IShowSpeed has unfortunately been swatted multiple times in his new house. Twitch and YouTube are some of the biggest forms of entertainment out there right now, partially because you are directly connected with the entertainer in question. You can speak with them, donate money to them, and they can even bring you on the stream via Discord or a video game if they so desire. However, this ease of accessibility has also created problems. Some users will walk around in public on stream which can make them targets for harassment, others have had their personal information shared, and some have even been at the center of more deadly encounters.

One such example is swatting. Swatting is when someone online calls the police and tells them that there's a serious threat like a hostage situation or something that would require a heavy police force to make their way into a home. This has been a serious thing that has been used against streamers to put them in situations that could easily get them killed or hurt, especially since they usually play with headphones on and can't hear someone knocking at the door. Police departments have worked with creators to try and prevent this, but it does still happen. Streamer IShowSpeed has been the victim of swatting two times in a row at his brand new home. On his most recent stream, he can be heard talking with someone who is also in the house and speaking to the police about how they have tried to work with the department to avoid this situation entirely.

IShowSpeed swatted again at his new house pic.twitter.com/RvzdxxXAb1

-- Dexerto (@Dexerto) November 22, 2023

IShowSpeed noted that the situation is making him want to quit YouTube entirely. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, but the streamer is okay. IShowSpeed just turned 18 earlier this year and used the money he has made off of streaming to buy a new house. Unfortunately, some of the more malicious people who watch his content have spoiled his fun. Swatting still happens on a regular basis despite the methods put in place to try and prevent it, but hopefully Speed's local police department can help prevent it from happening so frequently.

A former Rockstar Games developer has shed some light on one of the studio's most secretive games: Agent. Rockstar Games has made a killing on Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption. The last two games in those franchises are on the top ten best selling games of all-time list, meaning they are easily one of the most respected developers out there. The studio has made great efforts to push the envelope with technology and offer unrivaled experiences with its attention to detail and masterfully crafted stories. Unfortunately, that level of perfection has come at the cost of long development times. So much so, the studio hasn't really had a new IP in a very long time.

One game that likely would've come out between Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2 was Agent. The game was formally announced in 2009 at the PlayStation E3 press conference, though it was in the works long before that. No real details were ever officially confirmed beyond it being a spy game in the vein of James Bond. The project remained on Rockstar's website until just a couple of years ago, but was never formally canceled for whatever reason. It was a sad cancelation, but new details have trickle dout courtesy of ex-Rockstar Games developer Obbe Vermeji. It was intended to be set in the 1970s and feature all kinds of crazy gadgets such as a car that turned into a submarine, a hang glider, and more. It would've been more linear than GTA, however, with an emphasis on going to very different locations such as Cairo, France, and even a Swiss ski resort. The latter of which would've had an elaborate downhill shootout on skis, likely similar to The Spy Who Loved Me or A View to Kill.

There was also a section set on a space station with lasers, suggesting this would've been very much inspired by the Roger Moore-era of Bond and take cues from things like Moonraker. Unfortunately, the project was put on ice as everyone was asked to help finish Grand Theft Auto IV. According to Vermeji, the project was moved to a different team, but it never saw the light of day. Whether or not Rockstar Games will ever bring Agent to life is a mystery. There are signs of it all over Grand Theft Auto V with a license plate on an Aston Martin-inspired car referencing the game's title and it can shoot guns. GTA Online would also add some pretty elaborate missions with spectacular gadgets and vehicles, such as flying DeLoreans. It all feels very Bond, suggesting it may have been leftover from Agent, but that's pure speculation.

Some big changes are coming to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre this month, many of which will be related to Leatherface. Earlier this month, Gun Media revealed that the killer will no longer be required for matches, allowing players to have greater freedom to choose between playable characters. Gun Media announced another change coming for the character, and this one relates to the Nicotero Leatherface design that arrived in the game last month. That design was accompanied by a unique chainsaw, and soon players that purchased the skin will be able to use that chainsaw with any Leatherface skin.

"After the last live stream that Matt and I did, we heard the feedback on saw swapping. Matt spoke to Wes, Wes spoke to Ronnie, and the decision was made to bring the Nicotero saw skin to other Leatherface variants, if you own the Nicotero Premium Outfit," Gun Media's community manager wrote on the game's subreddit.

So far, fans seem pretty happy about this change! The Nicotero Leatherface chainsaw not only has a unique design, it also has a different sound. A lot of fans preferred the saw, but also liked the original design for the killer. Now players will have the option of switching back and forth, offering a bit more customization freedom. At this time, no date has been announced for this change, but hopefully it will arrive in the game soon.

Texas Chain Saw Massacre's Next Update

Since the game's developers have not committed to a date for the swappable chainsaws, it's a safe bet that the new Leatherface option will not arrive in time for the game's next update. On November 28th, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre will be getting a mix of free and paid content. All players will get access to a new map (Nancy's House), as well as a number of different bug fixes. The game will also add two new paid characters: Nancy (a new killer) and Danny (a new victim). These two characters will be available in the game for $9.99 each.

Texas Chain Saw Massacre Black Friday Deals

For those that haven't played The Texas Chain Saw Massacre yet, this week should offer the perfect opportunity. A 20% off sale started a few days ago on the PlayStation Store, bringing the game down to $31.99 from its normal $39.99. PC gamers can actually get the game a little bit cheaper by buying it on Steam, where the game is 25% off, bringing it down to $29.99. Both of these sales will be ending on November 28th. That leaves the Microsoft Store as the only platform not offering a discount on the game, but access to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is included with an Xbox Game Pass subscription.

Are you excited for this change to Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre? Did you purchase the Nicotero Leatherface design last month? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Developer Mintrocket burst onto the scene with Dave the Diver earlier this year. That game quickly became one of the biggest smaller-budget games of the year, setting up Mintrocket for great long-term success. However, the team is set to prove that it's not a one-trick pony by releasing something incredibly different. Nakwon: Last Paradise is the studio's next project, and it mixes extraction survival and zombies to create something that could not feel more different from Dave the Diver. Nakwon was announced earlier this year, and today it received its first gameplay trailer.

Nakwon: Last Paradise First Gameplay Trailer

The 22-minute-long gameplay trailer gives fans an in-depth look at what to expect from Nakwon: Last Paradise. Mintrocket's second game features PvPvE gameplay that will remind players of other extraction shooters. In the trailer above, you can see the player character going up against zombies using all kinds of weapons. Early on, it looks like he's using a baseball bat full of nails, but he upgrades his gear by finding new pieces of loot all over the environment.

You can also see that the game uses a sound system to alert the zombie of where your character is. Depending on how fast you move through the city, you'll make more noise, which will attract the undead. There aren't any massive herds of zombies, but you do see the player chased by decent-sized groups at times.

It's worth noting that the footage above is from a pre-alpha build of the game. Mintrocket will likely implement several improvements as it gets closer to release. Speaking of, Nakwon: Last Paradise is getting a pre-alpha test from November 29 to December 4. Mintrocket hasn't given any details about how players can get into the test period, though it might be open to everyone. With the start date quickly approaching, Mintrocket will likely announce further details very soon.

One detail that wasn't touched on much in the gameplay trailer is the Citizen Grade. Mintrocket says this feature will "determine privileges and access levels" in Nakwon: Last Paradise. It sounds like this is one of the main ways you'll earn money, which you can then use to pay rent and purchase better equipment. As your Citizen Grade goes higher, you'll earn access to better items.

Obviously, this is a massive departure from Dave the Diver. It will be very fun to see how Mintrocket handles the change and if the DtD audience comes along with them. Fortunately, the pre-alpha test that kicks off on November 29 should tell us quite a bit more about what to expect from Nakwon: Last Paradise.

Mortal Kombat 1 players are making Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson violently duke it out. Mortal Kombat is arguably one of the most violent franchises in all of gaming. The series is at least partially responsible for the creation of the ESRB. Games were largely unregulated in their early days, but when Mortal Kombat came out and had a high-level of violence, there was backlash. A lot of people were concerned about it and the government threatened to regulate it itself, but the ESRB stepped in and opted to put in restrictions and a ratings system. Now, Mortal Kombat 1 can feature absurdly violent fatalities without the fear of the government slamming down on NetherRealm.

With that said, Mortal Kombat 1 added perhaps some of its most violent moments in the recent DLC for Invincible's Omni-Man. The pack adds the JK Simmons-voiced supervillain along with some of his signature yet brutal fighting moves. One of the most iconic is when he takes his opponent down into a train tunnel and slams them through the train and subsequently its passengers, causing them to explode into puddles of blood. Naturally, given Omni-Man looks a lot like JK Simmons, fans have modded in Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson to settle their differences. YouTuber deathmule put together a compilation of fatalities for the two characters and it's pretty glorious.The iconic comic-book feud now allows the two characters to violent beat each other down and even use some of those Invincible fatalities to properly demonstrate what that battle would look like. You can take a look below.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 was just recently released and featured even more J. Jonah Jameson content. Spidey has to come face to face with the journalist at one point and of course, he's prominently featured in a podcast throughout the game. Of course, Spider-Man is a bit too friendly in those games to consider throwing him through the a train. Even with the black suit, Peter Parker never resorted to taking it all out on ol' JJJ. Either way, it's great to see fans using their imagination... even if it's for something incredibly violent.

Mortal Kombat 1 Guest Fighters

Mortal Kombat 1 likely won't add Spider-Man into the game, but there are other guest characters planned in addition to Omni-Man. So far, the likes of Peacemaker and Homelander have been confirmed. Whether or not there will be more remains to be seen, but it doesn't seem hard to imagine.

Filming on Mortal Kombat 2 resumed this month, and the sequel's cast has been seen back on location in Australia. Since then, producer Todd Garner has been sharing some "kryptic" images on his Twitter account, including things like behind-the-scenes photos of the set, the lighting, and more. Today, Garner offered another, and this one is leading to a lot of speculation from Mortal Kombat fans. The image is the ground in an undisclosed location, and the lighting is a dark red. A lot of fans are speculating that this could be a location in Outworld, while others think it could be Netherrealm.

Readers can judge for themselves by checking out the Tweet from Garner embedded below.

pic.twitter.com/qdORUGSZUr

-- Todd Garner (@Todd_Garner) November 23, 2023

Unsurprisingly, Garner has not acknowledged or replied to any of these Tweets, so there's no way of knowing if these predictions are correct. Still, fans are clearly having fun with it, and many shared their appreciation for Garner's Tweets since production resumed. Clearly there's a lot of anticipation among Mortal Kombat fans, and even these vague photos are helping to make the wait a bit more tolerable. Hopefully Garner will have a lot more to share in the coming weeks!

Noob Saibot and the Netherrealm

If the location teased really is the Netherrealm, it would make sense given the fact that Noob Saibot will appear in the film. In the Mortal Kombat games, the original Sub-Zero Bi-Han is killed by Scorpion, and his soul descends to the Netherrealm. There, Quan Chi stripped Bi-Han of his remaining humanity, and he became Noob Saibot.

In the 2021 Mortal Kombat movie, Sub-Zero was similarly killed by Scorpion and his descendent Cole Young. Sub-Zero actor Joe Taslim will be back for Mortal Kombat 2, while actor Damon Herriman has been cast in the role of Quan Chi. It's entirely possible that the set photo shared by Garner is Netherrealm, where Bi-Han is reborn, or it could be something else entirely. For now, fans will just have to keep waiting to see what else gets revealed.

Mortal Kombat 2 Release Window

At this time, Mortal Kombat 2 does not have a set release date, but the movie is expected to arrive sometime in 2024. Reception to the previous Mortal Kombat movie was somewhat mixed, though there seems to be a lot of excitement surrounding the sequel. There are many potential reasons for that, including the addition of actor Karl Urban, who will be playing Johnny Cage. Johnny Cage has been one of the most popular fighters in the franchise for decades now, but he did not appear in the previous movie; instead, the character was teased at the very end of the film. Now the character will be appearing, with a beloved actor attached!

Are you excited for Mortal Kombat 2? Do you think this set photo is our first look at the Netherrealm? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Earlier this month, Valheim developers Iron Gate dropped a small hotfix to update a few lingering issues, but fans are still waiting to hear about when they'll finally get access to the new Ashlands biome. Unfortunately, the Valheim devs don't have a concrete answer for that just yet, but they did release a new set of teaser images showing off a sneak peek at the new content coming. The most exciting of these is the new Fortress mechanic that's said to "be a central part" of the new biome. While this first look doesn't reveal much about what's going to be inside the Fortress, it does show players just how imposing these things will be when they do launch.

Iron Gate also gave Valheim fans a peek at some of the new armor designs coming to Ashlands. This first look is a bit dark, but it's clear that the team is going for a fire theme. In fact, the devs say, "We have named this set after one of the two first humans in Norse mythology: Embla."

On top of the new armor, Iron Gate provided an updated look at some of the weapons. In the last sneak peek, fans noted that the new weapons didn't seem "particularly magical or special." In this updated look, we get to see a weapon closer to its final form, though Iron Gate isn't saying how weapons will be upgraded during Ashlands. Hopefully, we'll learn more about that process in the months to come as we get closer to the biome's release date.

Valheim Ashlands Release Date

Some further peeks into the Ashlands development in this month's #Valheim blog! ? Read it on our website: https://t.co/e3hw07BtIS pic.twitter.com/VpLpDI8nCq

-- Valheim ? (@Valheimgame) November 21, 2023

As mentioned, we don't have a concrete release date for the Ashlands biome in Valheim. That said, we can make some educated guesses based on past biomes. Previously, the developers have needed around nine months to bring a new biome to the live game. We've known that work began on Ashlands sometime in February 2023. That means we could see the biome hit the PTB servers as soon as next month, but the biome should hit the main servers before next summer at the latest.

