Gaming News

The first major patch for hit city builder Manor Lords, version 0.7.960, has been revealed by developer Slavic Magic and released for public testing.While this means the patch isn't officially out yet, those looking to enjoy its wealth of bug fixes and other improvements can now do so at the risk of some elements, like balance changes, being a tad off. Players happy to wait can do so knowing the full patch shouldn't be too far away.Revealed in a Steam post, Slavic Magic made these potential imperfections clear and recommended players back up their save files before switching to the test version. "The new strings are not localized yet and stability hasn't yet been thoroughly tested," it added. "Some balancing changes are still...

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has set the game’s community yet another challenge: kill 2 billion Automatons to unlock a new Stratagem.The explosive PC and PlayStation 5 co-op shooter’s latest Major Order gives players five days to “decommission the targeted number of Automatons”. If the community hits the robot kill count within the set timeframe, the Anti-Tank Mines Stratagem will unlock.Killing two billion bots in five days sounds like an insurmountable task, but the Helldivers 2 community has form when it comes to mobilizing in response to tough Major Orders. In April, it took Helldivers 2 players less than 24 hours to kill two billion Terminids, but Arrowhead later confirmed the kill count was bugged. This new Major Order...

The first human Neuralink implant recipient is playing Slay the Spire, Old School RuneScape, and a range of other popular games by using the implant to translate his neural signals.Elon Musk’s neurotechnology company also revealed in a new update that a number of the implant’s electrode-bearing threads had retracted from the patient’s brain, leading to a temporary drop off in the performance of the brain-computer interface (BCI).Back in January, Neuralink co-founder Elon Musk took to X to announce the company had implanted its first ‘N1’ brain chip in the head of a human patient as part of its Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface (PRIME) study. The patient was later revealed to be 29-year-old American...

Lords of the Fallen and Sniper: Ghost Warrior publisher CI games has laid off 30 more members of staff less than four months after it cut 10% of its workforce.Speaking to GI.biz, CI Games said this would be the "final targeted round of redundancies" on its way to reaching "maximum efficiency in delivery strategic priorities going forward." Employees were notified of these additional cuts today, May 10, 2024, and will be "supported throughout the process over the coming weeks."Lords of the Fallen developer Hexworks is unaffected by this round of layoffs, CI Games said. It recently turned its attention to future installments in the franchise after releasing the final update for 2023's Lords of the Fallen.These latest layoffs come...

Mind-bending puzzle metroidvania Animal Well just released yesterday, and already a community of players is tearing the game apart to find its many, many, many, many secrets. Right now, that includes a ridiculously complicated puzzle that requires at least 50 different people to participate. And just one day after launch, the community is on the cusp of completing it.Warning: Massive spoilers for Animal Well's "third layer" of secrets follow! If you want to get into its multi-tiered puzzle layers yourself, please shift into reverse and come back later! Read our spoiler-free review instead!Animal Well effectively contains a three-tiered secret hunt of sorts. The first tier just involves collecting four flames and seeing the credits...

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Plus is officially up for preorder, with both a Limited Edition and Standard Edition available. It's set to release on October 1 in North America and Europe for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam and will set you back $99.99 for the Lucid-Noir Limited Edition or $59.99 for the Standard Edition. It's worth noting that the physical versions of these editions are only available for PS5 users at the moment. The Xbox and Steam versions of the game will be available later in digital format.Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus Lucid-Noir Limited EditionGet it for PS5 at Amazon - $99.99For those interested in preordering the Lucid-Noir Limited Edition, there are quite a few different...

Steam users are leaving positive reviews for Hi-Fi Rush following Microsoft’s shock decision to close its developer, Tango Gameworks.Microsoft announced the closure of Tango Gameworks as well as Redfall developer Arkane Austin this week as part of devastating cuts to Bethesda owner ZeniMax.Tango Gameworks' critically acclaimed rhythm action game Hi-Fi Rush was deemed a success upon its launch. It shadow-dropped straight into Game Pass on Xbox and PC, and was sold outside the subscription service priced $30. IGN’s Hi-Fi Rush review returned a 9/10. We said: “Hi-Fi Rush marches to the beat of its own drum with stunning animation, loveable characters, and stylish rhythmic action that are anything but one-note.”Last year, amid...

