Gaming News

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The best Metal Gear Solid bosses are the ones that leave a lasting impression with fights that are both thematically rich and mechanically engaging. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater truly stands out in the series for its boss encounters, not just because of the scale of the personalities you’re up against (and yes, we mean that quite literally), but also because of the unique mechanics each battle brings to the table. With the arrival of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, bringing renewed attention to the classic, it’s the perfect time to revisit what makes each of the original game’s bosses so memorable. We’ll be breaking down what sets them apart and sharing a few thoughts on each one along the way. Expect some spoilers—we’ll keep...
Borderlands 4 will cost $70, publisher 2K Games confirmed in June. That seemingly innocuous fact was big news after the price of the upcoming looter shooter was thrust into the headlines when Gearbox development chief Randy Pitchford sparked a backlash with a series of controversial tweets. The outspoken Pitchford had responded to a fan who had expressed concern about the prospect of paying $80 for Borderlands 4, saying: “if you’re a real fan, you’ll find a way to make it happen.” Pitchford ended up having to address the negativity surrounding his comments, which some suggested might have harmed Borderlands 4’s chances of success. But this was hardly the latest drama revolving around Randy Pitchford, who often gives the press plenty...
inZoi's first free DLC, Island Getaway, will release on August 20. It also just so happens to coincide with the release of the life simulator's rollout on Mac, too. inZoi says the Southeast Asia-inspired map was "shaped by feedback from our players, going all the way back to [the] Early Access launch earlier this year." As well as introducing the new dual-island map Cahaya, players will also get new activities like swimming, snorkelling, and farming. "This DLC reflects a vision we’ve built together with our community," said director and inZoi CEO, Hyungjun "Kjun" Kim. "Developing a game in a new genre has been a real challenge, but the support we’ve received means everything to us — and we’re just getting started." Here's what...
I have had a bit of a, shall we say, adversarial relationship with poker in the past. If I were invited to an evening poker game with my buds, I would always find some trite reason to get out of it because, despite the lure of decent convo and foaming, mind-warping beverages. I knew nothing about Poker, didn’t care to learn and knew even if I did, I would be pants at it anyway. Yes, I was a weapons-grade idiot. Luckily for me and others that are similarly afflicted, a form of salvation was to be had courtesy of indie developer LocalThunk and Balatro – a game that not only made me interested in poker (an unfathomable state of mind for me previously), but which also made me appreciate both card games and roguelike deck builders a whole...
Doom: The Dark Ages remains one of the best shooters of 2025 so far, and it seems it’s only getting better with Update 2 dropping this week. Not only does the update add new skins and bug fixes, but a new Ripatorium adds an infinite arena for, well, ripping through foes ad nauseum. Better yet, you can get this new and improved version of the Doom Slayer for under $45 at Best Buy. Best Buy is now offering a $25 discount on Doom: The Dark Ages on PS5, bringing the price down to just $44.99 from $69.99, and it’s a great time to jump in. It's the best price for a physical copy of the game from major online retailers right now, with Amazon OOS, Walmart listing for $49, and Target down to $55.99 today as well. For those looking to buy...
Fortnite is set to add pet-like cosmetic "Companions" to its battle royale, a series of fresh leaks suggest. Initial designs include a range of dogs, as well as a turtle on a skateboard. Datamined images sourced from yesterday's new Fortnite season update show what looks to be a golden retriever, a pair of pugs, a robot dog based on the game's iconic Cuddle Team Leader, and the aforementioned skateboard-wielding aquatic reptile. Fortnite fans have been aware of plans by developer Epic Games to release pet-like Companions for some time, based on bits of evidence dug up and posted online from past datamines. But today is our first glimpse at the Companions themselves, from what look to be user interface icons for them. If Fortnite...
Bethesda has confirmed Heretic + Hexen — the definitive re-release of two genre-shaping first-person shooters — are out now on PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. id Software worked "in partnership" with Nightdive Studios to release this updated collection, featuring the "two classics that helped shape the genre." The games have "been restored with improved performance for modern platforms with an enhanced soundtrack from Andrew Hulshult, online cross-platform and local split-screen deathmatch and co-op modes, in-game mod support, and more." Here's what you get in the new collection: Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders Hexen: Beyond Heretic Hexen: Deathkings of the Dark Citadel Two all-new...
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is now just weeks from launch, though fans will have to wait a little longer to play Fox Hunt, the game's online multiplayer mode. While the main, single-player portion of Snake Eater will launch for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on August 28, Fox Hunt will arrive via a post-launch update sometime this "fall". And yes, that's as specific as publisher Konami is currently willing to get. Announced back in June, Fox Hunt is an entirely new multiplayer offering unrelated to Metal Gear Online, which came bundled with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots back in 2008. MGO lasted four years, before its servers were switched off in 2012. "Fox Hunt is a completely original online multiplayer...
Akatsuki Games has announced that its game based on the hugely popular manga and anime series Kaiju No. 8 will be released globally for Android and iOS on August 31st (JST), with a PC version to follow later. Kaiju No. 8 tells the story of Kafka Hibino, a member of the crews that clean up after kaiju threats have been eliminated in greater Tokyo, but who longs to be a soldier in the Japan Defense Force (JDF), and actually be on the front lines. With goofy humour, slick action, an endearing protagonist and some pretty wild twists and turns, it’s a fun series. Its second season is airing now, but you can read our review of season one here. Kaiju No. 8 The Game will let you take control of a host of fan favourite members of the JDF...
If you’ve ever gone online for “just one quick browse” and ended up with a shopping cart that could bankrupt a small nation, we're kindred spirits, friend. My deals haul for today is brimming with must-plays across every major platform, each one more tempting than the last. I’ve been lucky enough to spend time in most of these worlds (Mafia: The Old Country included), so trust me--and my mate Reilly--they’re worth it. This Day in Gaming 🎂 In retro news, I’m igniting a 9-candle cake for Transformers: Fall of Cybertron using a crackling burst from an Energon grenade. Why does it still hold a place in my chest (alongside the Matrix of Leadership)? Chalk it up to a blend of tight shooting mechanics, varied character abilities, and...
Free-to-play time-traveling strategic RPG Reverse: 1999 just launched its biggest collaboration yet, its first to ever launch simultaneously worldwide, and it teamed up with another time-jumping franchise to do it: Assassin’s Creed. The collab adds new story chapters and popular characters Ezio, Kassandra, and Alexios, all three of whom will be playable. Reverse: 1999 first launched in 2023 and has seen global success in the time since. It’s been downloaded more than 30 million times worldwide and stands at “very positive” with more than 2,500 reviews on Steam. Those fans have been clamoring for this collab since it was first announced earlier this year, and there’s been particular excitement about the addition of Ezio — as you can see...
EA has flat out said that fans shouldn't expect The Sims 5 anytime soon. But if you're looking for a new release from the franchise, you'll be happy to know a new Sims game actually did just come out July. Did you somehow miss this momentous news? I certainly did, and that's because it's actually just a board game. The Sims Board Game arrived at Target on July 20, 2025 and it seems to have gone largely unnoticed. Which makes a lot of since to me. It's been a long time since I've played The Sims 4, but having spent a decent amount of time in that game I can't really conceptualize how it would effectively transition to a tabletop experience. The board game itself is a collaboration with Goliath that was announced back in February and...
2XKO has been a staple of Evo for the last three years, but the finish line (or perhaps the true starting line, depending on how you look at it) is finally starting to come into view on the horizon. A closed beta has been announced for September 9, and after that, the servers will remain up all the way until launch, whenever that may be. The game has changed a lot since it's first iteration, and even since its first appearance at Evo, and there are even more changes in store for the Closed Beta. To cover some of these changes, and to get a breakdown of the newest character, Vi, I talked with lead champion designer Alex Jaffe, after going hands-on with the latest build for myself. You’re launching a closed beta on Sept. 9 and have...
Love Elden Ring Nightreign, but getting a little bored of the same three-night cycle of bosses and repetitive Everdark sovereigns? Fret not, Nightfarer, because there may be a brand new, extra-hard game mode on the way that will shake up Nightreign's regular playstyle. This new mode, entitled Deep of Night, was found and shared by dataminers, and appears to be essentially a kind of "endless" mode with skill-based matchmaking. Unlike in regular Nightreign, you're not able to choose the boss you target, and it will be picked for you at random instead. With each victory, your "Depth" rating increases, which in turn increases the difficulty, and Nightreign will generally try to pair you with other players that are at the same Depth as you...
The official Forza Motorsport account has issued a statement to the community regarding the ongoing support for both Motorsport and Forza Horizon 5, saying that developers Turn 10 and Playground Games will "continue to support" their existing titles. If it seems like a bit of a no-brainer that a studio would support its own, most recent games, it unfortunately wasn't. This statement comes exactly a month after reports that Turn 10 was gutted during a massive layoff across Microsoft. Initial rumors suggested around 50% of Turn 10 staff were cut at the time, but later reports indicated that even more were impacted, potentially all or most of the studio. One former employee said that the studio was still open to supporting Horizon, but...
Let me take you on a quick journey back to the past for a second. It’s the early 2000’s, years before a little game called Dark Souls would forever change the landscape of the action and action RPG genres. It was a time mostly without stamina bars; a time when style, spectacle, and creative expression of combat ruled above all else, a time when games like God of War 1 and 2, Devil May Cry 1 and 3, and God Hand blazed the trail for others to follow. But if you ask me, there was one game that stood above all of them, a masterclass of action design, that challenged and thrilled the teenaged me with aggressive enemy AI, gorgeous visuals, and the most dazzling combat system I’d ever seen. That game was Ninja Gaiden… (and later Ninja Gaiden...
Xbox has stopped development of Contrabrand to "evaluate the project's future," with a Bloomberg report saying the game is canceled entirely four years after its initial E3 announcement. Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier first broke the news on Bluesky today, saying that "Xbox is canceling Contraband, announced in 2021 from Avalanche Studios (Just Cause), after four years of radio silence, sources tell Bloomberg News." This was followed by an official confirmation from Avalanche on its website, which reads as follows: Contraband was originally announced for Xbox and PC at E3 2021 with a teaser trailer. At the time, we knew it would be set in a 1970s smuggler's paradise called Bayan, but we didn't see any gameplay. Since then...
I play a lot of Madden every year, gang. Like, a lot a lot. I’m in a 32-man league, and then I have my own Franchise mode going, and none of that includes all the work that goes into writing a review for IGN, which is… substantial. But no matter how much I play, I’ll always discover something new after that review is done – be it an obnoxious bug or just a better understanding of a system under the hood. I feel like I understand a lot more about Madden NFL 25 now that I am about to put down the controller for the final time, but after spending a little time with Madden NFL 26, well… all that stuff’s out the window. Madden 26 changes a lot of what came before, and while I still have more to play before my final review, I’m liking what I...
Elden Ring Nightreign has been out for over two months now, which means players have had ample time to puzzle over and tease out every morsel of its lore. But there's still one ultra-rare item in the game that most players have probably never seen before, but which some in the community believe still holds an enormous secret: the Cord End. If you play Nightreign and, like me, had no idea what this even was until just now, here's the rundown: the Cord End is a legendary consumable item that only appears in big and small churches in Nightreign from breaking boxes. Its drop percentage is ridiculously low - just 0.035% - meaning most players will likely never even run into it. Its listed use is cryptic: "Gain entry somewhere." If you don't...
A release date for the ROG Xbox Ally — essentially, the first portable third-party Xbox — has popped up online, suggesting there's only two months to go until the Steam Deck-like handheld will be available to play. According to Dealabs' ever-reliable billbil-kun, the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X will both launch on October 16, allowing you an easy method of playing your Xbox game library on the go. Pre-orders will open on August 20, Dealabs previously reported, with the Xbox Ally set to cost €599. Alternatively, the premium Xbox Ally X will cost €899 (US prices to be confirmed). Dealabs cautions that this release date has only been verified via its sources for the machine's European launch — so there may still be some slight...
Marshall Mathers III is no stranger to other names. You probably know him as Eminem, or Slim Shady, or as the latter half of hip-hop super duo Bad Meet Evil. Or, perhaps if you're a little younger, you might know him as... 'The Guy From Fortnite.' Eminem's involvement with Fortnite goes back several years, with a guest turn in 2023's The Big Bang live event that saw him rapping over a post-apocalyptic skyline, before popping up in the game's in-game shop as a skin. Next, Eminem returned for the conclusion of 2024's Chapter 2 Remix, this time holding a rap battle version of the battle royale's memorable monster versus mech fight — one of the funniest things the game has done in some time. (That mini-season included Eminem's hideout as...
Developer Artefacts Studio and publisher Kalypso Media have announced Disciples: Domination, the follow-up to 2021's Disciples: Liberation. Like Liberation, Domination is a dark-fantasy, turn-based, single-player strategy-RPG and it's set 15 years after the last game. It's in development for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S and it's due out sometime in 2026. You'll once again shape the future of Nevendaar – and your own fate – as Avyanna as she rules and commands from the capital city of Yllian. Your companions – who you'll unlock and decide on based on your preferred playstyle – are there to help inform your decisions, and those decisions will alter your faction reputation amongst the five total factions in Domination...
Since its debut, the Mafia series has steadily marched forward through the decades – the original is set in the 1930s, its sequel spans the ’40s and ’50s, and Mafia III unfolds during the late ’60s. If the next step was going to be the ’70s, or the ’80s – or both – I was certainly ready. Casino intrigue, shine boxes, borrowing huge kitchen knives from Martin Scorcese’s mother in the middle of the night – whatever it was, I was up for it. However, instead of moving closer to the end of the 20th century, Mafia: The Old Country takes us back to the beginning. And not just the beginning of the century, but to the formative era of the Mafia itself. Part mob drama and part Western, The Old Country may be a safe and conventional third-person...
