And he compared it to his wife’s difficulty in childbirth

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In today's contest you can win a physical PS4 or Switch copy of visual novel Arcade Spirits!

The last true arcade I remember seeing was an Aladdin's Castle at the mall in Virginia Beach. I have fond memories of going there and wasting away the afternoon while my parents shopped, or ate, or snuck off to visit the orphanage to window shop for a better kid, or whatever adults do while kids are trying to relax. It didn't have the greatest selection ever, but at least it existed.

Reminisce about the old days with a copy of highly-rated visual novel Arcade Spirits, available in physical format for the first time!

Hey.

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A couple of days ago, I wrote a piece about how hard it is to find a Nintendo Switch. With the covid-19 outbreak temporarily halting production of the console in China, and scalpers seizing the opportunity to buy up and flip the Switch for usurious prices, nary a Switch is to be found on American shelves. Until...I…

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Wube Software's much-loved construction and management sim Factorio will be leaving Steam early access a little sooner that expected; its version 1.0 release is now scheduled to arrive on 14th August in a bid to avoid the mad clamour of Cyberpunk 2077's launch window.

Factorio, which originally entered Steam early access back in 2016, casts players as sort of impromptu space industrialists, tasking them with building increasingly elaborate contraptions in a ceaseless grasp for ever-more efficient automation.

The gist is that players, having crash-landed on a distant, untouched planet, must manufacture their eventual means of escape. Initially, natural resources can be used to fashion basic machines which, in turn, open up new construction possibilities, enabling players to creep up the game's dizzying tech tree. Eventually, when the planet has become a smog-shrouded industrial hell-hole, the indigenous creatures are banished, and conveyor belts stretch as far as the eye can see, they might finally be ready to launch back into space.

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Darklands creator Arnold Hendrick has passed away at 69 after battling terminal cancer. ...

Today Larian Studios released a trailer of the upcoming RPG Baldur’s Gate 3 and teased more reveals coming next month.

According to the developer, June is going to be a hot month for the fans of the game starting with June 6, when Larian will hist its first new reveal as part of the Guerrilla Collective showcase. 

At the moment, no further information has been provided on the events that will follow, but you can check out the video below. 

Cosmic Forces, Sony Pictures Consumer Products, and Scholastic are bringing R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC.

In Goosebumps Dead of Night you try to collect missing pages from Goosebumps stories that have been stolen, but it's not quite that easy - scary creatures like Lawn Gnomes, the Werewolf of Fever Swamp, and Murder the Clown. It's first-person survival horror, Goosebumps style. Along your journey through the macabre, you must hide, sneak, and solve puzzles to survive. 

While we don't have an exact release date, the title is expected to arrive this summer. Check out the trailer below!

Small cars are the focus of the latest Grand Theft Auto Online event, and the community has reacted with jokes, anger, and a bit of confusion. For those who are upset, it seems you can blame a classic film from the 1960s for this week’s Mini Cooper themed festivities.

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Ready to bring a #Hakuoki honey home? Souji Okita is getting his own Nendoroid!

The post Bring a Hakuoki Honey Home With a Souji Okita Nendoroid appeared first on Siliconera.

After several successful years in Early Access, Factorio, one of the best-rated games on Steam, finally has a release date for version 1.0. The crazy-deep factory-building sim will launch on August 14, 2020.

Here's the amusing part: that date is technically ahead of schedule. The developers at Wube Software decided to bump the 1.0 date up by five weeks to avoid pressing up against Cyberpunk 2077.

"We think any release close to such a monumental game is going to feel some negative effects, such as everybody playing and covering Cyberpunk and taking attention away from other games," they said.

How could they afford to trim weeks of previously planned production time? The stars aligned in a way that afforded the team flexibility. Some features – like the new campaign – were canceled or scaled back for separate, non-Cyberpunk-related reasons. Others have been "progressing at a good pace."

Also, by most accounts, Factorio slaps – it's among the best of its kind, with a dizzying sense of scale – and it's been that way for a long time. "The general feeling in the office is that the game is pretty much done, and that we want to get it released as soon as possible," the creators noted. "The sooner we get some closure on version 1.0, the sooner we can start thinking about fun and exciting new things."

If you're the kinda person who treasures logistical efficiency and micro-management, Factorio could be your next unhealthy obsession. It's one of the true success stories out of Steam Early Access.

GameSpot's Play For All kicks off on June 1 and, alongside coverage of the biggest gaming announcements of the summer and daily charity livestreams, we're going to be delivering interviews with developers, publishers, execs, and more. To kick things off, we're pleased to reveal that the first of these interviews will be with Epic Games' Tim Sweeney and Kim Libreri.

Hot off announcing Unreal Engine 5 and showing it running on Sony's PlayStation 5, Sweeney and Libreri sat down with GameSpot to talk about Epic's impressive new development engine, what it means for the video game industry, how it will create bridges into other forms of entertainment, and, of course, what it means for Fortnite.

They also discuss the Epic Games Store, which has gained considerable ground in an area of game distribution that has, historically, been dominated by Valve's Steam store. All that, along with a variety of other topics are discussed, so you'll want to tune in and watch.

Brandon Sheffield of Necrosoft Games &  the Insert Credit podcast contributes some great, often retro & Japanese-focused picks for his favorite game culture links of all time. ...

Go Flawless this week to pick up one weapon and some armor

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Developers looking to ship PS4 games later this year should be prepared to make them compatible with the PlayStation 5, according to Sony documentation. ...

Today is a surprisingly robust release day for Nintendo’s Switch. As announced a few months back, 2K just dropped several big game collections. The first is BioShock: The Collection, which features the remastered versions of all three BioShock games. The second is XCOM 2 Collection, which includes Firaxis' stellar strategy game and all four of its DLC packs. Finally, the Borderlands Legendary Collection includes the Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition, Borderlands 2, and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.

In addition to 2K’s offerings, the massive open-world RPG Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition also hits Switch today. This re-release of the 2012 Wii title features updated visuals, remastered music, and a new epilogue story sequence.

Matthew Rhys and Tatiana Maslany star in the new series arriving in June

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Call of Duty: Warzone is a free-to-play battle royale game for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One that recently passed the milestone of 50 million players. Warzone can be installed both as an update to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare or as a free, standalone game for players who don't own Modern Warfare and aren't interested in purchasing it. The battle royale game is a huge download size even if you don't have Modern Warfare, but don't worry--that just gives you some time to check out our list of Warzone tips while it's installing. Or read up on the recently unlocked Warzone bunkers and where to find them.

Find our quick how-to guide for installing Call of Duty: Warzone, and learn more about how Warzone and Modern Warfare's unified progression works, below.

How To Download Warzone Without Modern Warfare

If you want to play Call of Duty: Warzone but don't own and aren't planning on purchasing Modern Warfare, you can expect an 83-101 GB download size, according to the official Activision blog. It's available as a standalone battle royale game on all available platforms, meaning PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and can be downloaded from associated first-party stores. Check out the download links below.

Update: Its closed beta may be over, but that also means Valorant's official launch is on the way. If you weren't able to get into the beta during its pre-release stage, don't worry--Valorant's release date is right around the corner and, as it was during its early access period, Valorant will remain free to play. Find out if your PC can run Valorant in our minimum/recommended specs guide.

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Another farming and life sim is on the way, with Summer in Mara giving people chances to farm, make friends, and explore soon.

The post Kick Back and Enjoy Summer in Mara on June 16, 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.

10% off Neck Gaiters | Gizmodo, Kotaku, Jalopnik, and More

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Here's a fun anecdote. When I was in second grade, I brought all my Goosebumps books to Show and Tell. That morning, before my parents woke me up, I got up on my own and stuffed like 30 books into my backpack. At Show and Tell, I went up in front of the class, took way too long to set up every single book in numerical order, and proudly displayed my collection. I felt so cool.

When I got home, I told my mom. She was horrified. Apparently, earlier that week, my teacher told my mom and dad at a parent-teacher conference that she was concerned with how much time I spent reading Goosebumps books. Something about how I got too lost in them and she thought they weren't good for me. Then I inadvertently showed up a couple days later with the biggest fuck-you middle finger you can imagine. This is the happiest confluence of events, and I still giggle about it 20 years later. My mom wasn't as thrilled.

I have a chance this summer to once again stick it to my second grade teacher (as if becoming a blogger hadn't already dashed all her hopes for me). There's a new Goosebumps game coming to PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One. Titled Goosebumps Dead of Night, this is a greatest hits of sorts as Night of the Living Dummy's Slappy brings creatures from other books to life.

Anyone who has remained current on Goosebumps video games might recognize Dead of Night's foundation. This is a reworking and elaboration-upon the mobile VR game Goosebumps Night of Scares. It features the same kind of first-person stealth/horror-survival gameplay, but with more content and better visuals. There's no release date yet apart from the window of "summer 2020," but we're told it'll be priced at $40.

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, out today for Nintendo Switch, re-re-introduces players to Shulk and his ragtag group of world-savers. It’s one meaty role-playing game, full of plenty to do and plenty to learn. For a quick introduction, watch the video above. Or read on for a deeper dive into the game’s…

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Head to the Tower for some Exotics

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In April, Battlefield V developers DICE promised that the game would receive one last big update, which will arrive in June as Update 7.0. The latest "This Week in Battlefield V" update on Reddit confirms that the June content update is coming, and will be the last big one for the game--but a comment made by one developer also clears up some potential misconceptions around the game's path forward.

A comment from Braddock512--the game's community manager--clarifies that while there will not be new content coming to the game, this is not the "final" update. "It's the last content update--but we plan on dropping fixes and there will be the Community Games Update to add more tools to the feature," he writes. "There will be new/returning playlists when Update 7.0/June Update drops."

While major updates are ending, and players should perhaps not expect anything too major after Update 7.0, it sounds like the game won't become static and unchanging after the update.

In this second part of my ongoing series, I will cover a key need that an open world map must meet: player progression. ...

It's been a particularly busy period for free games, with the Epic Games Store giving away Borderlands: The Handsome Collection and a new Devolver Digital game right now, and memberships like PlayStation Plus and Games With Gold announcing their next round of free games. As usual, Steam also has a few freebies available to claim forever or try out for a limited time this weekend, including a free-play period for the excellent Darkest Dungeon.

Like all free-play weekends on Steam, Darkest Dungeon is free to play until Monday, and it's accompanied by a nice discount if you want to add it to your library and keep playing. The rogue-like turn-based RPG earned a 9/10 in GameSpot's Darkest Dungeon review for its deep, strategic gameplay; foreboding atmosphere; and spectacular art direction.

Known for first-person shooters and action-adventure games like Prey and the Dishonored series, Arkane Studios is celebrating 20 years in the business by offering up some free digital goodies for fans, including a free PC copy of Arkane's first game, Arx Fatalis. To get the free game, all you have to do is sign up for the studio's "Arkane Outsiders" email list, which notifies subscribers about beta access and sneak peeks at upcoming games. You'll also get a free digital copy of "The Art of Arkane." Without signing up for anything, you can also nab some pretty cool digital wallpapers for free on the Arkane 20-year anniversary hub page.

There's not much time to take advantage of the offer, however. You have from now until May 31 at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET to sign up and get Arx Fatalis for free. Please note this is a Bethesda.net PC copy of Arx Fatalis, so you'll need the free Bethesda launcher to install and play the game.

Why did the truck cross the road? Because the bridge was out, obviously. Or at least it will be if you’re as bad at the wacko physics puzzle game Poly Bridge 2 as I likely would be. If you are, the second installment, like the first, lets you call in help from Twitch viewers. Poly Bridge 2 is out now with some new juice under the hood over its predecessor.

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The next season of Destiny 2 is almost upon us, with only one week left to wrap up any loose ends in the Season of the Worthy. There are also only two more visits from Xur for you to grab Exotic weapons and armor before Bungie starts rolling out some new gear changes. Here's where you can find Xur and what he's stocking.

Head to Tower to find Xur this week, in the Hangar area. For his weapon, Xur is offering The Prospetor. Hunters can pick up the The Bombardiers leg armor; for Titans, there's the Doom Fang Pauldron gauntlets; and for Warlocks, Xur has the Crown of Tempests helmet.

Xur Location

Spawn in at the central transmat zone in the Tower and head left to enter the Hangar. When you hit the bottom of the stairs, turn left and head toward the edge of the area. Take some stairs up toward the catwalk and you'll find Xur waiting in the corner, enjoying the view of the Last City.

Father's Day can be one of the hardest holidays to shop for--after all, what do you get the man who has everything? However, it's time to start thinking about how you can show your appreciation for the dad in your life, as Father's Day 2020 is coming up soon on Sunday, June 21. Fortunately, if your dad or husband is into games, there's practically an endless list of games-related products he'd probably enjoy, especially with new games coming out for PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC all the time.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the choices out there? We've got you covered--here are some of the best gift ideas for gamer dads this Father's Day, including consoles, accessories, merchandise, tabletop games, and more. Whether your dad is a hardcore retro gamer, looking to get into gaming, or just looking for some quality-of-life improvements around the house, we've got picks you can get before Father's Day.

Quick look: Best Father's Day gift ideas for 2020

EA, the NFL, and the NFL Player's Association have renewed their (contractual) vows to allow the game company to exclusively produce NFL simulation games through 2026. ...

Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, Pom Poko and others all explore the cost of power

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A lot of us probably have more free time at home than we know what to do with these days. If you’re an anime fan looking for some new shows to check out, look no further. Here are some of the best short anime that you should binge ASAP.

The Promised Neverland
(12 Episodes)

I’d love to give a proper synopsis of this show, but the less you know about it, the better. Trust me. The Promised Neverland is one of the best new short anime out right now.

The story focuses on the lives of a number of children in an orphanage in the year 2045. The orphanage is managed by a single woman who acts as a mother to the kids there.

Switch and PS4 Samurai Shodown NeoGeo Collection limited editions will pay tribute to the past by coming in a NeoGeo game box.

The post Samurai Shodown NeoGeo Collection Limited Edition Comes in a NeoGeo Box appeared first on Siliconera.

Online multiplayer games aren’t usually designed to tell stories. For the most part, they’re built around their competitive nature, with titbits of lore to help establish a unique world for players to get invested in. However, the line between these online games and more story driven experiences is starting to blur, as games like Apex Legends begin to throw more narrative into the mix. Storytelling in a battle royale seems like a pretty tough balancing act, so I reached out to Respawn to find out about the challenges, and how it all fits into the future of Apex.

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Games Workshop is closing out May with the fourth annual Skulls for the Skull Throne event on Steam. If you're already well-versed in the countless Warhammer PC games, there are new DLC packs and updates to check out. If you're thinking of coming in hot, the event is a chance to score some deals.

Most notably, you can pick up Total War: Warhammer II for $20.39, grab the Black Orc Big Boss in a free update, and save on DLC like Rise of the Tomb Kings ($9.49), Curse of the Vampire Coast ($9.49), and The Shadow & The Blade ($6.74). It's not too late to get into this all-consuming strategy game.

Better yet, you could nab Total War: Warhammer while it's on sale for $14.99 and use the free Mortal Empires expansion to bring the two games together under one massive, bloodthirsty roof.

There’s a lot of music out there. To help you cut through all the noise, every week The A.V. Club is rounding up A-Sides, five recent releases we think are worth your time. You can listen to these and more on our Spotify playlist, and if you like what you hear, we encourage you to purchase featured artists’ music…

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Today on Highlight Reel we have bad AI guesses, Valorant plays, Apex Legends shots, Red Dead Online barfing, and much more!

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