Stardew Valley's creator and sole developer Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has detailed two new projects he currently has in the pipeline.

Writing on Twitter, Barone described one as a non-farming game set in the world of Stardew Valley, while the other will "tie into Stardew Valley in some way".

Both will be single-player, top-down 2D games with pixel art styles, Barone continued in a follow-up email to IGN. The former game, he said, will have "twice the 'detail' of Stardew Valley".

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The Nintendo Switch Lite has been given its first major discount since Black Friday, bringing it down to the same low price we saw during the end-of-year sale bonanza.

Currys PC World is currently boasting the £169 price point on each of the console's three main colours - down from the usual £199. Amazon appears to have already fallen out of stock (how?). It was only Asda that dropped the price that low in stores last November.

There doesn't appear to be any particular event surrounding this sudden price drop, but we're more than willing to take advantage of the sale all the same!

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Pokémon Home, the new storage app which allows you to transfer creatures between various games, is live now on Nintendo Switch, iPhone and Android devices.

Boot it up and you'll be welcomed by this strange gentleman, who refers to himself as Grand Oak. Has anyone checked on Professor Oak lately? Is he okay? Is Grand Oak a relation, or does the professor need to go outside and get some fresh air?

Once past that, you'll be able to see the app's National Pokédex, trading and Mystery Gift features, all of which are live now.

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World's Edge has only just been graced by the moody presence of new legend Revenant, but another hero could be arriving fairly soon, as players have spotted a possible hint running about the map.

Shared by the appropriately-named Sheepless Wolf on Reddit, a shadowy canine has been spotted running through the new Harvester area. A slow-mo shot reveals this probably isn't a rogue Wraith - although the hitbox is probably just as small.

Backing up the mystery sighting, a number of players have also reported hearing distant howling noises. Perhaps they're not just crying wolf.

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Hello, and welcome to our new series which picks out interesting things that we'd love someone to make a game about.

This isn't a chance for us to pretend we're game designers, more an opportunity to celebrate the range of subjects games can tackle and the sorts of things that seem filled with glorious gamey promise.

Check out our 'Someone should make a game about' archive for all our pieces so far.

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In 2008, Media Molecule launched its debut game LittleBigPlanet. The idea behind the ambitious project was to make a game where players could create their own stages and share them with a community of players, or as the tagline more succinctly puts it: "Play, Create, Share."

Upon its release, LittleBigPlanet received almost unanimous acclaim from critics, becoming one of Sony's most interesting exclusives for the PlayStation 3. But two sequels and several spinoffs later, the series has become somewhat dormant, with the lack of support frustrating the most dedicated fans.

Media Molecule appears to have put the series largely behind it, focusing its attention on its latest passion project, another creation game called Dreams. Meanwhile, those who are still playing LittleBigPlanet 3, the third game in the series developed by Sumo Digital, are reporting persistent problems with corrupted profiles and other glitches that are driving the community away. Problems that have led to some players posting tips on Reddit to avoid or limit the damage done. Things were looking grim for LittleBigPlanet fans. That was, until late 2019, when there was a beacon of hope.

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's second season of post-launch content has, following several days of major leakage, finally been officially revealed, and its array of new maps, modes, and battle pass rewards are available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Furthermore, there are strong hints that a battle royale mode is imminent.

Modern Warfare's second season themes its additions around the fight against Al-Qatala, as it attempts to isolate the city of Verdansk using a stolen Soviet nuclear warhead. "On the brink of a global catastrophe," explains Activision, "Captain Price sends in Ghost to track down the location of the warhead and lead key Operators before it's too late."

That bit of scene-setting leads us on to the good stuff, with Season 2 promising five new maps as the weeks go by, with three of those available now.

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UPDATE 11/2/18: Cupid has terrible aim, it seems, and his mighty arrow currently appears to be embedded not in the hearts of lovers across the land but in the fritzing remnants of one of Respawn Entertainment's servers. According to the developer, Apex Legends' Valentine's Day limited-time event - which re-introduces the free-to-play battle royale game's much-loved Duos mode - will no longer begin today as previously revealed.

No reason for the delay was given in Respawn's apologetic announcement tweet, but the good news is that players eager to buddy up with a loved one shouldn't have too much longer to wait. Proceedings are now scheduled to get underway tomorrow, 12th February, with Respawn promising to communicate with fans once the update goes live.

ORIGINAL STORY 10/2/18: Apex Legends' much-loved Duos mode is returning tomorrow for a limited-time, as part of the free-to-play battle royale game's Valentine's Day celebrations.

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Ubisoft has unveiled Warlords of New York, a brand-new paid expansion for online shooter The Division 2 that's heading to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on 3rd March.

Warlords of New York, as its name implies, sees The Division 2 leaving its current base of operations in Washington DC and returning to the city in which the series started in order to tie up a few narrative loose ends left dangling in The Division 1.

Players - either working solo or with friends via online co-op - are tasked with bringing down rogue former Division Agent Aaron Keener, as well as his four lieutenants, in a campaign that unfolds in the hurricane-ravaged summertime streets of Lower Manhattan. It's open-world, as you'd expect, and Ubisoft is attempting another 1:1 recreation of the area, incorporating real-life locations including Battery Park, Wall Street, Chinatown, and Two Bridges.

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New The Division 2 Content Takes The Player Back To New York Read More »

Bulletstorm developer People Can Fly has offered up fresh information on its co-op sci-fi shooter Outriders, confirming it'll now be heading to PS5 and Xbox Series X - as well as Steam, Xbox One, and PS4 - this "holiday", slightly later than previously revealed.

Outriders received its official unveiling, along with a tentative "summer 2020" release window, back at E3 last year. It's described as a "dark modern shooter with a traditional voice", and promises intense, RPG-infused action - playable solo or co-operatively in teams of up to three.

"As mankind bleeds out in the trenches of Enoch," explains People Can Fly, "you'll create your own Outrider and embark on a journey across a hostile planet. With rich storytelling spanning a diverse world, you'll leave behind the slums and shanty towns of the First City and traverse forests, mountains and deserts in pursuit of a mysterious signal."

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People Can Fly is nothing if not consistent. Since it was founded back in 2002, the Polish studio has focused primarily on the shooter genre, starting with Painkiller. Over the years, they’ve adjusted and made more technically sophisticated games, such as Bulletstorm and Gears of War: Judgment. Their latest project, Outriders, is its most expansive release yet, taking a solid shooter framework and adding deep RPG systems, an engaging storyline, and loads of powerful (and occasionally bizarre) loot. We visited the Warsaw studio and got hours of hands-on time with Outriders, and we also got to know some of the people behind the game. There’s a lot to talk about, and it’s all in the next issue of Game Informer Magazine.

The free-to-play digital card game space is a constant battle for discovery and long-term viability. With Legends of Runeterra, Riot is entering a battlefield filled with numerous competitors. An amalgamation of parts constructed from bits of Magic: The Gathering, Hearthstone, Gwent, and even Valve’s Artifact, it’s a carefully crafted recipe bursting with League of Legends flavor and personality.

People Can Fly and Square Enix have released a new trailer for Outriders, which shows off more of the hybrid shooter/action-RPG game in action. The game features three-player co-op, where players take on enemies in fairly traditional third-person, cover-based action. The twist is that these characters have special abilities, which significantly changes what might otherwise be a standard shooter experience.

2K has announced that internal developer 2K Silicon Valley will now be known as 31st Union, with progress already underway on an unannounced new IP.

2K Silicon Valley was inaugurated last year with Michael Condrey, co-founder of Sledgehammer Games (Call of Duty: WWII and more) as president.

Alongside the new studio name, 31st Union is also starting up a European division based in Spain.

Although no details have been announced just yet about 31st's game, Tyler Michaud, head of strategy at 31st Union generally described the studios' approach to the project in a press release. "We believe diverse perspectives and experiences are crucial to creating a truly global entertainment experience with a deep connection to passionate fans."

Download February 2020’s Games with Gold Read More »

Due to health concerns linked to the spreading coronavirus, PUBG Corporation today announced the postponement of this April's PUBG Global Series event in Berlin. PUBG Corporation still plans on running all four of its Global Series events this year, but there may be some delays due to the virus, and perhaps even venue changes. A PUBG Corporation representative told Game Informer that the team is actively working on a replacement event.

PUBG Corporation offered an official statement on the situation:

PUBG Corporation is actively monitoring the spread of the latest coronavirus, which was recently declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization.

With the health and safety of our players, employees, and fans as our top priorities, we've made the difficult decision to postpone April's PGS: Berlin event. The dates and times of regional qualifiers may also be subject to change. The plan to host four PUBG global esports events in 2020 remains unchanged, and we are actively exploring options for when a replacement event can be held.

We will provide updates once we have a better understanding of the best options for esports fans, players, and staff. We thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this situation.

Here Are February 2020’s PlayStation Plus Games Read More »

One of the biggest flops of 2019 was BioWare's living sci-fi game Anthem. While it received middling review scores based on the content available at launch, it quickly became apparent the development team did not have sufficient long-term content or gameplay-evolution plans in place to sustain a dedicated community the way a living game needs to in the current landscape. Many Anthem players have felt abandoned by the development team's lack of meaningful new content in the year since its launch. Today, BioWare general manager Casey Hudson announced plans for the future of Anthem.

In a post on the BioWare Blog, Hudson says the last year has seen the team focused on improving "stability, performance and general quality of life while delivering three seasons of new content and features." Many players have been dissatisfied with not only the quantity of content released by BioWare, but the pace at which is has come to the game as well. In the post, Hudson says he understands that players yearn for "a more satisfying loot experience, better long-term progression and a more fulfilling end game."

This Wednesday marks the launch of the Fire Emblem: Three Houses Cindered Shadows DLC, and Nintendo is using its social media channels to reveal a bit more about what to expect.

Cindered Shadows introduces us to a new house called the Ashen Wolves, bringing new characters and classes to the fold. One thing that has been vague up until this point is just how the DLC will impact the main game. Nintendo UK took to Twitter to clear that up a bit, which you can read below.

As you progress in Fire Emblem: Three Houses – Cindered Shadows, you can interact with and recruit the four Ashen Wolves in Part 1 of the main game!

Once they've joined your house, they can take part in battles & classes. They'll also stick with you into Part 2 of the main game. pic.twitter.com/03Q6lkP95v

In Paper Cult's Bloodroots, you can knock all of the blood out of someone's body with one good whack of a carrot. Need I say more? This wildly violent action game is releasing on Switch, PlayStation 4, and the Epic Games Store on February 28.

Bloodroots follows the exploits of Mr. Wolf, a warrior who is defeated, left for dead, and then goes on a  quest of revenge against the people that took him down. Set in the Weird West, your bid for justice unfolds through combos that can be dealt from hatchets and even a carrot. yes, an ordinary carrot. You can also attach giant fish to the heads of enemies to blind them. The world features plenty of interaction for both combat and traversal. You'll come across a giant wind-up shoe that you can use to bounce around and smash enemies. It looks like good, bloody fun.

According to an official press release from Paper Cult, the development team brought in Nick Suttner (of Guacamelee 2 and Celeste fame) to "help flesh out and write the game's characters and dialogues."

Bloodroots is Paper Cult's second game. The first was 2017's Fat Mask, an arcade puzzle brawler for one to four players that oddly looks like a mix of Towerfall and Tetris.

Netflix's upcoming Resident Evil streaming series doesn't take place where you think it would. Raccoon City is not mentioned in an official description that was accidentally posted to Netflix's media center before being quickly removed (and archived on the WaybackMachine). While it doesn't sound like we'll see an origin story in a creepy, old mansion, there's a good reason why this show isn't set in the series' familiar location. The official synopsis reads:

Given that decades have gone by since the discovery of the virus and the events of this series, there's a chance Netflix is creating this show as a sequel to all of the Resident Evil games that came before it. The first Resident Evil game launched on PlayStation in 1996, and the show appears to be exploring new territory not seen in any of the games. Resident Evil is no stranger to living outside of video games, and has enjoyed plenty of success as movies, both live action and animated.

What do you hope to see from this series? Let us know in the comments section below.

National Dex is Back! – Full Circle Podcast #87 Read More »

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight and I, @zombiepie, am once again honored to be your host as we look back at the best creative offerings from the Giant Bomb Community! We have a real diverse assortment of Giant Bomb community creations this week! With most people transitioning from Winter to Spring, it's good to see the community take the time to work on things both creative and inquisitive. Nonetheless, these were some interesting highlights this week, including Canadians fighting over pizza, but more on that later. So, without further ado, let's jump into the site housekeeping!

The Nintendo Switch-uation | Final Checkpoint Ep. 22 Read More »

Like angsty cops that will do whatever it takes to get the job done? Do you enjoy seeing grown men get the pants scared off them? Well, you're in luck because today on Replay, Andrew Reiner, Jeff Cork, Ben Reeves, and I will be trying to keep our composure playing one of the horror gems of the last generation in Condemned 2: Bloodshot.

We were live earlier today but be sure to check out the archive above! If you can't get enough Replay and our other shows, remember to subscribe on YouTube, Twitch, Mixer, Twitter, or Facebook to get notified when we go live each week! Thanks and enjoy the show!

Virtuous, the team handling the Switch port of The Outer Worlds, has studios located in Chengdu and Xi'an, China, and those offices have been closed during the Coronavirus outbreak and a mandatory quarantine. Publisher Private Division took to Twitter to say that "the team at Virtuous is ok," but they'll need additional time to finish the Switch port, which will now be releasing as a physical version on a cartridge (not just a download code in the box).

The Outer Worlds was slated to release on Switch on March 6. Private Division added that it is now "working with the team to determine an updated development timeline, and will share more regarding a new launch date shortly."

Virtuous employs over 1,600 people in 11 offices around the world, and recently supported Respawn Entertainment in development of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and also assisted with Frontier Developments' Planet Zoo.

After making its way through Steam Greenlight and Kickstarter in early 2017, Laughing Machines' Undungeon is gearing up for a 2020 release. Laughing Machines and publisher tinyBuild today released a gameplay trailer that shows off combat and some of the RPG systems for this stunning hand-drawn pixel-art game.

In Undungeon, players suit up as one of seven Heralds, each coming from a different world destroyed by something called the Shift. The Heralds explore procedurally generated maps that are based on multiversal ideas, meaning you may visit the same place but it could be a little different the next time through. Their goal is to heal a world that has suffered a cataclysm.

Undungeon is described by Laughing Machines as an action game with roguelike and old-school RPG styles. The team has drawn inspiration from games like FTL: Faster Than Light, Hyper Light Drifter, and Nuclear Throne for this quest-driven adventure. Right now, Laughing Machines is targeting PC as the sole platform with a release in the fourth quarter of 2020.

On this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, I am joined by Dan Tack, Matt Miller, and Leo Vader to discuss the latest game releases, including Apex Legends Season 4, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics, Zombie Army 4: Dead War, and Warcraft III: Reforged. After we handle some hot topics, we jump into the always entertaining and enlightening community emails. Alex Stadnik is this week's super producer.

Thanks for listening! Please make sure to leave feedback below, share the episode if you enjoyed it, and follow me @therealandymc to let me know what you think. 

You can watch the video above, subscribe and listen to the audio on iTunes or Google Play, listen on SoundCloud, stream it on Spotify, or download the MP3 at the bottom of the page. Also, be sure to send your questions to podcast@gameinformer.com for a chance to have them answered on the show.

Warcraft III is one of the best games of all time; Blizzard’s genre-transcending work shaped both the future of the company and the greater industry landscape forever. On the other hand, Warcraft III: Reforged is an uninspired remaster that lacks Blizzard’s signature polish and panache. Almost every aspect of this remaster drags the source down instead of lifting it up.

Developer Dead Mage and publisher 11 bit studios today released the first free update for Children of Morta for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. Dubbed the "Shrine of Challenge," this update introduces a Hard mode with increased enemy damage and health. Players that take on these foes will gain larger experience point rewards.

The update also introduces two new enemies called the Dark Blade and Mech Constructor. As you journey through dungeons, you'll stumble upon 18 new items (split into divine relics, graces, and charms), including one that drops boulders on enemies, and another that electrifies them with lightning. The update is rounded out with updated UI and HUD options and balance tweaks for Normal mode.

I recently reviewed Children of Morta, giving it a score of 9 out of 10, saying that it "succeeds in story, combat, leveling, and the bond formed in a family." Down the road, Dead Mage is releasing additional updates that add New Game+, another playable character, online cooperative play, Endless mode, and a expansion chapter set in the Uncharted Lands. All of these updates will be free except for the expansion chapter.

Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet is just a day away from its launch on Friday, February 7. The Ubisoft and Apple TV+ sitcom comes from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Megan Ganz. The comedy tackles the challenges of making games by taking us inside a fictional game development studio and showcasing the issues the characters face in its day-to-day operations. Expect big personalities to clash, as the team desperately tries to keep their successful MMORPG interesting and profitable. Ahead of the show’s debut, we chatted with some of the creators and executive producers (McElhenney, Ganz, and David Hornsby) to see what went into making it. 

The Sega Ages collection on Switch has delivered terrific and enhanced ports several Sega classics. From Virtua Racing to Space Harrier, Switch owners have enjoyed new features and modernizations both great and small. Now, Sega has announced Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Puyo Puyo 2 are joining the Sega Ages roster next week.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is known by many as the best game in the long-running Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Much like the Sonic 1 Sega Ages release, this version adds the drop dash move that debuted in Sonic Mania, but this release. Super Sonic Mode allows you to play as Super Sonic from the start of the game, while a new Time Trial mode with online rankings lets you put your skills to the test against the best in the world.

In 1994, if you attached your Sonic 2 Genesis cartridge to your copy of Sonic & Knuckles, it allowed you to play through the entirety of Sonic 2 as Knuckles the Echidna. Sonic & Knuckles continues to be conspicuously absent from any modern-platform Genesis collections put out by Sega, so the company has baked in that functionality with the Sega Ages version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – no copy of Sonic & Knuckles required.

Gears of War series producer Rod Fergusson has announced that he is leaving Gears of War development studio The Coalition to oversee Diablo at Blizzard next month.

Gears 5 was released last year and Blizzard is working on Diablo IV (no release date announced), so the time is certainly right for Fergusson to make the transition.

Fergusson was a part of the Gears franchise since its beginning at Epic Games in 2006, and continued his leadership with Gears when Microsoft bought the IP in 2014 and started The Coalition in Vancouver, Canada (formerly Black Tusk and other iterations) to handle the franchise.

Starting in March, I will join Blizzard to oversee the Diablo franchise. Leaving is bittersweet as I love our Gears family, the fans, and everyone at The Coalition and Xbox. Thank you, it has been an honor and a privilege to work with you all. pic.twitter.com/0FuO3RFYSQ

— Rod Fergusson (@GearsViking) February 5, 2020

[Source: Rod Fergusson]

In today's NGT, Dan Tack takes Leo and me on a dangerous expedition in Curse of the Dead Gods. The dungeon crawler/roguelike is coming soon to early access, and the version Tack plays hasn't been completely tuned and balanced. That's all to say that he dies. But he does it for you!

In the finished game, players will be able to carry over small elements of their progression between runs, which should help alleviate some of the difficulty. Even in its early form, you can get a nice sense of what Passtech is going for, however. Traps! Cool weapons! ...Corruption? It's all here and more!

Curse of the Dead Gods is coming to early access on PC soon - you can check out the new trailer below!

February 27 is Pokémon Day, which just happens to be the date that Pokémon Red and Green lauched in Japan in 1996. You can start celebrating right now by casting your vote for your favorite Pokémon of all time. If you type "Pokemon vote" into Google, you'll be taken to a poll where you can select your favorite Pokémon based on the region they are from. You can vote until February 14, at 5:59 a.m. PT. The winning entries will be listed on Pokémon's official website.

On February 25, Pokémon Go is getting a head start on the anniversary with Armored Mewtwo returning to legendary raids. This highly coveted catch is coming back as a tie-in to the global premiere of Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution, the new Netflix animated movie. Go players will also find special clones of Venusaur, Blastoise, Charizard appearing in the wild, and a clone of Pikachu can also photobomb you when you take a picture of one of your critters.

Best of all, Sword and Shield players will learn about a new mythical Pokémon on February 27. The Pokémon Company International isn't giving any details as to what this mythical Pokémon will be or when it will actually hit the game, but we'll likely learn these answers in a few weeks. On the same day, Sword and Shield will debut new Max Raid Battles featuring Milcery. If you click the trailer below, you can see another addition: Gigantamax Toxtricity with the G-Max Stun Shock ability.