Sony has reflected on its progress transforming PlayStation into a company that runs a suite of successful live-service games — something that has, so far, returned mixed results. Cast your mind back to February 2022, during the halcyon days of PlayStation's former boss Jim Ryan, when the company said it would launch more than 10 new live-service games before March 2026. Fast forward to now and, well, it's clear things haven't quite gone to plan. And now, speaking via an English interpreter during Sony's latest financial results briefing, the company's chief financial officer Lin Tao has seemingly agreed (thanks, ThisWeekInVideoGames). "Last year, Concord," Tao began, mentioning the Guardians of the Galaxy-inspired live-service...
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is getting the dinosaur-infested islands from the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World movies. You'll be able to zoom overhead among pterosaurs, and ferry guests back and forth between Isla Nublar and the mainland. The add-on, Jurassic World: Archipelago, will launch for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 in around a month's time (the exact date and price is still TBA), with versions for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Xbox launching soon after. Developed by Flight Sim add-on maker Orbx Studios, the expansion will add the franchise's original Isla Nublar as well as the five islands of the Cinco Muertes Archipelago seen in subsequent films: Isla Sorna, Isla Matanceros, Isla Muerta, Isla Tacaño, and Isla...
If you’re trying to play the Battlefield 6 Open Beta on PC, you might have run into a problem: ‘Secure Boot is not enabled.’ You are not alone. PC gamers hoping to play DICE’s latest now open beta early access is live have no choice but to enable Secure Boot on their PC. And a cursory glance at social media, subreddits and IGN’s own comments suggest some are having trouble with it. To be clear, EA has published a user guide for how to enable Secure Boot on PC, and promoted that guide across social media. It’s a guide I myself had to use to boot the Battlefield 6 Open Beta. But it certainly requires a degree of confidence, as it involves tinkering with a part of a computer not all PC gamers will be instantly familiar with: the BIOS...
Every so often I stumble on a deals drop that makes my digital wallet flinch from across the room. This one's particularly nasty in the best way possible. Whether you’re itching for some nostalgia, crave chaotic co-op, or feel like diving into lore-rich epics, there’s something irresistible across all four platforms today. This Day in Gaming 🎂 In retro news, I'm celebrating the 23rd b-day of Alien Hominid, a Metal Slug-ish by the folks who would go on to craft Castle Crashers. Uploaded as a Flash browser game on the legendary multimedia website known as Newgrounds, Alien Hominid was one of the first notable indie darlings that really turned my head. It was tough as nails, great in two-player, and revitalised OG run 'n' gunning for a...
Grow a Garden has quickly become one of the biggest games of 2025. The Roblox farming simulator first launched back in March and has seen rapid success thanks to various updates and events since then. The overwhelming interest in this Roblox game has shown no signs of slowing down, and the latest cooking-themed event has only fueled it further. Now that the game has entered further into the mainstream, we're already starting to see unofficial merch become available. A third-party seller on Amazon called VatanFari has a variety of Grow a Garden plushies for sale based on the pets from the game. The product pages for these plushies claim to be "drawing inspiration" from the Grow a Garden universe. Grow a Garden Plushies at Amazon There...
If you're looking for a high-capacity, high-output power bank with a slim footprint, then check out this deal from Baseus. Amazon is currently offering Amazon Prime members the Baseus Blade 20,000mAh 100W power bank for $39.99 shipped after you apply coupon code "NDC6X5B6". Unlike most high-capacity power banks that are shaped like a chunky bar, the Baseus Blade is much slimmer. It's powerful enough to charge just about every gaming handheld PC - including the newer Asus ROG Ally X and Lenovo Legion Go S - at its fastest rate. Baseus Blade 20,000mAh 100W Slim Power Bank for $39.99 The Baseus Blade measures only 0.7 inches thick. Most high-capacity power banks are well over 1" in thickness. The Iniu gets away with a thinner body by...
More than four years after it's release, Guilty Gear Strive is still going strong, with perhaps its most prolific DLC character yet, Lucy from Cyberpunk, releasing on August 21 as the final part of Character Pass 4. But that's not the only exciting thing going on in the world of Guilty Gear. During the finals of Strive at Evo, there was a trailer announcing a mysterious new chapter called Guilty Gear Strive 2.00, with two silhouhettes of characters that clearly indicate that longtime favorites Robo-Ky and Jam Kuradoberi are going to be making their way into Strive's ever growing roster. To get some details on Strive's future, I caught up with Ken Miyauchi at the show so I could pick his brain on all of these points and more. So at...