Gaming News

EA Says AI Is 'the Very Core' of Its Business: What Does That Mean?

On Tuesday, Electronic Arts (EA) held its annual Investor Day — a three-hour presentation intended for its investors to learn more about the company's direction and promises to make them money in the coming year. But you'd be forgiven if you thought this was some sort of AI tech conference given how effusively the technology was brought up and touted as a key component of EA's future. While we've known for a while that EA and a number of other gaming companies are experimenting with and investing heavily in AI, it was nonetheless a bit overwhelming just how often AI came up throughout the entire presentation. It was mentioned it just about every single segment in some capacity, had its own dedicated segment near the end, and was...

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Anime Vanguards Codes (September 2024)

Last updated on September 18, 2024: Added a new Anime Vanguards code! If you're looking for Anime Vanguards codes, IGN has you covered! In this article, you'll find the latest active and working Anime Vanguards codes in September 2024, which you can redeem for free rewards in the Roblox Experience, including Trait Rerolls, Gems, and more. All of the Anime Vanguards codes below have been tested as working at the time of submission. However, codes with unknown expiry dates may stop working at any time. Spotted a new code or one has expired? Let us know in the comments below! Active Anime Vanguards Codes (September 2024) These are all the working Anime Vanguards codes in September 2024 and the free rewards you get for redeeming them...

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How Dragon Age: The Veilguard Used Lessons From The Sims to Craft Its Character Creator and More

Corinne Busche wasn’t looking for a job when she sat down for lunch with BioWare’s leadership team in 2019. She had been a fan of BioWare’s games since the days of Dragon Age: Origins, and she wanted to, in her words, “meet my heroes.” “So I went to lunch with a couple of folks in the leadership team at BioWare, and we started riffing about progression systems and skill trees and economies, and we just really resonated with one another,” Busche remembers. “And much to my surprise, they expressed an interest in me joining, and it was kind of the question you don't have to ask me twice. That was such a dream opportunity, and to be able to step in this space, visit the studio, see my favorite characters on display throughout the walls, I...

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Space Marine 2 Dev Explains Warhammer 40,000 Lore Restrictions That Prevent Chaos for Every Class in Big Update on What to Expect in the Future

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive have published an update on what to expect from the game in the future, answering a number of burning questions from the community. Since Space Marine 2’s record-breaking launch, fans have asked for better customization of the Chaos Marines, which are playable in the PvP mode, Eternal War. Fans have also asked to be able to pick the Chaos Space Marines Legion they want for every class in the game. This is currently not possible, which means that unlike the playable Space Marine Chapters, the Chaos Marine Legions are locked to a specific class. Addressing this request, Focus and Saber said there were “many lore restrictions” preventing the...

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Ubisoft Call of Duty Rival xDefiant 'Absolutely Not Dying,' Dev Insists

Ubisoft has insisted its Call of Duty rival xDefiant is doing well despite analyst reports that it failed to meet expectations. xDefiant executive producer Mark Rubin said in a blog post that the first-person multiplayer shooter "is absolutely not dying" but the development studio Ubisoft San Francisco is aware changes need to be made. "I just want to quickly address the status of the game, i.e. is the game dying?," Rubin said, "No, the game is absolutely not dying. We know there are things we need to improve like Netcode and Hitreg and adding more content to progression, but the game is doing well. "We just want it to do better. And we do that by addressing the concerns of our community which has always been the plan. Ubisoft is...

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Dragon Age Inquisition ‘Massively’ Oversold Internal EA Projections, Ex-BioWare Dev Reveals

Dragon Age Inquisition was far from a commercial failure, a former BioWare developer has insisted while revealing an updated sales figure for the game. Fantasy action role-playing game Dragon Age Inquisition launched in 2014 to critical and commercial success, enjoying the biggest launch in Bioware history based on units sold. IGN's Dragon Age Inquisition review returned an 8.8/10. We said: "Dragon Age: Inquisition doesn't spin a great tale, but it brings the series closer to its roots with deep RPG systems." Now, 10 years later, former Dragon Age executive producer Mark Darrah, who left BioWare in 2020, has revealed that Inquisition has sold over 12 million copies, and “massively” oversold EA’s internal projections for the game...

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You Can Already Save on Final Fantasy 16 for PC at GMG

Final Fantasy 16 released on PC yesterday and there's already a nice little discount available. At Green Man Gaming, you can get 15% off Final Fantasy 16 by using the code 'SEP15' at checkout (see the game here at GMG). This drops its price from $49.99 to $42.49. Additionally, if you've bought from GMG before and achieved a certain XP status, you can skip the code, because the price is even lower, at $40.99. That's a nice little deal for a game that just came out on PC, so take advantage of it while it's still available! Final Fantasy XVI Is 15% Off With Code ‘SEP15’ at Checkout By purchasing this game right now at Green Man Gaming, you'll get a few bonuses as well: Accessory: "Cait Sith's Charm" Valuable item: "Sixteen Bells...

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Freedom Wars Remastered Bringing Vita Favorite to Modern Platforms as Potential First Step Toward Sequel

Freedom Wars, the fan-favorite multiplayer action game frequently hailed as one of the PlayStation Vita's best games, is officially coming back. Bandai Namco announced today that Freedom Wars will be getting a remastered version on modern platforms, bringing with it 4K resolution, 60fps support, and other enhancements. First released on Vita back in 2014, Freedom Wars is a dystopian third-person multiplayer action game similar to Monster Hunter that supports up to eight players. It was originally developed by the now-defunct Japan Studio, which was merged into Team Asobi in 2021. Freedom Wars' servers were turned off that same year. The remastered version is being developed by Dimps Corporation, which was able to gain permission from...

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Everything That’s New In Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster

Easily one of the best purveyors of remakes and remasters in the games industry today, Capcom looks set to continue that streak with this month’s Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, a full-fat remaster of 2006’s zombie-mashing odyssey that few would have expected. Thankfully while Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster keeps the core design of the original title […] Continue reading...

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Ghostface’s Fatality in Mortal Kombat 1 Is a Great Scream Reference

Mortal Kombat 1 developer NetherRealm has released the launch trailer for expansion Khaos Reigns that includes a first look at DLC character Ghostface. Ghostface makes a guest appearance in the gory fighting game fresh from the Scream film franchise, and the character's Fatality in Mortal Kombat 1 is a direct reference to those movies, specifically 2023's Scream 6 with its multiple Ghostface killers. In the Fatality, we see two Ghostface killers work together to tear poor Sub-Zero apart in a gruesome co-op stab. It’s fitting for Mortal Kombat, and certainly in keeping with the Scream franchise. Elsewhere, we get a good look at Noob Saibot’s bone-crunching Animality (Animalities are new for Mortal Kombat 1), and it’s a direct...

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Square Enix Admits Final Fantasy 16 and 7 Rebirth Profits ‘Did Not Meet Our Expectations’

Square Enix has finally made public its dissatisfaction with Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s commercial performance, admitting neither game met profit expectations. In a financial results briefing held May 13 but only released today, September 18, Takashi Kiryu, president and representative director of Square Enix said: "In the HD Games sub-segment, we released multiple new titles, including major titles such as Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, but profits unfortunately did not meet our expectations." Kiryu went on to suggest Square Enix cannibalized sales of its Final Fantasy games released during the financial year ending March 2024. “We recognize that issues remain in the Digital Entertainment...

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HTC Vive's $999 Focus Vision Lets PC Gamers 'Bring the Same High-End Headsets Used in VR Arcades Into Their Homes'

HTC Vive has upgraded its lineup of Extended Reality headsets with the new HTC Vive Focus Vision, promising gamers built-in eye-tracking, improved cameras, and better hand-tracking. If actual reality is just too much and you've recently received an unexpected inheritance from a wealthy benefactor, the new headset is available to pre-order today. HTC Vive Focus Vision price: USD $999 UK £999 €1229 AUD 1,899 inc GST Not to be confused with the currently available Vive XR Elite, Focus 3, Focus Plus, Pro 2, or Viveflow VR models, the HTC Vive Focus Vision will also offer a DisplayPort mode that will connect directly with a PC's graphics card to let VR gamers work their way through their Steam VR back catalog without a drop in visual...

