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Cristiano Ronaldo’s second coming at Manchester United has already produced two memorable moments with late winners against Villarreal and Atalanta to edge the Red Devils towards the last 16 of the UEFA

If Gianni Infantino was in any doubt how divisive his rule of world football has become, it was revealed to the FIFA president during an hour-long video call with leaders of European federations.

Bayern Munich confirmed yesterday that head coach Julian Nagelsmann has tested positive for COVID-19 — even though he is fully vaccinated — having already sat out its UEFA Champions League win at Benfica

Barcelona and teenage forward Ansu Fati have agreed on a contract extension to 2027 that includes a buyout clause of 1 billion euros (US$1.17 billion).

Liu Wenbo and Pan Yanhong set the early pace at the Guowei Centre Plaza Zhuhai Challenge yesterday as each opened with a round of 4-under-par 68 to share a one-shot lead in Guangdong Province.

The Olympic Flame for the Beijing 2022 Winter Games was handed over yesterday to the Chinese organizers in a ceremony held at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens.

Opening-night squad lists for the National Basketball Association’s 2021-22 season, which was to kick off later yesterday, will feature 109 international players from 39 countries, according to the le

Milwaukee Bucks guard Grayson Allen has signed a multiyear contract extension less than 2-1/2 months after the team acquired him from the Memphis Grizzlies.

The New York Knicks are the NBA’s most valuable team for a seventh consecutive year, according to the annual list published by Forbes on Monday.

English Premier League clubs moved on Monday to prevent Newcastle United immediately striking lucrative sponsorship deals with companies linked to its new Saudi ownership.

Unvaccinated tennis players and other athletes are unlikely to get visas to enter Australia, a government official said yesterday, putting Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open title defense and bid for the

The Olympic flame will once again be lit in an empty stadium today as it starts its truncated journey to Beijing for the Winter Games in February. Like the ceremony in March 2020 to light the flame for

Formula One will publish a record 23-race 2022 calendar today but the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai is set to be absent for the third year in a row.

Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan believes big men entering the league from other countries thrive because they were taught the fundamentals of the game at a young age.

Next year’s Tour de France will see the return of the Paris-Roubaix cobblestones and take the peloton to the summit of the famed Alpe d’Huez mountain.

Kenyan police were yesterday hunting for the husband of record-breaking runner Agnes Tirop who was stabbed to death in an incident that has shocked her home country and the world of athletics.

FIFA is investigating the clashes at Wembley Stadium in London between police and Hungarian supporters at Tuesday’s game against England, saying it has “zero tolerance against such abhorrent behavior.

China coach Li Tie wants his players to experience the confidence boost of playing their Asian World Cup qualifiers in front of their own supporters as they prepare to return home after a challenging two-month

Kenyan runner Agnes Tirop, a two-time world championship bronze medalist, has been found dead at her home, the country’s track federation said yesterday.

The Brooklyn Nets decided on Tuesday to bar star guard Kyrie Irving from practice as well as games in the National Basketball Association season that starts next week because he refuses to be vaccinated

Hong Kong economists have warned about the possible impacts the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act may have on investor confidence in the city as an international financial center, as well as its status as an independent tariff territory.

Multilateralism and global partnership are critical to building a new world order that will ensure people reach the future they desire, agreed the attendees of a top-level international forum in Conghua district of Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province, Monday.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region announced on Tuesday it will soon unveil a new round of relief measures, one day after the city recorded its biggest plunge in retail sales.

With support from United States and United Kingdom politicians, the anti-China and anti-communist political forces in Hong Kong obtained an unprecedented victory in the sixth District Council elections. Just one week before polling day, riots kept escalating to a new high level, and three days before the election was held, peace suddenly returned to Hong Kong. There were clear indications that the six-month-long "black revolution" was the result of a rebellious plot orchestrated by its masterminds.

I just spent a week in Hong Kong, and luckily, it was peaceful. Radical protesters had called off violence for the previous weekend in order to "ensure" that the District Council elections would not be canceled. As a result, things were normal on the ground. However, as has been typical for the past few months, in the following weekend, things quickly sparked up again.

Is the highly efficient MTR still beloved by the people of Hong Kong? The answer should be a resounding "yes". Yet the city this year has witnessed its horrific, willful destruction. Extremist protesters have vandalized the entire MTR system for months on end.

Too many people in Hong Kong do not understand "one country, two systems", why this is important for all of us, and what it takes to make it work.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po warned on Monday that the special administrative region government faces a budget shortfall for the first time in 15 years because of the recession. This can be seen as a warning to local residents to prepare for some tough times ahead.

All over the world, protest movements are on the march. In places as diverse as Chile, Haiti, Iraq, Ecuador, France and Bolivia, people are taking to the streets to make their voices heard. Their demands are varied, but all have come to the conclusion they must engage in direct action to get what they believe their governments won't provide.

Hong Kong's retail and hotel sectors have yet to recover if the latest sales figures are anything to go by, with the city continuing to be mired in nearly six months of violent protests.

The government is expected to record its first budget deficit in 15 years as the city's general economic environment has been impacted by social unrest as well as ongoing China-United States trade frictions.

The overwhelming victory for the anti-establishment camp in the just-concluded 2019 District Council elections was a surprise, said Liberal Party leader Felix Chung Kwok-pan.

Felix Chung Kwok-pan, leader of the pro-business Liberal Party, said it is "unfair and unnecessary" for the United States to pass the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act with the purpose of imposing sanctions on the SAR.

The government's proposal to create an Independent Review Committee to find why and how the violent protests happened and what to do in their aftermath would be a step in the right direction if Hong Kong is to move on, Lan Kwai Fong Holdings Chairman Allan Zeman said.

State security authorities in Guangdong province have arrested two men for alleged involvement in Hong Kong riots and endangering national security, Guangzhou Daily reported on Saturday.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong was the big winner in the 2019 Campus Newspaper Awards, hosted by China Daily Hong Kong Edition on Sunday.

The economic vitality and sound infrastructure of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is helping it attract more talent and become one of China's strongest talent banks.

The tragic death of student Alex Chow Tsz-lok and 70-year-old cleaner Uncle Luo is a solemn reminder of the inevitable tragic consequences of civil unrest when carried too far, with uncontrollable rioters taking to the streets, causing unwarranted mass destruction to both public and private property, and requiring an equally forceful police action to stop it.

Although sentencing is an art and not a science, there are occasions when the duty of the courts is crystal clear. Public disorder is an obvious example of the type of criminality which invariably requires a firm response. As the Court of Final Appeal explained in its judgment in an unlawful assembly appeal in 2018, "public order must be maintained", and this requires the judges "to consider the factor of deterrence in sentencing" (FACC 8/2017).

While not a few tendentious Western politicos and media - which for the past five months have been overtly supporting anti-government protesters and not condemning violent rioters - are feverishly crowing about the win of "pan-democrat" candidates in Hong Kong's District Council elections, I have a bigger-picture and sober perspective: The peaceful, efficient and high-turnout election is ultimately a clear victory for "one country, two systems" and a chance for the city's long-term social peace.

Like the ill-advised trade war initiated by US President Donald Trump, which has caused the world economy to slow down as well as led to vast lost opportunities for both the United States and China, the so-called "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act" superciliously passed by US lawmakers and signed by Trump, is another mistake of monumental stupidity that will disadvantage all.

The central government on Thursday issued a statement on behalf of the 1.4 billion Chinese people that strongly opposed the signing into law by US President Donald Trump of the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019.

It is fortunate that the sixth-term District Council elections were peacefully conducted. The results surprised many, with the opposition camp pocketing 392 of the 452 seats up for grabs. But the significance of the results goes beyond this.

Director Jacob Cheung's latest venture, The Opera House, is part film and part social mission in its attempts to connect audiences with times long gone.

Christmas lights

Film franchises usually enjoy a captive audience. Whether you are a Marvel fan or a Twilight obsessive, the pull of familiar characters and situations can be quite strong.

There's an understandable but unnecessary affliction that haunts artists of all disciplines from smaller and, especially, non-Western nations: an institutionalized reverence for the pervading cultural hegemony, and a resulting inferiority complex nurtured in the homegrown.

At a time when technology drives the way we live to a large extent, some of today's leading British designers with a Hong Kong connection seem keen to reconnect with a part of their heritage that predates the technological invasion.

The HKSAR government is slated to start land resumption to resolve the city's housing woes. Some experts say it will be effective in meeting housing demand, but others argue the long time frame is a big hurdle. Oswald Chan reports.

The whole story started with a camera when Alan Lim was just 21 years old.

The demand for riot and civil unrest insurance policies should go up, but the market for this business insurance segment may not flourish, given the potential difficulties of creating an adequate financial pool to support it, industry experts said.

E-commerce professional Alan Lim knows the business well after more than 10 years in the game. He is focused on emerging markets and avoids those where the giants are. Edith Lu reports.

US businesses in Hong Kong and the Hong Kong business community reiterated their mounting concerns that the signing of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act into law will have a chilling effect on US commercial interests in the Asian financial center and send negative signals around the world about the city's long-cherished advantages.

Hong Kong-listed retailer Best Mart 360 reported on Wednesday a 6 percent year-on-year decline in net profit for the six months ending on Sept 30, despite its HK$610 million ($78 million) revenue, up 14.7 percent compared with last year, during the same period.

Leung slams foreign and local opposition politicians for spreading lies about SAR's 'high-degree autonomy', Beijing's legitimate role

Hong Kong police said on Thursday officers would end the 12-day siege of the campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Hong Hum as early as Friday (today) - but they did not provide a specific time frame.

The United States' signing of a Hong Kong-related bill into law shows its clear intention to meddle in the city's local affairs and to use the city as a pawn to contain China, local politicians and experts said on Thursday.

Civil servants convicted of criminal offenses will face not only the legal consequences but also disciplinary action from the government, Hong Kong's civil servant chief said on Wednesday.

Newly elected district councilors must take a harsher stance against violence and dedicate themselves to the improvement of livelihoods in their communities, or they may lose the public's trust and also their seats, political observers said.

Police confirmed on Wednesday they will enter the Hong Kong Polytechnic University on Thursday (today) morning.

Violence in Hong Kong in the past several months, including the occupation of streets and the damage to public transportation, has created a lot of uncertainty and fear among foreign companies. The chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said some of them are delaying their respective plans in the city.

It is time to get to work. The District Council elections have handed a landslide victory to a large group of new politicians who are young and energetic. They clearly wish to roll up their sleeves and get on with learning the ropes.

A United States senator from Florida, Marco Rubio, has pushed and prodded his colleagues with misleading information, gained bipartisan support, and finally managed to obtain unanimous Senate approval of his benignly named Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019.

It is hoped that the lull in violence over the weekend during the District Council elections will translate into permanent calm and peace. The lawlessness and violence witnessed in the weeks before the Sunday election were extremely inimical to and recklessly defiled Hong Kong's proud, noble tradition of robust freedoms.

The pro-establishment camp's defeat in the District Council Election is not entirely unexpected. Notwithstanding the common-sense presumption that most Hong Kong citizens are opposed to the street violence, property destruction and transportation disruption wreaked upon our once-safe and orderly society by the "blackshirts" in the past six months, there was a reliable opinion survey before the election showing that 40 percent of the citizens actually support their anarchy! With such deviant thinking, what can you expect!

While the results of Sunday's District Council elections are still being analyzed, one message was crystal clear - the 2.9 million registered voters who cast their ballots in a peaceful and orderly fashion at 610 polling stations across the city told us they are sick of violence; and opinions, even differing ones, could be expressed in a lawful manner.

As November arrived, the "black revolution" riots took a turn for the worse to become terrorism, with rioters setting a member of the public on fire and violently attacking the police. Meting out extra-judicial torture has become commonplace. The once-picturesque Chinese University of Hong Kong was turned into a scene of desolation overnight. Sharing the same fate with its counterpart, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the City University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University were occupied as bases for riots. The nine local universities were forced either to prematurely end the semester or switch the classes into online lectures. Students from the mainland were so threatened that they had to return to their hometowns, while their classmates from Taiwan and overseas fled Hong Kong. The SAR government conceded that Hong Kong was no longer a safe city.

A 24-year-old woman was sentenced to 46 months in prison on Tuesday on two charges of rioting in Mong Kok over three years ago.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government should make no further concessions to violence, but must resist it with all the means at its disposal, the city's former director of public prosecutions said on Tuesday at a legal forum on the ongoing social unrest in Hong Kong.

Many judges and lawyers believe that in judicial review cases, judges can invalidate and declare certain local legislation and sub-legislation to be unconstitutional by making reference to the Basic Law.

International educators will be deeply saddened by the events on campuses of Hong Kong's highly regarded universities, leading to early closure of the fall term and international students' returning home early.

Many people in Hong Kong take it as a fact that Beijing failed to honor what had been promised. They allege that Beijing has effectively taken away Hong Kong people's right to elect their chief executive, and that is the "institutional violence" that instigated their protests and then the violence.

To whom it may concern,

Most voters of the just-concluded District Council elections cast their votes out of dissatisfaction with the government, instead of making a rational decision, political analysts said on Monday, cautioning that voters may end up paying a price for that choice.

The Hong Kong SAR government on Monday submitted documents to the Court of Appeal to apply for an appeal against the court's ruling on the city's anti-mask law.

Experts have called for tailored reform to address the low profitability of climate-friendly investment, following the country's recent initiation of a think tank to tap the potential of financial instruments in the sector.

Hong Kong's pro-establishment camp pledged to continue serving the community and to proactively improve people's livelihoods after suffering a massive setback in local elections.

Six months of progressively worsening turmoil is causing negative reverberations across the expatriate community.

On Wednesday, both houses of the United States Congress passed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act - a bill designed to implement sanctions on officials and rescind the city's "special status" if Washington deems certain requirements are not met. Sponsored and pushed by hawkish senators such as Marco Rubio, the bill is expected to be signed by President Donald Trump, despite his personal ambivalence and unwillingness to get involved on the issue. The legislation is expected to cause disruption to US-China relations, with Beijing condemning it as a violation of national sovereignty and intervention in its internal affairs.

At his meetings at the BRICS Summit earlier this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping suggested that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government get tough on rioters who continue to vandalize and destabilize Hong Kong. "Hong Kong's most pressing task remains bringing violence and chaos to an end and restoring order," he said, according to China's official Xinhua News Agency.

It'll be a vote for peace and order in Hong Kong, and for someone who really cares about the welfare of the neighborhood and the community at large - that's how a wide sector of the registered electors in Hong Kong's 2019 district council elections summed up as they turned up in record numbers to cast their ballots in Sunday's crucial polls.

Marriott International recently unveiled its new ride-hailing service for luxury hotels under the group, aimed at improving the experience of an increasing number of high-net-worth customers in the Chinese market.

The Hong Kong High Court on Friday ordered the anti-mask law to remain in force for the next seven days at the request of the government.

On the night of Nov 16, battles between the police and anti-government protesters around the Hong Kong Polytechnic University were intense.

On the streets and in the grounds of their university near the harbourfront on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong, masked students draw powerful bows and fire sharpened arrows at police and civilians with reckless abandon.

On Wednesday morning in Hong Kong, we received news that the so-called "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act" has obtained bipartisan support in the US Senate.

Only two days left before the District Council elections on Sunday. In keeping with the principles and basic requirements for democratic elections, all parties concerned must stop any incompatible behavior for voting to be fair and valid.

One can witness a scene of mockery in the evening after two High Court judges, Anderson Chow Ka-ming and Godfrey Lam Wan-ho, ruled that the anti-mask law is unconstitutional and incompatible with the Basic Law.

Seamless fabrics

Disney is everywhere. On Nov 12, Disney's streaming service launched in three territories, three more a week later, and will likely hit platforms in Asia in the near future.

This weekend should have been a celebration. For me and thousands of other Hong Kong-based music fans, Nov 22 was a date we'd been counting down to since the final spotlight flickered out at last year's Clockenflap Music and Arts Festival.

Last week, even as some of Hong Kong's university campuses had turned into scenes of pitched battles between radical protesters and the city's police forces, and the toxicity in the atmosphere had obliterated the space for debate, nearly 6,000 kilometers away in Dubai a graduate design project from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) was drawing attention.

Young scholars and media communication students will be offered a platform that will be tap their talents for good stories about the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Economic recession induced by prolonged unrest and the trade war have battered HK businesses. Are government stimulus measures effective? Oswald Chan reports.

While the escalating unrest may force some of the biggest retail names to quit or downsize in the city, other brands may cash in on the low rents available to enter the local or Chinese mainland markets. Pamela Lin reports.

Zeman says the bill is merely a gambit by US lawmakers who have little idea about what is really happening in the city

　　导语：从纽约、伦敦到米兰，Prada、Fendi、Versace这些老牌扛把子终于开场。但T台上下一些时尚边缘的“美”，又来挑战键盘侠们的心理防线了。比如肤色斑驳的白癜风女模、还有一路从纽约杀过来到“国际鸡”。（编辑：杜明伟） Philipp Plein秀场上的Winnie Harlow 　　首先是出....

　　导语：长久以来，模特圈都存在着一个可怕的双重标准。（来源：GhettoBitch） 　　当我们谈论起high fashion的白人男孩，我们谈论的是Dominik Sodach这样童话中走出来的精灵王子。 　　然而，当我们谈论一个亚洲的high fashion男模时，我们首先想到的是这样的男孩形象，颧骨分....

　　导语：大家喝过的泥煤味威士忌有哪些呢？艾雷岛泥煤三巨头、布赫拉迪泥煤怪兽、还是重泥煤……下面是五款最具特色的泥煤味威士忌，你喝过的有哪几款呢？（来源：中威网） 　　泥煤味威士忌通常被描述为“消毒药水”的味道，但有时候你会发现这泥煤味跟喇叭丸的味道有些相似，....

　　导语：新学期开学了，没想到孩子们《开学第一课》就在微博热搜上呆了一个礼拜之久。对于这个强制性要求观看的节目，不少人都把矛头对准了节目中年纪较轻的几位男孩。（来源：磁器CHINA） 　　我的微信朋友圈是被这条推送刷屏的： 　　网络上满是“少年娘则国娘”、“没有阳刚....

　　2018年已经过了四分之三，你还不打算换一个发型吗？男生发型绝对不可乱，并且一定要帅！趁着春夏之际，赶紧换一个帅气的发型吧！它会帮你完美改变不一样的时尚感觉。 男生齐刘海短发 　　中学生的发型最适合短发造型，住校生也好走读生也好，梳短发造型配齐刘海，两边的头发自....

　　导语：豹纹一直以来给人的形象都是俗、妖、low、难驾驭。可偏偏却在每个季度都被设计师们无限循环利用。明星们也对豹纹爱不释手，别说演出时的夸张造型，就连出街也都豹纹穿在身。（来源：瑞丽网） 　　左中右依次为 Chalayan、Tom Ford、Victoria Beckham 2018 Fall/Winter....

　　导语：如果秋天只能买一双鞋，我会毫不犹豫的选择芭蕾鞋！它既拥有平底鞋舒适好穿，轻盈百搭的优点，又具有高跟鞋优雅复古，大方迷人的特质。让你一穿上就情不自禁闭上眼睛旋转跳跃，从甜美可爱的少女到风姿绰约的成熟女性，芭蕾鞋能让你从孩童时代一直优雅到老。（来源：瑞丽....

　　导语：俗话说：女人得了病，女人生气了，女人不开心，一个包就全解决了，如果一个不够那就两个。女人永远缺个包，花色款式百无禁忌，在这个看脸的世界里，迷你包可从来没输过。是时候抛下“买经典大包背一辈子”这种自欺欺人誓言了，让手袋回归愉悦人心的配饰，微缩成可以轻松....

　　导语：时尚圈的轮回我们已经见识过太多次了，你永远不知道下一波又要赶什么潮流。从前的乞丐专利补丁装如今摇身一变成为时髦精们的大爱，好好的衣服放着不穿，非要在上面贴块布，这样的“不伦不类”若是被奶奶看到了说不定又要把贴布硬拆下来补在破洞裤上。（来源：瑞丽网） ....

　　导语：夏秋交替时时高时低的气温真的让人很难把握，穿搭选择时也令人心力交瘁，而卫衣的出现解决了搭配的大难题，可搭裙装亦可搭裤装，有了卫衣的神助攻，让你平安度过换季期！（转自：ELLE） 　　一入九月，江疏影就一连好几身卫衣LOOK现身机场，绝对是名副其实的“卫衣控”....

　　导语：去年，LVMH宣布Phoebe Philo辞去CELINE创意总监的职务，不少人对此表示非常遗憾，毕竟她在CELINE的十年间打造了不少经典作品，除了CELINE简约又精致的设计，也有很多人喜欢她极简主义的时尚态度，她本人知性又有气质的穿搭能给我们带来不少启示。（转自：时尚COSMO） 　....

　　导语：Hello各位仙女们，2018年就这样华丽丽地拉开了序幕，不知道各位的2018开启得如何？在这段辞旧迎新的日子里，2017年买的衣服似乎又配不上今年更美的自己了：-）。难道真的只剩下买买买的道路了吗，告诉你可不止这一个选择~（转自：时尚芭莎） Hello各位仙女们，2018年....

　　导语：米兰时装周渐入佳境，这场时尚宫斗剧来了几位重量级的演员。吴秀波、靳东这两位可以在title上成为王爷的老戏骨和众佳丽拔得头筹的赵薇、姚晨亮相了，老戏骨为米兰时尚添砖加瓦。 　　靳东赵薇吴秀波姚晨 时尚老戏骨给米兰宫斗戏加码 　　靳东 靳东 靳东 　　ETRO大中华....

　　导语：衬衫蕴含着一种深刻的两极性，这在服装文化中非常有趣。（来源：遇见衬衫） 　　一方面，它是大众消费品，某种商品一旦消费者太多，就会显得廉价。道理与21世纪的‘网红脸’、‘网络热词’一模一样。 　　衬衫是当今世界除了T恤和牛仔裤之外，产量最大的服装产品。仅中....

　　导语：不要一提起男性时尚杂志，就想起欧美系的《GQ》和《睿士》。邻国日本除了成人杂志和小电影，还是个男性时尚杂志的大户。（来源：视知TV） 　　今天本格就来和大家聊一聊，日本有哪些人气爆棚、风格各异的男性时尚杂志。 　　你上一次看的时尚杂志是什么？ 　　可能是出....

Les ministres de la Défense de l'OTAN ont approuvé jeudi un plan visant à se défendre contre d'éventuelles attaques sur de multiples fronts et sont convenus de lancer un fonds d'un milliard de dollars pour financer de nouvelles technologies.

Dedicated devotees of grassroots game confident their hard work will reap rewards

World junior figure-skating champion Alina Zagitova on Saturday led a Russian one-two to capture her first Grand Prix Final crown, maintaining a superb performance in her senior debut season.

ST MORITZ, Switzerland - American Lindsey Vonn sustained an injury during the World Cup super-G race in St Moritz on Saturday as Switzerland's Lara Gut crashed halfway down the course.

ST MORITZ, Switzerland - American Lindsey Vonn sustained an injury during the World Cup super-G race in St Moritz on Saturday as Switzerland's Lara Gut crashed halfway down the course.

ST MORITZ, Switzerland - American Lindsey Vonn sustained an injury during the World Cup super-G race in St Moritz on Saturday as Switzerland's Lara Gut crashed halfway down the course.

Luis Suarez and Leo Messi both scored as FC Barcelona won 2-0 away to Villarreal to maintain their 5-point lead at the top of the Liga Santander at the end of matchday 15 of the season, which was played over this weekend.

Luis Suarez and Leo Messi both scored as FC Barcelona won 2-0 away to Villarreal to maintain their 5-point lead at the top of the Liga Santander at the end of matchday 15 of the season, which was played over this weekend.

Luis Suarez and Leo Messi both scored as FC Barcelona won 2-0 away to Villarreal to maintain their 5-point lead at the top of the Liga Santander at the end of matchday 15 of the season, which was played over this weekend.

Luis Suarez and Leo Messi both scored as FC Barcelona won 2-0 away to Villarreal to maintain their 5-point lead at the top of the Liga Santander at the end of matchday 15 of the season, which was played over this weekend.

Luis Suarez and Leo Messi both scored as FC Barcelona won 2-0 away to Villarreal to maintain their 5-point lead at the top of the Liga Santander at the end of matchday 15 of the season, which was played over this weekend.

Ronaldinho is planning a series of testimonial matches with his former clubs before officially announcing his retirement from football.

Ronaldinho is planning a series of testimonial matches with his former clubs before officially announcing his retirement from football.

Ronaldinho is planning a series of testimonial matches with his former clubs before officially announcing his retirement from football.

Ronaldinho is planning a series of testimonial matches with his former clubs before officially announcing his retirement from football.

Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Shaun Murphy 10-5 in the final of the UK Championship to win a record-equalling sixth UK Championship title at York's Barbican Center on Sunday.

Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Shaun Murphy 10-5 in the final of the UK Championship to win a record-equalling sixth UK Championship title at York's Barbican Center on Sunday.

Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Shaun Murphy 10-5 in the final of the UK Championship to win a record-equalling sixth UK Championship title at York's Barbican Center on Sunday.

Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Shaun Murphy 10-5 in the final of the UK Championship to win a record-equalling sixth UK Championship title at York's Barbican Center on Sunday.

The Chinese women's curling team became the first to gain a place at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games through a qualification event on Saturday.

The Chinese women's curling team became the first to gain a place at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games through a qualification event on Saturday.

The Chinese women's curling team became the first to gain a place at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games through a qualification event on Saturday.

The Chinese women's curling team became the first to gain a place at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games through a qualification event on Saturday.

The Chinese women's curling team became the first to gain a place at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games through a qualification event on Saturday.

The Chinese women's curling team became the first to gain a place at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games through a qualification event on Saturday.

River Plate secured their second consecutive Copa Argentina title by defeating Atletico Tucuman 2-1 in the final here on Saturday.

Colo-Colo secured their 32nd Chilean first division title by defeating Huachipato 3-0 away from home in their last match of the season on Saturday.

Renuka Suksukont captured her first international title on Saturday when the Thai completed a wire-to-wire victory at the ICTSI Philippine Ladies Masters in Laguna province.

Renuka Suksukont captured her first international title on Saturday when the Thai completed a wire-to-wire victory at the ICTSI Philippine Ladies Masters in Laguna province.

Real Madrid enjoyed a surprisingly easy win at home on Saturday, beating Sevilla 5-0 in their last game of La Liga before flying out to the World Club Championships.

Real Madrid enjoyed a surprisingly easy win at home on Saturday, beating Sevilla 5-0 in their last game of La Liga before flying out to the World Club Championships.

Real Madrid enjoyed a surprisingly easy win at home on Saturday, beating Sevilla 5-0 in their last game of La Liga before flying out to the World Club Championships.

Real Madrid enjoyed a surprisingly easy win at home on Saturday, beating Sevilla 5-0 in their last game of La Liga before flying out to the World Club Championships.

Athletics Kenya officials on Saturday protested against the cabinet secretary for sports over what they said was the minister's attempt to take over the running of athletics in the country.

Athletics Kenya officials on Saturday protested against the cabinet secretary for sports over what they said was the minister's attempt to take over the running of athletics in the country.

Brazil's Gremio have signed Peru under-18 captain Marco Saravia on a 12-month loan as they bolster their squad for the 2019 season.

Brazil's Gremio have signed Peru under-18 captain Marco Saravia on a 12-month loan as they bolster their squad for the 2019 season.

Five-time titlist Ronnie O'Sullivan reached the final of the UK Snooker Championship afte beating Stephen Maguire 6-4 in the semifinals at York on Saturday.

Five-time titlist Ronnie O'Sullivan reached the final of the UK Snooker Championship afte beating Stephen Maguire 6-4 in the semifinals at York on Saturday.

Marcello Lippi, head coach of China, reacts during the men's football match between South Korea and China at the EAFF E-1 football championship in Tokyo, Japan, Dec 9, 2017.

Marcello Lippi, head coach of China, reacts during the men's football match between South Korea and China at the EAFF E-1 football championship in Tokyo, Japan, Dec 9, 2017.

Marcello Lippi, head coach of China, reacts during the men's football match between South Korea and China at the EAFF E-1 football championship in Tokyo, Japan, Dec 9, 2017.

Marcello Lippi, head coach of China, reacts during the men's football match between South Korea and China at the EAFF E-1 football championship in Tokyo, Japan, Dec 9, 2017.

Marcello Lippi, head coach of China, reacts during the men's football match between South Korea and China at the EAFF E-1 football championship in Tokyo, Japan, Dec 9, 2017.

China held South Korea to a 2-2 draw in the 2017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship on Saturday:

China held South Korea to a 2-2 draw in the 2017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship on Saturday:

Former Bayer Leverkusen and Roma center back Juan has signed a new one-year contract with Brazilian club Flamengo, extending his professional career to the 23rd season.

Former Bayer Leverkusen and Roma center back Juan has signed a new one-year contract with Brazilian club Flamengo, extending his professional career to the 23rd season.

Brazil under-20 right back Dodo has joined Shakhtar Donetsk from Brazilian Serie A side Coritiba, the Ukrainian champions said on Friday.

Brazil under-20 right back Dodo has joined Shakhtar Donetsk from Brazilian Serie A side Coritiba, the Ukrainian champions said on Friday.

The German Football Association (DFB) named Philipp Lahm as the honorary captain of the national team in Frankfurt on Friday.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said on Friday that he believed Cristiano Ronaldo would end his career at the club.

PARIS - A decade of dominance by the world's two best soccer players has left Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi tied with five Ballon d'Or awards each.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - James Harden and the Houston Rockets are defined by their explosive offense, and it got the best of the Utah Jazz on Thursday night.

PHILADELPHIA - When LaVar Ball started taunting Philly fans in the fourth quarter, it only turned up the volume on an already raucous atmosphere on Thursday night.

Golf's revival in China has gained a major boost with a 300 million yuan ($45 million) investment to drive the once-suspended PGA Tour China series to new heights.

Jurgen Klopp urged his Liverpool players not to succumb to the hype generated by their own scintillating performances after they crushed Spartak Moscow to reach the Champions League knockout rounds in emphatic fashion.

Jurgen Klopp urged his Liverpool players not to succumb to the hype generated by their own scintillating performances after they crushed Spartak Moscow to reach the Champions League knockout rounds in emphatic fashion.

Jurgen Klopp urged his Liverpool players not to succumb to the hype generated by their own scintillating performances after they crushed Spartak Moscow to reach the Champions League knockout rounds in emphatic fashion.

Jurgen Klopp urged his Liverpool players not to succumb to the hype generated by their own scintillating performances after they crushed Spartak Moscow to reach the Champions League knockout rounds in emphatic fashion.

As this year's international skiing festival kicked off in Chongli district of Zhangjiakou, North China's Hebei province, many entrepreneurs from the Untied States have come here in groups to make business deals with local governments to develop the winter sports industry.

A China youth ice hockey development initiative was launched Thursday in Beijing, calling for further popularity of the sport in China in response to the “300 million people on ice" national campaign in the run-up to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

A China youth ice hockey development initiative was launched Thursday in Beijing, calling for further popularity of the sport in China in response to the “300 million people on ice" national campaign in the run-up to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

LONDON - Washing away the pain of last year's botched Champions League campaign, Tottenham completed this group stage as Europe's leading team.

LONDON - Washing away the pain of last year's botched Champions League campaign, Tottenham completed this group stage as Europe's leading team.

LONDON - Washing away the pain of last year's botched Champions League campaign, Tottenham completed this group stage as Europe's leading team.

LONDON - Washing away the pain of last year's botched Champions League campaign, Tottenham completed this group stage as Europe's leading team.

MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.

MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.

MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.

MADRID - Cristiano Ronaldo set yet another Champions League record on Wednesday, scoring in Real Madrid's 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund to become the first player to find the net in all six group-stage matches.

Chinese Super League clubs have been warned to tighten their purse strings or risk hamstringing the nation's soccer push.

Chinese Super League clubs have been warned to tighten their purse strings or risk hamstringing the nation's soccer push.

Chinese Super League clubs have been warned to tighten their purse strings or risk hamstringing the nation's soccer push.

Chinese Super League clubs have been warned to tighten their purse strings or risk hamstringing the nation's soccer push.

Chinese skiers practice at a ski resort in Beijing's Yanqing district on Dec 7. The skiing team, composed of 18 members from all walks of life, was set up in July to promote winter sports in the capital.

Chinese skiers practice at a ski resort in Beijing's Yanqing district on Dec 7. The skiing team, composed of 18 members from all walks of life, was set up in July to promote winter sports in the capital.

Chinese skiers practice at a ski resort in Beijing's Yanqing district on Dec 7. The skiing team, composed of 18 members from all walks of life, was set up in July to promote winter sports in the capital.

Chinese skiers practice at a ski resort in Beijing's Yanqing district on Dec 7. The skiing team, composed of 18 members from all walks of life, was set up in July to promote winter sports in the capital.

Chinese skiers practice at a ski resort in Beijing's Yanqing district on Dec 7. The skiing team, composed of 18 members from all walks of life, was set up in July to promote winter sports in the capital.

KUALA LUMPUR - Two-time champion Guangzhou Evergrande has been handed a potentially bumpy ride to the knockout stages of the 2018 Asian Champions League after the draw for the group phase of next year's competition was made on Wednesday.

KUALA LUMPUR - Two-time champion Guangzhou Evergrande has been handed a potentially bumpy ride to the knockout stages of the 2018 Asian Champions League after the draw for the group phase of next year's competition was made on Wednesday.

KUALA LUMPUR - Two-time champion Guangzhou Evergrande has been handed a potentially bumpy ride to the knockout stages of the 2018 Asian Champions League after the draw for the group phase of next year's competition was made on Wednesday.

KUALA LUMPUR - Two-time champion Guangzhou Evergrande has been handed a potentially bumpy ride to the knockout stages of the 2018 Asian Champions League after the draw for the group phase of next year's competition was made on Wednesday.

KHARKIV, Ukraine - Shakhtar Donetsk advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Manchester City on Wednesday, prompting the Ukrainian club's coach to attend his media conference dressed as Zorro.

KHARKIV, Ukraine - Shakhtar Donetsk advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Manchester City on Wednesday, prompting the Ukrainian club's coach to attend his media conference dressed as Zorro.

KHARKIV, Ukraine - Shakhtar Donetsk advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Manchester City on Wednesday, prompting the Ukrainian club's coach to attend his media conference dressed as Zorro.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday said it will make no more payments to the International Amateur Boxing federation (AIBA) until that body's problems over governance and finances are sorted out.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday said it will make no more payments to the International Amateur Boxing federation (AIBA) until that body's problems over governance and finances are sorted out.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday said it will make no more payments to the International Amateur Boxing federation (AIBA) until that body's problems over governance and finances are sorted out.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday said it will make no more payments to the International Amateur Boxing federation (AIBA) until that body's problems over governance and finances are sorted out.

Mailman, one of China's leading sports marketing platforms, and Sina Weibo, China's social media giant, on Wednesday announced strategic partnership to deliver the next generation of technology in China's sports digital market.

MANCHESTER, England - Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has aimed a subtle dig at Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger by declaring he would only tell "the truth" about the fitness of his players.

MANCHESTER, England - Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has aimed a subtle dig at Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger by declaring he would only tell "the truth" about the fitness of his players.

MANCHESTER, England - Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has aimed a subtle dig at Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger by declaring he would only tell "the truth" about the fitness of his players.

Une exposition vient de débuter au Musée du Palais pour présenter la beauté éternelle de Dunhuang, une ville située le long de la Route de la soie dans la province du Gansu, dans le nord-ouest de la Chine.

Dans ce groupe d'enfants, certains étaient entassés par trois ou quatre sur une seule table. D'autres prenaient des notes en s'appuyant sur le dos de leurs camarades. Des mères marchaient des dizaines de kilomètres de pistes montagneuses pour apporter un repas à leur enfant qui étudiait en dehors du village. Un enseignant, qui était presque aveugle, reste dans cette même école pendant plus de 30 ans. Aujourd'hui, les conditions de l'éducation dans les régions reculées de l'ouest de la Chine ont déjà changé. Vous souvenez-vous, cependant, de ces jours difficiles mais enrichissants ? Plusieurs générations ayant grandi dans cette région aride et désolée ont vu l'espoir de changer leur destin.

Deep in the snowy wilderness of the Hisui region featured in the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Arceus dwells a familiar Pokémon family with a unique form to this new entry in the series. A video released by The Pokémon Company shows the existence of Hisuian Zorua and Hisuian Zoroark, who are the first monsters to have a particular set of types.

The video, which you can watch below, is set in the point of view of an explorer looking to document wild Pokémon in Hisui with a “strange device,” which is a camera that shouldn’t exist long in the past when Legends: Arceus takes place. He’s first excited by the appearance of wild Snorunt but finds trouble when he ventures into the cold, dark woods. He comes across a little white Pokémon with a wispy red tuft on its head and a fluffy mane. This is Hisuian Zorua, a stark contrast to its traditional form, which sports black fur.

Click here to watch embedded media

Unfortunately for the explorer, a dark shade emerges from the treeline, enveloping him in a spooky veil knocking him and his camera into the snow. A tall, white and red wild-haired Hisuian Zoroark appears next to Hisuian Zorua. Both glance one last time directly in the camera lens and turn to walk into the safety of the forest.

Both of these new forms have been confirmed by Joe Merrick at Serebii.net to be Normal and Ghost-type, a first-time type combination for any Pokémon. Standard Zorua and Zoroark are purely Dark, so thematically these new variations are similar in a way. With the discovery of this duo, the total count of Hisuian forms doubles to a total of four, and the brand new Pokémon count stands at three for now.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is an upcoming Pokémon adventure that takes place long ago in the Hisui region, now known as Sinnoh. Trainers will embark on missions accepted in towns and venture out into the wild to catch and battle with Pokémon. It’s a dramatic change in the game style compared to the recent Sword and Shield or Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, which will release in November. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a Switch exclusive set to launch on January 28, 2022

Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone, maker of beloved Stardew Valley, has unveiled his sweet next title. Dubbed ConcernedApe's Haunted Chocolatier, the upcoming game tasks you with running a chocolate shop inside of a castle haunted by ghosts.  

The announced trailer offers a vertical slice of what the game entails. It sports a similar presentation to Stardew Valley albeit with a far more fantastical vibe. In a blog outlining the game, Barone states that it's an RPG/Simulation and its core loop involves gathering ingredients, making chocolate, and running your shop. He also stresses that the adventure offers much more than that. In the trailer, we see your character engage in combat (with Barone saying the game has a stronger emphasis on action overall), choice-driven conversations, and hints of a grander, perhaps sinister plot. Barone states he doesn’t want to be handcuffed to any one particular style of game and clarifies that it's a single-player experience. He also says the game shares some gameplay similarities to Stardew Valley, but that it's a mostly different experience overall. 

Click here to watch embedded media

But why chocolate and what’s up with the ghosts? Barone explains it best in his blog by writing:

“Chocolate represents that which is delightful. The haunted castle represents the allure of the unknown. The ghosts represent the imprint of the past. All of these things are important. However, don’t think for a moment that, because this game features ghosts in a haunted castle, it is an evil or negative game. On the contrary, I intend for this game to be positive, uplifting and life-affirming. However, if Stardew Valley mostly channeled the energy of the sun, Haunted Chocolatier channels the energy of the moon. Both are vital.”

While the game looks like it’s far along based on the trailer, ConcernedApe says he only began developing it last year and stresses that he still has “a ton” of work to do and has only worked on the “meat and potatoes” of the game so far. ConcernedApe's Haunted Chocolatier is only confirmed for PC for now and has no release window, so don’t expect to play it for a good while. 

Barone has spent 10 years working on Stardew Valley, a title that has earned acclaim, numerous awards, and is making its way to Xbox Game Pass sometime this fall. After his stellar work on that title, we can’t wait to see what this wacky yet charming adventure has in store for fans.

It may not be Halloween just yet, but Dead by Daylight's Halloween event starts today. It's a celebration about smashing pumpkins, getting new cosmetics, and dealing with some new elements inside each map that players already know and love. You can earn new stuff for the new character Mikaela Reid, as well!

Click here to watch embedded media

While Mikaela is the first survivor to the game that has added the concept of boon totems, some of the wrinkles are still getting worked out with her abilities. But hey, it's fun to have the killer have to muddle about to go find those totems sometimes too right? It's not just the survivor's job to go track down that Hex: Ruin and Hex: Devour Hope now!

The Midnight Grove event runs from today until November 4, and if you log in during this time frame you'll get a one-time bonus of 666,666 bloodpoints. That's actually a pretty nice boost, so you can use that to do anything, but it's probably a great idea to level up Mikaela. There's a special reward tome that you can complete during this period that has a bunch of cool things to unlock, including an outfit for Mikaela, an outlet for Doctor, and an assortment of extremely cool Halloween charms.

Halloween is truly in our blood. 🎃

Log in anytime during The Midnight Grove event to receive a one-time gift of 666,666 Bloodpoints. pic.twitter.com/4YJxuXJvxS

— Dead by Daylight (@DeadByBHVR) October 21, 2021

During the event, there are a multitude of fun variants for many normal pieces of gear you can unlock in the bloodweb, including special flashlights and other neat event variants on standard addon items. Some of the other bloodweb unlocks are specific to the event, like objects that will spawn tangled generators or hooks that you can use to help complete your tome.

The event is time-limited and only lasts two weeks, so if you want to finish the tome it's probably time to start playing.

Click to watch embedded media

On this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, our latest hire, Wesley LeBlanc, joins the crew to discuss the announcement of Animal Crossing: New Horizon's upcoming Happy Home Paradise paid DLC, House of Ashes review impressions, as well as game announcements from the recent DC Fandome event. Specifically, we talk about what we want from Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League.

Follow the crew on Twitter: Alex Stadnik (@Studnik76), Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7), Wesley LeBlanc (@LeBlancWes)

The Game Informer Show is a weekly gaming podcast covering the latest video game news, industry topics, exclusive reveals, and reviews. Join hosts Alex Stadnik and Alex Van Aken every Thursday to chat about your favorite games – past and present – with Game Informer staff, developers, and special guests from all around the industry. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.

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Check out the timestamps below to jump to a particular point in the discussion:

00:00:00 – Introduction
00:02:41 – Wesley LeBlanc Intro
00:10:33 – Animal Crossing DLC News
00:23:36 – Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
00:40:55 – Gotham Knights
00:50:37 – Sora In Smash Bros. Ultimate
01:01:54 – Pokémon Unite
01:03:17 – Dead By Daylight
01:04:14 – Tetris Effect: Connected 
01:07:30 – House of Ashes Review Impressions
01:23:33 – Housekeeping
01:29:22 – Listener Questions

For more Game Informer podcasts, be sure to check out a data-remove-tab-index="true" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-stringify-link="https://www.gameinformer.com/podcast/2021/10/12/introducing-video-gameo…; delay="150" href="/https://www.gameinformer.com/podcast/2021/10/12/introducing-video-gameo…; rel="noopener noreferrer" tabindex="-1" target="_blank">Video Gameography, our video game history podcast, and a data-remove-tab-index="true" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-stringify-link="https://www.gameinformer.com/podcast/2021/10/06/introducing-all-things-…; delay="150" href="/https://www.gameinformer.com/podcast/2021/10/06/introducing-all-things-…; rel="noopener noreferrer" tabindex="-1" target="_blank">All Things Nintendo with host Brian Shea which deep dives into Nintendo's library of games every week.

Darkest Dungeon 2 is coming to the Epic Games Store’s Early Access on October 26, and I can’t wait to play it. But, despite my enthusiasm, I’ve been going back and forth on whether to check it out next week. Why? I’m still not sure Early Access is for me.

Broadly speaking, Early Access programs allow players to purchase a game while it is still in development. So, by definition, the game is not complete when you buy it, but, on the other hand, you get a chance to play an exciting title before it technically releases. Early Access can also be a really great option for developers to simultaneously fund their game while gauging interest for it. As a fan of indies in general, I have my eye on more than one Early Access title.

Though it’s a cool way to try out a game early and support your favorite developers, there are good reasons to be wary of Early Access. There is no guarantee that the unfinished experience you pay for will ever get a full release. It can be a super disappointing experience to throw in behind a project only to never see it come to fruition, not to mention the problems you can have getting a refund depending on the platform you are dealing with. There are also many times where your saves won’t move over when the full game launches – looking at you Baldur’s Gate 3 – meaning you’ll start from scratch on release day even after spending all those hours in the early game. Others might find the shock of waking up to their favorite game feeling radically different a real downside to the experience.

To demonstrate my point, this is what a typical Early Access routine looks like for me: Get sucked into the game, do everything, get hyped for all the future features and possibilities, step away from it – either because something else caught my eye or I’ve seen everything there is to see so far – and never play it again. It’s like once I play an Early Access title, my brain checks it off the list. Done. Complete. Nothing more to see here.

Despite this, every time a game goes up for Early Access, I wrestle with my immediate desire to buy it before doing some honest self-reflection. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a great example of a game where I overrode my initial impulse, and Larian Studios’ Creative Director, Swen Vinke, helped me make that decision. He advised “the person who wants a finished, polished game; they should wait” in the title’s August 2020 development presentation, fittingly called Panel From Hell both because of the game’s setting and for the stream’s technical difficulties. It made me realize I did want to wait for the shiny end result in this case.

Sometimes I think a game has finally broken the cycle, like when Valheim hit Early Access earlier this year. I’ve sunk around 112 hours into the game and had a blast building a grand audience hall, defeating sea serpents to get soup ingredients, fighting boss battles, and generally spending time playing with my online Viking crew. But then, I worked my way up to the plains biome (Deathsquitos are no joke), and drifted on to other things. When the latest – and long-awaited – Hearth & Home update popped up at Gamescom, I was jazzed to jump back in, but didn’t sink a tenth of the time exploring the new contents as I had the original game.

So, now we come Darkest Dungeon 2 entering Early Access on the Epic Games Store next week. I’m going to play it because, even though Dan Tack is representing it in Game Informer’s most anticipated games of 2021, it’s not a title I can bear to hold off on playing. Skipping it now means waiting for months, or even years if development gets rocky, and missing out on experiencing it together with the community. I also just need to see for myself what the sequel is changing up and how its new structure works. Leaning even more into its roguelike features, a single playthrough of Darkest Dungeon 2 will take about five hours. The idea is that you’ll re-run the adventure many, many times, and I’m hoping this loop is the key to unlocking Early Access for me. Perhaps, instead of checking out once I’m through the early content, I can trick my brain into feeling like the full release is just one more run of a game I enjoy. But will it work? I guess I’ll have to find out next week.

It’s not every week development ends on one of the biggest games ever released. This week saw the historic inclusion of Kingdom Hearts hero Sora in Smash Bros. Ultimate, the last character ever to be introduced in Nintendo’s incredible celebration of video games. In honor of this momentous occasion, the Game Informer staff has decided our weekly Thursday afternoon stream will be spent duking it out against each other in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate!

That’s right! Catch Alex Stadnik, Marcus Stewart, John Carson, Wesley LeBlanc, and Jill Grodt as we take part in a brawl for the ages on our Twitch channel at 2 p.m. Central today! We will be checking out how Sora has handled the transition into Smash and also just battling it out for funsies.

Click here to watch embedded media

Initially released in December 2018, Smash Bros. Ultimate boldly claimed “Everybody is here” with a roster now topping off at 89 characters (including Echo fighters). Sora’s inclusion in Fighter Pack 2 wasn’t the only big surprise for the season of DLC. New roster members not owned by Nintendo like Minecraft’s Steve, Final Fantasy VII’s Sephiroth, and Tekken’s Kazuya joined the fight. Clearly, just about everyone is here, and a universe-hopping character like Sora is the perfect way to bring it all to an end.

Last November, Ziggurat Interactive released enhanced remasters of 2000s action games BloodRayne 1 and 2 on PC. One year later, and those ports are finally making their way to consoles.

Both games, dubbed BloodRayne: ReVamped and BloodRayne 2: ReVamped, don’t remake the games from the ground up. Rather, they’re polished-up versions of the cult favorite titles made to run on modern hardware. While they retain the same visuals, each title supports 4K resolution (up to 3840x2160), features upscaled cinematics along with improved lighting and effects such as reflections and fog. While the gameplay remains unchanged, ReVamped is more for fans looking to enjoy the games as they remember them without having to plug in an old console to enjoy them. 

BloodRayne: ReVamped

The ReVamped games launch November 18 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Switch. It’s a digital release, but Limited Run Games will release limited physical editions of the PS4 and Switch versions. There's no word on the price, but the PC versions, dubbed the Terminal Cuts, run for $14.99 each so I would expect the same for ReVamped. 

Along with this year’s remaster of 2011’s BloodRayne: Betrayal, the entire series will soon become readily available on modern platforms. We can only hope that this strategy points to Ziggurat Interactive, which acquired the BloodRayne IP in 2020, gearing up for a new entry in the long-dormant franchise. Or maybe we just get another Uwe Boll movie. Apologies for putting that evil on us. 

If you’re worried about filling up your Xbox Series X or S internal drive and want to add some more high-speed storage to the console, you’ll have two new options coming in the next two months.

Seagate is currently the only brand in town selling the hardware for drives that fit the proprietary Storage Expansion Card slot on Microsoft’s newest consoles. Announced on Xbox Wire today, Seagate will be selling two new Expansion Card sizes: 512GB for $139.99 and 2TB for $399.99. These will be joining the 1TB drive released alongside the Xbox Series consoles last fall that currently retails at $219.99.

Those looking to expand your storage for Xbox One or older games can do just fine with a standard USB external drive, but if you want more space for new-gen games, you’ll have to rely on these storage cards that plug into a particular slot on the Series consoles. The reasoning is all about how fast games need to process information to provide faster loading speeds and higher-quality graphics and textures. The Expansion Card slot, along with the specially built storage cards, is designed to allow games to play like they’re installed on the internal SSD.

Walmart has the 512GB Seagate Storage Expansion Card available for preorder today, with a release expected sometime in mid-November. If you’re looking for a 2TB card, that device will be available in early December with pre-orders starting in November.

Bethesda Softworks and iD Software have released a teaser trailer for its upcoming arcade-style Horde Mode in Doom Eternal. 

The new Horde Mode will hit the game in the upcoming 6.66 Update (nice work, Bethesda) that hits the game on October 26. Bethesda says this update is Doom Eternal’s biggest free update yet. 

Click here to watch embedded media

“Doom Eternal’s Update 6.66 arrives 10/26,” Bethesda writes in the teaser trailer’s description. “Our biggest free update yet will include the all-new arcade-style Horde Mode, Battlemode 2.0 with a new arena and streak-based rewards, two new Master Levels, and more.” 

Not much else was said about the update, althoughBethesda will be streaming the new Horde Mode tonight for fans that want an early look at it. 

In the teaser trailer, we see Doom Guy preparing for an onslaught from, err, a horde of enemies to defeat. There’s a brief glimpse at the end of what to expect in the arcade mode, too. We Doom Slayer pick up a 4x pickup, which activates a Gold Score Multiplier. We also see a score tracker in the upper right-hand corner beside a wave tracker that lets players know what wave of enemies they’re on in Horde Mode. 

It looks fast-paced and extra gory, as you’d expect from Doom Eternal. The 6.66 update goes live next week on October 26. 

While waiting for the new Horde Mode, check out our thoughts on the game itself inGame Informer’sDoom Eternal review and then read aboutDoom Eternal’s paid DLC after that.

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Are you excited for Doom Eternal’s Horde Mode? Let us know in the comments below!

While the new Saints are starting up their core empire, it will be vital for them to extend their reach into various parts of the city, not just for the influence but also for the money that comes with it. Establishing side hustles, or as Volition calls them, Criminal Ventures, around town will be a key activity in the rebooted Saints Row, which will reward players with all kinds of customization and items. These enterprises allow the new Saints to build up various businesses around Santo Ileso. However, while they look somewhat legit to the untrained eye, these supposed side hustles are core fronts to their illicit activities.

Criminal Ventures come in various styles and business types, and each has a unique kind of mission to complete. You’ll initially access Criminal Ventures in the Saints HQ, a huge church the gang has taken over and started to make their own. A planning table inside holds a city map with different plots marked for purchase around Santo Ileso. Here, you’ll decide which Criminal Venture to build out and where.

Our time with the game only had two available ventures to build, with one mission to run on each. The first I tried was Chalupacabra, a food truck façade for convenient drug dealing around town, very much in the vein of Los Pollos Hermanos from Breaking Bad. Its introductory job sent me across town to steal a food truck from a now-rival business to bring back to the newly built retail location to make it our flagship lunch/drug dispensary.

Bright Future is the other Criminal Venture, an environmentally-friendly recycling company that sends The Boss in search of trucks hauling vats of volatile toxic waste to dispose of for big corporations. Driving these payloads is dangerous, with the barrels sloshing and sometimes exploding in the back. To succeed, you must get these to your goal fast and intact because losing your first couple of containers will usually lead to more being lost.

Speaking with some developers involved with the entrepreneurial side missions, they revealed there would be a total of 15 Criminal Ventures to place around Santo Ileso in the base game, with more coming post-launch. “Some of them are inspired by past Saints Row games like Insurance Fraud,” said Saints Row Project Manager Ray Hazlip, confirming the goofy self-destructive minigame will return.

Lead Producer Roje Smith said it’s still “playing in traffic,” which sounds as fun as ever in the context of Saints Row. And without going into too much detail, they told us of a military surplus venture that involves weapons testing and another that will require using the new wingsuit.

Each Criminal Venture will reap unique rewards for the Saints, like the previously mentioned experimental artillery you’ll test, new clothing for The Boss, or even a hoverboard inspired by a sitcom. Some of the game’s “wackier” items, vehicles, or weapons will come from completing these illicit campaigns, along with gaining ample experience to level up and keep your cash flow flush throughout the game.

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Ultimately where you place your Criminal Ventures around the city is a little piece of world-building you, the player, will bring to Saints Row. You have complete control over which business goes in which open lot, allowing for convenient placement for the type of missions the Venture may task you with, or if you just think it’s funny to put a toxic waste dump in the middle of the posh part of town, you can do that too. In a way, it’s a form of customizing the city to look the way you’d like with a layout that will likely be different from that of your friends.

Saints Row looks to have a meaty set of side quests with the inclusion of Criminal Ventures, bringing some fan-favorite activities back into the fold and starting some new traditions in the process. As we get closer to the release of Saints Row on February 25, we’ll likely find out even more about the shady businesses. Until then, check out our Saints Row hub by clicking the banner below to learn even more about the game, and read our cover story available right now for digital Game Informer subscribers.

With Battlefield 2042's open beta in the rearview, Dice published a new blog post revealing the remaining five of the 10 Specialists available at launch. The developer also discussed player feedback from the beta and outlined the specific criticisms it plans to address.

Those following 2042 know that Specialists are new additions to the series that feature specific traits and are fully customizable. The trailer below shows off the final batch of characters (at least at launch). Navin Rao is a hacker that can turn enemy equipment against them and reveal enemies by killing hacked targets. Santiago "Dozer" Espinoza is a tank that can better withstand explosion damage and carries a sizeable ballistic shield. Emma "Sundance" Rosier sports a wingsuit and an arsenal of grenades, such as EMPs and anti-armor variants. Ji-Soo Paik has a scanner that reveals enemies in cover and can instantly spot anyone who damages her. Lastly, Constantin "Angel" Anghel is a medic that can quickly revive allies (even restoring their armor) and can toss loadout crates filled with supplies to teammates. 

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Dice's blog postfeatures a lengthy breakdown of the players' complaints about the beta and which issues it plans to address or already has ahead of launch. We encourage players to check out the blog for all of the nitty-gritty details, but some of the improvements players will see at launch include the following: 

• Increased the number of Tanks on PC and current-gen consoles from 4 to 8. 
• Nearby grenade indicator added.
• You can toggle Big Map.
• Commo Rose was added to allow players to indicate their position/needs quickly.
• Compass will remain active while aiming down sights.
• Kill Log is more readable with highlighted text indicating friends/foes killed, among other font upgrades. 
• Improved colorblind settings.
• Console players can engage with Chat.

Battlefield 2042 launches November 19 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

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What do you think of the new Specialists and how Dice is addressing the open beta feedback? Let us know in the comments!

Starfield, the highly-coveted Microsoft-Bethesda flagship title, soared under the gaming community’s radar for years until its first trailer was showcased at E3 2021.  Early details were few and far between, mainly emphasizing features/aspects we had already expected: interstellar travel, planetary exploration, and the thrill of adventure. The latest Starfield trailer, however, teases even more information about the game’s lore and backstory. Bloody wars, violent space pirates, and galactic mysteries await when we finally take to the stars next year. You can watch the cinematic below.

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Bethesda design director Emil Pagliarulo narrated the new, informative Starfield clip while concept art provided visual context. “Our game is set in the year 2330,” Pagliarulo began. “In a relatively small pocket of the Milky way; in an area that extends outward from our solar system for approximately 50 light-years.” Pagliarulo continues, delving into events that take place long before we (and our player character) enter the fray. In 2310, the two largest/primary factions in the Settled Systems – the United Colonies and the Freestar Collective – were at war. This bloody struggle later came to be called the “Colony War,” and the carnage left in its wake is still felt today. 

In fact, despite the uneasy peace, the Settled Systems are riddled with danger, from marauding space pirates to fanatical religious zealots. And these are just human threats. If there are any alien species in the works, I wonder what they’ll bring to the table. In any case, as the newest member of “Constellation” – an organization of explorers – you’ll travel throughout the system (and possibly beyond?) to unearth the very secrets of the universe … or die trying, I suppose. We’ll rocket to a bevy of planets in what Bethesda production and studio director Ashley Chang aptly calls “a Han Solo simulator.” 

Starfield launches for Xbox Series X/S and PC on November 11, 2022. 

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Are you excited about the new backstory deets? Do you think we’ll encounter extraterrestrials while zipping around the Settled Systems?

Today, the upcoming tabletop-fantasy-inspired Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands revealed some of the classes coming to the game with the Stabbomancer and Brr-Zerker. With Tiny Tina’s spin on classic fantasy archetypes, these outlandish takes on traditional classes should come as no surprise. These are two of six classes in the game, with players being able to multiclass to take advantage of multiple classes on a single build or character. Check out the new classes in the trailer below!

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The Stabbomancer is your core rogue that’s all about... Stabbing. Who knew? Stabbomancers love maxing out their crit, can summon magic whirling blades, and exploit enemy weaknesses.

The Brr-Zerker is basically a berserker but with an icy edge. Traditional brutal melee attacks combine with whirlwinds of cold, freezing death for a class that loves getting up close and personal with its opponents.

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In addition to the new classes, some environments have been unveiled. Brighthoof is the core capital city that players will build up and hang out in, trading, upgrading, and other progression-oriented town business. Butt Stallion’s Castle is a place to explore. It’s uhh, shiny. And of course, some other locales like the burning desert sands of the Sunfang Oasis and the beanstalk-propelled Tangledrift are also on display.

Read more about Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands and how the game works here. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is scheduled to land March 22, 2022.

The Dark Pictures Anthology’s yearly offerings of horror adventure games have been middling at best, and House of Ashes, the third entry in the series, retains the status quo. While it boasts a cool antagonist and enjoyable moments, its scares and overall adventure lack the punch to make it a terrifying standout.

If you’re new to the series, House of Ashes is essentially an interactive horror movie with players watching lengthy cinematics and hitting surprise button prompts to make split-second actions at a moment’s notice. An ill-timed button press can send a character to an early grave and out of the story for good. I always liked how this kept me engaged in scenes and ensured the controller never left my hands. However, this design could be frustrating for those lacking a quick trigger finger, which is why I love the new customization and accessibility options. Easy, Normal, and Hard modes allow players of all skill levels to enjoy the story as leisurely or intensely as they see fit. It’s great that you can also adjust how fast prompts appear, their duration on-screen, and assign all interactions to the same button. House of Ashes does a great job of widening its doors to players who don’t possess Spider-Man-caliber reflexes or want to absorb its tale with less pressure involved.

Another great addition is 360-degree camera control, which allows for a more liberating sense of exploration. It makes searching for gameplay-vital information or premonitions of potential deaths feel more natural and made me want to poke around more. However, it’s irksome that characters turn around like tanks and move slowly overall. A flashlight mechanic lets you illuminate areas at will at the expense of movement speed, but I’m disappointed that the game never takes advantage of this feature to use in its scares. Many areas have enough light that I kept mine off. 

House of Ashes unfolds in 2003 Iraq and uses the United States’ controversial war on the country as a backdrop to tell its story. While searching for Saddam Hussein’s supposed chemical weapons, a dysfunctional squad of U.S. marines and one Iraqi soldier become stranded together in an underground temple. Trapped, they must cooperate to survive a legion of ancient monsters lurking within. While you can find historical elements along the edges, the game largely avoids wading into a deeper political conversation outside of “war is bad” and “uniforms are just uniforms,” which I believe is for the best. It ultimately serves to push the theme of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” and works in a surface-level sense. I got the point without having to worry about Supermassive bungling its sensitive subject matter.

If you’re hoping for House of Ashes to scare your pants off, odds are you’ll be disappointed. While the creatures look great and have an intimidating design, I rarely found the game unsettling. House of Ashes feels more like a supernatural action thriller that constantly lobs its killers at players after a short build-up while relying on a handful of predictable, ineffective jump scares to startle them. That said, once I gave in to what House of Ashes is going for, a popcorn-munching monster romp, I had fun, and the story has enough intrigue and exciting moments that made me want to watch the crew dive deeper into the belly of the beast. Unfortunately, it culminates in a disappointing revelation that flips the premise of these beasts on its head, and it evaporated any semblance of remaining dread I had left.

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The small cast of playable characters suffers internal issues and interpersonal conflicts that stir the pot of drama, some of which feel silly. A love triangle between Rachel (played by Ashley Tisdale), her estranged husband, and her subordinate serves as the primary conflict. It feels like a weird thing to unpack, given the circumstances. In the face of bloodthirsty, nigh-invincible creatures, is this really the time to hash out who you’d rather sleep with? It doesn’t go anywhere meaningful and makes the three lovebirds look like dopes who don’t have much personality beyond their romantic affairs.

Lapsed Iraqi soldier Salim became my favorite character due to his understandable motivation to return home to his son and his ability to see the forest from the trees in terms of cooperation. Surprisingly, the intolerant “America #1” Jason grew on me too; I found his sobering trauma and gradual acceptance of Salim, while cheesy, endearing, nonetheless. These unfortunate souls may not all hit, but strong performances across the board back them, and the game’s impressive graphical presentation remains a highlight.

House of Ashes never came close to terrifying or surprising me, but I still found it a respectable thriller that should make for an entertaining night alone or with up to four friends passing the controller. If you’ve enjoyed the Anthology up to this point, you’ll likely get a kick out of this too. But if you’ve been waiting for The Dark Pictures to reach the heights of Until Dawn, don’t get your hopes up for another year.

Score: 7.5

Summary:House of Ashes' storytelling doesn't always land, and its scares feel shallow, but it can be a tense and enjoyable monster thriller.

Concept:Set in the 2003 Iraq War, a group of U.S. and Iraqi soldiers become stranded underground and must work together to survive ancient, otherworldly predators

Graphics:Character faces look incredible though body animations appear stilted at times. The superb lighting sells the sense of being trapped in a dark cavern

Sound:Top-notch performances sell the drama and dialogue while the foreboding score does its best to instill a sense of dread

Playability:Full 360-degree camera control is a liberating godsend, though characters still maneuver awkwardly in narrow spaces. Expanded input options allow prompts to appear as slowly or quickly as desired

Entertainment:House of Ashes doesn't always land but it can be an exciting “check your brain at the door” thriller. Its largely toothless scares will disappoint horror fanatics while inviting a broader audience

Replay:High

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Sony Pictures Entertainment and PlayStation have released the first official trailer for their upcoming Uncharted movie. It features all the action and quips you'd expect (although we could use a little more mustache). 

In the trailer below, we see what appears to be Tom Holland's Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg's Victor "Sully" Sullivan meeting for the first time in a bar. The banter between that fans of the game franchise know and love makes an appearance immediately, with the two leads quipping about each's respective age and appearance. 

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The trailer focuses on how locations and treasures become lost to time as well as Drake's inherent need to find said lost places/buried treasures... and so the escapades begin. The movie doesn't appear to be directly following any single Uncharted game, but rather, it seems to be lifting elements from multiple. 

For example, Drake discovers two ships (that look pretty pirate-y) in a water-filled cavern reminiscent of the final act of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Then, we see Sophia Taylor Ali's Chloe Frazer, who becomes one of Drake's romantic interests in the games. Chloe doesn't appear in the series until Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, so the movie is taking some inspiration from that first sequel. 

The back half of the trailer features a recreation of the iconic desert plane sequence in Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. Just like in the game, we see Drake hanging on for dear life to cargo attached to a plane flying high above a massive desert. 

Elsewhere in the trailer, we hear mentions of Drake's brother, Samuel Drake, who seems to be already "lost" in the movie's universe, as we hear Drake mention that his brother Sam left him one last clue. We also see and hear Antonio Banderas' as-of-yet-unannounced antagonist too. 

To celebrate the trailer's release, Neil Druckmann, the co-president of Naughty Dog, the studio behind the Uncharted series,penned a letter to fans. 

"Today, we're humbly and incredibly excited to show you the world premiere of the first official trailer for the much-anticipated Uncharted movie – starring Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, and Antonio Banderas," Druckmann writes. "In a collaboration between Sony Pictures Entertainment, PlayStation Productions, and Naughty Dog, we captured the spirit, spectacle, and heart that Uncharted is known for (and some of you will recognize some of the humor, landmarks, music, and relics)." 

Druckmann said that in discussions with Uncharted's director, Ruber Fleischer shared that he "made the movie for both hardcore fans of the game and those who are not yet familiar with the franchise and believe that both will be equally entertained by this incredibly fun and action-packed film." 

Uncharted will release exclusively in theaters on February 18, 2022. 

If you're looking to catch up on the Uncharted series before the movie is released, start by checking out Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, which features the first three games. Check out our thoughts on them inGame Informer's Uncharted series reviews. You'll be able to play Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Uncharted: Lost Legacy on PlayStation 5 and PC in early 2022 via theUncharted: Legacy of Thieves collection too.

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What do you think of this trailer? Let us know in the comments below!

We learned earlier this month that Sora from the Kingdom Hearts series would be thelast DLC fighter joining the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster, and it was truly a sight to behold. 

During the announcement presentation, Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai revealed that in the survey asking players to list the characters they most want to see in Smash Bros. sent out six years ago, the number one response was Sora, too. That’s part of whySora being the final fighter makes perfect sense. 

Sakurai touched on the difficulty in getting Sora into Smash during his reveal. Still, the director’s latest bi-weekly column, Sakurai’s Column 639: The Final One, sheds new light on just how complicated the process was for Nintendo. This comes by way of a column translation fromPixelJunk’s community manager, who goes byPushDustIn on Twitter, and translatorKodyNOKOLO on Twitter. 

This is the summary of Sakurai's Column 639, “The Final One”. Sakurai discusses Sora’s inclusion in Smash Ultimate. @KodyNOKOLO is joining me with this translation and will be posting the second half. Please make sure to follow both of us for the full details! pic.twitter.com/GyBRbKOvUf

— PushSusIn (@PushDustIn) October 20, 2021

“Even though he was highly requested, Sakurai thought it’d be highly unlikely to get Sora into Smash,”PushDustIn says in a Twitter thread detailing the translated column. “There’s no doubt that the team involved with negotiations for Smash Bros also thought it was impossible as well. But one day an opportunity came through. At a certain award venue, Sakurai had the chance to meet with a Disney representative. They said it would be great if Sora could get in.” 

Sora’s inclusion seemingly started with this chance encounter, which is reminiscent of the literal elevator pitch that led to the creation of Kingdom Hearts (reportedly, a Square Enix executive and a Disney executive were in an elevator together, and the pitch happened during that ride). 

“But that meeting alone wouldn’t be able to get Sora into Smash Bros.,” PushDustIn said on Twitter. “The higher-ups could feel differently and talks could fall apart. After long and careful discussions with Square, Nintendo, and Disney, the ok was finally given.”

Sakurai said in the column that Fighter Pass 2 was originally going to have just five fighters, just like the first fighter pass. However, once Sora was given the green light, Sakurai decided to add the sixth spot to Fighter Pass 2. PushDustIn then hands off the translation toKodyNOKOLO, who continues and says that Sora’s Ultimate development was supervised by both Disney and Square Enix, which meant there were “a lot of high hurdles to his inclusion and many guidelines to follow.” 

“The first Sora model that the Smash team sent to Disney/SE was very quality and there weren’t a lot of issues...just kidding,” Sakurai writes in the column, according to KodyNOKOLO. “It was quite difficult.” 

The Ultimate development team shrunk over the years – the entirety of Ultimate’s DLC took roughly three years of time – and then there was the impact COVID-19 had on the DLC’s development. Sakurai said developing the DLC was equivalent to developing a full game. He also said he feels he will only work on a few more games. 

“With Smash Ultimate, Sakurai felt that he was able to offer a celebration of gaming, and he’s glad he worked on it,” KodyNOKOLO writes on Twitter. “Smash Ultimate isn’t an ordinary game, and he’s happy he was able to collaborate with many developers.” 

There you have it – getting Sora into Ultimate was just as challenging as most thought. The game is all the better for it, though. 

For more about Sora in Ultimate, read about why I thinkSora’s inclusion in the game is a perfect series sendoff for the game’s creator, and then check outGame Informer’soriginal coverage of Sora’s announcement. Be sure to watch some of theGame Informerteam play as Sora in Ultimate live today at 2 p.m. Central for today’sGame Informer Live stream. 

Update, 10/21/21:

Nintendo has released a software update for Metroid Dread that fixes the progression bug it tweeted about last week. It fixes "several other issues to improve overall gameplay experience," too, as reported by Video Games Chronicle. 

To download the update, connect your Nintendo Switch to the internet. Return to the console's home menu and then launch the game. The update will be downloaded and installed automatically, according to Nintendo. Once the update is installed, you should see Ver. 1.0.1 on-screen, which means you have the latest update for Metroid Dread installed. 

Original story below...

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Original Story, 10/15/21:

Nintendo has issued a warning about a bug currently present in Metroid Dread that prevents players from progressing further. 

This bug can be especially annoying because it can occur near the final sections of Metroid Dread. Nintendo says a fix for the bug will be released by the end of October, so it seems it will be no more sometime within the next 16 days. 

However, that means that Metroid Dread players might still run into in between now and then. Fortunately, Nintendo has detailed how to avoid it, or get rid of it if it's already encountered. You'll know you've hit the bug if you receive a message that says, "The software was closed because an error occurred" followed promptly by the game forcibly closing. 

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This bug only occurs under a specific sequence of events, though, according to Nintendo. 

"Near the end of the game, if the player destroys a door while a map marker for that specific door is displayed on the map, the game will forcibly close and [the message above will appear on-screen]," Nintendo's PSAabout the bug reads. 

Sounds pretty devastating, right? It could be, especially if you're gunning for the end, but fortunately, Nintendo has detailed exactly how to get around it or avoid it altogether. 

Here's what you need to do if you encounter the bug, or have already begun the sequence of events that will lead to encountering the bug: 

• Restart the game and, before playing through this sequence, remove the door icon map marker to prevent this error from occurring.
• Once the October 2021 software update is available, be sure to update Metroid Dread to avoid encountering this bug. 

For more about Metroid Dread, be sure to check out our thoughts on it inGame Informer'sMetroid Dread review and then find out where it sits onGame Informer'sTop 10 metroidvanias to play right now list after that.

[Source: Video Games Chronicle]

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Have you encountered this bug? Let us know in the comments below!

The release of Shin Megami Tensei V is right around the corner, and in our latest exclusive look at the upcoming RPG from Atlus, the studio gives us a glimpse into what players can expect from the day one DLC coming to the game. In addition to various pieces of mission-driven downloadable content, players can also anticipate DLC designed to ease the acquisition of certain resources, as well as a new, easier difficulty option.

The Return of the True Demon downloadable content sees the protagonist visiting the World of Shadows. When he arrives, Sophia hands him a Menorah that she says will bring up either "strength or death." The DLC enables you to take on the strongest demons and is geared toward those looking for a challenge. If you manage to defeat the fiends, you unlock their fusions and if you can defeat the demi-fiend, you unlock the demi-fiend's essence. 

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In the A Goddess in Training DLC, the protagonist is approached by the Goddess Artemis near Tokyo Tower. She's in search of a worthy training opponent. If you can successfully complete the mission, you can recruit her as an ally and unlock her fusion.

The Rage of a Queen DLC sees Cleopatra stripped from her position at the Bethel Egpyt branch. After the protagonist receives a request to check on her following her banishment, you unlock a new mission. Clearing this mission rewards you with the opportunity to recruit her as an ally and unlock her fusion.

The final significant piece of launch-day DLC, The Doctor's Last Wish has you searching for a missing Bethel researcher. After finding the scientist talking with Mephisto, the protagonist embarks on a new mission. If you fulfill certain conditions, you gain the opportunity to recruit him as an ally and unlock his fusion.

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In addition to those missions, players can also pick up Mitama Dance of Wealth and Mitama Dance of EXP DLCs, which considerably increases the spawn rates of rare demons that drop expensive relics or earn you EXP, respectively. The Wealth DLC makes earning Macca much easier, while the EXP DLC makes grinding much easier. Atlus is also releasing the Mitama Dance of Miracles DLC, which increases the spawn rates of rare demons that drop items that earn you Glory in a more efficient manner.

On top of the paid DLC, a free Safety Difficulty DLC is also planned to add an easier difficulty setting for anyone who has little RPG or SMT experience, or someone who wants to play through the game with little resistance.

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While much of the information provided by Atlus this month was focused on DLC, the studio also gave us a look at its second-playthrough modes. After you finish your playthrough and clear the game, you can choose from two different modes for your second time. Newborn mode transfers your Demon Compendium and enemy analysis data but does not drastically alter the difficulty. Reborn mode transfers your protagonist's level, skills, demons, Macca, and items to the new save file, giving you an easier replay experience.

Shin Megami Tensei V, as well as all of this DLC, launches on November 12 for Switch. For more on the highly anticipated role-playing game, head to the game's hub by heading here.

Dungeons in Destiny 2 will have a different delivery method with the upcoming expansion, The Witch Queen. And by different, I mean they’ll come at an additional cost to the player from the price of the expansion or seasonal content. That’s right. Dungeons will now be a premium purchase on top of the standard edition of the expansion. However, if you opt for the Deluxe Edition, the additional cooperative multiplayer content will be included.

Bungie’s lead community manager Chris Shannon took to Reddit to confirm the details of the change of access to Dungeon content: 

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His clarification is brief and pretty straightforward. Dungeons are accessible to anyone who purchases the Destiny 2: The Witch Queen Deluxe Edition, which runs for $79.99. This Deluxe Edition includes the base expansion, access to the four planned Seasons for the upcoming year, and the two Dungeons in question. Buying the Seasons separately from the base expansion will not grant access to Dungeons, but another method of paying to play these multiplayer missions will come at some point down the line. Players will be able to upgrade to the Deluxe Edition at a later date if they want to.

Dungeon content is built for three players and falls somewhere between Strikes and Raids in terms of what kind of length and complexity to expect. So far, Destiny 2 has had three separate Dungeons, starting with The Shattered Throne in Forsaken, and most recently, Prophecy, which launched before the current expansion Beyond Light. Each was accessible to all players or included in a Season Pass, so breaking Dungeons out further beyond the other paid content will be a significant change unless you’re already buying into the Deluxe package. Then, you won’t have to worry about it at all. 

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How does the change to Dungeons affect you? Are you buying the Deluxe bundle or waiting to see how the new purchasing structure plays out? Sound off in the comments, Guardians! 

Square Enix has released footage from its canceled horror Tomb Raider game, Tomb Raider: Ascension. 

The company released the footage as part of its 25th Anniversary celebrations and in the roughly seven minutes of footage, we see a greyed-out character model that’s clearly Lara Croft traversing through dark caves, marshes, spooky houses, and more, as reported by Video Games Chronicle. The footage is very obviously prototype footage from early in the game’s development, but it’s a fascinating look at what games can become over time. Case in point, Ascension would later become the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot. 

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“Check out footage from Tomb Raider: Ascension, which took Tomb Raider deep into survival horror territory during the exploratory phases of what would eventually become the 2013 reboot,” Square Enix writes in the footage’s description. “It was through Ascension that the team honed in on telling an origin story through the lens of survival.” 

One particularly scary-looking scene features Lara Croft in what appears to be a mansion of sorts (perhaps the Croft mansion scene throughout the rebooted franchise), burning tall and lanky monstrous enemies with a flame thrower before stabbing them to death with a pickaxe. 

We also get a look at some more open-world-ish elements that feature Lara Croft riding a horse along a cliffside while running away from a giant or ogre of sorts. Elsewhere in the video, Lara Croft fights a boss that looks more at home in a FromSoftware game than it does in the rebooted Tomb Raider games. It pops in and out of the ground, using its branch-like tendrils to strike at the player-controlled Lara Croft. 

Two other Ascension videos were released and one of them is focused more heavily on concept art for the now-canceled survival horror game. In it, Lara Croft appears much more animated than the more realistic-looking reboot we received in 2013 and its sequels. We also get a clearer look at some of the monsters Lara Croft would have fought and the locations she would have visited. 

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The most recent video released is called “Tomb Raider (2013) Development: Ascension Branding” and it’s a closer look at the branding that likely would have been attached to Ascenion’s marketing. It highlights possible box art layouts, “early exploratory” voiceover, and more. 

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VGC points out that Ascension was first revealed in Square Enix’s digital Tomb Raider: The Final Hours book and that in it, the more survival-horror take on Tomb Raider was scrapped when Crystal Dynamics began to doubt its potential. The book describes a team meeting where Crystal Dynamics asked themselves if Ascension would be as good as Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham Asylum game. When nobody said it would be as good, the team decided to move off of Ascension and onto what we now know as the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot. 

Check out the videos above for yourself and then check out our thoughts on that 2013 reboot inGame Informer’sTomb Raider review. Read our thoughts on its sequels inGame Informer’sRise of the Tomb Raider review andGame Informer’sShadow of the Tomb Raider review after that. 

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Would you like a survival horror Tomb Raider game? Let us know in the comments below!

Tuesday marks the release of Eidos-Montréal's newest adventure, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, where players take control of Star-Lord and his space-faring crew of misfits. In the lead-up to launch, the developers have posted a new blog covering everything you'll find in the game's settings menus, including a bevy of adjustable accessibility options.

To find the complete list of options and settings, look right here. In it, you'll find some pretty standard toggles like camera controls, keybindings on PC, audio adjustments, and so on. However, there are some toggles and sliders in GOTG which go much deeper. Subtitles can have different sized fonts, letter spacing, backgrounds, and background colors. Game difficulty includes Easy, Intended (a very good name for the default difficulty), and Hard modes with a fourth option which lets you go granular on the kind of play experience you want with Custom. 

Having a customizable difficulty mode is a great idea. Not everyone wants to or can play a game as the developers intended it. Eidos-Montreal has added sliders for how much damage you deal, how much damage Star-Lord takes, and even how much ammo Elemental weapons consume. Here are some of the other changes you can make in Custom difficulty:

Guardians Mode Slowdown – Slider. This value represents how much time is slowed down when you are in Guardians mode. The higher the value, the greater the slow down. 1 represents a complete pause, while 0 is no slow down at all.

Huddle Auto-Win – On/Off. If this setting is on, you will not be presented with a choice wheel during the Huddle sequences, and the correct answer will be automatically selected.

Death Gate – Very Easy to Very Hard. The number of times a player needs to be hit before dying after reaching 0 HP, as well as the length of time a player is in danger before they recover.

Objects Outline – On/Off. If this setting is turned Off, the white outline around objects interactable by the Guardians is turned off. More observation will be required, calling for regular use of your visor to identify opportunities for interactions.

Additional accessibility options include changing input delay for target switching, lock-on settings, and even a choice to auto-win quick time events. There seems to be plenty of things to tweak to make for a more accessible Guardians experience. If you're looking for even more information on gaming accessibility, check out the Accessible Games Database, which catalogs games with settings that can make playing games possible for more people.

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What do you think about these options? Are there any accessibility settings missing that you'd like to see in a future update or added to games in general? Give us your feedback in the comments!

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We got to go hands-on with the open world antics of the Saints Row reboot for this month's cover story (which digital subscribers can read right now) which included two story missions set early on in the game. In this edition of New Gameplay Today, you can watch our exclusive gameplay from these missions, featuring the hard-hitting car chases from "Making Rent," followed by a good old-fashioned saloon brawl and subsequent creative interrogation methods in "Idol Threat." Join Brian Shea, Alex Van Aken, and John Carson as they talk about these missions and their time with an early demo of Saints Row. 

Please note that this Saints Row gameplay is pre-alpha footage supplied by Deep Silver and represents a game still in development.

If you enjoyed this early look at Saints Row, be sure to subscribe to the Game Informer YouTube channel so that you don't miss future videos. Interested in seeing the latest footage of upcoming games? Check out other episodes of New Gameplay Today here. As always, head over to ourSaints Row coverage hub to keep up with our exclusive coverage.

CD Projekt has announced it’s decided to take some more time on developing new-gen versions of its two biggest games. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S native editions of Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt have been pushed into next year.

The reveal of these delays comes as an update to investors on the CD Projekt website. Cyberpunk 2077’s upgraded version will come in Q1 2022, while Witcher 3 fans will have to wait until Q2 2022 to adventure with Geralt of Rivia on the most recent console hardware. Here’s the full quote of the delay from CDPR’s site. (Note – CDPR has translated this announcement from its original Polish-language version):

CD PROJEKT S.A. (hereinafter referred to as “the Company”) wishes to provide an update regarding its publication schedule for 2021 as concerns the release of dedicated versions of Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for next-gen consoles (Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5). The Management Board of the Company hereby announces that, based on recommendations supplied by persons supervising development, it has decided to allocate additional time to both projects. The Company currently intends to release the next-gen version of Cyberpunk 2077 in the first quarter of 2022, and the next-gen version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in the second quarter of 2022.

CD Projekt is no stranger to taking its time developing games. Cyberpunk 2077 was famously in development for many years before its tumultuous release last December. Awash with technical issues and player dissatisfaction of the console ports, the PlayStation 4 version was pulled from the digital PlayStation Store (it has since been restored to the PSN store) and new refunding policies had to be enacted.

It’s worth noting there are framerate enhancements when playing Cyberpunk 2077 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles currently, but any additional enhancements will not be available until the console native versions drop next year.

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What do you think about these delays? Are you like me and have been waiting to play Cyberpunk on the new consoles? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Akupara Games is an indie developer/producer known for its ambitious forays into multiple genres of digital games storytelling - point and click adventures, puzzle RPGs, rhythm brawlers, and platformers. The company is pairing with Brazil-based developer Little Leo Games to create Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles, a deck-building game with roguelike mechanics and a “dicey” twist. Literally.

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Instead of just collecting and mastering conventional decks of cards, you’ll roll six-faced dice to enable a range of abilities. Then you’ll take those skills and attempt to Purify/Corrupt the foes you face. Watch the trailer above for gameplay details.

With over six characters to choose from – each with their own set of playstyles – and deep progression linked to upgrades and classes, you’ll have your work cut out for you as you climb the ladder to face stronger foes. The 2D art style and unit placement UI remind me of Astria: Ascending’s visuals. If you enjoy deck-building games with a hint of magical whimsy, then Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles might be the next indie title for you. 

Astrea’s features overview can be read below:

• Fortify Your Astrarium - Choose among hundreds of different dice that suit your penchant; reliably safe, perfectly balanced, or powerfully risky
• Purify vs Corruption - Tactfully wield an innate risk vs reward system by pacifying enemies through Purification, or Corrupt yourself to unleash abilities that will help tip the scales
• Choose Your Path Wisely - Laden with bountiful boons to enhance your chances for success and encounters against waves of enemies that impede your progress, chart a course through the star system to the source of Corruption
• Choose from Six Brave Oracles - Each possessing their own unique dice sets, abilities, and playstyles

Click image thumbnails to view larger version

 

                                                                                                            

You can add Astrea to your Steam wishlist right now. A release date has not been announced.

Sony has announced that 2018’s critically-acclaimed God of War will be coming to PC on January 14, 2022. 

Sony Santa Monica’s God of War, which is currently exclusive to the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, joins PlayStation’s ever-growing lineup of previously console-exclusive titles coming to PC. PlayStation’s PC support started withHorizon Zero Dawn in 2020 followed byDeath Stranding. Then, earlier this year,Days Gone was released on PC with news that even more PlayStation games would be making the jump.  

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PlayStation released aPC announce trailer to reveal today’s news and if you’ve played through God of War already, it basically hits on most of the game's major beats. With that said, if you haven’t yet experienced it and were waiting to do so on PC, January is your month. However, if that's you, we strongly recommend skipping this PC announce trailer as it shows a lot of stuff you probably don’t want to see. 

You can pre-purchase God of War on Steam today for $49.99. ThatSteam page reveals a lot of details about this PC port, too. 

“Striking visuals enhanced on PC,” the Steam page reads. “Enjoy true 4K resolution, on supported devices, [MU1] with unlocked framerates for peak performance. Dial in your settings via a wide range of graphical presets and options including higher resolution shadows, improved screen space reflections, the addition of GTAO and SSDO, and much more.” 

The Steam page also states that God of War on PC will support Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling to “boost frame rates and generate beautiful, sharp images on select Nvidia GPUs.” God of War will also feature support for both the PlayStation 4 Dualshock 4 controller and the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller, as well as other controllers. Plus, it features 21:9 ultra-widescreen support. 

While waiting for God of War to hit PC on January 14, 2022, check out our thoughts on the original release inGame Informer’sGod of War review and then read about itsPS5 update that dropped back in February. Check out the first footage from its sequel, God of War: Ragnarok, after that. 

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Will you be jumping into God of War on PC next year? Let us know in the comments below!

Epic Games Publishing has revealed that it has partnered up with a brand new studio called Eyes Out, co-founded by Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck and Spry Fox, the studio behind this year’s Cozy Grove. 

The publishing company says it’s partnering with Eyes Out and Spry Fox after the success found in the partnerships it made with Remedy, Playdead, and Gen Design last year and to “reinvent the developer/publisher relationship.” 

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“In pursuit of disrupting the industry, Epic Games offers all partners full creative freedom, complete IP ownership, and favorable financial terms,” Epic Games said in a press release about the announcement. “Additionally, Eyes Out and Spry Fox highlight Epic’s willingness to take risks on new projects and studios as both teams have set out to create their most ambitious projects yet, both built on Unreal Engine, with the support of Epic Games Publishing.” 

Finck’s new studio pitched its game via an incubation approach with Epic. At the start, Eyes Out was given resources by Epic Games to build a proof-of-concept slice of their game, which Eyes Out then pitched to Epic. The publisher then decides to extend a complete publishing deal, and in this case, Epic extended the offer to Eyes Out. However, Epic Games says that if it decides not to move forward with a studio after a pitch, the developers “maintain full IP ownership to continue building their projects and pursue other publishing opportunities.” 

Eyes Out’s first-ever game will be a “multiplatform single-player cosmic horror game” that fuses “the creative visions of Robin Finck and developer Corey David (Spec Ops: The Line),” according to Epic Games. Spry Fox is working on a “multiplatform nonviolent MMO” with Epic Games. Below is some concept art for Spry Fox's MMO. 

Spry Fox, Epic Games

For more, check outGame Informer’slist of best cozy games to play on the Nintendo Switch to find out where Spry Fox’s Cozy Grove lands on it. Check out thisNine Inch Nails x Animal Crossing mashup after that.

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Does either of these in-development games excite you? Let us know in the comments below!

Forza Horizon 5 is the biggest, most content-heavy racing game in the franchise. With that level of ambition undoubtedly comes a thorough development process with plenty of technical and scoping dilemmas. And yet, Playground Games is once again finishing strong. Yesterday, the studio announced that Forza Horizon 5 has officially gone gold. The game releases next month, but it's already taken the lead. 

A post on the Forza Motorsport website made the celebratory announcement and revealed Playground Games' extensive collaboration with Latin American music artists as well as a list of original songs that can be heard in-game on the various radio stations:

"Forza fans, we've reached an important milestone on the road to Forza Horizon 5 – we've gone gold! That means the game is now off for pressing of retail discs and final setup for digital release. This is a moment that represents the incredible accomplishments of everyone who worked on the game and we're celebrating by sharing the music you will enjoy while you drive through Forza Horizon 5's Mexico."

Local Spanish language artists whose works will be premiered include Centavrvs, Clubz and Diamante Eléctrico, Bomba Estéreo and the Mexican Institute of Sound, Angelica Garcia, El Shirota, Technicolor Fabrics, Miguel Pacheco, Rodolfo Ritter and the Mexico Festival Orchestra. A bevy of other songs from around the world fills out the rest of the musical lineup so you can coast around the open world while relaxing to catchy tunes.

I played about 90 minutes of a Forza Horizon 5 preview build and was impressed by Mexico's scale, the incredible level of detail on display in every frame, and the car feel: 

"Even with the small amount of content I experienced, Forza Horizon 5 is massive. Much of the map was empty in this preview version, but I still braved the far-off jungles and mountain ranges, imagining the number of PR Stunts, Horizon Stories, and races that I'll partake in on launch day."

Forza Horizon 5 launches for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC on November 9.

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Will you be speeding down the Mexican freeways on launch day? What vehicles are you hoping to see/purchase? Let us know down below!

Christopher Ayres, the voice actor behind the English dub of the iconic villain, Frieza, in Dragon Ball Z Kai and onward, has died. 

His partner, Krystal LaPorte, announced the news on Twitter on October 19, stating that Ayres died the night before. He was surrounded by LaPorte, his mother, and his brother when he died. He was 56 years old. 

pic.twitter.com/SvhMEeMWVk

— Krystal LaPorte (@WowSuchKrystal) October 19, 2021

"Chris loved you all," LaPorte wrote on Twitter. "How much he loved other people filled the vast majority of our conversations. To those of you who truly loved him back, thank you. To those of you who stayed in touch, checked on him, reminded him that he was so, so much more than his job, you were the fuel of his fight. You fed the dreams of a future that kept him going longer than any normal person could go." 

LaPorte said that for anyone asking if there's anything they can do at this moment, "please be more like Chris." A cause of death was not announced. 

The veteran voice actor had made public his diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease he received in 2017, posting regularly on Twitter about it and keeping fans updated with progress. 

Chris Ayres began voicing Frieza in Dragon Ball Z Kai, replacing Linda Young. He had been the voice of Frieza onward, winning various awards for his performance as the iconic Dragon Ball Z villain. He also voiced characters in various other animes, television shows, and movies.

Game Informer would like to express our condolences to Ayres' family and friends.

Update, 10/20/21:

The official Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Twitter account has revealed that the game's PC version has been further optimized and that, as a result, the final launch day download will be 80GB. This comes two days after Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy's Steam page said 150GB of space was needed to download the game. 

Hey everyone! We wanted to give you an update on the final size of the PC version of the game, which will not be 150GB. The team is in the last stages of optimizing the final game and we can confirm the file size will be approximately 80GB at launch.

Hey everyone! We wanted to give you an update on the final size of the PC version of the game, which will not be 150 GB. The team is in the last stages of optimizing the final game and we can confirm the file size will be approximately 80 GB at launch.

— Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (@GOTGTheGame) October 19, 2021

Original story follows...

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Original Story, 10/18/21:

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy drops at the end of the month, and a flurry of story/launch trailers has kept excitement levels exceptionally high. The game's Steam page was recently updated to include system requirements information. According to the storage notes, the Guardians are embarking on a journey of truly galactic proportions; the action-adventure title is slated to be a whopping 150GB.

To put that into perspective, Microsoft Flight Simulator – a game that maps/renders the entire world with stellar precision – is 127GB on PC. Hell, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy even rivals the likes of Warzone, which sits at 175GB. Knowing how big both those games are on consoles, it's safe to assume that GOTG will also be impressively massive on those platforms. Hopefully, the loading times don't take too much of a hit! If anything, this is probably indicative of the various worlds we'll be exploring.

The upcoming space odyssey follows Star-Lord and his band of alien oddities as they attempt to make a name for themselves (and money) by forging alliances/burning bridges with characters like Cosmo the Spacedog and Lady Hellbender. Even Adam Warlock will enter the fray at some point. Whether he'll emerge as friend or foe remains to be seen. Around the time of our Marvel's GOTG cover reveal, creative director Jean-François Dugas told us, "[The Guardians are] legitimate heroes for hire, but as the game progresses and they discover [the main threat of the game], they will have to become more than a marketing ploy to really save the galaxy from its own demise."

Eidos-Montréal's upcoming foray into the far reaches of space launches for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on October 26. 

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Do you think the download size will somehow be minimized, or are we in for a colossal download come launch day? Where do you think is the reason behind the game's astronomical storage requirement? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

I'm of two minds when it comes to whether or not someone should playResident Evil 4 VR. If you've never touched the original RE4, then by no means should you jump into this version; everything that made (and makes, for that matter) it important would completely go over your head in VR. However, if you have played Resident Evil 4 – especially if you've completed it numerous times over the years – then RE4VR should be played at all costs. 

As the name implies, RE4VR is just that. It's Resident Evil 4 but in VR. There's an immediate novelty to the game's perspective shift – bringing it into first-person allows an intimate look at the game's world third-person could never afford. Being effectively a remaster of a 16 -year-old game, RE4VR shows its age at times – mainly when up close to certain muddy textures and assets – but it doesn't look bad by any means. As someone who's played the original more times than I count, getting the chance to see a 1:1 recreation of RE4's levels, characters, and monsters was constantly amusing. 

Changes specifically made for VR are also welcome in most cases. The giant interactable attache case where protagonist Leon Kennedy holds all his weapons and gear is a blast to assemble in VR. It feels as-close-as-possible to doing it in real life, even if you are more or less just playing Tetris with guns. Speaking of, the guns look fantastic. I had a great time holding up iconic weapons like the Red9 handgun and Striker shotgun and getting a good look at the added detail. Same with items throughout the world such as keys, money, and herbs. Everything can be picked up and examined before you throw it in your inventory. I'm sure I looked like an idiot to all my neighbors constantly staring at my hands, but they didn't know I was looking at a yellow herb up-close-and-personal for the first time – their loss. 

Combat received the most significant overhaul in RE4VR, and it's what sent me over the moon. Famously, the original changed the typical third-person camera perspective from fixed angles to the now-modern behind-the-back view. But it still featured tank controls, meaning Leon only moved in the direction he was facing. Additionally, he couldn't move while aiming or shooting. While it was revolutionary for the time, there's an obvious narrative and mechanical dissonance in the original's gameplay. The game pitches Leon as some American Badass action hero, but once you control him, you're still bumbling around like the same old fool of past Resident Evils. RE4VR completely ditches this model if you choose to play with full-motion turned on instead of teleporting. I can't recommend it enough; it marries the mechanics and story in a way the original never did. 

Running around a combat arena freely profoundly changes the way enemy engagements work in RE4. Rather than try and line myself up with a row of enemies, doing as much damage as I can before they reach me, I was constantly on the move, adapting my playstyle to the moment and acting offensively against enemies rather than defensively. From the get-go, I had a blast running around shooting enemies like some virtual reality John Wick. I figured RE4 would never feel "new" to me again at this point in my life, but RE4VR completely changed how I played one of my favorite games. It felt fresh, exciting, and wholly different from every playthrough of RE4 I've had in the last 16 years. For the first time in ages, I was no longer going through the motions, and iconic moments like the early village encounter, the El Gigante fights, and the minecart rollercoaster have rarely been more fun. 

Moving RE4 into first-person also does a lot for its horror – though it's still not the scariest thing you can play on the market. There's an inherent tension to being surrounded by enemies in VR, especially when you become overwhelmed. The many impossibly large bosses are also incredibly menacing when you see them towering far overhead. More than once, RE4VR put my heart in my throat as I frantically tried to out-maneuver whatever threat was closing in on me. Occasionally, this exacerbated some issues with the tracking on two-handed weapons, which would not register one of my hands or an input such as cocking a shotgun or aiming down a scope. Luckily, this was few-and-far-between but still led to some annoying deaths. Until I unlocked the Striker, which let me shoot an automatic shotgun with one hand like I was Arnold Schwarzenegger inTerminator 2 – but cooler.

In 2020, I played the original RE4 front-to-back three times. It's something I usuallyplay for comfort; I can load up and blast through without much thought. RE4VR completely turned my relationship with a game I know better than most on its head. If you're a fan of RE4, have access to an Oculus Quest 2, and don't mind the morally and ethically questionable need to have a Facebook account to play an Oculus game, I can't recommend RE4VR enough. It's like breathing new life into an old, familiar feeling. 

Score: 8.75

Summary:Resident Evil 4 VR is a must-play if you're a fan of the original. It fundamentally changes the experience in meaningful ways, adding new depth, strategy, and tension to a video game most people know like the back of their hands at this point

Concept:Play through Capcom's iconic and fantastic Resident Evil 4, but this time in first-person and in VR

Graphics:This is a 16-year-old game, so it doesn't drop jaws very often, but there is a fun novelty to seeing a 1:1 recreation of RE4's world up-close-and-personal

Sound:The use of surround sound is great, and hearing enemies close in around you on all sides is nerve-wracking and tense

Playability:After a bit of time with the game's full-motion option, my VR-induced nausea subsided. Running around levels feels great, and fighting through waves of enemies in first-person radically sets this version of RE4 apart from the original

Entertainment:RE4VR is an absolute blast. The perspective shift from third to first-person and the ability to freely run around during combat fundamentally altered how I play one of my favorite games

Replay:Moderate

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Virtual reality is an ever-growing platform that enables people to play games in new ways. It brings us experiences we wouldn’t be able to experience otherwise, such as playing through Valve's Half-Life: Alyx, and it gives us new ways to play old classics, like Resident Evil 4 VR on the Oculus Quest 2. 

While virtual reality continues to expand in the gaming space, it’s nowhere near as popular as traditional video game console experiences, and it’ll likely remain that way for now. That’s why Xbox is remaining committed to software, rather than hardware such as virtual reality, this generation, according to Xbox head Phil Spencer. 

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“I think that the hardware innovation that’s happening is great and it’s an important enabler, [but] right now, I’m deciding to stay more in the software side of that enablement,” Spencer said during the Wall Street Journal Tech Live event, as reported by Video Games Chronicle. “I believe it will scale better in the long run.” 

This falls in line with Spencer and all of Xbox’s commitment to Xbox Game Pass this console generation. Just today, Xbox announced that Age of Empires 4, The Forgotten City, and more would be coming to Xbox Game Pass this month, bolstering the service’s already massive lineup of games yet again. 

Spencer even nodded to Sony’s PlayStation VR hardware during the WSJ Tech Live event, citing that he applauds what Sony, Oculus, and Valve are doing in the VR space. 

“[We’re] gonna stay as a company right now in the consumer space focused on software, and I think that’s a good bet,” he said. 

The Xbox head also alluded to the fact that many VR hardware platforms use Microsoft-developed Windows, so in a way, VR experiences are making their way to consumers of Microsoft products. Spencer said they “talk to a lot of partners that are there,” too.

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Do you think Xbox should jump into the virtual reality space? Let us know in the comments below!
 

It’s no secret that Microsoft and Xbox have been bolstering their studio ranks over the last couple of years, and Xbox head Phil Spencer has now reiterated that commitment to studio acquisitions it deems a good fit for the company.

This news comes by way of the Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live Event, as reported by Video Games Chronicle, where Spencer was asked whether or not the Xbox Game Studios lineup was complete. Spencer essentially stated that it could never be finished as there’s no quota the company is after. 

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“There’s no quota,” Spencer said. “There’s no kind of timeline where I have to go acquire studios by a certain time, but if we find a studio where we have a good fit, we share what we’re trying to go do and what they’re to go do, and if we feel we can both get better together, absolutely. It’s one of the privileges we have of being at Microsoft and having the capability to take a long-term approach, and adding amazing creators to the portfolios is an important part of that.” 

Spencer said he’s proud of the studios Xbox has acquired so far, adding that he’s especially happy with the choice and opportunities Xbox offers its developers. 

“If you look at some of the people we’ve acquired and partnered with, it’s people we’ve had long-term relationships with, and they’ve come inside of Xbox now, and they see our roadmap on platform and service, and I want them to be able to do their most amazing creative work as part of this team,” Spencer said. 

This interview comes just over half a year sinceMicrosoft acquired ZeniMax, and subsequently, Bethesda, which brought multiple studios under the Xbox umbrella all at once, for $7.5 billion. Back in June, Spencer took a similar stance on studio acquisitions,citing that studio acquisitions are good for the games industry.

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How do you feel about Xbox's commitment to studio acquisitions? Let us know in the comments below!

Roguelikes have come a long way since Rogue, and the original tentpole facets such as permadeath and randomized dungeons tweaked and altered to create new iterations on the concept. Today, many roguelikes are instead roguelites, meaning they offer the player some or a lot of permanent progression elements at various levels to ensure that the experience can be completed by dedicated players. 

Some games, like Returnal, obfuscate the development to kick up the tension factor while still offering powerful permanent progression boosts, while others like Rogue Legacy offer massive, easy-to-grasp power-ups. Any way you look at it, the variable hooks from run to run in the roguelike make them fascinating to play and experience, tinkering around with different builds and options over many hours. What roguelike should you play today? Let’s take a look at some of the best listed in no particular order. 

In case you missed it, Netflix is making a live-action adaptation of the classic anime Cowboy Bebop. The show premieres on November 19, and after getting a look at the actors portraying Spike and the gang, we get to see them in action thanks to a new teaser trailer.

The trailer gives us a peek at the performances and chemistry between Spike Spiegel (John Cho), Faye Valentine (Daniella Peneda), and Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir). The trailer plays with the anime’s iconic intro animation in fun ways as the trio chases a bounty and fights bad guys (including a glimpse of Alex Hassell's Vicious). There's also plenty of snarky banter. Check it out below. 

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Cowboy Bebop has been a long time coming, first confirmed in 2017. The show is helmed by André Nemec and written by Christopher Yost. While the original series ran for 26 episodes, the Netflix version will debut with 10 episodes. 

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What do you think about this look at Cowboy Bebop? Do you think the actors fit the roles based on this clip? Let us know in the comments! 

 

Building a gaming PC can be a time-consuming and laborious process. Extensive research is required to make sure all of the components you are purchasing are compatible with one another. The building process can also be challenging, requiring precision and specific tools.

The efforts are usually worth it, however. Not only are you building a machine that is tailored to your exact gaming needs, but you are also likely making something unique that screams of your personality, especially if you add lighting and graphics.

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If you have always been intimidated by the amount of work or expertise that is required to build a gaming PC, a company called NZXT is streamlining the process into a guided experience. Much like building a Lego set, the kit box includes all of the components you need, including an illustrated guidebook that takes you through the build step-by-step.

On today's Game Informer livestream, we're going to build NZXT's latest product: the Streamer Plus PC. We haven't even cracked open the box yet, and hope to show you exactly what it's like to get this product, not to mention how challenging the build is. Will we run into trouble? Or will it be as easy as building a Lego set?

Game Informer's Alex Van Aken is joining me on this journey. We don't know how long the build will be, but we will be answering as many of your questions as we can. You can ask us about the build or anything gaming related, too. We hope this will be a Let's Chat-type of stream.

The fun begins at 3 p.m. CT on the official Game Informer Twitch channel. Our Twitch subscribers have access to Game Informer's exclusive Discord channel.Find out how to join our Discord right here.

We're hoping you join us for the stream today! If not, be well and have a great day!

 

Product provided by NZXT

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The hit MOBA Pokémon Unite gets its first Halloween event and it kicks off tomorrow. Greedent from Sword & Shield joins the fray along with plenty of treats to accompany your strategic tricks. 

A new character is always exciting, and hopefully, Greedent fits the bill for diehard players. This squirrel-like critter serves as a melee defender that’s also cute as a button. Check him out in action in the spotlight trailer below. 

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It wouldn’t be Halloween if you couldn’t dress up, and that’s exactly what you can do during the event. As seen in the trailer posted in the header, you can turn Charizard into the world’s scariest hipster with a beanie and scarf combo, make Blastoise the ultimate firefighter, or dress Lucario in a dark ensemble that, honestly, makes it resemble the hunter from Bloodborne. You can also outfit your trainer avatar with Jack-o-lantern-style Pikachu masks, a witch hat, and more. In terms of gameplay, you can now launch holiday-themed attacks such as firing giant pumpkins at foes because Halloween!

The Halloween event begins October 20 and concludes on November 7. The free-to-play Pokémon Unite is available on Switch, iOS, and Android, complete with cross-play and cross-progression. 

 

Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto has opened a new EA studio primarily focused on first-person games, roughly seven months after the closure of V1 Interactive, which is the studio founded by Lehto responsible for Disintegration. 

Lehto founded V1 Interactive back in 2016 with SOCOM co-creator Michael Gutmann. The studio created Disintegration and while the game showed a lot of promise, it wasn’t met with the reception the team had hoped for.V1 Interactive announced that it was closing on March 8 earlier this year. Now, a little over seven months later, Lehto is back to making games, this time under the EA umbrella. 

Hey everyone, I’m very excited to announce that I’ve joined EA as a Game Director, building a new studio in the Seattle area working on first-person games. I can’t wait to share more about what we’re creating. 

Hey everyone, I’m very excited to announce that I’ve joined @EA as a Game Director, building a new studio in the Seattle area working on first-person games. I can’t wait to share more about what we’re creating! pic.twitter.com/GnfVFNLSaW

— Marcus Lehto (@game_fabricator) October 19, 2021

As Lehto mentions in the tweet above, this new studio will be focused on first-person games, which falls right in line with Lehto’s Halo history. Perhaps he’s making a sci-fi first-person shooter for EA, something the company doesn't have too many of at this moment. 

While waiting to learn more about Lehto’s new EA studio, check out our thoughts on his latest game inGame Informer'sDisintegration review and then readGame Informer’sbreakdown of everything we know about Halo Infinite.

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Are you excited about Lehto's new studio? Let us know in the comments below!

Xbox Game Pass gets its second round of October releases following seven additions during the first half of the month. As we head into Halloween, players can enjoy a sequel to a strategy mainstay, an inventive take on the first-person shooter, a narrative masterpiece, and more.

Today, Into the Pitlaunches, which sprinkles spellcasting on Doom-style FPS combat with a roguelike structure. Outriders makes its way to PC Game Pass for desktop players itching for another quality co-op shooter. The arrival of Dragon Ball FighterZ gives fighting and anime diehards access to arguably the best tag team fighter of the last generation.  Coming-of-age voxel RPG Echo Generation brings a more lighthearted supernatural adventure perfect for the spooky season. Everspace 2 soars into Xbox Game Preview after charting a 2023 launch window. The Elder Scrolls-inspired The Forgotten City, one of the best narrative adventure games of 2021, brings its time-looping adventure to Xbox players. For strategy fans, the long-awaited Age of Empires IV launches day one on PC Game Pass at the end of the month. 

Those would be the treats, but the tricks are what’s leaving Game Pass come Halloween. Read on for the full rundown of what’s coming, what’s going, and when. 

What’s Coming To Xbox Game Pass

• Into the Pit (Console, PC, Cloud) - Today
• Outriders (PC) - Today
• Dragon Ball FighterZ (Console, Cloud) - October 21
• Echo Generation (Console, PC, Cloud) - October 21
• Everspace 2 (Game Preview) (PC) - October 21
• Age of Empires IV (PC)- October 28
• Alan Wake’s American Nightmare (Console, PC) - October 28
• Backbone (Console) - October 28
• Bassmaster Fishing 2022 (Console, PC, Cloud) - October 28
• The Forgotten City (Console, PC, Cloud) - October 28

DLC/Game Updates

• Halo: The Master Chief Collection Season 8 – Available now
• Grounded: Hot and Hazy Update – October 20
• Minecraft: The Spooky Gourdian – Available until November 2
• Minecraft Dungeons: The Spookier Fall Event – Available until November 2

What’s Leaving Xbox Game Pass (October 31)

• Carto (Console, PC, Cloud)
• Celeste (Console, PC, Cloud)
• Comanche (PC)
• Eastshade (Console, PC, Cloud)
• Five Nights at Freddy’s (Console, PC, Cloud)
• Knights & Bikes (Console, PC)
• Unruly Heroes (Console, PC, Cloud)

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What do you think of this month's Game Pass offerings? Let us know in the comments!

Moving into the holiday shopping season, Microsoft has solidified its list of big first-party releases. In a blog this morning, Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty shared what he’s calling “three epic months of back-to-back blockbuster game launches in Game Pass.”

First on Booty’s list is the impending release of Age of Empires 4, the long-awaited new installment to the historical real-time strategy franchise. That’s due out on PC Game Pass and Steam on October 28. Continuing the PC news, a few days later will be the addition of Minecraft to PC Game Pass on November 2. You read that right, Minecraft hasn’t been a part of Game Pass outside of consoles yet, but those who don’t own the adventure/creation juggernaut can download it in a few short weeks. Additional Minecraft Dungeons content and the Caves and Cliff: Part II update for Minecraft will be dropping sometime later in the year.

Next is Xbox’s flagship release for the month of November, Forza Horizon 5. Players can race around an open world set in Mexico during this new iteration of the Forza Horizon Festival. Expect fast cars, beautiful scenery, and some hot air balloons. Check out our recent preview of the game to see how it’s shaping up before release. Forza Horizon 5 will be available on November 9, but those who have purchased the Premium Edition, or Premium Add-On Bundle get early access to the game on November 5.

November 18 brings an update to Microsoft’s high flying simulation series, Microsoft Flight Simulator: Game of the Year Edition. This GOTY package is a free update for the existing game and includes “five new aircraft, eight new airports, new Discovery Flights and tutorials, and highly requested community features like DX12 support.” There’s also Reno Air Races, an aerial motorsport coming to the game with this update.

Finally, Microsoft’s holiday releases will cap off with the king of Xbox shooters returning to its throne. Of course, we’re talking about the December 8 release of Halo: Infinite. After years of being pushed back for retooling and polishing, both the campaign and free-to-play multiplayer modes will see the light of day. There’s not much else to say about Halo: Infinite other than we can’t wait to get our hands on it.

Just to recap, here are the dates for the Xbox Game Studio’s holiday lineup, all included in Xbox Game Pass or Game Pass for PC:

Age of Empires 4 – PC on October 28

Minecraft on PC Game Pass – PC on November 2 (Caves and Cliffs: Part II later this year)

Forza Horizon 5 – Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC on November 9 (early access on November 5)

Microsoft Flight Simulator: Game of the Year Edition – PC on November 18

Halo: Infinite – Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC on December 8

Matt Booty also talks about 2021 being the 20th anniversary of Xbox and Halo. There will be “a fun, digital broadcast for fans around the globe” on November 15 to celebrate the occasion, but do not expect any new game announcements.

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What do you think about the first-party lineup Microsoft has planned through the end of the year? Will Halo and Forza keep you busy for the foreseeable future or do you feel something extra is missing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Discovery Tour: Viking Age, an educational mode that takes players through historical locations and events in the world of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, is now live as a free update for those who already own the latest installment in the franchise. 

For those who don’t own Valhalla but are interested in checking out Discovery Tour, the mode can be purchased as a standalone experience on PC for $20 via either the Ubisoft Connect storefront or the Epic Games Store. Standalone versions for consoles are coming next year, according to Ubisoft. 

Click here to watch embedded media

Valhalla’s Discovery Tour differs from the tours seen in Assassin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey in that they’re more narrative-focused than ever before, complete with quests to complete as you journey through Viking-controlled England, as noted byGameSpot. 

“[Discovery Tour: Viking Age] takes a new approach to how players explore history: instead of embarking on guided tours, they will assume the roles of different characters and take on quests, which aim to bring them closer to the material by putting them at the center of it,” ablog post from Ubisoft about the mode reads. “While following the narrative and completing the quests’ objectives, Discovery Tour: Viking Age players will have the opportunity to interact with Discovery Sites that each focus on an element of the culture and traditions of Vikings and Anglo-Saxons in the Viking Age.” 

Ubisoft says these Discovery Sites feature images of items from the museum partners the company worked with to bring historical and archaeological accuracy to Valhalla and its Discovery Tour mode. 

Click here to watch embedded media

If you already own Valhalla, you can download the latest update to gain access to Discovery Tour: Viking Age on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia, and Amazon Luna. 

For more about Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, check out our thoughts on the game inGame Informer’sAssassin’s Creed Valhalla review and then readour thoughts on its latest expansion, The Siege of Paris. Check out this story about howNetflix’s Assassin’s Creed TV series will be written by a writer from Die Hard after that.

[Source: GameSpot]

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Will you be jumping into Assassin's Creed Valhalla's Discovery Tour: Viking Age mode? Let us know in the comments below!

It’s all been leading up to this: the Cube Queen has arrived to Epic Games’ Fortnite and with her comes the start of the end of the battle royale’s Halloween event. 

Fornitemares is Epic’s way of celebrating Halloween – it’s broughtlegendary horror icons like Frankenstein’s Monster alongside other popular characters likeRick Grimes to the battle royale – and it’s been happening basically all month long. The end is in sight now as the new Fortnitemares: Wrath of the Cube Queen event will run from now until November 1. 

Click here to watch embedded media

“The Cube Queen’s emergence brings changes to the Island,” Epic’s blog post about the event reads. “Since Fortnitemares began (and even before), the Cubes have been mobilizing. Their migration towards the Island’s center wasn’t just to spread corruption – they’re now at the center forming The Convergence. What is the purpose of this mysterious structure?”

It seems the answer to that question is something players must search for while participating in the Wrath of the Cube Queen event. In order to do that, players will need to take out Caretakers, which are new monsters that server as the Cube Queen’s loyal warriors. They’re seemingly made of rock, very tall and shadowy, and can use long spectral tendrils to “pull you directly into The Sideways for a showdown on their home turf.” If you survive, Epic teases that the loot will be worth the fight. 

Alongside the arrival of the Cube Queen is the new Sideways Scythe and returning items like the Witch Brooms and Pumpkin Rocket Launcher. 

The Batman Who Laughs Outfit will be added to the Fortnite Item Shop during this event as well. More specifically, it will be available alongside the Robin’s Perch Back Bling, Dark Multiverse Pickaxe and Glider, and the Dark Days Loading Screen in the Dark Multiverse Set on October 25. More details about this outfit and the Batman Foundation Fortnite comic book launching on October 26 can be found onEpic’s blog post about the character. 

Fornite’s popular Horde Rush is back, too. 

“The Cube Monsters are pushing out of the Sideways and into our realm,” the blog post reads. “Fight alongside your teammates to rack up your score by finding score multipliers, earning combos, and eliminating as many monsters as you can. To win, survive at locations across the map and take down the Final Boss!” 

There are three new Horde Rush quests available to complete during the Wrath of the Cube Queen as well. Complete the general Fortnitemares Quest to unlock the Raven’s Curse Spray, the Midnight Showdown Loading Screen, and the Wrathful Breakout Contrail. 

Complete the Monster Hunter Questline to unlock Ariana Grande’s All-Weather Extractor Pickaxe (Dark Style). Epic’s blog post seems to indicate that an Ariana Grande skin is associated with this quest – “Ariana Grande has returned to the Island…’Spacefarer Ariana Grande,’ the galaxy’s greatest monster hunter, is inviting you to join her hunt – but it’s not exactly clear. Her All-Weather Extractor Pickaxe is definitely up for grabs during the event, though. 

The final questline, The Oracle Speaks Questline, rewards players with the Cube Cruise Glider upon completion. 

For more about Fortnite, read about howUniversal’s classic monsters are joining the battle royale and then check out this story about the inclusion ofThe Walking Dead’s Rick Grimes in the game. Read about whyyou shouldn’t expect to see Fortnite on Apple devices for years after that.

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Will you be jumping into Fortnite's Wrath of the Cube Queen event? Let us know in the comments below!
 

The Haunting will go live tomorrow in both Call of Duty: Warzone and Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War, and this year’s limited Halloween event brings with it new modes, maps, Ghostface from Scream, and Frank the Rabbit from Donnie Darko. 

This year’sHaunting event will run from October 19 through November 2. During those weeks, players can experience the new Ghosts of Verdansk limited-time mode, which transforms the Verdansk Warzone map into a nighttime one. Dubbed a spiritual successor to Zombie Royale by Activision, “this limited-time mode has you fighting threats both human and unhuman.” 

In the mode, you must manage your character’s Fear level (influenced by being shot at, camping, seeing dead bodies or ghosts, or watching teammates go down) by playing well and staying within the Sacred Ground circle. If you fail to do that, you’ll “succumb to the darkness” and become a Ghost of Verdansk. Ghosts, which you become upon death rather than an Operator sent to the Gulag, don’t have access to weapons and instead rely on the Super Jump, Teleport, and Spectral Blast abilities to bring fellow players over to the other side. 

You can do that while sporting one of the Haunting’s many event-specific Operator skins, including Ghostface from Scream, Frank the Rabbit from Donnie Darko, the Necro Queen Operator skin for Portnova, the Disciple of Mayhem skin, or even the Lumens skin for the Maxis Operator. These skins will be available in the shop for purchase for a limited time while the Haunting event runs in-game. 

Ghostface will be available for purchase starting tomorrow, while Frank the Rabbit won’t be live in-game until October 24. The other three Operator skins, which will be available as part of bundles that feature new weapon blueprints and more, will be available closer to Halloween, Activision says. 

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On the Black Ops Cold Warside of things, the iconic Nuketown map will be remade to feature Halloween decorations such as spooky lights and more. The Infected game mode returns to Black Ops Cold War’s multiplayer alongside a Halloween-themed Prop Hunt mode and the unique Scream Deathmatch mode. 

Over in Black Ops Cold War’s Zombies mode, players will be tasked with surviving the Hallows’ Eve Outbreak. For more details about these new skins, maps, and modes, head toActivision’s Haunting blog post. 

The Haunting event will lead right into the launch of Call of Duty: Vanguard, which hits console and PC on November 5. When that launches, so too will the new Pacific-themed Warzone map, which willmark the end of Verdansk’s run in the battle royale.

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Will you be jumping into The Haunting this year? Which Operator skins are you picking up? Let us know in the comments below!

Coming up in the criminal world and building a self-made empire isn’t easy. In the new Saints Row, that journey from rags to riches will feature plenty of run-ins with the well-established competition in the streets of Santo Ileso. These three factions known as Los Panteros, The Idols, and Marshall have a firm grip on the illegal activities in this fictional American Southwest, and their influence runs deep. Each of these gangs has a distinct style in aesthetic and how they go about business, and all three have a representative of the new Saints in their ranks at some point, including the main character, The Boss. 

Our time fighting off the grand trifecta of Santo Ileso's criminal element was always fun, with each requiring a different strategy for engagement. We're looking forward to seeing how the individual founding Saints' histories with these gangs will play out in the broader narrative. As we move closer to the release of Saints Row on February 25, we'll hopefully learn more about what makes these factions tick and see what it's like warring with them over the streets of Santo Ileso.

Marvel Studios has announced several delays to its upcoming slate of Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, including Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and more. 

This news comes by way of IGN, which reports a total of six MCU delays alongside a massive delay for Indiana Jones 5. The latter has been delayed by almost an entire year, moving from July 29, 2022 to June 30, 2023. 

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As far as MCU delays go, the following six movies were delayed and as you can see below, most weren’t delayed bytoomuch (especially compared to Indiana Jones 5’s delay): 

• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been delayed from March 25, 2022 to May 6, 2022. 
• Thor: Love and Thunder has been delayed from May 6, 2022 to July 8, 2022. 
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has been delayed from July 8, 2022 to November 11, 2022. 
• The Marvels has been delayed from November 11, 2022 to February 17, 2023. 
• Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has been delayed from February 17, 2023 to July 28, 2023. 
• An untitled Marvel movie has been moved up from November 10, 2023 to November 3, 2023. 

As you can see, it seems like each of these MCU movies were shifted back to take the place of the movie set to release after it. According to IGN, Disney also removed two unannounced Marvel movies from its original MCU slate entirely (the two movies were set for July 28, 2023 and October 6, 2023). 

It's important to note that The Eternals is still set to hit theaters on November 5 and Spider-Man: No Way Home'spremiere remains December 17. Also of note, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's release date is still May 5, 2023.  

And speaking of Guardians of the Galaxy, check outGame Informer’scoverage of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which releases on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC next week. Read about howMarvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is a whopping 150GB download on PC after that and thencheck out the launch trailer released for it, which seems to tease an appearance from Adam Warlock. 

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Which of these movies are you most excited to see? Let us know in the comments below!

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The Saints Row reboot is introducing tons of new mechanics to the series, including a wingsuit to soar the skies of Santo Ileso! Watch our exclusive gameplay clip to see the mechanic in action.

If you enjoyed this video, be sure to check out our 12-page cover story to learn more about the upcoming reboot. Here's a snippet:

Volition may have scaled back the insanity of the series’ most recent entries but make no mistake: Saints Row is still all about satirizing today’s world through irreverent humor, profane actions, and an anti-establishment attitude. “We knew we didn’t want to abandon the humor or some of the more extreme things we can put into the game,” Boone says. “But we also knew that those extremes couldn’t necessarily be as far as they were in Saints Row: The Third. And that was a conscious thought on our part: Don’t go too far. That doesn’t mean we don’t have plenty of outlandish things in this; it’s just that when you think of the bar of Saints Row: The Third, I think sometimes people forget just how crazy we got with some of the things.” This rebooted approach, which includes a fresh cast of characters in an all-new city, allows Volition to ditch the previous games’ accumulated narrative and gameplay baggage. “It really freed us up to be able to tell the story we wanted to,” Boone says. “Something the community would talk to us a lot about in Saints Row one through IV was, ‘Volition, it would be so amazing if you could do some sort of prequel and show how the Saints get formed!’ … With this, it gave us the opportunity to do that origin story, but not doing something that was set in the ‘80s or something like that to try and tell the origin of the Third Street Saints [from the previous games]. Now we can tell the origin story of these Saints.” The decision to start with new characters wasn’t one the team made lightly, but they now feel it was the correct decision. “It’s definitely nerve-wracking at the beginning because there’s such a high bar to meet,” Campbell says. “We wanted to make really well-rounded characters because if they’re one-note, they’re not going to stand the test of time. We looked at the past characters, and what aspects about them really made them stand out, and what roles they filled. At no point did we want to just make a cookie cutter of, ‘We need a Johnny Gat character so let’s just reskin him as somebody else.’ We wanted all of these characters to be able to stand on their own.” With the beloved characters of prior Saints Row games left in the past, Volition charted new territory for a new gang poised to take over a new city.

Please note that this Saints Row gameplay is pre-alpha footage supplied by Deep Silver and represents a game still in development.

If you haven’t yet, also be sure to check out our Saints Row exclusive coverage hub, read our 12-page cover story on the game with a digital or print subscription, and subscribe to the Game Informer YouTube channel so that you don’t miss any of our exclusive gameplay videos.

The PlayStation 5 was the best-selling hardware platform in the U.S. this September, both in terms of units sold and dollars made, ending the Nintendo Switch’s 33-month streak at the number one spot. 

NPD Group executive director Mat Piscatella released theSeptember 2021 U.S. numbers of video game sales, which is where news of the PS5’s top spot was revealed. Piscatella says the PS5 is the best-selling console of 2021 year-to-date in dollars, although the Switch still leads the year in actual units sold. 

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The PS5 costs more than the Switch, so it doesn’t need to sell as many units as the Switch to rake in the most money. This is why the Switch has sold more units but made less money compared to the PS5. Before today, November 2018 was the last month that a console other than the Switch – the PlayStation 4 in this case – was the best-selling hardware platform. 

“September video game hardware dollar sales increased 49% when compared to September 2022 to $412 million,” Piscatella said in atweet today. “Year-to-date hardware spending has also gained 49% when compared to the same period a year ago, totaling $3.4 billion.” 

In terms of video game accessories,September 2021 spending dropped 12% compared to last year, coming in at $171 million. However, year-to-date accessory sales have now hit $1.8 billion, which is 9% more compared to a year ago.The Xbox Elite Series 2 wireless controller was the best-selling accessory last month, while the PS5 DualSense controller retains the top spot for the overall year. 

Piscatella also released thetop 20 video games sold across all platforms in the U.S. last month as well. Here’s what the top 10 looks like: 

1. Madden NFL 22
2. FIFA 22
3. NBA 2K22
4. Tales of Arise
5. Diablo II: Resurrected
6. Deathloop
7. Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War
8. Ghost of Tsushima
9. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
10. Life is Strange: True Colors 

You can visit Piscatella’s entire Twitter thread for breakdowns of the top 10 games sold onNintendo,PlayStation, andXbox platforms, alongside additional information about consumer spending in video games last month. 

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Any big surprises in the Top 10 games sold for you? Let us know in the comments below!
 

Neighborhoods are starting a transformation from ordinary dwelling spaces to fright fests as we draw closer to Halloween. Lawns are filling up with the decorative deceased and – unfortunately for people who rightfully fear spiders – oversized arachnids. And it seems like indies can’t resist the lure of the upcoming spine-chilling holiday either. A noticeable chunk of indies coming out the next few weeks have a particularly frightening slant to them. However, the news might be even more ghastly, as one of October’s most anticipated releases recently fell victim to a delay.

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A Trick and A Treat

Even the indie space has its juggernaut projects, and the end of October was looking ripe for a massive harvest. But current events have mirrored the season’s candy-gathering traditions, offering players a trick and treat.

Solar Ash

PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC

Let’s start with the trick; Solar Ash – the second game from Heart Machine, the studio that made Hyper Light Drifter – was delayed last week. Originally set to launch in the last week of October, fans will now have to wait a little more to play it. But don’t despair; the game still technically has a fall launch date. Solar Ash is coming to PlayStation platforms and PC December 2.

Darkest Dungeon 2

PC

Get ready to savor the sweet, sweet treat that is Darkest Dungeon 2 because it’s entering Epic’s Early Access on October 26. The incoming sequel continues the Lovecraftian horror narrative with similar combat and a well-known host of adventurers, but it plans on spicing things up with some changes. These include a new character called the Runaway, which you can read more about here.

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It’s Spooky How Many Games We Need To Play

RIP our free time because there are just too many good indies to check out. Last month’s hits are still calling our name, but that’s only half the reason to feel unsettled. Late October holds a score of scary-looking titles to get you into the Halloween spirit.

Into the Pit

Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Into the Pit got an awesome reveal at this year’s Xbox Gamescom showcase, and the retro-looking roguelite is ready to launch tomorrow. When your cousin finds an ominous hole in the ground, there’s no thought to turning away or try to cover it up. No. You both belong to a family of mystics and can’t pass up the occult opportunities. This magic-infused, first-person title is coming to Xbox Game Pass and looks like it is ready to celebrate Halloween.

Undying

PC

Undying is a little on the nose for the spooky season, but we won’t hold that against the game. This intriguing adventure title follows a mother who, in a world infested by the undead, has been bitten by a zombie. With scant time left, she must prepare her young son to survive in the world without her. Coming to Steam Early Access October 19, Undying will task you with teaching him how to fight the hungering horde before joining the zombies’ ranks yourself.

Jars

Switch, PC

Don’t leave your mouth ajar when you see this game’s delightfully creepy, hand-drawn art style. Hitting on October 20, Jars is a mix between a strategy, puzzle, and tower defense game. The objective? To break as many fragile containers as you can find down in the basement. But you are not out to simply be destructive; no, destroying these jars ties into saving the world.

Grotto

PC

Read the stars and decide the fate of many in this story-driven title. Luckily, you’ll be playing as a Soothsayer, so you’ll already have some idea how to interpret those tricky celestial bodies. That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for error, so be sure to think hard about your pronunciations. You can check out the announcement trailer here to decide if you should pick Grotto up when it releases October 20.

Gravewood High

PC

On October 20, Gravewood High is entering Steam Early Access. And, let’s be honest, high school is hard enough without the looming threat of mysteriously disappearing, but the students at the curiously named school just can’t catch a break. Especially since the building seems to have transformed into a dangerous maze and a terrifying teacher is on the hunt for you.

Echo Generation

Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

It’s time to grab your crew and patrol the neighborhood for aliens because Echo Generation is launching on PC and Xbox Game Pass October 21. The release date trailer recently gave us a little more to look at in this beautiful, voxel-art game with some serious nostalgic vibes. If you are interested in playing a Stranger Things-like, turn-based RPG, Echo Generation might be for you.

Evertried

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Slated to release October 21, Evertried is a tactical roguelike all about getting up a tower in the afterlife. The isometric view and pixel graphics meld together with the game’s turn-based combat, creating an experience that looks both challenging and easy on the eyes. Can you reach the top?  

Growbot

PC

With its colorful palette and unique style, this point-and-click adventure follows a robot on a mission to protect her space station from an encroaching danger. The team uses the term biopunk to describe the game’s aesthetic mix of the robotic and organic. Growbot will be blasting off on October 21, and the title will give you the chance to fend off the crystalline danger while exploring a vibrant alien world.

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a top-down meets side-scrolling puzzle game with a curious premise. You switch between two protagonists who are out to solve a mysterious disappearance. The twist? One is a young girl and the other is her teddy bear. But don’t be fooled by the cute-sounding leads – the game has a dark tone and takes inspiration from Tim Burton, Jules Verne, and Conan Doyle. Tandem: A Tale of Shadows comes out October 21.

Subway Midnight

PC

Aggro Crab Games, the developer behind the wonderful roguelite Going Under, is publishing its first game. Developed by Bubby Darkstar, Subway Midnight's cuteness makes it feel all that more frightening. The bizarre action will take place on a train full of ghosts. As you move from one car to the next, you'll attempt to help them come to terms with their past lives. However, someone is after you, so you'd better go quickly unless you'd like to join the dead when this game comes out October 28. 

Campfire Tales

PC

Who’s ready to tell scary stories around the campfire? Launching on October 28, the developer’s description for this game builds a unique narrative. It reads: “DO NOT PLAY! This 8bit game is a port from a mystery source...This casual, linear, interactive story game centers around a campfire with old friends telling... tales.” So, pick up Campfire Tales at your peril.

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Are these unnerving titles not for you? You can find more releases in our previous Fall For Indies lists; just click on the goose. 

Remember looking in the mirror as Sam for the first time in Death Stranding while wearing that Ludens mask? Remember how cool you felt (we all felt it, right?). Well, now you can be that cool, thanks to a team-up between Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima and French glasses designer Jean-François Rey. 

As reported by Video Games Chronicle, the two have teamed up to create a unique line of glasses, including one pair of glasses based on the Ludens mask featured in Death Stranding. Kojima was quiet on this collaboration, opting to simply post photos of the glasses on Instagram without captions, but it’s clear that these eyewear pieces are in some part designed by the game director. 

        View this post on Instagram                      

A post shared by Hideo Kojima (@hideo_kojima)

Over on theglasses designer’s website, the Kojima collaboration is formally available for pre-order under the “Capsule Collection” umbrella. Those who pre-order now will receive their glasses by the end of March 2022. 

“New collaboration between Jean-François Rey and the famous video game designer Hideo Kojima,” the website reads. “Four original models with surprising designs, inspired by [the] Death Stranding futuristic universe. Under the artistic direction of Hideo Kojima, we have designed the Ludens mask, the hybrid SLS 3D, and metal Bridges frames worn by Sam Porter Bridges.” 

The HKxJF01 glasses feature two standard lenses and two transforming sunglass shades that can seemingly be placed in front of the glass lenses or pushed outwardly to sit beside each glass lens. 

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The HKxJF02 glasses are perhaps the most standard-looking glasses of the bunch, and they come in black, blue, or army camouflage.

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The third and final pair of glasses coming from this collaboration is the Ludens Mask + HKxJF03 combo. 

“The Ludens mask was modeled by our design studios, and will be produced with SLS technic,” the website reads. “It is equipped with adjustable nosepads and rimlocks for prescription lenses or sunglasses. Ludens maks is a genuine Collector’s item produced in a limited edition. It is delivered in a luxury packaging marked with the Hideo Kojima production house emblem.” 

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Prices aren’t listed for the glasses, and to preorder them, the listed number must be called, or the listed email must be messaged. If you preorder, you can deliver packages in style starting March 2022, when the glasses are released. 

For more about Death Stranding, check out our thoughts on the game inGame Informer’sDeath Stranding review and then read about why we thinkthe recently-released Death Stranding Director’s Cut is worth another trek across America.

[Source: Video Games Chronicle]

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Will you be picking up some Death Stranding-inspired glasses? Let us know in the comments below!

The team behind Final Fantasy XIV is still working hard to bring the extremely popular MMO over to Xbox consoles.

Xbox players have asked for FFXIV for years, and game director and producer Naoki Yoshida has commented on this desire many times. This February,Yoshida seemed to indicate that an Xbox version of the MMO would eventually happen, perhaps in the distant future. 

Click here to watch embedded media

In a new interview with Easy Allies, Yoshida has provided yet another update, stating that discussions are still happening, as reported byIGN.  

“So I feel bad for saying the same thing every time, but we are still in discussions with Microsoft, and I feel like our conversations are going in a positive tone,” Yoshida told Easy Allies. “I don’t want to say that we do not have an Xbox version, but I’m hoping that the timing will be very soon that I’ll have some kind of update to the players.” 

Yoshida further commented that he’s sure there are a lot of things players want to ask him about an Xbox version of FFXIV and that there’s plenty of things he’d love to share... he just simply can’t talk about those details right now. 

“I’m sure the time will come so if you could stand by, that would be great,” Yoshida said. 

And there you have it – no confirmed news that an Xbox version of FFXIV is happening, but it seems more and more likely that one is on the way. Let’s hope those discussions stay positive. 

For more about Final Fantasy XIV, check outGame Informer’slatest Gameplay Today segment about the new Endwalker expansion. Then, check out our thoughts on the new expansion inGame Informer’sEndwalker preview. Read about howFFXIV’s recent massive surge in players resulted in a shortage of digital copies after that. 

[Source: Easy Allies, IGN]

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Are you waiting for an Xbox version to play Final Fantasy XIV? Let us know in the comments below!

The hotly anticipated Elden Ring has been delayed, but only by a little over a month. FromSoftware has announced its open-world Souls-style adventure will now launch on February 25 instead of January 21. 

In a tweet, FromSoftware says it decided to push the game back because the “depth and strategic freedom of the game exceeded initial expectations.”

However, there is a bright side. The company also announced its launching a closed network test for the game in November. That means selected players can try Elden Ring in just a few weeks to help stress test the servers and other systems, as the game features co-op and online play.  The test will be available on current and last-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles but not on PC, and you'll have to sign up for a chance to participate, which you can do here. Registration closes on November 1. The closed network test will take place over five sessions during allotted time windows. The schedule is as follows: 

• Session 1: November 12 – 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m PT
• Session 2: November 12 – 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. PT
• Session 3: November 13 – 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. PT
• Session 4: November 14 – 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT
• Session 5: November 14 – 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. PT

It’s good that Elden Ring’s delay is a relatively small one that also gives Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which arrives on January 28, some breathing room. On the flip side, Elden Ring now launches in an already stacked month. Other giant open-world games such as Horizon Forbidden West, Dying Light 2 Stay Human, and Saints Row are all vying for players’ dollars in February. In fact, Elden Ring releases on the same day as the rebooted Saints Row. 

To learn more about Elden Ring, you can read a deep dive into everything we know about the game so far right here. The game is slated for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. 

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What do you think about Elden Ring’s delay? Does its February launch conflict with any plans to purchase one of the other heavy-hitters that month? Let us know in the comments!