Destructoid

The latest entry in the long-running World Rally Championship series finally got the green flag on Switch today, as WRC 9 finally launches on the Nintendo platform, following its September 2020 release on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC

WRC 9 for Nintendo Switch comes jam packed with all of 2020's WRC content, including three rallies through Japan, New Zealand, and Kenya, along with 15 iconic vehicles, 14 environments, and a huge 110 special stages. WRC 9 also features a deep career mode, which adds mechanics such as staff and calendar management to the free-wheelin' action.

WRC 9 is now available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Switch platforms, as well as on PC via Epic Games Store. You can check out a new trailer for the Switch release below.

While 2020 was most certainly not a year to look back on with any great fondness, the trials and tribulations of what should have been a promising start to a new decade did not stunt the kindness and generosity of the gaming community. Games Done Quick, Pokemon GO Fest, itch.io, Extra Life, and many other events and companies donated/raised funds for a variety of important and worthwhile causes. And discount gaming store Humble Bundle was no different.

Over the course of the year, Humble Bundle raised a total of over $30 million USD via the sales of its gaming and book bundles, with the impressive total reaching a total of 224 global charities. Of this figure, some $8.1 million was donated to COVID relief and healthcare causes such as Direct Relief, Medecin Sans Frontiers, and Partners in Health, all of whom worked tirelessly in efforts to provide resources, PPE, and healthcare during one of the worst global pandemics the planet has ever faced.

Devolver Digital and Four Quarters have quite the roguelike strategy hit on their hands with Loop Hero, a game that's hard to fully "get" until you've looked at the clock and realized you just lost several hours in an instant. Plenty – and I mean plenty – of curious players have come to that realization this week.

Loop Hero has passed 500,000 sales in its first week on Steam, and players are averaging 12 hours.

What is this game? It's a distillation of moody old RPGs, card-drawing deck builders, idle games, and gambling. Okay, that last one isn't technically true – but I sure feel like I'm pushing my luck whenever I play. I never know when to retreat with my pile of resources before it's too late and I'm screwed.

Litter the map with structures from randomly-drawn cards to help and hinder your hero, passively watch them battle it out with fantasy foes, actively equip incrementally better gear drops that fit your class, and keep them alive until they can face the big boss – that's the idea, anyway. Loop Hero is tough.

It's one of those games with an old-school mystique about it where you've got to test things out for yourself to discover synergies or even whole game mechanics, or you've gotta consult the wiki.

I've yet to clear the second stage – I was so close with an absurdly fast-hitting Rogue once – but maybe I'll have my breakthrough soon. I also want to get better with the Necromancer because skeletons rule.

Tech firm Irdeto has partnered with PlayStation in order to offer Denuvo's anti-cheating technology to any developer creating titles for the latter's newest gaming platform, PS5.

"Cheating ruins video games for honest players," said Denuvo MD Reinhard Blaukovitsch in a statement. "This can lead to lower engagement, game traffic and shrinking revenues for game publishers. We are really proud to be able to help the world's most talented developers to bring rich experiences for gamers on PlayStation 5."

As part of the Tools and Middleware program, developers will be able to license Denuvo's patented Anti-Cheat tech for use within their titles to "secure online gameplay and securely reward offline progress." Understandably, the news has been treated with concern from some PS5 owners, as Denuvo's controversial "Anti-Tamper" PC software has come under fire from players and developers in the past, accusing the piracy-prevention tech of hampering performance and draining CPU resources.

It should be noted that, for now at least, Denuvo is specifically offering its Anti-Cheat tech to PS5 developers, not its Anti-Tamper tech. Denuvo claims that some PS5 games are already utilizing Anti-Cheat, (though it negates to divulge which games), so hopefully we won't see a repeat of the furor that hit Doom Eternal back in 2020. Regardless, for some video game fans, the mere term "Denuvo" is linked with negativity, so this news will understandably be treated with trepidation, regardless of its ultimate outcome.

Borderlands 3 players waiting for that next – and surely not final – reason to revisit the game will have to wait a few more weeks. Gearbox has delayed the Director's Cut DLC to April 8, 2021.

Hey Vault Hunters, we have an important update for you. pic.twitter.com/Vqn1VSrDGK

— Borderlands 3 (@Borderlands) March 11, 2021

In a statement on Twitter, the studio cited "challenges arising from the severe weather that impacted Texas" in February as the main force behind the delay. "Thankfully, all of our team members and their families are safe and healthy, but our work on Director's Cut was unavoidably disrupted and we've ultimately decided to shift the release date to ensure we deliver the best possible experience."

As a quick recap, the Director's Cut DLC is the second half of Season Pass 2 and it's focused primarily on Hemovorous the Invincible, a Varkid raid boss, and a series of "murder mystery" missions with Ava.

The add-on also adds Vault Cards to keep the progression/reward grind alive for the rest of 2021.

There are short- and long-term implications with Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media and all of its studios, and we're already starting to see them play out. Unsurprisingly, Xbox Game Pass is getting a lot of Bethesda titles this week – 20 games, almost all of which will be playable on Xbox and PC.

Here's the list of Bethesda games that you can play with Xbox Game Pass on March 12, 2021:

The time has come!

Like other Activision remasters/remakes, Crash 4 has inevitably hit the Switch. Today!

Also on Switch, Stubbs the Zombie is being resurrected, and is out on March 16. Then there's Cyanide & Happiness - Freakpocalpyse. And a bunch of other stuff!

Oh, and Apex Legends just arrived on Switch yesterday. There's a lot of old/semi-new stuff to explore on the eShop this week.

Dig out your Sherlock Holmes hat and prepare to re-open your detective agency, because there's foul play afoot in the world of The Outer Worlds. Eridanos' most treasured celebrity, Halcyon Helen, lies dead in her office, right before her endorsement of new brand Spectrum Brown Vodka. But whodunnit? And why? WHY?

These will be among the questions you and your crew will have to answer in The Outer Worlds' newest DLC expansion "Murder on Eridanos." Armed with only your wits, the sleuthing Discrepancy Amplifier, and, oh yeah, a shit load of laser guns, it will be up to you to journey through the floating islands of Eridanos and get to the bottom of Halcyon Helen's untimely end. Just be sure that someone doesn't end up getting sent to investigate your untimely end.

The Outer Worlds: Murder on Eridanos will launch on PS4, PC, and Xbox One March 17. A date was not announced for the Switch release, but given the delayed arrival of previous DLC Peril on Gorgon, no doubt it will make its way to the Nintendo platform in good time.

But, it's not even the "summer of streams" yet!

Alas, every publisher and their brother is getting a stream, and now Square Enix is ready to announce their next project: Square Enix Presents. It's a new Nintendo Direct-like video program, and it's described as a "series of shows," so we're getting more than just the upcoming March 18 debut, folks.

It's crazy how diverse Square Enix's catalog is at this point, but updates for Life is Strange, Outriders, Just Cause mobile, Marvel's Avengers, Balan Wonderworld are announced, as far as specific titles go. In the broader picture, they'll "celebrate" the 25th anniversary of Tomb Raider somehow, and show us "new mobile game announcements," as well as what TAITO (Bubble Bobble) has been working on.

The exact time for the first Square Enix Presents stream is 1PM ET on March 18, and it will last "approximately 40 minutes." You can find a full list of everything the publisher intends to showcase below.

So the new Nintendo dream island is finally open for business in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and it's fairly easy to access.

While it's nothing to write home about within the confines of the game, it does get you a quick and easy Mario mission completion. Here's a quick runthrough.

Yesterday saw publisher Dotemu come leaping out of the sewers (erm... no offense) with the announcement of a brand new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade brawler.

TMNT: Shredder's Revenge is in development for PC and consoles at Tribute Games - a studio not only responsible for the enjoyable Mercenary Kings, but who also houses developers who worked on Ubisoft's great 2010 brawler Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game. Powered by this trinity of brand, studio, and frenzied fan nostalgia, it's fair to say that much of the internet lost its collective mind when the trailer dropped yesterday morning.

From the short gameplay teaser, it's clear that TMNT: Shredder's Revenge is hoping to capture the awesome multiplayer action of Konami's 1989's arcade classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and its 1991 sequel, Turtles in Time. With fans suffering from severe shell-shock at the announcement, there's a few details featured in the trailer that might've passed them by.

[Update: Xbox has announced that it will premiere a "Bethesda Joins Xbox" video today at 10:00 PT / 13:00 ET. Described as a "roundtable conversation," Xbox Aaron Greenberg notes that the video will not focus on major news or any game announcements. You can check out the video on the official Xbox YouTube channel.]

Earlier this week, Microsoft received approval from both the U.S. Securities & Exchanges Commission and the European Commission regarding its $7.5 billion USD acquisition of ZeniMax Media, essentially making the latter's studios and publishers Xbox-owned studios.

According to sources speaking with VentureBeat, Microsoft is planning to discuss what this industry-shaking transaction means for Xbox going forward, with specific regard to the Xbox Game Pass service. According to VentureBeat's sources, Microsoft is currently preparing a video presentation for broadcast Thursday, March 11, in order to better explain its plans for its newly owned studios such as Bethesda Softworks.

So Apex Legends is out on Switch. That's good!

But it also has some performance issues. That's bad!

But it has cross-play. That's good!

But cross-play can cause you to get smoked by players with twice the framerate and better visuals. That's bad!

Electronic Arts has announced it has begun a "thorough investigation" into allegations that one of its employees has sold rare FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) cards directly to players in the FIFA 21 community.

In what has been dubbed by the internet as #EAGate, (because of course it has), multiple Twitter users posted images - as collated by Eurogamer - that allege to show evidence of deals made between FIFA players and at least one EA employee via direct messaging services.

The supposed transactions revolve around the direct selling of FUT "Icon Moments" - incredibly rare cards based on legendary footballers such as Pele, Zinedine Zidane, and Ruud Guillet. One tweet shows an alleged transaction that features one Icon Moment and two Team of the Year cards changing hands for a total of €1,000 (roughly $1,200 USD). Another example allegedly shows three Icon Moments and two Team of the Year cards selling off-market for €1,700 (or around $2,000 USD).

This morning, Electronic Arts released an official statement regarding the scandal, announcing that it was in the process of launching a thorough investigation into the situation. "We understand how this creates concern about unfair balance in the game and competition," said the publisher on Twitter...

...because sometimes a punchline just writes itself.

[Update: The Monsters in the Dark Kickstarter has hit its target goal of $12,000. The crowdfunding campaign will remain open until April 8, at which point the book will go through its final proofing and publishing process. It will launch in digital format soon thereafter, with a physical paperback to follow in summer 2021.]

A Kickstarter campaign has been launched for a new book that will tell the story behind the development of 1994's X-COM: Enemy Unknown, (released in North America as X-COM: UFO Defense and also as UFO: Enemy Unknown in Europe), the first release in the genre-defining strategy series that is still zapping aliens and fending off intergalactic invasions to this day.

Monsters in the Dark: The Making of X-COM: UFO Defense is an independently produced book by author David L. Craddock, who previously penned the excellent Stay Awhile and Listen series, recounting the formation of Blizzard Entertainment and Blizzard North, as well as the development and launch of the legendary Diablo series

"I read David Craddock's book, Stay Awhile and Listen, and I thought it was quite an intricate, deep-dive into the inner workings of Blizzard Entertainment," said X-COM co-creator Julian Gollop. "I would like to see the X-COM book as kind of a historical record of a game that was influential. Hopefully, it can provide some inspiration, and also some fascination for how things were done in the early days of the games industry- and in some cases, how badly things were done as well."

The Magnificent Trufflepigs is a walking, talking, metal-detecting narrative adventure game from the lead designer of Everybody's Gone to the Rapture. Doesn't that sound cozy? As someone who just yesterday tossed on this background-noise video of cows grazing in the mountainside, I'd say so!

The upcoming game – a collaboration between Andrew Crawshaw's new studio Thunkd and publisher AMC Games – will set you loose on an English farm with a metal detector and a walkie-talkie.

You're looking for a long-lost earring, a sort of "local treasure," before the farm is taken over by an energy company. Playing as Adam (voiced by Arthur Darvill), you'll chat with Beth (Luci Fish), who found the first half of the pair years back and hopes to feel a "childhood sense of adventure" again.

Beyond the easygoing premise, there are hints that this seemingly simple task might spiral out of control by the end. It's tough not to point to Firewatch even if the comparisons are probably surface-level, but either way, there's plenty of room for more games in the conversing-in-nature space.

The Magnificent Trufflepigs is coming to Steam and Nintendo Switch in early summer 2021.

Back when Destructoid nominated its favorite new characters of 2020, I talked about Yakuza: Like a Dragon's hapless hero, Ichiban Kasuga. Nobody but nobody, it would've seemed, could successfully fill the role of long-term Yakuza protagonist Kazuma Kiryu - one of the coolest, likable, and most beloved protagonists in Sega's, nay, in gaming history.

But, somehow, new boy Kasuga hit the ground running, masterfully blending stoicism, bravery, pathos, heroism, and just the right amount of complete and utter idiocy to immediately win the hearts of the Yakuza faithful. The boy came good, and despite having only been around for a single release, it already feels like Kasuga has been around for the franchise's full 15 years.

Speaking in a (spoilery) interview with The Verge, Team Yakuza writer and designer Masayoshi Yokoyama reflected on the impact created by the burgundy-suited maniac. Yokoyama noted that, having spent the past 18 years in prison, Kasuga has a whole life to catch up on, with more than enough time to get tangled up in a hell of a lot of dramatic and catastrophic shenanigans as he readjusts to the outside world.

"I think that Yakuza: Like a Dragon is only the first chapter of Ichiban Kasuga's life," mused Yokoyama on his character's future. "Since he was in prison for 18 years, he has only just begun his life as an adult man. I'm sure there’s probably many trials and tribulations that await him."

As a huge Castlevania: Symphony of the Night fan, I feel honor bound to check out Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth. It has looked fantastic in Early Access, but you know me, I like to wait. Now's the time to strike as Team Ladybug's action-platformer is about to fully launch on March 27.

Better yet, there's still an early-bird discounted price – how does $10.39 sound?

I don't know the source material (I'll leave that to Chris), but I'm convinced I'll enjoy this adaption. When a not-insignificant part of the HUD is devoted to a future boss's health bar, I'm in my happy place.

This is an older trailer, but a good starting point nonetheless. You'll know if you're feeling it.

What's up with the Early Access build? I've heard mostly good things about Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth. That said, I've also seen comments about it being too short even for an unfinished game. The final version will further round out the experience by adding Stage 5 and Stage 6 with the March 27 update.

If for whatever reason you want to wait it out, the final game will cost $19.99 on Steam.

Ubisoft has launched the online component for its blah open-world sequel Watch Dogs: Legion. The new multiplayer modes are now live on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Stadia platforms. The PC update has been halted for the time being due to technical issues.

Watch Dogs: Legion now offers a "Co-Op Free Roam" mode, which allows budding Brit hackers the opportunity to team up with a squad of three friends and take a stroll through the streets of London, completing activities and side-quests while enjoying the bizarre juxtaposition of character models paired with ill-fitting voice-actors.

Worship is a game about leading your cultists into battle, Pikmin style, and I am so, so here for it. It reminds me of the first time I saw Don't Starve. The art style and concept immediately grabbed me.

This is the next game from Struggling developer Chasing Rats Games, and it's making the rounds through Kickstarter right now with a hopeful 2022 release planned for PC and consoles. It's on Steam.

As a cult leader striving to unleash an old god – there are multiple; you get to pick! – you'll perform rituals, convert bystanders to help the cause, and command them in real-time battles with beasts and inquisitors. Exploration is a focal point in Worship, and on a related note, it has roguelike elements.

I could take or leave that choice, but I will say, (optional) multiplayer helps sell me on a roguelike structure – there will thankfully be local and online co-op for four players. "A right mix of procedural and handcrafted elements will make each game session different and fun to dive in," the developers say.

Apart from combat and puzzles out in the world, there's also base building – you'll raise monuments to regenerate blood more quickly for rituals and increase the number of followers you can lead. There's a lot to like in the pitch, including overviews of the freaky old gods and how they impact gameplay.

More than anything, though, you've gotta see this game, not just read about it:

It's been quite some time since we last heard from PloyAmorous' twisted history title Paradise Lost. This bleak-but-intriguing tale is set against the backdrop of an alternate World War II, one where the fighting between allies and The Third Reich raged for over 20 years, ultimately plunging society into a devastating nuclear apocalypse.

In Paradise Lost, players will control the destiny of Szymon, a child living in the irradiated wasteland that was once Poland. While scavenging for resources during a self-imposed quest to track down a mysterious guardian, Szymon stumbles across an abandoned Nazi bunker, filled with frightening technology and decked out in haunting Pagan iconography. What was its purpose? Why was it abandoned? And who is the mysterious "Ewa" who calls to him from deep within its labyrinthine walls?

It's hard to believe we're almost ready for Season 4 of Fall Guys, but I've given up on my ability to accurately judge the passage of time; leave that to the Sandman. As the still-running Season 3 winds down, Mediatonic has begun teasing the seven new levels arriving soon-ish with Season 4.

In a clip on Twitter, the studio showed off Skyline Stumble, a traversal-heavy level built for 60 beans. The stage looks challenging in the ways I want to be challenged, with varied obstacles – including pinball flippers, low-gravity zones, and intermittent bridges – as well as routes to plan out.

Here's one of the S E V E N new levels from Season 4!

🤖 Skyline Stumble 🤖

⚡️ A 60-player gauntlet with Low Gravity Zones, Forcefields, Flippity Bippities, Chonky Buttons, and Spicy Light Swingers! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/GR5Oe4dH1E

— Fall Guys 4041 🤖 SOON (@FallGuysGame) March 10, 2021

So yeah! If you hadn't heard, the next seasonal theme for Fall Guys is futuristic. It's a common enough trope, but based on this first gameplay footage, I'm excited to see these levels in the rotation.

According to Mediatonic, the Season 4 release date will be announced on March 15. We also recently learned that Season 4 will have 50 progression/reward levels, not the usual 40 levels of Fame.

[Update: The Pokemon pens are gone!

But Nintendo has also added two Mario 35 rewards into the mix: a "three year journal" and a pencil case. You can find them here.]

In what is becoming a biweekly event, there are now new physical My Nintendo rewards available.

Following the recent Bravely Default II reversible poster, Nintendo just dumped three new physical Pokemon rewards into the mix: a set of four ball point pens (with the three Pokemon Sword and Shield starters, as well as Pikachu), a Pokemon Sword and Shield memo pad, and a Pokemon Sword and Shield sticker set. You can grab them for 500, 400, and 500 Platinum Points each respectively.

The pens come in a 6"x3" package for reference, and the note pad is 6"x4"x1/8". The sticker set includes "two sheets featuring Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble," and clocks in at 11"x7". Stationary is becoming quite the go-to for My Nintendo, as there's also an 800 point Mario & Luigi notebook available, as well as a Hyrule Warriors memo pad (which is a little bigger and 200 more platinum to compensate).

While stationary generally stays in stock for a while, by and large it does disappear over time. My guess is the extreme popularity of Pokemon could result in at least the pens selling out relatively soon.

If you need some quick points, remember to check out our guide!

Rewards [My Nintendo]

We are less than a month out from the release of People Can Fly's class-based sci-fi shooter Outriders. Publisher Square Enix has released a short animated trailer offering an abridged version of the events that led to a squad of no-hopers somehow becoming the makeshift saviors of humanity.

With the Earth on its last legs and the best of society's experts lying in ash, the final hope for mankind lies in an expedition party made up of expendable mercenaries - tasked to explore the planet Enoch in hopes of finding a new world for colonization. Things go awry fast, however, when a powerful energy storm blasts the planet's inhabitants, infusing everything in its path with powerful elemental abilities, including our unlikely heroes.

So in 2020, Blizzard announced that folks were able to vote on a new free mount that would be added for everyone who owned World of Warcraft: Shadowlands. The time has come to claim it.

As a reminder, The Wandering Ancient, based on the classic Warcraft III structure motif, won. At this point you can log into WoW, and go grab it directly from your collection tab; which should be pulsing with a notification. Note that it's not obtained via the mailbox, but through the collection tab. I logged in earlier and confirmed that it does indeed work!

Here's a bit of lore-based info on it, which includes a little worm-like creature at the top of its head: "Not all ancients are interested in war or lore, some just want to travel the world! This arboreal nomad has traveled to many places and with each passing season embraces change, both in scenery and in the foliage atop its branches."

If you want an in-depth look at the mount, Blizzard artists did a low key full rundown of its creation during BlizzConline a few weeks back. You can watch that clip below.

Now Available: Wandering Ancient Mount [World of Warcraft]

International plush toy brand Build-A-Bear has announced that it is teaming with Nintendo to produce a brand new range based on the latter's super-cute social sim Animal Crossing. The company made the succinct announcement on Twitter, but did not offer any information regarding characters, prices, or release dates - merely offering a mailing list for interested parties.

I'm an interested party. Not particularly because I care for Animal Crossing, but I do appreciate the hard-working, desk-bound attitude of cheerful good girl and staunch office worker, Isabelle. I think a plush edition of the pringle-wearing hound, sat just outside of my field of view, will offer me the drive and oppressive guilt needed to stay sat at my desk working - not wandering off to the kitchen to open the fridge... boil the kettle... look out the window... open the fridge again. Isabelle's jovial death stare will see my output increase an estimated 138%

You can sign up for more Animal Crossing x Build-A-Bear news here in the U.S. or here in the U.K.

So you've been enjoying Nioh 2 on PC? That's good! Things seem to be mostly fine, and the reception on Steam has been pretty positive. But not everyone is operating at the same capacity.

Just recently, Team Ninja put out a new set of bug fixes mostly aimed at the PS5 edition of the game, which cleared up a number of bugs that were unique to that version. Specifically, there was a problem with reduced input latency for certain control schemes, as well as save transer issues from PS4. Also, 120FPS mode was causing some issues (which happens a lot more than you'd think in action games).

But things were mostly quiet on the PC front, outside of one response from Team Ninja's Twitter account directly. When asked about random crashes for some PC users, the developer explained that they were "looking into it." So if it's happening to you, it's on their radar.

As more and more Japanese developers have moved into the PC realm, these sorts of patches and checks have become more expected and commonplace. Not every game can rely on a Durante patch!

Team Ninja [Twitter]

So! The Pokemon Company showed off a lot of new franchise news recently, and confirmed two new games. Well, one brand new game and one set of remakes for Diamond and Pearl.

Although each generation has its fans, Diamond and Pearl are beloved by many, so the new remake style didn't really grab a lot of folks. The thing is, it's not even Game Freak that's working on the official remakes; it's ILCA.

Enter fan remakes! Well, fan mockup trailers, at least. Content creator millenniumloops decided to take it upon themselves to deliver a new take on the series, complete with a near-two-minute reimagining clip. It even has the same intro and outro, which is a nice touch to make it all look more official.

Is it going to satisfy everyone? Probably not, but neither is the official set of remakes. Although this fan project would be a much bigger undertaking, I do like a lot of what is shown here. Maybe we'll get there eventually?

Dotemu has announced a brand new arcade-style brawler starring those Heroes in a Half Shell: the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Produced in conjunction with Nickelodeon, TMNT: Shredder's Revenge is currently in development at Tribute Games (Mercenary Kings) and looks to capture the fun, chaotic gameplay and nostalgic spirit of Konami's legendary 1989 arcade beat 'em up.

The just-released teaser trailer below sees Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael laying waste to The Foot Clan in colorful, old-school, arcade action. Also popping up in the preview are punk rock bad dudes Bebop and Rocksteady, as well as The Shredder himself, no doubt up to one of his nefarious, world-conquering schemes. The new adventure will see the totally tubular foursome kicking shell all over New York City, en route to a climactic showdown deep the mysterious Dimension X.

Dotemu is yet to announce platforms or a release date for TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, but the new title is available for wishlisting on Steam and will be coming to "consoles." For more details, call April O'Neil in on this case, and you better hurry up, there's no time to waste. We need help, like quick, on-the-double. Have pity on this city, man, it's in trouble.

Capcom has become the king of private and public "pre-release" events, so to speak.

They've run a private group for testing out Resident Evil games for years, but they also hold a decent amount of public-facing demos. Resident Evil Village already got one, but if you're getting notifications for another, stop right there. Specifically, for "Early Access Invitations from a "Capcom.com no reply" email.

We've obtained a message directly from Capcom confirming the scam: "We want to inform you that these messages are NOT from Capcom and appear to be phishing attempts by an unauthorized third party. If you have received such a message, please DO NOT download any files or reply, and delete the message immediately."

Normally we don't pick up on every single phishing scam (there's a lot), but Capcom felt the need to address this publicly as it's become fairly widespread. Consider this your PSA!

For many Nintendo Switch owners, the upcoming Monster Hunter Rise will be their first foray into the dangerous world of... monster hunting. As such, developer Capcom has some new videos in order to help budding young stalkers find their feet within the fantasy franchise - as opposed to just finding their feet detached from the rest of their body.

The first two videos in the "Hunting 101" series look at the fundamentals of Monster Hunter. The "Overview" video takes a brief look at the hunt in its entirety, from inventory and preparation, to tracking your chosen beasties, to the epic battle itself, one that will ultimately find you the victor, or lunch. The video also looks at the spoils of the battle, and how loot and resources are used to improve your weapons and gear, setting you up for bigger and hardier prey.

Constantin Films has released a basic teaser poster for its upcoming big-screen adaptation of Capcom's horror franchise, Resident Evil. The new poster first appeared on Twitter courtesy of actor Chad Rook, who will star in the movie reboot as S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team member Richard Aiken.

While the poster leaves much to the imagination, one can't help but immediately notice the influence of Resident Evil 4's creepy artwork, putting the red in "redwoods." Somewhat clunkily dotted around the image is a selection of names, offering a who's who of Resident Evil characters who will all presumably be making their presence felt in the new movie.

Of note are the "Big Four" of Chris & Claire Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Leon S. Kennedy, alongside femme fatale Ada Wong, doomed scientist William Birkin, scuzzy Raccoon City police chief Brian Irons and, of course, antagonist Albert Wesker. But hugely conspicuous by his absence is lovable dolt Barry Burton - he of many of Resi's finest quotes and memes. If the new movie plans to mash together the casts and plotlines of the survival-horror franchise's earliest releases, it certainly would be odd not to see Mr. Burton put in an appearance.

Barry-less or otherwise, Resident Evil is scheduled to premiere in theaters September 3.

_{[Destructoid user Moths is here to suggest that the world could use more games like Simon’s Quest, and for as bewildering as it can be even with a well-laid-out walkthrough, I can't say I disagree. It's a strange gem, one that sticks with you. -Jordan]}

I recently replayed Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest for the first time in years. Coming into it a little older and a lot more pretentious, I was struck by what a special kind of game it is. It is a failure, yes. There have been plenty of those since 1987. But it is a failure that had stood the test of time. One that has earned love and a place in history largely on the merits of its failings. This honestly hits me at a personal level. I can only dream of one day becoming an interesting failure.

Simon’s Quest falls between the original Castlevania and Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. It represents a wild detour in the progression between those two games. It moved the focus away from a traditional action-platforming style and onto adventure elements, with progress being gated more by exploration and puzzles than by challenge. There’s a day/night cycle, and rudimentary experience and inventory systems. Grinding for currency is a relevant part of the game, but getting knocked into pits by medusa heads is not. Any player with the knowledge of how to do so can stomp Dracula to pieces in a few seconds. The knowledge of how to get that far in the first place is the hard part. And so on.

A dog shelter management game is a solid idea that should immediately click with a lot of people, myself included. I've run all sorts of failed virtual ventures, from theme parks to farms to hospitals to entire cities, but none of those scenarios feel as high-stakes as getting a new shelter off the ground.

Do I have what it takes to succeed in Little Rock Games' To The Rescue? I hope so!

Building out the best space, taking good care of the dogs, managing finances, dealing with health crises, promoting the shelter, and picking out the right pup for the right person – I'm into this game concept.

I want to specialize in basset hounds. If you've seen that basset hound clown car video, you'll get it.

After a successful Kickstarter in 2019, the shelter sim is back with a publisher – Freedom Games – and a new release window: Autumn 2021. On top of the original PC and Mac plans on Steam, there's also going to be a Nintendo Switch version of To The Rescue. It's aiming to be a simultaneous release.

Electronic Arts has released a jovial new trailer for its upcoming co-op only adventure title It Takes Two, which will unravel on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X March 28.

Developed by Swedish studio Hazelight - founded by charismatic shouter Josef Fares - It Takes Two is the story of feuding couple Cody and May, who find themselves turned into dolls following a magical wish made by their daughter. Now at the mercy of "Love Guru" Dr. Hakim, the pint-sized couple must conquer a series of challenges set in and around their shared home, and maybe even learn a thing or two about themselves, their relationship, and their family along the way.

Overwatch is running the PachiMarchi Challenge this week, and folks, I need the new Roadhog skin. I know I've said I'm done playing this game, but I want to kill everyone with kindness. This is my look.

The PachiMarchi Challenge runs until March 22, and there are a few distinct rewards up for grabs, the easiest of which is just a matter of logging in. If you pop into Overwatch before the deadline, you'll get an assortment of sprays: Junkimari, Tranquilmari, Pachirilla, Pachimada, Doomari, and Hackimari.

Of course, as a "challenge," you'll also need to actually play some Overwatch.

There are three tiers of rewards, the first of which is a Pachimari Hat player icon.

Then there's this squishy new emote for Junkrat.

And best of all, Roadhog's Pachimari outfit. Nine wins and it's yours.

Publisher Natsume has released a new trailer for its 16-bit inspired sequel Pocky & Rocky Reshrined. The new teaser gives fans their first reasonably lengthy look at the cute-em-up's frantic top-down shooter gameplay in action.

Developed by The Tengo Project - the same outfit behind recent retro revisits Wild Guns: Reloaded and Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors - Reshrined is no mere remaster, but a fully fledged sequel to the 1992 SNES release KiKi KaiKai: Nazo no Kuro Mantle - which is better known in the west as Pocky & Rocky. The new game will see the determined shrine maiden and her faithful tanuki buddy battle waves of enemies in a spanking new adventure - one that has been a long time coming, for sure!

Utilizing a brand new engine but retaining the charming 16-bit aesthetic of the original title, the cutesy sequel looks like a lightweight bit of fun for players looking to while away the weekend with a bit of old-school fun. I'm definitely going to be checking out the action when Pocky & Rocky Reshrined launches, this fall, on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

As previously reported, strategic shooter Tom Clancy's The Division 2 is not quite ready to hang up its holsters just yet. While many thought the team at Massive Entertainment was getting ready to sunset the team-based merc shooter, the developer announced that 2021 would see a fresh run of content for the title's dedicated playerbase.

Speaking in a new blog post titled "The Road Ahead", Massive revealed that this year will see a brand new game mode arrive in The Division 2's playlist. While no details were forthcoming, the mode is listed as "entirely new to the franchise." In addition, the team is working on new ways for players to progress their in-game operatives, with hopes of offering more in the way of both variety and viability for The Division 2's builds and classes.

Video game players are expected to have spent an approximate $20 billion on in-game loot boxes by 2025. That's the finding of a new report from the number-crunchers at Juniper Research.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, Juniper Research ascertains that around 230 million players - or roughly 5% of the entire gaming community - will have laid down dollar for some form of "mystery" microtransaction, with the institute predicting an average loot box revenue growth of around 5% each year - though the report does suggest that sales will inevitably fall with players growing weary of the mechanic, as well as the ever-increasing likelihood of global government legislation.

"Loot boxes in their traditional form are often considered exploitative; leading to increased legislative scrutiny," said Juniper Research's Nick Hunt in the sobering report. "We expect to see game publishers react to this in future by changing loot box formats, in order to keep them compelling and outside the legal realms of gambling."

Unsurprisingly, mobile platforms are expected to make up the lion's share of all loot box sales, with China and other Far Eastern territories responsible for around half of all loot box sales. North America sits in second place when it comes to microtransaction expenditure.

[Update: Forza Horizon 4 launched today on Steam and there's a free car for all platforms. You can get the 2019 Porsche 911 GT3 RS if you sign into your Xbox profile before March 14 at 10:00 am Pacific.]

Playground Games' crowd-favorite racing series Forza Horizon is coming to Steam. The studio is collaborating with Sumo Digital to bring the latest entry, Forza Horizon 4, to Steam on March 9, 2021.

If you've held off with the Windows 10 version, there you go. The Steam edition of Forza Horizon 4 will have cross-play, so Xbox One, Windows 10, and even Android players (using the cloud) can compete.

For those of you who don't closely follow the series but might be inclined to change your ways with this news, Forza Horizon 4 is the one in Britain that leans into shifting seasons. As our dear friend Brett said in his review at the time, "winter can be a pain in the ass and not nearly as enjoyable as the other three seasons," but it's the "only season that feels truly unique and actually affects the way driving works."

DLC like the Hot Wheels Legends Car Pack and expansions like Fortune Island and LEGO Speed Champions will be sold separately on Steam, but that's business as usual. I wasn't expecting otherwise.