Gaming News

Elden Ring Update 1.12 Adds New Features Ahead of Shadow of the Erdtree Launch

FromSoftware is rolling out a new update for Elden Ring that adds a number of features ahead of the release of DLC Shadow of the Erdtree. Following server maintenance today, June 20, patch 1.12 deploys to prepare Elden Ring for the release of Shadow of the Erdtree on June 21. This acts as an update to the Elden Ring base game and a day one patch for the hotly anticipated expansion. Patch 1.12 adds new inventory features, including marking newly obtained items with a "!“, and a new tab called Recent Items so players can quickly review recently obtained items. Elsewhere, there are new Summoning Pool features, such as active Summoning Pools now carrying over to NG+, and individual Summoning Pools enabled / disabled in the newly added...

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Banana Clicking Game Not a Scam, Developer Insists

The developers of Banana, a game about clicking a Banana which has usurped Baldur's Gate 3 and Hogwarts Legacy on Steam's most-popular games of all time list, have insisted it's not a scam. A post on Discord from one of the three listed developers and co-owner of Banana, aestheticspartan, said the team had parted ways with one of its members after it emerged they were accused of being involved in a Steam scam previously. This team member has denied any involvement in a scam, saying instead an influx of money obtained through the Steam marketplace was the result of a bug. Despite their involvement, "there is no scamming or scam going on," aestheticspartan insisted. Banana's gameplay literally involves clicking a banana repeatedly, but...

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Life by You Team Spent ‘A Month in Purgatory’ Before Studio Closure, Laid-Off Paradox Dev Says

A now laid-off developer at Paradox has alleged the team behind its The Sims competitor spent “a month in purgatory” before the studio closed down. Game designer Willem Delventhal took to LinkedIn to say they were “devastated” at the cancellation of Life by You, calling recent events “a real s**t show.” Paradox declined to comment when contacted by IGN. Swedish games company Paradox, best known for Crusader Kings, Cities Skylines, and Stellaris, shut down Berkeley, California-based Tectonic just hours after canceling Life by You in a move that affected the studio’s 24 staff. “This is difficult and drastic news for our colleagues at Tectonic, who’ve worked hard on Life by You’s Early Access release,” Fredrik Wester, CEO of Paradox...

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What Changes To Expect In The Silent Hill 2 Remake

Easily one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year, not to mention a remake that has been a good few years in the making, Konami and Bloober Team’s reimagination of survival horror classic Silent Hill 2 is almost here. Though the story remains untouched, it will nonetheless bring with it a whole host […] Continue reading...

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Mortal Kombat 1 Patch Ditches 30fps Cap on PC for Fatalities and Other In-Game Cutscenes

Mortal Kombat 1 has a new patch that finally removes the 30fps cap for cutscenes on PC. NetherRealm’s fighting game launched with a 30fps cap for in-game cutscenes such as Fatalities despite gameplay running at 60fps. Developer NetherRealm has insisted this cap lets it create flashier cutscenes, but some players have said the switch from 60 to 30 and back again is jarring. Now, in a fresh update for Mortal Kombat 1, that 30fps cap is removed with the addition of a new graphics setting that increases the lock to 60fps on PC only, but it’s worth noting that NetherRealm warned this setting is intended for PC gamers with high-end rigs. The patch, also available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, makes a number of character fixes...

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Ubisoft Delists Beyond Good and Evil on Steam With Remaster Waiting in the Wings

Ubisoft has delisted Beyond Good and Evil on Steam ahead of an expected reveal of a remaster. A note on the Steam page for the cult classic adventure signals Ubisoft’s decision: “Notice: At the request of the publisher, Beyond Good and Evil is unlisted on the Steam store and will not appear in search.” At the time of this article’s publication, Beyond Good and Evil remains available to buy on GoG. Ubisoft has said it will announce more news about Beyond Good & Evil - 20th Anniversary Edition during the Limited Run Games Showcase on June 20 at 11am Pacific / 2pm Eastern 7pm UK. It seems likely a re-release is inbound. In August 2023, the Electronic Software Ratings Board (ESRB) rated Beyond Good & Evil: 20th Anniversary Edition for...

