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Diablo 4 Season 11 Might Be Its Biggest Rework Yet
It's a doozy of an update. Diablo 4 Season 11 is poised to bring huge changes to Blizzard's ARPG, and will overhaul item progression, see the return of leaderboards, rework the Renown system, and even dramatically change how the game's potions work. And that's not even everything. While noticeable changes to the core of Diablo 4 come alongside nearly every season, most notably with Season 4's Loot Reborn, Season 11 still stands out. None of these changes were detailed in the game's 2025 content roadmap, and Blizzard has teased for months that many of players' biggest gripes with the game would be addressed in a coming update. Now we finally know what Blizzard has been cooking. Perhaps the biggest complaint players have had since Season 4 regards the act of Tempering and Masterworking items. In the current live version of Diablo 4, Tempering allows players to add affixes to items but with a catch. The act of Tempering has an element of randomness, as each Tempering recipe usually contains up to three possible affixes. Which affix gets applied is random, and players often end up "bricking" an item by being unable to get their desired affix. Masterworking, too, has an element of luck, with bonus affix upgrades every few levels applied at random. Players trying to optimize their gear to the fullest often have to reset the item when the bonus affix upgrade doesn't land on a desired roll and start the entire Masterworking process over again from scratch. That's all changing with Season 11. As detailed in a new blog outlined what all is coming to Diablo 4's public test realm, Tempering will finally no longer be random, with players able to apply the affix of their choice to gear. That affix can also be changed as many times as a player likes (as long as they have the necessary resources). The catch is that gear can now only have one Tempered affix. To compensate, non-Unique items are having their base number of affixes raised from three to four. Going hand-in-hand with the Tempering changes is an update to Masterworking. Instead of improving the value of affixes, Masterworking instead improves an item's overall quality, up to a quality level of 20. Higher-quality items have increased base damage, armor, or resistances, and Masterworking an item has a chance to increase its quality by two to five levels. Once an item hits Masterwork level 20, players can roll for a Capstone bonus, which upgrades a random non-greater affix on the item and turns it into a greater one. These Capstone bonuses can be re-rolled an unlimited amount of times without resetting an item's quality, allowing players to hone in on specific affixes necessary for their build (though it will cost some upgrade currencies). More than just changing how Tempering and Masterworking works, Blizzard has additionally added a final step for an item's upgrade journey--Sanctification. This new system lets players use a fraction of Heaven's power to sanctify an item. Sanctifying an item has a random chance to apply one of the following benefits: Sanctifying an item makes the item unmodifiable. Blizzard warns that Sanctification should always be the very last upgrade made to an item. Diablo 4 Season 11's major rework for item progression isn't the only big change. It's also completely changing how defenses work, and scrapping the game's entire existing potion system in the process. Armor and Resistances are becoming a rating system, and one with diminishing returns at higher levels. Armor will reduce all damage taken, rather than just physical, and the armor and resistance penalties associated with each Torment difficulty will be removed. A new character-stat page that aggregates all of a character's defensive stats into one number, Toughness, will help give players a better idea of how durable they overall are. As for healing, Blizzard is ripping out the existing potion system. Instead of needing to upgrade potions every few levels, potions in Diablo 4 Season 11 will instead always immediately heal 35% of a player's total health. Base potion capacity is being reduced to four as a result, but potions will recharge over 30 seconds. To aid with healing, values for all life-gaining affixes like life on kill, life on hit, and life regeneration have all had their values increased. Fortify, a unique Diablo 4 mechanic that grants additional defenses when overhealing, is being changed into what is essentially an extra life bar that's slowly drained to heal over time. When Fortified, players will heal a percentage of their max life every second, draining the Fortified health pool. Potions aren't the only idea from the launch version of Diablo 4 that is being scrapped. Renown, a zone-specific reputation system that has various rewards like additional potion slots, skill points, and gold tied to it, is going away, at least for the game's Seasonal realm. It will still exist permanently in the Eternal realm, effectively making for noticeably different versions of Diablo 4 to choose from. On the game's seasonal server, Renown is being replaced and combined with the game's current Season Journey system to form a new system called Season Rank. Players will earn rewards like additional skill and paragon points, Smoldering Ashes, and cosmetics by completing various objectives and advancing their Season Rank. Altars of Lilith will grant experience and minor rewards, but will no longer grant permanent stats as they have since the game launched. Leaderboards are returning to Diablo 4 after having previously been deactivated alongside the game's Vessel of Hatred expansion. This time, however, they are taking a new form--The Tower. A new multi-floor dungeon, The Tower works similarly to The Pit, where players will need to battle through monsters and fill a meter within a 10-minute time limit. Once enough monsters (or progress orbs that drop from them) have been slain, a random Tower boss will spawn. Defeating them concludes the dungeon and stops the timer, registering the run on the new leaderboard. There will be solo leaderboards for each class, as well as leaderboards for parties of two, three, and four. There will additionally be separate leaderboards for Hardcore characters. Blizzard said the version of The Tower and leaderboard appearing in Season 11 will be considered a beta, and that it hopes to update The Tower in future seasons. There's more too, with Season 11 set to add a new world boss for the first time since launch, make enemy monsters tougher, and introduce a whole new set of seasonal powers and mechanics. Testing for Diablo 4 Season 11 will begin on the game's PTR October 21, with the season proper set to debut on December 9. Meanwhile, Diablo 4's second expansion is slated to arrive sometime next year. Latest in Diablo IV Diablo 4's Monsters Are Getting Deadlier, And Smarter, In Season 11 21 Games With Werewolves To Sink Your Teeth Into In Right Now 13 Best Games Like Borderlands To Shoot And Loot Your Way Through In 2025
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Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director thinks "Nintendo will put more effort into popularizing" the Switch 2's controversial game key cards, which he calls "a really amazing new idea"
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth co-director Naoki Hamaguchi doesn't think Nintendo is backing down from the Switch 2's controversial game key cards - in fact, he thinks it's going to double down on them. Talking to Wccftech (via Stealth), Naoki Hamaguchi once again went against the grain and straight-up defended the Switch 2's key cards, having previously said they "let us do things do things that maybe we wouldn't otherwise" while admitting that he understands where the controversy is coming from. Hamaguchi has now repeatedly stressed the benefits of game key cards for developers who would otherwise be working within the limitations of the Switch 2's physical cartridges. Switch 2's controversial game-key cards "let us do things that maybe we wouldn't otherwise," says Final Fantasy 7 remake co-director, but "I really get where people are coming from in terms of their negativity" Star Wars Outlaws is a controversial Switch 2 game-key card release, but one Ubisoft dev says that's because the standard cartridges "simply didn't give the performance we needed" The Switch 2's controversial game-key cards prove to be a preservation nightmare as Japan's national library refuses to use them "Personally, I feel that the loading speed issue for the game cartridge is more about the hardware spec of the Nintendo Switch 2," said Hamaguchi. "I'm not with Nintendo, so I can't really speak to that side. That said, I do feel that the Game Key Card format that Nintendo created for the Nintendo Switch 2 is a really amazing new idea that they had offered for us." Game key cards are controversial particularly among physical media preservation communities for obvious reasons. If you don't have a physical cartridge to boot up a game, you're essentially at the mercy of Nintendo, and while there's little reason to suspect them to start pulling games from digital libraries willy-nilly, the implications for long-term preservation aren't ideal. Still, Hamaguchi reckons folks should get used to the idea of game key cards. "I don't personally see Nintendo working towards trying to improve the loading speed for the cartridges," he said. "Rather, I feel that Nintendo will put more effort into popularizing the Game Key Card format which again is a really fantastic idea for us developers. "Also, we hope players familiarize themselves with what that costs them. That obviously is something we can help out with as well, from the developer side. I think that the collaborative effort between Nintendo and publishers trying to promote the Game Key Card will be the best way forward for all players in the future." The excellent 2020 Final Fantasy 7 Remake is due out on Switch 2 in 2026, with Rebirth and then the third entry in the series to follow. Unsurprisingly, the remake will ship in physical boxes as a game key card demanding an eye-watering 90GB of hard drive space. Here are the best Switch 2 games to play today.
