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Part of what makes Apex Legends stand out from its competitors is Respawn Entertainment's focus on creating three-dimensional, believable characters. While is Apex far from the first hero shooter to feature a diverse roster of playable characters, Apex delves much deeper into narrative design than your average live-service shooter, giving each character a complex backstory that players can relate to and identify with. So how exactly does Respawn go about bringing these characters and their intricate storylines to life? The Titanfall 2 developer answered that question today with the release of the first episode of Inside The Studio, a new docuseries that details the complex process of creating Apex's legends.

Activision has revealed the roadmap and details for Season 1 of Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0, and this announcement includes a positive update to how players level up with Call of Duty's seasonal Prestige progression.

With Modern Warfare 2 and the new Warzone sequel, leveling up past Military Rank 55 will allow players to earn a persistent Prestige rank across all seasons, which is a huge improvement over the past seasonal Prestige systems that reset at the end of each season.

Beginning with the start of Season 1, reaching Rank 56 will unlock Prestige 1. This will grant players an emblem, additional rewards, and a set of challenges to complete for an exclusive calling card.

Season 1 then allows players to progress through four more Prestige ranks, which also unlock a new set of challenges and rewards:

• Prestige 2: Unlocked at Rank 100
• Prestige 3: Unlocked at Rank 150
• Prestige 4: Unlocked at Rank 200
• Prestige 5: Unlocked at Rank 250 (level cap until the end of Season 1)

At the end of Season 1, players can continue ranking up from wherever they ended up on the Prestige ranks. This is a really nice change that allows players who may not have enough time to play catch up in later seasons, while also not resetting the progress of anyone who grinded to reach the max rank during any given season.

Dead Cells's Everyone is Here Volume 2 update has brought yet another crop of items, weapons, and skins themed around fellow indie games to the beloved indie roguelite. These include classic indie games like Hotline Miami and Shovel Knight, as well as slightly more recent titles like Katana Zero and Slay the Spire.

The trailer announcing the move is particularly well-put-together, as it features characteristic musical cues associated with each game. As you might expect, Hotline Miami's Jacket is all about smashing the bad guys into a fine pulp, while Shovel Knight has his signature pogo ability inspired by the NES game Ducktales.

This update is the sequel to Everyone is Here Volume 1, which featured characters from Hollow Knight, Guacamelee, Blasphemous, Hyper Light Drifter, and more. Perhaps the biggest surprise here is that Dead Cells developers Motion Twin managed to build out a facsimile of Slay the Spire's deckbuilding mechanics into the game, with the four different classes from Spire combined into one kit.

You can unlock these characters by completing challenges that you'll find in the Prisoner's Quarters. There's also a complete-the-set bundle of all the included games available on Steam, so if you're so inclined, check it out.

Activision has unveiled more about what's new in Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, which releases next week, and there are some exciting-sounding new updates and features compared to the first game.

One new feature is proximity chat, which is exactly what it sounds like. Your in-game chatter can be picked up by any other team, which Activision says may open up new levels of strategy. Players and teams can also try to deceive their enemies by giving bad intel if they're coordinated enough.

Additionally, Warzone 2.0 has a new interrogation feature for squad-based modes. Players can interrogate downed players and shake them down to reveal where their teammates are. Whether or not the downed player can do anything to thwart the interrogation is unknown.

Additionally, Warzone 2.0 matches will have up to three gas circles, which means there could be more than one safe zone in each match. The different circles will eventually "remerge" at the end of a match, Activision said. "Prepare to adjust your strategies accordingly, as this feature is randomized in each match," the developer explained.

There are new vehicles in Warzone 2.0 as well, including the Heavy Chopper, which hovers in the air without a pilot. The other new vehicle is the GMC Hummer EV truck, which is an electric vehicle that can fit an entire squad inside. And speaking of vehicles, all vehicles--including the EV--will run out of gas or electricity and become unusable. Players can refuel at gas stations on the map or by finding gas cans. Players can also repair body damage and tires at gas stations. If a vehicle gets a flat tire, players can jump out and interact with individual tires to fix it, and this can be done anywhere on the map.

Activision has announced a new event for Call of Duty that will bring three of the world's most famous soccer/football players to Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0.

The Modern Warfare FC event, as it's called, will begin later this month as part of Season 1. Three players--Neymar Jr., Paul Pogba, and Lionel Messi--are coming to the in-game store as playable Operators. Neymar Jr. (November 21) arrives first, followed by Pogba (November 25), and Messi (November 29). Activision did not announce pricing for these new Operators, but the company did share a photo of what they'll look like in the game.

The Modern Warfare FC event will also included a limited-time "CODBall" mode and a "Support Your Team Pick'em" minigame, and more details will be announced later.

Activision is teaming up with these footy stars presumably in a bid to capitalize on the elevated interest in soccer/football with the Men's World Cup beginning this month. Pogba (France), Neymar Jr. (Brazil), and Messi (Argentina) are each competing with their national teams at the event.

The recent launch of Apex Legends Season 15: Eclipse has introduced some new features to the game, including stickers, a UI overhaul, and the ability to send gifts to your friends. But when so many new game mechanics are implemented at the same time, bugs are bound to pop up here and there. Most are irritating at best and game-breaking at worst, but every once in a while, a truly unique one appears, like the newly reported bug that unlocks Heirloom Weapons free of charge.

Activision has revealed the roadmap for Season 1 of Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0, and this inaugural season of content brings a major overhaul to how Call of Duty's battle pass works. While it sounds unnecessarily complex, it also should help players get the items they want faster.

Call of Duty Season 1 is set to bring new maps, weapons, and operators to Modern Warfare 2 and the launch of Warzone 2.0. There's also plenty of cosmetics, two weapons, and an operator available within the seasonal battle pass, but the pass will look much different this year.

Instead of having a linear pass of 100 tiers of unlockable cosmetics and XP tokens, Modern Warfare 2 reinvents the battle pass as a multi-sector map. Players will unlock items using earned Battle Token Tier Skips across this map. Each map has at least 20 sectors with five items in each sector. Tokens can be used to either unlock adjacent sectors or earn more items within an unlocked sector.

Basically, these tokens allow players to unlock specific items with the battle pass at their own pace, skipping around to get the things they want. This means players can go for the sought after items like weapons and operator skins by unlocking those sectors first, and then continue the grind to unlock all sectors for 100% map completion and battle pass items.

Activision revealed Season 1's pass will include the Victus XMR sniper rifle and the BAS-P submachine gun. Zosar "Zeus" Kalu will be the operator within the pass. A full battle pass reveal will arrive sometime next week before the launch of Season 1 on November 16.

PlayStation Plus has a new November roster, with 20 new games available across Extra and Premium starting November 15. Headlining the list are multiple Kingdom Hearts titles, Rainbow Six Siege, and Skyrim.

If you're looking to catch-up or try out Kingdom Hearts games, November sees not one, not two, but four Kingdom Hearts games in PlayStation Plus. Experience Sora's entire adventure in Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, and Kingdom Hearts III.

In addition, Rainbow Six Siege, The Division 2 and Ghost Recon Breakpoint will also join PlayStation's subscription service in November--along with Skyrim's special edition, which includes new content spanning from quests to weapons.

What Remains of Edith Finch, winner of best game at the 2018 BAFTA award and best narrative awards at The Game Awards 2017, is also a notable addition. The game unfolds as a mystery and players are tasked with unraveling the secrets of the Finch house and more.

For a full list of PlayStation Plus November 2022 games, check out the lists below.

With Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 launching on November 16, fans of the original Warzone might be wondering what's going to happen to that title going forward. Activision has now revealed the details, confirming in a blog post that it will be rebranded Call of Duty: Warzone Caldera, and the game is losing a number of features and functionality. Activision also confirmed that any cosmetic items you may have purchased for the original Warzone will not carry forward to the new title.

On November 16, the day that Warzone 2.0 launches, the original Warzone will be taken offline starting at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET. Warzone 2.0 will launch that day at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET, and during this time, the developers will focus on getting the new game up and running.

Assuming things go to plan and Warzone 2.0 proves to be "fully stable," and after a "small development break for Thanksgiving" in the US, Warzone will relaunch as Warzone Caldera at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET on November 28. In total, the game will be offline for about 12 days, assuming everything goes to plan.

Activision is giving all OG Warzone players "a few items" to use in Warzone 2.0 as a thank you for their support over the years.

Ahead of Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0's release next week, Activision has shared more details about the next iteration of its popular battle royale game. In a blog post, Activision published a trove of details about the free-to-play game, and it's a lot to take in--here are the high-level points to know.

The new Warzone 2.0 map is called Al Mazrah, and it will have 18 major points of interest for players to explore. Warzone 2.0 also includes a new "experience" called DMZ. This is an open-world, narrative-focused extraction mode where players fight alone or together with the aim of getting to the chopper to escape. On their way, players will take part in "faction-based" missions and side objectives, as they fight against other human and AI players before exfiltration at the end of the round.

Also in Warzone 2.0 are custom loadouts, which allow players to quickly access their loadouts from the traditional multiplayer mode. A new backpack system has been added to Warzone 2.0 as well, which Activision says is "fully integrated" for DMZ and "streamlined" for battle royale.

Destiny 2's Telesto breaks often--so often that there's a dedicated site recording the last time since Telesto's been bugged--but this time it's broken in a unique way. The exotic fusion rifle now smokes and fires out multiple small little floating sparks, like shown in the Twitter video below.

Telesto, can however, be returned to normal operation. Reload causes the character wielding it to slap the gun, and afterwards, Telesto returns to its usual settings. This strange double-setting bug has players speculating whether or not Bungie intentionally implemented it as some type of Easter egg.

Somewhat late in God of War Ragnarok, a series of chaotic events will occur that unleashes mayhem across the nine realms in the way of Hel Tears. These realm tears have allowed Hel-walkers to begin flowing into places they shouldn't be, and you'll receive a side-quest (known here as a Favor) sending you across the realms to close all six of the Hel Tears that have been opened. Each one you complete earns you one of six Frozen Sparks, which will all be combined into a Frozen Flame at the end of the quest. You can use this material at a forge to upgrade your Leviathan Axe.

To close these realm tears, you'll need to direct your companion at the time to begin the process of sealing them while you fight off invading Hel-walkers. This will take a bit of time, so just fend off the onslaught as you wait for the countdown to complete and the Hel-Tear to close. We've listed all six of these realm tear locations for you below to help you wrap things up.

Consider this guide to contain spoilers.

Hel Tear locations

Here are the locations of all six Hel Tears alongside maps to let you know specifically where to find them. Note, though, that the very first Hel Tear located at Sindri's House is part of the main story and will be closed automatically, meaning you technically only have to seek out five of them.

There are plenty of armor sets for Kratos to wear in God of War Ragnarok, and selecting which one is right for you is most certainly a matter of playstyle. If you're the kind who prioritizes a healthy mix of defense and offense, though, you may want to consider the Dragon Scaled Armor. Not only is this set required for the "Dragon Slayer" trophy--it's also a very well-rounded option.

Obtaining the Dragon Scaled Armor will be no quick feat, as it requires you to slay quite a few dragons, drakes, and drekis so that you can take their claws and teeth for yourself. The ability to craft this armor will come as soon as you complete your first optional Dragon Hunt while exploring The Crater in Vanaheim. Here's what you need to know.

How to craft the Dragon Scaled Armor

Crafting each piece of the Dragon Scaled Armor will require you to obtain enough materials from slaying dragons, drakes, and drekis. There are a total of 9 hunts within The Crater in Vanaheim, meaning you'll need to thoroughly explore the entirety of the location, taking on favors and tracking these scaled creatures if you want to fully upgrade this armor set.

Below is what you'll need to obtain each piece, as well as what passive abilities you'll have when wearing them.

Dragon Scaled Breastplate

Requires: 1 Dragon Claw, 2 Dragon Tooth

If you're wondering how long it'll take to beat God of War Ragnarok, the answer changes based on your playstyle, but one thing is consistent: It's big. Sony Santa Monica's Norse epic is said to be the finale for Kratos' Viking duology, but there are definitely times in the game where it feels like the studio has fit two full games into one. Across an expansive campaign, lengthy and numerous side quests, and tons of map mop-up to do before Kratos can rest his axe by his bedside, your quest to see credits roll--or 100% completion--will be a long journey. Let's break it all down.

How long to beat God of War Ragnarok

If you just stick to the main story missions, God of War Ragnarok will take you approximately 20-25 hours to finish. Naturally, there's a lot more to see beyond that though, including several elaborate side missions that further expand on the relationships between Kratos and others in the story--we dare not spoil any here!

For a typical playthrough that consists of playing the story and some but not all side missions, you'd be looking at something more like 25-35 hours. For the completionist, someone seeking to fully complete every major and minor task in the game, you'd be looking at something like 50-60+ hours. To that end, we also have a Platinum guide with all Trophies listed to help you plan ahead so you can earn the Platinum Trophy.

Unlike 2018's first outing in the rebooted franchise, God of War Ragnarok allows you to visit all nine realms of Norse mythology. This means you've got some new places to discover as well as some returning favorites from the original game. One such revisited realm is the volcanic world of Muspelheim, which houses plenty of combat challenges and loot for you to work for. Opening the gate to get there requires you to combine two halves of a Yggdrasil Seed, though, so read on below for where to find them both.

This article contains light story and gameplay spoilers.

First Muspelheim Seed Half location

The first seed half can be obtained early in the adventure. Dock your boat at Modvitnir's Rig on the left side of the Bay of Bounty in Svartalfheim, then climb up the first step in front of you and look to the right for some wood you can climb. At the top, use your axe to hit the nearby switch and lower the gate ahead, leap over the gap, and crawl up the wood here. At the top, you'll find the Muspelheim Seed Half in a chest.

Ragnarok is coming, or so it's been said. In God of War Ragnarok, Kratos and Atreus find themselves in a colder, more dangerous version of the nine realms we saw in 2018's soft reboot. The game is, as expected, massive in size and scope, and it'll take any player a long time to experience it all. That also means it may very well be a daunting, sometimes difficult game to overcome, but it doesn't have to be. With our God of War Ragnarok guides all in one place--right here!--you can not just get off to a strong start, but find the guidance you need every step of the way. Who's ready for another father-son bonding experience?

It should be noted that because some of this content is best played in the post-story portion of the game, you should consider this guide--and each of those linked within it--to contain spoilers, even as we've not actually spoiled the story. But inferences can be made from some of this content, so proceed knowing that in advance.

How long to beat God of War Ragnarok?

With a game of this scope, often one's first question is regarding the time investment it may require. That answer changes depending on your playstyle, but we've got information to serve all kinds of players. Here's how long God of War Ragnarok takes to beat, along with insight into side missions and open-world structure.

One of the most substantial additions to 2018's God of War was the ability to find, craft, and equip a variety of gear to bolster Kratos' stats, and God of War Ragnarok expands on that idea even further. Like in the first game, stats are still tied to specific sets of armor, but this time around, you have a lot more control over how Kratos looks via a new transmogrification system. That is provided you've met a specific requirement. Read on for how to transmog your armor in God of War Ragnarok.

This guide contains light gameplay spoilers.

God of War Ragnarok transmog

In order to apply a transmog to a piece of armor in God of War Ragnarok, you'll first need to max out its level. This means you'll need to get it to level 9 by finding the appropriate crafting materials and visiting a forge. But better news awaits--as once you've maxed out the level of a piece of gear you want to transmog, you can easily make it look like any other piece of armor you've found or crafted. In other words, you only have to max out the level of the armor you want to transmog.

In God of War Ragnarok, the Berserker Gravestones are super-tough mini-boss battles meant to take the place of 2018's Valkyrie showdowns. The game is clearly designed for you to return to most of these quest markers after you finish the story, and we've got a guide on finding all Berserker Gravestones but you might find the Berserker Gravestone in The Forbidden Sands region of Alfheim rather confusing. Here's a quick guide on what you need to do to access this side mission.

This guide contains light side quest spoilers.

Berserker Gravestone in Alfheim - The Forbidden Sands

If you simply follow the quest marker to this particular Berserker Gravestone, you'll discover it's not visible. Some underground areas nearby will only through you off, too. The answer you seek is actually to ensure you've completed a pair of side quests, under the Favors tab in-game. Specifically, you'll need to have completed two Alfheim-based missions. First, Secret of the Sands within The Barrens region, and then Song of the Sands within The Forbidden Sands.

Each of these missions will appear in your quest log as you discover them, which you'll do simply by playing through the story naturally, so there's no trick to unlocking them. Simply progress to where they're named in your map and quest log, then make them your active quest to get compass guidance right to them.

God of War Ragnarok may be a narrative-focused journey about fatherhood, morality, and destiny, but it's also sporting an abundance of side objectives in its nine realms, most of which you'll need to take care of if you wish to earn the game's coveted Platinum trophy. You could even consider the game to be a Metroidvania-lite, so to speak, due to its reliance on having you revisit locations after earning new skills or items. In other words, you'll be doing plenty of backtracking to get it all done. Here's what to expect.

God of War Ragnarok Platinum Trophy roadmap

Here's what you'll be tasked with doing to snag the Platinum Trophy for God of War Ragnarok.

• Approximate time to completion: 30-35 hours with a guide (40+ without)
• Total trophies: Offline (36), Online (0)
• Missable trophies: None
• Minimum playthroughs: 1
• Difficulty requirements: All trophies are obtainable on the lowest difficulty.

The bulk of the trophy list for God of War Ragnarok will revolve around you earning 100% completion in each realm, which can be an extremely time-consuming affair. This will include partaking in optional objectives, finding lore, opening chests, and collecting unique items--and many of these won't be available until hitting certain milestones in the main story. This means you'll be returning to locations you've already visited multiple times throughout your journey, both for story and collection purposes. That being said, it's still a good idea to find and unlock as much as you can during your initial passes through areas to cut down on how much backtracking and extra legwork you have to do later in the game.

With so many relics to choose from in God of War Ragnarok, you may accidentally overlook one particularly unique one: the Mystical Heirloom. This strange heirloom merely states that it "awakens something dormant, deep down inside of the bearer." If you're confused, don't worry--we'll tell you where to find the Mystical Heirloom, where and how to use it, and why you should.

Consider this guide to contain spoilers for late- and post-game content.

Where to find the Mystical Heirloom and what it's used for

The Mystical Heirloom can be found just southwest of Tyr's temple in Midgard. You'll need to use your Draupnir Spear on a wall of ice here to open up an area containing the relic.

The Mystical Heirloom is used to wake up stone creatures, four of which are trolls located throughout the nine realms who will drop the necessary materials to craft the Steinbjorn armor set, an exceptionally powerful set for those who prioritize defense over anything else.

To use the Mystical Heirloom, equip the relic in the weapons menu, then press L1+X to activate it. If you're near a stone creature, you'll awaken them and engage in a boss fight. Read on to find out where to find the four stone trolls you'll need to defeat to craft the Steinbjorn armor set.

God of War Ragnarok is a bigger--and arguably better--game than its 2018 predecessor, and one way to measure its scale is in the crafting menu. There is a lot more to do in this regard, with more customization options, more resources to find, and more builds to focus on when seeking to cater Kratos' kit to your preferred playstyle. It's a lot, so we've built out this crafting guide to help you grasp it as quickly as possible--that ought to give you more time for all the hacking and slashing, arguing with your son, etc. Here are our Ragnarok crafting tips.

Consider this guide to contain light gameplay spoilers and even lighter story spoilers.

Yes, you can use transmog

One of the features players like best in a game where your armor is constantly changing is transmogrification--a fancy word for making your gear look like other gear while keeping the original gear's benefits. For Kratos, you might like his bare shoulders, but want the benefits of a high-defense armor set, which typically comes in a style that covers his whole upper body in shiny metal. With the ability to transmog, you can look one way, but play another. Here's how to transmog your gear in God of War Ragnarok.

Selling old armor makes for easy money

You can take early-game armor, upgrade it repeatedly, and never take it off. That's a viable way to play Ragnarok. However, if you do switch things up, you'll then end up with retired armor, which makes for a great item to sell to Brok and Sindri. They buy armor and other crafted items you no longer want for a decent chunk of Hacksilver, so don't let that stuff rust in your inventory. Trade it in like an old cell phone.

You'll have quite a lot of side quests to complete as you explore the nine realms found in God of War Ragnarok. Known as Favors, these optional objectives can sometimes actually be an extremely important part of your gear and weapon progression. One such Favor is "Fit for a King," which you'll start during the Main Quest "The Word of Fate." This Favor requires you to seek out Berserker Gravestones across the nine realms and defeat the Berserker bosses within. There are 10 total Berserker Gravestones, but some of them feature multiple bosses at one time, so be prepared for a serious showdown.

Completing most of the Berserker Gravestones is probably best saved for post-game cleanup due to the intense challenge of each boss and the fact that a handful of the gravestones aren't accessible until much, much later, such as a particular Berserker Gravestone in Alfheim. When you are ready to seek them out, though, be sure you bring a Ressurection Stone and upgrade your gear as much as possible. If you discover you just can't take down one of the bosses, feel free to go tackle another and revisit the gravestone when you've leveled up some more. But whether you're planning to wait or dive in immediately, here's where you can find each Berserker Gravestone.

Consider this guide to contain spoilers for late- and post-game content.

Berserker Gravestone locations

Below are the locations of each Berserker Gravestone and its respective boss(es).

God of War Ragnarok is teeming with optional objectives that span across multiple realms, but one of the earliest you're likely to come across is a quest (known as a Favor here) that tasks you with seeking out Draugr Holes. Each of these spawns a boss called The Hateful that you must destroy to close the hole, and you'll receive a Chaos Spark for each one you defeat. When you've closed all six holes, you'll combine the Chaos Sparks into a Chaos Flame, which can be used to upgrade your Blades of Chaos.

There are only six Draugr Holes to find in the game, but they unveil themselves rather slowly throughout your adventure, so you're not likely to wrap this quest up until fairly late in the game. They're all fairly easy to spot as you make your way through each realm, but if you've missed a few along the way, we've got the locations of all six Draugr Holes for you below.

Draugr Hole locations

Here are all six Draugr Hole locations with maps to help you nail down exactly where to find them.

The Halo Infinite Winter Update is now live. This latest update introduces many new features for players, such as the long-awaited Forge mode, the co-op campaign, mission replayability, a free 30-tier battle pass, and more. Unlike Alpha Pack or Interference, this update doesn't serve any narrative purposes but is meant to improve the game in much broader ways. Here's everything you need to know about the Winter Update.

How to play co-op

You'll need to select Campaign from the Main Menu to play online co-op with a friend--or three. Once you've done that, scroll down to Invite Friends. After selecting it, a list of all your friends will appear in-game where you can invite the ones who you want to play with.

As soon as they join, you'll see their Spartan Nameplate appear on the bottom right of the Fireteam menu. Before you load into the campaign, another menu will appear, letting everyone know how far each player is into the campaign. After that, you'll load into the campaign together.

How to replay missions

To replay missions, load into the campaign as you normally would. After that, open the Tacmap and select any gray marker that appears on the map. You'll know if the mission is replayable if you see Replay Mission on the left side of your screen. To replay it, press the Mission Options button and select Replay Mission.

Kojima Productions has announced that over 10 million players have played Death Stranding since the original version's release exactly three years ago on November 8, 2019.

This milestone accounts for all versions of the game and across all platforms it was released on, including subscription services such as PlayStation Plus and PC Game Pass. The original Death Stranding was first released on PlayStation 4, and then 505 Games published the PC version in July 2020. This version was also released on PC Game Pass this past August.

Death Stranding Director's Cut launched on PlayStation 5 in September 2021 and then came to PC in March earlier this year. It brought extra content in the form of expanded areas and extended storylines.

After a long wait, God of War Ragnarok officially launches on PS5 and PS4 on November 9, a date which just so happens to be shortly after the world ends. According to Norse legends that is, as a total lunar eclipse has been forecast for this week.

As spotted by Twitter and TikTok user EmManuDoll, the celestial event is a rare occurrence in which Earth, the sun, and the moon are aligned with each other. This creates a phenomenon known as a Blood Moon, which in ancient Norse mythology, signals the beginning of the end of the world. As EmManuDoll, the Blood Moon was seen as a sign that the wolves Skoll and Hati had succeeded in capturing the sun and the moon, devouring them and beginning the cycle of Ragnarok.

The Blood Moon will enter its umbra phase visible on November 8 (around 02:17 AM PT / 05:17 AM ET if you want to set an alarm clock) according to NASA and the event will last for 85 minutes. So is this release date a case of uncanny timing from Sony and God of War Ragnarok developer Sony Santa Monica? The studio isn't saying anything, but it did respond to EmManuDoll's tweet:

Target's latest Black Friday promotion, and though this one doesn't focus too much on massive discounts on individual products, it does allow you to get some hot-ticket items for the low price of nothing. Target's buy two, get one free promotion does exactly what it says on the box: Buy three items in the promotion and get the cheapest one in your basket for free. The sale includes video games, toys, board games, books, and more, but we're focusing on the games specifically here.

This only applies to goods within that promotion of course, but there are some excellent games up for sale that have only been recently released. The selection includes one of the best Nintendo Switch games of 2022, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, and next year's remake of Resident Evil 4. That's right, you can get a hot game on preorder for free, just by buying two other games in the promotion.

Another explosion of indies is coming to Nintendo Switch owners as Nintendo has announced a new Indie World presentation for this Wednesday, November 9.

Nintendo Indie World Showcase start time

The presentation is scheduled to begin at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET on Wednesday, and it will run "approximately 25 minutes" according to the official announcement. No specific games were mentioned to be part of the presentation, nor have any indie developers confirmed their participation as of this writing.

How to watch Nintendo Indie World Showcase

The Nintendo Indie World November 9 showcase can be viewed both on the official Indie World hub page as well as Nintendo's official YouTube channel. Individual trailers for all of the games revealed will also be uploaded to the official Nintendo channel as they debut during the showcase.

You don't have to go to a galaxy far, far away to live your dream of being a noble knight wielding a laser-sword in the name of justice. Whether you're looking to join the Jedi Order, kickstart a rebellion against a tyrannical empire, or experience some outer space dogfighting, there's a Star Wars game that'll fulfill those sci-fi desires of yours.

Over on Fanatical, you can grab a bunch of great Star Wars games at a massively reduced price as part of the retailer's Birthday Bash sale. The main Star Wars Collection on offer has 14 games for $22 and mostly focuses on adventures starring Jedi Knights. It includes Republic Commando, a great action game starring a squad of highly trained Clonetrooper commandos, BioWare's groundbreaking Knights of the Old Republic, and the brilliant Force Unleashed, which was a technical marvel when it first came out. Here's the full list:

A blink-and-you'll-miss-it commercial for PlayStation has revealed an interesting piece of information regarding an upcoming high-profile release: Final Fantasy XVI will be a PlayStation exclusive for just six months.

The information is displayed on-screen at the 14-second mark of the video, which also shows a brief standoff between Eikons Ifrit and Phoenix. The line reads "Final Fantasy XVI anticipated Summer 2023. PS5 exclusive for six months."

While it was previously known that Final Fantasy XVI would be a PlayStation console exclusive, the length of time in which that exclusivity would last was not confirmed. This timeframe pales in comparison to another upcoming Square Enix release, Forspoken, which launches January 24 and will be a PlayStation console exclusive for two years, specifically until January 23, 2025.

Final Fantasy XVI will tell the story of Valisthea, a fantasy world where six kingdoms live under the Mothercrystals, massive mountains made of crystal that provide for the world. The tale will focus around Dominants, humans who can summon the aforementioned Eikons into battle. The game was first revealed during the PlayStation Showcase in September 2020.

It's Monday and that can only mean one thing: We're back for another week of Wordle guides. After a long weekend, it's time to get back into the swing of things, and we're here to make sure you do that by getting the Wordle correct. Fortunately for those who are still dragging on the first Monday in November, the Wordle isn't too difficult today. The answer for Monday, November 7 is a common word, but does feature some interesting vowel placements, which could give players a hard time if they don't get those vowels in the right spot early on. If you haven't started the November 7 Wordle just yet, then you can check out our list of recommended starting words. However, if you're already past the starting point and visiting this article, then you might be in need of some help.

That's where we can come in. Below, players will find two tips for today's Wordle. We've also spelled out the full answer for players who might not find the hints helpful enough.

Today's Wordle Answer - November 7, 2022

We'll begin with a couple of hints that directly relate to the answer, but won't give it away.

• Hint 1: This word is used to describe the start of something.
• Hint 2: This word has two vowels, both near the start and end of the word. The vowels are not repeating. The word ends in "n" and has no repeating consonants.

If those hints weren't enough to get the ball rolling for you, then you can keep reading for the full answer to the November 7 Wordle. The full answer is "begin." Not too tough of an answer, but certainly not the easiest one we've ever seen either. Hopefully, every player was able to guess the answer correctly and continue their streak. Check back tomorrow for another edition of our Wordle guides.

The Nintendo Switch is an excellent console-handheld hybrid, but its Joy-Con controllers leave something to be desired for long-term play. That's been resolved by accessories, and one rather good Switch Grip is on sale for a great price. You can get the NexiGo Gripcon for just $35.

Looking to pair your new controller with a great game? Make sure to check out our roundup of the best early Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals. Multiple retailers are hosting sales already, including Best Buy and Target.

Netflix has announced a new Stranger Things video game, and in this one, you play as the villain. Stranger Things VR is a new virtual reality "psychological horror/action" game coming to VR platforms in 2023.

You play as Vecna, the villain from Season 4, and can use their special spooky abilities. "Become an explorer of unknown realities as you form the hive mind and tame the void. Invade minds and conjure nightmares in your quest to enact revenge on Eleven and Hawkins," reads a line from the game's description.

Stranger Things VR is developed by Tender Claws, an experienced VR developer whose previous credits include George in the Tub and Virtual Virtual Reality 1 + 2.

"Stranger Things VR will allow fans to experience the world of Stranger Things from the never-before-seen perspective of Vecna as he explores unknown realities, forms the hive mind, and enacts his plan for revenge against Eleven and Hawkins," the game's description goes on, according to UploadVR. "Players will invade the dreams and memories of fan favorite characters and harness telekinetic powers to battle humans and creatures alike, as Henry Creel's transformation into Vecna and his influence on the events of prior seasons is revealed."

In other VR news, Sony recently announced that its PlayStation VR 2 headset will be released in February 2023, starting at $550.

If you've held off on grabbing Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, your patience has paid off. Walmart is selling the Next Level Edition for Xbox for just $20. Considering that the game retails for $70, this is an incredible early Black Friday deal. The Next Level Edition comes with both the Xbox Series X and Xbox One versions of the game. Amazon also had this deal but sold out rather quickly, so don't be surprised if Walmart sells out, too.

Sonic Frontiers will offer a fresh spin on 3D Sonic platforming in just a couple of weeks. If you're looking forward to the Blue Blur's upcoming outing, you can save on your preorder through Fanatical right now. Fanatical is offering a $7 discount on PC preorders. Alternatively, you can snag the Deluxe edition for about $8.50 off. You'll also get a voucher for 5% off your next purchase along with the Adventurer’s Treasure Box preorder bonus. For those who want a console version, Best Buy is giving away a free steelbook with preorders.

Microsoft is reportedly exploring new ways to make its Xbox Series X|S console more energy-efficient, as the company sent out a recent questionnaire to members of the Xbox Insider program.

According to Windows Central, the company is exploring a list of potential graphical options across PC and console, by dialing back certain graphical features in games. The survey asks if participants would be willing to play games with reduced graphics--such as lower resolutions and frame rates--in return for reduced power consumption from an Xbox console or PC. This feature could potentially applied to games that are active or inactive, and Microsoft wants to know how users would like these features to be branded, with examples such as "eco-saving" and "energy-saving" listed.

There's no concrete number for just how much power a user would be able to save if they switched their game from a regular quality or performance mode option for one with an energy-saving setup, but this proposed idea follows on from several other green ideas that Microsoft has implemented during its current Xbox cycle.

One such example is the Xbox Series X|S standby option, which allows users to drastically cut down on how much power the console draws in when it's not in use, around 20 times less in eco-saver mode when compared to instant-on mode.

These ideas come during what could be a very harsh winter for the UK and Europe. The UK is forecasting rolling blackouts amidst a dramatically increased cost of living, and other European nations are urging citizens to lower their energy consumption during winter.

Pokemon trainers waiting for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet to arrive hit a surprise jackpot over the weekend, as a new Pokemon called Gimmighoul became the latest species revealed for the new game.

Gimmighoul is a Ghost-type Pokemon that can be found hiding in chests filled with coins throughout the Paldean region. The impish Pokemon will change between one of two forms: Chest form, where it mimics the aforementioned chest of coins and ambushes trainers, and Roaming form, where it leaves the confines of the chest and walks around with a single coin on its back.

The Ghost-type Gimmighoul will also apparently serve as the lynchpin of a connection between Pokemon Scarlet/Violet and Pokemon Go, which The Pokemon Company has revealed will be coming in 2023. A five-minute trailer shows Pokemon Go's Professor Willow speaking to the Paldean academy's biology professor, Jacq, about the new Pokemon, including the legend of its origin.

More about this mysterious new Pokemon and its connection to Pokemon Go could be revealed as soon as tomorrow, as the official Pokemon Twitter account has announced a new trailer for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will air November 8 at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET.

Activision Blizzard has announced that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II has surpassed $1 billion in global sell-through revenue over its first 10 days since release on October 28. Modern Warfare II made $1 billion faster than any previous Call of Duty game, surpassing the previous record-holder, which was 2012's Black Ops II ($1 billion in 15 days).

This follows Activision's previous announcement that Modern Warfare II earned $800 million in global sell-through revenue in three days. Take-Two's Grand Theft Auto V remains the fastest-selling game of all time based on launch revenue, as the game minted $1 billion in revenue in three days.

Activision also pointed out that Modern Warfare II players have collectively logged more than 200 million hours of game time and played more than 1 billion matches.

"The incredible momentum driving Modern Warfare II is a direct reflection of the energy and passion of the Call of Duty community," Call of Duty GM Johanna Faries said. "As we look ahead to an unprecedented level of support for Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0's launch next week, we are motivated to deliver again for the best player community in the world."

Guzzlord is making its debut in Pokemon Go Gyms near you for its first appearance in five-star raid battles. This Ultra Beast is the headliner of Pokemon Go’s first “Greedy Gluttons” event, with more information to come about the full details of that event.

Guzzlord Raid Schedule

Guzzlord will appear as the only five-star raid boss in Pokemon Go starting at 10 AM local time on November 8, 2022 and will remain available to battle until the same time on November 23. Raids do not generally follow a set schedule, and Guzzlord raids will appear randomly at Gyms around the world during this time period, but you will receive a notification from the game when a raid is about to begin nearby. Like other Ultra Beasts, Guzzlord raids will be signified by an Ultra Wormhole appearing on top of a Gym instead of a typical raid egg.

Your best chance to find Guzzlord raids is during the Raid Hours in which the Junkivore Pokemon will be featured. Every Wednesday from 6 PM to 7 PM local time, the majority of Gyms host five-star raids for Trainers to work together to take down. Guzzlord will be the featured raid boss in the raid hours on November 9 and 16, 2022. As with all raids, you’ll need your free daily Raid Pass or a Premium Battle Pass to join a raid in person, or a Remote Raid Pass to join a raid remotely.

Can I Catch a Shiny Guzzlord?

Unfortunately, like the rest of the Ultra Beasts, Guzzlord is not yet available in its shiny form. This is typical for new Legendary Pokemon and Ultra Beasts, where they are usually released at least once without their shiny before being brought back in the future with their shiny debut to spark new interest. Keep your eyes open for future events which might feature a chance to catch a shiny Guzzlord.

Starfield looks set to contain a number of classic Bethesda gameplay elements, but don't expect this game to be a big-budget Skyrim in space. Speaking on the Friends Per Second vlogcast (featuring GameSpot's Lucy James), Xbox Games boss Matt Booty briefly discussed progress on the game and how Bethesda is pushing the envelope on a game that mixes "NASA-punk" designs with traditional genre elements such as ship-building, space combat, and world exploration under game director Todd Howard.

"I'm confident that he's not going to sit still on what was built before. It's not his approach to come in and reskin something," Booty said. "There's going to be an awful lot of things that move forward with this game. I think there's going to be an awful lot of new stuff that Bethesda fans and Todd Howard fans have not seen, brought to the game. I know just from checking in with them the team is hard at work to get that thing all buttoned up and put together. I'm fortunate enough to be involved in the status reports and things, and it's just fun watching them iterate through that level of polish on the game right now."