Gaming News

Helldivers 2 Patch Causes ‘Nasty’ PS5 Login Bug That’s Stopping People Playing

Helldivers 2’s latest patch has caused a “nasty” PlayStation 5 login bug that’s currently preventing people from playing the game. Helldivers 2 patch 1.000.11 launched across PS5 and Steam today, February 22, and promised to kick AFK players and fix the defrosting bug. But it appears to have caused a PS5 specific issue that is now making Helldivers 2 unplayable on Sony’s console. IGN has received multiple reports from players unable to login, and have verified the dreaded "servers at capacity" message is present on PS5. Addressing the issue in a post on the Helldivers Discord, developer Arrowhead said it was aware and on the case. “We´re currently experiencing a nasty PS5 login bug,” Arrowhead said. “We´ve sent our most...

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Elden Ring Sales Swell to an Incredible 23 Million

Elden Ring sales have grown to hit 23 million, publisher Bandai Namco has announced. As part of the reveal of the hotly anticipated Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, due out this June, Bandai Namco issued a sales update for the base game, which, last we heard, had sold 20 million a year after launch. This new 23 million figure is made up of shipped copies of the physical version as well as download sales, including those on Steam, so it provides a solid picture of Elden Ring’s breakout success. To put that into context, Hogwarts Legacy, 2023’s best-selling video game, has sold 24 million copies, generating well over $1 billion in sales. Elden Ring is easily FromSoftware’s most successful game, with critical acclaim to go alongside its...

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Helldivers 2 Was Built on a Discontinued Engine — ‘Our Crazy Engineers Had to Do Everything’

PlayStation 5 and Steam hit Helldivers 2 was built on an engine that was discontinued after work on the game began. 80LV reported that Arrowhead built Helldivers 2 using the Autodesk Stingray engine, once called Bitsquid — the same engine used to create the original Helldivers game that first launched on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita in 2015. While using the same engine to build the sequel wouldn’t necessarily raise eyebrows in of itself, Autodesk Stingray was discontinued in 2018, six years before Helldivers 2 came out. And in a tweet, Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt confirmed work on Helldivers 2 began before Autodesk Stingray was discontinued. “This is true,” Pilestedt said. “Our crazy engineers had to do...

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Helldivers 2 Patch 1.000.11 Kicks AFK Players, Fixes Players Stuck Defrosting

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has released yet another patch for the game, this time addressing one of the key issues that contributed to its high-profile server problems. The Helldivers 2 community had called on Arrowhead to add an away from keyboard (AFK) auto kick feature to the game after players admitted leaving it on all day and theoretically at least blocking others from getting in. Helldivers 2 players on the game’s Discord had said they were refusing to log out on purpose so they could ensure they could play when they wanted to. One user said they left themselves logged in to Helldivers 2 before they went to work to make sure they could play when they got home. Another said they hadn’t logged off for three days. Now...

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Phantom Liberty Game Director Says Cyberpunk 2077 Successor Is in the ‘Fun Phase’ of Development

“Most companies die with a bad launch, this one actually came out stronger.” That’s a line from New York University’s Stern School of Business professor Joost van Dreunen, quoted in The Wall Street Journal earlier this year. He was describing the transformation undergone by developer CD Projekt Red from the rocky launch of Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020 to the triumphant release of major DLC Phantom Liberty late last year. And it was with understandable pride that Phantom Liberty game director Gabe Amatangelo opened his talk at the 2024 DICE Summit, quoting that exact line. Amatangelo went on to describe to DICE attendees just how CD Projekt had accomplished such a monumental task, focusing on the most difficult part: rallying a discouraged...

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Dead Island 2 Surprise-Launches on Xbox Game Pass

Dead Island 2 is available to play via Xbox Game Pass right now. Dambuster Studios’ well-received zombie kill ‘em-up surprise-launched on Xbox Game Pass this morning, without an announcement from either Microsoft or publisher Plaion, leading some to wonder if its addition is a mistake. But for now, Dead Island 2 is available through Xbox Game Pass, but not PC Game Pass. Dead Island 2 launched in April last year, selling more than one million copies in just three days. It’s a rare hit for embattled parent company Embracer, whose ongoing restructure has seen the closure of multiple studios and over 1,000 staff lose their jobs. IGN’s Dead Island 2 review returned a 7/10. We said: “Dead Island 2 is a hilarious gore-fest and a competent...

