Nov 17, 18:00


Kotaku Wednesday, November 17, 2021 5:55 PM
    

Nine days after Rep. Paul Gosar tweeted a now-deleted Attack on Titan-themed video of himself and his Republican colleagues killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and President Joe Biden, the House of Representatives voted to censure Gosar and remove him from his two House committee appointments. This marks the first…

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Kotaku Wednesday, November 17, 2021 4:20 PM
    

With its manga counterpart surpassing a thousand chapters and a live-action Netflix series coming, One Piece, one of anime's longest-running shonen series, will make franchise history this week with the premiere of its 1,000th episode. The landmark episode will stream on Funimation and Crunchyroll on November 20.

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Kotaku Wednesday, November 17, 2021 3:45 PM
    

As the wider gaming world reacts to yesterday's latest wave of allegations against senior figures at Activision, including the reigning world champion of hubris-before-a-fall, CEO Bobby Kotick, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan expressed his disappointment at Activision's response. In an email sent to PlayStation staff, Ryan…

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Kotaku Wednesday, November 17, 2021 3:15 PM
    

Attorneys representing the four defendants in Take-Two Interactive Software's copyright infringement lawsuit against a group of Grand Theft Auto modders recently responded to the video game conglomerate's complaint, flatly denying several allegations of wrongdoing. They also argue that their clients' work constitutes…

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Kotaku Wednesday, November 17, 2021 3:00 PM
    

Yesterday, the Twitter account for the livestreaming software Lightstream accused rival streaming software maker Streamlabs of stealing marketing copy from its website. After Lightstream tweeted about how Streamlabs' website text was modeled on its own, other companies began to corroborate with their own negative…

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Kotaku Wednesday, November 17, 2021 1:30 PM
    

Reviews have started dropping for Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl on the Nintendo Switch and it sounds like the remakes are a resounding meh. For players hoping for a bit more of a shakeup of the 2007 DS games, that's a big disappointment. For hardcore fans who will play any new release The Pokémon Company…

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Kotaku Wednesday, November 17, 2021 1:00 PM
    

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, a video game from the year of our lord 2005, is currently free to download on the Ubisoft Store. It is also on sale for 75% off on Steam as part of the company's 35th anniversary celebration. Enjoy your scraps peons, one of the industry's biggest publishers is now old enough to…

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Kotaku Wednesday, November 17, 2021 1:00 PM
    

Yesterday the folks at whatever counts as Atari these days launched Atari XP, a series of collectible and playable Atari 2600 cartridges featuring homebrew and prototype games never officially physically released. The cartridge collection's debut was a bit messy, however, incorrectly attributing a 2005 ROM hack of

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Kotaku Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:30 PM
    

Smart games use smart short-cuts to fool our eyes. Hidden assets. Camera tricks. On-the-fly rendering. Yes, every video game is an exercise in perception, and Nintendo's Metroid Dread is no exception.

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Kotaku Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:10 PM
    

As someone who had been enjoying Genshin Impact's main story since launch, I wanted to like the core storyline of the game's Inazuma region so badly. But while it grapples with interesting political and philosophical themes, unfortunately it doesn't quite land in the execution. Since I didn't have any attachment to…

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PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 5:51 PM
     Baldur's Gate 3 corpses now stay dead, because D&D doesn't have

You might've noticed that the dead seem a little lively in Baldur's Gate 3, but no more - a new hotfix ensures that "NPC corpses stay in place when dead instead of slowly sliding away". I'm not sure if that's an improvement or a downgrade, honestly, but if Hotfix 18 brings us closer to the final launch of Baldur's Gate 3, I'll take it.

"In the Before Times, pre-Hotfix 18, NPC corpses were… a little livelier than we had expected them to be," the devs explain in the patch notes. "We're not sure the Forgotten Realms have invented the electric slide yet, but we're also pretty confident that they had the moves to pull it off now. Either way - we've fixed that now, so that the dead stay dead. This isn't an episode of your favourite CW show, sorry."

Beyond the opportunity to consider dance styles in D&D's most prolific setting, this update is a pretty light one. There are some nice fixes for various crashes and issues around save creation, but I'll be honest - I'm mostly into Larian patch notes for the comedy.

RELATED LINKS: Baldur's Gate 3 release date, Baldur's Gate 3 races, Baldur's Gate 3 classes

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 4:55 PM
     Grow: Song of the Evertree makes a hybrid of city builders and Zelda games

Remarkably, Grow: Song of the Evertree isn't the first game to put the trappings of city-building games in RPG-tinged adventures - we can point to Dark Cloud and ActRaiser as predecessors. But Grow is doing it with notable style and charm, and the early buzz suggests that this is one indie game well worth checking out.

Grow gives you the humble task of crafting entire worlds, using alchemy to plant new locations through World Seeds. Those seeds grow into various types of environments - deserts, arctic realms, et cetera - and you then build villages and help the citizens there find happiness. In between all that, you dive into caves and ruins, solving puzzles in more traditional, but combat-free, exploration segments.