Of course, development, and often does, change quite a bit all the time. We haven't heard about any major setbacks, but Iron Gate has never announced a release date, so it could have happened behind the scenes. Either way, it's likely not going to be too much longer before the Ashlands biome is in Valheim player's hands.

Valheim is available now on Xbox and PC platforms.

December is going to be a very big month for Disney Dreamlight Valley fans, thanks to a bunch of new content on the way. The game's next free update is coming on December 5th, and when it does, there will also be a new Star Path. While Gameloft has not revealed many details just yet, the official Disney Dreamlight Valley Twitter account has offered a handful of emoji teases for items that players will be able to get from the Star Path. One tease features snowman and raccoon emojis, another has a butterfly and a snowflake, and the last one is an ice skate.

The Tweet featuring these Star Path teases can be found embedded below.

A new Star Path is starting in just two weeks! Can you guess some of the upcoming items from the emojis below?:
- ??
- ??
-?

-- Disney Dreamlight Valley (@DisneyDLV) November 21, 2023

The first two teases could relate to new animal friends for the valley. The third tease could be exactly what it looks like, allowing players to wear ice skates! That might look a little awkward when players are just walking around the valley, but it could look cool when players are using the glide feature when their character is well-fed. For now, fans will just have to wait and see!

Disney Dreamlight Valley December Update

Disney Dreamlight Valley's next major update will be arriving on December 5th, which is the same day that the Star Path will release. Players can expect to see the arrival of Jack Skellington from A Nightmare Before Christmas, and multiplayer will finally be added to the game. For the first time ever, players will now be able to visit one another's valleys, and show off what they've designed and created in the game.

That day will also see the release of the paid expansion A Rift in Time. The expansion will see the addition of new characters not in the main game: EVE, Gaston, and Rapunzel. There will also be a new storyline involving a plot from Jafar, and new areas to explore. The expansion will cost $29.99.

Disney Dreamlight Valley Black Friday Sale

Fans that have yet to purchase Disney Dreamlight Valley will be happy to know that there is currently a Black Friday sale for the game, with different editions discounted on different platforms. On the PlayStation Store, the base game has been discounted to 20.99 (normally $29.99). However, on the Nintendo Switch eShop and the Microsoft Store, only the Ultimate Edition has been discounted; it costs $41.99 (normally $69.99). Readers interested in taking advantage of these deals can do so at the links below:

• Nintendo Switch eShop
• PlayStation Store
• Microsoft Store

Readers should keep in mind that while the Switch and Xbox versions both offer cross-saves, the PlayStation version does not. That means players with an existing account on Switch or Xbox will not be able to access their save data on PS4/PS5.

Are you planning to check out Disney Dreamlight Valley's next Star Path? Are you getting excited for the December update? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Back in August, developer Mimimi Games announced that it was making the difficult decision to close its studio. Over the years, the team had made a name for itself with compelling stealth strategy titles like Shadow Tactics and Desperados 3, but Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew was announced as its final game after the studio heads decided to step away from "the increased financial pressure" of game development. However, Mimimi revealed that, even though it wasn't starting development on another game, it was still planning to release post-launch content for Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew. Today, the team revealed the release date for its two expansions, as well as giving fans a hint of what's coming in the final content released by Mimimi Games.

Somewhat surprisingly, Shadow Gambit: The Curses Crew is getting two pieces of DLC content at once. Both drop on December 6, and it's not clear from Mimimi's blog post about the DLC what the breakdown between the two will be. That said, we do know that players will have a brand-new character with their own supernatural powers to add to the roster. Importantly, this character can come to the main story, giving you another pirate to play with during the campaign. Plus, there's a new island to explore and a six-mission story campaign to play through.

What's interesting is that Mimimi seems to refer to multiple DLC characters at the end of the post. There are also two hidden characters in the promotional art. It's not concrete information, but it certainly looks like players will get more than one new DLC character with the expansions. However, that info and any pricing plans haven't been revealed.

What is Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew?

On Dec 6, #ShadowGambit expands with two DLCs on PC & consoles. Each #DLC offers:

? A new character
? An uncharted magical island
? An epic story campaign
? Main game integration

Brace yourselves cursed pirates, for this will mark the final release from us as Mimimi Games! pic.twitter.com/6NbjoygndS

-- Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew ? Mimimi Games (@MimimiProd) November 22, 2023

Much like Mimimi Games' previous work, Shadow Gambit: The Curses Crew is a stealth strategy game. Players will need to carefully plan their way through a level, taking out enemies and accomplishing tasks while hopefully staying hidden. In Shadow Gambit, players take on a team of pirates who all have their own supernatural abilities. Your crew sets out to explore the islands in the Lost Caribbean while staying one step ahead of the law.

Shadow Gambit encourages player exploration, enticing you to create your unique strategy to get through each level. That's especially true with all of the time-altering powers your crew comes with. Finding new ways to use those powers in tandem as you work through each level is where the true fun comes in.

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is out now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The two DLC expansions drop on December 6.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 players are about to get a feature that they've been hoping for. The Call of Duty franchise has always had some very passionate fans and sometimes that leads to friction with the developers. The series has changed a lot since its inception and its always trying to strike a balance of retaining what players enjoy and doing something new. Sometimes those new changes are controversial and feel like change for the sake of change, especially when they get rid of things that were part of the Call of Duty formula. Modern Warfare 3 has spent a great deal of effort in trying to revert a lot of the controversial decisions made in recent years by bringing back slide cancelling, faster movement, red dots on the mini-map, and more.

One thing that has caused no shortage of fury among fans in recent years is the fact that lobbies automatically disband after a match. This is to shake up the player pool, ensure that matches are consistently different, and so on, but with the aggressive skill-based matchmaking in Call of Duty, it has aggravated fans. Some lobbies are very easy, some beat you to a pulp, but it's always very random. Keeping lobbies after a match ends instead of kicking everyone out would likely allow for a bit more consistency while still giving players the option to leave and find a new one if they aren't enjoying the current group of players. Sledgehammer Games has noted they plan to experiment with non-disbanding lobbies in a future update amongst a test group of players and if all goes well, the developer will explore the idea of implementing it for everyone.

Breaking: SHG says they will test out non-disbanding lobbies in MWIII in an upcoming update pic.twitter.com/f1QXIpDVg6

-- CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) November 20, 2023

As of right now, we have no idea when this might happen or how many players will be included in this test pool. It is great to see Sledgehammer Games actively communicating with fans and addressing things they want to see. Sledgehammer is also not just completely bending to the will of fans, as they're just testing things to see if the feedback can actually make their game better without just doing it to make fans happy. Ultimately, it seems like a fair compromise and will hopefully result in a better experience all around. Modern Warfare 3 season 1 is slated to begin on December 6th, so we'll likely see a bunch of changes to gameplay and other updates starting around that time.

It's nearly Black Friday, which means developer Electronic Arts is about to drop all kinds of new content in EA Sports FC 24. Every year, this is one of the biggest promos players see each year, as EA tries to entice new players to pick up the game and start playing Ultimate Team. While the specifics of how EA Sports FC 24 will handle Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year are still up in the air, leaks have started to emerge about which players will be included in the promo team. Considering this is the first major annual promo, this team has the potential to be incredible.

EAFC 24 Thunderstruck Leaked Players

?Ronaldinho ?? is coming as THUNDERSTRUCK ICON soon!

He will be based on Barcelona's performance?

Make sure to follow @FutSheriff @LeanDesign_ @Fut_scoreboard !#fc24 pic.twitter.com/nm3WeQQp08

-- Fut Sheriff (@FutSheriff) November 21, 2023

The leaks below come from Fut Sheriff, a reputable EAFC leaker. You should still take them all with a grain of salt because EA does change its plans from time to time. That said, the list below does seem relatively likely given that EA generally juices the promo team during Black Friday to entice players to spend money. Here are the current leaked Thunderstruck players in EAFC 24:

Thunderstruck Players

• Neymar - Al Hilal
• Cristian Romero - Tottenham
• De Jong - Barcelona
• Memphis Depay - Atletico Madrid (SBC)
• Vinicius - Real Madrid
• Kadidatou Diani - Lyon
• Bernardo Silva - Manchester City
• Marie-Antoinette Katoto - PSG
• Romelo Lukaku - Roma
• Alphonso Davies - Bayern Munich
• Lauren Hemp - Manchester City
• Raphael Varane - Manchester United
• Gabriel Jesus - Arsenal
• Kim Little - Arsenal
• Nabil Fekir - Real Betis
• Emre Can - Dortmund
• Jeremie Frimpong - Bayer Leverkusen
• Gleison Bremer - Juventus
• Joelinton - Newcastle United
• Joe Gomez - Liverpool
• Juan Cuadrado - Inter Milan
• Ansu Fati - Brighton Hove and Albion
• Kienan Tierney - Real Sociedad
• Lukas Klostermann - RB Leipzig
• Thierry Correia - Valencia
• Samuel Umtiti - Lille

Thunderstruck Icons

• Ronaldinho
• Johan Cruyff
• Thierry Henry (confirmed accidentally by EA)
• Eric Cantona
• Gerd Muller
• Cafu
• Rober Pires
• Xabi Alonso
• Ferenc Puskas
• Kenny Daglish
• Kaka
• Luis Figo
• Alessandro Nesta

This list will be updated as more players are added. It's also been leaked that these cards can be upgraded, though we don't know how EA is going to handle that yet. Be sure to check back to see which current-day players are added to the list because EA is going to make this a promo team everyone will want to open packs for.

On top of all that, these players are "live" cards. That means they can upgrade based on how their real-world team performs in the next few matches. Icons will be paired to the team the card represents. Here is the breakdown of what upgrades players can earn:

Men

• 1 win in next 4 games - +1 In Form Upgrade
• 2 wins in next 4 games - +2 Regular PlayStyles
• 3 wins in next 4 games - +1 In Form Upgrade
  

Women

• 1 win in next 3 games - +1 In Form Upgrade
• 2 wins in next 3 gaems - +2 Regular PlayStyles and +1 In Form Upgrade

EA Sports FC 24 Thunderstruck Leaked Start Date

This is less of a leak and more of a safe assumption. After all, if the promo takes place during Black Friday, that means it will start on Friday, November 24. In the past, EA has started early with SBCs, but we'll have to wait until the team confirms that before making any assumptions. It's also worth noting that it's very likely that EA won't drop the entire promo team on the first day. Most likely, some of the players will be SBCs or Objectives, and others might be held back for a second drop on either Sunday or Cyber Monday.

EA Sports FC 24 is available now on PlayStation, Switch, Xbox, and PC platforms.

Among Us is easily one of the most successful indie games of all-time. Developed by the tiny studio InnerSloth, the game has become nothing less than a global sensation over the last few years. It seems that the company will be teaming up with other high-profile indie games as part of a new crossover event. The official Among Us Twitter account has shared a new piece of art of a Crewmate surrounded by obscured characters from different indie games. While nothing has been officially announced just yet, the team did confirm "new collabs" are coming in a follow-up Tweet.

The teaser art for these new collaborations can be found in the Tweet embedded below.

wow indie games are so cool. it'd be even cooler if they did stuff together one day. haha. imagine. ha. ? pic.twitter.com/yLXZu7Ti4v

-- Among Us (@AmongUsGame) November 21, 2023

While it's hard to say what games will be included in this new crossover, that hasn't stopped people from guessing! Among Us fans on Twitter think they've been able to spot references to Celeste, Untitled Goose Game, A Hat in Time, Alien Hominid, River City Girls, Undertale, and Crypt of the Necrdancer. Readers should keep in mind that this is all just speculation right now, but some of these guesses seem plausible based on the key art. In particular, the image in the middle right looks an awful lot like the main character from Untitled Goose Game. Hopefully InnerSloth won't keep fans waiting too much longer on some answers!

The Popularity of Among Us

One of the nice things about an Among Us collaboration like this one is that it could convince new players to try out a game they've never played before. If Celeste or Alien Hominid inspired skins are added, it's possible that players unfamiliar with these games might decide to give them a try. All of the suspected indie games that are featured in the promo art are fairly notable, and have found a good amount of critical and commercial success for their developers over the years. However, Among Us is on something of a different level, given the sheer amount of merchandise the game has inspired, and the fact that an animated series is currently in the works. This kind of spotlight could give some of these games a nice boost in attention.

Among Us Collaborations

Since the game's explosion in popularity in 2020, Among Us has featured a number of collaborations with different games and franchises. Skins based on Halo, Ratchet & Clank, and Scream have all been released, to name a few. Out of all the potential indie games listed, A Hat in Time seems like one of the most likely; last year, A Hat in Time players that owned both games on Steam were treated to in-game stickers inspired by Among Us. The stickers featured Hat Girl in a Crewmate inspired outfit. Given that, it's somewhat surprising that a skin based on Hat Girl hasn't appeared in Among Us just yet!

What indie game collaborations would you like to see in Among Us? Are you looking forward to this event? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Another PlayStation 5 controller is out on the market now with Nacon releasing its Revolution 5 Pro just recently. As the "5" in the name suggests, it's a controller that's made first and foremost for the PlayStation 5, but if you so desire, it works with PlayStation 4 games and on the PC, too. It's a chunky, weighty controller that's got all the bells and whistles that premium peripherals promise these days, and while it certainly feels quite comfortable in-hand, it only does so much to stand out amongst a crowd of options that's becoming denser by the day.

