July 2022

Nintendo has just announced that a brand new OLED model of the Nintendo Switch is releasing later this summer. A special edition for the upcoming game Splatoon 3 will launch on August 26.

This is the first special edition of the Nintendo Switch OLED model, the variety of Switch that made its debut last year. It features a larger screen, LAN port, and other features.

You can see what the Nintendo Switch OLED Splatoon 3 Edition looks like below, with beautiful gradient Joy-Con and a white dock with subtle ink splashes.

A special Splatoon 3 Nintendo Switch Pro controller and carrying case were also announced, both releasing on September 9 alongside the game. You can see those designs below as well.

And here are some additional photos of the new hardware courtesy of Splatoon France:

In conjunction with revealing the release dates for Valkyrie Elysium, Square Enix also announced it’s bringing Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth to PlayStation consoles.

Lenneth is the 2006 enhanced PSP port of the first Valkyrie Profile, which first arrived in North America in 2000. Lenneth came to mobile devices in 2018 but it hasn’t been available on a home console since the original version arrived on PS1. 

Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth comes to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on September 29, the same day that Valkyrie Elysium launches. It will be sold separately for a yet-to-be-announced price. You can also get it as part of the $74.99 Digital Deluxe Edition of Valkyrie Elysium. 

Valkyrie Elysium, the next entry in the previously dormant Valkyrie Profile series, has a new gameplay trailer and a pair of release dates.

The new video provides a lengthier look at the game’s action-oriented combat and story compared to its more enigmatic debut trailer back in March. 

Square Enix also announced special editions and pre-order bonuses containing extra goodies based on the platform. Pre-ordering Valkyrie Elysium on PlayStation gets you the Alscir: Sword of the God of Light in-game item and a special themed avatar. The $74.99 Digital Deluxe Edition includes 72-hour early access, the Svartaljr: Sword of the Goddess of the Underworld in-game weapon, and a digital copy of Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth, the 2006 PSP port of the first Valkyrie Profile game. 

Don't worry, fans. Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth will also be sold separately on PS5/PS4 on September 29, so you don’t need to buy the Digital Deluxe Edition to play it. Additionally, after buying Elysium on PS4, you’ll also get access to the PS5 version. 

Forspoken, Square Enix’s upcoming action RPG, will no longer launch in October and has been pushed to January 24.

In a post on the game’s Twitter page, developer Luminous Productions, a team made up of Final Fantasy XV developers, states that Forspoken is largely complete and is in the final polishing phase. It describes the delay as a “strategic decision” and that we’ll learn more about the game in the near future. 

It's a great day to be a God of War fan, and not just because PlayStation and Sony Santa Monica released a new cinematic trailer for God of War: Ragnarok that contains the release date. That's because, alongside that cinematic "Father and Son" trailer, the studio has released a new unboxing video for the game's Collector's and Jötnar editions. 

As you might expect, both editions of Ragnarok look fantastic. It doesn't hurt that both come in a fancy Knowledge Keeper's Shrine box that features beautiful artwork and plenty of fun goodies inside. Check them both out for yourself in the trailer below: 

As you can see in the trailer above, you can't go wrong with either edition. But, if you're like me and struggling to determine which one you want, hopefully this breakdown of what's in each will help: 

Collector's Edition

Here's everything that comes with the Collector's Edition: 

PlayStation and Sony Santa Monica Studio have released a brand new God of War: Ragnarok trailer, revealing that the highly-anticipated follow-up to 2018's God of War will be released this November. 

More specifically, Ragnarok will hit PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on November 9, meaning we're less than five months away from playing the game. The new trailer released today is short and sweet but still packs a godly punch. Clocking in at just 30 seconds, we see Kratos and Atreus fending off some standard mob enemies before coming face to face with a gigantic black wolf. 

Check out the cinematic "Father and Son" trailer for yourself below: 

Fans of Norse mythology might recognize this beast as Fenrir, the son of Loki. Fenrir plays a significant part in the Norse story of Ragnarok, but we won't spoil that here. Plus, Ragnarok's take on Fenrir could be completely different anyway. Only time will tell, but fortunately, we don't have to wait long because God of War: Ragnarok hits PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on November 9, 2022. 

American screenwriter and director James Gunn, as well as Grasshopper Manufacture founder Suda51 clarified that they will not be working on the upcoming Lollipop Chainsaw remake. This means that while publisher Dragami Games' effort involves development staff that worked on the original release of Lollipop Chainsaw, some key writers and creators from that time will not be part of the remake's development.

News of the remake's development came a few weeks after Dragami Games CEO Yoshimi Yasuda teased a revival back in June 2022. The announcement revealed a tentative 2023 release window, though details were still relatively scarce. However, Yasuda also stated that the "original staff" would be working on the remake, albeit with some elements that were "different from the original".

Speculation within the fan community and through news coverage led James Gunn, one of the writers of the original Lollipop Chainsaw, to clarify that he was not part of the remake. In a quote tweet, Gunn stated that Dragami Games did not approach him or Suda to work on the project. Furthermore, he had only heard of the remake from Suda a few weeks prior. However, Gunn also expressed that this was neither a condemnation nor an endorsement of the remake.

https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1544357353318797312?s=20&t=RbaCQbWpPyFqjIgVXlMu4A

One of my favorite things to do in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was chasing down card sharks to crush beneath my heel. Gwent, a fantasy card game within the world of The Witcher 3, was so satisfying that I would boot up the action RPG just to play a few rounds of it. I was positively thrilled when CD Projekt Red released…

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The irreverently popular sci-fi anime series Macross is finally getting an overseas release.

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It’s not a Switch Pro but it’ll do. Just in time for the ink shooter’s September launch, Nintendo is releasing a Splatoon 3-themed Switch OLED on August 26. It’ll go for $360, and if you haven’t already upgraded to the newer model, now might be the time, at least if you can manage to get your hands on one.

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Around 30 seconds into playing Doom Eternal, I’m feeling dizzy, my eyes are getting heavy, and my stomach is in knots. I can’t savor the sight of any pink guts spilling across my screen or the clamoring heavy metal soundtrack because I already want to puke. But I knew this was coming. I, like many other poor,…

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Ubisoft has announced Tom Clancy's The Division Resurgence, a new free-to-play entry in its looter shooter series for smartphones due for a full launch in 2023.

Like its bigger console and PC brothers, Resurgence will be a third-person shooter RPG set in an open world, with a fresh story campaign which will offer a "new perspective on key story events".

Once again you play as an agent allied to the Strategic Homeland Division in a post-crisis America, following a deadly virus outbreak and the collapse of the government. Topical!

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Mythological mash-up action RPG Valkyrie Elysium will hit PC on November 11th, Square Enix have announced, six weeks after its initial release on current-gen PlayStations. Alas, while buyers of the PlayStation deluxe digital edition will also get to enjoy a brand-new port of PSP game Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth (an enhanced version of the very first Valkyrie game), Square Enix have decided not to include it in the equivalent PC edition. No, instead we’re being offered three desktop wallpapers, and a special in-game sword. Don your horned helmet and take a deep breath before you watch the trailer below.

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Last time, you decided that secrets behind waterfalls are better than boss battles as skill checks. I'm not sure I agree but I can't disagree. We're doing difficult work here. This week, it's a question of a helping hand when you're stuck versus something so unsubtle that it'll take your face off and you'll be glad for it and even be miffed if it doesn't happen. What's better: hints, or explosive barrels?

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Are you looking to add a splash of chaotic color to your Nintendo collection? A Splatoon 3-inspired special edition Switch OLED is dropping later this summer. Moreover, a Splatoon 3 Pro Controller and Switch Carrying Case drops in September. Splatoon artwork and paint splotches adorn both items, with the standard Switch Joy-Cons sporting white underbellies and gorgeous iridescent/gradient designs. You can check out the console and its accessories by clicking on the Twitter thread below. 

Something fresh is surfacing! The #NintendoSwitch – OLED Model #Splatoon3 Edition splashes down on 8/26! pic.twitter.com/dW4EoT7Rjs

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 6, 2022

The prices for all the items are as follows: The Nintendo Switch – OLED Model Splatoon 3 Special Edition is $359.99, the Pro Controller is $74.99, and the Carrying Case is $24.99. The Switch OLED splashes onto the scene on August 26, while the Pro Controller and Carrying Case drop on the same day as Splatoon 3’s release, September 9. 

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the most popular open-world fantasy RPGs ever made for several reasons, including its in-universe card game, Gwent. 

CD Projekt Red, the studio behind Wild Hunt and 2020’s Cyberpunk 2077, has already created a game based on Gwent, aptly called Gwent: The Witcher Card Game, but it seems the developer is not ready to leave that in-universe game behind just yet. That’s because the studio is launching Gwent: Rogue Mage, a new single-player roguelike deckbuilder, tomorrow. 

In a surprise reveal today, The Division Resurgence will be a new storyline of The Division series for mobile devices. The reveal trailer gives a look at a new enemy faction called the Freemen. While there’s not direct gameplay, the trailer does open with saying it is “game engine footage.” Judging by the end of the trailer, The Division Resurgence will be coming to both iOS and Android devices “soon”.

You can watch the reveal trailer for the new mobile entry in the series below.

It seems The Division Resurgence will return to New York after Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 took place in Washington D.C.

Tom Clancy’s The Division came out in 2016 with the sequel following in 2019. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 hasn’t slowed down, though. Season 9 of The Division 2 started back in May, so the game isn’t dead yet.

To celebrate the 33-year anniversary of Studio Ghibli’s hit fantasy adventure, Bandai Namco is creating a new line of products themed around Kiki’s Delivery Service. Currently, merch includes plushies, crafts, figures, and more items from the Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America line of Studio Ghibli licensed merchandise based on this beloved anime.

You can check out each of the products, their pricing, and brief descriptions below:

Riot Games is intent on opening Valorant up to a wider audience with a handheld spin-off. If you’re wondering when Valorant mobile comes out, here’s everything there is to know so far.

Valorant mobile was first announced over a year ago as Riot Games celebrated a successful first year of the game with a string of announcements about its overall player base and interest in continuing support of the title. Riot producer Anna Donlon said at the time:

“To see our growing player community recognize and appreciate what we’re trying to do with Valorant is beyond what we could’ve expected and we’re thrilled to soon offer the same competitive Valorant experience to even more global players.”

Notably, Donlon also said at the time that a console version of the game was potentially still in the works, though the development team had felt that mobile was a better fit for Valorant.

The end is near as God of War Ragnarök has finally received a release date, with Nov. 9, 2022 being the date that Kratos and Atreus embark on their next journey. Along with the release date announcement, preorders will be going live soon with a boatload of amazing Viking-infused content. Want to know which preorder edition suits you best? We have you covered; here are all of the preorder editions for God of War Ragnarök and when you can preorder them.

When Do Preorders Start for God of War Ragnarok Collector’s Editions? Answered

Preorders for God of War Ragnarök open July 15, 2022 at 10:00 am Local Time (10 am Eastern Time for North America). At this current moment, you cannot preorder the game digitally or physically on any storefront as the game has not been added to said stores.

There are four different preorder editions that will be going live on July 15, and we’ll be going over them now.

Bandai Namco released another character trailer of its upcoming fighting game JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R.

Last weekend we saw a trailer focusing on the trio of Stone Ocean, today we get to see one of them in action in her dedicated trailer, Ermes Costello.

Of course, we also get to see Ermes’ stand Kiss in action as they beat up F.F. together.

Deston will be available as a playable map when update 18.2 for PUBG releases on July 13 for PC and July 21 for consoles. Deston is an 8×8 map referred to in the press release as part of a “near-future and ravaged world.” Deston is the third 8×8 map after Erangel and Miramar while being double the size of Sanhok. As it is just about average for the battle royale game, it has some unique features.

Another day, another fun-filled quote quiz centered around two of the most iconic TV sitcoms in history. That’s right, it’s time to focus our attention on The Big Bang Theory’s awkward-yet-loveable, Sheldon Cooper, and Friends’, well, awkward-yet-loveable, Chandler Bing.

While you may think both of these beloved characters couldn’t be any different from one another, we’d wager that identifying all these classic quotes correctly will be far from a walk in the (central) park, especially for those who aren’t familiar with ol’ Bing-A-Ling or Sheldor The Conqueror. Are you ready to test your Friends and The Big Bang Theory quote knowledge?

So, without further delay, grab Monica’s epic Thanksgiving sandwich “The Moist-Maker”, make sure no one is sitting in Sheldon’s spot, and come join us for Twinfinite’s latest quote quiz. Can you identify who said what in all of these Sheldon Cooper and Chandler Bing quotes? You’ve got this!

Today THQ Nordic announced that its action RPG Kung-fu P… ahem… Biomutant will release for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The game will launch on the latest-generation consoles on September 6, 2022.

The pricing will be $39.99, €39.99, or £34.99 depending on where you live. If you already have the PS4 or Xbox One versions, you can upgrade to PS5 or Xbox Series X|S respectively for free and even pick up where you’ve left off thanks to compatible save games.

The PS5 version will have three different graphics trading off visual quality and performance.

• Quality: 30 fps @ 4k resolution
• Quality Unleashed: 40+ fps, averaging 50-60 fps, up to 4k resolution
• Performance: 60 fps locked @ 1440p

The Xbox version will have three different modes as well, with resolution dropped on Xbox Series S.

• Quality: 30 fps @ 4k resolution (1440p on Series S)
• Quality Unleashed: 40+ fps, avg. 50-60 fps, up to 4k resolution (1440p on Series S)
• Performance: 60 fps locked @ 1440p (1080p on Series S)

The announcement was accompanied with a trailer, which you can enjoy below.

Earlier this week, Rockstar Games revealed its latest update for the online version of Red Dead Redemption 2, Red Dead Online. The developers showed off a full calendar of events coming up for the game’s multiplayer, which includes plenty of discounts, rewards, and bonuses fans will surely love.

Arguably the most interesting thing to come out of this new Red Dead Online update is the free community outfit. Known as The Rambler, this stylish Wheeler, Rawson & Co. Catalogue look was actually inspired by a community member.

According to the official press release, Rockstar found the post above by user DonSolo in the RedDeadFashion subreddit and liked it so much that they wanted everyone in the community to experience it for themselves. Honestly, I can’t say I disagree with the idea of giving it out, as the ensemble really embodies the spirit of being a bank robber/cowboy in the old west.

What do you think of The Rambler? Will you be picking this up for yourself this week? Be sure to let us know in the comment section below.

Square Enix and Luminous Productions' action-RPG Forspoken will not release as planned. An announcement on the official Forspoken Twitter account revealed that the game is delayed to early 2023. This is the second time Forspoken has been delayed. Previously, Forspoken was set to go on sale on May 24, 2022, and was pushed back to October 11, 2022. The new Forspoken release date is now January 24, 2023

Check out the tweet announcing the delay below.

https://twitter.com/Forspoken/status/1544675140780392453

The announcement does not give a specific reason for the Forspoken release date delay. It does state that the "strategic decision" comes as a result of discussions with "key partners".  The team clarified that "all game elements" of Forspoken are complete, with development in its "final polishing phase". The team thanked fans for their support and patience. It will share more information about Forspoken in Summer 2022.

Games like Forspoken can have their release date delayed for a variety of reasons. These range from unforeseen issues in development to an overly crowded initial release window. Even external circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or global events can force a team to rethink the best time for their game to debut.

Forspoken is in development. Its current release date is January 24, 2023. It will launch on PS5 and PC.

Hope you haven’t tired of live-action anime adaptations because the creators of Stranger Things, the Duffer Brothers, are making a new live-action Death Note.

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Remember last week? It happened about 34 years ago, so if you don’t, I understand. But last Thursday, the official EA Twitter account tweeted a bad joke about single-player games that led to an internet-wide roasting and eventually an apology from the Battlefield publisher. And apparently, EA is still dealing with…

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Jane Foster makes her triumphant return to the Thor films after years of being absent in the franchise. In the latest trailer, we see her in a different light now that she has transformed into a vigorous hero. So, how does Jane become Lady Thor, and will she be the new God of Thunder? Let’s look at her timeline in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and comics to understand this newest change to the films.

How Jane Foster Becomes Thor

According to the comics, Jane takes on the godly mantle when Thor becomes unworthy of Mjolnir. Unfortunately, she also has breast cancer but is “cured” whenever she transforms into her hero state. It is still unclear if Thor: Love and Thunder will follow this story path since the film’s version showcases Thor wielding his Stormbreaker, a weapon that doesn’t even belong to him in the comics.

Anyone who has watched Rick and Morty long enough knows that the show was originally a short created by Justin Roiland back in 2006 called The Real Animated Adventures of Doc and Mharti. The crudely drawn skit was a parody on Back to the Future, featuring vulgar jokes about  Doc Brown and Marty Mcfly.

Seven years later, this skit turned into what is now known as Rick and Morty. But while there was certainly some carryover, including Rick’s iconic burp, a lot of the personalities we’ve come to know in the series today have evolved considerably, including Rick Sanchez.

So where did Roiland get the inspiration for the mad-scientist known as Rick Sanchez? Well, according to a former CNN reporter, the foul-mouthed grandpa was actually based on him, the real Rick Sanchez.

Sanchez discussed this interesting detail on the most recent episode of his podcast, Rick Sanchez News. During the show, he plays a video from 2006 showing cartoonist Justin Roiland riffing on his character for a new animated series in the works for Adult Swim.

In the clip, Roiland shows off a masked news reporter named Rick Sanchez anchoring for the “7 P.M. News.” It wasn’t until later that Roiland’s Rick Sanchez would become the mad scientist we know and love today.

Third-party developers had news to share today about upcoming add-ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

We start with iniBuilds which released an extensive development update, starting with the Airbus A310.

It’s worth reminding that this aircraft will be released for free with the 40th Anniversary Edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator.

“Development is going very well, and the last post focused a lot on the exterior. Today, I am pleased to show you some elements of the beautiful cockpit that will be coming with this aircraft.

A lot of the elements are complete, with final refinements being conducted and you can also see some of the features coming into the EFB. As mentioned in our last post, we will provide a comprehensive training guide on the operation of the aircraft and how all the systems can be used. Please note this is not a modern Airbus so there are some quirks and they have been fully reflected in the aircraft to provide a great deal of immersion, and these will all be explained in our training series!

We have some other items we have not revealed yet, that we will show next month, but for now I leave you with two more fantastic exterior shots.”

Manga and doujinshi chain Toranoana will shut down five locations in Japan from August 31, 2022. These stores are the Akihabara A, Shinjuku, Chiba, Nanba A, and Umeda stores. The announcement also states that plans to open a Toranoana branch in Nagoya will not proceed. The company had planned on opening it in 2021. [Thanks, Dankanemitsu!]

According to the announcement, the reason behind the store closures is due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2020, the pandemic and quarantine measures intended to contain its spread greatly affected the physical locations of Toranoana, with the difficulties continuing into the present. These problems have affected other businesses and industries around the world. Toranoana apologizes for this, noting that the company’s “lack of effort” is to blame for the situation.

However, since Akihabara has been Toranoana’s center of operations since the beginning, the company wishes to return to it one day. Though the actual store itself will cease operation in August 2022, Toranoana will continue its plans to create a gallery. Artists will be able to display illustrations in the gallery, as well as look at other people's works.

NFT Pokémon clone Axie Infinity went from being famous for players profiting off its “play-to-earn” gaming scam to infamous for getting hacked out of $540 million in cryptocurrency. Now according to a new report by The Block we know what made the security breach possible: a sophisticated phishing attempt socially…

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The Matrix Awakens is going to sleep. Epic’s visually impressive tech demo (that’s also kind of a mini open-world action game) for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S will be delisted on July 9, the company announced via its website. If you’ve already added the game, which is free, to your game library, you can continue…

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The upcoming God of War Ragnarök will be available in a variety of editions at launch. None of these bundles, however, include physical versions of the game itself.

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Many video games feature a character creation system, but which ones are the best? Well, don’t wonder it any longer! We narrowed down the best character creation games based on games with good character customization systems for you.

Jump Force

Best Character Creation Games (Good Character Customization)

Have you ever wanted to create your very own anime hero/heroine? Well, Jump Force is the game for you, if so. The game’s character creation gives you a ton of different options, like hair or eyes styles inspired by its various anime.

Customization gets pretty detailed, letting you choose from a bunch of different voices, mouths, eyes, and more.

Things get even more fun, however, with the different costumes and accessories you can purchase. Want to put on a Naruto jumpsuit with Ichigo’s sword, a Vegeta wig, and some slick pants from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure?

You can do that. There are so many options, that any anime fan should have aa great time making their own character.