GamersHeroes Thursday, September 18, 2025 7:13 PM Now available for PC and consoles, Fallen Tree Games and Kwalee's free update for The Precinct brings with it improved vehicle customization and a new tow truck. The post Neon-Noir Sandbox Title The Precinct Free Update Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, September 18, 2025 6:49 PM Featuring a resume with over 30 years of experience in the gaming space, video game designer, creator, and programmer Garry Kitchen will be a Guest of Honor at Sac Gamers Expo 2025 this December. The post Sac Gamers Expo 2025 Welcomes Special Guest Garry Kitchen appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, September 18, 2025 5:54 PM Pairing Zelda top-down mechanics with a chaotic GTA: Vice City-inspired world, the team at Jurassic Sunset Games is gearing up to launch the Kickstarter for Vice: Magic City Mayhem September 30. The post Zelda Meets GTA with Vice: Magic City Mayhem Kickstarter September 30 appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, September 18, 2025 4:24 PM Those that complete three Dispatch Work assignments in Rockstar Games' GTA Online this week can get themselves a free Winter LSPD Officer Outfit with Tie alongside a GTA$100,000 prize. The post Neighborhood Watch Event Continues This Week in GTA Online appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, September 18, 2025 3:48 PM A new Hunt awaits - Season 7 of Capcom and Niantic's Monster Hunter Now - dubbed Advent of the Exploration Base - is now live. The post Monster Hunter Now Season 7 Live appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, September 18, 2025 2:43 PM A massive expansion to Sunblink and Sanrio's Hello Kitty Island Adventure, the whimsical Wheatflour Wonderland DLC is now available for those on the Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam, and Apple Arcade. The post Hello Kitty Island Adventure Wheatflower Wonderland DLC Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, September 18, 2025 2:09 PM Sul sul! For those looking to brave the great outdoors, The Sims 4 today received a base game update that features the new Playground Venue. The post The Sims 4 Base Game Update Now Available on PC appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:58 PM Featuring the best elements of MMOs, MOBAs and ARPGs, Arc Games and Chief Rebel's Fellowship has launched their Open Beta ahead of their Early Access launch next month. The post Fellowship Open Beta Live Through September 23 appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:45 PM Gamers Heroes recently asked Expert Game Designer Craig Chapman questions around PGA TOUR 2K25's robust Archetype system - from community to surprises, learn more with our interview. The post PGA TOUR 2K25 Interview – Expert Game Designer Craig Chapman Talks Archetype Favorites, Trick Shots, and More appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:34 PM Announced during the Game Devs of Color Expo Direct, fans can get on the action with a new Steam demo of Daruma Games' chaotic co-op adventure Sol Mates. The post Chaotic Co-Op Adventure Sol Mates Demo Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Thursday, September 18, 2025 4:59 PM
Maybe you won't need to buy a ROG Xbox Ally to get a great handheld Windows experience after all The post The Biggest Reason To Buy The Xbox Ally Handheld Just Leaked appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, September 18, 2025 4:27 PM
The button actually has a purpose beyond just being really cool to press The post <i>Battlefield 6</i> Devs Have A Button That Blows Up Everything In A Map And It's 'Fun' To Press appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, September 18, 2025 3:54 PM
Queens of the Dead is out this October and is Tina Romero's directorial debut The post George A. Romero's Daughter Is Making A Zombie Drag Queen Movie And It Looks Great appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, September 18, 2025 3:25 PM
A Steam account belonging to the alleged gunman is drawing scrutiny ahead of a Congressional hearing The post Report: Charlie Kirk Shooter Suspect's Steam Gaming History Under Review By Secret Service appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, September 18, 2025 3:08 PM
Behaviour says the job is for AI research and workflow implementation The post <em>Dead By Daylight</em> Devs Say The Game Won't Use AI Assets After GenAI Job Listing Appears Online appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:51 PM
Oblivion Remastered shows players are happy to revisit the past The post The Era Of Video Game Remakes Is Just Getting Started, New Report Finds appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:16 PM
Techland's latest zombie-killin' RPG is perhaps the studio's best yet The post <i>Dying Light: The Beast</i> Is One Of The Best Open-World Games Of 2025 appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:32 PM
Raichu, Malamar, and more old Pokémon are finding new life in the upcoming RPG The post Every New Mega Evolution Revealed For <em>Pokémon Legends: Z-A</em> So Far appeared first on Kotaku. |
Kotaku Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:10 PM