Early critic reviews have been quite positive (81 on OpenCritic), and Steam players have been similarly kind, as the game has a 'very positive' rating on Valve's platform. Developer Prideful Sloth previously released Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles back in 2017, a similarly chill take on open-ended adventure games.


PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 4:45 PM
     Humankind modders are already adding new cultures to the 4X game

It's been less than two weeks since the arrival of 4X game Humankind's official mod tools, but players are already pumping out new content at a rapid pace. Modders are creating loads of new cultures for each era, so if you haven't seen your favourite in the game yet, it's probably just a matter of time before it's available.

Humankind is structured such that modders don't have to replace existing cultures or their emblematic units or districts, to add their own. They all just slot right into the game, and they're easy to set up and use thanks to the mod.io integration.

For the Ancient Era, you might want to try the nomadic Scythians, which are a militarist culture with a horse lord as its emblematic unit and the Kurgan emblematic district. They get +1 industry from industry tiles, and a +2 to their experience gain. Or you might opt for the Etruscans, aesthetes who can build the Etruscan citadel and field axe-wielding securigeri. One mod even adds seven North American cultures that date back to the Ancient-era Alutiiq people, which are represented here as an Agrarian culture with a legacy trait called 'Our Way of Living' that adds +1 food to sterile terrain and grants -15% on food consumption.

RELATED LINKS: Humankind release date, Humankind review, Pre-order Humankind

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 2:04 PM
     Here's the standard edition of the Battlefield 2042 release time

November 17, 2021 Here's the Battlefield 2042 release time if you've been waiting for the standard edition launch.

Battlefield 2042 is sort of already out depending on which version you're going for, and between early access, EA Play trials, and the full regular launch, it's a fairly confusing mess. Let's break it all down as simply as possible.

If you've been waiting to purchase the regular version of the game, the standard edition will unlock on PC through Steam, Epic, Origin, and EA's new beta app on November 19 at 12am PST / 3am EST / 8am GMT. As with the early release, console versions will unlock on November 19 at 12am in your local region.

You can also play Battlefield 2042 right now if you have EA Play or EA Play Pro, the publisher's two-tiered subscription service. Regular EA Play, which is $4.99 monthly (and included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate), will get you access to a 10-hour trial of Battlefield 2042. EA Play Pro, which is $14.99 monthly and exclusive to PC, will get you access to the full game.

 

RELATED LINKS: Battlefield 2042 review, Best multiplayer games on PC, Best FPS games on PC

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 1:54 PM
     Emulators Snes9x, bsnes, DeSmuME, and PPSSPP are now on Steam

Steam has been the de facto home of PC gaming for years, and emulation is one of the coolest reasons to game on PC, but there aren't many emulators on Steam. RetroArch aims to change that. The emulation front-end has been slowly bringing some of the most popular emulators to Steam over the past few months, and the platform has recently added seven more, including bsnes, Snes9x, DeSmuME, and PPSSPP.

Super Nintendo emulators Snes9x and bsnes, Genesis/Mega Drive emulator BlastEm, DS emulator DeSmuME, NES emulator Nestopia, Dreamcast emulator Flycast, and PSP emulator PPSSPP are all now available through the Steam version of RetroArch. You can download each of them as free DLC for the software.

Valve restrictions prevent the developers from offering in-app downloads of the various emulator cores in the Steam version of RetroArch. That means it's much less fully-featured in general than the standalone version of the software, but there is one big advantage coming up - you'll be able to easily install RetroArch on a Steam Deck, which might make it the easiest solution for emulation on the upcoming portable.


PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 1:31 PM
     Forza Horizon 5's latest hotfix addresses crashes and online stability

Some crashes in Forza Horizon 5 are expected: that's what happens when you drive a Koenigsegg Jesko off a Mexican volcano, for instance. Others are not, and they can get in the way of enjoying Playground Games' latest entry in the open-world racing game series. Fortunately, a new patch is out to cut down on some of the crashes players have experienced, as well as address some of the connectivity jankiness that's gotten in the way of online play.

Today's patch updates Forza Horizon 5 to version 3.410.860.2, and while it's billed as a hotfix, it's got a healthy list of tweaks and changes along for the ride. Playground says it's fixed several crashes, including specific potential crashes that popped up whilst earning emotes offline, starting Horizon Arcade, loading EventLab events, spawning in NPC traffic, and upgrading vehicles.

Multiplayer has had some issues in Forza Horizon 5 since launch - specifically, it can be tricky to maintain connection at times. Playground says it's improved the stability of connections for Horizon Life, fixed up online traffic, and addressed an issue that would cause your car to stop suddenly when you lost your Horizon Life connection.

RELATED LINKS: Forza Horizon 5 review, The best racing games on PC, The best open-world games on PC

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 1:27 PM
     What's the best Halo Infinite gun, and why is it the pistol?

I'm very new to the Halo series, but I already adore its approach to weapon balancing. From what I can tell it goes something like this: you start with a pretty good gun, there are a limited number of really powerful guns you can pick up around the map, and if you don't fancy any of those options then there's an even better weapon strapped to your hip.