Upcoming 2D roguelite The Rogue Prince of Persia has been delayed from its May 14, 2024 release date to avoid competition with Hades 2, which was released into Steam Early Access on May 6.Developer Evil Empire announced the delay on X/Twitter but assured it wouldn't push the game too far. Though it won't reveal an exact release date until May 13, Evil Empire said it would still be in May 2024."Seeing as everyone and their mum is playing [Hades 2] (including out entire team and their mums), we have decided to let people have their fun with it before we release The Rogue Prince of Persia," the developer said."While we have every confidence in The Rogue Prince of Persia, it's not every day that a game in the same genre as you...

With Green Man Gaming turning a golden fourteen years old this month, it can perhaps be a little too easy to forget the years and decades of truly great games that have come and gone in that time. Luckily, we’ve conjured up this feature to remind you just what the best games were of the […]Continue reading...

Cardy, Matt, and Jesse have conveyed for a bumper chat session. They'll discuss the joys of both Hades 2 and Animal Well, before delving into the horrors of Microsoft's closures of both Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks. Then, there's a little The Fall Guy discussion before using Ryan Gosling's latest as a jumping off point to share their favourite movie stunts.Do you microwave your bacon? Get in touch at ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.IGN UK Podcast 748: Microwaved Bacon and Other HorrorsIGN UK Podcast 747: A Great Time for Sweaty Films IGN UK Podcast 746: Is Gravy on Fish Wrong? IGN UK Podcast 745: Our Favourite 5 Hours or Less Games IGN UK Podcast 744: We Don't Want to Set the World on Fire IGN UK Podcast 743: Hellblade 2, Stellar...

Microsoft’s decision to release some of its Xbox games on rival console the PlayStation 5 appears to be paying off, with Rare’s pirate adventure Sea of Thieves topping Sony's sales chart.In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Sony revealed that Sea of Thieves was April’s most-downloaded PS5 game from the PlayStation Store in the EU, ahead of the likes of GTA 5 and Helldivers 2, and the third most-downloaded game in the U.S. Given Sony’s download chart does not include free-to-play games such as Fortnite, we can say Sea of Thieves was the best-selling PS5 game on the PlayStation Store in April, and right up there in the U.S.There’s more good news for Microsoft’s controversial multi-platform push. Obsidian’s Grounded also features highly...

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is a sprawling role-playing game that usually requires hundreds of hours of gameplay before players can reach Level 80 and fight the infamous Ebony Warrior, but one player has condensed all that down to less than 10 minutes.Speedrunner and YouTuber nucular uploaded his record-breaking Skyrim Ebony Warrior speedrun (which can also be viewed below) where he defeated the foe, which only appears at Level 80, in just nine minutes and 55 seconds. How the heck? Well, it's complicated.Speaking to IGN, nucular broke down his extensive strategies and reason for doing so, explaining the run was conceptualised by legendary Skyrim speedrunner Waz, who held the previous world record of 14 minutes and 27 seconds.But...

Xbox president Sarah Bond has indicated Microsoft will launch 2024’s Call of Duty game straight into Game Pass.Earlier this week, The Verge reported that Microsoft was still debating whether to release this year’s Call of Duty, reportedly a Black Ops game set in the Gulf War, day-one on its subscription service. The same report claimed Microsoft is mulling a Game Pass price hike, too.Microsoft has faced tough questions around the potential cannibalization effect of Game Pass, particularly on games that launch on the service day-one. While Xbox executives have insisted sales can be boosted by a game’s presence on Game Pass, some publishers remain unconvinced. Unlike Microsoft, console rival Sony does not release its new exclusives...

Xbox president Sarah Bond has responded to questions about Microsoft’s decision to shut a number of much-loved studios this week, insisting it was about ensuring the Xbox business remains healthy for the long-term during what she called “this moment of transition.”Microsoft shocked the gaming world when it announced the closure of Redfall and Prey developer Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush and The Evil Within developer Tango Gameworks, and more in devastating cuts targeted at Bethesda owner ZeniMax.Microsoft bought ZeniMax Media, the parent company of developers like Bethesda, Arkane, id Software, and more, in 2021 for $7.5 billion. Since then, it has bought Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard for $69 billion.In an email to staff...

Game developer Mob Entertainment is partnering with Legendary Entertainment to create a movie based on its toy factory horror hit, Poppy Playtime.Legendary is developing the video game-to-movie adaptation with producers Don Murphy and Susan Montford from Angry Films. Details on its plot and cast have yet to be revealed. No release date has been confirmed.Poppy Playtime centers around Playtime Co., a once-great toy manufacturer that fell from grace after everyone inside its factory disappeared. Players take control of a former employee who finds themselves sucked back to the factory long after the disappearances, and it doesn’t take long for them to discover that the toys seem to be more playful this time around.Poppy Playtime...