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After Helldivers 2’s Game-Changing Update Made Everything Easier, Some Hardcore Fans Want a New Harder Difficulty — and the Devs Agree

Helldivers 2 received a shot in the arm this week with the release of update 01.001.100, a patch that completely reworked weapon balance, added a new Galactic War feature, and made loads more changes aimed at making the PC and PlayStation 5 co-op shooter easier and more fun. The update came after a troubling period for the game and for developer Arrowhead that saw its disgruntled playerbase complain that nerfs had gone too far and as a result had stripped the fun out of Helldivers 2. Early indications are that this latest patch has brought fans back on-side, and even sparked a modest increase in concurrent players on Steam (Sony does not make PlayStation player numbers publicly available). But now, after complaining that Helldivers...

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Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered Rated for PS5 and PC

Sony’s stretch of remasters is set to continue with the release of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered for PlayStation 5 and PC. Confirmation comes from an ESRB rating for the unannounced game, which was heavily rumored to be in the works after Sony pulled Horizon Zero Dawn from PS Plus earlier this year. The rating, still live at the time of this article’s publication, reads: Horizon Zero Dawn is Guerrilla Games’ action role-playing game that launched in 2017 on PlayStation 4 and then on PC in 2020. It stars Aloy who battles dinosaur machines in a post-apocalyptic world. Horizon Zero Dawn is one of the best-selling PlayStation Studios games of all time, shifting over 24 million units since launch. This remaster is sure to spark a...

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The Best Dead Rising Cuts, Crazy Chops on Capcom AAAs for TGS, Mad MGS Savings, and More!

Reviews for Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster are popping up online, and the word is it's a redux worth the bucks. Having clocked it already myself, I can say that a bunch of 2006-era jank has been fixed, most notably in the controls and survivor AI pathfinding departments. Speaking of Capcom, PC gamers can cash in on some serious discounts, too! In retro news, I’m breaking out the SoulStorm Brew and birthday cake for Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee. I have two core memories of playing this 27 years ago on the OG PlayStation. One is of being blown away—and I do mean utterly, like a Mudokon getting lit up by a Slig—with Oddysee’s phenomenal fusing of pre-rendered video and 2D puzzle-platforming. And two: losing a good 20 minutes in the GameSpeak...

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EA Is Launching a New Social App That Mixes Its Sports Game Tech, Ultimate Team, and Live Sports

EA is preparing to launch an ambitious new social app that it is says will use its existing technology to mix real-life and virtual sports. Announced during today's Investor Day, the new app functions similarly to existing sports apps from companies like ESPN, featuring news, scores, stats, and highlights. The main hook, Chief Experiences Officer David Tinson says, is its tie-ins with EA's various sports games, including the possibility of unlocking prizes like Ultimate Team cards based on the sizzle reel. "Our thesis is simple: With the right products, features, and capabilities, a significant portion of hyper valuable consumer attention is available for a fraction of the cost," Tinson says. Ultimately, Tinsons says EA's goal is...

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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Dev Won't Say Whether 'Imposing Morals on Gamers' YouTube Comment Is From Its CEO

Saber Interactive is declining to say whether a YouTube comment circulating on social media, which among other things says that modern games are "too complex and too much of an investment" and that there are "overblown attempts at messaging and imposing moral on gamers," is from its CEO, Matthew Karch. A commenter claiming to be Karch weighed in on a video from YouTuber Asmongold focusing on Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2, where they expounded on what they considered to be the state of the modern games industry. The full comment is below. The comment quickly got picked up and began making the rounds on various social platforms, with some wondering if the comment was actually from Karch. IGN reached out to the Embracer Group asking...

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Dead by Daylight 4-Player Co-Op Spin-Off Canceled by Behaviour Interactive

Behaviour Interactive is canceling Project T, a four-person co-op title set in the world of Dead by Daylight. The studio announced the news with a post on its X/Twitter today, saying that it came to the decision after hearing feedback from those who participated in its Insiders Program. Project T had begun testing with insiders earlier this year. "Following the playtest in July, we ran through internal risk assessment from a product and commercial perspective," Behaviour said in the statement, which you can read in full below. "While a number of players expressed appreciation for what they played, unfortunately, the outcome of this deep analysis yielded unsatisfactory overall results." Behaviour revealed a behind-the-scenes look at...

