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May 06, 12:00


Kotaku Friday, May 6, 2022 10:15 AM
    

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands tees up a flurry of intriguing narrative ideas, a veritable world of possibility full of fascinating concepts and mind-blowing potential outcomes. And then…it does nothing with them, culminating in an ending that fails to realize its own potential. Let's chat about it.

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Kotaku Friday, May 6, 2022 9:45 AM
    

I answer the questions dutifully—"Where are your parents from?" "My dad is from Bangladesh, my mom is from Bulgaria"—but growing up in predominantly white Long Island made me embarrassed that anyone ever had to ask. I'm pale. My hair is thin and bleached blonde, and I could never grow it out to lie strong and curled…

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PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 11:32 AM
     Fortnite sand mound locations

Want to know where to find Fortnite sand mounds? Much like the Fortnite Klombo snow mounds a few weeks ago, there are more new areas on the Fortnite map where the Klombo are hiding. Uncovering their locations will earn you extra experience towards the battle pass where you can unlock those sweet Fortnite skins, so it's worth taking the time to complete this side quest.

You can start the hunt for the Fortnite sand mounds by heading to one of the three locations in the desert on the southern part of the island, close to Synapse Station. Hibernating inside the holes in the sand are the Fortnite Klombos, gentle dinosaurs that eat discarded weapons. Once you find a mound, you'll get a prompt at the top of your screen asking you to find the other two.

These new Fortnite Klombo sand mounds are a little further apart than the snow mounds from earlier in the season, but you still finish the quest simply by approaching them. Once you find all three Klombo mounds, you'll complete the challenge.

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

PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 11:22 AM
     New Final Fantasy 16 trailer 'done,' says Yoshi-P

As part of today's Nier Reincarnation stream, FF16 producer Naoki Yoshida gave fans an additional update, saying (via translation by aitaikimochi on Twitter) that the next Final Fantasy 16 trailer is done and should drop 'soon' after being temporarily delayed by certain factors. Yoshi-P says that the upcoming JRPG is 'pretty much complete' though the development team is spending a long time polishing and debugging.

An update on the next single-player instalment in the hugely popular RPG franchise was promised for spring 2022, with interest piqued last week when Yoshida mentioned that Final Fantasy XVI development is in its "final stages" during an interview with Uniqlo Japan. Now Yoshida says (via aitaikimochi) that "the game is greatly coming together. However, I'd like for the dev team to spend more time on [polishing it] further."

Yoshida notes that he spent this week, which is the annual Golden Week holiday in Japan, adjusting FF16's marketing plan while working on urgent things for Final Fantasy XIV, which he is producer and developer of. He says that the Final Fantasy XVI team is 'working their hardest on the game.'


PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 11:18 AM
     Microsoft is testing new Xbox 'controller bar' in Windows 11

Windows 11 is slowly but surely becoming the de facto operating system of choice for those looking to get the most out of their gaming PC, but Microsoft is testing out a new feature that could draw users in sooner. Dubbed the 'controller bar', users will soon be able to access their games and launchers more conveniently when using one of the best PC controllers.

Microsoft shares details of the Windows 11 feature via its Insider Blog, describing the controller bar as "a preview of a new view of Xbox Game Bar." Now, when you connect a gamepad to your system, the controller bar will automatically appear and allow you to launch recently played games or launchers such as Steam without having to use your gaming mouse or keyboard.

While the controller bar won't be much of a gamer changer for those who play on the best gaming monitors, it should make gaming on the best TVs a tad more convenient. If you fancy trying out the feature for yourself, you'll need to be running the latest Windows 11 preview build in addition to having downloaded the Xbox Insider Hub.

RELATED LINKS: Microsoft DirectX Raytracing, Microsoft Hololens hands-on, Windows Game Mode preview

PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 10:01 AM
     Eve Online is finally teaming up with Microsoft Excel

For more than a decade, the running joke about Eve Online is that it's an MMORPG that's also a spreadsheet. That's a bit unfair - there's plenty of exploring and space combat in New Eden. But high-level players are always keen on optimising their playtime, and now developer CCP Games is making it official: later this year, Eve Online will add Microsoft Excel integration, making data tracking in the free-to-play game a whole lot easier.

The partnership with Microsoft means that in the near future, Eve players will be able to add a Javascript API to an Excel workbook that seamlessly pulls data from the game. While CCP isn't ready to go into detail on the functionality just yet, the possibilities are compelling: players could use the feature to track profit margins across a large corporation, or look at fleet damage values over the course of a battle to work out where their strengths and weaknesses are.

Playing Eve on a literal spreadsheet isn't the only news out of this year's Fanfest, running this weekend in Reykjavik. The company also revealed plans for a new set of narrative arcs, with the first set to wrap up in a finale at the end of this year. CCP says these new story arcs, focused on players' chosen home empires, will help new players connect with Eve's world and give them "more power to shape New Eden's living universe" through dynamic, player-driven in-world events.

RELATED LINKS: Play Eve Online for free, Eve Online Beginners guide, Space games

PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 9:45 AM
     Corsair gaming PC case mod reduces temps by 10 degrees

Corsair is renowned for producing some of the best PC cases in the gaming PC market, but that doesn't mean Corsair case designs can't be improved with a bit of sly tinkering. In fact, one modder has reduced the internal temps of the Carbide 175R by 10 degrees by adding some stylish hexagonal vents to the front panel.

