Kotaku Friday, May 16, 2025 5:20 PM  This week was an odd one. We shook our heads at Bungie doing an absurdly obvious plagiarism with Marathon and were provided no assurances the Switch 2 will stay at its launch price (it could go higher), all while Sony also called to say "hey, the PS5 might have a price hike." We're also dealing with our new reality in… |
Kotaku Friday, May 16, 2025 4:40 PM  An AI Darth Vader chatbot voiced by a digital clone of James Earl Jones' voice joined Fortnite on Friday and players wasted no time trying to break it. It took no time at all for them to get it to start cursing at them, but the controversial Star Wars experiment has yielded all kinds of other weird interactions as… |
Kotaku Friday, May 16, 2025 2:35 PM  No matter who it is, from Goro to General Grievous, you just can't trust a guy with more than two arms. The creep factor is part of it, but I think you just learn fast that while two of those arms are fine, the most devastating attack always comes, from the other two arms you didn't even know were there. |
Kotaku Friday, May 16, 2025 2:05 PM  Little Kitty, Big City packs a lot to do in its meowtropolis (sorry, that's my first and only cat pun), all of which is as cute and fun as you'd expect for a game about a lost kitty in a big 'ol city. But this city is actually more bite-sized than you might anticipate by the game's name, offering a brief but enjoyable… |
PCGamesN Friday, May 16, 2025 4:15 PM  Whatever happened to People Can Fly, developer of the gloriously over-the-top Bulletstorm? They're working on Lost Rift, an all new game which traps you on an island and pits you against all manner of hostile fauna, other players, and even the elements themselves. And, right now, you can play it absolutely free. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games, Best FPS games, Best co-op games |
PCGamesN Friday, May 16, 2025 6:18 PM  As of right now, all seems well in Minecraft world. Minecraft Live was a blast, the most recent Snapshots have introduced improvements to both long-range combat and to leashes, and the Minecraft movie is an enormous success. But like any and every videogame, Mojang's blocky builder has experienced its share of technical troubles. Veterans might recall the dancing Enderdragon. In fact, Minecraft's most iconic enemy, the Creeper, is the result of a glitch that twisted and elongated the original character model for pigs. Now, Jens Bergensten, Mojang's chief creative officer, explains the history of one of the best Minecraft bugs. Who here remembers squid milk? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods |
PCGamesN Friday, May 16, 2025 3:20 PM  Where would fantasy worlds be without wizards? There would be a lot less explosions and ancient curses, that's for sure. But, health and safety issues aside, fantasy extraction shooter Legacy: Steel and Sorcery has added these pointy-hatted magic users to its playable classes. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games, Best fantasy games, Best multiplayer games |
PCGamesN Friday, May 16, 2025 2:01 PM  Think you could brave the medieval-era Scottish Highlands? What if you weren't just responsible for yourself, but your whole family? That's the challenge posed by Clanfolk, and now this 9/10 RimWorld-style colony sim has received a major new update, adding a welcome dose of freedom. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best management games on PC, Best city building games, Best strategy games on PC |
Siliconera Friday, May 16, 2025 6:00 PM
Square Enix shared an update video for Final Fantasy XI that goes over changes coming to the MMORPG in 2025, in honor of its anniversary, and a Character Race Change Service, which will cost money, and Alter Ego additions are on the way. There are no exact dates for when these might appear.
We first learned Square Enix would work on a Character Race Change Service during the 68th Freshly Picked Vana'diel FFXI presentation that aired in May 2024. At the time, there was no video footage of it. The latest update video brings it up at the 2:24 mark. We see a person who is a Galka in front of a Moogle. It then shifts to a menu where we see two copies of the avatar in front of us. A menu at the bottom offers an option to change the race and gender. Hume (Male), Hume (Female), Elvaan (Male), Elvaan (Female), Tarutaru (Male), Tarutaru (Female), Mithra, and Galka show as options. (Next to the Galka one, there is a note saying this was the "race before change.") The example then switches to a Tarutaru (Female). After choosing a new species, a person can choose a face type, hair color, and character size. When in this screen, someone can also shift the camera to see the new version of the avatar compared to the old one from different angles.
