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Feb 01, 11:00


Kotaku Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:35 AM
    

The Xbox hard drives of the world needed a break eventually. For February 2022, Xbox Game Pass isn't cluttering the most jam-packed release slate in recent memory. Not only is the upcoming lineup fairly slight, but some of the best and biggest on Microsoft's games-on-demand service will soon be unavailable.

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Kotaku Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:20 AM
    

It's been a rough few months for Battlefield 2042, and things don't sound like they're going to magically turn around anytime soon. EA announced today that the live service shooter won't be getting any new content until summer, over six months after launch, with season one delayed and basic features like team voice…

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Kotaku Tuesday, February 1, 2022 7:00 AM
    

After 56 years, Sega's arcade history is coming to a close. In fall 2020, Sega sold off 85 percent of its arcade business to Tokyo-based Genda. Now, the company has sold off its remaining stock, and Genda is removing the Sega name from arcades.

In its place, Genda will use the "Gigo" name, which Sega had also…

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Kotaku Tuesday, February 1, 2022 5:30 AM
    

Yousuke Shiokawa, the director of the massively successful free-to-play Fate/Grand Order, has left his executive position as creative officer at Delightworks, just as its game division was spun off and is set to be acquired by Sony-owned Aniplex.

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PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:47 AM
     Fortnite Haven masks – where to find feathers

Want to know how to unlock Haven masks in Fortnite? As of the 19.20 update, you can now find feathers in chests. Just like the Toona Fish and Kymera skins of previous seasons, you can now customise the Haven skin - which you can unlock on page five of the battle pass - with a whole bunch of new styles.

The first step in unlocking these new styles is to gather as many feathers as you can. You have a chance of finding up to one feather inside any chest. It costs anywhere from ten to 20 feathers to purchase one of the masks and unlock one of the 30 new styles for this Fortnite skin. To get every single mask, you'll need to gather 520 feathers in total. Considering you only have until March 19 to unlock these masks, you would need to play many matches to get all of them.

As getting that many feathers is quite the grind, you can head into the new Haven's Masks tab in the main menu via the battle pass section to see all of the Fortnite Haven masks quests. Although most of them are pretty simple to complete, you will need to know how to slide to complete a few of them. Let's take a look at all of the Fortnite Haven Masks quests to see what you need to do.

RELATED LINKS: Fortnite V-Bucks, Fortnite Skins, Fortnite Creative Codes

PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:12 AM
     Doom Eternal's BFG is now an Nvidia RTX 3080 gaming PC

The Doom series' BFG is one of gaming's most iconic weapons, but thanks to a modder's custom build, the acronym now stands for "big fucking gaming PC." That's right, Mark Celica of Mark's Fabrication has created a ridiculous rig inspired by Doom Eternal, complete with a locked and loaded Nvidia RTX 3080.

In a recent episode of Nvidia's GeForce Garage, Celica showcased his elaborate BFG PC while providing some insight into the build. The modder reveals that he added his own elements to the gun's design, which he describes as having a "rich and curvy sci-fi style." While the rig won't help you rip through the denizens of hell, it features a gigantic housing on a turret style base, and it's also armed with laser lighting effects.

As for the cannon's components, the BFG build is rocking an Intel i7 10700K CPU, 16GB of Zadak memory, and an ASRock Z490 gaming motherboard. Its RTX 3080 GPU is mounted at the barrel of the gun, with the card's fans simulating a sinister charging effect.

RELATED LINKS: Doom Eternal review, Doom Eternal system requirements, Play Doom Eternal

PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 9:03 AM
     Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons' release date has been unveiled

Following a previous delay, we now have a release date for Guild Wars 2's third major expansion, End of Dragons. ArenaNet and NCSOFT have unveiled the big news with a gameplay trailer giving us a good peek at the expansion's plot, characters, new mastery track, and a bunch of other features headed the MMORPG's way.

First up, the when. The Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons release date has now been announced as February 28 for those playing on Windows PC. The major new adventure for the popular MMORPG will be taking players to the mysterious continent of Cantha - a region that's been sheltered from the rest of the world and surrounded by secrecy for the past two centuries in the game's lore. As we heard last year with the expansion's reveal, a magical curse called The Jade Wind devastated the region, and now the dragon cycle that has both sustained and threatened the region for a long time is beginning to collapse.

As part of the new storyline, players will uncover secrets surrounding the strange Dragonjade substance, which unlocks the power to bring the ancient Canthan civilization's special technology back into activity.

RELATED LINKS: Play Guild Wars 2 for free, Guild Wars 2 expansion, Best MMOs

PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 7:37 AM
     Fallout 76 gets a PTR on Steam

You can now give Fallout 76's new content a whirl through Valve's storefront. While the Public Test Region was initially only available to those who played the RPG through Bethesda.net, those of you on Steam can now join in.