Save 33% on the Dell Vostro 3030 PC tower for a limited time at Amazon. The post Dell Tower PC Desktop Is Cheaper Than Ever, Probably to Clear Shelves Before Amazon Prime Big Deal Days appeared first on Kotaku. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 5:10 PM You can stumble around Dying Light: The Beast and do just fine, but with our map, you'll be able to find the good stuff as fast as possible. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 3:00 PM You can score my favorite Pokémon-like game, Temtem, as well as seven other indies for under $2 each, thanks to this limited-time bundle. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 2:00 PM Soon Warhammer 40k fans will be able to make their own levels in Speed Freeks, a crazed racer with my favorite greenskins at the wheel. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:58 PM Epic Games' latest free games include Project Winter, a survival gem with a social deduction twist that could see your friends betray you. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:35 PM Ravenswatch is a brilliant Diablo-style action roguelike, and its new Hourglass of Dreams update looks like the perfect time to jump in. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:11 PM You can't always run from a fight in Dying Light The Beast, so here are the best weapons you can find and craft to stand your ground. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:01 PM The Citadel's stage is set for flashy encounters with its resident drama king, so here's how to beat Trobbio in Hollow Knight Silksong. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:00 PM The Victoria 3 1.10 patch notes are here, as developer Paradox makes intricate changes to how culture, religion, and discrimination work. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:48 PM You can now try the new fullscreen handheld mode on a Windows 11 handheld gaming PC by installing update 25H2, available to beta testers. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 2:23 PM Two job listings from Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour Interactive seek individuals with generative AI experience, sparking concerns. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:21 PM The Dying Light The Beast minimum, recommended, and ultra specs are very detailed, including confirmation of Nvidia DLSS 4 and AMD FSR 4. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:07 PM If you're looking to max out your frame rate without sacrificing visual quality, we've put the Dying Light The Beast settings to the test. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:01 PM Dying Light: The Beast has a serious face, but underneath it's mostly about finding the most efficient, and silly, means of decapitation. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:10 PM Find out all the current and upcoming characters on Wuthering Waves banners during the 2.6 update and beyond with our banner schedule. |
PCGamesN Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:10 PM Techland has confirmed Dying Light The Beast's status on Valve's gaming handheld at the eleventh hour, with an official rating confirmed. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:54 PM .jpg?width=1920&height=1920&fit=bounds&quality=70&format=jpg&auto=webp) Gearbox have released another Borderlands 4 update for technical problems on PC, with a particular focus on game stability and crashes, though they've also fixed a progression blocker or two in the process. Unlike that other Borderlands 4 patch from earlier this week, this one has an actual changelog. Gosh, wait till Mark hears of this! Oh nuts, he's already gone on holiday, presumably in sheer consternation over the shortage of bullet points. Look what you did, Randy Pitchford. Look what you did. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:02 PM  This afternoon, a choice of two raging videogame lawsuits to report on. Firstly, a snippet from the on-going courtroom scrap between former Unknown Worlds executives and Krafton over the state of Subnautica 2's development, in which the former accuse the latter of changing their story about why the executives were fired. I've decided not to write that one up because it feels like we are entering the realm of potshots over minutiae, rather than learning anything genuinely new about Subnautica 2 or its creators, but if you're interested, GamesIndustry.biz has your back. The parallel Tencent/Sony bust-up has the virtue of relative novelty. It gives me a whole different kind of headache. What's going on with this one, then? |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:10 PM  Something Hollow Knight: Silksong-related has happened at an Australian museum again. This time, rather than the game being confirmed for an appearance back when it was still infinitely mysterious and sans release date, it's Team Cherry devs addressing just how difficult their creation is, following plenty of post-release discourse on the subject. This follows the metroidvania's first patch making a couple of its early bosses a bit easier to tackle, amid debate as to whether it's just good and hard, or pushes into unnecessarily annoying slog territory via the likes of bench placement and hazards being able to deal out two masks of damage. As with every FromSoft game since time itself began with the release of Demon's Souls, where you stand on that bickering will likely depend on how prepared you are to spend hours battling one foe over and over again. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:01 PM  Parkoury zombie bludgeoner Dying Light: The Beast has, literally just this minute, gone on sale, which means the review embargo curtain has lifted on RPS to reveal... an empty chair with an IOU stuck to it. This one is my bad, rather than because of any cheeky code withholding. I'd simply underestimated how many trillions of PC games were also out this week, and had to abandon my charge through The Beast to help keep the undermanned Treehouse on top of things elsewhere. Still, we'll shortly be bringing you a full, likely much better appraisal from RPS veteran Dominic Tarason (thaaaaaanks Dominic), and in penance, I offer some initial impressions from my couple of hours with the game's opening. |
Siliconera Thursday, September 18, 2025 5:00 PM
Jazwares and The Pokemon Company International released more Squishmallow Pokemon plush, with the latest batch involving two keychains and a HugMee variant of Pikachu. Rather than the Pokemon Center, where past drops like these would first debut, these are only available through Jazwares' online storefront at the moment and not through their Amazon one.
