Gaming News

Diablo 4's Next Expansion After Vessel of Hatred Won't Come Until 2026

If you were hoping for a new Diablo 4 expansion in 2025, you're unfortunately going to be waiting just a bit longer. According to Diablo general manager Rod Fergusson, we won't see the next major Diablo 4 expansion until 2026. Speaking today at the DICE Summit in Las Vegas, Fergusson concluded his talk by discussing the team's plan to strengthen its relationship with its community by taking a leaf out of the books of both Diablo Immortal and World of Warcraft and releasing content roadmaps. He said that soon, we should expect to see a content roadmap for Diablo 4's 2025 plans, outlining seasons and updates at roughly the times they would show up throughout the year. However, he said that the game's next expansion wouldn't be on that...

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Blizzard Reveals Radical Overhaul of Overwatch 2, Including Return of Loot Boxes, Perks, and Third-Person Mode

Overwatch 2 is undergoing some radical changes heading into 2025. While the roadmap ahead includes much of what you'd expect to see in terms of new content, the core gameplay itself will see a seismic shift, including the additions of hero perks. We're now nearly nine years out from the debut of Overwatch in 2016, and two-and-a-half from the launch of Overwatch 2. Season 15, kicking off on February 18, is set to completely alter the way Overwatch is played with the inclusion of perks. Game director Aaron Keller and several Blizzard team members announced a swathe of changes and updates planned for Overwatch 2 in the coming months. From new collaborations and heroes to an entirely new way to play, it certainly seems like Overwatch 2 is...

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Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Official Mod Support on the Way

Warhorse Studios has announced that official Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 mod support is coming soon, promising to let players bring their wildest creations to medieval Bohemia. The developer behind the hit open-world RPG announced plans to add modding tools via Steamworks with a brief post on Steam. No release date, or any additional details for that matter, were revealed in the post outside of the team’s plans to add support at some point in the future. For now, Warhorse simply said that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 mods will allow players to “create, tweak, and expand” as they please. While unofficial mods for the project continue to flourish through sites like Nexus Mods, an official image teaser, below, shows off what Henry might...

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One Year On, Palworld Is Still A Wonderfully Refreshing Survival Game

It’s hard to believe that Palworld launched just over a year ago, yet here we are, swept along by the relentless march of time. While some aspects of the game may change over time due to legal matters, Palworld itself has been far from stagnant. In fact, at the end of 2024, it received its […] Continue reading...

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Elden Ring Nightreign: Here’s What Comes in Each Edition

Elden Ring Nightreign is set to release for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC on May 30. A new standalone game set in the world of Elden Ring, Nightreign lets you team up with two other players to slice your way through an oppressive fantasy world. It’s kind of like a faster-paced remix of the original game. It’s available for preorder in a number of editions (see it at Best Buy, where you get a free $10 gift card with purchase), so read on for the details about what comes in each one. Elden Ring Nightreign - Standard Edition PS5 See it at Amazon - (Not yet available) Get it at Best Buy - $39.99 (includes free $10 gift card) Get it at GameStop - $39.99 Get it at PS Store (digital) - $39.99 Xbox Series X|S See it at...

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Civilization 7 Mod Makers Are Already Tinkering With Its UI, Map Size, and More

Civilization 7 is out and developer Firaxis is already working to address its 'mixed' user review rating on Steam. But modders are also on the case, adding what they can to expand and iterate on the base experience. Hosted on the Civ Fanatics site, mods are already starting to pop up for Civilization 7. Many build on the base game or put extra modifiers on world effects. More Natural Wonders, for example, does exactly what it says, doubling the amount of Natural Wonders that spawn on each map size. Or, for those who don't want to meet the requirements to unlock certain civilizations, the Unlock all Civs mod undoes that particular constraint. While not exactly in the spirit of balance, the mods are nice tools to have if you're looking...

