Over the last several months, the developers at Bungie have shown more than a passing interest in adding new crossovers to Destiny 2. Players have seen everything from The Witcher to Ghostbusters content in their shooter. The move to move to a Fortnite approach to crossovers has been fun to see, and it's continuing with the latest reveal. Bungie revealed that a new Dungeons and Dragons crossover is coming to Destiny 2. The collaboration comes to the game next week alongside the new The Final Shape expansion. It's safe to say that next week will be an exciting time for Destiny 2 fans.

Destiny 2 x Dungeons and Dragons Crossover

As you can see in the trailer above, the upcoming Destiny 2 x Dungeons and Dragons crossover features "Faer?n-inspired armor ornaments for every class." That means Warlocks are getting the Flayer's Dominion set, Titans can pick up the Apex Draconic set, and Hunters can get the Spectral Displacer set. Of the three, the Flayer's set is best-looking in our eyes, though you can't go wrong with any of them.

On top of the character skins, players can pick up the Adventurer's Pack bundle. It includes a Queen of Dragons ship, the Owlbear Chariot Sparrow, and the Eye Tyrant Ghost shell. Again, our favorite amongst these crossover items is the Owlbear Chariot, but all three would be great additions to any cosmetic lineup for Dungeons and Dragons fans, making them a great addition to The Final Shape.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape Release Date

As mentioned, Destiny 2: The Final Shape launches next week. To be specific, the new DLC comes to PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms on June 4th. The Final Shape is meant to be the end of Destiny 2's first major story saga. The Light and Darkness saga has been happening for seven years, making this a major milestone for Bungie. Alongside the saga finale, the new expansion features new super abilities for each subclass and the brand-new Prismatic subclass. Unlike previous expansions, Year 7 will not be divided into four seasonal content updates. Instead, Bungie is splitting it into three acts: Echoes, Revenant, and Heresay. Echoes will kick off the week after the expansion launches and the next two episodes will tentatively follow in October 2024 and February 2025.

Destiny 2 is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms.

Today's PlayStation State of Play was filled with new trailers and announcements for upcoming games like Concord and Silent Hill 2. However, the trailer that likely stole the show for many was the new footage we saw from Monster Hunter Wilds. While the game isn't due out anytime soon, seeing it in action is sure to whet the appetite of fans who have been dying to see what the team at Capcom does with the massively popular franchise next. In this new Monster Hunter Wilds trailer, those fans got to see the game in action, while also getting a few story nuggets to keep their interest piqued.

Monster Hunter Wilds Gameplay Trailer

As you can see in the trailer above, this is much more cinematic gameplay than you'd expect from a deep dive. That said, it's not a full CGI trailer either. Instead, the team has pulled back the UI and given us a glance at what Monster Hunter Wilds looks like in motion. We see the player character fighting massive monsters in melee and ranged combat. There's even a section where they're fighting from the back of their mount. Long-time fans will note many of their favorite weapons showing up in this trailer because Wilds is bringing back all 14 iconic pieces of gear.

However, don't expect each armament to function exactly as it did in the past. Instead, the team is adding new actions for every weapon. You can actually see this in action with both the Great Sword and Heavy Bowgun, though the team will share more in-depth rundowns of each weapon in the future. We also got to learn about the new Focus Mode, which is a new way for players to slow the action down, making it more accessible to new players. Plus, there was a quick look at the new Hook Slinger, which you'll use to collect items from a distance.

The team shared a few story details as well. We know that Monster Hunter Wilds takes place in the Forbidden Lands, a massive area that the Guild has never explored. You play as a Hunter sent to help explore the untamed wilderness and will have your trusty Palico at your side. The trailer also introduced us to a few other support characters you'll get to know as you make your way through the Forbidden Lands.

Unfortunately, the new trailer did not reveal a release date. We know that Monster Hunter Wilds is set to launch at some point in 2025, but Capcom hasn't narrowed it down any further than that. When it does launch next year, fans will be able to pick it up on PlayStation 5 and PC.

Update: NetEase has now revealed that Marvel Rivals will also be coming to Xbox Series X/S. The original story can be found below.

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NetEase Games has announced that its new multiplayer game, Marvel Rivals, will be coming to PlayStation 5. Upon its first reveal earlier this year, NetEase said that Marvel Rivals would only be coming to PC initially. As expected, many across PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms soon began making it known that they'd like to see the Marvel multiplayer game come to their own hardware of choice. Now, NetEase has made it known that it will be making good on those requests, but only for a single avenue.

Revealed during PlayStation's new State of Play event, Marvel Rivals was confirmed for PS5 platforms. NetEase shared that it would be holding a new Closed Beta for the game in a little over a month in July, although its full launch wasn't yet detailed. In addition, it was verified that a PS5-exclusive Scarlet Spider skin would be given to Spider-Man in-game. Details on how this would be unlockable weren't provided, though.

"Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter," says the game's official description. "Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe! Choose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse."

As mentioned, Marvel Rivals doesn't yet have a release date as NetEase is still in the beta phase for the title. Additionally, versions of the game for Xbox and Nintendo Switch have yet to be announced in any capacity. Given that a PS5 edition is now known to be happening, it will surely only strengthen calls for the title to come to other hardware. Whether or not this ends up happening remains to be seen, but we should start to learn a whole lot more about Marvel Rivals and its launch from NetEase Games as 2024 continues to progress.

Paramount+ is not moving forward with a planned 8-episode Dungeons & Dragons television series. Deadline reports that the Paramount+ streaming service has scrapped a planned Dungeons & Dragons television series nearly a year and a half after first announcing plans for the show. However, Hasbro still plans to develop a television show, with Deadline reporting that the television show will undergo a "creative update" before being shopped to other buyers. Hasbro's in-house Hasbro Entertainment will be guiding the series, following Hasbro's sale of eOne late last year. [Note, Paramount also owns ComicBook.]

According to Deadline, the "creative update" will include a new creative team. While Rawson Marshall Thurber was set to direct the pilot episode and direct the first episode, he and executive producer Drew Crevello will assumably no longer be involved with the series.

Details on the Dungeons & Dragons television show were light, although the show was to be set in the Forgotten Realms, the home of both Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and the hit video game Baldur's Gate 3. Unfortunately, progress on the TV series went silent after Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves underperformed at the box office, although Paramount head Brian Robbins had said that a sequel to the movie could happen if costs could be controlled. Additionally, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said in February that they were still working on a Dungeons & Dragons television series with Paramount named as the partner and platform.

While the Dungeons & Dragons television show is paused for now, the larger D&D brand is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a slate of crossovers and new books. In addition to new revised Core Rulebooks that updates the actual rules of the game, Dungeons & Dragons released crossovers with LEGO and Converse and also will release a collaboration with Destiny 2 next week. An off-Broadway theatrical experience featuring Dungeons & Dragons is also underway.

PlayStation and one of its first-party developers, Team Asobi, confirmed this week during PlayStation's State of Play event that a new Astro Bot game is coming to the PlayStation 5. It's simply called Astro Bot and is set to release on PS5 later this year on September 6, 2024. The reveal of this game follows some rumors and speculations that a new Astro Bot game would be announced during the State of Play event. So while it's a welcome announcement for Team Asobi fans, it's not a wholly unexpected one.

For those who've been following Team Asobi's contributions to PlayStation's first-party games over the past two consoles, it also shouldn't be surprising at all to see that the developer has stuck with Astro Bot again. The Astro Bot games are quite meta compared to most other first-party games in that they directly incorporate elements from PlayStation itself such as the use and on-screen appearance of things like the DualSense controller for the PS5, so Astro Bot and Team Asobi are about as first-party as it gets.

Most often, these games are meant to showcase hardware that PlayStation has come out with recently. In 2018, Astro Bot: Rescue Mission showed off what the PlayStation VR could do as players followed Astro and his companions on missions through virtual reality. Two years later, we got Astro's Playroom in 2020 which was free for everyone who had a PlayStation 5 and made for the perfect way to showcase what the DualSense and its haptic feedback and adaptive triggers could do. To that end, this new Astro Bot game from Team Asobi is technically the first that isn't tied to a specific event or reason for existing, so it'll be interesting to see then what Team Asobi has done with it.

Prior to this game's reveal, it was leaked as one of the 14 games that'd be showcased during the State of Play event. Some of those details shared beforehand included hints that the game would take place in a desert setting and that Astro would be accompanied by a robotic fox, though it was said at the time that the game would not offer PlayStation VR 2 support which some might've expected after the VR focus on Astro Bot: Rescue Mission.

Today's PlayStation State of Play was full of new announcements and reveals. Many of these projects are still relatively far away, but one major announcement was that PlayStation's upcoming hero shooter Concord is coming very soon. We also hadn't seen the game in action before this showcase. Fortunately, the developers at Firewalk Studio revealed an extended CGI trailer showing off several of the characters you'll get to play as and a chunky teaser of what gameplay will look like when Concord ships later this year. Of course, the hero shooter space has gotten crowded over the last several years, so it will take some work for Concord to stand out from the crowd.

Concord Release Date

As mentioned, Concord is getting a beta on PlayStation 5 and PC before it hits its full release. The developers didn't reveal the exact date but said the beta will launch in July. Most likely, we'll hear more about what to expect next month as the team preps for the beta period. Either way, players won't have to wait much longer after the beta drops, because Concord is currently scheduled to release on August 23rd.

Of course, development is never a straight line and that date could move around. After all, we've seen other shooters like XDefiant struggle to get out the door for one reason or the other. That doesn't mean Concord is at risk of being delayed, but it's fair to say that the beta might reveal issues the team needs to fix before the game launches. Hopefully, it's not enough to push the release date back and players can jump in on August 23rd.

Concord Gameplay Reveal

The two-minute gameplay trailer for Concord didn't reveal too many specifics. If you've played games like Overwatch, you essentially know what to expect. The game will likely have mechanics to help differentiate itself from the crowd, but the developers are saving that deep dive for a later date. What is worth noting is the focus Firewalk is trying to put on story-telling. Each week, players will be treated to a new vignette featuring the characters from the game. These continuing stories will help build out the universe, creating a few fan favorites along the way.

Remember Concord is scheduled to launch on August 23rd on PlayStation 5 and PC, but will have a beta period in July.

At long last, the release date for Konami and Bloober Team's remake of Silent Hill 2 has been announced. Originally revealed all the way back in fall 2022, news on this long-awaited survival-horror remake has taken a long time to come about. Outside of a brief new trailer that was shown in the past year, Bloober Team has continued to implore fans to be patient while waiting for the finished product. Luckily, we now know just how long is left to wait for Silent Hill 2 as the remake now has a specific launch date.

Announced in a new trailer as part of Sony's State of Play broadcast, Silent Hill 2 was revealed to be arriving on October 8, 2024. This latest trailer for the game happened to highlight more of the cutscenes and characters seen in the remake rather solely focusing on gameplay as the previous one did. To that end, this is perhaps the best video we've received so far when it comes to the tone and look that Bloober Team is going for with its remake.

You can watch this new trailer for yourself right here:

As we previously already knew, Silent Hill 2 is set to be a console exclusive for PlayStation 5, but it will also be coming to PC as well. Despite being an exclusive to PS5, this exclusivity is set to only last for one full year. After that time, Konami could feasibly choose to bring Silent Hill 2 to Xbox platforms, or even Nintendo Switch, too. Currently, no such plans of this type have been announced, but given that the Silent Hill franchise has a history on Xbox and Nintendo hardware, there's a good chance that Konami will explore this possibility.

Outside of Silent Hill 2, Konami happens to also be remaking another one of its most iconic games in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Dubbed Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, this remake is currently in development at Virtuous and remains without a launch window of any sort. Given that the release plans for SH2 have finally been divulged, though, Konami might look to next shed more light on its revamped version of MGS3 in the weeks or months ahead.

God of War Ragnarok, the most recent game in PlayStation's long-running God of War series, is heading to the PC platform. PlayStation announced as much today during May's State of Play event, though considering the pattern PlayStation has been following with its PlayStation-to-PC releases, that shouldn't be much of a surprise. God of War Ragnarok will come to PCs later this year on September 19, 2024.

God of War Ragnarok came out back in November 2022 for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 which meant that even though we don't know when the next God of War game is coming out, it's almost certainly the last one that'll grace the PS4. Interestingly enough, it received the exact same Metacritic score as its 2018 predecessor, God of War, with both games earning a 94, so if you enjoyed the sort-of reboot for Kratos years ago and never got around to playing this one, it's worth revisiting now that it's coming to the PC platform.

It may be worth revisiting again even if you did play it on the PS4 or PS5 since PlayStation's PC ports typically offer the most complete and customizable versions of games. The most recent PlayStation-to-PC game, Ghost of Tsushima, boasted different settings not possible on the PlayStation consoles as well as a complete package with all the DLC and the Ghost of Tsushima: Legends mode, for example. God of War Ragnarok got Valhalla after release which was a free epilogue for Kratos and company, so PC players will get to navigate that as well after completing the base game.

Of course, PlayStation has been adamant about continuing to put its games on the PC platform albeit at a much later date than their PlayStation releases, so seeing God of War Ragnarok confirmed for PCs shouldn't be surprising. Other PlayStation games other than the most recent Ghost of Tsushima that have come to the PC platform include Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition, Helldivers 2, The Last of Us Part 1, Returnal, and both Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. With God of War Ragnarok soon to be marked off the list, one would expect Marvel's Spider-Man 2 would be the next big milestone for these PC releases.

In 2005, Sega gave Shadow the Hedgehog his very own video game, which saw the anti-hero wielding guns, and even doing some light swearing. It's pretty dark for a Sonic the Hedgehog spin-off, but Sega almost went even edgier for the game. In an interview with GameLuster, Shadow's former voice actor Jason Griffith revealed that he recorded two versions of the game's audio: the one Sega went with, and a version where Shadow is far more foul-mouthed. Apparently, Sega was considering an M-rating for the game, but opted not to go with it.

"Right, they were going for an M-rating with this game and they hadn't heard back from the agency if they were going to get it yet. So they had me record two takes for every line, and I swear, the version that was for the M-rating, they had me say f*** in every single line. It was just every sentence, I would be yelling 'Sonic, give me that f***ing Chaos Emerald!' or something like that. I had no idea what was going on but I just went with it, and I had fun. There's a hard drive somewhere with hours of recordings of Shadow yelling f*** at Tails and Sonic and stuff."

Would Shadow be Popular Today if His Game Was M-Rated?

While older Sonic fans would have surely gotten some enjoyment out of hearing the brooding Shadow profusely cursing, the move would have made it a lot harder for Sega to market the character to fans of all-ages outside the game. This is a character that now appears in LEGO sets, on good2grow drink bottles, and on cartoon shows aimed at viewers of all ages.

Sega is even running a campaign this year known as the "Year of Shadow," which is all about encouraging kids to "stay fearless" in the face of adversity. It kind of goes without saying that sort of campaign would be a tougher sell right now had Shadow starred in an M-rated game. It's honestly hard to say if Shadow would be a household name had Sega gone a lot darker with his only starring role. It hasn't stopped Deadpool from appearing on a metric ton of Marvel merchandise, though the character is aimed at kids a lot less than Shadow is.

The Year of Shadow

Nearly 19 years after the the release of Shadow the Hedgehog, the game's eponymous star still has a reputation of being the "edgiest" Sonic character, but he's still marketable enough to kids that he gets to play a major role in this year's Sonic the Hedgehog 3, where he'll be played by Keanu Reeves. It's fun to think about how much different the character's path might have been, but everything seemed to work out for the best!

Are you disappointed Shadow didn't swear a bunch in his video game? Do you think Sega made the right call avoiding an M-rating? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

[H/T: Nintendo Everything]

Amazon Prime Video's Fallout TV series is a breakout success after Season 1, in terms of both streaming ratings and mainstream buzz. The TV adaptation of Fallout not only brought a whole new audience to the long-popular Fallout games - the show created its own iconic lore independent of the games - with one of the biggest successful additions being the introduction of Cooper Howard, the once-famous Hollywood actor who ended up becoming the dreaded bounty hunter known only as "The Ghoul" in the wasteland.

Goggins' portrayal of The Ghoul and his character's entire surprising turns in the story are a large part of the reason that Fallout (2024) has blown up on social media. The before-and-after comparison photos between Goggins as "Cooper" and him in makeup as "The Ghoul" have already been cemented as a meme trend that will live on for years to come.

While talking to LA Times recently, Goggins tried to express just how much Fallout's reception has exceeded what even the cast and crew hoped for: "No one imagined it would be on this scale. That is gratifying and extremely humbling," Goggins said. "People have shown up and responded to the work of 500 people that pulled this thing together."

Walton Goggins knows all too well that the prime of his career has been all about unexpected projects and roles becoming breakout successes. Goggins got even more notice in the gritty LA cop series The Shield (2002-2008), which was one of the first series to establish FX as a network for prestige original programming. Goggins then had a small villain role expand in a major way with FX's country-western crime-dama series Justified (2010-2015; 2023) where he played fan-favorite redneck crime boss, Boyd Crowder. Ever since starring in Justified, Goggins has been in higher demand as a character actor; in 2024 he has not only been a major part of Fallout but also Prime Video's hit animated series Invincible, which is based on the cult-hit comic series.

"My career has been like a stock that you want to own, that I want to own," Goggins explained. "There have been dips, but it's gradually gone up over time. I don't know, man. They say one door closes and another door opens. My life has been, one door opens and another door opens and another door opens, and you find yourself in rooms with people like Quentin Tarantino and ["Fallout" executive producer Jonathan Nolan] without questioning how you got there."

Fallout Season 1 is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video; Season 2 is in development.

Last month, developer Hexworks announced that the Master of Fate update was meant to be "the final chapter" of Lords of the Fallen. Today, we learned that finality isn't what it used to be as the team revealed another chunky patch providing players with brand-new ways to play. The Clash of Champions update in Lords of the Fallen features two new boss rush modes that will test players' skills more than any other mode the team has produced. Fortunately, you can take it on in both single-player and online co-op, making the task slightly easier if you have a buddy to help.

The first mode is called "Echoes of Battle," and it features six fights against several fan-favorite bosses. If you take them down without dying, you'll earn new rewards. "Crucible" is the other mode and it's being called the "ultimate challenge." You have to beat the normal game before it unlocks and you'll unlock even harder versions by completing specific tasks. The team has also introduced a few performance improvements, notably fixing the stuttering issues players were running into after the Master of Fate patch.

Below, you'll find the full notes for the Clash of Champions update. Lords of the Fallen is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Lords of the Fallen Clash of Champions Update Patch Notes

Greetings Lampbearers,

Did you really believe VERSION 1.5 - 'Master of Fate' was the final chapter in your harrowing journey through Mournstead? Well, it's time to relight the lantern, Crusader, for yet another adventure awaits...

As requested by a great number of you, today we release 'Clash of Champions', a brand new update that throws down the gauntlet to those looking for the ultimate trial of skill and endurance. featuring two previously unannounced 'boss rush' modes - 'Echoes of Battle' and 'Crucible' - you now have the option to replay boss battles with previously vanquished foes or confront them sequentially in one of several gruelling gauntlets. Both modes are playable either in single-player or with a fellow Lampbearer in online co-op multiplayer. Today's update also includes further performance improvements in addition to fully resolving the stutters some players experienced following the 'Master of Fate' update.

Accessible through the game's Vestige checkpoint markers, the Boss Rush modes feature two distinct experiences for players: 'Echoes of Battle' and 'Crucible'. While Echoes of Battle allows players to relive their favourite boss encounters, including Ellianne the Starved, Congregator of Flesh, and Radiant Sentinel, Crucible is a series of six increasingly challenging trials of pre-selected bosses that must be overcome without dying to unlock rewards, including Shrine Currency and exclusive new armour tincts.

Crucible - A gruelling test of combat

Undergo the ultimate challenge in Crucible, where you can choose from pre-selected trials, each offering different bosses to face with differing rewards based on the level of difficulty. As for those who are truly one with Mournstead, we challenge you to take on the Crucible of the Lords. Crucible mode is available after finishing the campaign once, with different crucibles unlocking after meeting certain criteria.

Crucible of Faith

• Pieta, She of Blessed Renewal
  
• The Congregator of Flesh
  
• The Hushed Saint
  

Unlocked by: Beating the bosses listed normally

Reward:
Each Shrine Currency x100 (300 total)
Umbral Scourings x20

Unique Tinct

Crucible of Blood

• Spurned Progeny
  
• The Hollow Crow
  
• Tancred, Master of Castigations + Reinhold the Immured
  

Reward:
Each Shrine Currency x150 (450 total)
Umbral Scourings x30

Crucible of Light

• Pieta, She of Blessed Renewal
  
• The Hushed Saint
  
• Tancred, Master of Castigations + Reinhold the Immured
  
• Judge Cleric, the Radiant Sentinel
  

Unlocked by: Reaching the Rhogar ending

Reward:
Severed Hands x1000
Umbral Scourings x50

Crucible of Fire

• Spurned Progeny
  
• The Lightreaper
  
• The Sundered Monarch
  
• Adyr, the Bereft Exile
  

Unlocked by: Reaching the Radiance ending

Reward:
Pilfered Coins x1000
Umbral Scourings x50

Crucible of Darkness

• The Congregator of Flesh
  
• The Hollow Crow
  
• Harrower Dervla, the Pledged Knight + The Unbroken Promise
  
• Elianne the Starved
  

Unlocked by: Reaching the Umbral ending

Reward:
Plucked Eyeballs x1000
Umbral Scourings x50

Crucible of the Lords

• Pieta, She of Blessed Renewal
  
• The Congregator of Flesh
  
• The Hushed Saint
  
• Spurned Progeny
  
• The Hollow Crow
  
• Harrower Dervla, the Pledged Knight + The Unbroken Promise
  
• Tancred, Master of Castigations + Reinhold the Immured
  
• Judge Cleric, the Radiant Sentinel
  
• The Lightreaper
  
• The Sundered Monarch
  
• Adyr, the Bereft Exile
  
• Elianne the Starved
  

Unlocked by: Beating all 3 ending-based Challenges

Reward:
Each Shrine Currency x1000 (3000 total)
Umbral Scourings x150

How to Activate 'Crucible'

1. Start Lords of the Fallen

2. Go to any Vestige

3. Select Crucible

4. Pick any of the unlocked Crucibles

5. Then select the starting boss

6. Beat the boss

7. The select the next boss in the challenge

Echoes of Battle - A rematch to the death

For those of you who still have a bone to pick with a felled foe, we offer unlimited access to vent your frustrations - re-challenge foes you have defeated in battle to your heart's content.

How to Activate 'Echoes of Battle'

3. Select Echoes of Battle

4. Pick a boss

5. Then fight to the death

Check out our roadmap here

Thank you to all Lampbearers who supported us on this adventure and a special thanks goes out to the passionate Nikolay-97 who kept asking for a Boss Rush mode to be added on each and every update announcement!

A new Ubisoft Forward has been announced. The event will take place on June 10th at 12 p.m. PT, and the publisher has already revealed some of the games that will be featured. The line-up will include at least three of the company's big 2024 releases: Star Wars Outlaws, Assassin's Creed Shadows, and XDefiant. While those three games would probably be enough to get a lot of people tuning in, Ubisoft has also teased that additional games will be featured. A pre-show will take place 30 minutes prior, and there will be "a deeper look" at some of these games after the event's conclusion.

Ubisoft Forward will stream live on the company's channels on YouTube (link here) and Twitch (link here). A teaser trailer for the event can be found below.

What Other Games Could be Featured?

While we know of at least three games that will appear at Ubisoft Forward, there are several other possibilities. A 20th anniversary edition of Beyond Good & Evil was confirmed by Ubisoft late last year, following a leak. Unfortunately, there's been no word on the game since, and Ubisoft technically hasn't announced any platforms (though those also seem to have leaked thanks to the ESRB). The game was supposed to be released in early 2024, but that window has pretty much closed at this point. While the original never found a huge audience, there are still a lot of people passionate about the game that are eager to see it remastered. Hopefully the anniversary edition is still coming along smoothly and we'll learn more soon.

Additionally, this could be a great place for an update on the remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Like Beyond Good & Evil - 20th Anniversary Edition, we haven't heard about the remake since late last year, when Ubisoft stated that the game had "passed an important internal milestone." That would seem to indicate that progress has been coming along nicely on the game. While Prince of Persia fans have had a lot to celebrate lately, news on the remake of Sands of Time would be a nice cherry on top.

A Big Month for Gaming Events

Ubisoft Forward is just one of several gaming events that will be taking place in the month of June. In addition to Ubisoft Forward, Summer Game Fest will take place on June 7th, while the Xbox Games Showcase is happening on June 9th. Last but not least, a Nintendo Direct will be happening in June, though a date has not been announced.

Are you planning to check out the Ubisoft Forward event? What games are you hoping to see featured? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Over the last few weeks, rumors about the future of Resident Evil have been flying fast and loose. We've heard that Resident Evil 9 was being announced soon and then learned that it might've been delayed internally. There have also been rumors about upcoming remakes of everything from Resident Evil 0 to Resident Evil 5, but Capcom hasn't provided any official word about what's coming. Hopefully, that'll change soon as we get closer to the gaming summer events in June. Adding even more credence to that line of thought is a new online listing on Play Asia featuring what appears to be Resident Evil 9's placeholder cover and subtitle.

Resident Evil 9: Revenant Shadows Play Asia Listing

The Play Asia listing for Resident Evil 9 claims the subtitle is Revenant Shadows. Obviously, this could be a placeholder subtitle that Capcom could change, but it's our best idea of what RE9 will be. The listing also includes a short description. Again, this is probably placeholder information, but it's worth taking a look at because of what it might be hinting at.

The item description reads, "Resident Evil 9: Revenant Shadows is the latest installment in the iconic survival horror series by Capcom. This game continues the chilling legacy with a fresh story, new characters, and the return of familiar faces. Set in an expansive, terrifying world filled with new threats and mysteries, Revenant Shadows blends intense action, intricate puzzles, and the atmospheric dread that fans have come to love."

There are a few things to glean from this. The first is the rumors about returning characters like Leon Kennedy coming back into the fray might be true. The listing doesn't tell us which "familiar faces" are coming back, but we at least know that a few fan favorites will be involved in Resident Evil 9. The other big detail is that RE9 will feature an "expansive" world. Fans who have been paying close attention will remember leaks claiming the next game would feature an open world. This listing seems to confirm that detail, though you'll want to take all of this with a hefty grain of salt.

Next Resident Evil Remakes

The intrigue doesn't end with the Resident Evil 9 listing. Play Asia also has listings for PlayStation 5 versions of Code Veronica, Resident Evil 0, and Resident Evil 5. It's unlikely all of those projects are remakes, so we might be getting a remaster of RE5 from Capcom. However, it's worth noting that the most recent rumor claimed RE5 was not in active development, with the team instead focusing on remakes of Code Veronica and RE0. Hopefully, Capcom will reveal more over the next few weeks to clear all of this up for fans.

Arkane Austin has released one final update for Redfall today across Xbox and PC. Within the past month, it was announced that Bethesda studios Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks would be shutting down for good. As a result, any ongoing development and updates for Redfall were assumed to be done away with entirely. Fortunately, this hasn't proven to be true as one last patch for Redfall has now been released bringing a variety of highly-requested new features to the shooter.

For the most part, this last update for Redfall has added some quality of life improvements that will make the game easier to play in the years to come. Notably, an offline mode has been added to the game alongside the ability to pause while in single-players. Beyond this, Arkane has also overhauled a couple of different systems in Redfall based on feedback from those who have played it in the past.

You can get a look at the full patch notes for this last Redfall update attached below.

Redfall Update 1.451.3.0 Patch Notes

NEIGHBORHOOD REVAMP - INTRODUCING COMMUNITY STANDING

With the release of Game Update 4, unlocking a new Safehouse, completing Safehouse missions, rescuing civilians, or killing an Underboss will all contribute to a new reputation bar called, "Community Standing". As you assist the residents of Redfall in freeing their town from the grip of the Vampire Gods, you'll be able to use your Support currency to unlock new rewards from the Safehouse Skill Tree.

There are six ranks of Community Standing giving you 39 unique rewards that serve as permanent buffs. As you progress higher through the Skill Tree, the unlocks become increasingly more impactful.

To help you get a better idea of what upgrades await, let's look at a couple of unlocks from each of the six ranks of Community Standing.

Rank 1:

• Treat Yourself: Cosmetics near your location appear on your Map and Compass.
• I'm In: Turrets and Tripwires take 50% less time to Hack.

Rank 2:

• The Rest of the Story: Grave Locks near your location appear on your Map and Compass.
• Ammo Dump: Human enemies drop more ammo on death.

Rank 3:

• Well Grounded: Take 50% less damage from Rook Storm lightning strikes.
• Castle Doctrine: Unlocked Safehouse defense now includes some Friendly Turrets.

Rank 4:

• Family Heirlooms: Anglers, Shrouds, and Siphons drop better rewards on death.
• Homeopathic Remedy: Using a Medical Supply has a 40% chance to not consume the item.

Rank 5:

• Crystal Ball: Each Psychic Residue Orb collected has a 40% chance to give you significantly more Psychic Residue.
• Last Laugh: When destroyed, Friendly Turrets will electrocute enemies within 20 meters. Does not affect enemies immune to electrocution.

Rank 6:

• High Roller: Unrivaled items appear much more frequently in loot.
• Escape Plan: Activate a salvaged Bellwether cloak for 10 seconds upon reaching critical health levels. Attacking will deactivate. Can only occur once every 10 minutes.

All the upgrades from the Community Standing Skill Tree are meant to provide you with a mixture of QoL and gameplay benefits. A few of the traits will even help collectors finish out their hunt for cosmetics and Grave Locks.

NEST REVAMP - ELDER NEST

Also arriving with Game Update 4 are Elder Nests. These new Boss-focused Nests will challenge you to destroy dangerously modified special Vampires to free Redfall from their influence.

Portals to the Elder Nest will appear around Redfall much like their Heart Nest siblings. But these new psychic spaces can be distinguished by their purple glow over the areas where their influence reaches.

Once you've accepted the challenge and entered the Elder Nest, your objective is to find the Vampire boss buried deep within and destroy them, freeing the Heart inside, grabbing your rewards, and escaping.

After successfully clearing the Elder Nest, you (and your teammates) will be granted a temporary buff called a Heart Shard. The duration of the Heart Shard scales to the campaign difficulty; granting a longer buff at each higher difficulty.

Here are just a few of the Heart Shards that could be granted after completing an Elder Nest:

• Ammo Synthesis: Holstered weapons regenerate ammo and reload when not in use.
• UV Healing: A player gains health when hit by UV.
• Light in Darkness: The expanding aura around the Nest weakens vampires inside it, instead of the usual strengthening effect.

There's one more major change coming to all Nests with this update. Failing to escape a Nest during its destabilization phase will now result in you not obtaining the Major Remanent. Any loot that you pick up will still be yours, but the Major Remnant is now rewarded after you successfully exit the collapsing Nest.

QUALITY OF LIFE

OFFLINE MODE

With the release of GU4 you will be given the option to play Redfall while disconnected from the Internet. You will also be able to continue playing if you're disconnected from the Internet in the middle of a solo session. When playing in co-op, the host will be dropped into a solo offline session.

SINGLE PLAYER PAUSING

Another new feature we're happy to introduce is Single Player Pausing. Now if you need some time to adjust your kit, or you just need to step away for a minute, the world of Redfall will wait with you.

Developers at CD Projekt Red, the studio behind Cyberpunk 2077, have promised fans that one major feature for the game is still in development. Earlier this week, CD Projekt announced that it had completely moved off of its ongoing work on Cyberpunk 2077 so that it could focus on other projects. As a result, many fans assumed that future updates for the title would likely be done away with entirely. Luckily, one additional patch for the game has now been confirmed, although a timeline for its arrival has yet to be detailed.

In a conversation with IGN, a representative from CD Projekt Red verified that FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 support is still set to come to Cyberpunk 2077 in the future. Previously, FSR3 functionality is something that CDPR informed fans would be coming to Cyberpumnk 2077 on PC. However, in the wake of the studio announcing the end of its work on the title, it seemed as though this feature would no longer come about, but that has now proven to be untrue.

"We are still working on the FSR3 support for Cyberpunk 2077, but I do not have an update on its availability just yet," said the brief statement from the studio's representative.

In case you're unaware of what FSR3 even is, it's a technology from AMD that helps improve the frame rate of various games. This supersampling tech is only available on PC, though, and must be added to games on a case-by-case basis. As a result, this isn't something that those on PlayStation or Xbox will ever see added to Cyberpunk 2077, but it is something that PC players can continue to look forward to.

Further down the road, CD Projekt has announced that it's already working on a full sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, although specifics on the project are still incredibly slim. In the near term, a new entry in The Witcher franchise, which many fans have dubbed The Witcher 4, is also in development at CDPR and should launch ahead of the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel. Whether or not new info on either of these games comes to light in 2024 remains to be seen, but it's clear that CDPR has a lot going on at the moment.

Bloober Team announced today that Take-Two has ended its publishing deal for a survival horror game codenamed "Project C." The partnership formed in 2021, but was not revealed until 2022, and would have seen the game published by Take-Two's Private Division. In a release from Bloober Team, the studio confirmed that development on the game will continue. At this time, Bloober Team plans to self-publish the game, but has also noted the possibility that it could find a different publisher.

"...at the date of publication of the current report, the Company continues work on Project C in accordance with the planned production and marketing schedule in the self-publishing model. At the same time, the Issuer does not rule out the possibility of continuing this production based on cooperation with a new publisher," the statement reads (translated from the original Polish by Google).

When is Project C Coming Out?

The statement from Bloober Team does not offer additional information about the game, such as a release window. The original announcement about the partnership with Private Division stated that Project C would not be released before 2025. That means we won't be seeing the game until next year at the earliest, and that could give Bloober Team plenty of time to find a different publisher, should it so desire.

In Bloober Team's statement, it's claimed that no reason was given for the partnership termination. However, industry analyst @MauroNL mentioned on Twitter that Take-Two's cost reduction plan might have something to do with it. In April, the company announced layoffs and plans to cancel multiple projects.

Silent Hill 2 and the Future of Bloober Team

It's not all that surprising that Project C is so far out. Bloober Team is a relatively small developer, consisting of less than 100 employees. The studio's focus also seems to be on a remake of Silent Hill 2, which is expected to release within the next year. That's clearly taking priority over a new IP, but hopefully we'll learn a lot more about Project C once Silent Hill 2 is out.

Despite its smaller size, Bloober Team has made a name for itself over the last few years thanks to the company's horror games. Bloober Team has focused on both original IP like Layers of Fear and The Medium, as well as established properties like Silent Hill and The Blair Witch. Silent Hill 2 is easily the biggest thing the studio has done, and if successful, it could help make Bloober Team an even bigger name in the industry. With a Silent Hill Transmission set to take place later today, fans should have a better idea how that project is shaping up.

Do you have any interest in Bloober Team's new games? Have you enjoyed the studio's work? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Indeed, it appears that whatever corporate shenanigans where behind the delay have been cleared up because you can now order the first official edition of Harry Potter Monopoly right here on Amazon for $39.99, and it's in stock and shipping now.

In Harry Potter Monopoly Edition you'll be sorted into a Hogwarts house, and compete to earn enough house points to win the game. You'll travel through iconic Harry Potter locations in and around Hogwarts castle, and your journey starts with one of 6 tokens: Hippogriff, The Knight Bus, Hogwarts Express, Hagrid's Motorbike, Thestral, and Firebolt. What's more, the Owl Post Card Holder figurine is one of the big highlights of the Harry Potter redesign. The Owl Post cards replace Chance and Community Chest cards, but if you're unlucky you'll draw a Howler, which may jinx your game.

"The more a player explores, the more house points they can collect from other players. Collect a color set to add house crests, and draw Owl Post cards for game-changing news. The game ends when all locations have been explored, and the player with the most house points wins!"

Harry Potter TV Series Is Coming to Max

Last year, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that they are set to reboot the Harry Potter franchise for the Max streaming service. They describe the upcoming series as follows;

"The stories from each of Rowling's Harry Potter books will become a decade-long series produced with the same epic craft, love and care this global franchise is known for. The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail, much loved characters and dramatic locations that Harry Potter fans have loved for over 25 years. Each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and beloved films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally."

Will Daniel Radcliffe Appear in the Harry Potter Reboot?

As original Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe told ComicBook last year, he doesn't think he will -- or probably should -- return in the Max reboot.

"My understanding is that they're trying to very much start fresh and I'm sure whoever is making them will want to make their own mark on it and probably not want to have to figure out how to get old Harry to cameo in this somewhere," Radcliffe confirmed with ComicBook.com. "So I'm definitely not seeking it out in any way. But I do wish them, obviously, all the luck in the world and I'm very excited to have that torch passed. But I don't think it needs me to physically pass it."

Following some V-Jump scans which hinted at more Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero characters from Dragon Ball Z and beyond as well as another themed video, a new trailer dropped this week to confirm not just a few but 21 different characters. This trailer is all about fused characters, so Goten, Kid Trunks, and their fusion, Gotenks, of course make an appearance alongside Vegito, Kefla, and more. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero still does not yet have a confirmed release date even after this newest trailer, however.

In typical Dragon Ball fashion, many of the characters confirmed for Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero today are ones that are basically different versions of existing characters. Though the full list of fighters announced today totals 21 different playable characters, there were technically only nine different people confirmed for the game's massive roster.

That said, you can find each of those 21 different characters listed out below, and you can see them in action in the trailer here as well:

New Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Fighters

• Trunks (Kid)
• Trunks (Kid), Super Saiyan
• Goten
• Goten, Super Saiyan
• Caulifla
• Caulifla, Super Saiyan 2
• Kale
• Kale, Super Saiyan
• Gotenks
• Gotenks, Super Saiyan
• Gotenks, Super Saiyan 3
• Kefla
• Kefla, Super Saiyan
• Kefla, Super Saiyan 2
• Vegito
• Vegito, Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan
• Gogeta (Super)
• Gogeta (Super), Super Saiyan
• Gogeta (Super), Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan
• Fused Zamasu
• Fused Zamasu, Half-Corrupted

With these characters now revealed, it's becoming more evident now how Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero could possibly hope to fill up the huge roster since most of these characters are different versions of each other or fusions combining them together. Below is a graphic showing what the roster looks like now that these characters are confirmed, though there are still plenty more spots to fill before Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero releases.

When the game will release remains to be seen, but a release date leak from not long ago suggested that the game would be out in October. Bandai Namco has not indicated as much yet, but we may find out more come soon during the summer gaming events.

Prior to PlayStation's latest State of Play event taking place this evening, the lineup of games that will be shown off in the presentation seems to have leaked. When Sony announced its new State of Play broadcast within the past day, it didn't say anything about which titles will be unveiled at the event. Instead, Sony only confirmed that 14 games across PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2 would be making an appearance in a stream that would last roughly 30 minutes. And while there's no guarantee yet with what Sony intends to reveal, we now have a good guess at what might appear.

According to insider Nick Baker, who has had many accurate PlayStation scoops in the past, the identity of seven of the games at this State of Play are now known. In a message shared on social media today, Baker said that PlayStation would show off new looks at its Until Dawn remake, Concord, Monster Hunter Wilds, and would also reveal God of War Ragnarok for PC. Additionally, a new Astro Bot game would be revealed along with a title called Where Winds Meet and an Aliens game for PlayStation VR2.

Elsewhere on the internet, another leak from @LeakProximidad has further revealed what else might be in the pipeline for this State of Play. This leak has suggested that Sony will announce a PlayStation version of Marvel Rivals, a new Five Nights at Freddy's game, and a new Dynasty Warriors installment. Path of Exile 2, Silent Hill 2 remake, and Phantom Blade Zero are all also reportedly going to be highlighted alongside a "new VR game" and another title that is said to stem from the Middle East.

Obviously, there's no way to verify just yet that anything that has been outlined here will be showing up during today's State of Play. As a result, be sure to take all of this with a massive grain of salt until we learn more. Fortunately, we don't have a whole lot longer left to wait as today's PlayStation State of Play will air this evening at 6:00pm ET/3:00pm PT across YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok. You can also stay up to date here on ComicBook.com as we'll bring you all of the latest news from the event as it develops.

[H/T Insider Gaming]

Earlier this year, developer Larian Studios shocked fans when it revealed that it had no intention of making a sequel to Baldur's Gate 3. The game was considered one of the best titles of 2023, and many fans had hoped the developer would move directly on to a sequel. We now know that won't be happening, but apparently Baldur's Gate 4 was discussed by the team before the decision was made to work on something else entirely. In a new interview with Games Radar+, Baldur's Gate 3 narrative director Adam Smith revealed that the studio just couldn't get excited about a follow-up.

"For us, we didn't have anything unfinished that we wanted to say, we wanted to move on to other worlds," Smith tells Games Radar+. "And we tried, we did start pushing around ideas for Baldur's Gate 4, and they didn't excite us, we didn't have the fire. It feels like it should have been a harder decision than it was, but it wasn't."

Creating Something New

That desire to "move on to other worlds" lines up with what we've heard from Larian over the last few months. Back in March, Larian founder and CEO Swen Vincke revealed that the developer is currently working on two new projects. Those projects are, presumably, in the very early stages, and there's no real indication when we might see either of them released. However, given the critical success of Baldur's Gate 3, most fans will probably be patient and trust Larian to show things off only when it's ready to do so.

When the announcement was first made that Larian would not be continuing work on Baldur's Gate, many had assumed that there might have been internal conflicts between Larian, Hasbro, and Wizards of the Coast. However, it seems that's not case, and things ended on positive terms between the companies.

Will There Still Be a Baldur's Gate 4?

While Larian won't be handling the next Baldur's Gate game, Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast have indicated that the series will continue. In an interview with PC Gamer last month, the company revealed that it's "going to take our time and find the right partner." Whoever does take over from Larian is going to have a difficult task, but Baldur's Gate has been going strong for more than two decades, under a number of talented development teams. At the end of the day, if Larian wasn't passionate about continuing to work on the series, it's for the best that they focus on something else instead. Hopefully the end result will be better for everyone at Larian, and for the Baldur's Gate franchise, as well.

Are you excited to see what Larian does next? Do you wish they had decided to make Baldur's Gate 4? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

The Annecy International Animation Film Festival is an event that often touts some big premieres. This year, the festival will feature the likes of The Lord of The Rings: The War of The Rohirrim, Creature Commandos, Look Back, and many other animated projects that fans are looking to dive into. The studio known as Fortiche is also planning to have a role at Annecy as the production house responsible for Netflix's Arcane has plans to reveal a new animated series that is surrounded by mystery.

Arcane is a fan-favorite animated series that presents a story focusing on Jinx and Vi, two characters that first got their start in the beloved video game, League of Legends. The series took the world by storm by incorporating some eye-popping animation with a compelling story that didn't pull any punches. Fortiche might be best known for Arcane, but it isn't the only project that the studio has done in the past. The production house created Rabbids Invasion, another project based on a video game, along with Marvel's Rocket & Groot.

Fortiche's New Animated Endeavor

The upcoming Annecy event will take place on June 11th, wherein Fortiche will reflect on its fifteen years of work in the animation industry and reveal a new project in the works. Here's how the upcoming panel is described, "During its Studio Focus, Fortiche Production will reflect on 15 years of diverse collaborations, including the resounding success of Arcane and other productions developed in partnership with Riot Games. The purpose of this session is to share the studio's unique vision and creative trademark as well as explore its development prospects."

If you have yet to jump into the world of the animated series that documents the world of League of Legends, Arcane is currently available to stream on Netflix. Here's how the streaming service describes the fan-favorite animated series, "Set in Utopian Piltover and the oppressed underground of Zaun, the story follows the origins of two iconic League Of Legends champions and the power that will tear them apart. The delicate balance between the rich city of Piltover and the seedy underbelly of Zaun."

Want to stay updated on Arcane and the studio responsible for the series? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook for all the latest updates on Fortiche and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of Arcane.

Hogwarts Legacy developer Avalanche Software announced previously plans for an update to be released in the summer, and this week, the studio offered a more detailed preview of what's included in that update. A photo mode is on the way as are some glasses that'll look quite familiar to Harry Potter fans as they're modeled after the ones that Harry himself wore early on in the Harry Potter movies. Best of all, the Hogwarts Legacy summer update finally got a release date, too, with the summer update scheduled to be released next week on June 6th in the midst of all the summer gaming events.

As far as new features go, the photo mode is the highlight with the option to reset talent points being the other main feature added in this update. The rest of the content planned consists of some cosmetics, recipes, and the full release of the Haunted Hogsmeade quest which has so far been exclusive to the PlayStation platform.

Avalanche Software said previously that the exclusive quest would eventually come to other platforms as well which didn't go over quite as well with PlayStation owners at the time, but it's hard to be annoyed at that part of the update since the quest is coming to other platforms around a year and four months after Hogwarts Legacy released. The Onyx Hippogriff mount which was previously exclusive to those who preordered the game will also be made available to everyone regardless of whether they preordered the game or not.

Aside from those features, the rest of the update consists of players getting the Felix Felicis Potion Recipe, an Azkaban-themed outfit, and the Lavender Borealis Broom. The glasses shown in the top-right of the image above are not so subtlety called "The Glasses That Lived" and will help in making your character look like Harry Potter if that's been your goal for Hogwarts Legacy.

These are the main components of the summer update for Hogwarts Legacy, but we'll most likely see a few smaller things as well once the patch notes for the update drop. The Hogwarts Legacy summer update releases on June 6th, so expect those notes around that time.

Earlier this week, Square Enix released a short teaser trailer for its HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest III. While the game was announced three years ago, news on the project had all but evaporated in the years since. Interestingly enough, the new teaser for the game omitted a number next to the franchise name, and it seems there's a reason for that: according to a new rumor from the leaker Midori, the project has expanded to include the first two Dragon Quest games as well. In a follow-up Tweet, Midori noted that she's also heard that more information about the project will be revealed during the next Nintendo Direct.

When is the Next Nintendo Direct?

At this time, we don't know when the next Nintendo Direct will take place, only that it will happen sometime in the month of June. An HD-2D remaster of the first three Dragon Quest games would seem like a good fit for a Nintendo Direct, especially since those games all first released on the original NES. We know that the remaster is coming to PS5, Xbox, and PC in addition to Switch, but it's not unusual for multi-platform games to appear during Nintendo Direct presentations alongside the exclusives.

As with any rumor, readers are encouraged to take all of this with a grain of salt. However, on top of the missing logo element, it would also explain why the project has taken so much longer than initially expected. Midori has proven to be very reliable in the past, having previously leaked the existence of games before they were officially announced, including Sonic Rumble. That gives this rumor a bit more credibility than the average leak.

A Classic Trilogy Introduced to New Audiences

While Dragon Quest III is widely considered one of the best games in the franchise, remaking the first three games actually makes a lot of sense, as they all encompass one story. Dragon Quest III is chronologically the first, with Dragon Quest and Dragon Quest II taking place after. If all three games really are being given the HD-2D treatment as this rumor suggests, it will be interesting to see how this is handled, and if they might be reordered in some way, or mostly kept the same.

With June nearly upon us, fans shouldn't have to wait much longer to learn more. Hopefully the next Nintendo Direct truly will offer some clarity on this project, including what games will be offered, and when we can expect a release.

Are you a fan of these Dragon Quest games? Do you think all three are getting the HD-2D treatment? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Minecraft is being adapted into an animated series that'll air on Netflix, the streaming platform announced this week. The show will introduce new characters beyond the likes of Steve and Alex which players have become accustomed to playing as over the years, and according to Netflix, it'll boast an original story presenting the world of Minecraft in a "new light." A release date has not yet been announced for Netflix's Minecraft series, but a teaser trailer for the show says that it's coming soon.

That teaser trailer can be seen below, though it's hard to discern any actual details from it since it's basically just Minecraft, but animated, with no new characters revealed yet. We see a Creeper creeping up to blast away the background in order to reveal an underground cave system brimming with lava until the teaser trailer confirms that this will indeed be an animated series.

It's also been confirmed that WildBrain will be working on this Minecraft adaptation for Netflix. WildBrain is the same studio that's worked on other Netflix projects in the past including the Sonic the Hedgehog series Sonic Prime as well as Ninjago: Dragons Rising. No cast members have been announced for the Minecraft series, however, nor have any names at all been attached to it beyond WildBrain. A page has been set up on Netflix's site for the Minecraft show which'll presumably offer some more info as it's released, but the page isn't working at this time.

Minecraft is already getting an adaptation other than the one that's been announced today. Minecraft is also being turned into a movie, and a live-action movie at that, though the director, Jason Hess, is very aware of how these blends of live-action and animation can turn out and is being conscious not to fall into the same trap with the Minecraft movie. Jason Momoa and Jack Black are both set to start in the Minecraft movie.

Netflix's announcement of this Minecraft series comes in the midst of Minecraft's 15th anniversary celebration that's so far given players free capes, sales on Minecraft and its spin-offs, and other incentives to hop back into the best-selling game of all time. The anniversary celebrations are ongoing, so expect more from the world of Minecraft in the near future while we wait on more news related to this animated series.

Over the last few years, PlayStation has increasingly been bringing its games over to PC. Titles like Marvel's Spider-Man, Days Gone, and Ghost of Tsushima have made the jump, but all of those options came to PC long after their initial release on consoles. Helldivers 2 actually did release simultaneously on PlayStation 5 and Steam, but it seems the company's live service games will be the exception, not the rule. During a PlayStation business briefing (via Tom Warren), PlayStation's future co-CEO Herman Hulst discussed this strategy, and his hope that it will convince PC users to invest in a PS5 for future games.

"Indeed, we are bringing our titles to the PC platform and we have a dual approach here. On the live service side, we are releasing our titles simultaneously, so day and date on PlayStation 5 and PC," said Hulst. "But with our tentpole titles, our single player or narrative-driven titles that are, as you saw in the presentation, the backbone of what PlayStation Studios has delivered in recent years and in our history, we take a more strategic approach, and we introduce our great franchises to new audiences, and we're finding new audiences that are potentially going to be very interested in playing, for example, sequels on the PlayStation platform."

Are PlayStation's PC Games Helping or Hurting?

When PlayStation started to bring its games over to PC, one of the biggest complaints from fans was that the move could lessen the appeal of the company's consoles, and sales of the PS5. There haven't been any real signs that's happened, of course, and part of that could be the company's current approach; while PlayStation's games seem to be selling quite well on Steam, those sales seem to be additive.

It's hard to say whether any PC users are actually going to go buy a PS5 after playing Marvel's Spider-Man on Steam just to play the sequel. It seems more likely that they'll wait it out until PlayStation eventually brings Marvel's Spider-Man 2 over. However, PlayStation is clearly thinking about the best approach here, and how it can use PC releases as an extra revenue source. As PlayStation makes moves to cut development costs and bring up profits, Hulst is clearly thinking about long term growth on top of short term, and that's not something a lot of other tech companies can say at the moment.

Don't Expect Day and Date PlayStation Games on PC

PlayStation's approach to PC gaming is significantly different from Xbox Game Studios, where all games are releasing day and date on Xbox Series X|S and PC. However, there have been indications that Xbox's approach to making its first-party games widely available is doing more harm than good. Given that, it's no surprise that PlayStation is approaching things differently, and anyone hoping to see a similar model from Sony is out of luck. If anyone wants to play PlayStation's "tentpole titles" as soon as possible, they'll have to buy a PS5.

How do you feel about PlayStation's approach to PC ports? Do you think this strategy is working? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

[H/T: PC Gamer]

Venger first appeared in the 1980s Dungeons & Dragons cartoon as the main antagonist of the series. The son of the show's Dungeon Master (yes, the character's name was actually Dungeon Master), Venger was once a human but was transformed into a "half-fiend" when he turned to evil. Venger had some sort of connection with The Nameless One, an eldritch evil entity who Venger referred to as his master.

Dungeons & Dragons confirmed that Venger would be appearing in upcoming Dungeons & Dragons adventures and its likely that the powerful sorcerer will appear in an upcoming book. Wizards of the Coast has also commissioned art of grown up versions of the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon characters, which will appear in the new 2024/2025 Core Rulebooks that will start releasing later this year.

Venger's redesign is part of a renewed push to embrace many of the characters associated with the D&D brand during the 1980s. In addition to Venger, the Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide covers features several characters from a popular line of D&D action figures that were released in the early 1980s. While some of these characters received statblocks via the Quest for the Heartstone and Shady Dragon Inn supplements, they didn't make a proper appearance in an adventure until the 2021 adventure The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. Wizards of the Coast has confirmed that both Valor's Call (consisting of the good-aligned characters from the action figure line) and the League of Malevolence (the evil-aligned characters from the action figure line) will appear in upcoming adventures as well.

An unofficial Disney Lorcana simulator popular with fans and content creators will shut down next month, after its creator cited a request from Disney representatives. Today, Pavel Kolev, the founder and lead developer of the online Disney Lorcana simulator Pixelborn announced on the app's Discord that he would shut down the app, citing a request from Disney representatives. "Earlier this month, Disney representatives contacted me," Kolev wrote. "I was advised that 'Disney has intellectual property rights in the Disney Lorcana cards and that Disney has requested Pixelborn to respect these rights by not copying the cards or in any way suggesting an affiliation with Disney.' I've always stated I would respect such a request, and I plan to keep my word and will not grasp at technicalities. Pixelborn will stop the support for Lorcana before 16th June 2024."

Pixelborn was launched on May 6th ahead of the official release of Disney Lorcana and quickly became a hub for the game's most rabid players. The app frequently added cards shortly after their reveals on social media, allowing many players to have a head start on integrating upcoming cards into their decks ahead of official releases. However, Pixelborn was indeed an unofficial app with no permission to use Disney Lorcana card images and many players assumed that it was living on borrowed time.

Per Kolev on Twitter, as of early May, over 6.5 million games of Disney Lorcana had been played on Pixelborn.

Job listings have suggested that Ravensburger is developing their own online Disney Lorcana play system, which would also lead to competition for Pixelborn. Ravensburger has not confirmed that an official Disney Lorcana online play system is in development and has made no mention of any such play system in their frequent communications about the game to fans.

Many fans have cited Pixelborn as a reason for Disney Lorcana's success, especially after the game's launch when physical cards weren't available. Some fans are also concerned that Pixelborn's pending demise would lead to a disparity in play availability, as Pixelborn allowed those who didn't have a nearby organized play location to still get in games regularly. The lack of an easily accessible online client may also mean that Disney Lorcana's metagame, which has long been dominated by two decks may not develop as quickly moving forward, as the app's users seemed to quickly suss out dominant decks and gameplay styles.

The Just Cause movie which looks to adapt the Square Enix series of the same name is once again back in business with ?ngel Manuel Soto, the director of the relatively new Blue Beetle movie, now on board to direct. This latest Just Cause announcement makes for the most recent development in a long saga to bring the game from developer Avalanche Studios and the publisher Square Enix to the big screen with the previous iteration of the project having been worked on at Constantin Films for quite awhile. The new vision for the Just Cause movie does not yet have a release date nor does it even have any cast announced.

What we do know, however, is that the Just Cause movie is no longer at Constantin Films. After being in development for years and having names such as John Wick creator Derek Kolstad attached to the Just Cause movie, it's now undergone a reset of sorts with Universal Pictures handling the movie after rights lapsed, The Hollywood Reporter said in its report.

Joining Soto to work on Universal's new Just Cause movie are Kelly McCormick and David Leitch, a pair of producers that previously worked on The Fall Guy and Nobody. Dmitri M. Johnson, Mike Goldberg and Timothy I. Stevenson from Story Kitchen are on board as well, Story Board being a media company thbat's already worked on several video game adaptations including the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, the animated Tomb Raider series coming out this year, and the adaptations of the hit game It Takes Two.

While the Just Cause series has expanded far beyond the original Just Cause from 2006 to include several different games, the original experience stars Rico Rodriguez, a Latin operative specializing in regime change. It's set within South America during a tumultuous time which players find themselves at the center of.

"In Just Cause, you are a Latin field operative and specialist in regime change backed by top secret US government agency who will overthrow the corrupt government of San Esperito," an overview of the game offered. "The rogue South American state is suspected of stockpiling Weapons of Mass Destruction, and it's your mission to negate the threat this poses to world peace. It could be to your advantage that the tropical paradise is about to implode as various factions vie for power - it just needs a gentle nudge in the right direction."

The Just Cause movie does not yet have any talent attached beyond the producers and director mentioned previously.

To coincide with its annual "Days of Play" promotion, Sony is handing out a set of free items on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 that all users can download. At this time each year, Sony kicks off Days of Play, which is an event that usually sees discounts for PlayStation 5 consoles, games, and other merchandise tied to the PlayStation brand. In 2024, this has proven to be no different, although Sony has sweetened the event just a bit by giving away some digital goods that might be very enticing to some.

As of today, all PlayStation users can snag themselves a free set of avatars on the PlayStation Store. In total, this set includes five different profile icons for PS5 and PS4 accounts which feature Sly Cooper, Slimer from Ghostbusters, Lara Croft, Felix Freezebeard the Yeti from Roblox, and a soccer player from EA Sports FC 24. All of these avatars are branded with the PlayStation Plus logo, but PlayStation Plus itself isn't required to earn them. Instead, all that has to be done is insert the code AF4A-4C9R-AP66 on the (North American) PlayStation Store prior to June 12 to add them to your own avatar library.

Moving forward, Sony has many more great offers lined up throughout June that are associated with Days of Play. However, unlike this free deal with the avatars, most other promotions tend to require money or a PlayStation Plus account to take advantage of. Perhaps the biggest thing that Days of Play is lining up with, though, is the advent of a new State of Play presentation. Set to take place tomorrow, May 30, this new State of Play event will feature 14 different games from PS5 and PlayStation VR2. It's not known what exactly Sony might be showing off during the broadcast, but it's set to last roughly 30 minutes, which means there should be plenty of time for some big reveals.

How do you feel about this lineup of free avatars that PlayStation has opted to give out? And will you be watching the next State of Play event for yourself when it happens in the coming day? Be sure to let me know over on social media at @MooreMan12.

MultiVersus finally hit its full release on May 28th, and players have been flocking to the platform fighter in droves. While the launch didn't quite live up to the game's concurrent player record, it did easily pass 100,000 players at launch. With so many players hoping in, at least a few were bound to dive into the files to see if they could eke any extra information about upcoming characters. After all, one of the biggest draws in MultiVersus is how it mashes up characters from a ton of properties. One player uncovered a few hints about potential crossovers by looking through the in-game voice lines.

MultiVersus Unannounced Characters Potentially Leaked

This leak comes via a Twitter user who goes by Krusty4Multi. As with any leak, you'll want to take this with a hefty grain of salt. While the voice files seem legitimate, it's impossible to know if and when these characters will make their way to MultiVersus. All we know for sure is that the voice actor for Rick from Rick and Morty has recorded several lines that reference potential new characters in MultiVersus. Most likely, the team wouldn't have the voice actor record those lines without plans to include those characters at some point, but you never know with projects like this.

As far as which characters have been potentially leaked, The Power Puff Girls are among the most notable. The trio has been teased by developer Player First Games before, so it's no surprise to see them show up here. There are also voice files for Marceline from Adventure Time and DC's Aquaman. The Twitter user also found references to RWBY when switching to the Pickle Rick costume. There have been rumors about that crossover before, so again, it's not too surprising to see that here either.

The most intriguing voice line is one where Rick refers to "anime crossovers." Those may be voice lines for RWBY, but the team could have further plans that aren't spoiled by these voice lines. Hopefully, we learn more about all of these crossovers soon. MultiVersus will want to keep that player count up as best it can and new characters are a great way to do just that.

MultiVersus is out now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms. If you played the beta, you'll want to jump in soon and claim your free Season 1 Premium Battle Pass.

Over the last few months, developer InnerSloth has revealed a handful of details about the Among Us animated series. We already know a lot of the voice talent that will be appearing in the series, and we've also gotten a first look at an image from the show. It appears we won't have much longer until we learn more about the series, as Geoff Keighley revealed on Twitter that a "sneak peek" at the animated series will be shown next week at Summer Game Fest.

When Will the Among Us Sneak Peek be Released?

Summer Game Fest will take place on Friday, June 7th at 3 p.m. PT. The show will be streamed on The Game Awards YouTube and Twitch channels. From Keighley's phrasing, it sounds like this could be the first teaser trailer for Among Us, but there's no way of knowing for sure just yet. It's also possible we could get something like a release window for the show, or a little more insight into the storyline. At this point, that's all just speculation, and it's worth noting that we have no idea when this sneak peek will be shown during Summer Game Fest; Keighley's events tend to run pretty long. If the sneak peek doesn't get shown until later in the evening, hopefully the wait will be worth it for Among Us fans!

What We Know About The Among Us Animated Series

Among Us is an upcoming animated series created by Owen Dennis (Infinity Train), and based on the popular video game. The series is being developed by CBS, with animation by Titmouse (Star Trek: Lower Decks). The show's cast will include Randall Park, Ashley Johnson, Yvette Nicole Brown, Elijah Wood, Dan Stevens, Kimiko Glenn, Liv Hewson, Debra Wilson, Patton Oswalt, Phil LaMarr, and Wayne Knight.

The Among Us video game doesn't have much in terms of a storyline, but the concept centers around social deception, with players forced to guess who among them is the Impostor. A show that plays up on the whodunnit element could keep viewers guessing, and it would work well if it leans into the humor and absurdity that the game is known for. With a sneak peek of the series just over a week away, we should have a much better idea of what to expect from the show very soon.

Are you excited for the Among Us animated series? Do you plan on checking out Summer Game Fest next week? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Fortnite players on PlayStation consoles (PS5 and PS4) can now grab a new set of "free" items that can be used in-game. Since Fortnite is a free-to-play title, Sony's PlayStation Plus subscription service isn't required in order to play online, as it is with other multiplayer games. Still, Epic and PlayStation have often tried to sweeten things just a bit in the past for Fortnite players by handing out free accessories through PS Plus that can be redeemed as part of the subscription. Now, with Chapter 5 Season 3 of the ever-popular battle royale game having just kicked off, a new promotion of this sort has started in tandem.

As of this week, Sony has released the "Blazin Wheels Gear Pack" for Fortnite through PlayStation Plus. This set gives players access to four new items in Fortnite which include the Petrol Pump Pickaxe, Scorch Rally Wrap, Scorch Rally Banner, and the "Scorch It!"Emote. All of these cosmetics happen to tie in with the theme of "Wrecked", which is the name of this new wave of content for Chapter 5 Season 3. As for the manner in which they can be obtained, they should be discoverable on the PlayStation Store.

It's worth noting that even though these items are only available to unlock as part of PlayStation Plus, they aren't limited to being used just on PS5 and PS4. If your Fortnite account is also linked to an Xbox, Nintendo Switch, or PC platform, the cosmetics will appear in your inventory across all avenues and will be available to be used anywhere. As a result, if you simply want to download this PS Plus pack and then play Fortnite elsewhere, you'll be able to do so and won't lose out on the items that you've obtained.

Are you going to grab this Blazin Wheels Gear Pack in Fortnite for yourself? And how are you feeling about Chapter 5 Season 3 in the short time that it's been live? Be sure to share your own thoughts with me over on social media at @MooreMan12.

Prime Gaming revealed on Wednesday the free games that Amazon Prime subscribers are getting for June, and headlining those giveaways is a classic Star Wars experience. That game is Star Wars Battlefront 2, but not the more recent one that came out in 2017. Prime Gaming is instead giving away the classic Star Wars Battlefront 2 game which came out way back in 2005 and will be free throughout June once it and the rest of the seven total free games start dropping on June 6th.

For many Star Wars fans, the fact that this free Star Wars game being given away next month is the classic Battlefront 2 experience as opposed to the newer Battlefront 2 might be better than the alternative. The 2017 release of Star Wars Battlefront 2 was thoroughly dragged online after it launched due to its monetization woes amid the expected gauntlet of issues online games experience at launch, and it took a long time for the game to regain favor from Star Wars fans. Battlefront 2 from 2005, by comparison, is still held in high regard which of course has to do with nostalgia to a degree, but it's also still got an active player base to support it today.

The Star Wars Battlefront 2 code will be redeemable via GOG whenever it becomes available on June 6th alongside several other games that are dropping the same day. The next wave of June games that follows it will be available starting on June 13th. That Star Wars game and the rest of the free games being given away next month are all listed out below:

Free Prime Gaming Games for June

• Star Wars Battlefront II (Classic, 2005) [GOG Code, June 6]
• Weird West Definitive Edition [Epic Game Store Code, June 6]
• Genesis Noir [Amazon Games App, June 6]
• Everdream Valley [Amazon Games App, June 13]
• Mythforce [Epic Game Store Code, June 13]
• Blast Brigade vs. the Evil Legion of Dr. Cread [GOG Code, June 13]
• Projection: First Light [Amazon Games App, June 13]

The free Prime Gaming games from this month included Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition as well as Tomb Raider: Game of the Year Edition, LEGO Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars, and more, so be sure to grab those while you can before Prime Gaming moves on to June's free games.

While publisher Activision Blizzard is gearing up to fully reveal Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 at an event month, the developers behind Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone still have several months of new content to produce. Recently, the team has been much more open to the Fortnite formula of crossing over with any and everything. Recently, MW3 and Warzone players have been treated to Operator skins for everything from Gundam to Cheech and Chong. Today, a new leak hit that claims Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone will soon have a Fallout crossover.

Call of Duty: MW3 and Warzone Fallout Leak

This leak comes from ModernWarzone on Twitter, which has become a relatively notable leaker in the community. Of course, just like any leak, it's best to take this with a hefty grain of salt until Activision or the Call of Duty developers announce something official. That said, ModernWarzone has proven to be reliable in the past, so this leak is more likely to be true than other random rumors we often see popping up. Plus, we've seen this rumor before, so this continuation makes it seem even more likely.

The leak is light on details but still exciting. Thus far, all that's been revealed is that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone is getting a vault dweller skin. That means you can dress up characters like Captain Price, Soap, and Ghost in the classic vault dweller suit. Hopefully, the Operator bundle will include more than that, but it is fun seeing those characters dressed in the pristine blue suits the Fallout franchise is famous for. There's also a hint of gun skin that's colored blue and yellow to match the Vault-Tec style.

There's no word yet on when this crossover will hit Call of Duty: MW3 and Warzone, but Season 4 just kicked off today. In the leadup to this season, the team dropped a roadmap that featured a "Top Secret Collab." That's supposed to come during the middle of the season, so if this leak lines up with that, we should be seeing Fallout content in Call of Duty relatively soon. For now, we'll have to wait for an official announcement from Activision.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone are available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms. Remember, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is getting its grand reveal next month during Microsoft's June 9th showcase. Be sure to tune in to see what's coming later this year.

Sefton Hill and Jamie Walker might not be household names among video game fans, but the duo has a very good track record. Hill and Walker founded Rocksteady Studios in 2004, and remained with the company through 2022. After helping to deliver the beloved Batman: Arkham Trilogy, the duo went on to form a new company known as Hundred Star Games. The company's first project has yet to be announced, but apparently it already has a publisher: Xbox Game Studios. According to a report from eXputer, the game will be financed by Xbox, and will be a "AAA-standard, single-player, action-adventure game built in Unreal Engine 5."

The report from eXputer goes on to note that the game is expected to be exclusive to Xbox platforms, though that could change given the fact that so many of the company's other first-party games have been released on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5. Of course, it's likely that this game is in the very early stages of development, so it's impossible to say what Xbox's strategy might be at that point.

Getting Back to What Rocksteady Did Best

Early reports surrounding Hundred Star Games suggested that the developer has also brought on other former Rocksteady employees. That could bode well for the developer's new game, and could generate a lot of excitement. At the very least, the fact that this is a single-player, action-adventure game is already promising. One of the biggest issues players had with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is the fact that it deviated greatly from the formula that so many people loved in the Arkham games. After three very good single-player games, the last thing anyone wanted was an online multiplayer shooter, and the low interest that has surrounded the game clearly reflects that. It would be nice to see a game that feels more like what Rocksteady does best.

When Will Hundred Star's First Game Get Announced?

With an Xbox Games Showcase set to take place on June 9th, it's possible we could hear something official about this publishing agreement very soon. That would be pretty early, but Xbox often reveals new projects far ahead of time; the studio announced Fable and the new Perfect Dark several years ago, and neither of those games has come out just yet. For now, Xbox fans will just have to wait and see when this new game gets announced.

Are you excited for the first game from Hundred Star? Do you think it can live-up to the Arkham games? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Earlier this week, Pokemon Go revealed the two Pokemon that will be appearing in Community Day events in June: Goomy and Cyndaquil. Developer Niantic has now offered full details about Goomy Community Day, and what players can expect to see. The event is set to take place on Sunday, June 9th, and will run from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. local time. During that time, the Dragon-type Pokemon will be appearing much more frequently in the wild, and players will have an increased chance of finding a Shiny version.

An image of Shiny Goomy from Pokemon Sword and Shield can be found below.

Goodra Featured Attack

Goomy has two evolved forms: Sliggoo and Goodra. If a player evolves Sliggoo into Goodra by 10 p.m. local time, the Pokemon will know the Featured Attack Thunder Punch. Thunder Punch is a Charged Attack, and it has a power of 55 in Trainer Battles, and 45 in Gyms and Raids. That's actually significantly worse than a lot of Goodra's other Charged Attacks. Most players would actually be better off waiting until after the event so that they have a chance of Goodra knowing Draco Meteor or Power Whip, but these Featured Attacks can't all be winners!

Goomy requires 25 Candy to evolve into Sliggoo, and another 100 Candy to evolve into Goodra (Goodra can only evolve if the weather is rainy, or if players use a Rainy Lure Module). Players will have an easier time with those requirements on Goomy Community Day, as there will be double Candy on all Catches. Players over level 31 will also have a doubled chance of getting XL Candy.

Goomy Community Day Bonuses

During Community Day hours, players can expect 3x Stardust on Catches, while Lure Modules and Incense used will last for 3 hours. Through 10 p.m., trades will also require half the normal amount of Stardust, and players will be able to make one extra Special Trade. There will also be themed PokeStop Showcases and new in-game stickers available based on Goomy.

For players that have yet to evolve Poipole into Naganadel, the event should also offer a great opportunity. Naganadel was just added to Pokemon Go earlier this month, but players must catch 20 Dragon-type Pokemon while Poipole is their Buddy Pokemon. That task will be a lot easier while there are all these extra Goomy around!

Are you excited for Goomy Community Day in Pokemon Go? Have you evolved your Poipole yet? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Sucker Punch Productions has pushed out another unexpected update for Ghost of Tsushima across PlayStation consoles. Earlier this month, Sucker Punch's open-world samurai game finally came to PC and has since received a major second wind. For those on PS5 and PS4, though, Ghost of Tsushima largely hasn't received any new updates for the past two years as Sucker Punch has instead opted to move on to work on different projects. For this week, though, this has not proven to be true.

As of this week, update version 2.21 for Ghost of Tsushima has gone live on both PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. This marks the third such patch that the game has received on consoles in the past month, all of which have largely come about as a result of this new PC version. This latest patch is no different as the goal of the update is to improve the crossplay component of Ghost of Tsushima so that the console versions can better work in tandem with the PC edition.

"Patch 2.21 will be rolling out for console players today," Sucker Punch said on its official social channels. "This patch contains further improvements to crossplay and updates our matchmaking service across all supported platforms to improve stability for PC players."

Although new updates continue to surprisingly release for Ghost of Tsushima on PS5 and PS4, there's a good chance that Sucker Punch won't continue this for much longer. At this point in time, Ghost of Tsushima is seen as a content-complete title which means that new features or other major overhauls to the game itself likely won't be coming about. Instead, Sucker Punch and the PC port's developer, Nixxes, will likely continue to tweak this new version of the game in small ways moving forward. If additional stability improvements are needed for crossplay purposes on PS5 and PS4 then we might see more patches for GoT on consoles, but these patches will surely be pretty small in nature.

Moving forward, it's widely expected that Sucker Punch is working on a sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, particularly given how successful the first game was. Whether or not this project is announced soon remains to be seen, but a new State of Play event transpiring within the coming day could prove to be a venue where the follow-up entry is unveiled.

Sony has removed an interview with Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann from its site after it was claimed that the interview misrepresented Druckmann's quotes about the studio's ambitions and other topics. The developer of The Last of Us, The Last of Us Part 2, and more was quoted by Sony as saying that the studio's next game could "redefine" the mainstream perceptions of gaming, but the only problem was the he never actually said those words. Sony has since issued an apology after removing the interview entirely.

The interview in question was not published on the PlayStation Blog like many PlayStation communications are but was rather housed on the Sony site as part of the Creative Entertainment Vision series Sony's been working on recently. In that interview, Druckmann's "quote" about Naughty Dog's next project which was dragged across social media after it was made public followed statements about Max's The Last of Us show and how different mediums open the door for more gaming experiences.

"The show's success has spotlighted gaming, illustrating the rich, immersive experiences it offers," read the quote attributed to Druckmann in a cached version of the interview. "This visibility excites me not only for our current project but for the broader potential of gaming to captivate a global audience. I'm eager to see how this new game resonates, especially following the success of The Last of Us, as it could redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming."

His alleged quote was interpreted as a desire to legitimize gaming or make it "mainstream" which many thought was contradictory to the fact that The Last of Us and more recently Fallout have enjoyed tremendous success with even non-gaming audiences. Shortly afterwards, Druckmann published his own transcript from the interview wherein it was shown he didn't say anything about redefining perceptions and was instead quite reserved yet excited for what Naughty Dog has planned next much like we see from many talks about in-development games that are still far away.

In what appears to be the conclusion to this interview saga, Sony issued the following statement that's found where the interview once was.

"In re-reviewing our recent interview with Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann, we have found several significant errors and inaccuracies that don't represent his perspective and values (including topics such as animation, writing, technology, AI, and future projects)," Sony said. "We apologize to Neil for misrepresenting his words and for any negative impact this interview might have caused him and his team. In coordination with Naughty Dog and SIE, we have removed the interview."

Looking for a fun new party game to try? How about Germany's favorite card game about marshmallow butts? That's right, Hasbro heard that the Arschmallows marshmallow butt game was sweeping Germany and knew, rightfully so, that Americans needed to have it. However, the game is about more than sweet cheeks roasting over a campfire. There's some strategy involved. From the description:

"Each player starts with 6 facedown cards. They can quickly peek at 2, but the rest are a mystery. Throughout the round, players try to find out what point value is hidden among their cards, as they strategize to get cards with the lowest points. The lower your points, the sweeter the score! Use Action cards to sabotage friends, take a peek at facedown cards or gain extra turns. Win the round by having the lowest total value and win the game by having the lowest value at the end of 6 rounds!"

The Arschmallows card game includes 65 cards with amusing marshmallow illustrations, each with a Roast Rating. The higher the rating, the toastier the mallow. It seems like a fun, quick-to-learn option for game nights, though it might be best played around a campfire while making s'mores. The game will only set you back $10 here on Amazon, so it's worth a try at the very least.

While you're at it you might want to pick up Mattel's super popular UNO Show 'Em No Mercy edition card game. With 56 more cards, insane new rules, and vastly tougher penalties, it might be the most sadistic tabletop game on the market today.

As noted, UNO Show 'em No Mercy includes 56 more cards and updated action cards like Wild Draw 6 and even Wild Draw 10, and a Skip Everyone card that allows a player to immediately take another turn. There's also an official stacking rule that allows players to "pass the penalty (Draw +2, +4, +6, +10) to the next player until whoever can't play has to take all the cards combined".

Starting to get the picture? We're not done. How about automatically swapping hands with another player when a "7" or a "0" card is played? Oh, and despite being called "No Mercy" there's actually a Mercy Rule that automatically kicks in whenever a player gets a whopping 25 or more cards in their hand. Those players will be kicked out of the game, making it possible to win by knocking other players out in addition to getting rid of your own cards. UNO Show 'Em No Mercy is currently in stock here on Amazon and here at Walmart for $10.

A new season for Splatoon 3 is set to begin on June 1st, and fans think it could be the last one. Over the last few days, Nintendo has revealed several details about Summer Sizzle 2024, and today saw the release of a video showcasing the new catalog. New wardrobe options, banners, and emotes can all be seen, as the video quickly flips through the pages. However, eagle-eyed viewers also noticed that one of those pages says "thank you for playing," and that's leading to speculation that Nintendo is winding down content for the game.

An image of the catalog page can be found below.

Why Fans Think Splatoon 3 Support Is Ending

"Thank you for playing" is the kind of thing that players often see during the end credits on a video game, so it makes sense that fans would jump to this conclusion. However, this is not the first indication that Splatoon 3 updates might be ending soon. Back in February, Nintendo got fans talking when it announced Bonerattle Arena as the final Salmon Run map. Salmon Run is still getting some love as part of Summer Sizzle 2024, where Big Big Run has players taking on all three King Salmonids at once. That would seem to be a big note to end the mode on before a new Splatoon game.

If Splatoon 3 updates truly are coming to an end, we'll see one big final Splatfest competition. The final Splatfest competition in each Splatoon game (known as the Final Fest) tends to set up the next game in the series. Following the first trailer for Summer Sizzle 2024, many fans are thinking it could have something to do with the three idol groups from the Splatoon series: the Squid Sisters, Off the Hook, and Deep Cut. Nintendo has been noticeably quiet about the next Splatfest theme, merely mentioning a Splatfest during the build-up for Summer Sizzle.

If Splatoon 3 content is coming to an end, it's because Nintendo wants to shift resources towards Splatoon 4. The series has been hugely successful for Nintendo, and Splatoon 2 was released just a few months after the launch of Nintendo Switch. With a new console basically confirmed for 2025, it would not be surprising to see Nintendo repeat that for the next game in the series.

Sizzle Season 2024

If this really is the last season of Splatoon 3, it seems things are going to end on a high note! With new weapons, avatar items, and even new music, fans should have a lot to be excited about. Readers should also keep in mind that, just because content might be wrapping up, it doesn't mean the game will become unplayable like the first Splatoon. Online matches should still be available in Splatoon 3 for a long time to come.

Do you think this will be the final season for Splatoon 3? What do you want to see from the next Splatoon game? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Call of Duty: Warzone Season 4 is beginning today and has brought with it some drastic overhauls. At this point in time, most Call of Duty fans are focused on the full reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which will be happening in just a couple of weeks. Prior to that time, though, one of the largest patches of the year for Warzone has now been released and has greatly shifted the experience that the battle royale title offers.

Available to download right now, this new update for Call of Duty: Warzone has hit PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms. For Season 4, the Urzikstan map has received some pretty big changes, the most notable of which impact the Gulag. Other than this, new weapons have also now been introduced in Warzone while those that were already in the game have received a ton of balance tweaks. Lastly, Activision has made some key quality of life improvements to go along with a ton of additional bug fixes that should make Warzone that much better across the board.

You can get a full look at everything new in today's Call of Duty: Warzone Season 4 update in the patch notes attached below.

Call of Duty: Warzone Season 4 Update Patch Notes

PERFORMANCE

• Addressed various issues causing improper first-person animations.

CUSTOMIZATION

• Camos can now be equipped on the B.E.A.S.T. Glove Blueprint for the Gladiator.
• Know No Fear Weapon Decal no longer has a white border while equipped.
• Equipping the Karaage skin on the MCW Assault Rifle will no longer result in an error.
• Fixed an input device exploit allowing unowned Blueprints to be equipped.
• JAK Glassless Optic is now unlocked as expected upon purchasing a relevant Blueprint.

MAPS

MAP UPDATES

>> URZIKSTAN

• Bunkers
  • Unlocked bunkers now have an escape hatch as an alternative exit.
  • New rewards have been added to various locations.

• Gulag
  • 4 new Gulag layouts have been added:
    • S: Stacked equipment and L-shaped plywood walls with an S-shaped central wall over the circular floor grate.
    • 2: A three-panel curved wall, stacked equipment against two walled sections, and two curved inner walls above the circular floor grate.
    • 3: Stacked equipment against two walled sections, with concrete L-shaped walls around the central circular floor grate.
    • 8: A rectangular concrete barrier wall outside long central section around the central circular floor grate with one plywood wall sprayed with a blue "8".

MODES

RETURNING

>> URZIKSTAN | BATTLE ROYALE

• Buy Back Royale
  • Cash is everything in this returning game mode. With the Gulag is disabled, players will need to make sure they have at least $4,500 when eliminated to afford a Cash Deployment. Cash Deployments close near the end of the match, at which point players are limited to one life regardless of the size of their wallet.
  • Squad Size:
    • Solos
  • Map:
    • Urzikstan
  • Players:
    • 120

GENERAL

NEW

• Warzone Rewards
  • Along with Daily and Weekly Challenges, players will find a brand new way to earn camos and other exclusive cosmetics unique to Warzone. These are broken down into several categories:
    • Economics: These offer rewards in return for looting and spending Cash at Buy Stations.
    • Contracts: Unlock items for completing different types (and numbers) of Contracts.
    • Social: Interact with enemy players or aid your team to secure more item rewards.
    • Mode: Complete tasks in different game modes, from Battle Royale to Plunder to Resurgence.
    • Champion's Quest: Is a Champion's Quest active in your game? Then check these Challenges out!
  • Unlock requirements and progress can be viewed and tracked via a new menu that can be accessed from the Challenges menu or any Warzone playlist lobby.
  • All rewards can be previewed so players can get a look at these exclusive rewards before unlocking them.

GAMEPLAY

>> ALL MAPS | ALL MODES

• Champion's Quest Contract Stealing
  • When a team on the Champion's Quest contract is fully eliminated, the Champion's Quest tablet will drop and the first team that interacts with the tablet can now steal the contract and continue the quest.

>> URZIKSTAN | ALL MODES

• Tac-Sprint Boots
  • Infiltrating any of the accessible bunkers to obtain the Tactical Sprint Boots Perk, which will give you an increase to your base speed and an infinite Tactical Sprint improvement.
  • Do not drop on death
  • Can be found in Bunkers (x1)
  • Correction: Do not reduce fall damage

• Specialist Perk Pack
  • This Perk Pack grants you the advantages of the following 29 additional Perks:
    • Perk Slots 1 and 2 (all Perks active): Battle Hardened, Double Time, E.O.D., Focus, Irradiated, Mechanic, Mountaineer, Scavenger, Shrapnel, Sleight of Hand, Spotter, Strong Arm.
    • Perk Slot 3 (all Perks active): Cold-Blooded, Escapist, Payout, Primed, Quick Fix, Resupply, Stalker, Survivor, Tempered, Tracker.
    • Perk Slot 4 (all Perks active): Birdseye, Combat Scout, Flex, Ghost, High Alert, Resolute, Shrouded.
  • Available via Buy Station for $30,000

• Bunker Buster
  • This is a special type of missile that can vertically decimate a building through multiple floors.
  • After impact it also creates a vertical column of gas that can additionally force people out of cover.

• Utility Box
  • The Utility Box combines Ammo and Armor Boxes together allowing players to resupply everything ranging from bullets to lethal equipment.

• Loot Hot Zones
  • Designated points of interest on the map may now be identified as "Loot Hot Zones."
  • These do not appear on the Tac-Map - rather they must be discovered.

• Runaway Train Public Event
  • Each Battle Royale match will have a 10% chance of ending in a Runaway Train Public Event. During this end-game event, the safewzone will be the train. The drivable controls are disabled making players strategically work to gain control of the train.

• Polaris RZR Vehicle
  • The Polaris RZR Pro R, a real-world side-by-side UTV offering immediate acceleration, nimble handling, and rugged durability is now available as a Land Vehicle within Urzikstan. Appearing as "Polaris RZR" on your Tac-Map, this side-by-side differs from the current in-game UTV as it offers a tighter turning circle and handling, better acceleration, three seats and improved fuel economy.

ADJUSTED

• Ground Loot Weapons
  • No weapon went unturned in this season's ground loot weapon update. Players will find updated ground loot builds across every weapon class.

• Gas Mask Quality of Life
  • The Gas Mask now has a manual, automatic, and semi-automatic setting.
  • A new keybind has been added to allow for manual behavior.

• Buy Station Improvement Quality of Life
  • Purchased weapons will now drop behind the player to make them easier to distinguish from nearby loot.

• Initial Circle
  • The delay time before the initial circle begins to shrink has been increased to 2 minutes, up from 1.

This change will give a bit more time for players to find bunkers and also adjusts match pacing to fit 120 players.

• Redeployment Weapons
  • Players will now respawn from Gulag with updated primary and secondary weapons.

• Gulag Loadouts
  • Updated some primary and secondary Gulag loadout weapons.
  • Adjusted weapon loadouts in the 'Locked and Loaded' and 'Climb and Punishment' Gulag events.
  • C4 has been removed from Gulag loadouts.

• Loot Updates
  • Loot has received a general balance pass. Many items have had their rarity adjusted, making some items more common in ground loot, while other items are exclusively rare in chests.
  • The overall acquisition rate of cash via ground loot and Supply Boxes has been reduced by 50%.
  • The density of ground loot has been reduced by 15%.
  • Supply Boxes
    • Overall frequency increased by 20%.
    • Frequency of basic rarity has been reduced by 9%.
    • Frequency of legendary rarity has been increased by 5%
    • Frequency of reusable rarity has increased by 4%.
  • Gulag Tokens
    • Very low chance in general loot
    • Guaranteed from Most Wanted
    • Limited inventory at Buy Station
  • Redeploy Pack
    • Doesn't spawn in general loot
    • Low chance as reward for Most Wanted
  • Redeploy Flares
    • Low chance in legendary chests
    • Lower chance where support items can spawn such as medical cabinets
  • The following legendary items are now exclusive to certain locations:
    • Durable Gas Mask:
      • Bunker Chests
      • Intel Contracts
    • Redeploy Pack:
      • Blacksite
      • Most Wanted
    • Foresight:
      • Bunker Chests
    • Specialist Perk Pack:
      • Buy Stations

• Buy Station Inventory Update
  • Team Revive
    • $3,000
    • Unlimited
  • Armor Plate
    • $300
    • Unlimited
  • Gas Mask
    • $3,000
    • Unlimited
  • Ammo Box
    • $2,000
    • Unlimited
  • UAV
    • $6,000
    • Unlimited
  • Supply UAV
    • $2,000
    • Unlimited
  • Loadout
    • Variable
    • Unlimited
  • Cluster Strike
    • $4,000
    • 2
  • Precision Airstrike
    • $6,000
    • 2
  • Utility Box
    • $3,000
    • 2
  • Self Revive
    • $4,000
    • 2
  • Portable Radar
    • $2,000
    • 2
  • Mosquito Drone
    • $4,000
    • 2
  • Bunker Buster
    • $4,000
    • 2
  • Gulag Token
    • $4,000
    • 2
  • Specialist
    • $30,000
    • 1

>> REBIRTH ISLAND | RESURGENCE

• Late-Game Circles
  • Circles may now end on a wider variety of locations than before.

WEAPONS

NEW WEAPONS

• Superi 46 Submachine Gun
  • This pistol-caliber carbine chambered in 4.6x30mm is designed to give impressive stopping power with a skeletonized, lightweight frame. Exceptionally adaptable, this weapon can be modified to excel in most combat scenarios.
  • Available via Battle Pass Sector 6

• Kar98k Marksman Rifle
  • This modernized version of a WWII bolt-action rifle is powerful and accurate. High damage output with a slow rate of fire.
  • Available via Battle Pass Sector 5

NEW AFTERMARKET PARTS

• JAK Harbinger Kit
  • Compatibility: M4 Assault Rifle (MWII)
  • This .50 Cal conversion kit for the M4 is an extremely deadly, quick-kill weapon. The slow fire rate, drop in bullet velocity, and a significant increase in recoil will require a careful hand.

• JAK Gunslinger
  • Compatibility: Basilisk Handgun (MWII)
  • A frame and cylinder conversion that allows the revolver to hold eight rounds of .357 ammunition with an exceptional increase to rate of fire and a near instantaneous trigger action.

• JAK Volkh
  • Compatibility: KV Inhibitor Sniper Rifle (MWIII)
  • A meticulously crafted stock and receiver modification that updates the weapon to fire a two-round burst at minimal MOA dispersion, making every trigger pull count.

• JAK Scimitar Kit
  • Compatibility: FJX Horus Submachine Gun (MWIII)
  • Improved range and recoil are standard with this aftermarket kit which also unlocks the use of a high-capacity drum mag for the FJX Horus.

• JAK Thumper-656
  • Compatibility: RGL-80 Launcher (MWIII)
  • An improved long barrel for an infantry-carried grenade launcher. Fires projectiles at higher velocities and distances. Compatible with a wider variety of launcher projectiles.

• JAK Requiem
  • Compatibility: Kastov 762 Assault Rifle (MWII)
  • A counter-balanced rifle system designed to completely eliminate vertical recoil.

• JAK Decimator
  • Compatibility: Lachmann Shroud Submachine Gun (MWII)
  • This modification allows the Lachmann Shroud to fire in full auto.

• JAK Intimidator
  • Compatibility: Renetti Handgun (MWIII)
  • Slow down your fire rate and take more deliberate shots with this modification that changes the Renetti to a single-shot weapon.

WEAPON ADJUSTMENTS

ASSAULT RIFLES

BP50

• Decreased movement speed to 4.8m/s, down from 5m/s.
• Decreased sprint speed to 5.5m/s, down from 5.7m/s.
• Decreased tactical sprint speed to 6.8m/s, down from 7m/s.
• JAK Revenger Kit
  • Decreased movement speed to 5.1m/s, down from 5.5m/s.
  • Decreased crouch movement speed to 2.4m/s, down from 2.6m/s.
  • Decreased sprint speed to 5.8m/s, down from 6.2m/s.
  • Decreased tactical sprint speed to 7.1m/s, down from 7.7m/s.
  • Decreased ADS movement speed to 3.1m/s, down from 3.3m/s.

BAL-27

• Near-Mid Damage Range increased to 49.53 meters, up from 39.37.
• Mid Damage Range increased to 60.96 meters, up from 50.8.
• Lower Arm and Hand Modifiers increased to 1.1x, up from 1x.

HOLGER 556

• Near-Mid Damage Range increased to 50.8 meters, up from 45.72.
• Leg Modifier increased to 0.95x, up from 0.85x.

SVA 545

• Mid Damage decreased to 22, down from 24.
• Headshot Modifier decreased to 1.3x, down from 1.4x.

MCW

• Min Damage increased to 22, up from 20.

MTZ-556

• Max Damage Range increased to 40.64 meters, up from 35.56.
• Near-Mid Damage Range increased to 50.8 meters, up from 48.26.
• Headshot Modifier increased to 1.25x, up from 1.2x.

KASTOV 762 (MWII)

• Mid Damage Range increased to 57.15 meters, up from 51.81.
• Arms and Hand Modifiers increased to 1.15x, up from 0.96x.
• Lower Torso Modifier increased to 1.15x, up from 1x.
• Leg Modifier increased to 1x, up from 0.96x.

CHIMERA (MWII)

• Near-Mid Damage increased to 26, up from 24.
• Arm Modifier increased to 1.15x, up from 1x.
• Lower Torso Modifier increased to 1.15x, up from 1.1x.

ISO HEMLOCK (MWII)

• Mid Damage increased to 25, up from 24.
• Min Damage increased to 21, up from 20.
• Arm Modifier increased to 1.16x, up from 0.95x.

SUBMACHINE GUNS

AMR9

• Max Damage increased to 29, up from 27.
• Max Damage Range decreased to 10.66 meters, down from 17.78.
• Near-Mid Damage increased to 27, up from 25.
• New Damage Range Added
  • Mid Damage set to 25
  • Mid Damage Range set to 34.29 meters.

FJX HORUS

• Max Damage increased to 28, up from 27.
• Near-Mid Damage increased to 24, up from 23.
• Mid Damage increased to 21, up from 19.
• Min Damage increased to 19, up from 16.
• Max Damage Range increased to 10.16 meters, up from 7.62.
• Headshot Modifier decreased to 1.2x, down from 1.4x.
• Arm and Hand Modifiers increased to 1x, up from 0.95x.
• Lower Torso Modifier increased to 1x, up from 0.95x.
• Leg Modifier increased to 1x, up from 0.95x.
• Decreased recoil gun kick to 35.4deg/s, down from 42.5deg/s.
• No Stock Mod
  • Increased ADS movement speed benefit to 12%, up from 9%.
• Lopper LX-D Stock
  • Added 3% ADS movement speed penalty.

RIVAL-9

• Increased bullet velocity to 500m/s, up from 450m/s.
• JAK Headhunter Carbine Conversion
  • Increased rate of fire to 882rpm, up from 682rpm.

STRIKER-9

• Min Damage decreased to 21, down from 23.
• Max Damage Range decreased to 11.17 meters, down from 12.19.
• Headshot Modifier decreased to 1.25x, down from 1.3x.

WSP-9

• Max Damage Range decreased to 15.49 meters, down from 18.03.
• Near-Mid Damage Range decreased to 23.36 meters, down from 26.67.
• Mid Damage Range decreased to 33.02 meters, down from 38.1.
• Lower Arm and Hand Modifiers decreased to 1x, down from 1.1x.

LIGHT MACHINE GUNS

DG-58 LSW

• Headshot Modifier decreased to 1.2x, down from 1.4x.
• Decreased bullet velocity to 780m/s, down from 880m/s.

HOLGER-26

• Headshot Modifier increased to 1.3x, up from 1.2x.

SNIPER RIFLES

XRK STALKER

• Neck Modifier decreased to 1.2x, down from 2x.

WARZONE RANKED PLAY

GENERAL

>> BATTLE ROYALE

While our teams are targeting to release Ranked Play Battle Royale before the end of the year, we are not ready to commit to specific timing just yet. We are using the months ahead to fine tune the design of our Ranked Play system to reflect and compliment changes since made to the core Battle Royale experience.

In the interim, we are committed to maintaining a robust competitive scene on our larger map through the ongoing World Series of Warzone program. This program ensures that players continue to have access to high-stakes opportunities as we prepare for the return of Ranked Play Battle Royale later this year. Additionally, given the success of Ranked Play Resurgence, we will continue to dedicate efforts to this mode for upcoming seasons. Our goal is to continue to provide a diverse and fulfilling competitive experience across different modes, all while honing in on the future of Warzone's competitive landscape.

We understand that the timeline for the return of Ranked Play Battle Royale may be longer than many had hoped. However, we are incredibly excited for the months ahead while we work on bringing this beloved competitive experience back into players hands.

>> RESURGENCE

• New Season 4 Rewards
  • Throughout Season 4, players can earn the following rewards:
    • Kill & Assist Challenges
      • Get 25 Kills or Assists: WZ Season 4 Competitor Weapon Sticker
      • Get 250 Kills or Assists: WZ Season 4 Loading Screen
      • Get 1,000 Kills or Assists: WZ Season 4 Ranked Veteran Weapon Camo
    • Placement Challenges
      • Place in the Top 7, 25 times: EGO Chall Weapon Decal
      • Place in the Top 5, 25 times: Pro Issue SVA 545 Weapon Blueprint
      • Place 1st: Death Fee Collection Weapon Charm

• New End of Season Rewards
  • At the end of each Season, players will be awarded Skill Division rewards that represent their highest attained Division that Season or an active placement in the Top 250 Division.
  • Season 4 Division Rewards:
    • Bronze: "WZ Season 4 Bronze" Emblem
    • Silver: "WZ Season 4 Silver" Emblem
    • Gold: "WZ Season 4 Gold" Animated Emblem
    • Platinum: "WZ Season 4 Platinum" Animated Emblem
    • Diamond: "WZ Season 4 Diamond" Animated Emblem
    • Crimson: "WZ Season 4 Crimson" Animated Emblem
    • Iridescent: "WZ Season 4 Iridescent" Animated Emblem
    • Iridescent: "WZ Season 4 Iridescent" Animated Calling Card
    • Top 250: "WZ Season 4 Top 250" Animated Calling Card
    • Top 250: "WZ Season 4 Top 250" Animated Emblem
    • Top 250: "WZ Season 4 Top 250" Animated Weapon Camo
    • #1 Overall: "MWIII Season #1 Overall" Animated Calling Card

• Seasonal Division Operators
  • Seasonal Division Operators: You also earn the Skill Division Operator Skin sets for use with both the CDL Male and Female Operators (for both factions) to represent your highest Skill Division above gold. These Skins are the same as the ones you can unlock in Modern Warfare III Multiplayer Ranked Play.

ADJUSTMENTS

• Teams that place first in a match will now receive 125 SR, up from 100.

• Iridescent deployment fees have been reduced by 5 SR.
  • This does not apply to the initial cost bracket when promoted to Iridescent.

We've implemented balance adjustments to our SR point system to now place greater emphasis on the match victory. We hope that these adjustments incentivize strategic play and teamwork, over strictly trying to stack eliminations. Our aim is to foster a fair environment for everyone participating in Ranked Play, aligning with our commitment to uphold competitive integrity.

UI/UX

• Match Stats Quality of Life
  • The new statistics panel from Multiplayer has been adapted to Warzone allowing players to consult their match and weapons statistics during a match.
  • Match stats are also viewable in the After Action Report (AAR).

• 3rd Person Parachute Quality of Life
  • Added a new setting that allows players to see their Operator parachuting from a third person perspective.

• Squad Widget Info Quality of Life
  • Icons for armor plates, a gas mask, and killstreaks will now appear under squad member health bars to indicate what they currently have in their inventory.

• Contract Timer Quality of Life
  • The contract widget will now display a visual timer (bar) indicating the remaining time on the contract.

BUG FIXES

• Fixed an issue causing the Resupply perk to have an incorrect secondary description.

• Fixed an issue causing some players to experience stuttering when moving the cursor on the Tac-Map.

• Fixed an issue that caused player names to overlap with reward text while completing a Bounty contract.

• Fixed an issue preventing players from pinging the Gulag Entry token in the Buy Station.

• Fixed an issue causing the Tac-Map to display the incorrect reward amount for a contract during a Contractor Event.

• Fixed an issue causing the player to get kicked to the Front End after selecting the 'View division rewards' in the 'Rank & skill division' tab of the Ranked Play.

• Fixed an issue that would rarely cause the "pickup" popup on objects to disappear.

• Fixed an issue that caused the player to be kicked to the front end after selecting "Reset Filter" while editing weapons.

• Fixed an issue causing inconsistencies with the "Squad Fill" option when the player queues with the Play Again.

• Fixed an issue with the Ranked Resurgence SR Overview menu incorrectly displaying iridescent SR milestone breakpoints.

• Fixed several occlusion issues allowing players to exploit the map.

Season 4 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is finally beginning today and we now know all of the changes that this new wave of content will have in store. Following the successful run of Season 3 for MW3, Activision and Sledgehammer Games began outlining this past week what Season 4 of the game would look to implement. Now, those major changes have finally gone live alongside numerous additional overhauls to both Multiplayer and Zombies.

As expected, the biggest new implementations with Season 4 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III are the array of new maps, modes, weapons, perks, and Operators that can now be used in the game. Beyond these obvious inclusions, a variety of smaller tweaks have also been made across all avenues. These don't just include bug fixes, but other balance changes that impact weapons currently in MW3 have been changed as well. Lastly, Activision has also made some quality of life improvements that are based on requests many Call of Duty players have been making since MW3 launched last year.

You can find the full patch notes for today's Season 4 update for Call of Duty: MW3 attached at the bottom of the page.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III Season 4 Update Patch Notes

NEW MAPS

The fog of war goes global. Take to the streets of Tokyo and Paris at the launch of Season 4, then look for desolate and disgusting arenas later in-season.

• Tokyo

• Paris

• Incline (In-Season)

• Das Gross (In-Season, Variant)

NEW MODES

Several new and fan-favorite Modes debut in MWIII in Season 4. Look out for weekly Playlist Updates to know when your favorite Modes arrive.

• Demolition

• Hyper Cranked

• Cache

• Mutation

• Headshots Only

• Havoc

NEW WEAPONS

Alongside returning icons, fresh new weaponry is on the horizon in Season 4.

Kar98k (Battle Pass, Marksman Rifle)

This modernized version of a WWII bolt-action rifle is powerful and accurate. High damage output with a slow rate of fire.

Superi 46 (Battle Pass, Submachine Gun)

This pistol-caliber carbine chambered in 4.6x30mm is designed to give impressive stopping power with a skeletonized, lightweight frame. Exceptionally adaptable, this weapon can be modified to excel in most combat scenarios.

Reclaimer 18 (Battle Pass, Shotgun, In-Season)

A tactical shotgun that can be fired in both pump-action and semi-auto modes. Pump-action provides superior range while semi-auto increases fire rate.

Sledgehammer (Weekly Challenge, Melee, In-Season)

Smack some heads with this hammer claw bar Melee weapon with unique attack modes.

NEW AFTERMARKET PARTS

Eight all-new Aftermarket Parts arrive throughout the weeks ahead in Season 4. Every one of which is a fully-fledged conversion kit for fan favorite weaponry.

JAK Harbinger Kit (M4 Assault Rifle)

This .50 Cal conversion kit for the M4 is an extremely deadly, quick-kill weapon. The slow fire rate, drop in bullet velocity, and a significant increase in recoil will require a careful hand.

JAK Gunslinger (Basilisk Handgun)

A frame and cylinder conversion that allows the revolver to hold eight rounds of .357 ammunition with an exceptional increase to rate of fire and a near instantaneous trigger action.

JAK Volkh (KV Inhibitor Sniper Rifle)

A meticulously crafted stock and receiver modification that updates the weapon to fire a two-round burst at minimal MOA dispersion, making every trigger pull count.

JAK Scimitar Kit (FJX Horus Submachine Gun)

Improved range and recoil are standard with this aftermarket kit which also unlocks the use of a high-capacity drum mag for the FJX Horus.

JAK Thumper-656 (RGL-80 Launcher)

An improved long barrel for an infantry-carried grenade launcher. Fires projectiles at higher velocities and distances. Compatible with a wider variety of launcher projectiles.

JAK Requiem (Kastov 762 Assault Rifle)

A counter-balanced rifle system designed to completely eliminate vertical recoil.

JAK Decimator (Lachmann Shroud Submachine Gun)

This modification allows the Lachmann Shroud to fire in full auto.

JAK Intimidator (Renetti Handgun)

Slow down your fire rate and take more deliberate shots with this modification that changes the Renetti to a single-shot weapon.

NEW KILLSTREAKS

Powerful new armaments join the Killstreaks arsenal in Season 4.

Loitering Munition - 8 Kills (1,000 Score)

An unmanned rocket equipped drone loiters over the targeted areas. On each activation the drone selects the targeted location with the largest number of viable targets to bombard with rockets. Can be activated up to three times.

I.M.S. - 7 Kills (875 Score)

The Intelligent Munitions System is loaded with 4 smart explosives that eliminate enemy personnel and vehicles within range. When triggered, it will eject an explosive upwards, which then locks onto its target and propels towards them.

Missile Drone - 11 Kills (1,375 Score)

Piloted drone that fires guided missiles.

DNA Bomb - 25 Kills

Call in a DNA altering bomb that eliminates the entire enemy team without ending the match.

NEW PERKS

Tailor Loadouts to your playstyle with new Vest and Gear Perks.

Mission Control Vest

• Reduces kills required by 1 and score required by 125 for streaks.

• Earn 1 kill or 125 score for every 2 Kill Assists or Cross Fire Assists.

Duplicate effects do not stack. If equipped with Mission Control Comlink, gain the effects of High Gain Antenna.

Compression Plate (Gear)

Immediately regen health after a Primary, Secondary, or Throwing Knife/Star kill. Objective captures also trigger health regen.

NEW OPERATORS

Mysterious new figures join Kortac and Specgru in Season 4. Which side are you on?

Void

A Jane Doe, nicknamed Void, has a mysterious mutation that alters her memory. Further study is needed. She remains under close surveillance.

Hammer

Manoel was the youngest of three siblings by a large margin. Growing up, he was often called the "accident," though his father would assure him that yes, he may have been an accident, but he was a happy one.

When Manoel was twelve-years-old, and his siblings long gone from the home, his father gifted him a puppy - a Brazilian Mastiff, to name and care for.

Manoel named the puppy Hammer, and they did everything together. Wanting to be with Hammer for as long as possible, Manoel trained him as a working dog, and enrolled in the military with Hammer by his side. First, he was part of the Guard Battalion utilizing Hammer as a guard dog, and later, moved his way into the Brazil Special Operations where Hammer's hunting and tracking skills became invaluable in chasing down targets.

One day, on a tracking mission, Hammer was killed in action by the SpecGru organization. Manoel took Hammer's name as his own callsign, and vowed revenge. He joined KorTac to do it and promised to never work with another K-9 unit, and to avenge his dog.

Dupe & Copy

REDACTED

NEW EVENTS

Kick off the first 4 weeks of Season 4 with the Critical Countdown Event before heading into several other Events scheduled throughout the Season, including some surprises along the way.

Critical Countdown

Collect DNA samples from fallen foes to earn rewards and uncover the truth behind the superweapon.

Mobile Suit Gundam Legends

Embrace the awesome power of Mobile Suits! Earn XP to unlock Gundam themed rewards. Equip the RX-78-2 Gundam, MS-06S Zaku II, or XVX-016 Gundam Aerial skins for a boost.

Altered Strain

The strain has mutated! Collect altered DNA samples from fallen foes across to earn rewards and unlock effects for Mutation in MWIII.

Vortex: Death's Lair

Death's grasp has taken over the Vortex. Complete challenges to unlock ghastly rewards.

Vacation Squad

The beach is calling and the Task Force is on vacation. Complete event challenges to earn tropical rewards. Don't forget the sunscreen!

GLOBAL

STABILITY & PERFORMANCE

• Addressed various issues causing improper first-person animations.

CUSTOMIZATION

• Camos can now be equipped on the B.E.A.S.T. Glove Blueprint for the Gladiator.

• Know No Fear Weapon Decal no longer has a white border while equipped.

• Equipping the Karaage skin on the MCW Assault Rifle will no longer result in an error.

• Fixed an input device exploit allowing unowned Blueprints to be equipped.

• JAK Glassless Optic is now unlocked as expected upon purchasing a relevant Blueprint.

MULTIPLAYER

UIX

• Weapon Mastery and Unlock Challenges can now be added to Tracked Challenges.

• XP Bonus potential from compatible Operator Skins is now displayed while in the lobby but not in a party.

• Bug Fixes

  • Corrected a spelling mistake in the Red Camo challenge for the WSP Swarm.

  • Player icons on the minimap will no longer appear to follow the Wheelson-HS.

  • Vests that disallow primaries will no longer prompt to Quick Equip invalid Weapons.

  • Adjusted Pros and Cons displayed for specific Attachments to better reflect their actual statistics.

  • Fixed improper tile placement in the Gunsmith while the Compression Carrier Vest is equipped.

  • Activate prompt is now longer displayed on completed Armory Unlocks.

GAMEPLAY

• Spawn protection is now disabled when the player inflicts damage or locks onto a Killstreak.

• Fixed a bug causing spawns to not match the intended directionality of a map.

• Increased detection distance for nearby enemies in small map spawn selection.

• Decreased volume of footstep sounds from enemy players.

Last season, we made several adjustments to Perks to distribute usage in the Boots category more evenly. Despite these changes, the pick rate of Covert Sneakers remains far ahead of other Boots.

In today's update, our Design and Audio teams have decreased the volume of all footstep types (walk, sprint, and tac-sprint) to encourage more diverse usage in the Boots category of Perks.

PROGRESSION

• Collateral kills now progress Battle Rage kills Challenges as expected.

• Kills with Battle Rage Challenges now track progress correctly.

• Fixed an issue causing the ISO 9mm to not unlock upon Challenge completion.

MAPS

• 6 Star

  • Reworked Hardpoint capture point locations, sizes, and associated spawns.

    • P1: Club (Revert)

    • P2: Lounge (Revert)

    • P3: Rooftop Bar (Revert)

    • P4: Skybridge (New)

• Das Haus

  • Corrected orientation of the vertically hanging American Flag.

• Growhouse

  • Added the ability to mount at various locations where functionality is expected.

• Highrise

  • Environmental explosives are no longer present in CDL and Ranked Play modes.

• Underpass

  • Improved spawn safety assessment near the Train Yard.

MODES

• Arcade

  • Unlimited Ammo and Grenades powerup timer now disappears upon death.

• Cutthroat

  • Allies needing a revive are now indicated as such on the scoreboard.

• One in the Chamber

  • Lifestreaks are now correctly tracked on the scoreboard.

WEAPONS & ATTACHMENTS

Assault Rifles

• BP50

  • Decreased movement speed from 5m/s to 4.8m/s (-4%).

  • Decreased sprint speed from 5.7m/s to 5.5m/s (-4%).

  • Decreased tactical sprint speed from 7m/s to 6.8m/s (-3%).

  • JAK Revenger Kit

    • Decreased movement speed from 5.5m/s to 5.1m/s (-7%).

    • Decreased crouch movement speed from 2.6m/s to 2.4m/s (-8%).

    • Decreased sprint speed from 6.2m/s to 5.8m/s (-6%).

    • Decreased tactical sprint speed from 7.7m/s to 7.1m/s (-8%).

    • Decreased ADS movement speed from 3.3m/s to 3.1m/s (-6%).

    • Decreased maximum damage from 32 to 28 (-13%).

    • Decreased near-medium damage from 28 to 25 (-11%).

    • Decreased medium damage from 25 to 23 (-8%).

• MCW

  • Increased head damage multiplier from 1.1x to 1.25x.

Submachine Guns

• FJX Horus

  • Decreased recoil gun kick from 42.5deg/s to 35.4deg/s (-17%).

  • Increased maximum damage range from 10.2m to 17.8m (+75%).

  • Increased near-medium damage range from 20.3m to 25.4m (+25%).

  • Increased lower torso damage multiplier from 1x to 1.1x.

  • No Stock Mod

    • Increased ADS movement speed benefit from 9% to 12%.

  • Lopper LX-D Stock

    • Added 3% ADS movement speed penalty.

• RAM-9

  • Increased maximum damage range from 11.2m to 12.4m (+11%).

  • Increased near-medium damage range from 20.3m to 21.6m (+6%).

• AMR9

  • Increased maximum damage range from 14m to 15.2m (+9%).

  • Increased near-medium damage range from 20.3m to 21.6m (+6%).

• Rival-9

  • Fixed an issue causing the Trebuchet Brake Attachment to be unavailable.

  • Increased maximum damage range from 10.2m to 11.4m (+13%).

  • Increased near-medium damage range from 21.6m to 22.9m (+6%).

  • JAK Headhunter Carbine Conversion

    • Increased rate of fire from 682rpm to 882rpm (+29%).

    • Increased maximum damage from 26 to 33 (+27%).

    • Increased near-medium damage from 24 to 30 (+25%).

    • Increased minimum damage from 22 to 28 (+27%).

    • Decreased neck and upper torso damage multipliers from 1.5x to 1.1x.

    • Decreased lower arm and hand damage multipliers from 1.1x to 1x.

• HRM-9

  • Increased maximum damage range from 16.5m to 17.8m (+8%).

  • Increased near-medium damage range from 24.1m to 25.4m (+5%).

• Striker 9

  • Increased maximum damage range from 14m to 15.2m (+9%).

  • Increased near-medium damage range from 20.3m to 21.6m (+6%).

• Striker

  • Increased maximum damage range from 9.7m to 10.9m (+13%).

  • Increased near-medium damage range from 21.6m to 22.9m (+6%).

• WSP-9

  • Increased maximum damage range from 18.5m to 24.1m (+30%).

  • Increased near-medium damage range from 25.1m to 31.8m (+26%).

Marksman Rifles

• MCW 6.8

  • MCW 6.8 Full-Auto Conversion Kit

    • Resolved an issue causing recoil overcorrection after firing.

Launchers

• RGL-80

  • Decreased aim down sight time from 310ms to 260ms (-16%).

  • Decreased explosive damage by 80% in Hardcore game modes.

RGL-80 explosive damage is now scaled to align with the Hardcore player health scalar.

PERKS

• Gunslinger Vest

  • Fixed an issue causing Throwing Star kills not to refresh stamina.

• Gunner Vest

  • Updated description to remove mention of Handgun ammo benefit, aligning with existing functionality.

• Compression Carrier (Vest)

  • Fixed an issue causing Throwing Star kills not to trigger health regeneration.

• Assault Gloves

  • Updated description to mention recently-added reticle spread benefit.

KILLSTREAKS

• Precision Airstrike

  • Decreased delay before damage occurs by 2s.

  • Increased explosive damage radius from 7.6m to 8.9m (+17%).

• Cruise Missile

  • Increased explosive damage radius from 15.2m to 22.9m (+50%)

• SAE

  • Decreased delay before explosive damage occurs by 2s.

  • Increased explosive damage radius from 19m to 20.3m (+7%).

  • Removed stun effect on victims before death.

• Remote Turret

  • Increased cost from 7 Kills (875 Score) to 8 Kills (1,000 Score).

  • Decreased hits required for turret destruction for specific damage types.

    • Melee: from 12 hits to 3 hits

    • Launchers: from 3 hits to 2 hits

  • Improved detection of EMP hits from the Stormender Launcher.

• Wheelson-HS

  • Increased cost from 8 Kills (1,000 Score) to 9 Kills (1,125 Score).

• Overwatch Helo

  • Increased cost from 8 Kills (1,000) Score to 9 Kills (1,125 Score)

  • Decreased incoming damage dealt by bullets by 50%.

• Emergency Airdrop

  • Decreased cost from 10 Kills (1,250 Score) to 9 Kills (1,125 Score).

• Carpet Bomb

  • Decreased cost from 10 Kills (1,250 Score) to 8 Kills (1,000 Score).

  • Increased explosive damage radius from 10.2m to 12.7m (+25%).

  • Increased bomber flight speed by 40%.

• VTOL Jet

  • Increased cost from 10 Kills (1,250 Score) to 11 Kills (1,375 Score).

  • Decreased incoming damage dealt by bullets by 50%.

  • Decreased machine gun explosive damage from 27 to 20 (-26%).

• Gunship

  • Increased cost from 12 Kills (1,500 Score) to 13 Kills (1,625 Score).

• Chopper Gunner

  • Increased cost from 12 Kills (1,500 Score) to 13 Kills (1,625 Score).

  • Decreased incoming damage dealt by bullets by 50%.

  • Decreased turret explosive damage from 45 to 35 (-22%).

  • Decreased turret explosive damage radius from 1.7m to 1.3m (-23%).

• EMP

  • Decreased cost from 13 Kills (1,625 Score) to 12 Kills (1,500 Score).

  • Visual effects will no longer play twice if the player dies during detonation.

• Swarm

  • Fixed an issue causing drones to divebomb immediately after the player who summoned it dies.

  • Fixed an issue causing drones to spawn away from the playspace on Das Haus and Mercado Las Almas.

ZOMBIES

• Fixed a client crash issue when players attacked All For One's fort and attempted to engage AFO in his room.

• Fixed a bug preventing the Mimic Operators from being equipped.

• The 'Longbow' sniper rifle's 'Extinction' blueprint is no longer missing all the attachments.

• Fixed an issue where players would see the default loading screen instead of the selected loading screen while infilling.

• Unlocked items should no longer appear to be locked in the Gear menu.

• The HUD overlay from the golden Sergeants Beret no longer flickers on and off when near a Merc Camp UAV Scrambler.

• Fixed an issue where player gamertags in the 'Squad Missions' tab of the Tac Map were difficult to read due to the font being compacted.

• Addressed an issue that prevented the MORS Photonic Charge Barrel from applying the correct damage values when fully charged.

• Deploying the 'Juggernaut' Killstreak no longer incorrectly deploys the 'Juggernaut Recon' killstreak from Multiplayer.

• Dying while using Juggernaut Killstreak no longer causes loss of all weapons.

• Fixed an issue where shooting a WunderWaffe Wonder Weapon near the Sergeants Beret Friendly Merc would cause the Merc to be affected by the weapon's AOE shocking feature.

• Fixed an object collision issue that would occur when being grabbed by Mimic.

• Loot in the bookstore location named Feroze and Sons is now accessible.

• Dark Aether Rift

  • Aether Storm will no longer spawn on top of the tornado at the Rift Gate.

  • Fixed several instances of Zombies not pathing as intended on Rift Run.

  • Fixed several out-of-map exploits and glitches that resulted in players falling through the map.

• Dark Aether

  • In the newest Act 4 story mission, players are now able to reach the Pack-A-Punch location by foot.

  • Fixed an issue where the vote prompt would block users from starting the Dark Aether Rift after a teammate left the squad.

  • Eliminated several environmental exploits.

• Fixed an issue where the third punching bag could not be activated, blocking progress in the 'Tattered MMA Gloves' attunement challenge.

During last month's Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate was announced for Nintendo Switch. The game was originally an Apple Arcade exclusive, but it will be arriving on Nintendo's system this summer. A new Nintendo Direct will be happening at some point in June, and while Nintendo has been quiet about what to expect, it seems one of the games announced will be another current Apple Arcade exclusive. If rumors are to be believed, Fantasian will finally be released on consoles, more than three years after its debut on Apple's subscription service.

Is Fantasian Finally Coming to Switch?

The rumor started with a post on Twitter from Midori. The leaker only stated that "an Apple Arcade title will be announced for multiple platforms soon." Midori never specifically states that the game is Fantasian, but her comment was picked up by another leak account, Leakeo De Proximidad. A Quote Tweet from that account explicitly states that Fantasian is getting revealed at next month's Nintendo Direct. While Leakeo De Proximidad isn't nearly as well known as Midori, posters on the Gaming Leaks and Rumors subreddit pointed out that the account has shared other recent rumors that proved to be accurate.

As with any rumor, readers are encouraged to take this with a grain of salt. While Midori has a fantastic track record, this other account is a far more recent one, and there are a lot of fake rumors that spread around social media. That said, Fantasian would make a lot of sense on Nintendo Switch. RPGs tend to do very well on the system, and it seems like the kind of game that would appeal to the Switch audience.

What is Fantasian?

Fantasian is an RPG that was released on Apple Arcade in 2021. The game has some major connections to the Final Fantasy franchise; series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi wrote and produced Fantasian, while the music was created by composer Nobuo Uematsu. The involvement of these two creators has generated a lot of interest in the game since it was first announced, and reviews for the game were mostly positive. If Fantasian truly is coming to Switch, it will have a very good chance at finding a bigger audience.

One of the most interesting things about Fantasian is that the game uses hand-crafted dioramas for its environments. That gives the RPG a very unique style, and it might be easier to appreciate on the Switch's larger screen compared to playing it on an iPhone. With June just around the corner, we should know soon if the game truly will be revealed during the next Nintendo Direct!

Do you think Fantasian will finally come to Nintendo Switch? Would you like to see it announced during next month's Nintendo Direct? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

At long last, Sony has announced that it will be holding a new PlayStation State of Play presentation to close out May 2024. For multiple months at this point, rumors and reports have indicated that PlayStation was eyeing either a State of Play or PlayStation Showcase to be held in May. Given that the month is wrapping up in the coming days, though, many assumed that this window for a new event may have slipped back slightly into June. Luckily, that won't be happening after all as PlayStation is instead deciding to hold its latest broadcast on one of the final days of the month.

Announced across PlayStation's multiple social channels, the publisher revealed that its next State of Play will transpire on Thursday, May 30, at 6:00pm ET/3:00pm PT. Per usual, the event will be streamed across platforms that include YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok. As for what will be highlighted during this State of Play, PlayStation didn't name any specific games but it did say that 14 different titles will make an appearance which span PS5 and PlayStation VR2. Additionally, it was mentioned that first-party exclusives from PlayStation Studios will be shown off during the event's 30-minute runtime.

At the time of this writing, PlayStation has yet to detail much of what it has in store for the remainder of 2024. New exclusives such as Concord are known to be launching at some point before this year comes to a close, although this project specifically hasn't been highlighted to the public just yet. Beyond this, other reports in recent months have claimed that a new Astro Bot game from Team Asobi is on the horizon and could be released before 2024 wraps up. If true, there's a good chance that this title will be unveiled in a formal capacity tomorrow.

As always, if you can't watch this new State of Play in the coming day as it happens live, be sure to keep an eye on our coverage here on ComicBook.com. We'll have all of the latest, breaking news from the event to share with you in real time as it's revealed.

Mortal Kombat 1 players have finally gotten to see more of Homelander in action with a full gameplay trailer shared this week showing off some of his moves, his Kameo partner Ferra, and perhaps most importantly, his Fatalities. The character from The Boys pulls straight from that Prime Video show for his Fatalities with those killing moves pulling right from big moments from the show just as other licensed characters tend to do in Mortal Kombat 1. The Homelander trailer comes just before the character's arrival in Mortal Kombat 1 with The Boys set to crossover with the game on June 4th.

Both of Homelander's Fatalities have been hinted at before in teaser trailers and in snippets of gameplay shared online, but we get to see them nearly in full here in this new gameplay trailer. One of them shows Homelander using his laser vision to melt his opponent's head similar to what he did to a protestor in Season 3 Episode 8, a scene which marked a turning point for Homelander and also spawned one of the best reaction memes from The Boys. The other Fatality recalls a Season 1 scene involving Homelander and a plane, though this one plays out a bit differently compared to what happens in The Boys.

Still, the gameplay trailer does not outright confirm Homelander's voice despite him talking during the trailer. Many called for The Boys Antony Star to voice the character, especially given that he's already done so in the Call of Duty crossover, but it's not looking as if that'll be the case here. Credits in Mortal Kombat 1 seem to suggest the Homelander voice actor might be Chris Cox who's worked in Mortal Kombat games before, but again, nobody's plainly confirmed it yet.

June 8th is when the early access release will happen for Homelander, so only those who own the Kombat Pack in Mortal Kombat 1 will be able to play as him then. All others will have to wait until June 11th whenever Homelander becomes available for individual purchase like Omni-Man, Peacemaker, and other DLC characters are now after their releases.

With Homelander and Kameo character Ferra included in this next drop, the final character from the first Kombat Pack in Mortal Kombat 1 will be Takeda.

On May 28th, MultiVersus made its triumphant return, 11 months after the game was taken offline. Fans had been eagerly awaiting its return, and it seems a lot of players jumped back in at the start; according to SteamDB, MultiVersus hit a high of 114,515 concurrent players over the last 24 hours. That number comes up shy against the game's all-time peak of 153,433, but it's still a very respectable return number. For comparison, Warner Bros. Games' Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's concurrent peak was just 13,459 players; that's nearly 100,000 players less!

That comparison isn't entirely fair, as Suicide Squad was a full priced game, while MultiVersus is free-to-play. However, WB Games should be pretty happy with these early results. At the very least, it shows there's still a lot of interest surrounding the game, with many people eager to check out the newly added characters and other improvements. Over the last few months, WB Games had put a lot of effort into hyping the game's return, from Happy Meal promotions, to an NHL mash-up that saw Superman taking the ice against Jack Eichel.

Can MultiVersus Keep Concurrent Player Numbers High?

While these Steam numbers are pretty strong, there's a lot we don't know, including how many people are playing the game on console. It's possible those numbers are equally strong, but there's simply no way of knowing for sure. We also don't know if MultiVersus will be able to retain these types of numbers. It's easy to see why a lot of Steam users would give a free-to-play game a second chance, but whether or not those players will keep coming back remains to be seen.

A lot of fighting games have tried to replicate the success of Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. series, but most have come up short. MultiVersus could have the best chance of building that kind of audience on platforms like Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox. It's far too early to tell if that will prove the case, but things are off to a good start following the game's resurrection.

The Future of MultiVersus

Support could have a big impact on the long term success of MultiVersus. If WB Games used the time off to get a strong pipeline of content, that could go a long way towards retaining the audience. At the very least, we know Agent Smith from The Matrix series will be arriving in the game at some point this season. Anything beyond that is unknown, but there have been hints about characters such as the Power Puff Girls and Pinky and the Brain.

Did you play MultiVersus on its return day? Are you happy to finally have the game back? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

[H/T: Video Games Chronicle]

Last summer, it was revealed that Google was testing a new feature for YouTube called Playables. This feature lets players play free online games directly in their browsers or through the YouTube app on mobile. Over the last few months, the feature was slowly rolled out across YouTube, giving a limited number of players a chance to jump in and test the feature out. Today, Google announced that Playables is now available for every YouTube user, giving them access to over 75 online games at no extra charge. Importantly, you don't have to download anything new. Simply log into YouTube on your browser or mobile device and hop into one of the many games.

Playables Available Directly on YouTube

As mentioned, there are over 75 new games available on YouTube via Playables. Many of these are either ports of popular mobile games or spin-offs of those games that work in a browser. For example, you'll note games like State.io, Words of Wonders, Pocket Champions, and Mob Control all have versions on Playables. The most notable games are probably Cut the Rope and Angry Birds Showdown, though there is something for everyone.

We've gone through and tested several of the games and it doesn't seem like there are any microtransactions for now. Those might be added in the future, but for now, YouTube is trying to entice players to use the service. After all, this is far from the only dip Google has taken into making video games. Remember, the company previously explored creating its own console with Stadia. Of course, that didn't end up working out for the company, but it's always trying something new.

Google also isn't the only major tech company that's been jumping into games lately. Netflix, for example, has continued to invest in games, especially on mobile devices. Last year, it was revealed that God of War's old art director joined the streaming giant to start working on an internal AAA game. For its part, Discord has also implemented something similar to Playables with its Activities, which gives players easy access to in-server games like putt-putt and more.

It'll be interesting to see how Playables develops moving forward. By making the games available in a browser or on a mobile device, YouTube has made it incredibly easy for players to hop into the games. If it sticks with the service long-term, this could turn into a major success for Google.

The anime fandom has a lot to thanks Yoshihiro Togashi for. Over the decades, the artist has helped create some of the most popular series in shonen. From Hunter x Hunter to Yu Yu Hakusho, the creator has proven themselves time and again. These days, all eyes are on Togashi as the artist has resumed worked on Hunter x Hunter, but he recently made time to pay homage to one of gaming's most iconic titles.

Yes, that is right. Togashi has a thing for Resident Evil. Taking to social media, the artist posted a sketch they did of the first game, and it proves Togashi can vibe with just about any style.

pic.twitter.com/pbD5NY71Pf

-- ???? (@Un4v5s8bgsVk9Xp) May 27, 2024

As you can see above, the artwork comes courtesy of Togashi from X (Twitter). During a break from Hunter x Hunter, the artist decided to ink some special sketches, and it was there Resident Evil came into play. Togashi inked a black-and-white sketch inspired by the first game, and it stars familiar faces like Chris, Jill, Rebecca, and more.

Oh, and there is a zombie in the background. It is hard to overlook them.

For the most part, Hunter x Hunter has avoided the kind of zombie apocalypse we've seen in Resident Evil, but that could always change. The manga is ongoing, after all. Togashi may work on the manga sparingly due to his health status, but the artist has stressed his desire to complete the work. There is always the chance Gon may run into zombies down the line. And if he does, well - we hope Togashi teaches the hunter the importance of double tapping.

Want to know more about Gon and his run in Hunter x Hunter? No sweat! You can read the manga's official synopsis below for all the details:

"Gon is a young boy who dreams of following in his father's footsteps to become a Hunter. But first he must pass the notoriously difficult and dangerous Hunter Qualification Exam. Throughout his journey, Gon overcomes many obstacles, while making new friends along the way!"

What do you make of this tribute to Resident Evil? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

Every so often, Fortnite developer Epic Games sends out surveys to players asking about potential upcoming crossovers. Of course, many of these collaborations never happen, but it does give fans a good idea of the direction Epic is planning. Earlier today, the May 2024 survey was revealed on Twitter, potentially showing fans several upcoming Fortnite crossovers. As usual, the long list of potential collabs includes everything from musical artists and actors to fan-favorite film and TV characters. It's a real smorgasbord of possible crossovers, which is what fans have come to expect from Fortnite over the last several years.

Fortnite Survey Reveals Potential Crossovers

The new survey list was posted to Twitter by Hypex, who has become one of the most trusted sources of Fortnite leaks within the community. You'll still want to read the list below with a hefty dose of skepticism. Sure, Hypex has the correct list, but simply being on that list doesn't mean the property will make its way to Fortnite. It's just a list of potential crossovers, not a list of properties Epic has already secured partnerships with. You can head to the tweet for the full list, but here's a selection of some of the more notable names and properties.

Artists

• Fall Out Boy
• Chris Bown
• Nicki Minaj
• Logic
• Black Eyed Peas
• Blink-182
• Lil Uzi Vert
• Doja Cat
• DJ Khaled
• J Cole
• Rihanna
• Metallica
• The Strokes
• Avril Lavigne
• Maroon 5

Celebrities

• Adam Sandler
• Bill Murray
• Bill Nye
• Chuck Norris
• Dr. Disrepect
• Jeff Goldblum
• KSI
• Keanu Reeves
• Morgan Freeman
• Pedro Pascal
• Snoop Dogg
• Vin Diesel

TV/Series

• The Boys
• The Office
• Doctor Who
• Game of Thrones
• Minions
• The Lord of the Rings
• Willy Wonka

Athletes

• Vinicius Junio
• Floyd Mayweather
• Kobe Bryant
• Michael Jordan
• Steph Curry
• Triple H

Characters

• Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad)
• Furiosa (Mad Max)
• Buzz Lightyear (Toy Story)
• James Bond
• Shaggy (Scooby-Doo)
• Snow White (Disney)

Anime/Comics

• Blue Lock
• Android 16 (Dragon Ball)
• Chucky (Child's Play)
• Dracula
• Jean Grey (X-Men)
• Marty McFly (Back to the Future)
• Plankton (Sponge-Bob SquarePants)
• The Wet Bandits (Home Alone)

Game Characters

• Freddy Fazbear (Five Nights At Freddy's)
• Abby (The Last of Us)
• Bowser (Super Mario Bros)
• CJ (Grand Theft Auto)
• Ethan Winters (Resident Evil)
• Sephiroth (Final Fantasy)

Games

• Among Us
• Call of Duty
• Contra
• Fall Guys
• League of Legends
• Silent Hill
• Pokemon

Interestingly, some of these crossovers have already leaked. We know, for example, that there's a massive Marvel-themed season coming in August, which would be the perfect time for Fortnite to add characters like Jean Grey. We also know that the battle royale will soon get Fall Guys-flavored content as part of Chapter 5, Season 3. That said, some of the rumored crossovers would be great additions. Playing as The Wet Bandits from Home Alone this holiday season would practically print money.

Fortnite is available now on PlayStation, Switch, mobile, Xbox, and PC platforms.