The Squishmallow Pokemon plush keychain collection consists of four varieties, though two are sold out as of 1:45pm ET. The two in-stock are Pikachu and Teddiursa. The sold out variants are Gengar and Snorlax. Each of these are 3.5 inches tall. They also cost $7.99 each.
Here are how all four of those look:
With the Pikachu HugMee, that is a 10 inch tall plush. It looks like the character is standing on its hind legs. It costs $12.99.
This is how that Pikachu looks from the front and back.
As a reminder, the last full-size characters in this collection came up back in June 2025. They were a Torchic and a variant of Pikachu. Full-size versions of Snorlax, Teddiursa, and Gengar also already appeared in the line ahead of their debut as keychains.
The Squishmallow Pokemon keychains and Pikachu HugMee plush are available directly through Jazwares now.
The post Next Pokemon Squishmallow Plush Are Keychains appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, September 18, 2025 4:00 PM
Square Enix released a new batch of Dragon Quest VII Reimagined screenshots, and many of them offer near 1:1 comparisons showing how the remake recreates moments from the original game and 3DS release. There are also a number that highlight characters we'll journey alongside in the JRPG.
First, here are some screenshots comparing the Dragon Quest VII Reimagined to the original PlayStation game and the 3DS release. We get to see Pilchard Bay and a major story beat.
This screenshot drop also featured a closer look at all of the main characters in-game. Here's how they look:
The English voice actors are also all confirmed for them. Here's who we'll hear:
This marks the fourth time we'll see a release of this installment on a new platform. It originally debuted on the PlayStation. Then 13 years after that, a 3DS remake appeared. Two years after that, it showed up on mobile devices in Japan.
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined will come to the Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on February 5, 2026. It is also on the PS1 and 3DS worldwide.
The post Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Screenshots Compare Remake to Original appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, September 18, 2025 3:00 PM
Cinemark announced on social media it will sell a popcorn bucket that looks like Pochita alongside the US release of Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc. It will appear on October 24, 2025, the same day the film continuing the anime debuts in theaters.A Reddit user named MechaFan42 also shared a photo of it on display.
The Cinemark announcement also included a video showing how the Pochita Chainsaw Man movie popcorn bucket looks from different angles. It looks like the Chainsaw Devil is sitting on a black stand. A flap on the back of his head can open and close, with popcorn stored inside of his body. It is unknown if it will only be sold in theaters or if we'll also see it on the Cinemark Shop online storefront as well. (The Sonic the Hedgehog one was sold there as well.)
This is the second custom popcorn bucket to appear for an anime movie, as Demon Slayer the Movie: Infinity Castle also got tie-in merchandise ahead of Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc. AMC announced Castle Popcorn Tins that people could get at showings. It also featured four different kinds of cups based on Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Shinobu, and Giyu that have straws that look like sword hilts at the top.
Season one of Chainsaw Man is already on Crunchyroll, and the Reze Arc movie will debut in Japan on September 19, 2025 and in US theaters in English on October 24, 2025.
The post Chainsaw Man Movie Popcorn Bucket Looks Like Pochita appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, September 18, 2025 2:00 PM
Studio Supersoft added character customization to Moonstone Island, which allows someone to change how their avatar looks and find clothing as they play through the game. The update is now live, after people patch the game. This follows the implementation of evolutions for Spirits, a feature added back in June 2025, and past updates included things like extra festivals.