After Microsoft unexpectedly announced it closed Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, some wondered whether the previously announced physical version of the game would ever see the light of day. But don't worry — despite Tango Gameworks' closure, Limited Run Games is still planning to release a physical edition of the studio's final project.Limited Run Games' official X/Twitter account replied to one comment that suggested that the company would not move forward with a physical release of Hi-Fi Rush due to Tango Gamesworks' closure. Limited Run responded that this was not the case and that a physical release "is a go," but no further information, such as a release date, was disclosed.Bethesda Softworks confirmed last March that...

Since Helldivers 2 was released just over three months ago, development team Arrowhead Game Studios has frequently rebalanced the game's meta, frustrating quite a few players who have grown comfortable with weapons only to have them nerfed in the next patch. Now, it looks like those complaints might lead to a change - or, at the very least, a discussion at Arrowhead.Today on X/Twitter, in response to a player who said "Helldivers has just become un-fun for me" regarding balancing changes, Helldivers 2 director Johan Pilestedt said, "Hey, yeah i think we've gone too far in some areas. Will talk to the team about the approach to balance. It feels like every time someone finds something fun, the fun is removed."Pilestedt's response...

Editor's Note: This review takes a fresh look at Fallout 76, replacing our previous review from 2018. You can read more about our review policies and philosophy here.As someone who hadn’t returned to Fallout 76’s post-apocalyptic West Virginia since its troubled debut back in 2018, six years really has made quite the difference. Appalachia looks pretty dang gorgeous on modern systems, its reworked leveling and perks make for an extremely engaging grind, and in stark contrast to the lonely and depressing slog I endured last time, the world is actually filled with interesting NPCs to chat up – you know, like a Fallout game. Throw in all the new quests and activities that have been added, and you’ve got yourself a pretty robust...

Frontier Developments has announced Jurassic World Evolution 3, due out during its 2026 financial year. That means it will be out at some point between June 1, 2025 and May 31, 2026.Frontier said it had signed a license with Universal Products & Experiences for a third Jurassic World game, which follows 2018’s Jurassic World Evolution and 2021’s Jurassic World Evolution 2. In February 2024, Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment announced an all-new Jurassic World event film currently scheduled for release on July 2, 2025, so Jurassic World Evolution 3 will aim to benefit from increased excitement in all things dinosaurs generated by the movie.Jurassic World Evolution and Jurassic World Evolution 2 rank first and second...

Behaviour Interactive is teasing its next chapter for the Dead by Daylight universe, implying a Dungeons & Dragons crossover is coming to its widely popular asymmetrical horror game.The Dead by Daylight X/Twitter account posted a brief teaser trailer that suggests its next licensed chapter is based on the popular tabletop game series Dungeons & Dragons. While not much was shared, Behaviour Interactive plans to hold an 8th anniversary stream for the Dead by Daylight series next week; hopefully to confirm a release date and which D&D characters will become the killers and survivors.A D&D-themed chapter in Dead by Daylight would be interesting, as Behaviour Interactive has yet to implement dark fantasy into its horror game. However...

Vampire Survivors is a game so iconic that even though it’s only two-and-a-half years old, it’s still managed to spawn an entire genre. The unique take on horde mode mechanics, item fusions, and meta-progression have all helped the game stay the course, and while other games have built on that in different ways, Vampire Survivors […]Continue reading...

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has disappointed Warner Bros. Discovery, owner of developer Rocksteady, to the tune of a $200 million hit to revenue.Reporting its Q1 financial results, Warner Bros. Discovery said its Games revenue declined significantly as a result of a tough comparison with last year’s best-selling video game Hogwart’s Legacy. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice “generated significantly lower revenues” compared with those generated by Hogwart’s Legacy during the same three-month period, the company said.In a follow-up investor-focused call, Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav called the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League “disappointing”, before Warner Bros. Discovery chief financial officer...