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41
Anthony McGlynn
2025-10-22
Battlefield 6 has started phasing out XP farms with latest update designed to "support healthier matchmaking" and make Portal "more enjoyable"
The updates phasing out XP farms in Battlefield 6 have begun. A wave of changes are coming to the FPS designed to make sure servers are populated by more people than bots for the foreseeable future. Players of EA's new blockbuster shooter have been frustrated since launch by stodgy progression. Even those playing daily have struggled to make their way through the ranks, pushing people toward bot servers through Portal where they can farm experience points. EA and DICE have been working on solutions to the XP problem while seeking to minimize the proliferation of these bot farms. Rollout for the latter has begun in earnest. "We're in the process of deploying several backend updates aimed at improving community experiences and encouraging more player-filled servers," says a post on the official Twitter account. Battlefield 6 players asked for changes and the devs brought a sledgehammer: Conquest changes rolled back, and progression is much easier to ward off XP farms EA is apparently playing whack-a-mole as Battlefield 6 fans keep using the FPS game's new Portal mode to set up XP farms to bypass the sluggish progression grind Battlefield 6 fixes coming "one step at a time" as devs fix missing rewards, movement bugs, and more within 48 hours of launch, and eye up "other elements of the core loop" next: "Thanks for all the feedback!" We’re in the process of deploying several backend updates aimed at improving community experiences and encouraging more player-filled servers. A more detailed update explaining these changes is targeted for tomorrow. As part of this effort, we’re implementing several backend…October 22, 2025 We’re in the process of deploying several backend updates aimed at improving community experiences and encouraging more player-filled servers. A more detailed update explaining these changes is targeted for tomorrow. As part of this effort, we’re implementing several backend…October 22, 2025 We’re in the process of deploying several backend updates aimed at improving community experiences and encouraging more player-filled servers. A more detailed update explaining these changes is targeted for tomorrow. As part of this effort, we’re implementing several backend…October 22, 2025 "As part of this effort, we're implementing several backend changes to support healthier matchmaking and more enjoyable experiences in Portal. These updates will address unintended behaviors that allowed for XP farming or unbalanced gameplay." What these alterations are in full will be revealed in another update coming tomorrow, October 23. But we can imagine they involve re-tuning the settings in Portal to inhibit use of bots, while altering the XP rewards available from custom servers. The suggestion of unbalanced play sounds like there'll be wider ramifications as well, but we'll see more when the patch notes arrive. Experience points have already been altered to be more rewarding per match. These two sets of changes should give players the kind of boosts they're looking for if they play with any kind of regularity. Former Battlefield 6 campaign lead is "disappointed" he and other devs "were not properly credited" in the new FPS after working "tirelessly for 1 to 2.5 years, building the foundation."
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Catherine Lewis
2025-10-22
Borderlands 4's nerf-heavy patch misses its already delayed release window as Gearbox still has "a few things we're tidying up," but it'll finally launch tomorrow
Borderlands 4 developer Gearbox Software has confirmed that its upcoming nerf-heavy update that'll banish the looter shooter's most broken builds to the shadow realm has escaped from its already delayed release window of early this week, and it's now set to arrive tomorrow, instead. Gearbox acknowledged the so-called "unintended interactions" that certain broken Borderlands 4 builds (and the infamous crit knife) rely on back in September, but it wasn't until earlier this month that creative director Graeme Timmins gave fans a week's notice that the devs were finally fixing them. However, that week has now become two, as the patch was delayed to "early" this week, but it's still not been launched. Thankfully, that will change very soon. Acknowledging the fact that the patch has escaped its new launch window on Twitter, the official Borderlands account writes: "Glad you're excited for the update! We have a few things we're tidying up right now, and it'll be rolling out with the Horrors of Kairos mini-event. We can't wait for you to see what we've been brewing." Borderlands 4 update that aims the nerf cannon at its most broken builds delayed into next week, so enjoy your crit knife until then Borderlands 4 lead gives fans "7 days notice" as Gearbox aims the nerf cannon at broken builds with fixes to "unintended interactions in certain Vault Hunter skills" arriving next week Gearbox pushes Borderlands 4 patch full of Vault Hunter buffs to Thursday to "tweak a few more things" and fit in "proper QA testing," Amon mains assemble a wishlist Glad you’re excited for the update! We have a few things we're tidying up right now, and it’ll be rolling out with the Horrors of Kairos mini-event. We can’t wait for you to see what we’ve been brewing.October 21, 2025 Glad you’re excited for the update! We have a few things we're tidying up right now, and it’ll be rolling out with the Horrors of Kairos mini-event. We can’t wait for you to see what we’ve been brewing.October 21, 2025 Glad you’re excited for the update! We have a few things we're tidying up right now, and it’ll be rolling out with the Horrors of Kairos mini-event. We can’t wait for you to see what we’ve been brewing.October 21, 2025 On the Borderlands 4 post-launch roadmap, the Horrors of Kairos event is slated to run between October 23 and November 6, meaning that unless there's a third delay, the patch should arrive tomorrow. As Borderlands content creator EpicNNG responds, the update could potentially "result in a loss of casuals due to nerfs/fixes," so therefore perhaps Gearbox considered that "it's not worth dropping it prior to the first content drop when they can instead play the long game." Rest assured that even with these upcoming changes, Gearbox isn't simply out to ruin anyone's fun, however. Timmins previously explained: "Our intent is always to expand the number of builds, so any adjustment we make is in service of that goal." Be sure to check out our Borderlands 4 review if you've still not given Gearbox's new looter shooter a try, or our Borderlands 4 tips to get you started.
448
Ashley Bardhan
2025-10-21
Treyarch admits Black Ops 7 "controller players are winning slightly more in close-range" thanks to aim assist, says it's reworking it while Raven eyes similar changes for Warzone
Controller and keyboard players have always been at odds, like a baby in a Pantera shirt. There's just something wrong with the picture – controller players often benefit from aim assist, while mouse-and-keyboard experts have accuracy as an advantage. They're different, but, according to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 developer Treyarch, they're also both right. Treyarch design director Matt Scronce explains in a new dev talk video: In Black Ops 7's beta, "controller players are winning slightly more in close-range engagements, and then keyboard-mouse players are winning slightly more in those long-range engagements." Rebalancing aim assist is the obvious answer, and Call of Duty: Warzone Raven Software will do the same for its game. "What we're going to do here is to try to close that gap," says Scronce, "take a very close look at the strength of aim assist across all of those ranges. And then, additionally, we are looking at rotational aim assist and the requirement for your right aim stick to be moving in the direction of your target." Call of Duty Black Ops 7 will now let players aim down sights "while sliding, diving, and wall jumping" without hated dexterity perk, and it's also adding louder footsteps Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 beta players say the Dexterity perk should be the standard, Treyarch says there's a reason it isn't: "We're being a bit more intentional with our combat" Battlefield 6 dev responds to aim assist comparison with Call of Duty, says "you are the skill," and assist doesn't play for you Like the good friend – and piece of integrated software – that it is, Raven is following suit, writing in a Twitter post that "in parity with Black Ops 7 Multiplayer, we will be working with @Treyarch to explore potential adjustments to rotational aim assist and aim assist strength on controller in Season 01 of Call of Duty: Warzone." Neither Treyarch nor Raven have specified the details of how they'll do this yet, though I'm sure whatever they decide will bring harmony to controller and keyboard players once and for all. Call of Duty Black Ops 7 will now let players aim down sights "while sliding, diving, and wall jumping" without hated dexterity perk, and it's also adding louder footsteps.
406
Jordan Gerblick
2025-10-21
Microsoft says the next Xbox console "will be a very premium and high-end curated experience," and you can see "some of the thinking" in the Xbox Ally handheld
After a series of high-profile PR faceplants, Xbox is back to talking about its next console, and I'm already worried about how much this thing is gonna cost. This isn't the first confirmation we've had that Microsoft is indeed making another Xbox console, but after implementing considerable hardware and subscription price hikes that reportedly even impacted dev kits, it's good to have confirmation that a next-gen Xbox is even in the works at all. What isn't as encouraging, for me at least, is the marketing language Xbox is using at the highest level. Xbox president Sarah Bond recently sat down with Mashable (timestamped here) and re-confirmed that there's a new console in development while strongly suggesting it'll cost a whole lot of money. 2TB Xbox Series X will soon be $800 as Microsoft ups US console prices for the second time in 5 months, making a PS5 Pro look downright affordable The ROG Xbox Ally X offers an early glimpse into Xbox's plans for AI, but I'm starting to worry that we're all going to be priced out of ever trying them "This is their hardware" - Microsoft suggests charging $1,000 for the ROG Xbox Ally X was Asus' idea Responding to the suggestion that Xbox make a gaming console PC hybrid, Bond said: "I can tell you that you're right, that the next-gen console is gonna be a very premium, very high-end, curated experience. You're starting to see some of the thinking that we have in [the Xbox ROG Ally handheld], but I don't want to give it all away." It's a good time to remind y'all that the Xbox ROG Ally X, the most premium of the Microsoft-branded handheld family, costs $1000. Whether it was Asus or Xbox that decided on that price tag, Bond loosely comparing Microsoft's strategy with the next Xbox home console to the dearly expensive handheld line, not to mention her implicit agreement with Mashable that a gaming PC console hybrid is a good idea, is telling. And what it's telling me is that this freakin' console is gonna be at least $1000, isn't it? I mean, we already have an $800 Xbox and a $1000 Xbox handheld, and with upward-trending manufacturing costs and general economic instability, it's not hard to conjure up images of the higher end Xbox in a family of new consoles being $1000 or more. The optimist in me wants to believe things will balance out on the consumer side at some point, hopefully before the next generation of Sony and Microsoft consoles, but the realist in me is prepping for new hardware in the quadruple digits. Let's not think about that and just admire this list of upcoming Xbox Series X games we drew up.
387
Austin Wood
2025-10-21
MMO vet picks through the games industry carnage and blames "gigantic investments" in games that were "burning money": "A fraction of that could have created a lot of smaller games"
The games industry remains mired in contraction, making it hard, among other things, for developers at multiple bands of the industry to find and maintain any sort of backing or funding. Greg Street, a veteran of World of Warcraft and Riot's purgatorial League of Legends MMO, has also found it difficult to land a deal at his new studio Fantastic Pixel Castle, and he reckons "one of the least excusable" reasons for the industry's woes is all the bad bets that big companies made on huge games that utterly tanked. "Please indulge me in feeling salty for a moment," Street writes on LinkedIn. "I understand that almost nobody in the video game business is making deals right now, and those that do happen are very small. "There are many reasons for this state of affairs, but one of the least excusable ones is some of the gigantic investments in games or studios in the previous few years that didn't pan out. A fraction of that could have created a lot of smaller games." World of Warcraft and League of Legends MMO veteran says his new studio will "likely close" if it's "unable to find a publisher soon" for fantasy MMORPG Ghost: "We're doing everything we can" "Most players have no idea" how much games cost to make and "everything's more expensive than people think," devs say, as indie hits like Balatro are "the exception" Space Marine 2 publisher praises Oblivion Remastered, FromSoftware, and the "Frenchy friends" on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as proof "the industry remains powerful" despite layoffs and studio closures Fantastic Pixel Castle has been working on a fantasy MMO dubbed Ghost for several years, with Street leaning on his experiences at Blizzard and Riot but pushing back on some genre conventions like power leveling or generalist classes. It seems the studio has struggled with investment, however, as Street's post thanks "everyone who has reached out about the possibility of investment in or funding" the studio, but reckons "these are also long shots, but every lead is worth pursuing." Street says "I'm not blaming every game that didn't hit big," and doesn't single any failed games out by name. Of course, you wouldn't have to look very far to find high-profile, high-budget flops, cancellations, and misfires. Instead, he looks to the issues that cause these projects to run up the tab, churn through employees, and often launch with a whimper if they come out at all. "When you hear about projects where the team was burning money because the game vision kept changing, or the build was never stable, or playtests just weren't fun, or the leadership team was a revolving door, then you know that game was unlikely to ever deliver a good experience for players," Street says. Repping his own studio, he adds that Fantastic Pixel Castle has "a team with a proven track record," no "leadership drama," and has gotten Ghost "halfway through development" already with "very stable" tech. Ghost is still just an idea as far as players are concerned, but Street reckons the "hard data suggests players love and will play" it. "And yet there is still no available funding," he concludes. Street's comments do read in part like venting from a beleaguered veteran frustrated and disillusioned with the collapse of opportunity in an industry that purports to be enormous and lucrative, but he's also spot-on. Street joins the likes of Dragon Age pillar David Gaider and FPS icon John Romero in struggling to find funding in 2025's games industry. When household names and experienced veterans have to fight to make ends meet, it ain't lookin' good for everyone else. We spoke to Pocketpair Publishing and Palworld communications director John Buckley earlier this year following the reveal of the company's publishing arm, and he agreed "no one has money at the moment," which has left even some established studios and developers scrambling. "I see a lot of publishers I don't like": Vampire Survivors creator made his own publisher to "share the luck" and says too many companies "try to exploit the platforms just to make money."
388
Ashley Bardhan
2025-10-21
Call of Duty Black Ops 7 will now let players aim down sights "while sliding, diving, and wall jumping" without hated dexterity perk, and it's also adding louder footsteps
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 developer Treyarch heard your beta feedback loud and clear, and has just announced in an October 21 dev talk video that it's making the Dexterity perk optional while accessing aim down sights in motion. Still, Treyarch would love to hear you even louder and more clearly, and so it's also making footstep noises more audible. "If you do want to get a little more aggressive with your movement," he said then, "we will have perks that allow you to do that." Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 beta players say the Dexterity perk should be the standard, Treyarch says there's a reason it isn't: "We're being a bit more intentional with our combat" Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 devs say that you can blame the Black Ops timeline for the wall jump not being a wall run: “Black Ops 2 really gave us a foundation for the technology available” Treyarch devs say "we welcome all constructive feedback" as Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 readies for launch: "This is why we do a beta, so that we can make sure there are no blind spots" Now, Scronce explains in Treyarch's dev talk video that Dexterity will only enhance ADS (aim down sights) while you slide around – it's not required. So Black Ops 7 players will be able to glide around their maps like Beyblade princesses, but they'll also need to mind their clomping. The Black Ops 7 beta featured nearly undetectable footstep squeaks, so Scronce says Treyarch has "slightly increased the volume of our footsteps in multiplayer." "We're very happy with where they're at, where it's going to incentivize more stealth playstyles without over-indexing on the need for the Ninja perk," he continues. Fans have never been more glad to be fat-footed. "They nailed it. Perfect changes to the perks and defaulting Omni movement back to being able to ADS," says esports champion Parasite on Twitter. "Fkn W." I played Black Ops 7 multiplayer for 4 hours, and here's my 10 takeaways you need to know.
755
Kevin Knezevic
2025-10-21
Luigi's Mansion Is Coming To Nintendo Switch 2 In Time For Halloween
The classic GameCube launch title hits the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service on October 30. Nintendo is bringing another beloved GameCube title to the Switch Online + Expansion Pack service next week. The original Luigi's Mansion is joining the classic games lineup on October 30. Originally released alongside the GameCube in November 2001, Luigi's Mansion sees Mario's cowardly brother exploring a haunted mansion he won in a contest he never entered. With the help of Professor E. Gadd and his vacuum-like Poltergust 3000, Luigi must work his way through the mansion's many rooms and capture all the ghosts that lurk within. Luigi's Mansion marks the sixth title to arrive on Switch Online's GameCube collection. The library launched alongside the Switch 2 with three games--The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and SoulCalibur II--while Super Mario Strikers and Chibi-Robo were added to the lineup in July and August, respectively. Nintendo will be bringing more GameCube games to the service in the future. The company has already confirmed that additional classics like Super Mario Sunshine, Pokemon Colosseum, and Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance are on the way, although it hasn't confirmed when those games will be added. The GameCube collection is one of a few Switch 2-exclusive perks available to Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers. Switch 2 members can also download the Switch 2 upgrade packs for both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for free. A base Nintendo Switch Online subscription runs for $20 a year, while the Expansion Pack plan costs $50 a year. Nintendo also offers an annual family plan for $80 that covers up to eight Nintendo Accounts across multiple systems. Latest in Luigi's Mansion Luigi's Mansion 2 HD Review LEGO Super Mario - Luigi's Mansion Expansion Set Trailer Luigi's Mansion 3 Is A Clever Mix Of The First Two Games
475
Anna Washenko
2025-10-21
Microsoft increases the price of Xbox dev kits by $500
Players aren't the only ones facing higher price tags from Xbox. According to a report by The Verge, Microsoft has upped the cost of the Xbox Development Kit from $1,500 to $2,000. That's a 33 percent jump in cost for these custom hardware kits, which are essential for devs to make and test games for release on the console. "The adjustment reflects macroeconomic developments," Microsoft said in an email sent to Xbox devs and seen by The Verge. "We remain committed to providing high-quality tools and support for your development efforts." Although the macroeconomics in question are almost certainly the tariffs enacted by the US, it appears this is a blanket increase that will impact developers in other countries as well. The new kit costs appear to be effective immediately. The change caps off a series of price increases for the Xbox ecosystem. Game Pass prices recently rose, with the Ultimate tier now costing $30 a month compared to the previous $20. And Microsoft has upped the cost of the Xbox twice this year, once in May and again in September. Between these additional expenses and the little matter of cutting thousands of gaming jobs earlier this year, a lot of us are giving up on Xbox before Microsoft can disappoint us yet again.
320
Darryn Bonthuys
2025-10-21
This Official Neon Genesis Evangelion Casio Watch Looks Awesome
With this new Casio watch, it's always time for Neon Genesis Evangelion. Casio Neon Genesis Evangelion GA-110EVA30-7A G Shock Watch Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most iconic anime series of all time, and much of its enduring appeal is due to its unique and instantly recognizable art direction. Electronics manufacturer Casio seems to agree, as it's channeling the design of the series' EVA Unit-01 mech into its new GA-110EVA30-7A G Shock wrist watch. The premium timepiece is an official collaboration designed by Evangelion's mechanical designer, Ikuto Yamashita, in honor of the anime's 30th anniversary. It's available now for $280 exclusively at Casio's online store. The Casio Neon Genesis Evangelion GA-110EVA30-7A G Shock Watch features numerous subtle nods to the anime series in its design, such as illustrations of the EVA Unit-01 Across the band and bezel; an inset clock dial inspired by the 3rd Angel, Sachiel; a Y-shaped dial element mirroring the iconic "CAUTION" warning; and a 30th anniversary emblem engraved on the back. The watch is also comes with special edition packaging to protect it when it's not in use. If you're looking to add some more Evangelion style to your home, you can also check out the officially licensed gaming light kits from Govee. These add a tasteful amount of color to your home and are designed to look like they were pulled straight from the NERV headquarters. Like casio's new watch, the Govee Evangelion Gaming Wall Light is influenced by the anime's mecha. It features an LED base with a transparent plate and elevated diffusion light strips to create a dual lighting effect. It comes with eight Evangelion-inspired lighting effects pre-installed, and they're compatible with programs like Alexa and Google Assistant. Normally $200, you can pick up a set for just $120 at Amazon. For a smaller Eva-themed lighting setup, the Govee Gaming Light Bar set is also on sale for $70 (was $90). You can also grab a set of five Y-shaped Govee x Evangelion lightbars for $110 (was $180). Both products react to your audio setup, syncing with your games and other media for an added layer of immersion. They can also be customized with Govee's free smartphone app. If Evangelion's 30th anniversary has you wanting to revisit the anime, Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Complete Series is available on Blu-ray for $33.49 (was $60) at Amazon and Walmart. This box set collects the entirety of the original storyline--including all 26 episodes of the original TV series, plus the theatrical films Evangelion:Death (True)2 and End of Evangelion. From there, you can grab the sequel remake film series, Rebuild of Evangelion. Blu-ray versions of the first two movies--1.11 You Are (Not) Alone, 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance--are discounted to $24 (was $30) each. They're listed as Temporarily Out of Stock, but Amazon is still taking orders, so we expect they'll be restocked soon. Unfortunately, the Blu-ray version of the third movie, You Can (Not) Redo, is currently sold out, but if you're in a pinch, you can grab the DVD version for $26.45 (was $30), or stream it via Prime Video. The fourth and final movie, Thrice Upon a Time, is available in multiple versions, including a Collector's Edition 4K Blu-ray for $52.26 (was $80), a Limited Edition Steelbook Blu-ray for $26, and a standard edition Blu-ray for $16.49. While the anime and films are what Evangelion is best known for, the the epic sci-fi tale was also adapted into a manga illustrated by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. You can grab the entire run through the five-volume Neon Genesis Evangelion: Deluxe Omnibus Editions, which are on sale for only $16.50 each (normally $25 each). Neon Genesis Evangelion Anime & Manga Blu-ray editions of Rebuild of Evangelion and the original '90s series
1525
Ashley Bardhan
2025-10-21
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead doesn't mind claims that only 30 people made the French JRPG, says it might be "the first" to prove you can "make a game that looks bigger than the size of the team"
Other developers like Balatro's LocalThunk shudder at the narrative that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was a success made by a surprisingly "small team," since 33-person studio Sandfall Interactive also had the means to employ plenty of outsourcing developers. But Sandfall CEO and Clair Obscur director Guillaume Broche doesn't mind anyone's hesitation – he thinks Expedition 33 and its skinny little team might be the first example of a new way to make games. He tells PCGamesN in a new interview, "I think we're the first in a new wave of how [the industry] makes games. With the tech that's accessible now, it's much easier; it's still a shit ton of work, don't get me wrong, but it's easier to make a game that looks bigger than the size of the team." Broche references a recent tour of Asia that had Sandfall meet with several major studios, including Kojima Productions and Square Enix. During that trip, Broche says he got to see many in-development projects "made by smaller teams that are crazy ambitious, and they look and play well; I think they are going to be amazing games." Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 studio is "just the right size" for a "full-priced turn-based RPG," so don't expect its success to lead to AAA ambitions: "I'd prefer working as a small team" Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 director says AAA-sized "scope and budget" might have made it worse, actually, because "not artificially padding out the game time excessively" was key to the RPG's success Sandfall says Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 winning GOTY "isn't something we aim for," and even though it would be a "nice little bonus," it's rooting for Megabonk "I think the fact that it impresses so much is because we are probably the first ones – or among the first ones – to do it," Broche continues to say about Expedition 33, possibly forgetting the fact that mega-zany-bonkers hits like 2016's Stardew Valley or goddamn Tetris were made by one person. These games don't have the same fantastical grandeur of Expedition 33, that's for sure, but they're still historic examples of how even the tiniest dev teams can stoke generations of imagination. Not inaccurately, Broche concludes, "I'm sure that we're just at the beginning of this kind of [development style]." Sandfall says Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 winning GOTY "isn't something we aim for," and even though it would be a "nice little bonus," it's rooting for Megabonk.
952
Myles Obenza
2025-10-21
Magic: The Gathering: Lorwyn Eclipsed Preorders Are Live At Amazon
Magic's next in-universe set, Lorwyn Eclipsed, releases January 23, 2026. Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Preorder the new set before it releases January 23, 2026. Magic: The Gathering is starting 2026 off strong with a return to a longtime fan-favorite Plane. Lorwyn Eclipsed releases January 23, with preorders available on Amazon now, and will take players back to the high fantasy setting of Magic's past. Fun fact: The original Lorwyn set from 2007 introduced the now-staple Planeswalker card type. As is the norm with every new MTG set, Lorwyn Eclipsed has multiple ways to crack packs and build decks. From play booster boxes of 30 packs for $164.70, bundles with promo and foil cards for $57.99, and even 2 new Commander decks for $51.99 each, there's something for players of all experience levels. Below is the full list of sealed products available to preorder for MTG: Lorwyn Eclipsed. We're a few months out, but as a popular in-universe Magic set, stock is likely to be scarce over time. In fact, we've already seen the Lorwyn Eclipsed Draft Night Box sell out at Amazon. Luckily, the other releases are still available at the time of posting, and it's worth grabbing them if you're interested. The play booster box is the best place to start when cracking MTG packs, and Lorwyn Eclipsed is no different. Here's what you'll get: The Lorwyn Eclipsed bundle makes a great gift for both new and old Magic players, especially with the holidays around the corner. Here's what you'll get: Commander is easily the most popular MTG format, where up to four players can battle it out to see who comes out on top. Most major Magic sets have their own bespoke Commander decks. Here's what you'll get in this one: The other Commander deck in Lorwyn Eclipsed features a creature type the Plane is famous for: Goblins. Here's what's in it: The Commander deck bundle is a good way to save a few bucks and help your play group get some new cards. Here's what's included: Draft Night boxes are pick-up-and-play kits for 4-player Draft, the most popular Limited MTG format. Notably, Lorwyn Eclipsed Draft Night is set up for Pick 2 Draft. It comes with the following: Note that the Lorwyn Eclipsed Draft Night box is currently sold out at Amazon, but it's worth keeping an eye on it in case it's restocked. Lorwyn Eclipsed might be the next in-universe set with original MTG characters and lore, but the Universes Beyond crossovers are a big part of Magic's identity. Here are some of the crossover sets you can buy now, or look forward to future releases: Spider-Man was the latest crossover set to come out, and sealed product is still readily available on Amazon and other popular retailers. See the links below to grab some packs you might have missed: Marvel's Spider-Man - Magic: The Gathering Play Booster Box (30 Packs) $140 (was $209.70) | In stock Marvel's Spider-Man - Magic: The Gathering Gift Bundle $90 | In stock at Amazon, ships October 17 Marvel's Spider-Man - Magic: The Gathering Bundle $65.66 (was $70) | In stock Marvel's Spider-Man - Magic: The Gathering Collector Booster Pack Marvel's Spider-Man - Magic: The Gathering Collector Booster Box (12 Packs) Marvel's Spider-Man - Spidey's Spectacular Showdown Scene Box
554
Lawrence Bonk
2025-10-21
There's another Kirby Air Riders Direct livestream on October 23 at 9AM ET
Nintendo has another livestream planned for the upcoming Switch 2 exclusive Kirby Air Riders. This one takes place on October 23 at 9AM ET. That's less than a month before the game will be available for purchase. The company also says the stream will be a full hour, which is a heck of a long time to spend on just one game a few weeks before launch. It's worth noting, however, that Kirby Air Riders is a Masahiro Sakurai title. This is the guy that made the Super Smash Bros. franchise. He loves making long videos about minutiae in his games. Just about every character on the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster got a fairly substantial reveal video and he has made all kinds of content about the various mechanics on that game. To that end, the previous Kirby Air Riders livestream from August was 45 minutes long and included a fairly deep dive into game mechanics. We don't know what this stream will spotlight but we can't wait to find out. For the uninitiated, Kirby Air Riders is a Switch 2 exclusive that stars the lovable and eternally-hungry puffball Kirby. It's a racing game and a follow-up to the Gamecube original, Kirby Air Ride. It'll be available on November 20.