• Category: gamescom

August 20, 2024

gamescom Opening Night Live 2024: Everything Xbox Revealed

• Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor

At today’s gamescom Opening Night Live, fans were treated to a bevy of new game reveals and amazing trailers that gave a glimpse of what’s in store from Xbox. This included big news like the release date of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, gameplay from the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 campaign, and the announcement of early access starting soon for Towerborne. But that’s not all! Fans were also given more details on Diablo IV, Starfield: Shattered Space, and more!

With Opening Night Live 2024 complete, gamescom is officially underway, and Xbox will be on the ground floor with one of its most dramatic-looking booths ever – we can’t wait for you to see it! Not only will we have many of the games mentioned here on display, but many titles for both Xbox and Windows PC will be playable, like Ara: History Untold and Age of Mythology Retold, as well as games from our partners like Genshin Impact, Star Wars: Outlaws, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, giving you the chance to explore all the different ways you can play your favorite games across Cloud, Console, and PC.

Catch up on all of today’s news and reveals from Xbox below:

Age of Mythology: Retold Heads for Launch with Brand New Trailer

Coming September 4, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Steam, or play it day one with Game Pass.

During Opening Night Live fans around the world were treated to a new Age of Mythology: Retold trailer. Focusing on Arkantos, the hero of the game’s 50+ campaign missions, we hear the voice of Athena, coaxing Arkantos to adventure. Showcasing stunning graphics and mythological magic, the trailer gives us another taste of how much players have to be excited about. The trailer also showed the bacchanal of chaos that comes in the final Wonder Age, a new addition to Retold.

Whether you choose to play through the campaign alone or with friends, vs AI or in ranked multiplayer, every game will be different. Advanced Access starts August 27, 2024, at 5pm PT for those who pre-order the Premium Edition and full global launch kicks off on September 4, 2024, on Steam, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X|S. You can learn more about what it’s store by checking out our hands-on preview of Age of Mythology: Retold here on Xbox Wire.

Age of Mythology: Retold Premium Edition

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$49.99

Pre-order

Embark on a gaming journey of first-class offerings with the Age of Mythology: Retold Premium Edition. Curated to offer an elevated gaming experience at launch and beyond. The Premium Edition includes the full game, up to 7-day advanced access, New Gods Pack: “Freyr”, Legacy Deity Portrait Pack, Expansion 1 (all-new Chinese pantheon expansion) and Expansion 2 (additional new pantheon). * Standard Game: the complete Age of Mythology: Retold experience Up to 7-day Advanced Access: Step into the divine realm before time itself with exclusive early unlock to the game available on Xbox, Steam and PC. * New Gods Pack: “Freyr”: Age of Mythology: Retold Premium Edition adds Freyr to the Norse pantheon. Unleash the power of the Norse god of prosperity and fertility with the Freyr God Pack. The blessings of Freyr will elevate your reign to unprecedented heights. Legacy Deity Portrait Pack: a nostalgic journey back to the origins of gaming greatness. Relive the glory days of gaming with this special pack, which offers players the option to use iconic deity portraits from the classic game that captivated audiences worldwide. (2) Upcoming Expansions: Prepare to embark on new epic sagas yet untold with two yet to be revealed and highly anticipated upcoming expansions. * Expansion 1: All-New Chinese pantheon expansion Expansion 2: additional new pantheon expansion

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Ara: History Untold Debuts Launch Trailer Ahead of September 24 Release

Windows PC, Steam, or play it day one with Game Pass.

Ara: History Untold helped kick off gamescom 2024 with the world premiere of its launch trailer at Opening Night Live. The trailer, featuring a combination of live action and gameplay, puts the player in focus, inviting you to explore, create, rule, and conquer in the world of your imagination. Ara: History Untold is an upcoming grand strategy game where you build a nation and lead your citizens throughout history as you compete head-to-head with rivals to prove you are the greatest ruler ever known. Create your own story of history when Ara: History Untold launches on September 24, 2024. Pre-order and pre-install today! It’s your world now.

Ara: History Untold Deluxe Edition Preorder Bundle

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Build a nation and lead your people throughout history to the pinnacles of human achievement as you explore new lands, develop arts and culture, conduct diplomacy, and go head-to-head with your rivals to prove you are the greatest ruler ever known. It's Your World Now. The Deluxe Edition Includes • Ara: History Untold Base Game • Exclusive Leader Collection – featuring five exclusive leaders not included in the base game including: Charlemagne, Genghis Khan, Yoo Gwan Soon, Hildegard and Boudicca. • Modern Leader Skin Set – enhance five Ara: History Untold leaders (Elizabeth I, Genghis Khan, Nefertiti, Sappho and George Washington) with the Modern Leader Skin Set, featuring modern versions of their in-game costumes. With your pre-order of the Deluxe Edition receive the Gilded Leader Skin Set.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Shows Off the Action-Packed “Most Wanted” Campaign Mission

Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, Steam, Battle.net, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, or play it day one with Game Pass

We got a look at highlights from one of Black Ops 6’s signature Campaign missions, “Most Wanted”, as Frank Woods’ team attempts to locate and retrieve legendary operative Russell Adler. Beginning with a covert infiltration of a political fundraiser (with a cameo from Governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton no less), we then see a descent into a CIA Black Site, and a bike riding escape sequence worthy of a classic action movie.

Along the way, we see how Campaign developer Raven is innovating – while this is a classic set piece-driven CoD mission, player choice is at the forefront. There are multiple options for how to get access to the Black Site, and you can choose to go loud or quiet as you infiltrate – it’s your mission. This is just a taste – we’ll learn much more about Black Ops 6 MultiplayerandZombies when the Call of Duty NEXT event kicks off on August 28, before Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launches on October 25.

Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 – Cross-Gen Bundle

Activision Publishing Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆ 4107

★★★★★

$69.99

Pre-order

Pre-order any digital edition or subscribe to select Game Pass plans* and receive: – Early access to the Open Beta** — Early Access is August 30 – September 4 — Open Beta access is available for all players from September 6 – September 9 – Items for immediate use in Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III, Call of Duty®: Warzone and Call of Duty®: Warzone Mobile***: — Woods Operator Pack – unlock the Classic Woods Operator Skin. Plus, get access to unlock the Zombie Woods and Numbers Woods Skins. — Reflect 115 Camo Pack – unlock the Reflect 115 Weapon Camo. Plus, get access to 9 acquisitions for Modern Warfare® Zombies. Includes: – Cross Gen Bundle of Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 — Includes Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6. Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops. The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity. In a best-in-class Multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps at launch, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6. Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps at launch. Post-launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies. *Requires active subscription to Game Pass Ultimate or Game Pass Console. Subscribers must login to Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III or Call of Duty®: Warzone on Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S by October 25th, 2024 to redeem the Woods Operator Pack and Reflect 115 Camo Pack. **Actual launch date(s) and platform availability of MP Beta subject to change. See www.callofduty.com/beta for more details. Minimum Open Beta duration is 2 days. Limited time only. Internet connection required. ***Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III or Call of Duty®: Warzone on Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S required to redeem. Sold / downloaded separately. Must be redeemed by October 25, 2025. Activision may modify or discontinue online service in the future, which may impact the continued availability of online gameplay. Online services may be discontinued due to factors including number of players. Additional storage space may be required for mandatory game updates. For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com. © 2024 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS, CALL OF DUTY WARZONE and MODERN WARFARE are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. This product contains software technology licensed from Id Software ('Id Technology'). Id Technology © 1999-2024 Id Software, Inc.

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Never Fight Alone – Mercenaries are Coming to Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred

Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PC via Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4

The first expansion for Diablo IV releases worldwide on October 8, and game director Brent Gibson took to the gamescom stage to introduce the Mercenaries – a new feature coming to Vessel of Hatred. Mercenaries are your companions in battle, who grow in strength and can be customized to support your playstyle. Each mercenary is unique in the role they serve, so no matter your class or build, you’ll find a mercenary that’s right for you!

The team also introduced the Dark Citadel, a new co-op PvE experience that will put everything you know about combat to the test through a gauntlet of cooperative puzzles and mechanics, as well as the Kurast Undercity – an intense new multistage, time-attack dungeon that gives you the control over the challenge as well as the loot you will find!

There’s a lot to uncover with these new upcoming features, as well as across the Diablo universe, so Diablo general manager Rod Fergusson, lead game designer Rex Dickson, systems designer Aislyn Hall, and Diablo Immortal’s executive producer Peiwen Yao will be joining us on the Xbox broadcast live at gamescom to share more about what’s to come.

Diablo® IV: Vessel of Hatred – Standard Edition

Blizzard Entertainment

☆☆☆☆☆ 16

★★★★★

$39.99 $35.99

Get it now

Diablo® IV: Vessel of Hatred launches October 8th, 2024. Pre-purchase any digital Edition of Diablo® IV: Vessel of Hatred and receive: – Alkor the Snow Leopard Pet – for immediate use in Diablo® IV* – Mother’s Lament Legendary Gem – for immediate use in Diablo Immortal®** Diablo® IV: Vessel of Hatred – Standard Edition includes: – Vessel of Hatred for Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S*** Uncover the next chapter of Diablo® IV in Vessel of Hatred and continue your fight to thwart the diabolical plot of the Prime Evil, Mephisto. Battle as the all-new Spiritborn class and call upon mystical Spirits to empower your battle. Expand your map to the new region of Nahantu and traverse through its lush jungles. Take on new enemies, dungeons, and PvE co-op challenges, recruit new Mercenaries, and more. Plus, explore a plethora of base game updates that will introduce new power and continue to enhance the world of Diablo® IV. *Mount or pet feature (as applicable) must be unlocked in-game before the item can be used. **Diablo Immortal® downloaded separately. ***Available upon Vessel of Hatred release. Diablo® IV base game required to play. Battle.net® account required. Internet connection required. For more information, please visit Diablo.com. © 2024 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. Diablo, Diablo Immortal and Blizzard Entertainment are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. in the U.S and/or other countries.

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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Coming December 9, 2024

Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Steam, or play it day one on Game Pass

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Steam on December 9, 2024. Step into the shoes of the legendary archaeologist as he sets off on his latest global adventure. Play it on day one with Game Pass, or up to three days early by pre-ordering the Premium Edition, Premium Edition Upgrade, or Collector’s Edition.

