but in video games, you sometimes get players themselves showing up. They buy a piece of the company, and instead of complaining online like everyone else, they get to ask questions directly to the CEO's face once a year. That's what happened earlier this month,…

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Kotaku Friday, July 18, 2025 2:00 PM
    

There's another new trailer! Look, I'm not going to pretend at professional distance here: I am extremely excited about next month's new TV series, Alien: Earth. And each new trailer gives me more reason to be. But this isn't because I think the Alien franchise is some surefire hit generator—goodness gracious it…

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Kotaku Friday, July 18, 2025 1:19 PM
    

My exposure to Labubu, a series of little rabbit-like monster dolls dressed up in various outfits that people wear as accessories, began with an odd viral TikTok audio in which Lilz Bullz Marbella claims to have a one-of-a-kind 24-karat gold doll. This sound was attached to hundreds of videos on my feed before I ever…

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Kotaku Friday, July 18, 2025 12:45 PM
    

In the east coast heat of the summer of 2013, I stood outside of a particular McDonald's in Forest Hills, NY, in a dazed state of shock. I had just come out to some friends—I actually said it out loud, but all that had to wait because at the same time, I had also just learned that the PS4's upcoming DualShock 4…

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Kotaku Friday, July 18, 2025 12:00 PM
    

Others may disagree, but I've decided Equilibrious Beast is the hardest boss fight in Elden Ring Nightreign. He's fast, has a bunch of different attacks, and uses lots of hard-to-block magic. In addition to dodging incoming threats, you also have to manage a madness meter or risk getting one-shotted. I've played over…

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Kotaku Friday, July 18, 2025 11:45 AM
    

12 years after Xbox introduced the Xbox One as a console that would be your entertainment media hub, Xbox is no longer selling TV shows or movies. The news came with little fanfare or notice, though some people who regularly check Xbox's movie and TV section saw a bunch of movies about the end of the world in the…

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Kotaku Friday, July 18, 2025 11:15 AM
    

If the cyberpunk genre was meant to warn us away from a capitalistic, dystopian future hellscape, what purpose does it serve when that hellscape is already here? Cyberpunk 2077 is arguably one of the most mainstream contemporary examples of the genre from which it takes its name, and I remember a lot of discussion and…

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Kotaku Friday, July 18, 2025 10:40 AM
    

Donkey Kong Bananza is a 3D action platformer where you can dig holes, build bridges, and experiment in other ways as you burrow through various whimsical worlds on your way toward the planet core. Nintendo was so happy with its deformation tech that it decided to spin it off into an entirely separate artist mode.…

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Kotaku Friday, July 18, 2025 10:26 AM
    

One of the best aspects of any cozy farming game, even one with JRPG combat and adventuring elements, isn't the gradual progression of building up a settlement or farmland as you rake in the cash, but the friends you make along the way. Right? No, just me? Well, I enjoy marrying virtual characters in-game, but I…

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PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 4:00 PM
    

A good number of the biggest games in the world are shooters, but the genre is also bursting with under-the-radar gems, from tactical FPS games and isometric actioners to short, sharp bursts of indie adrenaline like Dead Trash. Now, Fanatical's Build Your Own Shooter bundle gives you the chance to play some of the very best for as little as $1.45 each.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best cyberpunk games, Games like Diablo, Best RPG games

PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 12:48 PM
    

Four weeks on from the launch of FBC Firebreak, the stats don't look good, but developer Remedy Entertainment says this is "just the start" for the co-op FPS game based on Control. In a new blog, the Alan Wake and Max Payne studio talks about its plans for bigger updates, beginning with a major overhaul that's scheduled for September. With better onboarding, improved gunplay, and fundamental job changes, perhaps there's still time for FBC Firebreak to earn a grand redemption in the style of No Man's Sky.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best co-op games, Best FPS games, Best Game Pass games

PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 12:46 PM
    

July 18, 2025: Two new codes for SpongeBob Tower Defense codes are in for the Pets update.

What are the new SpongeBob Tower Defense codes? Bikini Bottom is in danger and only the aquatic city's goofiest goobers can protect it. From SpongeGar to double Krabby Pattied-up Squidward, there's a wild cast of characters that can be called upon to aid the defense effort with new Roblox SpongeBob Tower Defense game codes

Of course, these iconic faces come at a cost, requiring you to cough up Gems and Magic Conches to partake in the Roblox game's gacha system. Fortunately, the SpongeBob Tower Defense codes often reward you with these precious materials, so load up Roblox, dive into Bikini Bottom, and use the following codes to keep it safe.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes

PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 12:44 PM
    

July 18, 2025: Check out this new Basketball Zero code for the start of Season 2.

What are the new Basketball Zero codes? Stemming from a collaboration with the original owner of smash-hit Roblox sports game Blue Lock Rivals, the legendary developer is now letting you shoot hoops with anime icons big and small.

If Roblox is your main source of play, do consider checking out our Blue Lock Rivals codes, Volleyball Legends codes, or Anime Rangers X codes guides. We check more than 100 of the most popular Roblox games for new codes constantly, helping to ensure there's always a steady stream of freebies to grab while you wait for your favorite titles to update.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes

PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 12:50 PM
    

Fans of sandbox games rejoice. There may not yet be a Terraria 1.4.5 release date, but sandbox RPG Return From Core looks like it's ready to fill that hole in your life. Inspired by Core Keeper, but with all the automation goodness of Factorio, and monster girl companions, this is definitely one to check out while you wait for Terraria's next update. Even better, it's available right now.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best indie games, New PC games, Best PC games

PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 12:28 PM
    

Fanatical is currently holding a Bundle Bash event, and we have spotted a Steam Deck-focused bundle that bags you up to three Steam games for just $3.69. You could end up with games from a variety of genres, but Fanatical assures that the games all run great on Valve's handheld, and also hold a rating of at least 70% on Steam.

As the best gaming handheld on our buying guide, we're big fans of the Steam Deck and its ease of use, thanks to SteamOS. Its aging hardware means it can be tricky to know exactly which games will run on the handheld, but there's no need to worry when buying games from this bundle, as they'll all run without issue.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 12:26 PM
    

Exploring Feudal Japan won't be a huge stretch for your gaming PC, provided it was built some time in the last five years, but the Assassin's Creed Shadows system requirements get heavy if you're targeting a 4K resolution and extended ray tracing.

You won't need the best graphics card from our buying guide to make the most of your time with Yasuke and Naoe in Feudal Japan. The Assassin's Creed Shadows system requirements show a healthy balance between old and new hardware. However, ray tracing isn't optional, even on the lowest graphics settings, and you'll need an RTX 4090 or better to manage full RT at 4K. We've had a play around with the game to cover the best Assassin's Creed Shadows settings for PC and Steam Deck, and found that the game is gloriously optimized for PC, but not so much for handhelds.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 11:34 AM
    

I'm going to have to upgrade to Windows 11. That much is now inevitable, and not just to ensure my own peace of mind as Microsoft ends security upgrades. Square Enix confirms that its critically acclaimed MMORPG FF14 will no longer support Windows 10 PCs from October. While you might still be able to play, the developer warns that it will no longer provide support for any problems that arise as a result.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best MMOs, FF14 Dawntrail review, FF14 Island Sanctuary guide

PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 11:22 AM
    

A new AMD Ryzen CPU benchmark leak has just appeared, and it shows the potentially awesome power of the company's new Threadripper CPUs for multi-threading work. This new leak appears to show the raw power of the 96-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9995WX, which is massively more powerful than your average gaming CPU, even if it isn't a chip aimed at the gaming market.

We've not seen new Threadripper CPUs from AMD in a few years, and their release is highly anticipated. Packed with a ridiculous number of cores, at least by usual desktop standards, Threadripper Pro 9000 prices are already set to be ridiculous, with the 9995WX costing as much as $11,699 at launch. Expensive as they may be, raw power alone isn't enough to make them great for gaming, either, with the options in our best gaming CPU guide still likely to top a Threadripper as the choice for a gamer-focused PC build.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 9800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 9070 XT review

PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 11:17 AM
    

Sci-fi open-world survival game Icarus has just launched its new Great Hunts DLC, and there's also a free update packed with extra gear available for all. Built by RocketWerkz, the studio founded by DayZ creator Dean 'Rocket' Hall, Icarus has carved itself out a spot as a more realistic take on sci-fi space survival than the likes of Once Human, while leaning a little more fantastical than Rust and Sons of the Forest. Now, its latest expansion is here, and it's joined by the arrival of the free Copernicus update, which improves boss battles alongside an all-new tier of legendary weapons.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games, Best co-op games, Best open-world games

PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 11:14 AM
    

The Flip is back for its seventh run with JBL, which has now included a surprising number of tweaks to its most popular Bluetooth speaker's capabilities, compared to the Flip 6. The JBL Flip 7 has a longer battery life, protection from deeper dives into water, more power output, and a move to Bluetooth 5.4.

Crucially, JBL offers all these improvements for a price that's still reasonable, even if many buyers will likely be tempted by the now-discounted Flip 6. As a result, this combination ensures the JBL Flip remains one of the best Bluetooth speaker options available, jumping right to the top of our guide. [site_jumplinks]

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 1:25 PM
    

What is the best Bluetooth speaker? That will depend on your needs but they're universally a great way to untether your music collection and play it loud wherever you are. Maybe you want to find a way to boost your laptop's audio for gaming and movie watching on the go. Or, maybe you just want a convenient portable powerhouse for parties and travel. Whatever your requirements, we've tried and tested the top options to pick the right Bluetooth speakers for your needs.

Our top pick overall right now is the Ultimate Ears Boom 4, thanks to its portable, waterproof design and solid sound quality for a decent price. Meanwhile, if you're looking for some computer speakers with Bluetooth, the SteelSeries Arena 7 are a great option. Meanwhile, for a huge sound at parties, the JBL PartyBox 310 is the way to go. See below for loads more options and be sure to check the how to choose and FAQ sections at the bottom of this guide to help you find the right Bluetooth speaker for your needs.

Continue reading Best Bluetooth speaker 2025
MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming

PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 10:34 AM
    

There has been no end to weird glitches in The Sims over the years. Everything from raining indoors to Sims walking through walls; you'd think we would have seen it all by now. Apparently not, as last week several players reported several bizarre issues with pregnancy bugs as the latest patch dropped for The Sims 4, including characters being mistakenly marked as pregnant or missing baby bumps.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Sims 4 mods, Best Sims 4 sex mods, The Sims 4 cheats

PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 10:12 AM
    

How do you successfully use the College Football 26 recruitment and scouting features? If you want to take your one-star school all the way to the National Championship, you will need to be very good at College Football 26 recruiting.