Here's how that looks. The video notes also mentioned a character's base stats change in FFXI if you pay to use Character Race Change Service.
As for the Alter Ego additions in FFXI, Producer and Director
Yoji Fujito mentioned two changes. One is that there will be ways to get them. He also noted that players will be told more about it.
Final Fantasy XI is available for PCs.
The post Paid FFXI Character Race Change Service Coming appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, May 16, 2025 5:00 PM
Nihon Falcom shared a new The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter trailer, and shows the new 3D cinematic that shows Estelle and Joshua meeting for the first time. This is the scene we see as the game begins, and it features the introduction following her father Cassius Bright bringing the boy home.
The original game began with a scene set about five years before current events, when Estelle and Joshua are around 11 years old. Estelle waited at home for her father Cassius to come home. He was on an assignment with the Bracer's Guild and was due back. He does show up, but he isn't alone. He claims he has a "present," which is Joshua. This scene in the new video picks up after Cassius had put Joshua to bed, and the boy wakes up to meet the girl.
From there, it seems like the first meeting between Estelle and Joshua in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter goes about the same as they did in the original. He's shocked when he awakes, and wonders why Cassius brought him home and didn't let him die. Just like in the original game, Estelle gets mad at his response to her father and his tone and hits him, leaving him shocked. She then properly introduces herself, and Cassius tells reminds him that he said he had a daughter. When Joshua gets mad about Cassius changing the subject, she then kicks him right in the face. When he tries to argue back further, she slaps the sides of his face with her hands and recreates the famous "Do I hear y-e-l-l-i-n-g" moment from the original. He then introduces himself.
Here's the full video of Estelle and Joshua meeting for the first time in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter will come to the PS5, Switch, and PC, and the release date is September 19, 2025.
The post Estelle and Joshua Meet in Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter Trailer appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, May 16, 2025 4:00 PM
Ahead of the Umamusume: Pretty Derby English debut in June 2025, Cygames started sharing trailers for some of the horse girl characters we'll see at launch, and there are now six more to watch. Some of these include units who are established as being some of the stronger ones to back in the game, such as Daiwa Scarlet, Maruzensky, Taiki Shuttle, and Vodka.
The first video in this latest patch going over Umamusume characters is Daiwa Scarlet. She's known for being part of Team Spica alongside Special Week, Silence Suzuka, and Vodka. (However, she also doesn't get along with Vodka due to clashing personalities and sense of styles.)
Sure enough, the Vodka trailer came up after that. She's a bit more laid back, but also doesn't get along with Daiwa Scarlet.
The horse girl to be introduced after Vodka was Maruzensky, who is on Team Rigil with El Condor Pass, Narita Brian, and Taiki Shuttle in Umamusume. She's one of the more formal and mature characters.
Agnes Tachyon showed up after that, and she's a more scientific and intelligent type of character. She's not associated with any particular team.
Meanwhile, Taiki Shuttle first appeared earlier this week. She's one of the few characters to use some English words in her introductory video.
Finally, Cygames closed out the week by sharing an Umamusume trailer for the horse girl Sakura Bakushin 0. Like Agnes, she isn't associated with some of the established teams. However, she's pretty well known due to being a Tracen Academy class representative.
The Umamusume: Pretty Derby English release date is June 26, 2025, and we'll be able to preregister for the global version of the game on the PC via Steam and Android and iOS mobile devices on April 28, 2025. It is already available in Asia. The new Umamusume: Cinderella Gray anime is on Amazon, and other anime adaptations are on Crunchyroll.
The post New Umamusume Horse Girl Introductions Include Daiwa Scarlet, Maruzensky appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Friday, May 16, 2025 3:00 PM
Converse announced it will sell a line of Naruto Shippuden merchandise and Chucks, which includes a Chuck Taylor All Star line inspired by characters, shirts, a jacket, and a bag. These will be limited edition items, and there will be nine Converse by You styles. Everything launches at 7am PT/10am ET on May 22, 2025.
