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Colossal Sword
ChatGPT's big Voice upgrade is 'almost perfect'
Nov 26, 14:00
GamersHeroes Wednesday, November 26, 2025 9:23 AM Featuring arrangements of game music, holiday standards, and original themes inspired by the holidays, Scarlet Moon Christmas Volume X is now available everywhere. The post Scarlet Moon Christmas Volume X Now Available Everywhere appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 1:40 PM
Powers 1800W continuously with 2700W surge capacity. The post EcoFlow Decided Profit Doesn't Matter, 1800W Power Station Hits New All-Time Low for Winter Backup appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 1:15 PM
Vacuums at 10,000Pa, empties itself for seven weeks, mops while cleaning floors. The post Roborock Q7 M5+ Falls 40% Off, Self-Empty for 7 Weeks While You Forget It Even Exists appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 1:14 PM
The Daredevil actor says all credit and recognition for his role as Gustave should go to his motion capture actor The post Charlie Cox Still Isn't Ready To Take Credit For His Award-Nominated <em>Clair Obscur</em> Performance Because Game Performances Are Complicated appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 12:43 PM
December has five games to grab, including LEGO Horizon Adventures and Killing Floor 3 The post PlayStation Plus Subscribers Get More Free Games Than Usual Next Month appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 12:40 PM
Great value for money Android tablet. The post Despite Samsung Name, Galaxy Tab A9+ Plus Now Goes Cheaper Than Budget Alternatives appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 12:23 PM
The strange comfort of Call of Duty's repetitive multiplayer The post <i>Black Ops 7</i> Multiplayer Is More Of The Same—That's Why I'm Playing It appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 12:15 PM
Upgrade your PC's operating system for just $10 for a limited time at StackSocial. The post Microsoft Goes Wild for Black Friday, Windows 11 Pro Drops 94% Like They Forgot the Price Tag appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 11:55 AM
Redesigned for comfort, packs H2 chip processing, tracks your head movements naturally. The post Apple Quietly Offloads AirPods 4 at 47% Off, Now Cheaper Than No-Name Budget Earbuds appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 11:45 AM
Save over $130 on one of the top-rated portable Bluetooth speakers with huge sound and the ability to withstand a soaking. The post JBL Xtreme 3 Falls Below Last Year's Black Friday Price, Breaking Pricing Rules for Portable Speakers appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 11:35 AM
Recreate A New Hope's opening with seven mini-figures (and Darth Vader). The post Amazon Hits LEGO Hard on Star Wars Set, Darth Vader and Clone Troopers Sink to All-Time Bottom appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 11:29 AM
How to make Diner Dash even more sweaty? Add typing The post Kitchen Management Makes For The Perfect Chaotic Typing Game appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 11:15 AM
KAMRUI has reduced the price of its Hyper H2 mini gaming PC by over $300 for a limited time. The post Forget Mac Mini, Amazon Drops This 4.6-Star Intel i7 Gaming Mini PC to a Record Low as It Clears Out Stock (32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 11:12 AM
Also: Nintendo Classics gets some great new retro games, Black Ops 7's best mode is improved, and NBA Jam's announcer reveals what he was paid The post The Slow Collapse Of Embracer Continues As It Sells More Studios appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 10:55 AM
Reads at 2,100MB/s, stores 4TB and connects everything universally. The post Crucial 4TB SSD Reaches $0.06 Per GB (42% Off), Ultra-Fast Storage Finally Matches HDD Prices appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 10:45 AM
Save 20% on the 8BitDo Pro 3 Bluetooth controller for Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, Windows PC, Apple, SteamOS, and Android devices. The post 8BitDo Pro 3 Drops to All-Time Low, Better and Cheaper Than the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 10:35 AM
Stays up year-round. The post Govee 200ft Lights at 40% Off Record Low, Your Neighbors Will Hate How Good Your House Looks appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 10:15 AM
Save 20% on the GoPro MAX2 action camera. Makes for a perfect gift for any outdoor adventurer in your life. The post GoPro MAX2 Hits Its Lowest Price as Amazon Ignores the Margin on This Newly Released Action Camera for Black Friday appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 10:12 AM
AI tools were used to showcase the NHL 26 Deluxe Edition The post EA's Generative AI Evangelism Now Includes Cover Art appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 9:45 AM
Switching from boring white lights to something fun doesn't have to break the bank. The post Govee LED Floor Lamp Crashes to a Black Friday Low, Shoppers Are Clearing the Shelves Knowing This Is as Cheap as It Gets appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, November 26, 2025 9:44 AM
