Mass Effect fans, rejoice - more big news dropped on N7 Day. At long last, it seems that Mass Effect's TV adaptation is coming from Amazon.

Rumors have circulated as far back as 2021 that a Mass Effect TV series was in the works, and several attempts at a movie adaptation n??ever quite came to fruition over the years. Now, Amazon MGM Studios finally has the project off the ground.

A Mass Effect TV series is on the way

Variety has reported that Amazon is now in the development of the Mass Effect TV series, with several individuals attached to the project. As of right now, "Exact plot details are being kept under wraps," so it remains unclear whether this will be ??a direct adaptation of BioWare's sci-fi RPG games. It's a franchise ripe for original storytelling, but seeing Shepard on the small screen would be undeniably awesome.

Screenwriter Daniel Casey, the wordsmith behind Fast & Furious 9, is currently set to pen the script. Meanwhile, Avi Arad is set to executive produce the project, after being part of the disastrous Borderlands movie adaptation e?arlier this year. Other p??roducers attached include BioWare's Michael Gamble and Karim Zreik under Cedar Tree Productions.

Amazon produced the Fallout TV adaptation earlier this year, which earned rave review?s from gamers and non-gamers ??alike. There's hope yet, ev??en if some of the attached names don't exactly inspire a tremendous amount of confidenc??e.

As far as N7 Day goes, it was a pretty quiet one this year. We got a cool No Man's Sky and Mass Effect collaboration, but the recent release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard has made BioWare hesitant to draw too much attention with a huge reveal. The wait goes on for more news on the next Mass Effect game, which was first confirmed back in 2020.

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The nearly decade-long Dragon Age drought has officially come to an end with the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. In the time since Dragon Age: Inquisition's release, developer BioWare has released Mass Effect: Andromeda and most recently, Anthem. Depending on who you ask, both of these titles are typically seen as alright ??at best, but I ??think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who feels as though either lived up to the typical high-quality standards that BioWare had been known for in the past.

For a quick comparison, The Veilguard gives me serious Dragon Age II vibes, mostly in terms of its combat and gameplay. I'm just over 30 hours into The Veilguard and while I feel confident that I've got a firm grasp on what the RPG is all about, we have to keep in mind that like most BioWare games, The Veilguard is very stor??y-driven. As such, I feel it's important to point out that my impressions in this review in progress are based on having not reached the finale of this story-driven RPG.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard (PC, PS5 [reviewed], Xbox Series X|S)
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Released: October 31, 2024
MSRP: $59.99 on PC, $69.99 on Consoles

The Veilguard drops you into the action quickly. The story takes place ten years after the events in Dragon Age: Inquisition. One of the optional companions in Inquisition, the elven mage Solas, has seemingly gone rogue and is carrying out a ritual to tear down The Veil, a barrier that exists between the physical world of Thedas and The Fade, also known as the Beyond. After some interference at the behest of the player and his group of companions put together by none other than charismatic series regular Varr??ic, the ritual is stopped but at a cost. Two ancient Elven Gods, Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain hav?e pierced the The Veil and are now free in the physical world.

Tasked with creating a team to hunt down the Elven Gods and prevent the full destruction of The Veil—hence the name Veilguard—the player is thrust into the role of Rook, the protagonist. Despite being in the final act of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about Rook as a whole. The character has grown on me over the course of the Veilguard's journey, espe??cially more recently. But I've had a really tough time feeling Rook actually belongs.

It's a tough task to navigate for BioWare, for sure. Rook is a brand-new character in Dragon Age who is essentially tasked with saving the world. For all intents and purposes, it makes complete sense, thi??s is the best way to in the end create a meaningful connection to the main character for both new and returnin??g players to the series. But it resulted in much of the game trying to tell me that Rook is important and the right person for the job, even though it never feels like they really are.

Important characters from the series' entire timeline �all the way from 2009's Dragon Age: Origins through the most recent Dragon Age: Inquisition �make an appearance in Veilguard, including franchise favorites like Morrigan and Varric. Even Inquisition's protagonist that you play as, The Inquisitor, makes an appearance in Veilguard. But the whole?? time the characters are constantly trying to sell you on the importance of Rook. "Oh you're Rook, I've heard of your mighty important deeds, you're perfect for this!"

By extension, I have found most of the new companions in Veilguard to be very solid additions to the evergrowing list of important characters in Dragon Age lore. I've grown fond of Neve, an early companion who is a part-time private detective, a member of the rebellious Shadow Dragons faction, and a badass ice mage. As you progress through Veilguard you'll learn more about a?ll of the new companions as you continue to grow and expand the Veilguard.

In terms of actual combat companions though, I wish ??there was a little more substance to them. They essentially serve to give you access to additional skills that you can call upon in combat as opposed to opting to use your own character's (Rook's) skills. While you can choose where to put points in their respective skill trees and even equip them with gear, it feels quite meaningless as they don't actually do much in combat outside of you choosing to use their skills. They have no health bars, and the damage they do on th?eir own is minuscule. In a single standard attack, you do multitudes more damage to enemies than the basic attacks of your companions that only shave off a sliver from the health bar with each hit.

It's a real shame because the actual core gameplay of Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a rather satisfying feeling. It's reminiscent of Dragon Age II opting for fast-paced Action RPG-style combat as opposed to the more tactical and strategic combat of Dragon Age: Origins and even Inquisition. You choose from three starting classes: warrior, rogue, and mage. Each class eventually branches into one of three specializations, allowing you to further cater the playstyle around exactly what you enjoy. I?? opted to go Warrior event??ually specializing in Slayer, which focuses on wielding massive two-handed weapons.

I enjoy the combat of the Slayer, charging directly into combat and dealing insane amounts of damage while dodge-rolling around to avoid attacks. The combat also reminds me of one of my favorite action RPGs, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The fast-paced combat makes boss fights particularly fun, although a bit difficult at times. Despite my gripes on how limited the companions actually are in combat, the core combat for you as the protagonist feels extremely poli??shed and could very well be the best in the series.

Ultimately, I think the final act of Dragon Age: The Veilguard will be a major factor for me in ranking how Veilguard holds up to the rest of the series. There are constant choices to be made throughout Veilguard, with the game constantly telling me that the choices matter. But outside of one major choice in the early game, most of the choices haven't actually changed much. However, it wouldn't? be out of character for a BioWare game to be keeping track of all my choices throughout my journey to dictate which ending I receive, or which endings I have access to.

If you're looking for a solid RPG in a beautifully built world, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is certainly that. The combat is fluid and satisfying, and the world of Thedas is well-designed and fun to explore. The story has its drawbacks, but overall it's still better than most. Whether it will live up to the prestigious storytelling of the previous Dragon Age games will very much depend ??on the RPG's curtain call??.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review in Progress: Dragon Age: The Veilguard appeared first on Destructoid.

If you’re itching for more Build Mode or CaS content in The Sims 4, there’s good news? right around t?he corner �two new Creator Packs, Cozy Kitsch and Sweet Slumber Party, are headed our way on November 14. 

As with the previous Storybook Nursery Creator Kit, these two are also designed by prominent names within the Custom Content community. Priced at $4.99 (or the equivalent in your local currency), each kit will come?? with a range of new items ready to be used in your Sim world. 

Both kits will be available on all platfor??ms, allowing all players to enjoy the incredible work of both designers, rather than just those on PC. 

Cozy Kitsch Creator Kit by Myshunosun

The Cozy Kitsch Creator Kit is a Build Mode kit filled with furniture to make your dining room or kitchen completely unique and, as the name suggests, kitsch. By the looks of the official images shared for the reveal of these kits, the furniture included would look perfect in a?? rustic, chaotic (in the most orderly way) environment. The color swatches work together well, despite being mismatched. 

If you’ve ever browsed Tumblr for Custom Content, you’ve likely heard of Myshunosun.?? They produce beautiful Maxis Match CC furniture and clutter objects, filled with detail and they’re also very talented when it comes to CaS CC. ?; 

Sweet Slumber Party by Trillyke

The Sweet Slumber Party Creator Kit is a CaS kit, filled with new adorable pajama outfits and pieces that can b?e worn by a?ny Sim ages Teen or older. The official images shared for the announcement of the pack show a lot of new and interesting pieces, including some space-themed jammies, as well as some skincare basics. 

Again, you’ve probably come across Trillyke if you’ve ever browsed Tumblr for CC. They’ve got a lot of incredible Maxis Match CaS CC available for download, and some of them are in my own CC collection.?? I’m very excited to see some of t?heir designs be included in a Creator Kit, opening up their talent to all players. 

Both Myshunosun and Trillyke have sat down with EA to discuss their process and what it takes to become a CC creator as talented as themselves. To get to know them a little better, or if you want more details about what it took to create these two kits, you can read the interview over on The Sims 4 blog.

The post The Sims 4: Cozy Kitsch and Sweet Slumber Part??y Creator Kits comi?ng on November 14 appeared first on Destructoid.

Over twelve years after its launch, the end is coming fast for The Simpsons: Tapped Out. On January 25th, 2025, the game's publisher, Electronic Arts, will pull the plug on this cult-classic city-builder. Break out the steamed clams hams if you got them; this one's a heartbreaker.

The Simpsons: Tapped Out will vanish from your phones early next year

Word of The Simpsons: Tapped Out's impending demise came to us from the game's developer, Team TSTO. In an in-game pop-up that went live on September 26th, 2024, Team TSTO announced that they've suspended all in-game purchases and will pull Simpsons: Tapped Out from all official mobile gaming stores the day after October 31st, 2024. Forget Halloweekend at Cedar Point; this is the scariest thing happening to me this?? Halloween.

Sadly, in-app purchases have been disabled, and the game will no longer be available from the App Store after October 31, 2024,�read the notice. “You may continue playing until January 24, 2025. Then the game will no longer be accessible. We bid you adieu. Until we meet again�/p>

Team TSTO, The Simpsons: Tapped Out

The Simpsons: Tapped Out's shut-down ends a twelve-year

To their credit, EA acknowledged publicly that this turn of events isn't happy. In an official ??statement posted on their Facebook page, EA offered what consolation they could, stating that the decision to end The Simpsons Tapped Out wasn't easy to make. Regardless, they stood firm, confirming they plan to shut down the game’s servers on January 25, 2025. That means, as of today, The Simpsons: Tapped Out players have a little less than four months to enjoy the game bef??ore it vanishes forever.

To our beloved fans,

We have made the difficult decision to sunset Tapped Out. In-app purchases have been di??sabled, and the game will be removed from the app stores October 31, 2024. You may continue playing until January 24th, 2025, at which point servers will be turned off and TSTO will not be accessible.

The decision to end our twelve-year journey is an emotional one. Together with our partners at The Simpsons�and The Walt Disney company, we have delighted in bringing this game to you, the fans, and seeing how you’ve each built your own beloved versions of Springfield. It has been a remarkable journey, and we are grateful that?? we’ve been able to deliver 308 updates, 831 characters and including today’s final farewell 1,463 questlines.

As our journey comes to a close, we offer our sincerest thanks to you, the players, who ?have made this all possible.

Satement via Electronic Arts

I'll admit I haven't been on The Simpsons: Tapped Out for over a year, but my dad's been playing it since launch. I used to love watching him build up his version of Springfield, taking part in every seasonal quest line, unlocking every new character, and expanding his bo??rders as new buildings rolled out. It inspired me to start my own profile, and I'm proud of the little city I've built over the years. So I'm right there with all of you when I say I'm having a cow about this, man.

The post The Simpsons Tapped Out is tap?ping out this January appeared first on Destructoid.

Up to 40% of a game's total sales occur in the first month, according to the SSRN Electronic Journal. Consequently, the best strategy for studios is to ensure their titles launch with a bang. Some strategic marketing is nece??ssary to achieve this. Piling up good reviews from critics and gamers is also vital, meaning it's essential for games to ?launch in a polished state.

Over the years, a few titles have missed the mark terribly, resulting in catastrophic launches. The ?following list contains some of the worst offenders in gaming history?.

2024 addendum

To borrow a common internet adage, it's like Concord read this list and said, "Hold my beer." As such, we felt it w??ould be a good time to add to this list. It felt as though it would remain incomplete without what is currently the most talked about crash.

But rather than slotting in Concord and callin?g it a day, I'm going to also add a couple of my favorite launch failures. Smangeliso already did a bang-up job on compiling some of the worst, so those are left untouched.

13. Trespasser - Jurassic Park

The move to 3D graphics was a painful one. Over-ambition was common, and nowhere was this more obvious than with Trespasser, a game based on the Jurassic Park franchise. The lead-up to the launch promised a game that used a real-time ph?ysics engine and artificial intelligence that would make dinosaurs flock together and act based on their specific needs.

Trespasser was technically impressive when it launched. However, the game was rushed so urgently that every promised feature was only technically implemented. Dinosaur AI, for example, wasn't ready for prime time, so the dinosaur's anger was cranked up to maximum, and that was it. The rea??l-time physics and inverse kinematic animations resulted in the thund?er lizards staggering around drunkenly. It's hilarious, it's easily one of my favorite terrible games.

12. SimCity (2013)

The first SimCity was released in 1989 and became one of the most influential games in the history of the industry. It practically created the city-builder genre and laid the groundwork for all kinds of management games. Makes sense that EA would be the ones to screw that up. The publisher decided that the once single-player city builder should have a multiplayer element, and that was enough to warrant an always-online requirement for SimCity (2013). Previous botched attempts at always-online had soured the already mixed feelings on the requirement??, and it proved to be warranted when many players had difficulty downloading, connecting, and staying connected to play? the game.

It didn't stop at the online issues, however. Many changes to the SimCity formula were not well received, such as an almost microscopic map size to build on and mindless traffic that players would put through veritable mazes of streets to demonstrate their insistence on taking the most direct path, rather than an easily accept?able and better alternative. Three years later, EA would remove the always-online requirement, but at that point, it was far too late.

11. WWE 2K20

The WWE franchise has had a long presence in the gaming scene, and titles like Smackdown! vs Raw 2006 and SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain are memorable games that successfully replicate the testosteron?e-flooded action of sports entertainment.

When WWE 2K20 launched in October 2019, day-one buyers ended up with a game sporting atrocious graphics that looked like they belonged on a PS3. The gameplay wasn't any better, and the numerous glitches made WWE 2K20 a pain to play. The game's terrible reception was one of the reasons WWE 2K21 was canceled. It was for the best, as when the franchise returned with WWE 2K22, it achieved doubl??e its predece??ssor's launch sales.

10. New World

Amazon's New World hit stores in September 2021, and the launch was nothing but chaos. Se?rvers were flooded, resulting in players waiting for hours before they could start playing. When people were eventually able to play, they discovered that while the core game was good, it was also plagued with game-breaking glitches. Since release, plenty of updates have been pushed out, and the game is in a better state, but it failed to be the enduring classic that Amazon was likely aiming fo??r.

9. Anthem

When Anthem was announced, the flashy marketing successfully caught the attention of the gaming world. Unfortunately, when Anthem launched in 2019, it was immediately critically panned. Critics and gamers alike complained about many elements, includ??ing boring missions, technical glitches, poor performance, and excessive grinding. The game failed to meet EA's? expectations, and future developments for it were cut in 2021.

8. The Last of Us Part 1 (PC)

Though the PS5 version launched without any major issues, the PC port of The Last of Us Part 1 has been nothing short of a disaster. Players were greeted with technical issues and absurdly long loading times, making the game?? unplayable for some. Since launch, many have pointed the finger at Iron Galaxy, the studio Naughty Dog entr?usted with the port. It won't be the last time the studio appears on the list, so there may be some truth to the accusations.

7. Fallout 76

In 2018, Bethesda took Fallout online with Fallout 76. The game promised to allow players to explore dystopian settings with friends, which is an idea that has great potential. When Fallout 76 launched in November 2018, it was far from what gamers expected, resulting in the PC version scoring a measly 52 on Metacritic. Due to the bad press, many gamers stayed away, and as a result, Fallout 76 had lower launch sales numbers than Fallout 4 and Fallout New Vegas.

6. Batman: Arkham Knight (PC)

Arkham Knight's PS4 and Xbox One versions were developed by Rocksteady Studios, and the PC port was handed off to Iron Galaxy. This proved to be a mistake. When Arkham Knights launched on PC, it crashed constantly and ?featured technical issues that rendered it unplayable for many.

The situat??ion got so bad that Warner Bros. Inter??active Entertainment suspended sales of the Windows version of the game in June 2015 while developers worked on patches to fix the game. Though the game has improved plenty, the historically disastrous launch won't be forgotten any time soon.

5. eFootball

The free-to-play sports game eFootball was released in September 2021. The concept wasn't a bad one, though the execution left a lot to be desired. Gamers were met with atrocious graphics, endless technical issues, and visual bugs that have made for some hilarious screenshots. With a score of 25 on M??etacri??tic, it is one of the lowest-rated games of all time.

4. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition

When it was revealed that the GTA trilogy would receive a remake, excitement was high. Launch day arrived in November 2021, and gamers were less than satisfied. The trilogy was rife with technical issues, ugly character models, and visual errors, which should have been spotted during the QA phase of development. To plac??ate fans, Rockstar of?fered the original trilogy to all customers who had purchased the remake via the Rockstar Store.

3. Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 is a title that has been a ubiquitous fixture in gaming for years, and not always for good reasons. When Cyberpunk 2077 launched in 2020, the experience was so bad droves of gamers demanded refunds, and Sony eventually pulled the game from the PS Store. Fortunately, the story ??doesn't end on a sour note, as developers have worked hard to improve the game, and after several patches and updates, the game is one of t??he most enjoyable open-world titles on current-gen consoles.

2. No Man's Sky

Like many other titles on the list, the developers made plenty of big promises before the game's release. When No Man's Sky launched, gamers realized that many of the promised features were missing, and the performance was poor. There was plenty of outrage, though Hello Games didn't abandon No Man's Sky. Instead, developers got to work releasing patches and updates that slowly but surely improved the game. Today, No Man's Sky ??is a bestseller available on almost all platforms.

1. Concord

Concord's failed launch was so severe that it will probably be studied for years to come. It was enough to warrant an update on this list. It was reportedly the result of years of work and millions upon millions of dollars, and lasted two weeks before it was pulled from marketplaces with a refund being issued to those who had bought it. At least one report suggests that Sony dumped $400 million into the project and was betting on it being the future of the brand. Take that with a grain of salt; it hasn't yet been substantiated. However, the live service sector of the industry is packed to the gills with people hoping to be the next Fortnite, and simply dropping an expensive game in there is not enough to capture the crowd. Whether or not Concord reappears in some form in t?he futu?re remains to be seen.

There's no shortage of games with failed launches, and the future will feature plenty more. From these cases, we learn that although delays may be frustrating, terrible launches are far worse. We also see that even the worst launches don't have to spell the end for a game so long as developers ?persevere.

The post Top 13 worst game launches in gaming ??history, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

The Reaper’s Reward event, a free and limited-time event in The Sims 4, will begin on September 24. There are a lot of fun rewards up for grabs through completing quests alongside the Grim Reaper, but how?? does the event work?

The Reaper’s Reward event will be live for eight weeks, giving players two quests a week for six weeks, with a bonus two at the end for those who started late. This means that, in the space of those eight weeks,?? you’ll need to complete 12 quests to earn ‘Event Points� These po??ints can then unlock 13 main rewards and a few other items, which we’ll get onto in just a little bit. 

The majority of?? the quests have not been reveal?ed thus far, but we do know that the first one will involve researching a dish called Ambrosia. It is said to be capable of lifting the spirits of any Sim, and as the event goes on, you’ll learn more about it and eventually learn the recipe. 

How to take part in the Reaper’s Reward event

Taking part is simple, but you’ll need to make sure you’re online and logged in to your EA account before you can start earning rewards. Once that’s done, enter Live Mode with any existing or new household and simply wai?t for the Grim Reaper to show up. Once he does, you’ll receive a pop-up informing you that the first two quests have begun. 

As you complete the quests, you’ll earn event points and unlock new rewards. To see how many event points each quest is worth or claim rewards, you’ll need to open the event screen by selecting the event icon, which can be found on the screen during Live?? M?ode. 

Once claimed, rewards will be accessible through Build Mode, Create a Sim, or through your Sim’s inventory, depending on the type of reward you’ve claime?d. You’ll have eight weeks to work your way through all of the quests and earn all of the rew??ards. 

All Reaper’s Reward event rewards

The main rewards are pictured in the image abo?ve, and you’ll be able to earn them week by week:

Week one

• The Grimophone (Build Mode)
• Earrings of Imminent Demise (Create a Sim)
• Scare Seeker Lot Challenge

  • This lot trait causes Sim’s to be become excited rather than scared while they’re on the lot

Week two

• Trad Goth Jeans (Create a Sim)
• The Green Lady’s Lost Tome (Build Mode)

  • Allows you to increase Gardening, Cooking, and Fishing skills at the same time

Week three

• Trad Goth Buckled Boots (Create a Sim)
• Grim’s Cruiser Bicycle (Build Mode)

Week four

• Life & Death Tattoo (Create a Sim)
• Portrait of Lady Mimsy Alcron Shallot in the Garden (Build Mode)

Week five

• Trad Goth Button-Up (Create a Sim)
• Spectral Spritzer drink (Inventory)

  • Turns a Sim into a ghost temporarily when consumed

Week six

• Prowling Peepers (Create a Sim)
• Casket of Quiet Repose (Build Mode)

Along with these main rewards, you can also claim smaller ones such as potions or limited-time Bone?y Collectables.

The post The Sims 4: How to get all rewards in the Reaper’s Reward event appeared first on Destructoid.

EA has announced that the next game in the skate. series is scheduled to drop into Early Access in 2025. This will be the first entry in the series since skate. 3 in 2010. Shortly after, EA laid off most of the developer’s staff and shut down the studio. Last we heard, Deran Chung and Chris Parry who worked on the original run of games, are part of the team handling the new skate.

I haven’t really been keeping up with the development of the new skate. (which is apparently just called skate.). I think I lost interest when it was announced that it would be free-to-play and multiplayer focused. Actually, repeating that still sticks in my craw since my wish for a new skate. game did not include GaaS.

If you’re down? for that sort of thing, EA has been holding playtests since 2022 to collect player feedback. The? developer has said that there will be no loot boxes, no maps locked behind paywalls, and no pay-to-win. So, that’s maybe comforting, but that still leaves cosmetics as microtransactions. We’ll have to wait and see.

I loved the skate. series. I love Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, as well, but they’re two completely different approaches to skateboarding. skate. feels a lot more authentic. You try and find the perfect line to build?? the most gnar gnar combo possible. The stick-flicking controls gave everything a more t??actile feel.

But really, I have no interest in a live service multi-player gam?e. Thankfully, I still have the original three games on PS3, so I can always turn to them. They’ve aged well.

skate. is coming to early access ??on 2025.?? More details to come.

The post New skate. game kickflips into early a?ccess? in 2025 appeared first on Destructoid.

Developer BioWare and publisher Electronic Arts released an all-new trailer for the upcoming RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard today that showed glimpses of what to expect from the first title in the series in almost a decade. The focus of the trailer, however, was to indicate when we can expect to get our hands on The Veilguard: October 31, 2024.

Even though we've had to wait almost 10 years to get back to Dragon Age, the wait is almost over. With a Halloween 2024 release date that means we're just 2.5 months away from getting our hands on Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Surely not coincidentally, the story in The Veilguard takes place a decade after the events of its predecessor, Dragon Age: Inquisition. Players will take on the role of Rook and his companions as they put an end to a ritual in progress by Solas, one of your allies and party members from Inquisition who?? has become a villain. However, doing so breaks free the corrupt Elven gods who are hellbent on blighting the world, and it's now up to you and your party to fight back against the ancient rulers.

For those interested in freshening up on their Dragon Age lore and knowledge, all of the Dragon Age games are currently on sale for 90% off on all platforms through August 19 as part of the ongoing Electronic Arts August sale.

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EA and Respawn have set a September 17, 2024 launch date for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. If you've been holding out for the day Cal Kestis onc?e again graces the previous generation of consoles, your wait i??s almost over.

Digital pre-orders are live for the PS4 and Xbox One versions, which clock in a little c?heaper than their current-gen counterparts. This one has been optimized specifically for the capabilities of the respective platforms, and it's priced at $49.99. Those who pre-order will get a Combustion Blaster and an Obi-Wan-inspired robe. 

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor first launched on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and EA App on April 28, 2023. It essentially took what 2019's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order offered and gave us way more of the good stuff. 

Speaking of good stuff, Respawn is hoping to inject more of it into the PC port. When it initially launched, it was buggy and messed up enough to warrant an apology. Improvements have been made since, and t?he latest press release says more enhancements are on the way "in the coming weeks."

The upcoming patch promises updates to techn??ical performance, controls, and other features. Players can also look forward to "a variety of quality-of-life improvements" when the fixes go live. Here's hoping everything goes smoothly both for the PC version and the previous?-gen consoles, which have a pretty beefy game on their hands with this one. 

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The community has reportedly discovered an incredible EA FC 24 glitch amidst the ?FUTTIES season, which is allowing players some ?massive advantages.

The FUTTIES season is full of objectives and evolutions, which require players to complete a certain number of matches. It takes a lot of time to complete the required number of games, and evo??lving cards can take a long?? time. However, the glitch allows players to take shortcuts in order to complete the objectives/evolutions.

Disclaimer: There are rumors of players getting banned for abusing the glitch (need ??to be verified). It's advisable to refrain from using it in matches.

The EA FC 24 Games Played objectives glitch needs you to throw your games

Usually, throwing games isn't something I like to do in EA FC 24 (unless I have the required wins in the Champions Finals). However, an active glitch is currently counting a game to complet??e, e?ven if you end up throwing it.

The glitch triggers when players score three own goals in a match against other human opponents. When they score the third own goal, the match automatically ends. However, it still counts as a completed match for them, and accelerates an objective/evo??lution.

Now, of course, the credit for discov??ering this method belongs to Twitter users @Kimpembro and @AlexC_1892. As of now, the glitch is active. This method works ?for any game where you play against a human opponent and if it's counted by the objective/evolution. Division Rivals will be the safest bet, as it's best not to throw away your valuable Champions Playoffs/Finals games.

I don't think that the glitch was meant to work in that fashion. Hence, there's a high chance that EA Sports will quickly patch it to prevent any exploitation by the community. However, now's the best time to complete a few evolutions and get the FUTTIES Hero items for Kuyt and Owairan. Plus, I see it as a win, where you get to complete your evolutions/objectives, and another person gets free?? wins.

The post New EA FC 24 Games Playe?d objectives glitch appears and it is yet to get patched appeared first on Destructoid.

You would think any company that let go employees migh??t be struggling a bit financially. That's not?? the case with EA. In fact, the publisher's 2024 fiscal year appears to have been very lucrative since it made over $7 billion in net revenue, with CEO Andrew Wilson himself earning more than $25.6 million.

As spotted by Game Developer, EA revealed this in a recent Proxy Statement for its shareholders. Said statement also broke down how much each of EA's executives earned in terms of base salaries and bonuses. Altogether, these executives, including Wilson, made over $60 million. This past February, EA had opted to lay off 5% of its total workforce (estimated to be about 670 people), with the only explanation being that it was a result of the company's decision to move away from developing games based on licensed IPs (although it still has two Marvel games ?based on I??ron Man and Black Panther in the works).

The full statement doesn't appear to make any mention of the layoffs, though one of Wilson's listed achievements is that he "oversaw a year of continued employee satisfaction scores above industry benchmarks, with record high talent retention and strong talent attraction." Additional comments from Wilson himself only highlight how strong EA's fiscal year h??as been.

"Our teams are the best in the business, delivering awesome gameplay, innovation, and unmatched authenticity," wrote Wilson. "We’re proud of our performance in service of our stockholders, employees, players, and communities. Our business remains strong, and I could not be more excited about our future a??s we bring more amazing games and experiences to more people around the worl?d."

EA is by no means the only company to have laid off staff. However, there has been a shocking loss of talent within the industry. In the past six months, there have been more layoffs than in all of 2023, which comes in stark contr?ast to reports like this that talk about how well th??ings are going.

In an executive summary, EA wrote, "During fiscal year 2024, we continued to deliver award-winning games and services to our players and generated strong financial and operating results. Hundreds of millions of players a??round the world came together and connected through our games, live services and content. We continued our e?fforts to value diverse teams and to create a healthy, inclusive culture that helps our people do their best work."

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After months of requests from the community, FC Mobile Training Transfer will finally arrive in Ultimate Team as part of t????he upcoming update.

The new system could be a complete game changer, as it will help players reduce a lot of grind. Anyone who has played the game will know how important it is to train cards, but the process isn't infinite. After a certain point, the resources become scarce, which also hinders squad development. The FC Mobile Training Transfer, as pl?anned by EA Sports, will help? to reduce many headaches.

FC Mobile Training Transfer Guide

The FC Mobile Training Transfer process will be pretty straightforward, and a new currency will be?? introduced for the same purpose. You'll be able to earn Training Transfer points,? which will be used to shift the XP from one card to another.

• Select Training Transfer from the menu.
• First, select the card from which the training will be transferred.
• Second, select the card which will receive the XP.
• Click on the 'Transfer' button to complete the process.

There are still g??oing to be a lot of strategies involved with the transfer process. First, the training transfer will be limited if the target player has a lower rank. In such cases, the extra XP will remain?? with the original card, and you can transfer it once the rank of the target card is high enough. Additionally, ranks of the cards won't be affected by any transfer of training.

You should also remember that 10% XP will be lost in each transfer. Training Transfer points, required in every exchange, won't be infinite either. However, there will be ple?nty of in-game activities from which players can earn these points.

FC Mobile Training Transfer will be available after the update on June 11. This update will also introduce a new Euro 2024 tournament mode in Ult?imate Team. You can select any of the qualified nations and write your own history.

The post How will FC Mobile Training Transfer work? appeared first on Destructoid.

The EA FC 24 Path to Glory upgrades tracker will be you??r best friend if you?'re grinding the ongoing promo in Ultimate Team.

EA Sports has dropped plenty of content for the Festival of Football events, including a new promo. The Path to Glory promo includes new cards featuring the biggest stars from Euro and Copa America 2024. All these items will be eligible for up to four levels of upgr??ades based on how their national sides perform in real life. This makes it crucial for you to use the EA FC 24 Path to Glory upgrades tracker to determine which items are more likely to get the upgrades.

Complete EA FC 24 Path to Glory upgrades tracker

This EA FC 24 Path to Glory upg?rades tracker includes all items regardless of whether they belong to Euro 2024 or Copa America 2024. The upgrade system is the same for both sets of items.

If you go through the EA FC 24 Path to Glory upgrades tracker, some of the cards present here ??can be obtained from the seasonal track. This tracker also includes all PTG cards rele?ased as SBCs and objectives, and more names will appear in the days to come.

EA FC 24 Greats of the Game tracker

EA Sports has also released Greats of the Game Icons and Heroes along with the Path to Glory items. These cards will be able to get a maximum of two upgrades based on ??how their respective nations do in Euros/Copa.

It will be interesting to observe how many players from the A FC 24 Path to Glory upgrades tracker and the Greats of the Game upgrades tr??acker end up getting the boosts.

The post EA FC 24 Path to Glory upgrades tracker appeared first on Destructoid.

The EA FC 24 Thomas Muller and Ryan Christie Showdown SBC is a set of two special challenges that offer two u?nique cards.

It appears that EA Sports will also include the Showdown SBCs as part o??f the Euro 2024. Th??is SBC set will feature the upcoming contest between Scotland and Germany, and you could complete either or both. Like all Showdown items, both Christie and Muller will be eligible for upgrades in the future.

EA FC 24 Thomas Muller and Ryan Christie Showdown SBC tasks

As stated earlier, you can complete either? of the SBCs. Ryan Christie's item is easier to obtain as it only has one task, while Muller has two. All three tasks have their own set of conditions that must be kept in mind while submitting the squads.

Ryan Christie Showdown SBC

• Min. 1 Players from: Premier League
• Min. 1 Players: Any TOTS or TOTW
• Min. Team Rating: 86

Thomas Muller Showdown SBC

Task 1 - Germany

• Min. 1 Players from: Germany
• Min. Team Rating: 87

Task 2 - Bundesliga

• Min. 1 Players from: Bundesliga
• Min. Team Rating: 88

EA FC 24 Thomas Muller and Ryan Christie Showdown SBC cheapest solutions

Whether you complete the EA FC 24 Thomas Muller and Ryan ?Christie Showdown SBC partially or entirely, it's ??best to settle for the cheapest solutions. With so much new Path to Glory content in Ultimate Team, saving as many resources as possible is worth saving.

Ryan Christie Showdown SBC

• Fabinho 84
• Cucho Hernandez TOTS 88
• Bernardo Silva 88
• Koen Casteels 84
• Bruno Fernandes 88
• Christina Endler 88
• Alexandra Popp 88
• Stanislav Lobotka 84
• Lena Oberdorf 87
• Martin Odegaard 87
• Laura Freigang 83

Thomas Muller

Task 1 - Germany

• Fabinho 84
• Wendie Renard 88
• Bernardo Silva 88
• Koen Casteels 84
• Bruno Fernandes 88
• Christina Endler 88
• Alexandra Popp 88
• Stanislav Lobotka 84
• Lena Oberdorf 87
• Martin Odegaard 87
• Laura Freigang 83

Task 2 - Bundesliga

• Irene Paredes: 88
• Victor Osimhen: 88
• Bernando Silva: 88
• Alexandra Popp 88
• Jan Oblak: 88
• Joshua Kimmich: 88
• Lucy Bronze: 87
• Lina Magull: 87
• Gianluigi Donnarumma: 87
• Lea Schuller: 86
• Mapi Leon: 89

While both items are rated at 93, Muller's card has far higher chances to get upgrades. Germany is the favorite?? on paper, and they will play at home. I would hedge my bets on the German veteran, but Christie's item can be a cheap wide attacker if you need such a card.

The post How to complete EA FC ?24 Thomas Mulle??r and Ryan Christie Showdown SBC? appeared first on Destructoid.

Almost all the EA FC 24 TOTS players are now available in Ultimate Team, and there's a massive collection of cards to pick fr??om.

The Team of the Season events introduced special cards from all five major European leagues. EA Sports also introduced the TOTS lineup from the women's leagues, along with names from the rest of the world. The list of available choices has never been longer, which also makes it tricky to identify the best EA FC 24 TOTS players for all positions.

Best EA FC 24 TOTS players by position

Thanks to the vast number of TOTS cards released in Ultimate Team, every position is pretty well covered. EA Sports has also released TOTS Plus items, which make it easier for players to keep squad chemistry pretty high even if they're using items? from the Mixed Leagues.

• GK: Alisson, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Yann Sommer
• RB: Jeremie Frimpong, Ona Batlle (SBC), Joao Cancelo, Dani Carvajal
• LB: Alex Grimaldo, Theo Hernandez, Kai Havertz (SBC), Sakina Karchaoui
• CB: Virgil Van Dijk, Sergio Ramos, Alessandro Bastoni
• RWB: Jeremie Frimpong, Joao Cancelo, Ona Batlle (SBC)
• LWB: Kai Havertz (SBC), Sakina Karchaoui, Selma Bacha, Theo Hernandez
• CDM: Rodri, Declan Rice, Grace Geyoro
• CM: Jude Bellingham, Zaire-Emery, Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modric
• CAM: Aitana Bonmati, Alex Putellas, Lionel Messi
• RM: Ousmane Dembele, Caroline Hansen, Mohamed Salah
• LM: Vinicius, Neymar, Salma Paralluelo
• LW: Vinicius, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe
• RW: Lionel Messi, Caroline Hansen, Lauren James
• CF/ST: Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, Cristiano Ronaldo

Do note that some of the best EA FC 24 TOTS players are available in packs as of writing. The Ultimate TOTS has reintroduced some of the best items, so it makes a lot of sense to open all your saved packs. You can also buy these items from the market, but most of them are pretty costly (despite the higher suppl??y from packs).

Additionally, new End of an Era and Flashback SBCs will be released every day during Ultimate TOTS. These cards have great stats, and the Thiago Silva EOAE item is undoubtedly among the better defenders ?currently available in Ultimate Team.

The post Best EA FC 24 TOTS players in every position appeared first on Destructoid.

Expansion packs truly are the bread and butter of The Sims franchise. Since the first game came out, expansions have given players plenty more content to enjoy a??nd to??ns of new features to play around with. As more expansions come out, it's tough to narrow down which ones are the best. But we've taken on the task and have the best expansion packs for The Sims 4 that you can get.

10. High School Years

High School Years is something new for Sims as a whole. We've never be??en able to follow our teens to school before, but now we can. Relive the glory days of being on the football team or cheerleading squad, or relive the traumatic nightmare of being picked on by your fellow classmates with this pack. It also adds a great sense of liveliness to any neighborhood and makes the community feel more alive.

9. Discover University

Another school expansion pack, Discover University, is a classic. Going to college has been a staple of the Sims franchise since Sims 2, and it's been revamped once again for Discover University. This pack lets you send your Sims to university and have all the fun associated with it. Attend classes, go to wild parties, or join secret societies to fully experience the college lifestyle. This pack also has some of the best Buy Mode items that you can place, rotate, and decorate with to your heart's content.

8. Get Famous

Being a famous actor is a life plenty of people have wanted, and Get Famous is one way to live that dream. Your Sims can become famous with this expansion, starting from an extra on-set all the way to a legendary movie star. This expansion includes the fame system and reputation system, which are great f??or making the world feel more alive. If your Sim is mean, their reputation will reflect that. Even if you don't plan on making a movie star, it's still?? a great addition to the base game.

7. City Living

City Living is exactly what it sounds like �your Sims living in the city. This time around, it's San Myshuno, a sprawling metropolis filled with karaoke bars and colorful citizens. This pack also introduces apartments to the game (for the first time). This expansion is all about the world it includes, as it's the only true city to be added to the game. It also includes plenty of festivals for your Sims to attend, keeping them busy while they explore the gorgeous world. If you yearn for the concrete jungle or already live there yourself, you can't miss? this pack.

6. Growing Together

Everyone plays The Sims 4 a bit differently, and for players who enjoy family gameplay, Growing Together is essential. It introduces milestones, family dynamics, compatibility, and more into the game to create more in-depth families and relationships. Not only this, but this pack includes tons of items for the infant life stage, which was introduced in a free update alongside this expansion. Growing Together impacts nearly every aspect of the game as your Sims age up, and it's perfect for adding more realism and personality to Sims 4.

5. Get Together

Clubs are the biggest addition in Get Together, but you're able to do so much with them. Looking to make a cult? Then this is the pack you need. It also comes with the world of Windenburg, which is a massive, beautiful landscape with plenty of lots to build and live on. Sims have more ways to hang out with their friends and are able to have fun at all types of hangouts thanks to this ?expansion.

4. Cats & Dogs

What kind of pet lover doesn't want to bring their furry friends to life in Sims? With Cats & Dogs, you can make perfect replicas of your beloved pets. Sadly, this expansion doesn't include pets oth?er than cats and dogs, which is why it's not higher??. However, it does include the new career of being a veterinarian, as well as the paintbrush feature to make a bright purple dog with yellow polka dots.

3. Cottage Living

Simmers have long been begging for their Sims to be able to be farmers, and Cottage Living delivers. This pack includes plenty of new ways to garden, including large crops like pumpkin and lettuce. Even more, it includes cows, ch??ickens, foxes, and birds as animals to care for. Cottage Living adds a huge amount of content to the game and lets your Sims liv??e a simple life. Plus, the CAS and build mode items are some of the most charming you can get. Who doesn't love cottage core?

2. Get To Work

A huge chunk of your Sims' day is going to work, much like in real life. But, before Get To Work, there was no way to follow your Sims to their daily jobs. This pack not only lets you join your Sim's daily lif?e with three careers but also open your own business to run. Start a retail shop, or become a mad scientist, it's up to you. This pack is so high up on this list thanks to how much gameplay it adds, taking a simple rabbit hole activity like careers and expanding on them much more.

1. Seasons

The Seasons expansions have always been popular, and it's easy to see why. You can play with all four seasons in this pack, from sweltering summers to chilly winters. While your Sims experiencing the beauty of the changing weather is already a great addition, Seasons also adds holidays to the game. You can make up your own holidays, set traditions for them, sing songs about them, decorate your home, and more.

The Seasons expansion is by far the best pack for The Sims 4, as it af?fects nearly every aspect of gameplay. The weather will determine if your Sims can spend the day outside, holidays can determine if they get the day off, and so on. It really brings the game more alive. If you're on?ly going to get one expansion, make sure it's this one.

The post The 10 best Sims 4 expansion packs appeared first on Destructoid.

Mods have always been a part of The Sims franchise, and the fourth installment is no exception. The Sims 4 has a massive modding community that can provide nearly any experience you can think of. Fro?m giving you more options while creating your Sims to better control when building, if there's somethi?ng in the game you want to be improved, a modder has probably already added it in.

It's hard picking the best from such a wide arr??ay, but we've narrowed it down to the?? top 10.

1. MC Command Center

For any Sims 4 save file, the MC Command Center is essential. The MC Command Center gives you full control of just about any feature in the game. You can set Sims' relationship levels with others, set their skill levels, and give them promotions with the click of a button. While the Sims 4 has plenty of goals to achieve, the MC Command Center makes it easy to do whate??ver you want.

2. Wonderful Whims

There's nothing Sims players love more than adding some realism to the game, and Wonderful Whims is the perfect mod to do it with. It gives your Sims an attractiveness system, where certain Sims wi?ll be more attractive than others. There are also impressions, which give your Sims more personality by falling into a?rchetypes.

Wonderful Whims is the cleaner version of a certain famous mod, without all the adult content. It's basically t?he same mod without the NSFW part. However,?? it's still just as impressive.

3. TOOL Mod

Calling all builders: if you don't already have the TOOL Mod, you need to download this one. While building has never been as in-depth in the series as it is in Sims 4, this mod gives you nearly full control of every object. Move an object anywhere you want, rotate it, and my personal favorite, make it?? as big or tiny as you nee??d. There's nothing like a squid being as large as a building.

4. More Columns in CAS

If your game is filled with as much custom content as mine is, the More Columns in CAS is a necessity. This? mod will give you up to three more columns when you're in Create A Sim mode. This means no more scrolling for endless amounts of time looking for that one ??hairstyle you need. This mod really improves CAS as a whole.

5. Better BuildBuy

Debug objects are a great little secret for builders who know about them. But, once you've got them, it's nothing short of a nightmare to find the object you need. That's where the Better BuildBuy mod comes in. It organizes the debug items and gives you the ability to expand the catalog. For interior decorators in The Sims 4, this ??mod is a must-have to make building and buying a much easier experience.

6. Grannie's Cookbook

Although the Sims team has added plenty of new recipes with various packs and updates, there's always room for more. The Grannie's Cookbook mod is a simple way to add tons of new food to your game. You'll get brand-new food to cook, fro??m breakfast, lunch, and dinner, to specialty desserts.

It's also incredibly simple to use. All you need to do is plop down the cookbook somewhere on your lot and click on it to choose your recipe. While some mods require some hassle to work, Grannie's Cookbook is very simple, so it's great for those just diving into Sims 4 mods.

7. Have Some Personality, Please!

Sims are often dominated entirely by their emotions in The Sims 4. This leaves your Sims' traits in the dust and causes every Sim to act the same no matter the circumstance. Have Some Personality, Please! fixes this issue, using your Sims' traits to dictate more of their actions. Evil Sims will perform more mean interactions, musical Sims will play instruments and write songs, and so on. With this mod, your S??ims will never feel ?basic again.

8. Height Slider

One thing the Sims franchise has never had is the ability to change your Sims' height. With the Height Slider, we finally get this option. Make your Sims taller or shorter with the slider this mod ??adds. Be aware that this mod does sometimes cause animation issues, though �clipping can occur pretty re?gularly.

9. More Traits in CAS

The Sims 3 lets players pick up to five traits for their Sims, a feature that Sims 4 sadly cut down. With the More Traits in CAS mod, though, you're once again able to pick five traits? for your Sims to have. With more traits, Sims feel more dynamic and fleshed-out. It's a welcome feature th??at should have been included without mods.

10. Zombie Apocalypse Mod

I'll be the first to admit that this mod doesn't really have anything to do with the rest of the game. But, if you want to see how your Sims would fare against the undead, then get the Zombie Apocalypse mod. Infect the entire world with a zombie virus, and have survivors fight to survive. This mod is especially great for those getting bored with the regular gameplay that Sims 4 offers, and I think it's truly one of the best mods out there given how in-depth and exciting it is. It turns The Sims 4 into an entirely different genre.

The post The 10 best Sims 4 mods appeared first on Destructoid.

Recently spotted job listings at EA's Motive and Cliffhanger Games studios have gi?ven away that both the publisher's upcoming Iron Man and Black Panther games will feature open world environments.

Very little has been shared on either project since their announcements though Motive did recently say development on its Iron Man game is going smoothly amid news of the studio forming a team to work on the Battlefield series. In lieu of any trailers or fo?rmal updates from EA, these two job listings have given us the next best thing by confirming open world settings for both games.

A listing for a senior technical artist ?posi??tion at Motive is labelled specifically for the Iron Man game, and says the successful candidate will "help oversee the rendering related aspects of an open world action adventure AAA title." Meanwhile, Cliffhanger Games is looking for a principal sandbox designer who will be "instrumental in designing and populating encounters, systems, and gameplay within?? a dynamic and evolving open world." This listing doesn't say the job is specifically for the Black Panther game, but that's the only project Cliffhanger is publicly working on??.

Although there's no hard confirmation, it's very safe to assume the Black Panther game will be set in Wakanda, the fictional country that Black Panther calls home. Cliffhan?ger's job listing also mentions working with the AI engineering team to "create sophisticated AI behaviors that enhance the open-world experience, from urban crowds to wildlife ecosystems." This suggests players will get to explore not just Wakanda's city and villages, ??but also the jungle surrounding it. It's much harder guessing where the Iron Man game will take place, but the prospect of flying around a populated city in the Iron Man armor is an exciting one nonetheless.

There's no telling when EA will show off either game, though. While Motive has commented on how well the Iron Man game is progressing, Cliffhanger hasn't confirmed any tangible details about the Black Panther game. Both projects are presumably in good hands, given the studios' track records. Motive received a lot of praise for its work on the Dead Space remake, and though the Black Panther project is Cliffhanger's first ??game, the studio is comprised of industry veterans who have worked on the likes of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and God of War (via GamesIndustry.biz).

It's an awkward time for both projects, however, since EA CEO Andrew Wilson, whilst confirming job losses within the company, admitted a couple of months ago that the company would be "moving away from development of future licensed IP," suggesting EA's lost interest in releasing games based on other companies' franchises. There's nothing to indicate this has affected EA's deal with Marvel though. Aside from the Iron Man and Black Panther games, there's supposed to be one other Marvel game in the works at EA, according to the original announcement about the two companies' partnership.

The post EA’s Iron Man and Black Panther games to be open world according to job listings appeared first on Destructoid.

Apex Legends has had what might be its biggest hacking incident yet. During the Apex Legends Global Series tournament this weekend, a number of pros were given tools li?ke wallhack and aimbot?? mid-match by hackers, prompting the tournament to halt any further play.

Hackers give pro Apex Legends players cheats

A few pro Apex Legends players were afraid to continue playing during their ALGS event recently due to these hackers. This wasn't a case of pros intent??ionally using hacks, though; instead, a third-party source looks t?o have hacked the game and started giving cheats to the players mid-match. As a result, a few well-known pros gained the ability to see through walls or aimbot.

As you might expect, players were blown away that it was happening, and a few posted their live reactions to Twitter. Not only did the hacks ruin the competitive nature of the ALGS, none of the players wanted to continue. Many players just stopped shooting and were likely worried about being accused of cheating live on stream. The result was a stop to the tournament, and a great many players and fans being extremely worried about the state of cheating in Apex Legends.

How did the ALGS get hacked?

After being forced to end the tournament and find a solution for the future, the event-runners had this to say in a Tweet:

"Due to the competitive integrity of this series being compromised, we have made the decision to postpone the NA finals at this time. We will share more i?nformation soon."

In response, a video game cheat prevention organization, called the Anti-Cheat Police Department, advised caution in playing further Apex. Easy Anti-Cheat Tweeted about the issue, claiming there isn't an?? RCE vulnerability being exploited.

Update (5:48 p.m. ET): Epic has now publicly confirmed it's looked into the issue and have confirmed it to be unrelated to Easy Anti-Cheat. "We are confident THERE IS NO RCE [sic] ??vu??lnerability within EAC being exploited."

The post A??pex Legends tournament postponed after pros g?et hacked mid-match appeared first on Destructoid.

When will it end? According to GamesIndustry.biz, Electronic Arts announced today that it will be laying off approximately 5% of its workforce which equates to around 670 people. In a note sent out to EA staff, CEO Andrew Wilson indicated the move is part of the company "moving away from development o??f future licensed IP that we do not believe will be successful in our changing industry."

Another sweeping layoff in our decimated industry

The moves are part of a larger restructuring plan at EA which includes the closing of some offices and sunsetting of several live games. According to GameIndustry.biz, major external IP games based on Black Panther and Iron Man remain in development.

This is the second time in the last year that EA has performed restructuring plans resulting in hundreds of layoffs after EA cut 6% of staff in March 2023.

Literally one day ago, Sony announced it was cutting almost? 1,000 ??jobs by cutting its workforce by 8%.

We'r??e not even a quarter of the way into 2024 and over 7,000 jobs have been lost in the games industry just these last two months. This is immediately after an equally brutal 2023 where over 10,000 jobs were lost. At this point, we're looking at an industry that will take years to recover as that amount of jobs will not be created overnight, though they seemingly have been elimi??nated that quickly.

The post Electronic Arts announces it’s laying off 5% of its employees appeared first on Destructoid.

Stig Asmussen, the director of such critically and commercially lauded titles as EA’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor?? is departing from the company, pe?r Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier.

Asmussen, whose past works include directing God of War III for Santa Monica Studio, will be leaving EA “to pursue other adventures,�the company said in a statement to Bloomberg. As of?? this writing, it is unclear what these "other adventures" entail.

“After careful thought and consideration, Stig Asmussen has decided to leave Respawn to pursue other adventures, and we wish him the best of luck,�an EA spokesperson told Bloomberg. “Veteran Respawn leaders will be stepping up to guide the team as they continue their work on Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.�/p>

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Survivor were the first two installments in what Asmussen told IGN he hoped would be? a trilogy, so today’s news makes this writer wonder if a third game is possible without ?Asmussen at the helm. 

Destructoid’s Chris Carter said about Jedi: Fallen Order that “you’re going to occasionally roll your eyes at a cheesy moment or groan at a technical issue, but Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order stands alone as an action game devoid of its Star Wars influence.�nbsp??;

As for Jedi: Survivor, Carter said “after finishing up Jedi Survivor and immediately cleaning up what I had missed for fun, I found myself wishing for a world where Respawn Entertainment focused all of its energy on single player games from here on out.�/p>

The post Star Wars Jedi director ??Stig Asmussen is leaving EA appeared first on Destructoid.

The Sims 4 has had an unusually long lifespan, though EA and Maxis have been working on the next entry in the popular life simulation franchise. In 2022, developers confirmed that they are busy with Project Rene, which will be The Sims 4's successor. A few things have already been confirm??ed about the upcoming game, including the fact that it'll feature collabora??tive play and cross-play.

It was suspected that the game would adopt some kind of free-to-play model, as this is the form The Sims 4 has taken. Furthermore, a Maxis job posting was found which was looking for a Head of Marketplac?e and Monetization for a??n upcoming free-to-enter game.

These suspicions have been confirmed, as a recent blog post by EA states that Project Rene will be free to download when it's ready. The carefully worded blog goes on to expla??in that you'll be able to "join, play?? and explore it without a subscription, core game purchase or energy mechanics."

There are big plans for Project Rene

Though Project Rene will be free to download, there will be some monetized aspects of it.?? EA will sell content and packs, but there are also plans for free updates to the core game. For instance, basic weather may be added to the core game, but other purchases may be focused on winter sports and snowman-building competitions.

EA claims that it aims to "lower barriers to play and give all players the broadest shared systems." This sounds good, but it is worth remembering that EA doesn't have the best history when it comes to microtransactions and in-game monetization strategies. It has led to a harsh backlash, so only time will tell whether Project Rene can balance the company's financial needs wit?h player expectations.

We'll get to find out more about Project Rene soon, as developers intend to keep us in the loop throughout the development cycle. This will come in various forms, including Early Access options and small public playtests. Through these events, we may discover exactly how the next The Sims game will be monetized.

The post Sims 5 will be “free to download” appeared first on Destructoid.

Some more details about Season 18 of Apex Legends: Resurrected are here. As a new Ranked Season, Resurection brings multiple updates to Apex. Ring damage and timing receive adjustments in an effort to decrease pre-finale lulls. A new minimum elimination bonus will increase based on?? your MMR.

Also, an update to Ranked will slow the pace to Masters for the aver??age player, allowing for more accurate matchmaking. As such, there will mostly be changes in climbing the ranks after Diamond.

Aside from the bala??nce updates and changes coming Se??ason 18, there's also a hefty chunk of new content.

[caption id="attachment_394912" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

A character revamp: Revenant Reborn

Death itself is rebo??rn with a complete overhaul of the Revenant character in Season 18. Alongside a visual update, Re?venant is also getting a rework to all of his abilities.

• Assassin's Instinct passive skill helps him see low-health enemies. Revenant also has a faster crouch walk and improved wall climbing.
• Tactical ability Shadow Pounce allows Revenant to close the gap on his prey from a distance.
• Activating his ultimate Forged Shadows will build a shroud of hardened shadows that blocks damage and regenerates, allowing his shadows and tactical to refresh on knockdowns.

Furthermo??re, Revenant will be unlocked for all players? for the duration of the season. Players who complete a set of challenges before the season ends will also unlock Revenant permanently.

[caption id="attachment_394914" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Mixtape hits Broken Moon & new Collection Event

Fans of the Mixta?pe playlist will get a change of scenery this season.

The Mixtape modes are coming to the Broken Moon map. Players will be able to experience fan favorites such as Gun Run and Team Deathmatch in The Core and p??lay Control in the Pro??duction Yard.

Also, a new event called the Death Dynasty Collection Event wi??ll begin at? the start of Season 18. Players will earn double XP in the Battle Royale mode from August 8-15 and in Mixtape from August 15-22.

Furth?ermore, there are 24 limited-time cosmetics and other items available through the event reward track. If you're able to unlock all 24 cosmetics before the event ends you will also receive Revenant's new Death Grip Heir?loom.

Apex Legends: Resurrected Season 18 wil??l launch on August 8 on all? platforms.

The post Apex Legends: Resurrection unleashes Reve??nant Reborn with Season 18 appeared first on Destructoid.

Wakanda forever!

It looks like the heavily rumored Black Panther game is real. Electronic Arts revealed an all new Sea?ttle-based AAA development st??udio, Cliffhanger Games, as the developer.

Cliffhanger is led by industry veteran Kevin Stephens, former Studio Head of Monolith Productions. Monolith is best known for Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor and its sequel Shadow of War.

“We’re dedicated to delivering fans a definitive and authentic Black Panther experience, giving them more agency and control over their narrative than they have ever experienced in a story-driven video game. Wakanda is a rich SuperHero sandbox, and our mission is to develop an epic world for players who love Black Panther and want to explore the world of Wakan?da as much as we do,�Kevin said.

Black Panther will feature an original story as a third-person single-player game. Cliffhanger wil?l work directly with Marvel?? Games to ensure Wakanda feels authentic.

At this point it seems like every big publisher has a piece of the Marvel pie. Sony has Spider Man while Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal recently released Marvel's Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy.

This project marks Electronic Arts' first foray into the Marvel universe since Marvel Nesmesis: Rise of the Imperfects released back in 2005. Between Sony's Marvel's Spider Man 2 coming October 20 and this newly revealed Black Panther game, Marvel fans have a lot to look forward to.

The post EA reveals Black?? Panther game developed by new studio appeared first on Destructoid.

"Project Rene"

Based on a job listing posted by Electronic Arts, the next game in The Sims franchise may be free to play. According to the listing, developer Maxis is looking for a Head of Marketplace & Monetization for the newest entry to The Sims franchise (code-named Project Rene). For reference, Maxis recently confirmed via a post on the Electronic Arts Blog that Project Rene is the next entry in The Sims franchise.

A couple of the responsibilities ??of this position indicate the game could be adopting a free-to-play model:

• Own Project Rene’s in-game marketplace of content and ugc (free and paid), and manage a data-informed player-centric player purchase journey - maximizing value to players, optimizing player spend patterns, and minimizing player churn.
• Own pricing of all content in this free-to-enter game, ensuring we have an optimal pricing and content architecture. Provide guidance to content teams on in-game content needs to meet player demand.

[caption id="attachment_389857" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Electronic Arts[/caption]

Plenty of paid DLC wouldn't be new for The Sims

Anyone that has kept up with The Sims 4 should not be surprised by this news. Despite releasing almost a decade ago, The Sims 4 receives frequent updates in the form of paid DLC. In fact, The Sims 4 base game will become free-to-play at the end?????????????????????????? of last year. Existing DLC ranges from $4.99 for a collection of skins and furniture to $39.99 for a full-fledged expansion pack. However, without any sort of discount, someone w??anting to experience all content will have to spend some cash. Whil??e there is plenty of content to explore, someone looking to play it all would spend well over $1,000.

Evidently releasing paid content for The Sims is working, so it's easy to see financially why Electronic Arts would make this decision. Project Rene does not currently have a release date or window. However, Maxis recently started playtes?ting the game in a ?closed setting, so we may hear more soon.

The post The next game in t??he Sims series may launch as free-to-play appeared first on Destructoid.

Ascending up the Calendar

Electronic Arts has announced that its mythic first-person adventure Immortals of Aveum has bee?n delayed by a month and will not meet its July 20 release date �The battlemages will now wage their wars o??n PC and console platforms on August 22.

"The recent feedback to the game proves to us what we already felt: that Immortals of Aveum is something special," notes Bret Robbins of developer Ascendant Studios. "In order to realize our full vision, we are going to take a few extra weeks??, making our new launch date Tuesday, August 22. This will gi?ve us time to further polish the game, finish optimizing all platforms, and deliver a strong launch. We owe it to ourselves and to you to get this right."

"Stay tuned for more info about the game in the coming weeks, and thank you for taking part in this j??ourney with us!"

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5E-pGxZ2VQ

Announced at The Game Awards last winter, Immortals of Aveum sees a realm of powerful battlemages fighting to prevent the extinction of their planet and people. The title uses deep magic structure to forge a visually impressive combat system, with a wide variety of defensive and offensive abilities, all of which can be bolstered via the player's skill tree. As the first release by Ascendant Studios, (which is comprised of several AAA veterans), Immortals of Aveum is an ambitious debutante title.

Immortals of Aveum launches August 22 on PS5, PC,?? and Xbox Series X.

The post Immortals of Aveum now delayed to late August appeared first on Destructoid.

EA realigns its sports, games, and IP efforts

Electronic Arts has announced a ?shake-up within the publisher, realigning its internal efforts. EA studios are being split amongst two organizations: the existing EA ?Sports, and EA Entertainment.

EA Entertainment will look to encompass the publisher's owned IP, as well as licensed IP production. "We’re building the future of interactive entertainment on a foundation of legendary franchises and innovative new experiences, which represents massive opportunities for growth," wrote EA CEO Andrew Wilson in today's announcement.

Laura Miele has been appointed as President of EA Entertainment, Technology & Central Development, working alongside leads like Vince Z?ampella, Samantha Ryan, and Jeff K??arp.

EA Sports, meanwhile, will still head up the company's sport ??e??fforts. Cam Weber is President of EA Sports. Both organizational branches will report to Wilson at the top.

Via IGN, this would put Respawn, DICE, Ripple Effect, Ridgeline Games, Full Circle, Motive Studio, EA Seattle, BioWare, and the Originals label, as well as mobile projects, under Entertainment. Sports w??ould, meanwhile, look after Sports endeavors.

"This evolution of our company continues to empower our stud??io leaders with more creative ownership and financial accountability to make faster and more insightful decisions around ?development and go to market strategies," Wilson said. "These steps will accelerate our business, drive growth, and deliver long-term value for our people, our players and our communities."

Today's news also notes that Ch??ris Bruzzo is retiring, and Chris Suh is leaving ?EA.

A new look for EA

While the change seems large, it seems like a lot of EA is staying the same. EA is already making some big shake-ups in the game department, as a recent report revealed EA is in talks to shift Star Wars: The Old Republic development to a third-party studio.

On the Sports side, EA is looking to kickstart its own soccer franchise post-FIFA in EA Sports FC, as well as reboot its college football efforts.

The Entertainment side?? does seem like it could be positioning EA to do something with its IP outside the realm of games, b??ut we'll have to wait and see on that front.

The post Electronic Arts is realigning studios into EA Sp??orts and EA E??ntertainment appeared first on Destructoid.

The gladiators from my website will crush your team like nine flabby grapes

It’s the start of the Super Mega Baseball 4 2023 season. The Internet’s Destructoid is taking the field. We’ve got a great game tonight, as fans are hoping to see their heroes eat grass. Destructoid is the home of legends, such as Timothy “Drop-Taco�Monbleau, Chris “The Other Chris�Moyse, Eric “Myster?y Meat�Van Allen, and Zoey “Small Tragedy�Handley. Perhaps the fans will be treated to the sight of magic taking the mound in the form ?of veteran pitcher Jonathan “Gravy-Drinker�Holmes.

It’s been three years since Super Mega Baseball 3. In that time, the series�developer, Metalhead Software, has been bought by the evil corporation, Electronic Arts. Fans are being forcibly glued to their seats as they wait to see what ??delicious treats insatiable greed might bring to the table. Will this be the season it catches fire? Or will the series find itself rained out and left damp?

[caption id="attachment_385321" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Super Mega Baseball 4 (PC, PS4, PS5 [Reviewed], Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch)
Developer: Metalhead Software
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Released: June 2, 2023
MSRP: $49.99

I’m not a massive baseball fan, but I’m also not-not a baseb?all fan. I played it when I was younger as my parents did everything they could to tear me away from video games. When was the last time I watched a game? Probably during my trip to Japan. That stuff play??s on just about every TV there.

However, I love over-the-top sports games with lots of customization. I don’t watch a lot of hockey either, (please don’t alert the Canadian government), but NHL Hitz has a steel grip on my heart. The Super Mega Baseball series has been a bastion of this. In a world where MLB: The Show is practically the only show in town,?? it stands apart as a series that puts fun bef?ore simulation.

While I miss the stylized caricatures of the original games, Super Mega Baseball 3 was a new high-water mark for the series. Despite this, I still had a wishlist for Super Mega Baseball 4,?? and being purchased by EA was not on that list. And neither were real-world baseballers.

Did anything I want get added? No. So, that’s a good w??ay to start.

//youtu.be/alFTKIcYsRQ

I put my homemade football on hold

Super Mega Baseball 4 is very much built on the bones of Super Mega Baseball 3. So much so that the best parts of it were already present in the previous title, while the new stuff could have just been in an up??d??ate.

That’s not to say that nothing is technically or appreciatively different. For example, I feel that Super Mega Baseball 4 slides further into the sort of hokey baseball cliches that I opened this review with. You can clearly h?ear hecklers among the crowd. Vendors are audible in doling out over-priced food. The umpires are more animated and exude more personality, and the announcer does advertising spots betwe??en innings. These may be needless distractions to some, but when I’m fielding my own team, having an equally developed world around them enhances the atmosphere.

What I don’t appreciate is the song selection. It’s not bad, but there’s no way to toggle off tracks that I don’t like. There’s a pop-country one in there that, to me, is the equivalent to getting a bamboo splinter. Being able to manage the jukebox feels like such a common feature in sports games, that I was almost in disbelief to find that it wasn’t there in Super Mega Baseball 4.

[caption id="attachment_385325" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Your right fielder has been dead for 130 years

The engine also got upgraded, and that’s sort of a mixed bag. The shadows look a little off to me, but I appreciate the greater diversity in weather and time of day lighting. There’s something weird going on with meshes, though. Logos get stretched on the chests of players, which is extremely strange to me. I don’t remember this being a problem in Super Mega Baseball 3. There are only seven body types across male and female players. It's not like you can change the dimensions. Considering there’s so much depth to the logo editor in Super Mega Baseball 4, it’s kind of d?isappointing to see your work get smeared across someone’s chest.

The players have had their animations expanded. There’s a lot of personality that com??es through them. You're given a lot of power in making each of your characters distinct. The level of customization available is a bit wild. However, whil??e there are a lot of distinct faces you can choose from for your players, there’s no way to actually fine-tune them to get a better likeness.

This is most noticeable with the flaunted real-world players. While Super Mega Baseball 4 retains its whimsy by mostly focusing on retired (or deceased) legends, they’re not implemented that well. It’s obvious that they’re all created from the same tools that you’re given for your own team. So�what’s the point? If I wanted Babe Ruth on my team, I could have just created Babe Ruth myself. He bears as mu??ch resemblance to his real-world counterpart as my Chris Moyse does to the real Chris Moyse.

[caption id="attachment_385328" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

If I want you to bunt, I'll touch my belt buckle not once, not twice, but thrice

Super Mega Baseball 4 also doesn’t really fix the complaint I had since the second title, which is that there’s very little curated progression. When you create a player, you can set their stats without any limits. If you want a team with completely maxed-out stats, no one wi??ll stop you from creating one. Even if you want to be more sparing with your point distribution for the sake of challenge, it’s hard to really know where your team sits in comparison to the ones yo??u’ll be playing against.

You can temporarily buff your players between games, but I always find it more fun to develop their skills from a plucky little team struggling to compete to an absolute powerhouse. Instead, you’re left with the responsibility?? of setting your own difficulty, and there are just too many ways to do that.

Ego Mode was really enough of a difficulty adjuster to begin with. This lets you tweak the in-game systems to your liking. If things are a little too hands-off and automated, you can crank your ego up. I??f you would rather not worry about much more than pressing the right button at the right time, that’s an option too. You can also change each facet of the game’s difficulty individually. I personally liked to crank up the challenge on pitching while keeping fielding a little more breezy. I get overwhelmed easily.

[caption id="attachment_385331" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Some of these guys have a bad attitude, Skip

The customization in Super Mega Baseball 4 is extremely expansive. I’m? a bit jealous of people who have enough friends to create a custom online franchise mode. Matching up teams in a big internet bucket sounds like ??a great time.

When it comes down to it, Super Mega Baseball 4 is improved, but not that improved. I’m not looking to downgrade, and I kind of wish I was playing it right now instead of writing this. However, I still have a wishlist for the next installment. This one feels like such an unneeded upgrade. Most of it feels like it could have just been in a patch. The more appreciable additions weren’t must-haves, and some elements feel more rickety. I guess what I’m saying is that Super Mega Baseball 4 gets on base, but it’s definitely not a? home run.

No one’s ever used that analogy before, right?

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Super Mega Baseball 4 appeared first on Destructoid.

The Sirloins take the field

Electronic Arts has announced that the next game in Metalhead Software’s franchise, Super Mega Baseball 4, is arriving June 2, 2023. While this is exciting, the fact tha??t EA now owns the developer and?? property sticks in my craw.

With EA’s money pushing development, the presentation is getting upgraded for the new generation. The presser states that “All-Star character models have been refreshed, lighting has been updated, game cameras and cutscene animations have been overhauled, and audio has expanded and improved throughout the game.�/p>

They’re also touting the implementation of pro baseball players, which made me pause. With names like “Hammer Longballo�on the usual roster, I’m not sure where real players would fit in. I also don’t want to see Super Mega Baseball 4 guide the franchise into just being another MLB license. Thankfully, real-world base??ball players are being relegated to just being older le??gends like Babe Ruth and Luis Tiant. I’m still not jazzed, but I’ll let it slide.

//youtu.be/alFTKIcYsRQ

They’re adding six new stadiums to the mix, bringing the franchise total up? to 20. They have announced that three more will be coming down the line as DLC. They’ve also expanded the traits system and increased customizability, but they haven’t offered much as to the new career?????????????????????????? mode.

Super Mega Publisher

Th??is is also going to be the first time the series has been localized in Japan. While this doesn’t mean a whole lot to me as a Canadian, Japan is a huge baseball market.

Overall, I’m excited to try out Super Mega Baseball 4. I’m just having so much trouble getting over seeing EA’s name pasted on the trailers. If they manage to get their hands on the MLB license, I can only imagine that the fun and accessible days of the property will be numbered. EA will always chase the biggest market, and more people look for?????????????????????????? the MLB name rather than just the best baseball game. I guess I’ll just enjoy it while it’s still fun.

Super Mega Baseball 4 is coming to PC, Xbox One, Xb?ox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, and Switch on?? June 2, 2023.

The post Super Mega Baseball 4?? is loading the bases for June 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

Dare to be Daring

Epic Games Store has revealed the next free items that it will soon be offering up to its userbase gratis �And this time around it's something a little more specific, as The Daring Lifestyle Bundle for EA's popular simulator The Sims 4 will be available to download from May 11.

The bundle contains a total of three pretty chunky expansion packs. The Jungle Adventure Game Pack will allow your Sim??s to venture into the land of "Selvadorada", and features Indiana Jones-esque items such as temples, treasures, cursed relics, and jungle fineries. Also included are new foods, dance moves, and clothing, ref??lective of the Selvadorada communities.

//www.youtube.c?om/watch?v=9VD84EMCtWs&am??p;ab_channel=TheSims

The second include expansion pack is titled Luxury Party Stuff and, as the name denotes, is filled with items to allow your Sims to throw the mother of all classy bashe?s. Fashionable dresses and evening wear, new decor and party decorations, and a veritable banquet of new food items and table dressings. See how the other half live and pretend to be part of such decadenc?e.

The third and final expansion pack is Fashion Street Kit, and is packed out with a wardrobe full of trendy, modern clothing inspired by the vibrancy and iconic designs of Mumbai, curated by artist Shruti Sitara Singh. With a focus on patterning and bold colors, the Fashion Street Kit brings b??rand-new looks to your Sims, along with new emotes and other additions.

While this EGS freebie is obviously only really relevant to Sims players, everyone still has time to bag the great line-up of current offerings, which include Against All Odds, Horizon Chase Turbo, and fun platformer Kao the Kangaroo. The Sims Daring Lifestyles Bundle will be available from May 11-18.

The post Sims 4 Daring Lifestyles Bundle will be the next Epic Games ?Store freebie appeared first on Destructoid.