Surge Concerto DX: New Gameplay Revealed For Ciel nosurge DX, Ar nosurge DX

Surge Concerto DX Gameplay feature Casty Rianoite

On November 2, Koei Tecmo and Gust held a live stream for Atelier Ryza 2 and Surge Concerto DX (PC via Steam, PS4, Switch), revealing new gameplay for the remasters of Ciel nosurge and Ar nosurge. Both games will be sold separately. The stream featured two seiyuu: Ai Kakuma (Ion), and Yuri Noguchi (Ryza in Atelier). We'll be covering the Surge Concerto DX part of the stream in this article. Read about the Atelier Ryza 2 parts here.

First things first, a new gameplay trailer for Surge Concerto DX was revealed. Koei Tecmo most notably announced both Ciel nosurge DX and Ar nosurge DX are fully voiced unlike the originals. Ai Kakuma said live on stream that recording everything took a very long while, to the point she wondered if they might have hit a Guiness world record. All of the original games' DLCs will be included too.

Next up on stream, after a quick intro of the Surge Concerto series, we first got to see some gameplay for Ciel nosurge at 50:06, and 53:20. Some of the numerous events with Ion, like how you can sleep together:

Next up was some gameplay from Ar nosurge DX, at the 58:32 and 1:02:38 timestamps. With some story cutscenes with Ion, and some field exploration + battles.

Following that point, while the YouTube stream ended, those with Niconico Premium account got to see some extra gameplay. We have one more scene from Ciel nosurge DX, and two more gameplay sequences from Ar nosurge DX, most notably with Casty fighting:

Surge Concerto was directed by Akira Tsuchiya, who also directed the Ar Tonelico JRPGs. Both series are linked.

Surge Concerto DX has an incredibly highly priced limited edition that's around 1000 burger dollars. You can read about it here alongside the latest details. 

The Surge Concerto: Ciel nosurge remaster, and the Ar nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star remaster are coming in Japan on January 28, 2021. Koei Tecmo didn't announce either in the west yet. If it happens, it'll be the first time the first game, Ciel nosurge, is localized. At the very least, Ar nosurge DX should be announced at some point seeing it already has a localization. We'll be sure to tell you as soon as possible when we learn more.

Yuri Noguchi and Kakuma Ai after the stream:

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Atelier Ryza 2 New Gameplay Revealed Including Photo Mode, Atelier Decoration, Bonus Costumes

Atelier Ryza 2 gameplay photo mode story feature

On November 2, Koei Tecmo and Gust held a live stream for Atelier Ryza 2 (PC via Steam, PS4, PS5, Switch) and Surge Concerto DXrevealing live gameplay and new details on both JRPGs, most notably showcasing the Photo Mode in Ryza 2. The stream featured two seiyuu: Yuri Noguchi (Ryza) and Ai Kakuma (Ion in Ciel nosurge and Ar nosurge) We'll be covering the Atelier Ryza 2 part of the stream in this article.

First off, after recapping all the info on Atelier Ryza 2 so far, a new Digital Deluxe Edition for the game was announced in Japan. It'll include bonus DLC costumes for the party members. Moreover, there's a pricier Digital Deluxe Edition + Season Pass that'll include an exclusive Sophie costume for Ryza.

Atelier Ryza 2 digital deluxe dlc bonus costumes atellier ryza 2 japan digital deluxe season pass atelier sophie costume

Next, some live gameplay was shown starting the 26:06 timestamp linked below.

We got to see Ryza in royal capital Ashra-am Baird, some ruins exploration, and battles. The dungeon exploration parts shows all the new actions Ryza can do from climbing to riding monsters.

Starting the 32:20 mark, we got to see all the party members wearing various alternate costumes. We have screenshots in the gallery further below. More dungeon exploration and battles were featured as well.

This was followed by the Surge Concerto DX segment, which we'll cover in another article, and then the YouTube stream ended. However, on Niconico, those with a Premium account got to see a bit more gameplay for both games, most notably the Photo Mode in Atelier Ryza 2.