The MK50 Sidekick, Halo Infinite's default sidearm, is a godless killing machine. After some rudimentary testing it appears to kill faster than the standard MA40 assault rifle, but it can also be used at longer ranges thanks to its high accuracy and nearly non-existent recoil. When playing on PC with the benefit of a mouse and keyboard, it feels like a semi-auto sniper. You won't be able to beat one-shot weapons like the M41 SPNKR rocket launcher or S7 Sniper Rifle in a duel, but it's competitive against pretty much every other gun in the game.

Too many multiplayer games treat the default pistol like a finisher weapon, something to whip out when the enemy is but a tickle away from the pearly gates, but 343 Industries has put the Sidekick on a level playing field with the rest of Halo Infinite's arsenal.

RELATED LINKS: Halo Infinite release date, Halo Infinite E3 2019, Halo: The Master Chief Collection PC

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:57 PM
     Ubisoft announces Splinter Cell …is free for a limited time

Ubisoft has finally announced Splinter Cell ...Chaos Theory, the series' most beloved classic entry, is free for a limited time. The offer is exclusively on PC and comes in promotion of Ubisoft's Black Friday sale, which is now underway. The promotion only lasts until Black Friday, so if you've been missing Sam Fisher, you might want to get on that.

You can head to the giveaway site to grab Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory from now until November 25 at 6am PST / 9am EST / 2pm GMT. The game redeems on Ubisoft Connect - which, if you've been out of the loop for the past year, is the rebranded Uplay launcher. Once you've redeemed it, it'll remain in your library forever, just as with any game you'd actually purchased.

Chaos Theory originally launched in 2005 across PC, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox. It's largely regarded as the peak of the series, as the games that followed simply emulated its successes (as in Double Agent) or went in new and divisive directions (as in Conviction and Blacklist).


PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:52 PM
     The best Battlefield 2042 M5A3 loadout

Want to know what the best Battlefield 2042 M5A3 loadout is? Weapon attachments work very differently in Battlefield 2042 compared to most FPS games. The plus system allows you to switch between preconfigured attachments on the fly by holding down the T button in-game. This allows you to prepare for close-range and long-distance encounters with two sets of attachments.

So when it comes to speccing your loadouts, you need to think about the attachments you have on your weapon and which attachments you can switch to mid-match. In the case of the M5A3, one of the best Battlefield 2042 guns, this weapon performs best at close to mid-range. This M5A3 loadout aims to manage the recoil when firing from a distance and increase both the projectile velocity and fire rate.

With that in mind, here's the best Battlefield 2042 M5A3 loadout. In this guide, you'll also find out which attachments complement each other to build the best M5A3 loadout and when you should switch attachments in the middle of a match.

RELATED LINKS: Battlefield 2042 review, Best multiplayer games on PC, Best FPS games on PC

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:57 PM
     Hearts of Iron 4 1.11 patch notes are here, and we are not ready

Hearts of Iron IV's No Step Back expansion and the free 1.11 'Barbaorssa' patch release next week, and we can finally look under the hood to see just how the WW2 grand strategy game is going to change. Spoiler: it's going to change a lot.

We've covered bits and pieces in the past, from Poland's rich alternate history, to the fact that the Soviet Union rework required its own design team, as well as the various army changes and armoured trains. We've also kept up with the supply rework coming as part of the free patch. Seeing everything laid out in the patch notes really hits home the gravity of this update - Hearts of Iron IV is about to enter a whole new era.

In terms of the free patch, the supply rework isn't the only thing that's being overhauled. Experience generation in the early-game now comes primarily from advisors, although active combat will still net you plenty of learnings to spend on other things, such as doctrines. Army, naval, and air doctrines used to take up a research slot, but now they are folded into the new Officer Corps view, and are now unlocked via branch experience.

RELATED LINKS: The best Hearts of Iron 4 mods, The best WW2 games on PC, The best grand strategy games on PC

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:40 PM
     Age of Empires 4 roadmap outlines next patch, mod tools, and ranked seasons

Fresh from the recent patch, Microsoft has now revealed its plans for the next six months for newly released RTS game Age of Empires IV. We can expect the next update to be bigger, so much so it's called the 'Winter 2021' update and will feature over 100 fixes and changes.

The official blog post provides some details on a few of the more high-profile changes coming, such as the UI for the Chinese dynasty interface, mini-map readability improvements, and the Rus no longer being able to infinitely uplicate relics like they're coming out of a Star Trek replicator

The real good stuff doesn't land until next year, however. Ranked seasons will start in early 2022, and will last for 12 weeks. The first wave of Age of Empires 4 mod tools will be coming as well in the Spring 2022 update, which will bring further balance updates and fan-requests such as the Patrol feature. No word on any Age of Empires 4 DLC or expansions, but then it seems the team at Relic has plenty to be getting on with in terms of dealing with post-launch feedback and fan requests.

RELATED LINKS: Age of Empires 4 release date, Age of Empires 4 review, The best RTS games on PC

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:20 PM
     Rocket League Season 5 is live – here's what's new

Rocket League Season 5 has now landed across all platforms, and developer Psyonix has shared a full rundown of what's new. The piping-hot new patch - v.2.08 if you want to be fancy about it - brings a Rocket Pass, a new Nexus car, Starbase Arc (Aftermath) arena variant, and more.

