PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 1:42 PM  Demon's Souls launched for PlayStation 3 in 2009, in an era where publishers were convinced that players wanted simple, cinematic action games. Now, over a decade later, the latest in From Software's line of obtuse, frustrating, delightful action-RPGs in one of the best-selling games in the world. US sales figures for Elden Ring have come in, and it's the second-biggest launch of the past year. Elden Ring's launch month dollar sales were higher than any game in the US in the past 12 months, outside of Call of Duty: Vanguard, according to the latest report from NPD. Bear in mind the caveat of the 'launch month' criteria - Elden Ring launched just three days from the end of February 2022. Vanguard launched 25 days from the end of November 2021. With only three days of sales charted by NPD, Elden Ring is now the best-selling game of 2022 (ahead of Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Horizon: Forbidden West), and the fifth best-selling game of the past 12 months (behind Vanguard, Madden, Black Ops: Cold War, and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl). RELATED LINKS: Best Elden Ring settings, Elden Ring bosses guide, The best Elden Ring classes |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 12:56 PM  Strategic Simulations, Inc. - or SSI - put out a massive selection of Dungeons & Dragons games throughout the late 80s and early 90s. The gilded box art eventually gave this line the moniker of the 'Gold Box series', and while they weren't the first CRPGs, they went a long way toward establishing the format's standards. Now, you'll soon be able to play these classic RPG games on Steam. Publisher SNEG has announced that 22 classic D&D games are coming to Steam on March 29, 2022. These games will be bundled into thematic packages - the Eye of the Beholder trilogy, for example, will be one purchase - though a handful of games, including the D&D city-building game, Stronghold: Kingdom Simulator, will be available on their own. The games are packaged in custom DOSBox builds for better performance, and a special Gold Box launcher is intended to make it easier to transfer your characters between games. Fan-made tools like the All-Seeing Eye and Gold Box Companion will be included, offering features like auto-mapping and improved HUDs |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 12:31 PM  When it comes to discussing which company produces the best graphics card for your gaming PC, Intel probably wouldn't even cross your mind, but that could all change in 2022. The company is set to take on both AMD and Nvidia this year, with its first generation Arc Alchemist GPUs. Intel has managed to keep its Alchemist cards mostly under wraps, but this hasn't stopped benchmarks and spec sheets leaking ahead of the official launch date. First revealed in August, team blue was expected to pull back the curtain on its Xe-HPG based graphics cards during CES 2022, but unfortunately didn't share even a crumb of new details. Alchemist GPUs face stiff competition from the likes of Nvidia's RTX 3000 and AMD's RX 6000 cards, but the rumoured 2022 launches of RTX 4000 and RDNA 3 loom large on the horizon. Regardless of how they end up performing, XeSS should help spice up proceedings against competing upscaling technologies like Nvidia DLSS and AMD FSR. RELATED LINKS: Arc Alchemist GPUs - everything we know, Raptor Lake CPUs - everything we know, Best gaming CPU |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 12:29 PM  Searching for the best Elden Ring builds? It can be a daunting experience spending your hard earned runes for the first time on stat points, especially in an RPG game like Elden Ring which makes it difficult to regularly level up your character. In the worst case scenario, placing stat points in the wrong categories may not end up helping you, and the requirements for your subsequent level ups increase each time. The first 20 levels shape your entire Elden Ring class, so it's important to select your stats carefully. While it may be tempting to place some stat points into faith as an Astrologer, you're better off committing to the full sorcery build in order to maximise your damage in the late game. Though Elden Ring does feature respecing, this option doesn't appear until deep into the mid-game content. Elden Ring's deep character customisation options make this game so special, but if you're looking to destroy your enemies you need to create the perfect build. Here's what you need to create the best Elden Ring builds, including where to allocate your stat points and which items you need to find. RELATED LINKS: Best Elden Ring settings, Elden Ring bosses guide, The best Elden Ring classes |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 12:09 PM  Xûr is Destiny 2's Exotic gear merchant. He appears every weekend to sell the game's most coveted items in exchange for Legendary shards, but if you're a casual player with limited shards to spend, it can be hard to know which of his wares is most worth your investment. That's where we come in. As of June 12, 2020, it appears that Xûr is back to providing random rolls - so the Exotic merchant is providing more excitement than he has in a long time. Xûr appears every Friday at 9am PST / 12pm EST / 5pm GMT, and will stick around until the Tuesday reset. We'll update this guide shortly after he arrives, so if you're reading this, you need only read on to learn where he is, and which are the best items he's selling this week. Now we're in Beyond Light territory, but Xûr's first appearances have been at the usual spots - so maybe don't expect too many surprises from the merchant in the new year of Destiny content. RELATED LINKS: Destiny 2: Beyond Light review, Destiny 2 exotics, Play Destiny 2 |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 12:56 PM  Bungie's pinnacle PvP activity is back in rotation with a major revamp, and if you're looking for details on the Destiny 2 Trials rewards this week, you've come to the right place. Before you start working your way up through the ladder, you'll want to know what you're actually working for - so here's a breakdown of what's available each week, and what map you'll be playing on. If you're not familiar with Trials of Osiris, it's a weekly PvP challenge where you enter a competitive gauntlet of 3v3 elimination matches. Your rewards are now doled out with a reputation system, so it's not about pure wins anymore, but you will still get special rewards if you can manage to go flawless. Trials lands with the reset every Friday at 9am PST / 12pm EST / 5pm