Kotaku Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:17 PM  If you haven't heard, the Steamboat Willie version of Mickey Mouse is officially in the public domain, and Nightmare Forge Games wasted no time announcing a horror game starring that version of Disney's mascot called Infestation 88. However, upon announcement, the team was met with immediate pushback regarding the… |
Kotaku Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:00 PM  Jujutsu Kaisen wrapped up earlier this week after a long and fairly grim season. You won't be surprised to learn that it's got another season in the works, once again courtesy of MAPPA. |
Kotaku Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:00 PM  Some of you may be surprised that a gay Call of Duty ship is in the top ten of fanfiction site Archive Of Our Own's annual, unofficial roundup, but I'm not. Not long after the 2022 release of Modern Warfare II, a bevy of TikToks bimbofied Call of Duty character Simon "Ghost" Riley, who is only ever shown in-game… |
Kotaku Tuesday, January 2, 2024 2:45 PM  Star Wars Outlaws, Ubisoft's upcoming action-adventure game that follows scoundrel Kay Vess between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, previously had no release date beyond a very broad "2024" window. Today, however, a Disney Parks blog post quietly announced that it would launch in "late 2024." This… |
Kotaku Tuesday, January 2, 2024 2:05 PM  Some of our posts include links to retailers. If you buy something from clicking on one, G/O Media may earn a commission. Because editorial staff is independent of commerce, affiliate linking does not influence our editorial content. More than six years after its release, the Nintendo Switch is still dutifully chugging along, and still without the long-rumored Switch Pro. Compared to its supercomputer competitors, Microsoft's Xbox Series X and Sony's PlayStation 5, it's by no means the most powerful place to play games today. But it's still the… |
Kotaku Tuesday, January 2, 2024 2:00 PM  Classic puzzle game Tetris has been around for over three decades, and in that time, plenty of people have reached its various endings, usually by clearing four rows of bricks at once like a digital demolitioner. That's a challenge in and of itself, but now, someone has taken the concept of "beating Tetris" to the… |
Kotaku Tuesday, January 2, 2024 1:33 PM  According to France's Autorité de la concurrence, a government body responsible for regulating competition, Sony hasn't been playing nice with third-party controllers on PS4. The regulatory body has fined Sony 13.5 million euros (roughly 14.8 million USD) for deploying "technical countermeasures [...] which affected… |
Kotaku Tuesday, January 2, 2024 12:15 PM  Steam is by far the most peculiar of online storefronts. Built on top of itself for the last twenty years, Valve's behemothic PC game distributor is a clusterfuck of overlapping design choices, where algorithms rule over coherence, with 2023 seeing over 14,500 games released into the mayhem. Which is too many games. |
Kotaku Tuesday, January 2, 2024 12:00 PM  2024 is starting off strong: The controversial Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard King, is no longer heading up the Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Overwatch 2 publisher. We knew this was going to happen—shortly after Microsoft completed its massive $68 billion purchase of ActiBlizz, the company… |
Kotaku Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:45 AM  Leave it to modders to push the boundaries of what was once (and arguably still is) one of the most impressive visual showcases of modern gaming: Cyberpunk 2077. A skyrocketing post on Reddit shows off some pretty remarkable graphical feats that one enterprising player has achieved. Featuring a handful of mods that… |
Kotaku Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:30 AM  It's just two days into 2024 and a major video game company is already talking about its big AI plans. If you thought we were leaving AI discourse behind in 2023, I'm sorry to tell you that you were very, very wrong. A New Year's letter from the current Square Enix president details the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth… |
Kotaku Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:15 AM  Baldur's Gate 3 has been on Xbox Series X/S for just under a month, and while there have been a few technical issues with the RPG since arriving on the platform, none has been more far-reaching than one that sprouted up over the weekend banning Xbox accounts that record and upload clips of sex scenes or any moments… |
Kotaku Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:10 AM  The New Year brought the excellent news that Steamboat Willie-era Mickey Mouse has finally entered the public domain, after decades of Disney, er, convincing Congress to keep extending its copyrights. With that, derivative works that don't directly contravene Disney's trademarks are now allowed by law, and with that,… |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 5:58 PM  Minecraft is not slowing down, standing as the world's most popular video game to date over a decade after its initial release. With over 300 million sales and an ever-expanding player base, Mojang's sandbox game is undoubtedly one of the most influential virtual creations ever. Steve, a player character almost as recognizable as the game itself, could become even more famous now as we may witness Jack Black himself act as the beloved blocky figure in the upcoming Minecraft movie. Continue reading Minecraft movie sees Jack Black join cast as iconic blocky character MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 5:14 PM  20 Minutes Till Dawn is one of those indie gems that most players will likely miss, but if you're a fan of Vampire Survivors, this one might be worth putting on your radar. Luckily, you can get a free copy of 20 Minutes Till Dawn for a limited time to see if it's your cup of tea, but you'll have to snatch it up fast. Continue reading Bullet hell Vampire Survivor-like is free to grab if you're fast MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best Vampire Survivors power ups, Vampire Survivors weapon evolution guide, The best Vampire Survivors build |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 5:07 PM  Persona 4 is my favorite game from Atlus' genre-defining series, but it's certainly not the only Persona experience I adore. The timeless Persona 3 came first, and it has similarly been subject to various ports and re-releases. While the more recent Persona 5 has now stolen the show, I'd recommend everyone play the aforementioned two while you can do so for free, as both Persona 3 and 4 are leaving Game Pass soon. |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:29 PM  What is the next Monopoly Go event? With so many limited-time events in Monopoly Go, it can be hard to keep track of the rewards you can get your hands on. Monopoly Go events can last anywhere from a few hours to a week, so bookmark this page as we'll keep it regularly updated with the next events and their start and end dates. Monopoly Go is the latest online board game sweeping the globe, but completing all of these events won't be easy without some Monopoly Go free dice links, so check out our daily updated guide for some freebies and rewards before you get started. Continue reading All