A few My Nintendo rewards are back in stock for the first time in weeks
So the My Nintendo rewards store has been pretty popular again, thanks to the addition of actual physical products. Now it's not nearly as sweet as Club Nintendo (you pay for shipping, and there aren't as many rewards), but it works.
Over the course of the last few weeks, a number of items have gone in and out of stock rather rapidly, including all of the Animal Crossing and Xenoblade items. Amazingly, the holiday cards and ornament are also all gone, and possibly won't be restocked given the seasonal nature of the items.
So what went back in stock? Well, the coveted Mario 3D All-Stars poster set (800 platinum), the Mario zipper case (800), and the Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit lanyard (800) are back. At the time of publication, the Xenoblade sticker sheets, Mario Kart Live decoration kit, and Origami King origami set and postcards, as well as the Pikmin 3 decals and coasters are still in stock.
It also looks like the Tom Nook keychain has been completely removed from the My Nintendo store; and doesn't even have a placeholder for "this item is temporarily out of stock." As the most expensive item to date at 1000 points, this thing went pretty fast.
As a reminder, we have a giant guide on all things My Nintendo here. Jump in and bookmark it if you want to bank some points. Remember, the art print for Age of Calamity still hasn't gone on sale yet: we expect it to be around 1000 points.
Rewards [My Nintendo]
Cyberpunk 2077 breaks Steam records with over one million concurrent players
After years and years of development, CD Projekt RED's Cyberpunk 2077 is finally in the hands of the people. Almost immediately after launch, the dystopian RPG hit over one million concurrent players on PC, breaking all-time Steam records for the most players simultaneously engaged in a single-player title.
As reported by PC Gamer, this record was achieved within the first two hours of Cyberpunk 2077's launch, leveling out at a peak of 1,003,264 players - with a further one million people tuning into streams of the neo-noir adventure on Twitch. This almighty number doubles the previously held record of 472,962, achieved in 2015 by Bethesda RPG Fallout 4.
It's the Podtoid Mailbag Extravaganza
It is the first new episode of Podtoid for the month, and throughout 2020, that has meant opening the mailbag and answering your questions. In the past, we've got a handful of interesting inquiries, enough to make the Goddamn Mail a featured segment in the back-half of the show.
But this week, the community came through with so many great questions that we had to super-size this episode of Podtoid to answer as many as we could. Want to know our thoughts on games from 2020, what we'll do when COVID is over, licensed titles, and more? Then sit back and chillax all cool with Podtoid Episode 469.
Control is Remedy's fastest-growing IP in a long time
Based on your perspective, this news tidbit kind of shifts around -- much like The Oldest House in a sense. In a year since launch, Control has gone on to become Remedy's fastest-growing property to-date.
This comes out of Remedy's first Capital Markets Day presentation, as reported by GamesIndustry.biz. That's nothing but good, as Control joins the ranks of Max Payne in terms of games that were quickly adopted. However, it's less exceptional and more expected when framed with the context that Control is Remedy's first game in a long time that had a true multi-platform launch.
For instance, Alan Wake was an Xbox 360 exclusive and then launched on Windows PC a couple years later. Quantum Break released simultaneously on Xbox One and PC. Control is the first since 2003's Max Payne 2 that launched on a Sony platform alongside PC and Microsoft's console.
If you're the hard data type, maybe this will be more useful: Control has racked up two million sales thus far. The player count is probably far higher, though. Control was added to Xbox Game Pass last week, meaning that subscribers can play it for free. And, as a very related side note, get crackin' if you're a Game Pass subscriber who hasn't checked out Control yet. It was my very favorite game of 2019.
Control has sold more than 2m units [GamesIndustry.biz]
A certain cameo-loving game designer made it into Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 is no stranger to cameo appearances – some you'll instantly recognize, some you won't – and I'm still torn. Do they hurt the experience more than they help? How much is too much?
One thing I'm definitely happy to see is a fitting end to a certain will-they-won't-they guest spot.
(Spoilers below this unrelated trailer)
Bethesda wants to add Fallout 76 DLC that leaves the main West Virginia map
The country roads have taken us home, but they also lead away from home. That's how paths work. They connect two points. That's an urban planning lesson and also a geometry lesson.
Bethesda has plans for where those roads go. In an interview with RPS, the developer mentions that it wants to feature entirely new off-map areas in future expansions. Project lead Jeff Gardiner says "We are looking at Expeditions to be a way to maybe do something off map. […] We have a big list of locations. We're settling in on one right now. So we are looking at those to be the ways for people to experience different areas of the Fallout universe."
It's something that Bethesda has dabbled in before, but never in this MMO take on Fallout. Some beloved examples are the Point Lookout expansion for Fallout 3 and the Far Harbor DLC in Fallout 4. Gardiner explains "We know that those are some of our most successful expansions for our previous games and we want to be able to bring that experience to Fallout 76."
Don't expect to see Expeditions implemented anytime soon though. They were a planned feature for late 2020, but COVID-19 issues shifted everything back. Bethesda managed to get Wastelanders and Steel Dawn out the door this year and that's actually a pretty impressive output. Creating entirely new maps will take a long time, which means Expeditions isn't being formally talked about yet. You're stuck in Appalachia for the foreseeable future.
Fallout 76 is planning Fallout 4-style off map expansions [Rock Paper Shotgun]
Forza Horizon 4 gets the Cyberpunk 2077 car
Forza Horizon players can rip around England with some futuristic flair. CD Projekt and Playground Games have collaborated to make the Cyberpunk 2077 car playable in Forza Horizon 4.
Judging by the naming convention from Forza Horizon 4's car tiles, its make is "2058 Quadra" and its model is "Cyberpunk 2077 Quadra." That's just specific stuff. Everyone knows it as "The Cyberpunk car." It probably has a V-Tech. Get it? V-Tech.
Here's what it looks like, courtesy of user acreamymeme on reddit:
Xbox Series X is fine so far, but Game Pass is the superstar
Game Pass is arguably one the best deals in gaming, but saying the same about the Xbox Series X at the moment is pushing it. It's difficult to gloat about the Series X hardware when it really doesn't have much to show for it yet, aside from making last-gen games look and run a lot better.