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Call of Duty’s Fallout Crossover Dresses Price, Ghost, Soap, and Gaz in Vault Dweller Skins

Activision has detailed Call of Duty’s Fallout crossover and confirmed a release date of June 20, 2024. The fusion of both Microsoft-owned franchises sees Price, Ghost, Soap, and Gaz of Task Force 141 dressed in Vault Dweller skins. There are Vault-Tec-themed weapon blueprints and other Fallout-themed items for use in Modern Warfare 3, Warzone, and Warzone Mobile. The in-game Fallout: Vault Dwellers event goes live at 10am PT on June 20 through to 8am PT June 26. The Tracer Pack: Fallout Vault Dweller Bundle includes two Fallout-themed weapon blueprints featuring Vault-Tec Tracers and a V.A.T.S. Death Effect. Here are the details, per the Call of Duty blog: The Fallout Bundle also features a “Vault 141” Operator Skin for Price...

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Tales of the Shire Is the Hobbit Game the Cozy Genre Was Always Meant to Have

If your favorite part of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books or movies is the time spent in the Shire – the lush, verdant, and hilly home of the habitually hungry halflings who live in holes (albeit well-decorated ones) known as Hobbits – then I’ve got good news for you: Tales of the Shire might make you very happy, regardless of whether or not you already play and enjoy the cozy genre. I played an all-too-brief 20 minutes or so, split across two save files: one from the beginning of the game (post-character creator) and another from around halfway through. My takeaway after that time was exactly what I was hoping for heading into the hands-on: that Tales of the Shire is shaping up to be a relaxing, no-pressure, no-drama escape...

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Hollow Knight Fans Crushed as Summer Showcases Pass With No Silksong Announcement

Hollow Knight fans were left with an all-too familiar feeling of dismay after 2024's E3-esque video game summer showcases came and went with no word on sequel Silksong. Fans of the franchise took to social media to share their disappointment after the June Nintendo Direct, which premiered yesterday, June 18, had announcements for Mario, Zelda, and even long-missing game Metroid Prime 4: Beyond — but no Hollow Knight: Silksong. "All the major summer showcases have now aired, and we still haven't heard anything new from Silksong," wrote ResetEra user cvbas in a post with more than 10,000 clicks. "What gives?" Fans in the comments admitted to growing concerned for the game, which hasn't received any official updates in over a year when...

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‘No Xbox’ Trends as Fans Hit Out at Marvel vs. Capcom Collection Skipping Microsoft’s Consoles

The announcement of Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection during Nintendo Direct delighted fighting game fans, particularly because it brings the much-loved Marvel vs. Capcom 2 to modern platforms for the first time in years. But while the collection is coming to Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC, the decision to skip Xbox altogether has caused backlash. Capcom made its announcement without offering an explanation for the decision to skip Xbox, and the company declined to comment when contacted by IGN. This comes despite Capcom's same-day announcement that it's bringing two Ace Attorney Investigations titles to Switch, PS4, PC via Steam, and Xbox One in a similar collection. Indeed, the Marvel vs. Capcom series has a long history on Xbox...

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Elden Ring Manga on Hiatus so Creator Can Play Shadow of the Erdtree

The official Elden Ring manga has been put on hiatus as its creator has taken time off work to play expansion Shadow of the Erdtree. As reported by Automaton, Nikiichi Tobita, the author of comedy manga Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree, announced on X/Twitter he's skipping the July 19, 2024 release of the series so he can spend time playing Shadow of the Erdtree upon its June 21 release. Tobita shared a drawing of himself sleeping alongside the announcement, showing him dreaming of the "glowy worm boy" — a new beastie in the expansion that became an instant hit upon its reveal by developer FromSoftware. He's likely not the only Elden Ring fan taking time off work to play the expansion, which has been more than two years in the...

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Zenless Zone Zero Producer Reveals Surprising Inspirations (and It’s Not Persona 5)

Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail studio HoYoverse’s newest upcoming title, Zenless Zone Zero, is a fusion of what you’d expect from HoYoverse games with totally new ideas. The game studio's development processes are largely a mystery, but in an interview with Zenless Zone Zero producer Zhenyu Li at a media event, IGN learned a little more about what goes into kicking off an entirely new game at HoYoverse, Zenless Zone Zero’s future, and at least this particular team’s position on generative AI. Zenless Zone Zero (also known as ZZZ) is an action game with a heavy emphasis on its flashy urban landscape set in an apocalyptic world. Players take their team of three into monster-infested roguelike zones, then bounce back to the city...

