Discord is making a rather big change for usernames on the platform. With gaming expanding in major ways within the last few years and allowing players to play with each on various platforms, Discord has become a useful tool in connecting everyone. It has also been useful for people who don't care about games whatsoever and just want to form a community of some kind with one big group chat for everyone to communicate in, but Discord users are feeling a bit inconvenienced after the platform announced that it'd be requiring name changes in order to conform to new naming standards. Thankfully changing names is a pretty easy process.

Your Discord username can be whatever you want (within the guidelines of the TOS, of course), even if it matches someone else's username. Instead, the way you're properly identified is through a four digit number at the end of your name. Discord is doing away with this system and adopting a whole new one. Now, you'll have a unique username with an @ sign in front of it, kind of like Twitter. From there, you can have a custom display name (also like any other social media platform). Discord notes that they are doing this to make it easier for friends to be able to find each other without anyone having to remember the four digits associated with their name, but fans are a bit annoyed by this news.

How to Change Your Discord Username

Discord most likely will prompt you to change your name if it hasn't already, but if you want to go ahead and take care of that yourself to get ahead of the forced update, here's what you need to do, according to Discord:

1. Click on your user settings tab in Discord
2. In the "My Account" tab of the User Settings menu, select "Edit"
3. Change your username to a desired one (you'll have to enter your password to do so)

Discord acknowledged in its announcement that there may be pain points with this change given how long people have had certain usernames.

"We recognize that this is a big change. There may be hiccups with this process, and it may be tough to part ways with that '#0001' that's meant a lot to you over the years. We'll be doing everything we can to manage things as smoothly as possible."

What do you think of the Discord change? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

A critically acclaimed PS4 game came to PS5 this week. Just like on PS4, to own the game on PS5 you need to fork over $24.99. However, if you already own the PS4 version of the game, you can nab the PS5 version for free. And according to the developer of the game, the PS5 version of the title is an upgraded version of the PS4 game, making use off "haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, audio feedback and lighting" in order to take the game to the "next level."

The game in question is Dead Cells, which is now available on PS5, as of yesterday. The game has yet to come to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, so this is the first "next-gen" version of the game. That said, if you're familiar with the game, you'll know it's not going to transform your hardware into an airpot runway. In other words, it's not very technically demanding, but it's very good.

Debuting back in 2018 via developer Motion Twin, the roguelike-Metroidvania game boasts Metacritic scores ranging from 87 to 91. It is widely considered one of the best games of its year, which saw the likes of God of War, Marvel's Spider-Man, and Red Dead Redemption 2 release.

"Dead Cells puts you in control of a failed alchemic experiment trying to figure out what's happening on a sprawling, ever-changing and seemingly cursed Island. Immortal but crippled, your last resort is to take over bodies in order to move, explore... and fight," reads an official description of the game on the PlayStation Store. "While you may well be immortal, the corpses you possess are not. Each time your host is destroyed, you will be sent back to the dungeon to find yourself a new one and start again..."

The game's official pitch continues: "Experience a Roguevania, mixing an interconnected world, branching paths and unlockable skills with the constant adrenaline-pumping threat of permadeath. No checkpoints. You either vanquish the final boss in one go or you try again. However, you keep some of your progress for successive runs new paths you've unlocked, access to new levels, mutations, abilities and weapons. Tough but fair combat, responsive controls, challenging foes, and of course, the emergency panic roll to get you out of trouble make for a visceral and cathartic action game."

For more coverage on all PlayStation games -- including all of the latest news, rumors, leaks, speculation, and deals as it all pertains to both PS4 and PS5, as well as PlayStation Plus -- click here. Meanwhile, and as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think.

Jack Ryan season 4 may be teasing John Krasinski's return to the role in the Rainbow Six movie. The Tom Clancy universe is a very, very rich one. The author is probably one of the most successful when it comes to how many times his work has been adapted not just in movies and TV, but also video games. Gaming publisher Ubisoft has the rights to use Tom Clancy's name on a bunch of video games that are loosely associated with him, including the Rainbow Six games which aren't even really based on the books any more and are just tactical PvP shooters.

With that said, the games have kept the author's IP very relevant as well as a number of live-action adaptations. Amazon's Jack Ryan series has been hugely successful and has paved the way for other Tom Clancy adaptations such as Without Remorse and in the future, Rainbow Six. With that said, Rainbow Six will continue the story of Without Remorse, but it's unclear if any of these exist within the same universe as the Jack Ryan TV series. They're all made, at least in part, with Paramount with the two released projects being on Amazon Prime. However, the first episode of Jack Ryan season 4 may be teasing something. Near the beginning of the episode, Jack Ryan is briefing the President on a situation and when asked a pretty heavy question, Ryan gives a vague non-answer. The President responds by joking that lines like that may lead to Ryan entering into a career in politics, which Ryan hates the idea of.

???? #RainbowSix #JackRyan pic.twitter.com/MvjSoueJg1

-- Caleb Williams (@KnightGambit) June 30, 2023

However, in the books, Jack Ryan is the President of the United States in Rainbow Six (shoutout Caleb Williams/@KnightGambit on Twitter for the info). It's possible this could be teasing that John Krasinski would reprise the role, likely briefly, for Rainbow Six as a way to continue that universe. Or it's just a fun nod to the books, we don't really know, but as the final season of the show rolls out on Amazon, we may get more hints to the future.

Do you want to see Jack Ryan in the Rainbow Six movie? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

Only Up! is one of the best-selling games on Steam right now thanks to its explosive popularity amongst streamers who have been streaming the game a ton over the last week or so across YouTube, Twitch, and Kick. The game has been available since the end of May, but only recently did it catch on, and once it caught one, it exploded. That said, this explosion was halted a few hours ago when the game was mysteriously removed from Steam among rumors that it was removed for stealing assets. There doesn't appear to be anything to these claims though as the game, after being removed from Steam for a few hours, is back.

There is still no confirmed reason why it was taken down, but three hours ago developer SCKRgames -- who is also the publisher of the game -- noted they were aware of the issue by tweeting that the game would soon be available on Steam again. This is all the independent developer had to say about the matter though.

As always, we will keep you updated as the situation evolves. If there is an issue of stolen assets, there's a good chance the game is coming right back down. However, the fact the game was pulled, and then added again, suggests this is not the problem.

"You are a young teenage Jackie from the ghetto who wants to get out of poverty and embark on a journey of learning about the world and yourself," reads an official blurb about the game. "The world has definitely gone crazy, though it has never been normal, but maybe now is the chance for you. Crisis is a time for action and decisive steps...except it's scary, because every step can set you back far. Sometimes it is difficult to choose the right path, but do not be afraid, you can always repeat, we learn from mistakes. Jackie is to learn that to get to a new place you must first make a jump and get off the ground, not knowing what will happen in the future... A samurai has no goal, only a way, stoicism, patience and cunning will help you to reach the very top, but what awaits there - you never know... Let's go? Only Up!"

An official pitch for the game continues: "Only Up! is inspired by the fairytale 'Jack and the Beanstalk' and reminds some of a platformer. You'll follow the same mythological path as Jack to achieve something more than just climbing to the very top. Among the features of the game are the ability to slow down time and change the speed of your character to be as collected as possible when making an important step or jump. The game also contains hundreds of Easter eggs and various references."

Justice League Dark is coming to Cryptozoic Entertainment's DC Deck-Building Game, and the big Kickstarter campaign is now live. Cryptozoic didn't just bring Justice League Dark to the party though, as fans can also get a new Shazam! Vs Black Adam Rivals set, two Rebirth One-Shot Packs, a Legion of Doom Expansion Pack, and a JSA Crossover Crisis Pack as part of the campaign. The Justice League Dark box will bring 8 playable characters, a new seal cards mechanic, and a new transform keyword, which will also cards to transform into other cards. You can find all of the details on the campaign right here.

In the Justice League Dark set you'll be attempting to seal the threats of magical Super-Villains and transform your cards into more powerful forms, and you'll do this through Sealing cards and Transforming. Sealing cards will add to your score at the end of the game, and some cards have special Seal bonuses. Meanwhile, some cards will have Transform requirements, which will net you other cards and bonuses once unlocked.

The Shazam! Vs. Black Adam Rivals set has players taking on the role of Shazam and Black Adam, and your goal is to defeat your opponent three times. Each time a character is defeated, they gain new abilities and become more difficult to beat, and Confrontation, Block, and Weakness Cards also help keep things lively.

Then there's the Legion of Doom Expansion, which brings in a classic Super Friends flavor to the villains. There are 13 villains as part of the set, and they can be combined with any of the villains from the other DC Deck-Building Games.

One of the most welcome surprises are the Rebirth One-Shots, which bring the first expansions to the Rebirth cooperative gameplay standalone game. There are two One-Shot packs, including Cry For Justice and Time Heist. Cry For Justice features Green Arrow and Black Canary and adds 6 signature cards and 9 standard cards. Time Heist then adds The Atom and Vixen, as well as standard and signature cards just like Cry For Justice.

The final part of the campaign is Crossover Crisis 1, an expansion that adds JSA Characters, impossible Mode super-villains, and Crisis Cards. There's also a new Golden Age Crisis mode, which activates additional challengers as more Super-Villains are defeated.

There are a few Kickstarter Exclusives, including a special Exclusive Raymond Gay cover and a Rivals Shazam! Vs Black Adam playmat. The Street Goals are also plentiful, and so far the Justice League Dark set has unlocked new Promo cards, a new expansion, foil on the box, a Kickstarter Oversized Character, a Kickstarter Nemesis card, and more. There's also been a new card unlocked for Rivals, and the next stretch goal has foil being added to the Rivals box. You can find the full campaign for Justice League Dark right here.

Are you excited for the Justice League Dark DC Deck-Building Game? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things gaming and DC with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!

A new Xbox sale has made one of the best Xbox 360 games that is also playable on Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X, just $2.49. The game typically costs $10, so this represents a savings of 75 percent. The only catch is this deal is only available for three more days at the moment of writing this. To couple this deal, the game's successor -- which is appropriately one of the best Xbox One games -- is also 75 percent off, knocking it down from $20 to $4.99. This deal has the same limitations of availability, but if you're reading this before July 3, you can capitalize on both, nabbing Limbo and Inside in the process for a combined $7.50.

For those that know nothing about either of these games, they both come the way of Danish studio Playdead, a team that has been around since 2006, yet has only released two games. In other words, they are a team that takes its time, but the results speak for themselves.

The first of these two games is Limbo, a puzzle-platformer from 2010. The game debuted on July 21, 2010, specifically, and was originally published by Microsoft as an Xbox 360 exclusive. The game is commonly listed as one of the best games of all time. The studios' other game, its second game, is also considered one of the greatest games ever made. That game is called Inside, which is a successor to Limbo that was released in 2016. Like its predecessor, it was initially an Xbox exclusive when it released on June 29, 2016, but this time it was via Xbox One.

While Limbo is an Xbox 360 game, it was brought to Xbox One in 2014. It is playable on every Xbox console, via backward compatibility, minus the original Xbox. Meanwhile, Inside can be played on Xbox, as well as Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X via backward compatibility.

For more Xbox coverage -- including everything between the latest news and deals, the latest rumors and leaks, and the latest reviews, previews, and interviews -- click here. Meanwhile, and as always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think.

Diablo 4 players fill finally be getting some Season 1 news soon during the next developer livestream that was announced this week. That livestream will take place in just a couple of days on July 6th wherein game director Joe Piepiora and lead game producer Timothy Ismay will talk about some of the plans for Season 1. More information on the game's first official season will follow to expand on what's talked about during the presentation, and viewers will have the chance to get some of their questions answered, too, during a Q&A session that'll follow the main conversations.

Seasonal news is something players have been waiting on for awhile now after some players already raced through the game and prepped themselves for Round 2 with another character. Others who might've started Diablo 4 later than most have been hesitant to put much time into a character, too, if they're just going to have to start anew with a fresh character at the start of Season 1 (assuming you do want to partake in the seasonal content).

The first season of Diablo 4 is expected to launch later in July, though Blizzard has not yet set a date for Season 1. That'll hopefully be one of several announcements shared during the event.

Run of show will be Diablo Immortal for our first 15 mins and Diablo 4 for the remainder of the show. This will be a long show so I'm expecting 60+ minutes for this one.

All of this is live so we will have a quick swap of devs in between.

-- Adam Fletcher (@PezRadar) June 30, 2023

Along with Diablo 4, Diablo Immortal will also make an appearance. The mobile and PC game's senior narrative designer Ryan Quinn and lead user experience designer Chris Liao will talk about Diablo Immortal prior to what'll be said about Diablo 4 Season 1. Adam Fletcher, the associate director of community within the Diablo brand, said on Twitter that the Diablo Immortal conversations will take around 15 minutes with the Diablo 4 talks to take 45 minutes or more since the whole event is supposed to be around or longer than 60 minutes.

"Following the conclusion of this hell-packed livestream, we'll publish another article containing a video on demand so you can catch all the invitingly dark details at your own pace," the announcement on the Diablo site said. "We'll also publish 2 new articles which extrapolate on the topics introduced during both the Diablo Immortal and Diablo IV segments of the livestream."

The Nintendo Switch 2 -- or whatever the Nintendo Switch successor ends up being called -- is one of the worst kept secrets in the industry. Many rumors have suggested the next Nintendo console could release next year. Whether this ends up happening or not, remains to be seen but ahead of this potential date the specs, or roughly the specs, of the console may have been leaked by Bobby Kotick, the boss of Activision.

This week, Microsoft has been in the court room facing off against the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over its proposed deal to acquire Activision Blizzard for $69 billion. During the legal battle, various files that would otherwise never see the light of day have surfaced online. For example, an email between Kotick and Nintendo president Shunturo Furukawa where the pair discuss Activision supporting the next Nintendo console. In this email exchange, Kotick points towards the new Nintendo console having similar capabilities to the PS4 and Xbox One, which would be an upgrade from the current Switch, but still way off modern console gaming, aka the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

"Given closer alignment of Gen 8 platforms and our previous offerings on PS4 and Xbox One, it's reasonable to assume we can make something compelling for NG (next generation) Switch as well," reads the email from the Activision boss.

What makes this email strange, and what gives Nintendo fans hoping for more power from the next Nintendo console, is during his live testimony for the aforementioned case, Kotick turned around and said he didn't know the specs of the next Nintendo console. This obviously seems to conflict with his previous email, unless when Kotick said that to Furukawa it was just a hypothetical. This is possible, but if true, odd.

"I actually think we will likely make a Call of Duty game for a new Nintendo console," said Kotick in his testimony. "I can't tell you there are specific plans, but I can tell you it's something we'd consider. We would consider it once we had the specs, but we don't have them at present. We missed out on the opportunity for this past generation of Switch, but we'd have to wait until the specifications. We don't have any present plans to do so."

You can't just lie in court. You technically can, but not legally. In other words, Kotick is surely telling the truth here. What he meant in his email though is unclear. At the very least, Kotick and Activision either believe or are under the impression the Nintendo Switch 2 will be equal to PS4 and Xbox One in terms of power. If they don't believe this, or are not under this impression, it's unclear why Kotick would mention that in the email unless it's simply to create a level of expectations. Whatever the case, if the next Nintendo console is more akin to the PS4 and Xbox One than the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S that will be pretty disappointing.

We've gotten some interesting insight about the potential Red Dead Redemption remake from a Rockstar Games insider. Fans have been demanding a Red Dead Redemption remake since 2018, despite the fact the game was only eight years old at that time. However, many saw the amazing gameplay innovations Rockstar made in the sequel and how well it connects the two stories, despite the sequel having to fill in some gaps. It also included a full version of the game's first map (excluding Mexico, though files seem to suggest work was started on such a thing) which made many think the foundation had been laid for a remake.

Rumors even suggested work had begun on one, but was shelved following the disappointment of the GTA trilogy. However, the speculation machine fired back up this week when Red Dead Redemption was given a listing by a Korean ratings board, suggesting a new version of the game was on the way. It's been reported that Rockstar Games was aware of the high demand for a new version of the game and may have been inspired to finish the remake/remaster. With that said, Rockstar Games insider Tez2 took to the GTA Forums to give some insight on the situation. He noted that Rockstar had plans prior to the GTA trilogy to "expand to other series". The Max Payne remakes were announced last year as a result of this plan. They had plans to work with GTA trilogy developer Grove Street Games on more projects, but it seems those have been abandoned as both parties parted ways.

Update: Tez2 has intervened with his own view. Rockstar Dundee may not be involved, but a potential collective of Rockstar studios/or a new third-party studio on the project

Read here:https://t.co/FEPvGvTDpQ https://t.co/HjkISSdl5t pic.twitter.com/ktKLkGXIwT

-- Ben (@videotechx) June 30, 2023

Tez2 noted they don't know what's going on specifically with Red Dead Redemption, but speculated that there's a group of Rockstar teams working on this remaster/remake or it has been outsourced to a third-party studio (like Max Payne and the GTA trilogy). Red Dead Online also had an in-game event extended to July 10th and players did some digging that noted a patch/update may be releasing for that game soon, which could tie everything together.

The one-of-a-kind One Ring Magic: The Gathering card has been found and graded. Professional Sports Authenticators, a respected card grading service commonly known as PSA, announced that an anonymous customer had submitted the one out of one printing of the One Ring card from Magic: The Gathering's Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-Earth set. The card, shown below, was graded as a 9, although this likely won't impact the card's value at all as it's literally the only one that will ever see print. Several card stores have offered $2 million or more for the card, which would make it the most expensive Magic card ever sold.

JUST GRADED

The One Ring is found, authenticated, and now rules them all. pic.twitter.com/k4flMy8VXF

-- PSAcard (@PSAcard) June 30, 2023

Wizards of the Coast first announced that the card would be included in Collector Booster packs of its new Lord of the Rings-themed set earlier this year, setting off a frenzy of speculation and questions about how the card would be found. With the One Ring card now safely in the hand of a new ringbearer, it's likely that the value of Collector Booster packs will decrease, although there are several limited editions of other Ring cards (based on the Rings made for the Elves, Dwarves, and Humans) that still need to be found. A standard One Ring card also appears in the set, with a set of unique mechanics designed around "tempting" the ringbearer.

Magic: The Gathering's crossover with Lord of the Rings is part of the game's Universes Beyond banner, which showcases various IPs as Magic cards. Other major sets include Doctor Who and Warhammer 40,000, along with the popular Dungeons & Dragons set released in 2021.

It looks like the PS5 will be dropping in price, substantially, with an upcoming sale. The PS5 has yet to receive a permanent price cut, and it may not until new hardware -- whether that's the rumored PS5 Pro or the inevitable PS6 -- arrives, or at least get closer. This means PlayStation fans have two options when buying the PS5: fork over $400 for the disc-less PS5 or fork over $500 for a PS5 with a disc drive. That said, according to some images that have surfaced online the disc version is about to be discounted by 100 euros. This is assuming the leaked promotional images are real, which they seem to be, but you can never be too sure on the Internet.

Noticed over on Reset Era, there's an ad for a discount that slashes the PS5 by 100 euros. The ad, which was seen in Spain, reveals the special promotional price will be available between July 1 and July 15, and there's no mention of this being store specific. The question is whether this will be limited to just Spain.

It's quite possible this deal will be exclusive to the Spanish market, but the official ad suggests this could be part of a much larger promotion. Whether that much larger promotion includes the rest of Europe or the United States, remains to be seen. July 1 starts tomorrow, which is a Saturday. PlayStation is unlikely to announce a big push for the PS5 complete with a price cut on the weekend. In other words, at the very least, these specific dates seem to be limited to Spain, but they could signal a larger promotion on the horizon.

Unfortunately, for now, all we have is speculation. PlayStation has yet to comment on the ad and the speculation it has created, but if this changes, we will be sure to update the story accordingly. In the meantime, for more PlayStation coverage -- including all of the latest news, all of the latest rumors and leaks, and all of the latest deals as it all pertains to both PS4 and PS5 -- click here.

An Overwatch animated mini-series has been announced. Overwatch is one of the biggest free-to-play multiplayer games out there and has attracted a rather rabid fan base. Not only do the fans adore playing the game, but they enjoy soaking up the world. Blizzard has become known for producing all kinds of animated shorts over the years that expand the lore of the series as well as introduce us to new characters. They have a high level of production value, almost akin to that of a Pixar short. They're really impressive and both fans of the game and outsiders swarm them whenever they release.

Seemingly being aware of all of that, Blizzard has announced that it is producing an animated mini-series called Overwatch Genesis. The three-part mini-series begins on July 6th with the first episode being titled Dawn. It will be just over 5 minutes long and will be available on YouTube on July 6th at 9AM PT. As of right now, it seems like the series will follow a war between humans and AI as well as feature some characters from the Overwatch universe. It looks like it'll have plenty of action, world building, and even an art style that's a bit similar to that of an anime. It's unclear if Blizzard plans to do anything else like this or if this is just a one-time thing. Either way, it's a cool little thing for fans to eat up.

It was a technological golden age. Until it wasn't.

Introducing GENESIS, an Overwatch mini-series.

Part one of three premieres July 6 ?

? https://t.co/70n9GGgIOx pic.twitter.com/lGeRIaoEfF

-- Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) June 30, 2023

It does come at an interesting time as Overwatch 2 has been in a storm of controversy. The game recently canceled its long-awaited single-player PvE content, something that was pitched as the entire reason to make a sequel in the first place. Some of this content was seemingly salvaged for a new update, but it's not quite at the scale fans had hoped for after all of this time. Maybe this new mini-series will be enough to help fans move on, though.

What do you think of the Overwatch mini-series? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

Twitter's many users are once again annoyed by a change forced upon them that deals with how people login to the social platform and browse tweets. Prior to this change which seems to have rolled out on Thursday or Friday, people are now unable to browse the web version of Twitter if they're not signed into an account. Reasons for why this change might've happened have already been put forth, but people have also raised concerns about how this change will impact the overall quality of Twitter and any attempts to seek out accurate information about a topic.

To see the change for yourself, you can grab a link to a tweet, head to the web version of Twitter be it on a PC or a mobile device, and try and view that tweet when you're not logged in. You'll be presented with a wall prompting you to either login to Twitter or set up an account if you want to view the tweet.

