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Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Deal - Save $35 On 3-Month Membership
Before you're charged the new $30/month rate, you should purchase some discounted prepaid Game Pass Ultimate codes from Amazon. Stack Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-Month Codes Amazon's deal saves you $35 every three months. Earlier this month, Microsoft announced a substantial price increase for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. If you're a subscriber in the US, you will now be charged $30/month, a $10 bump from the previous $20/month rate. The new price is effective immediately, so you may have already paid the increased rate if you were billed already this month. That said, there is a way to avoid the price increase: prepaid codes. The price of prepaid membership codes hasn't changed--at least not yet. Over at Amazon, you can get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-Month Membership codes for $55 (was $60), which breaks down to $18.33/month. Based on Microsoft's new subscription price, you're saving $35 across three months. 1-Month prepaid codes are sold for $20 at Amazon, so you're saving an additional five bucks every three months with Amazon's deal. Amazon's prepaid codes can be redeemed by existing and new subscribers with a US Xbox account. Once you enter a prepaid code, your next billing date is pushed. So if you redeem a 3-Month Membership in October, you won't be billed again by Microsoft until January. The discount on prepaid codes becomes more glaring if you buy multiple. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can be stacked up to 36 months. For instance, if you were to buy four prepaid 3-Month codes, you'd save $140 on a full year of Game Pass Ultimate. Here's a breakdown of the savings from buying Amazon's prepaid code deal versus subscribing directly through Microsoft. Note: The numbers in the Amazon column are based on the 3-Month Membership deal, but even if the price jumps back to $60, you're still saving a ton of cash. It's unclear how long retailers will stick with the old $20/month rate. Amazon's $55 deal is new this week; earlier this month, Amazon was charging $60. For what it's worth, Amazon has historically held out longer than other retailers when prices have changed in the past. The retailer was selling the 3-Month Membership code for $45 long after Microsoft increased the price of Game Pass Ultimate to $17/month. The latest price change for Game Pass Ultimate is by far the biggest of the three price hikes the service has experienced over the years. While this is a disappointing for subscribers, it also means it's more important than ever to take advantage of prepaid code discounts. Additionally, Microsoft and Asus just launched the first Xbox handheld. The ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally are available now for $1,000 and $600, respectively. Check out our buying guide for details on each of these handheld PCs. Both devices can play the Game Pass Ultimate library natively, so members have a built-in catalog of hundreds of games out of the gate. ROG Xbox Ally X Gaming Handheld $1,000 | Available Now ROG Xbox Ally Gaming Handheld Xbox Game Pass Ultimate grants access to the full Xbox and PC Game Pass libraries as well as Xbox Cloud Gaming. The Ultimate tier is the only one that includes EA Play and Ubisoft+ Classics. At the moment, Game Pass Ultimate's catalog features over 500 games across Xbox and PC catalogs. Take a look at our story on Game Pass price changes for more details on the new subscription tiers. More Gaming, Tech, and Entertainment Deals & Preorders
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EA will shut down The Sims Mobile in January
The Sims Mobile is going away as EA will shut it down on January 20, nearly eight years after its debut in March 2018. An update that went live on Monday is the final one and the company is delisting the game on October 21. Since the game requires online servers (game progress is stored there), it'll no longer be possible to play The Sims Mobile in three months' time. "The Sims Mobile and The Sims community as a whole are full of creativity, kindness, and imagination," EA said in a blog post. "You’ve amazed us with your stories, builds, and Sims. We’re proud to have shared this journey with you, and as a token of our appreciation, we’ve prepared a few surprises as we head into TSM’s final chapter." EA will run 14 events, including limited-time quests and treasure hunts, in The Sims Mobile over the next few months. It's no longer possible to spend any real money in the game, though players can use their existing in-game currency. As of today, players also have unlimited energy, which "should make it easier to complete projects and enjoy the last few months of play," EA said. On January 6, EA will unlock all of the Build Mode and Create A Sim items so players can fully customize their homes and sims' looks for a couple of weeks before the grim reaper shows up for The Sims Mobile. Back in 2022, EA and Sims studio Maxis announced Project Rene, a game that will run across multiple platforms, including mobile. So it's maybe not too surprising that the company wants to focus its Sims mobile efforts there. In any case, the shutdown stinks, especially for those who have spent money on The Sims Mobile as well as for the sake of game preservation. The decision to scuttle the game won't exactly allay concerns that fans of the series, which has a significant LGBTQ+ fanbase, have about the future of The Sims if and when the planned sale of EA to a group that includes Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund goes through.
