May 03, 08:00


Kotaku Tuesday, May 3, 2022 1:15 AM

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 3, 2022 7:40 AM
     Lost Ark Ark Pass: rewards, skins, and premium tracks explained

Want to know what the Lost Ark Ark Pass contains? The Ark Pass is here, bringing with it 30 tiers of rewards, a new skin set, and an exclusive new pet. Acquiring the Lost Ark battle pass seems straightforward, though Smilegate has left out a few key details on when the pass becomes available and how to activate it. The Ark Pass runs in seasons, which last long enough to reach the highest pass level, but what you get depends on how much you're willing to pay.

The Ark Pass includes three tracks, only one of which is free. Unlike other battle pass systems, though, the free track includes a substantial number of rewards. That being said, you won't be able to unlock the pet or the skin set as advertised on the pass' menu page. All rewards are roster bound, which means they apply to each character on your main server – handy if you're leveling a new class after using the Power Pass.

Here's everything you need to know about how the Ark Pass works, what you need to do to obtain it, and what each reward track has to offer.

RELATED LINKS: Best MMOS and MMORPGs on PC, Upcoming PC games, Best fantasy games on PC

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 3, 2022 7:25 AM
     Razer splashes MCU's Captain America on its Xbox controller

Razer has just added to its long list of limited edition licensed Xbox controllers, giving its gamepad and quick charging dock a splash of Captain America-coloured paint. More specifically, it's inspired by the star-spangled uniform that features in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and looks fit for an Avenger.

We can't comment on whether it's as tough as Vibranium without a hands-on, but it takes the shape of the same Core controllers that ship with Xbox Series X and Series S. It's pretty comfortable with textured grips to keep the pad firmly in your palms, and it features more precise Impulse Analog Triggers on the rear that vibrate so you can feel the impact of every press.

The quick charging dock doesn't just look the part as Cap's shield, as Razer says it can fully juice up your controller in under three hours. The flashiness should make it easier to remember to slot it on the magnetic pins at the end of a gaming session so you don't experience the pure rage of finding a dead controller when you need it most - or at least you'd hope that's the case.

RELATED LINKS: Razer Thresher Ultimate review, Razer Blade review, Best gaming headset

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 3, 2022 7:23 AM
     Blizzard is

Blizzard is looking into new Diablo Immortal classes, skills, and legendary items according to the mobile RPG game's director Wyatt Cheng, which has recently been confirmed for a PC release this June - with "plans" for new characters.

Diablo Immortal game director Wyatt Cheng took to the fantasy game's Discord server (as spotted and catalogued by WoWHead) to answer a bunch of player questions about the only new Diablo game coming this year - including hints about what Blizzard has in the works. We currently know about six Diablo Immortal classes that the game will presumably all launch with, but apparently, Blizzard is already looking into adding more.

According to Wyatt Cheng, the team is "evaluating the value of new classes versus new legendary items versus new skills", adding that they all "compete for the same development resources". When asked more directly about possible new character classes coming to Diablo Immortal, the director couldn't admit any details but did proudly confirm, "we got plans".


PCGamesN Tuesday, May 3, 2022 6:58 AM
     Meta Project Cambria VR headset will cost over $800

Meta has confirmed that its Project Cambria VR headset will cost "significantly" more than $800. In a statement issued to Road to VR, the social media giant added clarification regarding the price of its metaverse goggles, following price claims included in a virtual reality release roadmap report by The Information.

The Project Cambria confirmation effectively dismisses claims that the device will cost $800, but gives us an idea of what to expect in terms of price. The company's wording implies its next best VR headset could cost over $1,000, meaning it'd sit among professional-grade options like the HTC Vive Focus 3.

Meta has already stressed that Project Cambria is a higher-end product than the Oculus Quest 2, with the company suggesting it could eventually replace your work PC. While this doesn't mean it won't double as a gaming headset, Meta's metaverse intentions are crystal clear, and it'd likely rather you use the device to wield a social avatar than mess up zombies in Resident Evil 4 VR.

