A lot of online games announce ban numbers from time to time. It’s a nice little piece of PR to let players know that they’re at least trying to keep the playing field level. Yet PUBG Mobile’s latest ban tally made me do an old-timey cartoon double-take, giant bulging eyes and all.
Lord of Hell and homophobes’ worst fucking nightmare Lil Nas X turned heads at yesterday’s BET Awards in an ensemble that may have had references to characters from Naruto.
Spike Chunsoft opened up a teaser website for a new game, and it involves solving puzzles on Nine Eyes TV screens to discover a password.
The post Spike Chunsoft Teaser Site for New Game Appears appeared first on Siliconera.
All Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can now play Game Pass games through iOS devices and PC via the cloud, Microsoft announced on Monday.
Game Pass Ultimate members can stream over 100 games from the service’s catalog directly through their browser on either Windows 10 PC or Apple’s mobile devices by going to xbox.com/play and signing in from Microsoft Edge, Chrome, or Safari browsers. Streaming games is no additional charge for subscribers and is available in 22 countries.
Microsoft initially launched an app for its Project xCloud game streaming on Android last September and was planned for iOS until Apple blocked game streaming apps from its App Store. Apple did revise its store guidelines to allow game streaming as long as each game was its own app and was subjected to App Store review, but Microsoft announced last December that game streaming would be available through browsers and launched a beta last April.
The company said that Xbox Cloud Gaming would now be powered by “custom Xbox Series X hardware,” offering faster load times and streaming up to 1080p and 60 FPS. The company also announced it expanded the “Designed for Xbox” mobile accessory label to three more products: the Backbone One, the Razer Kishi Universal Gaming Controller for iOS, and the OtterBox Power Swap Controller Batteries.
After a Bidoof-filled weekend in Pokemon GO, the fun will continue throughout the week and reach its conclusion this Thursday. But today, Niantic announced another handful of other features focused on the Plump Mouse Pokemon and other bonuses will become available on July 1 between 10 AM and 8 PM local time.
As you may have noticed, Bidoof are appearing more often in the wild. On top of that, they’re also learning new attacks (Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, Shadow Ball) and there will even be a special GO Battle League Cup focused on the Pokemon. During the time specified above, the Bidoof Cup will be available. And as you might suspect, you’ll only be able to use Bidoof in this PvP mode.
The other leagues and cups will still be available at the same time, but keep in mind that the Bidoof Cup is only around for a limited time.
Even more absurd is that Bidoof will be replacing all raids during this time. Level one, three, and five raids will only contain Bidoof and Mega raids will temporarily be suspended. This marks the first time that a non-Legendary Pokemon will be featured in a level five raid.
Also, Niantic mentioned that Bidoof will be appearing in the wild at an incredibly high rate. However, the numbers for spawn frequency and amount of Bidoof is still a mystery.
You may also notice that the Bidoof you pick up will have the FIghting-type attack Superpower. This will be a great move to have for the Bidoof Cup since it’s super effective against Normal-types.
What’s more, Team GO Rocket Grunts will even be getting in on the fun with an even further increased amount of Shadow Bidoof appearing in their teams.
Minecraft Alpha 1.11, a rare version of the gargantuanly popular game, has been unearthed thanks to one longtime user who tweeted about it in 2011. ...
Board games had a very bad 2020, with the industry hit hard by Covid thanks to manufacturing issues and the fact people literally couldn’t get together to play. Things were looking slightly up for 2021, until freight shipping prices just decided to fire themselves into space.
Today Spike Chunsoft opened a teaser site for what’s likely to be a new game.
The site, titled “Nine Eyes TV” includes a set of puzzles that translate into the code-name “Nirvana Initiative.”
Inserting that in the box at the bottom of the page leads to a countdown in minutes and seconds that translates into just under 48 hours from the moment of this writing.
The description of the site reads “Who created this puzzle, and more importantly, can you solve it?” which may indicate the involvement of a well-known game development.
Given the hints and the imagery, my money would be on a game by Zero Escape director Kotaro Uchikoshi, who recently left Spike Chunsoft to launch his own studio Too Kyo Games, but has continued to work with his former employer and launched AI: The Somnium Files in 2019.
Interestingly, the source of the result page indicates a redirect to the url “https://www.spike-chunsoft.co.jp/ai-nirvana/en” which at the moment is empty, but could indicate a sequel for AI: The Somnium Files (Thanks for the tip: Trey Allen).
That being said, that’s just my speculation, so take it with the customary grain of salt.
Tokyo-based Spike Chunsoft is known for a variety of games that range from the traditional to the rather quirky, and is perhaps most famous for the Danganronpa series.
Its latest published game is Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- The Prophecy of the Throne, which released earlier this year.
Kadokawa Games has released a new video, a new image, and new details about its upcoming strategy simulation JRPG Relayer.
Thanks to this new serving of assets, we learn more about the star child Uranus (whom we get to see in her infirmary) and we hear from her voice actress, Kumi Sakuma.
From the tweets, we learn that Uranus is the doctor aboard the hypergravity starship Asterism. She is a skilled doctor despite the fact that she’s actually unlicensed, and her duties range from taking care of the health of the other Star Children to treating Terra’s memory loss. She is quite lovable, albeit she can be fussy about money.
Speaking of Sakuma-san, you may know her for her roles as Momo Hinamori in Bleach, Reia Hiruda in Shining Wind, Ciel in Melty Blood, and more.
You can check everything out below.
When it comes to game design, few come close to the folks over at Nintendo. Throughout the years, the Japanese gaming giant has given us plenty of awesome experiences, and have influenced even more game designers looking to make their mark on the industry. With Game Builder Garage, the gates are opened even wider, as Nintendo unleashes a potent and accessible video game development software on the Nintendo Switch.
This is not exactly the first time that Nintendo has allowed players to go wild with their own creations. The likes of Super Mario Maker, its sequel, and the Nintendo Labo VR Kit offered varying tastes of game development. However, they all pale in comparison when stacked up against the capabilities of Game Builder Garage.
Instead of keeping creators in a lane that is restricted by genre, Game Builder Garage gives players the keys to a world full of possibilities. Do you want to make platformers? You most certainly can. Perhaps a shooter or even a puzzle game is more your wheelhouse, that can be done as well. Whatever game type you can think of, it is highly likely that you can make it possible in this environment. The only caveat is that you have to figure out the logic to make everything work in unison to make your vision come alive.
Today Marvel and Netmarble had a big reveal to make about it’s upcoming AAA open-world mobile game Marvel Future Revolution.
First of all, we learn that pre-registration opens globally right now for both iOS and Android. The actual release date remains to be announced.
First of all, below you can take a look at the story trailer.
The second video below showcaeses the locations that you will be able to visit in the game at its release.
Hello! All this week Eurogamer is celebrating Pride with a series of stories examining the confluence of LGBT+ communities and play in its many different forms, from video games and tabletop games through to live-action role-play. Next up, Sharang examines the way players are using video games to explore the potential of a queerer future.
When we talk about videogames as "escapism", we tend to focus on provenance: we're escaping from the humdrum of our jobs, our obligations, the petty horrors that fill modern life. Seldom do we focus on destination. Where are we escaping to? Is it actually a better world than the one we're attempting to leave behind? Videogames can offer us worlds we might like to live in; can they offer us worlds we can live in? And particularly for queer people, what does that world look like?
In Tracing Utopia, a documentary that premiered in the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2021, filmmakers Nick Tyson and Catarina de Sousa question a group of queer teenagers about their vision of a queer utopia. The responses are varied. Better access to mental healthcare, queer history in schools, desegregated bathrooms... "My idea of a perfect world is a forest," chimes in one teen.
"Another major draw for us was the ability of sound to create a deep sense of immersion quite different from what is possible with graphics," say the developers of Blind Drive. ...
Earlier today, Marvel Games and Netmarble opened pre-registrations for their upcoming AAA open-world mobile game Marvel Future Revolution.
To learn more, Twinfinite had a chat with Marvel Games head of creative Bill Rosemann, Marvel Games director of production Danny Koo, Netmarble US president Simon Sim, and Netmarble executive producer Joe Lee.
Q: You said you have new content planned post-release, and it’s doubtless that mobile free-to-play games pretty much live or die on the pacing of content drops. What kind of cadence do you have in mind?
A: I think it’s going to have to vary, but I don’t want players to be waiting too long. I would say a nice beat of 5-6 weeks would be what I’d call a nice cadence.
Q: Especially in Korea, I’ve seen many mobile games that launch both on smartphones and PC. Are you considering expanding to PC as well, or maybe even consoles? This kind of visuals wouldn’t look bad at all on PlayStation, Xbox, or Switch.
A: We get that a lot! (laughs)
Q: Of course you do! (laughs)
Konami has announced Contra Returns, a new game in the veteran run-and-gun series exclusively for mobile devices.
It's developed by TiMi Studio, the Tencent subsidiary behind mobile game behemoths Call of Duty: Mobile and Honor of Kings. Contra Returns is due out 26th July on the Google Play and Apple Store.
Konami said Contra Returns offers "an authentic new take" on the series. Expect over 200 levels, new game modes including One Live Mode, and 1v1 and 3v3 modes.
Razer's brand new Blade 15 Base gaming laptop, equipped with an RTX 3070 graphics card, normally costs £2050. Today though, you can pick up this model for just £1399 at Amazon. That's a great deal for a compact yet powerful laptop that's also equipped with a 10th-gen Core i7 processor and a high-res 2560x1440 165Hz display, backed with 512GB of NVMe SSD storage and 16GB of RAM.
Looking at the Blade 15's price history (below), you can see that this model was selling for £1949 as recently as June 6th, before a series of price cuts has knocked the laptop down significantly - including one extra £100 reduction as of today. That means you're saving more than £600 on this laptop compared to its current price at the Razer Store - one heck of a good deal.
Reviews of this model have been glowingly positive, with reviewers noting the increase in clarity provided by the 2560x1440 screen compared to the usual 1080p displays we see at this screen size. I've tested a similar screen on the Zephyrus G15 and came away very impressed indeed with the sharpness of text and just how good games like Call of Duty Warzone looked.
Microsoft has now made Xbox Cloud Gaming widely available on PC and iPhones.
What was once called Project xCloud is now available to all Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members with Windows 10 PCs and Apple phones and tablets, via browser, in 22 countries, Microsoft said.
Ultimate members (it costs £10.99-a-month) can go to Xbox.com/play on Microsoft Edge, Chrome or Safari on a PC or mobile device to start over 100 games from the Xbox Game Pass library.
Microsoft has launched Xbox Cloud Gaming (a.k.a. Project xCloud) on iOS and PC in 22 countries. ...
The Tokyo Olympics kicks off next month in Japan. To promote the games, iconic characters like Sailor Moon, Astro Boy, and Naruto have been enlisted.
Though it’s still in beta, Xbox Cloud Gaming is now available for everyone subscribing to Games Pass Ultimate on the PC. The cloud streaming service has previously been closed off, but if you have the top-tier subscription you can play over 100 console games in your browser without any additional downloads. If you don't have that sub, you can grab three months for £1 right now.
Windows 11 is still in the workshop as engineers tinker with its rounded corners and Android app support, but if you're a Windows Insider, you can give the preview build a whirl right now.
However, there is still no word of an official English release for this port.
The post Visual Novel Air to Release on Nintendo Switch in September appeared first on Siliconera.
Brought to you by Mondstadt Tourism.
The post Kaeya and Klee of Genshin Impact Film a Mondstadt Tourism Video appeared first on Siliconera.
Sony has bought Returnal developer Housemarque.
The Helsinki, Finland-based studio becomes the latest developer within the PlayStation Studios first-party operation. Terms were not disclosed.
The addition of Housemarque, which has created a string of PlayStation exclusives including Super Stardust HD, Resogun and, most recently, PlayStation 5-exclusive Returnal, "enhances the creative force of PlayStation Studios", Hermen Hulst, head of Worldwide Studios at Sony Interactive Entertainment, said in a post on the PlayStation Blog.
Don't be afraid to put voice into your game. I'll show you how to do it cheaply and get exceptional results by running a professional casting call yourself. ...
"After more than 15 years of successfully collaborating, we†re excited to amplify our potential even further and join PlayStation Studios." ...
Earlier today, a 48-second, live-action clip appeared on Pokémon’s official Japanese YouTube channel, featuring traditional Japanese crafts, culminating with a Metapod made from grasses. Then, tantalizingly, “Coming soon.”
Rumors have been swirling since last week that Sucker Punch’s acclaimed Ghost of Tsushima open-world action game is set to receive a new content expansion, and a newly discovered ESRB rating for a Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut suggests this they may very well have been accurate.
Interestingly, the Director’s Cut is rated for both PS5 and PS4, so the critically acclaimed game is likely making the jump to the next-generation console.
Here’s the description from the ESRB:
This is an action game in which players assume the role of a samurai (Jin Sakai) on a quest for vengeance against Mongol invaders in 13th century Japan. Players traverse open-world environments, interact with characters, complete quests (e.g., assassinations), and infiltrate enemy strongholds. Players use samurai swords, poison darts, and arrows to battle enemies in third-person melee-style combat. Some attacks result in dismemberment/decapitation of enemy soldiers, often accompanied by large blood-splatter effects. Players can also perform assassination kills (e.g., neck stabbing, sword impalement) to dispatch enemies quietly. Cutscenes depict additional acts of intense violence: a soldier lit on fire and beheaded; bound civilians lit on fire and burned at the stake; a decapitated man’s head held up towards the screen. The game also depicts a man’s exposed buttocks as he bathes in a hot spring. The word “sh*t” appears in the game.
Today Sony Interactive Entertainment officially announced the acquisition of Returnal developer Housemarque.
Yet, something a bit less “official” also transpired: the Japanese PlayStation Blog published the same article (translated in Japanese) in terms of text, but with an image disclosing the announcement of Bluepoint’s acquisition.
It’s not just a matter of a mistaken logo as the image also includes an additional reference to the recent Demon’s Souls Remake that Bluepoint Games developed.
You can see the cheeky picture below alongside a screenshot of the article itself and the tweet from Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Twitter account, for good measure.
Atlus has released one more brand new trailer of its upcoming JRPG Shin Megami Tensei V, focusing on one of its 200+ demons.
We get to see the demon Fafnir in action, following the previous videos we saw over the past few days featuring Jack Frost, Fionn mac Cumhaill, Amanozako, Angel, Daimon, Mermaid, Mandrake, Arioch, Kumbhanda, Feng Huang, Inugami, and Turdak.
And yes. If you’re wondering whether we’ll get 200 trailers before the game releases, I am as well.
You can enjoy the trailer below.
Today Genshin Impact developer MiHoYo released another brand new and extensive trailer for the popular action RPG.
The trailer provides an additional look at Kaedehara Kazuha, the new character that will be released for the game tomorrow.
It follows Kazuha’s original promotional video and the second, offering a deep dive into his lethal moves.
You can check out the video below, both in English and Japanese depending on your voice over language of choice.
Incidentally, if you want to learn more about the recent update 1.6, you can check out the original announcement, the first gameplay with plenty of additional info, and the new swimsuits.
As a VR user and a Sniper Elite enjoyererer, I’ve been genuinely looking forward to the upcoming Sniper Elite VR. Immersing my face into a decent open-world stealth game has been a dream of mine since VR started, and the previous two Sniper Elite games have been excellent examples of that type of game. So, yes, I will watch 12 minutes of it in action, thank you very much. I need to know just how much excitement I’ll allow myself to feel.
The latest model Razer Blade 15 Base has been heavily discounted on Amazon, dropping from £2049 to £1499 in a matter of weeks. Today saw another drop of £100, with the laptop now costing just £1399 - an outstanding price for a svelte RTX 3070 laptop with a 2560x1440 165Hz display, 10th-gen Core i7 processor and 512GB of NVMe SSD storage.
Cruelty Squad didn't click with me, not because of its grinning antagonism or brain grating lofi, but because I didn’t find it all that interesting. I’m sort of rooting for it, still, thumbing its leprous nose-cavity at inexplicable Steam bestsellers that won’t be out for six months.
Still, I signed up to have awful soup, made from Clippy’s wire entrails and melted immersive sim floppy disks, spooned on my eyeballs. What I got was a reasonably tense shooter with some extensively labyrinthine level design and, to be fair, a very good shotgun.
In lieu of an offline app, Square Enix will store player archives for Dragon Quest Rivals Ace on a website.
The post Dragon Quest Rivals Ace Will Have an Archive Website Post-Shutdown appeared first on Siliconera.
Capcom will release a series of Monster Hunter Rise acrylic standees featuring characters from Kamura Village.
The post Monster Hunter Rise Acrylic Standees Pre-Orders Open appeared first on Siliconera.
The "final" Gintama film will officially receive Western distribution.
The post Gintama The Very Final Western Release to be Handled by Eleven Arts appeared first on Siliconera.