Prior to this patch, we couldn't change how our avatar would look in Moonstone Island. They would have long white hair, a floppy blue hat, and a red cape over their outfit. The update adds 28 hat and hair options and 36 pieces of clothing, with some of those found as gifts or by finding chests in the world. Once we get items, we can go to the main menu and tab over to our character to change how they look.
Here's the trailer for the Moonstone Island Character Customization Update:
While the customization elements are the main focus, they aren't the only changes. It is now easier to bring up the Medallion, as it has its own button. There will be more room in our backpacks too, as the patch notes noted, "Talismans no longer take up space in the inventory."
Moonstone Island is available for the Switch, PC, and mobile devices, and the Character Customization Update patch is live now.
The post Moonstone Island Gets Character Customization for Avatars appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:00 PM
The latest Project Voltage song, which involves the Vocaloid Hatsune Miku singing themed tracks with sound effects and BGM from Pokemon games, is tied to N, Pokemon Black and White, and Team Plasma. NILFRUITS is the composer and BAKUI worked on the music video, and "OOPArts" is now on YouTube. It will appear on Karent starting on September 19, 2025.
Because this is so focused on N and Team Plasma, this Hatsune Miku Pokemon song icnludes lots of imagery of characters tied to them. The character is shown both as a child, from when he was orphaned and raised by Pokemon, as an adult. In the background, sprites and art of creatures tied to him appear. Our first fight against him in Pokemon Black and White involved Purrloin, and the sprite for that "cat" will show up in the background behind him. Tympole, Darmanitan, Pidove, and Woobat are highlighted too. So are Poke Balls and the Team Plasma imagery. The background music includes that antagonist group's themes to it. Also, some of the most important characters tied to him, which are Zoroark, Reshiram, and Zekrom, constantly appear with full cut-in images.
Here's the new Project Voltage song "OOPArts."
The last entry in this series of songs was "Facade Question" by Satsuki. It was an April Fools' Day track that paired up Hatsune Miku and Kasane Teto, and in it we saw Pikachu associated with Miku and Mimikyu tied to Teto.
New Project Voltage High songs are rolling out gradually, with three available so far. Pokemon Black and White is on the DS, and it debuted in Japan exactly 15 years ago on September 18, 2010.
The post New Hatsune Miku Project Voltage Pokemon Song Stars N appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Thursday, September 18, 2025 4:41 PM
The Manual is one of the trickier skill moves to pull in Skate, and performing it correctly can be a true challenge.
Used very situationally, the Manual involves putting your weight on the lower part of your skateboard while slowly moving on the floor. It's advisable to perform the move on a flat surface. You'll also need to learn and master this trick to complete at least a couple of challenges inside the game.
Table of contents
How to master the Manual in Skate?
The controls for performing a Manual are relatively simple.
Skate Advanced Manual Techniques guide
Once you master the art of manuals, you'll require it first in the Advanced Manual Techniques challenge. The quest requires you to perform two Flip tricks and two Manuals.
Make sure to stay in the assigned area to complete the challenges and proceed to the next one. Try out this fix if you're getting a bug trying to save your mission progression.
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The post How to Manual in Skate appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, September 18, 2025 3:48 PM
With the Black Flag remake reportedly in the works as the worst-kept secret of all time, I have been wondering about how Ubisoft will handle it. The past few years, we've seen some great examples of remakes, with the most recent one being Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, which kept the original intact to the smallest detail, only "cutting" mechanics and designs that have aged less than poorly over the past couple of decades.
Black Flag isn't that old, though, nor does it contain any design philosophies that have aged badly. It's a run-of-the-mill third-person Assassin's Creed game, and no matter which title in the series you fire up, you'll tend not to notice its age, except maybe the graphics. Therefore, titles of this ilk can be easily remade, as their fundamentals are not subpar or "too old." Put a fresh coat of paint on them, slap some quality-of-life changes, add ray tracing and voilà—you've successfully remade your old masterpiece and made millions once again.
But what Ubisoft is reportedly doing with Black Flag (thanks IGN) goes a step beyond just remakes or remasters. No, the company wishes to outright cut parts of the game, seemingly to make it more appealing and familiar to series newcomers, who have never experienced what it means to hop in and out of an Animus, simultaneously being in the 17th and then in the 21st century.
