Kotaku Monday, December 30, 2024 4:10 PM  Steam's latest mini-sensation has arrived and it's called MiSide. The meta thriller in the vein of Doki Doki Literature Club has already racked up one of the highest ratings on Valve's storefront just a couple weeks after its completely under-the-radar launch, thanks in part to streams by Mark "Markiplier" Fischbach… |
Kotaku Monday, December 30, 2024 3:50 PM  Cinematic continuity be damned, Jason Momoa is putting the fish gills down for tattoos and violence. According to reports from Deadline, the man known around the world as Aquaman formally announced his return to the DC universe as the invulnerable Lobo in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. |
PCGamesN Monday, December 30, 2024 2:26 PM  December 30, 2024: We've added the latest Monopoly Go dice links for free dice rolls and tokens. How can I get Monopoly Go free dice links? The household favorite board game has been reimagined as a free-to-play app on smartphones, allowing everyone to experience the thrills of Monopoly on practically any device. Everything that makes the board game special is here in Monopoly Go, so you'll be collecting properties and building hotels as you go around the board, and there are a variety of multiplayer minigames to get through along the way. You're going to need to get your hands on Monopoly dice rolls, but they are difficult to come by no matter how far you are into the board game. There are ways to earn additional dice rolls, including logging into the game every day to collect daily bonuses, progressing further in the game, and inviting friends to try Monopoly Go. While you can also spend real money to unlock more dice rolls, you may want to give our list of Monopoly Go dice links a try instead, especially if you're waiting for the next Monopoly Go Golden Blitz event. Take a look at all the currently active Monopoly Go free dice links for today. Continue reading Free Monopoly Go dice links December 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Monopoly Go events, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Monday, December 30, 2024 1:00 PM  There might not be a shortage of gaming rigs with RGB lighting, but I've never seen one as impressive as this neon gaming PC build, a PC that looks Tron-inspired. Its sleek lines and bold colors are absolutely beautiful, but it's not just a pretty PC, it's an absolute powerhouse, powered by a high-spec Intel CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card. Even if you look past the retina-searing lights, the specs alone make this machine one of the best gaming PC designs that you could put together. The Nvidia GPU is as good as it gets, at least until the new RTX 5000 series launches next month, while the best of the last generation of Intel gaming CPUs, the 24-core Intel Core i9 14900KS, remains one of the best gaming CPU models that you can buy. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GeForce RTX 4070 Super review, DLSS explained, Best graphics cards |
Siliconera Monday, December 30, 2024 7:30 PM
TV Tokyo shared the new trailer and key visual for Season 4 of the Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War anime adaptation. No release date has been detailed yet, and more information will appear in the future.
It was also confirmed that this will be the final season of the Bleach anime series, and it adapts the final arc of the manga. The new teaser trailer shows the dual swords that represent Ichigo Kurosaki's true shikai form transforming into the single sword that he uses for his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu. After the transformation, the sword is shown shattered in half.
You can check out the teaser trailer for Season 4 of the Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War here:
Additionally, Viz Media confirmed that Season 4 will receive an English release. The company also confirmed that the English title for Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War Part 4 is The Calamity. You can also take a look at the new key visual showcasing Ichigo below.
Season 4 of the Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War anime is currently in production with no announce release date. Part 3 of the anime series premiered in October 2024 and recently ended on December 28, and is now available on Hulu and Disney Plus. Viz Media handles the manga outside of Japan.
The post Watch the Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War Season 4 Trailer appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, December 30, 2024 6:00 PM
Square Enix is gearing up for an intriguing year for Final Fantasy XIV in 2025. We know with the release of Dawntrail in 2024 that 2025 will be the slower year for the MMORPG. There won't be a new expansion, but there will be frequent patches with new story and gameplay content. To help offset the lighter year, there are some FFXIV crossovers and events we want to see in 2025.
I would like to see a mix of returning events from the past we haven't seen in a bit and brand new ones as well. Starting with the older events, it is high time for Lightning to come back to FFXIV. The Final Fantasy XIII crossover event first happened in 2013 soon after the launch of the MMORPG. It came back two more times for a grand total of three appearances.