The first thing that you'll notice about the Revolution 5 Pro is how it feels so different from the PS5's base DualSense controller as well as competitors like Xbox's latest Elite controllers. Nacon's Revolution 5 Pro feels wider overall and thicker around the grips than these more traditional controller options -- not to a degree that it's uncomfortable, but when you're so used to using the normal PlayStation and Xbox controllers and the third-party models that try to resemble the norm so closely, the Revolution 5 Pro's density is noticeable.

The same goes for the controller's weight, too. It's not cumbersome on its own, but you can add different sizes of weights to the inside of the grips similar to how you'd add weights to a gaming mouse to add some heft or lighten its load. I found the largest of the weights, 16g, to be the most comfortable in the device. While the wider size of the controller was initially off-putting to the point that I had someone else test it to make sure I wasn't imagining things, that size combined with the heavier weights makes for a product that feels like quality work before you've ever even pressed a button.

As far as those buttons go, the core inputs of the device do their job as sufficiently as one would expect. There's little to reinvent when it comes to the face buttons, so the Revolution 5 Pro smartly keeps those simple. They're reactive, snappy, and most importantly, they stay out of your way. The same goes for the bumpers and triggers as well as the latter's hair-trigger locking mechanism, too. I prefer to keep the triggers locked on most occasions for consistency's sake, and while subtle, the textures on the triggers provide a surprisingly smart tactile response.

Where the inputs truly shine, however, are where the control sticks are concerned. That's great for Nacon, because those are one of the main selling points of the controller. The controller's sticks make use of "Hall effect technology," Nacon says, which is mean to eliminate stick drift once and for all. Stick drift is the enemy of premium controllers like this, a diagnosis that means weeks of waiting for repairs to be made if you're lucky or the death of a controller if you're not.

I won't pretend to understand the specifics and magnetic science behind the Hall effect, but however Nacon has managed to incorporate that into the Revolution 5 Pro, it's made for some exceptional thumb sticks. They roll around right in their pockets smooth as can be with nary a bump nor hiccup to speak of, at least not in the time I've used them. With several thumb stick alternatives like tall, short, concave, and convex sticks included in the purchase of a Revolution 5 Pro, you can pull and push them into different combinations till you're happy with your setup, but no matter which ones you pick, they're all exceptional. Time will tell whether the usage of the Hall effect will have any long-lasting benefit here since stick drift isn't something that shows up right away anyway, but in the meantime, Nacon's got a winner on its hands when it comes to the most-used part of the controller.

An alternate d-pad customization and profile options to account for different control schemes depending on the game you're playing make for other now-standard add-ons controllers like these typically offer, but Nacon did take some liberties with parts of the Revolution 5 Pro's design. Unfortunately, those don't always work out. The four additional "paddles" on this controller that can be mapped to different inputs, for example, are actually buttons inlaid into the body of the controller itself as opposed to paddles that jut out. That may sound more convenient, but that's only true for the first two extra buttons, S1 and S2. Those rest essentially where your middle finger would cradle the back of the controller, and it's no problem at all to make contact with them. Slightly below them, however, are the S3 and S4 inputs. They're essentially where your ring and pinky fingers would make contact with the grip, and that's the main issue with them.

In other controllers with paddles, you're essentially pushing the input in towards the back of the controller towards yourself. Using the S3 and S4 inputs requires more of a squeezing action -- not dramatically so to the point that you're tightening your grip on your whole controller, but enough that it's an awkward shift compared to alternatives. You can always choose to simply not use them since four extra buttons can be a bit overwhelming for people sometimes anyway, but that shift in reflex is already enough to get used to on its own without an added obstacle.

It's also more than a bit odd that the vibration function doesn't work with PS5 games. It does with PS4 games, but a disclaimer on the site for the product says that for "specific PS5 games" you play on that console, "the controller will not vibrate." Again, I won't pretend to understand the reasoning behind this, but it's a bit absurd to have a $200 asking price for a PS5 controller that doesn't vibrate when you're playing PS5 games. Haptic feedback and adaptive triggers being absent from the controller make sense considering those are essentially exclusive to the DualSense family, but omitting vibrations is less forgivable.

Because of that, I found myself using the Revolution 5 Pro on the PC quite a bit, too, but therein lies another problem Preferring the wired option because of proximity less latency, I encountered an unexpected adversary: the included USB-C cable. It's bulky and rigid, and while I'm sure it'd relax over time, it's far from convenient to have it jutting out the top of the controller. Using an alternate cable is an option, sure, but in doing so, you'll find that the included cable is apparently manufactured with a very specific head to it that fits snugly into the controller, a connection point which is surprisingly difficult to find in another cable. I tried just about every spare USB-C I could find laying around for various devices, and none of them felt like they connected well, so the option was either to use a bulky connection or use one that came undone at the slightest twitch.

For all its comfort and quality, Nacon's Revolution 5 Pro sure is an odd device. Its shortcomings don't become apparent until you've used it for awhile, and the premium feeling and tactile response it offers comes just short of outweighing those pitfalls. Its $200 price point isn't unexpected considering that's what most controllers like this go for nowadays, but with its lack of PS5 vibration and the atypical placement of the extra paddles, it's harder to recommend this device over first-party alternatives. The Hall effect promise of no stick drift is a compelling one, however, so if this controller really does outlive other devices that might be better overall packages that give out sooner, it could end up being a good investment for early adopters.

A Revolution 5 Pro was provided for review purposes, and the controller was tested primarily on a PS5 and a PC.

Rockstar Games nearly made an open-world zombie game a number of years ago. Rockstar Games is one of the finest video game developers out there. They have been afforded the luxury of absurd amounts of time, seemingly a blank check for budgets, and have a ton of resources that allows them the ability to create industry defining games. Red Dead Redemption 2 is five years old and yet, there aren't really any games that come close to what it did. Even Grand Theft Auto V manages to still feel a step above its more recent competitors despite being a decade old. The studio has made a name for itself off those two franchises, but has proven it is capable even when expanding into other franchises like Max Payne, LA Noire, Bully, and Midnight Club.

There are lots of whispers of canceled Rockstar titles such as Bully 2, Agent, and more, but now we're hearing about something pretty new. A former Rockstar Games developer named Obbe Vermeij has started a blog where he's recounting the development of some of the games that he worked on between 1995 and 2009. Namely, we get a lot of info on the GTA trilogy and Grand Theft Auto IV, but Vermeji also recounted stories on some other titles as well. According to the ex-developer (via RockstarIntel), Rockstar North was eager to do something besides GTA after Vice City. The team started dreaming up a game that was internally referred to as Codename Z and would use the bones of Vice City's code. Players would play on a Scottish island and use vehicles to navigate their way through hordes of zombies that would be constantly attacking them. There would also be an emphasis on maintaining and finding fuel for your vehicle, seemingly making it feel like more of a survival horror game. However, the game didn't last long and after a month, team members moved on to work on Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Interestingly enough, a lot of this sounds very similar to Days Gone, a game where you play as a biker in the zombie apocalypse. Of course, there's no direct connection between these projects, but it is something that Rockstar would've probably been ahead of the curve on as that game was received well by fans despite some mediocre review scores.

Rockstar Games would eventually make Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare, something that's widely regarded as one of the best video game expansions ever made. Since then, fans have hoped to see the developer do other similar DLCs like aliens, more zombies, or something of the sorts. Whether that day ever comes remains a mystery, Rockstar Games has changed a lot since Undead Nightmare. Rumors suggest Grand Theft Auto VI will get single player DLC, but those are just rumors. It's also possible they won't be quite as zany or supernatural, but we can always hold out hope that for such a thing.

At this point, we don't know too much about where Sony Santa Monica is going to take the God of War franchise in the future. There's been relatively recent rumors about both DLC and sequel, but nothing concrete yet. What we do know is that the studio has brought in a brand-new narrative director to help shape whatever's coming next. Bonnie Jean Mah is trading one "of War" franchise for another as she switches over from The Coalition who most will know from the Gears of War franchise.

The news was first spotted by Video Games Chronicle, which shared her Twitter announcement. There, she said, "All right, let's do this...I'm so excited to share my news: I've joined Sony Santa Monica as a Narrative Director. I'm beyond thrilled to be working with this team and studio. Let's goooo."

At The Coalition (formerly Black Tusk Studios) Mah worked on Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, Gears of War 4, Gears 5, and Gears Tactics. Her role grew to narrative director before leaving to work as the narrative lead on Ages of Empire 4 with Relic Entertainment. She'd later return to The Coalition and take on the role of franchise narrative director for Gears of War before working for two years on an unannounced game with TiMi Montreal. Now, she'll have a massive new world to play in as Santa Monica builds the future of God of War.

What's Next for God of War?

ALL RIGHT, let's do this...I'm SO excited to share my news: I've joined @SonySantaMonica as a Narrative Director. I'm beyond thrilled to be working with this team and studio. LET'S GOOOOO pic.twitter.com/hCOZEtvBEB

-- Bonnie Jean Mah (@BonnieJeanMah) November 21, 2023

As mentioned above, we don't know anything concrete about the future of God of War. There was a new round of rumors about God of War Ragnarok getting DLC, but those haven't been confirmed. That said, the rumors did claim that fans would hear about it by the end of 2023. That could mean we'll see it announced at The Game Awards next month, but that's just an educated guess.

Past that, there have been rumors that the next release will be similar in scope to Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. If that does turn out to be the case, it'd make sense for PlayStation to announce it on a big stage like The Game Awards. Either way, the franchise appears to be in good hands with Mah involved. Hopefully, we'll learn about what's next within the next few weeks.

God of War Ragnarok is available now on PlayStation platforms.

Just days after the last distribution event for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the Nintendo Switch game has received yet another new Mystery Gift code. This time around, The Pokemon Company has released a code to celebrate the third episode of Paldean Winds. By using the code TEAMSTAR, players will receive a Revaroom at level 50. The Steel/Poison-type Pokemon has a Fighting Tera type, and this one also has the Peeved Mark; when applied, the Pokemon is known as "Revaroom the Grumpy." Revaroom comes in a Heal Ball, and knows the following moves:

• Iron Head
• Swagger
• Poison Jab
• Tera Blast

Revaroom's original trainer is "Team Star," and its summary mentions that it "came from the Pokemon animated show." Revaroom's Fighting Tera type won't make much of a difference when it comes to the Pokemon's weaknesses, but it should give it an edge if it comes into conflict with another Steel-type. Unlike the recent Dragapult code, this Mystery Gift will be available for a very long time, and won't expire until October 31, 2024 at 7:59 a.m. PT.

Pokemon: Paldean Winds

For those that haven't been keeping up with Paldean Winds, it's a four-episode animated series loosely adapting story elements and characters from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. The third episode of the series puts a major focus on Team Star, the "villains" of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. As anyone that has played the games knows, Team Star has a tendency to use Revaroom, so it makes sense that The Pokemon Company would select it for a Mystery Gift giveaway. Revaroom is fairly easy to come by in both Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet, but this one's special mark and Tera type should still make it worth snagging for players.

For those that wish to watch the new episode of Paldean Winds, it can be found at Pokemon's official YouTube channel right here. The series has no connection to the regular Pokemon anime, existing as its own separate entity.

How to Redeem a Mystery Gift Code

Mystery Gift codes are very easy to claim in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and players can do so by going into the menu and clicking the option that reads "Poke Portal." From there, players will find "Mystery Gift" as the final option on the list. After that, players must choose "Get With Code/Password," at which point the game will connect to the internet. Players will then be prompted to input the code. Since the code TEAMSTAR is shorter than some of the other codes, there will be extra space leftover that must be left blank. As long as the code is still active or hasn't already been redeemed, players will receive Revaroom, or whatever the Mystery Gift code is for.

How do you feel about this new Mystery Gift? Will you be claiming this free Revaroom? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Call of Duty 2024 rumors are already in full swing despite Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 having just released. Call of Duty is one of the most well-oiled machines in gaming, ensuring there is always a new game in the multi-billion dollar franchise every single holiday season. Sometimes the franchise hurts a bit for that, such as this year's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The game was reportedly created in about a year and a half, resulting in a rushed campaign, reused multiplayer content, and more. Yet, the series doesn't really have a lot of time to stop and evaluate its future plans very much because the train must keep going.

With all of that said, details are already trickling out about Call of Duty 2024 which is expected to be Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (tentative title). According to Windows Central, the new game will release next fall and there are already discussions being had with regards to pre-order bonuses. This will be the second Call of Duty game to release under Microsoft, but the first one that can likely be impacted by the tech giant since Modern Warfare 3 was shipped just a few weeks after the Microsoft/Activision acquisition was closed. One of the pre-order bonuses being talked about is the ability to play parts of the game weeks before its full release. It's unclear what specifically this might be, but it would be a significant incentive for players to pre-order. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 let players play the campaign a week early if they pre-ordered, but this could suggest we would get something like Zombies weeks ahead of release. It's possible Treyarch has more confidence in exposing its content to the world so early because it has had four years to develop this game, the longest development time of any Call of Duty.

Of course, these types of things could change at any given moment and we likely won't hear about specific pre-order plans until the summer. Fans should take some comfort in knowing Microsoft has already stated it has no plans to give Xbox any kind of advantage for Call of Duty players. Outside of Xbox Game Pass releases, there will be parity across platforms so no one will get the game earlier than anyone else.

What is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 About?

