Game Informer

Earlier this year, we reported on how Netflix was looking to expand within the gaming industry further. Now it looks like they're looking beyond simply adapting them. With the streaming service on a roll in recent years with adapting video games into movies and TV series, a new report suggests that the company is looking to deal with the actual games themselves. 

In a new report from Bloomberg, Netflix has begun the process of growth beyond the movies and television shows the service is known for. Netflix reportedly has begun efforts towards that goal, with the first major step being a new person joining the team to lead the charge. Former EA Mobile head Mike Verdu has joined the company, accepting the role of Netflix's Vice President of Game Development. The report continues saying that he will be working alongside and reporting to Greg Peters, Netflix's Chief Operating Officer. 

The Nintendo Switch is one of my favorite consoles of all time. The handheld's portability allows me to finish more games than I would if I had to sit in front of a television, and its expansive library of games has continuously delivered some of my favorite gaming moments ever. However, as a person who predominantly uses his Switch in handheld mode but also needs to capture gameplay footage, the device's screen leaves much to be desired; and when compared to the screen on the Switch Lite, the regular Switch looks washed out. So as you can imagine, I was happy when Nintendo announced an updated Switch SKU with an OLED screen earlier last week.

Blizzard has elaborated on some of changes they’ve made to Diablo II: Resurrected based on the Technical Alpha test period.  As you may recall, I was quite smitten with my exploratory period in the Tech Alpha, and basically kept swapping back between the old graphics and new options with the tap of a button repeatedly in awe. Again, what the Vicarious Visions team has put together for the first few acts that we’ve seen is already quite impressive. Blizzard has a larger outline and documentation of how they’re using the feedback and discoveries from that test period in a blog here that you can check out, but let’s hit some of the major beats.

First, feedback from some iconic Sorceress spells like lightning and ice storm are being retuned to capture the original design visuals and intent. Paladin’s Holy Freeze is also getting a pass on it in the same fashion. Items like potions, scrolls, and gems are getting an amplification pass to help them stand out and pop, along with weapons, quest items, and charms. This should make the stuff in your inventory stand out as you look through page after page of Stone of Jordans.

Earlier today, we shared the NBA 2K22 reveal, including the athletes that will be gracing the covers. With the 75th anniversary of the NBA being a part of the celebration, there are a few different cover options to choose from, including some stellar artwork. Another aspect of the variants is that a WNBA player will grace a cover for the first time in NBA 2K's history. 

Candace Parker from Chicago Sky is the first to break the mold with her cover contribution, showing her in two modes: one where she can be seen smiling triumphantly as she dunks, and another where she is completely in the zone, ready to score one for the team. While the cover doesn't impact how the game itself plays, it is kind of cool to see a woman make history in the gaming space, especially as someone that absolutely loved playing basketball growing up. 

The first WNBA player on a cover of NBA 2K 🙌

Introducing our GameStop Exclusive Cover Athlete @Candace_Parker pic.twitter.com/OKG8nDDRCF

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania was a pleasant surprise when it premiered during last month’s Nintendo Direct. While it’s not a brand-new entry in the series, it bundles and remasters Super Monkey Ball, Super Monkey Ball 2, and Super Monkey Ball Deluxe for a new generation of players to enjoy. A new trailer provides a better look at how these fan-favorite stages and minigames have been polished up and gives a peek at the game’s story mode.

The trailer shows off AiAi and his pals taking the fight to the evil Dr. Bad-Boon with up to four players working together in local co-op. The video also gives a good look at how several of the classic Monkey Ball stages have been recreated in HD. Needless to say, they look a lot sharper than they did in the early ‘00s.

If you’ve never played a Monkey Ball title, the premise is deceptively simple. Guide AiAi’s ball from the beginning of a stage to the end without having him fall off, all while collecting as many bananas along the way as possible. This is easier said than done, though, due to the challenging, comically absurd design of these arenas that made the series such great party choice during its heyday. 

Let’s face it, Kraft Mac and Cheese ice cream became available today, and the world is forever changed. This is the ice cream flavor that always needed to happen, but when you’re chomping down on those striking, ostentatious flavors, it can be tough to pick up a controller and take on the video game scene. That’s why I’ve painstakingly assembled a list of games you can play right now that let you take your time between actions; time spent dipping into that new king of all ice cream. 

Mint chocolate chip? A distant memory. Vanilla? Unbelievably pedestrian. No, as gamers, we eat like kings - and now our true liege has arrived. I can’t wait to festoon myself with all the trappings of this legendary confectionary concoction as I enjoy some games. Now, since I won’t be able to hold a controller or do anything that requires any sort of twitch reflexes because I’ll have a glistening spoon in my hand delivering a potent cheesy, creamy innovation into my face, I’ll have to pick turn-based titles or things that give me some time to think between moves. So what’s on the menu?

The Legend of Zelda week continues here at Game Informer! We've talked about some of our favorite memories, we streamed some Skyward Sword HD, and now we want to celebrate the community even more with a really darn impressive Link and Dark Link cosplay. Because why not? 

One cosplay that we found in our hunt for community goodness comes by way of the sisterly duo known as Guzzardi Art & Cosplay. The two sisters hail from Australia, and their cosplay talent is on a whole other level. Through the art of makeup and special effects with clothing alterations, this pair knows how to bring some of our favorite characters to life in the best way possible. Since it's Legend of Zelda week, however, let's dive into their Nintendo takes:

Shrek has found a way to invade the world of Hunt: Showdown. While the green man himself is suspiciously missing, his home in the swamps can be seen with new DLC that has dropped for the first-person shooter. For once, the Shrek universe isn't colliding with a game due to mods, but if this inclusion feels random - it really shouldn't. Hunt: Showdown has all sorts of mythical entities, and Shrek's home has witnessed more than a few fairy tales. 

Hunt: Showdown is set in the late 180ss and tasks players with taking out various monsters they will encounter in their journey. With a setting rooted in the Louisana Bayou, the inclusion of Shrek's swamp and his house isn't as weird as it sounds, but does this mean Shrek will eventually become a bounty? Doubtful, but the mind reels just thinking of the possibilities. 

With the Beast Hunter DLC adding the new DeSalle map, YouTuber @JackFrags was quick to spot the latest update, saying: "They added Shrek's house to a video game as a cool Easter Egg!" He added a clip of his find, which you can see below: 

They added Shrek's house to a video game as a cool Easter Egg! pic.twitter.com/Hr49ZzBDLq

Bandai Namco has announced it’s bringing the very first mainline Super Robot Wars game to North America this October, a feat that’s taken 30 years. Super Robot Wars 30 is the celebration of this seminal tactical series known for bringing all of your favorite mecha into one game. That’s right, if you want to team up some classic Gundams with some new kinds of Mazingers and Code Geass’ Knightmare Frames, this is the series for you. 

As you can see in the trailer below, there are awesome animated sequences attached to powerful attacks and maneuvers. Not shown in the video is what the main gameplay looks like. Typically, it’s something along the lines of moving these mobile suits around a grid and attacking enemies as you would in Fire Emblem and watching things explode in very cool ways. Characters from the included franchises are also woven into the Super Robot Wars story, making it more than just smashing your favorite toys together.

Here’s the current list of mechs in Super Robot Wars 30, for those that may be curious: 

When Battlefield 2042 was first announced, fans of the longstanding FPS series rejoiced. 2042 is bringing Battlefield back to its roots, bringing back the shooter to what made it stand out: the verticality freedom, the chaos, and the special tactics used. But more than that, DICE is taking 2042 a step further, ramping up that chaos factor by implementing weaponized tornadoes, dynamic weather, and so much more. Because of the blend of new and familiar, the studio has received a lot of questions regarding Battlefield 2042, questions the team is answering today. 

With a new showcase called Answering Your Reveal Questions, senior design director for Battlefield 2042, Daniel Berlin, sat down to do just that. He also offered a closer look at the various Specialists, the different maps, vehicles, and AI soldiers. He also talked a little more about the Technical Playtest going down later this Summer as well as how cross-progression and crossplay will work for 2042. 

Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a very good Metroidvania that, after spending months in Steam Early Access, recently released for Xbox consoles, Switch, and PC. It was originally supposed to arrive on PlayStation consoles on July 6, but that version was delayed due to technical issues. Developer Live Wire seems to have worked out the kinks, announcing the game is coming to Sony platforms next week.

On July 20, PS4 players can finally enjoy one of the year’s sleeper hits which can be played on PS5 via backwards compatibility. Ender Lilies combines Metroid-style exploration and RPG-leveling with a dark fantasy atmosphere. You control Lily, a young priestess who must use her divine cleansing abilities to heal a kingdom twisted into a monstrous version of itself by a cursed rain. Lily is accompanied by the Umbral Knight, her protector who handles the actual monster slaying. Defeating cursed guardians recruits them to your cause, bestowing powerful new abilities used to traverse the massive labyrinthine map. Ender Lilies’ beautiful art direction looks great and camouflages its higher-than-average difficulty. 

It's that time, basketball fans, NBA 2K22 is on the way, and to celebrate, 2K has revealed a host of all-stars that are gracing the new game's covers. Special edition covers were also created with world-renowned artist Charly Palmer taking to the challenge in order to celebrate the legacy of NBA as part of its 75th anniversary. 

2K has announced the full roster of cover athletes for the next step of the basketball gaming franchise, including Luka Dončić for the Standard Edition and Cross-Gen Digital Bundle, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kevin Durant as athletes for the NBA 75th Anniversary Edition. The 75th Anniversary Edition will show how each of the aforementioned athletes has changed the game of basketball and their influence within the sports scene. 

"Making the global cover of NBA 2K22is special for me,” said Dončić. “I’m proud to represent my country in a special cover that honors the colors of the Slovenian flag. Basketball has given me so much, and I’m excited to give back and work together with 2K Foundations this year to help the lives of young kids around the globe.”

The next step for the NBA 2K series is set for a global launch on September 10, 2021, with pre-orders going live today. For a quick breakdown, here's what you need to know: 

Click image thumbnails to view larger version

For those that loved the Final Fantasy X experience and its sequel, many have wondered if a third game in this particular iteration of the Final Fantasy universe would ever be a reality. It looks like those X-3 dreams could be coming true because director Tetsuya Nomura has confirmed that a Final Fantasy X-3 concept is already in motion with the story already written. However, the caveat is that it is still a long way off as the team focuses on the Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

In a recent interview with Famitsu, a Japanese gaming magazine translated by the folks at RPGSite, Nomura confirmed the existence of X-3's story, saying: "If we are to make X-3, we somehow have a synopsis written by Final Fantasy X writer Kazushige Nojima." He added that "it's sleeping right now, but the plot itself does exist."

Loki season 2 has been confirmed for Disney Plus. The Disney streaming service has seemingly had hit after hit and has had no problem bringing the worlds of Star Wars and Marvel to life in ways that fans have been loving. Loki continued on that streak with Tom Hiddleston reprising his iconic Marvel role, and now we know that the journey will continue with the show's second season. 

The confirmation of the show's continuation was given by way of the first season's final episode. Season 2's green light was part of the end credits scene with a simple panel with a red stamp that reads, "Loki will return in season 2." Straight to the point, no confusion. Though the end credits scene didn't provide any more details behind that, we do at least know that Hiddleston is set to return once more. 

In its 35 year history, The Legend of Zelda series has seen its fair share of revolutionary titles and those that didn't quite hit the mark. From the game-changers such as Breath of the Wild and Ocarina of Time to less loved entries like Triforce Heroes, there are plenty of hits and misses in the franchise but few as divisive as Skyward Sword. The 2011 Wii title split fans with its amazing dungeons and interesting lore (canonically speaking, it predates the rest of the games), but frustrating hand-holding and emphasis on motion controls have remained a hot source of debate ever since.

Flash forward 10 years, and Skyward Sword is getting a new lease on life with its move to the Nintendo Switch and a plethora of quality of life upgrades that Nintendo hopes will bring the nay-sayers back around. But did the iconic publisher do enough to modernize the experience? Join Alex Stadnik and Ben Reeves on this edition of New Gameplay Today Live as we answer that question and so much more! We hope you have your coffee ready, as we'll be going live early this time around, starting the fun at 8 a.m. CT exclusively on Twitch!

The Halo franchise has gone through many changes throughout the years, including changing the entire studio behind the game as well. With Halo Infinite on the horizon and the 20th anniversary for Halo: Combat Evolved coming up in November, Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto just shared a few of the weapons that never made it into the game. If you're like us and enjoy seeing early prototypes and pitches for some of our favorite games, then these will suit your fancy just fine. 

Many devs attached to the Halo name have been sharing more about the franchise recently, especially with the Halo Waypoint website, but Lehto decided to take it way back to the original Master Chief adventures and the concepts that never quite made it off of the cutting room floor. As seen in the Twitter thread below, Lehto shared a few different weapons from an earlier 2000 build of the original Halo. We definitely see where Jotunn from Destiny 2 comes from (I say in a kidding manner) because one of the weapons is literally called the "microwave gun." Which, if you play Destiny, especially against certain players in Crucible, then you'll know that that's pretty much exactly what Jotunn is. 

Saddle up. Rockstar Games released its next big Red Dead Online update today, and we've called in an expert to help us explore this brave new frontier. Join the Game Informer team and former GI-video editor, current MinnMax cohort, and YouTube sensation Leo Vader as we play through Red Dead's new "Blood Money" expansion. 

In more interesting Nier news, the Steam version of Nier: Automata is finally getting the patch that it deserves and that fans have been waiting for since the game launched on PC in 2017.  The update drops this week and looks to remedy a multitude of outdated visual and technical features that, unfortunately, when left unchecked for so long, led to an surge of negative reviews. 

If you haven’t heard or read about the whole story, fans noticed some major differences between the Xbox Game Pass PC and Steam versions of Nier: Automata. The latter version of Nier: Automata was still missing a borderless video setting, FidelityFX options, HDR, and 4K textures. Kind modders, like GPUnity, have attempted to alleviate the tension with jaw-dropping downloadable packages. The official upcoming patch, however, will add all of the following:

Borderless Video Settings

Fidelity FX

HDR

Anti-aliasing

UI textures (4K)

Cut scenes

If you’re a devoted Nier fanatic like me, then Nier Reincarnation has been on your radar for quite some time. And, if you’re lucky – unlike me – then you might have even gotten a chance to play the game during its pre-registration period. The rest of us will have to wait for the opportunity to explore the Cage, albeit only for a few weeks more. However, there is a new announcement to be excited about. Nier Reincarnation is launching later this month with a Nier: Automata crossover event. 

With over 500,000 pre-registrations, JRPG players everywhere have voiced their interest in the first mobile title in the Nier franchise. A new promotional video dropped today that revealed the new summons coming alongside the Nier Automata event, as seen in the trailer below. The three leading protagonists from the game will assist you on the frontlines: 2B, 9S, and A2. Additionally, you can enter the sweepstakes to potentially secure an original poster signed by the mastermind Yoko Taro himself (you already know I retweeted for those sweet, sweet Nier prizes!). 

PC players have often lamented the dwindling options in the once-dominant real-time strategy genre. Well, one of the biggest franchises is coming back next year as the Company of Heroes series gets a third entry. Instead of heading into theatres of war that are often explored when games tackle the WWII era, Company of Heroes 3 is tackling the Mediterrnean as the focus of the conflict. This means players will be swept into entanglements and engagements in African deserts, coastal Italy, and more.

Alongside the competitive multiplayer options that players expect from the franchise, players can participate in a dynamic campaign that’s going to give players numerous options every time, seeking to deliver a single-player experience that’s heavily replayable and full of interesting decisions. You’ll have to manage supply lines across air, land, and sea as the Allied forces during this campaign as you seek to retake Italy.

EA Play's Spotlight series revealed its second panel today with a focus on the independent studios underneath the EA Originals banner. This includes A Way Out's studio Hazelight, Silver Rain, and more alongside a panel of members of the EA Originals Label. 

The panel went into the backgrounds of some of the key members of each studio represented during EA Play, including Silver Rain's co-founder Abubakar Salim and co-founder Melissa Phillips, Hazelight's Josef Fares, and Velan Studio's co-founders Karthik and Guha Bala. Each creative mind shared their various backgrounds, including history in working in both film and television. Fares also passionately talked about how different movies and games truly are, more than just comparing linear versus non-linear storytelling. 

Many of us of a certain age love to reminisce about Nickelodeon’s glory days and which Nicktoons were our favorites. These intellectual discussions sometimes devolve into fierce debates about whether Hey Arnold! was a better show than The Wild Thornberrys, or if ‘00s-era series like Danny Phantom stack up to the ‘90s classics. I’m in the camp of preaching that The Loud House is one of the best cartoons going today. After competing in kart racing last year, you can now settle those arguments in more literal fashion thanks to Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, a new fighter that pits the network’s most beloved animated stars against each other in a star-studded throwdown. 

IGN shared the exclusive reveal of the upcoming game, which is coming later this year for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Switch. The game is a multiplayer brawler modeled after Super Smash Bros. Up to four players step into the shoes of their favorite Nicktoon character to duke it out with the goal of knocking opponents off the stage to their demise. Matches can be played locally or online, and the All-Star Brawl boasts 20 stages, such as the Loud’s actual house, The Flying Dutchman’s titular ghost ship, and TMNT’s Technodrome.  

Earlier today, we reported that Atlus revealed an updated Persona website teasing many franchise-related projects in the works. It looks like one of those is a now confirmed Persona 6, an entry that the company wants to see exceed what was accomplished with the previous entry. 

The Persona 6 confirmation is thanks to an official recruitment page that Atlus Japan uses. This site includes interviews held with a variety of Atlus employees to get a feel for what the culture was like at the company and more about upcoming projects. It was during these interviews that the confirmation that Persona 6 is in development was found. 

According to Atlus director Naoto Hiraoka, the vision for Persona 6 is not a small one and one that can't be realized with the current staff. That is the drive behind the recruitment ad, to garner for talent to make this the game that they want to deliver. "

After devouring most of the life in a number of swamps and seas, Maneater's hungry bull shark is all grown up and ready to feast again. On August 31, the feeding frenzy continues in Truth Quest, a story-driven add-on that brings our fearless shark to a mysterious island off of the coast of Port Clovis. The waters here are home to a menacing apex predator, and are patrolled by the Naval Wildlife Organization, which can even send helicopters after you.

Your activity in the area has caught the interest of Trip Westhaven, the investigative journalist from the first game. Westhaven is now following your bloody exploits on his ViewTube channel "Truth Quest." People cling to each video with the hope of Westhaven blowing the lid on another government coverup, this one hiding your origin story and evolution. Westhaven is once again brought to life by the voice of actor Chris Parnell.

In addition to the new story content, the DLC increases the level cap to 40, and adds a new evolution set. Five new organ evolutions can be equipped once your bull shark hits level 35. You'll need the added might to hunt the new apex predator that developer Tripwire Interactive simply lists as "uber." The waters are also infested with evolved creatures and five new bounty bosses.

It’s Zelda week over here at Game Informer, and we’re getting that hype train rolling into Skyward Sword station by reminiscing a bit about some of our favorite moments from the iconic Nintendo franchise. I spoke to a number of Game Informer editors about the moments from the series that have had profound impacts on them, whether it was an epic boss battle, discovering a secret with a bomb, or something that resonated outside of the games entirely.

Come join us for a ride through some of our favorite, most meaningful Zelda moments and memories. Oh, and don’t forget to share your own in the comments! 

Brian Shea, Senior Editor

I have a long history with the Zelda series. Not only was the original Legend of Zelda on NES in the first group of video games I ever played, but my two favorite games of all time are Breath of the Wild and Ocarina of Time. While my time playing the franchise is full of memorable moments like the first time you go to the Dark World in A Link to the Past, or the final showdown with Ganondorf in Wind Waker, for me, the Zelda series is defined by something else: an unending sense of wonder.

Cookbooks just come with video game territory. Earlier this year, a Tomb Raider cookbook was announced during March’s Square Enix Presents showcase. It’s safe to assume that Lara Croft’s meal plans are little more than sustenance, seeing as how she’s always scraping by in the harsh wildernesses of the world. However, this Final Fantasy XIV cookbook that was discovered yesterday might be able to satiate your hunger with over 70 luxurious, exotic recipes inspired by Eorzea’s numerous cultures. 

Licensed Video Game Cookbook hardcover book is up for preorder on Amazon ($35) https://t.co/Zvnj6lsDsU #ad

releases Nov 9th pic.twitter.com/fgwjuypwfH

Originally slated to release later this year, Tango Gameworks and Bethesda Softworks have announced that their upcoming action-adventure game meant for PlayStation 5 and PC, Ghostwire: Tokyo, has been delayed to early 2022. 

The studio took to the game's Twitter account to share a message with fans in the community, saying that the team has made the decision to push back release until sometime early 2022. "We want to get the game in your hands as soon as possible," begins the statement, "so you can experience the unforgettable version of a haunted Tokyo that we've been hard at work building. At the same time, we're also focused on protecting the health of everyone at Tango. Our new release window will give us time to bring the world of Ghostwire to life as we've always envisioned." 

An update on Ghostwire: Tokyo from @TangoGameworks: pic.twitter.com/hK3TF23A8o

— Ghostwire: Tokyo (@playGhostwire) July 13, 2021

Tango Gameworks ended their message, saying: "Thank you for being patient as we work to bring you an experience unlike anything else we've ever made. We can't wait to show you more in the coming months."

If you're hurting for some new Persona news, it looks like you're in luck. Atlus recently launched a website specifically for Persona's 25th anniversary, and it shows off a plethora of new art showcasing various key characters from the franchise's history. More than that, the studio behind the beloved series is teasing that more news is "coming soon."

The images shared house clues as to what's on the way, including the first image shown that hints that at least one of the reveals is on the way for this September. Another image suggests that a separate project will be revealed all the way in Autumn of next year, which means we'll have a steady stream of Persona news for the foreseeable future. But the important thing is that there are seven blacked-out images with the words "coming soon," which means a lot more Persona on the way. 

Additionally, Atlusalso offers pre-orders for Persona merch, which is more than perfect for me because their plushies are to die for. Not literally, but they are really stinkin' cute. 

Death Stranding Director's Cut is an extended playable experience for those that loved Hideo Kojima's breakout title from his new video game studio. This edition of the game was revealed with a clever Metal Gear Solid nod and offers additional experiences to explore when building bridges and going through a plethora of existential crises. While the game itself says "director's cut" in the title, Kojima doesn't want fans to think of it this way. In true Kojima fashion, he had a slightly different approach to explaining the world around him.

In a recent Twitter thread, Kojima told fans that Death Stranding's Director's Cut isn't what the definition of director's cut means, instead it's more sporadic expansions that have been filtered in for a more complete experience. "A director's cut in a movie is an additional edit to a shortened version that was either released reluctantly because the director did not have the right to edit it, or because the running time had to be shortened," he said. "In the game, it is not what was cut, but what was additionally produced that was included. Delector's Plus? So, in my opinion, I don't like to call this 'director's cut'."

2/2
In the game, it is not what was cut, but what was additionally produced that was included. Delector's Plus? So, in my opinion, I don't like to call "director's cut".

Claire De Lune is a sci-fi narrative adventure game by Tactic Studios that begins with players soaring across the stars. As John, you’re exploring through space alongside your daughter, Claire, and their AI companion/pilot, Arturo. Everything seems largely peachy until an unknown force violently pulls your ship towards a nearby planet. Sensing the worst, you jettison Claire to the mysterious world in an escape pod while you ride their ship down to the surface. 

After surviving the crash-landing, you must now locate Claire’s life pod while also figuring out what caused the disaster in the first place. John is armed with his trusty nanogun, a device that spawns large cubes that can be used for climbing. The “weapon” can also create bounce pads for bounding over obstacles. These mechanics, as well as others, may sound simple but Claire De Lune’s environmental puzzle-solving challenges players to make inventive use of the nanogun to safely bypass hostile wildlife, traverse bodies of acidic goo, and other alien hazards. Along the way you’ll engage in various hacking puzzles, explore abandoned research facilities, and engage in both stealth and combat scenarios.  

Black Widow is now available in theaters and not only does it explore Natasha Romanoff's origins and offer fans a fresh look at her past, but it also sets the stage for what the future of the MCU looks like. How does Taskmasker stack up against how we know that character in the comics, where does Yelena go from here, when are we getting a Brady Bunch-esque spinoff of Alexis and the rest of the family? These are the real questions and questions we dive into with Game Informer's latest episode of Spoiled! 

The latest Marvel movie has been long in the making, and though it did see some delays, it is finally here! Black Widow has been a character that fans have been clamoring to see in a standalone film. Now that it has arrived, we are digging deep to see if it delivers. From exploring her past pre-Red Room to seeing exactly how far the corruption of this organization goes, Black Widow deals in heavy themes such as trauma, abuse, and loss of free will. But, it's not all stern storylines and life or death situations; The Black Widow movie has more than enough moments of levity and also explores a relationship between two sisters that feels organic and natural. It also gave us a chance to see Natasha find her long-awaited redemption and shows off the power of family, whether they are blood or not. 

In recent years, the gaming industry has been taking more meaningful steps towards accessibility. Xbox has been leading that charge, living up to its slogan of "gaming is for everyone," but that company is far from the only one trying to do better in terms of what it means to be a more accessible game. Psychonauts 2 is aiming to do just that by adding in a new Invincibility Mode, and while that decision seems to have some backlash from the community, this option is completely voluntary and does much in the way of making sure anyone that wants to play can. 

I haven’t enjoyed the last decade or so of Pokémon titles. I’m absolutely optimistic about what Pokemon Legends: Arceus could bring with its open world format. But in general, if you’re looking for a creature collector with depth these days, the mainline Pokétitles are not the place you’re going to find it. Sword and Shield bored me immensely, and the addition of dynamax did nothing to enhance the magical journey of tapping A 10,000 times from the first battle to the last. Sure, there are always other cool games to explore in the creature collecting genre basket, from TemTem to Shin Megami Tensei, and now we have Monster Hunter Stories 2, which I couldn’t put down over the weekend.

Put plainly, it rocks. All that sweet Monster Hunter progression with the random egg and monster collecting, gene-splicing goodness mixed in with co-op and PVP? Uhh, yes please. I’ll take two.

With modders porting a variety of Legend of Zelda titles over to PC, the modding possibilities are endless. You can go the funny route and add Shrek to your game in Breath of the Wild, or you can go the serious route and enjoy a stunning Zelda 64 experience. Whatever your fancy, there's a mod for you. So, as part of our Legend of Zelda week to celebrate the iconic franchise's anniversary, here are 10 of the best Legend of Zelda mods to dive into before Breath of the Wild. 

Final Fantasy 14 definitely pulled its own No Man's Sky. When the game first launched, it didn’t offer much of a reason for players to stick around. From lackluster gameplay to a grind that didn't feel like it had purpose, the launch was anything but a successful drop. Instead of quitting, however, Square Enix doubled down and ended up crafting something truly beautiful. With the hype surrounding Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker, the community has grown exponentially; so much so, that Square Enix even ran out of digital copies for the game. 

With the MMORPG at the center of its niche, it even comes with its own meme of people trying to get newcomers in with the free trial, one Redditor happened to notice that the online store for Square Enix showed no stock available for the game, even in a digital format:

As the original poster notated, server congestion is absolutely temporary, but it is wild to see when reflecting back on the launch era of that game.  When looking at the store presently, everything seems to be restored back to usual, with the waitlist option detailed above no longer necessary. 

Earlier this year, CD Projekt Red banned a Cyberpunk 2077 mod that allowed players to retexturize in-game assets to virtually have sex with Keanu Reeves' character, Johnny Silverhand. The reason behind the ban was because the studio felt it was inappropriate to recreate explicit sexual encounters with a real person who did not give their permission (despite the character himself having numerous scenes throughout the game that were graphically sexual in nature). Today, we covered that this very reasoning could be the nail in the Yakuza spinoff series Judgement's coffin. The conversation surrounding that previous coverage, and similar instances when a recognizable name is used in a game, prompted a desire to explore this topic further. For as long as I've been covering mods in my career, the ethical debate of fiction vs. reality has always been a subject that has two clear and opposing stances. But to understand the Great Debate Of Modding, we have to dive a bit deeper into the conversation surrounding this community. 

What is rule 34? 

First, let's talk about the ever-present rule 34.

Over the past week, Titanfall 2 players have been dealing with an "unplayable game" after the same hacking group that took over Apex Legends servers allegedly took to the multiplayer portion of the Respawn game. Players have been taking to online to vent frustrations over the deliberate sabotage of the servers, while others are bidding a lamentful farewell to a beloved game. But, before you start uttering out that eulogy, all is not lost yet. Respawn Entertainment is working on the security issues regarding Titanfall 2, but the size of the team isn't offering much hope.

The original report about the state of the Titanfall 2 community came via Pure Xbox as the game's servers continue to be "destroyed" region by region. The sabotage rendered the game completely unplayable, but Respawn is working on a fix. Respawn community manager Jason Garza recently held another "Morning Tea" livestream where he addressed a community that feels "abandoned." 

"You're not abandoned," Garza told community members. He ventured on to confirm that security fixes are in the works, but that he can't revealed detailed plans "because now it's a different type of game with these people who DDOS and stuff like that, and blacklist and things like that, so we can't telegraph our moves, we can't say what we're doing. All I can say is we're working on it."

It looks like Lost Judgment could be the end of the Yakuza spinoff series if a reported dispute between SEGA and actor Takuya Kimura's agency can't be resolved. The main point of contention is the decision to release the games on PC via Steam over actor privacy concerns. 

A new report from Nikkan Taisu, a Japanese entertainment site, claims that Lost Judgment could very well be the final entry in the Yakuza spinoff franchise because of a talent agency that represents many of the actors that bring these characters to life. The core of the dispute is that SEGA sees the opportunities of Steam and PC platforms, both in terms of sales and western outreach. With the expansion over onto Xbox having already procured bountiful results, PC aims to strengthen that growth's viability and the franchise's outreach. Takuya Kimura, the actor behind Takayuki Yagami (the game's protagonist), is represented by Johnny & Associates, a company that has a very strict policy when it comes to talent and their likeness. According to the report, the agency does not want any of their actors on "a PC platform that is not a game console platform and connects directly to the internet."