March 2022

Destiny 2 Steam Deck players risk ban, Bungie says

2 years 1 month ago

Those who are hoping to get Destiny 2 running on a Steam Deck will need to think again, as Bungie has said it will issue bans for those found trying it.

Bungie released a statement on Destiny 2's help page, emphasising that the game is not supported for play on the "Steam Deck or any system utilising Steam Play's Proton unless Windows is installed and running".

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Author
Victoria Kennedy

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Save on this stunning ASUS ROG Strix QHD curved monitor

2 years 1 month ago

Some of the best monitors around are either overpriced or have one or two compromises that might prevent you from taking the leap, missing one or two key features that have become so ubiquitous over time. This ASUS monitor is probably the one that'll tick almost every box you're looking to fill.

Enter the ASUS ROG Strix 27" display, which is down to £429.97 on Amazon UK right now, with a very similar model being sold by Amazon US for $487.99.

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Author
Emad Ahmed

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EA will remove Russia from FIFA 22

2 years 1 month ago

The Russian national football team and all Russian clubs will be removed from FIFA 22, FIFA Mobile and FIFA Online, EA has announced.

EA made the announcement this afternoon, just days after the real-life FIFA and UEFA governing bodies said Russia's national side and players would be banned until further notice.

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Author
Tom Phillips

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Grab a cheap 4K TV as Currys knocks £130 off the LG Nano75

2 years 1 month ago

From the vibrant expanses of Horizon Forbidden West to the gothic interiors of Elden Ring, Gaming really is a feast for the eyes nowadays.

When playing these gorgeous single-player games, it's always worthwhile playing them on a high quality screen so you can appreciate every delicately crafted pixel. The benefits of a big and vibrant screen also apply when playing local multiplayer games like Mario Kart or Super Smash Bros, giving everyone a better experience.

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Author
Mark Harrison

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Save over £100 on the WD Black SN850 1TB SSD at Amazon

2 years 1 month ago

There's been a lot of great game releases recently, especially on PC and PlayStation 5. With Total War: Warhammer 3 coming out on PC, and Horizon Forbidden West releasing on PS5, not to mention Elden Ring available on both, we gamers are spoiled for choice with what we can play right now.

That being said, new games means more space taken up on your PC or PS5, so you might be faced with the choice of deleting a game you already have installed or buying some more storage.

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Author
Mark Harrison

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KOF XV Athena Asamiya Concept Art Shows Off Her Outfit

2 years 1 month ago

KOF XV Athena Asamiya Concept Art Shows Off Her Outfit

Athena Asamiya returned in KOF XV to bring Team Super Heroine together. As is common for the character, she showed up with an entirely new look. To help people get a better idea of how her outfit looks, there's new KOF XV concept art looking at Athena from different angles.

Back when Athena was first revealed, SNK Character Designer Tomohiro Nakata went over what changed for this installment. In particular, he pointed out her new attire. Nakata highlighted how "traditional Kenpo practitioner clothing" influenced her design. This new concept art also shows that off. It looks at her clothing from the front and back. Since her top is covering up most of her shorts, those are also shown separately to offer a better look at their accents. Her headband's ribbon is highlighted. So is the pattern that appears on her top. That is shown in gold against the white background, to offer a better look at the various flowers.
KOF XV Athena Asamiya Concept Art Shows Off Her Outfit

Author
Jenni Lada

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Tales of Arise Shirts and Clothing Appear Outside Japan

2 years 1 month ago

Tales of Arise Shirts and Clothing Appear Outside Japan

Back in November 2021, Amazon Japan started selling an array of Tales of Arise clothing that involved hoodies, shirts, and sweatshirts. Now those items are available worldwide. Bandai Namco announced Amazon in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, and the United States are selling items in the collection too.

Here’s the official reveal.

Author
Jenni Lada

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FFVII and FFXII Dungeons Inspired Stranger of Paradise Locations

2 years 1 month ago

FFVII and FFXII Dungeons Inspired Stranger of Paradise Locations

The dungeons people encounter in Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin might call FFVII and FFXII locations to mind. Square Enix’s Director Daisuke Inoue revealed that past games’ places influenced the ones appearing in the spin-off. In particular, he cited how Stranger of Paradise’s Sunken Shrine and the Cavern of Earth involve ideas from past games.