With Zootopia 2 in theaters, we look back at Disney's past decade and a half The post Disney's Revival Era Animated Films, Now Including <i>Zootopia 2</i>, Ranked From Worst To Best appeared first on Kotaku. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, November 26, 2025 1:44 PM Wildgate, the brainchild of former Starcraft 2 and Heroes of the Storm devs, is willing to take "risks" when it comes to balance and gameplay. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, November 26, 2025 12:37 PM AI disclosure tags are currently a requirement for storefronts like Steam, but Epic Games' Tim Sweeney says they'll soon be made redundant. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, November 26, 2025 12:31 PM The new Mount and Blade 2 Bannerlord DLC, War Sails, is now live, and its strategic medieval ship battles look absolutely amazing. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, November 26, 2025 12:30 PM The Secretlab Black Friday sale is here, giving you up to $249 off its genuinely fantastic, award-winning Titan Evo chairs and Magnus desks. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, November 26, 2025 12:11 PM New Minecraft update Mounts of Mayhem will arrive in Java and Bedrock very soon, bringing exciting new mobs and the deadly spear weapon. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, November 26, 2025 10:30 AM Pathbreakers Roaming Blades is a turn-based medieval fantasy RPG that sees you journey across the Stormtossed Isle, band of mercs in tow. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, November 26, 2025 10:16 AM With a 35% drop in price, this JBL Charge 6 deal puts the large and powerful Bluetooth speaker at its lowest ever price on Amazon. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, November 26, 2025 9:56 AM Here are all the latest The Forge codes and how to redeem them for limited-time rewards like free race rerolls to boost your stats. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, November 26, 2025 9:50 AM AdHoc Studios' Dennis Lenart and Polly Raguimov tell PCGamesN they've been blown away by the glowing industry-wide response to Dispatch. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, November 26, 2025 9:23 AM Broken Arrow looks as far ahead as 2027 with its massive new roadmap, which includes a fresh faction and highly requested features. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, November 26, 2025 9:20 AM Thanks to its new Default Game Profiles, the Xbox Ally series can now apply device settings tailored to individual games, with 40 titles already supported. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, November 26, 2025 9:09 AM Hooked on You A Dead by Daylight Dating Sim lets you live out your dream of romancing four very eligible killers, and it's now 90% off. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, November 26, 2025 7:42 AM In news I didn't expect to be writing today, Elon Musk has seemingly challenged League of Legends icons T1 to a match against his AI, Grok. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, November 26, 2025 11:24 AM Here are all the new and active Bleach Soul Resonance codes, granting Spiritual Jade for gacha banners, and upgrade materials for your team. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, November 26, 2025 12:59 PM  I don't know if I'm allowed to write "dad I'd like to" you know what, even as an acronym, so I won't, but my current prediction for Scholar, the first of two new Nightfarers coming to Elden Ring Nightreign as part of its Forsaken Hollows DLC, is that this is what an alarmingly large number of people will refer to him as. I get it! He's a bit grubby looking, but he's smart because he reads books and stuff. There's multitudes there. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, November 26, 2025 12:02 PM  To say Splitgate 2 hasn't had an easy go of it would perhaps be a mild understatement, though that's not to say it's entirely undeserved. There was that absolutely silly hat malarky for one, creating a not particularly welcoming vibe, and there was of course some controversy involving the pricing for some of its in-game items. All of that unfortunately led to two rounds of layoffs, and a switch back to a beta version of the game. Now, it looks like it'll be back in action next month. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, November 26, 2025 11:39 AM  I'm distressed to report that Ubisoft are still making Beyond Good and Evil 2, which used to be the follow-up to a great open world Zelda-like game, but has evolved over 17 years of chaotic development into the concept of infinity. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, November 26, 2025 10:28 AM  I've been savouring the modest upsurge in turn-based strategy games about savage and malodorous bands of mercenaries, not least because it accompanies wordlarking as fine as this. Here to join the screaming pile of gushing throats and grazed elbows is Pathbreakers: Roaming Blades, the latest from Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark developers 6 Eyes Studio. Hooded Horse have just announced that they're publishing it, which is lovely because it means I can write about a horse game this week that hasn't been banned from Steam for infringing upon Valve's ever-elastic content policies. There are no scenes of inquity so far in Roaming Blades, just good, wholesome disembowelment and the chance to blow up lingering balls of lightning. Here's the trailer. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, November 26, 2025 7:36 AM  Embracer Group's undoing of their catastrophic multiple-year acquisition spree continues with the sale of Cryptic Studios and Arc Games, respectively the developers and publishers of Star Trek Online and Neverwinter. |
Siliconera Wednesday, November 26, 2025 2:00 PM
Square Enix teased a 9S costume for Cloud for the FFVII Ever Crisis crossover with NieR: Automata. As part of its reveals for the event, it shared the Event Panel Missions in-game Home wallpaper, which features him alongside Tifa in the NieR: Automata 2B costume and Yuffie dressed as 10H from NieR Reincarnation. We don't know how the gear and weapon might be acquired in-game yet, however.
Here's the full NieR: Automata event wallpaper, which is called "Glory to Mankind." Tifa is in the NieR: Automata 2B costume for the event on the left, while Cloud is next to her on the right in the 9S gear. She's wearing her Demon's Impetus gloves, while he has a sword resting on the wreckage beside him. Yuffie stands behind the two of them in her NieR: Reincarnation 10H costume and holds her Fatum Ex Machina.
