This Samsung 49-Inch Odyssey G9 Series Curved Gaming Monitor would be a welcome addition to almost any battlestation, offering a ridiculous amount of screen real estate for your games. If you're interested in upgrading your monitor setup, now's a great time to pick up the 49-inch Odyssey G9, as Amazon is offering a limited-time discount that drops the price to only $800. This matches its lowest-ever price. If Amazon sells out, Best Buy also has this deal.When you’re not gaming, the Odyssey G9 Series can easily replace your standard dual-monitor workstation. It can even help reduce eye strain by detecting the amount of light in your home and automatically adjusting its brightness. For additional comfort, you can enable Eye Saver Mode to reduce flickering and minimize blue light output.Keep in mind that this is a limited-time offer, and it’s unclear when the promotion will end at Amazon. Best Buy's deal could disappear after the weekend when deals refresh, so it's possible Amazon's offer will expire before the weekend's over.As mentioned, this particular Samsung Odyssey G9 has an LED display. If you're willing to spend more, Samsung has other 49-inch models with upgraded display technology. You can actually save even more on a few of those. For instance, Best Buy has an Odyssey G9 with OLED display for $1,100, down from $1,800.If you’re looking for an even bigger monitor, the Samsung 57-Inch Odyssey Neo G9 Series Curved Monitor is on sale for $1,600 (was $2,500) at Amazon and Best Buy.Samsung's 49-inch gaming monitors are featured in our roundup of the best gaming monitors, which you should check out if you're looking for a (smaller) new monitor...
PlayStation is not what it used to be; some of that, of course, is for good reason. You'd be hard-pressed to argue that Cloud Strife looked better when he was a pile of polygons, or that stealth-game controls peaked with 1998's Metal Gear Solid. Technology has evolved, bringing us not necessarily better games but games offering visuals and overall experiences that were previously unfathomable. And just as technology has changed, so have the companies implementing it--companies like Sony.Originally a home for RPGs and platforming mascots, PlayStation has spent the past few decades intensely focused on cinematic single-player games, with narratives that eschew early-aughts whimsy in favor of morally conflicted anti-heroes. Despite the incongruity between those two styles, both were hugely successful for the company. But now, PlayStation is changing its focus yet again, only this time into an arena so competitive that there's no guarantee even this titan of video games will see any measure of success: live-service games. So far, the company's path to success has been bumpy, but it quietly might have just taken a big step in the right direction towards achieving its goal.Back in 2022, Sony decided to be up front about its vision for the future of PlayStation, revealing to investors that PlayStation Studios has "an aggressive road map with live services" and was aiming to launch "more than 10 live-service games by the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026." Sony executive deputy president and interim CEO Hiroku Totoki stated that this was part of the company's overall plan to "expand into the live-game services area," which was yielding success for studios like Epic, MiHoYo, and Bungie, the latter of which was already in the process of being acquired by Sony.A Destiny 2 character confronts enemies.Yet things haven't been going quite as planned at the company. For starters, it's been reported that a number of employees were upset by former PlayStation boss Jim Ryan's mandated pivot towards live-service games--a fact that is not all that surprising considering developers' concerns regarding live-service stability. According to former PlayStation developer David Jaffe, the creator of Twisted Metal and co-creator of God of War, this was part of the reason that long-time PlayStation developer Connie Booth was reportedly fired. Jaffe claimed that multiple sources told him that Booth "was somehow blamed" for the initiative. Though the truth behind Booth's departure is not entirely clear, the outcome was the end of her 30-year career at Sony, during which she played a key role in producing Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Jak & Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, Sly, Marvel's Spider-Man, Resistance, Uncharted, Infamous, and The Last of Us.A month later, Totoki informed investors that only half of the promised live-service titles would be ready by Spring 2026. This was followed by the news that two of its live-service titles--a The Last of Us multiplayer game and an unannounced Twisted Metal project--we're being scrapped entirely. Though the reason the Twisted Metal title was scrapped is not clear, The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog was quick to release a statement following the news, writing:"To release and support The Last of Us Online we'd have to put all our studio resources behind supporting post-launch content for years to come, severely impacting development on future single-player games. So, we had two paths in front of us: Become a solely live-service-games studio or continue