The new Season 5 Rocket Pass has "70+ tiers of unique" rewards, and comes in two types, depending on how much stuff you're after. The premium version will set you back 1,000 credits and gives immediate access to the new Starbase: Arc map type, with the theme being that it's been invaded by an evil force. The new Nexus car also features, along with items such as a Spacedirt paint finish, Hyperspace animated decal, and Cosmosis goal explosion, with its final transformation - the Nexus SC - unlocking at tier 70.

There's also a bundle offer available for the pass, which will set you back 2,000 credits as of this story (it's seeing a 33% discount right now). This lets you unlock the Nexus straight away and access 12 additional tiers.

RELATED LINKS: Rocket League system requirements, Rocket League tips, Making of Rocket League

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:19 PM
     NFT games will be every bit as successful as Artifact

It's seems like it's impossible to have avoided hearing about them, and if you have then I envy you. NFTs are "an important part of the future of our industry" according to EA. For Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot, blockchain is a "revolution" in gaming. Non-fungible tokens, a blockchain-backed means of owning digital assets like ugly drawings of monkeys, are being talked up as the next big thing in gaming, but there's one problem: no one's been able to tell me what the Hell for?

For all the interest NFTs are currently generating on social media and in tech board rooms, it's hard to see a bright future for them in videogames. Most of what they promise for players is already possible using non-blockchain technology, and the one advantage they offer - that of portable digital ownership - is unimaginable in the current universe of triple-A games publishing.

If you want to see the future of NFTs in games, look no further than the fate of Valve's tragic collectible card game, Artifact. Based on characters and concepts from the massively popular Dota 2, Artifact was designed with help from Magic: The Gathering creator Richard Garfield and used a unique business model: players could buy and sell cards outside of the game by using the Steam Marketplace. Rare and powerful cards would increase in value, but players were free to trade or sell cards as they saw fit.

RELATED LINKS: Artifact release date, How to play Artifact, Artifact cards

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:19 PM
     Minecraft 1.18 update – Caves and Cliffs part 2 features

Want to know everything that's coming in the Minecraft 1.18 update? The Caves and Cliffs update has been split into two halves: the first part has already been released with the Minecraft 1.17 update. This means we have plenty of new Minecraft mobs to get acquainted with such as goats, glow squid, and axolotls, as well as the brand new amethyst blocks.

However, the 1.18 update is where all the world-changing features will arrive. These include all new biomes, a fearsome new enemy mob in the form of the Minecraft Warden, and new blocks that enable wireless Redstone for the first time in Minecraft. It's all very exciting stuff and if you can't wait until the official release date to experience it for yourself, you should probably check out the Minecraft snapshot betas.

So without further ado, this is a roundup of everything that we currently know about the Minecraft 1.18 update, otherwise known as part 2 of the Caves & Cliffs update. As well as the release date, we have everything that's appeared as of Minecraft snapshot 21w37a. We'll also include all of the announcements that Mojang has made regarding any confirmed features coming after the 1.18 update.

RELATED LINKS: Minecraft console commands, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:07 PM
     Total Warhammer 3's Ogre Kingdoms roster of big lads has been revealed

We had a peek at the Ogre Kingdoms unit roster in Total War: Warhammer III last week, courtesy of several strategy game YouTubers who got early access to a battle replay. Now developer Creative Assembly has rolled out a more complete list, along with some of the spells and beasts the ogres will be carting into battle when the Total War: Warhammer III release date rolls around early next year.

As we noted before, it's a surprisingly well-rounded group, considering the ogres are primarily interested in acquiring and eating meat. We've met legendary lords Greasus Goldtooth and Skrag the Slaughterer already, but the Ogre Kingdoms have additional characters who can lead armies. These are called tyrants, and they are the largest and fiercest ogres in a tribe, having proven themselves capable of wrestling giants and eating an entire American breakfast.

Slaughtermasters are ogre butchers who can use the magic drawn from the Lore of the Great Maw or the Lore of Beasts. The latest Total War blog post has a selection of spells and abilities in the new Lore of the Great Maw, which includes your standard single-unit armour buffs and hexes as well as a gigantic explosion simply called The Maw, which rips open the very ground itself beneath an enemy's feet.

RELATED LINKS: Total War: Warhammer 3 release date, Total War: Warhammer 3 races, The best strategy games on PC

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:06 PM
     Elden Ring players adventure beyond demo's bounds, get mauled by giant bear

A lucky wee rabble of players got a peep at Elden Ring last week thanks to a limited-time technical test. While some were content to be mullered by the slew of bosses on offer, others decided to squeeze themselves out of bounds to discover content that wasn't due to be shared. They have found oodles of things, but one of the more popular things to do is visit a giant bear who would rather you didn't leave the demo's intended play area, thanks (cheers, Kotaku).

Players found the giant golden striped bear in a forest to the right side of the middle of the playable zone, which is close to the out of bounds exploit area. Players swiftly shared the bear's location to Reddit, which meant a tradition swiftly formed of visiting the bear to get slapped up. There are regular bears, too, though they're not too happy to see you either.

