January 2021

The recurring Crucible event in Destiny 2, Iron Banner, has returned once again. That makes this another chance for some high-level competition where your Power level matters, but it also makes for an opportunity to continue making progress on Slaying Dragons.

Obtained from Lord Saladin, this season-long quest involves grinding away at various Crucible objectives in Iron Banner matches, so you're only able to work on it during the weeks where Iron Banner is active. As of the weekly reset on January 5, Iron Banner is available for the second time this season. Read on for a complete look at what to expect from each of the six steps that comprise the Slaying Dragons quest.

Completing each one will earn you an additional piece of Season 12's Iron Banner armor--updated versions of the Iron Will set capable of using new mods. Certain objectives are also retroactive, allowing you to make progress on subsequent steps even before you reach them.

The newest Operator for Call of Duty: Warzone and Black Ops Cold War has arrived, and he brings a hammer. The new Operator, Wyatt "Bulldozer" Jomes, is an American Marine who was born in 1955. He's aligned with the NATO faction and his blood type is O+, in case you were wondering.

You can purchase Bulldozer through an eight-item bundle that also includes various items and extras, the most notable of which is a giant sledgehammer. The "Heavy Handed" legendary blueprint is the combat sledgehammer that features a rubber grip and the words "knock knock" written on sides of the business end of the hammer itself.

As you might have guessed, the hammer is the centerpiece of Bulldozer's finishing move, which is called "Hammer Uppercut." You can see it in action through the video below.

Voice of Aerith, Maaya Sakamoto, will release her 14th overall album, commemorating her 25th anniversary in show business.

The post Voice Actress Maaya Sakamoto Releasing New Duets Album appeared first on Siliconera.

Here's a blast from the past: I began my 2019 Game of the Year rundown with the following phrase: "2019 sure was a year, and if I do say so myself, it felt like a pretty strong one for games."

Oof. If 2019 was a year, then 2020. Was. A. Goddamn. Year. 

It was also a pretty strong year for games, which proved themselves surprisingly important as most people stayed home when they could, and games proved an accessible escape and a tool to connect. 

Anime could've played the same role for some, though for me it, once again, largely came down to rewatches of shows best suited to getting to the next day. That's not to say there weren't any standouts! On the contrary, the anime of 2020 provided the kind of angry cyberpunk energy some of 2020's biggest games failed to harness.

So without further ado, my usual silly awards for the best games and anime of 2020. 

Hitman 3 is building on the foundation of the last two games in many big and small ways, but that's not to say there aren't plenty of new elements, too. IO Interactive is experimenting with shortcuts in levels that, once unlocked by the player, will remain accessible from one sneaky session to the next.

You'll know them when you see them: there's even a "shortcut unlocked" pop-up on the screen.

An early example of the shortcut feature was shown off in a PC clip captured by Game Informer. If you're wary of spoilers, note that the footage comes from Hitman 3's first level: the Dubai skyscraper.

IO Interactive told the outlet that persistent shortcuts are meant to "encourage exploration, reward curiosity, and incentivize replayability." In other words, they're partially for Hitman players who – bless their hearts – rush through levels and never come back to explore areas from every vantage point.

I like well-positioned shortcuts in other games, and in theory, I'll like them in Hitman 3. They might be the kind of change of pace that some fans will find iffy, but it's too early to call it one way or the other.

If you're curious to see a tad more, Game Informer also has footage of the first five minutes.

The Xbox Series X is, undoubtedly, a powerful console. With high resolution graphics, impressive performance speed (quick resume turned out to be as awesome as Microsoft claimed), and extremely short load times, players can get into the action at a faster rate while enjoying a newfound level of detail and immersion. However, the Series X is not without its issues. Players have been reporting controller disconnect issues since the console's launch day last year. 

Microsoft is investigating the root of the problem so that a fix can be properly implemented. A company spokesperson told The Verge, "We are aware some players may be experiencing disconnects with their new Xbox Wireless Controllers and our teams are actively working on a solution to be included in a future update." The disconnect issue seems to stem from a myriad of different possibilities: Sometimes the controller just won't connect to the console itself, at other times the controller is paired but pressing buttons yields no results, and in more specific cases, certain games can trigger the disconnect.

Although our world continues on its hellish course, a new year represents a time to refresh and renew efforts on future projects. Fumito Ueda and his studio genDESIGN felt it was the perfect time to remind everyone they’re still working on a new game.

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A few weeks back, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla players spotted a handful of new abilities in the game’s elaborate skill tree. Then, those abilities disappeared.

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Last week, a range of products that had been exempted from tariffs—thanks to the ongoing US v China trade war—lost that status, and so in 2021 will be more expensive. Among those products are graphics cards and motherboards.

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Back in the 1950s, nearly a third of the American workforce belonged to a union. That number has cratered in recent decades due to a multitude of factors, but a shift in law and policy that places an increased focus on unfettered markets, as well as a raft of anti-labor laws, have been primary motivators of a gradual…

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Grab a Shiny Snivy, if you’re lucky

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We're giving away an Another Eden prize pack to celebrate the latest crossover event with the Tales of series. See how you can enter:

The post Contest: Win a Tales of x Another Eden Prize Pack With Acrylic Stands and Charms appeared first on Siliconera.

Kadokawa Games took to Twitter to provide more information about its plans for 2021.

The developer mentioned that it plans to finally complete the mysterious sci-fi strategy JRPG code-named Project Stella in 2021, and release it.

We also hear the confirmation that they plan to reveal other games and release them this year if possible.

Alongside the announcement we also get new artwork for the game.

This comes after the tease that mentioned that the studio behind God Wars has three titles in development including new ones and remasters. Project Stella is likely one of them.

In today's contest you can win a Switch copy of violent action shooter The Hong Kong Massacre!

Can't we all just get along? Apparently, not so much in Hong Kong. I wonder where it all went wrong? Ok I'll stop rhyming, please don't kick me in the dong.

The Hong Kong Massacre, a hyper-violent, room-clearing shooter just hit Nintendo Switch, and we're giving away some copies to celebrate! Instead of buying it, win it for a song.

A special website detailing the attractions at Super Nintendo World is now live, giving additional information on the rides, activities, dining options and merchandise that will be available at the new themed area when it launches at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka on February 4. Read on for details, and also be sure to check out our article on the ways Super Nintendo World has been gamified for even more new details on the rides and unlockable achievements awaiting guests at the park.

A video featured on the new site shows what visitors can expect from the area’s two rides, including a mock-up of the AR visuals and projection-mapping incorporated into the ambitious Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge ride, along with the first concrete glimpses of the Yoshi’s Adventure ride, which a USJ spokesman described to us as an all-ages family attraction in the vein of Disneyland’s It’s A Small World. The site lists some basics about each ride, revealing that duration for each will be roughly five minutes, along with useful details such as height restrictions. Check this article for many more details.

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When Super Nintendo World opens at Universal Studios Japan on February 4, it will be the largest themed area at the Osaka park to date. But more than that, the new Nintendo area promises a level of interaction that draws from the video game antics of Mario and friends in meaningful ways, developed with input from Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto and the creative team at Nintendo.

With a ton of new information dropping today at an exclusive media briefing attended by IGN Japan, read on for eight ways that Super Nintendo World will gamify the theme park experience.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/30/super-nintendo-world-reveal-trailer"]

1. Rides

Both Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge and Yoshi’s Adventure showcase a level of interaction that really set them apart from other theme park rides.

Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge is an on-rails experience with four riders per kart, and a blend of AR and projection mapping to bring the ride to life. Better yet, each rider in Mario’s team has their own steering wheel, which they must turn in time with arrows that appear on their adorable Mario hat-shaped AR headset; timing each turn just right nets a coin. Similarly, riders will pick up Green Shells from item boxes along the course, which they can aim at enemies in the AR headset by turning their head towards them – a direct hit will also earn a coin. Each team of riders will have to collect a set number of coins during the five-minute ride to beat Bowser’s team – and the game comes with good and bad endings depending on whether your team wins or loses.

One of the darkest corners of my wheelhouse is the point where architecture and video games meet, so it’s great getting the chance—like I did today—to read some thoughts on the subject from someone who architecturally knows what they’re talking about.

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The Sonic block of games is mandatory watching in my house for every Games Done Quick event and this year’s block—that took place yesterday—has already claimed GOAT status when not one but two runners achieved world records back-to-back.

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RAVPower MagSafe Charger | $21 | Amazon | Clip coupon

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There's just nothing like a Persona soundtrack. Lead composer Shoji Meguro and others such as Atsushi Kitajoh from Atlus' sound team have churned out so many hits that stand out as fantastic songs, but are also able to perfectly communicate the emotions that you feel in the moments they're played. And with each entry, Atlus finds new ways to incorporate different music genres into their soundtracks, making each game carry a distinct vibe and sound. Now, a good chunk of that work is available on Spotify.

