Counterplay Games and Fictions officially lifted the curtain on Armatus, a new third-person adventure shooter roguelite, during today's Xbox Showcase. Mixing frantic gunplay with striking supernatural abilities, Armatus puts players in the role of a resurrected celestial warrior fighting to reclaim a world drowned in demonic rule. Launching in 2026, the game will be available […]
During today's Xbox Partner Preview, Eclipse Glow Games unveiled its most in-depth look yet at Tides of Annihilation, the studio's upcoming action-adventure set in a haunting reimagining of Arthurian myth. The new four-minute gameplay trailer shifts the setting from the devastated ruins of London to the mystical realm of Avalon, offering fans their first extended […]
IO Interactive and Amazon MGM Studios have revealed one of the sleekest stars of 007 First Light, the Aston Martin Valhalla, the automaker's first mid-engine plug-in supercar. Making its in-game debut in Bond's reimagined origin story, the Valhalla embodies the perfect blend of luxury, precision engineering, and cutting-edge performance that has defined Bond's iconic cars […]
A first-person shooter survival horror title, the world of GSC Game World's S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl has made its way to the PlayStation 5 console.
Not only can GTA Online players take advantage of Double Daily Casino Chips this week, they can also claim for themselves a free Casino Master Penthouse.
Biff! Smash! Spear to the groin! Asteroid to the jaw! It must be a new gameplay video for Tides Of Annihilation, the Arthurian fantasy action game from Eclipse Glow Games that's out to steal either Stellar Blade, Final Fantasy XVI or Bayonetta's lunch - do me a favour and pick one, because I can't decide. I can't stop comparing this game to things. I think there's something wrong with me. Help.
80 Days and Heaven's Vault developers Inkle are making a new "narrative deduction game" and audio drama called TR-49, in which you fiddle with a bunch of creepy old machines. It's based - or so they tell us - on a family connection to World War 2 espionage, and takes inspiration from Return of the Obra Dinn and The Roottrees Are Dead.
Aksys shared a release date for Otome Daoshi: Fighting for Love, one of its upcoming Switch visual novels, and we'll see this dating sim in English on March 26, 2026. It also confirmed an Aksys Store exclusive edition that comes with a set of six keychains based on the characters for $59.99.
The localization announcement for this Idea Factory and Otomate game first came up at Anime Expo in July 2025, and it'll show up worldwide about two years after its Japanese debut. It focuses on Shunlin, a Daoist priestess who has to work with her Tournament of Valor opponents to save everyone attending and their kingdom when enemies attack. According to the Japanese site, the love interests are Yuhan, Haoran, Longlei, and Xiao. All four of them, Shunlin, and the panda mascot Mimi show up on the special edition keychains.
Here's how those six acrylic keychains will look. The teaser image suggests ball-chain keychains will be provided and we'll pop them out of a larger sheet upon arrival.
Image via Aksys
This is one of multiple confirmed Aksys otome Switch games for 2026. It already noted the one based on The Wizard of Oz will release in English next year. That's called Over Requiemz.
Otome Daoshi: Fighting for Love will come to the Nintendo Switch outside Japan on March 26, 2026, and the visual novel dating sim is already available in Japan.
Amazon already kicked off its Black Friday 2025 sales event over a week early, and many video games are already deeply discounted on the site. Many of these offers are more extended ones, so they're available for days rather than a few hours at a time. Continued discounts are expected to be available until the end of Cyber Monday on December 1, 2025.
Some of the larger sales involve certain systems or accessories. For example, a Meta Quest 3S 128GB model VR headset is $249.99. Normally, that costs $299.99. There are also a number of gaming laptops reduced, such as the Acer Nitro V Gaming Laptop with 8GB DDR5, 512GB, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, and Intel i5 for $579.99 instead of $749.99.
As for specific video game discounts, here are some of the more notable offers during the Amazon Black Friday 2025 sale right now. In some cases, it may be available on other platforms, but we only listed the versions with the best prices.
While Black Friday 2025 proper is November 28, 2025, the Amazon Black Friday 2025 sales event on video games and other items is live now until December 1, 2025.
FuRyu announced a new Kingdom Hearts Milky Boa collection of four characters like Sora and Roxas, with one even being a Christmas Town variant appearing ahead of the holiday season. Taito confirmed they are already available in the company's online crane games. These are only confirmed for Japanese arcades. However, in the past Milky Boa stuffed toys have shown up on storefronts like Meccha Japan.
There are four styles in the Kingdom Hearts Milky Boa plush collection, with one being Roxas, two being variants of Sora, and the final one being a standard Heartless. Roxas is wearing his Organization XIII coat from Kingdom Hearts II. With Sora, there's a version of him in his standard attire and one of his Christmas Town form version from Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix. The Heartless is a Shadow variant that looks like the one Sora becomes in the original game. Each one is about five and a half inches tall (14cm).
