Iori Yagami Is in, Who's Next for King of Fighters 15

King of Fighters 15 Iori Yagami, SNK

King of Fighters 15 is set to launch later this year. The team at SNK has been slowly doling out new character trailers over the last few weeks, and last night we got our first look at Iori Yagami. Fans will remember Yagami from his original run back in King of Fighters '95. He's been been a mainstay of the series ever since. So, while most fans probably expected him to come to KoF 15, it's still nice to finally the Flame of the End make his grand debut. Check it out below.

So far, King of Fighters 15 has Iori Yagami, Mai Shiranui, K, Leona Heidern, Kyo Kusanagi, Shun'ei, Meitenkun, and Benimaru Nikaido. Considering there were 58 characters back in King of Fighters 14, we can assume this list is going to grow dramatically over the coming weeks and months. So, who might we expect to show up next? Well, here are a few potential options.

Ryuji Yamazaki

Ryuji was only a DLC character in KoF 14, but he's been in several KoF games previously. He remains a fan favorite amongst the community and someone that will almost certainly show up at some point during King of Fighters 15's run-up to release.

Terry Bogard

Sure, Terry's showing up in Super Smash Bros. these days, but that doesn't mean KoF is going to not have one of their most popular characters in the new game. I've heard Terry described as an "anime John Cena", and I don't think I've heard anything more apt. If he's not involved, I'll be incredibly surprised.

Geese Howard

They have to have Geese in King of Fighters 15. I mean, his name is Geese and he's an exceptional villain. If he's not in the game, is it really a KoF game? Again, his name is Geese. We don't need a better reason for him to be in the game.

Chang Koehan

Okay, stick with me. This guy carries a gigantic wrecking ball on a chain that he uses to murder people. Also, most fighting game characters always have ridiculous body proportions. Chang, on the other hand, has a physique that I could see myself attaining. He's got that powerlifter belly that is something I'm personally striving for.

Of course, that's just a smattering of potential characters coming to King of Fighters 15. I didn't even mention characters like King of Dinosaurs, Joe Higashi, or any other fan favorites. So, if you have a character you'd like to see, let us know in the comments below.

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Stellaris Nemesis Expansion Lets Players Destroy The Galaxy

Stellaris Nemesis Expansion

Stellaris is one of those slow-burning RTS titles. It's a 4X game, developed by Paradox Interactive, that has matches that can stretch on for days, if not weeks. However, an upcoming piece of DLC for the game is looking to speed up that process. The Nemesis expansion for Stellaris will give each player and faction a new set of abilities and powers that can shape the fate of the galaxy.

It's not entirely clear what tools this new expansion will introduce. Even the press release regarding the Nemesis expansion for Stellaris was vague. However, it appears that these new tools will let players break stalemates and end wars, although both of those goals are difficult to achieve peacefully.

Part of this expansion will also push players towards more of the game's social aspects. They will be encouraged to lie and be deceitful to other galactic players in order to pit enemies against one another. Once again, it's not clear how the game is planning on pushing these features, although they aren't anything new. Playing a 4X game against other human players always requires a few lies here or there to achieve your goals.

A trailer released announcing the Stellaris Nemesis expansion was also incredibly vague. Instead of showing gameplay, the trailer was more cinematic. It shows an alien sitting in a listening post as a weapon fires into a nearby star, making it explode. If these are the kinds of tools Paradox is planning to unveil with this expansion, I'm excited to see what else they have in store. Blowing up stars in Stellaris already has massive implications. Players could destroy entire empires in a single strike, or at least cripple their supply chains. If players are able to manipulate other heavenly bodies, such as black holes, we'll be getting into some real destruction.

So far, the Stellaris Nemesis expansion doesn't have a release date, although it will be coming soon.

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Hitman 3 Initiation Protocol Teased in New February Update

Hitman 3 from IO Interactive

While Hitman 3 has only been out for a few weeks, the latest release from IO Interactive has already started off strong. The game opened to positive critical reception and sales that have hit franchise highs. As we head into February, the studio has begun outlining what post-launch support will look like with the game's first content roadmap, the Initiation Protocol.