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The Best Elden Ring Bargains Available, Over Half Off Modern Classic Must Owns, and More!

Given I've got the influenza—and can envision a stat debuff bar over my head, not unlike being poisoned in Elden Ring—I'll be intro brief. Shadow of the Erd Tree review embargo lifted in the wee hours this morning, and the verdict is more or less wall to wall 10s. If you're after a cheap copy, my preorder guide exists here. Otherwise, scroll on, dear reader, for the other best bargains you can bag today. In retro news, I'm celebrating the 23rd birthday of NBA Street, the progenitor of a small b-ball empire that launch PS2 owners like myself dug a little bit more than we ought to (because bugger all games to buy). While it was no NBA Jam TE, we sure did love doing triple-hook-up alley-oops, and dunking the ring into utter disrepair by...

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Exoborne First Preview: Extraction From the Eye of the Storm

With the blurb “Gear up, get in, and get out”, Exoborne elegantly sets out its stall as an extraction shooter. But they left out the most important part: “Get blown around by a massive tornado”. While Exoborne bears all the features you’d expect from the likes of Escape from Tarkov and Call of Duty: Warzone’s DMZ, the most exciting part of a presentation I saw at Play Days was when developer Sharkmob talked about the weather. Exoborne’s setting is not postapocalyptic, but rather midapocalyptic, with the world falling apart all around you – the result of mankind’s meddling with the climate. Project Rebirth’s attempts to provide limitless clean energy have backfired somewhat, and now Mother Nature is taking her revenge. Extraction...

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Skate Story Demo Serves Up Sick Tricks and Cool Vibes

Skate Story’s vibe gripped me right away. Its liminal, Vaporwave-inspired levels mix hyper-realistic concrete textures, lighting effects, and objects like a chain-link fence or The Moon with engrossingly impressionistic flourishes like The Skater’s body, which is made of kaleidoscopic glass, or the on-looking, ever-judgemental eyes whose disembodied voices screech in unison in disdain for your quest. It’s a lot to take in, but never too overwhelming. These levels felt just wild enough to imbue each moment with its own distinct sense of cool without distracting me from the mission at hand: skating. Skating might be the most normal thing about Skate Story. That’s not to say it’s bad or uninteresting, but it does feel exactly how you’d...

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Fear The Spotlight Presented a Spooky, Charming Retro Adventure

The first of Blumhouse Games’ newly announced slate, Fear The Spotlight promises throwback horror with a more approachable take on PS1-era horror gameplay designed for non-horror fans to enjoy. Set on the night of a break-in gone wrong, this story follows two high schoolers on a night they won’t soon forget as they unravel their school’s dark past. Fear The Spotlight follows a trend that has yet to get old in that it looks a lot like an updated PS1 game. Chunky character models wearing low-resolution textures and a CRT filter might have you believe that this is a lost game from the late ‘90s. But don’t let its homage for bygone games like Silent Hill or Resident Evil mislead you – Fear The Spotlight is no hollow nostalgia trip...

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Critter Cafe: Cute Critters and a Cozy Cafe Await You

Critter Cafe embodies coziness. From its rescue cafe premise to its no-holds-barred approach to customization and decoration that encourages players to express themselves, the brief demo I watched and played pointed to a consistent, refined vision that I have a feeling will be a big hit for fans of monster collecting games who are looking for something cozy to sink their teeth into. Blending monster collecting, management simulation, and puzzle-based dungeon crawling sounds a lot more overwhelming than it actually is in Critter Cafe. That’s not to say that this comfy game from Sumo Digital and Secret Mode is oversimplified, just that it’s chill and approachable. Like any sim worth its salt, customization is the name of the game here...

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Zelda, Metroid and Mario Prove the Switch Is Far From Dead

I was told there was supposed to be a software drought while we waited for Switch 2. I was told to expect a handful of ports, remakes, and remasters sprinkled throughout the rest of 2024. I was told the Switch was dying. Well, apparently no one told Nintendo. And if they did, Nintendo certainly wasn’t listening, as today’s Nintendo Direct was one of my favorites in years, with surprise announcements that will make the wait for Nintendo’s next console incredibly easy. Don’t unplug the dock from your entertainment center just yet, because the Switch still has plenty of juice left. If you were completely removed from the video game news cycle and you watched the June 2024 Nintendo Direct, you’d probably think it was a presentation...