However, that is also where Xbox Game Pass shines even more on the Series X. Today on Impulse, Justin and myself are breaking down what we think about the console so far and showcase the various games we've been playing in 4K HDR! We also take a stab at making some predictions on how this box named X could shake things up down the road.
So take a seat in your favorite chair and let the vapor chamber take you to the sights and sounds of the next-generation of two dudes talking about video games on the internet. Truly, exciting times ahead!
A handful of new games have limited-time Steam and Xbox demos for The Game Awards
Geoff Keighley loves his limited-time demos for unreleased games, and so do we. Well, the unreleased part of it, anyway – the gotta-act-fast time constraint isn't all that fun. A handful of games, including Devolver Digital's Olija and 3D Realms' Graven, just released demos on Steam and GeForce Now.
Here's the current mostly-PC-only roster, with a caveat that more demos will show up later.
- A Juggler's Tale
- Ami
- Anno: Mutationem
- Echo Generation (also on Xbox)
- Graven
- Guinea Pig Parkour
- Little Nightmares II
- Olija
- Selfloss
- Song of Iron (also on Xbox)
I'm most keen on Echo Generation, a turn-based '90s adventure that calls Stranger Things to mind with a touch of EarthBound, and Little Nightmares II, which looks gnarly, but everything here presents well.
As far as marketing stunts go, I really like these at-home sneak peeks. They're great for players, and in most cases – when the list is curated enough – they seem worth the effort for developers, too.
The Game Awards Festival will run until Monday, December 14.
It's blob-bustin' time: Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 now available on consoles
If you're a fan of classic games, fast-thinking and, well, tidying up, then you might want to take note that Sega has finally launched Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 on consoles in the west. The cartoonish puzzle sequel is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch.
For the uninitiated, Puyo Puyo Tetris combines two of the greatest tile-shifting titles of all time, namely Puyo Puyo and Tetris - funnily enough. Gameplay is a well-fitting hybrid of both titles, as players mix-and-match modes across a selection of exhibition, Vs. and online battles, as well as a cutesy story campaign featuring a cast of adorable and colorful characters.
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is a nicely feature-packed release, offering fun for up to four players as well as a variety of online leagues and events. The new Skill Battle Mode allows players to form their own bespoke squad of avatars - chosen from a roster of 28 uniquely skilled characters - in order to form the ultimate Puyo Puyo Tetris team. Check out the action in the launch trailer below.
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 will follow on PC via Steam in early 2021.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons gets set for festive Toy Day
Nintendo's fan-favorite social sim Animal Crossing: New Horizons is getting geared up to celebrate its first Holiday season. As y'all know by now, the citizens of Nook Islands like to go all-in when it comes to seasonal activities, and the upcoming Christm- erm... "Toy Day" is no exception.
While some of you might have already noticed a wintry atmosphere and festive decorations appearing around your custom island, the coming weeks will see the holiday spirit ramp up, with the addition of new critters, holiday-themed items, clothing, and decorations, and new DIY recipes for the big day's feast. On December 24, be sure to look out for "Jingle the Black-Nosed Reindeer", who will arrive requiring your help to deliver a sackful of gifts to the locals. Delightful.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has brought joy and spirit to many seasonal events - such as Halloween and Thanksgiving - during a difficult year where many were unable to celebrate with family and friends in the traditional sense. To see it round out 2020 with Toy Day and the inevitable New Year's Eve countdown will be a happy occasion indeed.
Early Yakuza: Dead Souls concept saw our heroes battling aliens in Kamurocho
Yesterday saw Team Yakuza host its Ryu ga Gotoku anniversary stream, looking back on the myriad of mainline titles and spin-off releases in the dramatic/ridiculous RPG franchise, celebrating 15 years of back-alley brawls and hilariously off-tone mini-games.
Unfortunately the stream was, (once again), a bust in regards to new announcements, with series director Toshihiro Nagoshi reiterating his previous statement that the development team is currently working on a new title, but offering no new details regarding the mystery title's brand, platform, gameplay style, or release date.
Regardless, as translated by the folks over at DualShockers, there were some interesting tidbits discussed by Nagoshi and the stream's guests, which included producers Daisuke SatÅ and Masayoshi Yokoyama, alongside Kazuma Kiryu and Ichiban Kasugi's respective voice actors: Takaya Kuroda and Kazuhiro Nakaya.
The Cyberpunk 2077 achievements don't make you do anything too crazy
You may be well aware, but in the unlikely event that you're somehow not: Cyberpunk 2077 releases tomorrow. Technically, that might only be a few hours from now if you're playing on PC, as there's a global launch that hits at 4pm Pacific. On consoles, it's midnight for every region.
We've played some of it. You should check out our Cyberpunk 2077 review-in-progress if you're interested in how it's shaping up. Or, you could just go in blind tomorrow. If you want the low-down on the achievements and trophies, we've got that too, courtesy of Xbox Achievements.
Surprisingly, for a game this big and detailed and long and full, Cyberpunk 2077's achievements don't look too overly complicated. There's nothing wild like necessitating a pacifist run for full completion. You only need to give it one playthrough. There's also nothing missable apart from using your lifepath dialogue option 10 times (and once you know that's a requirement, it'll be very easy to fulfill). For those of you looking for a low-stress time, you should be able to knock this all out on Easy, as there's nothing related to difficulties.
That doesn't mean it'll be quick, though. It kind of looks like you'll have to do everything in Night City to hit the 1000GS or Platinum trophy. Complete all gigs and NCPD Scanner Hustles in each region and then some collectible-seeming stuff adds up to a rather long game. The PowerPyx walkthrough estimates a 60-70 hour completion -- 20ish for critical path story and then another 40-50 for side content.
Now that you achievement and trophy hunters know what you're getting into, prepare to spend a lot of time jacked into the Matrix. This is about the Matrix, right?
