Netflix has given us our best look yet at its upcoming animated series, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.

The show is scheduled to make its debut on the streaming service this autumn, and features the vocal talents of the MCU's Hayley Atwell as Lara Croft. It's all set to take place after the events of the Tomb Raider Survivor trilogy, which comprised Tomb Raider (2013), Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

"Following the events of the Survivor Trilogy, Lara Croft (voiced by Hayley Atwell) has abandoned her friends to embark on increasingly more perilous solo adventures," reads the official blurb. "But she must return home when a dangerous and powerful Chinese artefact is stolen from Croft Manor by a thief with an uncanny personal connection."

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Final Fantasy 16 will launch on PC on 17th September across both the Epic Games Store and Steam.

The PC version has been long-awaited since the game was released as a PS5 console exclusive last year.

Today's news comes with a new PC specific trailer, see below. A demo is available to try out now.

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Two Legacy of Kain games are being re-released, but for the Evercade retro handheld console.

The Legacy of Kain Collection will include both Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver on one giga cart priced £22.49.

The collection will release next month and will be available to pre-order from 30th August. It's compatible with all Evercade and Super Pocket devices.

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PC gamers have almost too many options when it comes to titles to play, which is a great problem to have. With decades of games to choose from (and the first port of call for most indie titles, too), the options are endless. You also get the perks of (nearly always flawless) backward compatibility and console-beating graphical performance — if you've got the coin for it when you’re building your perfect kit or picking up a high-powered gaming laptop. The whole idea of what a gaming PC is and where you can play it is shifting, too, with the rise of handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck. We've tried to be broad with our recommendations here on purpose; here are the best PC games you can play right now.

Best PC games to play right now

Square Enix announced that the PC version of Final Fantasy 16 will launch on September 17 for PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. A demo for the game featuring the first hour is also available now. Final Fantasy 16 will cost $49.99 for PC. A Complete Edition featuring the game and its DLCs will also launch for $69.99. A PC release date trailer was also released.  Final Fantasy 16  launched on June 22 for PlayStation 5 and has sold over three million units thus far.

The game’s details:

An epic dark fantasy where fates are decided by mighty Eikons and the Dominants who wield them. This is the tale of Clive Rosfield, a tragic warrior who swears revenge on the Dark Eikon Ifrit, a mysterious entity that leaves naught but calamity in its wake.

The First Fully-fledged Action RPGin the Mainline Final Fantasy Series

An epic dark fantasy world where the fate of the land is decided by the mighty Eikons and the Dominants who wield them. This is the tale of Clive Rosfield, a warrior granted the title “First Shield of Rosaria” and sworn to protect his younger brother Joshua, the dominant of the Phoenix. Before long, Clive will be caught up in a great tragedy and swear revenge on the Dark Eikon Ifrit, a mysterious entity that brings calamity in its wake.

Titanic Clashes – When rival Dominants come head to head, epic battles between their Eikons ensue!

Eikonic Action – Clive utilizes the powers of multiple Eikons in breakneck battle!

From Strength to Strength

A plethora of powerful swordplay techniques and Eikonic abilities lie within Clive’s remit—and it is up to you to decide which ones you wish to learn or upgrade. If you’re having trouble choosing, upgrades can be unlocked automatically.

Story-focused mode is recommended for those players who are less comfortable with action games and wish to focus more on the game’s story elements. In this mode, Clive will automatically evade some attacks, and epic Eikonic combos can be triggered with simple button presses. Action-focused mode, where Clive’s every action is controlled by the player, is available for those who are confident in their skill—or want to test it.

Stay tuned at Gaming Instincts via Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook for more gaming news.

The post Final Fantasy 16 PC Version Gets Release Date and New Trailer appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.

In a recent live panel discussing the development of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, director Naoki Hamaguchi revealed that the upcoming and final Final Fantasy VII Remake installment will be “even bigger” than the other two games. “When I think about the third and final game in the Remake trilogy, it really does fill me with excitement, and I have such great expectations toward it as well,” he said. “I really hope the fans can have great expectations toward this game, and we will meet those expectations. We will definitely expand on and make the world of Final Fantasy 7 even bigger than it is now.”

Hamaguchi also noted that work continues on the third installment and expects it to beat expectations and expects it to be one of the most popular games in the history of video games. “The development team is hard at work as we speak, and we’re going to make the game something that even beats any of the expectations that you have towards the game,” he added. “I am absolutely confident that the third game in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series will be one of the most loved, most popular games in the whole history of video games once again.” Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launched on February 25 and is available now for PlayStation 5.

The game’s details:

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the iconic fantasy game that redefined the RPG genre in three distinct games.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth picks up with iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII after they escape from the dystopian city Midgar and sees them embark on a journey in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead.

In this standalone adventure, players will explore an expansive world, all brought to life with a new level of graphical fidelity, developed specifically to leverage the power of the PlayStation 5 console.

As players unravel a gripping narrative rich with mysteries to uncover, they will also witness the personal journey of each party member and strengthen their bonds to work together and face off against powerful enemies.

Stay tuned at Gaming Instincts via Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook for more gaming news.

The post The Third Final Fantasy VII Remake Game Will Be “Even Bigger” Than The Rest appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.

Final Fantasy XIV is on its fifth expansion, and with that comes two new jobs for our Warriors of Light to master. Dawntrail's release means that Pictomancer and Viper – both damage dealers (or DPS) – are newly available to play. But they're far from the only options.

Final Fantasy XIV is now officially up to 21 main jobs, as well as one limited job with a second on the way. A continual evolution of specified playstyles means that with every new level cap, each job gets tweaked a little, making it the perfect opportunity to dive into something new.

SUPERJUMP has a handy guide for anyone not certain what job to level next, homing in on what each excels at, the drawbacks, and its playstyle.

2.0 A Realm Reborn

Final Fantasy XIV's base game includes the original base class to job evolution. Your journey from levels 1 - 30 are as your selected base class, and upon reaching level 30 you receive your corresponding job stone and are able to move through the job questline. You'll need to complete one of these regardless, as not only does the game require you to pick a discipline during character creation, but every other job introduced in the later expansions begins at or after level 30.

You'll progress through the job quests through to level 80. These job quests also grant certain actions upon completion, so not completing them means you'll be missing the necessary skills. They're a must.

Tanks

Class Quest: Way of the Gladiator - Level 1, Gladiator's Guild

Job Quest: Paladin's Pledge - Level 30, Gladiator's Guild

Paladins are primarily party-defensive tanks, with a skillset suited to mitigating damage to the whole party. In comparison to the three other tanks, Paladin is more "buff"-heavy, meaning they can do more to protect the at-large group and even heal other members, but also have to balance the uses of their abilities. Play-wise, there might be a little negotiating with party-wide damages and preemptively knowing when wind-ups for big hits might benefit from popping a little extra protection on everyone. They also have some skills that require casting.

Class Quest: Way of the Marauder - Level 1, Marauder's Guild

Job Quest: Pride and Duty (Will Take You From the Mountain) - Level 30, Marauder's Guild

Warriors are tanks focused more on damage and self-preservation. They've got nifty self-healing abilities that are notoriously convenient for running content solo. They lack Paladin's more party-based defense strategy, but their invul ability – Holmgang – is an endure-like ability that keeps them from falling below 1 HP for 10 seconds and is similarly as basic in use. Warrior is often considered extremely beginner-friendly due to its self-sustaining abilities and a forgiving rotation.

So, if you prefer a bit of tunnel vision when tanking – in not necessarily having to worry about party buffs, and instead focusing on yourself and fight mechanics – Warrior is the way to go.

DPS

Class Quest: Way of the Lancer - Level 1, Lancer's Guild

Job Quest: Eye of the Dragon - Level 30, Lancer's Guild

Dragoons have a storied history in Ishgard. They're the poster job for Heavensward, and they also used to be affectionately known as floor tanks. They're very leap-oriented, so it's important when playing Dragoon to know your position on the board and be able to accurately understand where your dismount might land you, although this has become less of a pain in recent updates. Dragoons are also positional, meaning that damage is increased depending on the position in which you're executing certain skills.

These positions are usually the rear and flank (often on bigger enemies or bosses) and straight lines for mobs. Dragoons have a pretty solid starter kit with a very focused and straightforward rotation. Battle Litany, acquired at level 52 by way of job quest, provides more utility for the party, but otherwise, this job is a dedicated slice and dicer.

Class Quest: Way of the Pugilist – Level 1, Pugilist's Guild

Job Quest: Brother From Another Mother – Level 30, Pugilist's Guild

Monks move fast and hit hard. They're a close-range melee and are great if you're looking to be able to run around the board and dodge mechanics without having to worry about cast times or more explicit positionals. Unlike Dragoon, there's a fair bit of flexibility in how (and when) exactly you want to execute certain actions, but this also makes the job a little more of a balancing act. Monk has different "forms", and transitioning into these will determine the nature of the rotation in use. There are positionals in the coeurl form, but the other two – Opo-opo and Raptor – are more general in dealing damage. Monk has a generally loose, weavy feel during combat, with constant upkeep of moves and little downtime.

Class Quest: Way of the Archer – Level 1, Archer's Guild

Job Quest: A Song of Bards and Bowmen – Level 30, Archer's Guild

Bards are the songsters of the group, and like their inspirational counterparts, they have more utility for the wider group in the form of music-based actions that offer increased critical hit rates, healing, and more to all party members within range. Bards are also less strict in their rotations and have room for maneuverability in playstyle. Because of this focus on the wider group, Bards have somewhat of a responsibility (especially in higher-end content) to understand the use and timing of certain critical skill buffs.

In addition – you ever hear anyone playing the harp in the overworld? Leveling Bard also allows you to unlock instruments, which will provide you with a plethora of ways to play actual music on a variety of instruments.

Class Quest: Way of the Thaumaturge - Level 1, Thaumaturge's Guild

Job Quest: Taking the Black – Level 30, Thaumaturge's Guild

Y'shtola of the Scion is a dedicated black mage – a powerful spell-caster who can literally call down meteors on foes. Black Mage is a caster, meaning that you will have some downtime in readying spells, making the class a bit more difficult if you're dodging mechanic-heavy fights. There's a long-running joke that Black Mages refuse to move for certain AOEs when they're in their ley lines, which reduces cast time for a quicker rotation. It reflects a pretty real sacrifice of the playstyle, in that mistakes in your rotation when balancing the element gauge while having to dodge can result in a loss of built-up DPS. It is widely considered one of the best DPS damage-wise though.

Class Quest: Way of the Arcanist – Level 1, Arcanist's Guild

Job Quest: Austerities of Flame – Level 30, Arcanist's Guild

Summoners utilize the unique ability of summons, or "pets", to help deal damage. There are three main summons which, after the carbuncle phase, will become Garuda-egi, Ifrit-egi, and Titan-egi. Later levels see your ability to unlock Bahamut and Phoenix, which are pretty fun to unleash onto the field. Summoner is also one of the few DPS classes that has a resurrection ability, so they're able to assist healers if the party is taking heavy losses during a high-level raid or trial.

Class Quest: My First Daggers – Level 1, Rogue's Guild

Job Quest: Peasants by Day, Ninjas by Night - Level 30, Limsa Lominsa Lower Decks

Ninja is a notoriously busy job, with high DPS and constant damage-dealing. There's little downtime, and there are windows in which you have to execute high burst damage. It's a very mobile class with some positionals, so there's a lot of flexibility in movement if you're trying to easily get out of the way of AOEs and other telegraphed attacks. This makes it a good choice for dodging mechanics, but the rotation can get busy, be demanding, and require focus.

Healer

Class Quest: Way of the Conjurer – Level 1, Conjurer's Guild

Job Quest: Seer Folly – Level 30, Conjurer's Guild

White Mages are the traditional healers, with the bulk of their actions focused on casting strong burst heals instead of regen abilities or shield actions, meaning the play is a bit more reactive to what's happening in a fight than it is preemptive. As casters, this also means you run up against a similar issue as Black Mage, although thankfully this is offset by a great set of off-global-cool down (oGCD) skills that consist of instant heals and a pretty big heal-potency buff. They're also the only job questline that gets a mount at low level, so if you want to snag a unicorn by level 30, this is your place to do it.

Class Quest: Way of the Arcanist – Level 1, Arcanist's Guild

Job Quest: Forgotten but Not Gone – Level 30, Arcanist's Guild

The great thing about Scholar and Summoner is that they're both derived from the Arcanist class, so you really can level 2 jobs for the price of one until level 30. Scholars have a little more of a detailed playstyle, considering they've got a "pet" that, while autonomous, can do with a little guiding. Scholars are considered shield healers, which means they have a heavier focus on regen abilities and protective spells, but they're also pretty flexible.

Since this job has designated pet commands, it allows for greater situational specificity and adaptable play. This also means it's a bit of a hard sell if you like a less cluttered hot bar.

Heavensward

2015's Heavensward brought three new jobs into the rotation, one for each of the roles. The starting city - Ishgard - is full of towering Gothic structures and continual gales of snow. You'll find each starting quest line for the new jobs housed here, with no more class quests as a prerequisite. While you'll need to have completed the base game MSQ to unlock them, they all start at level 30.

Tank

Job Quest: Our End – Level 50, The Pillars

Dark Knight is well-beloved for having one of the more emotionally potent questlines in the game. Some level it explicitly for that, but Dark Knight is a popular tank for a reason, and it's only partially because of its cooly gothic aesthetics. Like Warrior, Dark Knights can cause a lot of damage, but they have fewer self-sustainability abilities. You can also summon a shadow to fight with you at level 80, which adds to the whole job's vibe.

One of the more complicated aspects is in its invul ability, Living Dead, which allows you to essentially live past a hit that takes you to 0 HP, but you have to reach that 0 to activate your following ability, Walking Dead, which allows your dealt damage to provide big HP regens. This is a nifty ability when applied right but can also backfire in a way that Warrior or Paladin's invul abilities can't.

DPS

Job Quest: Savior of Skysteel – Level 50, Foundation

Machinists are the gunslingers of the group, able to fire off from a distance with consistent damage. Unlike Bard, they have no real party buffs, meaning they're more focused on dealing damage. By level 40 Machinists gain a rook companion that runs, essentially, on its "battery" charge, and can only be in battle for so long. Machinists have a fairly dedicated rotation, so there's less concern about how flexible a player has to be under pressure. They're great if you want to blend more into the damage-dealing background.

Healer

Job Quest: Stairway to the Heavens – Level 50, The Pillars

Astrologians are a bit more complicated than their other healing counterparts. They function on the use of cards that can be applied to certain members of the party based on their own job classification. For example, if the Balance card is drawn, it's best applied to a melee DPS or a tank for that extra few percentage points of buffed damage dealing. Knowing what cards apply to what classes makes this job a fair bit more difficult to master, in that there's some memorization needed under pressure, and the preemptive needs of the abilities means you'll have to read the tells of content mechanics more closely.

Stormblood

The third expansion arrived in 2017 and brought two new DPS jobs. This time the starting city is the jumping-puzzle playground of Kugane, but you won't find the jobs here – they're both unlockable in Ul'dah, and the only prerequisite is that you reach level 50, as they both start at level 50. This would start the trend of each new job introduction at expansion launch being twenty levels below the current max level. This also means they're only ten levels below the previous expansion's max, and since you're starting Stormblood at 60, you'll only need to level up by 10 to go through the MSQ with a shiny new job.

DPS

Job Quest: The Way of the Samurai – Level 50, Steps of Nald

Samurai is the heavy hitter of the melee DPS, in that it is a pure damage dealer. It lacks any party buffs, so the focus of the job is considered more selfish, an ideal choice for those who don't want to have to worry about when and how to execute certain buff abilities on other players. As a melee class, Samurai can also easily move around while still executing actions. It's a good starting class with high yields of damage, where you can focus, really, on just wailing on the enemy.

Job Quest: Taking the Red – Level 50, Steps of Thal

Red Mages are a bit of a mix between casters and melee classes. They see-saw between the white and black mana use and function slightly similar to black mages in the balancing out of particular spell affiliations. You also have engage and disengage abilities that, if well timed, allow for easy outs from AOEs as needed. Red Mages are also sometimes cheekily referred to as "Rez-Mages" for their Verraise ability when paired with their Dualcast trait (meaning the next spell has no cast time) for a great combo in high-end content. Conversely, it can also put some extra pressure on you if you want to fly a bit more under the radar. Luckily, you don't have to really worry about that until level 64 – and even then, its only real constant usefulness is in bigger party content.

Shadowbringers

Lali-HO! Shadowbringers is the expansion everyone talks about. It broke some ground after doing away with the slightly daunting job quests, and instead consolidated all roles into dedicated role quest lines. This was a four-way split to tank, healer, magical ranged DPS and physical DPS role quest lines. Luckily, these don't grant abilities like the job-specific quest lines do, so you can complete them at your leisure in later expansions – although they are required reading in Shadowbringers.

Tank

Job Quest: Makings of a Gunbreaker – Level 60, New Gridania

Gunbreaker is a high-damage tank with a rotation that feels very DPS-like to a lot of players. It's got flashy moves and versatility in what kind of tank it needs to function as, so in content with two tanks, like higher-end trials, Gunbreaker can more easily adjust to the playstyle best suited to complement the other tank. Its invul ability, Superbolide, is fun in that it immediately reduces your HP to one while offering a window of 10-second invulnerability. Superbolide does have a pretty big tell (in that the HP just whooshes to one) but hey, as I've been maining White Mage lately, that's what Benediction's instant full heal is for!

DPS

Job Quest: Shall We Dance? – Level 30, Lower Decks

Dancers fall in with Bards at the lower end of the damage-dealing spectrum in exchange for great party-wide buffs. Specifically for this job, you can select a "dance partner" with whom you can share all the benefits of your personal buffs, so it's best to choose a high-yield damage dealer like Samurai. There's a fair bit of flexibility with Dancer and it's an easy job to dodge with, making it a good selection for newcomers. It's also got something of a dancing mini-game at the end of a rotation, making it feel a little more cheerful than some of the serious jobs.

Endwalker

All good things end, and we mark the finale of a 10-year saga with the release of 2021's Endwalker. This also marks the first new job – Sage – that would be endemic to Final Fantasy XIV itself. These jobs are unlockable in the starting cities of Ul'dah and Limsa Lominsa, so you can grab them as long as you've reached level 70.

Healer

Job Quest: Sage's Path – Level 60, Lower Decks

Sage is considered a shield healer, meaning that nearly its entire toolkit is dedicated to preventative or pre-planned healing. This makes the job the opposite in utility of White Mage, which excels in topping up low numbers. Sage is all about preventing the numbers from getting that low in the first place, and they've got quite a few skills aimed at assuring damage is mitigated. It's best suited to players who like to be proactive rather than reactive and works wonderfully if you can reduce greater damage right off the bat. If stuff does hit the fan though, Sages aren't necessarily equipped with instant burst heals as readily as White Mage or Scholar.

DPS

Job Quest: The Killer Instinct – Level 60, Steps of Nald

Reaper calls the aid of voidsent to assist in battle. It's a very aesthetic job, sharing the vibes of Dark Knight in its particularly emo attire. Unlike most other melee jobs, it doesn't have as many positionals to remember, and also features an ability to become possessed by a voidsent, allowing you a burst window of high damage dealing. Reaper is flexible and considered easy to initially learn, making it a great entry point for those new to melee DPS.

Dawntrail

Announced at 2023's Fan Festival in Las Vegas, Square Enix unveiled Dawntrail, ushering in a new arc for the game's central story. It's a much sunnier venture – with vistas and cities inspired by South American cultures and rite of succession on the line. The two main jobs each start at level 80.

DPS

Job Quest: Enter the Viper – Level 80, Steps of Nald

Viper is the newest melee DPS and boasts extremely high damage. It's also a much more straightforward job than some of the other melee DPS jobs, meaning your hot bar won't be quite so busy. Lacking any real party buff skills, Viper is a more selfish playstyle focused solely on dealing damage and can grant itself its own buffs. Its combo also has more tells, making it easier to execute under pressure, as there's more guidance for what to press and at what times.

Job Quest: The Joy of Pictomancy – Level 90, Old Gridania

Pictomancer is a unique job that's got an...interesting playstyle. There's also something unintentionally hilarious about seeing players bust out a giant cartoon hammer while fighting a massive enemy that might be responsible for ending the world as we know it. Pictomancer focuses on painting certain rotations for its job gauge, and these can be applied situationally. You can also "pre-load" certain skills by painting them on your canvas, allowing you easy access to them as needed. It's a change of pace from other jobs that follow similar patterns, making Pictomancer a pretty fun pick.

So there you have it, 10 years of Jobs in the epic universe of Final Fantasy XIV. Let us know if the comments if you'd like to see more guides from our team.

Nobuo Uematsu, the renowned composer behind iconic video game music such as the Final Fantasy series, will hold a special concert event titled "Nobuo Uematsu con TIKI SHOW" in Tokyo. The performances are scheduled for October 5-6, 2024, at Otemachi Mitsui Hall, and tickets are now on sale to the general public. Uematsu will be joined by his band "con TIKI".

View the announcement video below:

The concert will feature a mix of Uematsu's classic game compositions, including tracks from Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy X, as well as original works. Attendees can expect to hear pieces like "Melodies of Life" and "Isn't it wonderful," alongside newer compositions from his latest projects.

In addition to the musical performances, the event will offer special opportunities including a limited-edition commemorative sticker and a chance to meet con TIKI members including Nobuo Uematsu during a post-show handshake session. There will also be a lottery for photo opportunities with the band.

Uematsu previously appeared on The First Take alongside vocalist Loren Allred, where they performed the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth theme song, “No Promises to Keep.” Uematsu played the piano while Allred, performing in character as Aerith, provided the vocals.

Tickets are available through Lawson Ticket, Ticket Pia, and e-plus.

The post Composer Nobuo Uematsu con Tiki Concert Airs in October  appeared first on Siliconera.

The official Kingdom Hearts soundtracks for HD 2.5 ReMIX, Birth by Sleep, 358/2 Days, Dream Drop Distance, and HD 1.5 ReMIX are now available via the Square Enix Store. Each comes as a three CD set except for HD 2.5 ReMIX, which contains four CD's.

There are four soundtracks in total, including music from across seven games in the franchise. The music is created by composers such as Tsuyoshi Sekito, Yoko Shimomura, and Takeharu Ishimoto. Each is a re-release of products that originally debuted between 2011 and 2014, while the Birth by Sleep & 358/2 Days CD set also includes some extra music from the Japanese exclusive Birth by Sleep FINAL MIX release. The soundtracks for Birth by Sleep & 358/2 Days, Dream Drop Distance, and HD 1.5 ReMIX are available for $30.99 each, while the one for HD 2.5 ReMIX costs $42.99. Each is expected to ship sometime in September 2024.

Back in July 2024, Square Enix showed off some new hair clips themed around Halloween Town from Kingdom Hearts II. More recently, the company also announced the return of 4 metallic keychains shaped like the series' signature Keyblades.

The original soundtracks for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX, Birth by Sleep, 358/2 Days, Dream Drop Distance, and HD 1.5 ReMIX are now available via the Square Enix online store. Each product is expected to release sometime in September, 2024.

The post Kingdom Hearts Game Soundtracks Come to Square Enix Store appeared first on Siliconera.

Square Enix released a Chrissy Costanza music video for the FFXIV “Give It All” Arcadion Raid song, as well as shared the official English lyrics for the track. The song debuted alongside the 7.01 Dawntrail Raid AAC Light-heavyweight Tier.

In FFXIV, you hear the song “Give It All” during AAC Light-heavyweight M4. The Orchestrion Roll for the track is also a basic rarity reward from a Treasure Coffer from the fight. The idea is that Wicked Thunder is “performing” the track. In reality, it is a The Primals song with Costanza providing the vocals. Previously, the company shared the track following its release. However, now the additional video and lyrics are also available.

