S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl developer GSC Game World has confirmed the global release times for its hotly anticipated post-apocalyptic shooter.
In a tweet, GSC said the November 20 release date for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl kicks off at 8am PT / 11am ET, and is consistent across both PC and Xbox Series X and S. It also launches straight into Xbox Game Pass as part of Wave 2 of November 2024’s lineup.
GSC has also confirmed S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2’s final PC system requirements. The game provides four graphics presets: low; medium; high; and epic, as well as a target resolution and FPS for each. The high graphics preset is what GSC calls 'recommended,' and provides 60fps gameplay at 1440p. For that high graphics preset...
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2024 has seen a string of unlikely events. Eternally in-fighting Britpop band Oasis reformed and set its sights on a world tour, human-sized Cheeto Donald Trump secured a second term in the White House, and Valve announced that it was finally releasing the Steam Deck into the Australian market, delighting Aussie gamers and likely putting the noses of grey importers firmly out of joint. As of earlier this week those Aussie Steam Decks have started shipping out directly from Valve’s local warehouse complete with an Aussie power supply and sold at a price point that substantially undercuts the inflated charges of every grey importer we checked at the time of writing. So, if you were planning on getting a Steam Deck then buying one directly...
Final Fantasy XIV is the latest online multiplayer game to head to mobile, joining Diablo and Monster Hunter among others. It is being developed by Tencent subsidiary LightSpeed Studios, which is responsible for PUBG Mobile and recently added Dragon's Dogma director Hideaki Itsuno to its ranks as part of its newly-established Japan Studio.
The official release calls it an "exciting extension of the beloved franchise" and says it will capture the "immersive experience of the original title in a fresh, mobile-friendly format." It's unconfirmed whether the new mobile title will include cross-progression or any of the expansions, but LightSpeed Studios does plan to retain lifestyle content including fishing, Triple Triad, and chocobo...
Welcome to a hump day of humdinger discounts. As you would've no doubt seen already, I'm tracking some very early Black Friday Sales in a gigantor article. That being said, I also wanted to do a smaller daily deals round-up that affords me the space to talk about crusty old games (my favourite thing). Speaking of which...
In retro news, I'm busting out a 26-shaped cake (and The Robot) for Bust A Groove on PS One. One of those Damn, I Wish They Remastered That games of yore, this 1v1 dance fighter was a rhythm genre pioneer with a catchy-as-hell soundtrack. I first became entranced by it via a one-level demo of this Heat Stage on an Official PlayStation Magazine disc. I bought the full game and was soon cuttin' some rug with a wider...
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is officially out today, and fans are eagerly hopping into their virtual cockpits to take to the skies once again. Or at least, they're trying.
Players are taking to social media to report initial loading screens that are lasting for two hours or more. Its propensity for hanging at around 97 percent has led to memes about "Microsoft Flight Simulator 97" and other jokes. Some fans aren't even that lucky, getting stuck at around six percent.
In a post on X/Twitter, Microsoft said that it's aware of the problems and working on a solution. "We are aware of user reports of long initial loading times into Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. With so many users initializing the sim concurrently, we have a large...
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has a new update that returns XP tokens to players after a backlash sparked by their removal following the launch of Season 1.
Patch notes published today, November 19, confirm “legacy” XP tokens (aka XP tokens you've been hoarding since Modern Warfare 2) are now back in players’ hands. Their surprise availability with the launch of Season 1 was welcomed by players deep into the Call of Duty grind, but their equally surprising removal caused an outcry.
At the time, developer Treyarch said it patched the legacy XP tokens out of Black Ops 6 because their accidental introduction, which it blamed on a UI bug, "introduced some potential risk to game stability."
Elsewhere, today’s update improves the hitmarker...
For free-to-play hero battle games, regardless of the specific gameplay and platform, the topic of skins and outfits are integral. Skins give players a way to make their characters stand out from those of others, and of course they serve as a good monetization opportunity for developers. As long as the price, quantity, and acquisition method are reasonable, most players are willing to celebrate them.
As a super hero team-based PvP shooter in the Marvel universe, adding a skin system to Marvel Rivals may be one of the most no-brainer things to do.
These heroes, who were created years if not decades ago, have seen many evolutions and transformations since their debuts in their original comics, with some even having completely...
Remedy has provided a rare insight into the business of making video games, even going as far as to reveal exactly how many copies its future games need to sell in order to break even.
The video game industry is typically secretive when it comes to its commercial realities, and rarely does it provide development or marketing budgets or sales projections. But Remedy, developer of Alan Wake 2, has done just that in an investment-focused meeting, discussing the upcoming Control 2 PvE shooter FBC Firebreak.
