Grand Taking Ages, a GTA 6 "parody" that uses AI artwork and voice acting, has done enough to convince Valve it should launch on Steam. That's despite Sony recently stepping in to remove a PS5 version of the project set to launch on the PlayStation Store.Originally titled Grand Taking Ages 6, the now re-named game has a July 2025 release date on PC via Steam, and there's fresh detail on what the game actually is. Speaking to IGN, developer Violarte said Grand Taking Ages would be a management simulator, where players attempt to run a game developer. (Presumably you are not rewarded for getting booted off the store of a major console manufacturer.)Adjustments have been made in order to convince Steam owner Valve that Grand Taking Ages is actually a legitimate project, with changes to the game's logo and presentation "to clearly differentiate the game" from Rockstar's own GTA 6. Image credit: ViolarteAccording to Violarte, its project was taken down by Sony despite the defence that it was clearly a parody. Indeed, the developer suggested the recent Grand Theft Hamlet project - a film in which a production of Shakespeare's classic play is performed within GTA Online - proved just this."We genuinely believe that, with the recent updates, Grand Taking Ages is now ready to be relisted on the PlayStation Store," Violarte concluded, saying it had requested Sony now reinstate the game's store page. "We strongly believe that there will be no issues with Sony this time, given the adjustments we've implemented."Eurogamer has contacted Sony for comment.Back to the actual Grand Theft Auto 6, and Rockstar is currently targeting a late 2025 launch. Last week, the company shut down an ambitious mod that put GTA 4's Liberty City in GTA 5.

Nintendo nominated for GLAAD award for trans representation in Paper MarioAlongside Dragon Age and Life is Strange.Image credit: Nintendo News by Ed Nightingale Deputy News Editor Published on Jan. 22, 2025 Nintendo has been nominated at this year's GLAAD award for trans representation in last year's Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake on Switch.GLAAD is a non-profit organisation focused on LGBT+ advocacy. It runs annual awards to celebrate LGBT+ representation in media, with video games included since 2019.This year's nominees include Nintendo for Paper Mario ghost companion Vivian, whose trans identity was restored in the remake.Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Launch Trailer Nintendo SwitchWatch on YouTubeIn the Japanese GameCube original release, Vivian is trans but is deliberately misgendered by her sisters. However, some territories removed this in their translations, including the English and German versions.For the remake, Nintendo restored the original dialogue - and therefore Vivian's trans identity. The change was widely celebrated by the LGBT+ community.Other nominees include Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which features LGBT+ relationships and a non-binary companion character, and Life is Strange: Double Exposure, which features a bisexual protagonist.The full list of nominees is as follows:Caravan SandWitch (Studio Plane Toast / Dear Villagers)Dragon Age: The Veilguard (BioWare / Electronic Arts)Dread Delusion (Lovely Hellplace / DreadXP)Dustborn (Red Thread Games / Spotlight by Quantic Dream)Fear the Spotlight (Cozy Game Pals / Blumhouse Games)Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Deck Nine / Square Enix)Minds Beneath Us (BearBone Studio)Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Intelligent Systems / Nintendo)Sorry Were Closed ( la mode games / Akupara Games)Until Then (Polychroma Games / Maximum Entertainment)It's notable that the majority of these games are from indie developers, as major studios lag behind in terms of LGBT+ representation.As per a GLAAD study last year, nearly one in five gamers are members of the LGBT+ community, yet LGBT+ storylines and characters account for less than two percent of all games.The report focused on the importance of diverse representation: 72 percent of LGBT+ players said seeing characters matching their gender identity or sexual orientation well-represented made them feel better about themselves, while 68 percent wished there were more prominent LGBT+ storylines.Last year's winner for Outstanding Video Game at the GLAAD awards was, perhaps unsurprisingly, Baldur's Gate 3.Other previous winners include Apex Legends, Life is Strange: True Colors, The Last of Us Part 2, and Tell Me Why.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereThere is a lot to look forward to with Helldivers 2. Arrowhead has revealed that a bow weapon will release at some point in the future, meanwhile, leaks show a new upcoming armor skins system with extra customization. However, away from new content being added, the Helldivers 2 developer has just debunked a widespread conspiracy theory that has turned into a popular meme amongst Super Earth soldiers online.Helldivers 2 dev debunks Sickle conspiracy theoryAmongst the Helldivers 2 community, there has been the conspiracy theory that Arrowhead keep increasing the size of the Sickle weapon. There are numerous serious discussions on Reddit about whether the Sickle grew again, with players convinced that theres an Arrowhead employee making it larger every update just to f**k with the community.The conspiracy theory about the Sickle continuously getting bigger is widespread amongst the HD2 fandom, but, alas, its not true, at least according to Arrowhead. On the official Helldivers Discord, community manager, B Vitamin, confirmed that Arrowhead is aware of the the sickle is big memes but the reality is, the gun is just big, its size has never changed, and its not broke.Image credit: Helldivers DiscordOne user claimed Arrowhead confirmed the size had changed as part of an inside joke, but B Vitamin responded, that was a fake screenshot. This fake screenshot was shared on Reddit, and it purported to show Pilestedt confirming that Arrowhead keep increasing and decreasing the size of the Sickle to mess with players.Confirmation from B Vitamin should put an end to the conspiracy theory. No one knows quite why the Sickle looks bigger every time, but the assumption is that its probably just an optical illusion. Fortunately, while the conspiracy theory is now confirmed as debunked, the comically large Sickle memes can continue to flourish.For more Helldivers 2, check out our guide to thebest warbonds ranked, along with thebest stratagemsandbest throwables. We have also a guide to thebest weapons, and, if youre coming back to HD2 for the first time in a long while, we have a bunch oftips and tricksto help you get reaccustomed to the battlefield. Helldivers 2Platform(s):PC, PlayStation 5Genre(s):Action, Shooter, Third Person8VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

Hundreds of subreddits are considering banning all links to X.com in response to Elon Musks salute at a Donald Trump inauguration rally that was celebrated by Nazis as being a Nazi salute. The moderators of dozens of those subreddits have said that they have decided they will ban all links to X.Here is a video scroll of just some of the hundreds of subreddits that have considered the move over the last 24 hours, with many moderators putting the idea up for a vote among a subreddits subscribers:0:00 /1:44The bans have run the political gamut, with the subreddits for many cities and states (such as r/NewJersey, r/londonOntario, and sports teams banning all Twitter links. r/christianity banned Twitter links with a gif in which Musks salute was put side-by-side with a neo-Nazis.Some subreddits are allowing screenshots from Twitter but not direct linking. Big sports subreddits such as r/NFL, r/hockey, r/baseball, and r/nba are all considering a ban, with moderators saying they will announce decisions shortly. A poll in r/baseball shows that users are overwhelmingly in favor of having links banned in the subreddit.On r/formula1, moderators decided to ban links from Twitter except in cases where the information can not be found elsewhere, and specifically from Formula 1 drivers and some others who havent yet moved to other platforms. For a trial period we will ban all content from Twitter with the only exception of screenshots of relevant posts by teams, drivers & F1 that are not available on any other platform. Even in case of major breaking news, we ask you to post links to the press releases or a screenshot of the post from Instagram, with a link in the comments. The ban is a trial, with the hope that it will encourage Formula 1 journalists and creators to move to other platforms, it says.Moderators of r/ComicBookMovies posted With recent events, we (mods) have decided we will no longer use our sub to promote x in any way, shape or form. Following in the footsteps of other subs, we will ban any links or post coming from x, including in the comment sections. While many of our post come from x, moving forward all post will need to come from another source, such as bluesky, approved websites, your own creation, etc.The moderators of r/MadeMeSmile, which has more than 10 million subscribers, posted Would it make you smile if we banned all links to Twitter? The moderators of r/DnD are similarly considering the move. Posts about banning or potentially banning Twitter links are some of the most popular posts on all of Reddit over the last day.Some of the subreddits are also banning material from Meta platforms after Mark Zuckerberg explicitly decided to allow hate to proliferate across his apps, and TikTok and Rednote because of their companies being based in China. Hello, everyone! Following recent events in social media, we are updating our content policy, a message on r/antiwork reads. It then says that the following sites may no longer be linked to, or have screenshots from them uploaded: X, including content from its predecessor Twitter, because Elon Musk promotes white supremacist ideology and gave a Nazi salute during Donald Trump's inauguration, Any platform owned by Meta, such as Facebook and Instagram, because Mark Zuckerberg openly encourages bigotry with Meta's new content policy, and Platforms affiliated with the CCP, such as TikTok and Rednote, because China is a hostile foreign government and these platforms constitute information warfare.The concerted mass action to ban Twitter links is notable because it highlights the difference between moderation on a platform like Reddit and the moderation on platforms like X, Facebook, and Instagram. Reddits distributed, volunteer moderation system in which users become the moderators of specific subreddits means they are also in charge of the rules and norms of that subreddit. This means that moderators are, to some extent, beholden to the wishes of subscribers of a subreddit. They are also able to create rules that fit the needs and wants of a specific community. Reddits system has many problems: moderators are constantly fighting with Reddit administrators, who are paid Reddit employees; moderators are not paid for their labor; moderators often say they feel burnt out. But the system also fosters a more humane version of the internet where users have more control and the needs of a specific community can be more easily met.Jason is a cofounder of 404 Media. He was previously the editor-in-chief of Motherboard. He loves the Freedom of Information Act and surfing.More from Jason KoeblerJoseph is an award-winning investigative journalist focused on generating impact. His work has triggered hundreds of millions of dollars worth of fines, shut down tech companies, and much more.More from Joseph Cox

TechMeta admits some people cant unfollow Donald Trump on InstagramUsers including Gracie Abrams have said they never asked to follow presidential account and are unable to stop Andrew GriffinWednesday 22 January 2025 12:10 ESTTrump (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inboxSign up to our free IndyTech newsletterSign up to our free IndyTech newsletterI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read ourprivacy policyMeta says that people have been automatically left following Donald Trumps account and admitted that some of them are unable to stop.It suggested that technical problems meant that some people were currently unable to stop following Mr Trumps official presidential account. But it made clear that users had not been automatically made to follow those accounts in the first place, as has been suggested.Since Donald Trump became president, he also gained control of the official @Potus and @VP accounts on Instagram and Facebook. That led to complaints from users that they were following Mr Trump or his vice president JD Vance, despite not having asked to, since they were following those accounts when they were fronted by other politicians.However, some including singer Gracie Abrams said that they had not only been forced to follow the account but were unable to stop doing so. She said that she had been required to unfollow the account three different times, and had been forced to block the account to ensure that she was not associated with it anymore.Now, Meta has admitted that some people are having trouble unfollowing those accounts, but suggested that it would be fixed.It may take some time for follow and unfollow requests to go through as these accounts change hands, said Meta communication director Andy Stone, in a statement in which he addressed the complaints more broadly.People were not made to automatically follow any of the official Facebook or Instagram accounts for the President, Vice President or First Lady, he wrote on Threads. Those accounts are managed by the White House so with a new administration, the content on those Pages changes.This is the same procedure we followed during the last presidential transition. It may take some time for follow and unfollow requests to go through as these accounts change hands.Earlier, Mr Stone had tweeted a reminder that those official accounts were run by the White House and therefore changed hands when the occupant of the office changed. Meta had at the time been understood to be investigating claims that it was not possible to unfollow those accounts.More aboutDonald TrumpMetaInstagramFacebookJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesMost PopularPopular videosSponsored Features

Drifting AwayHyper Light Breaker really shows how much the games industry has changed in a decadeThough it's a bit hard to say how good that is right now.Image credit: Heart Machine Article by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Jan. 22, 2025 I think that Hyper Light Drifter probably released at just the right time. Indie games were really carving out their own corner of the industry back then, in 2016, and it was truly a year with some (comparatively) massive titles - Firewatch, The Witness, Inside, Cuphead, Enter the Gungeon, Darkest Dungeon, and even Stardew Valley. It could be argued that 2016 was the year of the indie game, now that I think about it! In the couple years before we had some equally beloved titles like Her Story, Undertale, Downwell, Soma, Octodad, and Shovel Knight.A big common denominator here that you'll quickly see is that unlike a lot of indie games these days, all the ones I've mentioned here are much more singular experiences. Stardew Valley obviously has co-op, but everything else is generally designed to be played solo, a stark difference to the proliferation of attempts at small-scale live-service titles, roguelikes, and other such games designed to be played forever.Watch on YouTubeLooking back at all these games, and Hyper Light Drifter in particular, all now roughly a decade old, I can't help but feel like its surprising follow-up, Hyper Light Breaker, shows how much can change in a decade. The thing that really sold a lot of people on Drifter back when it was a Kickstarter was its combination of modern pixel art, evocative synthy soundtrack, and intriguing world. The final game delivered on those three traits, delivering a game whose narrative you have to figure out for yourself.The real focus is on its combat and world-building, unburdened by the state the games industry is currently in. Every day you can hop onto Steam and see so many developers try their hand at being the next big thing, and very rarely are they self-contained experiences. Multiplayer is massive now, live-service is the defacto in a lot of cases (even though it rarely works), and, holy mackerel, are there so many roguelikes these days. That last one, I really can't blame anyone for - when times are so tough and people don't have as much money at the moment, of course you want to design something that can be replayed ad infinitum, otherwise you might just lose out on sales. Only the bigger name indie teams (who might not really be indie anymore) can afford to make single-player, JRPG-inspired or Zelda-inspired titles.In turn, I can't really blame Heart Machine for deciding to take the world it established in Drifter and turn it into a roguelike, one I presume will have some live-service elements to keep players coming back once it's out of early access. Right now, it's hard to figure out if that was the right call. Early access really does mean early, with only the core loop in place currently. Drifter's challenging combat has been pretty well realised into 3D, though I'm sure it'll get some improvements over the course of a few updates.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. There's also similarities to be drawn with the upcoming FromSoftware title Elden Ring: Nightreign, also a roguelike with procedurally generated maps that tasks you with taking down fearsome bosses, so Heart Machine is in good company there. Ironically, though, Nightreign also highlights how different the industry is compared to a decade ago.Does it make me sad? Yeah, a little. There are still developers making games like Drifter and all the other indies I mentioned at the start, I wouldn't even say there's less of them, if anything there's more than ever. That's part of the problem too, there's just no room for them in a sea of games that have a higher chance of surviving thanks to their replayability, not to mention how much harder discoverability is these days.It's no surprise the industry has changed this much in a decade, I just think it took Breaker to make me realise just how much is different now. I'm not trying to necessarily make a judgement call here, mostly, I really hope it works out for Heart Machine, because there could be something pretty special there, if the early access kinks are worked out.

A Real StingerThe bodies are hitting the floor in Yellowjackets season 3's latest trailer, but I'm not sure if the five second rule counts with cannibalismSomething's got to give.Image credit: Showtime/ Paramount News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Jan. 22, 2025 Yellowjackets season 3 has a new trailer ahead of its release next month, and it looks like things are going to get messy in the past and present.Look, if you set a trailer for a show about a bunch of highschool soccer players that crash land in the middle of the wilderness and can't get home so they resort to cannibalism to Bodies by Drowning Pool, I'm immediately going to be won over, and wouldn't you know it, that's exactly what the trailer for Yellowjackets season 3 did! It's not one of those annoying trailer versions of the song either, it's just the actual thing cut up in a fun way to match the very messy action of the upcoming third season. Seriously, this trailer is full of knives in both past and present, with both timelines looking a bit bloody here and there too.Watch on YouTubeIf you're curious as to what season 3 will actually be about, Showtime conveniently has a synopsis for you: "As summer arrives, the Yellowjackets face a fragile victory - the brutal winter that nearly claimed them is finally behind them, but distrust in leadership and tension within the team jeopardize their chances of being rescued. In the present, long-buried secrets from their pasts begin to surface. As the women fight to keep their lives from unraveling, they must confront a chilling question: who are they really, and what dark truths are they hiding from each other and themselves?"To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Cast wise, pretty much everyone is back from the first couple of seasons, including Elijah Wood in a recurring role, and it'll be welcoming Community's Joel McHale alongside Boys Don't Cry's Hilary Swank. The show has a doozy of a release date too, as Yellowjackets season 3 is currently set to air on Paramount Plus this coming February 14, i.e. Valentine's Day. Romantic!

Artist SpotlightTexturing and Lighting Dreamy Interiors with a Look Dev Specialist3D artist Krisztina Vichnl reveals a behind-the-scenes look of creating cozy interiors using 3D models, materials, and textures. by Greyscalegorilla Meet the Artist Krisztina Vichnl is a 3D artist with a passion for creating captivating visuals. Her portfolio spans a diverse range of projects, from sleek automotive designs and breathtaking landscapes to stunningly realistic interior scenes for archviz. Her work has been recognized with a feature in Computer Generated: The 3D Art Anthology, a testament to her exceptional talent. Krisztina Vichnl + Greyscalegorilla Plus Using the Studio app for materials, textures, and living room 3D models, Krisztina sent assets directly into her C4D project with one click. Get Plus Learn More As a look development specialist, Krisztina meticulously refines every detail, from texturing to lighting, to achieve the perfect visual impact. Her dedication to pushing creative boundaries and exploring new artistic avenues is evident in every one of her projects, including this beautiful interior scene she created just for us. To bring her vision to life, Krisztina utilized the living room models collection within Studio, providing a realistic foundation for her interior scene. How this animation was made Placing a mannequin in the scene as she placed models around the room allowed her to maintain a proper sense of scale throughout the project. She then meticulously layered on details using a variety of material collections, including woods that added depth and warmth, handcrafted ceramics that brought a touch of artisanal craftsmanship, and textured plaster that introduced subtle variations and imperfections. Clay render with models and lighting. Final render with models, materials, and textures. Through careful selection and masterful application of these materials, Krisztina created a truly unique and captivating animation. To keep the viewers attention and focus, she simulated falling leaves that would weave the shots together for a cohesive story. For finishing touches, she added some camera shake using the GorillaCam plugin for Cinema 4D. Clay render with models and lighting. Final render with models, materials, and textures. Greyscalegorilla 3D Assets Used in this Render Living Room Models3D Models42 detailed living room models including sofas, coffee tables, lamps, and more. Fully curated to give you a picture perfect living space. Browse Collection Handcrafted CeramicsMaterialsMade in partnership with a ceramics studio, these hand-crafted materials are the most authentic ceramic materials available and beautifully enhance our new hand-thrown pottery models. Browse Collection WoodMaterials 215+ exotic and common woods from all over the planet. Explore ash, birch, oak, maple, walnut, and othersin every imaginable finish. Includes planks, veneers, unfinished, and painted. Browse Collection 5,000+ assets are waiting...Get PlusWhen you join Greyscalegorilla Plus, you unlock a whole new workflow that follows you to your favorite 3D apps. Stay in the flow with the Studio desktop app, granting you unlimited access to download and send assets straight into your project with one click. Get Plus Leave a Comment:Cancel This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube793kAtelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land sees the Atelier series reaching new heights with a huge open-world style map and a deep focus on exploration. And in today's new trailer, Koei Tecmo has detailed many of the game's new and returning features.Focusing on the new to start with, Atelier Yumia sees the titular alchemist explore a vast and "seamless" open-world, meaning she has multiple ways of getting around. This includes the ability to double jump, a motorbike that she can just magic out of thin air, and... a gun?Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube793kWatch on YouTube Out in the world, you'll need to keep an eye on your energy, a resource that helps with both exploration and crafting. While exploring, you can craft simple recipes by using your energy, but it also allows you to take reduced fall damage while jumping down from large cliffs.Images: Koei TecmoEnergy is also consumed when you enter 'manabound areas', locations that are overrun with dense mana. This slowly drains your energy and also restricts the type of movement you can do in any given area. Fortunately, there are ways to restore energy in the world, such as picking up Alstahlia Flowers and finding landmarks.Dotted around the world are dungeons, where Yumia will need to solve puzzles to progress. Inside these dungeons, you'll find rare materials and 'memory vials', the latter of which will help you discover even more secrets.Images: Koei TecmoCombat has also shifted into real-time action here, with attacks (essentially, items that you craft to use in battle) assigned to face buttons. You can also swap between characters mid-battle, and change between short and long-ranged mode. The aim is to stun the enemy to deal a huge amount of damage.One feature we're very excited about doesn't involve exploring or battling, however. New to Atelier Yumia, you can now build your own base, which seems to consist of different builds. Basically, you can make your own town, and that'll dish out even more rewards for Yumia and friends.Images: Koei TecmoThat's a lot to pack into a four-minute trailer, but it looks like Atelier Yumia, Gust, and Koei Tecmo are going big here. The game looks fantastic, and we loved the Atelier Ryza trilogy, so we're excited to see where the series can go from here.Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land launches on Switch on 21st March 2025. Will you be crafting your way through the spring season? Let us know in the comments. Plans to double employee numbersWe could have envisioned thisRelated GamesSee AlsoShare:02 Alana has been with Nintendo Life since 2022, and while RPGs are her first love, Nintendo is a close second. She enjoys nothing more than overthinking battle strategies, characters, and stories. She also wishes she was a Sega air pirate. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesRandom: Donkey Kong Country's Artist Reacts To Nintendo's Redesign"Everything changes!"Round Up: The Reviews Are In For Donkey Kong Country Returns HDWorth going bananas over?

It's a good'un.When Astro Bot launched in September 2024 for the PS5, many lauded the game's quality and compared it favourably to some of Nintendo's very best 3D platformers.During the recent New York Game Awards 2025 event, ex-president of Nintendo of America offered his own opinion on the game after it won the award for 'Best Kids Game', jokingly stating "I have to admit it, Astro Bot almost outdid Nintendo at its own game".Read the full article on nintendolife.com