Here's how all four of those look:
Image via FuRyu, Disney, and Square Enix
This is the second recent run of FuRyu Kingdom Hearts plush. In October 2025, a series with two versions of King Mickey in Organization XIII coats and a Shadow Heartless appeared.
The Milky Boa Kingdom Hearts plush of Sora, Roxas, and a Shadow Heartless are available in Japanese arcades as prizes now.
Bandai Namco announced that the remastered version of Tales of Berseria will change some key scenes in the game to how they appeared in the global version. While pictures of the changed scenes are already on social media and the Berseria webpage, it's still worth warning that this article will contain spoilers for the first bit of the story.
A major change that will occur in the story is when Artorius kills Laphicet at the beginning of the game. In the Japanese version, we see the silhouette of Artorius impaling Laphicet through the chest with his sword and lifting the body into the air. When Tales of Berseria came out in English, the localization censored this scene. The remaster will use the localization's version of the scene, which instead shows Laphicet dying on an X-shaped blade of light.
Images via Bandai Namco
Fans online have been divided about this change. While some fans think that changing how Laphicet died doesn't change the fact that Velvet swears vengeance on his murderer (Artorius) and that players can empathize with her loss, most believe that this more impersonal killing takes away from the scene's impact. The sword Artorius uses to kill Laphicet is also a pretty symbolic item in Velvet's revenge because of this moment. His not impaling Laphicet with it in the global version means a later scene in the game is less meaningful.
Other changes to Tales of Berseria Remastered are similar to other remastered Tales titles. Players will be able to access the Grade Shop right from the beginning. As well, players will have access to original DLC, albeit with some not included.
Tales of Berseria Remastered will come out on the PS5, Xbox Series X, Windows PC, and Switch on February 27, 2026.
Shueisha and Bandai Namco announced Dragon Ball the One, a worldwide character popularity poll, is now available. People can vote through various rounds on the official site. Everything kicked off on November 20, 2025, which is when the 1st Stage vote started, and final results are expected on January 24, 2026. People can vote once per day.
Here's how it currently works. We are in the Stage 1 phase of the Dragon Ball the One character popularity poll, which is designed to get the number of available options from 212 to 80. That vote will run online until November 24, 2025, so someone could get about five votes in if they are diligent. A 24-hour poll on X will appear on November 25, 2025, which will let people vote to save one of the 132 eliminated characters and keep them in the running.
From there, we will go through three more stages. 2nd Stage starts on November 27, 2025, then ends on December 1, 2025. That will take the number from 81 to 40. Again, a one-day revival poll will be held on December 2, 2025. 3rd Stage is meant to get the character count from 41 to 20. It will be held between December 4-8, 2025. A final last chance poll will appear on X on December 9, 2025. Then it all wraps up with the Final Stage between December 17-24, 2025. That consists of 21 possible characters. The final winner will come up on January 24, 2026.
Here's a photo of the official schedule.
Image via Shueisha and Bandai Namco
There's also a teaser trailer for this promotion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l2r4iyFm60
These types of polls aren't uncommon. Narutop99 was a worldwide Naruto series character popularity poll. There was also a My Hero Academia Character's Ultimate Scene Ranking poll.
Dragon Ball the One is live now, and we'll see the results of the worldwide character popularity poll on January 24, 2026.
Akihiro Hino, the CEO of Level-5, has taken to Twitter to explain why the reasons behind an upcoming Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road patch that has adjusted how much EXP players earn after a match. According to Hino, the original EXP gain system was not meant to be in the final release of the game.
In the demo for Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road, the EXP that your team earns in a match would be pooled together, and then that full amount would be distributed to each member. The final build changed this so that members would receive an individual portion. However, an oversight in the release build meant that Ranked Matches were still abiding by the demo's EXP system, causing each member to receive 20 times the EXP they were supposed to.
This EXP issue makes it very easy to reach the level cap for your characters, making them much more powerful than the AI teams in, for example, Chronicle Mode. Since this level gap could reduce enjoyment, Level-5 changed the Ranked Matches EXP system to what it had originally intended. As a note, online matches will have level sync. Everyone on the team will be Level 50, with Levels 51-99 for offline play.
Fans have reacted negatively to both the Japanese and English versions of the announcement. Many believe Level-5 has more pressing issues to fix. The game still has many bugs. For days, fans have complained about mechanics like the Route Unlock Battles and the scarcity of Bond Stars if you don't play online. Others have pointed out that Chronicle Mode already has level sync, so it makes no sense to slow down progress.
Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Switch, Switch 2, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC.
Koei Tecmo has released an official ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) audio album themed after Atelier Ryza 3 on DLsite. The ASMR, which has the title The Healing Rest and Tomorrow's Promise, is available at a 20% discounted price of ¥1,320 (~$8.35) until December 17, 2025. It will afterward have a regular price tag of ¥1,650 (~$10.45).