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First Look at Magic: The Gathering's Fallout-Themed "Hail, Caesar" Deck

We may not be getting a Fallout: New Vegas 2 any time soon, but Obsidian fans still have reason to rejoice! Magic: The Gathering's next video game crossover will be a set of four Fallout-themed preconstructed decks for its most popular format, Commander – and today we've got the full reveal of the "Hail, Caesar" deck. Led by New Vegas' menacing Caesar himself (with the dice-rolling Mr. House as an altnerate Commander option), this Red-White-Black deck is full of creature sacrificing, token making, and a thematically fitting amount of Quest counters across its legendary characters. You can see the names and images of all 100 cards in the deck below, as well as some photos of what's in the box itself and more info about it and the other...

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A Legendary RPG Trilogy Chopped by 80%, Jedi Survivor Gets Darth Mauled in Half, and More!

We're well past the midpoint of the week and are now hurtling towards some very important things. Obviously, there's the weekend to consider, but we're also in the vicinity of FFVII Rebirth's review embargo lift. My advice: peruse the amazing deals below, lock in some purchases for Saturday, and then go offline until the 29th. It's gonna be spoiler city soon. In retro news, we're celebrating the big quarter century of Metal Gear Solid. A massive personal favourite of mine, it helped popularise the stealth genre, blew minds with its cinema-inspired style, and was bristling with emergent gameplay opportunities. [Back of the CD] case in point: I was working in games retail when it launched and can vividly recall a tsunami of returning...

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Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush Physical Releases Will Be Handled by Limited Run in Wake of Xbox's Commitment to Discs

We learned earlier today that Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush, once console exclusives to Xbox, are two of four games releasing on other consoles in the coming months. Shortly after that, Obsidian and Bethesda announced that both games will receive a physical and digital release. In a blog post, Obsidian announced that Pentiment will arrive on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5 tomorrow, February 22. The physical edition will be available to order starting tomorrow, but only for Switch, PS5, and Xbox. Bethesda announced in its blog post that in addition to Hi-Fi Rush launching on PlayStation 5 on March 19, a physical edition for both the Xbox and PS5 versions will be released. However, no additional information has been shared yet, including the...

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Sea of Thieves Coming to PlayStation 5 in April as Xbox Confirms the Four Exclusives Headed to Other Platforms

After confirmations throughout the morning that Grounded and Pentiment would be headed to other platforms - and a leak that Hi-Fi Rush would be too - we now officially know the four Xbox exclusives that will arrive on Nintendo and PlayStation consoles first. The latest reveal is that Sea of Thieves will be arriving on PlayStation 5 on April 30 and, like Grounded, will support crossplay. Xbox revealed as much in a blog post confirming that Grounded, Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, and Sea of Thieves will be the first four exclusives to head to other platforms, something the company announced last week. As revealed during the Nintendo Direct earlier today, Pentiment will be the first of those titles, coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and...

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Contra: Operation Galuga – The First Preview

Contra: Operation Galuga is more than just another remake of the original Contra. It’s a reimagining of the story of aliens using an island off the coast of New Zealand as a staging ground of world ending apocalypse, and a highlight reel of the series’ best mechanics and levels upgraded for modern sensibilities. In the hands-on time we played through three stages, and now we're convinced that Contra is so, so back. The story of Contra, centering around the alien possessed paramilitary Red Falcon developing weapons to kill all humans on Earth and the muscley men of the special marine unit fated to destroy them, still absolutely doesn't matter. But it is fully and competently voice acted in the way a lot of the more recent entries in...

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Sand Land Exclusive Hands-On: We’re Wowed by Akira Toriyama’s Playable Manga – IGN FanFest

Not only is Akira Toriyama the creator of Dragon Ball, but he is a prolific manga writer, creating over 40 manga series. One such series was Sand Land, a manga about a desert world inhabited by survivors looking for water. Think Mad Max by way of Dragon Ball. For reasons that still aren’t super clear to me (though you’ll hear no objections) Sand Land is back in a big way. Not only is an anime adaptation premiering later this year, but Bandai Namco is getting ready to release a full Sand Land video game, and IGN got a chance to play an exclusive preview for Fan Fest and found a delightful throwback to a bygone era of anime gaming, with extra enjoyment for longtime Toriyama fans. One aspect of Toriyama’s game that often goes unheralded...

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Level Zero: Extraction Hands-On Preview: Mixing Tarkov and Alien Isolation Beautifully

Level Zero: Extraction is no longer the game we first saw in 2022, but that's certainly not a bad thing. Previously announced as an asymmetric multiplayer survival horror game, developer DogHowl Games has given Level Zero a unique direction shift that blends those horror elements with an extraction shooter. Directly influenced by Escape from Tarkov and Alien: Isolation, it's an intriguing approach, and our exclusive hands-on preview suggests these changes are paying off. Extraction's premise would feel at home in a classic sci-fi horror film. An off-planet scientific expedition brought alien horrors back to Earth, and we went on a megacorp-backed scavenging hunt across an abandoned Antarctic base, one of two maps available at launch...

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Xbox Game Hi-Fi Rush Confirmed for PS5, Release Date Announced

Following on from today’s news that Pentiment and Grounded are coming to Nintendo Switch, Microsoft has announced that fellow Xbox game Hi-Fi Rush is coming to PlayStation 5. Confirmation comes from a video seemingly pushed early to Bethesda's LATAM YouTube channel. The video is now offline. Tango Gameworks’ music-based action game launched first on Xbox and PC, but arrives on PlayStation 5 on March 18 as part of Microsoft’s new multiplatform push, signaled by Xbox boss Phil Spencer last week during Microsoft's Xbox business update. There is no word on Hi-Fi Rush also coming to Nintendo Switch. IGN’s Hi-Fi Rush review returned a 9/10. “Hi-Fi Rush marches to the beat of its own drum with stunning animation, loveable characters, and...

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15 Hidden Details in the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Trailer

The long wait is finally over. We now have our first look at the upcoming DLC for Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree, and it’s looking absolutely massive. The three-minute long trailer is packed with terrifying bosses, dazzling magic, and a whole lot that needs unpacking. So let’s jump right into it. The Mystery of Miquella The biggest mystery posed by Elden Ring’s main campaign was what happened to Miquella, the twin brother of Malenia and a demigod cursed to be a child for eternity. In the main game, Miquella was found in Mohg’s palace, slumbering in a cocoon that was meant to turn him into an adult. During Mohg’s boss fight it’s implied that Miquella is dead, however, cut lore dialogue reveals that Miquella is just still asleep...

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EXCLUSIVE: Hidetaka Miyazaki Answers All of Our Shadow of the Erdtree Questions | IGN Fan Fest 2024

Bandai Namco surprised fans all over this morning with the trailer for the hotly-anticipated follow up DLC for Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree. I was fortunate to not only catch an early glimpse of the trailer, which also confirmed the DLC's release date for June 21, but also to sit down and talk with the man himself, Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki. Over the course of the interview we discuss the details of Shadow of the Erdtree, some of Elden Ring's bolder choices, his thoughts on potentially taking a step back from the director role in the future, and the state of the industry and how it relates to FromSoftware. Read on for the full interview below, and make sure to check down our complete breakdown of the Shadow of the...

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Hidetaka Miyazaki Leaves Door Open for Elden Ring 2 | IGN Fan Fest 2024

Will FromSoftware release Elden Ring 2 or more DLC for Elden Ring following the release of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in June? In an exclusive interview with IGN, chief developer Hidetaka Miyazaki said both are possible, although he stopped short of making an announcement. IGN asked Miyazaki: Do you envision [Shadow of the Erdtree] as the end of Elden Ring's story or is there room for either more DLC or in Elden Ring 2 down the line? And here’s Miyazaki’s response: “We don't want to say this is the end of the Elden Ring saga for now. I think we said a similar thing at the end of Dark Souls 3. We didn't want to flatten those possibilities or put a pin in them just at that time. And it's a similar story with Elden Ring. We don't...

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Fortnite Festival Season 2 Adds Lady Gaga — Here’s What to Expect

Epic Games has detailed the collaboration between Lady Gaga and Fortnite Festival, which arrives as part of Season 2 on February 22. Lady Gaga headlines Fortnite Festival Season 2: Unlock Your Talent. A selection of her songs arrive in Fortnite Festival as playable Jam Tracks, all available to perform on a Chromatica-inspired stage. Here’s the list of Lady Gaga songs in Fortnite Festival: Lady Gaga - Applause Lady Gaga - Bloody Mary Lady Gaga - Born This Way Lady Gaga - The Edge of Glory Lady Gaga ft. Colby O'Donis - Just Dance Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande - Rain On Me Lady Gaga - Stupid Love Lady Gaga - Poker Face Running through April 22, Season 2 players can progress in either the free reward track or the Premium Reward Track...

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Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Release Date and Gameplay Trailer Revealed | IGN Fan Fest 2024

Nearly two years to the day after Elden Ring's original launch, FromSoftware's Elden Ring DLC finally has a release date. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will release June 21 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC, meaning that FromSoftware fans are in for a busy summer. The news coincided with the release of a brand-new Shadow of the Ertree trailer, which includes glimpses of a host of new bosses, powers, and more. It opens with the familiar image of Miquella's bloody arm hanging out from the cocoon in the arena where you fought Mohg in the base game, then goes on to show shots of the countryside, numerous battles, and a mysterious new villain named Mesmer. No doubt fans will have plenty of theories after watching the...

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Nintendo Direct February 2024: Everything Announced

After weeks of rumors and speculation, Nintendo's latest Direct focuses on its publishing and development partners. All the games presented in the showcase today are coming in the first half of 2024. The showcase is already up in its entirety on YouTube. But if you have not had a chance to watch it, we have compiled a roundup of every single game announced during this partner showcase. Read on to learn more about what was announced in the most recent Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase. Obsidian's Grounded and Pentiment are the First Xbox Games Coming to Nintendo Switch After it was revealed late last week that Xbox was planning to release four of its previously first-party games onto other platforms, today's Nintendo Direct revealed...

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Monster Hunter Stories Remaster Coming to Nintendo Switch

Former 3DS exclusive Monster Hunter Stories is coming to Nintendo Switch in the summer of 2024. Announced during the Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase on February 21, the remaster of Monster Hunter Stories arrives with full voice acting for the first and HD visuals. An in-game museum has also been added for players to peruse artwork and listen to the game's soundtrack. Players in the west will also be able to enjoy new content previously only available in the Japanese version of the 3DS game for the first time. "Become a Monster Rider and befriend countless monsters from the Monster Hunter series in this enhanced version of the original role playing game epic," the announcement reads. Developing... Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN...

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Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection Coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC

Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection is coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, and PC via Steam on March 14 as a bundle of the two original games with new maps, characters, and more. Announced in the Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase on February 21 and a subsequent trailer from publisher Aspyr, the new characters will include Kit Fisto while Jabba's Palace joins as one of the new maps. A new mode called Hero Assault is also new, letting players take on the roles of Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and more on maps such as Death Star and Naboo. "Fight in iconic battles from across the Star Wars galaxy in this collection of two classic games," the announcement said. "Up to 64 players can strike back against familiar...

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Xbox Games Pentiment and Grounded Confirmed for Nintendo Switch

Xbox games Pentiment and Grounded are confirmed as coming to Nintendo Switch. Both Obsidian-developed games launched first on Xbox and PC, but arrive on Nintendo Switch as part of Microsoft’s new multiplatform push, signaled by Xbox boss Phil Spencer last week during Microsoft's Xbox business update. As revealed in today's Nintendo Direct, narrative adventure Pentiment launches on Nintendo Switch tomorrow, February 22, while bug-tastic survival game Grounded launches April 16. IGN's Pentiment review returned a coveted 10/10. "Pentiment is a clever Late Medieval detective story with a gorgeously-realized world that I can hardly recommend highly enough," we said. IGN's Grounded review scored the game 9/10: "Grounded is a fantastic...

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Dying Light 2 Is Finally Getting Guns

Techland has detailed the Firearms Update for Dying Light 2 as well as the new Reloaded Edition, both due out February 22. Two years after the zombie kill ‘em-up came out, Techland is releasing a Reloaded Edition designed to refresh the game and encourage new players to get stuck in. It includes all previous updates along with the Firearms Update, as well as the Bloody Ties DLC. Current owners of the Standard Edition get upgraded for free, Techland said. The Firearms Update includes a number of changes, none as meaningful as the ability to shoot the enemies with guns. While the addition of guns obviously changes things up for the previously melee-focused action game, Techland told fans the essence of Dying Light 2 remains. “It is...

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Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis Director Doesn't Think Using Nazis Over and Over Is a Good Idea

The director of much-loved 1992 point-and-click adventure game Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis doesn't think using Nazis over and over again is a good idea. Speaking to Time Extension, Hal Barwood said using Nazis in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was a "tremendous mistake" but didn't comment on their appearance in upcoming video game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. "I think as the Jones universe became formulaic to the people who were involved with it in film especially," Barwood said, "but also in games, they just thought that Nazis were an inherent part of that world. I didn’t think so at all. "I just think it was a tremendous mistake to have Nazis in Dial of Destiny and I just thought that resurrecting and...

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Final Fantasy 7 Spoiler Debate Sparks Again Ahead of Rebirth

Spoiler Warning: The following article features major spoilers for Final Fantasy 7 and potentially for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, which likely recreates several aspects of the original. Final Fantasy 7 features one of the most iconic video game moments of all time, a moment set to be remade in some form in the upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Fans are once again debating the discussion of spoilers around this moment as Rebirth's January 29 release date looms, prompted by the New York Times after it featured the spoiler on its homepage and sent it to users via a push notification. Here's a final spoiler warning if you don't want to know anything about Final Fantasy 7 or potentially its second remake in Rebirth. Aeirth is killed by...

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Tales of Arise Sells 3 Million Units

Fantasy role playing game Tales of Arise has sold three million copies ahead of arriving on the PlayStation Plus Games Catalog and Xbox Game Pass. Publisher Bandai Namco announced the milestone on X/Twitter, sharing new artwork for the game in celebration. "Over three million of you have shown your support for Tales of Arise," it said. "Thank you for heling to keep the flame alive." Tales of Arise launched in September 2021, meaning it's sold three million copies in two years and five months. The number of players is likely on the verge of another rise, however, as Tales of Arise launched on both PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium and Xbox Game Pass on February 20. Tales of Arise is the latest entry in the beloved RPG franchise...

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Borderlands 4 Teased By Gearbox Founder Randy Pitchford

We may or may not have just gotten confirmation that Borderlands 4 is on its way. No seriously, you decide. In an interview with IGN to talk about the upcoming Borderlands movie, Gearbox founder Randy Pitchford dropped a major hint about a new project he considers to be Gearbox's best game to date. He made sure to dance around the game's title, but for context, I had just asked him his personal favorite entry from the Borderlands series. "Look, we haven't even announced anything of it," Pitchford said. "Clearly, we're working on something. And I know what we're working on, and holy shit... It's the greatest thing we've ever done. And I can't wait, but it's not time yet. It's not time yet. There will be a time." As for when we'll...

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Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Suggests New Call of Duty Games Will Hit Game Pass Day One

Will this year’s Call of Duty launch day one on Game Pass? Xbox boss Phil Spencer has suggested it will. Speaking to Game File, Spencer said Microsoft plans for all Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax (Bethesda, MachineGames, iD Software, etc), and Xbox Game Studios games to launch on Game Pass “day one”. That means the games launch straight into the Xbox subscription service the same day they go on general sale. “Our intent is the full portfolio of games from ZeniMax, Activision Blizzard and XGS — Xbox Game Studios — will be on Game Pass, day one,” Spencer said. Microsoft has already announced the upcoming launch of Blizzard’s Diablo 4 into Game Pass, and there is a clear intent to get the Call of Duty back catalog into the library. But...

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Elden Ring DLC Gameplay Reveal Trailer Confirmed for Wednesday

Our first look at Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will arrive in the form of a trailer tomorrow morning, FromSoftware and Bandai Namco have announced. The game’s official X/Twitter account revealed the news in a social media post, promising to deliver a first look at the long-awaited DLC at 7 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. EST. The developers have not said what exactly it'll show, but the video’s description at least promises a three-minute trailer. Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC was announced around one year ago, promising to add on to FromSoftware’s already gigantic action RPG world. The only official information we’ve received since then, however, is a look at some appropriately foreboding concept art. The Dark Souls developer...

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