A train wreck I desperately wanted to look away from

The Game Awards is the weirdest night in gami??ng. It's a bloated three and half hou??rs full of stilted presentations, musical performances that are good but feel out of place, and of course, lots and lots of promo for new games. So much promo, in fact, that it feels more like a big excuse to show us new trailers than it is to honor the devs that worked so tirelessly on the games we loved that year. Things need to change.

The Game Awards have kind of always been a mini version of E3 because of all the trailers and endless slew of "world premieres." The actual awards feel like an afterthought, which is a real shame because of how tirelessly game developers work on the projects they put out. The only real recognition we see for the development teams is a sweeping statement to the studios th??at win awards, or at most a game's director, main actors, composers, etc. when they win the award that year.

Although the pacing has always felt rushed, in years past there have usually been some genuinely sweet moments in the midst of everything. But I could not believe my eyes last night when most of the awards were passed through as quickly as possible to get back to the trailers. For categories like Best Role Playing Game, they didn't even read the nominees out loud. Speeches were cut to be egregiously short. There were tons of categories that got skipped over altogether. The time management was just disrespectful, in my opinio??n. 

In an ideal world, I'd love to see some of the fluff and filler from the show exchanged for profiles on some of the more unsung heroes of the games industry. We had a few of those last night, like for the drag queens Deere and Samira Close who stream games, or Black creator Kahlief Adams, who used his platform to discuss ??racial justice, which were great to see. But those were over so quickly, and there was nothing like that to feature any of the developers who made the games that were nominated. 

//twitter.com/seamoosi/status/1469151221789437952

Games for Impact is a great award category, and has given us some of the most genuine moments of the show in the past. So when they stuck this award right at the beginning of the show with absolutely zero pomp a?nd circumstance, I was more than disappointed. When giving their speech for winning the accessibility award, the Forza team was told to "wrap it up" in the middle, after which Geoff said "what an important speech" promptly after. These are arguably two of the most important awards of the show, i??n my eyes, because they strictly focus on making games better for everyone, and to see them pushed to the side was a difficult?? pill to swallow.

I was also waiting to see how they were going to address the ongoing lawsuit and strikes at Blizzard. Right at the start of the show, Geoff gave what I assume is a purposefully vague speech before emphatically stating that they would not tolerate any harassment whatsoever, while then continuing on with trailers for studios that are known to mistreat their employees. Well done there.

//youtu.be/RIW8KLViC1M

I just find it ironic that it's like "we're here to celebrate what we love most about gaming" and then it's all advertisements. B?ecause that's everyone's favorite part of games, right? The part where they get you to buy stuff?

It's also funny that the show has tried so desperately to claim its stake as THE gaming awards ceremony. Sure, it's probably the biggest and most bombastic, but the ??British Academy Awards, also known as the BAFTAs, have been awarding those in the games industry since 2004 �a full decade before The Game Award??s started. Plus, it's, you know, a real award show from a respected institution.

I'm not saying that The Game Awards needs to lose all of its jokes and silliness in lieu of a serious, sterile ceremony �if it were up to me, The Game Awards would take a big lesson from other awards shows and have comedians host. Easily one of the best parts of the show last night for me was when Ben Schwartz, the voice of Sonic in the movie, came out to introduce the trailer for its sequel. He's relaxed, he's charismatic, and he's really funny and entertaining to watch. We got a little taste of what the sh?ow could be with a different host, and man did I want more.

//youtu.be/rXdwflxyjfk

If you go on social media for more than two seconds today, you're likely t??o see how dissatisfied fans were with the show last night. The Game Awards have always been pandering, self-aggrandizing, and entirely too long, but we're experiencing a clim??ate in the industry right now that is less willing to tolerate it. It begs the question: will they ever be willing to change? 

If we really want to celebrate games the right way, we need to get rid of the "hype" culture for a second, not give a platform to abusers, and focus on shining a spotli?ght on the people who don't get the recognition they deserve most of the time. Then, and only then, will I be able to respect The Game Awards.

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HO-KAY!

It's a one-two combo of KoF news today, as SNK not only revealed brand new character "Krohnen" for its upcoming release King of Fighters XV, but also ann??ounced a second open beta, scheduled to take place as soon as next weekend.

The? open beta will once again take place on PlayStation platforms, and will run from Friday, December 17 until Monday, December 20. Players will be able to take the new sequel for a few rounds in the ring, checking out offline Vs. and online unranked matches, as well as the title's tutorial and training mode. Both crossplay and rollback netcode will be enabled. To shake things up, SNK is changing out the roster of selectable characters, allowing players to "Select teh Ordah" from a team comprised of Krohnen, Isla, Meitenkun, Antonov, K� Blue Mary, Ryo Sakazaki, and the incom??parable Terry Bogard.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs84Liqy2wg

But wait, you might ask, who is "Krohnen"? Well, that's part two of today's news, as Krohnen is a brand new character to the King of Fighters universe, making his debut in King of Fighters XV. As you can see from his trailer above, Krohnen is something of a bad-boy biker rebel, most certainly up for the ruck. Die-hard KoF enthusiasts will recognize both his moveset, as well as elements of his design, as those of the lawsuit-baiting K'9999, who made his Tetsuo-like debut in KoF 2002 before lawyers came a'knockin'. It appears that Krohnen is a reva?mped version of this charact??er.

The King of Fighters XV launches on PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox One on February 17. You can check out my thoughts on the most recent beta right here. While some still struggle to accept the franchise's 2.5D style, the gameplay remains sound, as to whether King of Fighters XV will find space withi??n the crowded? fighting game market. We'll have to wait and see.

The post King of Fighters?? XV reveals newcomer Krohnen and new beta da?tes appeared first on Destructoid.

I hope the free-to-play hooks are kept in check

In an unexpected turn of events, one of my favorite game reveals last night at The Game Awards 2021 was ARC Raiders, a PvE sci-fi shooter with a bit of underdog flair to its band of resistance fighters and s?ome big droids that look like they'll be fun to bring down.

This debut game from Embark Studios �a team led by former DICE ??CEO and EA chief design officer Patrick Söderlund �is coming to PC, PS5??, and Xbox Series X/S in 2022.

//youtu.be/3BKASgkxK1g

I'll admit, I thought the music choice for this announcement trailer was pretty unusual last night during the live show, but Robyn hasn't left my mind, so the track did its job. Anything a new IP can do to get (and keep) our atte?ntion in a sea of other trailers and adverts.

Other than that, what stood out? For me, and this might be reading way too much into the gameplay snippets, ARC Raiders gave me a sort of glossy, high-budget Earth Defense Force vibe �albeit with a more focuse??d threat. The way the characters scramble speaks to me.

There's also the free-to-play factor �and sp??eaking of, it's owned by Nexon �which could help or hurt it depending on all of the usual factors. Not having to pay upfront is a way to get curious folks in the door, especially with a PvE squad format, but if the monetization is too heavy-handed, will most players just move on? That's the concern.

Based on the first few raiders, including Lance, a cool (?) droid man, ARC Raiders will be leaning hard into its characterizati??on. I'm calling dibs (until someone better shows up).

"With this reveal, we want to celebrate gameplay and give players more than a hint of how ARC Raiders looks and what it feels?? like to play," Söderlund said in a pres??s statement. "We look forward to sharing more about the game in the coming months."

The Steam and Epic Games Store listings talk about using tools, gadgets, and physics to outplay the space-invader droids, who drop in from orb??it and clap back "with ever-increasing destruction." Embark also detailed snap hooks �grapple guns that also work on smaller foes, as shown in the trailer �and the howitzer, which is a "three-raider job."

"When ARC is aro?und, lone wol?ves never make it very far."

I'm intrigued by this ??concept, and I hope th??e team dynamics are genuinely important.

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Murder on the Dancefloor

As a part of last night's Game Awards festivities, publisher Nacon offered up a new cinematic trailer for its automated take on the French Revolution, Steelrising, currently i??n development for a summer ?2022 release on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.

The cinematic gives a little more backstory for the action-RPG's protagonist, Aegis, a masterfully created and achingly beautiful automaton, whose balletic performances both entertain the ruthless and uncaring bourgeoisie and prove deadly in the field of man-on-machine combat. With King Louis XVI and his unstoppable clockwork forces rendering Paris in twain, Aegis' creator decides that the time is right to unleash his creation's sublime, destru??ctive abilities.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOIrU0H9EzM

As Aegis, we will step into an alternate-history version of one of the tumultuous times in Parisian legacy, leading a rebellion against the?? tyranny of the rich and powerful, while cutting down their seemingly unstoppable automaton forces with devastating and ever-evolving fighting abilities. The player will adapt Aegis to their own custom ideals, fine-tuning her strength, acrobatics, stealth, melee, and weapon skills to make her the one true hope of the robotic revolution.

I've been a proponent of Steelrising ever since its initial announcement way back at E3 2020. Each and every trailer since has further tweaked my intrigue, though the gameplay footage we have seen, admittedly, looked a tad ramshackle. Still, there are still many months to go until the action-RPG's eventual release and I'm hoping that underdog developer Spiders and publisher Nacon can deliver an engaging experience worthy of Steelrising's fascinating prem?ise and stylish design.

Steelrising launches June 2022 o?n PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X.

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Master likes gameplay, yes he does!

Ready for another Gollum trailer? Well, it's not going to clue us in when it? comes to gameplay, but we do get a decent look at the thematic elements at play. The video is actually focused on the "split personality" of Gollum/Sméagol, which he swaps between quickly in the clip.

There's a lot to unpack here, and I def??initely need to see the full version to make an educated assessment. One thing that really stood out to me as a positive is his gleaming eyes in the darkness (described in the source) near the beginning.

I'm actually re-reading the Lord of the Rings now (following another Silmarillion bash), and I just made it to the point where the boys meet Gollum/Sméagol. While? Serkis did a fantastic job with Peter Jackson's version of the character, there's certainly room for other interpretations, and a lot left to wring from the?? books.

Lord of the Rings media is a fascinating sandbox. I'd love nothing more than to see the esteemed Tom Shippey do a symposium on this game one day. F??or now, we wait until the nebulous "2022" date. And given that the Amazon show is set to debut in September of 2022, it would behoove them to springboard off that hype, even if Gollum isn't directly related to the Second Age framework and w?as born well into the Third Age (he lived to be nearly 600).

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

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Spice, Spice, Baby

Video game fans of a certain age will well remember the majestic Dune video game adaptations of the early '90s, excellent strategy titles that paved the way for Westwood Studios' Command & Conquer series. Well, it is time to get your house in order once again, as publisher Funcom has announced Dune: Spice Wars, an all-new RTS headed to PC in 2022.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnttuBpqI_4

Much like the Westwood Studios classics, Dune: Spice Wars will see players take command of one of the many ordained houses, before laying siege to the desolate yet highly valuable mining planet, Arrakis. Choose from one of many facti??ons, including the noble House Atreides and the brutish House Harkonnen, before commanding your armies, managing your mining facilities, and maintaining social and industrial systems to keep the spice flowing, your people safe, and the enemy at arm's length.

I'm House Ferguson.

Launching in Early Access in 2022, developer Shiro Games (of Northgard and Evoland fame) intends to "grow" Dune: Spice Wars as a title over the coming years, adding new mechanics, quests, troops, buildings, and much more. Players are asked to "forge their own path," using bargaining, espionage, resourcefulness, peacekeeping, or brute force in order to maintain their hold over the precious spices of Arrakis. It sounds like it could be a real return to form for fans of the original games and the Dune universe in general. Of course, the proof will be in the quality of the title itself, so here's hoping Dune: Spice Wars can live up to th?e magn??ificent legacy of the games that have come before it.

Dune: Spice Wars will enter Ear?ly Access on PC at some point in 2022.

The post Dune: Spice Wars will see the se??ries relive its strategic past appeared first on Destructoid.

Lady in the street but a freak...also in the street

That Silent Hill revival "insiders" have been taunting fans with for years now didn't come to fruition during The Game Awards broadcast. But that doesn't mean there wasn't anything for horror fans to get excited about. One of the most intriguing trailers of the show belongs to Slitterhead, a game whose name I have trouble typing correctly. From Bokeh Game Studio, a developer founded last year by Silent Hill and Gravity Rush creator Keiichirō Toyama, the game looks like a more action-centric take on the horror genre. At least that's the impression I'm getting from the Slitterhead teaser trailer below.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2wj65MimUc

Looks terrifying and also completely relatable. I mean, wh??o hasn't walked down the street late at night only to meet a nice young woman who transforms into a monster you couldn't even picture in your worst nightmare? That's a Tuesday night where I live.

Anyway, the trailer above is just about all we have to go on for now as no release date or platforms were revealed in it or during The Game Awards. Thankfully, there is plenty to digest in this little snippet o?f probably-not-gameplay. Here's to hoping we see more of this potentially gruesome title in 2022.

The post There’s body horror galore in the debut trailer for Slitterhead appeared first on Destructoid.

Strange we never got a Persona 5 Arena

I'm not much of a fighting game fan (at least when compared to other writers for this site) and yet, somehow, my Xbox Series S is starting to fill up with them. There were so many from the last generation of consoles I missed that I keep scooping them up every time there's a sale. Case in point: Persona 4 Arena, which I picked up for about $5 just a few weeks after getting my Series S. And wouldn't you know it, it's probably the most played of the six or seven fighting games I've bought over the last year. It's so good, I'm considering double-dipping with Persona 4 Arena Ultimax on Switch, PlayStation 4, or Steam.

As announced during The Game Awards, Ultimax is making its triumphant return to relevancy early next year. The fighter is a continuation of Persona 4 Golden, which ??was released to great success on Steam last year and which I would really like to get on Switch.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=znZJLRW8v4w

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax will release on March 17, 2022. Anybody who owns Persona 4 Golden on Steam can get a 30% discount on Arena Ultimax for a limited time. Additionally, Atlus has confirmed t??his version of the game will be version 2.50, a version that has never before been released on consoles.

The post Persona 4 Arena Ultimax lands on Steam, Switch, and P??S4 nex??t year appeared first on Destructoid.

Chaos Emerald Eyes

Video game film adaptations, much like live-action anime adaptations, can really be hit or miss. For every Mortal Kombat (1995) there's a Mortal Kombat (2021). It's probably best to go into these movies with low expectations. At worst, their awfulness doesn't shock you. At best, they can completely surprise you with how fun and watchable they are. That's what happened to me with Sonic the Hedgehog. While not anything amazing, it easily hurdled the low bar set by its contemporaries to be what I consider the best film adaptation of a video game. After watching the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 trailer during The Game Awards l?ast night, it looks like the se?quel is poised to clear that bar as well.

From Jeff Fowler, director of the first Sonic film and an upcoming Pink Panther reboot, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 continues the story of the Blue Blur as he adjusts to our world and battles new threats brought by a returning Eggman. T??he entire cast is back on board with Ben Schwartz returning as Sonic, Jim Carrey as Robotnik, and James Marsden and Tika Sumpter as Tom and Maddie Wachowski. Rounding out the cast this time are Idris Elba as Knuckles and Colleen O'Shaughnessey as Tails, a development I'm particularly excited about given how often the film industry gives these types of roles to big??-name actors rather than voice talent.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5kzUpWAusI

For as long as Knuckles has been an ally of Sonic, it's easy to forget he got his start in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 as an unwitting antagonist who sided with Eggman. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will release exclusively in thea?ters on April 8, ??2022.

The post It’s Sonic vs. Knuckles in the first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

A full rundown of everyone who took home a trophy tonight

The Game Awards 2021 has announced its winners and the sho?w has come to an end. Accolades were given, musical performances rocked the house, and even though I'm pre-writing this section, I'll just assume a Muppet showed up somewhere. (Note: No Muppets, but there was one pot friend.)

It Takes Two took home the big award, but games like Deathloop and Forza Horizon 5 made off with a fair number of trophies too. Kena: Bridge of Spirits, meanwhile, took both indie categories at The Game Awards 2021, making it a pretty strong debut for Ember Lab. The Matrix got a new interactive experience, plus a bunch o?f other trailers and reveals were s?hown.

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

Here are all the Game Awards 2021 winners, bolded in their categor?y alongside their fellow nominees.

Game of the Year

• Deathloop
• It Takes Two
• Metroid Dread
• Psychonauts 2
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Resident Evil Village

Best Game Direction

• Deathloop
• It Takes Two
• Returnal
• Psychonauts 2
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Best Mobile Game

• Fantasian
• Genshin Impact
• League of Legends: Wild Rift
• Marvel Future Revolution
• Pokemon Unite

Best Independent Game

• 12 Minutes
• Death’s Door
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits
• Inscryption
• Loop Hero

Best Debut Indie Game

• Kena: Bridge of Spirits
• Sable
• The Artful Escape
• The Forgotten City
• Valheim

Best AR/VR

• Hitman 3
• I Expect You To Die 2
• Lone Echo
• Resident Evil 4
• Sniper Elite VR

Best Narrative

• Deathloop
• It Takes Two
• Life is Strange: True Colors
• Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
• Psychonauts 2

Best Action Game

• Back 4 Blood
• Chivalry II
• Deathloop
• Far Cry 6
• Returnal

Best Action/Adventure

• Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
• Metroid Dread
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Resident Evil Village
• Psychonauts 2

Best RPG

• Cyberpunk 2077
• Monster Hunter Rise
• Scarlet Nexus
• Shin Megami Tensei V
• Tales of Arise

Best Fighting Game

• Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles
• Guilty Gear Strive
• Melty Blood Type Lumina
• Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
• Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown

Best Family Game

• It Takes Two
• Mario Party Superstars
• New Pokemon Snap
• Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
• Warioware: Get It Together!

Best Sim/Strategy

• Age of Empires IV
• Evil Genius 2: World Domination
• Humankind
• Inscryption
• Microsoft Flight Simulator

Best Sports/Racing

• F1 2021
• FIFA 2022
• Hot Wheels Unleashed
• Forza Horizon 5
• Riders Republic

Games For Impact

• Before Your Eyes
• Boyfriend Dungeon
• Chicory: A Colorful Tale
• Life is Strange: True Colors
• No Longer Home

Innovation in Accessibility

• Far Cry 6
• Forza Horizon 5
• Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• The Vale: Shadow of the Crown

Best Art Direction

• Deathloop
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits
• Psychonauts 2
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• The Artful Escape

Best Score/Music

• Cyberpunk 2077
• Deathloop
• Nier Replicant
• Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
• The Artful Escape

Best Audio Design

• Deathloop
• Forza Horizon 5
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Resident Evil Village
• Returnal

Best Performance

• Erika Mori (Life is Strange: True Colors)
• Giancarlo Esposito (Far Cry 6)
• Jason E. Kelley (Deathloop)
• Maggie Robertson (Resident Evil Village)
• Ozioma Akagha (Deathloop)

Best Multiplayer

• Back 4 Blood
• It Takes Two
• Knockout City
• Monster Hunter Rise
• New World
• Valheim

Best Ongoing Game

• Apex Legends
• Call of Duty: Warzone
• Final Fantasy XIV
• Fortnite
• Genshin Impact

Best Community Support

• Apex Legends
• Destiny 2
• Final Fantasy XIV
• Fortnite
• No Man’s Sky

Most Anticipated Game

• Elden Ring
• God of War: Ragnarok
• Horizon Forbidden West
• The sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Starfield

Best Esports Game

• Call of Duty
• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
• Dota 2
• League of Legends
• Valorant

Best Esports Athlete

• Chris “Simpâ€?Lehr
• Heo “ShowMakerâ€?Su
• Magomed “Collapseâ€?Khalilov
• Oleksandr “s1mpleâ€?Kostyliev
• Tyson “TenZâ€?Ngo

Best Esports Team

• Atlanta Faze (Call of Duty)
• DAMWON Gaming (League of Legends)
• Na’Vi (CS:GO)
• Team Spirit (Dota 2)
• Sentinels (Valorant)

Best Esports Coach

• B1AD3
• Crowder
• Engh
• Kkoma
• Silent

Best Esports Event

• The International 2021
• Worlds 2021
• Valorant Masters 2021
• PGL Major Stockholm 2021
• PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2021

Content Creator of the Year

• Dream
• Fuslie
• Gaules
• Ibai
• The Grefg

The post Here’s all the winners from The Game Awards 2021 appeared first on Destructoid.

In development at Saber Interactive

Our minds may be turning to mush as the night drags on, but there's still an occasional spark of life. Announced at the 2021 Game Awards, in between dozens upon dozens of other Warhammer 40,000 video game adaptations in recent years, we're actually getting Space Marine 2. This one is such a long time coming. I mean, it's been a decade!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgxVQRTXtz0

Captain Titus is back for Space Marine 2, and he'?s ready to cut down some Tyranid. The teaser trailer doesn't tell us anything more than we need to know. It's ca?thartic af. And before you click away, make sure you stick around for a gameplay snippet at the end.

"Hold at bay the horrors of the galaxy in epic battles on far-flung planets. Uncover dark secrets and drive back the everlasting night to prove your ultimate loyalty to hu??manity."

For those of you who missed the original Ork-blasting action-shooter, at the time, it was easily one of the better 40K adaptations �and it's still fondly remembered to this day. If you're curious, the old PC version recently got an Anniversary Edition upgrade on Steam.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is in development at Saber Interactive and Focus Home with plans for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. The companies haven't shared many details yet, and on that note, the release date is listed as "TBA" �but just based on the brief footage, this i??s exactly in line with what I'd want ??from a sequel. Let me be unhinged.

Now, if only we could get a return to form for Dawn of War...

The post Long ove??rdue Warhammer 40K: Space Mari??ne 2 finally announced appeared first on Destructoid.

It's still looking wacky

The Tiny Tina's Wonderlands TGA trailer is out, and it looks pretty much the same, bu??t with some celebrity sheen for good measure.

We get a lengthy look at Captain Valentine (described as a "washed-up low-rent space pirate w??ho thinks of himself as a dashing rogue"), played by Andy Samberg, as well as a brief tease of Will Arnett's Dragon Lord narrator/villain chara??cter. Frette (an office accounting bot) and Torque are also joining the fray. This game is going full celebrity, which is probably just how Randy Pitchford likes it.

At the end, the Tiny Tina's Wonderlands TGA trailer recommits to the Ma?rch 25, 2022 release date, and Gearbox reminds Destructoid that the game will be an Epic Games Store exclusive on PC until "later in 2022," when it'll hit other marketp?laces.

So far, I'm intrigued by the premise of basically being able to make stuff up on a constant basis. Like the jokes in Borderlands 3, I can see the potential for it to get incredibly grating and old. But on a pure mechanical level, it also allows them to really open up the setting and get more creative, kind of like Borderlands 3: Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck, and the Tiny Tina DLC before it for Borderlands 2. The "loot explosions" thing is kind of tiring at this point, but as long as the game can actually differentiate gear and find a way to keep weapons relevant, it'll work. I can see a lot of wacky Worms-like weaponry making it into Tiny Tina's Wonderlands.

If you're really into this universe, 2K just up??dated the "game guide" portion of the site for you to pore over on top of the Tiny Tina's Wonderlands TGA trailer, which you can check out below. As Borderlands fans know, that's like, half the fun!

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

The post Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands shows off multiple celebrity roles at The Game Awards appeared first on Destructoid.

It genuinely looks to be worth the wait

Every so often, an announcement at The Game Awards 2021 cuts through the noise, and for me, it was Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course more than anything. It has taken Studio MDHR several years to get here, but the DLC just got a release date �and I think it'?s in the clear! It's coming to PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on June 30, 2022.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=bskUa1jX0Gg

??This is one of the best trailers of the night, by far. The craftsmanship is unreal.

Following up on (what I'd call) one of the greatest run-and-gun games ever made is no easy feat, and while it's too early to tell if Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course will hit all of the same marks, the new boss battle footage today fills me with renewed?? confidence.

"Everyone really honed their craft? during the course of development," Studio MDHR COO Maja Moldenhauer said in a press statement. "We're so proud of our talented team, and the meticulous care they put into every element of this expansion."

"There are individual phases of bosses in The Delicious Last Course that contain more frames of animation than entire bosses in the original Cuphead, and we think fans and newcomers alike will really ap??preciate the depth and detail on d??isplay!"

Speaking of the original game, Ms. Chalice will be playable on the new DLC island as well as on the original stages �that goes for new?? weapons and charms, too.

I'm ready to co-op the hell outta this.

The post Cu??phead: The Delicious L??ast Course is out June 30 (for real this time) appeared first on Destructoid.

'For current and next-gen consoles'

Six months ago, Sega teased out a brand new Sonic game. All we saw was the ol' 'hog running, with a mysterious symbol at the end. Well, the cat is out of the bag thanks to tonight's Game Awards announcement. Sonic Frontiers, the long-rumored name, is confirmed.

Here's the kicker though: some of the ancillary rumors surrounding the project were also confirmed directly by Sega today. The game is described as "the iconic franchise’s first ever open-zone-inspired gaming experience," which highlights the new open world nature of the upcoming Sonic t?itle. It's going to be handled by Sonic Team ??Japan, including producer Sachiko Kawamura and director Morio Kishimoto.

//youtu.be/RRkKZG1z9PY

More info is arriving for Sonic Frontiers "in the coming months," but for now we have a visual representation of what the game's world will look like, as well as a release window: "late 2022," which Sega also refers to as "holiday 2022." Planned platforms confirmed by S??ega include "current and next-gen consoles."

Here's a quick rundown from the publish?er that gives us a bit more info:

"Worlds will collide in Sonic the Hedgehog’s newest ?adventure. An experience like never before, accelerate to new heights and experience the thrill of high velocity open-zone freedom. Battle powerful enemies as you speed through the Starfall Islands �landscapes brimming with dense forests, overflowing waterfalls, sizzling deserts and more! Planned for Holiday 2022."

So multiple biomes are in this open world experience, set in the Starfall Islands. A conflict between Sonic and Dr. Eggman is at the forefront, with an "original storyline" penned by Ian Flynn. Let the Sonic Cycle begin!

The post Sonic Frontiers is an open world Soni???c game coming in late 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.

Cloud and gang arrive on the Epic Games Store

[Update: The store page is up and a home page ad for the game lists Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade as a $69.99 game. So those w?ho wa??nt to pick this one up might want to start saving some pennies.]

If you've been holding out for Final Fantasy VII Remake to leave the PlayStation family, next week's your shot. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will come ?to PC via the Epic ??Games Store next week on Dec. 16.

Announced during The Game Awards 2021, it looks like the Remake is only coming to Epic on PC for now. The Intergrade version of Final Fantasy VII Remake includes both the first part of the story and Yuffie's extra content, alongside some graphical improvements. That means you'll be able to get fully caught up with the current progress of the Final Fantasy VII Remake, all in one package. Check out the trailer below:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=O91o1-R3eEY

It'll be interesting to see comparisons between the PlayStation version and what some high-end PCs can pump out of an already gorgeous video game. And Final Fantasy VII Remake is one heck of a video game, so it's good that PC players will finally get the chance to check it out. Plus mods!? Someone will probably turn Sephiroth into Thomas the Tank Engine or something, it'll be great.

We're still waiting on news for when Part II may surface, but until then, we'll at least have a new platform t??o play the adventure on. And it's not that f??ar off, either. Looks like we'll be able to ring in the holidays with another venture through Midgar.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade lands on PC ??through the Epic Games Store on Dec. 16, 2021.

The post Final Fantasy VII Remake In??tergrade hits PC next week (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.

The cinematic trailer looks great, but there's so much to prove

One of many CG teasers shown at the 2021 Game Awards had me hoping for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2 �it's only a matter of time! �but instead, it was all just a bunch of cool imagery building up to Star Wars Eclipse. That name won't ring a bell yet, but the stud?io behind it sure will: this is a Quantic Dream production, for better or worse.

//youtu.be/4cJpiOPKH14

Yep, the studio behind Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human is taking a crack at the Star Wars universe �specifically the H?igh Republic era, which has a lot of?? untapped potential.

The officiate site sums up Star Wars Eclipse as an "action-adventure, multiple-character branching narrative game," which is Quantic Dream's bread and butter.?? The pitch for this far-off game is that characters will have "their own story, abilities, and role to play in the tapestry of events that could alter the carefully balanced peace of the Outer Rim."

In other circumstances, I'd be more into this �I was on board with the footage, at least as far as CG trailers go �but there's the matter of Quantic Dream as a studio grappling with reports of workplace toxicity, which complicates things. I'm curious to see how this game will come together as something a bit different for Star Wars and as a very high-profile IP for these developers to work on. From the look of it, Star Wars Eclipse is far off.

The trailer mentions "early development," and neglects to say anything about platforms or even a release year, so we'll see. There's also that Knights of the Old Republic remake!

The post Star Wars Eclipse ??is a High Republic action-adventure game from Quantic Dream appeared first on Destructoid.

Remedy is going for full-on survival horror

Remedy's ill-fated writer is returning for another terror-filled night. Alan Wake 2 is on its way, currently targeting a 2023 launch.

Announced during The Game Awards 2021, Remedy Entertainment will be continuing the story of the first Alan Wake. Which, hey, works out pretty well considering that ??remastered version came out earlier ??this year.

Here's the teaser shown during the Game Awards:

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

In a chat on-air after the reveal, Remedy's Sam Lake said this will be the studio's "first survival horror" game. While the previous game definitely had horror elements, sounds like things are going to get even more dicey for our beloved writer in Alan Wake 2.

Considering the Alan Wake universe is also tied into Remedy's Control universe, it'll be interesting to see where things go for a new entry. Could it cross over onto itself, the way that Ubisoft's universes link together? I know I'd be down for a cameo from Control protagonist Jesse Faden, though that might be a bit much. But if you needed another reason to finally get around to playing the first Alan Wake, here it is.

Alan Wake 2 will be coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|??S, and PC via Epic Games Store in 2023.

The post Alan Wake 2 is coming to light up t??he night in 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

It doesn't look like a sure bet, but we're still keeping tabs on this new Platinum game

Announced at the 2021 Game Awards, Babylon's Fall has a March 3, 2022 release date. And before you let out a sigh of relief that Platinum Games' new action-RPG is narrowl?y dodging the jam-packed February launch schedule, it isn't �not exactly. While the full release is in Mar?ch, digital deluxe owners can start on February 28 with early access.

It's the way of the world, apparently!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2S4EGpfhk8

This game has been cooking with closed-off beta tests, and we heard Chris Carter's hands-on impressions as recently as three weeks ago. It's a little complicated. The Gideon Coffin multi-weapon combat system has potential for fun comboing, but a lack of enemy and dungeon variety so far brings the experience down. Visually, the developers have re-tuned the "medieval oil painting aesthetic" following fan feedbac??k, but it's still divisive.

So while the vibe is intriguing as an action-RPG nut, Babylon's Fall isn't coming together how I would've hoped. Platinu?m has that upper-tier action pedigree, but not everything the studio puts out is on equal footing, and Square Enix has had its ??own missteps as a publisher. It's going to take some strong word-of-mouth at this point, basically.

The idea of potentially trying to wrangle three other loot-hungry players for the full online dungeon-crawling experience, instead of just playing Babylon's Fall solo, is also weighing on me. (That concern isn't unique to this game, but it's one I think about whenever something like this is �or isn't �??a part of Game Pass. ??That can change a lot.)

But I don't want to get too far ahead of myself �Babylon's Fall has a release ?date now, and that's a start. Some people we??re wondering if it would even get this far.

The post Babylon’s Fall will release on March 3, 2022 across PS4, PS5, and Steam appeared first on Destructoid.

The studio behind Friday the 13th: The Game

My first laugh of the night at The Game Awards 2021 happened in a pre-show segment when we got a teaser for a new Texas Chain Saw Massacre video game. Don't get me wrong, there's some potential in that idea, for sure �but the trailer's phrasing of a "multiplayer horror?? game based on true events" just cracked me up.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a collaboration between Gun Interactive (the team behind Friday the 13th: The Game) and Sumo Nottingham, and it's based on ??the original film.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAyQw3GT5GI

Creative Director Ronnie Hobbs says it's probably his "favorite horror film ever created," so "having the chance to really dive into the world of this IP with the team from Gun and working with Sumo to bring this vision to life has been almost surreal." I personally wouldn't go that far, but plenty of people cherish the movie (and some of us are into the wacky sequel). It's curious to see another horror IP break out beyond Dead by Daylight.

Details about The Texas Chain Saw Massacre are light, bu?t it's in development for PC and "ninth-generation gaming consoles" �aka PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

The post There’s a Texas Chain Saw Massacre multiplayer game coming from Gun appeared first on Destructoid.

Outerloop Games' next adventure dives into the complexities of returning home

Outerloop Games and Annapurna Interactive have revealed Thirsty Suitors, the next game from the Falcon Age studio. ??Shown at tonight's Game Awards, it looks like a stylish and heartfelt adventure about fa?mily and relationships.

The story features Jala, who's going home for her sister's wedding. As ?part of that, she dives back into a world of small-town drama, brok??en hearts, and expectations. A legion of past exes arrive to team up against Jala, and you'll have to deal with them in order to move ahead. Through RPG combat, skateboarding, cooking, and more, Jala will overcome the past and reconcile her differences.

//youtu.be/PH2WP4G-WhY

"Annapurna Interactive is the perfect partner to deliver the Thirsty Suitors narrative—a story of complex family dynamics, navigating personal relationships and, ultimately, reconciliation," said Outerloop co-founder and Thirsty Suitors Game Director Chandana Ekanayake in a press release. "Our mission at Outerloop Games is to create accessible games about underrepresented cultures, and Thirsty Suitors will give players a glimpse into our teams�personal ??experiences growing up, which might be vastly diff??erent from what players have experienced themselves."

No date's been set yet, but it looks like a pretty in??teresting story with a cool mix of influences and gameplay mechanics melding together.

Tonight's Game Awards are currently airing, but you can catch up on the nominees here and keep an eye on the Destructoid home page for updates, winners, and a recap.

The post Thirsty Suitors is a game about family, relationships??, and self coming soon appeared first on Destructoid.

Sonic Frontiers, Space Marine 2, FFVII Remake on PC, Alan Wake 2, and other TGA highlights

The time has come for another big end-of-year Keighley get-together, an?d we're calling on you, the community �and anyone else who wants in on this rapid-fire madness �to watch along with us. There's quite a bit of news on deck ?for The Game Awards, plenty of incremental updates about games that are (or at least were) on our radar, and yeah, there are some awards to hand out to the best of the best before 2022 gets any closer.

There's only one appropriate image for times like this, so we're using it again.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS4m2O3V93o

You can watch live on YouTube as well as Twitch and other platforms.

The pre-show starts at 4:30 p.m. Pacific, which means it's gonna be a late and potentially delirious night depending on your time zone. According to a day-before AMA response from Keighley,?? the actual 2021 Game Aw??ards should be "around three hours long."

If you're more into The Game Awards as a platform to recognize great games, and less into the well-oiled marketing machine, you can check out the list of nominees for 2021?. We'll be posting the winner recap at the end of the night once every category is locked in.

As for gaming news, Keighley has confirmed a long list of appearances from upcoming games ranging from the experiential Matrix Awakens Unreal Engine 5 project, to ARC Raiders (aka that shooter with the ball), to "the next Sonic game." These events tend to show off a mix of mostly known quantities, probable guesses that get fans fired up, and a couple of genuinely surprising moments. Expect trailers. So many trailers. Hype being what it is, it's easy to get wound up, and there's a fun element of guesswork with all of the teases and eye emojis. Just don't be too bummed when something is a no-show.

Geoff said he passed his "final COVID test" and is fit to host, so let's do this thing.

(For anyone who stumbles on this out-of-context comment thread after the Game Awards 2021 has already wrap??ped, trust us �it made sense at the time.)

The biggest announcements at The Game Awards 2021

• Here’s all the winners from The Game Awards 2021
• Tunic locks in a release date for March
• Thirsty Suitors is a game about family, relatio?nships, ??and self coming soon
• There’s a Texas Chain Saw Massacre multiplayer game co?ming from Gun
• Babylon’s Fall will releas??e on March 3, 2022 across?? PS4, PS5, and Steam
• Alan Wake 2 is coming to lig???ht up the night in 2023
• Wonder Woman game is in the works from Monolith
• Star Wars E??clipse is a High Republic action-?adventure game from Quantic Dream
• Final Fantasy VII ?Remake Intergrade hits PC next week
• Sonic Frontiers is an open world?? Sonic game coming in late 2022
• Cuphead: The Delicious L?ast Course is out June 30 (for real this?? time)
• Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands shows?? off multiple celebrity roles at The Game Awards
• Long overdue Wa?rhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 ??finally announced
• The first trailer? for the Halo TV show is ?finally here
• It’s Sonic vs. Knuckles in the fi??rst trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Suicide Squad’s first gameplay footage looks very promis?ing
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II shows of??f some particularly presc??riptive gameplay
• Perso?na 4 Arena Ultimax lands on Steam, Switch, and PS4 next year
• This new Elden Ring stor?y trailer makes the wait for it more annoying
• T??here’s body horror galore in the debut trailer for Slitterh?ead
• Dune: Spice Wars will see the series relive its strategic?? past
• The Matrix Awakens is a c??ool tech demo with a surprising bit of charm to it
• I swear on the Precious, I wish this Gollum trailer had more g?ameplay

The post Let’s watch The Game Awards 2021 together appeared first on Destructoid.

A full lineup of cool new independent games

Today, Future of Play Direct organizer Glitch showcased a bunch of new and previously announced independent projects from some neat ?studios. It was all or??ganized under the Future of Play banner, running just ahead of tonight's Game Awards 2021.

The show featured a bunch of cool trailers, as well as some musical performances ??and updates. So without further ado,? here's a quick recap of everything that was shown at today's Future of Play Direct.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IOXJzoA_CQ

The show opened with some music from Spirit Swap: Lofi Beats to Match-3 To, an upcoming chill puzzle game. It's coming in 2022 and has a Steam page up for wishlisting, as well as a demo.

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

Hidden Variable showcased Umbrella, a character coming to Skullgirls 2nd Encore and Mobile. She's in Early Access now. The developer also showed a little tease of Black Dahlia, the next fighter joining the roster in the ever-expanding Skullgirls universe.

Curses is coming in 2022, and looks like a mix of spells, magic, and grunge. It's definitely giving me Daria vibes.

Wander Stars, meanwhile, is mixing an Akira Toriyama-inspired art style with a build-your-own-attack Mad Libs-esque battle system. Definitely not like anything I've seen in recent memory. That's coming soon to Kickstarter.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGi88ucOO3E

The gorgeous top-down action-RPG Midautumn also made an appearance. This one's been on my radar for a while, as it's working with some really cool concepts and influences. Think Hades, but about the Asian dias??pora and also demons and?? stuff. That's available to wishlist on Steam.

One More Multiverse brought some tabletop to t?he Future of Play Direct, with a customizable and modifiable set of tools for organizing your very own tabletop session. It's got a great style to it, and I imagine for those trying to organize long-distance play sessions,? this definitely has some appeal.

Virtuoso Neomedia took ??over the stream to invite? on some musical guests, showcasing some of the music coming in its upcoming slate of games.

Next up was an ominous, foreboding trailer for The Wreck, which seems like it's going to be appealing to folks who like story-driven games. That's coming in Spring 2022, from Bury me, my love dev The Pixel Hunt and Kowloon Nights.

Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between brings an ominous, foreboding presence to driving alone at night. It's certainly got a look to it, and looks like it'll appeal to the folks that liked other taxi-narratives like Neo Cab. That's coming in 2022.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7dU-0S3ZLM

If the thought of Max Payne taking on a horde of demons with a little influence from Alan Wake appeals to you, well, welcome to El Paso Elsewhere. Am I biased just because it's got a lil' Texas in the title? Absolutely. But the diving, dodging, and gun-blasting looks good too. That's available to wishlist on Steam.

That's also the first of two Strange Scaffold games shown today, as Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator also made an appearance. This management game about buying and trading organs on the interstellar black market is out now for PC and Xbox consoles, and is also a part of Xbox Game Pass. Also, I think it can use the Kinect? Kudos to a game using Kinect in 2021.

Hyper Gunsport is a competitive, well, gun sport featuring different teams, stages, and both local competitive ga?meplay and a sing??le-player or co-op story mode. Blast the puck until it flies into the opponent's goal. Necrosoft and Hitcents are bringing the action to PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Switch in 2022.

The final montage featured a bevy of indies, so here's the quick rundown if y??ou're looking for more to add to yo?ur Steam wishlist:

• Unbeatable - D-Cell Games
• Sword of Symphony - Stephen Ddungu
• She Dreams Elsewhere - Studio Zevere
• Sail Forth - David Evans Games
• My Work Is Not Yet Done - Spencer Yan
• Venice 2089 - Safe Place Studio
• Beacon Pines - Hiding Spot Games
• High Elo Girls - Split Fate Studios
• Skatebird - Glass Bottom Games
• No Straight Roads - Metronomik
• Nour: Play With Your Food - Terrifying Jellyfish
• Roadout - Rastrolabs
• Super Space Club - GrahamOfLegend

The Glitch team is also hosting a Steam event from now through Dec. 16, featuring demos and the f??ull lineup from today's show.

The post Here’s everything shown at today’s Future of Play Direct stream appeared first on Destructoid.

These PS4 and PS5 deals are running until December 13 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific

I'm still working my way through my top-of-the-pile Black Friday game backlog, but if for whatever reason you missed any of those deals on newer PS4/PS5 releases, many of them are back in the PlayStation Store 2021 Game Awards sale. And Kena has a deal, too!

My main motivation for even covering the sale is Kena: Bridge of Spirits, which was uneven in spots but ended up being a pretty great throwback to PS2-era 3D platformers. Between that and Psychonauts 2 living up to my expectations, I had a good year.

While I can't cover Battlefield 2042 without mentioning the fine print �annoying bugs, a less-than-ideal character system, and sometimes too-big-for-their-own-good battles �I think that plenty of people will have fun with the game now that the first few patches are out. The $40?????????????????????????? to $50 range is a hell of a lot be?tter than $60 to $70, I'll say that much.

On the complete other end of the spectrum, there's Chicory. It's a real gem.

Highlights plucked from the list of 130 games

• 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim ($23.99)
• Alan Wake Remastered ($23.99)
• Assassin's Creed Valhalla ($23.99)
• Back 4 Blood ($41.99)
• Batman: Arkham Knight ($3.99)
• Battlefield 2042 PS4 ($40.19) | Battlefield 2042 PS5 ($48.99)
• Borderlands 3 ($14.99)
• Chicory: A Colorful Tale ($15.99)
• Deathloop ($29.99)
• Demon's Souls ($39.89)
• F1 2021 ($29.99)
• Far Cry 6 ($35.99)
• Guilty Gear Strive ($38.99)
• Hades ($19.99)
• Hitman 3 ($23.99)
• It Takes Two ($24.79)
• Jett: The Far Shore ($22.49)
• Jurassic World Evolution 2 ($47.99)
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits ($27.99)
• Life is Strange: True Colors ($38.99)
• Marvel's Gardeners of the Galaxy ($38.99)
• Mass Effect Legendary Edition ($29.99)
• No Man's Sky ($29.99)
• Outriders ($19.79)
• Psychonauts 2 ($38.99)
• Raji: An Ancient Epic ($12.49)
• Resident Evil Village ($29.99)
• Returnal ($49.69)
• Riders Republic ($35.99)
• Streets of Rage 4 ($14.99)
• Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania ($29.99)
• Tales of Arise Deluxe Edition ($59.49)
• Watch Dogs: Legion ($14.99)
• Yakuza: Like a Dragon Legendary Hero Edition ($44.99)

If you're not qu??ite ready to act on some of these deals, you'll almost certainly get another chance with end-of-year ho?liday sales. The cycle continues, so don't feel pressure.

The post PlayStation Store Game Awards sale highlights i?nclude Kena? and Battlefield 2042 appeared first on Destructoid.

The prices are steeper than we'd like, but you might find something to latch onto

While we hope for something, anything big out of Nintendo at tonight's Game Awards 2021, there's a decent chunk o??f Switch games on sale to celebr??ate. The deals cover winners and nominees, and they're set to last until 11:59 p.m. Pacific on December 15.

At first glance, the prices are pretty underwhelming, and I'd say that goes for second glances, too. But there are some competitive eShop prices sprinkled in here, including Ori and the Will of the Wisps, which is at an all-time low. This is also a chance to save on DLC for games like Cadence of Hyrule, Doom Eternal, Breath of the Wild, and Splatoon 2.

I'm also surprised by a couple of the featured names �before today, I wasn't familiar with No Longer Home, a game about post-grad life and separati??on. Check the full l??ist.

The Game Awards Winner and Nominee Switch sale

• Cadence of Hyrule ($17.49) | Season Pass ($10.49)
• Carrion ($11.99)
• Doom Eternal ($23.99) | The Ancient Gods Expansion Pass ($14.99)
• FIFA 22 Nintendo Switch Legacy Edition ($19.99)
• Hot Wheels Unleashed Collectors Edition ($48.99) | Ultimate Stunt Edition ($62.99)
• Knockout City Standard Edition ($9.99) | Deluxe Edition ($14.99)
• Monster Hunter Rise ($44.99)
• Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate ($17.99)
• No Longer Home ($9.74)
• Octopath Traveler ($41.99)
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps ($11.99)
• Raji: An Ancient Epic ($12.49)
• Röki ($7.99)
• Spelunky 2 ($15.99)
• Spiritfarer ($14.99)
• Splatoon 2 ($41.99) | Octo Expansion ($13.99)
• The Forgotten City â€?Cloud Version ($23.99)
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild ($41.99) | Expansion Pass ($13.99)
• The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening ($41.99)
• Through the Darkest of Times ($4.99)

Random low-price Switch eShop deals

There's almost never just a single promo happening on the eShop, so while I've got your attention, here are more Switch deals happening now beyond the Game Awards sale: Tools Up! ($2.99), Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 ($21.99), Romancing SaGa 2 ($7.49), Romancing SaGa 3 ($8.69), SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions ($8.99), Trivial Pursuit Live! ($7.99), Asterix & Obelix XXL: Romastered ($11.99), and Boyfriend Dungeon ($15.99).

The eShop,?? especially Nintendo games on the eShop, can be such ?a fickle beast.

The post Ni?ntendo Switch eShop is running a Game Awards sale and other assorted deals appeared first on Destructoid.

After an early lead in the multi-part polls, Halo Infinite ultimately took the Players' Voice award

[Update 2: After a three-part audience vote with game-of-the-year contenders, Halo Infinite was declared the winner? of the?? Players' Voice award at The Game Awards 2021.]

[Update: The list of nominees for the Players' Voice award started at 30 games, then it was whittled down to ten, and now there are just five finalists left at The Game Awards 2021. The polls are still open, and the winner will be either Halo Infinite, It Takes Two, Metroid Dread, Resident Evil Village, or Forza Horizon 5. We'll find out on December 8.]

With constantly shifting results, it's fun to keep tabs on the audience vote at The Game Awards. 2021 has no shortage of potential game-of-the-year contenders vying for the top spot, and if you want to help your favorites �or if you're just curious to see what other folks are rallying behind �then the Players' Voice section is worth a look.

Public voting opened on December 2 with 30 games in the running and 10 votes available, so fans can c??ast a pretty wide net right now. Here's the nominee list, which is a mix of games that launched in 2021 and some unshakable g??iants that are still hanging on:

• Deathloop
• Resident Evil Village
• Forza Horizon 5
• GTA Online
• Halo Infinite
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Battlefield 2042
• Monster Hunter Rise
• Little Nightmares II
• Returnal
• Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits
• Hitman 3
• Neo: The World Ends With You
• Shin Megami Tensei V
• Life is Strange: True Colors
• Destiny 2
• Fortnite
• Call of Duty: Warzone
• Final Fantasy XIV
• Metroid Dread
• It Takes Two
• Pyschonauts 2
• Inscryption
• Death's Door
• League of Legends
• Genshin Impact
• Apex Legends
• Valorant
• New World

At the time of writing, Halo Infinite is at the top with eight percent of the Players' Voice vote. Resident Evil Village and Forza Horizon 5 are right behind it at seven percent, followed by It Takes Two with six percent, and several great titles at five percent: Psychonauts 2, Metroid Dread, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.

From here, round two of The Game Awards audience voting will begin on December 5 (with ten nominees and five votes to cast), and then the third and final round will start on December 7 (with five nominees and a single vote). Then it's the live show on Dec. 9.

Again, it's just the first round of voting at The Game Awards 2021, so expect big shifts as the nominee pool continues to shrink and fandoms rally. Last year's Players' Voice award ultimately went to Ghost of Tsushima, which seemed spot-on. It's a well-liked game!

As for Halo Infinite, the campaign isn't out yet, but a ton of us sure love the multiplayer.

The post The Gam?e Awards 2021 audience ?award went to Halo Infinite (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.

The new game from many former EA devs looks set for a Game Awards spot

Embark Studios, the development house founded by former Electronic Arts executive Patrick Söderlund, looks set to reveal its first game. Today, the studio shared a post about ARC Raiders, with more info to come on Dec. 9.

ARC Raiders will be the debut project from Embark. And while we only saw a little bit today, more is coming later this week. And, wouldn't you know it, Dec. 9 is the same day as The Game Awards 2021. And the awards show tweeted an eyes emoji about the trailer, too.

//twitter.com/ARCRaidersGame/status/14679??3324?4880392196

Watching the trailer, it looks pretty sci-fi and futuristic and oh my god was that a giant ball?

Giant orbs ricocheting around the environment aside, Embark has got some talent behind it and some solid backing too. It'll be interesting to see what the team has to show for ARC Raiders on Dec. 9??. Hopefully it will entail some explanation for the giant doom ball.

As for the awards show itself, the stream will start on Thursday, Dec. 9. You can find the full list of nominees here, and voting is already open for the fan-voted portion of the ballot. Halo Infinite had a lead previously, th??ough who knows who could take it by the time the show goes up.

Alongside the awards, showrunner Geoff Keighley has also teased a bevy of games that will appear during the course of the evening. Those will, notably, not include any Activision Blizzard games, outside those ??already nominated for awards through the selection process.

The post Embark Studios tea?ses its debut game ARC Raiders, more coming on December 9 appeared first on Destructoid.