It's on the Epic Games Store now

The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) is free on the Epic Games Store right now, and it's a pretty fantastic way to spend this semi-lull gaming period if you aren't getting Pikmin 4.

In case you were wondering, this is considered the "standard" edition of ESO and includes both the base game and the Morrowind chapter for $20. The "Necrom" version is $60 and adds in "all previous chapters," which at this point includes: High Isle, Blackwood, Greymoor, Elsweyr, Summerset, and Morrowind.

You can grab ?Elder Scrolls Online for free right here. This freebie promo will run through July 27 at 11AM ET, so you have time!

Is ESO worth playing?

Absolutely! Especially for free. Although it had its issues at launch, I thoroughly enjoyed running through and exploring this version of the Elder Scrolls universe, and it's only expanded?? since then with numerous quality-of-life patches. Although, you will have to buy/acquire the expan??sions that deal with content beyond the base game.

Does ESO have a mandatory subscription fee?

Nope! That's where this free offer comes in? handy.

There is, however, an "ESO Plus Membership" that you can buy, which has become increasingly popular since Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) helped usher the scheme into the mainstream MMO scene?? ages ago.

Here's what it includes:

• Access to all DLC game packs
• Free crowns for the in-game Crown Store [read: microtransactions]
• Access to the Craft Bag
• Double bank space
• Bonuses to progression
• Increased Furniture placement limits
• Costume dyeing
• Double Transmute Crystal capacity
• Exclusive access to unique Crown Store deals

The post You can’t go wrong with getting the $20 base Elder Scrolls Online for free appeared first on Destructoid.

Also, a free-to-keep Prey returns to the service

It's that time again: Amazon is pushing its "Prime Day" deals (Prime "Day" is more like a week now), and Prime Gaming is part of the festivities. Prey (2017) is up for grabs as an "additional chance" type deal, peppered into what Prime Gaming is considering the crown jewel (as featured via their email notification): Shovel Knight: Showdown.

It's wild to see a (now older!) Yacht Club Games title up there in flashing lights, but that game made a lot of cash, so it's not surprising! As a reminder, Showdown is actually a versus-based game mode baked into a title update for Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, as well as its own game, priced at $9.99. Mor?e deals will arrive on a 'weekly basis" through July 11. Let's?? look at what's available and on the horizon for now.

Here are all the 2023 Prime Day offers for Prime Gaming

• Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare 2 - Track Rivals Bundle
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (full game)
• Pokemon GO - Limited Partner Research
• Diablo IV - Brackish Fetch Mount Armor Bundle
• Shovel Knight Showdown (full game)
• Overwatch 2 - +5 Tier Skips
• Prey (full game)
• Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition (full game)

If you want to grab all this stuff, head to the Prime Gaming landing pag??e.

How to get the Diablo 4 Prime Gaming Brackish Fetch mount

One of the bigger bonuses includes that aforementioned Diablo 4 cosmetic pack, ??which comes with the following three items:

"In order to receive a Mount, you'll need to complete the first three Acts of the main campaign. After completing all three acts you'll be summoned to Kyovashad, in Fractured Peaks to talk with Donan in the Cathedral of Light. You??'ll be given a quest titled Donan's Favour. After completing the quest, you'll be rewarded with your first mount and the ability to ride it. Once you have completed the quest, you can go to the Stable Master to enable additional Cosmetic Horse Armours, including the Brackish Fetch Mount Armour."

We also have a full guide available!

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Walk on over

Epic Games has revealed the latest freebie for the EGS, and it's none other than the oddball cross-country adventure Death Stranding. Note that this is a full week of freebie availability (through May 25 at 11AM ET), which is a massive step up from the prior "24-hour use it or lose it" promotion that ran in December of 2022. All you need to do is follow the link here (or get it directly through the Epic Games?? launcher) and you're good to go.

When playing through Death Stranding pre-launch in complete isolation, I had no clue how the general public would respond to it. It was such a bizarre big swing, and perfectly on-brand for Kojima. But even without the Metal Gear name attached, it did fairly well f?or itself; spreading to multiple platforms beyond its PS4 launch, and a sequel is fully confirmed, amid other multimedia opportunities.

If you haven't played it yet, give it a go! I mean it's free for a week, so even if it's ultra-low on your pri??ority list, you'll probably get around to clicking "forget password" on your lapsed Epic Games account?? at some point...right?!

What's next for Epic Games Store freebies?

Next up is another "mystery game" that Epic has been hyping for some time now, due out in five days. If you haven't already, bookmark this page and periodically go back t??o it and redeem whatever is there.

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More free items are available now

Although the game still could use some cleaning up, Game Freak is doing a decent job of keeping Pokemon Scarlet & Violet events and promos running: even if most?? of the latter are fairly small time. Well,?? there's

Spotted by Japanese Pokemon players via Pokemon Company emails (including this twe??et from Twitter user ShxQ183ag88QPe6, who screenshotted the email), t?hese new codes dole out items for the game, and can be redeemed once per save file.

New Mystery Gift codes have rolled out in April

Here's a list of all the code?s and when they expi??re:

• LEVEL UP (10 Rare Candies, expires on October 2, 2023)
• CATCHBYBALL (Five balls of multiple varieties [Luxury, Quick, Nest, Dive, Dusk, Timer], expires on October 2, 2023)
• REV1VE (Five Rare Candies, expires on October 2, 2023)

I know some folks are kinda bummed that ?so many of these item rollouts are duds, but hey, it's so??mething at least!

Also, remember a Palafin distribution is going on

All of these Mystery Gift codes dropped at once, including one for a special Palafin. That code is "0C1CV1CT0RGAV1??N" if you haven't redeemed it yet.

We have more info on the Palafin itself here.

How to redeem Mystery Gift codes in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

After the treasure hunt starts (read: fol??lowing your full tour of the academy), you can select the mystery gift option in the main X button menu. Her??e's how to find the mystery gift menu:

• Press X and select "Poke Portal"
• On the Poke Portal screen, scroll down and find "mystery gift," then select that option
• Select "get with code/password"
• Enter the code(s)

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You have to play three matches in the upcoming competitive event

While Pokemon Scarlet & Violet copies continue to fly off the shelves, we're getting a decent chunk of content rollouts in the form of seven-star raids. But Game Freak and The Pokemon Company also have an overwhelming amount of tiny promo events going on too, including this upcoming oppo?rtunity to get?? a new backpack style.

Announced on the official Japanese Pokemon site,  the powers that be are running a promo for the upcoming Pokémon Japan Championships 2023 (also known as PJCS2023). All you have to do is play three matches and be connected to Pokemon Home.

How to get the Scarlet & Violet Great Ball backpack

The entry period for the event is from April 13 at 9AM JST through April 21 at 8:59AM JST. From there, the event will kickoff directly after from April 21 at 9AM JST through April 24 at 8:59AM JST. Here is a full list of Pok??emon that you're all??owed to enter.

Note that this is a participation reward, so you can play three matches, win or lose, and still pick up the bonus. You'll also get 10,000 LP (League ?Points) for your efforts.

The code will actually be doled out through Pokemon Home, which you can then input in Scarlet & Violet via the Mystery Gift system. Yeah, that's not complicated at all??! Maybe one day you can just get the reward directly in-game when participating in an online event instead of jumping through hoops.

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You should uh, probably grab it

Dishonored - Definitive Edition is li??ve on the Epic Games Store, and is arguably the last big 2022 freebie on the marketplace.

The "kill or not to kill" stealth/action game was originally released in 2012 from Arkane Studios, where it rose to fame very quickly, and helped put Arkane on the map. Shortly after, it hosted some DLC in the form of the Dunwall City Trials (challenge maps), and two story campaigns (Knife of Dunwall, The Brigmore Witches). All of that is included in said Definitive Edition (on top of the Void Walker's Arsenal bonus), which is a pretty great deal: especially given that I liked some elements of the DLC more than the main game. I'd consider this a pretty good New Year's present, and?? it's definitely?? worth playing through if you have a rainy holiday weekend coming up.

The promotion went live this morning, and will run through January 5, 2023 at 11:00AM ET. At the moment, Eximius: Seize the Frontline is also available until that exact time, at which point Kerbal Space Program and Shadow Tactics: Aiko's Choice will be cycled in. Those will be available until January 12, 2023. 

You can find Dishonored - Definitive Edition on the Epic Games Store here.

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It's part of a long line of Sonic Frontiers updates: both big and small

In case you missed it, Sonic Frontiers just recently put out a "2023 roadmap," and there's a lot on it. Before we actually get to the new year though there's a bit of free DLC to be had: including a "Holiday Cheer" Christmas s?uit.

As confirmed by the official Sonic the Hedgehog Twitter account, the DLC suit is out today, on top of the prior Monster Hunter DLC. If you need a rundown of how all this skin DLC works (it's not intuitive), we have a full breakdown here.

As a reminder, here's what the Sonic Frontiers 2023 roadmap looks like

• Update 1: Juke Box, Photo Mode, New Challenge Modes
• Update 2: Sonic's Birthday celebration, Open Zone Challenge, New Koco
• Update 3: Playable Characters (Tails, Knuckles, Amy), and "new story"

If the team can fix a lot of the technical issues plaguing Sonic Frontiers, it should have a really, really long tail: uncharacteristically long, in fact. Folks have already taken to Sonic Frontiers more so than a lot of other modern 3D Sonic games, so more content and fixes will only help its case. Until all of the major stuff rolls out, we can m??ess around with the minor cosmetic DLC.

The post You can get the free Holiday Ch?eer Suit DLC in Sonic Frontiers today appeared first on Destructoid.

There's currently eight missions that are live

It's December, so there's a host of My Nintendo rewards (including an upcoming Pokemon Scarlet & Violet one) that ar??e available: which you need Platinum Points for.

Here's a full list of missions that are live now, and how to complete them. In all there's 520 points on offer, which is basically a smaller reward on its own.

A full list of December 2022 My Nintendo point missions

• Back up save data (20) - For this one, just load up a game, enter the game world, save/quit, then go back to the main menu and back up the save data. I like to use Mario Strikers, and just change my gear in the core menu without actually going into a match; save (it-auto-saves), then quit.
• Play game trials software - River City Girls (100) - If you select "how to complete" on the mission status menu, it will take you to a direct download of the River City Girls trial. Load it up, mess around the menus to be sure, then quit. If you already own it, just boot it up to claim the 100 points.
• Play Nintendo 64 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (100) - Load up the Nintendo 64 app, enter the game, then quit - as soon as you see text on the screen, you can press "-" to go back to game selection.
• Play Nintendo 64 - Yoshi's Story (100) - Load up the app, enter the game, then quit.
• Play Nintendo 64 - F-Zero X (100) - RIP to this series for the time being, but the process is the same (load it up, then quit).
• Play Super NES - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (50) - Load up the SNES app this time, enter the game, then quit.
• Play software that supports online play (30) - Any game will do for this, but I like to at least connect to online play just to be sure the mission pops.
• Use this application (20) - If you didn't get this weekly quest yet, just load up the actual app.

Beyond the above, we also have a comprehensive guide on earning My Nintendo Platinum Points

As a reminder, if you want physical rewards, you can find our full Platinum Point guide here, which has been updated with details on weekly missions: bookmark it for when you need quick points for a reward. A handful of points is incredibly easy to get, as that’s basically just 15 minutes with Super Mario Run, or a quick sign-on to the 3DS or Wii U 3Shop. Also remember? that any shipments are bundled together, so you can pay a flat rate for multiple items instead of paying it each time. Just know that items go out of stock on My Nintendo frequently, and some are never restocked.

The post PSA: There’s a ton of My Nintendo Platinum missions in December, if you need the points appeared first on Destructoid.

It arrived at 5PM PT on November 14

Sonic Frontiers has been marinating for a bit, and as far as I'm concerned, it's a contextual success. While 3D Sonic games tend to be polarizing no matter what, many folks have taken to Frontiers, in part due to the promise of what this could bring for the future. Finally, I think Sega may have created a blueprint to follow for a really ace 3D Sonic game again (so nat??urally, they'll probably scra??p everything and start over on the next go-around).

Until that happens, you can enjoy Frontiers a bit more thanks to some free DLC. In a collaboration with Capcom, Sonic is teaming up with the Monster Hunter series, complete with a new outfit and an extra minigame. It's not much, but if you're still playing through the core game (or going for a 100% rating), you can at least ?play a??round with the outfit. Note that you'll access it via the "extras" option in the main menu (before you load up a game).

Remember that this is in addition to the free SA2 shoes DLC, which is available to everyone until January. Hopefully there's more on the way! Crossovers are perfect for the Sonic series, especially other Sega properties.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_2nN2jKRXg

Sonic Frontiers Monster Hunter DLC artwork:

//t?witter.com/sonic_?hedgehog/status/1579624098485108737

//twitter.com/mon?sterhunter/status/1579624301820772352

The post The ??Sonic Frontiers free Monster Hunter DLC is out appeared first on Destructoid.

Groovy

Digital retailer Epic Games Store has revealed the two new titles that it will be offering up to all of its users free-of-charge next week �And this time around, it's something particularly special, as 2022's asynchronous multiplayer title Evil Dead: The Game will be a??vailable gratis, i?n all of its gory glory.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po3gmy71w6A

Launching earlier this year on PC and consoles, Evil Dead: The Game is an authentic and particularly frantic adaptation of the iconic horror film series �famously starring Bruce Campbell as the chainsaw-revving doofus/rogue Ash Williams. Evil Dead: The Game sees players team up as recogniza?ble characters from the entire series, before doing battle against a single player with an army of Deadites, traps, and other sneaky tricks up their Kandarian sleeves.

While the multiplayer element of the title obviously means that Evil Dead: The Game has a very specific audience, the developers at Boss Team Games did a magnificent job in recreating the aesthetic and creepy, oppressive nature of the franchise, with a fantastic audio/visual package that series ??fans will love. It also plays very well as an asynchronous multiplayer experience, and hopefully, this EGS freebie will help to widen the game's audience a little more, encouraging Ash and friends to remain on their decap attack well into the new year.

I call Mia.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5QgtCJu7AI

Developed by indie outfit Sword & Axe LLC and released in the summer of 2021, Dark Deity is a strategy-based RPG set against the backdrop of a war-torn fantasy world. Taking influence from Nintendo's highly acclaimed Fire Emblem series, Dark Deity follows the escapades of a cast of military academy students �thrust into battle prematurely after their king ill-advisedly declares war on a neighboring state. The story follows four such students as they join a battle that has farther-reach??ing conseque??nces than they had ever imagined.

Evil Dead: The Game and Dark Deity can be downloaded from the Epic Games Store from November 17. Until then, users can still bag themselves current freebies Alba: A Wildlife Adventure and Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun

The post Ev??il Dead: The Game and Dark Deity are the next? Epic Games Store freebies appeared first on Destructoid.

How to Get the SA2 Shoes DLC

Sonic Frontiers DLC is already available in some form before its November 8 release date: by way of a Soap shoes-esque cosmetic add-on through the game's official site. You might recognize them from Sonic Adventures 2!

Here's the full details from Sega:

"Sign up by January 31, 2023 and get in-game content exclusively available to our newsletter subscribers*! Simply enter your details and we'll email a code straight to your inb??ox after Sonic Frontiers has been released on November 8, 2022. We’ll send more details about the in-game content and how to redeem your code to download the in-game content at a later date.* Available in selected regions for a limited time only. Sonic Frontiers game (sold separately) necessary to access in-game content. Gaming device must be connected to the internet to download in-game content."

If you want the SA2 shoes, you can go to the bottom of the official site here, and click "subscribe to the newsletter." From there it'll ask you to enter your email, date of birth, country, and what platform you'd like to get the in-game DLC on ?(which includes Switch, PC [Ep??ic/Steam], PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S).

While we still don't have any major details on how equipment will work (or the "Blue Se?e??ds of Defense/Red Seeds of Power" bonuses from the pre-order incentive), it seems like it'll be a self-exp??lanatory transmog system. The same goes for the Blue Seeds of Defense and Red Seeds of Power, which will likely boost Sonic's resilience and attack damage respectively.

[Update: With the game launching this week, we figured it was good t??o get a reminder up! You can still sign up for the shoe DLC, it'll just roll out "24-48 hours" after signing up, accord??ing to the site.]

The post Sonic Frontiers has free shoe DLC fo?r new??sletter subscribers appeared first on Destructoid.

Note that it's technically a UK promotion

In what is one of the nicer, but extremely late giveaways in the Pokemon space: UK retailer GAME is allowing folks to pick up a free Shiny Eternatus code without going into the store.

As highlighted by Joe Merrick of Serebii.net fame, GAME now has a web form that you can simply fill out to gain access to the Pokemon in Sword and Shield. Here are the details on what you actually get:

"Shiny Eternatu??s will arrive in y??our game at Lv. 100 with a Timid Nature and the Pressure Ability. It’ll know the moves Dynamax Cannon, Eternabeam, Sludge Bomb, and Flamethrower, so it should make a powerful addition to your team!"

While the promo is technically suited for th?e UK region, and some users have noted that they are geo-blocked: others have been able to access it and utilize the email form. Note that you have until November 17 to take advantage (or until they run out), and you can tap someone you know in the UK if the site is giving you trouble.

How to get a free shiny Eternatus in Pokemon Sword and Shield

Just go here, and input your email!

The site indicates that you will not g??et GAME marketing emails: but rather, this form i??s just for the code.

Nintendo also provides re-iterated instructions on mystery gift redemption:

To claim your in-game gift, follow these steps:

1. Launch your Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield
2. Select Mystery Gift on the X menu.
3. Select Get a Mystery Gift.
4. Select Get with Code/Password to save your game and connect to the internet.
5. Enter your code or password.
6. Watch as the gift arrives in your game. (Pokémon will appear in your party or your Pokémon Boxes. Items will appear in your Bag.)
7. Be sure to save your game.

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Here's the full November lineup

The full Prime Gaming November list is official, and it has Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition front and center. It's an oldie but a goodie, and one people deserve to own forever. If you haven't played it yet, make sure you do it! There isn't much I can say about New Vegas that I haven't said already: it's a classic.

The rest of the lineup is decidedly less hard-hitting, but you might find something in there: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Facility 47, WRC 9, Etherborn, Whispering Willows, and Last Day of June. Yes, it's that Indiana Jones game, from 1989. It's not the film, and it's not anything recent. I had to do a double take on that one. Wildly, there were three core iterations of game adaptations for Last Crusade: a PC action game, a classic PC adventure title (the Prime Gaming one), and a console pla??tformer.

All of these will be available starting Novem?ber 1??. You can find the full lineup below!

Prime Gaming November 2022 offerings:

• Free Games with Prime

  • Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition

  • Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

  • Facility 47

  • WRC 9

  • Etherborn

  • Whispering Willows

  • Last Day of June

• New In-Game Content for:

  • Apex Legends

  • Dead by Daylight

  • Fall Guys

  • FIFA 23

  • Grand Theft Auto Online

  • League of Legends

  • Pokémon Go

The post Fallout: New Vegas, the best modern Fallout, leads November’s Prime Gaming’s free PC games appeared first on Destructoid.

For Steam Scream Fest

A V Rising free weekend is coming up, thanks to the Steam Scream Fest: plus it has some free DL??C through November 7.

Here's the quick rundown on the free weekend timing:

"Play-For-Free this Halloween! The Bloodfeast is the time of year Vampires most freely engage in their savagery, and it’s not a private party. All creatures of the night are invited! We’re encouraging everyone who has an interest in engaging their bloodsucking desires to join us the weekend of October 28th through November 1st for a V Rising free weekend! Bring all?? your friends, show them the way of the Vampire, and let them experience Vardoran for the first time."

And here's what you'll get from the Haunted Nights Castle Pack DLC (which you can?? redeem for free), as well as s??ome info on how to access it:

By unlocking the DLC and by completing the Journal Quest “Lord of Shadows�y??ou unlock access to the following new items:

• Haunted Nights Coffin (Skin variation of Wooden Coffin)
• Haunted Nights Stash (Skin variation of Wooden Stash)

By unlocking the DLC and by completing the Journal Quest “The First book in?? the Library�you unlock access to the following new i??tems:

• Haunted Nights Carpets
• Haunted Nights Stained Glass (Window)
• Haunted Nights Wall Decor (2x Wallpapers)
• Haunted Nights Web Drapes (Wall / Window Wall / Pillar attachments)
• Haunted Nights Gourd Lantern (Pillar attachment Light)
• Haunted Nights Floating Gourd (Flying Light)
• Haunted Nights Lanterns (4x Standing Lights)

By unlocking? the DLC and by completing the Journal Quest “Expanding my Domain�you unlock access to the following ??new items:

• Haunted Nights Standing Mirror

Since time is a resource, you probably want to know if this is even worth checking out. As you may recall, Eric checked out V Rising closer to its original la?unch, and had this to say:

"My initial impressions of V Rising are pretty strong, though I’m curious to see where it goes from here. PvP really seems to be the driver for long-term play; it’s been fairly straightforward to chop through the PvE content in a solo world. Plus, the vampire-versus-vampire fights seem like they’d be a hoot. I’ve been c??ontent enough with farming away in my own lands for now, but I’d be curious to see what the PvP side looks like."

It's still currently in early access. Once it leaves it, I'm definitely going to get even more into it than what I've dabbled in ?so far. It has a lot of pr??omise, and the theme is on point.

The post Vampire survival game V Rising is free ??to pla??y this weekend appeared first on Destructoid.

Also, more Destiny 2 stuff

The Amazon Prime Gaming October slate is actually pretty nice, with three big games on the docket: Fallout 76, Shadow of War, and Total War: Warhammer II.

As a reminder, Prime Gaming gave away Shadow of Mordor last month, so you can play the two games back to back. Since it's really easy to mix things up, Shadow of War is the sequel to the original 2014 Shadow of Mordor. Just remember it like...the second conflict escalated into a war. Either way, playing both of these games years later, sans Warner Bros. nonsense, with quality of life patches, is ideal.

Fallout 76 is another perfect "free Prime game," as tons of folks out there are still on the fence about it given the nega??tive reception at launch. At this point though it's clawed its way out of the depths of 1.0, and has a ton of free bug fixes and content patches. It's also really easy to play via multiplayer if you know multiple people with Prime!

And finally, strategy games have a limited appeal to some, and a free hit of Total War: Warhammer II isn't a bad dea?l at all. With just these three offerings alone, October is one of the better months of the year.

Free Games with Prime (October 2022):

• • Fallout 76

  • Middle-earth: Shadow of War

  • Total War: Warhammer II

  • Glass Masquerade: Origins

  • LOOM

  • Hero’s Hour

  • Horace

New In-Game Content for Prime Gaming (October 2022):

• • Destiny 2

  • Fall Guys

  • FIFA 22

  • Grand Theft Auto Online

  • Madden NFL 23

  • PUBG: Battlegrounds

  • Roblox

The post Am??azon Prime Gaming has seven free PC games for October, ?including Fallout 76 and Shadow of War appeared first on Destructoid.

"King Deshret and the Three Magi"

We're not that far removed from the massive Genshin Impact 3.0 Sumeru update, but 3.1 is already upon us. The core focus is a new desert zone to compliment the lush scenery of Sumeru, as well as three characters (Cyno, Candace, and Nilou). So there are a few things to keep in mind that are happening in tandem with the update.

You can grab 1600 free Primogems from today through October 1

Genshin Impact is running a promo now that will net players 1600 total Primogems for checking in-game "tha?nk you" letters, which are done via the game's mail system.

These are bei??ng rolled out in a daily ??fashion, with four total mailers going out (400 each).

There's a daily login event happening after October 14

Alongside of the Primogem stuff, there's also a daily log-in event taking place in the next few weeks. You can get up to 10 Intertwined Fates from this one.

Just log in and you're good!

The Genshin Impact 3.1 Canvas of Starlight Memories event will get you more Primogems

As per usual, the stud??io is running a web event, which you can access from a browser, in-game browser, or a mobile device. It's basically a cute recap of your exploits so far, with "you've killed x enemies" type stats baked in. All you? have to do is scroll through the story of each region (no minigame or work required) and you'll get a reward for that specific portion of the event.

As seen above, a few minutes will net you 30 Primogems and a few in-game items. The total reward track is: Primogems ×180, Mystic Enhancement Ore ×10, Mora ×40,000, Cecilia ×3, Qingxin ×3, Sakura Bloom ×3, a??nd Sumeru Rose ×3.

You can find the event here.

Genshin Impact is resetting top-up bonuses for Genesis Crystals (premium currency)

The first time you buy into the game's main premium currency, you get a double top-up bonus. Genshin Impact is resetting that bonus in 3.1.

You can find more details here, but suffice to say, it's just how it sounds, and relative to a lot of the other premium currency games? out there.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9WuPBOC_S8

The post The new Genshin Impact 3.1 update is out, and there’s a 1600 Primogem promo going on appeared first on Destructoid.

It also adds a new stadium

Diddy Kong and Pauline are the latest free DLC/update characters for Mario Strikers: Battle League, and they're out now.

Originally confirmed in the recent September Nintendo Direct, this is actually a full-on update for Battle League, billed as version 1.2.0. It not only adds the aforementioned content (Diddy Kong, Pauline, the Planetoid stadium, and more gear), it also serves as an a?djustment patch of sorts. CPU teammates are now sn?appier, charge times for perfect passes have been tweaked, and you now earn more coins in general. Clubs will also now be barred from participating in a season for 30 days of idle time as opposed to 90 days if no one appears online during that time period.

Note that this follows the prior July update (1.1.0), whic?h added Daisy, Shy Guy, and the De?sert Ruin stadium into the mix. While Mario Strikers: Battle League had a solid foundation at launch, it really needed more content to justify?? itself for?? a lot of folks. It's already there, roster-wise.

You can peruse the full patch notes below.

[gallery ids="345576,345577,345578"]

Mario Strikers: Battle League Diddy Kong and Pauline patch - Ver. 1.2.0 (Released September 21, 2022)

Additional Content

• Added “Paulineâ€?as a playable character.
• Added “Diddy Kongâ€?as a playable character.
• Added the “Planetoidâ€?stadium.
• Added the “Barrelâ€?gear set.

Added Features

• Added “Striker Rankingsâ€?to the Main Menu. Compete by comparing your individual ability over a fixed period of time with “Skill Scoreâ€? which varies with your performance in online matches (excluding Battle Friends).
• Added the following content to “Strikers Clubâ€?
  • You can now customize supporters in the stadium. Access this by going to “Club Managementâ€?â†?“Stadiumâ€?â†?“Supportersâ€?
  • You can now use Coins to view fireworks and confetti when you score a goal or when you win a match. Access this by going to “Club Managementâ€?â†?“Match Celebrationâ€?

General

• Adjusted the behavior so that CPU teammates mark opponents more quickly.
• Adjusted the order of characters when you switch characters.
• Adjusted the charge time of Perfect Free Passes and Perfect Free Lob Passes.
• Increased the amount of Coins and tokens you earn depending on the results of a match.
• Changed the period of time for a rule in Strikers Club, which states that a Club will not be allowed to join a season if no member of a Club has been online within a certain amount of time, from 90 days to 30 days.
• Changed the number of ? Blocks that are thrown to the losing team at kickoff from 2 to 1 when the difference in score is 2 points.
• Adjusted the match-making system in online matches.
• Made several other adjustments to game balance and fixed several other issues to improve the gameplay experience.

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This promo runs through September 22

In line with prior distribution events to celebrate Ash's party in the Pokemon TV series, Ash's Sirfetch'd is now live.

The news was announced on Twitter, which once again broadcasted the code on TV Tokyo in Japan on September 9. Remember, Ash's Gengar is available until September 15, so you can get a few free Pokemon while you're at it. The entire team that this event is?? celebrating includes: Dracovish, Dragonite, Gengar, Sirfetch'd, and Lucario. All you need to do is load up the mystery gift screen and enter the code below (if you have ?your copy of the game but haven't started it yet, you'll need to spend a short while with the intro to unlock the mystery gift functionality).

All of these distribution events noted here apply solely to Pokemon Sword and Shield, as we start to enter the new generation of the series in just a few months. While there's been a handful of other games since then, it'll be easy enough to get all of these free creatures in a box somewhere and ship them off to Scarlet and Violet whenever the bank service is available.

Ash's Sirfetch'd code for Pokemon Sword and Shield:

H1SS ATSU NEG1

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Genesect, Marshadow, and Volcanion

A Pokemon distribution is underway in Europe! If you're still playing Pokemon Sword and Shield (or have access to it), you can partake.

The Europe Pokemon distribution event: Genesect, Marshadow, and Volcanion at GAME (UK), Gamemania (Belgium/Netherlands)

Genesect, Marshadow, and Volcanion are all part of the same event, which is going on at the moment in several regions of Europe (listed above) until September 30. According to Pokekalos, it will be an in-store deal, and you'll get a receipt with the code for the trio. Again, this distribution is restricted to Pokemon Sword and Shield.

Once you have your code, you have until December 31 to act?ually put it i??n using the mystery gift system. There's another event possibly on the horizon, too!

Another event is on the books: a shiny Eternatus at GameStop

Details on the shiny Eternatus event are slim, but Pokebeach is reporting that GameStop stores are prepping for a GameStop distribution ??event (to be announced soon). While GameStop just secure?s a US drop right now, it could come to other regions.

Yet another event is live now

Al??so remember there's a code live now for Ash's Gengar! Oh, and there's going to be a Scarlet and Violet bonus distribution when it launches. Nintendo and Game Freak are getting everything out of the way before a new era ??begins, that's for sure.

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The next distribution is live

Ash's Gengar is now in the mix, thanks to a new distribution event from The Pokemon Company for Pokemon Sword and Shield.

The code was revealed t??hrough an episode of the Pokemon TV show in Jap??an, but the distribution is taking place worldwide. It'll last from now through September 15 and again, it's a part of Sword and Shield (it doesn't extend to Diamond or Pearl remakes like a few other distributions this year). You just need to select the mystery gift portion of the menu (which you'll unlock in the first few hours) and enter the code below. It's essentially just a bonus Gengar, but it contains Ash's trainer ID (named Satoshi in Japan), and a m?oveset that Ash utilizes in the TV show.

We’ve been saying it for a little while now, but this could be one of the final distribution events for Sword and Shield as the door closes on that generation. Scarlet and Violet will take over later in 2022, and although there should be a few initial Sword and Shield distribution ?events, everything will cyc??le to the newest gen sometime in 2023. It's how things go!

Ash's Gengar code for Pokemon Sword and Shield:

GENN GER0 GE94

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September 5 is the deadline

Immortal Redneck might not ring a bell, but it's free on PC, and it's worth checking out. You've got until 6:00 a.m. Pacific on Monday, September 5 to add it to your GOG library. There's a "claim" button on GOG's front page, and you????'ll need to sign into your account.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGyvt1Vk5bs

This is an ancient-Egypt-themed FPS that's aiming for the old-school, fast-paced Doom crowd while also working in a modern roguelite progression system like Rogue Legacy.

Expect mythological shootouts in pyramids, plenty of verticality in the level design, a buuunch of weapons, big bosses, unlockable?? alternate starting classes, and an unavoidable stat-boosting grind as you?? upgrade your skill tree from run to run.

In some ways, I feel like Immortal Redneck is speaking to two very different (and in some cases incompatible) crowds, but with so many ??"standard" throwback shooters popping up these days, the run-based structure helps it ??stand out. Above all, it feels good.

[caption id="attachment_342891" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Gold is a crucial part of the progression loop.}[/caption]

Arena shooter flair

In his 2017 review, Chris Carter was pretty high on Immortal Redneck, in large part due to its shooter fundamentals. The key quote: "While many studios have attempted to recreate the magic of the original Unreal Tournament or the arena shooters of old and failed, developer Crema managed to get it right. [...] While the roguelike?? setup will no doubt scare some people off (you do you, reader), anyone looking to temporarily transport themselves back through the ages of FPS-dom without making concessions should give it a chance."

It's not necessarily a game you'll want to fully finish �less-than-friendly roguelite tuning is one of the issues �but for free, Immortal Redneck is an easy game to dabble in.

GOG is also hosting a sale right now, hence this foot-in-the-door giveaway. Games like Deux Ex GOTY Edition ($0.97), Tomb Raider: Anniversary ($0.98), and Heroes of Might and Magic 3: Complete ($2.49) are charting as best-sellers. A few bucks can take you far.

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September 3 through September 11

A Clefairy distribution is on the way, and thankfully this time I don't have to add the caveat of "but it's just Sword and Shield." I do, ho??wever, have to note this is Japan-only!

The reasoning? Well, you ne?ed to actually go to a Pok??emon Center in Japan to snag a serial code. The distribution event is "nationwide," and will run from September 3 through September 11, close of business Sunday. To get the bonus you'll need to "do something" with the Pokemon Center staff, which will probably amount to a passcode of sorts, announced publicly. You can ??fin??????????????????????????d details of prior events like that here.

Curiously, Clefairy appears in tons of games, so The Pokemon Company took the opportunity to spread the event to multiple titles. There will be three serial codes listed on the event card, which grants you Clefairy bonuses for Brilliant Diamond/Sword generations/remakes, as well as a separate third code for Legends. According to the event page, the Clefairy for BDSP/Sword/Shield will be the same, while Legends will sport a different moveset.

You'll be able to access the Pokemon Clefairy distribution event with:

• Pokemon Brilliant Diamond
• Pokemon Shining Pearl
• Pokemon Sword
• Pokemon Shield
• Pokemon Legends

If you're in Japan currently and want to check it out, you can find all of the info here. Once you do get it, the serial code will expire on September 30, 2022 at 23:59 JST, so mak?e sure you ??actually use it! Also I can't imagine this coming up, but it's a thing: "If you enter the serial code incorrectly 10 times, you will be temporarily unable to enter it. Please try again after 6 hours have passed."

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Here's your chance to get the latest Tomb Raider title for free

It's hard to keep up with all the awesome new releases in games, but sometimes, you just gotta throw it all to the wind and play an old favorite. If you're a fan of the Tomb Raider reboot series, and you're looking for a gritty adventure game to sink your teeth into, you're in luck, because Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the free game on the Epic Games Store for September.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider was originally released back in 2018 as the third game in the reboot trilogy and the twelfth mainline Tomb Raider game. The game's events take place a year after the events of its predecessor, Rise of the Tomb Raider, which came out in 2015, and finds Lara Croft ?racing against the clock to prevent the world from ending yet again. Arguably the darkest game in the series yet, it explores themes of descension, both through Lara's personality and the jungle itself.

The story is based on both Mayan and Aztec mythologies, and in creating the game, Square Enix devs consulted with historians to create the architecture and people of the legendary city Paititi. Fun fact: the game is still sitting at number seven on the list of most expensive games ever mad?e, after adjusting for inflation.

Submerged: Hidden Depths is the other free-to-download title paired with Shadow of the Tomb Raider on the Epic Games Store. It's a relaxing exploration sim that has players uncovering the ruins of a beautiful, sunken world. If you want a more chill exploration-based gaming experience, it sounds like it's thematically fairly close to the Tomb Raider series, so it could be a fun one to try out.

The games are available for free download on the Epic Games Store starting September 1, so make sure to grab the roguelike "card crawler" Ring of Pain before it leaves the rotation next week.

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Also, The Dig

It's a Prime Gaming Origins kind of month �Assassin's Creed Origins, that is. Oh, and Shadows of Mordor. There's a few big ones coming for the Prime Gaming September lineup, and you ca??n find the full ?list below.

Wait a minute: The Dig?! I remember playing this point-and-click classic when it came out in 1995 to the utter confusion of many of my friends, and thankfully it was able to live on in 2009 via Steam. And in 20?22 as a free game that people are going to randomly cl?ick on! It's wild how some things just come back like that, and some are left to linger in a bygone era. Thankfully, LucasArts is still around in some capacity, even under new ownership.

A???ll of this will go live on September 1. Remember to log in and just click everything to redeem it, even if you have no intention of playing anything below anytime soon.

Free Games for Prime Gaming Origins month (September 2022):

• Assassin’s Creed Origins
• Football Manager 2022
• Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor Game of the Year Edition
• The Dig
• Defend the Rook
• We. The Revolution
• Castle on the Coast
• Word of the Law: Death Mask Collector’s Edition

New In-Game Content with Prime (September 2022):

• Apex Legends
• Battlefield 2042
• Call of Duty: Vanguard / Warzone 
• Destiny 2
• Fall Guys
• FIFA 22
• Overwatch
• Valorant

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Live through August 24 at 11:59PM PT

If you've ever wanted to test out the Pokken series, now is the time: a Pokken Tournament DX game trial is live on Nintendo Switch. Some could have predicted this was coming, as Pokken Tournament DX was announced as part ??of the 2022 Pokemon World Championships event nearly a year ago as the main event. It's been a weekend of Pokemon news!

The trial is the full game, and honestly, it's a perfect opportunity to try out a fighter completely guilt-free, with everyone unlocked. While Pokken Tournament might not be for everyone, I'm willing to bet there wer??e a lot of p??eople on the fence about it, who would be wooed by a demo �now is the time.

If you partake in the Pokken Tournament DX game trial you'll earn 100 Platinum Points on My Nintendo for your trouble. As a reminder, if you already own the game, you can still pick up the 100 Platinum Points by booting up the full version. Just sift through your library or head straight to the eShop and redownload it. You can find the game here.

As per usual, game trials can be used by anyone with a Nintendo Switch Online account, as trials are?? a perk for the service. If you want to buy it, you can get 30% off during the trial period.

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If you're new to this series, you can still hop in

Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! is this week's free PC game on the Epic Games Store. If you like the idea of a cooking simulator you can play alone or with a partner, this one's wild �?it's set on a roving food truck in the "radically-changed war-torn America of 2042."

After years of not quite breaking into the Cook, Serve, Delicious! series, I recently gave the second game another try and had a much better time handling food orders with a co-op partner on the same couch. So much so, I also picked up the third game on sale, and am now looking forward to the next title from Vertigo Gaming, Cook Serve Forever.

Unlike Overcooked, this game isn't about moving around stage hazards, and you'll have far more control over the types of food you'll serve on any given ??day. I?nstead of rushing around, you'll sit still and use a bunch of different control inputs to successfully assemble meals �bit by bit, as fast as possible �exactly as the customers specify.

It's overwhelming and stressful. But as you get familiar with the controls, there's consistent logic and muscle memory to keep those orders flowing; you'll be able to build burgers?? or fry up some chicken with ease. At a certain point, I can kind of stop thinking and just let my fingers do the work. It's one of those try-to?-reach-zen games.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnQ_RC0xzR8

That said, as one Steam reviewer put it, "I thought this was a cooking gam?e not?? a stress management game." There's a reason I bounced off the series at first.

In some ways, I prefer its calmer, less zany predecessor, but Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! can absolutely be your first CSD game?. The day-to-day format has improved over time??.

You'll have until August 18 to claim t??he gam??e for free.

Rumbleverse is up next on the Epic Games Store

Next week's freebie isn't a full game �rather, the Epic Store will give out the Boom Boxer Content Pack for Rumbleverse, a just-launched brawler battle royale game from Iron Galaxy. It's a free-to-play game, after all, so having the deal be a cosmetic pack (and a 120-minute "Fame booster") makes sense. It'll be cl??aimable from August 18�5, 2022.

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New stages, new catalog and weapons every three months, and X battle and league battle

Post-launch, Nintendo is doling out Splatoon 3 free updates, just like they have with prior games in the series. They said a??s much in the Nintendo Direct this week, but thanks to a Nintendo UK tweet, have more details on what t?hey're actually doing with the th??reequel.

As expected, we're getting a new catalog of items and weapons every three months. During the Direct, Nintendo explained that like prior games, the world of Splatoon will be shifting and evolving over time, especially when it comes to style. Hence, a new set of threads and other outfits will be introduced alongside weapon rotations (kind of like Fortnite and other shooters). New stages are also going to be part of that plan, adding onto the 12 stages that will be ?present at launch. Nintendo also promises battle and league battle updates.

Get ready to get sucked back into Splatoon 3 for a while

There's also the strong possibility that the card game mode could be updated as well, on top of Salmon Run. At this point, Splatoon 3 has quite a bit to do, and for me, the card game was the tipping point. I mean odds are you probably won't dig every mode in Splatoon, but now with more of them thrown at you, it'll be hard to deny the siren's song of all of them. Plus, that three-team Splatfes?t concept sounds like it'll be pure chaos.

//twitter.com/NintendoUK/status/15??57357490228??150273

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It's running through February 28, 2023

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet aren't scheduled t??o arrive until Novembe?r 18, but a special Pikachu distribution event is already a go.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZf-vIpVDLo

Sneakily announced at the end of a trailer that debuted during the August 2022 Pokemon Presents stream, the event kicks off roughly around when the game starts. It's for a "special Pikachu," and will be in line with the new "Terastallizing" form mechanic that's been introduced in this generation.

It knows the move "Fly," and is also a flying Tera type. The event will run from the game's launch (when you can access it), through February 28, 2023. It's similar to other early access events from mainli??ne games: the idea is to incentivize players into picking up the game early. That's pretty much all we ha?ve in terms of details at the moment.

As for the technical fine print, The Pokemon Company notes that you can acquire this through normal mystery gift means �which also confirms the feature for Scarlet and Violet (as if there was any chance it wasn't coming back). You do not need a paid Switch Online membership to access the special Pikachu distributio?n even??t, and it takes "one to one and a half hours" to work up to the point where the mystery gift feature is enabled.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet special Pikachu distribution event details:

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You can also pick up Recompile

A StarCraft: Remastered free download is front and center for this newest Prime Gaming update: set to arrive at the start of August.

As Prime Gaming continues to shuffle in new games alongside of other publisher-driven services, Amazon Prime subscibers have new games to claim. Several are relatively unknown, a few are higher-profile indies (comparatively), and the one Amazon chose to put front and center is StarCraft: Remastered. Not paying fo??r a Blizzard game sounds pretty great right now to a lot of people, I ?bet.

If you need a refresher, here is what StarCraft: Remastered does differently:

• Full graphical upgrade of the original StarCraft and the StarCraft: Brood War expansion
• Widescreen UHD support for up to 4K resolution
• New matchmaking and leaderboards
• Player profiles that track individual statistics
• Cloud saving for campaign progress, hotkeys, and replays
• Higher fidelity music and sound
• Switch between Remastered and the original StarCraft

Beyond StarCraft: Remastered, you can find the full free lineup below.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BzNM2pyzW8

August 2022 free games with Prime month:

• • StarCraft: Remastered

  • Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders

  • Beasts of Maravilla Island

  • Recompile

  • ScourgeBringer

  • Family Mysteries: Poisonous Promises

August 2022  new in-game content with Prime: 

• • • Apex Legends

    • Call of Duty

    • Destiny 2

    • Fall Guys

    • Grand Theft Auto Online

    • League of Legends

    • World of Warcraft

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You have until September 15 to enter

Nintendo has a new Xenoblade Chronicles 3 prize pack up for grabs, and you just need to head to this page and click a few?? button??s. After ??that Nintendo will pick some winners on September 15 at 2AM ET, and send them out.

Here's what the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 prize pack from Nintendo includes:

• An HD metal sublimation print (wall art of the core cast members)
• A sidekick sling bag (a bag that can hold a tablet and includes the game logo)
• Two water bottles (vacuum insulated with art featuring Riku and Manana)
• Postcards (six cards with one from each main character)

To enter it's technically part of the My Nintendo system, so you'll need 10 Platinum Points per entry, up to a max of three entries. I just...want to buy all this stuff on its own!

As a reminder, if you want physical rewards, you can find our full Platinum Point guide here, which has been updated with details on weekly missions: bookmark it for when you need quick points for a reward. A handful of points is incredibly easy to get, as that’s basically just 15 minutes with Super Mario Run, or a quick sign-on to the 3DS or Wii U 3Shop. Also remember that any shipments are bundled together, so you can pay a flat rate for multiple items instead of paying it each time. Just know that items go o?ut of stock on My Nintendo frequently, and some are never restocked.

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