Gaming News

EA Closing Servers for Crysis 3, Dead Space 2, and Dante's Inferno

EA has announced the next wave of games set to lose their servers. As noted on EA's Online Services Shutdown support page (spotted by PureXbox), the publisher plans to close the servers for Crysis 3, Dante's Inferno, and Dead Space 2 before the year's end. Crysis 3 will shut down its servers on September 7, while Dante's Inferno and Dead Space 2's servers close on December 8. EA released a remaster of Crysis 3 back in 2021, along with Crysis and Crysis 2. Unfortunately, each game in the Crysis remastered trilogy is single-player only with no online multiplayer component. Though Crytek did announce back in 2022 that it was working on Crysis 4, news on the next installment in this otherwise dormant franchise has been seldom. These are...

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Trailer Reveals Makarov, Snippets of In-Game Footage

A Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 trailer has revealed series antagonist Vladimir Makarov and snippets of in-game footage. Narrated by Captain Price, the Makarov reveal trailer (below) combines live-action footage of Makarov as he gets a new tattoo with brief moments of in-game footage. We spotted what looks like a swimming section set under ice, with an explosion causing a vehicle to submerge and its inhabitants prone for a trademark Call of Duty neck stab. Perhaps this hints at new underwater gameplay in which you can set charges that blow up ice underneath enemies. Subsequent gameplay shows a level set at night in the pouring rain, with a team of soldiers seemingly preparing to infiltrate a stone fortress of some kind. We’re then...

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Baldur’s Gate 3 Reignites Age-Old Save Scumming Debate

After Baldur’s Gate 3’s explosive launch on Steam, millions of people are exploring its hardcore role-playing trappings with a single finger poised over one button on their keyboard: F5. F5 triggers a quicksave without having to go through the laborious process of opening the main menu and manually saving. Many games have a quick save option, of course, but for Baldur’s Gate 3 it’s crucial, because this is a game seemingly built for save scumming. Save scumming, for the uninitiated, is the act of saving before key decisions, or expected key decisions, so that you can reload if you end up with an undesirably outcome. Baldur’s Gate 3’s chaotic freedom and sometimes random, brutal difficulty are such that undesirable outcomes are part...

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Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical Review

We’ve seen some unusual genre combinations, but Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical immediately caught my eye for being a supernatural murder mystery visual novel musical; as far as I can tell it’s a one-of-a-kind video game, but an idea that we can only hope will become more common because of how boldly bonkers it is. There’s a magical moment when characters – both mortals and the gods of Greek myth – burst into song and you can choose your response, which impacts how your character feels, affects how other people respond, and even changes the lyrics of the tune you’re helping create. Musical battles evolve to a whole new level when you can decide who sings and how they’re expressing their emotions. Inevitably, the initial thrill of...

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Street Fighter 6 Fans Hit Out at $15 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles DLC Costumes

Capcom has come under fire for the high cost of Street Fighter 6’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles DLC. Each DLC costume costs 750 Fighter Coins, or roughly $15. As is the video game premium currency way, you can’t buy 750 Fighter Coins exactly. You need to buy 610 for $12, then an extra 250 for $5. If you want all four costumes (Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo), you’ll need 3,000 Fighter Coins. The cheapest way to buy that amount is to fork out $50 for 2,750 and $5 for 250. Or, you can grind for Fighter Coins just by playing, but it will take you weeks, perhaps even months, to earn enough for these costumes. It’s worth noting these Turtles costumes are just that. They are not new playable characters but avatar costumes...

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Pokémon Scarlet, Violet and Shining Pearl for Under $50 Apiece, a Cheap X/S Controller, and More!

While EVO 2023 may be done and dusted, your cheap fisticuffs opportunities are many. Case in point: Humble has a Brawl Til You Fall sale that has fist-violence (and fist-violence-adjacent) games discounted. Speaking of punching on, I should also like to steer you to the thwack-tastic Batman Arkahm Trilogy on Switch. Helluva series. And I love me a good typo. In historical news, it's the 21st birthday of Quake III: Gold, a ludicrously popular compilation of Quake III Arena and the Team Arena expansion. The glory of it lives on (freely) in OpenArena. This Day in Gaming Aussie birthdays for notable games and hardware - Yakuza 3 (PS4) 2018. Remaster - Quake III: Gold (PC) 2002. Table of Contents Nintendo Switch PC Xbox PlayStation...

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Baldur's Gate 3 Fans Are Convinced They Can 'Fix' Shadowheart

Since Baldur's Gate 3 launched last week, we've heard a lot about how wildly horny it lets players be. And in pursuit of steamy encounters, it turns out that many players are willing to overlook some pretty significant character flaws. This has resulted in a lot of the community uttering variations on "I can fix them" for characters like Shadowheart, Astarion, and one other spoilery party member. Warning: Below are very light spoilers for the early plots of Shadowheart and Astarion. Read on at your own risk. While all the origin characters have their, well, issues, Shadowheart and Astarion are becoming especially known in the community for being "problematic faves" of sorts. In Shadowheart's case, she has some pretty strong feelings...

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Valve is Now Selling Refurbished Steam Decks

If you are looking to buy a Steam Deck but aren't a fan of the starting retail prices, a refurbished one might be a good option. In a blog post today, Valve announced that it is now selling "certified refurbished" portable handheld gaming PC units. Buying a refurbished unit can save you up to $130, and Valve says that the units it's selling are going through it's certified testing process. 64 GB model – $319 (was $399) 256 GB model – $419 (was $529) 512 GB model – $519 (was $649) Valve also confirmed in a post on X that GameStop will also begin selling refurbished Steam Decks in select locations starting today. Now as you'd expect with any refurbished product, you might see some "minor cosmetic blemishes or scratches. But Valve...

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Take-Two CEO Says Next-Gen Backward Compatibility Is a 'Benefit' but Not a 'Must-Have'

With recent rumors swirling around the potential for a successor to the Nintendo Switch, many fans and developers have been concerned about a possible lack of backward compatibility for such a console. And while the verdict hasn't quite been delivered on whether or not a "Switch 2" would have the feature, one major publisher doesn't seem too concerned about the prospect: Take-Two Interactive. Speaking to IGN ahead of the company's Q1 earnings announcement, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick stated that he felt backwards compatibility was "a benefit to consumers." However, he added that he'd "be surprised if platforms didn't offer that with an upgrade that is sort of mid-cycle, however I'm not certain it's a must-have." Zelnick's response...

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Baldur's Gate Update Brings Much-Needed Fixes for Genitals and Undies

Baldur's Gate 3 developer Larian Studios has detailed the second big post-launch update for the hit RPG. On Steam, Larian posted patch notes that include fixes for nearly 300 crashes, blockers, and bugs. Hilariously, a couple of the changes fix bugs with genitalia and undergarments in Baldur's Gate 3. Under the "Gameplay" section of the patch notes, the first two fixes read like this: Penises C and D no longer clip through some githyanki clothing. Male gnome sorcerers are no longer missing their undies. Larian promised that Baldur's Gate 3 would be "big-budget horny" in a way AAA games have never seen, but that doesn't mean we always needed to see gnome sorcerers going commando. Thankfully, that's been removed along with hundreds...

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Dead by Daylight x Alien Crossover Officially Revealed

After teasing it last week, Behaviour Interactive has officially announced that the sci-fi horror franchise Alien is the latest property to cross over with its asymmetrical horror game Dead by Daylight. Dead by Daylight: Alien will be available on all platforms starting August 29. And as you'd expect, the latest crossover will introduce the Xenomorph as a new killer while Ellen Ripley will be a new survivor added to with her memories being utilized to reconstruct the spaceship the Nostromo. Behaviour Interactive points out that the Xenomorph is "the embodiment of the stealth killer," noting it can strike survivors with its tail, and its power is called Runner Mode, which allows it to walk on four legs and become stealthier. Outside...

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Baldur's Gate 3 Interactive Map and Locations for Act 1

Baldur's Gate 3 is a game full of intricate detail. With so many dialogue options, characters, classes, and quests, everyone's experience is a little bit different. Discoveries are around every corner, and the only thing seemingly separating you from success or tragedy is a dice roll. That being said, it's a lot easier to somewhat plot your destiny when you know where you're going. IGN's Baldur's Gate 3 interactive map can help guide you on your quest through Act 1. See the full Baldur's Gate 3 Map for Act 1 locations We are working to update our Baldur's Gate 3 map with the location of every item, chest, enemies, NPC, and more throughout the prologue and Act 1. You can also check out our Baldur's Gate 3 walktrough for quests guides...

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Game Pass $1 Offer Now Only for 14 Days Instead of 1 Month

Microsoft recently changed its $1 Game Pass offer to last for 14 days instead of one month. The change comes ahead of the launch of Bethesda's Starfield, which releases day-and-date on Game Pass at the beginning of September. According to Xbox’s official Game Pass website, the terms for both Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass now say new customers can try out the service for 14 days at $1, and then pay the full monthly price afterward. Xbox Game Pass for Console doesn’t have a $1 trial period and only offers an $11 monthly subscription. Earlier this year, Microsoft confirmed it would put an end to the monthly $1 Xbox Game Pass Ultimate trial offer, but after raising the price of the subscription, the $1 trial returned...

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Flashback 2 Hands-On: Move Over, Monkey Island! Another 30+ Year-Old Game is Finally Getting a Sequel

I don’t know if there’s something in the water causing developers to dust off franchises that were around when I was still in diapers and start developing sequels, but if last year’s Return to Monkey Island is anything to go by, I’m thankful for whatever mysterious powers are at work. And just like Ron Gilbert’s return to the helm of his old brainchild, Paul Cuisset, creator of the original Flashback, has also come back to head up the upcoming sequel to a retro classic. From the hour-long section I was able to play, it’s shocking just how much Flashback 2 seems like it will stick to its roots. That comes with all the potential pros and cons you might imagine. If you never played 1992’s Flashback, or any of the re-releases or remasters...

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Fortnite’s Jujutsu Kaisen Event Tasks Players With Destroying Cursed Llamas

Fortnite has launched its Jujutsu Kaisen event, dubbed Break the Curse! The event, which runs August 25 at 2am Eastern / 7am UK, sees players complete quests to unlock cosmetics so they can dress up as a jujutsu sorcerer from the popular manga. The quest tasks players with destroying cursed llamas roaming the island to learn the Straw Doll Technique and Hollow Technique: Purple! From there, you complete the Break the Curse! Quests, which start at the Grade 4 level of Jujutsu High standards and progress up to the Special Grade level, to earn Cursed Energy and unlock cosmetic rewards in the free reward track, including the Shadow Play: Toad Emote. If you buy the premium reward track, you can get the Yuji Itadori Outfit. Meanwhile...

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Dirt Cheap Controllers, A Historical Low on Hogwarts Legacy PC, and More!

Welcome to another day of both savings and me anxiously looking for a Baldur's Gate III discount that simply doesn't exist. My apologies, friend. I report the bargains; I do not create the bargains. That being said, I honestly believe that some games forged by smaller outfits are so well done — hell, they deserve a full-price purchase. Purely as a "this is how you ought to be doing things" reminder to the bigger publishers. In historical news, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron jumped from PS3/X360 to PS4/XO seven years ago. Reportedly, Hasbro very much wants that hopscotch to continue to PS5/XSX. According to a recent Kotaku article (and subsequent Activision Twitter response), there's some confusion as to why this may not be. This...

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PSA: You Might Want to Turn Off This Sneaky Baldur's Gate 3 Feature

Recently while playing Baldur's Gate 3, I've noticed that sometimes after multiple very good or bad rolls in a row, my luck on the dice would suddenly seem to swing the other way. Was this randomness? Probably? But then a friend told me to turn off something called "Karmic Dice" in the game's menu, and everything suddenly made sense. If you're like me, you might want to turn this mysterious feature off entirely for a more authentic D&D experience. You'd be forgiven for not knowing what "Karmic Dice" was if you haven't been immersed in the game's early access. Basically, Karmic Dice is a sort of bad luck protection in Baldur's Gate 3. It's a setting that effectively manipulates dice rolls to prevent characters (both player-controlled...

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Dark and Darker Releases in Early Access on Steam Competitor Chaf Games

After being pulled on Steam earlier this year, Ironmace's PvPvE fantasy game Dark and Darker has been released in early access... but not on Steam. Its been released on Steam competitor indie gaming storefront Chaf Games, Ironmace announced on Discord today. It's also available for download on Dark and Darker's official website. In late March, Dark and Darker was pulled from Steam after the developer was served with a cease and desist and a DMCA takedown. Despite legal issues, Ironmace kept distributing Dark and Darker on Discord, with a playtest being held in April. Before the game's removal from Steam, it was reported that Korean officials searched Ironmace's offices on the suspicion that the developer might have possessed stolen...

