Kotaku Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:00 AM  With the arrival of WWE 2K25's Dunk & Destruction Pack, basketball fans can live out one of their favorite rivalries from the Association in the ring. Knicks fans especially are enjoying the clips already circulating of Jalen Brunson demolishing Tyrese Haliburton in the ring (but for real, get well soon, Hali).… |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:53 AM What are the best browser games? Modern computers are so powerful that you don't need a beefy rig to play great games. As long as you have access to a stable internet connection, there's a massive library of games that can be played from the comfort of your web browser. It can be difficult to coordinate with several friends to find a game that everyone owns. Gone are the days of worrying about your friend's empty Steam library or your low-spec PC - instead you can simply fire up these top browser games and start playing right away. Whether you're looking for a game to play for a few minutes before your lunch break ends or something to sink your teeth into after work, these free PC games have got you covered. Our list of the best browser games contains a mix of genres to ensure there's something for everyone. Continue reading Best browser games 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, Best indie games, Best platform games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:32 AM What are the best Minecraft texture packs? These colorful and game-altering texture packs can make your world a new experience. Of course, Minecraft's low-fi charm is part of the draw, but texture packs range from subtle changes to an all-over reskin, so you can choose just how much you want to leave vanilla Minecraft behind. We've scoured and tried a bunch of different packs to be able to recommend the very best. Just like the best Minecraft mods and shaders, texture packs can help give a new feel to one of the best PC games, and it's just one of many ways of keeping the sandbox game feeling fresh. While some mods can alter Minecraft gameplay, and shaders change the quality and style of the graphics, texture packs allow you to add a new skin to existing blocks. Included in our list of the best Minecraft texture packs are realistic blocks, cartoonish overhauls, and cute changes to the way Minecraft mobs look. Continue reading The 44 best Minecraft texture packs July 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Minecraft seeds, Minecraft skins, Minecraft mods |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:21 AM What are the best battle royale games? Each one of these multiplayer games revolves around one core idea: lots of players go in, and only one can leave. Battle royale is a violent, unpredictable, and frenzied multiplayer mode where the only goal is to endure until you're the sole survivor. All tactics and styles of play are equally viable in the best battle royale games. You can win by hiding in bushes and waiting for the herd to thin out, or scavenge a weapon and start reducing the numbers yourself. With the explosion of free PC games like Fortnite, Warzone, and Apex Legends, you would be forgiven for thinking there are only three battle royales out there, but there are now numerous other contenders to challenge them, each with its own spin on the established formula. Whether you're after a battle royale FPS game or an inventive new twist on the formula, there's something out there for everyone. So, to help you broaden your horizons, we have assembled this handy guide to the best battle royale games on PC. Continue reading Best battle royale games to play in 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Warzone 2 guns, Best Warzone 2 loadout, Warzone 2 map |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:04 AM Manor Lords' publisher Hooded Horse has signed on as the new publisher of Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era, the first mainline Heroes of Might and Magic game in ten years. While Ubisoft was previously publishing Olden Era by itself, the Assassin's Creed and Ghost Recon studio has now teamed up with Hooded Horse, alongside Unfrozen, Olden Era's developer, to bring the tactical turn-based RPG to Steam Early Access. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best strategy games, Best RPGs, Best fantasy games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:48 AM Who are the new Honkai Star Rail characters? Like all gacha games, Honkai Star Rail includes an ever-expanding roster of characters. From bubbly extroverts to brooders with a dark past, there's no end to the number of fan favorites we can expect to encounter on our Trailblazing expedition. We've collated them all into one handy guide, so you can keep track of who they are and how they appear in the story. Most of the characters in Honkai Star Rail are available to pull from HSR banners, though the free PC game also has various upcoming characters scheduled to appear as well. Some of them will achieve greatness at the top of our Honkai Star Rail tier list, while others will still win plenty of fans thanks to their glowing personality. Either way, Honkai Star Rail Stellar Jade and the latest Honkai Star Rail codes are essential if you plan to pull all characters. Continue reading Honkai Star Rail characters - all new and upcoming characters MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Honkai Star Rail review, Honkai Star Rail codes, Honkai Star Rail tier list |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:42 AM July 1, 2025: We added new Bingo Blitz credits to our list. What are the new free Bingo Blitz credits? You won't be playing much bingo without them, that's for sure. Even if you've exhausted your usual free credits in Bingo Blitz through login rewards and premium subscriptions, the secret to playing another round is through our Bingo Blitz credits links. New Bingo Blitz free credits links work in much the same way as Monopoly Go dice links. One click and your account is automatically topped up with credits ready to be used on multiple rounds or one big blow-out session with multiple cards. The choice is yours. Continue reading Bingo Blitz free credits July 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Bingo Blitz credits, Best card games, Best PC board games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 7:50 AM July 1, 2025: We checked for new codes, and confirmed validity of existing Dreamlight Valley codes. What are the latest Disney Dreamlight Valley codes? We've done some digging to make sure we've got the latest codes available from Gameloft. To celebrate the release of Dreamlight Valley multiplayer, there are two new codes below. The Dreamlight Valley golden potato code was the first to come to the Disney game, and gives you just that, a golden potato. It doesn't even do anything yet, but the exciting news is that it appears to be part of a future Dreamlight Valley quest. The code might no longer be available, but if you still don't have a golden potato, you can pick one up in Scrooge's shop, and notes hidden around the valley suggest that the potato might be put to use any day now. Other codes have since been released with various celebrations and events, and all current Dreamlight Valley codes can be found below. Continue reading All Disney Dreamlight Valley codes July 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Dreamlight Valley recpie list, What's the next Dreamlight Valley update?, Disney Dreamlight Valley guide |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 7:41 AM Red Dead Redemption 2, and its Red Dead Online sister mode, could be coming back to life. As Rockstar shifts its focus onto GTA 6, the studio allegedly has some new RDO missions on the way that might revive the neglected multiplayer Western. This means that more than six years after Rockstar first launched RDR2, now could be the time to revisit the world of Arthur Morgan and John Marston. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: The best story games on PC, Best western games, Best sandbox games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 7:25 AM It's been a long wait, but Battlestate Games has finally decided on a release date for Escape from Tarkov 1.0, and an official reveal looks imminent. We know that a new EFT wipe is incoming and also that the Escape From Tarkov Steam launch is due to arrive after 1.0. But now BSG studio head Nikita Buyanov confirms that the studio has settled on the timing for the extraction shooter's 1.0 release. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Escape from Tarkov system requirements, Escape From Tarkov Steam, Best FPS games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:13 AM It's summer once again, which means you can now grind bonus experience in a number of skills at The Beach, so long as you meet the incredibly low Runescape system requirements. Runescape has many in-depth gameplay mechanics, but it doesn't require complex or powerful hardware to play. In fact, the standard Runescape requirements look ancient in comparison to the recently released Runescape Dragonwilds. Runescape is one of the best free PC games of all time, and The Beach event is a perfect time to dive back into the game if you've been on a hiatus. Both Runescape 3 and Old School Runescape follow a similar set of system requirements, regardless of whether they are downloaded via Steam or the Jagex Launcher. Continue reading Runescape system requirements MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best MMORPGs, Best multiplayer games, RuneScape system requirements |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 7:15 AM Whether you're looking to mask your identity as a streamer, seek opponents in different regions, or download new games without risking a wonky file, you should fortify your defenses with the Surfshark ONE suite. Offering a ton of useful features for PC gaming and while on the go, all with minimal hit to your speed (and potential improvements to your ping and latency), there's a lot to love by rerouting your traffic through this trusted source. Continue reading How to save yourself (and your speed) with Surfshark ONE MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best VPN service, Best gaming VPN, VPN deals |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:53 AM What does the Peak Cursed Skull do? You'll come across so many items while trying to climb in Peak, and not all of them are good: bananas that become trip hazards when eaten, a dart gun that can end a friend's journey, and, of course, the Cursed Skull, complete with ominous-looking black swirls. Part of the joy of Peak is finding these items and figuring out what they do, although we realize that the urge to experiment lessens the further you get into your run. One mistake can spell the end, and there isn't a worse feeling in the multiplayer game than perishing on the side of a mountain because of a silly mistake. Continue reading What does the Peak Cursed Skull do? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best co-op games, Best indie games, Best survival games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:45 AM If you're looking for a genuinely stunning wireless gaming headset deal, Walmart has you covered with the Nacon RIG 800 Pro HS for just $60, which is a huge saving of $89.99 (60%) versus the MSRP. This price beats out other marketplaces such as Amazon by some distance, and the headset itself is a great choice for PC and PS5 gamers alike. Nacon might not be the first brand you imagine when you're looking for the best gaming headset for your needs, but its RIG range is very solid. I used the RIG 600 Pro HS as my go-to console headset for just over a year, and was always happy with both the audio quality and comfort. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:46 AM Is Roblox shutting down? There always seems to be a rumor that Roblox is going to shut down. Let's get one thing clear early on: anyone who tells you that Roblox is shutting down is incorrect. Roblox Corporation has tweeted confirmation that the game isn't going anywhere, so you can relax and get back to playing your favorite games. However, if you are curious to know where this rumor originated and how it got so big, we've done a little digging to uncover one of the sources of the speculation. With Roblox achieving a lifetime revenue of over $1 billion and over $70 million in payouts to creators, it would seem utterly ludicrous for the game to shut down. While the game is still up and running, check out some of the best Roblox games and our Anime Champions codes, Blox Fruits codes, and Project Slayers codes guides to snag yourself some freebies. Continue reading Is Roblox shutting down in 2025? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Roblox games, Roblox promo codes, Roblox music codes |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:42 AM Nvidia has tweaked the latest version of DLSS so that it eats less of your graphics card memory than before, potentially giving your Nvidia GeForce graphics card a little more room to breathe. The change comes with the release of the new Nvidia 310.3.0 Software Development Kit (SDK), which the company says reduces the VRAM demands of DLSS when using upscaling and ray tracing. Even at lower resolutions, games with high-resolution textures and ray tracing can push VRAM usage beyond the capacities of many otherwise great GPUs, as we found in our Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 review, with some games really pushing the limits of 8GB of memory. This is where the new Nvidia 310.3.0 SDK can lend a helping hand, reducing the VRAM usage of the new DLSS transformer model by 20%. This potentially frees up additional VRAM to give the GPU a little more headroom before performance falls off a cliff. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 review, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 review, Best graphics cards |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:38 AM What are the best Cyberpunk 2077 mods? CD Projekt Red released its own REDmod tools for free, allowing everyone to install Cyberpunk 2077 mods through a dedicated client they can download from Steam or GOG. This release comes as we also see Cyberpunk 2077 mods that alter the range of facial features, change your looks in small ways after character creation, and even access stuff we were never meant to see. That last one's important as it adds new functionality to the cyberpunk game. What starts with a shove one day could evolve into giving your character superpowers. Continue reading The best Cyberpunk 2077 mods MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty review, Best Cyberpunk 2077 mods, Buy Cyberpunk 2077 |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:31 AM Dead by Daylight's Twisted Masquerade event has been a fan favorite since its inception back in 2022. The chaotic, lavish bash, which celebrates Dead by Daylight's anniversary, has been a staple in fans' calendars, but this is the last year you can enjoy Tryks' mischief. Behaviour Interactive is pulling the plug on Twisted Masquerade after this year's run, resulting in hordes of fans flocking to pay tribute to the beloved event, and a new all-time Steam player peak for the multiplayer horror game. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: DBD killer tier list, Best horror games, DBD codes |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:12 AM However you feel about Claptrap, it's undeniable that he's the heart of Borderlands. Yes, every game has a masked bandit on the cover, but the loudmouthed robot is the perfect encapsulation of the series as a whole: sometimes annoying, sometimes very funny, and bound to provoke a mixed reactions from every player. Claptrap is also back in Borderlands 4, but this time Gearbox is introducing a new feature so you can shut him up. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best RPG games, Best multiplayer games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:20 AM July 1, 2025: We added one new Etheria Restart code and removed one expired code. What are the new Etheria Restart codes? As is standard practice with gacha games these days, Etheria Restart is overflowing with free items, upgrade materials, and banner currency locked behind promo codes. Lucky for you, we've carefully combed through the usual haunts to find them all, so you can redeem them before they expire. Etheria Restart is the new anime turn-based RPG on the block, and with so much to offer right out of the gate, you're probably looking for the fastest, cheapest, and easiest way to skip the gacha grind. Etheria Restart redeem codes can give you the freebies you need to pull the best characters on our Etheria Restart tier list, and build your favorites to make them more powerful than ever. Here are all the Etheria Restart codes to redeem right now. Continue reading Etheria Restart codes July 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Etheria Restart codes, Etheria Restart tier list, Best multiplayer games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:08 AM July 1, 2025: We checked for new Girls Frontline 2 codes, and removed two expired codes. What are the latest Girls Frontline 2 Exilium codes? Girls Frontline 2 is different from anything you've seen so far, thanks to its thrilling, female-led military theme and top-down turn-based strategy combat. For its uniqueness, Girls Frontline 2: Exilium is still a gacha game, so you're going to need the most up-to-date Girls Frontline 2 codes to give yourself a head start in drawing for the latest Dolls like Suomi and Nemesis. Lucky, then, that we've got them right here, along with how to redeem them in the anime game for some useful rewards. Continue reading Girls Frontline 2 codes July 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best anime games, Girls Frontline 2 codes, Best gacha games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:01 AM What are the best Schedule 1 mods? When you consider the sheer amount of work Tyler, the sole developer of Schedule 1, has managed all on his own, you can forgive the game for any glaring omissions. Fortunately, with the power of the Schedule 1 modding community, you can enhance the game to take your empire to the next level. Even though Schedule 1 only launched in March, there are plenty of mods created by the game's thriving community that open up new possibilities for the simulation game. The best Schedule 1 mods range from adding a minimap to the game, QOL tweaks to improve the work rate of your employees, and even the ability to utilize mobile banking. Join us as we break down the best mods for the co-op game, as well as instructions on how to install them. Continue reading Best Schedule 1 mods MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Schedule 1 mix, Schedule 1 money, Schedule 1 dealers |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:24 AM July 1, 2025: We checked for new Wuthering Waves codes. What are the new Wuthering Waves codes? Everyone loves a freebie, especially when it comes to gacha games. It's no secret that they can be a bit of a grind if you're not prepared to open your wallet. We're here to help you offset that cost with Wuthering Waves redeem codes that contain free items and premium currency. The latest WuWa codes are released periodically and often include premium currency to spend on the latest Wuthering Waves banners or level up your favorite Wuthering Waves characters. These redeem codes are only active for a limited time, so you have to be swift to redeem them before they expire. Our list of all the latest codes in Wuthering Waves is updated regularly, so you can claim gacha game rewards without upsetting your bank balance. Continue reading Wuthering Waves codes July 2025 and how to redeem MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Wuthering Waves codes, Free PC games, Best anime games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:29 AM When is the next Once Human server wipe? Losing all your in-game progress can be a difficult pill to swallow, but in a seasonal live-service survival game like Once Human, it's a necessary evil to make way for new content. The best way to get ahead of a server wipe is to be prepared and keep an eye on the calendar so it doesn't come as a nasty shock when the season rolls over. We can tell you exactly when to expect the next Once Human server wipe, and offer some handy tips on how to save some of your hard-won items in the free PC game. Each Once Human server has a seasonal scenario that offers specific objectives and mechanics. Here's how Once Human server wipes work and when to expect the next one. Continue reading When is the next Once Human server wipe? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best sandbox games, Best open-world games, Best survival games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:21 AM What are the best space games on PC in 2025? Featuring the biggest Steam games, like Kerbal Space Program, and the best free games, such as Eve Online, these are the most sensational space epics around. With so many options, trying to pick out the best intergalactic adventures is a galaxy-sized question. Setting your sights on the stars is a daunting task, especially when there are so many adventures set amongst the universe. From galaxy-hopping survival games to intense FPS games set on various planets, there's no shortage of must-play titles on PC. So, before you escape Earth's orbit, here's what we recommend playing. Continue reading The best space games on PC 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Play Star Trek Online for free, Free MMO list, Best Star Trek games |
PCGamesN Tuesday, July 1, 2025 5:42 AM July 1, 2025 We checked for new DBD codes. What are the latest DBD codes? These freebie-granting DBD rewards can reward you with anything from a few bonus Bloodpoints to help prestige the latest character, to new and exclusive in-game cosmetics, so it's crucial you get them while they're live. There are more ways to customize your game than ever with DBD badges and banners, but there are still occasional rewards for items for your DBD killers and survivors, too. All of them let you show off your style, while Dead by Daylight Bloodpoints and Rift Fragments help your in-game progress, so there are always plenty of goodies to be had. Some of these Dead by Daylight codes are ongoing though, so you may have snapped them up already. Continue reading DBD codes July 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: DBD killer tier list, Best horror games, DBD codes |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:16 AM  Playside are pitching Game Of Thrones: War For Westeros as an RTS for Age of Empires lovers, but it may also hook your fancy if you're into vicious bastard boardgames. Speaking to me shortly after the new strategy project's announcement at this year's Summer Game Fest, game director Ryan McMahon explored how the requisite filthy traitor element of this latest George R.R. Martin adaptation will percolate through the project's main "sandbox" mode, in which four players vie for supremacy over the Seven Kingdoms. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:00 AM  Bit of an odd one in businessworld. Ubisoft have handed the job of selling their upcoming fantasy strategy Heroes Of Might And Magic: Olden Era to another publisher. Hooded Horse are taking on that task, a crowd you might know as the purveyor of other strategical capers like Manor Lords, Norland and the like. Experienced tactics barons and ostensibly the right bunch for the job. The question that's bugging me is: why? The answer is probably: money. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, July 1, 2025 7:56 AM Red Dead Online just got some surprise new missions, and one involves investigating "undead plagues"  Howdy, pardner. Been a while, ain't it? Red Dead Online's just gotten a fresh update that surprisingly adds some new missions, three or so years after Rockstar gave up on delivering major updates to the cowboy sandbox. Oh, and one of them looks to involve you investigating some zombie plague outbreaks. Sounds a bit Undead Nightmare-ish to me, and these sudden new additions have folks wondering if Rockstar's trying to bring the game back from the grave. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, July 1, 2025 7:26 AM  The latest Steam update includes a new, heavily upgraded performance monitor, stacking readouts for framerate, CPU, GPU, and memory usage data on top of the previously basic FPS overlay. It's "a first step," so say Valve, "towards helping Steam users more easily understand their game and system performance," and as such includes some counters and metrics that you won't see even on game-math classics like MSI Afterburner. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:53 AM  To overcome the first enemy you meet in Key Fairy (a Bugle with big eyes and bat wings), you zip around the woods with a grapple, avoiding its circling and collecting the stars it dispenses. When you collect three, it turns friendly and apologises for attacking you. "Worry not, little bird", I reply from a set of dialogue options. "My cloak is thick." The next screen is inhabited by three cyclopean worms chanting about the "eels of creation". I like it here very much. Brought to life with spacious, enchanting and playfully layered electronic music and hand-drawn art (you can change the colour palette to something cooler or monochrome if you wish), Key Fairy's forest is a place I want to live, and I'm very grateful for even a short opportunity to spend time in it. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:18 AM  A new Fallout 4 mod put together over the course of a 40 hour-long charity modathon will see you beamed up by aliens you're investigating on behalf of a quirky conspiracy theorist. Its creation alone has raised over $5,800 (about £4.2k) for the American Alzheimer's Association so far. We wrote about the plans to livestream this mod's creation last month. The team behind Fallout 4's popular Sim Settlements mod are behind it, having teamed up with Wes 'Sheogorath' Johnson, a number of other voice actors and a group of prominent Fallout modders to make a cool thing with a bunch of moving parts in one weekend. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, July 1, 2025 5:06 AM  "Mark Tyburn dreams of building the perfect video game," reads the sales blurb for Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser's novel A Better Paradise: Volume One: An Aftermath, a title so resplendent with drive-by colons that you could easily guess this man spent thirty years working in videogames. "Kurt Fischer dreams of being a rich and successful executive. Daisy Tyburn dreams of having the ideal father. John Tyburn Smith dreams of fitting in. NigelDave just dreams of becoming human." PleaseDon'tLetThatBeATypo, I immediately prayed to every god I knew the name of, and a few I made up on the spot. Please let NigelDave be real. |
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Siliconera Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:00 AM
When I played Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, it ended up being on the original Switch. It's a fantastic installment that does some cool stuff and feels much stronger than Rune Factory 5 did. (Frankly, I think it should have been considered Rune Factory 6.) Some issues regarding performance and balancing thoughts made me think it wasn't quite at a masterpiece level yet. Since the Switch 2 launch, I fully transitioned over to continuing my adventures there and reloading an older save so I have a file where Subaru is a bachelor option for my avatar. Playing the game only there for so long now left me convinced Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is absolutely best enjoyed as a Switch 2 experience, and its upgrade pack is worth it.
The most obvious reason for this involving performance. When I played Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma on the Switch, I felt everything was fine, but somehow the combat feels even more responsive on the Switch 2. The fact that I did go through the final fights and areas on the original system, then went to an older save to go through them again after taking steps to unlock Subaru, only helped showcase how much I missed out. I main dual blades as Kaguya. Yes, it could be that I was playing segments I already went through and mastered combat. Yet I can't help feeling things were more responsive and the game ran better against these major opponents and hordes of enemies. In turn, I got better at responding to those attacks and retaliating. I found I would trigger dodge windows more frequently and be able to counter, even though I hadn't unlocked nodes to increase windows in the skill tree.
But there were also sections and animations that assured that no, in some ways this couldn't be attributed to my "getting good" and Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma did feel that much better on the Switch 2. There are malevolent infestations in towns, the open field, and dungeon areas. Some of these with motions and animations attached to them, such as the red, fire-spitting flower or green, poison-fog plant, played out with an incredible amount of lag and at a lower frame rate depending on your distance from them and amount of action nearby. That's gone on the Switch 2! All effects look and run perfectly. It's fantastic.
Of course, there's also notion that, in general, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma looks better on the Switch 2. It's a really pretty game with some great character designs, and I appreciate the execution of some enemy appearances too. It looks absolutely fine on the original Switch. But I will say that the models for all allies and NPCs do look better here. It's a crispness that really suits the vibrancy and tone of each village and region.
Also, I have to say that I do like the Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma mouse controls in the Switch 2 version. I'm spending a lot more time in the postgame working on villages. Before, I just plopped things down as-needed to get points or boosts to stats for my avatar. Now I'm actually planning things out and engaging in more terraforming. That ability to pop off the Joy-Con 2 when I'm in Handheld mode, because of course that's how I play Bokujou Monogatari games, quickly arrange a thing, then pop it back on to go back to traditional controls is fantastic. It's well-suited for the experience.
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is a wonderful entry in the series that offers a lot, but I'm really surprised at just how much better it feels on the Switch 2. So much so that if I'd reviewed it on this platform, rather than the original Switch, I think it would have merited a higher score. The extra power of the console helps so much with regular exploration and combat. Also, once you hit a point at which you get more invested in designing each of the four villages, that extra control option is quite nice. It really showcases the difference between one generation and the next and value of the upgrade pack.