This ASMR album consists of seven tracks, totaling approximately 80 minutes, with an overall file size of 1.24 GB. Reisalin "Ryza" Stout's Japanese voice actress Yuri Noguchi reprised her role here. The album will put the listener in Klaudia Valentz's viewpoint.
The story in this ASMR will take place around the timeline of Atelier Ryza 3. While returning to Kurken Island, Ryza gets to meet Klaudia again, and the two will then spend their time around a secret house.
The five main episodes will depict Ryza and Klaudia gathering materials during the day and entering the bath in the evening, with bedside talks about future journey promises as the conclusion. The first EX track will have the listener rest on Ryza's lap to get an ear cleaning session, and the second one will feature a reminiscence of Ryza giving Klaudia a ride on her shoulder while exploring a forest.
Atelier Ryza ASMR: The Healing Rest and Tomorrow's Promise is now available on PC. This ASMR is different from the one included in the limited physical Premium Box for Atelier Ryza Secret Trilogy DX Pack, which is readily available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Moonlighter 2's early access features an extensive crafting system that lets you use different materials to craft various items.
Crafting materials come in different types, and the methods of obtaining them are quite varied. This guide will give you a brief idea about how to find all of them on your adventures.
How to obtain all the crafting materials in Moonlighter 2
The table below provides information about the sources of all the crafting materials. The materials you get largely depend on the dungeons and the specific zone. Most items are obtained randomly, but being in the right place will help you find them.
Name
Location
How to get
Ancient Translator
The Gallery - Exhibition Wall
Drops from mini-bosses
Alabaster Candle
Night Realm in Kalina
Defeat Thalaam
Blob Voucher
Any map
Random drops from enemies and breakable objects
Broken Rocket
Treasurey Halls in The Gallery
Defeat Tyke
Broken Mic
Day/Night Realm in Kalina
Drops from mini-bosses
Echo Link
Treasury Halls in The Gallery
Random drops from normals and elite enemies
Echo Bond
Exhibition Wing in The Gallery
Random drops mii-bosses and elite enemies
Glass Stone
Any map
Random drops from breakable objects and enemies
Gold
None
Sell Relics
Moon Flower
Night Realm in Kalina
Break Spike Flowers
Oneiric Core
Zephhhyr Fields and arrowing Heights in Aeolia
Random drops from mini-bosses
Oneiric Stone
Harrowing Heights in Aeolia
Random drops from normal and elite enemies
Oneiric Quartz
Zephyr Fields in Aeolia
Random drops from normal and elite enemies
Quantum Core
Exhibition Wing in The Gallery
Defeat the Curator
Slime Shards
Any map
Defeat slimeenemies
Sun Eater
Day Realm in Kalima
Random drops from breaking Spike Flowers
The King's Left Mask
Zephyr Fields in Aeolia
Defeat Senda
The King's Right Mask
Harrowing Heights in Aeolia
Defeat Monte
The Sound of Hubris
Day Realm in Kalima
Defeat The Herald
Finding all the crafting materials will take a fair amount of time, but you can raise your luck by getting the Double Materials perk. This perk increases the chance of getting double drops to 5 percent. The following items will also appear for purchase from Nou once you discover them.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a fan-favorite and an incredibly successful AA production, has won its first major award at this year's Golden Joysticks. It's an overture to The Game Awards, set to take place some 20 days from now, where the game is expected to sweep through the categories.
The award: Ultimate Game of the Year. Expedition 33, which came seemingly out of nowhere, took home the biggest award The Golden Joysticks have to offer, setting a precedent for its soon-to-come sweep of The Game Awards.
It is the most-nominated game in the show's history, and could theoretically win them all, though I believe the judges will probably think "that's enough" after a certain point and allow some of the categories to go into another's hands (unless Geoff wants us to listen to Sandfall's devs on stage for literal hours).
With this crowning achievement at The Golden Joysticks, Expedition 33 has proved that a game does not have to be a billion-dollar venture, nor a live-service attention-span-reducing "product" that is a video game in name only. All you need is a good story, compelling characters, and an aspiration to create substantial art, art that does not rely on the eye of the beholder but yearns to achieve and inspire something great in anyone who observes it.
From the music to the style to the France-inspired setting, everything in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 carries artistic value, which no doubt explains why so many people felt enchanted by it.
E33 is emotional, stylistic, and, most importantly, fun. Screenshot by Destructoid
And, being a video game, it still needs considerable gameplay and a fun loop, which it provides by all means. It's an evolution of the JRPG genre, which is taken in its base form and transformed into something both recognizable and new, fast-paced and tactical, action-packed and emotionally charged.