This sounds great and all until you realize when we last saw Lightning. Though this event happened three separate times, the final time was in late 2014. More than 10 years later and we haven't seen Lightning since. This means a huge portion of the player base has not even had the chance to get the rewards from this particular event. It is in dire need of a return, especially if a possible FFXIII trilogy remaster on the horizon.
In addition to that one, I would like to see the return of some fan-favorites like the Yokai Watch event. This is by far one of my favorite events in FFXIV history. It is so inventive how the player needs to put on the bracelet and do a bunch of FATEs to collect the various spirits. The problem is this event never has enough time, in my opinion. I can't be the only one missing a few Yokai so it would be nice to see it come back for a few weeks, if not a full month.
In terms of brand new FFXIV events and crossovers I want in 2025, it all start with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. We already got a FFXVI event with Clive and Torgal, but not the second remake in this trilogy. Having characters like Zack and Aerith appear in the MMO for a short time with some unique outfits or rewards would be fantastic. Plus, we could get some fun character interactions on top of this.
I would also like to see some new crossovers with non-Square Enix titles as well. We had the Monster Hunter event in the past, which is great since it has a neat Trial boss battle. With the release of Monster Hunter Wilds in early 2025, it feels like a great time to bring this crossover back but with a new Trial battle and rewards. This would be a solid way to promote this new Capcom title and reward FFXIV fans.
Even though 2025 is going to be a light year for FFXIV, it doesn't have to be a loss. There is so much potential for possible events and crossovers in the next year. It would be best to have a mix of old events like FFXIII and new ones like for FFVII Rebirth. This would make this otherwise slower year of content far more engaging and fun for the community.
Final Fantasy XIV is available for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
The post FFXIV Crossovers and Events We Want in 2025 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, December 30, 2024 4:00 PM
In a retrospective interview with Famitsu, Yoko Taro mentioned that the Bakuen stage play will run at the end of 2025. This isn't set in stone, though, and he also mentions he doubts anyone will remember something this far in the future. [Thanks, Famitsu!]
When discussing his resolution for the next year, Yoko said that a lot of projects suddenly started and stopped in 2024. So he really felt that it's useless to try and think about or make plans for the future. He goes to sleep at night wondering if he'll unexpectedly become super rich in 2025. Then, when discussing his recent activities, he states that his stage play Bakuen might return at the end of 2025. He handled both the original story and script for the play.
Bakuen is a series of plays that Yoko wrote and scripted, with the first one appearing in 2021. Like he said in his New Year message for 2024, the newest entry in the series (Teikoku Gensou Heidan) appeared before the end of the year. It ran in Japan from December 19 to 23, 2024.
Though this has nothing to do with Bakuen, Yoko took this opportunity to talk about the ongoing conflicts in real life. In the section about what he'd like to bring attention to, he talks about how he wants wars to end and children to stop dying in them. Though he didn't specify which conflicts he's talking about, he specifically mentioned Gaza in his end-of-year message to 4Gamer in 2023. He also brought up war in his 2024 message to 4Gamer, talking about how there are still conflicts all over the world before laughing in despair.
A new Bakuen play should appear in Japan at the end of 2025.
The post Yoko Taro Bakuken Stage Play Will Run in 2025 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, December 30, 2024 3:30 PM
A new spin-off manga for Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury, Seishun Frontier (Adolescent Frontier), will appear in Comic Newtype from Spring 2025. This is an AU of the show in which Suletta and Miorine are high school girls in a near-future Japan.
In the key visual, we can see Suletta and Miorine in their high school uniforms, sitting on a ledge while eating lunch. They're both eating onigiri, and Suletta's side of the ledge is a mess while Miorine's is more organized. It looks like Miorine is pointing out that there are rice grains around Suletta's mouth, while Suletta's embarrassed.
As for the plot of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Adolescent Frontier, it focuses on Suletta and Miorine's first meeting in this parallel world. Hisadake of Morion Airline, who also worked on the show, is the writer. Meanwhile, Hata Hiro (illustrator and mangaka of series like Dogs and the Brave Are Not Showy) is the artist.
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury aired from 2022 to 2023. It takes place in the Ad Stella timeline, focusing on a conflict between Spacians (inhabitants of space colonies) and Earthians (people born on Earth). The story follows Suletta, a transfer student to Asticassia School of Technology from Mercury, who pilots a Gundam using forbidden technology. In her first duel, she wins the hand of Miorine Rembran, daughter of the president of the megacorporation that also runs the school.
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury is available on Crunchyroll, and the Adolescent Frontier manga will start serialization in Comic Newtype from Spring 2025.
The post Gundam Witch From Mercury Adolescent Frontier Manga Stars Suletta and Miorine appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, December 30, 2024 3:00 PM
Modern fandom is a turbulent space. Of course, drama always existed (MsScribe, anyone?). But modern fandom is difficult for a myriad of reasons: the influx of "normies" who got into fandom during quarantine; intolerant minors sticking their noses into spaces they don't belong in; less dedicated public circles; and worsening critical thinking and reading comprehension. However, fandom, when you find a niche of fellow-minded people, remains a sanctuary for those who just want to indulge in a ship or media they love. Sensei! I Like You So Much! presents an accurate depiction of modern fandom, both good and bad, while celebrating the creativity and passion that people in these communities put into it. While the current build is still rough, I recommend it for anyone in a fandom space for its surprisingly sweet story and hilarious realism.
In Sensei! I Like You So Much!, you play as a closeted fanfic writer who keeps everything you write for your favorite ship on a hard drive. One day, while at university, you lose said hard drive, only for your classmate Cordelia to return it to you. Cordelia unfortunately read what was inside, but she's a huge fan of your work and encourages you to upload your fics online. Over time, as you gain more experience, you get more followers and fame as well. You also meet more fandom friends through your mutual love of this ship. The main story culminates with you and your friends having a booth together at Comic-Con, but you need to produce enough zines and merchandise to have stuff to even sell.
At the beginning of the game, you can create your pairing in a character creator, as well as give them some basic personality traits. I used a ship I actually enjoy in real life, but you can make up whatever you want. You only have three time slots per day, and you can go to different locations throughout the city to gain story inspiration, work for money, and recover stats like Willpower and Creativity. When writing and uploading fics at home, you can use the inspiration you collected for the story, with different choices making for different endings. Writing a story requires stamina, so even if you decide to spend all day at home writing fics, you might not be able to write more than one depending on how you budget your stamina.
Aside from writing fics, you can do basically everything you can think of as a fandom creator (outside of drawing). You can also make your own itabag or decorate your desk to have lots of merchandise of your favorite couple. Certain commissions require you to perform these tasks, and how many goods you have at your desk can passively affect the quality of your writing. Mood; I've sometimes just stared at the merchandise around my apartment when I'm struggling through writer's block. Fanzines and freebies are important, because you need to stock your booth with them. The more genres you write in, the more fanzines you can make and sell, so I recommend branching out to as many genres as you can.
There's also an affinity system in the story. You can improve your friendship with the four girls you befriend throughout your fandom career—RippleBoat, EtherealSnow, VelvetYummy, and WraithLantern—using dialogue options. You can also gift them freebie fan merch you make, or items you purchase through the in-game equivalent of eBay. Of course, you can also gift them fics. For some reason, you won't gain any followers this way, even though you're clearly posting these fics to a public forum since random people can comment on them. But that's probably for gameplay reasons, forcing you to decide between raising affinity and gaining followers.
Both the art style and the story are really cute. I didn't expect this when I first saw the trailer for this game, so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed these aspects. Cordelia (RippleBoat) was the one I really focused on trying to befriend, and I neglected everyone else in hopes that there's a secret romantic route. I believe it's possible to hit max affinity with everyone in a single run. You will need to plan your time better than I did. The protagonist's grandma is also the coolest character I've ever seen, and she lives in a retirement home where everyone talks about ships and writes fanfiction. It's segregated, too, of course, so you won't need to hang out with rival shippers forever. That retirement home sounds like a fantasy that someone on Tumblr might've made a text post about in 2013, so that was funny.
It's clear that the team that worked on the game are real-life fans, whether fic authors or avid readers. The ship tropes and AUs are ones that anyone in fandom might stumble upon while browsing AO3 or similar sites. The only exceptions might be wuxia or xianxia AUs. With the rise of Chinese soft power, more people are entering fandoms for Chinese works where they might come across these genres on AO3, though. The thing that made this familiarity a little awkward, though, is that to commemorate the upcoming Yingdu Arc in Link Click (I wrote this prior to its first episode), I made my protagonist's ship Lu Guang/Cheng Xiaoshi.
Now, you might wonder what the problem is. Well, as I mentioned before, I legitimately enjoy this ship in real life. So when the fake fanfiction started showing up in-game, I was both mortified and amused. I've literally read, wrote, or considered writing a good number of the tropes and ideas that appear in the game. At least some of the tropes were for other ships. I still felt seen here. As a note, if you have hang-ups or landmines about a ship you want to use, you should use the safety features at the beginning. One of the stock fics threw in a surprise break-up, and that's a personal ick for Lu Guang/Cheng Xiaoshi. I actually screeched out loud, "They break up?!" when I read it.
Like how the game accurately depicts the average fangirl experience (as both a writer and a reader), it also understands some issues that crop up in fandom. VelvetYummy discusses purity culture and antis, and how the policing of fanworks—works that fans create out of love and not profit—can lead to the decline of a community. Her realization of how her zealous policing and purging under the name of "protecting" those who might have certain triggers inadvertently hurt creators and the fandom she loves is very similar to comments I've seen from antis who matured from their behavior.
I've been lucky in that I've only received direct harassment a handful of times. But I've seen friends leave ships or fandoms they still enjoyed due to heartless comments from antis whose only contribution to a fanbase is spreading negativity. I'm really hoping if they pick up this game, they'll learn something about how their behavior does nothing but drive talent away, leaving a community barren of any creativity.
While the protagonist you play as is a fanfic writer, all the girls you hang out with occupy different roles in the fan space. WraithLantern is an artist and EtherealSnow is another writer, though one the protagonist considers way better than her. I've honestly reacted exactly like the protagonist (in private) when a writer I thought leagues above me complimented my work and wanted to be my friend, and so I could painfully relate to the protagonist's admiration of EtherealSnow. RippleBoat is a reader, while VelvetYummy organizes events. RippleBoat doesn't "offer" anything for other fans. But as a writer, I really appreciate people like her, who leave comments or recommend people's works to others. Comments, retweets, and the like are all so much more encouraging than you might think.
In recent years, a lot of fanworks have been reduced to "content." Fandom is supposed to be a community, with fanart and fanfiction a way for people who show their love of a ship or work. The ties between fans aren't supposed to be a transactional give-and-take. I know people who don't write ideas or ships if they think they won't get comments, and that's fair. They don't owe anyone their time and work, and this is something I feel like some people forgot or don't realize. Obviously, even in the past, people have pestered writers for updates. But I've seen some disgusting comments attacking writers for abandoning a story, and then bragging about how they can just plug a half-finished fic into ChatGPT to get a continuation or conclusion.
Frankly, this is a repulsive sentiment. I've seen people lock down their accounts and archives, or remove stuff from the Internet, to avoid this kind of scraping. Outside of commissions, fanworks are passion projects we make in our spare time. So when people attack creators or act like they're replaceable, they're only creating a negative space that'll become devoid of creativity or fun in the long run. I think this goes back to what I said in the beginning, about the shifting climate of fandom. Newbies and children who don't make an effort to learn basic fandom etiquette might be a minority in online spaces, but they're a very vocal and very toxic one that drain a lot of enjoyment from a hobby that should never be that serious at all.
The way Sensei! I Like You So Much! depicts the symbiotic relationship between writer and reader is something that, again, I hope people who pick this up can realize. Fan creators aren't mere content farms or machines. And even if you can't "contribute" fanworks to a fandom, a reader's very existence and support is more than enough to build and maintain a community. Positivity is always better than negativity if you want a thriving fandom, and that's the ultimate moral of this game.
As mentioned in the beginning, this game is still in early access. So there are some bugs and issues that may make it hard to play. For one thing, the character creator has a bug where a character's sleeves are attached to their inner shirt. So it's impossible to make them wear a hoodie, for example; it'll always look like they're wearing a vest instead. There are also some issues with the translation reading awkwardly. My protagonist writes for a yaoi ship, but on occasion, it'll pull out "she/her" pronouns despite the fic not being a genderswap. Some lines are still in the original Chinese, too. Near the end of my run, activities didn't deplete anything anymore, meaning I didn't have to worry about keeping up my Creativity or Willpower. The game is still playable, though, and I'm sure these issues will be fixed in the future.
Sensei! I Like You So Much is a fangirl simulator that simulates the real-world experience of being a fangirl so well that I had to stop playing at certain points to bury my face into my hands. It was hard to describe the emotion I felt—a mix of embarrassment, shame, and joy. Since the game breaks down fandom terminology and norms in a way that's easy to understand, it's approachable for those who aren't that deep in fandom as well. It only took me around 8 hours to complete, so it's something you can consider picking up if you're bored one weekend. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a half-finished Google Doc to get back to.
Sensei! I Like You So Much is in early access via Steam on Windows PC.
The post Preview: Sensei! I Like You So Much! Is a Love Letter to Fandom appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, December 30, 2024 1:30 PM
In an extensive 2024 retrospective wrap-up with Famitsu, Capcom producer Kenichi Hashimoto teased an upcoming campaign for the tenth anniversary of The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures. More information on that will appear in 2025. [Thanks, Famitsu!]
In his section of the Famitsu interview, Hashimoto stated that The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures would be ten years old in 2025. To thank fans for all their support over the years, he's been preparing some surprises so they can enjoy this milestone. The idea of gratitude is also the keyword he chose for the year.
As well, Hashimoto reported that he hopes to increase the number of Ace Attorney fans. With the release of Ace Attorney Investigations and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy, the entire series (excluding the Layton crossover) is available on modern consoles, making it easier for newcomers to jump into the series.
The Great Ace Attorney; Adventures was the first game in the The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, which came out as a compilation in the west. It's a spin-off prequel series taking place during the end of the 19th century. It follows Japanese university student Ryunosuke Naruhodo, who becomes a lawyer in Britain through circumstance. With the help of his trusty judicial assistant Susato Mikotoba, he furthers his studies as a lawyer. He also befriends Herlock Sholmes (Sherlock Holmes) and his adoptive daughter Iris Wilson (Iris Watson).
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is available on the PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC.
The post Capcom Will Celebrate The Great Ace Attorney Anniversary in 2025 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, December 30, 2024 1:00 PM
White Clover will release twelve different Cinnamoroll rings based on the Western zodiac. You can order them from the official White Clover website, or visit the store in Harajuku.
Each ring costs 8800 JPY ($55.95) and there's a level of customization you can ask for. Aside from choosing your zodiac sign, you can also engrave initials inside the ring. This is mostly for a gift, though you can also personalize a ring you purchase for yourself this way. As for the material, this is made of surgical stainless steel 316L, and it weighs around 4.6 grams. As a disclaimer, White Clover notes that it's rare for people with a metal allergy to have a reaction to surgical stainless steel, but it can't guarantee anything.
As for the designs of the rings, we can see Cinnamoroll dressing up as the different zodiac signs. For Aries, he's wearing a fluffy ram costume. Meanwhile, for Virgo, he's holding a heart. Sagittarius depicts him wielding a bow and arrow. While the key visual has them in color, the rings themselves are black-and gray.
Cinnamoroll is a ridiculously popular Sanrio mascot who, in his lore, hails from a cloud in the sky. He can also fly. Because of this, merchandise featuring Cinnamoroll sometimes has to do with stars, clouds, and other celestial objects. In September 2023, Seiko collaborated with Sanrio to release a Cinnamoroll watch that used such motifs.
The White Clover Cinnamoroll rings will ship out from January 15, 2025. White Clover does not offer international shipping.
The post Cinnamoroll Rings Show Him Dressed as Western Zodiac Signs appeared first on Siliconera. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, December 30, 2024 5:10 PM Posted five days ago. The post Everwild Gets New Signs of Life in an Instagram Post appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, December 30, 2024 4:30 PM In a recent interview. The post Square Enix Says Its Satisfied With Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Sales But No More Exclusives appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, December 30, 2024 4:17 PM According to Windows Central's Jez Corden. The post State of Decay 3 Reportedly May Launch in 2026 appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, December 30, 2024 4:02 PM According to the producer's statements/ The post Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater 2025 Launch is a "Top Priority" appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |