Destructoid

Remember Blood & Truth? Well, I don't blame you if you're confused. It came out in the before times, and was a PSVR exclusive: I bet a lot of people missed it. Well, the gist is that it's a British gangster homage with VR gunplay and an action focus.

It was fun, but ultimately held back by the limitations of PSVR and the Move remotes: I felt like it would be better served on a more unchained platform like the Valve Index or the Oculus Rift/Quest. While we likely won't see the Sony studio branch out beyond PSVR, we could get a more advanced VR game on PS5, if their VFX lead's LinkedIn page is anything to go by.

While the listing for the PS5 game is vague (we don't know if it's VR, even though it likely could be), we now know that they're working on a new title. Hiring seems to be a go, for what they are calling the "next big title" from the studio.

I say bring it on. With new tech, VR could push the PSVR further. I just hope Sony does something about the outdated Move remotes at some point if they really want to keep selling VR experiences.

David Skilton [LinkedIn via DualShockers]

Make sure you're sitting down for this news: The PlayStation 5 is off to a tremendous start. This probably won't take you by surprise; it was nearly impossible to find a PS5 (or Xbox Series X for that matter) anytime around launch. Demand was definitely greater than supply.

According to a Digitimes report (which is behind a paywall but was reported on by Gematsu), Sony will be able to significantly up its manufacturing to meet the PS5's considerable demand. It expects to reach upwards of 18 million sales by the end of 2021. A big lift in the manufacturing numbers comes from AMD who will be able to nab additional resources for producing the custom CPU.

Thus far, Sony has managed 3.4 million sales in the first four weeks that the PS5 was on the market. That is certainly the entirety of the available stock, with the lion's share of the sales going to North America and Europe. That's already enough to be deemed "the highest [launch window sales] ever for a PlayStation console," but it would've been a whole lot more without supply chain logistics bottlenecking everything.

PS5 shipments to reach 16.8-18 million units in 2021 [Digitimes via Gematsu]

Make sure you're sitting down for this news: The PlayStation 5 is off to a tremendous start. This probably won't take you by surprise; it was nearly impossible to find a PS5 (or Xbox Series X for that matter) anytime around launch. Demand was definitely greater than supply.

According to a Digitimes report (which is behind a paywall but was reported on by Gematsu), Sony will be able to significantly up its manufacturing to meet the PS5's considerable demand. It expects to reach upwards of 18 million sales by the end of 2021. A big lift in the manufacturing numbers comes from AMD who will be able to nab additional resources for producing the custom CPU.

Thus far, Sony has managed 3.4 million sales in the first four weeks that the PS5 was on the market. That is certainly the entirety of the available stock, with the lion's share of the sales going to North America and Europe. That's already enough to be deemed "the highest [launch window sales] ever for a PlayStation console," but it would've been a whole lot more without supply chain logistics bottlenecking everything.

PS5 shipments to reach 16.8-18 million units in 2021 [Digitimes via Gematsu]

Three years on from its initial release, NieR: Automata is still shifting units. Publisher Square Enix announced that its emotional tale of robo-dystopia has successfully passed the milestone of a recorded five million shipments and digital sales since its launch back in February 2017.

Available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, (though the latter did require a variety of fan fixes to achieve a stable state), NieR: Automata is a spin-off from the Drakengard series and tells the story of a miserable proxy war between alien forces and the dwindling army of human-created androids left defending what remains of the planet. NieR: Automata blends deep RPG mechanics with developer Platinum Games' trademark hack 'n' slash action.

Three years on from its initial release, NieR: Automata is still shifting units. Publisher Square Enix announced that its emotional tale of robo-dystopia has successfully passed the milestone of a recorded five million shipments and digital sales since its launch back in February 2017.

Available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, (though the latter did require a variety of fan fixes to achieve a stable state), NieR: Automata is a spin-off from the Drakengard series and tells the story of a miserable proxy war between alien forces and the dwindling army of human-created androids left defending what remains of the planet. NieR: Automata blends deep RPG mechanics with developer Platinum Games' trademark hack 'n' slash action.

In case you missed it, Famitsu checked in with a ton of high-profile Japanese game developers on what they have planned for the new year (and beyond), and a few of them have a few interesting things to say.

One of the responses that really caught my eye was from Final Fantasy XIV producer Naoki "Yoshi P" Yoshida, who is going into 2021 with an "open mind" and a busy schedule. According to Yoshida, "2021 will be the busiest year of [his] career." Yoshida notes, "I'd like to make it a year in which I can deliver surprise and excitement to gamers and players, while also paying attention to my health."

Given how tirelessly he works on Final Fantasy XIV, I'd say that's a good idea. But it's not just XIV that's going to have announcements, as he's also working on Final Fantasy XVI. We can likely expect the new XIV expansion announcement in February, as well as more news about XVI.

So what else is happening at Square? Well, Bravely Default producer Tomoya Asano hopes that Bravely Default II is a success, at which point they can "prepare for the next one," which could be Bravely Default Third/III or something else. FFVII Remake co-lead Yoshinori Kitase says that "developments are in preparation" for the follow-up, but we need to wait a little longer for those details.

In case you missed it, Famitsu checked in with a ton of high-profile Japanese game developers on what they have planned for the new year (and beyond), and a few of them have a few interesting things to say.

One of the responses that really caught my eye was from Final Fantasy XIV producer Naoki "Yoshi P" Yoshida, who is going into 2021 with an "open mind" and a busy schedule. According to Yoshida, "2021 will be the busiest year of [his] career." Yoshida notes, "I'd like to make it a year in which I can deliver surprise and excitement to gamers and players, while also paying attention to my health."

Given how tirelessly he works on Final Fantasy XIV, I'd say that's a good idea. But it's not just XIV that's going to have announcements, as he's also working on Final Fantasy XVI. We can likely expect the new XIV expansion announcement in February, as well as more news about XVI.

So what else is happening at Square? Well, Bravely Default producer Tomoya Asano hopes that Bravely Default II is a success, at which point they can "prepare for the next one," which could be Bravely Default Third/III or something else. FFVII Remake co-lead Yoshinori Kitase says that "developments are in preparation" for the follow-up, but we need to wait a little longer for those details.

Arc System Works has announced that it will release the trailer for Anji Mito - the latest character to join the roster of upcoming fighter Guilty Gear Strive - late on December 31. There's nothing quite like making a timely entrance.

The handsome and hot-blooded fan-fighter debuted within the Guilty Gear franchise in 2000 entry Guilty Gear X, one of the few remaining humans of Japanese descent, Anji travels the globe in a dogged quest to find "That Man," keeping one step ahead of his opponents via his artistic and flamboyant fighting style, which combines acrobatic dancing with vicious attacks from his enchanted fans, a mythical artifact known as "Zessen."

Anji Mito's trailer will premiere December 31 at 16:00 PT / 19:00 ET / 01:00 BST. Guilty Gear Strive launches on PS4, PS5, and PC in April 2021.

Arc System Works has announced that it will release the trailer for Anji Mito - the latest character to join the roster of upcoming fighter Guilty Gear Strive - late on December 31. There's nothing quite like making a timely entrance.

The handsome and hot-blooded fan-fighter debuted within the Guilty Gear franchise in 2000 entry Guilty Gear X, one of the few remaining humans of Japanese descent, Anji travels the globe in a dogged quest to find "That Man," keeping one step ahead of his opponents via his artistic and flamboyant fighting style, which combines acrobatic dancing with vicious attacks from his enchanted fans, a mythical artifact known as "Zessen."

Anji Mito's trailer will premiere December 31 at 16:00 PT / 19:00 ET / 01:00 BST. Guilty Gear Strive launches on PS4, PS5, and PC in April 2021.

Just recently, Nintendo shared more info on Super Nintendo World via a physical walking tour with the father of Mario: Shigeru Miyamoto. It was amazing! Go watch it.

Back? Well you may have noticed that at some point in the video, Nintendo teased the Power-Up Bands (which are basically a form of Magic Bands from Disney parks), and some form of Switch functionality. Well, thanks to a new landing site, we now know a bit more on how that will all work.

According to the site, amiibo will correspond to the character on the band itself. So the above red band with the red "M" for Mario will become a "Mario amiibo." Other bands match up to Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toad, and Yoshi. The bands are used directly with the Switch NFC point on the Joy-Con or the Pro Controller, but "are not compatible with the 3DS or Wii U."

Of course, the bands will also work in the park as a scorekeeping mechanism of sorts, which interacts with various "activities." I wonder how they'll play out in the US version of the park with long lines.

Power-Up Band [Nintendo]

Just recently, Nintendo shared more info on Super Nintendo World via a physical walking tour with the father of Mario: Shigeru Miyamoto. It was amazing! Go watch it.

Back? Well you may have noticed that at some point in the video, Nintendo teased the Power-Up Bands (which are basically a form of Magic Bands from Disney parks), and some form of Switch functionality. Well, thanks to a new landing site, we now know a bit more on how that will all work.

According to the site, amiibo will correspond to the character on the band itself. So the above red band with the red "M" for Mario will become a "Mario amiibo." Other bands match up to Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toad, and Yoshi. The bands are used directly with the Switch NFC point on the Joy-Con or the Pro Controller, but "are not compatible with the 3DS or Wii U."

Of course, the bands will also work in the park as a scorekeeping mechanism of sorts, which interacts with various "activities." I wonder how they'll play out in the US version of the park with long lines.

Power-Up Band [Nintendo]

In a surprising but wholly welcome piece of news, fighting game maestro Arc System Works will team with fellow developers Eighting and Neople to create a one-on-one fighter set within the universe of Dungeon Fighter Online.

The tentatively titled DNF Duel was revealed just a few days ago at the Dungeon & Fighter Universe Festival, held in Korea by DFO publisher Nexon. While details are extremely short, DNF Duel will be a 2D anime affair much akin to titles such as Guilty Gear and Granblue Fantasy: Versus, and will no doubt feature warriors pulled from DFO's huge roster of heroes and villains.

While no platforms nor a release date were revealed, having the pedigree of Arc System Works and Eighting in its corner certainly sets DNF Duel in good stead. A short teaser trailer, which you can check out below, already shows a ton of promise.

In a surprising but wholly welcome piece of news, fighting game maestro Arc System Works will team with fellow developers Eighting and Neople to create a one-on-one fighter set within the universe of Dungeon Fighter Online.

The tentatively titled DNF Duel was revealed just a few days ago at the Dungeon & Fighter Universe Festival, held in Korea by DFO publisher Nexon. While details are extremely short, DNF Duel will be a 2D anime affair much akin to titles such as Guilty Gear and Granblue Fantasy: Versus, and will no doubt feature warriors pulled from DFO's huge roster of heroes and villains.

While no platforms nor a release date were revealed, having the pedigree of Arc System Works and Eighting in its corner certainly sets DNF Duel in good stead. A short teaser trailer, which you can check out below, already shows a ton of promise.

One of the things I look forward to the most during each holiday season is Famitsu's massive "end of year interview" initiative.

Typically, Famitsu taps nearly every major Japanese publisher for brief comments on their 2021 goals; some of which dish up huge direct or indirect teases. This year, we got a ton of that. Platinum Games is checking in to tell us a bunch of stuff we already know, but it's generally good news nonetheless.

Speaking for Platinum, famed producer Hideki Kamiya noted that although "many people are worried about Bayonetta 3," "verifications of new systems have been going great and development is going very well." Kamiya admits that this is a "copy" of prior comments, but the point still stands.

But what about their future endeavors? Well, Project G.G. (working title) is actually happening in earnest, and has moved on from just an idea. Kamiya says that work has "finally started moving, so please look forward to it." Remember, Platinum is also developing Babylon's Fall, and possibly some secret projects we don't know about yet.

Kamiya's "keyword" for 2021? "Do my best." He always does!

End of Year Creator Interviews [Famitsu via Gematsu]

One of the things I look forward to the most during each holiday season is Famitsu's massive "end of year interview" initiative.

Typically, Famitsu taps nearly every major Japanese publisher for brief comments on their 2021 goals; some of which dish up huge direct or indirect teases. This year, we got a ton of that. Platinum Games is checking in to tell us a bunch of stuff we already know, but it's generally good news nonetheless.

Speaking for Platinum, famed producer Hideki Kamiya noted that although "many people are worried about Bayonetta 3," "verifications of new systems have been going great and development is going very well." Kamiya admits that this is a "copy" of prior comments, but the point still stands.

But what about their future endeavors? Well, Project G.G. (working title) is actually happening in earnest, and has moved on from just an idea. Kamiya says that work has "finally started moving, so please look forward to it." Remember, Platinum is also developing Babylon's Fall, and possibly some secret projects we don't know about yet.

Kamiya's "keyword" for 2021? "Do my best." He always does!

End of Year Creator Interviews [Famitsu via Gematsu]

The PlayStation Vita will always be one of the more fascinating gaming devices to come out of Sony. It was powerful, beautiful, and produced some of the most inventive games on the market. And yet, it didn't really go anywhere. It kind of just hit and then slowly fizzled away over the next several years, surviving on niche JRPGs and celebrated visual novels. For some, it was their Persona machine and nothing more.

My first brush with the Vita ecosystem came a few years down the road. Sony, in some sort of attempt to salvage the brand, released the PlayStation TV in 2013. There was much anticipation for it until everyone realized many of their Vita games wouldn't work with it. The PS TV launched in the US for $100 in October 2014. Ten months later, you could get it brand new for $35 or less, which is exactly when I picked it up, along with a copy of Persona 4 Golden and a far-too-small 16 GB memory card.

I was reminded of all this on Sunday when my post on the Xbox Series S went live, and some commenters noticed the device sitting on my TV stand. Despite picking up an OLED PlayStation Vita in 2017, I never got rid of my PS TV. Sure, it hasn't been hooked up in years, but I can't stand to part with the little guy just yet. Too many happy memories of me playing Muramasa Rebirth on it.

There is a very good chance I'd still play it today if I could just get my hands on a larger memory card. The Vita line-up has so many gems that I'd buy in a heartbeat if I didn't have to keep downloading and deleting them from my tiny 16 GB card. I curse myself for being so cheap back then, though Sony's utter reluctance to drop the price of its cards is more to blame.

The PlayStation Vita will always be one of the more fascinating gaming devices to come out of Sony. It was powerful, beautiful, and produced some of the most inventive games on the market. And yet, it didn't really go anywhere. It kind of just hit and then slowly fizzled away over the next several years, surviving on niche JRPGs and celebrated visual novels. For some, it was their Persona machine and nothing more.

My first brush with the Vita ecosystem came a few years down the road. Sony, in some sort of attempt to salvage the brand, released the PlayStation TV in 2013. There was much anticipation for it until everyone realized many of their Vita games wouldn't work with it. The PS TV launched in the US for $100 in October 2014. Ten months later, you could get it brand new for $35 or less, which is exactly when I picked it up, along with a copy of Persona 4 Golden and a far-too-small 16 GB memory card.

I was reminded of all this on Sunday when my post on the Xbox Series S went live, and some commenters noticed the device sitting on my TV stand. Despite picking up an OLED PlayStation Vita in 2017, I never got rid of my PS TV. Sure, it hasn't been hooked up in years, but I can't stand to part with the little guy just yet. Too many happy memories of me playing Muramasa Rebirth on it.

There is a very good chance I'd still play it today if I could just get my hands on a larger memory card. The Vita line-up has so many gems that I'd buy in a heartbeat if I didn't have to keep downloading and deleting them from my tiny 16 GB card. I curse myself for being so cheap back then, though Sony's utter reluctance to drop the price of its cards is more to blame.

Full game trials are something I'd like to see more of in general and also specifically for multiplatform games. Sometimes you want to see – and feel – how a particular game runs on Switch, y'know?

This week, Nintendo is hosting another one of its infrequent Nintendo Switch Online game trials. If you have a membership and you're in a kart-racing mood, you can play the full version of Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled from Wednesday, December 30 at 11:00 a.m. PT until Tuesday, January 5 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

By "full version," they mean you play CTR Nitro-Fueled alone, locally, or online – the latter is a bloodbath! This is one of those games that a lot of folks are bewilderingly good at. They're monsters. Trust no one.

If you're wondering if this limited-time promo is worth the trouble, I'd say so. The file size is 9.3 GB.

Crash Team Racing isn't currently on sale on Switch, but it's down to $14 on PS4 and Xbox One.

@NintendoAmerica [Twitter]

Full game trials are something I'd like to see more of in general and also specifically for multiplatform games. Sometimes you want to see – and feel – how a particular game runs on Switch, y'know?

This week, Nintendo is hosting another one of its infrequent Nintendo Switch Online game trials. If you have a membership and you're in a kart-racing mood, you can play the full version of Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled from Wednesday, December 30 at 11:00 a.m. PT until Tuesday, January 5 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

By "full version," they mean you play CTR Nitro-Fueled alone, locally, or online – the latter is a bloodbath! This is one of those games that a lot of folks are bewilderingly good at. They're monsters. Trust no one.

If you're wondering if this limited-time promo is worth the trouble, I'd say so. The file size is 9.3 GB.

Crash Team Racing isn't currently on sale on Switch, but it's down to $14 on PS4 and Xbox One.

@NintendoAmerica [Twitter]

Granzella appears to be gearing up for a fifth entry in its destructive adventure series, Disaster Report. In a recent blog post by the Japanese developer, Granzella reflected on the 2020 PC release of Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories, whilst hinting that more chaos is already in the works.

"According to information I acquired from sources I am unable to disclose, planning and partial prototyping for Disaster Report 5 seems to have already begun," reads the article in its final, teasing statement. "As for whether or not 'Stiver Island' (Capital Island) is involved in the story this time… I’ll leave it at that for now as I’d rather not lose my job."

Beyond the official Granzella blog referencing "unknown sources", this tease will no doubt come as a happy confirmation for franchise fans. Originally launching on PS2 back in 2002, the Disaster Report series sees players pick their way through the aftermath of a city-wide catastrophe, helping fellow citizens and avoiding dangers in an ongoing effort to escape the danger zone alive.

Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories is available now on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Granzella teases Disaster Report 5 already in development [Gematsu]

Granzella appears to be gearing up for a fifth entry in its destructive adventure series, Disaster Report. In a recent blog post by the Japanese developer, Granzella reflected on the 2020 PC release of Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories, whilst hinting that more chaos is already in the works.

"According to information I acquired from sources I am unable to disclose, planning and partial prototyping for Disaster Report 5 seems to have already begun," reads the article in its final, teasing statement. "As for whether or not 'Stiver Island' (Capital Island) is involved in the story this time… I’ll leave it at that for now as I’d rather not lose my job."

Beyond the official Granzella blog referencing "unknown sources", this tease will no doubt come as a happy confirmation for franchise fans. Originally launching on PS2 back in 2002, the Disaster Report series sees players pick their way through the aftermath of a city-wide catastrophe, helping fellow citizens and avoiding dangers in an ongoing effort to escape the danger zone alive.

Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories is available now on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Granzella teases Disaster Report 5 already in development [Gematsu]

I always enjoy winding down the year with a look at Steam's list of best-selling games.

Besides high-profile new releases like Cyberpunk 2077 and surprise indie hits like Phasmophobia, 2020 was another year of gaming dominated by old flames that we just can't seem to break away from.

These were the "top 100 games as measured by gross revenue" on Steam in 2020:

_{Note: These games are grouped up by Steam, but I've listed the individual games in each group alphabetically.}

Platinum

• Among Us
• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Destiny 2
• Doom Eternal
• Dota 2
• Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
• Grand Theft Auto V
• Monster Hunter: World
• PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
• Rainbow Six Siege
• Red Dead Redemption 2
  

Gold

• Ark: Survival Evolved
• Baldur's Gate 3
• Borderlands 3
• Crusader Kings III
• Dead by Daylight
• Halo: The Master Chief Collection
• Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord
• Phasmophobia
• Sea of Thieves
• Sid Meier's Civilization VI
• The Elder Scrolls Online
• Warframe

Silver

I always enjoy winding down the year with a look at Steam's list of best-selling games.

Besides high-profile new releases like Cyberpunk 2077 and surprise indie hits like Phasmophobia, 2020 was another year of gaming dominated by old flames that we just can't seem to break away from.

These were the "top 100 games as measured by gross revenue" on Steam in 2020:

_{Note: These games are grouped up by Steam, but I've listed the individual games in each group alphabetically.}

Platinum

• Among Us
• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Destiny 2
• Doom Eternal
• Dota 2
• Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
• Grand Theft Auto V
• Monster Hunter: World
• PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
• Rainbow Six Siege
• Red Dead Redemption 2
  

Gold

• Ark: Survival Evolved
• Baldur's Gate 3
• Borderlands 3
• Crusader Kings III
• Dead by Daylight
• Halo: The Master Chief Collection
• Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord
• Phasmophobia
• Sea of Thieves
• Sid Meier's Civilization VI
• The Elder Scrolls Online
• Warframe

Silver

So you've heard about the best games of 2020. What about the worst? Metacritic has you covered, with some scientific data.

The aggregate site gathered up the top 10 worst-reviewed games of the year, which has a few obscure titles and several major releases on it. The winner of the "last-minute addition" award easily goes to XIII Remake, which kind of came out of nowhere with a bizarre art style; which even garnered an official apology from the studio that made it. It was handed to this list on a silver platter.

One "I was totally expecting this" entry is Fast & Furious Crossroads, which was torn apart earlier this year for wasting the license, among many other issues. Why can't anyone get these games right? They're basically Bond films in all but name now: oh, right, people can't do Bond games properly anymore either (but you're saying there's a chance?).

Arguably the most high profile release on the list is The Elder Scrolls: Blades, which officially came out in 2020 and was eventually released on Switch; after a lengthy mobile testing bed period. It turns out it needed more time in the oven.

So you've heard about the best games of 2020. What about the worst? Metacritic has you covered, with some scientific data.

The aggregate site gathered up the top 10 worst-reviewed games of the year, which has a few obscure titles and several major releases on it. The winner of the "last-minute addition" award easily goes to XIII Remake, which kind of came out of nowhere with a bizarre art style; which even garnered an official apology from the studio that made it. It was handed to this list on a silver platter.

One "I was totally expecting this" entry is Fast & Furious Crossroads, which was torn apart earlier this year for wasting the license, among many other issues. Why can't anyone get these games right? They're basically Bond films in all but name now: oh, right, people can't do Bond games properly anymore either (but you're saying there's a chance?).

Arguably the most high profile release on the list is The Elder Scrolls: Blades, which officially came out in 2020 and was eventually released on Switch; after a lengthy mobile testing bed period. It turns out it needed more time in the oven.

If I were stuck on a desert island, I'd simply curl up and wait to die. Dehydration, starvation, extreme sunburn -- unlike Destiny's Child, I am not a survivor. I probably wouldn't even get the TV hooked up to watch my three desert island movies!

You, like Gloria Gaynor (or Cake), will survive. You will simply build yourself a gyrocopter and fly high above the sharks. It's so easy, I'm not sure why everyone isn't building themselves gyrocopters at all times. 

Stuck-on-an-island survival game Stranded Deep is free on the Epic Games Store today. Go recreate the first season of Lost and the second season of Lost but no subsequent seasons of Lost.

We'll be back tomorrow to tell you that Solitairica is free. Please try to act surprised.

Stranded Deep [Epic Games Store]

If I were stuck on a desert island, I'd simply curl up and wait to die. Dehydration, starvation, extreme sunburn -- unlike Destiny's Child, I am not a survivor. I probably wouldn't even get the TV hooked up to watch my three desert island movies!

You, like Gloria Gaynor (or Cake), will survive. You will simply build yourself a gyrocopter and fly high above the sharks. It's so easy, I'm not sure why everyone isn't building themselves gyrocopters at all times. 

Stuck-on-an-island survival game Stranded Deep is free on the Epic Games Store today. Go recreate the first season of Lost and the second season of Lost but no subsequent seasons of Lost.

We'll be back tomorrow to tell you that Solitairica is free. Please try to act surprised.

Stranded Deep [Epic Games Store]

In case you missed it, Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone, developer of Stardew Valley, just put out a gigantic update for the game on PC. The operative phrase here: PC.

As is customary, the patch surprise-dropped on the platform basically when it was done, but everything else is going to get it later. While "January" was the previous target for consoles, now it's been narrowed down to "by the end of the month."

According to a Tweet from Barone, update 1.5 will possibly "be ready by the end of January," but they "cannot guarantee that yet." The mobile release is even murkier, as it has "no release estimate yet." When that actually arrives on other platforms, it'll also have to have the additive bug fixes that have since been deployed to the PC edition.

Interestingly, Barone has given us a semi-rare peek into the development process, stating that "since update 1.4," they have had a "small team working with [them] on the updates." Barone stresses that it is "really small," and that 1.5 was actually just them and game developer Mr. Podunkian.

Concerned Ape [Twitter]

In case you missed it, Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone, developer of Stardew Valley, just put out a gigantic update for the game on PC. The operative phrase here: PC.

As is customary, the patch surprise-dropped on the platform basically when it was done, but everything else is going to get it later. While "January" was the previous target for consoles, now it's been narrowed down to "by the end of the month."

According to a Tweet from Barone, update 1.5 will possibly "be ready by the end of January," but they "cannot guarantee that yet." The mobile release is even murkier, as it has "no release estimate yet." When that actually arrives on other platforms, it'll also have to have the additive bug fixes that have since been deployed to the PC edition.

Interestingly, Barone has given us a semi-rare peek into the development process, stating that "since update 1.4," they have had a "small team working with [them] on the updates." Barone stresses that it is "really small," and that 1.5 was actually just them and game developer Mr. Podunkian.

Concerned Ape [Twitter]

What would the festive season be without a delightful, high-energy pantomime? And for video game/anime fans, there's no production more perfect for your needs than this awesome-looking Sakura Wars stage show, which took place in Japan back in late-November.

Shin Sakura Wars the Stage is a live-action adaptation of Sega's Sakura Wars - a soft reboot of the legendary RPG franchise that launched on PS4 back in 2019. The show dramatizes an abridged version of the Sakura Wars' narrative, and sees Flower Division stars Claris, Anastasia, Azami, Hatsuho, Sumire and Sakura herself perform energetic song-and-dance routines, before taking to their Spiricle units for dramatic, demonic battles.

With authentic costuming and inventive set projection - all backed by Kohei Tanaka's joyful and inspiring score - Sakura Wars the Stage looks a lot of fun. There is also a neat meta effect to the whole affair, given that Imperial Combat Revue's Flower Division are stage performers, (though this real-world show appears to go off with far less hitches than the troupe's awkward in-game productions.)

You can check out a portion of the show, complete with English subtitles, in this video courtesy of Avex Pictures. Hopefully the performance will be made available to watch in its entirety in the near future.

What would the festive season be without a delightful, high-energy pantomime? And for video game/anime fans, there's no production more perfect for your needs than this awesome-looking Sakura Wars stage show, which took place in Japan back in late-November.

Shin Sakura Wars the Stage is a live-action adaptation of Sega's Sakura Wars - a soft reboot of the legendary RPG franchise that launched on PS4 back in 2019. The show dramatizes an abridged version of the Sakura Wars' narrative, and sees Flower Division stars Claris, Anastasia, Azami, Hatsuho, Sumire and Sakura herself perform energetic song-and-dance routines, before taking to their Spiricle units for dramatic, demonic battles.

With authentic costuming and inventive set projection - all backed by Kohei Tanaka's joyful and inspiring score - Sakura Wars the Stage looks a lot of fun. There is also a neat meta effect to the whole affair, given that Imperial Combat Revue's Flower Division are stage performers, (though this real-world show appears to go off with far less hitches than the troupe's awkward in-game productions.)

You can check out a portion of the show, complete with English subtitles, in this video courtesy of Avex Pictures. Hopefully the performance will be made available to watch in its entirety in the near future.

As someone who is embedded in tabletop and gaming culture on a regular basis; I'm amazed at the sort of things people are able to create these days at home. 3D printing has made a lot of crafting accessible to the masses, and this Switch cartridge holder is proof of that.

Themed like an innocent looking Thwomp enemy from the Mario series, the box actually opens up and holds a decent amount of Switch carts. Shared on Reddit by creator budwad, the process apparently had a "steep learning curve." They apparently used the CR6-SE printer, which is one of the more affordable (but still expensive, in my mind) 3D printers out there.  To get the finished Thwomp look, it was painted with acrylic.

By popular demand they put the base on Thingaverse, so you can try it out for yourself. A lot of similar "official" items I've seen hold around half (or less) of the carts here, which just goes to show you the beauty of 3D printing. With enough know-how, you can modify the project to suit your needs and add more slots.

After buying a 3D printer, I learnt CAD and made myself a new cartridge holder [Reddit]

As someone who is embedded in tabletop and gaming culture on a regular basis; I'm amazed at the sort of things people are able to create these days at home. 3D printing has made a lot of crafting accessible to the masses, and this Switch cartridge holder is proof of that.

Themed like an innocent looking Thwomp enemy from the Mario series, the box actually opens up and holds a decent amount of Switch carts. Shared on Reddit by creator budwad, the process apparently had a "steep learning curve." They apparently used the CR6-SE printer, which is one of the more affordable (but still expensive, in my mind) 3D printers out there.  To get the finished Thwomp look, it was painted with acrylic.

By popular demand they put the base on Thingaverse, so you can try it out for yourself. A lot of similar "official" items I've seen hold around half (or less) of the carts here, which just goes to show you the beauty of 3D printing. With enough know-how, you can modify the project to suit your needs and add more slots.

After buying a 3D printer, I learnt CAD and made myself a new cartridge holder [Reddit]

CD Projekt RED has stated that it will "vigorously" defend itself against a class action lawsuit, recently filed against the Polish developer/publisher in the wake of Cyberpunk 2077's less-than-stellar launch.

As reported by Bloomberg, New York's Rosen Law Firm filed suit December 24, alleging that CDPR misled its investors in regards to the quality of the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the highly anticipated RPG. The suit states that CDPR did not accurately disclose details that the last-gen edition of Cyberpunk 2077 was "virtually unplayable" and that the developer's statements were "materially false and misleading," which Rosen alleges led to damages for CDPR's investors.

The suit asks the court to ascertain whether CDPR intentionally hid the PS4/Xbox One edition's performance and quality from the company's investors and shareholders. Whether there is any actual evidence of this remains to be seen, though many have raised eyebrows at CDPR's decision to only supply PC review codes to the press. The lawsuit itself reportedly contains errors, which may also hamper chances at a successful trial.

CD Projekt RED has stated that it will "vigorously" defend itself against a class action lawsuit, recently filed against the Polish developer/publisher in the wake of Cyberpunk 2077's less-than-stellar launch.

As reported by Bloomberg, New York's Rosen Law Firm filed suit December 24, alleging that CDPR misled its investors in regards to the quality of the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the highly anticipated RPG. The suit states that CDPR did not accurately disclose details that the last-gen edition of Cyberpunk 2077 was "virtually unplayable" and that the developer's statements were "materially false and misleading," which Rosen alleges led to damages for CDPR's investors.

The suit asks the court to ascertain whether CDPR intentionally hid the PS4/Xbox One edition's performance and quality from the company's investors and shareholders. Whether there is any actual evidence of this remains to be seen, though many have raised eyebrows at CDPR's decision to only supply PC review codes to the press. The lawsuit itself reportedly contains errors, which may also hamper chances at a successful trial.

Overall Best Game of the Year. The big trophy. The gold medal. It's a lot of pressure!

Over the years, many polished AAA titles earn that honor due to their sheer popularity (notice how I added polish in that as a qualifier, sorry Cyberpunk 2077!): if everyone has played it, it stands to earn more votes. But it's not "AAA Game of the Year," it's "Game of the Year." Enter Hades.

Independent developer Supergiant Games did pretty much everything right with this one. They entered a lengthy early access period in late 2018 to shore up the game and add fan-requested features. Over time, they got it up to an acceptable amount of polish, but also kept a ton of secrets to themselves. In September of 2020, they were ready for the world to see the fruits of their labor: and it paid off.

Having seen the true ending in-game for myself, I can attest to the raw power of Hades. Like a roguelite siren's song, it called players of all walks of life, even those who didn't enjoy roguelikes. Progression, even in failure. Rich, lore story rewards, even after dying a quick death. Supergiant pulled off something very few genre staples have to date: encouragement.

This is a world that inspired many; a universe that people have been pondering long after their last run, whenever that may have been. You only need to play it for a few minutes to see why this is Destructoid's 2020 Game of the Year.

Overall Best Game of the Year. The big trophy. The gold medal. It's a lot of pressure!

Over the years, many polished AAA titles earn that honor due to their sheer popularity (notice how I added polish in that as a qualifier, sorry Cyberpunk 2077!): if everyone has played it, it stands to earn more votes. But it's not "AAA Game of the Year," it's "Game of the Year." Enter Hades.

Independent developer Supergiant Games did pretty much everything right with this one. They entered a lengthy early access period in late 2018 to shore up the game and add fan-requested features. Over time, they got it up to an acceptable amount of polish, but also kept a ton of secrets to themselves. In September of 2020, they were ready for the world to see the fruits of their labor: and it paid off.

Having seen the true ending in-game for myself, I can attest to the raw power of Hades. Like a roguelite siren's song, it called players of all walks of life, even those who didn't enjoy roguelikes. Progression, even in failure. Rich, lore story rewards, even after dying a quick death. Supergiant pulled off something very few genre staples have to date: encouragement.

This is a world that inspired many; a universe that people have been pondering long after their last run, whenever that may have been. You only need to play it for a few minutes to see why this is Destructoid's 2020 Game of the Year.

I'm going to be honest with you: this wasn't even a close vote.

While mobile platforms saw a large variety of great games throughout 2020, there was just no topping the worldwide phenomenon that is Genshin Impact. Dismissed as a mere Breath of the Wild clone when it was first revealed, Genshin Impact proved it wasn't merely an anime retread of the Nintendo masterpiece when it launched this past September.

MiHoYo's sprawling adventure raised the bar for what players can expect from gacha games on the platform. Honestly, it's going to be hard to go back to those free-to-play RPGs where I just pick a spot on the map and fight a few waves of enemies. I know not every mobile developer has the funding to match MiHoYo's creation, but hopefully, its success will push those publishers who've been coasting along for far too long to step their game up a bit.

With a Switch port on the way and some highly anticipated update and content drops in the works, there's a decent chance Genshin Impact will dominate the free-to-play scene in 2021, just as it did in the back half of 2020.

On paper, it shouldn't have worked. In fact, it should have been a rose-tinted disaster.

For many years, fans clamored for a remake of 1997 PlayStation classic Final Fantasy VII – a title so beloved by the people and so deeply embedded within the legacy of gaming itself, that it felt Square Enix was frankly saving these fans from themselves by not taking on the project, an undertaking seemingly destined to produce nothing but ire and disappointment from those who wanted it most.

Still, with deep breaths and furrowed brows, Square Enix took on perhaps the most thankless task in the industry, announcing that one of the most iconic titles in gaming history was to be remade for modern platforms and audiences. The project got off to an auspicious start with Square Enix's revelation that Final Fantasy VII Remake would be episodic, with doubters getting louder still as years of development rolled by and the studio remained tight-lipped in regards to gameplay, story, and the all-important release date.

But when Final Fantasy VII Remake finally released on April 10, it became quickly apparent that Square Enix had risen to a seemingly insurmountable challenge. FFVII Remake captures the spirit, engagement, and character of its forefather with brilliance and passion. The high-gloss title invited newcomers to dive headlong into one of gaming's most epic and sweeping stories, while embracing the FFVII faithful like a long-lost friend returning from decades of absence.

On paper, it shouldn't have worked. In fact, it should have been a rose-tinted disaster.

For many years, fans clamored for a remake of 1997 PlayStation classic Final Fantasy VII – a title so beloved by the people and so deeply embedded within the legacy of gaming itself, that it felt Square Enix was frankly saving these fans from themselves by not taking on the project, an undertaking seemingly destined to produce nothing but ire and disappointment from those who wanted it most.

Still, with deep breaths and furrowed brows, Square Enix took on perhaps the most thankless task in the industry, announcing that one of the most iconic titles in gaming history was to be remade for modern platforms and audiences. The project got off to an auspicious start with Square Enix's revelation that Final Fantasy VII Remake would be episodic, with doubters getting louder still as years of development rolled by and the studio remained tight-lipped in regards to gameplay, story, and the all-important release date.

But when Final Fantasy VII Remake finally released on April 10, it became quickly apparent that Square Enix had risen to a seemingly insurmountable challenge. FFVII Remake captures the spirit, engagement, and character of its forefather with brilliance and passion. The high-gloss title invited newcomers to dive headlong into one of gaming's most epic and sweeping stories, while embracing the FFVII faithful like a long-lost friend returning from decades of absence.