Gaming News

Team Fortress 2’s Summer Update Makes ‘Security and Stability Improvements’ — and Fans Are Hoping the Bots Are Gone for Good

Valve has released Team Fortress 2’s big Summer 2024 update, leaving fans hopeful that it builds upon recent efforts to combat the game’s bot problem. The Team Fortress 2 community came together in June in an attempt to brute-force Valve into fixing a bot problem that had plagued the game for years. Disgruntled players of the near 17-year-old hero shooter, which remains one of the most-played games on Steam, caused Team Fortress 2’s Steam user review rating to plummet to ‘mostly negative,’ with pretty much all the comments about bots. Valve released a banwave that appeared to stamp out Team Fortress 2’s bot problem, and published a no-nonsense FAQ outlining its tough stance on the matter. Recent Steam reviews recovered to ‘mixed’...

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Mortal Kombat Mobile Game to Shut Down a Year After Launch as Developer NetherRealm Suffers Layoffs

Mortal Kombat developer NetherRealm has suffered a significant round of layoffs and has signaled the closure of one of its high-profile mobile games. As spotted by users on ResetEra, NetherRealm developers took to LinkedIn to announce they had been laid off as part of what looks like the gutting of the company’s mobile team. One affected member of staff said NetherRealm’s entire mobile team was shut down. This team operated live services on multiple titles, including Mortal Kombat Mobile, Injustice 2, and Mortal Kombat Onslaught. The X/Twitter page for Mortal Kombat: Onslaught announced plans to shut the game down in October 2024, just a year after launch. “It has been an honor creating this game for our Kommunity, and we...

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Outsmart Your Opponents on the Way to Legendary Loot in Fantasy Extraction RPG Dungeonborne

After multiple successful playtests and becoming the Most Played Game at February’s Steam Next Fest, extraction RPG Dungeonborne is out now for Early Access on PC, available to all players looking for a punishing but rewarding RPG. Dungeonborne is a first-person dungeon crawler in which players band together with up to two friends or play solo to seek treasure and glory among the ruins of a gritty, gothic setting that is overrun by monsters and other adventurers. Blending extraction gameplay with iconic fantasy class design, Dungeonborne offers strategic gameplay full of powerful loot and high stakes combat as you rush to extract before a blade finds your back. Eight Playable Classes, Eight Distinct Ways to Play Dungeonborne draws...

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Save 33% Off the TSA-Approved Anker Prime 27,650mAh Power Bank

The best Prime Day power bank deal is still available. Amazon is offering Amazon Prime members the powerful and high capacity Anker Prime 27,650mAh USB Power Bank for only $119.99, a hefty 33% price drop from its original $180 MSRP. This is the successor to the Anker 737 that we deemed the best Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally charger. Note only does it carry a significant battery capacity, it also boasts an absolutely massive 250W of USB power delivery to charge even the most power hungry MacBooks, iPhones, and handheld gaming consoles (simultaneously, in most cases). Anker Prime 27,650mAh Power Bank for $119.99 with 250W of USB Type-C Power Delivery The Anker Prime is a hefy power bank, measuring 6.4"x2"x2.2" and weighing in at 1.5...

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Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Review

God killing has become a staple in games starring Kratos, Bayonetta, Terra Branford, and countless other characters. With action-RPG soulslike Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, a new pair of god killers by the names of Nor and Enki joins their ranks. With a familiar tale about being wronged by the various gods of this world and becoming consumed by revenge, it never quite manages to reach the peaks of its peers, borrowing lots of elements from other genres without standing out in any of them. But while that keeps it from true greatness, Flintlock still continuously found ways to entertain me with flashy combat and swift movement across my 26-hour near-completionist run. I was late to join the fan club that formed around developer A44’s...

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Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred Spiritborn Class Hands-On: Everything You Need to Know

It doesn’t take all that much to get me to dive back into Blizzard’s stellar ARPG, Diablo 4, which has had a fantastic run of seasonal content and updates in the year since it made its devilish debut. But after an extensive hands-on with its upcoming character class, the Spiritborn, I might be kissing my free time goodbye altogether. This jack of all trades impressively mixes up the Diablo ecosystem with its most customizable and varied class yet, opens up a whole new unexplored aspect of Diablo lore, and most importantly, lets you summon a giant spectral gorilla to Hulk-smash demons into pink giblets. By the end of my time exploring Vessel of Hatred’s spooky jungles and dark dungeons, I was ready to forsake my roguish ways and declare...

