Destiny 2's new saga is kicking off, with The Edge of Fate arriving in just a couple of months — here's everything we learned from today's reveal streamTech17:33, 06 May 2025Updated 17:58, 06 May 2025Destiny 2's Edge of Fate is just a couple of months awayDestiny 2 developer Bungie has been busy, having recently revealed its Marathon reboot, and now we know what will follow the current trio of Episodes for the long-running loot shooter.The last expansion, The Final Shape, debuted in June 2024, but Bungie will shift to multiple expansions each year that are smaller in scope.‌During today's The Edge of Fate reveal stream, the studio confirmed The Edge of Fate will arrive on July 15, while also revealing another trio of updates.‌Here's everything we learned about the new "multi-year" Fate saga from today's stream, including when you'll be able to play each chapter.Expect to learn a lot about The NineArticle continues belowAs part of the reveal, Bungie confirmed that the Renegades expansion launches in Winter 2025, while Shattered Cycle arrives in Summer of next year.Ash and Iron, a sizeable free update with sandbox changes, new activities and events will launch on September 9, 2025, while March 3, 2026 will see a similarly sized update called Shadow and Order.Content cannot be displayed without consent‌Finally, The Alchemist will launch in Winter 2026, but Bungie gave us some early gameplay of The Edge of Fate and it sure looks like Destiny alright.Look a little closer, though, and there are new enemies, abilities, and a fresh area.‌The Edge of Fate starts with "an invitation" to a place called Kepler, a new location in Destiny which hasn't been since in the series so far. The devs said it's inspired by Metroidvania titles, and it's inspired by exotic missions and The Dreaming City.Bungie is also introducing World Tiers, which will allow players to experience the new location differently each time. The studio also promised a renewed focus on quests with a nonlinear campaign.A new ability, called Matterspark, will let players turn into an "electric rolling ball of death" which will factor into combat and exploration. It looks a lot like Samus' ball-like mode in Metroid titles, and stems from Dark Matter — but that won't be a new subclass, it seems.‌Can't wait for the new content? A new event, Rite of the Nine, launches today and sees players work their way through a gauntlet of Dungeons. It's available until July 15, and is free for all players, while the new Heavy Metal PvP mode arrives on Friday with a combat Sparrow called the Griffin up for grabs.Elsewhere, Bungie is making big changes to the core Destiny 2 game to streamline the title. For one, the new 'Portal' is a fresh frontpage for the long-running game.The Portal is Destiny 2's new front-end‌Tied into this is the new Solo Ops option, which is a new one-player activity category, while other categories should help players squad up for PvP or Pinnacle content. You'll also be able to work your way up through the Destiny 2 power climb solely playing PvP.Existing activities can be customised, too, boosting rewards with more challenging modifiers.Armor 3.0 will introduce set bonuses and revamp existing armour systems for the first time since Shadowkeep back in 2019, while World Tiers will influence fancier weapon perks and visuals.‌Elsewhere, The Tower will gain a new Shooting Range area to test builds and weapons, Solstice will return with new Holofoil weapons, and more.Content cannot be displayed without consentFinally, Bungie gave a quick peek at Renegades, and if we're not mistaken, that's a lightsaber...Article continues belowRenegades will get a full reveal in September, and is tipped to be "very different" to The Edge of Fate.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Now we have GTA 6's second trailer, but some fans are a little concerned that the re-election of President of the US, Donald Trump, might cause further delay to the game beyond its May 2026 releaseTech22:00, 06 May 2025Updated 22:30, 06 May 2025Could Trump shut down the biggest entertainment launch in history?(Image: Still)GTA 6 fans had been hoping they'd get getting that elusive second trailer this month and today they just did, but it also came with news Rockstar delayed the game to 2026, reportedly to avoid developers having to 'crunch' to finish it.The silver lining is that we do now have a confirmed release date of May 26, 2026 - and a new trailer, but some have been suggesting that Rockstar may have felt pressure from returning US President, Donald Trump.‌How likely is it? It's perhaps not as unlikely as you may think when factoring in the orange manbaby's Project 2025 playbook, and with outspoken X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk once criticising the franchise and now in Trump's ear, the games industry as a whole could be under more scrutiny from the US government. Fans have also expressed concerned that he may put tariffs on he video game industry following his crackdown on Hollywood.‌There were many fears Donald Trump may cause the game to be delayed (Image: Getty Images)Speaking to GQ in 2018, ahead of the Red Dead Redemption 2 launch, Dan Houser told the outlet he was "thankful" to not be releasing GTA 6 during a Trump presidency.“It’s really unclear what we would even do with it, let alone how upset people would get with whatever we did,” he said at the time.Article continues below"Both intense liberal progression and intense conservatism are both very militant, and very angry. It is scary but it’s also strange, and yet both of them seem occasionally to veer towards the absurd. It’s hard to satirise for those reasons.GTA 6 is expected to be one of the biggest games ever(Image: Rockstar Games/AFP via Getty Ima)"Some of the stuff you see is straightforwardly beyond satire. It would be out of date within two minutes, everything is changing so fast."‌The Heritage Foundation's controversial Project 2025 initiative could also come into play. Given its focus on a return to more conservative American society, there could be a chance that there is pressure to censor some GTA 6.We now have more details on the huge game now Trailer 2 has dropped(Image: Rockstar Games/AFP via Getty Ima)Content cannot be displayed without consent‌Elon Musk, who has recently been embroiled in accusations about his Path of Exile 2 character being boosted by other players, has also criticised GTA in the past for letting players shoot at police officers, leading to many wondering about potential changes being forced on the developers.One fan wrote on X: "Guys what if Donald Trump delays gta 6."Another added: "I think GTA6 is going to get delayed. I bet you there’s a lot of anti-Trump stuff in the game."‌A third commented: "If GTA 6 has Trump or Elon parodies you know it’s getting banned for 'national security reasons'."Fans have been crying out for a return to Vice City(Image: Rockstar Games/AFP via Getty Ima)Content cannot be displayed without consent‌Others are concerned that the delay to 2026 was due to Trump looking to cash in on GTA by looking to implement tariffs on the video game industry.One said: "So i guess Trump will be looking at tariffs on video games later this year he will want some of the GTA6 money next year."A second added: "Trump's gonna impose digital tariffs before GTA 6 comes out."‌While a third wrote: "Prices for digital and physical gaming are usually the same. Tariffs + costs of development + good old fashioned corporate greed all contribute. Sony will be doing the same as well. Do not be shocked if GTA 6 is the first $120+ game just for the base game."Thankfully, the truth is likely to be far less nefarious, and Rockstar is looking to right its previous wrongs by giving the development team ample time to work on the game while maintaining some semblance of balance.On the plus side, though, we did get this which is worth a watch.Article continues belowContent cannot be displayed without consentFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Disney Lorcana has new sets coming for the remainder of 2025, and will see some of the most fan-requested Disney properties included — here's all we learned from the Ravensburger teamTech19:00, 06 May 2025Lorcana's Whispers in the Well is its tenth setIt’s not easy to kickstart a card game. Aside from building out a rule set, there’s printing, pack weightings and so much more to think about before it even gets into players’ hands.That’s what makes Disney Lorcana’s rise so impressive. Leaning on Ravensburger’s knowledge and Disney’s timeless IP certainly helps, but if players haven’t got room for another card game between Magic: The Gathering, the Pokemon TCG and any number of digital options, it’s doomed to fall flat.‌Thankfully, it appears Lorcana is set to go from strength to strength, judging by the roadmap the team revealed to us at a behind-closed-doors presentation last week.‌Reign of Jafar introduces fresh single-player decksAs part of the presentation, Ravensburger showed off not one, not two, but three upcoming sets. The first of which, Reign of Jafar, marks the eighth set of the game and launches this month.In it, the Aladdin baddie has begun reshaping Archazia’s island, and as such you can expect versions of Jafar, Jasmine, and the Palace Guard. There are also fresh starter decks and a new co-op Illumineer’s Quest called Palace Heist, which I’m desperate to check out.Article continues belowPalace Heist is a more traditional board game for up to four playersSet 9 is Fabled, which arrives in September. The set will see a series of reprints, including Tinker Bell Giant Fairy, Stitch Rock Star and Winnie The Pooh Hunny Wizard, with new Enchanted versions.In fact, more than half of the set are reprints, which ties into set rotation. This will ensure decks stay competitive, but that cards are still regularly available.‌“To keep the competitive game thriving, rotating out older cards to encourage new strategies and fresh deck designs is a really important part of the next chapter,” said Ryan Miller, Brand Manager and Co-Designer of Disney Lorcana TCG at Ravensburger in a press release.“But because we know there are cards in those early sets that are important to a lot of fans’ deck-building strategies, and we know not everybody got the cards they wanted the first year, we’re re-printing some cards from those first sets in Fabled.”Rotation should help the game feel fresh year to year‌Speaking of rarity, the set will introduce Epic rarity, which sits between Legendary and Enchanted and offers rainbow foil, while Iconic is the new top-tier rarity in the game, kicking off with Iconic versions of Mickey and Minnie.Naturally, the first two Iconic Cards are Mickey and MinniePerhaps most exciting is that Fabled will see The Goofy Movie cards rolled into the game, which the team says is one of the most asked-for properties, so get ready to turn up your Powerline songs.‌Finally, Season 10 will be titled Whispers In The Well. Ravensburger didn’t give us a lot of information about it, but we do know it’ll involve the Gargoyles.Oh, and for that one account on X (formerly Twitter), good news—Darkwing Duck will make his Disney Lorcana debut in 2026.Content cannot be displayed without consent‌“It is an honour to usher Disney Lorcana TCG into this exciting next chapter,” said Elaine Chase, Chief Marketing Officer for TCGs at Ravensburger via a press release.“I’m excited to bring my three decades of experience working on trading card games to Disney Lorcana TCG, and I’ve learned how to move from a super-hot launch to supporting a trading card game for the long haul. I can’t wait for fans to see everything we are planning!”If you’ve not started playing, a new Collection Starter Set will help you get going.‌The Collection Starter comes with a promo card, four boosters and a portfolio folder“The Collection Starter Set is the perfect way for Disney-lovers to jump into and start collecting cards showing off their favorite characters and moments from Disney classics,” Chase explained.“Collecting is such a huge part of every trading card game and we want to show how Disney Lorcana rewards players with every pack of cards they crack open.”Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

What's the best part of a new GTA 6 trailer? We get to pick it apart for the months to come and find whatever information we can about Rockstar Games' latest criminal adventureTech16:43, 06 May 2025The new trailer shows a different side of LeonidaWhat a week for GTA fans, eh? After finally delaying the game and giving us a release date in May of next year, breaking its more than 500 days of silence, Rockstar dropped another trailer for the game out of absolutely nowhere."Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida — forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive," the new trailer's description reads, but we've been watching frame by frame to find even more details.‌Here's all we've learned from GTA 6 Trailer 2.‌Jason Duval is our second protagonist's name(Image: Rockstar)While Trailer 1 definitely focused on some of Vice City's zaniness, and a whole lot of neon lighting, it's interesting to see the second trailer start off a little more relaxed.Article continues belowJason Duval is our second protagonist's name, and while we've been calling him Jason for ages thanks to leaks, it's nice to know what to call him officially.After being given a job by an older guy called Brian, Jason heads out in his car, and it's clear he's plenty popular with the ladies. He seems like the complete inverse of GTA 5's Trevor, a handsome hunk with a relatively cool disposition, even when he's robbing a store and assaulting the clerk.Seems heists will continue in GTA 6 (Image: Rockstar)‌One shot shows Jason driving along the freeway with signs for an airport, and a plane overhead, which seemingly suggests we'll have a chance to fly aircraft again, but what's also noticeable is people riding in the back of the pickup truck in front—something I'm not entirely sure we've seen in GTA before.There are also a fair amount of jet skis in the trailer, both being ridden later on and on a truck on the freeway section.Moving on, we learn Lucia's full name is Lucia Caminos (although that may not be the correct spelling), and it's clear that the two protagonists are romantically linked.‌We now know so much more about GTA6 and the people in it(Image: Rockstar)There's a focus on making a new home somewhere, which ties in with the trailer's description of an "easy score gone wrong", and calls to mind Niko Bellic's story in GTA 4. And, just like Niko, we'd bet money on trouble finding Lucia and Jason.As for what we can learn about gameplay from the trailer, there's plenty. For one, it appears in one section a safe is swinging from the back of a truck, smashing into everything Fast and Furious style. That somewhat lines up with leaks that objects will have their own weight and physics, and that watching for long enough will see cleanup crews come and tidy up the mess you make.‌Jason and Lucia share some quiet moments in the new trailerBoth trailers have shown the police responding to NPCs, too, suggesting there's a chance of more dynamic police presence than patrols roaming the streets aimlessly, and that might extend to the homeless person begging for change, too.If you were worried the game might tone down some of the wild heists from GTA 5, you can rest easy. At one point we see Lucia fighting on a plane, while the aforementioned safe swinging around the streets like a wrecking ball feels like one of Lester's schemes.‌Seems like the pair have some money trouble (Image: Rockstar)Finally, Phil Cassidy is back, and it appears the redneck gun runner is selling firearms by the bucketload.Rockstar has also revealed a few locations from GTA 6, too, including Port Gellhorn, the Mount Kalaga National Park, Grassrivers and more.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Grand Theft Auto 6 was delayed late last week, and one report has now suggested that Rockstar has pushed the project to 2026 to help its staff avoid a period of 'crunch'Tech10:59, 06 May 2025Expect Vice City to be packed with detail(Image: Rockstar)Rockstar finally broke hearts last week, announcing what we'd suspected for a while—GTA 6 won't make 2026 after all.After more than 500 days without a peep, the company released a lengthy statement on Friday that said "We are very sorry this is later than you expected," while also promising the extra time is needed "to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve."‌As fans now prepare for a long wait until May 26, 2026, one reporter has suggested Fall 2025 wasn't a realistic target for some time. Here's what Bloomberg's Jason Schreier had to say on why the decision was made to push 2025's biggest title to next year.‌"Nobody I’ve talked to at Rockstar has believed Fall 2025 was a real window for a very long time now," Schreier posted on Bluesky."Too much work, not enough time, and what appears to be a real desire from management to avoid brutal crunch. GTA VI slipping to 2026 has seemed inevitable for months if not longer."Article continues belowHere's hoping we get a new trailer soon(Image: Rockstar)When one commenter suggested they didn't believe Rockstar was looking to avoid crunch, Schreier added:"Skepticism is always healthy, but I've been keeping tabs on this for years (since my big 2018 story about Red Dead 2's crunch)."‌"They certainly haven't eliminated *all* overtime but everyone I've talked to at Rockstar says it's night and day from previous projects. If that changes, I'll report on it."Crunch is the process by which developers take on huge amounts of overtime to help get a game finished before its release date, and Schreier's previous reports around the studio's last game, Red Dead Redemption 2, painted a picture of a company where employees would work 100-hour weeks.‌While we're naturally disappointed we won't be playing GTA 6 this year, we are at least thankful that the team at Rockstar Games is able to work on it in a less pressurised environment.Rockstar's statement last week concluded with "We look forward to sharing more information with you soon," so we've got everything crossed we might see a second trailer for the game.The first, which debuted in December 2023, remains the only footage or screenshots Rockstar has released to this point.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is the latest game in the long-running series by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio as Goro Majima gets to hog the spotlight in huge spin-off on the high seasTech11:07, 06 May 2025Updated 11:18, 06 May 2025This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn moreRunning your own pirate crew is so much fun, it's like two games is one(Image: Sega)2025 has been packed with great games, and while GTA 6 has been delayed, there's still plenty to enjoy.One of our favourite games of the year so far (and certainly one of the most memorable), is Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, which from the title alone is worth a look for anyone curious.The game sees Goro Majima trading in his life of land-based crime for, uh, crime on the high seas, as he recruits a nefarious crew and explores Hawaii and the surrounding waters. There's a tonne to see and do, and thanks to a new deal from Amazon, you can play through the latest adventure for less than ever before.Majima has a tough time at the start, as he tries to remember who he really is(Image: Sega)Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is currently down to just over £30 at Amazon on PS5, making this the cheapest price it's been.At £30.65, it's a whopping 44% discount on the £54.99 RRP, meaning you can get one of the year's best games for little more than three crisp ten pound notes.User reviews are positive, too, but still wondering if it's worth a look? Our reviewer gave the game top marks."Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii may not be what anyone expected, but it's a fitting entry in a series that delights in surprising long-term fans and casual admirers alike," we said."Whether you're interested in building your perfect pirate crew for hours on end, or just want to see the story through, there's a ton of things to do and with Majima around, it's a riot.""It trades in some of its sentimentality for the bizarre and the brash, but finally having Majima playable again after so long feels like a breath of fresh sea air."Article continues belowIf you've already played Like a Dragon, or just want a different kind of experience, beloved Xbox hit Indiana Jones and the Great Circle recently made the jump to PS5 and is currently availble for for £59.99 on Amazon, a drop of £10.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌

Fortnite's newest Galactic Battle crossover with the Star Wars universe arrives today, but fans can expect the game's servers to be down in the run-up to launch — here's all we knowTech06:00, 02 May 2025Darth Jar Jar is canon now, at least for FortniteFortnite is getting bigger and bigger, and Chapter 6 Season 3 might be its biggest update yet. Named Galactic Battle, this Star Wars crossover will bring map changes, fresh skins, and, of course, lightsabers.It'll also let you attend a TV show premiere which is a first for Disney, but whatever you're excited for, there's the small matter of server downtime to get through first.‌Fortnite, as a live service game, needs time to roll out its updates, and that means you can expect some server maintenance time. Here's all we know about the Galactic Battle update timings ahead of launch.‌And hey, maybe this season will make its way to iPhone soon.At the time of writing, the servers are down, and are likely to be down for a little while. The servers will drop out at 7 AM UK time, and we're expecting a few hours of maintenance time.Article continues belowExpect Fortnite to return between 10AM and midday, but with plenty of new content included.Lightsabers are back, obviouslyAs we've covered, Galactic Battle will kick off a whole Star Wars chapter.‌Map changes include four new POIs, with the Resistance Base you can see above, and you can expect to see TIE Fighters, X-Wings, and even the Millenium Falcon around the game's ever-evolving island.Naturally, there's a new Battle Pass, and the skins this time around include Poe Dameron, General Grievous, and Emperor Palpatine.Ready to explore the Resistance Base?Article continues belowPlayers can also get Darth Jar-Jar, who is seemingly canon in Fortnite's Star Wars update, while players can nab a free First Order Stormtrooper skin by linking their Epic Games account with their MyDisney one.We're also expecting a slate of live events throughout the season, including Mandalorian Rising, Star Destroyer Bombardment, and Death Star Sabotage.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

As part of our discussion about Season 8 of Diablo 4, we asked the team if the knowledge that billionaire Elon Musk has been playing and streaming the game has caused any change in its popularityTech08:00, 02 May 2025The team is squarely focused on improving Diablo 4Elon Musk has professed to being a huge fan of ARPGs like Path of Exile 2 and Diablo 4, but the jury remains out on whether or not he's any good at them after it was revealed he pays others to boost his account.After an abrupt end to his recent stream, I was curious about how Musk's emergence as a fan of Diablo 4 affected the game's popularity, and the developers working on the project.‌As part of my Diablo 4 Season 8 conversation with Colin Finer, Design Director for Systems and Deric Nunez, Lead Seasons Designer for Season 8, I asked if knowledge that the man who has the President's ear makes a difference as far as development goes.‌Perhaps unsurprisingly, the team is completely unfazed and focused on making Season 8 of the 2023 title the best it can be.Musk is the richest man in the world, but he's not great at gaming(Image: AFP via Getty Images)I asked if the team has seen more players loading into Sanctuary since Musk began talking about the game, but Finer explained it's not really something that's on the team's mind.Article continues below"That's an interesting question," he said."I don't know how much any one specific member of our community necessarily kind of impacts numbers."What moves the needle the most and what the team maintains their full focus on is just getting the high-quality releases out like we're doing with Season 8."‌Nunez agreed, saying the team's focus is on creating long-term improvements for Diablo 4."To Colin's point, focusing on the new [updates], but also revamping the old is where my mind kind of falls in that one."‌In our previous interview from this week, the duo described Season 8 as the team taking "big swings" to improve the game."Every season, we always look for new opportunities to make big swings. And I think Season 8 is kind of a representation of us going big and bold. We're not just bringing some seasonal favourites like questlines, we're also bringing back major characters like Belial," Finer told me.For more on Diablo 4, check out our discussion about the Berserk crossover, as well as comparisons to other ARPG titles.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

LEGO is turning back the clock to 2004, with a new scene straight out of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 that is likely to make my kid light up—here's why it's so excitingTech20:29, 01 May 2025It's the set I would've wanted as a kidJust this year we've seen the reveal of a Pokemon LEGO collaboration, a new Lord of the Rings Shire set, and the frankly bizarre Fortnite ones, but the latest one just hit me right in the nostalgia.The Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock Subway Train Scene is ripped straight from Sam Raimi's 2004 superhero sequel, in one of the movie's best set-pieces as Spidey and the villainous Doctor Octavius battle atop an out-of-control train.‌It's the kind of set that anyone who's kid watches LEGO YouTube videos all day will tell you has been discontinued decades ago, prompting huge prices on the secondary market, and that means I think I might have to buy it.‌You see, my almost six-year-old son is the exact target audience for this, raised on Raimi's movies and LEGO, and this might just be the easiest £45 I'll ever spend.Look at it, it's perfect (although we don't know why JJ is there...)The Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock Subway Train Scene will set collectors back £44.99, and ships from August 1.Article continues belowInside, there are four minifigures and a train to build, with Spidey and Doc Ock accompanied by Aunt May and, uh, J. Jonah Jameson.Look, I've not seen the movie in a while, but I really don't remember either of those characters being part of the train sequence, but we'll take it—I'm not sure our collection has JJ or May yet.Still, I think the funniest part might be that Spidey (who comes in masked and unmasked versions) appears to be smiling while trying to stop the train.‌As you'll remember, it's a poignant scene where (spoilers for a 21 year old movie, wait, WHAT!?) Peter's identity is revealed to those on the train as he risks his life to save them. I'm not sure I recall him smiling, but the bricks breaking away from the wall are a nice touch.:This Super Hero subway train building set is based on an iconic scene from Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man 2 film," LEGO's description reads.Article continues below"The Spider-Man minifigure has interchangeable heads – masked and unmasked – and a large web that can attach to the train. The Doc Ock minifigure has 4 jointed tentacles, 2 with ‘laser beam’ elements and 2 with clips that attach onto the train. A lift-off roof provides access to the train’s interior, which has room for minifigure passengers to sit."And hey, ordering ahead of Star Wars Day on May 4 will nab you a free gift, too, with Jango Fett's Starship Key Chain from the LEGO Store—as if I needed another reason.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Overwatch 2's new Stadium mode has seemingly been a huge success, with Blizzard dropping some fun stats for the update—and a sneak peek at where it'll go nextTech23:00, 01 May 2025Freja is coming to Overwatch 2's Stadium mode soon(Image: Blizzard)Overwatch 2’s new Stadium mode was a big deal when it launched last month. At the time, Overwatch 2's Game Director Aaron Keller said "now is the time to jump on" if you're on the fence.As it turns out, many of you have, with Blizzard revealing some fun stats for the mode, and it makes for smug reading for Lucio mains like myself.‌According to Blizzard, the new mode saw 2.3 million matches of Stadium played in its launch week as players racked up 7.8 million hours, and as promised, the team is looking to keep expanding the mode.‌For context, that's more than double the launch player count of Overwatch Classic. Best of all? Despite being the least picked Hero, Lucio is also the one with the best win-rate.Overwatch 2's Stadium roadmap is stackedSeason 16's midseason update will add Freja to the Stadium mode, bringing the game's latest Hero into the mode.Article continues belowThen, in Season 17 players can expect Junkrat, Sigma, and Zenyatta to join, as well as Samoa: Control and Esperanca: Push maps.Season 18 will bring in Sojourn, Winston, and Brigitte, while Route 66 and London Maps will be added to the map pool, and then Season 19 will continue to add Heroes and a new China map.Blizzard is also planning a whole host of upgrades to Stadium, with Unranked Crossplay and shareable builds planned for Season 17 in June.‌Third-person is a huge shift for Overwatch(Image: Blizzard)"Since Stadium has a competitive system, it follows the rules of our core competitive mode, which doesn’t allow PC and Console players to group," Game Director Aaron Keller explained on the topic of crossplay."Since this is the only way to play the mode, we agree, and we’d like to do something about it. We’re currently investigating what it would take to make an unranked version of the mode. This would allow groups of friends to play together and would give us the ability to make other changes as well, possibly introducing a best-of-5 format to the mode."Article continues belowKeller also said the team is planning to release a new mode within Stadium called Payload Race, with two brand-new maps, and a new mechanic called Quests that will offer a random quest to players at the start of a match that dish out rewards.Keller also reiterated that the development team is still focused on the game's Core modes, saying "Stadium isn't competing for those resources: it’s giving us more opportunities to deliver Overwatch in a new, exciting way."For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Fortnite's newest Galactic Battle season might be its most ambitious yet, so we've got all the information on how you can get involved and when it'll be ready to playTech15:27, 01 May 2025Could Galactic Battle be the biggest Fortnite season ever?Fortnite could be on its way back to the iPhone, but the most pressing concern is this week's new seasonal update. Chapter 6 Season 3, or Galactic Battle, is a huge new event for the game that brings back Star Wars fun for a whole season.There's a TV show premiere happening in the game, but the update will also introduce a whole bunch of skins, massive map changes, and much, much more.‌We've been digging through the details to help show you everything coming in the latest Fortnite season, whether you're looking to play the Battle Royale or just have fun in a Star Wars-themed map. Do or do not, there is no try.‌The update lands on May 2 (Friday), with the Fortnite servers expected to go down at 7 AM UK time for a few hours.That means we could be waiting until around midday to be able to log on, but it looks as though it'll be worth the wait.Article continues belowFortnite's new Star Wars-themed chapter lands tomorrowIn all honesty, it's been a while since we've seen an update this big for the battle royale. Sure, there have been map changes and fresh Battle Pass skins, but rarely is an entire season so focused on a crossover.The new update will lead to some huge map changes‌This season, there are four new POIs joining the map, with the Outpost Enclave, Resistance Base for the goodies, the First Order Base for the baddies, and Vader Samurai's Solitude.Looks like Resistance Base will feature a Millennium Falcon, too, so we know where we'll be going first.The Battle Pass features General Grievous‌The Battle Pass skins this time around are, naturally, all Star Wars themed.There's a Wookie Team Leader and Resistance Fighter Evie for Fortnite fans, but the big draws here are likely to be Poe Dameron, Emperor Palpatine, and a rather excellent-looking General Grievous skin.It's nice to see them give some prequel love, which also brings us to Darth Jar-Jar. The Sith version of the Gungan has been shown in the update's trailers, so we reckon he might be the Battle Pass Bonus Skin this time around but time will tell.‌From the trailer, we've spotted Captain Phasma, Mace Windu, and what appears to be a new Mandalorian skin, but as always we've learned to expect the unexpected.The Star Wars setting should help get you in the zone for the show's debutOn May 2, the new anthology show will be found in the Star Wars Watch Party island, which you can find using a code.‌“How to find the Star Wars Watch Party? It’s simple — it’ll be in the row of experiences you see after logging into Fortnite! If you want, you can also click the magnifying glass in the top-left of the screen and search using the code 2124-6713-8076,” Epic's Blog Post explains.The island is sticking around until May 11, and there are bonuses for taking part. For one, you'll get a special Asajj Ventress Loading Screen if you watch both episodes, and there are minigames to take part in that let you wield a blaster of lightsaber.From the trailer, it certainly looks as though we'll be taking to the skies in an X-Wing or TIE Fighter, but we're yet to find out how that will work.‌Will they be able to be flown right from the ground? Or do we have to kill a boss to earn the right? All will be revealed soon.You can snag a Stormtrooper outfit for freeThat's not all. You can unlock the First Order Stormtrooper outfit in-game by connecting your Epic and MyDisney accounts.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

We got to check out Apex Legends' new season 25 update, Prodigy, ahead of launch, and it shows that Respawn Entertainment is fighting for its hit franchise's successTech16:00, 01 May 2025Sparrow is the latest Legend to join the rosterIt's hard to believe that Apex Legends is about to launch its 25th season. The game came out of nowhere with a shadow-drop, captivating fans with its team-based take on battle royale.By the time it launched on Steam (the only platform we have player numbers for) it was certainly popular, but things have (naturally) declined over time. Still, it's perhaps never been more important for Apex Legends to succeed, despite the competition never being stronger.‌So, what is Respawn bringing to Season 25, subtitled Prodigy? While it won't shake the foundations of the now long-running game, it feels like a "greatest hits" package that certainly has me ready to jump back in.‌The Bocek is back, and perfect for SparrowIf you've spent any time in Apex Legends over the last few years, you'll know that there's a fairly familiar formula to each update.There's usually one new weapon, one new Legend or both, and a variety of tweaks to other gameplay elements, a fresh battle pass, and a change to the loot and map rotation.Article continues belowWith Prodigy, it feels like the team is going all out. The new Legend, Sparrow, is all about style, leaning into Apex Legends' most enjoyable feature—its movement.The new Italian character can double jump, use a Tracker Dart to identify enemies, and use energy blasts on up to six targets at once.He's also handy with a bow, making it an ideal time for the Bocek to return with some explosive upgrades. Not only can players now pick up arrows from the environment that have been fires, but you can fire explosive arrows.‌All of this combines to showcase Apex's gunplay (or, uh, archery) with a slick new double-jumping hero that really exemplifies what's so great about the game (if you're good at it, I'm certainly no pro).Arenas is back, and we're delighted to see it return‌One of my favourite modes in Apex Legends has been Arenas, and it returns in Season 25. If you've not tried it, Arenas, pits two teams of three against each other, with players spending cash between rounds to customise their loadouts.Respawn has promised more changes coming, but the most exciting one is Arena: Duels, which will let you go 1v1 against a rival (or friend).Speaking of Rivals, Ranked updates are coming, too. As per EA's press release: "There’s a new Ranked Ladder to climb which won’t pause regular ranked progress. Instead, regular ranked matches will help players advance through the Leaderboard and compete for more rewards, including a new Ranked Dive Trail."‌Finally, Pathfinder is finally, FINALLY, getting a buff. The beloved 'bot is finally getting updates, with Zipline Zen giving an increased damage reduction of 50%, and his Grapple Hook Tactical is getting a variable cooldown.He's also getting a Double Ultimate Charge and a Double Tactical Charge that players can trade for the Variable Grapple Cooldown.Between Pathfinder being more viable, ranked changes, Arenas returning, and the new Legend and returning Bocek bow, it feels like Respawn knows it needs to get things right with Season 25.Article continues belowWe'll be back in the Arena as soon as it drops next week.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Former Nintendo staff have urged the company to change its marketing around the Switch 2 after some have complained that the console is riding a wave of confusionTech12:47, 01 May 2025You will need to act fast to get a Switch 2(Image: Nintendo)We're desperate to get our hands on the Nintendo Switch 2, but it'd be fair to say that the sequel to one of the most beloved consoles of all time has hardly been a slam dunk.While there's little Nintendo can do about 'diabolical' Trump tariffs, there's been plenty of misunderstandings that can give Microsoft's rough Xbox One launch a run for its money.‌From knowing how much of a game is on a cartridge, to questions about which peripherals work with which games and the upgrade process for Switch 1 games.‌That's prompted Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang, former Nintendo marketing employees, to comment on the rollout on their recent podcast. Here's what they have to say (thanks, GamesRadar).Speaking on the Kit and Krysta Podcast, the duo suggested Nintendo needs to simply lay everything out in a way that's easy to fans to understand.Article continues belowThe company has sidestepped elements of its Switch 2 messaging that seem too specific or niche, the pair argue, and need to consider putting as much information out there as possible."Just give people all the information on all of these topics, as many topics as you can think of, [and] let people read to their hearts' content," Ellis says."Just put the onus on the customer," Yang adds, suggesting interested readers will "decide when to stop reading, they will decide what is interesting for them to learn about and what isn't."‌The console launches on June 5"You have to be, as the creators of the thing, you're responsible for giving them [fans] all the information for them to parse through," Yang adds.‌She points to an interaction during her time at Nintendo surrounding the Wii U, which famously suffered a rough launch."I remember asking Japan, 'So what guidelines should we put around any of the system features, any of the UI, any of the stuff that's baked into the front end?'"They were like, 'Who cares about that? Why would anybody care about that?' It's a big part of a new console experience, and honestly, that was something that was kind of an issue with the Wii U, so maybe they should have paid a little bit more attention to that. So maybe it's just a matter of them not grasping the great interest around all of these things."Article continues belowFor more on Nintendo Switch 2, be sure to check out our hands-on impressions, as well as our most-wanted Switch 2 ports.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Fortnite developer Epic Games is prepared to end its ongoing legal battle with Apple after the latter was ordered by a judge to make changes to how it handles fees outside of appsTech10:01, 01 May 2025Could Fortnite be back on iPhone soon?Fortnite will see a TV show premiere exclusively within the game tomorrow. It has its own LEGO sets, and has drawn in the likes of Sabrina Carpenter for her digital debut, but Epic Games isn't done there.The company has long been embroiled in a feud with tech giant Apple over the latter taking a cut of in-app purchases, and that's left the game unable to be played on iPhone or iPad since August 2020.‌Now, however, mobile gamers could be closer than ever to getting Fortnite back on their device, as a US Judge finally ordered Apple to cease its 27% commission on iOS purchases through links.‌Fortnite's new Star Wars-themed chapter lands tomorrowYesterday, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers passed down the judgement, which also includes and order for Apple to stop telling users not to use links outside of apps to make purchases.Developers, including Epic Games, had been sending users to web links to make payments to circumnavigate Apple's fees.Article continues belowThe Judge also ordered Apple to pay Epic's attorney fees, and said that the company had violated a 2021 injunction, even going as far as to accuse VP Alex Roman "outright lied under oath", which could open up Apple to criminal contempt charges.Fortnite can be played on iPhone and iPad via the Epic Games Mobile Store, which is allowed in the EU as part of the Digital Markets Act.‌However, Epic said that if Apple accepts the latest ruling, it can bring Fortnite to iOS as soon as next week.In a press briefing (transcribed by The Game Business), Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said: “I’ve been fighting Apple for a long time.Article continues below"But I’m an iPhone customers. This is an awesome device. I love having it. I don’t love the policies that Apple has made with respect to stores, but there’s a lot of respect of Epic towards Apple’s quality of product and focus."I hold out hope that there’s a way for Apple to get back on the right side of history here. I think this is a great time for Apple to consider doing that.”For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

With so many other games in the genre gaining popularity, I asked the Diablo 4 development team if they keep one eye on the competition – here's what they had to sayTech08:00, 01 May 2025Expect Season 8 to ramp up the challengeDiablo 4 Season 8 arrived this week, and while some fans have been demanding bigger changes ahead of next year's planned expansion, they're hardly short of alternatives.Path of Exile 2 is a fantastic ARPG that offers a higher degree of challenge, while Last Epoch has really come into its own with its latest update, Tombs of the Erased.‌With Diablo essentially helping to popularise the genre, I asked Colin Finer, Design Director for Systems and Deric Nunez, Lead Seasons Designer for Season 8, if they keep an eye on what other games in the space are doing, and if there's added pressure to ensure Diablo remains top of the pile given its heritage.‌Here's what they had to say.Expect plenty of chaos in Season 8"I think we always try and think about what's right for Diablo and how we improve Diablo," Finer explained. "It's a very sort of 'Diablo first approach', and that sort of manifests itself, I think in the Season 8 boss powers"Article continues below"We want to make sure that Diablo feels like an incredible power fantasy where you get to feel extremely powerful and mow down hordes of enemies, and what better way to sort of manifest that than to literally take powers away from bosses and become the boss."And I think that's what's been so exciting about Season 8 in terms of that power fantasy, it's just so potent. And then we also have the other side of the game, the power fantasy that is that sort of deep customisation and ability to craft the build that you're fantasising about."That's where we put a lot of time and effort into the "Side B" to the Boss Powers, where it's not just becoming the boss and this crazy power fantasy, it's actually customizing that boss power as well where you're able to really fit in different modifiers and mechanics to that boss power.‌"It's a great question, and I think we really try our best to service Diablo first, like 'what can we do to improve the Diablo formula? How can we make Diablo even better for the fans of Diablo?"Belial sits atop the Lair Boss ladder‌"One of the things that we put a heavy focus on is just the accessibility and quality of life of any system that we kind of stand up," Nunez adds."So when we're talking about the lens of Season 8, it's not just kind of expanding the bosses with cool new mechanics and bosses, but we also took a look at how can we reduce the level of friction that might churn out a more casual player perhaps from engaging with the system as a whole."With Season 8, we've also made permanent updates to improve the overall efficiency and reduce the friction to get into the system through," he adds, pointing out that Lair Bosses are now free to summon so players don't feel like they're wasting materials.‌You might need to spend more time levelling up in Season 8"Before, we had the issue where players would be holding off on fighting them because they didn't wanna waste their precious resources just to find out that they couldn't take the boss down yet."Every season we take a look, as you kind of see with the roadmap, that we're focusing on big permanent features to upgrade, like next season is Dungeons, and then we have an Infernal Hordes update that the roadmap revealed.‌"I just want to touch on one thing, because I think it's a great example of the sort of line that we walk in terms of we've made the overall system more accessible," Finer adds, "but we also know that Diablo needs to be deep, right?""There needs to be a lot of different, compelling systems," he says, pointing to player-created spreadsheets."It's very Diablo, right? And to give you an example of how that's manifested itself in the boss ladder, we have the bosses for free, as Deric talked about, but we've also taken an opportunity to level up the bosses and their challenge.‌"So it's not just about making the bosses easier to kill and getting the loot for free, it's about really making sure that there are deep challenges and things that you need to work for, because that makes the reward so much sweeter. So in Season 8, we've buffed all the Lair Bosses."They're much harder just statistically, but also we've added a lot of new attacks that you're gonna have to watch out for. So Duriel is my favourite, and we've added an attack to him that allows him to actually eat you. So some of his attacks now are gonna knock you down, and if you're ever knocked down and you're vulnerable he's going to do this big overhead cleave and actually suck you into his belly and eat you."There are places where we've actually levelled up the boss encounters to make it more challenging, to compensate for that sort of accessibility gain. And we think that that's overall going to make the experience much more rewarding and challenging.Article continues below"We heard a ton of feedback that the game is just way too easy and there's just nothing challenging. Everything just falls over. So we've taken this opportunity to really introduce some of that challenge and satisfaction back into the loop."For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Fortnite's journey to pop culture phenomenon is seemingly complete now, as Disney will premiere its new Star Wars TV show, Tales of the Underworld, in the game before its own streaming serviceTech10:03, 30 Apr 2025Updated 10:52, 30 Apr 2025This loading screen could be yoursFortnite just keeps getting bigger and bigger, and after Sabrina Carpenter made her debut and new LEGO sets were announced, you might be wondering where Epic Games' huge title could go next.As it turns out, it's a return to A Galaxy Far, Far Away, with the new Star Wars Galactic Battle Season launching on May 2. With Darth Jar Jar and Emperor Palpatine included, flyable X-Wings and TIE Fighters, it's much more ambitious than even the most stacked seasonal updates.‌Still, that's not all, and this time around fans can tune in and watch two episodes of the new Star Wars TV show within the game, with the start of Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld arriving in Fortnite two days before it comes to Disney Plus.‌Here's all we know:On May 2, the new anthology show will be found in the Star Wars Watch Party island, which you can find using a code.Article continues below“How to find the Star Wars Watch Party? It’s simple — it’ll be in the row of experiences you see after logging into Fortnite! If you want, you can also click the magnifying glass in the top-left of the screen and search using the code 2124-6713-8076,” Epic's Blog Post explains.The Star Wars setting should help get you in the zone for the show's debutThe island is sticking around until May 11, and there are bonuses for taking part. For one, you'll get a special Asajj Ventress Loading Screen if you watch both episodes, and there are minigames to take part in that let you wield a blaster of lightsaber.‌That's not all. You can unlock the First Order Stormtrooper outfit in-game by connecting your Epic and MyDisney accounts. In another blog post, Sean Shoptaw, Executive Vice President, Disney Games & Digital Entertainment said “For the first time, Disney+ is premiering a show inside a game, launching alongside our largest Star Wars collaboration with Fortnite to date – giving fans and players an exciting first look at the kinds of experiences they can expect as we shape a new future together.”You can snag a Stormtrooper outfit for free"We’re building the next era of digital entertainment, where fans can play, watch, create and connect – and we’re just beginning to tap into what’s possible.‌“Disney and Epic are pioneering the future of social entertainment together, and this expansive Star Wars collaboration offers a glimpse into the type of interactive experiences we envision,” said Adam Sussman, President, Epic Games.“We are reimagining what’s possible with immersive storytelling in Fortnite with one of the world’s most beloved franchises - stay tuned for a lot more to come.”This is another chapter in the ongoing partnership between Epic Games and Disney, with Disney investing $1.5 billion in Epic.Article continues belowAs for what the crossover entails, we only have a short teaser trailer to go off of, seemingly showing a series of 'Islands' with their own theming after Disney properties including Marvel, Lucasfilm, and even ESPN.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Nintendo is already rolling out the good stuff ahead of Switch 2, with the latest firmware version 20.0.0 marking the arrival of Virtual Game Cards and more — here's everything includedTech10:25, 30 Apr 2025Updated 10:29, 30 Apr 2025The original Switch isn't done yet(Image: Future via Getty Images)The release of the Nintendo Switch 2 is just weeks away at this point. And as we tiptoe closer to a new era for the House of Mario, we've heard more and more about big games coming to the platform, and the technical advantages it'll offer.Now that we're just over a month away, Nintendo has just rolled out a major update to your existing Nintendo Switch console to help make the transition to the Switch 2 easier, plus there are some extra features included, too.‌From the debut of Virtual Game Cards to other features you may have otherwise missed, here's everything you need to know about firmware version 20.0.0.‌Content cannot be displayed without consentThe biggest updates to the console this time around are the arrival of Virtual Game Cards and Game Share.The former will let players loan digital games to friends and family, letting you loan your copy of, say, Super Mario Bros Wonder to someone else for a fortnight.Article continues belowAfter that time, the game will 'return' to its owner, but you can always send it back.Elsewhere, Game Share allows players to share a game to another player nearby so they can play multiplayer games together while only having one copy of the game.The console launches on June 5‌Elsewhere, the Switch 1 (which still feels odd to say) is getting some small visual updates. We've dropped the full patch notes below for you, courtesy of Nintendo.The following icons for new features have been added to the HOME Menu: Virtual Game Card Purchased Nintendo Switch digital software, DLC, and some free software, are now virtual game cards and displayed in a list in this menu. You can virtually load and eject virtual game cards between up to two Nintendo Switch systems. Virtual game cards can be lent to others in the same Nintendo Account family group. For more information, see Virtual Game Card Guide. GameShare Compatible software can be shared from a Nintendo Switch 2 system to other nearby system(s) to play together. You can only play together via local wireless, and the Nintendo Switch 2 system must initiate GameShare. This feature cannot be used between two Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch – OLED Model and/or Nintendo Switch Lite systems.User-Verification Settings has been added under User > User Settings. You can restrict access to the Virtual Game Card menu by requiring entry of a PIN or signing in to your Nintendo Account.Online License Settings has been added. When turned on, you can play downloaded software or DLC you've purchased while the system is connected to the internet, even if you don't have the virtual game card loaded. For more information, please refer to the details about the option on the System Settings screen.The Nintendo eShop and Nintendo Switch News icon colors on the HOME Menu have been changed.Multiple save data can be selected and transferred at once in “Transfer Your Save Data” menu.System Transfer to Nintendo Switch 2 has been added under System Settings > System. You can perform a system transfer from your Nintendo Switch to Nintendo Switch 2 using local communication. For users that will lose access to their Nintendo Switch before receiving their Nintendo Switch 2, there is an option to upload system transfer data to a dedicated server which can then be retrieved on their Nintendo Switch 2. After you upload your system transfer data to the dedicated server, the Nintendo Switch system will be initialized to factory settings, so only perform this transfer if you’ll be able to complete the transfer on Nintendo Switch 2. If you want to continue using your Nintendo Switch until you have a Nintendo Switch 2, we recommend completing the system transfer using local communication after you have acquired a Nintendo Switch 2 system. An internet connection and Nintendo Account is required to complete both local and the server-based system transfer service. For more information, see System Transfer from Nintendo Switch to Nintendo Switch 2.The appearance of some user icons have been updated.Article continues belowFor more on Nintendo Switch 2, be sure to check out our hands-on impressions, as well as our most-wanted Switch 2 ports.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Here are the PS Plus games coming in May, with dinosaurs, a fiendishly addictive card game and a retro shooter in the Warhammer 40k franchise all up for grabs - here's all we know

Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford has hit back at claims that Borderlands 4's new release date was influenced by GTA 6 or Marathon, saying it's "the result of confidence in the game"Tech11:56, 30 Apr 2025Updated 11:56, 30 Apr 2025Borderlands 4 has an earlier release date than expectedAhead of a State of Play event focused on Borderlands 4 later tonight, Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford has moved to quell suspicions that the loot-shooter sequel is releasing earlier due to other game release dates. As we covered yesterday, Borderlands is owned by 2K, a Take-Two subsidiary, with the company also planning to roll out GTA 6 at some point in 2025.That had led to speculation that Borderlands 4's new release date, which is earlier in September than was originally planned, was to help GTA 6 fit into the calendar year, or in order to avoid competition with Bungie's Marathon reboot which was also slated to launch on the same day.‌Not one to keep quiet, Pitchford has now commented on the release date shit.‌Content cannot be displayed without consentPosting on X (formerly Twitter), Pitchford said "Borderlands 4 shipping early is 100% the result of confidence in the game and development trajectory backed by actual tasks and bug find/fix rates.""Our decision is literally 0% about any other product’s actual or theoretical launch date," he added.Article continues belowUK fans can tune into a PlayStation State of Play event tonight to get all of the latest information on Borderlands 4, with dev-guided gameplay and more being shown at 10pm BST.Borderlands 4 is launching in September‌Content cannot be displayed without consentYesterday, a post from the Borderlands account on X said "HEYO, VAULT HUNTERS! WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT UPDATE ABOUT THE LAUNCH OF BORDERLANDS 4""It has been incredible seeing the response as we move ever closer to the release. Our team has thrown themselves headfirst into making this the greatest Borderlands yet-both for new and returning Vault Hunters."‌"After careful consideration-along with a LOT of meetings, playtesting, and incredible development work-we have made the monumental decision to MOVE UP THE LAUNCH DATE OF BORDERLANDS 4 to SEPTEMBER 12.""You'll be able to crash into Kairos two weeks sooner. We're BEYOND excited to share the new world with all of you ahead of schedule.""And if that still doesn't feel soon enough? Join us this Wednesday, April 30, at 2pm PT for PlayStation's State of Play focused solely on Borderlands 4 and get an extended look at the action-packed insanity that awaits you on Kairos."Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Respawn Entertainment and the wider EA staff have been hit by more than 300 layoffs, leaving the future of the Titanfall franchise unknown after another entry was cancelledTech10:51, 30 Apr 2025Updated 10:53, 30 Apr 2025Titanfall 2 launched in 2016, and teed up a sequelAfter we reported that Respawn Entertainment is producing another Star Wars title, it appears the studio, and publisher EA at large, has been hit by a sizeable wave of layoffs.EA laid off 670 employees last year, and has now reportedly cut more than 300 more while cancelling a number of in-development projects. Notably, one of those was slated to be a new game in the Titanfall franchise.‌According to a report from Bloomberg, "between 300 and 400 positions" have been eliminated, with around 100 of those made at Respawn Entertainment which works on Apex Legends and the Star Wars Jedi series.‌Content cannot be displayed without consent"As part of our continued focus on our long-term strategic priorities, we've made select changes within our organisation that more effectively aligns teams and allocates resources in service of driving future growth," a statement provided to Bloomberg explained.Respawn's own statement on X (formerly Twitter) which you can see above, confirms "targeted team adjustments" were made to its teams, while also acknowledging "these decisions aren't easy" and confirming "two early-stage incubation projects" are cancelled.Article continues belowBloomberg reports one of these was codenamed R7, and was said to be an extraction shooter in the Titanfall universe lead by Steve Fukuda, who directed the 2014 original and its 2016 sequel."Looking ahead, our commitment to player-first experiences remains unchanged. Innovation has always been at the core of Respawn's identity, and it continues to drive how we build the future - from evolving live experiences to crafting new worlds and stories," the studio's statement continues.Respawn is working on a third entry in its Jedi series‌"For Apex Legends, that means not just delivering competitive, innovative seasons - but expanding what Apex can be. While the team will continue to refine gameplay and bring new ideas to upcoming seasons, we're also investing in what's next for the franchise - exploring bold experiences that push the boundaries of competitive play while staying true to the spirit of competition, creativity, and integrity that our community expects.""Within the Star Wars universe, we're excited to keep building new stories — with the next chapter of the Star Wars Jedi series aiming to raise the bar again for storytelling and gameplay."‌"To everyone who has been part of our journey — past, present, and future — thank you for making Respawn what it is. We carry your legacy with us into everything we create next."As per Eurogamer, EA has now laid off more than 1800 employees since March 2023, while paying its executives $60m in FY 2024. Its CEO, Andrew Wilson, earned $25.6 millon.The Daily Star has reached out to EA for a comment.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Diablo 4 will kick off its first non-Blizzard IP crossover with Season 8, as it adds elements from iconic manga Berserk – here's all we learned from our chat with the devs about why the crossover made senseTech08:00, 30 Apr 2025Diablo 4's Berserk crossover arrives in Season 8Diablo 4 teased an IP crossover on its roadmap of seasonal content, and fans were surprised when it was later revealed to be with Berserk, an iconic manga series.As part of our lengthy interview series with Colin Finer, Design Director for Systems and Deric Nunez, Lead Seasons Designer for Season 8, we asked about what made Berserk the right fit for Diablo's dark fantasy world.‌As it turns out, the two aren't so dissimilar after all, as you can see from the stunning animated trailer below. Here's all we learned from our conversation with the Diablo 4 Season 8 team.‌"It's our first IP collab, and we didn't want it to just be some random IP that didn't fit in the Diablo universe, right?" Finer explains."So what better way to sort of sign up with Berserk? It's very dark, it's very metal, and also really dabbles in the nuances between good and evil.Article continues below"Like it's really grey and muddy and that just fits so perfectly in Diablo that it was just impossible to pass up. When we think about all the different IP that we could collaborate with, Berserk was just number one. The team loved it right off the bat.""Really, it's doing justice to the Berserk IP as well as Diablo. We don't want to hurt the IP of Diablo, so we felt that Berserk was just a perfect match."‌Diablo 4's Berserk crossover features in-store itemsAs for what's included, fans can expect Iconic Armor in the in-game shop, available from May 6 to June 3.Included are the Berserker Armor for Barbaraians, the Hawk of Light for Rogues, the Struggler for Rogues, and The Skull Knight for Necromancers.‌There's also a pet bundle and mount armour, as well as a new Twitch Drop.Blizzard's blog post says: "To celebrate the collision of Diablo IV and Kentaro Miura’s Berserk, we will have a Support a Streamer initiative for the Skull Behelit Mount Trophy," with more information to follow in future.For more on Diablo 4, be sure to keep an eye on Daily Star in the coming days as we reveal more from our conversation with the dev team.Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Jumping into Diablo 4 Season 8 today? We asked Colin Finer, Design Director for Systems and Deric Nunez, Lead Seasons Designer for the new update to tell us their favourite boss powersTech22:00, 29 Apr 2025Expect plenty of chaos in Season 8Diablo 4 is kicking off its Season 8 update, and one of the big new features this time around is boss powers, which can be worked into a player's build to augment their class abilities.With so many ferocious bosses to take from, I asked Colin Finer, Design Director for Systems and Deric Nunez, Lead Seasons Designer for Season 8, what their favourites were as part of a wider interview about the new season.‌From burrowing underground to launching plenty of bombs at the demons of Hell, I wasn't disappointed. Here are the best Season 8 boss powers for Diablo 4, according to the people who made them.‌Season 8's big focus is on using powers from bosses"I absolutely loved tinkering with Duriel Burrow," Nunez explains."That's when Duriel, the Maggot King, burrows into the ground and it was such a fun power throughout the course of development and testing."Article continues below"I love things that proc off of evasion, so having Duriel's ability to tunnel down, doing damage in along the way and then popping out, it's such a tactile and satisfying power to me.""The boss powers have really been designed in a way that can easily fit into any build," Finer adds.‌"Lets say you play Rogue and last season, Dance of Knives is fantastically strong, right? In Season 8, there are multiple boss powers that can actually speak to that Dance of Knives build.""One of my favourites is the Wandering Death lasers," he reveals."So the Wandering Death is this big world boss and it rips its chest cage open and it fires death lasers. You can now take that power from the Wandering Death, and that laser will proc whenever you're channelling a skill.‌"So you can imagine playing Dance of Knives and using the 'Death Laser' and just annihilating everything on the screen, and it really makes that build feel different and interesting."Diablo 4 Season 8 is all about the bosses"The other one I highly recommend is the Death Trap Rogue," he adds.‌"Death Trap is Uravar's bombs, and if you beat him you take from him his ability to throw bombs, and these bombs are actually going to feed off your Ultimate and reduce its cooldown. So you're really able to just multi-Death Trap over and over and over, and it's just really fun and really powerful.""One of the coolest things in Season 8 is that every single power has a 'Side B' modifier side, Nunez explains."And you can equip up to three of those, and those modifier sides further augment and change up not just how the signature main power works but maybe other aspects of your build.Article continues below"You have 24 signature powers, but since each boss has a side B, it's 48 different ways that you can express yourself."For more on Diablo 4, be sure to keep an eye on Daily Star in the coming days as we have plenty more from our chat with the team.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Former GTA developer Obbe Vermeij has been reminiscing about his time working on GTA 4, but has suggested that Grand Theft Auto 6 might not even need a second trailerTech22:00, 29 Apr 2025If nothing else, a new trailer should give the fans more secrets to find(Image: Rockstar Games)When Grand Theft Auto 6 launches, it will have been 12 years since the last entry in the famous series. Before 2013's GTA 5 it was a five year gap from GTA 4 in 2008, and one developer on that project has previously suggested the decision about delaying GTA 6 will likely be made in the next few weeks.With Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two, holding its earnings call in just a few weeks, we should find out soon either way, but that same developer has now suggested that the game may not get a second trailer after all despite a recent YouTube update.‌Obbe Vermeij, who worked on GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas, as well as GTA 4, has been discussing his time on the 2008 game and alluding to the lack of Trailer 2 for GTA 6, too.‌Content cannot be displayed without consentPosting on X (formerly Twitter), Vermeij was reminiscing about GTA 4's launch 17 years ago today (April 29).Alongside development tidbits about why the Xbox 360 was the lead platform, and how missions were designed to suit the story, not the other way around, Vermeij comments on leaving the studio.Article continues below"I left R*North 9 months later," he revealed."With the project and team getting bigger I didn’t enjoy work as much as I used to. I also thought the game would continue to get darker and more serious. GTA 5 proved me wrong there."Suggesting Take-Two's earnings report in August could be the one with the answers, Vermeij explains he has no insider info on GTA 6, before turning his attention to the elusive second trailer.‌We've had our plane tickets to Vice City purchased for years(Image: Rockstar)"If it was my call I wouldn’t release any additional trailers," he said.‌"There is more than enough hype around VI and the element of surprise is going to make the release only bigger as an event."One response suggested Rockstar putting out a release date and no further trailers would cause peoples heads to "explode", and Vermeij agreed, saying "It would be a boss move".We can see his point. With fans and media alike dissecting Trailer 1, there's every chance Rockstar just wants to keep as much as it can under wraps without ruining any of the surprises for when the game launches.Article continues belowFor more on GTA 6, be sure to check out the one thing I hope Rockstar fixes in the game when it does eventually launch.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Diablo 4 has a 2026 roadmap, but some fans are concerned it's all the same each time – we caught up with Colin Finer, Design Director for Systems and Deric Nunez, Season 8's Lead Seasons designer, to talk about what's newTech19:00, 29 Apr 2025Diablo 4 Season 8 is all about the bossesDiablo 4 recently received its first ever roadmap of seasonal content, but some fans felt the updates could have gone further.While the game's second expansion will launch in 2026, some have been concerned Blizzard is being a little too cautious with its updates in the interim (especially since the franchise seemingly has a ten-year roadmap).‌We put the question to Diablo 4's Design Director for Systems, Colin Finer, and the game's Lead Seasons designer for Season 8, Deric Nunez, to ask how Season 8 shakes things up.‌Here's what they had to say ahead of Season 8, which launches today.Even Belial's 'smaller' form is pretty unsettling"Every season, we always look for new opportunities to make big swings. And I think Season 8 is kind of a representation of us going big and bold. We're not just bringing some seasonal favourites like questlines, we're also bringing back major characters like Belial," Finer explains.Article continues below"In Season 8, we're focusing on the Lair Boss system, and bringing Belial back as 'top dog' of the entire ladder in his big 'supreme' form, but also in his smaller form that's going to be stalking you throughout the course of the season," he adds, pointing out that Belial has a chance to ambush you after players defeat a Lair Boss."I think beyond that it's just the focus that we have on utilizing the seasonal pipelines to make permanent enhancements to the game, and Season 8 is going bold with expanding the roster [of the Lair Boss system] and every single boss in the system has received a facelift to bring them up to the level of challenge we want them to be".Season 8's big new mechanical addition is the option to steal the power from bosses, and Finer says this will lead to greater "power expression" for players.‌"These aren't subtle powers, he jokes. "These are pretty big and flashy."2025 could be big for Diablo 4, even without a new expansion‌"One of the challenges, or rather opportunities, is Belial, Lord of Lies," Nunez explains when describing how things are changing this season."Mephisto is currently walking the Earth and creating the perfect distraction for Belial to come back to Sanctuary. So I think one of the fun opportunities that Belial specifically offered us was him being the master of illusion, as he controls reality.""He's a very versatile character that is perfect, not just from a narrative standpoint, but also from a mechanical standpoint. So when we're looking at enhancing the boss ladder, we knew that we wanted to have a new 'Top Dog'," he explains, also pointing to Belial appearing during the seasonal questline in a smaller form.‌Season 8's big focus is on using powers from bossesThat questline will be more "curated", too, Nunez explains." I would definitely say it falls more on the side of the curated quest line," he tells the Daily Star, acknowledging that some Diablo seasons have been more open-ended, and again points to Belial as the anchor point for the upcoming narrative.‌"He took on the form of Emperor Hakan II and cast the Iron Wolves out [in Diablo 3] so we know how dangerous it is if you give Belial an inch, and I think one of the cool things about the Season 8 storyline is the player is effectively in a cat and mouse chase to try and prevent that."And, while some fans felt Season of Witchcraft didn't hit the heights of some of the game's updates, Finer says they received a lot of positive feedback from the community, too."I think Season 7 has been an awesome season," Finer admits.‌"We've heard a ton of positive feedback, a lot of folks were able to just jump into the action right after the holidays - it's a great time to jump back into Diablo 4 and we were very generous with the loot and progression.""Some of the builds I saw just kind of wrecked the game, like Bloodwave Necromancer, and it's cool to see the Ultimates actually being used in Season 7. We took a huge swing to really buff all of the Ults," he explains, while also acknowledging the team "probably overdid it a little bit".Belial sits atop the Lair Boss ladder‌"We've learned a lot going into Season 8 in terms of 'Where do we wanna pull back? How are we feeling about the game speed? We've heard a ton of feedback that the game speed was just too fast, you blink and it's over in a second, where you're already max level, you're already geared to the teeth."Finer says the PTR (Public Test Realm) is a great "safe space", but that the team won't always commit to the changes made there."We've pulled back a little bit from the PTR to slow the game down, so we think it's in a good Goldilocks-like state where it's challenging enough that the reward feels really good, and we think that it'll be in a good spot for Season 8."Article continues belowWe'll have more on Diablo 4 later this week, so be sure to return to Daily Star in the coming days for more on our chat with Finer and Nunez.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Bend Studio has lovingly remastered PS4 2019 zombie game Days Gone and this version is glitch-free and manages to offer a brilliant looking post-apocalypse with a violent new horde mode to bootTech17:10, 29 Apr 2025Updated 17:18, 29 Apr 2025Days Gone RemasteredZombie lovers will really enjoy stepping into the manic, bloody world of Days Gone Remastered on PS5.It’s no secret the original game launched as a bit of a mess on the PS4 console back in 2019 but the game chiefs at Bend Studio have given it a loving makeover for the current console.‌And the result is a beautiful looking post-apocalyptic world packed full of monstrous undead ready to devour you.‌The tale of biker bounty hunter Deacon St John trying to survive in a brutal America two years after a zombie pandemic ruined everything gives you instant Last of Us vibes.And like that gaming classic you’ll be battling zombies with a handful of bullets and a lot of stealth action while using crafting skills and brute force to push along the story in a pacific north-west packed with violent factions and monsters.Visually, it sits among the strongest of Playstation games on the console and the now-silky smooth graphics, paired with a world that’s glitch free, really feels right now for returning gamers.Article continues belowBounty hunter Deacon St John is trying to surviveREAD MORE: Daily Star's newsletter brings you the biggest and best stories – sign up todayDays Gone Remastered is brought to new life with improved graphical fidelity, increased foliage draw distance, improved shadow and lighting quality.You can choose between Quality mode for increased graphics resolution or Performance mode for improved frame rates for a smooth experience.‌The wider wilderness you traverse now has dynamic threats, constantly changing groups of Freakers, as infected zombies are called, roam around and can pounce at any time.While extreme weather and time of day changes the way you battle rivals, with nighttime being a bad time for plentiful creatures on the loose.Stealth is the main weapon in this game. If you take on marauders or monsters face-on you’ll die quickly due to large numbers and lack of ammo.‌But quiet, careful sneakery will reward you with brutal takedown kills and a path through even the most difficult horde.That’s now represented in full DualSense controller output.Haptic feedback built into the joypad means you’ll feel every kick of the bullet and rumble of the road as you bike across large parts of what was America.‌There are plenty of zombies to killREAD MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 gains another huge game as leaks continue before console launchesThere’s also a brand new Horde Assault Mode away from the main story game where you try to achieve a high score while surviving as long as possible against increased zombie horde sizes and various other enemies, like vicious survivors and evolved Freakers.This takes place in several familiar regions found in the story including the Cascade, Belknap, Lost Lake, and Crater Lake.‌It’s tough and brutal, with no inch given as you try and ultimately die in an ever-changing landscape where enemies escalate in difficulty the longer you survive.Hold on long enough and you’ll earn in-mode rewards with never-before-playable characters, new patch cosmetics, and unique ‘Injector’ mods on offer to greatly impact your gameplay experience.For the hardcore, Bend Studio has also added a Permadeath mode. The most skilled gamers will need to tread very carefully through this broken world in what’s being described as the ‘ultimate challenge’ as one wrong move will see you die and the total end of that particular play-through.‌If you can finish the story of Deacon St John’s in one single playthrough without dying I salute you.You can also do a Speedrun mode, playing through the entire tale as quickly as you humanly can to then share your time against other players online.And they’ve added a virtual camera to capture Photo Mode shots in this pretty but bloody world.‌There's a new Horde Assault mode for hardened gamersAll in, a cracking remaster of what was originally a troubled game.Article continues belowOne that’s finely polished and looks fantastic on PS5.It plays great and really does give returning fans and those seeking out Deacon’s story for the first time a definitive zombie battler to enjoy.VERDICT 4/5‌‌‌

Cinemas are ramping up the noise with the Minecraft Movie Block Party Edition, which will encourage attendees to get as loud as they can — here's what we know.Showbiz13:35, 29 Apr 2025Updated 13:35, 29 Apr 2025Ready for the Block Party Edition?(Image: Warner Bros)A Minecraft Movie is a box office hit, and while it is based on one of the most popular video games of all time, there's also the kind of viral moment that no one could have predicted — the Chicken Jockey meme.That's helped it to become a runaway success, and Warner Bros is preparing for a second offensive with the new Block Party edition.‌Seemingly inspired by the raucous screenings that have seen viewers bringing live chickens into screenings and throwing popcorn, the Block Party Edition of A Minecraft Movie will ask fans to make as much noise as possible.‌Here's all we know about the release, as we pray for those in the screenings next door.The movie features some big names(Image: AP)“Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures invite fans back to the theatre to experience A Minecraft Movie together in a whole new way!" a statement explains.Article continues below"You know the moments. You know the lines. You love the songs! Now it’s time to get loose, laugh out loud and belt out those lyrics like a true diamond-tier fan”, it continues.It follows criticism of moviegoers making a mess and getting too loud after the well-documented Chicken Jockey, but it seems Warner Bros is now leaning into it.Expect to see the Block Party Edition popping up when booking your tickets to the movie, and be sure to get the right one.‌Turns out, this is rare(Image: Minecraft)The movie's director Jared Hess has released a statement about the situation. "It's weird when you're having too much fun and the cops get called," said Hess."It's funny because I think it's just literally cheering and throwing popcorn, which is so funny to me that cops are getting called for popcorn. Yeah, it's hilarious. I've seen so many funny videos.Article continues below"It's great, especially when people are climbing on their friends' shoulders and standing up and cheering for those moments. It's like this crazy anticipation. But, man, I'm just glad people are making memories with their friends and families."For more on Minecraft's cinematic debut, be sure to check out our review of the McDonald's Happy Meal for Adults.Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter.‌‌‌

We're not far from the Nintendo Switch 2's release date, but the leaks continue as another big AAA game has been revealed for the platform – and it's one that leaked last monthTech10:45, 29 Apr 2025Updated 10:45, 29 Apr 2025Sparking! Zero is a Dragon Ball fan's dreamThe Nintendo Switch 2 probably only needs Mario Kart World and some enhanced original Switch games to sell plenty of consoles, but it doesn't hurt that it has some fantastic third-party games, too.Elden Ring, Hitman: World of Assassination, Sonic x Shadow Generations and even Cyberpunk 2077 will arrive on the hybrid console at launch and the months that follow, but now a rating has emerged that seemingly confirms our report from last month about another third party arrival.‌Back in March, eXtas1S suggested that Bandai Namco would launch a trio of games on Switch 2 in its early months. One was Elden Ring, which was confirmed at the Switch 2 reveal event, and now another of the trifecta has been revealed.‌Playing this portably sounds like a dreamAccording to a new rating from Saudi Arabia's Media Regulation Board, Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero (yes, that exclamation mark is intentional) could be lined up for the Switch 2.The game launched on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Steam back in October 2024, and has reportedly sold more than 5million copies.Article continues belowIt's the spiritual successor to the popular Budokai Tenkaichi series, which offers players a huge number of playable Dragon Ball characters (almost 200 are available!) to enact plot lines from the long-running anime or set up their own.The game is a 3D fighter full of flashy effects‌So, if Elden Ring and Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero are coming to Switch 2, what of the third game? That was suggested by eXtas1S to be Tekken 8, with the popular fighting game having been leaked via retailer pages for the new Nintendo console.The game launched early last year to very positive reviews, but as things stand, its 2023 rival, Street Fighter 6, will be the fighting game players can flock to when the Switch 2 launches.At the time of writing, we've got just 37 days until June 5, so expect more titles to sneak out into the open for the new hardware between now and then.Article continues belowHere's hoping one of those is a 3D Mario title...For more on Nintendo Switch 2, be sure to check out our hands-on impressions, as well as our most-wanted Switch 2 ports.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Lesta Games, the developer of the Russian version of World of Tanks and World of Warships, has had its assets seized by the Russian government last week after accusations of 'extremist activities'Tech17:26, 28 Apr 2025Updated 18:41, 28 Apr 2025World of Tanks is incredibly popular globallyThe Russian invasion of Ukraine continues unabated, and after threatening to ban Ukrainian-developed title STALKER 2 last year, Putin's government has gone one step further with Lesta Games.The studio, which works on Russian versions of popular titles World of Tanks and World of Warships and has done since 2022, had its assets reportedly seized by Russian state officials last week.‌The studio's Moscow office has been seized by the government, but Lesta's team and PR representatives have not offered a statement yet outside of confirming the company is complying with the government's investigations.‌""The company operates in full compliance with the legislation of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, so we have no reason to have any concerns or conceal information," a Telegram message explains.These images are from the worldwide release of the gameLesta was divested from Wargaming, the company that makes World of Tanks, when the Russian invasion of Ukraine began.Article continues belowWhile Wargaming has been outspoken in its support for Ukraine, Lesta had seemingly tried to shy away from politics and has been offering updates to World of Tanks and World of Warships in Russia, including translations.As per Russian business outlet RBC (via machine translation):"The arrest was imposed on April 17 on OOO Lesta (the main legal entity of Lesta Games), OOO Lesta Games Moscow (the Moscow office) and OOO Lesta Games Agency (which is directly involved in publishing games)."‌"According to the SPARK database, the claimant in the case is the Prosecutor General's Office. Other details of the case are not disclosed."The game is free-to-playReports suggest that Leska and Wargaming are seen to be part of an "association that carries out extremist activities".‌Wargaming had previously fired its creative director, Sergey Burkatovskiy, over his public voicing of support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine (thanks, VGC ).“Sergey Burkatovskiy expressed his personal opinion on social media, which categorically does not reflect the position of the company,” a Wargaming statement explained.“He has been let go and is no longer at the company.”Article continues belowIn a statement to the Daily Star, Wargaming said it has no assets in Russia or Belarus after reports of them being seized. They said: "Wargaming made a strategic exit from the Russian and Belarusian markets three years ago. The company disposed of its business in Russia and Belarus to the local management at zero cost and on a debt-free, cash-free basis, with no consideration to take it back. Wargaming doesn’t have any assets or business interests in Russia and Belarus."For more on Russia's interest in gaming, be sure to check out the latest on the development of a games console from the state government, which some are dubbing the Putindo.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

One of our biggest hopes for Switch 2 is a Diablo 4 port and it sounds as though it could happen – although the franchise's General Manager has commented on some challengesTech22:00, 28 Apr 2025Updated 23:59, 28 Apr 2025Switch 2 could be much more capable than its predecessorDiablo 4 kicks off its Season 8 update tomorrow, and it's now been around for almost two years, with a hefty roadmap revealing everything to come in 2025 ahead of next year's expansion.While we may be waiting for a rumoured new class, the game could eventually make the jump to Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2 console.‌Given we listed the hack and slash ARPG as one of our dream Switch 2 ports, we couldn't be happier to hear it, but it's not confirmed yet. In fact, Diablo boss Rod Fergusson has explained some of the challenges facing the team at Blizzard.‌Speaking on Gametrag Radio in an exclusive interview (thanks, VGC), Fergusson explained that he thinks "there's an opportunity there [on Switch 2] for sure"."I mean, we have Diablo 3 and Diablo 2 Resurrected already on the Switch, and with backwards compatibility, it’ll be playable on Switch 2" he added.Article continues belowSo, what about 2023's Diablo 4? Fergusson says it's not a performance issue with Nintendo's new hardware.“It’s nice the Switch 2 has the performance that can run a game like Diablo 4, so yeah, it’s something to look at for sure,” he revealed, but acknowledged the challenge actually lies in how live service games are handled on Switch 2.“I think the challenge is less around the hardware and just about how live services on Switch have been a little bit challenging in the past. So I’m hopeful that as they launch this June and as we look to the future, that becomes easier and easier, so it makes more sense to put a live service on that platform.”‌Season 8's big focus is on using powers from bossesReports had previously suggested that Diablo 4 is being worked on for a Switch 2 release. Blizzard is now owned by Xbox manufacturer Microsoft. But Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, has gone on record suggesting he's keen for the giant to work with Nintendo on Switch 2 – even as the company reportedly prepares for its own handheld console.‌"So we’ve been supporting Switch 1, I want to support Switch 2," Spencer told The Verge earlier this month."Nintendo has been a great partner. We think it is a unique way for us to reach players who aren’t PC players, who aren’t players on Xbox. It lets us continue to grow our community of people that care about the franchises that we have, and that’s really important for us to make sure we continue to invest in our games."I’m really a big believer in what Nintendo means for this industry and us continuing to support them. And getting the support from them for our franchises, I think, is an important part of our future."Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Emma Bell has issued a warning to all parents after her daughter Bronwen spent over £1,000 playing Roblox as the youngster said she was unware it was real moneyNews22:12, 28 Apr 2025Emma Bell and her daughter Bronwen have issued a warning to parents(Image: Emma Bell / SWNS)A mum has issued a warning after her nine-year-old daughter spent over £1,000 on Roblox - unaware she was spending real money.Emma Bell didn't realise that her PayPal account was linked to her iPad and had no idea that her daughter could spend the money so easily.‌In the space of three months her daughter Bronwen made 25 transactions on her Roblox account - billing up more than £1,000 in her mum's bank account.‌The mum-of-three from Quakers Yard, south Wales has warned parents to be "vigilant" as she has been unable to retrieve her money back.Roblox allows users to create their own games but also offers in-app purchases to upgrade the user's avatar with things like clothes or accessories and offers some pay-to-play games.Bronwen Bell accidently spent the money by playing Roblox(Image: Emma Bell / SWNS)Article continues belowEmma, 52, who works as a social worker said: "I was really distraught. I did tell her off but she has got no concept of how much money that is."These Robux [Roblox coins] kids don't see it as money. It is coins and a gaming app. They don't connect that that is money you have got to pay for."On Roblox when you go in to buy those coins the way the options are set up the £199 is the first option that comes up. For her she had no concept and understanding that she was clicking the most expensive option.‌"I was upset at myself. At that point I held out hope but as time went on I just felt sick to the stomach and angry that such a big corporation can't understand the financial difficulty this put me in."Emma said her daughter Bronwen, who is neurodivergent, plays on her tablet when she comes home from school.Emma says her daughter did not realise it was real money(Image: Emma Bell / SWNS)‌She explained how she tries to monitor the games Bronwen downloads and they had a rule where she would ask her mum for permission before pressing anything.But what the mum didn't realise was that she had PayPal in daughter's payment method on the iPad.Her daughter had managed to spend more than £1,000 on the site but the worst time was when she did five transactions in one day.‌Emma said: "PayPal takes at least a week to send it through my bank account so there had been some delays in those bills going through my bank before I realised the huge amount of fees."One of the things that upset me the most was in a whole day there were five transactions - one of £199, second of £99 and three for £49,99."For weeks Emma, was in back and forth contact with Apple, Roblox, PayPal and her bank trying to secure a refund but so far she has only been able to get £78 from Apple.‌Emma said: "She had run up a huge bill. I phoned PayPal and asked them to put a block on any charges being put through.Bronwen often uses her tablet after school(Image: Emma Bell / SWNS)"Then I spoke to Apple and they were helpful. I went through my Apple account, saw all the transactions and there was a simple click to request the refund."‌She clicked on the option stating "purchase without consent" which she said gave her some "reassurance".But shortly after she claims she had an automated decline for all of the transactions and had to appeal.She was advised by Apple to speak with Roblox and her bank - but she hasn't been given any help since.‌Emma then escalated it with Apple and the outcome was that she was paid £78.She said: "I'd like to see these organisations having some kind of security in place where they would recognise that it as unusual activity and maybe put a block."I had bills to pay out and then there was no money on my account to pay them. I was really distressed about it."‌Emma explained how Apple have told her how to put blocks on Roblox to stop her daughter from buying coins.She said: "I've put a password on the iPad and I am a lot more conscious. I am still not 100 per cent confident about what I am doing because I think technology moves so fast."I went on the iPad the other day and I am checking it more regularly.‌"My downfall was I used to have an Apple phone and it was connected to the iPad and whenever they wanted to download a free app it would pop up on my phone and I'd have to click accept."But then at Christmas time I changed my phone to a completely different make and it just didn't answer my thought process that I needed to go and put parental locks - I feel foolish about that but it is a hard lesson to learn."I'm not particularly great with IT, I am not bad but I am a busy working mum got a professional job I'm trying to do the best I can."‌In response Roblox said in a statement: "Roblox works with multiple payment providers to provide a safe and secure purchasing experience, and we have a robust policy for processing refund requests where there may have been unauthorized payments from a person's account."Whenever possible, we work with parents directly to provide a refund for unauthorized purchases."As noted in our help centre, we advise parents and caregivers that if they notice charges on their PayPal account that they did not authorize, to please contact Roblox Customer Support before disputing any charges.‌"This is because once a charge has been disputed, a refund cannot be issued due to the payment provider's dispute process."Similarly, where payments have been made through Apple/iTunes, as the payment provider they require any refunds to go through their support services and these charges cannot be refunded by Roblox."Finally, it is very important to note that parents also have access to a suite of Parental Controls on Roblox, including spending limits so that parents can determine how much their children can spend, and spend notifications to increase visibility over their children's spending on Roblox."Article continues belowApple, PayPal have also been approached for a comment.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