BREAKING: Major change on Twitter - Now you must sign up to browse

Any attempt to reach a Twitter page now redirects to the signup page.

This move is likely aimed at stopping scrapers and plugins like ChatGPT Bing Browse pulling data from Twitter without login pic.twitter.com/LyyZuLkC7g

-- Min Choi (@minchoi) June 30, 2023

For those who stick exclusively to the app version of Twitter, this may not seem like a big deal, but the ability to quickly look up a tweet on a device or browser that you weren't currently logged into is now gone. Sure, looking at tweets that way before was limited in nature since you'd be asked if you wanted to make an account or sign in regardless, and certain tweets deemed to include sensitive content wouldn't be viewable if you weren't signed in, but you could still quickly grab a tweet if you wanted to reference it. Given how many companies (game developers included) use Twitter as their go-to place for sharing info, the ability to quickly factcheck whether or not someone's said something or to simply get the latest info on a topic is now gone unless you're signed in.

NEW: you can no longer view Twitter profiles via web without login.

Friction increases for disinformation research. pic.twitter.com/npMtWGFqZ3

-- John Scott-Railton (@jsrailton) June 30, 2023

Other platforms like Facebook and Instagram feature something similar where your access is limited if you're not signed in, but Twitter seems to be the first of the big three to totally lock down its contents unless you're in your account.

At the time of writing, thousands of AAA games for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and more are eligible for the B2G1 free deal, and you can shop them all right here at GameStop while the sale lasts. Some of the games up for grabs include:

• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo Switch)
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Switch)
• Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Nintendo Switch)
• Pokemon Legends: Arceus (Nintendo Switch)
• Diablo IV (PS5 / Xbox)
• Street Fighter 6 (PS5 / Xbox)
• Hogwarts Legacy (PS5)
• Resident Evil 4 (PS5 / Xbox)
• Jedi Survivor (PS5)
• Final Fantasy XVI (PS5) - On the list, but probably unavailable

The fact that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is still available pre-owned is something of a surprise, given that it's only a month old and a super hot seller in that time. In his review for ComicBook.com, Christian Hoffer gave The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom a 5 out of 5 calling it "a bigger and bolder Hyrule":

"The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a worthy successor to Breath of the Wild and is easily a Game of the Year contender. In addition to making you fall in love with the world of Hyrule all over again, this game feels much more like a traditional Zelda game, while retaining all of the charm and beauty of Breath of the Wild."

Hogwarts Legacy has been another huge seller in 2023. In the ComicBook.com review, Cade Onder gave the game a 4 out of 5, calling it "exceptionally close to being the Harry Potter game that many have yearned for."

While it doesn't do everything perfectly, Hogwarts Legacy stimulates the imagination with a rich world to explore and gameplay that empowers and thrills the player."

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is apparently getting a remake within the next few years. The Assassin's Creed series is one of gaming's biggest franchises and certainly Ubisoft's most prominent. It captured the hearts of players by creating rich, new characters and plopping them in some of the most interesting periods throughout world history. It has allowed for us to experience historic wars from new perspectives, visit ancient cities, immerse ourselves in times and cultures long forgotten, and so on. It has evolved a lot over time, but to many, the series peaked in 2013 with the release of a fairly innovative game in the series: Assassin's Creed 4. It saw players sailing the seas as a pirate who stumbles into the assassin culture and was a really expansive open world that players enjoyed exploring.

It was so successful it even launched another game called Skull and Bones... which has been delayed multiple years and will seemingly continue to be delayed until Ubisoft either gives up and releases it or cancels it. In the meantime, Ubisoft Singapore has begun work on a remake of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, according to Kotaku. The exact extent of this remake is unknown at this time, so we don't know if it will completely overhaul the gameplay to better fit within the more RPG-y era of the recent games or if it'll be more faithful to the original vision. Given so much time has been spent fleshing out naval gameplay for Skull and Bones, we may get a much more refined, in-depth naval experience in this remake.

As of right now, it's not expected to see the light of day for at least a few more years. Skull and Bones is still being worked on, so this will not be salvaging a scrapped game, at least as of this moment. It remains to be seen when Ubisoft will lift the curtain on this remake, but it probably won't be until much, much closer to release.

What do you think of an Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag remake? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered and Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales have both been included in the massive Steam Summer Sale by developer Insomniac Games and publisher PlayStation. And as a result of the sale, each game is as cheap as they have ever been on digital PC storefront. The discounts aren't as big as many other discounts featured in the sale, but the pair of games are rarely discounted on Steam in the first place.

Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered is a 2020 PS5 remaster of 2018 PS4 game Marvel's Spider-Man that came to PC in 2022. Also in 2022, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, a follow-up spin-off of 2018's Marvel's Spider-Man that was originally released in 2020, came to PC. Now, both of these PC versions of each game are on sale as part of the Steam Summer Sale, which includes a highly rated game for just $0.44.

Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered: "This isn't the Spider-Man you've met or ever seen before. This is an experienced Peter Parker who's more masterful at fighting big crime in New York City. At the same time, he's struggling to balance his chaotic personal life and career while the fate of Marvel's New York rest upon his shoulders."

• $40.19 -- LINK

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales: "Following the events of Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered, teenager Miles Morales is adjusting to his new home while following in the footsteps of his mentor, Peter Parker, as a new Spider-Man. But when a fierce power struggle threatens to destroy his new home, the aspiring hero realizes that with great power, there must also come great responsibility. To save all of Marvel's New York, Miles must take up the mantle of Spider-Man and own it."

• $33.49 -- LINK

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is set to release worldwide on October 20, 2023 via PS5. Of course, you don't need to play either of these games in order to enjoy it, but they are all connected. Further, they are both great games, so they are worth checking out if you haven't already.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ComicBook.com (@comicbook)

Disney Lorcana is the hotly anticipated trading card game due out in August by Ravensburger. The new card game draws from a variety of different Disney movies and characters, with already confirmed characters including Robin Hood, Stitch, Elsa, Mickey Mouse, and more. Interestingly, the game not only involves "Storyborn" characters that are pulled directly from beloved Disney movies and cartoons, but also "Dreamborn" characters (such as Donald Duck above) which appear to be new interpretations of the characters. Some characters are "Floodborn" characters, which tie into the yet-to-be-revealed storyline narrative. The new card game involves players trying to be the first to gain 20 Lore, which is generated when a player's characters "Quest." Questing leaves a character open to a challenge from opposing player's characters, which damages both characters simultaneously. Players summon characters and items by spending Ink, which is generated by players placing cards from their hand into their Inkwell area. Most Disney Lorcana cards can be used as Ink, with players limited to adding one card to the Inkwell per turn. Ink is expended when a player summons cards, but is reset at the beginning of the turn, meaning that a player's Inkwell grows over time.

ComicBook.com had the opportunity to sit down with Disney Lorcana brand manager and co-designer Ryan Miller, and you'll see our full coverage of Disney Lorcana coming soon, with a deep dive into the game's design and more. Consider Donald Duck, Strutting His Stuff to be a tease of more Disney Lorcana surprises and excitement to come!

Daedalic Entertainment, the developer of the much maligned The Lord of the Rings: Gollum game, is no longer going to be developing games at all. Instead, the company owned by Nacon will now shift its focus to publishing games. That means that development on the new Lord of the Rings game the company was working on after Gollum has been halted, though it's unclear right now what the fate of that game looks like beyond today's news.

News of Daedalic's new plans came from statements provided to GamesWirtschaft which said Daedalic will focus on publishing games moving forward with "eight promising releases" on the horizon. Daedalic has developed numerous games over the years with the most recent being Gollum, A Year of Rain, and State of Mind with just as many published over the years, too.

In the statements provided to GamesWirtschaft, the studio called this a "difficult turning point" but also described the transition as "a new beginning in the long history of Daedalic Entertainment." That change will also affect some positions within the company. Of the more than 90 employees at Daedalic, 25 will be affected.

"We value each and every member of our team and it is important to us that the transition goes as smoothly as possible," Daedalic said. "Therefore, we will support our former employees in finding new opportunities within our network."

To say that Gollum did not meet expectations would be an understatement. After getting lambasted due to bugs, finicky mechanics, and downgraded graphics from what was shown off before to what got released, the game went as low as a 1.1 user score on Metacritic. Those user scores can sometimes be fudged but sensationalize and passionate reviews, but whether you put stock in that one or the critic score, the latter was hardly any better.

Daedalic issued an apology to Gollum players almost immediately after the game released and committed to updates and fixes for the game's problems moving forward, though it's unclear what plans for that look like now that Daedalic is shifting to publishing games instead. As mentioned previously, it's also unclear what the future of the other in-development Lord of the Rings game looks like now that work on it has been paused.

Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers across Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and PC are surprised with how impressed they are with a new Game Pass game that has been flying under the radar of many Xbox gamers since its release a couple months ago. However, this week the game came to Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on PC and console, and now many who just heard about the game are checking it out and are enjoying it. The game in question is called Bramble: The Mountain King, which does not have a sufficient number of reviews for a Metacritic score, but does have an "Overwhelmingly Positive" Steam User Review rating thanks to a 96 percent approval rate.

An action-adventure game from developer Dimfrost Studio and publisher Merge Games, Bramble: The Mountain King was recently the subject of a post over on the Xbox Game Pass Reddit page. The post notes "Bramble is actually really dark and cool so far," before urging fellow subscribers to "give it a shot." And everyone in the comments of the post has echoed this sentiment

"I've been playing it yesterday and finished more than half a game, really surprised by it," reads one comment. "At first it's really not that great (first 30 minutes) but it gets much much better after that. Actually it's the first game in a very long time on Game Pass that I enjoyed." Another comment notes it's one of the best games they have played this year

"Bramble The Mountain King takes you on a gripping and unsettling journey through stunning environments. Take on the role of Olle, a young boy setting off to rescue his sister, kidnapped by a dreaded troll. Not everything in Bramble is exactly how it seems - in this strange land with creatures big and small, you must be careful when to approach and when to hide. Many hungry and spiteful beasts lurk in these forests and caves. Watch your step...."

Xbox Game Pass is available in two forms, the standard form and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The former costs $10 a month, while the latter costs $15 a month. However, both will be increasing on July 6 to $11 and $17 a month, respectively. If you don't have Xbox Game Pass, you can buy the game outright for $29.99. The game is only three to five hours long though, so if you don't mind essentially renting the game through Game Pass, you can easily beat it with just a single month subscription, saving you $20.

A new Persona 6 rumor has surfaced online and is making the rounds as the claims about the long-awaited RPG come from a source that goes by "MbKKssTBhz5" on Twitter. The source in question has recently proven reliable with a couple of leaks, and thus now everything they say has the attention of Persona fans. The latest information from the anonymous Twitter user pertains to Persona 6, a game that has now been subject of heavy rumors for years.

According to the leaker, the next Persona game, Persona 6, "will be different in a lot of ways." Why is this? Well, the leaker claims it's because it is mostly being developed by a new team. To this end, the leaker describes the game as some type of combination of Persona 3 Reloaded and the various Persona spin-offs.