to focus on single-player narrative games that have defined Naughty Dog's heritage."In February 2024, Sony announced it was laying off 900 employees in a move that would eliminate its VR-focused London studio and affect production at Firesprite, Insomniac Games, Naughty Dog, and Guerrilla. Layoffs continued later that summer, when the Sony-owned studio Bungie laid off 17% of its workforce, and then migrated 12% of its remaining staff to other departments at PlayStation. Despite this news, however, Totoki reaffirmed that Sony would continue to go all-in on live-service titles.In that same briefing, Sony stated it had been unable to meet its goal of selling 25 million PS5s during the current financial year--causing it to revise its projection to 21 million sales and lose $10 billion in market value--and that the PS5 was now in the "latter stage" of its life cycle. Fortunately, one of Sony's promised live-service titles, Concord, was almost ready to launch.A space ship console in Concord.Yet when Concord finally launched in August 2024, it was met with little fanfare. Upon release, the game peaked at a dismal 697 concurrent users on Steam. And while PlayStation 5 player numbers are not publicly available, Tweaktown discovered that Concord ranked at No. 50 on the PlayStation Store's PS5 best-sellers chart. Two weeks after launch, Sony announced it was removing the game from sale and shutting down its servers. The game may return in the future, but this was not the new foothold in the live-service space that Sony was surely hoping for.Despite all of this, Sony recently revealed the PS5 is getting an upgraded model, the PS5 Pro. However, the upcoming console's $700 price tag--and that's without the $80 disc drive you can purchase separately, mind you-- the lack of dramatic technical differences between the PS5 and PS5 Pro, and Sony's overall lack of PS5 exclusive titles, means this announcement was largely met with scorn.However, I think Sony has an opportunity to course correct.On September 6, PlayStation released Astro Bot, a charming platformer with a ton of heart and absolutely glowing reviews. On the surface, the game is a celebration of PlayStation and its history, as throughout it, you unlock bots that are made to look like some of the consoles' greatest characters--both from exclusive titles and third-party games notably associated with the company--all while piloting a PS5 controller. Yet to dismiss the game as pure Sony nostalgia, or reduce it as an ode to the unfortunate IP collectathon currently happening in the games industry, discredits what makes it truly special.As GameSpot's Mark Delaney put so eloquently, Astro Bot is "a platformer whose incredible ambition is matched by its brilliant execution." It feels fantastic to play, offers bountiful exciting mechanics that--while different--never feel disparate, and creates gorgeous worlds that feel natural to explore yet constantly surprise and delight. It's a game that rivals the likes of Super Mario Odyssey and beyond that, it's fun. Pure, wondrous fun.Astro Bot glides through the air alongside flamingos.In recent years, Sony has proven it can tell a great story. Their exclusive titles are known for their complex characters, emotional narratives, and well-conceived worlds. But in the midst of all that, it feels like Sony forgot about the joy of simple fun. It forgot about all the different kinds of players that exist, and what they long to see. And it forgot about all the series that, while heralded in Astro Bot, have effectively disappeared.Though folks online love to call me a Sony Pony anytime I throw any sort of criticism at Xbox--here's hoping this piece clears that up a bit!--the only time I truly felt like a Sony fangirl was when I was a child. I remember the transition from the Nintendo 64 to the PlayStation--it absolutely blew my mind. I remember the variety of games my family obtained over the course of a few years: Tomb Raider, Spider-Man, Time Crisis, Spyro the Dragon, Crash Bandicoot, Silent Hill, Tekken, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, and a small mountain of Final Fantasy games, my family's favorite. When the Xbox launched in 2001, I saw zero reason I would ever need it. I already had my portal to every world I could ever want to visit.Of course, I'd eventually find a lot of value in Xbox and return to Nintendo, and these days, I don't feel a closeness to PlayStation anymore. I'm sure this is partially due to my age and how the years inevitably come with a loss of childlike whimsy, but I know there are other factors, too. I'm not jaded, I still love games, and I could easily list dozens that have come out even in the last few years that I think are phenomenal. But to me, PlayStation just doesn't quite feel special anymore. But Astro Bot does. And it also reminds me of how it used to feel.Astro Bot feels like a chance to reignite the brand's charm and perhaps even alter what live-service means for PlayStation, if that's the path it intends to walk down. Whereas it seems like Sony is sticking to a very particular type of live-service game--one that is oversaturated and that it can't seem to quite find an audience for, as Concord's lack of success would indicate--the company has already revealed a plan