AC4 is one of the last games in the franchise to have that functionality, with simple but fascinating gameplay bits set in our times and within Abstergo's HQ, where we learn of the fate of Desmond Miles, the protagonist of every single AC game prior to it.
Cutting this part of the game out and removing any modern-day content is a ludicrous idea, one that'll actively make the game worse. I understand that AC4 is made great by its Edward Kenway, Blackbeard, and pirates, and not modern-day rummaging through Abstergo offices. Even so, I think it's an important bit of lore and story; an interesting and fundamental part of Assassin's Creed legacy that is entirely absent from its contemporary entries.
It's also an infringement on the original developers' vision and idea, a compromise of another's art done for no good reason. Even Konami, who I never expected to remain faithful to Kojima, did not cut out any bits of the game and decided to implement full-blown, striking remakes of the most minute cutscenes and Easter eggs, which were themselves made out of cut content in the original Snake Eater.
AC4's modern levels are something that calls back to the days of when the series was at its peak, as I wholeheartedly believe the story of Desmond is one of the best ever told in games. It gave Abstergo, and by extension the Templars, an oppressive omniscient presence, one that, no matter what our heroes did throughout the entire history of the game's world, never waned.
They remain the rulers of the world, owners of the biggest corporations, and we have fleeting moments of experiencing that directly and first-hand, rather than seeing them from a distance, in centuries-old iterations, where they are neither as powerful nor as controlling as they are in the modern day.
Abstergo and its Animus are characters themselves, and core parts of Assassin's Creed lore, and cutting them out of any game, even if only those simpler, slower levels, actively makes the best Assassin's Creed game worse and proves Ubisoft no longer believes in what made AC such an amazing overarching story in the first place.
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The post Ubisoft's reported 'fix' for a non-existent problem in the Black Flag remake will just make the game worse appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, September 18, 2025 3:05 PM
A new Call of Duty Zombies adventure is almost here, and Treyarch is celebrating it with a new event in Black Ops 6.
Operation: Hell Ride appears to coincide with new information about Black Ops 7's new Zombies experience, releasing the same week. Within the new event, players can unlock items for free by simply playing and finishing unique challenges.
The challenges for each unlockable item can be done in either BO6 multiplayer, Zombies, or even Warzone. Here's what we know so far about the challenges and rewards.
Operation Hell Ride - BO6 and Warzone rewards
There are six different challenges that you must complete to unlock all of the items and get this event's mastery reward, which is a new gun. This information is currently available via a leak from dataminer Reality. The full event begins on Sept. 18.
Unlock all six of the above rewards to unlock the Gravemark .357 pistol.
"Single-action revolver. High power and considerable range, limited by lower ammo count and segmented reload."
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The post All challenges and rewards in BO6 Operation Hell Ride event appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, September 18, 2025 2:54 PM
A new Borderlands 4 patch is now live, and it's aiming to add some much-needed fixes for some ongoing problems in the game.
BL4 has been a hit with fans when it comes to gameplay. But a lot of issues with optimization have plagued the game's reputation online, both for PC and console players. This latest update aims to fix some of those problems, and Gearbox says that optimization is the game's top priority right now before anything else.
Here's everything new and different in the latest Borderlands 4 update from Sept. 18.
Table of contents
Borderlands 4 Sept. 18 patch notes
Stability
Gameplay & Progression
Loot & Items
The full patch notes for today's update can be found on the Gearbox website.
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The post Another Borderlands 4 patch aims at addressing performance issues, bug fixes appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, September 18, 2025 2:09 PM
Cyberpunk 2077 was supposed to be a greater game. With promises and ambitions well beyond the product we received, it had grand plans of online multiplayer, dynamic quests, better choices and consequences. The first of those seems to be coming to its sequel, at least according to a job listing.
Per a report by GameSpot, Cyberpunk 2 could receive an online multiplayer mode, something which was promised to us long ago prior to the release of 2077, which had to cut a lot of stuff, including this PVP spinoff. This came as a result of a chaotic development cycle, reports of crunch and overworking, and a release that went down horribly, to say the least.
In the years that followed, we received dozens of updates, a massive and fantastic expansion, Phantom Liberty, and countless improvements and fixes to all the game's underlying issues—but online multiplayer functionality never manifested, not so much as an Easter egg.