"The next Persona will be different in a lot of ways, because it is being developed by mostly new Persona team staff," said the leaker, specifically. "It is hard to describe, but I think best description is Persona 3 Reloaded and spin-offs come together. A lot of the staff from Persona 3 Reloaded and the spin-offs are also working on Persona 6 with some supervising."

The leaker continues: "But this doesn't mean it is going to have spin-off gameplay. I am discussing the presentation. Persona 6 is a new development structure for Atlus that starts up with Persona 3 Reloaded, and the art team for the spin-offs is working on Persona 6 with some help."

The leaker also mentions the game is in development under the codename Carbon, that it will be revealed next year alongside a new spin-off, and that it will not be on older consoles. To this final point, the leaker mentions they have only seen it on PS5. And that's the extent of the new, alleged information.

As always, take everything here with a grain of salt. This is a rumor/leak. It is not official information. Further, even if this information is all entirely accurate, it doesn't mean it will remain accurate over time. Things change in game development all the time.

A Steam game with very glowing reviews from users is currently on sale, as part of the Steam Summer Sale, and in the process, the Steam game is available for only $0.44. Unfortunately, the Steam game has not been verified for Steam Deck, but is "playable" on the Valve Corporation machine. What does this mean? Well, it means Steam Deck users can play the game but there's no guarantee it will run the way it should. It could run great, it could run shoddy. We don't know because Valve Corporation has not gone through the trouble of testing out the game on Steam Deck and verifying it.

As for the mystery PC game, it is Muse Dash from developer Peropero and publisher Hasuhasu. Released on Steam back on June 20, 2019, the game boasts an "Overwhelmingly Positive" user review rating, which is the highest earning a Steam game can earn on Steam and a very rare distinction at that. To earn this recognition, the game has amassed an approval rating of 96 percent across nearly 76,000 user reviews, which is a lot of user reviews, especially for a smaller indie game. Below, you can read more about the PC game, courtesy of an official description pulled straight from its Steam page, as well as check out a trailer for the game:

"Hitting while listening to music. Is that the call from another world? [Game Starts Now-!!] Lovely girls or rhythmic music? If there's a place for you to have them both... It must be the paradise of parkour & rhythm game - Muse Dash!! Huh?! Not your forte? It doesn't matter! Who says you must have a strong sense of rhythm to win? Avoid is also a valid option (?) As long as you have 100% of passion, courage, and... love for lovely girls~ Rhythm and fight won't be an issue."

Of course, this Steam deal -- which is one of many right now, courtesy of the Steam Summer Sale running between June 29 and July 13 -- is only available for a limited time. More specifically, it's only available during the aforementioned window of time. After July 13, the 85 percent discount will end and the game will revert back to its normal price.

"Friend asked me what genre of game I wanted. I told him rhythm game given I've been stuck just playing rhythm games and fighting games for a solid week. Had no clue what he was gonna get me. Holy crap, this is just straight up crack," reads one of the aforementioned user reviews. "The visuals pop, the songs are catchy, and wow where did the time go? This game has been an absolute blast. My gripe with so many modern games is a lack of a proper progression system, or shoving a battle pass in the place of one. The fact that for the price of the game you get a full progression system, a full game, and continual updates? Freaking amazing. The fact that the modern gaming industry has become what it is is certainly sad, but this is a shining light in the darkness."

In 2023, it's difficult to find PC games this cheap, especially a game of note. While Muse Dash is not the biggest AAA game, far from it, it's almost universally loved by everyone who plays it. In the current economy, you can't even buy a candy bar for $0.44, so to be able to nab a highly rated game for this price is an insane deal.

Elden Ring news has been quiet for awhile now, so to help fill the wait time between now and when the game's first DLC is released, Bandai Namco and FromSoftware shared an updated infographic showing off various stats from the game. Dubbed "Battle Scars Infographic 2," the new block of info deals with things like which enemies players killed the most and how many players found the recurring Dark Moon Greatsword that FromSoftware loves to put in all of its games.

The bit about which enemies players killed the most is interesting, but it's also skewed heavily by farming tricks players adopted after spending some time with Elden Ring and sharing their findings online. According to FromSoftware, Elden Ring players have killed a staggering 9.4 billion club-wielding Albinaurics. For those who haven't played Elden Ring in awhile, these are the frog-looking enemies who wield the large, curved clubs and are typically found in groups.

One of the groups in which those enemies are found just so happens to be the best Rune farming spot in all of Elden Ring. It's the large hill that's on the way to Mohgwyn Palace, and more specifically, it's located at the Palace Approach Ledge-Road Site of Grace. Once you rest there and turn to look downhill, you'll see these Albinaurics all snoozing in different spots along the way. Farming these enemies gives players millions of Runes per hour, and the whole process goes even faster if you've got a special weapon with AOE effects like the Sacred Relic Sword.

Of course, most of this is probably already ingrained in Elden Ring players' heads -- that's why the Albinaurics are so high up on the list, after, all, because players are farming them. One would assume the most-killed enemy would always be a farmable one in stats like these, but now we know for sure. Behind the club-wielding Albinauric is the magic variant of the Putrid Corpse with 8.9 billion kills, the crossbow Exiled Soldier with 4 billion, the curved sword-wielding Albinauric with 3.4 billion kills, and the Demi-Human that used a curved sword and shield with 3 billion kills.

The rest of the stats showcased in this newer infographic can be seen here.

It seems like The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5, along with other Bethesda games, will be Xbox exclusives. A few years ago, Microsoft made the expensive move to acquire ZeniMax, the umbrella that owns developers such as Bethesda Game Studios. This was a pretty big acquisition as they're responsible for some of the most successful RPGs and franchises in all of gaming. Microsoft has continued to support existing games made by the developers on PlayStation and even released a few timed-exclusives from these teams on PlayStation. However, earlier this year Redfall released as an Xbox/PC exclusive and later this year, the biggest game Bethesda has released since Fallout 4, Starfield, will also be exclusive to Xbox and PC.

Still, there's been a lot of question on whether or not Xbox will make existing franchises like Fallout and The Elder Scrolls exclusive to Xbox. There was an argument made that the aforementioned 2023 titles are new IP, so it's not taking anything away from PlayStation. Xbox boss Phil Spencer also said that he doesn't even know what platforms will be available when The Elder Scrolls 6 releases because it's at least five years away from releasing. However, as part of a testimony from Xbox CFO Tim Stuart for the Microsoft vs. FTC hearing, it was revealed that Phil Spencer made a decision in November 2021 to make all future ZeniMax games exclusive. Shortly after that meeting, Stuart asked Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty if he understood the situation right: "All games going forward?" Stuart asked. "Not just new IP, but ALL games going forward? Wow."

Booty responded: "Phil [Spencer] told them all titles going foward, Xbox exclusive." So, unless Xbox decides to change its line of thinking, which is certainly possible given the long wait we have for The Elder Scrolls 6 and certainly Fallout 5, these games will probably be exclusive to Xbox. It's certainly not ideal for fans of these franchises on PlayStation, but maybe things will change in the future.

What do you think of Xbox making all future Bethesda games exclusive? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

[H/T IGN]

Call of Duty has added a creative new anti-cheat system to anger hackers. Call of Duty is a massive, massive franchise and it has suffered plenty of hits to its reputation from broken releases, lackluster titles, and perhaps most unfortunately, lots and lots of cheaters. Typically, the cheaters tend to swarm a Call of Duty game like a pack of cockroaches after the majority of the player base has moved on to the next game in the series and Activision stops supporting it, but that has changed in recent years. Cheating became quite prominent when crossplay was introduced in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Warzone. There have been attempts to squash out these problems, even going as far as adding a new anti-cheat system in 2021, but it still hasn't completely resolved things.

With that said, Activision can't catch every hacker or cheater simply given how big the player base is and how determined cheaters are to slip under the radar. So, to counter this, Activision has tried to find ways to constantly aggravate the hackers. If Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 or Call of Duty: Warzone 2 detects you're cheating/hacking, it will create "hallucinations" which are mimics of players who are already in the game. It's essentially a body double of a real person, except somewhere else in the game. So, if they have aimbot, they'll lock on to this mimic and attack them, but nothing will actually happen. This is designed to anger the player, as they'll keep attacking people who don't really exist and hopefully, get frustrated and leave.

Activision says they built these Mitigation methods like Hallucinations because it helps piss off cheaters who are trying to use additional, banned tools in game.

Hallucinations can also trigger people's aimbot in game, meaning a hacker using aimbot will think it's a real player pic.twitter.com/2KDLnsZgE5

-- CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) June 29, 2023

New Ricochet method: Hallucinations

This method displays extra operators in game - not AI operators, but a mimic of a current in-game player - only for cheaters to see and make them believe there's players in areas where they are not.

Hallucinations look like real players to... pic.twitter.com/UVuAjTEcD6

-- CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) June 29, 2023

If their account does get banned for cheating, these kinds of things will dissuade them from returning with a new account to cheat some more. Of course, if you're not cheating, you won't see these things. It's a fascinating solution to getting rid of cheaters. If they somehow slip through the cracks of the enforcement team, they can still get screwed over within the game. So much so, they may actually just quit the game.

What do you think of Call of Duty's new anti-cheat solution? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

The Sims 5 is seemingly going to be a game that players can play for free. The Sims franchise is one of EA's longest running series. It is a life "simulator", but it is incredibly heightened and absurd, so it's not necessarily a realistic simulator. You can start a family, own a home or business, go to school, form relationships, burn your home down, drown your character in a swimming pool, and many, many other intense, morbid things. It is incredibly accessible and has found a wide, casual audience that is willing to dump dozens or hundreds of dollars into the game thanks to expansion packs. Due to that, it may drastically affect The Sims 5.

The Sims 5, officially known as Project Rene at the moment, may be "free-to-enter". As spotted by Sims Community (via IGN), EA posted a job for a head of marketplace and monetization for Project Rene. The job listing describes the game as "free-to-enter" and candidates will "own pricing of all content in this free-to-enter game, ensuring we have an optimal pricing and content architecture [and] provide guidance to content teams on in-game content needs to meet player demand." They will also manage user generated content, which will be both free and paid for. This has been compared to Fortnite which is obviously free-to-play, but has a bunch of content behind pay walls which is how Epic Games generates so much revenue from the game.

It would make a lot of sense for The Sims 5 to also make itself free-to-play, but lean in to its premium expansion packs. That way a lot of people can play the game, enjoy it, and get really obsessed with it, making it easier to sell them on expansions. Obviously, if done wrong, this could generate a lot of controversy, but if done right, it could be a really smart and modern balance for The Sims franchise.

What do you want to see from The Sims 5? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

Hideo Kojima was given a pretty fancy box of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny swag. Many know Hideo Kojima for his wide array of incredibly beautiful, innovative, and rich games that have inspired countless video game developers for several decades. He's one of the few "auteurs" in gaming. Part of that seems to stem from his immense love of cinema. On any given day, you can find him ranting and raving about a movie he loves, taking pictures of himself at the theater seeing the latest and greatest blockbusters, or talking about the art of storytelling as a whole. He's managed to make pretty personal relationships with huge Hollywood directors, A-list actors, and so on, even managing to get some of these people into his games.

It seems that this also reached the attention of Disney, which seemingly sees him as a little cinema influencer as they sent Hideo Kojima a gift box for the release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Hideo Kojima, naturally, unboxed the gift while humming the iconic John Williams theme for the beloved Harrison Ford character. The box includes a number of Indiana Jones trinkets, including his signature hat and other goodies. He didn't unwrap some of the items, so it's hard to make out what some of them are, but it does look like he got a pen, some kind of notebook or mini-binder, and a few other things. Most importantly, it looks like Hideo Kojima was very pleased with the gift.

As for the movie itself, it's been getting some mixed reviews. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the last film with Harrison Ford in the role and ComicBook's Patrick Cavanaugh felt that it doesn't quite deliver as a strong finale: "We can't really ever say we've grown sick of seeing Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, so even if his return is received a bit more tepidly, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny feels less like the reunion with an old friend we experienced with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and more like a farewell party. Even if the events of the film are meant to carry more symbolic significance than narrative merit, it's still an experience that feels like it has worn out its welcome. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny isn't necessarily a misstep, but it's a party no one asked for and one we wished had ended early, though it does give us the gift of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Helena Shaw, which we hope becomes the gift that keeps on giving."

Golden Globe winning actor Paul Walter Hauser may be recognizable for his work in shows like Black Bird, I, Tonya, and Cobra Kai, but he's also a very vocal fan of wrestling. The day after winning the Golden Globe he would even appear on All Elite Wrestling Dynamite, wherein Jeff Jarrett smashed a guitar over his head and stole his award. Speaking with ComicBook.com about the upcoming new season of The Afterparty on Apple TV+, and considering the recent release of AEW Fight Forever, we had to ask Hauser who he's picking first when he gets his hands on the new game.

"The first person I'm going to play as is my favorite wrestler of all time, Steve Borden. You fans know him as Sting," Hauser revealed. "I love that guy. He's my number one. He's on my Mount Rushmore of wrestlers." For the interview Hauser was paired with co-star Jack Whitehall who admitted that his own love for wrestling is how he and Paul first bonded. "Oh, I don't make him watch it. He's a fan," Hauser added.

"That's how we first bonded was our love of wrestling," Whitehall added. "I slid into his DMS and we started talking about AEW. We've been to wrestling together." When asked by Hauser who he's playing first in AEW Fight Forever, Whitehall selected, Hangman page, hoping to pit him against CM Punk.

"Barn burner," Hauser added "I'm gonna do Sting versus Dustin Rhodes in a loser retires match."

ComicBook.com's own Connor Casey reviewed AEW: Fight Forever and scored the game a 4 out of 5, writing in part: "AEW: Fight Forever has the core of a genuinely great wrestling game, as the gameplay is pure, unabashedly fun. And while going the route of No Man's Sky has been teased in interviews -- in which waves of post-launch updates and DLC help improve the experience -- it's also possible this goes the route of Street Fighter where a sequel could build off the original idea and strike gold. This game won't change the pro wrestling video game landscape, but fans of AEW and players looking for a different experience from WWE's annual offering will enjoy it."

AEW: Fight Forever's Standard and Elite Editions is available now for PlayStation 5 & 4, Xbox Series X/S and One, Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Windows.

The Afterparty season 2 premieres on Apple TV+ on July 12.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has invited MrBeast to come work out with him. MrBeast is arguably one of the most influential people on the planet right now. He is the most subscribed individual YouTuber out there and has earned that title in a relatively quick fashion. He blew up a handful of years ago with random videos of himself doing incredibly mundane tasks like saying a word over and over again for hours, allowing him to gain attention and money that he could then turn into more interesting, charitable content. He produces content at a really large, expensive scale, making it difficult for anyone to really rival him. In addition to that, he's made a number of brands outside of content creation with fast food and snacks. His reach is quite large and he's even managed to gain the attention of one of the greatest movie stars of all-time.

MrBeast tweeted out about his fitness journey, noting that he was unhappy with his weight and opted to start getting consistent about working out. In just a few months, he's already in pretty good shape, but notes this is not the end of his journey. With that said, it got a lot of attention on social media and attracted the attention of major action star Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Hollywood legend congratulated MrBeast on his progress and encouraged him to continue to inspire other people, as he had with his post. He then extended an invitation for MrBeast to come work out with him if he's ever in Los Angeles. MrBeast graciously accepted and Arnold acknowledged the demand from fans to see it happen.

Yoooo, that'd be awesome ?

-- MrBeast (@MrBeast) June 29, 2023

Of course, this seems like a great piece of content for MrBeast, just waiting to happen. It seems likely that we'll see this come to fruition in the coming weeks, but nothing has been formally confirmed. However, given all the attention it's getting, they'll want to strike while the iron is hot.

What do you think of Arnold's invitation to MrBeast? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all-time, and a big part of the game's success is the fact that it's available on several different platforms. In addition to being available on PC, the Microsoft owned game can be found on the company's Xbox platform, as well as on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. Interestingly enough, in terms of console revenue, Minecraft makes more money on Nintendo Switch than any other video game system. The detail was revealed by Xbox gaming chief financial officer Tim Stuart during testimony provided in the FTC v Microsoft trial.

According to Stuart, Minecraft makes the least amount of money on Xbox platforms, with PlayStation making about double what Xbox does. However, the biggest console for Minecraft is Nintendo Switch, where the game is "roughly twice as big as PlayStation. 4x as big as Xbox." Stuart went on to note that "Minecraft is one of the most profitable, if not the most profitable first-party game" for the company.

The strength of Minecraft on other platforms was used in the case as evidence that Microsoft has more to gain by keeping Call of Duty available on multiple platforms, should the proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard gain approval. Microsoft has provided contracts to multiple companies offering guaranteed support for Call of Duty for a minimum of 10 years. One of those companies was Nintendo, which is interesting as the Switch does not currently have any Call of Duty games. While there is speculation that Call of Duty will eventually become an Xbox exclusive, clearly, Microsoft sees a lot of financial benefit in releasing certain games across every platform possible.

It's hard to overstate just how big Minecraft is for Xbox, and it's interesting to see how successful the game has been on other platforms. With how much the game makes on Nintendo Switch alone, it actually does help to explain why Microsoft might be eager to get Call of Duty on the system. However, that will all depend on the final results of the FTC's hearing!

Which platform do you play Minecraft on? Are you surprised by how successful the game is on Switch? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

[H/T: TweakTown]

GTA Online is making a fan-favorite vehicle completely free to own for a limited time. GTA Online is one of the most successful games of all-time and it will likely continue to be that way until Grand Theft Auto VI is inevitably released. Rockstar Games has given the game an incredible amount of support for a full decade and has sustained a momentum few other live service games ever have. It's pretty impressive and Rockstar even manages to give players fun content for the holidays, ensuring there's always a recent to visit Los Santos. During Halloween, things get a bit spooky, at Christmas time there's snow around the map, and for the Fourth of July, there's nothing but patriotism in Los Santos.

With that said, the new weekly update for GTA Online includes a plethora of bonuses to enjoy, much of which celebrates the Fourth of July. One of the ways fans can celebrate is by claiming the Vapid Liberator, a red, white, and blue monster truck that really screams "'Murica" to all those cars you drive past (or drive over). It's completely free for the next week and it's a hell of a lot of fun to drive if you've never used it. It's been in the game during every Fourth of July celebration for years now and is well-worth taking a spin in. You can view a list of the other things in the weekly update below.

• Free Vehicle: The Vapid Liberator monster truck, available to claim from Warstock Cache & Carry
• Free Themed Liveries: The Stars & Stripes, Eagle Claw, Eagle Claw Flag, and Fighting Freedom liveries for the Mobile Operations Center
• New Dynamic Event: Finders Keepers
• San Andreas Mercenaries Bonuses through July 12:
• Buy (or already own) the Operations Terminal and Mammoth Thruster Upgrades for the Mammoth Avenger to receive the Hinterland Bomber Jacket
• Sell GTA$500,000 worth of Smuggler cargo goods by July 12 to receive the LS Pounders Cap
• Complete all 6 Project Overthrow Missions by July 12 to get the Blue & Green Camo livery for the Mammoth Avenger
• Complete all 3 LSA Operations by July 12 to receive the Conveyor livery for the V-65 Molotok
• 2X GTA$ and RP on Hangar Sell Missions and Air Force Zero
• 3X GTA$ and RP on Business Battles
  
  On PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S
• Premium Test Ride: The Imponte Arbiter GT
• This week's HSW Time Trial takes place between Sandy Shores and La Puerta
  
  
• Premium Deluxe Motorsport Showroom Vehicles: The Karin Boor (Off-Road) with the Star-Spangled Patriot livery, Truffade Z-Type (Sports Classics), Western Sovereign (Motorcycle) with the Independence Day livery, Annis RE-7B (Super) in the Pegasus livery, and the Vapid Bullet (Super)
• Luxury Autos Showroom Vehicles: The Truffade Thrax (Super) and Grotti Visione (Super)
• Lucky Wheel Top Prize: The Vapid Dominator GTX
• LS Car Meet Test Rides: The Annis ZR350, Invetero Coquette D10, and Pfister Neon
• LS Car Meet Prize Ride: The Grotti Cheetah Classic for those who finish in the Top 3 in the Pursuit Series for two days in a row this week
• Independence Day Discounts: 50% off the Western Sovereign (Motorcycle), Car Horns, Musket, Firework Launcher, Firework Ammo, Tire/Parachute Smoke, Facepaint, Clothing, Mk II Weapon finishes, Select Haircuts, Masks, Patriot Parachute, and the USA Chute Bag
• 50% off the Hangar Workshop
• Vehicle Discounts: 30% off the Pegassi Weaponized Ignus (Super), Annis ZR350 (Sports), and Grotti Visione (Super), 40% off the HVY Menacer (Off-Road), and LF-22 Starling (Plane), 50% off the FH-1 Hunter (Helicopter) and Mobile Operations Center (and Upgrades)
• Gun Van Discounts: 35% off the Service Carbine and the Unholy Hellbringer (for GTA+ Members)
• GTA+ Benefits: A free Maibatsu MonstroCiti (Off-Road), the new Avenger Operations Terminal, Cream Pearl and Blue-Green Flip Chameleon Wheel Paints, Project Overthrow bonuses, 40% off Avenger upgrades, and more

The Witcher season 3 is finally here, and Netflix has delivered the first chapter of the much-anticipated series. This is also part one of Henry Cavill's last season in the role of Geralt of Rivia, as Liam Hemsworth will be stepping into the role of Geralt in Season 4 and beyond. ComicBook.com's Matthew Aguilar sat down with Witcher stars Freya Allan, Anya Chalotra, and Joey Batey about filming their last season with Cavill and how they are feeling about Hemsworth joining the series, and while there is a sense of loss, there is also a sense of excitement about the future.

"Excited. Yeah, can't wait to have Liam on board. Well, he is, but to meet him and have him as Geralt," Chalotra said. "It's going to be bizarre, and I feel like I'm definitely going to feel that loss. I think we all will. Henry's been incredible and carried the show, so definitely going to feel that, but very, very excited for what's to come. There's so much story to tell."

"I think it's always...it's intriguing and exciting to get to see another version of this, or interpretation of this character," Allan said.

"Yeah, very excited, and we'll all miss Henry greatly," Batey said. "And as you say, behind the scenes, he's always just been very, very supportive and funny, good-natured professional who was always the first to laugh on those bad days and to crack jokes, and that presence is cemented in the DNA of the show."

"Yeah, cemented in probably us playing our characters," Allan said. "I know that I won't be able to help but visualize him going forward. It's just that's been Geralt, but I'm still really excited to see something new as well."

It's definitely going to be different seeing someone else in the role of Geralt after having Cavill in those boots for three seasons, but if Hemsworth knocks it out of the park, the change could usher in a whole era for the series. In the meantime, you can find the official description for The Witcher Season 3 below.

"As monarchs, mages, and beasts of the Continent compete to capture her, Geralt takes Ciri into hiding, determined to protect his newly-reunited family against those who threaten to destroy it. Entrusted with Ciri's magical training, Yennefer leads them to the protected fortress of Aretuza, where they hope to uncover more about the girl's untapped powers; instead, they discover they've landed in a battlefield of political corruption, dark magic, and treachery. They must fight back, put everything on the line - or risk losing each other forever.

The Witcher season 3 Chapter 1 (which includes episodes 1 through 5) is available on Netflix now, while Chapter 2 (which includes episodes 6 through 8) hits Netflix on July 27th.

What have you thought of The Witcher season 3? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things Witcher with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!

Alan Wake II is finally arriving later this year, and developer Remedy Entertainment has released a new behind-the-scenes video about the game's development. The video starts out discussing the original game, and how it borrowed inspiration from Twin Peaks, as well as the works of Stephen King. In the video, the developers reveal that players can expect similar for the sequel, and that the idea for this game has "lived in Sam [Lake]'s brain for 13 years." For fans of the original game, the video offers a compelling look at the world that Remedy is building.

The new behind-the-scenes video can be found below.

In the video, director Sam Lake discusses how the horror genre has been significantly growing in popularity over the last few years, and how that was the "missing puzzle piece" in getting the sequel off the ground. It's understandable why that would be, as sales for the first game started quite slowly. However, the horror genre's current level of popularity could help the game attract a lot more attention. Over the last few years, horror films have been seeing a renaissance at the box office, and horror games like the recent remake of Resident Evil 4 have been hugely successful.

Lake goes on to reveal that Remedy Entertainment has had concepts for the sequel between every game the studio has released over the last 13 years. However, Lake feels that the current concept is "the most interesting an ambitious one out of all those concepts." After all this time, it will be interesting to see if Alan Wake II can deliver on the hype. Alan Wake has a passionate following, and fans are excited to see if the sequel can deliver an experience even better than the previous game. One thing that's evident from the video is that Remedy Entertainment is excited to finally have the opportunity to tell this story. With Alan Wake II set to release on October 17th, fans won't have to wait too much longer to see how things turn out!

Are you a fan of the original Alan Wake? What do you think of this behind-the-scenes video? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

It seems like we know when this year's Call of Duty will be releasing, thanks to a federal judge. Call of Duty is a juggernaut franchise that has consistently released a brand-new game every year, without fail. One could argue maybe Activision should've skipped a few years, which was rumored to be the case for 2023. It was heavily reported that Activision planned to just release an expansion to Modern Warfare 2 in 2023, but instead, it opted to push for a full, premium release. Activision has already confirmed it will have a new game this year and rumors suggest that it's building off the foundation of that aforementioned expansion and will just be called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

As of right now, we don't know when the game will release, but the series does historically release late October/early November. However, Federal Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley, the judge overseeing the FTC vs. Microsoft hearing with regards to the Activision acquisition, may have slipped up and narrowed things down. The judge noted that this year's Call of Duty game is expected to release this November, meaning we can probably rule out another October release. With that said, the official Call of Duty Twitter account quickly tweeted an emoji of eyeballs directly after this happened. While this could be in response to just about anything, it's heavily speculated due to the timing this was in reference to Judge Corley's slip up.

?

-- Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) June 30, 2023

It's rumored that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will be revealed in August. The series typically gets revealed in May or June so it's timed with the summer gaming events, but it seems as though Activision is opting for a shorter marketing cycle this time. This has happened in the past with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Call of Duty: Vanguard, two games with rocky productions, so this may be a way to give the team at Sledgehammer Games more time to polish it up for a public reveal.

Are you excited for this year's Call of Duty? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

Pikmin 4 will add a number of new features that were not present in previous games in the series. However, the game will also remove one popular feature from its predecessor: true story mode co-op. In Pikmin 3 Deluxe, players could take on the game's story mode with a friend playing as one of the game's other captains. While Pikmin 4 does have a co-op mode, it's much more limited. According to the game's eShop page, a second player can now just use an on-screen pointer to "throw pebbles at enemies to stun them and unleash helpful items in your inventory."

The co-op mode sounds somewhat similar to the one featured in Super Mario Galaxy, where a second player could help to grab Star Bits and fire them at enemies. While this type of thing is a nice option for those with young children in the house, it's not nearly as compelling as true co-op. It's worth noting that Pikmin 3 did not originally have co-op when it launched on Wii U in 2013; the option wasn't added until Pikmin 3 Deluxe was released on Nintendo Switch in 2020. Given that, it's possible co-op could be added in a future update to Pikmin 4, if there's enough demand.

While story mode co-op isn't quite as exciting as it used to be, Pikmin 4 players will have a new multiplayer mode to keep them busy. Dandori Battles are a new feature that players can tackle together or against one another. When played competitively, players use Oatchi and their Pikmin to obtain the most items before time runs out. ComicBook.com recently had a chance to attend an in-person preview of the game, where we tried out the mode. Dandori Battles felt fast and frantic, offering something a bit different from the traditional Pikmin gameplay! Readers can see more of our hands-on impressions of the game right here.

Pikmin 4 will release on July 21st.

Are you looking forward to Pikmin 4? Did you like the co-op in Pikmin 3 Deluxe? Let us know in the comments or share directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

[H/T: Game Rant]

Saber Interactive has today announced Wild Card Football, which is a new arcade-style football video game that will be launching this fall. In recent years, there has been a pretty notable void when it comes to football titles that are more arcadey. While the genre once saw games like NFL Blitz, NFL Street, and Backyard Football, EA's Madden series has become the predominant football offering each and every year. Now, Saber is trying to turn this trend around with a new franchise in just a couple short months.

Revealed alongside an initial trailer, Wild Card Football happens to be the latest game released under the "Playground Sports" banner, which is the same one seen with the NBA 2K Playgrounds series. Wild Card Football is described as "7-on-7 pigskin action with bombastic moves, style, and energy." Since it is an arcade-style football game, it also lets players perform a number of special move, abilities, and other powers that would never be found in a sim-like title.

Perhaps the most notable thing about Wild Card Football is that it is officially licensed by the NFLPA, which means that some of the biggest names in football will be in the title. Wild Card Football also prominently features Colin Kaepernick, who is the former quarterback of the San Franciso 49ers. Kaepernick is seen front-and-center on the box art for Wild Card Football which also contains players such as Justin Jefferson, Patrick Mahomes, TJ Watt, and Jalen Hurts.

Get ready for fun, over-the-top arcade-sports action in ? Wild Card Football!

Grab your friends for 7vs7 action, change the game using power-ups and rule-breaking abilities with Wild Cards, create a team from hundreds of pro football superstars & more!#FootballForEveryone pic.twitter.com/xvBpeQIvyH

-- Playgrounds Sports (@SaberPlayground) June 29, 2023

"We set out to create a fast and fun experience that's pure adrenaline! Wild Card Football does just that by putting you in the cleats of your favorite pro players and ratcheting up the intensity with awesome new gameplay elements," said Saber Interactive boss Tim Willits in an accompany statement. "Our collaboration with the NFLPA and OneTeam has been instrumental in bringing our vision to life. Their expertise and support have helped us put a fresh twist on football. We can't wait for fans to build their dream teams and see how they stack up against other squads."

As for its release date, Wild Card Football is set to launch later this year on October 10, 2023. When it does arrive, it will be playable across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Hard as it might be to believe, Rocket League's 8th anniversary is just around the corner. To celebrate the occasion, Psyonix and Epic Games are hosting a Birthday Ball event, which is live in the game right now, and will run through July 12th. During the event, players can look forward to two Limited Time Modes: Super Cube (through July 5th) and Beach Ball (July 5th through July 12th). Psyonix is treating the game's birthday as a formal affair, and the Rocket League Item Shop will also be filled with black and white colored options. Players can expect the following:

• June 28 - July 5: Titanium White Fennec (800 Credits)
• June 28 - July 1: Storm Watch: Noire Decal (2000 Credits)
• July 2 - July 3: Huntress Formal Fennec Decal (300 Credits)
• July 4 - July 5: Startrack: Noire Boost (400 Credits)
• July 6 - July 7: Battle-Cars Anniversary Cake: Noire Topper (200 Credits)
• July 7 - July 8: Cupcake Anniversary: Noire Antenna (300 Credits)
• July 10 - July 11: Party Time: Noire Goal Explosion (2000 Credits)

In addition, players can also look forward to a number of Challenge Rewards. These include an 8th Birthday Crown Player Banner, 8th Birthday Avatar Border, Golden Egg '23, Hemi Birthday Player Anthem, Waned Flame Boost, and Waned Flame Trail. Players will be able to earn up to five Golden Eggs in total, and these will unlock items from the Champions Series 1-4.

For those unfamiliar with Super Cube, the LTM transforms the ball into a cube, making things a bit more challenging. Meanwhile, Beach Ball changes the way the ball bounces, as it "curves through the air when you hit it," according to Psyonix. Both of these LTMs have been offered in the past, but for players that enjoyed them previously, or those that missed out the first time, this is the perfect opportunity to revisit them. As the name implies, these modes won't be around forever, so players will want to take advantage while they're offered!

Are you planning to check out Rocket League's Birthday Ball event? Which of these LTMs are you more excited about? Let us know in the comments or share directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

A new Pokemon Scarlet and Violet update was released last night via Nintendo Switch but it didn't do much to the pair of games. That said, while not much is different about Scarlet and Violet post update there is some interesting things brewing under the hood. In other words, the files of the update has shed light on the game's upcoming DLC, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, which consists of The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk, two separate releases coming in Q3 2023 and Q4 2023, respectively.

In the files of the new update there is mention of not just Mew, but some new Mew content presumably arriving with one of the two DLC releases. More specifically, in the files is now the following thread: "Mew is going to go all out against this formidable opponent!" Unfortunately, this is the extent of the leak. The files suggest this is some type of battle, but it's not entirely clear if Mew is the opponent or an AI teammate. However, there are rumors that there is going to be a 7-Star Tera Raid battle against Mighty Mewtwo. If this is the case, then it's very possible Mew is an NPC helping you in this battle.

The latest update for Scarlet/Violet has some adjustments to text, and some additions for future DLC content.

BTL_STRID_STD_mew_battle_01: Mew is going to go all out against this formidable opponent!

References to TM172 through TM201 added.

The Illuminate ability was changed. pic.twitter.com/bsJq8GUIPt

-- Matt (@mattyoukhana_) June 29, 2023

Of course, this is a leak, so take it with a grain of salt. And this goes doubly for the speculation that it's created. There's no denying Mew is referenced in the newly-added files, but this could be leftover code or it could be something in the works for the DLC right now, but that doesn't mean it will survive until release. Things change and content is cut all the time in game development.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is available via Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch OLED. For more coverage on the pair of recent Pokemon games -- including all of the latest news, rumors, leaks, and speculation -- click here.

"Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is the most ambitious and forward-thinking Pokemon game yet, but suffers from some frustrating graphics and technical features," reads the opening of our review of the game. "The new Pokemon games represent a transition to the franchise's ninth generation of games and the first to truly feature an open world able to be explored however a player wishes. It continues a nearly decade-long evolution for the Pokemon games produced by Game Freak, with each set of games increasingly deviating from the time-worn formula set by the original Pokemon Red and Green games 25 years ago. But while Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is truly a wonder to behold as a Pokemon game, it struggles to meet even the relatively basic graphical standards for a modern video game."

Streaming culture can often result in the worst coming out in people. Just look at the recent explosion of "hall monitor" culture that's broken out as major streamers make the switch to Kick. Because of that, it's always good to see something heartwarming popping up on the platform. Recently, Christopher "Jay3" Pavloff, an Overwatch 2 streamer, was able to do something incredibly cool and captured the moment live on his stream. After years of grinding on both Twitch and YouTube, Jay3 was able to bring his dad onto the stream and reveal that he had paid off the family's debt. As you can expect, it was an incredibly emotional moment for both.

First spotted by Dexerto, when Jay3's dad sat down in front of the stream, it's unlikely he expected something so life-changing to happen. Jay3 calmly passed him an envelope and told him to open it. Once he did, Jay3's father was immediately brought to tears, thanking his son for his generosity. For his part, Jay3 quickly hopped on Twitter to thank his many fans, without whom this kind of gesture wouldn't be possible. He said, "Just want to say thank you to everyone who supports me day in and day out. Honestly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you."

Just want to say thank you to everyone who supports me day in and day out. Never thought I'd be able to pay off my family's debt in my life and I appreciate it. Honestly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

-- LG Jay3 (@Jay3OW) June 28, 2023

Obviously, this is a pretty massive achievement for Jay3. He's built up a sizeable following on Twitch with over 550,000 followers and also has 350,000 subscribers on YouTube since he started streaming in 2016. As an ex-pro FPS player, he's known for his play in the original Overwatch scene, even helping his team win DreamHack Montreal in 2018. That seems to be his last real competition, but he has participated in various showmatches over the years, winning Lulu's Throwdown earlier this year. Back when he was still playing competitively, his main heroes were Ashe, Widowmaker, and Tracer.

Speaking of Tracer, the current season of Overwatch 2 features her latest Mythical skin, which can be upgraded as you move along the season pass. It's almost time for the yearly Summer Games event to kick off as well, meaning you'll soon be able to hop into Lucio Ball and Winston's Volleyball. Overwatch 2 is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms.

Starfield may be something you can play on Steam Deck. Over the last year, we've seen the resurgence of handheld gaming in a major, major way. The Nintendo Switch more or less started it all in 2017 when it was pitched as a console you could take on the go, allowing you to play incredible games like Skyrim on your TV or on the road. It was really impressive, but it is a bit underpowered for some games. Then, Valve tried its own hand via the Steam Deck, a much more powerful handheld that's equivalent to that of a mid-range gaming PC. It doesn't run everything super well and some of the games drain the battery, but it is one of the only ways to play Red Dead Redemption 2 portably.

With that said, one of the biggest games this year will certainly be Starfield. It's a game with a thousand planets, tons of gameplay mechanics, and likely hundreds of hours of content. We'll all be playing it for weeks, months, and possibly years if it has the kind of staying power as Skyrim. That could become even easier if a Steam Deck version happens. When speaking with Kinda Funny's XCast podcast, Bethesda's Todd Howard teased that they may be bringing the game to Steam Deck. When speaking about accessibility, Howard noted that being able to have variable text sizes is important, especially when factoring in different displays including handhelds. When asked if this meant the game is coming to Steam Deck, Howard said they'll talk about that more in the future.

While it's not a yes or a no, it does seem like something Howard would probably be able to rule out if it simply wasn't happening. Of course, it may just be that they're working to optimize it still and can't make any promises yet, so it could go either way. As of right now, we'll just have to wait and see.

Do you want to play Starfield on Steam Deck? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

BlueTwelve Studio and Annapurna Interactive are bringing Stray to Xbox consoles in August, the pair announced this week. Annapurna Interactive, the publisher of the game, shared the news in a presentation dedicated to several of the games it has coming up soon. The game first launched on the PS5, PS4, and PC platforms back in July 2022, so by the time it finally comes to Xbox on August 10th, it'll have been just around a year which is likely how long the exclusivity deal for Stray lasted on PlayStation consoles.

The game was first revealed back in 2020, and afterwards, it started making waves even before its official release. It rocketed to the top of Steam's list of its mos wishlisted games, and after it released, it quickly got more concurrent players than any other game that Annapurna had published. People expected that it would come to the Xbox platform soon enough after an ESRB rating suggested as much not long ago.

As a free PS Plus game back when it first released, Stray got plenty of playtime on PlayStation consoles, too. Our own review of the game gave it a nearly perfect score and praised its feel-good experience and the unique atmosphere.

"Where dogs are usually considered "man's best friend," Stray suggests that cats may be robot's best friend," part of our review said. "This is a game that wears its heart on its sleeve and expertly weaves its themes into everything the player does. There will likely be many people who buy this game because they want to play as a cat and their itch will be scratched, but there's also a high chance they will come away moved by its story of companionship and get caught up in its soothing and equally mesmerizing atmosphere."

All this goes to say that Xbox users have a highly rated game coming their way that's worth checking out if they haven't played it elsewhere already. Nothing about Xbox Game Pass was said during the presentation nor was it mentioned in the trailer above, so it looks like buying it straight up will be the only way to play on Xbox consoles, for now. It's also worth pointing out that Stray will actually be leaving the PlayStation Plus lineup soon as well, so if you've had it in your backlog on the PS5 or PS4, now's the time to try it.

Bandai Namco and developer FromSoftware have today revealed an extensive look at gameplay from Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon prior to its launch later this summer. Following the massive success of Elden Ring this past year, FromSoftware is looking to now return to Armored Core, which is a series that the studio hasn't worked on since 2013. Despite the shift in genres and styles, though, it looks like AC6 is going to be another incredibly high-quality release from the Japanese developer.

This gameplay footage (which you can find below) for Armored Core 6 doesn't feature one continuous look at the mech-based action game. Instead, the video is comprised of a number of smaller clips that show off how traversal, combat, and customization will all work before ending on a brief glimpse of a boss battle. Since its announcement at the end of 2022, Bandai Namco has kept much of Armored Core 6 under wraps. As such, this is one of the most extensive looks that we've seen of the game so far.

Even though Bandai Namco has been somewhat quiet about Armored Core 6, the game itself is set to launch in only about two months. Specifically, Fires of Rubicon is poised to release on August 25, 2023, and will be coming to PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC platforms.

If you'd like to learn more about what Armored Core 6 will have in store, you can find an official description of the game as follows:

"Combining FromSoftware's longstanding expertise in mech games with their signature action gameplay, Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon brings a brand-new action experience to the series.

Players will pilot their mech in fast-paced, omni-directional battles, taking advantage of massive stages and their mech's mobility on land and in the air to ensure victory. Customize Armored Core parts to suit a large variety of playstyles. Selecting different parts not only changes the mech's attacks, but also directly affects its movement and battle style, so each mission can be approached with a unique mech strategy."

Genshin Impact's Fontaine release might still be a few months away, but that doesn't mean we aren't consistently getting leaks that delve into what will supposedly be coming alongside the update. The latest leak features a new Hydro Bow character that'll be joining Genshin Impact's expanding selection of heroes. Previously, we've seen characters like Lyney, Lynette, Wriothesley, and Freminet be leaked as potentially joining the roster, with Lyney and Lynette supposedly being available on the day the new update drops. However, the latest leak has revealed a new Genshin Impact character that might have a background as a bartender.

First spotted by Game Rant, this leak comes from Tao on Twitter who showcased the first images of a character named Sigewinne. These are purely concept art images that show her dropping off some drinks while surrounded by a swirling vortex of water. That's where the idea that she could be a bartender in her past life is coming from. The tweet also claims that Sigewinne will launch as a four-star Hydro Bow character in Genshin Impact, though it's important to note that it is just speculation. In fact, you should take all of this with a hefty grain of salt until developer miHoYo makes an official announcement.

New info about our girl:
Her name is Sigewinne and Waghild is probably a placeholder
She's a 4? again and a Hydro Bow
Possibly a concept art of her skill#Fontaine #fontainetwt #fontaineleaks #GenshinImpact #genshintwt #?? pic.twitter.com/8gQdwcuHCK

-- Timely Freminet and Sigewinne (@diverandnurse) June 29, 2023

That said, we have been seeing several leaks dropping over the last few weeks for the Fontaine region. In fact, Tao recently posted a list of over 20 characters that will be coming to Genshin Impact over the course of the upcoming patch. With so many leaks swirling and the leakers being relatively trustworthy in the past, it seems pretty likely that all of this will turn out to be true.

Either way, the Fontaine update should be an exciting one for Genshin Impact players. The Hydro-focused region looks to feature some neat architecture alongside all of the characters that are supposedly coming. In the early trailers showing off the city, you can see small boats trawling the highway-like waterways and a sewer region that looks ripe for exploration. Genshin Impact is available now on mobile, PlayStation, and PC platforms.

Following the release of Optimus Prime in Fortnite earlier this month, Epic Games has revealed that multiple other Transformers will soon arrive. The new characters will be added via the Fortnite Transformers Pack, which will release in retail stores on October 13th, and will be available digitally on October 21st. The Transformers Pack will feature two of the most popular characters in the franchise: Megatron and Bumblebee. In an interesting twist, the Pack will also feature a new Transformer design inspired by Fortnite's BattleBus! Those that purchase the Transformers Pack will receive the following:

• 3 New Outfits (Megatron, Bumblebee, BattleBus)
  
• 3 New Back Blings (Decepticon Insignia, Bumblebee's Wings, Bot Air Balloon)
  
• 3 New Pickaxes (Energon Mace, Stinger Sword, Pick Axle)
  
• 2 New Emotes (Fusion Cannon, Battle Ready)
  
• 1,000 V-Bucks

The design for the Megatron skin is heavily based on the G1 design that appeared in the 1984 Transformers animated series. In fact, his Energon Mace Pickaxe is even based on a weapon Megatron used in the show's three-part pilot! Meanwhile, Bumblebee's design looks closest to the one that appeared in the War for Cybertron games that were published by Activision. That design still has the same iconic head that Bumblebee had in the original G1 cartoon, but the overall design is a lot sleeker, and shinier.

