Gaming News

An AI Was Trained To Play Minecraft With 70,000 Hours Of YouTube Videos

OpenAI, the artificial intelligence research organization founded by Elon Musk, has trained an AI to play Minecraft almost as well as humans. It only took about 70,000 hours of binging YouTube videos. A blog post detailing the feat reveals that researchers used a technique called "Video PreTraining (VPT)" to train a neural network on how to play Minecraft. This involved gathering 2,000 hours of sample dataset from actual humans playing Minecraft to include not just the raw video, but also exact keypresses and mouse movements. From there, the researchers trained an inverse dynamics model (IDM) to predict the future action being taken at each step in the videos. Finally, the "trained" IDM was shown 70,000 hours of Minecraft YouTube...

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Persona 5 Royal: PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC Versions Will Include all 45 DLC Packs

Persona 5 Royal on PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC will come with all 45 DLC packs at launch that have been released for the PS4 version. As reported by Persona Channel, players will have instant access to a ton of different costume packs and other, smaller pieces of DLC when the game is released again on October 21. The costumes are mostly tied to other Persona games (or games from the Shin Megami series, from which Persona is a spin-off), with players able to don the clothes of previous protagonists and so on. Some of the DLC is a little heftier though, such as the Royal Challenge Battle Extra Set, which provides some additional items and another which includes a fully-fledged additional Persona called Raoul. A full list of the DLC...

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Best Gaming Monitor 2022

Gaming monitors have started to hit their stride. Whether you're looking for a 4K gaming monitor for the sharpest picture or a 240Hz gaming monitor for the smoothest experience, you'll be able to find something to cater to your exact style of gaming and loaded with all the latest technology you could want. Aside from those extremes, you'll also find tons of value in our picks. And, we're not just talking about budget gaming monitors, we mean the majority of monitors now feature VA or IPS panels for great color depth, while offering up fast response times, and all of them are 60Hz or faster. These monitors can change the way you game. The plethora of options is a boon and a curse though. There are almost too many good options to churn...

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Valve Will Double the Number of Steam Decks It Will Ship

Valve announced that it will be shipping out more Steam Deck handheld devices in Q3 as the company’s production has increased. “Hello! Some great news on the production front. We just sent the last batch of Q2 emails, and we’ll start sending Q3 reservation emails on the 30th,” Valve explains in a tweet. “Production has picked up, and after today we'll be shipping more than double the number of Steam Decks every week!” Valve UX designer Lawrence Yang also clarified that Valve was sending out a certain number of Steam Deck units per week in the past. However, starting this week, Valve will start shipping twice that amount. As Steam Deck orders have slowly been being fulfilled by Valve, the company sent out several software updates...

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Outriders Worldslayer Review

Ever since Outriders released early last year, I’ve held a theory that it's the ultimate fast food game: a bland story filled with cheesy one-liners and mindless encounters that you know aren’t good for you, but undeniably awesome combat that’s easy for you and your friends to lose hours in just makes it so dang tasty. In that context, if the base game was a Big Mac, then the latest expansion, Worldslayer, is that one sandwich from KFC where the bread is replaced by fried chicken. With a fine-tuned combat sandbox, expanded build-crafting options, and a drastically upgraded endgame, Worldslayer improves upon a lot of what was already great about the original, but it also doubles down on many of its shortcomings. That includes another...

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Endless Dungeon Is a Tactical Roguelite that Brings On the Pain (in a Good Way)

If you’ve played Dungeon of the Endless, then you’ll know the biggest hallmark of the tactical tower defense game is its incredibly high level of difficulty. Defending against countless waves of enemies as a squishy hero while managing scant resources to use for tower defense was often a humbling experience. With successor Endless Dungeon being a roguelite, you might wonder if developer Amplitude intends to use a lighter touch going forward. After several hours of getting absolutely dabbed on by various bugs and robots in Endless Dungeon’s harrowing space station, I can safely report that no quarter is being granted – and that’s great news for gluttons for punishment like myself. A lot has changed since 2014’s Dungeon of the Endless...

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Valorant Is Planning to Monitor Voice Chat, Tests Begin Next Month

Riot Games will begin testing its voice chat monitoring technology in Valorant next month as part of a wider strategy to combat "disruptive behaviour" in its games. In a blog post, Riot announced its voice evaluation system - eventually intended to identify community behavioural violations such as the use of abusive language - would begin testing on July 13. Valorant players will have their voice chat analyzed by the technology but, at this stage, it won't be judged for appropriateness. Riot said this testing period, only taking place in North America and in English, will be used "to help train our language models and get the tech in a good enough place for a beta launch later this year". Only once the technology is working...

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UK Daily Deals: Save Big on Callisto Protocol Preorders for PS5, Alongside More Early Prime Day Discounts

There's an amazing preorder deal for The Callisto Protocol right now at Amazon. You can pick it up for just £45.95 when preordering on PS5, which is absolutely the best preorder deal available for the game right now. You can also currently get the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Dual Pack Steelbook set for just £89.99 from Amazon, £10 off the original list price. This is a great discount on the collectable set, and well worth considering for fans who like collecting both games at each Pokemon release. There are plenty of other deals to check out today as well, which I've included below. This includes more early Prime Day deals including a bunch of free stuff for Prime members, such as 4-months free of Amazon Music Unlimited, 3-months free...

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Aussie Deals: Save Up to 90% Off With Our Sweetest Steam Sale Cherry Picks!

Exit your oodie and ugg boots because it's hot discounts time with the Steam Summer sale. For those of you new to the concept, this is more or less the bargain blitz of the year. For not much money you can stock your library with amazing games. Sure, you will probably never install half of them—but hey, it's still nice to know they're there. Notable Sales for Nintendo Switch Purchase Cheaply for PC Exciting Offers for XO/XS Product Savings for PS4/PS5 Adam’s our Aussie deals wrangler. You can watch him game on YouTube. Continue reading...

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Freshly Frosted Has Me Dreaming Colorful Donut Dreams

I first played Freshly Frosted at night, for a few hours before bed. I went to sleep, and dreamt of donuts. The next morning, I woke up and instantly went out to buy a dozen. I couldn’t get the idea of warm, neat, colorful, sweet donuts out of my mind. Fundamentally, Freshly Frosted sounds like it’s less about donuts and more like it’s about machines. It’s a puzzle game about laying down tracks of conveyor belts that will get donuts from point A to point B. Along the way, they can pass by machinery that will apply, in order: frosting, sprinkles, whipped cream, and cherry toppings, with each level requesting a certain amount of donuts with specific toppings. So it might ask for a plain, two frosted, and one with whipped cream, but...

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The Weirdest Devices That Can Play Doom, Including a LEGO Brick And An ATM

Doom is one of the most influential video games of all time, but surely its creators had no idea how their work would eventually be immortalized. id Software's 1993 first-person shooter helped define the genre when it first released on PC. Now, its reach has gone far beyond PC, launching on everything from handhelds, to smartphones, to modern consoles, to... a LEGO brick? "Will it run Doom?" is a longstanding internet challenge where modders and programmers attempt to get the game to run on any device imaginable. When you ask the question, "Will it run Doom?", the answer is — more often than not — yes. Below you'll find a list of some of the wackiest devices that can run Doom... with visual and gameplay quality varying greatly...

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FromSoftware's Next Game Is in the 'Final Stages of Development'

FromSoftware is finishing up their next game, which is apparently already near the end of development. In an interview with Japanese gaming website 4Gamer, FromSoftware and Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki revealed that the studio's next game is already in the final stages of development. According to the interview, the publication asked Miyazaki back in 2018 around the launch of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice how FromSoftware's two unannounced games were shaping up. One unannounced game would go on to become Elden Ring, but this other unannounced game is still in the works, and according to Miyazaki, "development is currently in the final stages." No word on what this game might be, but one of the high-profile leaks around...

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Game Scoop! 681: What Lego Game Should They Build Next?

Welcome back to IGN Game Scoop!, the ONLY video game podcast! This week your Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Sam Claiborn, Colin Stevens, and Nick Limon -- are discussing TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, 'Best Of' lists, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and more. And, of course, they play Video Game 20 Questions. Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service. Listen on: Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Stitcher Find previous episodes here! Continue reading...

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Gaming and Entertainment Companies Respond After Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade

Following this morning's Supreme Court decision to overturn landmark abortion rights decision Roe v. Wade, video game and entertainment companies are beginning to speak out against the ruling, and in support of reproductive freedoms. Having previously made a statement of support when the decision prematurely leaked in May, Bungie has updated its blog post on the subject to announce it was implementing a travel reimbursement program for employees and their dependents to access reproductive healthcare that may not be available in their states. Previously, Bungie also encouraged its audience to donate to charities including URGE (Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equality), Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, NARAL Pro-Choice...

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Destiny 2: Where Is Xur Today? Location and Exotic Items for June 24-28

The three small children stacked on top of one another wearing a trenchcoat, also known as Xûr, is now live in Destiny 2 for the weekend until next week's reset. If you're looking to get your some shiny new Exotic armor or weapons for your Guardian, look no further. Each week, Xûr has a random assortment of Exotic armor, one for each Guardian class, as well as a random Exotic Weapon and an Exotic Engram available for purchase. In addition to his Exotic wares, he's got a random collection of Legendary weapons and armor to deck out your Guardians. We've rounded up all the info on Xûr for the week including where to find Xûr, which Exotic weapons and armor are available, as well as which Legendary weapons you should pick up, either for...

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Sonic Origins Developer 'Very Unhappy' With Current State of the Remastered Collection

Sonic Origins developer Simon Thomley has hit out at Sega following a rocky launch of the remaster collection. Thomley, who is the founder of Headcannon, the co-development studio for Sonic Origins, has taken to Twitter to vent his frustrations, alleging that Sega introduced “wild bugs” into the game. “This is frustrating,” he said. “I won't lie and say that there weren't issues in what we gave to Sega, but what is in Origins is also not what we turned in. Integration introduced some wild bugs that conventional logic would have one believe were our responsibility - a lot of them aren't.” Headcannon previously worked with Sega on the well-received Sonic Mania in 2017. It assisted with Sonic Origins, remastering Sonic 3 & Knuckles...

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FromSoftware Is Recruiting For 'Several New Projects'

Elden Ring and Dark Souls developer FromSoftware has today published a new recruitment website that invites candidates to apply for a variety of new positions at the studio. The website claims that the developer is working on “several new projects”, and so it looks like multiple games are in the works at the beloved studio. The recruitment page is predominantly written in Japanese, but an English language message says “FromSoftware is looking for development staff to play a central role in several new projects. Let's work together to create rewarding experiences for players around the world to enjoy.” Following the message is a list of 22 job roles, covering game design, programming, art design, graphic design, animation, art design...

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Halo: Master Chief Collection Could Add Microtransactions Soon

Halo: The Master Chief Collection may be getting microtransactions eight years after it launched. 343 Industries has revealed that it’s currently exploring adding microtransactions to the game, allowing players to purchase “Spartan Points” (currently called “Season Points”) to unlock gear and customizations they may have missed. “For players who are new to the MCC, or who may not have dedicated much time specifically to unlocking items during the seasonal updates, or are simply completionists looking to catch the last outstanding items they need, we are internally exploring a potential new feature for the future in the form of purchasable Spartan Points,” 343 revealed in a blog post. Currently items are unlocked with Season Points...

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IGN UK Podcast #650: The One That Isn't Just on Spotify

Cardy and Dale are here and they've brought a brand new host with them! Mat.J has arrived and he wants to tell us why you should be playing Neon White. We also have some good chats about Evil West, Ms. Marvel, and at the end we have a big old spoiler session with Obi-Wan Kenobi. Want to get in touch to talk about digging graves? Cakes? Issues with the name Clive? Feel free to send us an email at ign_ukfeedback@ign.com. IGN UK Podcast #649: The One That Isn't Just on Spotify IGN UK Podcast #649: Phil's Big Night Out 2022 IGN UK Podcast #648: Geoff's Big Night Out 2022 IGN UK Podcast #647: Some Great New Star Wars? Stranger Things Have Happened IGN UK Podcast #646: Gollum, Sméagol & Irene IGN UK Podcast #645: Chip 'n Dale 'n...

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Cuphead Still Has Undiscovered Easter Eggs – And the DLC is Full Of Them As Well

According to Cuphead co-creator Maja Moldenhauer, the original Cuphead game still has undiscovered Easter eggs. IGN interviewed Moldenhauer at Summer Game Fest Play Days, an event at which the game’s long-awaited DLC, The Delicious Last Course, was available to play. Another game that was also at the event was Street Fighter 6. During the interview, Moldenhauer spontaneously asks if we had the chance to play Street Fighter 6. To some, Moldenhauer’s interest might come as no surprise: One of Cuphead's boss battles is known for its references to the Street Fighter series. “Street Fighter is definitely one of the core games that influenced us,” Moldenhauer admitted. When asked if the DLC will include references as well, Moldenhauer...

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Into the Breach Getting a Massive Overhaul In Free Advanced Edition Update

Just over four years after its release, the turn-based strategy game Into the Breach is receiving a massive update with new mech squads, pilots, weapons, and a variety of other expansions. Today, Subset Games announced on Twitter there will be a complete overhaul of the game. These new additions will arrive as part of its free Advanced Edition update, which arrives on July 19. According to the announcement post, the update will include the following features: Five new mech squads and nearly forty new weapons Four new pilots and new pilot abilities New enemies, bosses, and missions A more challenging difficulty mode 7 new languages New music by Ben Prunty A mobile version, which will include the Advanced Edition update and will...

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15 Fun Ideas for What to Build in Minecraft

When it comes to Minecraft, at some point you'll likely ask yourself "what on earth do I build?" Perhaps you’ve booted up Minecraft and created a new world after being away from the game for a while. Or, maybe you're feeling bored right now, and that happens too! In the end, the equivalent of writer's block slaps you in the face, and you need some creative ideas for your next Minecraft build. (Need to start with a guide first? We have you covered with the Minecraft Building guide). Never fear, as we’ve compiled a shortlist of the best things to dedicate your time and build talent to with these fun Minecraft build ideas: 15 Top Minecraft Building Ideas 1. House Tried and true, a house is a necessity for almost every Minecraft player...

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Yuji Naka Seemingly Confirms Michael Jackson Helped Compose Sonic 3 Soundtrack [Update]

Update 6/23 9:58 am PT: Yuji Naka has somewhat walked back his assertions that Michael Jackson is somehow involved with the music in Sonic 3. Despite longheld rumors, and a seeming confirmation that Jackson is at least somewhat involved in the confusing saga of Sonic 3's soundtrack, Naka clarified that his tweets were "misunderstood." "I feel like I'm being misunderstood a lot, probably because I don't speak English and I'm using a translation tool. Sorry," Naka writes. This is in relation to an earlier Tweet where Naka seemingly connects Sonic 3's music with Michael Jackson through a tribute Sega Tweeted to the pop star. We will simply have to move this rumor back into the vaults of gaming history's greatest untold tales. Original...

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New A Plague Tale: Requiem Trailer Reveals October Release Date

Focus Enterainment and Asobo Studio have announced that A Plague Tale: Requiem will launch this October. The news accompanies a new, extended gameplay trailer that shows off over ten minutes from the ambitious sequel. A Plague Tale: Requiem will be released on October 18. Taking place six months after the original game, the sequel follows Amicia and Hugo as they travel south in hope of discovering a mysterious island that could hold the key to saving Hugo from his illness. Much like A Plague Tale: Innocence, Requiem is a stealth adventure game with puzzles, but this time around combat plays a more prominent role in the experience. Pre-orders are available now for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC versions, and a Collector's...

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Former Days Gone Director Teams With PlayStation Veteran To Form New AAA Studio, Announces ‘Web 3.0’ Game

Two Sony veterans have united to set up Liithos, a new AAA games studio. Liithos’ debut game will be Ashfall, which the studio describes as the “first true Web 3.0 AAA title for PC, console, and the Hedera network.” Yup, it’s another blockchain idea. Liithos has been set up by Michael Mumbauer and John Garvin, two veteran PlayStation developers. Mumbauer was once head of PlayStation’s Visual Arts, where he worked on projects including Uncharted, The Last of Us, and Days Gone. He left Sony to become the founder of That’s No Moon, a role he left less than a year later. Garvin, meanwhile, was creative director of Days Gone and Siphon Filter at Bend Studio. He, by his own admission, was fired from Bend for being “a disruptive...

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Best Minecraft Toys

Minecraft is an infinite sandbox in which you can create just about anything you want. As far as video games go, it's more than exciting: it's downright arresting. Put all of your creative powers to good use erecting a huge building, survive the night by staving off monsters, or fly around the world to check out what others have built. There's nothing quite like it. So if you've been looking for a way to bring a little of that blocky magic into the real world, good news! There are plenty of fun figures, models, and playsets based on the Minecraft world that you can ditch the controller for. Unsure which ones are worth spending your hard-earned cash on? Below, we've highlighted the best Minecraft toys for kids and adults alike. TL;DR...

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Overwatch 2 Will Replace the Original Game at Launch

It’s official – Overwatch 2 will fully replace the original Overwatch at launch. During a Reddit AMA, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller confirmed that the upcoming Overwatch sequel will replace the original live service when the game launches in October. “When OW2 launches on Oct 4th it will be a replacement for the current Live Service,” he confirmed. Essentially, this means that the original Overwatch will no longer be playable from October. Of course, this news will come as a surprise to Overwatch fans. When the sequel was originally announced back in August last year, Blizzard claimed that Overwatch and Overwatch 2 players would be able to play side-by-side when playing the same game modes. The original plan allowed Overwatch...

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No Man’s Sky Lands On Nintendo Switch This October

Hello Games has announced that its long-running space exploration game, No Man’s Sky, will release on Nintendo Switch this October. Landing October 7, the Switch version of No Man’s Sky will come complete with all 20 updates that have transformed the game since its original PS4 and PC release back in 2016. This version is released in collaboration with Bandai Namco, and will be available both digitally and physically. “No Man’s Sky on this tiny portable device feels both completely natural and also totally improbable at the same time,” said creative director Sean Murray in a press release. “This has been a real moonshot for our small team. No Man’s Sky is built around procedural generation, which means the console generates...

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Bungie Sues Man Who Issued Fake Destiny 2 DMCA Takedowns For $7.6m

Back in March 2022, Destiny 2 YouTubers were hit with fake DMCA takedowns. Now, Bungie has found the culprit… and it’s on a warpath worth as much as $7.6 million. A lawsuit filed by Bungie yesterday (via The Game Post) claims that Nicholas Minor, a YouTuber going by the name Lord Nazo, is responsible for the fake DMCA notices, issuing them to fellow YouTubers after he himself was hit with a real DMCA notice from Bungie. “Ninety-six times, Minor sent DMCA takedown notices purportedly on behalf of Bungie,” the developer explained. “[He identified] himself as Bungie’s ‘brand protection’ vendor in order to have YouTube instruct innocent creators to delete their Destiny 2 videos or face copyright strikes, disrupting Bungie’s community of...

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Aussie Deals: $69 DualSenses, 8 Buck PlayStation Hits, Pokémon Arceus Price Sliced and More!

If you've been lucky enough to actually score a PS5 (or indeed any current-gen console) have I got a deal for you. Now's the time to grab a fistful of controllers. Because A: I've not seen them this cheap before and B: you'll need extras for sweet, sweet co-op local play. (Or to have a sparey when you die in Elden Ring, then rage-stomp the one you already own into dust.) That happens. Perfectly healthy stuff. No judgement from me. Notable Sales for Nintendo Switch Purchase Cheaply for PC Exciting Offers for XO/XS Product Savings for PS4/PS5 Adam’s our Aussie deals wrangler. You can watch him game on YouTube. Continue reading...

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