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Aloft’s Clever, Cozy Survival Mechanics Impress in Latest Demo

With a focus on ecological restoration and a cool approach to exploration and crafting, Aloft shows a lot of promise as a feel-good survival-crafting game. This cozy take on the genre encourages players to glide between floating islands in the sky and fight corruption to restore their ecosystems while discovering the ruins of an ancient civilization. Notably, its first-person town-building and crafting systems seemed exceptionally deep based on my hands-off demo of the game. In just half an hour, one of Aloft’s developers walked me through the beginning of the game and showed me in-depth tutorials for its myriad systems; so many that I’m glad I went hands-off to watch an expert at work. Nearly everything I saw seemed clever and...

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Voice Actor Seemingly Confirms Super Saiyan 4 Will Be in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero After Much Speculation

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, the upcoming installment in the beloved anime arena fighter, is poised to be one of the biggest video game releases for diehard Dragon Ball fans. Just when the game felt like it couldn’t be any more of a love letter to the series, a voice actor from the anime seemingly confirmed that one of the most underappreciated Super Saiyan forms would be making its way to the game as well. During a Dragon Ball Z cast panel at Anime Riverside 2024, longtime Goku voice actor Sean Schemmel discussed the challenge of voicing different characters in the series and giving them their own unique voice. In a video uploaded to YouTube by JimmyisaGeek, Schemmel seemingly let it slip that Super Saiyan 4 Goku will be playable in...

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Arena Breakout: Infinite Beta Impressions: This Is No Mere Mobile Port

Arena Breakout: Infinite is both an economy and a video game. The point-to-point action is a pure first-person shooter. You will be deployed into a few abandoned acres of countryside—similar to the ghost towns of Urzikstan or Erangel—and be asked to shoot your way towards extraction with as much loot as possible in tow. Of course, once you and your friends return to the main menu and have converted all of that booty into cold hard cash, you'll be confronted with Arena Breakout's vast marketplace, gleaming with cosmetics, firearm attachments, or even just a few extra clips of ammunition. It aims to be a game about getting rich and staying rich when one stray headshot might take it all away. Arena Breakout aims to be a steely military...

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Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake: Here's What Comes in Each Edition

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is set to launch for PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on November 14. Using a stylish combination of pixel art and modern graphical effects, it brings the classic 1988 NES RPG to modern systems. The game is now available to preorder at a variety of retailers. Read on for the details. Preorder Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake PS5 Get it at Amazon - $59.99 Get it at Best Buy - $59.99 Get it at Square Enix Store - $59.99 Get it at PS Store (digital) - $59.99 Nintendo Switch Get it at Amazon - $59.99 Get it at Best Buy - $59.99 Get it at Square Enix Store - $59.99 Xbox Series X|S Get it at Amazon - $59.99 Get it at Best Buy - $59.99 Get it at Square Enix Store - $59.99 Get it at Xbox Store...

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Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics Hits Switch, PS4, and Steam — but There’s No Xbox Version

Capcom has announced Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, which brings seven fan-favorite fighting games together in one collection later in 2024. Capcom announced Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics as coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 (it’ll be playable on PlayStation 5 also), and PC via Steam, but Xbox was conspicuous by its absence, which means owners of Microsoft’s consoles (Xbox One and Xbox Series X and S) miss out. The collection includes X-Men Children of the Atom, Marvel Super Heroes, X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom Clash of Super Heroes, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and beat ‘em-up The Punisher. New features include the original...

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Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake is as Faithful as You Could Ask

The HD-2D art style is almost like a cheat code for remakes, because it captures the spirit of classic RPGs while modernizing them in a way that remains true to their original forms. That’s certainly the case for the Dragon Quest games, which are ripe for remakes in this vein and one reason why the initial announcement of Dragon Quest 3 was such a big deal. Now, after three years of radio silence, I was finally able to see the Dragon Quest 3 remake first-hand and despite the new graphical update, it’s exciting to see that this is very much a faithful recreation of the decades-old original. I got to play roughly 45 minutes of Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake on PlayStation 5, and as someone whose gaming life revolved around RPGs of its era...

