Gaming News

Xbox Exec Reportedly Told Staff ‘We Need Smaller Games That Give Us Prestige and Awards’ a Day After Shutting Down Hi-Fi Rush Dev Tango Gameworks

The boss of Xbox Game Studios reportedly told Bethesda staff “we need smaller games that give us prestige and awards” just a day after shutting down Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks. The Verge reported on the remarks after it emerged that Tango Gameworks was in the process of pitching a Hi-Fi Rush sequel and wanted to hire additional staff before its sudden closure. Similarly, Arkane Austin had hoped to make another immersive sim in the Dishonored vein that would have required staffing up before it was shut down. The report, which sheds additional light on the shock closures of Tango Gameworks and Redfall developer Arkane Austin, claimed Xbox leadership felt that the overall studio system was "spread too thin," with Xbox Game...

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V Rising Full Launch Causes Surge of Players on Steam

Vampire centric action role playing game V Rising has now fully launched on Steam after two years in Early Access, and it's off to a very hot start. V Rising enjoyed a 24 hour peak of 78,164 concurrent players on its May 8, 2024 launch date, according to player tracking website SteamDB. While this wasn't quite the 150,000 player peak it enjoyed upon its Early Access launch, it was a huge spike in numbers for the game which was previously averaging less than 10,000 a day. Developer Stunlock Studios announced the release date in March 2024 but its full 1.0 patch notes (which you can see here) only arrived as the full game launched. "The journey to full release was rife with dangers and challenges, but your feedback and raw excitement...

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The Fallout Timeline In Chronological Order

Given the success of the recent Fallout TV series on Amazon Prime – it’s very good by the way – there has never been a better time to dive into the world of Fallout. Whether you are a newbie to the series or a veteran returning to the franchise, however, it can be hard to […] Continue reading...

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Helldivers 2’s Latest Premium Warbond Goes Live After Dev Polled Fans Following ‘Negative Sentiment’ Around PSN Account Linking

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has released the Polar Patriots Premium Warbond as planned after the boss of the studio polled fans on whether it should go ahead so soon after what he called “negative sentiment” over the game’s PlayStation Network account linking. Sony’s controversial decision to force Helldivers 2 PC gamers to account link to PlayStation Network saw the game’s Steam user review rating collapse from ‘overwhelmingly positive’ to ‘mostly negative’ after over 200,000 negative reviews flooded Valve’s platform. The sheer volume of negative reviews left in such a short space of time caused Johan Pilestedt, boss of developer Arrowhead, to tweet: “Ouch, right in the review score.” Sony subsequently U-turned on its decision...

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Hi-Fi Rush Is Currently 35% Off From The Microsoft Store

Microsoft's decision to close several development studios, such as Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, and more, has generally been met with a big thumbs-down online. Tango was responsible for break-out hit Hi-Fi Rush in 2023, a game considered one of the best on Xbox in recent years, and went on to win a BAFTA for Animation. Hi-Fi Rush is still available on Xbox Game Pass, or you can purchase it digitally at a discount right now. It's 35% off via the Microsoft Store, down to $19.49 (or equivalent in your region). This is the lowest price we've ever seen the game drop to on Xbox. Hi-Fi Rush is also a part of the Humble Choice Bundle for May, alongside Yakuza Like A Dragon, Steel Rising, and more. You can join Humble Choice for...

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Capcom Is Making More Money Than Ever Before — and It’s Forecast Even Better to Come

Japanese game company Capcom has reported record sales and predicted even bigger returns are to come, with big hitter Monster Hunter Wilds waiting in the wings. Capcom sold 45.89 million units of video games during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, a record for the long-running company behind the likes of Monster Hunter and Resident Evil. Net sales were up 21% year-on-year, and profit was up 18.1%. Capcom said it achieved this result off the back of the release of Street Fighter 6 in June 2023 and Dragon’s Dogma 2 in March 2024. Street Fighter 6 has now sold 3.3 million units, and Dragon’s Dogma 2 has shifted 2.62 million. Both games, as well as continued sales of older games, made for record-high net sales, the seventh...

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V Rising Bitten Down by 26%, a Limited Time Ghost of Tsushima PC Discount, and More!

Welcome to a Thursday chock full of sweet gaming discounts. I'm always on the prowl for AAA Switch titles that are sub-sixty-bucks, and today that's Pikmin 4. I honestly think PC folk should also stake an early claim on Ghost of Tsushima Director's or sink their fangs into V Rising. You know what? Let's keep that "quality vampire games" motif going. Segue: engaged... In retro news, I'm celebrating the 21st birthday of Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, a GBA gem that slayed to a Belmont degree. I fully recall being hooked by its off-kilter premise—Soma Cruz, Japanese high schooler from the year 2035, gets sucked back in time to bust chops à la Alucard from Symphony of the Night. It also looked a damn sight prettier than its middling GBA...

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Mark Hamill Returning to Voice the Joker in MultiVersus Alongside the Late Kevin Conroy's Batman

The Joker is coming to MultiVersus, and he’s bringing longtime voice actor Mark Hamill with him. Warner Bros. and Player First Games confirmed the news today, revealing that the character will join its already stacked platform fighter’s roster when it launches later this month. The Joker is one of the most recognizable characters in pop culture, so his inclusion in any crossover project is sure to turn heads. The character’s debut trailer sees Batman marching forward into battle as Bugs Bunny, Shaggy, and Arya Stark fall around him. The Joker will use a crowbar, cards, and explosives when taking down other Warner Bros. icons, and you can see his reveal trailer below. Hamill, who originally voiced the Clown Prince of Crime in...

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Microsoft Debating Call of Duty on Game Pass Along With Another Price Hike - Report

After Microsoft purchased Activision Blizzard, many wondered whether the tech giant would follow its current precedent of putting its first-party games on Game Pass on the same day as their official release date. More specifically, this would include Call of Duty, one of the most profitable gaming franchises over the last several years. Yet, a new report claims that adding new installments in the shooter series to Game Pass continues to be a topic of debate within Xbox as the platform-holder also reportedly weighs another price hike for the service. The Verge's Tom Warren published a new report today, claiming that Microsoft has "had internal debates" about whether it wants to add newer Call of Duty installments to the gaming...

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Tango Gameworks Pitched Hi-Fi Rush Sequel Before Its Sudden Shutdown - Report

Tango Gameworks was in the process of pitching a Hi-Fi Rush sequel and wanted to hire additional staff before its sudden closure, according to a new Bloomberg report. The report, which sheds additional light on the closures of Tango Gameworks and Redfall developer Arkane Austin, claims that Xbox leadership felt that the overall studio system was "spread too thin," with president Matt Booty reportedly likening it to "peanut butter on bread." IGN first broke the news of the closures on Tuesday along with a report that Arkane Austin was working on DLC for Redfall before it was closed. While little was revealed about the proposed sequel, Tango Gameworks was reportedly seeking to hire additional staff despite the departure of founder...

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F1 24 to Deliver the Biggest Career Mode Innovation Since 2016

The 2023 Formula One season yielded a grand total of three winning drivers over 22 Grands Prix. Just six rounds into the 2024 season and we’ve already seen three different GP winners, across three different teams to boot. Has this season just threatened to become interesting? Well, it’s almost certainly too early to be hopeful of that. However, even if we are ultimately destined for yet another season of single car dominance, at least F1 24’s updated career mode will give us all a place where we can watch (and hear) the championship unfold a little differently. F1 24’s key new hook is the ability to “be one of the 20.” That is, we can now take one of F1’s superstar drivers and play as them in a complete, multi-season career mode...

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Microsoft Signs Deal to Bring Lords of the Fallen and Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 to Game Pass in 2024

Microsoft has signed Lords of the Fallen and Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 for release in its subscription service, Game Pass. Confirmation comes from publisher CI Games, which announced the deal was signed on May 3 in a financial note. Microsoft has yet to announce either game for Game Pass. Terms were not disclosed, nor which parts of Game Pass both games will release into, but it seems safe to assume Xbox and PC Game Pass. Hexworks’ Lords of the Fallen launched in October last year to positive reviews and sales, although it suffered significant performance problems. IGN’s Lords of the Fallen review returned an 8/10. We said: “Lords of the Fallen is an awesome soulslike with a fantastic dual-realities premise, even when...

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Gundam Breaker 4 Release Date Announced Along With Exclusive Screens

Bandai Namco has officially announced Gundam Breaker 4's release date, confirming that the first numbered entry in the series in six years will be out August 29. Like other games in the series, Gundam Breaker 4 is an action game based on the franchise's plastic model fandom, known as Gunpla. It allows players to mix and match together popular Gundams to create their own units, sometimes with amusing results. You can check out our slideshow below feature several exclusive screenshots to see what you can expect. Despite its name, Gundam Breaker 4 is the fifth major release in the series. The most recent game, titled New Gundam Breaker, was panned by fans and reviewers alike for poor technical performance and watered down mechanics...

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Destiny 2 Players Can Temporarily Access 3 Major Expansions For Free Ahead of The Final Shape

Destiny 2 players can now access three major expansions for free ahead of The Final Shape's release on June 4, 2024, developer Bungie has announced. From May 8 to June 3, players who download the free standard edition of Destiny 2 on any platform can also access Shadowkeep, Beyond Light, and The Witch Queen at no additional cost, essentially adding three years of expansions to the game. This comes alongside Sony releasing Destiny 2's latest expansion Lightfall at no additional cost to subscribers of the cheapest PlayStation Plus tier, meaning many PS4 and PS5 players can now access the last four years of Destiny 2 content at the push of a button. Bungie has branded the three expansion bundle the Expansion Open Access Month, and it...

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Smash Bros Buttstomped, A Hi-Fi[ve] Worthy Yakuza Humble Bundle, and $297 Off the Fancy Starfield Edition!

It's a sad day today, given the closure of Tango Gameworks, producers of the perfectly 9/10 excellent Hi-Fi Rush. That being said, an opportunity exists for PC players to score it in a bundle (which most notably includes Yakuza: Like A Dragon) for posterity and a pittance. Of all the recent dev shedding that's been going on, this one feels especially senseless. Do not sleep on this surprise gem of a game, which is also going for 30% off on PS Store. In retro news, I'm celebrating the 22nd birthday of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. To be honest, I recall way less of MGS2's ultra-serious musings about nuclear arms proliferation than I do its cool (and often silly) easter eggs that tickled my brain. Stuff like the projector trick...

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The Best Games Like Men of War II

The best games like Men of War II will let you flex your strategic, RTS and WW2 military-themed muscles whilst you wait for all of them to be flexed with one handy Men of War branded package when it finally arrives on May 15th. As you would expect, Men of War II, like its previous […] Continue reading...

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Manor Lords: An Incredible Game With Plenty Of Room To Grow

Given its incredibly well-received Steam Early Access release, Manor Lords is likely a game you’ve heard of by now. It’s a city-builder and strategy game hybrid where you play your role as the lord of a small domain and guide your people through their impending struggles. That means you’ve got to keep everyone fed and […] Continue reading...

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Arkane Austin Was Working on a Big Redfall Update for May Before Microsoft Ditched the Game and Closed the Studio

The now abandoned Redfall had a roadmap of support that was being actively worked on before Microsoft scrapped all development and closed its developer, IGN can reveal. Arkane Austin was working on DLC and updates for the game with the expectation they would release until very recently, IGN understands, suggesting Microsoft’s internal announcement today that it was closing the developer as well as Hi-Fi Rush studio Tango Gameworks came as a shock to staff. IGN was told that the now canceled Hero Pass content, which was set to add two new characters to the vampire co-op shooter, was scheduled for release this Halloween. If it had come out, the Hero Pass would have marked a year-and-a-half of post-launch support for a game that had...

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Our Favorite Anker Power Bank for the Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally Is on Sale at Amazon

This excellent deal is back and lower than before! Amazon is offering the powerful and high capacity Anker PowerCore 737 24,000mAh USB Power Bank for only $88.95, a massive 40% price drop from its original $150 MSRP. This is close to the highest capacity power bank you're allowed to bring on airplane carry-on, and it also boasts an absolutely massive 140W of USB power delivery to charge even the hungriest MacBook Pro. Anker PowerCore 737 24,000mAh Power Bank for $88.95 with 140W of USB Type-C Power Delivery The Anker PowerCore 737 can be used like any other power bank; it does a fine job of charging any of your standard mobile electronics. It has two USB Type-C ports and one USB Type-A port. One of the USB Type-C ports is...

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Shock and Anger as Xbox Shuts Down Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, and More

The video game industry has reacted with shock and anger after Microsoft shut down several game studios today, May 7, 2024 including Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks, the developers of Redfall and Hi-Fi Rush respectively. Both developers and fans have shared their disappointment at the closures, announced to staff via email on the morning of May 7, 2024. Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booy told employees of the studios, which joined Microsoft under Bethesda parent company ZeniMax, the cuts were a result of the "reprioritization of titles and resources." "This is absolutely terrible," wrote Arkane Lyon director Dinga Bakaba on X/Twitter, whose studio survived the closures and will continue working on Marvel's Blade. "To any executive...

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Stardew Valley Review - 2024

Editor's Note: This review takes a fresh look at Stardew Valley after its 1.6 update on PC, replacing our previous review from 2018. You can read more about our review policies and philosophy here. Every time I return to Stardew Valley after a new patch drops, I ask myself: why is the pull still so strong? Newer farming games have improved on many of the mechanics its developer, ConcernedApe, introduced way back in 2016, adding interesting twists to the old-school blueprint it repopularized – so in 2024, why is Stardew Valley still my favorite? But that’s just it: Stardew Valley is the model for farming games now. It may not be quite as refined or as streamlined as some of the sims it inspired, but none have managed to capture the raw...

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Star Wars: 10 Amazing Hot Toys Figures Revealed for May the 4th

May the 4th is always a popular time for revealing new Star Wars collectibles, but Hot Toys really went all-out for this year's Star Wars Day event. Hot Toys is participating in the new "Power of the Dark Side" promotion, so their reveals focused on the villains of the Star Wars franchise. That includes franchise icons like Darth Maul to comic book favorites like the evil droids 0-0-0 and BT-1 to even Expanded Universe Sith Lords like Darth Revan and Lord Starkiller. Keep reading for a full breakdown of all the amazing Hot Toys figures revealed for Star Wars Day, including image galleries and links to preorder the figures yourself. 0-0-0 0-0-0 is an evil protocol droid known for hanging around Doctor Aphra and Darth Vader in...

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Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Final Preview

I didn’t mean to take the boat all by myself and leave my friends for dead. I really didn’t. I thought I was just getting in the boat, and then starting it up. I thought we would all leave together. Oh, no. No, no, no. I was signing death warrants, damning them to the Klownpocalypse. Oops. But as I sped away on my little outboard, I couldn’t help but laugh. They couldn’t either. And moments like that, where you’ve accidentally just left your teammates to die and everyone is laughing about it while trying to escape a group of demented space Klowns, are how you know you’re having a good time. They made it out anyway. Well, most of them. Killer Klowns from Outer Space is the latest in the asymmetrical horror multiplayer survival genre...

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Why Sam Barlow Thinks Video Game Stories Should Take More Cues From Diablo's Loot System

Sam Barlow, head of Half Mermaid studio and one of the creative minds behind 2022’s critically-acclaimed Immortality, is working on not one, but two secret projects. Both of them look weird, and creepy as heck. What are they? He’s not saying. But they both have something to do with “kaleidoscopic freedom.” Earlier this year, Half Mermaid quietly dropped two new store pages on Steam for two different games: Project C and Project D. Both projects have cryptic descriptions and imagery that suggests Barlow is returning to the horror genre, but few other details. Barlow confirms to me that C and D are two separate projects made by two separate teams within Half Mermaid, and that one of them is being made in Unreal Engine. But for now isn’t...

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Microsoft Abandons Redfall and Cancels DLC After Shutting Developer Arkane Austin Down

Microsoft has ended development of Redfall and shut down its studio, Arkane Austin, as part of devastating cuts at Bethesda. First reported by IGN, Microsoft has closed down the aforementioned Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, and Alpha Dog Studios, maker of mobile game Mighty Doom. Roundhouse Games will be absorbed by The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios. IGN has asked both Microsoft and Bethesda for comment. In an email to staff sent by Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, Microsoft blamed the cuts on a “reprioritization of titles and resources." The email, verified by IGN, also mentioned the end of development on Redfall. “Redfall’s previous update will be its last as we end all...

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Microsoft Closes Redfall Developer Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush Developer Tango Gameworks, and More in Devastating Cuts at Bethesda

Microsoft has closed a number of Bethesda studios, including Redfall maker Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush and The Evil Within developer Tango Gameworks, and more in devastating cuts at Bethesda, IGN can confirm. Alpha Dog Studios, maker of mobile game Mighty Doom, will also close. Roundhouse Games will be absorbed by The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios. Microsoft did not say how many staff will lose their jobs, but significant layoffs are inevitable. IGN has asked Bethesda and Microsoft for comment. On Redfall, the disastrous vampire co-op game will now not receive promised updates as Microsoft has ended all development on the game. Microsoft said Redfall will remain online to play, and it will provide a "make-good"...

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Our Favourite Power Bank for Steam Deck Is Back On Sale Again In The UK

The perfect power bank to use with your Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch is back on sale in the UK right now. We are, of course, talking about the INIU 65W 20000mAh Fast Charging Portable Charger, available on Amazon for just £19.99 right now. Being able to take your Steam Deck or Switch anywhere with you is undoubtedly great. We all know that terrible feeling. We've left the house in a hurry, grabbed our phone or Nintendo Switch in the rush, and we when we go to boot it up...nothing. Dead. Oh if only we had a power bank! This power bank is perfect for portable gaming systems like the Steam Deck or the Switch with its super-fast charging abilities, healthy battery capacity, and sleek design. If you need a cable to charge your console...

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Hades 2 Early Access More Than Doubles Original Game's Steam Concurrents in a Day

Hades 2 is now available through Steam Early Access and in just a single day it's more than doubled the original game's lifetime concurrent player count. As reported by VGC, the May 6 Early Access launch of Hades 2 reached a peak of 79,276 concurrent players within 24 hours, according to tracking website SteamDB. The original Hades reached a lifetime peak of 37,749 concurrent players, meaning the sequel has already crushed its popularity on the platform. Hades 2, which arrives as a sequel to the critically acclaimed Greek mythology themed roguelite, returns players to the world as they meet legendary figures like Odysseus, Nemesis, and Dora through a blend of storytelling, action gameplay, and dungeon crawling. Its Early Access...

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V Rising Review

The true test of a vampire game isn't so much in the ways it lets you do the cool things vampires do – it's in how it portrays the classic vampire weaknesses, forcing you to live a vampire lifestyle. V Rising does a pretty good job of this, with banes from sunlight to garlic represented, while also featuring a striking and memorable art style alongside exciting and tough ARPG combat. Many of the gripes I had in my Early Access review have been addressed without changing the heart-pounding identity of the experience, especially when playing in a customized single-player world. As a newly-resurrected vampire in a world where humans have mostly chased your kind into the shadows, this mashup of Diablo and the survival crafting genre...

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Helldivers 2 PC Escapes PSN Account Requirement, but Ghost of Tsushima Multiplayer Does Not

Following Sony’s U-turn on Helldivers 2 PC account linking with PSN, the developer of Ghost of Tsushima has clarified how the upcoming PC version will work with Sony’s systems. Amid the backlash to Sony’s announcement that Helldivers 2 on PC would force Steam players to link their account to a PlayStation Network account to continue playing, Ghost of Tsushima developer Sucker Punch has told players that parts of the game on PC will require a PSN to play, while other parts won’t. In a series of tweets, Sucker Punch made it clear that a PSN account is required for Legends online multiplayer mode and to use the PlayStation overlay. It is not required to play the single-player portion of Ghost of Tsushima. The PC version of Ghost of...

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