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Elden Ring Nightreign Release Date Confirmed

Elden Ring Nightreign launches on May 30, 2025 priced $40 across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam, publisher Bandai Namco has confirmed. Confirmation of the release date comes ahead of the Elden Ring Nightreign network test, which kicks off on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S only on February 14 and ends February 17, with various session times planned. This means you won't be able to play the network test throughout the entire four days, rather during five three-hour periods. Elden Ring Nightreign network test session timings: February 14: 3am-6am PT / 6am-9am ET February 14: 7pm-10pm PT / 10pm-1am ET February 15: 11am-2pm PT / 2pm-5pm ET February 16: 3am-6am PT / 6am-9am ET February 16...

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Elden Ring Nightreign: First Impressions of the Network Test Build

Elden Ring Nightreign is not a battle royale. Not that you ever thought it was, but as a former battle royale enjoyer, I can’t help but compare the white-knuckle moments I get when the Storm closes in on me in those last gripping moments of a half-hour-long session of a Fortnite match to the nail-biting bits where I’m desperately trying to outrun the encroaching circle and make it to a life-saving site of grace in Nightreign. PVP elements are completely absent in Nightreign, though not missed one bit. Still, you’ll drop onto a map with a squad, start from nothing, and spend your time ransacking the map to hopefully power yourself up for a final battle. From the risk-reward moments of looting a church for one more flask charges as the...

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EA 'Passed' on Buying Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, and Even World of Warcraft Studio Blizzard, Former Exec Reveals

EA "passed" on buying a number of blockbuster Activision Blizzard games, including Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, and even World of Warcraft developer Blizzard. That's according to former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon, who said on the Grit podcast that "Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, Blizzard... EA saw all those first and passed on all of them." Talking to former Activision boss Bobby Kotick, Bing said: "This is why I have double-high respect for [Kotick] saying, 'no, no, this is going to be good to own.' And then you kept the people around. "I'm pretty sure that some of those companies, the creative leaders, would not have stuck around [for a company other than Activision], so you did some kind of miracle of keeping them productive...

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Killing Floor 3 Hands-On Preview: Stylishly Brutal Zombie Shooter

Over 70 years have passed since the events of Killing Floor 2, and the Horzine Corporation continues finding new ways to make our lives miserable. Few things are worse than the relentless pursuit of Zeds, especially now they've been augmented into something worse, yet Killing Floor 3 refines the existing formula to deliver a significant leap over its predecessor. What's here so far feels flashier, stylish, and it's shaping up to be a bloody good time. Going hands-on before next week's closed beta test, I was joined by fellow critics and Tripwire's staff for some intense co-op matches. The Stronghold leaves a good first impression as your new base, letting you access facilities while exploring. It's a more immersive approach that...

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Ninja Gaiden 2 Black Update Adds New Game Plus and More

Team Ninja has released a large patch for Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, bringing it up to Ver 1.0.7.0 and adding New Game Plus, Photo Mode, and more. The patch, which was promised as a means of addressing fan feedback in January, was detailed in a blog post from Team Ninja. It's available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store. New Game Plus does what it says on the tin: players can now start a new game on any difficulty previously cleared while carrying over weapons and Ninpo obtained on the previous run. All of these weapons and Ninpo will be reverted to Level 1, however, and as noted, players can't jump straight into a higher difficulty using New Game Plus. Another quality of life upgrade...

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Being an Absolute Arse in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Unlocks a Dire Secret Ending

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 lets players act how they like in the medieval open world but not without consequences, and it turns out being an absolute arse all the time unlocks a secret, utterly dire ending. Warning! Spoilers for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 follow: GamesRadar spotted an X/Twitter post from @NikTekOfficial that shows what happens when you "commit multiple crimes" in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. "This is impressive," they said of the scene that sees protagonist Henry executed. Guards will accost Henry if he commits too many crimes, presenting him with an option to pay off his sins or continue the chaos by fighting his way free. The amount set is seemingly always too high, however, as Henry can only say he can't afford...

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Crysis 4 ‘On Hold’ as Developer Crytek Announces Layoffs Affecting Up to 60 Staff

Crytek has announced a round of layoffs affecting 60 of its 400 staff. In a tweet, Crytek said that while Hunt: Showdown is growing, the company could not “continue as before and remain financially sustainable.” The developer put Crysis 4 “on hold” late 2024 and had worked to shift staff over to Hunt, reducing costs and operating expenses in the process, but the layoffs became “inevitable,” affecting 15% of its workforce. The layoffs hit staff across Crytek’s development teams and shared services. The company said it will offer severance. Last year, it emerged that Crytek had worked on a battle royale-inspired Crysis project codenamed Crysis Next when very early gameplay hit YouTube. The footage revealed third-person shooting in a...