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947
Jordan Gerblick
2025-10-22
Palworld dev's new publishing label isn't interested in AI slop: "If you're big on AI stuff ... we're not the right partner for that"
Pocketpair Publishing, the new publishing division created by Palworld developer Pocketpair, as you might've gleaned from the title, is getting ahead of developers inevitably pitching AI-generated games by making it clear the company isn't interested. "People are going to say I'm lying, but these are just the hard facts. We don't believe in it," Pocketpair Publishing boss John Buckley told Game Developer (h/t PC Gamer) "We're very upfront about it. If you're big on AI stuff or your game is Web3 or uses NFTs, there are lots of publishers out there [who'll talk to you], but we're not the right partner for that." Pocketpair's stance on AI-generated games aside, Buckley knows there's no stopping what's to come. Baldur's Gate 3 publishing lead sees Elon Musk's new AI-generated game, says "AI has its place as a tool" but won't "solve the big problem of the industry, which is leadership and vision" Arc Raiders lead says games "can't be built by an AI" and "I hope they never can," but also "I want us to build content a hundred times faster" and AI might help with that part 43-year CRPG veteran behind Fallout and Wasteland "worried about job loss" from AI, which seems justified now that his parent company Microsoft laid off 9,000 in exchange for more slop "I think over the next two or three years we're going to get into this weird era—and you can see it slowly happening now on Steam—of really low quality, AI-made games. "It's something that has plagued other stores but Steam had been good at keeping them out. But it's happening. This wave is coming, and I think we're going to enter this kind of authenticity market where people are going to slowly say 'no, these guys are really trying to make something special' to fight back." It's worth noting that around launch, Palworld was repeatedly accused of using generative AI for its Pal designs, but the studio has vehemently denied this. More recently, it was accused of using machine translation to localize Palworld for various international markets. In this case, Buckley said it's best not to fan the flames by responding, but he cleared up the confusion around that situation regardless. "You know, I can't just come out and start fighting with these people [hurling AI accusations] because that just fuels what's going on," said Buckley. "[Regarding the machine translation accusation], one of their biggest pieces of 'evidence' was that because we hadn't published the individual names of the translators it must be AI. Well, no, this is just poor Japanese culture in general. A lot of Japanese games, the credits will say localization was handled by a company," Buckley said, adding, "I'm not saying [that it is] right. It's unfortunate." The harrowing reality is that AI games aren't just an inevitability - they're already here. And while they're easy enough to spot right now, it'll only get harder with advancements in AI. One can only hope storefronts and distributors will step up efforts to label them as such, thereby making it easier for all of us to sort out the trash from the legitimate, human-made games. Arc Raiders lead says games "can't be built by an AI" and "I hope they never can," but also "I want us to build content a hundred times faster" and AI might help with that part
357
George Marston
2025-10-21
Netflix is planning a "slate" of projects based on strategy board game Catan, promising fans will "lose their minds"
Fans of Catan will "lose their minds" over Netflix's new multitude of projects based on the venerable strategy board game. The streamer has announced a whole "slate" of adaptations of Catan, scripted, unscripted, live action, and animated coming to its service. No specific projects have been announced, but it seems likely that a show about settlers surviving in the wilderness of the island that forms the game's field of play could be on the table, since that's kinda Catan's whole deal. And of course, "unscripted" programming could mean live-watches of Catan matches, or maybe even a survival reality show. If you haven't played it, Catan is all about players collecting and managing resources such as sheep, wood, wheat, and more as they compete to settle the island which gives the game its name. Catan was created by Klaus Teuber, debuting in 1995 as Settlers of Catan, a name which was shortened in recent years. I think everyone should try this legendary board game, and it's never been cheaper than it is now Apex Legends could get a film or TV adaptation that "really respects and upholds the brand and the franchise", says EA entertainment boss 6 new movies and shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime, Disney Plus, and more (October 17-19) "Millions of people [have been] enjoying Catan since it was created, and for many it remains a gateway to modern board gaming," says Thomas Koegler, CEO of Catan's publisher Asmodee, in a statement. "I'm thrilled to see the game expanding to a larger audience who will discover the richness of its universe. I find it exciting for the future of the brand. It's also a testament that board gaming is truly part of pop culture and a popular form of entertainment in everyone's homes, and I’m delighted to continue Asmodee’s relationship with Netflix." "Anyone who has played Catan knows [that] the intense strategy and negotiation at the core of the game has endless opportunities for some serious drama," adds Jinny Howe, head of scripted series, US and Canada, Netflix. "We knew landing this deal would be as game-changing as a well-placed settlement, so we decided to pool our resources across series, features, animation, and games and show Asmodee the full power of Netflix when we work together. Hardcore 'Settlers' are going to lose their minds, and new fans will finally learn just how important a sheep trade can be." Netflix hasn't announced any specific Catan projects just yet. While we wait, check out the 25 best shows on Netflix you can watch right now.
