Oct 17, 16:00


GamersHeroes Friday, October 17, 2025 10:55 AM
    

Ringing in 25 years of precision executions and careful planning, one can start their weekend right with today's release of the HITMAN World of Assassination 25th Anniversary Box for the PlayStation 5.

The post HITMAN World of Assassination 25th Anniversary Box Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 3:58 PM
    

An Arc Raider helmet sits abandoned on the ground.

The extraction shooter is looking to test the limits of its servers ahead of its October 30 release

The post Following A Slow Rollout On Steam, <i>Arc Raiders'</i> Server Test Is Open To All (And It's Super Fun) appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 3:28 PM
    

Cyberpunk 2077 appears on a Switch 2 and Xbox Ally X.

My time with the Xbox Ally X left me that much more impressed with Nintendo new console

The post The Switch 2 Holding Its Own Against A Top PC Gaming Handheld Feels Like A Small Miracle appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 2:27 PM
    

A big yellow smiley ball sits in an abandoned space.

Dreamcore sends you deep into the liminally unknown

The post One Of The Creepiest Games Of The Year Is Pure Vibes, No Jump Scares appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 2:27 PM
    

Pikachu and Shep pose for the camera.

Even Pokémon veterans will need to get used to some of the changes in Lumiose City

The post 13 Things To Know Before Starting <em>Pokémon Legends: Z-A</em> appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 1:03 PM
    

User reviews for The Grinch: Christmas Adventures - Merry & Mischievous Edition are filled with more sex-related content than you'd expect

The post Xbox Game Pass's New Grinch Game Is Receiving A Lot Of Angry And Horny Reviews appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 12:45 PM
    

Samsung Pro Plus

You won't need to delete old files to make room for new ones ever again.

The post Samsung PRO Plus microSD Card With Adapter Drops to Just $0.07 per GB, Likely Clearing Out Stock appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 12:15 PM
    

Office Pro 2021

Score the ultimate productivity suite while a one-and-done purchase is just $40, an 81% discount that's sure to go quickly.

The post Forget Subscriptions, Microsoft Office 2021 Lifetime License (Windows and Mac) Is Almost Free With Over 80% Off appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 11:45 AM
    

Hisense Tv

This screen can make a great addition to your bedroom or smaller living rooms.

The post Hisense 32-Inch Smart Roku TV Now Priced Like a Portable Monitor, Cheaper Than Black Friday appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 11:42 AM
    

An AI colonel rests his arm around Kojima.

Kojima paints an optimistic future where we can use planet-killing plagiarism machines to 'boost efficiency'

The post <i>Death Stranding</i> Director Hideo Kojima Embraces 'Creating Together With AI' appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 11:29 AM
    

Some critics enjoyed this new vampire adventure while others found it to be a boring mess, but they all seem to agree that it's not really a sequel to the OG Bloodlines

The post Reviews Are All Over The Place For <i>Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2</i> appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 11:15 AM
    

Hp Elitebook

One of our favorite laptops is now going for 63% off.

The post HP's 4.9-Star Laptop (Intel 12-Core Ultra 7) Sees $1,800 Price Cut to Compete With Dell and Lenovo's Deals on the Market appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 11:08 AM
    

Shep and Zygarde in its dog form stand on top of a roof in Lumiose City.

Shinies don't despawn this time around, so if you've got a rubber band, you can farm while you make dinner

The post You Can Farm Shinies In <em>Pokémon Legends: Z-A</em> Without Even Touching The Controller appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 10:58 AM
    

Aloy looks confused.

Also: Borderlands 4's big build nerfs are delayed

The post Sony's Big Legal Feud Over A <i>Horizon Zero Dawn</i> Rip-Off Gets Even Messier appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 10:45 AM
    

Tplinkdecos4

Set yourself up with a mesh network of routers in your home, available as solo models or in a 2-pack or 3-pack.

The post Internet Coverage for Pennies With the TP-Link Deco Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Bundle at Its Lowest Price appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 10:15 AM
    

Legominecraftbadlands

Save 27% on the LEGO Minecraft The Badlands Mineshaft 538-piece set for a limited time.

The post LEGO Minecraft The Badlands Mineshaft Set Is Going for Peanuts as Amazon Clears Out the Last Few Units appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 10:00 AM
    

A zombie Marvel character holds up a fist.

The announcement follows large dips in the player base

The post <i>Marvel Rivals</i> Breaks Glass On PVE Zombies Mode To Win Players Back appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 9:52 AM
    

An Intern Pikachu plush wears a suit, glasses, and holds a briefcase.

The latest 'Teraleak' included information about Wind and Wave, the Generation X games

The post The Pokémon Company Is Apparently Putting The Legal Smackdown On Leaks appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 9:45 AM
    

Dell Inspiron 15 3535

A limited-time deal at Amazon is dropping over $1,500 from the price of this Windows 11 Pro laptop and accessories bundle.

The post Dell's Cleaning House on Its 5-Star Ryzen 7 Laptop at 69% Off (32GB RAM, 1TB SSD), $399 Worth of Free Accessories Included appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 9:32 AM
    

Mario gives the thumbs up in front of Switch 2s on a shelf.

The Mario maker will reportedly produce 25 million units in the first year

The post Report: Nintendo Is Flooding The Market With Switch 2s And Shows No Signs Of Stopping appeared first on Kotaku.


Kotaku Friday, October 17, 2025 9:15 AM
    

Goveepermanentoutdoorlights

String up your holiday lights without ever having to take them back down — Govee Outdoor Lights for up to 37% off.

The post Govee Just Made Halloween Decorating Practically Free With a 200ft Permanent Outdoor Lights Pro Deal appeared first on Kotaku.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 3:00 PM
    

Dune Awakening just got a discount worthy of the Lisan al-Gaib, with such sandworm-sized deal that it's down to its lowest price ever.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 1:43 PM
    

If you want a break from the never-ending war, the best BF6 Portal codes can be a way to have some silly fun or get some practice in.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 12:43 PM
    

Fusing Terraria's sandbox magic with Rimworld base-building and Stardew Valley farming, survival crafter Necesse is 50% off as it hits 1.0.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 12:29 PM
    

Return of the Obra Dinn is undoubtedly one of the all-time greats, and its Steam player count has unexpectedly spiked to a record high.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 2:10 PM
    

The top video capture cards let you record and share gameplay from your PC or console. We've tested options from AverMedia, Elgato, and mo.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 11:56 AM
    

Taking sniping to the extreme with our PSR loadout, where we look at increasing bullet velocity, and adding a few extras to up mobility.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 11:52 AM
    

In a game where danger lurks around every corner, it pays to have a few friends along with you, here's whether Arc Raiders has crossplay.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 11:35 AM
    

Fly right into a perfect run of a treacherous dungeon with a Fellowship tier list that ranks the best DPS, tank, and healer class at launch.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 11:24 AM
    

Mega Crit unveils the Slay the Spire 2 Necrobinder, a lich that fights through the roguelike sequel alongside a reanimated hand called Osty.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 12:01 PM
    

Lower your gaming PC temps and reduce noise with our pick of the top air and liquid CPU coolers from Noctua, Corsair, NZXT, and more.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 10:57 AM
    

With gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck and new Xbox Ally X proving how good portable PC gaming can be, gaming laptops need to step up.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 10:45 AM
    

Our top picks for the best farming games turn seeds, soil, and sunshine into an agricultural home away from home, alone or with friends.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 10:22 AM
    

See-through PC gear is back with a bang as Razer follows up it's line of green transparent gear with a brand new Phantom White collection.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 10:09 AM
    

Battlefield 6 is moving swiftly to keep players happy, today announcing a series of changes targeting progression, Conquest, and more.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 9:32 AM
    

This Logitech G Pro X Superlight gaming mouse weighs just 63g and comes with a 25K optical sensor and 70-hour battery life for just $94.99.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 9:20 AM
    

As Blizzard reveals a major Diablo 4 Season 11 rework, its monster combat changes make me more excited than new itemization and Loot 3.0.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 9:03 AM
    

Indulge your devotion for the finest space opera set in a galaxy far, far away with our carefully curated list of the best Star Wars Games.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 10:02 AM
    

Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines 2 plunges you into a new, complex VTM story, but it struggles both as a sequel and as a strong action RPG.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 10:49 AM
    

Find the top PC case for your gaming PC build, with ATX, mATX, and mini-ITX options tested from brands such as Corsair, Fractal, and Hyte.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 8:30 AM
    

Here is the full roster of Marvel Rivals characters so you can choose which superhero suits you best in your hero shooter journey.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 8:08 AM
    

The Marvel Rivals tier list for Season 4.5 weighs up the multiverse's heaviest hitters, so you're always set for success no matter the meta.


PCGamesN Friday, October 17, 2025 11:30 AM
    

We've tested the top gaming handhelds to see which portables from the likes of Asus, Lenovo, and MSI can take on the mighty Steam Deck.


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, October 17, 2025 12:38 PM
    

You've played through countless immersive sims as a cyborg, a thief, and a cyborg thief. Now, try doing it as a scuttling demon dominatrix. Brush Burial: Gutter World is the sneaky and frenetic new dollop of squalor from Knife Demon Software. It casts you once again as Fennel, a swamp devil with a pronged tail you can use as a whip and a grapple, knocking props around and swiping crossbow bolts out of midair.

Fennel seems as agile here as in the previous, excellent Brush Burial, pouncing from head to head like a tic, but they've bolstered their moveset with an injection of overclocked koppōjutsu. You can snare foes to perform sinuous, bone-crunching takedowns, the catch being that you're vulnerable during the execution. It's deeply, moreishly unpleasant. Those little fatal jerks at the end of the animation are more visceral than anything in Doom Eternal. I'm not sure I can bear to watch the trailer again. Here it is.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, October 17, 2025 12:28 PM
    

Sweary peripheral experts Dbrand sent me the Asus ROG Xbox Ally/Xbox Ally X version of their Project Killswitch case yesterday. I squeezed my Xbox Ally X into it. It was great. Sturdy. Form-fitting. Protective and grip-enhancing in one. Everything that makes the original Killswitch one of the best Steam Deck accessories, wrapped snugly around 800 quid of Windows handheld.

It also annoys me, a little bit. Not the skin and cover themselves. More the fact that it's so important that they exist, as neither ROG Xbox Ally models – costly as they can be – bother to include a carrying case in the box. Nor does the original Ally and Ally X, or the Zotac Zone, or the MSI Claw 8 AI+, or the Lenovo Legion Go and Legion Go S. Give me a case, you plastic jerks. Give it!