Here's the Cyberpunk 2077 achievement list:
Spider-Man: Miles Morales will let you have 60fps *and* ray tracing
I'm starting to wish I hadn't burned through my New Game+ playthrough of Spider-Man: Miles Morales so quickly (and deleted the game to free up some precious storage space on my PS5). Insomniac Games updated Miles Morales with an alternate graphics mode – Performance RT – that ticks the right boxes.
If you wanted to see cool ray-traced reflections but you weren't willing to play Miles Morales at 30 frames per second, there's now an "alternate version of the 60 frames per second 'Performance' mode" that adds "ray tracing by adjusting the scene resolution, reflection quality, and pedestrian density."
In other words, Performance RT is trying to give the best of both worlds – fidelity and performance. If you can live without 4K (and I believe plenty of us easily can), this should be a great option.
There's no confirmation that Spider-Man Remastered will get a Performance RT update, but I hope so.
@InsomniacGames [Twitter]
Review in Progress: Cyberpunk 2077
So you read about our experience with Cyberpunk 2077 so far, right?
Well, now you can read about our hands-on experience. Let's dive right in!
World bosses are now live in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands just got a huge shot in the arm yesterday evening, as the first major patch arrived.
Alongside of the first raid, it also brought along some new weekly activities, like the Great Vault (a side menu you can earn rewards from through high-level play), arena quests (the first season just kicked off), and world bosses. The latter bit is probably what most of the playerbase is going to be interested in, as Shadowlands continues the trend of the last few expansions of cycling in new world quest-related bosses each week for easy rewards.
In short, all you need to do is log in and look at your Shadowlands world map. Scan for a more pronounced icon, generally of the epic (purple) variety. Head to that location to fight a world boss (along with a ton of other players): after defeating it, you'll earn the reward highlighted in the quest marker. Each world boss cycles over in the weekly Tuesday reset, so you have until then to get it done.
Don't forget to press the "i" key and look for a group! Just type in the name of the boss (in the case below, Mortanis) and you'll find a group in no time. Or just make your own and you'll have a giant raid party in seconds.
Persona 5 vocalist Lyn Inaizumi to perform at The Game Awards pre-show
Geoff Keighley, producer and host of The Game Awards 2020 continues to reveal names for the online event's star-studded roster. Having already revealed the socially-distanced attendance of faces such as Tom Holland, Gal Gadot, Brie Larson, Josef Fares, Keanu Reeves, Pearl Jam, and even film director Christopher Nolan, Keighley has also announced that the pre-show will also feature the musical talents of Persona 5 vocalist Lyn.
Lyn Inaizumi (known by her stage name of simply "Lyn") is no stranger to the Persona faithful, having heard the Japanese jazz singer perform vocals for the Persona 5, Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth, and Persona 5 Strikers soundtracks. No details have been released regarding her TGA 2020 set, but I wouldn't be surprised if we hear Persona 5 Strikers' theme song "You Are Stronger", given that Atlus recently confirmed the release date for the musou-like spin-off.
While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will render this year's TGA a more low-key affair than usual, kudos to Keighley for promoting such a star-studded lineup of talent from across the spectrum of media. The "A-lister" vibe is no doubt helping to give the awards ceremony an Oscars-style buzz throughout the wider media industry.
The Game Awards 2020 pre-show will air tomorrow, December 10, at 15:30 PT / 18:30 ET / 00:30 BST and will be followed by the main show at the top of the hour.
Minecraft's gigantic and frankly impressive RTX update is now live for everyone
Earlier this year Mojang rolled out a new program for Xbox Insiders on the Windows 10 platform that allowed users to test out new graphical enhancements for Minecraft.
Framed around NVIDIA RTX boosts, the update added in ray tracing and a suite of visual upgrades to specific worlds built around them; to great success. It seems like all of that testing is done (it took around eight months), as Mojang has just made the RTX upgrades available to everyone. All you need to do is own the Windows 10 version of Minecraft and you're good to go.
From there, search the main store for some free RTX levels so you can actually experience the update in all its splendor. The names generally have "RTX" in them so they're easy to find, but here's some options if you want specificity: "Colosseum RTX," and "Dungeon Bash RTX."
Once you're in, if the RTX mode isn't enabled, just hit the ";" key to toggle it. You can do it at will, over and over! And if your friends are in the same world via cross-play and don't have RTX capabilities (either on PC or on another platform), they'll just see the "regular" visual style. It's pretty great.
Even if you don't play Minecraft, head to the official site and check out the handy RTX/not-RTX sliders on each of the pictures. It's fun!
Ori and the Will of the Wisps partners with Rainforest Trust for charity drive
Moon Studios - the indie outfit behind beautiful platform adventure Ori and the Will of the Wisps - has announced that it is partnering with charity Rainforest Trust for a short-term drive to benefit the preservation of the planet's tropical rainforests.
From now until December 13, Moon Studios will donate 5% of all sales of Ori and the Will of the Wisps on Nintendo Switch to the non-profit organization. In addition, publisher and merchandiser iam8bit will be donating a lump sum of $25,000 to the charity, which works to purchase and protect acres upon acres of rainforest, as well as the endangered wildlife that resides within.
GTA Online launches 'first major expansion of geography since launch'
[Update: Rockstar just put up a new trailer for the Cayo Perico Heist update, now due out on December 15, which you can watch below. It looks pretty slick, crazy, and distinctively GTA. Wouldn't it be great if GTA V proper got this sort of DLC?]
As long as Grand Theft Auto Online has the population of a real-life city, Rockstar will continue to support and monetize it.
Years after the launch of the original the online component is still kicking; and regularly getting updates following a stalled rollout. Now, it's getting several big expansions each year, including this newest one called "Cayo Perico Heist." Rockstar calls it the "first major expansion of GTA Online's geography since launch," and "sets the scene for the biggest update in the game's seven-year history." It's hitting on December 15 on all platforms.
But the heist isn't the only thing that's getting added in, and it may not even be the main draw. Quietly over the weekend Rockstar showcased more of the expansion's content, including a new club called the "Music Locker," which is seated beneath the Diamond Casino and Resort. In short, there's going to be a new dance floor, with real featured DJs (Blessed Madonna, Solomun, Dixon, DJs Moodymann, Keinemusik, Palms Trax, and Tale of Us are name-dropped).