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Overwatch 2 Reveals Newest Support Hero, and She'll Be Playable This Weekend

Blizzard has officially revealed Overwatch 2’s newest support hero, Juno. She’ll be available to play for a limited time from July 19 through July 21. Juno, then known as Space Ranger, was first teased at Blizzcon 2023 alongside Venture. At the time, all players could gleam about Juno’s abilities was that she was armed with a blaster and Death Stranding-esque shoulder attachments to her space suit. Thanks to her gameplay trailer, we know they aren’t just for show. In fact, they can target heal her allies, and attack her enemies. Here’s Blizzard’s official breakdown of her abilities: "Juno is equipped with Pulsar Torpedoes that can lock onto multiple targets. Her Glide Boost ability allows her to swiftly maneuver the battlefield to...

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Wayfinder Is Finally The Game We All Wanted

Originally launched last August, Wayfinder was a live service game with seasonal updates, regular new characters and the vast array of microtransactions you would expect from a Free-to-Play game. Whilst fun, however, it suffered many of the trappings most new F2P games suffer, including concerns around its monetisation and the typical launch server issues. This […] Continue reading...

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A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead's New Gameplay Footage Faithfully Recreates the Tension Found in the Films

IGN can reveal new gameplay footage for Stormind Games and Saber Interactive's upcoming horror game A Quite Place: The Road Ahead. In the new footage you can view below, we can view roughly 10 minutes of new gameplay footage. As we saw in the previous two trailers and those familiar with the horror movie franchise, it is based on the fact that A Quite Place: The Road Ahead emphasizes moving in silence to avoid being killed by a hostile alien creature. Even the smallest sounds, like a rat scurrying and kicking an empty can, will alter nearby enemies. Based on the gameplay footage, this is an early section of the game. The start of the footage reveals that it has been 119 days since the world went quiet. Towards the end of the footage...

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Splitgate 2 Re-announced With a Much Bigger Team and Bigger Dreams

When Ian Proulx and his colleagues at 1047 fully released Splitgate in 2021, his expectations for the “Halo with Portals” multiplayer shooter were fully in check. He expected it to do well enough over time, and was hoping for slow and steady growth. At the time, 1047 consisted of less than 20 individuals, and only four engineers. “But it was like, nope, this is your moment now, everything's on fire,” Proulx says. Splitgate blew up far beyond what Proulx ever expected or what their small indie team were ready to handle. It peaked, he says, at around two million daily active users, and the team spent the next several months in “fire fighting mode” trying to keep the game stable amid the surge of interest. Fortunately for Proulx and...

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The First Descendant Patch 1.0.3 Makes More Big Changes, Nexon Previews New Descendants Coming With Next Update

Nexon has released another big patch for The First Descendant and in the process made some important changes to the game. The headline here is a change to the icons that were found to be similar to those in rival looter shooter Destiny 2. Nexon had confirmed plans to change these icons in response, and with the release of patch 1.0.3 across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, it’s done just that. “The First Descendant has been developed with deep affection and respect for various looter shooters, and we take feedback regarding other similar games very seriously,” Nexon insisted in the update 1.0.3 patch notes, below. “Through this hotfix, we are trying to reflect the unique identity of The First Descendant. We will continue to improve the...

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Looks Like PlayStation Itself Leaked the Next Helldivers 2 Warbond

Helldivers 2’s next warbond may have leaked from an unlikely source: PlayStation itself. Arrowhead’s explosive PlayStation 5 and PC co-op shooter releases new warbonds — essentially battle passes — regularly, and each adds new weapons, armor, and gear under a theme. Helldivers 2 players reported receiving a PlayStation notification for the current warbond, called Viper Commandos, but the text relates to an unreleased warbond called Freedom’s Flame. According to this text, Freedom’s Flame includes “fiery weapons, life-saving armor, cool capes, fresh emotes, player cards, and patterns.” Clearly, this new warbond revolves around fire damage, so expect the new weapons to tap into that part of the game. The hope is that Freedom’s Flame...

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Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Fully Reveals Mrs. Freeze

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League developer Rocksteady has fully revealed Season 2 supervillain Mrs. Freeze. In a blog post, Rocksteady promised a "fast paced, dynamic, and totally unique traversal kit" for Mrs. Freeze thanks to her ability to create a path of ice to ride anywhere. Think Frozone from The Incredibles. Mrs. Freeze also comes equipped with an arsenal of weapons to deal damage, including heavy weapons for close range and assault rifles and pistols for taking down enemies from a distance. Her "tanky style of gameplay" is exemplified by her Frozen Axe, which "can deliver powerful, meaty swings" and focuses on Shield Harvesting. Like the rest of the Suicide Squad, Mrs. Freeze comes with three playstyles: Cooler...

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Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap Announced for PC and Xbox Series X|S

Developer Robot Entertainment has announced Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap, the latest in the 10-million-unit-selling tower defense series. It promises four-player co-op, roguelite progression, crazier physics-based and destructive traps in bigger environments, and improved third-person combat – all rendered in Unreal Engine 5. It's in development for PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store) and Xbox Series X|S and due out in early 2025. "With Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap, we embraced the challenge of innovating within a 13-year-old franchise by listening closely to our fans and their requests," said Patrick Hudson, co-founder and CEO of Robot Entertainment. Check out the announcement trailer above and the first screenshots in the gallery below...

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Mattel Hopes To Expand Gaming Ambitions for the Barbie Universe Starting With Barbie Project Friendship

On the heels of the Barbie movie’s overwhelming success last year (and Barbie’s reemergence in the hearts of older fans), Mattel set out to find a way to bring Barbie to a new generation of gamers for the first time. Now, Mattel has a new Barbie game for children on its way — and some much bigger gaming ambitions intended for all ages in tow. Today, Mattel announced Barbie Project Friendship, an adventure game that follows Barbie “Brooklyn” Roberts, Barbie “Malibu” Roberts, and friends as they restore a run-down community center. Featuring the original voice cast of Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures and developed with support from the show’s head writer Ann Austen, Barbie Project Friendship is headed to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4...

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Amazon Cut Prices on These Steam Deck Accessories for Prime Day

It’s no exaggeration to say that the Steam Deck is my favorite gaming device of all time. Look, I have nothing but love for my yellowing SNES or the Xbox 360 in storage in my basement. My PS5 is a powerful machine that delivers crisp 4K visuals, and my Switch provides the delights only Nintendo can whip up in its phenomenal software. But the Steam Deck? With its perfect mix of power and portability, it fits my dad lifestyle better than any other platform. It’s a great handheld gaming PC on its own, but a few additions go a long way toward making it even better. And thanks to Prime Day, you can save some cash while picking up some of the best Steam Deck accessories. 1TB MicroSD Card for $67.88 (48% Off) Anyone who’s agonized over which...

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Sequel to Viral Hit Yeah! You Want 'Those Games,' Right? Gets Surprise Release

Developer Monkeycraft Co. and publisher D3 Publisher have surprise released Yeah! You Want “Those Games,” Right? So Here You Go! Now, Let’s See You Clear Them! 2 for PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. The micro-game collection arrives almost exactly one year after Monkeycraft’s original, bringing enough new mini-games to fill an app store. The bit is that each game featured in Yeah! You Want “Those Games,” Right? is based on some of the mobile game advertisements you’ve likely seen floating around social media. Players have criticized certain ads for not properly representing the actual gameplay being offered – but that’s where Monkeycraft comes in. Yeah! You Want “Those Games,” Right? 2 costs $9.99 and...

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FC 25: 71 Changes That Actually Make a Difference

Jude Bellingham may not have sealed the perfect season by lifting the Euro 2024 trophy with England, but he does at least have the small consolation of becoming EA FC’s (or FIFA’s) youngest-ever cover star at the age of just 21. EA FC 25 will be released on September 27th, 2024, or a week early on September 20th if you purchase early access. But what’s new this time around? For annual sports releases, offering an enticing suite of tweaks and additions is a must to keep things feeling fresh, and with a new 5v5 mode, a completely overhauled approach to tactics, and those all-important Ultimate Team adjustments in the mix, FC 25 has a few tricks up its sleeve. So, without further ado, here are 71 changes that actually make a difference...