Players found other neat, less aggressive things, too. There's a new merchant who looks a lot like Santa Claus. They're not very jolly, though, and are mostly just really hungry, which is a bit harrowing and somewhat relatable. You've also got fire slug enemies and a boss who doesn't quite load in yet, though players have an idea who it is.

RELATED LINKS: Elden Ring system requirements, Elden Ring has the best demo, Elden Ring's four pre-order editions

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 11:47 AM
     How to create your own game mode in Battlefield 2042 Portal

Want to know more about Battlefield 2042's Portal mode? Battlefield Portal allows you to use gameplay elements from any game in the series to build custom game modes. These modes range from free-for-all matches using only rocket launchers and knives, to a battle that pits the soldiers and class system from 1942 against their modern counterparts in 2042. To top it off, you can even play perfect recreations of 1942, Bad Company 2, and Battlefield 3 in the new engine.

DICE has designed the Portal editor to be simple to use in a web browser, but there are thousands of variables that can be accessed using the logic editor. The logic editor allows creators to carefully tune their game mode, though there are some hidden roadblocks that you may encounter further into the editing process.

We're going to break down how you can create your own game mode, including what tools you have at your disposal, the limitations of the rules editor, and how to access the logic editor. Here's everything you need to know about building your own game mode in Battlefield Portal.

RELATED LINKS: Battlefield 2042 review, Best multiplayer games on PC, Best FPS games on PC

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 11:30 AM
     Minecraft 1.18 launches this month, but three big features are still

The snapshot betas were getting ever-smaller, so we knew it was coming - but now Mojang has made it official. The Minecraft 1.18 release date, with all the Caves & Cliffs Part 2 features, is set to launch at the end of November. The update will land across all the various platforms Minecraft supports, and finally brings us a host of new biomes, revamped world generation, and more.

Minecraft 1.18 launches on November 30. The Java Edition update will be available across Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs, while the Bedrock Edition will launch on - deep breath - PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, and Windows 10 and 11 PCs.

The update features new world generation and enhanced cave systems, as well as candles. But, as previously announced, some features have been pushed back from 1.18 - and they won't make 1.19 (also known as The Wild update) either, as the devs have now confirmed.

RELATED LINKS: Minecraft console commands, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 11:06 AM
     This massive 'collection' of game delay posts is pure art

There are many good reasons why developers sometimes need to push back their games' release dates, with the ongoing pandemic being the chief example of the past year-and-a-half. While these delays are almost always totally understandable, there's no denying that, for fans eager to see their most-anticipated games debut, those statement images that pop up on Twitter (you know the ones) are fearful prospects indeed. But, there's another side to them, too - compiled together into one enormous 'collection', they're kind of pure art.

That's just what Mark Brown, the creator of a YouTube series on game design called Game Maker's Toolkit, has done with an impressively extensive, curated series of tweets. "You know, I'm something of a collector," Brown posts. "What do I collect? Why, the images that publishers tweet when they delay their games, of course." Starting with one of those immediately recognisable, bright yellow screens announcing a Cyberpunk 2077 delay (the one that pushed it back to September 17, 2020), the series goes on to capture a ton of those ominous image-tweet announcements from the past couple of years.

We can see many of the gaming greats of recent(ish) times, and some of those that have yet to make their glorious arrivals in the mix. We've got Deathloop, Doom Eternal, Halo Infinite, Humankind, Total War: Warhammer III, and - well, plenty others in the collection.

RELATED LINKS: Cyberpunk 2077 review, Cyberpunk 2077 lore & universe, Buy Cyberpunk 2077

PCGamesN Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:57 PM
     The best Black Friday deals 2021 – gaming hardware gone cheap

It's that time of year again, where Black Friday deals plummet the price of sought-after goodies and fanciful technology. With the event just around the corner, Black Friday sales are well and truly underway, and will continue throughout the month. Retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Gamestop, and more are going head-to-head, leaving an eye-watering amount of discounts to choose from. Fortunately, we've rounded them up to make things easier for you.

Whether you're looking for a full-blown gaming system, a laptop to game on the go, or you're chasing the endless upgrades you can make to your gaming PC, there is plenty for everyone. You can even kit your setup out with a new keyboard, mouse, headset, monitor, or gaming chair and still have enough for some wall hangings. Don't tell the boss, but there are also several console discounts for the more Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo inclined, and even a few Apple products reduced in price.

If you're shopping on Amazon, it's worth considering a Prime subscription, as you can access deals 30 minutes early and get the items quicker with next-day delivery. Otherwise, stay tuned, as we'll continue updating this page throughout the extravaganza.