to add more characters and levels to Astro Bot, and it could easily add more. It'd certainly make sense; it's a game that feels simple to expand upon and has a foundation sturdy enough to cradle that expansion. Why continue to toil over creating a fun live-service title that sticks when you have a game that is proven to be fun and whose structure lends itself to being expanded?"A bot is dressed as God of War's Kratos.Sure, this doesn't fit the bill when it comes to satisfying PlayStation's desire to create a Forever Game--one that incentivizes players to log in daily, participate in seasonal content, and, to put it plainly, fork over cash on things like battle passes, skins, and loot boxes. But why is this well-established (and increasingly criticized) model the only way forward? Players have begun to see the vast majority of them for what they are: a somewhat predatory way to continuously rake in money. Games, and the amount of money companies are willing to spend making them, are growing monstrous in size yet it feels as if developers are forced to work in the confines of a narrow, short-sighted scope. It's easy to see where this leads, and it's not a place I want to see the industry go.Yet at my most cynical and business-minded, Astro Bot still feels like a revenue booster, as it is a fantastic marketing opportunity for the company. Much like how Super Smash Bros. is said to have contributed to Fire Emblem's success in the West, Sony now has a great avenue to introduce new characters, showcase indies, reignite interest in previous titles, and gauge what audiences are responding to or demand more of. When I played through Astro Bot, there were certain characters I didn't know and was compelled to learn more about, as well as others that I had simply forgotten about but was delighted to see again. It made me want to buy and install games I hadn't thought about in years. And it goes beyond the generation who grew up with these characters; my two-year-old son was fascinated by Spyro, which led to me redownloading the Reignited Trilogy and spending an hour introducing him to the feisty little dragon. This is the power that game currently wields, and it's not a small one.But beyond that, Astro Bot also proves that Sony can still do different types of games exceptionally well. It proves that Sony is still innovative, and its games still fun. Before Astro Bot, I couldn't tell you the last time a PlayStation platformer truly gave a Nintendo platformer a run for its money, but here we are. I wish Sony knew it doesn't necessarily need to pursue live-service. In fact, I'd argue it shouldn't. There are other paths to success--paths that invest in studios' unique visions, foster creativity, and delight players.I can't claim to know if the live-service bubble has truly burst or if the market is grossly oversaturated to the point where no room remains, but I do know that myself and many others are certainly fatigued by it all. The money-grabbing is as transparent as the stagnation, and something needs to change. Here's hoping that Sony can sense that too...
An upcoming Overwatch 2 crossover event aimed at celebrating the 20th anniversary of World of Warcraft will turn some of the shooter's iconic heroes into iconic heroes (and villains) from Blizzard's MMORPG.A trailer for the crossover puts viewers on a rollercoaster ride through Overwatch's Blizzard World map, as characters like Reinhardt (dressed as the Lich King) and Widowmaker (cosplaying as Sylvanas), attack. While actual details on the event are still few ahead of its debut on September 17, the trailer reveals WoW-themed skins for the aforementioned heroes as well for Zenyatta (cosplaying as Thrall) and Torbjorn (as Magni Bronzebeard).As part of the event, Blizzard says players will be able to choose to represent WoW's two main factions, the Horde or the Alliance."Join the celebration as Overwatch 2 and World of Warcraft unite the realms for a legendary crossover event," the trailer's description reads. "Choose to represent the Horde or the Alliance as the mighty heroes of Overwatch honor the iconic characters from the world of Azeroth."It's worth noting this isn't the first time WoW-themed skins have been available in Overwatch, nor the first time Blizzard's shooter has crossed over with another Blizzard property. Skins turning Doomfist into Orc warchief Blackhand, an Illidan Stormrage skin for Genji, and two skins for Symetra (one turning her into a Blood Elf, another transforming her into Night Elf leader Tyrande Whisperwind), have previously been available. There is already an existing Magni Bronzebeard skin for Torbjorn as well, though the new skin seen in the trailer shows him in his diamond "Speaker of Azeroth" form.Overwatch's last Blizzard crossover was themed around Diablo 4, and introduced a new PvE game mode where players collected power-ups to face off against enemies like Azmodan Wrecking Ball, Butcher Roadhog, and Lilith Moira.As for how WoW itself is celebrating its 20th birthday, Blizzard announced it will be releasing a massive 20th-anniversary update for the game later this year, filled with activities and rewards that harken back to the MMO's early days. Overwatch 2, meanwhile, recently introduced its newest support hero, Juno...
