Dec 24, 18:00


Kotaku Friday, December 24, 2021 12:45 PM
    

PlayStation's holiday sale is feeding gamers well this year. A ton of titles have prices marked down, including games scooping up awards or that just came out. And since just about all of these are available on both the PlayStation 4 and 5, you won't have to worry about missing out just because you couldn't get your…

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Kotaku Friday, December 24, 2021 12:30 PM
    

In late December, Void Interactive, makers of upcoming tactics game Ready or Not, suddenly lost its publishing partner. While not directly confirmed at the time, speculation online heavily suggested the first-person shooter shake-up was due to a recent official exchange with fans, where one worker distastefully…

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Kotaku Friday, December 24, 2021 11:45 AM
    

Video game deals have become a holiday tradition for most gamers looking to get the best prices on games they missed out on over the year. And Gog.com has some of Kotaku's favorites from 2021, and years past, on sale through the new year.

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PCGamesN Friday, December 24, 2021 2:03 PM
     Here's the first official screenshot of the Final Fantasy 6 Pixel Remaster

The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series continues, even with a delay to the update for the beloved Final Fantasy VI. The devs are eager to share a bit of what you can expect, though, and have revealed the first official screenshot of Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster. Technically you might've seen this image before, but either way it's looking like there's going to be a much bigger visual overhaul for this entry in the series.

The image comes from Final Fantasy VI's opening, where a group of magitek mechs trudge through the snow toward a mountain village. The shot is framed completely differently than it is in the original - the mechs are placed differently in the scene, the vista in the background appears entirely redrawn, and there looks to be a subtle fog effect that's definitely new.

This same screenshot was included in a recent issue of Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu, alongside an image of the FFVI's iconic opera scene. The stage there appears to have gotten an even heavier facelift, with fully 3D background effects that give the game a vibe similar to Square Enix's own Octopath Traveler.


PCGamesN Friday, December 24, 2021 1:11 PM
     FFXIV's Heavensturn event returns for the new year – here's when and where

Holidays are in the air leading up to the start of 2022, and Final Fantasy XIV is prepping for its own New Year's celebrations. With a slight delay after Endwalker got pushed back, Heavensturn will return in January, and the devs have just provided a host of additional details on when and what you can expect from the event.

You'll start to see Heavensturn decorations appearing in-game starting December 31, but the event itself won't start until January 5, 2022 at 12am PST / 3am EST / 8am GMT. (If you haven't been paying attention to the Endwalker roadmap, that's one day after patch 6.05 and the savage difficulty version of the Pandaemonium raid.)

Once the event goes live, you'll be able to start the level 15 quest, 'Tangle with a Tora' in Limsa Lominsa (X:11.5, Y:13.9). The rewards include a pair tiger-themed helmets perfect to celebrate the Year of the Tiger, though maybe less perfect for fitting into an everyday-use glam. You'll also get a tiger art banner furnishing.

RELATED LINKS: The best MMOs on PC, FFXIV Reaper job guide, FFXIV Sage job guide

PCGamesN Friday, December 24, 2021 12:30 PM
     Today's free game from Epic is a modern RPG classic

It's Christmas eve, and Epic continues the holiday free game giveaways with an RPG game inspired by PC fantasy classics like Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights. It's Pathfinder: Kingmaker, Owlcat's sprawling adventure across the Stolen Lands using the robust Pathfinder tabletop ruleset.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker came out in 2018, following a successful Kickstarter campaign the year before. It's seen several free expansions and an all-encompassing free 'enhanced edition' launch since then, which have all added new races, companions, gear, and options to the mix. It draws heavily from the Pathfinder role-playing system and gives you an impressive array of spells and other arcane abilities to bring to bear in combat.

You'll have plenty of chances to use them, too, because combat is frequent in Kingmaker's dungeons. You'll want to prepare for these adventures carefully, because running out of supplies deep within the lower levels of some secret subterranean stronghold is usually a death sentence. Fortunately, you've got plenty of options when it comes to filling out your party, and if you're up for new challenges, DLC packs add roguelike dungeons and tiefling characters to the mix.


PCGamesN Friday, December 24, 2021 12:23 PM
     Here are the Destiny 2 Trials rewards this week

Bungie's pinnacle PvP activity is back in rotation with a major revamp, and if you're looking for details on the Destiny 2 Trials rewards this week, you've come to the right place. Before you start working your way up through the ladder, you'll want to know what you're actually working for - so here's a breakdown of what's available each week, and what map you'll be playing on.

If you're not familiar with Trials of Osiris, it's a weekly PvP challenge where you enter a competitive gauntlet of 3v3 elimination matches. Your rewards are now doled out with a reputation system, so it's not about pure wins anymore, but you will still get special rewards if you can manage to go flawless.