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, October 17, 2025 11:36 AM
    

As I wrote in our King of Meat preview, I've long since fallen out of love with looting games. After thousands of hours rinsing RPG dungeons, I gaze upon even the shiniest and most temptingly crenelated of treasure chests with frigid contempt. But I'm not unenticed by the clanky and colourful, Deathloop meets The Division stylings of Arc Raiders, Embark and Nexon's third-person extraction shooter, which is getting a three day open playtest this weekend.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, October 17, 2025 10:07 AM
    

Marvel Rivals is finally getting a PVE mode, pitting five of the game's 42 stylish and bizarre, caped or capeless crusaders against... zombies. Ah, zombies, the real heroes of any videogame looking to phone in a quick co-op wave attack mode (while dabbling in a little cross-promotion). The AI and character design are supposed to look basic, stoopid. The experience is supposed to feel like punching a bucket of porridge, you ass. These are brainless shamblers, not the Sinister Six.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, October 17, 2025 10:00 AM
    

The Galaxies Showcase games show – which, if you missed the Spring edition, is a game reveal showcase with more of an indie/lower-budget focus – is back next Thursday, October 23rd.

Read more


Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Friday, October 17, 2025 8:04 AM
    

Attention, folks who like the idea of flinging a fire-breathing Group B monster down some dirt tracks. Assetto Corsa devs Kunos are bringing out a rally sim. It's called Assetto Corsa Rally, therefore instantly winning the inventive video game name award for this year.

As with road racing AC successor Assetto Corsa EVO, the studio and co-developers Supernova Games Studios have opted to go the Steam early access route for this selection of Scandinavian flicks, with a release penned in for November November 13 this year.

Read more


Twinfinite Friday, October 17, 2025 2:27 PM
    
Redeem Luck Incremental codes and watch the gems rolling!

Twinfinite Friday, October 17, 2025 10:18 AM
    
Anime Eternal codes are just what you need to be like *insert currently popular Shonen character*.

Twinfinite Friday, October 17, 2025 8:10 AM
    
Unlock all motorcycles with Eagle Nation codes.

Siliconera Friday, October 17, 2025 4:00 PM
    

2025 Chicago Pinball Expo Starts

The 2025 Chicago Pinball Expo, which covers both pinball and some retro gaming systems and topics, is now live at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Schaumburg, IL. The event this year runs until October 18, 2025. A single-day ticket for people ages 11 and up is $50. The event hall is open until 12am CT on October 17, 2025, and it stays open until 1am CT on October 18, 2025. 

While the events and autograph sessions primarily focus on pinball, arcade cabinets and retro titles come up both during panels, via special guests, and sellers in the vendor hall. For example, some of the more notable activities earlier on Friday were a Stern Pinball Tour, due to the company's factory being in the area. Some of teh panels on FRiday included Jeremy Saucier's "Preserving & Exhibiting the History of Coin-Op Games at the Strong National Museum of Play" and Stern Pinball's "Stern Technology." Some of the Saturday panels include looks into pinball tables like Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant's Eye, King Kong: Myth of Terror Island, and Star Wars: Fall of the Empire. Flipout and kid's tournaments are taking place. One of the more notable gaming attendees is Atari founder Nolan Bushnell. 

The Chicago Pinball Expo is an annual event taking place in the Chicago suburbs. 2025 marks its 41st year. In the past, it's also been combined with other events, such as suburban Video Game Summit. In 2025, the Video Game Summit was a separate event that took place in Countryside, IL in July 2025.

The Chicago Pinball Expo runs until October 18, 2025, and it takes place at Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Schaumburg, IL 

The post 2025 Chicago Pinball Expo Starts  appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, October 17, 2025 3:00 PM
    

8.5 Honkai Impact 3rd Update Adds New Elysia Battlesuit Next Week

The 8.5 Honkai Impact 3rd Hyperion Lounge stream aired and confirmed all the details about the latest update for the game, as well as confirmed a Sunright Tea Studio crossover event for the US and Mexico. The next patch arrives on October 23, 2025, and it is expected to run until December 2025. The Sunright Tea event takes place between October 25, 2025 and November 11, 2025. That Honkai Impact 3rd event will feature Elysia in her new Hi! Love Elf Battlesuit appearance. 

The Hi! Love Elf Elysia Battlesuit is an S-rank Battlesuit that uses bows to attack and deals Ice DMG. The new weapon is the Pure Love's Whisper five-star bow that can Pri-Arm to become Pure Love's Whisper: Heart's Wish, and the Stigmata set featuring her is called Blissful Days. 

The update will also feature new 8.5 Main Story Part 2 Chapter X missions. Senadina seems to be back to spend time with the Dreamseeker, with Elysia apparently also there. This comes after storylines involving The Seven Shus and Leylah. However, the teaser also shows Leylah in a new light. 

There will also be a new costume for the Kiana S-rank Battlesuit Ba-Dum Fiery Wishing Star called Wintery Wishes. That will be part of the Outfit Supply. Songque's Jovial Deception: Shadowdimmer will also get a Whitewave Topper swimsuit costume, with that being a spend bonus. 

Here's the general trailer for the update:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36HCgrzsw2o

And here's the 8.5 Hyperion Lounge for Honkai Impact 3rd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypjDZ_2M3s0

With the Honkai Impact 3rd Sunright Tea crossover, there will be three drinks inspired by Elysia, Kiana, and Mei. Here's the list of the items, as well as the official image showing how they'll look:

  • Elysia's Strawberry Honey Boba Milk
  • Kiana's Lemon Yakult with Jasmine Tea Jelly
  • Mei's Blueberry Crunch Frostie

Honkai Impact 3rd is available for PCs and mobile devices, and the new Elysia Battlesuit and story missions will be live in 8.5 on October 23, 2025. The Sunright Tea event runs October 25, 2025 to November 11, 2025. 

The post 8.5 Honkai Impact 3rd Update Adds New Elysia Battlesuit Next Week appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, October 17, 2025 2:00 PM
    

New Magic Knight Rayearth Anime Debuts in 2026

As we basically expected, the social media teasing of Princess Emeraude essentially calling out for help for Cephiro and announcement on the anniversary of the original Magic Knight Rayearth anime had to do with the new adaptation's debut date. The new series will air in Japan in 2026. There's no pinned down debut date yet, so we don't know if it will appear in the Winter, Spring, or Fall season. There is a new piece of art, though.

The new Magic Knight Rayearth anime adaptation will appear on TV Asahi in Japan in 2026. It's unknown which streaming service will pick it up worldwide. Currently, the original anime is available on Crunchyroll. The Anime! on TMS Official Channel on YouTube also shared episodes, with things like the first English dub episode available for free.

This latest announcement did come with another teaser. In the series, three high school girls from different schools named Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki, and Fuu Hououji are teleported to Cephiro by Princess Emeraude when all three are on school trips to the Tokyo Tower in Japan. As they are, the princess begs them to save that world, as it can't survive unless Emeraude is constantly supporting it as its pillar. Once they arrive, they meet with her attendant Clef and are given weapons and the ability to become her Magic Knights. To help set the stage for things, there's new art showing how all three heroines look this time around.

Here's that teaser:

The new Magic Knight Rayearth anime will air in Japan in 2026, the manga is available worldwide via Kodansha, and the original anime is streaming on Crunchyroll and YouTube.

The post New Magic Knight Rayearth Anime Debuts in 2026 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, October 17, 2025 1:00 PM
    

Uniqlo Tamagotchi Collection Includes Shirts and a Virtual Pet

The Japanese Uniqlo site confirmed a Tamagotchi collection is on the way, and it will feature both shirts and a variant of the original virtual pet with a themed shell. The t-shirts will only appear in adult sizes and women's styles. They will show up in the middle of December 2025. While the company's collections do appear worldwide, the English Uniqlo site hasn't updated beyond the November 2025 Pop Mart Labubu collection yet.

The four Uniqlo Tamagotchi shirts are all in the relaxed fit style. They cost ¥1,990 each. (The US prices aren't available yet.) People can get them in sizes extra small through XXXL. One one shirt has a design on one side, and it features a blue virtual pet with the phrase "needs constant care and attention." The others all feature references to the character and electronic devices on the front and back.

Here's how those all look:

The Uniqlo Tamagotchi virtual pet features a design that references the original clock shell, only in the store's trademark red and white colors. It costs ¥2,990 in the Japanese storefront, and we don't know how much it will be in other regions yet. It will feature the standard generation 1 characters and elements. The packaging will also feature the Uniqlo logos.

You can see that below:

The Uniqlo Tamagotchi shirts and original virtual pet will show up in Japan around the middle of December 2025, and we don't know the US release window yet. 

The post Uniqlo Tamagotchi Collection Includes Shirts and a Virtual Pet appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, October 17, 2025 12:00 PM
    

Persona 5 Morgana and SMT Jack Frost Kigurumi Costumes Appear

Atlus and SAZAC announced two new kigurumi outfits that could be used as costumes, loungewear, or pajamas, and this time they're based on the Persona 5 Royal cat ally Morgana in his Mona attire and SMT mascot Jack Frost. Both are "one size fits most" styles for adults and cost 7,590円 each on SAZAC's Rakuten store. There are no worldwide listings yet, but the company's licensed kigurumis appear after launch on their Amazon storefront.

Both of these items are made of polyester. Both the Persona 5 Royal Morgana and SMT Jack Frost kigurumi are 150cm from the top of the costumes to the bottom cuffs of the leg, which means they are about 4 feet, 11 inches long. (Both listings note the person wearing the items in the photos is 164cm/5 feet, 4 inches tall, to provide a sense of scale.) Both sleeves are 57cm (22in) long. 

In terms of design, the Jack Frost one is the more simple of the two. It has Jack Frost's face and jester hat on the hood and the pointed blue color element around the neck. The cuffs at the bottom of the legs have blue and yellow trim around them.

With the Morgana one, there's a but more to it. The cat's face and ears are on the hood, and there's the yellow bandana around the neck. The arm and leg cuffs are white. There are also the gold buckles on the front and a pocket on each hip. On the back, his tail also appears.

Here's how both look: 

This is the second recent SAZAC kigurumi-related released based on an Atlus series, as it previously shared a Morgana hat. That bears some resemblance to the hood of the full kigurumi. However, you can see more of his face on it. The hat debuted at the outset of October 2025

SAZAC is now selling the Persona 5 Royal Morgana and SMT Jack Frost kigurumi costumes in Japan. They haven't showed up worldwide yet. The original Persona 5 launched on the PS3 and PS4, and the Royal release appeared on the PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. 

The post Persona 5 Morgana and SMT Jack Frost Kigurumi Costumes Appear appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, October 17, 2025 11:00 AM
    

Dragon Ball Genkidamatsuri

Toei Animation and Bandai Namco have revealed that they will hold a major Dragon Ball festival on January 25, 2026. The festival will be named Dragon Ball Genkidamatsuri—a portmanteau from Genkidama (Spirit Bomb) and Matsuri (Festival)—and it will take place at Halls 9-11 of Makuhari Messe.

Goku's Japanese voice actress, Masako Nozawa, will attend the event. She will be present at the two-part stage show that will take place at 10 AM and 1 PM JST. Bandai Namco will slip into the stage with a new game announcement at 11 AM JST. The festival's climax will take place at 5:30 PM JST with a live concert by Hironobu Kageyama, who has sung multiple Dragon Ball Z theme songs, including "Cha-La Head Cha-La."

In addition, the venue will also have booths for various Dragon Ball games. Bandai Namco will bring playable demos for the arcade card game Super Divers and the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Sparking Zero. There will also be a zone dedicated to the Fusion World card game, as well as minigames and photo booths for free-to-play games like Dragon Ball Legends, Dokkan Battle, and Gekishin Squadra.

Tickets for attending the event in person will be available for free, but only in limited amounts via an online lottery. Aspiring visitors must apply by using an iPhone or an Android smartphone with a Japanese phone number and the Lawson Electronic Ticket app installed. Those who successfully win the entry tickets can apply for further lotteries to get separate tickets for directly watching a stage show or priority access to the merchandise booth.

The Dragon Ball Genkidamatsuri festival will be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan, on Sunday, January 25, 2026.

The post Dragon Ball Genkidamatsuri Will Be Held in January 2026 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, October 17, 2025 10:00 AM
    

kingdom hearts mayla earrings

Apparel brand Mayla will sell earrings based on the Kingdom Hearts series. Pre-orders will be available from October 27, 2025 to November 27, 2025. As a reminder, Mayla offers international shipping.

There are six different pairs of earrings—four Keyblades and two original icons—that you can combine to form a single character set. Earrings will come in a special box featuring key visual from the game. You can get sets for Sora, Riku, Axel, and Roxas. So, for instance, you can combine the Kingdom Chain earring with the Kingdom Hearts logo earring to get a Sora set. If you want Roxas, you would get the Organization XIII earring with the Oathkeeper and Oblivion set. Prices for the earrings are:

  • Complete Set: 29700 JPY (2 pairs)
  • Keyblade: 19,800 JPY (1 pair) 
  • Original: 13200 JPY (1 pair)

There are slight changes to the designs of the Keyblades to make them more suitable for earrings. For example, Kingdom Chain's Mickey charm appears gold instead of silver in the earrings. There's also a red-and-black bow at the end. Oathkeeper and Oblivion are different shades of silver, rather than completely different colors. In comparison, Braveheart gains blue dots on the blade when it was plain gray in the game.

While Mayla sells original goods, it specializes in selling items like shoes, perfume, and clothes based on characters from popular anime, video games, and other facets of Japanese pop culture. In January 2024, it released pumps based on Hatsune Miku. In December 2024, it released perfumes based on outfits that Sakura wore throughout Cardcaptor Sakura.

Kingdom Hearts IV is in development, and it will be the start of the Lost Master arc. Kingdom Hearts Missing Link was supposed to come out on mobile devices, but Square Enix cancelled the game in May 2025.

The post Mayla Will Sell Kingdom Hearts Keyblade Earrings appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Friday, October 17, 2025 9:00 AM
    

I Will Be the Rayquaza of Rust for Corbeau in Pokemon Legends: Z-A

I am convinced some folks at Game Freak love Sega's Yakuza and Like a Dragon series. And know what? I'm psyched. Pokemon Legends: Z-A features some fun and personable characters, but none won me over like Corbeau and his Rust Syndicate. The nature of that campaign storyline and his personality throughout is incredible. So much so that I 100% consider my Pokemon Legends: Z-A character to be the Rayquaza of Rust for Corbeau, just like Kazuma Kiryu made a name for himself as the Dragon of Dojima

Editor's Note: There are absolutely going to be Pokemon Legends: Z-A spoilers below.

When Pokemon Legends: Z-A first introduces the Rust Syndicate in the game, it feels like we could be seeing the villainous "team" for this entry. The characters look shady as hell. Their headquarters are off-limits until we have an excuse to go in as part of the campaign. Our first introduction to them is Philippe and Corbeau calling our avatar and Lida about a loan that Taunie/Urbain took out and never repaid. How did they get our numbers? They have their ways

But at the same time, Game Freak casts some doubt with this introduction. Lida points out that nobody ever did anything about Rust Syndicate, even with the organization's reputation. The police aren't involved. Neither is the mayor. The company does a little foreshadowing that could go either way. Are they so powerful that they aren't being caught? Could an organization giving out high-interest loans and forcing people to work them off with no end in sight actually be good?

It's the latter. Corbeau in Pokemon Legends: Z-A is a good guy. I mean, he's not a "hero." Dude has a business to run. But as we go through the organization and start working off Taunie/Urbain's debt, we learn a lot about Corbeau, Rust Syndicate, and Lumiose City itself. 

By the way, when I say "we," I mean our character. Lida, Naveen, and Taunie/Urbain somehow play no part in the repayment process whatsoever. Go team!

Anyways. The first thing I love about Corbeau and Rust Syndicate in Pokemon Legends: Z-A are the aesthetics. Everyone's look would 100% fit in at Kamurocho. When we enter the headquarters for the first time, Game Freak forces us to walk past two lines of employees to Philippe. There's no dash option. Even the presentation and immediate camera angle calls to mind Yakuza or Like a Dragon. And when we get to Corbeau's office, the angles and positioning again are used for dramatic effect. 

The second is how Corbeau presents himself in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. This dude is our antihero. He didn't seek out power or want it. It was thrust upon him because he's the person who can handle it. He's flawed. He's handing out 100,000 loans to teenagers, then jacking up the interest to make it 1,000,000. He is the kind of person who will almost lose his temper at folks who are "civilians," but immediately catch himself and course correct. This is someone who, in spite of his appearances and reputation, is a friend to both children and Pokemon. He's the kind of ally we don't often see in the Pokemon series, which is very much appreciated.

But the personality trait I love most is his boldness, and it's so good that it stands out among other ones. There are indications that things are going on in Lumiose City sort of leading up to the campaign quest where we become the Rust Syndicate errand-runner. Tensions are running high for a number of reasons. It's because of this that we see exactly how audacious Cordeau can be. During this period, we end up being tapped by Quasartico to quell some Rogue Mega Evolved Pokemon incidents. After that's done, we find Cordeau knew. Of course he knew. He figured out what we were doing and boldly confronted us about it. Later, when there's an incident in which protesters surrounded Quasartico CEO Jett, he joins us to step in to battle the agitators while Taunie/Urbain escorts her away. Except… when it's done, he doesn't let Jett off the hook. He confronts her with the same questions, searching for answers. 

I'm the biggest fan after meeting Cordeau and going through the Rust Syndicate storyline in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. I adore the way in which it feels like it sort of references the Yakuza and Like a Dragon series. (Combined with the way Side Missions sometimes feel like Substories, it is another welcome similarity!) His team's aesthetics are great. His personality is fantastic. The direction it takes the story is insightful. He's a great character in a great game!

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is available for the Switch and Switch 2.  

The post I Will Be the Rayquaza of Rust for Corbeau in Pokemon Legends: Z-A appeared first on Siliconera.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 3:43 PM
    

Arc Raiders banner

What might just be the most revolutionary extraction shooter is almost here, with the years-long wait marred by delays almost coming to an end.

So, if you're as excited as I am for this game, then you'll want to know when it's coming out exactly, and this countdown should give you a real-time up-to-date picture of how much more you'll have to wait.

ARC Raiders release time and date

ARC Raiders comes out on Oct. 30 on the PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S and X. That puts it just about two weeks ahead of this article, with a full-blown open beta running between Oct. 17 and 19. ARC Raiders will not be a free-to-play experience, and instead charge a AA price of $40, which is a great way for developers to make a profit off their efforts as well as a means to curb cheating.

The countdown below will tick down to Oct. 30 at 12am CT, since official, exact release times are yet to be revealed. We will update the countdown with additional relevant information as it becomes available. In the meantime, this should give you a general sense of how far away the game's launch is.


[hurrytimer id="1130647"]

ARC Raiders is an extraction shooter with both PVP and PVE elements, focusing on giving players a high-stakes, high-tension experience that is starkly different to most other games in the genre. It's one of the most anticipated titles of 2025, and bound to be a smash hit once it does launch later in October.


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The post ARC Raiders release date countdown: Exact date and time appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 3:28 PM
    

Shiny Mareep is shown on a rooftop

Technical Machines, TMs, can be found all over the game in Pokémon Legends Z-A, and there are 107 of them to collect.

TMs allow you to teach your Pokémon new moves, and some of them are key to progressing on the map (like Rock Blast for breaking down stones blocking your routes). This guide will provide you with all the required information necessary for finding all the TMs.

Disclaimer: List in progress.

How to obtain all TMs in Pokémon Legends Z-A

The table below has a list of all TMs you can find in Legends Z-A, along with information on their types and power. There are missing entries on the table, and we will update them as we find them inside the game.

TM No. Name How to Get Type
1 Headbutt Located across the Wild Zone 2 entrance. Use Rock Smash to open the path. Normal
2 Dragon Claw Yet to be found Dragon
3 Psychock Get from Level 14 of Mable's Research Psychic
4 Rock Smash Get from Level 2 of Mable's Research Fighting
5 Roar Use the Holovator to reach the rooftop after completing side quest no. 4 Normal
6 Calm Mind Get from Level 26 of Mable's Research Psychic
7 Toxic Yet to be found Poison
8 Thunder Wave North end of Wild Zone 1. Climb the ladder and drop to the courtyard. Use fire to clear the blockade to reach the item Electrict
9 Flip Turn Yet to be found Water
10 Brick Break Yet to be found Fighting
11 Bulk Up Defeat Ivor in Mission 19 and reach Rank D Fighting
12 Rock Slide Get from Level 23 of Mable's Research Rock
13 Ice Beam At the centre of the court in Wild Zone 12. Ice
14 Fire Fang Get from Level 6 of Mable's Research Fire
15 Ice Fang Get from Level 7 of Mable's Research Ice
16 Light Screen Get from Level 11 of Mable's Research Electric
17 Protect Get from Level 4 of Mable's Research Normal
18 Power-Up Punch Yet to be Found Fighting
19 Power Gem Take the Holovator to reach the rooftop in Vvert Sector 5 and go across to the other side of the roof Rock
20 Play Rought Yet to be Found Fairy
21 Thunder Fang Get from Level 5 of Mable's Research Electric
22 Aerial Ace On a rooftop of the building in Wild Zone 3. Use the interior stairs to reach the spot Flying
23 Thunder Punch Get from Level 15 of Mable's Research Electric
24 Ice Punch Get from Level 13 of Mable's Research Ice
25 Crunch From the sewers in Main Mission 19. Use a Fire move to melt the ice obstacle and then cross the bridge Dark
26 Energy Ball Yet to be Found Grass
27 Swift Just inside Wild Zone 2 Normal
28 Dig Yet to be Found Ground
29 Fire Punch Get from Level 17 of Mable's Research Fire
30 Swords Dance Get from Level 21 of Mable's Research Normal
31 Reflect Yet to be Found Psychic
32 Double Team Get from Level 16 of Mable's Research Normal
33 Body Slam Take the Holovator to reach the top of the building in Vert Sector 4. Then use Roto-Glide to reach the platform where the TM can be found Normal
34 Night Slash Yet to be Found Dark
35 Enduree Yet to be Found Normal
36 Rock Tomb Yet to be Found Rock
37 Stealth Rock Use the scaffolding in Magenta Sector 6 to reach the rooftops. Go southeast, and you'll find a stairs to reach the TM. Rock
38 Fire Blast Get from Level 41 of Mable's Research Fire
39 Discharge Yet to be Found Electric
40 Bullet Seed Find the Pidgeotto on a perch in Wild Zone 5, and the TM is by a nearby rooftop Grass
41 Water Pulse Use the Holovator on North Boulevard. Then climb the ladder, cross the roof, and go to the other side. Water
42 Giga Drain Get from Level 12 of Mable's Research Grass
34 Fly Yet to be Found Flying
44 Hyper Beam Yet to be Found Normal
45 Knock Off Yet to be Found Dark
46 Mud Shot Get from Level 3 of Mable's Research Ground
47 Agility Yet to be Found Psychic
48 Self-Destruct Yet to be Found Normal
49 Icy Wind Yet to be Found Ice
50 Overheat Get from Level 45 of Mable's Research Fire
51 Safeguard Yet to be Found Normal
52 Earth Power Yet to be Found Ground
53 Sludge Bomb Get from Level 32 of Mable's Research Poison
54 Draco Meteor Yet to be Found Dragon
55 Giga Impact Get from Level 35 of Mable's Research Normal
56 Double-Edge Yet to be Found Normal
57 Will-O-Wisp Complete side mission 26: Burn, Litleo, Burn Fire
58 Iron Head Yet to be Found Steel
59 Zen Headbutt Get from Level 20 Mable's Research Psychic
60 Future Sight Yet to be Found Psychic
61 Shadow Claw Get from Level 9 from Mable's Research Ghost
62 Flamethrower Yet to be Found Fire
63 Psychic Yet to be Found Psychic
64 Solar Beam Get from Level 39 from Mable's Research Grass
65 Stone Edge Yet to be Found Rock
66 Volt Switch Yet to be Found Electric
67 Thunderbolt Get from Level 24 from Mable's Research Electric
68 Heat Wave Get from Level 28 from Mable's Research Fire
69 Earthquake Get from Level 34 from Mable's Research Ground
70 Whirlpool Get from Level 8 from Mable's Research Water
71 Hyper Voice Yet to be Found Normal
72 Fire Spin Go to the building with thorns in Wild Zone 4. Burn the thorns down and pick up the TM Fire
73 Surf Get from Level 29 from Mable's Research Water
74 Shadow Ball Yet to be Found Ghost
75 Dragon Pulse Yet to be Found Dragon
76 Liquidation Yet to be Found Water
77 Poison Jab Get from Level 27 from Mable's Research Poison
78 Bulldoze Get from Level 18 from Mable's Research Ground
79 Hurricane Yet to be Found Flying
80 Iron Defense Yet to be Found Steel
81 X-Scissor Yet to be Found Bug
82 U-turn Get from Level 19 from Mable's Research Bug
83 Nasty Plot Get from Level 38 from Mable's Research Dark
84 Flash Cannon Get from Level 22 from Mable's Research Steel
85 Substitute Yet to be Found Normal
86 Wild Charge Yet to be Found Electric
87 Iron Tail Get from Level 30 from Mable's Research Steel
88 Spikes Yet to be Found Ground
89 Toxic Spikes Take the Holovator located southeast of Wild Zone 4 to reach the rooftop Poison
90 Dark Pulse Yet to be Found Dark
91 Curse Yet to be Found Ghost
92 Dazzling Gleam It can be found in a thicket in the centre of Wild Zone 7. Burn the bush down, and the TM is yours. Fairy
93 Outrade Get from Level 46 from Mable's Research Dragon
94 Whirlwind Yet to be Found Normal
95 Taunt Yet to be Found Dark
96 Hydro Pump Get from Level 40 from Mable's Research Water
97 Heal Block Get from Level 31 from Mable's Research Psychic
98 Waterfall Yet to be Found Water
99 Metronome Yet to be Found Normal
100 Gunk Shot Yet to be Found Poison
101 Electroweb Yet to be Found Electric
102 Focus Blast Get from Level 44 from Mable's Research Fighting
103 Work Up Yet to be Found Normal
104 Flare Blitz Yet to be Found Fire
105 Blizzard Get from Level 43 from Mable's Research Ice
106 Thunder Get from Level 33 from Mable's Research Electric
107 Close Combat Get from Level 37 from Mable's Research Fighting


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The post All TMs in Pokémon Legends Z-A and how to find them appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 3:12 PM
    

ARC Raiders hiding from giant ARC tank

Every reaction I have while playing ARC Raiders during its server slam test two weeks prior to its initial launch makes me feel uneasy and anxious. And I think I like it.

I didn't get a chance to play the extraction shooter in its earlier tests this year due to scheduling issues, but I've finally been embarking on excursions in its open test today, and it's making me finally understand what all the hype about the genre is.

ARC Raiders ganeplay screenshot
Image via Embark Studios

The PvEvP third-person shooter is the first of its kind where I truly felt the thrill. I had a similar feeling during the Marathon play test this year, but pulling back the camera into third-person is what I think I truly needed to really "get" the hype.

Every second of a deployment in ARC Raiders is dripping with tension and anxiety. Scouring for weapons and crafting materials while dealing with both other players looking to gun you down and the menacing ARC robots hunting throughout the playable area is pretty nerve-racking, but it feels fun to me. I don't exactly know why, because my life and the world in general have plenty enough anxiety these days, but this game has a pull to it that I haven't felt in any other in the genre before.

I think some of it has to do with the fact that the game is optimized beautifully, which is disappointingly rare for a PC title in 2025. It runs flawlessly at high settings, which is a lot more than I can say for several AAA titles I've played this year. But also, I like the skill tree and sense of progression when it comes to building your character, too, so it's not just tied to loot.

I am definitely not the only one who's pumped for the prospects of ARC Raiders. For months, I've seen gamers hyping it up online after it made a great impression during earlier tests. And as I type, over 175,000 players on Steam alone are in-game during the server slam, and that is absolutely nothing to scoff at. This feels like the next big extraction shooter title, and I feel as though it warrants the enthusiasm, as it strikes the balance of PvE and PvP pretty well so far from what I've played.

And yet, even for all of the fun and positivity I feel about ARC Raiders, I don't think I will ever truly love the genre. It's inherently competitive, which is something I lean further and further away from in gaming as I age. And no matter the extraction shooter, losing all of your loot is a feeling that just plain sucks, and I don't know if I have the energy or enthusiasm to keep on trucking after a devastating L. But that seems to be a "me" problem, because everyone else I see on social media and sites like Twitch is enthralled by the game. And you know what? I get it.

ARC Raiders scary sight
Image via Embark Studios

I'm happy for gamers everywhere that ARC Raiders is an exciting new title, and it's one I intend to keep an eye on as it evolves over time. I do feel like it's ultimately not a habit game for me at this point in my life, but that doesn't change anything about how fun it can be and how promising it feels. And I'm thankful that I at least have a modicum of that itch that extraction shooters feel for the genre.

ARC Raiders launches in full on Oct. 30 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, and the server slam playtest is available for all players for free this weekend.


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The post I finally got a chance to play ARC Raiders, and I think I 'get' extraction shooters now appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 2:20 PM
    

ARC Raiders PvE shooter trailer

ARC Raiders is almost upon us, bringing innovative new ways to experience the extraction shooter genre. But, two weeks ahead of release, the devs decided to host an open beta for anyone to hop in and give the game a try.

So, if you're one of many eager players who wish to hop into this title as soon as possible, here's how you can do so.

ARC Raiders Server Slam - How to access and download the playtest

ARC Raiders hiding from giant ARC tank
Just imagine fighting that thing. Image via Embark Studios

To access the ARC Raiders server slam on Steam, simply navigate to the game's Steam page and press "Request Access" on the playtest. Once you've done so, you'll be automatically let in, allowing you to download the game from your Steam library just like any other title.

For Xbox Series S and X, and the PlayStation 5, accessing the beta is done by downloading the game from the relevant store, much like you would other games in your library. Then, just fire it up on any of these platforms between Oct. 17 and 19, and you'll be able to play the game in full, as well as have the chance to give the devs your two cents on the game, the balance, and so on.

ARC Raiders has an official Discord server where you can communicate directly with the amazing team behind it, share your thoughts with them, or report any bugs and issues related to your playtest access.

If all goes smoothly, you'll be having one of the best gaming weekends ever, guaranteed!


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The post How to play the ARC Raiders Server Slam appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 2:05 PM
    

Panpour, a blue monkey with a fountain-like design on its head, hangs out in a tree in this Legends ZA screenshot

Pokémon Legends Z-A is out now, and trainers around the world are setting off to catch everything Lumiose City has to offer. Included in the Pokédex are the three elemental monkeys from Unova: Panpour, Pansage, and Pansear.

You'll need these three monkeys to complete the 018 side quest named "A Pan-tastic Pot of Tea," which can be found just southeast of Wild Zone Two. A man is seeking all three monkeys to create the perfect cup of tea, and you're tasked with catching them for him. Unfortunately, though, these creatures aren't as straightforward to find as much as a Pikachu or a Hawlucha. It'll take a bit of luck and a lot of trees to find them.

Pansear, Panpour, and Pansage location in Pokémon Legends Z-A

If you check the 'Dex entry for Pansear, Panpour, and Pansage, the game tells you these Unovian species like to live in "high places" and are often seen in trees, though it won't tell you exactly where to look. All three Unovian elemental monkeys can be found sitting in trees scattered around Lumiose City or on rooftops.

Not all trees will spawn a Pokémon, though. I found the most luck looking in the trees on Autumnal Avenue in the north side of Lumiose City, sandwiched between the Magenta and Rouge sectors of the map. There are tons of trees that line this road, and I was able to locate all three monkeys in one go. Luckily for players, these species spawn both during the day and night, so you won't have to worry about finding a bench and passing time.

If you'd rather take to the skies, you can also find Panpour, Pansage, and Pansear on rooftops. I found two monkeys on the same rooftop where you can find Eevee, on the south side of the map near the Bleu Sector 7.

I recommend looking for the monkeys in trees instead of rooftops, though, since it's easier to catch them while they're hanging out in the branches. If you approach them on the rooftops, they'll act skittishly and try to run from you. But if you go up to them when they're in trees, they won't move, making it much easier to aim and throw a Poké Ball at them.

How to evolve Panpour, Pansage, and Pansear in Pokémon Legends Z-A

Once you have your monkeys, you can return to the man southeast of Wild Zone Two to complete the "A Pan-tastic Pot of Tea" quest. If you'd like to evolve any of your three monkeys into Simisear, Simisage, or Simipour, you'll need a Fire Stone, Leaf Stone, and a Water Stone, respectively. You can find these Evolution Stones by picking up random items around the city, or you can buy them from the Stone Emporium in the south of the map, north of Wild Zone One.

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The post How to find Panpour, Pansear, and Pansage in Pokémon Legends Z-A appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 1:33 PM
    

Rashford as one of the best players to use in Born to Shine Evolution in FC 26

The Born to Shine Evolution is now live in FC 26, and we can use this upgrade to improve an ST item of our choice.

While the evolution is slightly expensive at 25,000 coins, you can apply stat upgrades, new roles, and playstyles to the card of your choice. This guide will help erase your confusion over which card you should include in this evolution.

FC 26 Born to Shine evolution requirements

Here are the requirements of the Born to Shine evolution in FC 26.

  • Overall: Max 80
  • Pace: Max 88
  • PlayStyle: Max 4
  • Not Rarity: World Tour Silver Stars
  • Position: ST

FC 26 Born to Shine evolution upgrades

The evolution has four levels of upgrades, and there are certain conditions to fulfil.

Level 1 upgrades

  • Overall: +8|84
  • Pace: +10|85
  • Passing: +5|77
  • Finishing: +20|85
  • Stamina: +20|82
  • PlayStyles: Low Driven Shot|4

Level 2 upgrades

  • Agility: +15|82
  • Balance: +10|81
  • Positioning: +20|84
  • Reactions: +10|82
  • Shot Power: +20|85
  • Skills: +1|4

Level 3 upgrades

  • Aggression: +10|78
  • Jumpin: +10|78
  • Long Shots: +20|82
  • Penalties: +20|82
  • Strength: +5|80
  • Volleys: +20|80

Level 4 upgrades

  • Ball control: +15|84
  • Dribbling: +10|85
  • Strength: +5|80
  • Composure: +15|85
  • PlayStyles: First Touch|4
  • Roles: Advanced Forward+

Level 1 upgrade requirements

  • Play 3 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 2 upgrade requirements

  • Win 3 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 3 upgrade requirements

  • Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Level 4 upgrade requirements

  • Win 2 matches in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.

Best players to use in Born to Shine evolution

Here are some of my best recommendations for this evolution.

  • Marcus Rashford
  • Giorginio Rutter
  • Gabriel Jesus
  • Joao Pedro
  • Darwin Nunez
  • Endrick
  • Joao Felix
  • Bonny
  • Facundo Mastantuono
  • Kika Nazareth

While the upgrades are pretty powerful, you can include these cards in future evolutions to create a chain and upgrade their stats further.


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The post Best players for FC 26 Born to Shine Evolution appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 12:51 PM
    

Aloy near Hollywood sign

Lawsuits are generally a bad thing, at least they are for one of the parties involved. Even though one side can expect a positive result, it's not like they're looking forward to stepping into the legal ring. But sometimes, for us onlookers, it's a great thing, especially when new info is shared that'd otherwise remain hidden.

As such, we finally got to know when Sony's planned Horizon: Zero Dawn movie adaptation will come out, roughly at least. During its ongoing lawsuit against Tencent, who Sony accuses of making a "slavish clone" of Horizon, i.e., Lights of Motiram, the Japanese conglomerate shared information about an upcoming Horizon movie, which it's actively looking for a director for, The Game Post reports. This adaptation is set to start filming sometime in 2026, with a 2027 theatrical release window.

The movie already has a "working script," and is yet another collaboration between PlayStation Productions and Columbia Pictures, following Uncharted and Gran Turismo. Aloy, Horizon's main character and most recognizable face, is set to appear in the movie and is a "key icon" in the games and this upcoming adaptation alike.

Motiram vs Horizon
One can't help but notice a striking resemblance between the two games. Screenshot by Destructoid

Sony has been putting out many adaptations of its games lately, with The Last of Us perhaps capturing the broadest audience of them all. Its first season was praised by critics and viewers alike for its great acting, themes, and atmosphere, with the series generally staying true, for better or worse, to the source material.

The lawsuit between the two tech giants continues, with Tencent justifying its choice of art and style and accusing Sony of monopolization attempts, saying the company is trying to take common genre tropes and turn them into first-party properties. Sony does not think along these lines, however, and continues to accuse Tencent of copying assets, art, style, ideas, and much more from Horizon and its sequel.

It's a massive legal battle, but hey, at least we're getting some great info on the side.


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The post We finally have a release window for Horizon Zero Dawn's movie adaptation. Thanks, the U.S. legal system! appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 11:48 AM
    

A trainer standing with Larvitar in Pokemon Legends: ZA.

Maxing out Friendship Levels in Pokémon Legends Z-A is key if you want to improve your party members.

Whenever you want to evolve any Pokémon, you'll have to ensure that the Friendship Level is high enough. If that doesn't happen, you won't be able to evolve your Pokémon. While you can raise the Friendship level in-game by doing any activity, you'll want to be as efficient as possible.

How to max Happiness quickly in Pokémon Legends Z-A

The method I have used for the optimum rate of gaining Friendship Level requires the use of the Soothe Bell. While you can go without that item, we are talking about the fastest method possible, so it's worth doing the extra grind to obtain it. It will require you to clear a fair bit of side missions, so keep that in mind.

Cafe Pokemon-Amie in Legends ZA
Screenshot by Destructoid

Once you get it, equip the Soothe Bell to a Pokémon. Then take it to a cafe of your choice and drink. Repeat this method four times, and it should automatically raise the Friendship to the maximum possible. This will automatically allow you to evolve it. Repeat the process as many times as you want, and should be able to evolve your party in no time.

There are a few occasions when four visits aren't enough. Just go to the cafe one more time, and it should get the job done. This method has already been tested with as many Pokémon as I could potentially use in my party, and it works like a charm at all times.

This method also reduces the need to know the Friendship Level you have with a specific Pokémon. If you still want to know about that, you can always visit the Friendship Checker lady in Lumiose City. She can be found at Café Pokémon-Amie, in the northwest part of town.


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Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 11:36 AM
    

A witch in a magical room with magical items including a bubbling cauldron and some brooms in disney dreamlight valley

The Witchful Thinking Star Path has arrived with Disney Dreamlight Valley's Return to Beast's Castle update, and it features loads of festive fun to enjoy. This event is packed with duties you can tackle to claim exclusive rewards.

All the Star Path events are fairly large, which can make them a bit tricky to navigate. You can also only see a few missions at a time, making it tough to plan ahead as needed. If you want to ensure you're prepared to get the full event done, here are all the Witchful Thinking Star Path duties and rewards in Disney Dreamlight Valley.

All Witchful Thinking Star Path duties in Disney Dreamlight Valley

A witch with a mushroom hat and leafy dress riding a glowing green book glider in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

In total, there are 74 duties to complete throughout the entire Witchful Thinking Star Path event. These missions involve tasks like mining, fishing, cooking, crafting, and much more, so there's plenty to get done around your village. Here's a breakdown of all the tasks you need to complete and how many Tokens you get for finishing each one.

Duty How to complete Quantity Reward
Uproot Night Thorns. Remove Night Thorns, Splinters of Fate, or Inkies. 10 15
Practice Mine-fulness. Mine rock spots. 5 15
Tackle Royal Tasks. Complete Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 1 20
Get crafty! Craft items at any crafting station. 3 15
Whip up a one-star meal. Cook one-star meals. 5 20
Go fish! Catch fish. 5 15
Earn 5,000 Dreamlight. Earn Dreamlight. 5,000 20
Dig anywhere in the Valley. Dig using your Royal Shovel. 15 15
Pick the Fruit that put Snow White to sleep. Harvest Apples. 25 20
Mine precious Gems with a Royal Tool. Mine Gems. 10 20
Tackle Royal Tasks. Finish Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 1 20
Hang out with Goofy. Hang out with Goofy for 30 minutes. 30 30
Sell Gems. Sell any Gems. 5 15
Cook any two-star meal. Cook any two-star meal 10 20
Catch fish somewhere peaceful. Fish around the Peaceful Meadow biome. 10 15
Pet your animal Companion. Pet a Critter Companion. 5 15
Gain 15,000 Star Coins. Earn Star Coins. 15,000 15
Uproot Night Thorns. Clear away Night Thorns, Splinters of Fate, or Inkies. 10 15
Mine for Blue gems. Mine blue Gems, including Aquamarine, Pure Ice, Star Sapphire, Sapphire, and Blue Zircon. Shiny variants count too. 10 20
Tackle Royal Tasks. Complete Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 3 20
Dig for pottery material. Dig up Clay. 20 15
Cook a fairly fancy dinner. Cook any four-star dinner. 10 20
Catch fish somewhere dazzling. Catch Fish around Dazzle Beach. 10 15
Sell Seaweed. Sell Seaweed at Goofy's Stall. 5 15
Complete Boutique Challenges. Complete one of Daisy's Boutique Challenges. 1 25
Mine for Red gems. Mine red Gems. This included Garnet, Spinel, and Ruby. Shiny variants count too. 5 20
Tackle Royal Tasks. Tackle Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 5 20
Harvest different Fruits. Harvest any Fruit. 5 15
Pick blue Flowers. Forage for blue Flowers. 20 15
Cook a fairly fancy appetizer. Cook any four-star appetizers. 5 20
Fish somewhere valorous. Catch fish in the Forest of Valor biome. 10 15
Sell items. Sell any items at Goofy's Stall. 20 15
Earn 30,000 Star Coins. Earn Star Coins. 30,000 25
Uproot Night Thorns. Remove Night Thorns, Splinters of Fate, or Inkies. 20 15
Mine for yellow Gems. Mine yellow Gems, including Citrine and Topaz. Shiny variants count too. 5 20
Tackle Royal Tasks. Complete Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 10 20
Sell Fruit. Sell any Fruit at Goofy's Stall. 15 15
Buy seeds from the Forgotten Lands. Buy any seeds from Goofy's Stall in the Forgotten Lands biome. 50 20
Cook a fairly fancy dessert. Cook any four-star dessert. 3 20
Fish somewhere trustworthy. Fish in the Glade of Trust. 10 15
Earn 7,500 Dreamlight. Earn Dreamlight. 7,500 20
Harvest something white and fluffy. Harvest 15 Cotton. 15 15
Mine for green gems. Mine green Gems. This includes Emerald, Peridot, and Jade. Shiny variants count too. 5 20
Tackle Royal Tasks. Finish Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 15 20
Craft a potion you can really "dig." Craft one Miracle Shovel Varnish or Even More Miraculous Shovel Varnish. 1 25
Hang out with Donald Duck. Spend 30 minutes hanging out with Donald. 30 15
Take a picture of Scrooge McDuck's shop. Take one picture of Scrooge McDuck's shop. 1 15
Open up fresh Memories. Find and open Memory Shards. 10 20
Fish somewhere that's always sunlit. Fish in the Sunlit Plateau biome. 10 15
Uproot Night Thorns. Remove Night Thorns, Splinters of Fate, or Inkies. 15 15
Mine for purple Gems. Mine purple Gems, including Amethyst and Alexandrite. Shiny variants count too. 5 15
Tackle Royal Tasks. Complete Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 20 20
Earn 10,000 Dreamlight. Acquire 10,000 Dreamlight. 10,000 20
Have a daily discussion with Lumiere. Have one daily discussion with Lumiere. 1 15
Cook a perfect appetizer. Cook any five-star Appetizer. 3 20
Fish somewhere frosty. Catch Fish in the Frosted Heights biome. 10 10
Hang out with Lumiere. Spend time with Lumiere. 30 30
Dig up a root vegetable with many eyes. Harvest Potatoes. 15 20
Mine for white gems. Mine white Gems. This includes Opal and Diamond. Shiny variants count too. 5 20
Tackle Royal Tasks. Tackle Dreamlight Duties, Mist Duties, and Storybook Duties. 15 20
Have a daily discussion with Cogsworth. Have a daily discussion with Cogsworth. 1 15
Craft any refinement item. Craft any items from the Refinement category. 30 20
Cook a perfect Dessert. Cook any five-star Dessert. 3 20
Fish somewhere forgotten. Catch Fish in the Forgotten Lands biome. 10 15
Hang out with Cogsworth. Hang out with Cogsworth for 30 minutes. 30 30
Mine for square Gems. Mine square Gems. This includes Amethyst, Emerald, Topaz, Ruby, Sapphire, and Spinel. Shiny variants count too. 5 20
Collect some shoreline shellfish. Forage for Seafood. 10 15
Give the Sea Turtle critter their favourite food. Feed Sea Turtles their favorite food. 5 15
Mine for oval Gems. Mine oval Gems, including Citine, Aquamarine, Garnet, Blue Zircon, Peridot, and Tourmaline. 10 20
Cast around for Seafood. Fish and catch Seafood. 15 20
Feed the Sunbird critters their favourite food. Feed Sunbirds their favorite food. 5 20
Mine for something shiny. Mine shiny Gems. 10 15
Catch Fish in gold ripples. Catch Fish from gold ripple spots around the valley. 5 25
Hang out with Daisy. Hang out with Daisy for 40 minutes. 40 30

All Witchful Thinking Star Path routine duties in Disney Dreamlight Valley

A man with a glowing pumpkin head running toward a mushroom witch holding a staff in front of a greenhouse in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

In addition to the main duties, you can also tackle some routine duties, which unlock on a weekly basis across the course of eight weeks. Here are all of the routine duties you can tackle, which will be updated each week as they arrive.

  • Week one: Cooking – 10/01/2025

    • Sell 10 Flowers to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Sell 10 Fruits to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Sell five Meals to earn 40 Tokens.

  • Week two: Friendship – 10/08/2025

    • Spend 30 minutes with a villager to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Give 10 favorite gifts to villagers to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Have six daily discussions with villagers to earn 40 Tokens.

  • Week three: Pictures & DreamSnaps – 10/15/2025

    • Take a picture with one villager to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Save one photo to your gallery to earn 25 Tokens.
    • Submit one photo to the weekly DreamSnaps competition to earn 40 Tokens.

  • Week four: Go Fishing – 10/22/2025
  • Week five: Shop & Craft – 10/29/2025
  • Week six: Visit Your Friends – 11/05/2025
  • Week seven: Frosted Heights Adventure – 11/12/2025
  • Week eight: Animal Companion – 11/19/2025

All Witchful Thinking Star Path rewards in Disney Dreamlight Valley

Witchful Thinking Star Path rewards in disney dreamlight valley
Screenshots by Destructoid. Remix by Destructoid

There are six pages of main rewards you can earn throughout the Witchful Thinking Star Path, plus four pages of bonus prizes to claim after that. Here's everything featured in this event and how many Tokens you need to purchase each item.

Page Type Reward Cost
1 Critter Purple Fiery Raven 50
1 Clothing Green Witch Dress 50
1 Clothing Green Witch Hat 40
1 Clothing - Glider Green Witch Book Glider 70
1 Motif Bat Motif 10
1 Clothing Green Witch Boots 30
1 Currency - Moonstone Moonstones 10
2 Furniture Hocus Pocus Cauldron 40
2 Furniture Witch's Bookcase 40
2 Currency - Moonstone Moonstones 20
2 Furniture Green Witch's Glass Window 20
2 Furniture Glass Potion Case 20
2 Motif Potion Drip Motif 10
2 Furniture Luminous Vivarium Wall 50
3 Clothing - Accessory Green Witch Staff 70
3 Furniture Watchful Spell Book 45
3 Currency - Moonstone Moonstones 20
3 Clothing Green Witch Gloves 20
3 Motif Magic Power Motif 15
3 Motif Purple Magic Flame Motif 15
3 Motif Green Magic Power Motif 15
4 Furniture Stained Glass Greenhouse Frame 80
4 Furniture Stained Glass Greenhouse Door 30
4 Furniture Stained Glass Greenhouse Wall 30
4 Furniture Greenhouse Bench 20
4 Photo Frame Thorn Photo Frame 10
4 Furniture Bewitched Garden Tools 10
4 Currency - Moonstone Moonstones 35
5 Furniture Twisted Tree 30
5 Furniture Night Thorn Lights Arch 40
5 Wallpaper Mossy Witch Wallpaper 25
5 Flooring Mossy Witch Flooring 25
5 Currency - Moonstone Moonstones 40
6 Dream Style Spiderweb Dress Daisy 100
6 Clothing Purple Witch Robes 50
6 Currency - Moonstone Moonstones 60
6 Clothing - Accessory Purple Witch Purse 30
6 Furniture Wooden Potion Cupboard 30
6 Clothing Purple Witch Boots 30
6 Clothing - Hat Pumpkin Helmet 50
Bonus 1 Furniture Sanderson Sisters' Flyers 40
Bonus 1 Furniture Witchy Vanity Desk 60
Bonus 1 Furniture Witch's Cooktop 50
Bonus 2 Furniture Wicked Fiery Thorns 50
Bonus 2 Clothing - Glider Purple Witch Book Glider 70
Bonus 2 Furniture Witch's Dark Bookcase 60
Bonus 2 Clothing Purple Witch Hat 35
Bonus 2 Clothing Purple Witch Gloves 35
Bonus 2 Photo Frame Thorn Photo Frame 10
Bonus 3 Player House Witch's Forest Cottage 300
Bonus 4 Currency - Moonstone Moonstones 90 (Repeatable up to 900) 10


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The post All Witchful Thinking Star Path duties and rewards in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 11:16 AM
    

A NBA 2K26 MyPlayer creation player in the game

Season 2 is coming to NBA 2K26 very soon, and we have confirmation about the exact date and time.

NBA 2K and Visual Concepts will follow the same schedule, as the second season will directly succeed the first one. As of writing on Oct. 15, you still have a few days to complete the Season 1 Pass. If you're all done with that, this guide will help you keep track of when the new season goes live in NBA 2K26.

NBA 2K26 Season 2 release countdown

The release timing for the new season was confirmed when NBA 2K released the patch notes for update v2.0. The countdown below will expire once the new season is live.


[hurrytimer id="1129152"]

The countdown is set to the following times.

  • 8am PT
  • 10am CT
  • 11am ET
  • 3pm UTC
  • 4pm BST
  • 5pm CEST

The season goes live at the same time on both PC and console, and the Season 2 Pass will be available for all modes.

NBA 2K26 Season 2 Pass rewards

The table below has all the rewards you can unlock throughout the course of Season 2.

Level Pro MyCareer MyTeam
1 'Insane in the Brain' Teammote Season 2 White Tee Sapphire Shaedon Sharpe
2 2,500 VC 30 Min 2XP Coin 2 Ascension Picks
3 Platinum Grillz Black, Green, and Purple Ball Trail Rims Player Indicator
4 87+ OVR Pack Banners 120 Min 2XP Coin
5 2,500 VC Boosted REC Armsleeve (5% Rep Bonus) 87+ OVR Pack
6 Blue Man Facepaint Tier 3 Boosted Accessory (5% Rep Boost) 3 Ascension Packs
7 4x 60 Min 2XP Coins Graffiti Ball 'Cheater' Game Changer x3
8 2,500 VC Rims Player Indicator 5,000 MT
9 Compression Hoodie Volcanic MyCOURT Mural Howl Green Release
10 10 Ascension Picks Tier 2 'Takeover Surge' Badge Perk Amethyst Goran Dragic
11 2,500 VC Volcanic MyCourt floor Season 2 Ball and Uniforms
12 Los Angeles Clippers Mascot Howl Green Release  4 Ascension Picks
13 87+ OVR Option Pack  Emotes Package #1 Bronze Badge Option Pack (Pick 5)
14 2,500 VC Banners 60 Min 2XP Coins
15 60x Skill Boosts (10 Games) Tier 1 'Takeover Surge' Badge Perk 87+ OVR Pack
16 Hall of Fame Badge Option Pack (Pick 3) Tier 2 Boosted Accessory (10% Rep Boost) Silver Badge Option Pack
17 2,500 VC 60 Min 2XP Coin 5,000 MT
18 45 Gatorade Boosts (15 Games) Low Rider Car 5 Ascension Picks
19  87+ OVR Wild Gems Pack Denver Nuggets Mascot Gold Badge Option Pack (Pick)
20 2,500 VC Tier 2 'Max +1' Badge Perk Amethyst Udonis Haslem
21 6x 30 MIN 2XP Coin Banners 60 MIN 2XP MT Coin
22 4x 60 MIN 2XP Coins 30x Skill Boosts (5 Games) (MC) 'Double Up' Game Changer Card x3
23 2,500 VC  Badge Elevator: Instant +2 Level Boost Hall of Fame Badge
24 60x Skill Boosts (10 Games)  'Too Cold' Teammote 6 Ascension Picks
25  Make It Shine Game Changer x5  Tier 1 'Max +1' Badge Perk Season 2 Amethyst Pack
26 2,500 VC  60 Min 2XP Coin 5,000 MT
27 6x 30 Min 2XP Coins  Tier 1 Boosted Accessory (15% Rep Bonus) 7 Ascension Picks
28 Season 2 Amethyst pack Emotes Package #2 Diamond Coach Erik Spoelstra
29 2,500 VC Ponytail Hairstyle 120 Min 2XP Coins
30 Minnesota Timberwolves Mascot Tier 2 'Max +2' Badge Perk Diamond Joe Johnson
31 10 Ascension Picks Banners Hall of Fame Badge
32 5,000 VC Vampire Eyes 10,000 MT
33 Digital Charge Cape "Hot Streak" Facepaint 90+ OVR Pack
34 25,000 MT  Boosted REC Headband (15% Rep Bonus) 8 Ascension Picks
35 5,000 VC Tier 1 'Max +2' Badge Perk Pink Diamond Courtney Vandersloot
36 Body Mod Carmelo Anthony Jersey Tee 10 Ascension Picks
37 92+ OVR Option Pack Backwards Jersey Hall of Fame Badges x2
38 10,000 VC 120 Min 2XP Coin 10,000 MT
39 Glow Tatted Body Mod Blackout Body Mod 50 Coach Points
40 Pro Pass Pink Diamond Chris Bosh +1 Cap Breaker Pink Diamond Chris Bosh

