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Before today, I thought that Grounded, a shrunken-kids survival game from the RPG powerhouse Obsidian, had decent potential. It's not exactly the studio's bread and butter, but the pitch – a solo/co-op adventure in which you'll chop down blades of grass and fend off monstrous spiders – drew me in.

After trying the 30-minute Steam demo and digging it enough to go through it twice (and even consider a third run-through), I'm sold on this surprisingly fresh angle. If you're partial to crafting-centric games and you enjoy exploring creative spaces that make you feel like anything could be lurking on the horizon, you should check it out too. One of the standout "landmarks" I discovered was an action-figure head.

Cblogs Recap: Week 25

-RoodadooReview reviews Mindseize.

-Black Red Gaming continues his coverage of this year's limited E3 conference. Here is a look at EA Play.

-Black Red Gaming reviews Summer In Mara.

-Lord Spencer reviews Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-Lord Spencer reviews Roll Away (Kula's World) as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-Shoggoth2588 continues his review of the past decade in gaming with a review of 2015.

-Skazfest argues that the excellence of Super Metroid has been matched or even surpassed by newer Metroidvanias to the good of video game fans everywhere.

-Nior concludes his Command & Conquer retrospective with a look at the mods that kept the series going after its official death.

-Riff Raff wonders about the nature and expiration date of story spoilers.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the Chrono Trigger soundtrack and the music of Eric Serra.

[Update: Nintendo seems to be breaking from the norm here, at least as far as North America is concerned. Just today, NOA asked users on Twitter to reach out to customer support if they purchased the wrong pass. It's likely that Nintendo has issued a memo to its customer support staff to allow refunds in these particular cases. If you are impacted, you can contact them here.]

When the Pokemon Sword and Shield season pass was revealed, everything looked good on paper.

More creatures? Check. More expansive zones and storylines? Check. New creations? Oh you better believe that's a check. But upon further investigation folks realized that there were actually two different season passes: one for each version of the game. In true Nintendo/Game Freak fashion the Pokemon Company couldn't pass up on doubling up on sales, but a lot of people are still confused as to how the system works.

This past week, Nintendo took to Twitter to explain the situation, noting that they have been receiving a number of inquiries on the issue. Nintendo says to "please be careful when purchasing," so you don't buy the wrong version. As a tip, the company says that you can always buy the correct version in-game by pausing your copy, then heading to the bottom-right DLC prompt.

Although this solution might seem obvious to some, the general public still might not understand the "two season pass scheme." Since it's actually out tomorrow and that's when a lot of you are going to be pulling the trigger, consider this your final warning! 

About a week ago, we unveiled the new, official Destructoid merch store to the public. In the introduction post to it, I mentioned that over the coming few weeks and months, we’d be introducing more designs.

Today, we’re starting to make good on that promise with a brand new design. For a limited time, we’ll be selling a fundraiser shirt supporting the Black Lives Matter Global Network. It doesn't carry any company branding, and 100% of all proceeds will be donated to charity. Whatever gets the word out, we hope it helps.

This design is also available on hoodies, phone cases, and more. Like with the t-shirt, all proceeds will go to the Black Lives Matter Global Network.

The design was created in collaboration with Dtoid graphic designer Ashley and conceived by site founder, Niero, who added: “We wanted to create a shirt that says 'I'm not a racist piece of shit' but also 'I'm a gamer, tee-hee'.”

As many within the Destructoid community will know, we’re a site that’s proud of its user-base coming from many different backgrounds, beliefs, and nations. We hope you'll dig it and help us spread the message.

Do you remember CrossfireX? The military shooter revamp that debuted during the Xbox E3 2019 presentation and then went super quiet? Well, developer Smilegate will be launching a beta for the free-to-play title later this month, as spotted on the Microsoft Store by @h0x0d.

CrossfireX will see two private factions battle it out in first-person shooter mayhem. Players can run with Global Risk, who recruit veteran armed forces members to "fight for order and security", or Black List, a band of supposed freedom fighters who employ guerilla tactics and the world's best mercenaries. Pick your puppet, they both sound like bad dudes to be honest.

This week's Arcade Archives release is unfortunately a little ho-hum, but then following last week's launch of Konami's Sunset Riders, there was always the possibility of its being a bit of a step down. Regardless, Vs. Baseball is now available to download on Nintendo Switch.

Vs. Baseball is the arcade edition of 1983 NES release, Baseball. Originally a launch game with for the Famicom, Baseball does its best to capture the spirit and excitement of America's Favourite Pastime (or so soundbites tell me). While obviously very dated by today's standards, it's important to note that Baseball was a very significant release for Nintendo, and is considered one of the games that helped sell NES units in the west at launch.

The "Vs." edition of Baseball included slightly improved visuals and some rudimentary speech. You can check out a video of the game in action below, courtesy of YouTuber Old Classic Retro Gaming.

Vs. Baseball is available to download now on Nintendo Switch, priced at around $8.

West of Dead finds you playing as an unnamed specter, returned from the dead, and placed in Purgatory, Wyoming. No memory as to how you got there, and nothing to do but hunt down a preacher who might have the answers you seek. To find the preacher though you'll have to work your way through an ever-changing labyrinth of enemies with only your guns and whatever items you can procure along the way.

In other words, West of Dead is a narrative-based roguelite which, in my experience, is always a gamble with the deck stacked against you. To that end I can't help but feel like the game itself is stuck in a purgatory of its own making, caught between two genres that stand at odds with each other. It's neither a raving success nor a miserable failure, but it definitely has some frustrating elements.

Not only satisfied with sneaking out the release date for Sabotage Studios' The Messenger, the Microsoft Store has also uploaded a listing for No Code psychological sci-fi thriller Observation, which is scheduled for launch on Xbox One June 25.

Already available on PS4 and PC, Observation offer a unique and fascinating concept wherein players take the role of a space station A.I. named S.A.M. who must work alongside the station's human crew, led by Dr. Emma Fisher, to ascertain the root of the mysterious fault that has left them all floating in oblivion. To reveal more would spoil the "fun", but let's just say thinks take a very, very surreal turn.

There were many highlights during the PlayStation Future of Gaming presentation last week, but two of the games that really stuck out to the Podtoid crew were Resident Evil Village and Bugsnax. And while the two games couldn't be more different, when you think about it, isn't the idea of foods that are actually bugs far more frightening than any stupid werewolf we'll fight in the next RE game?

That's just one of the topics on this episode of Podtoid. The team comes together to look back at their favorite announcements from the showcase, the trailers that didn't do anything for them, and what Xbox will need to do with its upcoming show. All that plus Command & Conquer and glory holes are both making a comeback on Podtoid Episode 447.

[Update: The new announcement on June 22 confirmed that the real date is October 2, 2020, not October 9.]

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time hasn't even been officially revealed yet, but it seems we have not only confirmation of its arrival and its box art, but now a release date and a batch of low-res screenshots. E3 might have been cancelled, but the traditional spirit of nothing staying under wraps is apparently alive and well.

Originally appearing on 4chan, the screens looked ripped directly from the sequel's as-yet-unreleased trailer, and see Crash and CoCo at their chaotic best in typical, into-the-screen Crash Bandicoot action. Dr. Cortex is in the mix too. What a Rotter. It's worth remembering, obviously, that these are low-res screens likely grabbed from a moving video, and as such are no reflection on the clarity, colours, or textures of the game itself.

Good morning, Destructoid community. (I'm going again, that was way too formal). Good morning friends, and welcome to another weekend. I hope that you and yours are keeping well, that your week has been a good one, and that your weekend is better yet. As the world continues to spin erratically, please look after yourselves, and remember you are always among friends here.

It's been a very hectic week due to ongoing "non-E3" event, which has seen a week or so of news stretched out to a month and beyond. Due to covering multiple live streams, pumping out a wealth of news, and trying to rest my eyes and brain in between, I've not found the time to jump on Persona 4 Golden's new PC port. I've been made well aware of that adventure's inability to let you take real control for the first few hours, and thus I'm holding off until I have a solid afternoon or evening to my good self. Maybe today!

But before I dive into the wacky antics of Yasogami High, I'd love to hear about all the cool games y'all been playing this past week. While releases have been quiet, I'm sure many of you will be grimly trudging through the chuckle-fest that is The Last of Us Part II. Still, there's been a few video games released since the 1970s - at least 40 I think - so whatever you're playing right now, take time out to drop us a note below.

Oh, and no spoilers please, be cool to your fellow Destructoid pals. Thanks!

Have a safe and pleasant weekend, from all of us at Destructoid.

In today's contest you can win a Switch copy of House Flipper!

I gotta admit: This is one of the weirdest concepts for a video game I've seen in a good while. I know the idea of renovating a house to sell for a profit isn't all that inherently weird, but making a video game where you have to sweep up the kitchen is just...bizarre. This is the world we live in.

Since us young folks will never again be able to buy a house of our own to renovate, we can at least pretend the working class can still get ahead with a Switch copy of House Flipper, freshly released on Nintendo's little system that could.

In The Last of Us Part II's quieter moments, you might find Ellie strumming her acoustic guitar. As it turns out, Ellie has either extremely expensive tastes in six-strings or she has a lot of disposable income.

Sony is selling a replica Last of Us Part II guitar for $2,300. It's a Taylor model 314ce with a tobacco sunburst finish. There's a moth inlay that pays tribute to the tattoo on Ellie's arm.

If that sort of dough is a little more than your piggybank holds, you can just settle for playing the guitar in-game. It's a neat approximation that is free-flowing enough to hold endless possibilities. But, art imitates life, which means you're just going to play "Wonderwall" like you did all those years ago on the quad at college.

The Last of Us Part II Replica Taylor 314ce Guitar [PlayStation Gear via Eurogamer]

EA is taking its own particular approach to free next-gen game upgrades, and FIFA 21, much like Madden NFL 21, is using the Dual Entitlement system. In short: if you buy the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One version of these games, you'll be able to get the PS5 or Xbox Series X counterpart at no extra cost.

Strings are attached, of course. And the offer won't stick around forever.

"If you purchase FIFA 21 for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, you'll be able to upgrade your copy once you have the corresponding next-generation console (PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5, or Xbox One to Xbox Series X) at no extra cost by downloading it to your console up until the launch of FIFA 22."

Another caveat to contend with: the PS5 and Xbox Series X upgrade process is smoother if you're considering digital. The Dual Entitlement will more or less just work – you can "download and play FIFA 21 from the PlayStation Store or Microsoft Store at no extra cost once it releases later this year."

"If you buy a physical copy of FIFA 21 [on PS4 or Xbox One], you'll need the disc to be inserted into your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X to be able to launch FIFA 21 on those consoles. If you intend to buy a disc-less console, you will need to purchase FIFA 21 digitally to take advantage of the Dual Entitlement offer as physical discs cannot currently be used to upgrade to disc-less consoles."

Back in March, in the earlier days of COVID-19 and global social distancing, Square Enix launched its "Stay Home and Play" campaign, offering bundles of great titles from its deep catalogue at discounted prices, with all of the proceeds going to charity.

Yesterday, the publisher proudly announced that it had raised a staggering $2.4 million from these sales, every cent of which will be distributed to food banks and other charities across North America and Europe. Beneficiaries will include organisations such as The L.A. Food Bank, Dans La Rue, The Big Issue, The Trussell Trust, Hamburger Tafel, Northwest Harvest, and many more.

"We're proud - and grateful - that we're able to give back to our communities during this crisis and hopefully help make a difference in people's lives," reads a statement on Square's official website. "It genuinely means a lot to us - not only as a company, but also as a group of people who live and work all around the world. These remain challenging times for many, so we ask that you please continue to act responsibly, follow local guidelines, and support both your communities and each other."

Just when I thought I couldn't be more into Bugsnax, an oddball adventure inspired by Viva Piñata and Ape Escape, there's this: a too-cute-for-words commentary from Jeff Bakalar's adorable five-year-old.

Their stream-of-consciousness reaction – "that strawberry's like a little creature that I really like so when I'm sad...," "get a load of hotdog fingers" – is a heartwarming window into the Purest Timeline.

Bugsnax vs. a 5 Year Old pic.twitter.com/YXRutQt9fg

— Jeff Bakalar (@jeffbakalar) June 19, 2020

This clip is the best thing I'm going to see all day, by far, and I'm not complaining. Bugsnax for life.

Yesterday's EA Play Live event came and went without the expected reveal of EA Sports UFC 4. Some promotional materials for July 11's UFC 251 at Fight Island (which has a monster card, by the way) casually mention that a game announcement will happen during the Pay-Per-View. Waiting a little longer isn't too much hassle considering we already know what we're waiting for.

I used this space three years ago to argue that Joanna Jedrzejczyk should be on the cover of EA Sports UFC 3. That argument aged very poorly as she lost for the first time ever mere days later. Since then, she has lost three more times to some of the best names in women's MMA. She will not be on the cover of EA Sports UFC 4 unless there's a Mars Attacks edition. Still, Joanna's my favorite fighter and you can't take that away from me.

So, who will be on the cover? It's tough to say because while the UFC has only grown in popularity in recent years, it no longer has a transcendent star like Ronda Rousey or Conor McGregor. (Conor "retired" again a few weeks ago.) There are many options but few clear-cut locks. Let's rank them.

Although the Star Wars: Squadrons appearance at EA Play was one of the high notes, we still didn't get a ton of concrete info out of it beyond a marketing-heavy sizzle reel and a very fluffy "interview" that basically just gushed over how amazing Star Wars as a whole was.

Thankfully the team is now allowed to open up a bit, and in addition to the confirmation that HOTAS rigs would work with the game, we now know a few more tidbits: like the fact that Squadrons is locked to a first-person view. Speaking to GameSpot, creative director Ian Frazier notes that the game is entirely in first-person.

Citing that third-person is a "competitive advantage" that the team didn't want to allot to certain players, there won't be any options to swap to a third-person view outside of spectator mode. Frazier says that the "whole game is designed from the ground up" with first-person in mind, which is wholly evident when you account for the fact that it supports VR headsets on certain platforms. You can fully turn off the UI if you want to compensate for this restriction.

Frazier also notes that TIE Fighters will still be very different from X-Wing craft, with "much less" to deal with in terms of micromanagement, like a lack of shields. Instead, players are able to swap power between lasers, engines and shields: so TIE Fighters will have an easier time navigating that mechanic.

What's the first word you think of when you think of The Last of Us? That's right, "adorable." With this spirit in mind, the merch-makers over at Good Smile have revealed an uber-cute new Nendoroid of the series long-suffering protagonist, Ellie.

Ellie's Nendoroid is based on her appearance in the just-released sequel The Last of Us Part II, and bundles the regular urban survivor with an alternate faceplate and several accessories. Players can display the dinky mass murderer with either a pensive or shouty face, while arming her a machete, bow & arrow, handgun, or that TLOU staple, a hefty housebrick. Kawaii!

If you'd like a pocket-sized Ellie to call your very own, then pre-orders are open now on the Good Smile Co. website. Nendoroid Ellie costs ¥5,091, or roughly $47 USD, not including shipping or potential customs charges. Pre-orders close on August 20. Shipping is expected November 2020.

The Last of Us Part II is available now on PS4.

With Pokemon Sword and Shield's Isle of Armor expansion underway, it's important to note that the launch comes with yet another legendary event.

This time Zeraora is up for grabs (in shiny form!) and you don't really need to do much to bag it. In fact, as long as one million players beat Zeraora in Max Raid Battles and you do some quick busywork with Pokemon Home, you'll nab it for free. Note there are a few provisos, however.

As for the Pokemon Home requirement, here is the exact wording from the source: 

Deposit a Pokemon in Pokemon Home or move a Pokemon to Pokemon Sword or Pokemon Shield from Pokemon Home between Wednesday, June 17, at 8:00 a.m. PDT and Monday, July 6, at 4:59 p.m. PDT.

Literally all you need to do is wake up Home and use it once to transfer anything: even if you've used it in the past, you'll be required to boot it up between now and July 6. Also, for "every 100,000 trainers" who defeat Zeraora, you'll net a piece of in-game Armorite Ore (which can be used to learn moves) if you actually participate. Here's another caveat: just because you actually find and fight Zeraora in a Max Raid Battle (even if it's shiny!) you cannot catch him right now. That honor is relegated to the giveaway.

In short, whenever you can, as soon as tonight even, transfer something to Pokemon Home! I'm not your dad so I can't make you, but the sooner you get it done, the sooner you can forget about it and reap the benefits of the free legendary.

For a bit, Destiny 2 has been plagued by an annoying bug that involves sprint-canceling: which is kind of a huge part of the game, especially when it comes to endgame events. In short, if you press the sprint button more than once, there's a chance that you could cancel your sprint, which is definitely not the intention, and can easily happen in a hectic activity.

Thankfully update 2.9.0.1 fixes that folly, among several other issues with the game (the new Season of Arrivals mod bugs, Season of Arrivals quest problems). Notably, Bungie is increasing the availability of the Trials of Osiris activity through today (June 19) due to a big bug that prevented players from being able to visit the Lighthouse after finishing their runs flawlessly.

As someone who has been to the Lighthouse before, that's something that should be a priority fix! It's a really fun and satisfying reward for people that excel at PVP, and you should see it at least once "in person." You can check out the rest of the patch notes below.

Update 2.9.0.1 [Bungie.net]

WB has done a very non-WB thing and made one of their classic fighting games totally free. As in, not "free for the weekend," but free to own so long as you pull the trigger before June 25.

There really aren't many strings attached to this. Just head to Steam, the PSN (PS4), or the Microsoft Store (Xbox 360/Xbox One) and grab Injustice: Gods Among Us. Even if you don't personally own one of the above platforms, it pays to just claim the game anyway with an account: what do you have to lose? Click all three of the links and attach them.

For reference, this is indeed the "Ultimate Edition" of the game (for PC/PS4), which includes all of the major DLC (skin packs, Lobo, Batgirl, Scorpion, General Zod, Martian Manhunter, Zatanna). As another side since it's been a while: Gods Among Us is the first iteration of the Injustice series that debuted in 2013. Its sequel, Injustice 2, wouldn't arrive until 2017.

WB Games [Twitter]

I'm not normally compelled to cover a lone screenshot for an upcoming game, but when we're talking Bluepoint's PS5 remake of Demon's Souls, all bets are off. Get a load of this beaut from PlayStation.com.

The Tower Knight was sufficiently imposing in last week's debut trailer, but this shot sets the stage and scale. This remake – even if it takes some liberties – is going to be something else. It's a reminder that yes, I can still get out-of-control, gotta-play-it-the-second-it-goes-live excited about a major game.

Note to self: Don't forget to deal with those dreaded archers.

Fallout 76 can be a really lonely experience.

I'm not just talking about the bugs preventing you from playing, but the barebones matchmaking system that really makes the world feel barren. That's changing now, as Bethesda is finally introducing real matchmaking to 76 in the form of public teams.

This update is a long time coming, and one of the things I wanted most of all (even before some bug fixes) when the game launched. Essentially this is an LFG (looking for group) tool that a lot of popular MMOs use. You can either create a new team using an in-game menu or search for one, then look for other individuals who want to do the exact same activity as you.

In Fallout 76, that list includes hunting, roleplaying, focusing on events, exploring, building or casual play. Each public team focus will net you bonus XP or stats depending on which one you pick, incentivizing folks to actually use the public team system. Honestly, I love it, and it will likely get me to play 76 more often.

All of that is coming in Update 20 soon, and you can either check it out right now on the public test server, or marinate over the specific bonuses below. As a note, private teams are still going to exist in 76, but you can swap to a public team at any time.

In other Fallout 76 news, Bethesda added two-factor authentication (or multi-factor/MFA) to the game. You can head here to set it up: which you should probably do soon, as there are still reports of hackers infiltrating the game.

When a developer takes the URL ThiefWithGuns.com for their game, you know they're onto something.

"They" in this case is Dillon Rogers, David Szymanski, and New Blood Interactive, the minds behind Dusk. Their new game, Gloomwood, is worth trying this week if you're in the mood for a classic spooky stealth experience. It may be inspired by old ideas, but it works – it's gripping stuff even in 2020.

When I caught my first distant glimpse of a Crowman and had to tread further into suspicious tunnels with my trusty canesword and limited revolver ammo in hand, I knew shit was about to go down.

The Gloomwood demo is one of my favorites from this summer's Steam Game Festival lineup.

It's been a very long time coming, but it seems that Devolver Digital's The Messenger is finally ready to take a running leap onto Xbox One. According to a Microsoft Store listing spotted by @h0x0d, Sabotage Studios' challenging platform adventure will be made available to purchase June 25.

Originally released on PC and Nintendo Switch back in 2018, The Messenger starts out as a delightful throwback to the 8-bit platform games of yore, before events conspire to twist the narrative into an intriguing, time-warping story of honour and duty. Released to huge acclaim from both critics and players, The Messenger's challenging old-school gameplay and unique tale of sword and sorcery is still being discovered by new fans today.

The Messenger is available now on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch and will arrive on Xbox One June 25.

The Messenger coming to Xbox One on June 25 [Gematsu]

The identities of the fighters included in the second season pass for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is one of the biggest mysteries in gaming right now. So far, all we know is a fighter from ARMS will be added to the roster this summer, but with some representation from the series in Smash already, it's anybody's guess which stretchy arm brawler will make the cut.

Thankfully, we don't have to wait too much longer to learn the identity of this fighter. Nintendo announced this morning it will broadcast a 35-minute long stream on the character, so get ready to learn everything you need to know about them from Sakurai himself.

As is customary for several Five Nights games, the Switch edition of Five Nights At Freddy's: Sister Location just got a random out of nowhere launch last night.

Strangely, it wasn't even listed in the official Nintendo Download list, but it's definitely right here on the eShop for $7.99, and you can check out the trailer below. In case you haven't been catching up, Sister Location is actually the fifth game, but is also spinoff-like for multiple reasons. It deals with new mechanics like a deeper focus on exploration and new characters in a different location.

It originally arrived in 2016 on PC and mobile devices, but has yet to hit consoles until this week.

[Update: CDPR has since officially confirmed the backwards-compatibility/upgrade feature on Twitter.]

Developer CD Projekt RED has revealed a few details about the relationship between current and next-gen editions of its upcoming epic Cyberpunk 2077. As noted in a conference call yesterday, the current-gen edition of the hypercolour RPG will be playable on next-gen consoles on the new hardware's respective launch days.

Players who play the PS4 version on Sony's new hardware will see a significant boost to the game's visuals thanks to the PS5 hardware. Furthermore a heftier upgrade is planned for release in 2021, which will further boost the overall Cyberpunk 2077 experience. This also applies to the Xbox One/Xbox Series X editions, thanks to Microsoft's "Smart Delivery" system.

"At some point we’re going to have a more robust update for the next-gens, which we're planning to give free of charge to anybody who purchases the PS4 or Xbox One version (of Cyberpunk)," said CDPR executive Michał Nowakowski. "In any case you will be able to play the game on the next-gens from the 19th of November when the game releases, and it will look better than on the next-gens from that moment."

"It's about time." That's what Crash Bandicoot fans have been thinking for well over a decade now. The N. Sane Trilogy remasters from 2017 were a good start, but those are just retreads of games from the PS1 era. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled from last year is mostly excellent in its own right but it's also a kart racer, not a proper Crash game.

As it turns out, "it's about time" is perfectly apropos because it's also the next game's subtitle. Through a ratings board listing in Taiwan (as reported by Gematsu), Activision's Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time has leaked ahead of the official reveal. Crash Bandicoot 4 was rated for PS4 and Xbox One, although that's not necessarily a comprehensive list of platforms. It's said to be developed by Toys for Bob, which is the studio that handled the Spyro Reignited Trilogy (and a lot of Skylanders games before that). Here's what the box art looks like:

Electronic Arts' EA Play Live stream lasted 50 minutes today, and exactly 14 of those second was dedicated to talking about BioWare. Here's what was said: "BioWare imagines and creates worlds where you become the hero of your own story. We're using this next generation of technology to make those fantasy worlds your reality."

Much more important, here's what was shown:

So uh, we just had another traditional "usually-at-E3-but-not-this-year press conference" drop on us. Wait, where did you go?!

Yes, EA Play 2020 came and went very, very quickly. As in, I couldn't believe that they spent 10 of their 45 minutes and change re-confirming Star Wars: Squadrons details they already confirmed earlier this week and showing us a bunch of commercials. We also...maybe got our first look at Dragon Age 4 with a vague "the next generation will blow you away" segment that referred to EA employees as "Electronic Artists?" That bit was good.

I dunno man, it was weird. But Skate! At least we know it exists, even if it was just a quick conversation that it indeed is in the works. Here's your very short recap if you missed it. Fess up, you probably did.

A new Skate is happening – presumably but not necessarily Skate 4 – and that's it. That's the post.

Skate is Back! pic.twitter.com/EAQgt95HW2

— Electronic Arts (@EA) June 18, 2020

"We've been waiting years to make the right game at the right time with the right idea," said game director Deran Chung during a short, detail-less, gameplay-free segment at EA Play Live 2020.

I hope this isn't a monkey's paw moment.

While we already learned a lot about Star Wars: Squadrons earlier this week, tonight at the EA Play event we got our first real look at some cold hard gameplay. As expected, you'll be able to choose between two pilots at the start (Rebel Alliance and Empire) with the game's campaign mode, or hop into multiplayer with eight different ships.

This is going to be a quasi-class-based shooter, with different roles for ships (support, bomber) and multiple modes like dogfight (5v5 TDM) and fleet battles ("multi-stage conflicts"). Playing against AI/bots is confirmed (yes! Something that prevents the game from becoming a paperweight after the servers shut off).

EA also says that "simply playing the game" will unlock cosmetics. Imagine that! Get a look at that gameplay video you wanted below.

During this afternoon's EA Play presentation, developer Final Strike Games revealed new details and gameplay footage regarding its multiplayer shooter, Rocket Arena, a sky-high new title which is coming to PS4, PC, and Xbox One - complete with crossplay - mid-July.

Rocket Arena features 10 colourful heroes, each bringing unique abilities, skills, 'tude, and a helluva lot of rockets. Indeed, Rocket Arena is a 3v3 rockets-only shooter. So if you're a Pharah main in Overwatch, chances are you've already got a heads up on everyone else. Rocket Arena will feature seasonal content, with a steady stream of characters, maps and skins being added to the game over time. It will also be getting its own "Blast Pass", which will launch alongside its first official season, beginning July 28.

Rocket Arena launches on PS4, PC (Origin/Steam), and Xbox One July 14.

The kingdom is under a curse and you're shootin' craps to lift it.

That, very generally speaking, is the premise of Zoink's next game Lost in Random. Even is the hero who has to roll dice to defeat evil. The sidekick is Dicey.

Let me be real with you: I have no idea what to expect from this game. How much is combat-type stuff and how much is gamblin' on rollin' bones? How much does RNG impede progress? After all, dice are nothing but RNG.

I'm digging the look and I'm potentially down with the premise. I'll be eagerly waiting for more information about Lost in Random.

A Way Out director Josef Fares revealed Hazelight's next game at EA Play Live, and no surprises here, it's another co-op game. I was hoping so! It Takes Two is a co-op action-adventure platformer about magical dolls brought to life by Rose, a child whose parents are working through a divorce.

The couple's minds are "transported into two dolls which their daughter, Rose, made to represent them. Now they must reluctantly find a way to get back into their bodies, a quest which takes them through the most wild, unexpected, and fantastic journey imaginable."

The footage wasn't informative, but Fares says It Takes Two will try to marry "the story and mechanics." On paper, Hazelight's games don't exactly sound super riveting, but they're always fun in practice.

The studio is aiming for a 2021 release on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

EA kicked off its EA Play event with big news for Apex Legends: it's coming to Steam and Switch!

Even better news; it'll support cross-play later this fall. EA confirms Origin, Steam, PS4 and Xbox One cross-play at this time (no Switch date was given). This is pretty much what everyone wanted, and Apex Legends definitely looks like something that could be ported to Switch by a capable studio.

As for pre-fall developments, Apex is getting a "Fortune's Favor" event for season five, which involves treasure collection and more skins: due for June 23. An "Armed and Dangerous Evolved" mode is also coming, with mobile beacons for revives.

No E3, no problem. The streams won't stop. Electronic Arts is about to kick off its EA Play Live 2020 presentation at 4:00 p.m. PT. If you wanna watch along with the Dtoid community, hey, stick around.

We're expecting appearances from Star Wars: Squadrons (gameplay this time), Apex Legends, Madden, other miscellaneous sports, another co-op romp from A Way Out creator Hazelight, and possibly other EA Originals. Will we hear a peep out of BioWare? I'm rooting for you, hopeful Dragon Age fans.

I suspect we'll have a few cool games to latch onto, but my expectations are muted after last year's extremely low-key EA Play stream. Any improvement over that format and runtime will be super appreciated, especially given the industry's multi-month not-E3 schedule. I hope it's a condensed show.

Worst case, it's fun to hang out again. I'm here, you're here – we're in this one together.

In today's contest you can win a Switch copy of Super Rare Games' release of Graceful Explosion Machine!

You guys know how much I love Super Rare Games, so I won't bother to wax poetic about them this time around. After all, I wouldn't keep pestering them to give me some of their games to give away if I didn't.

And yet again, my annoying persistence means for free stuff for you! They just launched the physical Switch release of Graceful Explosion Machine, so win it while it's still here!