Atelier Ryza 2's Photo Mode, unlike in the previous game, is accessible from the start. You can pose all the party members, choose the angle you want, the time of the day, and take some fun pics. The Niconico premium exclusive gameplay also featured a story cutscene, which was funnily abruptly cut short to avoid spoilers about the fairy Fi. We got to see some atelier decoration as well:

Lastly, here is the theme song of Atelier Ryza 2, Somewhen, Somewhere… by Clammbon:

Lastly, a new Ryza figure was announced, with her new design from this sequel. Preorders will start in late November, and the figure is scheduled for Summer 2021:

The latest details on Atelier Ryza 2 most notably included tons of details on the battle system, and some introductions to side characters.

It's a first in the series for successive Atelier games to feature the same protagonist. In an interview we translated, Producer Junzo Hosoi revealed Ryza was planned to be the protagonist for two games from the start.

Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy will be released in the land of Freedom and Justice on January 26, 2021. You can preorder it on Amazon to support DualShockers.

Yuri Noguchi and Ai Kakuma after the stream:

Atelier Ryza 2 digital deluxe dlc bonus costumes Atelier Ryza 2 digital deluxe dlc bonus costumes Atelier Ryza 2 digital deluxe dlc bonus costumes Atelier Ryza 2 digital deluxe dlc bonus costumes Atelier Ryza 2 digital deluxe dlc bonus costumes Atelier Ryza 2 digital deluxe dlc bonus costumes Atelier Ryza 2 digital deluxe dlc bonus costumes Atelier Ryza 2 digital deluxe dlc bonus costumes Atelier Ryza 2 digital deluxe dlc bonus costumes Atelier Ryza 2 digital deluxe dlc bonus costumes

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Xbox Game Pass Subscribers Can Now Preload EA Play Games

Xbox Game Pass EA Play

Not too long ago, Xbox and EA announced a partnership that would bring EA Play games to Xbox Game Pass subscribers. It was a pretty cool deal that didn't cost current subscribers a penny more. The move only strengthened the argument that Xbox Game Pass was the best deal in gaming. With that said, subscribers can now preload EA play titles before the launch next week.

Tom Warren from The Verge tweeted out that Game Pass subscribers can start to load up on titles before the launch next week. You will be able to download the games, but they will not be unlocked until November 10th, the release date of the Xbox Series X|S.

We all know that the Series X|S is missing that one flagship exclusive title to really sell new hardware. It was supposed to be Halo Infinite, but that was rightfully indefinitely delayed. However, Xbox has done a fantastic job of making its console the go-to for those who want a wide variety of games to choose from at the start. Xbox Game Pass already has a fantastic lineup of both third-party and first-party titles, but now that EA Play is thrown in the mix, becoming a Game Pass subscriber is a no brainer.

Let's be fair here though. The PS5 has some exclusive titles that will most likely push the console past the Series X in sales. But Xbox has already stated that Sony isn't its main competitor now. As long people are buying into the Xbox ecosystem in some way, whether that's buying a console, subscribing to Game Pass on PC, or even streaming through xCloud, Microsoft will be happy.

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Resident Evil Village : Capcom Details PS5 Specific Features

Resident Evil Village VIII ps5 feature

So Capcom just detailed a bit more how you'll be able to enjoy Resident Evil Village if you managed to preorder a PS5 and got an apartment big enough for it to fit.

First off, obviously, Resident Evil Village will look really good on PS5, thanks to Ray Tracing. And 4K, assuming you saved up for a 4K TV. Loading times will be much faster on PS5 as well, thanks to the PS5's SSD. Long gone are the days you could make a Jill sandwich while a door opened. Yeah, no, loadings weren't that long on PS1.

When it comes to gameplay, the DualSense controller and its Haptic Feedback, the new fancy vibration function, simulates the weight of real firearms. Same with the Adaptive triggers. If it's really realistic, maybe PS5 will launch by itself a whole new dumb debate of "playing video games makes you violent".