When it comes to the standard high top Chucks, there are four adult "men's" styles for $80 and two kids styles for $55. The adult sizes include a pale magma shoe with black and egret accents based on Naruto, a fossilized and vintage white Sasuke style, a ritual red, natural ivory, and black Gaara shoe, and a barely grey and dark waters Kakashi variant. The children's easy-on styles are based on Naruto and Sasuke, and they look similar to the four adult options. Only one mid top is available, and that's a black, red, and moonbathe Itachi design for $130.
Here's how those look:
As for the Converse by You Naruto Shippuden part of this Chuck Taylor All Star line, all of the shoes there are $95 each to start. (Extra comfort upgrades are available.) While the other options featured set color schemes and icons tied to characters, most of these designs feature actual character portraits on the shoes.
This is the full list of designs in this section:
And here are the first example photos of those.
Finally, there are the Converse Naruto Shippuden shirts, jacket, and backpack. The Go 2 backpack is $50 and is based on Kakashi. The $115 Andover Jacket features references to Itachi. A unisex white t-shirt with the series' logo and Naruto on the back is $35. The other t-shirt with Sasuke on the back and his symbol on the front is $40. The women's baby doll style design is $35 and has Sakura on the front.
Here are those:
Converse will sell the Naruto Shippuden Chuck Taylor All Star shoes, the Converse by You Chucks, shirts, jacket, and backpack starting on May 22, 2025.
The post Converse Shared Naruto Shippuden Chuck Taylor All Star Line appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Friday, May 16, 2025 4:38 PM
If you're here, and you're reading this, bring it in for a hug. I'm in the same boat as you. Ever since I finished Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I've been looking to fill that void.
Expedition 33 is a special game, made by a talented dev team that took inspiration from other games in its genre and iterated on them to make something unique and unforgettable. The early GOTY favorite may go down as one of the better RPGs ever made.
But, as the game is a product of those who came before it (like all of the Expeditions before 33 paving the way for them...oh God), there's plenty of other titles like it that you can play to see where the game's history is rooted in.
Here's a short list of a few other games like Expedition 33 that may scratch the gommage-shaped itch for you.
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More games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remaster
Long, deep, emotional storyline rooted in family issues? Check. Turn-based JRPG? Double-check. The HDR remaster of PS2 classic Final Fantasy X is widely available on basically everything, and it should be at the top of your list if you haven't played it before. Or just even if you haven't in a long time.
Cassette Beasts
This recent indie hit combines JRPG turn-based gameplay with Pokémon-like monster catching and leveling for a true sleeper gem.
Personal 5 Royal
The Persona series has been an RPG staple for decades, and Persona 5 Royal may be at the top of the list for the franchise, featuring its iconic visual style, characters, and music.
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered
If you want to play the favorite JRPG of Expedition 33 creative director Guillaume Broche, then look no further. While not as widely loved as FF7, FF10, or even FF9, FF8 deserves its place with its brethren among the best JRPGs of all time.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Persona 5 developer ATLUS followed up on P5R with this instant classic in 2024, instantly solidifying itself among the pantheon of GOATs in the genre with its mature, timely theme.
Sea of Stars
If you missed out on this wonderful game a couple years back, now's as good a time as any, especially with its Throes of the Watchmaker DLC releasing on May 20. It features similar reactive combat as E33 in its delightful battle system.
Octopath Traveler
Square Enix's gorgeous 2D RPG and its eight main characters with branching paths twisted the JRPG genre on its back when it launched as a Nintendo Switch exclusive in 2018. It's now available on most platforms and is a must-play, especially for E33 fans looking for more reactive turn-based battling.
Super Mario RPG
This lighthearted, Nintendo-flavored take on JRPG's got remade in 2023 and is always a good time to revisit, or try out for the first time if you didn't experience it either time around.
Lost Odyssey
Expedition 33 creative director Guillaume Broche name-dropped this game as his inspiration for his title's reactive turn-based combat, meaning it's another spin on E33's QTE style of battling.