Monopoly Go events, dates, and rewards MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best board games, Free PC games, Monopoly Go dice |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:19 PM  Sticky business, this one. Just 10 hours after Steamboat Willie, an original cartoon iteration of Mickey Mouse, went public domain, developer Nightmare Forge Games announced a survival horror game using the likeness of the character in Infestation 88. The thing is, many gamers took the '88' part of the title as a reference to the Neo-Nazi salute and spun into a wild controversy, leading the developers to respond to the claims. Continue reading Infestation 88 devs address controversy over Neo-Nazi claims MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best horror games, Infestation 88 release date, The best co-op games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 3:40 PM  Starfield has had a rocky post-launch period with mixed reviews and no Game of the Year wins aside from its Xbox title. The 2023 Steam Awards are now in with all of Valve's player-voted wins though, and Bethesda's massive interstellar RPG is taking one of the event's titles home. Despite its current flow of negative feedback on Steam, Starfield now boasts the Most Innovative Gameplay Award. Continue reading Starfield doesn't win Steam GOTY, snags surprising award instead MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Starfield mods, Starfield outposts, Starfield traits |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 3:14 PM  In the wake of a trend of video game companions swallowing others in recent years, Cyberpunk 2077 maker CD Projekt Red has recently expressed wanting to retain its independence. The studio doesn't want to be brought out or part of a much bigger corporation. CD Projekt Red will instead aim to become "even bigger and even stronger" in the upcoming years on its own merits. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty review, Best Cyberpunk 2077 mods, Buy Cyberpunk 2077 |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 1:34 PM  Frogwares, the developer behind The Sinking City, a Lovecraftian-themed adventure title with investigation mechanics, just closed a lengthy legal battle with its former PC publisher, Nacon. The developer has won full ownership over the game on all platforms and plans to implement crucial updates to the title's PC version in the coming weeks following its legal victory. Continue reading The Sinking City devs now fully own the game, updates planned for PC |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 1:14 PM  Star Wars Outlaws is one of the most highly anticipated games right now, and it's not at all surprising if you consider the source material's popularity as well as Massive Entertainment's exciting gameplay reveals thus far. While we all wait to dive into Ubisoft's action-adventure spin on the iconic Star Wars series, the developer continues working toward its release window, which we now with certainty know falls late in 2024. Continue reading Star Wars Outlaws reveals release window, but it's not coming soon MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Star Wars games, Star Wars Outlaws release date, Best open-world games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 12:42 PM  Xbox Game Pass has long been a valuable bargain, but 2023 was a year where the service truly shined for consumers. Microsoft added a landslide of games to different subscription tiers, which totaled over $5,000 worth of games. No other game subscription service had as much value last year, and that's likely to stay consistent in 2024 based on Microsoft's push to focus more on the service. Continue reading Xbox Game Pass had insane value in 2023, over $5,000 worth of games MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Starfield mods, Starfield outposts, Starfield traits |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 12:27 PM  2024 already looks like a promising year for horror games, and upcoming indie Digested might just make the charts. A survival horror game where you need to escape before a giant snake eats you (yes, really), Digested looks like the perfect bite-sized experience for fans of games like Alien Isolation, Lethal Company, Slender, and a whole lot more. Continue reading This new Steam horror game sees you fleeing a giant snake MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best horror games, Best free Steam games, Best VR horror games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 12:25 PM  Valve has released the definitive list of the most played games on Steam Deck during 2023, and it includes its fair share of surprises. Standing among platform mainstays like Fallout 4, Slay the Spire, and Skyrim, an underappreciated tactical RPG seems to have enjoyed an unexpected second life of sorts. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 12:22 PM  The arrival of PCIe Gen 5 drives has sent the cost of Gen 4 and 3 drives tumbling downwards in recent months, but we may soon see SSD prices rise in the near future. Sadly, this likely won't be a minor rise. Continue reading Prepare to pay more for your next SSD MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Samsung 970 EVO 1TB review, Best SSD for gaming, Best gaming monitor |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 12:11 PM  What are the Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown system requirements? It's not every day that a franchise like Prince of Persia gets a second chance at a first impression. With The Lost Crown, it feels like an entirely new generation of gamers will determine whether Ubisoft's popular IP sticks around or is a one-and-done. However, on the graphical front, despite some amazing visuals, The Lost Crown's system requirements are a very low bar to clear. You won't need one of the best graphics cards to run Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and any gaming laptop or PC hardware from as far back as 2016 should be capable of meeting the recommended specs with little issue. Continue reading Prince of Persia The Lost Crown system requirements MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 12:05 PM  Which are the best LoL champions for beginners? Understanding who is easy to play is half the battle if you want to find success early in your League of Legends career. The Summoner's Rift map can be a daunting place for those starting on their MOBA journey, especially when you find yourself dying over and over. With over 150 options to choose from, the sheer amount of playable champions can also feel overwhelming. When you begin playing League of Legends, it's best to get a grip on the core concepts of the game before committing to a role, and ultimately, a champion. Playing through basic training will familiarize you with the broader concepts of the free PC game, such as minion waves, towers, skills, and items. We've got the best LoL beginner champions for each role below, followed by an explanation of exactly how they work, and how you should play your role. With the Arena game mode back in rotation, these champions would also make an excellent starting point for building the best LoL Arena team comps. Continue reading The best LoL champions for beginners 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: League of Legends Season 14, League of Legends patch 13.23, League of Legends