Developer IO Interactive has revealed the roadmap for the February update in Hitman 3. The studio gave a look at all of the new additions and features coming to the game throughout February, with new content arriving every week this month. You can take a look below at what's coming from the new update each week:

As outlined by IO, the big new additions include Featured Contracts by MinnMax and Kinda Funny, alongside new Escalations and a new Elusive Target. Additionally, the studio noted that a patch will arrive later this month with updates and performance tweaks.

Our own Kris Cornelisse review Hitman 3 last month and came away from it impressed. While it will mostly appeal to Hitman fans, the series third installment still leaves room for creative executions. In the review, Kris mentioned:

Overall, I can identify the sheer quality of Hitman 3, even if it's not the kind of game I'll be going back to a lot. This is also not exactly a great place to start for newcomers, and I'd recommend checking out the earlier games/levels first. For those who are already fans though, this should be just what the unusual doctor with the barcode tattoo ordered.

Hitman 3 is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Google Stadia, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

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Sony, From Software Owner Enter "Capital Alliance"

Sony Elden Ring Pre-Order PS4 Amazon TGS 2020 Preorder From Software FromSoftware

Sony is finally one step closer to playing a bigger role in the future of From Software. The Japanese media giant has been given nearly two percent ownership in the Kadokawa Corporation, which owns From Software.

While the name likely won't be recognizable anywhere else in the world, in Japan, Kadokawa is a household name. The massive media conglomerate is the producer behind multiple anime and manga. Besides owning From Software, the Kadokawa Corporation also owns Spike Chunsoft. The two percent, or specifically, 1.93 percent given to Sony, is part of a "capital alliance" being formed between the two companies.

The cooperation between Sony and the From Software owner was revealed in a financial report from the Kadokawa Corporation, which was translated by Gematsu. While the small stake doesn't mean Sony can take over Kadokawa's operations or affect any of its IPs, Kadokawa is looking to benefit. According to the financial report, the deal will let the company utilize Sony's "global expansion power of animation and consumer games."

Beyond that, Kadokawa is clearly looking to capitalize on the gaming market. This capital alliance will also let the company fund new game IPs, as well as support its existing franchises.

Hopefully, some of that support from Sony heads straight to From Software. The Dark Souls developer is hard at work on its next game, Elden Ring. Since being revealed at Microsoft's E3 2019 press conference, the game has remained largely in the dark. Fans that have eagerly been awaiting the title, a collaboration between From Software and Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin, are essentially starved for news at this point.

It's also not clear what this means for console exclusivity of From Software's games going forward. While Sony doesn't have a large percentage of ownership in the company, the future may bring the two even closer.

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Metro: Last Light Redux and For the King are Epic Game Store's Latest Free Games

For users on the Epic Games Store, one of the store's biggest perks are its ongoing rotation of free games. This time around, the Epic Games Store's latest free titles will offer a good variety for players to enjoy with a post-apocalyptic shooter and a roguelike strategy game.

The Epic Games Store has revealed its latest free titles that are up for grabs this week. Starting today, Metro: Last Light Redux and For the King are available to pick up free on the storefront for a limited time, until they are out of the rotation in the coming week.

Having played Metro: Last Light Redux myself, if you're in the mood for an atmospheric shooter with horror elements, then you'll likely have a good time with it. For the King has also gotten a lot of praise for its unique blend of roguelike and strategy game elements, and since it's free, it's likely worth a shot to play.

The Epic Games Store recently hit a big milestone with over 160 million users as of January 2021. Epic Games also noted that the PC games platform had offered 103 free games throughout 2020, which have accumulated over 749 million claims from players. Though EGS is still growing, it's not hard to see that its weekly free games have been an important part of its growing player base over time.

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Deep Rock Galactic Update 33 — New Biomes, Enemies, and More

Deep Rock Galactic, PC, Xbox One, Ghost Ship Games

Deep Rock Galactic Update 33 is now live. The first update of 2021 brings tons of new stuff to the game, making it a great time for both new and old players to hop in. If you're looking for a new multiplayer title to get into, this is one worth giving a second glance. Check out all the new stuff added in today below.