While many fans are familiar with the bangers and jams from the more popular mainline games (let's say, Persona 5, Persona 4, and Persona 3), there is more to dig into beyond the big hits. For this particular article, I want to highlight a few standouts from other Persona entries that may not have the same spotlight, but absolutely deserve that level of recognition.

Keep in mind, there's nothing wrong with not being familiar with every entry in the series. It's okay! There's no shame in that! I just want to spread the good word, and maybe let folks know about other songs that might become their new favorite Persona tracks. It's also worth noting that music from Persona 5 Royal, Persona 3 and 5 Dancing, and the original Persona are not on Spotify at the moment. You can find a playlist at the bottom of this article that includes the songs mentioned here (and a few more).

Universal Studios Japan opened the official website of the upcoming Super Nintendo World.

The sites provides an in-depth look at the attractions available in the park, that will open on Thursday, February 4.

As an added bonus, an English version is available, including a decription of what you can expect from all the attractions and shops included in Super Nintenedo World.

If you want to see more, you can take a look at a recent Nintendo Direct in which Shigeru Miyamoto himself introduced the park. You can also watch a trailer from a few weeks ago.

Super Nintendo World was announced all the way back in 2016 and was supposed to open in time for the 2020 Olympics. Unfortunately, the COVID pandemic hindered Nintendo and Universal Studios Japan’s plans causing a considerable delay.

That being said, you could say that they’re still making that deadline, considering that the Tokyo Olympic games have also been delayed to the summer of 2021.

Universal Studios Japan is located in Osaka, the capital city of the Japanese region of Kansai. It can be reached from Tokyo via plane, train, and overnight buses are pretty popular since they’re cheaper (but a grueling experience, at least for me).

Genshin Impact developer MiHoYo really loves to release trailers for its new characters, and today released a new one for the popular action RPG.

The trailer focuses on new character Ganyu, breaking the recent chain of boys to introduce another female character.

You can check her out below. We included both the English and the Japanese trailer, so you can take your pick depending on your voice acting preferences.

Here’s a brief introduction for Ganyu.

“Light-footed, she paces the streets and alleys. She has some secrets regarding Liyue Harbor to share with you at night before the rising of the sun.”

The release of Dead or Alive Xtreme: Venus Vacation on PC opened all sorts of modding opportunities, but Koei Tecmo isn’t too happy about certain uses of its intellectual property.

Today the company published a press release announcing that it has taken notice of the sale of DVD made by shooting videos of Dead or Alive Games. As such, it has started legal action against an individual via the Kanagawa Prefectural Police department.

Specifically, the suspect has recorded footage from Dead or Alive Xtreme: Venus Vacation with modifications like the removal of the (already scarce) clothes, then they sold the footage on DVD on auction sites.

The case has been reported to the Kanagawa Prefectural Police as it was determined that, even if the content is modified, this is copyright infringement.

In addition, since Koei Tecmo judges this as a particularly malicious act, the company is also filing a civil lawsuit for damages on top of the criminal case.

Koei Tecmo argues that the reproductions (including modifications), distribution, and sale of its copyrighted work is prohibited and illegal.

The company is determined to take legal action against such acts. In the future, Koei Tecmo pledges to rigorously respond to copyright infringement while providing games that can satisfy its users at the same time.

The post Koei Tecmo Cracks Down on Sale of Illegal Videos Made With Modded Dead or Alive Xtreme: Venus Vacation appeared first on Twinfinite.

AGDQ 2021 might be an online-only event yet again this year, but that certainly hasn’t stopped viewers from donating massive amounts of money to hit bonus game and donation incentives to keep the event running for longer. Easily one of the most popular incentives for this year’s event was the Hades three-weapon speedrun.

Hades finally got its full release late last year, and as you might expect from a Supergiant game, it’s extremely stylish and polished, featuring an engaging narrative and characters that you can’t help but love. On top of that, it also features fun rogue-lite elements and an incredibly tight combat system. The Hades incentive was met pretty quickly, and speedrunner Vorime presented a hypnotic showcase of just how fast you can blaze through the game with the right setup.

The three-weapon category tasks the runner with beating the game three times in succession, using a different weapon each run. In this case, we got to see the shield, the bow, and the railgun. All of them were equipped with different Aspects to help optimize the run, and Vorime also activated certain modifiers from the Pact of Punishment to help make it go faster.

For instance, the hydra arena was made to be smaller so that Vorime would be able to destroy the heads quicker, and Forced Overtime was also activate to make enemies spawn faster.

With the right setup, you can melt these bosses insanely quickly, and nowhere is that clearer than in the fights against Asterius and Theseus –the major ‘wall’ of the game that stumps new players whenever they first get there. You can check out the run for yourself down below.

Meet Genshin Impact's Ganyu! She's talking a walk around Liyue at night in her latest trailer and makes a special request at the end.

The post Genshin Impact’s Ganyu Wants You to Walk With Her in a New Trailer appeared first on Siliconera.

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Nioh

might be my favourite soulslike game (alongside its big brother Nioh 2), because it twists Miyazaki’s wonder formula into an action RPG that’s more akin to Diablo than Dark Souls.

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Nintendo's often gone its own way when it comes to doing its business, but as Microsoft and Sony rolled out their latest hardware at the tail-end of 2020 it felt at times as if the company had vanished entirely, a paper-thin release schedule in the all-important months leading up to Christmas making the Switch feel at times like the forgotten console.

In 2021, that's surely about to change, and after a period of relative silence - understandable, of course, given the global circumstances and the pressures they've placed on developers - Nintendo is set for its most significant year since the launch of the Switch back in 2017. Looking at the release schedule as it stands, skeletal and incomplete, you might not ascertain as much - with the likes of Bravely Default 2 and Persona 5 Strikers, those first few months are double-A all the way - but then you get to the tail-end of March and the release of Monster Hunter Rise, perhaps the most significant new release on Switch in an age.

After the record-breaking success of Monster Hunter World, Rise feels like a homecoming of sorts, returning to Nintendo's stable equipped with a new set of tricks learned on its blockbuster outing while it punches up the quirkiness that once made the series' name. Running on Capcom's RE Engine - a first for the series, as well as for the Switch - it promises to look absolutely sublime. And, of course, there's that sneaking suspicion it could look even better with the help of some new hardware.

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Each week on a Friday, RPS news priestess Alice O descends from her mountaintop fortress-monastery to pose the rest of us a single question: What are we all playing this weekend?. A simple ask, you might think. A nice way of sharing what we’re enjoying with each other and our readers. Not to me. In recent months, I’ve come to dread this question, as it’s always the prompt for a bout of frantic stress. “Oh crikey,” I’ll say, all breezy and optimistic. “I’ve heard good things about Dukes of Manglebum – might give that a go. Or maybe the new Bungletech expansion, since they’ve finally fixed the bungling mechanic”.

Yeah, right. Sure I will. I might as well be Gollum, claiming his favourite item of jewellery is “a watch”. Because I know, just like everyone else knows, that when the working day is over, I’ll caper back to my dingy games hole and continue to croon over the Precious. Or rather, the Preciouses. Because despite my every effort to snap out of it, I’ve been stuck for months playing the same two games over and over again: Age Of Empires 2, and to a lesser extent, Hearthstone.

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For those who like to cross the final frontier, Humble Bundle's most recent sale is all about games that let you explore the cosmos, with a range of titles like FTL: Faster Than Light, Journey to the Savage Planet, No Man's Sky (with all the updates, don't worry), Surviving Mars and a lot more.

You can find the full list of games in the "Lost in Space" sale over here, but we've also curated some of the most popular options down below.

There's plenty more deals here at Eurogamer, brought to you on behalf of those at Jelly Deals! You can check out where to find the best deals for this month on the Nintendo Switch here, or find out the best offers for the upcoming Hitman 3 here! Or you can always check out the Jelly Deals Twitter for instant discounts everywhere!

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UPDATE: Raven Software has detailed the Warzone weapon nerf update, and said it's rolling out now.

Significant nerfs hit Warzone's most overpowered weapons:

ORIGINAL STORY: Call of Duty: Warzone's most overpowered gun is getting a nerf soon.

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Imagine going to bed one night only to have a bulletin board fall on you while you slept. Rotten luck, isn't it? Makes you wonder why someone put it there in the first place. But now imagine you had some seriously heavy stuff pinned to that bulletin board, like bricks, and when it landed on you, it flattened you. And I mean literally.

You wake up in the morning and look in the mirror and, OK, you're fine from the front, but when you turn sideways, uh oh, you all but disappear. I imagine it might come as a bit of a shock. What must your internal organs look like?

But when it happened (in a make believe sense) to young Stanley, he barely faltered. He took on the moniker of Flat Stanley and in doing so discovered he could do some wonderful new things.

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Netflix will discontinue its service for both 3DS and Wii U on 30th June.

The streaming giant has now removed its app from being available to download on both older Nintendo consoles, though Nintendo's support website states Netflix will continue to function on those platforms until the above date if you have the app already.

While it's perhaps not surprising to see Nintendo's older consoles being delisted, this news once again highlights the fact Netflix is still unavailable on Nintendo Switch.

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