GMT, and lasts until the Tuesday reset at those same times. Each week provides a new set of rewards and a new map to play on, so here's what you can expect for the latest rotation. RELATED LINKS: Destiny 2: Beyond Light review, Destiny 2 exotics, Play Destiny 2 |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 11:40 AM  Earlier this week, Logitech announced that its ecosystem of Lightsync gaming products will now integrate into the Sims 4 after teaming up with developer Maxis. Following some updates, players with compatible peripherals can now expect their setup's lighting to sync up with the mood of their Sims. In a blog post, Logitech explains that its gaming gear will light up in response to in-game events, such as when you initially boot The Sims 4 on your gaming PC and during travel sequences. Additionally, when a player visits one of the game's many Secret Worlds with their Sims, their peripherals will adopt a matching colour theme of the location. This colourful feature should work across all Lightsync enabled products, so don't worry if you haven't splashed out for one of the company's best gaming keyboards. However, having more compatible peripherals will offer a more substantial level of immersion into your Sims' moods and worlds, be they 'ooh be gah' or 'bradna'. RELATED LINKS: Logitech G Pro Wireless review, Logitech G PowerPlay review, Logitech G502 Lightspeed review |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 9:48 AM  The third faction for upcoming RTS game Dune: Spice Wars isn't the Fremen, as might have been expected. Instead, it's the Smugglers - an opportunistic and scrappy bunch who have learned to make their living outside the reach of the powerful CHOAM corporation. Smugglers can infiltrate other factions' settlements and secretly siphon resources, and they're always looking for weak or isolated enemy units for a quick and easy kill. Developer Shiro Games says in Dune: Spice Wars, the smugglers will control their own territory and begin near Arrakis' polar regions. Nonetheless, they'll encounter other factions fairly quickly, which works well with their ability to infiltrate enemy settlements to profit off of underworld dealings and expand their influence secretly. The basic idea underpinning Smugglers playstyle is optimising economic outcomes and effectively squeezing blood from a stone. While their units "take some time to heat up" on the battlefield, they're good in long-haul occupation situations, since they gradually reduce the supply of enemy units over the course of a fight. They're also deadly opportunists who will eagerly take out a column of enemy units returning home after a long battle. |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 9:37 AM  Looking for the Genshin Impact 2.6 update release date? There are plenty of 2.6 rumours out there, but developer Mihoyo has already confirmed one new addition due to arrive in its open-world game with the next update: The Chasm, a mysterious disused mine far beneath Liyue. As ever, information on the next Genshin Impact update has been shared via beta testers and dataminers over the 2.6 beta period. There's reportedly a lot more in store, including a new Inazuman festival called the Irodori Festival. However, it's worth remembering that all information shared by unofficial sources is unconfirmed and subject to change when the 2.6 release date arrives. There's also another new Genshin Impact character arriving in 2.6 to look forward to - and it's none other than Kamisato Ayaka's older brother, Ayato, a blue-haired Hydro sword user. There's a fair bit of info on his playstyle out there already, acquired from beta information, so if you've got your primogems ready for his Genshin Impact banner, it's worth taking a look at the rumoured Ayato ascension materials so you're prepared to unlock his full potential. Here's everything we know so far about the Genshin Impact 2.6 update. RELATED LINKS: Play Genshin Impact for free, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 9:22 AM  MSI's MAG Coreliquid products are among the best AIO coolers on the market, but the company has recently identified a potential fault with its 240R and 360R models that all users should be aware of. Thankfully, there's no serious, immediate risk to gaming PCs and MSI aims to provide a "comprehensive product replacement service" to those affected. Following a preliminary investigation, MSI has discovered that a "small portion" of its MAG Coreliquid 240R and 360R AIO water coolers are producing sediment, causing blockages that are impairing heat dissipation efficiency. This is leading to temperatures on the best gaming CPUs from both AMD and Intel rising to over 60°C while idle. MSI is confident that this fault shouldn't pose any danger to systems using the affected coolers, pointing to the protection mechanisms found on processors that protect against overheating. Regardless, the company advises that anyone who believes their AIO to be faulty should begin an RMA process where they will be provided with a suitable replacement, which you can start here. RELATED LINKS: MSI Z370 Gaming Pro Carbon AC review, MSI GTX 1080 Ti Gaming X Trio review, Best gaming motherboard |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 8:43 AM  Skyrim's Argonians and Khajiit are among its most interesting peoples: hybrid human-animal races that help make the open-world game the vibrant fantasy setting it is. But as anyone who's ever owned a pet lizard or cat has undoubtedly noticed, their in-game models look a bit too much like humans in costumes. The problem is simple: they walk wrong. Fortunately, now there's a mod to fix that. Beastly Beastmen by Rogueshot (the creator of the Savage Skyrim mod) alters the models for Khajiit and Argonian characters to make them proper digitigrades - that is, creatures that walk on their toes. The part of the foot that we call our heels is, on cats and many other animals, lifted up when they walk. Rogueshot created new custom skeletons for Khajiit and Argonians to make them walk on their toes as they should, and to make several other adjustments as well. Heads, necks, shoulders, and spines have all been tweaked a bit to give the characters a more convincingly beastly appearance, and the differences between males and females have been made more pronounced. RELATED LINKS: Skyrim mods, Play Skyrim, Games like Skyrim |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 8:38 AM  Euro-RPG fans rejoice, as the acclaimed developers of Gothic and Risen – Piranha Bytes – have returned with the sequel to their 2017 cult hit ELEX. ELEX II is a sprawling open-world RPG