There's also a few mechanical upgrades coming that build upon the previous "After Hours" dance update from the game's past: like dancing with a partner and new dances in general. As a Second Life substitute, GTA Online can do the trick for a lot of people, with a large community and player count to boot. It's amazing what it's accomplished so far, and what it continues to accomplish.
The Music Locker [Rockstar]
PSA: Fire Emblems Heroes' Book V is out, which means more My Nintendo Platinum Points
In case you missed it, Fire Emblem Heroes just got a huge update that brings the story into "Book V."
If you haven't been following along, that's how Heroes breaks up bigger arcs in the game, all of which are tied to their own My Nintendo Platinum rewards. Each chapter you clear will you get 100 Platinum: a process that only takes around 10-15 minutes or so if you're quick.
The way "Books" work is that you can generally jump into them out of order, and without any prior need to severely level-up your characters. In other words if you want to see the new stuff right away, you can boot up the game and go right into Book V. That's also great news for Platinum Point chasers, as you don't need to truly grind to clear out the last chapters of some of these books.
The only roadblock, in fact, is the energy system. As Books go on, it costs more energy to complete each mission. Simply turning off your device and farming more platinum later that day (or the next day) is the easiest solution.
As a reminder, we just published a comprehensive guide for earning as many My Nintendo Platinum Points as possible. Check it out!
Microsoft teases more Xbox Game Pass additions coming in the next year
Microsoft has been vague with numbers for many years now (and will continue to be with the new Series line), but they seem awful proud of how the new generational launch has gone so far.
In a new post on the official Xbox blog, the team notes that "over 40% of people joining Xbox for the first time" are playing on the Series S, which is the new gateway for the Xbox ecosystem. They also note that the Smart Delivery system has been working swimmingly (especially compared to how clunky the process can be on PS5), and that France, UK, and Germany saw "record sellouts" of the Series X/S consoles. Oh, and cloud gaming (Project xCloud) is coming to iOS tentatively in beta form in spring 2021. Once it hits and the exclusives start rolling out, it'll be a much smoother generation for Microsoft than the last one.
At the end of the blog Microsoft buries what might be the most important bit: a tease of what's to come on Xbox Game Pass. You can find a list of highlighted upcoming Xbox games below, as well as the more important list of what's confirmed for Game Pass. The latter bit also gives us a heads-up on timing for some games, like the fact that The Medium, The Gunk, Warhammer 40K: Darktide, Exomecha, and Shredders are console launch exclusives.
We all knew Halo Infinite would be included, but it's nice to be reminded of games like Psychonauts 2 and The Ascent. After all, it's easy to forget that Microsoft bought up a ton of studios and now owns Double Fine!
Players Drive Record Engagement as Xbox Expands Cloud Gaming to More Devices in 2021 [Xbox Wire]
GameStop expects to have closed 1000 stores in two years by March 2021
GameStop continues to struggle to find its place in a digital gaming world. Between the shift to online sales and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, GamesIndustry.biz reports that the retailer continues to see a year-on-year loss in profit, which has forced the closure of hundreds of stores within the past 24 months.
In a recent investor's presentation, GameStop announced that for the quarter ending October 31, 2020, the retailer posted net sales of $1 billion USD. While that figure is certainly not to be sniffed at, it represents a 30% drop in profit for the same period in 2019. Overall, the loss still remains a morbidly positive step for the company's ongoing debt struggles, as the figure is offset by the cost-cutting closure of some 462 stores that shuttered over the course of 2020.
GameStop CEO George Sherman spoke of his confidence that the new generation of gaming would help to boost GameStop and its profit margin into 2021 and beyond.
"We begin the fourth quarter with unprecedented demand in new video game consoles that launched in November, which drove a 16.5% increase in comparable store sales for the month, despite being closed on Thanksgiving Day and the impact of COVID-19 related store closures, which affected most of our European footprint," said Sherman in the presentation.
"We anticipate, for the first time in many quarters, that the fourth quarter will include positive year-on-year sales growth and profitability, reflecting the introduction of new gaming consoles, our elevated omni-channel capabilities and continued benefits from our cost and efficiency initiatives, even with the potential further negative impacts on our operations due to the global COVID-19 pandemic."
These recent closures join the 321 GameStop stores that ceased operation in 2019, with many more expected to close in the coming months. All in, GameStop predicts to have closed around 1000 retail stores by the end of March 2021, a move that will positively affect the company's outgoings, but will also leave hundreds of workers unemployed during one of the worst economic periods in recent history.
GameStop has closed 462 stores this year, 783 in the last two years [GamesIndustry.biz]
Disco Elysium developer ZA/UM drops mysterious teaser
ZA/UM, the developer of 2019's mega-hit Disco Elysium has brought a little bit of mystery to your morning. As spotted by @Nibellion, if you head on over to the official Disco Elysium website, you will be greeted with a stark red banner, featuring a communist-style insignia and one simple word: "Soon."
There are zero further clues as to what this site is teasing, though the developer has made clear its desire to see the esoteric and dystopian RPG make the leap to console platforms. There is also the possibility that Disco Elysium has DLC or an expansion in the works, though that might just be wishful thinking. The console port seems a snugger suggestion.
Given that tomorrow will see the annual Game Awards come loaded-for-bear with brand new news and reveals, perhaps the curtain will be lifted on this mystery in the next 24 hours. Until then, there's not much else to do bar daring to dream.
Halo Infinite is going to be a fall 2021 game
Halo Infinite was sorely missed during the Xbox Series X launch (heck, it was even featured on the console packaging), but the decision to spend more time improving the game immediately felt like the right call. The question is, when's it coming out? 343 Industries is now aiming for fall 2021.
The new release window was announced in a wide-ranging progress update on Halo Infinite.
Joseph Staten, a former Halo series developer at Bungie who wore "many different hats over the years including writer, cinematic director, creative director—even a voice for the Grunts" was brought on-board "from the sidelines" to help get Infinite out the door. He joined 343 Industries "right as the team was wrestling with feedback from the July campaign demo," and says that conversation "boiled down to one fundamental truth: we needed more time to do things right." I hope it pays off. The series needs it.