First, Inoue hinted that a dungeon from FFVII ended up being used to inspire the look of the Sunken Shrine location. (This could be a reference to The Gelnika or Junon Underwater Reactor.) Here’s what he had to say about it.

Take the Sunken Shrine, for example. This location is underwater, and the motif used was a dungeon from the original Final Fantasy VII that’s in the sea.

When we were looking at all the elements we needed to design it, we thought about turning to document from back in the day, or even looking at how Final Fantasy VII Remake had interpreted the original game in its level design.

Author
Jenni Lada

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FIFA 22 and NHL 22 Removing Russian Teams in Support of Ukraine

2 years 1 month ago

Editor's Note: The war in Ukraine is an ongoing, painful and emotive topic. IGN urges community members to be respectful when engaging in conversation around this subject and does not endorse harassment of any kind.

EA is removing Russian teams from FIFA 22 and NHL 22, in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

In tweets posted simultaneously from the two games' accounts, EA Sports revealed that it would remove both national and club teams from both games.

The moves are designed to reflect the decisions of both football and hockey's real-life international federations, which have also dropped Russia from multiple competitions while the war is ongoing.

FIFA will remove the Russian national team and all Russian clubs from not just FIFA 22, but FIFA Online and FIFA Mobile. "We're also actively evaluating related changes to other areas of our games," the statement continues.

NHL will not just remove Russian teams, but Belarusian teams too, likely in connection with Belarus' tacit support for the Russian invasion. "We stand with the people of Ukraine and join the voices around the world calling for peace," ended that statement.

Author
Joe Skrebels

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Elden Ring: Small Patch Should Fix Some PC and PS5 Problems

2 years 1 month ago

FromSoftware and Bandai Namco have announced that a new Elden Ring patch has been made available for the PC and PS5 versions of the game. Its list of fixes is small, but it makes some vital changes to the PC version in particular.

Elden Ring's patch 1.02.2 fixes "an issue where the graphics card was not being used, resulting in slow performance." That's quite the fix, and will mean anyone who suffered from this bug will now be able to use the full power of their GPU, rather than running Elden Ring on their CPU's integrated graphics (something that presumably made the game near unplayable.)

Alongside that, the PC version of the patch also fixes a bug that caused the game to quit during a battle with the Fire Giant, which is a mandatory boss fight. The patch notes also say that 1.02.2 fixes "other bugs" but provides no further details.

Author
Matt Purslow

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NPCs in Elden Ring don't laugh nearly as much as I'd like

2 years 1 month ago

Some things are synonymous with Soulsborne games. Approachability, which Alice Bee thinks is a very relative term. Nail-biting combat, intricate worlds, a story that's drip-fed through it all. But it's the littlest bits that round off their identity. The dong of their menu sounds (I love a good menu noise) and their elevators operated by pressure plates.

There's also one other big thing that Soulsborne games deliver on. As any seasoned player knows, it's not a FromSoft game without the laughs. While there's plenty of humour in the cliff falls and silly invasions, I'm talking in a more literal sense. The NPCs often round off their sentences with a chuckle. But so far, Elden Ring lacks the despairing "hahaha" of old. And it makes me sad.

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Author
Ed Thorn

Spidersaurs, Previously Exclusive To Apple Arcade, Will Hit Consoles And PC This Spring

2 years 1 month ago

Spidersaurs Apple Arcade Console Release Teaser Trailer

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, iOS
Publisher: WayForward Technologies
Developer: WayForward Technologies
Release: (iOS), 2022 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC)

If you’re an Apple Arcade subscriber or were a subscriber anytime after 2019, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of Spidersaurs, or have at least seen it in the service’s lineup.

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

Gran Turismo 7 – Review In Progress

2 years 1 month ago

Gran Turismo 7

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Publisher: PlayStation Studios
Developer: Polyphony Digital
Release: <time datetime="2022-03-04T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">March 4, 2022</time>

Gran Turismo 7, the latest in the legendary, long-running PlayStation racing franchise, is out on Friday. I'm currently speeding through the content, but I was slow off the line, so I'm not quite ready to render my final verdict. However, from what I've played, Gran Turismo 7 is everything players should want from a simulation racer. 

Author
Brian Shea

Back 4 Blood’s Tunnels Of Terror Expansion Arrives April 12

2 years 1 month ago

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive
Developer: Turtle Rock Studios
Release:
Rating: Mature

Have you survived the zombie hordes and now you’re looking for some new challenges? The upcoming Back 4 Blood expansion, Tunnels of Terror, comes with some fearsome fare that even the most seasoned survivors will have to adapt to. In a tweet today, Back 4 Blood laid out a bit of the new content scheduled to arrive on April 12.

Author
Daniel Tack

WWE 2K22 Gets New Video Showing Rey Mysterio’s 2K Showcase & MyRISE Moses in Action

2 years 1 month ago

Today 2K Games released an extensive video focusing on two of the modes that WWE2K22 players will be able to enjoy.

These modes are 2K Showcase, which lets you play along the career of famous superstar Rey Mysterio, and MyRISE, which lets you create your own wrestler and follow one of two storylines (one for males, and one for females).

This follows the trailer released this morning, focusing on the same modes.

You can check it out below.

WWE 2K22 will release on March 11, 2022, for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.

Author
Giuseppe Nelva

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New Elden Ring Patch 1.02.2 Fixes a Handful of Pesky Bugs

2 years 1 month ago

FromSoftware has today delivered a new update for Elden Ring which is exclusively focused on fixing serious bugs, including one on PC that caused the graphics card to not be used and resulted in sluggish performance. The update essentially adds on to the previous and more substantial Patch 1.02 that launched last week.

Today’s patch notes come by way of a Tweet that piggyback’s the original patch notes for Patch 1.02, and reads:

A second Tweet highlights a PS5-specific bug fix that presumably better ensures game progress is saved even when the game is not terminated via the settings menu.

Author
Alex Gibson

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Phantom Breaker: Omnia Gets New Gameplay Trailer Explaining the Basics of the Game

2 years 1 month ago

Rocket Panda Games released a new trailer of the upcoming 2D fighting game Phantom Breaker: Omnia.

The trailer includes an extensive explanation of the basics of the game, so it’s a good starting point if you’re not familiar with Phantom Breaker.

You can watch it below.

Phantom Breaker: Omnia releases for PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and PC via Steam on March 15, 2022. You can read an official description and feature list below and check out the previous gameplay trailer.

“In the game, a mysterious man, known only as ‘Phantom’ appears in Tokyo, to manipulate vulnerable adolescents into fighting each other, bestowing upon them mystical weapons of great strength known as ‘Fu-mension Artifacts.’ In exchange, he promised to grant their wish if they survive. The fierce clashes between these artifacts caused distortions in space-time, which compromised the boundaries between parallel universes. The collapse of these parallel universes would ultimately break the seal, unleashing Phantom’s destructive powers.”

Features

Author
Giuseppe Nelva

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Lost Ark's March update brings new end-game Abyss Raids, story content, and more

2 years 1 month ago

With Lost Ark still riding high in popularity following its long-awaited western release in February, Amazon has announced the first batch of new content heading to the free-to-play MMO later this month - including new end-game raids and a helping of new story quests.

"While we launched just a few short weeks ago, fans of Lost Ark know that there is a wealth of content present in the Korean version that has yet to make its way to the western shores of Arkesia," Amazon explained in its March update announcement post. "We'll be working closely with Smilegate RPG to infuse content into the western version at a steady cadence".

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Author
Matt Wales

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Yuzo Koshiro Music Will Appear in Mina the Hollower

2 years 1 month ago

Yuzo Koshiro Music Will Appear in Mina the Hollower

Yuzo Koshiro composed music for many titles over the years, and Yacht Club Games' Mina the Hollower soundtrack will join the ranks. The developer announced via its Kickstarter that the composer joined the project. Koshiro also released a statement about contributing to the game.

Since starting composing with games like Nihon Falcom’s Xanadu Scenario II, Yuzo Koshiro worked on music for many titles from different genres and from different developers. In the past he’s worked on the 7th Dragon series, the Actraiser series, the Etrian Odyssey series, the Shenmue series, the Streets of Rage series, Ys series, He also composes the soundtracks for games from own studio Ancient, such as the Gotta Protectors series.

Author
Jenni Lada

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Final Fantasy’s Bahamut is the Bullet Bill of Chocobo GP

2 years 1 month ago

Final Fantasy's Bahamut is the Bullet Bill of Chocobo GP

In Chocobo GP, racers will snag Eggs filled with Magicite power ups to give them an edge during the race, and Final Fantasy’s Bahamut will be among them. In the latest update, it detailed exactly how the summon will work. Should someone end up getting the character from one of these eggs, he’ll behave the way the Bullet Bill power up works in the Mario Kart series.

To help explain the comparison, Bahamut from Final Fantasy is something of an autopilot power up in Chocobo GP. This is exactly how Bullet Bill works in Mario Kart. Once a player in either game gets and uses the ability, there is a burst of speed, other racers’ attacks can’t hurt them, they can knock other drivers out of the way, and an autopilot function kicks in.

Author
Jenni Lada

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Epic Games Buys Music Service Bandcamp

2 years 1 month ago

Bandcamp, an online music store and community, announced that it has been acquired by Fortnite creator Epic Games. The music company also confirmed that initiatives such as Bandcamp Fridays, where the platform waives its revenue share so artists receive all sales for a 24 hour period, and its online publication, Bandcamp Daily, will continue to operate as they currently are.

Bandcamp says that joining Epic Games will allow it to expand internationally and push forward development across the platform, including working on mobile apps and merch tools, as well as search and discovery features. Additionally, Epic Games notes that Bandcamp will contribute to its vision of a "creator marketplace ecosystem" for content, technology, games, art, and music.

“Bandcamp’s mission is to help spread the healing power of music by building a community where artists thrive through the direct support of their fans,” said Bandcamp CEO Ethan Diamond in a statement. “In Epic, we’ve found a partner who believes as deeply as we do that the future of music, and art itself, depends on the creation of equitable and inclusive communities like the one our fans and artists have helped to build."

Author
George Yang

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Lost Ark's March update will bring a new story quest and end-game raid

2 years 1 month ago
Amazon's Diablo-ish MMORPG Lost Ark has revealed a roadmap that will bring more content to the Western version of the game, starting this month. March will see the addition of more story, as well as a late-game activity called Abyss Raids, where players will need to work together to defeat a Guardian within a set time limit.

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Author
Jay Castello

Redditor May Have Found Hints To Pokémon Scarlet And Violet In Recent Pokémon Games

2 years 1 month ago

Platform: Switch
Publisher: The Pokémon Company
Developer: Game Freak

With Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's reveal this past weekend, hindsight is very much on the side of Pokémon fans who have combed through recent games to find hints at what the future holds for the Pokémon series. A Reddit user may have found Gen 9 Easter eggs in not one but two recent Pokémon titles. 

In a Reddit post, a user named DDD-HERO points out a clever hint hidden within a hotel in Pokémon Sword and Shield:

Author
John Carson

Microsoft Flight Simulator BAE 146, Skyraider, & Incheon Airport Get New Screenshots; Microsoft Gives Info in Dev Q&A

2 years 1 month ago

Today Microsoft and Asobo Studio hosted a livestream showcasing upcoming plans for Microsoft Flight Simulator, while third-party developers shared their own news.

As usual, we hear from head of Microsoft Flight Simulator Jorg Neumann, Asobo CEO Sebastian Wlock, and executive producer Martial Bossard.

Unfortunately, we hear that the war in Ukraine has caused Microsoft to lose contact with Antonov, which will cause a delay of the Antonov An-2. Neumann mentioned that Microsoft has understandably decided not to bug them for the moment.

The team is also tackling the issue that prevents WASM aircraft from being released on Xbox. They’re baking their own solution, and it’s promising. If it works, it may allow the resolution of the issue in “short order” (Sim Update 9 or 10).

Speaking of weather, the team is continuing to improve the system, and the more refined and advanced it’ll get, the more different cloud types will appear in the simulator. This will happen over the next few updates.

Work is also being done on all the aspects of weather that can’t be seen like turbulence, gusts, and more. This will be based on a physical simulation of the atmosphere and temperature. It’ll be more organic and realistic than what we had before.

The team has “gigantic plans for the weather” including different data streams in addition to Meteoblue.

Author
Giuseppe Nelva

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Epic Games acquires online music store Bandcamp

2 years 1 month ago

Bandcamp, the self-styled "online record store and music community", has been acquired by Epic Games, as part of what the Fortnite and Unreal Engine developer is calling its vision to build out a "creator marketplace ecosystem".

In a statement shared on the Bandcamp blog, co-founder and CEO Ethan Diamond explained the company will continue operating as a standalone marketplace and music community following the acquisition, and that he'll continue in the role of CEO.

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Author
Matt Wales

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River City Girls Zero Shows Why Localization Matters

2 years 1 month ago

River City Girls Zero is the kind of game you’d think we wouldn’t see! It’s a localization of a Super Famicom game from 1994 called Shin Nekketsu Koha: Kunio-tachi no Banka. So what is it doing here? Well, WayForward’s River City Girls spin-off starring Kunio and Riki’s girlfriends Misako and Kyoko did well! This game also featured them as prominent characters! Which means it is here. The release in general is odd for another reason too. River City Zero has one localization based on the spin-off and an “original” one (Literal/Original) that doesn’t take into account that character development. But what’s interesting is how the comparison between the two shows how the localization process changes things to make them flow better and fall in line with how things are phrased in the new language.

The idea behind the two localizations is to offer one that takes into account the things we know about Misako and Kyoko from River City Girls. The thing is, this is a Super Famicom game that is very bare bones when it comes to its story. There isn’t much there. The result is that the RCG localization can feel like it has more personality. It flows better and sounds more natural. Meanwhile, Original can be flat and awkward. It is more direct, but also sometimes might read like an unedited version of the RCG version of the script.

[gallery columns="2" link="file" ids="917448,917449"]

Author
Jenni Lada

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How To Find Elden Ring’s Best Summon Spirit, The Mimic Tear

2 years 1 month ago

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Developer: From Software
Release:

Summoned spirits in Elden Ring can be handy tools to help take on challenging bosses and swarms of foes. Over the course of the game, you unlock all kinds of companions that you can upgrade, selecting various creatures and characters for the right situation. While there is a vast array of both standard critters and named allies that you can call upon for help, one summon stands high above the rest, though it has a steep cost of health to call into battle. We’re going to tell you how to unlock the Mimic Tear summon ahead but be warned, there are plenty of spoilers along the way. If you’re okay with that, let’s go!

Author
Daniel Tack

Horizon Forbidden West Patch Tackles Many Community-Reported Issues

2 years 1 month ago

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

Horizon Forbidden West might've had a successful launch as far as reviews go, but some players have reported progression and visual bugs (among other things). Guerrilla Games' new 1.06 patch looks to tackle these community-reported issues head-on. 

Author
Jason Guisao

ESL Pro League bans organisations "with apparent ties to Russian government"

2 years 1 month ago

In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, major esports organiser ESL has announced individuals or organisations "with apparent ties to the Russian government" will be barred from competing in its Pro League events, and that it will be pausing all competitions scheduled to run in the Commonwealth of Independent States region until a later time.

"We are all shocked and saddened by the Russian invasion into Ukraine and hope for a swift and peaceful resolution", the ESL wrote in a statement shared on its website. "After monitoring the situation, we are now putting an initial set of actions in place.". These actions include "support [for] the people suffering from the current tragedy with donations to UNHCR, paid time off for employees to volunteer for humanitarian relief and paid time off for affected colleagues."

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Author
Matt Wales

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PS Plus' Successor: Hopes and Expectations - Beyond 739

2 years 1 month ago

On this week's episode of IGN's PlayStation podcast, Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Jada Griffin, Lucy O'Brien, and Tom Marks to dig into the latest PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PSVR 2 news and rumors.

First, the panel dives into the alleged new details of PlayStation's upcoming subscription service, PlayStation Spartacus, and what they might mean as an evolution of and successor to the standard PS Plus we know now. We dive into the reported new pricing tiers and inclusions, whether the offerings are enough or balanced well, and what we think of it in terms of current PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now offerings.

We also dig into some of the PlayStation news of the week, including Horizon Forbidden West's latest patch, a GhostWire Tokyo prelude novel, DICE Awards wins for Sony and some brief hints at Returnal dev Housemarque's new game, and then we dig into what we've been playing, including new and updated takes on Horizon Forbidden West and Elden Ring.

TIMECODE:
00:00:10 - Intro & Housekeeping
00:05:40 - PS Plus for March, Now, and “Project Spartacus” Rumors
00:23:55 - New Horizon Forbidden West Patch
00:28:21 - Ghostwire Tokyo Prelude Visual Novel

00:31:44 - DICE Awards 2022 + Housemarque’s New Game?
00:36:34 - What We’ve Been Playing
01:16:24 - Outro
And if you're looking for more places to enjoy this PlayStation podcast show, check out Podcast Beyond! on all available platforms: https://linktr.ee/podcastbeyond.

Author
Jonathon Dornbush

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The Cuphead Show on Netflix Already Renewed for Season 2

2 years 1 month ago

It's a big summer for Cuphead fans, as Studio MDHR has announced season 2 of The Cuphead Show will drop on Netflix this summer, in addition to Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course coming on June 30.

Studio MDHR is the developer of Cuphead, and its founders — the Moldenhauer brothers — served as Executive Producers on The Cuphead Show. While there's no official release date set, this is the first official confirmation we've seen of more episodes. You can see the official season 2 announcement below.

The Cuphead Show is a Netflix original cartoon starring Cuphead, Mugman, and various villains from the Cuphead video game. The show follows Cuphead and Mugman's ongoing battle with the Devil and his henchmen. Season 1 only explored a handful of the game's expansive cast of bosses, so there's plenty of material left for season 2 and beyond.

Author
Logan Plant

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Housemarque's Next Game Won't Be a Returnal Sequel

2 years 1 month ago

PlayStation Studios Housemarque's next game won't be a Returnal sequel, according to comments from studio managing director Ilari Kuittinen, VentureBeat reports.

In an interview with journalists at last week's DICE Awards, Housemarque leaders spoke at length about the future of the studio, future projects, and the studio's relationship to PlayStation at a time when the publisher is increasing focus on live-service games.

"We’re one of the very last dinosaurs making arcade games," Kuittinen said. "Nex Machina, a few years ago, was very much a shoot-’em-up game in the style of the coin-ops from the ‘80s. That’s sort of a clue. But it’s interesting. We’ve been thinking about that. We had our stint working on multiplayer games, because a few years back it seemed like you needed to have some kind of multiplayer experience. We tried that, and we really didn’t do it as well. But it’s early days with us starting a new game, a new IP, concepting it out. We’ll see what comes with that."

Returnal director Harry Krueger added that Housemarque is "trying to hold onto that identity" as a studio focused on arcadey games, and that multiple genres can coexist.

"There can be live service games, multiplayer games, games with many different sensibilities," Krueger said. "Returnal is just another voice. At this stage we’re quite proud of what we accomplished with Returnal, and we’re quite excited to pursue that same trajectory as a company."

Author
Joseph Knoop

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Needy Streamer Overload Sales Pass 300,000

2 years 1 month ago

needy streamer overload sales

WSS Playground announced that worldwide sales for its indie text-based title Needy Streamer Overload passed 300,000 copies. The game came out on January 21, 2022 on Windows PC via Steam. To commemorate the occasion, WSS Playground released Line stickers and an animated profile background. [Thanks, Gamer!]

Though the game is still new, Needy Streamer Overload garnered attention from a number of streamers from companies like Hololive or Nijisanji playing it. As an example, here is Ouro Kronii's stream of the game, and this is Finana Ryugu's. The game does deal with heavy topics, such as mental illness and self-harm, so it may not be a game for everyone.

Author
Stephanie Liu

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Lost Ark Devs React To Huge Launch And Server Issues As One Month Anniversary Approaches

2 years 1 month ago

Lost Ark enjoyed a historically strong launch when it was released in mid-February, exploding to the top of the charts on Steam, Twitch, and other platforms. It has since leveled off somewhat, but that doesn't make its initial surge any less impressive. As of this article, it's sitting at a cool 134k viewers on Twitch, topped only by Grand Theft Auto 5 and the newly-released Elden Ring.

Speaking via email, Amazon Games franchise leader Soomin Park spoke of the team's amazement at its reception, calling it a "labor of love."

"The development teams at both Amazon Games and Smilegate RPG are absolutely shocked and thrilled by the reception of Lost Ark since launching in the West," Park said. "To say the teams at both studios have been amazed by the response would be a huge understatement!"

Originally released in South Korea in 2019, Lost Ark has developed a strong following thanks to its attractive art, enjoyable combat, and large amount of content. In IGN's review of Lost Ark, we wrote, "Lost Ark takes a genuinely impressive stab at the isometric action RPG genre, and its integration into a perpetually online world is complementary rather than invasive. It's expansive and deep, capable of scratching the itch for a new Diablo-like action RPG that is filled with other players to meet and team up with."

When Lost Ark released in North America last month, it became the second-highest played game in Steam history with 1.3 million concurrent players in less than 24 hours, an achievement that Park says was "definitely unexpected."

Author
Kat Bailey

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Lost Ark March Update Includes New Story And Endgame Content

2 years 1 month ago

Following the successful launch of Lost Ark in North America, the developers announced that more content will be coming at a regular cadence starting in March with new story and raid content.

Lost Ark was released in South Korea back in 2019 and has a head start on content that has yet to be released in the North American version. The developers say there is a “wealth of content present in the Korean version that has yet to make its way to the western shores of Arkesia.”

However, this content will be released starting this month when a new storyline and raid will be released, as well as changes and fixes.

First, the new storyline will introduce new quests, islands, and cinematics to Lost Ark. The quest will follow a cast of new and returning characters and will focus on the Sidereals and the legendary Kadan, the first guardian slayer.

Players will need to complete Feiton and the quests “Yorn - Let There Be Light,” “Whispering Islet - Start of Our Story,” and “Illusion Bamboo Island - End of the Trials,” before being able to accept the new quests.

The second major content addition in March will be the new Abyss Raid, Argos. This end-game raid is similar to Guardians raid where players need to work together to defeat the Guardian before time runs out. The eight-party content will fight a much larger boss through three phases and will drop a reward which can be claimed once a week.

Argos will be available at the Abyss Raid Statue located across Lost Ark’s different major cities.

Author
Matt Kim

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EA To Remove Russian Teams From NHL 22 And FIFA 22

2 years 1 month ago

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: EA Canada
Release:
Rating: Everyone

Big players in the video game world are responding to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and are removing the sport teams of the aggressor nations from its games. The move is an act of solidarity with other organizations aiming to denounce the recent military action. Specifically, in a pair of tweets, EA has announced it will remove Russian and Belarusian teams from the most recent versions of its popular sports franchises, FIFA and NHL 22.

Author
John Carson

John Romero Creates New Doom II Level to Support the People of Ukraine

2 years 1 month ago

Acclaimed creator John Romero took to Twitter today to announce that he has created a new level for Doom II, and it’s a special one.

The level, named “One Humanity” is the first Romero created since the game’s release in 1994. It’s priced at €5, and 100% of the proceeds will go to support the people of Ukraine struggling against the invasion by Russia via the Red Cross and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund.

The level can be purchased here

You can find the tweet with the announcement below, alongside an official description and compatibility details directly from Romero’s website.

“One Humanity”

Author
Giuseppe Nelva

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