Gaming News

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Gets Final Update This Month

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night will receive its final update this month as developer ArtPlay finally adds all the additional features promised in its Kickstarter Campaign from 2015. ArtPlay shared its final development roadmap for Bloodstained on its website which confirmed the update would arrive May 9, 2024 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, while the Nintendo Switch version would arrive May 16. "This will be the final update to the game," Artplay said. Bringing Bloodstained to version 1.5, the update is headlined by the additions of Chaos Mode and Versus Mode but also includes four cosmetic packs for protagonist Miriam, one of which is free while the other three can be purchased. Chaos Mode is akin to rush mode in other...

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Sony Is Forcing All Helldivers 2 Steam Players to Connect to a PlayStation Network Account — and It’s Going Down About as Well as You’d Expect

Sony has sparked a backlash after announcing plans to force Helldivers 2 Steam players to connect to a PlayStation Network account. In a statement attributed to Sony Interactive Entertainment, the PlayStation maker said that due to “technical issues” at the launch of Helldivers 2, it allowed the linking requirements for Steam accounts to a PlayStation Network account to be temporarily optional. Sony said this “grace period” will now expire. Here’s what’s going to happen: on May 6, all new Helldivers 2 players on Steam will be required to connect their Steam account to a PlayStation Network account. Current players on Steam will start to see the mandatory login from May 30 and will be required to have linked a Steam and PlayStation...

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A Free Modern Tomb Raider and LEGO Star War, Cheap Controllers, Historically Low Hades, and More!

Thank your own personal deity—possibly C-3PO as worshipped by Ewoks—it's Friday! Obviously, the two biggest headliners are those freebies—LEGO Star Wars III and Tomb Raider [2013]. Whip up a free (and easily ditched) Amazon Prime Gaming subscription to have and to hold them forever in your GOG library. I recently replayed Lara's reboot as part of the ongoing gaming education of my eldest. Still stands up as a well-Crofted action adventure. In retro news, I'm honouring the 17th birthday of God of War II, a phenomenal sequel to a surprise hit. My fondest memories of this vast improvement are of increased setpiece scale, surprising Panzer Dragoon-esque Pegasus rides, a steamy Rhodes Bathhouse, and the highly ridiculous unlockable fish...

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Diablo 4 1.4.0 Update Reveals Changes From Public Test Realm Ahead of 'Loot Reborn' Season

Blizzard has finally delivered patch notes for Diablo 4 version 1.4.0 ahead of Season 4: Loot Reborn’s launch later this month. The full list of changes coming to the studio’s latest dungeon crawler arrives immediately after an in-depth developer update livestream. Following a tumultuous beginning for Diablo 4, Blizzard reported how the recent Player Test Realm (PTR) allowed the team to better consider player feedback and implement it into Season 4. “We think (PTR) went really, really well,” Associate Game Director Joe Piepiora said. “Just having the week of time for players to jump in, crush through all of the content, check out all of the new features, give us a lot of feedback, find a lot of bugs on the way as well was, again...

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Limited Run Games Apologizes for CD-R Discs After Fan Outcry, Says It's Working on Pressed Disc Solution

Limited Run Games, the company known for selling limited, special-edition quantities of physical video games, has issued an apology after fans complained that they were having issues playing the physical re-release of the game D on the original 3DO game console. Several on X/Twitter and Reddit pointed out the problems, including X/Twitter user @ToddNerdCave, who noted that the company is putting the 3DO games on CD-Recordable (CD-R) instead of pressed discs. "They won't even work on real hardware," he added. For those unaware of the difference between CD-R and pressed discs, the former are blank discs that can record data using a CD burner. At the same time, the latter has data permanently encoded and is used for commercial releases...

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Sins of a Solar Empire 2 Publisher Explains Epic Games Store Stealth Launch: 'Only One Shot' at a Steam Release

Sins of a Solar Empire 2, the anticipated strategy sequel by Ironclad Games that is being published by Stardock, is finally releasing on Steam this summer. But unbeknownst to many fans, it effectively stealth launched on the Epic Game Store more than a year ago — a release that publisher Stardock has mostly declined to publicize until now. Sins of a Solar Empire 2 is the sequel to the cult-favorite PC strategy game released in 2008. Like the original, it will combine elements of real-time strategy with 4X empire-building, but practically speaking it's an excuse to see a lot of cool spaceship battles. The new game will add support for multiple cores — yes, the original is that old — while refining numerous elements of the game, such as...

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Starship Troopers' Casper Van Dien Reacts to Helldivers 2: 'I Feel Like I'm Already Part of It'

Starship Troopers actor Casper Van Dien has offered his thoughts on Sony’s PC and PlayStation 5 hit Helldivers 2, and he has some thoughts about those capes. The actor, who played the gun-toting Johnny Rico in the original movie, Starship Troopers 3: Marauder, and Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars, worked with Gamology to take a closer look at Arrowhead Game Studios’ co-op sci-fi shooter. The Helldivers series takes clear inspiration from Starship Troopers, so it was no surprise to see Van Dien calling out some of its many references. “I see all of it,” he explained. “I see the way the guys talk, and what they say. I see the bugs and everything. It is such a tribute to Starship Troopers. It’s really quite wonderful.” Starship...

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Popular Twitch Streamer Plans to Revitalize Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite With New Cel-Shaded Art Style

Prior to Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite’s release in the fall of 2017, the crossover fighting game faced an uphill battle with newbies and longtime fans alike because of its abrasively shiny and underlit art style. Now, seven years later, a popular fighting game Twitch streamer announced he is working on a fan project that will give the game a facelift and, hopefully, encourage players who passed on it to give it a second chance. Yesterday, Maximilian Dood announced on his official X/Twitter account that he is in the midst of a fan project that will give Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite a cel-shaded art style akin to the aesthetic Capcom gave the game in previous titles. In his announcement post, Maximilian revealed he commissioned a fighting...

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NordVPN Review

Editor's Note: Our first NordVPN review was published back in 2017, but after significant updates we've revisted the review. NordVPN is arguably the best known VPN provider. Launched more than a decade ago, it has long had a reputation for its reliable unblocking of popular streaming services. Indeed, it recently made our list of the best VPNs for streaming and is also our best VPN for gaming. Despite its dominance, NordVPN still has some things to work on, not least the presentation of its apps. NordVPN – Server Network and Coverage With a NordVPN subscription, you’ll have access to more than 6,000 servers in 111 countries. This is a sizable server network and surpasses the vast majority of VPN services on the market. It’s only to...

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Ubisoft’s Call of Duty Rival XDefiant Finally Has a Release Date

Ubisoft has given free-to-play first-person shooter XDefiant a pre-season release date of May 21 on PC via Ubisoft Connect, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S. Ubisoft failed to mention a release on PC via Steam or the Epic Games Store in its announcement. XDefiant is Ubisoft’s Call of Duty rival in development at its San Francisco studio. It’s helmed by Mark Rubin, a former Call of Duty executive producer at Modern Warfare developer Infinity Ward. Ubisoft said that at launch, XDefiant includes five different game modes across 14 maps, 24 weapons with 44 attachments, and five playable factions inspired by Ubisoft franchises, each of which brings unique gameplay buffs and abilities to the fighting arena. Factions offer a choice...

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Kerbal Space Program 2 Is Getting Review-Bombed After Take-Two Shut Down Its Developer

After news broke yesterday that Take-Two Interactive is shutting down Intercept Games, players began review-bombing the studio's final project, expressing frustration and disappointment at the closure. Heading over to the official Steam listing for Kerbal Space Program 2, its most recent reviews on Valve's digital storefront reveal they are "Mostly Negative." Further examining the recent reviews, you'll see dozens of players leaving notices for Kerbal Space Program 2, many expressing disappointment that Take-Two shut down the game's developer. Some commenters are warning others not to buy the game, as the project was released last year in Early Access and it seems unlikely that it'll ever see a final release. "WARNING, the entire...

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Bluey's 'Dad Baby' Episode Uploaded to YouTube After Being 'Banned' From Disney Plus

Bluey's "Dad Baby" episode is now available to watch online after being excluded from the Disney+ library for the Australian cartoon series. The official Bluey YouTube channel uploaded the full "Dad Baby" episode on May 1, meaning audiences can now watch it for free. Those in Bluey's native Australia might have already seen this story when it aired, but those relying on Disney+ have never had the opportunity to watch it (legally, anyway) until now. It still remains excluded from the Disney+ library. "Dad Baby" is the 13th episode of Bluey Season 2 and the 65th episode in the series overall. In it, Bandit, the patriarch of the Heeler family, shows his kids, Bluey and Bingo, how to use their old baby harness, but according to the...

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Halo Infinite Getting Its Very Own Helldivers 2 Forge Tribute Called Helljumpers

Arrowhead’s PvE squad-based shooter Helldivers 2 is one of the major success stories of 2024, with millions of PlayStation 5 and PC gamers opting to don the cape of humanity's finest to defend managed democracy and hold back the tide of bugs and robots seeking to sweep Super Earth away. The game's overwhelming popularity has understandably left some Xbox players with a deep sense of FOMO, with Phil Spencer himself questioning the wisdom of keeping the multiplayer phenomenon as a PlayStation exclusive. While Arrowhead’s hit game doesn’t look like its coming to Microsoft consoles anytime soon, Xbox owners may soon have the opportunity to experience the next best thing, courtesy of the ‘Helljumpers’ Halo Infinite project, which is...

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Boss of Professor Layton and Ni No Kuni Studio Wants to Make an Erotic and Violent Game One Day

The boss of Level-5, the developer behind family friendly titles such as Professor Layton, Ni No Kuni, and Yokai Watch, wants to create a violent and erotic video game one day. Speaking to Denfaminico Gamer, translated by Automaton, Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino said it's his responsibility to keep making friendlier games for the studio, but he also has a "dark abnormal world" inside of him. "If I were to put it in extreme terms, I would go as far as to say that I want to make things like erotic games and 18+ games with violence," Hino laughed. "There’s an abnormal world inside of me, but I’m trying not to go there, only making things from the righteous part of my mind instead. However, deep down, I really want to visit that abnormal...

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Bethesda Seemingly Confirms Starfield's Shattered Space Expansion Focuses on House Va'ruun

Starfield will have a big year as the space RPG approaches its first anniversary. Beyond the massive May update, Bethesda Game Studios previously confirmed it is working on a DLC titled Shattered Space. Though details on the paid expansion are slim, Bethesda seemingly confirmed it focuses on the House Va'ruun. In the Starfield May update video Bethesda posted yesterday, towards the end, Starfield Lead Creative Producer Tim Lamb briefly touched on the fact that the development team is working on "more quests" for Starfield in addition to the upcoming "massive expansion" Shattered Space. Interestingly, when Lamb's voiceover mentions Shattered Space, the footage cuts to a developer working on dragging two pillars on a purple-hued...

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Call of Duty Dataminers Unearth Evidence of Fallout, Gundam, and The Crow Crossovers for Modern Warfare 3 Season 4

Following the release of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3’s Season 3 Reloaded update this week, dataminers have unearthed compelling evidence that the shooter is set for a number of eye-catching collaborations for Season 4. Twitter user @CODWarfareForum shared a screenshot revealing discovered code that mentions Fallout, Gundam, and The Crow as coming with the so-far unannounced Season 4. The Fallout crossover is clearly timed to coincide with the breakout Prime Video TV show, which itself has boosted interest in all things Fallout in recent weeks. What remains to be seen is whether the Call of Duty content has to do with the TV show or the video games, but given Microsoft owns both Call of Duty and Fallout via subsidiaries Activision...

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Escape From Tarkov Rival Gray Zone Warfare Sells 400,000 in 2 Days

Escape From Tarkov rival Gray Zone Warfare has proved a Steam hit after selling 400,000 copies in two days. Developer Madfinger Games posted on X/Twitter to reveal the "incredible" sales figure that saw Gray Zone Warfare sit atop Steam's best-seller list for its first two days on the market. It's now dropped to second but only behind the Steam Deck, meaning it's still the best-selling game over the likes of Counter Strike 2, Manor Lords, Helldivers 2, and, well, everything else. "400,000 copies of Gray Zone Warfare sold," Madfinger said in the post, below. "We're speechless. In just two days of Early Access, we've welcomed 400,000 PMCs to Lamang Island. Your support is beyond incredible. Thank you, everyone. Let's keep pushing...