Following some component upgrades, Reddit user Alternative-Draft-94 found that their Corsair case was starting to "behave like a mini oven," with idle CPU temperatures sitting around 40-45°C. Rather than simply buying a new home for their system, they instead set about designing a honeycomb pattern on Adobe Illustrator and got to work carving it into the front panel.

Armed with nothing but a utility knife and sand paper, it took Alternative-Draft-94 "six to seven hours" to finish up the design, but not before they received five stitches in their left hand after unfortunately catching themselves with the blade. Thankfully, it seems the mod was worth the trouble, as the modder reports processor temperatures are down 10 degrees, falling in the range of 30-33°C.

RELATED LINKS: Corsair HS70 headset review, Corsair K70 RGB Mk2 review, Best gaming keyboard

PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 9:31 AM
     The best Overwatch 2 DPS heroes

Want to know who the best Overwatch 2 DPS heroes are? The Overwatch 2 beta has given fans of Blizzard's popular FPS game the opportunity to try out a revamped roster of heroes. It's no secret that some of the heroes in Overwatch 2 have been overhauled this time around, gaining new passive abilities and in some cases, switching Overwatch 2 roles entirely.

When it comes to picking a DPS hero though, there's 17 to choose from. Fortunately, we've whittled the options down to the top five best Overwatch 2 DPS heroes that we recommend. For our list, we've opted to focus on the best DPS heroes for every situation.

The Overwatch 2 beta currently runs until May 17, so we recommend getting in on the action while you still can., We've got the lowdown on the Overwatch 2 system requirements you need to play the game as well as everything you need to know about the eventual Overwatch 2 release date. Without further ado, let's jump into the best Overwatch 2 DPS heroes.

RELATED LINKS: Overwatch 2 heroes, Overwatch 2 release date, Overwatch 2 tier list

PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 9:16 AM
     Where to find the Fortnite lightsaber

You can now find a Fortnite lightsaber in the popular battle royale game as part of an event to coincide with Star Wars day. They come in many different flavours, from Luke's classic green lightsaber design to more elaborate variants, including Kylo Ren's chaotic-looking personalised lightsaber with the cross guard, and Mace Windu's badass purple glowing stick. These powerful mythic rarity melee weapons can quickly eliminate enemies with just a few good strikes, but you may have difficulty finding them.

When you get your hands on a Fortnite lightsaber, there are two challenges you can complete. The first requires you to survive five storm cycles while holding a lightsaber. It's important to wield the lightsaber as the storm cycle ends for it to count towards the challenge. You can keep an eye on how long the storm has left to close in by checking the countdown timer on the right side of the screen.

The second challenge is to deflect ten bullets with a lightsaber. Press the right mouse button to enter a defensive stance that automatically catches any rounds your enemies fire in front of you. However, this stance has downsides in that you can't deflect bullets coming from behind you, and you only move at a slow walking pace.

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

PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 9:20 AM
     The best tank games on PC 2022

What are the best PC tank games in 2022? Rolling into battle in a vehicle that weighs the same as ten elephants and can raze entire buildings with a single shot simply never gets old, but it's not always easy to find a game that delivers the perfect tanking experience. If you're looking for the best free tank games or the biggest triple-A armoured division sims, you've come to the right place.

The best tank games are brilliant because they're immense hunks of killer steel, destroying all in their path with ease. But the tank is also synonymous with tense firefights and immense claustrophobia. The agony of reloading, the snail pace, and the fact that you're the enemy's priority target make tank games as nerve-wracking as they are empowering.

There have been countless greats to pick from over the years; the genre has been knocking about since the Apple II days. From hyper-realistic, control-laden sims to arcadey, point-and-explode shoot-'em-ups (and maybe even a sneaky anime RPG or two) here are the best tank games on PC.

RELATED LINKS: Play War Thunder for free, Tank games, Best WW2 games

PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 8:44 AM
     Games industry revenue

How big is the games industry? Bigger than ever, according to games market analytics expert Newzoo, which reports that games industry revenue continues to grow through 2022 and is set to reach a record $203.1 billion USD generated via consumer spending by the end of the year. That number is up from an estimated $192.7 billion generated in 2021. Newzoo says that global player numbers are also on course for a record, with an expected total of 3.09 billion people playing games by the end of this year.

This year will be the first time that games market revenue has passed the $200 billion mark. The total value is a little lower than the $230 billion originally predicted by Digi-Capital's 2018 games industry revenue forecast, but, given the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years, this record level of growth will still be very positive news for industry figures.

Console games are the biggest growth driver in 2022, but PC game revenues are also set to grow, with a +1.9% increase expected. This will result in $41 billion in revenue for the PC market, with established live-service titles contributing heavily alongside new games including Elden Ring and the upcoming Modern Warfare 2. Newzoo states that this lower growth is to be expected due to the impact of new system hardware sales contributing to console growth, which outstrips the number of new GPUs and other PC components being sold.


PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 7:14 AM
     The FTC is investigating Sony's acquisition of Bungie

The US Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into Sony's acquisition of Bungie, Josh Sisco of The Information reports. Sisco's sources describe the investigation as "in-depth," and while Sisco believes the deal could go through anyway, he notes the investigation signifies a new normal for the FTC, which he says was previously less involved in reviewing mergers.

Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier echoes Sisco's view and said it means future deals will likely face greater scrutiny from the commission. "The FTC didn't even look at Microsoft's $7.5 billion deal of Bethesda," Schreier says on Twitter. "This is far from standard procedure. In fact, [as far as I know] it's unusual for the FTC to be this heavily involved in anti-trust at all (AT&T-Time Warner was challenged by the [Department of Justice].)"

Schreier ascribes the FTC's changed stance on antitrust cases to Lina Khan, the commission's new chairperson who Schreier describes as "hungry to fight tech consolidation". Khan isn't alone in wanting to push back against consolidation in the tech sector, though. The FTC's investigation into Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard is spurred in part by appeals from a handful of U.S. senators and concerned activists.

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

PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 7:07 AM
     Intel Arc A750 GPU may battle RTX 3060 by end of the month

The Intel Arc Alchemist GPU launch has been a bumpy and confusing road, littered with delays and paper launches of gaming laptops. Now, it appears that team blue is finally gearing up to release graphics cards bound for gaming PCs.

According to sources close to WCCFTech, we'll be able to slot an Intel Arc Alchemist GPU into our systems between the end of May and early June. It will apparently be a staggered launch of three graphics cards, with the mid-range A750 and A580 arriving first and the entry-level A380 scheduled to "tentatively" release in July.

The A750 is the most powerful of this bunch, whose performance is allegedly comparable to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060. However, it will cost slightly more than the GeForce GPU, with an MSRP of $350. This trend of higher pricing continues with the A580, at $280 versus the $249 of the RTX 3050, whereas the A380 is just shy of matching the $149 price tag of the GTX 1650 by a buck.

RELATED LINKS: Arc Alchemist GPUs - everything we know, Raptor Lake CPUs - everything we know, Best gaming CPU

PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 6:53 AM
     Best gaming chair 2022

The best gaming chairs are more than just racing stripes and loud aesthetics, as they could improve your gaming PC experience tenfold. While the idea of a seat designed for gamers sounds almost like a gag, purpose-built seats by renowned brands like Razer, Corsair, and Secretlab can help you shoot down in FPS games for longer, and ergonomic chairs will save your back while grinding in FFXIV.

In many ways, choosing the right gaming chair is just as important as picking a new sofa, especially if you spend most of your time at a gaming desk. Just like your trusty living room couch, desk chairs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with ergonomic seat functions adding an extra layer of comfort to extended use.

Of course, if you're reading this right now, you've probably decided to finally ditch your repurposed dining room furniture for something that's actually designed for your gamer buns. So, to help you navigate the abundance of seats on the scene, we've compiled a list of the best gaming chair options available, from premium thrones to budget rockers.

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

PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 6:24 AM
     Starfield factions – all revealed organisations

Many Starfield factions live in the Settled Systems, all with wildly different ideologies, areas of expertise, and fashion senses. So while this upcoming space game will likely play into the fear of the unknown that's synonymous with the inky black expanse of the cosmos, it's still your fellow humans who pose the greatest threat to your survival.

When you begin your voyage across space, you are doing so on behalf of Constellation, one of at least seven different Starfield factions. As a new Constellation recruit, it's your mission to seek out and expose the secrets of the known galaxy. As a result, you may come face-to-face with one of the other factions during your travels, and first impressions are vitally important.

Because we don't want you to make a fool of yourself, we've pooled together every scrap of information we have about each of the Starfield factions, including details of what role they played during the bloody Colony War that happened 20 years before the events of Starfield take place. While some factions live in one of the many Starfield cities, others roam around the Settled Systems, and one is so secretive that we only know of them by name. One last word: we're not sure if all of these factions will be joinable, so it might be that some are major players that you can join, while others are minor factions that you can't truly align with.

RELATED LINKS: Starfield release date, Best space games, Elder Scrolls 6 release date

PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 6:21 AM
     Halo Infinite Season 2 had a

Joseph Staten, head of creative for Halo Infinite at 343 Industries, says that Halo Infinite Season 2 had a "bumpy" week, following issues with the FPS game's new Last Spartan Standing mode and criticism towards the development team's decision to remove several trick jump spots and other advanced movement techniques. Staten remarks that the team are "taking your feedback to heart, especially regarding map jumps and speedrunning."

Halo Infinite has been plagued by multiple issues and negative feedback since the launch of Season 2 on May 3, leaving some fans upset with the direction the game is heading in. Ex-343 dev Blaze Lightcap recently expressed his disappointment with the Halo Infinite Season 2 changes, saying that nerfs to sliding and trick jumps "shows intent" towards removing some of the game's more iconic advanced movement techniques.

Movement tricks have been a long-standing part of the Halo community, for both speedrunners and montage makers as well as among regular players, and 343's senior community manager John Junyszek says that the team has "seen the feedback around changes that impacted various multiplayer jumps and campaign speedrun strategies" and is "reviewing options internally."

RELATED LINKS: Halo Infinite release date, Halo Infinite system requirements, Halo Infinite ranks

PCGamesN Friday, May 6, 2022 10:03 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. 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 Friday, May 6, 2022 11:42 AM
    

After you move house there's a weird period where you keep trying to get pans out of the fridge or cutlery from a drawer that doesn't exist. In fact, I'm lagging several years behind and still trying to get cutlery out of the drawer in my flat share in London four years ago. Yesterday I walked straight into the sofa for no earthly reason. In this time of doubt and not knowing where your own two feet are stepping, I present to you three new indie games to help you plan your footwork. And all for under a fiver! Howzat then?

