GamersHeroes Wednesday, October 8, 2025 1:14 PM Got your Halloween costume picked out? Starting October 27 in Niantic's Pokemon GO, Trainers will be able to experience new costumed Pokemon like Costumed Teddiursa and Costumed Noibat. The post Costumed Teddiursa and Costumed Noibat Coming to Pokemon GO Beginning October 27 appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Wednesday, October 8, 2025 10:51 AM A surreal puzzler about light, logic, and transformation, Misty Whale will release Orbyss on Steam October 27. The post Mind-Bending Puzzler Orbyss Launching October 27 appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 5:59 PM
No shade to those making stuff outta materials from the hardware store The post <i>Skate'</i>s Charging $35 For A <i>Dead Space</i> Skin That Looks Like A Bad Cosplay Made Outta Junk From Home Depot appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 5:54 PM
The rapper was supposed to 'take over' the battle royale's social media account The post Doja Cat Denies Responsibility For Deleted <i>Fortnite</i> Post About Sex Toys, Calls It 'Cringe' appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 5:46 PM
The Fortnite publisher isn't fooling around The post <i>Fortnite</i> Creators Accused Of Running A Bot Scam To Earn Big Payouts appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 5:00 PM
Anime Village Online makes no attempt to hide its inspiration The post PlayStation 5 Is Getting Its Own Shameless <i>Animal Crossing</i> Rip-Off appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 4:44 PM
Baby Steps has had it with your cutscene-skipping shenanigans The post This Game Sentences Impatient Players To Cutscene Jail And It's Brilliant appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 4:20 PM
The project was reportedly deemed 'too political in a country too unstable' The post Report: Ubisoft Canceled An <em>Assassin's Creed</em> Where You Played A Former Slave After The Civil War appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 3:47 PM
The unusual action-RPG life sim is going under the radar on Steam The post <i>Sky The Scrapper</i> Mixes <i>Persona</i> And <i>PowerWash Sim</i> Into A Fascinating Arcade Game More People Should Try appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 1:48 PM
Streamer culture just broke unsettling new ground The post Woman Livestreams Birth As Twitch Chat Cheers Her On appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 1:14 PM
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the latest game to offer choices, followed by players asking if they're right or wrong The post Stop Relying On Game Creators To Validate Your Player Choices appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 1:10 PM
Save 17% on the Alienware Aurora gaming desktop with a GeForce RTX 5070 GPU for Prime Big Deals Days. The post Alienware Aurora Gaming Desktop With NVIDIA RTX 5070 Gets Hundreds Off as Amazon Clears Out Stock in Prime Day's Final Hours appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:40 PM
Seems like the schoolchildren of Ebisugaoka are singing a familiar and creepy old tune The post <i>Silent Hill f</i>'s Creepy School Level Hides A Lovely Musical Nod To The Original Game appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:40 PM
Amazon is ready to sell its brands like Blink at a loss to thank Prime members. The post Blink Video Doorbell Is Almost Free, Amazon Offloads Its Own Brand at a Loss appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:26 PM
Save as much as $70 on the Govee Envisual TV LED Backlight T2 with dual cameras for a limited time. The post Forget the Previous Low Prices, This Govee TV LED Backlight Is Going for Peanuts at Almost 50% Off appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:13 PM
October's haul has great games but no real surprises The post Game Pass Adds <i>The Grinch: Christmas Adventures</i> After Big Price Hike appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:11 PM
Add this beast to your gaming setup for less than $300. The post LG Has Clearance Vibes as 27″ UltraGear Gaming Monitor Hits Its Cheapest Ever to Compete With Samsung Deals appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:43 AM
This deal puts the latest Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra in pocket for less than $1,000. The post Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Gets Even Cheaper Than Yesterday on the Final Day of Prime Day While iPhone 17 Stays Pricey appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:33 AM
Fans dig character designs and gameplay, but narratively the game might make a few missteps The post <i>Hades 2</i>, As Told By Steam Reviews appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:26 AM
Bring cinema home for less than $70. The post Amazon Practically Gives Away Roku Ultra Streaming Player to Clear Out Prime Day Leftovers appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:24 AM
Also the original System Shock 2 is being delisted and Battlefield 6 isn't playable offline The post Netflix Just Made The Whole Mess Over Henry Cavill Leaving <i>The Witcher</i> Even Weirder appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:08 AM
Celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Menace with 6 LEGO BrickHeadz figures including Anakin Skywalker and Darth Maul for just $38. The post LEGO Star Wars BrickHeadz Phantom Menace Set Packs 6 Figures That Are Practically Free, but Only in Prime Day's Final Hours appeared first on Kotaku. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 5:35 PM Ghost of Yotei has just launched on PS5, but Ghost of Tsushima deserves your time, especially with the PC version at its cheapest price. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 1:07 PM Now living up to its name, 9 Kings' ninth and final noble brings some multidimensional chaos to the game as part of a big new update. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:35 PM Dinolords is a straightforward historical sim until you discover dinosaur eggs, and it's the time-bending crossover I never knew I needed. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:17 PM Here are the best agent skills to unlock first in Digimon Story Time Stranger to level up your Digimon and unleash powerful Cross Arts. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:08 PM Discover your Digimon's best personality with our Digimon Story Time Stranger personality chart, which includes all stat bonuses and skills. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:04 PM We'll help you find the best CPU for gaming on your PC, with AMD Ryzen and Intel Core processors tested for frame rate and multi-core speed. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:05 PM Take part in new Black Ops 6 events this week to rack up the rewards, including new weapons and attachments across multiple modes. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:52 AM A list of each of the flaws in The Outer Worlds 2, how the flaw system works, and how to equip flaws by unlocking additional perk points. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:43 AM Bonk your way through Tier 3 and beyond with this concise look at the best Megabonk build to run in the new 3D roguelike shoot em' up. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:32 AM Here's a list of all The Outer Worlds 2 perks we know of so far, how they work, and how to unlock them by investing in specific skills. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:29 AM If you choose the Gunfighter Wildcard over the classic Overkill, this Black Ops 7 Jager 45 loadout provides a surprisingly meaty secondary. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:18 AM Our favorite BO7 Peacekeeper MK1 loadout focuses on accuracy over range, resulting in a quick killer perfect for objective-driven modes. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:23 AM Use our definitive Megabonk tier list to quickly grab the very best weapons and items in the hit wave-based roguelike shoot 'em up. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 10:59 AM Black Ops 7's jack-of-all trades assault rifle is a must-use weapon, and the best M15 Mod 0 loadout turns it into a silky smooth operator. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 10:47 AM With six Zen 3 cores, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 has a decent amount of CPU power for a very cheap price, but it also has limited L3 cache. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 10:39 AM With support for Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, this Amazon Prime Day deal offers amazing value for a new 27-inch 240Hz OLED screen. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 10:28 AM Hell Let Loose's 18th major update refreshes the Stalingrad map before we head to Vietnam for next year's highly anticipated sequel. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 10:18 AM You'll need all the help you can get if you want to survive the game's cosmic horrors, so here are all the current, valid Once Human codes. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 10:17 AM Sean Murray has announced the next project from No Man's Sky developer Hello Games, so here's we expect Light No Fire to be released. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:23 AM Fans will finally be able to face off in a 2D fighter with their favorite League of Legends champions when 2XKO, formerly Project L, arrives. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, October 8, 2025 10:15 AM We're getting stuck into One More Level's Napoleonic soulslike earlier than expected thanks to a free playtest which starts today. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, October 8, 2025 5:55 PM  You could not pay me to go to the moon, I think. I'm glad Mr. Armstrong and Buzz Lightyear had a good time up there, but that place is scary! It's just a massive, dark rock! But in the case of Dark Moon, an upcoming survival strategy game that just got a release date, that darkness is your friend, because if you want to survive on the moon, you've got to protect yourself from that hot, hot orb in the sky called the sun. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, October 8, 2025 4:33 PM  Everybody makes mistakes! That's life, really, a constant series of tiny mistakes that are sometimes good ones, sometimes bad ones, occasionally purposeful, often not. Here's one that was very much not purposeful: Pico Park: Classic Edition, a delightful co-op puzzle platformery game you've almost definitely seen a bunch of Twitch streamers play during COVID lockdown, is now permanently free. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, October 8, 2025 3:33 PM  Are you able to picture things in your head? Try it, right now, we'll go for the classic thing to picture, an apple. If you can't see diddly squat, you've potentially got aphantasia, a condition which is essentially the inability to visualise an image within your head. It's interesting to me because I feel I'm on the opposite end of it, I can picture that apple pretty darn clearly. With that in mind, it makes me all the more curious about Afantasia, spelled with an f not a ph, a "surreal exploration game about a boy searching for identity in his hometown." |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, October 8, 2025 1:05 PM  Online video games! They're the future of the medium! Or, I guess they're already here, but still, online co-op is very much in Vampire Survivor's future. It's a feature that's been promised for a little while now, and developer Poncle have shared a little look at it, as well as a confirmation as to when you can expect it: autumn! This autumn, to be precise, which we're currently experiencing, though a more specific window of time wasn't provided. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:08 PM  How about a fresh look at Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions, that not-an-Astroneer-sequel from System Era? The developer revealed an extended look at gameplay yesterday, detailing what it is you'll be doing exactly. As has already been established, it's an online co-op game, one of those "friendslop" kind of games you'll see people be mean about on Ditter and TikTok comments. To be specific, you can play it solo, or with three of your friends, but there are elements that draw on other players (more on that in a bit). |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:30 AM  It's pointless me trying to sum this game up before you've clapped the lips of your eyes around it and taken a long drag. There's a trailer below. Do it now. Nod if you've done so. Right, that was Soul Injector Commando, a video game about shooting some semblance of everyday humanity into the bodies of the billionaires who're behind all of the world's problems. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, October 8, 2025 10:03 AM  Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developers Sandfall Interactive have wheeled out news that the RPG'll be getting a free update which'll include a new location for its party to explore, more boss battles, and some extra costumes. The studio are teasing that there'll be other stuff packed into this update, which they say is designed to act as a thank you to folks who've delved into the Belle Époque Frenchness. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Wednesday, October 8, 2025 10:02 AM The largest ever Crusader Kings 3 expansion takes us to China, Japan and Southeast Asia this October _qtEjAWK.jpg?width=1920&height=1920&fit=bounds&quality=70&format=jpg&auto=webp) Paradox have slapped a release date on Crusader Kings 3's All Under Heaven DLC, the 4X strategy game's "largest expansion" ever, which extends its dynastic soap opera to medieval China, Japan and Southeast Asia. The map expansion is coming on 28th October. It's the first time the series has ventured to these latitudes, which seem a little incompatible with the European crusader premise. It also introduces Japanese language support. |
Siliconera Wednesday, October 8, 2025 5:00 PM
Marvelous announced that a new Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar patch adds a Happy Bingo feature to the remake that adds rewards for completing daily tasks. The announcement confirmed there will be standard and deluxe card options, with the latter involving new cosmetics. The update also fixes bugs tied to the pet food bowl, horseback riding, a game crash, and the Unity security issue.
Actually unlocking Happy Bingo in Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar requires quite a bit of gameplay. The feature only opens up when you hit the City Bazaar Rank for the weekly bazaar, which is the fourth rank out of seven total ones and involves an additional five new stalls total opening up and over 251,000 gold in sales. If you hit that rank or already passed it, then a new event will trigger with the Nature Sprites coming by to add access to Happy Bingo. You then need to complete daily cooking, farming, friendship, gathering, livestock care, and bazaar tasks to get five icons in a row for a "bingo" and a reward. standard easy and hard and deluxe bingo cards are available.
The first Bingo Vol 1: Deluxe Card Rewards also appeared as part of the reveal. It is a pirate-themed set. People can get black and green Pirate Gliders, a Captain's Hat, a Captain's Coat, and a Seafarer's Dress.
Here is the first screenshot showing Happy Bingo. It is added to the in-game menu and appears on the final tab.
This is one of multiple updates tied to the latest Story of Seasons game since the Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar remake released. In August 2025, the cosmetic Pine Hoverfly Set with outfit and glider cosmetics appeared. That's the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland charity DLC. Rune Factory: Guardians of Azumawill also get a free add-on tied to this game.
Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar and its new Happy Bingo update are on the Switch, Switch 2, and PC, and Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar appeared on the DS.
The post Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar Gets Happy Bingo in Free Update appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, October 8, 2025 4:00 PM
Shueisha announced that new manga series appearing in its Weekly Young Jump manga magazine will begin getting simultaneous English localizations, and the first series in this initiative is Bungo: Unreal. These series will appear on the MangaPlus site. The initiative already kicked off, with Bungo: Unreal chapter 1 available as of October 8, 2025. This means the included stories will appear in English worldwide outside of China, Japan, and South Korea.
Shueisha shared images of the original Japanese and English localizations of the first page of chapter 1 of the Bungo: Unreal manga as an example of how this initiative will work.
As part of this, Shueisha also noted that this marks a change to ensure all new ongoing Weekly Young Jump manga will appear in an additional language. Previously, only some manga from this magazine would appear on MangaPlus. Some of the recent additions ahead of this initiative were The Days of Diamond, Genikasuri, andTerra Formars.
