The Nintendo Museum’s sign and official logo were recently revealed by Nintendo Japan on their official Instagram account. Although the sign isn’t super f??lashy or extravagant, it still looks crisp and welcoming for future fans to ad?mire while paying a visit to the historical site.

During a Direct in September, the gaming giant teas?ed fans with the museum. In the Instagram post that Nintendo Japan posted on October 26, the sign and logo can be seen from a number of different perspectives, showing off the si??gn from different times of the day.

Currently, the museum is under construction in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture, near Kyoto, Japan. The renovations and construction work are set to be completed in Marc?h 2024. The sole purpose of the long-awaited project is to provide fans with a glimpse of the company’s legacy, history, and highlights through a well-laid-out collection of its past.

History of the Nintendo Museum Site

Back in 2021, Nintendo announced the renovation of one of their old facilities, its Uji Ogura Plant. First built in 1969, the plant’s original purpose was to produce ?playing cards and Hanafuda cards. Later on, the plant became a customer service hub, for the c??ompany’s products to be repaired. 

The renovations announced include both the plant and the land surrounding it. Originally, this project was planned to be called the Nintendo Gallery with a similar concept and a??pproach to its current museum idea.

We'll hopefully see more than just a s??ign in the months to come, leading up to the Nintend??o Museum's opening.

The post The Nintendo Museum’s sign and logo have been revealed appeared first on Destructoid.

Real Polygon Kid

Earlier in the week, we revealed that Sega's upcoming slugger Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown was getting an amusing DLC bundle, offering players the opportunity to play as the entire Virtua Fighter 5 clan in? a fashion recalling their old-school, polygonal roots.

The "Legendary Pack" DLC, which launches June 1 for $10, features two skins for each of VF 5's pugilists, reflecting each character's P1 and P2 regalia. Best of all, latter-day characters such as Brad Burns and El Blaze also receive VF 1-style skins, givin??g us a glimpse of what might?? have been had they appeared in the formative projects of Sega AM2.

For funsies, I took an in-game shot of every roster member sporting the new skins. They all look pretty great and some, such as Brad Burns and Vanessa, have two distinctly different looks to choose from. Sadly, the faces are not animated, so we don't get to see Lau's creepy, eyebrow-raising sneer. The Legendary Pack also includes an option to replace the redesigned U.I. with that of the original release in this cla?ssic series. Now all we need are a full range of Figmas. Make it happen, Good Smile Co.!

Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown launches June 1 on PS4. It will be included in June's PlayStati??on Plus selection, or can be purchased separately for $30, which includes? the DLC.

Akira Yuki

Jeffry McWild

Pai Chan

Lau Chan

Wolf Hawkfield

Jacky Bryant

Sarah Bryant

Kagemaru

Shun Di

Lion Rafale

Aoi Umenokoji

Taka-Arashi

Lei-Fei

Vanessa Lewis

Goh Hinogami

Brad Burns

Eileen

El Blaze

Jean Kujo

The post Here’s Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown’s roster in all their boxy, retro glory appeared first on Destructoid.

60 Flairs-per-Second

It's been a fair few minutes since we last heard from fun adventure franchise A Hat in Time and its developer, Gears for Breakfast. But the studio has resurfaced to announced that it is finally bringing the 3D platfo?rmer's DLC expansions to PS4 and Xbox One, following on from its release on PC and Switch several years ago. Better late than never!

The first expansion, Seal the Deal, includes the new story chapter The Arctic Cruise, six new Time Rifts, a run of new customization items including dyes, flairs, and camera filters, and a new difficulty mode for the most hardened Hat in Time player: Death Wish. The second DLC, Nyakuza Metro, is more of a "goodie pack," featuring 10 new Time Pieces, a new "stickers" customizat??ion options,? a new Baseball Bat weapon, new badges, and even more flairs, dyes, and camera filters.

In addition to the above expansions, local split-screen co-op multiplayer will be implemented to the title for free. What's more, A Hat in Time is being upgraded for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and will now run at an improved frame rate of 60FPS. Both the Seal the Deal and Nyakuza Metro expansions will launch on M??arch 31, priced around $5 each.

🚨 CONSOLE DLC UPDATE 🚨
The Seal the Deal and Nyakuza Metro DLC will be available on March 31st at 11am PT/?6pm GMT for PlayStation and Xbox players!

In addition, with the Xbox Series X/S and PS5 you’ll be able to play up to 60fps!

Thank you for your patience and please enjoy!

— A HAT IN TIME | Gears for Breakfast (@HatInTime) March 22, 2021

The post A Hat? in Time brings DLC expansions to PS4 a??nd Xbox One alongside frame rate upgrade for next-gen consoles appeared first on Destructoid.

Upgrade. Evolve. Destroy.

It feels like we've been talking about it forever, but Granzella's love letter to one of the most inspiring shmups of all-time is nearly cleared for take-off. Publisher NIS America has released a new gameplay trailer, ahead of R-Type Final 2's A??pril 30 launch on PS4, P??C, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch.

R-Type Final 2 is a celebration of Irem's iconic interstellar arcade blaster - a re-imagined compendium of vessels, mechanics, bosses, and stages, (not to mention its arsenal of impressive weaponry), cherry-picked from the series' storied history. As showcased in the video below, players will be able to choose from one of a selection of R-9 fighters, before blasting into battle with the Bydo Empire, upgrading and tweaking the ship en route into a devastating intergalactic fig?hter. Even the pilot will have customization options!

The new sequel will marry impressive contemporary visuals and effects to the classic R-Type gameplay that has proven such a hit with shmup fans over the decades, with adaptive difficulty keeping the challenge in each player's respective sweet spot. Additional gameplay modes and online leaderboards will ensure the R-Type faithful will have plenty of reason to keep ta?king to the stars for another round of galactic mayhem. It's looking pretty slick, that's for sure, and I can't wait to try it out.

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Night City Coterie

Fashion and Cyberpunk have always gone hand-in-cybernetic hand. And while we aren't quite in a place where we can replace our faces with super-cool, x-ray laser beams, Cyberpunk 2077 fans can at least bag themselves several slick items of apparel from Japanese fashion la??bel SuperGroupies.

The premium brand has unveiled a range of clothes, watches, and other accessories based on CDPR's futuristic neo-noir, all of which are now available to pre-order from the outlet's official stockists. Of course, this being SuperGroupies, interested parti?es ??might want to check their wallets before ordering.

The new range includes a Cyberpunk 2077-themed jacket for $268 USD, a ring & cuff set for $198, a wallet at $118, a sweatshirt at $108, and a pretty sleek watch for a princely $308. There's also some replica clothing styled after Cyberpunk 2077's protagonist "V". A variant of V's cool "Samurai" jacket is available for $268. Additionally, a pair of slip-on hi-top sneakers will set you? back $118, while some cool short-heeled boots retail for a pricier $198. Perfect for you or the drekh?ead in your life.

Finally, there are a range of more discreet items based on some of Night City's gangs. These include bags and watches sporting the logos of Tyger Claws, The Mox, Voodoo Boys, Animals, and Valentinos. To check out the full range of all of the above items, or for pre-order information, visit the U.S. SuperGroupies store right here. Pre-orders close on February 14, with all ??items scheduled to ship a??cross the remainder of 2021.

The post SuperGroupies unveils range of Cyberpunk 2?07?7 apparel appeared first on Destructoid.

Bydo battles back again

NIS America has announced that incoming sci-fi shmup R-Type Final 2 will launch in the west on PS4, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch on April 30 - a mere day after the long??-in-development title's Japanese release.

R-Type Final 2 is an amalgamation of sorts of everything that has ensured Irem's classic series remains an enduring icon of the shmup genre. Players will select from one of a number of hi-tech spacecraft before jetting off into battle against the might of the evil Bydo Empire. Featuring spruced-up audio/visuals, a huge hosts of gameplay modes, and stacked with explosive weapons and power-ups, R-Type Final 2 looks set to be a fan's dream.

Indeed, the fans have only themselves to thank for this release, having generously donated the equivalent of almost $935,000 USD to developer Granzella's Kickstarter campaign back in June 2019. The dedicated R-Typer might want to check out the official NIS America online store, where a special "Inaugural Flight Edition" is now available to pre-order.

The post R-Type Final 2 ?will blast off on PC and consoles April 30 appeared first on Destructoid.

Featuring your favorite MK kharacter: Cole Young

After a long wait, Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema have finally released images and plot details concerning the upcoming cinematic adaptation of NetherRealm Studios' bloodthirsty fighter Mortal Kombat.

The new images – first revealed by Entertainment Weekly – give fa?ns their first look at the new picture's cast of iconic heroes and villains, including elemental ninja Sub-Zero, Black Dragon arms dealer Kano, and U.S. special forces agents Jackson "Jax" Briggs and Sonya Blade.

Mortal Kombat will tell the story of a washed-up MMA fighter - played by Wu Assassins' Lewis Tan - who finds himself thrust into an inter-dimensional battle with the forces of Outworld, lead by evil sorcerer Shang Tsung (Skyscraper's Chin Han). A selection of Earth's fighters, all of whom ??share a mysterious mark, (have a guess), are brought together und??er the guidance of elder god Lord Raiden, to engage in a battle for humanity itself.

Director Simon McQuoid was eager to point out that Mortal Kombat will feature "gore, blood, and fatalities," with Tan adding that there are some "crazy" fatalities." They're brutal, man," said Tan. "They, they don't hold back." Mortal Kombat is shooting for an "R" rating, though McQuoid also ??noted how difficult it was going to be to avoid the dreaded "NC-17" certificate, which is generally considered deathsville at the U.S. box office.

Mortal Kombat – which began production back in 2019 – has been in the can for some time now, but has had a fragile release schedule due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new film will be one of a number of Warner Bros. movies released simultaneously in theaters and on paid streaming service HBO Max. Denis Villeneuve's Dune, DC Comics' Wonder Woman '84 and The Suicide Squad, and The Matrix 4 are all scheduled ??to roll out in similar fashion.

Mortal Kombat will debut in theaters and on HBO Max April 16.

The post Mortal Kombat movie finally reveals fi?rst images and plot details appeared first on Destructoid.

Time Crisis

Housemarque continues its campaign to show off the weird, unsettling, and fascinating universe of its upcoming chrono-adventure Returnal. The Resogun developer has released a new trailer for the PS5 exclusive, specifically focusing on the hi-tech firepower that will help Selene redress the balance against an army?? of grotesque alien horrors.

Despite Returnal's third-person shooter gameplay, Housemarque is bringing its experience in visually spectacular shmups to the battle, with the new adventure featuring bullet-hell chaos alongside screen-shattering special effects and a huge arsenal of futuristic weaponry. Our hero might have neither time nor the planet on her side, b??ut Selene is loaded for bear and not ready to go down without a fight.

Returnal will offer Selen??e 10 "base" weapons, each of which can be customized and configured through the addition of specific "Weapon Traits," boosting the weapons in both offensive and defensive ways – say through alternate forms of ammo or the ability to manipulate temporary shielding.

Each death-dealer will also feature an alt-fire mode, activated through smart use of the Dual Sense controller's Haptic Feedback triggers. These will allow the player to best adjust th??eir attack patterns for the given situation and enemy. Additionally, Selene's recurring death will allow her access to powerful new items and tools via the "Cthonos," an alien advice offering devastating technology to help clear the path when things get particularly sticky.

Through a loadout of base weapons, weapon ??traits,? stacking buffs, Cthonos upgrades, and alt-fire techniques, players can customize Selene's arsenal, turning the tables on the waves of enemies hell-bent on restarting the plucky adventurer's time-loop over and over again.

For more details on the depth of Returnal's combat, check out the breakdown over at PlayStation Blog. Returnal will launch exclusively on PS5 March 19.

The post Returnal’s deep, explosive arsenal will help Selene stop the clock appeared first on Destructoid.

Close Encounters of the Worst Kind

Developer Housemarque has released its latest "HouseCast" dev diary, looking at the ongoing development of its sci-fi action-adventure, Returnal, which launches exclusively on PS5 March 19.

The interview-centric video podcast features a discussion between Housemarque marketing director Mikael Haveria and Returnal director Harry Krueger, where the latter shares details on the method behind Returnal's "gameplay-first" ideology. Also spoken of is the implementation of the PS5's Haptic Feedback feature, which will be implemented in Returnal to offer alternate fire options for the game's arsena?l of futuristic weapon??ry.

As a quick plot refresher, Returnal will tell the story of space explorer Selene, who finds herself captured by a time-loop on an uncharted planet. Killed in action again and again by the planet's terrifying?? inhabitants, Selene must traverse the ever-changing landscape, calling up??on the very best of her scientific knowledge, survival instincts, and devastating firepower if she is ever to step outside the broken clock again.

Housemarque has already proven itself a solid developer with its range of dynamic and visually spectacular shmups, and here's hoping that it will bring that same penchant for fantastical imagery and incredible effects to the third-person adventure market. Returnal has the potential to be something very special, here's hoping that it lives? up ??to its promise.

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Here's the dialogue tree you need

When Cyberpunk 2077 came out, folks tried thei??r hardest to su?ss out the rumored "secret ending."

As sites started to post their guides, all they had to go on was secondhand information from the official guide, which noted several ways that you "might" get the secret ending: it was inconclusive at best. It turns out there's a reason for that: CD Project Red actually changed the entire process late in development, and the details never really cha?nged hands. Until now.

A user over on Reddit managed to contact Piggyback.com, the folks responsible for the "official guide." Since then the outfit has clarified the change ?with CD Projekt Red, which now involves specific dialogue tree choices with a specific character.

You can find the full statement from Piggyback below, as well as a link to the dialog??ue tree in the gallery. Note the bolded spoiler buffer!

I co?ntacted Piggyback about the secret ending. This was their respo?nse [Reddit]

(Spoilers in the gallery below)

"Dear -----,

Thank you for your email. We have gotten in touch with CD Projekt Red to clarify this issue. It turns out the development team did make changes to the secret ending’s availability. Th??ere is now one a??dditional condition, though this has nothing to do with your overall synergy percentage with Johnny.

In short, during SJ-35 ("Chippin' In"), when you have a long conversation with Johnny near his grave in the oil fields, you now need to follow a v??????????????????????????ery specific dialogue pa?th to unlock the secret ending, as illustrated in the following diagram. The idea is that you shouldn’t be too harsh or too nice with Johnny, otherwise he will not consider you as a true friend. You have to be honest to earn his full respect and friendship.

Note that these are ?the only dialogue lines in the game that affect the availability of the secret ending – all others (including those mentioned in the video you linked in your email) are irrelevant.

If you haven’t followed one of these paths dur??ing your playthrough, this unfortunately means you will need to replay that mission, ideally using a previous save file of “Chippin’ In” if you still have one. We are very sorry for the inconvenience, however this was a change that we were not aware of at the time of going to press. We will ?make the information available to all guide users in the near future in the “guide updates” section of our interactive map.

We thank you very much for your feedba??ck and hope you enjoy?? the guide despite this unexpected change. We wish you the best for the New Year.

Best regards,

The Piggyback Team"

So basically, there is a lot of leeway here. Nothing else, even the obscure requirements no??ted in the previous guide, seem to matter. Instead, you just n?eed to say certain things to Johnny during the SJ-35 mission "Chippin' In."

One thing: once you hit this point, you do need to select the dialogue option "the guy that saved my life" to unlock this whole process. It's best to just save your game when this mission starts?????????????????????????? if you're on another playthrough, just in case.

The post Cyberpunk 2077’s elusive secret ending has finally been explained appeared first on Destructoid.

Sadly, no six-player control option

The best tech you probably won't be able to afford this year is on display this week at CES 2021. Phones, televisions??, and various smart devices are expected to be the highlights,? but for me, I'm most excited about what Arcade1Up unveils at the show. And this year, it's bringing one game I'd absolutely love to have in my home.

Joining the company's Mid-Sized Arcade Collection this year are Killer Instinct, Dragon's Lair, and X-Men. In regard to the latter cabinet, it features Konami's X-Men, the outstanding beat 'em up from 1994 that could be played with up to six people at once if you could find the deluxe, two-screen arcad??e un?it. I remember playing that version at summer camp one year. Was I stuck playing as Dazzler? Sure. Was it amazing? You're goddamn right it was.

If you're inter??ested, here is what's included with the three new cabinets:

X-Men Live

• Konami's X-Men
• Captain America and The Avengers
• The Avengers in Galactic Storm

Killer Instinct

• Killer Instinct
• Killer Instinct 2
• BattleToads Arcade

Dragon's Lair

• Dragon's Lair
• Dragon's Lair 2: Time Warp
  
• Space Ace

In addition to these cabinets, Arcade1Up is also debuting its first four-player pub-style cabinet featuri?ng licensed Atari games and new 12-game Legacy Edition cabinets for Bandai Namco, C?apcom, Atari, and a few still to be named.

As much as I'd love the idea of getting my mitts on X-Men, I don't think I can justify making the purchase for just one game. Also, I'm still twiddling my thumbs here, waiting for my X-Men vs. Street Fighter cabinet to arrive.

The post Konami’s X-Men and Rare’s Killer Instinct headline the next batch of Arcade1Up cabinets appeared first on Destructoid.

Costumes for the former, power-ups for the latter

It's not every day that we get two amiibo ?stories!

While we'll get to both, Monster Hunter Rise is undoubtedly the lead here, as Capcom just explained what the trio of amiibo will do in their new Monster Hunter video breakdown.

As a reminder, it will ship with Magnamalo (monster), Palamute (dog), and Palico (cat) amiibo, all of which will provide a different feature. The former unlocks Magnamalo-flavored armor for your hunter, the Palamute amiibo will give you a new Palamute cosmetic style in turn, and the latter (you guessed it) pairs with a Palico cosmetic. You can perus?e all of these in the gallery below.

Of note, there's another easy-to-miss bit on the site: "you can also play a daily lottery to win various useful items." Typically, this is a canned type of amiibo functionality feature dating back as old as Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It's possible that any amiibo will work as a sort of? lottery ??chance.

Oh, and we also have more of an idea of what the Super Mario 3D World: Bowser's Fury functionality will entail, thanks to a new website landin?g page. Simply put, the section at the bottom on amiibo (which involves the Cat Mario and Cat Peach figures at this time) states: "Use the adorable new Cat Mario and Cat Peach amiibo figures to unlock power-ups."

"Unlock power-ups." I'm sure some of you non-collectors will be relieved to hear that it's non-essential. That said, the Cat duo has been readily available since it was up for pre-order, while the Monster Hunter figures are still tied?? to GameStop (and have since gone up for sale online, but it's also GameStop, so I get the hesitation).

Monster Hunter Rise [Capcom] | Super Mario 3D World [Nintendo]

The post We finally know what the Monster H??unter Rise and Mario?? 3D World amiibo do appeared first on Destructoid.

Coming to Japan this summer

Developer Acquire continued its week of news with the reveal of a brand-new adventure title, Labyrinth of Zangetsu, which is currently eyeing a summer rel?ease in Jap?an.

As featured in the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu (courtesy of Ryokutya2089), Labyrinth of Zangetsu is a 3D dungeon adventure that will reportedly feature a traditional RPG-based exploration and combat system as players pick their way through a dank fantas??y kingdom. Of particular note are the new title's visuals, which showcase beautiful "brushstroke" effects recalling ancient Japanese inkbrush paintings.

This visual style is also intertwined with the adventure's narrative, as players battle against a strange phenomenon known as the "Ink of Destruction," that is slowly engulfing the lan??d and turning its inhabitants into terrifying demons and monsters known as the "Ink Beasts."

In keeping with Labyrinth of Zangetsu's classical art-style, it appears that the game will be rendered in monochrome, and feature a score composed of traditional instruments and music styles. It seems that Acquire are going all-in on trying to create an adventure game that reflect?s the gameplay, art-styles, an??d sounds of yesteryear.

While no platforms nor a western release were confirmed, its is believed that Labyrinth of Zangetsu is in development for PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch. You can take a look at several low-fi screenshots below, courtesy of Gematsu.

The post Acquire unveils artistic ??dungeon explorer Labyrinth of Zang?etsu appeared first on Destructoid.

There's a bunch of good ones in there

It's almost overwhelming, but Nintendo is one again puffing up its indie scene on the Switch.

The below infographic, which Nintendo is calling the "2020 Year in Review" for its Indie World arm, showcases a ton of the higher-profile games that were released on the Switch eShop. There's a lo?t of names you'll probably recognize if you read Destructoid, and some that are a little more obscure.

A few of the heavy-hitters include: Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Hades, Streets of Rage 4, Among Us, and Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2. The former two even won our "best Xbox game of 2020" and "best overall gam??e of the year" awards respectively! It was a great year?? for games on every platform, Switch included.

I have to say, it's a much better effort than anything they've done in the past. The Wii and Wii U-era indie pushes were incredibly lacking for multiple reasons, but with the Switch, they've (mostly) moved? on ?from that image and have started to look toward the future.

Not every studio would agree, but from our side, it cert??ainly seems like an improvement.

Indie World [Twitter]

The post Nintendo reveals a gigantic i?nfographic of most of the Switch ind?ies released in 2020 appeared first on Destructoid.

'One more run'

Hades has taken a ??lot of the gaming community by storm: including our own Game of the Year awards!

Supergiant Games managed to slowly craft, through a carefully curated early access period, their most arguably successful project yet. So much so, that folks are really taking to the lore and the mechanics in a big way. That laundry list includes Redditor canhazreddit, who crafted their own arcade cabinet.

Its creator notes that the arcade itself is just a "giant wood computer case," and it runs off of an i5 Nvidia 1060 backbone. The left stick is an Ultrastik 360 (which they call "nice and clicky"), and a keyboard with a trackpad is on the top of the machine. There's also a subwoofer in there, and the artwork is obtained via high quality PNGs, with prints from Game on Grafix for the vinyl and the marquee at the top.

Being a software developer also helped, canhazreddit says, but they also note that the power supply unit and the subwoofer make the cabinet extremely heavy and a "tipping haz?ard" (which needs to be tethered to the wall, or reworked with a bigger base). Important things to know if you're planning on rigging up your own?? cabinet one day for your game(s) of choice!

Hades arcade build [Reddit]

The post Someone built a Hades arcade cabinet and it’s glorious appeared first on Destructoid.

Great games converge on another great game

You already look stylish when you're slicing and dicing in Ghost of Tsushima, doubly so when y?ou're hacking away in black-and-white mode. Add to the aesthetic by infusing your samurai warrior with Kratos, just as Kurosawa in?tended.

Sucker Punch has brought some of PlayStation's all-time great games to Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, the co-op focused multiplayer mode (that's surprisingly really good). Until January 15, you can unlock outfits from Bloodborne, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Shadow of the Colossus. Images of all four are in the gallery below.

Each costume is tied to a different class; complete a single story or survival mission to unlock the costume of whichever class you played as. For example, clear a mission as the Hunter to earn Aloy's outfit. Kratos is the Samurai, Aloy is the Hunter, Shadow of the Colossus is the Assassin, and Bloodborne is the Ronin.

New looks from some of PlayStation's heaviest hitters. It won't be long until future games get Ghost of Tsushima skins. It's that good. It's just a shame that Sucker Punch couldn't find a way to shoehorn an inFamous&?nbsp;outfit in. I'd play as Delsin, the beanie-wearing samurai.

@SuckerPunchProd [Twitter]

The post You can’t miss the Bloodborne and Shadow of the Colossus special outfits in Ghost of Tsushima appeared first on Destructoid.

It was quite a year

Fallout 76&n?bsp;has ?been through a lot. A rocky launch. A complete 180 on whether or not game-impacting items would be sold as DLC. Bugs. More rocky update launches.

But in 2020, it made a ton of strides to feel less like a wasteland: in the mechanical sense. It's supposed to be a wasteland. Wastelanders added actual NPCs to the game, which made it feel ever so closer to an actual Fallout title. Then came the Steel Dawn update,?? w??hich made the world feel even livelier.

Bethesda is reminiscing about this year too on their official blog, providing a "2020 in review" rundown of all they've accomplished. It's a lot! From the early 20??20 testing periods to further save the game f??rom its late 2018 launch state, to the two aforementioned expansion launches, to the inclusion of the seasonal system.

So what's next? As previously stated, quality of life updates in?? early 2021. But Bethesda also shared that there's some?? seasonal events coming in February, and season ??four is slated for a March 2021 release. You can also find that tease in image form in the gallery below.

You can also check out the infographic below, which showcases a lot of useless marketing stats among a few cool tidbits. The "top five most popular quests/events" is particularly important, as the high ratings for those could inform future quest design for Fallout 76, or subsequent Fallout games.

Year Two in Review [Bethesda.net]

The post Bethesda recalls all its 2020 Fallout 76 accomplishments and imp??rovements appeared first on Destructoid.

The art of Kaldheim is looking great so far

The time has come for Wizards of the Coast to pull back the curtain on Magic: The Gathering's next viking-themed set: Kaldheim.

Billed as the most metal set yet, Wizards is kicking off preview/spoiler season on January 7 at 9AM PT, at which point we'll start to see the flavor and mechanics of the set come together. After that, it arrives on Magic: Arena and Magic Online (yep, that's still around!) ?on January 28, which marks the official launch of the set. From there it'll be available in pre-release form on January 29 (p??hysical cards) and fully on February 5.

For now Wizards has given us a preview of some of the art, and it's pretty glorious: truth be told the art for the presumed land cards/environments ?are lovely! Wizards is also leaning hard into the metal aspect for the set's promotional materials, includi??ng a very stylized poster and collector booster set pack art. You can see all of that in the gallery below.

As a reminder; Throne of Eldraine, Theros: Beyond Death, Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, Core Set 2021, and Zendikar Rising are still in standard. When Kaldeim hits, standard play is going to get even more complicated as deckb??uilders will? be able to draw from a huge pool. 

I'm looking forward to a hopeful shakeup beyond Gruul Adve??ntures and Dimir Control decks! And on a personal level, some more staple m?ono-Red cards.

Kaldheim [Wizards of the Coast]

The post The next ‘face-melting metal’ Viking Magic set arrives in Arena on January 28 appeared first on Destructoid.

All roads lead to murder

Oh, you thought PUBG was just a game about shooting dudes until either you're dead or? 99 of them are dead? Wrong, idiot. It's a game where you have to investigate and expose nefarious corporations before you shoot 99 other dudes or die tryin'.

PUBG has a new alternate reality game, which I would've never known had I not received a press release for it (and I still play once a week or so). Apparently it's rooted in last season's Paramo volcano map and now has moved along to the new 1x1 km Haven map. It's about Tythonic "and its ties to a secret military group."

To that end, I'm just gonna show you the whole fake press release we received. It's in the gallery below because it didn't translate well to being used as an in-line image. Everything was too small. It probably has all the clues for everyone to get started. (Don't yell a?t me for not using dark mode or something; I don't wanna hear it.)

There's another image in the gallery below about an investors call on Monday, December 14. That probably has something to do with all of this, but I won't be tuning in to find out. You do all the sleuthing and then tell me what happened. Maybe join the ARG Discord server and the #pubg-lore channel.

After you crack the case and give me all the intel, I'll gladly go kill those 99 other dudes. And by that, I mean I'll proudly get three bot kills before getting sniped by someone I never saw. I'll b??lame it on either lag or cheating. That's only true like 70 percent of the time.

The post There’s a PUBG ARG and I’m too L-A-Z-Y to figure it out appeared first on Destructoid.

Where no-one can hear you scream

Housemarque has announced a release date for its sci-fi action/horror title Returnal. As revealed during last night's Game Awards festivities, the bullet-hell roguelike will be letting rip on March 19, e?xclusively on PS5.

Returnal will tell the story of valiant space explorer and scientist Selene, who crash lands on a strange and nightmarish planet, inhabited by hazardous beings unlike any encountered by humans before. Slain again and again by her grotesque discoveries, Selene discovers that her life is locked in a time-loop, forcing her to re??live her close encounters of the worst kind again and again - desperate to find a way to break the cycle and, hopefully, return home.

Housemarque has promised that Returnal will feature thrilling elements of exploration, alongside the Resogun developer's trademark intense, blood-pumping action. Returnal will also take full advantage of PlayStation 5 t??echnology, implementing support for Haptic Feedback, Adaptive Triggers, Tempest Audio and fast SSD load times in an effort to make Selene's journey a thoroughly immersive experience.

Returnal is shaping up very well indeed. I'm definitely looking forward? to this one.

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Technically the game's first Polish car

[Update: It?'ll be available tomorrow, seemingly for everyone who plays the game.]

All roads lead to Night City. Get the Quadra Turbo-R V-TECH starting tomorrow. @TheGameAwards. @CyberpunkGame pic.twitter.com/cG8BGpVCli

— Forza Horizon (@ForzaHorizon) December 11, 2020

Forza Horizon players can rip around England with some futuristic flair. CD Projekt and Playground Games have collaborated to make the Cyberpunk 2077 car playable in Forza Horizon 4.

Judging by the naming convention from Forza Horizon 4's car tiles, its make is "2058 Quadra" and its model is "Cyberpunk 2077 Quadra." That's just specific stuff. Everyone knows it as "The Cyberpunk car." It probably has a V-Tech. Get it? V-Tech.

Here's what it looks like, courtesy of user acreamymeme on reddit:

Technically the Quadra isn't available yet. It's supposed to be some sort of Game Awards surprise planned for tomorrow and Playground Games is denying it with a wink, the way companies do when their secrets have been spoiled. It's unclear who will get the Quadra. It might be everyone, it might be Cyberpunk&nb?sp;buyers, it might be a reward for some s??ort of seasonal challenge.

However, the Quadra is totally available right now. It was accidentally implemented early as part of yesterday's Super7 update. Players can use the Quadra while going through the Super7 challenge mode, but not in the larger ga??me. That'll have t??o wait until tomorrow (or whenever it's officially added).

Probably no huge rush, though. Everyone will be too busy playing Cyberpunk tomorrow to take time to cruise the Cyberpunk car up and down the lefthand side of?? the road. 

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The Guillinburst Cometh...

Nintendo has lifted the lid on the newest expansion to its mobile battle title Fire Emblem Heroes. Book V, which launches this week, takes a side-step from the swords and sorcery of previous seasons, adding intricately e?ngineered armor, powerful mech units, and a new steampunk aesthetic

The background story sees the realm of Nioavellir master the fusion of both science and magic, resulting in the creation of hi-tech weaponry and battle armor. The apex of this technology comes in the form of domineering battle mechs known as Gullinbursti, which will definitely make their presence felt among the dragon riders and archers of the free-to-play title. You can check out th?e style and aesthetic of Book V in the new trailer below.

Once Book V goes live in-game, players of any level can immediately jump into the new story at Chapter 1, which will automatically unlock new Mythic Hero Reginn, who reigns as the princess of Nioavellir. Additionally, a new castle designed n the style of Book V will be made available to all players, with both Orbs and Aether Stones on offer for players who complete the "Book V Begins" story arc. In the immediate future, Fire Emblem Heroes fans should also keep their eyes peeled for new variants of Sacred Stones' heroes Duessel, Caellach, Selena, Knoll, a?nd Natasha.

For full details on Book V, Reginn, the Gullinbursti armor, the region of Nioavellir and much, much more, check out the newest episode of the FeH Channel. Fire Emblem Heroes is available now on iOS and Android devices.

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From Kotobukiya

Mega Man merch may never die.

The Mega Man serie??s died at one point. Then it came back to life! It may die again. But we will always have merch. Merch...never changes.

Like the George Lucas of the video game world, Capcom has more merch SKUs each year than there are Mega Man games at this point. Many of them are figures and the like, ranging from the most casual bl??ind box packages to the discerning hobbyist models. Manufacturer Kotobukiya has been partaking in that latter line for a while, and this past week, they just unveiled a few more beauties.

Shown off via their new livestream (the model talk for Mega Man X starts about 35 minutes ??in, timestamped here, with the Battle Network model talk ?kicking off around an hour and a ha?lf), Mega Man X and Battle Network non-painted models are incoming. The Mega Man X version will be more posable, even including an option to make him look like he's jumping through a ??boss door, or squinting while holding in a charged buster shot.

The Battle Network model has its own flair, with cuter more casual poses, as well as the option to wield his signature sword. You can find more info on the figures on this landing page. At this time, release dates and pric??ing are "undecided," ?as per a listing on the site.

Mega Man [Kotobukiya]

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Fatal Falls

The first time was so nice, that we're gonna do it twice. In February, Dead Cells got its first premium add-on, Bad Seed, at a very affordable $5. It was so good that Jordan said in his review "I could go for a few more DLC packs with this exact?? ?structure."

Good news, buddy. Motion Twin has announced Fatal Falls, another $5 expansion to Dead Cells that's slated for release in the first quarter of 2021. Fatal Falls adds two mid-game biomes (The Fractured Shrines and The Undying Shores) alongside some boss area parallels and alternate path??s. Basically, it brings new content while shaking up the structure of any given run.

If you're the visual learning type (or just too lazy to read an?d pro?cess the information), there's a teaser trailer up top and seven screenshots in the gallery below.

Accompanying the DLC announcement, Motion Twin revealed that Dead Cells has cleared 3.5 million copies sold across all platforms. That's approximately 238 trillion deaths, assuming everyone died about 68 million times. The all-timers always leave you coming back for more, and Dead Cells definitely fits the bill.

The post Dead Cells gets its second r?ound of paid DLC ?early next year appeared first on Destructoid.

Can't you see I'm burning... burning..?

If you are a fan of Apex Legends' support specialist Ajay Chae, better known as "Lifeline," then this new Nendoroid from the good folk at Good Smile Co. would ma??ke a perfect gift for yourself - or the Lifeline lover in your vicinity.

This super-cute realization of the double-tough combat medic stands just under four inches tall and comes bundled with a selection of dinky accessories. These include her a healthful syringe and her trusty D.O.C. droid, as well as her less-than-healthy Shock Sticks and a rapid-fire SMG. Addi?tionally, Lifeline is packed with alternate arms and legs, as well as a clear stand for dynamic posing. Surprisingly, Lifeline only has one faceplate, which makes her unnervingly cheerful as she lets rip with the SMG.

If you want to add Lifeline to your shelf, then pre-orders are now open on the official Good Smile Co. website. Lifeline wi??ll retail for a typical $59 USD, not including shipping or any potential customs charges. Pre-orders close on Janua?ry 6, with Lifeline expected to ship in the summer of 2021.

The post This? ultra-adorable Apex Legends Lifeline Nendoroid is now av?ailable to pre-order appeared first on Destructoid.

A glimmer of hope in 2020

[Update: The very same intrepid user who found the logo also noted the "Wumpa League" banner in the background of a new Crash Bandicoot ad. A Crash Battle Royale is suggested as a possible spinoff/outcome from this cute little scavenger hunt. Again, bring on anything Crash. I'll try it once! They could even use the Crash Bash name again.]

So Crash 4: It's About Time ;is fairly manageable if you're a platforming hound, but if you want to get the full 106% complet?ion rate: good luck!

The extra content and time trial/limited life requirements are among the hardest activities I've played in 2020, and it looks like all those efforts do pay off; to some small degree. Sharing their discovery on Twitter, Kevin Fagaraga?n managed to uncove?r a secret logo that appears on the first level's television set.

The kicker is that the logo only appears when you've reached the aforementioned percentage. Like all secrets that pop up out of nowhere the solution was crowdsourced, and it seems like it doesn't work for a mere 100??% completion rate: only 106%. It explains why it hasn't been as widely known this far out from launch. It's also a "blink and you'll miss it" moment, as it only appears on the screen for a split-second after you cycle through all of the main entry logos.

So what is it? Well, a tease of a new game, some DLC, or a Super Smash Bros. appearanc??e would all work for me. I'm just happy to see Crash back and a?ctually relevant again with a good game.

There's a new image that appears on the TV after you beat the game? Teasing Crash 5 or a spinoff? #PS4share pic.twitter.com/w6cEKJwcaE

— Kevin Fagaragan (@kimmotman) November 29, 2020

The post (Update) Someone uncovered a secret Crash 4 logo tease that only appears when? you reach 106% completion appeared first on Destructoid.

Due to open on February 4, 2021 in Japan

So uh, does anyone else love theme parks? Because this guy? loves theme parks.

Among the many other things I've missed this year, riding rides with family is one of the things I've lamented the most, but we're all sort of hoping for a light at the end of t??he tunnel...eventually. Nintendo is banking on February 4, 2021.

That's the date of the grand opening of Super Nintendo Wo??rld: which was originally supposed to debut during the Olympics in August of 2020. For obvious reasons it was pu??shed back to August 2021, but the theme park will open separately a bit earlier. In one word, it looks incredible.

Although we've had plenty of "over the fence" peeks at its construction, Universal Studios of Japan just put out an official video (below) that showcases it in all its splendor. While the outdoor zone is impressive on its own, the indoor areas are really where this park shines, like the giant red staircase leading to a Bowser statue for the "Koopa's Challenge" Mario Kart ride queue. As a ?reminder, the other ride is Yoshi-th??emed.

Eventually, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida (under the "Epic Universe" umbrella) will get their US?? versions, expected to launch in mid-2021 and 2024 respectively: minus any delays.

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Japanese operator breaches your lounge/wallet

Wealthy supporters of Ubisoft's Rainbow Six Siege now have a new way to showcase their love for deadly breacher Yumiko Imagawa - better known by her call-sign "Hibana" - in the form of a brand new premium statue, now available to pre-order from merch-maker PureArts.

This quarter-scale polyresin statue spotlights the Japanese S.A.T. operator kitted out in her Elite "Onkochishin" skin. Yumiko stands poised for action with her Kyudo bow, reflecting her in-game MVP pose. For traditionalists, the bow can also be swapped out for Hibana's wall-destroying X-KAIROS fir??earm. Additi?onally a small-scale Japanese lantern - complete with LED - can be situated on the statue's base to create dynamic lighting effects.

If you want to bring Hibana ??flashbangin' into your living room, then now's the time to take a deep breath. Hibana will retail for $499, with the statue having a limited production run of 999 units. Additionally, PureArts is currently shipping Hibana to addresses in North and South America only, so international fans might have to find a proxy pal to pick up the order for them. Be sure to bear in mind shipping costs and potential customs charges.

You can pre-order Hibana right now over on the PureArts website.

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Please... no... more... tiny retro devices

The last few years have seen some great re-released retro hardware, shrunk down to an undeniably cute size and packed out with classics from gaming's golden years. But while the NES and SNES Classic looked rad and o?ffered a catalog of fantastic games, some other examples hav??e felt a little more like space-wasters.

Added to this list is the new Capcom Retro Station, a pint-sized arcade unit headed to Japan in just a fortnight's time. The Retro Station is manufactured by Gantaku - the team behind the Neo-Geo Mini - and boasts an eight-inch screen, HDMI output, and a six-button control system. Oddly, rather than host a selection of Capcom's legendary arcade releases, the Retro Station only features 10 titles from the Mega Man and Street Fighter franchise - four of which are variants of 1991's Street Fighter II.

According to Siliconera, the Capcom Retro Station was listed on Amazon Japan with a  release date of December 1, with a staggering price point of around $200 USD. The lis??ting seems to have since been removed. Capcom has not announced any plans to localize the Retro Station in the west, but given the possible price-tag and limited list of titles, I don't think you'll be missing out all that much.

It does look super cute though, that?'s for sure. You can check out the full list of titles below.

• Mega Man The Power Battle

• Mega Man 2 The Power Fighters

• Mega Man X

• Mega Man Soccer

• Mega Man & Bass (Japanese Console Version)

• Street Fighter II

• Street Fighter II’ Champion Edition

• Super Street Fighter II

• Super Street Fighter II Turbo

• Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo

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Expanded edition of the gloomy dungeon crawler in the works

Nippon Ichi Software has revealed that an expanded edition of its charming but dour adventure Void Terrarium is coming to PS5 in early 2021. Void Terrarium Plus - or to give it it's full name void tRrLM(); ++ver; //Void Terrarium Plus - will feature all of the content of the original PS??4 and Nintendo Switch edition, alo??ngside additional new features.

Void Terrarium is set in a grim, post-apocalyptic world, and puts players in the role of a beat-up service droid, tasked with protecting a vulnerable young girl, Toriko, from the highly toxic environment. Players guide the little bot through a series of dungeons, searching out food, medicine, and resou??rces in efforts to keep Toriko healthy while offering her some form of comfort in this dark and miserable world.

Among the new features added to Void Terrarium Plus will be the option to customize Toriko with a selection of clothes, accessories, and hairstyles. Various cute new animations have been app??lied to the characters and, (somewhat less cheerfully), Toriko can now catch one of several new illnesses, including one that apparently turns her into a cat.

I love the concept and style of Void Terrarium but I just can't play it. It all looks too gosh-darn upsetting. But if you're a fan of NIS' bleak-but-hopeful tale of isolation and friendship, then maybe keep an eye out for Void Terrarium Plus. It will launch in Japan in February 2021, though the publi??sher is yet to offer a date for a western localization. The new content will also be made available as paid DLC for both the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch editions.

Void Terr?arium?? Plus debut trailer, details, screenshots [Gematsu]

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