Kotaku Wednesday, March 5, 2025 3:55 PM  President Donald Trump's recently imposed tariffs on Mexico, China, and Canada could potentially lead to higher game and console prices, fewer physical releases, and supply shortages, according to some industry analysts. |
PCGamesN Wednesday, March 5, 2025 6:26 PM  Age of Empires is one of greatest strategy game series of all time, but the remake of its mythological spinoff is the most recent highlight. Age of Mythology Retold launched last year to strong reviews, and has rolled out several free updates to make it even better, but now the time has come for it to release its first ever paid DLC: Immortal Pillars. Centred around Chinese folklore, it throws a dozen new gods into the game alongside fresh units and a nine-level campaign. Continue reading Age of Mythology Retold's first DLC arrives with 12 new gods in tow MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RTS games, Best strategy games, Best PC games |
PCGamesN Wednesday, March 5, 2025 5:24 PM  Marvel Rivals is just about to turn three months old, despite the popular hero shooter feeling like it's been around much longer. The amount of content it's delivered, the huge daily player counts, and even the controversial flash points it's endured make it seem like a free-to-play staple that's been on the block for years. Despite still being in its infancy, yet another event is about to be rolled out, and the wild new limited-time mode it introduces is going to be soaking up your free time over the next three weekends. Plus, NetEase has just dropped a short set of patch notes for the new update, which includes a couple of very welcome changes. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Marvel Rivals codes, Marvel Rivals characters, Marvel Rivals tier list |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 5, 2025 8:00 PM
Lasengle has released the CBC 2025 Servant on the Japanese server of Fate/Grand Order, and this year, we have Dante Alighieri. He's a 5-star Pretender.
Dante Alighieri, or Dante, was an Italian poet, writer, and philosopher. He's best known for the Divine Comedy, which in turn inspired multiple works and games such as Devil May Cry. Kamome Shirahama, the manga artist for Witch Hat Atelier, is the character designer for Dante in Fate/Grand Order. His voice actor is Shoya Chiba. Chiba's roles include Sethos in Genshin Impact, Akihiko in Wind Breaker, and Kou in Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun.
In the game, Dante appears as a Pretender because he (the author) is pretending to be Dante (the character). Dante's second Skill has the unique ability to change the battlefield to either Heaven or Hell. Heaven heals the party every turn, as well as increases Arts performance and critical damage. Meanwhile, Hell charges his own NP gauge every turn, along with increasing the party's Buster performance and NP damage.
You can watch his Noble Phantasm, Lasciate Ogne Speranza, Vol Ch'Intrate: Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here, here:
As a note, Dante will appear in the story gacha later on. However, you must first complete Ordeal Call IV before he'll appear there, and Ordeal Call IV will debut in Spring 2025. Okada Izo, the 3-star Assassin, is also on Dante's banner. However, Okada will not appear in the Friend Points gacha after. So in a sense, he's a bit more valuable since he's actually limited.
Fate/Grand Order is readily available on mobile devices. Dante is currently only on the Japanese server of Fate/Grand Order.
The post Fate/Grand Order CBC 2025 Servant is Dante Alighieri appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 5, 2025 7:00 PM
Square Enix will release replicas of the curse stones from Paranormasight. They're goods available at the second pop-up shop, which will run from March 7 to 23, 2025.
The Paranormasight curse stones stand at around 3 to 4 centimeters tall, and they're made of polyresin. You can also use them as a keychain, since they come with a little string. Each curse stone comes in its own specific box, so you can display them as well. There are nine variations in total, and each one costs 3850 JPY ($25.90). Unfortunately, these curse stones are mere replicas. You cannot curse anyone to death with them, nor can you use them to revive someone in a supernatural ritual.
Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is a visual novel that came out in 2023. A manga sequel will come out in 2025. Aside from reading the story like a normal visual novel, the player has to solve puzzles to help the characters escape from deadly situations, as well as uncover the mystery of the curses around the city. It follows an ensemble cast who receive curse stones, which they can use to cast curses on others and collect their souls for a reincarnation ritual. You can read our review of the game here.
Paranormasight is readily available on the Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, and mobile devices. The Cocollabo site, which hosts the Paranormasight pop-up shop merchandise, offers international shipping. So overseas customers may be able to purchase these as well.
The post Paranormasight Curse Stones Appear in Pop-Up Shop appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 5, 2025 6:00 PM
Square Enix has revealed the new Vanguard Final Fantasy XVI watch models for the collaboration with watchmaker Franck Muller. There are 4 different models in the collection and their units are limited to only a few worldwide.
The sale of the watches started today on March 5, 2025, and the first watch in the FFXVI collection is the Vanguard Tourbillon The Final Battle model. This model features the Eikons Ifrit, Phoenix, and Bahamut, and there is only one unit of this watch being made worldwide. The Final Battle watch costs no less than 30.8 million yen (or roughly $207,000.)
Meanwhile, the remaining three watch models is inspired by Ifrit, Phoenix, and Bahamut each, including motifs based on the Eikons and their dominants Clive, Joshua, and Dion respectively. There will be 16 units made worldwide for each of the individual Eikon watch models, with each one costing 2.86 million yen (approximately $19,200.)
You can check out the upcoming Final Fantasy XVI x Franck Muller watch collection here:
The Vanguard Final Fantasy XVI x Franck Muller watch collection is now available worldwide for purchase, with very limited units being made. Final Fantasy XVI is readily available for the PS5 and PC via Steam.
The post See Every Franck Muller x Final Fantasy XVI Watch appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 5, 2025 5:00 PM
Back when NPC Studio announced the major March 2025 patch for Fields of Mistria, it teased an Elsie gossip feature that would offer gift hints for love interests and characters. Now the developer took to social media for a more detailed explanation. A brief video shows exactly how the new feature works if you take advantage of it.
The teaser shows a farmer talking to Elsie in the gardens next to the home where she lives with Adeline and Eiland. Elsie shows portraits of three characters to choose from when you ask for advice. In this case, Celine, Josephine, and Hayden came up. These portraits also show their current affection levels and how many of the 20 possible gift ideas you've discovered. Celine is selected in the example. It then shows a screen with Loved and Liked gifts, and a new "liked" one is revealed due to the player's selection.
Here's the full Fields of Mistria Elsie gift hint trailer:
Ahead of the new major patch for Fields of Mistria, we've seen quite a few trailers looking at upcoming features. For example, the mines dungeon is expanding with a new biome. So, NPC Studio showed how useful a watering can be when used on lava. It also highlighted the Animal Sprite Statue, which makes ranching a little easier. The initial patch notes also confirmed Caladrus will debut as a romance option.
Fields of Mistria is currently in early access on PCs, and the new patch arrives on March 10, 2025.
The post See How Elsie Gift Gossip Works in Fields of Mistria appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 5, 2025 4:45 PM
Steam is currently holding its Visual Novel Fest where there are deep discounts on narrative heavy games. Lying at the intersection between books and games, visual novels allow you to make decisions that immerse you more deeply in the story compared to standard books.
If you're visual novel curious but don't know where to dive in, we have ten recommendations from Steam's Visual Novel Fest to start you out on your interactive fiction journey.
Chaos;Head Noah
Most people have heard of Steins;Gate. It's a legendary sci-fi visual novel where a self proclaimed mad scientist uses a microwave to change the past and save his childhood friend, jellifying more than a few bananas in the process. It's many people's introduction to the visual novel genre, but the team has many more excellent stories under its belt.
Chaos;Head Noah is a personal favorite with its shut-in antihero protagonist, who is suddenly and reluctantly plunged into solving a serial murder case after the killer begins to hit close to home. It's also available with its sequel Chaos;Child in a double pack, and both are worth picking up this week.
Chaos;Head Noah is $12.49 until the end of Steam's Visual Novel Fest.
The House in Fata Morgana
The House in Fata Morgana was a meme as, for a long time, it had a perfect score on Metacritic. The joke was that not many critics had reviewed it, but everyone who had played it had decided it was worthy of a perfect score. As one of those few critics, I wholeheartedly agree.
The titular house and its residents are cursed to repeat the sins of their past, as you are guided through several intertwining stories of the residents' histories. The characters transform in every sense, in a beautifully told character study of its cast.
The House in Fata Morgana is just $16.24 until the end of Steam's Visual Novel Fest.
Scarlet Hollow
Before Black Tabby Games brought us the bitesize stories of Slay the Princess, they began with Scarlet Hollow. For readers who like their choice to really matter, this supernatural episodic horror has literally hundreds of permutations and branching paths.
A lot goes in behind the scenes and small decisions will completely change how characters react to you and treat you. This means you can start it several times, and be treated to a different story every playthrough. With the latest major update giving more choices than before it's the perfect time to dive in.
Scarlet Hollow is just $18.74 through to the end of Steam's Visual Novel Fest.
AI: The Somnium Files Nirvana Initiative
We love both AI: The Somnium Files games, and both are standalone stories that are worth picking up. However, the sequel really nails the mix of sci-fi and murder mystery with the right balance to the twists where we didn't see them coming, but felt we should have.
A detective with the ability to enter the minds of the suspects and witnesses of the case to get right to the truth, it's still not easy to piece everything together. As you get closer to the truth, you feel there are even more parts to the story that you failed to uncover.
AI: The Somnium Files Nirvana Initiative is available for $17.99 during Steam's Visual Novel Fest.
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Danganronpa is one of the classic visual novels for a reason. Thirteen 'Ultimate' students, teenagers that are at the pinnacle in their fields, are trapped together inside an abandoned school with no memory of how they got there. The only way out is by pulling off the perfect murder; one that your classmates can't solve.
A mix between searching the school for clues, and presenting your arguments before a court of your peers, Danganronpa is known for twists and turns, and its ability to surprise the audience even into the third game in the series. All of the Danganronpa games are on sale during the event, but newcomers to the series should start at the beginning.
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is available during Steam's Visual Novel Fest for $13.99.
Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
A double pack of mystery games, The Nonary Games contains the first and best two games from the Zero Escape series. Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors is the bite-sized entry into the series that gets the player used to going back in time, making different decisions, and following the thread of a different timeline. Once you are used to the game's mechanics, you are ready for the real show; Virtue's Last Reward.
Virtue's Last Reward improves and expands on all of the ideas presented in 999. With more branching paths, and information that you have to remember between the various timelines, it takes the mystery and puzzle solving to another level. A beautifully wound narrative with a payoff that you feel you definitely deserve.
Zero Escape: The Nonary Games can be purchased during Steam's Visual Novel Fest for $8.99.
Clannad
Clannad is considered one of the best visual novels of all time, yet if you aren't familiar with the genre you have probably never heard of it. Like many Japanese stories it takes place in high school, but what Clannad does differently is ground the teens with home lives that are less than picture perfect.
Clannad is a bishoujo, a romance game where a man falls in love with various women, but the romance of the story is just a part of the overall magic. It doesn't matter if this is your romantic preference or not, Clannad is a story that will bring people with even the most hardened hearts to tears.
Clannad is available for $17.99 until the end of Steam's Visual Novel Fest.
Root Double -Before Crime * After Days- Xtend Edition
Once you get over the ridiculousness of the name, Root Double is a mystery thriller with a unique pathing system. Rather than making dialogue choices, or choosing who to talk to, you decide how much you trust the person you are speaking to. It makes you act more conservatively about who you are ready to ally with.
The story is broken up over five interwoven routes that at first don't seem to be related at all. As with the best mystery novels, things slowly unfurl over time until all of the pieces are in place. Root Double is one of the lesser known games on this list, but one that is worth picking up.
Root Double can be purchased for $8.74 during Steam's Visual Novel Fest.
Psychedelia of the Black Butterfly
Another romance novel, this time Psychedelia of the Black Butterfly is an otome, a romance story of a woman falling in love with men. Our protagonist wakes up in an abandoned mansion with a number of men, and none of them can remember their pasts. They also can't leave the mansion, and need to unlock their memories to free themselves.
Like most of the visual novels on the list, Psychedelia of the Black Butterfly is best enjoyed when you're kept in the dark, but like Clannad there is more to enjoy than just the romances between the various characters.
Psychedelia of the Black Butterfly is available during Steam's Visual Novel Fest for $7.49.
VA-11 Hall-A
If you're interested in mixing drinks and saving lives, VA-11 Hall-A is the game for you. You play the bartender in a futuristic cyberpunk basement, as you get to know your patrons, and the drinks they like. In fact, the best bartenders know their customers better than they know themselves, and you can use your discretion to earn big tips.
VA-11 Hall-A is a character study of our bartender, her colleagues, and the quirky cast of people who attend the bar. If you're looking for a new group of friends to hang out with, then there are worse places you could choose to be.
VA-11 Hall-A is available during Steam's Visual Novel Fest for $10.04.
Steam's Visual Novel Fest is on right now and ends on March 10, 2025.
The post Steam Holds Week Long Visual Novel Fest – Here Are Ten Games You Should Try appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 5, 2025 4:00 PM
Skincare brand Missha will collaborate with Sanrio to release Pompompurin versions of its Vita-C facial masks and serum. These products will appear in places like drug stores and supermarkets from March 10, 2025. [Thanks, PR Times!]
Pompompurin will appear on the packaging for the Vita-C products, and the serum will even come with a little tag that has him hanging out with his friends. You can likely remove the tag from the bottle and attach it to something like a bag or your keys. Missha is not charging more for these collaboration products. So you can still purchase both the serum and masks for 2200 JPY ($14.80).
According to the marketing, you can use Vita-C serum to tighten your skin (thus making pores less obvious). It also contains collagen, which is great for overall skin health. As for the masks, you can get 30 sheets in each bag, and you can use them daily.
Pompompurin is a Sanrio mascot who debuted in 1996 and, despite his relative "youth" compared to the likes of Hello Kitty and My Melody, he's very popular. He often appears in crossover campaigns like with Build-a-Bear and McDonald's, and he's a prominent character in video games as well. For example, Pompompurin one of the default characters in Hello Kitty Island Adventure, and outfits based on him appeared in Shining Nikki in 2023.
The Pompompurin Vita-C skincare products from Missha will appear in Japan from March 10, 2025.
The post PomPomPurin Appears on Vita C Skincare Products appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 5, 2025 4:00 PM
Big Comic Original has announced some new series and one-shots for its upcoming issues, including a new Rumic Theater one-shot by Rumiko Takahashi. The title of the one-shot is Rumic Theater: Himitsu wo Keep, or Keep a Secret. [Thanks, ryokutya2089!]
Rumic Theater is an anthology series that she publishes in Big Comic Original every year since 1987. So far, there are five volumes of the series, and the latest one (Volume 5) came out in 2019. The Himitsu wo Keep one-shot will appear in the August 2025 volume of Big Comic Original. In that same issue, we'll also see a new series (Oya Gogogo by Sensha Yoshida) and another one-shot (Otherworld Museum by Yasuo Otagaki).
According to Comic Natalie, Himitsu wo Keep will take place in a certain bar. It'll focus on a middle-aged man who's paying a bar to keep his bottle there. However, a strange man keeps drinking from that bottle. The only image we have of the one-shot shows the bottle in question.
Rumiko Takahashi is one of the most prominent and successful Japanese manga artists. Since she started her career in 1978, she's won several awards and created multiple popular series with equally popular anime adaptations. Her works include Urusei Yatsura, Inuyasha, Rin-ne, Ranma ½, and Maison Ikkoku. For her contributions to the arts, the Japanese government awarded her with the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2020.
Rumic Theater: Himitsu wo Keep will appear in the August 2025 issue of Big Comic Original.
The post Rumiko Takahashi Rumic Theater One-Shot Manga on the Way appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, March 5, 2025 3:30 PM
Castem is selling chopsticks stands that can turn your chopsticks into either the Tora-Gari or Ul-Tora Gari attacks from One Piece. Each stand costs 1760 JPY ($11.80). [Thanks, Game Watch!]
The One Piece Tora-Gari and Ul-Tora Gari chopsticks stands appeared in stores on March 5, 2025. You can find them in the Castem Rakuten store or at places like Eslite. The stands themselves look like Zoro preparing to launch either the Tora-Gari or Ul-Tora Gari attacks. He already has a sword in his mouth, and your chopsticks will complete the swords he's holding. The blade of the sword he's carrying in his mouth, as well as his arm, will serve to support your chopsticks.
While both stands are striking the same pose, Zoro himself looks different. The Ul-Tora Gari version features an older Zoro. His hairstyle reflects this change, and he's also more muscular than the Tora-Gari version.
As Zoro is one of the more popular characters in One Piece, it's not surprising to see him star in merchandise without the other members of the crew. Goods that focus on his katana have appeared multiple times in the past as well. For example, in 2024, Bandai Namco announced Proplica swords of his weapons. You can even use them to pull off the Three-Sword Style yourself if you wanted to.
The One Piece chopsticks stands are readily available in stores in Japan.
The post New One Piece Chopsticks Stands Look Like Zoro appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Wednesday, March 5, 2025 5:26 PM
Whenever a game drops on PC, you can bet the fandom won't waste time whipping up mods. Monster Hunter Wilds players didn't miss a beat, crafting add-ons I hope to see in future updates. Here's a roundup of the best MH Wilds mods you need to download now.
Increase Monster Hunter Wilds' Difficulty
If you've been perusing the Monster Hunter Wilds forums, there's usually a heated debate on whether the game is too easy compared to its predecessors. Those who lean more on it being too easy can try out Furiante's mod to increase monster HP and damage. It works slightly similarly to the High-Rank version of these monsters, but this time, you don't have to wait until the endgame stages to encounter them.
Monster Health Bar
Among all the sought-after features, a monster health bar is undoubtedly at the top of the wish list. While I get the realism behind its absence, I still wouldn't mind having one present. Thankfully, GreenComfyTea's mod delivers—showing health bars for every monster and letting you track just how long it'll take to eliminate them.
Buff Glow Removal
Upon activating a buff from meals or Talismans, a glow will appear around your character's body to demonstrate its brute strength. It's a pretty cool visual, but it can get a tad annoying when it refuses to turn off. To get rid of it completely, use Peasly Wellbott's Persistent Buff Glow Removal mod. Your character will return to normal with it, which is perfect for Photo Mode opportunities.
Enhance Performance
Since Monster Hunter Wilds was released, many PC players have noted a downgrade in performance. There are a few ways to fix it, whether with setting adjustments or mods. For the add-on route, install Vanilla's mod for better visuals and stability, reducing CPU usage by 10 to 15% percent. You'll also receive a 10+ FPS upgrade to help with any lag issues.
Skip the Intro Logos
Every time you start your Monster Hunter Wilds playthrough, you're stuck enduring a drawn-out introduction. But with lingsamuel's mod, you can completely bypass that hassle. Say goodbye to pressing endless buttons just to reach the start screen and dive straight into the action.
Wilds Reshade Tool
Although the MH Wilds cutscenes are stunning to look at, sometimes the in-game content has a bit of a shading problem. You can fix this with ISpectre23's Wilds Rehydrated mod, which provides a clearer picture of monsters, characters, and the surrounding environment. It doesn't come at the cost of performance, so you'll have both advantages of user-friendly gameplay and breathtaking visuals.
Auto Item Pouch Restock
In all the time I spent playing Monster Hunter Wilds for my review, the one thing I wish I had (apart from the monster health bar) is a restock option for pouches. That's where archwizard1204's mod comes in to save the day, replenishing items from your last loadout and ammo pouch. This includes your inventory in your camp and the Seikret's pouch.
Skip Pouch Replace Prompt
Another exceptional mod from Peasly Wellbott dismisses the 'Your item pouch is full' prompt. If you aren't familiar with this notification, it pops up every time you pick up an item while your inventory is full, forcing you to select 'Yes' a bunch of times. I've gone through this on multiple occasions, so having this add-on is a life-saver.
Highlight Enemy Scars and Weak Points
NexusMod user lingsamuel comes in clutch once again with their Highlight Enemy Scars and Weak Points mod. Since it can be challenging to activate your Focus Mode at times, this add-on will automatically show you spots like Wounds without the press of a button. Note that the mod requires the Cat Lib add-on, providing necessary resource packs.
Suppressed Scoutflies
I know I've already placed two Peasly Wellbott creations on this best Monster Hunter Wilds mod list, but I just have to add one more. Using their Supressed Scoutflies mod reduces the glowing effects of these critters, which can sometimes take over the entire screen. Now, you don't have to constantly see the Scoutflies' tracks while on a hunt or scavenging mission.
The post Top 10 best Monster Hunter Wilds mods appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, March 5, 2025 4:04 PM
2K has announced the Season Pass content for WWE 2K25, and there is plenty of exciting DLC content to look forward to.
Over the course of the year, the developers will release extra content in the form of smaller DLCs. This content will be available to anyone who owns the Season Pass at no extra cost. Let's take a look at all the extra champions and bonus items to be added in the near future as part of these DLCs.
WWE 2K25 Season Pass DLC contents
The Season Pass will include five character packs, released as post-launch content. While the exact dates for the packs haven't been announced, the release months are now available.
New Wave Pack - May 2025
Dunk & Destruction Pack - June 2025
Fearless Pack - July 2025
Attitude Era Superstars Pack - September 2025
Saturday Night's Main Event Pack - November 2025
As of this writing, there are no details on whether these packs will be available as standalone purchases. If 2K follows last year's patterns, these DLC packs will be priced at $10 each. The Season Pass should be available later as a standalone purchase. The only way to secure the pass is by purchasing either The Bloodline or the Deadman Edition.
These Editions are priced higher than the Standard version but have plenty of extra goodies. You'll get VC and bonus customization items along with the Season Pass. It's an excellent choice for anyone who's a hardcore fan of the series and plans to play WWE 2K25 for a long time.
The post All WWE 2K25 Season Pass DLC contents and release date appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, March 5, 2025 4:01 PM
It's amazing when you find a book that sucks you in, deposits you into a new world, and weaves a story that you can fully immerse yourself in. One book is great, but an entire series of books is always better.
Readers agree, and book series sell ridiculously well. If you're wondering what book series have sold the most copies, this list will break down the top 10. Perhaps surprisingly, or not depending on how you look at it, most of the top-selling book series of all time are aimed towards children and young adults.
10. Nancy Drew (200 million+)
Various authors as 'Carolyn Keene'
It's hard to argue with a book series that ran without a break for 73 years and consists of 175 novels, and Nancy Drew has cemented her place as a familiar character for children around the world. Throughout the series, the young female detective protagonist changed and evolved to keep up with the times, aged, and became an inspirational icon for young girls.
There are the 175 original series novels, multiple spinoff series, six feature films, a whopping 34 video games, multiple TV series, and a long list of other adapted media.
9. Noddy (200 million+)
Enid Blyton
Noddy is a wooden boy living in Toyland alongside Big Ears. The Noddy books were published in 1949, and he is still a beloved children's character to this day through the TV series that I watched as a child myself, before the times of CGI. He's cute (in a wooden kind of way), he teaches good lessons, and he makes children laugh.
It's not hard to figure out how the Noddy books became so popular and stood the test of time. There are 24 books in the original series, and countless spin-offs and reboots have been created through the years.
8. The Railway Series (201 million+)
Rev. W. Awdry, Christopher Awdry
Perhaps better known as "Thomas the Tank Engine", The Railway Series was originally devised by Rev. W. Awdry as a distraction for his son when he was suffering from measles. That original intention soon spawned a world filled with anthropomorphized trains and stories inspired by real-life events, familiar to children everywhere.
The original TV series is, again, my main memory of this series, with Ringo Starr providing the narration as Thomas and friends go about their daily lives on the Island of Sodor. After Rev. W. Awdry stepped down from writing the tales, his son was inspired by a 1983 visit to Nene Valley Railway in Peterborough, England (my hometown, as an aside) to continue his father's work.
7. Sweet Valley High (250 million+)
Francine Pascal and ghostwriters
Published between 1983 and 2003, the Sweet Valley High series was never one of my particular favorites, but it's hard to argue with 250 million copies sold to date. During those 20 years, 400 books (if you include the long list of spinoff series) were published thanks to an entire team of ghostwriters working under Francine Pascal.
These books are definitely aimed at teenage girls, and the drama within very much reflects the target audience, with stories that very much reflect the torture that is high school. With inspiration pulled from a myriad of literary genres, including regency romance, detective fiction, and even sci-fi, there is at least some variation in the mountain of titles.
6. Choose Your Own Adventure (250 million+)
Various authors
There is something special about the concept of a book that changes depending on the choices you make. They're the precursor to games like Life is Strange, where every choice matters and will change the outcome. The first Choose Your Own Adventure book was published in 1979, and 184 titles were published as part of the series before 1998.
You become the main character in whatever tale you pick up, choosing what paths to take, and those choices decide which page you should turn to so that you can continue the story. There are spin-off series with Disney characters, one inspired by Indiana Jones, and even one inspired by Goosebumps.
5. Berenstain Bears (260 million+)
Stan and Jan Berenstain
Ah, the Berenstain Bears, beloved childhood characters and subjects of a particularly convincing Mandela Effect conspiracy. As a Brit, I have to admit that I have never been overly familiar with the Berenstain Bears, because they are very much an American phenomenon, or at least they were when I was a child before the age of the internet.
However, with over 260 million copies sold since 1962 and 400 books in the line-up, it's hard to argue against their place in children's literary history. The original book series has been adapted into multiple TV series, a long list of video games, and the family even had a stint on Broadway in the early 2010s.
4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (290 million+)
Jeff Kinney
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is, to many, a true coming of age story. It chronicles the life of Greg Heffley as he goes through adolescence and faces a many familiar situations that we all remember from that time in our lives, as well as some more far-fetched ones involving moldy cheese.
Because Diary of a Wimpy kid only began being published in 2004, the number of copies sold is all the more impressive, beating out series that have been in the works for decades. There are multiple movies and TV series, plus a musical adaptation as part of the franchise.
3. Perry Mason (300 million+)
Erle Stanley Gardner
The Perry Mason series is arguably the only series on this list that isn't aimed at a younger audience, which makes it stick out like something of a sore thumb, but doesn't diminish the impressive achievement of more than 300 million copies sold since the first book was published in 1933. It's also the series that's been out of publication for the longest, with the last book published in 1973.
There are 84 novels in the series, and every single one of them stars Perry Mason as a brilliant criminal defense lawyer trying to get a murder suspect off the hook. His detective abilities are astounding, and while it's hard to believe that there are so many wrongfully accused murder suspects for him to protect, that's exactly what he does.
2. Goosebumps (400 million+)
R.L. Stine
As an adult with a love of horror movies and the macabre, I wholly blame R.L. Stine for shaping my childhood with the Goosebumps books and the subsequent TV adaptations of the 62 books in the original series. It's like an introduction to the most traditional horror concepts, done in a way that both scares you but also somehow doesn't give you nightmares.
The first Goosebumps book was published back in 1992, so many people in my generation grew up reading them, making the entire series a trip down a very creepy, nostalgic lane. There have been multiple spin-off book series within the Goosebumps franchise, and Disney recently rebooted the whole series with two more grown-up series that are perfect for nostalgic 30-somethings.
1. Harry Potter (600 million+)
J.K. Rowling
If you've worked your way through this list and somehow didn't see this coming, then I've got no idea what to tell you. The world of Harry Potter is a cultural phenomenon and, regardless of your personal feelings towards J.K. Rowling (trust me, I get it), you have to agree that Harry Potter has become a figurehead in the world of young adult fantasy.
Sure, none of the concepts are original, with some of them being outright questionable, and the writing is simplistic, but none of that matters somehow. The books and the Wizarding World as a whole are a gateway to the wider world of fantasy, and to anyone who read them growing up, the world offers a huge amount of comfort.
With the multi-billion dollar movie series and the upcoming (admittedly worrying) reboot in the works, the world of Harry Potter shows no signs of being knocked off the top spot.
The post 10 best-selling fiction book series of all time appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, March 5, 2025 3:46 PM
The news of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 remake has been music to the ears of many, and you'll be able to pick between plenty of different skaters across various parks and locations.
A remake has been overdue for long, but it's better late than never, as we have a release date. While you can pre-order the upcoming title, here's a full rundown of all the new returning skaters available at launch.
All skaters in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 remake
The list of skaters will have a lot of returning names who were seen in the original games. The times are different, and new names will be there as well.
New Skaters
Returning Skaters
The official list of skaters doesn't end there, as two collaborations will be live at the launch. You can select between Revenant and the Doom Slayer as two DLC skaters. If you don't want to go deep into fantasy, the roster of new and returning skaters will offer you plenty of choices.
The Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 remake will be available on July 11 unless there are any delays. The Digital Deluxe Edition offers a 3-day early access period.
Despite being a remake, the new version will also have some new elements to the gameplay. Players will be able to enjoy different modes, which include both multiplayer and a story mode. With crossplay, multiplayer will support up to eight players in a group.
Additionally, here's the list of all the returning fan-favorite tracks.
I am pretty excited to try the remake, and hopefully, Iron Galaxy Studios will meet fan expectations.
The post All new and returning skaters confirmed for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 remake appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, March 5, 2025 3:28 PM
Google AI overviews suck ass. I'm talking about the text that Google now displays at the top of the page after we hit enter on a search query.
This is not text that an advanced form of artificial intelligence came up with to satisfy our needs. It's text that Google's Gemini AI conjures based on data from some website it deemed useful. Getting data of a website of scientific renown would probably do the trick, but the AI is scraping data off of all sorts of dubious sources.
At worst, the Google AI overview will give you solid advice on how to efficiently end your life while telling you it's giving you advice on anything else. At best, it gives out the correct information but does so by scraping data off of a website and causing the author of the piece to not get their due click revenue should the text on display suffice to satisfy the user's curiosity.
For example, if Google happens to scrape Destructoid for an answer to the question "Is Google AI overview good?", I'd be ok with it because getting Google to display "Google AI overviews suck ass" would be fantastic. Still, the prospective reader could miss out on the chance to read this piece, possibly have a laugh, and convince my overlords to keep on giving me money.
I previously wrote a guide on how to bypass Google's AI, but there's a new technique that's way easier and funnier. Turns out you can do away with Google's awful AI overviews simply by introducing curse words in your query.
So, instead of asking about the "best time to plant tomatoes", ask "best f*cking time to plant tomatoes", or "f*cking best time to plant tomatoes" (Without the *, of course).
As posited by Ars Technica, this might be because Google's Gemini AI tries to avoid swearing at all costs. Just use your curse words in a way that doesn't change the meaning of your sentence, and avoid hateful slurs as your profanity hack words of choice, because c'mon. Follow those simple steps, and you'll be making your experience on the Internet and the Internet itself a better place in the funniest way possible.
So yeah, that's right — the people who taught you never to curse back when you were a kid either had no idea how weird the world would get one day — or have been on the machines' side all along.
The post How to beat Google AI overviews? Try cursing appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Wednesday, March 5, 2025 3:12 PM
WWE 2K25's global launch takes place on March 14, and you can try out a trick on your Xbox console to play the game at least a few hours early.
Once again, 2K is using a regional launch schedule for consoles. If you have an Xbox Series X|S console, you can use a simple trick to start your adventures earlier. This trick will be available during the early access and full launch.
How to play WWE 2K25 early
This method is only available on Xbox consoles, as it's not possible to replicate it on PlayStation consoles. PC users will have to wait for a different launch schedule. If you're not sure about the launch timings, check this guide.
All you have to do is wait for midnight in New Zealand, the first nation where WWE 2K25 will go live. You can load and play the game even if it's not midnight in your region. This process can be executed on March 6, before early access, and again on March 13.