Bungo: Unreal itself is the follow-up to Bungo, which ran between 2014 and 2024. (The original is not on MangaPlus.) It is a sports manga set in middle school and follows Bungo Ishihama and Yukio Noda as they play for Seio Senior. It will run on a weekly basis, so the next new chapter launches on October 15, 2025.
The post Weekly Young Jump Simultaneous English Manga Localizations Start With Bungo: Unreal appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, October 8, 2025 3:00 PM
Bandai Namco announced it will offer a plush PS1 console in Japanese arcades as part of the PlayStation 30th anniversary celebration. It will appear in crane games starting on October 9, 2025. There's no word on whether or not we could eventually see it worldwide or in online crane games everyone can access.
While the PS1 plush is designed to be replica of the console, it will be larger than the original PlayStation. It is 42cm wide (~16.5 inches), while the original one was about 19cm (~7 inches). Likewise, it is 9cm tall (~3.5 inches), whereas the original was almost 4cm (~1.5 inches). The announcement didn't note what type of fabric will be used. The images do show designs are printed on it to replicate the controller ports, buttons, and disc tray. (Said disc tray does not open.)
Here's the official photo of the item.
The PlayStation first launched in Japan in December 1994, then appeared worldwide in September 1995. A number of products showed up to honor the occasion last year. For example, Sony released 30th anniversary variants of the PS5, PlayStation Portal, and DualSense controller.
The PS1 plush will appear in Japanese arcade crane games starting on October 9, 2025. It's unknown if we will eventually see the item worldwide.
The post PlayStation PS1 Console Plush Heads to Japanese Arcades appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, October 8, 2025 2:00 PM
HoYoVerse announced the next Genshin Impact Special Program stream and confirmed it will continue referring to these latest updates with the Luna preface, making this Luna II, rather than going with numbers like 6.1. It will air at 5am PT/8am ET/2pm CET on October 10, 2025. As usual, it will be on Twitch and YouTube.
We know this will continue the Nod-Krai region Archon Quest storyline. The Fatui are playing a larger role this time around, due to this being near Snezhnaya. Sandrone played a major part in the previous update, as did Columbina. The key art for this next update shows Columbina, Aether, and Paimon fighting alongside new characters Varka and Durin. On the opposite side we see Arlecchino and newcomer Nefer alongside this arc's big bad.
While Nefer appears on the right side of the art alongside some of the antagonists, it's unknown what role she'll play and we'll need to see if the Genshin Impact Special Program for Luna II (6.1) will get into whose side she's on. We do know she'll be the new playable five-star after the update.
Genshin Impact is available for the PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices, and the Special Program stream for Luna II (6.1) will appear at 5am PT/8am ET/2pm CET on October 10, 2025.
The post 6.1 Luna II Genshin Impact Special Program Stream Airs This Week appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, October 8, 2025 1:00 PM
Nintendo used its Nintendo Today app to solve the mystery of what was going on in the "Close to You" animated short, as it turns out that video was a Pikmin cartoon. It turns out the "entity" moving the baby's toys and pacifier around were the creatures from the video game series. However, we still don't know what this is a teaser for and if it could be leading up to a game or new successor to Pikmin Short Movies.
The YouTube version of the "Close to You" animated short remains as is, and there's no updated upload on the channel yet with the Nintendo Today version that shows this is a Pikmin cartoon. However, the video in the app clearly shows Pikmin are everywhere. All different types surround the mother and baby in the introduction, and Blue, Red, and Yellow variants are responsible for moving the pacifier around a bunch.
If this does end up being a series of animated short videos, it would follow the precedent set by the Pikmin Short Movies released in the past. Some of those were even, at one point, sold in bundles on the 3DS and Wii U. Those are available on YouTube now. As an example of how those looked in comparison to "Close to You," here are three of them. First, here's "The Night Juicer."
You can see "Occupational Hazards" below.
Next up is "Treasure in a Bottle."
We should learn more about what this new Pikmin project is tied to in the future. The most recent mainline game is Pikmin 4 for the Switch, and the Pikmin Bloom spin-off is on mobile devices.
The post Nintendo 'Close to You' Animated Short Updated With Pikmin appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:00 PM
We will get a reason to return to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 soon, as a free update patch will add more bosses and costumes to the RPG. After announcing it passed five million copies in sales, Sandfall Interactive and Kepler Interactive also said there will be a free update eventually released for the game. It will appear on every platform. There's no release window for it yet, however.
The access the new features, all someone will need to do is update Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to the upcoming patch. Then, they'll need to play through the game. It seems some of the additions will be available ahead of the end, while others will be late or post-game extras. Sandfall confirmed the character costumes will appear "throughout their adventure," suggesting those are the items that could appear fairly early. However, the new boss fights are specifically described as a "late-game" addition. The new location might also be where those are and only be available later on.
The other additions in that patch will be about support and accessibility. Sndfall announced it will add seven more playable languages. More localizations are in development. So after the update, someone could switch to a new language and play with those subtitles and UI text.
Here is the list of the localizations that will appear after the patch.
12 options are available now, with English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish among them.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available for the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the free update patch with more bosses and costumes is in development. Past patches focused on additional features, fixes, and quality of life adjustments.
The post Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Getting Free Bosses, Costumes via Update appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:00 AM
Hinemos has revealed that it will produce and sell sake bottles themed after several characters from Atlus' Persona 5 Royal. The company will release the bottles in December 2025 to help buyers prepare them for the holiday season.
This collaboration will feature four characters from the game, namely "Joker," Kasumi "Violet" Yoshizawa, Goro "Crow" Akechi, and Morgana "Mona." Hinemos will produce the drinks based on each character's traits as follows:
The Joker, Violet, and Crow bottles will be available for purchase individually at ¥6,600 (~$43.15) each. Hinemos will also offer an all-in-one complete set that costs ¥16,500 (~$107.90). The smaller Mona bottle will only be available by purchasing the latter.
Sake is not the only type of drink that gets a Persona 5 theme. Atlus Japan is also working with Cradri to produce craft cola syrup based on the collective Mementos. Earlier in March 2025, Atlus West and Jade City Foods released cocoa mixes inspired by the original four Phantom Thieves heroines—Ann, Makoto, Futaba, and Haru.
Pre-orders for the Persona 5 Royal-themed sake bottles will be available in limited amounts starting from October 10, 2025. Hinemos will ship the orders around early December 2025.
The post Persona 5 Sake Has Joker, Crow, Violet, and Mona on Bottles appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 4:03 PM
Though they were meant to be temporary and deleted upon verification, over 1.5TB of Discord verification images (selfies) have been swiped by hackers, totaling more than two million user photos.
According to Insider Gaming, 2,185,151 age-verification images, i.e., selfies, alongside other private user information, have been stolen by hackers during a September intrusion into Discord's network. Discord Previews has said that the hackers' motive was to "extort" the company, and that the stolen data is being actively used for this purpose.
The hack itself was first disclosed on Oct. 3, where Discord did not specify the exact number of images or the size of the data stolen, but only said it was a "small number" of government IDs. From what the company released that day, it appeared the hack wasn't that serious, and that it acted in a timely manner to kick the hackers out of its network, specifically by revoking the support's access to Discord tickets. The hack appears to have targeted those who had interacted with Discord support in particular, which could explain the age verification images.
However, as Insider Gaming points out, these images, used by Discord to confirm a user's age in certain jurisdictions where the law requires it (the United Kingdom being the most recent example) are supposed to be temporary, meaning they'd be deleted once the age verification process is complete.
But, as we see above, millions of those images reportedly remained within Discord's systems, allowing the hackers to steal them during the attack.
The company did not clarify how or why these images were retained in its systems, despite its own claims that they are temporary. This also raises concerns of privacy, since the laws requiring social media platforms to verify a user's age are supposed to protect them, rather than leaving them vulnerable and anonymized.
Internet anonymity is a crucial component of the technology, and hacks like these prove how vulnerable users can be if that is taken away, despite promises to the contrary. Though credit card information, passwords, and messages were not affected by this, the hackers now have the means to fully disclose people's names and information if they see fit, exposing them to the broader internet and likely permanently revoking their anonymity.
It's a slippery slope, this sort of measure. It remains to be seen how this will ultimately affect Discord's users and platform as a whole, and I fear this won't be the last time we see these sorts of images, photos, and information leaks.
Like our content? Set Destructoid as a Preferred Source on Google in just one step to ensure you see us more frequently in your Google searches!
The post 1.5TB of those 'temporary' photos you used to verify your Discord age are now in the hands of hackers appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 3:57 PM
Like all fighting games, 2XKO has a pretty robust set of controls that you'll need to master.
If you're enjoying the early access on PC, you can opt for a controller or go for a keyboard and mouse layout (unfortunately, I don't own an Arcade Stick). This guide will help you learn about the default controls as applicable under the different methods.
Table of contents
All 2XKO Keyboard controls
Here are the default keybindings if you're opting to play with a keyboard. If you use a keyboard with a numpad, the controls could differ from what's listed here.
All 2XKO controller controls
Here are the default keybindings if you're playing with a controller. Note that I am using a DualSense. You can also use an Xbox controller/another model whose configuration works with your Windows version.
Compared to keyboard controls, certain controller keybinds are a combination of two or more buttons. For example, the throw function is a combination of Circle and Triangle if you're using a controller. On the Keyboard layout, there's a dedicated switch. This is the main reason for the decrease in default bindings for controllers.
To view the default keybinds for a fighting stick, you'll need to have one connected to your PC.
Like our content? Set Destructoid as a Preferred Source on Google in just one step to ensure you see us more frequently in your Google searches!
The post All 2XKO controls – Keyboard and controller bindings appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 3:36 PM
2XKO is finally running its early access program, allowing players to hop in and play the game as it develops and matures into a full title. It brings a new perspective on League's established universe, and a satisfying approach to fighting games, but it just doesn't have enough characters.
2XKO has been in development for a while now, and is the only game to have come out of the Riot Games kitchen since Valorant's 2020 release. Though other projects were at work in the company, 2XKO is the only one for a while to actually make the cut, and boy, does the effort show.
It's immensely satisfying in its combat, with each hit visceral and flashy, while connecting combos is much easier and more intuitive than the average FGC experience. Each of the characters feels fresh, with the roster generally varied. With the 2v2 format, there's a lot of synergy between each pair of characters, leading to a massive skill ceiling that'll reward the most talented and dedicated of players.
But the roster's size is exactly the issue: only 11 characters are in the game as of right now, with more to come down the line. Given that the game is formatted as a 2v2 experience, you'll meet most of the characters in only a few matches, experiencing almost all of the combinations in the game within a dozen hours at most.
While 11 characters would be fine in a primarily 1v1 experience (though, even then, it'd be a small roster), it just feels too tight in 2XKO, with Riot certainly having the pool to draw from. With over 180 champions in League of Legends, it's quite unclear as to why 2XKO is swinging the doors open with just a handful of them.
The gameplay lends itself to keeping you occupied for a very long time, given how complex the characters are and how high their skill cap is, but I still feel like Riot should have done more with the roster. Being in early access means the game will almost certainly receive more characters in the future, but given that 2XKO has been in development for six years or more, it should have more already.
I'm excited to see where Riot will take the game, and I will probably pour in many hours as I did into League and its many modes, but I do hope the roster is expanded as soon as possible. However, I would rather they were slow and methodical about it by adding in well-developed characters rather than dropping them for the sake of roster size, so rushing things isn't always the answer.
Still, 2XKO remains a tight, satisfying, and ultimately very fun experience that I'm enjoying way more than I thought I would, and I can't wait to see more fun spins on League's characters added to its selection.
Like our content? Set Destructoid as a Preferred Source on Google in just one step to ensure you see us more frequently in your Google searches!
The post 2XKO could be the perfect fighting game if Riot fixed this one glaring issue appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 3:24 PM
Welcome to Fortnite, Doja Cat! Wait...WAIT! NOT LIKE THAT! STOP!
If you've heard just about any Doja Cat song she's made over the past 10 years or so, you'll know that she often sings about suggestive or straight up adult content. And if you follow her on social media, you'll also know that she's quite a bit of an edgelord and shit-poster. And so should anyone be really shocked that her Fortnite X/Twitter account takeover just went this way?
I screenshotted the posts above since they were pretty swiftly deleted, where Doja (or someone posing as her to market her appearance in Fortnitemares tomorrow) posted "Mother of rose toys" followed by a bunch of rose emojis.
Her actual character's name in the game is Mother of Thorns, so it appears she was riffing off of that. But, oh boy. A "Rose toy" is, to put it bluntly and succinctly, a brand of adult sex toys. And, yeah, I don't think the account takeover was supposed to be used like this.
Doja Cat was quickly in the replies on her own account, saying "shit cringe as fuck now I'm embarrassed" and claiming "I told them not to man that's not even me," and that she "said this yesterday and then said 'don't post that.'" So, apparently there was some miscommunication, but it will likely inadvertently lead to some younger gamers quickly finding out what a Rose toy is (the game is rated T for Teen).
And in doing so, Doja revealed that it wasn't actually her on the account, so the marketing stunt was just an epic backfire all the way around. Her skins are kind of cool-looking, though, I suppose.
In spite of this flub, Fortnitemares looks really awesome this year. Along with the singer, it includes collabs with Scooby Doo, Friday the 13th, Terrifier, Black Mask, Poppy's Playtime, and Scream, among others.
Hopefully Doja will stick to playing the game instead of posting for its accounts online from now on.
