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Half-Life: Alyx signifies the first new Half-Life game in years. Just as significantly, it marks a major VR release for Valve, which has both made Half-Life: Alyx a showpiece for its Valve Index VR system, as well as open to play on other VR headsets like the HTC Vive and various Oculus headsets.

The expectations for a new Half-Life game are high, but Alyx appears to deliver. It's receiving excellent reviews across the board, many of which appear to agree that the VR is either a boon to the experience or even vital to delivering its biggest moments.

"Half-Life: Alyx proves that almost everything the franchise did best is elevated by VR: the environmental puzzles that require a keen eye, the threat of a headcrab jumping for your face, the cryptic storytelling," Michael Higham wrote in GameSpot's review. "The series' staples are as great as ever here, and in its most powerful moments, Half-Life: Alyx confidently shows you why it couldn't have been done any other way."

Nvidia is continuing to tweak and improve its proprietary software tools for its graphics cards, and with today's update it introduces a new version of its most widely applicable one. DLSS, or Deep Learning Super Sampling, is going 2.0, with Control and MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries the first to support it.

DLSS is a method of rendering a game lower than its target resolution, and then using a combination of Deep Learning models and the powerful Tensor cores on Nvidia's RTX line to process them and reconstruct a single game frame as it's rendered, filling in the missing detail and producing a cleaner image with a massive performance boost. Its initial implementation delivered mostly on the performance side, but often lead to image quality that was blurry and unappealing. DLSS 2.0 aims to not only improve that, but produce better images than even natively rendered one.

The trick is in new learning algorithms that Nvidia has used, which not only improves image quality beyond native frames but also ditches the requirement for its models to be trained on a per game basis. This means that DLSS could be improved and implemented in more games faster, with the latest Game-Ready driver targeting two for now.

After a few years in Japanese arcades, the latest entry in the long-running Mobile Suit Gundam gaming franchise, Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs. MaxiBoost On, will launch on July 30 for PlayStation 4.

In addition to the release date announcement, publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment confirmed that MaxiBoost On will hold a closed PS4 beta from April 25-27. Sign-ups for the closed beta are open now until April 10, and participants will be selected and notified on April 17. Those chosen can download the closed beta from April 17-25.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs. MaxiBoost On is a 2v2 PvP arena brawler featuring 185 mobile suits across Gundam's 36 series. The game will feature a variety of ways to play, including solo, local splitscreen co-op, online multiplayer, LAN battles, and more. MaxiBoost On will also allow you to customize your mecha with an assortment of parts, change the appearance of your pilot, and much more. You can check out an overview trailer below.

Half-Life: Alyx is set between the first Half-Life and Half-Life 2. In the grand scheme of the Half-Life universe, spanning two major games, two episodes, and the Portal series, a lot has happened before Half-Life: Alyx's adventure takes place and a lot happens after. You'd expect the latest installation of a game that hasn't seen a new entry in 12 years to have a lot of fanservice, but in keeping with typical Valve fashion, the writing is tight, original, and faithful to what came before.

That means there aren't exactly a ton of "Easter eggs" in Half-Life: Alyx the way you typically see the phrase used nowadays--most of the little "references" are just… things you'd expect to see in a Half-Life game. So much of Half-Life's story is told in the background, delivered via little bits of information and details picked up here and there, and Half-Life: Alyx is no exception. But depending on how much Half-Life you've drilled into your head over the past two decades, some details may be easier to spot than others.

Here's our list of Easter eggs, references, and other neat details you may have missed in Half-Life: Alyx.

Half-Life: Alyx is primarily an action game, but like other games in the Half-Life series, there are some light puzzles to solve along the way. In more standard Half-Life fashion, there are environmental "puzzles" that require you to pull levers, push buttons, and operate machinery--since you're playing as Alyx, you're also a hacking whiz who can rewire electronics using her handy multitool. But Half-Life: Alyx has even more uses for the multitool, including solving some traditional spatial puzzles.

You'll encounter a number of multitool puzzles while playing Half-Life: Alyx. They come in many forms and are often used to lock access to important devices, like Combine fabricators and supply lockers. There's also a special one for disarming laser tripmines.

These puzzles are randomly generated each time you encounter one, but the logic to solve them is always the same. Below we've broken down the common multitool puzzle types and explained how to solve each one. Again, the exact solutions won't be the same, but the method of solving them will be. Some puzzles have "lose" conditions, but there is no consequence for failing a multitool puzzle--if you do fail, you just need to start it over.

When Half-Life: Alyx was first announced, Valve billed it as a "full-length entry in the Half-Life series." Half-Life games, not including the shorter episodes, have usually been around 12-15 hours long. So is Half-Life: Alyx really a full-length Half-Life game? And how long does it take to beat?

Half-Life: Alyx Game Length - How Long It Takes To Beat

Based on GameSpot editors Chloi Rad and Michael Higham's hands-on time with playing (and finishing) the game, Half-Life: Alyx takes about 15 hours to beat, set across 11 chapters.

This was only tested on Normal difficulty. Half-Life: Alyx also offers Story Mode, Easy, and Hard, which may make your time with the game significantly longer or shorter. Story and Easy mode are meant to lighten the combat so players can enjoy the story, while Hard makes enemies a bigger threat. There are also a number of puzzles and challenging combat sections in the game that will likely affect overall playthrough time depending on your ability. Regardless of difficulty level and individual skill level though, you can expect to spend roughly 15 hours in Half-Life: Alyx.

Half-Life: Alyx is a full-length Half-Life game built exclusively for virtual reality. While it works with most of the mainstream VR headsets available, it requires a VR-ready PC to run. These are already more barriers than your average game has--VR can be expensive, it can require a dedicated space to play in, and it can be a chore to set up if you're new to it. But even outside of that, VR has an accessibility issue. It can be physically demanding to play and it still gives many people motion sickness.

There will be some people who can't play Half-Life: Alyx at all due to some of the movement-based gameplay and more precise motor skills it requires. There are ways around some of its more complex gestures, but you'll still need to be able to reach out with at least one hand, bring your arm back over your shoulder, hold and press buttons on a VR controller, and whip your arm back to use the Gravity Gloves. Luckily, Half-Life: Alyx does have a set of accessibility options designed to make it more playable for players with disabilities or who have other special needs that must be met to have a comfortable and fun experience.

Find an extensive breakdown of Half-Life: Alyx's accessibility options below. We'll expand this list out if we learn any more. If you've found your own workaround or see something we're missing, let us know in the comments!

Half-Life: Alyx doesn't have a lot of weapons to choose from, but it does have the essentials: a pistol, shotgun, and SMG. Between these three, some grenades, and Alyx's handy gravity gloves, you'll be perfectly suited to take on enemies, Combine and Xen alike.

For the first time in the Half-Life series, you'll also be able to upgrade your weapons using a collectible resource called resin and a machine called a Combine Fabricator. In this guide, we've mapped out each weapon's upgrades and resin requirements, so you can save up and plan accordingly.

We've also broken down a few other essential items in Half-Life: Alyx, from important tech like Alyx's multitool to collectibles you should key an eye out for around the world.

Half-Life: Alyx has a number of accessibility options for players with disabilities, players who are prone to motion sickness, and players who are new to virtual reality. One of the most useful options is the ability to play Half-Life: Alyx seated.

Many mainstream VR games allow you to do this, but since Half-Life: Alyx is a full-length VR game and a VR-exclusive--meaning there will be no other way to play it except with a VR headset and PC--we thought it was particularly important to highlight how to do it.

Below you'll find a quick guide on playing Half-Life: Alyx seated. For more on difficulty options, how to adjust for motion sickness, how to play in one-handed mode, and more, see our full Half-Life: Alyx accessibility guide.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne's third major update is now available on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. The update will arrive on PC on April 8.

Among many small improvements, the update adds two new variant monsters to the game, Furious Rajang and Raging Brachydios. It also introduces the concept of layered weapons, which allows intrepid hunters to alter the appearance of weapons with different monster parts without changing their all-important stats.

Players of the PC version of Monster Hunter World have always experienced a slight delay compared to their console brethren. For example, Iceborne didn't release on PC until January, whereas console players got it in September 2019. That should all change following this update; according to the above development roadmap, all future updates will deploy simultaneously to console and PC. That includes the next update, which should add more layered weapons and even more monsters to boot.

Many of us currently have more time on our hands than we know what to do with, and finding things to keep yourself entertained while stuck indoors is crucial. It's a great time to own a console or gaming PC, as the first big games of the year are coming out just as we're all desperate for something to play. And fortunately, you can find some fantastic deals on games from the past few years if you're looking to save some money. Amazon's latest batch of deals slashes the prices on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch games, including critically acclaimed hits like Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. (While the sale focuses on console games, you can find some fantastic PC discounts at GOG, Fanatical, Green Man Gaming, and other PC-focused sites right now.)

Animal Crossing has always allowed you to plant a toilet in the middle of your house, but they were always more decorative than functional. However, this latest entry New Horizons is a next-gen experience, and they wanted to add in the features that fans have been clamoring for. That's right: You can now poop.

To be clear, however, you must meet certain conditions in order to achieve your digestive dreams. In New Horizons, if you eat fruit, you gain energy that allows you to perform feats of strength, like digging trees out of the ground. Once you sit on the toilet, your energy will slowly drain to zero, accompanied by a slightly upsetting sound effect. However, once you've made the decision to poop, you cannot cancel it, so be careful out there.

This isn't the only surprise addition to New Horizons, however. The game allows you to get free items by playing the mobile spin-off Pocket Camp, some of which are exclusive.

The third-person survival shooter World War Z has a new update that turns on cross-play between PC and Xbox One, with PS4 getting added "at some point in the future." We've compiled the full patch notes below.

This latest patch for World War Z is called the "Crossplay Update," a free piece of content that is part of the game's Season Two content roadmap. You can check out an overview of the roadmap below.

As you can see, the "Crossplay Update" introduces a number of new additions to World War Z, including four new extra character skins, more missions, adjustments to horde mode, and more. The headlining feature, however, is the inclusion of cross-play between PC (via the Epic Games Store) and Xbox One. With this new feature, PC and Xbox players can fight together in PvE; it can be turned on and off in the settings menu.

Pokemon Sword and Shield's latest Max Raid events are coming to an end very soon. The events are scheduled to wrap up this Wednesday, March 25, at 4:59 PM PT / 7:59 PM ET, making this your last chance to catch some rare Gigantamax and version-exclusive Pokemon.

There are two concurrent Max Raid events going on now, the first of which features Gigantamax Snorlax, Machamp, and Gengar. All three of those Pokemon are currently appearing in Max Raid dens in both games. Since Gigantamax Pokemon are normally incredibly hard to find, this is a good chance to catch to catch them before their spawn rates return to normal.

On top of that, developer Game Freak recently kicked off a second Max Raid event that makes a handful of version-exclusive Pokemon available in the opposite game. Galarian Corsola, Ponyta, Oranguru, and female Indeedee are appearing in Max Raids in Pokemon Sword, while Galarian Farfetch'd, Darumaka, Passimian, and male Indeedee are appearing in Shield. This event likewise ends on March 25.

Control is about to receive its first major piece of story DLC, The Foundation. But that will come alongside a major update for all players with plenty of new content whether or not you dive into the new area. A March update video shows off all the new bells and whistles.

In the video, you can see the Shield Rush ability, which gives a more aggressive option to the existing Shield ability. Rather than just gather up debris to protect yourself, you can use it to charge into enemies and close the gap in the process. A couple of quality-of-life improvements are included as well, like better map readability and a revised ability tree with a points reallocation feature. On PC the update will also include Nvidia DLSS 2.0 for RTX users. That update will be available on all platforms.

On PC and PS4 only, the game will also get The Foundation DLC on March 26. (Xbox One owners will have to wait until June 25). The Foundation has Jessie heading into a new area to stop the Astral Plane from consuming the Oldest House. The adventure will explore more weird happenings within the Department of Control, especially as revolving around the character Helen Marshall, who had been presumed missing in the original campaign.

As fans eagerly await the release of Final Fantasy VII Remake on April 10, Square Enix has unveiled an interview with the developers of the game that clarifies some details, including more on the size of the game.

Co-director Naoki Hamaguchi said that the upcoming remake has been "designed as if it were a standalone game, and comparable in size to other mainline Final Fantasy games." Since the remake only covers Midgar, which is the first five to eight hours of the original Final Fantasy VII, this represents a significant expansion of content.

According to producer Yoshinori Kitase, much of these new sections come as part of an attempt to expand Midgar beyond its original scope. Since the original game had to imply the connective tissue of the different neighborhoods of the city due to technological limitations, the team endeavored to "fill all the gaps" to make it a more continuous experience.

Pokemon Go may have changed up its gameplay to keep you from venturing into the real world, but fellow mobile game Pokemon Masters doesn't require any physical travel. The game's latest update, summarized in its patch notes, added several features that improve cooperative battles.

Available with the game's version 1.8.0, Pokemon Masters' latest update gives single players the ability to form a team of nine sync pairs when in cooperative battles, letting you play on your own. It also adds more emotes for these battles, so they should be more engaging and personal when playing with friends.

Other quality-of-life changes in the update include an improved display for the "increase text speed" button, as well as adjustments to trigger conditions for certain skills. It's also easier to see which sync pairs are on a team when on the Edit Team screen, and a selection of other bug fixes and tweaks were also included in the update.

Nier: Automata director Yoko Taro's mobile fairy tale role-playing game SinoAlice first launched in Japan back in 2017, and after being delayed from a planned 2019 launch, it's finally going to launch worldwide.

SinoAlice will launch globally on July 1, and the pre-registration site is available for Google Play. The iOS registration will be available later, and players will get rewards based on the total number of registrations once the game launches. Rewards include extra events as well as a special spear.

As its title suggests, SinoAlice stars classic fairy tale character Alice along with Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Princess Kaguya, Sleeping Beauty, and several others. Despite the mostly child-appropriate inspiration, it's a Yoko Taro game at heart, rife with violence and dark themes. It was also developed with composer Keiichi Okabe, a frequent Taro collaborator who also wrote the music for Nier: Automata. A sample of songs from the soundtrack is available on the game's website.

Indie studio NuChallenger has announced that their dark comedy, retro-styled action game Treachery in Beatdown City will see its first episode drop on March 31 for Nintendo Switch and PC.

Treachery in Beatdown City has its tongue firmly in cheek from the start, with its set-up announcing that US President Blake Orama has been kidnapped by Ninja Dragon Terrorists, and the billionaire mayor refuses to help.

The first episode will feature five urban maps set in the city of East Fulton, where players have “the freedom to fight how they want against an increasingly ridiculous cast of enemies,” as the game’s Steam page advertises. The fighting game challenges players to go in-depth with its combat system, creating customized combos with strikes, grapples and “strikeagrapples”.

Endzone: A World Apart is a post-apocalyptic settlement building game from German developer Gentlymad Studios. The game is set 150 years after a nuclear apocalypse, setting the player up as the leader of a group sent to recolonize Earth after living in underground bunkers called Endzones.

The hostile management sim tasks players with building a new settlement on the radiation-ravaged Earth, gathering resources to sustain it and surviving threats including droughts, sandstorms, toxic rain, and the latent radioactivity lurking in the ground.

With radiation being key to the themes of the game, Endzone has an in-depth system to manage it. Each tile has its own radiation level, and these can change over time with events like sandstorms.

As of today, March 23, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is three years old, and developer PUBG Corp is celebrating the anniversary of its 2017 beta release. While the battle royale market has become far more competitive since then, PUBG is still going strong with plans for updates, reworks, and new content in its fourth year.

In a blog post, the PUBG team has commemorated all the work that’s been done on the game in the past year, and gives us some idea of what to look forward to in the coming year.

First off the block is the re-worked Vikendi, the snow-covered map that was taken down earlier this year for renovations. The new version of the map, now featuring trains, has been play-tested in reduced circulation and will be re-releasing again soon.

Doom Eternal is off to a Hell of a good start, it seems. The game's PC edition recorded almost 105,000 concurrent players on Steam recently after release. That's a massive number, and to put it into further context, it's more much higher than the reported all-time high concurrent player number for its predecessor, 2016's Doom.

Benji Sales on Twitter crunched some numbers and reports that 105,000 concurrent players on Steam is far and away the biggest release for Bethesda in recent years. It surpasses peak concurrent player numbers on Steam for Doom 2016 (31,623), Dishonored 2 (22,269), Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (16,050), and The Evil Within 2 (9,846), according to Benji Sales' numbers.

Steam's own public statistics page shows Doom Eternal had more than 85,000 peak concurrent players on March 22, making it one of the top 15 most popular games on the service.

Guilty Gear Strive has a new trailer, and it brings with it two more characters. The latest characters shown off are, in Guilty Gear lore, a couple--Millia Rage and Zato-1. Millia still attacks with her hair, while Zato-1 can summon up shadows to fight for him.

The trailer shows off how these two characters fit into the Guilty Gear Strive art style, and how their moves have been adapted into the new game. Long-time fans of the series will likely see some familiar attacks in here.

You can watch them both in action below.

Millia and Zato-1 are not scheduled to appear in the game's upcoming closed beta, which will begin on April 16.

Guilty Gear Strive is coming to PlayStation 4 and arcades later in 2020. The other fighters confirmed for the game so far are Sol Badguy, Ky Kiske, May, Faust, Potempkin, Chipp Zanuff, and Axl Low.

Dauntless’s latest update is available now, adding a brand new Escalation quest that features the game’s biggest Behemoth yet.

The free-to-play game is often compared to Monster Hunter, with a focus on building epic loot from materials dropped by the epic beasts you can hunt. The newest update adds fiery versions of some of the game’s existing Behemoths, as well as a brand new monster as the boss of the gauntlet-like Escalation quest.

The update also adds new legendary weapons, armor and amps, as well as a new Hunt Pass called Searing Talons with even more exclusive gear. The Hunt Pass adds extra bonuses for players who pay for the Elite upgrade, as well as offering the ability to pay to skip through the levels for easier loot.

Thatgamecompany’s latest game Sky: Children of Light is, like many games in the crowded mobile market, built on a free-to-play model designed to be sustained by microtransactions. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, studio co-founder Jenova Chen has talked about the delicate balance needed to support an ongoing game financially without its in-game purchases feeling too predatory.

Since its inception, Thatgamecompany’s games have bucked industry trends by focusing on interaction and exploration in a market flooded with action and combat. Their latest mobile game Sky: Children of Light, currently available for iOS, is no different despite its new business model.

Chen says that when they were researching other freemium business models, microtransactions were often built around conflict and competition. “The more I played these games, the more I felt like the developer was like an arms dealer," he told GamesIndustry.biz. "They're selling weapons for whoever wants to pay to win. The conflict is what drives spending. That's definitely something I don't want to associate with.”

If you've logged into the Dreamervse in the PlayStation 4 game Dreams, you've undoubtedly come across levels that are made with characters and IP owned by various game companies beyond Sony.

One popular gaming franchise that is getting a lot of attention inside Dreams is Mario, and Nintendo is reportedly not very thrilled with its franchise being used in this manner. Creator Piece of Craft wrote on Twitter (via GoNintendo) that Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe recent contacted them with a message from Nintendo stating its objection to the use of Mario in Dreams.

As you can see in the image below, Piece of Craft's creation has been removed from Dreams on the basis that it "contains copyrighted material." Plenty of other Mario levels inside Dreams remain online and available, however, including "Super Mario Infinity," which you can see at the bottom of the page.

The developers of Halo Infinite have shared another behind-the-scenes look at how they are capturing sounds for the game, and, like the ones before it, this latest video is a delight.

The team at 343 Industries visited the Powerland Heritage Park in Oregon to record steam engines that will serve as the inspiration for some of the sounds you'll hear in Halo Infinite. Specifically, the steam engines will bring to life some "mechanical sounds" for Halo Infinite.

Check out the video below and try to guess what these sounds may be used for in Halo Infinite. It's always a special treat to see these types of videos.

Mortal Kombat, also known as Mortal Kombat 9, is no longer available for purchase digitally on Steam. As VG247 has reported, the game's Steam page states that the Komplete Edition--the only edition available for sale digitally--was removed from sale "at the request of the publisher."

While it's not entirely clear why this has happened, VG247 speculates that its removal may have something to do with the rights to Freddy Krueger, who appears as a fighter in the Komplete Edition. As reported by Bloody Disgusting, the rights to the character reverted back to Wes Craven's estate in 2019, and thus his appearance in the game might need to be re-negotiated.

As of right now, the game is still available for digital purchase on PlayStation 3, but not on Xbox 360. It's unclear whether this is set to change, or whether there are plans to return the game to Steam or other digital stores in the future.

Inspired by the actions of Ryan Reynolds and Jimmy Fallon, who have both made big donations to charities helping people affected by COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ninja and his wife-slash-manager Jessica Blevins have pledged $150,000 to Feeding America.

In a video, the Mixer streamer announced his own donation, as well as encouraging those who still have spare cash to donate as well. They’re also using Ninja’s social influence to promote measures to flatten the curve, reiterating how important it is to take coronavirus seriously and practice social distancing.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has tracked the best ever launch numbers in physical sales for a Switch game in the UK. The initial sales for Nintendo's latest big game are the system's best ever, unless you count Pokemon Sword/Shield as a single game and combine their sales.

GamesIndustry.biz is reporting that the launch sales numbers for the latest Animal Crossing in the UK are higher than the launch sales of every previous Animal Crossing game--including spin-offs like Happy Home Designer--combined. Although exact numbers are not given for individual games, New Horizons led in a week where 475,000 physical games were sold.

It's worth noting that these figures do not include digital sales at all, which likely drive New Horizons' total sales much, much higher.

2020 is a huge year for Xbox, as Microsoft is releasing the Xbox Series X with Halo Infinite as a launch title later this year. Or at least that's the plan. While Microsoft has already confirmed multiple times that the Xbox Series X will release on schedule amid the COVID-19 crisis, Halo Infinite's status is less clear.

In a blog post, the development team at 343 Industries shied away from confirming anything about a release date for Halo Infinite. For now, the game remains on schedule to launch this holiday, though the way in which developers at 343 Industries work on the project has changed substantially.

"We're removing all the obstacles in our path and tracking well, but need to be mindful of our current limitations and understand that the coronavirus situation may get worse before it gets better," 343 said in the post. "Rest assured that every single one of us is doing everything in our power to continue developing and delivering quality Halo experiences while we adjust to this new way of life."

The recently announced Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition, which will bring the 1997 PC classic back on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC, is getting a physical release. Limited Run Games has announced that the Switch and PS4 versions of the game will be able to buy on a cart of disc, so the long-abandoned classic will be available in physical form once again.

This is significant because the game has become such a collector's item, and now the new release will be, too, thanks to a limited print run.

After a long wait, Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories is finally playable in English in a new demo, ahead of its release on April 4.

The game, which sees its protagonist traversing a city rocked by a deadly earthquake, has had a difficult history with numerous delays. Originally created for the PS3, development delays pushed Disaster Report 4 back from its original release date of March 10, 2011--the day before the devastating Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

The game was cancelled soon after the disaster struck Japan, but due to fan demand the title was revived for the PS4, announced in 2015 and finally released in Japan on November 22, 2018 as Zettai Zetsumei Toshi 4 Plus: Summer Memories. Now, the disaster survival title is getting a localized release in the west.

Bandai Namco has unveiled the first piece of DLC for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, "A New Power Awakens - Part 1". The DLC, which is included in the Ultimate Edition or available separately, will continue Goku's story with events depicted in Dragon Ball Super.

The DLC will involve Goku preparing to face off against Beerus, the God of Destruction, who serves as the first antagonist of the most recent Dragon Ball series. You'll be trained by Whis, who fans of the anime and manga will recognize.

This DLC, which can be accessed at any time during the game (regardless of whether you have finished) will also allow you to unlock the Super Saiyan God form. Super Saiyan God, which gives Goku red hair and higher speed in the anime, is somehow only the fourth or fifth most powerful Saiyan form introduced in Super, but it's stronger than any of the Super Saiyan forms in the game so far.

While governments normally have to put together elaborate campaigns to get kids off their computers and outside to exercise, the Polish government is now doing the exact opposite. With the COVID-19 (coronavirus) threat spreading through Europe, Poland has created a public Minecraft server to encourage kids to do their socializing online.

The Polish government has launched Grarantanna, a learning hub that contains the Minecraft server and other fun (but still educational) activities. It includes a game jam, the Minecraft server, online TTRPG sessions, and webinars and quizzes on Polish history and geography made a little more enticing with prizes for the best quizzers.

Poland has been proactive in its response to coronavirus, shutting all schools, museums, and cinemas on March 11 and introducing comprehensive border checks. Now, it’s looking to provide all those bored kids with something productive to do--"it’s neither a vacation or a holiday,” the Grarantanna warns.

The Resident Evil 3 remake will change many things from the original PlayStation game, including cutting Live Selection, but several elements that made that game a classic will also carry over. One of those elements is the possibility of completing the entire game with just your knife (if you're a hardcore player).

Talking to Game Informer, producer Peter Fabiano has said that the knife in Resident Evil 3 is "inexhaustible," meaning that you can slash at the zombies and other enemies endlessly. This was not the case in 2019's Resident Evil 2 remake, as knives would break after a few uses.

"We're dealing with survival horror and everything is exhaustible," Fabiano says. "So if you did run out of everything, what would you have? The knife. The director always wanted to make it so that you at least have your trusty knife. That’s always something you can rely on."

March 22 is a special day in the gaming world. On this day in 2005, Sony Santa Monica launched God of War, the first instalment in a series that would go on to become one of gaming's biggest names.

The God of War series dates back further than 2005, however, as the team at Sony Santa Monica started development on the project for years before release, animation director Bruno Velazquez said in a tweet. "I'm glad and the rest of the team trusted me enough to work with Kratos for the past 14 yrs," Velazquez said.

David Jaffe designed and directed the first God of War, which was released for the PlayStation 2 on March 22, 2005. It was followed up by God of War II in 2007, which was again directed by Jaffe. Joining him as co-director was Cory Barlog, who also designed the 2007 game. Jaffe would go on to leave Sony, and God of War III was released in 2010 with Stig Asmussen as its director.

During the week of March 16, GameStop made the decision to keep retail stores open during the coronavirus outbreak, even in states that required all non-essential businesses to close their doors. Its internal memo to workers instructed managers to inform any questioning authorities that GameStop views itself as "essential retail."

GameStop has decided to reverse that decision and announced that it will close its retail storefronts, go entirely digital on orders, and will offer curbside pick-up at stores and delivery options.

"We have been steadfast in our adherence to CDC-guided safety and local government orders for retailers in each of our communities. As millions of Americans look to GameStop to adjust to their new normal of increased time at home, for work, learning and play, we have implemented practices to help ensure the safety and health of our employees, customers and partners," George Sherman, GameStop’s chief executive officer said in the press release.

On March 16, it was announced that Demon Slayer will be receiving a battle-royale mobile game and a PS4 action game. The PS4 game, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Hinokami Keppuutan, will be developed by CyberConnect 2, the same studio that developed Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot and Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm.

A trailer teasing the graphics was revealed today, and it looks to be on par with the much-lauded visuals of the anime. No gameplay elements were really introduced, so it remains to be seen what exactly the action part entails.

The mobile battle royale game, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Keppuu Kengeki Royale, also received an early teaser. It's a multiplayer game where individuals are separated into the Demon Slayer faction and the Demons. The goal is to fight and defeat the opposite team. The maps will take place in the Demon Slayer world, and from the trailer, it looks like most of the major demons in the first season of the Demon Slayer anime will be playable.

With Monster Hunter World: Iceborne's third new title update happening on March 23, Capcom has gone ahead and teased what the fourth new title update in May will bring: a powerful and fierce dragon named Alatreon.

Alatreon is an elementally unstable Elder Dragon that has appeared in previous games, and judging by the reception, a fan favorite. It first appeared in Monster Hunter 3 and is capable of using multiple elements. In previous games, the monster was able to use Dragon, Thunder, Ice and Fire attacks, depending on a few factors and conditions. No information is available yet on how and if Alatreon will be modified for its addition to Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.

But taking a step back, other than Raging Brachydios and Furious Rajang being added on March 23 and Alatreon arriving in May, Capcom will also be adding a few new monsters to the game in April. Kulve Taroth will be available to fight through a four-player Master Rank quest. Namielle, an Arch-Tempered monster, will also show up in the game. Arch-Tempered monsters are stronger versions of Tempered monsters and usually deal more damage.