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, May 6, 2022 10:54 AM
    

Over time, you notice the decay less. Once, after years of unknowingly peeling back the skin of your mousepad's gel wrist rest, your forearm finally and suddenly cut deep, splitting the subcutaneous barrier and gouging into the innards, tearing out chunks and spraying you with viscera. Not so much anymore. The wound is still there, it still festers, your wrist still grates, but over time, you notice it less.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, May 6, 2022 10:26 AM
    

PAX East 2022 may be over, but we've still got plenty of things to talk about from our time in Boston. We have a bunch of videos in the pipeline that I can't wait to share with you (including a fun piece exploring PAX staple collectible Pinny Arcade) but for now I think it's about time we spoke about one of the best bits of in-person shows: the booths.

Now, we already highlighted most of the booths at PAX East in our show floor tour that we published during the event itself, but we wanted to focus on some of our favourites in a little more detail. Come and see them (and their carpets) in all their glory below. I'm not kidding about the carpets. They were astounding.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, May 6, 2022 9:51 AM
    

The roguelike Freelancer mode planned for murder 'em up Hitman 3 has been bumped back until the second half of this year, IO Interactive have announced. The delay was shared as part of Hitman 3's May roadmap. Luckily, IO have brought forward the release of the tropical 'Rocky' map they showed off in January. There's Ian Hitman for you, always improvising.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, May 6, 2022 8:37 AM
    

Video game documentarians Noclip have released more than an hour of footage from Arkane Studios' cancelled Half-Life 2 horror spin-off, Ravenholm. The video was originally captured for Noclip's 2020 documentary about the history of Arkane, the studio behind the much beloved Deathloop and Dishonored series. Ravenholm did feature, albeit briefly, in Noclip's original documentary, but now Noclip producer Danny O'Dwyer has decided it's time to show off a bit more of it, interspersing his gameplay footage with some critical context for what's going on and the ideas behind it. Have a watch of it below:

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, May 6, 2022 6:53 AM
    

Summer Game Fest have announced the show will be back for the third time on June 9th to beam Geoff Keighley straight into your peepholes. Proceedings kick off at 11am PST/2pm EST/7pm BST/8pm CEST and are streamed live from Los Angeles across YouTube, Twitch and other platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, May 6, 2022 5:44 AM
    

Steam Deck news followers may recall Epic Games deciding against making Fortnite compatible with the Deck, citing cheating concerns despite simultaneously making sure its own Easy Anti-Cheat system could work on the handheld. That hasn't changed, but there is now at least one legit way to play the crossover-happy battle royale on the Steam Deck, as it's just launched on Xbox Cloud Gaming.

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Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, May 6, 2022 5:35 AM
    

A niche genre. Games that are best enjoyed with a notepad often involve some mystery, or require drawing strange symbols or shapes that can't be quickly or easily replicated on your PC. They might involve hurried arithmetic, amateurish maps, doodled floorplans, scatter-brained lists. In these cases it transpires that the giant machine whirring three inches from your nose just won't cut it. Sometimes you gotta use a pencil. Here are the 9 best games to play with a notepad.

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Twinfinite Friday, May 6, 2022 11:40 AM
     Today, Ratalaika Games released a brand new teaser trailer for their upcoming 2D Side scrolling space shooter, Remote Life. In the teaser, we get a glimpse of all the shoot 'em up gameplay the game has to offer, featuring plenty of unique weapons, level design, and enemies. Alongside the trailer, a release date of May […]

Twinfinite Friday, May 6, 2022 11:38 AM
     A week after the announcement of the Genshin Impact 2.7's delay, HoYoverse has now announced free rewards as compensation. In an official blog post, the developers confirmed that players would be rewarded with 400 Primogems, Fragile Resin, 7 Hero Wit, 16 Mystic Enhancement Ore, and 120,000 Mora every week. The in-game items will be delivered […]

Twinfinite Friday, May 6, 2022 11:02 AM
     KeokeN Interactive released the first developer diary video about the recently-revealed Deliver Us The Moon sequel Deliver Us Mars.

Twinfinite Friday, May 6, 2022 10:11 AM
     It has been 20 years since the release of the GameCube, and it's no secret that it wasn't Nintendo's best-selling system. In its seven years of production, it managed to sell just under 22 million units worldwide, making it the company's second worst-selling home console behind the Wii U. Despite this, the GameCube was a […]

Siliconera Friday, May 6, 2022 11:00 AM
    

Sonic 2 Movie New Highest-Grossing Domestic Video Game Film Adaptation

Sega and Paramount Pictures announced new film sales data for Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The Sonic 2 movie ended up becoming the highest-grossing domestic video game adaptation at $162.74 million. As a reminder, the first Sonic movie made $148.97 million domestically, according to additional figures shared by Sega with this announcement. To compare, the Uncharted movie made $146.51 million in the U.S. according to The Numbers.

The update also included worldwide box office figures for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 so far, as well as a current international figure. According to Sega, the film made $168.9 million outside the U.S. While the Sonic 2 movie isn't the highest-grossing video game movie worldwide, it is at $331.64 million at the moment. This does put it behind adaptations like Warcraft, Detective Pikachu, and Uncharted, which performed better internationally and have higher worldwide totals.

However, that figure does have a chance to change. All figures don't account for Japan. The movie won't appear there until August 19, 2022. This will push its international numbers and worldwide totals up.