The next Call of Duty is expected to be set in the Gulf War, a heavily televised war in the 1990s. It will be the first game in the series to take place during this time period and Treyarch is expected to heavily examine everyone's role in the controversial conflict. Whether or not the developer will find success in this remains to be seen, but the Black Ops games have a history of shining a light on America's role in various wars throughout history.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been subject to a few delays, but developer Rocksteady Games seems to have everything on track to meet its February 2, 2024 release date. Over the last few days, the team has been dropping new Insider videos to give fans a look at everything that's in store. Today, Rocksteady took it one step further by revealing the first gameplay trailer for King Shark. He's one of the four playable characters in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. If the trailer is any indication, players are going to have a blast exploring Metropolis with King Shark.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League King Shark Gameplay

One thing you'll notice almost immediately is that King Shark has a varied set of weapons at his disposal. The trailer shows him using a mini-gun, two hook-like sickles, and what looks like a fast-firing SMG. Considering Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a live-service game, we'll likely see all kinds of cosmetics for King Shark's tools as Rocksteady adds new content to the game.

However, King Shark does have abilities that extend beyond his toolbelt. Rocksteady probably isn't fully tipping its hand just yet, but we do see King Shark using an ability that lets him slam into the ground. This appears to be an area-of-effect attack due to the blue circle under him while Shark's in the air, but that could be something else.

The trailer ends with King Shark using some kind of powered-up gauntlets and a giant machete. Again, we'll learn more about Shark's kit over the coming weeks and months, but this early look makes it clear that he'll have a ton of tricks in his bag.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Release Date

As mentioned above, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is set to launch on February 2, 2024. It's worth noting that the game has been delayed a few times already, but it's unlikely they'll push it back again at this point. We'll also likely soon have gameplay trailers for all four characters.

After all, Harley Quinn got her trailer a few days ago. Now that King Shark is out in the wild, it's only a matter of time until Captain Boomerang and Deadshot get their time in the spotlight. Alongside that, we'll probably start to learn even more about how the game works via the Insider videos as Rocksteady builds up hype before the full release.

The South Park franchise has received a lot of video games over the years, and that number will be growing in 2024. South Park: Snow Day! was announced back in August, but little has been revealed about the game since. Today, THQ Nordic released a new trailer for the game, offering a close look at the actual gameplay. While the game uses designs based on South Park: The Stick of Truth, this is not another single-player game; instead the focus is on team-based four-player co-op in snow-covered locations around the mountain town.

The new trailer for South Park: Snow Day! can be found below.

As we can see from the trailer, players will have both melee and ranged weapons to use, and there will be a good deal of violence! Clearly, the imaginations of the kids are going to be the central focus, as the characters will use special powers and abilities to take down their opponents. The video also gives us a glimpse at several beloved South Park characters, including Cartman, Stan, Kyle, Butters, Clyde, Jimbo, and Ned.

South Park: Snow Day! Platforms

South Park: Snow Day! will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC when it launches next year. At this time, a set release date has not been announced, though the game will be arriving at a budget price point of $29.99. There has been a lot of skepticism surrounding Snow Day!, particularly since this is coming after some highly-regarded South Park games released over the last few years. THQ Nordic will have its work cut out, but the game's launch price might be enough to appeal to those on the fence. It might not be the type of game fans were hoping for, but it's possible it could still prove to be a worthwhile experience.

South Park Video Games

South Park first began airing on Comedy Central back in 1997. The show's immediate popularity led to a mountain of merchandise, including its first video game, released on Nintendo 64 in 1998. That game was a first-person shooter that included both a single-player mode, as well as a four-player head-to-head mode. The game was brought to PC and PlayStation the following year. Following the original South Park, several other games based on the franchise would see release, including South Park: Chef's Luv Shack, South Park Rally, and South Park: Tenorman's Revenge.

While many of these older South Park games received mixed to negative reviews over the years, things have changed more recently. South Park: The Stick of Truth and South Park: The Fractured but Whole were both critical and commercial successes, and have set a high bar for future South Park games.

Are you planning to check out South Park: Snow Day! when it releases? What do you think of this gameplay trailer? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Apex Legends recently got a brand new game mode from Respawn Entertainment called "Three Strikes," and players liked it quite a bit. They liked it so much that Respawn and Electronic Arts are bringing it back much quicker than limited-time modes typically rotate in and out of the schedule. It just went away this week on November 21st following the conclusion of the Post Malone event, but Respawn has already said as of Wednesday that it plans to bring the mode back on November 23rd where it'll once again be live for "a limited time," though it hasn't been said yet just how long it'll stick around this next time.

For context, LTMs in Apex Legends usually spend time time away from the rotation and only appear sporadically throughout seasonal events, so the fact that this one is coming back so soon shows just how much players enjoyed it.

Three Strikes Returns

Okay, we hear you. You really enjoyed Three Strikes! Due to your overwhelming and enthusiastic feedback, we're bringing it back starting tomorrow for a limited time.

See you then, legends ?

-- Apex Legends (@PlayApex) November 22, 2023

Respawn said via the Apex Legends Twitter account this week that it planned to bring back the Three Strikes mode on November 23rd. That's Thanksgiving for those who celebrate which also means that lots of people are going to have time off from work and plenty of time to sink into Three Strikes again. It's also worth pointing out that Fortnite's having its own big to-do tomorrow with the new mini season dropping as part of the Season OG rollout, so it makes sense for Respawn to have something enticing for Apex players lest it loses out on people who are interested in revisiting Fortnite's Season X.

Apex Legends players have put forth the idea that the Three Strikes mode should be made permanent, but that seems quite unlikely since there's no precedent really for LTMs being implemented in that sort of way. If you haven't gotten to play it yet to see what all the buzz is about and are planning on trying it out for the first time this week, however, here's what you need to know about it:

"Unleash mayhem in this new LTM with faster revives and invincibility when downed," an overview of the new mode explained. "In Three Strikes, you and your squad will have three chances to be the last squad standing. Players can be knocked, but not killed unless the entire squad is wiped. At that point, you'll lose a strike and respawn back into the map fully equipped. Lose all three strikes and you're out."

Whenever you respawn, you do so one POI away from where you died, and you come back with your equipped armor and EVO progression, the weapons and attachments you had already, and all the ammo, ordinance, and consumables you had, too. This leads to a fast-paced mode where you're not so down about getting eliminated off a bad drop or right when you got in the groove, so it's no wonder that it's been received as well as it has been.

With Black Friday just a few days away, developer Electronic Arts knows it's about to have a massive influx of new players in Madden NFL 24 due to deep discounts at retailers and digital stores. To that end, the company always launches one of its biggest promos of the year. Blitz is a fast-moving promo with a constantly refreshing release schedule that will keep players on their toes if they don't know what to look out for. You'll want to know exactly when certain players are available, especially if you're a big fan of this year's rookie class. The Blitz promo in Madden NFL 24 is heavily focused on the young guns who make up the future of the NFL.

Madden NFL 24 Blitz Release Date

Tune in to GMM tomorrow at 10:30AM ET for Blitz player reveals and program details ? #Madden24 pic.twitter.com/pjSG0dzZ1m

-- Madden Ultimate Team (@EASPORTS_MUT) November 22, 2023

The Blitz promo kicks off officially on November 23 at 6 PM ET. However, there are already a few packs in the MUT store where you can buy some of the Blitz-specific currency early if you want. The Blitz promo closes on November 27 at 11:59 PM ET. It's important to remember that all of your Blitz currency will then be converted into coins, so you'll want to spend it before it's gone.

Speaking of Blitz currency, this year there will be two different types: Blitz Tix and Blitz Bolts. You can use these to buy packs and will be able to earn them from the Blitz Field Pass, as well as other challenges. Additionally, you'll earn 84 OVR Saints SS Jordan Howden just for logging in, and he can be upgraded to 90 OVR with upgrade tokens.

You'll also want to check out House Rules during the event, where you can earn an auctionable 89 OVR Marvin Mims Jr. after picking up 60 wins. If you want, you can convert Mims into 500 Bolts to help you open more packs.

All Blitz Players in Madden NFL 24

Above, you can see the full player schedule for the week. The times listed are when those players are available in packs, so if there's someone you want, you'll want to time your pack opening around them being available. Here are all of the players in the Madden NFL 24 Blitz promo:

• Tuli Tuipulotu, LOLB, Chargers - 88 OVR
• Zay Flowers, WR, Ravens - 88 OVR
• Derick Hall, ROLB, Seahawks - 88 OVR
• Ty Zentner, P, Texans - 88 OVR
• Cameron Mitchell, CB, Browns - 89 OVR
• Blake Grupe, K, Saints - 89 OVR - 89 OVR
• Jerrick Reed II, FS, Seahawks - 89 OVR
• Steve Avila, LG, Rams - 89 OVR
• Tyree Wilson, RE, Raiders - 90 OVR
• Darnell Wright, RT, Bears - 90 OVR
• Ivan Pace Jr, MLB, Vikings - 90 OVR
• Bryce Young, QB, Panthers - 90 OVR
• DJ Turner, CB, Bengals - 90 OVR
• De'Von Achane, RB, Dolphins - 90 OVR
• Keeanu Benton, DT, Steelers - 91 OVR
• Joe Tippman, RG, Jets - 91 OVR
• Kei'Trel Clark, CB, Cardinals - 91 OVR
• Dalton Kincaid, TE, Bills - 91 OVR
• Tavius Robinson, ROLB, Ravens - 91 OVR
• Tank Dell, WR, Texans - 91 OVR
• Luke Musgrave, TE, Packers - 92 OVR
• Brian Branch, FS, Lions - 92 OVR
• Christian Gonzalez, CB, Patriots - 92 OVR
• Anthony Richardson, QB, Colts - 92 OVR
• Jevon Kearse, LE, Titans - 92 OVR
• Warrick Dunn, RB, Buccaneers - 92 OVR
• Nolan Smith Jr, LOLB, Eagles - LTD, 93 OVR
• Puka Nacua, WR, Rams - LTD, 93 OVR

Madden NFL 24 is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms.

In 2024, Call of Duty will reportedly be returning to its Black Ops sub-series. Following the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 earlier this month, questions have immediately turned to what the next Call of Duty entry lined up in 2024 will be. While Activision itself has yet to say anything about what's on tap in 2024 for its biggest franchise, it sounds as though developer Treyarch will once again continue with the Black Ops series that it has popularized for over a decade.

According to Windows Central, 2024's Call of Duty installment will be a Black Ops title and is rumored to potentially be called Call of Duty: Black Ops Gulf War. This will be the sixth Black Ops game in the Call of Duty series and will be the first since 2020's Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. As its potential name suggests, this entry will take place in the early 1990s and will center around the Gulf War. Much like Black Ops Cold War, real-world politicians and other world leaders from this era could make an appearance in the game as it looks to "explore a nuanced narrative of the Gulf War, with a critical focus on different participants within the conflict."

Outside of its campaign, this new Black Ops entry is also said to be bringing back popular maps from previous Black Ops titles. This is something that Activision has most notably done this year with Modern Warfare 3 as its launch maps were comprised of locales from 2009's Modern Warfare 2. Lastly, a Zombies mode is also said to be present in the 2024 Black Ops title and may even become available weeks ahead of the release of the base game via early access.

Again, Activision itself hasn't confirmed any of these details just yet so don't take all of this as complete truth for the time being. That being said, if Call of Duty: Black Ops Gulf War is indeed real, we will likely hear more about it in the early portion of 2024. As for when the game will launch, it's expected to drop in its typical window of fall or early winter of next year.

What do you think about 2024's Call of Duty game based on what we know so far? And how do you feel about Treyarch coming back with another Black Ops title? Let me know your own thoughts either down in the comments or reach out to me on social media at @MooreMan12.

Nintendo has announced that it will soon be releasing an update to fix a major bug that has been discovered in its recently released remake of Super Mario RPG. Much to the joy of many Super Nintendo fans, Super Mario RPG finally was let loose this past week on Nintendo Switch with a fresh coat of paint. And while both critics and Nintendo fans have been loving Super Mario RPG so far, one annoying bug has popped up for some that has prevented them from advancing further into the experience.

Specifically, this bug in Super Mario RPG is tied to Paratroopas that aren't appearing where they should be. Upon triggering the Paratroopa event in Monstro Town, Paratroopas are then meant to also appear in Land's End to advance the story. For one reason or another, though, these classic Super Mario enemies aren't showing up, which has kept Super Mario RPG players stuck for the time being.

Luckily, Nintendo has acknowledged that it's already very much aware of this problem in Super Mario RPG and it will be fixing the bug in a patch that rolls out in early December. Until that time, Nintendo has also provided a breakdown of how to get these Paratroopa to appear in their proper place in Land's End without the use of this update. As such, if you follow this guide, you should be able to continue your own playthrough of Super Mario RPG.

If you'd like to learn more about what to do if you've encountered this bug for yourself, you can find Nintendo's own workaround below.

Super Mario RPG Bug Workaround

If you encounter this bug, you should go to the Mushroom Kingdom, then return to Land's End again. Doing so should make the Paratroopas appear as intended.

Notes:

• There's no need for you to go inside the castle in the Mushroom Kingdom. The bug should be fixed if you enter the town around the castle.
• It's fine for you to use the map to travel to the Mushroom Kingdom.
• When returning to Land's End from the Mushroom Kingdom, you can either use the map or the "To World Map" option.

[H/T Nintendo Life]

First launched in October 2022 as a Pulse exclusive that sold out in pre-order, Hasbro's wearable Magic: The Gathering Chandra Pyromancer's Gauntlet prop replica is back up for pre-order here at Entertainment Earth priced at $299.99, and you don't need a membership to get free shipping on it this time around. Just use the code HOLIDAY39 at checkout. You won't be charged until it ships in January.

Needless to say, only MTG superfans will be applying for this collectible at that price, though you are getting an awesome-looking prop with some fun electronic features that simulate Chandra's powers, including lights, sounds, and misting effects. The package also includes a playable retro reprint card of Pyromancer's Gauntlet along with a stand, refill bottle (for the misting effect), 3 pairs of gloves, and 3 replacement wicks.