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Destructoid Friday, May 16, 2025 4:37 PM
As if the conversation surrounding Bungie's Marathon wasn't lukewarm enough, the latest chapter in the Destiny maker's upcoming extraction shooter saga has gotten uglier than ever.
Yesterday, an artist by the name of ANTIREAL posted a bombshell of plagiarism accusations against the studio, claiming the recent Marathon alpha test's "environments are covered with assets lifted from poster designs" that they made in 2017. Later that night, Bungie confirmed the news, and that's the least surprising part about all of this.
"We immediately investigated a concern regarding unauthorized use of artist decals in Marathon and confirmed that a former Bungie artist included these in a texture sheet that was ultimately used in-game," Bungie said in a statement last night. "This issue was unknown by our existing art team, and we are still reviewing how this oversight occurred. We take matters like this very seriously."
ANTIREAL told the Washington Post they felt suspicious about the game's style for a while. But when direct copies of their art were found in the alpha test recently, they were finally able to speak out about it.
"It was kind of vindicating to see direct plagiarism because it meant I wasn't crazy for feeling so uncomfortable with the overall direction," ANTIREAL said. "I kept quiet about it because I was advised to seek legal action, but … I don't have enough time or money to fly out to the U.S. to pursue an unwinnable court case against Sony."
This is not the first time Bungie has had issues with plagiarized art. It's not the second time, either. Or the third. And so, a pattern has formed, and questions really need to be asked.
The studio's words feel very light considering that the studio has had problems like this before, including using fan art in a trailer for Destiny 2: The Witch Queen without permission, and using fanart in a Destiny 2 cutscene in 2023 without permission. A partnership with NERF also copied a design made by a fan in 2024.
These all have not been issues of not properly crediting an artist or things happening by mistake. They seem to be deliberate cases of plagiarism that the studio then apologizes for and attempts to make things right by compensating the artist in some way, and only after distancing itself from a guilty party that used to work there. But why does it keep happening? And how?
"To prevent similar issues in the future, we are conducting a thorough review of our in-game assets, specifically those done by the former Bungie artist, and implementing stricter checks to document all artist contributions," Bungie said. "We value the creativity and dedication of all artists who contribute to our games, and we are committed to doing right by them."
Mistakes happen, accidents happen, and video games are big productions that employ lots of designers, contractors, and outside work. But when this same sort of problem keeps popping up, the blame can't just be laid on a "former" artist who's no longer with the company.
One of the most uncomfortable factors about this case is that Marathon's reception has been tepid, to say the least. One positive, however, that most have agreed on is that the game's art style is refreshing and unique. And now, even that is in question.
Whether the studio is being sloppy with its work or their artists are straight up copying other work, something has to change, because it's an awful look for the studio that was purchased by PlayStation for $3.6 billion in 2022.
Marathon is currently set to launch on Sept. 23, and game director Joseph Ziegler is scheduled host an AMA later today regarding the game's alpha. It's hard to imagine this current predicament not being addressed during the live stream.
Update on May 16 at 3:36pm CT: Marathon art director Joe Cross acknowledged the situation at the start of the stream this afternoon, saying there "was absolutely no excuse for this oversight," and Bungie is working to prevent it from happening again.
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Destructoid Friday, May 16, 2025 4:25 PM
Throughout Fortnite's Star Wars event, you'll encounter multiple themed weapons, from E-11 Blasters to the powerful Wookiee Bowcaster. Not only do you need the Bowcaster for various quests, but in the right hands, it's a powerful weapon that can quickly turn the tide of a fight with ease.
Table of contents
Where to find Wookiee Bowcaster in Fortnite Star Wars Galactic Battles
You can find regular Wookiee Bowcaster weapons as floor or chest loot and player elimination drops. You can also visit Chewbacca north of Outlaw Oasis for a guaranteed legendary Wookiee Bowcaster. Since the Star Wars Galactic Battles event only spawns blasters and bowcasters, you have a much higher chance of obtaining this weapon now than in previous events.
Each method has its advantages. If you're lucky and help Chewbacca without having other players attack you, you can quickly defeat nearby enemies to receive a legendary Bowcaster for little effort. However, someone else may beat you to this or eliminate you if you're focused on Chewbacca. Similarly, if someone arrives at a camp before you, they may loot help Chewbacca before you do, making it impossible to get his Bowcaster variant in that match.
You have several options with this in mind. Traveling north of Outlaw Oasis before other players arrive will help you defeat the two Stormtroopers attacking Chewbacca, guaranteeing you'll get his Bowcaster. If someone beats you to the spot, you can loot nearby chests for a chance to find a rare or epic-tier version. Lastly, you can play your match out as usual, eliminating players and looting chests, hoping to find one randomly.
How you go about it is up to you and will depend on your situation, but these are all viable ways to get your hands on the Bowcaster. Once you get a Bowcaster, you'll have access to its unlimited ammo, strong but slow-firing bolts, and its charged explosive bolt attacks.
Legendary Wookiee Bowcaster location in Fortnite Star Wars Galactic Battles
The best way to secure a guaranteed legendary Wookiee Bowcaster during your Fortnite matches is to travel directly north of Outlaw Oasis. Here, you'll find a Rebel Outpost where Chewbacca is fighting several Stormtroopers.
Defeating these Stormtroopers will instantly reward you with Chewbacca's Bowcaster and recruit him as a follower for the rest of the match. However, if someone beats you to the fight, they'll recruit him instead, preventing you from getting this reward. Make sure to eliminate anyone who stands in your way, including the player who took the Bowcaster, so you can reclaim it and use its explosive arrows.
How to blast players with Charged Attacks from the Bowcaster
During Fortnite's Star Wars event, you can attack other players using the Bowcaster by holding your attack button until the small bar around your crosshair fills. A full bar indicates the bolt is fully charged, allowing you to launch it at nearby enemies to deal massive damage. Sometimes, you can instantly eliminate someone if you get a headshot or target someone with low health.
As a bonus, the Bowcaster's explosive bolt has an area-of-effect attack. You can damage multiple nearby players or enemies with it, making it a great weapon for cleaning up after a fight if the situation calls for it.
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Destructoid Friday, May 16, 2025 4:24 PM
Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile is shutting down just over a year after it initially came out, Activision announced today.
Activision said that the game "unfortunately has not met our expectations with mobile-first players like it has with PC and console audiences," and it will now turn to "streamlining the scope of the game." Which basically means it's done and will no longer be receiving live service updates alongside Black Ops 6 and Warzone, or any other future game for that matter.
The developers of the mobile battle royale said it "will no longer be delivering new seasonal content and gameplay updates to the mobile version" of Warzone, and effective immediately, players are no longer able to purchase real currency, rendering it effectively dead.
Not only that, but after May 18, the game won't be downloadable from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store any longer. So, yeah, it's over. And judging by how hyped up the game was by Activision and its partners, it can only be considered a tremendous letdown for the publisher.
It seems like CoD's efforts to capture the global mobile audience of billions of players fell flat with those who game on the go. And the fact that its main selling point, besides its platform, the Verdansk map, has now returned to the base Warzone game definitely didn't help in that regard.
At first, the allure of being able to play CoD and level up the battle pass on my phone seemed cool. But then I remembered, hey, I hate playing shooters with mobile controls, and haven't touched it after about a week since launch. I'm sure I'm not alone in this assessment.
I'm also curious to see what this means for the separate Call of Duty Mobile's future, and CoD's future in mobile in general. Regardless, CoD will continue on with BO6's next few seasons, Warzone updates, and eventually a new game in the franchise this fall.
The game will remain playable for the time being in its current state so long as it's downloaded before May 19, and that includes cross-progression of "existing content."
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Destructoid Friday, May 16, 2025 3:27 PM
I like how Schedule 1's menu is styled like a smartphone. It makes sense with the setting and has a useful built-in clock. But even if it makes for a cool UI, it's not quite the peak user experience if you want to see everything at once.
The normal map is crammed into a small central portion of the screen, making it hard to zoom in and see the details without losing track of where you are. That's why we created a giant, full-screen version of Schedule 1's city of Hyland Point, complete with symbols indicating the most important locations in the game.
Table of contents
The full map of Schedule 1
Here's Schedule 1's full map, including every key location you'll visit throughout your playthrough:
A number indicates which business or property is which, while the blue letters identify various NPC-owned properties and companies around Hyland Point. For example, player-owned spots like the RV and Laundromat have a red letter, while NPC-owned businesses like Rays Realty and Hyland Auto are marked with blue letters instead.
Business and property locations
Businesses and properties are highlighted on your in-game map with a blue circle containing the white outline of a home. While most places like the car mechanic's shop, Top Tattoos, and Thrifty Threads are owned by NPCs in Schedule 1, there are four businesses and seven properties you can own.
Here's the complete list of player-owned businesses and properties you can obtain:
Businesses and properties differ in Schedule 1. No matter what, your main income source is manufacturing and selling substances to customers, which you can either keep as cash or store inside an ATM to purchase goods from vendors. Businesses let you increase your weekly ATM deposit limit through money laundering, while properties provide additional space for manufacturing and storing your products.
Most properties unlock a bigger house for you to decorate or a new workplace for you and your henchmen to produce more items. Businesses like the laundromat conduct money laundering, increasing the amount of money you can keep in your bank account.
Over time, you'll notice that certain properties are better suited for various purposes. While the barn is a fantastic option for creating a large-scale drug manufacturing operation in Schedule 1, the Stash and Dash storage unit, with its central loading dock and small, narrow rooms, is best for storing items.
Other locations in Schedule 1
Early in your Schedule 1 playthrough, you'll get to know Dan's Hardware, the first store you visit after completing the prologue. But there are plenty of deals to make in Hyland Point that don't revolve around dirt and fertilizer. We placed bright blue letters on the map to highlight all the stores we found in the game, with some noteworthy spots including Gas-Mart, the Mayor's House, and Top Tattoos.
Some of those stores will sell you the ingredients and tools necessary to keep your supplies flowing and your empire growing. Others let you change your appearance, like Thrifty Threads with its clothes. Only a few stores do something different.
Rays Realty, which we already mentioned, allows you to buy new locations. If you want to navigate town quickly, you can head to Hyland Auto to buy a car. If you don't have the money for a van yet, how about another four-wheeler?
Shred Shack will sell you a skateboard, which is functionally a vehicle with no cargo. Meanwhile, the Warehouse supplies guns later in the game. It's currently the only place you can buy a melee weapon as well. If you have some old items and wish to sell them, you can visit the Pawn Shop near the Motel and haggle with Mick to get some of your money back.
Lastly, you have dead drop points all over the map, including behind the Motel, near the Warehouse, and inside the Gazebo at the bottom of the region. If you want to get from Point A to B quickly, searching around for these faraway lands and keeping them in your memory will help.
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Destructoid Friday, May 16, 2025 3:26 PM
Only in Fortnite could I spend 90 percent of the match engrossed in conversation with AI Darth Vader, yet somehow end up getting my first victory royale of the season. This special NPC, added in the May 16 update, is by far the best feature we've gotten all season, and I can't get enough of it.
The idea of an AI Darth Vader NPC wasn't that appealing to me at first, but after learning that James Earl Jones' family approved and helped work on it, and that James Earl Jones himself agreed to allow his voice to be used by AI before he passed, I was a lot more on board with the idea. And after experiencing it myself, I'm convinced this is by far the best Star Wars feature we've gotten all season.
Once you find AI Darth Vader and recruit him as an ally, you can start talking to him immediately. If you're playing with friends, the entire squad can freely interact with him. He listens for what you say, and sometimes chimes in randomly after certain events like landing a kill.
He functions pretty much the same as all other NPCs and will fight at your side and stay loyal until the end. The one big difference is that he regularly chats with you while doing so, and it makes the NPC experience so much more interesting.
You're free to talk to AI Darth Vader about any topic you want, from Fortnite, to Star Wars, to anything else you can think of. No matter what you ask, you'll always get a very cynical and sassy response from the galaxy's most dramatic Sith Lord.
I've talked with him about all kinds of subjects, and he has a lot to say no matter what you approach him with. One of the first questions I had was for him to tell me a joke. After insulting the very existence of jokes, he reluctantly asked, "What do you call a Tauntaun in a snowstorm?" to which his punchline was "lost." It's barely a joke at all, and quite a dark one, which is exactly the kind of thing Darth Vader would say.
He's also got a lot of opinions about Star Wars lore and characters. He called Ahsoka Tano a "skilled warrior" who is "easily manipulated by sentiment and attachment," Grogu "an intriguing anomaly" who is "prone to distractions," and Obi-Wan Kenobi a "relic of a dead religion."
After my Star Wars questions, I spent a good while roasting him for breathing too loudly, to which he did not take kindly. Eventually, though, he did promise he would "attempt to modulate the sound" so I could focus. He did, however, ultimately get me back for that one by later insulting my "imprecise targeting" and threatening to leave if I shot at him again.
In my defense, he was completely in the way of my opponent, and hitting him was entirely an accident. I wasn't trying to shoot at him, but he was completely blocking the enemy player.
Although he didn't leave my side then, he will if you annoy him too much or continue to attack him after his warnings. When he does leave your team, he'll immediately attack you, so be careful about provoking him. This is also a pretty cool detail that adds to his unique personality even further.
Some of the other fun responses I got from him include his favorite movie being "the security footage of the Rebel Alliance's evacuation from Hoth," and him saying his own sass is "efficient in expressing disdain" and "a vital skill for navigating the galaxy."
If you're not sure where to go or what to do next in the round, you can even ask him for some advice. He'll tell you where the storm is closing in on you from, and what locations you can consider visiting nearby. He's surprisingly helpful, although he will certainly still give you attitude when delivering his response.
If you do manage to secure a win with AI Darth Vader at your side, be ready for a lengthy victory speech. I was completely unprepared for it, but it's the perfect way to end this epic experience.
I'm interested to see whether this is a temporary feature or one that ends up being added to other NPCs in future updates. Either way, it's made an otherwise lackluster Star Wars season a whole lot more appealing to me, and I strongly recommend you recruit AI Darth Vader to your cause before the season ends.
As fun as this feature is, I'm still unsure how I feel about Fortnite using AI at all, and the use of a deceased actor's AI-trained voice to get Vader to say questionable things has been controversial to say the least. What do you think, Destructoid?
The post I can't stop talking to Fortnite's AI Darth Vader—and it's the most fun I've had all season appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Friday, May 16, 2025 2:45 PM
The Built Different Evolution is now live in EA FC 25, and you can get some amazing upgrades if you have coins to spare.
This evolution is pretty expensive as it's priced at 125,000 coins. If you choose to invest, this guide will help you make the best choice in terms of the cards to use. The offered upgrades include stat boosts, new playstyles, and roles.
Table of contents
EA FC 25 Built Different Evolution requirements
Here are the requirements of the Built Different Evolution in EA FC 25.
EA FC 25 Built Different Evolution upgrades
There are four levels of upgrades, and here are the requirements.
Level 1 upgrades
Level 2 upgrades
Level 3 upgrades
Level 4 upgrades
Level 1 upgrade conditions
Level 2 upgrade conditions
Level 3 upgrade conditions
Level 4 upgrade conditions
Best players to use in Built Different Evolution
Here are some of the best players to use in this evolution.
Always make sure to check out your club for evo chain candidates, which can provide unique solutions exclusive to your Ultimate Team squad.
The post Best players to use in EA FC 25 Built Different Evolution appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Friday, May 16, 2025 2:44 PM
The fourth batch of TOTS players are available in EA FC 25, and Week 4 has begun with an absolute bang.
There are over 50 new cards that you can find in packs, with Serie A being the league in focus. Additionally, EA Sports has also included the NWSL from women's football. Let's quickly take a look at all the cards available as part of the TOTS promo for the second week.
