January 2021

Until recently, anyone looking to buy a 240Hz gaming monitor had to make do with a 1920×1080 resolution. That’s fine if you’re buying a screen that’s 24in or 25in in size, but when many 240Hz monitors stretch that resolution all the way to 27in, many of them become ill-suited to heavy desktop work due to their low pixel densities. Fortunately, the tide’s beginning to turn in this respect, as we’re now seeing an increasing number of 27in, 240Hz monitors with proper 2560×1440 resolutions – a much more agreeable figure for those after a screen that can pull double duties as a work and play monitor. The AOC Agon AG273QZ is one such gaming display, offering a slightly cheaper (and flatter) alternative to Samsung’s similarly-specced Odyssey G7.

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Blizzard are shaking up Hearthstone’s update schedule with a crafty new strategy: big expansions that now spawn small expansions. The Darkmoon Races is the first of what they’ve dubbed ‘Mini-Sets’, which shuffles in some new additions to last year’s Madness At The Darkmoon Faire expansion. It contains 35 new cards and arrives tomorrow.

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What Comes After is a game themed around death, with themes of suicide.

Bertie: I never realised how wise babies can be. When the baby on the train told me it's not that babies don't understand adults, it's the other way around, I felt as though I'd been hit in the face with a profound baby toy. I'd never really thought about it like that before. I always assumed they were the ones who needed teaching - but do they? They seem pretty happy and content with their lot. It's only in the many ways adults complicate things that life becomes more, well, complicated.

This is What Comes After; this is the way the game makes you think. It is a game about life, about reflecting on a life, and waving away all the complexity to enjoy simply being. It's the story of a young lady called Vivi who has lost her way a bit, and one night on the way home from work, on the train, she falls asleep. She literally drifts off, and she finds herself on a spirit version of the same train. A train taking spirits to... what comes after. What follows are many conversations with the once-living on their final journey, and the nuggets of wisdom they have to impart.

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The story of Among Us really is the stuff of fairytales: originally released back in 2018 by a dev team of three, last year it suddenly became one of the most popular titles in the world after several high-profile streamers began to play it. In a year of lockdowns, Among Us appealed to many as a way to entertain themselves on video calls, and even some American politicians got in on the action.

But this massive spike in players brought challenges - a wave of cheaters being one of them - and developer Innersloth had to make some serious changes to the way it worked. In a new blog post, the dev team has addressed why some features are taking longer to implement than some expected.

"Among Us gained incredible traction pretty late into 2020 that we weren't expecting, and that meant a lot of change for us," Innersloth explained. "...Not only did we need to switch back to working on Among Us after thinking it was done, but we also needed to set ourselves up more sustainably to work on the game. We had to spend two months just restructuring, figuring out new processes, and getting external partners to help us manage on board."

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The Borderlands Legendary Collection is going cheap on Amazon as part of a bigger deal around Take 2's games. Including Borderlands 1, 2 and the Pre-Sequel, it's a solid translation of the famous madcap shoot-and-loot sci-fi games (though doesn't include the third games of the series).

Not only that, but there's a sudden glut of notable Switch deals on Amazon right now, including discounts on Mario Odyssey, Hasbro Games and more. Some of them are good, some of them are pretty normal, but we've collated the most worthy ones just below for you to check out yourself.

Those who are looking for more deals can always find them at Eurogamer, with discounts on games, consoles and more. Check out the cheapest places to pre order Pokémon Snap, or find out the latest on PS5 stock availability here! Or you can always head to the Jelly Deals Twitter and follow us for all the best info on deals everywhere.

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Imagine you're walking down an English country lane one evening when you're struck by the feeling you're not alone. You turn, and a few yards away you see, in the fading light of day, the shape of what can only be described as a big black dog. It has shaggy hair and huge eyes, and it's watching you.

You walk on, trying to shrug it off, but every time you look back, it's there. Fear begins to creep in and you quicken your pace. You're nearly running when you reach your destination and, in a rush of courage, spin to confront your pursuer. But it's gone, vanished.

"Oh, yeah," one of the locals later tells you, completely unsurprised. "You've just seen a black dog."

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Raven Travel Studios has this week announced its new project Fantasy Network, a whimsical 2D side-scrolling Metroidvania about winning talent shows to become the president of a colorful world called Holua.

The game’s very first trailer teases its unusual premise, which looks both interesting from a design perspective but also as a catalyst to deliver some interesting social commentary. Studio owner and lead developer Paolo Cattaneo explains:

“I’ve been a game developer for 20 years and dreamed about making Fantasy Network from the beginning. I left my job as a software developer to make this dream a reality, creating a whimsical game which offers my thoughts on the media-centric world we live in.”