Lastly, we have the Tempest 3D AudioTech, available on compatible headphones. Basically another new fancy PS5 thing that will be perfect for those challenging themselves playing in the dark with headphones on. The atmosphere in a survival horror game is primordial, and the sounds play a huge part.

That's pretty much it.

Note that Capcom hasn't revealed a single second of live gameplay footage for Resident Evil Village yet, much less on PS5. We only have trailers. Which do look pretty nice if you're into horror games. Meanwhile I'll be waiting for a new Justice Gakuen, or Rival Schools if you're not a weeb. At the very least, my hypothetical future wife Akira is getting into the spotlight again with Street Fighter V.

Resident Evil Village will be out on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC sometime in 2021. Producer Tsuyoshi Kanda stated at Tokyo Game Show 2020 they're looking into releasing it on current gen too. The game also has a crafting mechanic of sorts. Capcom is also working on two new Monster Hunter games on Switch. Which will print Capcom even more money. I wish I was Capcom right now.

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Upcoming Bethesda Games Will Feature a Heavily Upgraded Creation Engine

The Elder Scrolls VI

Bethesda games are filled with the magic of Western RPGs; massive open worlds with different systems and playstyles are staples of the company's extremely successful titles. Another commonality is their general bugginess, all thanks to Bethesda's proprietary Creation engine. If your game has ever soft-locked, corrupted a save file or just crashes a ton, you've got the Creation engine to thank for it. This bad reputation may be why a massive upgrade for the engine is in the works right now at Bethesda.

Speaking at Develop: Brighton with James Batchelor of GamesIndustry.biz, Bethesda executive producer Todd Howard said that work on the engine has been in progress for quite some time now, although that reveal may have been a slip of the tongue. "The engine work we started a while ago… ugh I didn't want to say, oh my God. It's been a while," said Howard.

Apparently, work on improving the engine hasn't just been going on in the background at Bethesda, it's been a major project. "We have more people doing engine work now by a factor of five, probably than we've ever had," said Howard. "The overhaul in our engine is probably the largest we've ever had."

For fans of Bethesda games, hearing this from Todd Howard should be like music to the ears. The Creation engine's last upgrade was for Fallout 4, and while it made the game look pretty outstanding (at least for a Fallout title) at the time, it's aged quite poorly, and of course, comes with a heap of bugs and exploits.

Fundamentally, the Creation engine won't be changing that much though. It will still be built to house enormous fantastical worlds, namely those in The Elder Scrolls VI and Starfield, both of which will make use of the engine. Above all else though, this new version of Bethesda's Creation engine will continue to support modding, a core aspect of any Bethesda title on PC. So don't worry, you'll still be able to mod Naruto or Master Chief into your Elder Scrolls VI game, someone just has to make the mods first.

It's impossible to say though whether Bethesda's upcoming titles will have mod support on consoles. With The Elder Scrolls VI likely coming to both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, only time will tell.

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Twin Mirror Might Be the Christopher Nolan Game You've Been Looking For

It's not long that we have to wait until the next release from the storytelling-focused developer Dontnod Entertainment and their latest game, the psychological thriller Twin Mirror. Thanks to the developer, I got some hands-on time with the new game and got to experience the first few hours of the story. For what I thought the title might suggest–a game that feels like a lovely comparison to David Lynch's iconic TV series Twin Peaks–in actuality Twin Mirror shares more DNA with the films of Christopher Nolan.

In previous Dontnod games, the focus is usually spent on personal relationships with characters that you develop along the way while uncovering deeper, scarier secrets in a given community. Twin Mirror is no different from that formula. Instead of teenage girls from Acadia Bay in Life is Strange or fractured siblings from Delos Crossing in Tell Me Why, in Twin Mirror we get Sam Higgs, an investigative journalist formerly of Basswood, returning home after two years away. He finds himself coming back to the town after writing an article that took away one of the major functions of the town, the mines, and to pay his respects to friend and colleague Nick, who passed away due to unusual circumstances. It's not long until Sam starts to investigate and comes to the conclusion of foul play in Nick's death, and discovers what role he might play after waking up the next morning with his shirt covered in blood.