Now, a job listing has cropped up from one of CD Projekt Red's studios working on Cyberpunk 2, the clandestine sequel to 2077, which we have yet to see anything of. Among the many jobs listed as open, one stood out: Lead Network Engineer.
Cyberpunk being a singleplayer title, with the bulk of the networking handled by the platforms it's hosted on, one'd think it doesn't really need all too much network engineering—if it weren't implementing online multiplayer, that is.
The Lead Network Engineer's responsibilities revolve around managing a full team of engineers, as well as to "design, implement, and maintain scalable and efficient network architectures for online features; ensure low-latency, high-performance online experiences for players; ...develop and optimize multiplayer systems, including matchmaking, and address challenges related to latency, bandwidth usage, and server performance; stay up-to-date with the latest developments in network programming and online gaming technologies."
So that's as clear-cut as it gets. The Lead Network Engineer will also be tasked with ensuring servers are deployed efficiently and properly, as well as integrating "seamless" online functionality. Seamless multiplayer is one of many things CDPR's R&D team has been working on for quite some time, earning itself a grant from the Polish government some years ago to pursue new and evolved technologies in that field.
Now, with Cyberpunk 2 almost certainly having a lot more time, money, and space to work efficiently, it wouldn't be surprising that it'd have all those features that had to be cut from 2077. God knows when the game will actually come out, though, so we'll have to wait quite a while to see what Cyberpunk 2 will be all about.
In the meantime, we'll have The Witcher 4 to worry about, which I wager is going to release by the end of 2027. Or so I hope and cope.
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The post A key cancelled feature for Cyberpunk 2077 seems to be coming to its sequel appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:42 PM
Arkheron, developed by former Blizzard CCO Rob Pardo's studio, has unveiled a new trailer, showing off the game's combat and gameplay loop, which immediately had me hooked. Combining elements of various genres like battle royale, looter-shooters, ARPGs, and MOBAs, Arkheron is shaping up to be a mighty fine game.
Battle royale has long been defined by guns, a massive map, and an "every man for himself" type of gameplay. Ever since the eponymous book and movie came out near the end of the previous century, this core identity has been cemented and only ever slightly changed by the likes of PUBG, Fortnite, Hunt: Showdown, and the like.
Recently, we've been seeing a wave of new takes on the genre, with varying success, but this upcoming title from Blizzard's former executive Rob Pardo could be a major step up.
Arkheron takes liberally from a host of genres and conventions to craft a unique experience, one where modular gameplay and the resulting replay value take center stage. Fifteen teams of three players each battle each other and AI-controlled monsters while ascending a mysterious Tower, collecting loot and items to combine them in real time, fundamentally changing their character's identity.
With this ARPG looter element, Arkheron adds a huge new layer to the battle royale formula, aside from making the game a dark fantasy rather than a military shooter, which we've come to expect of the genre. Spells, melee magic weapons, and strange abilities replace AR-15s, guns, and contemporary army doctrines, while a top-down isometric perspective elevates strategy, much in line with what MOBAs do.
The core of this formula is the Relics, which you can pick up while you play, either as parts of unique sets or various mixes that you make entirely your own. Picking up four Relics from the same set lets you transform into an Eternal, but you are locked into that particular playstyle for the rest of the game. Alternatively, you can take items from different sets and create a new build that you can shift away from if you find something else.
Real-time dynamics are the name of the game here, and though loot has been a fundamental part of battle royales for years now, I haven't seen anything to this extent. PUBG and Fortnite can shift and change depending on the gun you have, but you can theoretically win by just hiding in a corner of the map or by just outplaying the enemy with a handgun. Warzone's weapon loot is just a preference, and Hunt: Showdown lets you take your whole loadout with you, making loot non-existent.
Here, though, everything can change in the midst of battle, and you are forced to clash with other players and engage in PvE against NPCs to progress, as only one team can emerge victorious—and only by reaching the top of the Tower.
And from what I could gather in the trailers, the combat seems very weighted, flashy, and visceral, with skill playing as much of a role as the build you've crafted. And since you're never really locked to one build, course correction is very much allowed and in real-time, making Arkheron's core gameplay loop very different from most BRs, and a breath of fresh air in general.
The game runs playtests every now and again, and I know for sure that I'll be hopping on. There's one planned for this next weekend, so, if you're as hyped up as I am, do get yourself signed up, and perhaps we'll meet on the floors of the Tower, testing our mettle, skill, and Relic builds.