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Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D Announced Along With 3 Remake Release Date - Nintendo Direct 2024

After months of eager speculation, we just got an official release date for Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake during today's Nintendo Direct. It's coming to Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox Series X and S, and PlayStation 5 on November 14, 2024. What was an even bigger surprise was the reveal of Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D Remake, which completes the original Dragon Quest trilogy; both games will come out sometime in 2025. We got hands on with the revamped classic RPG, so you can read our full impressions in our Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake preview. Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake was first announced way back in 2021 as a recreation of the 1988 original game, but in the style of Octopath Traveler and Live-A-Live. Square Enix went silent about the...

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How Long is Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?

The long-awaited DLC for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is finally almost here. For the past few weeks, several IGN staffers have taken up the sword to conquer FromSoftware’s latest trial and we’ve all come out the other side changed forever. The DLC is truly massive, the bosses are really freaking hard, and the secrets are numerous. That said, we’ve come together to share how long it’s taken us to beat the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Before you dive into the Elden Ring DLC, check out our How to Prepare for Shadow of the Erdtree guide so you're starting off on the best foot possible. How Long Is Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree? Our fastest players finished the DLC in around 25 hours. Our “slowest” players finished the DLC in...

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Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC Review

When I gave Elden Ring a 10 two years ago, I did so not just because it’s an incredible game, but because it also raised the bar for open-world games as a whole. The way it encourages exploration, rewards curiosity, and challenges you to find your own individual solutions to difficult combat encounters by including tons of different viable weapons, spells, and other build options is absolutely exemplary. Now, FromSoftware is back to raise the bar on everyone yet again, this time when it comes to what you’d expect from a "simple" DLC. Shadow of the Erdtree may not do anything radically different from the base game, but this expansion somehow feels like a scaled-down version of that same experience that recaptures all of the magic of...

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Microsoft Confirms Xbox Game Pass June 2024 Wave 2 Lineup

Microsoft has confirmed the games coming to Xbox Game Pass during the second half of June 2024. Highlights include EA Sports FC 24, My Time at Sandrock, and Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders. Out today, June 18, is The Chinese Room’s Still Wakes the Deep (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) as a day-one title. IGN’s Still Wakes the Deep review returned a 6/10. We said: “Still Wakes the Deep's nearly on-rails structure and ineffective scares undersell its otherwise fantastic setting.” Tomorrow, June 19, My Time at Sandrock (Cloud, Console, and PC) hits Game Pass. IGN awarded My Time at Sandrock an 8/10. We said: “Whether collecting resources, building items, or passing the day away playing minigames with townies, My Time at Sandrock is a...

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Paradox Shuts Down Tectonic After Canceling Life by You

Following the cancellation of The Sims-style life sim Life by You, Paradox has now shut down its developer. Swedish games company Paradox, best known for Crusader Kings, Cities Skylines, and Stellaris, said it had “decided to cease further operations” in Berkeley, California-based Tectonic in a move that affects the studio’s 24 staff. “This is difficult and drastic news for our colleagues at Tectonic, who’ve worked hard on Life by You’s Early Access release,” Fredrik Wester, CEO of Paradox Interactive, said. “Sadly, with cancellation of their sole project we have to take the tough decision to close down the studio. We are deeply grateful for their hard work in trying to take Paradox into a new genre.” Tectonic had worked on Life...

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Mortal Kombat 1 Dev Delays Ferra Kameo Launch, Announces Takeda Release Date

Mortal Kombat 1 developer NetherRealm has delayed the launch of Kameo character Ferra and announced the release date of the next DLC character, Takeda. Ferra, the small fighter who sat atop the hulking Torr as part of the combined Ferra & Torr character from Mortal Kombat X, was set to hit Mortal Kombat 1 in Kameo form later in June, but now launches alongside Takeda's early access release on July 23. In a tweet, NetherRealm said it needed “a bit more time to make sure she can assist to the best of her abilities,” and thanked players for their patience. July's launch of Ferra and Takeda completes Mortal Kombat 1’s first Kombat Pack, which includes the Jean-Claude Van Damme character skin for Johnny Cage and six playable DLC...

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