In order to get this "Glory to Mankind" wallpaper of the characters in NieR: Automata outfits, you need to go through the 2B Incursion Event Panel Missions. Square Enix didn't note which ones result in it. It did confirm that both this and the Whirling Ravager Enemy will be part of the rewards we get.
FFVII Ever Crisis is available for the PC and mobile devices, and the NieR: Automata event runs between November 27, 2025 and January 7, 2026. NieR: Automata is available for the Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and the anime based on it is streaming on Crunchyroll.
The post FFVII Ever Crisis NieR: Automata Cloud 9S Costume Confirmed appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, November 26, 2025 1:00 PM
It's looking like we will see a Windows PC version of the PS5 game Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, just like we did for the original game, as an ESRB rating for it briefly appeared on the evening of November 25, 2025. However, as of 10:30am ET on November 26, 2025, it is now no longer on the rating board's official site. This could mean that it went live too early ahead of an official announcement. [Thanks, Gematsu and Wario64!]
If you check the ESRB official site, there is only one rating for Death Stranding 2 available at the moment. Checking via the search option only turns up a result for the PS5 version, which launched in June 2025. It also doesn't show up in the Recently Rated Games section.
Wario64 did take screengrabs of the ESRB website before the rating for the Windows PC version of Death Stranding 2 was pulled. Its rating and description seemed identical to the one for the PS5 release. So it would still be a "Mature" title recommended for folks ages 17 and up due to things like "blood and gore, partial nudity, strong language, and violence." You can see those images on social media below:
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is available for the PS5 worldwide. A PC version hasn't been officially announced. However, those kinds of game announcements do tend to come up at events like The Game Awards, which happen next on December 11, 2025.
The post Death Stranding 2 PC ESRB Rating Appears, Then Disappears appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, November 26, 2025 12:00 PM
Starting on November 27, 2025, Hololive English Justice Vtuber Raora Panthera announced she will be on break. She announced both on social media and on stream about the situation, explaining that she will be undergoing throat surgery on her vocal cords and recovering. As such, she doesn't know exactly how long she'll be unavailable.
One of the things Raora firmly established is that she's not graduating. She's only taking a break for health purposes and to ensure a proper recovery. She noted that she is going to use the time to "take proper rest." Raora also noted that before deciding on surgery, she consulted several doctors, tried different treatment options, and attempted other resources before taking this step. She also mentioned in both her stream and social media post announcing this that being a Hololive Vtuber is her "dream." She also stated, "Please wait for me to come back! I will fight to be stronger than ever!"
Here's the full, almost 15-minute stream from Raora Panthera discussing her break and Hololive Vtuber's plans.
Though Raora will be going on break and spending the time recovering, she has been active leading up to it and confirmed she'll be part of an event during that period. For example, on November 26, 2025, she continued her playthrough of Mafia: The Old Country. She also stated she'll be part of the Anime Frontier Hololive Vtuber booth streaming event on December 13, 2025, noting she'll "use text-to-speech or something creative" in order to participate alongside Ouro Kronii.
Hololive English Justice Vtuber Raora Panthera joined Cover in June 2024, and her break will start on November 27, 2025.
The post Hololive Vtuber Raora Panthera Taking a Break for Surgery appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, November 26, 2025 11:00 AM
Sanei announced the shipping dates for the first round of Steiff Kirby plush orders and revealed a second round of sales for the stuffed animal will start soon in Japan. Back when the collectible was first announced in January 2025, the company confirmed this could be a possibility. It will still cost 44,000円 (~$281). Since the item hasn't shipped in Japan yet, we aren't seeing worldwide orders yet, though Meccha Japan did at one point offer some.
Depending on what shipment batch people selected when they originally ordered, they'll see their Kirby either in 2025 or 2026. Only the mid-December 2025 ones will arrive those year, with shipments starting on December 10, 2025. The January 2026 shipments go out on January 14, 2026, and the February 2026 ones will head out on February 10, 2026.
As for the second run of Steiff Kirby plush, Sanei said there will be in-store and online pre-orders for the stuffed animal in Japan. Depending on how someone gets one, the dates for ordering and getting the item will differ. Two Kiddy Land stores will be taking orders, with one being the Harajuku location and the other the Osaka Umeda one. Yamashiroya in Ueno will also offer it. Orders open in those locations starting on November 27, 2025, and they are expected to appear on February 11, 2026. The online ValueMall orders start again on February 2, 2026, and those ship in March 2026.
Here's the official image showing off the plush again that Steiff and Sanei shared on ValueMall. That stuffed animal is over six inches tall (160mm) and is almost 10 inches wide (250mm).
The Kirby Steiff plush initial orders will start shipping out next month in Japan, and pre-orders for another run of the stuffed animal will begin in-stores in Japan on November 27, 2025 and online on February 2, 2026.