It's not a Dontnod game if the main character didn't have a supernatural ability of some sort, and while Twin Mirror has that, it's not necessarily a "power" in the typical sense. Instead, it's more of a visual representation of what goes through the mind of Sam, who by profession is an investigative reporter. Sam's thoughts are represented through the "Mind Palace," this "mirror world" motif that allows him to recall past memories that enriches his relationships between the other characters, but also helps him recreate crime scenes. It's less like Batman using Detective Mode in the Arkham series and more like my man Dominic Toretto in Fast & Furious. While it's a tried-and-true game mechanic that has seen many uses, it does fit well within this story Dontnod is trying to tell.

Along with Sam's Mind Palace, he also seems to have a mental construct of a more sophisticated version of himself that he has conversations with throughout the game, acting as a moral compass when it comes to decision making. Sam's double demonstrates his internal strife after the fallout of his article. Sam looks tired and beaten down, with a 5 o'clock shadow that is days late from a shave, and Sam's mind doppelganger looks like a suave Patrick Bateman-type with gloves. He's sophisticated, clean, and clever, and he knows how to get under Sam's skin. Sam's doppelganger very much might be the standout for the game, and made me curious if he can be trusted even if he is Sam himself.

So far, I am intrigued by where the story of Twin Mirror is going to take me when the full release comes out. I'm sucker when it comes to small-town stories with defined and interesting characters, and this looks no different. With Twin Peaks being my favorite example of a murder mystery small town with fascinating denizens, it's clear that Twin Mirror's cast wont be as wacky as Twin Peaks despite a few honestly hilarious interactions. But either way, I'm looking forward to learning more about the town of Basswood as the game continues and getting to experience the full story. With the murder mystery aspect of Twin Mirror, it feels more in line with Christopher Nolan's early films such as Following, Memento, Insomnia, with some clear inspiration from Inception. As a recent watcher of some of his work, I was very much pleased as I continued to see how the story took similar unexpected twists and turns. From what I've played of Twin Mirror so far, I'm looking forward to how this aspect of the story shakes out for those who love suspenseful narratives in their video games.

While I like what I'm seeing in Twin Mirror so far, there are some minor gripes from what I played that I hope gets polished up in the final release. A key function of this game is seemingly the illusion of choice, which appeals to me as someone who has played many choose-your-own-adventure games over the years. I've loved this style of storytelling in games like Telltale's The Walking Dead and Supermassive Games' Until Dawn, thanks to their implementation of choice and branching paths. As of now, Twin Mirror is not as expansive as I hoped when it came time to making those same sort of "big choice" moments. To test this theory, I made sure to play through the preview a few times to see if there were major divergences in how the story unfolds, but there was nothing massively different from moment to moment. In the preview notes the developers did say that while these are the opening hours of the game and that my choices are seemingly non-consequential, the later parts of the game will provide more dynamic changes, so I look forward to how that shakes out.

My main other concern in Twin Mirror is the way that the investigation aspect is handled in regards to finding and gathering clues. Like a lot of other games that use a similar mechanic, you simply have to walk around an area and look at viewable objects. My issue with this function is that some of the clue objects are not highlightable until you find certain clues first, which could lead to annoyances for the player having to circle back a lot to search for something in an area they already thought they completed. It's these instances in Twin Mirror that I wish there might be more consideration for different ways that players can map out solutions, since the recreations of crime scenes seem like they have only one true conclusion.

I'm very much looking forward to Twin Mirror when it comes out, hoping the choices in the game grip me as much as they did in Dontnod's previous games and that they knock this out of the park as their first self-published title. Sam Higgs' journey is certainly troubled, and with the help of his doppelganger and the denizens of the town of Basswood, he may be able to figure the mystery ahead or be damned by his choices. For the most part, it seems like Twin Mirror will be all about who Sam can and can't trust, including himself and his own mind.

