Riot Games announced during 2024 Summer Game Fest that its popular free-to-play 5v5 FPS Valorantwill finally be coming to consoles. According to Riot, the console versions of Valorant features custom-built gameplay in order to uphold the competitive gameplay it is known for. A beta will be available to global players on ?both platforms soon, with a more limited b??eta kicking off for certain regions on June 14, 2024.

World's most popular shooter is about to get bigger

Despite already being the most-played FPS in the world, Valorant is about to get a lot bigger by coming to consoles. Even though?? the PC player base is massive, there are still a ton of potential players who simply don't like playing with mouse and keyboard or don't have a PC to play on.

Before you worry about console players with aim assist taking over your lobbies—a problem other cross-platform FPS titles usually suffers from—PC and console will not have cross-play available. However, Valorant accounts will share a connected inventory and gameplay progressi??on across all platforms, meaning you can access your cosmetics and other unlockables regardless of the platform you're playing on.

"When exploring whether to bring Valorant to additional platforms, we knew we had to be able to offer the same uncompromising, competitive experience that we’ve provided to PC players for years: a precise, team-based, tactical shooter. We were adamant that Valorant's core, competitive gameplay must feel natural on a controller; and - if we couldn’t deliver on that gameplay promise - we had to be prepared to walk away from it. We hope we nailed it, but ultimately, our players will have the final say.�/p>

- Arnar Gylfason, Production Director of Valorant at Riot Games

The console versions of Valorant won't be lagging behind, either. According to Riot, both PC and console versions of the games will receiv?e simultane?ous releases including live patch balances, new agents, maps, premium content, and more.

A limited beta will kick off on June 14, 2024, on both Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 for players in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, and Japan. Those interested in participating can register for the beta here.

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Take a trip down to the bayou

NORCO was one of my favorite games of 2022, with an eerie tone, surreal visuals, and a setting that has some of the most profound political commentary I've seen from a game of late. It's a must-play if you like story-driven games or point and click adventures, and it's honestly a crime that it wasn't nominated for Best Narrative at the Game Awards, because the writing is absolutely gorgeous. NORCO has been out since March?, but the game's developer Geography of Robots just announced today via Twitter that the southern gothic adventure is now available to play o?n PlayStation and Xbox consoles.

Naturally, the game's controls were entirely reworked for controller instead of mouse and keyboard, and the devs also confirmed in the Twitter thread that the ??PC version of the game also has controller support now. They even included a helpful graphic that breaks down how the control scheme will work on a PlayStation Dualshock. Basically, you can either use the left stick as a virtual mouse, or simply use the D-pad to select "hotspots or other UI elements." Big win for controller simps like me.

//twitter.com/roboticgeo/status/15932655?0793??9098625

For those who may not know what to expect from NORCO's gameplay, Geog?raphy of Robots de?scribes it pretty well in yet another tweet:

"Gameplay-wise, it resembles classic first-person text-based pixel adventures like Snatcher, Deja Vu, Policenauts, VA-11 HA-11 A, Read Only? Memories, Circuit's Edge, Rise of the Dragon, etc. There are also combat minigames. You can automat?e them if you want."

NORCO?? is one of those games that I enjoyed so much that I want to buy it on another platform, and I have to admit I'm enticed by the idea of playing it on a bigger screen. Regardless of any awards, it's one of the most stylish, thoughtful indie games of recent memory, and I think in the long run, it'll stick around.

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The wait is finally over

This has been a pretty awesome year for indie games, with titles like Cult of the Lamb, Immortality, and We Are OFK, just to name a few. One game has stuck with me since I reviewed it all the way back in March, and still remains one of my favorites to come out in 2022: the Southern Gothic narrative adventure NORCO that was "inspired by first-person pixel noirs like Déjà Vu & Snatcher and rooted in years of research," according to the game's creators. Set in a dystopian cyberpunk version of New Orleans, Louisiana, the game takes you on a journey through the infamous "Cancer Alley," an area of Missis??sippi that accounts for a quarter of the US's petrochemical production.

Now, the game's developer Geography of Robots has announced that NORCO is finally coming to consoles with a PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One release on October 20. You can also play on Xbox Games Pass, if that suits your fancy. I obviously own NORCO on PC already, but I'm super excit?ed for this release, because it means the game will be accessible to more players �and this game deserves all the hype it can get, if getting hype for old-school point-and-clicks is your thing.

//twitter.com/robot????icgeo/status/1570188618647437312

A press release from publisher Raw Fury provides more in-depth d?etails on the game:

"NORCO is the debut title from developer collective Geography of Robots. Lead creator Yuts was born and raised in Norco, Louisiana, an acronym for N?ew Orleans Refining Co., located in the so-called 'Cancer Alley,' a stretch of the Mississippi that accounts for 1/4 of the US's petrochemical production. The game blends real locations, personal stories, and Southern Gothic l??iterature with a captivating original soundtrack featuring a guest track by Southern metal Band THOU."

If you're at all interested in checking NORCO out on your favorite console??, I ?can't recommend it enough!

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The wait might be finally over

It's been over two years, and I, like many others out there, have still yet to secure a PS5. While I've been resigne??d to a life without the newest console due to bots, sc??alpers, and other customers that have faster internet than me, it seems there might finally be hope for those of us who still don't have a console.

According to a new financial report from Sony published on July 29, they have plans to reach their projection of 18 million units sold in 2022. There was also a detail included in the report that there have been "significant improvements" to Sony's supply chain, meaning the issues that have been plaguing the PS5's production may well be coming to a close. Most importantly, the company said that they're "working to bring-forward more supply into the ??year-end holiday selling season."

Sounds like it sh?ould be smooth(er) sailing for consumers as the months go on.

I've even heard anecdotes recently of the PS5 not selling out instantly once it becomes available through Sony, so th?ere's a chance we're already seeing the positive effects of supply chain improvements.

I personally gave up the search a long time ago, mostly because there aren't a ton of games out there I've been itching to play that have been released just yet, but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't jump at the chance to play Returnal or Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart if given the chance. It's like, my backlog is big enough I don't need to play those games right now, bu?t I'd like to, you know?

Anyway, it's pretty heartening to hear I won't have to panic my way through a PS5 purchase in the coming months. I might just have to buy one for myself as a Christmas present -- and a pink controller and console cover while I'm at it.

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Have you built Atari today?

Following on from the creative success of its previous LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System kit, The LEGO Company has released pictures of its next blocktastic console throwback, the LEGO Atari 2600, which will launch on Aug??ust 1 at the typically princely price of $239.99.

"The Atari 2600 was one of the most memorable?? gifts I got as a kid," writes LEGO designer Chris McVeigh in a press release. "This is why it’s been such an incredible experience to bring two icons together, Atari and Lego, in this awesome set. We hope that building this classic console takes you back to those halcyon days when a handful of pixels meant a world of adventure."

The LEGO Atari 2600 (Build number #10306) features a grand total of 2,532 bricks and consists of a replica of the 1977 home console, alongside its famous one-button joystick, a small stack of game cartridges (complete with stacking tower), and, as a neat touch, additional builds based on classic hits Asteroid, Centipede, and Adventure, the latter of which you might remember from the interminable third act of Steven Spielberg's disasterpiece, Ready Player One.

But that's not all, as flipping up the console body will reveal a cute little diorama of a 1980s video game fan enjoying some 2600 action in a retro-themed apartment. This is a really neatly nostalgic release from The LEGO Company, with the natural hard-edged design of the 2600 console, its cartridges, and even its graphics fitting suitably within LEGO??'s brick-based style. The finished console sits just under 13 inches wide, three inches tall, and nine inches deep.

Honestly, I'd take this over an Atari VCS any day.

The LEGO Atari 2600 set will be? ava??ilable to purchase on August 1.

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Industry mourns key figure in gaming history

Bernie Stolar, former president of Sony Computer Entertainment America and Sega of America, has passed away. The sad news was first announced by Stolar's friends before being verified by news outlet Gamesbeat. He was 75.

Stolar, who first entered the video game industry in 1980, had a stellar career that saw him work? alongside multiple gaming giants, often being a key figure in the conception, licensing, and release of some landmark hardware. Getting his break with Atari, Stolar would play a key role in the company's coin-op division, before eventually transitioning to lead developer on the company's handheld console, Atari Lynx.

Later in the 1990s, Stolar would be a founding member of Sony Computer Entertainment America, operating as vice president within the fledgling company and working as a licensor for the formative catalog of the company's new PlayStation brand. Stolar is credited with having brought Crash Bandicoot, Ridge Racer, Battle Arena Toshinden, and Spyro the Dragon to the game-changing console.

Havi?ng seen Stolar's success with the brand, Sega of America brought the Californian native on board to help develop and launch its next major hardware release, Sega Dreamc??ast. It was during his time as president and COO of Sega that Stolar acquired studio Visual Concepts, eventually leading to the first iteration of the 2K Sports brand �which still exists today under the ownership of Take-Two Interactive.

Having had a hand in the rise of Atari, PlayStation, Dreamcast, and many other recognized lines, Stolar stepped away from the gaming wing of the industry in the mid-'00s, instead choosing to work within marketing companies such as Adscape Media, GetFugu, and Zoom. While perhaps not as recognizable as some of his more media-facing peers, Stolar's time in the industry was key to the launch of some of the 20th century's most iconic brands. In particular, the successful launch of Sony PlayStation changed the entire business alm?ost overnight, and Stolar's role in this cannot be overstated.

We at Destructoid off??er our condolences to his family and friends.

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The PUBG-verse isn't adding horror to its docket just yet

Upcoming sci-fi survival horror game The Callisto Protocol is branching out on its own. Today, Striking Distance Studios founder and CEO Glen Schofield confirms The Callisto Protocol is no longer in the PUBG universe.

Previously, Striking Distance's debut project was set in the same universe as PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, or PUBG. That's not the case anymore, it seems.

"FYI @CallistoTheGame is its own story and world," Schofield tweeted today. "It no longer takes place in the PUBG Universe. It was originally part of the PUBG timeline, but grew into its own world. PUBG is awesome, [and] we will still have little surprises for fans, but TCP is its own world, story, and universe."

??//twitter.com/GlenSchofield/statu?s/1529930056725712897

The upcoming game channels some strong Dead Space vibes, which makes sense given Schofield and other Dead Space veterans are on the project and open about its influence. In all honesty, it's probably a good thing that the team is free to do whatever it wants. Even if now, I'll never get the crazy Evangelion x Callisto Protocol crossover that would make my mind melt.

In space, no one can hear the Battlegrounds

The new game from Striking Distance, as mentioned, is being made by some Dead Space veterans. And from the sounds of it, it's definitely going for a similar mix of sci-fi and survival horror elements. The Callisto Protocol is currently Game Informer's cover story, and the digital magazine has some neat details about it.

This includes an every-man type protagonist thrust into an absolute hell-in-space. Cre??epy space-alien designs are on deck, too.

With the team at EA Motive also working on a Dead Space remake, this seems like a good time to be a fan of surviving untold horrors in space. The Callisto Protocol is due out on PC and consoles sometime this year.

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