Like our content? Set Destructoid as a Preferred Source on Google in just one step to ensure you see us more frequently in your Google searches!
The post No, you don't want to google what Fortnite's hijacked social media account just posted appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 3:18 PM
The Max. 86 Base Hero Upgrade SBC is now live in FC 26, and it's your best shot at getting a guaranteed Hero item for your Ultimate Team squad.
This is the first casino challenge of the year, and it looks quite spicy. While the SBC is undoubtedly a risk regarding the fodder cost, there are plenty of good cards to pack. This guide will provide you with the complete list of rewards so you can be sure about using your fodder in this challenge. It's the second week of the popular SBC, which has returned with identical requirements.
Complete list of FC 26 Max. 86 Base Hero Upgrade SBC rewards
The new SBC guarantees you a Hero item for the fodder you spend. However, only cards rated 86 or lower (from base Heroes) are included. The following list consists of all the cards that you can obtain.
There are plenty of great cards you can pull from the SBC. However, you'll require almost 105,000 coins worth of fodder to complete the two tasks. Only try to complete this SBC if you have the necessary amount of disposable fodder. If not, it's better to save them for alternate use. The cost of completing the challenge has also gone up by nearly 20,000 coins by last week, so that's something you should also consider.
Like our content? Set Destructoid as a Preferred Source on Google in just one step to ensure you see us more frequently in your Google searches!
The post All FC 26 Max. 86 Base Hero Upgrade SBC rewards (October 8) appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 2:31 PM
Destiny 2 players have been wanting a battle axe as an Exotic for years, and Bungie finally delivered. This time, it comes as the Wolfsbane Exotic axe—not as a relic, like the scythe from Season of the Haunted.
While you had to part with the scythe in Haunted, you can take Wolfsbane almost anywhere with you as your heavy weapon. This battleaxe uses light attacks to build up quicksilver nanites, which you can use to unleash a heavy attack or to charge up Wolfsbane for even more damage. And offense is key: unlike a regular sword, this weapon doesn't have any guarding capabilities, providing damage reduction instead.
Wolfsbane is also craftable, meaning it's possible to tweak some parts of the weapon to keep it closer to your favorite playstyle. Here's where you can get it.
How to get the Wolfsbane Exotic axe in Destiny 2
You can get Wolfsbane as a reward for your first clear of Heliostat, the Exotic mission from the Ash & Iron update. Your first clear of the mission has a standardized difficulty and is guaranteed to drop a Wolfsbane with Deepsight, letting you bring it to the Enclave to (re)shape it. Further runs of Heliostat take place through the Portal, embedding Destiny 2's core power grind systems into the activity.
What does Wolfsbane do in Destiny 2?
Wolfsbane's light attack fill up its guard meter, which lets you unleash a heavy attack when it's full. The animation is similar to the scythe in Season of the Haunted. Using light attacks also charges up the weapon's Nano-Assault gauge, which improves the damage of your regular swings and adds a Solar tornado at the end of your heavy. Here are its key points:
Wolfsbane also relies on four catalysts, each with some type of utility. Three are existing perks (Attrition Orbs, Relentless Strikes, and Burning Ambition), while the Subroutine: ~Resurgence makes your nanites heal you more based on how full your Nano-Assault gauge is. While the overdrive mode is active, taking damage may spawn nanites near you. They're scattered around the Heliostat mission.
The post How to get the Wolfsbane Exotic axe in Destiny 2 appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 2:19 PM
If you treated 2XKO's tutorial like a checklist and completed it with your mind on autopilot, you'll surely feel lost when the game asks you to remember how to perform a Launch OTG Reaction three times. That's one of the requirements of the very last stage of Hit Reactions in the Offense Advanced Lessons.
The "OTG" in this task means "On the Ground". The full sentence means that the opponent, under a Launch OTG reaction, will be stunned and vulnerable to a follow-up while being launched from a downed state into the air. Launch OTG Reactions are much more varied than Vi's Crater Maker, but she is used as an example of a short and simple way to demonstrate this effect.
To land a Launch OTG Reaction with Vi in 2XKO, do this two-step combo:
If you do it right, the combo will look like the GIF below, and you'll see the Launch OTG Reaction counter go up if you're doing it in the tutorial.
While other moves and combos cause a Launch OTG Reaction, you likely won't have to worry about them in a real match, unless you're a fighting game nerd. At the lower levels, you don't need to know exactly why a certain combo works as much as you need to learn how to execute some simple move chains first. Then, as you improve, knowing which moves cause each reaction, including a Launch OTG, becomes important so you can improvise and react to real game scenarios.
You can always mash buttons with Pulse Combo as well.
The post How to perform a Launch OTG Reaction in 2XKO appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 1:45 PM
The Cornerstones Challenge 5 SBC is now live in FC 26, and you can complete the challenge to get a brand new pack for your Ultimate Team.
Like all fodder challenges, you can complete the SBC with lower-rated items. You'll get a bonus pack in return, and there's a chance it will include a walkout/Cornerstones card. This guide will help you complete the SBC without any fuss.
Table of contents
FC 26 Cornerstones Challenge 5 SBC tasks
The Cornerstones Challenge 5 SBC has only one task, and here are its requirements.
Cornerstones Challenge 5 SBC
The requirement of 23 chemistry is a stiff point, as you'll also need to have at least five nationalities. However, it's not as tricky as some of the previous fodder challenges we have had during the Cornerstones promo.
FC 26 Cornerstones Challenge 5 SBC solutions
The trick is to use cards that are already available in your club. You'll be able to preserve your coins and raise the valuation of all your potential rewards. However, feel free to use the following solution if you get stuck.
Completing the challenge will get you a tradeable Prime Mixed Players Pack. The pack includes four Gold, Silver, and Bronze players (each). At least six of those cards are guaranteed to be Rare, and you can even sell them on the market. The SBC costs merely 3,300 coins' worth of fodder, so make sure to complete it before it expires.
Like our content? Set Destructoid as a Preferred Source on Google in just one step to ensure you see us more frequently in your Google searches!
The post FC 26 Cornerstones Challenge 5 SBC tasks and solutions appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 1:39 PM
2XKO is a game ideally designed to be played in pairs, and going in with your buddy is fun, but you can also opt to play 1v1.
1v1 in 2XKO has a different brand of challenge altogether, as you'll need to get character selection on point. This guide will help you go all in on your own with 1v1 challenges and get your basics right.
Table of contents
How to play 1v1 in 2XKO
While the official format of the game heavily encourages you to play in duos, 1v1 is officially supported in early access. You can set it up in custom games, or just go in with versus. Here's how you can take part in a 1v1 match in 2XKO.
That's how easy it is to create and enjoy 1v1 duels in 2XKO. However, it's one thing just to play the game, and another to do so well.