Trials lands with the reset every Friday at 9am PST / 12pm EST / 5pm GMT, and lasts until the Tuesday reset at those same times. Each week provides a new set of rewards and a new map to play on, so here's what you can expect for the latest rotation.

RELATED LINKS: Destiny 2: Beyond Light review, Destiny 2 exotics, Play Destiny 2

PCGamesN Friday, December 24, 2021 12:20 PM
     Here's where Xur is in Destiny 2 today – Beyond Light, but not beyond Xur

Xûr is Destiny 2's Exotic gear merchant. He appears every weekend to sell the game's most coveted items in exchange for Legendary shards, but if you're a casual player with limited shards to spend, it can be hard to know which of his wares is most worth your investment. That's where we come in.

As of June 12, 2020, it appears that Xûr is back to providing random rolls - so the Exotic merchant is providing more excitement than he has in a long time. Xûr appears every Friday at 9am PST / 12pm EST / 5pm GMT, and will stick around until the Tuesday reset. We'll update this guide shortly after he arrives, so if you're reading this, you need only read on to learn where he is, and which are the best items he's selling this week.

Now we're in Beyond Light territory, but Xûr's first appearances have been at the usual spots - so maybe don't expect too many surprises from the merchant in the new year of Destiny content.

RELATED LINKS: Destiny 2: Beyond Light review, Destiny 2 exotics, Play Destiny 2

PCGamesN Friday, December 24, 2021 12:42 PM
     Luxury gifts for extravagant gamers, and their more sensible options

The windows are frosted, trees are up, and if you didn't live in a veritable mansion, you might've been able to hear sleigh bells jingling. Fortunately, you don't need to wait for Santa and are probably on his naughty list, anyway. No, you're an honorary member of the two-comma club and can embrace the gift of self-giving like no other, so peruse our list of lavish PC gaming goodies and ignore the fact they'll require a fat wallet and a few spare miracles.

From souped-up gaming supercars to blindingly large TVs and elaborate pieces of gamer furniture that no one asked for, there's bound to be something you secretly want from our gift guide. Of course, most won't fit under the tree, but let's face facts: you won't even need them gift wrapped.

We know these cutting-edge technologies are tempting, but before you go selling your crypto and taking out a second mortgage, know that there are far more sensibly priced options out there. We even cover a few, so don't say we didn't warn you.

RELATED LINKS: Best SSD for gaming, How to build a gaming PC, Best gaming CPU

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 24, 2021 12:00 PM
    

All right, folks, we're now officially done and dusted for the year. 2021 is being brought to a close, and RPS is entering its annual hibernation period. We wish you a merry Christmas, a happy holiday, and a general Festivus for the rest of yous as we scuttle out of the RPS Treehouse for a couple of weeks and have a nice big sleep in our mountain of sweet wrappers. We'll see you back bright and early on Tuesday January 4th 2022.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 24, 2021 11:35 AM
    

If you like your RPG adventures to contain dungeons and dragons, and be as complex as Dungeons & Dragons, perhaps you might fancy the latest game being given away free in the Epic Games Store's festive sale. For 24 hours, Epic are handing out Pathfinder: Kingmaker free for keepsies. It's a vast fantasy RPG based on the Pathfinder pen 'n' paper system, played out in ye olde isometric perspective. The sort of RPG that's fascinating to some, offputting to others—so a great candidate for a freebie.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 24, 2021 11:04 AM
    

Midnight, one more night without sleeping Watching 'til that morning comes creeping Green Door, what's that secret your keeping?

Jim Lowe's Green Door might not be a Christmas song, but it sure can feel like one—especially inside the festive action of Dracula Cha Cha. That's right, it's Christmas Eve, which means one more night without sleeping, and time to play Dracula Cha Cha.

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Twinfinite Friday, December 24, 2021 1:07 PM
    

D3 Publisher hosted a livestream to reveal new gameplay of the upcoming Earth Defense Force 6, showing another mission from the game.

The post Earth Defense Force 6 for PS5 & PS4 Reveals New Gameplay appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Friday, December 24, 2021 12:43 PM
    

Third-party developers have provided updates about upcoming add-ons coming for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

The post Microsoft Flight Simulator PMDG Boeing 737 & Freeware C-17 Globemaster Get New Screenshots & Dev Updates; Gaya GSE Announced appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Friday, December 24, 2021 11:39 AM
    

Muv-Luv publisher aNCHOR has been teasing announcements for the series during Comiket 99, and today you know when precisely they will be coming.

The post Big Muv-Luv Announcements Dated for December 30 appeared first on Twinfinite.


Siliconera Friday, December 24, 2021 4:30 PM
    

Tomonobu Itagaki's older studio was absorbed entirely by the studio that a fellow former Tecmo staff established.

The post Valhalla Game Studios Disappears After Merging With Soleil appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 24, 2021 3:00 PM
    

Siliconera's Game of the Year 2021 awards can't crown all of the year's great games! Here are favorites that didn't quite make the podium.

The post Our 2021 Game of the Year Honorable Mentions appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 24, 2021 1:30 PM
    

The new video starts with storyboards and ends with a look at Shiva being summoned in FFVII Remake.

The post FFVII Remake Video Shows How Shiva Came to Life appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 24, 2021 12:00 PM
    

The FFXIV Heavensturn event will begin in January 2022, and Square Enix detailed the helmets and piece of furniture people can get.

The post FFXIV Heavensturn 2022 Includes Helmets and Furnishing appeared first on Siliconera.


Destructoid Friday, December 24, 2021 3:00 PM
    

Still a severe lack of neck-snapping Columbia Pictures, in association with PlayStation Productions (PLAYSTATION PRODUCTIONS.), has released the second trailer...

The post Sully's mustache is a legit reveal in new Uncharted movie trailer appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, December 24, 2021 1:00 PM
    

Come my lady, come, come, my lady… I guess this is what counts as Christmas spirit in the world of...

The post Dead Apostle Noel is headed to Melty Blood: Type Lumina appeared first on Destructoid.


WGB, Home of AWESOME Reviews Friday, December 24, 2021 1:21 PM
     Halo Infinite certainly opens with a bang, leaping straight into a cinematic that picks up exactly where Halo 5 left us during its cliffhanger ending. We witness the UNSC Infinity being destroyed at the hands of the Banished, while the Master Chief is systematically picked apart by the hulking form of Atriox, a character first introduced in Halo Wars 2. As opening sequences go it's definitely explosive and attention-grabbing, but it's also the first example of how Infinite can feel rushed and at odds with itself; you never get to take control of the Chief and join the fight for the Infinity. The destruction of the Infinity, a major part of the Halo lore, is glossed over in a brief cutscene, the death of its crew barely shown. There was a perfect opportunity to create a level built around the desperate fight to save the ship and the inevitable loss you would have to suffer at the hands of Atriox. For some reason, however, 343 opt to tell the players what happened and rarely show, a theme that permeates the entirety of Halo Infinite.

Latest Games on Play iDev Games Friday, December 24, 2021 12:25 PM
     Use the mouse to sling the slug as far as you can. Collect as many points as you can bfore the time runs out. Fullscreen may be required for some browsers. ...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:23 PM
     What's up all? Epic Games is giving everyone the chance to win on Super Squad. Read on for their offering. Get Super Squad for FREE! A few words about Super Squad Download and play Super Squad for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your library. So w...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:23 PM
     What's up folks? Epic Games holds a new giveaway for Discord. This is what they say. Get Discord for FREE! A few words about Discord Download Discord for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your library. So hurry up. Just click on the button below and...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:23 PM
     What's up folks? Epic Games is giving everyone the chance to win on Mars 2030 Editor. Their message follows. Get Mars 2030 Editor for FREE! A few words about Mars 2030 Editor Download and play Mars 2030 Editor for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to y...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:23 PM
     Hello all. Epic Games is giving you the opportunity to win on Hello Neighbor Mod Kit. Read on for their offering. Get Hello Neighbor Mod Kit for FREE! A few words about Hello Neighbor Mod Kit Download and play Hello Neighbor Mod Kit for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructio...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:23 PM
     Hello fellow gamers. Epic Games is giving all the opportunity to win on Ark Editor. Read on for their offering. Get Ark Editor for FREE! A few words about Ark Editor Download and play ARK Modkit for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your library. Isn̵...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:22 PM
     What's up all? Epic Games holds a new giveaway for Fortnite. Their message follows. Get Fortnite for FREE! A few words about Fortnite Fortnite is a hybrid title developed and published by Epic Games branched into two main genres: The first is a PvE survival game, something like Minecraft meets Left 4 Dead while the other is a PvP battle royale title, currently one of the most popular in the ...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:22 PM
     What's up all? Epic Games is giving everyone the chance to win on 3 out of 10, EP 3: "Pivot Like A Champion". Let's hear them out. Get 3 out of 10, EP 3: "Pivot Like A Champion" for FREE! A few words about 3 out of 10, EP 3: "Pivot Like A Champion" Download and play 3 out of 10, EP 3: Pivot Like A Champion for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for ...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:22 PM
     What's up all? Epic Games holds a new giveaway for OHDcore Mod Kit. This is what they say. Get OHDcore Mod Kit for FREE! A few words about OHDcore Mod Kit Download and play OHDcore Mod Kit for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your library. Still he...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:22 PM
     Hello all. Epic Games is giving you the opportunity to win on Helium Rain. Let's hear them out. Get Helium Rain for FREE! A few words about Helium Rain Download and play Helium Rain for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your library. Still here? Jus...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:22 PM
     Hello all. We have another remarkable offer from Epic Games for Diabotical. Let's hear them out. Get Diabotical for FREE! A few words about Diabotical Download and play Diabotical for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your library. So what are you w...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:22 PM
     Hello folks. We have another remarkable giveaway from Epic Games for Squad Editor. This is what they say. Get Squad Editor for FREE! A few words about Squad Editor Download and play Squad Editor for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your library. So what ...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:22 PM
     Hello folks. Epic Games is giving you the opportunity to win on VR Funhouse Editor. Let's hear them out. Get VR Funhouse Editor for FREE! A few words about VR Funhouse Editor Download and play VR Funhouse for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your l...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:22 PM
     Hello folks. We have another remarkable giveaway from Epic Games for Crayta. Read on for their offering. Get Crayta for FREE! A few words about Crayta Download and play Crayta for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your library. So what are you waiting for...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:21 PM
     Hello fellow gamers. Epic Games is giving all the chance to win on DCL The Game – Track Editor. Let's hear them out. Get DCL The Game – Track Editor for FREE! A few words about DCL The Game – Track Editor Download and play DCL The Game – Track Editor for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epi...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:21 PM
     Hello folks. We have another excellent offer from Epic Games for Atlas Mod Kit. This is what they say. Get Atlas Mod Kit for FREE! A few words about Atlas Mod Kit Download and play ATLAS Mod Kit for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your library. Still he...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:21 PM
     Hello all. We have another remarkable giveaway from Epic Games for Itch.io. Read on for their offering. Get Itch.io for FREE! A few words about Itch.io Download Itch.io for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your library. Still here? Just click on the butt...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:21 PM
     Hello folks. Epic Games holds a new giveaway for Post Scriptum Modding SDK. Read on for their offering. Get Post Scriptum Modding SDK for FREE! A few words about Post Scriptum Modding SDK Download and play Post Scriptum Modding SDK for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instruction...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:21 PM
     Hello all. Epic Games is giving everyone the chance to win on Battalion Dev Kit. This is what they say. Get Battalion Dev Kit for FREE! A few words about Battalion Dev Kit Download and play Battalion 1944 Development Toolkit for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games account, follow the on-screen instructions to ad...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:21 PM
     What's up folks? We have another great giveaway from Epic Games for Mechwarrior 5 Modding Toolkit. Let's hear them out. Get Mechwarrior 5 Modding Toolkit for FREE! A few words about Mechwarrior 5 Modding Toolkit Download and play Mechwarrior 5 Modding Toolkit for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and play today! Last minute notes Login with your Epic Games a...

