Gaming News

One Modder Is Releasing the Warcraft 3 Campaign Remaster That Blizzard Didn't

Warcraft 3: Re-Reforged is a fan-made campaign mod for Warcraft 3: Reforged that looks to give fans the remastered experience that Blizzard itself never really delivered. As reported by Ars Technica, the fan-made project – which has been put together single-handedly by modder InsaneMonster – recently received a pretty substantial update following its initial launch a year ago. The mod itself looks to improve upon Blizzard's lackluster release of Warcraft 3: Reforged by offering improved cinematics, further detailed lore, and a number of other changes to give the game a more well-rounded aesthetic feel – one that fans were expecting to get the first time around. While InsaneMonster's Patreon-supported project had already added the...

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Elden Ring Can Be Finished in 30 Hours, But There Are 'Dozens' of Hours of Side Content

Elden Ring can be finished in 30 hours, says producer Yasuhiro Kitao, but there are 'many dozens' of hours of optional content for fans to sink their teeth into. And no, you won't be able to see absolutely everything in one playthrough. As part of a new interview on the game during the Taipei Game Show, Kitao spoke further about the game's length and what fans can expect from the action RPG when it launches next month. "This will differ significantly by player," Kitao explained when asked how long Elden Ring would take fans to complete. "But in terms of the targets set during development, the idea is that the main route should be able to be completed within around 30 hours. The game as a whole is quite massive, and contains many...

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Elden Ring Has Finally Gone Gold

Elden Ring, the highly-anticipated action-RPG by FromSoftware (and with additional world-building elements from Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin), has officially gone gold. As revealed on Twitter by @EldenRingUpdate, a Taipei Game Show video confirms the game has now gone gold and shouldn't receive any delay from its release across PC and consoles on February 25. For those unfamiliar with the term, going gold offers an important step forward in a game's development process because it indicates that a master version of the game has been finalised and that it's on its way to being turned into digital and disk-based copies, ready for sale (although Day 1 updates are often worked on after going gold). Originally due to launch...

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Dead by Daylight x SAW Crossover Revealed

Behaviour Interactive and Lionsgate Films have announced Archives Tome 10: SAW, the latest content addition to Dead by Daylight that adds notoriously sadistic horror movie villain Jigsaw to the world of the popular multiplayer horror game. It will be available on all platforms on January 26. Players will explore the memories of Amanda Young and Detective Tapp, unlocking the Book of SAW Collection as well as new rewards: new outfits for those two characters as well as 60 new cosmetic items for their own characters. Check out the new reveal trailer at the top of the page, as well as older screenshots in the gallery below: “Over and above our primary objective of providing our fans with fun and continuously renewed content, one of our...

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Fans Think a Kingdom Hearts Hotel Room Might Be Important to the Series' Plot

Fans think that an item found inside a Kingdom Hearts-themed hotel room in Tokyo may be important to the future of the series' plot. Last year, Tokyo Disney announced that it was bringing to life a Kingdom Hearts-inspired hotel room in celebration of the series' 20th anniversary. As summed up by resetEra user Desma, fans now believe that the room might hold a secret toward the franchise's future. Disney originally advertised that the room would include a secret item for fans when announcing the Kingdom Hearts stay last year. Among a number of other themed decorations, the room includes a treasure chest that fans can open during their trip. Now, thanks to Kingdom Hearts fan and Twitter user aitaikimochi, the community has finally...

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Raven Software Workers Call Off Strike After Announcing Union: 'We Are Acting in Good Faith'

Members of the Raven Software QA team, alongside other Activision Blizzard workers, have called off their strike action. The news follows on from Friday's announcement, which confirmed that members of the QA team had officially voted to unionize. The decision to end strike action was announced on social media by the Activision Blizzard Workers Alliance Twitter account. "Pending the recognition of our union, the Raven QA strike has ended," read a statement from the account, which then went on to thank the community for its support throughout the strike. The group highlighted it was still waiting for positive or negative recognition of its union from Activision Blizzard, but that it was "acting in good faith and asking for good...

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Yakuza Series Creator Toshihiro Nagoshi Establishes Nagoshi Studio at NetEase Games

NetEase Games has announced that it has established Nagoshi Studio, a new game development studio that is led by Yakuza series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi. As reported by Gematsu, Nagoshi confirmed that he would be leaving both Ryu Ga Gatoku Studio and SEGA back in October 2021 and a report came out that said he was in "final negotiations" with Chinese developer and publisher NetEase to join the company. Nagoshi had been with SEGA and RGG Studio since 1989. Nagoshi shared a message to commemorate the news, saying he and his team are committed to "creating content for the world to enjoy." "The sea of change that began in the entertainment industry in the late 20th century has brought even greater change to the industry in the 21st...

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Dark Souls Series PvP Servers Are Down on PC Following the Discovery of a 'Serious Exploit'

Following the discovery of a "serious exploit," the PC PvP servers for Dark Souls: Remastered, Dark Souls 2, and Dark Souls 3 have been temporarily deactivated as Bandai Namco works on a solution. On Reddit, users like TripleBrownMeow shared a Discord message in the Elden Ring Subreddit saying that a RCE (Remote Code Execution) exploit was discovered that could let hackers "run arbitrary code on your machine without permission." This RCE exploit could allow these hackers to "brick your computer," "steal your logins and banking information stored on your computer," "execute malicious malware like bitcoin miners," and more. It was also said this issue could have caused similar problems in FromSoftware's next game, Elden Ring. Bandai...

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Halo Infinite Multiplayer Will Let You Earn Credits In Its Season 2 Battle Pass

Halo Infinite's multiplayer will let players earn Credits in its Season 2 Battle Pass that they will be able to use in the in-game shop to buy items, cosmetics, and even a new Battle Pass. Shared by 343 Industries Head of Design Jerry Hook and following "continued feedback" from the community, 343 has decided to make it so Credits will be earnable in Halo Infinite's next Battle Pass, which will begin after Season 1 comes to a close in May 2022. "Thanks to your continued feedback, we are happy to confirm Credits will be earnable in Season 2's Battle Pass," Hook wrote. "That means you will be able to earn Credits as part of your Halo Infinite progression. We’ll have more to share on this as we get closer to Season 2." Hook also gave...

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Assassin's Creed Was Originally Going To End On a Spaceship

The Assassin's Creed series has always paired exploring historical time periods with modern-day technology and storylines, but we're now learning the original plan for the Assassin's Creed trilogy almost took that concept to an entirely new level. As reported by Eurogamer, details of the franchise's original ending were published by a student from a Belgian research university. In a work examining developer Ubisoft's use of religion, Ph.D. student Lars de Wildt of KU Leuven wrote that modern-day characters Desmond Miles and Lucy Stillman would escape Earth on a spaceship, setting off to start human civilization elsewhere. de Wildt described this plan, saying it was pieced together based on interviews de Wildt held with Assassin's...

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Final Fantasy 7 Feels Like a Whole New Game In 60fps

A PC mod has been released for the original Final Fantasy 7 that cranks that framerate up to 60fps, and the resulting game is... almost disturbingly smooth. That buttery battle comes courtesy of the FFNx modding project, a modding platform for Final Fantasy 7 and 8 that endeavors to make both games look, feel, and sound better on PC. This specific 60fps mod endeavors to make the lackluster, 15fps PC versions of Final Fantasy 7 look not just playable, but downright silky, including not just battles but cutscenes, dungeons, and the overworld. It's a heck of an achievement, even if watching such an old game run that well is a bit disarming at first. Before you run off and download this, be aware that the mod is still in beta and the...

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Uncharted 4: Devs Reveal Secrets Behind the Series' Best Chase Sequence - Art of the Level

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End crescendos at its midpoint with a bombastic, all-out chase action sequence that is not only a highpoint for the game itself but for the entire Uncharted franchise, ranking as one of Uncharted's best chases and action scenes. It's a thrilling, lengthy chase through city streets and rocky terrain, against seemingly unstoppable odds (and one frightening truck), and plenty of Uncharted's coolest moments., but it's also one rooted in its character work, a reflection of Nathan Drake's journey so far, his various personal ties to Sam, Sully, and Elena, and so much more. It's a high point of Naughty Dog's action work, and to find out more, IGN spoke to two Naughty Dog team members - Kurt Margenau and Shaun Escayg -...

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Game Scoop! 659: This Changes Everything

Welcome back to IGN Game Scoop!, the ONLY video game podcast! This week your Omega Cops -- Daemon Hatfield, Tina Amini, Sam Claiborn, and Justin Davis -- are discussing what will likely end up being the biggest story of the year: Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard. They also look at the best-selling games of 2021. 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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WWE 2K22: Here’s What Comes in Each Edition

It’s a new year, which means it’s time for a new wrestling game. WWE 2K22 is set to release for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC on March 11 (see it on Amazon). The cover superstar this time around is Rey Mysterio, whose career highlights are also featured in this installment’s Showcase Mode. The game is now available for preorder, and as usual it comes in a whole lot of editions. Below, we break down exactly what comes in each edition so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. Let’s get to it. Preorder WWE 2K22 Standard Edition PS5 Get it at Amazon - $69.99 Get it at Best Buy - $69.99 Get it at GameStop - $69.99 Get it at PS Store (digital) - $69.99 PS4 Get it at Amazon - $59.99 Get it at Best Buy - $59.99...

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Rainbow Six: Extraction - Here's What Comes in Each Edition

Rainbow Six Extraction is heading to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia on January 20. The game, formerly known as Rainbow Six: Quarantine (but changed for obvious reasons), is now available for preorder (see it at Amazon). It's coming in a couple of editions, so you'll want to take a look at what's in each one before locking in your preorder. Read on for the details. Preorder Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction Standard Edition PS5 Get it at Amazon - $39.88 Get it at Best Buy - $39.99 Get it at Walmart - $39.99 Get it at GameStop - $39.99 Get it at Ubisoft Store - $39.99 PS4 (includes free PS5 upgrade) Get it at Amazon - $39.99 Get it at Best Buy - $39.99 Get it at Walmart - $39.99 Get it at GameStop - $39.99...

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Netflix Is Aiming to Have the 'Absolute Best' Gaming Service in the Industry

Netflix is aiming to have the 'absolute best' gaming service in the industry as it looks to expand its array of playable titles in 2022. During a recent earnings interview, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings was asked about how the company will approach interactive content over the long term. His answer was simple: "We have to be differentially great at it, there's no point of just being in it," said Hastings during the interview. Hastings effectively pointed to the idea of Netflix becoming a gaming service that's competitive with the current industry heavyweights. "We're definitely 'crawl, walk, run' and, like, 'Let's nail the thing, and not just be in it for the sake of being in it or for a press release'. But we've got to please our...

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Gun Expert Reacts to Mosin-Nagant in Escape From Tarkov and More

Ian McCollum is a gun expert who runs Forgotten Weapons, a website and YouTube channel dedicated to obscure and prototype firearms, as well as more conventional guns. We asked for his expert opinion on how well six games – from Call of Duty: Vanguard to Escape From Tarkov to Metal Gear Solid 3 – have recreated the legendary bolt-action rifle, the Mosin-Nagant. Here’s what he had to say… ESCAPE FROM TARKOV “This looks like a really well rendered 91/30 PU. The rifle looks correct, the scope mount is accurate, the scope looks correct. This was the standard Soviet version of the Mosin Sniper for World War II. It's kind of cool to see the scope reticle appear and disappear, which goes black when it's not exactly in line – that's...

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IGN UK Podcast #628: Operation Wotsit Rescue

Cardy, Joe, and Matt unite to discuss this week in video games, because actual video games have happened. There's chat about the ridiculously entertaining Windjammers 2, and we perform an alien autopsy on the weirdest Tom Clancy game of all time, Rainbow Six Extraction. Plus, thoughts on spooky PvP game Midnight Ghost Hunt, Oscar Isaac's accent in Moon Knight, and an absolute truck full of feedback. Want to get in touch to talk about your favourite lunch box snack or maybe even video games? Feel free to send us an email at ign_ukfeedback@ign.com. IGN UK Podcast #628: Operation Wotsit Rescue IGN UK Podcast #627: Our Big Video Game Sequel Predictions IGN UK Podcast #626: The 15 Best Things We Played and Watched Over Christmas IGN UK...

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Aussie Deals: Saber Sliced Prices for LEGO Skywalker Saga, God of War and More!

Thank your own personal God—possibly Ogre, Tekken's Aztec Deity of Death—it's Friday! This morning I've seen the gameplay overview for the LEGO Skywalker Saga and I think it's impressive. Most impressive. I sense much potential here, so I've Force-pulled together a collection of deals for it across the various platforms. Stay safe, save often and see you Monday! 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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PUBG: Battlegrounds Free-to-Play Review - 2022

It’s been nearly five whole years since the pioneering PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds first appeared on Steam and popularized the idea of pitting 100 players against each other until only the best (or last) among them survives. Since then, the original battle royale has been locked in a fight for relevance against the many games it inspired, and only now has it dropped its entry fee and joined the ranks of its free-to-play competition. Now that the novelty has worn off, in some ways PUBG has been left wanting compared to newer and more innovative battle royales, but its unique focus on massive zones and realistic simulation means it hasn’t lost its touch either. Survival after parachuting into PUBG’s relatively realistic open world...

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What Does Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Deal Mean For Nintendo? - NVC 595

Welcome to Nintendo Voice Chat! This week, Kat Bailey is joined by Peer Schneider, Rebekah Valentine, and special guest Imran Khan to talk about how Xbox's huge Activision acquisition impacts Nintendo moving forward. Hear the panel discuss the potential fate of franchises like Overwatch and Crash Bandicoot on Switch, and the crazy scenario where Microsoft tried to go after Nintendo 20 years ago. Plus, some quick Nintendo sales news, Banjo-Kazooie coming to Nintendo Switch online, and a whole lot more. Timecodes: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:09 - Activision Blizzard impact on Nintendo 00:24:29 - Nintendo sales numbers 00:39:52 - Banjo-Kazooie on Switch 00:51:00 - News undown 00:56:04 - Kat Take 01:06:15 - What we’ve been playing 01:14:15 -...

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Call of Duty Could Move Away From Annual Releases, According To New Report

In the wake of Microsoft's blockbuster acquisition of Activision Blizzard, some Call of Duty devs are reportedly eager to move away from the annualized released schedule that has defined the series for much of its existence. In a new article that provides an overview of Activision Blizzard's internal reactions to the acquisition, Bloomberg reports that "high-level employees" have discussed ditching Call of Duty's current release schedule. Currently, Activision continues to put a new Call of Duty every year from a rotating series of studios — a strategy that has proven an awkward fit since the release of Warzone. These developers are said to feel that slowing the franchise's release cadence would please players who have grown weary...

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Phil Spencer Is Eager to Revisit Abandoned Activision Franchises

There are a lot of questions still left to be answered following Microsoft’s announcement that it will acquire Activision Blizzard. But with everyone involved keeping details close to the chest, some details are beginning to emerge, including Phil Spencer’s excitement to dive into Activision Blizzard’s library of retired franchises. Speaking briefly with The Washington Post Spencer avoided talking about the future of ongoing blockbuster franchises like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft under Microsoft. Instead, Spencer spoke about the overlooked franchises Activision owns that Microsoft will get access to. “I was looking at the IP list, I mean, let’s go!” Spencer exclaimed. “King’s Quest,’ ‘Guitar Hero.’... I should know this but I...

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'Soft-Spoken Blackmail': Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Devs Reportedly Forced to Crunch

Developers of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga can now see light at the end of the tunnel due to the game's new release date, but a new report sheds light on how developers dealt with extensive crunch at TT Games to get the game out the door. A new report from Polygon details the issues within TT Games, sharing the accounts of over 30 current and former employees, many of whom say calls for change within the studio have been mostly ignored. “It was a very soft-spoken blackmail,” one former employee told Polygon, saying the vibe was that “‘If people don’t start doing overtime, there’s going to be problems’”. The report says developers were promised a longer development timeline and a new engine. However, employees told Polygon the...

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Will Call of Duty Be An Xbox Exclusive? Here's What the Experts Are Saying

The future of Call of Duty hangs in the balance following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which will bring the massively popular first person shooter series under the Xbox umbrella along with a handful of other franchises. The move is raising questions about how Microsoft will handle Activision Blizzard’s extensive list of properties – whether they will remain on platforms like PlayStation 5 or become entirely exclusive to the Xbox. Microsoft has already shown some of its hand with the Bethesda acquisition, which was completed close to a year ago. Microsoft opted to honor Bethesda's previous deal with PlayStation, keeping Deathloop as a timed exclusive for PlayStation 5. However, Starfield, the next massive RPG from...

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Students Create a Fully Detailed, To-Scale Map of the World of The Witcher

Students from Warsaw University in Poland have created a fully detailed, to-scale map of The Witcher universe's continent, and it's a doozy that shows off the scale of Geralt's adventures from Kaer Morhen to Skellige and beyond. Here's a more accessible version of the same map. The map reads a lot like any other professionally designed map, just you know, with fantasy cities and countries. It even comes with a helpful set of symbols that divides cities by population scale, country borders, and even elevation. The whole thing really puts Geralt's adventures into perspective. In The Witcher 3, a journey from Skellige to Kaer Morhen really only takes a minute while the game loads the aging fortress. On this to-scale map, it's a literal...

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Midnight Ghost Hunt Is Hide and Seek With Added Proton Packs

When things go bump in the night, the solution is to shoot said things with a massive shotgun filled to the muzzle with salt. Or a spectral energy cannon. Or a shoulder-mounted harpoon. And when your poltergeist pest is little more than ectoplasmic sludge on the floor, you can vacuum it up and consider the spook exorcized. That’s business as usual for Midnight Ghost Hunt, a ghostbusting PvP game from new studio Vaulted Sky Games. After playing a handful of matches with the developers, though, I’ve found that blasting spirits is just one of Midnight Ghost Hunt’s many ideas. Its 4v4 setup is split across two teams, the hunters and the ghosts, each of which has very different goals and gameplay styles. As a hunter you’re playing an FPS...

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Take-Two CEO Calls GTA Trilogy Launch Problems a 'Glitch' That's Been 'Resolved'

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has described the launch issues that plagued last year's release of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy as a 'glitch' that has since been 'resolved'. During a CNBC interview, Zelnick spoke about the release of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy, where he appeared to draw a line under the issues that the collection of classic games suffered from across a number of consoles. "With regards to the GTA trilogy, that was actually not a new title," Zelnick stated when speaking about the game. "That was a remaster of preexisting titles. We did have a glitch in the beginning, that glitch was resolved." For those who didn't follow the release of last year's GTA remastered trilogy - or others who may have burned the memory...

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GDC Survey Reveals 28% of Game Developers Are Interested in NFTs

NFTs and cryptocurrency have seen a massive wave of attention in the tech space in the last year, and continue to be controversial subjects. In games, at least, over a quarter of game developers have said they are interested in using cryptocurrency or NFTs in their games -- but only 1% are actively using them now. This comes from the GDC's annual State of the Industry survey, which polls 2,700 games industry professionals on various industry topics. The survey concluded that 27% of developers in 2021 were interested in using cryptocurrency as a payment tool, and 28% were interested in implementing NFTs. But even among those interested, some indicated that they may hesitate to implement either due to their reputation. Comments...

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LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Complete Preorder Guide

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is set to release April 5 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC (phew). It's the biggest game yet in the entire LEGO series. It lets you play through the stories of all nine main films, and you don't have to play them in order, either. You can hop around from movie to movie at will, dropping into whatever scene you feel like playing. The game will come out in a couple of editions, with retailer-exclusive preorder bonuses. We have all the info you need below, so let's get to it. Preorder LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Standard Edition PS4 Get it at Amazon - $59.99 Get it at Best Buy - $59.99 Get it at GameStop - $59.99 Get it at Walmart - $59.99 PS5 Get it at...

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