Game Informer

The Last of Us Part II hit PlayStation 4 exclusively in 2020. Developer Naughty Dog brought us back into the world of cordyceps, Fireflies, Ellie, and Joel alongside new threats and characters like the WLF, Abby, Yara, Lev, and more. Game Informer gave the game a 10 out of 10 – read the review here – and I would have agreed with that score in 2020. I still agree with that score today, too.

If I wrote what I want to say about The Last of Us Part II's story, I'm sure you'd find it very familiar because it's largely how I felt around the game's original release. Instead, my wife, Gabriella LeBlanc, played through The Last of Us Part II Remastered's story for the first time ever, mostly unspoiled of the adventure, and it was awesome listening to her thoughts in real-time about the game. I wanted to share those thoughts, so I interviewed her. Below are 20 questions about The Last of Us Part II's story with answers from someone who beat it for the first time in 2024, unaware of the leaks that happened before the game's 2020 launch, the fates of certain characters, the ending, and more. Enjoy (and be nice to her in the comments)!

Square Enix's foam-drenched online shooter is going live next month and it will be a PlayStation Plus monthly game. For those subscribers looking to add it to their library, or for non-subscribers looking to purchase the game outright, Foamstars launches exclusively on PlayStation 4 and 5 on February 6.

Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Atlus
Release: February 2, 2024
Rating: Mature

Ever since I got my hands on Persona 3 Reload over the summer, I've described it to folks as "Persona 3 redone in the form of Persona 5 Royal." While that may be a gross oversimplification, it's also pretty high praise. Longtime fans of the Persona series point towards Persona 3 as the entry that changed the course of the series, pointing it down the path it's been on for nearly the last two decades. While Persona 3 may be the most important entry from a mechanical perspective, Persona 5 has the most mainstream relevance, particularly in 2024.

Reviewed on: Quest 3
Platform: Quest 3, Quest 2
Publisher: Oculus Studios
Developer: Sanzaru Games
Release: December 15, 2023
Rating: Mature

Asgard’s Wrath 2 stands out in a sea of virtual reality titles available on the market today. As the showcase piece for the Meta Quest 3, this sequel offers an experience rarely seen in the category, weaving together an exciting blend of action, intricate puzzle design, and semi-open-world environments. With the clever use of VR mechanics, you discover new surprises even after playing for dozens of hours. Asgard’s Wrath 2 is a VR game that’s difficult to put down, even as the Quest 3’s battery life often requires you to. However, while it does start out strong, it hits a few stumbling blocks along the way.

Asgard’s Wrath 2 immediately follows the events of the first game. The god of mischief, Loki, has managed to escape, and it's up to you to track him down. The big difference now is that your journey takes you to the vast sand seas of Egypt, where you meet other deities willing to help you in your search.

In February 2022, former designers from CD Projekt Red announced the formation of a new studio called Rebel Wolves. The team revealed its first project would be, unsurprisingly, an RPG, and today, we learned a couple more details about the game, including its title.

The game is called Dawnwalker, and Rebel Wolves describes it as a “story-driven dark fantasy role-playing adventure.” Billed as being the team's dream RPG project, the game has officially entered the alpha stage of development, and Rebel Wolves plans to share more information about it later this year. 

The studio also announced another CD Projekt alumni Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz as the game’s creative director. Tomaszkiewicz work includes Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales.

“We want to craft a world that you will want to explore and dive deep into and tell stories that make you care about the characters,” said Tomaszkiewicz in a press release. “We aim to deliver an experience that will allow for a variety of choices and room for experimentation when replayed. Helping craft this experience with so many talented people will be my mission at Rebel Wolves, and I can't wait for everyone to see what the team has been up to for quite a while now.”

Bandai Namco has released Tekken 8’s opening cinematic to whet fans' appetite for the game as its release date draws ever closer. The publisher also confirmed that long-time favorite Eddy Gordo will kick off the roster of Season 1 DLC fighters.

The intro cinematic is impressively rendered and, in true Tekken fashion, utterly absurd. In addition to seeing the main cast throwdown with implausible displays of martial arts, we even see them engage in a full-on battle reminiscent of the Wakanda fight in Avengers: Infinity War. 

The video concludes with the reveal that Eddy Gordo is joining the roster this spring. Since his first appearance in Tekken 3, Eddy has been both beloved and reviled for his extremely effective use of Capoeira, so we're excited to see new tricks he has up his sleeves. 

In a neat behind-the-scenes twist, the trailer shows off some of the motion capture and animation that went into bringing Eddy into the current generation of Tekken. Eddy is the first of four characters that will be added to Tekken 8 throughout the year for purchasers of the Year 1 Season Pass or owners of the Deluxe, Ultimate, or Collector's Editions of the game in which the pass is included.

Tekken 8 launches on January 26 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. You can read our impressions of the game’s Story mode and Arcade mode here.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is right around the corner, hitting PlayStation 5 exclusively on February 29. Game Informer has been covering it all month long as the game graced the cover of our latest magazine issue, and you can read all of our exclusive Final Fantasy VII Rebirth coverage here. But, with little over a month to go until the game's release, Square Enix has released a new trailer that teases a climactic fight between protagonist Cloud Strife and his arch-enemy, Sephiroth. 

Running exactly one minute long, this "Destined for Rebirth" trailer features new gameplay, shots of our party of characters like Tifa, Barret, Yuffie, Aerith, and more, and lots of Sephiroth. It also features the game's excellent combat theme, and while some might call it cheesy, it's pretty cool to see shots of Sephiroth and Cloud timed to the rhythm of said theme. 

Check out the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth "Destined for Rebirth" trailer for yourself below: 

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth hits PS5 on February 29, 2024. 

This week on All Things Nintendo, the first major game release of 2024 is here, so Brian invites Wesley LeBlanc back on the show to deliver his review of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. The two also share their big predictions for this year in the world of Nintendo.

If you'd like to follow Brian on social media, you can do so on his Instagram/Threads @BrianPShea or Twitter @BrianPShea. You can follow Wesley on Twitter: @LeBlancWes.

The All Things Nintendo podcast is a weekly show where we celebrate, discuss, and break down all the latest games, news, and announcements from the industry's most recognizable name. Each week, Brian is joined by different guests to talk about what's happening in the world of Nintendo. Along the way, they'll share personal stories, uncover hidden gems in the eShop, and even look back on the classics we all grew up with. A new episode hits every Friday!

Developer Titan Forge Games and publisher Hi-Rez Studios have announced Smite 2, a sequel to Smite that is rebuilding the third-person action MOBA from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5. There's no release date for the sequel, but Titan Forge Games says it's coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Closed early alpha testing will begin this spring. 

The team says Smite 2 will feature a diverse roster of Gods from all sorts of mythological pantheons around the world, and while some playable gods will stay true to how they perform in Smite, others "will have new animations, FX, and even reimagined abilities." 

Check out the Smite 2 announcement trailer for yourself below: 

Alongside today's news, Titan Forge Games has also revealed Hecate, the first God exclusive to Smite 2. "She brings an elegant playstyle to Smite 2 with her ranged magical abilities, and her magic allows her to reach through dimensions and even travel within the liminal space itself," the studio writes in a tweet. 

Community chat application company, Discord, has laid off 170 employees, or 17 percent of its staff, according to a new report from The Verge. Discord CEO Jason Citron cites overhiring, which has led to the company becoming "less efficient" in how it operates. The layoffs affected people across various departments. 

The Verge obtained an internal memo from Citron sent to employees announcing the layoffs, which have already happened. That memo explained why the layoffs were happening, when affected employees would receive the email telling them they no longer have a job, and follow-up meetings for those who remain at Discord. 

"We grew quickly and expanded our workforce even faster, increasing by 5x since 2020," Citron writes in the memo. "As a result, we took on more projects and became less efficient in how we operated. Today, we are increasingly clear on the need to sharpen our focus and improve the way we work together to bring more agility to our organization. 

Sand Land, the video game adaptation of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama’s manga of the same name, has a release date and a new trailer setting up the story.

First announced during Summer Game Fest last year, Sand Land launches on April 26. The game centers on the Fiend Prince Beelzebub, a demon summoned to take down a corrupt King and his Royal Army by the human Sheriff Rao. Joined by Beelzebub’s chaperone, Thief, the three must also find the Legendary Spring, an artifact capable of ending a worldwide drought that has transformed the environment into a desert. 

The open-world action RPG features plenty of vehicle piloting and combat. Players take control of various tanks and dune buggies outfitted with weapons such as machine guns to mow down threats while traversing the sand-covered terrain. Sand Land is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and PC. 

If that’s not enough Sand Land for you, the animated series that premiered in Japan last year is launching worldwide exclusively on Hulu this spring. Sand Land: The Series tells a brand-new story that picks up from the events of the 2023 film. Check out the trailer below: 

Nintendo has been slowly beefing up its library of games available to Nintendo Switch Online and Expansion Pack subscribers. 

What began as a library of just 20 NES games has grown to include dozens more. Plus, Nintendo has since introduced SNES, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, and even Sega Genesis games, giving players a chance to play some fan-favorite classics and some deep cuts, too. It’s hard to predict when new games might arrive as the company has maintained a somewhat inconsistent cadence in doing so, but that’s okay because this list is all you need. 

As Nintendo adds new titles, we’ll be sure to update this list to include them. If you’re looking for something specific, use this story’s Table of Contents to jump to the different consoles quickly. Here’s every NES, SNES, Game Boy, N64, Genesis, and GBA game added to Nintendo Switch Online. 

Golden Sun and its sequel, Golden Sun: The Golden Age are joining the Nintendo Switch Online library next week. On January 17, these two classic Game Boy Advance games will be available to play for all Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers. 

If you haven't yet played them before, there's probably someone in your life who has. And there's a good chance they mention it a lot, for good reason, too. Golden Sun is an excellent RPG and its sequel serves up even more of the story and magic-heavy combat. If you aren't familiar with these games, check them out in the trailer below: 

"From the humble village of Vale to the mystical peaks of Mt. Aleph, the Golden Sun game sets magic-wielding young heroes Isaac, Garet, Ivan, and Mia on a quest to prevent the ancient power of Alchemy from being unleashed on their home world of Weyard," a press release reads. "Their adventure takes them through towns, caverns, and dungeons as they face wily enemies, confounding puzzles, and epic challenges that push their magical abilities (Psynergy) to their absolute limits. Along the way, they get help from mysterious creates known as Djinn, who aid the heroes in harnessing their Psynergy to unlock potent spells and unstoppable attacks." 

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, the crew discusses our Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League preview (we played several hours at a recent event), our very highly-rated Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown review, and we circle back to our video game release calendar to highlight the 2024 games we're most excited for that don't have solid release dates yet.

Watch The Podcast:

Follow us on social media: Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7), Kyle Hilliard (@KyleMHilliard), Matt Storm (@DJ_Stormageddon)

There are few things the internet is hungrier for than news about the Switch successor. With relative silence from Nintendo, folks have been left to grasp at straws and theorize what it will look like, how it will be played, and when it will be released. Today, thanks to Digital Trends, we might have an answer to that last question, and it came from a rather odd place.

Back in the day, GameShark was known for making cheat code cartridges in video games. You could plug it into your system, download cheat codes, and use them to become the master of games on your N64, PlayStation, or Game Boy. However, in recent years, the company has decided to take a turn in the direction of the company. Renamed "AI Shark," it's now a software-agnostic program designed to provide "personalized hints and assistance that keep up with fast-paced, competitive gaming." What does any of this have to do with the Switch 2? It's all in one sentence at the end of the first paragraph of their press release. 

"The official launch is planned to coincide with the Nintendo Switch 2 in September 2024."

Update, 1/11/2024:

Shannon Woodward, the actress who originally portrayed Dina in The Last of Us Part 2, has responded to the live-action casting of Isabela Merced. In addition to a tweet of general support for Merced, Woodward responded to a fan who wondered why she didn't reprise her role in the sequel. In short, it's because of her age.

Bcs I am…. Much older lol https://t.co/4Qe2SjnAiQ

— Shannon Woodward (@shannonwoodward) January 11, 2024

"Bcs [sic] I am... Much older lol," Woodward's second tweet reads. Much like Ellie's original actress, Ashley Johnson, Woodward is about 20 years older than the character she portrays. Dina's character model is actually based on an entirely different person, Cascina Caradonna, who fits the age range of the character. That said, Joel's video game actor Troy Baker, along with Johnson, received a cameo role in the show, so it wouldn't be surprising if Woodward showed up in some other way, even briefly.

The original story continues below...

<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2024/01/09/98c2c136/headerpoptlc_04.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /></p> <p>Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a triumphant and impressive return for Ubisoft's thought-dead platforming franchise. You can read <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/prince-of-persia-the-lost-crown/a-royal-resurgence">Game Informer's Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown review</a> by following the link, but that review pertains to the console version of the game and does not address a question many players have: how is Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown on Switch? The short answer is that it is solid. Playing on Switch does not feel like a major downgrade from the other versions. For the long answer, check out the video below!</p> <iframe width="560" height="315" frameBorder="0" allow="autoplay" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PcjlPhYREA8" width="640"></iframe> <p>Head over to&nbsp;<em>Game Informer's&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/gameinformer" target="_blank">YouTube channel</a>&nbsp;for more previews, reviews, and discussions of new and upcoming games. Watch other episodes of&nbsp;<em>New Gameplay Today</em>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/ngt" target="_blank">right here.</a></p>

<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/body_default/public/2024/01/11/7121f212/gami_princeofpersiatlc.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-body-default" /></p>

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft
Release: <time datetime="2024-01-18T12:00:00Z" class="datetime">January 18, 2024</time>
Rating: Teen

Paramount+ released the first season of its live-action Halo series back in 2022 and while the initial premiere showed promise, the show was ultimately a letdown, both as the Chief's first foray into the live-action television space and as a Halo story. Now, the subscription streaming service has released the official trailer for Season 2 of Halo: The Series and it promises the fall of Reach, plenty of Covenant and Energy Swords, and more of Master Chief without his helmet on for some reason. 

I'm not completely sold on returning to this series – I didn't even finish the first season – but I'd be lying if I said this trailer didn't pique my interest. Perhaps I'm a sucker for the staples of Halo and the story of Reach, or maybe I have a terrible memory; perhaps it's a combination of both. 

Check out the Season 2 trailer for Halo: The Series for yourself below: 

Paramount+ renewed Halo: The Series for a second season early in the show's first season, so it's clear the streamer is committed to this property for now. Here's hoping the second season fairs better than the first. 

TeamKill Media, the developer behind last year's Quantum Error, has revealed Son and Bone, its PlayStation 5-exclusive first-person shooter where you kill dinosaurs. It's due out some time this year and you can watch the announcement teaser below. 

"When a local farm in Patchwork, MT is attacked by a group of notorious bandits, Sheriff Sam Judge sets out to bring them to justice by any means necessary and save the hostage they have taken," the teaser's YouTube description reads. "But on his journey, through the mysterious motives of those he pursues, Sam finds himself transported to another world overrun with prehistoric creatures and dinosaurs and must fight for his life to make it back to earth." 

Check out the Son and Bone announcement teaser for yourself below: 

As you can see, TeamKill Media is aiming to fill the Dino Crisis-sized hole left in action games right now, and we're here for it.

Here are some official screenshots from the game: 

The 27th D.I.C.E. Awards return next month to Las Vegas, where the industry-only event celebrates the best games and achievements in games of 2023. Unlike The Game Awards, which are hosted and produced by Geoff Keighley, with votes from media outlets and the public in some instances, the D.I.C.E Awards are voted on exclusively by game developers. 

Basically, it's the awards show where the people who made the games you played last year determine their favorite games of last year. It's an awards show of The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, with D.I.C.E standing for Design, Innovate, Communicate, and Entertain, and amongst the awards, the academy typically inducts someone into the Academy of Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame – we spoke to Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon about it in 2022. 

A retailer listing of a "V2 DualSense" controller for the PlayStation 5 has been spotted online, and it boasts an "exceptional" 12-hour battery life. That's a much longer battery life than the standard version of the DualSense controller, which averages between 6 to 10 hours (and many players would argue less). 

More specifically, players spotted a Best Buy Canada retail listing for a "PlayStation 5 V2 DualSense Wireless Controller – White," as reported by Eurogamer. Curiously, this V2 DualSense controller looks identical to the white ones that launched with the PS5. But in the "About This Product" section of the controller, you'll find, "Exceptional 12-hour battery life, on a full charge, supports long gaming sessions." This section also states the controller includes a DualSense charging station that "offers easy click-in charging." 

Naughty Dog and HBO have cast Young Mazino as Jesse for The Last of Us' second season. This follows yesterday's news that Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart, No One Will Save You) will play Abby in the show's second season. 

For the uninitiated, Jesse is one of the characters that Ellie calls a friend in The Last of Us Part II and without spoiling anything, his character goes on quite the journey in the name of friendship. Manzino starred in Netflix's Beef series that aired last year, and he was featured in the music video for "Snooze" by SZA. Other credits include Prodigal Son, Drama High, Trinity's Triump, and Good Boy. 

We're so excited for Young Mazino to step into the shoes of Jesse in @TheLastOfUsHBO Season 2. 🎉 https://t.co/GurthEHRZU

The 1992 Alone in the Dark served as major inspiration to the original Resident Evil, which received a sequel, which was successfully remade as a third-person shooter 20 years later, which in turn has presumably inspired Alone in the Dark's upcoming remake, which is releasing March 2024. It's a complicated ouroboros, but the good news is it gives us a chance to revisit arguably the original survival horror game in a brand new light with the aid of Hollywood actors.

Join Wesley LeBlanc and me as we play though an early portion of the game and share their thoughts on how this could finally represent Alone in the Dark's chance to shine. For more on the Alone in the Dark remake, head here for a big preview.

Head over to Game Informer's YouTube channel for more previews, reviews, and discussions of new and upcoming games. Watch other episodes of New Gameplay Today right here.

Video game engine creator Unity is laying off 1800 employees, or 25% of its workforce, according to a report from Yahoo! Finance. The company announced these layoffs in an internal memo sent out on Monday, January 8. These job cuts follow a turbulent 2023 for the company after it attempted to introduce per-install fees to developers using its game engine before later walking it back. 

Unity is expected to lay off 1800 people by the end of March and once complete, it will be the company's largest round of layoffs ever. It will be its fourth round of layoffs since July 2022, as noted by Yahoo! Finance. The job cuts are expected to affect all departments at Unity. 

These impending layoffs at Unity join an ever-growing list of layoffs that made last year one of the worst ever for game developers and people in game development-adjacent industries. 

Last year was one of the best years for game releases but easily one of the worst for the people who made them, with more than 10,000 workers laid off by various companies, including Microsoft, Epic Games, BioWare, Bungie, Naughty Dog, and many more. Unfortunately, it seems this heartbreaking trend is continuing into this new year as yesterday, Bloomberg reported that Amazon-owned streaming company Twitch is set to lay off 500 employees, or about 35 percent of its staff. 

These layoffs follow two rounds of layoffs Twitch experienced last year. Bloomberg expects the layoffs to be announced today. As for why, the publication says running Twitch is extremely expensive and the company has struggled to financially get on top of the cost to support billions of hours of livestreamed content.

Last September, SAG-AFTRA union members voted yes to authorize a video game strike. Reasons why included a desire for better wages, increased safety precautions, and protections around exploitative uses of artificial intelligence. Now, just a few months later, SAG-AFTRA has signed an agreement with Replica Studios, an A.I. voice technology company, to allow game developers to use A.I. voices, as reported by Game Developer. 

Various video game voice actors, like Yong Yea, the new English voice of Kazuma Kiryu in the Like a Dragon series, have publicly stated that they and other actors they know were not aware of this. "Every voice actor I know not only didn't approve this," Yea writes in a tweet. "[They] pretty much heard about this for the first time today on Twitter." 

Every voice actor I know not only didn't approve this, they pretty much heard about this for the first time today on Twitter.

Kaitlyn Dever has been officially announced as The Last of Us TV adaptation's Abby. Kaitlyn Dever is perhaps best known for her role in 2019's Booksmart, but video game fans may know her best as the voice of Cassie Drake, seen at the end of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Dever was also an early fan cast for the role of Ellie when casting rumors for The Last of Us TV show first began swirling. She also reportedly read for the role of Ellie before it ultimately went to Bella Ramsey.

We're thrilled that Kaitlyn Dever is joining @TheLastOfUsHBO Season 2 as Abby!

We can't wait to see her journey unfold on TV. 💪 https://t.co/BZRimbXww6

— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) January 9, 2024

Abby is a crucial character from The Last of Us Part II, but to say much more than that would spoil major elements of the plot that it's fair to assume many TV viewers are not yet aware of. How Dever will differentiate from the video game version of Abby, performed by Laura Bailey (who had a cameo in the first season of the show as a nurse), remains to be seen.

Microsoft has announced the return of its Xbox Developer Direct next Thursday, January 18. The presentation will provide updates on several of its most anticipated upcoming games.

The Developer Direct will air at 12 p.m. Pacific/3 p.m. Eastern. It will spotlight a few of Microsoft’s various first-party studios, which will provide an “in-depth look” at their games. Specifically, the Xbox Wire post lists Indiana Jones by Machine Games, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II by Ninja Theory, Avowed by Obsidian, and Ara: History Untold by Oxide Games as the highlighted projects. 

Indiana Jones will receive its first gameplay trailer and feature 10 minutes of gameplay with developer commentary revealing the game's story and setting. Avowed and Ara: History Untold will receive a deep dive into their gameplay as well. For Hellblade II, Xbox is touting a behind-the-scenes look at Ninja Theory's Cambridge studio where the team will provide insight into how its bringing the sequel to life. It's unclear if this will include any new gameplay footage.

Sam Barlow’s acclaimed interactive cinematic mystery game Immortality is making its way to PlayStation 5 on January 23. The game first arrived on Xbox Series X/S and PC in August 2022.

Like Barlow’s previous works, Her Story and Telling Lies, Immortality sees players interacting with live-action footage to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of fictional actress Marissa Marcel (Manon Gage). Once a promising young star, Marcel only made three movies – none of which were ever released – before she vanished. 

Learning what happened to Marcel involves searching out dozens of clips of each film’s behind-the-scenes footage, scrubbing them for clues, and finding related videos using the ability to “match cut.” This mechanic allows players to click on elements within a scene (like a person or object) to uncover new clips featuring that selected element. The PS5 version enhances these mechanics with new haptic feedback and controller speaker features.

In Pacific Drive your station wagon is all that stands between you and destruction in a section of Washington state where reality is constantly shifting. Join Wesley LeBlanc, Alex Van Aken, and me as we play through an early section of the game and show off how this unique driving survival game is going to work.

Pacific Drive will be available on PlayStation 5 and PC on February 22. For more on the game, you can check out our extended preview here.

Head over to Game Informer's YouTube channel for more previews, reviews, and discussions of new and upcoming games. Watch other episodes of New Gameplay Today right here.

Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive
Developer: Rocksteady Studios
Release: February 2, 2024
Rating: Mature

The ground beneath Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura's feet trembled. In his time since serving as character designer and visual director on Final Fantasy VII, his legend has grown substantially. In addition to working on nearly every acclaimed Final Fantasy game since Nomura also helped create the Kingdom Hearts series and has become a figurehead and luminary within the stacked ranks of Square Enix's stable of developers. But this 2015 trip to Los Angeles, California, was different.

PlayStation's E3 2015 livestream had just revealed a teaser trailer featuring the iconic Final Fantasy VII protagonist, Cloud Strife, walking through Midgar in glorious, modern, HD graphics. The dream of so many – a remake of the classic RPG – was finally realized. The fans weren't the only ones feeling the weight of the moment, though, and it was no longer just the ground that was shaking; it was Nomura's entire body.

"There were no staff members around, so I was kind of just off to the side, standing there alone," Nomura says. "When I heard the cheers from the crowd and the passion, I became overwhelmed and I started shivering. I was walking like a fawn, just overwhelmed by the intensity of the crowd. I thought, 'This has become such a big deal,' and I wanted to cry."

Meanwhile, series producer Yoshinori Kitase was at his home in Tokyo watching it on YouTube. "It still comes up on my 'Videos You Should Watch," he says with a laugh. "Someone should have taken a video of you, like a reaction video and uploaded it to YouTube!"

Since its release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC last February, developer Avalanche's Hogwarts Legacy has continued to sell well. It has maintained the top position almost every month for best-selling games in the U.S., too. Thanks to a new interview at Variety with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment president David Haddad, we now know Hogwarts Legacy has surpassed 22 million copies sold and it did so in less than a year. 

Haddad told Variety that Hogwarts Legacy crossed the 22 million mark at the end of 2023, picking up 2 million alone in December. He says it's the best-selling game of the year "in the entire industry worldwide." Typically, that title goes to a Call of Duty or other triple-A release. 

"But it's not just the unit sold that I'm so proud of, it's just that it delighted the fans so much," Haddad tells the publication. "It brought Harry Potter to life in a new way for gamers where they could be themselves in this world, in this story. And that's what the team at Avalanche set out to do when they were developing the game and I think that's really why it resonated so well and remains the best-selling game of the year in the entire industry worldwide." 

The virtual reality market, while not as niche as it was years ago, is still a relatively small one. Even Sony's PlayStation VR2 launch last year seemed to come and go with little fanfare (and even less support for the platform nearly a year later). However, tech giant Apple is making its own case for VR and it's doing so with the $3,500 Vision Pro headset launching next month. 

While we've known about the headset and its, frankly, absurd price since last year, today, the company announced that preorders for it will begin on Friday, January 19, with a launch on February 2. 

"The era of spatial computing has arrived," Apple CEO Tim Cook writes in a new blog post. "Apple Vision Pro is the most advanced consumer electronics device ever created. Its revolutionary and magical user interface will redefine how we connect, create, and explore." 

Over the weekend, Square Enix revealed new information about Dawntrail, Final Fantasy XIV’s upcoming fifth expansion, during a fan event for the popular MMO. In addition to unveiling a lengthy cinematic trailer, fans got a look at one of the game’s two new jobs and its new playable race.

Meet the Pictomancer, a new class described as a “magical ranged DPS job that works in the medium of mixed aether, wielding a specialized brush to render their imaginings reality.” Basically, the Pictomancer is a painter wielding a giant magical brush that conjures spells using paint. Check it out in action in the trailer below:

A new cat-like race called the Hrothgar was also revealed in the form of a female variant. The trailer below provides a glimpse of the race out in the wild.

Lastly, the big video is a 5+ minute cinematic trailer showing off Dawntrail’s vibrant tropical setting, tone, and plenty of beautifully rendered action. 

The 75th Emmy Awards will be broadcast live on January 15, and that's where a majority of the awards winners will be announced. However, the Creative Arts Emmy awards, a subset of of the Emmys that recognizes technical achievements, guest appearances, and more, have already been doled out, and HBO's The Last of Us picked up eight wins, as reported by Deadline. In total, the show, its crew, and actors have picked up 24 nominations. 

Here are the eight Creative Arts Emmys The Last of Us has already won: 

This week on All Things Nintendo, Brian and Wesley catch up on all the latest news and talk about what they played over break. Then, in the main segment, it's time for the latest All Things Nintendo Draft! This time, we're picking a set of the five games we're most excited for in 2024. Finally, the episode wraps up with the return of the eShop Gem of the Week segment.

If you'd like to follow Brian on social media, you can do so on his Instagram/Threads @BrianPShea or Twitter @BrianPShea. You can follow Wesley on Twitter: @LeBlancWes.

The All Things Nintendo podcast is a weekly show where we celebrate, discuss, and break down all the latest games, news, and announcements from the industry's most recognizable name. Each week, Brian is joined by different guests to talk about what's happening in the world of Nintendo. Along the way, they'll share personal stories, uncover hidden gems in the eShop, and even look back on the classics we all grew up with. A new episode hits every Friday!

When Final Fantasy VII launched on PlayStation in 1997, it revolutionized the RPG genre and gaming as a whole. The transition from pixel art to fully animated computer graphics was a massive enough leap ahead, but the beauty of this classic title was much more than skin deep. Final Fantasy VII features an incredible cast of characters, an outstanding battle system, and a story that evokes joy, awe, anger, and grief. Final Fantasy VII is well-established as one of the most iconic and beloved video games of all time, but for Square Enix, the legacy is somewhat more important. 

For the team behind the Final Fantasy franchise, Final Fantasy VII was the entry that made the developers realize they needed to adapt to the times. "Even within the mainline Final Fantasy titles as a series, we can consider Final Fantasy VII to be this sort of midpoint title that's in the middle of it all," Tetsuya Nomura, who was a character designer and visual director on Final Fantasy VII, says. "Up to Final Fantasy VI, it was created in a certain way, and then from VIII, there was a brand new way of approaching development, whereas VII sort of sits between those two titles as a sort of mixed-element title."

Netflix has released the first teaser trailer for season 2 of its hit animated series, Arcane. The next chapter of the League of Legends adaptation is scheduled to premiere this November. 

Since it’s a teaser, the trailer doesn’t reveal much about what’s in store other than an ominous look at a sinister laboratory cooking up experiments that will likely pose a threat to Jinx and Co. We're curious to see how the series follows up Season 1's dramatic conclusion. Season 2's cast includes returning stars Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, Kevin Alejandro, and Katie Leung. Check out the teaser below:

Arcane has been critically acclaimed by both League of Legends fans and general viewers. Here’s hoping Netflix can keep that momentum rolling into Season 2 this fall.