RELATED LINKS: Best Black Friday gaming laptop deals, Best Black Friday gaming keyboard deals, Best Black Friday monitor deals

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:24 PM
    

Are the tiny computer people who write all the information down on the hard disks inside your PC old and tired? Yeah, mine too. Well, I have good news! The superb Samsung 870 Qvo 2TB SSD is the cheapest it's ever been here in the UK. RPS Supreme Overlord Katharine checked it out way back in 2020 (wait, that's only last year) and proclaimed it "a bit good."*

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, November 17, 2021 11:56 AM
    

If the new League Of Legends Netflix series Arcane has you in the mood to explore more of Runeterra, then you're in luck. Yesterday, Riot Games launched not one, but two new spin-off games. Ruined King is an RPG with turn-based combat in which you'll explore the world with a party of League champs. Then, Hextech Mayhem is a cute-looking rhythm runner.

Read more


Twinfinite Wednesday, November 17, 2021 5:12 PM
    

Recently, the Boruto anime has really come into form, exploring the pinnacle form of what Naruto Uzumaki's insane charka can accomplish via his Baryon mode. To celebrate this visually amazing Jutsu, Woodart Vietnam has immortalized it in the form of a wood carving. As you can see in the clip above, this amazing wood carving […]

The post Woodart Vietnam Creates an Amazing Naruto Baryon Mode Statue appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Wednesday, November 17, 2021 3:40 PM
    

Today Microsoft revealed the development roadmap for the real-time strategy game Age of Empires IV over the next few months.

The post Age of Empires IV Reveals Development Roadmap Until Spring 2022 appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Wednesday, November 17, 2021 2:32 PM
    

Today Microsoft and Asobo Studio hosted a livestream showcasing upcoming plans for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

The post Microsoft Flight Simulator World Update Australia & More Announced; PMDG Boeing 757 Teased appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:12 PM
    

Today, global publisher 505 Games, alongside partners Curve Games and developer No Brakes Games, revealed that they are adding a huge update to the hit puzzle platformer Human: Fall Flat. As of today, iOS and Android players can now experience the Laboratory update for themselves free of charge. This news comes by way of a press release in which […]

The post Human: Fall Flat – Laboratory Update Now Available for Free on Mobile appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:09 PM
    

Weekly Famitsu magazine included an interview with Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama about the future of the Yakuza series & more.

The post Yakuza 8 Developer Shares More Details; Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio Has More Games in Development appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Wednesday, November 17, 2021 11:51 AM
    

Now here's a piece of news completely out of leftfield. Yes, Alien: Isolation is officially coming to iOS and Android devices on Dec. 16. Time to grab your motion-trackers, eh? That's right, Creative Assembly's beloved first-person, cat-and-mouse survival horror experience is making its way to mobile next month. Go ahead and check out a new […]

The post Alien: Isolation Officially Coming to iOS & Android on Dec. 16 appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Wednesday, November 17, 2021 11:29 AM
    

Earlier today, Volition Chief Creative Officer Jim Boone released a statement updating fans on the progress of the company's upcoming reboot of the Saints Row franchise. In the press release, he revealed that they would be pushing the release date back from Feb. 25, 2022, to Aug. 23, 2022. Boone went into detail stating that […]

The post Saints Row Pushed Back Until August 2022 Due to COVID appeared first on Twinfinite.


Siliconera Wednesday, November 17, 2021 6:00 PM
    

Can you solve the mystery of the missing Nobbu head?

The post FGO GUDAGUDA Close Call Event Includes a Free Avenger appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, November 17, 2021 3:00 PM
    

You can do way more than pet the dog, this time.

The post To The Rescue! is a Cute, Hectic Game About Being Dogs' Best Friend appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, November 17, 2021 1:00 PM
    

A free Shantae and the Seven Sirens update is coming at the end of November 2021, and it will add four more modes to the game.

The post Free Shantae and the Seven Sirens Update Adds New Modes appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:00 PM
    

The cast of Windjammers 2 characters just grew by two, and it turns out it will appear on the Xbox One and Xbox Game Pass too.

The post More Windjammers 2 Characters and Xbox One Version Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Wednesday, November 17, 2021 11:20 AM
    

Among the first FFVII The First Soldier costumes are Rufus and Hojo in the season pass and Cloud and Tifa Outfit Bundles.

The post First FFVII The First Soldier Costumes Include Cloud, Tifa, Rufus and Hojo appeared first on Siliconera.


Destructoid Wednesday, November 17, 2021 5:45 PM
    

PlayStation chief Jim Ryan says Activision Blizzard has not done enough to address its issues A Wall Street Journal report...

The post PlayStation head criticizes Activision Blizzard response to recent report appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Wednesday, November 17, 2021 5:00 PM
    

I can't go back, can I? Everyone loves a good choice-based game. They're simple, but often very effective in allowing...

The post Mishaps in the preview text of choice-based adventure games appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Wednesday, November 17, 2021 4:35 PM
    

The Sonic the Hedgehog collab with cheesy layered armor is set for November 26 There's something aesthetically not quite right...

The post Monster Hunter Rise has Sonic and Tails armor for your Palico and Palamute buddies appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Wednesday, November 17, 2021 4:00 PM
    

We're gonna need a bigger umbrella Media holding company Embracer Group is not done with its shopping spree just yet....

The post Embracer Group expected to acquire 35+ studios in the coming 12 months appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Wednesday, November 17, 2021 3:30 PM
    

More than just some new skins The Naruto crossover dropped into Fortnite yesterday, bringing the popular series into the battle royale's universe. And while...

The post Fortnite x Naruto collab includes a Hidden Leaf Village Creative map appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Wednesday, November 17, 2021 3:00 PM
    

Final Fighter Capcom has announced that it will host a special fall update live stream for its top-tier fighting title...

The post Street Fighter V to showcase newcomer Luke in next week's live stream appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Wednesday, November 17, 2021 2:30 PM
    

You can stream games to your console with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription Many of us are still iffy...

The post Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S can now stream games with Xbox Cloud Gaming appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Wednesday, November 17, 2021 2:00 PM
    

Once more unto the dancefloor Developer WayForward has announced a new update for its 2019 platforming escapade Shantae and the...

The post Shantae and the Seven Sirens update to tweak some of the sequel's balance flaws appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Wednesday, November 17, 2021 1:00 PM
    

Halo Infinite might not last forever, but it could be around for a while Every time there's a new Halo release,...

The post Review: Halo Infinite (Multiplayer) appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:30 PM
    

Reach for the skies… Things are about to get a lil' more chaotic on the mean, mutated streets of Mayhem...

The post Mayhem Brawler 'Air Supremacy' update will let you get your juggle on appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Wednesday, November 17, 2021 11:45 AM
    

Test your brain for free Among Nintendo's holiday launch lineup is Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain, a puzzle game featuring...

The post Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain gets a demo ahead of December launch appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Wednesday, November 17, 2021 11:00 AM
    

Ichiban Kasuga to return in 'Yakuza 8' Ryu ga Gotoku Studio, (also known as "Team Yakuza"), sat down with Japanese...

The post Ryu Ga Gotoku are working on new titles set outside the Yakuza universe appeared first on Destructoid.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, November 17, 2021 5:30 PM
     Sherlock Holmes Chapter One Endings Finale A Mother's LoveAfter solving the Sacrificial Lamb investigation, the constable will thank Sherlock for his assistance. He also hands him a box with files on the death of his mother, Violet Holmes, many years ago. This triggers a flashback and another reason for you to return to Stonewood Manor. Here's our Sherlock Holmes Chapter One guide to help you with the finale and endings in A Mother's Love. Note: For more information, check out our Sherlock Holmes Chapter One guides and features hub. Likewise, you can take a look at our full campaign walkthrough. Lastly, please be reminded that this guide contains major spoilers.   Sherlock Holmes Chapter One – A Mother's Love finale and endings guide The point of no return There's a door that leads to the manor's backyard. Jon will tell you not to go through, but you can decide if you want to heed his warning or not. This is, technically, the game's point of no return. I suggest going to C:\Users\<Your User...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, November 17, 2021 5:00 PM
     Sherlock Holmes Chapter One Sacrificial Lamb Prison Suspects Manchios Matista Santos PinchettiYou've just attended a party that turned out to be a pagan ritual. Now, a man named Fabio is dead and everyone got arrested. Here's our Sherlock Holmes Chapter One Sacrificial Lamb guide to help you interrogate the prison suspects — Kurt Manchios, Matista, and Santos Pinchetti — so we can conclude our investigation. Note: For more information, check out our Sherlock Holmes Chapter One guides and features hub. Likewise, you can take a look at our full campaign walkthrough.   Prison suspects in the Sacrificial Lamb investigation in Sherlock Holmes Chapter One Compared to all the other investigations in Sherlock Holmes Chapter One, this sequence with Sacrificial Lamb prison suspects is fairly limited. Everyone's in a single area (Cordona Police Station), and you'll mostly go around presenting evidence. When you show the evidence to these suspects, their responses will be noted in your casebook. Subsequently, new findings will also appear in your Mind Palace...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, November 17, 2021 4:45 PM
     Genshin impact razerGenshin Impact is cashing in on its success, with a new batch of snazzy-looking merch on the way courtesy of Razer. These new products have everything PC gamers need, including some in-game bonuses for players to claim after they buy the product. The collaboration with the computer tech brand was announced about a month ago, and now miHoYo is finally ready to unveil some of the new loot. Exploring Teyvat with these products will surely grant you the blessings of the Gods. Razer and miHoYo are releasing three new items: a gaming chair, mouse, and mousepad. All three items are themed to Genshin Impact, and prominently feature Paimon, everyone's favorite emergency food. The blue gamer chair has a huge emblem of Paimon decorating the back, while the mousepad bears a standard illustration of Paimon cheering you on. The mouse itself is missing Paimon but bears a graceful design of stars and constellations.   Razer x Genshin Impact Each product will also come with some unique in...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, November 17, 2021 4:31 PM
     Sherlock Holmes Chapter One Sacrificial Lamb Guide Altar Room Crime Scene Fabio ManchiosAfter reconstructing a scene in the Display Room Fractured Memory, Sherlock will see that a mask and an outfit were left in the main hall. These are from Verner Vogel, and our dashing detective is off to a party. Here's our Sherlock Holmes Chapter One Sacrificial Lamb guide to help you with the altar room crime scene, clues, and Jon's challenge. Note: For more information, check out our Sherlock Holmes Chapter One guides and features hub. Likewise, you can take a look at our full campaign walkthrough.   How to complete the Sacrificial Lamb investigation in Sherlock Holmes Chapter One Kurt Manchios' Mansion and Jon's Challenge To start the Sacrificial Lamb investigation in Sherlock Holmes Chapter One, just head to Kurt Manchios' mansion. It's south of the large park in Grand Saray at the intersection of Vernet Street and Turquoise Lane. Inside, you'll see a scene of debauchery among the upper-class citizens of Cordona. It's straigh...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Wednesday, November 17, 2021 4:15 PM
     StreamlabsStreamlabs, the company that created a suite of software tools for content creators, has been accused of theft by an assortment of its rivals. Yesterday, Lightstream, a streaming studio used for console streaming, called out the company for plagiarism. Streamlabs had created a landing page for Streamlabs Studio, which was eerily similar to Lightstream's own page. Since then, other software creators, ranging from OBS to Combo, have called out the company for stealing ideas. Streamlabs has called the Lightstream situation "a mistake," and announced it will remove "OBS" from its Streamlabs Open Broadcast Software name. Viewing the Lightstream and Streamlabs Studios pages side by side, you could see the similarities. In fact, that's exactly what Lightstream did. In a Twitter message that sparked the backlash, the company shared a comparison image. The art was altered, but the layout and wordage were practically the same. Streamlabs responded, saying i...