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FC 25 Developers Say They Welcome a True Competitor, With a New FIFA Waiting in the Wings

The developers of FC 25 have welcomed genuine competition in the soccer video game space amid rumors of a new FIFA game entering the market. EA Sports ditched the FIFA license in 2022, launching its new FC series with FC 24 in 2023. But the FIFA series is set to return with a different developer and partner, with 2K heavily rumored to have taken on the license by partnering with football’s governing body, FIFA. In May, FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed a new FIFA game was in the works, saying: “We will develop a new e-game, because (the) football simulation game is called FIFA. For hundreds of millions of children around the world, when they play (a) football simulation game, they play FIFA. It cannot be named something else...

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EA FC 25 Has Ray Tracing and a New Graphics Mode for the First Time

EA FC 25 has a number of graphics options never before seen in the series, or its predecessor FIFA. The headline here is the addition of ray tracing for the first time in either FC or FIFA, the latter of which was EA Sports’ football video game series before the company's high-profile split from the world football governing body in 2022. Alongside ray tracing comes a new graphics mode for FC 25, which gives players the choice between Enhanced Visuals or Favour Resolution. Enhanced Visuals features augmented lighting and graphic details in upscaled 4K resolution, whereas Favour Resolution features standard lighting in native 4K. It’s worth noting both graphical options offer 60 frames per second during gameplay to retain...

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England and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham Revealed as EA Sports FC 25 Cover Star

EA Sports has revealed Jude Bellingham as EA Sports FC 25 cover star. The England and Real Madrid midfielder is the cover star of both the Standard and Ultimate Edition of FC 25. He’s the youngest global cover star to feature on an EA Sports football game, including its previous FIFA games. The FC 25 Standard Edition cover was created using the image of Bellingham posing in his now famous Belligol celebration after scoring the stoppage-time winner in front of his home crowd at the Bernabéu during El Clásico in April. EA Sports revealed the FC 25 Ultimate Edition cover earlier this week, which features legends such as David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane alongside Bellingham. Bellingham is the perfect choice for FC 25 cover star...

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Star Wars Outlaws: 10 Minutes of Exclusive Gameplay - IGN First

This month’s IGN First is Star Wars Outlaws. We’ll be diving deep into Massive Entertainment’s open-world adventure into a galaxy far, far away throughout July, with new behind-the-scenes looks and features. We’ve already explored how Massive brought the cinematic spectacle of Star Wars into an “open galaxy” setting, as well as introducing its crime syndicates, and now we’re thrilled to bring you a full mission of exclusive gameplay. Taking place on the classic desert planet of Tatooine, this expert mission takes Kay on a journey involving a Jawa and a Sarlacc pit as she journeys from the sand to the stars. Stay tuned through the rest of the month to learn more about how Outlaws was made, and what you'll be doing in the story set...

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The First Descendant Community Reacts in Disbelief as One Player Grinds for 200 Hours to Unlock Every Ultimate Descendant

The First Descendant only launched at the end of June but one player has already unlocked every Ultimate Descendant currently available in the game without paying money. Nexon’s free-to-play co-op focused looter shooter has enjoyed enormous popularity with over 10 million players in just 10 days. But it has been heavily criticized for its ultra aggressive monetization, which includes the cost of Ultimate versions of its playable characters, called Descendants. The grind associated with unlocking Ultimate Descendants without paying money is immense, as players face some extreme drop rates for essential items, but that hasn’t stopped players from giving it a good go. One player, however, has taken the grind to extreme levels, putting...

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Yakuza / Like a Dragon Dev Revealing Next Game in September

Like a Dragon (previously Yakuza) developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (RGG) is revealing its next game at Tokyo Game Show, which takes place September 26 to September 29, 2024. As reported by VGC, RGG announced during a YouTube stream that its mysterious next game will be unveiled fully in just a couple of months. The studio has already confirmed the next game won't be Yakuza Kiwami 3, however, meaning it won't be a remake of the third game following on from Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2 which arrived in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Series director Masayoshi Yokoyama said he'll make that game one day, but it won't be the next title. While RGG also develops the Super Monkey Ball series alongside a handful of other more random games...