There's nothing quite like Doom, especially after recent releases saw the series reinvent itself as a fast-paced arcade-shooter that wasn't afraid to paint the town red with demonic blood. A new entry in the series was recently revealed, and this time, Doom: The Dark Ages will see players create a medieval massacre when they take on the armies of the damned.A dark fantasy with an over-the-top arsenal and a metal soundtrack, rumors of a Doom prequel began to appear in 2023 after court documents were leaked, with the game having the working title of Doom: Year Zero. Now that it's out in the wild, here's a closer look at everything we know about Doom: The Dark Ages so far.When will Doom: The Dark Ages be released?All hell is about to break loose on Argent D'Nur.As revealed during the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase, Doom: The Dark Ages will be released in 2025.Doom: The Dark Ages platformsDoom: The Dark Ages will have a multi-platform release on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. Microsoft owns the franchise but will continue to release new entries in the series on rival systems like PS5. It's a first-party game for Microsoft, so it should also be available via Game Pass.Will Doom: The Dark Ages be PS5 Pro enhanced?The number of games with a PS5 Pro Enhanced label are still small for now, and Doom: The Dark Ages isn't currently on that list. Games developed by Id Software are typically some of the best-in-class when it comes to visuals, and the next Doom could certainly benefit from the extra horsepower of that system if it does get optimized for the high-end Sony console.Doom: The Dark Ages story, setting, and charactersThe Doom Slayer is back, and rocking some furry fashion.Doom: The Dark Ages bridges the gap between the original games from the '90s and the ones released in the 2010s, Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal. According to the lore entries of the previous games, Doom Guy wound up on the world of Argent D'Nur, home of Night Sentinels, and he was forced to fight in the gladiator pits after he was enslaved. After proving his worth in combat, the Doom Slayer joined the Night Sentinels, just in time for Hell's invasion of Argent D'Nur.This is where The Dark Ages has the potential to tell one of the more exciting chapters in the Doom saga, as according to the lore, Doom Guy was empowered by Maykr technology in a last-ditch effort to stop the armies of Hell. After the Night Sentinels discovered that they had ultimately been betrayed by the Maykrs, who sided with Hell so that they could use the conflict to generate Argent Energy, the warriors and Doom Guy embarked on a suicide mission into Hell to throw a spanner in the plans of the Maykrs.What we do know is that only Doom Guy survived, spending an eternity in Hell and becoming the Doom Slayer of legend.Doom: The Dark Ages gameplayLike the other Doom games, the primary combat of The Dark Ages is pure run-and-gun action at its core. The game has a distinct push-forward sense of energy influenced by the original Doom games, according to The Dark Ages' directors Hugo Martin and Marty Stratton."At the beginning of project, everybody kind of goes back and plays the original Doom," said Stratton. "There were so many things in that original game that just have have fueled us... It's always that evolution, but there's just so much of the DNA even with the way that we develop and our our team size. When we were talking about like what is Doom [in development], it was very much like borrowing from those ideas of the original Doom and Doom 2. As the brand has evolved and the ideas through the lore and all the different gameplay mechanics have evolved... it's amazing when you play the game you're just like 'this is unbelievable.'"The directors also explained how the slower-moving projectiles in this game harken back to the first two Doom titles."I think in the original Doom, in the opening hours, we all remember imps or soldiers firing slow moving projectiles... and they hit hard," explained Martin. "And if you get hit by one of those, you're in a lot of trouble... That's where the movement comes in. Instead of constructing a multi-tiered arena... if we ground it, slow down the projectiles, make them hit way harder, and create patterns in the space, then that's the jungle gym you're going to move through."What we haven't seen yet is how the health and ammo economy of The Dark Ages will function. 2016's Doom forced players to essentially use specific tools and moves to harvest what they needed from their enemies, and Doom Eternal built on that idea with a system of action, chainsaws, flamethrowers, and swords. It was a killer combo of rhythm and speed, and it'll be interesting to see how Doom's emphasis on rip and tearing through enemies will evolve in The Dark Ages.Doom: The Dark Ages weaponsThe Doom Slayer has a fun new arsenal of weapons to play with.Some of the best arsenals in video games can be found in the Doom games, and The Dark Ages looks set to continue that tradition of outrageous firepower. So far, we've seen the Doom Slayer's signature super-shotgun, a plasma-firing assault rifle, a rifle that fires railroad stakes, and a weapon that grinds up skulls and turns them into deadly pieces of high-velocity shrapnel. Officially, this is called the Skullcrusher, but unofficially, we're calling this our head-cannon.Doom: The Dark Ages shieldEven the toughest demons will be forced to yield to the shield.Interestingly, The Dark Ages will also see the Doom Slayer wield a shield in combat, proving that the best defense is a metal-bladed shield-saw that can be thrown through demons as if you were a bloodthirsty version of Captain America. Not only can you block attacks and push through enemy fire with the shield, but you'll even be able to parry enemies when you nail the timing of it. In the brief snippet of gameplay we've seen so far, the Doom Slayer hurls the shield like a demonic frisbee through cannon fodder enemies, ricochets off a wall to do even more damage, and catches it in one fluid motion, readying it for use against the legions of Hell.While you'll have to wait until 2025 to feel what it's like in action, one enterprising modder has already inserted it into the original Doom game.Can you ride a dragon in Doom: The Dark Ages?The bar has officially been raised for dragons in video games.Hell yeah, you can! While there aren't too many details on it yet, we do know that the Doom Slayer will mount a jet-fueled, cybernetic war dragon in the game.Can you pilot a Pacific Rim-style mech against Godzilla-sized demons?Godzilla, beware.You bet your chainsaw-shield that you can rip and tear on a titanic scale, thanks to the Atlan mech.Keep checking back with GameSpot for more on Doom: The Dark Ages in the days, weeks, and months to come!...
Italy's financial police say they have successfully busted a ring that specialized in importing bootleg vintage video game consoles from China. According to the Italian authorities, the thousands of counterfeit consoles also contained millions of popular video games from the '80s and '90s."Around 12,000 consoles on which more than 47 million pirated video games were illegally stored were seized, for an estimated value of more than 47.5 million euros ($52.5 million)," head of the economic crime unit for Turin's financial police, Alessandro Langella, told AFP (via TechXplore).Popular games like Mario Bros. and Street Fighter were allegedly included with these consoles, which they say were imitations of Nintendo, Sega, and Atari machines. These were originally imported into Italy, but after they failed to meet European technical and safety standards, police began investigating the group bringing them into the country. Nine people were eventually arrested and they could face up to eight years in prison for the crime of trading counterfeited goods.Retro gaming has seen a boom in the last couple of years, and with collecting at an all-time high, a very lucrative black market for fake video game cartridges and consoles has grown over the years. These knock-off carts are becoming increasingly more difficult to differentiate from the real deal, although there are online guides and groups dedicated to helping you avoid accidentally buying a fake game or system.In one notable example of the counterfeit gaming market, two hackers participated in an attempt to build a counterfeit Xbox One using stolen data, but they were eventually caught and they pleaded guilty. Back in 2011, Atari accused distributor Tommo of importing bootleg versions of its Flashback 2 plug-and-play console, and for a more recent digital-only example, fake Helldivers 2 game pages appeared on Steam shortly after the game launched to commercial success...
Later this month, Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is finally giving Zelda a leading role in her own franchise. However, someone has apparently leaked the Echoes of Wisdom ROM weeks before the game's scheduled release, which means spoilers for the game may already be circulating online.Via Eurogamer, the YouTube channel Nintendo Prime has reported that the Echoes of Wisdom ROM leak is real. But the channel is also refusing to share any footage from the Echoes of Wisdom ROM while citing the potential ramifications if they had chosen to do so. The Zelda Lore account on X has also confirmed that the leak is real while noting that it's playable on emulators.WARNING! Echoes of Wisdom has LEAKED. people already have it on emulators. Be careful if you want to remain spoiler free. — Zelda Lore (@ZeldaLoreYT) September 12, 2024The vast majority of Switch owners are far more likely to buy the game than to play the leaked ROM. But as alluded to by Zelda Lore, the real fear among Zelda fans is that the story will be spoiled before the dedicated players are able to get their hands on the game. Just because Nintendo Prime has shown restraint about running clips and footage from the leak doesn't mean that every YouTube channel is going to follow their example. It's almost inevitably going to show up on YouTube no matter how many takedown notices Nintendo files.Similarly, it's likely that videos and spoilers will be posted on X, TikTok, Instagram, Threads, and other social media platforms. The only way to get ahead of that is to start muting all keywords related to the Zelda franchise. That's not a foolproof solution, as some spoilers may still slip through. But that's the best available option for any gamers who intend to stay on their chosen social media platforms ahead of the game's release.The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom will be released on Switch on September 26. It will throw another wrench in the ever-changing official Zelda timeline, which seems to now place both Switch games in their own continuity...
This could arguably be one of the best times to get a Steam Deck, with two LCD models seeing their prices slashed for most of this month. The Steam Deck 64GB version is available for $296.65, which is over $50 off its regular price, while the Steam Deck 512GB version is available for $336.75, which is over $110 off its regular price. See on Steam Steam Deck LCD 64GB model -- $296.65 ($349)Steam Deck LCD 512GB model -- $336.75 ($449)Valve notes that these limited-time deals on the two Steam Deck models will last through 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET September 26. Additionally, both of these LCD editions--along with the 256GB version that isn't on sale--are being phased out. That's because of the Steam Deck OLED, which arrived last year with a better screen and battery.To help build out your library, Fanatical has a Steam Deck bundle right now that features games like Beyond a Steel Sky and Chorus. It's part of a bigger Fantical bundlefest happening this week that lets people build out their PC games library for less than $1 per title.GameSpot has also compiled a list of the 30 best Steam Deck games to check out, which includes Elden Ring, Hades 2, and Sea of Thieves. For more, check out GameSpot's Steam Deck review of the original LCD model.Meanwhile, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer seems to be keen on an Xbox handheld, which could be seen as a Steam Deck competitor. On the flip side, Sony just unveiled the $700 PS5 Pro, scheduled to launch in November...
It seems like the year only just began, but we are quickly approaching 2025, and with it, a new batch of games to enjoy. 2025 is looking to be a very interesting year for video games, as the current-gen PlayStation and Xbox systems are well into their lifespans while Nintendo is, in all likelihood, going to be releasing the Nintendo Switch's successor. And let's not forget all the exclusives we're sure to see across PC and mobile platforms.Keeping track of all your anticipated games' release dates is a futile task without a little help, so GameSpot has broken down all the games planned for release in 2025. This includes games that have concrete dates, as well as those given a 2025 release window--for the latter, you'll find them grouped together at the end. We'll continue to update this post as more games are announced, both through the rest of the year and into 2025. JanuaryDonkey Kong Country Returns HD (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC) - January 16Tales of Graces f Remastered (Switch) - January 17Cuisineer (Switch) - January 28FebruaryKingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - February 11Sid Meier's Civilization VII (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC) - February 11Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC) - February 13Avowed (Xbox Series X|S, PC) - February 18Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - February 18MarchSuikoden 1&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) - March 6Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - March 18AprilFatal Fury: City of the Wolves (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - April 21MayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecemberTo Be Announced2XKO (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)An Amazing Wizard (PC)Astromeda (PC)Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)Atomfall (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC)Battlefield Waltz (Switch)Battle Vision Network (PC, Netflix)Begone Beast (PC)Big Walk (PC)Biped 2 (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)Big Walk (PC)Bittersweet Birthday (PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC)Bokura: Planet (PC)Borderlands 4 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Burning Sword: Death Sun (PC)Capcom Fighting Collection 2 (PS4, Switch, PC)Car Dealer Simulator (PC)Carmen Sandiego (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Netflix)Castle Come (PC, consoles)ChromeGun 2: Dye Hard (PC)Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Clockwork Ambrosia (PC)Coffee Talk Tokyo (PS5, Xbox One, Switch, PC)Constance (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC)Crimson Desert (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Crown of Greed (PC)Cyber Paradise (PC)Demonschool (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC)Despelote (PS5, PS4, Xbox, PC)Despera Drops (Switch)Discounty (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)Directive 8020 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Doom: The Dark Ages (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Double Dragon Revive (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC)Dragon Ball Project: Multi (iOS, Android, PC)Dragonkin: The Banished (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Dreamed Away (Xbox, Switch, PC)Drops Of Death (PC)Dune: Awakening (PC)Ed & Edda: Racing Champions - Gran Prix (PC, consoles)Elevator Down (PC)Eternal Strands (Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC)ExeKiller (PC)Exiler (PC)Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time (Switch)Fast Food - Restaurant Simulator (PC)Fighting Force Collection (PS5, PS4, Switch, PC)First Blood: Persian Legends (PC)Forty-Niner (PC)Glaciered (PC)Ghost Keeper (PC)Ghosts (PC, consoles)Grand Theft Auto VI (PS5, Xbox Series X|S)GreedFall 2: The Dying World (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Homura Hime (PC)Icebound (PC)Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (PS5)Infinity Knights: Xross (PlayStation, Switch, PC)InKONBINI: One Store. Many Stories (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC)Judas (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Killing Floor 3 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Kristala (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC)Little Nightmares 3 (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)Lost in Random: The Eternal Die (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC)Luto (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Mainframes (Switch, PC)Mayhem Brawler II: Best of Both Worlds (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)Mewgenics (PC)Mistonia no Kibou - The Lost Delight (Switch)Monster Hunter Wilds (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Moon Samurai (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)Morsels (Switch, PS5, PC)Mother Machine (PC, consoles)Moth Kubit (Switch, PC)Motorslice (PC)Nascar 25 (PC, consoles)Nanuka: Secret of the Shattering Moon (PC)Naughty Geese (PC)Neo Junk City (PC)Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos (PS5, PS4, Switch)Nirvana Noir (Xbox Series X|S, PC)Nivalis (PC)Nocturne (PC)One Fenix Down (PC)Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap (Xbox Series X|S, PC)Orkendale: The Scarred Land (PC)Paradise: Duality Unbound (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)Pax Dei (PC)Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero (PS5, PS4, Switch, PC)Plus Ultra: Legado (Switch, PC)Professor Layton and the New World of Steam (Switch)Project Code Vampire HunterRealm of Ink (PC)Redemption of the Damned (PC)Replaced (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC)Rise of Rebellion (PC)Rising Heat (PC)RoadCraft (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma (Switch, PC)Sanctua (PC)Saveseeker (PC)Sea Fantasy (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC)SerialWorld (PC)Shield Strike (PC)Shipwrecked: Lost Colony (PC)Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope DX (Switch)Solnox: Grimoire of Seasons (PC)Sparkball (PC)Spectral Keep (PC)Spine: This Is Gun Fu (PlayStation, Xbox, PC)Spray Paint Simulator (PC)Star of Providence (Switch)Star Overdrive (Switch)Starsand Island (PC)Starship (PC)Stellar Settlers: Space Base Builder (PC)Sulfur (PlayStation, Xbox, PC)Sultan's Game (PC)Tales of Seikyu (PC)Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC)Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game (PC, consoles)Tears of Magic (PC)Tenebris Somnia (PC)The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy (Switch, PC)The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 1st (Switch)The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak 2 (PS5, PS4, Switch, PC)The Relic: First Guardian (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)The Stone of Madness (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC)Time Flies (PS5, Switch, PC)Troublemaker 2: Beyond Dream (PC)Unbeatable (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Undergrounded (PC)Unyielding (PC)Utawarerumono: ZAN (PS4, PC)Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Wardens Rising (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Will: Follow The Light (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC)Windswept (PC)Winter Burrow (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC)World of Stickman Classic RTS (PC)Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana (PS5, PS4, Switch)...
God of War Ragnarok comes to PC on September 19, and if you want to play the game the moment it unlocks that day, the official launch times and pre-loading information has now been posted online.Ragnarok releases for PC at 8 AM PT on September 19, which works out to all the times listed below. These times seemingly apply to both Steam and the Epic Games Store. Pre-loading, meanwhile, begins Tuesday, September 17, at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET. You might want to consider pre-loading, as the game requires a gargantuan 190GB of space.God of War Ragnarok PC launch timesSeptember 198 AM PT11 AM ET4 PM BST6 PM SASTSeptember 2012 AM JST1 AM AESTGod of War Ragnarok preloading timesSeptember 178 AM PT11 AM ET4 PM BST6 PM SASTSeptember 1812 AM JST1 AM AESTAs announced previously, those who preorder will receive the Kratos Risen Snow Armor and Atreus Risen Snow Tunic cosmetic.The PC version of Ragnarok takes up a staggering 190GB of storage, which is over twice as much as PS4 at 84GB and nearly twice as much as PS5 at 106.9GB. For more, check out the full Ragnarok specs.Ragnarok developer Santa Monica Studio doesn't have any upcoming games that have been announced following the conclusion of its Norse saga, but the company could be working on a new IP...