The post More Steiff Kirby Plush Will Appear Next Year appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, November 26, 2025 10:00 AM
Square Enix has released a new piano arrangement album inspired by the Chrono Trigger soundtrack. The album's full title is Chrono Trigger Piano Soundscape Arrangement, and it is now available in physical and digital formats in Japan. The company is also gradually releasing the album worldwide.
This album contains a total of 12 tracks. However, some of them feature a combination of multiple in-game tracks. For example, Gato's Song will immediately connect to the first battle theme and victory fanfare in the same track.
While Yasunori Mitsuda was the original composer of the Chrono Trigger soundtrack, Shogo Nomura—who recently contributed tracks to Bandai Namco's Once Upon A Katamari—made most of the piano arrangements here. Sachico Miyano also did 4 out of the 12 tracks in this album.
Here is the album's full tracklist:
Square Enix has also published a trailer promoting the new album on its Japanese YouTube channel:
Chrono Trigger is a classic RPG that originally appeared on the SNES in 1995. It also later received ports to the first Sony PlayStation and Nintendo DS. The game is presently available on iOS, Android, and PC via Steam.
This piano album is not the only arrangement Square Enix will release. The company has also revealed that it will hold a Chrono Trigger orchestra concert and release its orchestral arrangement album in January 2026.
The Chrono Trigger Piano Soundscape Arrangement album is now available digitally worldwide. The physical album is also readily available in Japan at ¥3,630, and Square Enix will bring it to North America at $37.99 and Europe at €29.99 in December 2025.
The post Chrono Trigger Piano Soundscape Soundtrack Revealed appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, November 26, 2025 9:00 AM
Demeo first appeared as a Dungeons & Dragons style tabletop RPG with strategic elements for the Quest, PSVR, and PC headsets, but it wasn't explicitly tied to that series. That changed with the follow-up Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked. Resolution Games has the support of Wizards of the Coast now. It doesn't change the experience much, beyond names for certain classes and places from D&D implemented, and the experience remains as solid as ever.
Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked comes with two campaigns and six heroes. The first is Embers of Chaos, which features the elves of Neverwinter and humans of Neverwinter about to go to war after the humans broke a contract and started logging in the woods, but there may be some other forces also trying to disrupt the peace. In Crown of Frost, Icewind Dale is potentially under attack, and our heroes join the forces to investigate the situation and fight back. As you go through sessions, there will be both mainline campaign quests and some supplemental missions for other NPCs.
The characters available for each run are a Dragonborn Paladin, Dwarf Fighter, Elf Bard, Halfing Sorcerer, Human Ranger, and Tiefling Rogue, with up to four human players able to play in each session. If you have fewer than four, then there is one "main" character controlled by each human and the remaining party slots are "hirelines" that don't level up. Those that do level up have some specialization and update options. However, all characters regardless of whether they are standard or hireling do have the options to get more cards in their 10-card deck to change their moveset.
Once you head into a quest, regardless if it is a mainline mission or optional task, you'll get a few cards dealt into your hand. (You can only see ones held by your main character and hirelings and can't see what other players have.) The four characters in your party will act one after another, able to move within set areas on the grid and use abilities represented on their cards to act. All classes fill their traditional roles from D&D. Once everyone in the party acts, the enemies take their turn. This continues until the stage's objective is complete.
It works well! There are cards that are permanent and others that are single-use, leading to a sense of balance. We also gain new ones at a steady rate, and it seemed like about once per campaign mission or so it would come up. It's easy to investigate cards before using them, and placing them on the field to attack is simple enough. Being able to have a full party of four regardless of how many human players are there? Also great. Some genuinely tricky situations can come up too.
There are some elements in Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked that can feel a bit awkward. All of which you'll, unfortunately, encounter at some point due to the ways campaigns work and the lengths of them. The most frequent issue I encountered is that the zoom feature effectiveness varies. Sometimes, it works wonderfully and I can get as close or as far as I need. However, there are occasional maps, usually the smaller ones, which seemed to lock me into a certain position and wouldn't let me focus in enough to get more precise positioning.
Some quest item appearances also seem random. For example, in one situation our party was tasked with finding pieces of sheet music for an NPC side quest. We loaded into a campaign quest map and, initially, I saw the piece of sheet music in a position there. Due to a technical issue, we ended up needing to remake the room and return. When we loaded up the save before that fight and went in, there was no sheet music there that time.
Speaking of technical issues, that's the other awkward elements. There's no way to assign hirelings to specific individuals. When you first make a room and head in, it will clearly assign folks to people. So if there are two folks playing, each will control one hireling. If, say, a person drops out, then needs to get the code again to pop back in, when they do rejoin the match and map, they will have no hireling assigned to them and it is impossible to go into any menu and place them in charge of that character.
While getting the D&D license for this VR strategy game is nice, Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked's appeal lies in it being an enjoyable multiplayer tactical adventure. There are a few cumbersome elements, like the hireling assigning issue, that I'd love to see worked out in later patches. But what's here works well and is enjoyable, especially if you have at least one other person to play with.
Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked is available for the Meta Quest headsets, PC headsets via Steam, and the PS5's PSVR2.
The post Review: Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked Is Generally Sound appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Wednesday, November 26, 2025 1:28 PM
The Pre-Black Friday Challenge 1 SBC is now live in FC 26 Ultimate Team, and you can obtain free rewards by recycling lower-rated items.
The latest challenge has only one task, and you can use fodder that you don't need. In return, you'll get a bonus pack to open during the Black Friday celebrations. The requirements appear to be quite stiff, and this guide will help you complete the challenge pretty quickly.
Table of contents
FC 26 Pre-Black Friday Challenge 1 SBC tasks
Here are the requirements of the solo task that's part of the SBC.
Pre-Black Friday Challenge 1
There are some stiff elements about this challenge. You'll need to get the squad rating to at least 80 while making sure that the chemistry requirements are at 31 or higher (out of 33). Meeting such a high chemistry requirement along with other restrictions won't be the easiest of tasks.
FC 26 Pre-Black Friday Challenge 1 SBC solutions
The primary objective is to use cards that are already available in your Ultimate Team inventory. This allows you to reduce the cost of completing the challenge and raise the overall valuation of the rewards. However, I have also added a solution template for you to try out if you get stuck.
Completing the challenge will fetch you an untradeable Prime Gold Players Pack. This pack includes 12 Gold player items, with at least one guaranteed to be rated 82 or higher. Any six of the 12 cards are guaranteed to be Rare, and there's a high chance for you to get a walkout/promo item during the Black Friday celebrations. Make sure to complete the SBC within the next two evenings, as it will expire from Ultimate Team beyond that point.
The post FC 26 Pre-Black Friday Challenge 1 SBC tasks and solutions appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Wednesday, November 26, 2025 1:23 PM
Microtransactions are often argued to be one of the worst aspects of modern gaming. They are the primary drive behind "games as a service," and a way for publishers to rake in billions without actually adding to games. And it's fundamentally a good thing, or so Ubisoft would say.
Assassin's Creed: Shadows has just received its first batch of Isu-related content in the form of a new quest, A Puzzlement, that ties into the game's main story. And, what's most important, the content is free, added to Shadows with no extra charge as an expansion to the overall narrative. This, apparently, would not have been possible without microtransactions, which Ubisoft argues help enable these content expansions.
"Microtransactions, for all the flak it gets, it allows us to do the Isu stuff, the quest stuff, the parkour updates, all of it," said Simon Lemay-Comtois, AC: Shadows' associate game director (via IGN). Post-launch earnings, which are obtained via microtransactions (usually cosmetics that most Assassin's Creed games of the last 10 years have had), seem to be fundamental to the creation of these free updates and expansions, as well as keeping the games alive for longer than usual.
So it would seem microtransactions can be good after all, despite many players, myself included, holding a grudge against them in almost every way, shape, or form.
I'd even argue microtransactions in the form of paid DLC or expansions, like Phantom Liberty in the case of Cyberpunk 2077, are a much better way of utilizing additional paid content and accumulating extra funds for expanding the game's content and size. Though, in that case, we would just call them transactions, since they are by no means micro.
It's a divisive topic, and one that's been at the center of discussion regarding all of Ubisoft's outputs over the past however many years. Do cosmetics and skins have a place in single-player games, especially paid ones? Should someone who forked over $70 be asked to give more money lest they be barred from that cool-looking armor and weapons? Lots of questions, few answers, but it seems that, no matter what, they do play a significant role in ensuring these games get post-launch support.
Alas, such are the ways of quarterly-oriented developers.
The post Microtransactions are good, actually, Ubisoft claims appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Wednesday, November 26, 2025 1:17 PM
Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive puts a lot of focus on Sung Jinwoo as the series' main protagonist, and you can build him as per the meta to make it easier for you to clear all the content.
There are four archetypes to pick from, and all of them can be effective if you use the correct build. However, this guide will discuss a specific build that I have been enjoying a lot, and explain how to set it up in Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive.
Best Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive Jinwoo build
Out of the game's four classes, Duelist feels like the strongest option. Its attacks, when used right, can shred single-target enemies. However, the Duelist class is tough to master since you'll have to be good with your evasions. I instead went with the Ruler class.
The Ruler class is arguably the most entertaining choice, and you can clear all the content on your own. The Ruler class is also the only lore-correct option as you use magic to raise Shadows to do your bidding.
Here's how I have been personally distributing my stats.
If you're going for the Ruler class, you can almost ignore Speed. You won't have to move much on the field, as you won't be fighting alone. Investing in Magic Power is extremely important. It's your primary damage stat since almost all the abilities will scale accordingly.
You can also go for equal weightage for Attack Power and Defense. The key aspect is not to overspend on either area since you'll want to have a good balance between the two. Moreover, your key attack stat for the Ruler class isn't Attack Power (it's Magic Power, where you'll be investing most of your points).
Best skills
Here's my list of the best skills to pick if you're going with the Ruler class.