Today's blog post goes into great detail about the team's progress since the last public showing – from improvements to the game's overall visual fidelity, to Craig's "significant makeover," to armor and weapon coatings. It's a lot of nitty-gritty stuff that Halo fans will want to dig into when they can.
As for what's next, Staten says "Insider flighting" will happen "later next year."
Director of art management Neill Harrison said 343 is "eager to show the progress the team has made in [Infinite's] Campaign as soon we can, but we want to make sure we have all the right pieces coming together and this can be tricky with a lot of moving parts and an expansive world of this scope. We know everyone is keen to see more and we look forward to sharing more in future updates in the months ahead."
Inside Infinite – December 2020 [Halo]
Flash Player is dead. Long live Flash Player!
[The internet was a very different time in Flash's heyday, and it's worth preserving those old games, animations, and even just our memories as much as possible. This blog from Nior brought me back to the early 2000s in the best way. -Jordan]
On December 31st of this year, Adobe is officially "killing" the Flash Player plugin.
I doubt I need to explain to most of you what this plugin even is. It was such a ubiquitous part of the early age of the internet, offering interactivity in the form of games and video players, that it feels weird that we're about to live in a world without it.
The simple truth is that technology moved on, and the plugin became obsolete ages ago, but those days, that early, wild west age of the internet, when the rules were not defined and no one knew what the hell they were doing, is something that is burned into my mind, in no small part thanks to Flash Player. And today, I'd like to take you back there. One last trip down memory lane, a farewell to some of my favorite things from so many years ago.
Let's do this.
If you buy Hitman 3 on PS5, you'll also get a PS4 copy so you can play in VR
IO Interactive is in a slightly strange place with Hitman 3's PlayStation VR support given the way PS5 currently works with the four-year-old headset. If you haven't dug into the details, here goes: you'll either play Agent 47's hilarious-looking VR mode "natively" on a PS4, or you'll experience it with a PS4 copy of the game running on a PS5 via backward compatibility – those are the only two options.
What gives? Sony didn't want to drop support for PSVR on PlayStation 5, but it also isn't ready for the next model. As such, we're in this weird middle ground that's better than nothing but far from ideal.
The good news, as confirmed on the PlayStation Blog, is that IO Interactive will include "a free digital copy of the PS4 version of Hitman 3 with all PS5 copies, whether you choose to buy it via disc or digital."
The studio also reiterated that Hitman and Hitman 2 locations will be playable in first-person VR, and it detailed Hitman 3's DualSense usage, which is going to give every weapon "unique haptic feedback."
My fingers are still crossed that there will be some added benefits to playing Hitman 3 in VR on PS5 hardware (like how Blood and Truth looks and runs better), but we'll have to wait for more details.
Hitman 3's DualSense controller features unveiled, plus more gameplay info [PlayStation Blog]
Skipping Cyberpunk? Maybe try Call of the Sea
I don't know much about Call of the Sea but I instantly respect it for one reason: It's one of the few games that's willing to go head-to-head with Cyberpunk 2077. When most other publishers have turned tail and ran from the Cyberpunk window, Raw Fury has marched Call of the Sea out the same week.
Don't get me wrong, this is not a David vs Goliath situation. Call of the Sea will not miraculously outsell Cyberpunk 2077. It will get squashed, but it's also not trying to win. It's simply there as "Hey, are you sick of Cyberpunk dominating the discourse? Well, this is a different new game you could try." I admire the gusto.
The decision is a little easier because many of you will not have to plunk down money to try Call of the Sea. This Lovecraft-inspired '30s-era adventure game where you try to find your missing husband after this expedition went awry is a day-one Xbox Game Pass addition. If you subscribe to Game Pass, you can play this right now on consoles. It's also on PC via Steam and GOG.
At first glance, it seems to be pretty decent. It's gathered mostly respectable review scores with a handful of standout nods. We should have a review coming sometime soon if you're inclined to wait for that. But, if you're in the mood for something -- anything -- that isn't Cyberpunk, maybe Call of the Sea can offer a bit of reprieve.
Minecraft, Roblox, and Free Fire were the most-watched games on YouTube in 2020
I get a weird satisfaction from knowing which video games humans are collectively into watching on YouTube, and the top-five most-watched list for 2020 includes a name many of us won't recognize.
Here's the breakdown this year, as shared by YouTube:
- Minecraft (201B views)
- Roblox (75B views)
- Garena Free Fire (72B views)
- Grand Theft Auto V (70B views)
- Fortnite (67B views)
You know Minecraft, but you might not know that it's bigger than ever on YouTube. You also probably know Roblox, even if you don't really "get it." Grand Theft Auto V and Fortnite need no introduction. But have you heard of Garena Free Fire before today? I only just learned about the game last week.
Free Fire is a mobile-focused battle royale phenom that has taken over Latin America, Southeast Asia, and India with over 500 million Android downloads worldwide and 100 million peak daily active users. Those are dizzying numbers for any game, much less one that many enthusiasts aren't aware of.
Another stat: according to YouTube, there are "over 40 million active gaming channels and, globally, there were over 100 billion hours of gaming content watched on YouTube." Think of all those ads.
What about the most-watched gaming video of 2020? It's this one: Minecraft Real POV.
Temtem is fine on PS5 if you know what you're getting into
It's worth stressing a few things about Temtem upfront now that it's released on PlayStation 5.
If you're burned out on Pokémon in general, there's a decent chance Temtem won't do enough to differentiate itself, and that's kind of where I fall. But if your love/hate relationship with Game Freak comes down to very specific gameplay criticisms – or a perceived lack of difficulty – it might just click. Besides its "familiar but different" learning curve, there's a real effort to push back and test players.
On the one hand, it feels great to be challenged again – to have to consider a bunch of short- and long-term factors and truly think things through in any given battle. On the other hand, the grind is no joke.
It's also worth noting that Temtem is still in early access on PS5. It's in a good spot, but it isn't done.