What's New With Magic the Gathering?

The answer is...a lot. For starters, Fallout, Assassin's Creed, Final Fantasy, Marvel, Doctor Who, Tomb Raider and Jurassic World, and more are all coming to Magic: The Gathering within the next few years.

"Magic has evolved in numerous ways in the last thirty years. Our designers continue to create new and thematic mechanics, we've adapted the game to support fan-created formats of play, and we continue to welcome new players into the Magic community through our Universes Beyond collaborations," said Bill Rose, global play lead for Magic: The Gathering at Wizards of the Coast. "One thing that has remained constant throughout our 30-year history is how much our players love Magic. As we look to the future, one of our guiding principles is to continue to curate new and memorable gameplay experiences, whether you've been playing Magic for a couple of months, years, decades, or anything in between."

You can keep up with all of the latest MTG news right here.

The Naruto Universe has introduced another powerhouse of the Uchiha Clan - and she goes by the name of Hikari Uchihia!

Hikari Uchiha's Power Explained

Actually, you'll probably hear Hikari more commonly referred to as "Nanashi," and she was a kunoichi of the Uchiha Clan during the Warring States Period of history, which preceded the formation of Konohagakure and the other hidden villages. Hikari had uniquely powerful chakra and jutsu abilities, including a full-matured Sharingan at a young age, and a Mangekyo Sharingan that allowed her to unleash a Genjutsu known as the Yachihoko, which allowed her to erase memories and control the minds and chakra of others.

During the Warring State Period, the Uchiha Clan used Hikari and her powers as a powerful weapon against the other shinobi clans. Hikari was similarly treated as a living weapon instead of a person; she had her real name replaced by "Nanashi," and was locked away in a cage during the war. The Sarutobi and Senju clans formed an alliance and used a fuinjutsu to seal Ninashi away, where she remained until the modern-day age of Boruto Uzumaki's youth.

How Nanashi Becomes A Villain

The Story Mode of the new game Naruto x Boruto: Ulitmate Ninja Storm Connections sees the game's main villain, Merz of the Zero organization, release Hikari from her seal. As a disciple of Pain and his Akatsuki, Merz manipulates Nanashi's feelings of hurt and anger into a plot to get revenge on the entire shinobi world. When Boruto gets into a popular online game called "Ninja Heroes" he begins to befriend the game's navigator, "Nanashi," only to realize something sinister is afoot...

(SPOILERS) During the course of Ultimate Nina Storm Connections' story, Merz and Nanashi use an Engraved Tsukuyomi and the Yachihoko to influence the entire shinobi world and nearly push it into the Fight Shinobi World War. Team 7, Hidden Leaf's heroes (Naruto and Sasuke), and Toneri Otsutsuki all unite in the fight, breaking the Yachihoko and then stopping Merz and Zero for good. However, during that fight Boruto's friendship causes Nanashi to change sides, and she sacrifices herself to help him win against Merz in battle.

Hikari Uchiha Redeemed

Nanashi's story doesn't end in that tragedy, though. Boruto gets sent back in time by Toneri Otsutsuki, where he meets and rescues Nanashi from the Uchiha Clan's cruelty during the Warring State Period. After battling their way out of the Uchiha Clan's stronghold, Boruto reveals her true name and identity to her, inspiring her to go off and live a life as something more than a living weapon.

Boruto gets the touching validation of Hikari having lived a good life, as he discovers upon returning to the present day that she leaves behind an account of how much he changed her life for the better.

Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Nina Storm Connections is now on sale for various gaming platforms

Blizzard Entertainment has announced that it will be making Diablo 4 free-to-play for a limited span of time, but only on a single platform. At this point in time, Diablo 4 is on sale at essentially every retail chain as part of numerous Black Friday promotions that are taking place. For those who still aren't sold on picking the loot-driven action game up for themselves, though, one major marketplace is giving users the ability to play the latest Diablo installment for no cost.

Starting now and lasting until next week on November 28, Diablo 4 is free to download and play on PC via Steam. This trial is the first one that Blizzard has had for Diablo 4 since its arrival earlier this year. As mentioned, this free-to-play phase also coincides with a major sale for the game as it is now 40% off across all platforms. So if you end up enjoying D4 based on what you may experience in this free period, you can then snag the full game for a much lower cost than normal. It's also worth noting that all progress made during the free trial will then transfer to Diablo 4 proper if you do pick it up later.

Give thanks and drag your friends to Hell.

Play #DiabloIV for free on Steam, from now until November 28th at 10am PT.

?https://t.co/BEhUaX6Ntz pic.twitter.com/JnQ2wPu2i9

-- Diablo (@Diablo) November 21, 2023

As expected with a trial of this type, though, there are some pretty notable caveats. Specifically, Blizzard has kept players from surpassing beyond level 20 in Diablo 4 during this trial, which means that the entire game isn't accessible. What is a nice benefit, however, is that cross-play and co-op gameplay have been enabled. So if you and a friend both want to get a feel for Diablo 4 on Steam as part of this free phase, you can do so while still being able to play with one another.

Are you going to look to check out Diablo 4 while it's free on Steam in the coming days? Or have you already played the game for yourself earlier in 2023? Be sure to let me know either down in the comments section or shoot me a message on social media at @MooreMan12.

With the reveal of Grand Theft Auto 6 drawing nearer, it looks like Rockstar Games is doing some behind-the-scenes work on its site and its social platforms to prepare for the new Grand Theft Auto game's first trailer. That work includes some updates for the Rockstar site where the trailer and whatever else accompanies it will inevitably be hosted as well as some changes (and perhaps the end?) for the Rockstar Social Club feature that's been around for years now. We still don't have a date for when the reveal will happen, however, so it's unclear when these changes will culminate in the big GTA 6 unveiling.

If you're not a frequent visitor of the Rockstar Games site, some of the changes may have gone unnoticed, but for those who do visit it often enough, the changes certainly weren't unnoticed.

Rockstar Games Site Update

If you head to the Rockstar Games site yourself, you can see some of the changes that have been made. These changes mostly deal with ease of navigation with new menu options and a refined search feature found on the site now. Take the Rockstar Games logo in the top-left corner as noticed by Rockstar Intel which now expands to show three options once clicked: "Home," "Games," and "Newswire" which pretty much encompass everything you'd possibly need from a Rockstar Games site.

Again, most GTA players probably could make their way around the Rockstar Games site without issue even before these updates, butt he fact that work's being done on the site should hopefully make it even easier to keep up with GTA 6 news moving forward.

Rockstar Social Club

In an even more interesting development, it looks like Rockstar may be rebranding its Rockstar Social Club feature. Being a part of this social platform allows you to do things like further customizations of in-game license plates as well as the option to join up with different crews to play together. It's got some perks to it, but not to the degree that the GTA+ subscription service does.

People in the GTA community will tell you that nobody uses the Rockstar Social Club much, but Rockstar also update its site this week to reflect new stats by saying that over 200 million people are part of the club. Whether you're in it or not, it may not be long for this world, at least in its current form. People also noticed that the Rockstar Social Club site, while still active, doesn't actually mention "Rockstar Social Club" anywhere. References to that name are still present on the support site for it, but on that actual site where you'd sign up and the perks are listed, the word "social" doesn't appear once.

It's unlikely that Rockstar would scrap the service entirely given that it just updated the numbers to show how many people were using it, but it's possible that it'll be overhauled with the reveal and release of GTA 6.

Rockstar Games said previously it's going to be revealing the first trailer for GTA 6 in early December, so expect more on the game to be seen very soon.

Focus Entertainment has announced that Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has now been delayed into 2024. Initially announced back in 2021, Space Marine 2 is the long-awaited sequel to the cult-classic shooter from 2011. And while Space Marine 2 was originally intended to launch near the end of 2023, Focus Entertainment has now revealed that the game could now be arriving a full year later than fans expected.

Spotted by PC GamesN, Focus Entertainment released a new message as part of its upcoming business plan that confirmed the delay of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. When it comes to the reason behind this delay, Focus primarily cited that it wants to make Space Marine 2 as polished as it can be before releasing it to the public. Despite this delay, though, the game's specific launch date is said to be getting announced in the coming weeks.

"Focus Entertainment will reveal the official launch date of the highly anticipated Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 - the iconic Games Workshop licence - in early December," read the new update from Focus. "The game is now poised to ship in the second half of 2024, to provide the time needed to properly polish the game and to ensure the best possible experience. Focus Entertainment is committed to releasing a game that is of the highest quality and that exceeds the expectations of the countless fans of the franchise."

Given that the release date for Space Marine 2 is going to be announced early next month, it seems likely that the game will make an appearance at The Game Awards on December 7. This venue would particularly make a lot of sense for the launch date announcement given that The Game Awards is where Space Marine 2 was first unveiled two years ago. Until that time, if you'd like to learn more about what this Warhammer sequel will have in store, you can check out its official trailer and description below.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

"The galaxy is in peril. Entire worlds are falling. The Imperium needs you.

Embody the superhuman skill and brutality of a Space Marine, the greatest of the Emperor's warriors. Unleash deadly abilities and an arsenal of devastating weaponry to obliterate the relentless Tyranid hordes. Hold at bay the horrors of the galaxy in epic battles on far-flung planets. Uncover dark secrets and drive back the everlasting night to prove your ultimate loyalty to humanity.

Heed the call of battle. For there is only war."

Update: Epic Games confirmed on Wednesday via the Fortnite Twitter account that the Eminem crossover is happening. An official look at the musician's in-game skin was revealed, too, but a release date was not announced.

The real deal. @Eminem in The Big Bang!

December 2, 2023. pic.twitter.com/hoNbFY76nH

-- Fortnite (@FortniteGame) November 22, 2023

Original: Eminem is coming to Fortnite, a new leak has revealed. The music icon will apparently be part of the game's next big event, "The Big Bang," which is scheduled to get underway on December 2nd. It's an event that Epic Games has teased already as "a new beginning for Fortnite" which sounds like it's going to be quite a big deal, and considering that Eminem skins and a concert featuring the musician are just part of what's supposedly going to be in the event, it does look like it's shaping up to be just as big as Epic Games has suggested.

Epic Games has not yet officially announced Eminem's involvement with anything related to Fortnite, so all we're going off of right now are leaks that surfaced alongside the game's latest update when new files were added. Those leaks revealed more than one skin for Eminem as well as some news on other crossovers players have been waiting on for awhile now.

Fortnite Eminem Skins

Close up images of Slim Shady Fortnite VIA @Luwwani pic.twitter.com/nC7azun3YE

-- iFireMonkey (@iFireMonkey) November 21, 2023

If the leaks are to be believed, there's going to be a concert featuring Eminem in Fortnite. That concert will allegedly take place during The Big Bang event on December 2nd. Fortnite's own teaser for the event which, so far, consists of only some key art and a brief blog post, again does not say anything about a concert but does have some imagery which hinted at a performance.

As for the Eminem skins, we have Fortnite leaker iFireMonkey and other insiders to thank for those. The image above was shared by that Fortnite-focused Twitter user and shows what Eminem's skin is supposed to look like in-game alongside a variant. Another image shown below features the "Marshall Magma" variant of the "Marshall Never More" skin. Given that this is an alternate style supposedly exclusive to only those who attend the live event, we so far have the skin above which is likely Eminem's base cosmetic, the Marshall Never More skin, and then the Marshall Magma alt style for that one.

The "Marshall Magma" variant is a limited time exclusive.

Attend The Big Bang on December 2nd, and unlock the exclusive MARSHALL MAGMA style for MARSHALL NEVER MORE pic.twitter.com/z8dObngsI3

-- iFireMonkey (@iFireMonkey) November 21, 2023

Given that there have been images shared already of Eminem with and without a mask and headphones, it looks like there will be several different options for the musician that'll likely only be known once the skins go live in the Fortnite Item Shop. That's the most likely place where players will be able to get them outside of whatever rewards the event has for players, though Epic Games obviously hasn't laid out plans for any of that just yet.

Fortnite Big Bang Event

As mentioned previously, Eminem is supposedly going to be just one part of the massive Big Bang event Epic Games has planned. Keeping the music theme going, it looks like there will also be a rhythm mode added during or after this event alongside the long-awaited racing experience.

The Lego crossover is also supposedly going to be releasing around this Big Bang event, too. A previous leak suggested that the Lego collab would get underway on December 7th, and we know already that the Big Bang event is supposed to happen on December 2nd, so perhaps the Lego event will be happening a bit afterwards to give room for everything else that's supposed to be in this packed event.

Eminem photo by Amy Sussman/WireImage

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 players have once again found a new exploit that grants users some pretty busted movement tech, but before you think of mastering it, know that Sledgehammer Games is already on the case. The exploit in question makes it so that players essentially turn themselves into bouncing, slithering snakes meaning that they're able to speed around on the ground while performing different normal actions all while being prone. That naturally makes players much harder to hit, so it's already been addressed by Sledgehammer games and will be fixed in a future update, the Modern Warfare 3 developer said.

If you've been fortunate enough to not have to see the exploit in action in an actual game, you can see it in clips like the one below which were shared online this week to publicize the broken movement.

Modern Warfare 3 Snake Movement Exploit

There's a new completely broken movement in MW3 allowing players to literally be a snake in game LOL

This supposedly can be done on MnK and controller. But here is what it looks like ? pic.twitter.com/aYq9HQ1Ks4

-- Jake Lucky (@JakeSucky) November 21, 2023

Twitter user and interviewer Jake Lucky shared the clip seen here that showed what it looks like whenever someone is abusing this movement in Modern Warfare 3. It shares a perspective from the perspectives of people who have to go against this sort of thing as well as what it looks like when you're using it yourself. Imagine yourself nearing a killstreak only to have someone snake their way across the map to end it prematurely and you can imagine why people are already looking to have this exploit removed.

Fortunately for those who want that to happen, Sledgehammer Games has already responded to the issue. Over on the Call of Duty Updates Twitter account, the latest tweet indicates that the developers are aware of an exploit which "allows players to sprint appearing in the prone animation." It's been labeled as a PC-only issue, so for now, it looks like those on the PlayStation and Xbox consoles don't have anything to worry about. It's also labeled as "investigating" though which means that a fix hasn't been scheduled just yet, and considering how the holidays are upon us, it'll probably be awhile longer before the snake exploit is resolved completely.

??

-- Sledgehammer Games (@SHGames) November 22, 2023

Call of Duty exploits are nothing new with players consistently finding ways to break the games no matter which Call of Duty we're on, so this sort of thing shouldn't be surprising anymore no matter how ridiculous it looks. Just recently, an "exploit" was patched out which allowed players to amass tons of XP by playing the game's Zombies mode, though some players felt the changes did more to punish those who actually consistently play Modern Warfare Zombies as opposed to those who were only in it for the XP. Separate from that, a new update came out just this week which resolved a few more exploits including one which allowed players to utilize camos that they hadn't actually unlocked yet.

One of the actresses rumored for The Last of Us season 2 has a pretty notable connection to the Uncharted series. Naughty Dog is known for featuring a pretty dynamic cast of characters across its games. They're people you can really attach yourself to and feel are three dimensional. There are few games that match the quality of Naughty Dog's writing and that's part of what people love about the developer. Uncharted and The Last of Us are prime examples of cinematic storytelling in games and allow players to really grow with the characters over extended periods of time. Fans got to witness Nathan Drake really grow a lot from his first swashbuckling adventure to becoming a father in the final game. Similarly, people have seen Ellie grow from a bright eyed child to someone beaten down by the world around her.

These games make for great stories in gaming, but also very adaptable for other mediums like television. It's why HBO's The Last of Us has been such a huge hit and the second season has even more potential. Fans have been casting some of the major characters for months, but we may finally have a real hint at who will be our Abby. Rumors are swirling that actress Kaitlyn Dever will play Abby in The Last of Us season 2. She has a long history with Naughty Dog already going all the way back to the movie adaptation of the game where she supposedly read for the role of Ellie and was a popular fan cast. Apparently things must have gone well because she also got cast as Cassie Drake, the daughter of Nathan Drake. Her role only has a few minutes of screentime at the end of Uncharted 4, but it's crucial to Nathan Drake's story.

Whether Cassie will ever return to the series is anyone's guess. There are rumors of a new Uncharted game in the works, but no details have surfaced on it. Either way, it seems like Kaitlyn Dever has made an impression on Naughty Dog and will truly come full circle in The Last of Us season 2 if she's cast.

Salt continues to be poured in the wound of those longing for Bully 2. Rockstar Games is one of the most well-respected developers on the planet thanks to the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series, but the developer also built up a strong portfolio of other unique, diverse games. One of the cult-classics produced by Rockstar Games is a game known as Bully which allows you to play as a student in a private school where you can raise all kinds of hell. It was a unique change of pace for the developer which was known for explosive action, big car chases, and more. It grounded the player in something more intimate and arguably even more interactive given it was on a smaller scale. Fans yearned for a sequel since its release in 2006 and many rumors suggested it would happen, but alas, it has yet to happen.

Rockstar Games has never confirmed they were working on a sequel, but rumors suggest it has been started and stopped multiple times over the years with some reports claiming it was in the works in the 2010s. Unfortunately, the success of Grand Theft Auto V, the development of Red Dead Redemption 2, and a variety of other factors made it difficult for Rockstar to make a Bully sequel happen. However, we have gotten further proof that it was in the works at one point due to the fact that Rockstar Games was developing Bully 2. Earlier this week, a database used for the development for Grand Theft Auto V reveals a string pertaining to Bully 2. Unfortunately, we can't make out any details about it, but it does suggest that it was likely in development around the same time as Grand Theft Auto V.

GTAV's PDB leak contains a string relating to Bully 2.

Credits to @GlowDevs and @WildBrick142 pic.twitter.com/4vDiyTozjn

-- Liam (@billsyliamgta) November 19, 2023

Whether or not Rockstar Games ever circles back to Bully is a mystery. The game will likely be around 20 years old by the time Grand Theft Auto VI releases. The brand may no longer be relevant by then, but who's to say. Either way, hopefully the series can make a comeback in the future.

While The Witcher has been a pretty big success for Netflix over the last few years, one of the most common complaints about the series is that it doesn't adhere close enough to the source material. That has proven frustrating for a lot of people, including former series lead Henry Cavill, who worked to slip in more references to the book. Apparently no one at Netflix listened much to writer Andrzej Sapkowski, either. In an interview with Cerealkillerz at Vienna Comic Con, Sapkowski talked about his visit to the set of the show, and his attempt to offer some ideas.

"Oh well, the set was tremendous, tremendous, awesome," Sapkowski joked. "But no, maybe I gave them some ideas, but they never listen to me. They never listen to me. But it's normal, it's normal. 'Who's this? It's the writer, it's nobody.'"

Sapkowski's Thoughts on The Witcher

Unfortunately, directors and showrunners that handle adaptations of popular books and novels often neglect to take into consideration the opinions of the original writer. Sapkowski is hardly the only one to feel this way. Even Stephen King has had harsh things to say about the adaptations his books have inspired, including well-received films like The Shining. It can be very hard to bring a beloved written work to life in another medium, and things often get left on the cutting room floor.

Sapkowski has never shied away from sharing his thoughts on adaptations of his works. Earlier this year, the author was asked about his thoughts on the Netflix series at the Taipei International Book Exhibition. During the panel, Sapkowski replied with "I've seen better. I've seen worse." That doesn't sound great, but if Sapkowski truly hated the show, he likely would have said so. The author has had harsh words to share about the 2001 live-action movie The Hexer, and its follow-up television series.

The Witcher and Henry Cavill

This year saw the release of The Witcher Season 3, which marked the final one for actor Henry Cavill. A huge fan of Sapkowski's books, Cavill seemed like the perfect candidate to play Geralt of Rivia. However, over the last few years, there have been a number of hints that Cavill was unhappy with the way the show was addressing the source material. To this day, no official reason has been given for Cavill's departure from the series, though many have speculated that the quality of the adaptation was a source of frustration. Regardless of the actual reason, Cavill will not be back for Season 4 of The Witcher. Instead, the role of Geralt will be played by actor Liam Hemsworth, who apparently auditioned to play Geralt prior to Cavill's casting.

Are you surprised that the showrunners of The Witcher didn't listen to Sapkowski's suggestions? How do you feel about the Netflix series? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

[H/T: Redanian Intelligence]

Over the last several years, The Witcher has become a massive, multimedia franchise. However, the entire thing was kicked off by author Andrzej Sapkowski's original novel series. While Sapkowski isn't overly involved with the television series or video games from developer CD Projekt Red, he continues to work on his novel series. Recently, the author was seen at Comic-Con in Vienna, Austria where he revealed the release date of his next book in The Witcher series. Not only that, but Sapkowski gave fans a cryptic tease for the plot of that book.

The next The Witcher book doesn't have an official title, but it was reported by IGN Poland (translated by Redanian Intelligence) that the book would be released in Poland at the tail end of 2024 before becoming internationally available in early 2025. Of course, that date could move around a bit, given that it's still a relatively open window, but it gives fans a solid idea of when to expect the next book.

As for what to expect, Sapkowski said, "They made a series based on one short story. They forced me to continue. I'm not complaining. Thanks to this, I now have money for rent." Obviously, that's not a clear plot description, but fans have teased out what he might be hinting at. Redanian Intelligence thinks it might be related to the anime movie that's coming out in late 2024 based on a short story called "A Little Sacrifice." The anime is called The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, and RI thinks it would make quite a bit of sense to match a continuation of the plot with its release.

Of course, that's just an educated guess, but it's clear that Sapkowski is working to extend the plot of one of the many The Witcher projects currently in the works. Another certain thing is that this won't be an extension of the main plot in The Witcher novel series. Sapkowski has said that's complete, so this will either be a prequel or sidequel, with the latter looking more likely given that it's a continuation of a previous short story.

What's Next For The Witcher Video Games?

Greetings. https://t.co/sV1HWV1X5u

-- The Witcher (@witchergame) November 21, 2023

Not much is known about The Witcher 4 yet. Relatively recently, it was revealed that 260 people were actively working on it at CD Projekt Red, though that number may have gone up after the studio shipped Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. Either way, the game isn't expected to be available before 2025, so we have at least a few more years before it's in players' hands.

That said, The Witcher is still in the public eye via various crossovers. Just today, the team announced a new collaboration with Destiny 2 as part of the Season of the Wish. When the new season starts on November 28, players will be able to get new cosmetics that are inspired by the White Wolf himself. That means Geralt-inspired "armor ornaments, a Ghost shell, ship, Sparrow, emote, and finisher."

The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake may not be dead after all. The Star Wars universe is one of the richest franchises in all of entertainment. It's a well that has been tapped dry for decades now. Countless films, games, television shows, books, and more have all helped expand the Star Wars universe to great lengths. However, there was one game that really resonated in a way that no other Star Wars game really has: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The game was an RPG made by Mass Effect developer BioWare, allowing you to create your own character from scratch and embark on a really exciting adventure across familiar Star Wars locations. The game was a massive hit and the sequel was also received fairly well, but a third game was never produced. Enough time had passed that fans wanted a full-blown remake and... it seems like that might still happen.

A Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake was formally unveiled in 2021 much to the joy of fans. The project was hyped up as a modernization as the beloved RPG with developer Aspyr leading the charge on the project. It sounded like something with serious promise, but in the summer of 2022, it was reported that the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake was going through a lot of development issues and may even change developers entirely. After that, it has been largely silence. Combine that with the fact that Embracer Group, the owner of Aspyr and Saber Interactive (the new developer of the game), has had a lot of financial struggles resulting in game cancelations and layoffs, fans were worried the remake had been canned. There were also recent claims that it had been killed off entirely. Thankfully, not all hope is lost. Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reported that Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake noted that two Saber developers claimed to still be working on the game.

Can't say whether the KOTOR Remake will ever actually *come out*, but yes, two people from Saber Interactive tell me they're still on it, despite recent rumors that nobody is working on the game. (Saber took the project from Aspyr last year, as Bloomberg reported then) https://t.co/prNTT6iVAy

-- Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) November 22, 2023

However, Schreier was quick to point out is guaranteed to actually ever release or what it would actually look like. Some early estimates suggested the game could release in 2025, but due to all these struggles, that may no longer happen should the game see the light of day.

Street Fighter 6 launched to rave reviews over the summer, but Capcom's latest fighter launched without many customization options, especially compared to some of its more recent contemporaries. Players have been stuck with just two costumes for months; however, Capcom is about to change all that. The Outfit 3 trailer dropped today, which will finally bring a new outfit for every single launch fighter in Street Fighter 6. Of course, we've known this was coming for a bit now, but Capcom finally revealed the launch date. The Outfit 3 pack hits Street Fighter 6 on December 1.

All 18 launch fighters are getting new duds. You can watch the full trailer to see all of the new looks, but Honda's vacation outfit is absolutely one of the stars of the show. Zangief putting on his business casual look is also a solid option. Unfortunately, while we know when the bundle is coming, we don't know any pricing info. With it coming in ten days, we'll probably learn much more about it relatively soon.

It's also worth noting that the characters included in the Year 1 DLC won't get new outfits with the initial pack. Instead, fans will get new costumes for Rashid, A.K.I., and Ed when Akuma is introduced in early 2024. Of course, the demon will also get his own third costume that same day. From there, we'll just have to see what's coming when Capcom announces the Year 2 DLC.

Street Fighter 6 Year 2 DLC

Thus far, we don't know much about a potential Year 2 DLC pack. That said, Street Fighter 5 included a ton of DLC characters, and there isn't any reason to expect something different from SF6. Most likely, we'll start to hear more about it next spring after Akuma launches. Unfortunately, Akuma doesn't have a firm release date just yet, but that's something Capcom will probably announce within the next few weeks. Either way, Street Fighter 6 fans are going to have a ton of content to look forward to over the next few weeks.

Street Fighter 6 is available now on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The Outfit 3 pack launches on December 1.

As of this writing, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers can play 26 games that debuted on Nintendo 64, but that number will be growing in the near future. Nintendo has revealed that the next game added to the service will be Jet Force Gemini, which will arrive sometime in December. Originally released for the system in 1999, Jet Force Gemini debuted to fairly strong reviews. While the game has been re-released on Xbox platforms, this marks the first time Jet Force Gemini has been made available on a Nintendo system in more than two decades.

Jet Force Gemini was developed by Rare. The studio was purchased by Microsoft in 2002, along with the rights to Jet Force Gemini, Banjo-Kazooie, Conker's Bad Fur Day, and several other games. Jet Force Gemini will mark the third Rare-developed game added to Nintendo Switch Online, following Banjo-Kazooie and GoldenEye 007. The addition is somewhat surprising, given that it's arriving before other Rare classics like Banjo-Tooie or Diddy Kong Racing. Given the major role Rare played in the N64's lifespan, it's certainly nice to see, and it should bode well for other Rare-developed games in the future.

Rare in the N64 Era

While Nintendo Switch has gotten a lot of games from third-parties and indie developers, the N64 saw much less support. As a result, the system's highlights were mostly games developed by Nintendo and Rare. At the time, Rare was a second-party developer for Nintendo, and greatly helped to improve the number of games available. Many of the developer's games became favorites during that era, and still hold a special place in the hearts of Nintendo fans.

After Microsoft bought Rare, many of these classics were exclusive to Xbox for a time. That has started to change, as Microsoft and Nintendo have developed a close relationship over the last few years. Microsoft published games like Minecraft have come to Nintendo Switch, while Banjo-Kazooie is a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Nintendo Switch Online's Missing N64 Games

Over the last two years, we've seen some of the very best N64 games released on Nintendo Switch Online, including Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Star Fox 64. However, there are still a lot of other great games that could be brought over, including the original Super Smash Bros. or Donkey Kong 64. Of course, given Microsoft's support of Nintendo Switch Online, it's possible we could see more games from them, as well. In fact, Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard could potentially lead to the addition of N64 games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater or StarCraft 64. Hopefully we'll continue to see the N64 app get a lot more games in the near future!

Are you happy to see Jet Force Gemini added to Nintendo Switch Online? What N64 games do you still want to see added to the service? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Since making the change to free-to-play, Rocket League has added all kinds of content to the game; however, the Play Menu hasn't been touched since 2020. With a new season and holiday events on the horizon, the developers at Psyonix have announced that it is giving the Play Menu a facelift, with the intention being to streamline the experience for veterans and new players alike. It might not be the flashiest of updates Rocket League has received over the years, but it's an important one since players will be interacting with it every time they log into the game.

Rocket League Play Menu Update

Queuing for Competitive Soccar and Extra Modes together? ?
New Arcade Playlists in Casual? ?
A streamlined layout based on player feedback? ?

A new Play Menu built with player feedback in mind is coming to Rocket League next season.

Full preview: https://t.co/NiSAaW15Ci pic.twitter.com/FaoYWoJCEG

-- Rocket League (@RocketLeague) November 21, 2023

It's not just a new coat of paint though, the Play Menu update brings changes to where players find various modes. For example, Rocket League is adding a new Competitive card to the menu that combines Competitive Playlists and Extra Modes Playlists. Here, you'll be able "to queue for up to six different Competitive Playlists at once." The community has long requested the ability to queue for modes like 3v3 Standard and 2v2 Hoops concurrently, and this update finally gives them the ability to do just that.

Psyonix is taking this opportunity to add altering playlists for Competitive Snow Day and Dropshot for each season. That means next season players will be able to hop into Snow Day matches and the next season will bring Dropshot back. Psyonix has also updated the Casual card, adding two new Arcade Playlists. Psyonix says, "These will rotate weekly through Extra Modes like Heatseeker, Spike Rush, Rocket Labs modes, and more!" And, it's important to note that whichever mode between Dropshot and Snow Day isn't in the Competitive rotation will instead live here.

Rocket League is moving Exhibition Mode, Season Mode, and Workshop Maps to their own Play Offline card. Further, the Private Match card now has both Private Match and LAN Matches. However, Training will keep the same options, just with an updated look.

All of this is just the tip of the iceberg for Rocket League. Psyonix is bringing all of these changes for next season, but it intends to improve the Play Menu even more over the next few months. It'll be taking player feedback to help "give [players] even more influence over the modes that appear in the Aracde Playlist." On top of that, Psyonix teased that it's working on other quality-of-life updates like getting rid of smurfing and improving skill-based placement.

Rocket League is available now on PlayStation, Switch, Xbox, and PC platforms.

February 27th will mark the 28th anniversary of Pokemon Red and Green. That's already a very long time for something that was once dismissed as a passing fad, but if The Pokemon Company gets its way, the franchise will continue to exist for a very long time to come. In a newly published interview from The Guardian, Pokemon Company COO Takato Utsunomiya addressed the franchise's longevity, and what he sees as his job to continue shepherding the series into the future. While decades of success would be an ambitious goal, Utsunomiya's aims are even loftier.

"My job? I spend all day every day thinking about Pokemon," Utsunomiya told The Guardian. "Our goal is to keep Pokemon alive for hundreds of years - making sure it survives well past our lifetimes."

Pokemon the Fad

At this point, the idea of Pikachu and the rest of the Pokemon cast lasting far into the future isn't all that unthinkable, but in the earliest days of the series, few expected it to survive longer than a few years. Outlets like the Los Angeles Times prematurely declared Pokemon's death with grandiose headlines like "The Fading of a Fad" in an article published in May 2000. They were hardly the only outlet that believed Pokemon wouldn't last this long, but the series continues to generate billions in revenue each year, thanks to the video games, TCG, toys, anime, and more.

New Pokemon for New Audiences

A big part of the franchise's continued appeal comes from its ever-growing list of Pokemon to catch. Over the decades, different people have found different entry points to the series, and every fan has their own personal favorite. Utsunomiya believes that continuing to create new Pokemon to meet and capture will always be the key to capturing attention.

"I do think we can continue to create lots and lots of new Pok?mon, and really we must create more appealing Pokemon if we want to continue passing on Pokemon to the next generations," Utsunomiya told The Guardian. "Coming up with new Pokemon ideas is an area that Game Freak really excels in. People who grew up playing Pokemon as kids are now entering Game Freak and are on those teams, creating new Pokemon and coming up with new ideas."

If the Pokemon franchise really does continue far into the future, it will be interesting to see how it continues to evolve. Games like Pokemon Legends: Arceus and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet would have been unthinkable in the days of Pokemon Red and Green, and yet the series continues to march on. So much has changed since those days, and yet the core mechanics and themes of the franchise remain mostly the same. Clearly that formula has worked well for The Pokemon Company, and it's easy to imagine the series going strong for a long time to come.

Have you been with Pokemon since the beginning? Do you think the franchise could last for hundreds of years? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

The Simpsons: Hit and Run almost got a sequel, but the developers were left confused when it was canceled. There are few PS2 games as memorable as The Simpsons: Hit and Run. The game took one of the most popular entertainment properties at the time and combined it with one of the most promising video game genres: 3D open-world sandboxes. It was like Grand Theft Auto-lite, allowing you to drive chaotically through Springfield. Given how well it was received, a sequel seemed obvious, but for whatever reason, that never happened. Even 20 years later, fans are clinging on to the hope of a remake especially after seeing a fan remake which radically overhauls the game to make it much more modern while retaining its spirit.

With all of that said, we are now hearing the story of the Simpsons: Hit and Run sequel that should've been. On the MinnMax podcast, a bunch of ex-developers from Free Radical who worked on the original game reflected on the PS2 classic. When asked about a sequel, the group spoke with a bit of sadness. Producer John Melchior noted that the opportunity for Vivendi, the publisher of the first Hit and Run, to make more games was presented but they turned it down despite the success.

"The biggest crime was that Vivendi did not obtain the Simpsons licence, though they had an offer in. The Simpsons came back with an offer, five games for X amount of dollars, it was a really good deal, and Vivendi said no. After the success of Hit & Run."

And when asked why publisher Vivendi didn't accept the terms, Melchior made it clear he still wasn't sure. "I don't know. They did games like Cold Winter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And to everybody's credit here, the sequel had airships, we had planes, we had lots to go on The Simpsons. This was going to be a franchise, no doubt in anybody's mind."

The Simpsons: Hit and Run sequel didn't get very far into development. The story was a mishmash of ideas that still needed to be sorted out, but it sounds like the scale of the game would've dramatically expanded with aircraft, the ability to tow vehicles, and more. EA would go on to make some Simpsons games, but the series hasn't had a new AAA video game since the late 2000s. Whether or not Disney will take advantage of the license to make a new Simpsons game anytime soon is anyone's guess. The TV series has had a fall from grace in the last decade or so with many saying it lacks the same punchy humor as its earlier seasons, but given it is as old as it is, it's still pulling in viewers and keeping some people entertained. Some of the developers on The Simpsons: Hit and Run want to see it make a return, but it's anyone's guess if that will ever actually happen or if it will be another gaming what if.

Ubisoft has provided a new development update for its much-anticipated remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. All the way back in 2020, Ubisoft announced that it was working on a remake of Sands of Time that was slated to launch at the start of 2021. After a couple of brief delays, Ubisoft announced that it had essentially ended up completely restarting its work on Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake, likely due to the fact that the game wasn't up to the standard that fans expected. Now, in the midst of a long period of silence, Ubisoft has given a very brief update on how the project is going.

As a way of celebrating the 20th anniversary of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Ubisoft today informed fans of the current status of the forthcoming remake. Specifically, it was said that "the project has passed an important internal milestone and development is progressing." Beyond this, Ubisoft didn't say anything else about when The Sands of Time Remake might be shown off next or when it might finally release. The publisher did express excitement when it comes to sharing more details in the future, though.

As you know, the passionate team at @UbisoftMTL is reimagining this legendary story, and we are glad to announce today that the project has passed an important internal milestone and development is progressing.

We look forward to sharing more in the future!

-- Prince of Persia(TM) (@princeofpersia) November 21, 2023

Given how brief this development update for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake has been, it's safe to assume that the game is still incredibly far off from releasing. Fortunately, that doesn't mean that Prince of Persia as a whole won't be an active franchise. In the near term, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is set to arrive in January 2024. Rather than be a 3D action-platformer like Sands of Time, this new entry in the series will be a Metroidvania title and will feature a slew of new characters. Based on what we played of The Lost Crown earlier this year, the game is shaping up to be a ton of fun and could bring some much-needed life to the Prince of Persia property.

How do you feel about the latest update that Ubisoft has given for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake? And when do you think that this game will see the light of day? Give me your own best guess either down in the comments or hit me up on social media at @MooreMan12.

Netflix has had quite a few headlines when it comes to the anime world in 2023. The live-action adaptation of One Piece is a hit and Castlevania returned to introduce a new Belmont in Nocturne. While it might not get the lion's share of attention Blue Eye Samurai has been garnering some fantastic reviews. With all eight episodes of the first season now available to stream, the creator responsible for Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, Hideo Kojima, has offered glowing reviews of the anime focused on revenge.

After watching the first two episodes of Blue Eye Samurai, Kojima took the opportunity to praise the animated series that follows a sword-wielding samurai out for revenge, "I watched two episodes of the anime drama "BLUE EYE SAMURAI" which has been on my mind for a long time! This is fantastic! Killing, scenery, action, violence, eroticism! All the elements, colors, movements, and breaths beautifully depict the "Japanese appearance"! This adds to the enjoyment. A revenge drama by a blue-eyed samurai in a time of national isolation. Thematically interesting."

Hideo Kojima Reviews Blue Eye Samurai Twice

Hideo was so infatuated with the latest Netflix series, that he shared another review after knocking out five episodes, stating that the show should be considered "beyond anime", "I watched 5 episodes of BLUE EYE SAMURAI! This is awesome! Using puppet theater, Mizu's past is cut back to the present! The reason why Mizu became a vengeance demon is revealed. You can't watch it without tears. The direction, the movements, the pictures and the story are amazing. This is now beyond anime! Only three more episodes to go. I can't watch the rest of the story because it's too good."

The official description of Blue Eye Samurai reads as such if you want a more in-depth look at the upcoming Netflix series, "Our story is a larger-than-life action-adventure that takes place 400 years ago, yet Blue Eye Samurai's themes are of the moment and the inspiration is deeply personal. We are grateful for Netflix's passion for this story and for their bold vision for sophisticated animated drama."

Did you have a chance to check out Blue Eye Samurai? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of Netflix originals.

Via Hideo Kojima

Subnautica's brand of deep sea exploration and survival has proven to be a popular one with players. Not only has the original release been a major success for developer Unknown Worlds but its Below Zero DLC was a major hit as well. Subnautica has been such a success that Unknown Worlds was relatively recently acquired by PUBG publisher Krafton, becoming a major part of its catalog. In a recent Krafton earnings call, it was revealed that Unknown Worlds is currently working on a sequel to Subnautica, and it is on track to release by 2025.

It's not too surprising to see the next Subnautica pop up in Krafton's 2023 Earnings call. After all, rumors started to swirl about its existence last year after job listings were spotted on Unknown Worlds' site. Unfortunately, we don't know much else about the game. It's listed as an "Adventure/ Survival" game, but otherwise, Krafton didn't provide any hints for what players should expect. Most likely, it won't stray too far away from what made the original Subnautica great, though the team could look to experiment with a new type of biome. Hopefully, we'll start to hear about what's next in the coming months.

Games Mentioned in the Krafton 2023 Earnings Call

The new Subnautica isn't the only thing mentioned by Krafton in its earnings call. The publisher also confirmed that it is targeting a 2024 release date for the upcoming PUBG Black Budget. This is a new game in the PUBG universe that turns the action into an extraction shooter. Think of it as something similar to games like Escape for Tarkov but with a PUBG twist.

Krafton also mentioned Project Gold Rush from Vector North. This is also set to release in 2025 and falls under the "Action-Adventure Sandbox" genre. Just like the next Subnautica, we don't know much beyond that, though Krafton will likely start to announce information at some point next year.

We also got a sneak peek at the further-along future for Krafton. The team has been acquiring and establishing new studios over the last few years, and it seems like that is about to pay off in a big way. This year, Krafton's various studios released five games. Over the next three years, Krafton has plans to release more than 32 total games. That's a sizable scale-up and speaks to how busy Krafton has been.

Included in the list of upcoming games are the three mentioned above, Dark and Darker's mobile port, Project inZOI, Project Windless, and several unannounced games. It'll certainly be a studio worth paying attention to as we move forward.

Subnautica is available now on PlayStation, Switch, Xbox, and PC platforms.

Black Friday isn't technically until later in the week, but the Epic Games Store has kicked things off early, with a special Epic Coupon that went live today. Basically, all Epic Games Store users will automatically get a coupon for 33% off any purchase over $14.99, and each product in the cart will get the discount, though there is a 50 item limit. Luckily, once the coupon has been used, a new coupon will be issued. These coupons will be usable through the end of the promotion on November 28th at 11 a.m. ET.

Epic Coupon Exceptions

While most games in the Epic Games Store qualify for the Epic Coupon, users will not be able to put them towards everything. Notably, add-ons are not included in the deal, which means the discount cannot be used on things like downloadable content or season passes. In-game currency is also disqualified, so there isn't an opportunity to stack up V-Bucks. Interestingly enough, three specific EA bundles also cannot have the coupon applied: EA SPORTS FC 24 Ultimate Edition, Madden NFL 24 Deluxe Edition, and F1 23 Champions Edition.

The coupon also cannot be applied to video game pre-purchases, so anyone hoping to get an early discount on 2024 releases won't have any luck. However, anyone that pre-purchased an eligible game that will release during the Epic Coupon window will receive a partial refund, accounting for the 33% discount. It's hard to say how many actual users this might apply to, but it's still nice to see that Epic Games has made sure to cover that possibility.

What Users are Saying

While these Epic Coupons could save users a lot of money this week, not everyone seems to be happy with the promotion. On social media, people have claimed that most games seem to be at full price on the Epic Games Store right now, and better deals can be found elsewhere. That obviously won't be the case for every game, but Epic Games Store Users will have to do their due diligence before committing to a purchase. The week of Black Friday is a great time to purchase video games, but some deals are going to be better than others. Luckily, the best deals tend to get a lot of attention online, so gamers shouldn't have too much trouble figuring out the best place to purchase a game they've been waiting on throughout the year.

Video games can be an expensive hobby, and that's become even more true over the last few years, as the average price has started to increase. Any opportunity to get a game for less is a welcome one, and this Epic Coupon could be a big help in that regard.

Are you planning to take advantage of this Epic Coupon deal? Have any Black Friday promotions appealed to you yet? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

A new report has seemingly revealed the release date for Fortnite's upcoming collaboration with Invincible. This past week, a number of leaks hit the internet and showed off the first glimpse of a variety of skins, emotes, and other cosmetics tied to Invincible that would soon be coming to Fortnite. In the wake of these leaks, fans have wondered when this Invincible crossover would actually go live as Epic Games itself has yet to even confirm that it would be happening. Now, it seems that we have our answer.

According to @ShiinaBR, who is a Fortnite insider who has had numerous scoops in the past, this injection of Invincible content in the battle royale shooter should be going live later this week on Friday, November 24. Specifically, these Invincible items are said to be hitting the Item Shop at 7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT. This time is in line with previous Item Shop refreshes that have been seen in Fortnite, which means that the date and time being reported here are likely accurate. As for the price of all of the various items, it's not yet known how many V-Bucks they'll be going for.

SOURCES: The Invincible X Fortnite collaboration will be available on November 24 at 7pm ET ? pic.twitter.com/tzzgomhqVH

-- Shiina (@ShiinaBR) November 21, 2023

When it comes to what will actually be available to snag as part of this collab, skins tied to Invincible, Omni-Man, and Atom Eve are far and away the most notable cosmetics. Outside of this, there will also be some unique pieces of Back Bling for all of these characters to go along with a unique loading screen that features the same art style from the Invincible comic book. Lastly, it's worth noting that this Invincible gear will be coming to Fortnite on the same day as the Prime Video show's mid-season finale for Season 2. As such, if you're looking for more Invincible goodness to keep you busy until Season 2 resumes in 2024, Fortnite should have you covered.

Are you going to be copping any of this new Invincible gear for yourself in Fortnite? And if so, what specifically do you have your eye on? Let me know either down in the comments section or reach out to me on social media at @MooreMan12.

Asobo Studio's A Plague Tale: Innocence debuted as a surprise hit when it came out in 2019, and three years after it, A Plague Tale: Requiem continued the trend by one-upping the original, at least as far as the review scores are concerned. That makes for a pretty strong track record for Asobo Studio thus far, a record which the developer may continue with its new project that was just teased this week. According to Focus Home Interactive, the publisher of both of the Plague Tale games, Focus Home and Asobo have once again partnered up for "another exciting project."

The tease in question was shared via Focus Home Interactive socials with the publisher first thanking all the players who've tried out A Plague Tale: Requiem. According to Focus Home Interactive, more than 3 million players have tried out the gripping rat-filled game, and if assumptions are correct, there'll be another to try out in the future.

A Plague Tale 3 in the Works?

Of course, neither Focus Home Interactive nor Asobo Studio have indicated what this "exciting project" might be, but it's not too much of a stretch to suggest that it'll be a new Plague Tale game. There's the fact that A Plague Tale: Requiem was mentioned right alongside this new project, a connection which both parties know would make people jump to the idea of a third Plague Tale game. Looking back through Asobo's past games which include a bit of variety like Microsoft Flight Simulator and Ubisoft's The Crew 2, you'll also notice that the Plague Tale games are so far the only ones for which Asobo has partnered up with Focus Home Interactive.

It's also worth recalling that months ago, job listings were spotted on Asobo's careers page which directly referenced the Plague Tale series. Currently, there are four different positions open for spots on the "Plague Team" including a senior game designer position and more.

A heartfelt thank you to the 3 million players who embarked on the haunting journey of #APlagueTaleRequiem! Your support and passion mean everything to us.

Seizing this moment, we're delighted to reveal our renewed collaboration with @AsoboStudio for another exciting project!? pic.twitter.com/yyeQalCwYH

-- Focus Entertainment (@Focus_entmt) November 21, 2023

Even further back than when these job listings were spotted, A Plague Tale: Requiem director Kevin Choteau spoke to PlayStation about the new game and suggested that the game was "the end," but he of course left the room open to more Plague Tale stories based on how the game was received.

"I think, for now, it's the end," he said previously. "But the door is never closed, and we'll see the player reception. We want to see their reaction before deciding anything. They are driving our production, and if they don't like what we've done, we need to do something else."

In addition to whatever this new (presumably Plague Tale) project is, there's also still a TV series that's in the works. The French studio Merlin Productions is handling the production of the series with Focus Home Entertainment on board as a co-producer. Mathieu Turi of Inglorious Basterds fame is known to be working on the Plague Tale TV series as well.

Black Friday is one of the most exciting times in EA Sports FC 24, whether you're planning to spend money or not. The developers at Electronic Arts know that a ton of people are getting the game on sale, and they use Black Friday to drop tons of in-game content to entice players to hop into Ultimate Team. While EA hasn't given us any official details, there are several things we know from past seasons that will likely remain true this year. If you want a solid plan for approaching Black Friday in EA Sports FC 24 and not wasting your in-game or real-world money, follow the tips below.

EA FC 24 Thunderstruck Promo Team

?Ronaldinho ?? is coming as THUNDERSTRUCK ICON soon!

He will be based on Barcelona's performance?

Make sure to follow @FutSheriff @LeanDesign_ @Fut_scoreboard !#fc24 pic.twitter.com/nm3WeQQp08

-- Fut Sheriff (@FutSheriff) November 21, 2023

The first to note is that EA will drop a new promo team alongside the Black Friday event. We don't know all of the players included in the Thunderstruck promo yet, but we do know that massive names like Ronaldinho and Johan Cruyff are coming. EA will likely fill the team with current players as well, but they usually juice this promo team to get players spending money.

The reason you'll want to keep this in mind is that if you're lucky enough to pack one of these players, it's usually a good idea to sell quickly before prices come down. Millions of packs are going to be opened on Black Friday, driving prices down on the transfer market. While some players might rebound, it's generally better to sell early and buy back later. Unless, of course, you pack one of the top players. Ronaldinho's price isn't coming down any time soon, so you're better off keeping him if you want him on your team.

Best of Team of the Weeks in Packs

The Team of the Week promo is a weekly event where players receive performance-based upgrades. EA has already teased this in EA Sports FC 24, but the best players from every TOTW so far will come back into packs. That makes it a good time to get a deal on those cards. Also, because so many packs are being opened, you'll be able to get normal TOTW cards at a lower price. It's smart to stock up on a few if you have the Coins and then sell them off later when they shoot back up in price.

Lighting Rounds in the Pack Market

One of the trademarks of Black Friday in previous EA Sports FC games is Lightning Rounds. Every hour or so, EA will drop new packs in the store that players can buy, but there is often a global limit on how many are available. We've already seen these pop up in EA Sports FC 24, but expect EA to add a ton of them over Black Friday. Generally, it's smart to not fall into the FOMO of these packs, but if you must spend money, it's worth taking a look at them to see if any are worth it. Usually, you'll want to target packs with guaranteed ratings or card types.

The Potential for New Evolutions

Evolutions are a new wrinkle for Black Friday. EA introduced them this year, and we usually get new ones every Friday. It's very likely players will see several new Evolutions hit EA FC 24 alongside the event. That said, with them being new, it's impossible to know if EA is going to incorporate them or not until we hear something official.

Hourly Squad Building Challenges

The final thing you'll want to keep an eye on during Black Friday in EA Sports FC 24 is the SBC tab. EA loves to drop a ton of good value SBCs during Black Friday that you should absolutely complete. Not everything is a winner, but most of the Upgrade SBCs will be worth doing, especially if you're someone spending money on packs for the event. After all, if you're opening packs and getting lots of low-rated fodder, you might as well spend some of them on even more lottery ticket packs to increase your chance of hitting big.

EA Sports FC 24 is available now on PlayStation, Switch, Xbox, and PC platforms.

A Star Wars video game that launched all the way back in 2006 just received a surprising new update. In the early 2000s, there were a variety of great Star Wars games that came about. Some of these included Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and Star Wars: Republic Commando, simply to name a few. While none of these games in question were the ones that received this update, the patch has instead rolled out for a title synonymous with the PC platform.

As of this week, a new patch for the real-time strategy game Star Wars: Empire at War was pushed out on PC. Following its launch in 2006, Empire at War eventually received a new expansion titled Forces of Corruption later in that same year. Since that time, the game's multiplayer functionality eventually went live again on Steam in 2017 after previously having been shut off. As for this week's update, though, it came about without any warning and has fixed a couple of lingering bugs that players have found.

You can find the full patch notes for this new Star Wars: Empire at War update here:

• Both games have been converted from 32-bit to 64-bit applications, which will solve many out-of-memory bugs and crashes that players were experiencing.
• Multiplayer out-of-sync issues have been addressed, which should improve stability.
• There have been numerous gameplay fixes addressing balance and incorrect unit behavior.

Moving forward, it's hard to know if Star Wars: Empire at War will continue to receive additional patches of this type. Given that the game is no longer actively being worked on, this could very well be the final update that the game ever sees. That being said, there has been at least one small update that has rolled out annually for Empire at War in 2021, 2022, and now 2023. With this in mind, it perhaps wouldn't be a shock to see another small patch drop at some point in 2024.

Are you surprised to see that Empire at War is still being supported so long after its launch? And is this a Star Wars game that you have played for yourself previously? Be sure to let me know either down in the comments section or hit me up on social media at @MooreMan12.

[H/T PC GamesN]

Sonic Dream Team is set to release next month, and Sega has released the game's animated intro to celebrate. Created by Tyson Hesse and Powerhouse Animation, the introduction also features music by Tee Lopes. The sequence features Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, Amy, Rouge, and Cream as well as Dr. Eggman and his Badnik creations. In the game, Eggman is using an ancient device that makes dreams come true, and the animation sells that idea well, as Sonic and friends are forced to deal with a giant, multi-armed version of the villain!

The opening sequence from Sonic Dream Team can be found below.

Tyson Hesse's Sonic Animation

Tyson Hesse has a long history working on the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, starting out as an artist on the Archie Comics. That role led him to working on the animated introductions, cutscenes, and promotional shorts for multiple Sonic games, starting with Sonic Mania in 2017. Since then, he's done similar animated sequences for other Sonic games, including Team Sonic Racing and Sonic Origins. On Twitter, Hesse talked about how exciting the opportunity was to create this sequence, in particular the opportunity to work on the "modern" version of Sonic.

"I originally thought I wouldn't be able to fit this project into my schedule but when I heard the game pitch from the developers I knew I had to make it happen," Hesse wrote on Twitter. "This was the first project since the Mania intro where I felt like we could just uncork our brains and let the colors come out. The opportunity to do another music-driven animation but in the Modern world was too exciting to pass up."

Sonic Dream Team Release Date

Sonic Dream Team will be released on December 5th. The 3D Sonic game will be exclusive to Apple Arcade, and pre-registration has already begun. Since it was first announced, the game's exclusivity has been a source of frustration among many Sonic fans! Sonic Dream Team has received a lot of positive feedback, and players have been hoping to see versions announced for Android devices and consoles. It's unclear if the game will end up releasing on other platforms in the future, but for now, Sonic the Hedgehog fans that want to play Dream Team will have to do so on an Apple device.

Thankfully, Sonic fans have had a lot of content to enjoy over the last year. October saw the release of Sonic Superstars, a brand-new 2D adventure starring Sonic and friends. 2023 has also seen multiple free updates released for Sonic Frontiers. That might not take away the sting of seeing other Sonic fans getting to enjoy a wholly-new game, but hopefully Sonic Dream Team will end up on other platforms in the future.

Are you planning to check out Sonic Dream Team next month? What do you think of this animated intro for the game? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!