Game Informer

Why It Was So Important To Have An Explorable World Map In Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

3 months ago

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

When Final Fantasy X exploded onto the PlayStation 2 in 2001, it revolutionized not just the Final Fantasy series but the role-playing genre as a whole. The tuned-to-perfection turn-based combat, the beautiful soundtrack, the heartfelt story, and the eye-popping-for-the-time visuals created one of the most important entries of one of the most important franchises in video game history. However, one element was absent from Final Fantasy X that several of the key developers involved with the project lamented: an explorable world map.

For Yoshinori Kitase, a producer on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth who also served as a director on Final Fantasy VI, VII, VIII, and X, the world map's disappearance was a sore spot as someone who has been involved with the series since 1990. "We started off expressing this world that you can venture through this world map," he tells Game Informer. That was how it was for Final Fantasy I, but starting with Final Fantasy X, when we entered into this real-time 3D world, this is when the world map development ceased or halted to some degree."

Author
Brian Shea

Reader Discussion: What Video Game Gifts Did You Get This Holiday Season?

3 months ago

Overwatch 2 Reader Discussion Game Informer Christmas Gifts Presents Holidays

It's December 26, which means Christmas has come and gone, and other seasonal holidays are underway while we all wait for the new year to kick off next week. Everyone knows that the days between your winter holiday and New Year's Eve are for gaming, right? At least, we hope you're doing some gaming today, tomorrow, and the day after! Or maybe you're kicking back with a good book, or watching a new movie?

We don't know what it is you're doing but we want to! In fact, we want to know what video game presents you found under the tree or in a beautifully wrapped gift box this year, too.

Did you get a new console? Did you get some games to add to your never-ending backlog – we're all still catching up on 2023's frankly absurd gauntlet of releases, right? Did you get some cool shirts, some Fortnite V-bucks, or a new coffee cup with Clive from Final Fantasy XVI on it?

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

The Head Of Harmonix Talks About The Future Of Fortnite, The Metaverse, And Music

3 months ago

Fortnite Festival Chapter 5 Season 1 The Weeknd Battle Pass Track Rock Band

A few weeks ago, I went to a Fortnite event where developer-publisher Epic Games unveiled its plan for the near future of its game: a Lego survival game, a racing game, and a music game à la Rock Band and Fuser. This is on top of the toolset allowing anyone to make and publish their own games within Fortnite.

The whole thing was kind of weird.

Not that any of the experiences are bad – the Lego thing is super not for me, but I really like the racing game (made by Psyonix, developer of Rocket League), and I think the music element has the potential to become something interesting down the road. 

Author
Blake Hester

Armored Core VI Online Update Includes Ranked Matchmaking, New PvP Maps, And More

3 months ago

Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon From Software Ranked Matchmaking Update

Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon hit PlayStation, Xbox, and PC back in August – read Game Informer's review here – and if you've been looking for another reason to dip into its mech-action combat, look no further than the latest update for the game. Developer From Software released a new update last week that adds ranked online matchmaking, a ranked leaderboard, and more to the game. 

The update is free on all platforms where you can play Armored Core VI, and features new parts to enhance Armored Core loadouts as well as new PvP maps to face off against other players in and nameplate personalization. 

Check out the Armored Core VI ranked matchmaking update trailer for yourself below

As you can see, this new update adds a heaping dose of mech action to Armored Core VI, giving players who have already beaten the game a new reason to jump into its multiplayer suite. 

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

Game Informer's Best Of 2023: Category Winners

3 months ago

Before the year concluded, discussions were already percolating about whether 2023 was the best year for video game releases ever. It was a challenging year for the industry as a whole, but in terms of artistic output, 2023 is absolutely a contender. Whittling the year's releases to a mere 10 games was challenging, but we did it (you can read our top 10 right here).

However, the year's game release calendar was so much more than just those 10 games. Below, you'll see our winners for various categories, allowing us to celebrate a wide range of games, moments, characters, and elements from the extremely strong year for game releases.

Author
Game Informer Editorial

Fallout: London, The Expansive Fallout 4 Overhaul Mod, Gets April Release Date In New Trailer

3 months ago

Fallout: London Release Date 2024 MOd

Team FOLON revealed Fallout: London, its DLC-sized mod for Fallout 4, back in 2021, and it captured the interest of players quickly. We got a 2023 release window alongside a new trailer back in 2022, but the mod needed more time, missing a release this year. Now, Team FOLON has revealed Fallout: London will be released in April, as reported by Eurogamer

More specifically, it will be available on April 23, 2024. The team announced this date in a new developer update released on December 23. In it, the team shows off more of the work it's done since its last trailer, highlighting well-worn and lesser-known locales of London alongside enemies, weapons, and more. It ends with the April 23, 2024, release date announcement. 

Check out the Fallout: London release date announcement for yourself below

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

Bendy And The Ink Machine Movie Announced

3 months ago

Bendy and the Ink Machine Movie Feature Film Big Screen Adaptation

Bendy and the Ink Machine released as a set of chapters back in 2017 before a full complete release hit PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC the following year. Since then, it's become a fan-favorite horror game, thanks to its unique classic cartoon art style and fun puzzles. Now, players will officially get to see the haunts of Bendy and the Ink Machine on the big screen one day. 

The official Bendy Twitter account posted an image on December 25 that features Bendy's hand pointing at a projector, and on the projector, you can read, "Bendy is coming to the big screen." Check it out for yourself below: 

In the image, we also see the Joey Drew Studios logo – that's the game's developer – and a logo for the Radar Pictures film production company. Radar Pictures is behind the rebooted Jumanji franchise starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and other movies like The Last SamuraiRevenge of the Nerds, and the first two Bill & Ted movies. 

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

The Finals Review – Appetite For Destruction

3 months ago

Embark Studios The Finals Release Date December 7 Surprise Launch The Game Awards 2023

Reviewed on: PC
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Publisher: Embark Studios
Developer: Embark Studios
Release:
Rating: Teen

The Finals offers rare novelty in the competitive multiplayer genre, encouraging creative strategies impossible in other titles because of its immense environmental destruction, physics-based hazards, and armory of whimsical gadgets. This first-person shooter occurs amid a digital game show where varying counts of three-person teams fight over money caches in an objective-focused format. The Finals is unpredictable in the best way: gameshow events like meteor showers or orbital lasers remap previously memorized paths, map variants like moving platforms or suspended structures can obfuscate objectives, and your team’s best-laid defensive plans are often interrupted as explosives obliterate the buildings around you. 

Author
Alex Van Aken

The Best Of 2023 | All Things Nintendo

3 months ago

This week on All Things Nintendo, Brian and Kyle look back at 2023. The two talk about the good and bad the year had to bring the games industry before transitioning into an awards show format for the remainder of the episode. 

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 Kyle on Twitter: @KyleMHilliard and BlueSky: @KyleHilliard.

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!

Author
Brian Shea

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: How Cait Sith's Combat Works

3 months ago

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Platform: PlayStation 5
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Release:
Rating: Teen

In Final Fantasy VII Remake, players had the chance to thoroughly explore the movesets of Cloud, Barret, Tifa, and Aerith through an extended stay in Midgar. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth adds several new playable party members. While we already covered how one of those new playable characters, Red XIII, controls (read more here), this time, we're talking about another playable party member: Cait Sith.

Author
Brian Shea

Hello Neighbor Label TinyBuild Lays Off Entire Versus Evil Publisher Staff

3 months ago

TinyBuild Versus Evil Publishing Indie Arm Lay offs

TinyBuild, the games label behind the Hello Neighbor series, has laid off the entire staff of Versus Evil, an indie publisher under the TinyBuild umbrella, just days before the holidays. This news comes from various former Versus Evil employees on Twitter. 

"Unfortunately our parent company has made the decision to lay off the entire team here at Versus Evil," former Versus Evil community manager Chris Trippi writes in a tweet. Another former marketing and community manager with the publisher writes in a tweet, "tinybuild just laid off myself and the entire Versus Evil team." 

The official Versus Evil Twitter account posted the following

"Today is a sad day. After 10 wonderful years, Versus Evil is shutting its doors. We've loved bringing you the best indie games we could find and sharing so many happy memories with you all, our amazing community. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for everything." 
Author
Wesley LeBlanc

Insomniac Addresses Ransomware Hack, Marvel's Wolverine Development Will Continue As Planned

3 months 1 week ago

Insomniac Games Marvel's Wolverine Development Hack Ransomware

Earlier this week, ransomware group Rhysida released more than a terabyte of data it illegally obtained by hacking Marvel's Spider-Man 2 developer, Insomniac Games. The hacked data comprised of more than 1.3 million files, for a total of 1.67 terabytes of data, including information about Marvel's Wolverine, future Insomniac Games titles, release schedules, private employee information like tax and employment forms, internal studio messages, and more.

Insomniac has now publicly addressed the hack in a new statement, stating that development on Marvel's Wolverine will continue as planned.

Here's what the studio said, in full

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

South Park: Snow Day Trailer Reveals March Release Date

3 months 1 week ago

South Park: Snow Day! release date

South Park: Snow Day, the upcoming four-player cooperative adventure first announced in August, is coming on March 26. A new trailer shows off more of the game’s frosty action and, of course, the series’ signature foul-mouth humor.

As the New Kid, players join Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny on an epic quest after a blizzard blankets the Colorado town, and school is canceled. Like the most recent South Park titles, The Stick of Truth and The Fractured But Whole, the adventure is told through the lens of a make-believe high-fantasy adventure, but Snow Day ditches turn-based combat in favor of a more action-oriented experience. 

Players can use different melee and ranged weapons, wield magic and other abilities, and customize their character with various clothing. Snow Day can be played with up to four friends, alongside strangers in online matchmaking, or as a solo experience with A.I. allies. 

South Park: Snow Day is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC.

Author
Marcus Stewart

The Day Before Servers Will Turn Off Next Month As Developer Fntastic Ceases Operations

3 months 1 week ago

The Day Before Studio Fntastic Closure Servers Shut Off Down January 2024

Fntastic announced earlier this month that it would be closing down, just days after launching its controversial game, The Day Before. It said at the time that servers for The Day Before would remain in operation but that the game's future was unknown. Now, the studio has announced that it has officially ceased operations and The Day Before's servers will be turned off next month. 

More specifically, the servers will be turned off on January 22, 2024. While the game has an emphasis on online play, it could still be played offline. However, on December 12, five days after the game launched on Steam, it was pulled from the storefront and The Day Before hasn't been available for purchase since. Plus, Fntastic says the game will be "retired." 

Here's Fntastic's full statement on the server closure

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

Firewall Ultra VR Studio First Contact Entertainment Announces Closure

3 months 1 week ago

First Contact Entertainment Studio Closure Shutdown Firewall Zero Hour Ultra

First Contact Entertainment, the team behind VR games like 2018's Firewall: Zero Hour and this year's Firewall Ultra on PSVR 2, has announced it is closing, as reported by Gematsu. After almost eight years as a studio, it will shut down at the end of the year. It cites a lack of VR support within the industry. 

"After almost eight years of working with the most amazing team I've ever had the pleasure of being part of, I'm sad to announce that we will be closing our company First Contact Entertainment by the end of the year," a Facebook post from the company reads. "The lack of support for VR within the industry has eventually taken its toll. As a AAA VR game developer, we are just not able to justify the expenses needed going forward. 

"We are a team of fearless innovators willing to push new technologies to its limits. I am extremely proud of the team and grateful to our investors, our partners and of course, our community of dedicated and passionate players. It's been a wild ride. Thank you."

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

Ranking The Entire Assassin’s Creed Series

3 months 1 week ago

The Assassin’s Creed series debuted in 2007, and since then, the series has become a fixture in the gaming landscape. It received reliable annual installments (or more!) for several years; that cadence has relented a bit now, but the franchise's long history has certainly left us with no shortage of Assassin’s Creed games to enjoy. But how do they stack up against each other?

 We originally published a version of this list back in 2015, but more Assassin's Creed games have released now, and some of our perspectives have shifted. So we are taking another look at the titles in the whole main series (no spin-offs or side-stories) and ranking them, highlighting the best moments and acknowledging the weaknesses in each.

Author
Game Informer Editorial

Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown | New Gameplay Today

3 months 1 week ago

We recently got a chance to play the first three hours of the upcoming Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and chat with the developer Ubisoft Montpellier about the game's development. You can find our full written feature on the game in the most recent issue of Game Informer magazine, but for a taste of all we learned about the game, join Kyle Hilliard and Marcus Stewart for a look at the game's opening, first boss, and few sections from later in the game.

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.

Author
Kyle Hilliard

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Cover Story And Our Favorite Games Of 2023 | GI Show

3 months 1 week ago

final fantasy vii rebirth

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, special guest Michael Higham (Fanbyte, GameSpot) joins us to discuss our Final Fantasy VII Rebirth cover story, The Finals review, and our favorite games of 2023.

The Game Informer Show #686 Podcast:

Follow us on social media: Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7), Kyle Hilliard (@KyleMHilliard), Michael Higham (@MichaelPHigham)

The Game Informer Show is a weekly gaming podcast covering the latest video game news, industry topics, exclusive reveals, and reviews. Join host Alex Van Aken every Thursday to chat about your favorite games – past and present – with Game Informer staff, developers, and special guests from around the industry. Listen on Apple PodcastsSpotify, or your favorite podcast app.

Author
Alex Van Aken

Bethesda Outlines 2024 Plans For Starfield Including Expanded Ship Customization And More

3 months 1 week ago

Bethesda Starfield 2024 Plans Ship Customization Gameplay Settings

Earlier this month, developer Bethesda Game Studios revealed on the Starfield subreddit that it was working on new ways to travel, mod support, and more for the game. Now, the company has expanded on its 2024 plans for Starfield in a new end-of-year update, including additional ship customization. 

"We'll be adding new ways to travel and you'll now be able to access city maps while exploring the major cities," the update reads. "For those who love ship building, we'll also be expanding on ship customization with ship decorations, new ship building options, and more.

"We're also excited to be adding all new gameplay options. With these new settings, you'll be able to alter your gameplay to allow for an easier or more challenging experience that will expand beyond our normal 'difficulty' setting. These will also you to easily customize carry capacity, cargo access distance, ship damage, vendor credits, how you suffer afflictions, new survival mechanics, and more." 

Bethesda says these updates will begin rolling out in February, with the team targeting updates roughly every six weeks. 

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

How Final Fantasy VII Rebirth's Open World Is Full Of Sidequests

3 months 1 week ago

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Platform: PlayStation 5
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Release:
Rating: Teen

Final Fantasy VII Remake set the tone for what players could expect from this three-part retelling of the beloved 1997 Square RPG. The excellent updates to the combat system, the fantastic expansions on character relationships, and the stellar production values told us Square Enix is not taking the responsibility of remaking one of its most iconic games lightly. However, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth looks to take several components of the experience to the next level, largely thanks to its emphasis on side content.

Author
Brian Shea

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick Steps Down Next Week

3 months 1 week ago

Bobby Kotick steps down as Activision Blizzard CEO

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has announced he’s stepping down from his position on December 29. The news comes two months after Microsoft officially completed its acquisition of the developer/publisher. 

While it was previously announced Kotick would remain as CEO throughout 2023 to help ease the Microsoft/Activision transition, it had been believed (though not confirmed) that he would step down on January 1, 2024. Although his actual departure date is only a few days earlier, it means Activision Blizzard will be kicking off 2024 without Kotick at the helm for the first time in over 30 years. 

Microsoft has not yet named Kotick’s replacement. According to The Verge, several other Activision executives will be departing the company through March, including vice chairman of Blizzard and King Humam Sakhnini and chief communications officer Lulu Meservey, who leave in December and January, respectively. 

Author
Marcus Stewart

Pokémon Scarlet And Violet: The Hidden Treasure Of Area Zero DLC Epilogue Hits Switch In January

3 months 1 week ago

Pokemon Scarlet Violet Epilogue DLC Nintendo Switch January

Following its launch last year, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet has received two DLCs as part of its Hidden Treasure of Area Zero storyline. The first, The Teal Mask, hit Switch in September; the second, The Indigo Disk, arrived last week, bringing with it plenty of returning legendaries and favorite starter Pokémon, too. Now, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have revealed The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero will be getting an epilogue that hits the game in January. 

The companies announced this today with a brief trailer that teases a new adventure in the "Land of Kitakami" that awaits trainers. The epilogue goes live on Thursday, January 11, at 6 a.m. PT/9 a.m. ET, and, outside of goodbyes to friends from the journey of Generation 9, today's trailer also teases what appears to be a new Pokémon. 

Check it out for yourself below

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

PlayStation 5 Sales Surpass 50 Million Units

3 months 1 week ago

PlayStation 5 50 million units sold

Sony has announced that the PlayStation 5 has hit a sales milestone of over 50 million units. It achieved this milestone just over three years into its life cycle.

Since the console’s launch in November 2020, over 50 million consoles have been purchased as of December 9, 2023, according to a press release. In July, Sony announced the PS5 had sold over 40 million units, meaning that roughly 10 million more consoles were sold in just the last 4 to 5 months.

The holiday season is likely a big contributor to this bump. Additionally, the October release of the much-anticipated PS5 exclusive Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (now the fastest-selling PS Studios game ever) undoubtedly drove players to pick up the console. 

Author
Marcus Stewart

Inside The 48 Hours Leading Up To The Finals' Stealth Release

3 months 1 week ago

the finals

We recently sat down with Embark Studios' Creative Director Gustav Tilleby and Senior Environment Artist Joakim Stigsson in the hours leading up to The Finals' stealth release at The Game Awards.  We covered the making of the competitive first-person shooter, how the Embark team designed its destructible environments according to real-life architecture, and what it was like learning they'd be launching the game in front of a live audience. 

Watch our interview with The Finals' developers:

Author
Alex Van Aken

The Top 10 Xbox Series X Games

3 months 1 week ago

Top 10 Xbox Series X

If you're the proud owner of an Xbox Series X, chances are, you are in the same boat as us: constantly pursuing the best games available for the platform. The team at Game Informer worked together to compile a list of the 10 games we think are the best on Xbox Series X/S. As more games come out, we'll update this list with the latest releases that we feel deserve to crack the top 10.

Please note that while the list below contains 10 entries, we aren’t ranking them. If a game has made it this far (and managed to stay here), it’s a must-play, period. As such, we’ll be listing entries in reverse chronological order. Also, with future updates, you’ll find a rundown of previous entries at the bottom of the list. While those titles have gotten bumped over time, they are still all great games in their own right and worth exploring if you’re already caught up on the latest hits.

Here are Game Informer’s picks for the top 10 games on Xbox Series X/S:

Author
Game Informer Editorial

The Top 10 PlayStation 5 Games

3 months 1 week ago

Ever since the PS5 launched in 2020, people have wanted to see what games are the best showpieces of PlayStation 5's power and also which ones take their beloved medium to new heights. The Game Informer staff has selected 10 games that we consider to be the PlayStation 5's absolute best. Over time, this article will be updated with the latest releases that we think crack the top 10.

Please note that while the list below contains 10 entries, we aren’t ranking them. If a game has made it this far (and managed to stay here), it’s a must-play, period. As such, we’ll be listing entries in reverse chronological order. Also, with future updates, you’ll find a rundown of previous entries at the bottom of the list. While those titles have gotten bumped over time, they are still all great games in their own right and worth exploring if you’re already caught up on the latest hits.

Here are Game Informer’s picks for the top 10 games on PlayStation 5:

Author
Game Informer Editorial

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Exclusive Preview

3 months 1 week ago

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Platform: PlayStation 5
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Release:
Rating: Teen

Following the events of 2020's Final Fantasy VII Remake, Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Barret, and Red XIII have escaped the confines of Midgar and gotten rid of the Whispers, meaning the possibilities as they step out into the vast world depicted in the middle portion of the original Final Fantasy VII are endless. In contrast to the corridor-heavy structure of Remake, the openness of Rebirth is immediately refreshing, but as I found out during both my hands-on and hands-off demos, the improvements don't even come close to stopping there.

Author
Brian Shea

Game Informer's Top 10 Games Of 2023

3 months 1 week ago

top 10 games of 2023

From beginning to end, 2023 was a standout year for games. Every month brought a new selection of games that impressed with creativity, technical sophistication, artistic depth, and design brilliance. Tiny indie teams competed with massive triple-A projects for the gaming public's attention. The result was one of the most enjoyable years of new games in a long time.

As we come to the end of this year, we’re celebrating the very best of those games that crossed our screens over the last year. Read below to discover the projects we felt rose above the fray, earning our highest praise.

Author
Game Informer Editorial

The Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Digital Issue Is Now Live!

3 months 1 week ago

If you subscribe to the digital edition of Game Informer, you can now learn all about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth! Following the cover reveal our digital issue is now live on web browsers, iPad/iPhone, and Android devices. Alongside the cover story, you will also find big features on Marvel's Spider-Man 2 credits, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Penny's Big Breakaway, the remake of Riven, and much more. We've also got previews for the next Grand Theft Auto, Tekken 8, our year-end best ofs, including the top 10 games of 2023, reader picks, and much more!

Individual issues are also now available for purchase at this link or in any GameStop store.

You can download the apps to read the issue by following this link.

Author
Kyle Hilliard

Penny's Big Breakaway From The Creators Of Sonic Mania | New Gameplay Today

3 months 1 week ago

Following the release of Sonic Mania (and its various follow-up versions), director Christian Whitehead and friends decided to start developer Evening Star to do one of the most difficult things in video games: create a brand new original property. Penny's Big Breakaway is a new character in a unique platformer and we had a chance to go hands on with it ahead of its release next year.

Join Game Informer's Wesley LeBlanc and Kyle Hilliard as they play a few levels and discuss what's potentially cool about the game. And also make sure to keep an eye out for the latest issue of Game Informer magazine where you can find a big feature on the game alongside interviews with its creator.

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.

Author
Kyle Hilliard

Cover Reveal – Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

3 months 1 week ago

Fresh off its win for "Most Anticipated Game" at The Game Awards, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth lands on the cover of Game Informer. The second part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake series breaks Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Barret, and Red XIII out of the confines of Midgar and into a vast, open map where players can explore to their hearts' content. We spent two days at Square Enix's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, seeing new sections of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and speaking to the legends of the team that made it. This cover story, along with our exclusive coverage spread out over the next few weeks, should give you a good idea of what to expect when the game launches in February. On top of that, this issue dives into our favorite games of 2023, giving you a full rundown of the best that the year had to offer.

Author
Brian Shea

Insomniac Games Hacked By Ransomware Group, Resulting In 1 TB Of Leaked Game Info And More

3 months 1 week ago

Marvel's Wolverine Insomniac Games Hack

Last week, ransomware group Rhysida revealed it had hacked Marvel's Spider-Man 2 developer, Insomniac Games. It posted images to prove the validity of its claim, demanding 50 bitcoin – roughly $2 million – from Sony within seven days or it would leak what it had discovered, as reported by CyberDaily. Sony did not comply with the demand and now the group has released more than a terabyte of hacked data pertaining to Insomniac Games. 

The total leak comprises more than 1.3 million files, for a total of 1.67 terabytes of data, according to VideoGamesChronicle via CyberDaily. The leaked data includes information about Marvel's Spider-Man, future Insomniac Games titles, release schedules, and private employee information like tax and employment forms, internal studio messages, and more. Game Informer will not be disclosing any of the hacked information. 

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

Rise of the Rōnin Preview – Team Ninja Discusses Crafting Its First Open World Where You Shouldn't Kill Everything On Sight

3 months 1 week ago

Rise of the Ronin preview

Platform: PlayStation 5
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Developer: Team Ninja
Release:

A Rōnin is a samurai without a master. Unshackled from bonds, these wandering swordsmen are free to carve their own path, and that freedom forms the foundation of Rise of the Ronin. The adventure is Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and Nioh developer Team Ninja’s first choice-driven, open-world action game. We recently got another peek at the title during The Game Awards, and we spoke to the game’s lead designers to get some insight and context as to what the adventure entails. 

Author
Marcus Stewart

The Top 10 Switch Games

3 months 1 week ago

The Nintendo Switch has an incredibly strong library of games, with many worth recommending. For our 10 absolute favorite games, however, you can check out the list below. We will update this list as often as games worthy of inclusion release.

Please note that while the list below contains 10 entries, we aren’t actually ranking them – if a game has made it this far (and managed to stay here), it’s a must-play, period. As such, we’ll be listing entries in reverse chronological order. Also, you’ll find a rundown of previous entries at the bottom of the list. While those titles have gotten bumped for bigger and better experiences, they are still all great games in their own right and worth exploring if you’re already caught up on the latest hits.

Here are Game Informer’s picks for the top 10 games on the Switch.

Author
Game Informer Editorial

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League Story Spoilers Leak Online, Rocksteady Responds

3 months 1 week ago

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League story spoilers leaks

If you’re looking forward to playing Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, especially to experience its story, your time on the internet just got a little bit harder. Some big plot points have leaked online, and naturally, developer Rocksteady isn’t happy.

Apparently, the leaks stem from a closed beta test in which audio from a pivotal story cutscene plus images and a video showing yet-to-be-revealed characters got out in the wild. We won’t share the details, but they’re not hard to find, so you’re on your own if you want to know more. We just ask that you refrain from posting any spoilers in the comments out of respect for others who wish to remain in the dark.

Rocksteady has posted a statement on its X account addressing the leaks, which we've posted in full below. 

Author
Marcus Stewart

PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, And Steam Year In Reviews Are Now Live

3 months 1 week ago

Update, 12/18/2023

Over the last week, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo have each released their annual player year-in-reviews, letting users find out exactly how much time they spent engaged with each platform, the games they played most, and more. PC players on Steam can now do the same, as Valve has released its year in review. 

You can access the review here (you'll need to sign into your Steam account, of course). You'll find the expected stats, such as the top batch of games you spent the most time playing, your average playtime per month, and even metrics like time spent playing on a mouse/keyboard versus a controller. In a nice bit of convenience, you can export your stats graphic in different sizes to fit whatever social media site you plan on sharing it on. Here's what the tall version looks like. 

Have fun, and let us know what your most surprising (or alarming) stat is in the comments below!

Update, 12/13/2023:

Yesterday, PlayStation and Xbox released yearly video game retrospectives for individual players, highlighting how much PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S they played in 2023, which games they played most, and more. Now, a day later, Nintendo has released its 2023 Year In Review feature. 

Author
Charles Harte

Max Payne Voice Actor James McCaffrey Passes Away At 65

3 months 1 week ago

James McCaffrey passes away

James McCaffrey, actor best known to video game fans as the voice of Max Payne, among other characters, has passed away. He was 65.

TMZ reports that McCaffrey died on Sunday after a battle with multiple myeloma, a form of cancer. A rep for McCaffrey tells the outlet that the actor died surrounded by friends and family.

McCaffrey's extensive on-screen credits include roles in Law & Order, Suits, and Blue Bloods, and video games such as 2008’s Alone in the Dark and 2005’s Area 51. However, Remedy fans knew him best as the voice of Max Payne in all three entries. Furthermore, McCaffrey voiced Thomas Zane in Alan Wake, Zachariah Trench in Control, and, most recently, Alex Casey in Alan Wake 2.

In a separate X thread, Remedy creative director Sam Lake offered his condolences as well. 

Author
Marcus Stewart

Game Awards Winner Sea Of Stars Surpasses 4 Million Players Since Launch

3 months 1 week ago

Sea of Stars Sabotage 4 Million Players Launch Milestone Figures RPG

Sea of Stars took home the award for Best Independent Game at The Game Awards 2023 earlier this month and now, developer Sabotage Studio has revealed the RPG has surpassed 4 million players since launch. Sea of Stars is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC, launching back in August, and is free to subscribers on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass, as well as PlayStation Plus' Extra and Premium subscribers. 

Alongside Sea of Stars' TGAs win, Sabotage took home the Best Indie Game award at the Golden Joysticks and was recognized by the British Academy Film and Television Awards as one of the best games from 2023. 

"Sea of Stars is the game of my dreams, and seeing its quest resonate so strongly with players and critics means the world to everyone at Sabotage," studio co-founder and Sea of Stars game director Thierry Boulanger writes in a press release. "The team behind this game is the most talented and dedicated group I could have ever hoped to create Sea of Stars with, and I'm again reminded of their brilliance as we progress with creating Sea of Stars' upcoming DLC, Throes of the Watchmaker. 

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

Attack On Titan Animators Wit Studio Remaking One Piece's 'East Blue' Saga With Netflix

3 months 1 week ago

Netflix One Piece Remake WIT Studio Attack on Titan East Blue Saga

Netflix has announced that it is remaking the first saga of One Piece, and it's doing it with one of the best animation studios out there. 

Over the weekend, Netflix released a minute-and-a-half video celebrating the 25th anniversary of the One Piece anime, revealing in it that Wit Studio, the team behind Spy Family and the first three seasons of Attack on Titan, is producing "an all-new anime adaptation of the One Piece manga starting from the iconic East Blue saga." It will come to Netflix, although the company hasn't said when to expect it. 

Check out the announcement for yourself below

Notably, the East Blue saga is the first sage of the One Piece manga and anime, covering 100 chapters and roughly 60 episodes, respectively. This remake, which will be called The One Piece, is an anime adaptation of the manga version of the East Blue saga, meaning it will likely vary from the ongoing One Piece anime. 

Beyond this announcement video, Netflix hasn't revealed much else about The One Piece, so casting and its release remain unknown. 

In the meantime, read Game Informer's One Piece Odyssey review

Author
Wesley LeBlanc

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince Review - A Surprisingly Common Experience

3 months 1 week ago

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince

Reviewed on: Switch
Platform: Switch
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Release:
Rating: Everyone 10+

Dragon Quest possesses so much history that any new game carries a degree of raised expectation. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince delivers many of the conventions I’ve come to expect from the series: the vibrant opening song, the charismatic Slime, and the emotional storytelling I already associate with the franchise. But this game goes beyond those well-treaded territories, offering an intelligent and elegant yet simple approach to combat and dungeon design that makes it a solid spin-off experience.

Author
Paulo Kawanishi