tier list |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:52 AM  After almost six years, Monster Hunter World is still alive and kicking. Its post-game resurgence has even blown past recent arrivals like The Finals in player numbers on Steam, gradually starting to rival its golden days from all those years ago. Continue reading Capcom's best RPG skyrockets in player numbers, beating The Finals MORE FROM PCGAMESN: MHW: Iceborne release date, MHW: Iceborne Banbaro guide, Monster Hunter World review |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:42 AM  What are the latest Disney Dreamlight Valley codes? We've done some digging to make sure we've got the latest codes available from Gameloft. To celebrate the release of Dreamlight Valley multiplayer, there are two new codes below. The Dreamlight Valley golden potato code was the first to come to the Disney game, and gives you just that, a golden potato. It doesn't even do anything yet, but the exciting news is that it appears to be part of a future Dreamlight Valley quest. The code might no longer available, but if you still don't have a golden potato, you can pick one up in Scrooge's shop. Notes hidden around the valley right now suggest that the potato might be put to any day now. Other codes have since been released with various celebrations, including the Dreamlight Park community challenge and the Festival of Foolishness, for which all the Dreamlight Valley codes can be found below. Continue reading All Disney Dreamlight Valley codes January 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Disney games, What's the next Dreamlight Valley update?, Disney Dreamlight Valley guide |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:32 AM  What are the best Minecraft texture packs? These colorful and game-altering texture packs can turn your world into an entirely new experience. Of course, Minecraft's low-fi charm is part of the draw, but texture packs range from subtle changes to an all-over reskin, so you can choose just how much you want to leave vanilla Minecraft behind. Just like the best Minecraft mods and shaders, texture packs can help give an entirely new feel to one of the best PC games of the last decade, and it's just one of many ways of keeping the sandbox game feeling fresh after all these years. While some mods can alter gameplay, and shaders change the quality and style of the graphics, texture packs allow you to add a new skin to existing blocks. Included in our list of the best texture packs, you'll find realistic blocks, cartoonish overhauls, and cute changes to the way Minecraft mobs look. Continue reading The 17 best Minecraft texture packs 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:32 AM  What are the best PC games you can play on mobile? Well, if you had asked that question a decade ago, there wouldn't have been many for us to recommend. Today, however, mobile phones are able to provide gaming libraries that stand proud alongside their PC and console siblings, and many of the best PC games have made their way onto our portable phones over the years. Of course, your opinion of what constitutes the best PC games on mobile will be skewed by your individual tastes as a gamer, and with this in mind, we've tried to choose eight games that reflect a number of different genres and developers. We hope that at least one of the entries on this list will bring a smile to your face. There's also one game that is conspicuous by its absence: Minecraft. Don't get us wrong, we love mining, avoiding Creepers, building Nether portals, and making cool Minecraft builds, but everyone and their wolf knows that Minecraft is on practically every platform, so we thought we'd shine the spotlight onto some other iconic games that deserve your attention. Continue reading Best PC games you can play on mobile MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best battle royale games, PUBG 2 release date, Best multiplayer games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:30 AM  Which League of Legends skins are currently on sale in the store? LoL is a free-to-play game in the truest sense - you can enjoy everything the MOBA has to offer for absolutely nothing. Now if you were to ask a seasoned League player if that were true, they'd probably have to stifle a few tears as they check how much their bank account has suffered buying skins since they started battling on the Rift. Riot rotates a series of skins in the store, with the savviest of us holding out until the cosmetic they want ends up in the discount section store or even the League of Legends Mythic shop. The shiny new cosmetics are only available briefly, so make sure you act fast if you want to snag the new hotness. Here is every League of Legends skin on sale right now if you want to know what's in the store without booting up the client. Continue reading Which League of Legends skins are currently on sale? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: League of Legends Season 14, League of Legends patch 13.23, League of Legends tier list |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:11 AM  What are the Valorant crosshair codes? Crosshairs in the Riot Games FPS are more complex and customizable than ever, thanks to a recent update. With a complex-looking string of numbers, letters, and symbols, you can change your in-game sights to match players from your favorite esports teams such as DRX, Fnatic, or The Guard, or make your own entirely. Many of the best PC games with pro teams like to come up with ways for FPS game players to show allegiance to their favorite players. For example, Rainbow Six Siege has charms and Valorant has gun buddies. Custom crosshairs take things to another level though, and can even help you achieve a similar level of accuracy as the pros, too. Different colors or sizes can make your crosshair stand out more, potentially affecting your accuracy. We've collected Valorant crosshair codes for all of the big teams in one place, so you don't have to go hunting around too much to equip your favorite Valorant characters with your chosen sight. Jump to the bottom if you need to know how to import Valorant crosshairs. Continue reading Best Valorant crosshair codes – fun, streamer, and pro crosshairs MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Valorant Night Market dates, Valorant ranks, Valorant crosshair codes |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:05 AM  There are few games that I'd say changed my life, but Baldur's Gate 3's spiritual predecessor, Dragon Age: Origins, is one of them. Bioware's high fantasy epic spawned oh so many of my myriad Dungeons and Dragons characters, inspired my university courses, and is one of the reasons I'm sitting here as PCGamesN's news editor. If you love Baldur's Gate 3, or just want to see why I love this game so much, then you need to pick up Dragon Age: Origins now - but not on Steam. Continue reading Forget Baldur's Gate 3, its spiritual predecessor is just $4 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best fantasy games, Best story games, Games like Baldur's Gate 3 |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:03 AM  What are the best anime games for PC? As wildly varied as the Japanese film, television, and manga from which they are inspired, anime art styles are everywhere in games. Whether you fancy being trapped in a school with a sadistic remote-controlled bear, defending yourself from gargantuan humanoid monsters, or joining a book club with a dark side, we've got plenty of anime games to choose from in 2023. We've got everything from the biggest anime games based on Japan's hottest export shows from the finest JRPG games to MMOs influenced by its signature style. Dragon Ball, Attack on Titan, and Naruto are all present and correct, plus a few other gems you may not have heard of before. If you're an anime fan, consider these entries as some of the best PC games available on the platform. Let's go. Continue reading The best anime games on PC 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Genshin Impact codes, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:01 AM  What are the Fortnite system requirements? Even though the battle royale game runs on mobile phones, it won't run well on just any gaming PC. In fact, developer Epic Games changed the necessary hardware needed to play Fortnite just a few years ago. Fortnite is still among the best free games on PC, but you wouldn't recognize it today if you only ever played it during its formative months. Epic took Fortnite from 'Save the World' to dominating it as this popular battle royale game set incredibly high standards for everyone who followed. Now, in 2024, the game is still playable on most mid-to-low-tier gaming PCs, but you can also chase the epic quality settings for the ultimate experience. Continue reading Fortnite system requirements 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Fortnite map - key locations, Fortnite skins, All Fortnite Chapter 4 weapons |
PCGamesN Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:27 AM  The best mini keyboards are much smaller than traditional full-size gaming keyboards. That means you can fit them in a more compact setup, as well as take them with you when you're traveling. Among the best gaming keyboards, there are several compact sizes, 75%, 65%, and 60%, making it easy for you to find the perfect balance between controls and size. A 75% keyboard like the premium Asus ROG Azoth has three-quarters the number of keys as a full-sized, and will typically offer you keys for media controls and programmable macro keys with the function key rows. 65% keyboards like the Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini HyperSpeed take things down a notch to 67 or 68 keys and do away with the function row making an "Fn" key a necessity. Most laptops have a 65% layout, so if you use one regularly you will be very familiar with this layout and it's about as small as we would recommend for word processing. Most 60% keyboards will go a step further and remove the arrow keys, so they're best suited to games with a minimal set of controls such as esports titles like Counter-Strike 2. However, the Mountain Everest 60 bucks this trend by offering arrow keys and an optional numpad. There's a lot to like in this space-saving category, and many of these mini gaming keyboards also fit into our best RGB keyboards and best wireless mechanical keyboard guides. If size is a priority, these are the best mini keyboards for gaming that we've tried and tested. Continue reading Best mini keyboards 2024: top gaming picks MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, January 2, 2024 5:06 PM  Frogwares is "now the sole publisher of The Sinking City on all platforms", says the developer. This brings to an end several years of uncertainty and litigation, which saw the Lovecraftian RPG delisted from Steam several times and at one point restored by its publisher via an allegedly pirated version of the game. The downside is that an updated version of the game is coming to all storefronts in the coming weeks and it won't be compatible with old save files. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:22 PM  Vampire Survivors was a big enough sensation that it instantly inspired a horde of similar games to spawn. 20 Minutes Till Dawn was one of the more worthy: a topdown, 2D roguelite with a similar sense of spectacle and progression, but with traditional weapon aiming. It's currently free to keep from the Epic Games Store. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:01 PM  The player-voted Steam Awards have reached their conclusion, and the results are about as weird as the nominees. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the weirdest game possible won in several categories, such as Red Dead Redemption 2 for the Labor Of Love award and Starfield for "Most Innovative Gameplay". |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, January 2, 2024 12:38 PM  Guild Wars publisher NCSoft's long-rumoured Horizon: Zero Dawn spin-off is a full-blown MMORPG codenamed Project Skyline, will run on Unreal Engine 5, and is coming to PC and mobile with a PS5 release still TBC, according to a brace of job listings and CVs fished from the post-apocalyptic robo-wilds of yonder internet. Also according to the said listings, it won't be out for a while. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, January 2, 2024 12:00 PM  Tim Cain wrote what is perhaps gaming's most famous and influential monologue: the introduction to Fallout. "War never changes," he says. "People loved it. I'm like, 'I must be a writer.'" Yet much more recently, when Cain sat down to write his memoirs, nobody really liked what came out on the page. "I was really, really bad at it," he says. "I had half a dozen people read it, and they all pretty much said that the stories were good, but my writing wasn't." Cain's writing strengths, as fellow Fallout originator Leonard Boyarsky has suggested, lie in shortform. Which was bad news for anyone who wanted to read the definitive account of his four decades at the heart of Interplay, Troika and Obsidian, three of the most important RPG studios of all time. Thankfully, though, it turns out Cain is a natural raconteur. The same anecdotes that appeared flat and toneless in his memoirs go down a storm on YouTube. There, for the past seven months, Cain has been delivering his stories straight to camera, as if at a dinner party with 73,500 other people. "When I started the channel, I would effectively just look at something in the book and be like, 'I'll tell that story today,'" he says. "Now I spend as much time answering questions and doing videos based on things people ask about." |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:49 AM  Star Wars Outlaws, Ubisoft's upcoming open world Star Wars game, is set to release "late this year", according to Disney. Announced via a Disney Parks blog post of all things, Star Wars Outlaws ranks as the No.22 most "Ooooh-Worthy Thing" out of the 2024 Disney Experiences line-up - which, considering the list only stretches to 24 entries is a bit of an unfair burn on the game, if you ask me, especially when No.21 is... *checks notes* new Disney Eats and Stitch clothes collections. |
Twinfinite Tuesday, January 2, 2024 5:18 PM  |
Twinfinite Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:00 PM  |
Siliconera Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:00 PM
The New Year's banner for Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis is now live and features a new weapon and outfit for both Cloud and young Sephiroth. The banner is set to remain available until January 14, 2024, alongside various packs of draw tickets and upgrade materials.
Cloud's new weapon is called Skysplitter, and it is a black and silver katana that boasts a powerful and ATB-intensive ability called Blazing Strike. This attack can be further boosted by his new gear, the Official Festive Garb. It boosts his physical attack and fire ability damage.
Meanwhile, young Sephiroth will be able to equip the Radiant Edge, which has the ability to reduce enemy physical defenses and fire resistance, as well as deal non-elemental physical damage. His Celebratory Garb gear will boost his HP rather than his damage, though it does contain a similar fire ability damage buff.
Both weapons will be available by rolling on the New Year's banner. Meanwhile, the gear is obtained through Ever Crisis' stamp card system.
You can get a closer look at the weapon and outfit additions for both Cloud and young Sephiroth in FFVII Ever Crisis in the gallery below:
Alongside the New Year's banner, Square Enix is also running a FFVII Ever Crisis event called "The Wily Hunter." It features Yuffie Kisaragi as a boss encounter. A previous event, added back in December, 2023, added a new character quest focused on Barrett.
Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis is available to play on PC and mobile devices, with the New Year's banner being available until January 14, 2024.
The post FFVII Ever Crisis New Year's Banner Stars Cloud and Sephiroth Weapons appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, January 2, 2024 3:00 PM
There are quite a few Cardcaptor Sakura character Nendoroids, with even a Nendoroid doll in the works, and that also means reruns of ones like the Sakura Kinomoto Tomoeda Junior High Uniform figure. As expected, it's as adorable as it was during its 2018 run for its 2023 one.
This is a rather basic Nendoroid of Sakura in her school uniform from the Clear Card follow-up series, so the character does look slightly older. However, because of the diminutive nature of Nendoroids, she still looks incredibly childlike and cute. She's a charming chibi, with face plates that mimic CLAMP's trademark eye design. The uniform itself is also an accurate representation, which is great. But all this also means that if you had past Nendoroids of Cardcaptor Sakura characters, you could mix and match easily. Tomoyo could wear this new uniform, for example.
It's also quite fun for another reason. The face plates cover some great expressions and her teddy bear is more detailed than expected. Her standard smiling and blushing faces are great, but the exaggerated shocked one is so much fun. The sweat drops really sell it, but remain very in-character. As for the bear, I expected it to be a static prop to hold. However, it does have the angel wings on the back and its arms and legs can be moved so it is standing or sitting with its arms up or down. It's a nice bonus.
There are two elements that are a little frustrating, however. The first is that the packaging means all of her arm parts don't have their own homes in the plastic insert. Since I tend to keep boxes and leave the parts in there, for when I don't have certain figures displayed, it feels sloppy to have to have a separate Ziploc bag inside to ensure things aren't properly organized.
The other is my disappointment that there aren't designated hand parts for holding her teddy bear. The "grip" hand parts work great for the Dream Form of her Sealing Wand and the book bag. They can't hold the bear's arm or wings well. There is one hand part that contours to the bear, but it isn't great at holding it in place and there's only one of it. So you sort of have to… work with what you have. It's a little disappointing.
Both of those are quite minor issues, and this Cardcaptor Sakura Sakura Kinomoto Tomoeda Junior High Uniform Nendoroid is such a cute take on the character. It's so much fun that I'd love to see another entirely new one of Sakura in one of her various costumes, just so there would be additional parts for posing opportunities.
The Cardcaptor Sakura Sakura Kinomoto Tomoeda Junior High Uniform Nendoroid is available now worldwide. Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card is streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is handled by Kodansha.
The post Cardcaptor Sakura Nendoroid Preserves the Character's Charm appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, January 2, 2024 2:00 PM
The January 2024 PlayStation Plus games are now available. There are three titles to choose from this month, with Evil West (PS4, PS5), Nobody Saves the World (PS4, PS5), and A Plague Tale: Requiem (PS5) appearing.
Evil West first launched in November 2022. It is a third-person shooter set in the wild west, with players following Jesse Rentier as he attempts to deal with vampires and other supernatural creatures in the name of the Rentier Institute with the help of a new prototype Gauntlet. It normally costs $59.99.
Nobody Saves the World is also a 2022 release, though it debuted in January 2022. It is an action-RPG that can be played alone or with others, with players following a nobody with a wand that lets them transform so they can use their new forms' skills to save a procedurally generated world. It usually is $24.99.
A Plague Tale: Requiem launched in 2022 too, debuting in October 2022. It is the direct sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence. Once again, players follow siblings Amicia and Hugo. Hugo's Prima Macula is once again causing issues, and it is up to Amicia to set out on another adventure to save her brother. This is also usually a $59.99 game.
As a reminder, there were also three PlayStation Plus games in December 2023. People were able to claim Lego 2K Drive (PS4, PS5), Powerwash Simulator (PS4, PS5), and Sable (PS5) until January 1, 2024. The current pattern for releases tends to be two games that are playable on both PlayStation consoles and one that is a PS5 exclusive.
The January 2024 PlayStation Plus games can be claimed by subscribers until February 5, 2024.
The post January 2024 PlayStation Plus Games Headed Up by A Plague Tale: Requiem appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, January 2, 2024 1:30 PM
In Famitsu's New Year Greetings column for 2024, Silent Hill series Lead Producer Motoi Okamoto offered an update on the series. Okamoto's keyword for 2024 is "delivery," and the producer confirmed that 2024 will mark the beginning of new Silent Hill game releases. [Thanks, Famitsu!]