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The post Finally, a battle royale that isn't just a carbon copy of all of the others appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:37 PM
Sony filed a lawsuit against Tencent over Light of Motiram, the latter's upcoming game, which Sony alleges is a "shameless" copy of the Horizon titles. After first removing any potentially infringing content from stores, Tencent is now fighting back, accusing Sony of monopolizing common genre conventions.
As per Insider Gaming (via The Game Post), Tencent is requesting Sony's lawsuit to be dismissed on the grounds of its "infringing" content being common genre conventions, which Sony is trying to monopolize and "fence off."
"At bottom, Sony's effort is not aimed at fighting off piracy, plagiarism, or any genuine threat to intellectual property. It is an improper attempt to fence off a well-trodden corner of popular culture and declare it Sony's exclusive domain," Tencent argued.
The company further pointed out how Sony's claims and basis for the lawsuit are contradictory, since the latter claims Horizon: Zero Dawn and its sequel are unlike any game that came before or after them.
"In Sony's telling, Horizon: Zero Dawn is 'like no fictional world created before [or] since.' That claim is startling, because it is flatly contradicted by Sony's own developers, not to mention the long history of video games featuring the same elements that Sony seeks to monopolize through this lawsuit," the company said.
The contradictions themselves come from what Tencent claims was a statement from Horizon: Zero Dawn art director Jan-Bart Van Beek. He allegedly said Horizon's core theme of a red-haired woman in an apocalyptic world run by machines and robots had been borrowed from another title, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, which released in 2013, which would dispel Sony's claims of Horizon being one-of-a-kind.
Tencent named other games which it believes share a lot of DNA with Horizon, including "Enslaved, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Far Cry: Primal, Far Cry: New Dawn, Outer Wilds, and Biomutant," following its accusation of Sony's wanting to become "an impermissible monopoly on genre conventions."
It additionally pointed out that Sony is pursuing legal action over "an unreleased project that merely employs the same time-honored tropes embraced by scores of other games released both before and after Horizon," as part of that same desire to monopolize and fence-off competition by keeping common genre conventions to itself.
Lastly, Tencent pointed out Sony's lawsuit was against the wrong corporate entities, as well as that Light of Motiram would not launch before 2027, making the company's allegations frivolous and "based on hypotheticals."
"The alleged infringements have not occurred and may in fact never occur," it said.
Corporate legal battles are nothing new in video games. Claims of stolen assets, copyright infringements, and copying others' works were already present in gaming, such as when Dark and Darker had to pull from most stores during its lawsuit with Nexon, the latter alleging its unreleased project was partly stolen by former devs who ended up making Dark and Darker.
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The post Tencent accuses Sony of being a monopoly as Horizon clone case heats up appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:25 PM
Hello gamers, my name is Scott and I can't stop buying playing roguelike bullet hell games.
I guess many people know this particular genre as "Survivors" games, thanks in large part to Vampire Survivors popularizing it a few years back, but they combine action roguelike and bullet hell (shoot 'em up/shmup) gameplay into one to create for something that I have a hard time saying no to.
Basically, these are just games where you play as a character, pick up power-ups, weapons, and modifiers, and try to survive increasingly difficult waves of enemies. Sometimes, there are objectives to complete, but a lot of the times, you only need to move around and select which abilities you want as you level up, and the game does the rest for you.
This is the main draw to these games, for me. The older I get, the more I want to kind of shut my brain off and do as little as possible. These action-roguelike-bullet-hells let me do that, as most of them auto-attack enemies for you, allowing me to truly relax and play with one hand on a controller.
It's very satisfying watching your powers grow as the enemy density increases, allowing you to slice through large swaths of zombies, or skeletons, or bats, or whatever the game has. Sitting back and witnessing them disappear as your XP bar flies towards another level... mmm, yeah, that's the good stuff.
Many in the genre differ from one another in varying ways, like Death Must Die where you equip armor and weapons before heading into battle, but they all scratch a very particular itch for me that I cannot deny.
Another reason why these games catch on so easily with me is that many of them are not super graphics-intensive and so they can easily be played on the Steam Deck. I distinctly remember, when recovering from kidney transplant surgery two years ago, I was confined to a recliner while my wounds healed and I played the heck out of Yet Another Zombie Survivors for hours on end since I basically couldn't do much else.