Finally, use Blessing Stones that will improve your Magic Power and Defense. You can also go for options that reduce the cooldown time of your skills, as it's essential for casting the Shadows.
The post Best Sung Jinwoo build in Solo Leveling Arise Overdrive appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Wednesday, November 26, 2025 11:43 AM
Season three is coming soon to NBA 2K26, and it will add plenty of new content for players to grind.
2K earlier confirmed the launch dates as part of the update 3.0 patch notes, and we are less than 10 days away as of writing. This guide will provide you with a countdown for the upcoming season and a brief idea about what to expect.
Table of contents
NBA 2K26 Season 3 release countdown
Season 3 will go live globally on Nov. 28 across all platforms. It will directly succeed Season 2 and introduce a new pass. The countdown below marks the exact time of launch of the new season.
The countdown is based on the following timings.
Once the new season goes live, you'll need to install the live update to access the fresh content.
NBA 2K26 Season 3 rewards
We have received the first bit of confirmed rewards regarding the items on offer. Let's look at the key rewards you can obtain for MyCareer and MyPlayer modes.
MyTeam begins with an Evolution Kyle Kuzma at Level 1. You'll also get the following items by completing the seasonal grind.
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Destructoid Wednesday, November 26, 2025 11:40 AM
Bungie's upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon, feels like an enigma.
I was not all that impressed with the game's beta test earlier this year in April, and I was not alone. After a tepid reception and a lot of negative feedback, Bungie was forced to delay it from its initial September release date so it could run more tests and iterate on numerous changes.
But since then, a new juggernaut has entered the space: ARC Raiders launched last month and became an instant hit in the extraction shooter genre, bringing in a whole new swath of players who hadn't really experienced the game type before. It's consistently been a top-played game on Steam since its release, and it's even gotten a hold on console players, too. And I can't help but wonder what kind of effect it may have on Marathon's potential success, or failure.
With players like myself now enjoying the thrill of deploying, looting, surviving, and extracting, Marathon could bring us into the fold if it can nail the gameplay loop similarly to how ARC Raiders has. Similarly, the success of ARC Raiders could keep potential Marathon buyers from taking the plunge if they're still enjoying the new Embark Studios hit.
I do think there's room for both, as one is in third-person and one is a first-person shooter from a company that has excelled in the gameplay feel of that perspective. They are both stylistically quite different, too, with Marathon sporting a futuristic and colorful aesthetic versus ARC Raiders' grimy, post-apocalyptic setting.
Will ARC Raiders' friendliness factor carry over into Marathon? That depends. Leaks from recent tests claim that Bungie is adding proximity chat to Marathon after all, which is a big reason why ARC Raiders has been so fun for so many who normally don't enjoy the competitive nature of the genre.
I would not be surprised to see some ARC Raiders players now willing to try out Marathon if they weren't before. I'm certainly more excited for it after now truly grasping the extraction concept, thanks in large part to how good ARC Raiders is. The rest is up to Bungie to deliver a product that engages players and hits on multiple cylinders as ARC Raiders has, so the hope is that these past few months of extra testing on the game will have made a tremendously positive impact.
It certainly feels like extraction games are quickly becoming the next "big thing" in gaming, and I wouldn't be surprised to see some established IPs continue to explore it. Before Marathon launches, we have PUBG: Black Budget running a playtest next month, which is the battle royale game's spin on extraction.
Escape From Tarkov paved the way, but we've since had titles like Delta Force, Hunt: Showdown, and Dark and Darker twisting their own iterations, and I expect more companies to follow the trend, with rumors circulating that Call of Duty will bring back its extraction mode DMZ in next year's game.
There may come a point when extraction games become saturated, but for now, I think the industry is rife with potential, and Marathon could end up benefiting from the influx of new genre enjoyers after all.
What do you think about Marathon's potential? Will ARC Raiders help or hurt it? Let us know your own thoughts in the comments.
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Destructoid Wednesday, November 26, 2025 11:30 AM
This year on Steam is closing out without massive game releases. We had a packed second half of the year with the release of GOTY contenders like Hades 2 and Hollow Knight: Silksong, which make December look disappointing. Except it's not.
I have picked six Steam games that are among the most followed on the platform, all releasing next month. I have played the demos of all the games I'm recommending here, except for one of them, which has none. In this case, I'm still convinced it has great potential for reasons I'll explain in its own section.
Even if you don't want to commit to buying any, at least you have a bunch of demos to play. Here are our top game picks releasing in December 2025 on Steam.
Skate Story
Skate Story is a weird exploration game where you're a glass demon who does skateboard tricks on your way to moons to destroy and eat them, all while disrespecting floating eye-gods who claim skateboarding is a sin. This description is either enough to make you want to play the demo right now or skip this entire section and pretend this game will never exist. I'm the former, as a huge fan of the offbeat stuff Devolver Digital publishes, and Skate Story is my favorite on this list.