Unlike other sports games where you can scout and draft players, or just buy them outright, in College Football 26, you have to convince the most sought-after prospects and talented high school players that your program is the right one for them. So, how do you do this? In our recruitment guide, we'll walk you through the basics of recruiting and discuss how you can maximize the impact of every recruitment class to speed your way through Dynasty mode and become a true icon of college football.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best sports games, Best upcoming games, Best free PC games

PCGamesN Friday, July 18, 2025 10:02 AM
    

July 18, 2025: We checked for new Girls Frontline 2 Exilium codes.

What are the latest GF2 Exilium codes? Girls Frontline 2 is different from anything you've seen so far, thanks to its thrilling, female-led military theme and top-down turn-based strategy combat.

For its uniqueness, Girls Frontline 2: Exilium is still a gacha game, so you're going to need the most up-to-date Girls Frontline 2 codes to give yourself a head start in drawing for the latest Dolls like Suomi and Nemesis. Lucky, then, that we've got them right here, along with how to redeem them in the anime game for some useful rewards.

MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best anime games, Girls Frontline 2 codes, Best gacha games

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 18, 2025 4:53 PM
    

$1,499.00

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 18, 2025 2:10 PM
    

Civilization is a series in thrall to the illusion of endless incremental progress, and what more bruisingly poetic way to refute that narrative than by sticking two fingers up at this year's ailing Civilization 7 and opting to play 2016's much better-regarded Civilization 6 instead. Conveniently, you can currently get Civilization 6 for free on the Epic Games Store - the giveaway runs till 24th July.

Of course, if you're mad about Civ 7's failings, there's a fair chance you already own Civ 6. But the freebie does include access to all of the game's DLC and expansions, so might be worth bagging if you only ever bought the base game from a different store. For clarity, you do not need to stick two fingers up at Civ 7 while downloading the free version of Civ 6. It is a piece of software and cannot respond to your hatred.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 18, 2025 12:28 PM
    

Alongside working on The Duskbloods and Elden Ring Nightreign's post-launch bits, FromSoftware are reportedly deep in development on an unannounced game that could release next year.

That's according to MP1st (via VGC), which claims said game is codenamed FMC, multiplatform and - based on "the nature of the source these details come from" - at an advanced stage of development.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 18, 2025 11:46 AM
    

I've only dipped my distal index fingerbone in The Necromancer's Tale, a just-released historical fantasy tactics RPG from Psychic Software, but I can at least report back that the character creator is a gentle joy, to the point that I was disappointed to reach the end of it. True to the promise/threat of "400,000 words of hand-written narrative and lore", it's a hearty choose-your-own-adventure prologue that follows the protagonist's infancy and early adulthood. Each choice you make skews the stats on the left. Might sound unremarkable of concept. Here's why it's stuck with me.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 18, 2025 11:08 AM
    

If you're sick of being tag-teamed by Gaping Jaw & Darkdrift Knight, then I bring good news. Elden Ring Nightreign's next wave of enhanced bosses have now successfully RSVPed to the big darkness party. They'll be arriving when the next cycle begins on July 31st.

Sure, that was the most logical point for a fresh rotation, given it's when the established lot of Everdark Nightlord duos were set to disappear. Though, for whatever reason, FromSoft haven't fully committed to a date until now. One can only assume the Equilibrious Beast was busy polishing its horns.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, July 18, 2025 10:08 AM
    

"I'm not a perfectionist," says the guy who makes niche puzzle games that turn me into a gibbering wreck obsessed with efficiency. And I feel a wave of comical fury. If like me you've been whirring and clicking your way through very good engineering puzzle game Kaizen: A Factory Story, you're probably a fan of previous work from the same developers. The creators of Opus Magnum and Infinifactory may have dissolved their old studio Zachtronics and chemically regenerated as Coincidence Games, but there are still large traces of a Zach present. I caught up with designer Zach Barth to ask about perfectionism, the Factorio-like automation game he gave up on out of boredom, and how the team managed to make a story about factories in 1980s Japan feel human.

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Twinfinite Friday, July 18, 2025 4:34 PM
    
Answer the age-old question of whether Guts from Berserk solo the ninja world, with Anime Final Strike codes.

Twinfinite Friday, July 18, 2025 10:24 AM
    
Messi, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho—all icons in one place! Use Unlock Football Legends! codes to create a team of all-time GOATs.

Siliconera Friday, July 18, 2025 6:00 PM
    

Calliope Mori and Nerissa Ravencroft Song Used for Chaos Zero Nightmare

Smilegate and Cover announced that the Hololive English Vtubers Calliope Mori and Nerissa Ravencroft perform the theme song for the new game Chaos Zero Nightmare. The performers' duet is called "Over//Ride." While the game is currently in the pre-registration phase on Android, iOS, and PC via Stove, the track's music video is on YouTube and streaming on services like Amazon and Spotify.

Here's the new song "Over//Ride" from Hololive Vtubers Calliope Mori and Nerissa Ravencroft.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgMl8y2ufIg

We've heard Calliope Mori perform theme songs for projects before. One of the most recent ones was Suicide Squad Isekai

This also isn't the only time Hololive Vtubers Calliope Mori and Nerissa Ravencroft performed a duet together. The two performed a cover of "Bocca della Verità" together for the 3D concert Requiem for Love.

As for Chaos Zero Nightmare, there is a promotion tied to pre-registration at the moment. If two million people sign up, everyone gets the four-star character Amir at launch. They'll also get 20 Rescue Anchor items for the gacha. As of July 13, 2025, they hit 200,000, which means everyon egets 10 Advanced Battle Memories.

Chaos Zero Nightmare will come to the PC and mobile devices in 2025. The App Store page has an "expected" October 15, 2025 release date associated with it.

The post Calliope Mori and Nerissa Ravencroft Song Used for Chaos Zero Nightmare appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 18, 2025 5:00 PM
    

hideaki anno khara production ig

Studio Khara president Hideaki Anno will become a board director of animation studio, Production IG. This change in position will go into effect on August 21, 2025.

The news appeared on Studio Khara's website on July 18, 2025. Aside from the information on Anno's future as a director of Production I.G., it did not provide any further details.

Production IG. is an animation studio that was founded in 1987. It has produced animated projects popular around the world and not just in its native country of Japan. A small sample of its works includes the xxxHolic series, Ghost in the Shell series, Psycho-Pass, Kuroko's Basketball, Sengoku Basara, and FLCL. It also worked on the O-Ren Ishii backstory animation sequence in the 2003 film, Kill Bill Vol. 1.

As for Hideaki Anno, while he is the founder and president of Studio Khara, he's arguably most well-known for his work at his previous studio, Gainax. He worked on the aforementioned FLCL, but his signature work is Neon Genesis Evangelion, as well as the franchise that spawned from it. His more modern works include Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, and Studio Khara recently announced an anime adaptation of Sugar Sugar Rune.

Hideaki Anno will become a board director at Production IG. from August 21, 2025.

The post Hideaki Anno to Become Board Director at Production IG appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 18, 2025 4:00 PM
    

Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road Release Date Delayed Yet Again

Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road still isn't ready yet, as Level-5 delayed the release date again. It now will launch on the Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on November 13, 2025. The company cited the amount of content present as a reason for the extra time needed, and it also shared a trailer showing off the latest additions and footage.

This marks the third time Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road ended up delayed to a new 2025 release window. It first was expected to show up in June 2025. Then, Level-5 said it would appear on August 21, 2025. 

This particular Inazuma Eleven installment has a long history of being delayed, starting back when it was called Inazuma Eleven Ares and ended up delayed out of Summer 2018 to Fall 2018. It was in 2019 that it was turned into Inazuma Eleven: Great Road of Heroes. Along the way, platforms changed as well. At one point, even mobile versions were planned.

Here's the new Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road trailer that confirmed the new release date and shared the extra content we'll see when it does launch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeAepeWXMo0

While the game is delayed, we have at least had chances to test it out and play it. A Global Beta Test showed up in March 2024. Eventually, that also resulted in a story mode test. Another worldwide beta test demo appeared in July 2024 as well. 

Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road will come to the Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the new release date is November 13, 2025

The post Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road Release Date Delayed Yet Again appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 18, 2025 3:00 PM
    

New Hatsune Miku World is Mine Figure Wears a Crown

Good Smile Company opened up pre-orders for a Hatsune Miku "World is Mine" 2024 version figure. It was first announced back in 2024. She won't ship until October 2026 in Japan and Q1 2027 in the US. It will cost ¥27,800/$181.99.

This will be a rather tall figure, as it stands at over eight inches tall (214mm). Or rather, sits, as Hatsune MIku is positioned in a crimson armchair for the figure with a vase filled with red roses at her feet. She's pointing toward the viewer while sitting with a smug smile on her face. She's wearing the same white dress with black ribbon around the neck as in the music video for the track. She also has a crown on her head. 

Here's a closer look at it from different angles.

"World is Mine" is one of the more famous Hatsune Miku songs, and it was released by Ryo back in May 2008. Due to its popularity, it's appeared in a number of video games, like the Hatsune Miku: Project Diva series and Taiko no Tatsujin. Past merchandise based on the Vocaloid's appearance in the track art and music video appeared before this rendition, such as a Character Vocal Series Nendoroid

You can hear the song below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhl5afLEKdo

The Hatsune Miku "World is Mine" 2024 version figure will launch in Japan in October 2026, followed by a Q1 2027 North American debut. Pre-orders are open until September 3, 2025. 

The post New Hatsune Miku World is Mine Figure Wears a Crown appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 18, 2025 2:00 PM
    

Next Voltage Switch Otome Game Is Neon Clash: Echoes of the Lost

Voltage announced the next AmuLit otome Switch game from the company is called Neon Clash: Echoes of the Lost. It will launch in Winter 2025. It will appear in both Japanese and English. It's been in development at the studio since 2023.

Exact details about the characters and love interests in Neon Clash aren't available yet, but we do have art of the heroine and one romance option. It will tell a more modern story set in the "near future" and involve different mafia members. It also seems like it will follow the AmuLit trend of not shying away from darker or more dramatic elements that started in Even if Tempest, there will be conflicts between various factions.

This will mark the second AmuLit Voltage otome game to debut on the Switch in 2025. Red Bell's Lament showed up in June 2025. That involved a group of vampire hunters heading into the realm of vampires on a rescue mission. Other AmuLit titles include Even if Tempest and its sequel Even if Tempest: Dawning Connections. This latest entry will mark the first game to take place during a more modern time.