In addition to the new domestic and worldwide totals, Director Jeff Fowler shared more insight into the Sonic 2 movie design progress. He shared concept art by Alex Konstad, Bayard Wu, and Nikolai Lockertsen. All major characters and some locations are showcased.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is now in theaters, and it will debut in Japan on August 19, 2022.

The post Sonic 2 Movie Now Highest-Grossing Domestic Video Game Film Adaptation appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 6, 2022 10:00 AM
    

Splatoon 3 Will Let Players Earn Titles and Make Banners

Nintendo revealed a new customization option for the next Splatoon game. In Splatoon 3, people will be able to earn titles and set up banners. Each one will include a number in the bottom left corner. The person's name will appear in the center, with a custom title above it. There will also be different background options. They'll appear in and out of battles.

First, the announcement showed off how one of the Splatoon 3 banners could look with different backgrounds. Some feature solid colors. Others have stylized squids on them. It also showed that the font could appear in different colors.
Splatoon 3 Will Let Players Earn Titles and Make Banners

After that, a second screenshot focused on possible Splatoon 3 titles. These will be customizable as well. The announcement said you'll earn words from Turf Wars based on actions. These can then be combined to form a unique descriptor. So in the example, "Splatsville's Fashionista" is the chosen name for kAyOSs. However, different options for the first part also included "Attention-Seeking," "Big-Money," and "Inkless." The second half could have used "Man-o'-Wardrobe Regular," "Office Drone," and "Turf Warrior."
Splatoon 3 Will Let Players Earn Titles and Make Banners 2

Finally, the update ended with a reveal of a new brands in Splatoon 3. In-game, brands can apply to both clothing and weapons. While it doesn't affect performance, items from the same brand can have the same kind of aesthetic. Barazushi seems like a practical line designed specifically for things like Turf War. A hat with protective flaps over the years, goggle-like sunglasses, and a jacket were shown.

Splatoon 3 will come to the Nintendo Switch on September 9, 2022. As a reminder, basic Splatoon and Splatoon 2 shooter weapons will return in it, as well as new weapons.

The post Splatoon 3 Will Let Players Earn Titles and Make Banners appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 6, 2022 9:30 AM
    

FInal Fantasy XVI New Trailer

Final Fantasy XVI Producer Naoki Yoshida revealed a new FFXVI trailer will appear soon. The information was shared during a special NieR Reincarnation and FFXIV crossover livestream. Yoshida stated that the new video is done and will appear soon. However, it was delayed due to certain factors. He did not elaborate as to why the debut of the trailer ended up being pushed back.

However, Yoshida did go into a bit of detail regarding the development of the game. He shared that the development team has spent a fair amount of time polishing and debugging the game, and that it is pretty much complete.

Yoshida echoed similar statements regarding the development of FFXVI in a Uniqlo pamphlet released for the Final Fantasy 35th anniversary collaboration with the clothing brand. In the flyer, he revealed that FFXVI is in its final stages of development. It's story is now fully fleshed out. Yoshida also stated that the development team hopes to deliver a complete and comprehensive single-player experience for players.

The first trailer for FFXVI appeared in September 2020 during a PlayStation 5 showcase. This was a first look at the game, which included a glimpse at the cast of characters and a brief look at the combat system.

Final Fantasy XVI is in development for PlayStation 5.

The post Final Fantasy XVI New Trailer Coming Soon after Delay, Will Appear Soon appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 6, 2022 9:00 AM
    

NIS Classics Vol. 2 Brings Two More RPGs to the Switch and PC

NIS America is tapping into its catalog again. NIS Classics Volume 2 is about to appear and give Nintendo Switch and PC owners a chance to play Makai Kingdom and Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman. They're two older games, though in the case of Makai Kingdom, there are also new-to-people-outside-Japan elements. What do you need to know? Let's go over everything to do with the collection.

Makai Kingdom Zetta

What's Makai Kingdom about?

Overlord Zetta is an idiot. To keep himself from destroying his Netherworld, he decides to get rid of the prophetic Sacred Tome that foretold the disaster. In so doing? He set the events in motion. Which means he has to confine himself to the book to restore it. Zetta goes off on a quest to restore his Netherworld and himself, and in so doing basically does a lot of growing up.

Like many of the early NIS games, this is a tactical RPG. However, it doesn't play out on a grid like other titles. Instead, characters have a sphere of movement. Once Zetta summons them, they can move about the field. They can then fight foes, collect items to send to the hub to make new characters, or ride around in vehicles to travel farther and do more damage.

Facilities are also an important part of building up your party. In addition to serving functions on the map, like letting you buy items, they can do things like boost your characters' attack or earned experience. Also, reincarnation is a big deal, and a means of building up your party members so they can dish out the big-number-damage NIS strategy games are known for.

Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger

What's Z.H.P. about?

The world is about to end because Darkdeath Evilman, a major villain, is going to kidnap and destroy the super-powered Super Baby. The only person who can stop him is Unlosing Ranger. However, he got run over by a car while racing to make the final battle. In his final moments, he passed on his powers and role to an unassuming bystander that showed up to the duel. Darkdeath Evilman curb-stomps the new Unlosing Ranger. Instead of dying, the new hero is taken to a Hero Training Facility above the alternate reality Bizarro Earth. There, the player goes through randomized roguelike dungeons to become strong enough to save the day.

Like other Mystery Dungeon roguelikes, players follow the new Unlosing Ranger into various random labyrinths. Each one allows folks to increase their power through Body Modifications, facilities, and Total Level Count. Body Modifications let you get items and place them on a grid to build up the Unlosing Ranger's power. This also will change how your avatar looks.

The facilities you build, which are unlocked by accomplishing certain goals and dying, can unlock new abilities. So if you die three times, you unlock a Delivery ability that lets you send items to storage while in a dungeon, to preserve items you'd otherwise lose by dying. Getting a Caravan by getting to level three will let you access other facilities in the hub or save. The Total Level is an overall stat building system that takes into account levels you earned before dying or finishing a dungeon and adding them to the Unlosing Ranger's "level 1" foundation. So even though you may die or finish an area and be at level 1 next time, your new level 1 will be stronger as a result.

NIS Classics Vol. 2 Brings Two More RPGs to the Switch and PC Z.H.P.

Why is this a collection?

To be honest, I'm surprised Makai Kingdom got bundled together with Z.H.P., rather than Phantom Brave, for NIS Classics Volume 2. That's because both Makai Kingdom and Phantom Brave have a lot in common. Both feature a system in which characters move in a certain range, rather than on a grid. Each one involves a sort of "confining" mechanic. Except here, you are taking items in the hub area and making a character based on that.

Which means it is extraordinarily weird to package it with the roguelike Z.H.P.! It isn't like the two originally released within the same time period. Makai Kingdom first appeared on the PS2 in 2005. Z.H.P. showed up on the PSP in 2010. Though, Makai Kingdom Portable — which this release is based on as it has the Petta storyline — did show up on the PSP in Japan in 2011. Maybe that's why? Both games do feature facilities as a gameplay element. So that could be part of it? I don't really know!

NIS Classics Vol. 2 Brings Two More RPGs to the Switch and PC Makai Kingdom

What makes these new versions special?

This is the first time both games appeared on platforms other than their original ones worldwide. Makai Kingdom only appeared on the PS2 everywhere. Its PSP port didn't get a localization. As for Z.H.P., it previously only released on PSP. So in both instances, NIS Classics Vol. 2 is bringing NISA games that didn't get ported to death to both the Nintendo Switch and PC. That's a pretty big deal!

But it's Makai Kingdom that is the real selling point here. When it appeared on the PSP in Japan, it included a new storyline called Petta Mode. Think of it as an alternate telling of what might have been. We've met her in localized games before! She showed up in Disgaea 4, Disgaea 5, and Disgaea D2. Now, we're finally seeing her origin story. That's pretty exciting! Especially since NISA went all out with not only an English localization, but English voice acting true to the original game.

NIS Classics Vol. 3

What could we see in a NIS Classics Vol. 4?

NISA already established that this is going to be a regular series. NIS Classics Vol. 1 featured Phantom Brave and Soul Nomad. We've spent this whole article talking about the second volume. NIS Classics Vol. 3 will include La Pucelle: Ragnarok and Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure. So, what could we see in an NIS Classics Vol. 4?

Well, NISA's already whittled down its PS2 and PSP game library. None of the collections so far featured Disgaea games or titles that were never localized before. They also all only involve NIS-developed games. Unless we start getting into PS3 titles, I don't think we'll see an NIS Classics Vol. 4.

Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 2, which includes Makai Kingdom and Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman, will come to the Nintendo Switch on May 10, 2022 in North America and May 13, 2022 in Australia and Europe. Both games will be available separately on PC on May 10, 2022.

The post NIS Classics Volume 2 Brings Two More RPGs to Switch and PC appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 6, 2022 8:00 AM
    

FFXIV NieR Reincarnation Crossover

The NieR Reincarnation and FFXIV crossover event will see several new character variants added to the game, along with a special scenario. A NieR Reincarnation livestream revealed what the crossover event will entail. The event will run from May 10 to June 13, 2022. A total of three characters will be available to obtain, with Hades appearing as an enemy. The crossover event will feature an entirely unique story by Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers Main Scenario Writer Natsuko Ishikawa.

The characters that will be available to obtain include the Phantasmal Exile, which is a White Mage version of Rion, the Phantasmal Prisoner, which is a Dark Knight variant of 063y, and the Phantasmal Weapon, which is a Dragoon version of Noelle. Players will also be able to obtain a Moogle alongside character enhancement materials during the event period. A preview of the fight against Hades was shown during the livestream.

You can watch the trailer below.

[embed]https://twitter.com/NieR_Rein/status/1522534061696192512[/embed]

In February 2021, Square Enix announced a FFXIV crossover event would appear in the Japanese version of NieR Reincarnation. It was later confirmed that the crossover would appear in the global version of the game. The NieR Reincarnation roadmap revealed that it would appear sometime after May 2022.

NieR Reincarnation is available for Android and iOS devices. Final Fantasy XIV is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. The FFXIV crossover will appear in the Japanese version of NieR Reincarnation on May 10, 2022. It will appear in the global version of the game at a later date.

The post NieR Reincarnation FFXIV Crossover Characters and Date Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 6, 2022 7:30 AM
    

Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak

Capcom has revealed prerequisites players will need to meet in order to access specific content in Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak. Specifically, players will need to clear the main story of Monster Hunter Rise. This includes not only Village Quest progression, but also Hub Quest progression. Players will need to clear "Serpent Goddess of Thunder" at Hunter Rank 7 in order to access content in Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak. That appears to be the only prerequisite to accessing the Sunbreak expansion.