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Magic: The Gathering Cube Tournament to Put $65k Worth of the Most Powerful Cards on the Line

Magic: The Gathering is about to get one of its most surprising high-stakes tournaments yet, with $65k worth of the most prized and powerful cards up for grabs. Later this year, Magic: The Gathering Online developer Daybreak will partner with TCG accessory maker Ultimate Guard to host a competition centered around the iconic Vintage Cube format, culminating in a live “for keeps” draft with booster packs full of exceptionally rare cards, including an actual Black Lotus. Called “Magic Online Vintage Cube LIVE: Powered by Ultimate Guard,” the online qualifiers for this tournament will start later this week and run through the lead up to MagicCon: Las Vegas in October, where the top eight competitors will do one final Vintage Cube draft...

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Once Human Interactive Map is Now Available

IGN's Once Human map is here! Our interactive map tracks essential collectibles across the post-apocalyptic world of Nalcott, including Mystical Crates, Weapon Crates, and Gear Crates for those who want to farm Blueprint Shards. It also shows Teleportation Tower locations, so you know exactly where to go to activate fast travel. Note that our interactive map isn't 100% complete yet, but our dedicated guides team is hard at work to ensure it's complete as quickly as possible. So, if an area you're exploring isn't fully covered yet, check back later! Once Human Interactive Map Click on the map filters on the left-hand side to filter specific markers, such as loot or NPC locations. You can also mark them as completed to record your...

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Hello Games Bringing Light No Fire Tech ‘Back From the Future’ for No Man’s Sky’s Worlds Part 1 Update, Sean Murray Says

Hello Games has revealed the next update for No Man’s Sky: Worlds Part 1. This huge update for the now eight year old space game is its biggest since 2020’s Origins update and focuses on much-requested variety and major visual enhancements to the universe. These include fancy new water effects and even what looks like gameplay inspired by Helldivers 2’s community driven Galactic War. In a new developer video, below, Hello Games’ development chief Sean Murray made a rare appearance to discuss the Worlds Part 1 update. Murray said the tech Hello Games has developed for its upcoming new game, Light No Fire, is now being incorporated into No Man’s Sky. “Six months ago we announced Light No Fire,” Murray said. “It's this crazy ambitious...

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Here's How to Take on Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC as Iconic 80s Superhero He-Man

Warning: This article contains spoilers for a late game Elden Ring boss. An enterprising Elden Ring player has perfectly recreated 80s hero He-Man in the game, and now you can too by equipping gear introduced by the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, including a version of the Power Sword that allows you to re-enact the character's iconic transformation. “They put this chest piece and sword in the game, and I did what I had to,” wrote Reddit user SethKlock, who shared a video of the new He-Man build alongside details of the gear needed to recreate it. First up you’ll need to grab the Iron Rivet Armor after defeating Red Bear in the Northern Nameless Mausoleum located to the northwest of Castle Ensis in the Land of Shadow, and equipping a...

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Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 7 May Finally Add Everyone's Favorite Bard to the Party

Larian Studios may finally be adding everyone's favorite bard Alfira to the Baldur's Gate 3 party upon the release of Patch 7 in September 2024. Though not wholly confirmed, the patch notes released July 16 said Larian "may have also let a certain bard now join the party as a controllable character if there’s an empty slot, temporarily, of course." Fans have been calling upon the studio to make Alfira a recruitable companion since Baldur's Gate 3's launch in August 2023 but this tease has reignited the chatter. "OMG, Alfira!?," asked TitanMK0 on Reddit. A tiefling bard encountered during Act 1 of Baldur's Gate 3, Alfira tasks the party with helping her compose a song. She may be briefly involved later in the story, including in one...

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Best Buy's Black Friday in July Sale Has Some Better Deals Than Prime Day

While Prime Day is ongoing at Amazon, Best Buy is offering a major sale of its own called the Black Friday in July sale. This event features discounts on all sorts of items, including video games, headphones, TVs, and more that Amazon actually doesn't have. If you've been holding out for a big sale on select items, now is the time to score some deals before these savings are gone. The Black Friday in July sale can be an excellent alternative to Prime Day, especially if you're not a Prime member. Additionally, it's worth noting that more deals will likely be added tomorrow for the second day of the event. Check out our picks below for the best Prime Day deals at Best Buy! Best Xbox Deals During the Black Friday in July sale, you can...

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