Microsoft has reportedly laid off employees working on Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile and Warcraft Rumble. Both mobile games--part of mega-popular franchises--have launched in the past year but are seemingly seeing their teams scaled back.Game File reported these specific cuts to the two mobile development teams, which are part of September 12's large layoffs at Xbox. Microsoft laid off 650 people that "mostly" impacted the "corporate and supporting" parts of the company, according to a staff memo obtained by IGN. It was noted that no studios were closed or games canceled as part of the Xbox cuts.However, Warcraft Rumble will transition from "launch to live-ops," per Game File. It's unknown exactly how that will affect the mobile game--which will still be available. Warcraft Rumble launched in November 2023 and was the franchise's first new game in almost a decade.Meanwhile, Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile launched earlier this year in March and features cross-progression with Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone. It was seen as a possible missing link for Call of Duty and is one of two mobile titles in the franchise, with the other being Call of Duty: Mobile. Like Warcraft Rumble, Warzone Mobile is continuing on, but "its team is being scaled down," per Game File.This is another round of major layoffs at Microsoft since the company acquired Activision Blizzard. In January, Xbox cut 1,900 jobs, and then in May, Xbox shut down four studios, including Redfall's Arkane Austin...
Absurd Ventures, the studio founded by Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser, has revealed that it's hired some of the Immortals of Aveum development team from Ascendant to become a new studio under the Absurd label. The studio was previously facing an uncertain future due to mass layoffs after Immortals struggled.Now, the developers are getting another chance at making a new game by joining Absurd to work with one of the most famous and prominent game developers of all time, Dan Houser.Absurd Marin, based in San Rafael, California, is staffed by developers who worked on Immortals of Aveum, including the founder Bret Robbins. GI.biz reported that about 20 of the core developers on Immortals of Aveum went to Absurd. Also unclear is whether or not Absurd has purchased Ascendant or if the developers are transitioning there and Ascendant will also continue.Whatever the case, what we do know is that Absurd Marin is working on a "story-driven action-adventure" game set in an upcoming universe to be announced later. This follows the previous announcement of Absurd's other game universe, which is called A Better Paradise."We love the focus on storytelling and world building at Absurd Ventures," Robbins, the former creative director on Dead Space and Call of Duty games, said. "We are thrilled to team up and bring our combined expertise to work on an original game set in an incredibly fun new universe."Absurd calls itself a general entertainment studio and is making more than just games--the studio is also producing the American Caper comic and graphic novel series. More projects will be announced later, spanning games, books, and scripted podcasts.Given its low sales, Immortals of Aveum seems unlikely to get a sequel, but some found a lot to like about the game. If you're curious, Immortals of Aveum is available now on Game Pass Ultimate.Absurd Ventures was created in 2021, a year after Houser left Rockstar. Another high-profile former Rockstar developer, Leslie Benzies, founded a game studio called Build a Rocket Boy that has bold ambitions.As for the GTA series, Rockstar's massively popular franchise returns in 2025 with Grand Theft Auto VI, a title that some say could help lift PS5 Pro sales...
By any measure, this year's US Presidential election has been one of the wildest in history. And it's taken another turn for the bizarre as Vice Presidential candidate--and admitted gamer--Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is now the star of his own fan-created version of Sega's Crazy Taxi.The (Sega) genesis of this creation came from a New York Times profile on Walz that revealed he was such a dedicated Dreamcast player that his wife confiscated the system from him. When IGN tracked down Walz's Dreamcast, one of the previous owners said that a copy of Crazy Taxi was found inside of it. That gave video game developer Edward La Barbera the idea to add Walz to Crazy Taxi, while including his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, as a special guest character.Via MPR News, La Barbera explained that he was inspired by former President Bill Clinton's appearance in NBA Jam. La Barbera added voice clips from both Walz and Harris to the game, and he also decided to add background elements from Walz's home state, Minnesota."I chose a more Minnesota-casual flannel outfit for Tim because it was easier to create than a suit," said La Barbera. "That snowballed into trying to make the world into a wintry Minnesota environment instead of California. I replaced palm trees with snow-covered pines, replaced the stadium with Target Field, and the mall with the Mall of America."La Barbera has posted his Tim Walz mod online, but it's only playable through an emulated version of Crazy Taxi...