In Fantasy Network, players battle monsters across an eye-catching open-world either side of gossiping with locals and piecing together a story which ultimately hides themes darker than its vibrant aesthetic would at first lead you to believe.

Key features beyond the scope of its main story include character customization, a myriad of side quests, and the option to hang out and play mini-games in Holua’s local arcade.

A Kickstarter campaign is planned for the first quarter of 2021 to help fund the last stage of development and the porting of the PC version to consoles.

There's a new Genshin Impact video, and this one looks at how miHoYo developed the Dragonspine area.

The post miHoYo Talks About Building Genshin Impact’s Dragonspine appeared first on Siliconera.

A technical issue got in the way of the Bear Walker Pikachu 25th Celebration Skateboard sales this week, so the pre-order date shifted.

The post The Bear Walker Pikachu 25th Celebration Skateboard Isn’t Gone Yet appeared first on Siliconera.

To this day, SNK's 1999 release Garou: Mark of the Wolves stands as one of the greatest fighting games ever made, period. Launched amidst a run of fairly interchangeable King of Fighters releases, the ninth - and to date final - episode in the Fatal Fury saga remains etched in the annals of video game history.

So it's no wonder that since its genre-shaking release, fight fans have been calling for a sequel, or even just a remaster, which will allow new generations of players to feast upon the luscious visuals, beautiful animation, cool sounds, and deep, satisfying gameplay that sees Terry Bogard, B. Jenet, Tizoc and Hotaru throwing fists in the climax of South Town's battle for dominance.

Lizardcube, the retro-lovin' studio responsible for throwbacks such as Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap and last year's amazing Streets of Rage 4 clearly hold Garou in similarly high regard, releasing this stunning mockup, which hypothetically imagines what could be should its talented team of artists and designers be let loose on the Fatal Fury universe. The image features Garou's baggy-jacketed protagonist Rock Howard, preparing to throw down with "Boss Fur" against a typically detailed SNK-style backdrop.

Despite already being hard at work on the sequel to 2018 smash hit God of War, Sony Santa Monica appears to be gathering staff to work with the company on a mystery second project.

A vacancy listed on both the studio's official website and Twitter reveals an opening at the studio for a full-time art director, which the vacancy specifically notes is for an "unannounced new title." Other vacancies aligned with this title include open roles for lead writers, gameplay designers, and coders.

"Game studio making game" news, right? Sure, I hear you. But given Sony Santa Monica's pedigree – and the stunning success of God of War on both a technical and commercial level – it's exciting to hear that the talented studio has an all-new title in the works, hopefully one that will capture the incredible visual design, immersive narrative, and arresting gameplay of Kratos' and Atreus' epic adventure.

Job ad suggests Sony's God of War studio is working on a second project [VGC]

Vava 4K UHD Laser Projector | $2,380 | Amazon | Promo Code 15KINJA1320

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Finally, 2021 is here, and with it, so much television to look forward to. In fact, there’s so much, we’re breaking down our big new year preview of sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and superhero shows into three massive parts! Ready for part one?

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In the latest video from YouTube’s DK Creations (via NintendoLife), long-time video game artist Kev Bayliss shows off original sketches from Rare’s Donkey Kong Country, and talks about how he transformed Nintendo’s original cartoon ape from 2D villain to 3D-rendered platform hero.

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There are no plans for Fall Guys to come to any form of Gamepass.

Opera has confirmed the purchase of GameMaker Studio creator YoYo Games, and explained the deal will form the basis for a new video game division called Opera Gaming. ...

The European Commission has fined Valve and five major publishers a combined €7.8 million for breaching EU antitrust rules. ...

Currencies are the pillar of any F2P in-game economy. But what types of currencies are out there, and which ones does your game need? ...

Update 21/01/2021: Valve have responded to the European Commission’s claims, saying they disagree with the Commission’s findings and the fine they’ve been issued. Read their full statement below. Original story from 20/01/2021.

Valve and a handful of game publishers have landed themselves in hot water with the European Commision for geo-blocking Steam keys in certain regions in Europe. The Steam owners, along with Bandai Namco, Capcom, Focus Home, Koch Media and ZeniMax (Bethesda’s parent company), have been collectively fined €7.8 million (around £6.9 million) for “breaching EU antitrust rules”.

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You've got to really be into your Elder Scrolls lore to want to splash out $1000 on one of these: a 10K gold Ritual of Mara ring.

Bethesda added the ring to its US merch store (it's not on the European store), priced $1000 as a made-to-order, limited time offer that is only available until 14th February 2021. That's Valentine's Day!

Here's the official blurb:

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Fortnite's Champion Series (FNCS), the game's pinnacle competitive series, will dole out a staggering $20m total prize money in 2021.

Players will continue to compete in a cross-platform pool with weekly qualifiers, then semi-finals and finals played out on separate weekends to manage player fatigue.

The first three weekly qualifiers will take place in the first three weeks of February, with semi-finals in the first week of March and finals the week after.

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An astonishing demo build for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has turned up fresh details on early ideas for Nintendo's N64 masterpiece - such as Link being able to turn into his fairy Navi.

The demo in question was found on an old N64 development cartridge used to hold Nintendo racer F-Zero X. On further inspection, files relating to a 1997 Zelda demo build were also found, partly saved-over but some very much still intact.

Details have now been excitedly shared by the Forest of Illusion Twitter account, which is dedicated to preserving lost bits of Nintendo history. There's a lot to see.

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Alongside today's release of Hitman 3 is a welcome bonus - a mode that allows you to play through the entirety of IO's World of Assassination trilogy in virtual reality. That it works at all is a wonder, but there are a handful of caveats along the way, so here I'll run through what's good, what's not so good and whether it's worth investing for the VR experience alone.

If you didn't already know, Hitman VR is currently an exclusive for PSVR on PS4 (a timed exclusive, it would seem, though we don't know when exactly other headsets will be supported). If you own any of the Hitman trilogy games on PS5, you will only be able to play them in VR if you download and run the PS4 version of the game. And, if you are playing on PS5, you will need the PS5 PSVR adapter in order to get your headset working on that console. It's a faff, but you can claim the adapter for free from Sony - although it typically takes a couple of weeks to arrive.

UPDATE: Valve has issued Eurogamer with a statement disputing the European Commission's claims and vowing to appeal.

A Valve spokesperson told Eurogamer: "During the seven year investigation, Valve cooperated extensively with the European Commission ("EC"), providing evidence and information as requested. However, Valve declined to admit that it broke the law, as the EC demanded. Valve disagrees with the EC findings and the fine levied against Valve.

"The EC's charges do not relate to the sale of PC games on Steam - Valve's PC gaming service. Instead the EC alleges that Valve enabled geo-blocking by providing Steam activation keys and - upon the publishers' request - locking those keys to particular territories ("region locks") within the EEA. Such keys allow a customer to activate and play a game on Steam when the user has purchased it from a third-party reseller. Valve provides Steam activation keys free of charge and does not receive any share of the purchase price when a game is sold by third-party resellers (such as a retailer or other online store).

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It’s only been a week since Valorant’s Episode 2 introduced a brand new Agent, battle pass season, and a bunch more content, but developer Riot Games is already rolling out a new patch. Patch 2.1 is a pretty substantial one, too, completely overhauling one of the game’s most defender-heavy maps.

Split is known for its tight hallways and sharp corners, which makes it a tricky map to control as an attacking team. That’s prompted Riot to redesign several different areas in the hope of rebalancing its dynamic to reduce the defending advantage.

Riot explains:

“This Split update is focused around improving attacker options on the map, as well as reducing 50/50 checks, the depth of certain corners, and opening specific areas on the map by increasing chokepoint widths.”

Here’s a slide-show highlighting all the new changes:

Fall Guys isn’t coming to Xbox Game Pass despite the service’s official Instagram page recently suggesting it would be. That’s according to publisher Devolver Digital, who shut down speculation in a Twitter thread earlier today.

The Verge’s Tom Warren was the first to spotlight Game Pass’s Instagram reply, which in turn prompted Devolver Digital’s response.

Fall Guys is coming to Xbox Game Pass, according to the official Xbox Game Pass Instagram account https://t.co/r4fiWwqbmZ pic.twitter.com/wZLIuAyFFB

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) January 20, 2021

The publisher replied a short time later, then clarified explicitly that there was absolutely no plan in the works to bring Fall Guys to Microsoft’s subscription service.

There are no plans for Fall Guys to come to any form of Gamepass.

— Devolver Digital (@devolverdigital) January 20, 2021

Many Sony fans have been anxiously awaiting a chance to nab an elusive PlayStation 5 but low stock and scalpers have made that task exceedingly difficult. Instead of lying low and quietly having no scruples, one scalping group is publicly boasting about securing another 2,000 PS5 units during a recent GAME restock to flip for $1,000+. 

The UK scalping group goes by the name Carnage, and they took to Twitter to brag about securing stock getting "easier every time" as they boast a recent 2,000 system haul. The "easier" comment is uniquely gouache considering many are scrambling to get just one system as groups like these continue making these highly desired consoles incredibly inaccessible on a financial level. Still, it's not unexpected given the very nature of scalping, to begin with, and it's not illegal and many retailers aren't doing enough to prevent it. Unfortunately, this practice will continue to be a reality until the retail process changes on a fundamental level. 

The Twitter not-so-humble brag predictably was met with backlash, causing the account to go private. But, the internet is forever and the below screenshot was provided via TheGamer: 

We knew The Predator was coming because of a few recent quests; and because nearly all Fornite info can be datamined, we knew it was coming on January 20.

This past week Epic invited players to locate a crashed ship in an area that was rife with the creature's classic clicking sounds. Amid rewards of a very Predator persuasion, it was obvious that the character was coming at some point. Now we know exactly what he looks like in-game thanks to a new blog post and a trailer, which you can catch below.

Having the prerequisites done for some time, I updated Fortnite and jumped in to see what the rest of the hubbub involved.

The Predator is part of the battle pass (so you'll need that), and all you need to do to unlock him is take him out in Sneaky Stronghold in battle royale (he's typically in the northwest corner near his ship).

As of tomorrow, there will be one less legend at the hallowed halls of Nintendo. Takaya Imamura, who worked as a prolific designer, producer, and director for the developer, will leave the company today after 32 long years of service.

"Today is my last day coming to work," Imamura said this morning on Facebook (as translated by Gematsu) "I took a selfie with the empty office building. It feels pretty sad to think about not coming here anymore… Hats off to myself for 32 years of hard work!"

I'm sure any Nintendo devotee would gladly join Imamura in his self-congratulatory wishes. The 54-year-old joined Nintendo back in 1989 as a graphic artist, designing the vehicles and pilots for anti-gravity racer F-Zero, including Captain Falcon. But perhaps Imamura's lasting legacy will be his work on the Star Fox franchise, as he is responsible for the design of its lead hero, Fox McCloud, alongside numerous other characters.

[Update: And it's out! You can head to this massive landing page just for the demo, which features links to the PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Switch, and Xbox platforms.

Here's the gist from the main site: "The Immortals Fenyx Rising demo sends Fenyx on a quest to discover the mysterious Secret of the Cyclops after Zeus wrests narration away from Prometheus. Set in a new archipelago inspired by Aphrodite, the goddess of love, the demo features a mix of combat, exploration, and puzzles designed to prime players for the full Immortals Fenyx Rising experience."

In other words, it's basically the Stadia Pro exclusive demo that debuted a few months back.]

Immortals Fenyx Rising came out over a month ago and I still see people on the fence, or stewing about whether or not to pick it up. A demo would help!

Doubly so for Immortals, which for some has scratched an open world itch that has been lingering for a long while; or for same, fails to sate that same need due to an over-reliance on standard Ubisoft open world tropes. The choice is yours! The truth may lie somewhere in the middle.

So about that demo: the Twitter account PSN releases scrapped the PSN, and found that a demo (with a legit ID) was coming to the European digital marketplace via PS4. Now Ubisoft could easily roll this demo out to the PS5, or platforms outside of Sony's purview. If that's the case, there's going to be a lot of happy people pretty soon! This game practically begs for a demo run.

PSN releases [Twitter]

Destiny 2 has always primarily been, and will likely always remain, a multiplayer game best experienced with kind strangers or old friends. But occasionally there have been times where the loot shooter has invited and even encouraged players to see what troublesome fun they can get up to on their own, and the latest…

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The Japanese Nintendo eShop and PlayStation Store now offer a pretty sizable Disgaea 6 demo that introduces folks to Zed, Cerberus, and Ivar.

The post Disgaea 6 Demo Debuts in Japan appeared first on Siliconera.

Quebec's Lambert Avocat Inc. filed to kick off a Joy-Con drift class action suit, and it's now waiting for a judge's approval to move forward.

The post Quebec Joy-Con Class Action Suit Application Filed appeared first on Siliconera.

Dive into despair with this new mystery maze event.

The post Super Danganronpa 2 The Mystery Maze Event to Celebrate Series 10th Anniversary appeared first on Siliconera.

Not one, not two, but four people can take part in Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury Captain Toad multiplayer sessions.

The post 4 Player Captain Toad Multiplayer Added in Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury appeared first on Siliconera.

Engage your transformation sequence!

The post Fate/Grand Order Adds Miyu to Its Prisma Ilya Crossover Event appeared first on Siliconera.

Illustrated numerous games in 32 years with Nintendo, including classics Star Fox and F-Zero

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Out there ... past them trees ... in the Chapter 2 Season 5 Battle Pass

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