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is available for the Switch, Switch 2, and PC.
The post Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma Feels Best on Switch 2 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:00 AM
The Nintendo Switch 2 is about to get its second must-own title in as many months. Following the new console's launch with Mario Kart World, another fan-favorite Nintendo mascot is set to shake things up.
I had the privilege of playing the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza at a preview event on June 24, and after just a handful of hours and different gameplay scenarios, I can confidently say that we have a contender for a whole new standard and high bar for when it comes to 3D platformer games.
To start off the event, Nintendo representatives confirmed to those of us on hand that Bananza was developed in-house at the company by the same team that made Super Mario Odyssey. This was assumed by most after the Nintendo Direct that detailed DK's latest open-world romp, but to have it set in stone was a big deal for everyone in attendance.
Super Mario Odyssey is one of the most beloved games of all time, boasting a 97 average score on Metacritic, so that team's next adventure has been long awaited. And so Nintendo gave Donkey Kong's reins to those same devs, and from what I played, they nailed it yet again.
Donkey Kong Bananza is all about smashing, punching, destroying, discovering, and exploring a giant open world, moving downwards towards the core of the game's location, Ingot Isle, which is built to be terraformed. Three of the Switch 2's face buttons are dedicated to punching (B punches down, Y punches straight, and X punches up), giving Donkey Kong the ability to level most anything in his path.
Punching through rocks, grass, dirt, and everything else you can imagine (different kinds of terrain material has different strength or 'HP'), DK can discover all sorts of hidden treasures, collectibles, and Banandium Gems that he can use to acquire skill points and unlock upgrades like increased health and improved abilities.
Running around and spamming the punch buttons to absolutely level the playable area is cathartic as hell, and will serve as a good replacement for those places where people pay to smash things in a closed room. DK can also slap his hands together to create a sonar-like effect to see special items within the terrain in his vicinity, and you can upgrade its range to make it even more effective.
When not punching, jumping, or rolling, DK is also able to pick up chunks of the environment and throw them, either to destroy walls or terrain in his way or to take out enemies from a distance. This felt like a crucial part of the gameplay, especially when dealing with flying foes.
In this new adventure, DK is joined by a young version of Odyssey's Pauline (fully voiced this time around), who forms a "fun and endearing duo" with the big monkey, and Nintendo told us that Bananza is "as much about her as it is about him." This is felt through the gameplay, where Pauline functions as partner, narrative driver, and key part of the gameplay.
Pauline's singing voice can be used to unlock objectives and side missions, and she has her dedicated button on the controller (L). If you get lost, you can hold the button and she will sing you towards the nearest objective, but the real fun is had when she sings a song while DK beats his chest and can transform into different animals via Bananza powers.
At the event, we got to play as the Kong Bananza and Ostrich Bananza, both of which have their own upgrade trees within the menus, but there are more that have yet to be revealed. With Kong Bananza, DK gets bigger and stronger and can charge up his punches to take down heavy obstacles in his way, while Ostrich Bananza allows DK to glide over long distances and drop egg bombs on unsuspecting enemies beneath him. A Zebra Bananza was also shown at the recent Nintendo Direct, so there appears to be a good amount of variety that can be unlocked through story progression.
Pauline can also be utilized in local co-op, as a second player can use the JoyCon mouse to use an on-screen cursor that picks up any material on the screen to then sing/scream words at enemies in what can only be described as feeling pretty overpowered. I experienced a boss fight against Grumpy Kong, which was doable in solo play, but when I picked up the JoyCon mouse to play as Pauline while a Nintendo rep played as DK, we absolutely nuked him.
Donkey Kong Bananza is destined for countless hours of smashing through terrain to discover unlockables and upgrades, including treasure maps that show special items on a 3D overview of the area, new clothes that offer different abilities, and several different currencies that can be used within the world at different merchants.
There's also quite a varied amount of different time limit challenge levels that can be found within each area, such as combat missions where you must defeat a set amount of enemies in a period of time, destruction missions where you have to completely level a building, and even side-scrolling levels similar to Donkey Kong Country. And of course, there are mine cart sections, too.
Before I knew it, my time with Donkey Kong Bananza came to an end, and I was fiending for more. Even in a public setting and on a strict time limit, I found myself relaxed as I got into the cadence of running around as a lovable ape, smashing everything in my vicinity. I will be doing all of that and more in the comfort of my own room when the game launches on July 17.
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Destructoid Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:00 AM
If you weren't already getting hyped for Donkey Kong Bananza, it's now totally safe to do so.
Last week in Manhattan at a closed doors hands-on preview event for the new Donkey Kong game, Nintendo confirmed that Bananza is made by the same developers of 2017's all-time platforming great, Super Mario Odyssey.
The Odyssey team has been cooking up a new 3D platformer for many years now, and their hard work has come to fruition in what's likely going to become the new bar for the genre, judging by what we have seen and played.
Following the recent Nintendo Direct, which detailed Bananza, many assumed that the Odyssey team was behind it due to the game's scope and quality. When those of us in attendance were told that this was indeed the case, the game took on a whole new aura. And then we got to play it.
Super Mario Odyssey is one of the most beloved 3D platformers of all time, and Donkey Kong Bananza is destined for the same fate. It's an absolute joy to play, as it brings forth Odyssey's open-world greatness and combines it with Donkey Kong's lovable oafish strength to create something new.
Bananza combines the massive, joyous open world of Odyssey with Donkey Kong's three core tenets, as described by Nintendo reps on hand: wild, powerful, and silly. All three are felt within gameplay as DK smashes his way through the open world, terraforming it and discovering treasures, unlockables, and new abilities throughout each massive map as he progresses the story with a younger version of Odyssey's Pauline in tow.
DK's wildness is offset and supplemented by Pauline's fully-voiced charm, his powerful nature is felt with every single terraforming punch, and his silliness is paramount through each interaction with other characters throughout the game. Everything combines to create something that feels truly special so far, in what Nintendo reps on hand described as a "can't-miss moment" in gaming. Thus far, I'm inclined to agree.
Pauline and DK combining for his Bananza powers, where he's able to channel the abilities of other animals like an ostrich or zebra, is reminiscent of Odyssey's Cappy and his Capture ability. While not quite the same, it's easy to see that title's DNA within the new game in features like this.
I only got to play DK Bananza for a few hours so far, but I know that Odyssey fans and Nintendo gamers everywhere will be thrilled with what the team has cooked up for Donkey Kong when it drops on July 17.
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Destructoid Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:00 AM
Donkey Kong Bananza may only have the lovable ape in its title, but the upcoming 3D platformer is as much about his sidekick Pauline as it is DK.
I got a chance to play Donkey Kong Bananza at a special preview event on June 24, and as much as I enjoyed smashing everything in sight and terraforming the whole environment as everyone's favorite Nintendo monkey, I think that playing as the young singer Pauline is nearly as enjoyable.
Once Pauline is unlocked via story progression early on in Bananza, she becomes available for another player to play as her in local co-op while the other plays as Donkey Kong. And honestly, I can't recommend it enough.
The player controlling Pauline is able to aim an on-screen cursor with either the left analog stick or a JoyCon in mouse mode as she sits atop DK's shoulders. This cursor can be used to aim at different materials and terrain on the screen to then pick up and use her voice to sing or scream it at as a projectile, and it's so damn fun.
Under the cursor, the type of material will be labeled, and holding down ZR will enable Pauline to basically absorb it and use it to then fling at enemies or different parts of the map. It feels incredibly powerful, especially when picking up the right material (gold is deadly) to launch everywhere.
As part of my Bananza play time of just over two hours, I got to experience a boss fight against Grumpy Kong. It's doable enough solo as DK, but I got to play as Pauline as a Nintendo rep controlled Donkey Kong, and we decimated the boss battle. You can spam ZR to sing words at enemies and make a mess of the terrain, which is just plain mayhem and could easily get annoying if overdone, but it rewards accuracy when properly picking up the right materials and then aiming them at the right spots to cause severe damage.
Aiming can be difficult while the DK player is running around the screen, but there are several motion settings, like screen shake intensity, to change in the menus to help make things a bit more accessible, which I would recommend.
My biggest takeaway from the new feature, though, is that it can be played pretty effortlessly by anybody. From a youngster who wants to spam-click attacks while having fun with a parent, to a casual who can easily pick up a JoyCon and play with their significant other, to a hardcore gamer who wants to tryhard aiming with the mouse feature while their friend romps as DK, it has solid potential all-around and is not a gimmick.
I wish I had a friend to play Donkey Kong Bananza in local co-op with, since the feature unfortunately does not support online play. So, if you're looking to smash things up as DK or sing your heart out as Pauline when the game launches for Nintendo Switch 2 on July 17, hit me up.
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Destructoid Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:00 AM
A few weeks ago, I covered the announcement of a new psychological horror game from Tales of Kenzera: ZAU dev Surgent Studios because I thought the premise was cool. Now, the game is flexing some talent muscle.
Today, Surgent Studios announced two members of the voice cast, and they're heavy hitters and two of the most sought-after actors in the industry: Ben Starr (Verso in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Clive in Final Fantasy XVI) and Neil Newbon (Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3, Karl Heisenberg in Resident Evil Village) will be leading the way.
"As actors in games and beyond, Neil, Ben, and I have leaned on each other through some extremely grueling times," said Abubakar Salim, creative director of Dead Take. "In those moments, we exchanged some of the horror stories that built the foundations of this game. Not only do they bring considerable talent to the project, but they also helped create a space in which we could all be truly raw and honest. I can't wait for you to see the caliber of their performances in Dead Take."
Dead Take is "set in a luxurious yet secluded Hollywood Hills mansion" and "casts players as an actor searching for his friend gone missing after a lavish Hollywood party," the game's description reads. "As they navigate escape-room-style puzzles and splice together videos they find along the way, players will uncover the darkest secrets behind the entertainment industry's glittering facade."
Starr stars as Vinny Monroe, and Newbon will play Chase Lowry, both of whom are listed as "Willie" in the cast announcement video below, which includes a first sneak peek at some gameplay and creepy visuals.
"Discover a side of the entertainment industry only discussed in whispers, full of cruelty and sordid gossip, memories of roles gone wrong, unsettling audition tapes, and shadowy figures with the power to make or break your career," Surgent Studios said in its announcement earlier in June.
Dead Take is published by Pocketpair, and currently does not have a scheduled release date yet other than "coming soon." Fans of Starr, Newbon, and first-person horror games can wishlist the title on Steam.
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Destructoid Tuesday, July 1, 2025 8:39 AM
As you help Morgan Myst investigate in Fortnite, you'll face several tricky story quests you need to get done. One of the tougher ones you'll come across asks you to gather the clues left by the instructors.
This quest is fairly difficult to get done since all the clues you need to find are fairly small and not easy to spot. If this particular quest has you stumped, here's how to gather the clues left by the instructors in Fortnite.
Table of contents
Gather the clues left by the instructors in Fortnite
To complete the gather the clues left by the instructors quest, you need to find and acquire three clues from around Supernova Academy. Each one can only be found at this POI, so start by heading to the right region to find them.
Clues left by the instructors locations in Fortnite
All three clues you need to find are situated near the north end of Supernova Academy. They're all inside the building located there and are also marked with a white diamond icon with an exclamation point. These clues also sparkle when you get close to them.
First clue
The first clue can be found near Vengeance Jones. It's a tan file sitting on a desk that has his nameplate on it. It's easiest to find this one if you already know where to find this NPC.
Second clue
The second clue is found in the same room where the Hope NPC hangs out. This one looks different and instead appears as a piece of paper hanging on the wall. You can find this room near the northwest end of Supernova Academy, fairly close to where you found the last one.
Third clue
The third and final clue you need to find is sitting on a long brown table in a small room tucked away in a corner near the north end of the POI. This one is a large blueprint that's easy to spot once you find the right location.
The other two clues are fairly close to each other, but this one is a bit further away. It's still in the same large building, but you do have to travel a bit further north to find it.
When working through this quest, I found that it was a bit glitchy. Other players have also reported encountering issues while tackling it. If you run into issues with missing clues or the quest not completing properly, try to load a new match and search for them again.
If this doesn't work, you may just need to wait for the issues to be fixed. Reloading and grabbing them in a fresh match worked for me, but other players haven't been able to progress due to issues with this quest, so there's a chance you may end up stuck on it. It will likely eventually be auto-completed for all players, similar to what previously happened with the copy the actions of Morgan Myst's shadow proxies quest.
There are lots of other important tasks you can work on around the island next, like island story quests. You also may want to hit hero practice targets at different hero training outposts, assemble surveillance gear at Demon's Domain, and damage Overlord Spires and Scout Spires.
The post How to gather the clues left by the instructors in Fortnite Chapter 6, season 3 appeared first on Destructoid. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Tuesday, July 1, 2025 7:47 AM
On June 17, Blitz Royale was unveiled as a new temporary game mode for Fortnite. This fast-paced, unique take on the classic Battle Royale format is a fresh mode I can't get enough of, so much so that I think this LTM should stay as a permanent addition to the roster.
Although it was designed with a mobile audience in mind, Blitz Royale's quick, 32-player round, packed with returning old items and loads of powerful loot, is so good that I've been playing it more than classic Battle Royale. It feels incredibly refreshing and fun in a way no other Fortnite LTM has, and I'm really hoping it ends up sticking around for good.
In Blitz Royale, you're thrown into a much smaller lobby with just 32 players on a very tiny island. Right off the bat, all players are granted a random Medallion or weapon to help everyone get going. From there, chaos ensues as you quickly loot around the compact island and work to earn better items.
By far my favorite part of Blitz Royale is the loot pool. One of my biggest complaints with Fortnite is that there are consistently incredible gameplay items only available to play with for a short time before they leave and never return. This mode brings many of them back into the pool, including Avatar: The Last Airbender items, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle items, Exotic weapons, Boons, Medallions, and much more.
These items are on a rotating weekly schedule, too, so it feels like the perfect compromise for keeping them feeling a bit fresh and exclusive while also granting everyone the means to play with some epic old loot. As someone who wasn't around back when the TMNT collab first launched, I'm really looking forward to finally getting a chance to try these items out when they come back for week four on July 8.
Allowing players who previously missed out on experiencing fun items is another big draw for this mode. The rounds feel less high stakes, too, so they're great for just finding and playing around with unique items you can't acquire in any other mode.
The fast-paced nature of this mode is also incredibly engaging, as you're busy every second with no downtime. It's a bit of a nice change from classic Battle Royale, where you generally spend a decent amount of time traveling around, looting, and searching for enemy players. I love how engaging and chaotic it is, as there's no room for taking a break since the match is always over in under 15 minutes.
Blitz Royale won't replace classic Battle Royale for me, but it is a fun mode to switch to whenever I need a break. It's honestly pretty surprising to me how much I'm prioritizing playing it, considering I also really love Fortnite's Super season. I'd love to have the option to jump into this mode whenever I want because it's just that good, so I'm hoping it switches from being an LTM to a permanent mode, similar to what previously happened with Reload.
So, what do you think about Blitz Royale, Destructoid? Are you enjoying this game mode as much as I am? The announcement blog already confirmed it may come back in the future, but do you think they should just keep it as a permanent mode instead? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments so we can discuss.
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Destructoid Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:39 AM
Leviathan Lagiacrus is a force to reckon with in Monster Hunter Wilds, so taking it down poses a fun challenge.
Part of a side quest, Lagiacrus is one of the three new monsters in Title Update 2. This guide will give you all the info you need to bring down the Leviathan. Let's begin by taking a look at how you can challenge Lagiacrus.
Table of contents
How to unlock Lagiacrus in Monster Hunter Wilds?
Lagiacrus comes in two variants: ordinary and tempered. You'll have to complete the Extra mission titled Trembling Blue Currents. To gain access, reach HR 31. Then, complete two other missions: A World Turned Upside Down and Forest Doshaguma.
Once you complete Trembling Blue Currents, you can then access both the tempered and the ordinary versions. However, you must complete the What Lies Ahead quest at HR 40. Without it, you won't be able to hunt down the Tempered version.
Lagiacrus weaknesses in Monster Hunter Wilds
Before deep diving to check the best tips to defeat this new monster, let's take a look at its weaknesses.
The Lagiacrus is highly resistant to any form of Water and Thunder damage. Fire weapons are the most effective, but you can also resort to Dragon and Ice if they're available. It also depends on Thunder-type attacks, along with inflicting Thunderblight on occasion.
Here are the body parts you'll want to target to deal the highest forms of damage.
Out of the four, the tail takes the least damage, but it's also a breakable part. You can completely sever it with enough strikes, so it's a good part to target first. You should try to use Fire damage to make it easier for you to sever the tail quickly. Once done, you can target either its back or its chest before switching your focus to the head.
Alternatively, you can focus strictly on the head as it's very easy to knock down Lagiacrus by doing so.
In terms of Status Ailments, Exhaust, Poison, Sleep, and Blast are all equally effective. Both Pitfall Trap and Shock Trap work well to combat the movement pattern of Lagiacrus.
Lagiacrus location in Monster Hunter Wilds
The new Leviathan can be found in the Scarlet Forest within the water biomes.
Best tips and tricks to defeat Lagiacrus in Monster Hunter Wilds
Here are some tips to remember when combating the Leviathan.
That's pretty much all you have to know and remember when encountering the Lagiacrus in Monster Hunter Wilds.
All Lagiacrus Rewards in Monster Hunter Wilds
Here are all the possible drops and rewards you can get from defeating the Lagiacrus and breaking its body parts.
High Rank Materials
The materials can be used to either make individual armor parts or the full Lagiacrus set, which offers the bonus of Azure Bolt I and Azure Bolt II.
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Destructoid Tuesday, July 1, 2025 6:39 AM
The New Fashion, Old Feelings quest adds a new objective for Monster Hunter Wilds players to complete, and you'll need to craft a fair amount of gear items.
This guide will provide you with all the necessary information required to complete the quest.
Table of contents
How to start the New Fashion, Old Feelings quest in Monster Hunter Wilds?
The new quest needs you to first finish A World Turned Upside Down in Chapter 5-2. You also must complete Smithy's Seal of Quality, which is a side quest. Once done, the New Fashion, Old Feelings quest will be automatically available if you have downloaded the latest version.
Go to your base Camp in Windward Plains, and talk to Gemma. She will ask you to craft and wear specific layered gear and display it to her. You'll have to stick with the gear and gender type to complete the quest. Let's now take a look at how to complete the quest.
How to complete New Fashion, Old Feelings quest in Monster Hunter Wilds?
The New Fashion, Old Feelings is pretty simple: craft a few layered gears, equip them, and show them to Gemma.
Once you complete crafting a specific gear, equip it from your tent, and go to Gemma. If your gear matches her requirements, you'll complete a part of the quest. Once the full quest is complete, you'll get a boost to your HR, along with one Steel Egg and five Armor spheres, along with the Hawkheart Jacket.
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Destructoid Tuesday, July 1, 2025 5:50 AM
The Nintendo Switch 2 appears to have sold 5 million units worldwide in June, according to Nintendo's official finance site, which is quite staggering. The image showcasing the sales has since been taken down, which could allude to either a Nintendo mistake or projected sales, but was caught before the update.
When you checked out Nintendo's official finance website and clicked quarterly, total console sales in June 2025 included one million Nintendo Switch consoles and a staggering five million Switch 2 consoles to make six million total console sales for that month across the board for Nintendo.
For comparison, the PS5 was able to sell 3.4 million units in the first four weeks of release during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first month of sales of the Xbox Series X was not publicly revealed by Microsoft. The Nintendo Switch also sold 15 million units in its first year, so the Switch 2 was able to sell a third of the Switch's first-year sales in a single month.
To put that number into perspective, Nintendo has been able to sell over one-third of the Wii U's lifetime sales in a month. The Wii U sold 13.56 million units by the end of its lifetime, and if these figures are to be believed, the Nintendo Switch 2 could outsell the Wii U in three months if these sales patterns continue and stock remains regularly available.
The million Switch 1 sales would also put the Nintendo Switch within one million more sales from the Nintendo DS's lifetime sales (154.02 million DS sales vs the 153.12 Switch sales), but it's still far away from the PS2's record of a lifetime sales total of over 160 million units.
The Switch 2 has also now outsold the Stream Deck, with sales of the portable console estimated to be around 4 million units worldwide for both versions of the system.
Back to the Switch 2, though, the sales are wild. We are talking about a console that launched within a backdrop of tariffs from the US government and with a singular Nintendo launch title in Mario Kart World. July sees the launch of Donkey Kong Bananaza, and there are a slew of new Nintendo Switch 2 games scheduled for the end of the year that could push console sales further as we get closer to the holiday season, including the launch of Pokémon Legends Z-A and Metroid Prime 4.
It's a huge win for Nintendo, and if momentum continues, there's no telling where the Switch 2 will be a year from now due to its strong first-year lineup of games.
Update: As of July 1, 2025, at 5:15 am CT, Nintendo has removed the image of the total Switch 2 sales on its financial website. When you now check out the website, it only showcases the Switch 1 sales. We have reached out to Nintendo to see if this was an error on their part.
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Destructoid Tuesday, July 1, 2025 4:53 AM
In light of recent revelations and controversy, the topic of game conservation and the future of physical media is looking pretty bleak. Which begs the question: Are we now witnessing the complete death of physical media when it comes to video games?
I feel like it's a topic discussed practically every week, but it feels like a conversation really worth discussing and debating, considering the multiple things that have been happening recently.
Take The Outer Worlds 2, for example, a big new game coming to Xbox this year. It's an $80 digital-only game, seemingly pushing people to pay for an Xbox Game Pass subscription instead to get it cheaper. The price for a digital game by itself is laughable, but the fact that there is no physical media, at least on Xbox for now, means anyone without an internet connection who enjoyed the first game will never be able to play it.
Then you have the introduction of Game Key Cards on Nintendo Switch 2, which allow developers to have a physical space for the game, but require players to download the full game online, which begs the question. What's the point of these? Sure, you can still trade them in, but in the distant future, when the Switch 2 online services are offline, games released in this format might never be playable ever again.
Then you have the whole controversy with PirateSoftware and the Stop Killing Games movement, which I won't even pretend to have a clue what is going on there or the context behind it.
It all feels like a bit of a mess, and while I feel like the vast majority of players are moving to digital games in the future, with physical media representing such a small amount of players nowadays. That choice, and freedom, for both owning games instead of licensing them and making sure that a game can be found and played years down the line when it becomes 'retro' is far more important, in my opinion, than what we are being shoehorned towards by publishers and developers.
But what do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
The post We are witnessing the death of physical video games, aren't we? appeared first on Destructoid. |
MonsterVine Tuesday, July 1, 2025 9:00 AM In the past few years, we have had more new Canadian teams and developers in the limelight. Though we have had more games debut and succeed, such as 1000xResist, Balatro, and Venba, we are in a sort of invigoration of Canadian-developed games and studios, especially with Canada being named one of the first countries said […] |