Pivotal Gamers Friday, December 24, 2021 12:21 PM
     Hello folks. Epic Games is giving all the opportunity to win on Diesel Brothers Truck Building Simulator Editor. This is what they say. Get Diesel Brothers Truck Building Simulator Editor for FREE! A few words about Diesel Brothers Truck Building Simulator Editor Download and play Diesel Brothers: Truck Building Simulator Editor for FREE at the Epic Games Store. Check for platform availability and...

Dec 24, 11:00


Kotaku Friday, December 24, 2021 10:30 AM
    

As the death bell tolls for 2021, Nintendo and a suite of independent publishers have chosen to give us some final indie game sales before sending this garbage year off into that sweet night. All things considered, it's a pretty excellent send-off, composed of many of the last few years' best indie games. If you're…

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Kotaku Friday, December 24, 2021 10:00 AM
    

In 1991, I pulled a chair up to an Apple II in my first-grade class and inserted a floppy disk with a faded, fraying label: The Oregon Trail.

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PCGamesN Friday, December 24, 2021 7:56 AM
     Ayaneo Next may outperform the Steam Deck with a Rembrandt AMD Ryzen APU

While everyone is understandably excited about Valve's Steam Deck, it's not the only company that's interested in capitalising on the fledgling handheld gaming PC market. Fresh off its first handheld gaming PC, the Aya Neo, Ayaneo is ready to release a new device, currently known as the Ayaneo Next - yes, the names are a bit of a head scratcher.

Ayaneo has teased the new device since December 15, and was scheduled to reveal it on December 28. However, "for certain reasons" the company has since pushed back the handheld's reveal date to January 4, 2022, which just so happens to coincide with AMD's Product Premiere livestream event where we suspect team red will unveil its Rembrandt Ryzen APUs.

Despite there being no official benchmark data or specs for the upcoming Ryzen chips, it's likely that the Ayaneo Next will offer greater overall performance compared to the Steam Deck, given Valve's device will use a slightly older Van Gogh APU. Nonetheless, we won't know for sure until we get our hands on both handheld gaming PCs.

RELATED LINKS: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X review, AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT review, Best CPU for gaming

PCGamesN Friday, December 24, 2021 7:39 AM
     The best Christmas games on PC

As far-too-short Christmas playlists have taught us, not only is it Chriiiiiiiiiiiiissssstmaaaaassssss, but it is the most wonderful time of the year, mainly as we take a break and dedicate the holiday period to catching up on some of our favourite games.

From big open-world games you can play through from morning to night, short narrative driven games to fill the spaces between mince pie feasting, or multiplayer games to play with the family, whether that be online or together on the couch. These games double down on festivities to see us through to the new year, not just adding Christmas updates, but also being wonderfully wintery to play regardless.

We like to keep a theme going here at PCGamesN, so this list is all about games that really embrace the winter wonderland that is December. From fictional end-of-year celebrations to rescuing plague-ridden cities, videogames have offered up numerous ways to experience the joy of Christmas. These are our picks of the best of them, starting with...

RELATED LINKS: Skyrim mods, Play Skyrim, Games like Skyrim

PCGamesN Friday, December 24, 2021 6:38 AM
     How to get the most out of New World's Winter Convergence Festival

New World's Winter Convergence Festival has begun, bringing wholesome festivities to the isle of Aeternum, along with the expected sinister overtone. This time-limited event is running from December 16, 2021 until January 11, 2022, with various dates and times to make a note of. Playing during this time will net you some pretty impressive and funky rewards, from flashy costumes to decked-out weapons.

Alongside the items up for grabs, there are a number of new quests, opportunities to deepen your understanding of New World lore, and special events that are due to take place. With the introduction of the Winter Wanderer and his frosty minions, there is now a whole new chapter in Aeternum's story that features grisly Ice Trolls and Frigid Folk who are here to cause mischief en masse. Fortunately, there is a lighter side to the festival, and one which you are free to embrace, where the long-suffering island residents get a glimpse at happiness and cheer.

We've put a quick guide together for those looking to get the most out of this season, be it through free items, quests, or uncovering the icy lore of the Winter Wanderer.

RELATED LINKS: New World system requirements, New World beginner's guide, New World review

PCGamesN Friday, December 24, 2021 5:31 AM
     Genshin Impact 2.4 livestream time confirmed – here's when it starts

Things may be slowing down for the holidays, but they're picking up for Genshin Impact. Developer Mihoyo has revealed that it's hosting a special livestream on Boxing Day to show what's coming next for the anime game.

Genshin Impact's 2.4 livestream starts on December 26 at 4am PST / 7am EST / 12pm GMT. The stream will be hosted on the developer's Twitch channel for the game when the time comes, though you can typically shuffle in a few minutes before things are set to kick off.

Mihoyo has kept its cards close to its chest regarding what you can expect to see, though the developer has offered plenty of teases, as it is wont to do these days. We were introduced to new characters Shenhe and Yun Jin on Twitter, with the latter even getting a trailer at The Game Awards. Typically this means they'll come to Genshin Impact in the next update, but that's not confirmed, so keep that in mind. I also suspect we'll get the Genshin Impact 2.4 release date. Mihoyo typically operates on a six-week update cycle, so the new update will likely drop around January 5.

RELATED LINKS: Play Genshin Impact for free, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Friday, December 24, 2021 4:04 AM
     League of Legends patch 12.1 notes – Elderwood skins, Janna changes

The first patch of the League of Legends 2022 season has hit the PBE. League of Legends patch 11.24 has headed to live servers to make its debut on the Rift and, following a bunch of teases from Riot Games on social media, the latest batch of new content has begun trickling onto the testing grounds ready for patch 12.1's arrival in the live game soon. Let's take a look.

First up, we've got some new Elderwood skins on the way, this time for lucky champions Gnar and Rek'Sai. Riot also revealed a new skin for Ekko called Firelight Ekko, which is inspired by his style in the tremendously successful LoL spin-off Netflix show Arcane. However, this now won't be shipping with 12.1 as "an unfortunate mistake on [the studio's] part due to a miscommunication internally" means that the skin wasn't given new special effects, which the team now wants to make sure it adds. So, the skin has been taken off the PBE for now and will return in a few patches' time.

As is is very often the case when a patch has only just hit the PBE, we don't have many balance changes to check out just yet. However, there are some pretty big changes coming to champion Janna, which you can see below - and you can probably expect a batch of wider changes soon.

RELATED LINKS: Best LoL Champions , League of Legends patch 12.1, LoL tier list

PCGamesN Friday, December 24, 2021 7:42 AM
     The PCGamesN Game of the Year 2021: our top ten picks

Third time's the charm, right? 2020 didn't exactly pan out all that well for the world, 2021 has gone much the same way, so 2022 has surely got to be the year we get things back on track as a species.

Thankfully, we've had videogames to steer us through the hard times, and while there have been duds - and we mean duds - many more releases have raised the quality bar for their respective genres. We've had one of the best couch co-op games of all time, a card game that defies description, a new peak for MMO storytelling, and finally, a good videogame adaptation of Groundhog Day. And to think, Elden Ring, Dying Light 2, and Total War: Warhammer 3 were all originally slated for 2021, too.