Two New Biomes: Azure Weald and Hollow Bough

Azure Weald is the first of the new biomes. The dazzling lichen clusters really make the area stand out from some of the other biomes already in the game. However, it's important to remember that this is an otherworldly jungle. Expect to find quite a few baddies as you venture in.

Hollow Bough is equally interesting. You're going into gigantic, hollowed-out trees; however, they're being invaded by vine-like plants. Of course, they aren't just coming for the trees. You'll have to deal with them as well. Both biomes also come with their own set of Milestones for players to complete.

Mission Overhauls

Three different missions are getting overhauled. Elimination is getting two new Dreadnought variants that are going to change things up considerably. The team at Ghost Ship Games has also done some work to both Salvage and Point Extraction.

Salvage has a few of the bigger issues fixed. Namely, they've tweaked how locating mine m.u.l.e. legs work and done some updates to the fuel cells. In Point Extraction, they've updated the old model for Minehead to bring it up-to-date with everything else in the game.

New Enemies

Because we're getting new biomes, we're also getting new enemies. There are four different enemies in Deep Rock Galactic Update 33. They include the Mactera Tri-Jaw, Mactera Brundle, Deeptora Bough Wasp, and Stabber Vine. As you'd probably expect, they all sound super deadly, so make sure to watch yourself once you head down to explore.

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you want to see the full patch notes, be sure to check them out on the official site. But if you're just wanting to hop in, Deep Rock Galactic Update 33 is available now on PC. The Xbox version hits on February 11.

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Robert Altman, ZeniMax Founder Has Passed Away, Survived by Lynda Carter

Robert Altman Lynda Carter

Robert A. Altman, the founder and CEO of Bethesda parent company ZeniMax, has passed away. News of Altman's passing was shared on Twitter via the official Bethesda account. Robert Altman was 74 years old and is survived by his wife Lynda Carter and their two children.

The message shared by Bethesda on Twitter reflected on the career of the ZeniMax founder. "He was a true visionary, friend, and believer in the spirit of people and the power of what they could accomplish together. He was an extraordinary leader, and an even better human being." During the pandemic, Altman would send out an email to ZeniMax staff every week to keep in touch. In remembrance, Bethesda decided to share one of those messages.

In the message, Altman shared some of his discoveries as he adjusted to work from home life. He went on to encourage everyone at the company to make time for themselves "knowing this will pass." Altman's message to ZeniMax ends with him saying that he was "Looking forward to being back together."

Prior to founding ZeniMax in 1999 with Bethesda founder Christopher Weaver, Altman was a lawyer in Washington D.C. He also served on the advisory board of the George Washington University Law School. In 1984, Robert Altman married former WonderWoman actress Lynda Carter.

It's unclear where Altman's passing will leave ZeniMax Media. The company, which was recently purchased by Microsoft, has multiple studios under its umbrella. Besides Bethesda, Arkane Studios, ID Software, and Machine Games are all under ZeniMax.

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FIFA 21 Future Stars Predictions — Ryan Gravenberch, Buyako Saka, and More Youngsters Who Might Make the Squad

FIFA 21 Future Stars Loading Screen, EA Sports

FIFA 21 Future Stars kicks off tomorrow. The event sees EA Sports giving some of the best and brightest youngsters in world football boosted cards that show what they could look like if they meet their potential. EA Sports has been teasing the team for the last few days, but we're starting to get a better idea of who will be in the squad. So, while we're still shooting in the dark with predictions a little bit, we are starting to get a better idea of who's coming. Just check out the latest poll EA is running around the event.

Who is That British Striker Going to Be?

If you've checked the poll above, you'll note that the SBC player is going to come from England and play striker. We don't know what his rating will be, but we can do a little guessing. Based on what we know of Future Stars past, I think the two most likely candidates are PSV's Noni Madueke or Sheffield United's Rhian Brewster. Both players fit the position and have a high potential in FIFA's career mode, making them excellent candidates.