1234
Austin Wood
2025-10-21
Bungie is once again "doing what we can to rebuild some trust" as it amputates Destiny 2's latest terrible currency and gives the MMO a pretty generous replacement
Just a week after committing to the swift removal of Destiny 2's maligned Unstable Cores, Bungie has wheeled the MMO to the operating room and excised this particular cyst in a new update that brings a much more reasonable cost to the game's infusion economy. Unstable Cores were added in the Edge of Fate expansion as the new means to grease the wheels of Power-boosting gear infusion, and to sum up months of player blowback, they really, really sucked. Bungie was finally convinced that they sucked, and last week, said in its latest U-turn that it would be deleting Unstable Cores entirely. Lo and behold, the studio's latest blog post, "the one about Infusion Costs," is headlined by good news. "Unstable Cores have been deprecated as the currency used for Infusion," Bungie writes. "They have been replaced with a flat cost of one Enhancement Core and 5,000 Glimmer across all Power levels." Facing backlash and worst-ever player counts on Steam, Bungie decides to remove ill-conceived Destiny 2 currency it just added in the MMO's Edge of Fate expansion 1,769 hours into Destiny 2 on Steam, The Edge of Fate has killed my interest in playing with one of the worst leveling systems I've seen in an MMO Bungie brings in a new Destiny 2 global franchise director as its MMO bleeds – a Dragon Age, Starfield, and Elder Scrolls veteran who only just left Mass Effect 5 Here lie Unstable Cores; they had it coming. On the Destiny subreddit, in amongst a pile of players celebrating a rare economy win, Bungie says it made the change this quickly, after giving everyone 777,777 Unstable Cores to tide them over, because, "We wanted to make sure players could infuse without issue during the week where we made a bunch of rewards changes in the Portal. Didn't want folks getting power bumps and feeling too much friction with unstable cores." I was also surprised the change arrived this early. As it happens, some of these changes were, indeed, meant to "land closer to Renegades," Destiny 2's upcoming Star Wars expansion. "Team found some smart solutions in the short term that helped bring the changes forward," Bungie says. "Hope it helps!" Responding to one player cautiously hoping that the Destiny 2 metronome may be swinging to the "we're so back" portion, the Destiny 2 Team account says, "We have a lot more work to do." When Bungie first announced that it would enact a new Infusion cost of Cores and Glimmer, players were understandably concerned that it would now cost an arm instead of an arm and a leg. "Understand the anxiety," Bungie tells one relieved Redditor. "We're doing what we can to rebuild some trust here." And if that ain't the crystallization of Destiny 2: genuinely good changes made with surprising speed in response to truly awful changes in order to earn back good will that is gained in drops and lost in buckets. I can't help but ask, how long can Bungie keep earning back trust? Bungie brings in a new Destiny 2 global franchise director as its MMO bleeds – a Dragon Age, Starfield, and Elder Scrolls veteran who only just left Mass Effect 5.
465
Austin Wood
2025-10-21
Seemingly determined to make Xbox less appealing and affordable in every way, Microsoft reportedly raises the price of dev kits to $2,000
Not content with rapid and sizable console and Game Pass price hikes, Microsoft is now reportedly raising Xbox prices for developers as well. Xbox dev kits, the custom hardware provided to developers who want to make games for the platform, are said to be jumping from $1,500 to $2,000. That's according to a new report from The Verge, citing an internal announcement sent to Xbox developers. This price increase will evidently take effect immediately in the US, EU, and beyond. I've reached out to Microsoft to confirm the price increase but have not heard back at the time of writing. "The adjustment reflects macroeconomic developments," Microsoft reportedly said in its announcement. "We remain committed to providing high-quality tools and support for your development efforts." 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 Following its latest Xbox Game Pass price jump, Microsoft immediately tries to justify the decision with more day one releases and increased "value" Microsoft continues reading anything but the room with a full-page Xbox Game Pass advertisement on console startup a day after hiking prices by 50% This reported $500 (33%) dev kit price hike follows a wave of consumer price increases across the Xbox ecosystem. A 2TB Xbox Series X is now the most expensive console on the market following two price hikes that pushed it up to an eye-watering $800. Meanwhile, a standard Xbox Series X console is now $650, up from $600 following a prior jump from the launch price of $500. Price hikes have also come for Xbox's favorite child, Game Pass, with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate jumping 50% to $30 a month just weeks ago. Ultimate is the subscription tier with access to major day-one Xbox releases like, in the near future, The Outer Worlds 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, so this price hike represents a hefty premium for the headlining feature of the service. For months now, Microsoft has actively made Xbox less affordable, in the shadow of heavy layoffs and studio closures after and amid its Activision acquisition, while also presenting more and more alternatives to playing games on an Xbox. The backdrop, of course, is tens of billions in profit for the whole company. Squeezing the pool of creatives willing to develop for the platform – a shrinking pool as even the head of Moon Studios, creator of longtime Xbox indie mascot Ori, suggests Xbox ain't worth the effort – would just be par for the course at this point. Former PlayStation boss praises Microsoft’s publishing strategy, but can’t get his head around Xbox's Game Pass price hike: "I don’t understand."
479
Anthony McGlynn
2025-10-21
Tired of making "many, many Battlefield titles," former DICE devs started innovating with upcoming extraction shooter Arc Raiders and help from the past: PS2 classic Shadow of the Colossus
Coming from former Battlefield and Star Wars: Battlefront devs, Arc Raiders has a lot going for it already. The combination of team deathmatches with co-operative play through the gigantic robots stalking the maps makes the shooter stand out in a crowded market. Although Embark Studios was founded by people who spent years working on some of the biggest FPS games, there are no guns involved in one of their largest influences. Early on, Shadow of the Colossus from Team Ico became a clear touchstone, and a high bar to aspire for. "When you're inside a [large] studio, working with these established brands, there's just so much risk aversion," Patrick Söderlund, CEO of Embark, told Edge Magazine. "That mindset was shared between quite a few people inside DICE, having worked on many, many Battlefield titles. There just comes a time when you've done enough of those. We were all curious to see: what could we do, unconstrained?" The 5th most-wishlisted game on Steam, ex-Battlefield devs' extraction shooter Arc Raiders, was delayed 3 years because they realized it sucked: "This game is not fun" Former DICE lead says he'll play Battlefield 6 until his new extraction shooter comes out: "And then I will play Arc Raiders instead" Arc Raiders lead says games "can't be built by an AI" and "I hope they never can," but also "I want us to build content a hundred times faster" and AI might help with that part He and Embark's other founders kicked off their new venture with a meeting to figure out the kind of project they wanted to make. Realising they'd never actually discussed their favorite games before, because they'd all been too busy "staring down the iron sights of a gun" and making first-person shooters for over a decade, that seemed like a logical starting point. Shadow of the Colossus received unilateral praise and acknowledgement. "There was something special about large-scale enemies," Söderlund says. "We said, 'If we're going to do robots, we want it to feel as innovative as Shadow Of The Colossus did when it came out', so that's when we started investing in machine learning and reinforcement learning." Fumito Ueda's genre-bending monster-slaying action-adventure has been a standard-bearer for scale and methodical gameplay since it came out back in 2005. You can clearly see the influence in the gigantic, kaiju-like mechanical structures of Arc Raiders. Coming from Battlefield, where destructible environments have long given the series a cinematic atmosphere, there’s huge potential here for a melding of ideas. I just hope it doesn't pack the emotional wallop of what happens to Wander at the end of Team Ico's masterpiece. Former DICE lead says he'll play Battlefield 6 until his new extraction shooter comes out: "And then I will play Arc Raiders instead"
510
Ali Jones
2025-10-21
Pokemon Legends: Z-A might have overhauled combat even more than I thought, with an entire set of strategies sacrificed on the real-time altar
Pokemon Legends: Z-A players have already discovered that certain moves and 'mons don't really work within the new real-time combat system, but it's starting to look as though entire strategies have been ironed out in Lumiose City, with major ramifications for the game's competitive scene. If you're a regular viewer of Pokemon's competitive format, you'll be familiar with the idea that certain Pokemon fulfill different roles. Some are Stallers, designed to slow down combat and disrupt enemies, preventing them from setting up their win-conditions. Those winners often come in the form of Sweepers, who power up until they're juiced enough to wipe the floor with entire enemy teams. There's plenty of variation in and around those two categories, but Pokemon Legends: Z-A appears to have changed both of them substantially. I first noticed that something was up with my Absol. Since it knew Swords Dance - an iconic Sweeper move thanks to its major boost of the user's attack stat - I planned to use any natural gaps in combat to get a leg-up on the competition. But after a few moments, I noticed a tooltip informing me that my attack had dropped back down to normal levels. Normally, stat-boosting moves like this are supposed to last an entire fight, but now my dream of a killer Sweeper had evaporated. Pokemon Legends: Z-A's real-time combat changes make one of the series' best non-damaging moves basically redundant and one of the coolest Gen 6 Pokemon "utter garbage" Pokemon Legends: Z-A hands-on: With overhauled battles and denser exploration, I'm shocked at how fundamentally fresh this could feel I've been playing Pokemon for 17 years, but Pokemon Legends: Z-A makes me feel like I'm relearning everything I knew about battles in the best way possible Elsewhere, other players have begun to notice that Stallers are suffering too. A post on Reddit notes that Pokemon like Sableye and Klefki - best known for their use of the Prankster ability that makes it easier for them to land game-changing status effects - no longer have access to that tool. Add in the fact that many of their moves function completely differently in Z-A's mobile environments, and their role in the meta has been completely overhauled. The list of competitive casualties, even among Z-A's limited roster, is likely to grow as the game's meta emerges and the loss of moves like Trick Room becomes even more apparent. For now, the dominant force appears to be chunkier bruiser Pokemon that can dish out plenty of damage while still taking a hit or two - my choice of Feraligatr as my starter seems to have been vindicated, and Meganium is also doing well for the Chikorita fans out there. While some players are doubtless disappointed to have lost their favorite competitive choices, others are making a salient point: with over 1,000 Pokemon out there, only a very small number of them can be competitively viable at any one time. And anyway, with Gen 10 expected next year and the competitive-focused Pokemon Champions on its way too, Legends: Z-A's meta isn't likely to stick around too long. For more Pokemon Legends: Z-A tips, look no further.