filled with meaningful decisions, intricate lore, and most importantly, fascinating characters. These characters are divided up into six factions, all vying for control of the planet Magalan, and as protagonist Jax you must attempt to bring peace between them by any means necessary. Staving off an alien invasion will take cooperation from all sides of humanity, and it's up to you to facilitate this. Whether it's done by force or diplomatic means is up to you, but regardless of which path you choose, it's imperative that you have a good knowledge of each and every faction you come into contact with. To this end, we're introducing you to the various factions you'll meet on your adventure. Check out the video below for the full lowdown on the six factions you'll encounter, or scroll down for a quick summary of each one. RELATED LINKS: The best RPG games on PC, The best open world games on PC |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 7:35 AM  For a small window last night, playing Rainbow Six Siege - or just about any Ubisoft multiplayer game - with your mates was next to impossible, as friends lists refused to load due to server degradation. This might sound like a familiar story for returning players, but this wasn't your run-of-the-mill technical hiccup. Instead, Ubisoft points to a "cyber security incident" causing the disruption. It's difficult to know the extent of the attempted hack as Ubisoft doesn't go into detail while its IT teams are "working with leading external experts to investigate the issue." You can rest assured that your account details should be safe, though, as the company says there's currently "no evidence any player personal information was accessed or exposed as a by-product of this incident." Still, it's worth ensuring you have two-factor authentication (2FA) switched on and changing your password just in case. Better yet, you could arm yourself with a trusty password manager to secure all your accounts, considering cyber attacks are a dime a dozen in this day and age. RELATED LINKS: Rainbow Six Siege Year 5 operators, Best Rainbow Six Siege operators, Play Rainbow Six Siege |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 7:21 AM  Popular card game Yu-Gi-Oh: Master Duel has just got more solo-friendly content if you fancy taking a break from battling pals online. The update is free, so all you have to do is jump on Steam to try it out. Konami explains in a press release that the new solo mode gate tells the story of the Weather Painters deck type through various gameplay missions. If you've been out of the loop, weather phenomena like thunder or lightning combined with artistry like drawing, painting, or colouring serve as the inspiration for these cards. Weather Painters generally are pretty strong in placing traps and spells on the field, if that's your thing. Alongside some backstory on the deck type, you're also getting plenty of rewards to unlock, too. The free content comes as Yu-Gi-Oh: Master Duel hits another download milestone. According to Konami, the free card game has been downloaded more than 20 million times across PC, mobile, and consoles since it launched two months ago. RELATED LINKS: Upcoming PC Games, The best card games on PC |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 7:18 AM  Partnering with Lucasfilm, Seagate has created a collection of SSDs and hard drives that look just like beskar steel ingots from The Mandalorian (via PC Gamer.) If you don't mind the imprinted Imperial crest, these devices are sure to fit right in any Star Wars fan's gaming PC. The Mandalorian inspired storage devices are available in three form factors. The M.2 drive is actually one of the best SSDs for gaming underneath its beskar heatsink, the Seagate FireCuda 530. With sequential read/write speeds of up to 7,300/6000MB/s, it should load the best PC games in as much time as it takes Din Djarin to warp across the galaxy in his newly kitted out N-1 starfighter. If your motherboard doesn't have any M.2 slots, you can grab a SATA SSD with a capacity of up to 2TB. Alternatively, Seagate also offers an external USB chassis with a tasteful blue LED, that comes with a 2TB HDD. However, you should be able to replace it with any standard sized SATA drive for more storage or faster speeds. RELATED LINKS: Best SSD for gaming, How to build a gaming PC, Best gaming CPU |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 9:37 AM  What are the best RPG games on PC? And yes, we're aware that RPG already stands for role-playing games, but apparently the wider internet isn't. Either way, it's not an easy question to answer, especially given the number of them out there and the hours required to beat them - we're talking 50+ hours most of the time... Plus, as a stalwart PC genre that came into existence in the '70s, videogame RPGs have changed a lot over the years, with their upgrade trees and rulesets branching out into practically every other genre. Their scale and scope is massive like never before, with tech finally starting to catch up to the ambitions of developers, allowing for huge worlds and entirely new of the best RPG experiences. The diversity of the RPG nowadays is hard to express. Just in our selection below we've got interplanetary exploration, lightsaber duels, bloodthirsty vampires, irradiated mutants who need to be beaten with golf clubs, lizards who can talk to cats, and a whole lot of dice rolling if that's your jam. So, dear adventurer, please gather your party before we head out. We're about to bear witness to the best RPGs available on PC. RELATED LINKS: The Witcher 3 mods, The Witcher 4 news, Play The Witcher 3 |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 10:42 AM  So you want to know about Valheim updates? This indie viking game skyrocketed to success after its Steam Early Access release at the beginning of 2021, with over four million players now taking up axe and shield to earn their place in Valhalla. We've seen troll heads tumble, avoidable greyling deaths, and Vikings unite to take on tough Valheim bosses - and there's more on the way. Valheim has made big strides since we first dropped into Viking purgatory with nothing but our undies and a will to survive, setting the course for a long journey through choppy waters and hostile biomes. Part of its success as a survival game boils down to top notch base building, and a tough yet fair progression system that has bred some of the best gaming memes to date. The simple yet versatile building system has ignited players' creativity - not only have players built Sauron's eye, but also created a replica of the Millennium Falcon using what we can only imagine is a lot of wood. The developers have been releasing a slow, but steady, stream of updates in the year since launch, and Iron Gate Studio has laid out exactly what we can expect from the future of Valheim. RELATED LINKS: Valheim system requirements, Valheim building tips, Valheim progression guide |
PCGamesN Friday, March 11, 2022 9:06 AM  So you want to know about the best fantasy games? There's nothing quite like escaping into another world, immersing yourself in its history and people, and getting to grips with your new virtual life. Fantasy games are especially good at offering these sorts of experiences, but the genre is so packed with great adventures that it can be hard to pinpoint where exactly to place your attention. Luckily for you, we've put together this list of the best fantasy games on PC. As always, we want to highlight a varied selection of titles, from mammoth RPGs to 2D action-platformers. Please don't be alarmed if we've missed your favourite fantasy game – there's every chance that it could be added at a later time. So, whether you're looking to slay some dragons in a sprawling open world or try something a little stranger, we've got you covered with our list of the best fantasy games on PC. All you need is a sense of adventure and the patience for copious amounts of lore. Let's go! RELATED LINKS: Best Elden Ring settings, Elden Ring bosses guide, The best Elden Ring classes |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 11, 2022 12:00 PM |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 11, 2022 11:58 AM  I can't remember if I've mentioned this to you, dear readers, but I am currently mid-emigration. In about two weeks I'm moving to Ireland, which means for the past four months my live has been hellish. The paperwork the move involves, especially now we have from our European womb been untimely ripped, is a Kafkaesque nightmare. To ship my stuff without incurring importation tax I need to prove I'm going to live in Ireland and not just sell a bunch of second hand cutlery and old bras (one of those two things would probably be pretty lucrative, in fairness). This is all complicated even furtherer by the fact that I only found a flat to move to yesterday, and still don't have the tenancy agreement for it, which means no proof of address. Life, oh life. I don't really have the option to have a piece of toast and watch the evening news, because when I'm not scanning my passport or estimating what worth to attach to my towels for the purposes of the shipping company's insurance, I am packing said towels into boxes, along with everything else I own. Basically the only free time I have is my lunch break. And what I am doing in my lunch break is making huge, virtual jigsaw puzzles in Jigsaw Puzzle Dreams. It's either that or go and sit in the toilets and have a little stress-cry. And as the move date approaches, the size of the puzzles has increased. On Thursday I started one that is 6k pieces. This may have been a miscalculation. Read more |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 11, 2022 11:36 AM  Space sim Elite Dangerous has gone to the dogs since its latest expansion, Odyssey. It launched in May 2021 in a sorry state and, while developers Frontier have been fixing it up, it's still a mess now. This week Frontier announced that to help focus their efforts on fixing Odyssey, they're cancelling the yet-unreleased console version. Good news for us on PC, I suppose, but oof! "This was not an easy decision to make, but it was made with the long-term future of Elite Dangerous in mind," Frontier frontman David Braben said. Read more |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 11, 2022 10:54 AM  Earlier this week, indie developers launched an amazing bundle with over 600 video games to raise money for charities helping relief efforts in Ukraine following Russia's invasion. The Bundle For Ukraine smashed its $1 million goal in under a day, hit the second goal of $2 million hours later, and has now passed the third goal of $4 million. It is still a ridiculous bargain, offering so much if you pay at least $10. Read more |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 11, 2022 10:05 AM  April 1st will bring the start of the London Games Festival, a loosely affiliated series of events which almost inevitably involves some poor fella in a Sonic costume posing for press photos on Westminster Bridge. Today, the Festival announced its Official Selection, 33 games which will be showcased online and in various events. Some good games in there, including PowerWash Simulator and Failbetter's Mask Of The Rose. Read more |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, March 11, 2022 10:00 AM  Aztech is a superb name for a game, and almost makes describing its premise redundant. Throwing in that it's from the same developers who made Mulaka meant I had to give it a go. I'm glad I did. Aztech No Colon Forgotten Gods starts with its weaker foot, showing rough edges right away, but that's overshadowed by its entertaining movement system. During its opening, a quest prompt tells you to go home to sleep, as though they didn't just give you a magical power arm that's also a goddamn rocket. My home was a short walk away. I didn't get there for 40 minutes. Read more |
Twinfinite Friday, March 11, 2022 1:52 PM |
Twinfinite Friday, March 11, 2022 1:06 PM |
Twinfinite Friday, March 11, 2022 1:03 PM |
Twinfinite Friday, March 11, 2022 1:00 PM Ubisoft's open-world racer, The Crew 2, is entering its fifth year, and this milestone is bringing a ton of improvements and changes to the game. The six-minute announcement video released today outlines all of the new features that Ubisoft Ivory Tower plans to introduce. Season 5 of Year 4 starts on Mar. 16th, and the […] The post The Crew 2 Year 5 Is Bringing New Vehicles, a 60 FPS Update, & More appeared first on Twinfinite. |
Twinfinite Friday, March 11, 2022 12:22 PM Earlier this week, Atari revealed that they would be buying MobyGames, a renowned video game database resource for video game information spanning back to the late 1950s, acting as the gaming equivalent to IMDb. Today, the acquisition was officially completed, and the company detailed its plans for the site going forward. The official press release […] The post Atari Completes Purchase of Renowned Gaming Database MobyGames appeared first on Twinfinite. |
Twinfinite Friday, March 11, 2022 12:02 PM |
Twinfinite Friday, March 11, 2022 11:11 AM |
Twinfinite Friday, March 11, 2022 10:52 AM Today aNCHOR released new images of its upcoming Muv-Luv mobile game Immortals: Muv-Luv Alternative. This time around, we get to see the character design of two relevant characters, Kasumi Yashiro from the original trilogy and Katia Waldheim from Schwarzesmarken. We know that the game will launch in Japan on March 17 for iOS and Android. For the […] The post Immortals: Muv-Luv Alternative Reveals Art For Kasumi Yashiro & Katia Waldheim appeared first on Twinfinite. |
Twinfinite Friday, March 11, 2022 9:41 AM In addition to its impressive critical reception, Elden Ring has enjoyed a hugely positive launch according to The NPD Group, as the details of the company's February report tracking U.S video game spending have been shared today by executive director & video game industry advisor Matt Piscatella. As usual, in addition to software numbers, we […] The post NPD February: Elden Ring Tops Software Charts & Is 2022's Biggest Launch So Far appeared first on Twinfinite. |
Siliconera Friday, March 11, 2022 1:00 PM 
When certain seasons and holidays come up, The Pokemon Company often releases collections of themed stuffed animals. With Easter 2022 on the way, the next batch arrived. People can now find six keychains and two full stuffed toys at the Pokemon Center. The two stars of the plush lineup this time are Spring Pikachu and Mimikyu. The Spring Pikachu and Mimikyu plush are both available as about five inch tall keychains and about eight inch tall. Each keychain is $14.99, while the larger stuffed animals are $19.99. Pikachu is wearing a white dress with a matching bonnet. There are also flowers on it. Mimikyu is wearing a white top hat, bow tie, and monocle and carrying an egg.
[gallery columns="2" ids="919778,919779,919780,919777" link="file"] The remaining four Pokemon plush are only available as the $14.99 keychains. Azumarill, Buneary, Happiny, and Leafeon are all a part of the lineup as well. Each one also features white formal wear like top hats, capes, and bows. Some are also carrying eggs. Each one is also tied to the season in some way. What with Azumarill and Buneary being rabbit-like, Happiny's connection to eggs, and Leafeon's ties to growth.
[gallery columns="4" ids="919781,919782,919783,919784" link="file"] The Spring Pokemon stuffed animals are now available in the Pokemon Center outside Japan. Other new additions include the return of Intern Pikachu in Europe. The post Spring Pikachu and Mimikyu Plush Headline New Pokemon Center Collection appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, March 11, 2022 12:00 PM 
Another retailer is adjusting its normal scope of sales as a result of the war in Ukraine. The Humble store announced it will no longer sell games or bundles in Belarus and Russia. All games it published will also be pulled. It confirmed that a Humble Bundle that will completely benefit people in Ukraine is in the works too. Here is the official statement from Humble about its store and upcoming bundle. Like many in the world, we condemn the violent and unlawful invasion in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis it is causing. Today we are suspending sales of all Humble products and Humble Games titles in Russia and Belarus. Many in our incredible community have asked how they can help stand with Ukraine. We are actively working on an all-to-charity bundle to help victims and refugees from Ukraine and will be announcing the details in the coming week. In the meantime, we encourage the Humble community to donate directly to Razom for Ukraine, International Rescue Committee (IRC), International Medical Corps, or Direct Relief if possible. With Humble's announcement, that marks three digital PC stores that no longer sell to Russia as a result of the invasion. Both the Epic Games Store and GOG also suspended sales. So have Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony. The post Humble Store Suspends Game and Bundle Sales in Russia and Belarus appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, March 11, 2022 11:30 AM 
The official website for The DioField Chronicles is open, and that means details about its main characters. Profiles for eight people are available. The majority are members of the Blue Foxes mercenary group. However, the kidnapped Alletainian princess and Lords Council member and House Hende head also appeared. In The DioField Chronicles, players follow the Blue Foxes. These mercenaries are taking part in a war. The four main characters appearing in promotional art are Andrias Rhondarson, Fredret Lester, Iscarion Colchester, and Waltaquin Redditch. Each of them are the four heads of the group and come from various backgrounds. Andrias was bodyguard to Prince Levantia Shaytham and knows Ancient Sorcery. Fredret is a cavalry unit, and he's a childhood friend of Andrias. Iscarion is the archer of the four. He's also a former noble and current knight-errant. Waltaquin is the group's mage. She's also a noblewoman. The other two Blue Fox associates are Izelair Wigan and Lorraine Luckshaw. The former is a swordswoman and being a mercenary is a part of her family's background. The latter is a noble, and she acts as their administrator and government liaison. While the other two The DioField Chronicle characters aren't directly Blue Fox members, it seems they could have ties to them. William Hende asked Lorraine to create a new mercenary group. This turned into the Blue Foxes. He's founded an academy, runs his own company, engages in trade, has his own knights, and is on the Lords Council. As for Hezeliah, she's a captured princess in Beasel Tower and sister to Prince Levantia. The DioField Chronicle will come to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2022. The post The DioField Chronicle Characters Introduced appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, March 11, 2022 11:00 AM 
Fire Emblem Heroes can get their A Hero Rises 2022 reward. Each year, there is an event that involves voting for a five-star unit you'd like to get for free. There is then a Voting Gauntlet with the top 8 characters. The winner is doled out to all players. This year, everyone gets a free Corrin: Nightfall Ninja Act unit in Fire Emblem Heroes. This Corrin alt is a Duo unit. This means Elise appears alongside her and it has a Duo Skill. When used in Fire Emblem Heroes, the free Corrin: Nightfall Ninja Act unit can then act again after already moving and attacking. The character's basic moveset also includes Atk/Spd Push 4, which increases its attack and speed during a fight at the cost of 5 HP, S/R Far Trace 3, which lets a character move after attacking or assisting, and Joint Drive Attack to increase it and nearby allies' attack stats. There will also eventually be a Fire Emblem Heroes A Hero Rises 2022 banner. When it shows up, the four focus units will be The Fodlan Star Byleth, Hatari Duet Azura, Nightfall Ninja Act Corrin, and War God Thorr. This is notable because all of them are green units. As a result, there will be a greater chance of getting a focus unit when pulling green orbs. Fire Emblem Heroes is available on Android and Apple iOS devices, and people can get the free Corrin: Nightfall Ninja Act unit until April 10, 2022. The post Fire Emblem Heroes Free Corrin: Nightfall Ninja Act Given Out appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, March 11, 2022 10:30 AM 
Following Chocobo GP's launch, players expressed concern about its Prize Pass season pass. They noted the amount of time it would take to earn levels through it. Square Enix took to the official Twitter account to note it will be adjusting the amount of points needed to level up. It also gave everyone 500 Mythril, the real money currency. Here's the official announcement. It only mentioned that the Chocobo GP Prize Pass requirements are being adjusted. It didn't offer exact details about how many points people will have to earn to level up going forward. After claiming your free Mythril, there is another thing to keep in mind. Free Mythril expires in Chocobo GP. After launch, it came up that Mythril is only available for five months after you earn or purchase it. At which point, if it is not spent, the user loses it. As a reminder, 1,000 Mythril costs $9.99 and can be used to purchase the season pass and items. Chocobo GP is available for the Nintendo Switch. There is a free lite version as well. The post Chocobo GP Prize Pass Levels Adjusted appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, March 11, 2022 10:00 AM 
There's a new warning about Naruto and Boruto NFTs online. Which is that there are no "official" ones. The Japanese Twitter account for Boruto: Naruto Next Generations warned people in multiple languages that any such items are unlicensed. It advised people to watch out for any they might come across. Here is the official announcement. In addition to the NFT issue, it also mentioned the unauthorized games that sometimes appear as well. (A game like Will of Shinobi would be an example.) One of the most recent official Naruto games is Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker. Despite being released in 2018, it was still getting updates as of 2022. For example, Kawaki joined the roster as DLC in February 2022. There was also an official Naruto Fortnite crossover event. That allowed people to play as Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is available to stream via Crunchyroll. Viz Media handled the localization of the manga. The post Official Boruto Twitter Warns About Unofficial Naruto NFTs appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, March 11, 2022 9:30 AM 
NieR Automata branded earphones will appear in Japan. Onkyo is working with Square Enix to produce the CP-TWS01A NieR wireless earphones. The YoRHa logo will appear on both earphones. The package will also come with a uniquely branded case. By default, Onkyo Direct can only ship its products within Japan. However, people residing elsewhere worldwide can also place an order for the NieR Automata earphones via Buyee. The set is available for purchase at 15,000 yen (US$133.95) until May 10, 2022. Buyers can expect the item's delivery to start around mid to late July 2022. Square Enix is celebrating the 5th anniversary of NieR Automata in 2022. The video game originally came out in 2017. In the anniversary stream held on February 23, 2022, the company announced an anime adaptation of the game. Its characters also appeared as collaboration guests in Square Enix's other games, such as Babylon's Fall and Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent. It will also release more items related to the title, such as manga and art books for the West in 2022. Onkyo has also been releasing earphone models with brands from many other anime and game franchises. Before NieR Automata, the company had revealed CP-TWS01A models designed after Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Magia Record, Sword Art Online, and BanG Dream. The original NieR Automata video game is available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and PC. The post NieR Automata Earphones Will Have the YoRHa Logo appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, March 11, 2022 9:00 AM 
Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel has reached another major milestone. On March 11, 2022, Konami announced that Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel has surpassed 20 million downloads. This number combines worldwide downloads from all available platforms, which include mobile devices, PC, and consoles. To celebrate the new milestone, Konami is distributing 1,000 gems to all players who log in to the game by April 25, 2022. The company has also added a new story stage with a focus on the weather fairies into the game's single-player Solo Mode. Konami launched the free-to-play game first on consoles and PC on January 18, 2022. It surpassed 4 million downloads within the first week of release. The mobile versions began to launch at roughly the same time as the first milestone. Eleven days later, it reached 10 million downloads on all platforms combined. It has taken around a month since the last milestone for Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel to double that amount of downloads. As a free-to-play title, anyone can instantly access the game and duel against the CPU or another player. The game lets players craft new cards by using points obtained in-game. It also has a shop where they can purchase cosmetic accessories or specific card packs and decks with gems as the in-game premium currency. Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel is available digitally on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, PC, Android, and iOS. The post Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel Has Surpassed 20 Million Downloads appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, March 11, 2022 8:30 AM 
miHoYo has released a new series of Genshin Impact emojis featuring characters like Yae Miko, Sangonomiya Kokomi, and the Raiden Shogun. The Paimon's Paintings Set 13 is available through the HoYoLAB website. miHoYo shared images of the Genshin Impact Paimon's Paintings Set 13 emojis through Twitter. This includes the full list of characters that are included in the set. Yae Miko, Kokomi, Raiden Shogun, Zhongli, Kaeya, Diluc, Jeanne, and Lisa are part of the Genshin Impact emoji set. However, the set mostly focuses on the Raiden Shogun, Kokomi, and Yae Miko. It shows the characters with various expressions. Each of the characters has also been stylized to appear as a miniature, or chibi, form of their original design. You can take a look at the emoji set below. [embed]https://twitter.com/GenshinImpact/status/1502132203559477249[/embed] miHoYo recently released a Raiden Shogun wallpaper, which features the character as a chibi. The wallpaper is available for desktop and mobile devices. It shows the Raiden Shogun enjoying tea and dango as she relaxes in Inazuma. Her design is similar to in the Genshin Impact Paimon's Paintings emojis pack. Previous emoji packs have included Yun Jin, Shenhe, Zhongli, and Ningguang. Genshin Impact is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, and Android and iOS devices. A Nintendo Switch version is in development. The post Genshin Impact Paimon's Paintings Emojis Include Yae Miko and Kokomi appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, March 11, 2022 8:00 AM 
miHoYo released a Genshin Impact live wallpaper through its N0va Desktop app featuring Zhongli. The Geo Archon can be seen pensively staring over the harbor city of Liyue in the Genshin Impact live wallpaper. It is available to download for free for PC and Android devices. Users can download the wallpaper through the N0va Desktop application or through the Steam version of the program. Like previous Genshin Impact live wallpapers, this Zhongli wallpaper takes inspiration from an EP. Specifically, inspiration is taken from "The Joys of Leisure and Pleasure" EP, which features Zhongli and Hu Tao. The live wallpaper features the same visuals as the EP when listening to "Moon in One's Cup," which shows Zhongli overlooking Liyue. You can take a look at the wallpaper below. [embed]https://twitter.com/N0vaDesktop/status/1502132473500606468[/embed] N0va Desktop hosts a plethora of Genshin Impact live wallpapers. This includes wallpapers for Ganyu, Xiao, Albedo, and Eula. While not entirely interactable, the live wallpapers are more or less motion graphics. This means that certain elements of the wallpaper move. For example, in the Venti live wallpaper, the bard is shown strumming his harp. Genshin Impact is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, and Android and iOS devices. A Nintendo Switch version is in development. N0va Desktop is available for PC and Android. The post Genshin Impact Live Wallpaper Features Zhongli Overlooking Liyue appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, March 11, 2022 7:30 AM 
Square Enix will conduct a closed beta test for the upcoming Fullmetal Alchemist Mobile game. The game will come out in summer 2022, and Square Enix will use feedback from the beta testers to further improve the game. Applications for the beta are open until March 22, 2022. The beta will officially start on March 31 and end on April 8, 2022. [Thanks, Famitsu!] Though Square Enix did not designate a particular phone type or iOS, it did lay out some suggestions. For iPhone users, it suggests iOS Version 13.0 or later and a phone model iPhone 8 or newer. As for Android users, it suggests a phone with Android 8.0 or newer that is 64-bit. The closed beta will accept a total of 6,000 people – 3,000 iOS users and 3,000 Android users. To participate, you will need a Japanese Square Enix account. Pre-registration for Fullmetal Alchemist Mobile opened in December 2021. When it opened, Square Enix announced that if 500,000 players pre-register for it, then everyone will get an SR Winry when the game goes live. Thus far, all of the characters that Square Enix revealed will appear are major ones such as the Elric brothers and the Homunculi. The closed beta for Fullmetal Alchemist Mobile will end on April 8, 2022, and the game will launch on mobile devices in summer 2022. No concrete release date is available yet. The post Fullmetal Alchemist Mobile Closed Beta Opens Applications appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, March 11, 2022 7:00 AM 
Bandai Namco has revealed more information about Gundam Evolution, specifically regarding the composer that will create tracks for the title. Tadayoshi Makino (Monster Hunter: World, Resident Evil 2) will compose the soundtrack for Gundam Evolution. A network test trailer with the regular version of the theme was shared alongside this announcement. [Thanks, Gamer!] Makino is credited with working on the soundtrack for Monster Hunter: World, Monster Hunter: Freedom Unite, Dragon's Dogma, and Final Fantasy VII Remake, among others. He has also worked on the sound team for Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space. You can watch the Gundam Evolution network trailer, which features his composition of the "Main Theme" below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgqqKxMSdsU Gundam Evolution is a competitive 6v6 FPS game. It will feature several different game modes that will pit players against one another. There will be a handful of Mobile Suits for players to select from. The title was originally announced for a Japanese release but was later confirmed to receive a worldwide release through a PlayStation State of Play broadcast. Consumers can register to be part of a closed network test, which will give them access to the game. Gundam Evolution will release for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC worldwide in 2022. A closed network test will be held from April 7 to April 12, 2022. The post Gundam Evolution Composer Worked on Monster Hunter: World, Resident Evil 2 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Enthusiast Gaming has once again teamed up with e.l.f. Cosmetics in January to start the newest season of Rising Stars. Dubbed Rising Stars: Collegiate Edition, the event, which began on February 26, brought in a group of people competing to become the next big content creator. And tomorrow, you can watch the Rising Stars: Collegiate Edition semi-finals in which six contestants vie for a $100,000 USD contract when they join the Luminosity Gaming roster. You can catch the action starting tomorrow, March 12, at 5 PM ET. The show is being broadcast via Twitch at both Luminosity's channel, as well as e.l.f. Cosmetics' gaming channel. So far, six contestants have been eliminated. The final group compete for the main prize, the second- and third-place winners walk away with a $2,500 USD college grant. And all contestants, regardless of who makes it, receive "a limited-edition collection of e.l.f.'s OG products." The college grant has been provided by e.l.f. Cosmeti... 
Although rogue-lites have become incredibly prevalent in recent years, indie developers still find new ways to take on the genre. Ship of Fools, a brand new co-op rogue-lite from developer Fika Productions, serves as a strong example of this. The game displays the action from a top-down perspective, much like other rogue-lites, but it focuses specifically on ship combat. Those of you who had the displeasure of playing the pirate level from Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves, which required players to walk around a ship and man the cannons to take down enemies, will probably find the gameplay of Ship of Fools familiar. But, since this game bases itself entirely around the concept, it will likely come out much more polished. According to a press release, Ship of Fools stars a group of seafaring fools who embark on perilous, procedurally-generated journeys across the seven seas. Along the way, they will have to deal with scores of "dangerous sea creatures and mega-goliaths" as they... 
The Steam Deck is finally in the hands of some lucky customers who were able to be part of the first wave of releases. However, those fans have come to find out that potentially large portions of their Steam library are currently unsupported on the Steam Deck, and that list now includes the likes of the Halo and Gears of War. In a post on the Steam store, Xbox Game Studios revealed which of its first-party games will be compatible with the Steam Deck. Games that are verified for the Steam Deck include Death Loop, Psychonauts 2, and Prey. Meanwhile, XGS states that games such as Sea of Thieves, Quantum Break, and Forza Horizon 5 are currently in a playable state. Unfortunately, due to issues with anti-cheat, Gears 5, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Halo Infinite, and Microsoft Flight Simulator X are all unsupported on Valve's latest device. It won't include your entire library This news may be disappointing, but it doesn't come as a complete surprise. Former Halo developer... 
Following today's developer livestream, publisher Electronic Arts has confirmed that the Dead Space remake is heading for an early 2023 release window. It's far sooner than expected, considering how new the game looked during the first livestream. However, there were rumors floating around about it showing next year. When I heard the rumor, I thought it would be nice to see the game that quickly. Well, I can confirm that it does feel nice. EA announced the release window news via Twitter. It didn't include a lot of additional detail. All we know is that the Dead Space remake will release early next year. Of course, that is the projected time of launch. There's always a chance we'll see a delay. And considering how the last year has been, I wouldn't bet any money. Here's hoping, though. The date was revealed right after the surprisingly lengthy developer livestream, where EA Motive dove into the game's audio. Just like with the v... 
Call of Duty: Vanguard Season Two was delayed in January in order to improve the state of the game. After the content dropped, players got to hop into new multiplayer maps, unlock and level up new weapons, and more. Thankfully, Sledgehammer Games has continued rolling out regular Vanguard patches. The previous patch balanced kill streaks and continued to squash bugs. Now, another balancing patch has been deployed which is good news for sniping fans. All three sniper rifles have been given a much needed buff in the latest Call of Duty: Vanguard balancing update. The details of the sniper rifle update were shared on the Sledgehammer Games Twitter account. Sledgehammer acknowledge that sniper rifles were underperforming in Vanguard. Therefore, each sniper rifle has been hit with adjustments. The first is the Type 99 which has been made quicker with a faster aim down sight time and less sway while walking. Next up, the 3-Line Rifle has been described as the most stable sniper rifle. The... 
It's no secret that the Covid-19 pandemic caused all sorts of problems worldwide. Among these was the inability to host real-world events without potentially endangering thousands of people. To adjust to this many events, conferences, and conventions switched to an online-only model. Gamescom was one example of an event that did this, but for 2022 the event is opening its doors. This year's gamescom will be a hybrid event, both online and held in person. This will be the first time since 2019 that gamescom has had the ability to host alive show for those who prefer the hands-on experience. Gamescom 2022 takes place between August 24 and August 28 in Cologne, Germany. This year's event is making an effort to be eco-friendly with its "gamescom goes green," project. The project will see gamescom become the "first climate-friendly games event" as its organizers intend to offset 100% of the emissions caused by it. This initiative is being underta...