Interstellar is returning to IMAX for the sci-fi film's 10th anniversary on December 6. Normally, this would be a time for fans of the impressive space epic and its director, Christopher Nolan, to celebrate. Finally, a chance to once again see all 64 minutes of those glorious 70mm shots of blackholes and planetary…
What a week, huh? Yeah. Well, here we are, at the end of it, at the very least, and now looking toward the future. So how about some video games to take our minds off things for the weekend? This week we've got some fun shooters, some beat 'em up action, and a digital spin on a classic trading card game.
Jesse Keighin liked to stream Nintendo Switch games online before they were officially released and then gloat about it right in Nintendo's face, according to a new lawsuit filed by the Mario maker in Colorado District Court earlier this week. "[I] can do this all day," he allegedly wrote in a letter to Nintendo. The…
We've already very carefully been over the grimly insidious nature of Pokémon TCG Pocket's unpleasant free-to-play model, but an aspect of this peculiar and enormously successful mobile spin-off from the long-established card game is just how many in-game currencies it has you juggle. So far, there are twelve, and…
My favorite part about talking to other people who play choice-based RPGs is comparing choices. Whether it's about the characters we make or the ways we nudge the story, I am always down to hear how people are playing games like Dragon Age: The Veilguard. We're just a week out from launch, so a lot of people haven't…
Today, during Disney's D23 Brazil event, the company showcased a bunch of first looks and new teasers for upcoming projects. And during the event, Disney shared the first still of Stitch from the upcoming live-action Lilo & Stitch remake. And well... hmmm... I'm not sure, folks!
Smite is one of the all time great tactical multiplayer games, but its successor hasn't gotten off to the smoothest of starts. Sure, Smite 2 is currently in an early access alpha state, but with mixed Steam reviews and Valve's own new MOBA project Deadlock stealing a lot of attention in the genre right now, things could be going better. However, Titan Forge is hard at work trying to turn things around, and what better way to generate some excitement than to reveal the next 19 gods that will be added to the game over the course of the next three months or so.
14 years is a hell of a long time. In 2010 the world was a vastly different place - games like Mass Effect 2, Red Dead Redemption, Alan Wake, and Assassin's Creed Brotherhood were tearing up the charts. Something else also happened that year, as an eagerly anticipated sequel by the name of Stalker 2 was announced. Now, after one of the most tumultuous development cycles ever, it's finally finished and about to launch.
As gaming trends and tastes ebb and flow, one genre that's had a particularly strong 2024 is survival games. The long-running stalwarts still boast impressive player counts, while a flood of excellent newcomers like V Rising and Palworld have also established themselves. There are countless new survival games currently in the works, too, and I've just come across one that is being made by a team of devs spearheaded by a prolific group of former Oblivion and Skyrim modders. It's called Ardem, and you can actually playtest it right now.
What are the best games like Stardew Valley? We can't think of anything more enticing than the idea of leaving the fast-paced corporate world behind and moving out to the country for a simple but rewarding life. This escapism is one of the things that makes Stardew Valley such an extraordinarily enjoyable game, so we've found some alternatives that are equally as indulgent.
If just want more out of the game, then we've got a list of the best Stardew Valley mods and fun we also asked a farmer if the game was realistic. Before looking for an alternative did you know the game is on Apple Arcade and there is a Stardew Valley board game?
Stardew Valley gives a cute combination of romance, relaxation, and retail, and you'd be forgiven for wanting more games like Stardew Valley. There are different aspects to the games below, so none are direct clones. Some are among the best management games, while others might be more focused on farming. They all have something in common with Stardew Valley, though, so you'll enjoy at least one or two.
Since its launch, 4X game Millennia has been hard at work attempting to come back from a rocky launch that saw it receive a 'mixed' rating on Steam. Now in much better health, it's proving itself a worthy competitor to big hitters like Civilization 6, Ara History Histold, or Age of Wonders 4. Its next DLC, Atomic Ambitions, looks set to continue its rise, with a nuclear-themed bunch of new ages, options, and gameplay mechanics.
It's already generated plenty of interest through its various alphas and betas and its no-nonsense approach to pay-to-win monetization, but free-to-play tactical FPS Delta Force is gearing up for its biggest moment yet. With a huge open beta on the horizon, it has today revealed some encouraging news about its plans for delivering new content to the game. It's also confirmed a highly-requested change is being made to its Battlefield-esque Warfare mode - that's right, the bots are gone.
Good Smile Company and Freeing announced a new Sword Art Online figure of Asuna dressed as a bunny girl will debut in Japan in May 2025 and worldwide in Q4 2025. Her price varies, depending on the storefront selling it. Good Smile Company's Japanese shop sells her for ￥39,600, the US one has her at $320.99, AmiAmi's price is $258.60, and Crunchyroll has her priced at $439.99.
As this is a bunny girl version of Asuna, her outfit is very straightforward. She's wearing a shiny black one-piece swimsuit. There are black bands around her upper arms as one accessory, white cuffs on her wrists, and a black bow tie with white collar around her neck. She has a black rabbit ear headband on her head and wears black high heels. There are also fabric fishnets on the figure. She has her hair long.
