July 2021

Forza Motorsport 7 is driving off into the sunset in September. Turn 10 Studios have announced that Motorsport 7 is reaching its "end of life" status, which mostly means they're removing any way for you to buy it. It's a routine part of the Forza game lifecyle, they explain, so they've got plans in place for current owners to keep playing online and Xbox Game Pass folks to snag a permanent copy.

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I would be a terrible potion barterer because I simply cannot be coy about cool things. On that note, crafting and haggling sim Potion Craft is excellent. If you happened to miss giving it a shot when it showed up in the Steam Festival from February, not to worry. Potion Craft has just brewed up a new playtest that you can tackle for the next two weeks with all sorts of new characters and its mysterious alchemy machine.

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Former Blizzard employee, ArenaNet co-founder, and Undead Labs founder Jeff Strain has written an open letter to his employees and the game industry at large, urging them to unionize. ...

A number of current and former Activision Blizzard employees have been sharing their stories publicly since Wednesday's walkout and protest. ...

Today third-party developers had a lot of fresh news to share about upcoming add-ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

First of all, Synaptic Simulations took to its discord server to show off progress on the modeling done for the flight deck and fuselage of its Airbus A220.

We also get a video providing an update on the systems and avionics.

Earlier today, Dark Point Games announced in a Twitter post that their first game, Achilles: Legends Untold, is in development.

Taken from Greek Mythology, you play Achilles, the hero of the Trojan War. With the help of the god of blacksmiths, Hephaestus, Achilles must forge new weaponry throughout his journey. He is tasked by Hades with executing Aries, the god of war.

This mission will force him to venture through mythological lands to fight warriors, beasts, and demigods to prepare himself to take on the god of war. Gameplay centers around hack-and-slash elements, taking inspiration from games like Dark Souls and Diablo, as you’ll battle monsters and other enemies in this isometric action RPG,

The announcement comes with a reveal trailer showcasing the gameplay, story, and co-op functions, all of which you can see below.

One of the best moments of Pokémon Red and Blue is finally obtaining the bicycle. Quickly speeding across the world you spent hours trudging across on foot feels liberating and you appreciate it as much as any of your pocket monsters. Well, what if I told you that The Pokémon Company is giving away a real-life version of that bike? That's right it could be yours … as long as you live in Japan.

As spotted by Kotaku, The Pokémon Company is celebrating reaching one million Twitter followers by creating a replica of Generation 1’s bicycle. While garnering a million fans is a big deal, that number has dual significance. It directly references the in-game price tag of the bike, which fans likely remember stood at 1,000,000 Poké-monies (or whatever Pokémon currency is called). Since players’ wallets were capped at 999,999, it was literally impossible to purchase and could only be obtained by trading a bike voucher earned earlier in the game.

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The games industry is in a moment of reckoning. Over the past few weeks, a series of damning reports have shed details about the culture of harassment experienced by women at the hands of big gaming companies like Ubisoft and Activision Blizzard.

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Well...shit.

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Today Square Enix announced that the previously-showcased job icon for the new Sage job in the upcoming Final Fantasy XIV expansion Endwalker has been changed.

Apparently, the old design (which you can find here, at your own risk in cause you’re affected) was found disturbing by users affected by Trypophobia, which is the aversion to the sight of irregular patterns or clusters of small holes or bumps.

Today we learn directly from producer and director Naoki Yoshida that the design has been changed to what you can see above.

Below you can read the full message:

Regarding the Sage Job Icon

Now then, I’d like to share some news regarding the icon for the new sage job, which was recently revealed on the Endwalker special site.

When we released new details for sage and reaper on the special site, we also included their icons, not thinking that they were particularly big reveals. However, we soon received feedback from players all over the world, who told us that the sage icon made them uncomfortable or fearful.

This aversion is known as trypophobia, and those who have it feel disgust and fear when they see clusters of small holes or bumps. The severity of the reaction varies between people, and what triggers it in some may not do so in others.

The weather has broken in spectacular style, with a lot of huge thunderstorms. Portentious indeed! Fortunately this weekend the only things I can see in our future are a buncha fun video games. Wahey!

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343 has issued a Halo Infinite spoiler warning after "unintentionally" including campaign files in the preview build that was made available this week.

THERE ARE NO HALO INFINITE SPOILERS IN THIS ARTICLE.

Halo Infinite's tech preview build went live yesterday for a limited number of fans across Xbox and PC, and it didn't take long for people to poke around in the files.

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More allegations about Activision Blizzard have emerged this week following the recent lawsuit filed by the State of California alleging pervasive discrimination and harassment against women at the World of Warcraft maker.

More than 2000 current and former Activision Blizzard employees signed a petition calling the company's response to the recent discrimination lawsuit "abhorrent and insulting".

Activision Blizzard's initial public comment on the lawsuit was to strongly deny its claims. An email then sent to staff by Activision Blizzard executive Fran Townsend, who was the assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism to George W. Bush from 2004 to 2008, has been heavily criticised by staff.

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The developer of recently-released cyberpunk-themed RPG-shooter The Ascent has said it's working on a fix after players discovered the PC version lacks DLSS and ray tracing on Game Pass, but not Steam.

The Ascent, published by Curve Digital and developed by Neon Giant, came out this week (check out our review to see what we thought) on PC and Xbox One and Xbox Series X and S, with a day-one launch on Xbox Game Pass.

Players soon discovered the Game Pass version lacks some of the graphics features of the Steam version. Specifically, the Game Pass version does not support Nvidia's DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) tech, and ray tracing simply doesn't work.

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Every Pokemon is interesting and worth talking about. I don’t play a ton of Pokemon, but I do enjoy the universe and I love learning more about the creatures in it. So, Here’s Another Pokemon! It’s Gengar!

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Who's a good guard dog? Hayatarou is!

The post SMT V Hayatarou Will Support and Protect Your Party appeared first on Siliconera.

Bungie and Ubisoft recently filed a lawsuit against the people who it claims are running Ring-1, a website that makes and sells cheats for various games like Destiny 2, PUBG, and Rainbow Six Siege. Both companies allege multiple offenses including copyright infringement and are seeking potentially hundreds of…

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The Resident Evil series is arguably the most successful and popular video game horror franchise of all time. It’s spawned more movies, spin-offs, and comics than I can count, and has easily cemented itself in mainstream pop culture as “those zombie games with dogs.” But not all Resident Evil games are amazing. So the…

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Visitors can try out siege battles from both offensive and defensive sides.

The post Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires ChinaJoy Demo Showed Siege Battles appeared first on Siliconera.

Confirmed Servants that will have swimsuits are Achilles and Leonardo da Vinci.

The post Fate/Grand Order Summer Event 2021 Will Launch in September appeared first on Siliconera.

Horizon Forbidden West hasn't been announced for PC, but it's surely only a matter of time. Perhaps more time than before: Bloomberg report that the robo-dino murder 'em up has been delayed into 2022.

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Halo Infinite's technical preview is running this weekend, letting some players get their hands on with the game's multiplayer for the first time. It turns out, however, that 343 "unintentionally" left a few campaign files in the preview, and data miners have already spat details of Infinite's story on to the internet.

There are no spoilers in this story, however.

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Microsoft has shown off Age of Empires 4 naval warfare in a brief new video, and it's certainly got the series' fans talking.

The video, below, offers a glimpse at the game's the naval units without showing actual gameplay.

In truth, the video doesn't tell us much at all about naval warfare in Age of Empires 4, but we do get a look at the ships and the water.

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Compile Heart updated the official website of Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars, known as “Senran Nin Nin Ninja Taisen Neptunia: Shojo-Tachi no Kyoen” in Japan, releasing three new screenshots and a bit of additional gameplay information.

The screenshots feature an event scene starring Asuka and “Shinobipic,” which is basically the in-game equivalent of a social network where you can find many ninja characters and read their posts. You can interact with them, enjoy their stories, and even unlock events, quests, and items, so it’s important to talk on Shinobipic actively.

You can find the screenshots below.

Atlus is continuing to release daily trailers focusing on the over 200+ demons of its upcoming JRPG Shin Megami Tensei V.

Marvel and Netmarble released a new and extensive video of the upcoming “AAA” open-world mobile game Marvel Future Revolution.

The video focuses on the game’s settings, its open world, its backstory, and its multiple explorable regions inspired by various Marvel properties.

You can watch it below.

Marvel Future Revolution is coming for iOS and Android on August 25, with pre-registration already open. You can also check out the recent big reveal, our interview with the developers, and the first live gameplay featuring Spider-Man.

In case you’re unfamiliar with the game, here’s an official description and a set of bullet points to catch you up with what it’ll offer.

The PC cushion armrest can be detached from the plush, and features patterns from various characters in the Demon Slayer series.

The post Demon Slayer Nezuko PC Cushion Can Help You Relax and Focus appeared first on Siliconera.

D3 Publisher has announced that an Earth Defense Force 4.1 Nintendo Switch port will be launching in 2022. The announcement was made at the end of a promotional trailer for the upcoming Earth Defense Force 3 similarly coming to the Nintendo Switch on October 14, 2021. [Thanks, Famitsu!] Originally released as Earth Defense Force 2025 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2013, D3 Publisher later remastered the game for the PlayStation 4 and PC in 2016. The remastered version, titled Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair, included a new expansion in addition to the original base game. […]

The post Earth Defense Force 4.1 Nintendo Switch Port Aims to Launch in 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.

Median XL is one of the oldest and most popular mods for Diablo 2 - and it's still being updated. A trailer was released last night for Sigma 2.0, the mod's "largest engine and content patch." It'll bring new skills, progression changes, endgame content, and quality-of-life features including a revamped UI, colour blind mode, and 4K rescaling.

You can find the trailer below ahead of its August 27th release.

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The only good Sonic game is Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, a fun kart racer which also featured tracks and characters from other Sega games. On PC, that included the unlikely mashup of a Total War shogunate and Football Manager's Manager Man.

I am therefore here for the similarly unlikely mashup of Sonic and Two Point Hospital, a free pack for the hospital management sim that lets you dress your staff as Sonic, Amy, Tails and Knuckles and pepper your hallway with Sonic statues. Watch the trailer below.

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An otome dating visual novel? I've nothing against the genre, but it's not for me.

And yet, and yet, I keep re-watching the launch trailer and reading the Steam page for Bustafellows. Murder mystery? I love those. Puzzles and interactive narrative based in part around a time travel mechanic? Sounds neat. Lush art and a jazzy soundtrack? I'm all over it.

I definitely want the game these words make me imagine, but I've been duped before. Check out the trailer below and tell me I'm wrong.

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Esports Boxing Club (ESBC) is delayed, its developers have announced.

The impressive-looking boxing game, which we covered in March after its gameplay reveal trailer caught the eye, was set to launch in early access form this summer. This will now not happen.

In a new video, below, Sheffield-based developer Steel City Interactive showed an updated look at gameplay, running through its various mechanics, control system for evasion, combat and combinations, with all the dodging, weaving, blocking and slips you'd expect from a boxing sim.

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The Japanese arm of Bandai Namco released a large gallery of screenshots and more information about its upcoming cross-generation JRPG Tales of Arise.

We get to see the new skits in 3D the let you discover different sides of the personality of each character. Not only they will portray any costume and accessories worn by your characters, but we also see how they showcase the time and pace when and where they happen.

Cutscenes are both in-engine and anime-style. The anime cutscenes underline the most important moments of the story.

Then we have the skits mentioned above, and the banter happening both in battle and while exploring. During battles, the banter lines can even provide hints about enemy weak points and how to beat them.

There is also a quest system that will allow players to meet people from all over the game’s world and help them with their concerns.

The camping feature not only lets you recover HP and CP but also deepens the bonds among the party. You can do it at dedicated bonfires around the world. While camping, you can cook and each character has their own specialties. By letting them cook what they like, you can see special skits. Of course, different recipes also grant different special effects for the following day.

You can even take care of a farm, where you can grow many ingredients that will be used for cooking. You can fish, and Kisara is specifically a fishing enthusiast.

You can catch unique fish at different fishing spots and you can keep track of your records.

There are a couple of collecting elements. One prompts you to find all of Hootle’s friends hiding in towns and friends. They will return to Owl Forest and grant you the accessory they carry.

Dohalim’s hobby is collecting artifacts, and when you find one he’ll share information and his thoughts about it.

Today, third-party developers had airport news to share about upcoming add-ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

First of all, we learn from Axonos that Jackson Hole Airport (KJAC) releases tomorrow at 08:00 AM UTC.

Being the only commercial airport in the United States located within a national park, it’s certainly going to be home to scenic approaches.

You can find a few pictures below to wet your appetite.

The ongoing lawsuit against Activision Blizzard has made public some truly terrible and horrendous behavior that occurred across multiple studios and offices. Many women were allegedly sexually harassed, assaulted, and psychologically traumatized while the folks in power at the companies involved seemingly did little…

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The statue is part of a collaborative effort between the government and Shueisha to revitalize the prefecture after a devastating earthquake in 2016.

The post Kumamoto Prefecture Unveils One Piece Bronze Nami Statue as Part of Revitalization Project appeared first on Siliconera.

Though all the properties are now ninjas and houses and hotels are onigiri and ramen bowls, Naruto Monopoly is fairly traditional.

The post Naruto Monopoly Involves Recruiting (and Feeding) Characters appeared first on Siliconera.

Halo Infinite launched its multiplayer technical preview this week in limited fashion: all you can do is play against bots - but these bots are no pushover.

Halo Infinite is the franchise's first foray into the world of multiplayer bots, and developer 343 is using the technical preview to gather feedback on bot behaviour and online performance. To that end, the technical preview debuted with the Bot Arena playlist, which puts four players against four bots on arena maps.

The technical preview launched with bots that felt pretty easy, and last night I won every game against them. But while I slept, 343 pushed an update that added ODST difficulty bots and a new map, Recharge. And I am here to report these ODST bots are not messing about.

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Japanese developer YuzuSoft is known mostly for its eroge, but it just launched an all-age brand named YuzuSoft Sour, which will soon debut with the first visual novel.

The game is titled Parquet and it’s actually coming right away in English on August 27 for PC via Steam, published by NekoNyan.

Below you can check out the first trailer, screenshots, and an official description from the publisher.