Here are the full, official “Give It All” FFXIV Arcadion Raid song lyrics:

Tonight our city bleeds red, blue, and green 
As I walk in the dark unseen 

Yet like the grey the sky is draped in 
The colors in my heart have faded 

Gone 
They're gone 
They're gone 
All gone 

A girl looks to the stars and dares to dream 
On the world she'd make her mark, it seemed 

This phantom in my mirror starin' back 
I realize that girl is 

Gone 
She's gone 
She's gone 
I'm gone 

Climbed every mountain, made it to the top 
I had it all, or so I thought 
Traded tomorrow for a lie 
And found the price too high 

The clock is ticking counting down to naught 
I'm outta time but it won't stop 
I'll bet my life before it's lost 
That final line I'll cross 

There ain't no going back 
No going back 
No going back 
No 

What light's left here inside 
I'll suffocate 
If that's what it takes, oh 

And those who look to cast me aside 
or turn their backs and leave me to die 

You can try, can try, come try, 
But I will survive 

No going back 
No going back 
Won't ever 
(no) Never again, no 

Ain't no going back 
No going back 
No coming back from the edge 

Look in my eyes, yeah I know you understand 
(somebody help, my misery's taking me) 
I've made up my mind, now there ain't no going back 
(somebody help, I'm losing what's left of me) 
I've made up my mind, now my heart's demanding 
I'm ready to fight til there's one left standing 
Tonight, lightning'll strike, thunder will fall 
(and) You're gonna give it all 

To me 
To me 
To me 
To me, I gotta believe 
You'll set 
Me free

Tonight my circle finally comes complete 
One last step from the dark, I breathe 

The music's swellin', crowd is chantin' 
And for this moment fear's an after-thought
It's gone
It's gone 
All gone 

I look out to the crowd and there I see 
A thousand little girls--all me 

I've turned the tables, yeah I'm fightin' back 
I'll bring the lightnin', now it's 

On 
It's on 
It's on 
You're gone 

Climbed every mountain, made it to the top 
I had it all, or so I thought 
Traded tomorrow for a lie 
And found the price too high 

The clock is ticking counting down to naught 
I'm outta time but it won't stop 
I'll bet my life before it's lost 
That final line I'll cross 

There ain't no going back 
No going back 
No going back 
No 

What light's left here inside 
I'll suffocate 
If that's what it takes, oh 

And those who look to cast me aside 
or turn their backs and leave me to die 

You can try, can try, come try, 
But I will survive 

No going back 
No going back 
Won't ever 
(no) Never again, no 

Ain't no going back 
No going back 
No coming back from the edge, no more 

Next, here’s the “Give It All” music video from YouTube, which features gameplay footage from FFXIV, Solution Nine, and the Arcadion Raid. Note there are spoilers for all the AAC Light-heavyweight Tier fights in the video below, and not just the Wicked Thunder one.

Both standard and Savage versions of the AAC Light-heavyweight Tier Arcadion fight are available in the game. The more difficult version of the Raid debuted at the end of July 2024 in patch 7.05.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the Arcadian Raid series are part of the Dawntrail patches.

The post See the FFXIV ‘Give It All’ Arcadion Raid Song Lyrics, Music Video appeared first on Siliconera.

Final Fantasy XVI will soon be getting a new weapon on PS5 in the form of the Brave Blade. The weapon, which was first seen in Final Fantasy V, is currently available as a pre-order bonus for the PC version of the game, although PS5 players have been reassured that the weapon will also be available for them in the future.

When will the Brave Blade come to Final Fantasy XVI on PS5?

The Brave Blade will be available for PC players when the game is released on September 17. Square Enix has said that “it will be added to the PS5 version at a later date,” although they haven’t clarified exactly when that “later date” will be.

Other PC pre-order bonuses include the Cait Sith Charm (Gil Boost Accessory) and the “Sixteen Bells” Orchestrion Roll. Both of these are already available in the console version. The charm was available to PS5 players who pre-ordered the game. Meanwhile, the Orchestrion Roll was available as a promo code from a Taco Bell promotion.

The PC version of Final Fantasy 16 will finally be available more than a year after the game’s release on PS5. However, staggered releases may become consigned to history as Square Enix aims to “aggressively pursue a multiplatform strategy that includes Nintendo platforms, PlayStation, Xbox, and PCs.” The aim is that more players can enjoy its major franchises and AAA titles.

FF16 director Hiroshi Takai also told GamesRadar+ that “I think it’s possible – probably even likely” that future Final Fantasy games could see a day-one release on multiple platforms. However, he did add that “the team in charge of each project gets to decide its own policy, so this is just my personal opinion.”

The post Final Fantasy XVI Brave Blade Coming to PS5 Later appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Square Enix released a Chrissy Costanza music video for the FFXIV “Give It All” Arcadion Raid song, as well as shared the official English lyrics for the track. The song debuted alongside the 7.01 Dawntrail Raid AAC Light-heavyweight Tier.

In FFXIV, you hear the song “Give It All” during AAC Light-heavyweight M4. The Orchestrion Roll for the track is also a basic rarity reward from a Treasure Coffer from the fight. The idea is that Wicked Thunder is “performing” the track. In reality, it is a The Primals song with Costanza providing the vocals. Previously, the company shared the track following its release. However, now the additional video and lyrics are also available.

Here are the full, official “Give It All” FFXIV Arcadion Raid song lyrics:

Tonight our city bleeds red, blue, and green 
As I walk in the dark unseen 

Yet like the grey the sky is draped in 
The colors in my heart have faded 

Gone 
They're gone 
They're gone 
All gone 

A girl looks to the stars and dares to dream 
On the world she'd make her mark, it seemed 

This phantom in my mirror starin' back 
I realize that girl is 

Gone 
She's gone 
She's gone 
I'm gone 

Climbed every mountain, made it to the top 
I had it all, or so I thought 
Traded tomorrow for a lie 
And found the price too high 

The clock is ticking counting down to naught 
I'm outta time but it won't stop 
I'll bet my life before it's lost 
That final line I'll cross 

There ain't no going back 
No going back 
No going back 
No 

What light's left here inside 
I'll suffocate 
If that's what it takes, oh 

And those who look to cast me aside 
or turn their backs and leave me to die 

You can try, can try, come try, 
But I will survive 

No going back 
No going back 
Won't ever 
(no) Never again, no 

Ain't no going back 
No going back 
No coming back from the edge 

Look in my eyes, yeah I know you understand 
(somebody help, my misery's taking me) 
I've made up my mind, now there ain't no going back 
(somebody help, I'm losing what's left of me) 
I've made up my mind, now my heart's demanding 
I'm ready to fight til there's one left standing 
Tonight, lightning'll strike, thunder will fall 
(and) You're gonna give it all 

To me 
To me 
To me 
To me, I gotta believe 
You'll set 
Me free

Tonight my circle finally comes complete 
One last step from the dark, I breathe 

The music's swellin', crowd is chantin' 
And for this moment fear's an after-thought
It's gone
It's gone 
All gone 

I look out to the crowd and there I see 
A thousand little girls--all me 

I've turned the tables, yeah I'm fightin' back 
I'll bring the lightnin', now it's 

On 
It's on 
It's on 
You're gone 

Climbed every mountain, made it to the top 
I had it all, or so I thought 
Traded tomorrow for a lie 
And found the price too high 

The clock is ticking counting down to naught 
I'm outta time but it won't stop 
I'll bet my life before it's lost 
That final line I'll cross 

There ain't no going back 
No going back 
No going back 
No 

What light's left here inside 
I'll suffocate 
If that's what it takes, oh 

And those who look to cast me aside 
or turn their backs and leave me to die 

You can try, can try, come try, 
But I will survive 

No going back 
No going back 
Won't ever 
(no) Never again, no 

Ain't no going back 
No going back 
No coming back from the edge, no more 

Next, here’s the “Give It All” music video from YouTube, which features gameplay footage from FFXIV, Solution Nine, and the Arcadion Raid. Note there are spoilers for all the AAC Light-heavyweight Tier fights in the video below, and not just the Wicked Thunder one.

Both standard and Savage versions of the AAC Light-heavyweight Tier Arcadion fight are available in the game. The more difficult version of the Raid debuted at the end of July 2024 in patch 7.05.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the Arcadian Raid series are part of the Dawntrail patches.

The post See the FFXIV ‘Give It All’ Arcadion Raid Song Lyrics, Music Video appeared first on Siliconera.

Please lock your Chocobos to attack position and set your Phoenix Downs to stun: Square Enix have released fresh details of Final Fantasy 16's PC port, which has now been dated for launch on 17th September. They've also shared a little about why it's taken so long to arrive - the (generally decent) action-RPG hit PS5 over a year ago, back when I was still some filthy console-playing freelancer.

According to director Hiroshi Takai, it was "impossible" to create the PC and PS5 versions at the same time, even if Square Enix hadn't been restrained by a timed exclusivity clause. He also thinks that the Final Fantasy series faces no "existential risk" right now, despite lower-than-hoped returns from both Final Fantasy 16 and, going by Square Enix's latest financial reports, the more recent and currently PS5-only Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

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Please lock your Chocobos to attack position and set your Phoenix Downs to stun: Square Enix have released fresh details of Final Fantasy 16's PC port, which has now been dated for launch on 17th September. They've also shared a little about why it's taken so long to arrive - the (generally decent) action-RPG hit PS5 over a year ago, back when I was still some filthy console-playing freelancer.

According to director Hiroshi Takai, it was "impossible" to create the PC and PS5 versions at the same time, even if Square Enix hadn't been restrained by a timed exclusivity clause. He also thinks that the Final Fantasy series faces no "existential risk" right now, despite lower-than-hoped returns from both Final Fantasy 16 and, going by Square Enix's latest financial reports, the more recent and currently PS5-only Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

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We have available a new version of ROCKNIX with improvements and fixes. Download or update online this version to optimise your console. The Linux ROCKNIX OS offers interesting ...

The post ROCKNIX 20240812, available for download and install first appeared on AndroidPCtv.

The Antec Core HS is a handheld gaming PC with a 6 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixel IPS LCD display that slides upward to reveal a QWERTY keyboard designed for thumb typing. Under the hood the system is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor with Radeon 780M mobile graphics. If it looks familiar, that’s […]

The post Antec Core HS now available for $499 and up (Handheld gaming PC with Ryzen 7 7840U and QWERTY keyboard) appeared first on Liliputing.

Square Enix has announced that the previously confirmed PC port of Final Fantasy 16, the latest main entry in the publisher’s long-running RPG franchise, is releasing next month. But PC players won’t have to wait until then to check out the game, as Square Enix has released a free demo on Steam and the Epic Games…

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An MMO wouldn’t be complete without a generous dose of grinding, and while this is true for Final Fantasy XIV, Square Enix’s online game eases the pain slightly by adding Daily Roulettes. These missions help more efficiently procure some of the different resources in the game. This guide will help explain what Daily…

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„Jsem si naprosto jistý, že třetí hra ze série Final Fantasy 7 Remake bude opět jednou z nejoblíbenějších a nejpopulárnějších her v celé historii videoher,“ říká Naoki Hamaguči.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth byla uvedena na trh na začátku tohoto roku, a i když se možná neprodávala v takové míře, v jakou společnost Square Enix doufala, co se týče kritiky, bylo toto akční RPG univerzálním hitem. Kromě mnoha jiných věcí byla jeho ohromující velikost a rozsah pro mnohé body vysoké chvály a podle lidí, kteří ho vytvořili, jeho pokračování překoná i jeho vlastní vysoké ambice.

Během nedávného živého panelu, který se zabýval vývojem Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, se režisér Naoki Hamaguči vyjádřil k závěrečnému dílu trilogie Final Fantasy 7 Remake a prohlásil, že hra bude „rozšířená“ a „ještě větší“ než to, co jsme již viděli v remake trilogii.

„Když přemýšlím o třetí a poslední hře z trilogie Remake, opravdu mě to naplňuje vzrušením a mám od ní také velká očekávání,“ řekl. „Opravdu doufám, že fanoušci mohou mít vůči této hře velká očekávání a my je naplníme. Svět Final Fantasy 7 rozhodně rozšíříme a uděláme ještě větší, než je nyní.“

Hamaguči dále dodal, že práce na závěrečném dílu trilogie pokračují a že je přesvědčen, že půjde o další vrchol série – což vyjádřil přinejmenším v superlativech.

„Vývojový tým v tuto chvíli usilovně pracuje a chystáme se udělat ze hry něco, co dokonce předčí všechna očekávání, která vůči hře máte,“ řekl Hamaguči. „Jsem si naprosto jistý, že třetí hra ze série Final Fantasy 7 Remake bude opět jednou z nejoblíbenějších a nejpopulárnějších her v celé historii videoher.“

Začátkem letošního roku producent Yoshinori Kitase naznačil, že Square Enix doufá v dokončení vývoje závěrečného dílu trilogie do roku 2027. Podle vývojářů bude hra obsahovat ještě větší volnost v boji, přepracovaný svět, který umožní cestování vzducholodí, a dokonce i přepracovanou a vylepšenou verzi hry Queen’s Blood.

Článek Třetí díl remaku Final Fantasy 7 bude „ještě větší“ než Rebirth, říká režisér se nejdříve objevil na GAME PRESS.

This Square Enix RPG is one of the best-lookers of this generation, so brace yourself for the Final Fantasy 16 PC system requirements. Even the minimum specs need 16GB of memory and an SSD.

The minimum Final Fantasy 16 PC system requirements you need

In order to play this epic adventure with Clive and crew, you'll need some beefy PC system requirements just to run the game at 720p with 30 frames per second. The Steam page lists the following:

• OS: Windows 10 / 11 64-bit
• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 / Intel Core™ i5-8400
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 5700 / Intel Arc A580 / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 170 GB available space

Final Fantasy 16 is a huge game, so it will require 170GB of available space on an SSD, no less. That is far bigger than another Square Enix game Kingdom Hearts 3, which only requires 75GB. Another action RPG from this generation Wild Hearts also only needed 80GB.

Final Fantasy 16 recommended specs, listed

To play Final Fantasy 16 with 60 frames per second at a 1080p resolution, you'll need the following specs in your PC:

• OS: Windows® 10 / 11 64-bit
• Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 7 5700X / Intel® Core™ i7-10700
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: AMD Radeon™ RX 6700 XT / NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2080
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 170 GB available space

If you need to test your rig and see if the game will work on your PC, there's thankfully a free demo available on Steam. It contains the first few hours of the experience, and you can carry on your save progress into the full game. Neat! Hopefully, your PC won't need a Phoenix Down after running (or attempting to run) Final Fantasy 16.

The post All Final Fantasy 16 PC system requirements, minimum and recommended appeared first on Destructoid.

Sales of Square Enix games have dropped compared to last year, despite the high profile release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

According to its latest earnings report, the company's overall net sales dropped by 18.4 percent year-on-year for the most recent quarter.

This is driven in part due to a decline in sales of new games. By comparison, the same quarter in 2023 saw the release of Final Fantasy 16 and the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters.

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It’s no Vacation

Following one of the greatest MMORPG expansions is no easy feat and while Dawntrail lacks giant end of the world gods, despair and sadness that it did in Endwalker, it cleverly ushers in a new dawn that pushes FFXIV into new and inviting lands and gives new life to one of the biggest MMORPG’s on the market. Dawntrail is marketed or known as the vacation expansion where our heroes will take a break but that could not be further from the truth.

The latest FFXIV expansion “Dawntrail” follows the Hero of light venture into a new land known as Tural alongside Krile, Erenville, Allisae and Alphinaud in order to help Wuk Lamat become the new ruler of Tural known as the Dawnservant. This is something we knew would happen before the expansion and as soon as you arrive in the new lands you will meet other characters in the running also hoping to become the Dawnservant and the lengths as to how they will get there. The Warrior of Light alongside Krile, Allisae, Alphinaud and Erenville are tasked with helping Wuk Lamat become the new Dawnservant. Alongside this Wuk Lamats brother is also in the running alongside Thancred and Urianger who are now on the opposing team. Bakool Ja Ja is the new antagonist of the game who is a two headed Mamool Ja and a perfectly executed character in that he has a hot temper only exacerbated by the Chameleon twin part of his body. As a two headed Mamool Ja, Bakool Ja Ja believes it is his right to the throne and while the other participants for the throne strategically and fairly Bakool Ja Ja relies on pure power, cunningness and cheating to win the throne.

As we already have explored the edge of the universe, we now find ourself on a new continent which very little is known by the residents of Eorzea especially from the Aldenard region. On the surface Tural is an island full of culture and deep history which is learned as you progress through the Main Scenario. While it can take some time for the real crux of the story to take hold once it does it really is a great experience. The first Dungeon is cleverly weaved into the story as to allow characters to venture into the next zone.

Aside from the Graphical update which is one of the biggest overhauls of FFXIV Dawntrail there are plenty of new and updated features included in Dawntrail. Levelling is something which will naturally happen playing through the new expansion with the new cap hitting the 100 range across all the main jobs. The new race which is the female Hrothgar which Wuk Lamat shows off perfectly has been added and also two new Jobs; the Pictomancer and Viper have now been added and many features make a welcome return. Fates, Leves, Hunts all return which are great ways to level those alts and crafters. Boosts to the Gemstones earned have been increased during bonus fates, you can also play the game solo for the most part as new avatars become available to the main scenario dungeons. Also new in the fray is Krile Baldesion who now plays as the new Pictomancer Job.

Although Tural is a large island soaked in mountains, forests and snow-capped peaks there are other places such as Solution Nine which is a high tech mini city which is incorporated in a way that works thanks to it being Final Fantasy. Tural is different to Eorzea in many ways, the preferred way of travel is not on a Chocobos back but now by riding Alpacas which have also been incorporated into the story and in the most comical way as Wuk Lamat is not a fan of them as much as not being a fan of being on boats which also seems to happen a lot in the Story. Not only do we have a vast amount of new and some of the largest we have seen so far areas to explore, Soken has again outdone the soundtrack to Dawntrail as he has taken influence from Spanish/Latin esque music and cleverly merged it into these new areas, as soon as you arrive in Tuliyollal you are greeted by Big Band drums and if this does not give you a good impression of the music that is to come then nothing else will.

After having tried out both new jobs available in Dawntrail I can say that Pictomancer does come out on top in terms of fun and pure damage. It has become my favourite job. It is also the most visually pleasing to look at as you cast paint aether variants of elemental damage against your opponents. On top of this you can create images on a canvas such as mog poms and wings and by creating a full picture of a moogle you can incorporate that power into a full on moogle beam. You can also create a large hammer and rain down several critical smashes against your foes, and although this looks like a melee attack it is purely magical and can be cast as a magical attack from afar. While some of the attacks appear physical Pictomancer is a pure magic damage output Job that feels great to play.

Viper is also a new job which is fun to play if you are more into close range DPS but it felt kind of underwhelming in comparison especially as it feels all to similar to the Ninja job just with flashier effects. It is cool to have a job that feels and plays like Zidane from Final Fantasy IX, I mean who doesn’t love a twin bladed sword? the team did mention they would be looking to rework the job so it will be interesting to see how this will pan out.

Nearly all existing jobs have been altered somewhat with new abilities and some old ones have been removed. It is sad to see the legendary Dragoon Jump disappear completely, my main job White Mage seemed to not have changed that much if not at all.

Overall FFXIV Dawntrail brings new life to the Final Fantasy XIV world. With an increased level cap, plenty of new content and a strong Story Dawntrail is chock full of Final Fantasy references throughout, mostly from Final Fantasy IX. Dawntrail features two Expert dungeons end-game and a plethora of other high end level content such as the extreme trials. Dawntrail will continue to bring new promised content in the future such as the Arcadion raid series, and the Beastmaster limited Job as well as Cosmic Exploration. It goes without saying to play Dawntrail you will be required to finish all previous expansions up until the end of Endwalker, and although there are now new Story Skips added to the Store, it is highly recommended to play through the entirety of the game at least once. Dawntrail has had an overall smooth launch especially on PC although Xbox players did see some issues which the developers have looked at and compensated game time for those on that console and have since compensated all with some form of game time compensation due to hotfixes that have taken place.

A PC Review code was provided for the purpose of the Review

The post Review – Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail (PC) appeared first on GameHype.

Publisher Square Enix has released a new trailer for Life is Strange: Double Exposure. The trailer showcases Caledon University, the center location for the upcoming game. The trailer showcases many locations in the game and highlights the events to come. Life is Strange: Double Exposure will launch on October 29, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store. 

The game’s details via the publisher:

Max Caulfield, photographer-in-residence at the prestigious Caledon University, discovers her closest new friend, Safi, dead in the snow. Murdered. To save her, Max tries to Rewind time—a power she’s not used in years… instead, Max opens the way to a parallel timeline where Safi is still alive, and still in danger! Max realizes the killer will soon strike again—in both versions of reality. With her new power to Shift between two timelines—can Max solve and prevent the same murder?

Key Features

Ordinary Girl, Extraordinary Power – Max is thrust into a thrilling supernatural murder mystery – more dangerous than ever before!

Traverse Two Timelines – Forge allies and pursue suspects across two versions of reality, shaping both timelines through unforgettable choices.

Race Against Time – A relentless detective has Max in his sights, and Safi’s killer grows closer with every clue uncovered. Can Max survive long enough – to do the impossible?

Decide the Fate of Caledon – Explore two versions of a vivid winter campus, each packed with clues, secrets, and tough decisions.

Exclusive Soundtrack – A rich original score, new songs, and thrilling licensed tracks!

Stay tuned at Gaming Instincts via Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook for more gaming news.

The post Life is Strange: Double Exposure Gets New Gameplay Trailer appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the next infusion of the reborn classic JRPG, is coming soon. The release date for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has been...

The post Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth launch date announced for early 2024 appeared first on ISK Mogul Adventures. Written by .

After shining the spotlight in Life is Strange: Double Exposure’s cast of core characters with a couple of its previous trailers, with the newest look at the game, publisher Square Enix and developer Deck Nine have instead turned their attention to some of the locations that you’ll be visiting in the game.

Specifically, the trailer focuses on Caledon University, a Vermont’s premier institution for Arts and Sciences, where protagonist Max Caufield finds herself a student in Double Exposure. In addition to touching on the tragedies and supernatural oddities that Max will be grappling with at Caledon, the trailer also offers brief details on some of the many locations within its campus that players will frequent.

That will include a fine arts building brimming with all manner of art to peruse within a church repurposed as a gallery, an observatory where you can make use of a snazzy telescope to stargaze to your heart’s content, a bar where students and professors gather to relax and mingle, and even secret societies to learn more about. Check out the trailer below for more details. 

Life is Strange: Double Exposure launches on October 29 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. A Nintendo Switch version is also in the works, but doesn’t yet have a release date.

Source

Kadokawa announced that the official NieR Reincarnation art book will come out on November 28, 2024, instead of its expected launch date. The Ebten DX pack, as well as the bonus version of the art book exclusive to Ebten, will also be delayed until November 28, 2024.

When the book comes out later this year, there will be over sixty more pages than the original estimate. In total, the NieR Reincarnation art book will contain 528 pages, as opposed to 464. The price will remain the same at 4,950 JPY ($34.35). Kadokawa apologized for the delay, but promised to aim for more satisfying content in the final product.

The Ebten DX pack will cost 9,350 JPY ($64.90) and contains multiple pieces of merchandise along with the art boo. You’ll be able to get an F3 canvas board, a set of calendar postcards, an acrylic keyholder, and an A6 illustration card. This illustration card is also the exclusive bonus that comes with the art book if you purchase it from Ebten.

The NieR Reincarnation art book was supposed to come out on August 28, 2024 to commemorate the end of the game’s service. Inside of the book, there will be stills and images from the game, as well as behind-the-scenes notes on the design process. NieR Re[in]carnation ended service on April 29, 2024 after around three years.

NieR Reincarnation was available on mobile devices, but you can no longer download it. The art book for NieR Reincarnation will come out in Japan on November 28, 2024.

The post NieR Reincarnation Art Book Delayed to November 2024 appeared first on Siliconera.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi has confirmed card game Queen's Blood will make a return for the third part of the remake trilogy.

Hamaguchi was speaking at the Otacon anime convention in America as part of a panel with producers and voice actors from the game.

The director was asked by a fan if he could make the card game in real life. "Actually I've been receiving so many requests," he replied. "Right now we are preparing a revamped or even better version of Queen's Blood for the next title of this series. So I hope to be able to share more in the near future."

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I'm a big old dreamer, me. I see a thing that I love, like VR, and I like to imagine the best outcomes for it. You know, like Sony actually bringing a new Astrobot to the PS VR2, or say, smaller, lighter, cheaper headsets for all. Obviously I'm disappointed every time - newer headsets seem to be getting impossibly expensive and, well, of course Sony's gone done a Sony with the PS VR2.

One of my biggest dreams though, is that one day, in the future, every game released would come with a hybrid VR mode. A simple toggle at the start, like Capcom put in Resident Evil 7, that gives players the choice to either experience the game in VR, or enjoy it in flat screen on whatever TV or monitor they choose.

While this dream seems like a distant improbability, we do at least get to enjoy a taster of this fantasy thanks to Praydog's magical UEVR mod, which lets you convert any UE4 or UE5 game into VR at the click of a button. Sure, not every game runs perfectly and there's plenty of fiddling that can be done in the mod's menus to iron out the creases but still, for this week's VR Corner I was able to play a demo of a game that's not even fully released yet in both third person and first person VR.

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China has approved a number of new mobile games for release, most notably Marvel Rivals, Rainbow Six, Dynasty Warriors, and Final Fantasy 14 Mobile.

According to Niko Partners, a total of 15 games were approved yesterday (2nd August), including the still-as-yet-unconfirmed Final Fantasy 14 mobile port.

The news adds credence to a recent rumour that Final Fantasy developer Square Enix had linked up with Tencent to develop a mobile version of its fan-favourite MMO, Final Fantasy 14.

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Hello! Welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we've been playing over the past few days. This week we push through to get to better times in a game, which we hope are coming; we change our perception of a game after talking to the people who made it; and we find the familiar in a game that also manages to feel completely new.

What have you been playing?

Catch up with the older editions of this column in our What We've Been Playing archive.

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UPDATE 10.06pm: Following a bit of an "oopsy" on developer FuturLab's part, Steam users now have an additional two PowerWash Simulator levels to blast into a state of cleanliness alongside today's intended cruise ship release.

It's not entirely clear how the mishap occurred, but it started after Steam users began reporting they were unable to play PowerWash Simulator's cruise ship DLC following its release earlier today. Then, while FuturLab was orchestrating a fix, the game's next update - The Muckingham Files 4 - managed to work its way onto Valve's store ahead of schedule.

As a result, Steam users now have access to two additional PowerWash Simulator jobs: they can hose down crypto enthusiast Devon King's vandalised modern mansion, as well as pilot Floraine Perez' fire plane - which is looking a bit worse for wear after a flight over Mount Rushless.

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Square Enix has today released a demo for its forthcoming Action-RPG Visions of Mana.

Included in the demo are story, battle, and exploration elements, plus players who complete it will receive three weapons for main character Val in the full game. It takes place partway through the first chapter, but progress won't carry over to the main game as the demo has been specially created.

The demo was surprise-released, with a new trailer below showing off some new gameplay.

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While we can all comfortably name the top two players in the global smartphone market — it’s Samsung and Apple if you had any doubt at all — things get a lot tougher as we go lower down the order. Given their popularity in the US, you’d think Google, OnePlus, and Motorola are safe bets. Instead, rounding out the list are two phone makers you might have heard of, Xiaomi and vivo. But much harder to place, and is yet the fifth largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, is Transsion. Beating out the likes of HUAWEI and OPPO in the global market, Transsion has had an impressive rise, which is only set to continue. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

What is Transsion?

Transsion Holdings is a Chinese smartphone maker based out of Shenzen and started doing business back in 2006. Unlike most of its Chinese counterparts, though, Transsion doesn’t sell phones in its huge home market. Instead, the company entered the African market in 2008, selling feature phones at first before releasing its first smartphone in 2014.

With its brands, Infinix, Tecno, and Itel, the company found immense popularity in emerging markets in Africa. It quickly rose to become the “smartphone king of Africa,” with a market share of close to 50% in 2021, and now hovers at around the 40% mark. Transsion duplicated this success in other emerging markets like Pakistan and Bangladesh, enjoying majority or near majority market share in both. With the company’s eyes set on the rest of the world, it has since entered more than 70 emerging markets in Central and South America, the Middle East, and Asia, including India, where it hopes to take on and replicate the immense popularity of Xiaomi.

With rapid expansion comes impressive growth, with its 9% global market share, according to Canalys, now putting it in fifth place and right on the back of vivo and closing the gap to the top three — Samsung, Apple, and Xiaomi — that are at 18%, 16%, and 15%, respectively. It’s understandable that, despite being relatively unknown outside of Africa and other emerging markets, Transsion made the list of the TIME100 Most Influential Companies of 2024.

What kind of smartphones does Transsion make?

Given the markets it focuses on, it’s no surprise that the majority of Transsion’s smartphones are affordable. And by affordable, we mean that most Infinix, Techo, and Itel phones start at well under $200, with some going as low as under $50 while offering specs comparable to or better than what you’d find among the best cheap phones in the US.

Let’s take the Tecno Spark 20 Pro as an example. It has a Full HD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a mid-range MediaTek processor, 8GB of RAM, up to 256GB of storage, a 5,000mAh battery, and a triple camera setup headlined by a 108MP primary unit. Specs aren’t everything, of course, but that’s pretty impressive for a phone priced at around $170.

And while your Pixel 8a trudges along at 18W charging, the Spark 20 Pro comes with nearly double the charging speed at 33W. Which, I should point out, is actually quite slow for a company that showcased a concept phone in 2021 with 160W charging (a full charge in 10 minutes!). Tecno’s other slightly more expensive smartphones come with 70W fast charging.

Infinix’s gaming phone, the GT20 Pro, has a Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, 5,000mAh battery, 45W charging, JBL speakers, multiple gaming modes, and a 108MP primary camera. While the spec sheet gives thousand-dollar phones a run for their money, the GT20 Pro is priced at around $300 in India.

There are too many smartphones across all three brands to talk about them all, but the general gist is that these phones are far more feature-packed than what their price points suggest. You’ll also get gorgeous colorways and unique designs — no boring black, white, or metal here.

Transsion is following a similar path to Xiaomi when it comes to its smartphone portfolio. While affordable phones are its backbone, it is slowly dipping its toes into more premium segments. Tecno seems to be the go-to brand for this, and it joins the ranks of Samsung, OnePlus, Google, and others with its own foldables, the Phantom V Flip and Phantom V Fold. Both, while by far the most expensive phones the company offers, are priced at around $600 and $1,000, respectively, undercutting all the other Flips and Folds by a huge margin. Tecno also looks at cutting-edge technology, showing off cool tech in concept phones with color-changing backs and rollable displays.

Will Transsion phones ever make it to the US?

Transsion has stayed away from the US market so far. Despite holding a global launch event for the Tecno CAMON 19 in New York a couple of years ago, the phone was never officially released in the US.

There are indications that things might be changing, like an FCC listing for the Infinix GT20 Pro earlier this year. While this usually indicates a US launch, the phone was released in India and other markets but not in North America. That may yet change, with a phone like the GT20 Pro ideal to take on gaming phones from RedMagic and ASUS. However, there’s no concrete indication about Transsion’s plans to release any of its smartphones in the US yet.

Transsion will admittedly have a hard time breaking into a rather saturated market like the US. It will lack the brand recognition and distribution capabilities that power players, even in the affordable categories, have — carrier deals are definitely necessary if you hope to find success in the US. Transsion also doesn’t offer high-end phones like Samsung and Apple. And even if they do release them, success isn’t a guarantee. Just look at OnePlus. While decently popular, it hasn’t been able to break into the US market nearly as easily as it has in Europe and India.

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology proposed a new EUV litho technology using only four reflective mirrors and a new method of illumination optics that it claims will use 1/10 the power and cost half as much as existing EUV technology from ASML.

Applied Materials may not receive expected U.S. funding to build a $4 billion research facility in Sunnyvale, CA, due to internal government disagreements over how to fund chip R&D, according to Bloomberg.

SEMI published a position paper this week cautioning the European Union against imposing additional export controls to allow companies, encouraging them to  be “as free as possible in their investment decisions to avoid losing their agility and relevance across global markets.” SEMI’s recommendations on outbound investments are in response to the European Economic Security Strategy and emphasize the need for a transparent and predictable regulatory framework.

The U.S. may restrict China’s access to HBM chips and the equipment needed to make them, reports Bloomberg. Today those chips are manufactured by two Korean-based companies, Samsung and SK hynix, but U.S.-based Micron expects to begin shipping 12-high stacks of HBM3E in 2025, and is currently working on HBM4.

Synopsys executive chair and founder Dr. Aart de Geus was named the winner of the Semiconductor Industry Association’s Robert N. Noyce Award. De Geus was selected due to his contributions to EDA technology over a career spanning more than four decades.

The top three foundries plan to implement high-NA EUV lithography as early as 2025 for the 18 angstrom generation, but the replacement of single exposure high-NA (0.55) over double patterning with standard EUV (NA = 0.33) depends on whether it provides better results at a reasonable cost per wafer.

Quick links to more news:

Global
In-Depth
Market Reports and Earnings
Education and Training
Security
Product News
Research
Events and Further Reading

Global

Belgium-based Imec released part 2 of its chiplets series, addressing testing strategies and standardization efforts, as well as guidelines and research “towards efficient ESD protection strategies for advanced 3D systems-on-chip.”

Also in Belgium, BelGan, maker of GaN chips, filed for bankruptcy according to the Brussels Times.

TSMC‘s Dresden, Germany, plant will break ground this month.

The UK will dole out more than £100 million (~US $128 million) in funding to develop five new quantum research hubs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Oxford, and London.

MassPhoton is opening Hong Kong‘s first ultra-high vacuum GaN epitaxial wafer pilot line and will establish a GaN research center.

Infineon completed the sale of its manufacturing sites in the Philippines and South Korea to ASE.

Israel-based RAAAM Memory Technologies received a €5.25 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) to support the development and commercialization of its innovative memory solutions. This funding will enable RAAAM to advance its research in high-performance and energy-efficient memory technologies, accelerating their integration into various applications and markets.

In-Depth

Semiconductor Engineering published its Automotive, Security and Pervasive Computing newsletter this week, featuring these top stories and video:

• Chip Security Now Depends On Widening Supply Chain
• Defining Chip Threat Models To Determining Security Risks
• Post-Quantum Computing Threatens Fundamental Transport Protocols

And:

• Where Power Savings Really Count
• Making Electronics More Efficient (video)

Market Reports and Earnings

The semiconductor equipment industry is on a positive trajectory in 2024, with moderate revenue growth observed in Q2 after a subdued Q1, according to a new report from Yole Group. Wafer Fab Equipment revenue is projected to grow by 1.3% year-on-year, despite a 12% drop in Q1. Test equipment lead times are normalizing, improving order conditions. Key areas driving growth include memory and logic capital expenditures and high-bandwidth memory demand.

Worldwide silicon wafer shipments increased by 7% in Q2 2024, according to SEMI‘s latest report. This growth is attributed to robust demand from multiple semiconductor sectors, driven by advancements in AI, 5G, and automotive technologies.

The RF GaN market is projected to grow to US $2 billion by 2029, a 10% CAGR, according to Yole Group.

Counterpoint released their Q2 smartphone top 10 report.

Renesas completed their acquisition of EDA firm Altium, best known for its EDA platform and freeware CircuitMaker package.

It’s earnings season and here are recently released financials in the chip industry:

AMD  Advantest   Amkor   Ansys  Arteris   Arm   ASE   ASM   ASML
Cadence  IBM   Intel   Lam Research   Lattice   Nordson   NXP   Onsemi 
Qualcomm   Rambus  Samsung    SK Hynix   STMicro   Teradyne    TI  
Tower  TSMC    UMC  Western Digital

Industry stock price impacts are here.

Education and Training

Rochester Institute of Technology is leading a new pilot program to prepare community college students in areas such as cleanroom operations, new materials, simulation, and testing processes, with the intent of eventual transfer into RIT’s microelectronic engineering program.

Purdue University inked a deal with three research institutions — University of Piraeus, Technical University of Crete, and King’s College London —to develop joint research programs for semiconductors, AI and other critical technology fields.

The European Chips Skills Academy formed the Educational Leaders Board to help bridge the talent gap in Europe’s microelectronics sector.  The Board includes representatives from universities, vocational training providers, educators and research institutions who collaborate on strategic initiatives to strengthen university networks and build academic expertise through ECSA training programs.

Security

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is encouraging Apple users to review and apply this week’s recent security updates.

Microsoft Azure experienced a nearly 10 hour DDoS attack this week, leading to global service disruption for many customers.  “While the initial trigger event was a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack, which activated our DDoS protection mechanisms, initial investigations suggest that an error in the implementation of our defenses amplified the impact of the attack rather than mitigating it,” stated Microsoft in a release.

NIST published:

• “Recommendations For Increasing U.S. Participation and Leadership in Standards Development,” a report outlining cybersecurity recommendations and mitigation strategies.
• Final guidance documents and software to help improve the “safety, security and trustworthiness of AI systems.”
• Cloud Computing Forensic Reference Architecture guide.

Delta Air Lines plans to seek damages after losing $500 million in lost revenue due to security company CrowdStrike‘s software update debacle.  And shareholders are also angry.

Recent security research:

• Physically Secure Logic Locking With Nanomagnet Logic (UT Dallas)
• WBP: Training-time Backdoor Attacks through HW-based Weight Bit Poisoning (UCF)
• S-Tune: SOT-MTJ Manufacturing Parameters Tuning for Secure Next Generation of Computing ( U. of Arizona, UCF)
• Diffie Hellman Picture Show: Key Exchange Stories from Commercial VoWiFi Deployments (CISPA, SBA Research, U. of Vienna)

Product News

Lam Research introduced a new version of its cryogenic etch technology designed to enhance the manufacturing of 3D NAND for AI applications. This technology allows for the precise etching of high aspect ratio features, crucial for creating 1,000-layer 3D NAND.

Fig.1: 3D NAND etch. Source: Lam Research

Alphawave Semi launched its Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express Die-to-Die IP. The subsystem offers 8 Tbps/mm bandwidth density and supports operation at 24 Gbps for D2D connectivity.

Infineon introduced a new MCU series for industrial and consumer motor controls, as well as power conversion system applications. The company also unveiled its new GoolGaN Drive product family of integrated single switches and half-bridges with integrated drivers.

Rambus released its DDR5 Client Clock Driver for next-gen, high-performance desktops and notebooks. The chips include Gen1 to Gen4 RCDs, power management ICs, Serial Presence Detect Hubs, and temperature sensors for leading-edge servers.

SK hynix introduced its new GDDR7 graphics DRAM. The product has an operating speed of 32Gbps, can process 1.5TB of data per second and has a 50% power efficiency improvement compared to the previous generation.

Intel launched its new Lunar Lake Ultra processors. The long awaited chips will be included in more than 80 laptop designs and has more than 40 NPU tera operations per second as well as over 60 GPU TOPS delivering more than 100 platform TOPS.

Brewer Science achieved recertification as a Certified B Corporation, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable and ethical business practices.

Panasonic adopted Siemens’ Teamcenter X cloud product lifecycle management solution, citing Teamcenter X’s Mendix low-code platform, improved operational efficiency and flexibility for its choice.

Keysight validated its 5G NR FR1 1024-QAM demodulation test cases for the first time. The 5G NR radio access technology supports eMBB and was validated on the 3GPP TS 38.521-4 test specification.

Research

In a 47-page deep-dive report, the Center for Security and Emerging Technology delved into all of the scientific breakthroughs from 1980 to present that brought EUV lithography to commercialization, including lessons learned for the next emerging technologies.

Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute developed a high-performance X-ray tomography technique using burst ptychography, achieving a resolution of 4nm. This method allows for non-destructive imaging of integrated circuits, providing detailed views of nanostructures in materials like silicon and metals.

MIT signed a four-year agreement with the Novo Nordisk Foundation Quantum Computing Programme at University of Copenhagen, focused on accelerating quantum computing hardware research.

MIT’s Research Laboratory of Electronics (RLE) developed a mechanically flexible wafer-scale integrated photonics fabrication platform. This enables the creation of flexible photonic circuits that maintain high performance while being bendable and stretchable. It offers significant potential for integrating photonic circuits into various flexible substrate applications in wearable technology, medical devices, and flexible electronics.

The Naval Research Lab identified a new class of semiconductor nanocrystals with bright ground-state excitons, emphasizing an important advancement in optoelectronics.

Researchers from National University of Singapore developed a novel method, known as tension-driven CHARM3D,  to fabricate 3D self-healing circuits, enabling the 3D printing of free-standing metallic structures without the need for support materials and external pressure.

Find more research in our Technical Papers library.

Events and Further Reading

Find upcoming chip industry events here, including:

Upcoming webinars are here, including topics such as quantum safe cryptography, analytics for high-volume manufacturing, and mastering EMC simulations for electronic design.

Find Semiconductor Engineering’s latest newsletters here:

Automotive, Security and Pervasive Computing
Systems and Design
Low Power-High Performance
Test, Measurement and Analytics
Manufacturing, Packaging and Materials

The post Chip Industry Week in Review appeared first on Semiconductor Engineering.

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