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Alan Wake 2 Tops 2 Million Sales and Finally Starts Turning a Profit

Alan Wake 2 has exceeded 2 million sales worldwide. That's up from the 1.3 million copies sold between October 2023 and March 2024, when developer Remedy hailed the horror sequel as its fastest-selling game ever. In its latest financial report to investors, Remedy said the milestone — coupled with the release of The Lake House expansion and Alan Wake 2 Deluxe Edition — now means the game has "started to accrue royalties" after recouping its development and marketing costs. Looking ahead, the studio also teased that Control 2, which is being developed in partnership with Annapurna, "has been finalizing the production readiness stage" and will enter full production at the end of February 2025, along with Max Payne 1&2 Remake, which is...

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AU Deals: A Historic Low Red Dead, A Slam Dunk on NBA 2K25, Cheap Civ VII, and More!

Hold onto your butts because this seemingly idle Wednesday is actually brimming with exciting bargain opportunities. I’m particularly all about From’s mech-tastic Armored Core VI going for 61% off and Persona 3 Reload for 42% less. And I’ll always holler the praises of a cut price Red Dead 2 (especially when it’s at a new historical low, pardner). Without much more ado, let's all discover the best Aussie deals for Wednesday, February 12, below: This Day in Gaming 🎂 In retro news, I’m getting an Armacham Black Ops Pyro to light 16 candles on a cake baked for F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin. I loved this nerve-shredding (at the time) sequel that continued the supernatural suspense story of Alma “just call me the chick from The Ring” Wade...

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Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Interactive Maps Are Now Available

IGN's Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 maps are here! Our interactive maps track essential locations across Trosky and Kuttenberg, including Main Quests and Side Quests for those wanting to complete every quest. They also show collectibles like treasure chests and recipes, so you know exactly where to go to find every piece of loot. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Interactive Maps The available map filters for our Trosky and Kuttenberg Kingdom Come: Deliverance II interactive maps include: Locations, such as Fast Travel points, Camps, and Interesting Sites. Services, like Alchemy Tables, Dice Tables, Drying Racks, and Skill Teachers. Collectibles, including Recipes, Skill Books, and Treasure Chests. Items, such as Chests, Weapons, and...

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IGN's Great Civilizations Giveaway!

Are you ready to step into history? To celebrate the upcoming launch of Civilization VII, we’re giving one lucky winner the ultimate adventure! While Civilization VII immerses players in the complexities of global domination and cultural greatness, IGN is taking it one step further by sending a fan to a featured Civilization from CIV VII with a rich history to explore! One lucky winner and their guest can win an all inclusive trip to Rome, Italy for a chance to dive into its rich culture. The winner will also receive a private tour of the Colosseum, 7-day accommodations, and airfare / transportation covered! Ten runner ups will receive a game prize pack so they can jump into Civilization VII at launch. Sign up for your chance to win...

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Yakuza / Like a Dragon Fans Choosing Upcoming Official Merch, From Cult Clothes, Traffic Cones, and More Bizarre Items

Yakuza / Like a Dragon is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and, to celebrate, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is letting fans choose what it should make for upcoming official merch. Options include cult clothes, a traffic cone, golden underwear, and more bizarre items. As reported by Automaton, fans can choose from a staggering 100 different items with the promise of RGG Studio putting the top two on sale within the next two years. The competition is only listed in Japanese but votes can be submitted on the official website. Some products are more typical like the 20th anniversary celebration hoodie or a Yakuza themed pencil case, but others are pulled from the famously wild franchise's history and are even weirder in the...

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Assassin's Creed Shadows Players Won't Be 'Missing Out' If They Largely Ignore One Protagonist

Ubisoft has assured that Assassin's Creed Shadows players who largely ignore one of the dual protagonists won't be "missing out." Creative director Jonathan Dumont told Screen Rant said Assassin's Creed Shadows won't force players to play as both the stealthy Naoe and the brutish Yasuke in equal measure when it arrives March 20, nor will it lock off certain parts of the game to those who prefer one over the other. "I don't think you're missing out on things too much," Dumont said. "I think it's more on your preference to [say], 'Okay, I'll see how the game will adapt a little bit to the character if you choose one over the other.' "They get individual introductions and then they get their own questline also. Let's say [for] Naoe, a...

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South of Midnight: The Final Preview

I was smitten with Compulsion’s South of Midnight well before I got to play a little more than an hour of it recently. From the first enigmatic trailers hinting at this Southern gothic, dark fantasy, magical realist stop-motion game set in the Deep South, to IGN’s own first look, to the bigger gameplay overview at the recent Xbox Developer Direct – South of Midnight struck me as a deeply moving, highly stylized game that would almost definitely make me cry. When I told the Art Director, Whitney Clayton, that I had immediately thought of that decade-plus-old movie Beasts of the Southern Wild, she confirmed that was one of their early major inspirations for its “Mythical Bayou-type location, folklore creatures, and this really...

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Marvel Rivals Reverses Plans to Deliver Mid-Season Rank Reset Following Player Backlash

NetEase Games is walking back plans to issue a mid-season rank reset for Marvel Rivals Competitive players less than 24 hours after the move was announced. The studio revealed the reversal with a new Dev Diary blog post on its website today. Its message says that, following “a wealth of feedback from the community,” there will no longer be a four-division hit to players’ Competitive rank when the Season 1 mid-season update arrives on its previously announced release date of February 21. Instead, NetEase says "players will retain their ranks and scores from the end of the first half." It appears the change will carry over to future seasons as well, and it seems the six-division rank drop is still set to arrive at the end of full...

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The Witcher’s Doug Cockle on Becoming Netflix’s Latest Geralt

While Henry Cavill may be the most famous actor to have played Geralt of Rivia, he’s not the first name many will think of when discussing The Witcher. Certainly amongst the gaming community, Doug Cockle — the voice of Geralt in CD Projekt Red’s series of critically acclaimed RPGs — is considered the original and ultimate white wolf. But the paths of Cavill and Cockle’s Geralts have now merged, with Cockle bringing his unmistakable voice to Netflix’s interpretation of the character in the new animated movie, The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep. While he’s not playing the same version of Geralt who appears in the games, Cockle was not asked to alter his performance to sound more like or include the mannerisms of Henry Cavill or Liam...

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Stellar Blade Dev Shift Up Posts Record Year, Sales of PC Version Still Expected to Outsell PS5

Stellar Blade developer Shift Up has posted a record breaking year financially as Stellar Blade brought in $43 million in royalties, and the PC version is expected to outsell the original PlayStation 5 game. As reported by Game World Observer, Shift Up released its 2024 financial report which revealed it recorded $151.4 million in revenue, an increase of 30.4% year over year. This includes $43.2 million from Stellar Blade royalties alone. There are seemingly no signs of it slowing down either, as Shift Up reiterated that it expects PC sales to be "better than that of the console version, especially in the Asian game market." It also plans to reveal its new game, Project Witches, in the first half of 2025, though this doesn't appear to...

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Civilization 7 Patch 1.0.1 Addresses Some of the Negative Feedback From Advanced Access

Civilization 7 developer Firaxis has released patch 1.0.1 just in time for the strategy game’s full launch following an advanced access period that was met with a ‘mixed’ user review rating on Steam. Firaxis is working on addressing various community complaints, most of which revolve around the user interface, a lack of map variety, and a feeling that the game has launched without a number of key features fans have come to expect. In an interview with IGN ahead of the release of its third quarter financial results, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged that Civilization 7 had received some negative reviews from press and players, but insisted that the “legacy Civ audience” will come around the more they play, and called...

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AU Deals: Leg Dropped WWE 2K25 Prices, Crazy Capcom BYO Bundles, Kingdom Come Delivered Lower, and More!