Best 1v1 tips and tricks in 2XKO
The dynamics of a 1v1 battle are different. While you still fight in duos, both characters are under your control. Naturally, you have more freedom when it comes to decision-making. This also makes things slightly complex, and here are a few tips and tricks to help you win the duels.
Like our content? Set Destructoid as a Preferred Source on Google in just one step to ensure you see us more frequently in your Google searches!
The post How to 1v1 in 2XKO appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 1:32 PM
I like to play casual mobile games filled with microtransactions from time to time. I rarely spend a single buck, but I'm curious to understand what drives people to put so much money into them.
I can't help but wonder who the whales are who spend thousands on microtransactions and keep these titles free-to-play. In my head, these big spenders are rich tech bros or really bored middle-aged politicians. Turns out that regular people like me and you are also whales, but in another market.
A Circana study snapshot published by company director Mat Piscatella shows that only 4% of players in the United States buy games more often than once per month, while 85% of them take longer than a month to do so.
That means a small share of "price-insensitive, affluent players", around 4%, are carrying most of the spending in the video games market, effectively turning them into the whales that let companies increase prices, release deluxe editions, and more powerful versions of current-gen consoles.
The effect is quite similar to the one we see in mobile games. The reason why microtransactions in mobile games like Monopoly GO, Royal Match, and Candy Crush are so expensive is that developers set a price point based on how much the whales are willing to pay. That small share of players who spend a lot and often indirectly decide how much microtransactions will cost. After all, if people with less money won't spend anyway, why lower prices for them?
Whales are why these games have passes with several premium tiers, subscriptions, power-ups, and bonuses to the point of overwhelming those who just want to play without spending. I felt suffocated playing Archero 2 (a pay-to-win Vampire Survivors-like) because there was a myriad of premium packs and bundles for sale, all tied to time-limited content. It was easier to give up on the game than to go back to just playing normally. But I only felt that because I'm not a whale. A real whale would just buy these packs.
And it seems like the same effect is happening in console gaming, according to Circana's director. Since only the wealthy group of players are spending on video games anyway, companies can launch Pro and OLED console variants or charge $80 for a single title. The high-spending players will keep buying, and the casual customers will skip on them anyway.
There's a high chance that you're like our average reader, a dedicated gamer. If so, you're part of this whale group that's supporting the video game retail market. So, the next time you feel like you can't believe a stressed parent of two has spent hundreds of bucks on Monopoly GO, know they probably would be astonished if they saw you purchased Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Vault Edition for $100 to play on your $750 PS5 Pro.
The post If you buy $150 Deluxe Editions and Pro consoles, you're a whale just like mobile gamers appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 1:12 PM
Wolfsbane, Destiny 2's long-anticipated battle axe, landed in the game as a reward for finishing the Heliostat Exotic mission. This deadly weapon has four different catalysts to choose from, each leaning into some of its defining traits, and you can get them by playing its mission.
While Bungie seems to have done away with crafting entirely after Echoes, some Exotics seem to be exempt from that rule, including the new battle axe. Three of Wolfsbane's four catalysts add existing perks to this weapon, but one of them enhances its unique features. As usual, the catalysts are hidden behind some small secrets in Heliostat. Here's how you can get them.
All Wolfsbane catalysts in Destiny 2
Wolfsbane's main gameplay loop is hitting enemies with light attacks to charge up its heavy attack and build up Nano-Assault, which turbocharges the weapon. Continued light attacks are one of its key features, and three of its catalysts give that combination a little more juice.
All of these are available after finding the associated secrets in Heliostat, which we've listed below.
How to get all Wolfsbane catalysts in Destiny 2
Getting the catalysts for Wolfsbane doesn't involve that many secrets. In short, all you need to do is pick up a data pad, install it in a nearby terminal, and complete the mission (thanks, 360GameTV). Plugging the device in will change the terminal's screen, indicating you're eligible to get the associated catalyst.
You don't have to complete all of those steps in a single run, so don't worry about error codes or heading back to orbit. It's possible to pick up the gadget in one run (at which point it disappears), then interact with the terminal on a second try, and complete the mission on a third, and you still get the credit for the catalyst.
First Wolfsbane catalyst location (Attrition Orbs)
The first data pad appears early in the mission. After defeating the first group of enemies, you'll come up on a radioactive reactor. Summon the shielding Psion and head past the reactor, then look for a datapad across from the second device, hidden behind a pile of crates. Interact with the console on the other side of the hallway, just behind the shielding Psion's next spawn point.
Are the Wolfsbane catalysts time-gated?
Yes, the Wolfsbane catalysts are time-gated. In the week of Oct. 7, when the weapon was released, only the Attrition Orbs Refit was available, with the Enclave indicating others weren't obtainable at that time. Going by Bungie's usual procedure, expect to unlock a new catalyst each week, in the order we listed above.
The post All Wolfsbane catalysts and how to get them in Destiny 2 appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 1:01 PM
The Sims 4 has been around for over 10 years, and it's still going strong with frequent new releases. With so many DLC options to choose from, it can be tricky to determine which expansion packs are good and which ones you should skip.
If you're trying to figure out which DLC is right for you and worth the hefty price point, here are all of the expansion packs in The Sims 4 ranked.
Table of contents
All The Sims 4 expansion packs ranked from worst to best
Here's our overall ranking of all 20 expansion packs that have been released for The Sims 4 so far. We've also got separate sections for CAS, Build/Buy, gameplay, and worlds, since all Simmers are different and value certain aspects more than others.
20) Get to Work
Get to Work is the first expansion pack that was ever released, and it shows. The CAS and Build/Buy items in this pack are very career-specific and mostly unusable outside of workspaces. The three careers, Scientist, Doctor, and Detective, are fun at first, but get old quickly since they're all active, meaning you must play through work days to progress.
19) For Rent
For Rent is such a promising concept, and when it works right, its placement is much higher. Unfortunately, this pack is supremely bugged and has been since it launched on Dec. 3, 2023. It's gotten so bad that it's corrupting save files, so it's tough to truly analyze this pack with such a great risk involved with using the pack's core feature, Residential Rentals.
When this issue (hopefully) gets properly fixed, we may move our ranking around. For now, though, it's one of the worst expansions you can get, as the promised features don't function well and can break your entire save file. When it does work, Residential Rentals are great, as they allow you to break up larger spaces into separate units, but there's also not a whole lot beyond this.
18) Get Famous
If you want to live the celebrity lifestyle, you'll love Get Famous, but for the average Sim player, this one likely won't mesh well with your everyday gameplay. The active Actor career is fun, but similar to the jobs in Get to Work, it gets old fast. Del Sol Valley is a disappointingly small and boring world, and both the CAS and Build/Buy items are overly glamorous and niche, making them tough to use outside of a celebrity lifestyle.