If you opt for the paid upgrade, you'll get 40 additional rewards, featuring VC, promo cards, and more. Doing so will cost you upwards of $10.


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The post NBA 2K26 Season 2 release countdown: Exact date and time, season pass rewards, and more appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 11:00 AM
    

Keeper review header

Games are an amazing medium because they can run the gamut of action-packed titles like Call of Duty and Super Mario to playable cinematics with little player involvement.

Keeper definitely falls into the latter category. The latest from Double Fine Productions and Lee Petty, this Xbox Game Studios title shines when bringing the beauty of its variety in the market to the forefront. Unfortunately, I think it falls flat when compared to similar titles, even if games like this feel as necessary and important as ever from well-established studios such as this one.

A beacon of light in the dark

Keeper lighthouse aiming spotlight
Screenshot by Destructoid

Keeper's playable characters are a lighthouse and a sea bird (seriously) on an adventure to save their world's flora and fauna from an unspoken plague, and all of this is figured out through just playing the game. Wielding the lighthouse's spotlight and a handful of buttons on the Xbox controller, the entire story is told through gameplay, context clues, the environment, and a handful of cutscenes in between sequences. There's no spoken dialogue. It's definitely a relaxing game, but maybe a bit too much so.

Keeper feels like a playable art exhibit with its surreal aesthetic and odd world full of inanimate objects come to life, and the main form of gameplay is exploration, traversal, and very light puzzle-solving. The game holds your hand in numerous areas with button prompts that pop up on screen (which can be turned off), but even when it doesn't, the puzzles are shockingly linear and solvable with little thought involved. This bodes well for a variety of gamers to try it out, but I was left wanting.

Over the course of Keeper's stunningly short runtime, basically everything is done in just a few buttons (left stick to move, right stick to aim spotlight and RT to focus it, X to use the bird, A for interaction and some other abilities), and the puzzles are solved just as simply. I'm not usually the biggest fan of puzzlers as they tend to frustrate me after a while, so I didn't mind the ease of use, but I still wanted a bit more of a challenge or work to be done on my behalf to finish the game, as it all felt very on-rails most of the time.

The main challenge I found within Keeper was navigating its fixed camera angles, which are there to show off the game's beauty but are often cumbersome or annoying, especially when combined with needing to turn the spotlight at odd angles when the direction of the camera shifts as you move around the environment.

The journey is usually the part you remember

Keeper spotlight and bird
Image via Double Fine Productions

Keeper isn't alone in this genre, as one can compare it to titles like Abzu, Gris, or Journey, although I greatly prefer those. That's not to say Keeper is without its enjoyable moments, as I did enjoy a good chunk of the overall experience, but it pales in comparison. It's lacking something—whether it be character or excitement or more of an overt message, I'm not sure.

Sitting here and recollecting the events of Keeper after just finishing it, I'm left struggling to remember many specific parts. The lighthouse and bird team up to do a variety of good deeds throughout the events of the game's short run-time, but none of them felt too remarkable outside of a time-travel segment where you must go back and forth between past, present, and future to clear obstacles.

The less you know about Keeper before going into it, the better, so I won't spoil much of the game's events or menial plot points. It's just overly simple in the end, which some may appreciate, but I feel as though most gamers will be left wanting more when the credits roll after a handful of play sessions.

I finished Keeper in about five hours or so, and I enjoyed the experience for the most part. If you're a fan of playable rides like this one or have an active Game Pass subscription with a few hours to kill, I'd say go for it. But as far as $30 games go in 2025, your money is definitely better spent elsewhere.


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The post Keeper review – The latest example of video games as playable art feels lacking appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 10:49 AM
    

A screenshot from Pokémon Legends Z-A shows a trainer stood next to Dragonite

I realize I'm probably not Pokémon's target audience anymore, but man, Legends Z-A feels really rough.

I'm only in the introductory stages of the game, so I know it will likely improve and become more fun over time, but I am so bummed out by the game's boring setting of Lumiose City that I'm struggling to find the will to continue.

Promo image for Pokémon Legends Z-A
Image via Game Freak

From the beginning, Pokémon has been about starting from small beginnings and going on to explore the world and everything it has to offer, including different biomes, towns, cities, and explorable areas like caves and more, filled with 'mon to catch and NPCs to meet. Lumiose City is drab, plain, and feels like the antithesis of what the world of Pokémon is and should be.

Being stuck within the city's limits with only cordoned off areas either for wild Pokémon or battles feels really restrictive, and just plain not fun. The battles themselves are fun, at least for now, and a refreshing change of pace from turn-based fights as you need to roll to avoid damage from wild Pokémon and use the face buttons to command different moves from your partner, but everything else feels lackluster.

The lack of ability to explore, combined with the seemingly never-ending baby-level tutorial entry missions, really feels like a drag. I'm thankful you can at least skip some cutscenes, and I know this game is made with children and newcomers in mind, but goodness gracious, I know what a Pokémon Center is. I know what a PokéBall is. This franchise is 30 years old. Please give us boomers and elder gamers an option to get to the meat a little bit quicker.

Am I misremembering, or were the original games way less hand-holdy? As a youngster, I remember getting through the first few areas of games like Pokémon Red or Pokémon Sapphire and then being left on my own to figure stuff out by talking to NPCs and interacting with different areas of the map. Now, everything is mercilessly spelled out ad nauseam by way of: cutscene, dialogue, complete menial task, more dialogue, another cutscene, rinse, repeat for hours. It is so painfully slow and mundane that I'm having a hard time getting through to the other side, where the potentially fun gameplay is.

I really don't buy games as often as I used to, mainly since my free time is usually consumed with whatever game I'm tasked with reviewing for Destructoid, but I spent my own money on this game, and I am feeling very let down thus far. I hope things turn around, and I hope that I'm able to get through the early stages of the game to see if it does turn around at all.

A trainer climbs a ladder at night in Pokémon Legends Z-A
Screenshot by Destructoid

I don't feel like I'm being overly reactionary, either. After speaking with friends and co-workers who are further along than I am, they've mostly echoed my sentiments about the game's setting and sluggish first few hours.

Maybe I'm just too old for this stuff, but Pokémon should be a timeless, ageless experience, and it doesn't quite feel like it lately.


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The post Pokémon Legends Z-A's boring setting and painfully slow tutorial killed all of my nostalgia-fueled hype in just a few hours  appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 10:49 AM
    

A trainer standing with Larvitar in Pokemon Legends: ZA.

Larvitar is the embodiment of the phrase "It only takes one pebble to start an avalanche." The Rock Skin Pokémon isn't great in the stats and type department, but its final evolution, Tyranitar, is a Rock/Dark-type kaiju with stats rivaling those of Legendaries.

Larvitar has always been a hard Pokémon to find in the games it appears in, and Pokémon Legends: ZA keeps that tradition alive. But Larvitar has made a home in Lumiose City, and it can be part of your team.

Where to find Larvitar in Pokémon Legends: ZA

A map showing the location of Larvitar in Pokemon Legends ZA
Screenshot by Destructoid

Larvitar can be found on a small patch of rooftop in Vert Sector 2, right next to Wild Zone 2. To reach it, you need to climb a ladder tucked away on the north side of the courtyard. Once you've reached the rooftops, follow them in a counter-clockwise direction. 

A ladder in Vert Sector 2 that leads to the rooftops in Pokemon Legends ZA
Screenshot via Destructoid

Unfortunately, there's a pretty sizable gap splitting the rooftops in two. Luckily, you can clear it with a bit of parkour. Climb to the top of the pile of boxes on the edge of the roof. Once you're there, get a running start and roll onto the next roof.

A trainer about to roll off a stack of crates in Vert Sector 2 in Pokemon Legends: ZA
Screenshot by Destructoid

From there, keep going until you've reached the southernmost rooftops, where you'll find a lone Larvitar.

How to catch Larvitar in Pokémon Legends: ZA

A wild Larvitar in Pokemon Legends: ZA
Screenshot by Destructoid

As those of us who have used a Tyranitar know, catching Larvitar isn't easy. The Rock Skin Pokémon is incredibly resistant to most Poke Balls, so if you've got Great Balls or Ultra Balls, use them.

Luckily, the smokestack on the roof gives you the perfect opportunity to sneak up on Larvitar. Once the Rock Skin Pokémon gets within range, hit it with your strongest Poké Ball. If that fails, you'll have to fight.

A trainer and their Totodile battling a Larvitar in Pokemon Legends ZA.
Screenshot by Destructoid

As a Rock/Ground-type Pokémon, Larvitar is incredibly weak to Water and Grass-type moves. As long as at least one Pokémon on your team knows a Water or Grass-type move, you should be able to knock Larvitar out with little hassle. Just make sure you chuck your best Poké Ball at it before it disappears.

If you want to know more about the Pokémon that can spawn in the Wild Zone near Larvitar, check out the complete list here.

The post How to find Larvitar in Pokémon Legends Z-A appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 10:43 AM
    

Beldum in the Pokédex of Legends ZA

Beldum is a late-game find in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. If you're eager to get to it early so you can do most of the Story Missions with it, you can't. The area you find it in is blocked until you're climbing from Rank B to A.

Here's when you'll first run into Beldum in ZA and where you can find it.

Where to find Beldum in Pokémon Legends ZA

The Lumiose Map highlighting Lysandre Café
Find Beldum inside Lysandre Lab. Screenshot by Destructoid.