It's as close to a perfect game as they come, and JRPG powerhouses are going to need to have a long, hard think about what they need to do to make their games competitive in the genre again (though for some companies and fans, yearly regurgitations seem to do the trick, unfortunately).
I congratulate Sandfall for the win, and can't wait to see how the game fares in the upcoming, biggest award show of the year (in gaming).
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 released a week ago, and Treyarch has now come forward with news on what will be changing in the game's first big post-launch update.
In a new Dev Talk video, Treyarch's Matt Scronce and Yale Miller detailed what to expect from how they've been implementing feedback, starting with tomorrow, when the Endgame mode will unlock for all players regardless of whether they've completed the campaign or not.
Image via Activision
Scronce detailed an "across the board" buff for SMGs in multiplayer, and said Treyarch is "monitoring the data" with marksman rifles and sniper rifles. Shotguns, meanwhile, are also being "closely" monitored, although the devs feel "pretty good" about them currently.
As for BO7's aim assist nerf for controller players, which I have been feeling pretty painfully, Treyarch is "fairly happy" with where it's at, but will be "slightly increasing" aim assist strength before season one launches on Dec. 4.
Multiplayer spawns are always an interesting discussion when a new CoD launches, and Scronce said Hardpoint, Free-for-All, and TDM spawn points will be getting some tweaks soon, too. Meanwhile, the annoying Drone Pod Field Upgrade will be getting nerfed, and thank goodness for that.
Targeted buffs are also coming in for the Point Turret, Needle Drone, Molotov, and Cluster Grenade lethal equipment. And that may come in handy when the minimap range is buffed as part of the update, too.
When it comes to Zombies, the Ashes of the Damned main boss Veytharion is "more challenging" than Treyarch was hoping for, and so it will be made "slightly easier" in the update, including more heals for the Ol' Tessie vehicle, and a nerf to the attack speed of the boss's missile attack.
The devs did not detail when the update will be coming, or how much of it will be in the pre-season one update vs. the season one launch on Dec. 4, but it's good to know that feedback is heard and that these changes should hopefully enhance the game.
Crowsworn, announced during the Xbox Partner Preview show on Nov. 20, is looking strikingly similar to Hollow Knight, from its style to movement to the flashy combat. Though a roguelike more than Souls, the game takes liberal inspiration and might be paving the way for Hollowlikes to come.
Crowsworn combines numerous genres to produce a unique, flashy, and fast-paced 2D side-scrolling experience, obviously taking liberal inspiration from the formula that made Hollow Knight into the phenomenon that it is.
Though we've only seen one trailer, the game immediately struck a chord with every fan of the Hollow Knight series who might have completed Silksong recently and was back to yearning for more after seven years of drought.
From its art style, color palette, lighting, and just about every possible aspect, Crowsworn screams Hollow Knight at every single point of its presentation. Look at this picture and tell me you don't see it.
The resemblance is uncanny. Image via Mongoose Rodeo
However, where it appears to diverge sharply is its speed of combat, roguelite elements, and generally a more visceral approach that is far removed from what Hollow Knight has gone for. Guns, blades, and glory are the name of the game in Crowsworn, it appears, and though it bears a striking resemblance to its source of inspiration, the overall gameplay loop seems to be markedly different.
We will have to wait to get our hands on the thing to actually see how dissimilar the game is from Hollow Knight, but one thing remains true: we might be entering an era where merely imitating Metroidvania and Souls elements is not enough. New games must serve as reference points, in turn spawning their own subgenres, which I will now call Hollowlikes. I would've said Silksongs, but I kinda think that's copyrighted.
Either way, Hollow Knight-inspired games are going to rise sharply following the success of Silksong, and it seems Crowsworn is the first of many to open the gates. But it may have stuck too close to the source; we'll see.
If you want to learn what else was shown during today's preview, you can do so here.
Hitman: World of Assassination is no stranger to wild and extravagant collaborations with popular figures, but I have to say I never saw this one coming. The real Slim Shady, Eminem, stands up against his evil doppelganger and has recruited Agent 47 to help take him down.
Announced during the Nov. 20 Xbox Partner Preview show, Eminem is partnering with Hitman: World of Assassination for a new story and mission that sees the player help the rapper take down his evil doppelganger, known as Slim Shady in the game. The partnership will run between Dec. 1 and 31, and will be a free-to-play event for all owners of the game.
Of course, Slim Shady is just an alternative name for Eminem himself, and this new event seems like a true metafictional fun factory because who wouldn't want to visit a world where there's not one but TWO Eminems roaming around. Sure, one is evil or whatever, but there's evil in the world anyway, and not much would change.
I never thought I'd be making an image file called "Eminem Hitman" in my life. Image via IO Interactive
Either way, you're tasked with eliminating this impostor and must help the real Slim Shady stand up against his alter ego.