17) Island Living
Island Living has one of the most gorgeous worlds you can live in, with some unique CAS and Build/Buy items to complement it. Unfortunately, the gameplay in this pack is nearly non-existent, and the Mermaid Occult included in it is one of the worst.
16) High School Years
There's not enough for Teen Sims to do in The Sims 4, and High School Years is one of the only packs that has ever tried to fix this problem. Unfortunately, many parts of it feel rather surface-level, and important events like prom and graduation are often quite buggy and don't work. This pack does have some excellent CAS items, though.
15) Discover University
Discover University might suffer from being a bit too realistic, as passing college is quite difficult and often feels like far more effort than it's worth. Still, it's a really solid pack that delivers a well-rounded and rewarding experience. The CAS items and Build/Buy are a true standout in this one, too, as both feature versatile, staple items I use all the time.
14) Eco Lifestyle
A truly unexpected and original pack idea for The Sims franchise, Eco Lifestyle delivers a unique way of living with a strong emphasis on sustainability. You can make your own water, electricity, furniture, food, and other such items, enhancing the number of ways you can live on your own. It's also fun that you can change the world over time, either shaping it for the better with blooming greenery or smogging it up with more industrial vibes.
13) Horse Ranch
Horse Ranch is a solid pack that delivers exactly what its name suggests and little more. If you want to care for some fully customizable horses, meet tiny animals, make Nectat, and otherwise run a ranch, you'll love this pack. It's a great pack for this purpose, but otherwise, it does feel a bit niche, as many aspects don't integrate well outside of this specific lifestyle.
12) Enchanted by Nature
Enchanted by Nature is mainly focused on Fairies, although it also delivers some other new features like the Nature Living skill, house plants, and foraging. Some parts of this pack, like Ailments and Luck, can get a bit annoying, but Fairies is one of the best Occults, and Natural Living blends well with everyday gameplay. Innisgreen is also a stunning world.
11) Snowy Escape
Mt. Komorebi is a gorgeous, lively world that's the perfect vacation destination, or a great place to live all year round in Snowy Escape. There's loads to do and see in this pack, including hiking, snowboarding, skiing, rock climbing, and so much more. It's a rich pack with a lot of depth, and great items all around to complement it.
10) Lovestruck
Lovestruck is a pack that mostly works in the background, bringing more meaning and depth to all interactions rather than adding big, obvious, flashy features. It's a must-have for the expansions to the romance system, especially the dating app Cupid's Corner.
9) Get Together
Get Together has the biggest world in all of The Sims 4, with 27 gorgeous lots. It's worth getting for the world of Winderburg alone, but it also comes with the robust, versatile club system and plenty of other features to love.
8) Life & Death
There's so much attention to detail in Life & Death, and no matter how much I play it, I feel like there's always still more to discover. Ghosts are a fully fleshed-out Occult with this pack, and there's plenty to love for both the dead and living, like the Grim Reaper career, funerals, a grief system, bucket lists, and more.
7) City Living
City Living is another pack that's worth buying for the world alone, especially since there's no other city world like it, but it also has plenty of other exciting additions that only enhance its value. Festivals are one of my favorites, as there's always something exciting going on in San Myshuno.
6) Adventure Awaits
Adventure Awaits is a rich, gameplay-forward pack with complex systems designed for Simmers who are in it deep. Custom venues and getaways give your Sims so much more to do, with unbelievably detailed systems that allow you to truly customize their experiences however you like.
Gibbi Point is also one of the best worlds we've ever gotten. It's massive, with loads of lots to visit and plenty to find out in the world, like the Peculiar Plumbird and Butterflies and Moths. This pack also has some exciting additions for child Sims, like Imaginary Friends, Formative Moments, and modular playgrounds.
The weakest part of this pack is the CAS items, specifically, the clothes. Most of them feel too similar to other items we already had before this pack launched. Adventure Awaits does have some of the best hairstyles we've ever gotten, though.
5) Cottage Living
If you're a fan of the cozy game genre and titles like Stardew Valley, Cottage Living is a must-have. This pack allows you to take care of animals like llamas, cows, and chickens, grow oversized crops, live off the land, and embrace a tight-knit community. It's a well-rounded pack, with a gorgeous world, engaging gameplay, plenty of nice CAS items, and solid Build/Buy assets.
4) Growing Together
The best packs are the ones that blend well with any style of gameplay and always fit into what you're doing, and this is exactly what makes Growing Together so great. The features here aren't big and flashy, so it's not always obvious that you're using them, but they integrate seamlessly into everyday gameplay, especially if you're a family-focused player. Milestones, social dynamics, self-discovery, baby showers, social compatibility, treehouses, and family bonds are just a few of the many additions featured in this pack.
3) Businesses & Hobbies
The more packs you own, the better Businesses & Hobbies is, which might make it a bit of a controversial one, but I firmly believe it's one of the best packs we've ever gotten. The possibilities are endless, as you can freely create and design any small business you can think of. This pack has some solid CAS and Build/Buy items, but gameplay is definitely the star.
2) Cats & Dogs
Everything is better with a furry friend at your side, and Cats & Dogs delivers not only some adorable fluffy allies but also some of the best CAS and Build/Buy items. Everything in this pack is super versatile and usable across all types of gameplay. Brindleton Bay is also my favorite world in the game, delivering perfectly cozy beachside vibes.
1) Seasons
Since it first launched on June 18, 2018, Seasons has been considered one of the greats. This pack has many features that feel fundamental, like weather, holidays, seasonal activities, and so much more. The CAS and Build/Buy are great, but gameplay is where this one truly shines.
The only downside of this pack is that it doesn't come with a world. All of the other features are so good, though, that it still gets the coveted number one spot. If you can only get one expansion pack, and you're seeking the most well-rounded, impactful one, you won't find a better option than Seasons.
The Sims 4 expansion packs ranked by CAS
For our CAS rankings, we've ordered the packs in terms of the overall most useful, flexible, and well-rounded collections. Some packs, like Horse Ranch and Island Living, feature more niche fashion, so even though they're ranked low, they're not necessarily bad, just less versatile.
The Sims 4 expansion packs ranked by Build/Buy
We're looking at Build/Buy in a similar way to CAS, so we're focusing on the overall versatility and usefulness of the items featured in each pack. There may also be some packs ranked lower here, like Island Living or Get to Work, with many useful items that work well for your particular needs.
The Sims 4 expansion packs ranked by gameplay
If you're solely looking for the packs that bring the most gameplay, here's how we'd rank the expansion packs. Depending on what you're looking for, some packs might fit your needs better than others. If you're really into Occult Sims, for example, packs like Life & Death and Enchanted by Nature might fit you best, while family-oriented gameplay Simmers would find more fulfillment with packs like Growing Together and High School Years.
The Sims 4 expansion packs ranked by world
If you're looking for the best world, here's how the worlds featured in these expansion packs rank. All expansions come with a fresh location to explore, except for Seasons. It also doesn't seem fair to really count Get to Work as having a world, since the "world" is just four lots meant for retail shops.
There are always new packs slated for release in The Sims 4, so we'll update our rankings as any new ones arrive, or as any bug fixes change how we view past ones.
Like our content? Set Destructoid as a Preferred Source on Google in just one step to ensure you see us more frequently in your Google searches!
The post Best Sims 4 expansion packs, ranked appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:39 PM
This year has had no shortage of indie hits. It's arguably one of the best years for small and independent studios, with great games coming out seemingly just about every day. Upload Labs is another such title, combining idle gameplay and management into a fun, free-to-play experience.
When I first saw Upload Labs, I mistook it for visual programming software, the likes of which we see in modern game engines like Unity and Unreal. In them, you connect various nodes of logic to each other, streamlining logic programming for beginner and advanced users alike. The game certainly takes a lot of inspiration from that, though instead of programming software, you're managing a computer network, upgrading various nodes to speed up transfers and earn more money.
The more money you have, the more nodes you can build, upgrading them along the way to improve your overall inputs and outputs. It's a management game in many respects, asking you to efficiently line up nodes, distribute resources, evenly use your internet speed, and so on. At the same time, it's very much an idle game, asking you to upgrade, let it rest to collect a bit of money, and then upgrade again.
In this last, it's very similar to clicker games like ADVenture Capitalist. And, just as that game is super fun and addictive for a short while, so does Upload Labs enamor you with its simple design, surprisingly good soundtrack, and relaxing, satisfying gameplay. It's also free, so there's literally nothing I could be complaining about.
Upload Labs is also available on mobile, if the PC experience doesn't do it for you. Being so, it does have microtransactions and stuff, but given that it's a singleplayer game and a relaxing one at that, you don't really have to buy them, nor will anyone be mad about pay-to-win if you do.
So, if you're up for some simple yet surprisingly addictive management, for free, then Upload Labs will surely scratch that itch. Just make sure you leave it on sometimes, your network will thank you!
Like our content? Set Destructoid as a Preferred Source on Google in just one step to ensure you see us more frequently in your Google searches!
The post Ever wondered what visual programming would be like as a game? Upload Labs has the answer appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 10:05 AM
Uninstalling 2XKO is one of the toughest things to do if you choose not to play the game for some reason.
Typically, uninstalling a game today is one of the easiest tasks (whether you're on PC or on a console). With 2XKO, the task of permanently removing the game and its files becomes hard due to Vanguard. Riot's Kernel-level anti-cheat comes with the game and prevents you from modifying its files.
Thankfully, it's actually possible to uninstall 2XKO, but the process is slightly laborious, to say the least.
How to permanently delete 2XKO from your PC
If you've tried out the early access of 2XKO and feel it's not your cup of tea, you can choose to uninstall the files. But the task isn't simple, and you'll need to perform the following steps.
Once the Vanguard anti-cheat and Riot Games Launcher are shut down, go to Add or Remove Programs from your PC settings. Select 2XKO, and proceed to uninstall the game.
Since Vanguard is a kernel-based anti-cheat, it will start working before the OS boots up on your PC (Windows). You can't uninstall 2XKO or any other games from Riot till Vanguard is functional. Hence, you'll need to close the anti-cheat to uninstall 2XKO and the Riot Games Launcher if you have no use for it.
To turn off the Riot Games Launcher and Vanguard, you can also use the Task Manager on your PC. If you choose to play 2XKO once again, you'll need to reinstall the game and Vanguard from scratch once more.
Like our content? Set Destructoid as a Preferred Source on Google in just one step to ensure you see us more frequently in your Google searches!
The post How to uninstall 2XKO appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, October 8, 2025 10:03 AM
Title Update 3, a.k.a. v1.0.4 update, is coming soon to the current-gen version of FC 26, and we have an early idea about what it could include.
Similar to the two previous title updates, the upcoming patch is likely going to have a massive impact on gameplay. While we are still awaiting the full patch notes, a part of the text has appeared for some players inside the game.
FC 26 update v1.0.4 patch notes - Title Update 3
While we will need to wait for the full patch notes, here's the information we currently have.
While I am certain that the actual patch will have more changes, two massive tweaks have already been confirmed. It's no secret that defenders with bruisers haven't been effective in the FC 26 meta so far. As a result, many players have reverted to Tactical Defending from Advanced Defending. It now appears that the present situation could have been a result of a bug, which should be fixed shortly.
As a result, expect Advanced Defending to rise in the defensive meta once again. Defenders with the playstyle could also witness a rise in their market demand.
Finesse Shots seems to have suffered from major bugs as well. I have experienced some situations when my striker would perform a Trivela in place of a Finesse Shot. The bug should be gone once patch v.1.0.4 goes live.
As of writing, we don't have confirmation about when the patch will go live. Based on past trends, it should be live sometime between Oct. 8 and Oct. 9 on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and the PS5.
Like our content? Set Destructoid as a Preferred Source on Google in just one step to ensure you see us more frequently in your Google searches!
The post FC 26 update v1.0.4 early patch notes – Bruiser buffs, Finesse Shot fix, and more appeared first on Destructoid. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, October 8, 2025 5:00 PM As seen on Reddit. The post NINJA GAIDEN 4 Is Now Available To Pre-load on Xbox and PC appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, October 8, 2025 3:37 PM A free major update incoming. The post Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Sales Surpass Five Million, New Major Update Announced appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, October 8, 2025 3:16 PM According to a recent report. The post The Game Pass Price Hike Has Been Delayed in Some Regions appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
MonsterVine Wednesday, October 8, 2025 5:36 PM Indie team O. & Co. Games has released the full reveal trailer and an updated demo for their debut game, TetherGeist, a heartfelt precision platformer that blends the emotional storytelling of Celeste with the style and atmosphere of Hyper Light Drifter. A Grounded Journey of Spirit and Skill TetherGeist follows Mae, a member of the […] |
MonsterVine Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:00 PM Although they're certainly fantastic games, it's unfortunate that a couple of minor control issues and a high price point hinder the release of Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Nintendo Switch. They're top-notch 3D platformers, nonetheless, and absolutely worth playing if you never have. Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy […] |
Level Up Wednesday, October 8, 2025 11:07 AM  <strong>Update - October 8, 2025: </strong> Nintendo has released an updated version of the Close to… |
Level Up Wednesday, October 8, 2025 10:32 AM  Bethesda <a href="https://x.com/Fallout/status/1975926711339409781">took to social media to announce the return of Fallout Day</a>, a livestream… |