Dec 11, 16:00


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 3:30 PM
    

Apparently Amazon couldn't be bothered to produce an accurate recap for one of the biggest shows of the last few years

The post Amazon's <i>Fallout</i> Season 1 Recap Is Inaccurate AI Bullshit appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 3:07 PM
    

Geoff Keighley chats with Gonzo.

The annual Keighleys are here and big game reveals are leaking like crazy

The post The Game Awards 2025: How To Watch And What To Expect appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 2:20 PM
    

Img 0792

Time is not on your side in the Mega Dimension DLC, so here's a few tricks to help you out in Hyperspace

The post 7 Tips To Know Before Heading Into <em>Pokémon Legends: Z-A's</em> Grindy New DLC Mode appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 1:37 PM
    

1deus Ex

The remastered version of the classic game was set to launch early next year, but is now indefinitely delayed

The post That Ugly <i>Deus Ex</i> Remaster Just Got Indefinitely Delayed appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 1:02 PM
    

From wild rants and embarrassing product placement to awkward celebs and touching moments, we've seen it all over the last 11 years

The post The Best And Worst Moments In Game Awards History appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 12:52 PM
    

People who bet on AI being Time Magazine's Person of the Year and lost money are very mad right now

The post Prediction Market Gamblers Can't Believe They Just Lost A $20 Million Bet On A Technicality appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 12:35 PM
    

Sony Headphones

This pair is comfortable to wear, and offers an incredible battery life of up to 50 hours.

The post Sony's Budget Wireless Headphones Just Got Even Cheaper With a Nearly 50%, Priced Like No-Brand Wired Earbuds appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 12:05 PM
    

Anker Laptop Docking Station

Get the 14-in-1 Anker USB-C docking station for a staggering 38% discount for a limited time.

The post Anker Is Offloading Warehouse Stock Including Its 14-in-1 Docking Station, Like a Second Black Friday for the Holidays appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 12:01 PM
    

Lara0

All signs point toward a remake of the 1996 original, likely to be released next year

The post New <i>Tomb Raider</i> Game Details Leak And It Looks Like A Reboot appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 11:50 AM
    

A hunter faces an Elder Dragon.

The vibes are still off for Capcom's 2025 blockbuster

The post <i>Monster Hunter Wilds</i> Is About To Get Its Biggest Boss Battle Yet appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 11:35 AM
    

Soundcoreaeroclip

Save $70 on the Soundcore AeroClip by Anker open-ear earbuds for a limited time at Amazon.

The post Forget Bose or Shokz Open-Ear Earbuds, Anker Is Practically Giving Away Its Soundcore Clip-On Headphones at a Record Low appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 11:14 AM
    

If you ever wanted to watch a worse version of Sonic the Hedgehog on purpose, here's your chance

The post Fans Are Modding Ugly Sonic Back Into The Original Movie appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 11:08 AM
    

Also: McDonald's shares a comment about the terrible AI ad, Helldivers 2 might get a new mode, and Bethesda is aware of the issues plaguing Skyrim on Switch 2

The post 12 Years After Launch, <i>Warframe</i> Is So Popular It's Dealing With Server Issues appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 11:05 AM
    

Dji Drone

Enjoy a better filming experience without blowing your budget.

The post DJI Adds Another Mini Drone Deal to Amazon's Year-End Clearance as the Flip (RC-N3) Crashes to Its Lowest Price appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 10:50 AM
    

Do you wanna build a slopman with Han Solo from Star Wars and Elsa from Frozen?

The post Disney Feeds Its Characters To The AI Woodchipper And Invests $1 Billion In OpenAI appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 10:41 AM
    

Sandfall Interactive made a GOTY contender for a fraction of what most companies spend

The post You Won't Believe How Cheap It Was To Make <em>Clair Obscur: Expedition 33</em> appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 10:35 AM
    

Samsungevoselect

Save up to 25% on the Samsung EVO Select MicroSD, with storage sizes of up to 1TB.

The post Samsung MicroSD Card Returns at $0.07 per GB, Expand Storage on Nintendo Switch, Phones, or Tablets for Almost Nothing appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 10:05 AM
    

Sony Soundbar

This soundbar brings all your favorite content to life, and Amazon is letting you grab it for under $100 now.

The post Sony Goes Into Full Clearance Mode on Its Soundbar as the S100F With Bass Reflex Speaker Hits an All-Time Low appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 9:35 AM
    

Ray Ban Meta (gen 1)

Retro Wayfarers meet the latest in advanced wearable tech with amazing audio and video capability for just $224.

The post Meta Ray-Ban (Gen 1) Gets Cleared Out for Less Than Regular Sunglasses, Even Though They're Smart AI Glasses appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Thursday, December 11, 2025 9:25 AM
    

The look's an odd choice considering Aerith and Kaine could not be more different

The post Aerith's Outfit In <em>Final Fantasy VII's Nier</em> Crossover Has Fans Acting Up appeared first on Kotaku.


PCGamesN Thursday, December 11, 2025 3:00 PM
    

I like my 007 First Light like I love my martinis - cheap - and this origin story from the Hitman developers is now at a huge discount before launch.


PCGamesN Thursday, December 11, 2025 12:31 PM
    

Multiplayer has arrived in Project Zomboid build 42 courtesy of patch 42.13, letting you work with other players against the hordes.


PCGamesN Thursday, December 11, 2025 12:12 PM
    

The Helldivers 2 Killzone collab is back, but Arrowhead's learned from its past mistakes and has reworked it into a bigger, better Warbond.


PCGamesN Thursday, December 11, 2025 12:03 PM
    

If you've always wanted Minecraft to have a little more Titanfall juice, this mod makes Apex Legends fully playable in the hit game.


PCGamesN Thursday, December 11, 2025 10:04 AM
    

Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader dev doesn't see Baldur's Gate 3 as competition, rather affirmation that there's still an appetite for CRPGs.


PCGamesN Thursday, December 11, 2025 12:24 PM
    

The latest Rogue Piece codes for launch can get you all the rerolls and gems you'll need to spin for powerful stats and grab the best fruits.


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 11, 2025 12:14 PM
    

Time is ticking down until Geoff Keighley once again emerges from his fleshy cocoon, brushes the Garibaldi crumbs from his suit, and strides onto the stage to bellow his customary challenge of "Who wants some?". We assume he means games, but one day he will nut a developer in the front row and we won't be able to say he didn't warn us.

We're pulling together a quick rundown of everything announced at The Game Awards 2025 so you don't need to risk life and limb by straying too close to Geoff's grasping fingers.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 11, 2025 11:51 AM
    

Around this time last year, Helldivers 2 was being filled with squishy squids. These squishy squids have since come close to squishing Super Earth.

Also being squished in late 2024 were some players' positive perceptions of Arrowhead's gear pricing, as a Killzone crossover arrived and was so throughly panned for being expensive that the studio ended up giving the last bit of it away for free as a make-good.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 11, 2025 11:46 AM
    

You know that weird chime that plays when you find a secret in the classic Tomb Raider games? Play it now in your head. You weren't alive when those games were published? I hate you. I hate you. Also, here you go. Great, now we're ready to talk about the leaked images of Tomb Raider: Legacy Of Atlantis, which appears to be the new Tomb Raider game due to be announced at G-Star K-Dog's Game Awards show tonight. Or at least, one of them.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 11, 2025 10:42 AM
    

"This game makes an expression that is impossible in reality," reads the blurb which pops up when you go to play DriveCrazy's demo. "Because it is dangerous to drive like this in real life, never imitate." "Ah," I yell as I race a kei truck down the side of a building while missiles and lava lurk in my vicinity, "I see what you mean."