Neon Clash: Echoes of the Lost will come to the Nintendo Switch worldwide in Winter 2025.

The post Next Voltage Switch Otome Game Is Neon Clash: Echoes of the Lost appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 18, 2025 1:00 PM
    

PSP Acrylic Stands and Keychains Filled With UI Icons playstation merchandise

Good Smile Company teased one of its PlayStation 30th anniversary merchandise, as it confirmed it will release PSP acrylic stands and shaker keychains based on the Sony handheld. Each of these items will have a hollow center where the screen is, and that will be filled with acrylic pieces designed to look like PSP UI icons. Four items will be available. 

The items are both based upon the PSP-1000 model. One will be the standard black one, while the other looks like the Ceramic White model. The acrylic stands will be ¥1,760 (~$12) each, while the keychains are going to cost ¥1,320 (~$9). We don't know how big they'll be yet, as sizes weren't mentioned. However, the initial images did show that the PlayStation merchandise will feature designs on the front and back of the items.

Here's the official art showing the examples of both items. The larger images just show the PSP acrylic stands, but the bottom of the page showed the shaker keychains. While the stands have monochromatic UI icons, the keychains will have color pieces that represent the square, triangle, circle, and cross buttons.

We've seem Good Smile Company make Sony and PlayStation-related items before. It sold an Astro Bot Nendoroid, for example. Aloy and Kratos ones appeared too.

There's no release window yet for the PSP acrylic stand and shaker keychains. Since prototypes are available, pre-orders will likely open within the next few weeks.

The post PSP Acrylic Stands and Keychains Filled With UI Icons appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 18, 2025 12:00 PM
    

FFVII Buster Sword Alarm Clock Came Back

Back in 2022, Square Enix released a Final Fantasy VII Buster Sword alarm clock in Japan, then later sold the FFVII item worldwide. Now the 21,780円 device is back in Japan. It returns on July 19, 2025. A rerelease hasn't shown up on the US storefront yet, but it did cost $199.99 when available here.

This clock is over a foot tall, due to the size of the weapon. Its tands at over 13 inches. The Buster Sword is jammed into the clock base, with the digital time lit up with LEDs on the blade and Materia glowing in the same color. Depending on the song you set as the alarm, the color of the lights will change.

As a reminder, here are all five songs that will act as the alarm for the FFVII Buster Sword clock.

  • "Aerith's Theme - Home Again"
  • "The Airbuster"
  • "Let the Battles Begin - a Merc's Job"
  • "Main Theme of FFVII - Sector 7 Undercity"
  • "One-Winged Angel - Rebirth"

All of the samples of those songs can be seen in the trailer for the clock below. That also shows the Materia and LED light color associated with each one. So "Aerith's Theme" changes things to green, while the game's main theme is blue. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4zGaAKBdnY

Final Fantasy VII Remake is available on the PS4, PS5, and PC and will come to the Switch 2 and Xbox Series X in Q4 2025, and the FFVII Buster Sword alarm clock is back in Japan as of July 19, 2025. 

The post FFVII Buster Sword Alarm Clock Came Back appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, July 18, 2025 11:00 AM
    

Subaru and Subaru is a new manga sequel of Initial D and MF Ghost by Shuichi Shigeno

Subaru and Subaru, the new sequel manga to Initial D and MF Ghost by Shuichi Shigeno, will soon launch in Kodansha's Young Magazine. However, prominent leaker Ryokutya reported that Shigeno provided an update to his own health condition in the manga magazine. [Thanks, Ryokutya.]

At the end of the manga premiere, the veteran manga artist reportedly revealed that he has a heart disease. Due to this condition, Shuichi Shigeno cautioned that the serialization of Subaru and Subaru may not run smoothly.

Subaru and Subaru will take place the year after the races in MF Ghost. Fumihiro Joyu will hold a new racing series with a new qualification method to replace MFG. The new title will star two characters who have the same name Subaru, but with different kanji letters.

The first protagonist will be Subaru Sato, a female driver from Gunma, whose relations with Initial D's Mako Sato are still yet to be known. She will receive training from Bunta Fujiwara and participate in the new racing series with a Subaru BRZ.

The other new protagonist will be the Kanagawa native Subaru Kudo. He will offer himself to drive Ogata's Toyota 86, which was used by Kanata Rivington in the previous year.

Subaru and Subaru official teaser
Image courtesy of Kodansha

The first chapter of Shuichi Shigeno's new manga series, Subaru and Subaru, will appear in the 34th issue of Young Magazine on July 22, 2025. Its first standalone tankobon volume will be available in Japan on November 6, 2025.

The post Shuichi Shigeno Launches Subaru and Subaru Manga appeared first on Siliconera.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 4:55 PM
    

Marvel Rivals Phoenix skins

Video games are a wonderful medium if only for the sole fact that you have a direct impact on what's going on within them, unlike movies or books.

We all need an escape into a world that we can control while the living world around us descends into chaos, sadness, or just the monotony of the everyday grind. Games are always there when you have to decompress a little bit and take your mind to a better place.

Death Stranding 2 Sam crying shower
Screenshot by Destructoid

Some games, however, have the opposite effect. Let's be honest, the last thing I need sometimes after a long or frustrating day is to hop onto Marvel Rivals and get tilted at bad teammates or toxic communications.

That's why there are such things as comfort games, or even games that we play to boost our mood when we need it most. It could be anything from a classic singleplayer adventure, the current hot AAA title, a cozy indie game, or just about anything with a group of friends or loved ones to keep your mind off of everyday ills.

For me, when my mood is in the pits, I gravitate to singleplayer titles. For the most part, they don't frustrate me like another human being in a multiplayer game can, so I like to lose myself in the world of a recent games like Donkey Kong Bananza, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, or a cozy game devoid of any need for effort, something like Unpacking.

And so now, I ask you, dear reader, what is the kind of game you turn to when you need to turn your mood around? Let us know in the poll and comments below, and maybe offer some suggestions for those who may be looking to try out something new in the world of positive thoughts and vibes.

The post Life can be a real drag sometimes, but so are some games. What's your go-to title for a mood boost? appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 4:19 PM
    

Image featuring Pele TOTY, Kylian Mbappe TOTY, and VVD TOTY

FUTTIES Best of Re-Release Batch 2 is live in EA FC 25 with FUTTIES Team 2, and it brings back over 100 amazing items to Ultimate Team packs.

Compared to the first batch, the second one is significantly bigger. While EA Sports hasn't reduced the minimum overall of the available cards (beginning at 88), we should find more cards from packs. Let's quickly take a look at all the special items that you can find in packs as part of Batch 2.

Complete list of EA FC 25 FUTTIES Best of Re-Release Batch 2 players

All the cards of the EA FC 25 FUTTIES Best of Re-Release Batch 2 have been available in previous months. Back then, they were part of their separate promos. You can also find them from the market by buying them with coins. However, it's far better to get them from packs (as you can save your coins), and either use them in your squad or as fodder to complete SBCs.