The producer's aspirations for 2024 consist of continuing to build up the Silent Hill series with both games and other types of media. Motoi Okamoto mentioned the release of the interactive streaming Silent Hill Ascension in November 2023 as one of such types of non-game media for the franchise.
Konami originally announced 3 Silent Hill games and 2 non-game titles in production on October 2022. Silent Hill F is a new mainline installment in the franchise developed by Neobards Entertainment and written by When They Cry sound novel series author Ryukishi07. Bloober Team is developing the Silent Hill 2 remake for the PS5 and PC, in collaboration with artist Masahiro Ito and composer Akira Yamaoka.
Konami is also collaborating with publisher Annapurna Interactive and Observation developer No Code in the upcoming Silent Hill: Townfall. At the time of writing this story none of the aforementioned Silent Hill video game titles have a release date or window, but people can expect some of these to appear in 2024.
The Return to Silent Hill live-action movie is the other non-game title for the current Silent Hill multimedia project, and director Christophe Gans is in charge of it. Gans previously directed the first Silent Hill live-action project.
The post Silent Hill Producer Motoi Okamoto Offers Update on Games appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, January 2, 2024 1:00 PM
Now that 2024 has begun, Naoki Yoshida, the producer and director for Final Fantasy XIV, shared details about the game's future in a New Year's message. In his greeting, he explained how the current plans for future updates and preparations for the Tokyo 2024 Fan Festival on January 7, 2024 are faring.
Yoshida admitted that the Final Fantasy XIV development team in Japan has been hard at work preparing for the upcoming Fan Festival 2024 in Tokyo, as well as the 7.0 update and Dawntrail expansion. The team hopes to ensure the conclusion to the world tour is a success. Yoshida also noted that even though the event would take place in the large Tokyo Dome, the same Fan Festival shenanigans would ensue.
Yoshida teased that a note was "delivered" to his office. It reads as follows:
It seems that this note was sent to generate hype for the Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail expansion.
Yoshida also included that the team is tasked with overhauling "ten years' worth of graphic development," and stated these changes may take some time to be fully implemented. He said that many may even go unnoticed considering the scope of the operation. These updates will be created with the idea of maintaining long-term service for Final Fantasy XIV in the future, with him noting that he hopes it will continue for another ten years.
Finally, he noted, "With 'haste makes waste' as our mantra, we intend to tackle the obstacles before us with a deliberate thoroughness."
Final Fantasy XIV is playable on the PS4, PS5, and PC. It will also come to the Xbox Series X in Spring 2024 and will support cross-play.
The post Naoki Yoshida Talks About Future of Final Fantasy XIV in New Year's Message appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, January 2, 2024 12:30 PM
Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden will be leaving Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass subscription service within the next two weeks. The official site noted that they are among the four games leaving on January 15, 2024.
Here is a full list of the video games leaving Xbox Game Pass within the next two weeks. All four of them are playable on both consoles and PCs with subscriptions.
In addition, Grand Theft Auto V apparently was removed from the service on December 31, 2023.
Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden each long campaigns, with the former being around 60 hours and the latter being about 80. Atlus announced both titles, along with Persona 5 Royal, would join the Xbox Game Pass service in 2022.
Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden are both available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. Physical copies of both appeared via Limited Run Games. Persona 3 Portable originally debuted on the PSP, while Persona 4 Golden first showed up on the Vita.
The next round of Xbox Game Pass game removals are set to leave the catalog on January 15, 2024.
The post Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden Leaving Xbox Game Pass appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, January 2, 2024 12:00 PM
The Version 1.6 Update for Honkai: Star Rail is full of exciting new additions, including Ruan Mei, Pure Fiction, and you can even play as Peppy the Dog at some point! But with all these additions, one stood out to me more than any other: the changes to Daily Training.
It's a small thing to get excited about, but I have my reasons. I finished the story of Honkai: Star Rail up to the end of Version 1.0 before putting the game down. This allowed me to play other things until more updates were added. Except I didn't come back when the updates were added. I consistently got distracted by other games until, eventually I finally came back to the game partway through Version 1.5's updates.
This created a huge backlog of quests. Several months of events had happened, and now my mission log scrolled on forever. This wasn't a huge problem on its own, as most of these were Companion Missions which could be spaced out across a few sessions in between other games. At least, in theory, that's what I should have been able to do, but Daily Training kept slowing that goal down.
While daily rewards aren't essential to Honkai: Star Rail, it felt detrimental to ignore them. You earn some decent rewards by doing Daily Training, usually, items for leveling characters or Light Cones, so it's worth keeping up with it. However, these daily tasks become a problem if you're trying to chip away at several months of quests at the same time.
For starters, the Daily Training was split into two lists – the Interastral Guide and Nameless Honor. That's a lot of tasks to complete! These tasks covered a range of different aspects of the game, but usually, the game would ask me to use 150 Trailblaze Power. This requires completing Calyxes, Echoes of War, Stagnant Shadows, and the Simulated Universe. While these are all useful things to be doing due to the rewards they offer, they are also time consuming.
Having to do these every day while also trying to clear out my quest list suddenly made the game feel daunting to return to. This is why I was excited to hear that there would be adjustments to the Daily Training in Version 1.6. However, the details were vague. The announcement in the Special Program simply stated that MiHoYo would "ease the completion difficulty of Daily Training" and didn't really go into further details. I was curious how much impact this would have because any change to this system would be welcome.
Honkai: Star Rail Version 1.6 was finally released, and I instantly loaded up the game to check out how much it had changed. I instantly noticed one major difference – a bonus for simply logging into the game was now on the Interastral Guide, meaning that 100 points of the 500 required to complete it for the day are just handed to you. This had me curious, though. What about the login bonus on Nameless Honor? Was that still there?
It was not. In fact, the Daily Missions section of Nameless Honor is entirely gone, leaving behind just the weekly and seasonal tasks. Now, all Daily Training is done through the Interastral Guide, which means you only need to collect the 500 points required to clear that to unlock the day's rewards. It's only one list now instead of two. What's on the Interastral Guide now, though?
Obviously, the login bonus is a huge boost, but I instantly found that synthesizing a single item and sending characters on assignments also handed me 100 points each. These are both tasks that can be done in seconds through menus. What's more, they feed into each other, as items earned through assignments can be used to make higher-level items in the Omni-Synthesizer.
So that's 300 points earned for Daily Training in seconds. The obvious choice left is to pick up the Daily Mission, which would give me 200 and, therefore, complete the Interastral Guide for the day. I selected the mission, picked up a message in a bottle, and returned it to the quest giver. A literal five-minute job and my Daily Training is done. It's a huge contrast to what I was asked to do in the past.
However, this initially felt too good to be true. After all, there were two possible tasks on the list that made me hesitate to celebrate. The Trailblaze Power one is still there, as is a task to go through the Simulated Universe. My fear was that these would end up being mandatory on some days. However, I was delighted to discover that my second day of challenges was exactly the same as the first. Meaning that now two lists of tasks that could take me almost an hour to beat had been permanently whittled down to five minutes.
Plus, the Weekly Missions have also seen an overhaul due to the reduction in Daily Training. Now, there is a persistent Trailblaze EXP unlock for every 100 Trailblaze Power you use, up to a maximum of 1400. This is still a lot of work, but now this can be spent on my own terms. I can load up a weekend session of the game to go through Calyxes instead of feeling required to do this every day. The choice is entirely in my hands now.
In other words, the Daily Training changes in Honkai: Star Rail Version 1.6 are huge. I expected a small change. Maybe the Trailblaze Power required would be reduced, or there would be an easy option for some battles. I didn't expect the entire list to be condensed down to a blip. It's a huge welcome change and one that's made the prospect of clearing that quest list much less daunting.
Honkai: Star Rail is out now for PC, mobile devices and PS5.
The post How Much Has Daily Training Improved in Honkai: Star Rail Version 1.6? appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, January 2, 2024 12:00 PM
Final Fantasy XI Producer and Director Yoji Fujito discussed the state of the game, including its server replacements, Windows 11 support, and the ongoing existence of the We Are Vana'diel site as a repository of information. The 2024 New Year's letter also went over plans in and out of the MMORPG for the next year.
First, Fujito brought up the Final Fantasy XI server replacement and Windows 11 support as part of efforts to ensure stability and compatibility. He noted that in the case of both, there is "steady progress." There was no update on when either project will be finished.
After that, he noted that We Are Vana'diel will not only remain online, but it will get more updates about the development of Final Fantasy XI. Specifically, more interviews were confirmed. However, he also noted it will also offer "oral histories" for the game.
As for the future of the game, Fujito noted that there won't be as many updates in 2024 and the goal is longterm maintenance now. No shutdown was mentioned, with the director and producer stating, "Compared to the past, when we released new content every year, there will not be as many updates to look forward to, but we will properly maintain the game and ensure that you can continue to enjoy FFXI for a long time to come." The Final Fantasy XIV Echoes of Vana'diel Final Fantasy XI raid is also in development. There will also be more supplemental elements, and he cited the February 17, 2024 dramatic reading as one such project.
The update also noted that there are some in-game New Year's events going on. Until January 15, 2024, an event is on involving Dragatama in places like Batallia Downs, East and West Ronfaure, East and West Sarutabaruta, Eastern and Western Altepa Desert, North and South Gustaberg, and Qufim Island. There will also be Moogles at Bastok Mines (H-9), Northern San d'Oria (D-8), and Windurst Waters (G-10) selling items. You can get the Ake-Ome Spirit from Ake or Ome at Northern San d'Oria (L-8), Port Bastok (K-12), and Port Windurst (M-4) as well.
Final Fantasy XI is available on PCs.
The post Final Fantasy XI Director Discusses Server Replacement, Windows 11 Support, We Are Vana'Diel appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Tuesday, January 2, 2024 11:30 AM
Nijisanji Vtuber Selen Tatsuki offered an update on her condition following her hospitalization. She is now home for the hospital, but still on break.
On December 27, 2023, Selen announced she needed to be hospitalized following an accident. This followed two days of silence and her not appearing during scheduled streams following her cover of the song "Last Cup of Coffee" being removed by Anycolor. At the time, she encouraged her followers to reupload the track, noting how much of her own money and effort from all sides went into its creation. She mentioned she was "under supervision" for a brief period.
On December 31, 2023, Selen posted to social media that she is home and with her parents. She also thanked her followers.
Selen Tatsuki has been a Nijisanji Vtuber since July 2021. She's known both for playing games and occasionally releasing songs and covers like her original track "Fly High." She's quite well known for her Apex Legends efforts, competing in V-Saikyo 2023 with Holostars Vtubers Axel Syrios and Regis Altare as Team Snake Bite, the 2023 Charity Pro-Am Tournament with Regis on Team Verhulst, and organizing the HoloNiji Apex Custom Tournament with Axel and Regis.
Selen hasn't noted when she'll return to streaming. People can follow her on YouTube.