While Megatron and Bumblebee's designs are rooted in Transformers history, the BattleBus design is completely new, and not based on any existing fiction. That said, Hasbro owns the Transformers brand, and also has the rights to make Fortnite toys. The company has been making a lot of different Transformers crossover toys over the last few years, with figures that convert into vehicles from franchises like Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters, and X-Men. Nothing has been announced just yet, but it's a safe bet that the BattleBus will end up getting its own figure at some point!

The Fortnite Transformers Pack will be available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

Are you looking forward to the Fortnite Transformers Pack? Which of these skins do you like the most? Let us know in the comments or share directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

BioWare has confirmed that its upcoming Mass Effect game, which many fans are simply referring to as Mass Effect 4 for the time being, is still only in the pre-production phase. First announced back at the end of 2021, details surrounding Mass Effect 4 continue to be very sparse, primarily because work on the project is still early. Unfortunately, for those that have hoped new info might come about in 2023, it seems like you should instead prepare for more ongoing silence in the months ahead.

Shared by BioWare GM Gary McKay in a new blog on the studio's site, it was stressed that Mass Effect 4 is still in pre-production, which means that the initial ideas involved with the title's scope, story, and design are still being stitched together. McKay said that the team working on this project is led by a group of "veteran storytellers", but he didn't add anything else about how the game itself is coming along.

"As we look toward the future, BioWare is focused on being a leader in developing immersive, emotionally charged, single-player games, with teams primarily in Austin and Edmonton. This means a renewed focus on our two key franchises: Dragon Age and Mass Effect," McKay said. "For Mass Effect, we continue pre-production with a core team of veteran storytellers who are bringing the deep franchise history forward in a spectacular new way."

Despite having already announced Mass Effect 4, BioWare has continued to stress that it's next major game is that of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. Much like ME4, Dreadwolf still doesn't have a launch window and hasn't even properly been shown off by the studio. Whenever BioWare does finally decide to break this lingering silence that surrounds the studio, though, it's clear that Dreadwolf will be taking center stage. As for ME4, it might take years until we see or hear anything worthwhile.

When do you think that we'll finally start to hear more about what Mass Effect 4 will have in store? And when do you anticipate that the game will actually see the light of day? Let me know either down in the comments or reach out to me on Twitter at @MooreMan12.

A new Blade Runner video game has been announced by Annapurna Interactive. Blade Runner is one of the most beloved sci-fi franchises out there, even if it's not the biggest success on a commercial level. Both the Blade Runner films have been critical hits and praised for their visual style, world building, noir themes, and more. It has had a stranglehold on the genre for the longest time, but hasn't managed to have a modern video game despite its incredibly immersive setting. There was a point and click game a couple of decades ago which did get a remaster not long ago, but fans have wanted a new game in that world for quite a while.

With that said, Annapurna Interactive is developing a new game in the franchise which appears to be canon to the films. The game is called Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth and takes place between Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049. Details are fairly scarce right now, but we do know the game will center around a world after the Black Out, a 10 day power outage in Los Angeles where replicants made an effort to destroy the database that included their information, preventing blade runners from hunting them down. As of right now, we have no idea if characters from the films will appear in this game or even exactly what kind of game this will be. Is it action? Is it a visual novel? Is it another point and click? We simply do not know quite yet! What we do know is that it's very much using the visual language of the films for its world.

A new Blade Runner TV series is also in the works at Amazon, but details are even more scarce on that project. Ideally, we will hear more about Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth sooner rather than later, but it currently has no release date. The game is slated to come to PC and consoles, though we currently don't know which ones.

What do you think of Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

Ebb Software's Scorn launched last year to mixed reviews, which were largely attributed to the game having mediocre, at best, combat. However, the game's look and atmosphere were both striking and nauseating, nailing the H.R. Giger-like vibe the developer was going for. At launch, the game was a console exclusive for the Xbox brand, but we've known that it would eventually come to the PlayStation 5 at some point. Today, Sony confirmed that Scorn is launching later this year and gave players a look at how Ebb is using the DualSense controller to improve immersion in their horrific world.

Unfortunately, Sony didn't announce an official release date for Scorn on PS5 just yet. Instead, they're continuing to stick with "later this year." That said, in the PlayStation Blog post that accompanied the announcement, they did let Ebb Software technical artist Jovan Vu?kovi? talk quite a bit about how Scorn will use the DualSense when it launches. Because the game features no spoken dialogue, Ebb relies on environmental storytelling to get the message across, which means that the haptics in the DualSense can be used to add an even greater sense of foreboding as you hunt around Scorn's alien world.

Scorn creeps to PS5 later this year.

Learn how immersive DualSense controller features convey a racing heart and weighty contraptions: https://t.co/wuR5vocl2F pic.twitter.com/gbneoJOA55

-- PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 29, 2023

Vu?kovi? spoke about how the improved rumble haptics let the team more accurately simulate what it would be like to experience a world as disgusting as Scorn. Obviously, it's not one-to-one, but being able to feel the different types of rumble can intensify the experience. They're also using the adaptive triggers to give every weapon a different feel, which could be a fun use-case that takes advantage of the controller even more than something like Deathloop where the triggers would "jam" when your weapon did. Ebb is also mapping your health bar to the color-changing light bar on the DualSense, meaning you can turn off the HUD if you want and still get that information.

Alongside all of this new info, Ebb Software has revealed that it will be introducing a physical Deluxe Edition of Scorn on PS5. This will include a steelbook case, digital artbook, and original soundtrack, along with a copy of the game. Just like the release date, Ebb didn't reveal when this will be available to purchase nor how much it will cost. That said, we'll likely hear more about it in the next few months if they're going to hit that "later this year" window.

The Monk has received the most significant changes, with several significant deviations from the 2014 classes. The Martial Arts dice feature has received a full upgrade, with all dices moved up a size to better keep pace with the output of other classes. Ki points have been renamed discipline points, to reflect the Monk's move away from Eastern mysticism tropes, and the class now features a new Defy Death feature that allows players to spent discipline points to gain a limited number of hit points whenever a Monk player reaches 0 points. The monk also now gains the ability to deflect all ranged attacks (including spell attacks) at Level 13, and can spend discipline points to gain resistance to all damage types (except force damage) via the Superior Defense feature.

The Bard has received a new capstone ability -the Words of Creation ability that allows the Bard to use a Power Word spell on two simultaneous targets. Meanwhile, the Druid has dropped its pre-made primal beast statblocks from a past playtest, although players will have to "prepare" beast stat blocks for a Wild Shape at the beginning of the day in order to use it. The Rogue has also gained a new Cunning Strike ability, which allows players to reduce the damage on an attack they make to add an effect to their attack. Tehse effects range from disarming a foe to poisoning or tripping a foe.

The full playtest can be read here.

A few days ago, new figures based on The Super Mario Bros. Movie leaked ahead of an official announcement. Today, Jakks Pacific pulled back the curtains on the figures, alongside several other new toys coming in July. In addition to the Kamek, Peach, and Cat Mario figures that leaked, Jakks also has a toy based on Tanooki Mario, which comes with a Super Leaf. The Mini Figure collection will also see some additions, including playsets based on the Donkey Kong Stadium and Bowser's Island Castle. Both will come with accompanying 1.25" versions of Donkey Kong and Bowser, respectively.

Last but not least, the Mini Figure with Question Block line will see several new options, including Dry Bones, Tanooki Mario, Cat Mario, Shy Guy, Goomba, and General Koopa (Blue Shell). Images of the new toys were shared by Jakks Pacific on Twitter, and can be found in the Tweet embedded below.

*SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT*

We're excited to introduce Wave 2 of The Super Mario Bros. Movie collection! Figures, accessories, playsets, and a super cool RC straight out of The Super Mario Bros are available at Target in the US and other retailers globally starting in July. pic.twitter.com/UFoYKFcVIZ

-- JAKKS Pacific (@JAKKStoys) June 29, 2023

One of the cooler details on the Donkey Kong Stadium toy is that it includes images of the Kongs cheering in the stands. In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the scene where DK fights Mario features cameos from a number of different Kong family members, including Diddy, Dixie, and Chunky. That should make the Stadium a compelling purchase for Donkey Kong fans. Unfortunately, the character still hasn't gotten a figure in the 5" line, but it seems likely that Jakks Pacific will rectify that in the future!

The Super Mario Bros. Movie released in theaters in April, and became an immediate hit with audiences. The Nintendo adaptation made more than $1 billion, and has become one of the most successful animated movies of all-time. The film released on physical media earlier this month, and is set to stream on Peacock at some point in the near future. Unfortunately, a specific date has not been announced, but the streaming service has been hyping the film in commercials and on Twitter. Hopefully it won't be too much longer before the movie makes its streaming debut!

Are you looking forward to these new Mario movie toys? Which of these figures or sets do you plan to purchase? Let us know in the comments or share directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

On the same day that Avatar: The Last Airbender: Quest for Balance was revealed for video game consoles, Funko Games and Prospero Hall announced a little something for fans of tabletop games. Avatar: The Last Airbender Crossroads of Destiny is an upcoming cooperative strategy game that promises to bring the iconic Nickelodeon animated series to life, allowing fans to adventure through story encounters and combat challenges inspired by the show.

You and up to three of your friends will play as the heroes of Team Avatar-Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph in an attempt to "gain allies, master new skills, and learn to work together to defeat the Fire Nation". The complete, official list of gameplay features is as follows:

Game Features:

• Contains 15 narrative encounters and 12 replayable combat challenges, inspired by the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
• Two ways to play: a multigame, story-driven journey, or jump straight to any challenge!
• Vibrant custom components, including 12 sculpted element tiles and acrylic hero movers.
• Choose your destiny and unlock new skills with dozens of uniquecharacter abilities.
• Fan-favorite heroes, villains, and allies bring the beloved TV series to life on your table!

Avatar: The Last Airbender Crossroads of Destiny is slated to hit store shelves "in mid-2023", which means that it should be available to pre-order any day now. This article will update with new information as it becomes available, but keep tabs on this Amazon link for pre-orders to go live. In the meantime, you have plenty of other Avatar: The Last Airbender board games to play, such as Avatar: The Last Airbender Fire Nation Rising, Avatar Monopoly, and Oh! My Cabbages!. You can find these games and more here on Amazon now.

Game Contents

• 4 Hero Movers with Bases
• 4 Hero Mats
• 4 White Lotus Tokens
• 88 Action Cards
• 12 Wound Cards
• 15 Encounter Cards
• 9 Ally Cards
• 8 Enemy Cards
• 14 Enemy Movers with
• Bases
• 10 Objective Tokens
• 6 Challenge Tokens
• 7 Clips
• 3 Cubes
• 12 Element Tiles
• Journey Tracker
• Book of Challenges
• Instructions

What to Know for Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-Action Series

Avatar: The Last Airbender is currently scheduled to make its live-action series debut with Netflix around the world sometime in 2024. Albert Kim serves as showrunner, executive producer and writer with Dan Lin, Lindsey Liberatore, Roseanne Liang, and Michael Goi signed on as executive producers for the new Netflix series. The Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series stars a core cast featuring Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara, Ian Ousley as Sokka, Dallas Liu as Zuko, and Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai.

If you wanted to check out the original Avatar: The Last Airbender series before it makes its big comeback with both new animated projects and this new live-action series now in the works with Netflix, you can now find the original animated series now streaming with Paramount+.