Prompting me to give TubezGames' small lorry game a go was the fact it's just emerged from early access, having been in the oven since July 2023. Now, though, it's hit 1.0, and I'm seriously considering seeing what the rest of its now-complete story has to offer.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 11, 2025 9:27 AM
    

I wish that I could fly, that I could fly, and I could fly, just like a dragonfly, Mr Bond. I want to get away, just like a dragonfly, Mr Bond. YEAH YEAH YEAH, Mr Bond. I want a Milky Way, Mr Bond. I'd just like a Milky Way, YEAH YEAH YEAH (Milky Way), Mr Bond. Oh, and the official James Bond account appears to have leaked a trailer showing Lenny Kravitz as a007: First Light, villain, Mr Bond.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 11, 2025 9:24 AM
    

The Games Awards 2025 livestream airs tonight – or tomorrow morning, if you're a Prime Meridian chump like we all are – and, like most forms of bewildering media, it'll be best enjoyed together. We therefore invite you to join us for our liveblog coverage, which if you don't have tickets yourself, promises to be the most up-to-the-minute source of game reveals and announcements that you can get without standing up against the theatre doors with a big cup to your ears. And Geoff hates it when people do that.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, December 11, 2025 9:19 AM
    

Well, well, well, here comes Geoffers. G-Kay, the awarder of golden PDF badges to videogames, best pal to every celebrity less tasteful than Edward Norton. Gentleman Keighley, with his mindflaying footwear and his hands all lubed up to wangle fresh announcements from the games industry's chapped orifices. But what's this! His trousers are bellowing. He's got something stuffed down them, something that honks and rumbles like an elephant seal, something that yearns to raise the banner of victory over 10 million planets.

Geoff grabs his groin and waddles away desperately, but not fast enough. His backside explodes in a rank gust of Promethium. A terrifying cybernetic face peers from the breach. "FOR THE EMPEROR," it hollers, while Geoff frantically seeks cover behind Evanescense. "FOR THE EMPEROR, PROBABLY! BUT MAYBE ACTUALLY FOR THE REBELLION INSTEAD."

Read more


Siliconera Thursday, December 11, 2025 3:00 PM
    

All My Hero Academia: All's Justice Playable Characters Shared

Bandai Namco updated its website for My Hero Academia: All's Justice to share all of the characters who will be available and playable when the game debuts on February 6, 2026. 51 heroes and villains will all be initially in the game. This doesn't count DLC, as a Season Pass with five more characters is confirmed for this newest My Hero Academia fighting game.

Editor's Note: There are some spoiler characters in the My Hero Academia: All's Justice launch roster.

33 of the launch characters in My Hero Academia: All's Justice are part of U.A. High School. 12 of them are villains, with many associated with League of Villains. Five are Pro Heroes, and former Pro Hero and villain Lady Nagant is also present. 

Here's everyone appearing on the official site:

  • All for One
  • All for One (Rewind)
  • All Might
  • Armored All Might
  • Best Jeanist
  • Dabi
  • Dabi (Flame of Death)
  • Denki Kaminari
  • Edge Shot
  • Eijiro Kirishima
  • Endeavor
  • Fumikage Tokoyami
  • Hanta Sero
  • Hawks
  • High End Nomu
  • Himiko Toga
  • Hitoshi Shinso
  • Izuku Midoriya
  • Izuku Midoriya (Full Cowling 100%)
  • Izuku Midoriya (One for All)
  • Izuku Midoriya (Shoot Style)
  • Katsuki Bakugo
  • Koji Koda
  • Kurogiri
  • Kyoka Jiro
  • Lady Nagant
  • Mashirao Ojiro
  • Mezo Shoji
  • Midnight
  • Mina Ashido
  • Minoru Mineta
  • Mirio Togata
  • Mirko
  • Momo Yaoyorozu
  • Mr. Compress
  • Neito Monoma
  • Nejire Hado
  • Ochaco Uraraka
  • Present Mic
  • Rikido Sato
  • Shota Aizawa
  • Shoto Todoroki
  • Stain
  • Tamaki Amajiki
  • Tenya Iida
  • Tomura Shigaraki
  • Tomura Shigaraki (All for One)
  • Toru Hagakure
  • Tsuyu Asui
  • Twice
  • Yuga Aoyama

As a note, the site didn't mention the two known characters from the Early Unlock Pack pre-order bonus. Those are All for One (Chaos) and Izuku Midoriya (Rising). 

My Hero Academia: All's Justice will come to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on February 6, 2026. 

The post All My Hero Academia: All's Justice Playable Characters Shared appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 11, 2025 2:00 PM
    

Monster Hunter Stories 3 Involves Endangered Species, Habitat Restoration

In the latest Monster Hunter Showcase for December 2025, Capcom confirmed that Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection will introduced endangered species, invasive monsters, and habitat restoration to the series. As our royal protagonist is part of the Ranger Corps as well as a rider, they'll need to engage in all those activities to keep nature balanced and fight against the Crystal Encroachment devastating the lands.

Part of this will act a bit like egg recovery in the original Monster Hunter Stories games. Our avatar will head out into the world and find spots where an invasive species set up a nest. We'll need to fight that monster, but not kill it, to drive it into a den. Then, we need to creep into the invasive monster's nest to rescue the endangered monster egg. 

Once we rescue an endangered monster in Monster Hunter Stories 3, we don't raise it to become a monstie that we ride. Instead, helping it get resettled in its natural environment as part of the habitat replacement system. When this is successful, then the babies that stem from the program can become our monsties. Continuing to invest in an area to help its Ecosystem Rank increase could mean the ensuing allies we raise could feature Dual-Elements for extra skills and abilities, be more rare, or have special skills. 

The announcements also covered two other details. One is that Arkveld, the flagship monster from Monster Hunter Wilds, will be present in Monster Hunter Stories 3. The other is that there will be a DLC pack released in Autumn 2026 called Additional Side Story: Rudy that follows that Felyne.

Here's the latest trailer for the game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=764b4_5dZJg

And here's the full Monster Hunter Showcase December 2025 video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE3wwzzXmkg

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection comes to the Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on March 13, 2026

The post Monster Hunter Stories 3 Involves Endangered Species, Habitat Restoration appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 11, 2025 1:00 PM
    

Gogmazios and Arch-Tempered Jin Dahaad Join Monster Hunter Wilds

After a brief delay due to the 7.5 earthquake in Japan on December 9, 2025, Capcom shared the December 2025 Monster Hunter Showcase and offered more insights into Monster Hunter Wilds fourth Title Update and Gogmazios fight. The announcement also confirmed Arch-Tempered Jin Dahaad will appear after the patch, weapon adjustments and rebalancing, a Lumenhymn Festival of Accord, and a roadmap for both console and PC promised fixes and adjustments.

First, it will take a bit to get to Gogmazios in Monster Hunter Wilds, as we need to reach "A First Cry" in the campaign first. However, at this point people who have had the title for a while probably reached that point. Fabius and Nadia will be our companions for the first fight against the Elder Dragon, and it can be permanently accessed after beating it once. Gogma Artian Weapons and armor sets will be available to create from its parts. 

We will need to wait a bit to challenge Arch-Tempered Jin Dahaad. That permanent quest will show up on December 24, 2025. Likewise, the Lumenhymn event will not be available immediately, as that seasonal activity runs between December 19, 2025 and January 14, 2026. 

Here are the screenshots for Gogmazios and armor based on it.

As for other updates, other patches are confirmed. In January 2026, there will be a Steam patch with CPU/GPU optimization, high-res texture pack updates, reduced stuttering during shader compilation, improvements to VRAM, and new graphics presets. In February 2026, there will be CPU/GPU optimization and 3D model polygon mesh quality levels. A February 18, 2026 patch will also bring with it Arch-Tempered Arkveld, a Monster Hunter Stories 3 crossover, and the design contest winners. 

Here are images showing the upcoming updates and weapon balancing changes.

Here's the full December 2025 Monster Hunter Showcase:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE3wwzzXmkg

Monster Hunter Wilds is available for the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the fourth title update with Gogmazios and Arch-Tempered Jin Dahaad appears on December 16, 2025. 

The post Gogmazios and Arch-Tempered Jin Dahaad Join Monster Hunter Wilds appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 11, 2025 12:00 PM
    

New Genshin Impact Adeptus Zibai Connected to Istaroth

Another Genshin Impact playable Adeptus named Zibai is on the way, but while this character is connected to Liyue and Rex Lapis, she is also tied to Istaroth and the Moon. She's going to debut in Luna IV when that patch arrives in 2026, though we don't have an exact launch date for her yet.

A handful of details are available about Zibai, with the first announcement tweet on the Genshin Impact social media account bringing up a quote from Istaroth. In it, it suggests that this new character consciously made a choice to leave the moon and head to Liyue to aid Rex Lapis. "Istaroth" said, "The wind carves benevolent favors into stories, sweeping them into the far corners of the world; it whispers tales into legends softened by the mists of memory, destined to be forgotten. Why, then, did you make such a choice?" That post also mentioned she's a Geo type character with a Moon Wheel, rather than a Vision. Her other details reference horses, as her title is White Horse's Fleeting Spring and Constellation is Equa Alba.

Meanwhile, the other post shared a story about Zibai's background, her role in the Archon War, and her nature as an Adeptus. That also included a closer look at her official art.

https://twitter.com/GenshinImpact/status/1998965971826913319

Istaroth is still something of a mystery in Genshin Impact, as the in-game storyline and lore hasn't caught up to share everything about the Four Shades of the Heavenly Principles' Ruler of Time. We do know that her and Venti share the same voice actor.

This means two new characters are confirmed for Luna IV. The other is Columbina, who used to be the Fatui Harbinger called The Damselette. She's been a major player in the story up to this point.

Genshin Impact is available for the PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices, and Zibai will be the next playable Adeptus in the game once Luna IV appears.

The post New Genshin Impact Adeptus Zibai Connected to Istaroth appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 11, 2025 11:00 AM
    

FFVII Ever Crisis Event Turns Aerith Into Kaine, Sephiroth to Nier

The Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis crossover event with NieR: Automata now includes Replicant elements, as there is a gacha banner in the FFVII spin-off involving a Kaine version of Aerith and (brother) Nier version of young Sephiroth. This involves a weapon and gear for each character, as well as the Abraxas Ultimate Weapon for Aerith that's been present on all banners for this collaboration. It will be available until January 7, 2026.

In the case of the Aerith Kaine and Sephiroth Nier items in FFVII Ever Crisis, the weapons are references to NieR Replicant with effects that resemble ones in the original game and the gear pieces are near exact replicas of the costumes. She gets Staff of the Possessed and Garb of the Possessed, while he gets Phoenix Odachi and Garb of the World Ender. Her gear and weapon both have the C Ability Ultra Rippling Twister to hit all enemies with non-elemental damage. Meanwhile, his equipment both have the C Ability Ultra Dark Manifestation that deals magic non-elemental damage to one enemy. 

Here's the official banner image for the characters' equipment:

FFVII Ever Crisis Event Turns Aerith Into Kaine, Sephiroth to Nier
Image via Square Enix

This marks five costumes for the crossover. Things started with 2B Tifa and 10H Yuffie. After that, 9S Cloud showed up. There's also 2B herself in the event as a boss fight with Pod 042.

FFVII Ever Crisis is available for the PC and mobile devices, and the NieR: Automata event runs until and January 7, 2026. NieR: Automata is available for the Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and the anime based on it is streaming on Crunchyroll

The post FFVII Ever Crisis Event Turns Aerith Into Kaine, Sephiroth to Nier appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Thursday, December 11, 2025 10:00 AM
    

Gainax is officially gone after bankruptcy proceedings completed in December 2025

Studio Gainax is officially gone and no more. Hideaki Anno has announced via the Khara website that Gainax has formally ceased to exist as an entity after its bankruptcy proceedings concluded, as reported on the Japanese official telegram on December 10, 2025.

The exact report is available on Page 22 of the telegram, as the first entry (#3451) in the Concluded Bankruptcy Proceedings segment. It mentioned that the bankruptcy proceedings for Gainax had formally concluded on November 27, 2025, after the final creditors' meeting had took place and the asset distributions had been concluded.

In addition, the Japanese National Tax Agency's Corporate Number Publication Site also has an updated entry for Gainax. It noted that the firm's registration record had closed on December 1, 2025, after its liquidation process had been completed.

For the record, Gainax formally filed for bankruptcy in June 2024. As not even Studio Khara could fully repay the loans, it instead worked with other partners to secure Gainax's trademarks and intellectual properties.

Studio Gainax is now completely gone. Hideaki Anno's Studio Khara has since inherited the now-defunct studio's trademarks and titles like the Evangelion franchise. Other companies with the Gainax name, such as Gainax West and Yonago Gainax, exist as completely separate entities.

The post Studio Gainax Is Gone After Bankruptcy Proceedings End appeared first on Siliconera.


Destructoid Thursday, December 11, 2025 3:30 PM
    

A bunch of characters in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

This year, Destructoid is giving out its own awards to various games that have made a significant mark in the industry.

However, we wanted to invite you, our readers, to crown your own king of 2025's video game realm, and the result is unsurprising.

With an overwhelming majority of 90 percent, Destructoid's community, that is you, named Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as its ultimate Game of the Year. That coincides with our own choice, since we also gave Expedition 33 that prestigious title, crowning it as the ultimate game of all games released in 2025.

An Eiffel-like tower in Clair Obscur Expedition 33.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the Destructoid community's ultimate game of the year. Image via Sandfall Interactive

I can't say I didn't expect this to happen. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of the best games of all time, revolutionizing the JRPG genre and making a point about games as an art form. From its music, designs, and sheer artistry, Expedition 33 drives home the idea that yes, video games are a form of art that is worthy of appreciation.

When I first played the game back while I was still at Dot Esports, I immediately knew it would be a hit. I only had four hours to work with at the time, given that it was a limited preview, but I came off it thinking that the game would take the industry by storm. And I was exactly right.

My friends at the time didn't believe me. They thought no JRPG can ever grasp the industry in such a way, as well as that Clair Obscur doesn't scratch that "itch" for traditional JRPG fans. It'd be an oddity, a curious title that has many qualities, but one that ultimately fails on the road to greatness. Well, I guess they missed the mark on that one.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an excellent game, and everyone seems to recognize that now. It swept away the entire Golden Joysticks last month, and I have no doubt it's going to do the same at The Game Awards tonight.