Twin Mirror launches on PC, Xbox One, and PS4 on December 1, 2020. For more on the game, you can also check out our full DualShockers Discussion for Twin Mirror with me and Nick Blain (Video Editor).

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Valve's Gabe Newell is Launching the Half-Life 2 Gnome Into Space for Charity

Fans of the Half-Life series–specifically Half-Life 2: Episode Two–will likely recognize a particularly tricky achievement that involved carrying an infamous gnome across the entirety of the game to launch in a rocket ship at the very end. If you're someone like me that actually went for the "Little Rocket Man" achievement, you'll be delighted (or infuriated) to know that Gabe Newell, the president of Valve, happens to be making that achievement a reality in the name of science and charity.

Newell, who has been residing in New Zealand since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, is extending his thanks to the country's hospitality with a science experiment that also happens to be going towards a good cause. Specifically, Newell is collaborating with Rocket Lab to launch a rocket in mid-November that will deliver 30 new satellites into orbit, with Half-Life's Gnome Chompski coming along for the ride. The gnome itself is made by Weta Workshop from titanium and measures about 6 inches tall, and will be joining onboard for the Rocket Lab mission.

According to Rocket Lab, the launch will take place in mid-November (sometime on or around November 15, 2020) and will be streamed live on their official website. Alongside the launch, Newell will be donating $1 for every viewer of both the launch livestream and the VOD (for the first 24 hours after it airs) to benefit New Zealand's Starship Children's Hospital.

Unfortunately, it seems like Gnome Chompski likely won't make it back from his mission, as Rocket Lab noted that the gnome "will burn up upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere during the de-orbiting process." However, at least he's making his life mean something by putting it towards a good cause, so stay tuned for more information from Rocket Lab on when their next mission takes flight with the first garden gnome in space.

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Pokemon GO Has Already Hit $1 Billion in Revenue This Year

Pokemon Go Fest 2020

While Pokemon GO may not be experiencing its time in the limelight as it did back in the summer of 2016, Niantics AR hit is still going very strong. This year has seen the company double down on events and new features, which have certainly helped to drive the game forwards. We've had the introduction of Mega Evolutions, an all-new take on GO Fest and the introduction of fan favourites Jessie and James to name but a few things.

Now, showing the fruits of their hard work this year, Sensor Tower has estimated that the game has made over $1 billion in 2020 alone. This is the first time since the game launched that the title has broken the billion-dollar mark in a single year and there's still over two months of 2020 remaining.

The sharp increase in revenue has likely, at least in part, come from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Like Niantic, players have been forced to adapt their ways of playing and have likely been spending more to compensate for being stuck inside.

Niantic themselves have more than helped fans to increase spending. The introduction of raid invites and remote raid passes, which allow players to attend raids from their own home, has ensured players can still access such a large portion of the game and at $1.50 for three, they don't come cheap.

Pokemon GO Fest is also likely to have played a huge part in the increased spend. While usually, players come together to a single, real-world location, this year they've been unable to do so. Cleverly, Niantic dropped the single location idea and made it a worldwide event, meaning everybody could take part. For a fee.

Sensor Tower estimates that in the four years since the game launched, it has generated around $4.2 billion in total revenue, with the United States being the biggest spenders. Android is the most popular operating system for the game, generating $2.2 billion in revenue vs $1.9 billion on the App Store.

While Pokemon GO's revenue has been massive this year, it still only ranks as the third-highest grossing mobile title. PUBG Mobile takes the top spot with Honor of Kings sitting second.

The post Pokemon GO Has Already Hit $1 Billion in Revenue This Year by Sam Woods appeared first on DualShockers.

Joe Biden's Campaign Now Has Its Own Custom Map in Fortnite

Today is Election Day in the US, marking the end of the road for the 2020 Presidential Election and the campaigns for both President Trump and Vice President Biden. As both candidates have been campaigning and traveling across the country, they have also found some unique ways to get their messages out to mobilize voters to head to the polls. Notably, the Biden-Harris campaign has especially utilized gaming over the past several months to motivate voters, with the campaign turning to Fortnite–the biggest game in the world–in time for the election.

In a report from Mashable, the Biden-Harris campaign launched an official custom map in Fortnite called "Build Back Better with Biden," which is located in Reboot City. According to Mashable, the map is "a solo adventure roughly 20-30 minutes long, designed to promote awareness of the candidates' economic recovery plan."

You can take a look at a trailer for the campaign's Fortnite map below:

As you can see from the trailer, the map features plenty of decorations based on the Biden-Harris campaign's advertising alongside in-game resources for players to learn where and how to vote. The map also features several challenges that players can complete, such as building "Scranton Towers" and finding Kamala Harris' sneakers, and some easter eggs tied to the Democratic candidates like the "No Malarkey Station." You can access the map in Fortnite with the code "0215-4511-1823."

Earlier in the year, the Biden-Harris campaign also utilized Animal Crossing: New Horizons to set-up an official campaign island for players to explore, grab special items from the campaign, and access voting resources. Naturally, the Fortnite map is another extension of the campaign finding ways to access voters from varying demographics and using non-traditional means to motivate voters.

Of course, it's important to note that if you live in the US and are eligible to vote, please make sure to go out today for Election Day to either vote in-person or to drop off an absentee or mail-in ballot for your preferred candidate before the polls close. For resources and information on where and how to vote in your area, you can head here to learn more.

Fortnite is available now on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and mobile, with the game also coming at launch next week to PS5 and Xbox Series X/Series S.

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DualShockers 2020 Patch Notes & Next Gen — The Future is Here

PATCH NOTES DUALSHOCKERS

Hey everyone! This is Lou Contaldi, friendly neighborhood Editor in Chief at DualShockers. We kickstarted 2020 with some patch notes to welcome the new year and… things have went off pretty differently than we originally intended!

For example, one of the things we were hoping to do was reshape the way we covered in-person media briefings for one of the most highly-anticipated E3's of the decade. Lo and behold, there wouldn't even be an E3… or Gamescom… or NYCC… or, well, anything really. But that hasn't stopped the gaming community or the steady rolling pace of PS5 and Xbox Series X | S that are both peeking their head around the corner.

Before I get to the patch notes, I want to repeat our constant theme. This isn't a one-way discussion. DualShockers belongs to the community just as much as it belongs to the people on staff. If there is something that you want to see, let me know in the comments. If there is something we can and should be doing better, let me know in the comments. If you are giving up the site completely, let me know in the comments. In short, come chat with me in the comments.

Finally, another quick thank you from me, the Editorial Team, and everyone with us at DualShockers. Many of us write here because — like all of you — gaming is our passion. We want to spark conversations and share our love of gaming with anyone who will read our work. Everyone who is reading this now has helped this small startup become an established brand over the last decade.

With all that out of the way, let's get to some of the upcoming (and current) changes as we run up to 2021!

DualShockers ☑

After enough occult rituals to the social media gods, we are formally a Twitter Verified outlet. On the one hand, a blue checkmark is never the make or break for a reputable outlet — and we are almost going to miss trolling the process that locked us out for so long. On the other hand, we love the opportunity that this brings to validate our expert editorial opinions like these:

…okay, not that one. Let's forget about that one.

Meanwhile, we are taking the Verification in stride, hoping to keep our media presence true to our brand: tongue in cheek, informative, and full of well-deserved snark. While some of the larger gaming brands have dedicated PR firms aiming for the Gen Z surreal humor, you rest assured that we are just a bunch of dorks with the occasional shitpost.

If you haven't already jumped on, now's the time to follow — or else you might miss some of our award-winning next gen coverage like this:

"Next Gen" is About to Be "Current Gen"

We are literally two weeks out from everyone getting their hands on next gen consoles. We have the Xbox Series X in house, and we are prepping our full breakdown and review of the hardware.

As expected, PlayStation hasn't returned our calls — so you can expect a full review of the hardware post-launch — free from the launch day spectacle, rushed embargo deadlines, and from a fully unbiased consumer perspective.

However, with "Next Gen" making the jump to "Current Gen" we aren't intending on leaving PS4 and Xbox One owners in the lurch. While PS5 and Xbox Series X | S are absolutely going to be swallowing much of the oxygen in the room, we are making it a point to continue working with developers and publishers to test games across the generational gap. So don't be too surprised if we start giving scores for how a game plays on PS4 and PS5, or Xbox One and Xbox Series X | S.

There are many people out there waiting to make the jump to next gen — whether you couldn't land the pre-order or you just don't have the disposable income. Many of us on staff are in that same boat, and we are making sure everyone is covered — no matter where they play.

DualSHOCK Defintives & GOTY 2020

DualShockers Definitives PS4

Speaking of big things coming in the next couple weeks, let's talk about DualShockers Definitives and Game of the Year 2020.

For those out of the loop, DualShockers Definitives is our annual ranking of the Top 20 games on every current gen platform — and this year these will be published right ahead of the PS5 and Xbox Series X | S's releases. While you can check out the lists from 2019, there has been some major movements in every list — thanks to some games aging like fine wine and a new mix of staff.

You can expect the new lists to be updated in this order:

  • PS4 Definitive: Wednesday, November 4th
  • Switch Definitives: Friday, November 6th
  • Xbox One Definitive: Monday, November 9th

Meanwhile, Game of the Year 2020 has been an all-year event — despite the constant delay of games due to the ongoing pandemic. And while we had a pretty concrete timeline, it looks like the recent delay of Cyberpunk 2077 has moved everything back. And while other major award networks like The Game Awards will not be including it (and other similar games) in the review season, we've decided to move back our qualification window to include it (alongside other December 10 games like Bloober Team's The Medium) in this year's round of games.

In short, expect a late December award season from DualShockers this year — and we will make sure to hit you with some more information as it becomes available. In the meantime, make sure to catch up with our latest opinions on the Q3 2020 releases:

DualSHOCK the Vote

With 2020 being so absolutely wild, we've been a bit more socially active than many long-time followers are used to us being. This includes a recent site-wide engagement in how our staff approaches civic responsibilities, like voting in that big thing that is happening today.

In other words, we've given all staff the day off for Election Day (and future major elections moving forward, US-based or otherwise) — no matter how they choose to vote (or not vote) — because it's the right thing to do. In fact, it's something that we challenge other media leaders in the gaming space to do as well.

But if you notice a dip in output today (and were looking for a distraction to some of the political noise), you can rest assured that it is for a good reason. Meanwhile, wouldn't be a bad idea for you to head to the polls if you haven't already:

https://twitter.com/DualShockers/status/1323329209872322560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1323329209872322560%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dualshockers.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D791869action%3Deditclassic-editor

Odds and Ends

Then we have a few things we will (hopefully) be talking about in a future update. These include:

  • Disqus: You've been asking for it, we've been putting off the inevitable. But we are formally back on Disqus — looks like our previous comment servicer just wasn't making the cut. With that said, we just want to confirm that we aren't shopping around for new comment sections and we are here to stay.
  • Gift Guides: Don't know what to buy to get your fiance into the gaming scene for the first time? Looking for our recommendations on our favorite gaming chair? We are aiming to ramp up coverage in the leadup to the holidays so you can stock up your own wish list
  • Brand Partners: We've been working with some business-minded folk on how we can keep supporting our indie coverage of games, and we are working on fleshing our what that may be. However, we are gonna make sure that we run everything by you readers first — similar to our announcement (and disclosure) on Affiliate Links.

This is just a taste of some of the developments on DualShockers' horizons, with a lot more unannounced developments lined up after. In the meantime, I hope to see a few of you in the comments — if there is something on the list you think is missing, let me know below.

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