The Rogue Prince of Persia's enormous Second Act update is here, but all is not lost for "Purple Prince" loversPurple Reign.Image credit: Evil Empire News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Nov. 22, 2024 The Rogue Prince of Persia's enormous new update, Second Act, is here.We already knew it would function as something of a full relaunch but today Ubisoft made it official, calling it The Rogue Prince of Persia's "biggest update since launching in early access on Steam and GeForce back in May 2024".Along with upgraded art work and a changed colour palette, players can expect the wartime city of Ctesiphon to come to life, along with a "significant transformation regarding the Prince, whose colour has been changed from purple to a tone that not only better fits the new direction, but also its genre, setting, and the Prince of Persia series in general".The Rogue Prince of Persia Gameplay Trailer - Second Act Update.Watch on YouTubeThat said, the "Purple Prince" will still be playable when a set of playable skins arrive in an upcoming update."With the Second Act update, players will be able to explore brand-new biomes, the Mines and the Craftsmens District, face off against new bosses, and experience a fresh narrative act, while Act 1 received extensive polish," Ubisoft explains. "Additionally, there are new enemies to encounter and many quality-of-life additions, such as difficulty re-balancing, multiple save slots, spirit cinder & gold automatic pick-up and more."This update also adds of German, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish localisation."I think it works because the game has a charismatic star," Chris Donlan wrote of The Rogue Prince of Persia upon its early access launch. "Not charismatic in what he says, perhaps, but in what he does and how he moves. I just love to watch him run."

Planet Coaster 2 review - buckled potentialFairground subtraction.Image credit: Eurogamer Review by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 22, 2024 Planet Coaster 2's flexible creation tools are as compulsive as ever, but the fun butts up against an exhausting UI, uninspired management gameplay, and conspicuous content gaps that feel like cynical spaces for DLC. I bloody love a theme park: the sights, the smells, the gleeful screams, the sense of utter transportation. But most of all, I love the breathless clash of science and art behind these thoroughly encompassing illusions. Im the kind of theme park nerd who still gets genuinely giddy when they see technology and creativity crash together like this, and who's been daydreaming their perfect rides and coasters into existence since a run-in with Disney's Haunted Mansion at the age of three became a bit of an obsession. For people like me, the original Planet Coaster was a dream. For all its flaws, it was a brilliantly implemented, beautifully presented suite of creative tools capable of turning theme park flights of fancy into digital reality, and its sequel promises the same, but more.Planet Coaster 2 reviewDeveloper: Frontier DevelopmentsPublisher: Frontier DevelopmentsPlatform: Played on PC Availability: Out now on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5Like its predecessor, Planet Coaster 2 is an immediate head turner; a glorious fusion of art, animation, sound, and music that brings those creative whims to wonderfully convincing life a world of whirling metal, blinking lights, and the delighted screams of guests, to be experienced on high or at ground level. Strip away the presentational pizzazz, of course, and Planet Coaster 2 remains indebted to Chris Sawyer's seminal RollerCoaster Tycoon, barely straying from the template established over a quarter of a century ago. It's a game built around the intricacies of park management; of hiring staff, constructing rides, and providing key amenities all to please guests and make enough profit that the operational loop can continue indefinitely. But once again, Planet Coaster 2's real strengths lie in the depth, breadth, and flexibility of its design and customisation tools.Watch on YouTubeThis is a sequel of gentle evolution rather than sweeping reinvention, which isn't to say its refinements aren't immediately apparent Frontier has clearly listened to feedback from Planet Coaster 1, even if it feels like its most notable improvements are specifically catered toward the YouTube content creator contingent with days to spend fashioning their marvels of intricate design. Its new lighting engine, for instance, isn't just pretty, it's practical; enclosed spaces are actually dark, meaning proper dark rides are finally possible without clunky workarounds. Then there's the optimisation. Unlike its notoriously spluttery predecessor, Planet Coaster 2 is far more capable of keeping up with players' creative whims without immediately turning into a slideshow. Track ride construction generally feels less fiddly; flat rides can now be stripped back and fully themed with dcor pieces - invaluable for those wanting a more cohesive aesthetic flow across their parks - while seemingly minor additions such as object-scaling and scenery brushes are major game changers. Elsewhere, pools and flumes have been introduced, satisfying the endless clamour for water parks among the community. Image credit: EurogamerPlanet Coaster 2's various play modes are more clearly defined now, too. There's a campaign mode, for instance, that goes to some entertainingly weird places as it cheerfully turns the fundamentals of park building into objective-based challenges. That said, its tendency to prioritise dad-tier jokes over helpful explanations - and the frequency with which any attempts at creativity butt up against arbitrary limitations - make it a bit of a drag. There's also a Franchise mode, enabling players to work together, clan-like, in a globe-spanning grasp to top the leaderboards by satisfying weekly challenges, and there's support for asynchronous co-operative building, too. Finally, for those simply wanting to maximise their creative freedom, there's a highly customisable sandbox mode, enabling players to shift the balance between park management and design as they say fit.What Planet Coaster 2 lacks, though, is any meaningful strategic evolution or sophistication. It jettisons some of its predecessor's mechanical breadth too, with the likes of restaurants, hotels, and security all now inexplicably removed. The original Planet Coaster was, of course, a desperately uneven affair, its powerful creation tools massively overshadowing an anaemic management core, and it's disappointing if perhaps not especially surprising to see those weaknesses carry over to the sequel. It might feature a checklist of new management options from water filtration to power distribution but the implementation is uniformly superficial. Even water parks, Planet Coaster 2's flagship new feature, just sort of exist a couple more holes to dig, staff to employ, and rides to build with little in the way of extended integration. Image credit: EurogamerFor all its building refinements, Planet Coaster 2 feels like it marginalises its management side even further, its two halves co-existing, occasionally intertwining, but never in particularly interesting or convincing ways. It's a backward step compared to Frontier's wonderful Planet Zoo, which struck a compelling balance between park management and beautification. And it's especially weak in comparison to Texel Raptor's Parkitect, created with a fraction of Frontier's resources, which despite ostensibly being a retro throwback, felt like a genuine evolution of the classic theme park sim formula. Parkitect's canny logistical layer of goods distribution, meaningful distinctions between backstage and 'front of house', not to mention its impactful weather system, all brought a genuine sense of strategic cohesion between its two halves. By comparison, the handful of elements that Planet Coaster 2 does borrow from Parkitect - weather and scenery scoring - feel dramatically underdeveloped and awkwardly siloed.Even more so than the original, Planet Coaster 2 feels like a game for the builders and tinkerers, the look-what-I-made content creators, and that's perfectly fine, even if it does feel like a missed opportunity. Frontier's sequel has the same unquestionable kind of hypnotic allure as its predecessor when it comes to building and design - arguably even more so, given its multitude of toolkit refinements - hours vanishing in a happy haze of meticulous rock placement, or in getting the banking sweep of your brand-new coaster just so. The trouble is, for all it gets right, Planet Coaster 2 often feels strangely retrograde - cumbersome, counterintuitive, or just plain contradictory - with an infuriating knack of getting in its own way.Simply navigating menus is often an exercise in fiddly frustration, with Frontier's attempt to design an interface that works for both keyboard and mouse and controllers never quite working for anyone. Menus are unintuitively organised, key information is often missing or obscured through poor or inconsistent presentation, advanced settings frequently remain unexplained On it goes in a similar slapdash fashion. Why, for instance, does the Workshop not have a filter for flat rides, of all things? Individually, these feel like surmountable quirks, but all together they're just draining. It doesn't help either that feedback is often so poor, even contradictory, that it's hard to tell what's a failure on your part or a failure of the game. "Staff are trying to access a staff building which is at full capacity", I am informed at one point, quickly followed by the message, "There is no staff building". Encouragingly, Frontier has already started to address some of Planet Coaster 2's more egregious issues, with more substantial tweaks coming in December, but it's still hard to shake the sense of backward slides elsewhere. Image credit: EurogamerSure, the ride selection is genuinely great, with some wonderful titillating flourishes - tilting coaster platforms, backward flumes, oh my! But as easy and enjoyable as it is to build the 'park' bit of your theme park, Planet Coaster 2 seems to flounder on theme. Gone are the visually distinct archetype themes seen in the original game - pirate, sci-fi, spooky, and western. Instead, replaced by far less distinct options: aquatic, mythology, Viking, tropical resort, and cheerily corporate. Its a mix that results in a sort of bland sludge of vaguely vacation-themed visuals - part holiday resort, part generic amusement park - that don't exactly sizzle with creative potential. Furthermore, Planet Coaster 2's building blocks leave a lot to be desired, pre-built decorations, animatronics, and in-house scenery blueprints all in decidedly short supply. Image credit: EurogamerPlanet Coaster 2 accessibility optionsSubtitles. Colour blindness heatmap contrast settings. Interface scaling options. Dialogue isolation. Audio mono mode option. Keyboard and controller sensitivity sliders.After a few hours in the original Planet Coaster, Id built a surprisingly elaborate Pirates of the Caribbean knock-off, complete with sword waving buccaneers, burning ships, and cannon balls splashing in the water; by comparison, the most exotic corner of my park in Planet Coaster 2 is a sad cave with a singing eel. Yes, it's absolutely possible to improvise something more fantastical using geometric shapes and fiddly little props, but not everyone will want to go so deep into the tools. Of course, Planet Coaster 2's new in-game Workshop means design-minded players can upload and share their creations with anyone hoping for a more casual play experience - but it all feels a little distasteful, as if Frontier's offloading key foundational work onto the community. And Planet Coaster 2's more conspicuous gaps feel even more cynical when they're accompanied by 18 launch day DLC.At its best, Planet Coaster 2 captures much of the magic of its predecessor, where immaculate presentation and powerful tools manifest a game of endless creative potential. But its undoubted pleasures are haunted by interruptions and frustrations, missed opportunities, and just far too many conspicuous holes where it feels like something vital should be. There's a chance things will improve as Planet Coaster 2 evolves, but right now, for all its core refinements, it often feels lesser than its predecessor in too many ways.A copy of Planet Coaster 2 was provided for review by Frontier Developments.

Assassin's Creed Shadows will overhaul stealth mechanics, but still include insta-kill assassination optionShogone.Image credit: Ubisoft News by Ed Nightingale Deputy News Editor Published on Nov. 21, 2024 Assassin's Creed Shadows is set to overhaul stealth mechanics for both its dual protagonists, but will also include an option to allow insta-kill assassinations on all enemies.That's because stronger enemies can completely deny assassination attempts, as detailed in a new blog post from Ubisoft. Coloured prompts over enemies will indicate either an instant kill, some damage dealt, or a complete assassination denial, though this can all be negated with a specific menu option for insta-kills."When it comes to assassinations, progress and context work in hand," said associate game director Simon Lemay-Comtois. "Invest in perks that increase your assassination damage and test things around: A strong enemy may survive a frontal assassination but may die from a sneaky air assassination."Assassin's Creed Shadows: World TrailerWatch on YouTubeElsewhere, Lemay-Comtois noted stealth gameplay has been "ambitiously overhauled in a few key areas". Most notably, the game lacks a bird companion, unlike the most recent games.Instead, both samurai Yasuke and shinobi Naoe will have a new Observe mechanic to identify targets, tag enemies, and highlight lootable stashes, which Lemay-Comtois promised is core to the game. "When in doubt, take a pause, observe the world around you, and only then should you decide what your next move should be," he said.Naoe, however, will have Eagle Vision in addition to highlight enemies hidden behind walls based on sounds they make.The game also includes a couple of series firsts: hiding in shadows will provide complete invisibility (living up to the game's name), and both characters are able to go prone to reduce visibility.With the former especially, players will be able to destroy lanterns to create pools of darkness for protection. "Naoe is a perfectly capable Shinobi in broad day light," said Lemay-Comtois, "but the cover of darkness gives her a remarkable edge over her enemies - especially on higher difficulty settings."And while prone, Naoe is also able to dodge by rolling in multiple directions. She's also the smallest Assassin to date, allowing her to hide in small spaces.Much of these stealth mechanics appear to give Naoe a significant advantage (she's a shinobi after all), suggesting samurai Yasuke's gameplay will be less stealth-focused overall. However, the blog post notes he can still be stealthy with his bow and is able to blend "stealth with a more direct combat approach". Further details will be provided in a future blog post.Assassin's Creed Shadows was delayed until February 2025, which series boss Marc-Alexis Cot said was necessary to change the "narrative" of Ubisoft's "inconsistency in quality".Last week images leaked appearing to show free battle pass rewards, something not seen before in an Assassin's Creed game."All the rewards available in the Animus Hub will be entirely free, there are no paid subscriptions or paid battle pass featured in the Animus Hub, and players will have access to regular content [and] missions at no extra cost," Ubisoft later confirmed.

Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 banning mods in public online sessions due to "non-negligible" server instabilityChanges coming in December.Image credit: Focus Entertainment News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 21, 2024 Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 developer Saber Interactive has announced it's banning mods from public online sessions, blaming them for a "non-negligible" amount of server instability seen by players - even those who don't have mods installed."We've seen incredible community engagement since launch, and we've noticed that some players have started to create and share mods for Space Marine 2," game director Dmitriy Grigorenko wrote in a message to the community shared on Steam. "Mods are great, and they will no doubt contribute to this game's longevity.""However, we as developers must also ensure game stability and continuously work towards a smoother experience for all players," Grigorenko continued. "Our data shows that a non-negligible amount of recent server stability issues are related to mods, and that instability impacts even those users who don't have mods installed. We have also received user reports that their save files were corrupted after playing alongside players with mods."Eurogamer's Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 Review in video form.Watch on YouTubeAs a result of the studio's findings, mods will be prohibited from all public online sessions once Space Marine 2's next major update arrives in December. "You will no longer be able to enter a public game if you have mods installed," Grigorenko emphasised. That doesn't mean the end for Space Marine 2 mods, however. Acknowledging them as "a source of fun and creativity", Grigorenko confirmed players can still use mods online in private Operations lobbies, and they'll also be permitted in custom Eternal War lobbies once launched."We will also be providing an easy entry point to our backend for games with mods installed," Grigorenkoso added, "so modders won't have to spend time hacking the game executable after each patch." Additionally, the studio intends to give modders access to some of its own tools at a later date, "so they can develop mods with greater ease".Space Marine 2's December update also introduces the Dark Angel Chapter Pack, the Tzaangor Enlightened enemy, plus a new PvE map set on Demerium, titled Obelisk. And if that's still not enough Warhammer to fill your December, Games Workshop recently confirmed Amazon's upcoming Secret Level series will include an animated Space Marine 2 sequel.

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl dev acknowledges "rough edges", says its monitoring feedbackCommitted to hotfixes and more.Image credit: GSC News by Victoria Kennedy News Reporter Published on Nov. 20, 2024 Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl developer GSC Game World has released a statement on the state of its game, as its sequel finally becomes available to play.Stalker 2 made its debut today across Xbox and PC, but is already the subject of multiple technical issues - these issues are one of the reasons Eurogamer's own Stalker 2 review isn't on the site just yet.Writing on social media platform X, GSC has addressed these issues and acknowledged the game "may" have some "rough edges" now that it is out in the wild. However, the studio has assured its players will address any niggles that arise in the game, as and when it is able.STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl - Full Mission Gameplay in 4K on PC. Watch on YouTube"We are absolutely committed to being here, monitoring your feedback and quickly fixing any issues that need our attention," the developer wrote. "In the first few days after release, we'll be working with hotfixes, rolling them out as precisely as possible, but as frequently as we can."Following this, GSC will release more substantial updates for Stalker 2, as well as free in-game content. More details on the game's roadmap will be shared in December, GSC said, so stay tuned."We have big plans for the Stalker universe. In a way, today is both a return and the beginning of a grand new journey," the team closed. "We're blessed to have you before, we're blessed to have you now. The Zone belongs to you. Have fun." To see this content please enable targeting cookies.The studio recently released a documentary all about developing Stalker 2 during a particularly difficult time for GSC. The documentary - War Game: The Making of Stalker 2 - touches on the developer's history and details what it has been like to work on the forthcoming sequel during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Since 2022, GSC has delayed Stalker 2 several times and relocated staff to safely finish the project elsewhere, while others have joined Ukraine's armed forces, and dealt with Russian hackers who leaked test builds.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 borrowed all its animals from Planet Zoo"I called my friend, the CEO".Image credit: Eurogamer News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 20, 2024 Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is (science!) kind of like a piping bag, where all sorts of data - satellite imagery, elevation date, live weather info, and so on - gets shoved in at one end then squirted out the other to form a majestic aeronautical whole. But it turns out one of its sources is a fairly surprising one, with Asobo having now revealed it's festooned its newest digital world with animals borrowed straight from Frontier Development's marvellous Planet Zoo.Since its release back in 2019, Planet Zoo has amassed quite the menagerie across its base game and its post-launch DLC, with more than 190 species currently represented, from the humble Aardvark at one end of the alphabet right through to the Yellow Anaconda. And as Plant Zoo players will know, Frontier's artist and animators have done a typically brilliant job infusing them with life. Which is to say they're an absolutely perfect fit for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024's astonishingly beautiful virtual world.And Flight Simulator boss Jorg Neumann clearly reached the same conclusion. "I've worked with Frontier Developments for a long time," he explained to PC Gamer. "And I called my friend, the CEO. His name is Jonny [Watts], and I said, 'Hey, Jonny, I'm working on Flight Sim, can I have your animals from Planet Zoo?' And he's like, 'Yeah, why not?'. We actually grabbed all the Planet Zoo animals and stuck them into our world, which is cool, you know?".A trailer for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.Watch on YouTubeNeumann's revelation came as part of a chat about Flight Simulator 2024's advancements at ground level, where he explained the team's goal was to make the environments seen on foot "as good as a regular first-person shooter" this time around. To achieve its ambitious target, Asobo marked up 28,000 100m by 100m tiles of satellite data, according to Neumann. "This is sand, this is pebbles, this is little rocks, this is asphalt, this is grass, this is tall grass," he explained. "And then we fed that into the system."Having explored a lumpen mountainside village somewhere in the Alps this morning that looked like it had been fashioned from clay by an impatient four-year-old using a picture of the nuclear apocalypse as reference material, it's clear there are still a bit of work to be done on the road to visual perfection, but there's absolutely no denying Asobo's efforts have made Flight Simulator 2024's natural environments look incredible.Asobo's latest iteration of Flight Simulator has, of course, got off to a bit of a bumpy start, with launch day - in an almost exact repeat of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020's release - seeing players experience stalled downloads, lengthy queues, and all sorts in-game mayhem. Asobo later blamed the troubles on "the server responsible for handling data requests [getting] overloaded, causing delays and errors", and things do seem to be settling down today. Even if those horrible AI voices do make me want to pull my ears off.

CD Projekt says "no plans" for Cyberpunk 2077 upgrade on PS5 ProV disappointing.Image credit: CD Projekt Red News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 20, 2024 If you were hoping CD Projekt's already eye-catching Cyberpunk 2077 might be getting an PlayStation 5 Pro-specific spruce-up, there's some bad news; the studio says it has "no plans" to release an update for Sony's shiny new console.Sony, of course, proudly trumpeted "about 40 or 50 games" would be getting PlayStaton 5 Pro upgrade patches to coincide with its launch earlier this month, introducing everything from frame rate boosts to graphical refinements when played on the new machine.So far we've seen the likes of Horizon Forbidden West, Alan Wake 2, Demon's Souls, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, The Callisto Project, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, No Man's Sky, and Silent Hill 2 all add support for the PlayStation 5 Pro, but one company that won't be following suit any time soon, we now know, is CD Projekt with Cyberpunk 2077.Digital Foundry discusses Alan Wake 2 on PS5 Pro.Watch on YouTubeThe studio shared the news on social media in response to a fan query, simply stating, "We currently have no plans for PS5 Pro patch". That's perhaps not entirely surprising given development of the game ended quite some time ago - with the bulk of the studio now working on a new Witcher title - but it'll doubtless be disappointing news for fans hoping to see the already stunning game get an extra glow-up on their new 700 console.That said, it's been a uneven start for PlayStation 5 Pro upgrade patches so far, with the likes of Silent Hill 2, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and Alan Wake 2 all having delivered mixed results in Digital Foundry's tests, while other titles have fared better. As for the console itself, Digital Foundry's Richard Leadbetter recently concluded, "The standard PS5 is still the best choice for most people... but for the core enthusiast looking for the best possible experience, the Pro option is there for you, albeit with a substantial premium."

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can now stream "select" games from their own library via Cloud Gaming50 titles currently supported.Image credit: Microsoft News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 20, 2024 Five years after announcing the feature was on the way, Microsoft has finally launched the ability for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members to play "select" games they already own outside the Xbox Game Pass library via cloud streaming.Microsoft originally announced the feature back in 2019, with the goal of launching it alongside Xbox Cloud Gaming (then known as Project xCloud) the following year. It was then re-announced for launch in 2022, but again failed to materialise, with The Verge later reporting its arrival had been "complicated by having to prepare key infrastructure for thousands of games" .However, word began circulating last month that the long-in-the-works feature was finally almost here - and those reports have now been proven true. Microsoft has announced Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can use Xbox Cloud Gaming to stream games they own starting today - albeit only if they appear on its 50-strong list of currently compatible titles.Microsoft's Stream Your Own Games trailer.Watch on YouTubeThat's not, admittedly, a huge number of games when you consider the size of the Xbox catalogue, but it's a pretty solid list, mixing blockbuster titles old and new with acclaimed indie games. Baldur's Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Outlaws, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Warhammer 4K: Space Marine 2, and Life is Strange: Double Exposure all feature, as do Balatro, Hades, Animal Well, Dredge, Phasmophobia, The Plucky Squire. The full list, as it currently stands, is available at the bottom of this story, and Microsoft adds its "library of cloud-playable titles will continue to grow, as we work with our partners around the world". It also notes it'll only be possible to stream games through TVs and browsers on supported devices such as tablets, smartphones, and Meta Quest headsets to begin with, but says the feature will expand to Xbox consoles and the Xbox app on Windows sometime next year.You'll find instructions and a list of supported devices for Microsoft's new Xbox Cloud Gaming feature (which coincidentally arrives just as PlayStation expands its own cloud gaming options) over on Xbox Wire. Additionally, that 50-strong list of currently compatible titles is below:Animal Well Assassins Creed Mirage Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Balatro Baldurs Gate 3 Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022) The Casting of Frank Stone Cyberpunk 2077 Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake DredgeDying Light 2 Stay Human Farming Simulator 25 Fear the Spotlight Final Fantasy XIV Online Final FantasyFinal Fantasy II Final Fantasy III Final Fantasy IV Final Fantasy V Final Fantasy VI Hades Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions High On Life Hitman World of Assassination Hogwarts Legacy House Flipper 2 Kena: Bridge of Spirits Lego Harry Potter Collection Life is Strange: Double Exposure Metro Exodus Mortal Kombat 1 NBA 2K25 PGA Tour 2K23 Phasmophobia Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Rust Console Edition 7 Days to Die Star Wars OutlawsStray The Crew Motorfest The Outlast Trials The Plucky Squire The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Tom Clancys The Division 2 TopSpin 2K25 UndertaleVisions of Mana Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 WWE 2K24

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 struggles to get off the ground as players battle launch day server woesMirroring predecessor's bumpy takeoff.Image credit: Asobo/Microsoft News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 19, 2024 Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is cleared for takeoff, ready to give aircraft fanciers and digital globetrotters another jaunt across its beautiful world. But in a turn of events almost exactly mirroring the launch day woes seen by its 2020 predecessor, Flight Simulator 2024 is struggling to gt off the ground, with players complaining of lengthy post-install download times, installation freezes, and more as Microsoft's servers buckle under the demand.Already, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has been tarred with the Overwhelmingly Negative brush on Steam, with players reporting a range of issues - all of which are eerily familiar to those seen back in 2020. Mostly, the finger is once again being pointed toward developer Asobo's insistence that players download the bulk of the game - equalling approximately 50GB - through the in-game interface, utilising Microsoft's servers instead of Steam's. That's traditionally been a languid pursuit at the best of times, but on launch day - when everyone is struggling to get in at once - it's proving even more glacial.Some users are seeing their downloads stall at 97 percent, while others, having successfully cleared that first hurdle, then report being stuck in lengthy log-in queues. Additionally, Flight Simulator's reliance on streaming means plenty of people are having a miserable experience even if they do get in, with reported issues including sluggish world loading and even invisible planes. "I can only marvel at the depth of the simulation," wrote one Steam reviewer, "as it now feels like Boeing was actually involved in building the servers."What you can expect when you eventually get in.Watch on YouTube"I enjoyed the short movie about a man and a plane," added another frustrated user. "However, it seemed quite expensive for its length - around one minute. I would wait until the loading screen is on sale before purchase because it does get quite samey after the 70th loop." As for the Microsoft's Flight Simulator subreddit, it's currently awash in some top class memes.Over on Flight Simulator's support page, Microsoft has acknowledged the issues players are experiencing. "We are aware of user reports of long initial loading times into Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024," it wrote. "With so many users initialising the sim concurrently, we have a large number of server requests. We are working to help resolve the issues as soon as possible.""For users whose initial load is past 90 percent and no longer progressing, we recommend a reboot," it added, immediately eliciting a collective scream from everyone without a high-speed internet connection. "Otherwise we advise waiting to allow the loading to proceed as normal." The Xbox support page, meanwhile, acknowledged "slow download and install times", suggesting players keep an eye on its live status page while it investigates.Some Steam customers have also expressed concern that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024's lengthy in-game install solution means downloads are eating into the platform's two-hour refund window. Back in 2020, Valve moved to assure customers only actual play time would be counted, but it's not yet confirmed the same applies in 2024.Developer Asobo has, of course, been talking a big game for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 ahead of launch, promising a frankly staggering list of activities, including aerial firefighting, search and rescue, helicopter cargo transport, crop dusting, skydive aviation, hot air balloon tours, and more. It's also teased "literally trillions of trees", even the ability to get out your plane and walk a trail - all of which sounds like it'll be marvellous, as long as Flight Simulator navigates its launch day turbulence on PC, Xbox Series X/S, and Game Pass, and sticks the landing.

Final Fantasy 14 Mobile officially revealedFrom Tencent-owned Lightspeed Studio.Image credit: Square Enix News by Ed Nightingale Deputy News Editor Published on Nov. 20, 2024 A mobile version of Final Fantasy 14 has officially been revealed.The in-development game was announced by Final Fantasy 14 director and producer Naoki Yoshida, with Tencent-owned Lightspeed Studio behind development. The studio previously developed PUBG Mobile."This is our latest MMORPG title specifically tailored for the mobile platform," said Yoshida in a video announcing the project. "Despite these adjustments Lightspeed Studios is working with tremendous enthusiasm and dedication to faithfully recreate the story, duties, battle content and other aspects of the original game."Final Fantasy 14 Mobile Reveal TrailerWatch on YouTubeHe continued: "I hope both current FF14 players and those who are interested in exploring its story will look forward to what's coming next."The video provides a first look at gameplay, which shows a fully-realised version of Eorzea from the cities of Ul'dah and Limsa Lominsa, to the Gold Saucer and even a battle against the Primal Titan.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.As noted on the game's website, nine jobs will be available at launch out of the full game's 22 battle jobs. While these aren't listed, imagery suggests the likes of Black Mage, Warrior, Dragoon, Bard, and White Mage will all be playable.What's more, all 11 crafting and gathering jobs will be included, as well as side activities like Triple Triad, chocobo racing, and home customisation.Final Fantasy 14 has already received over 30 million registered players and has proven a huge success for Square Enix. It's no wonder a mobile version is in development to boost that further.This mobile version, along with the Tencent collaboration, was rumoured back in July this year. A month later, it was approved in China.While a release date is unknown, a demo through multiple play tests will soon be available in China, with a global launch planned afterwards. Fans can pre-register now.The expansion to mobile is part of Square Enix's "aggressive" push to multiplatform releases to "diversify earnings opportunities".For current players of Final Fantasy 14, the latest Patch 7.1 was released earlier this month, bringing the Final Fantasy 11 themed raid series as well as new story content.

Big changes for the Green Game Jam as it targets triple-A gamesPlanet toaster.Image credit: Playing for the Planet Alliance Feature by Robert Purchese Associate Editor Published on Nov. 20, 2024 For three years now, I feel like I've been writing the same story about the Green Game Jam: great efforts are being made but where are the companies making blockbuster games? Why aren't they part of this, and what will it take to get them involved?It's frustrating because the potential for impact is there, as witnessed in the few blockbuster games that have been involved. In 2022, the first year I was a judge in the Media's Choice category, Sony ran a plant-a-tree campaign for Horizon: Forbidden West that fit the brief perfectly and resulted in trees being planted in real life. That same year, Ubisoft set a Riders Republic map ablaze to raise awareness about the devastation of wildfires - a dramatic event players couldn't help but be drawn in by. This year, PUBG Mobile did something similar of its own, transforming a verdant map - with the help of an expert climatologist - into a dried and withered husk, representing what it would look like as a result of climate change. Imagination, reach, impact: these examples had them all.But entries like the above are few and far between. In fact, those games are perhaps the only times triple-A, or even double-A games, have featured in the Green Game Jam. Most entries come from games in the social, casual, and mobile gaming space - all of which are huge and impactful in their own right. But when it comes to reaching the more traditional gaming public - the likes of you and me, for example - there's no denying a household publisher could bring more clout to the whole endeavour. It's telling that this year's PUBG entry was for PUBG mobile only; what I wouldn't have given to see it realised in PUBG on PC too. More worryingly still, there's a slightly backwards trend of fewer triple-A entries appearing than in previous years; I don't think I saw a triple-A anywhere on the nominations list this year at all. What gives - do triple-A game makers just not care?This year's PUBG Mobile map transformation - the winning entry in the Media's Choice category I was a judge for.Watch on YouTubeThe answer is complicated, as I discovered while speaking to Sam Barratt, one of the leaders of the Playing for the Planet Alliance, which organises the Green Game Jam. Playing for the Planet, in case you didn't know, is a United Nations initiative that aims to bring games companies together to help them to make meaningful changes to the environmental impact of their work and operations. It was launched in 2019, and more recently, you may have seen project director Lisa Pak on stage during a brief segment in this year's Gamescom Opening Night Live show.But back to the answer: the complication comes not from a desire to take part, but from the Green Game Jam itself. "We're a round shaped hole that a square peg doesn't quite fit in," Barratt admits, talking to me in a video call. Triple-A games are typically much bigger projects with slower turning circles and longer development lead-times, which makes it hard to mobilise in time to take part. The organisers tried lengthening the entry period, but that didn't work either.The double-problem with this is Playing for the Planet knows there are companies out there doing things that absolutely fall within the remit of the environment-related work it would like to celebrate. "Rare is doing some remarkable things that we know about," Barratt says, "Ubisoft's got other ideas that we know about. Sony has got two or three things that they're planning that just don't sit in the Jam framework. So it's happening but it's not able to happen inside the Jam rubric - that's what's going on."The question then becomes: how do you fit them in - how do you recognise their efforts? Simple: you change the awards.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Cue the inaugural Playing for the Planet Awards, which took place this week in Helsinki, Finland. This might sound like the Green Game Jam, but in the name-change lies a significant difference: it's no longer confined to games making content specifically for the Green Game Jam - the scope is wider. It allows the organisers to celebrate games that aren't in the Green Game Jam but are making exceptional efforts in this area - I'll never forget talking to Terra Nil developer Free Lives, a strategy game about rewilding environments, and being told it had never heard of the Green Game Jam, for example. It can also celebrate people making exceptional individual contributions - efforts that the Green Game Jam couldn't recognise before.Just look at this list of winners from the inaugural Playing for the Planet Awards, which features names like For Honor and Minecraft - those are the kinds of names we want to see.Best Purpose-Driven Game - Longleaf Valley by TreesPlease GamesBest Green Activation - Minecraft: Urban Miner by Mojang StudiosBest Green Tech - For Honor by UbisoftChangemaker - Mojang StudiosChampion - Jennifer Estaris & Jude Ower UNEP's Choice - Dragon Mania Legends by GameloftCall to Action - Love & Pies by Trailmix GamesMedia's Choice - PUBG Mobile by the Lightspeed Studios of Tencent Games & KraftonTrailblazer - Love & Pies by Trailmix GamesNewcomer - FarmVille 3 by ZyngaPlayer's Choice - Hay Day by SupercellJam Spirit - June's Journey by WoogaOne award that particularly catches my eye is "Best Green Tech", which is an area of significantly increased importance recently. You might remember an investigation I co-wrote on Eurogamer about how green game downloads are, and how a part of it mentioned the importance of talking about efficiency in games, not just in the sense of more power, but efficiency that runs through hardware right down to a game's code. That's what Best Green Tech is about.It's as Sam Barratt says: "Those that make and power the games really have all the agency to make things easier for people further downstream. So the more that Nvidia is conscious, the more that the engines like Unreal and Unity are conscious, the more that the platforms are conscious, the easier it is for the rest of the ecosystem to do the right thing."These new awards, then, are a way to include the industry more widely and to keep people thinking about the issues year round, to "shift it from being a seasonal event where people think they need to do something and just tick the box, to an always-on mindset, where people are thinking about what contribution they can make," Barratt says.I'm relieved. I admire what Playing for the Planet is trying to do, and it's a relief to hear triple-A games companies aren't ignoring it, they're just doing things slightly differently, their way. It's enormously encouraging to hear that companies like Rare and Sony and Ubisoft are busy cooking things up in this area - I can't wait to see what they are. It only takes one leader to inspire a change.In five years, Playing for the Planet has announced itself, established itself, and made the Green Game Jam something of a known quantity. This feels like the next step. It'll be a harder one to gauge the impact of, I suspect, given that it won't be contained within the Green Game Jam (or at least not entirely). But then, it's never been about fame or prestige - it's always been about bringing companies together towards a greater goal: to inspire action before it's too late. That, I applaud.

Minecraft movie's second trailer brings deep Steve lore, tree punching, beeBlockbuster.Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 19, 2024 It'd be fair to say the live-action Minecraft movie's first trailer didn't exactly arrive to rapturous applause. But now Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures are back for a second try, this time unleashing the deep Steve lore, tree punching, teleporting Ender Pearls, an unfortunate incident involving a chicken, and even an adorable square bee.It all kicks off with some backstory for Jack Black's gloriously bejumpered Steve, detailing how he chiselled his way to a "wonderland where anything you can imagine is possible, as long as what you imagine can be built out of blocks". One brisk dance sequence later, and we're reintroduced to our cast of more recent newcomers to this strange world: Garrett "The Garbage Man" Garrison (played by Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Eugene Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks). Sadly, there's still no sign of Jennifer Coolidge, which is where my primary interest in this whole endeavour lies, but I can wait.But even without everybody's favourite yacht evacuator, it all looks like a harmless bit of enjoyable fluff, featuring Jack Black as his usual effervescent self, some energetic CGI (although the art style is still a little jarring), and - in this second trailer at least - enough Minecraft easter eggs to sate even the most militant eight-year-old fan. It even finds time for a bit of ye olde mild peril - complete with zombies and arrow-launching skeletons - when night falls at the end.Minecraft Movie official trailer.Watch on YouTube"Four misfits," explains the official blurb if you're looking for more context, "find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they'll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve.""Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative... the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world." And if we can somehow ignore that second paragraph until it pops right out of existence, it doesn't actually sound that bad.The Minecraft movie arrives in cinemas on 4th April next year, and there's also an animated Minecraft series on the way from Netflix, if the whole live-action thing doesn't appeal.

PlayStation Portal update adds cloud gaming support in beta, no PS5 requiredBut only for PS Plus Premium members.Image credit: Sony News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 20, 2024 It's update time for the PlayStation Portal, and Sony's latest release offers something markedly more exciting than usual: cloud streaming is coming to the handheld device if you're a PlayStation Plus Premium member, albeit initially as a beta.Since its launch last year, the 200 PlayStation Portal - a PS5 peripheral rather than a standalone device - has enabled owners to stream games from their console to the smaller 1080p screen, with Sony pitching it as a way to share a living room TV or play PS5 games in another room of the house. Its uses were somewhat limited then, but Sony's latest update marks the great untethering, enabling PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers to play "select PS5 games" from the PS Plus Game Catalogue via the cloud, even without a PS5.As per Sony's announcement post, over 120 games will be supported during the beta, including Dave the Diver, Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Monster Hunter Rise, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Games can be streamed at up to 1080p/60fps (requiring a minimum internet connection of 13 Mbps) with major DualSense wireless controller features supported alongside cloud-based saves.PlayStation Portal - the Digital Foundry hardware review.Watch on YouTube"Since Cloud Streaming (Beta) on PS Portal is still an experimental offering," Sony notes, "the features available during the beta period may change over time and may not reflect the final experience." Game Trials, the ability to stream games purchased on the PS Store, system features such as Party voice chat and game invites for select games, the Create button, 3D audio, and in-game commerce are all unavailable at these "beginning stages of publicly testing", for instance. Furthermore, players will initially only have access to PS5 games, with PS4 and PS3 games remaining unsupported for the time being. Once the beta is available, it can be accessed via an updated PS Portal by going to Quick Menu > Settings > Cloud Streaming (Beta), and then turning the toggle to 'on'. And if that all goes as planned, players should then see a new option on their PS Portal home screen enabling them to access games via cloud streaming. Alongside cloud streaming, Sony's latest PlayStation Portal update - which is available from today - introduces various "refinements in the audio experience", as detailed on the PlayStation Blog.Digital Foundry's Richard Leadbetter called the PlayStation Portal an "interesting gadget" when it launched last year, despite the sense "Remote Play itself isn't as good as it should be." Richard also explicitly called out the lack of cloud streaming support on the device, so it'll be interesting to see Digital Foundry's response to Sony's latest news.

PlayStation in talks to buy Elden Ring, Dark Souls developer FromSoftwareVia purchase of parent company Kadokawa. News by Tom Phillips Editor-in-Chief Published on Nov. 19, 2024 PlayStation maker Sony is currently in talks to acquire FromSoftware, the developer behind Elden Ring, Dark Souls and Bloodbourne, as part of a buyout of its owner, the Japanese publishing giant Kadokawa.That's according to a Reuters report which claims a deal could be signed in weeks, via sources with knowledge of discussions between the two companies. Both Sony and Kadokawa declined to comment on that report.Launched in 2022, Elden Ring has now sold more than 25m copies worldwide.Sony already owns a 14 percent stake in FromSoftware, and already has ownership of both the Bloodborne and Demon Souls franchises. FromSoftware, meanwhile, owns the rights to Elden Ring and Sekiro. This deal would see all of that sat firmly under PlayStation's roof.Kadokawa owns various other studios, too. These include Octopath Traveler and Tenchu developer Acquire, which recently developed Mario & Luigi: Brothership for Nintendo Switch, Shiren the Wanderer studio Spike Chunsoft and RPG Maker developer Gotcha Gotcha Games.Outside of video games, Kadokawa is also a huge name in anime and manga, and would be a significant addition to Sony's existing portfolio that includes Crunchyroll and Funimation. PlayStation's other recent purchases include UK studio Firesprite, plus Housemarque and Nixxes, all in 2021. Most recently, Sony bought the Jade Raymond-founded startup Haven Studios in 2022, currently working on Fairgame$.More to follow.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is not only the game with the weirdest semicolon placement in the industry, it also feels like one of the most-patched current-generation titles, after launching with a host of issues on PC and consoles alike. Jedi: Survivor recently received a PS5 Pro patch too, granting owners of the premium Sony console the potential for enhanced visuals and improved performance, but sadly only one of those objectives has been met here.Starting with the basics, the PS5 Pro version of the game comes with two revised modes, a performance mode and a quality mode. It's the performance mode that is more interesting, as it features the return of ray tracing features. You may remember that the game actually launched with RT effects in both modes on PS5, but this was subsequently removed in the performance mode to improve image quality while hitting the 60fps target more consistently. The new PS5 Pro performance mode brings those RT effects back, including RT reflections, RTGI (global illumination) and RTAO (ambient occlusion). Alex Battaglia and Oliver Mackenzie discuss the Jedi: Survivor situation on PS5 Pro in this video companion to the article. Watch on YouTubeUnfortunately, the quality of these effects can be limited versus the game running on the base PS5 in quality mode. For example, reflections lack some geometry and even lighting in some parts of the first level, though later levels do show more similar outcomes. The RTGI and RTAO here are also quite subtle, to the point that we couldn't confirm that RTAO was even present in the game until it was specifically mentioned in an EA blog post accompanying the PS5 Pro patch. Still, the RT can improve the look of many scenes, and it's nice to see it in a 60fps-targeting mode. The other key change here is the addition of PSSR upscaling, which promises better image quality than the FSR 2 used previously. Unfortunately, this promise is far from realised, with an extremely unstable resolve that looks dramatically worse than the PS5's performance mode - you can see a kind of shimmering or pulsing constantly as artefacts appear and disappear across the screen. This is particularly prominent on natural environments with foliage, which flip from dark to light and back again with distracting regularity. Artificial environments, like city streets, do fare better, but there's still more aliasing, breakup and temporal instability than on the PS5 performance mode. To see this content please enable targeting cookies. One upshot to the PS5 Pro patch is that the game does run at a clean 60fps in almost all situations, including the famous Koboh run that almost always dropped frames before. The one exception we found is a particular river with prominent RT reflections that drops frames and causes a small amount of screen tearing, but frame-rate overall is slightly improved versus the performance mode on the base PS5, so we can call this a small victory. The other potential upside is that the game can look a little more detailed in still shots. EA claims the PS5 Pro version is upscaling to a higher resolution, specifically quoting a 1200p internal resolution and 1800p output on PS5 Pro, versus circa 1080p upscaled to 1440p on the old patch. Our pixel counts suggest a much lower internal figure though, circa 900p on average and ranging from sub-720p to just above 1080p, not much higher than the base PS5,per the table below. Without any huge boost to internal resolution versus base PS5 and the worse temporal instability, the PS5 Pro experience is now objectively worse than what preceded it, despite the performance improvements and the inclusion of RT. Pixel CountsShot 1Shot 2Shot 3Shot 4PS5 Performance900p1008p648p1008pPS5 Pro Performance900p1224p648p1008p The performance mode on PS5 Pro now sports RT reflections, though geometry and lighting in those reflections can be limited versus the quality mode on the base PS5. | Image credit: Digital FoundryThat brings us to the 30fps quality mode, which is thankfully a little more straightforward. There's more detail in terms of RT reflections and RT GI here compared to the performance mode, though lighting pop-in is more noticeable and sometimes when switching between modes, the RT global illumination fails to load in correctly and surfaces appear completely black. Otherwise, the same PSSR grain issues persist in the quality mode, albeit to a lesser extent thanks to this mode's higher internal resolution, and the image looks a little softer overall than the 4K resolve in the quality mode on the base PS5. That's despite a slightly higher internal resolution in most of the shots we tested, and speaks to the issues that PSSR is experiencing at present. Performance is at least nigh-perfect, with a locked 30fps throughout everywhere except for the RT river run, which has one-off frame drops. Previously, this area dropped to 11fps (!!) at worst on the base PS5 Pro in quality mode, so this is an improvement at least. Pixel CountsShot 1Shot 2Shot 3PS5 Quality1728p1440p1008pPS5 Pro Quality1728p1584p1296p It is possible for the lighting to break when switching to the quality mode, eg the black holes below the grass and the missing lighting inside the ship shown here. | Image credit: Digital FoundryGiven that there's a PC version of Jedi: Survivor, it made sense for us to test the game's PSSR implementation versus DLSS. Using the PC's high settings with RT enabled and DLSS performance mode at a matching 1800p resolution, we saw Nvidia's upscaling solution provide significantly better image in terms of stability and resolve, with no obvious flickering in many areas and none of the characteric PSSR grain. The DLSS implementation isn't faultless, and some pulsing of foliage is visible, but the overall outlook is much less jarring to behold and apparant detail is higher almost across the board. Given these results, it seems clear that Jedi: Survivor and PSSR each require further fine-tuning - and it's a bit surprising that the PS5 Pro patch was released with such obvious visual anomalies. It would be nice to see the option to opt for the earlier PS5 modes while these rough edges are being smoothed over in the new PS5 Pro modes, though this doesn't seem likely despite fan requests. In the short term, if the PSSR issues we've also seen in Alan Wake 2 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard when running on low internal resolutions can't be solved, then returning to FSR 2 might be the best option if PSSR improvements are still far away. Alternatively, perhaps RT could be removed once again in exchange for slightly higher internal resolutions. For the moment, we can't recommend playing Jedi Survivor on PS5 Pro in performance mode. The distracting PSSR grain is just too much of a visual sacrifice, despite the mode's excellent 60fps lock and better RT effects. The quality mode does fare better and might be worth a go, offering a higher resolution than the quality mode running on base PS5 with a near-perfect 30fps, but suffers from the same PSSR issues - albeit to a lesser extent. It's an altogether disappointing release at present, and definitely not one that matches expectations for new owners of a $700 do-anything premium console. But there is hope the situation will be addressed: after the video embedded above was published, Respawn says that it is aware of the issues and is investigating them.

DF Weekly: What is an Xbox? Not an existential crisis but the latest phase of Microsoft's big transitionAnd there are "no red lines" on its multi-platform roll-out.Image credit: Xbox Blog by Richard Leadbetter Technology Editor, Digital Foundry Published on Nov. 18, 2024 What is an Xbox? It's a pretty straightforward question, right? I'd define it as a custom piece of gaming technology, generally box-shaped, that typically sits in the lounge or bedroom. Competitively priced, it's a mainstream-orientated product that offers a great balance between price and performance and is as close to plug and play gaming as you're going to get. It is a console, or is it? Microsoft begs to differ with its latest, remarkable messaging. A cloud client running on a smart TV, Amazon Fire Stick or Meta Quest VR headset is now an Xbox. A desktop PC is an Xbox. A laptop or PC handheld is also an Xbox. It's all part of Microsoft's transition plan to evolve Xbox from a console/PC ecosystem into an 'Everywhere' platform that's as device-agnostic as it's possible to be - but is it going to work?Looking at the market from a meta perspective, it's got to work. Xbox needs to reach out beyond the existing pool of console gamers. The basic economics are simple. Market data suggests that the amount of console users in total is not shifting from one generation to the next. Not only that, some data is suggesting that it is the same people buying those consoles from one generation to the next. In the meantime, the cost of making games is getting ever more expensive. The only sustainable route forward is to reach beyond circa 200m to 250m console gamers and find a larger audience. Microsoft began that work years ago in ending game exclusivity by releasing key titles day and date on PC - but the strategy now looks to be a case of releasing those games on any piece of hardware capable of running them.By virtue of its various acquisitions, Microsoft/Xbox has effectively become a multi-platform publisher that cannot and should not ignore rival console systems like Nintendo Switch, the Switch successor and PlayStation 5. When the Activision Blizzard King acquisition was announced so long ago, we were still in the midst of console wars and the expectation may have been that Call of Duty would go Xbox exclusive - but the finances would not have worked, the regulatory pressure on the acquisition was too over-bearing and ultimately, Microsoft would likely have lost money by freezing out the PlayStation audience. I can only assume that the calculation was made that PlayStation users would not leave their libraries behind and 'defect' to Xbox - and why should they?Behold DF Direct Weekly #189, with Rich Leadbetter, John Linneman and Oliver Mackenzie at the mics.Watch on YouTube0:00:39 Introduction0:02:56 News 1: Phil Spencer: no "red lines" on Xbox ports0:27:21 News 2: Lego Horizon Adventures impresses on consoles0:36:40 News 3: Halo 2 E3 demo resurfaces in Master Chief Collection0:51:30 News 4: PS5 Pro sales reportedly not impacted by price1:01:35 News 5: Stellar Blade developer considering PC release1:08:35 News 6: Intel plans Arrow Lake performance fix1:17:47 News 7: ModRetro Chromatic impresses1:28:37 Supporter Q1: How will the next Xbox achieve the "largest technical leap" in a console generation?1:35:46 Supporter Q2: If the next Xbox doesn't have a disc drive, how will disc backwards compatibility function?1:42:15 Supporter Q3: Are you excited to see the rumoured Nvidia ARM-based laptop chip?1:48:22 Supporter Q4: Will we see support for ultrawide aspect ratios on consoles?1:56:56 Supporter Q5: Can we give Epic credit for allowing Internet Archive to host older Unreal games?Meanwhile, for various reasons, Xbox hardware sales have slowed down significantly - a combination of old Xbox One users on 'forever games' finding no reason to upgrade, along with a consistent lack of delivery of top-tier titles that may make users jump over to the Xbox brand. In acquiring a greater split of the existing, static market, it has failed. Therefore, a new strategy was required.Part of that strategy rests on the concept that Xbox can no longer be just a console and a PC app - and so we find ourselves confronted with the 'this is an Xbox' campaign. To Xbox diehards, this looks like a marginalisation of the console as the home of the platform. To others who know exactly what an Xbox is and has been since 2001, it may look desperate or even laughable. Part of the problem is that Microsoft is effectively marketing against 23 years of its own messaging - and that's a tough place to start from. The thing is, the marketing is not really aimed at the core audience. Microsoft has wider horizons.The truth is, the nature of the market is changing. The console audience may not be growing, but people are still enjoying games in record numbers. PC continues to be highly popular and gaming laptops in particular are shifting serious numbers. The laptop version of the RTX 3060 sits at number 11 in the graphics sub-section of the Steam Hardware Survey, while remarkably, the RTX 4060 laptop model is number two, ahead of its desktop equivalent (in fairness, it launched earlier, but even so, it's a remarkable state of affairs). Meanwhile, there's plenty of excitement around PC handhelds, where Microsoft is clearly seeing some kind of opportunity. Steam Deck has revealed latent potential here and some might say that Xbox has to move in this direction before Valve expands, dominating all areas of the PC market, up to and including the console space. An Xbox handheld is coming, but I would expect Windows improvements to make existing handhelds more Xbox-like in the meantime.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. "This is an Xbox" looks to be aimed at a wider and possibly younger audience, who don't seem particularly invested in the console concept - but there is risk in this strategy. The danger is that everything Microsoft has achieved with Xbox-as-a-console becomes sidelined, which is the key concern of prominent Xbox influencers, who fear a dilution of the brand and the community. The console is the focus and without it, Xbox becomes something quite different - a publisher, not a platform holder. At worst, Xbox becomes a client or a launcher, not that much different from EA or Ubisoft, just operating at a much larger scale.That may be somewhat alarmist as Microsoft is committed to new hardware. In an interview with Bloomberg last week, Phil Spencer discussed a new handheld in development that's likely years away from release. Sarah Bond has talked about a Gen 10 console delivering the "largest technical leap you will have ever seen in a hardware generation". And at the same time, there are also heavy hints about being able to run other storefronts on Xbox hardware - heralding some kind of merging between PC and console functioanlity. Expect machine learning to be doing a lot of heavy lifting in validating Sarah Bond's claims, especially as Spencer is ruling out $1000 consoles. I think Microsoft needs showcase hardware but the importance of PC going forward cannot be understated: we've been saying for some time now that Xbox and Windows should merge, effectively making every PC in every category an 'Xbox' of some description.And from there, the overall importance of the console starts to diminish. While a plug and play box remains, the market itself can take over with its own PC-based Xbox hardware and core users can literally build their own Xbox hardware. In parallel, Microsoft will continue to double down on cloud gaming, where Phil Spencer says there's already significant growth. The core audience hasn't exactly responded well to this marketing, but the chances are that it's not actually targeting core gamers at all. | Image credit: XboxMeanwhile, his comments on there being "no red lines" on which games go to other consoles should be taken seriously and literally. The ultimate hedge against the uncertain future for the console is simply to saturate all areas of the market with great games and reap the benefits - a much surer bet than building a business model around a box you lose money on with every sale. If a piece of hardware can run Call of Duty or - dare I say it - Halo or Gears, Microsoft and Xbox can only benefit by releasing those games there. All I'd say on this front is that unambiguous Game Pass launches for those titles has to be a given and if the pace of the multi-platform roll-out continues as is, I honestly think we need to see new Xbox hardware sooner rather than later. For another generation at least, the plug and play console has a big role to play.But this is a transitionary period and the pace of change has been quite astonishing. As John says in this week's Direct, if we go back just 12 months to November 2023, the idea of Microsoft embracing PlayStation development had no real credibility whatsoever. And yet just a couple of months later, Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond and Matt Booty officially kicked off this transition in the Xbox business. Four games were mooted for PlayStation release, as an experiment - which always did seem like tuned messaging as opposed to a reveal of the full strategy.We're now at the point where key Microsoft Studios titles like Diablo 4 and Call of Duty Black Ops 6 aren't just on PlayStation 5, they're enhanced for PS5 Pro. Indiana Jones on PlayStation? Yes, there's a relatively short delay, but I'd expect that to be another key waypoint in the transition to full, day and date multi-platform support. If every screen is to be an Xbox, that should include those attached to PlayStation consoles too - or the overall thrust of the marketing doesn't fully make sense.Somehow unifying Windows and Xbox is a top priority for Microsoft - especially when Linux offerings like SteamOS and close relative Bazzite are offering a compelling alternative. This is for handhelds, but console-like PCs are equally compelling.Watch on YouTubeThat's my take on Microsoft's journey this year: moving away from the concept of exclusive games and consoles, instead concentrating on increasing revenue, growing the size of the business and - as Phil Spencer says - turning the Xbox experience on PC from "good" to "great", a massively important investment for the future. On that latter point, I feel there's a huge amount of work to do. Whatever Microsoft is planning with Xbox and Windows, an upgraded app would be the bare minimum. We should be looking at the migration of the entire, streamlined Xbox interface to Windows, taking care of driver updates and system software upgrades for the user and comprehensively addressing the PC platform's failings, perhaps with a revamped DirectX.It sounds challenging but it can be done. Remarkably, despite not running games natively, Linux is now becoming a genuine challenger to Windows for gaming: SteamOS and offshoot Bazzite retain PC-like features but provide a console-like experience that works, even managing to mitigate shader compilation stutter in a way that DirectX has yet to match. Steam Deck works as a platform and demonstrates that Linux could power an Xbox alternative in the console space, while posing challenges to Windows on desktop PCs.For all the commentary and speculation in this piece, I'm sure there are still pieces of the puzzle missing. Since January, the multi-platform strategy has evolved to where we are now and hints on hardware have been shared, but right now, anything beyond that is basically guesswork. There does seem to be a general direction of travel here, a gradual/phased reveal for the platform holder's plans for the console and PC space - and I'm genuinely fascinated to see what happens next, and just how and when the "largest technical leap you will have ever seen in a hardware generation" is revealed.

Astro Bot, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth lead this year's The Game Awards nominationsMetaphor: ReFantazio, Balatro also score big.Image credit: Team Asobi/Sony News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 18, 2024 The panel has voted and this year's Game Awards nominations have been announced - with Astro Bot, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Silent Hill 2, and Balatro all looking like they could be in for a very merry Geoffmas come 12th December.Astro Bot and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth are the big pre-winners, having both been shortlisted across seven categories for this year's Game Awards. Metaphor: ReFantazio, meanwhile, has secured nominations in six categories, with smash-hit poker roguelike Balatro and Bloober Team's sublime Silent Hill 2 remake scoring five appearances apiece. Only four of those games feature in this year's Game of the Year shortlist, however, with Astro Bot, Balatro, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and Metaphor: ReFantazio all making the cut, alongside Black Myth: Wukong and Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. As for Silent Hill 2, its nominations are primarily audio and music-related, although it's also up for best narrative, and Luke Roberts has a well-deserved nomination for his portrayal of James Sutherland.Digital Foundry calls Astro Bot on PS5 "virtually flawless".Watch on YouTubeAway from triple-A, Animal Well, Balatro, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Neva, and UFO 50 are all up for best independent game, while Balatro (again!), Animal Well, Manor Lords, Pacific Drive, and The Plucky Squire have all been shortlisted for best debut indie game. Developer Odd Meter's marvellous Indika also puts in an extremely well-deserved appearance, albeit squished slightly awkwardly into the Games for Impact category, but there's absolutely no sign of Thank Goodness You're Here anywhere, which feels like a crime of the highest order.You'll find the full list of Game Awards 2024 nominees below - and if you have particularly strong opinions on who should win, the public can vote across all categories via The Game Awards website (or via local platforms in China) starting today until 6pm PT on 11th December. This year's Game Awards are being broadcast live from Los Angeles on 12th December, and Eurogamer will be on hand to bring you the highlights, Hideo Kojima or otherwise.Game of the YearASTRO BOT (Team Asobi/SIE)Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack)Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix)Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)Best Game DirectionASTRO BOT (Team Asobi/SIE)Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack)Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix)Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)Best NarrativeFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix)Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/Sega)Metaphor: ReFantanzio (Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)Senuas Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios)Silent Hill 2 (Bloober Team/Konami)Best Art DirectionASTRO BOT (Team Asobi/SIE)Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)Neva (Nomada Studio/Devolver)Best Score and MusicASTRO BOT (Team Asobi/SIE)Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix)Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)Silent Hill 2 (Bloober Team/Konami)Stellar Blade (Shift Up/SIE)Best Audio DesignASTRO BOT (Team Asobi/SIE)Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox)Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix)Senuas Saga: Hellblade 2 (Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios)Silent Hill 2 (Bloober Team/Konami)Best PerformanceBriana White, Final Fantasy VII RebirthHannah Telle, Life is Strange: Double ExposureHumberly Gonzlez, Star Wars OutlawsLuke Roberts, Silent Hill 2Melina Juergens, Senuas Saga: Hellblade 2Innovation in AccessibilityCall of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox)Diablo IV (Blizzard/Xbox)Dragon Age: The Veilguard (BioWare/EA)Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft)Star Wars Outlaws (Massive Entertainment/Ubisoft)Games for ImpactCloser the Distance (Osmotic Studios/Skybound Games)Indika (Odd Meter/11 Bit Studios)Neva (Nomada Studio/Devolver)Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Deck Nine/Square Enix)Senuas Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios)Tales of Kenzera: Zau (Surgent Studios/EA)Best Ongoing GameDestiny 2 (Bungie/SIE)Diablo IV (Blizzard/Xbox)Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)Fortnite (Epic Games)Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios/SIE)Best Community SupportBaldurs Gate 3 (Larian)Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)Fortnite (Epic Games)Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios/SIE)No Mans Sky (Hello Games)Best Independent GameAnimal Well (Shared Memory/Bigmode)Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack)Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (Simogo/Annapurna Interactive)Neva (Nomada Studio/Devolver)UFO 50 (Mossmouth)Best Debut Indie GameAnimal Well (Shared Memory/Bigmode)Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack)Manor Lords (Slavic Magic/Hooded Horse)Pacific Drive (Ironwood Studios/Kepler Interactive)The Plucky Squire (All Possible Futures/Devolver)Best Mobile GameAFK Journey (FARLIGHT/Lilith Games)Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack)Pokmon Trading Card Game Pocket (Creatures Inc/TPCI)Wuthering Waves (Kuro Games)Zenless Zone Zero (miHoYo)Best VR/AR GameArizona Sunshine Remake (Vertigo Games)Asgards Wrath 2 (Sanzaru Games/Oculus Studios)Batman: Arkham Shadow (Camouflaj/Oculus Studios)Metal: Hellsinger VR (Lab 42/The Outsiders/Funcom)Metro Awakening (Vertigo Games)Best Action Game Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox)Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios/SIE)Stellar Blade (Shift Up/SIE)Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (Saber Interactive/Focus Entertainment)Best Action/Adventure GameASTRO BOT (Team Asobi/SIE)Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (Ubisoft Montpellier/Ubisoft)Silent Hill 2 (Bloober Team/Konami)Star Wars Outlaws (Massive Entertainment/Ubisoft)The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Grezzo/Nintendo)Best RPGDragons Dogma 2 (Capcom)Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix)Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/Sega)Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)Best Fighting GameDragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO (Spike Chunsoft/Bandai Namco)Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising (Arc System Works/Cygames)Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (Capcom)MultiVersus (Player First Games/WB Games)Tekken 8 (Bandai Namco)Best Family GameASTRO BOT (Team Asobi/SIE)Princess Peach: Showtime! (Good-Feel/Nintendo)Super Mario Party Jamboree (Nintendo Cube/Nintendo)The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Grezzo/Nintendo)The Plucky Squire (All Possible Futures/Devolver)Best Sim/Strategy GameAge of Mythology: Retold (Worlds Edge/Forgotten Empires/Xbox Game Studios)Frostpunk 2 (11 Bit Studios)Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess (Capcom)Manor Lords (Slavic Magic/Hooded Horse)Unicorn Overlord (Vanillaware/Sega/Atlus)Best Sports/Racing GameF1 24 (Codemasters/EA Sports)EA Sports FC 25 (EA Vancouver/EA Romania/EA Sports) NBA 2K25 (Visual Concepts/2K)Top Spin 2K25 (Hangar 13/2K)WWE 2K24 (Visual Concepts/2K)Best Multiplayer GameCall of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox)Helldivers 2 (Arrow Game Studios/SIE)Super Mario Party Jamboree (Nintendo Cube/Nintendo)Tekken 8 (Bandai Namco)Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (Saber Interactive/Focus Entertainment)Best AdaptationArcane (Riot/Fortiche/Netflix) Fallout (Bethesda/Kilter Films/Amazon MGM Studios)Knuckles (Sega/Paramount)Like a Dragon: Yakuza (Sega/Amazon MGM Studios)Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft (Crystal Dynamics/Legendary/Netflix)Most Anticipated GameDeath Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions/SIE)Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions/SIE)Grand Theft Auto VI (Rockstar Games)Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (Retro Studios/Nintendo)Monster Hunter Wilds (Capcom)Best Esports GameCounter-Strike 2 (Valve)DOTA 2 (Valve)League of LegendsContent Creator of the YearCaseOhIlloJuan Techno GamerzTypicalGamerUsada Pekora

Roblox adding further parental controls, as its belated push to improve child safety continues"We know there's always more to be done."Image credit: Roblox News by Tom Phillips Editor-in-Chief Published on Nov. 18, 2024 Roblox has today announced further tools designed to improve the safety of its young audience, including the ability for parents to remotely manage their child's account, view their child's friends list and limit the amount of time made available to play.In the coming months, further changes will be made to stop children under 13 from directly messaging others outside of games, and limit interactions within games to public messages only. Starting today, Roblox is also simplifying its content labels and limiting the games and experiences children under nine can see on the platform by default.Today's announcements mark yet a third set of changes detailed by Roblox in the past month. Previously-announced policy tweaks were revealed to now require parental access to be given for children to access some in-game chat features. This was followed by the announcement of a ban on social hangout experiences for kids under 13 due to "user behaviour that can potentially pose a risk". Roblox has long been criticised for not doing enough to ensure the safety of its enormous audience, the majority of which are kids. This summer, a Bloomberg report revealed that Roblox itself had reported 13,316 instances of child exploitation in 2023, and that more than two dozen people had been arrested for abusing minors following contact in-game.All of the above announced changes by Roblox follow the publication of a damning report last month that again highlighted examples of inappropriate - and allegedly, illegal - content being shared on the platform, and that also claimed Roblox had not been transparent around its user activity metrics (a claim Roblox said it "rejected").Despite the recent flurry of changes, Roblox says today's announcements were decided upon and would be implemented following "multiple rounds of internal research, including interviews, usability studies, international surveys with parents and children, and consultation with experts from child safety and media literacy organisations". A Roblox spokesperson claimed these updates, announced today, had already been "praised by partners, including the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) and the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI)"."We've spent nearly two decades building strong safety systems, but we know there's always more to be done," Roblox chief safety officer Matt Kaufman said in a statement. "Last quarter saw a record average for daily active users on Roblox - over 88 million - and as our platform has grown in scale, we have always recognised that our approach to safety must evolve with it. Today's launch represents the next stage in that evolution."Last month, Roblox hit Dress To Impress removed a hotdog outfit after players used it to dress up like male genitalia.

Physical Lego Horizon Adventures set sees Aloy taking on a bricky Shell-Walker and SawtoothBlock stock and Varl.Image credit: Lego News by Victoria Kennedy News Reporter Published on Nov. 18, 2024 If you want to expand your Lego collection with some more Horizon-themed pieces, you are in luck.Following on from the majestic Tallneck model, Lego and Guerrilla are once again joining forces and releasing a set inspired by Lego Horizon Adventures. As teased last week, this set is known as Aloy and Varl vs. Shell-Walker and Sawtooth, and it comprises much of what you would expect given the name.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Lego Horizon Adventures Review. Watch on YouTubeConsisting of 768 pieces, this set features Horizon's leading lady Aloy and her trusty pal Varl taking on bricky renditions of a Shell-Walker and a Sawtooth. Aloy has her bow and Varl has his spear, with options to switch bits up to allow for fire, shock or chill 'attacks'.As for those hostile machines, both have joints which allow for different poses. The Shell-Walker has posable legs and arms, as well as opening claws. This chap also has a detachable cargo pod and energy shield. The Sawtooth, meanwhile, has jaws which open for a good bite, as well as a swivelling torso along with a posable neck, head and legs.To give you a sense of scale, Lego said the Sawtooth measures over seven inches high. Image credit: Lego"We're delighted to bring one of gaming's most beloved franchises to life in both physical and digital Lego brick form," said Kate Bryant, Product Lead, Branded Games at the Lego Group, reflecting on both this set and Lego Horizon Adventures itself. "We hope this latest set continues to fulfil our commitment to seamless play and empowers our fans to expand on their favourite games in their own, unique way.""Lego Horizon Adventures has brought Aloy and the acclaimed Horizon universe to a new audience and we've been very pleased with the title's launch," added Guerrilla art director Roy Postma. "This new set adds to that momentum by enabling players to build on the excitement of the adventures they experience in the game in true Lego fashion."Those interested in purchasing the Aloy and Varl vs. Shell-Walker and Sawtooth set are able to pre-order it now via Lego. It will be available on shelves from 1st March, next year, retailing at 39.99. Image credit: LegoAs for Lego Horizon Adventures the video game, we recently awarded it two out of five stars."It's a decidedly joyless kind of game, the sort that's better to look at than actually play with, and one that does little to bridge the gap between its two main subjects," our Katharine wrote in Eurogamer's Lego Horizon Adventures review. "I still don't know why it exists or who it's for, and there's little evidence to suggest that Guerrilla or Gobo know the answer either."

Half-Life 2: Episode 3 doesn't exist because Left 4 Dead doesNew Half-Life 2 documentary shows off never-before-seen footage of Episode 3.Image credit: Valve News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Nov. 17, 2024 As part of this weekend's special anniversary update, Valve has given fans a sneak peek of the cancelled Half-Life 2: Episode 3 project.As well as sharing stunning concept art and gameplay prototypes, the Half-Life 2 team reunited in the documentary to talk about the development of Episode 2.The developers also revealed that Episode 3 didn't make it after the team switched focus to concentrate on getting Left 4 Dead "out the door".Half-Life 2: 20th Anniversary Documentary.Watch on YouTube"Left 4 Dead needed an all-hands-on effort to ship, and so we put down [Episode 3] to go help Left 4 Dead," explained developer David Speyre."It was a really tight shipping schedule and it required a lot of work from everybody to get it out the door. It was worth it - I mean, Left 4 Dead came out great. But it took long enough - and this is the tragic and almost comical thing about it - it took long enough that by the time we considered going back to Episode 3, the argument was made like, well, we missed it. It's too late now. We really need to make a new engine to continue the Half-Life series."Now, in hindsight, that seems so wrong. We could have definitely gone back and spent two years to make Episode 3."The documentary also delves into specific details like weapon design, such as the ice gun that could be used to create cover, ascend over obstructions, or provide players makeshift ledges to get down the side of mountains, and so on.But at the end of documentary, Valve boss Gabe Newell admitted that one of the reasons Episode 3 never came to be was because his "personal failure was being stumped"."You can't get lazy and say, oh, we're moving the story forward. [But] that's copping out of your obligation to gamers. Yes, of course, they loved the story - they love many, many aspects of it, but sort of saying that your reason to do it is because people want to know what happens next"You know, we could have shipped it. Like, it wouldn't have been that hard. My personal failure was being stumped. Like, I couldn't figure out why doing Episode 3 was pushing anything forward."The team did, however, reflect that if Episode 3 had been realised, we may not have seen other sequels like Portal 2 or Left 4 Dead 2.Newell also added that without Episodes, Dota may not have been made."If it weren't for the Episodes, there'd be no such thing as Dota. I know that sounds really weird, but it was the things that we learned in developing the Episodes that led to, you know, Team Fortress 2, to more rapid updates."The full documentary is available to watch online above. Don't forget that to mark Half-Life 2's 20th anniversary this weekend, Valve also released a special anniversary update, bundling in commentary, the previously separate Episodes 1 & 2, and more. Oh, and the game's free to keep over the next few days.

Black Ops 6 is going to let you use legacy XP tokens after all - but not quite yetTreyarch says it is "currently testing a way to implement this change correctly in a future update".Image credit: Activision / Eurogamer News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Nov. 17, 2024 Treyarch has enabled, disabled, and is now reintroducing legacy XP tokens in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.Along with five multiplayer maps - three of which are brand new - free and premium content, a new Zombies "experience in-season", and full integration with Call of Duty's spin-off battle royale, Warzone, Black Ops 6's Season 1 also introduced something else - legacy XP tokens.Turns out the latter was an accident, though, as no sooner did players spot legacy XP tokens in the new shooter, developer Treyarch "fixed an issue that incorrectly allowed legacy XP tokens to be activated in Black Ops 6 UI".To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Opening Scene and Gameplay (4K).Watch on YouTubeIf you were frustrated by the fix, you're not alone - which is why Treyarch is exploring a way to do this "correctly" in the future."With the start of Season 01, a UI bug allowed players to activate legacy XP tokens in Black Ops 6. Unfortunately, it also introduced some potential risk to game stability, which is why it was patched yesterday," Treyarch explained. To see this content please enable targeting cookies."We realise how much players appreciate being able to redeem legacy XP tokens in both BO6 and Warzone, so we are currently testing a way to implement this change correctly in a future update. This allows us time to ensure stability is maintained before we reintroduce this feature."In the interim, players can activate any legacy XP tokens in Warzone. Any tokens applied in Warzone will also apply to Black Ops 6 should you switch titles or modes," Treyarch concluded, before revealing we should hear more about this change "next week".The latest Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 update also nerfed assault rifles. As the same time, the Ghost perk - which hides you from UAV and scout pulse - also bugged out, as it seemingly couldn't be equipped anymore."For a series built on high-octane thrills and explosive gratification, its withdrawal to the well-trodden formula echoes the wider industry's continued allergy to risk," Chris Tapsell wrote in Eurogamer's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 review.

Half-Life 2 marks 20th anniversary by breaking its own concurrent record on SteamThe good life.Image credit: Valve News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Nov. 17, 2024 20 years after its 2004 debuted, Half-Life 2 has broken its own concurrent player record on Steam.According to SteamDB, the seminal shooter has secured just over a 61.7K player peak over the weekend, the highest number of simultaneous players the game has achieved since records began in 2008.In fact, the number I've just written is probably already out of date - the number is still rising and has been all day, having increased several times in the time I've been writing this.Racing Down Highway 17 With The Half-Life 2 VR Mod Is AWESOME! - Ian's VR Corner.Watch on YouTubeGiven this weekend's surprise release of a special anniversary update, it's possible players are jumping back into the game to revel in nostalgia or possibly check out the new director's commentary. It's also possible - given Valve is currently giving away the game for free - new players are trying it for the first time.If you haven't seen it yet, in the accompanying documentary now available on YouTube, the Half-Life 2 development team revealed that Episode 3 didn't make it after the team switched focus to concentrate on getting Left 4 Dead "out the door"."Left 4 Dead needed an all-hands-on effort to ship, and so we put down [Episode 3] to go help Left 4 Dead," explained developer David Speyre. "It took long enough that by the time we considered going back to Episode 3, the argument was made like, well, we missed it. It's too late now. We really need to make a new engine to continue the Half-Life series."Now, in hindsight, that seems so wrong. We could have definitely gone back and spent two years to make Episode 3."

Silent Hill 2 Remake fans want to know when the game will run properly on PS5 Pro"I can't even bring myself to play it in this state because it's so distracting."Image credit: Bloober Team News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Nov. 17, 2024 Silent Hill 2 Remake players are calling on Konami to address the technical issues still plaguing the game on PS5 Pro ten days on from the console's release.Despite plenty of comments on Silent Hill 2 Remake's social media posts, as yet there's been no formal word from either developer Bloober Team or publisher Konami on whether or not a fix is even on the way, let alone when it will be released.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Here's Eurogamer's review for Silent Hill 2 remake in video form.Watch on YouTubeIn a reddit post entitled "Konami is completely silent", a player shared a screenshot showing a number of Silent Hill fans asking for an update."Finished downloading, fired it up, bathroom cinematic plays through, walk out the bathroom and I immediately knew something was off without even seeing gameplay previously or even playing the game before this. That's how bad this is," lamented the poster.Konami is completely silent.. byu/Unlucky-Soil-2456 insilenthillTo see this content please enable targeting cookies."I can't even bring myself to play it in this state because it's so distracting. I feel like even if I did play the game in this state it would just get worse throughout the game and I would be even more pissed off. So 70 bucks down the drain because it still hasn't been fixed yet. I feel like I am gonna get to play this game after the holidays at the rate Konami and Bloober are going at this point" To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Another player, responding to a tweet asking for players to share their favourite Silent Hill 2 Remake screenshots said: "I'd share some screenshots but it's very poor on PS5 pro drop the patch FFS".Another simply said that if the studio wasn't "going to provide a PSSR update, just fix the flickering issue". To see this content please enable targeting cookies.To see this content please enable targeting cookies."It's really scummy to advertise a game as Pro Enhanced when it actually plays worse than the base unit," said another."Against the odds, Bloober Team has delivered a remake that both expands Silent Hill 2 in just the right places, and gives careful attention to what it preserves," I wrote in Eurogamer's Silent Hill 2 Remake review, awarding the game an impressive five out of five stars in the process.Bloober Team's Silent Hill 2 remake has already sold a total of 1m copies across both physical and digital media since its global launch on 8th October. That likely makes Silent Hill 2 Remake the best-selling Silent Hill game ever.One clever reddit user recently figured out a hidden message tucked within Silent Hill 2 Remake by using the mysterious photos found in the game.

"Expansion packs, new game seasons, DLCs, remakes and remasters are eligible" for this year's The Game Awards"Factors such as the newness of the content and its price/value should be taken into consideration."Image credit: FromSoftware / Bandai Namco News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Nov. 17, 2024 The Game Awards has confirmed that DLC, remakes, and remasters are all eligible for all categories of its awards, including Game of the Year.With shortlists expected to be announced tomorrow, Monday 18th November, The Game Awards' website FAQ page has been updated with new information to confirm TGA judges now consider "expansion packs, new game seasons, DLCs, remakes and remasters" as eligible for consideration.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Nintendo has announced new hardware, but it's not Switch 2 - so what's the point of Alarmo?Watch on YouTube"The Game Awards aims to recognise the best creative and technical work each year, irrespective of the format of that contents release," the website now says. "Expansion packs, new game seasons, DLCs, remakes and remasters are eligible in all categories, if the jury deems the new creative and technical work to be worthy of a nomination."Factors such as the newness of the content and its price/value should be taken into consideration."This now means that remakes like Silent Hill 2 Remake could be in contention, as well as DLC like Elden Ring's The Shadow of the Erdtree. Elden Ring won the TGA Game of the Year award in 2022.It also means games with seasonal content like Apex Legends, Destiny, and other live-service games are also eligible, even if the base game itself released several years ago.Last year, Baldur's Gate 3 secured the top award, with Alan Wake 2 snapping up several awards, too. The Game Awards 2023 broke its own viewership record, clocking up around 118 million livestreams.With 103m global livestreams in 2022, that's a 15 per cent year-on-year increase for the show.

Ubisoft responds to Assassin's Creed Shadows leak showing free battle pass rewardsAl-tiers for fears.Image credit: Ubisoft News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Nov. 16, 2024 Ubisoft has responded to yesterday's leak that showcased a selection of free battle pass rewards purportedly set to be available via Assassin's Creed Shadows' upcoming Animus Hub.As Eurogamer reported yesterday, these leaked Assassin's Creed Shadows images showed a similar selection of items to those previously offered through daily and weekly missions via Ubisoft Connect. That said, Assassin's Creed has never offered a battle pass before, and the publisher is still to announce how any new battle pass system for the franchise will work.Assassin's Creed Shadows gameplay trailer.Watch on YouTubeIn a message posted today on social media that seemed targeted at those taking a less nuanced response to the idea of Assassin's Creed adding a battle pass, Ubisoft said it wanted to "clarify" the matter."All the rewards available in the Animus Hub will be entirely free, there are no paid subscriptions or paid battle pass featured in the Animus Hub, and players will have access to regular content [and] missions at no extra cost," Ubisoft confirmed.Ubisoft said it would unveil more details "closer to the launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows" in February 2025.A Message From the Team on the Animus Hub byu/Ubi_Waldo inassassinscreedTo see this content please enable targeting cookies.At a BAFTA event attended by Eurogamer in London earlier this month, franchise boss Marc-Alexis Cot went into more detail on how the series will handle its modern day narrative in future, after admitting it had been a "struggle" to remain consistent since the departure of the series' initial protagonist Desmond.For more from Cot, you can read Eurogamer's reports on how the Assassin's Creed boss addressed Assassin's Creed Shadows' creative backlash, and Ubisoft's decision to delay Shadows and restore confidence in its ability to launch quality games.

Nintendo cross-referenced reddit posts and hardware repairs to locate this Switch pirateBy analysing the hacker's digital footprint, the Japanese megacorp was able to hunt them down.Image credit: Nintendo News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Nov. 16, 2024 Nintendo reportedly hunted down an alleged Switch pirate by tracking their reddit posts.Earlier this year, after putting Switch pirate Gary Bowser behind bars and targeting emulator software Yuzu, Nintendo resumed its fight against the modded console business with new lawsuits, including one against James "Archbox" Williams, who was the main moderator behind r/SwitchPirates.As reported by Game File, it seems Williams was located after Nintendo commissioned a law firm to investigate "freeshops" or online repositories for pirated Switch games.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Nintendo has announced new hardware, but it's not Switch 2 - so what's the point of Alarmo?Watch on YouTubeBy analysing Williams' past posts online - including one from reddit user "archbox" in 2015 that was very complementary about Midwestern University's optometry clinic - the firm helped the Japanese company "succeed in linking Archbox with at least two Nintendo accounts for an individual named James Williams".And because Williams seemingly used the same email address to get repairs for their Nintendo Switch, staff at Nintendo's Product Lifecycle Management group was able to find his shipping address.Once it had acquired Williams' address, Nintendo sent a cease and desist, after which Williams initially agreed to "comply and cooperate" with Nintendo's demands. However, Williams then went dark and failed to show up at court, defaulting judgement in favour of Nintendo.When Nintendo moved to shutdown streamer Jesse Keighin's streams via copyright notices on YouTube, Twitch, and other streaming platforms, he reportedly told them he "could do this all day" and had "a thousand burner accounts".Nintendo further alleges that as well as broadcasting unreleased games, he also instructed others on how to obtain pirated games via "circumvention devices" Nintendo calls "trafficking".

Dragon Age: Inquisition players can't import their world states from the Dragon Age Keep"I know the whole 'we are working on it' message gets old. Believe me, I get it!"Image credit: BioWare News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Nov. 16, 2024 Dragon Age: Inquisition players are still struggling to import their world states despite the issue being flagged to BioWare and EA over a week ago.Regardless of what platform you're playing on, it seems some players can only see default world states.EA community manager EA_Shepard acknowledged the issue on the official forums 10 days ago, saying the team was "aware and investigating". Shepard also validated another issue, this one with the Golden Nug, which goes AWOL mid-playthrough or disappears entirely for some.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Dragon Age The Veilguard Review: The BEST Bioware Has EVER Been! (Spoiler-Free).Watch on YouTubeRevealing that they "reported this [to the studio] at the end of the week last week and checked up on this", EA_Shepard recently confirmed that it was "still an open issue" and the team "is still working on this one".The issue has apparently been further compounded by some players getting confused "around the world state importing into their game"."When you import your world state, it will say default world state. The name does not change," Shepard explained."When you want to import a world state, rename it in the Keep first, import it in the Keep, and then start a new game," they added, acknowledging that when they tried it themselves on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, only one was successfully imported.Shepard also confirmed that there "are ways to try to get it resolved by manually choosing the options and creating entirely new world states after you sync and replay the keep", but acknowledged this "has not worked for all players".Towards the end of the week, Shepard shared a further update."Wanted to let you know I am still looking out for this one," they said. "I know the whole 'we are working on it' message gets old. Believe me, I get it! There is a lot happening and being worked on with Dragon Age so things are a bit slower on other fronts. I am watching it closely though so I have not forgotten about the community!""I get that Veilguard support is prioritised at the moment since it's a brand new game, and Keep has always been kinda buggy, but I think I speak for all of us when I ask that this issue be made more of a priority," said one player.As for Dragon Age: The Veilguard? Eurogamer's Robert Purchese had a lot of good things to say about BioWare's latest Dragon Age in his five star review."From head to toe, wing to wing, The Veilguard is exquisitely realised and full of sophistication across systems and storytelling," he wrote. "It's warm and welcoming, funny and hopeful, gentle when it needs to be, and of course it's epic - epic in a way I think will set a high bar not only for BioWare in years to come but for role-playing games in general."

Five years in the making, World of Warcraft's player housing 'the most ambitious expansion feature ever', says Blizzard"We knew that we couldn't really phone it in."Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 15, 2024 This week's Warcraft 30th anniversary celebration certainly brought its fair share of news, but if one thing really got fans talking, it was the tease player housing is finally coming to World of Warcraft next year. And now Blizzard has shared a little more about the "most ambitious feature in a WoW expansion ever", promising "years and years" of further growth when it arrives."Player housing is something that the team has definitely thought about and discussed for a long, long time, "World of Warcraft game designer Ion Hazzikostas explained during a recent roundtable interview attended by Eurogamer. "It's certainly something the community has been asking for and wondering about for a long time, and that's not lost on us."Hazzikostas continued that while the team might previously have had some hesitation in introducing player housing, it wasn't a "philosophical" decision; rather, "We, frankly, were looking at what it would take to make it real and make it real at the quality level that our players expect and deserve... the customisation options, the underlying tech required to really have it feel integrated into the world. And in the past, many of those pieces just weren't there... That made us choose between doing housing or doing literally everything else that went into an expansion, and everything else always won out in that balance of resources."Blizzaed's World of Warcraft housing teaser.Watch on YouTubeDespite that, Hazzikostas revealed player housing is "something that we seriously began planning a design for and building out probably five years or so ago... We knew at the time this was not a feature that was going to fit within the development time frame of a single expansion, and so we've been kind of planning accordingly."And while Blizzard isn't yet ready to get into specifics of its new system, Hazzikostas teased its reveal trailer, although not a "100 percent accurate representation of what will be seen... captures the flavour and the spirit" of what the team is aiming for. "Dare I say it's our most ambitious feature in a World of Warcraft expansion ever," he continued elsewhere, "[which is] part of why it's taken such a long time to present it... We knew that we couldn't really phone it in and put out a bare bones foundation, even if we were going to build on it in the future.""I think anything we do needs to be great," he added, "but especially something with so much expectation and so much history across the MMO genre as housing. We know it needs to be excellent [and] it will be a foundation for years and years of further development and growth."Player housing comes to World of Warcraft as part of 2025's Midnight expansion, and Hazzikostas says Blizzard will "have a lot more details to share on exactly how it's going to work, what it is, what it isn't, [and] where it's going" over the year ahead. "But really we just wanted to pull back the curtain a little bit, give players a peek at what's coming on the horizon, and I think, a bit selfishly, kick off some conversation across the community about housing, about what they hope it's going to be, about what they want it to not be, so that we can kind of check our instincts, make sure that we're on the right track with our ongoing development."But while player housing might be the feature currently on fans' lips, Blizzard has plenty more in store for World of Warcraft before its arrival, including the upcoming Siren Isle, a revamped Winter Veil event, plus the return of WoW's battle royale-style Plunderstorm mode. And that's alongside next year's Undermined update, which continues the events of The War Within by taking players to the capital city of the goblin's trade empire, where - among other things - they'll be able to tear around the streets in fully customisable cars.Elsewhere in this week's Warcraft's 30th anniversary celebrations, Blizzard's launched its shiny new Warcraft 1 and 2 remasters. Although as Eurogamer's Robert Purchese recently opined, "I love World of Warcraft, but I wish Blizzard would stop looking backwards".

What we've been playing - Lego horror, cheerful games, and others we just can't get intoA few of the things that have us hooked this week.Image credit: Lego / Epic Feature by Robert Purchese Associate Editor Additional contributions byTom Orry, and Tom PhillipsPublished on Nov. 16, 2024 16th NovemberHello! Welcome back to our regular feature where we write a little bit about some of the games we've been playing over the past few days. This week, we cheer ourselves up by reliving the point-and-click adventures of old, we scare ourselves in a Lego game, of all places, and we try, and try again, to succumb to the charms of Horizon, but it just won't happen.Catch up with the older editions of this column in our What We've Been Playing archive.Lego Dark SpaceLego's probably not what comes to mind when you think of franchises ripe for first-person horror takes, but in Fortnite you can pretty much find anything, and this new experience comes courtesy of Lego's own digital designers.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Dark Space is the centrepiece of Lego's latest set of Fortnite mini-games, which have previously seen you rebuilding Tilted Towers, tycoon-style, while paying homage to Lego Island, and chasing cats and battling ninjas. Each subsequent experience has slowly grown in quality and presentation, which brings us neatly to Dark Space: a pretty enjoyable horror mini-game with shades of Alien Isolation and Among Us.The idea is simple: complete mini-games to progress around an abandoned space station and secure your escape, while avoiding several roaming monsters. Along the way you'll read log entries from the ship's former crew, which are kept light-hearted enough for Lego's wider audience, and you can also bring your friends to help (or to quickly get caught and lose lives).Completing Lego Dark Space while entering a code (which you can easily find online) will also unlock a bundle of digital Lego props that you can use in the main Lego Fortnite mode, which is a first for this kind of experience and, I admit, why I went to try it out. Overall, though, it was a pleasantly spooky way to spend half an hour as the nights draw ever closer in.-Tom PHorizon Forbidden West, PS5 ProWatch on YouTubeThis must be at least the fourth time I've tried to get into a Horizon game. First came Horizon Zero Dawn on PS4, then that game enhanced on PS4 Pro; then came the shift to PS5 with Forbidden West, and now that game again on PS5 Pro (and a bit of the remastered original on PS5 Pro to boot!). It gives me no joy to say that I think I might finally be at the point of giving up completely.This should be a series I enjoy. It's got vast areas to explore, it looks amazing (Zero Dawn and Forbidden West really pop on the PS5 Pro), there are cool mechanical creatures, neat gameplay mechanics, top voice work, and what seems like an intriguing story. And yet, I find it a real struggle to get invested in. In Forbidden West I finally made it beyond the intro (which took over two hours) and started on the main quest, but then I was hit by a wave of nonchalance. I had no drive to push forward. I felt stuck in first gear, so I hit the brakes.I know people who love the Horizon games, and to give them their due they would absolutely shine in a PS5 showroom, but sometimes things just don't click. I'm pretty sure I'd have enjoyed this a whole lot more when I was younger, but these days I clearly need a different kind of fuel to get me going.Oh, and where are all the cars?-Tom OLoco Motive, PCLoco Motive is relentlessly cheerful, and that's a 2024 superpower, if you ask me.Watch on YouTubeI'd forgotten the charms of a good point-and-click adventure. It's easy to look at them and label them as quaint, I think, like they're something you dragged out of the attic from 20 years ago and "don't you remember when we used to play games like that?". But Loco Motive has brought into sharp focus how powerful the charms of these games can be.Right at the front of those charms is its enthusiasm, its relentless upbeat-ism - the kind we don't often see in games any more. They're so edgy now, so misunderstood. But there's never a moment when Loco Motive isn't plucky. Yes you're investigating a murder on a train, that's the general set-up, but it's never made out to be an ominous or serious thing. In fact, it's fairly routinely ridiculed. Nothing much in the game is taken seriously, come to think of it - it's all treated with a smile as big as the character's that you play, lawyer Arthur Ackerman. And it's infectious.Pair this with a bright kind of primary colour presentation, and an underlying determination to make you laugh - I will make you laugh, I will make you laugh - and it makes for a kind willing helplessness on your part as you eventually surrender to it. And do you know what? It feels nice. I feel uplifted after playing the game, and there aren't enough games I can say that about.(There's a demo still available for Loco Motive on Steam, by the way.)-Bertie

Sony reportedly discounting PlayStation 5 Slim by "at least" 75 in Europe ahead of ChristmasAnd PSVR2 down by 200.Image credit: Sony / Eurogamer News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 15, 2024 Following Sony's seemingly premature announcement earlier this week it'll be knocking $70 off the PS5 Slim Digital Edition in the US ahead of Christmas, reliable leaker Bilbil-kun has claimed similar discounts are coming to Europe soon - including a PSVR2 price cut of a whopping 200.Writing for Dealabs, Bilbil-kun (who has a proven track record when it comes to PlayStation leaks) says Sony's European Black Friday discounts will run from Friday, 22nd November, until 12th December, with both the PS5 Slim Standard Edition and PS5 Slim Digital Edition being reduced by "at least" 75 during that time. That may rise to 80 in some countries.If the claims are accurate, that means it'll be possible to pick up a Standard Edition PS5 Slim for 474.99 instead of usual 549.99, while the Digital Edition will fall to 374.99 from 449.99.Digital Foundry reviews the PlayStation 5 Pro.Watch on YouTubeThat's not the end of the PlayStation discounts, however; Bilbil-kun also reports a massive 200 price reduction of for PSVR2, bringing it down to 399.99 from the usual 599.99. Additionally, the PSVR2 Horizon Call of the Mountain Pack, which includes the VR headset and a Horizon Call of the Mountain code, will fall from 649.99 to 399.99. There's no word of UK pricing for any of this yet, but it shouldn't be long before all is revealed.All this, of course, follows Sony's recent announcement its console hardware has seen a significant drop in sales, falling to 6.2m units sold compared to the 8.2m shifted in the same quarter last year. Whether the recently launched PlayStation 5 Pro will help gives those numbers a notable boost remains to be seen. "The truth is, the standard PS5 is still the best choice for most people," Digital Foundry's Richard Leadbetter said in a recent appraisal of the new console, "but for the core enthusiast looking for the best possible experience, the Pro option is there for you, albeit with a substantial premium."

Half-Life 2 just got a special 20th anniversary update with a new documentary, commentary, and moreGame free for next few days.Image credit: Valve News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 15, 2024 Half-Life 2 is officially 20 years old this weekend, and to mark the occasion Valve has released a special anniversary update, bundling in a brand-new documentary, commentary, the previously separate Episodes 1 & 2, and more. Oh, and the game's free to keep over the next few days.Valve's seminal shooter sequel, which charts the continuing adventures of bespectacled scientist Gordon Freeman and his deeply erotic love affair with a prising tool, released into the world on 16th November, 2004. It was immediately heralded as a classic of the genre, and Valve has done everything in its power not to release a numbered sequel since.But now, 20 years on, Valve is in a celebratory mood, and - much as it did when the original Half-Life reached the big two-five last year - it's released a special anniversary update introducing bonus material, previously separate bits of DLC, and a whole range of tweaks.Or you can watch the Half-Life 2 documentary right here.Watch on YouTubeThere is, for starters, a new documentary created by Secret Tape. "It's about a lot more than just the making of a game," explains Valve in its announcement. "Running out of money. Getting hacked, and an early version being leaked online. Being sued by our publisher. Trying to build Steam. It's all in there!" It's also unearthed a number of old presentations from across Half-Life 2's development, which it's shoved on its anniversary website.Additionally, Valve has recorded a brand-new Half-Life 2 commentary for its latest update, and it's also permanently bundled Half-Life 2: Episode One, Episode Two, and Lost Coast - all previously available separately - together with the base game. That's alongside the addition of integrated Steam Workshop support, meaning everyone can browse and download player-created content from directly within the game.But that's still not the end of it. Valve says every map has been looked over by its level designers to "fix longstanding bugs, restore content and features lost to time, and improve the quality of a few things like lightmap resolution and fog". It's also added new graphics settings meaning players can now choose between the original launch day blood and fire effects or those introduced in Half-Life 2's later episodes; it's updated gamepad controls and aim assistance, and it's also possible to play with only the highest detail models in High Quality mode. Full patch notes, if you're curious, can be found in Valve's announcement.All the above is now available as part of Half-Life 2's free 20th anniversary update on Steam. And if you don't already own a copy of Half-Life 2, it's free to download and keep on Valve's platform, provided you pick it up before Monday, 18th November at 6pm in the UK.

11 Bit Studios' This War of Mine marks 10th anniversary with new Forget Celebrations charity DLC"With the world bleeding, we believe it is vital to keep pushing for change."Image credit: 11 Bit Studios News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 14, 2024 11 Bit Studios' harrowing side-scrolling survival game This War of Mine is ten years old today. And to mark the occasion, 11 Bit has unveiled Forget Celebrations, a new charity DLC being released as part of the game's continuing "mission to shed light on the civilian cost of war"."Innocent lives are still being lost on battlefields, new conflicts are erupting, arms production escalates to feed war's demand, and civilians and soldiers continue to face unimaginable brutality," the studio writes in its announcement of Forget Celebrations. "With the world bleeding, we believe it is vital to keep pushing for change."In Forget Celebrations, 11 Bit once again returns to the fictional war-torn city of Pogoren, this time to tell the story of Katia, a seasoned war correspondent. "While struggling to write a book on the brutal realities of war," the studio explains, "a missile attack devastates her home, forcing her into an even harsher fight for survival and the recovery of her gathered material."This War of Mine in Polish schools.Watch on YouTube11 Bit hasn't announced a release date or price for This War of Mine's Forget Celebrations DLC as yet (and it's so far only confirmed for Steam), but it says all studio proceeds will be donated to its charity partners - War Child, Amnesty International, Liberty Ukraine, and Indie Games Poland - in the "hopes of helping those affected by today's ongoing wars".This War of Mine has been met with significant acclaim since its release back in 2014, appearing in London's Imperial War Museum and New York's Museum of Modern Art. It was officially added to the Polish school curriculum in 2022, and was even awarded a Special Recognition Award by Amnesty International earlier this year for its "continued relevance in portraying the harsh realities faced by civilians in conflict zones" and as a "powerful reminder of the crucial importance of international humanitarian law in protecting civilian lives in areas of armed conflict, citing current situations in various regions of the world."In his review of This War of Mine back in 2015, former Eurogamer editor-in-chief Martin Robinson wrote, "[Its] simple message - that war is hell, and that we're all capable of being sucked into its moral depths - might be slightly compromised by its strengths as a game, but at least it's a message carried with a great deal more conviction than other, more bombastic portrayals of conflict. That, for certain, is something to be thankful for."

Games of Thrones' Sophie Turner reportedly in talks to play Lara Croft in Amazon's Tomb Raider TV seriesFollowing recent tests.Image credit: Aspyr News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 14, 2024 Amazon's live-action Tomb Raider TV series might have found its Lara Croft. Following reports last month that Sophie Turner was in the running to play the iconic character, it's now being claimed the Game of Thrones' actor has reached the negotiating stage.A live-action Tomb Raider series (not to be confused with Netflix's animated adaptation) was first reported back in January 2023, with Fleabag and Killing Eve's Phoebe Waller-Bridge attached as writer. It wasn't until May this year, however, that Amazon made the series official, confirming Waller-Bridge's involvement and not much else.Since then, curious minds have started pondering the obvious question: who might Amazon cast as Lara Croft following Angelina Jolie's memorable live-action turn as the jet-setting archaeologist in the early 2000s and, later, Alicia Vikander's more grounded approach to the role. Then, last month, it seems like an answer could be near, with Deadline reporting Sophie Turner (perhaps best known as Game Of Thrones's Sansa Stark) and Lucy Boynton (Mary Austin in Bohemian Rhapsody) were both poised to test for the part.The recently announced Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered arrives next year.Watch on YouTubeAnd it looks like Turner may have clinched it; Deadline has followed its earlier story with claims the actor is now "in negotiations to star as Lara Croft". So assuming all goes well, Turner could soon be joining the elite club of actors who've played the iconic role either on or off camera.The Tomb Raider TV series - which Amazon has previously referred to as "epic" and "globe-trotting" - doesn't have anything close to a release date yet, but it'll air on Prime Video when it eventually shows up. In addition to the series, Amazon is also set to publish Crystal Dynamics' next Tomb Raider game and is even planning a new movie instalment. And if that's still not enough Lara for you, Apsyr is releasing Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered next year.

Hundreds of ZeniMax workers strike over Microsoft outsourcing, remote work policiesFallout.Image credit: Bethesda News by Tom Phillips Editor-in-Chief Published on Nov. 13, 2024 Hundreds of staff at Bethesda parent company ZeniMax will go on strike today in protest at parent company Microsoft outsourcing work without bargaining with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) union. The one-day walkout by staff who work on Fallout, Starfield and Doom will be held today, Wednesday 13th November, from 10am to 6pm local time at four ZeniMax Studios offices in Maryland and Texas. Staff say they are concerned over the "unilateral decision" to outsource quality assurance (QA) work to external teams at a time of uncertainty and layoffs. In short, the worry is ZeniMax will undercut its own union staff by shifting the work elsewhere. ZeniMax workers say they have also been prompted to walk out over continued concerns over remote work policies - the same issue which sparked a protest by Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 developers at Activision's QA studio in Minnesota at the end of last month."We respect our employees' rights to express their point of view as they have done today," a Microsoft spokesperson told Eurogamer. "We will continue to listen and address their concerns at the bargaining table."Eurogamer also contacted ZeniMax for comment."Today, we are on strike," reads a statement from the striking workers' union posted on X. "We are not afraid to do what's necessary to make sure that Microsoft meets us at the bargaining table over key issues like remote work options and outsourcing." To see this content please enable targeting cookies.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Microsoft recognised the ZeniMax Studios union back in January 2023, when 300 video game testers who worked on ZeniMax and Bethesda titles grouped together under the CWA. The union was the first Microsoft recognised and the largest video game union in the US. At the time, Microsoft was still battling to buy Activision Blizzard, and was keen to voluntarily recognise worker unions to mitigate concerns over its growing portfolio's impact on workers."The Xbox business has never been more healthy," Microsoft's gaming boss Phil Spencer said in a Bloomberg interview published just earlier today, when asked what the future had in store following a year filled with Microsoft layoffs. "The business is performing right now, and I think that means a more healthy future for hardware and the games we build."

November's PlayStation Plus Premium and Extra games include GTA5, Dying Light 2, Like a Dragon: Ishin!Plus Resistance 1 & 2 and more! News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 13, 2024 Sony has revealed the games coming to PlayStation Plus Premium and Extra subscribers this month, with November's offerings including Dying Light 2, Like a Dragon: Ishin!, and GTA5 (presumably for the benefit of the two remaining people who haven't yet played it).In total, November brings 12 new PlayStation Plus catalogue additions for Premium and Extra members, alongside five Premium-exclusive titles - including Insomniac's fondly remembered PS3 shooters Resistance: Fall of Man and Resistance 2 - which combine to look like this:Grand Theft Auto 5 (PS4, PS5)Dying Light 2: Stay Human (PS4, PS5)Like a Dragon: Ishin! (PS4, PS5)MotoGP 24 (PS4, PS5)The Sims 4 Island Living - add-on only (PS4)Digimon Survive (PS4)Overcooked! All You Can Eat (PS4, PS5)Stick Fight: The Game (PS4)Clash: Artifacts of Chaos (PS4, PS5)Killer Frequency (PS4, PS5)Hungry Shark World (PS4)Chivalry 2 (PS4, PS5)Synapse (PSVR2)Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (PS4, PS5)Blood Omen 2 (PS4, PS5)Resistance: Fall of Man Resistance 2So while November's Premium and Extra catalogue additions aren't, perhaps, quite as strong as last month's stellar line-up, there's still plenty of amusement to be found. GTA5 needs no introduction, of course, but there's also solid parkour-focused zombie slaying in Dying Light 2, enjoyable historical action as Like a Dragon spins off into the Edo period with Ishin!, and even some chaotic multiplayer medieval hack-and-slashery in the acclaimed Chivalry 2.And that's on top of those Premium tier exclusives, pretty much all good stuff this month. Alongside the first two Resistance games, there's Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and its sequel - which should stand you in good stead if you been eyeing the upcoming Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 remasters - plus some solid sci-fi shooting with Synapse for PSVR2.All the above joins the PlayStation Plus game catalogue next Tuesday, 19th November, and you'll find more details on what else is on offer in our full PlayStation Plus guide.

Pokmon TCG Pocket pack picking mechanics all an illusion, fan suggestsPeek at you.Image credit: The Pokmon Company News by Tom Phillips Editor-in-Chief Published on Nov. 13, 2024 Fans believe that whatever you pick in Pokmon TCG Pocket's pack opening carousel, you'll get the same cards regardless.That's right: carefully choosing the booster pack you want to open from the game's carousel doesn't matter. Whether you're looking for a bent corner, crossing your fingers or dropping lots of real-world money on the game versus playing for free, the cards are all the same - and actually pre-determined. Choice is an illusion! Where's the evidence? Well, YouTuber Rustywolf has come up with this convincing video where he shows a script he's authored that sniffs data packets sent by Pokmon TCG Pocket to the game's servers. Behind the scenes, you can see that pack opening data is determined as soon as a pack is purchased, before the user picks the on-screen booster they want to open or sees any of its cards. The video below shows this all in action, with card IDs received from the game's server and able to be cross-referenced with the game's card database - revealing the cards you'll get whatever pack you pick before you've even picked it.Pokmon TCG Pocket booster pack opening mechanics explained.Watch on YouTubeEurogamer previously reported on the various Pokmon TCG Pocket conspiracy theories being passed around the game's playerbase for how to "hack" or "glitch" the game to get better cards.Pokmon TCG Pocket looks to be off to a great start, with $12m earned over the game's first four days and more than 30m downloads after a week. Looking to get ahead of the game's first expansion, expected in January? Here's our Pokmon TCG Pocket tier list for the best Pokmon cards, Trainer cards, rental decks and decks.

Blizzard's Warcraft 1 & 2 remasters are official and out now on PCPlus, Warcraft 3: Reforged gets 2.0 update.Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 13, 2024 Almost exactly eight years since Blizzard said it wasn't planning to remaster Warcraft 1 & 2 because they're "just not that fun any more", the studio has announced it's doing just that - and both spruce-ups are available today as part of Warcraft's 30th anniversary celebrations.The original Warcraft helped catapult Blizzard into the big leagues when it launched back in 1994, with Warcraft 2 quickly emerging to sate its growing fanbase the following year. And the studio's newly announced remasters promise a range of enhancements to the games' classic real-time strategy action, starting with new hand-drawn visuals - said to capture the originals' art style - which can be toggled on and off in real-time.As for Warcraft 1 specifically, Blizzard has added "modern controls", including right-click move, bounding box select, and a faster game speed. That's on top of the UI and UX improvements - including tool tips, health bars, mission select screens, and increased unit select - that've been implemented across both titles. Additionally, Warcraft 2 Remastered retains the original's multiplayer, and all legacy custom maps are fully compatible and playable in the new version.Warcraft Remastered Battle Chest trailer.Watch on YouTubeWarcraft 1 Remastered and Warcraft 2 Remastered are available for PC via Battle.net right now (there's no word on whether they might eventually show up on other stores), costing $9.99 and $14.99 respectively. Additionally, there's a Battle Chest bundle, priced at $39.99, featuring the new remasters and Blizzard's much-maligned Warcraft 3: Reforged. Despite the latter's terrible launch reception, Blizzard has continued to improve the title since its arrival in 2020, with today bringing a new 2.0 update for all players. This includes overhauled environments and lighting, a revamped UI, up-rezzed HD versions of all classic Warcraft assets, plus a range of quality of life improvements - in-game hockey customisation and revamped ladder were mentioned - and "much, much more".

World of Warcraft getting customisable cars, player housing, and Classic Classic's launching soonWow.Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 13, 2024 Warcraft, you might have noticed, is 30 this year (this week in fact, if you want to be more specific), and Blizzard is celebrating the occasion with a bit of a news splurge covering its various games set in the Warcraft universe. And that, of course, includes World of Warcraft, with today bringing word the long-running MMO will soon see customisable cars, the launch of World of Warcraft Classic Classic, plus player houses sometime next year.On the World of Warcraft Classic front, Blizzard has announced it'll be launching Mists of Pandaria Classic in 2025, with a roadmap accompanying the news pointing to a pre-patch drop early next summer, before the full release a little later on. Additionally, it's confirmed the impending arrival of World of Warcraft Classic Classic (not strictly an official title), which introduces new fresh realms as part of a WoW Classic 20th Anniversary Edition launching on 21st November this year. These will be available in PvP, PvE, and Hardcore flavours, all progressing through to Burning Crusade Classic (Classic?) next year.Over in World of Warcraft regular, meanwhile, patch 11.0.7 is on the horizon, introducing the Siren Isle as this year's The War Within expansion continues to unfold. That's alongside a revamped Winter Veil event for the festive season, and the previously announced return of WoW's battle royale-style Plunderstorm mode, which is making a comeback next year.Mists of Pandaria Classic launches next year.Watch on YouTubeAnd as for what's next, that'll be WoW's 11.1 update, officially known as Undermined, releasing this winter. Undermined takes players to the capital city of the goblin's trade empire - called, yes, Undermine - where they'll learn more about goblin culture as The War Within's story continues, aligning themselves with one of the four warring goblins cartels: Steamwheedle, Blackwater, Bilgewater, and the Venture Company.There's a lot going on in update 11.1, including a new dungeon, Operation: Floodgate, which'll see players racing to stop a group of goblins from blowing up a dam that would bring ruin to the Ringing Deeps. This'll be immediately available as part of Season 2's dungeon pool, alongside four other launch dungeons and three returning legacy dungeons - including Motherlode from Battle for Azeroth. There's also a new arena PvP map set in the heart of the city, plus an eight-boss raid zone - The Liberation of Undermine - taking players through the city's streets and into the colourful but deadly Gallagio, where its owner, Gallywix, awaits.Undermined's most notable addition, however, is the introduction of cars, which players will earn early on in their quest, enabling them to barrel through Undermine's streets "much, much faster" than a regular ground mount would allow. Better yet, car characteristics - grip, drift, acceleration, top speed, and so on - can all be customised to suit players' tastes.Blizzard has plenty more planned for World of Warcraft in 2025, of course, with its roadmap outlining various new content drops as the year continues. That includes the MMO's next expansion, World of Warcraft: Midnight, which continues the Worldsoul Saga started in The War Within. And while Blizzard is mostly keeping tightlipped about Midnight for now, it has teased - via its favoured medium of cinematic reveal trailer - the introduction of player houses. It'll likely be some time, however, before it's ready to share more.In other Warcraft news, Blizzard has announced remasters of Warcraft 1 and 2, which real-time strategy fans can purchase via - either on their own or as part of a new $39.99 USD Battle Chest bundle containing Warcraft 3: Reforged - starting today.

Sea of Thieves is finally letting private server players earn full rewards starting in DecemberBut it's lowering the level cap.Image credit: Rare/Xbox News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 13, 2024 We're coming up to a year since Sea of Thieves launched its long-requested private servers, and with that first anniversary looming, Rare has announced it's making some welcome changes, finally allowing players to earn full rewards while sailing in Safer Seas mode.Safer Seas, if you're unfamiliar, provides a means for a single crew of up to four pirates to sail Sea of Thieves' entire open-world map without the ever-looming PvP threat of High Seas mode. While the absence of other crews means a good chunk of PvP focussed content is unavailable in Safer Seas, players can still tackle emergent PvE events, complete Trading Company voyages, and embark on narrative-driven Tall Tales.Crucially too, it's possible to earn gold to spend on cosmetics and to increase Trading Company standing by earning reputation in Safer Seas - but both of these have been capped at 30 percent of the amount you'd ordinarily earn in High Seas until now, making things a bit of a drag for pirates who just want to, say, have a chill time raising funds for a shiny new figurehead away from the hubbub of Sea of Thieves' main mode.Sea of Thieves News, November 7th 2024.Watch on YouTubeIn a new developer update, however, Rare has acknowledged Safer Seas' "punishingly restrictive rewards", admitting they're working against its intention of providing an "onboarding ramp for new players". As such, it'll be increasing the current gold and reputation payout rate all the way up to 100 percent, matching the rewards earned in High Seas. There's a trade-off, though; the studio is dropping Safer Seas' level cap down from 40 to 25.Essentially, that means players wanting to work their way up to Pirate Legend status and gain access to the various Trading Company cosmetics unlocked along the way will now need to hop over to High Seas much sooner. On the flip side, players looking for a safe environment to learn the ropes, or for a more relaxed space to amass gold or Seasonal Renown (which continues to be awarded at a 100 percent rate in Safer Seas) can now do so completely unhindered. It is, admittedly, a shame the Hunter's Call faction has been slapped with a lower level cap given how perfect Safer Seas mode is for a evening of quietly contemplative fishing (and given the Trading Company's already glacial reward payouts), but perhaps that'll be something - alongside the use of Captaincy ships, pretty please Rare - revisted as a Christmas treat next year.In other Sea of Thieves news, players will soon get their hands on a number of features originally promised for the start of the current stealth-focused Season 14, but which were pulled en masse as part of "drastic steps" following a disastrous launch in October. Once Rare releases its next patch this Thursday, 14th November, players can finally lay traps, hang from ledges while sneaking, and wear disguises. Rare is also promising a number of "high impact" fixes, putting a stop to players using crouch to gain a firing speed advantage, and preventing pirates grabbing supplies from barrels after moving out of range. Additionally, measures have been introduced to stop players swiping treasure from the Fort of the Damned's vault by swimming underneath.The studio notes this week's update has gained "additional [testing] time internally and with insiders", and that the team has also been trialling a new process enabling it to address critical experience issues as it locks down each build. "There's been a concerted effort across the team to improve on quality control", says Rare, and plans are also now in motion for "broader improvements for quality at the studio", with more details to come.And finally, players sailing the Sea of Thieves within the first week of tomorrow's update will earn bonus gold and doubloons, alongside a Lucrative Voyage of Luck or Legendary Voyage of Luck for Pirate Legends. These bonuses will now be offered with every monthly update.

Stellar Blade targeting 2025 PC release, sales expected to "exceed" consoleNew year's Eve.Image credit: Sony News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Nov. 12, 2024 Stellar Blade, the well-received sci-fi action-adventure from developer Shift Up, is targeting a 2025 release on PC, and the studio says it expects sales to exceed those seen on console.Stellar Blade, which tells the story of sword-wielding soldier Eve as she attempts to liberate Earth from a monstrous alien threat known as the Naytibas, released exclusively for PlayStation 5 back in April, going on to sell 1m copies by the end of June.And now Shift Up has announced plans to follow that success with a PC version at some point next year. The news was shared in the developer's Q3 2024 earnings report, where it said a Stellar Blade PC release was "being considered within 2025". It then added that due to "Steam's expanding market share in the AAA game sector and the global success of Black Myth: Wukong, we expect the performance on PC to exceed that on consoles."Stellar Blade launched for PS5 back in April.Watch on YouTubeBlack Myth: Wukong, for context, was a barnstorming success when it released in August, managing to sell 10m copies across PC and PS5 in just three days and quickly becoming the most-viewed game on Chinese livestreaming platforms. And while Shift Up's targets for Stellar Blade on PC are likely to be considerably more modest, the developer still has positive expectations for the game's ongoing popularity."To enhance the IP value and maintain momentum, we have been consistently releasing content patches and updates, which has helped sustain the game's popularity," it noted of the PS5 version, adding that, "With the addition of the Nier: Automata DLC and ongoing marketing activities, we plan to maintain the IP's popularity until the platform expansion."Stellar Blade's Nier: Automata DLC launches for PS5 on 20th November, and there's also a "no ponytail" hair option for Eve, plus a new photo mode, on the way.Eurogamer's Jessica Orr awarded Stellar Blade four stars when she reviewed it earlier this year. "[There's] a fair bit of weirdness," she wrote, "but its killer tunes and vibey, flow-state combat - plus a transformative hard mode - are enough to leave you entranced."