43.8 million player votes later, the winners of the 2025 Steam Awards have been announced, with Hollow Knight: Silksong securing top prize, Game of the Year.
It's been another strange, difficult, and yet somehow also brilliant year for video games in 2025. Triple-A releases have been sparse again, compared to the boom times of old, with a great big GTA 6-shaped hole left in the final few months of the year. And yet once again, every gap left by the established order has been filled twice over with something brilliantly new.
Every January, the world of consumer electronics heads to Las Vegas to spend the first full week of the year in the desert presenting, prodding, and gawking at all the new gadgets and gear debuting at CES. The show has once again delivered an avalanche of products, both innovative and vaporous, that will shape the industry in 2026.
The Verge's team has been working around the clock to share the experience. Some of it wowed us while some of it weirded us out, but that's part of the fun of CES.
After taking it all in over the past week, there are some gadgets that stood out from the rest. They innovated on an existing product, entirely ret …
EA's biggest franchises are undoubtedly its EA Sports games, but on the EA Entertainment side, beyond shooters like Apex Legends and Battlefield 6, it's The Sims that rules the roost as one of its biggest ongoing live service titles. Today, EA studio Maxis, the team behind The Sims, gave players an update on the life sim franchise and its future in a blog post, with insights into what players can expect in 2026 and beyond. But before it got to that, it began with a couple of paragraphs on how the "values" of the game have not changed. The blog […]
Read full article at https://wccftech.com/maxis-promises-the-sims-values-remain-unchanged-amidst-ea-saudi-arabia-buyout/
What does 2026 hold for The Sims 4 and long-teased spinoff Project Rene? Developer Maxis and publisher EA are seemingly cooking up some big plans for the coming months and years, and there's probably some good and bad news depending on what brings you to the series. Personally, confirmation that Project Rene has now "evolved" into a social-focused, mobile-first game gets away from what I'm after. But the team says it's "committed to single-player life simulation experiences," and that's where we'll see the "next evolution" of The Sims.
Read the full story on PCGamesN: The Sims Project Rene just dropped down my wanted list, but EA's "next evolution" promises to take its place
With another stellar year of gaming squarely in the rearview mirror, the staff here at PlayStation Lifestyle decided to take a trip down memory lane, tally up what new games we played over the past 12 months, and see which ones got enough votes to land a spot on our coveted list of best games from 2025.
Interestingly, in what might be an all-time record low, only five Sony first-party titles launched this year (discounting ports and rereleases), so a vast majority of our list is comprised of indie and AAA titles from other publishers. Chances are, you’ve heard of or played most of the games that made the cut, but a couple of our inclusions might take you by surprise.
And without further ado… the list!
Showing just how loaded this year with great games, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 barely managed to lay claim to the number 10 spot. However, there’s no denying the sheer artistry on display with Sandfall Interactive’s debut title. Most RPG fans worth their salt are at the very least familiar with Clair Obscure, but if this one passed you by entirely, we’d love to know what rock you find yourself living under.
We wouldn’t blame you if you forgot that Kingdom Come: Deliverance II even came out in 2025, seeing as how it launched at the very beginning of February. This is the second, and final, European-developed RPG to make it onto our list, but unlike Clair Obscur, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II trades in the linear, dark fantasy Belle Époque setting for a truly stunning recreation of 15th-century Bohemia. If an unrivaled sense of freedom, a vast open-world that’s begging to be explored, and the unforgiving, harsh realities of medieval life and warfare pique your interest, you shouldn’t pass this one up.
With a handful of Metal Gear fans on staff, it’s no surprise that Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater has slithered its way onto our list. Even though series creator Hideo Kojima parted ways with Konami a decade ago and had zero involvement with the development of this remake, the original PS2 version was (or rather, still is) such a remarkable game, that its success was all but guaranteed. With a handful of quality of life improvements, a modernized control scheme, and a next-gen coat of ray-traced paint, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater looks and plays like a proper remake; anyone claiming that it’s a simple, by-the-numbers cash grab is woefully mistaken.
Much like the previous entry on our list, Lumines: Arise doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel when it comes to its moment-to-moment action. In fact, aside from the newly-added Burst mechanic, Lumines: Arise’s gameplay is almost identical to the original PSP version that launched over 20 years ago. Of course, if you know anything about the series, the gameplay is only a part of the magic. From its entrenching, mesmerizing visuals to its stellar soundtrack, Lumines: Arise is a feast for the eyes and ears, and is also a sight to behold when playing in VR.
Having laid out the foundation with A Way Out and upping the ante with It Takes Two, it’s hardly a surprise that Split Fiction was a smash hit right out of the gates. Developer Hazelight Studios has perfected its craft of creating compelling co-operative gaming experiences, and with Split Fiction, it has even managed to upend our expectations once again. Whether you’re taking to the skies on the back of a dragon or fending off cyber-ninjas, there’s plenty of fun to be had here. If we were to make one suggestion, if you give this one a go, try to find a co-op buddy who can play on the couch next to you if that’s at all possible.
Like a few other titles on this list, Blue Prince sort of took us by surprise when it launched, and once it sank its roguelike hooks into us, we couldn’t get enough of it. Granted, some of its puzzles border on cruelly obscure, and at least one writer on our team lost hours of progress to the dreaded (and thankfully, fixed) save bug, but Blue Prince successfully wormed its way into the inner recesses of our brains, keeping us hooked on its addictive loop of drafting new rooms, uncovering more lore, and peeling back more layers of its seemingly never-ending puzzle. It’s an onion lover’s dream! Or, parfaits, if you prefer.
After a string of middling releases and years of losing ground to its competitors, Battlefield is finally back, and baby, it’s as good as it’s ever been. Sure, there are dozens of other shooters, competitive and casual alike, that are constantly vying for our attention, but Battlefield 6’s objective-focused, squad-centric flavor of running and gunning offers an experience that few other games come close to matching. The environmental destruction and sheer number of vehicles and weapons to master are just the icing on the cake.
Even though its story is a rather conventional revenge tale that doesn’t exactly break the mold, Ghost of Yotei is still a top-tier experience from start to finish. Building off the foundation laid out in Ghost of Tsushima, developer Sucker Punch is firing on all cylinders this time around and pushes the PS5 (and PS5 Pro, for that matter) to its limit. It’s one of the most gorgeous games we’ve seen to date, and with a handful of visual filters and audio mixes to choose from, it’s almost begging to be replayed a second (or even third) time.
2025 saw the launch of a handful of different skating games, but none of them came close to matching the sense of wonder and awe that Sword of the Sea manages to evoke. It strikes an amazing balance between offering up platforming challenges and puzzles, and letting you explore a beautiful world that’s chock-full of surprises that are just waiting to be discovered and experienced firsthand. If you enjoyed Journey, or either of developer Giant Squid’s previous titles (Abzû, The Pathless), this one’s a no-brainer.
Sure, its detractors will be quick to label it as a glorified walking simulator, but Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is so much more than that. It’s a reflection on our current society, a world in which everyone is more connected than ever, but simultaneously, more isolated and alone. It’s a stunning achievement on a technical level, serving up some of the best visuals and most lovingly crafted cutscenes we’ve seen to date. And, for a handful of us staffers and contributors, it’s another opportunity to take a peek into the mind of Hideo Kojima, an absolute juggernaut of a game developer who’s been reinventing genres and subverting expectations for four decades at this point. But, above all, it’s a game about sticks. And ropes. Oh, and chiral networks. And don’t forget Timefall. Plate gates too!
The post PlayStation LifeStyle’s 10 Best PS5 Games of 2025 appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
It’s almost time to say goodbye to a divisive BioWare PS4 action RPG (playable on PS5) as it prepares to shut down for good. Frankly, we’re surprised that Anthem stayed live for seven years despite its development being canceled five years ago, but here we are.
PS5 and PS4 players are reminded that they have until Monday, January 12, 2026 to enjoy Anthem and/or mop up those trophies. PlayStation LifeStyle’s own Tyler Treese managed to pop the Platinum trophy just in time. Don’t miss out on your final opportunity this weekend to earn that rare Platinum!
Anthem was a departure for BioWare that ultimately led the studio down a dark path, but much of the blame for this live service disaster fell on publisher Electronic Arts. The company infamously decided that games-as-a-service was the way to go, and gutted single-player projects along the way.
Anthem was a critical and commercial failure, and at one point, the game’s discs were being sold for pennies. For its part, EA acknowledged the misfire, but not before Anthem’s troubles took their toll on BioWare.
Did our readers play Anthem? Share your thoughts on the game with us below.
The post Last Chance to Play Controversial PS4 RPG Before It Disappears appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
Vince Zampella, the co-creator of Call of Duty, founder of Respawn Entertainment, and head of EA's Battlefield franchise died in a car crash on December 22nd. He was 55 years old.
"We're heartbroken by the passing of our founder and dear friend Vince Zampella," Respawn Entertainment said in a statement on Twitter. "Our hearts are with his family, friends, and all who love him."
The People of Sea, Sun & Salt is a city builder where you establish a civilization on a small Mediterranean island, defining your culture’s tenets while dealing with your subjects’ needs and withstanding the forces of the elements.
In The People of Sea, Sun & Salt you build a magnificent city that grows increasingly complex as you progress through 15+ eras. Fail your subjects and … Read More
The post The People of Sea, Sun & Salt – Beta Sign Up first appeared on Alpha Beta Gamer.
Saudi Arabia's conquest of the games industry continues apace, but whoops, the country's Public Investment Fund appear to be running out of money. In the sense of being reportedly down to a mere pocketful of billions, anyway.
Two Nintendo properties are at two different restaurants in the US right now. If someone heads to Kung Fu Tea, they can get drinks and a straw cap based on Pokemon: Legends Z-A through January 31, 2026, while supplies last. Should people head to a Kura Sushi location until January 31, 2026, again while supplies last, they could get Kirby and Waddle Dee-themed sushi and merchandise.
In the case of Kung Fu Tea, there are three kinds of drinks, cups based on Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile. It is also possible to get a straw cap that looks like Pikachu with your purchase. Each drink is inspired by locations and elements of the game, as well as characters So the Mega Evolution Matcha with brown sugar boba comes in a Chikorita cup, the Prism Tower Punch with aloe jelly, curacao, and lemonade is tied to Totodile, and the Z-A Royale Milk Tea features coconut, passionfruit, green tea, and honey boba. It is possible to order all of them from locations via the website.
Here’s the official art for that promotion:
With Kura Sushi, there are both Kirby and Waddle Dee types of sushi, giveaways for a cup set and blanket, and Bikkura Pon Prizes given away randomly for every 15 plates of sushi. Both the Kirby and Waddle Dee options have tamagoyaki (egg) as their base and seem to feature avocado, with one being the Kirby Dreamy Crunchy Roll and the other the Waddle Dee Feisty Feast Roll. You get the cups if you have the Kura Sushi Rewards app, a QR code, and a receipt showing you spent $85 to get the cups now. The blanket is the $85 reward available after January 14, 2026.
Here’s how those items look:
In 2025, Monster Hunter Wilds also appeared at Kung Fu Tea and One Piece was featured at Kura Sushi.
Pokemon is at Kung Fu Tea and Kirby is at Kura Sushi in the US until January 31, 2026, though some items may only be available while supplies last. Kirby Air Riders is on the Switch 2, and Pokemon Legends: Z-A is on the Switch and Switch 2.
The post Kirby Is at Kura Sushi, Pokemon Are at Kung Fu Tea appeared first on Siliconera.
Four people are now under arrest in South Korea after police announced that they had allegedly hacked more than 120,000 private and commercial video cameras, as per the BBC. According to the police, the hackers used it to generate sexually exploitative footage for an illegal overseas website.
If you use an Internet Protocol, or IP, camera at home or in your business, this news should genuinely alarm you. The sheer scale of this breach is shocking, but the locations targeted confirm our worst fears about pervasive surveillance.
The cameras reportedly hacked across the country included standard private homes, which is awful enough. But the suspects also accessed footage from karaoke rooms, a pilates studio, and even a gynaecologist’s clinic.
IP cameras are often seen as a cheaper alternative to traditional CCTV systems. They connect directly to your home or business Wi-Fi network and are commonly installed so people can monitor their children, pets, or overall security.
The police revealed that the accused exploited some pretty basic vulnerabilities in these devices, primarily simple or default passwords. This is a crucial reminder that if you haven’t changed your device’s password from “12345” or “admin,” you’re leaving your digital front door wide open.
South Korea police say 120,000 home cameras hacked for 'sexploitation' footage https://t.co/ktzfmRWbSE
— Mas73r (@Mas73r) December 2, 2025
The money involved shows just how lucrative this illegal trade has become. One of the suspects is accused of hacking a staggering 63,000 cameras. That single individual produced 545 sexually exploitative videos, which he then sold for virtual assets valued at 35 million won, or about $12,235.
Another suspect was even more prolific in terms of reach, allegedly hacking 70,000 cameras. That hacker sold 648 videos and made 18 million won worth of assets. Unlike the hacker who took over accounts of billionaires and presidents, these two main perpetrators alone were responsible for approximately 62% of the videos posted on the illegal distribution website over the past year.
Police are taking this extremely seriously. They are actively moving to block and shut down the distribution website and are cooperating with foreign agencies to investigate the person running the site itself. They’ve also arrested three other people who are suspected of simply buying and viewing the material distributed through the site.
South Korea’s National Police Agency issued a critical security warning for anyone using this technology. They emphasized that personal vigilance is the most effective defense right now. The agency stated, “Above all, it is crucial and effective for individual users who have installed IP cameras in homes or business premises to remain vigilant and immediately and regularly change their access passwords.”
If you’re using an IP camera, please take this advice immediately. You can’t rely on the factory default settings for real security. If you are a US senator, though, your surveillance worries don’t stop there.
Silicon Valley FandomCon 2026 is still a few months away but the guest list continues to grow with the inclusion of Kristen McGuire.
The post Kristen McGuire is Coming to Silicon Valley FandomCon 2026 appeared first on 8Bit/Digi.
Nintendo’s latest title coming to Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 – Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – was seemingly made with quite a few studios working together. As spotted by Nintendo Life, the credits for the game credits Retro Studios, as well as a host of other development studios, including Virtuos, Territory Studio, Waterproof, AMC Studio, Red Hot CG, and others. You can check out the complete list of studios that were credited as having worked on Metroid Prime 4: Beyond below.
It is worth noting that, while many of the studios listed in the credits were likely teams specialising in supporting the development of major titles, others seem to be more specialised. Red Hot CG, for instance, is a development team that focuses primarily on the art assets that games need. The studio has credits across quite a few major releases, including Destiny 2, Horizon Forbidden West, Valorant, and even Starfield, among many others.
Keywords Studios, on the other hand, is a larger support studio that has several other listed studios under its overall banner, including GameSim and Smoking Gun Interactive.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has been in development for quite some time. The title was originally unveiled all the way back in 2017. At the time, the title was noted as not being made with traditional Metroid Prime franchise developer Retro Studios. Rather, at the time, it was being made by Bandai Namco Studios based out of Japan and Singapore. Since then, however, quite a few things changed for the title, and its development had been confirmed as having been restarted under Retro Studios back in 2019.
The title once more puts players in the armour of Samus Aran who is stuck on the planet Viewros and must fight for survival against a variety of foes, including rival bounty hunter Sylux. Keeping to series tradition, the first-person gameplay of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond offers a heavy mix of exploration, platforming, puzzle solving, and action. To aid players, Samus is once more equipped with the ability to scan objects in the environment which can then help her unravel the overall story of the title.
The newest entry in the Metroid Prime franchise is also bringing with it some new features, like psychic powers that can be used throughout the game. Along with this, Samus will also have access to the Vi-0-La bike to travel around the game’s various environments.
Releasing on both Switch and Switch 2, the version of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on the more recent console will feature quite a few unique features, like the ability to use the Joy-Con 2 controller as a mouse, more closely mimicking the gameplay of traditional PC-based shooters.
For more details about Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, here are 15 things you need to know. Also check out what has changed since Metroid Prime 3.
Studios credited with work on Metroid Prime 4: Beyond:
Sword of the Sea, from Developer and Publisher Giant Squid, is an atmospheric game similar to the likes of Journey and Flower. It’s also directly comparable to Giant Squid’s previous titles, such as Abzu and The Pathless, and as such, it has a lot of expectations to fulfil in terms of quality. So does Sword…
The post Sword of the Sea Review – A Remarkably Beautiful Return to Adventure appeared first on Invision Game Community.