Another potential option here could be Bukayo Saka. In FIFA, he plays LM, but he could make the position change over for the event. That said, I think they'll hold him for packs as he's one of the marquee young players they could target.

What About the Dutch Player on the Loading Screen?

If you've logged into FIFA 21 today, you'll likely notice the loading screen has been updated to show off a new Dutch player. Without a position, this one is a little harder to lock down. That said, I think we have two very likely candidates.

Ryan Gravenberch from Ajax is probably the most likely player, as his potential comes at in 89. However, we could also see Mohamed Ihattaren from PSV here. Strictly speaking, Gravenberch already has a special card in the game, so he might be slightly less likely. That said, this is EA Sports. They're going to put in players who sell packs regardless of what's happened before.

Any Other Predictions?

I could go on and on about who could be in the team. But without any clues, it's hard to predict with any certainty. I mean, I hope Americans like Sergino Dest and Giovani Reyna make it, but I have nothing to go on there. That said, there is one last clue we can talk about.

Recently, EA added Amad Diallo, Jamal Musiala, and Xavi Simons to the FUT database. Does that mean they're getting FIFA 21 Future Stars cards? Maybe, but we can't know for sure. Either way, it's sure to be an exciting day tomorrow when the event kicks off.

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Silent Hill Composer Potentially Teases New Entry in the Series

PT Silent Hill Hills Konami New Game News Horror PS4 PS5 Xbox One Series X PC Dead by Daylight Twitter

The Silent Hill series is one of gaming's most popular. The disappointment when Konami cancelled the highly anticipated Silent Hills after its mindblowing playable trailer, P.T., was palpable across the gaming landscape. Since its cancellation and very public separation from Hideo Kojima, the thought of a new Silent Hill was all but dead. That is, until today. In an interview with ALHub's BoJrayed, Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka revealed that he had a big announcement to make, but just can't do it yet.

When asked about his upcoming projects, Yamaoka said, "Keeping it in general terms, I think you'll probably hear something this summer, to be announced. I think it's the one that you're kind of hoping to hear about," he added, "But we're keeping it very general."

While he clearly didn't confirm that he was working on a Silent Hill game, it's hard to imagine what else he might be talking about. The interview was mainly focused on his recent work for Bloober Team's The Medium which released last week, but this new information doesn't feel in line with that. Bloober Team announced yesterday that it has already begun work on its next horror project, but has said nothing on if Yamaoka will be returning for its score.

At this point, all we can do is wait for more clues to be dropped by potenial developers for the rumored game. After its disappointing end, fans of the series are certainly hungry for more. If Yamaoka's next project is what we're "hoping to hear about" then you have to imagine it's something big.

For more on upcoming Silent Hill games and The Medium, make sure to check out our review of The Medium right here, and this article on the Silent Hill creator's new horror game set for 2023.

Thanks for the tip Ragid Hallak! You can find his work on VGA4A right here.

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Rust Update February 2021 — Softcore Mode Proves Divisive

The Rust Update for February 2021 is on its way. As part of the update, the team is introducing a new softcore game mode. This "highly experimental" mode is basically going to pull the game back toward its original, vanilla form. Softcore will, essentially, make the game much more palatable for both new players and less dedicated active players. If you're interested to see everything coming, check out the update from Facepunch Studios dev Alistair McFarlane.

While we don't know the full story until the update actually releases and players get their hands on it, so far the community seems split. Of course, given how hardcore many players are, this makes sense. After all, they play and love the game in its current state, so they'll always be resistant to change. Not only that, but some players in the comments are taking the opportunity to talk about other ways the game could be improved for new players.

Regardless, it's important to note that this is an experiment. Softcore mode will undoubtedly change over the course of the next few months. And, of course, it's not like the hardcore players have to play on softcore servers. So, in all likelihood, this is a fair amount of bluster without much purpose. Unless Facepunch just completely messes this up with bad decisions, it's hard to see this not being a net positive for the company and community.

Rust is available now on PC. Now seems like a good time to hop in as the Rust Update for February 2021 is launching later today.

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