Here's a closer look at her. As this is a 1/4 Sword Art Online Asuna bunny girl figure, she'll be larger than most standard ones. She'll be close to almost 19 inches tall (475mm) when standing on the base.
Image via Good Smile Company and Freeing
This isn't the only figure of Asuna in a swimsuit on the way. Back during WonFes in July 2024, Good Smile Company announced she'll be part of a Sword Art Online Beach Queens line that also includes Alice and Leafa.
The Sword Art Online bunny girl Asuna figure will come to Japan in May 2025 and show up worldwide in Q4 2025. Good Smile Company direct pre-orders close on January 8, 2025. The anime adaptation is available on Crunchyroll. Yen Press handles the light novels and manga. Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream is available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam.
AYANEO announced another Steam Deck competitor, as it is working on the AYANEO 3 handheld Windows gaming PC. There's no release window yet, but two versions will be available. These follow previous devices like the AMD Ryzen 7 4800U AYANEO Next Lite and the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U AYANEO KUN.
To start, the AYANEO 3 will be available with either 7" LCD and OLED screens. Both will be high refresh models, though the OLED model will be HDR with high brightness. There will also be two processors to choose from with these devices. One will be the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U, and the other is the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370.
There are also some elements that will be new to AYANEO handhelds and present on both devices. They will each feature additional back buttons when compared to past items like the AYANEO Slide. There will also be an option to enable a trigger lock while playing. It also seems like games and videos could sound different, as the company confirmed the front-facing speakers will apparently be improved upon compared to past models.
Here is the first trailer for the new AYANEO Steam Deck-like handheld gaming PC.
The Shin Megami Tensei board game Kickstarter campaign will start on November 13, 2024. The crowdfunding campaign for the board game has a goal of 30 million yen (roughly $197,000), and there is no announced end date for the campaign yet. [Thanks, PR Times!]
The first 1,000 people to pledge on the Shin Megami Tensei board game crowdfunding campaign will get the chance to do so with an "early bird" discount of 20% for some of the reward categories available. The price for the board game will be 60,000 yen (~$393) and the early bird discount leaves it at 48,000 yen (~$314.27).
The game will include 72 demon figures and will be available in both English and Japanese. Manufacturer Icrea revealed that each match can have between 2 to 4 players and can last around 180 to 240 minutes.
The crowdfunding campaign for the Shin Megami Tensei board game was originally announced in August 1, 2024 with a start date for September 11. However, on September 4, 2024 Icrea announced that the date for the Kickstarter campaign would be postponed due to the overwhelming response of the public to the campaign, and in order to include new stretch goals. Some of the figures, cards, and components of the game were shown during Tokyo Game Show 2024.
The Shin Megami Tensei board game Kickstarter campaign kicks off on November 13, 2024 with a goal of 30 million yen (~$197,000.)
Square Enix detailed the streaming and sharing guidelines for the upcoming Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake. Sharing images and videos of the game on social media and personal blogs is permitted as long as it is for non-commercial use, as well as playing on streaming platforms such as YouTube, Twitch, or others.
The sharing and streaming guidelines detail that that people sharing images or video of Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake must include a spoiler warning for any major plot elements. In addition, Square Enix asked players to not upload images, videos, or stream any content including the game's ending and post-ending until after December 13, 2024. The ending part refers to the end of the final boss battle and until the end title card appears.
Furthermore, people aren't allowed to create videos or playlist of Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake with the intent of showing exclusively the cinematics and story elements of the game, as opposed to gameplay, or only listning to the music of the game.
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake will come out for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC on November 14, 2024. The Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake will appear in 2025.
Nintendo is currently hiring new staff member for cloud development in Japan. The company shared a new career recruitment post on social media looking for private cloud developers in both Windows and Linux engineers as well as cloud infrastructure and virtualization engineers for positions in both Kyoto and Tokyo.
The main duties for both cloud development positions require construction and application of a private cloud to be used by the Nintendo software and hardware product development department.
Researching, validating, operating, developing, and customizing existing hypervisors such as ESXi, KVM, and Hyper-V
Familiarity with Linux kernel and virtualization technology (such as QEMU)
Experience with virtual environment management tools for private cloud operations
Experience in designing and implementing virtualization technologies such as OpenStack, VMware, Xen, OpenNebula, among others.
With the announcement of a successor to the Nintendo Switch around the corner, it's only natural that Nintendo is looking to expand their development staff into new avenues. In other related stories, the company recently announced that the Switch successor will be backwards compatible with Switch games and software.
Overwatch 2 has been in such a rough spot as of late that it's impossible to not be nostalgic for the original game's heyday. The sequel hasn't panned out the way Blizzard promised after it reportedly canceled the story campaign that was the whole point of a sequel. So it's easy to look at all the changes Overwatch 2 h…
Dizzy has been in Guilty Gear before but, as with many characters, she has been significantly reworked for Strive. Now called "Queen Dizzy," she has access to some of her previous moves, and is still a considerable threat (despite her adorable appearance).
