Gaming News

Save $40 Off Xbox Series X Diablo 4 Console Bundle and Get a Bonus Second Controller

As part of its early Black Friday Sale event, Walmart is offering the Xbox Series X Diablo 4 console bundle bundled with a second Xbox Core Wireless Controller in Shock Blue for only $519.00. The bundle by itself without the controller normally retails for $559, so you're saving an extra $40 and getting a free controller. Xbox Series X Diablo 4 Bundle with 2nd Controller for $519 The Xbox Series X is a current generation system able to drive 4K games at up to a glorious 120fps. It is technically a more powerful system than the PS5 and games that are compatible with both consoles usually perform better on the Xbox console. Compared to the $300 Xbox Series S, the X features more powerful hardware to enable it to run games in 4K (the...

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Diablo Tabletop RPG Announced - BlizzCon 2023

Blizzard Entertainment, Glass Cannon Unplugged, and Genuine Entertainment have announced a tabletop role-playing game adaptation of Diablo. Described as a "long-term tabletop gaming programme", the TTRPG was announced at BlizzCon 2023 with a core book launching fall 2024. The Diablo TTRPG will launch via a pre-order campaign on Kickstarter. "We’ve spent the past year living the dream with Blizzard," Glass Cannon Unplugged CEO Jakub Wiśniewski said. "Collaborating with game directors, producers, and loremasters, testing our demon-fighting skills, reading endless tomes. We couldn’t have asked for more access, enthusiasm, and support." Hit 2023 video game Diablo 4 inspired the core engine design of the Diablo TTRPG. The game "will...

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OG Fortnite Update Causes Huge Spike in Players

Fortnite has seen a huge surge in players with the launch of its OG update that brings back the original battle royale map. According to unofficial but reliable stat website Fortnite.GG, Fortnite has a 24 hour peak of 3.9 million concurrent players, compared to the roughly two million concurrent players it held for most of September and October. Its previous highest peak arrived alongside Chapter 4 Season 4 in August, but this spike only saw concurrent player numbers rise to 2.8 million. The OG update arrived November 2 and let players return to the beloved Fortnite map that revolutionised battle royale games and perhaps video games as a whole. This means players can once again visit locations such as Tilted Towers, Paradise Palms...

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Overwatch 2’s Next Hero Is Mauga, the Game's First Samoan Hero - BlizzCon 2023

After the announcement leaked earlier this morning on the Nintendo Switch eShop news channel, Blizzard has confirmed that Overwatch 2's next hero is Mauga. Revealed during BlizzCon 2023, Blizzard shared an overview trailer of the character, showing off Mauga's weapons and abilities. As a heavy assault character, Mauga wields a number of heavy artillery weapons like the incendiary chaingun and the volatile chaingun (which he has lovingly nicknamed Gunny and Cha Cha). Mauga also has an unstoppable charge move called Overrun, which seems him rushing through the battlefield. Blizzard also shared that Mauga is Overwatch's first Samoan hero. Several more heroes are coming to Overwatch 2 next year, and Blizzard shared some teases of what...

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CD Projekt on Reviving Cyberpunk 2077, Phantom Liberty's Success, and the Franchise's Future

Cyberpunk 2077's development is now, for the most part, complete, marking the end of an incredible rollercoaster for CD Projekt that saw the studio go from being one of the most beloved developers in the industry to one of the most criticised, before slowly climbing back up to new heights with the release of Phantom Liberty. At its lowest, CD Projekt was slammed for the launch state of Cyberpunk 2077 on consoles (that was so poor the PlayStation Store removed it from sale) as well as for crunch culture ahead of the game's release, though for the recently released expansion Phantom Liberty, staff say improvements were made. Lay-offs at the developer have also cast doubt over future projects, of which there are many including a...

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Counter-Strike 2 Gets Custom Maps as Part of Workshop Update

Counter-Strike 2 has received a much-needed update with the arrival of custom maps. “The Maps workshop is now open for business,” developer Valve declared in a post on the Counter-Strike website. “Community map makers can start uploading their maps to the workshop, and community servers can host those maps,” Valve added. “If you'd like to try some workshop maps offline, subscribe to them on the workshop and head to the Play menu. “There are a bunch of other workshop tool updates today, along with a host of other fixes and adjustments to CS2. Check out the notes, play some matches, and keep that feedback coming!” Fans have welcomed the news for a number of reasons, chief among them because custom maps are great for training. CS2's...

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Halo Infinite Dev 343 Explains Shop Price Hike, ‘This Isn't Necessarily What Everyone Wants to Hear’

Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries has moved to explain a recent microtransactions price hike following a community backlash. Shop prices were raised after 343 added multi-core functionality to customization content. While the multi-core functionality was welcomed by players despite the price hike, 343 also raised the price of older content with the release of last month’s otherwise well received Season 5. Halo fan XLR8 said: “Halo Infinite’s shop prices for S5 have been very disappointing, and even more so that they went back and increased old bundles. I’ve spent very little this season in comparison to S1-S4. Even as a frequent spender, lots of stuff simply isn’t worth the price.” Addressing the backlash and XLR8 directly...

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Yakuza Spin-Off Like a Dragon Gaiden Was Originally Planned as DLC

Yakuza spin-off Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name was originally planned as a downloadable expansion and only took around six months to develop. Speaking to Automaton, Like a Dragon Gaiden writer Masayoshi Yokoyama revealed the idea emerged as just an interlude in full sequel Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Like a Dragon/Yakuza 8) before spiralling into its own game. "There isn’t a huge difference between Like a Dragon Gaiden and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth," Yokoyama said. "By this I mean that, in a sense, Like a Dragon Gaiden was derived from Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. "We could have just told of Kiryu’s past through a 30-minute interlude as part of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, but we decided it would...

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Cities: Skylines 2 Hotfix Removes 'Offensive' Radio Advert, While Working to Improve Performance

Cities: Skylines 2 developer Colossal Order has released a new hotfix for the city builder that attempts to improve overall performance on PC while fixing numerous bugs, and removing an "offensive" in-game radio advert. Among the many improvements introduced in the hotfix was an update that reduced the resolution of unnecessarily large character textures for the game’s digital citizenry, which were taking a toll on performance. The developers had previously admitted that the character models needed addressing after a Reddit post went viral for suggesting the game was rendering individual teeth for members of a city’s simulated population. Colossal Order subsequently told IGN that the teeth wern't the cause of the performance loss...

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Indie Game Roundup – November 2023

November looks to be another stellar month for indie games. The best November indie games span a wide range of genres once again, although there’s a weird absence after the 17th for some reason. We’re not going to worry about that though, maybe there’s a worldwide nap event going on that nobody has told us […] The post Indie Game Roundup – November 2023 appeared first on Green Man Gaming Blog. Continue reading...

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Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 – The Story So Far

With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 marking the end of Activision’s reimagining of the Modern Warfare trilogy, you might be surprised to discover that a veritable truckload of lore and story has been invested into the most anticipated first-person shooter of the year. To catch you up on the lay of the land when […] The post Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 – The Story So Far appeared first on Green Man Gaming Blog. Continue reading...

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Everything You Need To Know About Gangs Of Sherwood

Looking to step away from the period trappings of English folklore’s most famous arrow-slinging rogue, Gangs of Sherwood is a combat focused, action adventure that instead whisks players into a semi-futuristic dystopia where Robin of Locksley and his gang of merry men (and women) find themselves up against all manner of mechanised foes and augmented […] The post Everything You Need To Know About Gangs Of Sherwood appeared first on Green Man Gaming Blog. Continue reading...

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The Best Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Games Ranked

Widely regarded as one of the premier stealth focused series on the market, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell, together with its long-time hero Sam Fisher, have both proven reliably enthralling for genre aficionados since the series made its debut all the way back in 2002. Like any franchise however, not all Splinter Cell titles have been […] The post The Best Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Games Ranked appeared first on Green Man Gaming Blog. Continue reading...

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PlayStation Plus Games for November 2023 Announced

Sony has revealed the lineup of PlayStation Plus monthly games for November, which includes Cold Iron Studios' Aliens: Fireteam Elite, Mafia II: Definitive Edition, and Dragon Ball: The Breakers. As detailed in a new PlayStation Blog post, the titles will be available to download at no extra cost for PlayStation Plus subscribers of any tier from Tuesday, Nov. 7 up until Monday, Dec. 4, at which point the titles will leave the service. Mafia II: Definitive Edition is set in the fictional post-World War II, New York-inspired city of Empire Bay, in which the protagonist Vito Scaletta becomes entangled with the mob while attempting to clear his father’s debts. The definitive edition includes an HD remaster of the base game, in addition...

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A Surprising Dive into Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, the Best Preorders to Hunt, and More!

I've Bear Grylls’d through countless open-worlds and know my way around a trigger, but Pandora still makes me jumpy. Just weirdly, uncharacteristically, on guard. Clutching a beefy rifle like a security blanket, I feel swallowed by this wind-lashed neon jungle looming around and above me (because creepy floating islands). In short, my interest is piqued. I’m in. It's not the visual busyness that’s unsettling, either. My smurf-cat ears are pricked to points, desperately trying to parse a 360-degree onslaught of roars, rustling, and my own clodhopping footfalls. I can’t sort this auditory overload between ambient trickery and actual threats out to eat my eyes for Jujubes. The only thing I hear that makes 100% sense is a soundbite I...

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Alan Wake 2 Might Be The Closest We Ever Get to Silent Hills

We’re rapidly approaching 10 years since P.T. left a seismic imprint on the horror video game landscape. It was a playable teaser that was terrifying in its own right, but it also promised a gateway into a familiar town ready to provide new scares – Silent Hills. It’s a promise left unfulfilled, and one, sadly, we’ll likely never see completed. But what we do now have is Alan Wake 2, Remedy’s superb survival horror and arguably the best we’ve seen in the genre since P.T. jumped out at us a decade ago. It’s not Hideo Kojima’s Silent Hills but it might just be the closest we ever get to playing it. There’s no denying the impact the original Silent Hill games had on the creation of Alan Wake 2. Small towns covered in mist whose lurking...

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The Day Before Delayed Again, Fntastic Shares New Trailer and Big Update

The highly anticipated and controversial post-apocalyptic open world MMO The Day Before has been delayed again to December 7, 2023, but will only launch in Early Access on Steam with no word on a console release date. Developer Fntastic shared a big update on the game alongside a three minute trailer, below. The delay to December 7 at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 6pm UK is The Day Before's third delay, and comes with the first mention of it only launching in Early Access and not on consoles at the same time (and after a promise of no more delays). The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S versions will be released alongside the full version of the game, but Fntastic offered no inclination as to when this may be. "It will be Early...

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Gaming Laptop vs. Gaming Desktop: The Classic Dilemma

Choosing between a gaming laptop and gaming PC is a classic dilemma that has stumped many PC gamers over the years. The differences between them are plain, yet each has alluring strengths, and most people can only afford to choose one. This guide will help you make the right decision in the gaming laptop vs. desktop debate ahead of those Black Friday gaming PC deals. We compare Gaming laptops and desktops with the following in mind: Features and day-to-day function Game Performance Portability Noise, Heat, Power Consumption Value Verdict Gaming Laptop vs Desktop: Features and Day-to-day Function A gaming laptop and gaming desktop can be used for many of the same tasks, but the key differences between a gaming laptop and desktop...

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Sonic Dream Team Announced for Apple Arcade

Sega has announced Sonic Dream Team will be coming exclusively to Apple Arcade on December 5. In Sonic’s take on the NiGHTS series, Dr. Eggman discovers an ancient device called The Reverie, which contains the power to manifest dreams in the real world — in his case, dreams of world domination. With the world turned into a twisted dream landscape, Sonic and his friends race to stop Eggman from turning his bizzare dreams into reality. Check out the surprise announcement trailer for Sonic Dream Team below. Sonic Dream Team lets you take control of Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Rouge, and (for the first time in years) Cream, each of whom have unique abilities within three movement types to help navigate 12 levels within four dream...

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Best Dungeons and Dragons Gift Ideas for 2023

Everybody has that one friend in their life who is a complete tabletop RPG nerd. The world of D&D can often feel completely impenetrable with all its lore and lingo. If you want to get one of these friends a gift, it can be a bit of a daunting task wading through all this. Which is why we've compiled this super helpful gift guide. All of our top picks for D&D gifts are in here, so you don't need to feel confused about whether or not the D&D fan in your life would like any of this. We promise you they will. We also get it, you're busy. There is a wealth of D&D gifts listed just down below, but if you just want the super duper short version, then take a look at this list here. TL;DR - Must-Have D&D Gifts of 2023 Jump To The Best D&D...

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CD Projekt Wants Cyberpunk 2077 to Undergo a 'Similar Evolution' to The Witcher

CD Projekt Red wants Cyberpunk 2077's sequel, codenamed Orion, to undergo a similar evolution to that of The Witcher franchise. Speaking to PC Gamer, narrative director Igor Sarzyński compared the growth between 2007's The Witcher and its 2011 sequel, Assassins of Kings, with CD Projekt Red's hopes for its sci-fi role-playing game franchise. "Consider The Witcher games and how much they changed with each instalment. We want a similar evolution here," Sarzyński said. "Cyberpunk 2077 was our first venture into a futuristic-sci-fi world with a ton of new gameplay mechanics, narrative tone, themes, and art direction. "Some of the stuff worked almost right out of the box, such as the art, city design, music, interactive scene system...

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Remnant 2’s First DLC the Awakened King Has a Release Date, Price, and Teaser Trailer

Big news for Gunfire Games’ popular co-op looter shooter sequel Remnant 2: its first DLC, dubbed The Awakened King, launches November 14, with the promise of two more DLCs due out next year. Remnant 2 enjoyed a big launch and critical acclaim when it launched in the summer. IGN’s Remnant 2 review returned a 9/10: “Where Remnant: From The Ashes was a strong first draft, Remnant 2 is a revolutionary sequel and a sterling manifesto for the looter-shooter soulslike.” Now, after a series of updates, publisher Gearbox and Gunfire Games have unveiled what’s next. The Awakened King is Remnant 2’s first premium DLC and launches on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S on November 14 priced. This is the first DLC in the previously...

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Remnant 2’s DLC Builds on the Best of Remnant 2 (Meaning: More Losomn!)

In a year with a massive roster of truly epic games to play, I still haven’t forgotten one of my favorites, Remnant 2 – a soulslike looter shooter with procedurally generated levels that I’ve easily put more than 100 hours into at this point. And as luck would have it, there’s more of that sweet multiversal goodness on the way with The Awakened King, a DLC that will add a sizable chunk of fresh content and plenty of reasons to grab some friends and jump back into the fray. In a hands-off demo of the expansion, I saw some tasty items, weapons, enemies, and, of course, bosses, and I already can’t wait to revisit one of my most beloved games of 2023. The Awakened King adds a bunch of new content for one of Remnant 2’s standout areas...

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8 Years Later, Metal Gear Solid 5's Quiet Actress Reflects on Sexualisation Debate

Stefanie Joosten, the actress who played Quiet in Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, has said she understands both sides of the controversy surrounding the sexualisation of her character. Quiet became the centre of debate surrounding the over-sexualisation of women in video games and the media in general due to the character wearing little more than a bikini despite being a military assassin. "It's been interesting to see the discussions about the character," Joosten said in a new interview with IGN. "Of course, I've seen them, and read a lot of different perspectives on the character at the time. And still, I respect the choices Kojima made and his team in designing the character. I respect the choices Kojima made...

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Metal Gear Solid 5's Stefanie Joosten on Playing Quiet, Working With Kojima, AI, and Her New Album

Metal Gear Solid is one of the most iconic video game franchises of all time, and Stefanie Joosten's Quiet stands as one of the most notable characters within it. In an interview with IGN, Joosten sheds light on her experience working on the final mainline Metal Gear Solid, what it was like working with famed developer Hideo Kojima, and the controversy surrounding the sexualisation of Quiet. Joosten also discussed the possibility of working with Konami and Kojima again, what her dream roles would be, and the threat of AI amid ongoing chatter around a video game voice actors strike. All this comes ahead of Joosten releasing her second studio album, Intermission, on November 10 in collaboration with Grammy and Academy Award winning...

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Lies of P Sequel Confirmed, First DLC and Game Update Teased

Lies of P publisher Neowiz has announced a new game update, teased the game’s first DLC, and confirmed plans to release a sequel. Lies of P sold one million copies in less than a month after Round8 Studio’s well-received soulslike launched on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, PC via Steam, and Mac via the Mac App Store on September 18. It reimagines the classic fairy tale of Pinocchio in Bloodborne style gameplay. IGN’s Lies of P review returned an 8/10: “Lies of P might not branch out particularly far from its soulslike inspiration, but it plays the part extremely well.” Lies of P has a “very positive” user review rating on Steam too. An upcoming patch is expected this month, which is set to bring...

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Yu Suzuki Talks Shenmue 4, Air Twister, and 40 Years of Game Development

In 1983, video game legend Yu Suzuki started his career at Sega. Now, 40 years later, his newest game, Air Twister comes to consoles and PC on November 10. The arcade-like shooter was originally released as an Apple Arcade exclusive back in June 2022. “I look forward to more players — old and new — enjoying this classic gameplay experience. I might be one of the oldest game creators by now, but there should be some value in a retro game by a retro creator, right?” Suzuki told IGN with a laugh. Known for games such as Space Harrier, OutRun, Virtua Fighter, and Shenmue, Suzuki was considered by many as Sega’s equivalent to Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto, especially during the ’80s and ’90s, and rightfully so. He made the world’s first...

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Streeties 6 Piledriven to $47, a 20 Buck Mario Game, Serious Sonic Deals and More!

It's time to celebrate two things—the start of November and a bit of Mid-week Madness discounting. The former is great because it means our end-of-year breaks are within rendering distance (not just some objectless HUD marker on the horizon). And the benefits of discounts? Well, that speaks for itself, really. There's a fair chance we'll need to give gifts during the aforementioned break. May as well score 'em cheap now. This Day in Gaming Aussie birthdays for notable games and hardware - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS) 1997. - Grim Fandango (PC) 1998. - Eternal Darkness (GC) 2002. - Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (PC,PS2,XB) 2006. Table of Contents Nintendo Switch PC Xbox PlayStation Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch...

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PS5 Slim Bundle Will Seemingly Include Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 for Free

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is slated to release on Nov. 10 with a price tag of $70. But, for players who are planning on buying the recently announced slimmer PlayStation 5 model in the near future, Modern Warfare 3 will be essentially free thanks to a newly announced bundle. According to new ads shared by Call of Duty news site CharlieIntel, Sony is selling a PlayStation 5 Slim Disc Edition - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III bundle to celebrate Modern Warfare 3's launch, and it'll be $499 — the same price as the PS5 slim without a bundle, making the game a free addition to a PS5 slim. The bundle is seemingly intended to launch when MW3 is released on Nov. 10 and will be available while supplies last, although some players have...

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Bungie CEO Claims Layoffs Were Due to Destiny 2 Underperformance

In an internal town hall meeting addressing a Monday round of layoffs that impacted multiple departments, Bungie CEO Pete Parsons allegedly told remaining employees that the company had kept “the right people” to continue work on Destiny 2. Speaking to multiple current and recently laid off employees, IGN has confirmed reports that Bungie took responsibility for the layoffs, rather than laying them at the feet of parent company Sony. Parsons told employees that the layoffs were largely due to underperformance of Destiny 2 over the last year, as well as lower-than-expected preorders for upcoming expansion The Final Shape. IGN can now independently confirm reports that The Final Shape has been delayed to June 2024, and Marathon has...

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