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Behind Monster Hunter Wilds' Surprising Skill and Weapon Changes

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 02:29:56 -0000

In our hands-on preview we learned Equipment Skills are split between weapons and armor, Insect Glaive is getting its Vaulting Dance back, and even more.

<section class="article-page"><p>In a recent behind-closed-doors demo, we played a section of Monster Hunter Wilds and asked the developers about changes made to weapons and other systems, the biggest being the separation of Equipment Skills between weapons and armor. Read on for more details.</p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p>As I played the demo, I realized major changes have been made to the Skills system, where damage-increasing skills and weapon-specific skills like Attack Up and Focus can only be found on or applied to the weapons themselves – a pretty impactful change. </p><section data-transform="ignvideo" data-slug="6-new-things-we-experienced-in-monster-hunter-wilds" data-loop=""></section><p><em>Watch new gameplay of Monster Hunter Wilds above, including footage of Seikret and camp customization.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p>This is the new Equipment Skill system. In interviews, the dev team referred to skills for your weapons casually as Weapon Skills. Running with that unofficial terminology, let’s call equipment skills for weapons Weapon Skills, and equipment skills for armor Armor Skills. This means that equipment skills in Wilds are split up into these two categories. Weapon Skills generally include skills that affect actions and damage output, while Armor Skills assist in other ways.</p><p>Armor Skills include support skills like Speed Eating and Divine Blessing. This new system also affects slots, and the devs confirmed that weapons can only use decorations with skills categorized as Weapon Skills, while armor can only use decorations with skills categorized as Armor Skills.</p><section data-transform="image-with-caption" data-image-url="https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2024/12/04/weapon-equipment-skills-1733278360038.jpg" data-image-title="undefined" data-image-class="article-image-full-size" data-image-link="https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2024/12/04/weapon-equipment-skills-1733278360038.jpg" data-caption="You%20can%20see%20this%20bow%20has%20the%20built-in%20Equipment%20Skill%20%26quot%3BFocus.%26quot%3B%20" /></section><p>This really opens up a lot of new ideas. I asked director Yuya Tokuda about his intentions here, and he replied, “Only armor had [built-in] equipment skills until now, but when a piece of armor had a type of skill only effective when used with a certain weapon type, that meant you would have to choose the corresponding weapon. This led to an unavoidable situation where it was harder for people to use those kinds of armor pieces.” The new system solves that issue.</p><p>Monster Hunter Wilds now lets you take two weapons with you on a hunt, which must have been another reason behind the change. Since you can now swap to a sub-weapon mid-hunt, it's great to be able to keep on hunting while maintaining the skills you need to increase your damage to a suitable level or handle your weapon better.</p><section data-transform="image-with-caption" data-image-url="https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2024/12/04/armor-equipment-skills-1733278376038.jpg" data-image-title="undefined" data-image-class="article-image-full-size" data-image-link="https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2024/12/04/armor-equipment-skills-1733278376038.jpg" data-caption="You%20can%20see%20the%20Hope%20Armor%20Set%20includes%20the%20built-in%20Equipment%20Skills%20%26quot%3BDivine%20Blessing%26quot%3B%20and%20%26quot%3BStun%20Resistance.%26quot%3B%20" /></section><p>There is one thing I'm still curious about. While I was able to confirm that skills like Guard are indeed on weapons that can block, I'm still not sure which type of equipment utilizes skills like Evade and Evade Distance.</p><p></p><p><strong>Weapon Balance</strong></p><p>Next up is weapon balancing. Producer Ryozo Tsujimoto confirmed that there will be significant weapon balance changes in Wilds. He told me, “There will be major changes not just after what we saw in the open beta, but also in the form of changes we had always intended to add to the final product.”</p><p>Tokuda said, “In particular, we plan on putting quite a lot of work into the Lance, Switch Axe, Insect Glaive, and Sword and Shield based on feedback from the open beta.”</p><section data-transform="ignvideo" data-slug="monster-hunter-wilds-rey-dau-gameplay-open-beta" data-loop=""></section><p>He continued, “We've tweaked values across the board relating to weapon damage and overall balance, including balance regarding endgame content.” In addition to these numerical changes, the four aforementioned weapon types have (quote) “plenty of work put into how they feel to use."</p><p>While the development side is certainly listening to the voices of the players, they were already taking a proactive stance toward weapon balance changes, and it seems that a proper announcement about the topic will come at a later date. Seeing their attitude put me at ease; the game is clearly in good hands. We’ll see how their intentions pan out when the final game is released in February 2025. </p><p>Next, the team told me about the direction and concept of the Switch Axe and the Insect Glaive.</p><p></p><p><strong>Insect Glaive Changes and the Return of Vaulting Dance</strong></p><section data-transform="ignvideo" data-slug="monster-hunter-wilds-official-insect-glaive-weapon-overview-trailer" data-loop=""></section><p>The Insect Glaive is one of my main weapons, and my very first impression was that there were fewer aerial attacks available. It made me wonder if the concept was to reduce the relative number of aerial attacks and make it a primarily grounded weapon. I brought this up with Tokuda, and he began by revealing to me that Vaulting Dance is making a return! This is one of the actions that was so important to opening up possibilities for aerial combat with an Insect Glaive.</p><p>As to why it wasn't there before, Tokuda said, "We were concerned that putting it in this time around would cause players to use nothing but existing movements, rather than focus on the new parts of the game. That's why we decided to remove Vaulting Dance for a time."</p><p></p><p>As for the reason it was brought back, he replied, "Many players at gamescom and Tokyo Game Show told us that it's not about how strong or weak it is, but that Vaulting Dance is part of the Insect Glaive's very identity. We realized that we weren't on the same page as our players there, and so we immediately decided to bring Vaulting Dance back while balancing the ability."</p><p>I was happy to hear about this balance decision as an Insect Glaive user. That said, I did have difficulty during the open beta with the controls for its new charge attack, and I'm hoping that they'll make it easier to use as well.</p><p></p><p><strong>Updating the Switch Axe to be More Attractive to Players</strong></p><section data-transform="ignvideo" data-slug="monster-hunter-wilds-official-switch-axe-weapon-overview-trailer" data-loop=""></section><p>I then asked about what direction they want to take with the Switch Axe. Tokuda told me the concept of the Switch Axe had not fully gotten across to players, and that the dev team is balancing it in order to convey what makes it a good weapon. Specifically, he said, “The Full Release Slash that comes at the very end of an attack didn't fully stand out, both in terms of feel and numbers, making it less attractive when compared to similarly positioned attacks for other weapons. We'll be sure to address that." </p><p>After hearing about the developers' plans to balance the Switch Axe to make it a more attractive weapon, it's clear to me that it's being properly discussed. Their process to come to the decision to make changes to the Switch Axe backs that up even more, so I don't think that should be a point of concern any longer.</p><p>I'm sorry to admit that I can't go into as much depth on the Switch Axe as with the Insect Glaive, as it isn't one of my main weapons, but other media outlets were also present at this hands-on session, and I’m sure some of them include players who go hard on the Lance, the Gunlance, the Bow, the Long Sword and more, so keep an eye out online for more information on your favorite weapon!</p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Translated by Ko Ransom.</em></p></section>

Ubisoft Is Discontinuing XDefiant in 2025, San Francisco and Osaka Studios Shutting Down Amid Major Layoffs

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 23:54:00 -0000

Ubisoft is officially discontinuing XDefiant, the publisher announced Tuesday, with all new purchases and registrations being discontinued immediately. In addition, Ubisoft also announced that its San Francisco and Osaka studios are being shut down amid major layoffs.

<section class="article-page"><p>Ubisoft is officially discontinuing XDefiant in 2025, <a href="https://news.ubisoft.com/en-au/article/1EywTnGrZdDqCoxKs2zNhZ/ubisoft-discontinues-development-on-xdefiant">the publisher announced Tuesday</a>, with all new purchases and registrations being discontinued immediately. As part of the shutdown, the publisher plans to shut down its production studios in San Francisco and Osaka while ramping down its site in Sydney, with up to 277 employees losing their jobs. Roughly half of the XDefiant team will be assigned roles elsewhere.</p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><section data-transform="ignvideo" data-slug="xdefiant-video-review" data-loop=""></section><p>Chief Studios and Portfolio Officer Marie-Sophie de Waubert revealed the news in an email sent to Ubisoft employees that was subsequently posted online, saying that the shooter was "not able to attract and retain enough players in the long run to compete at the level we aim for in the very demanding free-to-play FPS market." </p><p>The full message can be found below.</p><blockquote>Today, I wanted to share with you that we’ve made the difficult decision to discontinue development on XDefiant.</blockquote><blockquote>Despite an encouraging start, the team’s passionate work, and a committed fan base, we’ve not been able to attract and retain enough players in the long run to compete at the level we aim for in the very demanding free-to-play FPS market. As a result, the game is too far away from reaching the results required to enable further significant investment, and we are announcing that we will be sunsetting it.</blockquote><blockquote>Concretely, that means that as of today, new downloads, player registrations and purchases will no longer be available. Season 3 will still launch, and the servers will remain active until June 3, 2025, out of appreciation for both our dev teams who worked on it and for XDefiant’s active players.</blockquote><blockquote>Unfortunately, the discontinuation of XDefiant brings difficult consequences for the teams working on this game. Even if almost half of the XDefiant team worldwide will be transitioning to other roles within Ubisoft, this decision also leads to the closing of our San Francisco and Osaka production studios and to the ramp down of our Sydney production site, with 143 people departing in San Francisco and 134 people likely to depart in Osaka and Sydney. To those team members leaving Ubisoft, I want to express my deepest gratitude for your work and contributions. Please know that we are committed to supporting you during this transition.</blockquote><blockquote>Developing Games-as-a-Service experiences remains a pillar of our strategy, and we’ve achieved significant successes, like Rainbow Six, The Crew, and For Honor, among others. It’s a highly competitive market, and we will apply the lessons learned with XDefiant to our future live titles.</blockquote><blockquote>Globally, we are determined to take the necessary steps to put the company back on a path to growth, innovation and creativity and make sure we can set you up for success. This means continuing to radically evolve our mindset for Production and Business practices, which we will share more about soon, and doing targeted restructuring when necessary. I know that the situation brings questions and expectations, and we will share regular and transparent updates.</blockquote><blockquote>My sincere thanks for your continued dedication as we navigate these trying times together.</blockquote><p>XDefiant Executive Producer Mark Rubin also shared a message thanking fans and saying he was "heartbroken." He also shared refund details, saying that any purchases made within the last 30 days will be fully refunded and that those who purchases the Ultimate Founder's Pack will also get their money back. Refunds should happen automatically with 8 weeks, he said.</p><blockquote>I am unfortunately here today to announce that XDefiant will be shutting down. Starting today (December 3, 2024), new downloads and player registrations will no longer be available. We will still release our Season 3 content in the near future (exact date TBD) and the servers will remain active until June 3, 2025.<br /><br />For those who purchased the Ultimate Founder’s Pack, you’ll receive a full refund. Players who made any purchases within the last 30 days will also be fully refunded. Those refunds should happen automatically within 8 weeks of today and you can find more details on our official website, <a href="https://t.co/pNWQ3cifIZ">https://XDefiant.com</a>.<br /><br />A few years ago, Ubisoft and the SF Dev team embarked on a bold adventure to develop a new arcade shooter called XDefiant. It was from the start, an incredible challenge. Not only were we trying to shake up the genre by removing Skill-Based Matchmaking (SBMM) while bringing back a more “old-school” arcade shooter experience, but we were also diving into the high-risk, high-reward realm of free-to-play. And for that I want to applaud not only the Dev team but also Ubisoft leadership for taking that chance!<br /><br />Free-to-play, in particular, is a long journey. Many free-to-play games take a long time to find their footing and become profitable. It’s a long journey that Ubisoft and the teams working on the game were prepared to make until very recently. But unfortunately, the journey became too much to sensibly continue.<br /><br />I am, of course, heartbroken to have to be writing this post. Yes, this game has been a personal passion for me for years and yes, I know that not all challenges lead to victory, but I also want to recognize all of the developers who are being affected by this closure. Each and every one of them is a real person with a real life separate from our own and they have all put so much of their own passion into making this game. And I hope that they can be proud of what they did achieve. I know that I will always be proud and grateful to have worked with such a great team! A team that really punched above its weight class.<br /><br />And what they achieved is truly remarkable. The early response from players when XDefiant launched was amazing—we broke internal records for the fastest game to surpass 5 million users and in the end we had over 15 million players play our game! That is something to be extremely proud of, especially considering how tough this genre is. So, thank you to all of the developers who put their passion into making this game!<br /><br />If there’s one thing, I hope we can all take away from this experience, it’s the importance of open, honest communication between developers and players. This “player-first” mentality along with respectful, non-toxic conversations between developers and players has been one of the standout differences that made XDefiant so special. From my very first post about XDefiant, this was the vision I wanted to champion, and I hope it leaves a positive mark on how the game industry treats its players and communities.<br /><br />To our players, THANK YOU! From the bottom of my heart, I want to express my deepest gratitude for the incredible community that has grown around XDefiant. Your passion, creativity, and dedication have inspired us every step of the way.<br /><br />With the utmost of love and respect,<br /><br />Mark</blockquote><p>XDefiant joins Concord <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-shooter-concord-going-offline-this-week">as the latest service game to abruptly shutter</a> not long after launch. Unlike Concord, though, XDefiant will be given a bit of grace, with its servers not due to shut down until June 3, 2025. Ubisoft also plans to go forward with releasing Season 3, though downloads and purchases will no longer be available.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hello XDefiant Fans,<br><br>I am unfortunately here today to announce that XDefiant will be shutting down.<br><br>Starting today (December 3, 2024), new downloads and player registrations will no longer be available. We will still release our Season 3 content in the near future (exact date…</p>— Mark Rubin (@PixelsofMark) <a href="https://twitter.com/PixelsofMark/status/1864090964748321266?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <p>First announced in 2021, XDefiant endured several delays before finally launching in May. We wrote in our <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/xdefiant-review">review</a>, "XDefiant joins the free-to-play shooter crowd as a respectable competitive FPS built around various Ubisoft franchises, but little makes it really stand out."</p><p>Despite middling reviews, XDefiant got off to a fast start, pulling in a million unique players within two and a half hours, but its momentum soon dissipated. In October, Rubin acknowledged that players numbers were down while <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/xdefiant-dev-says-we-have-done-very-little-marketing-so-yes-our-numbers-are-down-denies-support-could-end-after-season-4-if-player-count-doesnt-improve">denying persistent shutdown rumors</a>.</p><p>XDefiant's impending shutdown adds to <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/disgruntled-ubisoft-investor-calls-on-assassins-creed-maker-to-go-private-as-shares-slump">Ubisoft's woes in 2024</a>, which has included <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/ubisoft-admits-star-wars-outlaws-underperformed">lower-than-expected sales for major releases</a>, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/assassins-creed-shadows-delayed-to-february-2025">delays</a>, and other setbacks. Its share price collapse reportedly has the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/ubisofts-founding-guillemot-family-and-tencent-reportedly-considering-taking-the-company-private-amid-high-profile-flops-and-share-price-collapse">Guillemot family and Tencent considering taking the company private</a>. It's far from the only publisher to struggle in 2024 though as game developers of all sizes have been racked by <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/ive-never-seen-it-this-bad-game-developers-explain-the-huge-layoffs-hitting-riot-epic-and-more">abrupt shutdowns and layoffs</a>.</p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Kat Bailey is IGN's News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.</em></p></section>

The Thing Remastered Release Date Quietly Revealed for Later This Week

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 23:38:28 -0000

Nighdive Studios seems to have quietly announced a The Thing: Remastered release date of December 5, 2024.

<section class="article-page"><p>Nighdive Studios seems to have quietly announced a The Thing: Remastered release date of December 5, 2024.</p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p>It’s a launch plan that will see the survival horror reimagining arriving later this week if the release date promised in a recent <a href="https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2024/11/29/next-week-on-xbox-new-games-for-december-2-to-6/"><u>Xbox Wire post</u></a> is accurate. The post, which was published late last week, specifically covers new Xbox game releases from December 2 through December 6, mentioning titles such as The Thaumaturge, Marvel Rivals, and early access for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Considering Nightdive has yet to announce a proper date and its <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/2958970/The_Thing_Remastered/"><u>official Steam page</u></a> still says launch is simply “coming soon,” The Thing: Remastered’s inclusion should raise some eyebrows.</p><section data-transform="image-with-caption" data-image-url="https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2024/12/03/the-thing-remastered-1733268560184.png" data-image-title="undefined" data-image-class="article-image-full-size" data-image-link="https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2024/12/03/the-thing-remastered-1733268560184.png" data-caption="The%20Thing%3A%20Remastered%20appears%20to%20have%20a%20release%20date%20of%20December%205%2C%202024." /></section><p>Nightdive <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/the-thing-remastered-is-the-next-revival-from-nightdive-studios-ign-live-2024"><u>announced its latest remaster</u></a> at IGN Live in June of this year, promising to deliver a bone-chilling upgrade for the classic 2002 adaptation before 2024 came to a close. <a href="https://x.com/NightdiveStudio/status/1864064101829554268"><u>A post</u></a> from the studio’s X/Twitter account promised that the release date is in December earlier today but did not clarify whether the December 5 date shown in the Xbox Wire post is accurate. If it is, then we shouldn’t have to wait much longer before the full experience is available for everyone to play for themselves. In addition to Xbox One and Xbox Series X | S, The Thing: Remastered is currently set to come to PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.</p><p>Nightdive has made a name for itself as an experienced remaster studio throughout the last few years. Other titles in its catalog include remasters for the Turok trilogy, Star Wars: Dark Forces, System Shock, Shadow Man, and more. The Thing: Remastered promises a suite of additions to help bring the original experience to modern platforms. These include dynamic lighting, up to 144fps, 4K resolution, antialiasing, and other general gameplay improvements.</p><section data-transform="ignvideo" data-slug="the-thing-remastered-official-gameplay-trailer-the-indie-horror-showcase-2024" data-loop=""></section><p>While we wait for Nightdive to share more about its plans for The Thing: Remastered, you can read about <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/nightdives-next-updated-retro-video-game-is-not-one-youd-expect"><u>PO’ed: Definitive Edition</u></a>, another one of its projects that launched earlier this year. You can also read up on <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/not-every-journey-is-the-same-why-remakes-and-remasters-are-great-for-gamers"><u>why we think remakes and remasters are great for gamers</u></a>, and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/10-konami-games-that-need-remakes"><u>the top 10 Konami games we think deserve a fresh coat of paint</u></a>.</p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.</em></p><p><em>Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.</em></p></section>

Microsoft Announces Xbox Game Pass December 2024

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 17:45:58 -0000

Microsoft has announced the games coming to Xbox Game Pass in December 2024, headlined by Indiana Jones and the Great Circle but also including the likes of Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled.

<section class="article-page"><p>Microsoft has announced the games coming to Xbox Game Pass in December 2024, headlined by Indiana Jones and the Great Circle but also including the likes of Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled.</p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p>Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the highly anticipated release from Wolfenstein developer MachineGames and is Indy's first proper foray into the video game space. Players are tasked with uncovering one of history's greatest mysteries in the first person single player adventure, and arrives as a day one title on December 9.</p><p>"Generations of gamers both new and old should care [about this game]," <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle-the-final-preview">IGN said in our preview</a>. "Because as good as the studio’s recent Wolfenstein reboots were, The Great Circle might be even better."</p><p>Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled is something quite different as a colorful kart racer akin to Mario Kart. "Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled’s difficulty, memorable track design, and addictive power-slide mechanic make it a kart racer worth playing but it's not without its frustrations," <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/06/21/crash-team-racing-nitro-fueled-review">IGN said in our 8/10 review</a>.</p><aside><h2>Xbox Game Pass December 2024 Wave 1 Lineup</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/games/crash-team-racing-nitro-fueled">Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled</a> (Ultimate, Standard, Core) - December 4</li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/games/dayz-stand-alone">DayZ</a> (Now with Core) - December 4</li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/games/goat-simulator">Goat Simulator</a> (Now with Core) - December 4</li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/games/forza-motorsport">Forza Motorsport</a> (Now with Standard) - December 4</li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/games/hauntii">Hauntii</a> (Now with Standard) - December 4</li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/games/humanity">Humanity</a> (Now with Standard) December 4</li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/games/ea-sports-wrc">EA Sports WRC</a> (Ultimate, PC) - December 5</li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/games/overthrown">Overthrown</a> (Ultimate, PC) - December 5</li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/games/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle/articles">Indiana Jones and the Great Circle</a> (Ultimate, PC) - December 9</li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/games/wildfrost/articles">Wildfrost</a> (Ultimate, PC) - December 10</li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/carrion-review">Carrion</a> (Ultimate, PC, Standard) - January 2</li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/games/road-96">Road 96</a> (Ultimate, PC, Stnadard) - January 7</li></ul></aside><p>Also on the racing front, EA Sports WRC is available December 5 and brings its rally championship action to Game Pass subscribers. It didn't review as well as previous entries, however. "EA Sports WRC feels like a great racing game trying to fight its way out of an unfinished one," <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/ea-sports-wrc-review">we said in our 6/10 review</a>.</p><p>Overthrown arrives the same day. "Lift and throw anything as you build and manage your kingdom in this chaotic city builder for one to six players," the synopsis reads. "Harness the power of your soul-stealing crown to defend your citizens from bandits and mutants, farm the land, and gather resources."</p><p>Aptly arrived in the midst of winter, Wildfrost is a tactical roguelike deckbuilder set in the town of Snowdell. The sun has frozen over and its survivors stand as the last bastion against an eternal winter.</p><p>Flipping the traditional hero saves the day narrative on its head is the next entry, the side scrolling action game Carrion. "Carrion nails the power fantasy of being a horror movie monster, but makes exploration a chore that pads the adventure," <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/carrion-review">IGN said in our 7/10 review</a>.</p><section data-transform="poll" data-id="0b40c5bb-ab54-48fe-91a7-fbc317242ae1"></section><p>Finally, wrapping up the month is Road 96, the wild and wacky procedurally generated game about taking a road trip. "Road 96 is a fascinating and frequently tense adventure that manages to keep its story on track despite the odd bump in the road," <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/road-96-review">IGN said in our 8/10 review</a>.</p><p>Those not subscribed to Ultimate can look forward to some new titles too, as Xbox Game Pass Standard is getting the likes of Forza Motorsport and Humanity while Xbox Game Pass core is getting DayZ and Goat Simulator.</p><p><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/rise-of-the-tomb-raider-the-quarry-and-more-leaving-xbox-game-pass-in-december-2024">A handful of games are leaving Xbox Game Pass this month too,</a> though those looking to continue playing afterwards can save 20% on their full price by purchasing them while they're still available on the subscription service.</p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.</em></p></section>

Rise of the Tomb Raider, The Quarry, and More Leaving Xbox Game Pass in December 2024

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 16:11:15 -0000

Microsoft has revealed the games leaving Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass in December 2024, with titles such as Rise of the Tomb Raider and The Quarry both leaving.

<section class="article-page"><p>Microsoft has revealed the games leaving Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass in December 2024, with titles such as Rise of the Tomb Raider and The Quarry both leaving.</p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p>The Xbox Game Pass <a href="https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/xbox-game-pass/games">website</a> has been updated to reveal a total of 7 games are leaving the service. Forza Horizon 4 is also leaving, though <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/forza-horizon-4-will-be-delisted-from-digital-stores-in-december">this was announced alongside a complete delisting in June</a>.</p><p>Those looking to continue playing the departing games, with the exception of Forza Horizon 4, can buy them outright for 20% off their full price until their delisting date in the next two weeks.</p><section data-transform="slideshow" data-slug="the-best-games-to-play-on-xbox-series-xs" data-value="the-best-games-to-play-on-xbox-series-xs" data-type="slug" data-caption=""></section><h3>All Games Leaving Xbox Game Pass in December 2024</h3><ul><li>Amnesia: The Bunker</li><li>Forager</li><li>Forza Horizon 4</li><li>The Quarry</li><li>Tin Hearts</li><li>Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan</li><li>Rise of the Tomb Raider</li></ul><h3>All Games Leaving PC Game Pass in December 2024</h3><ul><li>Amnesia: The Bunker</li><li>Forager</li><li>Forza Horizon 4</li><li>Tin Hearts</li><li>Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan</li><li>Rise of the Tomb Raider</li></ul><p>Forza Horizon 4 is perhaps the most beloved game leaving the service and digital stores, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/forza-horizon-4-review">as it earned a 9/10 in IGN's review</a>. Developer Playground Games revealed its delisting comes as a result of "licensing and agreements with our partners."</p><p>Rise of the Tomb Raider, meanwhile, is the middle chapter in the modern Tomb Raider series. Rise of the Tomb Raider takes its predecessor's winning formula and improves on it in every way," <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/rise-of-the-tomb-raider-review">IGN said in another 9/10 review</a>.</p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Correction: A previous version of this post incorrectly asserted that 13 games were leaving Game Pass, and that Rise of the Tomb Raider was the final chapter of the modern series.</em></p><p><em>Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.</em></p></section>

Delta Force Review in Progress

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 15:00:00 -0000

So far this is a competent free-to-play shooter that can cater to a few different FPS tastes.

<section class="article-page"><p>“First-person shooter” is a broad term. It can mean everything from a monster-filled horror game like <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/10/25/fear-review-2">F.E.A.R.</a>, to a sci-fi adventure like <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/metroid-prime-remastered-review">Metroid Prime</a>, to a demon-eviscerating romp like <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/doom-eternal-final-review">Doom</a>. Even narrowing it down to a label like “military FPS” still puts the linear campaign of <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-campaign-review">Call of Duty</a>, the enormous PvP clashes of <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/battlefield-2042-review">Battlefield</a>, and the white knuckle extractions of <a href="https://www.ign.com/games/escape-from-tarkov">Escape from Tarkov</a> under a single umbrella. Delta Force, the latest entry in a now 26-year-old shooter series, is probably best defined as a bit of each of those last three – with a dedicated large-scale PvP mode, a separate extraction shooter mode, and an (as yet unreleased) campaign, it sits somewhat awkwardly at the center of a that Venn diagram. It is still too early to render a final verdict, but my initial hours playing ahead of launch have already left me intrigued enough that I’m looking forward to my next deployment on the live servers later this week. </p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p>Because this release is technically the start of an indefinite “open beta” (which, for a free-to-play game, really just means it’s out), only two of the three main modes are currently available, with the campaign planned as paid DLC somewhere down the line. Of the two that are here now, the Warfare mode is Delta Force’s answer to the big team combat of Battlefield. 64 players duke it out for supremacy across one of a handful of massive, sprawling arenas. The matches I played in the early review period were focused on the Attack and Defend option within Warfare, though King of the Hill and some other time-based modes are apparently going to be available at launch. </p><section data-transform="slideshow" data-slug="delta-force-hawk-ops-june-2024-screenshots" data-value="delta-force-hawk-ops-june-2024-screenshots" data-type="slug" data-caption=""></section><p>Attack and Defend puts one team on offense, tasked with capturing some strategic points before running out of a finite number of respawns, while the other team defends those areas with limitless lives. If the offense succeeds, they refill their respawns and the cycle begins anew on another part of the map until all of the field is seized or the defense stops them in their tracks. It’s a good setup; initially, the offense has the advantage thanks to favorable terrain and an abundance of vehicles, but things even out as the match progresses and the defense retreats toward their home base. This means each side typically gets to spend some time as both the figurative hammer and the nail. </p><p>The battles certainly do feel big, which is a good thing. Fast respawns mean both teams are dense with soldiers. Once the bullets and rockets start flying, the chaos and confusion on the battlefield is exciting. It’s particularly fun when you get behind the controls of a vehicle and start running roughshod over the other team. A tank fully loaded with gunners can dominate, but don’t sleep on the impact of a simple machine gun turret on the top of an armored car. </p><section data-transform="quoteBox">Abilities are helpful in battle, but won't outright win a skirmish.</section><p>Thankfully, the times I’ve found myself on the wrong end of that tank barrel I haven’t been totally helpless thanks to the varied operatives you can choose from mid-match. These named characters act as a sort of hybrid between a simple loadout choice and a bespoke hero, which fits the jack-of-all-trades theme persistent throughout Delta Force. If you are being overrun by vehicles, it might be a good idea to spawn with a rocket launcher, or if the fight is taking place in open spaces, it could be time to bust out the trusty sniper rifle. Each character has unique abilities that are helpful in battle too, like Luna’s Detection Arrows that can periodically be fired to reveal enemies, but none are so powerful as to outright win a skirmish, let alone a whole match, for you. </p><p>I just wish the actual action felt better. Bullet arc and trajectory factor heavily into shooting, so leading your targets is essential for firing accurately at a distance. That, combined with a fast time-to-kill, makes for gunplay more in the spirit of a military sim like <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/arma-reforger-review">Arma</a>. That’s all well and good on its own, but feels deeply at odds with the aggressive pace of play that the objective-based Attack and Defend mode drives. Slow bullets at the mercy of gravity that kill you instantly feel a little too airsoft-like for an intense battle over a key chokepoint. </p><section data-transform="ignvideo" data-slug="delta-force-official-pc-open-beta-overview-trailer" data-loop=""></section><h2>Get in, get loot, get out</h2><p>On the other side of things, the Operations mode follows the familiar extraction shooter framework; you and up to two friends can form a three-person squad to enter an area, shoot, loot, and scoot. Whatever you bring back to your base between rounds you can either sell, store, or use in the next attempt, and whatever is on you if you die or don’t escape in time is lost for good. It’s a tried-and-true formula that Delta Force follows to the letter, but the high quality of its execution makes up for that unoriginality. q</p><p>Each level is an open sandbox that is dense with potential objectives. Maps easily highlight points of interest for things like bounty targets, safes to plunder, and intel to decode. That might seem like a small detail to praise, but in a genre dominated by games like Escape from Tarkov that are designed to be intentionally opaque, making important information accessible is a nice differentiator. I like being able to just drop a waypoint and know what I’m in for when I get there without having to memorize the maps. </p><section data-transform="quoteBox">So far I’m a fan of the enemy variety in the Operations mode.</section><p>Once you pick your destination, you’ll need to shoot your way through squads of AI soldiers, and occasionally human-controlled enemies. You never know who’s around, or in what numbers, so every enemy encounter starts with some fast risk assessment: do you take the shot and risk letting everyone know where you are, or do you sneak by for the stealthy approach, leaving a potential threat on the field? Making quick decisions with limited information does a good job of keeping the action strategic and interesting. That’s particularly true if you see other people, as they are certainly more dangerous than the bots, but could be loot-rich targets worth taking on. </p><p>So far I’m a fan of the enemy variety. My squad has taken down roving bands of riflemen, ducked into buildings to avoid sniper fire, and executed on-the-fly flanking maneuvers to get around riot shields. One memorable moment saw my team pinned down by a massive armored baddie blasting at us with a minigun as we lobbed grenades from behind cover. Another time, a member of our trio was cracking a safe while the other squadmate and I provided cover, and I almost jumped out of my chair when a giant alligator came around the corner and tried to put a stop to our fun. </p><section data-transform="poll" data-id="0748632a-abc1-419f-b419-637522ccdb6c"></section><p>My primary worry about Operations at this point is the loop loot. There are all sorts of containers everywhere, like file cabinets, coat pockets, fallen enemies, etc. – but after just a few hours with the mode, I rarely bother to check them anymore now that I have a good idea of where to go for the actual high-ticket items. I’m hopeful there won’t be a point where the maps feel “solved” anytime soon, but they are already feeling less dynamic with each run. </p><p>The time between them is spent at the Black Site, which functions as your home base. This is where you buy, sell, and make upgrades, particularly to the amount of storage space in your stash. It’s also where you manage the well-built loadouts option. This lets you save a few different kits you can take into battle and rebuild them with just a few clicks. Pieces will be pulled from your inventory first, and then automatically purchased from the store as needed. It’s a fast and slick way to get back in the action, which helps take the sting out of a failed extraction. </p><p>Of course, these are all still just my initial impressions - it takes time to get a comprehensive feel for how well a PvP mode like Warfare is working, and there are still a few Operations I haven’t explored, so I’m not quite ready to give a final verdict until I’ve played on the live servers. However, I can say that the extraction mode is a lot of fun in the early going, and I enjoy the scale of Delta Force’s PvP encounters even if I’m not yet sold that this style of gunplay is the right match for that action. It’s at least clear this is a competent free-to-play shooter that can cater to a few different FPS tastes, but it remains to be seen if it has the staying power to keep my interest once the initial novelty wears off. </p></section>

Pokémon TCG Pocket Estimated to Have Crossed $200 Million Mark, Already Outperforming Pokémon Sleep and Unite

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 13:35:32 -0000

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is estimated to have generated more than $200 million in revenue in its first month, already overtaking Pokémon Sleep and Pokémon Unite.

<section class="article-page"><p>Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is estimated to have generated more than $200 million in revenue in its first month, already overtaking Pokémon Sleep and Pokémon Unite.</p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p><a href="https://www.pocketgamer.biz/pokmon-trading-card-game-pocket-skyrockets-to-200m-in-first-month/">PocketGamer.biz</a> cited figures from <a href="https://appmagic.rocks/">AppMagic</a> that estimated the digital card game hit $208 million November 29th, just a month after it launched on October 30. Pokémon TCG Pocket is free to play but allows players to buy extra booster packs, cosmetics, and a monthly pass that awards one extra pack a day.</p><p>The app launched to immediate success, with AppMagic estimating <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/its-early-days-but-pokmon-trading-card-game-pocket-already-looks-like-a-smash-hit">it was making $3 million a day after hitting $12 million after four</a>. That number has only grown, however, as daily spend is now estimated to average $6.5 million.</p><section data-transform="slideshow" data-slug="every-alternate-art-secret-card-in-pokmon-tcg-pocket-genetic-apex" data-value="every-alternate-art-secret-card-in-pokmon-tcg-pocket-genetic-apex" data-type="slug" data-caption=""></section><p>Its best day so far coincided with the release of the Mass Outbreak event, when spending rose to $8.4 million. This comes despite, ironically, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/pokmon-tcg-pocket-is-doing-a-fire-type-event-but-its-not-exactly-setting-the-community-ablaze">many players in the community finding this event to be underwhelming</a>.</p><p>Pokémon TCG Pocket follows the standard mobile and free to play game model, flooding players with rewards in the opening few days before soon drying up, with spending real world money the only real way to re-experience that early thrill.</p><p>It tasks players with opening booster packs to complete a collection of cards and build decks to battle, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/pokemon-tcg-pocket-players-have-made-their-own-battle-format-that-bans-ex-monsters">though the latter of these is fairly barebones at the moment</a> with only the collecting aspect fully realised. Pokémon TCG Pocket offers players just two packs a day without spending money, however.</p><section data-transform="poll" data-id="f2c9cd68-dde3-41af-b831-5cd3599a5699"></section><p>Completing Genetic Apex, the first set of cards which totals 226 officially but also contains 60 rare alternate art, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/it-takes-almost-2-years-to-complete-just-the-first-pokmon-tcg-pocket-set-unless-you-spend-money">will take players not spending money around two years according to one estimate</a>, while <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/pokmon-tcg-pocket-player-reveals-exactly-how-long-it-takes-to-complete-the-first-set-after-spending-1500">those looking to make it rain can wrap up the collection after dropping around $1,500</a>.</p><p>Getting every card in the game is already impossible without spending money, however, as an additional set of promo cards is also available and so far includes two which can only be obtained through the $9.99 a month Premium Pass.</p><p><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/pokmon-tcg-pocket-is-getting-more-booster-packs-before-2025">Developer Creatures Inc. is looking to release another smaller card set in Decembe</a><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/pokmon-tcg-pocket-is-getting-more-booster-packs-before-2025">r</a>, while its next big drop of the official set two is expected in January.</p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.</em></p></section>

Elden Ring 2 Not Being Considered at FromSoftware, Hidetaka Miyazaki Says

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 13:02:46 -0000

Elden Ring director and FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki has said the developer is not currently considering making Elden Ring 2 but won't shut down the possibility in the future.

<section class="article-page"><p>Elden Ring director and FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki has said the developer is not currently considering making Elden Ring 2 but won't shut down the possibility in the future.</p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p>Miyazaki said at the PlayStation Partner Awards 2024 Japan Asia, attended by <a href="https://jp.ign.com/elden-ring/77553/news/elden-ring">IGN Japan</a> and translated by <a href="https://automaton-media.com/en/news/fromsoftware-has-no-plans-for-elden-ring-2-but-they-have-several-new-titles-in-the-works-according-to-miyazaki/">Automaton</a>, that FromSoftware has several projects in the works but none are continuations of Elden Ring, its most successful game to date.</p><p>"We’re not really considering developments such as an Elden Ring 2," Miyazaki said, though made clear FromSoftware is open to returning to the Elden Ring franchise "in some form in the future." The projects in development are works in progress at the moment but diverse in genre, with some directed by Miyazaki himself, he said.</p><section data-transform="slideshow" data-slug="every-ign-fromsoftware-game-review" data-value="every-ign-fromsoftware-game-review" data-type="slug" data-caption=""></section><p>FromSoftware has a varied history in game development but has become known for <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/why-fromsoftware-is-still-king-of-the-soulslike">defining the Souls genre over the last 15 years</a>. These games have varied in theme somewhat though are all role-playing games with a similar format of, at their most simple, progressing through an area before taking on a challenging boss.</p><p><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/armored-core-6-fires-of-rubicon-review">The giant mech battling Armored Core series</a> is also developed by FromSoftware though, and outliers to the traditional dark fantasy themes of its Souls games include the gothic horror entry <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/03/24/bloodborne-review">Bloodborne</a> and Japanese mythology-set <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/03/21/sekiro-shadows-die-twice-review">Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice</a>.</p><p>None of the incoming projects have been revealed by FromSoftware as of yet, though one of them is almost certainly the next signature Souls game akin to Elden Ring. Many fans are hoping for a return to the Dark Souls franchise, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/04/04/dark-souls-3-review">which has been dormant for close to a decade</a>, while others are desperate for a Bloodborne sequel (<a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/bloodborne-fans-freak-out-again-as-playstation-anniversary-trailer-ends-on-bloodborne-and-the-phrase-its-about-persistence">and think an announcement is imminent</a>).</p><p>Elden Ring would have been the most obvious choice for a continuation, not just because its FromSoftware's best received game so far but, perhaps more significantly, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/elden-ring-reaches-25-million-units-sold-ahead-of-shadow-of-the-erdtree">it sold a staggering 25 million units</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/elden-ring-review">In our 10/10 review</a>, IGN said: "Elden Ring is a massive iteration on what FromSoftware began with the Souls series, bringing its relentlessly challenging combat to an incredible open world that gives us the freedom to choose our own path."</p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.</em></p></section>

Infinity Nikki Preload and Global Release Times on PlayStation 5, PC, iOS, and Android

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 11:55:34 -0000

Developer Infold Games has revealed the preload and global release times for Infinity Nikki, the open-world dress up role-playing game from former The Legend of Zelda director Kentaro Tominaga coming to PlayStation 5, PC via the Epic Games Store, iOS, and Android.

<section class="article-page"><p>Developer Infold Games has revealed the preload and global release times for Infinity Nikki, the open-world dress up role-playing game from former The Legend of Zelda director Kentaro Tominaga coming to PlayStation 5, PC via the Epic Games Store, iOS, and Android.</p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p>The highly anticipated sequel, which logged more than 35 million pre-registrations in its lead up to launch, is now available to preload, meaning players can download it ahead of time to begin playing <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/infinity-nikki-release-date-set-for-december">the moment becomes available on December 5</a>, or even December 4 in some locations.</p><p>Infold Games released a story trailer to celebrate this preload availability, which can be watched below, and also announced some bonuses players who pick up Infinity Nikki at launch can enjoy in the game.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Infinity Nikki: Official Release Trailer - About Wishes💫<br><br>🔹Pre-download on the official website:<br>➤ <a href="https://t.co/FH0jih3d0E">https://t.co/FH0jih3d0E</a><br><br>This journey, designated "INFINITY", marks both a new beginning and a long-awaited reunion. We look forward to seeing all of you stylists in Miraland!… <a href="https://t.co/Y2imNAm4oQ">pic.twitter.com/Y2imNAm4oQ</a></p>— Infinity Nikki (@InfinityNikkiEN) <a href="https://twitter.com/InfinityNikkiEN/status/1863796709215928496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <h2>Infinity Nikki Global Release Times</h2><ul><li>Los Angeles - 6pm on December 4</li><li>New York - 9pm on December 4</li><li>Rio De Janeiro - 10pm on December 4</li><li>London - 2am on December 5</li><li>Amsterdam - 3am on December 5</li><li>Cape Town - 4am on December 5</li><li>Kuala Lumpur - 10am on December 5</li><li>Tokyo - 11am on December 5</li><li>Sydney - 12noon on December 5</li></ul><p>"With over 35 million pre-registrations, and even more players signing up today, Infinity Nikki and the development team are incredibly excited to welcome players with open arms to the breathtaking world of Miraland," Infold Games said of the imminent release.</p><p>Bonus items include a special stylist background, a camera pose, two 4-star outfits, and enough crystals to fuel up to 126 total pulls across the limited and permanent banners. These come alongside a handful of rewards made available for hitting so many pre-registrations, including 50,000 Blings, 300 Threads of Purity, 20 Resonite Crystals, and a 4-star outfit.</p><p><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/infinity-nikki-the-first-hands-on-preview">IGN's preview of Infinity Nikki certainly had positive things to say</a>. "We never knew dressing up could be so much fun," we said. "Our time with Infinity Nikki left us eager to try on the finished game when it eventually arrives."</p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.</em></p></section>

Stalker 2 Dev GSC Game World Explains for the First Time What Went Wrong With A-Life 2.0, and Why It Was Removed From the Game’s Description on Steam

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 11:13:20 -0000

Stalker 2 developer GSC Game World explains for the first time what went wrong with A-Life 2.0, and why it was removed from the game’s description on Steam.

<section class="article-page"><p>GSC Game World creative director Maria Grygorovych shows me a message on her phone. It’s proof, she says, that she’s telling me the truth about Stalker 2’s A-Life 2.0 system. The message is about why mention of A-Life 2.0 was pulled from Stalker 2’s Steam page and replaced with a generic description about the way AI works in the game. It turns out that Maria found out the description had changed when she saw players complaining about it on Reddit.</p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p>Stalker 2 launched late last month to <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/stalker-2-launches-big-on-steam-as-dev-promises-fixes-for-rough-edges">a positive reception on Steam</a> and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/stalker-2-heart-of-chornobyl-has-already-sold-1-million-copies-with-many-more-playing-on-xbox-game-pass">one million sales</a>. It’s a success for the Ukrainian studio, a miracle, really, considering the harrowing circumstances that followed Russian’s full-scale invasion of the country in 2022. Stalker 2 suffers from well-documented bugs; <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/stalker-2s-first-big-patch-has-dropped-and-it-makes-over-650-fixes">GSC knows this and is working as hard as it can to fix them</a>. But it’s A-Life 2.0 — or its apparent absence — that has gained the most attention from fans.</p><p>A-Life was a key feature of the first Stalker game that governed AI behavior across the game world. At a high level, it is a system for simulating life in the Zone that works its magic seemingly independently of the player’s actions or whereabouts. It helps to create convincing AI and the emergent gameplay Stalker is famous for.</p><section data-transform="ignvideo" data-slug="stalker-2-19-things-it-doesnt-tell-you" data-loop=""></section><p>GSC had said A-Life 2.0 would make the Zone feel alive as never before, that it would fuel emergent gameplay on a scale previously thought impossible. Indeed for some fans, A-Life 2.0 was Stalker 2’s biggest selling point. Unfortunately, now Stalker 2 is out in the wild, A-Life 2.0 hasn’t quite lived up to that billing.</p><p>In fact, it feels as if A-Life 2.0 isn’t even in the game. Players have found little evidence to suggest anything approaching a life simulation is in operation at any scale, with NPCs and enemies spawning around the player and sometimes in obvious ways. This, players have said, lends Stalker 2 a more scripted feel than its predecessor, with emergent gameplay sorely lacking.</p><p>So, what happened? GSC CEO Ievgen Grygorovych and creative director Maria Grygorovych offer an explanation during our interview, which takes place at BAFTA in Piccadilly, London following a screening of <a href="https://youtu.be/28CITqxwNz0?feature=shared">War Game: The Making of Stalker 2</a>. The 90-minute documentary, which includes interviews with GSC’s Ukrainian staff as they contend with the invasion, reveals the remarkable circumstances surrounding the extremely difficult development of Stalker 2.</p><p>It’s with this in mind that Ievgen and Maria explain what went wrong with A-Life 2.0, revealing for the first time how the studio's battle to optimize the performance of Stalker 2 in the months before release caused the feature to break down. A-Life 2.0 is in Stalker 2, the pair insist, it’s just bugged. Massively bugged.</p><section data-transform="image-with-caption" data-image-url="https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2024/12/03/20241202-202049-1733223547947.jpg" data-image-title="null" data-image-class="article-image-full-size" data-image-link="https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2024/12/03/20241202-202049-1733223547947.jpg" data-caption="Ievgen%20and%20Maria%20Grygorovych%2C%20far%20right%2C%20discuss%20the%20making%20of%20Stalker%202%20at%20BAFTA%20195%20Piccadilly.%20Photo%20by%20IGN." /></section><p>Ievgen offers a technical explanation of what happened. In short, optimization issues ahead of launch forced GSC to shrink the area around the player in which A-Life 2.0 works. It is supposed to extend much farther in virtual distance terms than it currently does, but to get Stalker 2 into a decent place performance wise across PC and Xbox Series X and S, the developers had to reduce this distance. Then came the bugs on top.</p><p>“This system to work properly requires a much larger area for spawn NPCs, and it requires much more memory resources," Ievgen says in English, which isn't his first language. "We were fighting with optimization. To optimize, you have a lot of things that need your resources, and you try to cut things from different directions to properly optimize the game well.</p><p>“But to make it work we had to optimize some things, and they make A-Life work in many situations not as it should. Also, we created some bugs not long ago before release with NPCs spawning in the air and dropping back to the bottom. They should actually spawn in the terrain. Why it happened, I don’t know! And also we had some bugs with AI behavior.</p><p>“So, all these things connected make it look like it's very broken and not working. But we are now continuing working on the optimization part to bring more resources for the A-Life system, to increase the range where A-Life is actually visualized.</p><p>“There are NPCs outside of the range of the player and they are in offline mode. And when the player reaches some distance, they are going to online mode and they pop back up. The distance is dictated by our optimization range, where we stream the real world and not real world with all the collisions. It was tough work, and because of these optimization problems and bugs, it's become broken.”</p><p>OK, so now we know what went wrong with A-Life 2.0. The question is, can GSC fix it? Or, can it get A-Life 2.0 into a place where it realizes the developer’s ambition and makes good on that initial promise? Absolutely, Ievgen and Maria insist. In fact that’s exactly what the developer is working on now.</p><p>“For now we committed to players to make it work and it can be done from directions both optimizing, giving more resources to A-Life, fixing bugs, making it work properly, and then putting more efforts to make it more advanced,” Ievgen says.</p><p>All this brings us nicely back to A-Life 2.0’s mysterious disappearance from Stalker 2’s Steam page upon the game’s release. Its original description, which mentioned A-Life 2.0 by name alongside promises about how game-changing it would be, was removed and replaced by another description that fails to mention A-Life 2.0 at all. "Advanced artificial intelligence systems that will keep engaged even the most hard-boiled players,” it now reads. That’s not particularly exciting to fans, who are at best worried about the future of A-Life 2.0, at worst accusing GSC of misleading them.</p><section data-transform="quoteBox">He did that without any discussion or permission. He didn’t ask, ‘Do we have some bugs with A-Life or something?’ Because we had.</section><p>Maria tells me someone on GSC’s marketing team took it upon themselves to change the A-Life 2.0 description to make it easier to understand. The thinking, apparently, was that Stalker newcomers wouldn't have a clue what A-Life meant and might dismiss it. But this marketing person didn’t run the change by Maria first before pushing it live.</p><p>“He told me there will be a lot of new players who don’t know what A-Life is,” Maria says. “They need to understand what we’re talking about in this description. So I will try to change it to a more understandable form. He did that without any discussion or permission. He didn’t ask, ‘Do we have some bugs with A-Life or something?’ Because we had. We knew that. It’s a really huge and difficult system. But, when he did that before release, it was a surprise for me, because I noticed it because of Reddit. We did the Steam page in 2021. So for me, I was shocked, honestly.”</p><p>Maria admits her explanation of events might sound unconvincing or suspicious, and suggests I probably don’t believe a word she’s saying. “People think it looks like it’s connected to us releasing the game with broken A-Life,” she says. “But it’s not. Even now, I’m talking about it to you, and you’re thinking, 'Hmm, yeah, yeah, it was some guy in the marketing team.' I understand it sounds suspicious!”</p><p>So she pulls out her phone and scrolls for a bit before showing me a screenshot of the inter-company message proving she was telling the truth about this marketing person changing the Steam page without her knowledge. I tell her I believed her anyway, but she insists on showing me her phone screen and yep, it’s there, in black and white.</p><p>So, will GSC put that A-Life 2.0 description back on Stalker 2’s Steam page? Not until the feature itself is fixed, Maria insists. But there’s no timeframe for that, and it’s hard to push for one given half the development team is still working in Ukraine and faces week-long power cuts that blanket the country in darkness and cut off internet access.</p><p>"We have a relationship with our players and players wanted to see something," Maria says. "We have to do it for them."</p><p>To help you survive in the Zone, we've got a list of <a href="https://www.ign.com/wikis/stalker-2/Essential_Tips_and_Tricks">Essential Stalker 2 Tips and Tricks</a>, plus a guide on <a href="https://www.ign.com/wikis/stalker-2/Things_to_Do_First_in_Stalker_2">Things to Do First in Stalker 2</a> to help you through the early game, and <a href="https://www.ign.com/wikis/stalker-2/Things_Stalker_2_Doesn%27t_Tell_You">Things Stalker 2 Doesn't Tell You</a> - everything we wish we knew before we started playing. Save time scouring the wasteland with our <a href="https://www.ign.com/wikis/stalker-2/Artifacts_List_and_Locations">Artifacts checklist and locations guide</a>, and every <a href="https://www.ign.com/wikis/stalker-2/Stash_Locations_and_Rewards">Stash location</a> we've found so far.</p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.</em></p></section>

EA’s New College Football 25 is Only $29.99 on Amazon for Cyber Monday

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 06:16:00 -0000

College Football 25 is 57% off for Cyber Monday on Amazon. This is the best price we've ever seen.

<section class="article-page"><p>The return of college football to the gaming space is a cause for celebration for many. From the ability to represent their alma mater or just engage with the incredible energy present in collegiate sports, there is a lot to like. College Football 25 arrived July 16 earlier this year as the highly anticipated return of the beloved sports series. It became a smash hit, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/college-football-25-is-off-to-a-strong-start-ahead-of-its-official-release">pulling in as many as 700,000 players in its first day of early access</a> and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/22-million-people-were-willing-to-pay-100-to-play-college-football-25-3-days-early">a staggering 2.2 million by the end</a>.</p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p>If you haven’t played EA Sports College Football 25 yet, you are in luck. Right now you can grab the <a href="https://zdcs.link/9lwGLN">game for just $29.99</a>. Will this deal last past Dec 2 (Cyber Monday)? We're honestly not sure. Amazon may surprise us all, while Best Buy has a countdown clock to bring on the urgency. </p><h3>Get EA College Football 25 for $29.99</h3><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="caec7935-3e84-4df7-9b38-7cb5f92487f0" data-id="211599"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="caec7935-3e84-4df7-9b38-7cb5f92487f0" data-id="211599" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p></p></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="caec7935-3e84-4df7-9b38-7cb5f92487f0" data-id="211600"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="caec7935-3e84-4df7-9b38-7cb5f92487f0" data-id="211600" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p></p><p>College Football 25 had big updates in August 2024, including several improvements to overall gameplay and the Dynasty and Ultimate Team modes. There are new formations to teams' playbooks, switch stick delay settings, and fixes for bugs such as defenders slipping through double teams without the right animation.</p><aside><p>In Will Borger's EA <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/college-football-25-review">College Football 25 review</a>, he said: "I find myself thinking a lot about that guy I overheard who is buying a $500 console just to play College Football 25. I wonder if he, as someone who doesn’t play a lot of video games, is having fun – because despite the NCAA’s wider appeal, it feels like anyone who doesn’t already know how to play EA’s football games is likely to have a bad time. If you know and love college football and just want to pop into Dynasty, build up your favorite school, and play some football that looks good and handles well, College Football 25 is the game you’re looking for. If you’re expecting a great off-the-field experience at your program of choice, however, you’re going to be disappointed. </p><section data-transform="ignvideo" data-slug="college-football-25-video-review" data-loop=""></section><p>Sure, maybe EA will fix the UI issues, add a proper tutorial, and flesh out the modes a bit more in next year’s iteration; we tell ourselves that a lot in sports (and sports games) to comfort us when we’re let down. “We’ll get ‘em next year.” But promises of tomorrow aren’t certain, and they’re not what you’re buying when you get College Football 25. It isn’t a bad game, and it certainly gets the on-field action right, but it’s not a great one, either. Like any good-but-not-great football team, there’s a solid foundation here; you just hope it can reach its full potential somewhere down the line. We’ll get ‘em next year, right?"</p></aside><h3>Amazon Cyber Monday Video Game Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="a65b745d-a927-4222-a0e6-74150d923461" data-items="[211643,211300,211293,211295,211348,211426,211308,211309,211306,211310,211311,211349,211354,211425,211653,211655]" data-show-pricing="false" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><p></p><p>If you want to convince a friend to grab a PlayStation 5 to play with you, tell them to<a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/ps5-playstation-console-deals-black-friday-2024"> <u>grab this deal on a PS5 now</u></a>, and if you’ve been looking to try out VR on PlayStation, the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-vr-2-black-friday-2024"><u>PSVR 2 Horizon: Call of the Mountain bundle is a whopping $250 off</u></a>. The PS Vita may have died, but the PC handheld space is booming, so grab some <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-black-friday-gaming-handheld-deals-asus-rog-ally-lenovo-legion-go-steam-deck"><u>great deals on PC handhelds</u></a>, and be sure to visit our hefty hub of<a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-amazon-deals-black-friday-2024"> <u>Amazon deals still available</u></a>. </p><p>It’s not just Amazon, either. No outlet is safe from our deal-seeking eyes, so check out our retailer lists of the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-walmart-early-black-friday-deals-2024"><u>best Walmart deals</u></a>, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/target-black-friday-sale-2024-what-deals-to-expect"><u>Target sales</u></a>, and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-best-buy-deals-black-friday-2024"><u>Best Buy deals</u></a>, too. We’ve also been tracking tons of other <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-ps5-black-friday-sale-2024"><u>PlayStation Cyber Monday deals</u></a>, so take a peek before they expire.</p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Brian Barnett writes reviews, guides, features, & more for IGN, GameSpot, & Kotaku. You can get more than your fair share of him on</em><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/brianbarnett.bsky.social"><em> </em><u><em>Bluesky</em></u></a><em> &</em><a href="https://backloggd.com/u/Ribnax/"><em> </em><u><em>Backloggd</em></u></a><em>, & enjoy his absurd video game talk show, The Platformers, on</em><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0dXicTp3p0hctLTokAZrmw"><em> </em><u><em>Spotify</em></u></a><em> &</em><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-platformers-podcast/id1143324746"><u><em> Apple Podcasts</em></u></a><em>.</em></p></section></section>

Get Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for $24.99 Right Now on Amazon

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 05:58:34 -0000

Get this year's excellent RPG Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth on sale for the all-time low price of $24.99 for Cyber Monday.

<section class="article-page"><p>There is one game that all my friends are pestering me to play above all others, and it is Yakuza / Like A Dragon. There is a reason for that, so they say: "It's only one of the best video game franchises ever!" Well, now you <em>and</em> I can grab a copy of <a href="https://zdcs.link/a5bBPL" data-aps-asin="B0CJHD3JZ8">Infinite Wealth, for just $24.99 on Amazon </a>and find out for ourselves. Maybe if I finally play it, they'll stop bugging me about it. (You hear that, Kris?!)</p><h2>Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for $24.99</h2><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="dd6efc97-87e5-483e-b7b1-c8b1aeb535ff" data-id="211515"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="dd6efc97-87e5-483e-b7b1-c8b1aeb535ff" data-id="211515" data-show-pricing="false" data-highlighted="false"></section><ul><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/QWdPVd">Get it for PS4</a></li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/QGVPAq">Get it for XSX</a></li></ul><aside><h3>What We Said In Our Review</h3><p>In the 9/10 <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/like-a-dragon-infinite-wealth-review"><u>Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth review</u></a>, Tristan Ogilvie wrote:<strong> "</strong>Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s overhauled combat system injects some welcome flexibility and flash into every turn, its difficulty curve has been pruned of nasty spikes to remove the need for repetitive grinding we endured in the last turn-based game, and its spectacular Hawaiian setting is crammed with enough enjoyable activities to overload even the most ambitious of holiday itineraries. A compelling, country-hopping crime story kept me on the hook like a freshly lured barracuda for the 50 hours it took to complete, and the vibrant new job classes and unique combat arenas ensured that the fighting continued to feel fresh. Sprawling, enthralling, and packed with dynamic brawling, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth isn’t just the best turn-based Like a Dragon game, it’s one of the greatest games in the entire series."</p></aside><section data-transform="ignvideo" data-slug="like-a-dragon-infinite-wealth-video-review" data-loop=""></section><p>We’re still tracking major outlets, so check out the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-walmart-early-black-friday-deals-2024"><u>best Walmart deals</u></a> and our hub of<a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-amazon-deals-black-friday-2024"> great <u>Amazon deals still available</u></a>. If you've been looking to score a <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-black-friday-gaming-pc-deals-so-far-2024"><u>great gaming PC deal</u></a>, Cyber Monday is one of the best times to shop for them, and we've gathered a ton from AlienWare, HP, and more to help you out. You can also <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/ps5-playstation-console-deals-black-friday-2024"><u>grab a deal on a PS5 now</u></a> if you still need one, or get an <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/xbox-expansion-card-best-buy-black-friday-2024"><u>Xbox Series 1TB expansion card for the lowest price ever, too</u></a>. As Cyber Monday deals come to a close, no deal is guaranteed to last past Dec 2. so be sure (and fast) to check out the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-ps5-black-friday-sale-2024"><u>Best PS5 Game Deals</u></a>.</p><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="c040e874-7082-4125-9656-ccfba2eb97f8" data-items="[211218,211342,211211,211346,211363,211343,211214,211212,211213,211215,211216,211217,211344,211364,211366]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><h3>What Deals Are Still Left?</h3><p>There are still some fantastic deals available on <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/ps5-playstation-console-deals-black-friday-2024">PS5 consoles</a> (including <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-vr-2-black-friday-2024">PSVR2</a>) and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/dualsense-controllers-ps5-black-friday-2024">controllers</a>, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-video-games-black-friday-deals">video games</a> for all platforms, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/apple-airpods-pro-earbuds-early-black-friday-deal-2024-2">AirPods Pro</a>, and tons more. </p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Brian Barnett writes reviews, guides, features, & more for IGN, GameSpot, & Kotaku. You can get more than your fair share of him on </em><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/brianbarnett.bsky.social"><u><em>Bluesky</em></u></a><em> & </em><a href="https://backloggd.com/u/Ribnax/"><u><em>Backloggd</em></u></a><em>, & enjoy his absurd video game talk show, The Platformers, on </em><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0dXicTp3p0hctLTokAZrmw"><u><em>Spotify</em></u></a><em> &</em><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/platformerspod"><em> </em></a><em></em><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-platformers-podcast/id1143324746"><u><em>Apple Podcasts</em></u></a><em>.</em></p></section></section>

Atlus RPG Unicorn Overlord Is Half Price for Cyber Monday on Best Buy

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 05:48:44 -0000

Scoop up the RPG Unicorn Overlord for $29.99 during Cyber Monday right now.

<section class="article-page"><p>In my opinion, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/every-atlus-enhanced-edition-ranked-shin-megami-tensei-5-vengeance">Atlus creates and publishes</a> some of the most reliably enjoyable RPGs in gaming, well worth my money. And since we're talking about money, Cyber Monday sees one of Atlus' latest outings, Unicorn Overlord, down to just half price. In one of my <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-video-games-black-friday-deals">favorite Cyber Monday game deals</a>, you can grab this RPG for just $29 and explore one of the most creative fantasy worlds in recent memory.</p><h2>Unicorn Overlord for $29.99</h2><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="4214ed13-589a-4d06-9fcb-a4c957b7c2d1" data-id="211745"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="4214ed13-589a-4d06-9fcb-a4c957b7c2d1" data-id="211745" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p></p></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="4214ed13-589a-4d06-9fcb-a4c957b7c2d1" data-id="211746"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="4214ed13-589a-4d06-9fcb-a4c957b7c2d1" data-id="211746" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p></p></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="4214ed13-589a-4d06-9fcb-a4c957b7c2d1" data-id="211747"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="4214ed13-589a-4d06-9fcb-a4c957b7c2d1" data-id="211747" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p></p><p>Other Atlus games from this year on sale right now include <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/metaphor-refantazio-black-friday-2024">Metaphor Re:Fantazio for $49.99</a> and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/persona-3-reload-black-friday-2024">Persona 3 Reload for $25</a>.</p><p>For more, check out our hub of the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-ps5-black-friday-sale-2024">best PlayStation Cyber Monday deals</a> and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-xbox-deals-black-friday-2024">Xbox sales.</a> Cyber Monday has also brought out the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/switch-oled-black-friday-bundle-2024-live">best console deal ever on Switch and Switch OLED</a>, and there's lots more Nintendo love going on, so check out our <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-switch-best-black-friday-deals-2024">best Nintendo Cyber Monday deals</a>. We're also keeping up on tons of <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/daily-deals-alan-wake-ii-nintendo-switch-oled-astro-bot-and-more">daily deals</a>, from PS4 and PS5 games to Switch bundles, PS5 bundles and Apple iPads. </p><aside><h2>What We Said in Our Review</h2><p>In <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/unicorn-overlord-review">Eric Zalewski's review of Unicorn Overlord</a>, he said: "Reflecting on the incredibly diverse and remarkably creative world I explored across my 45-hour journey, any issues I had with Unicorn Overlord ended up feeling like nothing more than nitpicks. The tactical combat system is unique and complex while also being easy to understand, expertly blending mechanics from many of its peers with smart new additions of its own. </p><section data-transform="ignvideo" data-slug="unicorn-overlord-video-review" data-loop=""></section><p>The interesting terrain across the continent of Fevrith makes every fight feel unique, with some of the best map gimmicks I’ve seen in any strategy RPG. Because the campaign is told through the eyes of a diverse and creative cast, its trope-filled fantasy story is elevated in a way that a more traditional storytelling style wouldn't manage. The shorter, more personal stories work wonderfully to support a loop of exploration and liberation that had me begging to see one more tale told, one more town rebuilt, and one more battle fought."</p></aside><p>If you (like me) are interested in becoming part of the current PC handheld revolution, check out the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-black-friday-gaming-handheld-deals-asus-rog-ally-lenovo-legion-go-steam-deck"><u>great Cyber Monday deals on various PC handhelds</u></a>, and be sure to visit our hefty hubs for every major outlet's Cyber Monday offerings. There are tons of Cyber Monday <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-amazon-deals-black-friday-2024"><u>Amazon deals available</u></a>, not to mention the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-walmart-early-black-friday-deals-2024"><u>Walmart deals</u></a>, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/target-black-friday-sale-2024-what-deals-to-expect"><u>Target deals</u></a>, and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-best-buy-deals-black-friday-2024"><u>Best Buy deals</u></a>, too. And if you are brave enough to open the firehose, check out our <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/black-friday-2024"><u>Cyber Monday megahub</u></a>.</p><h3>More Amazon Cyber Monday Video Game Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="a65b745d-a927-4222-a0e6-74150d923461" data-items="[211643,211300,211293,211295,211348,211426,211308,211309,211306,211310,211311,211349,211354,211425,211653,211655]" data-show-pricing="false" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><p></p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Brian Barnett writes reviews, guides, features, & more for </em><a href="https://www.ign.com/person/Ribnax"><em>IGN</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.gamespot.com/profile/ribnax/"><em>GameSpot</em></a><em>, & Kotaku. You can get more than your fair share of him on </em><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/brianbarnett.bsky.social"><u><em>Bluesky</em></u></a><em> &</em><a href="https://backloggd.com/u/Ribnax/"><em> </em><u><em>Backloggd</em></u></a><em>, & enjoy his absurd video game talk show, The Platformers, on</em><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0dXicTp3p0hctLTokAZrmw"><em> </em><u><em>Spotify</em></u></a><em> &</em><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-platformers-podcast/id1143324746"><u><em> Apple Podcasts</em></u></a><em>.</em></p></section></section>

Grab a Physical PS5 Copy of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 for $30 for Cyber Monday

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 05:19:00 -0000

Grab a physical edition of Spider-Man 2 for PlayStation 5 during the Cyber Monday sale.

<section class="article-page"><p>Insomniac's <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/09/04/marvels-spider-man-ps4-review">Spider-Man</a> was a smash hit when it was first released in 2018, and 2023's <a href="https://www.ign.com/games/spider-man-2">Spider-Man 2</a>, starring Miles Morales as the playable Spidey protagonist, was no different. If you haven't played it, you owe it to yourself to get it ASAP. With improved movement options and the ability to play as Miles or Peter, it's the best gameplay the series has seen yet.</p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p>Right now, Spider-Man 2 is roughly half off for Cyber Monday at Best Buy, Target, and GameStop, so jump on this opportunity before it swings right by you.</p><h2>Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (PS5) for $39</h2><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="38ebaaf8-988e-464b-a771-ed006f8bffc3" data-id="211818"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="38ebaaf8-988e-464b-a771-ed006f8bffc3" data-id="211818" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p></p><aside><h2>What We Said in Our Review</h2><p>In our <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/marvels-spider-man-2-review">8/10 review of Spider-Man 2</a>, we said, "As a sequel in a spectacular series, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is both blessed and cursed. Its story of two Spider-Men is a great time and a Spidey fan’s dream to play through as comic book pages are brought to life, elegantly walking the tightrope between light humour and heavier themes. Meanwhile, Insomniac refines a successful formula of combat and web-swinging without revolutionising either in major ways, making them comfy and familiar with just enough new tweaks and abilities to elevate them to fun new heights.</p><p>"The part that feels like it actually needed a radical rethinking is the open world of New York City, which has been made bigger but not better, with an exhausting checklist of mostly repetitious side activities. But it’s safe to call this another thrilling Spider-Man adventure that delivers Insomniac's best tale yet, and despite its open world falling short, it's a reliably fun superhero power trip. And, you know what? Screw it. It really did make me feel like Spider-Man, too."</p></aside><h2>More PlayStation Cyber Monday Deals We've Found</h2><p>For more PlayStation deals, check out our hub for the best <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-ps5-black-friday-sale-2024"><u>PS5 game deals</u></a>. <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/final-fantasy-vii-rebirth-ps5-black-friday-deal"><u>Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (which is fantastic) is at its lowest price ever</u></a> or, if you prefer the FromSoftware flavor, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/elden-ring-deal-black-friday-2024"><u>Elden Ring is too</u></a>, which gives you an easy way to enjoy this year’s <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/elden-ring-shadow-of-the-erdtree-game-awards-nomination-sparks-renewed-debate-among-fans"><u>Game of the Year-nominated </u></a><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/elden-ring-shadow-of-the-erdtree-dlc-review"><u>Shadow Of the Erdtree DLC</u></a> – that is <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/elden-ring-deal-black-friday-2024"><u><em>also</em></u><u> discounted right now</u></a>.</p><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="a61aa95a-5ca7-4049-ac07-cce096743bea" data-items="[212560,212557,212562,212563,212561,212564,212565,212903]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><p></p><p>If you want to convince a friend to grab a PlayStation 5 to play with you, tell them to <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/ps5-playstation-console-deals-black-friday-2024"><u>grab this deal on a PS5 now</u></a>, and if you’ve been looking to try out VR on PlayStation, the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-vr-2-black-friday-2024"><u>PSVR2 Horizon: Call of the Mountain bundle is a whopping $250 off</u></a>. We’ve also been tracking tons of top <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-ps5-black-friday-sale-2024"><u>PlayStation Cyber Monday deals</u></a>, so take a peek.</p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Brian Barnett writes reviews, guides, features, & more for IGN, GameSpot, & Kotaku. You can get more than your fair share of him on</em><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/brianbarnett.bsky.social"><em> </em><u><em>Bluesky</em></u></a><em> &</em><a href="https://backloggd.com/u/Ribnax/"><em> </em><u><em>Backloggd</em></u></a><em>, & enjoy his absurd video game talk show, The Platformers, on</em><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0dXicTp3p0hctLTokAZrmw"><em> </em><u><em>Spotify</em></u></a><em> &</em><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-platformers-podcast/id1143324746"><u><em> Apple Podcasts</em></u></a><em>.</em></p></section></section>

The Entire Final Fantasy Collection Anniversary Edition Is Just $55 for Cyber Monday

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 04:31:57 -0000

Don't look now, but Final Fantasy I - VI Collection Anniversary Edition dropped to a new all-time low price for Cyber Monday 2024.

<section class="article-page"><p>If you enjoy fantasy or RPGs, there is a good chance a Final Fantasy game is on your ‘best’ list. Whether you like the newest remake or like delving into the originals, there is a lot to like, and the Final Fantasy Anniversary Collection is on sale right now, helping you save $20 on six of the most influential FF games ever made.</p><h2>Final Fantasy I - VI Collection Anniversary Edition for $54.99</h2><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="d9dc8c21-6da9-4f28-a756-f07e0b2a17c6" data-id="211586"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="d9dc8c21-6da9-4f28-a756-f07e0b2a17c6" data-id="211586" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><aside><p><strong>Nintendo Switch</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/zjGjwy">See it at Amazon</a></li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/QGVKoJ"><u>See it at Best Buy</u></a></li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/QODO18"><u>See it at GameStop</u></a></li></ul><p><strong>PS4</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/Qx7Wpd">See it at Amazon</a></li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/QGVKoJ"><u>See it at Best Buy</u></a></li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/9wGoZ6"><u>See it at Walmart</u></a></li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/a5bo0x"><u>See it at GameStop</u></a></li></ul></aside><p></p><p>My favorites from this list are IV and VI. I’m not sure what that means about me, that if you put a V and an I in the title of a Final Fantasy game, I’m inclined to like it (particularly because I also enjoy VII, VIII, and XVI). If you want more game deals, check out our hub of the best <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-ps5-black-friday-sale-2024"><u>PS5 Game Deals</u></a>.</p><p>Speaking of Final Fantasy VII, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/final-fantasy-vii-rebirth-ps5-black-friday-deal"><u>Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (which is fantastic) is at its lowest price ever</u></a>. If you prefer the FromSoftware brand of RPGs, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/elden-ring-deal-black-friday-2024"><u>Elden Ring is too</u></a>, which gives you an easy way to enjoy this year’s <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/elden-ring-shadow-of-the-erdtree-dlc-review"><u>Shadow Of the Erdtree DLC</u></a>, which was <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/elden-ring-shadow-of-the-erdtree-game-awards-nomination-sparks-renewed-debate-among-fans"><u>nominated for Game Of The Year at The Game Awards</u></a>, and is <em>also</em> discounted right now.</p><h2>More Game Deals</h2><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="c040e874-7082-4125-9656-ccfba2eb97f8" data-items="[211218,211342,211211,211346,211363,211343,211214,211212,211213,211215,211216,211217,211344,211364,211366]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><p></p><p>If you don’t have a PlayStation 5 yet, you can <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/ps5-playstation-console-deals-black-friday-2024"><u>grab a deal on a new PS5 now</u></a>, and the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-vr-2-black-friday-2024"><u>PSVR 2 Horizon: Call of the Mountain bundle is $250 off</u></a>. If you, like me, prefer to game on the go, there are some <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-black-friday-gaming-handheld-deals-asus-rog-ally-lenovo-legion-go-steam-deck"><u>great deals on PC handhelds</u></a>, too. </p><p>For more Cyber Monday deals, be sure to check out the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-ps5-black-friday-sale-2024"><u>Best PlayStation Cyber Monday deals</u></a>.</p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Brian Barnett writes reviews, guides, features, & more for IGN, GameSpot, & Kotaku. You can get more than your fair share of him on</em><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/brianbarnett.bsky.social"><em> </em><u><em>Bluesky</em></u></a><em> &</em><a href="https://backloggd.com/u/Ribnax/"><em> </em><u><em>Backloggd</em></u></a><em>, & enjoy his absurd video game talk show, The Platformers, on</em><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0dXicTp3p0hctLTokAZrmw"><em> </em><u><em>Spotify</em></u></a><em> &</em><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-platformers-podcast/id1143324746"><u><em> Apple Podcasts</em></u></a><em>.</em></p></section></section>

The Official Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Collector's Edition Strategy Guide is 50% Off

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 02:50:18 -0000

A wonderful old-school physical guide for Zelda fans to enjoy.

<section class="article-page"><p>The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is one of the most impressive games ever made, so you'd be forgiven if you missed a lot of content as you traveled through Hyrule. Luckily, the people at Piggyback have lovingly crafted the Official Guide to help you find every secret in the expansive game, and the Official Guide Collector's Edition is half off for Cyber Monday. If you'd like a collector's item that doubles as an old-school physical guide, this would make a great addition to any Zelda players who already use the online <a href="https://www.ign.com/wikis/the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom/">ToTK guides,</a> but want a keepsake, too. (It's 496 pages of written-form wiki). </p><h2>Zelda: ToTK Official Guide - Collector's Edition for $22.50</h2><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="a328606d-ca7e-43a7-a0ed-762254398666" data-id="212918"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="a328606d-ca7e-43a7-a0ed-762254398666" data-id="212918" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Via Piggyback: "Working closely with Nintendo®, we have created the authoritative, all-encompassing guide to The Legend of Zelda™: Tears of the Kingdom. We cover all features and facets of the game with a single mission: to help you enjoy each and every moment of your adventure."</p><section data-transform="image-with-caption" data-image-url="https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2024/12/03/totk-physical-guide-1733193809942.jpg" data-image-title="Piggyback; Collector's edition ToTK" data-image-class="article-image-full-size" data-image-link="https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2024/12/03/totk-physical-guide-1733193809942.jpg" data-caption="Image%20via%20Piggyback%20on%20Amazon.com" /></section><aside><h3>What We Said In Our ToTK Review</h3><p>In our review by <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-review">Tom Marks</a>, we said, "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an unfathomable follow-up to one of the greatest games ever made, somehow improving upon it in nearly every way – be that with simple quality-of-life improvements, a genuinely exciting story, or wildly creative new building mechanics that make you rethink what is possible. It both revamps old ground and introduces vast new areas so immense it somehow makes me wonder if Breath of the Wild was actually all that big, with an almost alarming number of tasks to complete, mysteries to discover, and delightful distractions to keep you from ever reaching that place you naively thought you were headed. Nintendo has followed up a triumph with a triumph, expanding and evolving a world that already felt full beyond expectation and raising the bar ever higher into the clouds."</p><section data-transform="ignvideo" data-slug="the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-video-review" data-loop=""></section></aside><h3>Last Chance for Cyber Monday Deals</h3><p>Now is your last chance to pick up some great <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-cyber-monday-deals-2024">Cyber Monday deals</a>. On the gaming side, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/metaphor-refantazio-cyber-monday-deal-2024">Metaphor: ReFantazio is down to $50</a>, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/tekken-8-cyber-monday-deal-2024">Tekken 8 is down to $30</a>, and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-buy-walmart-astro-bot-cyber-monday-deal-2024">Astro Bot</a> is discounted relatively heavily, so grab that too, if you are a PS5 fan.</p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Brian Barnett writes reviews, guides, features, & more for</em><a href="https://www.ign.com/person/Ribnax"><em> </em><u><em>IGN</em></u></a><em>,</em><a href="https://www.gamespot.com/profile/ribnax/"><em> </em><u><em>GameSpot</em></u></a><em>, & Kotaku. You can get more than your fair share of him on</em><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/brianbarnett.bsky.social"><em> </em><u><em>Bluesky</em></u></a><em> &</em><a href="https://backloggd.com/u/Ribnax/"><u><em> Backloggd</em></u></a><em>, & enjoy his absurd video game talk show, The Platformers, on</em><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0dXicTp3p0hctLTokAZrmw"><u><em> Spotify</em></u></a><em> &</em><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-platformers-podcast/id1143324746"><u><em> Apple Podcasts</em></u></a><em>.</em></p></section></section>

Lenovo Has the Best Cyber Monday Xbox Controller Deals: Prices Starting at $34.99

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 02:40:00 -0000

This amazing deal is going to end promptly at midnight.

<section class="article-page"><p>There are not many days out of the year where you can get an Xbox controller for only $35. Cyber Monday is one of those days. Lenovo is currently offering Xbox wireless controllers in Carbon Black, Robot White, or Electric Volt for $34.99. Shock Blue, Pulse Red, and Deep Pink are on sale for $39.99. For any of these options, make sure you apply coupon code "<strong>BFCMXBOX</strong>" in your shopping cart. These controllers are compatible with Xbox Series X and S and PC.</p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p><strong>Update: This Cyber Monday deal will (probably) end on Monday 12/2 at midnight PT.</strong></p><h2>Xbox Controllers Starting at $34.99</h2><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="abed85ab-929a-4fc5-acd8-b8b75968d792" data-items="[210766,210767,210769,207288,210768,207286]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><p>Aesthetics aside, these Xbox wireless controllers are identical to the one that's bundled with the Xbox Series X and S console. Standard features include textured grips, hybrid D-pad, button mapping with the Xbox app, a 3.5mm audio jack that works with any wired headset, and a Share button to upload screenshots and video.</p><p>The controller supports both Xbox wireless and Bluetooth connectivity. That means you can use it for your PC or mobile device. In fact, we think this is the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-pc-controller">the best PC controller</a> you can get. If your PC doesn't have Bluetooth, you can still use it in wired mode with a USB Type-C cable or go out and buy a Bluetooth or <a href="https://zdcs.link/68q2q">Xbox wireless adapter</a>.</p><h2>Want Something More Unique?</h2><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="5fb1e184-2360-4acd-b4d4-15fc3dd712a5" data-id="212090"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="5fb1e184-2360-4acd-b4d4-15fc3dd712a5" data-id="212090" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>If you want a color scheme that's sure to grab yours and other people's attentions, check out the <a href="https://zdcs.link/QrprVG">Ghost Cipher Limited Edition</a> Xbox Series X|S wireless controller. It's down to $45 with free shipping at Amazon and Target. The Ghost Cipher Edition is an absolutely gorgeous controller, with a translucent clear top case, rubberized ash gray grips, metallic bronze triggers and D-pad, and a solid white back. The interior components are colored silver to match the overall theme.</p><p><p><aside><h2>Prefer to Shop by Retailer? We've Got You Covered.</h2></aside><p>If you prefer to shop by retailer, we've written up Cyber Monday Deals roundups for each of the major retailers: Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, and Gamestop. Check them out below:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-amazon-deals-black-friday-2024">Amazon Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-target-deals-black-friday-2024">Target Cyber Monday Sale </a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-walmart-black-friday-deals-2024">Walmart Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-buy-black-friday-sale-2024">Best Buy Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/gamestop-black-friday-sale-2024">Gamestop Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/dell-black-friday-sale-2024-best-deals-laptops-and-pcs">Dell Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/dell-alienware-black-friday-sale-2024-best-deals-on-gaming-laptops-gaming-pcs">Alienware Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/lenovo-cyber-monday-sale-2024-best-deals-on-legion-gaming-laptops-gaming-pcs">Lenovo Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/hp-early-black-friday-sale-2024-best-deals-on-omen-gaming-laptops-pcs">HP Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/secretlab-early-black-friday-sale-2024-on-titan-evo-gaming-chairs">Secretlab Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/sonos-black-friday-sale-2024-best-deals-on-soundbars-speakers">Sonos Cyber Monday Sale</a></li></ul><h2>Black Friday vs Cyber Monday</h2><p>In most instances, you can consider Cyber Monday as a one day extension of Black Friday. Traditionally, Black Friday was known as the "retail holiday," where the best deals were found in-store, and Cyber Monday was known as the "online holiday," where the best deals were online only. Although today the lines are very much blurred, it is still true that <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/black-friday-vs-cyber-monday">many online only retailers still consider Cyber Monday the sale event of the year instead of Black Friday</a>. Expect some amazing sales to come out of online-only sites like Amazon, Newegg, Dell, HP, Lenovo and several online-only deals from traditional retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart.</p><aside><h2>Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?</h2><p>IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out <a href="https://corp.ign.com/ign-deals-standards-and-practices">our deals standards here</a> for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on <a href="https://x.com/IGNDeals">IGN's Deals account on Twitter</a>.</p></aside><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.</em></p></p></p></section></section>

Best Buy Has the Best Last Minute Cyber Monday Deals on Xbox, PlayStation, Gaming Laptops, and TVs

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 02:05:00 -0000

Come here for the best deal right now on an LG OLED TV or an Xbox Series X console.

<section class="article-page"><p>Only a few hours remain before the <a href="https://howl.link/j53h8yaadwlzv">Best Buy Cyber Monday Sale</a> is kaput. The vast majority of deals are expected to end promptly at midnight. Some are already sold out, like the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/lego-disney-tim-burton-nightmare-before-christmas-set-cyber-monday-deal-2024">LEGO Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas</a> set, but there's still a huge selection remaining. If you're still actively looking for something to buy, buy it soon.</p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p>Other well-known retailers have more generalized sales, but Best Buy predominantly focus on tech and gaming. The best deals right now include the <a href="https://howl.link/2xiojdycbi7v9">PlayStation 5</a>, video games including <a href="https://howl.link/fmaa2am0vzacr">Metaphor: Refantazio</a>, <a href="https://howl.link/ivn7yuzb9a9pi">Sonic X Shadow Generations</a>, and <a href="https://howl.link/ivn7yuzb9a9pi">Warhammer 40,000K: Space Marine 2</a>, and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-black-friday-gaming-pc-deals-2024-alienware-hp-lenovo">gaming laptops</a> and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-black-friday-gaming-pc-deals-so-far-2024">gaming PCs</a>. In fact, the sheer number and quality of the gaming laptp deals far outclasses the ones we found on Amazon, Walmart, or Target so far.</p><aside><h2>Deal Alert: LG Evo C3 4K OLED TVs</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="758ef0b8-b2bd-4114-8fce-1fa0ba6e1ee9" data-id="212840"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="758ef0b8-b2bd-4114-8fce-1fa0ba6e1ee9" data-id="212840" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>The best high-end TV deal just landed for <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-cyber-monday-deals-2024">Cyber Monday</a>. Best Buy has dropped the price of the <a href="https://zdcs.link/jo672">77" LG Evo C3 4K OLED TV</a> down to $1,499.99. That is an <strong>incredible </strong>deal for the later 77" screen size. On a normal day, you would be paying that much for the 65" model. This TV and others in LG's C-series lineup have won top spots in several of our buying guides, including <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-high-end-4k-tv">best 4K TV</a>, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-tv-for-gaming">best TV for gaming</a>, and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-tvs-for-ps5">best TV for the PlayStation 5</a>. This is an especially good choice if you picked up the new <a href="https://www.ign.com/tech/playstation-5-pro">PS5 Pro</a>, since the updated hardware will be able to run more games at a consistent 4K @ 120fps.</p><aside><h2>Xbox Series X All-Digital Edition 1TB Console</h2></aside></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="5fb1e184-2360-4acd-b4d4-15fc3dd712a5" data-id="212773"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="5fb1e184-2360-4acd-b4d4-15fc3dd712a5" data-id="212773" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>For Cyber Monday, Best Buy has the best price on the new Xbox Series X All-Digital Edition, which normally retails for $449.99. Whereas everyone else has it for $399.99, <a href="https://zdcs.link/Qx74Pb">Best Buy has it for $374.99</a> ( a savings of $75 instead of $50). That's a great price for a fully powered Xbox Series X. If you've been waiting for an actual deal on an Xbox Series X console, this might be the best one yet. Check out our <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-xbox-deals-black-friday-2024">Xbox Cyber Monday</a> hub for more deals.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Xbox Series X Console">More Xbox Cyber Monday Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-items="[211616,211615,211612,211618,212094]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>The Best Gaming Laptop Deals</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="07cc0370-372c-4794-b4bb-2d997f622b79" data-id="202687"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="07cc0370-372c-4794-b4bb-2d997f622b79" data-id="202687" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p></p></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="f60a3150-601e-465d-a67e-19c52dc16e30" data-id="212722"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="f60a3150-601e-465d-a67e-19c52dc16e30" data-id="212722" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Right now you can get an <a href="https://howl.link/epw8yiwk83pud">HP Victus</a> RTX 4070 gaming laptop for only $929.99. That's the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-black-friday-gaming-pc-deals-2024-alienware-hp-lenovo">least expensive RTX 4070 laptop deal</a> we've seen so far for Cyber Monday. The Victus is HP's lineup of budget-oriented gaming laptops. This model features a 15" 1080p display, a low-voltage AMD Ryzen 8 8845HS CPU, GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. The RTX 4070 has a maximum TGP rating of 120W, which is actually quite impressive for such an affordable gaming laptop. That means it will perform pretty well relative to other RTX 4070 gaming laptops.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Gaming Laptops">More Cyber Monday Gaming Laptop Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="f60a3150-601e-465d-a67e-19c52dc16e30" data-items="[212728,212724,212722,212726,212709,212719,212714,212720,212716,212718,210830,212721,212723,212725,212727,212729,212730,210928]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>The Best PlayStation Deals</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-id="211413"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-id="211413" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Sony released their entire set of Black Friday PlayStation deals last week and most major retailers have followed suit. The best deal is definitely on the consoles themselves: the PS5 Slim Disc Edition has dropped to $424.99 (originally $500) and the PS5 Slim Digital Edition has dropped to $374.99 (originally $450). I would choose the Disc Edition because it's only $50 more and then I have the option to buy (and later sell or trade) physical disc media. But if you want to save some money and go the Digital Edition route, I would suggest getting the NBA 2K25 bundle, which also includes a game. Although the Fortnite Cobalt Star bundle has a fancy looking box, no actual game is included.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="PlayStation 5">More Playstation Cyber Monday Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-items="[211411,211412,211415,211420,211414,211614,211620,212095]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>The Best Video Game Deals for PS5/Xbox</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="56b24fb1-b74e-4b45-8835-20eee9ba9746" data-id="211427"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="56b24fb1-b74e-4b45-8835-20eee9ba9746" data-id="211427" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p><a href="https://howl.link/fmaa2am0vzacr">Metaphor: ReFantazio</a> was released on October 11, so it's nice to see a nice 29% off discount so soon after launch. This is an outstanding RPG that gets pretty much everything right: intensely enjoyable combat, a gripping epic storyline, and hyper-stylized graphics. I've beaten the game, and I think it's just as good as Persona 5 (which I also loved). In his <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/metaphor-refantazio-review">9/10 IGN review</a>, Michael Higham wrote that "Refining the Atlus RPG formula of weaving tough turn-based combat into compelling social sim mechanics, Metaphor: ReFantazio doesn’t just send a powerful message across its political drama, it becomes a beautiful expression of the real impact storytelling can have on all of us."</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="PS5/Xbox Video Games">More Cyber Monday Video Game Deals for PS5/Xbox</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="56b24fb1-b74e-4b45-8835-20eee9ba9746" data-items="[211427,212085,211654,211418,211419,211339,212078,211566,211291,211739,211284,211736,211735,211740,211738,211340,211296,211301,211304,211286,211292,211303,211299,211289,211285,211287,211288]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>The Best Gaming PC Deals</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="77e3f8b0-7bef-48b4-a182-638f7b7a6cb7" data-id="210813"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="77e3f8b0-7bef-48b4-a182-638f7b7a6cb7" data-id="210813" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p><a href="https://howl.link/59k3ytmxws7oq">HP's new sensibly designed Omen 35L</a> gaming PC is least expensive at Best Buy. This attractive gaming desktop features an AMD Ryzen 7 8700G, RTX 4060 Ti GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/nvidia-geforce-rtx-4060-ti-review">RTX 4060 Ti</a> video card is a very good option for 1080p gaming at high frame rates. It's also the minimum NVIDIA GPU we'd recommend for 1440p gaming.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Gaming PCs">More Cyber Monday Gaming PC Deals</h3><p>Best Buy has already several excellent gaming PC deals as part of its <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-black-friday-gaming-pc-deals-so-far-2024">Best Buy Black Friday Sale</a>. If you're on a budget, the <a href="https://howl.link/m37c97xtde07f">iBuyPower Scale</a> RTX 4060 gaming PC for $699.99 is a solid deal and a great candidate for 1080p gaming. For something more powerful, consider the <a href="https://howl.link/lnvwrrpfg8ksf">MSI Aegis Z2</a> with an AMD Ryzen 7 7700 CPU and RTX 4070 Super GPU.</p><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="77e3f8b0-7bef-48b4-a182-638f7b7a6cb7" data-items="[212708,210813,211324,212706,212707]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><p>For more deals on gaming PCs and laptops, check out the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/dell-early-black-friday-sale-2024-best-deals-on-alienware-gaming-laptops-pcs">Alienware Cyber Monday Sale</a>, the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/hp-early-black-friday-sale-2024-best-deals-on-omen-gaming-laptops-pcs?">HP Cyber Monday Sale</a>, and the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/lenovo-cyber-monday-sale-2024-best-deals-on-legion-gaming-laptops-gaming-pcs">Lenovo Cyber Monday Sale</a>. These computers are made-to-order and usually take longer to ship out (although there are quick-ship models available), but the consistency in build quality makes them worth it.</p><aside><h2>The Best TV Deals</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="758ef0b8-b2bd-4114-8fce-1fa0ba6e1ee9" data-id="210901"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="758ef0b8-b2bd-4114-8fce-1fa0ba6e1ee9" data-id="210901" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Here's your chance to get <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-black-friday-tv-deals-2024-samsung-lg-sony-tcl-hisense">one of the best OLED TVs on the market at a great price</a>. Right now, <a href="https://howl.link/ud860p8z8tpfw">Best Buy</a> is offering the current 2024 model 65" Samsung S90D 4K OLED Smart TV for only $1,399.99 after a massive 48% off price drop. This is an <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-tvs-for-ps5">excellent TV to pair up with your PlayStation 5</a> or Xbox Series X. In fact, this TV could even be a better <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-tvs-for-ps5">gaming TV</a> than the LG C4. Although we haven't personally tested it, <a href="https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/samsung/s90d-s90dd-oled-qd-oled">RTINGS</a> says that the S90D is brighter, has a wider color gamut, better color volume, wider viewing angle, and better HDR gradient handling. Of course, it's also $100 cheaper than the C4.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="TV Deals">More Cyber Monday TV Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="758ef0b8-b2bd-4114-8fce-1fa0ba6e1ee9" data-items="[210901,210905,210801,211499,210805,210803,211495,211496,211345,211347,211497,211498,210804,211252,211259,211260,211261,211254,210798]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>The Best Gaming Handheld PC Deals</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="5fb1e184-2360-4acd-b4d4-15fc3dd712a5" data-id="211279"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="5fb1e184-2360-4acd-b4d4-15fc3dd712a5" data-id="211279" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Best Buy is the only retailer to drop the price on the new <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-black-friday-gaming-handheld-deals-asus-rog-ally-lenovo-legion-go-steam-deck">Asus ROG Ally X</a> so far for Cyber Monday. Right now you can get it for $699.99 after a $100 instant discount. In our <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/asus-rog-ally-x-review">Asus ROG Ally X review</a>, gaming guru Jacqueline Thomas wrote that "the Asus ROG Ally X is simply the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-handheld-gaming-pc">best handheld gaming PC</a> on the market right now. With more and faster memory and double the battery as the original Ally, the Ally X will run any modern game without dying in an hour and a half."</p><p>The Asus ROG Ally X improves on the original ROG Ally in several ways, the biggest upgrades being a much bigger 80Whr battery with nearly the runtime, more RAM, a beefier cooling system, double the storage capacity on the base model, and better controls. It's not inexpensive starting at <s>$799.99</s> $699.99, but it's definitely an incredible piece of hardware.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Gaming Handheld PCs">More Cyber Monday Gaming Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="5fb1e184-2360-4acd-b4d4-15fc3dd712a5" data-items="[211279,211283,211278,210808,211281,211276]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>The Best Switch Deals</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-id="211513"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-id="211513" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Compared to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, the Nintendo Switch console has the best discount for Black Friday. The holiday bundles, which were released back in October, included your choice of the <a href="https://zdcs.link/QPbP6W">Switch</a> or <a href="https://zdcs.link/aXdPkB">Switch OLED</a>, a digital download voucher for <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/04/20/mario-kart-8-deluxe-review">Mario Kart 8 Deluxe</a>, and a 12-month Switch Online membership. I thought that this was going to be the official Black Friday deal. Alas, <a href="https://howl.link/15t5skobhd1tw">Best Buy</a> (<a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/the-legend-of-zelda-echoes-of-wisdom-breaks-nintendo-amazon-freeze-black-friday">but not Amazon, due to their supposedly shaky relationship</a>) has just knocked another $75 off the price tag. That means you can pick up a Switch bundle for as low as $225.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Nintendo Switch">More Cyber Monday Switch Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-items="[211508,211603,211604,211619]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>The Best Video Game Deals for Switch</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="350235a2-6413-4d0b-83cd-b4905d782ebb" data-id="212004"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="350235a2-6413-4d0b-83cd-b4905d782ebb" data-id="212004" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>IGN absolutely loves this video game. In our <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/sonic-x-shadow-generations-review">9/10 Sonic X Shadow Generations review</a>, Jada Griffin wrote that "Sonic X Shadow Generations takes an already excellent game and spring jumps it to new heights with a creative Shadow campaign and an appreciable graphical upgrade." This game is actually a collection of two games in one: a remaster of the 2011 Sonic Generations and - the highlight - a brand new, original campaign starring Shadow the Hedgehog.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Switch Video Games">More Cyber Monday Video Game Deals for Switch</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="350235a2-6413-4d0b-83cd-b4905d782ebb" data-items="[211805,211927,211636,211637,211925,211639,211640,211926,211645,211642,211644,211630,211632,211631,211626,211633,211634]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><p>Best Buy isn't the only retailer with games already on sale. For more deals on video games sorted by individual platform, check out our best Cyber Monday deal guides for <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-ps5-black-friday-sale-2024">PlayStation 5</a>, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-switch-black-friday-sale-2024">Nintendo Switch</a>, and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/xbox-black-friday-2024">Xbox Series X</a>.</p><aside><h2>The Best Xbox Deals</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-id="211616"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-id="211616" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p></p><p>Best Buy has dropped the price on the officially licensed <a href="https://zdcs.link/aMvGK4">WD Black C50</a> 1TB Expansion Card for Xbox Series consoles to $99.99. That's a 33% price drop from its original $150 MSRP and the best price we've ever seen for an officially licensed 1TB Xbox expansion card. The C50 is one of the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-ssds-for-xbox-series-xs">best SSDs for the Xbox</a>, which isn't surprising since your options are pretty limited.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Xbox Deals">More Cyber Monday Xbox Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-items="[211615,211612,211613,211618,211621,212094]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>Deal Alert: Apple AirPods Pro 2</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="0be10e4d-8d04-437f-9860-27546b7c6515" data-id="145667"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="0be10e4d-8d04-437f-9860-27546b7c6515" data-id="145667" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Best Buy has dropped the price of the second-generation <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/airpods-pro-earbuds-apple-black-friday-deal-2024">Apple AirPods Pro</a> wireless noise-canceling earbuds to $169.99. Unfortunately that's $10 higher than the best deal I saw during Black Friday. Still, this discount brings the price down to the same level as the Apple AirPods 4 with noise cancellation. Between the two, the AirPods Pro is still <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-apple-airpods-models">Apple's best earbuds</a> because it offers better sound quality and better noise cancellation performance.</p><aside><h2>The Best Cyber Monday Sonos Deals</h2></aside></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="78d20cab-92b8-4b19-9a55-9e6caeaf9dc3" data-id="208117"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="78d20cab-92b8-4b19-9a55-9e6caeaf9dc3" data-id="208117" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/sonos-black-friday-sale-2024-best-deals-on-soundbars-speakers">The Arc</a> is Sonos' flagship product. We rated it the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-soundbar">best soundbar of 2024</a>. This is a premium soundbar and it shows. This 45" soundbar houses 11 precisely engineered internal speakers, including two dedicated height channels. It's Dolby Atmos ready, and there's enough power here that you can probably get away without a subwoofer. However, the Sonos Arc can be wirelessly paired up with other Sonos speakers and subs to add even more sound distribution. The Arc also has a built-in microphone for voice control so it is Alexa and Google Assistant compatible.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Sonos Deals">More Cyber Monday Sonos Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="78d20cab-92b8-4b19-9a55-9e6caeaf9dc3" data-items="[208117,208118,208119,208120,211397,211401,208402,211398,211399,211400]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><h2>Will the Deals Change for Cyber Monday?</h2><p>In my experience, many of the same deals we saw on Black Friday will return for <a href="https://www.ign.com/events/cyber-monday">Cyber Monday 2024</a>, including deals that were sold out or expired. Retailers usually release their hottest selling items in batches so that every sale event has at least some inventory reserved. That said, I also expect plenty of new, never before seen deals. Traditionally, Black Friday was known as the "retail holiday," where the best deals were found in-store, and Cyber Monday was known as the "online holiday," where the best deals were online only. Although today the lines have blurred, it is still true that <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/black-friday-vs-cyber-monday">many online only retailers still consider Cyber Monday the sale event of the year instead of Black Friday</a>. Expect some amazing sales to come out of online-only sites like Amazon, Newegg, Dell, HP, Lenovo and several online-only deals from traditional retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. In fact, Amazon has taken the preemptive and already switched over to Cyber Monday.</p><aside><h2>Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?</h2><p>IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out <a href="https://corp.ign.com/ign-deals-standards-and-practices">our deals standards here</a> for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on <a href="https://x.com/IGNDeals">IGN's Deals account on Twitter</a>.</p></aside><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.</em></p></section>

Grab the Azul Board Game Today for Just $13 on Amazon for Cyber Monday

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 01:27:51 -0000

With a total of $26.66 saved, this is the best deal we've found on Azul across all retailers offering Cyber Monday board game sales.

<section class="article-page"><p>Keep the good times rolling and the tiles flowing with Azul, the abstract strategy board game that quickly became a staple for <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-family-board-games">family board game</a> nights. Azul is a favorite of IGN's, but did you know it also made our list of the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/most-popular-items-social-media-amazon-cyber-monday-2024">10 most popular Amazon Cyber Monday deals</a> our audience is loving today? </p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p>The game has a list price of $39.99 on Amazon, but the retailer is offering a <strong>50% discount for Cyber Monday</strong>. Plus those who buy now can stack on a $6.66 off coupon, meaning <a href="https://zdcs.link/aepEXA" data-aps-asin="B077MZ2MPW">you're only paying $13 and some change for this instant classic</a>. With over $26 saved, it's the best deal we've found on this game across all retailers.</p><h2>Get Azul Now for $13.33 (<s>MSRP $39.99</s>)</h2><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="bd1650cb-7eba-43fe-a36d-4857040666a6" data-id="212919"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="bd1650cb-7eba-43fe-a36d-4857040666a6" data-id="212919" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Azul is inspired by "azulejos," a term that refers to the traditionally blue-and-white ceramic tiles that decorated Portuguese and Spanish architecture as far back as the 13th century. These colorful tiles were inspired by "zellige," which were similar mosaic tiles originating in Morocco. King Manuel I of Portugal was inspired by the dazzling array of Islamic tilework that adorned the Alhambra palace, and he swiftly followed suit by decorating his own palace in a similar manner. Hundreds of years later, azulejos remain an integral part of Portuguese architecture, lining churches, restaurants, and even the subway system.</p><aside><p><strong>See our </strong><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/azul-board-game-review"><strong>Azul review</strong></a></p></aside><p>The board game is rooted in this historic tale, as players are tasked with the challenge of embellishing the walls of the Royal Palace of Évora. The goal of the game is fairly straightforward — fill your playboard with tiles to score points, and win by having the most points at the end of the game. </p><p>The game begins with players receiving a play board along with a unique grid of patterned tiles. A variable amount of circular boards are then placed in the center of the table (depending on the amount of players you have), which the game refers to as "factories." Players take turns snagging all tiles of one color from a factory in the hopes of filling up a full row on their play boards. The tiles that remain are discarded into the center of the table, which players can also grab from if they see tiles of a specific color that they need.</p><p>Once all the tiles have been taken, players see how many of the rows on their playboard are full, and are allowed to take one tile from it and transfer it to the same row on their unique grid. Points are scored depending on how well you do so — additional points are earned for achieving specific patterns, and points are deducted for wasted tiles. Final scores are tallied once one player has completed a whole row of tiles on their grid, which is a lot harder than it sounds.</p><p>With a total playtime of around 30-45 minutes, it's a great game that's relatively fast-paced and ends up using a whole lot of strategy. Every time a player picks up tiles of a certain color, they're limiting the supplies available to all other players, which makes things start to get messy. Or, maybe you discard a bunch of tiles into the center of the table, making it so there's now too many of a specific color for a player to fit on their own board (which can only fit a maximum of five of one color).</p><p>It sounds far more complicated than it is, but believe us that this game becomes second nature after a couple rounds. It's intended for 2-4 players, and it made IGN's list for family board games and one of the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-three-player-board-games">best board games to play with three people</a>. Azul <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/azul-board-game-review">scored an 8 among our review team</a>, who revered this game for its quality pieces, beautiful design and well-balanced gameplay.</p><p>Grab Azul now for holiday game nights at what will likely be the lowest price you'll see this year. Or, purchase it as a gift for a friend whose a fellow board game enthusiast. Either way, you won't want to skip this board game deal.</p><h2>Other Cyber Monday Board Game Deals</h2><p>For more great prices on popular board games, check out IGN's comprehensive list of all the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-cyber-monday-board-game-deals-2024">best board game deals we've found for Cyber Monday</a>. Take advantage of massive discounts on modern hits like <a href="https://cc.ign.com/v1/otc/00JorfQBv9FwbdR9a5gAP7P?url=https%3A%2F%2Faax-us-east.amazon-adsystem.com%2Fx%2Fc%2FRCz2gS9WCn77V4L0bzXg9QQAAAGTibSmZAEAABRBAQBhcHNfdHhuX2JpZDEgICBhcHNfdHhuX2ltcDEgICCI-Evx%2F%257B%2522sourceid%2522%3A%25225185%2522%2C%2522slotname%2522%3A%2522B00IZEUFIA%2522%2C%2522b%2522%3A%2522bjOV63o1RTYi28JTm2sStFOTWncjbg%3D%3D%2522%2C%2522widgetName%2522%3A%2522sp_offsite_native_content%2522%2C%2522c%2522%3A%2522USD%2522%2C%2522themeId%2522%3A%2522no_theme%2522%2C%2522program%2522%3A%2522%2522%2C%2522workflowtype%2522%3A%2522SINGLE_THEMATIC_WORKFLOW%2522%2C%2522slc%2522%3Atrue%2C%2522ao%2522%3A%25222%2522%2C%2522p%2522%3A%2522MC4wNQ%3D%3D%2522%2C%2522marketplaceId%2522%3A%25221%2522%2C%2522glcode%2522%3A21%2C%2522bt%2522%3A%2522n%2522%2C%2522adId%2522%3A300455412547802%2C%2522publisheruuid%2522%3A%2522844746f9-e5c4-436b-8d57-0bfc28762c63%2522%2C%2522numofthemes%2522%3A%25222%2522%2C%2522qualifier%2522%3A%25221733182138%2522%2C%2522bidderid%2522%3A%2522352%2522%2C%2522asin%2522%3A%2522B010TQY7A8%2522%2C%2522logId%2522%3A%25227217947843153521%2522%2C%2522anonymizedLogId%2522%3A%25220101242b27706a04a04a8cd4532d91a638dd417705b0b64a9542ad2262daeffe30a1%2522%257Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB010TQY7A8%2Fref%3Dsspa_dk_offsite_search_5185%3Fpsc%3D1%26aaxitk%3D9b53dea362cb06e7b4388f621909a523%26tag%3Digndeals14-20">Exploding Kittens</a>, <a href="https://zdcs.link/Qm2Rvj?object_uuid=5eb6e6ed-179d-4100-b430-2408a5e13bfd&t=article&_ga=970739706.1732664022">Settlers of Catan</a>, and <a href="https://zdcs.link/aDVGKW?object_uuid=5eb6e6ed-179d-4100-b430-2408a5e13bfd&t=article&_ga=970739706.1732664022">Ticket to Ride</a> along with oldies-but-goodies like <a href="https://cc.ign.com/v1/otc/00JorfQBv9FwbdR9a5gAP7P?url=https%3A%2F%2Faax-us-east.amazon-adsystem.com%2Fx%2Fc%2FRDBLWfQkVRz_CL9saa86cSAAAAGTibSmZAEAABRBAQBhcHNfdHhuX2JpZDEgICBhcHNfdHhuX2ltcDEgICBUWD2t%2F%257B%2522sourceid%2522%3A%25225185%2522%2C%2522slotname%2522%3A%2522B00IZEUFIA%2522%2C%2522b%2522%3A%2522ajWV63o1WAAJ3nFInIQc8aNADzY06w%3D%3D%2522%2C%2522widgetName%2522%3A%2522sp_offsite_native_content%2522%2C%2522c%2522%3A%2522USD%2522%2C%2522themeId%2522%3A%2522no_theme%2522%2C%2522program%2522%3A%2522%2522%2C%2522workflowtype%2522%3A%2522SINGLE_THEMATIC_WORKFLOW%2522%2C%2522slc%2522%3Atrue%2C%2522ao%2522%3A%25223%2522%2C%2522p%2522%3A%2522MC4wNQ%3D%3D%2522%2C%2522marketplaceId%2522%3A%25221%2522%2C%2522glcode%2522%3A21%2C%2522bt%2522%3A%2522n%2522%2C%2522adId%2522%3A300063601856902%2C%2522publisheruuid%2522%3A%2522844746f9-e5c4-436b-8d57-0bfc28762c63%2522%2C%2522numofthemes%2522%3A%25222%2522%2C%2522qualifier%2522%3A%25221733182138%2522%2C%2522bidderid%2522%3A%2522352%2522%2C%2522asin%2522%3A%2522B06XY48MK1%2522%2C%2522logId%2522%3A%25226509478207063374%2522%2C%2522anonymizedLogId%2522%3A%25220101c104cad3101643ce7d9789aa25dc99bf9bb67a321e11e19e772b2faf7ac2f813%2522%257Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB06XY48MK1%2Fref%3Dsspa_dk_offsite_search_5185%3Fpsc%3D1%26aaxitk%3D7372fd60abbf4965835edd78259fca9a%26tag%3Digndeals14-20">The Game of Life</a>, <a href="https://zdcs.link/9g35eG?object_uuid=5eb6e6ed-179d-4100-b430-2408a5e13bfd&t=article&_ga=970739706.1732664022">Guess Who</a>, and <a href="https://zdcs.link/avxBrq?object_uuid=5eb6e6ed-179d-4100-b430-2408a5e13bfd&t=article&_ga=970739706.1732664022">Twister</a>.</p><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="2d18c9c6-3fd3-401d-8bac-5f8fef2733bf" data-items="[212748,212734,212739,212742,212751,212750,212749,212737,212733,212743,212735,212736,212740,212738]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><p></p><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Katie Reul is a freelance journalist whose entertainment reporting has been featured in IGN and Variety.</em></p></section></section>

The Best Last-Minute Cyber Monday Deals of 2024: Meta Quest, Xbox, PS5, LEGOs, Apple, and More

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 01:10:00 -0000

Cyber Monday is ending soon. Dive into the best Cyber Monday deals of 2024, across games, consoles, tech, gadgets, and toys.

<section class="article-page"><p>There are only a matter of hours remaining before Cyber Monday 2024 ends. Although a small set of deals will continue on through the rest of the week (often dubbed "Cyber Week"), the vast majority of deals wil expire promptly at midnight.</p><section data-transform="mobile-ad-break"></section><p>In terms of deal quality, you're not too late to grab the best we've seen on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles, several <a href="https://zdcs.link/z6bkeq">Apple iPads</a>, <a href="https://zdcs.link/92bR1e">AirPods</a>, and <a href="https://zdcs.link/QWdkPA">Apple Watches,</a> heavily discounted video games, powerful gaming PCs and laptops, and more. If you're still actively looking for a deal on something you want, then the time to window shop is soon to be over. Although there will always be deals on every day of the year, December won't be as bountiful in deals as Cyber Monday.</p><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="b043d781-2013-446b-abcf-7138680e8174" data-id="210729"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="b043d781-2013-446b-abcf-7138680e8174" data-id="210729" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><h2><strong>TL;DR - Best Cyber Monday Deals</strong></h2><ul><li><a href="https://howl.link/y053thmruonc5">Xbox Series X All-Digital</a> - $374.99</li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/QKDPXj">PS5 Cobalt Star Disc Bundle</a> - $424.99</li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/9g3nbb">PS5 NBA 2K25 Digital Bundle</a> - $374</li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/68Ded">Hulu for $0.99/mo for 12 Months</a></li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/92bR1e">Apple AirPods Pro</a> - $154</li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/a0X0LE">FitRX Adjustable Dumbbells</a> - $140</li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/z6bNx7">Xbox Controllers for $35</a> code: <strong>BFCMXBOX</strong></li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/Qrpydm">The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom</a> - $30</li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/zjGAbe">Star Wars Outlaws</a> - $39.99</li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/QGVLmK">65" LG Evo C3 OLED TV</a> - $1197</li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/aAVGlL">Azul Board Game</a> - $13.33</li><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/z6bJr3">5 Pounds of Gummy Bears</a> - $11.30</li></ul><aside><h2>Deal Alert: LG Evo C3 4K OLED TVs</h2></aside></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="758ef0b8-b2bd-4114-8fce-1fa0ba6e1ee9" data-id="212840"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="758ef0b8-b2bd-4114-8fce-1fa0ba6e1ee9" data-id="212840" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section></section><h3 data-toc-title="LG Evo C3 4K OLED TVs">Get the 77" if your space can fit, the 65" if not.</h3><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="758ef0b8-b2bd-4114-8fce-1fa0ba6e1ee9" data-id="212681"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="758ef0b8-b2bd-4114-8fce-1fa0ba6e1ee9" data-id="212681" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>The best high-end TV deal just landed for <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-cyber-monday-deals-2024">Cyber Monday</a>. Best Buy has dropped the price of the <a href="https://zdcs.link/jo672">77" LG Evo C3 4K OLED TV</a> down to $1,499.99. That is an <strong>incredible </strong>deal for the later 77" screen size. On a normal day, you would be paying that much for the 65" model. If, however, you can't fit a TV of this size into your space, Amazon is offering the <a href="https://zdcs.link/jo672">65" LG Evo C3 4K OLED TV</a> for only $1,196.99. This TV and others in LG's C-series lineup have won top spots in several of our buying guides, including <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-high-end-4k-tv">best 4K TV</a>, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-tv-for-gaming">best TV for gaming</a>, and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-tvs-for-ps5">best TV for the PlayStation 5</a>. This is an especially good choice if you picked up the new <a href="https://www.ign.com/tech/playstation-5-pro">PS5 Pro</a>, since the updated hardware will be able to run more games at a consistent 4K @ 120fps.</p><aside><h2>Xbox Series X All-Digital Edition 1TB Console</h2></aside></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="5fb1e184-2360-4acd-b4d4-15fc3dd712a5" data-id="212773"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="5fb1e184-2360-4acd-b4d4-15fc3dd712a5" data-id="212773" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>For Cyber Monday, Best Buy has the best price on the new Xbox Series X All-Digital Edition, which normally retails for $449.99. Whereas everyone else has it for $399.99, <a href="https://zdcs.link/Qx74Pb">Best Buy has it for $374.99</a> ( a savings of $75 instead of $50). That's a great price for a fully powered Xbox Series X. If you've been waiting for an actual deal on an Xbox Series X console, this might be the best one yet. Check out our <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-xbox-deals-black-friday-2024">Xbox Cyber Monday</a> hub for more deals.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Xbox Series X Console">More Xbox Cyber Monday Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-items="[211616,211615,211612,211618,212094]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>Deal Alert: $35 Xbox Controllers</h2></aside><h3 data-toc-title="$35 Xbox Controllers">The Best Price on Xbox Controllers</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="abed85ab-929a-4fc5-acd8-b8b75968d792" data-items="[210766,210767,210769,207288,210768,207286]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><p>Lenovo just pushed out the best Xbox controller deal I've seen for both Cyber Monday and Black Friday. The Xbox wireless controller in Robot White or Electric Volt is on sale for $34.99. Carbon Black (with USB cable), Shock Blue, Pulse Red, and Deep Pink are on sale for $39.99. For any of these options, make sure you apply coupon code "<strong>BFCMXBOX</strong>" in your shopping cart. These controllers are compatible with Xbox Series X and S consoles as well as your PC.</p><aside><h2>Deal Alert: Apple AirPods Pro</h2></aside><h3 data-toc-title="Apple AirPods Pro">The Best Cyber Monday AirPods Deal</h3><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="c85611c2-4667-4e9f-9cd9-73dfd5b751d8" data-id="211800"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="c85611c2-4667-4e9f-9cd9-73dfd5b751d8" data-id="211800" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>The best Cyber Monday AirPods deal is still available, although it looks to be selling out quickly. The <a href="https://zdcs.link/92bR1e">Apple AirPods Pro</a> wireless noise-canceling earbuds dropped to $154 during the leadup to Black Friday, and although most retailers have bumpted the price back up to $170, a few - namely <a href="https://zdcs.link/92bR1e">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://zdcs.link/9lwJKO">Walmart</a> - still have it discounted for <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-cyber-monday-deals-2024">Cyber Monday</a>. This discount brings the price down to the same level as the Apple AirPods 4 with noise cancellation. Between the two, the AirPods Pro is still <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-apple-airpods-models">Apple's best earbuds</a> because it offers better sound quality and better noise cancellation.</p><aside><h2>Samsung 990 Pro 2TB PS5 SSD with Heatsink</h2></aside></section><h3 data-toc-title="Apple AirPods Pro">The fastest PCIe 4.0 SSD available</h3><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-id="212900"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-id="212900" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Deep into Cyber Monday, Amazon has released the best SSD deal we've seen so far for November. Amazon is offering the blazing fast <a href="https://zdcs.link/eBo3X">Samsung 990 Pro 2TB</a> PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe solid state drive (SSD) with preinstalled heatsink for only $149.99. There are other, cheaper SSDs out there, but the 990 Pro is widely considered the fastest PCIe 4.0 SSDs on the market. It makes for an outstanding drop-in storage expansion for your <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/fortnite-playstation-ps5-bundle-deals-cyber-monday-2024">PlayStation 5 console</a> or as a boot drive for your gaming rig.</p><aside><h2>Deal Alert: Get Hulu for $0.99/Month for an Entire Year</h2></aside></section><h3 data-toc-title="Hulu for $0.99"><strong>The Best Cyber Monday Streaming Deal</strong></h3><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="08f6102b-d1c3-4715-b3e4-b7fe53fe7888" data-id="191844"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="08f6102b-d1c3-4715-b3e4-b7fe53fe7888" data-id="191844" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p></p></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="08f6102b-d1c3-4715-b3e4-b7fe53fe7888" data-id="212100"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="08f6102b-d1c3-4715-b3e4-b7fe53fe7888" data-id="212100" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>This Cyber Monday, you can sign up for Hulu for just <a href="https://zdcs.link/5pWb5?object_uuid=4027fc0f-b4e7-42bf-8732-84dcd4a9bc97&t=article&_ga=1195960001.1647009307">$0.99/month for an entire year</a> – down from $9.99/month, and at 90% off that's hard to beat. Similarly, the Disney+ bundle is being offered at <a href="https://zdcs.link/5pWb5?object_uuid=4027fc0f-b4e7-42bf-8732-84dcd4a9bc97&t=article&_ga=1195960001.1647009307">$2.99/month for a year</a>, down from $10.99/month, making these some of the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-black-friday-streaming-deals-2024">best Black Friday streaming deals</a> available. Don't miss out.</p><aside><h2>Deal Alert: Gummy Bears</h2></aside></section><h3 data-toc-title="Gummy Bears">As good as (maybe even better than) Haribos</h3><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="03fd1d35-6b95-442b-8cec-657b95613cc2" data-id="212771"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="03fd1d35-6b95-442b-8cec-657b95613cc2" data-id="212771" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>If there's one sweet that you should treat yourself to for Cyber Monday, consider this 5 pound bag of <a href="https://zdcs.link/z6bJr3">Albanese World's Best 12 Flavor Gummi Bears</a>, now only $11.89 after a 40% discount. They drop to $11.30 with Subscribe & Save. A bunch of us here at IGN ordered these and highly recommend them. Although I'm usually not a big candy person, I do like putting gummy bears in the fridge to harden them up and using them as an ice cream topper.</p><aside><h2>Deal Alert: iBuyPower RTX 4070 Gaming PC for $1199</h2></aside></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="77e3f8b0-7bef-48b4-a182-638f7b7a6cb7" data-id="212761"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="77e3f8b0-7bef-48b4-a182-638f7b7a6cb7" data-id="212761" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>This might very well be the best gaming PC deal of Cyber Monday. Walmart is offering this iBuyPower Y40 gaming PC with AMD Ryzen 7 7700 CPU and the excellent RTX 4070 GPU for only $1199. The RTX 4070 Super is one of the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-graphics-card">best graphics cards for most people</a>; it's affordably priced and yet it's powerful enough to run games at up to 4K (although 1440p is its <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-nvidia-graphics-cards">sweet spot</a>). I personally gamed on a 4K monitor with a RTX 3080 GPU (less powerful than the RTX 4070 Super) before I upgraded. The system is contained in a nice looking Hyte Y40 midtower chassis (iBuyPower and Hyte are sister brands).</p><aside><h2>The Best PlayStation Deals</h2></aside></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-id="211413"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-id="211413" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Sony released its entire set of <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/playstation-ps5-black-friday-sale-2024">Cyber Monday PlayStation deals</a> on November 21 and most major retailers have followed suit. These deals have an official end date of December 2 (Cyber Monday). The best deals are on the consoles: The <a href="https://zdcs.link/QKDPXj">PS5 Slim Disc Edition</a> has dropped to $424.99 (originally $500) and the <a href="https://zdcs.link/z3bDyq">PS5 Slim Digital Edition</a> has dropped to $374.99 (originally $450). I would choose the Disc Edition because it's only $50 more and then I have the option to buy (and later sell or trade) physical disc media. But if you want to save some money and go the Digital Edition route, I would suggest getting the NBA 2K25 bundle (if you can catch it in-stock), which also includes a game. Although the Fortnite Cobalt Star bundle has a fancy-looking box, no actual game is included.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="PlayStation 5">More PlayStation Cyber Monday Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="028a145e-5dc2-4e3c-a711-702c006350a6" data-items="[211411,211412,211415,211420,211414,211614,211620,212095]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>Best Video Game Deals for PS5 and Xbox</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="56b24fb1-b74e-4b45-8835-20eee9ba9746" data-id="211428"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="56b24fb1-b74e-4b45-8835-20eee9ba9746" data-id="211428" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p><a href="https://zdcs.link/zjGAbe">Star Wars: Outlaws</a> was released only three months ago and it's already 33% off for Cyber Monday. Maybe Ubisoft is trying to boost sales after a <a href="https://ign.com/articles/ubisoft-shares-take-a-hit-as-analysts-predict-lower-than-expected-star-wars-outlaws-sales">lackluster launch</a>, but that means you get to enjoy a AAA title at a great discount. IGN's Tristan Ogilvie gave it a <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/star-wars-outlaws-review">7/10 review,</a> which is still good, but I've beaten the game and immensely enjoyed it, so I would have given it an 8. It definitely has an "Assassin's Creed game in a Star Wars skin" vibe, and there's nothing wrong with that.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="PS5 and Xbox Video Games">More Cyber Monday Video Game Deals for PS5/Xbox</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="56b24fb1-b74e-4b45-8835-20eee9ba9746" data-items="[212860,211427,212085,211654,211418,211419,212078,211566,211291,211739,211742,211284,211736,211735,211740,211738,211340,211296,211301,211304,211421,211286,211292,211303,211299,211289,211285,211287,211288]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>Deal Alert: Azul Board Game</h2></aside><h3 data-toc-title="Hulu for $0.99">The Best Board Game Under $15</h3><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="7081af7a-201a-46cb-8bbd-72bebe48deeb" data-id="209609"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="7081af7a-201a-46cb-8bbd-72bebe48deeb" data-id="209609" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p></p><p>You can pick up a copy of <a href="https://zdcs.link/9g3YNn?object_uuid=91c2fde0-d70b-4814-8082-9cf022b634c9&t=article&_ga=721116655.1681141708">Azul</a> for only $13.33 for Cyber Monday. Many board games are about mystery or war, but Azul is totally different. Players in Azul compete to design the most beautiful tiled mosaics they can. In our <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/azul-board-game-review">Azul review</a>, Matt Thrower writes, "Between its beautiful presentation, simplicity and depth there’s little doubt that Azul has earned its place as a modern classic. While the tinkering with its formula undertaken by its sequels has created more challenging games, none has captured the fine blend of accessibility and interactivity that makes it special."</p><aside><h2>The Best Video Game Deals for Switch</h2></aside></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="350235a2-6413-4d0b-83cd-b4905d782ebb" data-id="211635"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="350235a2-6413-4d0b-83cd-b4905d782ebb" data-id="211635" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Walmart is the only retailer offering Tears of the Kingdom for $30. IGN gave it a <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-review">10/10 "Masterpiece" rating</a> and I would have to agree. Tom Marks wrote that "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an unfathomable follow-up, expanding a world that already felt full beyond expectation and raising the bar ever higher into the clouds." I wouldn't wait too long to get this deal; Walmart is already sold out of physical copies.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Switch Video Games">More Cyber Monday Video Game Deals for Switch</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="350235a2-6413-4d0b-83cd-b4905d782ebb" data-items="[211989,212004,211927,212184,211636,211637,211641,211645,211928,211726,211630,211632,211631,211626,211633,211634]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>Deal Alert: FitRX Adjustable Dumbbells</h2></aside><h3 data-toc-title="Adjustable Dumbbells">The Least Expensive Adjustable dumbells</h3><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="03fd1d35-6b95-442b-8cec-657b95613cc2" data-id="212407"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="03fd1d35-6b95-442b-8cec-657b95613cc2" data-id="212407" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Bowflex isn't the only option when it comes to adjustable dumbbell sets, especially on Cyber Monday. FitRX is another popular brand at a much, much lower price point. As part of the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-walmart-early-black-friday-deals-2024">Walmart Cyber Monday Sale</a>, you can pick up a pair of <a href="https://zdcs.link/a0X0LE">FitRx Adjustable Dumbbells</a> for only $139.97. A set of Bowflex 551 adjustable dumbbells costs <a href="https://zdcs.link/plr4l"><strong>three times more</strong></a><em><strong>. </strong></em>Walmart even offers free shipping, which is great since the package will weigh in at well over 100 pounds.</p><aside><h2>The Best Apple Deals: AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch</h2></aside></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="c85611c2-4667-4e9f-9cd9-73dfd5b751d8" data-id="211235"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="c85611c2-4667-4e9f-9cd9-73dfd5b751d8" data-id="211235" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>There <a href="https://zdcs.link/aB1VjJ">Apple iPad 10th gen</a> for $259.99 is the iPad I would recommend to most people. It offers snappy performance and an intuitive iOS interface at an affordable price. Tenth gen <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/apple-ipad-9th-generation-vs-10th-generation-which-should-you-buy">improvements over its predecessor</a> include a larger 10.9" screen and a faster A14 Bionic chip, Magic Folio keyboard support so you can convert it into a mini laptop (making it one of the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-ipads-for-students">best iPads for students</a>), a USB Type-C port, better camera, and updated Wi-Fi 6 protocol. This price was $10 less on Black Friday, but I don't know if that deal will come back for Cyber Monday.</p></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="c85611c2-4667-4e9f-9cd9-73dfd5b751d8" data-id="211801"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="c85611c2-4667-4e9f-9cd9-73dfd5b751d8" data-id="211801" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>For anyone on a budget, this is <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-apple-watch-black-friday-deals-2024"><em>the</em> Apple Watch to get</a>. The second generation Apple Watch SE starts at just $149 only at <a href="https://zdcs.link/a5boXY?object_uuid=e39fa24f-5bc2-4358-8b2c-8df852a26e39&t=article&_ga=721116655.1681141708">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://zdcs.link/z7bVMD?object_uuid=e39fa24f-5bc2-4358-8b2c-8df852a26e39&t=article&_ga=721116655.1681141708">Walmart</a> and is the best price I've ever seen for a brand-new Apple Watch with a warranty. Despite the affordable price tag, you actually don't lose out on much functionality if you opt for an Apple Watch SE. It's powered by the same S8 processor found in the Apple Watch Series 8 and the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra. It also features a bright and sharp OLED Retina display, IPX7 water resistance, fall detection, sleep tracking, Apple Pay, and nearly all the fitness tracking functionality including heart rate monitoring.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Apple Devices">More Apple Cyber Monday Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="c85611c2-4667-4e9f-9cd9-73dfd5b751d8" data-items="[211800,211235,211234,211240,211241,211801,211242,212354,211238,211239,211237,211236,211803,211804]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>3 Months of Audible Premium Plus for $0.99 per Month</h2></aside><h3 data-toc-title="Audible for $0.99"><strong>Includes One-Time $20 Audible Credit</strong></h3><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="39b8ff08-542a-4b2e-a0b6-4ba4bce1fb00" data-id="162158"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="39b8ff08-542a-4b2e-a0b6-4ba4bce1fb00" data-id="162158" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p></p><ul><li><a href="https://zdcs.link/9ywj2r"><strong>See deal in the UK - £0.99/month for three months (was £7.99)</strong></a></li></ul><p>From now until December 31, non-current Audible subscribers are eligible for <a href="https://zdcs.link/QLnvLM">three months of Audible Premium Plus</a> for $0.99 per month and a bonus one-time $20 Audible credit. Premium Plus is Audible's best plan and three months would normally cost you about $44.95. You also get a free audiobook of your choice each month that you get to keep indefinitely.</p><p>Audible is a subscription service that gives you access to hundreds of thousands of the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-audiobooks">best audiobooks</a> without ever having to purchase them. Premium Plus is Audible's highest tier plan and it gives you access to a whopping 500,000 audiobooks. These include all-time classics like Frank Herbert's <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/dune-books-in-order">Dune</a>, Harry Potter, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/game-of-thrones-books-in-order">Game of Thrones</a> (A Song of Ice and Fire), <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/the-witcher-books-reading-order">The Witcher</a>, The Sandman Series, and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/the-lord-of-the-rings-books-reading-order">The Lord of the Rings</a>.</p><aside><h2>The Best Gaming PC Deals</h2></aside></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="5a0dd1a0-870b-4cdc-8d23-df1d3618af48" data-id="210947"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="5a0dd1a0-870b-4cdc-8d23-df1d3618af48" data-id="210947" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>The <a href="https://zdcs.link/zjGN7e">OMEN 45L</a> is HP's flagship gaming PC. This is HP's roomiest chassis with plenty of cooling in the form of three 120mm fans positioned at the front of the case and another three 120mm fans attached to the 360mm all-in-one liquid cooling radiator at the top of the case. This PC is equipped with a massive 1,200W 80PLUS Gold certified power supply that's big enough for even the most power-hungry of gaming PCs.</p><p>The RTX 4090 is the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-graphics-card">most powerful GPU</a> on the market. No other video card from NVIDIA or AMD comes close. In his <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/nvidia-geforce-rtx-4090-founders-edition-review">RTX 4090 review</a>, Chris Coke writes "The RTX 4090 may be huge and expensive, but holy smokes if it doesn’t blow the competition out of the water... Until the rest of the pack can catch up, between its impressive hardware specs and its DLSS 3 AI wizardry, even the $1,599 price doesn’t seem unreasonable for the unrivaled frame rates that this card can crank out."</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Gaming PCs">More Cyber Monday Gaming PC Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="77e3f8b0-7bef-48b4-a182-638f7b7a6cb7" data-items="[212761,212762,212708,211324,212706,212707]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>The Best Gaming Laptop Deals</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="f60a3150-601e-465d-a67e-19c52dc16e30" data-id="212065"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="f60a3150-601e-465d-a67e-19c52dc16e30" data-id="212065" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>The <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-walmart-black-friday-deals-2024">Walmart Cyber Monday Sale</a> brings with it this excellent gaming laptop deal. Walmart is offering a <a href="https://zdcs.link/9ywpZe?object_uuid=1ae164fd-68b3-4fb7-acea-9b0d612fa679&t=article&_ga=721116655.1681141708">Lenovo LOQ</a> RTX 4070 gaming laptop for only $879.99. Yes, you read that right. The LOQ is Lenovo's lineup of budget-oriented gaming laptops. This system features a 15" 1080p display, a low-voltage AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS CPU, GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. The RTX 4070 GPU is a fully powered (115W TGP) model, not a throttled one like on some other budget laptops. Despite its low cost, this laptop will perform almost as well as the best RTX 4070 gaming laptops. You should be able to play <strong>any </strong>game comfortably on the 1080p display.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Gaming Laptops">More Cyber Monday Gaming Laptop Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="f60a3150-601e-465d-a67e-19c52dc16e30" data-items="[212146,211317,210824,210840,210830,210928,210823,211318]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>The Best Gaming Monitor Deals</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="6ea3f016-7285-4710-967b-f28f225bf924" data-id="212406"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="6ea3f016-7285-4710-967b-f28f225bf924" data-id="212406" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Perhaps the best Cyber Monday deal on a high-end gaming monitor has arrived. Amazon is offering the massive 57" <a href="https://zdcs.link/QWdAl6">Samsung Odyssey Neo G9</a> Dual 4K UHD gaming monitor at the exclusive price of $1,479.99. That's $120 less than everyone else's <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-black-friday-gaming-monitor-deals-2024">gaming monitor Black Friday deal</a> and nearly 50% off the retail price. Keep in mind that there is no other monitor to compare it with. If you're looking for the biggest and sharpest super ultra-wide gaming monitor on the planet, this would be it right here. Just make sure that your GPU is up to snuff.</p></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="eabfcc36-224a-4b3f-b2d9-40bc5a22d938" data-id="210511"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="eabfcc36-224a-4b3f-b2d9-40bc5a22d938" data-id="210511" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Alienware just sweetened the deal on its best gaming monitor for Cyber Monday. The <a href="https://zdcs.link/drw66">32" Alienware AW3225QF</a> 32" 4K QD OLED gaming monitor is down to $899.99. But that's not all. Alienware is also including a <strong>bonus $100 Dell promotional e-gift card</strong>. The Alienware AW3225QF was released earlier this year and is actually Dell's one and only monitor that combines a 4K resolution with an OLED panel.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Gaming Monitors">More Cyber Monday Gaming Monitor Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="6ea3f016-7285-4710-967b-f28f225bf924" data-items="[212406,211847,211846,212145,211500,211390,211388,211386,211568,211393,211263,211396,211376,211262,211384,211387]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>The Best TV Deals</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="758ef0b8-b2bd-4114-8fce-1fa0ba6e1ee9" data-id="211878"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="758ef0b8-b2bd-4114-8fce-1fa0ba6e1ee9" data-id="211878" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>The entry-level Hisense R6-series 4K smart TV offers a limited set of features in exchange for a rock bottom price. Don't expect this TV to be decked out with the latest cutting-edge technology, however what you'll get is a native 4K TV that works out of the box and still offers solid image quality that will satisfy most TV watchers. It has built-in speakers and Roku smart TV baked in. Roku is actually our <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-streaming-device">favorite streaming hub</a> because of its intuitive interface.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="TV Deals">More Cyber Monday TV Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="758ef0b8-b2bd-4114-8fce-1fa0ba6e1ee9" data-items="[212840,212681,211878,211879,210901,210905,210801,211499,211514,210805,210803,211495,211345,211347,211497,211498,210804,210797,210938,211010,211011,211253,211252,211259,211260,211261,210798]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>The Best Gaming Handheld PC Deals</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="5fb1e184-2360-4acd-b4d4-15fc3dd712a5" data-id="211279"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="5fb1e184-2360-4acd-b4d4-15fc3dd712a5" data-id="211279" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Best Buy is still the only retailer to drop the price on the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-black-friday-gaming-handheld-deals-asus-rog-ally-lenovo-legion-go-steam-deck">Asus ROG Ally X</a> so far for Black Friday or Cyber Monday. In our <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/asus-rog-ally-x-review">Asus ROG Ally X review</a>, gaming guru Jacqueline Thomas wrote that "the Asus ROG Ally X is simply the <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-handheld-gaming-pc">best handheld gaming PC</a> on the market right now. With more and faster memory and double the battery as the original Ally, the Ally X will run any modern game without dying in an hour and a half."</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Gaming Handhelds">More Cyber Monday Gaming Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="5fb1e184-2360-4acd-b4d4-15fc3dd712a5" data-items="[211283,211278,210808,211281,212167,212179,211276,210931,211440,211417,211277,210934,211280,210806]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>The Best Headphone Deals</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="2a29e6a2-4a3e-4675-b308-895ccc9cd7e9" data-id="212176"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="2a29e6a2-4a3e-4675-b308-895ccc9cd7e9" data-id="212176" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>These <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/jlab-jbuds-lux-wireless-noise-cancelling-headphones-black-friday-deal-2024">JLabs JBuds Lux</a> are an incredible value. First of all, they feature both wireless connectivity <em>and</em> noise cancellation for under $30. Better yet, unlike virtually all other headphones at this price point, they're actually very good! <a href="https://www.soundguys.com/jlab-jbuds-lux-anc-review-114634/">SoundGuys recently reviewed the JLabs JBuds Lux</a> and gave it an absolutely glowing review, mentioning that they were one of the best headphones under $100. SoundGuys considered them an extremely good value <strong>at their retail price of $79</strong>. Imagine their opinion at the current $29 price point.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Headphone Deals">More Cyber Monday Headphone Deals</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="2a29e6a2-4a3e-4675-b308-895ccc9cd7e9" data-items="[212173,212171,212170,212168,212169,212172,212174]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>The Best Board Game Deals</h2></aside><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="7081af7a-201a-46cb-8bbd-72bebe48deeb" data-id="209599"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="7081af7a-201a-46cb-8bbd-72bebe48deeb" data-id="209599" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>An excellent board game worth mentioning is <a href="https://zdcs.link/QODo1n?object_uuid=91c2fde0-d70b-4814-8082-9cf022b634c9&t=article&_ga=721116655.1681141708">Splendor</a>, which is down to $13.99 after you clip the coupon. Splendor is a 2014 release that's still considered one of the best board games for all experience levels, and it's priced lower than most other board games targeted towards the same audience. There's plenty of strategy here, but at the same time, the rules aren't daunting and the average playtime is a very reasonable 30 minutes. This fast game is easy enough for kids to learn but satisfying for players of all ages, making it a good <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-family-board-games">board game for families</a>.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Board Games">More Cyber Monday Board Games</h3><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="7081af7a-201a-46cb-8bbd-72bebe48deeb" data-items="[211764,209599,209608,209610,211765,209606,211768,211767,211766]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>Deal Alert: LEGO NASA Space Shuttle Discovery</h2></aside><h3 data-toc-title="LEGO NASA Space Shuttle Discovery 10">Lots of interactive elements for a display-worthy set</h3><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="b7da3839-8786-4d5d-b4cf-91f633a5d7a5" data-id="212539"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="b7da3839-8786-4d5d-b4cf-91f633a5d7a5" data-id="212539" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>This popular LEGO Creator set rarely goes on sale. For Cyber Monday, LEGO Shop is offering the <a href="https://zdcs.link/zJVL1N">NASA Space Shuttle Discovery 10283</a> for $159.99, or a savings of 20%. You'll need to be a LEGO Insiders member, but it's free to sign up. This impressive set consists of 2,354 bricks, which averages out to about 6.7 cents per brick, and measures 22" long. As its namesake suggests, this is a replica of the Space Shuttle Discovery, with a center compartment that opens up and houses a separate Hubble telescope that can be deployed with a robot arm. Of course it also looks amazing as a display.</p><aside><h2>Kitchen Appliances, Personal Care, Vacuums, and More</h2></aside></section><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="03fd1d35-6b95-442b-8cec-657b95613cc2" data-id="212492"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="03fd1d35-6b95-442b-8cec-657b95613cc2" data-id="212492" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>iFixit might be a familiar brand name for you from all of the helpful teardown videos of various electronics that've hosted on YouTube. Well, they also sell an extremely practical and high quality toolkit that helps you do the same. Amazon is offering the <a href="https://zdcs.link/MVGyq">iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit</a> for electronics, smartphones, gaming consoles, PCs and laptops, and tablets for only $59.96. It normally retails for $75 and we've only seen a price drop only once this year back in May. This is one of the very best tool kits you can buy for disassembling and repairing your electronics -- including your Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck -- without spending hundreds of dollars on a commercial kit.</p></section><h3 data-toc-title="Home, Personal Care, Tools">More Random Cyber Monday Deals</h3><p>Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Best Buy are all one-stop shopping sites, so it makes sense that their Cyber Monday sales extend beyond gaming and tech. Here are the best deals I've seen so far on small kitchen appliances, personal care products like <a href="https://zdcs.link/avxBB8">hair dryers</a> and <a href="https://zdcs.link/avxBB8">toothbrushes</a>, <a href="https://zdcs.link/9lw0yr">vacuum cleaners</a>, and other convenient necessities that everyone – gamers included – might find useful. On a personal note, although <a href="https://zdcs.link/QKDoGG">air fryers</a> are all the rage these days, I bought my <a href="https://zdcs.link/aNDmmy">Instant Pot pressure cooker</a> over 10 years ago and I still use it weekly. My air fryer sits in the cabinet.</p><section data-transform="catalog-carousel" data-catalogid="03fd1d35-6b95-442b-8cec-657b95613cc2" data-items="[212771,212638,212492,212407,212177,211995,212185,211997,212000,211992,211994,211998,211999]" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted-item="null"></section><aside><h2>Breville the Bambino Plus Espresso Machine</h2></aside><h3 data-toc-title="Breville Espresso Machine">20% off the best entry-level espresso machine</h3><section data-transform="catalog-item-wrapper" data-catalogid="03fd1d35-6b95-442b-8cec-657b95613cc2" data-id="212638"><section data-transform="catalog-item" data-catalogid="03fd1d35-6b95-442b-8cec-657b95613cc2" data-id="212638" data-show-pricing="true" data-highlighted="false"></section><p>Amazon has dropped the price of the super popular and well-reviewed <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-cyber-monday-deals-2024">Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine</a> to $399.95 after a 20% discount. This machine is rarely discounted, even on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. You can read the reviews online, but the Bambino Plus is well-regarded, even among the coffee snobs, as an incredible bang for your buck at retail price, especially if you like pouring yourself lattes or other milk-based coffee drinks. To get something appreciably better, you'll have to pay north of $1,000.</p><aside><h2>Prefer to Shop by Retailer? We've Got You Covered.</h2></aside><p>If you prefer to shop by retailer, we've written up Cyber Monday Deals roundups for each of the major retailers: Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, and Gamestop. Check them out below:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-amazon-deals-black-friday-2024">Amazon Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-target-deals-black-friday-2024">Target Cyber Monday Sale </a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-walmart-black-friday-deals-2024">Walmart Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/best-buy-black-friday-sale-2024">Best Buy Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/gamestop-black-friday-sale-2024">Gamestop Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/dell-black-friday-sale-2024-best-deals-laptops-and-pcs">Dell Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/dell-alienware-black-friday-sale-2024-best-deals-on-gaming-laptops-gaming-pcs">Alienware Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/lenovo-cyber-monday-sale-2024-best-deals-on-legion-gaming-laptops-gaming-pcs">Lenovo Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/hp-early-black-friday-sale-2024-best-deals-on-omen-gaming-laptops-pcs">HP Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/secretlab-early-black-friday-sale-2024-on-titan-evo-gaming-chairs">Secretlab Cyber Monday Sale</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/sonos-black-friday-sale-2024-best-deals-on-soundbars-speakers">Sonos Cyber Monday Sale</a></li></ul><h2>Black Friday vs Cyber Monday</h2><p>In most instances, you can consider Cyber Monday as a one day extension of Black Friday. Traditionally, Black Friday was known as the "retail holiday," where the best deals were found in-store, and Cyber Monday was known as the "online holiday," where the best deals were online only. Although today the lines are very much blurred, it is still true that <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/black-friday-vs-cyber-monday">many online only retailers still consider Cyber Monday the sale event of the year instead of Black Friday</a>. Expect some amazing sales to come out of online-only sites like Amazon, Newegg, Dell, HP, Lenovo and several online-only deals from traditional retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart.</p><aside><h2>Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?</h2><p>IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out <a href="https://corp.ign.com/ign-deals-standards-and-practices">our deals standards here</a> for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on <a href="https://x.com/IGNDeals">IGN's Deals account on Twitter</a>.</p></aside><section data-transform="divider"></section><p><em>Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.</em></p></section></section>

Torn Banner Studios cuts staff after No More Room in Hell 2's EA launch

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 20:10:06 -0000

The developer affirmed it was committed to fixing No More Room in Hell 2's issues and growing the game into a full, 1.0 release for a 2025 launch.

Phasmophobia scares up one million copies sold on consoles

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 18:52:59 -0000

A month after hitting PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, Phasmophobia is taking off with a new crowd.

Lilith Games lays off 40 devs ahead of Project Party rework

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 18:04:29 -0000

Nearly half of Lilith's 100-person staff has been cut in response to the tepid beta period for Project Party.

Note from the Publisher

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 14:22:22 -0000

A change in ownership and what it means for our readers.

MyGames sells off hypercasual games publisher Mamboo

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 19:31:53 -0000

After years of using Mamboo to court hypercasual players, MyGames is putting its focus back on 'mid-core' releases.

GOG expands preservation program to protect delisted games

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 19:28:53 -0000

The company's recent efforts to protect and update older games will now include titles that get delisted from its store.

Tencent grabs majority stake in Chinese studio Kuro Games

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 16:02:14 -0000

The conglomerate now holds a 51.4 percent controlling stake in the Wuthering Waves developer.

Visions of Mana director leaves NetEase for Square Enix

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 12:51:23 -0000

Ryosuke Yoshida has departed NetEase subsidiary Ouka Studios, casting more doubt on the future of the Japanese studio.

Riot expands terms of service to cover 'off-platform conduct and behavior'

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 11:19:34 -0000

The studio has told content creators bans could be issued for offensive behavior that occurs outside of its games.

Snapping Your Career into Place with Ben Brode: Game Developer Podcast Ep. 48

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 22:49:26 -0000

This month on the Game Developer podcast, we interview Ben Brode, chief development officer at Second Dinner, the studio behind Marvel Snap.

Codecks nets €1 million in funding for game dev project management tool

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 20:04:34 -0000

With the new funding, Codecks aims to beef up staff and create new features to help game developers to keep track of their workload.

BioWare alum Mac Walters freezes indie studio Worlds Untold amid funding search

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 19:00:38 -0000

Worlds Untold is going on hiatus as its leaders search for someone to back its first game and 'help bring our vision to life.'

Sony's PlayStation retrospective digs into the console's 30-year hardware history

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:43:55 -0000

Celebrate the original PlayStation's 30th anniversary in Japan with hard sales numbers and retrospectives for the whole PlayStation family.

Survival guide to developing a game and publishing it on Steam

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 17:00:00 -0000

What seemed like just a technical challenge turned into a journey that included design, production, marketing and all the other aspects of the industry that make a good idea become a finished and published project.

PlayStation veteran Shuhei Yoshida is departing the company

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 10:46:53 -0000

Yoshida has become synonymous with the PlayStation brand after spending over three decades at Sony.

Nintendo will kill the Switch's Chinese eShop in May 2026

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 20:36:51 -0000

After bringing the Switch to China in 2019, Nintendo will shut down its eShop in the country for unexplained reasons.

CD Projekt Q3 revenue down 49% as Witcher 4 development enters full swing

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 19:46:23 -0000

Cyberpunk 2077 and Phantom Liberty are still selling, but CD Projekt saw revenue decreases in 2024-2025's penultimate quarter.

Report: Sniper Elite battle royale spinoff cancelled after Tencent pulls funding

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 17:21:27 -0000

The now-scrapped 'Project Archipelago' would have turned Rebellion's stealth franchise into a multiplayer shooter.

A Unity project for all platforms: Part 1

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 17:00:00 -0000

Description of the base structure, modules and functions of a self-made Unity template project which could be run on many different platforms (PC, Web, Mobile).

The 2K Launcher is going the way of the dodo

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 12:47:53 -0000

The launcher is being 'removed from every game that used it on Epic and Steam.'

Mass Effect director shutters new studio due to 'unexpected shortfall of funding'

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 11:20:18 -0000

Casey Hudson formed Humanoid Origin in 2021 to build a new sci-fi universe.

Unions for Ubisoft's Barcelona teams sue company over RTO mandate

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 18:00:00 -0000

French and Italian staff at Ubisoft previously went on strike over returning to the office, and now Barcelona unions are combating the policy through legal means.

Why you can't objectively build great games

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 15:03:46 -0000

Developers are always trying to find that winning formula for the perfect game, but it takes more than analytics to build an amazing game.

Report: Sony is developing a dedicated PlayStation handheld

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 12:15:55 -0000

The device is reportedly in the early stages of development.

Motion capture workers at 2K have successfully voted to unionize

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 11:12:20 -0000

A group of 23 workers at 2K's Motion Capture Studio in Petaluma are now hoping to usher in 'positive change.'

Shenmue 3's publishing rights switch over to Inin Games

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 17:41:55 -0000

'Inin Games will be working closely alongside Ys Net to honor [Shenmue's] legacy while ensuring its accessibility to even more fans around the world.'

How wall running and high-speed movement works in Project: Haste

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 17:00:00 -0000

A walkthrough of the movement system's core design values and how they were programmed and implemented.

Stalker 2 has sold 1 million copies in two days

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 14:49:48 -0000

'This is just the start of our unforgettable adventure.'

What Blizzard is doing to make sure World of Warcraft never gets old

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 14:12:26 -0000

Blizzard's new plans for World of Warcraft show why MMORPGs may have plenty of life left as a genre.

Valve sets new guidelines for devs selling season passes on Steam

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 19:39:52 -0000

'If you aren't ready to clearly communicate about the content included in each DLC and when it will be ready for launch, you shouldn't offer a Season Pass on Steam.'

Bandai Namco dissolving online studio after Blue Protocol's collapse

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 18:18:09 -0000

Following the closures of the short-lived Gundam Evolution and Blue Protocol, Bandai Namco is fully absorbing its online game-focused studio.

Lego and UNICEF team on game design toolbox prioritizing child safety

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 18:05:15 -0000

The RITEC Design Toolbox was conceived as a means for designers to 'ensure their products are aligned with best practices for children's well-being.'

Classic Postmortem: Harmonix's Dance Central (2010)

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 17:00:00 -0000

This Dance Central postmortem was first published in Game Developer Magazine in January 2011.

Itch wants asset creators to disclose when they've used generative AI

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 12:37:05 -0000

The platform is asking users to self-classify their asset pages by revealing when they've leaned on tools like ChatCPT and Midjourney.

Hyper Light Breaker developer Heart Machine confirms layoffs

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 10:33:40 -0000

The studio said development of projects like Hyper Light Breaker and Possessor(s) won't be impacted by the job cuts.

AFK Journey and Clash of Clans lead Google Play's top games of 2024

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 19:48:17 -0000

Farlight's new title has been deemed Google Play's best game of the year nearly a month after launch.

Xsolla establishes Asia-Pacific HQ in Busan to grow another global dev hub

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:59:49 -0000

As with Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia, Xsolla wants to provide Busan's game industry with the resources and connections to expand its reach.

Square Enix and Lightspeed team up to bring Final Fantasy XIV to phones

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:18:55 -0000

But will this Final Fantasy XIV also be free-to-play up to level 70 and include Stormblood?

Niantic's new AI model may have been built by unaware Pokémon Go players

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 17:28:35 -0000

Update: Niantic confirmed data scans from Ingress and Pokémon Go players helped with the creation of its VPS and Large Geospatial Model.

How to record a giant mech: Recording sound design with War Robots

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 17:00:00 -0000

We explain the sound recording and design process based on our years of experience with War Robots: processes that work and fails to avoid!

What GameMaker's 25-year run tells us about the game engine market

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 15:23:23 -0000

Mister maker, make me a game.

Update: Reflector Entertainment is laying off 18 percent of its workforce

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 10:47:28 -0000

The cuts are being made a month after the launch of the studio's debut title Unknown 9.

Farming Simulator 25 has series-best launch with 2 million copies sold in opening week

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 20:11:14 -0000

The Farming Simulator series keeps growing in sales and players with each new entry.

PlayStation finds two new execs for its mobile game division

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 18:41:25 -0000

Two-year alums Olivier Courtemanche and Justin Kubiak will respectively lead the direction and business partnerships for PlayStation's mobile ventures.

Book Excerpt: Learning Video Game Design on the Tabletop

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 17:00:00 -0000

'Presented in a step-by-step format, this book helps the reader understand how the game design skills that are acquired through creating tabletop games can be used when designing video games.'

Remedy claims self-publishing model will help it 'think more commercially'

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 16:11:36 -0000

The Finnish studio is preparing to self-publish a number of titles including Control 2 and FBC: Firebreak.

SAG-AFTRA doesn't want you to forget about striking workers during awards season

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 12:20:42 -0000

'It's important not to lose sight of the fact that thousands of video game voice and movement performers have been on strike for 116 days.'

Update: Sony working to acquire FromSoftware parent company Kadokawa

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 10:53:54 -0000

A potential deal could see Elden Ring become a first-party PlayStation franchise.

Indie RPG dev Thought Pennies cuts staff after losing project funding

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 20:53:48 -0000

The four-year-old studio is letting employees go after it spent years building staff and working on 'something amazing.'

How a South Korean intern saved Valve from a Vivendi lawsuit

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 20:05:10 -0000

Back in 2002, Vivendi had Valve on the ropes. Then one Korean-speaking intern entered the ring.

Intel’s second-generation Arc B580 GPU beats Nvidia’s RTX 4060 for $249

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 20:56:46 -0000

Intel's dedicated GPUs are back for another round, and they're aiming for 1440p.

<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/12/intel-ceo-pat-gelsinger-steps-down-after-terrible-no-good-very-bad-year/">Turnover at the top of the company</a> isn't stopping Intel from launching new products: Today the company is announcing the first of its next-generation B-series Intel Arc GPUs, the Arc B580 and Arc B570.</p> <p>Both are decidedly midrange graphics cards that will compete with the likes of Nvidia's GeForce RTX 4060 and AMD's RX 7600 series, but Intel is pricing them competitively: $249 for a B580 with 12GB of RAM and $219 for a B570 with 10GB of RAM. The B580 launches on December 13, while the B570 won't be available until January 16.</p> <p>The two cards are Intel's first dedicated GPUs based on its next-generation "Battlemage" architecture, a successor to the "Alchemist" architecture used in the A-series cards. Intel's Core Ultra 200 laptop processors were its first products to ship with Battlemage, though they used an integrated version with fewer of Intel's Xe cores and no dedicated memory. Both B-series GPUs use silicon manufactured on a 5 nm TSMC process, an upgrade from the 6 nm process used for the A-series; as of this writing, no integrated <em>or</em> dedicated Arc GPUs have been manufactured by one of Intel's factories.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/12/intel-targets-budget-friendly-1440p-gaming-with-249-and-219-arc-b500-gpus/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/12/intel-targets-budget-friendly-1440p-gaming-with-249-and-219-arc-b500-gpus/#comments">Comments</a></p>

The Raspberry Pi 5 now works as a smaller, faster kind of Steam Link

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 17:13:09 -0000

Stream games at up to 4K at 60 fps from your gaming PC to your big TV.

<p>The Steam Link was <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/10/steams-living-room-hardware-blitz-gets-off-to-a-muddy-start/#page-3">a little box ahead of its time</a>. It streamed games from a PC to a TV, ran 1,500 0f them natively, offered a strange (if somewhat lovable) little controller, and essentially required a great network, Ethernet cables, and a good deal of fiddling.</p> <p>Valve <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/11/valve-quietly-discontinues-steam-link-hardware-production/">quietly discontinued the Steam Link gear in November 2018</a>, but it didn't give up. These days, a Steam Link app can be found on most platforms, and Valve's sustained effort to move Linux-based (i.e., non-Windows-controlled) gaming forward has <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/08/valves-bespoke-steam-deck-os-will-be-officially-available-on-asus-rog-ally/">paid real dividends</a>. If you still want a dedicated device to stream Steam games, however? A Raspberry Pi 5 (with some help from Valve) can be a Substitute Steam Link.</p> <p>As <a href="https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/valves-steam-link-on-raspberry-pi/">detailed in the Raspberry Pi blog</a>, there were previously means of getting Steam Link working on Raspberry Pi devices, but the platform's move away from proprietary Broadcom libraries—and from X to Wayland display systems—required "a different approach." <a href="https://steamcommunity.com/id/slouken">Sam Lantinga from Valve</a> worked with the Raspberry Pi team on optimizing for the Raspberry Pi 5 hardware. As of <a href="https://steamcommunity.com/app/353380/discussions/6/4629231777834100224/">Steam Link 1.3.13</a> for the little board, Raspberry Pi 5 units could support up to 1080p at 144 frames per second (FPS) on the H.264 protocol and 4k at 60 FPS or 1080p at 240 FPS, presuming your primary gaming computer and network can support that.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/12/the-raspberry-pi-5-now-works-as-a-smaller-faster-kind-of-steam-link/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/12/the-raspberry-pi-5-now-works-as-a-smaller-faster-kind-of-steam-link/#comments">Comments</a></p>

Blizzard’s pulling of Warcraft I & II tests GOG’s new Preservation Program

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 18:25:47 -0000

Blizzard's push of remasters has GOG committing to its DRM-free offerings.

<p>When an updated, remastered, or otherwise spiffed-up version of a game is released, nobody—not long-time fans, not archivists, not anybody, really—ever asks for the original version of that game to be taken down. Does this seem to stop game studios from committing this unforced public relations error? Absolutely not.</p> <p>Blizzard, a company that has recently released <a href="https://us.shop.battle.net/en-us/family/warcraft-rts">remastered versions of <em>Warcraft </em>and </a><em><a href="https://us.shop.battle.net/en-us/family/warcraft-rts">Warcraft II</a></em> for $10 and $15, respectively (or in a bundle with <em>III</em> for $40) on its Battle.net storefront, has asked GOG to remove its non-remastered, DRM-free <a href="https://www.gog.com/en/game/warcraft_bundle?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww">$15 bundle of those games</a> from its store on December 13.</p> <p>GOG (aka Good Old Games), which recently included <em>Warcraft I </em>and <em>II</em> in <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/gogs-preservation-program-is-the-drm-free-store-refocusing-on-the-classics/">its Preservation Program</a>, with a "Make Games Live Forever" tagline, suddenly finds itself with a new policy to figure out. So GOG is putting the <em>Warcraft I & II Bundle</em> on sale (discount code "MakeWarcraftLiveForever" for $2 off) and is <a href="https://www.gog.com/en/news/warcraft_12_will_be_delisted_from_gogwhat_does_this_mean_in_regard_to_the_gog_preservation_program">letting folks know</a> that if they buy it before December 13, they will keep access to it after the delisting, complete with offline installers.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/12/blizzards-pulling-of-warcraft-i-ii-tests-gogs-new-preservation-program/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/12/blizzards-pulling-of-warcraft-i-ii-tests-gogs-new-preservation-program/#comments">Comments</a></p>

The Atari 7800+ is a no-frills glimpse into a forgotten gaming era

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 19:34:32 -0000

Awkward controls and a lack of features make a device for Atari completists only.

<p>Like a lot of children of the '80s, my early gaming nostalgia has a huge hole where the Atari 7800 might have lived. While <a href="https://www.escapistmagazine.com/retro-colored-glasses/">practically everyone I knew had an NES</a> during my childhood—and a few uncles and friends' older siblings even had an Atari 2600 gathering dust in their dens—I was only vaguely aware of the 7800, Atari's backward compatible, late '80s attempt to maintain relevance in the quickly changing console market.</p> <p>Absent that kind of nostalgia, the Atari 7800+ comes across as a real oddity. Fiddling with the system's extremely cumbersome controllers and pixelated, arcade-port-heavy software library from a modern perspective is like peering into a fallen alternate universe, one where Nintendo wasn't able to <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/10/war-stories-how-nintendo-sold-the-nes-to-a-skeptical-country/">swoop in and revive a flailing Western home video game industry</a> with the NES.</p> <p>Even for those with fond memories of Atari 7800-filled childhoods, I'm not sure that this bare-bones package justifies its $130 price. There are many more full-featured ways to get your retro gaming fix, even for those still invested in the tail end of Atari's dead-end branch of the gaming console's evolutionary tree.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/the-atari-7800-is-a-no-frills-glimpse-into-a-forgotten-gaming-era/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/the-atari-7800-is-a-no-frills-glimpse-into-a-forgotten-gaming-era/#comments">Comments</a></p>

Sony is reportedly working on a PS5 portable

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:34:32 -0000

Miniaturized hardware is still "likely years away from launch."

<p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-25/sony-working-on-new-handheld-console-for-ps5-games-to-rival-nintendo-s-switch">Bloomberg reports</a> that Sony is "in the early stages" of work on a fully portable console that can play PlayStation 5 software. The device is still "likely years away from launch," according to "people familiar with its development" that spoke to Bloomberg anonymously.</p> <p>The report comes less than a year after the launch of <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/08/sonys-200-handheld-portal-can-stream-games-from-your-ps5-and-uh-thats-it/">the PlayStation Portal</a>, a Sony portable device designed to stream PS5 games running on a console on the same local network. Recently, Sony <a href="https://blog.playstation.com/2024/11/19/the-playstation-portal-remote-player-experience-to-evolve-with-new-system-update/">updated the Portal firmware</a> to let PlayStation Plus subscribers also stream PS5 games from Sony's centralized servers at up to 1080p and 60 fps.</p> <p>Sony's reported PS5 portable plans also come after <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/02/microsoft-sure-seems-to-be-thinking-about-some-sort-of-portable-xbox/">months of rumors</a> that Microsoft has also been working on a new Xbox console with a portable form factor. In June, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer added fuel to those rumors by directly saying, "I think we should have a handheld, too... I like my ROG Ally, my Lenovo Legion Go, my Steam Deck... I think being able to play games locally is really important."</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/sony-is-reportedly-working-on-a-ps5-portable/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/sony-is-reportedly-working-on-a-ps5-portable/#comments">Comments</a></p>

Obsidian’s Avowed is the cure for “Souls-like” action-RPG fatigue

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 18:11:18 -0000

Preview build shows a rich, colorful world with satisfying, zippy combat.

<p>In the years since <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/10/heroes-die-our-first-hours-with-the-addictive-and-maddening-dark-souls/"><em>Dark Souls</em> first hit the scene</a>, the action RPG genre has been overrun with "Souls-like" games that emulate FromSoft's general vibe. That often applies not just to dark settings and <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2022/03/is-elden-ring-really-that-hard-well-it-depends-what-you-mean-by-hard/">punishing difficulty</a> but also to the slow, deliberate management of every movement and attack to survive even simple encounters with your life and stamina intact.</p> <p>While that approach definitely has its place, sometimes you want an action-RPG with a little more color, a little faster pacing, and a little more, well, <em>action</em>. After spending a few hours with Obsidian's <em>Avowed</em>, it already feels like just the thing for action-RPG fans who want something a little less Souls-like.</p> <h2>All politics is local</h2> <p>From the start, <em>Avowed</em> is layered with all of the vaguely medieval high fantasy tropes you'd expect from a game spun off from the <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/06/pillars-of-eternity-2-deadfire-review-oh-the-places-youll-plunder/"><em>Pillars of Eternity</em></a> universe. Your protagonist is a "god-like," touched in the womb by mysterious immortal beings that gave you mysterious powers but also a disfigured face that led you to be bullied as a child. Eventually, you grow up to be an envoy to the King of Aedrys and are sent over the sea to the lightly civilized Living Lands to investigate a mysterious fungal plague that is turning animals and soldiers alike into unruly, rage-filled beasts.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/obsidians-avowed-is-the-cure-for-souls-like-action-rpg-fatigue/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/obsidians-avowed-is-the-cure-for-souls-like-action-rpg-fatigue/#comments">Comments</a></p>

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 arrives with a “full digital twin” of Earth

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 18:04:06 -0000

Machine learning generates the closer-up ground in this very big sequel.

<p>Microsoft<em> Flight Simulator 2024</em> is out today (<a href="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/microsoft-flight-simulator-2024-standard-edition/9p2vgctbmm52">Xbox/PC</a>, <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/2537590/Microsoft_Flight_Simulator_2024/">Steam</a>), and it packs in a whole lot of simulation. It's hard to imagine topping <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/07/ms-flight-simulator-our-yoke-on-look-at-new-features-gorgeous-flights/5/">the 2020 version</a>, which contained the entire world, at scale, 3D modeled and able to be flown over. It had real-time weather and rather detailed physics. You could theoretically fly a helicopter back to your high school football field and land on it, like 15-year reunion royalty. What could come next?</p> <div class="ars-video"><div class="relative" allow="fullscreen" loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rvzlC4iCtns?start=0&wmode=transparent"></div><div class="caption font-impact mb-4 mt-2 inline-flex flex-row items-stretch gap-1 text-base leading-tight text-gray-300"> <div class="caption-icon bg-[left_top_5px] w-[10px] shrink-0"></div> <div class="caption-content"> Announcement trailer for <em>Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024</em> </div> </div> </div> <p>A <em>lot</em>, including a world simulation that Microsoft repeatedly describes as Earth's "<a href="https://venturebeat.com/games/the-metaverse-didnt-die-it-moved-inside-microsoft-flight-simulator-2024-jorg-neumann-interview/">full digital twin</a>." There are few, if any, real "reviews" up yet, given the size of the game and seemingly late access for reviewers. As such, I offer up all the notable things packed into this latest release so that those with flight sticks, patience, and a desire to get way up yonder can decide whether to take off.</p> <p><strong>It's a whole lot smaller, at least on first install<em>.</em></strong> The <em>2020</em> version would take about 130GB on first grab (or 90GB if you <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/07/microsoft-flight-simulators-physical-release-spans-a-whopping-ten-dvds/">manually loaded in 10 DVDs</a>), but <em>2024</em> is "around 30" gigabytes, according to Asobo CEO Sebastian Wloch, <a href="https://www.techradar.com/gaming/consoles-pc/microsoft-flight-simulator-2024-ceo-on-how-the-team-achieves-about-4-000-times-more-detail-than-its-predecessor">who spoke with TechRadar</a>. This should also be a major boon to those playing on Xbox, where space is more constrained.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/microsoft-flight-simulator-2024-has-animals-ai-terrain-careers-and-flydoos/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/microsoft-flight-simulator-2024-has-animals-ai-terrain-careers-and-flydoos/#comments">Comments</a></p>

Valve developers discuss why Half Life 2: Episode 3 was abandoned

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 21:06:23 -0000

Anniversary doc also includes footage of unused ice gun, blob enemies.

<p>After Ars spent <em>Half-Life 2</em>'s 20th anniversary week <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/how-valve-made-half-life-2-and-set-a-new-standard-for-future-games/">looking back</a> at the <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/how-half-life-2-helped-sell-steam-to-a-skeptical-pc-gaming-market/">game's</a> <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/i-played-half-life-2-for-the-first-time-this-year-heres-how-it-went/">history</a> and <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/these-are-the-lasting-things-that-half-life-2-gave-us-besides-headcrabs-and-crowbars/">impact</a>, Valve marked the occasion with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCjNT9qGjh4">a meaty two-hour YouTube documentary</a> featuring insider memories from the team behind the game itself. Near the end of that documentary, longtime Valve watchers also get a chance to see footage of <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/05/celebrating-ten-years-of-half-life-2-episode-3-not-coming-out/">the long-promised but never-delivered <em>Half-Life 2: Episode 3</em></a> and hear more about what led the project to be abandoned.</p> <p>The <em>Episode 3</em> footage included in the documentary focuses heavily on a new ice gun that would have served as the episode's main new feature. Players would have been able to use that gun to freeze enemies, set up ice walls as makeshift cover, or construct icy ledges to make their way down sheer cliff faces. The developers also describe a so-called "Silver Surfer mode" that would have let players extrude a line of ice in their path then slide along it at slippery speeds.</p> <p>The <em>Episode 3</em> developers were also working on a new, blob-like enemy that could absorb other blobs to grow or split into segments to get around small barriers or pass through grates.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/newell-says-he-was-stumped-on-how-to-finish-half-life-2-episode-3/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/newell-says-he-was-stumped-on-how-to-finish-half-life-2-episode-3/#comments">Comments</a></p>

These are the lasting things that Half-Life 2 gave us, besides headcrabs and crowbars

Sat, 16 Nov 2024 11:45:40 -0000

Beyond the game itself (which rocks), Half-Life 2 had a big impact on PC gaming.

<p><em>It's </em>Half-Life 2<em> week at Ars Technica! This Saturday, November 16, is the 20th anniversary of the release of </em>Half-Life 2<em>—a game of historical importance for the artistic medium and technology of computer games. Each day up through the 16th, we'll be running a new article looking back at the game and its impact.</em></p> <p>“Well, I just hate the idea that our games might waste people’s time. Why spend four years of your life building something that isn't innovative and is basically pointless?”</p> <p>Valve software founder Gabe Newell is quoted by Geoff Keighley—yes, the Game Awards guy, back then a GameSpot writer—as <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-final-hours-of-half-life-2/1100-6112889/"><span class="s2">saying this in June 1999</span></a>, six months after the original <i>Half-Life</i> launched. Newell gave his team no real budget or deadline, only the assignment to “follow up the best PC game of all time” and redefine the genre.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/these-are-the-lasting-things-that-half-life-2-gave-us-besides-headcrabs-and-crowbars/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/these-are-the-lasting-things-that-half-life-2-gave-us-besides-headcrabs-and-crowbars/#comments">Comments</a></p>

I played Half-Life 2 for the first time this year—here’s how it went

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 14:00:59 -0000

Wake up and smell the ashes, Ms. Washenko.

<p><em>It's </em>Half-Life 2<em> week at Ars Technica! This Saturday, November 16, is the 20th anniversary of the release of </em>Half-Life 2<em>—a game of historical importance for the artistic medium and technology of computer games. Each day up through the 16th, we'll be running a new article looking back at the game and its impact.</em></p> <p>The time has finally come to close one of the most notable gaps in my gaming history. Despite more than a decade of writing about video games and even more years enjoying them, I never got around to playing <em>Half-Life 2</em>.</p> <p>Not only have I not played it, but I've managed to keep myself in the dark about pretty much everything to do with it. I always assumed that one day I would get around to playing this classic, and I wanted the experience to be as close as possible to it would have been back in 2004. So my only knowledge about <em>Half-Life 2</em> before starting this project was 1) the game is set in the same universe as <em>Portal</em>, a game I love, 2) the protagonist is named Gordon Freeman, and he looks uncannily like a silent, spectacled young Hugh Laurie, and 3) there's something called the Gravity Gun.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/i-played-half-life-2-for-the-first-time-this-year-heres-how-it-went/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/i-played-half-life-2-for-the-first-time-this-year-heres-how-it-went/#comments">Comments</a></p>

Half-Life 2 pushed Steam on the gaming masses… and the masses pushed back

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 14:10:38 -0000

Back in 2004, many players saw Valve’s new platform as nothing but “fancy DRM.”

<p><em>It's Half-Life 2 week at Ars Technica! This Saturday, November 16, is the 20th anniversary of the release of Half-Life 2—a game of historical importance for the artistic medium and technology of computer games. Each day leading up through the 16th, we'll be running a new article looking back at the game and its impact.</em></p> <p>When millions of eager gamers first installed <i>Half-Life 2</i> 20 years ago, many, if not most, of them found they needed to install another piece of software alongside it. Few at the time could imagine that piece of companion software–with the pithy name Steam–would eventually become the key distribution point and social networking center for the entire PC gaming ecosystem, making the idea of physical PC games an anachronism in the process.</p> <p>While <i>Half-Life 2</i> wasn’t the first Valve game released on Steam, it was the first high-profile title to require the platform, even for players installing the game from physical retail discs. That requirement gave Valve access to millions of gamers with new Steam accounts and helped the company bypass traditional retail publishers of the day by directly marketing and selling its games (and, eventually, games from other developers). But 2004-era Steam also faced a vociferous backlash from players who saw the software as a piece of nuisance DRM (digital rights management) that did little to justify its existence at the time.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/how-half-life-2-helped-sell-steam-to-a-skeptical-pc-gaming-market/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/how-half-life-2-helped-sell-steam-to-a-skeptical-pc-gaming-market/#comments">Comments</a></p>

Dragon Age: The Veilguard and the choices you make while saving the world

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 12:30:19 -0000

“Events are weaving together quickly. The fate of the world shall be decided.”

<p>BioWare’s reputation as a AAA game development studio is built on three pillars: world-building, storytelling, and character development. <a href="https://dragonage.fandom.com/wiki/Codex">In-game codices</a> offer textual support for fan theories, replays are kept fresh by systems that encourage experimenting with alternative quest resolutions, and players get so attached to their characters that an entire fan-built ecosystem of player-generated fiction and artwork has sprung up over the years.</p> <p>After two very publicly disappointing releases with <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/03/early-review-mass-effect-andromeda-is-dragon-age-inquisition-in-space/"><i>Mass Effect: Andromeda</i></a> and <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/02/anthem-game-review-honestly-its-not-finished/"><i>Anthem</i></a>, BioWare pivoted back to the formula that brought it success, but I’m wrapping up the first third of <i>The Veilguard</i>, and it feels like there’s an ingredient missing from the special sauce. Where are the quests that really let me agonize over the potential repercussions of my choices?</p> <p>I love <a href="https://dragonage.fandom.com/wiki/Thedas">Thedas</a>, and I love the ragtag group of friends my hero has to assemble anew in each game, but what really gets me going as a roleplayer are the morally ambiguous questions that make me squirm: the dreadful and delicious BioWare decisions.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/dragon-age-the-veilguard-and-the-choices-you-make-while-saving-the-world/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/dragon-age-the-veilguard-and-the-choices-you-make-while-saving-the-world/#comments">Comments</a></p>

How Valve made Half-Life 2 and set a new standard for future games

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 17:09:09 -0000

From physics to greyboxing, Half-Life 2 broke a lot of new ground.

<p><em>It's </em>Half-Life 2<em> week at Ars Technica! This Saturday, November 16, is the 20th anniversary of the release of </em>Half-Life 2<em>—a game of historical importance for the artistic medium and technology of computer games. Each day up through the 16th, we'll be running a new article looking back at the game and its impact.</em></p> <p>There has been some debate about which product was the first modern “triple-A” video game, but ask most people and one answer is sure to at least be a contender: Valve’s <em>Half-Life 2</em>.</p> <p>For Western PC games, <em>Half-Life 2</em> set a standard that held strong in developers’ ambitions and in players’ expectations for well over a decade. Despite that, there’s only so much new ground it truly broke in terms of how games are made and designed—it’s just that most games didn’t have the same commitment to scope, scale, and polish all at the same time.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/how-valve-made-half-life-2-and-set-a-new-standard-for-future-games/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/how-valve-made-half-life-2-and-set-a-new-standard-for-future-games/#comments">Comments</a></p>

GOG’s Preservation Program is the DRM-free store refocusing on the classics

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 16:31:25 -0000

GOG still puts up new DRM-free titles, but it sees opportunities in oldies.

<p>The classic PC games market is "in a sorry state," according to DRM-free and classic-minded storefront GOG. Small games that aren't currently selling get abandoned, and compatibility issues arise as technology moves forward or as one-off development ideas age like milk.</p> <p>Classic games are only 20 percent of GOG's catalog, and the firm hasn't actually called itself "Good Old Games" in 12 years. And yet, today, GOG announces that it is making "a significant commitment of resources" toward a new GOG Preservation Program. It starts with 100 games for which GOG's own developers are working to create current and future compatibility, keeping them DRM-free and giving them ongoing tech support, along with granting them a "Good Old Game: Preserved by GOG" stamp.</p> <p><a href="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-13-at-10.47.07%E2%80%AFAM.png"><img width="1674" height="1042" src="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-13-at-10.47.07%E2%80%AFAM.png" class="fullwidth full" alt="Selection of games available in GOG's "Preserved" program, including System Shock 2, Fallout, Diablo, RollerCoaster Tycoon, Resident Evil 2." decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-13-at-10.47.07 AM.png 1674w, https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-13-at-10.47.07 AM-640x398.png 640w, https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-13-at-10.47.07 AM-1024x637.png 1024w, https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-13-at-10.47.07 AM-768x478.png 768w, https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-13-at-10.47.07 AM-1536x956.png 1536w, https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-13-at-10.47.07 AM-980x610.png 980w, https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-13-at-10.47.07 AM-1440x896.png 1440w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1674px) 100vw, 1674px"> Credit: GOG </a></p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/gogs-preservation-program-is-the-drm-free-store-refocusing-on-the-classics/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/gogs-preservation-program-is-the-drm-free-store-refocusing-on-the-classics/#comments">Comments</a></p>

Spotify’s Car Thing, due for bricking, is getting an open source second life

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 19:00:27 -0000

It's more of a desktop thing now, but it has picked up some new features.

<p>Spotify has lost all enthusiasm for the little music devices it sold for just half a year. Firmware hackers, as usually happens, have a lot more interest and have stepped in to save, and upgrade, a potentially useful gadget.</p> <p>Spotify's idea a couple years ago was a car-focused device for those who lacked Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, or built-in Spotify support in their vehicles, or just wanted a dedicated Spotify screen. The <a href="https://carthing.spotify.com/">Car Thing</a> was a $100 doodad with a 4-inch touchscreen and knob that attached to the dashboard (or into a CD slot drive). All it could do was play Spotify, and only if you were a paying member, but that could be an upgrade for owners of older cars, or people who wanted a little desktop music controller.</p> <p>But less than half a year after it fully released its first hardware device, <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/05/pleas-for-open-sourcing-refunds-as-spotify-plans-to-brick-car-thing-devices/">Spotify gave up on the Car Thing</a> due to "several factors, including product demand and supply chain issues." A Spotify rep told Ars that the Car Thing was meant "to learn more about how people listen in the car," and now it was "time to say goodbye to the devices entirely." Spotify indicated <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/05/spotify-wont-open-source-car-thing-but-starts-refund-process/">it would offer refunds</a>, though not guaranteed, and moved forward with plans to brick the device in December 2024.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/firmware-hacks-are-rejuvenating-spotifys-car-thing-before-the-company-bricks-it/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/firmware-hacks-are-rejuvenating-spotifys-car-thing-before-the-company-bricks-it/#comments">Comments</a></p>

Amazon’s Mass Effect TV series is actually going to be made

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 21:45:42 -0000

The pedigree of the producers and writers involved is cause for concern, though.

<p>Confirming previous <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2021/11/amazon-is-nearing-a-deal-to-make-a-mass-effect-tv-series/">rumors</a>, <a href="https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/mass-effect-tv-series-amazon-writer-marvel-1236203755/">Variety</a> reports that Amazon will be moving ahead with producing a TV series based on the popular Mass Effect video game franchise. The writing and production staff involved might not inspire confidence from fans, though.</p> <p>The series' writer and executive producer is slated to be Daniel Casey, who until now was best known as the primary screenwriter on <em>F9: The Fast Saga</em>, one of the late sequels in the Fast and the Furious franchise. He was also part of a team of writers behind the relatively little-known 2018 science fiction film <em>Kin</em>.</p> <p>Karim Zreik will also produce, and his background is a little more encouraging; his main claim to fame is in the short-lived Marvel Television unit, which produced relatively well-received series like <em>Daredevil</em> and <em>Jessica Jones</em> for Netflix before Disney+ launched with its Marvel Cinematic Universe shows.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/amazons-mass-effect-tv-series-is-actually-going-to-be-made/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/amazons-mass-effect-tv-series-is-actually-going-to-be-made/#comments">Comments</a></p>

Sega is delisting 60 classic games from Steam, so now’s the time to grab them

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 20:56:55 -0000

Nobody loses games they already bought, but the clock is ticking.

<p>Sega has put dozens of its Master System, Genesis, Saturn, and other console titles onto modern game stores over the years. But, like that Dreamcast controller stashed in your childhood garage, they're about to disappear—and getting them back will cost you a nostalgia tax.</p> <p>Those who have purchased any of <a href="https://support.sega.com/hc/en-gb/articles/29776767664145-SEGA-Classics-FAQ#h_01JBWBDWT9PXWHVDPMSZB9EB90">the more than 60 games listed by Sega</a> from Steam, Xbox, Nintendo's Switch store, and the PlayStation store will still have them after 11:59 pm Pacific time on Dec. 26. But after that, for reasons that Sega does not make explicit, they will be "delisted and unavailable." Titles <a href="https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/sega-genesis-nintendo-switch-online-switch/">specific to the Nintendo Switch Online "Expansion Pack" subscription</a> will remain.</p> <p>As PC Gamer has suggested, and which makes the most sense, this looks like Sega is getting ready to offer up new "classics" collections on these storefronts. Sega previously rearranged its store shelves to pull Sonic games from online stores and then offer up <em>Sonic Origins. </em>The title <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2022/06/review-sega-we-need-to-talk-about-how-you-messed-up-sonic-origins/">underwhelmed Ars at the time</a> and managed to pack in some DLC pitches.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/sega-is-delisting-60-classic-games-from-steam-so-nows-the-time-to-grab-them/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/sega-is-delisting-60-classic-games-from-steam-so-nows-the-time-to-grab-them/#comments">Comments</a></p>

The PS5 Pro’s biggest problem is that the PS5 is already very good

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 11:00:16 -0000

For $700, I was hoping for a much larger leap in visual impact.

<p>In many ways, the timing of Sony's <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/11/playstation-4-ps4-pro-review-4k/">2016 launch of the PS4 Pro</a> couldn't have been better. The slightly upgraded version of <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/11/impressions-our-first-day-with-the-playstation-4-is-full-of-surprises/">2013's PlayStation 4</a> came at a time when a wave of 4K TVs was <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109006184/en/2016-a-Banner-Year-for-4K-UHD-TV-Display-Sales-to-Grow-40-Percent-as-4K-Ecosystem-Continues-to-Expand-Says-CTA">just beginning to crest</a> in the form of tens of millions of annual sales in the US.</p> <p>Purchasing Sony's first-ever "mid-generation" console upgrade in 2016 didn't give original PS4 owners access to any new games, a fact that contributed to us <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/11/playstation-4-ps4-pro-review-4k/">calling the PS4 Pro "a questionable value proposition"</a> when it launched. Still, many graphics-conscious console gamers were looking for an excuse to use the extra pixels and HDR colors on their new 4K TVs, and spending hundreds of dollars on a stopgap console years before the PS5 served that purpose well enough.</p> <p>Fast-forward to today and the PS5 Pro faces an even weaker value proposition. The PS5, after all, has proven more than capable of creating excellent-looking games that take full advantage of the 4K TVs that are now practically standard in American homes. With 8K TVs <a href="https://variety.com/vip/8k-tv-high-resolution-tech-1236115228/">still an extremely small market niche</a>, there isn't anything akin to what Sony's Mike Somerset called "the most significant picture-quality increase probably since black and white went to color" <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/11/ps4-pro-hdr-preview-gt-sport-nioh/">when talking about 4K TV in 2016</a>.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/the-ps5-pros-biggest-problem-is-that-the-ps5-is-already-very-good/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/the-ps5-pros-biggest-problem-is-that-the-ps5-is-already-very-good/#comments">Comments</a></p>

Nintendo confirms Switch 2 will play original Switch games

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 03:15:59 -0000

"More software has been played on Nintendo Switch than on any other Nintendo hardware."

<p>As US states were busy counting votes to confirm who would be the next president Tuesday night, Nintendo's Japanese Twitter account was busy confirming a key backward-compatibility feature for the upcoming "Nintendo Switch successor," which is <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/05/nintendo-pre-announces-a-switch-2-announcement-is-coming-eventually/">still only pre-announced, officially</a>.</p> <p>"At today's Corporate Management Policy Briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch," Nintendo posted <a href="https://x.com/NintendoCoLtd/status/1853972163033968794">in a social media update</a> attributed to company President Shintaro Furukawa. "Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well."</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is Furukawa. At today's Corporate Management Policy Briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well. Further information about…</p> <p>— 任天堂株式会社（企業広報・IR） (@NintendoCoLtd) <a href="https://twitter.com/NintendoCoLtd/status/1853972163033968794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>In <a href="https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2024/241106e.pdf">the full policy briefing</a> referenced in that post, Nintendo adds that it "believe[s] that it is important for Nintendo’s future to make use of Nintendo Account and carry over the good relationship that we have built with the over 100 million annual playing users on Nintendo Switch to its successor." The company also makes the (perhaps obvious) clarification that "in addition to being able to play Nintendo Switch software they currently own, consumers will be able to choose their next purchase from a broad selection of titles released for Nintendo Switch [on its successor]."</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/nintendo-confirms-switch-2-will-play-original-switch-games/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/nintendo-confirms-switch-2-will-play-original-switch-games/#comments">Comments</a></p>

Metal Slug Tactics gives turn-based strategy a hyper-stylized shot of adrenaline

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 14:00:50 -0000

It's a little rogue-lite, it's a bit '90s arcade, and it's surprisingly deep.

<p><em>Metal Slug Tactics</em> pushes hard on the boundaries of the vaunted run-and-gun arcade series. You can run when it's your character's turn, but it's a certain number of tiles. You can gun, but not rapidly, and only after considering the most optimal target and tools.</p> <p>Is this just <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/02/into-the-breach-game-review-a-must-play-fusion-of-tactics-chaos-and-triumph/"><em>Into the Breach</em></a> with classic-era SNK artwork and aesthetics? Kind of, and you're welcome.</p> <p>As <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2007/01/6557/">a true fan once wrote</a>, <em>Metal Slug</em> games are about "crazy vehicles, amusing enemies and levels, and some of the best sprite art you'll ever see in gaming." To my eyes, you're getting a whole bunch of that in <em>Tactics</em>. Turn-based, grid-mapped tactics have a natural tendency to feel slow and to strip characters down to chess pieces that can do two or three things. Here, the characters and villains cannot stop rocking their bodies, the guns and explosions and scimitars go off big, and the exaggerated-just-enough artwork keeps everything locked into an action-movie mood.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/metal-slug-tactics-is-an-odd-mix-of-arcade-shooter-and-grid-strategy-that-works/">Read full article</a></p> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/metal-slug-tactics-is-an-odd-mix-of-arcade-shooter-and-grid-strategy-that-works/#comments">Comments</a></p>

XDefiant is Shutting Down, Ubisoft Confirms

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:31:15 -0000

In addition to Ubisoft's official confirmation regarding the game's shelving, a report has claimed the company is also shuttering its San Francisco and Osaka studios.

<p><em>XDefiant </em>may have <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/xdefiant-has-crossed-11-million-players">attracted players in decent numbers</a> in its early weeks, but as the months have rolled by, Ubisoft’s free-to-play first-person shooter has continued to backslide. Now, with an ever-dwindling player base and the game itself showing no signs of recovery, Ubisoft is pulling the plug on the whole operation, <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/xdefiant-producer-says-there-are-no-plans-to-shut-down-after-season-4">contrary to recent suggestions</a> by the game’s developer.</p> <p>Ubisoft has <a href="https://news.ubisoft.com/en-au/article/2wPUTEuXKpVoCvINTcxvGR/xdefiant-a-message-to-our-community" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that <em>XDefiant </em>is shutting down. Starting today, new downloads will no longer be allowed, while servers will remain active for existing players only until June 3. Season 3 content will be released soon as scheduled, while anyone who purchased the Founder’s Pack – or anyone who made any in-game purchases within the last 30 days – will be fully refunded.</p> <p>“Free-to-play, in particular, is a long journey,” executive producer Mark Rubin says. “Many free-to-play games take a long time to find their footing and become profitable. It’s a long journey that Ubisoft and the teams working on the game were prepared to make until very recently. But unfortunately, the journey became too much to sensibly continue.”</p> <p>A report published by <a href="https://insider-gaming.com/ubisoft-xdefiant-shutting-down-in-june/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Insider Gaming’s</a> Tom Henderson also claims that alongside the game’s closure, Ubisoft is also shuttering its development team at Ubisoft San Francisco, as well as its Osaka studio. The resulting layoffs will reportedly result in 170-180 job cuts.</p> <p>In his message announcing the game’s shuttering, executive producer Mark Rubin wrote, “I am, of course, heartbroken to have to be writing this post. Yes, this game has been a personal passion for me for years and yes, I know that not all challenges lead to victory, but I also want to recognize all of the developers who are being affected by this closure. Each and every one of them is a real person with a real life separate from our own and they have all put so much of their own passion into making this game. And I hope that they can be proud of what they did achieve. I know that I will always be proud and grateful to have worked with such a great team! A team that really punched above its weight class.”</p> <p><em>XDefiant </em>is currently available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. As per Rubin, the game’s lifetime playerbase has crossed 15 million players.</p>

Tekken 8’s Next DLC Character Won’t be Revealed at the Tekken World Tour 2024 Finals

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 23:08:05 -0000

"Our team is currently working on the announcement and release later this winter to ensure we can fully meet everyone's expectations," Bandai Namco says.

<p>With <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/tekken-8-update-adds-lidia-seaside-resort-stage-photo-mode-and-more">Lidia</a> joining its roster in July and iconic villain <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/tekken-8-heihachi-mishima-arrives-on-october-3rd-first-gameplay-revealed">Heihachi Mishima</a> arriving in October, <em>Tekken 8 </em>had a busy few months, but it looks like Bandai Namco isn’t quite ready to talk about what’s next just yet. With the Global Finals for the <em>Tekken </em>World Tour 2024 tournament set from December 5 to 8, many had assumed that that’s where we would learn about the fighting game’s next DLC character, though it turns out that’s not what Bandai Namco has planned.</p> <p>Taking to Twitter, the game’s development team has revealed that it will be sharing details on upcoming updates for <em>Tekken 8 </em>at the aforementioned finals, it won’t be revealing the game’s next DLC character. Instead, the next fighter’s announcement and release are planned for later in the winter.</p> <p>“With the excitement growing for the upcoming <em>Tekken </em>World Tour 2024 Global Finals, the <em>Tekken </em>team would like to share more details regarding the major events coming up this week,” the dev team’s message reads. “New information about future updates for <em>Tekken 8 </em>will be announced; however, regarding the next playable character, no additional information will be revealed during the events. Our team is currently working on the announcement and release later this winter to ensure we can fully meet everyone’s expectations.”</p> <p>Bandai Namco hasn’t specified when in winter we can expect to hear more about (or get our hands on) the next DLC character for <em>Tekken 8</em>, though The Game Awards, set for December 12, might serve as the stage for the announcement- unless Bandai Namco has something else planned, of course. Either way, it sounds like it won’t be terribly long before we find out, so stay tuned.</p> <p><em>Tekken 8 </em>is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="zxx"><a href="https://t.co/pTlpA4ZL3o">pic.twitter.com/pTlpA4ZL3o</a></p> <p>— TEKKEN (@TEKKEN) <a href="https://twitter.com/TEKKEN/status/1863806571442037232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – Global Release Times Revealed

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 22:52:22 -0000

The action-adventure title will unlock for Premium Edition owners on both Xbox Series X/S and PC on December 6 (or 5, depending on your region).

<p><em><a href="https://gamingbolt.com/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle-launch-trailer-preps-for-adventure">Indiana Jones and the Great Circle</a> </em>is due out in under a week’s time for all who purchase it (<a href="https://gamingbolt.com/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle-ea-sports-wrc-and-more-confirmed-for-game-pass-in-december">or anyone subscribed to Game Pass</a>), though depending on which of its two versions you’ve purchased, you’ll be able to dive in even earlier. As previously announced, the game’s costlier <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle-premium-and-collectors-editions-include-3-days-of-early-access">Premium Edition</a> will allow owners to start playing the game a handful of days ahead of tis global release, an with that global release now right around the corner, Bethesda has shared precise details on exactly when the game will unlock for Premium Edition owners.</p> <p>For most of the world, the game will release in early access on December 6, though depending on where in the world you are, it might be December 5 to you. Similarly, the game’s global launch will also be set on December 8, a day earlier than the rest of the world, for audiences in North and South America. You can view the full global release times below.</p> <p>Premium Edition owners will also get access to a post-launch expansion titled <em>The Order of Giants</em>. Details on the DLC (such as when it’ll release) are currently scant, but developer MachineGames says it will be a “narratively-driven unique experience” that “fits in very good with the main campaign”. Read more on that <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circles-post-launch-dlc-will-be-a-narratively-driven-unique-experience">through here</a>.</p> <p><em>Indiana Jones and the Great Circle </em>is set to launch for Xbox Series X/S and PC, with a PS5 version releasing in Spring 2025. Check out the game’s (surprisingly demanding) PC requirements <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle-reveals-hefty-pc-requirements-needs-120-gb-storage-and-ssd">through here</a>.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Reminder!</p> <p>Early access for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianaJones?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianaJones</a> and the Great Circle unlocks on December 6 at 00:00 UTC (December 5 at 7pm ET)! <a href="https://t.co/R2jqmkNjTY">https://t.co/R2jqmkNjTY</a> <a href="https://t.co/PR9Dv7jf0E">pic.twitter.com/PR9Dv7jf0E</a></p> <p>— Bethesda (@bethesda) <a href="https://twitter.com/bethesda/status/1863693897991381089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Reveals Hefty PC Requirements, Needs 120 GB Storage and SSD

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 22:52:19 -0000

MachinesGames' long-awaited Indiana Jones adaptation releases on December 9, while Premium Edition owners get access on December 6.

<p>With <em><a href="https://gamingbolt.com/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle-launch-trailer-preps-for-adventure">Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s</a> </em>launch now right around the corner, Bethesda has finally revealed full details on the game’s PC requirements, and as it turns out, the demands are fairly high. The publisher has shared six different presets, three each for playing the game with or without ray tracing, and even on the lowest settings, the requirements aren’t anything to scoff at.</p> <p>For starters, across all presets, you’ll require an SSD and roughly 120 GB of free storage. Additionally, other than the two minimum presets (with or without ray tracing), all others demand 32 GB of RAM, while the minimum settings also need 16 GB of it.</p> <p>On minimum settings without ray tracing, to play the game at 1080p and 60 FPS, you’ll require either an i7-10700K or a Ryzen 5 3600, along with either a GeForce RTX 2060 Super, a Radeon RX 6600, or an Arc A580. On ultra settings without ray tracing, meanwhile, you’ll run the game at a native 4K and 60 FPS, and will require either an i7-13900K or a Ryzen 7 7900X, along with either a GeForce RTX 4080 or a Radeon RX 7900XT.</p> <p>With ray tracing, meanwhile, on recommended settings, you’ll run the game at 1440p (upscaled with DLSS 3) and 60 FPS, which will require either an i7-12700K or a Ryzen 7 7700, along with a GeForce RTX 5080. On the other hand, for ultra settings with ray tracing enabled, which will run the game at 4K (again, upscaled with DLSS 3) and 60 FPS, you’ll need either an i7-13900K or a Ryzen 7 7900X, along with a GeForce RTX 4090.</p> <p>You can view the full system requirements for the game’s PC version below. On Xbox Series X/S, meanwhile, <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle-will-target-60-fps-on-xbox-series-x-s">the game will target 60 FPS</a>, though it’s not yet known what its resolution targets will be.</p> <p><em>Indiana Jones and the Great Circle </em>launches on December 9, but will unlock on December 6 (or 5, depending on your region) for Premium Edition owners. You can view its exact global release times <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle-global-release-times-revealed">through here</a>. The game is also set to release for PS5 in Spring next year.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Gear up for your upcoming expedition with the PC Specs for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianaJones?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianaJones</a> and the Great Circle before the game’s launch on December 9! <a href="https://t.co/OC6lzSTsyY">https://t.co/OC6lzSTsyY</a> <a href="https://t.co/yR21exVzVy">pic.twitter.com/yR21exVzVy</a></p> <p>— Bethesda (@bethesda) <a href="https://twitter.com/bethesda/status/1864047444792590709?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Patch 1.03 Brings Fixes for Crashes, Controls, Quest Bugs, and More

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 20:21:16 -0000

Another smaller patch has released for the first-person shooter, addressing several more issues.

<p><em><a href="https://gamingbolt.com/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-heart-of-chornobyl-has-sold-1-million-copies">S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl</a> </em>may have launched in rough shape, but developer GSC Game World has pledged to bring the game up to its promised level of quality with post-launch patches, of which we’ve had two so far. Now, the studio has released <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1643320/view/4455844537830474965" target="_blank" rel="noopener">patch 1.03</a>, which, unlike the very <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-heart-of-chornobyl-patch-fixes-over-650-bugs-includes-100-crash-fixes">first patch</a> (and like the <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-fixes-more-progression-blocking-bugs-with-patch-1-02">second one</a>) is relatively smaller in scale, but does still bring numerous fixes.</p> <p>The patch addresses a couple of crashes and memory leaks, while making adjustments related to keyboard and mouse controls, including with sensitivity and aiming, based on feedback from players. Additionally, the patch also brings fixes for a handful of numerous bugs related to specific missions and side missions, as well as a couple of AI fixes. You can view the patch notes in full below.</p> <p>As <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-developer-says-its-committed-to-monitoring-feedback-and-quickly-fixing-issues">previously confirmed by GSC Game World</a>, it will also be sharing a roadmap sometime this month to share details on its immediate post-launch plans, which will also include free content updates. Meanwhile, two paid expansions are also in the works.</p> <p><em>S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl </em>is available on Xbox Series X/S and PC. Read our review of the game <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-heart-of-chornobyl-review-anomaly-sighted">through here</a>.</p> <p><em><strong>PATCH NOTES:</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Crashes and memory leaks:</strong></em></p> <ul class="_3Y-LRoi5aeZ9-3ujWjXuG3 bullets"> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Multiple ACCESS_VIOLATION_ERROR fixes.</em></li> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Multiple LowLevelFatalError crash fixes.</em></li> </ul> <p><em><strong>Controls adjustments:</strong></em></p> <p><em>According to your feedback, we adjusted following parameters/values to decrease input lag on keyboard+mouse input:</em></p> <ul class="_3Y-LRoi5aeZ9-3ujWjXuG3 bullets"> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Mouse Smoothing is disabled by default.</em></li> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Mouse Acceleration is disabled by default.</em></li> </ul> <p><em>Additionally, default values of mouse sensitivity were updated to allow a predictable default experience for our players with new values of two parameters mentioned bellow:</em></p> <ul class="_3Y-LRoi5aeZ9-3ujWjXuG3 bullets"> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Camera sensitivity: 25%.</em></li> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Aim sensitivity: 15%.</em></li> </ul> <p><em><strong>Main and Side missions:</strong></em></p> <ul class="_3Y-LRoi5aeZ9-3ujWjXuG3 bullets"> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Fixed issue with Monolithians that were able to chase player outside the X-5 lab during the In Search of Past Glory mission.</em></li> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Fixed an issue where the NPCs Hamster and Ricochet would die after trying to enter a building during the mission On the Edge.</em></li> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Fixed issue with Bayun cat which could despawn before player loots a collar from it during In the Name of Science mission.</em></li> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Fixed issue with player potentially locking oneself during Dangerous Liaisons mission.</em></li> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Fixed issue with Roosevelt becoming hostile upon noticing a player going stealthily through the Commissary during King of the Hill mission.</em></li> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Fixed an issue when Sava despawns in front of the player after the dialog in the bunker during A Heavy Burden mission.</em></li> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Fixed issue with NPC’s despawning when player successfully finishes Legends of the Zone mission.</em></li> </ul> <p><em><strong>AI:</strong></em></p> <ul class="_3Y-LRoi5aeZ9-3ujWjXuG3 bullets"> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Fixed an issue with mutant bodies stretching after a shot from an automatic weapon.</em></li> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Fixed an issue that caused NPCs to block the doors during the Back to the Slag Heap mission.</em></li> </ul> <p><em><strong>Balance:</strong></em></p> <ul class="_3Y-LRoi5aeZ9-3ujWjXuG3 bullets"> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Fixed issue with Sidorovich not selling certain ammo types.</em></li> </ul> <p><em><strong>Saves:</strong></em></p> <ul class="_3Y-LRoi5aeZ9-3ujWjXuG3 bullets"> <li class="_1iXxYKOlzzXiVr02E7n2Fe"><em>Fixed issues with missing player saves after a hard reboot of the PC/Xbox.</em></li> </ul>

Fantasian Neo Dimension Trailer Hypes up Imminent Release

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 18:54:59 -0000

Mistwalker and Square Enix's retro-style turn-based RPG will launch for PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC on December 5.

<p>2024 has been packed full of RPGs, and the year’s final months in particular have been nothing short of a treat for genre fans- though there’s still more to look forward to. Retro-style RPG <em><a href="https://gamingbolt.com/fantasian-neo-dimension-announced-for-nintendo-switch-launches-holiday-2024">Fantasian Neo Dimension</a> </em>by developer Mistwalker and publisher Square Enix is due out imminently, and ahead of its release, the latter has offered another look at the game with a launch trailer. Check it out below. </p> <p><em>Fantasian Neo Dimension </em>will be a familiar experience to fans of the turn-based JRPG genre’s heyday, with turn-based battles, a classic fantasy setting, and fixed isometric camera angles. Directed by <em>Final Fantasy </em>creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and featuring a sountrack composed by <em>Final Fantasy </em>veteran <span style="color: initial;">Nobuo Uematsu, the game certainly has some big names attached to it. Interestingly, it’s also Uematsu’s final full game sound track, as the composer <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/veteran-final-fantasy-composer-says-fantasian-neo-dimension-is-his-final-game-project">revealed earlier this year</a>. </span></p> <p><em>Fantasian Neo Dimension </em>is due out later this week, on December 5, for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. </p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <iframe title="FANTASIAN Neo Dimension Launch Trailer" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bgKMcrpvQNQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div></figure>

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Gets Medieval With Zombies in New Citadelle des Morts Map

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 18:39:06 -0000

Venture to a castle and village teeming with the undead, harness powerful new swords and face a new special zombie on December 5th.

<p>The next Zombies map for <em>Call of Duty: Black Ops 6</em> has been revealed. Citadelle des Morts sees the Terminus crew dealing with a mysterious individual and hordes of the undead in a medieval castle and village. Check it out below.</p> <p>Along with battlements, cannons, and hot oil to stop the zombies’ advance, players wild elemental swords. They offer such powers as cutting a tear through reality, which sucks them in before dealing damage. There are also new abilities, like activating a link between neighboring allies and a rune sigil for more damage.</p> <p>Of course, you must beware of new threats, including what appears to be an evolved Amalgam. It has fewer heads and more agility with the ability to dash side to side, making it tougher to get a bead on. The new map debuts in Season 01 Reloaded on December 5th. Stay tuned for more details on other content included.</p> <p><em>Call of Duty: Black Ops 6</em> is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. According to Activision, it achieved the <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-saw-series-biggest-first-month-player-engagement-numbers">highest first-month player engagement in the series’ history</a>. Check out our review <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-review-black-silence">here</a>.</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <iframe title="Citadelle des Morts' Gameplay Trailer | Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Zombies" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EnOwczRD3Uo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div></figure>

Lost Records: Bloom and Rage Trailer Teases the Abyss

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 18:06:15 -0000

Electropop duo Milk and Bone are also confirmed to collaborate with DON'T NOD on the soundtrack, including a new track for the trailer.

<p>As teased for weeks, a new trailer for DON’T NOD’s <em>Lost Records: Bloom and Rage</em> is available. While <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/lost-records-bloom-and-rage-gameplay-revealed-tape-1-debuts-on-february-18th-2025">previous gameplay</a> offered some more hopeful looks at its cast during the Summer of 1995, this highlights less positive things. Check it out below, though <strong>be warned of depictions of self-harm</strong>.</p> <p>The trailer sees Swann, the protagonist, being bullied by another teenager. Kat is threatened in a separate scene while Autumn expresses her anger at someone named Cory. However, the tail-end of the trailer is most intriguing as it seemingly showcases the Abyss in question – a massive hole brimming with mysterious, seemingly malignant, energy.</p> <p>Aside from the new gameplay, DON’T NOD confirmed that Milk and Bone are working on the soundtrack, playing a “major role.” In a press release, they said, “We’re so thrilled to be able to announce our collaboration with DON’T NOD for the original soundtrack of<em> Lost Records</em>.</p> <p>“Scoring a narrative video game like this has always been a dream of ours, and we could not have ever hoped for a better partnership. As gamers and big fans of previous DON’T NOD games, it was such an honor to infuse the game with our identity and tap into our melancholic signature sound!”</p> <p><em>Lost Records: Bloom and Rage</em> is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC in 2025. <em>Tape 1</em> is out on February 18th, with <em>Tape 2</em> following on March 18th.</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <iframe title="Lost Records: Bloom & Rage - Abyss Trailer | PS5 Games" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2pGrHEaH0AU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div></figure>

Monster Hunter Wilds – Quematrice and Uth Duna Receive New Details

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 17:39:11 -0000

A new Brute Wyvern and Leviathan await in Capcom's action RPG when it launches on February 28th, 2025, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

<p>Several publications went hands-on with a new preview build of Capcom’s <em>Monster Hunter Wilds</em>, including fighting some never-before-seen monsters: Quematrice and Uth Duna. They debut in the title, with the former serving as a Brute Wyvern that deals Fire damage.</p> <p>Though it can bite opponents, its tail is the main danger, spreading a “flammable substance” (as the <a href="https://blog.playstation.com/2024/12/03/monster-hunter-wilds-hands-on-report-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PlayStation Blog</a> describes) and afflicting Fireblight. Uth Duna is in the Scarlet Forest, acting as its Apex Predator. The Leviathan flows around, dealing Water damage and inflicting Waterblight.</p> <p>Its body and flaps are reminiscent of Namielle, an Elder Dragon, and in the same vein, you must be careful when it slams down with its body. However, it also secretes a fluid all over its body to protect it, so Focus Mode is necessary to target weak spots. Olivia of the Expedition Team helps during this hunt, making it easier to perform surgical strikes.</p> <p><em>Monster Hunter Wilds</em> launches on February 28th, 2025, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Head <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/monster-hunter-wilds-adds-equipment-skills-to-weapons">here</a> to learn more about how Equipment Skills like Focus and Critical Draw can now be found on weapons</p>

Monster Hunter Wilds Adds Equipment Skills to Weapons

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 16:54:28 -0000

Weapons will include Skills like Critical Draw, Focus, and Attack Boost, thus freeing up armor slots and providing more Talisman choices.

<p>New previews and impressions are available for Capcom’s <em>Monster Hunter Wilds</em>, including details on monsters, quality-of-life features and more. Perhaps one of the more underrated changes is the addition of Equipment Skills to weapons.</p> <p>As the <a href="https://blog.playstation.com/2024/12/03/monster-hunter-wilds-hands-on-report-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PlayStation Blog</a> reveals, the Buster Sword 1 (a Great Sword) features Critical Draw, which is ideal for this weapon type. Meanwhile, Bone Blade 2 includes Focus and Attack Boost. It effectively frees up Talismans and Decoration slots on armor for other Skills like more defense and health. It’s also ideal when carrying two different weapon types since your build won’t require an overhaul when switching from Great Sword to Long Sword, at least in the early to mid-game.</p> <p><em>Monster Hunter Wilds</em> launches on February 28th, 2025, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Check out the <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/monster-hunter-wilds-trailer-showcases-oilwell-basin-azuz-and-new-monsters">latest trailer</a>, which showcases Oilwell Basin and some new monsters. You can also check out <a href="https://gamingbolt.com/monster-hunter-wilds-gameplay-confirms-congalalas-return">some more extensive gameplay</a> from Tokyo Games Show 2024.</p>

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