January 2022

Yesterday, developer 343 Industries shook up Halo Infinite’s ranked playlist. For the foreseeable future, matches of capture the flag, specifically on the Behemoth map, will no longer appear in the playlist’s rotation, effectively nixing one of the most widely hated maps. Players of the hit multiplayer shooter widely…

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The next Fire Emblem Heroes Mythic Hero banner will begin on January 28, 2022 and add Elimine to the game. She might look unfamiliar to folks. This is because she was only mentioned in Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade and the Japan-exclusive GBA game Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade. (However, she did make a cameo in The Blazing Blade under certain conditions.)

Elimine is a five-star healer in Fire Emblem Heroes. This means she is a colorless unit that uses a staff. She’s also classified as a flier. Her Staff of the Saint offers both buffs and debuffs. Allies within two spaces of her get +6 to their defense and resistance. It also keeps foes from counterattacking when they face her in battle. Enemies in cardinal directions also can’t use select start of turn skill effects. Her default moveset also includes the A/S Far Trace 3 skill with Canto and Nudge+, which can push an ally after healing them.

Here’s her full moveset.

These are the other characters that will be focus units on the banner.

Ghibli Park, a theme park inspired by the works of legendary anime studio Ghibli, will open on November 1, 2022 in Japan. The opening date was announced by Governor of Aichi Prefecture Hideaki Omura, where the park is located, and Studio Ghibli Producer Toshio Suzuki. The announcement was accompanied by photos of the construction site. [Thanks, ANN]

Here's how it looks.
https://twitter.com/ghibliparknet/status/1486560764148154370

The Aichi Tourism Bureau also took the occasion to promote tourism to the area. It shared a promotional video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NygxxFKWTtU

The four-minute trailer called "Play Along with the Wind" shows off areas in Aichi proper. It ends on a visit to Satsuki and Mei's House. The house is an attraction within Ghibli Park that replicates the residence of the characters Satsuki and Mei. They appeared in the Ghibli film My Neighbor Totoro. 

Third-party developers have revealed new assets showing off their upcoming add-ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator on top of a new project.

We start with Pacific Islands Simulation, which shared new screenshots of Incheon International Airport (RKSI) serving the capital of South Korea, Seoul.

The developer has been quiet as issues with the development SDK have caused a temporary halt of work on the airport, but they hope to resume it after the launch of the new world update next week.

Today Rare and Microsoft hosted the Sea of Thieves 2022 preview event providing a look at what you can expect from the game this year.

The developers introduced Adventures, which are story-driven live events that will be released once a month and last about two weeks. They will be part of an overarching storyline, with each Adventure being a new chapter of that story.

Each season will feature a special adventure that will be the finale. The outcome of the story will depend on the players’ actions.

The next reveal is Mysteries which will be longer-running stories that players will have to solve and uncover based on clues provided in and out of the game.

We then get the first look at Season Six, which will introduce sea forts. There will be six, and there players will battle against phantoms and their captains.

We also take a look at the roadmap for 2022, which you can see below.

The year has only just begun, and we're already in a fighting mood. Good thing there are plenty of games lined up in 2022 to compete in and throw down in some brutal battles with friends. From sequels to long-running franchises to surprise newcomers and even some old favorites, the slate of fighting games confirmed for this year are looking great so far. We've put together a list of the best-looking brawlers we know of coming in 2022, organized conveniently in release date order. Without further ado, these are the fighting games we can't wait to play over the next 12 months.

The digital edition of the Elden Ring issue goes live tomorrow at 2 PM CST. At the exact same time, I’ll be heading to the official Game Informer Twitch channel to do a live discussion about everything we saw and played during our nearly 10 hours of hands-on time with From Software’s upcoming dark action RPG. While this obviously comes with a spoiler warning, even with our extensive play session, there are many, many secrets left to discover in Elden Ring – even with the marathon session, I feel like I’ve barely begun to scratch the surface of what Elden Ring has to offer. 

We’ll be talking about mechanics, features, gameplay, environments, and some other big surprises, but From Software has always been quite reserved in what they choose to show off early compared to what’s available in the final game – remember Bloodborne? No one was ready for where that journey would take us! So come hang out, chat, and ask your questions about Elden Ring. While I won’t be able to answer every question, I’ll do my best to facilitate some great conversations about what you can expect diving into Elden Ring. 

In addition to the stream, look forward to a deluge of coverage to hit GameInformer.com soon, including some exclusive video.

Iron Galaxy’s upcoming wrestling-flavored battle royale Rumbleverse has been delayed. The first season was slated to launch on February 15, with an open beta taking place a week prior. 

A new release date has not been announced. Iron Galaxy’s blog post states that the game needs a bit more work, saying, “there’s more we want to do to perfect the experience.” Those who purchased the Early Access Pack will receive refunds. In the meantime, Iron Galaxy does plan to hold a tech test on February 12 that PC players can participate in. 

Rumbleverse debuted during The Game Awards 2021 and is a brawling-centric take on the battle royale. Players control customizable fighters that throw fists, swing steel chairs, and perform wrestling moves such as suplexes and elbow drops instead of using firearms. These grapplers can also scale buildings for added verticality. Rumbleverse is scheduled to launch on PlayStation and Xbox consoles and is an Epic Store exclusive on PC.

With Dying Light 2 Stay Human right around the corner – it hits PlayStation and Xbox consoles and PC on February 4 – we thought now (or rather, 2 p.m. CT) was the perfect time to brush up on our parkour skills. We might kill a couple dozen zombies while we’re at it, too. 

Dying Light was released on January 27, 2015, and in many ways, it took gamers by surprise. It was a new entry in a franchise, which is exciting enough, but it was also released in a period of the year where not many games do. That’s not necessarily the case anymore, but that’s because Techland and Dying Light popularized (or at least strengthened the idea of) the January release, and they did so to great success. 

Mostly, I want people to shut up about NFTs and cryptocurrency and the metaverse and play-to-earn games. Maybe if we turn away and pretend they're not there, it'll all burn out when scammers grow tired of being scammed by other scammers. However, one of the few people I do want to hear talk about it all is Yanis Varoufakis, who was Valve's in-house economist before becoming Greece's finance minister then an MP. In a wonderfully long new interview, he is not impressed by much of the hype, and it is DELIGHTFUL.

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Until recently, Mad Maggie's main claim to fame in Apex Legends was that she had a surprisingly spry 80-year-old mum, and loved to tell people about it. Now we know she'll be emerging from the backstory and joining the playable Legend roster with Season 12 (Defiance), and a new trailer gives us our first look at her rather destructive set of abilities.

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The news here isn’t that IO Interactive—which has historically been reticent in doling out a bevy of publicity screenshots for its hit stealth game, Hitman 3—published a decadent 4K screenshot of suave hero Agent 47 pouring a glass of Argentinian Malbec. No, no, that’s just icing on the cake: IO Interactive is handing…

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IGN has published a new comparison video for Guerrilla Games’ Horizon Forbidden West. The four-minute clip, a rundown of the biggest changes made between the upcoming action-adventure game and 2017's Horizon Zero Dawn, showed how similar the two appear to be side-by-side. One particular moment has a subset of Very…

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A little over 18 months after launch, Ubisoft is calling time on Hyper Scape, its reasonably entertaining entry in the already well-represented free-to-play battle royale genre.

Hyper Scape made its debut in August 2020 after a short PC-only beta, where it was immediately met with a lukewarm reception - Eurogamer called it "as smart as it is generic". Less than three month later, Ubisoft announced it was embarking on a major overhaul of its 100-player battle royale experience so it could reach its "full potential".

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Star Wars 1313 is basically a relic of the past now. It was first announced way back in 2012, and at E3 that year, we got a glimpse of what to expect in the Uncharted-esque bounty hunter title. It looked great, too. 

However, anyone familiar with the history of 1313 knows that 2012 was also the last year that we officially saw the title. Of course, gameplay and details from it have continued to leak over the years and today is another one of those days where we learn something new about it. That’s because new and unseen 1313 footage has leaked online, just a day after the latest episode of The Book of Boba Fett, no less, which held a surprise for Star Wars video game fans. 

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Publisher: PlayStation Studios
Developer: Guerrilla Games
Release: February 18, 2022
Rating: Teen

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, we break down our Pokémon Legends: Arceus review and tell you whether or not Game Freak nailed the series' most significant departure to date. We also discuss Blizzard's new survival game and the title's weird announcement via a public job listing. Lastly, Alex Van Aken shares his impressions of Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, which sparks a discussion on the series' prestige in PlayStation's line-up of video games.

Follow the crew on Twitter: Alex Stadnik (@Studnik76), Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Brian Shea (@BrianPShea), and Wesley LeBlanc (@LeBlancWes)

The metaverse is supposed to be the future, so it’s got the world buzzing with excitement. Hilariously, though, the prominence of the “futuristic” buzzword has caused old footage of digital worlds to explode on social media, largely driven by the fact that nobody really understands what the hell the metaverse actually…

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Riot Games, the creators of League of Legends and online shooter Valorant, has issued something of an apology to fans of the latter after a tweet appeared to show one of the game’s characters enjoying the works of an NFT artist.

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Death Stranding Director's Cut - the tarted up version of Hideo Kojima's acclaimed damp hillside traipsing adventure - will be making its way to Steam and the Epic Games Store on 30th March, with a $10 upgrade offer for owners of the original.

Death Stranding Director's Cut initially launched for PS5 last summer, introducing new story elements, a photo mode, expanded combat, new gadgets - including a laser gun and mounted machine guns - plus a variety of other tweaks to the original. Oh, and it threw in a fully featured racing mode too, because why not? The new PC version, incidentally, also features Xe Super Sampling and ultra-wide monitor support.

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AI: The Somnium Files - Nirvana Initiative, the sequel to publisher Spike Chunsoft's acclaimed 2019 serial killer mystery AI: The Somnium Files, now has a release date, and will be launching for PC, Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 on 24th June.

The original AI: The Somnium Files - which was the work of Zero Escape series creator and director Kotaro Uchikoshi - was a noir-ish murder mystery set in a technologically-advanced modern-day Tokyo. Nirvana Initiative, which once again sees Uchikoshi on scenario writing duties, retains the deductive premise of its predecessor but switches things up with a new pairing of protagonists and a new case to solve.

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One of the biggest surprises of Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 1 is the inclusion of everyone’s favorite web-slinger, Spider-Man. Plus, everyone in the game can utilize his web-slinging abilities thanks to the web shooters item. Well, it seems Spider-Man’s existence in Fortnite has attracted one of his greatest foes to the battle royale because Green Goblin is now available in the Fortnite Item Shop. 

Now live, you can purchase the Green Goblin outfit to play as the infamous villain or you can purchase the entire Green Goblin set to be fully prepared to take down New York's, err, Fortnite Island’s masked menace. If you’re looking to be fully decked out with Green Goblin bling, though, here’s what you’ll find in the set: 

• Pumpkin Bomb Back Bling (included with the outfit)
• Pumpkin P’axe
• Goblin Glider
• Arm the Pumpkin! Emote

“Players can purchase the Outfit (plus Back Bling), Pickaxe, Glider, and Emote individually or as part of the Green Goblin Bundle,” Epic Games writes in a press release. “This bundle additionally includes the Attack of the Goblin Loading Screen.” 

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) has announced that Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon will be inducted into its Hall of Fame. 

To ring in the celebration, Boon will be honored at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E Awards ceremony happening on February 24 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty will present Boon with the 2022 Hall of Fame Award. 

“We are thrilled to have Ed be inducted into our Hall of Fame,” AIAS president Meggan Scavio writes in a press release. “From his early work on pinball machines to his monumental achievements co-creating the Mortal Kombat franchise, Ed’s dedication and perseverance to the craft and art of games has left an incredible legacy for fans and game developers alike.” 

Booty said he met Boon on his very first day in the games industry, at Midway, and from there, he watched Boon go on to create Mortal Kombat, one of the most renowned (and goriest, of course) fighting games out there. 

“Ed epitomizes the best of what a game designer can be: big ideas, a great sense of humor, clear focus, and the ability to bring people together as a team,” Booty said. “He has created not only a string of hit games, but has also supported countless people on their own paths in the game industry.” 

Before No Man’s Sky, Hello Games made its name with Joe Danger. The series put players atop the motorcycle of the titular daredevil to perform death-defying stunts in the name of scoring points and having a good time. In addition to the mainline console games, Joe Danger had a couple of mobile entries, such as Joe Danger Infinity, which released in 2014 but was later rendered incompatible with modern Apple devices. However, it looks like Infinity is making a comeback thanks to a touching request by a concerned parent. 

Hello Games head Sean Murray took to Twitter to announce Joe Danger Infinity’s upcoming return, stating the reason is due to a letter he received from a fan. This person stated his child Jack, who has autism, adored the Joe Danger series and was particularly enamored with Infinity. The game helped both him and Jack cope with many of the daily challenges autistic children encounter. Whether it was having fun in clinic waiting rooms or even serving as a reward incentive for enduring therapy sessions, noisy crowds, and other challenging situations those not on the spectrum take for granted.

When Infinity became incompatible, Jack had a hard time readjusting, so the father took a long shot by contacting Hello Games directly to politely ask if anything could be done to update Joe Danger Infinity for current devices. According to Sean Murray, this made a strong impression on the studio, saying, “it broke our hearts and made us want to set things right.” 

It was revealed earlier this month that Kojima Productions’ Death Stranding Director’s Cut would be coming to PC sometime this Spring. Now, we know exactly when we can trek across North America once more with our BB on PC. 

505 Games, which is publishing the title on PC, has revealed that Death Stranding Director’s Cut will hit Steam and the Epic Games Store on Wednesday, March 30, 2022. It will cost $39.99, which is $10 more than it costs on PlayStation 5 where this edition of the game was first released. However, if you already own Death Stranding on PC, you’ll be able to upgrade for a much lower price. 

“Owners of Death Stranding can upgrade to the Director’s Cut for the discounted price of $9.99 by installing the current game and purchasing through the in-game storefront,” 505 Games writes in a press release. “Those who still need a copy of the base game can find it at a discounted rate of 70% off during Steam’s Lunar Sales (Thursday, January 27 through Thursday, February 3). 

As for what to expect, the Director’s Cut on PC brings higher frame rates, ultrawide monitor support, and a “feature-rich photo mode” to the game. 

Spider-Man's presence in Fortnite has brought one of his biggest nemeses to the island, as the Green Goblin has made his debut in the game.

The Fortnite Green Goblin skin was made available as part of the nightly item shop update. The skin comes bundled with the Pumpkin Bomb back bling, designed to look like the villain's signature weapon.

The skin is joined in the item shop by multiple pieces of gear designed around the hoverboard horror, including the Pumpkin P'axe pickaxe, Goblin Glider glider, and a unique Arm the Pumpkin! emote. All of these items and the Green Goblin skin can be purchased in the Green Goblin bundle, which also includes the Attack Of The Goblin loading screen pictured above.

The Green Goblin marks the final skin to be officially released after a series of leaks emerged with the 19.10 update over a week ago. The other skins, Clint and Kate from Hawkeye and Arcane Vi from League of Legends, saw their own releases in the item shop on January 20 and 22 respectively.

While most electronics nowadays have rechargeable batteries, Microsoft's Xbox controllers still use a pair of AAs out of the box. If you're using the Duracell batteries that come with the controller (or similar quality batteries), you're likely to get dozens of hours of play time before having to swap them out. That said, some people prefer rechargeable battery packs, so they don't have to keep buying packs of AAs. We've rounded up the best charging stations and battery packs for Xbox controllers, whether you're gaming on Xbox Series X or Xbox One.

In the age of internet sleuths and fervid fans, it's a risk to leave files up on your screen when snapping a social media pic--hence why people are speculating that NetherRealm's producer Jonathan Andersen intentionally "leaked" the existence of Mortal Kombat 12 through a now-deleted photo on Twitter.

The photo was of his desk and various Mortal Kombat memorabilia, but eagle-eyed MK fans spotted a file name on his monitor titled "MK12_Mast…" To add more fire to the speculation, the snippet of an email in the same photo reads, "Our fans eagerly scrape the internet." NetherRealm boss Ed Boon is well known for teasing announcements, often in fairly obvious fashion, so it wouldn't be a surprise if the company were to do something like this intentionally.

According to VentureBeat journalist Jeff Grubb's GrubbSnax Selects episode 8, NetherRealm is likely to be currently working on MK12 since Warner Bros. doesn't want the studio on licensed titles, in case NetherRealm gets sold.

Microsoft has announced that it will begin canceling dormant Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass subscriptions, though the consumer protection practice will only be available in the UK for now.

The company has announced this new measure as per a voluntary agreement with the UK’s Competitions and Market Authority (CMA). The CMA has been actively investigating auto-renewal subscriptions for all major gaming platforms since 2019, though neither Sony nor Nintendo has publicly committed to any changes to their services.

Microsoft will begin reaching out to those subscribed to Xbox Live Gold or Game Pass who haven’t used the service in at least one year. It will inform customers how to opt-out of future payments, and those who continue to pay but not use their subscription for another full year (24 total months) will automatically have their service canceled for them.

In addition to these changes, Microsoft has agreed to provide better information about auto-renewing subscriptions, including clearer details regarding the frequency in which services are re-upped and how to receive a refund for accidental renewals.

The CMA appears happy with Microsoft’s decision and remains hopeful that other companies will follow suit. “Other companies offering memberships and subscriptions that auto-renew should take note, and review their practices to ensure they comply with consumer protection law” Executive Director of Enforcement Michael Grenfell shared in a statement on the matter.

Microsoft’s consumer-friendly changes will apply first in the UK, but the company tells The Verge that it will begin rolling out globally at some point in the near-future.

This year's The Elder Scrolls Online adventure will take players to a never-before-seen location with the new High Isles chapter, along the way diving deep into a culture that has yet to be explored in much detail in the lore.

The upcoming yearlong adventure is called Legacy of the Bretons, and will encompass multiple pieces of new DLC content over the course of 2022. The biggest addition in Legacy of the Bretons is the new High Isle chapter. Legacy of the Bretons will see players travel to the Systres Archipelago, a Mediterranean-inspired island region that is home to the High Isle itself.

A story of political intrigue awaits players on the island. Delegates from the three factions that are battling it out in the game's Three Banners War have come to discuss peace terms on the island getaway, but a secret society known as the Ascendant Order has other plans. Players will unravel the mystery of the Ascendant Order, its motives, and its leaders in a story that The Elder Scrolls Online creative director Rich Lambert described as a return to the storytelling roots of the Elder Scrolls franchise.

"It's definitely that more politically focused storyline rather than the cosmic daedric lords are going to invade, take over and enslave everybody," Lambert said. "It's a fresh new take, it's something we haven't done in a very long time, and it's something we really wanted to dig into and kind of go back to our roots on."

No Man's Sky devs Hello Games' first game, Joe Danger, has returned to iOS systems in a new and remastered form. Previously, due to incompatibility with Apple's evolving operating system guidelines over the years, Joe Danger stopped working on iOS devices.

But thanks to one person's heartfelt fan mail, Hello Games decided to revive the platform-slash-racing game. Sean Murray, Hello Games' founder, took to Twitter to share the letter they received from the parent of a child with autism. The writer told the studio how important Joe Danger was to their kid, stating, "Joe Danger has allowed Jack to interact and have fun with friends and family alike… As a parent, it's hard to put into words the feeling I get seeing the pure joy on Jack's face."

"Not only has Joe Danger helped Jack with friends, but it has become an important coping mechanism for him, " they continued and concluded the letter by asking the devs if there was any way to get Joe Danger working on Apple's newer operating systems.

A new update went live for Call of Duty: Vanguard on January 27 to deliver more bug fixes and spawn adjustments, but a few notable changes were made to the multiplayer perk system as well. This update comes after Activision's delay of Season 2 with the promise to bring quality-of-life changes to multiple Call of Duty titles.

For Vanguard's multiplayer changes, the patch notes detail that spawns have been adjusted for the Paradise map, which the developer said was based on community feedback from players who reported spawning next to enemies. The update also fixed a spawn on Paradise that previously resulted in players falling through the map.

Sledgehammer Games made a few changes to two of Vanguard's perks. The Fortified perk now protects against damage from the Mortar Barrage, Warmachine, Gammon Bombs, Satchel Charges, and Flamenaut and ammo box explosions. However, the Fortified perk will no longer protect players from damage from the Goliath, Glide Bomb, Bombing Run, Fire Bombing Run, or direct hits from launchers. Additionally, the Cold Blooded perk now offers protection against dogs.

A few bugs were also squashed for weapons and attachments. The update fixed a bug that caused the Subsonic ammo to unintentionally disable the Ghost perk and a bug that caused weapon icons to show up on interactable objects such as doors.

For Zombies, the update addresses a few issues with the Ring of Fire artifact. According to Sledgehammer Games' patch notes, the update should address an issue where Ring of Fire Tier II dealt inconsistent damage. The artifact's damage should now scale correctly per level, and an upgraded Ring of Fire's damage no longer causes damage to zombies above or below the placed ring.

Death Stranding Director's Cut, an improved version of the game that comes with a suite of new content, is heading to Steam and the Epic Games Store this March. For anyone who already owns Death Stranding, the version that fulfills Kojima's vision of the game will only cost $10.

Launching March 30, Death Stranding Director's Cut on PC boasts the same graphical improvements as the game's regular edition. In terms of new content, the Director's Cut includes extra missions to tackle, and some brand-new equipment to use.

Among these new items is the Cargo Cannon, which launches packages so players don't have to carry them. A new robotic friend, the BuddyBot, can also carry packages all on its own. A firing range, test driving course, and improved stealth mechanics have been added with the Director's Cut as well.

As for non-playable content, Death Stranding Director's Cut gives players a suite of new ways to make Sam Porter the best-looking postman in what's left of the United States. Every copy of the game comes with these cosmetics:

Following Hitman 3’s rough launch on Steam, IO Interactive has announced that all purchases of the game on the platform will receive a free upgrade to a better edition.

Hitman 3 received excellent reviews upon its initial release last year, but some fans weren’t particularly happy with IO Interactive’s choice to keep the PC version of the game exclusive to Epic Games Store for one year. When it was finally released on Steam last week at full price, many took it as an opportunity to formally express their discontent about not receiving any sort of launch discount by giving the game poor reviews.

In addition to fans’ frustrations with the one-year exclusivity deal and launch price, Hitman 3’s Steam debut came with a host of technical issues, too. Most notably, many players have dealt with server connectivity problems and random crashes.

As a response to these issues, IO Interactive has issued a statement agreeing to upgrade all purchased versions of the game. “Our Hitman 3 launch on Steam didn’t go as planned,” the statement reads. “Ultimately, we didn’t meet our own expectations of a launch experience and we don’t like that our Steam community is beginning their Hitman 3 journey in this way.”

The updates will be rolling out through Steam today, January 27, and will apply to any purchases of the game made until February 19. Those who bought the standard edition can upgrade to the deluxe edition, while deluxe edition owners are eligible for an upgrade to the Seven Deadly Sins Collection.

If you’re looking to take advantage of this offer, IO states that all you must do is “simply launch your Steam copy of Hitman 3 and the new content from your free upgrade will be waiting for you to enjoy.”

Bungie has released a Destiny 2 patch today that includes some important bug fixes that have been plaguing the game recently.

Today’s update 3.4.0.4 is a hotfix that features three adjustments that should provide some relief, particularly for hand cannon users and those clearing Dares of Eternity. Full patch notes are below.

Destiny Update 3.4.0.4 Notes

Dares of Eternity

• Fixed an issue causing less Reputation to be rewarded in Dares of Eternity than intended.

Weapons

• Fixed an issue where hand cannons would have an empty magazine when first entering into an activity.

Abilities

• Fixed an issue where the frontal assault buff was not reliably being added to the player if their charged melee killed the target.

Today’s update follows hotfixes 3.4.0.2 and 3.4.0.3, both of which brought with them a variety of other meaningful improvements--most notably to Dares of Eternity. The former reduced the recommended power level for entering Dares of Eternity, while the latter fixed a rare but frustrating crash that occurred during the Crota boss battle.

Dares of Eternity is Destiny 2’s new six-player mode where players are tasked with facing off against a series of randomly-chosen challenges in a strange game show setting. It was released as part of Bungie's 30th Anniversary Pack last December and is available for free to all Destiny 2 players.

Not to be outdone by Epic Games, Xbox, or Newegg, Steam kicked off its own Lunar New Year Sale today. The savings last until February 3, and you'll find hit titles such as New World, Doom Eternal, Hades, and more available at a steep discount.

If you're looking for a deep MMO to sink your teeth into (but aren't interested in New World), consider picking up The Elder Scrolls Online. It's currently discounted to just $6--down from $20--and you can look forward to a huge expansion later this year.

Despite rumors circulating that Hogwarts Legacy might be delayed until 2023 and fears that Gotham Knights could meet the same fate, it seems like both games remain on track for a 2022 release.

The announcement comes from WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar, who mentioned both games as he laid out the company's 2022 media strategy via Twitter. According to Kilar, Warner Bros. fans can expect even more stories from the company to be delivered with "a sense of urgency," including a "full slate of highly anticipated games." While neither Gotham Knights nor Hogwarts Legacy were mentioned by name, Kilar included photos of the games in his tweet, implying both titles are on their way.

While neither game has an official release date as of yet, both are slated to come out this year after having their original 2021 release dates pushed back.

With 2021 in the rearview mirror, Epic has posted stats on the 2021 performance of the Epic Games Store and its plans for the year ahead. For those of you who regularly browse the store to see if there are free games available that cater to your tastes, the good news is that Epic plans to continue offering a regular selection of free games this year.

2021's selection of free games saw some fascinating numbers recorded by the company, such as the 89 games being worth $2,120 in total and multiple peak concurrent user records for 76 of these titles being broken on PC. In total, over 765 million free games were claimed by players.

Other interesting stats include a combined 6.2 billion hours being spent in-game through EGS, a 14% increase year-on-year on items sold during the annual holiday sale--over 159 million items to be exact--and over 194 million Epic Games Store PC users being registered in 2021, an increase of 34 million people when compared to 2020. You can delve into all the numbers on Epic's blog.

As for the future of EGS, Epic plans to further flesh out player profiles after introducing Epic Achievements in 2021. Library and download management is one of the store's top priorities, there'll be more options to help you arrange your library, and an option to organize and queue selected games for downloads. Other upcoming features include: