Tekken 8 just wrapped up its Closed Network Test, but unfortunately for developer Bandai Namco, players are still playing it via a cracked version of the game. This comes just after a partial roster for the full release leaked when players used Cheat Engine to inspect the code behind the CNT. This newest development though, is potentially a much bigger issue, as it could lead to a competitive advantage for anyone looking to get into Tekken 8's competitive scene. To that end, Bandai Namco issued a strong statement today, warning players against downloading the cracked version of Tekken 8 on PC.

In the post, Bandai Namco noted that playing the Tekken 8 CNT beyond the official testing period breaches the game's terms of service and goes against the Tekken World Tour code of conduct. They also made it clear that "unauthorized download or distribution of the game is illegal." Further, they announced that anyone who has knowingly played the CNT past the official period "may be deemed ineligible for the upcoming Tekken World Tour and other official tournaments." In short, if you want to play Tekken 8 on a competitive level, it's not a good idea to hop into the cracked CNT despite the fact that it'll give you extra practice time.

An important reminder from the TEKKEN Project and Bandai Namco Esports Team. pic.twitter.com/0Fcke36yU5

-- Bandai Namco Esports (@BNEesports) July 31, 2023

It's also an interesting development in terms of how it will affect future closed tests like this one. Because the PC version of Tekken 8 is the only version that's been cracked like this, we might see Bandai Namco and other competitive game developers go away from offering test periods on PC. After all, they can get much of the same data on consoles with a much lower risk of things like this happening.

That said, it's impossible to say for sure until a developer makes an official stance. Either way, Tekken 8 is seemingly set to launch at some point later this year. Bandai Namco hasn't provided an official Tekken 8 release date just yet, but it should be coming relatively soon now that the CNT is finished. Tekken 8 will come to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC when it launches.

Minecraft is one of the most popular games on the planet even after a decade of being on the market. Because of that, it has a massive modding scene, full of additions to the game and maps for players to explore. It also means that certain hackers might see its huge playerbase as a potential community worth infecting simply due to its sheer size. Putting both of those things together, the Minecraft Malware Prevention Alliance (MMPA) has recently noticed a new security vulnerability in the modding scene that has opened many users' PCs and servers up to being hacked through a program it calling the "BleedingPipe."

Now, it's important to note that just because you use mods or play on a multiplayer server, you're not necessarily at risk. That said, the list of mods that have been affected by BleedingPipe is large. It includes at least three dozen mods that many players and servers use, including things like AetherCraft and ttCore. Fortunately, with the MMPA noticing the issue quickly, one user was able to issue a patch that should fix the issues. As demonstrated by Tom's Hardware, you just need to make sure you aren't using a version of a modpack on either 1.7.10 or 1.12.2. Those are the two that seem to be vulnerable to the hack, so updating your modpack with the patch should keep your Minecraft server safe.

As to how this works, BleedingPipe is using a problem with Java to feed code to a server. The code is then "deserialized " and infects the server, which can then be used to infect individual PCs from there. As you can guess, if that code is malicious, it will quickly create both server and client-side issues that could easily result in some very bad things happening to your PC.

Fortunately, the MMPA has players' backs and has already issued a fix. You just need to run a scanning program like JSus or jNeedle to scan your Minecraft mods, and if they're unsafe, you can use the fix to patch up the issues. If you're playing on a server, it might also be worth alerting whoever's in charge of it to this issue and making sure they've done the work to check on the server's files.

World of Warcraft Classic might seem like a relic to some who dismiss it as an "old version" of World of Warcraft, but the community that continues to play on its servers keeps innovating new ways to play WoW. One of the most popular over the last few years has been Hardcore Mode, which requires players to delete their character upon death. This stipulation (and all of the other rules surrounding it) was previously player-imposed because Blizzard Entertainment didn't have an official implementation. Last month, the developer announced that it was finally bringing an official version of the fan mod to the game, and today it revealed the release date. Hardcore Mode is coming to World of Warcraft Classic on August 24.

The news was made official on Blizzard's "This Week in WoW" blog post. There, they announced the release date for the mode is coming right after the 1.14.4 content update goes live, which is focused on fixing the current ranked PvP system. Of course, the full rules for Hardcore Mode were announced back in June, and there's nothing new to report on that end. The basics remain the same in that if you die, your character is deleted.

#WoWClassic Hardcore realms go live August 24!

Best to get your affairs in order...

Read more: https://t.co/HWVPentivj pic.twitter.com/WEFDohubD7

-- World of Warcraft (@Warcraft) July 31, 2023

That's not the only rule to keep in mind if you're looking to make a Hardcore character though. You also won't be able to enter any PvP Battlegrounds and will be restricted to a 24-hour lockout in dungeons until you hit level 60. Plus, the debuff and buff limits are gone and Paladins will no longer be able to use the popular "Bubble Hearth" skill to get away from certain death. There are several other restrictions and changes, but the last big one is that Blizzard has added a new Duel to the Death feature to WoW Classic that lets you put your character's life on the line against an opponent.

All told this official update to World of Warcraft Classic is bringing over just about everything fans love about the original fan mod. With it implemented by Blizzard, it should make the process much smoother. If you want to try it out for yourself, you can log in after August 24 and jump into World of Warcraft Classic on your PC.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty launched to solid reviews and sales numbers earlier this year, giving Team Ninja another hit in the action role-playing genre. Of course, just like any game, it had its issues at launch, but Team Ninja dropped patches to fix most of that and it is now putting the focus on post-launch content, dropping its latest roadmap earlier today. It includes all kinds of content coming to Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, covering the next five months of releases, which will include two new paid DLC drops. That said, the most notable additions will likely be the upcoming free partnerships with Lies of P and Nioh.

Before players get to either crossover, they'll have a new free update in August that's adding Boss Rush Part 2, giving players a new group of bosses to blaze through. September will see the next batch of paid DLC, which includes a selection of new end-game content, and also brings the Lies of P collab as a free update. Team Ninja isn't yet saying what exactly will be included in this crossover, but it's timed to come out around Lies of P's own release date, so it should be a fun addition for fans of either game.

#WoLongFallenDynasty Director's Letter & Road Map Released

We have released a Director's Letter ?

The letter introduces the road map for the rest of 2023, as well as future adjustments and updates!

Please take a look ?

Details: https://t.co/uvviZFcdMY pic.twitter.com/GWaVm4Cxrk

-- Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty (@WoLongOfficial) July 31, 2023

October seems to be a bit of a light month, as players will only get new "balance adjustments" for Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, but then the Nioh crossover hits in November. Again, Team Ninja isn't giving away much at this point, simply saying that these new crossovers "will be different than what [they] have released for the Naraka: Bladepoint collaboration." The year ends with the third pair DLC, which is being called Upheaval in Jingxiang. Just like the second DLC, it'll add new weapons, missions, a difficulty level, and much more as an end-game addition to Wo Long.

Of course, this roadmap for Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty could change over the coming weeks and months. While the paid DLC and collabs are likely pretty set in stone, things may move around depending on Team Ninja's development progress. Either way, fans of the action RPG will soon have five more months full of new content to dive into.

The creator of Wingspan's next game is all about the relationship between fungi and fir trees. AEG has announced Undergrove, a new board game by Wingspan creator Elizabeth Hargrave and Mark Wootton. The new game is described as an "area control and cube conversion" game in which players act as Douglas fir trees trying to establish seedlings and successfully grow them into trees. Douglas firs are a popular home to many species of mushrooms, and it appears that Undergrove will attempt to showcase the symbiotic relationship between trees and fungi via resource management and engine-building mechanics. The player with the best set of seedlings and the most valuable symbiotic relationships at the end of the game wins.

Hargrave and Wootton previously collaborated on Mariposas, a tabletop game about the migration of monarch butterflies. Hargrave is also known for designing Wingspan, the enormously popular engine-building game about drawing different kinds of birds to a nature habitat to score victory points. Wingspan has been a breakout hit since it first debuted back in 2019, selling over 14 million copies, with several expansions adding more species of birds. Wingspan has been cited as the latest complex board to crossover into the mainstream.

Undergrove will launch on Kickstarter later this year, with both a standard and a deluxe edition available as part of the crowdfunding campaign. No price or expected launch date has been announced, but it's likely more details will be revealed around Gen Con, which is due to take place this week in Indianapolis and is the largest board game convention of the year.

After kicking off the Season of the Malignant in Diablo 4, the developers at Blizzard Entertainment have been announcing all kinds of changes to help improve the game after a somewhat lackluster response to the first season. While the game is very much solid, many in the hardcore community want specific changes to bring the game more in line with expectations. To that end, Blizzard held a Campfire Chat ahead of Patch 1.1.1 where it revealed several upcoming character buffs and changes. One thing that wasn't "explicitly" touched on during the discussion is the new change Diablo 4 is making to mounts that essentially turns them into battering rams.

Mounts have been an important addition to Diablo 4 because of how massive its open world is; however, that doesn't mean they don't have their issues. For one, the developers love to erect barricades all over the world, stopping players in their tracks. To get around them, you either need to run around the long way or hop off your mount, smash them to pieces, and then continue on your way. That's all going to be fixed in a future patch as Diablo designer Joe Shely announced on Twitter after the Campfire Chat that the team is changing the mount charge to be usable on barricades. This lets players easily smash through barricades while still mounted, speeding their progress around the open world.

We're going to allow the mount charge to break through barricades. I realized I didn't state this explicitly during the #Diablo4 campfire chat today.

-- Joe Shely (@JoeShely) July 29, 2023

On top of that, Shely revealed later in the replies to the above Tweet that the team is also taking steps to improve the dismount cooldown when players are climbing a ladder or descending a slope. These changes join some of the updates already announced for Patch 1.1.1, including the promise of improved collision detection.

Fortunately, we don't have to wait much longer to see the full patch notes for ourselves. Blizzard recently committed to providing notes about a week before the actual update goes live, which means we'll have the Patch 1.1.1 notes on August 2, with the actual patch dropping in Diablo 4 on August 8. Alongside the mount changes, players can expect big buffs for the Barbarian and Sorcerer, as well as an additional stash tab.

Following yesterday's Poliwag Community Day, Pokemon Go has revealed the next event, which will be held on Sunday, August 13th from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. local time. This time around, Froakie will be taking the spotlight, and players will have an increased chance of finding a Shiny one in the wild! Froakie is the final Kalos starter to have a Community Day event, as Chespin and Fennekin had similar events in January and May, respectively. Froakie is arguably the most popular of the three, so a lot of fans should be excited for this event!

For those unfamiliar with Froakie, the Pokemon evolves into Frogadier, and then Greninja. Players that evolve a Frogadier during the Community Day event will end up with a Greninja that knows the Featured Attack Water Shuriken. Water Shuriken is a Fast Attack that has a power of 6 in Trainer Battles, and 10 in Gyms and Raids. A Froakie themed Special Research story will be available in the game's shop titled "A Bubbly Disposition." The Special Research will cost $1.00, and PokeCoins cannot be used. Players can, however, purchase and gift them to a player that they've become Great Friends with.