Before we dig into the picks, let's go over the methodology behind our selection. Every PCGamesN staffer had free reign to select their favourite five games of the year. Their top pick got five points, second place four points, and so on. We tallied up the points for all of the submitted games (sorry, Riders Republic, I really tried), logged it in a spreadsheet, added some pointless formulae for style points, and emerged with a very clear winner - followed by nine games that are also really good. So what you're about to read is a list of the best PC games of 2021, as determined by mince pie-fuelled mathematics.

RELATED LINKS: Deathloop review, Pre-order Deathloop, The best FPS games on PC

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 24, 2021 10:32 AM
    

Today I made a life-changing discovery. Takaya Kuroda, the man who voices Yakuza's beloved protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, is also the lead singer of a band. They're named Takaya Kuroda & Goodfellas and they have a Christmas song out. Not only is this excellent news, I can't get over the fact it straight up sounds like Kiryu delivering some festive cheer. So get comfy, bang this on, and let Kiryu's warm tones wash over you like mulled wine.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 24, 2021 10:00 AM
    

Right now Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is so popular you can't buy it anymore. To prevent overcrowding and crashing servers, Square Enix have had to halt free trials and new sales to keep the game stable after an unprecedented surge in popularity this summer. Between that and the global shortage of materials to add more servers, it may be quite some time until new players are able to experience it. If you have an active subscription and manage to brave the long queues however, you're one of the lucky few who get to experience something truly special. For everyone else: hang in there, it will be worth the wait.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 24, 2021 9:00 AM
    

MERRY CHRISTMAS YA FILTHY ANIMALS! This time of year can be one that feels particularly apocalyptic, as well as, you know, good will to all I guess. If I have to. The indie games I've been playing recently all have a bit of an end-of-the-world flavour to 'em, whether literal or metaphorical or by your own hand, if you feel like it. I dunno, I actually found them strangely relaxing, as a sort of counterpoint to the chaos of my own life during the holiday season. See what you think.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 24, 2021 8:00 AM
    

It's the last day of the RPS Advent Calendar. This is it. It's all been leading up to this door, a wooden cabin door that's a bit tough to open. Wait, when did you put a pair of pliers in your pocket?

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 24, 2021 7:37 AM
    

The latest free game giveaway in GOG's winter sale is an unexpected one for the festive season, but perhaps a game which captures the feeling of being trapped at a seemingly endless Christmas lunch with awful relatives: I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream. Nothing says 'bad family Christmas' like being tortured for 109 years by a sentient supercomputer which nuked humanity and keeps only five people alive to torment. The 90s point 'n' click adventure game is a grim one (so grim!), but one which does have its fans.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, December 24, 2021 6:29 AM
    

In a special Christmas message from three of the NieR series' development stars, creative director Yoko Taro has announced that NieR is over. No more NieR games for us... unless he receives a massive pile of money. Quickly, it becomes clear he's just joshing around. Another classic ruse from the man in the Emil mask, and a subtle hint that they may have something new in the works. Plus, it's just a really delightful video and you should all watch it.

Read more


Twinfinite Friday, December 24, 2021 10:21 AM
    

For those looking forward to Bokeh Game Studio's debut title, Slitterhead, you may want to tune into the team's latest dev diary featuring the one and only Silent Hill composer, Akira Yamaoka. The video goes into lots of detail shedding light on the creative process behind making music for Konami's revered horror franchise, as well […]

The post Silent Hill Audio Mastermind Akira Yamaoka Details the Creative Process Behind Making Music for Slitterhead appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Friday, December 24, 2021 8:11 AM
    

'Tis the season to be jolly, and to celebrate developer Alkimia Interactive and publisher THQ Nordic have dropped a festive video wishing all their fans out there who're patiently waiting for the upcoming Gothic remake happy holidays. Go ahead and feast your eyes on said clip down below: As you can see in the footage […]

The post Gothic Remake Gets a Festive Video Wishing Fans Happy Holidays appeared first on Twinfinite.


Siliconera Friday, December 24, 2021 10:30 AM
    

The suitcases will be available in five different designs based on Kingdom Hearts' main characters.

The post Kingdom Hearts Suitcases Will Appear in June 2022 in Japan appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 24, 2021 9:00 AM
    

The Kids We Were is a game that can feel charming and nostalgic, even if you're unfamiliar with the time period or Japanese culture.

The post The Kids We Were Relies Heavily on Nostalgia appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 24, 2021 7:30 AM
    

Behold the Crypto-Molcars.

The post Pui Pui Molcar NFT Added to LINE Market appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, December 24, 2021 6:00 AM
    

Shhhhh!

The post Among Us Nendoroid Pre-Orders Open appeared first on Siliconera.


Destructoid Friday, December 24, 2021 8:00 AM
    

(Unless you already own everything, like me) This is how we know it is officially The Most Wonderful Time of...

The post The Steam Winter Sale is live for your spending spree needs appeared first on Destructoid.

Week in Review: Want to get shot, punched and bitten in VR? CES has a gadget for that…

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December 24, 2021
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Welcome to the Week in Review
Plus: if you go down in the woods today, you might find a lost AirTag
We've nearly made it through another year – 2022 is looming large, and soon 2021 will be behind us. Fingers crossed we can make it to the end of an eventful 12 months without the internet going down again…

It tells you something that Amazon Web Services crashing yet again this week, and taking whole chunks of the web with it, isn't even worthy of its own slot in this newsletter. There's something weird going on there – either that's a very badly-designed system, or there are some gremlins in the works, but let's hope it gets permanently resolved soon.

With the CES 2022 tech expo approaching, a couple of the interesting things that have been teased in advance of the show feature in this week's newsletter. I do like the craziness that CES brings with it every year, but sadly the TechRadar team won't be attending this time as the threat of Omicron increases (big names including Facebook and Nvidia have also announced that they won't be at CES in person).

Fear not though: over the last couple of years we've become well-versed in covering such events virtually, so we'll still be reporting on CES in depth, and bringing you all the big news and product announcements with our usual wit and verve.

Gareth Beavis, Global Editor-in-Chief
Start with This
Why would you want to get physically 'shot' in VR?
It's just a virtual flesh wound… The Owo Game haptic vest (Owo)
There are two stories from the upcoming CES show that got me intrigued this week. The first was the weird T-shirt you can see being modeled above, which won a coveted CES Innovation Award. (I say coveted – there are a lot of winners, but at least it provides an easy source of copy for us lazy journalists).

The Owo Game haptic vest takes VR immersion to another level, allowing you to feel every bullet wound, punch, and even – apparently – insect bite. I'm intrigued by the concept, but do I really want to experience the sensation of a bullet both entering and exiting my body, and the feeling of blood and organs leaking out of me, even if it is virtual?

I don't think I do – but I also don't think I could resist the temptation to try this thing out at least once.
This is Big
The Galaxy S22 Ultra could make me green with envy
A render of a green Galaxy S22 Ultra created by LetsGoDigital (LetsGoDigital)
I've never told anyone this, but the one smartphone I wish I could have owned but never did was the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge in emerald green. It was one of the standout mobiles of its time, thanks to its immense power and a display that curved around the edges of the body, which was, at the time, a real revelation.

However, I might soon be able to get my hands on something even better – Samsung could be bringing out the Galaxy S22 Ultra in a similar green shade, and given the fact that Galaxy S devices have been at the top of our best phones list for a long while now, I think we can safely assume that this will be another great device.

The only question is whether it will actually appear, as phone variants are often tested, and leaked, but never see the light of day. Or, it could be announced, but not for Western markets… so I won't get my hopes up too high just yet.
POLL QUESTION:
Which is the best-looking phone of all time?
VoteSamsung Galaxy S6 Edge
VoteiPhone 4
VoteHTC One / One M8
VoteMoto Razr (the original one)
Know This
What's Google up to with Fitbit?
(9to5Google.com)
I've long been perplexed as to what Google has been planning since it spent billions of dollars to acquire Fitbit – the company's Big Thing is data, so surely it only bought Fitbit so that it could harvest more data about the fitness activities of its users, right?

With that in mind, it made sense to keep the Fitbit brand and devices separate from Google's own hardware; so when I saw this leaked watch face that showed Pixel smartwatch software using the Fitbit logo, I was surprised.

But then again, maybe it makes sense. For many, Fitbit is the name in fitness tracking, so a tie-in isn't the worst idea in the world. Perhaps the Pixel Watch, the rumored wearable from Google, could use the Fitbit software to appeal to fitness fans, while being offered at a higher price point justified by advanced new features.

Those fitness smarts would certainly be an attractive extra feature that would distinguish Google's watch from the Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch Active ranges.

Then again, what this leak purports to show is an early build of the software, and in later versions the Fitbit logo was nowhere to be seen – so perhaps Google will take elements of Fitbit's health monitoring, and incorporate them into an upgraded Google Fit platform.

Whatever happens, I just hope Google launches this watch soon – goodness knows we've been talking about it for long enough.
Read This
The Sims 4 could let you turn real people into Sim-people
(EA)
Look, this isn't me saying I have anything against The Sims – some of the pieces we've published on it have shown me that it's an incredibly vibrant and important space. I just don't understand it.

I played it once for about 15 minutes, and it just seemed like a poorer version of my life, and given that this was when I was about 14, that's saying something. But the news that you might be able to upload a photograph of yourself and have AI turn it into an accurate portrayal of your likeness in the game sounds like a good thing, right?