Beldum is inside Lysandre Labs, northeast of Wild Zone 7 in the Magenta Sector. You unlock this area by naturally progressing through the Legends ZA Main Story, when you have the "Reaching Rank A" mission. You will find that Lysandre Café actually hides that lab inside.

The lab room you'll find Bledum is to the center left of the lab. Use the mini-map to navigate.

  1. When you enter the building, go to the left through the door.
  2. Keep going to the left in the room colored green on the minimap until you take an exit south.
  3. Go left and go through the north door towards a corridor.
  4. Take the first door left in that corridor, and you'll find a room full of Beldum.

The map of Lysandre Labs showing a purple room with the Beldum location marked in red.
Beldum's location inside Lysandre Labs. Screenshot by Destructoid

All the Beldum inside are wild spawns, which means you can try and Shiny hunt them if you want. The best method is probably entering and exiting the lab multiple times, because doing so will reset the spawns and make new Beldum show up, with another shot of rolling a shiny.

Once you evolve your Beldum into Metang and Metagross, you can get a Metagrossite Mega Stone for 360 Mega Shards to equip it and Mega Evolve your Metagross in battle.

If you don't want to wait that long to get a Beldum, your only choice is to have one given to you via trade with a friend who already has Lysandre Labs unlocked. Then, you need to check that the Beldum's level is below the one which Pokémon will listen to your orders. You can verify that in the Save menu.

The post How to find Beldum in Pokémon Legends Z-A appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 9:56 AM
    

Marvel Rivals Marvel Zombies Queen of the Dead Scarlet Witch

Well, that didn't take too long, and I'm thankful. Next week, Marvel Rivals is getting its first PvE game mode themed around the Marvel Zombies Disney Plus show, and I'm excited.

I love me some PvE content, especially as I get older and my PvP competition seemingly gets younger and more skilled, so this is right up my alley. And yeah, this is kind of NetEase Games "reheating Overwatch 2's nachos" as the kids say, but they absolutely should do so.

Marvel Rivals Zombies mode
Screenshot by Destructoid

OW2 was promised as a PvE game and it got scrapped not long after launch, with Blizzard Entertainment instead focusing purely on PvP. It's one of the game's major missteps, and I hope NetEase knows there's a big want for this type of mode in hero shooters.

Meanwhile, Marvel Rivals is ripe for additional and important PvE experiences considering the story that's told in the game follows through each season as Doctor Doom and Doom 2099 use the multiverse as their chess board.

I doubt NetEase goes for a full campaign mode with Marvel Rivals any time soon like OW2 once tried, but I think this sets a good precedent for the future. I hope to see seasonal story beats playable in PvE modes and not just confined to cutscenes one day, because that just sounds like a good time, and a great way to keep players engaged in the game's running plot.

I have to reserve full judgment on the mode until I can play it, but for now, it looks like a fun MCU tie-in if nothing else. Players can queue up for the co-op mode for four players and play as one of five heroes, including Blade, The Punisher, Magik, Thor, and Jeff the Land Shark as they slay zombies in New York City and eventually make their way to the final boss: Zombie Scarlet Witch, also known as Queen of the Dead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xBptgEhiok&pp=ugUEEgJlbtIHCQn8CQGHKiGM7w%3D%3D

Marvel Rivals' Marvel Zombies mode comes to the free-to-play shooter next week on Oct. 23, just in time for Halloween week.


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The post Marvel Rivals gets invaded by zombies in its first ever co-op PvE experience, and it sets a very exciting precedent appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 9:48 AM
    

A lump of purple sludge on Pokemon Legends: ZA.

In Pokémon Legends: ZA, large swaths of Lumiose City are blocked off by various hazards. One of the most troublesome issues is a purple sludge that clogs the streets, cutting you off from rare Pokémon, special items, and even side-mission progression.

What makes the purple goo so obnoxious is the fact that it's not immediately clear what type of Pokémon move is effective against it. But once you know its weakness, purple goop will become a minor roadblock on your journey to dominate the Z-A Royal.

How to clear the purple goo in Pokémon Legends: ZA

The Pokemon Crocanaw using a Water-type move to clean purple sludge in Pokemon Legends: ZA.
Screenshot by Destructoid

Water-type moves are the most reliable way to deal with purple sludge. I tried out a few different Water-type moves, and based on my findings, any Water-type move will clear up the sludge.

If you picked a Totodile like I did, clearing out purple goo won't be much of an issue. If you choose Chikorita or Tepig, you'll have to catch a Water-type Pokémon if you want to get past the slime. Luckily, the Pokédex in Pokémon Legends: ZA is full of solid Water-types. One of the best places to grab a Water-type is Wild Zone 2, which is home to Magikarp, Binacle, and Staryu. You could also pick up a Froakie by completing "A Challenge from Froakie" side mission.

The Pokemon Ralts using a Psychic-type move to clean up purple goo in Pokemon Legends: ZA.
Screenshot by Destructoid

Water-type moves aren't the only way to deal with purple sludge. Psychic-type moves can also blast it away, which makes sense: Psychic-type moves are super-effective against Poison-type Pokémon. A free Ralts is currently available through Mystery Gift until Feb. 26, 2026, but you can also catch an Abra in Wild Zone 5.

If you want a rundown of all the places you can find Water and Psychic-type Pokémon, check out our Wild Zone breakdown here. Once you're armed with the power of water and/or psionics, purple goo won't keep you from grabbing the Revitalizing Root for Fennekin or exploring the underbelly of Lumiose City.

The post How to remove purple goo sludge in Pokémon Legends Z-A appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 9:34 AM
    

A white Flabébé in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Completing Side Mission 012, "The Many Flowers of Flabébé," is complicated. Early on, it feels like Flabébé are everywhere, but once you try to find one in each of its colors, you see it's not that easy. Its Pokédex description says you can find it near flowerbeds, when in reality, it's not a guaranteed spawn.

My first instinct was to believe that each Sector in Pokémon Legends: Z-A would feature a Flabébé of a certain color, but that's not how it works. Each color spawns in particular areas, and some may be found in various spots, while others are rare appearances. Here are the locations you need to go to find Red, Yellow, Orange, Blue, and White Flabébé to complete this side quest in ZA.

How to find Red Flabébé's exact location in Legends Z-A

The Lumiose City map showing the Wild Zone 3
Go to the Wild Zone 3 to see Red Flabébé. Screenshot by Destructoid.

You can find Red Flower Flabébé in the center of Wild Zone 3, north of Lumiose in the Rouge Sector. There should be a couple of them scattered around the garden near the benches. They are around level six, so it's easy to catch them early on in your ZA adventure.

How to find Yellow Flabébé's exact locationWhere to find

The yellow Flabébé location south of Wild Zone 6.
Here's where you'll find a Yellow Flabébé for sure. Screenshot by Destructoid.

There's a guaranteed Yellow Flabébé spawn by the flowerbeds between Wild Zone 6 and Restaurant Le Nah. That's northeast of Lumiose, between the Jaune and Vert Sectors. It should be easy to spot, as it could be wandering in the middle of the street. It's around Lv. 12.

How to find Orange Flabébé's exact locationWhere to find

The path in Bleu Street where you find orange Flabébé.
Orange Flabébé is in the middle of the street. Screenshot by Destructoid.

You can find Orange Flabébé consistently in Bleu Street, between Bleu Sectors 5 and 8, southwest of Lumiose. It should be hiding between the flowers on the edges of the street at Lv. 10. It's another easy catch. It also spawns inside of Wild Zone 7, in the garden area to the north, but at Lv. 20.

How to find Blue Flabébé's exact locationWhere to find

The location in the Lumiose City Map where you can find the Blue Flabébé
Take the Holovator to find a Blue Flabébé. Screenshot by Destructoid

You'll surely find a blue Flabébé on top of the building northwest of Wild Zone 7, in the Magenta Sector. Take the Holovator up and you'll be in front of a small flowerbed with a bench in front of it. Look around that area, and the Blue Flabébé will be there around Lv. 13.

How to find White Flabébé's exact locationWhere to find

The spot in Vert Sector 3 where you can find white Flabébé
White Flabébé is next to a white Floette. Screenshot by Destructoid.

White Flabébé will always show up on Vert Sector 3, northeast of Wild Zone 2, by the water fountains left and right of the entrance to this gated area. They'll be Lv. 9 or 10. You'll also find Floette, Flabébé's evolution, at Lv. 20, but capturing it does not count towards this quest. Make sure you're capturing the right Pokémon here.

Once you have all Flabébé, you can keep them in your box. Return to Vivace, and you'll have to show her your Flabébé one by one to complete the quest. Each time you show one, you unlock a new hair color to use in the hair salón. When you are done showcasing your Flabébé collection, you unlock aqua, purple, and passion pink hair colors as a bonus, aside from the Rare Candy and other mission rewards.

Now, you can do whatever you want with the Flabébé. If you have a strong will, maybe you should try Shiny hunting all of them.

The post Where to find all Flabébé Colors in Pokémon Legends Z-A appeared first on Destructoid.


Destructoid Friday, October 17, 2025 8:56 AM
    

NPC who gifts you the Soothe Bell item in Legends ZA

The Soothe Bell is arguably one of the most important things to find in Pokémon Legends Z-A, and more so if you're aiming to raise the Friendship Level of your Pokémon quickly.

In Legends ZA, raising the Friendship Level for some Pokémon is key if you want to evolve it. While having the Soothe Bell isn't compulsory and you can complete a playthrough without it, having the item makes the whole process quicker.

If you've yet to find the item, this guide will ease your hunt.

How to get the Soothe Bell in Pokémon Legends Z-A

The Soothe Bell is part of the side quest no. 36. Titled Some Friendly Competition, you'll have to complete the quest to earn the item. To obtain Soothe Bell, you'll have to reach the Cafe Rouleau in the southwestern part of the map.

Cafe Rouleau in Lgends ZA
Screenshot by Destructoid

Take the main path that leads to the southwest part of the map. Cafe Rouleau will fall to your right in the game. You'll find the lady in the location (as in the cover image). You'll need to defeat her to complete Some Friendly Competition.

How does the Soothe Bell work in Pokémon Legends Z-A?

The Soothe Bell enhances the rate at which the Friendship Level of your Pokémon goes up. You can do so by assigning the item to a Pokémon of your choice. This will raise its Friendship Level quickly whenever you perform any activity.

Do note that the Soothe Bell doesn't automatically raise the Friendship Level. It simply enhances the rate at which Friendship Level rises for Pokémon. Once you have raised the level of one Pokémon, you can switch and give it to the next one to take its benefits.


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The post How to find the Soothe Bell in Pokémon Legends Z-A appeared first on Destructoid.