If you hunger to hoard cheaply bought games, I’ve found something for every platform, genre, and thumb type. For Switch fans, I’ve found the perfect time to dive into a demon-infested, turn-based masterpiece. PC folk can curate a dream lineup of Capcom modern classics. And the PS-faithful can spend minimal Gil on a Final Fantasy whose price has been slashed by some bloody big Zweihänder. Today in Can’t Believe It Took ‘Em This Long To Rerelease That news, I’m celebrating the 25th bday of The Sims. Not going to lie to you, friend—when this launched, I thought, “Well, this is barely a game right here.” It seemed more like a virtual fish tank that was only fun if I kept concocting new (and worryingly sociopathic) ways to torment the...

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Anker's Newest High-Capacity Power Bank Now Includes Two Built-In USB Type-C Cables

Anker quietly released a new high-capacity power bank earlier this year that sits alongside their Anker 737 and Prime series of power banks. This particular model boasts a massive 25,000mAh battery capacity, 165W of total charging output, and two built-in USB Type-C cables in case you forget to bring your own. It's also attractively priced at under $100, and there's even a deal today that drops the price by another $10 to $89.99. This is a great complement to your power-hungry gaming handheld PC like the Steam Deck, Asus Rog Ally, or Lenovo Legion Go. New Release: Anker 25,000mAh 165W Power Bank The new Anker power bank features a 25,000mAh battery capacity, which is the second largest capacity we've seen from Anker in a compact form...

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AU Deals: An Impressive Foots On With the Moza CRP2 Pedals, Best Prices, and More!

For a while now, Moza peripherals have been turning my head sharper than a spectator watching Skylines whip down Conrod. Without exception, they've been impressively built and well-performing bits of kit for my home racing rig. And so, obviously, when the opportunity arose to get tootsies on with their new CRP2 pedals, I volunteered my lead foot immediately. Positioned as a premium upgrade to Moza's inaugural efforts, the CRP2s aim to eclipse in every way with new build materials, the addition of tool-less adjustability, optional kit upgrades, and, mercifully, a two-pedal design that keeps prices down while allowing upgradeability for you OG clutch bandits. That's the basic toe dip overview covered. Before I dive feet first into some...

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Marvel Rivals Sets February Release Date for The Thing and Human Torch

Marvel Rivals will round out The Fantastic Four team when The Thing and Human Torch launch as playable characters on February 21, 2025. The release date for the new heroes in Marvel and NetEase Games’ popular hero shooter was announced today, revealing that they'll arrive alongside an update for the second half of Season 1. Although the team has yet to spill the beans on what exactly this Season 1.5 update has in store, a Dev Talk blog post on the Marvel Rivals website teased “major balance adjustments.” As for The Thing and Human Torch, we have yet to see exactly how the two classic heroes will light up the roster with their new moves and abilities. Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman were introduced as the first post-launch...

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Roblox Referenced in Active SEC Investigation, Report Confirms

The eminently popular live service game Roblox is involved in an active investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) according to a new report, though the extent is unclear. As reported by Bloomberg, a Freedom of Information Act request elicited a statement from the commission, confirming Roblox had been referenced in an "active and ongoing investigation." "We have confirmed with Division of Enforcement staff that there are responsive emails between Enforcement staff referencing Roblox and that these emails are a part of an active and ongoing investigation," the SEC told Bloomberg. The extent to which Roblox is involved, or even the subject of the investigation, is unclear right now. The commission told...

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Fantasian Neo Dimension for Switch and PS5 Hits Its Lowest Price Yet at Amazon

RPG fans will want to check out this deal. Fantasian Neo Dimension for PS5 and Nintendo Switch has hit a new low price at Amazon, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. Normally it retails for $49.99, but it's currently down to $39.99 at the retailer, saving you 20%. With an 80 on Metacritic and a "Very Positive" rating on Steam, this game is well worth adding to your PS5 or Switch collection, especially at this price. Fantasian Neo Dimension for $39.99 A JRPG from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, Fantasian Neo Dimension plays like a modern throw-back to the Final Fantasy VII era of role-playing games. It has pre-rendered environments for your polygonal characters to explore, and the combat is turn-based. The music is...

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