The post Nijisanji Vtuber Selen Tatsuki Released From Hospital appeared first on Siliconera. |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, January 2, 2024 5:54 PM  Minsc is the loveable, yet thick-headed companion in Baldur's Gate 3, and if you recruit him we have the best build guide for you. As a Ranger, Minsc can offer a lot to your party. And don't forget about Boo, his Miniature Giant Space Hamster of a friend. Here's how to properly build Minsc. Baldur's Gate 3: Best Minsc Ranger companion build In my opinion, you should choose the Beast Master Ranger subclass for Minsc. Not just because he has a little critter of his own, but because it's an extremely versatile subclass to play with. If you want to know how to level your companion Minsc, here is the best build for him in Baldur's Gate 3. Screenshot by PC Invasion Best Minsc Ability Scores Although Dexterity is the main Ability Rangers use, Wisdom is another important one. This is what Rangers base their spellcasting off of. I also recommend having Minsc's Constitution high enough to keep him up during the... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, January 2, 2024 5:00 PM  Freezing zombies was not something I expected to do today, but here we are. Here is how to deal frost damage in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies. MW3 Zombies: How to deal Frost Damage Dealing frost damage in Modern Warfare 3 Zombies, as well as the other types of special damage (Brain Rot, Toxic, etc.), can get a bit confusing and even extra arduous depending on whether you rely on RNG or not. You see, there are two ways can deal frost damage during your zombie runs, with the first one being finding and equipping a Cryo Freeze ammo mod. Cryo Freeze Ammo Mod This is a sort of chip that you can install on any of your weapons, making them shoot bullets that will deal frost damage. Now, while this might seem extremely straightforward, the truth is that getting one of these mods is rare. I would recommend farming Aether Nests and Infected Strongholds and opening up all the caches you come across. You can also look for the Cryo Freeze Ammo Mod Schematic, but again, it is rar... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:43 PM  The thing I enjoy about Monster Hunter World is going out in the world creating a build, and testing against the diverse range of monsters the game gives me. What makes it better is that I can do that with a friend or two. However, are you like me and have wondered if the Monster Hunter World is cross-platform? We'll let's find out together. Monster Hunter World: Does it have cross-platform? If you're looking to play Monster Hunter World with friends on different platforms, I have bad news — you can't. So this means you'll be locked to play with people in your specific place to play. Additionally, Monster Hunter World does not have cross-save, which is a way to take your save with you onto a different system but the same platform. For example, if you're playing on an Xbox, you won't be able to take the data onto another Xbox. Screenshot: Capcom However, there's some good news. Monster Hunter World isn't region-locked. While ... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:14 PM  Modern Warfare 3 has tons of challenges that, for the most part, are optional. Some of them are straightforward in what you have to do like earning the Golden River Camo. Others could be clearer, and this is where our topic comes into play. In MW3, there are two types of kills: normal, and non-Drill Charge, and if you read below, we'll show how to get the underbarrel kills. It's worth it because it goes toward your camo progression. MW3: How to get non-Drill Charge underbarrel kills These kills are made by the underbarrel attachments for the Holger 556. So, make sure you have the option and the weapon unlocked first. To complete these types of kills, you need to down an enemy with an underbarrel that shoots projectiles. In this case, you have options such as SPW- 400mm HE and Corvus Masterkey. There may be more to unlock, which can be done by using the Holger 556. Screenshot: PC Invasion Once you're in a match and attempting to complete... |
PC Invasion - FeedDDD Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:04 PM  One of the first puzzles you come across in Baldur's Gate 3 is The Defiled Temple's moon puzzle, which we have the solution to. This can be a bit tricky to figure out, so we can help you out. Once you reach the Goblin Camp and the Shattered Sanctum, you can access the backroom on the west side after eliminating Priestess Gut and taking her key, which will bring you to the Defiled Temple and the subsequent Moon puzzle. The Defiled Temple's stone disc moon puzzle solution in Baldur's Gate 3 After eliminating High Priestess Gut, entering her chambers, and then defeating her ogre bodyguard Polma, you'll find yourself in the Defiled Temple. Continue onward and you'll be in a rather quaint, shrine-like area. It's peaceful and serene, and yet it has a curious-looking puzzle on the floor. This is what Baldur's Gate 3 players have affectionately called the Moon Puzzle — or the stone disc puzzle. Note:... |
Gamer Empire Tuesday, January 2, 2024 5:38 PM Raft is a laid-back game where you need to collect ocean trash and build structures to survive. However, after playing for a long time, you'll find that life isn't exactly easy on your raft, as much work has to be done, even after unlocking many quality-of-life features. Recommended Read: Do More Sails Increase Speed in […] |
Gamer Empire Tuesday, January 2, 2024 2:17 PM Fusion Rifles in Destiny 2 are powerful weapons that, after a short charge-up, can dish out a lot of damage and take out enemies with ease. We will cover only the best regular Fusion Rifles as well as Linear Fusion Rifles today Recommended Read: How to Get Mementos in Destiny 2 The Best Fusion Rifle […] |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Tuesday, January 2, 2024 5:22 PM Still going strong at age 71 The post Shigeru Miyamoto Has No Plans of Retiring Anytime Soon appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:40 PM Stray Souls launched on October 25 The post Stray Souls Developer Has Officially Shut Down Due to Poor Sales, Cyberbullying, and More appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:03 PM Granblue Fantasy: Relink recently went gold and will launch on February 1 The post Granblue Fantasy: Relink Gets New Short Action Trailer appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Tuesday, January 2, 2024 3:36 PM More details on the upcoming open world adventure game. The post Star Wars Outlaws Release Window Seemingly Revealed appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
iDev Games Feed Tuesday, January 2, 2024 4:12 PM choose between the knight or lord or wizard... |
Level Up Tuesday, January 2, 2024 12:08 PM Star Wars Outlaws, Ubisoft's upcoming open-world Star Wars game, has enjoyed a vague 2024 release… |