The Sims 4 is filled with endless customization options, worlds to explore, people to build relationships with, and virtual lives to l??ive out. However, it’s easy to get bogged dow??n in routine and grow restless, even in a virtual world. 

Constantly coming up with new things to try is a daunting and tiring responsibility, and imagination burnout is an entirely real possibility. If you want something to combat the pressure of coming up with your own storylines or ideas, then other players have always got ??your back. 

The Sims 4 community is filled with incredibly clever players who come up with challenges and share them for others to complete, providing the rules and structure that even the most laid-back of players sometimes desperately need. From legacy-based challenges to those that almost cross the line into too dark, here are 15 excellent challenges to try if you’re looking to break the monotony of life in The Sims. 

Eras Legacy Challenge by Viniciusvill and Grenesims

Legacy challenges are nothing new to The Sims players. They were around long before The Sims 4 was released and remain the most popular and common type of challenge to this day. For the purposes of this list, I’ve tried to steer away from legacy-type challenges, but the Eras Legacy Challenge is just too good not to mention, especially for anyone who can even remotely descr??ibe themselves as a Swiftie. 

The premise is simple and familiar: 10 generations of the same family, each with spe??cific aspirations and traits, following rules designated for the specific generation. However, Viniciusvill and Grenesims have linked each generation to a Taylor Swift album, with all of the rules and guidelines reflecting the style and content of the album itself and the ‘eraâ€?that Taylor was going throug??h at the time. 

Rags to Riches by James Turner

James Turner is a name that will be on this list more than once because he’s responsible for a large number of challenges that have appeared in The Sims for years now. He’s even done playthroughs of his own challenges on his YouTube channel, w??here you can also find very impressive speed builds to bi?nge. There are no official "rules" for this one, but the idea is easy to grasp.

T??he concept of Rags to Riches is simp??le. You start out with nothing by emptying out your Sim’s money supply and demolishing their house, and then you use what you have available to build your riches. You start out by collecting things around the world and selling them, quickly working your way towards buying an easel or similar skill-building item, until you’ve worked your way to being wealthy. It’s harder than it sounds, but the challenge is what makes it fun, and rewarding. 

Big Sister Challenge by Poballa

Remember when I said that some of these challenges border on being too dark? Well strap in, because the Big Sister Challenge is just the beginning. It’s extremely similar to the Rags to Riches Challenge, but it throws in a spot of murder and a couple of struggling children. To complete the challenge, you need to have a teenager and a child alone on a lot t?ogether, which is impossible to do if you don’t have mods to enable it, but that’s where the murder comes in. 

You create a family with a parent, a teenager, and a child. Then, you kill the parent in whatever way you see fit and must have the teenager work to provide for and look after the child. The teenager cannot interact with adults until they become one themselves, they can’t g?o to school, and you h??ave to start on a 20x15 bulldozed lot. I told you, this one is pretty dark, but it’s weirdly rewarding to see the teenager succeed. 

Beach Chaos Challenge by Cometstales

The Beach Chaos Challenge ??does require you to have the Island Living expansion pack, but outside of that, the rules are simple. This challenge sees you living out an entire life as one Sim who never leaves Sulani, with specific actions that must be performed during each stage of life, such as creating a club during your childhood, or becoming estranged from your child during old age. 

While none of this is pa??rticularly hard to complete on its own, you have to consider that your Sim could die at any moment in a bizarre, unforeseen accident. You also have to consider that Sims don’t always do as they’re told, and the life stages seem remarkably short when you have to complete certain things within their time frame. It’s easier said than done, but it’s fun to try. 

Off the Grid Challenge 

It’s unclear who originally came up with the concept of the Off the Grid Challenge, and it seems to have sprung up in light of the popularity of a poll from The Sims 4 themselves. However, even without someone to pin it on, the Off the Grid Challenge has become a hugely popular one, and it’s easy to see why. It tests your ability to live without electricity or other outside energy sources. You can play? it with just the base game, but it is worth noting that the Eco Lifestyle and Cottage Living packs make it a lot easier thanks to their inclusion of lots of Off the Grid-specific items. 

The challenge itself is simple, requiring ??you to begin with one sim and build up a community of people living entirely off the grid using items that don’t require outside energy, and toilets that aren’t connected to any form of outside waste disposal. There’s a long list of rules for this ??challenge, and it’s worth checking them fully to understand what you’re truly getting into before you dive in. 

Every Occult Challenge by James Turner

I told you he’d be on this list a few times, and James Turner’s Every Occult Challenge definitely deserves to be here. There are seven different Occult Sims in The Sims 4, at least ones that you can actually live with, and?? this challenge calls for you to eventually end up living in a house shared with one Sim from each Occult. 

You start out with just your Sim, and you cannot create any Occult Sims for your household. Instead, you need to go out into the world and complete the different tasks that unlock each Occult. Then, you need to get them living with you one way or another. Each Occult has its own requirements and methods, and you also need to abid?e by the other rules, such as temporary states, as well. 

Alien Adoption Challenge by Pinstar

The Alien Adoption Challenge is unlike most other entries (aside from the next one) on this list, because it relies on your own willpower to prevent you from controlling the star of the challenge itself, an Alien toddler. The only input you ever get over the Aliens' life comes when creating it, and t?hen once it reaches Youn??g Adulthood. 

You'll need three packs if you want to try this challenge for yourself?: Parenthood, Get to Work, a??nd City Living. If you have any form of control issues, this is definitely not the challenge for you. The Alien Toddler can never be your active sim, so you will have absolutely no idea what it needs or wants. All of the Aliens' care must be carried out through the parent and sheer guesswork. 

Seven Toddler Challenge by James Turner

Back at it again, James Turner created this short but infuriating challenge back in 2017, and if you’re a parent or have any experience whatsoever with even one toddler, the name "Seven Toddlers Challenge" will already have you feeling on edge. 

The saving grace of this challenge is that you can hire a Nanny and use money cheats, but that’s where the happiness ends. You create one adult sim and then use the randomize tool to create seven toddlers, each of which needs to have a different trait to the others. You can never control the toddlers, and everything must be done through the adult. It sounds like hell, and it is hel??l, but definitely worth a try if you’re looking for something to test your patience or parenting skills. 

The Room Challenge by Katoregama

The Mansion Baron achievement is earned when a Sim has a house worth 350,000 Simoleons, and has purchased 20 columns. That’s pretty simple if you go at it without added rules, but The Room Challenge takes this requirement and makes it near impossible, although not comple??tely so. 

The Room Challenge calls for you to create a Sim with any trait except ‘Lonerâ€? move them into an 8x8 room or house, and then remove the door. They’re now stuck in this tiny room, with no option to leave and zero contact with other Sims. Then, while in this room and without leaving, they must achieve the Mansion Baron Aspiration. Definitely a challenge, and fun to do it under such stringent li??mitations. 

Breed out the Weird Challenge

As with the Off the Grid Challenge, it’s damn n?ear impossible to figure out who first came up with this idea, but it’s been a constant presence in the list of popular challenges ever since. It’s all to do with creating the most bizarre-looking Sim you can, and then having children for generations until they start to look less crazy. 

There have been many names for this challenge over the years, including both?? �a href="//simsworldajourney.wordpress.com/2020/06/15/breed-out-the-weird/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Breed out the Ugly�and “Weird to Normal� ?but the premise is exactly the same. It’s remarkably difficult to get rid of the less aesthetically pleasing aspects of your original Sim, and hard not to get attached to them in all their weirdness, but this challenge benefits from having no specific endpoint, simply ending when you’re happy with your eventual “normal�looking Sim. 

Asylum Challenge by Simswithcheese

Although Simswithcheese rewrote the rules of the Asylum Challenge to make them compatible with The Sims 4, the original idea emerged for The Sims 2, created by Scout, was revamped for The Sims 3 by Black S5678, and then revamped again for The Sims 4 by Simswithcheese. Regardless, t??he rules are the same and the challenge remains both stressful and rewarding in equal measure. 

To set up this challenge, you need to create eight Sims with the ‘Insane�trait and then put them together on one lot, or Asylum, if you will. You only get to control one?? of them, designated the “main Sim� and the others must not be clicked on at all. The aim of the challenge is to “fix�the main sim, and prove that they’re fit to rejoin society and escape the Asylum. 

The No Buy Challenge by MissTrips

Like The Room Challenge, the No Buy Challenge also ends when you meet the requirements for the Mansion Baron Aspiration, but this one adds in the rule of?? not being able to use Buy Mode outside of buying the initial indoor and outdoor trash cans, and a?? mailbox. That’s it. No more furniture or items can be purchased. Ever. 

From that point, y??ou’re freely allowed to use Build Mode, but never Buy Mode. You’ll need to learn to build furniture, or use items in the world that are readily available to you, such as showers at the gym or benches that you can sleep on, to survive. You can befriend the Pancakes and use their Woodworking Bench, or earn items through careers, but you can never buy what you need. Tricky, but not impossible. 

Black Widow Challenge by Simalot

I’ve purposefully saved the darkest couple of challenges for near the end of this list, starting with the Black Widow Challenge. Like the Black Widow spider kills its partner after mating, the Black Widow Challenge is all about killing off husbands, and you need to kill 10 of them in order to complete the challenge. The concept originated in The Sims 2, which had an achievement of?? the same name for killing 5 spouses.&n??bsp;

There are multiple di??fferent difficulty levels you can choose for this challenge, including the Legendary difficulty that challenges you to complete the objectives before reaching the Adult life stage. We all know that Sims die accidentally all too easily, but killing them off on purpose? That’s easier said than done. 

Serial Killer Challenge by Perihelion

Perihelion actually designed the Serial Killer Challenge for The Sims 3, but it has transferred to The Sims 4 with ease and although it is incredibly dark, it’s one of the more fun challenges to complete becau?se it comes with an entire points system. Killing multiple Si??ms at once will earn you bonus points, while escaped intended victims will lose you points from your overall score. 

The aim of the challenge is to kill as many Sims as you can in a certain amount of time, and they can’t be Sims you’ve created, either. You’ll need to go out and lure your victims back to your lot, and then kill them there. Again, ac??tively trying to kill Sims never goes as you plan, and this one is harder to complete with a high score than it first seems.

Random Challenge by James Turner

To save us from the darkness of the previous two challenges, James Turner has a page on his website dedicated to his Random Challenge Generator. If none of the challenges I’ve ?mentioned previously float your boat, or you’ve already ??completed something similar, you can always use this generator to come up with a challenge entirely unique to you. 

You can pick spe??cific types of challenges, such as a Tiny Lot challenge or Single Pack, choose which packs you own, and the generator will come up with something for you to try. These aren’t long-lasting or particularly hard to complete, but they are fun if you’re looking for something to break the monotony of your usual gameplay style, and they can kick-start your c??reativity in the case of burnout.

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Dead Space fans, look away now. Series creator Glen Schofield has revealed that EA recently rejected a pitch from him and two other developers who worked on the original game for a potential Dead Space 4.

Earlier this year, it was reported that the Dead Space series had been put on ice at EA after M?otive's 2023 remake of the original game did not meet the publisher's expectations. This was despite positive reviews, with many believing the game to be an improvement on the 2008 survival-horror classic. However, it seems this may be the last we see of the series for some time.

Glen Schofield's Dead Space 4 pitch was recently rejected

Glen Schofield, creator and director of the original game, revealed in an interview with Dan Allen Gaming that he had pitched a potential Dead Space 4 to EA this year, alongside creative director Bret Robbins a??nd animation director Christopher Stone.

"We didn't go too ?deep - they just said no, we're not interested right now, we appreciate it, blah blah blah, and you know, we know who to talk to, so we didn’t take it any further... they know their numbers and what they have to ship and all that," Schofield explained.

Stone jumped in?? to attempt to explain EA's decision further, claiming, "The industry is in a weird place right now. People are really hesitant to take chances on things, so you’ve got to you know, take it with a grain of salt, who knows?, maybe one day, I think we’d all love to do it."

While Dead Space might not be in EA's imme?diate plans, it will be interesting to see if the publisher returns to it in the future. Even more curious will be to see if it returns to Schofield to explore his plans further. He wasn't involved in the series beyond the original game, but could be just what it needs for some original id?eas.

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Various Sims 4 careers require a set of skills to get higher up the food chain. These attributes also come in handy for general hobbies, allowing your Sim to show off their talents. To help you level up these attributes instantly, here are all Sims 4 skill cheats of 2024.

Sims 4 Skill cheats guide (2024)

To use cheat codes in Sims 4, you must enable them first. For PC users, it's 'Ctrl + Shift + C'. If you're a Mac user, it's 'Command + Shift + C.' For console users, whether PlayStation or Xbox, you just need to hold down all four shoulder buttons simultaneously. A text box will appear in the top left corner to enter your desired cheats. If you need more help with this, check out our guide on enabling cheats in Sims 4.

The primary string you need to enter is 'stats.set_skill_level [Skill Name] X'. Replace X with 1-10 to set your Sim's skill level, w?here 10 is the? standard maximum rank. However, some attributes only go up to Level 3 or 5, so bear that in mind when inputting cheats. You must then replace the 'Skill Name' with the desired talent.

Skills are broken down into two categories: Major and Minor. While Major features 10 Levels for career-related activities, Minor is reserved for lower ranks that don't necessarily tie into any jobs. Sims 4's expansion and stuff packs also open the door to other skill cheats that aren't usable in? the base game. You'll need to buy?? separate add-ons to access these specific attributes, including horse riding, knitting, and bowling.

We'll break down all Sims 4 skill cheats by providing in??formation on the base game (for adults), ch?ildren, toddlers, and add-ons.

All Base Game Adult Skill cheats in Sims 4

All Child Skill cheats in Sims 4

All Toddler Skill cheats in Sims 4

All Expansion and Stuff Pack Skill cheats in Sims 4

The Horse Ranch cheats can be a bit tricky since you'll need to get the animal's ID first. To find it, open up the cheat text box and en?ter 'sims.get_sim_id_by_name (Enter horse's first and last name here)'. Once you've acquired the ID number, note it down to max out the horse's skill set.

Additional Sims 4 skill cheats will continue to roll out as more expansion packs are released. There are usually one or two skills from these add-ons, including the most recent Thanatology talent from the Life and Death pac?k. The base game sometimes provides more skills for free, but it's very rare to happen.

If you want to stay on the Sims 4 cheat train, check out our guides on debugging items and changing the weather.

The post All Sims 4 skill cheats in 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

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 seri?es was in the works, and several attempts at a movie adaptation never quite came to fruition over the years. Now, Amazon MGM Studios fi??nally 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 awe??some.

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 earlier this year. Other producers attached include BioW??are's Michael Gamble and Karim Zreik under Cedar Tree ?Productions.

Amazon produced the Fallout TV adaptation earlier this year, which earned rave reviews from gamers and non-gamers alik??e. There's hope yet, even if some of the attached names don't exactly inspire a tremendous amount of confi??dence.

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 t?hough either lived up to the t?ypical 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 story-driven. As such, I feel it's importa?nt to point out that my impre?ssions 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 Varric, the ritual is stopped but at a cost. Two ancient Elven Gods, Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain have 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, especially more recently. But I've had a really to??ugh 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, this is the best way to in the end create a meaningful connection to the main character for both new and returning 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 n??ever 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 all 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 esse?ntially 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 their own is minuscule. In a single standard attack, you do multitudes more d??amage 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 fr??om 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 eventually 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 difficu?lt at times. Despite my gripes on how limite??d the companions actually are in combat, the core combat for you as the protagonist feels extremely polished 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 ga??mes 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.]}

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If you’re itching for more Build Mode or CaS content in The Sims 4, there’s good news right around the corner �two new Creator Packs, Cozy Kitsch and Sweet Sl??umber 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 platforms, allowing all players to enjoy the incredible work o??f 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 to??gether 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.&nbs??p; ??;

Sweet Slumber Party by Trillyke

The Sweet Slumber Party Creator Kit is a CaS kit, filled with new adorable pajam??a outfits and pieces that can be worn by any 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 their 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 Party Creator Kits coming 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 fr??om 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 o?fficial statem??ent 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 les?s than four months to enjoy the game before it vanishes forever.

To our beloved fans,

We have made the difficult decision to sunset Tapped Out. In-app purchases have been disabled, 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 w?ill not be accessible.

The decision to end our twelve-year journey is an emotional one. Together with our partners at The Simpsonsâ„?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 todayâ€??™s final farewell 1,463 questlines.

As our jour??ney 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, taki?ng part in every seasonal quest line, unlocking every new character, and expanding his borders 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 Sim?psons Tapped Out is tapping 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 necessary to achieve this. Piling up good reviews from critics and gamers is als?o 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 fo?llowing 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 would 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 calling 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 fra??nchise. The lead-up to the launch promised a game that used a real-time physic?s 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 im?plemented. 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 real-time physics and inverse kinematic animations resulted in the thunder 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 acceptable and better alternative. Three years later, EA would remo?ve 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 testosterone-flooded a?ction 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 a??chieved double its predecessor's lau??nch sales.

10. New World

Amazon's New World hit stores in September 2021, and the launch was nothing but chaos. Servers were fl?ooded, 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, p??lenty 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 for.

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, including boring missions, technical glitches, po?or 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 entrusted with the port. I??t 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 f??eatured technical issues that rendered it unplayable for many.

The situation got so bad that Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment suspended sales of the Windows version of the g?ame 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 lo??t to be desired. Gamers were m??et with atrocious graphics, endless technical issues, and visual bugs that have made for some hilarious screenshots. With a score of 25 on Metacritic, 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, a?nd visual errors, which should have been spotted during the QA phase of development. To placate fans, Rockstar offered 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 p??atches and updates, the game is one of the most enjoyable open-world tit??les 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 the?? fut??ure remains to be seen.

Ther??e's no shortage of game??s 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 wo??rst game launches in gaming histo?ry, 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 points 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 qu?ests have not been revealed 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 th?at’s done, enter Live Mode with any existing or new household and simply wait 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 t?he screen during Live Mode. 

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 claimed. You’ll have eig?ht weeks to work your way through all of the quests and earn all of the rewards. 

All Reaper’s Reward event rewards

The main rewards are pictured in the imag?e above, and you’l?l 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, yo?u can also claim smaller ones such as potions or limited-time Boney 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 p??laytests since 2022 to collect player feedback. The de??veloper 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. Y?ou try and find the perfect line to build the most gnar gnar combo possible. The stick-flicking controls gave everything a more tactile feel.

But really, I have no interest in a live service multi-player game. 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 e??arly access on 2025. More de??tails to come.

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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 fre??e 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 once again graces the previous generation of consoles, your wait is almost over.

Digital pre-orders are live for the PS4 and Xbox One versions, which clock in a little cheaper 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 Bla??ster 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. Improvemen??ts have been made since, and the latest press release says more enhancements a??re on the way "in the coming weeks."

The upcomi??ng patch promises updates to technical 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. 

The post Star Wars Jedi: S??urvivor squeezes ont?o PS4, Xbox One on September 17 appeared first on Destructoid.

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 certa??in number of matches. It takes a lot of time to complete the required number of games, and evolving 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 verifi?ed). 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 complete, even 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/evolution.

Now, of course, the credit for discovering 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 Rival??s will be the safest bet, as it's best not to throw away your val??uable 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 Ku?yt 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 Ne?w EA FC 24 Games Played objectives glitch appears and it is yet to get patched appeared first on Destructoid.

You would think any company that let go employees might be struggling a bit financially. That's not the case with EA. In fac?t, 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 Iron Man and B??lack 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 scor??es above industry benchmarks, with record high talent retention and strong talent attraction." Additional comments from Wilson hims??elf only highlight how strong EA's fiscal year has 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 as we bring more amazing games and experiences to more people around the world."

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 contrast to reports like this that talk a??bout how well things 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 around the world came together and connected through our games, live services and content. We continued our efforts 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 the 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 Traini??ng Transfer, as planned 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 ano?ther.

• 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 going 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 ca?rd, 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 i?nfinite either. However, there will be plenty 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 Ultimate Team. You can select any of the q??ualified 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 G??lory upgrades tracker will be your 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 upgrades based on how their national sides perform in real life. This make??s 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 upgrades tracker includes all items regardless of wh??ether 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 tracke??r, some of the cards present here can be obtained from the seasonal track. This tracker also includes all PTG cards released as SBCs and obje??ctives, 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 wil??l be able to get a maximum of two upgrades based on how their respective nations do in Euros/Copa.

It will be interesting to obser?ve how many players from the A FC 24 Path to Glory upgrades tracker and the Greats of the Game upgrades tracker 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 chall??enges that offer two unique cards.

It appears that EA Sports will also include the Showdown SBCs as part of the Euro 2024. This 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 i??n the future.

EA FC 24 Thomas Muller and Ryan Christie Showdown SBC tasks

As stated earlier, you can complete either o?f 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 m?ust 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 i?tem can be a cheap wide attacker if you need such a card.

The post How to complete ?EA FC 24 Thomas Muller and Ryan Christie Sh??owdown SBC? appeared first on Destructoid.

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

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 supply 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 Ulti?mate 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 and tons of new features to play around with. As mo??re 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 been 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 syste??m, which are great for making the world feel more alive. If your Sim is mean, their reputation will refl?ect 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 y?ou 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 othe?r than cats and dogs, which is why it's not higher. However, it doe?s 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, chickens, foxes, and birds as animals to care for. Cottage Living adds a huge amount of content to the game and? lets your Sims live 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 life with three careers but also open your own business to run. Start a r??etail 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 affects nearly every aspect of gameplay. The weather will determine if your Sims can spen?d the day outside, holidays can determine if they get the day off, and so on. It really brings the game more alive. I??f you're only 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. From giving you more options whi??le creating y?our Sims to better control when building, if there's something 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 array, 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, t??he MC Command Center? makes it easy to do whatever 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 a??ttractiveness system, where certain Sims will be more attractive than others??. There are also impressions, which give your Sims more personality by falling into archetypes.

Wonderful Whims is the cleaner? version of a certain famous mod, without all the adult content. It's basically the 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 t??iny as you need. 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 g??ive you up to three more columns when you're in Create A Sim mode. This means no more scrolling for endless amounts of tim??e 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 bu??ilding 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, from 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 thi??s mod, your Sims wil??l 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 regularly.

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 that should have been included wit??hout 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 given 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 formal updates from EA, these two j??ob listings have given us the next best thing by confirming open world settings for both games.

A listing for a senior technical artist position 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 pu??blicly 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. C??liffhanger'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.

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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 like wa??llhack 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 pla??yers were afraid to continue playing during their ALGS event recently due to these hackers. This wasn't a case of pro??s intentionally using hacks, though; instead, a third-party source looks to 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. W??e will share more information 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 confir??med it to be unrelated to Easy ??Anti-Cheat. "We are confident THERE IS NO RCE [sic] vulnerability within EAC being exploited."

The post Apex Legends tournament postponed after pros get hack?ed 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 of future lice??nsed 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're 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 eliminated that quickly.

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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, per 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?, i??t 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 i?s 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 confirmed about the upcoming game, inc?luding the fact that it'll feature collaborative p??lay 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 Marketplace and Monetization for an 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 explain that you'll be able to "join, play and explore it without a subscripti?on, 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 fin??ancial needs with 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 increas??e based on your MMR.

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

Aside fro?m the balance updates and changes coming Season 18, there's also a hefty chunk of new conten??t.

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

A character revamp: Revenant Reborn

Death itself is reb??orn with a complete overhaul of the Revenant character in Season 18. Alo??ngside a visual update, Revenant 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.

Furthermore, Revenant will be unlocked for all players for the duration of the season. Players who complete a set of challenges before t??he 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 Mixtape 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 su?ch as Gun Run and Team Deathmatch in The Core and play Control in the Production Yard.

Also, a ?new event called the Death Dynasty Collection Event will 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.

Furthermore, 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 Heirloom.

Apex Legends: Resurrected Season? 18 will lau??nch on August 8 on all platforms.

The post Apex Legends: Resurrection unlea??shes Revenant 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 a??ll new Seattle-based AAA developmen??t studio, 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 Wakanda ??as much as we do,�Kevi??n said.

Black Panther will feature an original story as a third-person single-player game. Cliffhanger will work directly with Mar??vel 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 P?anthe?r 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 wanting to experience all content will have to spend some cash. While 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 playtesting the game ?in a closed settin??g, so we may hear more soon.

The post The next game ?in the Sims series ma?y 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 b?een delayed by a month and will not meet its July 20 release date �The battlemages will now wage their wars on 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 give us time to further polish the game, finish optimizing all platforms, and deliver a strong launch. We owe it to ourselv?es and to y??ou to get this right."

"Stay tuned for more info about the game in the coming weeks, and thank you for taking part in this jou??rney 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 organizatio?ns: 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 Miel?e has been appointed as President of EA Entertainment, Tec??hnology & Central Development, working alongside leads like Vince Zampella, Samantha Ryan, and Jeff Karp.

EA Sports, meanwhile, will still head up the company's sport efforts. 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 Game?s, Full Circle, Motive Stud??io, EA Seattle, BioWare, and the Originals label, as well as mobile projects, under Entertainment. Sports would, meanwhile, look after Sports endeavors.

"This evolution of our company continues to empower our studio 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 st?eps 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 Chris Bruzzo is re?tiring, 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, but we'??ll?????????????????????????? have to wait and see on that front.

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