Consumers will be hearing more about the expansion through a Monster Hunter Digital Event. It will focus on the Sunbreak expansion and reveal new Hunter actions alongside monsters that will appear in the title. A new promotional trailer will also appear during the livestream.

The expansion will boast an entirely new Hunter Hub, along with several new monsters. These include the Garangolm, Lunagaron, and Malzeno. However, monsters from previous titles will return as well. The Shogun Ceanataur and Astalos are among the list of returning monsters that will appear in Sunbreak.

Monster Hunter Rise is available for PC and Nintendo Switch. Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak will release for PC and Nintendo Switch on June 30, 2022. A Digital Deluxe Edition is available to pre-order.

The post Capcom Shares Prerequisites to Play Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 6, 2022 7:00 AM
    

Soul Hackers 2 New Characters Saizo

Atlus has released a new Soul Hackers 2 trailer, which takes a look at several new characters and gameplay. The trailer itself focuses on Saizo, an entirely new character in Soul Hackers 2, and his involvement in the narrative. Since Saizo takes center stage, the gameplay shown in the trailer features how some of his skills will work. It also provides a look at the general combat feel. Atlus has also updated the official Soul Hackers 2 website to include information about Saizo. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

Saizo (CV: Masaya Matsukaze) is a "freelance" Devil Summoner and is described as being something of a romantic. He is the type of person that is able to read the room, and often steps in whenever Ringo and Milady end up butting heads. Saizo uses a Tommy Gun as his weapon and is extremely dexterous. His primary focus in combat is the use of support and recovery skills.

[gallery columns="1" ids="926236" link="file"]

You can watch the Soul Hackers 2 trailer featuring Saizo below.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc6PE-unzsM&ab_channel=atlustube[/embed]

Previously, Atlus revealed information about the Yatagarasu organization and the Phantom Society. Each of these organizations will play a key role in the narrative of Soul Hackers 2.

Soul Hackers 2 releases for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC on August 25, 2022, in Japan, and globally on August 26, 2022.

The post Soul Hackers 2 New Trailer Looks at New Character Saizo and Gameplay appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 6, 2022 6:30 AM
    

Mosnter Hunter Rise Sunbreak Update Size

Capcom revealed that the update that will usher in the Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak expansion will be 13GB. The update will add content from the paid expansion into the game. Those who do not purchase the Sunbreak expansion will need to update their game regardless in order to access online features. Additionally, the update will include balance adjustments for various weapons in Monster Hunter Rise. However, the official statement did not mention which weapons would see balance changes.

Capcom also reveals that even if consumers have not purchased Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak, they will be able to use Item Packs and Appearance Change tickets. This is another feature players will have access to, alongside balance changes, that does not require the purchase of the expansion.

Outside of Capcom announcing how big the Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak update will be, a Monster Hunter Digital Event will appear on May 10, 2022. The event will reveal more information about Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak. A new promotional trailer will appear during the livestream. Additionally, it will feature a look at new Hunter actions and more monsters. The broadcast will be held via Twitch and YouTube.

Monster Hunter Rise is available for PC and Nintendo Switch. Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak will release for PC and Nintendo Switch on June 30, 2022. A Digital Deluxe Edition is available to pre-order.

 

The post Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak Update Size Will be 13GB appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 6, 2022 6:00 AM
    

made in abyss season 2

The second trailer for Made in Abyss season 2 is now available on Kadokawa's official YouTube channel. It is almost two minutes long and previews what Riko's adventuring party will get up to. It also teases the opening song, "Katachi." The show will start airing in July 2022 as part of the Summer 2022 anime season.  [Thanks, Game Watch!]

Aside from existing characters from the first season, the trailer also shows new additions to the cast. For example, the trailer heavily focuses on Faputa, who is the Princess of the Narehate and a key person within the 6th layer of the Abyss. The opening for season 2 also plays in the background of the video. Riko Azuna is the singer of "Katachi," and she previously performed music for series such as Bloom Into You and Boogiepop and Others.

You can watch the Made in Abyss season 2 trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=87&v=BpWKU1rm1Pk&feature=emb_logo

Made in Abyss season 2's full title is Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun. News of it first appeared in November 2021, with its proper release window announced in April 2022. The story follows orphan Riko, who enters the dangerous Abyss with her robot friend Reg in order to search for her mother Lyza.

Made in Abyss season 2 will start airing in July 2022. There is no confirmation so far about an international release or an English dub. Made in Abyss season 1 is on Amazon Prime Video and Adult Swim.

The post Here is the Second Trailer for Made in Abyss Season 2 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, May 6, 2022 5:00 AM
    

One Piece Devil Fruit Cake

Japanese confectionery Cake.jp released a new musk melon cake based on the Gum-Gum Fruit from One Piece. The company released the cake on One Piece protagonist Monkey D. Luffy's birthday, on May 5, 2022. The cake is available to order in Japan from the company's website and will cost ¥13,000 (about $100). [Thanks, Game Watch!]

The Gum-Gum Fruit, or Gomu Gomu no Mi, is a mythical fruit known as a Devil Fruit that gives the person who eats it magical rubber-like powers. Monkey D. Luffy, the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and the main protagonist of the series, gets his signature rubber powers from this fruit. As such, the Gum-Gum Fruit and other Devil Fruit variations have played a significant role in the One Piece series from its inception.

The Gum-Gum Fruit is similar to a Japanese Muskmelon but is purple instead of green with a spiral design. The cake features fruit-based ingredients, including an outer shell made of the skin of a carved-out muskmelon. Layered within the cake are purple spongecakes, melon-flavored whipped cream, strawberries, and melon. The outer skin of the cake uses edible purple plastic chocolate, and the stem is an inedible ornament.

The cake is a special collaborative version of Cake.jp's Whole Melon cake. It features similar ingredients without the Gum-Gum Fruit design.

You can get a better look at the One Piece Gum-Gum Fruit cake in the screenshots below:

[gallery ids="926217,926216,926218" link="file"]

The Gum-Gum Fruit cake is available to order in select Japanese prefectures via the Cake.jp website. The cake will cost ¥13,000 (about $100) and ship within five days. The upcoming One Piece film, One Piece Film Red, will debut in Japan on August 6, 2022.

The post One Piece Gum-Gum Fruit Cake Releases on Luffy's Birthday appeared first on Siliconera.


Destructoid Friday, May 6, 2022 11:30 AM
    

Still slated for June 30 Capcom has confirmed on the official Monster Hunter site that full Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak...

The post Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak will be 13GB in size appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, May 6, 2022 11:00 AM
    

Bats in the Belfry Spike Chunsoft, as it is wont to do, has opened a mysterious teaser website that appears...

The post Cursed video and countdown site seemingly related to A.I. The Somnium Files appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, May 6, 2022 10:30 AM
    

The spreadsheet game comes to spreadsheets Live at Fanfest in Iceland today, developer CCP has shared multiple news tidbits for...

The post EVE Online announces tons of updates at Fanfest, including a direct Excel export tool sanctioned by Microsoft appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, May 6, 2022 10:00 AM
    

OK Developer miHoYo has confirmed that Genshin Impact Switch still exists, and is not canceled, thanks to a new company...

The post Genshin Impact Switch is allegedly still in the works appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, May 6, 2022 6:00 AM
    

Gotta Get Cash Sega has proudly announced that Paramount Pictures' Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is officially the highest-grossing movie adaptation...

The post Sonic the Hedgehog 2 U.S. box office sees highest gross for video game adaptation appeared first on Destructoid.


PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, May 6, 2022 10:15 AM
     Fortnite Scarlet Witch Skin And CosmeticsEpic Games will never shy away from another Marvel crossover in Fortnite. In the past we have seen Avengers limited-time game modes. There's also the crossover with Spider-Man, which saw the debut of The Daily Bugle point of interest, Spider-Man web shooters, and much more. Following the inclusion of Moon Knight, a new Marvel collaboration has taken place in Fortnite with the Scarlet Witch skin. Wanda joins in celebration of the release of the Doctor Strange: in the Multiverse of Madness movie. Apart from Wanda's outfit, you will be able to equip more cosmetics to bring the character to life in the battle royale. With the Scarlet Witch skin, you can also use her accessories. Wanda's Cloak comes as back bling. When you deal damage to opponents, the reactive element activates and lights up your outfit. However, you can turn this off by switching to the alternative style if you prefer. In addition, you can get your hands on the Chaos Hand Axe pickaxe and a Psychic Energy...

Tabletop Gaming News Friday, May 6, 2022 11:00 AM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Friday, May 6, 2022 10:00 AM
    

Tabletop Gaming News Friday, May 6, 2022 9:00 AM
    

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Friday, May 6, 2022 11:00 AM
     Phoenix and Cypher are finally getting the love they deserve as Riot is reportedly working on buffs for the two OG Agents in a recent Reddit AMA. Riot Games works around the clock to bring constant updates and gameplay balance changes to keep the balance of power in Valorant in check. In the most recent […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Friday, May 6, 2022 6:54 AM
     As promised, Blizzard is going to be more communicative when it comes to the development of Overwatch 2. The closed beta is currently ongoing, and it's already seen some big changes with familiar heroes. Probably the biggest change has been done to Roadhog who has had an alteration to his ultimate. The developer notes (via […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Friday, May 6, 2022 6:35 AM
     Disney Infinity may have come and gone, but the House of Mouse is ready to bring players some new interactive IP complete with beloved Disney characters from developer Gameloft. Take a look at the announce for Disney Dreamlight Valley: Here's the official description: Discover the magic that memories hold as you embark on an enchanting […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Friday, May 6, 2022 6:17 AM
     The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) may have been delayed this year, but we can still expect a huge gaming event to take place this June—and it's available on IMAX. The Game Awards has just announced that Summer Game Fest will be taking place this June 9 with the Game Awards to come back in December. […]

Pivotal Gamers Friday, May 6, 2022 4:11 AM
     What's up folks? Giveaway Of The Day holds a new giveaway for The Letter. Their message follows. The Letter is available as a Giveaway of the day!You have limited time to download, install and register it. A few words about The Letter The Letter: Seeker Of Truths – is a story driven stealth/platformer game with a beautiful low poly graphic. Developed by Hammer Games Studio. Last minute...

MonsterVine Friday, May 6, 2022 9:00 AM
     Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 2 is quite similar to the previous volume, in that the games themselves are great, while the ports themselves are barebones. I'm glad these games are available again, I just wish they had some handy additional features in this modern collection. Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 2 Developer: Nippon Ichi […]