Helen Chiang, the veteran Xbox staffer who got promoted in July and left the company amid mysterious circumstances just recently, has shared her side of the story--but her response doesn't close the book on this saga. In a LinkedIn post titled "Clarity is Kindess," which itself is a reference to her former boss (and Xbox CEO) Asha Sharma's much-ridiculed and cringey mantra, said it's "not accurate" that she was "fired for a policy violation" as multiple reports said. Chiang said she will not "turn this into a play-by-play" and reveal the specifics, but she wanted to speak out to dispel rumors. "What has been said about my departure, and what has been left unsaid, has created a picture of me that I hardly recognize." 
Xbox is undergoing a "reset" currently. She went on to "set the record straight" by claiming she did not leak confidential company information to the press as some had speculated. "I have never communicated with any journalist outside the limited, company-authorized interviews I’ve done as part of my job," she said, adding that this includes having no contact with any journalist who reached out to her before today to ask for her side of the story. Chiang went on to say she did not leave Xbox to join a competitor. "You don’t spend two decades somewhere without developing a deep loyalty to the people, teams, and businesses you’ve helped build," she said "Xbox was never just another stop in my career. My end game was always to keep building here," she said. That may all be true, but it's also unquestionable that people regularly spend lengthy periods of their career at one company, in high-level positions, and then move to other companies. Third, Chiang said she "did not engage in discrimination, bullying, harassment, insider trading, embezzlement, or other fraudulent activity." "I stand by my record: both the results I delivered and the way I have treated people throughout my career. I won’t let speculation define my character or erase that record," she said. Chiang added that she did not leave Xbox because she was "passed over for a bigger role." She said that since having children, she became more "intentional about how I define ambition and success." She said she has purposefully not sought out bigger roles or jobs with more responsibilities; she said she hadn't interviewed for a job since 2011. "My reputation and results paved the way for the opportunities that followed. I went where the company believed I was needed and where I could have the greatest impact," she said, adding that she did not ask to become Xbox's first-ever COO. "I believe in fairness, accountability, and holding ourselves to the standards we expect of others. Those standards only mean something when they’re applied consistently," she said. Chiang said she has "serious concerns" about how those standards were applied in her case, and she said those concerns "deserve to be taken seriously." "I share this because I don’t want my departure reduced to an inaccurate story about incompetence, ambition for the next big job, or a Nelson-level scandal. My story is about staying true to your core values, especially when it is hard," she said. "That’s the legacy I hope to leave behind." Chiang's statement doesn't spell out the specific nature surrounding her departure from Xbox, so many will naturally want more answers. Those could come in time, as Chiang said this is "not the whole story." Another former Xbox executive, Shannon Loftis, commented on Chiang's post to say she is "Team Helen all the way." Loftis said she wonders who may have leaked the "false information" about Chiang and what their motivations may have been. In any event, she says it shows a "loss of moral character and 'clarity' in leadership at Xbox." "A real leadership team would have relentlessly pursued the 'leaker' and taken appropriate action because 'confidential personnel matters' actually are bases for defamation lawsuits," she said. "It's a clownshow up in there and I feel terrible for anyone that still has to deal with it." A spokesperson for Microsoft told Windows Central that the company does not “discuss individual personnel matters.” According to a source speaking to Eurogamer, Chiang was “terminated for policy violations.” The Verge’s Tom Warren backed this up, saying Chiang was cut loose due to a “policy violation,” but the exact nature of that is unknown. In July, Sharma announced that Chiang would become Xbox’s first-ever COO, with “end-to-end” responsibility for the financial future of Xbox’s content, hardware, platform, and services. Chiang had worked at Microsoft for 20 years, in that time playing a key role in the creation of Xbox Live and later shepherding Mojang and the lucrative Minecraft franchise. As COO, Chiang was expected to “bring our businesses together under one operating model, making sure we make clear investment decisions, learn from our successes and failures, and hold ourselves accountable for results,” Sharma said. For her part, Sharma said she will have an update to share on the COO position at Xbox at some point, but she didn’t divulge more. The Xbox business was “not healthy” when Sharma took over, she said, and Chiang no doubt had a challenging road ahead of her. As for now, however, people can only speculate as to the real reason she left Xbox...
Developer S-Game's action-RPG Phantom Blade Zero launched on October 29 and had a massive start across PC and PS5. The game sold more than 4 million copies over its first 72 hours. That works out to 926 units sold per minute or about 15.4 per second over the first three days. "Thank you everyone from the bottom of our hearts for all the love and support," the studio said in a social media post. https://twitter.com/pbzero_official/status/2117074929594298758 The 4 million figure counts copies sold across both PC and PS5--the game is not available on Xbox. The game reached a record of 833,921 peak concurrent users on Steam on November 1. The game's developer is based in China, and the majority of preorders for the game came from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Phantom Blade Zero's sales out of the gate are strong, but do not come close to another hit game from the Chinese game developer scene, Black Myth: Wukong. That game sold 10 million copies over its first three days. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, meanwhile, sold 10 million copies in three days as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhzva8rV9Q4 If you’re looking to get started, you can check out our Phantom Blade Zero guides hub for many walkthroughs on increasing your power and finding rare items. “S-Game’s Wuxia-inspired combat puts you in the middle of a Chinese action movie,” Richard Wakeling wrote in GameSpot’s Phantom Blade Zero review...
The start of the month is a good time to be an Xbox Game Pass subscriber, as that's when Microsoft reveals the next batch of games coming to the service. November is frontloaded with new game releases before November 19--we can't imagine why--and several of them are day-one releases. Once more games are revealed, we'll update this post. A few games have already been revealed for November, and usually, the first wave is the biggest one for Game Pass. Kicking things off is the online horror co-op game Pit of Goblin. This has been in early access since 2024, and November 3 marks its 1.0 release. 
Warhammer Survivors Next up is Escape Academy 2: Back to School on November 5. This is a day-one release, and it's all about exploring a campus, escaping life-threatening puzzle rooms, and uncovering a deadly conspiracy. November 10 will be a big day for Warhammer fans, as Warhammer Survivors launches. It's Vampire Survivors with a grimdark spin, so expect dozens of characters and weapons to master in this bullet-heaven game. Hope in the City launches on November 11, and this stylish game follows a young girl as she searches for her parents in Shenyang's seedy underbelly. As a reminder, more games will leave Game Pass this month, with 14 titles heading out in the first wave of departures. Xbox Game Pass November Wave 1 Games November 3 Pit of Goblin November 5 Escape Academy 2: Back to School November 10 Warhammer Survivors November 11 Hope in the City...
Rockstar's GTA 6 finally releases on November 19, and if you're looking to play the game, you'll also need a console--and those are more expensive than ever. Here's a quick buying guide to help you understand what you need and how much the items will cost. A console First, you'll need a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S console. The least expensive option for buying a new system outright is the Xbox Series S, which costs $500. Unfortunately, that's $200 more expensive than the system cost at launch in 2020--there are a number macroeconomic and AI factors that drove prices up significantly. A new Xbox Series X, meanwhile, costs $750 for a system with no disc drive, or $800 for a console with a disc drive. GTA 6 is not available on a disc, but having a disc drive may still be important to you for other games and media like DVDs and Blu-rays. Switching to PlayStation, the least expensive system on Sony's side is the $600 digital edition, scaling up to $900 for a PS5 Pro (with a disc drive). PS5 Pro, as the most powerful of these options, is likely to provide the best experience from a technical and graphical standpoint, although the gameplay itself should be identical across all platforms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FatSqS3VYY These are all prices for brand-new units, but Sony offers certified refurbished PS5 consoles starting at $500. A certified refurbished Xbox Series S, meanwhile, goes for $400. These are the prices from Sony and Microsoft directly, but you can find secondhand consoles at a variety of other retailers, along with places like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist. As usual, check your local or preferred retailer to see the latest prices. New and certified refurbished consoles come with everything you need--including the system, controller, and power cords. You will need a TV or monitor, but the odds are good that if you're looking to play GTA 6, you probably already have one. People on platforms outside PlayStation and Xbox are out of luck, as GTA 6 has not been announced for Switch 2 or PC. A PC edition is expected to release in early 2027, but there is no word on a Switch 2 version. The game To play GTA 6 you will need to buy GTA 6. The game's standard edition goes for $80, with its Ultimate Edition selling for $100. As mentioned, the game is not available on a disc. That being said, retailers are selling the $80 edition in stores, though you only get a code in the box. The $100 edition appears to be exclusive to digital storefronts. The $100 Ultimate Edition includes loads of extras, including a variety of cosmetics and even in-game shops that people who buy the $80 edition cannot access. Since GTA 6 is a digital-exclusive game, there is no reason to worry about units selling out, but if you do want to preorder, you get the Vintage Vice City Pack and a free month of GTA+. GTA 5 launched at $60 back in 2013--adjusted for inflation, that's about $85 today. You will also need an internet connection to install GTA 6, since it's a digital only game. It's a beefy one, too, weighing in at a reported 201GB. Thankfully, preloading begins on November 12, a full week before the game launches. That means you'll be able to begin downloading it early in the hopes of being ready to go on November 19. November 12 is also when GTA 6's code-in-a-box copies will be available to buy at physical stores. You're not getting a week of early access, though, as the game does not unlock fully until November 19. Do you need PS Plus or Game Pass? GTA 6 is a strictly single-player game, and as such, you likely will not need PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass to play. Rockstar has yet to confirm this, however. Rockstar is surely going to release a new version of GTA Online at some point--some believe that will happen in early 2027. And at that point, you'll likely need a membership. But for launch, there is no online or multiplayer support, so we don't think a subscription to PS Plus or Game Pass would be required. Why no disc? Neither Rockstar nor studio owner Take-Two have provided a reason for GTA 6 being a digital exclusive, but the answer seems pretty obvious: It's all about money. Rockstar makes more money from digital game sales, and having no disc eliminates the secondhand market. “A disc can be resold or rented a hundred times, and Rockstar earns nothing after that first sale," Rhys Elliott of Alinea Analytics said. 
GTA 6 is almost here. The code-in-a-box strategy for physical games has been around for a long time already, and while people might complain online about the lack of a physical edition of GTA 6, the game is going to sell phenomenally no matter what, Mat Piscatella of Circana says. Beyond these factors, consumer spending patterns have trended increasingly toward digital since the early 2010s. GTA 6 is such a large game in terms of its file size, so making it digital-exclusive also saves Rockstar and Take-Two money by not needing to print a second disc, if one was ever needed...
Doom developer id Software was among the numerous Microsoft-owned game studios that cut staff recently as part of the big Xbox "reset." What's the vibe like internally at the studio in the wake of that? Studio co-director Marty Stratton said in a recent interview, "We're doing great." He said he wasn't trying to "handwave" the layoffs, and isn't shying away from acknowledging that "half of our studio" was laid off, IGN reported. Stratton said the layoffs were part of a "deliberate effort" to ensure id Software would succeed. Stratton is an executive at id Software, and his perspective on the situation no doubt differs from other people at the studio. He didn't share any commentary on what the vibes are like internally at id currently for other people who survived the layoffs. Stratton also mentioned how the shift brought id and MachineGames closer together--the two studios had always been "very close," but now the pair are working closer "than ever." "We're at a point with technology development that both teams are incredibly talented and have incredibly talented engineers and we're really on an amazing path that had started pre-[layoffs]. We'd kicked this off earlier this year. We're really excited about that. We're both really really bullish on what we have ahead," he said. The studio's latest release was 2025's Doom: The Dark Ages, while MachineGames released Indiana Jones and the Great Circle in 2024. It's rumored that MachineGames is now making a new Wolfenstein game...
Fans have speculated on which studio is leading the development of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake since it was first announced, and a new Ask the Developer feature from Nintendo appears to give us the answer. The interviewees in Nintendo's online feature include longtime Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma and several members of Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development (EPD) Production Group No. 3, which is the team behind the mainline Zelda games. In other words, the usual Zelda people are making the new Zelda game, as opposed to another studio like Monolith Soft or Grezzo. Those other two studios have come up in fan discussions about the Ocarina of Time remake, due to their respective histories contributing to the Zelda franchise. Grezzo was behind the 3DS remakes of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, along with the Switch remake of Link's Awakening. The studio also co-developed Echoes of Wisdom with EPD No. 3. Monolith Soft, the Nintendo subsidiary behind the Xenoblade games, has taken more of a support role with Zelda games in recent years. The studio is credited with contributing to Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom. Fans had guessed that either or both studios were working on the Ocarina remake for Switch 2, theorizing that EPD No. 3 was working on a new, mainline Zelda game. Neither Monolift Soft nor Grezzo are mentioned in the first two parts of the Ask the Developer feature (parts 3 and 4 will be published on November 3), but it's still entirely possible that they could be involved in the production as support studios. We'll have to wait and check the credits when the game launches on November 5. For now, be comforted knowing that development on the Ocarina remake is being led by veterans of the beloved series, satisfying the fan desire to know exactly who's making these Nintendo games...
How much does a true console exclusive cost to make today? If recent reports are to be believed, Gears of War: E-Day had a production cost $500 million, but there's more to that figure than just a single game. That's according to Windows Central writer Jez Corden, who says he spoke with multiple sources familiar with the story behind the half-billion dollars paid over several years to The Coalition while it was working on Gears of War: E-Day. The studio emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic as a Swiss Army Knife developer that assisted not only on several Xbox games, but also worked on the technology powering them. As Corden explained, The Coalition worked with Epic Games on the oThe Matrix Awakens and Alpha Point tech demos for Unreal Engine 5 demonstrations, and used that knowledge to help other developers in the Xbox Games Studio portfolio. The Coalition reportedly worked for over 18 months on a prototype game that was eventually canceled, assisted on Avowed, Hellblade 2, Clockwork Revolution, State of Decay 3, Grounded, and Grounded 2, and even contributed to the upcoming StarCraft at Blizzard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teClq4qYyzQ Once Mike Crump was appointed studio head, development on Gears of War: E-Day reportedly kicked into full gear. That makes for a busy developer, and one that brings a lot of institutional knowledge to Xbox with its work on Unreal Engine 5, which is one of the most popular engines for video game development. "I can't help but feel like the '$500 million' figure being shared around internally is being used to justify potential cuts, layoffs, or worse, a studio closure targeting The Coalition. Perhaps to 'soften the blowback,' should Microsoft target the studio. For what it's worth, I've not heard that Xbox is planning to close The Coalition," Corden added. Gears of War: E-Day has reportedly not sold well either, but this can be attributed to various factors. It was only released for PC and Xbox Series X|S, is also available through Xbox Game Pass, and it happened to launch during an exceptionally busy time, as the last couple of months have been loaded with several major game releases, creating a lot of competition for a person's attention and money. Circana analyst Mat Piscatella recently commented on the game, saying that making Gears of War: E-Day exclusive to Xbox "hasn’t made any difference" in terms of selling more Xbox consoles...
It's the start of a new month, which means new additions and departures on Xbox Game Pass. To kick off November, 14 games are being removed from the Game Pass library soon, including several simulators, one longrunning Dragon Ball game, and one of the greatest James Bond adventures of all time--at least until that upstart 007 First Light popped up earlier this year. Simulator fans can say goodbye to Football Manager 26, Firefighting Simulator, Pigeon Simulator, and Police Simulator this month. Believe it or not, those games all come from different developers, as it feels like there's a simulator for every category and hobby out there. Another noteworthy departure is Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, the action-RPG that was recently upgraded for current-gen consoles. The game has been around for several years and has grown with updates that add new characters and adventures, but with Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 launching in the second half of 2027, it might be time to wave goodbye to the Time Patrol. Also on the way are the first Moonlighter, the adorably cozy Winter Burrow, and Barbie Horse Trails. As a reminder, you can save 20% on these games if you decide to buy them before they leave Game Pass. Leaving Xbox Game Pass on November 15 
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Football Manager 26 Barbie Horse Trails Great God Grove GoldenEye 007 Firefighting Simulator: The Squad Winter Burrow Wreckfest 1000xResist Pigeon Simulator Police Simulator: Patrol Officers Relic Hunter Legends Moonlighter Total Chaos Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 This wave of games leaving Game Pass will be followed by a second batch of exits on November 30. Last month saw quite a few titles rotated out of Game Pass, including Expedition 33: Clair Obscur, The Casting of Frank Stone, A Plague Tale: Requiem, Donut County, and several Double Fine classics. At least some new games are filling that void, as Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted, and The Séance of Blake Manor were all added at the end of October...
Nagoshi Studio, the studio formed by Yakuza creator Toshiro Nagoshi at NetEase, has been shut down before it even released its first game. According to Gematsu, shareholders officially dissolved the developer on October 31 via a resolution later published in the Japanese government gazette Kanpo. Under Nagoshi, the studio worked on Gang of Dragon, a new game that looked similar to the veteran developer's work on Sega's Yakuza and Like a Dragon series at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Work on the game continued over the years, and a trailer was shown at The Game Awards last year, but in March, reports said NetEase had pulled its funding for the project. The official Gang of Dragon YouTube channel also went down for a brief time in April, and in May, the game's website was whacked. So why did the studio shut down? Exact details on the reasoning behind its closure haven't been revealed yet, but in March, Bloomberg reported that Nagoshi was seeking another $44 million to get Gang of Dragon across the finish line, a figure NetEase may have decided wasn't worth investing in further. https://youtu.be/KX2pzle9dkE Meanwhile, Nagoshi's former home, RGG Studio, has released multiple games since he left. Nagoshi's final credits with Sega were for Lost Judgment, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania, and Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown; since then, RGG Studio has released five games in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise. These include prequels, sequels, and remakes: Like a Dragon: Ishin, Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Gaiden: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, and Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties. Next year will see the launch of Stranger Than Heaven, described as a distant prequel to Like a Dragon that spans 50 years...
It's been another rough year for video games, with countless studio closures, staff layoffs, and projects that barely managed to even get off the ground before they were unceremoniously cut short. But things are feeling especially grim after EA trotted out two beloved franchises--Mass Effect and Dragon Age--for what amounted to a public execution via the announcement that BioWare has been shuttered. This was especially painful for Mass Effect players, who were looking forward to the upcoming Mass Effect 5, which we now know was tentatively titled Mass Effect: Universe. But it's not just BioWare fans who are upset at the moment. Fans of EA's other properties are growing increasingly concerned about the future of those franchises, if any future is planned for them at all. My colleague Levi Winslow recently wrote about their concerns for the Skate franchise in the wake of layoffs at its development studio. Meanwhile, I'm quite worried about the fate of The Sims. In the same breath it announced the end of BioWare, EA also reaffirmed its commitment to Apex Legends, Skate, and The Sims franchises. But everyone knows that when it comes to profits, EA's sports titles outrun its other IPs by a country mile. If EA is willing to pull the plug on legacy franchises like Mass Effect and Dragon Age, where does that leave its other franchises, like The Sims 4? 
EA is pivoting its focus from Project Rene to Project Evergreen. According to EA, Sims fans need not worry, as the company is committed to "focusing on the long-term potential of The Sims." Apparently, focusing on that long-term potential involves shelving a project The Sims team has been working on for years: Project Rene, AKA Project Lotus, AKA the nebulous next entry in The Sims franchise, which appears to be some kind of weird Sims MMO mobile game thing. Instead, EA will be focusing on Project Evergreen, which is rumored to be a sort of remaster of The Sims 4, with all (or most) DLC packs included, and recurring bugs squashed. "We're supporting this franchise by pausing work on one of the next titles in this franchise" doesn't exactly inspire confidence, especially after the nonchalance with which EA just killed two other beloved game franchises. But I think this actually might be the right move. It's been a bumpy couple of years for The Sims, and many players aren't particularly enthused about Project Rene/Lotus, as it seems to be once again trying to recreate The Sims Online, something EA has tried to rebuild over and over. In fact, much of the reason The Sims 4 launched in such awful shape was due to the fact that it was initially meant to be an MMO-style game that could run on mobile devices. Less than a year before launch, EA pivoted to a more traditional Sims game--but by then, so much of the game had been built with online play and mobile devices in mind that it was too late to turn back. Despite releasing over 100 DLC packs and embarking on a concentrated campaign to squash the game's many, many, many bugs, longtime Sims players are still frustrated with the state of The Sims 4, often pointing out the numerous ways it pales in comparison to its predecessor, The Sims 3. The Sims 4 is officially "done" in that there are no plans to release any more expansion packs for the game. When it comes to the future of the franchise, most players don't want the next Sims title to be yet another attempt at shoehorning online and/or mobile gameplay into a game that is, at its core, all about building and playing with digital dolls in their digital dollhouses. So EA's decision to hit pause on Project Rene/Lotus's development isn't something I find especially heartbreaking. In fact, I think it's the first truly wise decision EA's made regarding the franchise in a long time, provided EA actually plans to support Project Evergreen long-term (which the name Evergreen would suggest). Sims 4 players don't want Project Rene, but they do want either The Sims 5 or a complete, playable version of The Sims 4--ideally one that doesn't require the purchase of $1,600 in DLC packs to feel "finished." Hitting pause on its weird, experimental Sims projects in favor of attempting to preserve The Sims 4 in a stable, playable, "evergreen" state is arguably the best decision EA could make, given the current state of both EA and The Sims franchise. Pouring resources into a concept that has failed before (online MMO-style Sims gameplay) rather than a tried-and-true formula (a digital dollhouse) would only harm the franchise at this point. 
Whatever Project Rene is supposed to be, it's officially on ice for now. Of course, there's no telling what kind of shape Project Evergreen will launch in, assuming it does successfully make it to launch. It sounds like the Evergreen devs have a deadline to hit--hence the reshuffling of resources away from Rene/Lotus--but even with the increase in development resources, there's no guarantee Evergreen will be a massive hit with players. Provided the rest of development does go smoothly and Evergreen is indeed well-received by players, it may still fall short of EA's goals when it comes to profits. EA has spent the last decade doing everything possible to monetize the living hell out of The Sims 4, a game that--unlike EA's lucrative sports catalog--is largely intended to be a solitary gaming experience that doesn't require online play. Back in the olden days of The Sims 1, 2, and 3, players would purchase the base game, a few expansion packs, and maybe a couple of "stuff packs" for extra decor options, but that was all one really needed to enjoy the game. The Sims 4, however, introduced an era of seemingly endless DLC: expansion packs, game packs, stuff packs, kits--there are over 100 of them, ranging in cost from $40 to $5, and totaling around $1,600 if purchased individually outside of sales and bundles. In addition to the constant stream of DLC releases, EA has in recent years implemented daily login rewards, various events and challenges, and even a paid mod store nobody asked for--all in the hopes of getting players to spend more time and money on The Sims 4. For a while there, I half-expected EA to implement a Sims 4 battle pass. 
EA trimming down its Sims projects is fine with me, as long as the series isn't uprooted entirely. There's no telling what sort of irritating monetization tactics we'll see in Project Evergreen, but at the very least, Evergreen sounds like an attempt to try and maintain the series' roots, rather than continue chasing the mobile MMO Roblox-like direction Project Lotus seemed to be taking. Even better, Evergreen may turn out to be the game Sims players have been aching for since The Sims 4 launched to middling reviews back in 2014: a game that isn't fundamentally broken and lacking in content. The real question is if Evergreen will be successful enough to keep The Sims franchise alive. Given that EA's new owners were happy to kill off what was shaping up to be a potentially great Mass Effect game, it's not hard to imagine a world where the Grim Reaper inevitably comes for The Sims, regardless of whether players love or hate Project Evergreen. After all, feelings don't generate dollar signs, and EA's new owners have made one thing abundantly clear: killing off an iconic franchise is "worth it" if it saves EA a few Simoleons...
Publisher Activision has responded to criticism over using a devastating tragedy in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, saying that the incident will be removed from the military shooter in a November 12 update. The Seoul Halloween crowd crush occurred in October 2022 in Itaewon. Approximately 100,000 people gathered in a narrow alleyway in Seoul, resulting in 160 casualties as people were suffocated. This year marks the fourth anniversary of the tragedy, with bereaved families and community organizers gathering to remember the lives that were lost. Modern Warfare 4 hit consoles and PC on October 23, and not long after its release, the game drew criticism from bereaved Korean families. In the opening cutscene to the game's campaign--which focuses on a fictional war between North and South Korea--Modern Warfare 4 depicts a chaotic scene where one person performs CPR on a downed individual, while bodies are either laid out on the streets or carried away on stretchers. Given the game's setting and the events on screen, the 10.29 Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families Association and the Citizens' Countermeasures Meeting--two organizations formed after the 2022 tragedy in Seoul--were "appalled" at the calamity's inclusion and demanded that Activision remove it from the game. "Using such an incident as material for a game intended for entertainment purposes is itself highly inappropriate and a senseless act," the groups said, according to the BBC. "The Itaewon tragedy was a tragic disaster that produced hundreds of casualties, and citizens who participated in the rescue efforts or witnessed the event at the time continue to suffer from trauma. If the game developer has even a minimum level of courtesy and empathy toward the victims, they should promptly take corrective measures." Activision has heard the call and plans to remove the depiction from Modern Warfare 4 when an update arrives on November 12. In responding to the criticism, Activision said it never intended to trivialize the disaster or make light of human suffering. "In developing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, we approached the subject matter with care and respect. The game’s opening cinematic utilises some real-world news coverage to establish the game’s fictional narrative," Activision said. "It is not intended to reference or trivialise the Itaewon disaster or any other real-world tragedy in any way, shape or form."...
There's a new voice behind the protagonist of Soul in Phantom Blade Zero, and it's none other than Sonic the Hedgehog--or his longtime voice actor, Roger Craig Smith, to be precise. As spotted by Game Informer, Smith has stepped in to replace Jay Maksenuk (V in Once Human). You can still hear the latter in the various trailers for Phantom Blade Zero, and developer S-Game hasn't revealed why they brought Smith on as a last-minute replacement. Both actors have several video game credits, and as Game Informer noted, it sounds like Masenuk was replaced shortly after the game's review period began. Essentially, you won't be hearing Masenuk's voice, as the game launched earlier this week with Craig voicing the main character. You're probably familiar with Craig's voice; in addition to Sonic and Batman, he's also voiced Ezio Auditore in several Assassin's Creed games, Daigo Dojima in Yakuza Kiwami 3, and Alden Dorne in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. As a friendly reminder, set a hard limit on how much coffee Smith consumes if you're thinking of interviewing him. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MnqDEw4I_CI Phantom Blade Zero has had a strong launch week so far, reaching over 730,000 concurrent players on Steam at the time of writing. If you're planning to play this weekend, check out our Phantom Blade Zero guides hub for dozens of walkthroughs, and if you're still on the fence, read our Phantom Blade Zero review to see if it's for you. You can also learn how it fixes one of the biggest problems of soulslike-inspired boss fights...