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How 'Yeah, You Want Those Games, Right?' Briefly Became a Viral Sensation

There’s this mobile game ad I see all the time on social media. It shows a number of vials filled with differently colored liquid. The goal is to combine matching colors until all vials have one single, solid color contained in them. If you’ve never seen this before, one version of it looks like this: I love watching this ad – it’s extremely soothing. But if I look through a mobile storyfront to play the actual game it depicts, almost all the versions of that game are either so full of ads and microtransactions they’re agonizing to play, or they’re outright scams. And it’s not the only game like this. “Color Water Sort” (for lack of a better title) is part of a larger genre of mobile games with similar premises. It has catchy ads...

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Final Fantasy 16's Clive Voice Actor Wants to Play Legacy of Kain's Raziel Above All Else

Fans have long awaited the return of The Legacy of Kain, and one among them is the voice of Final Fantasy 16's Clive Rosfield, Ben Starr. This past Saturday, the actor attended SlayStation: The Crystal Ball in London, England, a recurring monthly performance of video game-inspired drag which themed its most recent show around the Final Fantasy series. The Clive actor took the stage for an interview with hosts Loose Willis and Miss Terry Box. Starr was asked which character from any other game series he’d most like to portray. He answered with a surprising deep-cut: Raziel from Soul Reaver, later confirming to IGN that should the role be available in a remake, remaster, or continuation of the series, that he’d love to be in the...

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Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Finally Has Its Release Date

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 finally has its release date: November 10, 2023. Confirmation comes from a teaser trailer, below, which includes snippets of dialogue from series star Captain Price and Shadow Company boss Phillip Graves, who said: "Never bury your enemies alive." Guess Graves survived the events of Modern Warfare 2 then! “The ultimate threat awaits,” reads the brief description of the teaser, below: There’s not much else to go on, but we do know Modern Warfare 3 sees the return of proper slide cancelling after a not so subtle tease sent to Call of Duty influencers. A number of leaks have already revealed weapons and even key art, the latter of which is now confirmed by today’s teaser. A Modern Warfare 3 event is...

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Devolver Delayed: Everything Announced

Game delays are common within in the industry. But what is uncommon is holding a digital showcase that celebrates a game delay. Developer Digital has done just that, with a less-than-three-minute showcase of all the games it is publishing that won't hit a 2023 release date but will release in 2024 (as well as a few still set for this year). Here's everything shown at Devolver Delayed. The Plucky Squire The Plucky Squire is a colorfully adorable top-down action adventure game focusing on Jot and his other storybook character friends as they discover the 3D world. The Plucky Squire launches next year on PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S. Stick it to the Stickman Stick it to the Stickman is a chaotic roguelike brawler where you...

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Sega Unveils Super Cute Trailer for Sonic & Friends Animated Shorts on TikTok

Sega dropped the trailer for the Sonic & Friends animated shorts series on TikTok. The company posted the trailer on the TikTok page for its Japanese branch on Monday, August 7. Sonic & Friends gives us a look at Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Knuckles in CGI chibi form having all sorts of fun while foiling Dr. Eggman’s plans, whatever they may be. The title Sonic & Friends implies every character in the Sonic the Hedgehog game series may appear alongside Sonic’s small circle of friends, including Shadow, Rouge, Cream, and maybe the Babylon Rogues. However, it’s unknown if any of those characters will be part of the animated shorts. The TikTok trailer for Sonic & Friends comes over a month after Sega filed a trademark in Japan bearing its...

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Activision Confirms Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Slide Cancelling With Obvious Tease

Activision has confirmed slide cancelling returns for Modern Warfare 3 with the release of an obvious tease sent to Call of Duty influencers. Warzone streamer Swagg received a package over the weekend that included a pair of slides, a can, and a call phone. What could it possibly mean? Slide-Can-Cell. Not that further evidence was required, but Swagg also received a text message that sealed the deal: “You’ll be expected to move more quickly in Al Mazrah.” Al Mazrah is the fictional setting of last year’s Modern Warfare 2. Slide cancelling is a long-running movement option in the Call of Duty series that high-skilled players use to avoid enemy fire. It involves cancelling the slide animation, thus resetting your tactical sprint and...

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Remnant 2 Developer 'Looking at' Crossplay Support

Remnant 2 developer Gunfire Games is "actively" working on crossplay for its popular co-op shooter. Confirmation comes from Gunfire Games president and Remnant 2 director David Adams, who held an AMA recently on the Remnant subreddit. One of the questions asked was whether or not Gunfire Games was looking into adding crossplay into Remnant 2. Adams confirmed the feature was in the works. "Yes, we are looking at it," Adams wrote. "There are issues with the different platforms and what they require in order to allow crossplay, but it is being actively worked on." Adams also provided an update on the invite issue currently plaguing the PS5 version of Remnant 2. Adams admitted the issue "got buried" and that "for the foreseeable...

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Baldur’s Gate 3 Now One of the Biggest Steam Games Ever

Baldur’s Gate 3’s huge launch swelled over the weekend, with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game breaking the 800,000 concurrent players barrier on August 6. The peak concurrent count on Steam was 814,666, which puts Baldur’s Gate 3 in ninth-place in Steam’s all-time concurrent players list. It’s chasing down eighth-placed Hogwarts Legacy, seventh-placed Amazon’s New World, and sixth-placed FromSoftware’s Elden Ring. Clearly, Baldur’s Gate 3 has exceeded all expectations, particularly those of developer Larian. Last week, Larian boss Swen Vincke said he told the developer’s IT team to expect 100,000 concurrent players max. Baldur’s Gate 3 is still the top-selling game on Steam by revenue. The huge PC launch is said to have...

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Blizzard Banned Diablo 4 Players Who Used Controversial Character Realm Transfer Exploit

Blizzard said it has banned Diablo 4 players who used a character realm transfer exploit that went viral late July. The bug let players transfer their Eternal Realm characters into the Seasonal Realm. To exploit the glitch, players needed to be in a group with a friend in the Seasonal Realm, briefly disconnect from the internet, then log back into the Seasonal Realm with their Eternal character. Eternal characters who exploited this glitch potentially benefitted from the Seasonal Blessing experience boost, which might have let them level up faster than they would normally be able to. Eternal Realm characters were also able to carry over their gear and inventory items, which created obvious issues for the balance of the Seasonal Realm...

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Baldur’s Gate 3 Dev’s Top Tip for D&D Newcomers: ‘Take It Slow and Trust the Dice’

If you’re playing smash hit Baldur’s Gate 3 but have never played a game like it or Dungeons & Dragons before, you may find it difficult and overwhelming. Baldur’s Gate 3 can be a complicated and punishing experience, especially in combat. There’s a lot to think about during each encounter, and the game itself does little to help the player understand its many systems. As an RPG based on the 5th-edition Dungeons & Dragons rule set, Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t work like many other popular video game RPGs, so for newcomers there is a degree of unlearning that needs to be done to succeed. While D&D veterans instinctively understand how to compose a balanced party, position their characters advantageously before initiating combat, and how...

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EVO 2023: Everything Announced for Street Fighter 6, Mortal Kombat 1, Tekken 8, and More

The biggest fighting tournament in the world has returned this year as EVO 2023 and featured not only some of the biggest moments in the fighting game world, but also some of its biggest game announcements. From Street Fighter 6 getting a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover to new characters being announced for Mortal Kombat 1 and Tekken 8 to the first Fatal Fury game since 1999, there was a ton to be excited about at this year's show. It can be tough to keep up with all the news, so we've gathered all the biggest announcements from the tournament below to ensure you don't miss a thing. What was your favorite reveal? What was your favorite moment from EVO 2023? Let us know below! Street Fighter 6 Is Getting a Teenage Mutant Ninja...

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Street Fighter 6 Is Getting a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Crossover This Month - EVO 2023

On August 8, the worlds of Street Fighter 6 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will collide as TMNT gear, emotes, titles, stamps, and costumes that will turn you into your favorite turtle will be available in Street Fighter 6. The news was announced at EVO 2023 with a short teaser that showed all the turtle goodness headed to the latest entry in Capcom's iconic fighting franchise. While Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo won't be full DLC characters like there were in Injustice 2, there looks to be a lot of fan service built into this collaboration. The teaser for the Street Fighter 6 x Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover began by showing a TMNT-themed storefront being added to the Battle Hub. We then see the costumes...

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