Gamer Empire Wednesday, November 17, 2021 4:56 PM
    

The max open feature in Anime Fighters Simulator allows you to instantly open stars equal to the number of slots left in your character inventory. Using the max open feature can significantly decrease the expected time that it takes for you to acquire a secret character in the game, as you can open tons of […]

The post Anime Fighters Simulator – How to Get Multi-Open Tokens appeared first on Gamer Empire.


Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, November 17, 2021 5:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, November 17, 2021 4:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, November 17, 2021 3:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, November 17, 2021 2:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, November 17, 2021 1:00 PM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:00 PM
    

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Wednesday, November 17, 2021 5:29 PM
     In Supergiant Games' Hades, Zagreus can build relationships with other characters. This can be done by giving them Nectar. Then, after giving them enough Nectar (usually about five to six), Zagreus would need to do them a favor to continue strengthening their relationship. Dusa, the shy custodian of the House of Hades, is one of […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Wednesday, November 17, 2021 4:17 PM
     If you had the power to rewind time, life would surely be a wild ride. Life Is Strange begins with this premise and focuses on Max Caulfield, who discovers her powers. Through her adventures, she has to enter the girls' dormitory. However, you can't make Max waltz in right away, as the game prevents this […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Wednesday, November 17, 2021 3:10 PM
     The Ingenious Machine: Marionette Swordmaster Maguu Kenki is a mechanical humanoid created by the first-generation master of a specific sword school. Thus, explaining how it looks and fights like a swordsman. This machine monster is a world boss found on one of the major islands of Inazuma, Kannnazuka. Aside from his blade, this mechanical swordsman […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Wednesday, November 17, 2021 2:17 PM
     The Crystal Cruiser is one of the best ships in FTL, and it's no surprise that new players want to unlock them as quickly as possible. Unlocking the Crystal Cruisers requires specific steps to complete and is not feasible for all runs. Here's one of the best and easiest methods to unlock the Crystal Cruiser […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:56 PM
     The Nissan Skyline R34 GTR is probably the most popular Japanese Domestic Market car in any racing game. Nissan's Gran Turismo racer of the 2000s was made popular by film, games, anime, and practically any motorsport media. Part of the charm was its rarity and the legendary legacy that its forefathers, the R32 and R33, […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Wednesday, November 17, 2021 11:28 AM
     Are you tired of fighting games that contain too much violence? Do you want to take a break from horror games that keep haunting you till you sleep? Well, let's show you an alternative. Fall Guys is a race-type battle royale video game with 60 players per room, and these players race to the finish […]

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, November 17, 2021 5:24 PM
    

The battle pass is taking too long to level for players.

The post 343 Industries Looking Into Halo Infinite Battle Pass appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, November 17, 2021 1:40 PM
    

It will also be doubling its development team size.

The post Six Days In Fallujah Delayed Till Late 2022 appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, November 17, 2021 11:32 AM

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, November 17, 2021 11:01 AM
    

Did your games make the list?

The post Video Game Awards Nominees Announced appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.


MonsterVine Wednesday, November 17, 2021 2:00 PM
    

This past weekend, I had the chance to partake in the Closed Network Test for FROM Software and George R. R. Martin's newest title, Elden Ring. I've played a couple of the Souls games, so I was rather interested in seeing how Elden Ring was shaping up. I'm quite impressed, as the network test gave […]

The post Elden Ring Preview – Oh Network Test, Ohhh Network Test appeared first on MonsterVine.


Level Up Wednesday, November 17, 2021 12:04 PM
     Yesterday, The Wall Street Journal published an extensive report detailing evidence that Activision CEO Bobby…