Gears 5's story add-on launches next week as part of Xbox Game Pass
Gears 5 has gotten a steady cadence of multiplayer support ever since it launched in fall 2019. Next week, it gets something no Gears game has gotten since 2011: Singleplayer story DLC.
We learned in October that The Coalition is planning a story expansion for Gears 5. It's called Hivebusters and it tells the backstory of Team Scorpio (later renamed Team Xbox One X), who makes up the trio in Gears 5's Escape mode. This DLC chronicles their first mission as a squad.
Today, Xbox released this launch trailer for Hivebusters and confirmed that the add-on comes out on December 15. It carries a $20 price tag, but it's free for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. Note the "Ultimate." If you only subscribe to the base level Game Pass, you'll have to buy Hivebusters.
The trailer's worth a watch just to see old man Hoffman if nothing else. There's a curious bit at the end where they willingly get gobbled up by some Pouncers. As for gameplay specifics, Xbox confirms the expansion will run about three hours and supports three-player co-op (split-screen and online).
Gears 5: Hivebusters Expansion Arrives December 15 with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate [Xbox Wire]
Ghost of Tsushima won the audience vote at The Game Awards
The polls are closed, and Sucker Punch's samurai action game took the Players' Voice award at The Game Awards. Ghost of Tsushima faced tough competition from The Last of Us Part II – Sony really showed up this year – but its cozy open-world vibe beat out Naughty Dog's harrowing storytelling.
I had not-so-secretly hoped that Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us Part II would essentially cancel each other out in the final round and help Hades bubble up to the top, but it wasn't meant to be.
They're all great games in their own right, and the same can be said of Doom Eternal and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, the two other titles that made it to the end. Talk about a wide spread of experiences.
Ghost isn't my game of the year (I felt like Jin's journey lost steam at points), but I can see how a case could be made for it. The awesome Legends co-op mode brightened my outlook, and the game resonated with a lot of players – it was the "fastest-selling first-party original PS4 game."
We'll find out what the jury voters ultimately landed on this Thursday during The Game Awards.
Skullomania reappears in Street Fighter V, but only as a new costume for G
That troublesome but reclusive fighter Skullomania is making his presence felt once again, but unfortunately perhaps not in quite the way fans would have hoped. While it appears that the bodysuited weirdo is finally ready to make his long-awaited return to the Street Fighter franchise, this comeback is only in the form of an alternate costume for the equally bizarre fighter, G.
Skullomania, who debuted in 1996 release Street Fighter EX, has fast gone on to become one of the Street Fighter franchise's most legendary figures. Unfortunately, licensing issues have kept the part-time superhero from returning to the roster of Capcom's flagship fighter, much to the chagrin of fans. In recent years, Skullomania made a much-appreciated comeback, featuring in both Arika's Fighting EX Layer and in SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy, albeit in genderbent form.
Street Fighter V players can earn the Skullomania costume in the fighter's current "Extra Battle" mode - which tasks players with completing a series of fights in order to earn the skin. Amusingly, even in the Skullomania guise, G retains his iconic top hat. While this may not be the comeback that Skullomania fans had hoped for, it shows that the license issues are clearing up, and with Street Fighter VI currently in development... fingers crossed?
David Cage's studio is publishing a story-driven game about a roadtrip across a divided America
It has been a while since we've heard anything from David Cage's studio, Quantic Dream. After Detroit: Become Human in 2018, the developer has mostly been silent apart from some PC ports of games that were previously PlayStation exclusives.
Now we know Quantic Dream's newest game, but not in a developer capacity. It's publishing an indie game that seems like it spiritually fits among everything in Cage's portfolio. Quantic Dream is publishing Dustborn, which is a story-driven adventure game that's set to come to PC and consoles sometime next year.
There's a lot to process with Dustborn. Broadly speaking, it's a transcontinental roadtrip in 2030 where you play as a pregnant woman named Pax who's delivering a mysterious package. The world has sort of gone to hell after an event called "The Broadcast," which seems to have been a disinformation campaign that divided America. It's literally fake news that seems to have caused a civil war of sorts, and developer Red Thread Games says Pax and her friends need to survive via "manipulation, subterfuge, and force."
Got all that? David Cage's involvement wouldn't make sense unless there was a lofty premise and a lot of promises to live up to.
Dustborn [Quantic Dream]
Could N64 hero Glover be preparing for a comeback?
In one of the strangest teases of 2020, it seems that low-key '90s platforming star Glover might be getting ready to make a slap-happy comeback in a bold new generation of gaming.
Piko Interactive - who currently holds the rights to Glover - recently tweeted fans asking what stretch goals they would like to see should a hypothetical Glover Kickstarter campaign emerge. The tweet made no specific mention of whether said Kickstarter would be for a remaster, a remake, or a brand new sequel, but it would certainly be one of gaming's weirdest comebacks - right up there with Kao the Kangaroo.
Originally released on N64 in 1998, before being ported to PlayStation the following year, Glover sees the titular... erm... glove tackle a series of courses, maneuvering balls into goals in challenging gameplay in the vein of Marble Madness or Super Monkey Ball. Somehow crow-barred into this simple, ball-rolling action was a mystical plot about a magical crystal kingdom and an evil glove known as "Cross Stitch." I miss the '90s.
While developer Interactive Studios did begin work on sequel Glover 2, the project was never completed, with Glover eventually confined to the cupboard of forgotten gaming heroes. But given Piko Interactive's suggestive tweet, perhaps the time to let our fingers do the walking is nigh.
Re-release of N64 classic Glover appears to be taking shape [NintendoLife]
The absolute disrespect of relegating NieR Replicant to the Game Awards pre-show
With regard to events, the prefix pre- almost always indicates something is lesser-than. Are more people watching the Super Bowl or the Super Bowl Pre-Show? What's more interesting: Pre-loading your game or playing your game? There's exactly one pre- that's better than the main event, and that's pre-gaming before going out drinking. A night out is almost always less fun than the eight at-home drinks that precede it.
That's why it's criminal to put NieR Replicant Ver. 1.22474487139 on the Game Awards pre-show. You know it'll be better than -- let's guesstimate conservatively -- 75 percent of the stuff that's shown on the proper show.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake pushed back to March 2021
Ubisoft has announced that its remake of classic platforming adventure Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time will no longer meet its previously announced release date of January 21. The chrono-puzzler will now launch for PS4, PC, and Xbox One on March 18, 2021.
"2020 was a year like no other," said Ubisoft on its official Twitter. "Today we would like to inform you that we need more time to complete the game. With that, the release date of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake has been moved to March 18, 2021. We believe this is the right decision to ensure we deliver a game you enjoy."
"Thank you for your patience and continued support of the Prince of Persia, and we hope you remain safe and healthy during this holiday season."
Here is exactly when each part of World of Warcraft: Shadowlands' first raid will open
We've all had some time to get used to World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, but now, the hardcore fun begins. So here's the final rub, now that the first raid, Castle Nathria, is scheduled to release later today at roughly 5PM ET.
Taking place in the heart of Revendreth (hey, that's my home!), it's going to be a fairly hefty romp, consisting of 10 bosses with a minimum item level of 170 requirement. The normal and heroic version of the raid opens up today, which will be cleared in a matter of hours. On December 15, Mythic opens up, which is going to be when you see all of the "world first" runs and Twitch stream madness: look forward to it!
But that's basically for the 1%. For the literal 99%, the first wing of the Raid Finder opens on that same day, with subsequent wings opening on January 5, January 19, and February 2. When that latter date arrives, the entire raid will be open for business for the casual audience.
As a reminder, raid finder (or looking for raid/"LFR") is a tool that allows everyone to queue up and play an easier version of each raid. It typically unlocks in waves to allow for the more hardcore hype to build for higher difficulty settings.
Castle Nathria Raid Preview and Schedule [Battle.net]
Over $300,000 of Nvidia RTX 3090 cards stolen in warehouse theft
Manufacturer MSI has reportedly had a huge shipment of its new Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 graphics cards stolen from its warehouse in China. As noted by Tom's Hardware, the haul is valued by Chinese press to be in the region of 2.2 million yuan, or roughly $335,000 USD.
Police are currently investigating the theft, though it would seem MSI believes that some of its own employees may be involved, given the specifics of the theft and the ability to bypass the warehouse's security systems. An internal memo from MSI is offering a reward of 100,000 yuan ($10,000 USD) to anyone who comes forward with information, alongside protection for any in-house whistle-blower.
The latter half of 2020 has seen an increase of hardware thefts within the gaming industry. The missing 3090 cards join a list alongside a string of PlayStation 5 consoles that mysteriously vanished while en route to their unfortunate buyers last month. The Nvidia RTX 3090 card retails for around $1,500 USD, though scalpers have been attempting to sell them for prices higher still.
MSI's Nvidia RTX 3090s stolen in China [Tom's Hardware / Eurogamer]
Zelda: Breath of the Wild players are still finding ways to stunt on Lynels
For the past few years I've had experience training against Lynels in Zelda: Breath of the Wild. So when my wife and I played together recently in tandem (with two Switch devices), I felt like Goku coming out of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. That's kind of how gorgonzolawithhoney (great name) felt in this video.
As we've gone over many times before, "stunt videos" are fairly popular in the Breath of the Wild community. Folks have found innovative ways to completely destroy the toughest enemies in the game at every turn, and as we're coming up on four years now of the game being in existence (!), people are still finding more.
This clip starts at the end of a fairly dramatic battle with a Lynel that wouldn't be out of place in an official trailer. Managing to dodge or parry all of the fire blasts, gorgonzolawithhoney stuns them with a quick arrow, then before going to enact the riding slash prompt they throw a boomerang; which promptly circles around the Lynel, hitting them constantly. It's a double-whammy situation and brings back memories of this gem.
I don't typically use boomerangs when I play, but now I wanna.
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II coming to mobile next week
Obsidian Entertainment's old-school RPG Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords will be making a comeback on mobile platforms next week. Developed by Aspyr Media, the sci-fi sequel will be available to download on iOS and Android from December 18.
"Fans have been asking for a mobile version of Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II for so long, and we're thrilled to finally bring it to them," said Aspyr Media's VP of publishing Elizabeth Howard. "We're proud to continue working with Lucasfilm to bring classic titles like Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II to modern platforms."
Originally released on PC and Xbox in 2004, KOTOR II sees players in the role of a young Jedi, fighting back against the might of the Sith Lords who have hunted the order to almost complete extinction. Featuring the huge worlds, complex narratives, and moral dilemmas that Obsidian is renown for, KOTOR II received a positive reception from critics and fans, appreciating the mammoth effort of attempting to capture the same adventure and excitement as found in its fantastic predecessor, Knights of the Old Republic.
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords launches on iOS and Android December 18, priced at around $15.
Persona 5 Strikers announcement trailer is back up and pre-orders start soon
It was up, then down, and now it's up again. As promised, Atlus has officially announced a western release for its Persona x Musou mash-up Persona 5 Strikers. The game, which launched in Japan back in February, is heading to our part of the world on February 23, 2021. Not only are we getting the game on PS4 and Switch, but a Steam release is in the works as well.
Magic: Arena is giving away free Bob Ross-inspired lands
Magic: The Gathering Arena often does random "free code" drops, and this time, they're giving away themed lands.
Dubbed "Happy Little Lands," these basic cards are themed after the paintings of Bob Ross, and come in all five varieties (plains, islands, swamps, mountains, and forests). You have until December 14 to redeem them, and you can find all of the codes below. Make sure you try them with all caps if you're having issues, and enter them in the corner of the "store" tab in-game.
All of this is to promote the "Secret Lair" concept, which is a rather controversial effort by Wizards of the Coast to sell more themed products directly to players. The Secretversary 2020 store is open now, which is selling all sorts of premium products, as well as "Artist Series" SKUs that feature the work of Seb McKinnon: one of the most prolific Magic artists ever.
As Magic continues to truck on with all sorts of new influences from Hasbro, I'll mostly continue down the path I have been this past year or so: focusing on Arena, and on the standard sets. Although pre-release events and Commander are a ton of fun, it's been tough meeting up in real life this year; so all of that will have to wait.
For now, free lands!
Blizzard claims that World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is the fastest-selling PC game of all time
Just this morning, Blizzard informed Destructoid that World of Warcraft: Shadowlands has become the "fastest-selling PC game of all time."
With numbers to back that claim up, Blizzard reports that Shadowlands sold through 3.7 million units on "the first day of launch," which beats out every other game, comparatively. The publisher notes that it bested its own record of Diablo III, which hit 3.5 million copies sold on its first day back in 2012. Blizzard states that these numbers were obtained from "sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and reports from key distributors."
According to the publisher, the game is booming more this year than it has in the past decade, with the highest number of monthly players and long-term subscriptions than any period in the last 10 years. It's only going to get more lively, as the first raid and major season starts today, following the two-week holding period in which players started to really get acclimated to the expansion.
By my estimation, there's going to be a lot of folks toiling away with alts too for the next few years, given the fairly open leveling system. Now if you'll excuse me, the Shadowlands weekly reset is happening soon and I need some more renown.
47's world is glossier and deadlier than ever before in Hitman 3 gameplay trailer
Developer IO Interactive has released the first full gameplay trailer for Hitman 3, the third and final chapter in Agent 47's globe-trotting "World of Assassination" trilogy. The video showcases everyone's favorite Suspicious Bald Person as he travels the world meeting interesting people, and killing them.
The three-minute video sees the ICA assassin tackling a whole new series of missions in a selection of distinct locales. From rain-filled neon streets, grim fog-covered marshland, and swanky upscale parties, our one-man army brings the sting of death to some of society's most powerful and seemingly untouchable villains.
While it can't be denied that the action in Hitman 3 looks mostly comparable to that of previous releases Hitman and Hitman 2, powerful next-gen graphics bring character models, visual effects, and opulent locales to life like never before. Mr. Tobias Rieper asking to use the bathroom seems a very, very long time ago.
Hitman 3 will launch January 20 on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Stadia. A Nintendo Switch port - utilizing cloud-streaming technology - is also in the works.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Season One trailer unveils shadows from the past
Russell Adler is a pretty shifty dude. The 'nam veteran and CIA operative might be a master at both getting his hands dirty and getting things done, but only while leaving a trail of broken bodies and lives in his wake. Well, it looks like one such broken life is back, and now the hunter has become the hunted.
Activision has released a cinematic trailer teasing the arrival of season one in its blockbuster shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Arriving on December 16, the season one narrative introduces former KGB agent Vikor "Stitch" Kuzmin, whose chemical weapons program - situated on the notorious Rebirth Island - was destroyed by Adler in the late '60s. In the video, we see Adler and the squad visit an incident at a New Jersey mall, only to find Kuzmin alive (not so much "well") and with a score to settle with the U S of A.
Fire Emblem Heroes Book V reveals mech armor and exciting steampunk aesthetic
Nintendo has lifted the lid on the newest expansion to its mobile battle title Fire Emblem Heroes. Book V, which launches this week, takes a side-step from the swords and sorcery of previous seasons, adding intricately engineered armor, powerful mech units, and a new steampunk aesthetic
The background story sees the realm of Nioavellir master the fusion of both science and magic, resulting in the creation of hi-tech weaponry and battle armor. The apex of this technology comes in the form of domineering battle mechs known as Gullinbursti, which will definitely make their presence felt among the dragon riders and archers of the free-to-play title. You can check out the style and aesthetic of Book V in the new trailer below.
I am dismayed to report that the rats are better. I'm not exactly sure how they're better, but they're definitely better.
Late last week, we got a press release that confirmed Warhammer: Vermintide 2 has been optimized for Xbox Series S/X. Without mentioning specifics of the technical upgrade, we were only told "Vermintide 2 now runs smoother than ever before, allowing for some truly silky smooth and visually satisfying rat killing."
I needed to take the weekend to process and cope with the fact that the rats are now better. The rats are smoother. The rats are silkier. Next-gen was a mistake.
Xbox is allegedly announcing something big at The Game Awards
It's the most excruciating week of the year for a games blogger, the week where the only stuff that qualifies as news is "Something might happen at The Game Awards." Thus, I am here again to tell you that something else might happen at The Game Awards.
There's a breadcrumb trail of evidence that Xbox has something up its sleeve for The Game Awards. First and foremost, Xbox has been promoting the show through its social channels. Xbox has also mentioned The Game Awards elsewhere, like in its most recent Game Pass post. Most interesting (via VGC), is that Jeff Grubb said on a new GamesBeat podcast that "Microsoft has something coming to The Game Awards, I know that much."
The smart money (or at least the wishful "This could be a really big announcement" money) is that Xbox will lift the veil on whatever its new studio, The Initiative, is working on. The rumor that has picked up the most momentum over the past few months is that it's some sort of full reboot of the Perfect Dark universe.
That speculation may come to an end on Thursday evening. Xbox has something up its sleeve. Last year, it was the formal introduction (and official name reveal) of the Xbox Series X. Of course, Microsoft owns a whole bunch of studios now, so this announcement could come from any corner. It's expected to be big, whatever it is.
Rust is still coming to consoles, just not in 2020
Garry Newman meant it when he said the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Rust weren't "something we wanted to rush out." A year after the ports were announced, they've been delayed beyond 2020.
In a blog post, Double Eleven said Rust was coming to consoles "just a little later than planned," but stopped short of announcing a new release date. The studio also explained why it's been so quiet.
"The world of games dev is a fickle beast; you never have the full picture up front and the development process often becomes more of a journey of discovery when bringing a PC title to console. As much as engaging with players is extremely important, we believe it also has to be meaningful and as we've been working away behind the scenes, we haven't felt ready to share anything with you yet."
"We've always had some remote workers," Double Eleven said, "but moving the entire company home to keep everyone safe has presented challenges as we've found new ways to work with each other in the new normal that this year had in store for us."
As much as some of us have moved on from Rust, it's still very active on PC – it took the #10 spot today on Steam for most concurrent players – and it has such huge potential with the console audience.
Rust Console Edition Update [Double Eleven]