It has a Jet Set Radio background story with a dark spiritual vibe. The game also has cool ambient music with synths to make it an unexpectedly chill experience for a game that requires so much precision to play. Skate Story releases on Dec. 8.
Unbeatable
Unbeatable is a rhythm game "where music is illegal and you do crimes," as the game's description puts it perfectly. It has a deep and sensitive story mode if you're into rich narratives, but it also has an arcade option if all you want to do is press a lot of buttons at the right time over and over.
I had fun doing both and thought that the story in the demo was a great introduction to how the interface of the rhythm sections works. It's a lot closer to Hextech Mayhem than to Guitar Hero or Spin Rhythm XD, but it still feels like a great game if you're a fan of the last two. The demo already has a bunch of songs to play at different difficulties and a nice introduction to the story, so it's worth checking out before the game goes live in full on Dec. 9.
Subliminal
Subliminal is a classic horror game that happens inside the mind of Caleb, the protagonist you control. It reminds me a lot of Kojima's P.T., where you start locked inside a regular-looking but messy house with lots of corridors where you're sure a jumpscare is waiting for you.
A narrator, much like that of The Stanley Parable, talks to you through the entire experience, which adds more mystery to the game—who's that person, and why do they want to distract you from the dark corners of Caleb's mind? From the demo, part of Subliminal is learning more about—and pissing off—this narrator (or voice in your head) and discovering why it keeps guiding you from all the supernatural things happening in the world around you while pretending everything is fine.
There are jump scares that trigger when you perform certain actions, but a lot of the suspense is in the smaller things like objects moving on their own, noises starting somewhere close, or blood dripping from places you wouldn't expect.
Cloudheim
Cloudheim is a blend of many kinds of games. It's an RPG with base-building, crafting, open-world exploration, combo-based combat, and multiplayer. While its visuals resemble The Legend of Zelda Switch games, it has nothing to do with them.
In Cloudheim's demo, I spent most of my time exploring different types of lands while clearing monsters using huge combos that gave me more resources to build my base. This seems to be the general gameplay loop, where you explore an open world for resources and return to your base to develop it further, become stronger, and explore even tougher areas. It has fast-paced combat that is fun if you enjoy mashing buttons, but that can feel boring if you're into more strategic battles.
Still, if you're looking for something to play with friends and enjoy base building in a fantasy world, Cloudheim can be an interesting choice on Dec. 4, when it comes out in early access on Steam.
Octopath Traveler 0
Octopath Traveler 0 is a turn-based JRPG in 2.5D. If you've played other Octopath Traveler games, at least trying the demo of this one is a no-brainer, as it has a generous demo you can play for three hours, which should be more than enough time to decide whether you want to buy it when it comes out on Dec. 4.
If you enjoy customizing characters and creating their backstory, Octopath Traveler 0 can scratch that itch. You can even choose your character's favorite dish and give it a custom name. Otherwise, the demo makes it feel like it's a classic Japanese RPG, much like many others. Whether you'll like it will probably boil down to Octopath Traveler 0's story and specific battle mechanics, such as Boosted actions and team building. It's a great pick if you're already into the genre, but play the demo first if you want to test this style of game for the first time. I enjoyed it, even with little familiarity with the series.
Terminator 2D: NO FATE
I always think video games based on movie franchises will suck, but Terminator 2D: NO FATE got me thinking otherwise. The game has no demo yet, but its retro looks paired with what seems to be a modern gameplay feel got me excited to test it on Dec. 12.
The game is an arcade action shooter that feels a lot like Contra 3: The Alien Wars for the Super Nintendo, but with a Terminator skin. If you grew up as a fan of these side-scrolling games, it could be a good choice if other games on this list don't grab your attention.
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Destructoid Wednesday, November 26, 2025 11:06 AM
In The Forge, there are seven different weapon types you can forge. Each of them has a different playstyle and base stats. Now, even though all of the weapons are pretty well balanced, some weapon types are better than the rest on average. With that in mind, we prepared the following The Forge weapons tier list to help you stay on top of the meta with the best weapons out there.
The Forge Weapons Tier List S  Katana A  Great Axe  Gauntlet  Dagger B  Straight Sword  Great Sword
In the above tier list, we ranked every weapon type in The Forge based on their playstyle and the average stats of the most commonly forged weapon from each weapon group. For the most part, weapons of the same type have pretty similar stats, which can differ depending on the overall quality of the forged weapon, from Broken to a Masterwork one. You can further improve a weapon by enhancing it and applying runes to it.
The Forge Weapon Type List
How to Forge Weapons in The Forge
Forging your first weapons is something that is already covered in the tutorial quest. So, you should be familiar with the process itself. The things that are not explained in the tutorial are the multiplier value and how the weapon rarity is defined in The Forge. The multiplier value determines the overall damage of the weapon you are forging, and it is increased by adding rare ores into the kiln. This is why you generally want to forge weapons using ores of similar rarity. The rarity of the weapon itself is randomly rolled based on the ores you used. One of the ores will be selected as the primary material for the weapon, and that will determine its appearance and rarity.
How to Apply Runes and Enhance Weapons in The Forge
In The Forge, you can enhance weapons using various types of Essences, which are a common drop from enemies. Each enhancement level increases the damage of your weapon, while rune slots are unlocked with every three enhancement levels. Runes can give your weapons unique properties, such as the ability to burn enemies. Runes drop mostly from mining rocks.
That's it for our The Forge weapon tier list. Let us know which is the best weapon you have managed to forge so far in the comments below. If you are looking to increase your overall DPS further, make sure to check out our The Forge Race tier list.
The Forge Weapons FAQs
What is the best weapon type in The Forge? The best weapons to try and forge are Colossal Swords and Katanas. They both have great DPS and sell for a lot of money when you eventually forge a better weapon for yourself. Why does my weapon have no Rune slots? All weapons start with no Rune slots. To unlock a new one, you have to enhance your weapon to +3 at least. Can you target forge a certain weapon of a specific type? Not really. You can only influence the odds of obtaining a specific weapon type by adding more ores to the kiln.
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Destructoid Wednesday, November 26, 2025 10:45 AM
The Thunderstruck promo is all set to arrive in FC 26 Ultimate Team, and it could be the start of something amazing.
The Thunderstruck promo officially marks the start of the Black Friday celebrations, and it could be the perfect time for you to play the game. So far, EA Sports has remained tight-lipped about the promo and which players will be part of it.
Thanks to social media leaks, we have a fair idea of which promo cards should be part of the first team.
Table of contents
All FC 26 Thunderstruck team 1 players (leaks)
A fair number of names have already been leaked at the time of writing. If the rumors are true, we should be getting special cards for active footballers and icons.
More names are expected to be leaked ahead of the promo's release date. Some of them will be featured in SBCs and objectives, which will be easier to obtain (compared to items in packs that are harder to find).
FC 26 Thunderstruck Team 1 release countdown
The Thunderstruck promo will replace the FC Pro Live campaign currently live in Ultimate Team. Team 1 will be coming to Ultimate Team on Friday, Nov. 28, based on EA Sports' usual schedule. The following countdown will enable you to keep track of when the cards go live.
The countdown is based on the following timings.
The countdown is based on the schedule that EA Sports applies to all promos. However, Thunderstruck promos have been released earlier in previous years. We will update the countdown once the official timings are revealed.
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Destructoid Wednesday, November 26, 2025 9:24 AM
I'll show you all the Ores in The Forge as well as their stats, how to reach their locations and what pickaxes to use to mine them. I'll also be listing special traits every Ore for creating equipment. Here are all Ores in The Forge and my complete Ore guide.
Table of contents
The Forge Ore Guide
Below I'll list all ores in The Forge sorted by location and rarity but first let's explain Ore stats. Each Ore has its stats like multipliers, rock nodes they drop from and traits. Here's what all Ore stats mean:
Each ore will have all of these stats below and now that you know what all of them mean let's dive into the Ore list. Remember to equip as many Mining Shard runes on your pickaxe as you can.
All Stonewake's Cross Ores in The Forge [World 1]
These are all ores you'll find in the starting cave in World 1 sorted from the lowest to the highest drop chance. The rock nodes here are Pebbles, Rocks and Boulders. Here are the World 1 ores:
All Forgotten Kingdom Ores in The Forge [World 2]
The ores below are found across the caves in Forgotten Kingdom World 2 and Volcano Region (See picture above) but these don't include the ores in the Goblin Cave since that's a separate section below. For World 2 there's a lot more rock nodes with specific Pickaxe Strength requirements. Here's everything you need as well as all the ores and traits you can find here:
All Goblin Cave Ores in The Forge [World 2]
The Forge Goblin Cave is a special area in World 2 Forgotten Kingdom and the entrance is to the right of the Goblin King. My video above will show you how to reach the Goblin King. From there you have to complete a 5-part quest that's basically about giving him a total of 85.000 gold and he'll give you the key for the Goblin Caves. The cave entrance is to the right of the Goblin King. Here are all the ores in the Goblin Caves.
That's it for my all Ores in The Forge guide with locations and pickaxe requirements. Check out our The Forge codes for free goodies. Also, with all these Ore combinations in mind here's a weapon tier list for the game.
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Destructoid Wednesday, November 26, 2025 9:20 AM
Of Ash and Steel has 30 achievements to complete, and some of them can be quite tricky.
Completing all the quests is necessary if you want to obtain the Platinum trophy. Out of 30, five of them are hidden, and they will be unlocked when you trigger the activity required. This guide will provide you with information about all the achievements and how to complete them.
All achievements in Of Ash and Steel and how to complete them
The table below has information about all the achievements. I have mentioned details about tasks that are relatively harder to complete.
Most of the achievements will require you to gain access to the first chapter and beyond. To do so, the first task is to complete the quests available on the shore and make inward progress, and there are some tricky ones to finish.
The post How to complete all achievements in Of Ash and Steel appeared first on Destructoid. |
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