The release date was revealed alongside a brand-new trailer. Get a new look at Indy’s journey around the world and the tools at his disposal as he faces off against sinister forces. From the whip and revolver to his trusty journal and camera, you’ll need everything he’s got to unravel the mystery of the Great Circle. Learn more here on Xbox Wire.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: Digital Premium Edition

Bethesda Softworks

☆☆☆☆☆ 4

★★★★★

$99.99

Pre-order

Pre-order now or Play on Game Pass* to receive The Last Crusade Pack with the Traveling Suit Outfit and Lion Tamer Whip, as seen in The Last Crusade. *** Live the adventure with the Premium Edition of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle! INCLUDES: • Base Game (digital code) • Up to 3-Day Early Access** • Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants Story DLC† • Digital Artbook • Temple of Doom Outfit *** Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them – Indiana Jones. You’ll become the legendary archaeologist in this cinematic action-adventure game from MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, and executive produced by Hall of Fame game designer Todd Howard. YOU ARE INDIANA JONES Live the adventure as Indy in a thrilling story full of exploration, immersive action, and intriguing puzzles. As the brilliant archaeologist – famed for his keen intellect, cunning resourcefulness, and trademark humor – you will travel the world in a race against enemy forces to discover the secrets to one of the greatest mysteries of all time. A WORLD OF MYSTERY AWAITS Travel from the halls of Marshall College to the heart of the Vatican, the pyramids of Egypt, the sunken temples of Sukhothai, and beyond. When a break-in in the dead of night ends in a confrontation with a mysterious colossal man, you must set out to discover the world-shattering secret behind the theft of a seemingly unimportant artifact. Forging new alliances and facing familiar enemies, you’ll engage with intriguing characters, use guile and wits to solve ancient riddles, and survive intense set-pieces. WHIP-CRACKING ACTION Indiana’s trademark whip remains at the heart of his gear and can be used to distract, disarm, and attack enemies. But the whip isn’t just a weapon, it’s Indy’s most valuable tool for navigating the environment. Swing over unsuspecting patrols and scale walls as you make your way through a striking world. Combine stealth infiltration, melee combat, and gunplay to combat the enemy threat and unravel the mystery. THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY Venture through a dynamic mix of linear, narrative-driven gameplay and open-area maps. Indulge your inner explorer and unearth a world of fascinating secrets, deadly traps and fiendish puzzles, where anything could potentially hide the next piece of the mystery – or snakes. Why did it have to be snakes? *Game Pass members get access to all pre-order content as long as Game Pass subscription is active. **Actual play time depends on purchase date and applicable time zone differences, subject to possible outages. †DLC availability to be provided at a later date.

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Starfield’s Shattered Space Arrives on September 30, and the REV-8 Land Vehicle Is Available Today

Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, Steam.

To the people of the Settled Systems, House Va’ruun is a mystery. Some call them fanatics. Zealots, even. They are seen as violent aggressors. But there’s so much more to this secretive faction. In Shattered Space, the first major expansion for Starfield, you will visit the homeworld of House Va’ruun, hear their story, and make choices that will determine their future. Shattered Space launches on September 30.

In addition to the Shattered Space release date reveal, Opening Night Live also showed off the new REV-8 land vehicle that’s landing in Starfield in the latest update. The update goes live just a few short hours after Opening Night Live and will be available to all Starfield players. Just visit a ship technician and add the REV-8 module to your ship to start touring planets in a new way.

Starfield Premium Edition

Bethesda Softworks

☆☆☆☆☆ 15623

★★★★★

$99.99 $69.99

Get it now

Starfield is the first new universe in over 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery. *** Premium Edition includes: – Starfield Base Game – Shattered Space Story Expansion (upon release) – 1,000 Creation Credits – Constellation Skin Pack: Equinox Laser Rifle, Spacesuit, Helmet and Boost Pack – Access to Starfield Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack *** In the year 2330, humanity has ventured beyond our solar system, settling new planets, and living as a spacefaring people. You will join Constellation – the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy – and navigate the vast expanse of space in Bethesda Game Studios’ biggest and most ambitious game. TELL YOUR STORY In Starfield the most important story is the one you tell with your character. Start your journey by customizing your appearance and deciding your Background and Traits. Will you be an experienced explorer, a charming diplomat, a stealthy cyber runner, or something else entirely? The choice is yours. Decide who you will be and what you will become. EXPLORE OUTER SPACE Venture through the stars and explore more than 1000 planets. Navigate bustling cities, explore dangerous bases, and traverse wild landscapes. Meet and recruit a memorable cast of characters, join in the adventures of various factions, and embark on quests across the Settled Systems. A new story or experience is always waiting to be discovered. CAPTAIN THE SHIP OF YOUR DREAMS Pilot and command the ship of your dreams. Personalize the look of your ship, modify critical systems including weapons and shields, and assign crew members to provide unique bonuses. In deep space you will engage in high-stakes dogfights, encounter random missions, dock at star stations, and even board and commandeer enemy ships to add to your collection. DISCOVER, COLLECT, BUILD Explore planets and discover the fauna, flora, and resources needed to craft everything from medicine and food to equipment and weapons. Build outposts and hire a crew to passively extract materials and establish cargo links to transfer resources between them. Invest these raw materials into research projects to unlock unique crafting recipes. LOCK AND LOAD Space can be a dangerous place. A refined combat system gives you the tools to deal with any situation. Whether you prefer long-range rifles, laser weapons, or demolitions, each weapon type can be modified to complement your playstyle. Zero G environments add a chaotic spectacle to combat, while boost packs give players freedom to maneuver like never before.

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Towerborne Announces Early Access Begins September 10

Early Access begins September 10 on Steam. Coming 2025 to Xbox Game Preview on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Game Pass.

Towerborne showcased a brand-new trailer during Opening Night Live that gave us a fresh look at its striking, vibrant world and crisp, action-packed gameplay. The latest game from Stoic (Banner Saga Trilogy), Towerborne seamlessly blends the best parts of side-scrolling brawlers and action RPGs to create a unique adventure where you take on the role of an Ace, a hero who must protect humanity’s last sanctuary from malevolent forces that lurk outside the tower walls.

You can experience Towerborne starting September 10, 2024, when early access begins on Steam; later via the Xbox Game Preview program on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and with Game Pass in early 2025. To learn more about Towerborne and how Stoic is bringing their latest creation to life, check out our Xbox Wire piece here.

Towerborne

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

The Belfry stands as a beacon of hope and safety amongst the ruins of humanity and the City of Numbers, with monsters lurking right outside the tower’s walls. You are an Ace, born anew from the spirit realm with the skills, the grit, and the determination to protect the people of the Belfry. With spirit companions fighting by your side, you are destined for battle. Can you become the Ace humanity needs to survive? Find out in Towerborne, the newest action-adventure game created by Stoic, the studio that brought you the award-winning Banner Saga trilogy. Adventure Together – Venture out of The Belfry solo or with up to three other Aces* to vanquish the looming terror that surrounds the tower. Either way, you won’t be alone. Aces can recruit Umbra companions to join them in battle, gaining access to enhanced skills and unique abilities tied to each spirit. After fighting your way through enemies, return to The Belfry to turn in quests, reforge gear, and more. Brave the Wilds – Towerborne is designed with player choice in mind. Create your Ace with options to customize your looks, gear and weapons. Switch up your overall gameplay experience at any time by changing your danger level as you venture into the wilds. Find and wield powerful weapons with unique special moves from one of four styles: War Clubs, Gauntlets, Dual Daggers, and Swords & Shields. Mix and match to make your Ace your own! Continue the Fight – With an evolving world map and seasonal content, your Ace will never run out of areas to explore and enemies to defeat. Seasons of Towerborne continue the story of The Belfry by introducing new enemies to battle, regions to discover, abilities to master, and lore to uncover (available as released). *Online console multiplayer requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Game Pass Core (subscriptions sold separately).

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The Worldsoul Saga begins August 26 with World of Warcraft: The War Within

PC via Battle.net

2024 is a year of anniversaries for the Warcraft universe, which is turning 30 in the same year. Hearthstone celebrates 10 years, Warcraft Rumble approaches one year, and of course, World of Warcraft… which turns 20 years old in November! Feel old yet?

World of Warcraft: The War Within launches globally on August 26 and is the first installment of The Worldsoul Saga—the most ambitious story arc in WoW history. With four new zones to explore, as well as ongoing gameplay and system updates to support players of all types, this is the perfect time to celebrate the last 20 years of WoW as Blizzard prepares for the next 20 years and beyond!

Overwatch 2 is also getting in on the celebrations, revealing their new in-game collaboration with World of Warcraft. In mid-September, skins featuring some of the most iconic World of Warcraft characters will be made available, including Widowmaker as Sylvanas Windrunner.

Keep an eye on the Warcraft X account for more information about how you can celebrate Warcraft’s anniversaries alongside Blizzard, and join the Xbox broadcast live from the show floor at gamescom where we’ll be speaking to senior game director Ion Hazzikostas and associate art director Tina Wang about all things World of Warcraft!

The post gamescom Opening Night Live 2024: Everything Xbox Revealed appeared first on Xbox Wire.

The creator of the now-defunct Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 mod, H2M, has opened up about what happened when Activision slapped the mod with a cease and desist, admitting, "the past couple of days have not gone to plan".

Although the mod - which upgraded Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer mode - was announced over a year ago, the cease and desist arrived the day before the mod was scheduled to be released last week, forcing the project to "shut down [...] immediately and permanently".

Shortly thereafter, unhappy Modern Warfare 2 fans jumped onto the Steam page to express their dismay.

Read more

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered mod, H2M, has been cancelled following a cease and desist demand from Activision.

Although the mod - which upgraded Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer mode - was announced over a year ago, the cease and desist arrived yesterday, a day before the mod was scheduled to be released later today.

"Today, our team members received a Cease & Desist order on behalf of Activision Publishing in relation to the H2M-Mod project," the team explained on Twitter/X.

Read more

Kaitlyn Dever, the actress portraying Abby Anderson in the second season of HBO's The Last of Us adaptation, required extra security during filming for her own protection.

This comes from fellow castmate Isabel Merced, who is playing Dina in the show. Speaking with Josh Horowitz on Happy Sad Confused, Merced discussed the strong emotions the series can spark within some that have resulted in volatile reactions from so-called fans.

When Horowitz said he was concerned about Dever, and the toxicity she will likely receive "through proxy of being Abby", Merced stated there are "so many strange people" who "genuinely hate" the character. This is despite her being completely fictional. And, because of this, Dever was required to have extra security during the filming for the second season.

Read more

Sony has announced August's PlayStation Plus games.

Those on the subscription's Extra tier will get the following titles:

In addition to the above, those on PS Plus Premium will also get access to the below:

Read more

The whimsical VR flight adventure, Kid Pilot, has officially landed on the Meta Quest store, offering virtual reality enthusiasts an opportunity to take to the skies in a game that merges childhood imagination with immersive technology. Originally launched for PCVR users on Steam, Kid Pilot is now set to captivate a broader audience with its unique blend of accessible gameplay and challenging flight mechanics.

A Nostalgic Take on Virtual Flight

Kid Pilot draws inspiration from the simple joy of childhood play, placing players in the cockpit of a virtual aircraft that mimics the experience of flying a toy plane. Don’t be deceived by its playful aesthetic, though—this game is designed to challenge both casual players and experienced pilots. With intuitive controls that respond to the flick of a wrist, Kid Pilot offers an engaging physics-based flight adventure where manoeuvring through obstacles and performing aerial tricks is all part of the fun.

Explore Vibrant Worlds

The game’s journey takes players through a series of colourful environments, each filled with unique challenges. From navigating lush rainforests to dodging volcanic eruptions, Kid Pilot offers a variety of landscapes that test the player’s flying skills. Each stage is designed to gradually increase in difficulty, pushing players to master the game’s mechanics as they progress. Along the way, players can unlock new planes, maps, and rewards that enhance the overall experience.

Features That Lift Off

• Intuitive Controls: Pilot your aircraft using simple hand gestures, allowing for multi-directional flight that feels both natural and immersive.
• Expansive Exploration: Earn badges and unlock new content as you conquer different stages, discovering new planes and maps that expand your horizons.
• Challenging Gameplay: From obstacle courses to boss battles, Kid Pilot offers a range of challenges that require skillful flying and quick reflexes.
• Immersive Environments: Enjoy 360° VR environments that transport you to vibrant, imaginative worlds where adventure awaits at every turn.

The post Kid Pilot Soars onto Meta Quest appeared first on Gaming Debugged | Gaming Site Covering Xbox, Indies, News, Features and Gaming Tech.

Riot Games has officially launched Valorant on Xbox Series X|S, marking the tactical shooter’s debut on console platforms in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, and Brazil. As of August 2, 2024, Xbox players can now experience the same intense, team-based gameplay that has captivated millions on PC.

Valorant on Xbox Series X|S brings the full competitive experience to the console, offering precise gunplay, a diverse roster of agents with unique abilities, and maps designed for strategic, round-based combat. However, to ensure that the game maintains its high standard for competitive integrity, cross-play between PC and console players is not available.

Despite this, Riot Games has ensured that both PC and console players will receive simultaneous updates, including patch balances, new agents, maps, and premium content, keeping the experience consistent across platforms.

Arnar Gylfason, Production Director of Valorant, expressed confidence in the console release: “We’ve received so much valuable feedback from players during Limited Beta, and feel confident to deliver on our gameplay promise for console players.”

For more information on VALORANT and how to get started on Xbox Series X|S, visit the official VALORANT website.

The post Valorant Now on Xbox appeared first on Gaming Debugged | Gaming Site Covering Xbox, Indies, News, Features and Gaming Tech.

Warner Bros. Games has unveiled the official “Welcome Students” pre-order trailer for Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, giving fans their first look at the highly anticipated gameplay. The trailer highlights the game’s single-player Career Mode and Online Competitive Mode, showcasing the character creator and featuring iconic characters such as Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy. Additionally, fans get a glimpse of the Quidditch World Cup Stadium and other magical arenas set in well-known wizarding world locations.

Bloody Pre-Orders…

For those stupid enough to re-order the digital editions of Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store). The game is priced at £24.99 for the Digital Standard Edition and £34.99 for the Digital and Physical Deluxe Editions. Pre-ordering the game will reward players with the Firebolt Supreme Broom Skin.

Spend More Money on the Deluxe Edition

The Deluxe Edition includes the base game and several exclusive items:

Slytherin House Pack:

• Slytherin Stormrider Hurricane Broom Skin
• Slytherin Hogwarts Travel School Uniform
• Slytherin House Crest Emblem

Hufflepuff House Pack:

• Hufflepuff Stormrider Sandstorm Broom Skin
• Hufflepuff Hogwarts Travel School Uniform
• Hufflepuff House Crest Emblem

Ravenclaw House Pack:

• Ravenclaw Stormrider Cyclone Broom Skin
• Ravenclaw Hogwarts Travel School Uniform
• Ravenclaw House Crest Emblem

Gryffindor House Pack:

• Gryffindor Stormrider Firestorm Broom Skin
• Gryffindor Hogwarts Travel School Uniform
• Gryffindor House Crest Emblem

The Deluxe Edition also includes 2,000 gold to spend in-game, which can only be earned through gameplay progression.

When does it arrive?

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions will be available on September 3, 2024, for PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store) in both Digital Standard and Deluxe Editions. The Physical Deluxe Edition will be available on November 8, 2024, for PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X, and Xbox One. The Nintendo Switch system edition is slated for a 2024 Holiday release. Players can check with their preferred retailers for pre-order availability for the Physical Deluxe Editions.

SEO Title and Description

SEO Title: Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions Debuts First Gameplay Trailer and Opens Pre-Orders

SEO Description: Warner Bros. Games reveals the first gameplay trailer for Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions. Pre-order now for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. Available on Sept. 3, 2024.

The post Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions Trailer Drops appeared first on Gaming Debugged | Gaming Site Covering Xbox, Indies, News, Features and Gaming Tech.

Sweet Bandits Studios and Tripwire Presents have announced the launch of the Summer Splash update and a limited-time event for their multiplayer FPS game, DECEIVE INC. The update brings a variety of enhancements and features, while the accompanying event runs from July 25th to August 29th, offering players unique rewards and challenges.

Summer Splash Event & Rewards

The Summer Splash event introduces a unique storyline where players must thwart the Evenson twins’ scheme of smuggling prototype weapons disguised as water guns within their summer fashion collection. Players can collect new posters, prototype weapons, and weapon crates to earn points and unlock 15 levels of summer-themed cosmetics. A new catwalk feature on all maps allows players to strut their stuff as VIPs, earning massive point payoffs to accelerate their progress.

New Echelon Ranks

High-echelon levels now come with prestigious rewards. Players reaching rank 10 unlock a “Golden Echelon” agent skin, rank 30 offers a unique ink for weapons and gadgets, rank 50 provides a “Platinum Echelon” agent skin, and rank 100 rewards the dazzling “Diamond Echelon” skins. These exclusive skins and inks are available for all agents and signify dedication and hard work.

Enhanced Melee Combat

Responding to community feedback, the melee combat system has undergone significant improvements. The updates include under-the-hood reworks and visual enhancements to ensure melee combat is more consistent. Melee attacks are now stealthier, triggering responses only from NPCs or guards in the immediate vicinity, and rumble support has been added for melee attacks when using a controller.

New Celebration Features

Defeating opponents more than 10 levels higher will now reward players with bonus experience and a special celebratory message. Future updates will include additional celebration options to ensure every victory is recognised.

Retinal Scanners

A new feature, Retinal Scanners, offers an alternative method for accessing vaults. Players must gather intel to unlock the scanners, which become active after seven minutes. Any agent can deposit intel to contribute towards unlocking the scanner, with the price decreasing as the phase progresses. Once fully unlocked, only a VIP’s eyes can open the vault door, adding new strategic layers to the gameplay.

Bots 2.0

The capabilities of in-game bots have been significantly expanded, making them more active in accomplishing objectives. Bots can now trigger progress through each phase of a mission and even extract with the package.

Additional Improvements

The update includes server improvements, weapon visual alignment, bug fixes, and balancing changes. Full patch notes detailing all balance changes and bug fixes are available.

The post Dive Into DECEIVE INC.’s Summer Splash Update appeared first on Gaming Debugged | Gaming Site Covering Xbox, Indies, News, Features and Gaming Tech.

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After a decade of serialization and a sucessful ongoing anime, My Hero Academia officially came to a close. Kohei Horikoshi’s legacy has been cemented with the conclusion of the series, with the mangaka’s colleagues and fans singing his praises from the moment the final chapter dropped on Augest 5, 2024.

Horikoshi has taken notice, of course, to the compliments being thrown his way, and has responded by speaking out to his supporters.

After the series originally ended, Horikoshi delivered a brief message as his final author’s note in Weekly Shonen Jump, which read:

“I was so glad to be in Jump! I’m so glad for everyone who read my series. Thank you so much!”

Kohei Horikoshi

The author recently came back on his X (formerly Twitter) to deliver another new message, telling fans:

The manga My Hero Academia has concluded in this week’s issue of Jump! I’ve been exhausted for a long time, but I managed to make it to the end! Thank you to everyone who read it!!!!!!

I will never forget the joy and weight of being able to battle with so many interesting manga in the coveted Jump. And above all, the fact Deku was entrusted by Luffy’s side, even if only for a short time, even if it was just luck!

I’m still drawing Deku and the others for the comics, the anime is still airing, the movie is in theaters, the games are still ongoing, the spin-off manga is still being serialized, there are events, and so many other people are keeping My Hero Academia going, so it doesn’t feel like it’s over at all.

Please continue to support My Hero Academia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plus Ultra

While it’s still a bittersweet feeling to see the series go, it is an absolute delight to see how much love is being sent Horikoshi’s way to celebrate its big finale.

Despite initial delays, Patch 7 for Baldur’s Gate 3 is right around the corner, and for players that enjoy veering on the dark side and working alongside the Absolute, Larian has provided a number of brand-new evil endings.

Larian Studios recently posted on their X (formerly Twitter) account for Baldur’s Gate 3 a sneak peak at one of the new evil endings that will be available once Patch 7 finally drops.

The New Ending Tricks Baldurian Citizens Into Living In Total Bliss

While details are still sparse regarding how these evil endings will be triggered by players, the clip Larian chose to tease chose what looks like a crowd of Baldurian citizens being controlled by the same aberrant mind powers that Mind Flayers & the tadpoles possess to fill their heads with lofty daydreams about their day-to-day.

While the closed beta for Patch 7 was initially delayed due to some internal coding issues, it looks like the release of the massive patch is back on track for an early Fall 2024 release date.

With the successful release of Deadpool & Wolverine, fans of the infamous anti-hero may be wanting to find more adventures featuring Wayne, and Sanshiro Kasama, the mangaka behind Deadpool Samurai, is here to deliver.

Though relatively underrated, Deadpool Samurai is a spin on the Merc with a Mouth by taking him on various adventures, some of which feature icons of Shonen Jump manga, like All Might from My Hero Academia. While it seemed as though the manga was over, Deadpool made an unexpected appearance in a brand-new Jump Plus manga.

The Merc With a Mouth’s Return To Manga

Initially announced as a project completely unrelated to the popular Marvel character, Viz Media announced that Sanshiro Kasama would be launching a new series on their online service titled Secret Steward, a relatively standard rom-com following a girl and her butler. When the series finally launched, though, it majorly deviated from what potential fans might have expected.

At the end of Secret Steward‘s debut chapter, the main character is struck by a giant truck in classic isekai intro style, instantly killing him. The driver who committed this heinous and gorey act is no stranger, though, with Deadpool proudly sitting behind the wheel, announcing the return of Deadpool Samurai to the manga reading service.

While unexpected, the twist was insanely clever – and was even partially set up, with Secret Steward‘s description being “Love hits you when you least expect it!” This type of return is rare, too, with many manga series returning without playing any sort of tricks on their readers. Regardless, it was the most Deadpool approach possible, and gave the anti-hero the opportunity to garner some new fans, too – if they weren’t too put off by the gore.

Spice and Wolf, based on the original light novel by Isuna Hasekura has a long-standing history with anime fans from the 2000s, however, the original anime adaptation, produced by Imagin and Brainbase fell into the same trap many other series from this era did – deviating from its source material and taking on a brand-new narrative.

The latest anime adaptation of the series, handled by Studio Passione, which began airing in April, 2024, has chosen to stay faithful to the source, and has officially entered a story arc that fans of the original anime haven’t experienced before.

Studio Passione Will Be Adapting an Arc the Original Anime Skipped

Skipped over in the original anime adaptation due to the production team not believing that the arc would be relevant, the upcoming story arc that will be adapted in 2024’s Spice and Wolf becomes crucial in the plot of the original novels. The official synopsis of the story arc from Spice and Wolf‘s English publisher, Yen Press, reads as follows:

“Continuing their journey north, Lawrence and Holo stop in the village of Tereo in hopes of finding a local abbey where they might uncover more information regarding the fate of Holo’s ancient home, Yoitsu. Soon after their arrival, though, the companions are caught up in a local dispute between Tereo and the neighboring town of Enberch that could cost Lawrence and Holo both their fortunes and their lives! With the Wisewolf’s help, can Lawrence devise a way to save an entire town from ruin – and his skin and that of his traveling companion in the process?”

The character’s that appear in this arc reappear later in the series, and serve as a pseudo-constant in Holo and Lawrence’s journey.

While some fans of Spice and Wolf are still mixed on their feelings toward the new adaptation, with many mourning the nostalgia of the original series, Studio Passione has made an effort to cut the filler from the original anime and tell a more direct, faithful story for fans of the light novels, and returning fans who are only familiar with the 2008 anime.

As revealed by voice actress Veronica Taylor (who plays Ash in the Pokémon anime), on Monday, August 12, 2024, iconic voice actress Rachel Lillis has passed away at 46 years-old after a battle with breast cancer.

Many other talents from the animated shared their condolences, and it has been announced that there will be a memorial service held at a later date.

Rachel Lillis had an extremely successful voice acting career, taking on a number of roles in the Pokémon franchise, including Misty and Jessie. Her repertoire extended beyond Pokémon, playing the titular Utena Tenjo in Revolutionary Girl Utena and Nagi Kirima in Boogiepop Phantom.

Content leaks have been an ongoing controversy in the entertainment sphere for decades, effecting every industry from film, television, to comic books and print novels. While fans obviously want to know everything they can about an upcoming release, it can be easy to forget just how harmful leaks can be to the people working on a project.

Dubbed one of the “biggest leaking disasters” in the anime industry’s lengthy history, the recent Netflix leaks that’s caused highly anticipated shows like Dandadan, Ranma 1/2, and Arcane Season 2, and more to be partially or fully leaked online has fans and industry professionals in an understandable outrage.

How Did So Many of Netflix’s Biggest Animated Releases Get Leaked?

While details are still sparse at this time on how the site was hacked, online sleuths have speculated the leaker may be located in Japan due to the content being recorded in Japanese and lacking subtitles. The leaked footage from these episodes are low quality and covered in watermarks, which seems to suggest that many of them were still in production when the files were taken.

This leak isn’t just a bad look on Netflix’s part, it’s also extremely harmful for the team’s involved in each of these series’ and film’s productions. Fans and professionals alike are furious over this series of events, and many are urging the streaming to giant to make an official statement.

At time of writing, Netflix has been silent on what happened.

VTubers – a type of content creator that uses an animated virtual avatar to represent them as opposed to using their real face – has become a cultural staple over the past few years, and are typically synonymous with the anime and manga community.

One of the largest VTuber agencies in the industry, hololive production, is famous for introducing some of the biggest talents in the space, including Sakura Miko, Houshou Marine, and Usada Pekora. One of their Gen 2 talents, Minato Aqua, recently announced through X (formerly Twitter) that she would be “graduating” – or retiring – at the end of August 2024, with her graduation stream taking place on August 28.

Sadly, for fans of the content creator, this isn’t the only piece of heartbreaking news surrounding Minato Aqua in recent days.

Minato Aqua’s New Visual Novel, ‘AQUARIUM’, Has Officially Been Cancelled Following the Vtuber’s Graduation

Something that really made Minato Aqua stand out compared to other talents in hololive was the release of her Aquarium game, which originally dropped in 2022 for the Playstation 4 and Nintendo Switch before later being ported to Steam in October 2023. During the live event, “Hololive Expo 2024”, Entergram, the company behind the first Aquarium game announced a sequel was in development in March 2024.

Tragically, following Minato Aqua’s graduation announcement, Entergram swiftly followed up by stating that the game’s production had been cancelled.

While fans are understandably distraught over the news, they still expressed gratitude for the team working at Entergram on all their hard work, even if they would never be able to see the finished product.

Originally beginning serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2014, Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia has finally come to an end. With 430 chapters, a successful anime adaptation, merchandise, spin-off films, and even video games – the series has become nothing short of a cultural phenomenon.

The action shonen initially became popular for its unique artstyle and zero-to-hero story that resonated with manga readers around the globe. Now, with the series having officially ended, those effected by Horikoshi’s groundbreaking series are giving thanks for his hard work over the years.

Fellow Mangaka & Other Industry Professionals Praise Horikoshi For My Hero Academia’s Impact

My of Horikoshi’s colleagues have been sharing sentiments toward the popular mangaka over the past week commending him on his newfound legacy with the conclusion of My Hero Academia, including the likes of One Piece‘s Eiichiro Oda and Gege Akutami:

So now you get to play Pokémon Go as much as you want! Congratulations on ten years, Horikoshi Sensei!

Eiichiro Oda

Jujutsu [Kaisen] would not exist without My Hero. Congratulations!

Gege Akutami

Other mangaka with newer series running in the magazine, like Koji Miura, the creator of Blue Box, also shared their love for Horikoshi on social media, stating:

Congratulations on the final chapter of My Hero! Ten years of some of the most passionate manga ever. Well done!

Koji Miura

Other newly published mangaka, like Kagurabachi‘s Takeru Hokazono, shared how My Hero Academia affected them before ever pursuing manga, saying:

I still remember reading volume 17 while I was in high school. From Mirio to One For All 100 percent. What a legend!

Takeru Hokazono

Professionals within the manga industry weren’t the only ones to send Horikoshi praise, however, with the Animation Director of My Hero Academia‘s anime adaptation, Anna Yamaguchi, sending Horikoshi a special message to celebrate:

Kohei Horikishi-sensei,
Congratulations on completing My Hero Academia!!

I personally empathized with and sympathized with the villains, thought about many things, was emotionally stirred, and shed tears as I read every week. I love the world of Hero Aca where they struggle to survive.
I have gained a lot from Hero Aca.
It is an important part of my life.
Now and forever PLUS ULTRA!!
Thank you very much!

Anna Yamaguchi

and Chief Director, Kenji Nagasaki, saying:

Congratulations Horikoshi-sensei on completing the series! [My Hero Academia] is the best hero to me! Not only does the manga give me energy, but I also gained a lot of new experiences from working on the anime, and I was able to grow along with Deku and the others. I’m really glad I came across this work, which changed my life. Thank you very much!

Kenji Nagasaki

The Best Fan Contributions To #ThankYouHorikoshi

Fans of the beloved series have been pitching in to send love to the mangaka, too, with an influx of gorgeously illustrated fan art and other fan projects being uploaded to sites like X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate the series’ legacy.

Other projects are illustrations celebrating My Hero‘s entire ensemble cast, such as this piece by @nstime23:

Another gorgeous illustration featuring the full cast, created by @NovaNeonDream celebrates the relationship between Bakugo and Deku:

It’s clear that My Hero Academia‘s impact will be sitting with readers for years to come, and with the anime adaptation still ongoing with season 7 currently airing, and a brand-new My Hero Academia film, My Hero Academia: You’re Next releasing in the U.S. in October 2024, fans of the series still have plenty more of Deku and his friends to look forward to.

My Hero Academia is available to stream on Crunchyroll. The original manga is available on Viz Media’s Shonen Jump app.

Source: Weekly Shonen Jump volumes 36-37, Koji Miura on X, My Hero Academia’s Official Website, Shonen Jump

Kaiju No. 8 has quickly become one of the most popular new shonen anime of the year, with exciting kaiju action and an endearing underdog story at its core that makes the series relatable to just about anyone.

The anime’s first season did incredibly well, garnering a devoted fanbase and meeting the expectations held by longtime fans of Naoya Matsumoto’s original manga. While season 2 was announced right away when season 1 of the anime adaptation concluded, the budding franchise has even more in store for fans of Kafka’s journey.

Kaiju No. 8’s Anime Adaptation Is Set To Return In 2025

On Monday, August 5, 2024, the official website for Kaiju No. 8 announced that season 2 of the popular shonen series would release in 2025. At this time, there’s no confirmation on when in 2025 the new season will drop, however, the website did provide some additional news for fans: a brand-new anime original episode titled, “Hoshina’s Day Off” is currently in production alongside a feature-length compilation film meant to compile the events of season 1.

The new episode and the compilation film will be screening alongside one another in Japanese theaters sometime in 2025.

Kaiju No. 8 season 1 can be streamed on Crunchyroll. The original manga can be read through Viz Media’s Shonen Jump app.

Source: Kaiju No. 8 Official Site

Warning: The following contains major spoilers for My Hero Academia.

After ten long years, My Hero Academia has finally come to a close, and of course, the manga‘s official ending has sparked controversy among fans and non-fans of Kohei Horikoshi’s superhero-centered action manga.

While definitive endings rarely work for everyone, regardless of medium, My Hero Academia has been notorious during its run for having judgement passed on the character writing and handling of the narrative. It begs the question on whether the finale truly works to wrap up the story, or if it missed the mark.

My Hero Academia’s Ending Isn’t What Fans Expected

After defeating Shigaraki, the world is finally at peace now that the League of Villains have been thwarted, all thanks to Midoriya. This conclusion is then followed by an epilogue detailing the events and fates of the core cast now that the war is over. Chapter 430 opens with an 8-year-old time-skip, showing how much has changed after nearly a decade in My Hero‘s world. Ochaco and Deku have both been left feeling haunted and forever jaded after their experiences with Toga and Shigaraki, respectively.

During My Hero Academia‘s final arc, Deku officially lost his Quirk and is no longer a hero. Now in his mid-20s, Deku has become a teacher working in UA, teaching a brand-new generation of heroes. Despite being left Quirkless, Deku felt satisfied with the brief experiences that he had with his friends during the time of the war. Despite his being satisfied with a quiet life, his friends refused to let him retire, and it’s revealed that Deku has a special set of battle armor – making him almost adjacent to a hero like Iron Man.

Did My Hero Academia’s Ending Live Up To Expectations?

While there is beauty in an ending that prioritizes how one can be happy living a slow, average life, My Hero Academia fails to deliver its message effectively. Something Horikoshi, the creator of My Hero Academia, has struggled with over the series’ run is wrapping up story arcs in a satisfying way. One of the most glaring examples of this comes from Deku’s “rogue” or “dark” arc where the young hero very briefly goes rogue before turning around and returning to his friends shortly after.

While Horikoshi occasionally does an excellent job delivering his story to readers, the grand finale, unfortunately, just misses the mark. It doesn’t fully commit to Deku’s satisfaction with a normal life by giving him a super-powered suit, and doesn’t truly allow him to live the life as one of the most impactful heroes in the world, either. While My Hero Academia certainly has a legacy, it is unfortunate to see how the series struggled to stick the landing.

The Summer 2024 Anime season has been absolutely excellent, with big-hitters like Oshi no Ko season 2, Tower of God: Return of the Prince, Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest, and Suicide Squad Isekai leading online discussions within the anime community.

One of the resident rom-com additions to the season, Too Many Losing Heroines, has proven itself to be the perfect subversion of many of the standard tropes found in shonen rom-coms, and from everything that’s been released from the anime so far, it’s looking to be the summer season’s best.

Too Many Losing Heroines Gives Shonen Rom-Com Fans Everything They Could Ever Want

Produced by A-1 Pictures, the anime adaptation of Too Many Losing Heroines by Muru Imigi and Takibi Amamori follows Kazuhiko, a friendless and plain young man who unexpectedly catches the cool and popular Anna Yanami getting friend-zoned by her childhood friend. In an interesting domino effect, all the popular girls at Kazuhiko’s school are getting rejected left and right by the guys they like.

Kazuhiko subsequently ends up surrounded by said popular girls, and his boring, quiet high school life gets flipped on its head as he helps keep the shockingly eccentric girl-failures’ spirits up in the face of heartbreak. While the plot may initially sound pretty standard for an anime in this genre, the execution of Too Many Losing Heroines makes it stand out in an oversaturated genre for the performances delivered by the main cast and the show’s incredible writing.

Hikaru Toono, the voice actress that plays Anna, is particularly talented, perfectly bouncing between the typical “popular girl” persona and being a total eccentric when she thinks nobody’s watching. The rest of the cast feel equally lively, and when pairing this with A-1’s vivid and stylish animation, the anime has been nothing short of incredible.

Of course, for anime fans not keen on shows that delve into harem tropes, this one may be a miss. While it definitely focuses more on the struggles of the girls after being rejected and moving on, there is still just a hint of a harem brewing beneath the surface. Whether the show will commit to this or truly subvert the genre by staying removed from the harem trope has yet to be seen. Despite that, though, Too Many Heroines’ first three episodes have been infectiously fun and any fan of rom-coms should give it a try.

San Diego Comic-Con is one of the hallmark fandom events of the year that promises new and exciting announcements from just about every industry imaginable, including anime and manga.

This year’s programming was no different, and as the manga industry’s presence has become stronger at Comic-Con, so too have the influx of new series announcements from English manga publishers.

Twilight Out of Focus Box Set – Kodansha USA

Originally created by Jyanome, Twilight Out of Focus is a popular Boys’ Love romance manga Mao Tsuchiya and Hisashi Otomo, two second-year high school students sharing a dorm. The pair of them have three core rules: Mao can’t tell anyone that Hisashi is gay, Hisashi will never look at Mao as a romantic partner, and that they must always knock before entering – just in case one of them is having a private moment. While their plans seem airtight initially, things slowly fall apart as the two grow more attached to one another over time, developing into a steamy relationship.

The new box set from Kodansha USA will contain all four volumes of the original manga as well as a special U.S.-exclusive art book, a short story that has never been translated in English, and brand-new, full color illustrations.

The POOL – Kodansha USA

From the creator of Ajin: Demi-Human, The POOL is Gamon Sakurai’s next sci-fi thriller that follows Chief Yugi Oishi, who’s tasked with leading her men on an alien planet after finding themselves barricaded in an abandoned mine as alien threats close in around them. While the series only has a handful of chapters currently, each new release has been absolutely spine-tingling.

Plus, Sakurai’s signature artstyle really brings the story to life, with horrific looking alien beasts that add a particular eeriness to the paneling.

Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze – Kodansha USA

From the creator of the classic Blade of the Immortal, Hiroaki Samura’s Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze is an award-winning political drama making it to English-speaking bookshelves beginning in 2025. The series follows Bielka, a young woman in a wheelchair, and Schenok, her companion, who must keep their true identities concealed in the harsh political climate of the Soviet Union.

Weaving together events between the Romanovs and Rasputin alongside Hiroaki’s knack for historical fiction, the series is absolutely incredible and something that every fan of manga and comic books should pick up.

Sailor Moon Naoko Takeuchi Collection Manga Box Set – Kodansha USA

Naoko Takeuchi’s Sailor Moon is a hallmark shojo and a magical girl staple whose popularity and influence can still be felt across the industry today. While the series is no stranger to English releases, Kodansha unveiled a special box set edition of the latest print edition of the series, dubbed the “Noako Takeuchi Edition” which is packaged in a special holographic box with 16 art cards and the first 6 volumes of the Sailor Moon manga.

While there’s no updates on when the second box set will release, the box set announced by the publisher will be available for purchase during the Holiday season.

Issak – Kodansha USA

One of the American Manga Award nominees for 2024 that up to this point had only been released digitally, Taking place in 1620, Catholics and Protestants have been in conflict right at the crux of the Thirty Year War. Amid the battlefield is a lone Japanese soldier named Issak, who’s come to Europe in pursuit of the man who killed his master. The physical release of the series will be in a 2-in-1 omnibus format that will begin publishing in Spring 2025, but the series is available digitally through Kodansha right now.

After months of speculation, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has finally been given a release date. Well, a release date on PC and Xbox Series X|S, at least.

PC and Xbox Release Date For Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

The release date for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was revealed at the Gamescom Opening Night Live event. As the game is being published by Bethesda, which is owned by Microsoft, it’s coming to PC and Xbox Series X|S ahead of PlayStation 5. All things considered, this is still decent news for Sony fans, as some recent Bethesda titles, namely Starfield, haven’t come to PlayStation consoles at all after release.

The current release date for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PC and Xbox Series X|S is Dec. 9, 2024. This was the expected release window for the upcoming action-adventure game, as it falls right between some major launches, giving it a solid chance to succeed in terms of sales. It’s likely going to be the biggest game release during the holiday season, as few other games are launching in December.

PS5 Release Window For Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Moving on to the PS5 release date, we only have a seasonal window right now. Bethesda has stated that “Spring 2025” is the current release window for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5. As there’s no concrete release date yet, this window could change depending on how the PC/Xbox launch goes. If there are major issues with the game in December, that might delay the launch on PS5 until summer 2025 or beyond.

Spring 2025 means we could see Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5 as early as March or as late as May. April or May would be the more likely release months, but that’s pure speculation.

I’ll continue to update this article with any further news on the release date for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5.

Elden Ring might not be getting the TV spotlight that some fans have been hoping for, but FromSoftware’s other franchise Armored Core certainly is.

Amazon’s upcoming anthology series Secret Level will include an episode based on the mech battling series Armored Core. This animated series takes viewers on a journey inside the universe of a selection of games, that have never been shown before. Fans can get a glimpse at what’s to come thanks to a trailer revealed on day one of Gamescom.

The animated show is from the producers of Netflix’s Love + Death & Robots which was a breakout hit for the streaming platform showing breathtaking animation with unique stories. That means Secret Level is in great hands, and fans would want it to be given the popularity of these franchises.

Alongside Armored Core, Secret Level will include episodes that feature Dungeons & Dragons, Mega Man, Pac-Man, and Warhammer 40,000 among others. These are some of the most popular gaming franchises ever, and now they’re getting a fresh animated take for viewers to dive into.

Season one of Secret Level will include 15 episodes, however, the length of each episode is unknown. Just know that they will be shorts so don’t expect full-length episodes, or complete seasons for any of these franchises. 

Secret Level is set to premiere on Dec. 10, 2024, so fans don’t have too long before they get to see these loved franchises on screen. It isn’t clear whether all episodes of the show will be shared at once or if it will be weekly, but expect that information to surface closer to its release.

If you want to get your Armored Core fix in before the show gets here you can purchase and play Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC right now.

The Mafia series has been out of commission for quite a while now, with the lukewarm reception of Mafia 3 turning fans away. It looks like we’re going back to basics, however, with the surprise announcement of Mafia: The Old Country to close out the first night of Gamescom.

While details are still rather sparse about this apparent reimagining of the Mafia franchise, we’ll be playing at an undisclosed point in 1900s Sicily, bringing the Italian roots even closer to the core of the experience. Could we be partaking in the earliest forming of what would later be known as the Mafia, or has this family already been established? We’ll need to tune in sometime in December 2024 for more details about this new addition to the Mafia family.

While plenty of players didn’t exactly love the tonal shift of Mafia 3, I still thought it was a strong addition to the franchise, offering some of the best characters that the series had to that date. And the twist ending? Mama Mia, that was a spicy meatball. However, it still paled in comparison to the first two games, and I’m hoping that Mafia: The Old Country can rekindle the magic that Hangar 13 had the first time around. This seems like an offer we can’t refuse.

Featuring plenty of religious imagery in its first-look trailer, we can expect that faith and family will have plenty to do with the motivations behind the currently unknown family that we’ll be a part of. I’m already drooling thinking about the setting, especially since Hangar 13 has been known to create some of the most dense and detail-rich open worlds that we’ve seen on any generation of systems. Let’s just hope that they don’t massacre our boy this time around, shall we?

Mafia: The Old Country does not have a release window yet, but will be available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

In May 2024, Sony showed off an intriguing dress-up/exploration game called Infinity Nikki. Now, a new trailer has debuted during Gamescom, as well as news on the pre-registration for the Infinity Nikki Beta.

You can watch the new video for Infinity Nikki below:

That video was a fever dream mixed with a killer soundtrack. I am all for it.

It was also announced that signups are now open for the Closed Beta test, which is a very exciting development. Players can pre-register for the Beta on the Google Play and Apple App Store (sorry, console owners) and earn plenty of rewards, including an outfit and plenty of crystals. The full game will launch on PlayStation 5, PC, Android, and iOS, so even for those who don’t get into the Beta, there will be plenty of time to grind the title on any of the major platforms.

Related: Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2’s Release Date Has Been Delayed Again

If you are lucky enough to be attending Gamescom, you can play a demo for Infinity Nikki on the show floor. You will be able to explore the nations of Miraland as the stylist, Nikki, and her feline companion, Momo. Former The Legend of Zelda director Kentaro Tominaga is behind the title, so expect a fair bit of exploration, platforming, and puzzle-solving. There’s never too much of that in the gaming world.

As for what else to expect from Gamescom, there have been some major announcements, such as information about the highly anticipated Call of Duty: Black Op 6, Borderlands 4, Dune: Awakening, Persona 3 Reload, and much more. The event runs all week, though, so there are sure to be more reveals that will shake the gaming world. Unfortunately, not all of them will involve Nikki, which is a shame because she looks like a really cool person.

Infinity Nikki is set to release on PlayStation 5, PC, Android, and iOS.

Dune: Awakening looks to be one of the most promising MMOs of all time, placing players directly on the sands of Arrakis while offering a plethora of… interesting ideas. Thanks to Gamescom, we’ve learned more information about this upcoming title in the Dune universe, and one feature caught my eye in particular.

One specific feature caught my ears at the right time, so I needed to swing around just to make sure that I heard that right, and I actually did. An item called the Blood Purifier can be used to turn the harvested blood of your enemies into drinkable water, and that’s not even the wildest thing that was shown today. Joinable factions, small scale wars, player intractability, classes and more were showcased, and Dune: Awakening continues to look more phenomenal than ever before.

Related: Dune: Awakening Will Try to Show Players Variety is the Spice of Life [Preview]

While there is likely still even more to be revealed before its release, Dune: Awakening is slowly becoming one of my most anticipated games. Every time it’s shown off, it looks more and more promising, and with the promise of being able to pledge your alliance to your favorite House while drinking the actual blood of your enemies, this one looks like it’s going to be a wild ride.

Beyond all of the new features shown off during Gamescom, we also finally got an idea of when we’ll be able to jump into the world of Dune: Awakening, with a PC release set to embark into the world unknown in Early 2025. While there is still a chance that this could be moved once again, I’m already eager to upgrade my PC a bit more to experience Arrakis in its full glory.

Dune: Awakening will be available on PC in Early 2025.

You encounter several bosses in the first hour or two of Black Myth: Wukong. While the game makes it seem like all these bosses are meant to be defeated as soon as you meet them, there’s one you should hold off on killing until you progress a little further.

Why You Shouldn’t Beat Wandering Wight Early in Black Myth: Wukong

As you traverse the Forest of Wolves, there’s a good chance you’ll stumble across the Wandering Wight. This boss is a large blue troll-like creature with a large head and a permanent, tranquil smile that belies just how hard he can hit. You likely encountered him after passing the second Keeper’s Shrine in Black Myth: Wukong.

While you actually need to get past Wandering Wight to find the next area of the game, you don’t need to beat him to get past him, though it’s completely possible to do so. The reason you should skip the fight with the Wandering Wight is because it drops a spirit after you beat it. This spirit can’t be absorbed until you unlock the Blessed Gourd, which doesn’t occur until after you beat a couple more bosses in Black Myth: Wukong. Talk about suffering from success.

What To Do After Meeting the Wandering Wight

If you find Wandering Wight, simply run past it and head down the narrow path on the other end of its clearing. This will lead you down some wooden scaffolding and into the next area, where you will battle a boss named Lingxuzi.

After defeating Lingxuzi, you can progress through a temple and enter the second area of Black Wind Mountain, which is the first major region of the game. The second area is called Bamboo Grove, and you need to reach a specific location in Bamboo Grove called the Snake Trail. At the Snake Trail, you need to ascend the stairs and reach a man who is standing on the side of a path.

The man is the Gourd Master, and they can give you the Blessed Gourd upgrade, which allows you to absorb spirits. With the Blessed Gourd, you can now head back the way you came and defeat Wandering Wight. Once Wandering Wight is defeated, it will drop a spirit that you can now absorb. Absorbing spirits offers a variety of bonuses, including passive boosts to your character.

If you’re someone who has already defeated Wandering Wight and couldn’t absorb its spirit, fear not. Once you acquire the Blessed Gourd, you can head to a Keeper’s Shrine and collect the spirit from there. Of course, it’s much easier if you wait to get the Blessed Gourd and then go back to to smack it down.

Black Myth: Wukong is available to play now.

A quick scan of social media confirms that Batman: Caped Crusader‘s female version of the Penguin is still a talking point, weeks after the show’s debut. Showrunner Bruce Timm’s comments probably haven’t helped either.

In an interview for the Emmys website, Timm chalked up Caped Crusader‘s gender-swapped Oswald Cobblepot to a shortage of viable alternatives. “[Executive producer] James [Tucker] and I were talking about the overview of [Caped Crusader],” Timm recalled. “And we said, ‘One of the problems with Batman, as he is, is there’s a lack of good [female] villains. You’ve got Catwoman, you’ve got Poison Ivy, you’ve got Harley Quinn. But it would be really good to have more female villains […] We never really could figure out exactly what to do with the Penguin, what the gimmick for The Penguin would be. What if we gender-flip the Penguin?'”

It’s a well-articulated argument; it also doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Yet ultimately, the rationale behind Batman: Caped Crusader‘s female version of the Penguin doesn’t really matter; the execution does.

The Bat-Canon Has Plenty of Good Female Villains

Admittedly, Timm isn’t entirely wrong. The Dark Knight’s list of enemies definitely skews male-heavy. That said, there are still plenty of good female Bat-baddies. Aside from the three Timm mentions (two of whom, Catwoman and Harley Quinn, appear in Batman: Caped Crusader), there’s also Talia al Ghul, Lady Shiva, Jezebel Jet, and female incarnations of Clayface and Ventriloquist. Oh, and let’s not forget two of Timm’s own co-creations, Phantasm and Roxy Rocket. That’s just off the top of my head, too. There’s probably a few more viable candidates I’m missing, without even getting into less flamboyant characters like gangster Sofia Falcone.

Related: Batman: Caped Crusader: What’s Linton Midnite’s Deal in Season 1?

True, some of the above supervillains are overexposed (particularly Ivy), while the rest aren’t exactly A-listers. However, Timm’s approach to Caped Crusader is rooted in reinvention and revitalization. If the likes of Roxy Rocket and Lady Clayface don’t work as is, that’s the perfect invitation to revamp them. After all, Timm’s done it before with underappreciated male villains. Together with Paul Dini, he gave us the modern Mr. Freeze! So, while I don’t personally have an issue with Penguin being a woman, I find the notion that Timm was essentially forced down that road a tad disingenuous.

Batman: Caped Crusader’s Penguin Is About Reinvention

Yet, again, just because Timm’s “female Penguin” motivations don’t stack up doesn’t mean they’re without merit. As noted above, Timm’s goal with Batman: Caped Crusader was to put a fresh spin on the Bat-mythos, the way he did as a co-architect of Batman: The Animated Series (only different). James Tucker said as much in the joint Emmys interview. “That was the mission statement for [Caped Crusader] in general: to do something that harkened back to the original, but flip it.” Recasting Oswald Cobblepot as Oswalda certainly does that.

Related: Is Batman: Caped Crusader Getting a Season 2?

Of course, this approach is bound to rub some fans up the wrong way. Setting aside the gender politics of it all, some folks just don’t like drastic deviations from established comics canon, and that’s totally fine. We all have our own threshold for change. But for a Batman adaptation to stand out from its decades’ worth of predecessors—and, heck, to justify its very existence—it can’t be afraid to mix things up a bit. Otherwise, things get same-samey and stale. Trying to avoid this fate is how you end up with a slimy Harvey Dent, a Joker-free Harley Quinn, and yes, Timm’s female Penguin.

Bruce Timm Is Wrong About Batman’s Rogues (But Right About Caped Crusader’s Penguin)

And let’s be real: a cabaret-singing female Penguin is an objectively fun take on the character (even if the Oswalda name is a bit lame). It’s surprising, without actually straying all that far from the OG Penguin’s essence. A ruthless, avian-looking crime boss who feigns legitimacy? That certainly tracks with several depictions of Penguin (including in the comics). Voice actor Minnie Driver’s performance is terrific, too. Indeed, it’s not hard to see why Oswalda has her defenders as well as her detractors. So, no, it doesn’t matter that Bruce Timm is wrong about Batman’s lack of good female villains; he was still right about Caped Crusader‘s female Penguin.

Batman: Caped Crusader Season 1 is currently streaming on Prime Video.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, already five years in development, has been delayed once again and won’t be arriving until the first half of 2025.

This bloodsucking action RPG sequel has had a troubled history, to say the least. Announced in 2019, it was scheduled for a 2020 release. Developed by Hardsuit Labs, Publisher Paradox Interactive later took it out of their hands and gave it to The Chinese Room, the team behind Still Wakes the Deep and more.

But now, Paradox and The Chinese Room have confirmed that they’re extending their development time. In a new developer update (which goes out of its way not to mention the word “delay”), the two explain the thinking behind pushing the game back.

The general explanation the update gives, along with Paradox’s website post, is that the game, currently in a “..late production phase,” needs more polish. That’s based partly on feedback from the game’s internal playtest, and comments from the gameplaying public.

Related: Black Myth: Wukong Asks Influencers Not to Talk About Politics or ‘Feminist Propaganda’

So, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 has been delayed from its most recent Fall 2024 release date (one of several times it’s been delayed) to the first half of 2025. That means we could be getting it as late as June, though Paradox Interactive will no doubt want to ship it while people still remember it exists. Sure, Dead Island 2 survived an eight-year delay and three different developers, but it doesn’t fill me with confidence.

The good news is that the game will be receiving extra endings, double the original amount planned. I’m hoping there’s at least one where, as in the original Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, you give the whole Camarilla the finger and just walk off.

Could the game be delayed again? It’s possible, but Paradox Interactive has given itself a big release window to work with. Let’s hope that this time next year, we’re all sinking our teeth into mortal necks and playing Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2.

It’s safe to say that Disney+’s Star Wars series The Acolyte divided the fanbase. Many embraced it for taking the franchise in new directions, while others were never on board. Well, just like when it was airing, Star Wars fans can’t agree on a stance when discussing The Acolyte‘s cancellation.

Deadline dropped the news that The Acolyte would not be returning for a second season. However, reports claim the axing has nothing to do with fan backlash but with the series’ inability to maintain steady viewership. Some will point to fans’ frustration as the reason people weren’t tuning in, but it was a lot more complicated than that.

The Acoltye Never Stood a Chance

There were two major camps going at it while The Acolyte was airing: those turned off from the series from the jump and those willing to give it a chance. Unfortunately, between all of the debates about breaking canon and Sith abs, a third group was forgotten: the casual fans who don’t care about canon or really anything but having something to watch after work.

Seeing all of the discourse online about the show likely made a lot of people look elsewhere for entertainment. After all, who wants to be thrown into the middle of a fight about space wizards when there are far more important things to worry about?

“Star Wars fans, smh,” said X user Deshair. This series never stood a chance. And before anyone says, ‘Well what about Ahsoka?’ They only watched it for Anakin.”

“The Acolyte being cancelled is just another example of toxic internet hate,” added Alex on X. “The show never got a chance to breathe and half the people hating on it never even watched an episode.”

Related: The Acolyte Subverts Star Wars in a Big Way That Doesn’t Always Work

It’s a Bad Time To Be a TV Show

There are also more than a few discussions online about how shows aren’t able to find their audiences anymore. Countless shows struggle in their first season, only to come back stronger in later outings. It’s possible that could’ve happened with The Acolyte, but it never had time to grow.

“It’s a generally bleak time for television; not just because of The Acolyte,” said Riley on X. “Everything gets cancelled. Nothing gets a chance to find its footing like before. Companies wonder why no one’s watching and it’s because no one wants to get invested in an inevitable unfinished story.”

Unfortunately, unless Star Wars releases some sort of tie-in, like a novel or comic, The Acolyte will be an unfinished story. That’s not bad news for everyone, but those close to the industry will say it’s bad news for the entertainment landscape.

One of the fastest card games gets a super quick card this week with Speed, another addition to Marvel Snap’s Young Avengers season. Is the fastest boy in the MCU worth spending your resources on, you ask? Well, here are the best Speed decks in Marvel Snap.

How Speed Works in Marvel Snap

Speed is a 3 cost 3 power card with an ability that reads: Ongoing:

For every turn that you spend all the energy available (turn 1 is 1 energy, turn 2 is 2 energy, and so on), Speed will have a permanent +1 power. Given that a typical Marvel Snap game lasts 6 turns, Speed can reach 9 power if all your energy is used.

Unlike last week’s release of Wiccan, if you miss spending all your energy on a turn, you can still gain energy for the other turns you do. Do note that Speed will not work if Sunspot absorbs your unspent energy.

As you’d expect for an Ongoing card, Speed has synergy with the likes of Captain America and Onslaught. Otherwise, Speed isn’t a super exciting card that is hard to get a handle on.

Best Speed Decks in Marvel Snap

Speed is a generically good card that could fit into a lot of decks that use up all their energy. For my Collector’s Tokens, I’m betting on Speed taking off in one meta-relevant deck and an outlier that’s looking at a return: Angela Thena list and Spectrum Ongoing. Do note that neither of these have last week’s card, Wiccan, in them, as I believe his ability to grant extra mana will be detrimental to Speed.

• Kitty Pryde
• Thena
• Ravonna Renslayer
• Angela
• Mysterio
• Mystique
• Speed
• Hope Summers
• Gwenpool
• Iron Man
• Mockingbird
• Sasquatch

Click here to copy this list from Untapped.

Thena is an absolute must for this deck and so is Mockingbird, though you can swap Sasquatch out for a less effective Crossbones if you do not have the yeti lookalike.

The goal with this deck is rather straightforward: scale with Angela, Thena, or both before dropping high-powered cards like Mockingbird and Sasquatch. Ravonna Renslayer adds a layer of unpredictability to this list, as you can play Iron Man and Mystique on the final turn. As this deck naturally spends all its mana when it curves out properly, Speed is a much more consistent Cassandra Nova or Sage that loses the benefit of the -1 cost that those two cards receive with Ravonna Renslayer on the board.

This next Ongoing list has seen spikes in popularity over Marvel Snap’s lifespan and I believe it’s rather underplayed at the moment, despite being extremely cheap to build.

• Ant-Man
• Howard the Duck
• Ravonna Renslayer
• US. Agent
• Mystique
• Captain America
• Luke Cage
• Speed
• Ms. Marvel
• Man Thing
• Iron Man
• Spectrum

Click here to copy this list from Untapped.

This list leans into two cards a lot of people skipped: US. Agent and Man Thing. You can replace them with comparable Ongoing cards like Armor or Typhoid Mary. Also, you can swap out other Ongoing cards as you see fit. Goose makes a good replacement for Howard the Duck if you don’t have him, for instance. Cosmo isn’t a bad slot-in either.

The goal here is to use powerful Ongoing effects to interrupt your opponent while spiking power in the proper lanes with Speed, US. Agent, and Man Thing while covering your own negative effects with Luke Cage. Spectrum caps everything off by spreading power to all your cards, especially the likes of Iron Man. This list often runs Ajax but I found him to be counter intuitive with Luke Cage also in the deck.

Speed Counters in Marvel Snap

Speed is easily countered by the likes of Enchantress and Rogue; however, he’s still a 3 power body, so it’s not the end of the world if your opponent targets him rather than a more powerful Ongoing card like Iron Man. Otherwise, your opponent can copy your Ongoing effects with the likes of Super Skrull or limit the lanes you can play him in with Echo.

Who is Speed?

Speed is basically the Marvel version of the Flash if you ignore the fact that Quicksilver also exists. Also known as Thomas Shepard, Speed is one of two twins that were inadvertently created when Scarlet Witch was messing around trying to create two sons for herself, the other being last week’s card Wiccan. Thomas had a rough upbringing before joining the Young Avengers, where he makes use of his superhuman speed and ability to cause vibration-based explosions to save the day.

Is Speed Worth Your Collector’s Tokens or Spotlight Cache Keys?

If you have an abundance of resources, I do think Speed is a good card to pick up for your Marvel Snap Deck; that said, he’s also easily replaceable in most lists I think he will find himself in. Gladiator, for instance, does a similar thing as Speed. At the same time, he’s also replaceable with tech cards like Red Guardian. If you’re unsure, I would hold out for a few days to see if Speed really makes a deck click.

Marvel Snap is available to play here.

isney+ Star Wars series The Acolyte wrapped up its first season with a decidedly open-ended finale. So, does this mean the The Acolyte is getting a Season 2?

Related: The Acolyte: Is Darth Plagueis in Season 1?

Is The Acolyte Season 2 Happening?

No, The Acolyte Season 2 isn’t happening. Per Deadline, Lucasfilm cancelled the Star Wars series on Aug. 19, 2024. The outlet’s sources didn’t supply a reason for The Acolyte‘s cancellation, although its lacklustre viewership figures were likely a contributing factor. As noted by Deadline, The Acolyte lost its spot on Nielsen’s Top 10 originals chart from Episode 4 to 7. To its credit, The Acolyte eventually landed back on the chart with its eighth and final episode. But even then, its total number of minutes viewed was reportedly the lowest of any Star Wars series.

Related: Is Yoda in Star Wars: The Acolyte?

Lucasfilm axing The Acolyte will no doubt come as a blow to showrunner Leslye Headland, who was ready to hit the ground running on Season 2. In March 2024 Collider interview, Headland revealed that The Acolyte was always conceived as a story that spanned more than one season. “I would say that when I pitched it, I definitely pitched it as a multi-season show,” she said. “There are a lot of things at the end of this season that I think are narrative threads that are not tied up, for sure.”

What Was Planned for The Acolyte Season 2’s Story?

So, what did Leslye Headland have planned for The Acolyte Season 2, if it had happened? More Darth Plagueis, for one thing! Plagueis briefly cameos in Season 1’s finale, which Headland confirmed in an Inverse interview was set-up for Season 2. She also reiterated the importance of Osha and the Stranger’s newly-forged partnership to the second season’s unrealized narrative.

Related: Does The Acolyte Season 1 Have a Post-Credits Scene?

“[Darth Plagueis is] definitely a signifier of things to come if we end up moving forward,” Headland said. “Osha and the Stranger are aligned. Literally the last shot of the show is the two of them holding the same lightsaber. It’s the last shot of Fight Club – these are two people that are looking out under the horizon and believing that their power is intense, and strong, and shared, and passionate.”

All eight episodes of The Acolyte Season 1 are currently streaming on Disney+.

 The above article was updated on 8/20/2024 by the original author to include information about The Acolyte’s cancellation.

Developer Coffee Stained has announced Goat Simulator Remastered. Announced through a trailer, the remaster is coming ten years after the 2014 release of the original Goat Simulator. Check out the trailer for Goat Simulator Remastered below.

While featuring familiar gameplay, Goat Simulator Remastered will also include upgraded visuals, especially in its lighting, as well as 7 DLCs—GoatVille, Goat City Bay, Goat MMO, Goat Z, PAYDAY, Waste of Space, and Buck to School.

The developer has also revealed in the trailer’s description that many of the fan-favourite bugs from the original game will be returning in Goat Simulator Remastered, this time around as “intentional features”.

Goat Simulator Remastered puts players in control of rambunctious goat Pilgor. Players are then essentially let loose in a physics sandbox where they can destroy things to their heart’s content. Among other things, players are able to jump, kick, and lick various objects throughout the levels. The remastered release of the game will also be bringing back mutators for added replayability.

Goat Simulator Remastered doesn’t yet have a solid release date. It is slated for release in 2024 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

I’m going to honestly admit that whenever I would see Mika and the Witch’s Mountain, I’d think of it as the Kiki’s Delivery Service game. I mean, it’s a young girl who is an apprentice witch riding around on her broom to help her community by delivery packages. Chibig and Nukefist even included an anime-style opening. The good news is that it is exactly what it appears to be, though some broom-riding mechanics and deliveries can be a little frustrating. 

Mika is heading to the Stellar Lighthouse to train under Miss Olagari, just as her mother did. However, upon getting there, her new teacher boots her off the side of the highest peak on the island’s mountain. She tells her she can’t really begin until she gets back up to the Stellar Lighthouse. Upon landing, Mika breaks her broom. She starts working for Greff, who runs the local delivery business, as a courier to pay for repairs, connecting to the island and its mysteries in the process. 

While Mika is a witch, Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is pretty much entirely a flying sim about making deliveries, recreating the whole Kiki’s Delivery Service experience. You’ll be tasked with completing the deliveries on your Delivery Card, some of which won’t come up until you kick off a chain of events by taking or making the first drop-off in the line. Most delivery items have a certain number of hearts representing their health and restrictions like you can’t get them wet or damage them. (If you mess up, you can hold X to reset the package and retry.) Occasionally, there may be a timer asking you to complete a delivery in a certain amount of time. 

Since your early brooms aren’t great, you’ll often need to rely on certain outside elements to aid in your deliveries. These can involve wind currents, which lift you up or provide a burst of speed to get along a straight pass. Former ruin parts can also help you trigger additional wind-generating portals or elements to reach even greater heights. However, depending on how fragile your package may be, these could also work against you and send you careening into obstacles, ruining the item.

Not to mention there are also optional deliveries. For example, you may find an item like a kite or ocarina lying around, indicated by sparkles in a section. Picking these up only gives you a hint as to who the owner is. Meaning you need to have an idea of who the residents are to ensure those things get back to the rightful owners.

In general, Mika and the Witch’s Mountain works much better than I expected. Flying simulators are a bit finicky sometimes, especially when they don’t involve planes. Mika definitely feels like a witch just finding her footing. This means that the brooms themselves don’t always feel very precise! There was one early Greff delivery that involved taking an already damaged item to a certain place I’d only visited once before on the opposite side of the island, and it took me about seven tries to actually get it there safely. The further you get in the game, the more fiddly it can feel like some items are, so there are definitely a few times when I wished the brooms and controls were a bit more exact.

But really, aside from that, only one thing kept me from feeling like Chibig and Nukefist nailed what they were trying to accomplish with Mika and the Witch’s Mountain. I really wish there was a way to “pin” objectives on the map. Sometimes, characters move around! They’ll be in different spots than they were before. When you check the delivery card, you’ll also only get a general area of where things are. I get what the developers were trying to accomplish. It really does feel like I’m an apprentice witch checking a map, often repeatedly, to make sure I’m headed to the right spot. But when I started really relying on different airstreams or relics to get places or trying to use those elements to proceed, I started to wish I could see a little on-screen indicator to at least remind me I was headed in the correct direction.

That said, everything else about Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is handled quite well. The script is charming. Even characters you don’t spend a lot of time getting to know initially leave a big impression. The developers did a great job of getting us to root for Mika! The layout of the island is conducive to exploring, especially when you start to memorize which wind currents will be most helpful. The designs for everything are also very vibrant and engaging. Also, the few stressful and timed deliveries aside, it can be shockingly low-key! I also like that while this is definitely designed to feel like Kiki's Delivery Service, Mika is a very different sort of witch and protagonist and the game involves other types of themes.

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain really does do a good job of giving us a Kiki’s Delivery Service sort of game, and it’s often quite relaxing too! Mika’s a fun protagonist, and the island is this vibrant setting filled with big personalities and life. Sometimes the broomstick-riding can feel a bit fiddly, but it’s genuinely a delightful simulation about being a courier witch.

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain will come to the Nintendo Switch and PC on August 21, 2024. 

The post Review: Mika and the Witch’s Mountain Channels Kiki’s Delivery Service appeared first on Siliconera.

Vroom vroom. That is the sound of 11 rivals revving their engines as they blink the sweat out of their eyes and exhale years of self-doubt from their lungs. Today is their day. We have lined up these racing games on a starting grid and are interested to see how things shake out. Will the realism-obsessed driving sims take the lead with their sublime physics engines? Might the futuristic combat racers simply destroy the opposition with explosive rockets? Or perhaps a nippy arcade crowd-pleaser will soar to the finish line, propelled by the sound of roaring cheers. It's all to play for here at our incredibly messed-up grand prix with a worrying lack of rules or regulation. Start your engines, everyone, these are the 11 best racing games on PC. 3! 2! 1! ...

Read more

Vroom vroom. That is the sound of 11 rivals revving their engines as they blink the sweat out of their eyes and exhale years of self-doubt from their lungs. Today is their day. We have lined up these racing games on a starting grid and are interested to see how things shake out. Will the realism-obsessed driving sims take the lead with their sublime physics engines? Might the futuristic combat racers simply destroy the opposition with explosive rockets? Or perhaps a nippy arcade crowd-pleaser will soar to the finish line, propelled by the sound of roaring cheers. It's all to play for here at our incredibly messed-up grand prix with a worrying lack of rules or regulation. Start your engines, everyone, these are the 11 best racing games on PC. 3! 2! 1! ...

Read more

WolfEye's debut game Weird West attempted to pack a little of Dishonored's immersive sim sorcery into a top-down action-RPG. For the studio's next game, co-founders Raphaël Colantonio and Julien Roby are leaning into comparisons with their old endeavours at Arkane more earnestly. The new game - currently untitled and without a release date - is a first-person sci-fi RPG set in an alternate-1900s North America, which ostensibly combines the ingenuity and gadgetry of Dishonored and Prey with a "real RPG" experience redolent of Skyrim and modern-day Fallout.

Read more

WolfEye's debut game Weird West attempted to pack a little of Dishonored's immersive sim sorcery into a top-down action-RPG. For the studio's next game, co-founders Raphaël Colantonio and Julien Roby are leaning into comparisons with their old endeavours at Arkane more earnestly. The new game - currently untitled and without a release date - is a first-person sci-fi RPG set in an alternate-1900s North America, which ostensibly combines the ingenuity and gadgetry of Dishonored and Prey with a "real RPG" experience redolent of Skyrim and modern-day Fallout.

Read more

The UP Squared 7100 is a palm-sized computer board from AAEON Technology, with an Intel Alder Lake-N low-power processor, up to 16GB of LPDDR5 memory and up to 128GB of eMMC storage. It also has plenty of expansion options including two M.2 slots: one for storage and another for a wireless card, support for dual displays, […]

The post UP Squared 7100 is a 3.5 PC board with Alder Lake-N, 2 M.2 slots, and 40-pin GPIO headers appeared first on Liliputing.

Další titul Mafia nabízí nový, lineární, příběhový zážitek a je popisován jako prequel odehrávající se na Sicílii.

Další hra Mafia byla konečně oznámena, jak v posledních měsících naznačovaly úniky informací. Titul se jmenuje Mafia: The Old Country a byl oznámen společností 2K a vývojářským studiem Hangar 13 na závěr přehlídky Gamescom Opening Night Live.

Jak se uvádělo před vydáním, Mafia: The Old Country je prequel zasazený do devadesátých let minulého století a zavede hráče na Sicílii, kde bude vyprávět příběh o počátcích organizovaného zločinu. Zda to znamená návrat Dona Salieriho z původní hry, jak tvrdily úniky, se teprve uvidí.

Níže se podívejte na krátkou upoutávku na oznámení hry. Společnosti 2K a Hangar 13 potvrdily, že se v prosinci podělí o další informace o titulu.

Hra Mafia: The Old Country je ve vývoji pro PS5, Xbox Series X/S a PC. Hra by měla vyjít v roce 2025, přičemž společnost 2K potvrdila, že vyjde během fiskálního roku 2026, což znamená, že bude uvedena na trh nejdříve v dubnu.

Článek Oznámena hra Mafia: The Old Country, která vyjde v roce 2025 pro PS5, Xbox Series X/S a PC se nejdříve objevil na GAME PRESS.

Mikrotransakce jsou žhavým tématem v herním průmyslu, zvláště když jsou stále častější. I v „dokončených hrách“ nacházejí mikrotransakce způsob, jak se zapojit do hry.

Podívejte se například na Star Wars Outlaws, připravovanou hru od Massive Entertainment a publikovanou Ubisoftem. Hra ještě ani nevyšla a už mají naplánovanou road mapu plnou mikrotransakcí.

Nicméně 90 % vývojářů, kteří se zúčastnili průzkumu na Devcom 2024, uvedlo, že prémiové hry nepotřebují mikrotransakce. Zatímco široké publikum to již ví, herní společnosti je stále začleňují do prémiových her.

89 % vývojářů dotázaných na Devcom 2024 uvedlo, že věří, že prémiové hry mohou být „finančně úspěšné jen tím, že jsou Buy-to-Play“. Zdá se, že prémiové hry vydané bez mikrotransakcí jsou každým dnem vzácnější.

Pokud jde o obchodní modely, 65 % lidí věří v obchodní model prémiové hry pro fyzické a digitální hry. Kromě toho 81 % účastníků průzkumu věří, že pro úspěšnost prémiové hry je nezbytná hra na různých platformách. Překvapivě jeden člověk věřil, že free-to-play s reklamami je nejlepší obchodní model v oblasti hraní. I když to může platit pro mobilní hraní, bylo by těžké si představit, že hry jako Elden Ring nebo Call of Duty by se daly hrát zdarma s reklamami. Dokonce i v mobilních hrách spousta lidí odmítá hrát hry, pokud jsou tam reklamy, nebo utratí malé množství peněz za odstranění reklam.

Když se podíváme na další poznatky z průzkumu Devcom, 31 % preferuje při své práci minimální využití AI, přičemž 21 % chce využít AI pro kód a produkci, aby byla vývojová práce jednodušší. 18 % by chtělo používat AI pro marketing a komunikaci. Vzhledem k tomu, jak rychle se AI rozšiřuje a vyvíjí, bude zajímavé vidět výsledky používání AI v příštím roce.

Pokud jde o výzvy, kterým herní průmysl čelí, 55 % se domnívá, že největším problémem je nasycení trhu, přičemž 46 % uvedlo, že největším problémem jsou náklady na vývoj. Oba jsou významnými problémy v herním průmyslu, přičemž žánry jsou s každou novou hrou nasycenější. Například žánr Soulslike explodoval a v porovnání s minulým rokem je v tomto žánru na výběr více her než kdy jindy.

A konečně, když byl dotázán na propouštění v herním průmyslu, 57 % řečníků očekávalo, že propouštění bude v příštích 12 měsících pokračovat stejným tempem nebo rychleji, přičemž 43 % věří, že se propouštění sníží a v odvětví se otevře více pracovních míst. pro lidi.

Herní průmysl se rychle mění a vyvíjí – ne nutně k dobrému. Bude však zajímavé porovnat výsledky tohoto průzkumu Devcom 2024 s výsledky z příštího roku.

Článek Téměř 90 % dotázaných vývojářů tvrdí, že prémiové hry nepotřebují mikrotransakce se nejdříve objevil na GAME PRESS.

Událost Made by Google je nabitá významnými hardwarovými oznámeními, na která uživatelé a technická komunita dlouho čekali. I když se zdá, že se událost točí kolem sestavy Pixel 9 a upgradů, které k ní přicházejí, není to jediné pozoruhodné oznámení, které společnost učinila.

Google Pixel Watch 3 byly uvedeny na trh vedle a jsou další nositelnou kartou. Chytré hodinky jsou vybaveny novým displejem a menšími rámečky a jsou uvedeny na trh ve dvou velikostech.

Událost Made by Google je nabitá významnými hardwarovými oznámeními, na která uživatelé a technická komunita dlouho čekali. I když se zdá, že se událost točí kolem sestavy Pixel 9 a upgradů, které k ní přicházejí, není to jediné pozoruhodné oznámení, které společnost učinila. Google Pixel Watch 3 byly uvedeny na trh vedle a jsou další nositelnou kartou. Chytré hodinky jsou vybaveny novým displejem a menšími rámečky a jsou uvedeny na trh ve dvou velikostech.

První věc, kterou si na Pixel Watch 3 všimnete, jsou varianty velikosti: Nyní je k dispozici v 41 mm a 45 mm. Zatímco design nezaznamenává žádné zásadní změny oproti předchozímu modelu kromě možná hladších hran, jsme nadšeni barevnými možnostmi chytrých hodinek, které zahrnují modrou, růžovou a modrozelenou.

Největším vylepšením je však tentokrát masivní vylepšení displeje, která nejen znamenají možnost větší velikosti, která je dvojnásobná oproti předchozí verzi, ale také vylepšený jas, který dosahuje až 2 000 nitů pro lepší vizuální zážitek a další. jasnost. Rámečky se znatelně zmenšily, zejména u 45mm varianty, díky čemuž je esteticky přitažlivější díky snížení z 5,5 mm na 4,5 mm.

Pixel Watch 3 jsou také nabité výdrží baterie, která se prodlouží až na 24 hodin používání a může poskytnout 36 hodin podpory na jedno nabití v režimu úspory baterie. Přichází s vyšší rychlostí nabíjení než jeho předchůdce, což snižuje potřebu nepřetržitého nabíjení zařízení.

Se začleněním 5 GHz Wi-Fi technologie do nového nositelného zařízení by se výrazně zlepšil přenos dat díky větší stabilitě a snížení přetížení. Dlouho očekávaná podpora UWB se konečně dostala na Pixel Watch 3 a připravila by cestu pro vylepšení zámku Watch, kterou uživatelé dlouho hledali.

Nový displej má obnovovací frekvenci 60 Hz, což je obrovský skok oproti obnovovací frekvenci 30 Hz předchozího modelu. To slibuje vizuálně plynulejší a citlivější zážitek. Předchozí verze měla shodně 2GB RAM a 32GB flash úložiště, takže k žádnému zásadnímu upgradu kapacity úložiště nedošlo.

Pixel Watch 3 pohání čipset Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 a koprocesor Cortex M33. Ačkoli to nezohledňuje nárůst výkonu oproti svému předchůdci, uživatelé se těší na větší displej a oříznuté rámečky nového nositelného zařízení. Pixel Watch 3 představují dosud nejhlubší integraci s Google a Pixel a jsou nabité novými funkcemi, které vám pomohou sledovat vaše zdraví a kondici.

Nová funkce Cardio Load vám dá vědět, kdy byste měli odpočívat nebo se tlačit do práce na základě fyzické zátěže. Bude také přidán Ranní přehled, který denně shrnuje všechny informace.

Google také tvrdí, že je průkopníkem nové funkce nazvané detekce ztráty pulsu, která zjistí, zda někdo zmeškal puls nebo se jeho srdce přestalo pohybovat, aby vyvolalo nouzovou situaci. Tato funkce by mohla být velmi užitečná pro uživatele s chronickými onemocněními. 41mm model začíná na 349 dolarech a 45mm model začíná na 399 dolarech a je k dispozici pro předobjednávku ode dneška.

Článek Pixel Watch 3 představen se dvěma velikostními variantami, menšími rámečky, podporou UWB a dalšími se nejdříve objevil na MOBILE PRESS.

Článek Pixel Watch 3 představen se dvěma velikostními variantami, menšími rámečky, podporou UWB a dalšími se nejdříve objevil na GAME PRESS.