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Frostpunk 2 Review

Most sequels to successful games are safe, conservative iterations on the ideas of the original, but not here: Frostpunk 2 is a bold follow-up that takes an almost entirely different approach to its city-building strategy. It’s set in the same bleak, iced-over world where people struggle to survive, but it’s refreshing that we’re not retreading the same frozen ground. Everything from how you place buildings to how you manage resources and heat your city is a new spin, and its political system is a creative way to interact with the people of New London that does a great job of conveying a sense of quid-pro-quo negotiation in a representative democracy. The zoomed-out perspective does mean that we lose a lot of the feeling of intimacy...

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The Plucky Squire Review

As a lifelong Zelda fan, I’m always hesitant when other developers set out to make a game so clearly inspired by Nintendo’s acclaimed action-adventure series. I find that the puzzle design never quite reaches Zelda’s incredibly lofty bar, and I’m usually left wishing I was just playing Ocarina of Time or A Link Between Worlds instead. But The Plucky Squire breaks that trend, with a combination of clever brain teasers, simple but effective swordplay, and a courageous silent protagonist that would feel right at home in Hyrule. The adventure is held back by an overly wordy script and some serious pacing issues in its final act, but this debut game from developer All Possible Futures is still a journey worth taking. The Plucky Squire’s...

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Skate. Finally Launches Into Early Access in 2025

EA’s Skate revival finally has a release window, although it’s a vague 2025 for early access. Full Circle’s Skate. (yes, the title includes the full stop) has a firmer console playtest set for fall 2024. Full Circle said it will share more details on what to expect in the coming months, but didn't say when. Skate., formerly known as Skate 4, was first announced during EA Play way back in 2020, but at the time was stated as "very early" in development. Since then, Full Circle has kept the community up to date with closed community playtests of early builds and plenty of updates on where the game is at via its "The Board Room" video series. The developer officially revealed the name of the game would be ‘skate.’ back in 2022...

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The Sims Project Rene Will Get Another 'Small, Invite-Only' Playtest This Fall

Today, Maxis dropped a ton of The Sims-related information spanning the games, the upcoming film, content creators, and more. While some fans may have been scouring the updates for news on next-gen Sims release Project Rene, there wasn't much to go on...except that there will be another invite-only playtest of the game coming this fall. Per Maxis, Project Rene will hold a "small, invite-only playtest" in the fall, "giving an early look at a multiplayer experience that explores joining friends and other players at a shared location." Interested individuals can sign up to participate in the playtest here. This is the second publicized public playtest Project Rene has held since its announcement, having previously had a similar small...

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Dark Horse to Publish The Art of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Dark Horse Books has revealed The Art of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, a new hardcover book offering an in-depth look at the creation of the upcoming GSC Game World title. IGN can exclusively reveal the cover art to The Art of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Check it out below: The Art of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a 208-page hardcover book featuring developer commentary and a wealth of concept art and other behind-the-scenes material. The book spotlights the characters, creatures, items, and environments featured in the game. "The atmosphere has always been a fundamental part of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe – the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone is one of our main sources of inspiration," said Ievgen Grygorovych...

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My Time at Portia Dev Announces Sequel for PC, Xbox Series X and S, PS5 and ‘Future Nintendo Platforms Yet to Be Announced’

With Nintendo fan excitement for Switch 2 reaching fever pitch, developers are starting to say they’re planning to release their upcoming games on the unannounced next-generation console. The latest is Pathea Games, developer of the multi-million selling RPG/farming/life series My Time. It’s just announced My Time At Evershine, which is designed to build on the success of cozy games My Time At Sandrock and My Time At Portia with a new art style, single-player campaign, city management gameplay, and multiplayer co-op. Pathea said it’s taking its first steps in developing the sequel and is launching a Kickstarter campaign to support it. “My Time at Sandrock cost a lot, like $12-million-a-lot, and still counting, we expect Evershine’s...

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GTA 5 Update Adds Anti-Cheat to GTA Online as Red Dead Redemption PC Rumors Ramp Up

Lots of Rockstar-related news has hit today, headlined by the addition of anti-cheat to GTA Online on PC. A new update, out now for GTA 5 on PC, adds BattlEye Anti-Cheat for GTA Online. The patch notes are below. This update, which has already sparked concern about mod compatibility in GTA Online, comes on the 11th anniversary of GTA Online, and years after the multiplayer focused game hit last-gen consoles and PC. Why would Rockstar add anti-cheat to GTA Online now? It might have something to do with so-far unnanounced plans to release the GTA 5 next-gen update for the PC version of the game. There are reports that a leftover metadata file spotted after today’s changes to the Rockstar Games Launcher suggests Rockstar has been...

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Xbox Game Pass September 2024 Wave 2 Lineup Announced

Microsoft has announced the Xbox Game Pass September 2024 Wave 2 lineup, taking subscribers up to the end of this month. Just three games are listed as coming during September’s second wave in Microsoft’s Xbox Wire post, two of which are PC-only strategy games that launch day one on Game Pass, the other a turn-based strategy game released last year. Wargroove 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC) hits Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on September 19; PC strategy game Frostpunk 2 releases as a day one title straight into Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on September 20; and Ara: History Untold on PC launches straight into Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on September 24. Wargroove 2 is Chucklefish’s Advance Wars-style strategy sequel...

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Sony Investigating PlayStation 5 Graphical Issues in Final Fantasy 16 and More Caused by Firmware Update

Sony is investigating PlayStation 5 technical issues in Final Fantasy 16 and more caused by the latest firmware update 24.06-10.00.00. Myriad users reported issues including entire portions of the screen being overcome with black squares, crashing when loading a save file or fast travelling, and more. Similar bugs are appearing in Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws, Hello Games' No Man's Sky, Kojima Productions' Death Stranding, and more according to users on Reddit. Sony appears aware of the issues, however, and is actively seeking a solution to at least those found in Final Fantasy 16. Square Enix confirmed it was working with the PlayStation maker to address the issues introduced through the firmware update in an X/Twitter post...

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EA Sports FC 25 Global Release Times Confirmed

EA Sports has confirmed the launch timing for FC 25 across its early access and global release dates on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, PC, and Nintendo Switch. FC 25’s popular Companion & Web App launches on September 19, letting fans start their Ultimate Team club on the web, and a refreshed Companion App then launches on September 20. Ultimate Team 24 players get “a little something extra,” EA Sports teased. If you pre-ordered the Ultimate Edition of FC 25 then you’ll get the early access launch. This kicks off midnight local time on September 20 on console, and from 5am UK time on September 20 on PC. As is standard for EA Sports’ FC series and the FIFA games before it, EA Play members get up to 10...

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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s Dreaded ‘Joining Server’ Bug Makes Co-Op Play Much Harder Than It Should Be

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is the most-played Warhammer 40,000 game ever on Steam and has seen over two million players since launch, but there’s one issue that gives players the fear: the dreaded 'joining server' bug. Space Marine 2 inexplicably launched without private PvE lobbies, which forces players who are engaged with the endgame co-op Operations mode to brave its frustrating matchmaking. It is possible to join a group of two other randoms as a solo player in this three-player co-op mode, and doing so seems to work well enough. Similarly, if you can get together with two friends to create a full three-player group, you’re fine… mostly. Things break down, though, when you’re trying to play with one other friend, and need...

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Final Fantasy 16 PC Global Release Times Confirmed

Final Fantasy 16 is finally almost here on PC and developer Square Enix has shared exactly when players can start playing the role-playing game. Square Enix confirmed the launch times for each region in an X/Twitter post, below, across its September 17 release date. Both previously released expansions for Final Fantasy 16, Echoes of the Fallen and The Rising Tide, will be released simultaneously but cost extra. The RPG has plenty of content on its own, however, as players are thrust into a world where powerful elemental monsters (dare we say summons) live within select vessels known as Dominants, and players, as protagonist Clive Rosfield, must join forces with or take down each and every one. Final Fantasy 16 PC Release Times Los...

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