Bethesda explains in a blog post that Steam users should now see the 'Fallout 76 Public Test Server' appear in their library underneath the regular client. Simply install the PTS on your preferred drive, launch it, and then try out Fallout 76's new content.

Right now, there's a new seasonal event called Invaders from Beyond. Every hour on the dot, an alien mothership will appear above one of several locations in Appalachia to deploy three 'brainwave siphons' into the area. That is simply no good, so you'll need to travel to the mothership's location to sort it all out. You'll need to swat some aliens to draw out a commander if you want to get the means to break one of the brainwave siphon's shields, but we're sure you're up to the task.

RELATED LINKS: Fallout 76 Mutations, Fallout 76 Perk Cards, Buy Fallout 76

PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 6:55 AM
     Major Age of Empires 2: DE update brings new co-op event and campaigns

More than two years after launch, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition keeps getting new goodies. The remastered strategy game has just got another major update, which brings a new co-op event, two new co-op campaigns, rewards, bug fixes, and more.

Age of Empires II: DE's Update 58259 - catchy, isn't it? - has kicked off a new co-op event that runs from, well, right now to February 14. This is offering a new bunch of challenges that in turn yield some decent in-game rewards, which you can earn by beating the set tasks within a certain time limit. In the style of similar events the devs have run before, this one gets you to complete a set of challenges in order, with five in total. You won't need to hit them all on consecutive days, but you can only complete up to a maximum of one per day, so you'll need to play on at least five different days while the event's live to nab them all.

Rewards vary by day, but include things like cheat codes that let you up your population cap or share resource around your team. There are also profile icons and a Town Centre decoration up for grabs. If you sign into Xbox Live at any time while the event's in swing you'll get to keep all of the mods and profile icons you unlock forever, so it's well worth doing if you intend to keep them.

RELATED LINKS: Age of Empires 2: DE review, Best strategy games on PC, Best RTS games on PC

PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 6:46 AM
     The best long reads on PCGamesN

We don't know about you, but we've recently found ourselves with considerably more time on our hands for reading (well, that and building pillow forts, staring out of the window, and seeing how much Nutella it's possible to eat in one sitting). The problem is, we've gone through that 100 Things to do on the Toilet book in the bathroom 100 times now, and our takeaway menus are wearing thin - and making us hungry.

For those of you in the same boat, we've put together this list of excellent PCGamesN longreads from the archives. It spans a broad range of topics including raid design, accidental brewery ownership, the realism of Resident Evil (no, really), the historical accuracy of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, jewel theft in GTA, the never-ending Half-Life 3 saga, and even Farming Simulator as an esport.

It's a varied old offering, which we hope you will greatly enjoy. We'll keep adding to it, too, updating the page with new articles and more unearthed gems, so check back often - especially on those occasions you find yourself so full of chocolate spread that your only remaining option is to sit down and take in something other than food.

RELATED LINKS: Half-Life 3: the entire story, Who should make Half-Life 3?, Half-Life 3 is now Project Borealis

PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:49 AM
     Destiny 2 The Witch Queen release date, features, and new gear

When is the Destiny 2 The Witch Queen release date? This is the multiplayer game's highly anticipated new expansion and as the name implies, players will finally face the eponymous villain, the terrible Savathûn herself. In case you need reminding who she is, she's the middle sister to Xivu Arath, God of War, and Oryx, the Taken King. They are the chief gods of the Hive species, who originally made a deal with the Worm gods on Fundament.

Hive gods have their own 'cyst universes' within the Ascendant Realm, otherwise known as Throne Worlds - a realm in which they have absolute power. That's where the Guardians are headed to confront The Witch Queen, and she's got plenty up her sleeve, including Hive Guardians who have the power to wield the Light.

The Witch Queen expansion releases alongside Season 16 and marks the conclusion of Season 15, in which we've been working alongside Mara Sov to remove Savathûn's worm - the source of her power, at her own request. By the time the release date arrives, we'll know whether Savathûn - the queen of lies, mind you - really intends to renounce her pact with the Worm gods. Here's everything we know about The Witch Queen expansion in Destiny 2.

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

PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 6:15 AM
     You may not need Windows 11 to play Epic games on Steam Deck

One of the most exciting features of the Steam Deck is that it isn't beholden to one storefront, but it's not exactly easy to access your Epic Games Store library. Officially, Valve says you'll need to swap out SteamOS for Windows and give up all those juicy optimisations. Unofficially, you can use the Heroic launcher directly in Proton, and it just received an update that will potentially make it easier to navigate on the handheld.

Nicknamed 'Rayleigh', its 2.1.0 patch contains several new improvements for Linux users to enjoy, including persistent window sizes and positions, the ability to check the status of Epic servers, and a UI facelift. The headline features, however, are controller support in the menus and a virtual keyboard to search your library.

The Steam Deck isn't name dropped in the patch notes, as the update instead focuses on compatibility for Xbox One, PlayStation, and a few generic controllers first. That said, the patch comes at a curious time considering the Steam Deck release date is just around the corner, and this undoubtedly lays the groundwork.

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

PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:12 AM
     Turn-based RPGs – the best tactical RPGs on PC 2022

So you want to know about turn-based RPGs? While this list may have a lot in common with our guide to the best RPG games, tactical RPGs tend to focus more on squad-based combat and have roots in the classic tabletop RPGs of old. Games in this niche are often turn-based strategy games, though to make the distinction relevant we're focusing on games with more pronounced RPG features.

It's less about the story itself, and more about how your character or characters evolve over time as they interact with the narrative. The nature of progression and the choices you can make means that your abilities and journey may never quite be the same across multiple playthroughs, and unlike traditional RPGs there are more tools focused on tracking these changes and evolution over time. They're also about offering really robust combat mechanics and making best use of your squad as a team working towards a common goal.

Whether you're saving the entire planet or guiding a band of misfits around in a struggle for survival, there are plenty of great options available, so let's take a look at some of the best turn-based RPGs on PC.

RELATED LINKS: Wasteland 3 review, How long is Wasteland 3?, The best RPG games on PC

PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 6:14 AM
     WoW is getting cross-faction play after Eternity's End

World of Warcraft players will soon be able to play dungeons, raids, and rated PvP together regardless of whether they ally with the Alliance or the Horde. Blizzard Entertainment explains that the feature won't be ready in time for the upcoming Eternity's End update but will release in a subsequent 9.2.5 update - there are two decades of code to plough through, after all.

"For years now, many players have questioned whether the rules restricting communication and cooperation between Alliance and Horde need to be so absolute," the developer says. "The faction divide could keep close friends from playing together or cause players to feel that their faction leaves them with far fewer opportunities to pursue their favourite group content. But these downsides have long been justified in order to preserve a central element of the Warcraft universe—it all began with a game titled, Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, right? But, to quote a one-time Warchief of the Horde, 'Times change.'"

Once the feature arrives, you'll be able to directly invite members of the opposite faction to a party if you have them on your friend list or if you're a part of a cross-faction WoW community.

RELATED LINKS: WoW Shadowlands review, The best WoW addons, WoW Classic leveling guide

PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 7:56 AM
     Genshin Impact Ayato release date

Want to know more about Ayato, the head of the Kamisato Clan coming to Genshin Impact? Kamisato Ayato is the Yashiro Commissioner and one of the new Genshin Impact characters. Although there are not many details on Ayato, we do know he is Ayaka's older brother and is also pals with Thoma.

When Ayaka and Ayato's parents passed away, Ayaka became the forefront of the Kamisato Clan, while Ayato worked within the government. He also leads the Shuumatsuban, the ninja organisation that Sayu belongs to. We haven't seen much of Ayato around Inazuma, as he tends to operate behind the scenes - many Genshin Impact characters comment on Ayato's skills as a fighter, as well as his busy schedule as head of the Kamisato Clan.

In keeping with his position as head of a secret ninja organisation, Ayato is a pretty secretive character, so while we've only been treated to glimpses of his character throughout Genshin Impact so far - here's everything we've managed to glean about Ayato. Although we know of Ayato's existence in Genshin Impact, he hasn't yet been announced by Mihoyo, and this guide is based on datamined information.

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

PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 7:00 AM
     Genshin Impact 2.5 release date, livestream, and banners

Looking for the Genshin Impact 2.5 release date? Following the release of the 2.4 update and introduction of Shenhe and Yun Jin, dataminers and beta testers are already sifting through every available clue about the next Genshin Impact update.

As with most new updates, players can expect a new Genshin Impact character to appear on an upcoming Genshin Impact banner in 2.5 - from beta information, this will be Yae Miko, the elegant kitsune priestess who appears as part of the Inazuma storyline. The 2.5 update will also include plenty of new events, items, enemies, and NPCs.

There are also several outfit redesigns coming in the next update - these aren't event exclusive Genshin Impact skins, but instead modified versions of default outfits for Jean, Amber, Rosaria, and Mona. Outside of China, these alternate outfits are optional - you'll be able to keep the default option if you prefer. Below, we've collected everything we know about the Genshin Impact update - but bear in mind that this information is unconfirmed, based on unreleased gameplay, and is therefore subject to change before release.

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

PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 4:08 AM
     League of Legends' new champion is Renata Glasc – here are her abilities

Riot Games means business this year. Hot on the heels of Zeri's arrival in League of Legends patch 12.2, we've now got another new champion to welcome to the Rift. Support champ Renata Glasc, who hails from "a family of resourceful and altruistic Zaunits alchemists", is joining Riot Games' flagship MOBA game as its 159th character with patch 12.4.

"Ambitious and with an advanced technological heritage, she plans to go beyond the borders of Zaun," Riot's description reveals of the new champ. Renata Glasc, the Chem Baroness, boasts great foresight and business acumen, which means she holds a distinguished position in the district - and it sounds like she's got a pretty ruthless streak. "Progress comes at a price others aren't willing to pay," goes one of her phrases. "Work for me, or work against me—doesn't matter. Everyone comes to my side eventually," goes another. So, Renata Glasc sounds like one not to be crossed. You can check out her biography here.

Renata's classic splash art is all mystery and metal with a burst of colour illuminating her powers, with the champ boasting glowing pink eyes and a metal arm. It seems her release skin will be Admiral Renata Glasc - and she looks no less intimidating. You can check these out below.

RELATED LINKS: Best LoL Champions , League of Legends patch 12.3 notes, LoL tier list

PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:39 AM
     Minecraft Warden release date – everything we know

Want to know a little more about the new Minecraft Warden mob? This terrifying monster can be found lurking deep within Minecraft's caves, now coming as part of the Minecraft 1.19 update.

The Warden patrols the deepest areas of caverns and is the only blind mob in the game. So, what makes the Warden so frightening? Well, lack of sight doesn't mean the Warden can't track you down. Instead, the Warden uses sound to locate the player, which means you have to be very sneaky to avoid a confrontation with this new mob - if you're smart you can throw items like snowballs to get the Warden to head in another direction. However, if you find yourself exposed and with nowhere to go, you will have to take on this powerful beast.

Join us as we go through everything Mojang has shared on one of the spookiest Minecraft mobs in the game, from its damage output and health pool, to its movement characteristics and its spawn location.

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

PCGamesN Tuesday, February 1, 2022 9:35 AM
     Armature Studios enhances Resident Evil 4 VR on Oculus Quest 2

Virtual reality boasts many virtues, and Resident Evil 4's VR resurrection gives one of the best horror games a second wind. Since its release, fans of the series have been embracing Capcom and Armature Studios' bananas approach to survival gameplay, and the game's first post-launch update comes with a bunch of comfortable tweaks.

Rather than adding new content to Resident Evil 4 on the Oculus Quest 2, Armature Studios' first overhaul focuses on mobility, comfort, and enhanced gameplay. For starters, you can now steer protagonist Leon Kennedy using hand movements, and players can reassign movement to either the left or right controller.

The Quest 4 version of Resident Evil 4 is now also more accessible, as you can now adjust waist and chest height parameters to suit your personal needs. The update also reintroduces the ability to change your laser sight colour, something that is possible in other PC versions of the game via modding.

RELATED LINKS: Best horror games on PC

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:36 AM
    

Oh, this is classic Kingston. I don't think any other SSD manufacturer so consistently goes quiet for months on end, then suddenly rocks up at your house, slams a world-beating NVMe drive on your desk and wordlessly disappears again. It happened with the A2000, it happened with the KC2500 and now it's happened with the Fury Renegade.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:00 AM
    

I keep trying to figure out how to describe The Waylanders' unique blend of endearment and jank. Unfortunately I am cursed with chronic writer's brain so all I can come up with is this: it feels like a really good first draft.

For every aspect of worldbuilding that I enjoyed, there was a bug that had to be overlooked. For every character that I found charming, there was some voiceover that was jarring. For every area that was absolutely gorgeous there was a part of the script that made me extremely grateful for having editors on all my writing. Over and over, I found these flaws didn't stop me from enjoying the core that I could see underneath. At least, until the game (as far as I can tell) bugged so badly that I literally couldn't continue.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, February 1, 2022 8:39 AM
    

World Update 7 has landed in Microsoft Flight Simulator, continuing efforts to fancy up the globe with more-detailed terrain and handcrafted models for landmarks. This time Australia gets the polish, with scanned photogrammetry replacements for 11 cities, handcrafted models for 94 landmarks and points of interest, and new local missions. It looks pretty! Check out the trailer below.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, February 1, 2022 7:00 AM
    

I often find myself intrigued by games where you have to manage a business - not the slow, thoughtful ones like Strange Horticulture (which I like for a different reason), but the surprisingly deep management ones that are like strategy games except for coffee production instead of war.

I am usually catastrophically bad at these games, as I lack the sheer nerve to commit all my assets to something at once, or take out loans to cover a product run, even in a fictional digital setting. Still, I was drawn to Startup Panic like a moth to a flame, and giggled to myself at the prospect of cosplaying as a Silicon Valley nerd trying to reinvent having a chicken coop. I called my founder Beth, and the company was therefore Betherium. But it turned out that the product I was tasked with making and selling was, basically, Facebook.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, February 1, 2022 5:29 AM
    

Oh sure, Sony buying Bungie was big buyout business news yesterday, but the real mega-acquisition of the day was Wordle. The New York Times, a hardcopy blog, are buying the viral hit word puzzle game for "an undisclosed price in the low-seven figures." They say it will be free when it moves under their banner, though it's not clear if it will stay that way.

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Twinfinite Tuesday, February 1, 2022 9:01 AM
    

Valorant Episode 4 introduced a bunch of new content to the game that included an addition to its Agent roster, map changes, and various weapon balancing tweaks. It's not too surprising, then, that the subsequent patches since have been small in nature, and the latest follows that same trend. Patch 4.02 notes released today by […]

The post Valorant Patch 4.02 Makes Minor Changes to Improve Performance & Fix Bugs appeared first on Twinfinite.


Twinfinite Tuesday, February 1, 2022 7:14 AM
    

We've had a spate of video games making the jump to TV and film as of late. From It Takes Two to Fallout to The Last of Us, it seems that the next big arms race is all set to take place on streaming services battling over which video game property will make for the […]

The post American McGee's Alice in Wonderland Is Getting Its Own TV Adaptation; David Hayter Attached to Write appeared first on Twinfinite.


Siliconera Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:30 AM
    

Pokemon Heal Ball Poke Ball Replica First of 4 New Models

More Poke Ball replicas are on the way. The Pokemon Company International and The Wand Company confirmed four more will appear in 2022. The first will be a Heal Ball. That $99.99 toy will show up sometime in "early" April 2022. Pre-orders are open at The Pokemon Center until April 1, 2022. It will be followed by the Cherish Ball, Friend Ball, and Quick Ball.

As with all of these stainless steel replicas, they use AAA batteries to respond to people's touch. The button will light up if you place your hand near it. Pressing its button causes it to light up as well. The case it can be placed in can also use batteries for additional lights.

The Wand Company's Poke Ball replica models first appeared back in 2020. Things started with a basic version in February 2020. However, in 2021 additional designs showed up. The Dark Ball, Great Ball, Premier Ball, and Ultra Ball showed up in The Pokemon Center as 2021 ended.

The Heal Ball Poke Ball replica will be the first variant in this latest wave. It is expected to ship in "early" April 2022. They will be sold in Australia, Europe, North America, and New Zealand.

The post Pokemon Heal Ball Poke Ball Replica First of 4 New Models appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:00 AM
    

FFXII The Zodiac Age Leaving Xbox Game Pass

The Xbox Game Pass Final Fantasy library is dwindling, as FFXII: The Zodiac Age is about to leave. The RPG joined the roster back in February 2021. One year later, it will leave the collection on February 15, 2022.

However, this doesn't mean people will see it disappear from game streaming services altogether. Rather, Final Fantasy games are transitioning from Xbox Game Pass to PlayStation Now. The new deal took effect in September 2021. Since then, as titles leave Microsoft's service, they end up showing up on Sony's.

Here are all the Xbox Game Pass games joining in February 2022.

  • February 3, 2022: Contrast (Cloud and Console), Dreamscaper (Cloud, Console, and PC), and Telling Lies (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • February 10, 2022: Besiege (Cloud, Console, and PC), CrossfireX (Console), Edge of Eternity (Cloud, Console, and PC), The Last Kids on Earth and the Staff of Doom (Cloud, Console, and PC), and Skul: The Hero Slayer (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • February 14, 2022: Ark: Ultimate Survivor Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC) and Infernax (Cloud, Console, and PC)

And these are the Xbox Game Pass titles leaving alongside FFXII on February 15, 2022.

  • Code Vein (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Control (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • The Falconeer (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • FFXII: The Zodiac Age (Console and PC)
  • The Medium (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Project Winter (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The original FFXII showed up on the PS2.

The post FFXII The Zodiac Age Leaving Xbox Game Pass appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, February 1, 2022 9:30 AM
    

Demon Slayer Tengen Uzui Nichirin Blade Proplica

Bandai Spirits confirmed that it will produce and sell Proplicas of Tengen Uzui's Nichirin Blade from the Demon Slayer franchise. The company made the announcement on the Tamashii Nations Twitter account.

Tengen Uzui is the Sound Hashira combatant who is extensively featured in the Entertainment District arc. This arc is part of the second anime season, and it started airing in December 2021. Tengen wields a pair of cleavers connected with a metal chain. Due to the sheer size of the weapons, he stores them with wrapping cloth in lieu of sword sheathes.

The Proplica will reproduce the Nichirin Blades to the details. In addition to the amber-colored blades, it will also feature the "Destroyer of Demons" kanji inscription.

Proplica—a portmanteau of Prop and Replica—is a series of replicas that reproduce weapons and other iconic items from popular anime shows. Bandai Spirits had previously revealed Proplicas of Nichirin Blades from other Demon Slayer characters, such as Tanjiro Kamado, Kyojuro Rengoku, and Inosuke Hashibira. Outside of Demon Slayer, the company also produced item replicas from Sword Art Online and Jujutsu Kaisen.

Bandai Spirits will reveal more details about the Proplica of Tengen Uzui's Nichirin Blade from Demon Slayer, including its pre-order and release dates, on February 10, 2022.

The post Demon Slayer Tengen Uzui Nichirin Blades Replica Will Be Sold appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, February 1, 2022 9:00 AM
    

Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis CAST characters - Jalil and Mohsen

Sega will add mechanical CAST parts more frequently in Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis. The company made the promise in the NGS Headline program that aired on February 1, 2022.

The original Phantasy Star Online 2 featured many CAST part sets. It also included crossover content from Kotobukiya's Frame Arms and Frame Arms Girl series. But when New Genesis launched in the latter half of 2021, Sega only added four new CAST sets (two for each body type) in the first six months.

When a user asked Sega about the avatar parts ratio in December 2021, the company claimed that it based the parts ratio on all players' body type usage. It showed that more players used humanoid avatars than mechanical CASTs, and it would not change the ratio unless there is a notable change in the players' usage rate.

In the latest NGS Headline program, Sega addressed the parts ratio once again. The company said it has set up a new development system to create new CAST parts. It now expects to be able to release CAST parts more frequently, albeit not every month. Additionally, Sega also revealed plans to release New Genesis versions of older CAST parts starting from April 2022.

The program also revealed more details on the content update that will come on February 9, 2022. Besides portable jukebox and player ID systems, the update will add support for not only Nvidia DLSS but also AMD FSR 1.0.

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis is immediately available on PCs worldwide. The online game is also available on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in Japan. Elsewhere around the world, it is instead available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X.

The post Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis Will Get More CAST Mecha Parts appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, February 1, 2022 8:00 AM
    

Ghibli Park official website opened

Studio Ghibli has opened an official website for its upcoming Ghibli Park. The site is also available to view in English, and it shows off concept art for the new park that will appear in November 2022 in Aichi, Japan.

When the park opens, people will be able to visit Ghibli's Grand Warehouse, Hill of Youth, and Dondoko Forest. The warehouse will showcase artifacts from various Studio Ghibli movies, and the Hill of Youth will have a reproduction of the World Emporium antique shop from Whisper of the Heart.

Meanwhile, the Dondoko Forest will let people visit the world of My Neighbor Totoro. The forest will feature landmarks from the famous title, such as Satsuki and Mei's House. It will also have a Dondoko-do playground attraction modeled after Totoro.

[gallery ids="914686,914687,914688" link="file"]

The second phase will add the Valley of Witches and the Princess Mononoke-inspired Mononoke Village to Ghibli Park. While the English page had these facilities listed as "TBA," the Japanese version listed the 2023 fiscal year as an estimated schedule for the additional spots. That would range from April 2023 to March 2024.

[gallery columns="2" link="file" ids="914689,914690"]

Out of the concept images revealed so far, Satsuki and Mei's House is the only spot that uses real photography. The house is the first, finished attraction within the park. Studio Ghibli and the Aichi Tourism Bureau highlighted the house in a promotional video published earlier in January 2022.

Ghibli Park will officially open in Aichi, Japan, on November 1, 2022.

The post Ghibli Park Official Website Shows More Concept Art appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, February 1, 2022 7:30 AM
    

Bravely Default Brilliant Lights Players

Square Enix announced registered players for Bravely Default Brilliant Lights has surpassed 2 million. This comes shortly after the Japanese release of the game, which arrived on January 27, 2022. Players will receive in-game rewards for reaching this milestone. Players will be able to receive the reward after maintenance has concluded. Additionally, a series of commemorative illustrations has been released to celebrate the occasion. [Thanks, Gamer!]

Bravely Default Brilliant Lights is a mobile entry in the Bravely Default series. Announced in July 2021, the title features similar mechanics to the console entries of the game. Players can utilize the Brave and Default system to take on enemies. Additionally, the game offers various other activities players can engage in, including raising their friendship with the cast of characters to recruit them onto their teams. Players can also obtain costumes by increasing a character's rank. Additionally, a multiplayer mode exists in Bravely Default Brilliant Lights, where players can group up to take on various challenges.

Leading up to the release of Bravely Default Brilliant Lights, Square Enix shared the game's opening movie. This featured several major characters that would appear in the game, alongside an area for players to explore.

Bravely Default Brilliant Lights is available for Android and iOS devices in Japan. There is no word of a potential localization.

The post Bravely Default Brilliant Lights Surpasses 2 Million Players appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, February 1, 2022 7:00 AM
    

BlazBlue Centralfiction Rollback Netcode Steam

Arc System Works announced the rollback netcode for the Steam version of BlazBlue Centralfiction is live. Additionally, with the addition of rollback netcode for the Steam version of BlazBlue Centralfiction, the public testing period has now ended. Arc System Works did not mentioned when the rollback netcode for the PlayStation 4 version will arrive. The company only revelaed that it will potentially appear sometime in 2022. There are no plans for the Nintendo Switch version to receive rollback netcode.

In December 2021, Arc System Works announced both the PC and PlayStation 4 version of BlazBlue Centralfiction would receive an update that would implement rollback netcode. Public tests for the rollback netcode began in early December 2021. The public test was open to all Steam users up until January 31, 2022. Additionally, Arc System Works has plans to implement the same system to BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle sometime within 2022. It has yet to announce a solid date for this, however.

Other Arc System Works titles, such as Guilty Gear Strive, utilize rollback netcode. Additionally, in December 2020 Arc System Works officially implemented the system for Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R. Similar to BlazBlue Centralfiction, a public testing period was made available as the developer worked on bringing this feature to the PC version of the game.

BlazBlue Centralfiction are available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

The post BlazBlue Centralfiction Rollback Netcode Implemented for Steam Version appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, February 1, 2022 6:30 AM
    

Fate Grand Order Creative Producer

Fate/Grand Order's Creative Producer Yosuke Shiokawa has left Delightworks to form his own studio. According to a Delightworks spokesperson, Shiokawa left the company in late January. Shiokawa's completely owns this new studio, named Fahrenheit 213. The studio will focus on developing entirely new IPs, as opposed to working on already existing franchises. [Thanks, Bloomberg!]

In an interview with Bloomberg, Shiokawa stated that he will focus on "creating new game franchises for any platform, regardless of [its] size." Additionally, he believes going independent will allow for more opportunities to partner with other companies. Shiokawa is largely credited with making Fate/Grand Order the massively successful mobile game it is today. He became Creative Producer of Fate/Grand Order in 2016, which signaled a turnaround for the title, and resulted in its popularity.

In mid December 2021, Aniplex announced it would acquire Delightworks' game development division. This included the entirety of the Fate/Grand Order development team. Following this announcement, Delightworks revealed it had created a new company for its game development division. The company will transition over to Aniplex in Spring 2022. President and COO of Delightworks Yoshinori Ono announced he would also be joining Aniplex's new gaming subsidiary.

Fate/Grand Order is immediately available for Android and iOS devices.

The post Fate/Grand Order Creative Producer Leaves Delightworks appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, February 1, 2022 6:00 AM
    

FFXIV Valentiones Day 2022 Chocobo Barding

Square Enix shared details regarding FFXIV's 2022 Valentione's Day event. This includes rewards players will be able to obtain, and where the event will take place in-game. The FFXIV 2022 Valentione's Day event will take place from February 8 to February 21, 2022. Players can pick up the event quest in Old Gridania, and a total of two rewards will be available for players to obtain. This includes Valentione's Day themed Chocobo barding. The second reward is a mobile furnishing item that features several Valentione's Day motifs, such as hearts.

To start the event quest, players simply need to head to Old Gridania and speak to Lisette de Valentione at X:10.2, Y:9.4. However, players must be level 15 in order to accept and complete the quest. Additionally, some items from previous Valentione's Day events will be available to obtain through the House Valentione Maid NPC.

You can take a look at the FFXIV 2022 Valentione's Day event rewards, which includes festive Chocobo barding, below.

FFXIV Valentiones Day 2022 Chocobo Barding

Looking ahead, a Letter from the Producer Live will be held in February 2022. It will feature a Q&A segment regarding Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker, and detail what the next 10 years of the MMORPG will potentially look like. Previously, Producer Yoshida Naoki revealed that information about patch 7.0 would appear sometime in the future.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

The post FFXIV Valentione's Day Event Will Reward Players with Chocobo Barding appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, February 1, 2022 5:30 AM
    

KOF XV DLC KOF XV Team South Town Team Garou

SNK revealed DLC characters Rock Howard, Gato, and B. Jenet will be added to KOF XV in March 2022 as Team Garou. Team South Town will follow suit and join KOF XV in May 2022, featuring Geese Howard, Billy Kane, and Ryuji Yamazaki. Two more teams will release sometime during the Summer and Autumn seasons, totaling 12 new DLC characters.

Team Garou is comprised of characters that made their debut in the Fatal Fury franchise, specifically Garou: Mark of the Wolves in 1999. This includes Rock Howard, Gato, and B. Jenet. Similarly, Team South Town consists of the main antagonists and criminals of the South Town underworld featured prominently in the same series. Notably, Rock Howard's biological father and criminal kingpin Geese Howard is leading Team South Town.

Furthermore, SNK uploaded a character trailer that shows off the move sets and abilities Team Garou members will bring with them to KOF XV. The trailer shows Rock Howard using his Chi attacks, while Gato is fighting with energy-infused martial arts. B. Jenet still wears her signature purple poison dress, and even uses her high heels to beat up opponents as a finisher.

You can check out the KOF XV DLC characters trailer below:

https://youtu.be/QlyzD75j0JM

Last month, SNK also announced that Elizabeth would return to KOF XV alongside teammates Ash Crimson and Kukri. Kula Diamond is also set to appear once the game releases as part of Team Krohnen.

KOF XV will release for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC on February 17, 2022. The Team Garou DLC characters will release in March 2022, while Team South Town will join KOF XV in May 2022. The third team will release sometime in Summer 2022, while the fourth will release in Autumn 2022.

The post SNK Announces Six New DLC Characters for KOF XV appeared first on Siliconera.


Destructoid Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:00 AM
    

Oh really More PlayStation acquisitions? Pretty soon the entire industry will just be owned by three companies, unchecked! Yep, following...

The post Sony's Jim Ryan says to 'expect more' PlayStation acquisitions appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, February 1, 2022 8:15 AM
    

Flameplume Starflowers, The Great Gathering, and Wondrous Shadows [Update: The fourth Genshin Impact Fleeting Colors event is live as of January...

The post Genshin Impact Fleeting Colors update launches three pretty big events (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, February 1, 2022 8:00 AM
    

Marking the Wolves The King of Fighters XV hasn't even hit the ring yet, but that hasn't stopped SNK from...

The post King of Fighters XV DLC includes B. Jenet, Billy Kane, Rock and Geese Howard appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, February 1, 2022 7:45 AM
    

'That started up after the remake' [Update: Square Enix has revealed the logo for the 25th anniversary of the game, and...

The post Final Fantasy VII Remake director teases even more new FFVII projects (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Tuesday, February 1, 2022 5:00 AM
    

Carnival of Terror Supermassive Games has already won over a crypt full of horror game fans with its super-creepy anthology...

The post Supermassive Games trademarks multiple new Dark Pictures titles appeared first on Destructoid.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:30 AM
     Vanguard campaign bug fixesIf you have played Call of Duty: Vanguard lately, it is likely that you have come across some many gameplay issues. Recently, Activision shared a statement with the community promising to fix the game. Since then, the developer has been making due with the promise, delivering on multiple patches. Just five days after a patch adjusting perks and spawns, another has arrived. The latest update focuses on bug fixes in the Vanguard campaign to make the single player mode a smoother experience. The first fix has been made to Stalingrad, which is the third mission in the campaign. The death loop you can get trapped in if you take too long to get the sewer has been addressed. Also, it repairs a problem in which games would freeze and crash when some players shot at an enemy in the Operation Tonga field. In terms of progression, you can now unlock the Ticket Please achievement. Finally, a progression blocker which caused Misha to be unresponsive is now working as intended.   More multip...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, February 1, 2022 9:30 AM
     rollback netcode BlazBlue CentralfictionLast year at CEO 2021 in Orlando, Florida, the fighting game community got several huge announcements for some of the best franchises in the genre. The big headlines included Baiken coming to Guilty Gear Strive, and Skullgirls was getting two more characters. One announcement that seemed to fly more under the radar, but was arguably the biggest one of them all: rollback netcode was heading to two BlazBlue games. Today, the PC version of BlazBlue Centralfiction at last has its rollback netcode. For those that don't know, rollback is a form of netcode that allows fighting games to function more smoothly online. To make a complicated system sound far simpler than it is, whenever there is a break in a connection between two players, the game will "roll itself back" to a previous point. Most of the time, this rollback is imperceptible to players.   The important part is that, unlike traditional delay-based netcode, it allows fighting games to function as intended o...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, February 1, 2022 9:00 AM
     Guild Wars 2 End Of Dragons Release DateAs promised in last week's announcement, ArenaNet has just revealed the release date for Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons. ArenaNet said it would be sometime in February, and so it shall be. The last day of the month, to be precise: mark your calendars for February 28. And then apply for a week off from work, because that's a Monday. ArenaNet didn't just reveal the Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons release date. It also released a new gameplay trailer to whet your appetite for what awaits you in the MMORPG's third expansion. The trailer shows off many of the new features End of Dragons will add to Guild Wars 2, as well as a hint at the perils lurking in Cantha.   Welcome to Cantha No one outside of the mysterious continent knows what has been going on in Cantha for the last 200 years. This is a wonderful foundation for a new chapter in the Guild Wars story. As you explore the rediscovered land, you'll learn how the physical, cultural, and political landscape has changed. You'll also lea...

Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:00 AM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Tuesday, February 1, 2022 9:00 AM
    

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:17 AM
     As of this writing, Crypto is considered the worst Legend in Apex Legends. Unlike Wattson, Crypto has yet to receive a rework. An Apex Legends developer had already stated that Crypto is to be "streamlined". Season 11 had all the Wattson rework, new weapons, an elaborate map, but there is no Crypto skillset streamlining nor […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Tuesday, February 1, 2022 8:45 AM
     When you have been playing life sims for a very long time, you may start to wonder if there is more to the gameplay than bringing life into existence and watching your creations grow. You may sometimes pause and ask yourself, how does one make things more challenging from here on? The makers of The […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Tuesday, February 1, 2022 7:39 AM
     It seems like NFT games are all the rage these days. Even non-NFT games have started to incorporate cryptocurrencies and tokens into their game's ecosystem. One of the most unique and addictive NFT games out there currently is Mir4. If you have the time, you might want to check this fantastic title out. Mir4 is […]