Moving into the holiday shopping season, Microsoft has solidified its list of big first-party releases. In a blog this morning, Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty shared what he’s calling “three epic months of back-to-back blockbuster game launches in Game Pass.”

First on Booty’s list is the impending release of Age of Empires 4, the long-awaited new installment to the historical real-time strategy franchise. That’s due out on PC Game Pass and Steam on October 28. Continuing the PC news, a few days later will be the addition of Minecraft to PC Game Pass on November 2. You read that right, Minecraft hasn’t been a part of Game Pass outside of consoles yet, but those who don’t own the adventure/creation juggernaut can download it in a few short weeks. Additional Minecraft Dungeons content and the Caves and Cliff: Part II update for Minecraft will be dropping sometime later in the year.

The newest slate of games coming to Xbox Game Pass in the second half of October has been officially announced in an Xbox Wire news post. The popular fighting game Dragon Ball FighterZ, the third-person RPG Outriders, and the upcoming RTS Age of Empires IV are just a few of the big names coming to the service. In fact, Outriders will be available starting today, alongside the retro FPS rogue-lite, Into the Pit.

Here’s the full list of games along with their Game Pass release dates:

After 99 days of teasing an emotional explosion, the Mob Psycho 100 Twitter account has finally revealed the big news: the third season is coming soon. While this news isn’t necessarily surprising, especially considering how well the show has done critically, it is reassuring to finally have confirmation that the next season will be releasing soon.

While there wasn’t a release date in the trailer, it is still worth checking out, as it takes a refreshing stroll down memory lane to help job your memory of some of Mob’s most important, emotional moments. You can check it out below.

According to Anime News Network, Mob Psycho 100 3 will be directed by Takahiro Hasui (Bungo Stray Dogs, Sk8 the Infinity), with previous director Yuzuru Tachikawa now credited as an executive director.

Anyone interested in Mob Psycho 100 that hasn’t seen the show before should check out the brief overview that the official website provides for it below:

2021: The Year of the Scalper Ah 2021: the year of the scalper, and also muck and sadness. Now there’s...

The post The Xbox mini fridge pre-order sold out in seconds, it’s already on eBay appeared first on Destructoid.

Today, the Pokemon Company released a video on their official YouTube channel for the upcoming game Pokemon Legends: Arceus, but it’s not a typical trailer. Instead, we see about two minutes of video footage found in Canalave Library mimicking a researcher discovering what seems to be a new Pokemon in the Hisui region.

The video purposely looks like old, poor quality taped footage, so it’s a bit hard to make out exactly what’s happening. However, thanks to the voice acting in the video, we can tell that the researcher is scaling a snowy mountain at 7:00 pm and spots an unfamiliar Pokemon.

The researcher’s voice is unintelligible at times due to the poor quality of the film as he tries to tell what kind of Pokemon he has discovered. He first mistakes it for a Growlithe or a Vulpix, but realizes it’s something different.

The mysterious Pokemon is described as having a red tipped tail, white fur on the top of its head and a fluffy neck with round, yellow eyes. He remarks how adorable it looks before screaming in fear, and the video cuts off. The last few seconds are just totally black footage.

The Pokemon Legends: Arceus teaser video ends without revealing what the Pokemon is or what the fate of the researcher is. It could be a Hisuian version of a Pokemon we already know, or perhaps it is a brand new Pokemon altogether.

If you want to watch the teaser footage in full, you can watch it below. Let us know if your best guess at what Pokemon this could be based on how it is described and the sounds from the video.

Discovery Tour: Viking Age, an educational mode that takes players through historical locations and events in the world of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, is now live as a free update for those who already own the latest installment in the franchise. 

For those who don’t own Valhalla but are interested in checking out Discovery Tour, the mode can be purchased as a standalone experience on PC for $20 via either the Ubisoft Connect storefront or the Epic Games Store. Standalone versions for consoles are coming next year, according to Ubisoft. 

Valhalla’s Discovery Tour differs from the tours seen in Assassin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey in that they’re more narrative-focused than ever before, complete with quests to complete as you journey through Viking-controlled England, as noted by GameSpot. 

The new Pokemon Legends: Arceus trailer features "found footage" that hints at some additional new Pokemon that appear in the Hisui region.

The post Pokemon Legends: Arceus Trailer Features Pokemon Found Footage appeared first on Siliconera.

Valorant’s latest update, patch 3.08, will be released later today (tomorrow for some regions), and while it isn’t a particularly major patch it does make one or two small but notable changes. In particular, players are now able to equip whichever weapon skin tier they want, rather than being forced to keep the highest tier they have upgraded to.

Those who own the Karambit melee weapon, for example, will be especially pleased given the controversy over the upgraded pull-out animation, which was considered much less interesting than the standard one! You can now change it back.

Another new feature in today’s update that players should find positive is a change to the way reports are handled; namely, that you will now receive notifications if actions were taken based on a report that you filed.

For example, if you have reported a player for trolling or some form of abusive behavior that Riot has deemed worthy of punishment, you will now be told, which is certainly a piece of mind that it’s worth following through when games go awry.

Here are the full list of changes, which aside from the aforementioned changes, mostly comprise performance updates, quality of life improvements, and bug fixes:

Social Updates

Persistent Report Feedback

• Your reports matter, and we want you to know that! You will now be notified if we took action on one of your reports, whether you are offline or not.
• If your client is up and running, you’ll receive a notification. If you’re offline at the time of action, fret not! You’ll receive your notification upon your return.

Progression Updates

Level Border Customization

The gaming industry isn’t typically concerned for the differently-abled, so when the Xbox Adaptive Controller hit the market in 2018, it made a huge splash. People all around the world were having more enjoyable times gaming thanks to the customizable buttons and thoughtful accessibility features the “XAC” brought to…

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Microsoft has announced a raft of eye-catching titles coming to Xbox Game Pass throughout the rest of October

Available today are Into the Pit on cloud, console and PC, and Outriders on PC.

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Today Square Enix and Eidos-Montréal released a new trailer of the upcoming Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.

The trailer is actually a TV spot airing ahead of the game’s impending release, showing what the Guardians of the Galaxy do when something inevitably goes wrong.

Incidentally, we get to take a look at the huddle mechanic that you can call during combat to give your teammate a power-up, at least if you choose the right words of encouragement.

You can watch it below.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is coming for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC on Oct. 26, 2021. It’ll also come to Nintendo Switch via cloud.

If you want to learn more, you can read our hands-on preview.

Even thpopular anime show has to give way to the live coverage of elections in Japan.

The post Demon Slayer Mugen Train Episode 4 Delayed By Japanese Elections appeared first on Siliconera.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is, in my mind, a near-perfect piece of entertainment, but I gotta admit that I would love to rewatch it through the eyes of Japanese artist Yukinori Dehara.

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Today Koei Tecmo and Gust hosted a livestream to celebrate the upcoming Japanese release of the JRPG Blue Reflection: Second Light.

We get to take a look at two DLC costume packs, one focusing on cat ear accessories and maid cafe uniforms, and one on dog ears and swimsuits. They’ll launch in Japan on November 14 and November 25 respectively.

We also get to see a transformation scene, the photo mode, and a collaboration with Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream. If you purchase both games early, you get a costume from each for the other.

You can check everything out in the clips below, set at the correct timestamp for your perusal.

A new Splinter Cell has been put into production by Ubisoft, according to a report.

Serial leaker Tom Henderson, via VGC, has said the game will be a "mainline" entry in the series - which will likely end up being the first in over a decade.

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Train fans, does Tokyo ever have the hotel room for you! At Asakusa Tobu Hotel, a large train simulator has been installed for guests to play on.

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New World players have found an exploit that lets you turn invincible, which is certainly not the sort of exploit you want in your PvP-focused MMORPG. According to players who've encountered the bug, it's pretty easy to replicate, and folks are calling for wars to be disabled until there's a fix. Amazon Games say they're aware of the problem and are investigating, so hopefully they'll patch the game soon to make sure everyone's staying vincible.

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It’s all been leading up to this: the Cube Queen has arrived to Epic Games’ Fortnite and with her comes the start of the end of the battle royale’s Halloween event. 

Fornitemares is Epic’s way of celebrating Halloween – it’s brought legendary horror icons like Frankenstein’s Monster alongside other popular characters like Rick Grimes to the battle royale – and it’s been happening basically all month long. The end is in sight now as the new Fortnitemares: Wrath of the Cube Queen event will run from now until November 1. 

The best part of primary school in the UK is learning about Vikings: getting to make and decorate cardboard swords and jewellery, write stories about legends, and maybe even escape school with a visit to a historical site. Well, Assassin's Creed Valhalla might not offer the same crafting opportunities, but you can learn a lot about the game's history with the new Discovery Tour mode. It hits Valhalla today in a free update, and will also be sold separately for folks who don't want Valhalla.

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Data from the recent Twitch leak may not have included user password information, but it did include a list of its top earning streamers and, strangely, references to pizza.

It also included a "do not ban" list.

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This new action figure will be based on Namine's appearance in Kingdom Hearts III.

The post Kingdom Hearts Namine Bring Arts Action Figure Will Appear in 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.

Today Bandai Namco fully revealed the previously-teased game Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation Code Fairy.

Despite the name, which associates it with the multiplayer game Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation and its sequel, this is going to be a single-player episodic story game for PS5 and PS4.

There will be three volumes. The first launches on November 5, the second on November 19, and the third on December 3.

You can buy them separately or in a bundle with a Standard Edition or a Deluxe Edition, which also grants one-day early access to each episode.

If you’re wondering about the connection with the currently active Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation 2, the gameplay mechanics translate into this new single-player game, and by purchasing it you can also unlock mobile suits and bonuses for the online game.

The story focuses on the “Noisy Fairy,” a secret unit fighting in North America during the classic One Year War timeline.

If you want to see more of Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation Code Fairy, you can check out the announcement trailer, the first screenshots, the key art, and an official description below.

Capcom has plans to strengthen the Monster Hunter brand.

The post Monster Hunter Rise Sales Surpass 7.5 Units Worldwide appeared first on Siliconera.

Capcom’s Monster Hunter World continues to sell big, as today the publisher has announced the game has now shipped 20 million units worldwide. That’s up from 16 million units just over a year ago. It is Capcom’s best-selling game of all time.

The news comes via a press release, which highlights some of the factors behind the game’s continued success. It reads in part:

With the January 2018 release of Monster Hunter: World in particular, Capcom was able to propel the Monster Hunter series to global-brand status with a series-first worldwide simultaneous launch coupled with international promotional activities, establishing the game as Capcom’s best-selling title of all time within a month of its release and being honored with awards the world over. In the more than three years since the game’s release, in addition to promoting digital sales, Capcom also launched Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (Iceborne, below), a massive premium expansion for the game, as well as a bundle containing both titles, capitalizing on synergies with Iceborne and resulting in prolonged sales that led Monster Hunter: World to achieve a Capcom all-time record of 20 million units shipped.

Capcom also makes mention of Monster Hunter Rise, the Nintendo Switch exclusive that has also sold exceptionally well since its release back in March of this year. As reported the other day by Twinfinite, the game has shipped 7.5 million units.

Apex Legends is adding a second spooky murderbot to its roster, one that both Apex and Titanfall 2 fans might recognise. Ash is a simulacrum (human consciousness in a freaky robot) who was previously a baddie in Titanfall 2. Since May this year, she's been overseeing Apex's new 3v3 Arenas mode - you know, that ominous voice that tells you to crush your enemies. But in the battle royale's next season, Escape, she'll be joining the fight herself.

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It’s patch week for Valorant, and that means yet another weapon skin bundle released in tandem with the new update. This time around, it’s a Mexican holiday-themed design called Nunca Olvidados (never forgotten) that is dedicated to the upcoming Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), with a design that both pays homage to the cultural occasion and looks badass at the same time with a cool glow-in-the-dark feature. The skins will release tomorrow, Oct. 20.

Here’s an overview of the bundle:

Price

• 5,100 VP

Weapons

• Catrina (melee)
• Vandal
• Bulldog
• Ares
• Frenzy

Upgrade Tiers

Melee

Level 1: two alternating textures, one in the light and one that glows in the dark.

• Variant 1 (Day): Light, daytime texture (no alternating color shift effect)
• Variant 2 (Night): Dark, night texture only (no alternating color shift effect)

Guns

Level 1: two alternating textures, one in the light and one that glows in the dark.

• Variant 1 (Day): Light, daytime texture (no alternating color shift effect)
• Variant 2 (Night): Dark, night texture only (no alternating color shift effect)

Riot Games art lead Sean Marino explained the thought processes behind the design in a press release sent to Twinfinite:

Square Enix will also release a Static Arts Tifa figure wearing the same outfit.

The post Final Fantasy VII Remake Tifa Play Arts Kai Features Her Iconic Dress appeared first on Siliconera.

Atlus is still going strong with its series of trailers showcasing the 200+ demons of its upcoming JRPG Shin Megami Tensei V one by one.

This time around we get to see the gameplay of the Incubus, another classic demon that has been part of the franchise since 1987 with Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei.

You can watch it in action below.

FIFA 22's customisable pitch lines are causing an accessibility problem, players have said.

FIFA 22, like FIFA 21, lets you customise your stadium for use in FIFA Ultimate Team. And, like FIFA 21, FIFA 22 lets you change the colour of the pitch lines.

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Monster Hunter: World remains the king of Capcom's best selling titles list.

The post Monster Hunter: World Sales Surpass 20 Million Units Worldwide appeared first on Siliconera.

Genshin Impact’s Inazuma region is based on Japan. The country’s culture can be incredibly complex, and whether that’s sakura or swords, it’s easy to not get things quite right. MiHoYo’s decision to push through a subtle fix underscoring those nuances is impressing Japanese players.

Before the update, the NPC…

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A new mobile game has been created in collaboration with the World Health Organisation to raise COVID-19 vaccine awareness.

Called Antidote COVID-19, its tagline "I am the Shield" is representative of a desire to increase awareness of coronavirus vaccination and other preventative measures.

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