1767
Scott McCrae
2025-10-21
A new Nintendo Direct as long as the Switch 2 reveal is coming this week, but this one is dedicated to Super Smash Bros creator Masahiro Sakurai's true love: Kirby Air Riders
If you thought the original Kirby Air Riders Nintendo Direct was excessive, Nintendo has confirmed the second presentation is happening later this week and will be a full hour. Nintendo confirmed a sequel to the cult-classic GameCube racing game in the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct earlier this year, which took a lot of people by surprise. Even more surprising was that it was Nintendo who asked Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai to make it, with everyone – including Nintendo’s former marketing managers – assuming it was some sort of bargaining chip to let him create a passion project before the next Smash Bros. But even though it was Nintendo, Masahiro Sakurai seems incredibly passionate, as we got over 45 minutes of breakdown about the game during its own Nintendo Direct, and while we had no idea what else he could say about it, Sakurai promised there would be a second one. Nintendo confirms a Kirby Air Riders Nintendo Direct is coming tomorrow and it's going to have 45 minutes of new info on the Switch 2 racer Kirby Air Riders is still slated for 2025 on Switch 2 despite no gameplay footage, but game director Masahiro Sakurai says we'll probably see some "soon" Nintendo confirms Kirby Air Riders is out in November, and it's only $70, leaving no question which Switch 2 racer is better Months later and Nintendo has confirmed the second Kirby Air Riders Nintendo Direct will be this week on Thursday, October 23 at 2pm BST / 9am ET / 6am PT. And if you thought 45 minutes was too much, Nintendo has confirmed that the new direct will come in at a brisk 60 minutes (That's as long as the Nintendo Direct that revealed the Switch 2 hardware and a ton of games.) This direct will once again be hosted by Masahiro Sakurai, who in the past has had sections in his game-specific directs focused on tiny animations (like Olimar's helmet cracking in Smash Bros. Ultimate), although granted, you also get a lot of gameplay. The previous Kirby Air Riders Direct featured a teaser for some form of a story mode at the end, so I'd have to assume a good chunk of the runtime will be spent on that as well.
2215
Anna Koselke
2025-10-21
Palworld is getting a spooktacular new Halloween update featuring costumes and "mystery" just like in 2024, despite Pocketpair saying "things will be a little quiet" in preparation for 1.0
Palworld is getting a spooktacular new Halloween update this week, it seems, but it doesn't just feature cute outfits – there are mysteries in store for players to solve and creepy, crawly creatures apparently set to roam the Palpagos Islands. Much like last year, Pocketpair has a big Halloween event in store for its creature collector survival game mashup. In 2024, there was a plethora of adorable seasonally themed skins to collect: Halloween Cattiva, Halloween Croajiro, Spectacled Katress, and Pirate Pengullet. It looks as though the developers are set to follow a similar formula this year, with costumes in the works for the festive new update – and more, too. Announcing the event, which commences this Thursday, on October 23, Pocketpair exclaims, "Halloween is coming to Palworld! Rumor has it that Zoe's been spotted in a rather unusual new outfit… But that's not the only mystery. Something strange is happening to the adorable Pal Depresso. Reports have come in of mysterious figures roaming the Palpagos Islands, dressed in what appear to be Depresso costumes!" Palworld 1.0 release scheduled for "next year" with "a truly massive amount of content planned" despite Nintendo's ongoing lawsuit – and Pocketpair is "also working on some other things" Palworld publishing director teases something "you might just like" is coming soon, but for now "Palworld posting" is on pause until they beat Silksong Palworld devs announce Palfarm, a multiplayer farming life sim with less survival game grit and more Stardew Valley energy, days after Nintendo reveals Pokemon farming and crafting game Pokopia Something mysterious is lurking in the shadows...what could it be?We'll find out on October 23rd...👀 pic.twitter.com/PnPzBXxoAuOctober 21, 2025 Something mysterious is lurking in the shadows...what could it be?We'll find out on October 23rd...👀 pic.twitter.com/PnPzBXxoAuOctober 21, 2025 Something mysterious is lurking in the shadows...what could it be?We'll find out on October 23rd...👀 pic.twitter.com/PnPzBXxoAuOctober 21, 2025 As horrifyingly adorable as that all sounds, I do personally love the "mystery" aspect of it all – very Scooby Doo meets Pokemon, if you ask me. "What could be going on…? Stay tuned for more details coming soon, and keep an eye out for whatever 'tricks' might be brewing in Palworld!" Although Pocketpair doesn't provide more details, it does sound like Halloween might be even bigger in Palworld in 2025 than ever before. I'm personally excited to see Zoe don a Halloween-themed kitty-eared witch hat myself, but it's certainly not the only fun thing to look forward to. On top of it all, there's also the 1.0 release scheduled for next year to anticipate – but the long-awaited full release can only come after "a lot of cleanup," as Pocketpair previously explained. "It means that things will be a little quiet from us for the rest of this year," the devs stated then. "It also means our winter update won't be as big as Feybreak was." As disappointing as that might be to learn, it's clear Pocketpair is still dropping new updates regardless – Halloween included – and there's so much more in store, too. "We're doing just fine:" Palworld dev addresses hate surrounding the survival game, says it's just "an easy 500k views" that "doesn't actually have any impact on the game."
1707
Eddie Makuch
2025-10-21
Netflix Could Buy Mortal Kombat, Hogwarts Legacy Owner, Warner Bros. Discovery
Multiple parties have already approached WBD, the company claims. Warner Bros. Discovery has further detailed its plan to break apart or be sold. In a news release today, the media giant that owns the developers of Mortal Kombat, Batman, and Harry Potter games said it has received "unsolicited interest" from multiple parties already to acquire the entirety of the company or just Warner Bros. These parties were not named outright, but Bloomberg recently reported that Paramount submitted a $20/share bid for WBD, which the company rejected. CNBC reported that Netflix and Comcast might be in the mix, too. Netflix already is invested in the gaming space and continues to ramp up its efforts after some previous setbacks. WBD said its board will "evaluate a broad range of strategic options" moving forward as it relates to the company's previously announced plan to sell the entire company or break it up in multiple sales or spin-offs. CEO David Zaslav said he's trying to find a buyer or multiple buyers to help "unlock the full value of our assets." WBD board of directors chair Samuel A. Di Piazza Jr. added, "We continue to believe that our planned separation to create two distinct, leading media companies will create compelling value," but that it's important as well to "broaden" the scope of potential transactions to find a deal that pays the company the most possible money for its assets. WBD did not set a deadline or a timetable for when it will complete this newest strategic review for these "strategic alternatives" to the previously announced separation plan. That plan, meanwhile, is booked to be completed by mid-2026, if it happens at all. Also today, WBD announced another price hike for HBO Max, and it's the third in three years. WBD's stock price is soaring today, up more than 10% so far. As for WBD's gaming efforts, the company has said it will focus on core franchises going forward with the highest potential of making money back. Batman: Arkham Knight developer Rocksteady is said to be working on a new single-player Batman game. WB Games Montreal is reportedly pitching a new Game of Thrones title. Avalanche Software is expected to be working on a full sequel to Hogwarts Legacy. The Mortal Kombat series, meanwhile, is expected to continue from developer NetherRealm. As for other DC projects, studio boss James Gunn has said some "really interesting" projects are coming, but not soon. One we do know about is Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, which launches in 2026 from developer Traveller's Tales. As for the Mortal Kombat series, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is coming October 30, but it's published by Atari, not Warner Bros. A project that is not coming to market is Wonder Woman, as WBD canceled the game and closed the studio, Monolith. The company also closed Player First Games and WB San Diego earlier this year. WBD management said the breakout success of Hogwarts Legacy gives the company the confidence that it can "get back to producing high-quality games built for long-term consumer engagement." The company said it expects its video game division to return to profitability in 2025 with the games division looking to become a "more significant contributor to growth in the years ahead." WB's longtime gaming boss, David Haddad, announced in January that he is leaving the company but will stay on for the time being to help with the transition process. Latest in Hogwarts Legacy Top 20 Most Popular Steam Games Of All Time 2025's Best-Selling Games So Far In The US Hogwarts Legacy For Nintendo Switch 2 Gets Limited-Time Discount
539
Darryn Bonthuys
2025-10-21
The Sinking City 2 Delayed To 2026 As War And Development Challenges Take Their Toll
Frogwares is aiming to have The Sinking City out in the first half of 2026. Lovecraftian survival-horror game The Sinking City 2 has been delayed to 2026, as Frogwares says that the ongoing war in Ukraine and its ambitious design goals for the sequel will have necessitated more development time. While a concrete release date hasn't been set yet, the studio says it is aiming to have the game out in the first half of 2026. "Developing a game during a war isn’t something you can ever really prepare for, but something you need to keep adapting to," Frogwares head of publishing Sergiy Oganesyan said in a press release. "At one point, we were losing power for days as drones and missiles hit our power grid. When that tactic stopped working, it became mass drone swarms every other night, going from midnight until dawn. You work all day, then spend the sleepless night listening for explosions, and somehow still need to function the next morning." Lead game designer Alexander Gresko also added that The Sinking City's 2 shift toward a full-fledged survival-horror direction has also slowed the team down, as it has to learn a "completely different kind of design thinking" for the game. To make up for the delay, the studio revealed 13 new screenshots for The Sinking City 2, showing off more of the game's setting and enemies that players will encounter. Frogwares also plans to reveal a fresh look at the game soon. While The Sinking City 2 won't be out this year, there are some great horror games that players can grab right now. Silent Hill F launched recently, and it's being praised as the new gold standard for the franchise, while 2025 has also seen the release of Cronos: The New Dawn, Heartworm, and Killing Floor 3. Looking ahead to 2026, Resident Evil: Requiem, Reanimal, and End of Abyss also look like terrifying new entries in this genre. Latest in The Sinking City 2 The Sinking City 2 Looks More Sinister Than Ever In New Gameplay Deep Dive, Kickstarter Now Live
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Eddie Makuch
2025-10-21
Quake Dev Recently Got An Idea For A Game From An Unexpected Source
Tim Willits bumped into a celebrity at the airport and he came away with a game idea. Games industry veteran Tim Willits, known for his work at id Software on Quake and Doom and now a top boss at Saber Interactive, recently got an idea for a new game from an unexpected source who previously advised people to stay away from video games. Willits said he bumped into comedian Jimmy Carr at the airport and they got to talking about games, apparently. "He honestly gave me an idea for a video game. I'm not joking. Such a nice and brilliant guy," Willits said. That's all Willits had to say on the matter, and Carr hasn't apparently discussed his game idea publicly online. Carr, who is known for his crowdwork, said in a popular video that he hasn't played video games since childhood. He joked that young people should stop playing video games. He said video games today are "too good" and they represent "cheap dopamine" as opposed to being a worthwhile way to spend your time and money. His advice to young people? "Go out and have a real f**king adventure." As for Willits, he worked at id Software in the '90s and contributed to early entries in the Doom and Quake franchises. He rose to become studio director at id Software before leaving the company in 2019 after more than 23 years. He is now chief creative officer at Saber Interactive. Saber, which is owned by Embracer, recently scored a critical and commercial hit with 2024's Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. A sequel is in development.
544
Blair Marnell
2025-10-21
Pro Hockey Team Is Hosting Fallout Night In Partnership With Bethesda
The Texas Stars are bringing back Fallout Night with special jerseys, themed food, and more. While the new season of Fallout on Amazon Prime Video is heading to New Vegas, the game that spawned the show is being honored by a hockey team in Texas this weekend. The Texas Stars of the American Hockey League have announced that its annual Fallout Night will take place on Saturday, October 25 at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, in Cedar Park, Texas. Prime Video isn't involved with this promotion, as it's strictly a partnership with the Stars and Bethesda Game Studios. As seen in the picture above, the Stars players will be wearing Fallout-inspired jerseys during warmups, which will then be auctioned off on the behalf of the Texas Stars Foundation. The Texas Stars Team Store is also selling a few replica jerseys and "a limited run of Fallout-inspired merchandise." Additionally, there will be photo opportunities, cosplayers, and Fallout-themed food and drinks. Earlier this fall, Bethesda dropped a Fallout 76 update that makes building a C.A.M.P. easier. The studio has also revealed that Walton Goggins will reprise his role as The Ghoul in Fallout 76's Burning Springs expansion, which will officially launch in early December. Goggins will also have a large part in Fallout Season 2, which will premiere on Prime Video on December 17. Prime Video shared some first-look images from the new season, which showed off a few of the highlights from New Vegas. The inspiration for the location was the fan-favorite game, Fallout: New Vegas, which is widely regarded as one of the franchise's best entries. There may be more announcements coming this week, as Bethesda has set October 23 as Fallout Day. If there's any word on Fallout 5, it will probably be there. But if you're hoping for news about The Elder Scrolls 6, we'd bet against it. Fallout Season 2 Trailer Suggests It'll Be The New Vegas Remaster Everyone's Been Asking For First Look At Fallout Season 2 Revealed In New Vegas Photos Universal Teases Fallout And Five Nights At Freddy's Halloween Horror Nights Houses