VVD passing the ball to a teammate in EA FC 26
Screenshot via EA Sports

Player Name Promo Overall Rating
Hakan Calhanoglu Grassroot Greats 88
Cvetkovic Dreamchasers 88
Jean-Francois Future Stars 88
Raskin FUT Birthday 88
Scalvini Future Stars 88
Alex Scott Winter Wildcards 88
Wilfried Singo FUT Birthday 88
Aitor Paredes Dreamchaser 89
Avila Dreamchasers 89
Selma Bacha Ultimate Succession 89
Bajrami Dreamchaser 89
Marcus Berg Dreamchaser 89
Ousmane Dembele Globetrotters 89
Kouassi Future Stars 89
LamineYamal Ultimate Succession 89
Romeo Lavia Future Stars 89
Bixente Lizarazu Track Stars 89
Stanislav Lobotka FUT Birthday 89
Riyad Mahrez Grassroot Greats 89
Mike Maignan TOTY HM 89
Naz NumeroFUT 89
Jay-Jay Okocha Track Stars 89
Ould Hocine Fantasy FC 89
Pavlovic Future Stars 89
Marijanette Pichon Ultimate Succession 89
Carson Picket Grassroot Greats 89
Fridolina Rolfo Winter Wildcards 89
Jonathan Tah NumeroFUT 89
Vitinha Winter Wildcards 89
Willams Grassroot Greats 89
Wubben-Moy FUT Birthday 89
Martin Zubimendi FUT Birthday 89
Juan Cuadrado NumeroFUT 90
Kanu Fantasy FC 90
Roy Keane Grassroot Greats 90
Cascarino FUT Birthday 90
Thibault Courtois Track Stars 90
Gianluigi Donnarumma Centurions 90
Fowler Future Stars 90
David Ginola Track Stars 90
Serhou Guirassy FUT Birthday 90
Viktor Gyokeres Thunderstruck 90
Nicolas Jackson FUT Birthday 90
Vincent Kompany Winter Wildcards 90
Levels Fantasy FC 90
Mapi Leon NumeroFUT 90
Leandro Paredes FUT Birthday 90
Popp Trailblazers 90
Declan Rice Winter Wildcards 90
Son Heung-Min Winter Wildcards 90
Son Heung-Min Winter Wildcards 90
Florian Wirtz Track Stars 90
Antonia Silva FUT Birthday 91
David Beckham Thunderstruck 91
Gianluigi Buffon Winter Wildcards 91
Fabio Cannavaro TOTY 91
Matthijs de Ligt Dreamchaser 91
Moussa Diaby FUT Birthday 91
Benjamin Sesko Future Stars 91
Fermin Lopez Fantasy FC 91
Gabriel Megalhaes NumeroFUT 91
Serge Gnabry FUT Birthday 91
Marek Hamsik Grassroot Greats 91
Hasegawa FUT Birthday 91
Ronald Koeman TOTY 91
Takefusa Kubo Dreamchaser 91
Larsson Dreamchaser 91
Matheus Cunha FUT Birthday 91
Neymar Jr. Winter Wildcards 91
Pedro Dreamchaser 91
Guro Reiten Thunderstruck 91
Mohamed Salah Globetrotters 91
Lotta Schelin Future Stars 91
Alan Shearer Future Stars 91
Kelly Smith Thunderstruck 91
Viktor Tsygankov Fantasy FC 91
Federico Valverde Thunderstruck 91
Sophia Wilson Winter Wildcards 91
Xavi Hernandez Winter Wildcards 91
Wilfried Zaha FUT Birthday 91
Nicolo Zaniolo Fantasy FC 91
Aitana Bonmati Trailblazers 92
Alejandro Garnacho FUT Birthday 92
Trent Alexander-Arnold FUT Birthday 92
Bruno Fernandes Grassroot Greats 92
Carlos Alberto Winter Wildcards 92
Ryan Cherki Dreamchaser 92
Ivan Cordoba Dreamchaser 92
Cucho Hernandez Fantasy FC 92
Rio Ferdinand Future Stars 92
Sidnei Govou FUT Birthday 92
Archie Gray Dreamchaser 92
Harder Dreamchaser 92
Lindsey Horan TOTS HM 92
Inigo Martinez FUT Birthday 92
Chloe Kelly FUT Birthday 92
Harry Kewell Dreamchaser 92
Kika Nazareth Fantasy FC 92
Harry Maguire FUT Birthday 92
Javier Mascherano Immortals 92
Lothar Matthaus Thunderstruck 92
McCabe Dreamchaser 92
Ella toone FUT Birthday 92
Vinicius Jr. Trailblazers 92
Caroline Weir Dreamchaser 93
Celia Sasic FUT Birthday 93
Selma Bacha FUT Birthday 93
de Vries TOTS 93
Ruud Gullit Thunderstruck 93
Thierry Henry TOTY 93
Donyell Malen Fantasy FC 93
Lionel Messi TOTY HM 93
Darwin Nunez Fantasy FC 93
Jay-Jay Okocha FUT Birtday 93
Birgit Prinz Winter Wildcards 93
Ruben Dias FUT Birthday 93
Selma Paralluelo FUT Birthday 93
Wesley Sneijder FUT Birthday 93
Vinicius Jr. Winter Wildcards 93
Williams Fantasy FC 93
Ian Wright Grassroot Greats 93
Lev Yashin Future Stars 93
Zico Thunderstruck 93
Roberto Baggio Grassroot Greats 94
Baturina TOTS 94
David Beckham FUT Birthday 94
Lucy Bronze TOTY 94
Jamie Carragher Fantasy FC 94
Crystal Dunn Fantasy FC 94
Antoine Griezmann FUT Birthday 94
Erling Haaland Winter Wildcards 94
Mia Hamm Winter Wildcards 94
Lamine Yamal Future Stars 94
Litmanen Fantasy FC 94
Emiliano Martinez TOTY 94
Lautaro Martinez Dreamchaser 94
Lothar Matthaus Immortals 94
Ramires FUT Birthday 94
Son Heung-Min Fantasy FC 94
Florian Wirtz Dreamchaser 94
Zico Immortals 94
Beerensteyn TOTS 95
Borja Sainz TOTS 95
Gianluigi Buffon Immortals 95
Moussa Diaby TOTS 95
Dompe TOTS 95
Ibanez TOTS 95
Inigo Martinez TOTS 95
Harry Kane Dreamchaser 95
Lakrar TOTS 95
Blaise Matuidi Fantasy FC 95
Pacho TOTS 95
Wendie Renard TOTS 95
Wendie Renard TOTY 95
Trinity Rodman TOTS 95
Ronaldinho FUT Birthday 95
Sams TOTS 95
Aitana Bonmati TOTS 96
Nicolo Barella TOTS 96
Franz Beckenbauer Immortals 96
Eusebio Immortals 96
Evander TOTS 96
Laura Freigang TOTS 96
Viktor Gyokeres TOTS 96
Mia Hamm Immortals 96
Caroline Hansen TOTS 96
Laura James TOTS 96
N'Golo Kante TOTS 96
Mariona TOTS 96
Mateo TOTS 96
Kylian Mbappe TOTY 96
Jamal Musiala TOTS 96
Ewa Pajor TOTS 96
Pedri TOTS 96
Pele TOTY 96
Steijn TOTS 96
Luis Suarez TOTS 96
Tanaka TOTS 96
Virgil Van Dijk TOTY 96

How to get EA FC 25 FUTTIES Best of Re-Release Batch 2 players?

There are multiple ways to obtain these special items in Ultimate Team.

  • All packs that offer Rare Gold Player items.
  • All store packs that include Rare Gold Player items.
  • Player Picks that offer Rare Gold Player items.
  • Packs from Champions Finals and Division Rivals rewards.
  • Packs from Squad Battles rewards.
  • Reward packs that you get from completing objectives.
  • Rewards from modes like Friendlies and Drafts.

The post All EA FC 25 FUTTIES Best of Re-Release Batch 2 players appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 4:02 PM
    

Promo Art for Rematch where two players are celebrating together

Congrats, soldiers, you've made it to another weekend. And you know what that means: 48 hours of unhealthy gaming. Lots of stuff on the table this time around (and more waiting just around the corner), because there's never a dull moment in video games.

As good a time as any for REMATCH

Now, look, I'm not all too much of a sporty dude. Last time I rolled a ball over the ground didn't end very well, and don't even get me started on when I had to roll it around another dude. Just not a lot of fun when you have two left legs (or two right ones, I don't judge).

But when that ball is digital and all you need is a pair of semi-functional hands to take control of it, then it's as good a time as any to get to it.

And of course, here I mean REMATCH, the recent Sloclap masterpiece that simply has me hooked through and through.

My weekend usually consists of whatever slop my friends and I get our hands on (and some good stuff in between), and REMATCH comes in clutch to break the monotony and give me an extra reason to bash my head against the wall, matched with random players who think they're the next Lionel Messi. But aside from that little gripe, this little arcade sports gem is gonna be a great place to spend some of that hard-earned weekend time.

Never a dull moment in Night City

On top of live-service competitive multiplayer that drains my sanity, I'll also try to have some fun putting down actually insane cyberpsychos hiding around Night City's shady corners. Cyberpunk 2077 recently got a new patch (Update 2.3), I got myself a new graphics card, and Night City is as fine as it ever was, minus the rampant crime, corporate overreach, and human rights violations (any and all similarity to real life is purely accidental, of course).

I've never actually completed the game's main story, believe it or not, save for that one ending no one likes to talk about. Recently, I cleared Phantom Liberty and absolutely loved it, so I cannot wait to see what else this tragic game has in store for me (probably lots of feels, bugs, and fantastic storytelling).

But it's you I want to know more about

Before the text cuts off, and you get ready to click away, I want to hear what it is you've been up to this week, whatcha gonna be playin' this weekend, and what games you're most excited about. Lots of stuff is coming our way this Summer and Fall, so do let me know which ones you're keeping an eye out for. I'd tell you mine, but I'll let you take the first shot.

Have a great weekend, Destructoid.

The post Whatcha playing this weekend, Destructoid? (July 18-20) appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 3:54 PM
    

The Finals press kit image.

Since 2024, the number of Steam-released games using AI content of any kind has increased by a whopping seven times. That means about 7,800 titles are making use of artificial intelligence, and though I'm not happy about it—there might be some validity in there.

Per a pair of Totally Human Media studies, Steam only featured some 1,000 games with generative AI content in them in April of last year. Fast-forward to July 2025, and there are nearly 8,000 of them, accounting for about 20 percent of all Steam games released this year and seven percent of the entire Steam library. Generative AI, having substantially improved just between those two dates, is significantly growing in video games, and it seems Steam, with its fair share of indies and smaller, less-serious projects, is quite the magnet for it.

The-Finals-best-weapons
The Finals is one of the biggest games with a heavy AI presence. Image via Embark Studios

This sevenfold increase comes as a result of developers big and small making use of new tools and technologies to either speed up or cheapen the work. Totally Human Media performed wide research to see just what kind of studios use generative AI, concluding that massive titles like The Finals and indie productions both appear in significant numbers.

I am not a fan of generative AI in any case, especially in art. However, Totally Human Media's findings indicate a particularly grey area, i.e., indie games.

Several instances of generative AI use in the studies show indie developers both disclosing and explaining why they opted for using such technologies. Explanations varied between development costs being too high otherwise to artists needing inspiration and having a hard time visualizing concepts.

Both of these are, for better or worse, valid points. Without such a tool, we probably wouldn't have gotten a wave of new indie titles that could genuinely be good games, AI be damned.

It certainly does open the possibility for discussion. While I would prefer AI be purged from video games and art once and for all, the technology isn't going to willfully just Thanos snap itself out of existence. Nor will major studios and publishers who only care about speed and green numbers on a chart take a stance against it.

Perhaps we should learn to live alongside it and push for regulations that can turn this otherwise harmful tool into something of value.

My stance here is not firm, and I am not really sure I could ever accept artificiality in any form of art, games included. But, if it serves to enable indie development that would otherwise be impossible... then yeah, to hell with it, maybe that's fine.

What do you think, Desturctoid? If an indie game, a good indie game, would be impossible to make without AI help, does that justify using it? Let me know below.

The post AI in Steam games has increased sevenfold in a year–but it isn't all black and white appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 3:04 PM
    

The Graviton Spike hand cannon seen from collections.

Destiny 2's Graviton Spike hand cannon is one of The Edge of Fate's biggest post-campaign pursuits. This Exotic hand cannon blends Arc and Stasis, making it perfect for builds that use either element and even deadlier in Prismatic.

You must finish the Edge of Fate campaign before you can unlock Graviton Spike, since this weapon is tied to a few events that happen throughout the story. Once you cross off the final mission, The Message, interact with the Altar of Reality to unlock the Graviton Through the Ages quest.

That's not the end, though: Graviton Spike also has three intrinsics upgrades and four catalysts at its disposal, which make the weapon even deadlier. We've outlined the major steps to acquire this Exotic hand cannon below.

How to unlock Graviton Spike in Destiny 2

A guardian aims Graviton Spike at a bulbous arc-coated plant in Destiny 2's Edge of Fate.
The plants are part of another secret with Graviton Spike. Screenshot by Destructoid

Much like the post-campaign quests in The Final Shape, the quest for Graviton Spike will send you to a few different locations on Kepler, where you'll make use of your new tricks to find some old tech for Lodi. The mission will take you to four different locations, with two stops: killing Vex as you're near the end and doing a Sieve mission to obtain the Exotic.

You must use Kepler's destination powers to find and scan a weapon piece in each of these spots. The first objective in each zone leads you to a general location where you must then find and interact with the weapon piece—usually with a puzzle or two along the way. Here's where you can find them:

Triangulate the location of the weapon piece in the Outer Steppes

A house situated on a rocky cliff contains one of the weapon aprts required to obtain Graviton Spike in Destiny 2.
Some of Orin's side quests may send you here. Screenshot by Destructoid

Land on the Outer Steppes and reach the main open area, then use the Mattermorph fungus on the far side of the zone to reach the Outer Wastes. Once the area changes, look on the cliff to your left to find a Rosetta Sentry by the tower nearby. Defeat it and use the terminal to reveal the location of the next part of the quest.

