Gaming News

Starfield Update 1.7.36 Out Now — Here’s What It Does

Bethesda has released a fresh update for Starfield, which brings the game up to version 1.7.36. It's the third update since Starfield came out at the beginning of September. The update includes changes to Settings that allow for players to adjust their FOV (field of view) as well as some other performance and stability improvements. There’s not much else to the update, which makes modest changes to the space role-playing game. Here are the Starfield update 1.7.36 patch notes in full: GENERAL FOV: Sliders are now available in Settings that allow players using first person or third person to adjust their FOV. PERFORMANCE AND STABILITY [PC ONLY] Improved stability for Intel Arc GPUs. Various additional stability and performance...

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New Report Makes Disturbing Allegations Against the Lord of the Rings: Gollum Developer

A fresh report on The Lord of the Rings: Gollum developer Daedalic Entertainment has made a number of disturbing allegations about the company, including reportedly enforcing uncompensated overtime, allegedly trying to pay staff below minimum wage, and a toxic work environment cultivated by an alleged abusive leadership. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is one of the biggest video game flops of 2023. IGN’s review, which returned a 4/10, said it was “filled with dull stealth, bad platforming, and a pointless story, and does little to justify why anyone should take the time to play it”. Following its disastrous release, during which it was panned by critics and players and met with low sales, Daedalic Entertainment shut down its internal...

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Genius Baldur’s Gate 3 Player Uses Sheep Magic to Recruit the Evil Minthara During Good Playthrough

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game jam-packed with consequences. Make this decision here, expect to see its effect there. It had been thought that recruiting one particularly evil character during the first act of the game was incompatible with a good playthrough, but one genius player came up with a workaround — using sheep magic. Baldur’s Gate 3 spoilers are ahead. Will you press on, desperate for knowledge, or turn back, safe from the horror that awaits? [Spoken in the voice of the Narrator, for emphasis]. Let’s start with some background. Minthara is a ruthless Drow encountered in Act 1 and found in the Shattered Sanctum, inside the Goblin Camp. She’s one of three Goblin leaders, and is desperate to assault the nearby druid Grove, which...

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PS Plus Extra October Games Leaked

Reliable PlayStation Plus leaker billbil-kun has revealed the next batch of games coming to the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium game catalogue in October. This partial leak reveals eight of the games set to join PS Plus Extra on October 17. They are: Gotham Knights The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes Disco Elysium The Final Cut Far: Changing Tides Gungrave G.O.R.E Elite Dangerous Dead Island Definitive Edition Alien Isolation Disco Elysium The Final Cut launched last year, and saw a 10/10 review score from IGN. “The Final Cut elevates Disco Elysium from an already phenomenal RPG to a true must-play masterpiece,” we said. IGN’s Gotham Knights review returned a 5/10. “Gotham Knights is a co-op-centric caped adventure...

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Mass Layoffs at Cyberpunk 2077 Developer CD Projekt Prompt New Union Formation

A new Polish game developer union has formed following three rounds of layoffs at The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 studio CD Projekt. Polish Gamedev Workers Union was founded by current CD Projekt staff, gameplay QA analyst Paweł Myszka and gameplay programmer Lev Ki, aiming to represent all those working in game development in Poland. They said they started talking about unionising after the 2023 wave of layoffs that saw nine percent of CD Projekt Red staff (roughly 100 people) let go. “This event created a tremendous amount of stress and insecurity, affecting our mental health and leading to the creation of this union in response,” Polish Gamedev Workers Union said. “Having a union means having more security, transparency, better...

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Call of Duty Fans Are Already Worried About Cheating in the Modern Warfare 3 Beta

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 held a PlayStation-exclusive beta over the weekend, and already fans are worried about cheaters. Twitter user @Duqysss posted a number of clips, below, showing apparent wall hacks and aim bots at play in the PlayStation 5 version of Modern Warfare 3. The videos are damning, showing clear cheating. What is unclear is the extent to which cheating went on over the weekend, or the nature of the cheating itself. However, Duqysss’ videos were widely shared yesterday across social media, within Call of Duty Discords and on subreddits, sparking concern from players about the future of competitive play in Modern Warfare 3. Call of Duty has had a rough time from hackers and cheaters in recent years, with some...

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Meet the Starfield Player Who Surveyed All 1,000 Planets

Ahead of the launch of Starfield, Bethesda chief Todd Howard said there were over 1,000 planets to explore in the science fiction role-playing game. "From barren but resource-heavy ice balls, to Goldilocks planets with life,” Howard said during the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase in June. “And not just this system, but over 100 systems — over 1,000 planets, all open for you to explore." It was a number that would go on to dominate pre-release discussion around Starfield. How could any game have so many planets for the player to fully explore? How could such a thing be fun? Bethesda's answer came in the form of procedural generation. Not all 1,000 planets would be hand-crafted by developers at Bethesda. A small portion would be. In...

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Assassin’s Creed Mirage Interactive Map and Collectible Locations

Despite offering a more condensed experience, Assassin’s Creed Mirage’s vast and vibrant city of Baghdad is teeming with things to find and explore. Quests and Contracts, Gear Chests, Enigmas, Historical Sites, and even Mysterious Shards are just some of the many things scattered across the city to uncover. That said, not all of these activities and collectibles are marked on your world map, which makes tracking them down much more difficult. Thankfully, IGN's Assassin’s Creed Mirage Interactive Map makes things easier, as our map has all essential map points plotted to help guide you through your journey across Baghdad. See the full Assassin’s Creed Mirage Interactive Map for all locations and collectibles. Assassin’s Creed...

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The Best Word Puzzle Games to Play in 2023

From Scrabble to Wordle, word puzzle games have been a favorite amongst gamers around the world forever for their mind training capabilities and the sense of pure elation when you nail your lexicon mastery. Whether you simply love a good brain teaser, or enjoy adding new words to your vocabulary, these are some of the best word puzzle games we could find in 2023! All 10 of the games on this list are available on your mobile device or via a web browser, you should be able to play them on the go or at home. Wordle It goes without saying that the most viral word game of them all debuts this list: Wordle. With a new word for you to guess each and every day, you’ll always be exposed to a new challenge whenever you play and you can then...

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10 Games Like Minecraft Worth Playing in 2023

Minecraft is a worldwide phenomenon that most gamers around the world have tried at least once, but what if it didn’t quite click with you? Or what if you can’t get enough Minecraft and are looking for something in a similar vein? Never fear, as we’ve collated some of the best games similar to Minecraft that you can play right now! All 10 of these games like Minecraft have some sort of element that relates directly to Minecraft gameplay. Whether you're looking to build worlds and survive or just enjoy a relaxing crafting experience, there's something here for everyone. Roblox Roblox is an incredibly popular game platform and game creation system, and whilst it doesn’t have the standard crafting and survival experience of Minecraft...

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Lies of P DLC Seemingly Confirmed

It sounds like the Bloodborne-like, dark Pinocchio fantasy Lies of P might have DLC on the horizon, according to a recent job posting. X (formerly Twitter) user Okami Games first pointed out the listing earlier today, which is from a post on the company's official job board. The post itself is in Korean, but IGN has confirmed that the listing is for a quest planner role for a Lies of P DLC, with one of the bullet points on the listing directly stating that the DLC is in development. IGN has reached out to Neowiz for comment on the listing. While it's not immediately obvious from the listing what such DLC might entail, there's one major theory fans have based off the game's post credits scene. We're about to discuss it below, so if...

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A Bakery Has Made an Incredible, Terrifying The Last of Us Clicker Out of Bread

A California bakery has crafted an astonishingly lifelike, spine-tingling Clicker sculpture made entirely out of bread. Spotted first by Eater San Francisco, One House Bakery in Benicia has crafted a bread sculpture of a Clicker, one of the infected enemies found in Naughty Dog's hit franchise The Last of Us. It was created by Catherine and Hannalee Pervan, the mother-daughter duo that also co-owns the bakery. The detail is astounding, as seen in the images below. If you are unfamiliar with the Clicker enemy, it represents one of the stages of a cordyceps infection in The Last of Us. A Clicker reaches a prolonged exposure to the cordyceps infection; it loses its sight, gains enhanced hearing, and makes a rapid croaking and clicking...

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Remedy Opens Up About Challenges Developing Alan Wake 2 for Xbox Series S

Earlier this month, developer Remedy confirmed the Xbox Series S version of the hotly anticipated Alan Wake 2 lacks the 60 frames per second performance mode the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 versions launch with later in October. The news was the latest in a string of rough headlines for Microsoft’s cheaper console, which is at the heart of split-screen issues that have held up the Xbox launch of smash hit Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game Baldur’s Gate 3. Xbox boss Phil Spencer has insisted games launch across the more powerful Xbox Series X and the less powerful but cheaper Xbox Series S, both of which are approaching their third year on sale. But the underpowered Xbox Series S represents an intensifying headache for...

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What Spider Man: Miles Morales Gets Right About Cultura and the Authentic Puerto Rican Experience

Spider-Man: Miles Morales opens with a smooth rumble of the Dual Sense controller and into 125th Street subway station, Harlem. The follow-up to 2018’s Spider-Man, knows exactly where it needs to place Miles to set the stage for a world that celebrates its title character’s culture. As Miles sets foot into the neighborhood he will soon fight to protect, we immediately see what sets this Spider-Man apart. Effectively known as the “Main Street” of Harlem, this neighborhood is known as a center of commerce, brimming with cultural significance. It’s where we first see Miles Morales take center stage. We’re greeted with the ice and snow-packed streets of New York at Christmas, and a thumping beat that Miles bops his head to. There is a sense...

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Redfall's Latest Update Finally Adds 60FPS Mode on Consoles

When Redfall launched earlier this year, one of the most highly requested features was adding an option to play the Xbox Series X/S version at 60 frames per second - and that request has finally been granted. In a new blog post, publisher Bethesda Softworks revealed all the new additions and changes introduced in Redfall's second game update. The most notable addition includes a Performance Mode on consoles, allowing both Xbox Series X/S owners to play the game at a higher frame rate. The addition is much needed following a dwindling player count in recent months and controversy ahead of release that the console versions would be locked at 30 FPS. Redfall's second major update also introduces improved performance and stability across...

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Over 100 Developers of Just Cause, Contraband at Avalanche Studios Have Unionized

Over 100 developers at Avalanche Studios Group, the studio behind the Just Cause franchise and upcoming Xbox-exclusive Contraband, have joined Swedish trade union Unionen. And now, they are bargaining with Avalanche management over their contract. IGN confirmed the news today with an Avalanche Studios union representative, as well as a representative of Unionen and Avalanche PR. Of roughly 500 employees at Avalanche, over 100 of them are members of Unionen. Earlier this year, these members formed a "club," or local union board, in order to bargain directly with Avalanche management over specific benefits. Negotiations began last week and are ongoing, and additionally include employees who are members of a different union, Sveriges...

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Assassin’s Creed Mirage Looks Backwards When It Should Leap Forward

A hidden blade in the crowd was, from the very start, the core fantasy of Assassin’s Creed. Across 16 years of iteration and innovation it has remained the series’ soul. Despite the focus drifting into an action-oriented design, a silent kill using that iconic retractable wrist blade has always been its crown jewel. Even Valhalla’s Eivor, a viking warrior, uses the hidden blade. But it’s no secret that stealth in Assassin’s Creed is not what it used to be, and that’s what made Mirage such an enticing prospect: a chance to get back to what Assassin’s Creed was made for. Mirage did just that. But it perhaps took the mission brief a little too literally. Rather than embrace modern stealth design and make a sneaky Assassin’s Creed for the...

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Metal Gear Solid Voice Actress Jennifer Hale Says She Was Paid $1,200 For Naomi Hunter Role

Metal Gear Solid voice actress Jennifer Hale has said she was paid $1,200 for her role as Naomi Hunter in the original 1998 game. As spotted by Genki on Twitter, the voice actress confirmed the amount on the My Perfect Console podcast while sharing her desire for video game voice actors to earn residuals. Hale was recorded as saying in a 2011 New Yorker article that Metal Gear Solid made $270 million, though said on the My Perfect Console podcast (released October 3, 2023): "the figure I heard actually was $176 million." While the exact profit is unclear, the original Metal Gear Solid sold more than seven million copies and is considered a monumental success that spawned a franchise still going strong 25 years later. Hale's...

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The NVC Crew's Must-Play Nintendo Switch Games You Might Have Missed

The Nintendo Switch will be an astounding seven years old in March, which is kind of hard to believe. Its longevity and its popularity means it has one of the best, if not the best, libraries of games in history. With so many incredible games to choose from, we turned to the members of the NVC cast, past and present, to come up with Switch hidden gem recommendations. There's almost certainly something in this article you'll love. Logan Plant Game List The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker The Touryst Paper Mario: The Origami King Mario Tennis Aces Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido Everyone knows the name Phoenix Wright, but for some reason no one seems to pay attention to the other entries in the Ace...

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CD Projekt Spent Roughly $125 Million Turning Cyberpunk 2077 Around Post-Launch

CD Projekt spent $125 million on Cyberpunk 2077 post-launch, repairing the game's reputation with the Edgerunners and Update 2.0 patches alongside the well-received Phantom Liberty expansion. CD Projekt announced on October 5 that the expansion starring Idris Elba cost a hefty 275 million Polish Zloty (around $62.7 million) to develop and approximately 95 million Polish Zloty (around $21.6 million) to market. Chief financial officer Piotr Nielubowicz also said during the CD Projekt Investor Day presentation that bringing Cyberpunk up to next-gen console standards, presumably including the game-changing Update 2.0, cost 178 million Polish Zloty (around $40.9 million). The three figures together, combining the cost of Phantom Liberty...

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Stardew Valley Developer Concerned Ape Reveals Four New Haunted Chocolatier Screenshots

Stardew Valley developer Eric 'Concerned Ape' Barone has celebrated reaching one million followers on social media website X by releasing four new screens for his upcoming game the Haunted Chocolatier. The new stills show off Barone’s distinctive pixel art style while highlighting a series of in-game environments, including a wooded area in which a familiar red-coated character can be seen firing an arrow at a monster, and a quirky saloon/homely interior. We also got a look at a library hosting a spooky skeleton and four books that positively reek of mystery, as well as a closer view of the town square glimpsed in the October 2021 reveal trailer, which features an ornate mermaid fountain. “Loving the style,” wrote Redditer darkest4...

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Tim Sweeney Admits Epic Games Had 'Financial Problem' 10 Weeks Prior to Studio Layoffs

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has admitted the company was grappling with a "financial problem" 10 weeks before announcing sweeping layoffs, in an unexpected admission during Unreal Fest earlier this week. In a post on the social media platform X (spotted by Polygon), user @ImmatureGamerX uploaded a video recorded during one of the sessions available on the first day of the annual conference focused on Unreal Engine. However, this session is not included in the live streams available to the public. Sweeney elaborated more on Epic's financial woes that led to the company laying off 830 employees late last month. Sweeney explained that management became aware of how dire their financial difficulties were just 10 weeks before the...

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Baldur’s Gate 3 Hotfix 9 Out Now — Here’s What it Does

The Baldur’s Gate 3 hotfixes are coming thick and fast. After Hotfix 8, which shaved His Majesty after a cat backlash from fans, came out earlier this week, Larian has now released Hotfix 9, which brings the sprawling Dungeons & Dragons-themed role-playing game up to version number 4.1.1.3767641. Hotfix 9 squishes multiple bugs, issues and crashes, Larian said, as well as lets players change the appearance of their hirelings via the Magic Mirror. “The same restrictions apply as when you edit your Tav, but we hope this enables you to create the party of your dreams,” Larian explained in a post on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Steam page. “Or, someone else’s nightmares. We can’t wait to see it.” Hirelings are characters you can hire to join...

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Stardew Valley Creator Reveals 'Hats on Cats (and Dogs)' Feature Seemingly Coming in 1.6 Update

Stardew Valley creator Eric ‘Concerned Ape’ Barone has teased an adorable new feature that may be coming to the farming RPG as part of the highly anticipated 1.6 update, which will seemingly allow players to put hats on their beloved in-game pets. “Hats on cats (and dogs)”, read the post on X from Barone, who shared four images of pixel pets wearing headware ranging from bows to forager hats, and the iconic fashion hat. The idea that Stardew Valley’s pets will soon be given the behatted dignity they deserve without having to resort to mods left many in the community overjoyed, while others took the opportunity to pine for other features to be added to the game. Some fans were curious as to whether the new feature is to be...

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This May Be the Last PlayStation-Exclusive Content Call of Duty Ever Gets

Activision has unveiled PlayStation-exclusive content coming to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 — potentially the last PlayStation-exclusive content Call of Duty will ever get. Modern Warfare 3 is set for an exclusive operator called Lockpick, who comes with a variety of related items. PlayStation owners who pre-order Modern Warfare 3 get the bundle, which includes a unique knife and SMG, at launch in November. Promotional material confirms this content is exclusive to PlayStation platforms for a year, until November 9, 2024. Microsoft’s long-running pursuit of Activision Blizzard reportedly ends next week with the imminent completion of its $69 billion buyout of the company behind Call of Duty. While Microsoft has secured an...

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Redfall 60fps Patch Still MIA Amid Dwindling Player Count

With a dwindling player count, a promised 60fps patch still not out, and months of silence from its developer, Redfall may be on its last legs. Arkane’s Redfall suffered a disastrous release in May, one that went so badly Xbox boss Phil Spencer personally apologised for it. IGN’s review returned a 4/10. “Redfall is a bafflingly bad time across the board,” we said. “Plagued with bland missions, boneheaded enemies, and repeated technical problems, Redfall simply wasn’t ready for daylight in this state.” Microsoft was also heavily criticised for showing its PC and Xbox exclusive running at 60fps ahead of launch and, less than a month before the game came out, announcing the co-op vampire shooter would arrive locked at 30fps on Xbox...

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Assassin's Creed Mirage Players Frustrated With Chromatic Aberration That Can't Be Turned Off

Some Assassin's Creed Mirage players are frustrated with a graphical effect called chromatic aberration that can't be turned off. Chromatic aberration is a graphical effect implemented to simulate lens distortion to make gameplay appear as if filmed with a real camera and therefore more cinematic. In actual gameplay, it makes the outlines of objects blurred or sometimes shine with bright colours. While this is an effect implemented across many games, some Assassin's Creed Mirage players are calling its use here the worst they've ever seen, with others claiming it's making them unwell and stopping play altogether. Ubisoft failed to include an option to turn chromatic aberration off within Assassin's Creed Mirage. "It's pretty much...

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IGN UK Podcast 717: Spice Up Your Life

Cardy, Matt, and Dale are ready to step back in time with Assassin's Creed Mirage. After discussing Ubisoft's latest stealth action-adventure their attention then turns to Gen V – The Boys spin-off TV show which is a bloody good time. Want something a bit more cerebral? Maybe we could interest you in Cocoon, a new Game Pass puzzler. There's also time left for a quick chat about a couple of films – horror/home invasion No One Will Save You and Wes Anderson's The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. Have any thoughts about The Endless Search theme? Got any good demo disc stories? Get in touch at ign_ukfeedback@ign.com IGN UK Podcast 717: Spice Up Your Life IGN UK Podcast 716: Hate the Endless Search Theme? Let's Go Our Separate Ways IGN...

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Grab Ghostwire Tokyo for Free, Cheapest AC Mirage and FC24 Copies, plus More!

Thank your own personal deity—possibly the Kuchisake—it's Friday! Today, we're going to round out the school holidays with some pretty sweet opportunities. The big one is the chance to add Ghostwire: Tokyo to your pile of shame for nothing (free sign up required). I've also scoured the online stores for the best prices on the hottest Q4 prospects, not to mention some old gold that's going for dirt cheap! This Day in Gaming Aussie birthdays for notable games and hardware - International Superstar Soccer 2000 (N64) 2000. - Space Channel 5 (DC) 2000. - Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (DS) 2005. - Kirby: Canvas Curse (DS) 2005. - Dark Souls (PS4,X360 2011. Table of Contents Nintendo Switch PC Xbox PlayStation Nice Savings for...

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Telltale Games Has Allegedly Laid Off 'Most of' Its Workers

Narrative adventure developer Telltale Games, the studio currently working on The Wolf Among Us 2 and which just released The Expanse: A Telltale Series, has undergone layoffs which one former employee says impacted "most of" the studio. The news first circulated via a post on X (formerly Twitter) by former Telltale cinematic artist Jonah Huang, who said that these layoffs took place in early September: Telltale has confirmed that it has undergone layoffs in a statement sent to IGN, but did not confirm the number or extent. Its statement is as follows: Notably, Huang was part of the first iteration of Telltale Games as well, which similarly underwent significant layoffs before closing entirely in 2019. The shutdown was attributed...

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