Game Informer

Techland has released a new trailer detailing the gameplay modes in the PlayStation 5 version of Dying Light 2 Stay Human. 

As is usual for PS5 games as of late, there are three modes: performance, quality, and resolution. Each option gives players a different type of game presentation, but all three look great based on the trailer released today. 

The Quality Mode with Ray Tracing, as it’s called, gives you exactly what you’d expect in that it’s a high-resolution mode that prioritizes Ray Tracing capabilities over performance. While there’s no official word, this mode looks 60 FPS to us, or at least higher than 30 FPS. 

As the name implies, the Resolution mode maintains 4K visuals above all else. It’s the most visually stunning mode based on the trailer, and again, it doesn’t appear to be 30 FPS.  Although, without any official word, it very well could be. After all, this is just a trailer, and while it showcases gameplay, we won’t know how these modes perform until the game is in our hands. 

Lastly, Performance mode is one we suspect a lot of players will be using in a first-person game all about parkour and action. The trailer describes it as “60+ FPS” so it seems like this mode prioritizes maintaining 60 FPS, with capabilities to reach even higher frames per second. 

As we slowly near the November 11 release date of Starfield, we are just as slowly learning more and more about the upcoming Bethesda RPG. While we still haven’t received much by way of concrete info or even a look at gameplay or in-game imagery, the team behind the game has released a handful of concept art introducing us to locations we’ll all be visiting.

This includes New Atlantis, the United Colonies capital showcased in a developer commentary video released last August. You can watch that here, but today, the official Starfield Twitter account released an in-motion concept art (concept video?) of New Atlantis, and it looks great. 

Welcome to New Atlantis, capital of the United Colonies.https://t.co/7NH12Dr4y9 pic.twitter.com/SK91SEZBGe

Ken Kutaragi, the inventor of the PlayStation and former CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, recently spoke to Bloomberg and gave his opinion on the metaverse, the nebulous virtual world concept that has several tech companies embroiled in an arms race to capitalize on it first. While industry giants such as Facebook and Microsoft have visions for what the metaverse can/will be, Kutaragi doesn’t subscribe to the concept.

Kutaragi believes staying rooted in the real world is “very important” and doesn’t understand why someone would want to jack into an artificial reality. “You would rather be a polished avatar instead of your real self? That’s essentially no different from anonymous messageboard sites,” says Kutaragi. 

He’s not a fan of wearing VR headsets to interact with the metaverse either, saying, “Headsets would isolate you from the real world, and I can’t agree with that. Headsets are simply annoying.”

High-gloss paper. Gold-foil covers. Uniquely-numbered issues. Ridiculously-low print runs. This is Game Informer Gold, an ultra-rare collectible that one of you will win through this sweepstakes. You need to get your hands on Game Informer Gold to truly understand how big of an upgrade it is over our standard edition. From its increased thickness to the gold shine on the cover, this is as high-end as magazines get.

This month, the copy of Game Informer Gold that is up for grabs is for our Halo Infinite issue. The Gold edition features an entirely different cover, with Master Chief's antagonist, Escharum, taking the spotlight. We only printed a limited number of this Gold variant. The winner of this sweepstakes will get one of these issues. Only one person will win.

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Just days after the news that Microsoft and Xbox are acquiring Activision Blizzard, Xbox head and the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, has commented on the possibility of Activision Blizzard games coming to PlayStation in the future. 

In short, his comments are somewhat vague, following similar messaging to his thoughts on exclusivity regarding Bethesda games after Microsoft acquired Bethesda back in 2020. Here’s what he had to say: 

Had good calls this week with leaders at Sony. I confirmed our intent to honor all existing agreements upon acquisition of Activision Blizzard and our desire to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation. Sony is an important part of our industry, and we value our relationship.

Fortnite's item shop was updated today with two more Marvel heroes – both going by the name Hawkeye. Players can now purchase skins for Kate Bishop and Clint Barton, two comic book staples who were recently together in the Disney+ Hawkeye series. Both characters are decked out in purple and black gear, with familiar elements here and there, but look distinctly Fortnite in their facial features.

You can buy each of them individually for 1,500 V-Bucks – both are equipped with a unique quiver back bling. If you desire both characters, you can purchase them together in a bundle for the reduced price of 2,400. This collection comes with the back blings of note and also Hawkeye-themed harvesting tools, a glider, and a loading screen. The glider can be purchased separately for 800 V-Bucks.

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Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, who doubles as the head of Xbox, has revealed that Xbox is going to talk to Activision Blizzard developers about working on dormant franchises. 

This news comes by way of a new interview with Spencer from The Washington Post, where he reveals his excitement about the IP Microsoft can now tap into after its acquisition of Activision Blizzard is complete. He specifically mentions King’s Quest, Guitar Hero, and even HeXen, a long-dormant Activision Blizzard franchise that’s basically a first-person spellcasting game. 

Spencer told The Washington Post, “We’re hoping that we’ll be able to work with them [Activision Blizzard developers] when the deal closes to make sure we have resources to work on franchises that I love from my childhood and that the teams really want to get.” 

“I’m looking forward to these conversations,” he said. “I really think it’s about adding resources and increasing capability.” 

Spencer also touched on a worry he has about tech companies not traditionally associated with gaming coming into the space. 

Bungie has released another “This Week At Bungie” blog post, and as expected, it features tons of new information regarding the live-service shooter. While there’s plenty to dissect from it – which you can do right here – there are two things that really stuck out in it. 

The first is that Gunsmith Reputation is getting changed next month, with the launch of The Witch Queen expansion on February 22, to match other vendors in the Tower. Specifically, Gunsmith Materials and Weapon Telemetries are being removed from the game. 

“Banshee-44 is getting a new reputation system that matches the other vendors in the Tower, such as Zavala and Shaxx,” the blog post reads. “This means we are removing some of the items that were previously associated with Gunsmith Reputation, namely Gunsmith Materials and Weapon Telemetries. Players will now earn Reputation Rank progress with Banshee-44 when dismantling Legendary and Exotic weapons and armor or by completing daily Gunsmith bounties.” 

Shooters! A staple of gaming, with more variety than ever today. Whether you're looking for a co-op or competitive experience, 2022 is likely to have something for you. While mainstays out there such as Fortnite and Apex Legends will undoubtedly get awesome updates over the course of this year, let's take a look at some of the new titles and major expansions coming down the line.

Microsoft's recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard sent large-scale ripples throughout the industry. The deal was worth a whopping $68.7 billion, exceeding the price tag of any other developer/publisher acquisition. Of course, it's safe to assume that exclusivity rights could be in the works for some of the most successful IPs in recent memory, like Call of Duty. However, a spokesperson from Sony chimed in on the current chain of events, confident that several of Activision Blizzard's games will continue to remain multiplatform experiences.

We may be pushing towards the end of January, but you can still reminisce about your favorite PlayStation memories of 2021. Sony has launched the PlayStation Wrap-Up Report, giving players a chance to view their biggest and brightest gaming highlights from the last year. 

From now until February 20 visiting the PlayStation Wrap-Up page displays stats such as the number of games played, total hours spent gaming, trophies earned, and other factoids. The only prerequisite is that you’ll have needed to spend at least 10 hours playing a PS5/PS4 in 2021. 

The report also displays the collective accomplishments of players around the world including specific in-game metrics such as the most popular weapon in Returnal. Those who access the Wrap-Up receive a download code to get four free avatars (for PS5 and PS4). 

We’re closing in on the release of Horizon Forbidden West and PlayStation is releasing more and more about the game. Yesterday, Guerrilla Games released a new Forbidden West story trailer, and you can check out some exclusive details we learned about it after talking to the team, and now the studio has released a special “meet the cast” trailer.

It begins with an introduction to protagonist Aloy’s voice actor, Ashly Burch, who explains that Aloy had to step into a new role as the hero of the world. She also touches on the more adversarial aspect of Aloy and Sylens’ relationship. And speaking of Sylens, Lance Reddick is returning to voice the character last seen in the post-credits scene at the end of Horizon Zero Dawn. He talks about Sylens’ egomaniac personality and how that shapes his relationships in Forbidden West. 

It’s time to d-d-d-d-duel! Join us on Twitch at 2 p.m. Central as three Game Informer editors shuffle their decks, strap on their duel disks, and face off for two hours in the newly-released Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is billed by Konami as the definitive video game adaptation of the popular card game. The free-to-play title is available on consoles and PC and lets players enjoy a highly produced simulation of the TCG with over 10,000 cards at their disposal. In addition to a solo mode, players can duke it out online across any platform thanks to cross-play. Cross-progression also allows players to enjoy the game anywhere, whether in front of a monitor, TV, or Switch screen. 

Game Informer’s elite duelists Marcus Stewart, Dan Tack, and John Carson will battle it out to decide who reigns as GI’s King of Games. Expect plenty of trash talk and anime-inspired buffoonery as we show off Master Duel’s features, modes, and maybe open some card packs to boot. 

Update, 1/20/21:

The upcoming story-driven DLC for cyberpunk action-platformer, Ghostrunner, has been delayed. 

Originally set to release some time this month, Ghostrunner's Project_Hel DLC will now release on March 3. This means players will have to wait a little bit longer to play the DLC, which puts you behind the blade of Hel, a boss from the base game. 

According to 505 Games, the delay is to give the team more time to improve the DLC while also ensuring the health and safety of the studio and its partners are maintained. 

The global release of the Project_Hel DLC will be delayed to March 3rd. We appreciate your understanding and want all our fans to know that we will use this bonus time to make even more worthwhile improvements while ensuring the health & safety of our team and global partners. pic.twitter.com/NAf4Zvbo6K

— Ghostrunner (@GhostrunnerGame) January 19, 2022

For more details about this DLC, be sure to read the original story below. 

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Original Story, 12/1/21

Next year, a new story-driven DLC is coming to first-person cyberpunk action-platformer, Ghostrunner, and it’s called Project_Hel. 

Super Rare Games, a company best known for its unique approach to publishing physical games and related media, announced a new indie-first publishing label called Super Rare Originals. 

As the name implies, Super Rare Originals will publish indies digitally on consoles and PC, and the new label is starting big with five new games revealed today: Grapple Dog, Post Void, The Gecko Gods, Lone Ruin, and Completely Stretchy.  

Grapple Dog

PC (other platforms TBA)

“Grapple Dog is an exhilarating 2D pixel-art platformer from pixel art veteran Joseph Gribbin,” the Super Rare Originals press release reads. “Use your awesome grappling hook to clear tricky challenges as Pablo, the Grapple Dog. Sail across six colorful worlds with a crew of fearless adventurers to stop the robotic overlord Nul from destroying the world.” 

Post Void

Coming soon to consoles (platforms TBA)

Have A Nice Death caught our attention when it burst onto the scene during the 2021 Game Awards thanks to its stylish hand-drawn presentation and equally slick-looking action. Thankfully, developer Magic Design Studios is ready to let players take Death for a whirl by annoucing the game will launch in Steam Early Access on March 8.

The game stars a very stressed-out Death whose underworld office has fallen into chaos thanks to his rambunctious employees running amok on Earth. Besides spoiling his vacation plans, this mayhem also upsets the balance of souls and that’s a big problem. Armed with your trusty scythe, you’ll have to keep your underlings in line the old-fashioned way.

The 2D game sports fast-paced hack n’ slash action where Death can wield over 30 different weapons. Since Death can’t die, success depends on completing stages repeatedly to earn better performance reviews to unlock new items. Death can also outfit itself with beneficial curses, though doing comes with a cost such as increasing enemy strength. 

Warner Bros. Games and Traveller’s Tales have revealed that the long-anticipated Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will finally be released this April. 

More specifically, the blocky take on the nine mainline Star Wars films will hit PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on April 5. To celebrate the announcement, a new six-minute gameplay overview trailer gives us an extensive look at the title. 

As you can see in the trailer, you can jump from episode to episode as you wish. If you feel like playing as Rey,  you can hop into Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. If Anakin is more your style, head into Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith – the choice is yours. The trailer also reveals the revamped and improved combat, which includes new abilities, aiming mechanics, a cover system, and more. Of course, you’ll have the Force at your disposal, too, which allows you to influence enemies, creatures, and more. 

If you feel like sitting behind the iconic cockpit of the Millenium Falcon, you can do that too with ease. You can fly to different planets or sections of a world you’re already on, and you don’t need to follow just the story either – you can freely roam around a planet to find side missions and other activities. 

WWE 2K22 has found its cover star and release date. Gracing the front of the box this year will be the legendary Rey Mysterio, whose career will be highlighted in the game’s Showcase mode. Check him out in all his high-flying glory. 

As for when you’ll get to step into the masked wrestler’s shoes along with many others, you can circle March 11 on your calendar.

We previously detailed some of the features, gameplay modes, and confirmed superstars in last November’s update (which you can read here), but 2K22 features a new engine built from scratch to allow for smoother animations and simplified yet strategic grappling. Along with the Mysterio-focused Showcase mode, MyFaction is a new destination that lets you build your own stable of superstars. MyGM lets players manage brands, rosters, and storylines, while MyRise is a reworked version of the old MyCareer story mode. Expect a fully revamped creation suite as well. 

In addition to the standard version of the game, which runs for $69.99 on current consoles and $59.99 on last-gen hardware, 2K revealed three special editions:

Windjammers 2 launched today, giving ‘90s arcade fans or those who discovered the game via the 2018 remaster a new arena to lob discs at each other. My review is currently in progress, but since the online mode didn’t go live until today, I’ll need time to test that out in a live environment before giving my complete assessment. In the meantime, here are my impressions so far. 

The good news: playing Windjammers is still very fun. For those unfamiliar, two players face off in what’s essentially a hybrid of tennis and air hockey. You try to toss the disc past your opponent to score in their goal, but you can also earn points if the disc touches their court. The game sports a fighting game caliber of depth thanks to many variations of disc throws. The best matches are fast-paced, back-and-forth exchanges of flashy trick shots and ricocheting discs until someone slips up. 

The gameplay feels snappy and responsive, meaning any time I blew a save was entirely on me. That’s good because Windjammer 2’s CPU opponents are tough, even on Easy difficulty. I choked down several bowls of L’s before I finally conquered its otherwise brief arcade mode. The presentation and soundtrack are appropriately ‘90s (in a good way), and the multi-cultural roster characters, each with speed/strength differences, harken to Street Fighter’s worldly appeal, granted they aren’t as memorable. The various arenas are enjoyable playgrounds, with some sporting small but meaningful gimmicks such as a roulette-style scoring system and those with blockers that can alter shot trajectory. 

Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series has a name and it’s a touch on the nose, if not overly redundant – The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. 

The Lord of the Rings is already a great title. The Rings of Power isn’t bad, either, but putting the two side by side is an odd choice, but you know what, it’s the one Amazon is going with. Fortunately, the teaser released today announcing that title is much more interesting than the actual title it reveals. 

A new age begins September 2, 2022. Journey to Middle-earth with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. #LOTRonPrime #LOTR #LOTRROP pic.twitter.com/KWAokaVeWW

Season 2 of Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone Pacific has been delayed. 

Originally set to land February 1, Season 2 will now begin two weeks later on February 14. As for why, it’s to allow Sledgehammer Games and the other teams behind Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone Pacific more time to iron out issues players are experiencing across those two titles, and Modern Warfare as well. 

Blue Isle Studios is bringing its new shooter, Leap, to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 along with a PC release. Check out the trailer below showing its wild, fast-paced action ... in action. 

Leap features 60-player matches where players take on roles determined by which exosuit they choose to utilize. The four currently available are the Pathfinder, Titan, Wraith, and Tech Ops, each with different playstyles, armor types, and skills. Some let you fly in the air with a jetpack, while others let you stealth or play the support role. Personal vehicles or PVs let players mount up on their preferred ride, including a mechanical moose, what looks like a snow tube, or my favorite: the hoverboard. I definitely prefer cruising into battle like a gun-toating Silver Surfer.

Check out the Leap site to sign up for a chance to play in its beta which begins on January 19.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human is slated to parkour its way to PlayStation and Xbox consoles as well as PC on February 4. It was also supposed to come to Switch via cloud streaming that day, but that will no longer be the case.

Techland has delayed the Switch version to an unspecified later date. The team’s reasoning is simply to, in their words via a press release, “provide fans with the gaming experience at the level they deserve and Techland wants to provide.” Techland promises the game will arrive on Switch within six months of Dying Light 2’s release, so (hopefully) expect it no later than July. 

My uncle bought me Final Fantasy XII for my birthday in 2006. At 10 years old, a lot of the combat mechanics and branching plotlines were confusing. Regardless, I was enamored with the game’s vibrancy: I specifically recall marveling at hair and garments fluttering in desert winds as well as azure sparks flashing from clanging swords and shields. To this day, it remains my favorite Final Fantasy.

The game was originally released as a PlayStation 2 exclusive, but in the past few years, a remaster called, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age launched on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and PC with performance enhancements, deeper job customization, and various quality-of-life changes. More recently, Square Enix released the remaster on PlayStation Now. If you’ve never experienced Final Fantasy XII, this is why you should jump at the chance as soon as possible.

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Pokémon Legends: Arceus is out next Tuesday and if you’ve managed to stay away from spoilers this long, you might want to consider muting some terms on Twitter and staying away from Reddit. That’s because copies of Pokémon Legends: Arceus are out in the wild in the hands of some fans and as expected, screenshots, story details, and more from the upcoming RPG are being shared online. 

We won’t spoil any of that here, but just to contextualize the kind of leaked information that’s now floating out there, we’ve seen the title screen, multiple characters, different cosmetics, a small snippet of an earlier cutscene, story details about the Hisui region, and we’ve even seen two recordings of songs from the game. As people with copies already continue to play, we expect even more spoilers to pop up online, too. 

If you’re active on Twitter or video game-centric subreddits, you’ve no doubt already seen that copies of Pokémon Legends: Arceus are out in the wild and based on what we’ve seen leaked, you really don’t want to accidentally stumble upon some of these. Doubly so if you’re someone who doesn’t want to know a thing about the new take on Pokémon before it hits shelves next week. 

All of this is to say: Be careful out there.

The Battlefield franchise is no stranger to bugs and post-launch fixes. However, 2042’s launch was marred by an abundance of game-breaking issues that left many fans questioning the staying power of their favorite FPS franchise. In past months, DICE responded to the widespread scrutiny, promising a batch of upcoming updates to remedy an assortment of issues while implementing fan-favorite, currently-absent features. The details surrounding these promises were unpacked in an extensive Twitter thread posted by the official Battlefield Direct Communication account. An upcoming batch of Battlefield 2042 updates will refresh the in-game scoreboard, address cross-platform VOIP, and amplify/stabilize overall performance. 

Let's talk about the next set of updates coming to #Battlefield2042 and what to expect in the coming weeks

Here's a thread with news on upcoming patches, Portal XP Changes, and updates on requested features like Scoreboard & Cross Platform VOIP 🧵👀 pic.twitter.com/bxkutjh97S

If you fancy yourself a duelist, then this is an exciting day because Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel launches across consoles and PC (with mobile versions coming later). The free-to-play title lets aspiring and experienced players face off in the popular card game in what Konami bills as the “definitive” Yu-Gi-Oh video game. 

Master Duel boasts over 10,000 cards, and players can even craft new cards by disassembling unwanted copies. Duelists from around the globe can battle each other no matter the platform thanks to cross-play, and Master Duel will host tournaments and events in various formats. The game also features cross-save, meaning you can access your profile whether you’re playing in front of the TV or on your mobile device. 

An extensive tutorial helps show newcomers the ropes, and a solo mode lets players journey through different stories surrounding the lore of the cards themselves. Check out the comprehensive launch trailer below for a rundown of what Master Duel entails.

You can pick up Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC. It will launch on iOS and Android at a later date. 

Have you already begun racking up victories in Master Duel? Feel free to brag down in the comments!

We're inching closer to Horizon Forbidden West's February 18 release date. Up until now, Guerrilla Games has kept much about the narrative under lock and key, but the latest trailer (which you can view above) is full of teases for Aloy's next adventure. It provided glimpses at some returning characters alongside new faces who are sure to shake up Aloy's journey – for better or worse. 

Guerrilla left fans with a lot to dissect and unpack in this new showing. Thankfully, we chatted with narrative director Benjamin McCaw and senior writer Annie Kitain to gain more clarity and context about what we saw. 

A Brief Recap

The trailer reiterated the tremendous plight in front of Aloy. "The land is dying, people are suffering, and soon they'll starve," Aloy says as a deadly storm makes its presence known in the background. "And the machines meant to help us are out of control." Apparently, the Forbidden West holds the answer to Aloy saving the world, but it also hides great dangers. As a new face named Kotallo puts it: "In the West, war is the rule – peace the exception."

Update, January 19, 2022: 

Nintendo announced last month that Banjo-Kazooie would be joining its Nintendo 64 library lineup by way of the company's Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription service. However, Nintendo merely said it would be coming in January at the time. Now, we know when. 

Revealed on Twitter, Nintendo says Banjo-Kazooie will hit Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack on January 20, or in other words, you can play this classic Nintendo 64 game starting tomorrow! Here's a trailer released by Nintendo to celebrate the news: 

Embark on a wild quest with an unlikely pair! The adventures of Banjo and Kazooie begin here!

Banjo-Kazooie is coming to #NintendoSwitch for #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack members on 1/20! #Nintendo64 pic.twitter.com/R349r8gbvD

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 19, 2022

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Original Story, December 10, 2021:

With Microsoft’s bombshell acquisition of Activision Blizzard announced this morning, on top of its other big purchases in recent years, the Xbox family is well beyond stacked. With its competition’s first-party lineup growing and subsequently shrinking selection of big third-party partners, Sony has a challenge ahead of it, to say the least. However, instead of staying toe-to-toe with Xbox by acquiring studios to keep up, it’s more important right now for Sony to develop a rival to Microsoft’s biggest boon this generation: Xbox Game Pass.

On paper, Microsoft has the option to wall off franchises like Warcraft, Diablo, and Call of Duty as Xbox console exclusives. Instead, in reality, every existing game from those massive names is up for grabs to use in Game Pass, as demonstrated by the Bethesda absorption in 2020. PCs, consoles, cloud streaming through browsers and mobile; all can deliver a classic Modern Warfare campaign or matches of Overwatch. It’s easy to compare how many studios and IP are now at the disposal of Xbox compared to Sony, but Microsoft’s real and considerable advantage is the ease of access the average consumer has to its games.

Microsoft announced today that it is buying Activision Blizzard for a colossal $68.7 billion, and in doing so, it quickly launched itself to the higher end of expensive acquisitions. This brings franchises almost as big as that price tag, such as Call of Duty, Overwatch, Diablo, and World of Warcraft into the Xbox family. The future of these franchises and whether or not they become exclusive to Xbox consoles remains uncertain and is just one of the many unanswered questions following today’s news. 

Now that Microsoft is set to acquire Activision Blizzard for an eye-splitting $68.7 billion, it’s starting to feel like the software and gaming giant owes nearly half the game industry. At the very least, Microsoft could make use of Activision Blizzard’s wealth of underutilized intellectual property. Here are some of our favorite Activision/Blizzard franchises that we’d love to see Microsoft resurrect in the near future.

The Artful Escape is a trippy and profound musical romp that emerged as one of our favorite indies of 2021. It’s been Xbox console exclusive since launch (and available on PC), but the ballad of Francis Vendetti will soon find a new audience.

That’s because the game is launching on PlayStation consoles and Switch on January 25. If you’re unfamiliar, The Artful Escape spins the yarn of Francis Vendetti, a musician and the nephew of a famous folksinger who finds himself pigeonholed to expectations of following in his uncle’s stylistic footsteps. It’s not until an alien ship arrives and whisks Francis off to an intergalactic space odyssey does he begin to discover his true voice. The gameplay itself consists of simple side-scrolling platforming, but the real stars are the killer soundtrack, gorgeous visuals, and top-notch performances from names like Carl Weathers and Lena Headey. There’s a reason it earned an 8.5 review score from us.

Will you be picking up The Artful Escape on PlayStation or Switch? Let us know in the comments!

Yesterday, 343 Industries announced that starting this week, it would be making some changes to the Halo Infinite price store. Specifically, the studio was going to make changes to how it packages and prices items in the store. The store was updated today, just like it is every Tuesday, and as promised, those price changes are evident. 

The most notable change is the general decrease in price, especially for large bundles that feature cosmetic coatings for armor, weapons, and vehicles. That’s evident with the 1200 credit-priced Neon Superfly bundle, which will cost roughly $10. In weeks past, a bundle like that would have cost roughly $17.

The vehicle coating bundle called Zodiac River, which gives warthogs and more a rainbow-esque coating and adds new tires to roll in the battlefield, is also available for what appears to be a cheaper-than-usual price at just 500 credits. 

That same type of bundle might have cost a couple of hundred credits more in previous weeks. The boost and swap pack, which gives players Double XP boosts and Challenge Swaps for 200 credits, is the same price as usual. 

With 2021 behind us, there’s still plenty of year-end sales numbers coming out as it relates to video games, and today, the NPD Group, which tracks sales figures for games, consoles, and gaming accessories, released both its December and 2021 round ups. 

Coming out on top of 2021 was the Switch, which the NPD Group’s Mat Piscatella revealed was the best-selling hardware in both unit and dollar sales in the U.S. today on Twitter. Switch was also December’s best-selling platform in units sold, and in terms of dollar sales, it tied the PlayStation 5 last month. That means more Switch consoles were sold since even the cheapest PS5 costs more than the most expensive Switch model. Of course, it's important to note that buying a Switch right now is much easier than buying a PS5 due to the ongoing chip shortage. 

Today history was made. Microsoft announced it's purchasing Activision Blizzard for a reported $68.7 billion, and the face of the video game industry is entirely different. Join Alex Stadnik, John Carson, and Wes LeBlanc as they discuss the implications of this landmark deal and what it could mean for the future of video games.