The post You have chosen your ultimate 2025 Game of the Year—and I feel like it needs no explaining appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 11, 2025 3:26 PM
    

Plasma glazed donut in Legends Z-A

The Plasma Glazed donut is a unique item to bake in Pokémon Legends Z-A, and doing so is going to help you find one of the rarest Pokémon in the Mega Dimension DLC.

If you have been wondering where to find Mega Zeraora, you've come to the correct place. Not only is it pretty difficult to find, but you'll need to bake the Plasma Glazed donut to stand a chance. This guide will list the complete recipe to make things easier for you.

How to make Plasma Glazed donut in Pokémon Legends Z-A

The process of constructing the Plasma Glazed donut is slightly different. While you'll still have to reach Hotel Z and speak with Ansha, you'll first have to reach a kid in Vert Sector 3 (location marked in the screenshot below). Exchange a piece of Canari Bread to get Popping Candy in return.

Kid location in Legends Z-A
Image via TPC

Go to Hotel Z and speak with Ansha, and she will allow you to prepare a special Plasma recipe. She will also give details about the targets that you'll need to hit to complete the production. Here's the list of ingredients that you'll need.

  • Three Hyper Roseli Berry (65 Spicy and 85 Sour)
  • Three Hyper Babiri Berry (65 Sour and 170 Bitter)
  • One Hyper Charti Berry (10 Spicy, 5 Sour, 95 Bitter, and 10 Fresh)
  • One Hyper Haban Berry (85 Sweet and 65 Fresh)

Complete the order, and Ansha will provide you with a Plasma Glazed donut, which will spawn a portal from where you can access Mega Zeraora. Naturally, this is one of the hardest donuts to make due to the requirements. However, the grind is undoubtedly worth it if you're looking to take down Mega Zeraora in the Mega Dimension DLC.

The Old-Fashioned donuts also work similarly, as they allow you to defeat the three legendaries: Rayquaza, Groudon, and Kyogre. Some like the Bad Dreams Cruller donut are required instead to complete quests. Ideally, always save the Hyper Berries that will be required to complete these recipes so that you can progress towards completing the Mega Dimension DLC.

The post How to make Plasma Glazed donut in Pokémon Legends Z-A Mega Dimension (Mega Zeraora encounter) appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 11, 2025 3:00 PM
    

E33 GOTy 2025

"For those who come after," Destructoid is pleased to announce its winner for its 2025 Game of the Year Award, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Sandfall Interactive's debut title, a turn-based RPG set in a beautiful yet haunting world, has been praised across the gamut of the industry since launching earlier this year. Boasting gorgeous visuals, a gloriously bombastic soundtrack, and a harrowing story of love and loss, Expedition 33 is the best game of 2025 and one of the most memorable new titles in recent years.

Expedition 33 Maelle battle
Image via Sandfall Interactive

Below, some Destructoid contributors have written their thoughts and explanations as to what makes this game so special and why it's our Game of the Year for 2025.

Scott Duwe (Staff Writer)

Expedition 33 was a game that was on my radar from the moment it debuted in June 2024 thanks to its stylish spin on turn-based combat. Less than a year later, I was thrilled to be playing it for my first review at Destructoid. From its somber opening moments, it felt like a very special title, and that sentiment only grew from there. I scored it a 9.5, and felt validated as I saw all of the other tremendously high scores come flying in soon after.

Everything in E33 exudes quality, from the satisfying QTE-laden turn-based combat to the open world exploration in an apocalyptic painted setting, but its soundtrack stands out most to me several months after release. When I think of "needle drop" moments in gaming, E33 is at the top of the list for several of those where I was almost knocked back in my chair.

This video below illustrates just one of them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qpZWJGDkls&pp=ygUUZTMzIGdhbWUgb2YgdGhlIHllYXI%3D

From the moment I completed it, Expedition 33 became my top contender for game of the year. I've played and reviewed over a dozen other titles this year since then, but the story of Gustave, Maelle, Lune, Sciel, Verso, Monoco, and all the others has continued to reign supreme in my mind.

As an expertly crafted love letter to JRPGs of the past with several new mechanics to make it even more exciting, E33 didn't really need to have a great story to be a good game, because the total package itself, outside of that, is so stellar. But the prolific gut-punch pay-off in the tale of the Dessendre family wrapped a melancholy bow around that package to create something truly memorable and put it over the top for my vote.

E33 is a monumental achievement made all the more impressive considering its origins and humble beginnings. It apparently had a budget of less than $10 million, and the game's impressive composer Lorien Testard was discovered after sharing his music from SoundCloud, after some of Sandfall's devs moved on from Ubisoft. It's just a pretty incredible story overall.

Expedition 33 Lune battle scene
Image via Sandfall Interactive

And so when we put it to a group vote among all Destructoid writers and staff, the tallies confirmed what I've been saying since April: Expedition 33 is an instant classic, and well deserving of our GOTY honors.

Drew Kopp (Freelance writer)

Within the first hour, Expedition 33 transmogrified my eyes into waterfalls. It takes most other games at least 10 hours to do that.

Rachel Samples (Editor-in-chief)

Two words kept popping into my head throughout my Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 playthrough: "cinematic masterpiece." From the first few opening scenes, this RPG declared itself a front-runner for GOTY long before other industry giants had a chance to stake their claims.

The game's fantastical world-building and stunning visuals will pull you in, while its nuanced but lovable cast and heart-wrenching story will get you to stay. With fun and innovative gameplay mechanics, provocative voice performances, and beautifully crafted narrative, Expedition 33 will forever live on my list of favorites.

Expedition 33 twisted tower
Image via Sandfall Interactive

Hadley Vincent (Freelance writer)

Clair Obscur had me standing up, applauding, and telling my friends that this is GOTY before I even set off on Expedition 33. You give me a good narrative and I'm in, and E33 took me all the way with its otherworldly mystery, flawless OST, and haunting Gommage. E33 is a painful journey about hope, acceptance, and moving on.

Regardless of where you're at right now, E33 is a story we can all learn from as expeditioners in life. I'm no turn-based RPG fan, but E33 did what others couldn't — it changed my mind on the genre, and I'm thankful for my time on Expedition 33.

Ross Deason (Director of Content)

Only game I have actually completed in 5 years should tell you a lot.

The post Destructoid's 2025 Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 11, 2025 3:00 PM
    

An Eifel-like tower in Clair Obscur Expedition 33.

This year has been a blast through and through for gamers. Other parts of modern society have been shaken at their core over the course of 2025, but video games persevered, allowing us to escape what's around us even if briefly.

Indie games utterly dominated the year, with back-to-back successes coming from solo developers, small studios, and independent ventures alike. They are the true heroes of 2025, having rung the alarms at every corporate AAA studio, causing them to rethink their approach to game development.

Some games were simply the best, and we wanted to honor their contributions to games as an art form. We previously nominated our potential winners, and are now ready to show you the best of the best.

Destructoid's best games of 2025

ARC Raiders
Image via Embark Studios

The following games were nominated by Destructoid's staff in 11 categories, each category containing the editorial's top five favorite games, out of which we ran a second vote to choose the ultimate winner. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the most nominated game, carrying three categories, including Game of the Year, and three performances in the Best Acting Performance category. It's no wonder, as award shows have shown.

So, here are our winners.

Destructoid's Game of the Year

E33 GOTy 2025
Image via Sandfall Interactive | Remix by Destructoid

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Read more about why E33 is our GOTY here.