Yesterday, the PlayStation 5 Pro launched. But I've been playing around with Sony's most expensive console ever for the past week, and the biggest issue I have with it, besides the high price, is that its really hard to actually figure out what games run and look better on it.
The original Life is Strange, from developer Don't Nod, launched as an episodic, story-driven adventure game published by Square Enix in 2015. That's nearly a decade ago, surprisingly enough, and it's making me feel old, as I remember seeing the previews and press screens of the game back in the day. But here we are,…
There have been two massive questions hanging over Concord, the expensive PlayStation 5 hero shooter that almost nobody played. The first one is: how did a game that wasn't busted or terrible bomb so spectacularly? The second is: how did a game seemingly destined to fail get through Sony's quality checks, renowned…
Disney Dreamlight Valley has amassed a huge following of fans since its 2022 release. Developer Gameloft has provided regular updates to ensure players remain engaged on a consistent basis. This usually comes in the form of a new character or two and a fresh Star Path (battle pass) every few months—all of which can…
Going first usually has its advantages. Not in Pokémon TCG Pocket. The mobile card game flips the traditional calculus on its head. Going first doesn't just lose its edge, it feels downright bad.
Who else had Macaulay Culkin reportedly being cast in season two of Fallout on their bingo card? Just me? Weird. According to Deadline's mysterious sources, the Uncle Buck star is set for a recurring role in the new season of Amazon's mega-hit Fallout TV series. He will, the site claims, play a "crazy genius-type…
The reason patent attorneys get paid so much money is that no one in their right mind would ever want to be a patent attorney. Thus, we can all nod and smile as if we understand as Palworld developers Pocketpair releases a statement about precisely which patents Nintendo is claiming the Pokémon-alike game is violating.
Despite RPGs being ostensibly about inhabiting a particular role, one core requirement is that you'll continually grow in strength. It doesn't matter if you're playing Dragon Age Origins, Baldur's Gate 3, or even Disco Elysium, the idea that down the line you'll be stronger or more capable than you are right now is a tenet of the fantasies they embody. Brighter Shores, the new RPG from RuneScape creator Andrew Gower, is daring to do it differently, and it's fair to say it hasn't gone over entirely well with fans. In response, the developer has taken to Steam to justify its decision in the face of this backlash, begging players to "please give it a chance."
Survival crafting RPG and city builder Sengoku Dynasty is a game that blends a lot of aspects into a sandbox journey set in feudal era Japan. Starting out with nothing, you'll gather resources to craft tools, weapons, and medicine as you might in a Rust or Valheim. Then you'll begin to build out your town as you might in Manor Lords, before expanding your dynasty to ever-grander heights. First released in early access in August 2023, Sengoku Dynasty 1.0 is finally here, with a wealth of updates and a discount for the full launch.
Can you find your Deadlock MMR? When you pour a lot of time into a competitive game like Deadlock, it's perfectly reasonable to wonder how you stack up against your fellow warriors. Deadlock assigns every player a hidden matchmaking rating, but there are ways to work out where you might be placed.
Knowing how Deadlock MMR works is vital if you want to rise through the Deadlock ranks. Your skill level might not correlate with your ranked medal, and if you're in matches that are too easy or too difficult, it might be because your MMR isn't aligned with where you should be in the MOBA game. Here's everything you need to know about Deadlock MMR.
AMD is on a roll with hugely successful gaming CPUs, and it's already planning for the years ahead. According to a new rumor, AMD expects to launch its next-gen Zen 6 Ryzen "Medusa" gaming CPUs in late 2026 or early 2027, with plans that the new CPUs will maintain compatibility with existing motherboards by using the same AM5 socket design as other Ryzen CPUs.
It's never too early to think ahead, and AMD has a big lead in the battle for the best gaming CPU that it will want to hold on to. Just this week, we published our AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D review, which showed that this new CPU is well ahead of the best that Intel has to offer, including the Intel Core i9 14900K, with phenomenal gaming performance.
While we're still waiting for the RTX 5090 to drop, the PC gaming business is already laying the groundwork for the Nvidia GeForce RTX 6090, which has just appeared in a trademark filing, along with several other GeForce 6000-series model names, from the RTX 6050 to the RTX 6090 Super. In fact, just about every possible permutation of Nvidia's usual GPU model names has been filed in the entry. However, it's important to note that this filing comes from a third-party graphics card manufacturer, rather than Nvidia itself.
We're expecting Nvidia to announce its next lineup of gaming GPUs at the CES tradeshow in January 2025, with hopefully the RTX 5090 making an appearance, as well as the RTX 5080. However, graphics card manufacturer Sinotex has jumped the gun even further, with a trademark filing for not only 15 RTX 5000 graphics card names but also several RTX 6000 GPUs.
When is the Black Ops 6 Season 1 release date? It's almost time for Call of Duty's annual cycle of content to start up again as Treyarch has confirmed the BO6 Season 1 schedule. Alongside a jam-packed update featuring new maps, Zombies content, and more, it also ushers in a new era for Call of Duty Warzone.
We've known about the new Warzone map, Area 99, for quite some time, and it's finally arriving in the latest update. Following the return of Nuketown to Black Ops 6 multiplayer, Area 99 also takes us back to the nuclear bomb site - a first for the battle royale game. Here's everything you need to know about Black Ops 6 Season 1 so far.
If you already own a Secretlab gaming chair and it's looking a little tired and/or dirty, or you're thinking of buying one but are concerned about marks and dirt degrading it over time, the new Secretlab Skins Lite might be just what you need. Secretlab has offered its range of Skins seat covers for a while, but the new Lite version is 50% cheaper, making it even easier to cover and protect your gaming chair.
As we found in our Secretlab Titan Evo review, it's the customization on offer with this chair that really makes it the best gaming chair around. With these new Secretlab Skins Lite, you now have yet another way in which you can change the look and feel of your chair, without breaking the bank.
November 8, 2024: We updated the Throne and Liberty server status.
What's the Throne and Liberty server status? Launching a new MMO is always a challenge, and Throne and Liberty has had to overcome its fair share of them server side. Fortunately, developer NCSoft and publisher Amazon Games have been quick to act, making great strides in improving the player experience.
If you can't currently log into the game, there's a good chance Throne and Liberty maintenance is currently underway. Typically, this process takes several hours, meaning you'll just have to find another great MMO game to play until Throne and Liberty is back online. The T&L team usually announces maintenance ahead of time, so we'll be sure to keep this guide updated with the latest developments.
What are the best Minecraft mods in 2024? Every game of vanilla Minecraft can vary quite dramatically, and the best Minecraft mods go one step further to provide an entirely new experience. Whether you love creative building, terrifying survival, or speedrunning the story, we've got the mods for you. We've even thrown in interface mods and tools to make things easier, too.
All the Minecraft mods below are divided into sections, depending on what you want to do with the sandbox game – from simple utility changes to deep world mods you can get lost in for months. There are new mobs, new biomes, performance boosting mods, and more, and you can jump to the bottom if you don't know how to install Minecraft mods and want to learn.
How do Deadlock ranks work? There comes a time in a lot of our gaming careers where we want to take the next step, where we want to be truly tested, and where we want to see how far we can go. In Deadlock, the real grind is ranked mode. You'll be matched with and against players playing for keeps, and might even earn yourself a thing or two.
Deadlock is playable right now, and it's in good shape, even though the full Deadlock release date is still a ways away. Valve recently introduced a ranked mode in the MOBA game, but how does it work? Also, have you dipped your toe into the competitive scene and wondered what your rank means? Here is the Deadlock ranked mode and ranks explained.
There's a great gaming SSD deal on Amazon right now, which enables you to pick up a 2TB Samsung 980 Pro with a heatsink for just $139.99, working out at just $70 per terabyte. That's a fantastic price for this speedy PCIe 4.0 drive, especially one with a heatsink already fitted. You'll need to be quick, though, as it's a limited-time deal.
I've been a happy user of this Samsung SSD in my gaming PC for over a year now, and I've found it to be more than fast enough for my needs. In our Samsung 980 Pro review, we praised this PCIe 4.0 drive's fast sequential read speed, which hit a massive 6,866MB/s in our tests - not far off the limit of the 4x PCIe 4.0 interface - leading to it getting a spot on our best gaming SSD guide. It's not as fast as the latest PCIe 5.0 drives, of course, but it's plenty fast enough for most people's needs.
What are the best co-op games? Games offer up magic in lots of different guises, but working with a friend to achieve a goal is, arguably, where they shine. So what are the titles that will pull friends together and offer the best cooperative group-based thrills?
The great thing about the best PC games involving co-op play is that you're not restricted to a genre. As long as there's room for two controllers on a split screen or some perfectly coordinated play over a headset, co-op games can be found among the best sandbox games, relaxing games, or even horror games. These are some of the very best co-op games for you to share with your favorite people.
November 8, 2024: We've added the latest new Monopoly Go dice links for free dice rolls.
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.
When is Arcane Season 2 coming out? It's coming, it's happening, and it's officially on the way soon. After blowing us away with its first season back in 2021, League of Legends Arcane is finally ready to return, with Riot confirming precisely when the new (and final) season of the animated series will hit Netflix. Last time we saw Vi, Jinx, and the rest of the gang from the MOBA adaptation, the unrest between Piltover and Zaun was at fever pitch, especially after Jinx did that thing. Now, with LoL patch 14.18 recently upon us and a new card game on the way (albeit with a twist), the League of Legends Arcane Season 2 release dates and times have just been confirmed by Riot.
What are the best multiplayer games? Intricate gameplay and glistening visuals only go so far; humans often provide the biggest surprises with schemes that transform even the most average game into an unforgettable experience you'll be talking about until the end of time.
Fast and frantic or tense and calculated, the best multiplayer games come in all shapes and sizes. Whether it's vying for control of the payload in an FPS game or fighting for survival in a co-op game with your friends, these experiences wouldn't be the same without a bunch of real people. We've curated a list of the best PC games with multiplayer functionality so you can go around killing, maiming, or, occasionally, helping random people on the internet.
The trouble for Intel over Raptor Lake instability issues isn't over yet. A new lawsuit has just been filed in the state of California by an unlucky Intel Core i7 13700K owner which was affected by the Vmin Shift Instability problems that have plagued anyone with a 13th and 14th gen Intel Core gaming CPU.
This tops off a very difficult year for Intel which, along with Raptor Lake problems, has seen the company unsuccessfully attempt to beat AMD into launching the best gaming CPU of current times. Just this week, AMD launched the brand new flagship Ryzen 7 9800X3D that happily stomps all over Intel's next and best Intel Arrow Lake CPUs, further adding to the misery.
Remasters are all the rage in 2024, but they can certainly be hit or miss, so it's pleasing that Age of Mythology: Retold has been such a resounding success so far. Launched in September, the complete overhaul for the beloved 2002 strategy game sits at an impressive 89% positive Steam review score from more than 10,000 user reviews. If you didn't play the original, which arrived during the height of games like Command and Conquer and the ongoing Starcraft: Brood War, it's certainly worth a look - and a free update has just made it even better.
What are the best BO6 weapons? Not all guns are made equal, especially in the frantic environment of a Black Ops 6 lobby, and it can be tough to choose exactly what you're going to run with. We've put together a BO6 weapon tier list so you can see what's especially effective at the moment, and plan your attack accordingly.
Before you step foot in the gunsmith to throw one of our best Black Ops 6 loadouts together, you'll need to know which weapons are strong right now, and which to potentially avoid. There is a little bit of personal preference involved here, of course, and certain Black Ops 6 weapons are more suited to specific BO6 maps than others, but if you find something is S-class, it's worth a try regardless of the situation.
What are the best Black Myth Wukong builds? Game Science's action RPG is full of tough enemies that can easily block your progress, but don't despair. There's a ton of equipment and abilities to unlock on your journey, and finding synergies between these elements is the key to victory. Juggling it all can be tough, so we've done all the legwork to help you craft the best builds with minimal effort.
Our selection of best builds in Black Myth Wukong is based on their overall performance across an average playthrough. Some are crafted around certain Black Myth Wukong spells, while others take advantage of unique effects attached to specific Black Myth Wukong weapons.
The FF14 7.1 patch notes are here as we prepare to dive into the first major update for the critically acclaimed MMORPG since the launch of its latest expansion. With the continuation of the main story of Dawntrail, the beginning chapter of the FF11 alliance raid, and the start of Allied Society quests for the new zones, there's already a lot to look forward to, with even more in the months ahead. With the patch notes stretching on seemingly forever, I've picked out some of the most important details to pay attention to.
The Crimson Caravan and the Gun Runners may rule the business world of Fallout, but do you ever wonder where they get all their stock? Likewise, who's keeping Megaton's saloon in Nuka Cola and iguanas on sticks? And where did Shady Sands get all its brahmin? You meet the occasional trader in the wasteland, but their inventories are pretty small. There must be some kind of wholesaler. Enter Dustland Delivery. A combination of Industry Giant, FTL Faster Than Light, and the post-nuclear deserts of Fallout New Vegas, it's just hit 1.0 and deserves your attention.
What is the best MMORPG on PC? If you're wondering, those oft-used letters represent the words Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game and refer to games where thousands of players come together in the same world. Is it one with spells to sling and demons to slay? Working your way through the stars as a miner or a corporate bigwig? Solving ancient conspiracies and fighting Lovecraftian horrors? Maybe it's all of them.
Ultimately, the deciding factor for the best MMORPGs on PC largely comes down to personal preference, so with that in mind, here's our list of the top MMOs currently alive and kicking. You're sure to find something that will swallow up entire days at a time, and many of these entries can also be considered some of the best PC games around. While there are plenty of recently updated and new MMOs to consider, the golden oldies on this list have withstood the test of time.
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 free Monopoly Go dice links, so check out our daily updated guide for some freebies and rewards before you get started on the next Monopoly Go tournament.
Metaphor: ReFantazio was only released in October, but if you've been waiting for the price to drop before picking it up, then now's your chance. Fanatical has slashed 13% off of the JRPG's $70 price tag to save you almost $10 - giving you a nice little Christmas treat and some much-needed extra cash for the holiday season. But you need to be quick to grab this deal, as it's ending soon.
What is the next Dead by Daylight Chapter? New chapters arrive in Dead by Daylight every three months, and it can be difficult to keep up with the new characters, maps, and more. Luckily, these updates arrive on a fairly rigid schedule, so we can usually look forward to the next DBD chapter before we even know what it is.
With so much additional content, it's incredible how Behaviour Interactive is able to come up with new perks and powers for the latest DBD killers and survivors. The next Dead by Daylight character to enter The Fog is the gruesomely gorgeous Houndmaster and her pet dog, Snug. Joining them is Taurie Cain, the first Scottish survivor in the horror game. Here's everything we know about them, their perks, the PTB, and more ahead of the DBD Chapter 34 release date.
Warframe developers Digital Extremes have announced a new round of early access for their 2025-bound fantasy action-RPGSoulframe, which I saw a bit of last year and think is pretty promising. They're now adding 2000 players to a Preludes build of the game every week, with each invite email including an additional four invite codes, so you can get your friends involved.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 has been out for a little while already, what with me giving its multiplayer largely a thumbs up. Still, it's an ever-evolving thing and Activision have announced the game's first seasonal drop. It's a hefty one with a lot of additions, so I'll try my best to break down the good stuff. TLDR: there's some new maps for multiplayer and zombies, new modes, and a few extra bits. I'm mildly excited for more. More in this case is good.
"The cool thing about bombs is that you can hide them in anything," is probably my favourite Oppenheimer quote of all time, and in the case of Ian Hitman, it does raise an important question: with so many everyday objects equal to the rubber duck in its unthreatening aura, yet more inconspicuous, why choose to put an explosive in this one?
The simplest answer is that's it's a recurring bit of levity, a holdover easter egg, elevated to the status of key mission item in Hitman: Codename 47 before being given pride of place as an explosive in the World Of Assassination games. But to ascribe such unassuming purpose to the duck is to ignore its revelatory power. We must go deeper.
Palworld developers Pocketpair have finally revealed which patents Nintendo and the Pokémon Company are suing them about. It looks like they're focusing on the act of throwing capsular items to catch or release monsters, together with the usage of monsters as mounts.
If you've somehow yet to encounter Palworld, it's a bestselling survival game that takes hefty - some would say, scandalous - inspiration from Pokémon, with players poaching Pokésque critters using magic spheres, and deploying them as soldiers and minions.
Tsuruya Yoshinobu has announced that it will bring back the Kirby-themed Monaka cakes in mid-November 2024. After originally releasing the cakes in 2019, the Japanese confectionery company will produce a new batch of the traditional cakes with a new matcha-flavored paste option.
The company has been packing the paste and buns of the cakes in separate cans. Those who have purchased the packages must first open the cans and then apply the paste with the provided spatula on a bun. They can then cover it with a Kirby face bun to complete the cake.
Image courtesy of HAL Laboratory and Tsuruya Yoshinobu
The original 2019 featured Ogura-an (Adzuki bean paste) and Koshi-an (smooth anko) paste choices. The new batch in 2024 will replace the latter with a new Matcha-an (green tea) paste. However, the new Matcha-an paste will be only available in a 2-in-1 set that costs 3,456 yen (~$22.65). The single set priced at 1,836 yen (~$12) will only contain the Ogura-an paste can.
The return of these Monaka cakes will give people another opportunity to get Kirby-themed food. There are three permanent Kirby Cafe branches available in Tokyo, Hakata, and Osaka as of November 2024. There are also Kirby Cafe Petit stores in Tokyo and Osaka that sell takeaway food like the pink Kirby pudding.
The handmade round Kirby Monaka cakes will be available for sale again on November 15, 2024.
Yet another Hollow Special Operations Section 6 member will join Zenless Zone Zero soon, as HoYoVerse confirmed we'll finally see Hoshimi Miyabi. She's appeared in-game as an NPC before, and she's one of the early leaked playable characters. She'll be a part of the 1.4 update alongside Asaba Harumasa.
Details about Miyabi are rather mysterious. For example, in the introductory post on social media that features an unusual icon. Her attack type isn't explained, even though we see her wielding a sword, and her specialty is clearly Anomaly. However, when it comes to elemental damage, it doesn't look like the typical ice type icon. It's similar, but there are additional flourishes that suggest she will deal different types of elemental damage.
Here's how those images look. Fellow playable Agents who comment on her include Harumasa, Soukaku, and Zhu Yuan.
Screenshots by HoYoVerse
Here's the Hoshimi Miyabi YouTube Short that gives us a chance to hear her voice acting and see her official art in Zenless Zone Zero.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UIg1-B8otsY
We know a bit more about Harumasa as a character than Miyabi. He's a ranged unit who falls into the Attack type. He'll deal Electric damage to opponents.
Zenless Zone Zero is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the 1.3 update is live worldwide.
Nintendo announced it fixed an Android issue with the Nintendo Music app available on mobile devices, allowing more people access to its game songs. The update is live worldwide as of the evening of November 7, 2024. As such, anyone with an Android phone or tablet should be able to download, start, and use the app without issue.
The problem in question only affected the Android version of Nintendo Music, and it kept people who should be able to use the app from even starting it. Even though it would download and install properly, someone couldn't actually even open it. Initially, Nintendo pinned the problem down to the SD card, and it recommended people check that to see if something was awry there. But now, people can get the 1.0.1 patch to remedy the problem. There are no patch notes for it, beyond Nintendo noting, "This issue was fixed in version 1.0.1, released on November 7th."
As a reminder, all Nintendo Switch Online members can use the Nintendo Music app on their mobile devices if they subscribe to the service. You just log in, and then you can access a growing library of songs from first-party Nintendo games. While we can't access all songs yet, more are being added at a regular pace. For example, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Questappeared at the beginning of November 2024.
Nihon Falcom announced that it will release the original soundtrack for The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki. The company also confirmed that the soundtrack will be available in physical and digital formats simultaneously on January 22, 2025.
The soundtrack will have a total of 105 tracks, and the physical album will contain them in four discs. The physical edition will have a price tag of ¥4,510 (~$29.55), while the full digital soundtrack will cost less at ¥3,880 (~$25.40). Falcom also confirmed that it will put up the soundtrack on digital subscription platforms like Spotify and YouTube Music on the same day as the sales launch.
Even though Falcom has confirmed the soundtrack's formal release date, it also revealed a method for people to get the album earlier. The company will put the physical albums on sale first at the Falcom jdk Band Live 2025 New Year concert at Shinjuku ReNY in Tokyo, Japan, on January 13, 2025.
The Legend of Heroes: Kai no Kiseki -Farewell, O Zemuria- Original Soundtrack will be formally available on January 22, 2025. The album will cover tracks from the new game that Falcom released for PlayStation 5 and 4 in Japan and East Asia in late September 2024.
Good Smile Company has opened up pre-orders for a Nendoroid of Will, or the Protagonist of Metaphor: ReFantazio. Pre-orders will close on December 18, 2024.
The Metaphor: ReFantazio Protagonist Nendoroid is a "Basic" one and will come with a special round base that has the game's logo on it. The Nendoroid costs $25.99 from the US site and 3900 JPY from the Japanese one. It'll ship out for Japanese customers in May 2025. Meanwhile, those in North America can expect it in Q4 2025. As a reminder, Good Smile Company will only ship to the United States and Canada.
Normally, Nendoroids come with three face plates and several optional parts. However, this is a Basic Nendoroid, which also explains why it's a lot cheaper than a normal one. While it has the signature Nendoroid look, it lacks the joints and parts that allow you to customize it. The Protagonist is posing with his sword out, looking like he's ready for combat. Since the game is still relatively new, Good Smile Company may release a proper Nendoroid of him later on.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC. Other upcoming figures for Metaphor: ReFantazio include one of Gallica from Kotobukiya.
Good Smile Company opened global pre-orders for Annulus' articulated plastic model kit featuring Bridget from Guilty Gear Strive. People in the U.S. and Canada can place orders for the new kit on the global Good Smile Online Shop for $49.99. Those residing elsewhere worldwide can instead head to the Japanese international web store, where the kit is available for ¥7,480.
This model kit will have a special feature where the owner can completely remove Bridget's hoodie and place the Lighter Wear parts to have the character appear with only her inner tunic. This will stand in contrast with most figures based on the same character revealed in the past. The closest one before this was Phat Company's static figure, which lets the owner unhood the head but not completely remove the hoodie.
The model kit will feature a total of six interchangeable face plates, with three pre-painted ones showing different facial expressions and the other three unpainted. The set will also let the owner produce Bridget's companion Roger.
Image via Good Smile Company
Here are some of the examples of the poses Bridget and Roger can take when their model kits are finished:
Image via Good Smile Company
Image via Good Smile Company
Image via Good Smile Company
Image via Good Smile Company
Image via Good Smile Company
Image via Good Smile Company
Good Smile Company will close the pre-order window for Annulus' articulated model kit of Bridget from Guilty Gear Strive on December 11, 2024. The former will start shipping the finished products from Japan in April 2025 and North America in Q3 2025.
A new song and music video for the Haruhi Suzumiya series is in production. The announcement tweet from the official X (formerly known as Twitter) account teased a new Haruhi dance for the Reiwa era.
The Haruhi dance in question refers to the dance that the characters perform in the ending of the The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya anime adaptation, "Hare Hare Yukai." Many fans performed covers on sites like YouTube and Nico Nico Douga. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Aya Hirano, who voices Haruhi, made a tutorial video for how to perform the dance at home.
Like "Hare Hare Yukai," the new song will be performed by Aya Hirano, Yuko Goto, and Minori Chihara. They're the voice actresses for Haruhi, Mikuru, and Yuki, respectively. The announcement picture includes Kyon and Koizumi, but they will likely only appear as dancers in the music video.
Though the height of Haruhi's popularity was in the mid-2000s, there has been a revival as of late due to the new The Theater of Haruhi Suzumiya novel. It will come out on November 29, 2024, and it'll come out simultaneously in Japanese and English. This is the direct sequel to the previous volume, The Intuition of Haruhi Suzumiya, which came out on November 25, 2020.
More information on the new Haruhi Suzumiya song and music video will come out in the near future; most likely, we'll hear more about it later this month to coincide with the new light novel.
We already sort of knew that the 5.2 Genshin Impact update would arrive on the same day as the Xbox Series X version release date, but that was confirmed alongside another announcements about the newest patch for the game. It launches on November 20, 2024. Chasca and Ororon were again confirmed as the new playable characters. New Saurians were shown. Also, we know the ne Archon Quest will arrive.
Chasca will be the new five-star. She is an archer and Anemo type character, and the video shows how her skills allow her to soar through the air over distances. Ororon is only a four-star archer. However, that Electro character's Nightsoul ability is unique to him and designed to play off of Electro and Hydro teammates to gain points to enter a Nightsoul's Blessing State. Both feature prominently in the Chapter V: Interlude Archon Quest. That storyline is also when we'll meet the Flower-Feather Clan tribe, and the Tenebrous Papilla boss will come up as we explore the area.
The two new types of Saurians are designed to help us travel farther and reach higher locations. The Iktomisaur are designed to jump higher, and the Qucusaur can glide farther than other ones. Both use phlogiston to travel, as usual, and the new Gaseous Phlogiston type is designed to make longer trips easier.
Here's the official trailer for Genshin Impact 5.2. It begins by showing new playable characters Chasca and Ororon. As it does, we see some of the new places and opponents we'll face. At about the one minute mark, both start fighting against larger, more prominent enemies and bosses.
The Genshin Impact 5.2 release date is November 20, 2024, the same day the Xbox Series X version debuts. It is currently on the PS4, PS5, PC, and mobile devices.
On November 10, 2024, Cartoon Network in Japan will air a special program to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Teen Titans cartoon. It is also the 10th anniversary of Teen Titans Go!
The Japanese voice actors behind the Teen Titans will all make an appearance to discuss the charm of both Go and the original. The full title of the program can loosely translate to "Go with Teen Titans! Batman 85th Anniversary Collaboration Special." Also on November 10, 2024, you'll also be able to watch a special collection of episodes from both TV series. In the press release, Cartoon Network confirmed that it would air movies like Teen Titans Go! Vs. Teen Titans and Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo as well.
Here's the trailer for it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RESAXHLnzHM
Cartoon Network premiered Teen Titans in 2003, and it's based off DC Comics's Teen Titans series. During its three year run, it was highly popular and received several nominations. Though it's based on American comics, it featured anime-like tropes in its designs and animation style. It wasn't the only American cartoon to do so during the early 2000s. Martin Mystery was another show that used a similar aesthetic. The reboot, Teen Titans Go! premiered in 2013 and was far more comedic in tone.
The Teen Titans 20th anniversary special program will air on Cartoon Network in Japan on November 10, 2024 at 2:00 PM JST.
Capcom revealed what it'll show off at its booth during Amusement Expo 2024. A demo version of Onimusha VR: Shadow Team will be available to play.
For reference, Amusement Expo will take place on November 15-16, 2024. You'll be able to visit it at the Tokyo Big Sight, and Capcom's booth will be located near East 6 Hall. Prices for the event range between 1,000 and 3,000 JPY, with earlier entry times being more expensive, since you won't have to compete against as many people for demos and line-ups.
As mentioned earlier, the Onimusha VR: Shadow Team demo will be at the Capcom booth. Other events include demos of its online crane games, a stage event from its e-sports club, and stores to purchase goods. If you get peckish while at Amusement Expo 2024, the Capcom booth will offer baby castellas in the shape of its characters.
Onimusha VR: Shadow Team, the first VR entry in the Onimusha series, will appear for the first time at Amusement Expo 2024. As for Onimusha, it first appeared in 2001 and the most recent title is an HD remaster of said first game. It's a fantastical retelling of Japanese history, and the games are usually action-adventure and hack-and-slash. The series sold over 8.7 million copies as of June 2024 and it's the tenth best-selling franchise for Capcom.
A demo of Onimusha VR: Shadow Team will be available at the Capcom booth at Amusement Expo 2024, which will run from November 15 to 16, 2024.
Pocketpair shared an update on the Pokemon v. Palworld patent infringement lawsuit. The company behind Palworld specified the patents mentioned by The Pokemon Company and Nintendo when the companies filed the lawsuit in September 2024.
The patent numbers in question are 7545191, 7493117, and 7528390. People can search for the specific patents on the Japan Platform for Patent Information by using the Patent Numbers (特許番号). The Japanese site also contains English language support, albeit with automatic machine translations.
The official database confirms that while Nintendo and The Pokemon Company had originally filed the patents in December 2021, they renewed the patent registrations in 2024. These patents specifically cover world map activities in the 2022 Switch game Pokemon Legends: Arceus, such as the capture and battle processes using the world's creatures, and transportation using avian and aquatic creatures.
Pocketpair also revealed the demands made in the Pokemon v. Palworld lawsuit by The Pokemon Company and Nintendo. The latter companies want the former to pay at least 5 million yen to each of them for reparations; that means a combined minimum total of 10 million yen (~$65,590). In addition, the companies also demand an injunction against Palworld, which means that Pocketpair might have to take the game down if it completely loses the lawsuit.
Palworld has been available worldwide as an early-access title on PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PlayStation 5. However, the game's availability is at stake with this Pokemon v. Palworld lawsuit.