Apparently not. Our Computing Writer Jess Weatherbed makes it clear that she likes to mod her character, and mod a lot, so it's more about the eye-candy for her.

She writes "…a huge appeal of playing simulation games is the work that goes into them. Making things 'easier' doesn't feel like it fits, but I'm prepared to eat my words on that. If it works well, then I might kill a few hours using the feature to turn my neighborhoods into a celebrity-filled utopia, but I'll certainly go back to creating my own, overly modded characters after that gets tiresome."
What About This?
Welcome to the wacky OLED world of LG Display
LG's Media Chair concept (LG Display)
I really like LG Display, the TV-focused subdivision of the electronics behemoth – it feels like the goal of the people working there is simply to see what weird and wacky stuff they can create using OLED technology.

As someone who was the editor of OLED News at one point in his career I can appreciate their dedication to the cause, and LG Display has shared a couple of its new and 'exciting' concepts, which it'll be unveiling at CES, with our US Editor-in-Chief Lance Ulanoff.

I put exciting in square quotes above because I'm not entirely convinced by these contraptions: three screens bent around a static bike (LG calls this immersive, but it's not – put screens in front of me and to either side if you want me to feel immersed, not above my head), and a huge curved display in front of a chair a pod-like setup.

The latter looks the most intriguing – the idea of sitting in a chair that moves in all directions, with a screen that will flex in order to keep its image in your field of vision sounds cool, but how would it perform in real life?

Thankfully I don't have to answer these questions, as these are just concepts for now. Maybe they'll come to fruition in the future, but right now all they show us is that flexing, bending TVs are cool – and we already knew that.
Don't Miss This
AirTags are great for finding things – until you lose them
(Future)
There are two reasons why I've included this piece in the newsletter this week, in which our Homes Editor Carrie-Ann Skinner writes about how she lost her Apple AirTag in a forest as a result of trying to save herself a bit of money.

First, it's a great read. Imagine the pain of losing something that's designed to stop you losing things because, quite reasonably, you didn't spend the same amount of money as the tag itself costs to buy an Apple-approved holder for it.

It makes sense to me that a silicone holder from Amazon should do the same job as Apple's version – it's just about making it the right shape, surely?

Not so, as it turns out, which leads me to my second reason for loving this piece. It's not cost-ineffective for Carrie to go back and use her iPhone to find the tracker, as it was lost many miles from her home.

I've had sleepless nights thinking about how badly I want to go and rescue it. I can't stop thinking about that poor little piece of tech, alone and cold in a forest, hoping to be reunited with Carrie, and bleeping mournfully in the hope that it'll attract the attention of a passing iPhone user.
The Sign Off
A 'black box' to record the end of the world
(Shutterstock)
I had a couple of other choices this week for the final science sign-off of the year. I was considering researchers claiming that they'd managed to quantum-entangle an animal, but then I realized that it was better if you read about it yourself, because I'm pretty sketchy on the principle.

Then there's the fossilized dinosaur egg that was just about to hatch – it's really cool, so do check it out, as it's an interesting reminder of the close relationship between dinosaurs and birds.

But it's this black box recorder for our planet that's really piqued my interest. When built it'll be the size of a school bus, and it'll be placed in what's thought to be the safest location in the world – a desert in Tasmania.

The box will suck in data from all over the world, recording temperature and ocean acidification data, along with information on land use, military spending, energy consumption and human population growth, among other things. It will also scrape news headlines and social media posts.

The idea is not just that, should we wind up destroying the Earth, anyone who's left will be able to learn what happened; it's also very much about focusing our attention on what we're doing to our planet right now, and helping mankind to avert a future catastrophe.
This is from the editor
While lots of people are shutting down over the Christmas break, TechRadar never sleeps, and we're going to keep bringing you all the big tech news, including more coverage of the build-up to CES, as well as a whole host of round-ups and retrospectives of the past year, so stay tuned over the festive period.

I'm particularly excited about our Tech Resolutions series – each of the team members will be outlining what they're looking forward to achieving in the coming year with the help of technology, so look out for those articles going live over the next few days.

Thank you for reading, and for being such great supporters of the Week in Review this year. And to those of you who've emailed me, your messages really have meant a lot… talking of which, please do email me (including 'NEWSLETTER' in the subject line) with your favorite tech moments of the year. Full disclosure: I'm appearing on TV on December 29 to talk about the year in tech, so your input will be super-helpful. And please do encourage your family and friends to subscribe to this newsletter – it's the Christmas gift that keeps on giving, and it won't cost you a dime!

I'll see you all again on New Year's Eve – and you'll also be meeting some of TechRadar's editors and writers, who'll be sharing their own highlights from the past year.

Have a wonderful Christmas!
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