It’s worth prefacing this by saying Remedy is talking about the sales needed to make a 100% return on investment (ROI) on these games, and that’s expected over a period of three to five years after. The game budgets, Remedy said, were...
Minecraft theme parks are coming to the U.S. and UK from Merlin Entertainments, the company behind Legoland, Alton Towers, and Madame Tussauds.
The Mincraft theme parks will be built in existing Merlin locations in 2026 or 2027 with further locations across the globe coming later. It's unclear which locations will see the Minecraft attractions built as of yet, but Merlin did say it will be investing in excess of £85 million ($110 million) in the first two.
Merlin is looking to "bring Minecraft adventures to life," the company said. "This will include the development of first-of-its-kind concepts for Minecraft-themed guest accommodation, retail, and food and beverage, alongside exciting experiences including a Minecraft-themed ride at...
When Disco Elysium launched in 2019 to critical and commercial acclaim, some said it had the greatest writing ever in a video game. What’s gone on since between the people who made it, well... you couldn’t make it up.
Five years later, many of the creators of Disco Elysium have struck out on their own, leaving original developer ZA/UM behind to either make spiritual successors or different games entirely. You'd think everyone would be happy getting on with the making of their new games, but lawsuits (both resolved and some ongoing), legal threats, and behind-the-scenes finger pointing have added an element of farce to proceedings.
Then last month, a total of three studios each claiming to be carrying the Disco Elysium torch in one...
Microsoft has announced the next wave of games coming to Game Pass, taking subscribers up to the end of November.
Today, November 19, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) hits Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass as a first-party day one release from Xbox Game Studios and developer Asobo Studios.
Tomorrow, November 20, GSC Game World's long-awaited Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) hits Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass as another day one launch.
Also on November 20, Little Kitty, Big City (Console) launches into Game Pass Standard. It’s already available with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. November 20 is a big day for Game Pass, with PlateUp! (Console) also launching on...
Baldur's Gate 3's players numbers are up compared to this time last year, seemingly due to official mod support from developer Larian Studios.
Larian director of publishing Michael Douse shared the improvement on X/Twitter, revealing the average daily active users is up 20% over 2023. "Mods are very good," Douse said of the improvement, referencing the release of official mod support as part of Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 7.
The Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, which released in August 2023, is also enjoying an increase of 3% in average daily peak concurrents and a 61% boost in Steam Deck users compared to last year.
This increase is impressive for a largely single-player game. Baldur's Gate 3 does have cooperative multiplayer but...
EA is currently investigating issues with the PlayStation 5 Pro version of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor but fell short of revealing when fans who spent $699.99 on Sony's latest console can expect a fix.
Following reports yesterday that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was one of several games with issues on PS5 Pro, alongside the likes of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Silent Hill 2, and Alan Wake 2, EA has confirmed it is at least aware of the issue.
"We’re aware of issues with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor on PlayStation 5 Pro and are actively investigating," it said on X/Twitter.
Digital Foundry discovered what it called "severe image quality problems" in the PS5 Pro version of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. "There are severe image quality concerns when...
Sony is reportedly in talks to buy Kadokawa, whose subsidiary FromSoftware is behind smash hit Elden Ring, the Dark Souls and Armored Core games, and PlayStation exclusive Bloodborne.
Reuters reports that Sony is looking to add to its entertainment portfolio. Kadokawa’s business extends into areas that fit into Sony’s broader entertainment offering, which includes anime, manga, TV, and film. Kadokawa is a prolific publisher of anime, and Sony already owns anime streamers Crunchyroll and Funimation.
Talks between Sony and Kadokawa are reportedly ongoing. If the talks are successful, Reuters said, a deal could be signed in the coming weeks.
Sony and Kadokawa declined to comment when asked by Reuters.
Kadokawa is the majority owner...
Gird your bank account because the end-of-year savings have begun in earnest. Now is the best time to take aim at that game you've been coveting for months. Just make sure you're ready to pull the trigger on the purchase quickly, as I'm seeing deals disappear not too long after they pop. Happy hunting!
In retro news, I'm celebrating the 30th anniversary of the piggybacking oddity that was Sonic & Knuckles for Mega Drive. Dubbed "lock-on technology" by Sega, the general idea was to pop the top on this adapter and slap on either a Sonic 3 or Sonic 2 cartridge to inject a playable Knuckles the Echidna in. With Sonic 2, that meant ol' mate punchy could be used to wall-climb and inexplicably glide in the usual level layouts.
In Sonic 3...
The full list of Game Awards 2024 nominees has dropped, and one release in particular has been sparking plenty of discussion on social media and elsewhere.
Since the nominees were revealed Monday morning, fans have been discussing whether Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree deserves to be on a list that also includes Metaphor: ReFantazio, Black Myth Wukong, Balatro, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. They mainly point to it being an expansion pack that can only be accessed by completing the main game, making it less of a standalone experience than comparable ones like The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine.
"As amazing as Shadow of the Erdtree was, it getting a GOTY nom just kind of rubs me the wrong way. Yes, it was expansive, but it wasn't the...
The Halo series not only redefined the first-person shooter market, but it opened a new pathway for video game soundtracks. Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori crafted the soundtrack for each of the first three entries in the Halo series, offering unique sounds with each score.
The first entry, Halo: Combat Evolved, combined orchestral cues with unique instruments like military snares. Halo 2 possibly had one of the most anticipated launches ever, with a sweeping new sound that ended up in the Billboard 200. And finally, Halo 3 brought a 60-piece orchestra and 24-voice choir to further push the ever-evolving sound of Halo.
To celebrate these iconic soundtracks, the all-new Halo Original Trilogy Soundtrack 8LP Vinyl Box Set is...
Ubisoft has issued a surprise update for Assassin's Creed Syndicate on Xbox Series X and S, PS5, and PS5 Pro that lets you play at 60 frames per second.
The free patch offers doubled framerate on each console, Ubisoft said in a post on its website. There’s also 4K resolution on Xbox Series X, PS5, and PS5 Pro. Xbox Series S, and you'd expect, misses out on 4K.
Syndicate launched in 2015 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC as the ninth major game in Ubisoft’s long-running action adventure series. It’s set in London 1868, at the height of the Industrial Revolution. You lead an underworld organization and grow your influence to fight those who exploit the less privileged in the name of progress, with Assassin Jacob Frye and his twin sister Evie as...
The Game Awards 2024 nominations are officially here, with Astro Bot, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Metaphor: ReFantazio all in line to take home major hardware.
Topping the list are the Game of the Year nominees, which as expected include Astro Bot, Balatro, Black Myth: Wukong, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. The last game has already sparked some debate among fans about whether an expansion should be considered for the GOTY category. Here's The Game Awards' official criteria.
Astro Bot and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth led the way with seven nominations, while Metaphor followed with six. PlayStation games received 16 nods, making it the most nominated publisher. You can read the...
Roblox has announced significant changes designed to protect children who play on the platform amid increased scrutiny and concern from parents.
As part of the changes due in the coming months, users under the age of 13 will no longer be able to directly message others on Roblox outside of games or experiences (also known as platform chat).
Roblox will also introduce a built-in setting that limits users under the age of 13 to public broadcast messages only within a game or experience. By default, users younger than 13 will not be able to directly message others. Parents can change this setting in Parental Controls.
From today, users under the age of nine will only be able to access games or experiences with content labeled Minimal...
Sony's $700 PlayStation 5 Pro gives games such as God of War: Ragnarok and Baldur's Gate 3 a big performance boost but it's also enduring teething problems, with players reporting issues in the likes of Silent Hill 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
The recently released remake of beloved survival horror game Silent Hill 2 perhaps has the most complaints, with Eurogamer having spotted a number of fans flagging that both developer Bloober Team and publisher Konami have yet to comment on graphical issues headlined by a shimmering or flickering effect.
"I immediately knew something was off without even seeing gameplay previously or even playing the game before this," said Unlocky-Soil-2456 on Reddit. "That’s how...
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess failed to meet Capcom’s sales expectations, the company has said.
In a shareholder-focused Q&A reported on by GameBiz and translated by Automaton, Capcom admitted Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess missed sales targets despite positive reviews from press and players.
The action strategy game based on Japanese folktales is a brand new IP from Capcom that launched on July 19 across PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and S (and straight into Game Pass). IGN’s Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess review returned an 8/10. We said: “Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a fascinatingly fun action-strategy hybrid with unique gameplay and impressive art design.”
According to Capcom, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of...
Ubisoft has clarified that Assassin's Creed Shadows isn't getting a battle pass amid rumors that the Animus Hub, the rebranded Assassin's Creed Infinity set to house all future games in the franchise, will feature paid content.
The Animus Hub team posted on the Assassin's Creed Reddit to correct leaks claiming the hub would contain paid rewards for Assassin's Creed Shadows, leading many to believe a battle pass style system was being implemented.
"It has come to our attention that inaccurate rumors have been circulating online regarding the upcoming Animus Hub (ex-codename Infinity)," Ubisoft said. "We wanted to take this occasion to clarify that all the rewards available in the Animus Hub will be entirely free."
The post went on to...
Payday 3 developer Starbreeze has sparked backlash after confirming plans to make a “significantly lower level of investment” in the game’s second year.
Starbreeze’s struggle with Payday 3 after last year’s disastrous launch is well-documented, but its recent series of year one anniversary updates were well-received by players who had hoped for similarly significant updates during the co-op shooter's second year. Indeed, Payday 3’s recent Steam user reviews are on ‘mostly positive’, with all reviews on ‘mixed.’
However, that goodwill may now be under threat after comments from Starbreeze acting CEO Mats Juhl in a financial report caused some Payday 3 players to express concern that the studio was now prioritizing its Dungeons &...
Rainbow Six Siege’s next update finally adds PC and console crossplay to the competitive multiplayer shooter.
The Year 9 Season 4 update, dubbed Operation Collision Point, launches on December 3 and also makes changes to anticheat, remasters an Operator, adds Siege Cup, and tweaks gameplay balance.
Despite approaching its ninth birthday, Siege remains one of the most popular competitive multiplayer games across PC and console, and is a mainstay of Steam’s top 100 most-played games. For embattled publisher Ubisoft, it is a reliable earner at a time when new releases such as Star Wars: Outlaws and Call of Duty competitor XDefiant have struggled.
The addition of crossplay means players will be able to play with friends from other...
Half-Life 2’s 20th Anniversary update has sparked a new concurrent player count record on Steam.
Valve’s influential shooter hit a peak concurrent player count of 64,222 over the weekend after the studio released an upgraded experience with new features alongside a documentary that revealed gameplay of the canceled Episode 3. It helps that Half-Life 2 also went ‘free to keep’ until today, November 18.
Half-Life 2 launched on November 16, 2004, a year after Steam itself. Public records for the game’s concurrent player count only begin in September 2008, according to SteamDB, so we don’t know how many played Half-Life 2 at launch 20 years ago. But we do know that at no point since September 2008 has Half-Life 2 been as popular on Steam...
You have a right to be confused right now. Even though Black Friday is technically just one day—November 29th—massive sales have already been started in its name across plenty of online retailers. That being said, I've outlined everything you need to know about Black Friday 2024 below, including the best Black Friday deals I've found so far.
Table of Contents
Switch
PlayStation
Xbox
PC
VR
Headsets
LEGO
Smart Home
4K TV
Wireless Earbuds
Monitors
Micro SDs
SSDs and HDDs
Best Black Friday Sales We've Found So Far
Nintendo Switch Deals
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (-12%) - A$79
Super Mario Party Jamboree (-15%) - A$68
Metroid Dread (-29%) - A$57
Batman: Arkham Trilogy (-37%) - A$57
Persona 5 Strikers (-40%) - A$59.95
Nintendo World...
Can you believe it? The 2024 holiday season is now upon us, and that means it's time to start your annual gift shopping for your friends and family members. If you're looking for the best gift ideas for any breed of gamer in your life, look no further. I've scoured those stores for the most popular gifts this season.
Better yet, we’ve not just focused on the veterans. Collected below are some entry point purchases for anybody looking to get into this amazing hobby for the first time. Or, alternatively, anybody looking to make a platform switch to broaden their gaming horizons.
Table of Contents
Current Game Deals
Nintendo
Xbox
PlayStation
Great Console Deals
Multi-platform
Gaming Inspired LEGO
Game Dioramas
Hardware...
The weekend is officially here, and we've rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Sunday, November 10, below:
65" Samsung S90C 4K OLED Smart TV for $999.99
The Samsung S90C is a 2023 model (superseded by the S90D for 2024) and was considered one of the best OLED TVs on the market last year, superior to even the LG C3. The S90C uses Samsung's proprietary quantum dot (QD) OLED panel. QD OLED panels are brighter than traditional OLED panels without losing the color accuracy, range, and wide-viewing angles that OLEDs are known for. Compared to a traditional LED LCD TV, an OLED TV offers superior image quality, near-infinite blacks, near-infinite contrast ratio, and near-instantaneous response times.
Save Up...
It has been 23 years since Rockstar Games pioneered the 3D open world with Grand Theft Auto 3 and ever since that industry-shifting release the studio has remained at the very forefront of the genre. Despite there being more contenders to the throne than ever these days, Rockstar’s worlds have consistently proven themselves to be generational leaders largely thanks to the pursuit of immersive realism. The network of overlapping systems and handcrafted elements that make up places like Los Santos and Saint Denis are designed to offer such a sense of authenticity that these simulated cities truly feel alive.
The craft behind such digital realities is something that Ben Hinchliffe knows well. A former Rockstar designer now working in the...