As a cat owner, I spend an excessive amount of time looking these fur-covered creatures in the eyes and wondering what they truly want. Would they enjoy the world outside, or would they immediately come running back to their parents’ protective embrace? Little Kitty, Big City attempts to answer this question for me and every other indoor cat owner out there through an adventure that fictionalizes the thoughts and feelings of a feline friend lost in a small Japanese metropolitan sandbox. Solving platforming puzzles in this charming environment is a relaxing time from the get-go, but like a cat aiming to jump up to the top of a dresser and not quite making it, Little Kitty, Big City falters in a few areas that keep it from being a wholly...

The other night, I spotted a bottle of Captain Morgan atop my fridge that had been sitting up there for years, a shot or so still lingering at the bottom. On a whim, I dumped it into a glass with some Coke Zero, sipped it down, and went to bed shortly after. Around 2am, I suddenly jolted awake. I was already sitting up in bed, my hands still wrapped around a non-existent controller in my lap. Fueled by rum and caffeine, I had been dreaming I was playing Animal Well on the big screen of the closet doors in front of me, solving devilishly cryptic puzzles and hunting for hidden eggs in my sleep. My waking mania had invaded my dreams at last.Over the last two weeks, I’ve become increasingly obsessed with and embedded in the secrets of...

The boss of Xbox Game Studios reportedly told Bethesda staff “we need smaller games that give us prestige and awards” just a day after shutting down Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks.The Verge reported on the remarks after it emerged that Tango Gameworks was in the process of pitching a Hi-Fi Rush sequel and wanted to hire additional staff before its sudden closure. Similarly, Arkane Austin had hoped to make another immersive sim in the Dishonored vein that would have required staffing up before it was shut down.The report, which sheds additional light on the shock closures of Tango Gameworks and Redfall developer Arkane Austin, claimed Xbox leadership felt that the overall studio system was "spread too thin," with Xbox Game...

Vampire centric action role playing game V Rising has now fully launched on Steam after two years in Early Access, and it's off to a very hot start.V Rising enjoyed a 24 hour peak of 78,164 concurrent players on its May 8, 2024 launch date, according to player tracking website SteamDB. While this wasn't quite the 150,000 player peak it enjoyed upon its Early Access launch, it was a huge spike in numbers for the game which was previously averaging less than 10,000 a day.Developer Stunlock Studios announced the release date in March 2024 but its full 1.0 patch notes (which you can see here) only arrived as the full game launched."The journey to full release was rife with dangers and challenges, but your feedback and raw excitement...

Given the success of the recent Fallout TV series on Amazon Prime – it’s very good by the way – there has never been a better time to dive into the world of Fallout. Whether you are a newbie to the series or a veteran returning to the franchise, however, it can be hard to […]Continue reading...

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has released the Polar Patriots Premium Warbond as planned after the boss of the studio polled fans on whether it should go ahead so soon after what he called “negative sentiment” over the game’s PlayStation Network account linking.Sony’s controversial decision to force Helldivers 2 PC gamers to account link to PlayStation Network saw the game’s Steam user review rating collapse from ‘overwhelmingly positive’ to ‘mostly negative’ after over 200,000 negative reviews flooded Valve’s platform. The sheer volume of negative reviews left in such a short space of time caused Johan Pilestedt, boss of developer Arrowhead, to tweet: “Ouch, right in the review score.” Sony subsequently U-turned on its decision...

Microsoft's decision to close several development studios, such as Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, and more, has generally been met with a big thumbs-down online. Tango was responsible for break-out hit Hi-Fi Rush in 2023, a game considered one of the best on Xbox in recent years, and went on to win a BAFTA for Animation.Hi-Fi Rush is still available on Xbox Game Pass, or you can purchase it digitally at a discount right now. It's 35% off via the Microsoft Store, down to $19.49 (or equivalent in your region). This is the lowest price we've ever seen the game drop to on Xbox.Hi-Fi Rush is also a part of the Humble Choice Bundle for May, alongside Yakuza Like A Dragon, Steel Rising, and more. You can join Humble Choice for...

Japanese game company Capcom has reported record sales and predicted even bigger returns are to come, with big hitter Monster Hunter Wilds waiting in the wings.Capcom sold 45.89 million units of video games during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, a record for the long-running company behind the likes of Monster Hunter and Resident Evil. Net sales were up 21% year-on-year, and profit was up 18.1%.Capcom said it achieved this result off the back of the release of Street Fighter 6 in June 2023 and Dragon’s Dogma 2 in March 2024. Street Fighter 6 has now sold 3.3 million units, and Dragon’s Dogma 2 has shifted 2.62 million. Both games, as well as continued sales of older games, made for record-high net sales, the seventh...