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Nvidia Makes It Easier to Run GeForce Now on Steam Deck

If you are an avid GeForce Now user having trouble running the cloud gaming service on your Steam Deck, it's about to get a lot easier, as Nvidia announced today that it is releasing a script that will streamline the process and make its product run on Valve's portable gaming PC. As detailed in the latest GeForce Now blog post, Nvidia has released a new script that will automatically install the Google Chrome web browser onto the device and configure it to run GeForce Now on Steam Deck's gaming mode. The script is in beta mode, so you must make a few adjustments to get GeForce Now working properly on the device. This is not the first time Nvidia has released software to make configuring and running GeForce Now on a portable gaming PC...

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Starfield’s May Update Lets Players Turn Off Bethesda’s Trademark NPC Zoom

Now Starfield’s May update is out in the wild in beta form on Steam, players are getting to grips with all the new features, including the detailed maps, ship interior customization, and more. But there’s one change that flew under the radar when it was announced but is now picking up plaudits: the ability to toggle the default dialogue camera off. Bethesda games are known for the way the camera crash zoom’s onto an NPC’s face when the player triggers dialog. Anyone who’s played the likes of Skyrim or Fallout will know how this often results in hilarious and sometimes quite unnerving sequences in which NPCs will stare at you unendingly. While Fallout 4 did away with this by keeping the camera pulled back for chats with NPCs, Starfield...

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Helldivers 2’s Next Premium Warbond, Polar Patriots, Is Giving Off Snowtrooper Vibes

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has unveiled the game’s next premium Warbond, called Polar Patriots, alongside a May 9 release date. With a deep freeze theme and a Snowtrooper vibe, Polar Patriots adds new weapons, armor, capes, and emotes to the explosive co-op PC and PlayStation 5 shooter. As with previous Premium Warbonds, expect Polar Patriots to cost 1,000 Super Credits. While you can earn Super Credits from gameplay and the Warbond itself, you can also buy them for real-world money. Via the in-game shop, 1,000 Super Credits costs $9.99. Premium Warbonds do not expire, so you can work your way through them at your own pace safe in the knowledge their items will remain available. Arrowhead just released patch 01.000.300, which...

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Shadow of the Erdtree 'The First and Last' Elden Ring DLC, FromSoftware Boss Hidetaka Miyazaki Confirms

FromSoftware boss Hidetaka Miyazaki has confirmed that Shadow of the Erdtree will be the only expansion released for beloved role-playing game Elden Ring. As reported by GamesRadar, Miyazaki told Chinese publication Zhihu that, unlike previous FromSoftware titles such as Dark Souls 3, the developer plans to release just one chunk of downloadable content for Elden Ring due to the nature of its open world. "[Shadow of the Erdtree] is the first and last DLC, and we have no plans to add more content to Elden Ring," Miyazaki said, via machine translation. "[Shadow of the Erdtree] is the first and last DLC, and we have no plans to add more content to Elden Ring. "Elden Ring emphasizes exploration and adventure in a big world. In order to...

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Bethesda’s Todd Howard Addresses Mixed Reception to Starfield

Bethesda development chief Todd Howard has commented on the mixed reception to its expansive space game Starfield, suggesting some of the criticism stemmed from the game being different from the likes of Fallout and Skyrim. Starfield came out in September 2023 and, boosted by its inclusion in Microsoft’s subscription service Game Pass, enjoyed more players at launch than any previous Bethesda game. It also held up better than most other Bethesda games in terms of performance. But Starfield had a mixed reception from critics and players. IGN’s Starfield review returned a 7/10, with what we called “disjointed space travel, nonexistent maps, aggravating inventory management, and a slow rollout of essential abilities” holding it back...

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Helldivers 2 Patch 1.000.301 Improves Performance After This Week’s Big Balance Update

The Helldivers 2 patches are coming in thick and fast, this time with a fix for performance problems triggered by the previous update. After this week’s release of patch 01.000.300, which tweaked a long list of weapons, stratagems, and enemies, some Helldivers 2 players experienced performance issues. Arrowhead later confirmed there was indeed a problem, and has now issued a fresh patch to deal with it. Patch 1.000.301, out today, May 2, is much smaller than the update released earlier this week, but, crucially, makes the promised performance improvements, as well as sorts out a number of crashes. Arrowhead has also updated its helpful ‘known issues’ list to give players an idea of what the studio is working to fix. One line of...

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Sony Is Pulling Horizon: Zero Dawn From PS Plus Amid PS5 Remaster Rumors

Sony has signaled its intention to pull Horizon: Zero Dawn from PlayStation Plus later in May, fueling rumors the company is set to announce a PlayStation 5 remaster of the game. Redditor Melodic_Cake_3344 spotted a new message on the PlayStation dash warning Horizon: Zero Dawn’s inclusion in the PS Plus Extra Game Catalog ends on May 21. As verified by Eurogamer, this specifically relates to Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition, which includes the Frozen Wilds expansion. Sony’s decision to pull one of its biggest first-party games from PS Plus has only fueled rumors it is set to announce a PS5 remaster of Guerrilla's much-loved action adventure, first released as a PlayStation 4 exclusive in 2017 before coming to PC in August 2020...

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Indie Game Round-Up – May 2024

The best May indie games are the perfect way to ease into the upcoming warmer months. Well, as perfect as “not being a swimming pool that’s somehow free” can manage. There are, as ever, a lot of cool-looking games heading our way in May, and if you’re looking for something that’s a little bit off […] Continue reading...

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Galactically Great Savings on Early May The 4th Must-Owns, a 64% Off Sega Sale, and More!

Pick up a Star War for minimal monies—that's the motto of the day, friends. Why? Because apparently we can't just corral all of the deals specifically onto May the 4th anymore. I'm not complaining, of course, you can feed me cheap games wrapped in bad wordplay 365 days of the year. Especially if it has sweet lightsaber action in it! In retro news, I've made a bloody big cake with a 22 on it for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. My core launch memory of playing this seminal RPG was one of awe and questions. Like, by the Nine, does this horizon stretch out beyond Seyda Neen forever?! And what madness is this level of freedom where I can grind into being a magic bow packing, flying wizard demigod? Oh, how I miss pathfinding purely via...

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This Anker PowerCore 737 25,6000mAh Power Bank Deal Includes a PD Wall Charger

Amazon is offering Amazon Prime members an older generation Anker PowerCore 737 25,600mAh USB Power Bank, which also includes a 65W USB PD wall charger for only $79.99 shipped. That's a nearly 40% price drop from its original $130 MSRP. This is close to the highest capacity power bank you're allowed to bring on airplane carry-on, and it also boasts 60W of USB power delivery to charge your Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or ASUS ROG Ally gaming handheld. Anker PowerCore 737 25,600mAh Power Bank for $79.99 Includes a 65W USB PD wall charger 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-A ports and one USB Type-C port. This is one...

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Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth Sales Are Fine, but It's No Dragon's Dogma 2

It's natural that everyone's been a little antsy about Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth lately. For weeks, analysts and fans have been discussing the game's potential underperformance compared to its predecessor, Remake, amid worries this might impact the future of the 7 Remake trilogy. Today, we got a little more data on what's really going on here - though the jury is still out on how publisher Square Enix is looking at the numbers. Today, Circana published its monthly video game consumer spending report for March, which offers insight on the U.S. market calculated by dollar sales. One of the more notable games in the rankings this month was Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, which reports have suggested isn't selling as well as Square Enix would...

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Call of Duty 2024 File Hinting at Possible May Reveal Discovered in Modern Warfare 3 Update

Though Xbox might hold a digital showcase focusing entirely on the next Call of Duty game next month; it appears Activision might reveal the next game sooner than that, as data miners have found information that indicates a reveal could happen this month. As spotted by CharlieIntel, data miners found references to "s3_cerberus_reveal" in the Call of Duty: Warzone game files. Though this year's Call of Duty does not have an official codename, the company posted a teaser image featuring an orange three-headed wolf logo in yesterday's Xbox Games Showcase announcement. Though no official public announcement has been made, there have been numerous reports and speculations about the next Call of Duty games. Several reports claimed this...

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Kerbal Space Program 2 Studio Apparently Shuttered Amid Layoffs, Take-Two Responds

Intercept Games is among the many casualties of Take-Two Interactive's layoffs, as its parent company is laying off 70 people from the developer behind the Kerbal Space Program 2. As reported by GameDeveloper.com, a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice was filed in Washington state this past Monday, revealing that Take-Two Interactive was laying off 70 workers based in Seattle as part of a closure. Though the WARN notice lists Take-Two specifically, the developer impacted in question appears to be Intercept Games, a studio based in Seattle. Intercept Games did not immediately respond to IGN's request for comment, though the studio's website did have three job postings based in Seattle. In a statement sent to...

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