You'll be entitled to early access if you purchase the Bloodline or the Deadman Edition. These versions will have extra goodies for players waiting inside the game and up to seven days of early access. If you're unsure which edition to buy, our guide will help you narrow your choices.
The post How to play WWE 2K25 early (New Zealand Trick) appeared first on Destructoid. |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, March 5, 2025 5:19 PM Zamanora: Ballad of the Witch Brings Slavic & Balkan Folklore to Life in a New Fantasy TTRPG Setting Eren Chronicles has launched Zamanora: Ballad of the Witch, a new tabletop role-playing game setting inspired by Slavic and Balkan folklore, on Kickstarter. The campaign, which went live on Tuesday, has already surpassed $120,000 in funding within its first day, making it one of the most notable Dungeons & Dragons 5e campaigns of the year.... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, March 5, 2025 5:05 PM Mantic Games has unveiled a video teaser for its upcoming rank-and-flank fantasy wargame, Kings of War: Champions. Set to launch next month, the game promises fast-paced, character-driven gameplay. The teaser introduces four champions: The Bloody Cardinal, Jorden Talensen, Sallustis, and La'theal. More details, including reveals and previews, will be shared throughout March and April. |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, March 5, 2025 4:57 PM Corvus Belli has introduced a series of new units and expansion packs for its tabletop game, Infinity, bringing additional options to the PanOceania, Yu Jing, and Shindenbutai factions, while also adding the Nomads to the mix. Kestrel Expansion Pack Beta: PanOceania's Colonial Forces The Kestrel Colonial Force is featured in this expansion, showcasing PanOceania's adaptability... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, March 5, 2025 4:50 PM The organizers of PAX East 2025, ReedPop and Penny Arcade, have revealed an initial look at the tabletop exhibitors set to appear at next year's event. The East Coast's largest gaming convention will return to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center from May 8–11, 2025, featuring a dedicated section for tabletop gaming enthusiasts. Among the... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, March 5, 2025 4:38 PM Free League Publishing has announced The Throne of Thorns II, the latest addition to the Ruins of Symbaroum 5th Edition-compatible game line. This new installment continues the epic six-part campaign set in the world of Symbaroum, with pre-orders now available on Free League's webshop. Those who pre-order will gain access to an alpha-PDF shortly after... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, March 5, 2025 4:16 PM Storygames Chicago has launched Vesta Mandate, a hard sci-fi political intrigue tabletop roleplaying game, on Kickstarter. The campaign will conclude on March 22, offering backers the opportunity to secure the game in either digital or premium hardcover formats. Set on Vesta Station, a critical hub between Earth and the Outer Rim of the solar system,... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, March 5, 2025 4:05 PM Modiphius Entertainment has announced the pre-order availability of the Fallout: Factions Core Ruleboo. This new hardback rulebook aims to enhance the Fallout: Factions miniature skirmish game, offering players the tools to create campaigns set anywhere in the post-apocalyptic Wasteland. The Core Rulebook builds on the foundation laid by the Battle for Nuka-World starter set, which... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, March 5, 2025 3:56 PM A new dark fantasy solo tabletop role-playing game, Wrath of the Wyvern, has launched on Kickstarter. Set in the Umbral Highlands, a land where humanity struggles to survive under the threat of monstrous wyverns, the game casts players as a lone hunter tasked with reclaiming the world from these fearsome creatures. Inspired by Scottish Celtic... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, March 5, 2025 3:44 PM Cryptozoic Entertainment has announced a partnership with Decipher to relaunch the How To Host A Murder party game series. The collaboration aims to reintroduce the long-running murder mystery game franchise, which has seen over 20 releases and more than 50 million players since its debut in 1985. The relaunch is scheduled for late 2025 and... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Wednesday, March 5, 2025 3:38 PM The complete rulebook for SAKE (Sorcerers, Adventurers, Kings, and Economics) is now available. Alongside this release, a free Basic Edition has been introduced, providing an accessible entry point for new players. SAKE is a tabletop roleplaying game that combines traditional RPG elements with strategic gameplay. Set in an early-modern fantasy world, the game features a... |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, March 5, 2025 5:46 PM A trailer was also released. The post Baki Hanma: Blood Arena Announced For PC and Consoles appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, March 5, 2025 5:36 PM Trailers were also released. The post Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 Officially Announced For PC and Consoles appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, March 5, 2025 5:15 PM Requirements included. The post PlayStation Beta Program Officially Announced appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Wednesday, March 5, 2025 4:59 PM According to a recent report. The post PlayStation Has Been Affected By More Layoffs appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |