Destructoid

Bluepoint Games is a pretty special studio. They've managed to knock a few remakes out of the park so far, and are no doubt in demand by publishers everywhere. Demon's Souls on PS5 was their latest hit; which preserved the spirit of the original while adding a new coat of next-gen paint.

The developer is also known to get a little cheeky from time to time, as evidenced by this video shared this week. Technical artist Collin Harris (who was previously at Bluepoint, and is now at Gearbox) tweeted out this gem, which reveals that in testing, Demon's Souls developers had access to a suite of cute rubber ducks.

Basically, Harris says, they used them to "test various tech/effects" with, and "things quickly got out of hand." Don't go looking for this in some hidden room somewhere though, or even a hacked build. Harris confirms that "all of the stuff you see in the video (including the room and the duck) was [temporary] and didn't make it anywhere near the finished game."

You love to see it! It's great when developers share little jokes like these for otherwise intensely serious games.

Collin Harris [Twitter]

Two classics of the Nintendo scene will collide this week, as Super Mario Bros. invades the world of Tetris 99 for the latter's latest limited-time Grand Prix - the 18th of such events since Tetris 99 first launched back in February 2019.

From tomorrow, December 4, Tetris 99 players will be able to use their hard-earned in-game currency to purchase a colorful theme based on the 1993 SNES compendium Super Mario All-Stars, complete with the classic Super Mario Bros. theme tune when things are going great, as well as Bowser's theme for when the playfield gets a little too hot to handle. Be quick, as this theme will only be made available until Tuesday, December 8.

The Super Mario Bros. x Tetris 99 crossover is one of a number of events celebrating 35 years of Nintendo's iconic and genre-defining platforming franchise. Other releases Switch compendium Super Mario 3D All-Stars, and Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. Away from the digital realm, Nintendo has worked with other companies to produce products such as LEGO Super Mario, as well as apparel from clothing brands Uniqlo, Levi and Puma.

[Update: As a reminder, you still have a few more hours to get the DLC for free from the eShop!

Wait, Borderlands 3 is on Switch? No! We're talking about Borderlands 2 today! I know, re-releases in this modern era have made everything pretty confusing. Often times we're talking about the old more than the new these days.

Anyway, here's a bit of a PSA. If you own Borderlands 2 on Switch, you can get the Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary DLC for free. Is it particularly good? Nah. But it's free! And it serves as lead-in for Borderlands 3, which...isn't on Switch. Still, it's free! You just need the Legendary or Handsome collections to play it.

In fact, you can download it regardless of your ownership of Borderlands right now. Just head to the eShop landing page for Borderlands 2, and scroll to the bottom. Find "individual DLC" and click the Fight for Sanctuary link. Get it even if you have no intention of buying Borderlands 2 on Switch: just in case you get it for free one day.

To access the DLC, you'll need to be level 30, but you can also take advantage of an in-game option to create a level 30 character from the main menu, which will automatically warp you into the new stuff. You have until December 3, 2020 at 8:59 AM PT to get it!

Commander Lilith DLC [Gearbox]

In an end-of-year video, Rare shared some impressive figures about Sea of Thieves' ongoing growth – over 11 million people played the game in 2020 – and spoke about its shift to a battle pass model.

In 2021, Sea of Thieves is moving away from meaningful updates to the competitive Arena mode, though it will still be supported and playable going forward. In another understandable move, Rare is switching over to a seasonal content schedule for the main Adventure experience. That means there will be a major update every three months or so headlined by "a new experience or way of play." After each season kick-off, the game will get "regular and featured live events" and quality-of-life patches.

Of course, a seasonal format wouldn't be complete without a battle pass – "the biggest change to our progression system since launch," according to Rare. In this case, there's a free tier with 100 levels of Pirate Renown progression and a premium Plunder Pass with "unique rewards" and exclusive items from the Pirate Emporium. Rare wants players to achieve "tangible" progress in "shorter sessions."

It's hard not to associate passes with FOMO – there are a lot of games trying to get us to do a lot of things in specific time frames – but a progression path beyond the Trading Company grind sounds fine.

Once Season 1 begins in January, Sea of Thieves players will be able to undertake a clue-gathering "detective" voyage with the Merchant Alliance. Creative director Mike Chapman also says that "big things" are planned for 2021 and they're "inspired" to freshen up the open-sea sandbox experience.

Filters. Everyone uses 'em, and that's why everyone has a dog nose or big anime eyes. A photo doesn't make its way online anymore without some touchups and enhancements. That's life in the Insta-age.

Most everyone expects Cyberpunk 2077 to look great, but the photo mode is going to take it to a whole new level. CD Projekt Red released a trailer that showcases all the photo mode's features, and there are a lot of ways to gussy up your screenshots.

Here are the various effects and customization options across all of photo mode's categories:

Artist Dave Rapoza's take on Castlevania is one of my favorite outside interpretations I've seen.

Simon Belmont - Castlevania -

(link to limited print from Cook and Becker below!) pic.twitter.com/12rmOlA7F5

— Dave Rapoza (@DaveRapoza) December 1, 2020

In his new art piece – available as a print from Cook and Becker – Rapoza surrounds Simon Belmont with the ghoulish bosses and foes from the original Castlevania. I absolutely love the ornate detailing.

"I didn't look at the original video game for my research – for me today, a two-tone purple monster will feel silly, right? Like how's that scary at all? Yet when you dive into your nostalgic memory, the magic is still there, your interpretation of this world that was merely implied to you by the game makers," he said. "The pixels only imply certain shapes, and you fill in the blanks with your imagination."

You know a tribute piece is good when it makes you want to fire up an entire series of games. I wish Konami would do a lot of things, but at the top of the list, I wish it would do right by Castlevania.

You probably know that BFG stands for "Big Fucking Gun." Did you know that the 2005 Doom movie retconned the acronym to mean "Bio Force Gun?" Other than that slight misstep, the movie is perfect.

Anyway, Fall Guys is about to get some Bio Force Beans.

Like Half-Life's Alyx, Portal's Chell, and Sonic's Sonic, Doom's demon-slaughtering protagonist seems set to join the Fall Guys roster of costumes:

Now that it's December, I'm taking one last look at my backlog in hopes of wrapping up more games and rolling into the new year with a relatively clean plate (only to immediately fill it up again). It's a futile exercise – there's always going to be more to play – but it's become an end-of-year tradition for me.

The big one will be Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, which I'm happily chipping away at during most evenings. It's just mindless enough that I can half play it while watching TV, make a bit of progress, and feel like I accomplished something in spite of the jam-packed world map. I've heard the postgame isn't as stuffed as the first Hyrule Warriors – and well, that's probably for the best. I adored those absurdly long adventure maps, but I don't need to go through that again after Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition.

At the same time, I'll put the finishing touches on Spider-Man: Miles Morales. I'm more than halfway through the story and I find myself cramming in as many side-activities as I can between each main mission. It's a hard habit to break. I'm now at the point where I feel confident in Spider-Man's swinging, stealthing, and acrobatic attacks – it took a while to shake off the rust and perfect the flow. I can also safely call this ahead of time: I'm going to roll straight into New Game+ for those final skill unlocks.

At that point – and this is why I'm glad I got Demon's Souls and Bugsnax out of my literal and figurative system – we're getting dangerously close to Cyberpunk 2077. That's going to complicate my schedule. On the other hand, it's such a (reportedly) big game that I likely won't feel obligated to finish it in 2020.

It’s a real shame the story of Telltale Games ended the way it did because, at one point in its brief history, it was one of the most exciting developers in the industry. With access to some of the top IPs, including The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, and Stranger Things, there was no shortage of stories it could tell, just a shortage of money to keep everything going.

It may be gone, but some of its work will live on with other developers who are keen are keeping its legacy alive. And the best way to do that is to remaster those old games as well as Skunkape Games has done here with Sam & Max Save the World.

I've been fixated on the story campaign in Respawn's VR-only Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, but the more I see of the multiplayer, the more I think that's going to be the main draw for a lot of players.

Respawn is putting a surprising amount of care into Above and Beyond, and based on this trailer – and prior experience with competitive VR games in general – the multiplayer should be pretty nuts. After decades of better-looking but familiar-feeling gaming, you start to take things for granted. With the extra immersion of virtual reality, even the simplest player interactions can feel fresh and exciting. 

There are going to be five multiplayer modes in Medal of Honor, including the familiar Domination, Deathmatch, and Team Deathmatch, a rocket-launcher-toting king-of-the-hill gametype (Blast Radius), and a scenario focused on planting and defusing bombs (Mad Bomber). It's a focused spread.

This footage shows what it looks like, but playing it – feeling surrounded – will be way more thrilling.

Liquid Swords released in 1995, a solo album side project from Wu-Tang Clan founding member GZA. This was the route most of them went after the success of the group's first album 36 Chambers. No one missed. RZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah -- they all released solo albums in the years following 36 Chambers, and they're all regarded anywhere from great to incredible.

None rub elbows with the praise of "masterpiece" and "all-time classic" and "one of the most influential hip-hop records ever" like Liquid Swords, though. GZA described the flow and feel of the album by saying "I'm trying to make it more visual. Liquid Swords is a concept of being lyrically sharp, flowing like liquid metal -- mercury, y'know? It comes from this flick, Legend of the Liquid Sword, where people would get their head cut off but it would still be on their shoulders. No one else would notice, because the sword was so sharp. Wu-Tang is a sword style, and this here is the sharpest. I'd rather slip on the pavement than slip on my tongue."

A former Avalanche Studios head either named his new studio after an iconic Wu-Tang album or after a mid-90s Hong Kong comedy. As announced on Facebook, Avalanche founder and Just Cause creator Christofer Sundberg has opened Liquid Swords in Stockholm. He's sticking with what he knows, as Sundberg says Liquid Swords will focus on "open-world action and explosions." It's rare that explosions play a key role in a company's mission statement.

While over-the-top spectacle and player freedom are pillars, Sundberg wants everyone to know that "Liquid Swords is a business, not a playground for aimless ideas. Our swords are sharpened, our mission is set and we could not be more excited about what the future holds."

Ares killed his family, so now he's going to kill 99 of you guys while flossing. 

On the heels of yesterday's Galactus-vanquishing event, Epic has new theatrics lined up for Fortnite. God-killer Kratos has leaked as the next crossover.

It started with this extremely not-subtle teaser from PlayStation:

You might not be emotionally invested in which games win which awards at The Game Awards this year, but the Player's Voice category opened today and it's kind of a fun exercise to whittle the 30 nominees down to ten potential winners. To vote, you'll need to sign in with Google, Twitter, or Facebook.

Even if you don't want to participate, it's interesting to see the tentative results. So far, Ghost of Tsushima is leading the pack with eight percent of the votes, followed closely by Hades, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and The Last of Us Part II. If I were a betting man, I'd bet big on Hades rising the ranks.

Personally, the surprisingly great Legends mode really helps cement Ghost of Tsushima's status (but I adore Hades). As for Free Fire – yeah, I had to Google it too – it's at zero percent, just below Fortnite.

This is only the first leg of three. In the second round on December 4, the community will vote again, bringing the Player's Voice nominees from ten games down to just five hopeful contenders. Then, on December 6, players will pledge their support for their number-one can't-be-beat game of 2020.

Here's the full list of Player's Voice nominees:

Worms is a franchise that certainly holds many memories of my formative years. A bunch of friends squeezed around a 486, blasting each other to kingdom come with pixel-perfect long-distance shots, devastating shrapnel grenades, or a Street Fighter-style Dragon Punch when the conflict got up close and personal.

Legendary British developer Team 17 is hoping to capture that same feeling of friendly rivalry with Worms Rumble, the latest release in the long-running strategy franchise, now available to purchase on PS4, PS5, and PC via Steam. While the expansive maps, huge array of weapons, and explosive action are all present and correct, Worms Rumble reinvents the battle entirely by going real-time.

As we know, Doom Eternal is digital-only on Switch, and it'll take up around 18GB of space at launch. But Bethesda has updated its Switch FAQ with a few more juicy tidbits.

It looks like Eternal won't be left out of the gyro aiming train, as the publisher has confirmed that it will indeed have an optional toggle for the feature. To be clear, these are supported on both the Switch and Switch Lite devices. As far as multiplayer goes, Bethesda is touting the Battlemode 2v1 experience: where one Doom Slayer (Doom Guy, c'mon) goes up against two player-controlled demons in a best-of-five format. That's it, it seems.

As far as known bugs go, everything seems very minor. Two of the three listed bugs literally include using the photo mode under certain circumstances, and one involves boosters: an XP-based multiplayer mechanic that a lot of people won't care about.

If you ordered the game early, you should get an email with a Doom 64 code through the account associated with your Nintendo device. If you don't sometime after launch, check in on that! Bethesda also recommends that you reach out to retailers if you pre-ordered the physical version before release: and get further instructions from them directly.

They also stress that no codes for bonus content will be provided at retail locations, and that you have until December 23 to unlock the Rip and Tear content.

Doom Eternal Nintendo Switch FAQ & Known Issues [Slayer's Club]

MegaPixel Studios has revealed that its modern-day take on 1995 Sega Saturn classic Panzer Dragoon will finally take flight on Xbox One next week, following its earlier release on PS4, PC, Stadia, and Nintendo Switch.

Panzer Dragoon: Remake features all of the high-fantasy rail-shooter action of the original 1995 release, spruced up with dynamic new visuals and an overhauled control system. Players will once again mount the fabled Blue Dragon before embarking on a long and hazardous quest to reach an ancient tower and prevent the world from falling at the hands of the mysterious Prototype Dragon.

Panzer Dragoon: Remake launches on Xbox One December 11 and is available right now on PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Stadia. You can check out Chris Carter's review for the Switch edition right here.

Adventure Time, come on grab your Switch, we'll go to the very...distant Japan, with Reggie the rep and Miyamoto the president, the fun will never end, it's Adventure Time!

Yes, this intrepid artist has managed to marry both Adventure Time and Nintendo's latest console in the cutest way possible. The little portable companion BMO is front and center with this "Nintendo Switch Charging Station Dock Stand," which is now taking pre-orders.

The Etsy store MadeinUrbana crafted this Switch stand, which slots the "original Switch" (likely not the Lite), so you can dock it and play games on BMO's screen. When you're not gaming, the stand doubles as a little action figure of sorts with an insert for the face. Note that this isn't a proper dock per se, as you'll need to do a bit more work to get that up and running: the store recommends an HDMI multihub. The stand also has proper vents in the back for "safety" reasons.

The only issue for some might be the price. It's $199.20 right now, and new orders are aiming to be shipped for free in "4-6 weeks." The store is looking to get pre-orders out "by Christmas." So it might not arrive in time for someone to accept a pricey gift, but it looks fantastic nonetheless!

Adventure Time BMO Nintendo Switch Charging Station Dock Stand [Etsy]

It's a huge week for Ubisoft's Rainbow Six Siege. Not only is new season Operation Neon Dawn now live in-game, but the intense multiplayer shooter is now available for download on PS5 and Xbox Series X, launching a brand new generation of door-kickin', smoke-poppin', hostage fuzin' action.

Operation Neon Dawn brings with it Team Rainbow's first prosthetic-wearing operator: Thailand's Apha Tawanroong, better known by her call-sign "Aruni." The 2-Speed 2-Armor Defender brings the high-tech Surya Gate to the battlefield, an intelligent laser fence that attaches to doors and windows, destroying enemy projectiles and providing more than a slight burn to any Attackers crossing its threshold. Aruni will be the only operator added to the roster this season, allowing the development team time to focus on tweaking Siege's core mechanics.

You really got to give it to 343 Industries and their support of the Halo: Master Chief Collection.

It's still a marquee title for the Xbox brand in that it basically collects every Halo game ever made in one place: and it's still lively to the point where I can jump in near-weekly and get into a game quickly. Given how convenient the whole launcher system is, it makes it easy to sift around and dive into whatever sort of experience you want at any given time.

That's in part due to the continued development of the game, which has spread to the PC platform as Microsoft sticks to their plan to expand their ecosystem beyond the Xbox family. Halo 4 is on PC now, in fact, with multiplayer cross-play, an enhanced Forge system, and all of the enhancements from the Series X/S. But what about going back and reworking older games? Well, that's tricky.

Answering a player question on their official November update blog about adding four player co-op to Halo 1 and 2, Community Support & Engagement Coordinator "Postums" noted that although the team "loves" the idea, it's "further down the list" in terms of priorities. Postums hints that although it can be done, there are more important tasks to get to, like updating co-op netcode or "bringing lost content to the [older] games," or other "global updates."

Postums says that 343 actually hopes that players mod the game to make this possible on PC, and thinks the modding community will be "where the game lives on" after it sunsets eventually. Another 343 developer explains that the game would have to be "solved and debugged" first, as two player co-op is hard-coded in.

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade Of Light is coming out on Switch on December 4. That's good!

It's also going away forever on March 31, 2020. That's bad!

I know I've been using that Simpsons bit a lot, but hey, I'm rewatching the entire series (I'm on season 18, and keeping current with season 32!). Plus, it's extra applicable to this particular situation.

Sukeban Games has announced that N1RV Ann-A, the highly anticipated follow-up to cult classic VA-11 Hall-A, will not meet its previously announced 2020 release date, and has been rescheduled to the vague release window of "when it's done."

The popular indie developer announced that it intends to focus on the promotion of some of its other upcoming projects, though Sukeban reassured fans that production on the cyberpunk sequel would not falter as a result of this, merely that the marketing around N1RV Ann-A would be a little more subdued for the foreseeable future.

N1RV Ann-A writer Fernando Damas also explained the events that have led to the delay, candidly revealing problems with project direction and work scheduling, requiring a recent reboot of the team's production methods. A more detailed explanation of these hurdles is available over on the official Sukeban Games website. For the most part, it seems that N1RV Anna-A's production remains steadfast, we're just going to have to wait a little longer before we return to the neon-soaked nights of 207X.

Saito Masatsugu, character artist for Xenoblade Chronicles 2, did an amazing job at bringing that cast to life. While the Xenoblade series is typically full of memorable party members, there was something special about Rex and Pyra/Mythra.

Masatsugu thinks so too, as they are celebrating the third anniversary of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 with a new piece of art starring the latter pair. As a reminder, the sequel came out on December 1, 2017: which is still hard to believe. That's mostly because the DLC expansion arrived nearly a year later, so the game is still fresh in my mind.

So fresh, in fact, that I kind of want to play it again! It's a good thing that Monolith Soft aims for a more timeless angle for their games: so beyond the time commitment, it's easy to wrap my head around doing that again. DLC included!

If you're interested in the finer details of Masatsugu's work, Nintendo did a little deep dive with him a few years back.

saitomasatsugu [Twitter]

British animation studio Aardman Animation - renown for its Wallace & Gromit stop-motion features - has entered into a new agreement with publisher Bandai Namco to collaborate on a brand new IP.

While both companies remain tight-lipped on the project, the new IP will exist in multiple media formats, with Bandai Namco no doubt handling the video game iteration of the brand. Aardman Animation will begin work on the project early in 2021, with more details to be revealed at a later date.

"Interactive Entertainment is a huge growth area within the entertainment world," said Aardman's MD Sean Clarke. "With new emerging technology blurring the lines of watching and playing, we are keen to develop strategic partnerships with partners such as Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe that share our vision of creating new IP that embraces this new world and cement our studio's reputation as a multi-disciplinary creative hub."

"This new partnership with Aardman is a dream come true, as it opens up a world of possibilities," states Bandai Namco SVP Hervé Hoerdt. "The teams at Aardman and BNEE are a perfect cultural and creative fit to build a successful long term partnership. I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together."

This partnership will be the first collaboration between Aardman Animation and Bandai Namco since the release of impressionist graphic adventure 11-11: Memories Retold, which launched on PS4, PC, and Xbox One back in November 2018.

Aardman partners with Bandai Namco Entertainmenton new IP [MCVUK]

There's no sopping MiHoYo's Genshin Impact. In the two months since the fantasy adventure's release, Genshin Impact has raked in an incredible $393 million USD on mobile platforms - as reported by the statisticians over at Sensor Tower.

For the period September 28-November 28, Genshin Impact's numbers push the mobile edition past several other major titles including Pokemon GO, PUBG Mobile, and Coin Master. Even more shockingly, this figure does not include any revenue made on the Android platform in China, believed to be Genshin Impact's most lucrative market.

Nvidia has been relentless in its quest to launch a brand new line of graphics cards over the past few months, and that pursuit sees its most sudden addition tomorrow. With exactly one day between announcement and release, Nvidia has introduced the lowest-end (and cheapest) RTX 30 series card that'll still give the 20 series a run for its money.

On December 2, Nvidia will launch the RTX 3060 Ti at a price of $399. In its announcement post, Nvidia says the 3060 Ti is faster than both the RTX 2080 Super (barely) and the 2060 Super (by 40 percent). Like all the 30 Series cards, the 3060 Ti makes use of the new Ampere architecture. It features: "second generation ray tracing cores, third generation tensor cores for AI, Nvidia DLSS, Nvidia Reflex, and Nvidia Broadcast."

Predictably, the initial reviews for the 3060 Ti are coming up all positive. PC Gamer's benchmarks found that it's a great 1440p monitor, can hit some rather high framerates at 1080p, and is capable of doing 4K at 60fps under the right settings. Ars Technica found it to be a quite competent card, especially at the price point. It obviously can't outperform the 3070 (although it's close), the 3080, or the 3090.

Whether you're here for the penguins (please read that in Benedict Cumberbatch's voice) or you're just sticking to the ongoing free content updates, December 8 will be a busy day for Planet Zoo players.

The next slice of DLC for Planet Zoo is the Aquatic Pack, and in terms of new species, it's adding the king penguin, giant otter, diamondback terrapin, Cuvier's dwarf caiman, and grey seal (please sing that like Elton John). For $10, you're also getting 170-ish scenery customization pieces (these numbers always sound inflated) and a challenge scenario set in Oregon that revolves around a "drained riverbed."

On the free-content front, Planet Zoo is getting update 1.4 on December 8. Apart from access to the new Water Temperature Regulator and Underwater Feeder (to coincide with the DLC theme), the update will add a summary screen for transport rides, informational "animal talks" that you can organize with newly-hired Educator staff members, and a multi-select option for animal storage in Franchise mode.

The submersible feeding station will only be compatible with the saltwater crocodile at first, but Frontier Developments says it "will be adding [support for] more animals in the future."

Mega Man merch may never die.

The Mega Man series died at one point. Then it came back to life! It may die again. But we will always have merch. Merch...never changes.

Like the George Lucas of the video game world, Capcom has more merch SKUs each year than there are Mega Man games at this point. Many of them are figures and the like, ranging from the most casual blind box packages to the discerning hobbyist models. Manufacturer Kotobukiya has been partaking in that latter line for a while, and this past week, they just unveiled a few more beauties.

Shown off via their new livestream (the model talk for Mega Man X starts about 35 minutes in, timestamped here, with the Battle Network model talk kicking off around an hour and a half), Mega Man X and Battle Network non-painted models are incoming. The Mega Man X version will be more posable, even including an option to make him look like he's jumping through a boss door, or squinting while holding in a charged buster shot.

The Battle Network model has its own flair, with cuter more casual poses, as well as the option to wield his signature sword. You can find more info on the figures on this landing page. At this time, release dates and pricing are "undecided," as per a listing on the site.

Mega Man [Kotobukiya]

If you didn't stock up on PS4 games during Black Friday or Cyber Monday, here's another chance. The PlayStation Store is hosting one of its final sales of 2020: the End of Year sale. We've almost made it.

For those of us who have switched over to PS5, it's not always obvious that a promo is running in the storefront unless you specifically go looking for it. But honestly, playing PS4 titles is one of my favorite parts of PS5 now that I've made the rounds with the console's launch lineup. I'm still interested.

Your mileage is really going to vary with this sale given its proximity to the Black Friday selection – and the recurring nature of which games keep popping up in these sales – but I have some suggestions.

So uh, a new Switch firmware update is out, and it actually adds features! That's good! But it's a Nintendo update: so be careful what you wish for.

In a monkey's paw of firmware, Nintendo has patched in the ability to transfer images "directly to your smartphone." But I question how direct the whole process is. Strap in, it's a bit weird.

Treyarch has released a new update for its recent military shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. The patch specifically targets in-game Weapon XP, which has now been tweaked to be a little more generous than it once was.

As players rack up the body count with Cold War's array of death-dealers, various scopes, silencers, extended mags, muzzles, handles and more are unlocked for each weapon, adding stat-adjusting buffs and nerfs to the arsenal of rifles, handguns, and sub-machine guns. The knife does not, however, receive a scope, nor an extended mag.

Since Cold War's launch, some players have felt that the game has been a little stingy with the XP, which led to an all-out assault on tiny map Nuketown '84 this past weekend - frantically grinding out the recent Double XP weekend. But now it seems that the CoD faithful can relax a little, as going forward Weapon XP will be doled out in both Multiplayer and Zombies at a much more substantial rate. Brrap.

Additionally, Activision has announced further Double XP events later this month. So maybe this time don't leave me the sole m'f'er on Checkpoint B while you massage your sniper K/D ratio.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War patch means you now level up weapons faster [Eurogamer]

The first time was so nice, that we're gonna do it twice. In February, Dead Cells got its first premium add-on, Bad Seed, at a very affordable $5. It was so good that Jordan said in his review "I could go for a few more DLC packs with this exact structure."

Good news, buddy. Motion Twin has announced Fatal Falls, another $5 expansion to Dead Cells that's slated for release in the first quarter of 2021. Fatal Falls adds two mid-game biomes (The Fractured Shrines and The Undying Shores) alongside some boss area parallels and alternate paths. Basically, it brings new content while shaking up the structure of any given run.

If you're the visual learning type (or just too lazy to read and process the information), there's a teaser trailer up top and seven screenshots in the gallery below.

Accompanying the DLC announcement, Motion Twin revealed that Dead Cells has cleared 3.5 million copies sold across all platforms. That's approximately 238 trillion deaths, assuming everyone died about 68 million times. The all-timers always leave you coming back for more, and Dead Cells definitely fits the bill.

If you are a fan of Apex Legends' support specialist Ajay Chae, better known as "Lifeline," then this new Nendoroid from the good folk at Good Smile Co. would make a perfect gift for yourself - or the Lifeline lover in your vicinity.

This super-cute realization of the double-tough combat medic stands just under four inches tall and comes bundled with a selection of dinky accessories. These include her a healthful syringe and her trusty D.O.C. droid, as well as her less-than-healthy Shock Sticks and a rapid-fire SMG. Additionally, Lifeline is packed with alternate arms and legs, as well as a clear stand for dynamic posing. Surprisingly, Lifeline only has one faceplate, which makes her unnervingly cheerful as she lets rip with the SMG.

If you want to add Lifeline to your shelf, then pre-orders are now open on the official Good Smile Co. website. Lifeline will retail for a typical $59 USD, not including shipping or any potential customs charges. Pre-orders close on January 6, with Lifeline expected to ship in the summer of 2021.

This morning, Microsoft let it slip that Doom Eternal would be hitting Xbox Game Pass on PC. But as it turns out, December is getting at least one other big release; and a few good ones.

As revealed today, Control is hitting Xbox Game Pass for consoles (and Android devices via xCloud) on December 3: the same day as Doom Eternal on PC. That's followed by Haven, Rage 2, Slime Rancher, Va-11 Hall-A, Yes Your Grace, and Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age.

Okay so where to begin with this?! I see you, Bethesda-Soft! With your Rage 2 addition, like all Bethesda games won't eventually end up on daddy's system. Also, Control! That's like, pretty recent, as far as AAA goes, and a nice get for the system that helped bring Alan Wake into this world. Oh, and Va-11 Hall-A, Yes Your Grace are fine indie editions, with Dragon Quest XI serving as one of the more interesting big budget JRPGs in recent years. It's a huge month for the service.

Nearly a week after that starting on December 8, you'll find Call of the Sea, Monster Sanctuary, Starbound, Unto the End, Assetto Corsa, Gang Beasts, GreedFall, Superhot: Mind Control Delete (!), and Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair. Again, it's a good spread! Racers, first-person puzzle shooters, cute mascot puzzle platformers. Game Pass is getting even better.

You can find the full schedule below. Happy holidays!

Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass: Control, Doom Eternal, Holiday Offer, and More [Xbox Wire]

Time and again, media has utilized problematic real-life events and figures to carry its entertainment. Whether for comedic or dramatic purposes, movies, comics, books, and video games have taken recognizable personalities and world events and replicated them to offer a slice of "relatable" authenticity to their pulp fiction.

Hollywood has made a billion-dollar business out of setting fictional narratives against the backdrop of real-world atrocities, while satirical shows from Saturday Night Live to Animaniacs have lampooned political figures on every side of history's global conflicts. Ultimately, truth and fiction will forever collide in the name of entertainment, it is up to us to remain focused on the former, once the dust has settled.

Presented for your consideration: Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, which raised eyebrows with its much-hyped inclusion of the staunchly conservative 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. Those of an age will remember the utter terror of the 1980's Cold War era, where daily obliteration felt a mere button push away. With world leaders such as Reagan, Thatcher, and Brezhnev in power, it was easy for the people – particularly minorities and the working class – to feel that life was dangling by a thread, utter destruction at the hands of both the right-wing media and aggressive, warring world leaders.

Part Tasmanian Devil, part Crash Bandicoot, all World of Warcraft boss: Hogger is now a part of Heroes of the Storm as a playable character. Who would have thought!

We just had to pick the brain of David Warner, senior game designer, to see how this weird and wild choice came to be.

Last week, lockdown legislation and Black Friday's hypnotic "I must spend money" vibe combined to take their toll on the wallets of UK mobile owners. Mobile game spending reached a record high, with almost £5 million GBP, (approx. $6.5 million USD), raked in by a selection of titles on November 27.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz - and confirmed by the number-crunchers over at Sensor Tower - the UK spent the staggering seven-figure sum on popular titles including Roblox, King's Candy Crush, and Moon Active's ironically titled Coin Master, (the latter of which is the UK's highest-grossing mobile title). In addition, 2.2 million games were newly downloaded onto iOS and Android devices.

The spending spree represents an increase of 16% on Black Friday 2019, with the UK's current lockdown legislation keeping many in their homes and away from the workplace. Notably, sales of physical games were actually down when compared to the same time period last year, no doubt due to the current shutdown status of the UK high street.

But with multi-millions raised by a single territory in a single day, it's no wonder why developers and publishers continue to clamber atop of one another while grasping for a piece of the mobile gaming pie.

UK mobile game spending reaches new record on Black Friday [GamesIndustry.biz]

Nintendo keeps adding new rewards to their My Nintendo site. I can't hold them all!

The newest additions are a cute Mario ornament for 800 Platinum Points, as well as a set of three greeting cards (Mario, Peach, Bowser) for 300 Platinum Points. The ornament doesn't look very cheap either and seems fairly robust for something you can get for free (plus shipping).

If you want them but are utterly confused, here's a few tips if you've never ordered from My Nintendo before. If you're looking to get both, order them at the same time. That way, you can combine the shipping costs into one package. This is a great way to grab a bunch of cheaply-costed items like the 300-point Xenoblade sticker sheets.

Also, remember that we have a running guide of how to get quick My Nintendo points. If you want the ornament but have literally started from zero, by signing up and playing a few hours of Fire Emblem Heroes (which is a free download), you'll have enough to cover the 800 platinum.

Spread holiday cheer with new physical rewards featuring Mario and friends [My Nintendo]

Tired: Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Wired: Doom Eternal is a Christmas video game.

Is the logic and thematic connection there? Probably not, but a lot of new people will try Doom Eternal in December. Microsoft has announced that it's joining the Xbox Game Pass for PC roster on December 3. Go play the part of Kris Karnage rather than Kris Kringle.

Doom Eternal will soon be available on all three corners of Xbox Game Pass. It came to Xbox One back in October. It has already been added to the cloud-based game streaming that's part of Game Pass Ultimate. Now, it's making its way to PC as Microsoft had promised.

There's some more granular Doom Eternal news today too. Bethesda and id Software have released the Super Gore Nest master level, a challenge-oriented remix of the game's fifth campaign stage. It has various difficulties and modes, and clearing each one rewards you with a new cosmetic prize. Beat them all and you get the gold combat shotgun skin. There's also a Classic Mode Challenge, where you start with just the shotgun and have to find all your weapons. Clear that mode and get the Classic Green Slayer skin.

Doom Eternal -- New Master Level is Available Now, Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass for PC [Xbox Wire]

The creativity, patience, and skills utilized in fanarts will never cease to amaze me, as dedicated devotees offer up time and effort to creative projects based on their favorite franchises. Case in point: This delightful Zelda: Breath of the Wild animation, produced by the talented Animist.

The fun short sees yer boy Link as he travels across a lonely... erm.. study desk atop his trusty steed. As his horse tires, Link fortunately chances upon a large carrot, which gives his ride a little more "horsepower" than he had expected. But enough of my yapping, check out the cute tale below.

So a new Switch firmware update is out, and it's not just "stability!" Like, there are actual features!

Version 11.0.0 adds a few new things into the mix, including automatic cloud save data download, a Switch online app, a "trending games your friends are playing" feature on the user page, a new way to transfer screenshots, a download prioritization feature (finally!), button mapping alterations, and 12 more icons (we'll get to that).

Easier, non-social-media-or-SD-card screenshot transferring is probably the biggest addition. But in natural Nintendo fashion, it's not as simple as say, Xbox or PlayStation make it with their apps. With this process you need to scan a QR code on your Switch, then scan it again to create a URL that allows you to download the picture. Obtuse, but it does work: I just tried it to capture the header image above. You can transfer them directly to your PC via USB, too.

Nintendo also added a few Mario 35th anniversary avatars...which...are a little late given that on March 31, 2021, a lot of what they're celebrating is going away. Nintendo! Why must you do this. It's like rubbing our faces in it!

Ver. 11.0.0 [Nintendo]