This partnership is just one of many Hitman: World of Assassination has had with actors, singers, and other pop culture figures, including those not around anymore, like the legendary Bruce Lee. It's a way to transpose the game into our own world, breaking the fourth wall and connecting the incredible Hitman setting with our reality, where there are surely no hired guns, assassins, and homicidal maniacs of other kinds.
As stated, the event will run for the entire month of December, so if you're excited to become a true Stan, then don't miss out.
The FOF Captains Challenge 3 SBC is now live in FC 26, and you can complete it to earn some unique rewards in Ultimate Team.
Like all fodder challenges, completing the SBC is relatively easy. You'll have to use the lower-rated fodder from your club to earn a pack. Let's look at the requirements and a solution you can use to finish the SBC.
The FOF Captains Challenge 3 SBC has one task, and its requirements are as follows.
FOF Captains Challenge 3 SBC
Max. Clubs in Squad: 5
Min. 4 Players from the same League
Min. 6 Players: Rare
Min. 8 Players: Gold
Player quality: Min. Silver
Min. Squad Total Chemistry Points: 31
Completing this challenge will be pretty hard due to the chemistry requirements. You'll have to get 31/33 squad chemistry while meeting all the other requirements.
FC 26 FOF Captains Challenge 3 SBC solutions
The primary objective is to use fodder from your club to reduce the cost. However, you can use the following solution if you get stuck. This will allow you to get the available rewards before the SBC expires from Ultimate Team.
Nerea Eizagirre LW 80
Lavogez ST 76
Mari Jose RW 72
Soule CM 78
Amani CDM 76
Sucic CM 78
Tsimikas LB 77
Sazonov CB 73
Saul Coco CB 76
Pedersen RB 72
Misa GK 82
Completing the challenge will get you a Mega Pack. This is an extremely good pack to get, and includes 30 Gold player and club items. At least 10 of them are guaranteed to be footballers, and one will be rated 82 or higher. Hence, complete the SBC before it expires from Ultimate Team.
There's always a chance for you to either get a walkout/promo card from the pack for free. At worst, you'll find plenty of fodder to complete other SBCs.
There are different items to collect and obtain in Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons Battlemarked, and the simple activity can be more confusing than you might think.
Items are usually parts of different quests, and you'll have to collect them to complete the missions. Most of the items so far are related to the quests, and this guide will solve your troubles if you're confused about how to pick them up.
How to collect an item in Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons Battlemarked
The first step is to locate the item on the map. Usually, this will be a straightforward method. However, you can't pick up the item just by standing next to it. There's no interact button in the first place.
When you want to talk to an NPC or attack an enemy, you can press the Interact button. However, you can't pick up an item by clicking on it. Doing so will just highlight the item.
To pick the item, select a Hero from your roster. This doesn't have to be your primary Hero, and anyone from your squad works. Move on top of the tile where the item is located. If you're moving on a nearby tile of the item, you can't pick it up. The correct way to collect the item is to select its tile and move a Hero over there.
Screenshot by Destructoid
Wait for a couple of seconds, and a text will pop up that you have obtained the item. If it's part of a quest, you'll have to return with the item to complete the mission successfully.
If you're just getting started with Battlemarked, it will be wise to go through our detailed guide about all Heroes. All six Heroes have their unique abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Certain choices will be helpful if you're a beginner in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Picking them in your team will allow you to clear the main and side quests quickly.
Nov. 2025 Xbox Partner Preview - Every announcement
Image via Microsoft / Xbox
Armatus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q28rgDKA3o
Kicking off the show was a stylish third-person action game that's coming to all platforms in 2026.
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdGPr08PIIE
Cthulhu reigns in summer 2026 in this co-op survival title.
Dave the Diver: In the Jungle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFbcVdZRKwE
The fun indie title is now available on Xbox platforms, starting today. A new DLC, In the Jungle, is coming this summer.
Crowsworn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lloeP9r4GvI
This Silksong-esque roguelike title featuring a character in a plague mask is looking very fun.
Echo Generation 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmWSu69KxFU
An incredible, voxel-style aesthetic that's also a turn-based cardbuilder is coming in 2026.
Vampire Crawlers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b6dkZH6XSo
Vampire Survivors as an exploration-based, roguelike deckbuilder? Sure, why not! See you in 2026 when it arrives on Game Pass on day one.
007: First Light
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0wLsLm8OlY
Car enthusiasts, clock in. Iconic Bond vehicles like the Aston Martin is coming to the next James Bond game on March 27.
Roadside Research
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy3A4oxvKKg
You're an alien incognito working at a gas station while fielding research in this friendslop title that's currently in early access on Steam, coming to console in 2026.
Total Chaos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GrfzL9LM64
A horror FPS featuring some creepy visuals, lots of blood and gore, horrific monsters, and even some hallucination. It's out TODAY, actually. Always love a good shadow drop.
REANIMAL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9sEV58DC7w
The makers of the first two Little Nightmares games are back with some more creepy atmosphere and co-op gameplay. This one is looking like a big winner in early 2026 when it launches in February.
Erosion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVNmMa07piM
One of the more interesting games so far, another voxel title that takes place in a weird version of the Wild West, I think? This one has to be seen to be understood or believed. Very unique. Also coming in 2026.
Zoopunk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWV05D0BmLk
Anthropomorphic animals take center stage in a new Soulslike-ish action game where you play as a bunny and deal with other beasts like a deer, hippo, and others. The bunny is even joined by a rhino and a chipmunk to help out in battle, and it's pure mayhem.
CloverPit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T4UwgDnQjs
The addictive roguelike gambling game is coming to Xbox consoles...today, and some Unholy Fusion DLC is coming soon.
Eminem in Hitman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qk6wSOEqMHU
Sure, whatever. The rapper is Agent 47's next target in some really weird, random Eminem vs. Slim Shady DLC mission where Eminem fights against his alter ego.
Tides of Annihilation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOJsMcsR9BE
I think this is one of my most-anticipated games of next year. It's absolutely gorgeous, and this new footage shows off an over-the-top boss fight a la Devil May Cry or Bayonetta that I can't wait to try when the action title drops in 2026.
Raji: Kaliyuga
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhrqTYMbRKM
The follow-up to Raji: An Ancient Epic didn't show much other than some vampire hyena dog things to close out the show, marking the ninth title today that will be coming to Game Pass Ultimate:
And so November 19 came—and went—and Valve still hasn't counted up to three. Though the hype was greater than it was since 2007, Half-Life 3 remains as elusive as ever, with none of the theories turning out to be true. But that, some think, could be on purpose.
Everyone was preparing to witness greatness: the final announcement of Half-Life 3, nearly 20 years after the second game "concluded" with a massive cliffhanger in Episode 2. The insiders were hopeful, some even offered dates, and SteamDB data mining showed Valve was (maybe) cooking something up on November 19th, the 27th anniversary of Half-Life 1.
But as reality is often disappointing, Valve seems to have cooked up exactly nothing. November 18 came, the supposed cut-off date for the Steam store's banner (which turned out to be true, but nothing filled it), and so did the 19th, the anniversary date that had all the cosmic might behind it (27 is 3 cubed, it's 33 days before The Game Awards, etc.) but still ended up leaving a void greater than was there before.
Half-Life 3, gaming's biggest hope, eluded us once again.
We've administered too much hope. Image via Pirat Nation on X
New theories are, naturally, already forming. Some say Valve could be leaking these supposed "dates" into the wild precisely to combat leaks, i.e., mislead insiders into transferring the wrong information to the public to maintain secrecy and the element of surprise. Others believe The Game Awards makes more sense for a blockbuster announcement, which is no less because Geoff Keighley, the host, is very close to Valve itself.
Others still maintain that something has to happen in 2025, with insiders claiming Valve will almost certainly announce a project by the end of the year. This is, however, Valve we're talking about, to whom time is a flat circle and a concept it conceives of in its own way. "This year" could literally mean anything, and any and all announcement windows could be pushed back, apparently indefinitely in HL3's case.
What I wouldn't give to revisit this world again, but with a new story. Screenshot by Destructoid
The Steam Machine got announced, too, so that lends credence to Valve possibly preparing a first-party launch title for it, but that could also be a game of any kind, or merely a smaller-scale project like those built for the Valve Index. It might be a third-party partnership as well, which would potentially see Valve become a publisher, but even that's just total speculation, as we simply do not know.
So, instead of readministering hopium and copium and seething once things don't turn out the way we'd like them to, we should just expect nothing and avoid being disappointed altogether. Hell, even Gabe Follower, who spends most of his time digging through Source 2 files, agrees this should be the common way of thinking.
As you work your way through the many missions Wishblossom Ranch has to offer in Disney Dreamlight Valley, you'll regularly be tasked with gathering rare items. One of the tougher ones to find is Pyrite, a fairly scarce Gem.
All Gems can only be found in certain areas and have fairly low drop rates, which can make gathering them rather tough. If you're struggling to figure out where this one can be found, here's how to get Pyrite in Disney Dreamlight Valley.
Pyrite can exclusively be found in the Wishing Alps region of Wishblossom Ranch in DDV. It's classified as a Gem, but looks a lot more like an ore. It's the only gold Gem you can find around the Wishing Alps area, which means you have a fairly good shot of finding it once you're in the right area.
This Gem can drop from any rock node throughout this biome. Any nodes you come across that have yellow rocks sticking out of them are guaranteed to have Pyrite, but even those that don't have a chance of hiding some, so it's best to mine every node around the entire biome to have the best chance of obtaining some.
Where to get Pyrite in Disney Dreamlight Valley
You can only find Pyrite throughout all five unique regions in Wishing Alps. There are plenty of rock nodes in each area, so be sure to check them all so you don't miss out on any. All of the regions you need to check are:
Silver Summit
Wishblossom Ranch
Delver Dale
Wishing Way
Ranch Highlands
Screenshot by Destructoid
When you're mining for Pyrite, be sure to bring a mining villager with you. Having a mining buddy at your side means there's a chance you'll get extra Pyrite whenever you do manage to find some. It's an important quest and crafting resource, so you certainly want to stock up on this material when you can.
You also might try mining while riding around on your loyal horse or mount, as it's one of the abilities you can unlock for them. Crafting a Miracle Pickaxe Polish or an Even More Miraculous Pickaxe Polish can be useful, too, as these special items increase the drops from mining.
Dispatch's season finale is powerful enough to blow any recent Marvel movies out of the stale water they're floating on, but it asks players to make one choice that has caused many to go in a direction I find rather concerning.
Warning: Mild Dispatch spoilers ahead.
At the climax of the final episode, players will get to choose between sparing or killing the main villain, after he's already been defeated and is in a pretty much defenseless state. To the surprise of many, only 37 percent of players chose to spare the guy.
Now, that doesn't necessarily mean that the remaining 67 percent of players decided to kill him directly. As it stands, 37 percent of players spared him, and only 35 killed him in cold blood. That doesn't sound as bad, but then there's the other 28 percent who'd made mean or evil choices that culminated with having another character killing off the villain in pretty gruesome fashion. So yeah, most people are taking a bloodthirsty or callous approach to their hero career.
Screenshot and remix by Destructoid
The villain that shall not be named to avoid majorly spoiling the game is definitely someone who's done some terrible things, but this just isn't right. Even if he were the most villainous guy to ever grace a superhero story, this would still be a superhero game, and I believe killing him is missing the point. And I don't think developer AdHoc is at fault here. All great stories in the genre will always require the main characters to balance out power and responsibility, after all.
Screenshot by Destructoid
This points out a problem I have with superhero media in general: when bestowed with great power, many people would act in brutal ways and walk away scot-free, as happens in Dispatch, should you do the deed. This has been the thesis at the core of Alan Moore's Watchmen, and it still seems to ring true, despite nearly twenty years of Marvel movies trying to depict the existence of superheroes as good.
Sad as it might be, randomly bestowing someone in the real world with superpowers—or the ability to command a squad of heroes—would more likely result in something much closer to Zack Snyder's Batman and Superman, than in the newest and much nicer iteration of the Man of Steel.
Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons Battlemarked introduces six beginner heroes to pick from, and all of them have unique skillsets and abilities.
This guide will provide you with brief information about the six characters and their in-game abilities. When you begin a new round, you'll have to pick a single hero. The rest of the team will include three other heroes that complement your main pick.
All Heroes in Demeo x Dungeons and Dragons Battlemarked
The table below has information about all the starter Heroes.
Name
Class
Species
Abilities
Boltrax Brightscale
Paladin
Dragonborn
Strength Constitution
Tibby Hopplebock
Sorcerer
Halfling
Charisma Intelligence
Ash
Rogue
Tiefling
Dexterity Constitution
Jessix Copperleaf
Ranger
Human
Dexterity Wisdom
Tharok Kuldelver
Fighter
Dwarf
Strength Constitution
Lyria Nimara
Bard
Elf
Charisma Dexterity
While all six Heroes have different abilities, you can customize their builds by changing the secondary builds before the start of a campaign.
Which Hero should you pick in Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons Battlemarked
All six Heroes have unique abilities and skills, and every team will have four characters. That said, there are two Heroes that should be present on every team.
Bolthrax Brightscale: The Paladin class has an extremely well-rounded kit. He can heal, do damage, apply shields, and even taunt enemies to change their direction of attack. His attack moves are easy to understand, and the core playstyle is simple. He works well in any team composition, which is a bonus.
Lyria Nimara: While she isn't he only character with ranged attacks, Lyria's unique abilities allow her to hit multiple enemies at once. Secondly, her range means you can bring down the enemy archers with a single strike. Like Bolthrax, she fits well with any team composition.
Once again, all the heroes appear to be quite balanced, but I have made the choices keeping beginners in mind.
The Colosseo is wide open and one of its stars is arriving in season 20 of Overwatch 2. Say hello to the game's 45th hero, Vendetta.
Before players get a chance to try out Vendetta in her hero trial next week, I spoke with Blizzard devs in a group interview last week to get the first details about hero 45, who is now confirmed to be the game's first melee-based DPS character.
Image via Blizzard Entertainment
Overwatch has history with some of its characters using melee abilities, like Reinhardt's hammer, Genji's slash, or Orisa's Javelin Spin, but as the first fully melee-based Damage hero, Vendetta's kit is all about getting up close and personal with her giant sword to deal damage and wreak havoc on Supports.
"What you'll find with Vendetta, not only is she quite deadly, she's also quite mobile," associate game director Alec Dawson said. "This is a dive-oriented hero, through-and-through. She wants to play alongside Winston, she wants to jump into the backline and wreak a bunch of havoc."
Vendetta uses her massive sword, Palatine Fang, to deal a three-hit melee combo up close, but she needs to move quickly to do so and remain in the fight. That's why two of her abilities are movement based, Whirlwind Slash and Soaring Slice, while the rest are for dealing damage once she's in close proximity to her prey.
Whirlwind Slash is her Left Shift ability that she uses to lunge forward and slash in a circle, while Soaring Strike sees her throw her sword into the air and then jump to it, and she can then follow up with her primary strike for a big overhead slash to the ground.
"I was absolutely over the moon being able to work on this character," senior character modeler Bryan Bedford said. "I'm a classic Tracer main going all the way back to OW1 beta, and so this hero is the ultimate dive hero. If you want to get into a backline and cause chaos, she is the character for you."
Image via Blizzard Entertainment
Vendetta "operates more on a strategy level" compared to other dive heroes, according to Bedford, especially considering her Warding Stance ability that operates on a resource meter. She can use this to hold up her giant sword to block damage, but also from the stance she is able to fire a projectile ability called Projected Edge that will use up about one-third of the resource.
Her final ability, Sundering Blade, is her ultimate, where Vendetta will charge up a massive attack in three phases that will slash downward and cleave through armor and overhealth in the area of effect.
In the interview, the devs mentioned that there are definitely similarities to OW1's DPS Doomfist in Vendetta, and while she won't have the same sort of big burst damage combo as the DPS-turned-tank, she will have similar plays where you want to single out an out-of-position hero to try and take them out. Her passive ability Onslaught enables her to gain movement speed and attack speed when dealing damage, and will likely help this a ton.
With her kit in mind, Dawson said characters with strong crowd control abilities like Ana's Sleep Dart or Cassidy's Flashbang should be able to help counter her in the backline. The devs said if she gets stuck out of position, she can quickly be dealt with, especially with something like a Discord Orb from Zenyatta.
"She's kind of this high risk, high reward personified, more than a lot of our cast," Bedford said. "Once she's in the enemy backline, if she gets stopped or stalled for any reason, she's not a tank, so unless she has saved some of her mobility resources to get back out, she can get shut down."
Vendetta may not be popular with everyone as a strictly melee character, but as a hero who's very high skill and "hard to master," as the devs explained, she'll likely be a big hit with players who love to dive and can manage her resources and cooldowns to get in, deal damage, and get out safely.
Image via Blizzard Entertainment
OW2 players will be able to judge the DPS character for themselves when Vendetta's hero trial begins next week on Nov. 26 and she launches in the full game when season 20 drops on Dec. 9.
Overwatch 2's 45th hero is Vendetta, the game's first fully melee-based damage hero, and she's got the big sword to prove it.
Vendetta, also known as La Lupa (the wolf), is a famous Italian gladiator from Colosseo, and she's on a quest for revenge. Her father was betrayed by Talon and so she's got the names of people like Doomfist, Widowmaker, Sombra, Moira, and more on a list she's trying to cross off one by one.
Before Vendetta can get to her enemies, though, you need to figure out her kit and how to use it. Here's everything we know about Vendetta's abilities in OW2.
Overwatch 2 Vendetta abilities
Image via Blizzard Entertainment
Ability
Description
Input
Palatine Fang (Primary Attack)
Hard-light greatsword. Combo swings to end with a destructive overhead slash.
LMB
Warding Stance (Secondary)
Block with your sword, reducing frontal damage and deflecting melee attacks. Blocking damage depletes energy.
RMB
Whirlwhind Slash
Rush forward into a circular slash.
LShift
Soaring Slice
Hurl your sword in the direction you are facing and then fly to it. Can follow up with primary attack downward slash.
E
Projected Edge
Available while Warding Stance is active. Consume energy to fire a wide projectile.
LMB
Onslaught (Passive)
Strike enemies to increase movement and attack speed
-
Sundering Blade (Ultimate)
Cleave through most defenses, dealing severe damage to enemies in front of you.
Battlefield 6 leads October sales in the US, becoming the best-selling game of the year. Pokemon Legends Z-A ranks second, followed by Ghost of Yotei. The Outer Worlds 2 debuted in seventh place.
Battlefield 6 leads 2025 US game sales, boasting the highest monthly sales in three years. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 struggles, while Ghost of Yotei climbs to 10th place.
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, November 20, 2025 3:24 PM
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