A small building with a tower standing on top of it.
The Rosetta Sentry and the terminal are by this building. Screenshot by Destructoid

Follow your map marker deeper into the Outer Steppes, across from the tunnel you used to go into this area. When you reach the area where you fight off a boss Shank in the campaign, take the door on the far end, then enter the Matterspark shortcut. Inside, go up the ramp and jump across the gaps, then roll out of the ducts. Look across to find a house on the cliff, where the next piece of Graviton Spike is located.

Look to the left and charge the pylon on the ground, powering up a cannon right next to it. Take flight in Matterspark form, then find the remaining two pylons on your way: one when you land and another on the other side of the duct. Electrify all three to open the door to the cliffside shack and find the first DEO object.

Triangulate the location of the weapon piece in the Gorge

The entrance to the Stellar Sink in Destiny 2's Edge of Fate.
Go past the rocks and to the opening on the end of this section, just right off the landing zone. Screenshot by Destructoid

Land on the Assimilated Easement, look to your right, and climb onto the fungus-infested rock on the far side. Go past the two concrete cylinders and use Mattermorph to continue through the wall, leading you into the Stellar Sink. Land on the other side and hug the left wall, then look for a large hole also on the left to find another Rosetta Sentry. Kill it, then find the console on the other side of a Vex wall.

A guardian fights a Minotaur called a Rosetta Sentry inside the Stellar Sink.
Go through the Matterspark duct on the right side after killing the Rosetta Sentry. Screenshot by Destructoid

After killing the Rosetta Sentry, go back through the hole and take the Matterspark shortcut on your left, then hug the wall on the left to find another duct. Before emerging, note the hole on the left wall. The shaft leads to a rocky ledge across from a Vex wall.

Use Matterspark and jump across the gap, aiming for the small area between the concrete and the metal in the wall ahead of you, around where the blue Vex lights are. The ledge is big enough to fit a ball of lightning and leads to a secret room with a Mattermorph pickup.

A guardian shows a small path below the wall in the Stellar Sink in Kepler.
Jump into the area with the Vex lights for a secret passage. Screenshot by Destructoid

Grab the Mattermorph pickup in this room, then return to the duct and go through the hole in the wall, which will now be just to the right of the entrance. Move the nearby objects to open a small area with the second weapon piece, then return to the Caldera.

Triangulate the location of the weapon piece in Exile's Accord

Go to the Exile's Accord landing zone and take the path almost ahead of you, on the right side of the Fallen hut, leading to Augur's Bethel. Keep heading straight and make a left before the laser doors, then turn right just off the next area, past a pipe sprawling with fungus. Go into the Matterspark duct on the far side of the right wall, past a chest, and turn right once more.

A guardian looks at a small room in Augur's Bethel, where a Rosetta Sentry spawns.
The Rosetta Sentry spawns in this room. Screenshot by Destructoid

Look to the left side of this Fallen-heavy area to find the Rosetta Sentry and a terminal in a small room. From here, turn around and take the same Matterspark duct you just used. Look for a train across from the duct, a bit further in the room. Go through it and pick up the next weapon part at the end of a short hallway. Get ready for a busywork objective, in typical Bungie fashion.

A train in Augur's Bethel, with a glow coming through its open doors.
The next piece of Graviton Spike is on the other side of this train. Screenshot by Destructoid

You must kill Vex enemies before progressing, gathering their data dropped as motes upon death. Harder enemies give you more data. You can pick any Vex-riddled area to do this in, though we recommend the Aionian Academy (northeast of the Caldera). Keep reloading the section, and more Vex will spawn. Kill them until you've advanced the next objective, which is also here.

Find the lost weapon piece in the Aionian Academy

A guardian aims a Relocator at a pad behind some lasers.
The portal pad is on the right when you backtrack. Screenshot by Destructoid

The bright side is, all those Vex you killed counted as a triangulation, so you can walk up to the final weapon piece for Graviton Spike and grab it—provided you solve a puzzle first.

In the Aionian Campus' main courtyard, destroy the Rosetta jammers and open up a door across from the spawn, which leads deeper into the area. Continue inside and you'll spot a Relocator pad protected by lasers and guarded by an Imp Swarm, just before another patio crowded with Vex.

Clear the area and look on top of the crane on the right side, where you'll find the Relocator inside a metal cage. Go to the locked door at the other end of the patio and turn around. The Mattermorph fungus is hidden inside a red pipe standing on the right side of the area, almost parallel to the entrance.

Interact with the Mattermorph node, then use it to bust open the way to the Relocator. Grab the modified launcher and go through the door, shooting it through the lasers at the door beyond. Turn around and to your left to find the teleport pad, land on the other side, and pick up the final piece. Your mission isn't over, though: you still have another activity before you can get your hands on Graviton Spike.

Participate in the Sieve activity

The Caldera, Kepler's main hub, has a bit of Nine imagery there.
The Sieve takes place in a separate instance of the Caldera. Screenshot by Destructoid

The Sieve is only available for half an hour every two hours, so you might have to wait around if you don't get lucky with your timing. The activity isn't too difficult, though, and feels more like a public event than a challenge. You may have different objectives, such as banking motes or defending a point, but it should be over quickly. If you get a bonus round, try your hardest to complete it, since the rewards seem worth it.

The post How to get Graviton Spike in Destiny 2 appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 3:01 PM
    

Milinkovic-Savic as one of the best players to use in EA FC 25 Driven Prodigy Evolution

The Ball-Dozer Evolution brings a fresh chance for all EA FC 25 players to complete a free upgrade on a card of their liking

The chosen card will get major upgrades across departments, along with overall boost, new playstyles, and roles. With plenty of great choices, let's take a look at which cards are the best available options.

EA FC 25 The Ball-Dozer Evolution requirements

Here are the requirements of the The Ball-Dozer Evolution in EA FC 25.

  • Overall: Max. 94
  • Max PS: 10
  • Max PS+: 4

EA FC 25 The Ball-Dozer Evolution upgrades

There are four levels of upgrades, and here are the requirements.

Level 1 upgrades

  • Overall: +4|96
  • Short Passing: +4|96
  • Free Kick: +4|94
  • Vision: +6|95
  • PlayStyles+: Intercept|4
  • PlayStyles: Anticipate

Level 2 upgrades

  • Curve: +8|94
  • Interceptions: +8|94
  • Long Passing: +4|96
  • Reactions: +4|93
  • Composure: +4|94
  • PlayStyles: Block

Level 3 upgrades

  • Jumping: +12|90
  • Def. Aware: +4|94
  • Slide Tackle: +4|94
  • Stand Tackle: +8|96
  • Strength: +12|92
  • PlayStyles: Tiki Taka

Level 4 upgrades

  • Aggression: +8|92
  • Long Passing: +4|96
  • Short Passing: +4|96
  • Vision: +6|95
  • PlayStyles+: Pinged Pass

Level 1 upgrade conditions

  • Play two matches in any mode using your active EVO player in game.

Level 2 upgrade conditions

  • Play two matches in Rush, Rivals, Champions, or Squad Battles on Min. Semi-Pro using your active EVO player in game.

Level 3 upgrade conditions

  • Win two matches in Rush, Rivals, Champions, or Squad Battles on Min. Semi-Pro using your active EVO player in game.

Level 4 upgrade conditions

  • Play one match in Rush, Rivals, Champions, or Squad Battles on Min. Semi-Pro using your active EVO player in game.

Best players to use in The Ball-Dozer Evolution

Here are some of the best players to use in this evolution.

  • Vanja Milinkovic-Savic Flashback
  • Ciro Immobile Shapeshifters
  • Adam Wharton Showdown
  • Valenti Shapeshifters
  • Denzel Dumfries TOTS HM
  • Granit Xhaka TOTS HM
  • de Vries TOTS
  • Aurelien Tchouameni Fantasy FC
  • Santiago Montiel TOTS Highlight

Your club's evo chain candidates can provide unique solutions exclusive to your Ultimate Team squad.

The post Best players for EA FC 25 The Ball-Dozer Evolution appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 2:53 PM
    

Promo art for EA FC 25 FUTTIES Team 2

Team 2 of the EA FC 25 FUTTIES promo is now live in packs, and you can come across some stunning items for your Ultimate Team squad.

Just like week 1, the second week has special cards for active footballers, Icons, and Heroes. Some of these cards have endgame overall ratings of 98 and 99, along with five playstyle+.

Complete list of EA FC 25 FUTTIES Team 2 players

Here's the complete details of all the cards part of Team 2.

Player Name OVR POS PAC SHO PAS DRI DEF PHY
Flint 96 CDM 92 90 95 94 92 99
Marcus Thuram 97 ST 97 96 90 95 67 96
Park Ji Sung 97 LM 96 94 94 97 90 92
Aurelien Tchouameni 97 CDM 91 82 92 91 97 96
William Saliba 97 CB 93 50 88 87 97 97
Dayot Upamecano 97 CB 93 65 86 88 96 97
Debinha 97 CAM 94 93 97 96 60 88
Kanu 97 ST 97 97 93 96 52 88
Lilian Thuram 97 RB 94 65 87 92 97 97
Fernando Torres 97 ST 98 97 88 94 50 88
Carles Puyol 97 CB 92 53 87 85 99 96
Michael Essien 97 CDM 94 90 95 92 96 87
Ronald Koeman 97 CB 90 94 94 90 97 97
Vinicius Jr. 98 LW 99 92 93 98 45 86
Gianluigi Buffon 98 GK 99 (DIV) 93 (HAN) 90 (KIC) 99 (REF) 73 (SPD) 97 (POS)
Samuel Eto'o 98 ST 99 98 90 95 56 90
Nuno Mendes 99 LB 99 92 92 97 95 94
Caroline Hansen 99 RW 97 99 96 98 65 88
Lionel Messi 99 RW 94 97 99 99 48 85
Ronaldo 99 ST 99 99 90 98 50 90

There should be plenty of SBCs and objectives to complete, which will feature more promo cards.

EA FC 25 FUTTIES Team 2 release date

Team 2 went live on Friday, July 18, when they replaced the Team 1 items. Most of the items are available in packs, but make sure to check out the daily SBCs to get more promo items. The new cards were added at 6pm UK time, which is standard for all promos.

Team 2 will also includes a new Re-Release of older promo cards in packs. Batch 2 includes over 150 special cards that can be found in packs.

The post All EA FC 25 FUTTIES Team 2 Players appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 2:22 PM
    

Dino Topia base building

Just about every day, I receive emails about upcoming Steam indies and new demos, and I download them for a time when I can get around to playing them.

Earlier this week I got an email about a demo for a game called Dino Topia, so I downloaded it, and just got around to trying it out for the first time. I'm happy to report that it's legitimately Cult of the Lamb, but with dinosaurs, and it's awesome.

Dino Topia combat gameplay
Image via Celestial Studio

For those who missed out on the Cult of the Lamb hype, the cute, base-building roguelike was a massive hit when it launched in August 2022 from Devolver Digital and Massive Monster, and it's one of the more satisfying and fun casual games in recent years.

Dino Topia has the same exact formula—build a base to farm materials and house your residents, who are dinosaurs, and go out on roguelike expeditions to advance the story, recruit new dinos, and get more materials.

This game swaps the lamb for a caveperson, and swaps the cute animals for cute dinosaurs, and the gameplay allows you to bring up to three dinos with you on your adventure as you fight your way through dungeons to find new dinos and more.

Cult of the Lamb (and from what I've played, Dino Topia too) scratches a really niche itch when it comes to building your base, breeding allies, populating your base with them and putting them to work, and supplementing it all with exploratory combat in changing environments with randomized power-ups to pick up along the way. It seems like a solid investment for Cult of the Lamb fans when it drops next month.

Dino Topia mission end screen
Screenshot by Destructoid

The Dino Topia demo is available now, and you can wishlist the full title ahead of its August release date now.

The post This upcoming Steam game is literally just Cult of the Lamb but with dinosaurs, and I'm suddenly very hyped  appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 2:21 PM
    

Sunspray Summer Resort promo art in Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact version 5.8 is coming to mobiles, PC, and consoles at the end of July, and plenty of new content has been showcased on the recent livestream.

Titled Sunspray Summer Resort, the upcoming update will be highlighted by a new map, where we will get to complete different quests. That's not all, as version 5.8 also includes new character banners and more. If you missed the livestream conducted earlier on July 18, this guide will provide you with all the essential information.

Genshin Impact 5.8 release countdown

Genshin Impact version 5.8 goes live on Wednesday, July 30. miHoYo is sticking closely to the usual routine with the upcoming launch. As the update will be released simultaneously, the launch times will vary based on your local region. To keep track, you can use the following countdown, which will expire once the update is live.


[hurrytimer id="1092844"]

  • 8pm PDT (July 29)
  • 10pm CST (July 29)
  • 11pm EST (July 29)
  • 4am UK
  • 5am CEST

Genshin Impact 5.8 banners

Version 5.8 will feature one new 5-star character, and we will also have reruns for three other 5-star choices.

https://youtu.be/I8N9D61dmHg

Phase 1 will begin with an exclusive banner for Ineffa, who is the new 5-star. She will be joined by Citlali as part of her Starry Night's Whispers Banner. Both banners go live on Wednesday, July 30, and will be available until Wednesday, August 20.

Phase 2 will have the returning banners featuring Mualani and Chasca. Both banners will be going live on Wednesday, August 20, and remain available until Wednesday, September 10. All four banners will have 4-star characters as focus, but they're yet to be confirmed.

Phase 1 will also feature Fractured Halo (Ineffa's signature) weapon as a special banner. This will be followed by the following weapon banners.

  • Starcaller's Watch - Citali's signature weapon (Phase 1)
  • Surf's Up - Mualani's signature weapon (Phase 2)
  • Astral Vulture's Crimson Plumage - Chasca's signature weapon (Phase 2)

Genshin Impact 5.8 events

Five major events will be part of the new update.

Promo art for Sunspray Summer Resort event in Genshin Impact 5.8
Screenshot via miHoYo

Sunspray Summer Resort

This holiday event will take place at the Easybreeze Holiday Resort, where we will meet up once again with Bennett. The Sunspray Summer Resort permanent story will be the main addition, but you can also complete various mini-games.

Tracing Vanishing Trails

You'll be teaming up with Yelan to investigate certain fishy actions. Uncover invisible traces with the help of a special device to win Primogems and other resources.

Mementos of Tevyat: Prelude of The Frozen Veil

Use Paimon's camera to trace your journey across Teyvat to secure amazing rewards, including Primogems.

Natlan: Plains of Flowing Flames

Complete different performance objectives to earn Primogems.

Ley Line Overflow

Use Original Resin for Blossoms of Wealth/Blossoms of Revelation to get more Mora and Character EXP items.

The post Genshin Impact 5.8 release countdown, new characters, and more appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 1:52 PM
    

Elden Ring Nightreign hawk flying

Some months after launch, Elden Ring: Nightreign remains the same game it was on release. FromSoftware's first almost live-service game has sure gotten its fair share of developer attention, but the type of "new" content simply isn't enough to keep things interesting.

Nightreign gets weekly updates and changes that try to shake things up a bit and break the monotony of your umpteenth 40-minute run with two randoms who have no clue what they're doing.

This usually comes in the form of Everdark Sovereign boss variants, which make the final boss of each run a "substantially" harder version of itself. I put substantially under quotes here, as sometimes (more often than not) it just ends up being the same boss, but starting at Phase Two and packing a heavier punch and more HP. Quite captivating indeed.

We need more than "harder" bosses

Elden Ring Nightreign Gladius battle
It's a fun game, but one that gets old really quickly. Image via From Software

Everdark Sovereigns are a nice way to give players something new to try out each week. After all, this game is structured in the form of "runs," each lasting up to 40 minutes. With how it's released updates thus far, FromSoftware somewhat treats Elden Ring: Nightreign as a live-service title, providing weekly patches, balance changes, and so on.

However, this simply isn't enough. I mean, sure, Dark Souls 2 was made interesting by Ascetic burning that changed boss fights, but having only a handful of bosses, of which only one "changes" per week, is simply not a great loop. Sometimes, FromSoftware would introduce two Everdark Sovereign variants for a week, but even that gets stale eventually.

With so few final bosses in the game, it's not long before stuff starts to loop back. The same Everdark Sovereign, just a few weeks later. It's unsustainable and boring to say the least, especially since there are real ways to make this game more interesting and more fun for a wide variety of people (particularly those who play solo or duo).

Where's my God damned duo mode, FromSoft?

Elden Ring Nightreign cutscene opening
A duo mode should've been in the game from the start. Screenshot by Destructoid

Two ways to make the game a lot more exciting for many would be to revamp solo and introduce a duo mode for people who just want to play with a friend and not queue up with at least one random player. It's not always that you have a three-man stack ready for taking on Nightreign's runs, and being forced into matchmaking because of that is genuinely horrible.

From my personal experience with the game, that third random, to whom we have no way to communicate properly, simply does his or her own thing, ignoring me and my friend nine times out of 10. One could argue that adding some type of voice chat feature would mitigate this issue, but if you've ever played any game with matchmaking and voice chat, you just know that isn't the solution.

The fact that we're getting recycled Everdark Sovereigns every week instead of proper feature updates that should've been in the game from the start is mind-boggling. What's more, over the past few months, you cannot tell me FromSoftware couldn't have cooked up at least one new boss. Half the bosses in Elden Ring: Nightreign are reused bosses from FromSoftware's previous games, so they could've at least rehashed some stuff, plastered a Sovereign label on it and called it a day.

But no, it's another week, another one of the same boss you have to fight, sometimes in a 40-minute run. No new features, no substantial updates.

Just recycle, recycle, recycle.

The post Slightly harder boss versions are not enough to keep Elden Ring: Nightreign afloat appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 1:51 PM
    

Milinkovic-Savic as one of the best players to use in EA FC 25 Driven Prodigy Evolution

The Absolute Unit Evolution is a brand new free evolution in EA FC 25 that allows you to upgrade one of your defensive units.

The boosts include four playstyle+, new roles, and stat boosts across all departments. The evolution being free is an added bonus, but making the right pick can be confusing. Let's take a look at the upgrades to determine some of the best cards to use in this challenge.

EA FC 25 Absolute Unit Evolution requirements

Here are the requirements of the Absolute Unit Evolution in EA FC 25.

  • Overall: Max. 94
  • Position: CDM
  • Excluded Position: LB
  • Max PS: 10
  • Max PS+: 4

EA FC 25 Absolute Unit Evolution upgrades

There are five levels of upgrades, and here are the requirements.

Level 1 upgrades

  • Overall: +2|96
  • Pace: +5|91
  • Defending: +6|95
  • Agility: +5|83
  • Ball control: +8|92
  • Weak Foot: +4
  • PlayStyles: Bruiser|8

Level 2 upgrades

  • Overall: +2|96
  • Passing: +10|93
  • Physical: +6|96
  • Reactions: +10|91
  • PlayStyles+: Bruiser|4
  • PlayStyles: Anticipate|8

Level 3 upgrades

  • Overall: +1|96
  • Pace: +5|91
  • Defending: +6|95
  • Balance: +5|83
  • PlayStyles+: Anticipate|4
  • PlayStyles: Intercept, Press Proven

Level 4 upgrades

  • Overall: +1|96
  • Physical: +6|96
  • Dribbling: +8|91
  • Skills: +3|4
  • PlayStyles+: Intercept|4
  • PlayStyles: Slide Tackle, Tiki Taka

Level 5 upgrades

  • Overall: +1|96
  • Defending: +2|95
  • Physical: +2|96
  • Composure: +10|91
  • PlayStyles+: Press Proven|4
  • PlayStyles: Pinged Pass

Level 1 upgrade conditions

  • Play three matches in any mode using your active EVO player in game.

Level 2 upgrade conditions

  • Play three matches in any mode using your active EVO player in game.

Level 3 upgrade conditions

  • Play three matches in Rush, Rivals, Champions, or Squad Battles on Min. Semi-Pro using your active EVO player in game.

Level 4 upgrade conditions

  • Play three matches in Rush, Rivals, Champions, or Squad Battles on Min. Semi-Pro using your active EVO player in game.

Level 5 upgrade conditions

  • Play three matches in Rush, Rivals, Champions, or Squad Battles on Min. Semi-Pro using your active EVO player in game.

Best players to use in Absolute Unit Evolution

Here are some of the best players to use in this evolution.

  • Vanja Milinkovic-Savic Flashback
  • Adam Wharton Showdown
  • Johny Cardoso RTTF
  • Valenti Shapeshifters
  • Aurelien Tchouameni Fantasy FC
  • Romeo Lavia Future Stars
  • Joshua Kimmich Dreamchasers
  • Martin Zubimendi FUT Birthday
  • Renato Sanches FUT Birthday
  • Granit Xhaka TOTS HM

Your club's evo chain candidates can provide unique solutions exclusive to your Ultimate Team squad.

The post Best players for EA FC 25 Absolute Unit Evolution appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 1:31 PM
    

Armored Core 6 Endings Header

Aside from the Switch 2-exclusive The Duskbloods, FromSoftware is apparently working on another game. This one is meant to be multi-platform and not exclusive to any console, immediately eliminating Bloodborne 2. While various speculations already exist, I just hope FS delivers us a sequel to the fantastic Armored Core 6.

According to a Mp1st report, FromSoftware is "in the advanced stages of production on another, as-yet-unannounced project: a multiplatform game with the codename FMC." This game is being developed in parallel to The Duskbloods and additional Elden Ring: Nightreign content. Multi-project work is nothing new at FromSoftware, who tends to publish games every year or so.

FMC is also seemingly at such an advanced development stage that it should be playable "no later than next year," indicating that we might even get an official announcement very soon.

Ayre's boss AC in Armored Core 6
AC6 was FromSoftware's best game since Sekiro. Screenshot by Destructoid

Mp1st explains that only games in the Dark Souls and Armored Core series receive project codenames starting with the letter F. Ergo, FMC could very well be either a new Dark Souls or Armored Core game or even a spin-off or standalone expansion akin to Nightreign, which has proven a successful endeavor for the company.

I would genuinely love for FMC to be a new Armored Core title. Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon is one of the best games ever made, with fantastic combat, overall gameplay, music, story, and themes. It revived a long-standing franchise by incorporating a new formula that shaped over a decade via FromSoftware's Souls games, which could always be improved upon in a new entry.

Why I don't think this will be a remaster of Dark Souls 3 as some speculated is that Dark Souls Remastered had the FHD internal codename, and I'm certain that a proper remaster of other games in the series would carry a similar moniker.

But I could be wrong, as there are some pointers, old and new, that indicate a DS3 remaster is on the way. I'd be a tad disappointed to see that instead of AC7 or a standalone sequel, but I'll take anything I can get from the industry's finest.

The post FromSoftware is reportedly cooking up a new multi-platform game, which is hopefully Armored Core 7 appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 12:07 PM
    

Starfire using tracking visor and bass boost while flying through the air in Fortnite

All Fortnite seasons bring with them a vast loot pool of unique items you can find and use around the island. In Chapter Six, season three, there are loads of fresh items up for grabs, plus some solid returning gear too.

Knowing all of the available items at your disposal is essential for ensuring you have the best inventory possible. Here are all of the weapons and loot you can find around the island in Fortnite Chapter Six, season three.

All new weapons in Fortnite Chapter 6, season 3

Killswitch Revolvers, Tracking Visor, and Bass Boost in Fortnite
Image via Epic Games

Fortnite's Super season is stacked with some epic superhero items, lots of fresh weapons, and more. Here's everything new featured in the weapon loot pool for Chapter Six, season three.

  • Superhero items

    • Myst Gauntlets
    • Killswitch Revolvers
    • Bass Boost
    • Tracking Visor
    • Surf Cube
    • Storm Beast's Pom Poms
    • Myst Form
    • Superman's Mythic

  • Weapons

    • Krypto Treat
    • Wingshot Grappler
    • Spire Rifle
    • Hyperburst Pistol
    • Deadeye DMR
    • Unstable Yoink Shotgun
    • Unstable Frostfire Shotgun
    • Unstable Voltage Burst Pistol
    • Unstable Bounce Grenade
    • Mythic Enhanced Spire Rifle
    • Infernal Defenses Medallion
    • Mythic Kor's Deadeye DMR
    • Shrouded Striker Medallion

  • Boons

    • Storm Caller Boon
    • Speed Healer Boon
    • Heightened Senses Boon
    • Combat Acrobat Boon

  • Sprites

    • Dash Sprite
    • Superman Sprite

More weapons may become available, and existing ones may be removed as the season progresses, so as any new items are added or other modifications to the loot pool occur, we'll update them here.

All unvaulted weapons in Fortnite Chapter 6, season 3

In addition to the fresh new weapons and loot, there are also a handful of unvaulted items from past seasons you can acquire. All of the unvaulted weapons for Chapter Six, season three are as follows.

  • Fury Assault Rifle
  • Sentinel Pump Shotgun
  • Twinfire Auto Shotgun
  • Outlaw Shotgun
  • Surgefire SMG
  • Veiled Precision SMG

All vaulted weapons in Fortnite Chapter 6, season 3

Padme grabbing a lightsaber from AI Darth Vader's Training Rift Gate in Fortnite
Screenshot by Destructoid

All of the Star Wars weapons featured in Galactic Battle have been vaulted for Chapter Six, season three, and will likely remain so until May 2026. The items you can no longer find in the loot pool are as follows.

  • Blue Lightsaber with Force Push ability
  • Purple Lightsaber with Force Pull ability
  • Red Lightsaber with Force Saber Throw ability
  • Red Lightsaber with Force Lightning ability
  • Red Lightsaber with Force Throw ability
  • DL-44 Blaster Pistol
  • ACP Scatter Blaster
  • CR-2 Blaster (SMG)
  • BARM-ST12 Scatter Blaster
  • IQA-11 Marksman Blaster Rifle
  • DLT-19 Blaster Rifle
  • A280-CFE Blaster Rifle
  • CA-87 Jawa Scatter Blaster
  • Wookiee Bowcaster
  • Dual WESTAR-34 Pistols
  • Amban Sniper Rifle
  • DC-15 Heavy Blaster Rifle
  • E-11 Blaster
  • F-11 Blaster
  • Thermal Imploder
  • Mandalorian Jetpack

All healing and utility items in Fortnite Chapter 6, season 3

Gambit drinking a shield potion in fortnite
Screenshot by Destructoid

In addition to the many weapons you can find around the island, there are also lots of health and utility items you can use to boost your odds of staying alive. Here are all of those items.

  • Health and shield items

    • Chug Jug
    • Shield Potion
    • Mini Shield Potion
    • Medkit
    • Med-Mist Smoke Grenade
    • Bandages

  • Utility items

    • Shockwave Grenade
    • Shield Bubble Jr.
    • Port-A-Bunker

  • Fish

    • Shield Fish
    • Flopper
    • Small Fry

  • Food

    • Shield Mushroom
    • Corn
    • Cabbage
    • Banana
    • Apple
    • Coconut

With new powerful weapons at your disposal, you can now get to work tackling tricky tasks around the island. Some good quests to get done are assembling surveillance gear at Demon's Domain, the Trials of Morgan Myst, meeting all NPCs around the island, and damaging Overlord Spires and Scout Spires.

The post All weapons and loot in Fortnite Chapter 6, season 3 appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 11:47 AM
    

Promo art for Wuthering Waves Version 2.5 Update

The livestream for Wuthering Waves 2.5 shared plenty of interesting information for fans today, including the official release date, new banners, and more.

Things are spicing up in July, as Kuro Games continues to add new content to the game. We finally got to see the entirety of it earlier on July 18 as part of the livestream. If you missed it in the first place, we'll provide you with all the essential information, including when the update goes live in your part of the world.

Wuthering Waves 2.5 release countdown

Wuthering Waves Version 2.5 goes live worldwide on July 24 (July 23 in some regions) across both PC and mobile. The release date and time were confirmed earlier on the July 18 livestream. There was previously speculation in the past on this topic, but it can now be put to rest. To make matters easier, you can use the following countdown to keep track of when the update goes live in your region.


[hurrytimer id="1092810"]

  • PDT 9pm (July 23)
  • CST 11pm (July 23)
  • EDT 12am
  • BST 5am
  • CST 12pm (China)

Wuthering Waves 2.5 characters and weapons

https://twitter.com/Wuthering_Waves/status/1946168069468172474

There will be four character and weapon banners during version 2.5. As of writing, we have confirmation for Phrolova, whose banner launches on July 24 (along with the release of the main update). You'll also be able to enjoy Roccia's rerun banner starting on the same date.

The second half of the season will have rerun banners for Cantarella and Brant. If you missed out on any of them previously, this will be your chance.

Version 2.5 begins with a new weapon banner for Lethean Elegy (Rectifier), which is Phrolova's signature weapon. This will be accompanied by a rerun of the Tragicomedy banner during Phase 1, followed by a reruns of the Whispers of Sirens and Unflickering Valor banners.

Wuthering Waves 2.5 boss, quests, and area

Version 2.5 will add a new area in the form of Fabricatorium of the Deep. You can also encounter a new boss in Fenrico, who should be located in the new location. We'll have to wait for the actual update to go live to learn more about these pointers.

Additionally, you will get to explore Chapter 2, Act 7, aka Dreamcatchers in the Secret Gardens. This Act covers Phrolova's past and how she's connected to Rover. If you're a beginner, start to clear as many quests as possible to reach this point in the story.

Wuthering Waves 2.5 Echoes

The new update adds several Echoes for you to collect and farm the Dream of the Lost set.

  • Nightmare: Hecate
  • Reminiscence: Fenrico
  • Nightmare: Glacio Predator
  • Nightmare: Tambourinist
  • Nightmare: Havoc Warrior
  • Phantom: Nightmare Inferno Rider

Wuthering Waves 2.5 events

Like all previous updates, there will be plenty of interesting events for you to enjoy and farm valuable rewards.

  • Dreaming Deep (Permanent): This event gets two new theaters (Ragunna's Visitor and The Cinema House Murders). You'll be able to earn Astrites after completing the chapter.
  • Phantasma Dreamland: This event will be available for a limited time, and it's tied to Phrolova's life. You can grind it to get valuable rewards, including the new Echoes.
  • Wuthering Exploration: This event gives you the chance to farm and earn upgrade materials.
  • Overflowing Picture Book: Like Overflowing Palette, this event will have us solve puzzles and unlock new rewards. We will have a detailed guide on this once Update 2.5 goes live.
  • Gifts of the Grand Symphony: Main login rewards for Update 2.5, which allows you to earn Radiant and Lustrous Tides.
  • Deep Sea Survey: To complete various objectives, you'll have to visit the Fabricatorium of the Deep and snap pictures of the different areas.

Plenty of useful quality-of-life features are also being added as part of the upcoming update.

  • Auto-lock and auto-discard Echoes from the Data Bank.
  • Auto-tune Echoes while raising their levels.
  • More team presets
  • Option to turn on/off music for certain Resonators.
  • Quicker access to Nightmare Tacet Discords.

The post Wuthering Waves 2.5 release countdown, new characters, and more appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 11:18 AM
    

Featured image for College Football 26.

Pipelines have one of the most telling effects on recruitment in College Football 26's Dynasty Mode, and understanding the mechanic will be key.