Being able to play a lot of these Steam games in bed on my Deck is, again, another huge plus. After sitting at a desk all day for work (and sometimes play, which is also work), the last thing I want to do is sit at my desk for more game time.
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, Death Must Die, The Spell Brigade, Halls of Torment, NIMRODS, Asgard's Fall: Origins, Nordic Ashes, God of Weapons, Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel, and Soulstone Survivors are just some of the games in this genre that I own, and I can recommend them all, if this genre is your sort of thing.
It also helps that they're all relatively cheap, anywhere from $5 to $20 and rarely higher, so when I see a new one pop up on the Steam store, I inevitably say "sure, why not?" and pick it up. I suspect I'm not the only one like this, either, so let me know in the comments below if you're a habitual Survivors gamer like me.
Also, while we're at it, can we get a dedicated category for this genre on Steam? Because when I click "action roguelike" I don't always get the particular type of game I'm looking for, and the same for when I click "bullet hell." The two genres combine into one to make a special lovechild that I think everyone should give a try if they haven't already. They're simple, addictive, cheap, and best of all, fun.
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The post I'm in (bullet) hell, but I'm loving every minute of it. Here's why Survivors games have a chokehold on me appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:23 PM
The Manual Beleaf challenges are among the toughest to complete in Skate, and finishing them in the correct sequence is a true test of your RS skills.
The quest involves you recreating three different skills separately across two small barriers that offer little moving room. However, you can complete the challenge with some simple tricks (if you fail, just try out the methods listed below).
Sake Manual Beleaf challenges guide
Here's a list of every task to complete.
Out of the five tasks, don't pay much attention to Best Sequence. You'll have to complete the task using the two highlighted barricades.
In some instances, you could end up landing on a Grind. If that happens, use a 180-degree spin to move in the air before landing from the barrier to the ground.
If you land on the ground in between performing the sequence, you'll need to begin from the start. If you manage to complete your speed on the board, you can complete the tasks on the first barrier itself (which reduces the chances of failure). Controlling your speed isn't the easiest of jobs, but it's doable if you use the streamlined controls.
That's all you have to do to complete the Manual Beleaf challenges in the game. If you end up being unable to save your progression, try this fix to solve the issue at hand.
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The post How to complete Manual Beleaf challenges in Skate appeared first on Destructoid. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, September 18, 2025 5:56 PM A video was also released. The post Blue Protocol: Star Resonance Release Date Announced appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, September 18, 2025 5:35 PM A trailer was also released. The post Valheim PlayStation 5 Release Window Announced appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, September 18, 2025 5:14 PM On Steam. The post Assassin's Creed Shadows: Claws of Awaji Already Has a Mostly Negative Rating appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Thursday, September 18, 2025 4:54 PM On Twitter. The post Gearbox CEO Acknowledges Borderlands 4 PS5 Performance Issues appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
MonsterVine Thursday, September 18, 2025 7:00 PM After more than five years in development, solo dev Jack Breen of Studio Hybrid and publisher Akupara Games have announced that Gigasword will officially launch on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC on November 13, 2025. Originally slated as a PC-only release, the team chose to unite all platforms under one date so no player […] |
MonsterVine Thursday, September 18, 2025 6:00 PM Roboto Games has announced that Stormforge, its highly anticipated cel-shaded fantasy survival game, is opening playtest registration. Players eager to step into its storm-ravaged world can now sign up for early access, with the full Early Access release planned for Q1 2026. Alongside the announcement, the studio revealed the first official gameplay trailer since the […] |
MonsterVine Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:00 PM That's right, folks. You heard it here. Scrabdackle, the newest title announced by jakefriend, is coming soon to Steam early access. The action-adventure title was shown off during the Six One Indie Showcase this morning, and jakefriend even hung out to give us a closer look at the game. Scrabdaackle is hand-drawn using traditional animation […] |
MonsterVine Thursday, September 18, 2025 12:10 PM Square Enix has officially unveiled more details for Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, the upcoming remake of the PlayStation classic, arriving on February 5, 2026, across Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and Windows. Fans can look forward to a fresh hand-crafted art style, a cast of reimagined characters, and a battle system designed […] |
Level Up Thursday, September 18, 2025 1:05 PM  Ahhh, can you smell it? That's the smell of fresh indies breaking through the noise… |