As with most Community Day events, this one will have additional bonuses to look forward to. Players will receive double Candy and triple Stardust for catching Pokemon; players over Level 31 will have a doubled chance of getting Candy XL from catches as well. Incense and Lure Modules activated during Community Day hours will also last for three hours. Last but not least, players will be able to make one extra Special Trade during the event, making for a total of three possible.

As has been the case lately, players that don't have the chance to participate during the three-hour span will have something of a second chance. From 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time, Frogadier will appear in Four-Star Raids. These can only be taken on locally, and once the Pokemon has been defeated, the area surrounding the Gym will be swarmed by Froakie for 30 minutes after. Players will have the same odds of finding a Shiny Froakie during that time as they would during the event.

Did you participate in yesterday's Poliwag Community Day? Are you happy to see Froakie in the spotlight? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

During Star Wars Day this past May 4th, Disney launched a 7,500-piece limited edition Cal Kestis lightsaber hilt inspired by EA / Respawn Entertainment's 2019 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order game and the new sequel Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and it sold out in the blink of an eye. Now fans have the chance to pick up this new Cal Kestis lightsaber set that features sound effects and the ability to change the color of the blade between blue, green, purple, yellow, white or red. If you're like most players, white will be your color of choice.

The Cal Kestis Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Color-Changing Legacy Lightsaber Set is a shopDisney exclusive that you can order here for $249.99 while it lasts. A full breakdown of the features and how they're activated can be found below.

• Set includes Cal Kestis (Jedi Survivor) Legacy Lightsaber Hilt, Lightsaber Blade, Display Stand, and Lightsaber Belt Clip
• Hilt includes color-changing feature
• When holding down the hidden button on backside of saber hilt for five seconds, the Lightsaber blades will change in sequence to the following colors: blue, red, green, purple, yellow, white (for a total of six different color options)
• Unique Lightsaber Start Up WAV file plays when slide switch is turned from OFF to ON position
• Constant Lightsaber HUM sound plays when the Lightsaber is on the ON position
• Unique impact sound effects activated when Lightsaber comes into contact with another item
• Unique motion sound effects activated when moving around the Lightsaber in the air without impacting another item
• Battery case in handle
• Includes case with hinged lid with magnetic closure
• Case features graphic detailing, Jedi crest and protective foam interior

"Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a strong sequel that improves on nearly every core element seen in Fallen Order," reads a snippet of our review of the game. "Even in spite of some pacing troubles with its story, Cal Kestis is an even more compelling protagonist this time around and continues to be one of the best new Star Wars characters that has come about in the Disney era. With a little more polish and some trimmed fat, Jedi: Survivor could have been a home run, but Respawn still has a bit more room for growth in a third installment for this potential trilogy." Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is available worldwide, at a price point of $69.99, via PC, PS5, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X. You can keep up with the latest news about the game right here.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is coming exclusively to the PS5, and if you're willing to spend the cash, that PS5 could be the Spider-Man / symbiote-themed beauty that you see here. Pre-orders for the console and DualSense wireless controller bundle are set to go up on July 28th, and we have all of the details you need to get one right here. Already have a PlayStation 5 console and don't fancy buying another one? Don't worry - there's an option for you as well.

With Venom featuring prominently in the game, the design of the Spider-Man 2 PS5 console features a complete symbiote takeover on one side of the console, which is creeping ever closer to the Spider-Man icon on the other side. The controller features a similar hybrid design, though the symbiote has almost fully bonded. The console will also come with a digital voucher for Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Standard Edition.

A blockbuster exclusive game like Spider-Man 2 is enough to drive sales of expensive consoles, especially one that looks like this. What's more, the bundle will be a limited edition, so expect quick sell outs. That said, if you already own a PS5 console, or have trouble securing the bundle, there's an option for you as well. PS5 console covers will be available to dress up your standard console, and the controller can be purchased separately. Of course, these options are limited edition as well. We don't expect that any of these items will be easy to get. UPDATE: That has turned out to not be the case. Pre-orders for the Spider-Man 2 PS5 console and DualSense controller are still available via many of the retailers below as of July 31st. It's the console covers that have been difficult to find.

• Spider-Man 2 PS5 Console on Amazon / Controller / Console Covers may or may not be available here at some point.
• Spider-Man 2 PS5 at Walmart / Console Covers / Controller
• Spider-Man 2 PS5 at GameStop / Console Covers / Controller
• Spider-Man 2 PS5 at Best Buy / Console Covers / Controller / Requires Best Buy Membership
• Spider-Man 2 PS5 at Target / Console Covers / Controller
• Shop at PS Direct

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is set to release worldwide on October 20, 2023 as a PS5 exclusive. There's currently no word of a PC port or when it will be added to PlayStation Plus Extra and PlayStation Plus Premium. Below, you can read more about the highly anticipated game.

"Spider-Men, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, return for an exciting new adventure in the critically acclaimed Marvel's Spider-Man franchise for PS5," reds an official pitch for the game. "Swing, jump and utilize the new Web Wings to travel across Marvel's New York, quickly switching between Peter Parker and Miles Morales to experience different stories and epic new powers, as the iconic villain Venom threatens to destroy their lives, their city and the ones they love."

EA Sports FC 24 was officially unveiled a few weeks ago, and players got their first look at how Electronic Arts is changing the on-field product with a gameplay deep dive soon after. However, that's only half of what players care about as the changes to modes like Ultimate Team and Career Mode are just as important as what's happening on the pitch. Today, EA Sports FC 24 finally dropped the Career Mode trailer, giving fans a much better idea of the changes coming to both Manager and Player Career Mode when EA FC 24 ships on September 29 for PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC platforms.

Starting with Manager Career, the EA Sports devs showed off the new ways players will be able to prepare their team both before and during a match. Now, you'll be able to sign assistant coaches to your club who can help progress players faster in key areas to make them fit your system. You'll also be able to look at your opponent's tactics before a match and set up your squad to best counter-attack them. Finally, players will now be able to spectate live matches as the coach, changing tactics on the fly in an enhanced version of the simulation options we've seen in previous games.

Write your own footballing story as a player or manager in #FC24 Career.

Pre-Order #FC24 now: https://t.co/8eVzx2tRYP pic.twitter.com/ZX554R5sW6

-- EA SPORTS FC (@EASPORTSFC) July 31, 2023

Player Career is taking some major steps as well, adding a new player agent who is said to dynamically give you milestones to accomplish that will help you get to your dream club. EA FC 24 is also using PlayStyles for Player Career, which are essentially upgradeable and more fully-featured versions of Traits from older games. They're tying this into the Personalities that were introduced last year, and if you max out a Personality, you'll have the opportunity to max out a PlayStyle, making you a world-class athlete in that specific trait.

On top of all this, both modes have added several new celebratory moments with full cutscenes. This includes the Ballon d'Or celebration, which is the award given to the best soccer player in the world each year. In short, it's not the game-changing year for the mode some players have been asking for, but EA Sports FC 24 certainly seems to be making important improvements to realism in its Career Mode that should be welcome additions. Now, we just have to keep our fingers crossed that EAFC 25 will finally bring Online Career Mode.

Just about everyone seems to hate the new Twitter logo and name, with the exception of Elon Musk. Last week, the billionaire owner of the company got rid of the classic blue and white icon that had been representing the company for 17 years. The change wouldn't be such an adjustment for users if it had maintained either the traditional colors, logo or name, but Musk replaced all of the above with a black and white X that makes finding the app on your phone a huge hassle. Fortunately, @Belinduhpyne has revealed how users can swap to the classic icon, provided they use iPhone. Essentially, what users can do is create a shortcut on the home screen, upload a photo from Google of the original Twitter logo, and rename it. It's actually pretty easy!

A step by step video of the process can be found in the Tweet embedded below.

I refuse to have the X app icon on my iPhone so I changed it back to the Twitter bird icon. And I'm going to show you how to change it too: pic.twitter.com/DK6okt7pPD

-- Belinduh Pyne (@belinduhpyne) July 30, 2023

I tried this myself, and it works pretty well! The gaudy X branding is still all over the app itself, so there isn't a way to get rid of the new branding completely. Users won't actually be able to do anything to change that, but at least the app will be easier to find on the iPhone's home screen! It's unclear if other phone carriers offer similar options, but iPhone users have a way of circumventing the new logo if they want to take advantage.

While the new X logo has been a source of frustration for users, it's also causing headaches for those that live near Twitter's headquarters in San Francisco. Twitter user @realchrisjbeele shared a video of the building, which has now has a giant X logo on top that emits a bright white light with a powerful strobing effect. The video has gotten more than 37 million views since it was uploaded on Saturday, gaining thousands of Likes and Retweets, with people sharing support for residents frustrated by the light show. Clearly, that's a much bigger annoyance than a new logo on a phone screen, though that will require a more elaborate fix!

Do you plan on swapping back to the classic logo? Do you hate the new Twitter logo and name? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

When Transformers: Reactivate releases, it seems the game might include characters from Beast Wars, in addition to Autobots and Decepticons. According to leaker @DpzLuna on Twitter, Maximals and Predacons will appear as playable characters in the game. The leaker did not cite any specific characters, but Optimus Primal would seem to be the safest bet. The character is easily the most iconic of the Maximals, and has appeared in plenty of Transformers fiction outside the Beast Wars animated series. As with any rumors, readers are advised to take this with a grain of salt pending an official announcement.

The Tweet from @DpzLuna can be found embedded below.

? Brace yourselves, Transformers Reactivate just got even more epic! ? The Predacons and Maximals have arrived, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Decepticons and Autobots.

? Get ready for an array of unique powers and abilities, unleashing a realm of new possibilities... pic.twitter.com/h6bHj3Tq6X

-- DpzLuna (@DpzLuna) July 29, 2023

Optimus Primal and the Maximals recently played a major role in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. In the original Beast Wars series, the characters were depicted as descendants of the Autobots from the future. However, the movie instead featured them as a related but separate faction that hailed from a different planet, though Optimus Primal had taken his name as a tribute to the legendary Autobot warrior Optimus Prime. It's difficult to say how the Beast Wars characters might factor into Transformers: Reactivate, or if there might be some kind of accompanying lore that explains how they coexist with the classic "G1" characters. Hopefully developer Splash Damage will have some information in the near future!

Transformers: Reactivate was first revealed at The Game Awards back in December. Since then, official information on the game has been fairly scarce. The game is slated to release on PC and consoles, though specific platforms haven't been revealed. The game's trailer hinted at a world that has already been conquered, as a resistance attempts to overthrow a Decepticon threat. A group of humans can be seen "reactivating" an Autobot with a familiar yellow color scheme. The character in question is probably Bumblebee, but the perspective is first-person, so it's impossible to say for certain. Transformers: Reactivate will be a 1-4 player online action game.

Are you looking forward to Transformers: Reactivate? What do you think of what's been shown from the game so far? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

[H/T: Reddit]

LEGO and Sega have five new Sonic the Hedgehog sets on tap for August 2023, all of which will be available to purchase starting at 9pm PT / 12am ET tonight, July 31st / August 1st. Details about each of these sets can be found below with pre-order links. Note that a big LEGO Super Mario wave is also set to drop at that time along with dozens of other sets. You can find all of the upcoming releases here in the "Coming Soon" section at LEGO.com. After the launch, they will shift here in the "Available Now" section. You can take advantage of LEGO VIP offers by signing up for a free account right here.

76993 Sonic vs. Dr. Eggman's Death Egg Robot ($59.99) - See at LEGO.com: This set allows fans to pit Sonic vs Dr. Eggman's iconc Death Egg Robot in a 615-piece build. The mech features a removable capsule filled with adorable animals that the evil Dr. Eggman is using to power up the suit. To defeat his archenemy and rescue the animals, Sonic will need to use his Speed Sphere to smash through the robot's defenses. The set will come with 6 characters (including Dr. Eggman's minion Cubot), Sonic's speed sphere and launcher, and loads of accessories.

Sonic's Speed Sphere Challenge -- $34.99, 292 Pieces - See at LEGO.com: "The playset features a speed sphere and launcher to propel Sonic across the course as he defeats the Moto bug Badnik and sets Sonic's Flicky pal free. Kids will love the challenge as they use the speed sphere launcher to help Sonic collect the Rings, pass through the gateway and go up the ramp to reach the Chaos Emerald."

Tails' Workshop and Tornado Plane -- $39.99, 376 Pieces - See at LEGO.com: "Inspired by their favorite Sonic adventures and characters, kids can reimagine exciting quests as they build the course. They can have fun using the Tornado plane to collect the Rings and take out the flying Badnik Buzz Bomber to release the captured Clucky."

Amy's Animal Rescue Island -- $49.99, 388 Pieces - See at LEGO.com: "Creative play is easy as kids explore the island scene and help Amy and Tails care for their animal friends. There's lots to enjoy as the characters slide into the pool, build sandcastles or enjoy the carousel."

Sonic's Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge -- $99.99, 802 Pieces - See at LEGO.com: "The toy set comes with a speed sphere and launcher to propel Sonic across the course on his quest to save the animals from Dr. Eggman and the Badniks. Kids aged 8+ can enjoy the challenge as Sonic flies through the loop-de-loop and ring before knocking over Dr. Eggman's mech to release the animals trapped inside. Then they can help Amy, as she uses her water scooter and sets traps to defeat the Badniks Chopper and Newtron."

In addition to the set, a new LEGO Sonic-themed expansion pack for the upcoming video game Sonic Superstars was also announced. It will incldue LEGO Sonic and Eggman skins with the latter being available exclusively to fans that pre-order the game for the PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X|S.

"After the Sonic Superstars reveal, we wanted to share more details around the game and the upcoming LEGO themed integration on Sonic Cental, "said Ivo Gerscovich, Chief Business and Brand Officer at SEGA of America. "Through our continued partnership with the LEGO Group, Sonic fans will be able to experience Sonic Superstars in brick form and also recreate favorite scenes with the recently announced Dr. Eggman's Death Egg Robot."

"New thrills. Classic feels. Adventure through the mystical Northstar Islands in this all-new take on classic 2D Sonic high-speed action platforming," reads an official pitch of the game from Sega. "Play as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose and harness all-new Emerald powers to move and attack in dynamic new ways. Navigate gorgeous, never-before-seen environments solo or with up to three other players and stop Dr. Eggman, Fang, and a mysterious new adversary from converting the islands' giant animals into Badniks before it's too late!"

An official release date for the game has yet to be revealed, but you can keep tabs on Sonic Superstars news right here.

Terminator: Resistance - Complete Edition has been announced for Xbox Series X|S, and will be releasing on October 27th. The bundle will include an enhanced version of Terminator: Resistance alongside the game's Infiltrator mode, and the Annihilation Line Narrative expansion. The enhanced version of Terminator: Resistance has been optimized for the Xbox Series X|S, and those that already own the Xbox One version will be happy to know that a free upgrade will be offered on September 27th. This will also include the Infiltrator mode, and a discounted price of $14.49 will be offered for the rest of the features on the Microsoft Store.

A trailer for Terminator Resistance - Complete Edition can be found below.

The free upgrade will not be available to those who owned the game physically on Xbox One, but own an Xbox Series S. Fans that prefer physical game releases will be happy to know that Terminator: Resistance - Complete Edition will be offered physically in both a standard and collector's edition. Like the version that released on PlayStation 5, the collector's edition will include a SteelBook, a mini hardcover comic from Dark Horse, five postcards, and a collector's box. As of this writing, pricing for the standard and collector's editions has not been revealed, and it does not appear that retailers have begun taking pre-orders. However, with the game set to release in October, we should know more in the coming weeks!

Terminator: Resistance first released back in 2019. The game puts players in the role of series newcomer Jacob Rivers. Rivers is a member of John Connor's resistance, and the game follows his attempts to bring down Skynet. Annihilation Line similarly follows Rivers, but the Infiltrator mode puts players in the role of a T-800 sent to kill a member of the resistance. Having two very different modes should give Terminator fans a lot of variety, especially those that never played the original version of Resistance!

Were you a fan of Terminator: Resistance when it first released? Do you plan on checking out the game's complete edition? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

Magic: The Gathering is bringing anime-style artwork to cards in its next expansion set, Wilds of Eldraine. Set for release in September, WIlds of Eldraine returns to the plane of Eldraine, the world in Magic's Multiverse inspired by fairytales and Arthurian legend introduced in the 2019 Throne of Eldraine expansion. The new set will come with a bonus sheet of Magic cards with the theme "Enchanting Tales," reprinting some of the best-loved enchantment cards in Magic: The Gathering's history, including Necropotence and Greater Auramancy. There are 63 Enchanting Tales cards to collect, and 20 of them come with borderless Booster Fun treatments featuring anime-style artwork from Japanese artists.

Magic: The Gathering has unveiled six of those borderless anime cards: Doubling Season (art by Kemonomichi), Greater Auramancy (art by Mai Okuma), Smothering Tithe (art by Daisuke Tasuma), Rhystic Study (art by Fuzichoco), Necropotence (art by Kuregure), and Aggravated Assault (art by Zizero). You can see all six cards below.

Where to find Magic: The Gathering's anime cards

Magic: The Gathering will reveal the 14 remaining Enchanting Tales anime cards during the Wilds of Eldraine preview season, which begins on August 15th. The anime cards will take up the same slot in boosters as other Enchanting Tales cards, and Japanese Wilds of Eldraine boosters will come with Japanese-language versions of the cards. All other boosters have English text on the cards.

Wilds of Eldraine Collector Boosters will offer confetti foil versions of the borderless anime Enchanted Tales cards. As the name suggests, the confetti foil cards have a confetti-like foil treatment like the one seen on the borderless anime Rhystic Study seen below.

What is Wilds of Eldraine?

Wilds of Eldraine is a set designed from the top down that returns to the plane of fairy tales, knights, and witches. Wizards of the Coast promises that WIlds of Eldraine will go beyond the faeries, giants, and other creatures seen in the original Eldraine set, Throne of Eldraine. Storywise, Wilds of Eldraine is also the first new Magic: The Gathering set since the Phyrexian Invasion of the Multiverse. Magic's heroic planeswalkers foiled Elesh Norn's plans, yet the effects of her efforts still resonate on planes throughout the Multiverse. That includes Eldraine and those consequences will be seen in changes to returning characters and the new corners of Eldraine discover in this second trip.

Wilds of Eldraine preview season kicks off on August 15th. Wilds of Eldraine prerelease events occur from September 1st through September 7th. The Wilds of Eldraine set launches on September 8th. Wilds of Eldraine is available to preorder now via Amazon and local game stores.

A new beta software update for the PlayStation 5 will be releasing later today, "to selected participants in the U.S., Canada, Japan, U.K., Germany and France." The system software update will give participants access to a number of new features ahead of a full rollout. Changes will mostly center around quality-of-life improvements, accessibility features, and audio options. Notably, the console will now be compatible with "Dolby Atmos-enabled HDMI devices such as sound bars, TVs, or home theater systems."

One of the most interesting new additions through the update is the ability to assign an assist controller. Users will be able to assign a second controller to one account, which will "operate your PS5 console as if you were using a single controller." PlayStation sees this as a way that some players can enjoy a game collaboratively, but also as a way for a parent or adult to help a younger player during difficult segments. Another new controller option will allow users to turn on haptic feedback effects for system navigation. PlayStation sees this option as something that will benefit "players with some level of sight or hearing disability, who appreciate the additional feedback on their inputs."

PlayStation has also made some changes to the way that players will interact with one another online. The Friends tab will now tell users if their friends are playing games that can be joined with a joinable icon. Game hubs also have a new tournament icon, which will tell players how many tournaments they've entered, how they did last time, and when the next one is being held. The example used by PlayStation is for MLB The Show 23.

Users looking for more storage space will be happy to know that this update now includes support for an M.2 SSD with a maximum capacity of 8TB, which is about double the current amount. However, users should keep in mind that there are specific requirements that must be met. Readers can learn more about that and some of the other changes in the new system update beta at PlayStation's official website right here.

Are you excited about some of these improvements? Which of these changes will benefit you? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

While rumors have been circulating for years about the successor to Nintendo Switch, it's looking increasingly likely that a launch will be happening in 2024. According to new reporting from Video Games Chronicle, development kits are now in the hands of Nintendo's "key partners," with a launch planned for the second half of next year. Sources for the outlet claim that the system will still have a cartridge slot for physical games, though backwards compatibility "remains unclear." It's also possible the system may launch with an LCD screen rather than OLED to help reduce costs.

Next year will mark the seventh anniversary of the Nintendo Switch, which launched on March 3rd, 2017. The system has been a massive success for Nintendo, and software sales have been incredibly strong. After decades of supporting two platforms at the same time, Nintendo made the risky move to combine its console and handheld markets into one system. The gambit paid off in a big way, and VGC's reporting confirms that Nintendo's next system will also be a hybrid.

So far, Nintendo has been very quiet regarding the Switch successor. In May, the company stated that the length between the console's announcement and its release could be shorter than it has been in previous generations; notably, Switch was fully revealed in 2016 before a release the following year. If VGC's sources are correct, that might mean we won't hear about the new system until late 2023, or even early 2024. The one thing that we do know for sure is that the system will carry over current Nintendo Accounts, "in order to smoothly transition" customers.

If the Nintendo Switch era truly is coming to a close, it seems that things will be ending on a high note. This year has seen the release of critically-acclaimed games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pikmin 4, and Metroid Prime Remastered, while Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Detective Pikachu Returns, and Super Mario RPG are all set to release before the end of the year. The company's plans for 2024 have been somewhat quieter, but we do know that a Princess Peach game and a remaster of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon will both be releasing.

Are you looking forward to Nintendo's next system? What do you want to see from the Switch's successor? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

It's a big week for TMNT fans, as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem will be releasing in theaters on August 2nd. Ahead of the movie's debut, ComicBook.com can exclusively reveal that the heroes in a half-shell will be appearing in Session: Skate Sim. Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo will all be playable via a free update, which will be released on August 1st for the versions on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

Developed by Crea-ture Studios, Session: Skate Sim released in 2022. Unlike many other skateboarding games that have been released over the years, Session takes a more realistic approach to the sport. Notably, each of the control sticks represents a different foot on the board, so placement makes a pretty big difference. The game is inspired by the '90s skateboarding scene, and includes iconic real-world locations, including Black Hubbas and Brooklyn Banks, both of which are located in New York City.

The Big Apple has always been home to the TMNT, and the '90s are when many fans were introduced to the characters for the first time. Topping it off, the characters have been seen skateboarding in a lot of media over the years, including cartoons and the live-action films. Given that, this crossover with Session: Skate Sim seems pretty fitting!

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been an iconic part of the video game landscape for more than 30 years now. The characters quickly made a name for themselves on consoles and in arcades, and many of those original games are still held in high-regard by fans. Decades later, the characters continue to appear in major games, including 2022's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge. A video game based on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin is currently in development, and the characters will be appearing in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 later this year.

Are you looking forward to this free content in Session: Skate Sim? Do you think the TMNT are a good fit for the game? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

Earlier today, Helldivers 2 popped up on the ESRB website, showing fans that the game has been given an "M" rating for "Blood and Gore" and "Intense Violence." However, that's not the only news that fans got today, as a new leak came out around the ESRB posting that revealed the game's potential release date. Now, just like any other leak, you need to take this with a hefty dose of skepticism until developer Arrowhead Game Studios makes an official announcement. That said, with today's ESRB post, the leak claiming Helldivers 2 will be out in October looks plausible.

The original ESRB post was first spotted by Reddit, and Insider Gaming's Tom Henderson came out soon after with a post claiming that they had received info about Helldivers 2's release date. Again, this needs to be taken with a grain of salt, but Henderson has successfully leaked quite a few things in the past. That doesn't make it true, but it's a bit more likely given his track record.

Excited about HELLDIVERS 2? So are we!

Watch our latest trailer and read our blog about the co-op and combat of @helldivers2!

? Read morehttps://t.co/IFvPTt8NHu pic.twitter.com/Xbl9kDBf87

-- Arrowhead Game Studios (@ArrowheadGS) July 7, 2023

Plus, an October launch would line up quite nicely with the ESRB post going up today. It's not quite an exact science, but knowing Helldivers 2 has officially been rated means it's probably gearing up for a release sometime in the near future. That said, PlayStation is releasing Marvel's Spider-Man 2 on October 20, so Sony might want to space out its first-party games a bit more. While the two games don't fall into similar genres, most companies like to space their games out a little more. Considering how relatively light November currently is for PlayStation, the console maker might decide to release Helldivers 2 in that month instead, assuming it comes out in 2023.

Either way, Helldivers 2 looks to be one of Sony's stronger releases of the year. The first game was a solid shoot 'em up, and the team at Arrowhead Game Studios has built on that foundation while broadening the scope. If they team is able to nail the new perspective while still delivering the hardcore action the first Helldivers is known for, they'll have another hit on the books.

One of the reasons Fortnite has become so popular since first launching is that the developers at Epic have been more than willing to crossover with all kinds of gigantic media properties. Just recently players have enjoyed collabs with everything from Futurama and Transformers to the Terminator and Barbenheimer, There's even a rumor making the rounds recently claiming that Jujutsu Kaisen is coming to the game soon. In the last few days, there's been another potential teaser for a property that Fortnite has dipped into several times as fans have spotted a Marvel teaser in one specific location.

This potential teaser was spotted just after Fortnite's v25.20 update dropped. First noted by SentinelCentral on Twitter, fans have found a building near Creaky Compound with some Stark Industries files sitting on a table. Now, it's important to note that, as SentinelCentral says, these could simply be assets from a previous campaign that Epic is using just so they don't have to create something new. After all, this seems like an odd way to tease a new crossover with Marvel given how massive a media property it is.

With the #Fortnite v25.20 update, some Stark Industries files could be found near Creaky Compound.

Before anyone gets their hopes up, this could just be a reused asset. Then again, why would it reappear many years after CH2S4? ?

(Thanks to @OE_Zesty for letting me know) pic.twitter.com/zgPjS74h9P

-- FN News ? (@SentinelCentral) July 26, 2023

That said, players haven't seen these files since Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 4. It would be a bit strange for the developers to dig back into its history that far to get these assets for no real reason. While you should obviously take all of this with a hefty grain of salt, it does seem a bit odd for this to just come back without something happening in the background. The next Marvel movie on the docket is The Marvels, which follows Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan's investigation of a wormhole linked to the Kree. That movie doesn't release until November, but this could be the early stages of some crossover content related to it.

For now, this is all merely speculation. Fortunately, Fortnite fans have several other collabs to dig into. As mentioned above, Terminator and Futurama are the most recent collabs and we might see Jujutsu Kasien hitting the game sooner or later. Fortnite is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, mobile, and PC platforms.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged was announced back in May and is coming to PlayStation, Switch, Xbox, and PC platforms on October 19. The first trailer for the sequel revealed that players will now be able to race across a story-driven campaign featuring animated cutscenes. Of course, that doesn't mean the normal racing players enjoyed in the original are being thrown out the window. In fact, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 ups the ante, tossing in over 130 vehicles and all kinds of new tracks. One of those new cars has been announced today, as Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 announced a new partnership with the Fast & Furious franchise.

The developers at Milestone have partnered up with Universal Games to bring Dominic Toretto's Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody to Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 at launch. Dom won't be the only Fast & Furious character with a signature vehicle though, as more cars will be added post-launch as paid content. There's no word on which cars will feature, but eagle-eyed Fast & Furious fans will be able to spot some hints when they rewatch Fast X, as Brian and Mia Toretto can be seen playing the original Hot Wheels Unleashed on screen.

If you had to make a guess as to which Fast & Furious cars will be included in the post-launch content, there are certainly quite a few contenders. For example, Milestone might want to go with a Fast X car and get Han Lue's 2023 Nissan Z or the developers could look at something like the 1995 Toyota Supra from Furious 7 that was pulled out of actor Paul Walker's personal garage as a tribute to him after his untimely passing.

Either way, there are a ton of cars to choose from in the long-running series, and it'll be fun to see which of them makes it into Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged. Even though it's probably the worst movie out of the lot, we're hoping to see the 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 from 2 Fast 2 Furious. Like the movie, it's a bit silly, but it's hard to beat it in terms of Fast & Furious cars.

NetherRealm has been ramping up the hype cycle for Mortal Kombat 1 ahead of its September 19 release date. Recently, the studio revealed that Mortal Kombat 11's Geras is coming to the MK1 party alongside a new mystery character that no one has quite figured out exactly who they are. As he is known to do from time to time, series co-creator Ed Boon took to Twitter to answer fan questions and revealed an important detail for fans of Mortal Kombat's over-the-top story mode. While he didn't give any spoiler details away, he did say that Mortal Kombat 1's campaign will be about as long as Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11.

For those who haven't played either game, that means you're looking at around five to six hours if you just want to complete the main story. Of course, this doesn't count all of the character endings you can get by playing through the Arcade mode, but those are much shorter cutscenes and generally aren't considered canon to the main timeline.

Similar to MKX-11

-- Ed Boon (@noobde) July 27, 2023

Either way, this news is a bit disappointing for some fans who were hoping to see a longer story that could flesh out the new universe, especially since NetherRealm took a bit more time than usual between installments. That said, we don't yet know all the specifics about what's going to be included in Mortal Kombat 1, so it's certainly worth waiting until they announce everything before getting up in arms. It's also worth remembering that MK11 also got the Aftermath expansion, which was another large chunk of story content for players to dig into. That was very successful for NetherRealm, so it would not be surprising to see them do something similar with MK1.

Regardless, fans only have to wait a few more months before they'll be able to dig into Mortal Kombat 1's story mode. The game launches on September 19 for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. We also know that NetherRealm is going to bring MK1 to EVO, which starts on August 3. If the latest Geras' trailer is anything to go by, it'll definitely be worth paying attention to.

Tekken 8 kicked off its Closed Network Test about a week ago, giving players lucky enough to be selected the chance to try the game out early and let developer Bandai Namco test its servers ahead of the full release. However, with the code now in players' hands, a few of them decided to dig into it and see if they could find a full character roster. Using Cheat Engine, they were able to datamine what appears to be a partial list of characters, as a few mainstays aren't currently included.

The list was first spotted by VGC, who found it popping up on various Tekken community Discords. Of course, several of the characters on the list were previously officially confirmed, as Bandai Namco has already given fans the lowdown on 16 members of the roster. However, there are six new characters in this leak, though many assume this is just the beginning of Tekken 8's roster as long-time mainstays like Kuma have yet to pop up. Here is the full list of characters in the leak with a note for characters that are officially confirmed:

• Paul Phoenix (Confirmed)
• Marshall Law (Confirmed)
• King (Confirmed)
• Hwoarang (Confirmed)
• Ling Xiaoyu (Confirmed)
• Jin Kazama (Confirmed)
• Bryan Fury (Confirmed)
• Lili (Confirmed)
• Lars Alexandersson (Confirmed)
• Claudio Serafino (Confirmed)
• Nina Williams (Confirmed)
• Leroy Smith (Confirmed)
• Kazuya Mishima (Confirmed)
• Jack-8 (Confirmed)
• Asuka Kazama (Confirmed)
• Jun Kazama (Confirmed)
• Yoshimitsu
• Shaheen
• Raven (Default Type A)
• Zafine (Default Type A)
• Steve (Default Type A)
• Alisa (Default Type A)

Unfortunately, even though the Closed Network Test has been released, we still don't know exactly when Tekken 8 will launch. The game was announced during a State of Play stream in September of last year, and with the CNT hitting this summer, we might see a launch this fall. If that turns out to be the case, this could be one of the best years in the history of fighting games with Mortal Kombat 1 set to drop in September and Street Fighter 6 coming out earlier this year. There's also the potential for Riot's Project L to come out this year, though that will likely be pushed back to 2024.

When Sonic Mania released in 2017, the game was quickly embraced by the Sonic the Hedgehog community. Some fans even went so far as to call it the best game in the series, and rumors about a sequel bounced around for years after. Those rumors finally came to an end last month, when Sega announced a new 2D Sonic game titled Sonic Superstars. To the surprise of many fans, the game does not involve Christian Whitehead or his team at Evening Star. Game Informer recently spoke with Whitehead and Sonic Team boss Takashi Iizuka, who revealed that while a second game was discussed, both mutually decided to move in a different direction.

"There was a period after the development of Sonic Mania when we worked with them to consider concepts for the next generation of Classic Sonic," Iizuka told Game Informer. "It's too bad that it didn't become a finished game. Still, I'm pleased that the next generation of Classic Sonic that we talked about with them has been achieved with Superstars."

Iizuka went on to note that he and Whitehead agreed that the follow-up would have to move towards 3D visuals. While the classic 2D visuals were loved by longtime fans, both felt that 3D visuals would be needed "to really make it look and feel as appealing to a wider audience."

"Evening Star did work with Sega to explore possible directions Classic Sonic could go after the success of Sonic Mania. Sonic Mania 2 was never in development, though, because we actually agreed early on that we should try to make something fresh, like hand-drawn 2D or 2.5D," Whitehead told Game Informer. "At the same time, Evening Star was developing our new Star Engine, so we also ended up making a cool Sonic prototype that played with depth in 2.5D, and some other gameplay ideas."

While these discussions clearly shaped what become Sonic Superstars, Whitehead's team and Sega amicably parted ways on the project. Evening Star instead pivoted to development on Penny's Big Breakaway, which was revealed during a Nintendo Direct just a few weeks after Sonic Superstars was announced. Meanwhile, Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima's studio Arzest began building on the concepts that Whitehead and Iizuka were discussing. It also seems that there's no bad blood between the teams, with Whitehead saying he looks forward to playing Sonic Superstars when it releases later this year.

"Superstars looks awesome and our team is really excited to play it when it comes out," said Whitehead.

Are you disappointed Sega didn't make Sonic Mania 2? What do you think of Sonic Superstars? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

Palindrome Interactive is developing a video game set within the world of Legend of the Five Rings. This week, Asmodee Entertainment and Palindrome Interactive announced a new partnership in which Palindrome would develop a "roguelite autobattler video game" based on Legend of the Five Rings. The game involves creating expeditions of samurai willing to travel deep into the Shadowlands to investigate new adversaries threatening the Emerald Empire. Players will need to hone fresh recruits into battle-tested veterans as they head on expeditions and shift strategies as they face different challenges in the Shadowlands. As a strategy game, the key to the game will be planning and adaptation as opposed to combat prowess.

Legend of the Five Rings is a fantasy world heavily inspired by feudal Japan and other eastern Asian cultures. The Legend of the Five Rings has been used as the setting for trading card games, board games, and tabletop games, including as a setting for Dungeons & Dragons. The property is currently managed by Fantasy Flight Games, with several board games currently under development.

Palindrome Interactive is a relatively new studio, with only Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars as their only current game. The company is based out of Sweden and was purchased by the Embracer Group, Asmodee's parent company back in 2020.

The announcement of a Legends of the Five Rings video game isn't exactly a surprise, given that Embracer recently announced a plan to have a "greater focus on internal IP" as part of a plan to reorganize the company earlier this year. While Embracer's Twin Sails Interactive (formerly known as Asmodee Digital) had adapted various board games into video games, Asmodee previously announced plans to expand certain IPs into other media, with Legends of the Five Rings specifically pointed at as an example.

Final Fantasy XIV is finally coming to Xbox platforms in 2024, after Xbox boss Phil Spencer spent years sharing his desire to see it happen. The announcement was made on Friday at Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2023, with Spencer appearing onstage alongside director Naoki "Yoshi-P" Yoshida and Square Enix CEO Takashi Kiryu. Following the announcement, Spencer took to Twitter to celebrate, while also teasing future collaborations between the two companies. It remains to be seen what partnerships will come next, but clearly this won't be the last one between Xbox and Square Enix!

"Enjoyed being onstage with Yoshi-P and Kiryu-san to announce Final Fantasy XIV coming to Xbox. We're thrilled that the Xbox community will join the Warriors of Light and we look forward to partnering closely with Square Enix on future games," Spencer wrote.

A number of Square Enix games have recently skipped Xbox, including the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, which released on PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Some Final Fantasy games have also ended up as timed PlayStation exclusives, including Final Fantasy VII: Remake and Final Fantasy XVI. It will be interesting to see if the Xbox platform ends up playing host to some of these games, or if Microsoft lands some timed exclusives of its own. Microsoft has traditionally avoided these types of exclusives, but it's possible that could change. Either way, Xbox users should be excited by the prospect of more Square Enix games arriving on the system.

While Final Fantasy is the franchise most closely associated with Square Enix, the publisher also owns several others, most notably Dragon Quest, as well as games like Chrono Trigger, Parasite Eve, and Xenogears, to name a few. Whether we'll start to see some of these titles added to the Microsoft Store, or even Xbox Game Pass, remains to be seen. Square Enix did offer a lot of support for Game Pass in the past, so maybe we'll start to see more games added to the service! For now, Xbox fans will just have to wait and see.

Are you an Xbox fan hoping for more Final Fantasy games? What titles are you hoping to see? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

In Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker will ditch his familiar red and blue costume for a black Symbiote suit that should be familiar to fans of the comics, films, and cartoons. The PlayStation 5 game is still a few months away from release, but Hot Toys has already revealed a stunning figure based on Peter Parker's black costume. The figure comes with a ton of accessories, and Sideshow Collectibles even has an exclusive head featuring Spider-Man's normal mask mid-transformation, as the Symbiote surrounds it. The bad news is the figure will set fans back a cool $305 before taxes and shipping.

An image of the Hot Toys Sixth Scale Peter Parker (Black Costume) figure can be found below. Readers interested in pre-ordering it can do so right here.

From everything shown thus far, it seems Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will loosely adapt elements of the Venom saga. Peter will start out as the one wearing the Symbiote suit, but will abandon it at some point in the game after it starts making him increasingly aggressive (which we've seen in footage). Eventually the Symbiote will find a new host, though PlayStation and Insomniac Games have yet to officially reveal who will become the game's Venom. While Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will feature several villains (including Kraven and the Lizard), Venom seems to be the primary one, just as Doctor Octopus was in the first game.

Obviously, this is a pretty penny to spend on a figure, especially when there are already a lot of cool tie-in items for Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Console covers and a special DualSense controller based on the game both went up for pre-order a few days ago, though the Console Covers quickly sold out. Of course, there's also the game's collector's edition, which features a statue of Peter and Miles fighting Venom. With all of these cool items, most fans are going to have to be picky about which ones they pre-order!

Do you plan on snagging this figure? Are you planning to pick-up Marvel's Spider-Man 2 when it releases on October 20th? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

People are paying big bucks for the newest Charizard Pokemon cards. Pre-release events for Obsidian Flames, the new Pokemon Trading Card Game set, are taking place this weekend. Because of an interesting near-simultaneous release for the Japanese and English sets (something that almost never happens due to the differing release schedules between Japan and the rest of the world), this means that this weekend is the first chance that we're seeing some brand new Charizard cards in the wild and hitting secondary markets.

There are a total of four Charizard ex cards in the new Obsidian Flames set - a standard version, a Full Art version, a Secret Illustration Rare version, and a Gold rare version. The Secret Illustration Rare Charizard ex is currently selling on eBay for an average of $250 per card, while the Gold Rare card is selling for an average of $139.25 per card. The Full Art version is selling for about $75 per card. Keep in mind that the prices for all three cards are likely inflated as the population of all three cards are still relatively low.

Keep in mind that there's another Secret Illustration Rare Charizard ex about to hit the market, with the Scarlet & Violet - 151 set due for release in September. That card is current selling for about $200 on eBay, which indicates that it will likely sell for around the same price as the Obsidian Flames Secret Illustration Rare Charizard ex.

The Obsidian Flames set will be a weird release, as it contains fewer meta-relevant cards than typical releases. There are also fewer Secret Illustration Rare cards and Illustration Rare cards than the Paldea Evolved set, which could make an impact on the set's overall popularity. Still, Charizard cards are proven sellers, so this could be a hot set simply because it contains four different Charizard cards.

Transformers: War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron are often hailed as the two best games ever made based on the Transformers brand. Both games were delisted from digital storefronts after the contract between Hasbro and Activision expired, and their online features have been terminated. However, it seems that Hasbro wants to make them available again. Speaking to Transformers site TFW2005 at SDCC, the company revealed that it's hoping to see these titles added to Xbox Game Pass following the Microsoft acquisition. Unfortunately, the current hurdle is that Activision has apparently lost the hard drives containing the games!

"Sadly, apparently Activision's not sure what hard drives they're on in their building. When a company eats a company that eats a company things get lost, and that's very frustrating," a Hasbro rep told TFW2005. "Hope is that now that the deal is moving forward with Microsoft and Xbox that they'll go through all of the archives and every hard drive to find it all, because it's an easy Game Pass add. We want those games back up for people to have a chance to play."

Transformers: War for Cybertron originally released on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 in 2010. Developed by High Moon Studios, the game takes place in the early days of the war between the Autobots and Decepticons, offering campaigns where players can take on both factions. The game was a huge hit with Transformers fans, and an equally well-regarded sequel was released in 2012, Fall of Cybertron. Fans of the two games would be very happy to see them made available in some capacity, so hopefully Activision can make it happen!

While War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron remain unavailable, the games live on thanks to the Transformers Studio Series. The toyline started out featuring figures based on the Transformers movies, but has recently expanded to include the video games as well. Hasbro began with War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron, but has indicated that other games could receive a similar treatment in the future.

Would you like to see War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron return? Did you get a chance to play the games when they first released? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

Pokemon Go Raids could go a lot quicker thanks to a feature that's now being tested by Niantic. According to a new Tweet from the Niantic Support Twitter account, Pokemon Go players in the London, Osaka City, and Suita City areas will be able to test a new "Ready to Raid" button. Once all players have pressed the button and agreed to a follow-up prompt, the wait timer on the Raid will jump down to just 10 seconds, allowing them to get things started more quickly. The feature will work for those participating in both in-person Raids, as well as Remote Raids in the region.

In the Tweet below, Niantic has a short gif that shows the prompt, and the timer going from more than 100 seconds left, to just 10.

We're testing a "Ready to Raid" button in the London, Osaka City and Suita City areas. Trainers participating in Raids in these areas will be able to tap a button above their Raid Party to skip to a 10-second Raid countdown. This includes Remote Raids hosted in these areas. pic.twitter.com/ywL1NRC2zk

-- Niantic Support (@NianticHelp) July 28, 2023

It might be a while before this feature gets rolled out across the game, but the Ready to Raid button should be an excellent quality-of-life improvement. Nearly every Pokemon Go player knows how frustrating it can be sitting and waiting for the clock to tick down for a Raid that doesn't need any more players jumping in. While Five-Star and Mega Raids often require as many players as you can rope in, One and Two-Star Raids can usually be taken down easily, and waiting on the timer is often the only thing that drags out the process. In the grand scheme of things, the button won't save players that much time, but it will solve a frustrating element of the game.

London and Osaka happen to be two of the locations that will be hosting Pokemon Go Fest 2023 next weekend, so it makes a bit of sense for the feature to be tested in those locations before being rolled out around the globe. Hopefully there won't be any major issues, and the Ready to Raid button will be deployed to all Pokemon Go players shortly after!

Are you happy to see this option being tested for Pokemon Go? Do you find yourself frustrated waiting for the timer to tick down? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

The T-800 is officially in Fortnite. Saturday night, the beloved battle royale launched its latest collaboration with The Terminator franchise, allowing gamers to claim victory in spectacular science-fiction fashion. While the character has been added as a skin in the game before, that was the T-800's full self with no human disguise attached. This time around, the T-800 is donning the likeness of Arnold Schwarzenegger, a classic unmistakable look for many.

"He needs your Back Bling, your Pickaxe and the keys to your Battle Bus. You can find Terminator in the shop, now!" the official Fortnite account tweeted Saturday night.

He needs your Back Bling, your Pickaxe and the keys to your Battle Bus.

You can find Terminator in the shop, now! pic.twitter.com/CJyP2vaqE6

-- Fortnite (@FortniteGame) July 30, 2023

Will there be more Terminator movies?

Though Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) didn't win many hearts at the box office, it received generally positive reviews from critics and those movie-goers that went to theaters to see it. Though it has yet to be pushed into development, James Cameron said as recently as this May he's started to write another entry in the franchise.

Still, Cameron said in a Deadline interview last year he thought the filmmakers behind Dark Fate got a bit too "high on their own supply" while making the movie.

"And then Tim wanted Linda. I think what happened is I think the movie could have survived having Linda in it, I think it could have survived having Arnold in it, but when you put Linda and Arnold in it and then, you know, she's 60-something, he's 70-something, all of a sudden it wasn't your Terminator movie, it wasn't even your dad's Terminator movie, it was your granddad's Terminator movie," Cameron expressed. "And we didn't see that. We loved it, we thought it was cool, you know, that we were making this sort of direct sequel to a movie that came out in 1991. And young moviegoing audiences weren't born. They wouldn't even have been born for another 10 years."

He added, "So, it was just our own myopia. We kind of got a little high on our own supply, and I think that's the lesson there."

Terminator: Dark Fate is now streaming on Hulu.

A new Mortal Kombat 1 trailer has been released, and in turn it has confirmed a brand new playable fighter: Geras. Geras is the first new character introduced in Mortal Kombat 11 to be confirmed for MK1, and could very well be the only new character from MK11 in the new installment. Whatever the case, joining Geras in the new trailer is a mystery character who appears to potentially be a brand new character being introduced with the reboot.

Unfortunately, the official Mortal Kombat 1 website has not updated with Geras' character information, so all we have to go by is what is in the trailer. The trailer also revealed a few new fatalities for a various characters, including Geras. And as noted, there is also a mystery character that nobody can figure out the identify of.

At first, many didn't think much of the mystery character that can be seen below, writing him off as a random background character. However, creative director on the game Ed Boon then tweeted out about the character, all but confirming they aren't so random.

New phone. Who dis? pic.twitter.com/lQa5cyrudA

-- Ed Boon (@noobde) July 29, 2023

Mortal Kombat 1 is set to release worldwide on September 19 via developer NetherRealm Studios and publisher WB Games. When it releases, it will cost $70 and be available on the following platforms: Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

"NetherRealm has been putting out winner after winner for over a decade at this point and it doesn't seem like Mortal Kombat 1 is going to end that hot streak," reads a snippet from our official preview of the game. "Outside of simply shaping up to be another fantastic fighting game, though, what makes Mortal Kombat 1 so enticing is just how fresh it feels. This isn't simply a sequel/reboot that looks to expand slightly on what was seen in Mortal Kombat 11 and is instead a game that is looking to chart a new course for a series that has been around for 30 years. It remains to be seen if all of these big changes are for the better, but based on my own brief experience, it looks like Mortal Kombat 1 is finding a perfect balance between the new and the familiar."

There are over 2,000 Nintendo Switch deals currently available via the Nintendo eShop. The vast majority of deals are either unremarkable or for filler games not worth your time. That said, if you need something new to play on your Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, or Nintendo Switch OLED, but you're also on a budget, then sifting through these 2,000 deals may be worth your time. That said, we've done exactly that and unearthed three dirt cheap deals worth checking out.

The first of the three games is the complete edition of This War of Mine, which normally costs $40. Released by 11 Bit Studios, the war survival game debuted back in 2014, and has sold over seven million copies to date, making it one of the surprise hits of the last decade. Its Metacritic score ranges depending on the platform, with the highest version coming in with a score of 90.

The second of the three games is Florence from 2018. Another game that boasts a 90 on Metacritic, Florence was released by developer Mountains and publisher Annapurna Interactive. It's not nearly as expensive at a more humble price point of $6. In other words, $2 for it isn't as notable of a deal.

The third and final game is Old Man's Journey, a game released by Broken Rules in 2017. Its normal price point is in the middle of the aforementioned games, usually running at $10. Meanwhile, its highest Metacritic score comes in a bit lower at a score of 87.

This War of Mine: Complete Edition: "In This War Of Mine you do not play as an elite soldier, rather a group of civilians trying to survive in a besieged city; struggling with lack of food, medicine and constant danger from snipers and hostile scavengers. The game provides an experience of war seen from an entirely new angle."

Florence: "At 25, Florence Yeoh feels a little stuck. Her life is an endless routine of work, sleep, and spending too much time on social media. Then one day, she meets a cello player named Krish who changes everything about how she sees the world."

Old Man's Journey: "Old Man's Journey, a soul-searching puzzle adventure, tells a story of life, loss, reconciliation, and hope. Entrenched in a beautifully sunkissed and handcrafted world, embark on a heartfelt journey interwoven with lighthearted and pressure-free puzzle solving."

The first of these two deals -- the deals for This War of Mine and Florence -- are only available until the end of August 1. Meanwhile, the deal for Old Man's Journey is available until August 10. If you purchase all three of these games at these prices you will save $60, paying $6 rather than $66.

Fortnite's next anime crossover is supposedly going to be with Jujutsu Kaisen if recent rumors are to be believed. News of the supposed crossover developed quickly on Saturday as Fortnite insiders first teased that a big anime crossover was on the way before one leaker, BarbieharpFN, seemed to have settled the discussion by saying the collab would be with Jujutsu Kaisen. Specific characters and skins that'll be part of the crossover haven't been named yet, but the leaker appears to be gearing up for another announcement, so it shouldn't be long before we know more about the plans.

The very new BarbieharpFN Twitter account went on a tweeting spree this weekend about various insights into upcoming Fortnite events and crossovers before those teases culminated in Jujutsu Kaisen being named as the next IP crossover. The image used in BarbieharpFN's tweet about the supposed collab is from the game Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash, so that shouldn't be taken as an indication of what skins we'll get in the game.

JUJUTSU KAISEN SER? LA NUEVA COLABORACI?N DE ANIME QUE LLEGAR? A FORTNITE!

- Seran skins de hombre y mujer.
- Contara con emotes incluidos, picos y mochilas.
- La fecha de salida es desconocida.
- M?s tarde publico las im?genes oficiales.

?Cr?ditos a mi y la "fuente" pic.twitter.com/rl1EqkWX17

-- Barbie (@BarbieharpFN) July 29, 2023

According to the leaker, we'll see both male and female skins from Jujutsu Kaisen in Fortnite along with other cosmetic accessories like emotes, back bling, pickaxes, and probably more, but just as the skins are unknown, we don't know what the accessories will look like. Adding more than just skins is pretty common practice when it comes to collabs like this one, however, and releases are sometimes spread out over time similar to how Fortnite spaced out its Dragon Ball content, so it may be awhile before we see the full extent of this crossover. The leaker said they don't have a release date for when all this is supposed to start, but they apparently have "official" assets to be shared soon.

If this leak is correct, it'll be the latest of several anime crossovers Fortnite has gotten. Past ones include the aforementioned Dragon Ball collab with Naruto, My Hero Academia, and Attack on Titan making up the other anime crossovers. Jujutsu Kaisen was previously part of a PUBG Mobile crossover, so it's no stranger to these sorts of things either.

Henry Cavill's final scene in The Witcher wasn't exactly what was shown at the end of Season 3 of the Netflix show, or at least that's what a new report claims. With Season 4, Cavill will be replaced with Liam Hemsworth after the former departed the show and his star role for reasons that have yet to be disclosed. Rumors have suggested it was a mixture of scheduling issues as Cavill was anticipating reprising his role as Superman and because of growing tension between him and the showrunners of the Netflix show, but these are just rumors. Whatever the case, he's done with the show.

The report comes the way of Redanian Intelligence, who claims they heard the original plan for the end of Season 3 was a scene featuring "Milva helping Geralt in need, while Cahir was watching them from afar." If you've seen the end of Season 3, you will know this isn't too far off, but there's no Cahir at all in the scene they ended up going with. In the show, Milva helps Geralt with the final last Nilfgaardian soldiers before Geralt, Jaskier and Milva ride off into the sunset, but there's never any Cahir.

Redanian Intelligence notes it's unclear if this was changed in post or was rewritten and never filmed, because this information was given to them before the third season started filming. It's noted the scene was perhaps seen as too similar to Blood Origin's ending. Whatever the case, there was a change of mind at some point, supposedly.

Like any report, this one should be taken with a grain of salt. So far, it's not drawn any comment from Netflix or anyone involved with the show. If this changes, we will update the story accordingly.

"While Henry Cavill remains as engaging as ever in his leading role, nothing about The Witcher's third season convinces viewers to keep watching after Cavill's departure at the end of the season," reads the opening of our review of the first five episodes of Season 3. "Over the course of the first five episodes, viewers are reminded just how much Cavill's brooding but compelling take on Geralt elevates the show from the standard fantasy B-show fare that is Netflix's bread and butter to one of the platform's top shows. While Cavill shines (or more accurately glowers with radiance) whenever he's on screen, the pacing, effects, and acting from most of the remainder of the cast paints a grim picture for what the series will do when Cavill leaves the show at the end of the two-part season."

Digimon: The Movie, Digimon Season 2 and more are finally coming to Blu-ray after all these years! Digimon: The Movie remains one of the most infamous anime movie releases of all time as in order to have its English language dub release, it was a stitched together version of three completely different Digimon Adventure movies that had originally released in Japan. This project has since earned all sorts of love in the years since even as the original versions from Japan became more well known, but it's been tougher to enjoy since every version of this had still been in standard definition until now.

Discotek Media announced during their panel at Otakon 2023 that they have acquired the license to not only the English and Japanese versions of Digimon Adventure Season 2 (with the English dub coming to Blu-ray first), but have a new Digimon The Movies Blu-ray hitting shelves first. This special Blu-ray will not only include Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure: Our War Game!, and Digimon Hurricane Touchdown!, but also a remastered version of the English dub release for Digimon: The Movie too! Check out the trailer for Digimon The Movies below:

Otakon Digimon screening time!

So what exactly are they talking about at that screening event?

Let's get right into it with a trailer for...

Digimon the Movies! pic.twitter.com/nAOSQ2uoff

-- ?Discotek Media (@discotekmedia) July 29, 2023

What Is Digimon The Movies?

Discotek Media announced that Digimon The Movies will feature the original Japanese language versions of each film (with English subtitles) along with a new uncut English dub for each one as well that brings back members of the original Digimon dub cast such as Joshua Seth as Tai, Mona Marshall as Izzy, Lara Jill Miller as Kari, Michael Reisz as Matt, and Brian Donovan as Davis confirmed to return. As for new additions to the casts for these new uncut English dubs, Discotek revealed on Twitter, "new actors were cast based on energy & giving a voice & vibe that fits what you heard almost 25 years ago."

As for the new dubs, Discotek Media explained to fans on Twitter that the "tone of the new dubs is a mix between classic Digimon dubs & a bit more straight," and will use the Japanese music. The English soundtrack for the remastered Digimon: The Movie will be intact, but will not be featuring the Angela Anaconda short that screened beforehand. A release date has yet to be revealed for Digimon Adventure Season 2 or Digimon The Movies on Blu-ray, but will be announced soon!

Are you excited to see all of this Digimon come to Blu-ray soon? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animation and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!

News on Amazon's Fallout TV show has been relatively quiet as of late, but it looks like we may have gotten some new set photos from the live-action adaptation of Bethesda's RPG series. The new photos don't give away hints as to any specific characters that we'll see in the Fallout show and aren't quite as exciting as seeing someone wearing Power Armor, but they do show some settings that seem true enough to the source material which should help satisfy those who've been waiting on something more official on the show.

It's unclear from where the photos originated, but they've been making the rounds on social media this week as Xbox-focused accounts and others looking forward to the show helped them circulate. A brief video was shared, too, but it mostly just offers a similar view of what the set photos already showed.

Here are some set photos from Fallout Amazon TV Show pic.twitter.com/fxWGBNpU1f

-- Idle Sloth?? (@IdleSloth84_) July 29, 2023

What those set photos do show is a setting that's likely some sort of Vault-Tec Corporation-owned compound. The big giveaway for that is the symbol on the ground in the middle which most will probably associate with the Fallout series, but it's more specifically the logo for the Vault-Tec organization that's responsible for the creation of all the vaults and their various tests. Another photo shared alongside these showed a "Hawthorne" van in the same area. Hawthorne is a name that's showed up here in there in various Fallout games, though it's unclear if this is a connection to those or not. What is clear is that the van says Hawthorne Medical Laboratories is a division of Vault-Tec which further sells the setting here.

Some of the previous set photos that were revealed from the Fallout filming process appeared to depict live-action Ghouls. A Ghoul is what actor Walton Goggins is supposed to be playing in the show in the lead role, but we haven't yet seen his take on that postapocalyptic character.

The show has supposedly wrapped filming, so hopefully we'll be getting something more official on Amazon's Fallout show sooner rather than later.

The Xbox 360, to date, was Xbox's best generation. Not only is it the best-selling Xbox console by a wide margin, it's the only Xbox console to give its PlayStation counterpart, in this case, the PS3, a run for its money. In fact, up until the very end of the generation, it was outselling the PS3. There were a variety of reasons that contributed to this, including some of the exclusive games on Xbox 360. This is when series like Gears of War were started and Xbox was locking down exclusivity and timed exclusivity for games like BioShock and Mass Effect. Halo was also still good during this generation. Between, the original and Halo 2, you could argue the peak of the series was on the original Xbox, but the Xbox 360 generation treated Halo fans quite well.

To this end, all of the classic Halo games are on sale, and one, in particular is extra dirt cheap. Many have never played Halo 3: ODST because it's a spin-off. If you're one of these Halo fans, you should remedy this. It's not as good as fellow spin-off Halo Reach, but it's still worth playing. And right now it's on sale for $1.49. In addition to this, Halo 4, Halo 3, Halo 2, Halo Reach, and the original Halo are all on sale for $2.49 each. If you don't mind buying all of these games together, you can get them in a bundle, the Halo Master Chief Collection, for $9.99, and save $30 in the process.

The only catch on all of these deals is they are set to expire on July 31. In other words, these deals will disappear in two days from writing this, which means by the time you're reading this, the various deals may no longer exist. If this happens, you can take some solace in that these classic Halo games regularly go on sale.

For more Xbox coverage -- including all of the latest news and all of the latest deals like these as it all pertains to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox Game Pass -- click here.

One Piece is preparing to introduce the anime world to Luffy's ultimate transformation next month, as the fight for Wano's future will turn things up a notch. With the form allowing Monkey D. Luffy to transform into a living cartoon, granting him a number of abilities that make him a force to be reckoned with, the Straw Hats gain a serious ace up their sleeve. Now, one fan artist has imagined if Gear Fifth were to make the leap from anime to video games by seeing what Super Mario would look like with the transformation.

Over the years, Super Mario has gained more transformations than we can count throughout the Nintendo gaming franchise. While the first outing allowed him to grow bigger thanks to the Mushroom Kingdom's mushrooms and gain the ability to throw fireballs by collecting a fire flower, numerous new items have been introduced to the gaming series. With the arrival of The Super Mario Bros Movie earlier this year, the franchise was able to pull in some serious profits thanks to box office receipts. While a sequel film has yet to be confirmed at this point, it seems a surefire bet that the Mario Bros will make a return to the silver screen at some point in the future.

Super Luffy Bros

Gear Fifth doesn't just give Luffy the powers of a living cartoon, but it also changes his hair and attire to the color white, while also giving him a much "cloudier" aesthetic. The form made its first anime appearance thanks to the latest film in the shonen series, One Piece Film: Red, but was only seen for a brief few moments. Next month, the War For Wano will give fans plenty of time to look at Luffy's form as he uses it in his fight against the Beast Pirate Captain Kaido.

Gear 5 pic.twitter.com/BFOf2Q17VO

-- Daze (@xDAZE_) July 22, 2023

While Luffy's Gear Fifth will be making its television debut next month, the form has already played a major role in One Piece's manga. Following the War For Wano, Monkey has still been able to use the transformation at will, recently using it in the final saga to take down an empowered Rob Lucci.

What do you think of this crossover between One Piece and Nintendo? Who wins in a fight between Mario and Luffy? 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 the Grand Line.

New details on Super Mario Bros. Wonder have been revealed, and in the process, the game's villain has been confirmed. The details come the way of the Entertainment Software Rating Board, also known as the ESRB, the organization that rates games for release in North America. To the surprise of no one, the new Mario game has been rated "E" for everyone, warning only of "mild fantasy" and "violence." There is also mention of in-game purchases.

In addition to this information, the ESRB also provided a "rating summary," which is supposed to provide a glimpse into the type of content that players can expect. To this end, it's confirmed that the game's big baddie is once again Bowser. The rating also mentions large boss fights featuring fire breathing and scenery smashing.

"This is a platformer game in which players control characters from the Mario universe as they try to stop the villain Bowser," reads the rating. "Players traverse whimsical environments while jumping on enemies' heads, throwing shells/objects at them, or tossing small fireballs to knock them off-screen. Boss battles contain more involved combat against giant enemies that breathe fire and smash parts of the scenery."

For those that don't know how these ratings work, the developer is expected to send any part of their game that would be of interest to the ESRB. The rating board does not play the game to find this information. It's provided by the developer, and, obviously, purposefully withholding information would land you in trouble.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is set to release worldwide on October 20, 2023 via the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch only. When it releases, it will cost $59.99.

"The next evolution of 2D side-scrolling Super Mario Bros. games is headed to Nintendo Switch! When you touch a Wonder Flower in the game, the wonders of the world unlock-pipes could come alive, hordes of enemies may appear, characters might change their looks, for example-transforming the gameplay in unpredictable ways. Excitement and different surprises await in each course. Super Mario Bros. Wonder features Princess Peach, Princess Daisy and Yoshi as playable characters, in addition to familiar characters like Mario, Luigi and Toad. Plus, Super Mario Bros. Wonder sees the debut of Mario's newest power-up, which allows him to transform into Elephant Mario! What other wonders could this game contain?

Gotham Knights DLC could possibly be releasing soon. Over on Reddit, some eagle-eyed fans of the DC game have noticed that the co-op game has been receiving frequent updates on Steam (via SteamDB). Ultimately, this may not mean much, but typically it suggests something is brewing with a game, whether it's DLC or a major update.

Unfortunately, it's impossible to know what should and shouldn't be made of this, but one thing is seemingly obvious: there is still work being done on the game, which makes sense. While the game didn't quite land with critics, it has sold well, so hearty post-launch support, if it happens, would not be not surprising.

Some fans have pointed out that around release files in the game were discovered that pointed to playable Batman. Naturally, many are hoping these two things are related, but right now there is no evidence of this.

At the moment of publishing, the situation has not attracted any type of comment from developer WB Games Montreal or the game's publisher, WB Games. We don't anticipate this changing for a handful of reasons, however, if this expectation is bucked and some type of comment is provided, the story will be updated with said comment, regardless of whether it's salient or not.

Gotham Knights is available via PC, PS5, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X. For more coverage on DC game -- including all of the latest news, rumors, leaks, and deals -- click here.

"Ultimately, I enjoyed Gotham Knights for what it was - a basic superhero game that provides players with plenty to do," reads a snippet from our official review of the game. "It will not live up to the standard of the height of the Batman: Arkham series, but it's still a fun game, especially if you want to just tune out and beat up some nameless thugs. There is plenty of room for improvement in Gotham Knights, but this game provides a solid enough foundation for future installments, and I enjoyed a game that looked at the wider Batman family rather than focusing on just one character."

According to a plethora of rumors, reports, and even leaks, Call of Duty 2023 is going to be Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 redone in the stye of the recent reboots of Modern Warfare and MW2. This has yet to be officially confirmed by Activision or the rumored developer, Sledgehammer Games, both of which are running out of time to kick off the game's marketing campaign. When the silence will come to an end, remains to be seen, but in the meantime we have another report from an increasingly well known Call of Duty leaker.

At the forefront of rumors, reports, and leaks about this year's new Call of Duty game has been a Twitter account Bob Network UK, who has proven reliable in the past. According to the leaker, this year's game will mark the return of a major gameplay feature that was missing from last year's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which was reload cancelling, a feature that was missing due to the game's supposed commitment to realism.

What's worth noting though is the source classifies the information as a "rumor" themselves, which in turn suggests they may not be overly confident in the information. That said, this is just speculation based on the presentation of the information. All of that said, remember to take everything here with a grain of salt. Even if this information is accurate, it doesn't mean it's going to remain so by the time the game releases. Things change in game development all the time, especially for a game still under the wraps.

At the moment of publishing, Activision has not commented on this rumor in any capacity. We don't expect this to change for a variety of reasons, but if it does, we will be sure to update the story accordingly. In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think. What do you think of reload cancelling coming back to Call of Duty, and what do you want to see from this year's new Call of Duty game?

Mortal Kombat 1's next Kombat Kast is coming up soon, and ahead of its air date, we've already gotten a bit of info about what we might can expect from it. This presentation from NetherRealm will apparently be focused in part on "banished" characters including Smoke and Li Mei which are two fighters that have already been revealed previously. A third character will be part of the next Kombat Kast, too, though NetherRealm is so far only referring to that one as a "surprise kombatant."

One Mortal Kombat fan who goes by AshlynThePally on Reddit first shared details on the next Kombat Kast stream by uploading a screenshot captured from the YouTube app on their PS5. The video highlighted is a seemingly soon-to-be released stream titled "Kombat Kast 2 - Revenge of the Banished." We've only gotten one Kombat Kast so far, so it's safe to say this is a placeholder for the one that's coming up.

What's this?
by u/AshlynThePally in MortalKombat

In a comment shared by the same poster, a description of the video offered a bit more info.

"New Trailer, new characters, new breakdowns!" the description of the video says. "Join NetherRealm now for Kombat Kast 2, featuring detailed gameplay breakdowns of Smoke, Li Mei, and a surprise kombatant."

That Mortal Kombat player wasn't the only one to see evidence of this stream either. Another poster shared a similar screenshot captured from Twitch that showed a Kombat Kast of the same name. A link to the NetherRealm team's page on Twitch showed us those same results, but the page appears to have been updated since we first saw it and no longer advertises the upcoming Kombat Kast.

2nd Kombat Kast got leaked ? expect an official announcement soon!
by u/MistahJ17 in Mortalkombatleaks

So, who's that "surprise kombatant" supposed to be? Many in the comments suggested that it'd be Baraka given the character's story in Mortal Kombat, but "surprise" certainly sounds like it's referring to someone who we haven't seen confirmed yet, so Baraka seems less likely. We saw him already alongside the reveal of Li Mei, and if she was named in this trailer description, why wouldn't Baraka be named, too?

In a reply to someone on Twitter, Mortal Kombat 1 lead Ed Boon said on July 26th that a new Kombat Kast should be coming within the week, so we should hear from NetherRealm soon about when, exactly, this stream will take place.

Xbox Live Gold is set to end on September 14, which means August is the final month Xbox Live Gold subscribers on Xbox One, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X will be getting free games as part of Games With Gold. After August, Games With Gold will no longer exist. If you missed the announcement of the final two games, they were announced this week. One of the games is called Blue Fire, and the other is called Inertial Drift. Both games will be made available for free to all Xbox Live Gold subscribers starting on August 1 and until August 31. Once downloaded, each game is yours to keep.

That said, subscribers of the subscription service, at least over on Twitter, are seemingly divided by this pair of games. Some think by the standards of Games With Gold -- which are low standards -- it's a competent send off. Of course, no one is going to argue either $19.99 game is extremely significant, but plenty will be testify to their status as hidden gems. Meanwhile, others are less impressed with the final two Games With Gold games

Don't disrespect Blue Fire. That game is legit great.

-- Chiru Kobra ?? ? #YearOfTheKobra (@Chiru_Kobra) July 27, 2023

People talk shit about these 2 games but let me remind you. Blue Fire is awesome I bought it last year and men it deserves more respect.

-- William Meyer (@WilliamMeyer1) July 27, 2023

I've been thinking about picking up Inertial Drift during an Indie Sale. This is great to see, because I'd like to play it before buying it.

-- Mike aka xero sKill (@xerosKill1) July 27, 2023

Kinda sad selections to end the service on

Should've picked some real high quality ones to end with a bang

-- Jewels ? (@JewelsVEVO) July 27, 2023

..."not with a bang, but a whimper"
T.S. Elliot

-- Paul Raftree ? ? ? (@J3RS3Y_DEVIL) July 27, 2023

GWG is over, here's some mid games

-- TheBlackxRanger (@TheBlackxRanger) July 27, 2023

If you're not familiar with either of these games, Blue Fire debuted back in 2021 via developer Robi Studios and publisher Graffiti Games. Meanwhile, the other game, Inertial Drift, debuted back in 2020 via developer Level 91 Entertainment and publisher PQube. Neither game lit the world on fire when they released, nor did either perform particularly well critically, however, both were generally received well by consumers who played them, and Blue Fire, of the two, seems to have resonated with quite a few who gave it a try, as evident by the tweets above.

Blue Fire: "Journey through the desolated kingdom of Penumbra and discover the hidden secrets of this long-forgotten land. Explore mystical temples, where you'll need to master the art of movement to survive increasingly difficult 3D platforming challenges. During your adventure you'll slash your way through daunting adversaries, encounter survivors and take on strange quests to collect valuable items."

Inertial Drift: "Set in a 90's retro future, Inertial Drift is an Arcade Racer with a devastatingly unique handling model and unbelievably satisfying twin-stick drift mechanics. Inertial Drift offers a whole new level of accessibility and challenge to the arcade racing genre - for a driving experience genuinely unlike anything you've played before."

As always, feel free to weigh in on the discussion with a comment or, alternatively, hit me up on Twitter @Tyler_Fischer_ and let me know over there. What do you think of the final free Xbox Live Gold games? Are they two hidden gems or did the service go out with a whimper?

Life by You, the life-sim game from Paradox Interactive, will no longer be releasing in early access in September as originally expected. Instead, the game's early access launch has been pushed back to the much more specific albeit farther away date of March 5, 2024. Paradox Tectonic GM Rod Humboldt confirmed the new release date this week in a video shared with the fledgling Life by You community while saying that the extra time spent working on the game will be used to implement and act on feedback gathered from those who've played early builds of the game.

Humboldt's update on Life by You got straight to the point this week by announcing right in the beginning that the game had been delayed.

"Since we first announced Life by You four months ago, we have been sharing regular video updates and dev streams with you, and we've also been releasing builds to our modding partners," Humboldt said. "The feedback we've received has been really great and invaluable, and we want to take some extra time to integrate it before launching in early access."

To offer up-and-coming Life by You players some specifics on what the team would be looking at, Humboldt said Paradox Tectonic would be looking at animations, lighting, character models, assets, and will be looking into refining various gameplay features to "provide a more robust experience out of the gate." A massive UI overhaul is on the table, too.

For those who were waiting for the September release and will be waiting longer now for the early access launch in March, Humboldt said the team is adding a "Nightclub Vibe Pack" which includes furniture and other assets featuring a nightclub aesthetic. More dev videos like this one will be shared in the future, too, alongside a more detailed blog post that's supposed to be coming soon.

Meanwhile, EA's Sims team is still working on Project Rene, the next chapter in the Sims series. Updates on that game have been shared occasionally, but players still know relatively little about that game, too, beyond some of the ways that it'll differ from the more traditional Sims games.

Overwatch 2: Invasion's highlights include a new support hero, PvE content, and the Flashpoint game mode, but it's also adding another new map, too. That map is New Junk City, and ahead of its Invasion arrival, Blizzard offered a preview of the Junkertown-esque map via a video and a couple of screenshots that showed off different points of interest players will battle through. Overwatch 2: Invasion will be released on August 10th, so players will be able to see for themselves on that date what this new map is actually like.

The cinematic flythrough of New Junk City seen below was out first real look at the new map shared this week. Even if you didn't know the name, the Junkertown aesthetic is pretty much unmistakable with garages, scrap metal, and the apocalyptic desert setting permeating the map. New Junk City will be a Flashpoint map, and considering how that mode's all about holding certain objectives down to gain points for your team, it's not much of a stretch to imagine the big dome-like structure shown in the video with multiple hallways leading in and out of it will probably be one of those objectives.

Welcome to New Junk City ?

If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere ?

The all-new Flashpoint map launches Aug 10 with #Overwatch2: Invasion ? pic.twitter.com/h9CQaj0Cal

-- Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) July 28, 2023

Other images were shared shortly afterward that showed more of the different POIs shown throughout the video. Considering how the map's release date is drawing near, this'll probably be the best look that we get at the map between now and August 10th barring any Overwatch 2: Invasion trailers that show off more of New Junk City.

Flashpoint, for those less versed on the new mode, will be available in both the Quick Play and Competitive playlists once it's added on August 10th. Previous updates from Blizzard offered more info on the mode:

? ? pic.twitter.com/IszUEoc9k5

-- Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) July 28, 2023

"Teams will fight for control of key positions across the map called "flashpoints," aiming to capture three of them before their opponents do," a preview of the new mode said. "You'll have no time to relax once a point is captured, as the next one will already be waiting. Not only will this mode test your mechanical skills, but also your ability to plan ahead-stopping opponents from moving on to the next flashpoint will be a huge key to victory."

Overwatch 2: Invasion and its New Junk City map are scheduled to release on August 10th.

A PS4 game that has been in development for at least three years has been cancelled. Thankfully, those that have made the jump to PS5 have nothing to worry about as the game is still coming to PS5, as well as Xbox Series X|S, but if you were planning on playing the game on PS4 you're out of luck and will need to upgrade to one of the two new and aforementioned consoles to play the game at all. According to the developer of the game in question, the cancelation of the PS4 version comes down to the aging PlayStation system being unable to run the game without serious downgrading.

The mystery game is Quantum Error from TeamKill Media. The game was first announced for PS4 and PS5 in March of 2020, and it garnered considerable attention as one of the first "next-gen" games revealed. There's still no word of when it will release, but whenever it does, it won't be on PS4.

According to TeamKill Media, to get the game running at 60 FPS like it does on PS5 would require not just a simple turning of the sliders down, but require changing assets to the point that the PS4 version "would be a very different experience" compared to the PS5 version, something it says would be "unfair" to PS4 users.

"Unfortunately, we are going to have to cancel the PS4 version of Quantum Error," reads a statement about the cancelation. "Even with the game being made from the beginning for the PS5, we still had hopes we could make a PS4 version happen, but with the level of quality we have achieved with Quantum Error with gameplay running at 60fps, we have reach the conclusion that there is no way for us to deliver a version on PS4 that would live up to what the PS5 is going to deliver. A PS4 version would require too much downgrading and changing of assets, lighting and much more to function, and with the difference in memory and the slower HDD speed, it would be a very different experience that will not compare to the PS5 version and would not be fair to PS4 players."

While Quantum Error is no longer coming to PS4, there are still plenty of games coming to the system, which is impressive considering we are three years into the PS5 lifecycle. There are a variety of factors contributing to this, but we expect the number of PS4 releases to drastically lessen in the next couple of years

Fans have discovered more evidence of an upcoming Pokemon Presents thanks to data mined from Pokemon Masters EX. After reporting on possible implications of a late character launch in Pokemon Masters EX, fans found a more explicit sign that a Pokemon Presents is coming soon. Fans discovered a "Pokemon Presents" campaign hidden within the game's code, tucked away in the middle of several other confirmed events. Based on the dates, this appears to be the upcoming Nemona event, which will likely be promoted during a Pokemon Presents that takes place on Tuesday August 8th at 9 AM ET.

It's happening. From Pok?mon Masters EX datamine.

Pok?mon Presents coming August 8 ? pic.twitter.com/86KwoFdnAF

-- Centro LEAKS (@CentroLeaks) July 28, 2023

The Pokemon Presents' timing is interesting for a few reasons - if the datamine and report are accurate, it would occur just a few days before the Pokemon World Championships, the largest event of the year for the Pokemon franchise. This year's Pokemon World Championship is the first in nearly 20 years to take place in Japan and is set to be the biggest Pokemon World Championship ever. There are also likely a few announcements in store, such as the release date for the upcoming DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Plus, Pokemon Sleep recently launched while Pokemon Go had its own major update, so a Pokemon Presents would likely feature both those games as well.

However, the Pokemon Company also had a featured spot in a recent Nintendo Direct, so fans weren't exactly expecting a new Pokemon Presents. And while The Teal Mask DLC should have fans excited, a Pokemon Presents might pull attention to the fact that there's no other Pokemon game planned for this year.

No official announcement about a Pokemon Presents has been made yet, but expect one soon if it's to take place on August 8th.