With over 130 schools in the game, competition during Recruitment is always going to be massive. That's where you'll need to understand how pipelines work in the first place. This will not only help you select a school to coach, but you won't be wasting your scouting hours trying to woo a talent who doesn't want to be in your program in the first place.

All pipelines can unearth gems during the scouting process, but some have higher chances of success.

Top College Football 26 Dynasty Mode Pipelines

The potential success of a pipeline aligns closely with real-life football. In simpler terms, a geographic area that creates talent in real life is likely going to do the same in College Football 26. If you're looking to get some generational talents in your roster, try to focus on the pipelines mentioned in the table below.

Pipeline Sub-regions Reason
Texas East, Southwest The Texas pipeline produces elite talents to the NFL on an yearly basis, and it's largely thanks to their College Football programs. Texas already features a few excellent options for a Dynasty Mode save, and the pipeline ensures an evergreen production of amazingly-talented rookies. More interestingly, the region also seems to produce talents across all positions.
Florida Central, South Like Texas, Florida has excellent college football programs across different schools, which results in talented rookies being produced from the pipeline. Unlike Texas, Florida is better suited for coaches that are seeking offensive talents. Last year, they seem to specialize in WRs and RBs, and it seems to be the case once again.
Louisiana N/A This pipeline seems to have improved over what it was in College Football 25. It's a goldmine if you're looking for defensive talents to shore up your defense. It's a pipeline that you can potentially target if you're not looking for too much competition during recruitment.
Alabama N/A Like Louisiana, I have been testing the Alabama pipeline more this year on basis of social media's recommendation, and the state hasn't disappointed. Compared to Texas and Florida, you won't get as many green diamond talents as you would hope for. However, the pipeline can still produce some good talents for you to scout and recruit.
California Northern, Southern The final member of the holy trinity with Texas and Florida, the California pipeline carried my College Football 25 save. Not only does the regions produce elite talent, but it's a hotbed of green gem QBs.

It's not the easiest of tasks to recruit successfully from the pipelines mentioned here. That's where selecting the best coaching Archetype comes in. For example, having the Recruiter backstory will help your coach to have more success during negotiations while trying to sign an elite talent. Make sure to upgrade your coaching skills to sign the best talents and improve your roster.

The post Best Pipelines in College Football 26 Dynasty Mode appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 11:07 AM
    

Three Guardians clad in Edge of Fate armor pose for a promotional image in Destiny 2

Guardian, are you struggling with a lost connection? Here's how to check if the Destiny 2 servers are down or if you're just working with a faulty internet connection.

Destiny 2 periodically gets taken offline for server maintenance so that Bungie can update the game and fix issues. The developer usually communicates well in advance when this is going to happen, but sometimes, there's just a problem with the game.

Here's what you need to know and do to figure out the status of Destiny 2's servers so you can find out when you can get back to grinding for better loot.

How to check the Destiny 2 servers' status

Destiny 2 Lodi Ikora
Screenshot by Destructoid

There are three ways to check the server status for Destiny 2. First, you'll want to check the official Bungie website. This will tell you when any new updates will come to the game, along with when the game may be down for maintenance before the servers return. There's a table that gives the exact timing.

If the Destiny 2 outage is unexpected, you'll want to head over to Bungie's official social media accounts, especially @BNGServerStatus on Twitter/X. It details current issues and when they are supposed to be addressed.

For example, in the launch week of The Edge of Fate and the day before the launch of the DLC's new raid, Destiny 2 is being taken offline for maintenance for around 90 minutes, starting at 10:35am CT. Sometimes, maintenance is extended, so be sure to check the Bungie Server Status account for more info.

https://twitter.com/BNGServerStatus/status/1946203154913104035

However, Bungie might not even know that the servers are down sometimes. The last place to check is Down Detector. It's a trusted site where users report server outages. If it says that there are no problems, the issue might be your internet connection.

Possible fixes for connection issues

If the above resources indicate that Destiny 2's servers are fine, there may be an issue with your internet. First, make sure you have your firewalls off. Next, try to reset your router. To do this, take the power cable out for 10 seconds and then reconnect it. You'll need to wait a few minutes for your connection to return.

If you're still having trouble, check to see if you have the latest update installed. If you're on the PS5, click the options button on the main menu's Destiny 2 square. Then, select "Check for Update." If one is available, it should begin to download. Xbox players can use a similar process.

As a rule of thumb, you'll always want the most recent patch for Destiny 2 installed to play the game. The game may be a storage hog, but saving a few gigabytes won't matter if you can't play the game at all.

The post Are Destiny 2 servers down? appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 10:57 AM
    

Donkey Kong Bananza punching rocks

There's a fairly small but might cast of voice actors lending their talents to the characters present throughout Donkey Kong Bananza. If you think you recognize a voice while playing or just want to learn more about the cast, you may want to know all the voice actors involved.

The voice actors featured in this game are displayed during the end credits, but you have to beat the game before you can view them. If you don't want to wait until you see the credits roll, here are all voice actors in Donkey Kong Bananza and where else you may have heard them.

All voice actors in Donkey Kong Bananza and where you know them from

Donkey Kong DK Bananza Banana Eyes
Image via Nintendo

There are 15 voice actors featured throughout the entirety of Donkey Kong Bananza. Here's a breakdown of all of them, plus some of the biggest projects they've been part of that you may know them from.

Character Voice actor Other projects
Donkey Kong Kôji Takeda The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Days Gone, Mario Kart World, Steins;Gate, and Metaphor: ReFantazio
Pauline (English VA) Jenny Kidd None (This is her first project)
Pauline (Japanese VA) Yurianne Eve Street Fighter 6, My Hero Academia, Resident Evil Village, and Jujutsu Kaisen
Prospector Monkey/Snake Ryôta Asari Detective Conan, Gantz: O, and Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth - Hacker's Memory
Zebra Daigo Fujimaki Blame!, Power Rangers Dino Force Brave, Gintama, Ajin, and 100 Sleeping Princes and the Kingdom of Dreams
Salvager Monkey Masayuki Fujibuchi Street Fighter 6, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Dr. Stone, and Ishura
Grumpy Kong/Elephant Daichi Hayashi Gantz: O, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Sword Art Online
Void Kong Yu Hayashi Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Pom Poko, Zenless Zone Zero, Mario Kart World, and Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+
King K. Rool Tsuguo Mogami The Boy and The Beast, Tokyo Godfathers, Guilty Crown, and Super Street Fighter IV
Poppy Kong Hitomi Nabatame Overwatch, Trinity Blood, Astra Lost in Space, and Vinland Saga
Snake Elder Kazuya Ichijô Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, The King of Fighters: Neowave, and Kamen Rider Ghost
Ostrich Elder Miki Narahashi Crayon Shin-chan, Crayon Shin-chan: The Adult Empire Strikes Back, Heavy, Kureyon Shinchan: Action Kamen vs Haigure Maô, and Trigun
Kong Elder Toshitsugu Takashina Gears of War, Kamen Rider Wizard, Gears of War 2, Attack on Titan, Gears of War 3, and Shaman King: Flowers
Zebra Elder Syuhei Takubo Suikoden IV, Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, Pluto, Attack on Titan, Kamen Rider Drive, Street Fighter 6, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Elephant Elder Yoshiko Okamoto Cowboy Bebop, The Big O, Naruto, Gears of War 2, Inuyasha, Big Mouth, and Gears of War 3

For more Donkey Kong Bananza fun, you may also want to learn how many sublayers there are, all Quiztone Quiz Answers, where to find the Nostalgia Country Secret Banana, and all outfits you can get.

The post All Donkey Kong Bananza voice actors appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, July 18, 2025 10:40 AM
    

Destiny 2 Strand grappler

Fun detected! The latest in a long line of Bungie blunders that Destiny 2 players discovered and then took advantage of has been taken away swiftly.

For those new to Destiny, there has been a very storied history of Bungie "oopsies" that players used to quickly or efficiently farm loot, going back to the legendary loot cave in the earliest versions of Destiny 1.

Promotional image showing three guardians getting on an interdimensional train juxtaposed with Orin, the old Emissary of the Nine.
Screenshot by Destructoid

With each expansion, the power grind begins anew, and players all rush to level up the fastest way they can. The newly-released The Edge of Fate expansion is no different. This latest DLC's "exploit" casualty is the Encore exotic mission, which players were speed-running to completion in 20 minutes or less, grabbing five or more powerful gear drops to power-level.

According to Bungie, the mission was a bit too rewarding, as players were using the new Grappler modifier to launch themselves quickly through the mission to speed run it, gaining hundreds of levels of power quicker than the developer hoped for or anticipated.

A new change in the DLC made these exotic missions grindable and not just gated to once per week, so players saw the opportunity and ran with it. And so Bungie disabled Encore as an available mission and also removed Grappler as a modifier, leaving players extra shocked.

The Grappler modifier is especially fun. It replaces the player's grenade with a Strand ability that basically lets you swing around like Spider-Man, quickly traversing the environment and passing up some enemies to fight. It's basically built for speedrunning, but not that fast, apparently.

As you can imagine, the player response to the news is not great. The nerfs came after two full days of grinding for many players, who have pushed their power into the 400s (finishing the campaign will have you right around 100). Others who haven't been able to grind the mission as much or at all have been left in the lurch.

"If this was implemented very early on it would be ok but doing it two days after the community found out about it feels kinda unfair for those who didn't get to partake as they are now hundreds of power levels behind those who did," said YouTuber Mactics. "Kinda feels bad for them."

Destiny 2 Edge of Fate Hunter
Image via Bungie

The desire to grind has been accentuated this time around as Destiny 2 now has a new tiered gear system, and players don't even get the opportunity to grab the best possible loot until they are at higher power level thresholds.

Bungie first posted the news about the nerfs last night, and said it "will provide additional details when available," leaving most players to hope the change could be reverted to bring the fun back.

The post Bungie quickly nerfed Destiny 2's latest best loot farm again, and everyone is angry about it appeared first on Destructoid.


WGB Friday, July 18, 2025 2:10 PM
     Microsoft has unexpectedly closed its Movies & TV store on Xbox and PC, leaving users unable to purchase new content, though existing purchases remain accessible. Official reasons for the sudden decision are not provided.

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, July 18, 2025 5:29 PM

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, July 18, 2025 4:54 PM
    

Announced on Twitter and the website.

The post Nintendo Switch Online Closed Playtest Announced appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, July 18, 2025 4:26 PM

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, July 18, 2025 3:57 PM

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Level Up Friday, July 18, 2025 11:00 AM
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