All Serie A TOTS players in EA FC 25
All NWSL TOTS players in EA FC 25
All Bundesliga TOTS players in EA FC 25
All GPFBL TOTS players in EA FC 25
All Premier League TOTS players in EA FC 25
All WSL TOTS players in EA FC 25
All EFL TOTS players in EA FC 25
All Ligue 1 TOTS players in EA FC 25
All Arkema Premiere League TOTS players in EA FC 25
All Eredivisie TOTS players in EA FC 25
Once we have more TOTS players in Ultimate Team, we will add them to this guide. The teams mentioned here could still get more cards as part of SBCs. Additionally, the lists only include players who have found a position on their respective TOTS starting lineups. There are also extra items, such as TOTS Highlights and Honorable Mentions, to watch out for.
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Destructoid Friday, May 16, 2025 2:20 PM
I've always thought of Fortnite as such an impressive achievement, especially when it comes to live events, brand collabs, and delivering on the "metaverse" idea. But the game's latest chapter is a mess.
In case you missed it, Darth Vader has joined Fortnite's Star Wars-themed season today as a boss on the battle royale map. He can be recruited to join your team, which is cool—but then things get really, really weird and kind of uncomfortable.
This version of Darth Vader uses "conversational AI" and will talk to the player, responding to prompts via voice chat, and it's all using the voice likeness of the legendary James Earl Jones, with permission from his family.
"James Earl felt that the voice of Darth Vader was inseparable from the story of Star Wars, and he always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it," Jones' family said in a statement. "We hope that this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character."
I respect the family's wishes and, while part of me can see how cool it is to have him live on in this form, it's also disturbing and a bit dystopian. The actor is no longer with us, but his voice is used to discuss Fortnite happenings ("the Sith Lord has opinions," says Epic Games).
And of course, it didn't take players long to abuse and try to break the new toy by trying to get it to say inappropriate things. One video that quickly made the rounds not long after AI Vader went live showed him cursing atstreamer Loserfruit. Fortnite said it "pushed a hotfix immediately and this shouldn't happen again," but rest assured, players will spend the following days trying their best to make the Sith Lord say all kinds of things.
Another video making the rounds this afternoon shows a group of young-sounding gamers squeaking with glee as they somehow get Vader to say the F slur, which was likely the goal all along. And this is why we can't have "nice things," gamers.
Another gamer asked Darth Vader what his thoughts were on Pride Month, and Vader responded by calling it a "fleeting celebration of identity," and told the player to "continue to cling to your delusions."
As is usually the case, talking to Darth Vader sounds cool, but in practice, it's always going to be taken advantage of and made more uncomfortable than anything. And I can't shake the uneasy feeling of having a deceased actor talk to me, as the advancements in AI (like Google's Gemini 2.0 Flash model and ElevenLabs' Flash v2.5 model, which power AI Vader) are blurring the lines more and more each day.
There are safeguards, thankfully. Epic says that "players under 13 or their country's age of digital consent, whichever is higher, will need permission to talk with Darth Vader," and that "player voice audio and transcriptions" are not stored. It also says it's not using any player interactions to train AI models, which is nice. And to quote a fellow Destructoid writer, for some, it's the most fun they've had all season.
Look, I get it. At its core, the idea of having a child playing Fortnite be able to talk to Darth Vader and experience something that exciting and surreal is cool. But it's never going to end at just that. And although AI is powerful and getting stronger each day, it's still unstable and will lead to issues like the ones above.
I wonder what the offices of Disney and Lucasfilm are like today as they see the clips of the iconic character and late actor dropping F-bombs online. But without even getting into the legal or ethical repercussions, the whole thing just does not sit right with me, and it feels like a genuinely terrible idea.
The post Darth Vader, using a dead man's AI voice, is cussing and using slurs in Fortnite—and it scares the hell out of me appeared first on Destructoid. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, May 16, 2025 5:12 PM In the first 24 hours. The post DOOM: The Dark Ages Surpasses 30,000 Peak Concurrent Players appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
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Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, May 16, 2025 4:36 PM A trailer was also released. The post Open-world Action RPG Silver Palace Announced appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, May 16, 2025 4:29 PM During its recent earnings call. The post The First Berserker: Khazan Sales Were Below Expectations appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |