Long-time Minecraft fans will instantly recognize the name Markus "Notch" Persson, the game's original creator who has since sold its IP to Microsoft. While that marked the end of Notch's involvement with Minecraft, he's since come to social media to allude to the possibility of creating its spiri??tual successor.

Minecraft's spiritual successor explained

In a January 1 post on X (formally Twitter,) Notch revealed he's working on a new game designed to be a roguelike dungeon-crawler. In his words, he describes i??t as a "traditional roguelike (i.e. ADOM, nethack, etc) mixed with a tile based first person dungeon crawler (ie Legend of Grimrock (esp 2), Eye of the Beholder)."

At first, this sounds nothing like Minecraft. You'd be right to think that this isn't its spiritual successor at all. Rather, the possibility of this successor comes from the second half of the tweet asking if folks would "prefer for [Notch] to make a spiritual successor thing to Minecraft." As he puts it, he can make a game for people who "love uncursing potions" or create what'd feel like Minecraft 2 under a different name and premise.

In other words, while it isn't necessarily in the works right now, Notch isn't opposed to making another game that's reminiscent of Minecraft. However,? "spiritual successor" is still the key ??phrase here, as it'll never lead to a direct sequel.

Is Notch making Minecraft 2?

No, Notch won't be the one behind "Minecraft 2." In response to a tweet asking whether making a sequel is even possible, he explains that it isn't with Microsoft owning the IP. Instead, it'd be completely separate from Minecraft with a different name a?nd setting but be a similar type of game.

Nonetheless, Notch is certainly working on another game, with the potential for a title similar to Minecraft appearing in the future. Whether he'll release it in 2025 is unknown, b??ut we can live on knowing we'll eventually see another project come to fruition.

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Apple's Vision Pro, a mixed-reality headset whose only impress??ive functionality was the ability to immediately set you back $3,500, was released last February, and it was met with such a lukewarm response that the company is now severely slowing down on the production side of things.

According to multiple sources caught by Mac Rumors, Apple currently has enough inventory to meet the demand for the entire expected lifespan of the product. The result of the ??poor performance reportedly comes down not just to the incredibly pr??ohibitive price but also to a lack of content.

Apple is reportedly still developing the Apple Vision gen 2, though its production has seemingly also halted due to the original's poor per??formance. Though things look dire for the product, Apple hasn't fully stopped production, rather just slowed it down, looking to bring it back to full steam should the Vision Pro's sales ever pick up. Apple is seemingly also looking into making a cheaper headset, which would be an effective way to deal with the Vision Pro's greatest issue.

Bloomberg had previously reported that Apple was lo?oking into incorporating Apple AI into the future versio?n??s of the device, so we'll see how this news affects those plans.

Many of the mistakes committed by Apple in the making of the Vision Pro could've been averted simply by looking at the high-priced and low-selling PSVR2 headset. Instead, Apple chose to make an even more expensive and even less i??nteresting product.

You can currently still acquire the original Apple Vision Pro for its original price.

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When the Elemental Swords arrived in BO6 Zombies, it was a letdown in terms of power. Its damage rates were nothing to write home about, and i??ts charge time took a tad too long. Fortunately, CoD's first-ever 2025 update is here to finally give a good name to t??hese swords.

One of the first significant changes is the sword's ability to now hit two enemies per swing, including additional strikes to any other zombies close by. Hit damage rates have also been raised to 100 percent at close-to-medium distances, making undead takedowns easier than ever. The Elemental Swords feel a lot more like classic Wond??er Weapons, wh??ich have always been the most powerful in the weapon collection.

The update adds another handy feature, allowing the player to counter the Amalgram's deadly grasp by swinging the sword. It woul?d've made sense to have this feature to begin with, but I gue??ss it's better late than never.

Each Elemental Sword received buffs all around, from the Balmung to Durandel. Notably, the Balmung, also known as the "Raven Sword," charge kill requirement has been reduced from 40 to 25. I'm more than happy to see this change, as ??it did feel a bit too overwhelming to garner that many eliminations ?for the ultimate attack.

The latest improvements will certainly help you tackle the Citadelle des Morts Main Quest if you haven't already. The Main Quest itself has also gotten a refresher with th?e New Year's update, fixing bugs that ?come up frequently for Zombies players. This includes saving progress issues when picking up the Mys??tic Orb and a respawn of the Lightning Rod zombie in the Dungeon.

Due to the initial problems with the Citadelle des Morts Main Quest, Treyarch has confirmed an extension to earn exclusive rewards for this map. Typically, these gifts are no longer available when the location's Directed Mode (Zombies guided experience) releases. However, the rewards will now remain available until ??Season 2 starts to compensate for the map's previous troubles.

Many more enhancements are featured in BO6 and Warzone's first major update of 2025, such as the thrilling Squid Game crossover and Prop Hunt fixes. There are still a few more updates the community is waiting on, especially the issue with the anti-cheats. Aside from this, things are off to an excellent start for Black Ops 6 and Warzone, and hopefully, Zombies mode wi??ll contin??ue to improve along with it.  

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2025 seems to have had the wildest possible opening for EA FC 25, as an accidental?? glitch has ended up gifting players a copy of Erling Haaland Winter? Wildcards card in Ultimate Team.

The incident was first reported after the content update time (6 p.m. UK time) on January 4 when the NumeroFUT promo went live. Incidentally, the glitch was triggered by a free pack that is part of an ongoing objective. It's safe to say that those who managed to complete th?e objective late have been rewarded with a New Year's gift.

EA FC 25 Erling Haaland Winter Wildcards glitch explained

It all starts with the Season 4 Weekly Play Completionist objective, which r??ewards players with special packs. To earn these packs, players have to complete certain tasks every week. So far, players have managed to complete the objective tasks for Week 1, which rewards players with a guaranteed Winter Wildca??rds/Winter Wildcards Hero pack.

This pack on its own is pretty special, as you're guaranteed a promo card (excluding icons). However, those who have managed to either ??save the pack or complete it just in time were almost guaranteed a Winter Wildcards Erling Haaland. Most of those who have opened the pack late have ended u??p receiving the ST version of the Norwegian striker.

As of writing, the card costs over a million coins on the Ultimate Team market. Technically, someone could have been incredibly lucky and ended up receiving the item from the pack. However, what happened tonight is certainly a glitch. It reminds me of a similar incident that happened last year in January when an SBC inexplicably ended up giving a TOTY Messi card to many.

It remains to be seen if EA Sports will take any action regarding what has happened and if there will be some sort of compen??sation in the future.

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Black Myth: Wukong was one of the biggest video games of 2024 and many ga?mers around the world are still enjoying it today, more? than 5 months after its initial release. However, this game is still only available on PlayStation 5 and PC, with no Xbox Series X/S release date in sight.

The weirdest part is that Game Science delayed the Xbox version of Black Myth: Wukong back in June 2024, and Microsoft even commented on the matter. Despite all of these confirmations and statemen??ts, the Xbox port of the game has completely disappeared from the public eye, although we finally received an official answer that told us everything we needed to know.

Feng Ji, the producer and director of Black Myth: Wukong, recently talked about the fabled Xbox version on the Chinese social media app Weibo (and ?u/Hot-Cause-481 on Reddit translated his message into English) "Although there were no big surprises, I was still a little bit emotional after taking them all. Your combat capabilities are so terrifying, and the only thing missing is the XBOX??... It seems a bit inappropriate, but the 10G shared memory, without several years of optimization experience, it is really difficult to use it," wrote Feng Ji.

He's essentially saying that he laments the lack of an Xbox port of Black Myth: Wukong, and that he blames the optimization issues of the Series S specifically. Microsoft famously released two console models during this generation, with one of? them being slightly less powerful than the other. It was an inter??esting idea, but it seems that this decision is now hurting the brand.

Xbox Series X is lacking a Black Myth: Wukong port - Is the Series S holding it back?

Black Myth: Wukong is a well-regarded action game that sold well and received many awards, but it's not without its flaws. The game has some inf?amous performance issues on the PlayStation 5, and it's quite evident that the process of optimization for that console wasn't easy for the developers a?t Game Science, so the development of the Xbox Series X/S versio??n has surely been quite challenging for them as well.

It's important to keep in mind that the Xbox Series X and the Series S are technically two models of the same console, so every game that comes out in one should also work on the other. Some people think that Feng Ji's statement confirms that the Series S is holding back the Xbox brand and preventing it from receiving solid ports of popular new games. However, others have criticized the developers, claiming that they should know how to optimize their titles. Regardless of what the real issue is, it's a real shame that the Xbox brand can't still play a game as beloved as Black Myth: Wukong. Fortunately for Xbox users, this port still wasn't cancelled, and should still come out sometime in the near future. If anything, it's refreshing to finally have a concrete explanation as to why it's taking Game Science so long to r?elease?? it.

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Jim Carrey's dual performance as Doctor Eggman and Professor Gerald Robotnik was one of the highlights of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and, fortunately for fans of this movie series, he seems ??open to retur??ning to the role for a fourth time.

Jim Carrey recently talked to Cinematoday Japan a?nd addressed the topic of his performances in the Sonic movies. Despite his current break from the world of acting, Carrey ??is still quite fond of Eggman and confirmed that there's always a possibility that he'll return to the role. "I’m definitely open, I’m open to the idea, and generally they come to me with the next idea and I go ‘oh, that sounds fun�you know, then I’ll do it. I don’t feel locked to anything in life unless it’s something that interests me," he told Cinematoday.

It is no coincidence that Paramount Pictures confirmed that a fourth Sonic the Hedgehog is already in development, set to come out in 2027, which was in itself no surprise considering that Sonic 3 has quickly become a huge critical and commercial success for the studio. While we still know absolutely nothing about the plot and setting of this upcoming sequel, Carrey's statement confirms that Doctor Eggman will most likely return and that the writers at Paramount will try to find a place for the character in the story. After all, the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog films wouldn't be the same without him.

Doctor Eggman is the heart and soul of the Sonic movies

Known for classic comedies like The Mask or Liar Liar, Jim Carrey was truly the best actor Paramount Pictures could choose to bring Doctor Eggman to life. Even when the infamous first trailer for the live-action Sonic movie came ou??t (which starred "Ugly Sonic" before the studio redesigned the character), most fans agreed that Carrey's signature over-the-top energy was perfect for the villain. When it released in theaters a few months later, Eggman quickly bec??a?me one of the audience's favorite parts of the movie.

As the sequels came out, Carrey even slowly began looking and acting a lot more like the Eggman from the games while still keeping his hilarious energy and performance, which made the character a lot more appealing and entertaining. Shortly after the release of Sonic 2, Carrey announced that he was retiring from acting unless someone gave him a script that was "going to be really im?portant for people to see."

Since then, he has returned to the franchise for Sonic 3 in a hilarious dual role, and it's evident that this character and this franchise are quite important to him. Now, Carrey has reiterated that he'll portray Eggman once again as long the script interests him, so it's up to director Jeff Fowler and his writers to come up with something good that will encourage the legendary actor to return. Considering that they piqued his interest with Sonic 3, I'm s??ure that ?they will be able to get him to join them once again for a fourth time.

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Hideaki Itsuno needs no introduction, as he's the creator of the Dragon's Dogma franchise and the director of Devil May Cry 3, 4 and 5. In 2024, he announced his departure from Capcom an?d his new position as head of LightSpeed J?apan Studio, where work on his next projec??t had already begun.

Itsuno recently shared the news on his personal Twitter/X account: Development of his next project already started, and he and his team at LightSpeed Japan Studio will reveal what exactly it is "as soon as possible". What's especially interesting about this announcement is that they're still looking for new people to join the team, so those interested in working alongside this legendary developer can apply at LightSpeed Japan S?tud??io's official recruitment page.

While we still know nothing about this upcoming project, Itsuno did already give us a hint of what to expect when he joined the studio back in November: "I’m confident we’ll create original AAA action game titles alongside our amazing team, delivering aesthetic and innovative experiences to players worldwide.", he stated on his original Instagram announcement. This means that it is extremely likely that he won't deviate too much from his usual projects and style, so we can expect a new, high-octane action game similar to his previous works (like Devil May Cry and Dragon's Dogma)

What is Hideaki Itsuno working on right now?

Hideaki Itsuno's announcement caused rampant speculation among fans of his work. Needless to say, this project will have absolutely no relation to any of his signature franchises since the Devil May Cry and Dragon's Dogma IPs belong to Capcom, and it's extremely unlikely that LightSpeed would have made some sort of contract or arrangement with said company in order to develop a new entry together. It??suno left Capcom in order to start fresh in a "new environment" so this project will?? definitely mark the beginning of a new IP.

Some fans responded to Itsuno's message with their wishes, with some o??f them asking if he's working on a new high-quality action game (And hoping he will be able to get Takahisa Taura, the director of Astral Chain, on board), while ot??hers are hoping for a spiritual successor to fighting games like Rival Schools or Power Stone.

While everybody knows Itsuno for his impact on the hack-and-slash franchise due to Devil May Cry and Dragon's Dogma, it's important to remember that he got his start at Capcom by working on arcade fighting games, not to mention that Power Stone was the first video game he ever directed. So there's always a chance that he might want to return to the genr??e th?at started it all.

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Perhaps what makes Stardew Valley such a hit that keeps people coming back for more is the fact that it's quite a cozy game. Its pixelated visual??s hearken back to the olden days of gaming, which goes in stark contrast to the usual AAA appeal of hyperrealistic visua??ls and gun-toting violence.

So successful is Stardew Valley that, as of December 2024, the game has sold over 41 million copies worldwide since it launched back in 2016. That's across all platforms, according to the official website, with ?the Nintendo Switch port alone acco??unting for 7.9 million copies.

When you consider that �as noted by Eurogamer �February 2024 saw the game reach a milestone of over 30 million copies; this means over 10 million more units have shifted in less than 12 months. Some of this may have come from the big 1.6 update that went live in 2024.

From small beginnings

Much like Minecraft, Stardew Valley ca?me from humble beginnings, making an enormous splash in the indie gaming scene that caused a tsunami in the mainstream. Are these wat?ery puns doing anything for you? No? Right. Noted.

According to Wikipedia, Stardew is one of the biggest-selling video games of all time. With over 41,000,000 copies �and no doubt this number will keep going up �that puts the small farming simulator ahead of Mario Kart Wii, Super Mario Bros. Ultimate on the Nintendo Switch, and Cyberpunk 2077. It's got a long way to go before it topples the likes of the aforementioned Minecraft or even GTA 5, but I suspect Barone?? does not have aspirations ?for such dominance.

In any case, Stardew Valley is living proof that the indie scene is capable of doing just as well what big developers with a budget of millions can do. I must admit, it's been far too long since I booted the game up. But since the console update started rolling out not ??long ago, now might be a good time to dive back in.

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GTA 6 is going to be the biggest release of this generation, if not of all time. I know it. You know it. Luddites who have shunned modern society know it. While we still don't know exactly when it'll be released, we can safely say it'll be quite the mon?ey spinner for developer Rockstar Games. But how much is it likely to make?

Well, according to a report from PCGamesN �which points to a paywalled article from the Financial Times �it’s estimated that GTA 6 could earn about $3.2 billi??on within its first year of launching. This comes from DF??C Intelligence, a company that specializes in market analysis.

Over three billion in sales within 12 months is an astonishing amount. But consider that this doesn't include the $1 billion revenue the upcoming Grand Theft Auto release could earn from pre-orders alone. For some perspective, as of August 2024, GTA 5 has racked up around $8.6 billion in its?? lifetime, according to figures. Bear ?in mind that came out in 2013.

That's enough cheddar to make a cheddar galaxy

Grand Theft Auto has been one of the most successful video game franchises in history. The fifth installment alone has gone down as the second best-selling game of all time, at around 205,000,000 copies sold worldwide (Minecraft is still?? reigning champion ?at 300,000,000 copies).

The hype for GTA 6 is all too real, with theories and speculations a-plenty. We're anticipating Rockstar will release it s?ometime thi??s year, possibly in the fall or maybe later. But we've got no solid information to go off, so all we can do is wait.

Suffice it to say, the sixth entry is going to be somewhat lucrative for its developer (as well as parent company Take-Two Interactive). They may as well tell us that GTA 6 will ??????????????????????????earn a bajillion dollars. I'd easily believe it. I also? pity the studios that are looking to release their games around the same time.

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Marvel Rivals' character roster is a love letter to Marvel nerds like me, but I couldn't help but notice one of my favorite hero teams was suspiciously absent at l??aunch. But that's about to change. Is it clobberin' time? I think it's clobberin' time.

It's happening, true believers: the Fantastic Four are coming to Marvel Rivals right on the eve of the game's first official season's launch. In a post on the official Marvel Rivals X (formally known as Twitter) page, NetEase Games confirmed that all four founding members of Marvel's First Family will enter the cosmic fray soon. That's right; Mr. Incredible, Invisible Woman, The Thing, and the Human Torch are all coming to Marvel Rivals simultaneously or back-to-back. Someone pinch me.

In the post, NetEase promised that a new trailer would go live at 8:00 AM PST/16:00 UTC on January 6, 2025. This trailer will presumably tell us a bit more about how each member of the Fantastic Four plays and in what order they'll come stretching, sneaking, smashing, and blazing into Marvel Rivals.

The announcement features some snazzy official art of the Fanatic Four (and their android helper H.E.R.B.I.E) sailing the skies of New York City in their iconic flying Fantasticar, with their headquarters, the Baxter Building, looming triumphantly behind them. Marvel Rivals fans have been hoping for a New York-themed map since pre-launch, so this choice of background may hint that Season?? 1 will feature? a new map or two.

This announcement is insanely exciting, but it isn't exactly surprising. Marvel Rivals leakers have been grinding out lists of incoming characters, and the Fantastic Four have been sitting pretty at the top of almost all of them. Marvel Rivals' leaker community is remarkably prophetic, and we even got a credible-looking complete list of Mr. Incredible's moves a few days ago that sets him firmly as a duelist with a cool da?mage absorption-and-reflection mechanic.

Surprising or not, this is a fantastic reveal. Doctor Doom has been looming large throughout Marvel Rivals Season 0 as the Big Bad behind the multiverse's fracturing, so it was only a matter of time until the team that's opposed him the most in comics showed up. With new heroes will probably come new challenges, outfits, and changes to the meta, so ??the Fantastic Four is bound ??to do what they've always done: change things for the better.

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In a twist that would make the series' protagonist proud, Netflix has seemingly shot itself in one of its many tentacles by accidentally revealing the release date for Squid Game's third and final season.

Netflix has recently released a preview for the third season.? It features the few remaining survivors and a new doll which will likely be even more of a pain in the ass than the one from the red-and-green-light game that we all hate to love. But, more importantly, it closes off with the promise that the show will return in 2025.

The teaser also did, however, reveal more than it likely intended to, as Netflix Korea's account seemingly leaked the news that Season 3 would?? launch on June 27, 2025. Though this might be Netflix messing around with fans, it's highly unlikely, as nobody really stands to gain anything from a false release date.

This is huge news for two very important reasons. Squid Game's second season immediately had the strongest opening week in the history of Netflix, which is naturally a tremendous deal. Secondly, the second season, though incredibly fun and intense, leaves viewers hanging. Season two feels like it was either created as the first half of the final season or as s??omething Netflix released just to quench fans' thirst. Season two ends on a huge cliffhanger, so fans will likely be happy to know they seemingly won't have to wait two more years for the series to reach its conclusion.

You can now watch Netflix's highly successful second season of Squid Game on Netflix, which will hopefully con??clude ??on June 27.

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Happy New Year, everyone! And what better way to st??art off 2025 than by once again hyping you all up for something that might never happen?

Mike Shapiro, the voice actor best known for his tantalizing portrayal of the G-Man, one of the eeriest and most mysterious presences in gaming, just tweeted something, well, tantalizing? and?? eerie.

Long tweet short, Shapiro is clearly not speaking as himself, but rather as the G-Man, and he mentions of "unexpect??ed surprises".

"Half-Life 3 confirmed" is one of the most frustratingly timeless memes in the history of the Internet. By now, we’re all champions at straw-grasping when it comes to believing in Half-Life 3. Whenever someone sneakily snaps a picture of Gabe Newell's breakfast, we can instantly come up with measured explanations as to why his choice of three fried eggs means Half-Life 3 isn't just cooking but actually straight-up ready for a surprise Steam release on that very day.

But this time, we just had Mike Shapiro, known for his very cryptic G-Man, who was very obviously talking about the future of Half-Life. Shapiro, who hadn't tweeted since 2020, also tagged Valve, Halflife, and t??he GMan in his mysterious tweet about this... future.

Sure �if Valve's handling of their greatest profiting off of their game models is of any indication �you could make the case that current-day Valve has simply achieved unbelievable levels of corporate laid??-backness and is fine with anyone creating false hype about the IP. Or maybe Shapiro was just drunkenly celebrating the end of the year in a way that would ma??ke Gordon Freeman's greatest tormentor proud. Still, this feels like something else.

Though rumors were aplenty, I most seriously doubt Valve would use the Game Awards to present Half-Life 3 to the world. It’s way more likely that the c??ompany would go for an in-house presentation and there is no bette?r way to kickstart the hype machine than to have the voice actor known for his work as the most mysterious character saying some viral-worthy things online.

Like, yeah, it might be nothing, but combined with the Half-life 2 soft remaster we've seen for the game's 20th birthday celebration, and with Valve’s newfound will to get back to making games, it's hard not to see this as something.

You can now play Half-Life 2's greatly improved 20th-anniversary revamp ?on Steam.

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Back in 2021, a relatively unexpected hit came to Netflix in the shape of Squid Games. The South Korean show became an instant favorite for many, so it should come as no surprise to anyone that the show’s second season is already breaking re?cords for the platform.

Released worldwide on Boxing Day (December 26), 2024, Squid Games season two has become the platform’s most-watched show within the first week of release, has taken a spot in the top?? 10 most popular non-English shows on the platform, ?and is the most watched show in 92 separate countries.

With the success of both seasons proving the popularity of the now world-renowned franchise, it’s no surprise that Netflix has confirmed that season three of Squid Games will be coming in 2025. While this is excellent news for fans, many have voiced that with season two only having seven episodes? and ending on what might be the most frustrating cliffhanger of 2024, it feels more like a “season ??two, part two�than a standalone season. 

The seven episodes of season two were filled with moments of determination, betrayal, and edge-of-your-seat horror-filled moments that viewers grew to expect after season one. Starting out slow and away from the familiar arena where the games take place, action soon kicks up several notches as Seong Gi-hun, also known as play??er 456, gets thrown back into what is possibly most people's worst nightmare. 

It’s equally heartwarming and infuriating to see Seong Gi-Hun trying to speak sense to the other players, with many of them simply being lured by the promise of more money, rather than having any sense of moral or justice. Squid Games is an excellent example of what people will do for gre?ed, if nothing else. 

The end of episode seven felt unfinished, which is likely because Netflix has already confirmed the release of season three. While it’s absolutely frustrating to be left without any answers about Seong Gi-hun’s fate at this point, the move has definitely grabbed the attention of viewers, and personally, the second season has proven that Squid Games isn’t the one-hit wonder that I ini??tially thought it to be. I m??ay have gone into the second season with reservations, but I now find myself impatient for season three. 

There is no exact release date for Squid Game season three just yet, but if you haven't already, you should really go and catch up on the first two seasons over on Netflix. You won't regret it.

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If player accounts are anything to go by, it seems there was another Destiny 2 bug amid the recent deluge of issues that accompanied the Dawning holiday event. Bungie created three limited-time Emblems for the event featuring Commander Zavala, Ikora Rey, and Crow. The Emblems were supposed to be extremely rare at the event's launch and progressively become easier to earn as the event went on. However, it doesn't seem lik?e that's how everything played out in-game.

Destiny 2 has been having a rough go lately. The current Episode, Revenant, has been rife with issues. First, players realized weapon Perks weren't being distributed correctly in what became known as Weightgate, and that was followed shortly after by Tonicgate, where players revealed that Revenant's primary loot system, Tonics, wasn't working as intended. As if this wasn't bad enough, Destiny 2 soon started its Dawning holiday event, which similarly was riddled with issues.

With everything going on, especially with the mass of buggy Dawning features and Quests, the limited Emblems not behaving as Bungie described might not have been on the community's radar. That said, looking at some of the online discourse, it seems something was definitely up with Destiny 2's first Dawning bake-off.

The Bake-Off was a bust

Bungie explained how the 2024 Dawning bake-off would work in a This Week in Destiny communication a few days before the event started. The team explained that the three Emblem rewards would be extremely rare when the event started, but as the community engaged with the bake-off, chances of earning the limited flair would increase. Accompanying this explanation, Bungie shared a schedule detailing which NPCs would be featured during each week the Dawning ran fo?r.

"During the Dawning, baking a certain set of cookies starting on a given week will give you progress towards the community-wide goal: a significant drop-rate increase for all three emblems," Bungie noted. "If we all bake enough?? of them, we will sooner than later reach the threshold, significantly increase our drop-rate chances, and earn the emblems. All three drop on every week of the event, so don't worry if you are out during one of them."

In practice, however, it doesn't seem like the bake-off worked as intended. There are countless examples of players commenting about the iffy drop rates online, with one player even noting that they'd opened something like 130 A Gift in R??eturn packages before earning a single limited Emblem. Even odder are examples of players who quickly and easily earned all three of the Emblems within their first few packages early in the event, ?when the rewards were supposedly the rarest.

From Christmas to Krampus

Of course, the bake-off and progress toward better Emblem drop rates were contingent upon players participating in the event, baking treats, and delivering them to the highlighted NPCs on any given w?eek. It's certainly possible that player progress simply wa??sn't enough over the three-week event, but player engagement is no secret to Bungie, and it wouldn't make sense to set a participation goal too lofty for the existing player base. Couple that with the accounts from players who earned their Emblems bizarrely fast, and it seems more likely that another bug (or RNG issue) affected the Emblem drop rate or the bake-off interaction bonus.

Making the whole situation all the more egregious is the process players go through to earn a single A Gift in Return and a chance at what seems like an unreliable system. The A Gift in Return item is earned from NPCs after giving them a treat. The only thing is, the A Gift i??n Return is only one potential reward and it's by no means the most common. Guardians are much more likely to earn some Glimmer or a random throwaway weapon. After turning a couple dozen cookies into three or four A Gift in Return parcels, it can be frustrating to have all that work amount to a handful of Enhancement Cores. It's even more annoying when you realize those same A Gift in Return packages can be spent on guaranteed Dawning weapons from Eva, which also have a chance to reward Dawning Mementos.

Personally, ??I was able to earn two?? out of the three rare Emblems within my first five A Gift in Return packages on the first day of the Dawning. From there, I could not earn the third throughout the rest of the event, even with near-daily participation -- and I must have opened somewhere between 10-15 A Gift in Return parcels in the last three days of the event alone.

Between?? some early birds getting the paid? Event Card for free, all of the other bugs, and potentially even the bake-off Emblems, 2024's Dawning has not left the community in a particularly jolly sentiment. Hopefully, Bungie can reignite passion and earn back player trust in the new year, but 2024 ended with more of a holi-don't than a holiday for Guardians.

The post Destiny 2: Those rare Dawni??ng Emblems might have been bugged too appeared first on Destructoid.

If you’re someone who likes retro gaming with original hardware while still getting the best image quality, then the RetroTink 4K is currently the absolute best way to go. However, it is expensive, so if you’re not willing to pay for such an enthusiast device, then a cheaper version is on its way.

Before you get too excited, it’s still an expensive proposition. The RetroTink-4K CE (cheaper edition?) will still run you $475 USD. That’s quite a bit cheaper than the $750 for the RetroTink-4K Pro, but it’s still quite expensive. Considering you can get a Nintendo S??witch for cheaper, you can see how this is an enthusiast-only devi?ce.

To back up for a sec, the RetroTink-4K is a type of hardware that upscales the video output of older devices. Your TV technically already does that, but for anything lower than 720p, it no doubt does a really crappy job. If you want to make your old consoles look like something you'd see from an emulator, you run it through one of these. It'?s?? a pretty deep rabbit hole if you want to get the absolute best video quality, and certainly not for the faint of heart.

The RetroTink-4K CE still does a lot of what the Pro version does, including, yâ€?™know, upscaling to 4K. It also has all the inputs, with the only outward difference being its color. It’s compatible with the same profiles that the normal model supports.?? For most people, this will be more than good enough.

The downside is�Wel??l, okay,?? I’m just going to paste what Mike Chi wrote, since he can do a better job of explaining it:

• No Rotation Support
• Input Width Limitations: Maximum input source horizontal width is limited to 2048 pixels. (This does not affect MiSTer or other super-resolution sources decimated to a lower effective resolution).
• De-Interlacing: Linear motion-adaptive de-interlacing only without advanced sensitivity controls; no bob field offset adjustments, no edge-adaptive interpolation. First order field differences only, enhanced motion detection using second order field differences not possible.
• Inverse Telecine: No support for inverse 3:2 to de-interlace telecine content or to reconstruct 24 fps sources from 60i and 60p. No support for inverse 2:2 for PAL content and reconstructing 30 fps games output in 480i.
• No IIR Blur Support: Horizontal softening can still be accomplished by using cubic, Lanczos or bilinear soft interpolation filters.
• BFI: Basic BFI insertion of black whole frames only. No alpha bending or colored insertion.
• S-Video: No enhanced S-video support. Regular SDP decoder only.
• XBR Smoothing: Not included.
• NTSC Composite Video: No 3D comb filtering. Notch and 2D modes only.
• Auto-Phase Adjustment: Continuous background auto-phase is not available (auto console sample rate detection is still included, but users will need to calibrate and save the phase to their profile during first use). On-demand auto phase (by pressing the button) is still supported.
• OSD Color Depth: Reduced color depth for the banner image from 11 to 6 bits.

A lot of that is reasonable. I think the loss of motion-adaptive de-interlacing would be the biggest downside for me. Lack of enhance?d S-Video might be a bummer for others, but since my setup is almost entirely SCART and HDMI, it doesn’t affect me very much. Still, it’s a reasonable set of tradeoffs that ensure it’s still an impressive bit of kit.

I bought a RetroTink-4K Pro on something like its third production run to replace my aging Framemeister. It’s maybe not the most sensible of investments I’ve ever made, but I can’t argue that I’ve already gotten a tonne of use out of it. I’m not the most technical user when it comes to video equipment, but over t??ime, I’ve learned to get more out of its features. It’s something that demands tinkering, so if you haven’t dipped your toes into upscalers, then maybe don’t. Have you considered tracking down a decent CRT? It might be cheaper. I like sharp pixels, though. Speaking of which, it’s abou?t time I did another run of updates on it.

The RetroTink-4K CE will be released soon for $475 USD. According to Mike Chi, “It is likely that the earliest possible sale date will be late February or March.�/p>

The post There’s a cheaper Retrotink-4K upscaler incoming if you’re not made of money appeared first on Destructoid.

Tilt your head to the sky, all you true believers out there: Marvel Studios rang in the new year with the first trailer for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, a new animated ser?ies set to put a new spin on Peter Parker's rise to hero?ism.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has already crossed many boxes off the standard "Spider-Man origin story" checklist: a do-it-yourself superhero suit, high school drama, and a variation of Spidey's age-old mantra about power and responsibility. However, the series' teaser made it clear as day that this retelling of the Wall Crawler's early da??ys is taking big swings and changing some things around.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man shows off Spidey's new friends, enemies, and paint job

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man's teaser follows Peter (Hudson Thames) as he runs through a truncated version of his typical day: waking up late for school, chatting it up with his friends Nico Minoru and Pearl Pangan, and sneaking out of class to suit up and swing around?? New York beating up/webbing up bad guys.

Right until the end of the trailer, things look like standard high-school-era Spider-Man fair, with a few fun twists like Peter being friends wi??th Lonnie Lincoln (Eugene Bryd), who comic book fans probably know better as the albino hitman-turned-crime boss Tombstone. ??Then, we see the Oscorp logo and discover that Norman Osborn (Coleman Domingo) will fill the role of Spider-Man's mentor/tech provider.

Osborn, as his supervillain alter-ego Green Goblin, is one of Spider-Man's most persistent and dangerous foes, and his ominous promise that he'll help Peter "achieve greatness" reeks of ominous foreshadowing. The Spider-Man I grew up reading about in comics never had or needed a mentor who wasn't Uncle Ben, but I'm curious to see where Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man goes with Peter and Norman's new dynamic.

The other standout element of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man's teaser is the animation. The series' art style is a blunt salute to the glossy, lithographic look of the original 1960s Spider-Man comics, but fans seem torn about it. Some users on Reddit posts like this one are comparing the a?nimation to PlayStation 2-era graphics, but other people seem to appreciate its efforts to replicate t?he comics.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man isn't part of the MCU's Sacred Timeline

If you're even a little bit familiar with the MCU's incarnation of Spider-Man, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man's trailer was probably confusing. While the MCU never? dived into Peter Parker's earliest days as a costumed hero, it established Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark as his mentor.

As it often does in comics and the movies and television they inspire, the answer lies in the multiverse. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man isn't part of the MCU's "Sacred Timeline." Instead, it's set in an alternate one where things play out differently than in the movies we all flocked to theaters to see.??

In a recent interview with Phase Hero, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man's ex??ecutive producer, Brad Widerdaum, explained that the series was originally going to play out on the Sacred Timeline, but the series creative team felt trying to squeeze the series into the MCU's established canon put too many li??mitations on the characters they could use and the ideas they could explore.

While I'm sure some MCU Spider-Man fans feel a little betrayed, I'm excited to see what Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man?? does with its expanded creative freedom. The series is dropping on Disney+?? on January 29th, 2025, so I won't have to wait long to find out where the web-slinger's newest adventure takes him.

The post Your Friendly Neighbor??h??ood Spider-Man: Release date, trailer, and status in the MCU Timeline appeared first on Destructoid.

Square Enix announced its new strategy to?? release more m?ultiplatform games a few months after Final Fantasy VII Rebirth ca??me out exclusively on PlayStation 5. Because of this dichotomy, many wondered if th??e company suddenly changed opinions because that game sold poorly.

Yoshinori Kitase is an important figure at Square Enix and the producer of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. He recently talked with IGN Brazil and addressed this exact issue, explaining that Rebirth was among the three ?titles that received the award for Best-Selling Game during Sony's PlayStation Partners Awards in?? Japan back in October. "I think being recognized in this aspect gives me the certainty that we have reached a certain level," said Kitase.

While Square Enix hasn't revealed the official sales figures for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth yet, it's clear that the game has sold relatively well and left the company quite satisfied. However, since it is a PS5 exclusive (Something that will change soon on January 23, when it arrives to PC via Steam) it is highly possible that it would have sold even better if it was available on multiple consoles, and Kitase is very much aware of th?at.

"While we are confident and happy that we are reaching a certain level of sales, it is clear that with the modernity of games, we cannot be exclusive to a single platform. I think we need to offer the game to as many players as possible," Kitase told IGN Brazil, further confirming that Square Enix will stick to its multiplatform strategy and hinting that the third part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake project will most likely launch on other gaming systems ?from day one.

Will Sony allow Square to release the third Final Fantasy VII Remake game on other platforms?

The fact that Square Enix wants to release the third and final Final Fantasy VII Remake game on multiple consoles is a very good thing that will certainly be better for gamers around the world. However, there is no certainty that Sony will be okay with this idea (even though we don't know how exactly their exclusivity deal works). Very recently, PlayStation CEO Hermen Hulst said that the company is always looking to work with external companies to publish third-party titles on PS5, with Rise of the Ronin and Stellar Blade being two prominent examples of this practice.

The Final Fantasy IP has been very important to the PlayStation brand during the current generation consoles since both Final Fantasy XVI and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth were two of the best and most appealing PS5 exclusives on the market, even if Square Enix eventually ported both of them to PC. Because of this, Sony definitely won't be happy with this decision to go multiplatform, even though the numbers prove it will benefit Square Enix: Final Fantasy XV, which launched on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One the same day, reached 5 million units sold on its first day. Meanwhile, the PlayStation 5 exclusive Final Fantasy XVI sold 3 million units in 6 days. Don't get me wrong, these still? are very solid sales figures, but they could have definitely been even higher if the game also launched on Xb?ox Series X/S and/or PC.

The post Despite strong sales, Part 3 of the Final Fantasy VII Remake won’t be console-exclusive, says the game’s producer appeared first on Destructoid.

Fire up the sauna. My Summer Car, Amistech’s bizarre car-assembly ennui simulator, is finally ready to leave Early Access. It’s a little awkward right now, but it sounds like the switch will be flipped tomorrow.

Wow, can you believe it’s been eight-ish years since My Summer Car launched into the world via Early Access? I can’t. In fact, it feels l?ike a bit longer than that for me, since I was eagerly anticipating it for quite a while before it finally reache??d my hands.

It reached a rather surprising level of popularity. It’s an extremely unconventional and unfriendly game. While its main focus is around putting together a junk heap of a car, you have basic needs like thirst, hunger, hygiene, and stress. Also, piss. Every so often, you have to relieve yourself, and it doesn’t matter much where you do it. And to cap it all off, you can die. Finland is an unforgiving land of inebriated drivers and moose. You can be kille??d picking up the telephone during a thunderstorm or forgetting to switch off the main breaker before replacing a fuse.

Even if you turn permanent death off, it has little regard for your time. You may find yourself stranded after a bad mi??stake, struggling to make money, or just waiting ??for something to happen. It feels deliberate in the way it forces you to slow down and take things in. I love it. It’s one of my favorite games ever.

The last update before it leaves Early Access isn’t its biggest one, but it adds a few interesting features, like more voice lines for your cousin (the guy who drives around drunk and will give you a lift if you’re stranded). He’ll also s??ometimes end up as your cellmate if you get arrested. What a weird game. Its developer, Johannes Rojola, has some strange priorities for what to add to gameplay. For a while, brewing booze at home and selling it to a friend was the best way to make money, and then he changed it so your friend will ask you to drink with him. You can only get so drunk before you completely pass out, so it’s actually a big hindrance. I could go on about the strange design.

Amistech is currently working on a follow-up, My Winter Car. As the name implies, it is a similar concept but set in the winter. Like I was before the release of My Summer Car, I’m pretty amped to get my hands on it. It sounds like My Winter Car will hit Early Access soon, but how soon is soon? With the way Ami?stech works, it could be soon or it could be less soon.

My Summer Car is available now?? on PC. It leaves Early Access soon ?(probably very soon).

The post Believe it or not, My Summer Car is fully assembled and? ready to leave Early Acc?ess appeared first on Destructoid.

As soon as crossover content was brought up in the context of Helldivers 2, players started getting concerned over what it might entail. Judging by what Arrowhead Games' CCO Johan Pilestedt has just shared, however, Helldivers 2 crossovers should?? be fairly innoc?uous in the grand scheme of things.

More specifically, even though Power Rangers were mentioned as one of the potential Helldivers 2 crossover opportunities, that doesn't seem to be on the docket. Not yet, at least. This has unsurprisingly been one of the hot topics on the Helldivers 2 subreddit, with one of the more popular recent threads asking where the "crossover line in the sand" ought to be drawn. The surprising bit came about when Pilestedt himself chimed in on the matter. According to him, the line is drawn right here:

Pilestedt's Helldivers 2 collaboration diagram is rather telling

In other words, grunts from all manner of other intellectual properties are all possible inclusions. Or, rather, options that Arrowhead would be happy to include in Helldivers 2 if the IPs' respec??tive owners would agree to it. Highlighted options inclu??de:

• Killzone's Helghast
• Starship Troopers' Grunts
• Halo's ODSTs
• Warhammer 40K's Imperial Infantry

The buck stops at Halo's Master Chief, however, and we shouldn't expect to see the Doom Slayer, Astartes, or Ninja Turtles in Helldivers 2 anytime soon. Or Snoop Dogg, for that matter. Curiously, the Clone Troopers from Star Wars have also been excluded from the mix, though the Truth Enforcers Warbond kind of pays homage to those armor designs.

Back on track, Pilestedt has also explained that there's some nuance to how Arrowhead thinks of content crossover. From the look of things, crossovers are going to be a serious consideration for Helldivers 2 in the future, and we should definitely expect lots more as time goes on. These will, presumably, build upon the precedent set by the Killzone crossover. Mind that Arrowhead is still figuring out how to best handle this type of content, however.

Arrowhead intends to avoid IP dilution by creating authentic and believable crossovers that still somehow fit into the grander lore of Helldivers 2. This is particularly important, it seems, as crossover lore will "become canon" in some way, shape, or form. In the case of Killzone 2's Helghast grunts, for example, this franchise's Ståhl Arms has been canonized in Helldivers 2 ?as one of the active weapon and armor manufacturers. It's a neat enough system, I'll give them that.

The potentially problematic bit comes about when you consider Arrowhead's authenticity tenet: the team will "strive to modify as little as possible from the original inspiration." This sounds admirable at face value, but video games' design languages rarely fit with one another all that well. This could lead to clashi?ng assets, though that's a ?problem for some other day.

So, if you too were concerned about Helldivers 2 turning into Fortnite in a few months, that's entirely unfounded. It'll still take some time for Arrowhead to figure out what's what when it comes to crossovers, of course. Heck, we might go for a long while before the next crossover drops into Helldivers 2. But, when it fi?nally does happen, the??re's no reason to expect Nicki Minaj on the side of Super Earth.

The post Hel??ldivers 2 reveals how far its crossover content will go appeared first on Destructoid.

EasyGameStation has announced via a Twitter post that an updated version of 2007’s roguelite item shop dungeon crawler game, Recettear is on its way. Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale HD Edition will release sometime in 2025 on PC.

Don’t get your hopes up too far, however. This looks less like a remaster and more like a re-release. At least, if the screenshots attached to the tweet are any indication. I mean, truly, Recettear wasn’t technically HD when it was released. It ran at 1280x960 at most, so it wasn’t widescreen, and you’d typically keep it in a window. The screenshots are, at the very least, widescreen resolution. It’s hard to tell if they reach 1920x1080 resolution because the attached shots are formatted in the web-friendly 1200x675. I’m going to say it’s safe to assume the game will reach, at the very slightest,? full-HD.

Regardless, the items and textures pictured still aren’t all that crisp. I know that may sound a bit picky, but the geometry hasn’t changed either, so it’s not like fixing the fuzz would be all that demanding. I’m just saying it looks the same. It could be that development is somewhat early on, and everything will be replaced, but let’s manage expectations here. It’s possible that the framework of the first release of Recettear was just obsolete and needed a rebrush, and I would agree. I guess it’s hard to communicate that change without relaunching it as “HD.�/p>

Anyway, if you aren’t familiar, Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale is a 2007 Doujin game that reached fame in the West with a 2010 transl??ation. You play as Recette, who has inherited her father’s massive amounts of debt following his disappearance. A fairy, Tear, appears to collect on the debt, and this results in Recette reopening her father’s shop, naming it a combination of her and Tear’s names: Recettear. This is ?supposed to be a pun on the word Racketeer, but I personally feel like it’s too much of a stretch.

The game is great, however. You hire adventurers to delve dungeons for you to find loot that you can sell in your shop. The dungeons are randomly generated, and it gives a risk/reward dynamic as you search for better loot. As you progress, you g?et access to different adventurers with different skills to shake things up.

I played quite a lot of it back in the day. And, to be honest, a mo?dernized upgrade would probably be enough to get me to pl??ay it again, even if the visuals wind up looking mostly the same.

Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale HD Edition will rel?ease sometime in 2025. At least, the Japanese version will. No word on an English localization, but with how things are these days, it will probably happen.

The post Recettear?? HD announce??d and I suppose it maybe fits the literal definition appeared first on Destructoid.

Team ASOBI's 3D platformer, Astro Bot, recently received the prestigious ??Game of the Year (or GOTY) award during The Game Awards 2024. This was a huge surprise for gamers all around the world, seeing as this was an excellent year for the medium, with many solid titles that were fighting for the grand award, like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Black Myth: Wukong and more.

Yes, Astro Bot may not seem all that impressive or ambitious when compared to those solid AAA titles, especially in terms of graphics, narrative, or scope. But it still truly deserved that award, because Astro Bot is exactly what the industry needs right now, and its victory is a huge indic??ation of the direction it should go in the near future. It all comes down to three main reasons: Fun, Accessibility, and Community.

Astro Bot is the perfect single-player adventure (With no unnecessary microtransactions!)

Let's get the obvious and most important thing out of the way first: Astro Bot is a magnificent adventure with an adorable art style, catchy music, brilliant level design, amazing bosses, and more. We're not talking about a mediocre game that was competing against masterpieces. Astro Bot is the masterpiece that nobody saw com??ing, and it's on the same level as all of its competitors for GOTY (I'd even say that it's better than most of them, but that depends on each player's personal taste and experiences).

One of the best things about Astro Bot is the fact that it's a more traditional, old-school game: a single-player adventure with hours of content that never asks the player to invest any more money after the initial purchase, making it feel like a breath of fresh air for many players. And if that wasn't already enough, Team ASOBI and Sony have been releasing multiple free DLC levels after the release date, which have been giving fans more fun things to do without needing to open their wallets at all. Curiously enough, these extra levels have been so creative and wonderful that most fans would love to pay money for them.

Why Sony (and the industry) needed a game like Astro Bot right now

The relaxed nature of this game contrasts with the recent rise in popularity of live service games and/or games with rampant monetization, a glaring issue that has severely hindered the gaming industry over the last few years. While companies can occasionally execute this formula correctly, they have also failed on multiple occasions, leaving a very bad taste in their player's mouths in the process. Just this year alone, Sony released the multiplayer shooter Concord, closed its servers less than two weeks later, shut down the studio responsible, and reportedly lost milli?ons of dollars in the pro?cess. In a recent interview with BBC, joint PlayStation CEOs, Hermen Hulst and Hideaki Nishino revealed that they're very happy with Astro Bot's success, a statement that felt very poignant after they lamented the failure of Concord.

Astro Bot's success is the perfect example of how Sony (and the entire AAA industry except for Nintendo) should proceed going forward: By focusing on fun, single-player games that don’t ask players to spend extra money and stop bothering with fruitless live service experiences that are destined to fail. Granted, some of PlayStation's biggest exclusives before Astro Bot have followed this formula (Like God of War, Marvel's Spider-Man, Uncharted and more) but Team ASOBI's platformer differs in another, very imp??ortant aspect that Sony should also pay attention to: It's scope.

Every moment in Astro Bot is worth it, and it doesn't waste the player's time

Another common problem among modern AAA video games is their ambitious but overwhelming scopes. Many titles nowadays have expansive maps with way too much to do, and it may take hundreds of hours to finish its main campaign, let alone complete it 100%. Titles like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and Black Myth Wukong are extremely well-made (and excel in many areas in which they are way better than Astro Bot) but they also take many? hours to complete, meaning that they are not the most accessible products out there.

Astro Bot, however, is a very simple but extremely endearing and endlessly entertaining video game that anyone can pick up and complete 100% without ever feeling like a tedious chore. In a day and age in which most adults are extremely busy and have a lot of video games to play in their free time, being able to experience something as concise and fruitful as Astro Bot is truly refreshing. Even Masahiro Sakurai, the father of Kirby and the director of the Super Smash Bros series, praised Team ASOBI for this, claiming that Astro Bot didn't waste hi?s time and that he didn't have any problem collecting the 300+ different bots in the ?game.

Astro Bot's main goal is to keep you, the player, entertained: Every single level is extremely creative and never overstays its welcome, not a single item or bot is annoying to find and collect, the boss fights are epic and engaging without ever feeling unfair or overly challenging and even the extra optional levels won't take you many tries to complete. If you're currently looking for a video game that will keep you entertained without ever making you feel frustrated or overwhelmed, then Astro Bot is perfect for you.

A beautiful celebration of the entire gaming industry (And not just PlayStation)

As you may know by now, Astro Bot features countless ?cameos of many characters from classic titles that are important for the PlayStation brand, which motivates the player to explore every single corner of a level to find them all. And if that wasn't already enough, the addition of these cameos even resulted in 5 special levels themed around specific IPs, like Ape Escape, God of War, Uncharted, LocoRoco, and Horizon. Of course, this was all very intentional since PlayStat?ion's 30th Anniversary took place in 2024, and Sony celebrated it in various ways.

This has prompted many people to accuse Astro Bot of being just an "ad for PlayStation", b??ut that couldn't be further from the truth. Not only because it's evident that Team ASOBI did this as a labor of love (and not just because their higher-ups at Sony forced them to include all these cameos) but also because they featured many other characters that it really didn't need ??to add, nor that gamers ever expecting to see in the game.

Everyone is here! (And Square Enix is also invited)

Astro Bot has it all: From iconic PlayStation IPs that no longer belong to Sony, like Crash Bandicoot or Spyro the Dragon, to extremely obscure characters from forgotten games, like Motor Toon Grand Prix or Mad Maestro! Of course, franchises like Street Fighter, Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Tekken, or Tomb Raider have been exclusive to PlayStation systems at one point or another, but they have been multiplatform for several years. Because of stuff like this, Astro Bot?? feels like a beautiful celebration of the entire gaming industry, and not just the PlayStation brand (even if still its main focus).

This is especially evident when taking a look at the community's reaction to Astro Bot's release. Multiple gaming studios (like Naughty Dog or Insomniac Games) shared images of their character's bots and congratulated Team ASOBI for the release of its game. Even Square Enix, which infamously refused to approve the addition of any Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts cameos in the initial version of the game, recently acknowledged the new Gex cameo, so maybe we'll see more of its iconic IPs in future DLC levels. After receiving the GOTY award, Astro Bot's director, Nicolas Doucet, thanked all the people from different gaming companies who gave them the rights to their characters without asking for anything in return. The way in which everybody was seemingly eager to be part of this beautiful gaming celebration reminds me of Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and for good reasons.

Astro Bot is the Mario/Crash/Sonic of a new generation of gamers

When Astro Bot came out back in September, social media was full of people enjoying the game, praising its creative levels, fun cameos, and the clever ways it uses the features of the PlayStation 5 and its DualSense controller. The game made such an impact that I even saw many Nintendo and Xbox fans praising Team ASOBI's work. Considering that even Masahiro Sakurai praised Astro Bot and that Nicolas Doucet indirectly thanked Nintendo for creating Super Mario Bros. during his Game Awards' acceptance speech, I can safely say that Astro Bot managed to unite the gaming community in ways I've never thought possible, even if it was for a brie??f period of time.

What's especially important to keep in mind is that Astro Bot is also going to be many young gamers' first true video game, something they will be able to complete by themselves or with the help of their parents and/or older siblings (Many of them have even received Astro Bot as a Christmas gift) So, in a way, this little robot is going to mean to them what Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Crash Bandicoot, and other similar platforming mascots have meant for many of us. The developers at Team ASOBI even incl??uded the other character's cameos to intentionally encourage younger players to try out those classic games that we all know and love. And who knows? Maybe Astro Bot will serve as the main inspiration for a sim??ilarly whimsical platformer we'll experience in a few decades.

When Astro Bot wins, everybody wins

At the end of the day, Astro Bot may not be the most mechanically deep or graphically impressive GOTY contender of 2024, but it doesn't need to be, because it embodies everything video games should be about: Entertainment, accessibility, artistic vision, and a sense of community. Some of 2024's best and most popular games, like Stellar Blade, Helldivers 2, or Silent Hill 2 Remake, are represented in Astro Bot via character cameos, and if that isn't a perfect example of how this adorable game tries to represent all the best aspects of the video game industry, I don't know what is. I seriously hope Sony will allow Team ASOBI to further expand the Astro Bot IP and greenlights the development of more magical games like this ?one.

You may have noticed that the only other GOTY nominee I haven't mentioned is Balatro, and that's because it actually shares some similarities with Astro Bot (Especially since it's an indie release, and this game should set an example for the future of the AAA industry, specifically) So, if you've already completed Astro Bot and are looking for another simple and addictive video game that also celebrates the industry in its own ways, you should definitely give Balatro a try.

The post Why Astro Bot deserves the Game of the Year Award (Ev??en if it’s not the BE??ST game of 2024) appeared first on Destructoid.

With the end of Yellowstone, our cowboy-loving, Wild West-yearning hearts are once again left without a consolation prize, but that doesn’t mean we can’t mimic the f?eeling of living through the history of the Dutton family with other works.

Taylor Sheridan (the creator of the Yellowstone universe) may be the go-to maestro of modern Westerns at the moment, with the genre going through a general stupor at the moment, but that? doesn’t mean you can’t quench your thirst through other mediums. Specifically, Western literature is full of underrated and often over?looked gems that could make you fall in love with this genre all over again.

So, grab your hat and spurs and giddy up, partner, because we're giving you a list of the top 10 books you should pick up if you’re a fan of Yellowstone and that cowboy life.

10. The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy

Following McCarthy’s tradition of exploring philosophical dilemmas and existential crises in the guise of the modern novel, The Crossing is part of a trilogy of books called the “Border Trilogy,�set between 1992’s All the Pretty Horses and 1998’s Cities of the Plain. You follow the tale of a cowboy named Billy Parham, who, with his family, is living in Southern Mexico. McCarthy’s potent prose, combined with his profound exploration of themes such as loss, the nature of good and evil, and the struggle for justice, has turned The Crossing into a timeless novel. This is essentially a coming-of-age tale in a ??Western setting, but with a McCarthy novel's grim and brutal workings as Billy traverses the so-called frontier?? life and struggles to return a captured wolf to the wild.

9. The Virginian by Owen Wister

We all know Yellowstone is a modern take on the declining way of cowboys. More than its compelling characters, more than the beautiful vistas of the Montanan landscape, and even more than the iconic soliloquies delivered by John Dutton, Yellowstone is about a way of life that’s getting destroyed. So, if you’re looking to find what it means to be a cowboy and live by the principles and moral code of the American frontier life, then reading The Virginian by Owen Wister is a must.

This is the essential novel for the cowbo?y archetype, revolving around a nameless figure who goes by the Virginian; a man of few words but iron-hard principles, who has to balance his sense of justice with a world that’s slowly leaving him behind. Moral ambiguity, great romance, and the representation of nature as a characte??r, as opposed to a backdrop. What more could anyone want from a Western novel?

8. A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean

The main reason I chose this novel is its setting. A River Runs Through It takes place in Montana, and deals with two brothers as they grow up in a world where nature and fly fishing are the two pillars that hold up their lives. Yes, this isn’t a cowboy story, per se, but Norman Maclean’s lyrical prose and evocative themes revolving around family, identity, grace, honor, and the passage of time all shine through A River Runs Through It, turning the novel into a timeless classic. And the icing on the cake? The book is actually semi-autob?iographical, which means that some of the events you see in it are directly inspired by Maclean’s own life in the beautiful, landlocked state of? Montana.

7. True Grit by Charles Portis

One of the most popular classics of the Western genre, True Grit follows the tale of an old maid who recounts her brutal escapades 50 years before the present day. Written by Charles Portis and originally published in 1968, True Grit centers around Mattie Ross�story as she teams up with a grizzled, drunk U.S. Marshal and a ranger to track down her father’s murderer in Indian territory. If that premise sounds familiar to you, it’s because you’ve probably read or watched it a dozen times over in the form of other Western stories, but the fact remains that True Grit was one of the f??orerunne?rs of this timeless storytelling tradition.

Portis�story has also been turned into two highly acclaimed movies, one in 1969 starring John Wayne and another in 2010 directed b??y the Coen brothers and led by Jeff Bridges. If you like Westerns with a bit ?of true grit (I’ll see myself out) then do yourself a favor and pick up this book.

6. Hondo by Louis L'Amour

You may think that cowboy life is all about enjoying the moment, basking in the tranquility of nature, and perhaps putting a little bit of work in to make sure that the herd is taken good care of. Sure, there’s brutality and grit in Yellowstone, and the Dutton family gets up to a lo??t of sketchy activ??ities when the law isn’t looking their way, but the lush Montanan landscape and its challenges are nothing compared to the Old West.

That’s where a quintessential read like Hondo by Louis L'Amour comes along, following the tale of a gunman for the U.S. Army who has to navigate a treacherous territory filled with the Apache. This iconic protagonist named Hondo Lane, who embodies every stereotype about the classic Western hero, becomes entangled in a tale of morally complex situations, emotionally charged sequences, and a timeless tale of heroism and valor against the backdrop of the harsh frontier life. While Hondo is one of Louis L'Amour's many novels, it goes a long way to prove that no one does it quite like hi?m when it comes to Westerns.

5. Close Range by Annie Proulx

Consisting of a collection of short stories set in rural Wyoming, Close Range is a poetic, raw depiction of the lives of its protagonists, who have to weather the hardships of their time period and come to terms with universally human ideas like love, loss, resilience, and regret. One of the most famous stories in this collection is Brokeback Mountain, which was adapted?? for the big ??screens in 2005 and starred Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger in the lead roles.

Proulx delves into the lives of ranchers and cowboys, and while there’s a certain serenity underlining the entire work, there’s also a point to be made about the harshness and is?olation of the American West, offering both extremes of life and a range of all it h??as to offer. The prose is lyrical and beautiful, with Proulx still lauded as one of the best authors of this genre in literary circles.

4. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

A Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Larry McMurtry, Lonesome Dove is the most archetypal Western novel? you could lay hands on. The story is set during the last breath of the Old West and revolves around a group of retired rangers who have to drive a cattle herd from Texas to Montana. On this road, they face adventures, dangers, hardships, and natural disasters as they come to terms with their slowly diminishing way of life and their place in this world now that the frontier is essentially fading into nonexistence.

Lonesome Dove features a cast of compelling multifaceted characters, as well as a visceral depiction of the Old West, blending action, tragedy, and drama into what’s arguably a classic of the genre now, even though it came out a little less than four decades ago. Lonesome Dove is one of Taylor Sheridan's favorite novels.

3. Butcher's Crossing by John Williams

When it comes to Westerns, there’s a lot of mysticism and bravado attached to the life of the protagonist undergoing trials in the Old West. It’s as if the frontier has, over time, turned into a mythological tradition of its own, always depicting heroes that are larger than life, situations that allude to the absurd, and challenges that take more than one’s natural acumen to overcome. Novels like Butcher’s Crossing by John William walk in the opposite direction of this tradition, trying to make the story more grounded and the characters more relatable. It’s sort of like what Taylor Sheridan did with a few of the Yellowstone cast by depicting them in a more modern hu??e, even if a little unwittingly and inevitably given the constraints of the period.

Butcher’s Crossing, simi?larly, follows the story of a young Harvard student, who, inspired by the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, hops into the wild and finds himself in the great West. Our protagonist Will Andrews joins a buffalo hunting expedition and goes on to confront the gritty everyday life found in nature’s u?ncaring bosom.

2. The Son by Philipp Meyer

Much like Yellowstone, this 2013 novel by Philipp Meyer depicts three generations of the McCullough family as they try to survive in the wild. You first follow Eli McCullough, who is adopted by the Comanches at a young age and brought up as one of their own. Eli goes on to fight in the American Civil War, shaped by a cruel life that turns him into a vicious cattle owner in the future. Eli’s son, the second POV in the novel, disagrees with his father’s vindictiveness but has to weather storms of his own to deal with it. Lastly, there’s Jeanne McCullough, Eli’s great-granddaughter, who goes on to become an oil baroness. If there ever was a book that perfectly captured Yellowstone’s spirit, it would be The Son.

1. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

One of the greatest novels in the English language, Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy is a must-read even for people who don't like Westerns. It's also another instance of the anti-Western movement, bringing a sense of realism to subvert the romanticization of the Old West tradition. McCarthy's prose is, as usual, full of strange sentence structures and archaic-sounding words. The novel is gritty, and sometimes even grotesque, dealing with the life of a teena??ger who joins the Glanton gang, a real-life group of scalp hunters who massacred Indians fo??r sadistic pleasure.

Blood Meridian is not for the faint of heart, and reading through it for the first time is not necessarily an enjoyable experience, nor a breeze like so many other books on this list. What makes it worth the hassle, though, is McCarthy's exploration of human themes in their rawest form. Blood Meridian was s?o incongruous that it was at first received with mixed reactions, but it has since grown to be hailed as McCarthy's magnum opus (which says a lot) not to mention one of the gre??atest American novels of all time.

Bonus: Cattle Kingdom (The Hidden History of the Cowboy West) by Christopher Knowlton

While many of the authors on this list have done their homework when it comes to the Old West history, their novels mainly center around their respective narratives and don't expand to encompass a larger picture of the so-called "cowboy west." To that end, reading Cattle Kingdom will prove to be the most illuminating experience out of all of them. In Knowlton's own words: "Cattle Kingdom reveals the truth of how the West rose? and fell, and how its legacy defines us today. The tale takes us from dust-choked cattle drives to the u??nlikely splendors of boom-towns like Abilene, Kansas, and Cheyenne, Wyoming."

So, if you're looking for a strictly historic, scholarly take on cowboy life, picking up Kwo???llton's book is your best bet.

The post 10 books to read if you like Yellowstone appeared first on Destructoid.

Beginning with Thanksgiving and running until the New Year, the Holiday Season is filled with wonder and joy. Often romanticized through great literary works, like Dickens's A Christmas Carol, this jolly time awakens the kid inside us all, harkening to the wonder of the imagination. For decades, industry titans Marvel and DC have been joining in the festive spirit of the holidays and gifting fans worldwide imaginative comics infused with hope and spirit.

Indeed, in celebrating the holiday season epically for decades, DC and Marvel have accrued a trove of festive tome??s. For this reason, feeling empowered by tidings of joy and good cheer, I have whisked through th?e holiday comic catalogs, identifying the best celebrations of the holiday season. Therefore, come follow me if a shape-shifting blood tree that can be a Douglas Fir stirs you with holiday glee.

Marvel What The--?! (1990) #10

An all-time holiday comic classic, What the..?! #10 presents readers with the indelible 'I'll be Doom for Christmas' story. This timeless tale of merriment and creativity follows Santa Claus as he infiltrates Castle Doom, triggering its defenses and ending up severely wounded. Making the case that his holiday duties now fall to the genre-spanning Doom, Santa agrees t?o grant Doom'?s one desire if he fulfills Santa's Christmas mission.

Seizing his destiny as the Monarch of ?Christmas, Doom becomes Santa Doom! Next, Doom creates a rocket-propelled sleigh and sets his sights on Avengers Tower. Eventually, the heroes will engage Doom, believing his intent malicious. Yet here, amidst the battle, the innocence and wonderment of a young child will halt the fight, revealing the true magic of the season. Best of all is the conclusion, a memorable panel of Doom reveling in the warmth of the holidays.

Marvel Holiday Special (2005) #1

A Harvey Award-nominated tale brimming with good cheer, Marvel Holiday Special presents holiday comic stories on Mole-Man, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. Artistically, the creative team weave?s in traditional holiday themes like the significance of this time of year for young children and the importance of rest. Yet, the crown jewel of this best holiday collection is undoubtedly the 'Yes, Virginia, there is a Santron' canard.

Left traumatized after being told Santa doesn't exist, Virginia Hanlon looks for answers. Eventually, she com??es across a damaged Ultron unit she'll rebuild and reprogram with holiday protocols, hoping to protect the mystique of Christmas. But disaster strikes when Ultron's m?ain objective corrupts his holiday protocols, birthing the mechanical menace of Santron. Holiday hijinks ensue when Santron designates the Avengers as naughty and takes the festive fight to them in this merry must-read.

DCU Infinite Holiday Special (2006) #1

Revisiting the Holiday Special after nearly two decades, Infinite Holiday Special #1 signaled a return to the festive spirit of the holiday season, DC style. Utilizing beloved her??o?es like Batwoman, Green Lantern, and Supergirl allowed this colorful creator collaboration to churn out seven unique stories filled with merriment and sure to keep the Yule log burning.

Whether it's DC's heroic pantheon of gods experiencing the magical 'gift of the magi' or the Scarlet Speedster Bart Allen, who learns Christmas's true meaning after spending all his in a VR simulator, Infinite Holiday Special #1 has a story for you. Wisely saving the best read for last, fans are treated to Superman and Batman disagreeing over who will deliver gifts a??nd hope to a young Tyrone Jenkins III, encapsulating the youthful innocence that permeates this merriest time of year.

Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christma??s Special (2010?) #1

The embodiment of greed on a universal scale, Larfleeze symbolizes a threat to any he deems an adversary. Indeed, powered by the orange power battery, Larfleeze commands the full might of the Orange Lantern Corps in DC Comics. Yet, even the avatar of avarice isn't immune to the jovial effects of the holiday season, as the holiday best Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special #1 demonstrates.

Here, fans catch an exultant Larfleeze waking up on Christmas morning. Much to his dismay, Larfleeze finds no pres?ents under the tree. Infuriated at this slight, Larfleeze sets out to locate Santa Claus and discover why he was forgotten. Eventually, during hi?s search, Larfleeze will encounter the Green Lantern Hal Jordan. Channeling the festive energies of the season in this wholesome holiday tale, Hal shows Larfleeze the true meaning of Christmas, concluding with a heartfelt Christmas list entry.

Batman: Noël (2011)

A holiday masterpiece by award-winning creator Lee Bermejo, Batman: Noël articulates the power of belief and how it can spurn profound change in people's lives. Here, Noël introduces readers to a single father forced into working for the Joker, hoping to raise money for ?his son's medical bills. Of note is the flawless choice of character roles, as BatScrooge has grown bitter and sullied from years of getting dirty fighting crime.

Following the traditional Dickens classic, BatScrooge has four "visitors" throughout the night: his deceased partner's ghost, his famous feline paramour, a mighty hero from Metropolis, and Death personified. Through these d??eep and impactful interactions, Scrooge finally realizes that immediate change is his only path to salvation and the joy of the holiday season.

Power Man and Iron Fist: Sweet Christmas Annual (2016) #?1

Weaving in toys, humanity's increasing fixation on technology, and an appearance by the Son of Satan, Sweet Christmas Annual adroitl??y brandishes spot-on humor, action, and festiveness, producing a classic. This holiday comic best focuses on Marvel's original dynamic duo, Power Man and Iron Fist, back together in a rousing holiday tale?.

Without a doubt, joy and good tidings permeate watching Iron Fist, the predecessor to the top-tier Rivals duelist, in protective uncle mode against the demonic Schnuckies'. Or, when Luke Cage demonstrates his true superpower, helping out fellow Avenger and first-time mother Jessica Drew with her wailing infant. In conclusion, with a surprise ending detailing the power of love, Sweet Christmas checks all the boxes this holiday season.

Spider-Man/Deadpool (2016) #12

O' do thine jubilant choirs rejoice with Spider-Man/Deadpool #12, a festive holiday offering that infuses readers with the seasonal spirit. This witty and violent offering features Marvel's best Vs Merc and the Wall-Crawler frolicking in the festivities?. After Deadpool is kicked out of his holiday party and finds Spidey, the titan Saturn appears and begins be??heading all those who defile "his" holiday, the formerly celebrated Saturnalia.

After failing miserably to halt Saturn, the heroes will use "the superpower of all Canadians..ice skating" and good old-fashioned competition, to pit the merriment of Christmas against that of Saturnalia. The winner takes all in this holiday best that witnesses the birth of the most magical bromance, a kinship born?? from loneliness and a shared taste in ugly Christmas sweaters.

Merry X-Men Holiday Special (2018)

Bursting with festive vibes and fan service, the Merry X-Men Holiday Special shines the seasonal spotlight on Marvel's merriest mutants. Creatively presented in a digestible format, like the chocolate Advent calendars, Merry X-Men gives fans a daily comic. Indeed, with so many fan fa??ves across the roster, as long as the creative team stayed true to the source, the X-Men's foray into the holidays was destined f?or success.

Luckily, Merry X-Men does not disappoint, paying homage to seasonal holiday themes and creatively pairing them with members of the X-Men mythos. Included are tales of Gambit, using his natural talents to deliver a sold-out toy?? to local kids, a hilarious Deadpool/Jean Grey Christmas tree shopping skit, Magneto's heartfelt remembrance, and Jubilee's holiday vacation for the ages. So, whether you're looking for supercharged snowball fights or Domino's delights, this holiday s??pecial has something for you.

New Year's Evil (2019)

Featuring 10 fantastically festive tales to warm the spirit this holiday season, New Year's Evil proves good? tidings can come from the unlikeliest sources. As a result, this delightfully devilish collection of holiday stories features many of DC's most renowned villains, like the Joker, Sines?tro, and Harley Quinn, partaking in the festive season. However, in my opinion, the standout read in this holiday best is 'A Coal in My Stocking.'

This ?cheery entry depicts the omega-level powerhou??se Black Adam sieging an icy fortress and counseling a young Kahndaqi girl. While cautioning Antalya against allowing others to see her cry, Adam discovers she misses the wonderment she felt while living at an orphanage in New York, especially Santa Claus. Using the infinite wisdom of Zehuti, Adam sets out to ensure the children of Kahndaq feel the magical joy of the season in a holiday best sure to leave readers smiling.

Batman - Santa Claus: Silent Knight (2023)

When the holiday season in Gotham experiences the emergence of the vile, blood-sucking draug, long thought imprisoned, the seasonal game icon Batman arrives on the scene, enlisting the help of the mistress of magic, Zatanna. Yet, only after an intervention by the mystical woodsman, Santa Claus, do the heroes discover they face his antithesis. After the evil Krampus unleashes all of Santa's imprisoned monsters, the heroes must unite against harpies, sea serpents, and maleficent phant??om zone spirits to? preserve the spirit of Christmas.

Notably, providing an engaging backstory betwixt Santa Claus and Krampus, Silent Knight details the entourage effect each had on the other, presented in a festive "good cop, bad cop" dynamic. In particular, the creative team's depiction of how traditional holiday themes like naughty and nice and gift giving came about gives Silent Knight a tangible f??eel, marking it a best holiday c??omic read.

The post The ??Best Comic reads c??elebrating the Holiday Season appeared first on Destructoid.

Toho, the legendary studio behind the Godzilla franchise and the Haikyu!! anime is now set to adapt the odd and creepy Nintendo Switch hit Exit 8 to the big screen.

Via a scoop caught by Gamesradar, we learned Exit 8's creator has just written a message to fans, celebrating the surprise of learning the?? small title would be adapted to the big screen just a year after release.

If you don't know anything about the game I'm talking about, that actually speaks loads about Exit 8's prowess as the perfect indie sleeper hit. Exit 8 is a very simple affair, one where players are ta??sked with navigating a labyrinthian maze ?of liminal spaces that make up a nightmarish version of Tokyo's subway system. On top of the natural anxiety that comes from feeling lost, players will also have to deal with certain anomalies that are sure not to help them in their quest for freedom.

Even though it was this year's second-most downloaded Switch title, many still don't know about it. That sounds strange, but it is actually great ?if you're looking for a mysterious ?and creepy theater experience that'll have you on the edge of your seat.

Recent times have shown us that good video game adaptations can?? be a thing. While I have no idea how Toho manages to tackle such a title, I'm down to see what such a studio will try to pull with the adaptation of this creepy internet copypasta-inspired indie hit about making the mundane terrifying.

Whether or not you care about the upcoming adaptation of this spooky indie, you can get Exit 8 for t??he Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.

The post Go??dzil?la Studio Toho is making a Exit 8 live action adaptation appeared first on Destructoid.

Black Myth: Wukong and Astro Bot are two amazing AAA video games that came out in 2024 and gamers all around the world received them so well that The Game Awards nominated both for GOTY. Now, both of these incredible experiences join ?forces in this adorable but hilarious fan-made mod.

SnailSaber is a Modder/Youtuber/Redditor who recently shared his brand-new "Arachnophobia" mod for Black: Myth Wukong, which replaces the swarm of little spiders that come out of the Violet Spider boss with a bunch of little Astros, the titular main character of Astro Bot. The final result is both funny and en??dearing, and it's ??perfect for players who don't want to see spiders in their games.

However, there is some tongue-in-cheek history to this seemingly innocent mod. SnailSaber explained that they made it "after watching the TGA (The Game Awards) as Astro Bot earned the Game of the Year title". It is true that several fans of Black Myth: Wukong expressed their shared disappointment after said game lost the GOTY award to Team ASOBI's magical 3D platformer. However, SnailSaber clarified that they like both games and that this mod is more about "self-deprecating humor". Unfortunately, this "Arachnophobia" mod for Black Myth: Wukong is?? currently not available to download on any mod site.

This isn't even the only Arachnophobia mod for Black Myth: Wukong

Curiously enough, SnailSaber had previously published a video about another similar Black Myth: Wukong mod back in October. This one replaces the same swarm of spiders with a swarm of co??ckroaches, which can still look unappealing for a lot of players, but it still is marginally better than spiders, especially for those with arachnophobia. Nevertheless, their new Astro Bot mod is a lot more inviting on that front.

Needless to say, Arachnophobia mods that replace spiders in video games with other types of enemies are extremely common in the industry. Sometimes, the studios themselves include optional in-game settings in their titles that get rid of spider enemies, like the brilliant Arachnophobia modes in Jedi: Fallen Order and Lethal Company. However, whenever companies don't take players who struggle with arachnids into consideration, it's up to the talented modders to create their own fan-made modes. When we take a look at dedicated sites like Nexus Mods, we can find numerous Arachnophobia mods and patches for all types of games, from Fallout: New Vegas to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

The post This “Arachnophobia” mod for Black Myth: Wukong replaces the spiders withâ€?Astro Bot appeared first on Destructoid.

Hermen Hulst, one of PlayStation's joint CEOs, recently sat down to talk with Famitsu in order to talk about the brand's recent 30th Annivers??ary and, most important of all, to discuss its future. In this interview, he revealed something fascinating and promising about some classic PlayStation IPs.

At one point (which @realradec translated into English) Famitsu asked Hulst about all the classic PlayStation characters that appeared as fun little cameos in Astro Bot, which prompted many fans to ask Sony for a proper revival of franchises like Ape Escape, Jak & Daxter, Sly Cooper and more. Hulst replied by saying, "Our extensive IP portfolio is an important a?sset for PlayStation, and as part of our efforts to strengthen our portfolio, we continually explore opportunities to leverage our legacy IP as well as develop new franchises."

This is a particularly interesting and optimistic answer since numerous people have accused PlayStation of leaving most of its classic franchises behind. However, Astro Bot did an effective job at both reminding players about these legacy IPs and inspiring them to ask the company for new entries in all these series. There's literally an entire level-themed after Ape Escape in Astro Bot, so why can't Sony greenlight the devel?opment of? an entire new game in that style?

Fortunately for PlayStation fans, the future ahead of them is quite bright because Astro Bot was a critical and commercial success, to the point that it even won the G??ame of the Ye?ar award. This may inspire Sony to keep making new cartoony 3D mascot platformers, so franchises like Ape Escape, Jak & Daxter, Sly Cooper, MediEvil and more may make a comeback very soon.

PlayStation wants to publish more Third Party video games

But of course, the PlayStation brand is not just about the first party games and franchises the company produces firsthand, since it has also established close relationships with many other studios and publishers in order to make their games exclusive to PS4 and/or PS5. In another part of the interview, Famitsu asked Hulst about Team Ninja's Rise of the Ronin and Shift Up's Stellar Blade, two gr??eat third-party PS5 exclusives that came out in 2?024.

Hulst told Famitsu that creativity and great games come from everywhere, and while the company is always looking to develop content within PlayStation Stu??dios, it also collaborates with external studios. "It's important to have a wide variety of games in our portfolio that can be enjoyed by all types of players. To provide fresh joy and experiences to PlayStation players, we are constantly reviewing the contents of our portfolio and considering expanding the genres that are in demand and ?introducing new types of games. Our aim is to publish games from the world's best creators," said Hulst.

This means that we can definitely expect more third-party PS5 exclusives in the near future. Some Reddit users disapproved of Hulst's answer, calling the idea of timed exclusives like Stellar Blade or Final Fantasy XVI an "anti-consumer practice." However, Sony has been quite open to publishing games that are not 100% exclusive in the past few years (Like Helldivers 2, which Hulst mentioned in the Famitsu interview because it launched on PC as well), not to mention that it helped studios like Shift Up with the development of games like Stellar Blade. It seems PlayStation actually wants to help them make bigger and bette?r g??ames instead of simply paying for some easy-timed exclusives.

The post PlayStatio??n is interested in leveraging some of its legacy IPs, according to its CEO appeared first on Destructoid.

In a similar fashion to what happened with Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Dragon Ball FighterZ might be experiencing its own modding revolution, as modder Kongmeng brought the game back to the spotlight via their DIO - Character Moveset Mod, which seemingly adds the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure villain as a playable character.

According to Kongmeng on the mod's page on GameBanana, the project took around a year to complete and makes use of manually tweaked versions of the Dio and The World models found in Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle. In a comment, they also revealed that Dio's gameplay, which is unique when compared to the DBFZ cast, was inspired by versions of the character in both All-Star Battle and the fan-favorite Heritage to the Future.

The mod will also allow players to browse through Dio's ability list and take him to the field in two alternative costumes, Shadow Dio a?nd High VoltaTge. Once the mod is installed, Dio will take Cell's spot on the character selection screen. To ad??d to that, following the overwhelmingly positive reception of the mod, Kongmeng revealed through X that they plan on creating even more characters.

How to Download and Install the Dio Mod in Dragon Ball FighterZ

As recommended by its creator on the mod's page, the best way to download and install the DIO - Character Moveset Mod can be done by using Tekka's Unverum modding tool, as the movelist and alternative costumes will only work with it. You can download the modding tool by heading to its page on GameBanana.

Once the modding tool is ready, you will be able to get our chosen mod by selecting Dragon Ball FighterZ as your game of choice and then searching for it before downloading it. Following the download, simply head to Manage Mod??s and enable it to add Dio Brando to your game.

You can currently play Dragon Ball FighterZ on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. If the mod inspired you to give it a go, you can also play JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R on the same platforms.

The post Yes, you can now play as Dio in Dragon B?all Figh?terZ appeared first on Destructoid.

Ever wished you could witness the embryonic stage of Halo: Combat Evolved? The original version of Halo: Combat Evolved from a time when the most influential FPS of our time wasn't even an FPS yet. Then you can now download and play the elusive Halo 1: Speartest and e32k builds, completely free ?of charge, and enjoy a massive?? blast from an alternate past.

You can now finally play as that old-school Master Chief with the weird helmet, fire the minigun shown in the very first previews, try out a non-covenant sword, various rocket launchers, a sick flamethro??wer, and even drive the scorpion tank. It's all there. Moreover, I was surprised to see just how beautiful and rich the original ringworld looked?? �and that's coming from someone who adores the original's aesthetic.

That's right, Halo is now old somehow enough to make for great e-archeological findings, as we'd recently seen extremely devoted fans unearthing and making Halo 2's fantastic 2003 E3 demo playable 21 years later. The unearthing of Speartest is arguably even? more interesting, as it allows players to experience the game in a completely new way.

Halo was many things before it materialized in Halo: Combat Evolved, the title that would put the original Xbox on the map and change all FPS �yes, not just console ones �forever. Before it was the FPS that most once loved and now have sadly mostly forgotten, it started development as mix between RTS and third person shooter, one envisioned for Apple systems, no less. Speartest is none other than the ver??sion announced by Steve Jobs himself way back in the year 2000.

It was in one of Bill Gates' dirty blows to Steve Jobs that he managed to snag not just Halo but also Bungie, its developers and makers of Marathon, Apple's biggest original series, and take everything to Microsoft.

This release is just a small part of the nearly 25 years of Halo content th??at got leaked after �but not necessarily due to �the Digsite modding team quitting after c??iting mistreatment by Microsoft.

You could say that Halo in the third person isn't really new anymore because of Halo: Infinite. Still, this proved a potent nostalgia fix for a time I didn'?t know I missed, so I recommend that everyone who loves?? this series to check it out.

If you want to try out the original vision for Halo as a shooter, a 3rd person shooter, you can get It right here through the marvelous Internet Archive.

The post You can ??now play the original version of Halo, before it was an FPS appeared first on Destructoid.

Atlus' Metaphor: ReFantazio is one of the best and most successful JRPGs of 2024, and it seems t??he game's director is already thinking of its potential sequel, to the point that he even disclosed what setting he would like to use ??in it.

According to PersonaCentral, the next issue of Weekly Famitsu Magazine features an interview with Katsura Hashino, the founder Atlus' Studio Zero and the director of Metaphor: ReFantazio. In it, he revealed some fascinating information about the future of this brand-new IP, like the fact that he would like to set a future title in the Sengoku period. Although he jokingly said this may result in a world similar to Capcom's Sengoku Basara series.

This is particularly intriguing because a new game set in the Sengoku period, one of the mos??t famous and well-known perio?ds of feudal Japan, would be extremely different from the medieval fantasy setting in which Metaphor: ReFantazio takes place: the United Kingdom of Euchronia. Nevertheless, a world with this concept would look and feel absolutely amazing, especially if the same talented artists who crafted ReFantazio's deep and comp??lex world also get to work on the sequel.

Is Metaphor: ReFantazio going to become a series?

In the same interview, Katsura Hashino revealed that he and his team created Metaphor: ReFantazio with the goal of making a new JRPG series that could seamlessly go alongside Shin Megami Tensei and Persona, Atlus' other two iconic JRPG IPs and that he would like to develop it into a flagship. However, Hashino also confirmed that Atlus currently has no concrete plans on making Metaphor: ReFantazio into ?a full-fledged series at this time, even if he hopes that it can become one someday.

The game was a huge critical and commercial success, selling a million copies worldwide in one day (becoming the fastest-selling video game in the company's history), got extremely p?ositive reviews all around the board and received awards for Best Narrative, Best RPG and Best Art Direction at The Game Awards 2024, which also nominated it for Game of the Year (although it lost to Astro Bot). Many talented people at Atlus worked on this project, including its director, who already has some really creative ideas for a sequel that is brimm??ing with potential and fans would definitely love to experience it in the near future.

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The official Twitter/X account of MultiVersus �the free-to-play fighting game that crosses over multiple characters from different Warner Bros IPs �recently posted a video with audio from the popular online animated series Charlie the Unicorn. However, this didn't sit well wit?h its creator, Jason Steele AKA FilmCow.

On his personal account, Steele confirmed that Warner Bros never asked for permission to use his audio on? this short, which was meant to advertise a new Unicorn-themed skin for the game's sole original character, Reindog. He also pointed out how this is a gigantic company that is worth billions of dollars, so someone could have easily consulted him before posting the short, which blatantly used actual audio from the original online ?series that features Steele's voice.

It seems that his response quickly reached Warner Bros and developer Player First Games, because they deleted the Unicorndog video from Twitter/X, TikTok and other social media websites, although users of the game's respective Subreddit have managed to archive it.

Was it okay for MultiVersus to use audio from Charlie the Unicorn?

Some people began wondering if it was morally right for Jason Steele to prevent Warner Bros and Player First Games from using audio from Charlie the Unicorn. Were any fan-made works that referenced the classic online series going to be safe? Steele himself popped up on r/MultiVersus and explained the situation in more detail. He immediately clarified that he has no problem with any non-commercial uses of his work and that he has actually given explicit permission in the past (and he plans on continuing to do so). He even cited a Charlie the Unicorn Easter Egg in World of Warcraft as a reference that he has no problem with.

However, Warner Bros used his audio and his own voice for commercial purposes. Beyond asking for permission, Steele also criticized the company for its hypocrisy when it comes to protecting its copyright. He mentioned how Warner Bros has "used IP law as a weapon" in the past few years, like when it took down fan-made works like MeatCanyon Wabbit Season video or when it sent a cease and desist letter to Vera Drew, director of the fan film The People's Joker.

Steele concluded that if a big company like Warner Bros can enforce copyright law to protect its IPs, then so can he, especially when it is profiting off of his work. Most people in the community agreed with Steele's criticism of Warner Bros, although many MultiVersus fans were once again displeased with the fact that the game keeps getting negative attention. This is not the first time MultiVersus has spawned some mild controversy since, in the past, people hav?e crit?icized its monetization model and its year-long content hiatus.

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