RELATED LINKS: Best VR games, Build yourself a VR-ready PC for $793, How to set up your Oculus Rift

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 3, 2022 6:58 AM
     Free MMOs: RPGs and other massively multiplayer greats

What is the best free MMO? Making such a decision is no mean feat. Free-to-play games are increasingly common, meaning the F2P MMO crowd now have a lot more options than they used to. Even if your wallet is gathering cobwebs and your bank account is best friends with the number zero, there is a quality game on the PC to enjoy.

What's more, from online war zones to behemoth free MMORPGs, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Free games are no longer just the domain of MOBAs and Runescape; there are shooters to rival the likes of Overwatch, space games as shiny as Elite, and Warcraft-grade MMOs that don't demand a subscription.

Aside from completely free to play games, we have also included some MMOs with lengthy free trials – games where there is plenty to enjoy without spending a penny. So without further ado, let's take a look at the best online games you can play without breaking the bank.

RELATED LINKS: Play RIFT for free, Free MMO list, New MMOs

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 3, 2022 6:03 AM
     Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU could break the 100 teraflops ceiling

The Nvidia RTX 4090 is set to be the company's next best graphics card, but rumours suggest the GPU could set a lofty 100 TFLOPs performance bar. According to reliable leaker Kopite7kimi, both the green team and AMD will supposedly participate in a "gaming war", with contenders that far exceed the capabilities of their predecessors.

For context, if the RTX 4090 does smash the 100 TFLOP gaming PC bar, it'll end up doubling the power of the RTX 3090 Ti. The next-gen AD102 chip is already shaping up to be a GPU goliath, with 18,432 CUDA cores and a 384-bit bus, meaning the card should feature enthusiast-grade performance that far exceeds anything on the market to date.

While the RTX 4090 will likely lead the RTX 4060, RTX 4070, and RTX 4080 into battle against both AMD and Intel, Nvidia is also toying with the idea of an RTX 4090 Ti. Whether the company's monstrous conceptual graphics card actually shows up is another thing, but it may set the bar even higher with a "full fat" AD102 GPU and a whopping 46GB GDDR6X VRAM.

RELATED LINKS: RTX 4000 - everything we know, GeForce Now RTX 3080 review, Best graphics card

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 3, 2022 5:32 AM
     Fortnite Wanda skin leaks for Marvel Doctor Strange 2 collab

It looks like Marvel's Scarlet Witch is coming to Epic's battle royale game as a Fortnite Wanda skin has leaked, seemingly as another Marvel movie tie-in for a Doctor Strange 2 collab - so it's likely coming this week.

The Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2 battle pass already went heavy on the Marvel collaboration, including a level 100 Doctor Strange skin very much modelled on the movie incarnation played by Benedict Cumberbatch. This was presumably done on purpose, as the Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness movie launches this week.

The other major character in the movie is Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch - and now, thanks to Twitter user and Fortnite leaker @zatheo_, we know that Wanda is also coming to Epic's multiplayer game thanks to a leak they posted today. There are only a few pictures of the Fortnite Wanda Maximoff skin, presumably in the game's Creative mode, but they clearly show the occasional mutant in her Scarlet Witch outfit - which debuted in Disney Plus show WandaVision last year.

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

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 3, 2022 6:46 AM
     Total War: Warhammer 3 DLC: new Lord pack, Blood pack, and more

So, you want to know about Total War: Warhammer 3 DLC? The new strategy game from Creative Assembly caps off an exciting chapter in Total War history, where players are transported to the iconic Warhammer Fantasy tabletop setting. Total War: Warhammer I and II both had their fair share of post-release expansions, and Creative Assembly has left plenty of hints that there will be more Warhammer III to come as well.

While it's early days, we've put together a guide collecting everything we know so far about Warhammer 3 DLC. So far, the only major insight we have into Creative Assembly's plans for the game come from a developer roadmap released in May 2022. We also indulge in some speculation in terms of what we think could be coming down the line.

There are also a few bits that, while not announced in the formal sense, have been confirmed as being on the way at some point after launch, so we've included all the details we know so far about those too. Without further ado, here's everything we - and now, you - know about Total War: Warhammer 3 DLC.

RELATED LINKS: Total War: Warhammer 3 DLC, Total War: Warhammer 3 races, Total War: Warhammer 3 review

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 3, 2022 6:13 AM
     League of Legends patch 12.9 notes – Taliyah update, EDG skins

The League of Legends patch 12.9 notes are starting to make their way onto the Public Beta Environment (PBE). While LoL patch 12.8 has just gone live, we already have a good idea of what Riot Games is working on next for the popular MOBA game.

While you wait for new content to populate the PBE, you've got plenty to check out in League of Legends' latest patch. Riot has overhauled Swain's kit to make him a more attractive pick in the current meta, while 18 other champions have also been tweaked. If you're looking for some more visual flair, Riot has added a lovely batch of Solar and Lunar Eclipse skins for Kayle, Sejuani, Sivir, Aatrox, and Senna.

While patch 12.9 is still in the earlier stages of development, you've got plenty to eyeball. Riot is working on a mid-scope update for Taliyah that'll be just as extensive as Swain's rework. You've also got several new High Noon skins for the likes of Katarina, Leona, and more that make the champions look like gothic vampire hunters. If that isn't your style, Riot has also added some icy skins to honour esports outfit Edward Gaming's 2021 World Championship.

RELATED LINKS: Best LoL Champions , League of Legends patch 12.8 notes, LoL tier list

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 3, 2022 6:03 AM
     Total War: Warhammer 3 Immortal Empires – release date and rumours

So you want to know about Total War: Warhammer 3 Immortal Empires? Creative Assembly confirmed that it's working on a new, big map combining all three strategy games via the official Warhammer III FAQ. The studio states that, "We will release a massive combined map that will be a huge free DLC for owners of all three games, and we'll have more detail later."

We also now have more details on when Warhammer 3 Immortal Empires is coming. On a recent developer blog, Creative Assembly outlined its update roadmap for the rest of 2022 and beyond. While it won't be releasing as quickly as Warhammer II's Mortal Empires map did, it should be here by September 2022. We also got a little bit more detail when we interviewed game director Ian Roxburgh ahead of the Warhammer 3 release date.

We've put together a quick guide collecting all of the known and rumoured information surrounding the upcoming Warhammer 3 Immortal Empires combined map, and we'll keep it updated as more information comes to light.

RELATED LINKS: Total War: Warhammer 3 DLC, Total War: Warhammer 3 races, Total War: Warhammer 3 review

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 3, 2022 6:08 AM
     Genshin Impact Yelan banner release date and abilities

Want to know about the Yelan banner release date in Genshin Impact? Yelan has been in the RPG game's files since the 2.0 update, and we're getting more details about this new Genshin Impact character as time goes on. Her original datamined profile had her listed under the 'tall woman' model, and other rumours pointed to her being a hydro bow user.

While the Genshin Impact Yelan banner release date isn't known right now, some of the rumours have been cleared up at least. A post on the official Genshin Impact Twitter account formally revealed the character towards the end of March 2022 along with Kuki Shinobu, just before the Genshin Impact 2.6 release date.

We got a character art poster and some minor details, including the fact that she's a hydro disciple. Further information taken from a beta for the 2.7 build has seemingly confirmed that she is bow wielder, as well as what her abilities are likely to be. Here's everything we know about Yelan in Genshin Impact so far, including her abilities and her banner release date.

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

PCGamesN Tuesday, May 3, 2022 6:09 AM
     Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu banner release date and abilities

Looking for the Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu banner release date? Following the discovery of a reference to Kuki Shinobi in Genshin Impact's game files, players have been eagerly waiting for more information on this possible new Genshin Impact character.

Kuki Shinobu's banner release date isn't known yet, but there are few things we can say for certain now that she's been officially announced via the Genshin Impact twitter account. We know she's an Electro character, for example, and the current rumours suggests Kuki will be a new four-star character coming in a future Genshin Impact banner.

Thanks to recent leaks from the 2.7 beta, we also have some idea as to what her abilities might look like as well. It seems she's a sword user, with some healing-focused support abilities that work even when she's off the field. Kuki Shinobu - previously known as Kuki Ninja - is mentioned in-game in a couple of voice lines. She's the deputy of the Arataki gang, and was first introduced in Itto's official announcement tweet. Here's everything we know about Kuki Shinobu in Genshin Impact.

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

Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, May 3, 2022 7:23 AM
    

Square Enix are to sell most of their Western studios and intellectual property such as Tomb Raider, Deux Ex, Thief and Legacy Of Kain to Sweden's Embracer Group for $300 million (£240 million) in cash, it has been announced. The studios being sold to Embracer include Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montréal and Square Enix Montréal, but not the UK-based Square Enix Collective. This means Square will retain publishing rights to IP including Life Is Strange, Just Cause and Outriders.

The deal transfers around 1,100 staff to Embracer and more than 50 'back-catalogue' games. It's expected to conclude sometime between July and September, in the second quarter of Embracer's current financial year, subject to regulatory approvals. Embracer held an hour-long livestream to detail the announcement, which you can watch in full here. Compared to Microsoft's billion-dollar buying splurge in recent years, Embracer have landed these AAA studios for cheap – they're only paying the equivalent of 960,000,000 Freddos.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, May 3, 2022 6:24 AM
    

Back in March 2021, when the Intel Arc Alchemist graphics cards still went by their architecture title of Xe HPG, Intel launched a digital scavenger hunt to drum up interest in these upcoming desktop GPUs. This ran for so long and so quietly that I'll admit I forgot it was happening, but it's now concluded, and prize info sent to the 200 winners contains the first real hints at what these mysterious gaming cards will cost.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, May 3, 2022 5:51 AM
    

Look, I know I'm already running late on a series I revived only last week, but Monday was a bank holiday so we're reconvening later than usual to admire screenshots and clips of upcoming indie games. This weekend, my eye was caught by a rocketjumping skeleton, a little guy of meat, and some very nice clours.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, May 3, 2022 4:00 AM
    

The Garden Path appeared just about a year ago, a sort of slightly more complex-looking Animal Crossing. Lauren played the demo a few months back and found it to be lovely, and indeed, what's not to love about a pretty 2D world where you potter about and plant things, and trade things with different anthropomorphic animals that wander through. There's a slightly chonkier preview build knocking about now, and I'll say this for it: you need to put the time in.

There's more to say as well, but that was my main takeaway from the current build. Much like actual gardening, a lot of The Garden Path is inscrutable to me - at least from the visits I've made to the garden so far, which is actually more of a free-form forest at present. Presumably after some effort on my part I can shape it how I'd like. But if current trends hold that will take a long time. Cos plants.

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Twinfinite Tuesday, May 3, 2022 6:23 AM
     Epic Games has just rolled out the Fortnite 20.30 update, which adds a significant amount of new content including Star Wars quests and Lightsabers as weapons to celebrate May the 4th tomorrow, as well as introducing a Doctor Strange NPC. While the blog post has now released and shares information about the immediate content available […]

Twinfinite Tuesday, May 3, 2022 12:27 AM
     If you have not yet had the chance to try out the award-winning roguelite that is Returnal, now might be the best chance to do so. Having recently gotten a gigantic free update that added co-op and a new mode in Tower of Sisyphus to challenge players, developer Housemarque has now rolled out a new […]

Twinfinite Tuesday, May 3, 2022 12:25 AM
     With Sony recently teasing and then finally rolling out a new system software update that enabled support for Variable Refresh Rates (VRR) for compatible televisions, the ball is now in the court of developers to decide if they want to up the graphical game for their titles. Tango Gameworks is one of the studios that […]

Twinfinite Tuesday, May 3, 2022 12:14 AM
     Today Atlus released another daily trailer for its upcoming JRPG Soul Hackers 2, showing one of its demons.

Siliconera Tuesday, May 3, 2022 7:30 AM
    

The Touhou Empires

Phoenixx and Neetpia have announced The Touhou Empires, a real-time strategy fan game, for PC. It will release sometime in 2022. Alongside this announcement, a gameplay trailer was shared. This includes a look at general gameplay and combat in the real-time strategy title. Players will gather resources to construct buildings and gather an army. Additionally, they will have access to "Spell Cards," which are extremely powerful attacks to help them in combat. There will also be a story mode.

You can watch the trailer for The Touhou Empires below.

[embed]https://youtu.be/ImN9KauZRiE[/embed]

Players will gather resources with fairies to construct various buildings. Several of these buildings were shown in the trailer, along with how players can ultimately construct their forts and raise their individual armies.

As mentioned previously, the title will have a mechanic called "Spell Cards." This mechanic will allow players to unleash devastating attacks against enemy armies. This is a mechanic somewhat unique to the game. The trailer shows this mechanic being used by a major character as they fight alongside their army.

Alongside a story mode, there will also be an online versus mode. It will support up to six players at a time. More information about the title will appear in the future.

The Touhou Empires is in development and will release for PC through Steam sometime in 2022.

The post The Touhou Empires Announced for PC, will Release in 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 3, 2022 7:00 AM
    

Spy x Family Opening Wallpaper

The official Spy x Family Japanese Twitter account has shared mobile wallpapers featuring images from the opening of the anime. They are immediately available to download through Twitter. A total of three wallpapers are available, each featuring one of three main characters relaxing. The Spy x Family opening mobile wallpapers have been released in celebration of Golden Week. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

The wallpapers themselves have been taken directly from the opening of the anime and feature the same stylized, pastel look. However, the images were shown in a different resolution, with some of them cut off in the opening. These illustrations have had a bit of extra detail added to them to make them more wallpaper-friendly.

You can take a look at the wallpapers below.

[embed]https://twitter.com/spyfamily_anime/status/1521323668546093057[/embed]

The opening of Spy x Family is available to watch through the show's official YouTube channel. Animation for the opening was handled by Wit Studio and Cloverworks. Cloverworks' previous works include Fate / Grand Order --Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia and The Promised Neverland . Wit Studio has worked on series such as Attack on Titan and Vinland Saga .

The  Spy x Family anime adaptation is available to watch dubbed or subbed through Crunchyroll . The manga's English release is being handled by Viz Media.

The post Spy x Family Opening Wallpapers Released for Mobile appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Tuesday, May 3, 2022 6:00 AM
    

Street Fighter Fortnite Skins

Street Fighter skins of Cammy, Chun-Li, Ryu, and Guile have returned in Fortnite. The skins are available to obtain for a limited period of time, with each skin including one different style that changes the appearance of the skin. In the case of Ryu, for example, it switches between his classic appearance and his appearance in Street Fighter V. The Street Fighter skins of Chun-Li, Ryu, Guile, and Cammy in Fortnite are available to obtain individually for 1,600 V-Bucks, which translates to roughly $15. However, the skins are available to purchase as a bundle for a higher price.

In addition to the skins, other cosmetic items are also available for purchase. These include special themed pickaxes, gliders, and back bling. Furthermore, the skins will come with unique built-in emotes specific to each individual character.

Alongside the return of these Street Fighter skins, Sakura and Blanka are available to obtain as skins in Fortnite. Like the Ryu, Chun-Li, Cammy, and Guile skins, they are available to obtain for a limited period of time. This means that they will disappear after a set number of days. However, there is a chance that they will appear again in the future. Like the previous packs, themed pickaxes and accessories have appeared as part of the crossover.

Fortnite is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, Android devices through the Epic Games app, and PC through the Epic Games Store.

The post Street Fighter Cammy, Chun-Li, Ryu, and Guile Skins Return in Fortnite appeared first on Siliconera.


Latest Games on Play iDev Games Tuesday, May 3, 2022 1:09 AM
     Control a small spaceship, try to reach the platform on the other side of the screen, avoid various obstacles...

Pivotal Gamers Tuesday, May 3, 2022 4:10 AM
     Hello all. Giveaway Of The Day holds a new giveaway for RoadPuzzle 2022. Their message follows. RoadPuzzle 2022 is available as a Giveaway of the day!You have limited time to download, install and register it. A few words about RoadPuzzle 2022 Road Puzzle 2022 is a road transport puzzle where you don't need to drag and drop elements, just swap them by clicking on them with the mouse. The gam...

Gaming on PC Tuesday, May 3, 2022 4:08 AM
     Feel like you've lost your love for gaming? Here's how you can breathe new life back into the hobby you once loved! Full article after the jump.