Best Indie Game

  • Dispatch

Best RPG

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Best Narrative

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Best Multiplayer Game

  • ARC Raiders

Best Live-Service Game

  • ARC Raiders

Best Acting Performance

  • Ben Starr (as Verso in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)

Best Sports Game

  • EA Sports FC 26

Best Action Game

  • Hades 2

Best Fighting Game

  • 2XKO

Most Anticipated Game

  • GTA 6

The most exciting part of this whole awards process was that we figured most games, and the most successful ones especially, are original titles and not sequels. 2XKO, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Dispatch are all standalone titles, with the first one only sharing a universe with League of Legends. Even so, sequels have overwhelmed the modern gaming industry, and it's good to see original titles performing and even dominating the current scene.

Expedition 33 is, as expected, the most-awarded game, winning every category it was nominated in. We expect no less from tonight's The Game Awards, where E33 is the most-nominated game of the show's history.

The post Here are our Destructoid Awards 2025 winners – The best games of this year appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 11, 2025 2:54 PM
    

Geralt of Rivia in a bathtub in The Witcher 3.

The Witcher 3 is over 10 years old, and one of CDPR's finest games (perhaps even the best game of all time). Now, it seems it's getting a DLC, which is to be announced at today's The Game Awards show, or so claims Borys Nieśpielak, a Polish leaker familiar with CDPR.

Nieśpielak first made claims of an impending The Witcher 3 DLC back during the summer, though nothing came of it throughout the rest of the year. Now, he is certain the DLC is in the works and that The Game Awards are the perfect place to announce it.

"I bet this is the best time to announce this DLC," Nieśpielak said during the Dec. 11 episode of the Rock i Borys Podcast. "I would be surprised if it wasn't announced now," he added. Nieśpielak went on to say that this is no longer just speculation on his part, but that it's been "confirmed... with several other sources... with one of the biggest [sources], so to speak."

"This is a sure thing, this DLC for The Witcher 3," he said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVuNjsGTNk4

The Witcher 3 released all the way back in 2015, over ten years ago. It got two expansion packs, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, as well as over a dozen free smaller DLC, such as a new mission, items, and so on. It would be unprecedented for a company to revisit its decade-old title and release a new DLC, though Gearbox did do something similar for Borderlands 2 to tie it in with the release of Borderlands 3.

My assumption is that this will be a free, small-scale DLC that ties The Witcher 3 in with The Witcher 4, probably explaining (at least in some capacity) what drove Ciri to take the mutations and become a fully-fledged witcher, given that she already has tremendous power stemming from her heritage as a Child of the Elder Blood.

It'd be interesting and revitalize The Witcher 3, which nevertheless remains alive and healthy and still enjoyed by countless players.

The post The Witcher 3 is a decade old, but it's apparently getting a new DLC, according to leaks appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 11, 2025 2:15 PM
    

Verso and Squall from Expedition 33 and Final Fantasy VIII

2025 is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's year. Still, for all of its technical and artistic achievements, it's not infinite, and even replay enthusiasts should let go at some point. The void will feel immense, so let's look at similar titles you don't want to miss out on.

Final Fantasy 8

Art for Final Fantasy VIII with Seifer, Rinoa, and Squall.
Image via Square Enix

Clair Obscur's director Guillaume Broche has cited Final Fantasy 8 as one of his favorite games, and it shows. There's a whole minigame in trying to list all the influences Final Fantasy 8 had on Expedition 33, from the world's art to some of the characters' looks and personalities, but you're even better off just playing Final Fantasy 8. Much like Clair Obscur, FF8 took a completely bold approach to the JRPG genre, but it just wasn't as well-received. Sure, Final Fantasy 8 sold big time and achieved critical acclaim upon release, but it quickly got hit by an unhinged tsunami of backlash that rendered it the black sheep of the franchise to this day. That's sad, as players should've at least respected Squaresoft's attempt at preventing things from going stale, especially in a game that, less popular mechanics aside, remains a tremendous cinematic, musical, and overall aesthetic triumph to this day.

Final Fantasy 8 should've hit just as hard as Expedition 33 did upon release, but it came out to a world that just wasn't ready. The great praise some of the key people behind Expedition 33 have showered FF8 with prompted many to give it a try, and I'm sure they didn't regret it. You can be next.

Lost Odyssey

A battle in Lost Odyssey
Image via Microsoft

One of the reasons why the Xbox 360 was easily the best Microsoft soldier in the console wars was how that's the only generation when the company addressed the need to compete with the PlayStation's JRPG offerings, and Lost Odyssey was their crowning achievement. Lost Odyssey was everything a Final Fantasy game should be, or should've been, considering how it came out very close to Final Fantasy 13, which was everything a Final Fantasy title shouldn't have been.

On top of a great story, cool looks, and characters, Lost Odyssey even featured a proto version of the QTE-style events that made Expedition 33's turn-based battles so fresh and immediately memorable.

Vagrant Story

The cover art for Vagrant Story
Image via Square Enix

Some argue Vagrant Story is the best game on the original PlayStation, and I believe the only reason that number isn't much higher is that not enough people bought it. This is one of the finest, most engrossing, and most original RPGs ever made, and more people need to know about it.

Whereas I can see why games such as Final Fantasy 8 and Skies of Arcadia failed to sell, one because it strayed too far from Final Fantasy, the other because it didn't have "Final Fantasy" in the title, Vagrant Story's commercial failure, or failure to dominate sales, to be more precise, baffles most who got to play it. It was one of the most gorgeous games on the PlayStation, featured all-new mechanics that anyone could enjoy, and even had the same marketing machine behind it that the Final Fantasy series had. Luckily, because of its beautiful art style and direction, Vagrant Story remains a game anyone should give a try even today.

Skies of Arcadia

Vyse and Aika in Skies of Arcadai
Image via Sega

Skies of Arcadia not only nailed the beloved basics of JRPG combat, but it also added an extra dimension via its unique world composed of layers of explorable floating islands that, unsurprisingly, are really fun to explore when you happen to have a flying pirate ship.

Skies of Arcadia was capable of going toe to toe with any of the best additions to the genre during the PS2 years, but it fell to the Dreamcast curse, which prevented it from reaching the popularity it deserved. Had it come out for the PlayStation 2, I certainly wouldn't have to be reminding people of its existence, though I do it with pleasure.

Though Shenmue is the Dreamcast's best-known title, it's never going to be the best when there's Skies of Arcadia.

Panzer Dragoon Saga

Panzer Dragoon Saga was Sega's answer to Final Fantasy 7, and the relatively few people in the know are aware that this was no marketing ploy. Saga offered a tremendous alternative to the then-reigning FF-style gameplay through its battle system inspired by the classic on-rails Panzer Dragoon titles. The result was a game where frantic movement prevented any battle from ever feeling stale.

And there's a reason why I'm putting this one last. Panzer Dragoon Saga acts as Simon, that optional boss that'll absolutely kick everyone's ass. That's not because Saga is harder to play through, but it's the hardest game on this list to get to play, as the only ways are via either emulation or for shelling out over $500 to get a used copy to run on the Saturn that you so totally own. Sadly, though entirely deserving, there's no guarantee that a remaster will ever come to fruition, as we don't know if Sega still has the source code in its possession.

The post Want more like Expedition 33? Try out these underrated JRPGs appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 11, 2025 2:15 PM
    

Uriel in action in Warframe

The Old Peace update in Warframe has added plenty of new ways to build your frames, and Tektolyst Artifact mods will allow you to customize your loadouts further.

Added to the game as part of the latest update, the Tektolyst Artifact mods boost various stats of your Operator/Drifter. It's an entirely separate category with 20 different options available at launch. Let's look at all the available options in Warframe and how you'll be able to obtain them.

All Tektolyst Artifact mods in Warframe

The 25 Tektolyst Artifact mods are categorized under the five Fousc schools. Every mod is aligned towards a specific school and has synergistic bonuses with its own/other schools.

The table below has information about all 20 Tektolyst Artifact mods and how they work.

Name Focus School Effects
Sil-Tabol Madurai +60% Amp Status Chance.
+15% Status Damage for each Vazarin School Mod.
Ubri-Kaneph Madurai +60% Damage to Amps.
+10% bonus for each Mod from a unique School.
Hayan-Dabor Madurai +60% Amp Multishot.
Vikla-Safor Madurai +30% Amp Fire Rate.
+30% Amp Ammo Efficiency.
Omn-Evi Naramon +60% Amp Critical Chance.
+10% Amp Critical Damage for each Zenurik School Mod.
Metem-Erun Naramon Increase Operator Sprint Speed by 30%.
+5% bonus for each Mod from a unique School.
Evir-Ti Naramon +60% Operator Jump Height.
Hok-Kaal Naramon After using Void Mode, the next Amp attack deals x3.0 bonus damage (cooldown 5s).
Vik-Anama Zenurik +30% Maximum Amp Energy.
+5% Amp Energy Regen Rate for each Madurai School Mod.
Empazu-Shol Zenurik +12% Tauron Strike Initial Charge.
+2% bonus for each Mod from a unique School.
Esti Vel-Ikha Zenurik Increased maximum Void Sling distance by 30%.
+10% Void Sling radius for each Mod from a unique School.
Sey-Taph Zenurik +30% Void Sling Efficiency.
Da-Ren Vazarin +300 Operator Shields.
+30 bonus for each Unairu School Mod.
Metem-Hakh Vazarin +30% Operator Health & Shields.
+5% bonus for each Mod from a Unique School.
Lorun-Tash Vazarin +400 Operator Armor.
Yar Dal Vazarin +300 Operator Health.
Kaal-Zidi Unairu +30% Void Mode efficiency.
+5% Movement Speed in Void Mode for each Naramon School Mod.
Lashta-Vak Unairu Void Sling breaks Containers within 12m.
+2m bonus for each Mod from a Unique School.
Talsenk-An Unairu Gain knockdown immunity. When knockdown is blocked, enter Void Mode for 3s (cooldown 7.5s).
Ulashta-Shol Unairu -60% Transference Static duration.

How to get and equip Tektolyst Artifact mods in Warframe

Tektolyst Mods in Warframe
Screenshot by Destructoid

To obtain these mods, you'll have to participate in Perita Rebellion missions. You can then find the mods as random drops from enemies, and they appear to be quite rare. Once you find them, you'll be able to equip and use them.

But first, you'll need a Tektolyst Artifact. You can find a Tektolyst Artifact after complete The Old Peace quest. Go to La Cathedrale, and you'll find Marie selling all five Tek Artifacts. You'll also need 150 of every boss reward: Lyroic Bridge, Ren Hypercore, and Ascaris Prime. Once you add a Tek Artifact to your loadout, you can then equip a maximum of five Tektolyst mods ot it.

The post All Tektolyst Artifact mods in Warframe The Old Peace and how to get them appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 11, 2025 1:28 PM
    

Roathe, a blue Orokin and Uriel's Protoframe, stands in front of a throne in what looks like hell.

Warframe's The Old Peace update brought the Vinquibus bayonet, and with it, the Harrowing Spire stance mod unique to this weapon type. It drops from one of the update's activities, and it's an upgrade—even though it's similar to the base version.

The value of the Harrowing Spire bayonet mod isn't necessarily in its moveset, but rather, how it gives you just a little more room to slot other mods in your build. Here's how you can get this.

How to get the Vinquibus stance mod in Warframe

A Warframe player gets the Harrowing Spire mod as a drop from a container in Descendia
Luck works. Screenshot by Destructoid

The Harrowing Spire mod drops from random containers in Descendia, with a one percent chance of you getting one when opening them. If you can stand the heat, Steel Path doubles the drop rate of any mods, which seems to apply to Harrowing Spire. We got ours in our first full Descendia run on Steel Path, after trying once on Normal to no avail.

You can also buy Harrowed Spire from other players. Third-party tools such as warframe.market can help you link with sellers, and Maroo's Bazar or the in-game trading channel can also get you in touch with other Tenno looking to part with their surplus drops.

What does the Harrowing Spire bayonet mod do in Warframe?

The Harrowing Spire moveset in Warframe
The Vinquibus' melee strikes have some good area-of-effect. Screenshot by Destructoid

The Harrowing Spire mod matches the Vinquibus' unique moveset, so while it doesn't make the weapon behave that differently, you also get extra mod energy by slotting it in, like the rest of stance and aura mods. It's essentially a free upgrade for your Vinquibus, giving you 10 extra energy on the weapon's melee counterpart. The Old Peace bayonet has an Omni polarity for its stance slot, so don't worry about switching stances down the road.

Harrowing Spire has wide attacks, and its heavy attack is a downward slam. This makes it a bit more suited to crowd control than to single-target damage, but you can always aim down sights to unleash the power of Vinquibus's ranged form.

The post How to get the Harrowing Spire Bayonet stance mod in Warframe appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 11, 2025 1:28 PM
    

Mega Zeraora in Legends Z-A

Mega Zeraora is one of the hardest Pokémon to find in Legends Z-A, but if you own Mega Dimension DLC, you can definitely spot it after going through multiple tasks.

There are plenty of new Megas that you can encounter in the game. Some of them are just special encounters, while the rest are boss battles. This guide will quickly tell you all the steps to complete if you want to encounter Mega Zeraora in Pokémon Legends Z-A.

How to locate Mega Zeraora in PokémonPokémon Legends Z-A

You can't find Mega Zeraora out in the open, even if you own the Mega Dimension DLC. For starters, you'll have to finish the main story of the DLC, which involves coming up against the likes of Rayquaza. These encounters require special donuts, and the boss battles are pretty hard as well.

Kid location in Legends Z-A
Image via TPC

Once done, head to Racine Construction and speak with Terragon. You'll have to purchase Canari Bread from him, which you'll have to offer to a kid in Vert Sector 3. His location is marked on the screenshot above, and you'll find him on top of the roof.

Once you offer him the Canari Bread, he will provide you with a Popping Candy. Add the item to your backpack, and head back to Hotel Z. At the hotel, you'll need to craft a special Plasma Donut using the following recipe.

  • Three Hyper Roseli Berry
  • Three Hyper Babiri Berry
  • One Hyper Charti Berry
  • One Hyper Haban Berry

This will create a Plasma Glazed Donut in your hand, which allows you to access a portal to Zeraora. The portal will open opposite the Gare de Lumiose, and you'll have the option to fast travel to the spot.

Vert Pokemon Center location in Legends Z-A
Image via TPC

Of course, this only completes the first part of the stiff test, as you'll still have to defeat the Rogue Mega Zeraora.

How to defeat the Mega Zeraora in Pokémon Legends Z-A

The first task is to use a team that directly counters Mega Zeraora's elemental advantage. As he is a pure-Electric type, use Ground-type Pokémon, or Pokémon that have Ground attacks in their kit. Avoid using Electric, Flying, and Steel-type Pokémon/attacks since they will have resistance to those elements.

That's pretty much the only advantage you can have, since the rest of the battle will rely heavily on your dodging skills.

The post How to get Mega Zeraora in Pokémon Legends Z-A Mega Dimension appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 11, 2025 12:41 PM
    

Uriel, the Devil Warframe, holds a Vinquibus bayonet.

Warframe's The Old Peace update is far larger than it seemed, bringing a slew of activities and missions to Tenno everywhere. That said, the most anticipated part of the update (outside of new romance options) may be Uriel and his weapon of choice, the hellish Vinquibus bayonet.

This unique weapon actually counts as two, since you must equip it both as a primary and as a melee. It's another grand experiment by Digital Extremes, and one that seems to be going well. Here's how to acquire it.

How to farm the Vinquibus in Warframe

Roathe, a blue Orokin and Uriel's Protoframe, stands in front of a throne in what looks like hell.
Okay, maybe expecting the Protoframe for the Devil to be chill was a bad move on my part. Image via Digital Extremes

The Vinquibus Blueprints may drop from the final level of Descendia, after defeating the last boss and clearing the end of Floor 21. Once you've completed this infernal activity, you can start further runs on the bottom floor, giving you a chance at Vinquibus parts just by taking down the final boss.

Since The Old Peace is a tripartite update—the eponymous story quest, the Devil's Triad, and the Dark Refractory—getting the Vinquibus also requires you to interact with all three types of content. Though you get the blueprints from Descendia, the resources to build those weapons drop from the Perita Rebellion.

You can buy the Vinquibus Blueprints from Roathe using Maphica as well, if your luck doesn't favor you. We've listed their costs and crafting requirements below.

Blueprint Requirements Cost (Maphica)
Vinquibus Blueprint All built parts + 35,000 Credits 35
Vinquibus Barrel Blueprint Agnovidisc x 325
Laudavi x 350
Servoris x 120
25
Vinquibus Blade Blueprint Agnovidisc x825
Laudavi x200
Servoris x130
25
Vinquibus Receiver Blueprint Agnovidisc x725
Laudavi x250
Servoris x95
25
Vinquibus Stock Blueprint Agnovidisc x625
Laudavi x530
Servoris x85
25
Total Agnovidisc x 2,500
Laudavi x 1,330
Servoris x 430
135

Getting the Vinquibus may be the easy part due to how simple and quick it is to farm, though you may still need some time to grab all the required materials.

Is the Vinquibus good in Warframe?

Uriel carrying a Vinquibus with a Tenno alongside him in promotional art for Warframe.
Tenno armor sadly not included. Image via Digital Extremes

The Vinquibus is a single weapon that serves both as a melee and a primary, sharing polarities between the two. You only have to Forma it once for the polarity to apply to both slots at once, and it also comes with an Omni polarity at base to help buildcrafting without having to favor one form over the other.

This in itself offers it quite a bit of peculiarity, but it also boasts a very high base critical chance of 40 percent in primary and melee, with 20 percent status chance at base as well. For the firearm portion of it, we recommend going for Semi-Auto Cannonade if you have it, paired with Critical Delay. The former buffs your damage and locks the weapon's fire rate, meaning you can't get any penalties to it (like the reduction from Critical Delay).

The Vinquibus also synergizes between its two forms: while in ranged mode, landing headshots boosts the damage of your melee attacks, and melee kills improve its ammo efficiency for the next few shots. And while every weapon is its own and can be viable across several difficulties, the Vinquibus does come to a promising start, ushering in the new Bayonet weapon category.

The post How to get the Vinquibus in Warframe appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 11, 2025 12:32 PM
    

BO7 Warzone season 1 art

Weekly challenges make a triumphant return to Call of Duty in Black Ops 7, and gamers couldn't be more thrilled.

Each week, players can complete any number of challenges to earn XP and special rewards, like weapons, camos, and more, including animated camos for the most dedicated players each season.

Here's the running list of all of the weekly challenges in BO7 season one.

Black Ops 7 season 1 weekly challenges list

BO7 weekly challenges
Screenshot by Destructoid

Each new week in every season begins on Thursdays at around 11am CT. Make sure to check back to see what the new challenges are and finish them all so you can earn the seasonal rewards.

Week 1 challenges

BO7 week one challenges season one
Screenshot by Destructoid

The reward for week one is the Ballistic Knife melee weapon. Complete any six of the below challenges to finish that week and earn its reward.

  • Multiplayer

    • Kill 5 enemies detected by your Pinpoint Grenade.

      • 2,500 XP

    • Kill your Nemesis 5 times.

      • 2,500 XP

    • Win 7 matches.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Get 300 eliminations.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Get 12 kills with lethals.

      • 3,500 XP

    • Get 10 kills while your Active Camo or Mute Field Field Upgrade is active.

      • 3,500 XP

  • Zombies

    • Survive 60 total rounds on Astra Malorum.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Eliminate 2,500 Zombies.

      • 5,000 XP

    • With the Wisp Tea Perk active, get 50 Wisp Companion kills.

      • 3,500 XP

    • Kill 10 or more zombies with a single Scorestreak 50 times.

      • 3,500 XP

    • Kill 50 zombies that are affected by your tactical equipment.

      • 2,500 XP

    • Eliminate an Elite Zombie.

      • 2,500 XP

  • Warzone

    • Earn 5 top 10 placements.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Get 40 eliminations.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Open 40 loot crates.

      • 3,500 XP

    • Get 5 eliminations with melee weapons.

      • 3,500 XP

    • Complete 3 contracts.

      • 2,500 XP

    • Get 2 kills with lethals.

      • 2,500 XP

  • Endgame

    • Jailbreak your weapon 3 times.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Eliminate 250 human enemies.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Kill 25 enemies with or affected by your abilities.

      • 3,500 XP

    • Get 10 Scorestreak kills.

      • 3,500 XP

    • Get 10 kills with equipment.

      • 2,500 XP

    • Eliminate 3 Guild Raiders.

      • 2,500 XP

Week 2 challenges

Akita Scorchlink Akimbo BO7 attachment
Screenshot by Destructoid

The reward for week two is the Akita Scorchlink Akimbo attachment for the Akita shotgun. Complete any six of the below challenges to finish week two to earn it.

  • Multiplayer

    • Earn 40,000 total score.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Get 250 eliminations with assault rifles.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Earn 10 Double Kill medals or better.

      • 3,500 XP

    • Get 10 kills with the Skewer or RC-XD scorestreak.

      • 3,500 XP

    • Get 10 kills with melee weapons.

      • 2,500 XP

    • Get 10 headshots.

      • 2,500 XP

  • Zombies

    • Survive a round beyond round 15 20 times.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Get 1,000 zombie eliminations with Pack-a-Punched assault rifles.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Earn 25 Slaughter medals (5 rapid kills).

      • 3,500 XP

    • Get 300 critical kills.

      • 3,500 XP

    • Earn 5 Jackrabbit medals (15 kills without taking damage)

      • 2,500 XP

    • Earn a Monkey Business medal (10 or more kills with a single Cymbal Monkey)

      • 2,500 XP

  • Warzone

    • Get 40 eliminations with assault rifles.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Complete 10 Scavenger contracts.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Get 2 eliminations without dying 5 times.

      • 3,500 XP

    • Open 15 Loot Caches in a single match 3 times.

      • 3,500 XP

    • Get 5 headshots.

      • 2,500 XP

    • Get 2 kills with launchers.

      • 2,500 XP

  • Endgame

    • Eliminate 50 Guild Tech enemies.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Get 250 eliminations with assault rifles.

      • 5,000 XP

    • Get a kill while driving a vehicle 25 times.

      • 3,500 XP

    • Destroy 3 Guild D.A.W.G.s

      • 3,500 XP

    • Eliminate 10 Guild G-R5.

      • 2,500 XP

    • Get 50 critical kills.

      • 3,500 XP

Season 1 Rewards

For season one, the two main rewards are the Feedin' Time animated camo (earn five weekly rewards) and Coral Streaks animated camo (earn all nine weekly rewards).


This article will be updated with each week's challenges and rewards throughout season one.

The post All weekly challenges in Black Ops 7 season 1 appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 11, 2025 11:36 AM
    

Warzone BO7 season 1 operators

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to game online and chop it up with friends and being unable to do so.

In Call of Duty: Warzone or Black Ops 7, if server issues aren't a problem, you can sometimes run into issues with being able to communicate via in-game voice or text chat. That makes chasing down W's a bit harder, especially if you're trying to call out to your friends and they can't hear you.

CoD's "voice and text chat disabled due to platform restrictions" error is a big problem for some gamers these days, and it's become more prevalent in recent times. If you're getting this error, you're not alone, and we have some info on what it could mean.

CoD Warzone voice chat not working error

Photo via u/Own_Consequence1163 on Reddit

The Call of Duty "voice and text chat disabled due to platform restrictions" has been a recurring issue over the past few years, but it began to pop up a lot more during Black Ops 7's season 1in December 2025.

Many players have reported the issue appearing and then disappearing, only to reappear again, so it may be a bug with the game that needs to be fixed by the developers. Others reported that it had to do with having an active PlayStation Plus subscription.

A common reason for this issue, however, is a potential temporary chat ban from Activision. Call of Duty games monitor voice and text chat and sometimes submits automatic bans or restrictions from chat if you are labeled an offender. If you think this may be the case, you can check your CoD account's status and attempt to appeal a ban by visiting this page on the Activision website.

There are a few steps you can take to try and fix the problem. As always, try resetting your internet or PC/console first. Then, make sure your privacy settings on the console and CoD itself allow for you to use communications on the app. Also double-check that you're in the proper chat channels within the CoD app as well.

Activision hasn't officially acknowledged this potential issue of late, but if you're still having problems, it's worth posting on social media and looking for help via official Activision channels.

The post How to fix Warzone 'voice and text chat disabled due to platform restrictions' error appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 11, 2025 9:30 AM
    

Player posing with hands on hips in front of blue castle in disney dreamlight valley

Duties are essential tasks to complete regularly if you want to maintain a healthy supply of Dreamlight in Disney Dreamlight Valley. Sometimes, though, the tasks you're given might be too tricky to tackle, so you may want to re-roll them.

Prior to The Winter Ball update, skipping duties wasn't an option, so you were stuck with what you had. Luckily, though, this has been changed, which means you now have more control over the missions you see and complete. Here's how to re-roll duties in Disney Dreamlight Valley.

How to skip Dreamlight Duties in Disney Dreamlight Valley

Re-roll duties option marked in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

You can re-roll a duty by selecting the icon featuring two arrows in a circle near the top right corner next to all available missions. Before you can re-roll a mission, you need to have at least one re-roll token available for use.

The re-roll option is only available for duties that fall under the main Dreamlight Duties page or those that take over across DLC worlds, like Mist Duties and Storybook Duties. All other duties that fall under the other categories, like Mining or Foraging, cannot be rerolled. You also can't use this feature on regular duties or routine duties featured in events like Winter Warmth, Witchful Thinking, and Retro Roadtrip.

How to get re-roll tokens in Disney Dreamlight Valley

Re-roll tokens are granted whenever you have fewer than three available to use and you complete a Dreamlight Duty. If you have three saved, you cannot gain any additional ones until you spend one. Only one re-roll token is granted for each completed mission, so if you use all three, you'll need to finish three duties to gain three back.

How to unlock duty re-rolling in Disney Dreamlight Valley

Re-roll duties in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

Re-rolling isn't available right away, so if you can't use this feature, you need to keep completing duties featured on the Dreamlight Duty page until you get a pop-up. At this point, you'll be given your first three re-rolls for free.

It took me about seven duties for the pop-up to appear, but other players on Discord have shared different numbers, like five or six. The exact requirements are unclear, but as of the time of writing, I haven't seen anyone need to tackle more than 10 duties to unlock it, so just keep at it, and you should gain access to it in no time.

How many duties can you skip in Disney Dreamlight Valley?

You can skip and re-roll up to three duties in a row. There's no cooldown on this feature, though, so as long as you keep completing duties to earn more re-roll tokens, you can really skip as many as you want. You'll just have to take small breaks in between to earn more re-rolls.

There are lots of other tricky features in DDV that you may need some help learning about. Some of these features include placing stalls in DLC worlds, changing your Dream Castle skin, unlocking all horses and mounts, and getting the Sakura Blossom Dragon Community Companion.

The post How to re-roll duties in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Thursday, December 11, 2025 9:25 AM
    

Magearna in Legends Z-A

Mega Magearna is one of the several new mega evolutions in Pokémon Legends Z-A, added as part of the Mega Dimension DLC, and you can add it to your squad by reaching the endgame.

The Mega Dimension DLC has its fair share of quests to complete, which begin after you have finished the main story. One such quest will introduce you to Magearna, and you'll also get a clue about how to mega-evolve it.

This guide will help you reach that position from where you'll be able to find Magearna and then mega evolve it in Pokémon Legends Z-A.

How to get Magearna in Pokémon Legends Z-A

You'll come across Megearna in the Side Mission 195 - Restarting Magearna quest. To begin the quest, you'll first have to complete the Mega Dimension DLC, which will allow you to access the side quest. To start the side quest, head over to Quasartico Inc.

Quasartico building in Pokemon Legends Z-A
Screenshot by Destructoid

Head inside and speak with Jett, and he will show you a dormant Magearna. He will inform you that you'll need a Mega Stone to awaken it. To get the stone, you'll need to gather 999 Mega Shards. Once you have found 999 Mega Shards, return to Jett.

He will give you Magearna, along with the Magearnite Mega Stone. This stone will allow you to mega evolve Magearna.

How to mega evolve Magearna in Pokémon Legends Z-A

When you obtain Magearna for the first time, it will be at level 80. You'll need to use it in different battles to increase its level. Once that part is done, you can then use the Magearnite Mega stone from your inventory to mega evolve your Magearna.

Magearna in Legends Z-A
Screenshot by Destructoid

Once you receive the Magearna and Magearnite, it will complete the Restarting Magearna quest, and provide you with the following rewards:

  • 20,000 Poke Coins
  • 5 Exp. Candy XL

The post How to get Mega Magearna in Pokémon Legends Z-A Mega Dimension appeared first on Destructoid.


WGB Thursday, December 11, 2025 10:05 AM
     Fans speculate that Bethesda's holiday trailer for Skyrim on Switch 2 hints at a potential Elder Scrolls 6 release in 2027, based on specific level references. However, confirmation remains elusive.

MonsterVine Thursday, December 11, 2025 9:00 AM
     We spoke with the producer of NC America on Blade & Soul Heroes, Evan Hill, about the reception the game has had with this new entry, supplementary and additional improvements for the non-Korean release, and more. Veerender Singh Jubbal: What made the team want to pursue Blade & Soul Heroes alongside tackling it very differently, […]