You Can Play All Of Assassin's Creed Shadows Offline, But You Need A Connection To Install It

You will need an internet connection to install Assassin's Creed Shadows, but after that, the entire experience can be played offline, Ubisoft has announced. The company did so after word online spread that Shadows requires a mandatory online connection to play the game. 



Following the reveal of Shadows yesterday, which showcased the dual samurai and shinobi protagonists we'll be controlling in 16th-century feudal Japan, people noticed wording in preorder listings and elsewhere that seemingly pointed to the game requiring an always-online connection. This frustrated fans of the series, especially given Shadows, like its recent predecessors, is a single-player game. However, that's not the case and Ubisoft released a statement today to clear the air. 



"Hey everyone, we wanted to share some of the early information on the upcoming launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows, following some questions we've noticed in the community," the statement reads. "Assassin's Creed Shadows will not require a mandatory connection at all times. An online connection will be needed to install the game, but you will be able to play the entire journey offline, and explore Japan without any online connection. 

"We are super excited to bring Assassin's Creed to Feudal Japan on November 15 when the game releases, and we cannot wait to show you more along the way." 



As you can see, it's clear Shadows is a game you can play offline, but only after connecting to the internet once to actually install the RPG. 



Assassin's Creed Shadows hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Amazon Luna, PC (via the Ubisoft Store and Epic Games Store), and Mac (with Apple silicon via the Mac App Store) on November 15.



For more, check out what we learned yesterday during the Shadows reveal, and then read Game Informer's ranking of the entire Assassin's Creed series.



How do you feel about needing internet to install Assassin's Creed Shadows? Let us know in the comments below!


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Sony listing hints at native, upscaled PS2 emulation on the PS5

Enlarge / Identical cousins. (credit: Spellblade91 / Reddit)




Years ago, Sony started making a select handful of "PlayStation 2 Classics" available as emulated downloads on the PlayStation 4. Now, there are signs that certain PS2 games will be similarly available for native download on the PS5, complete with new features like "up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters."


The hint at Sony's coming PS2 download plans comes via a new PlayStation Network listing for the 2002 release Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which recently appeared on tracking site PSDeals (as noticed by Gematsu). That site draws from unpublished data from the PSN servers, such as this thumbnail image that recently appeared on the playstation.com servers, and lists a planned June 11 release for the emulated Clone Wars port.


So far, this is nothing out of the ordinary. But near the bottom of the boilerplate, the listing notes that "this title has been converted from the PlayStation 2 version to the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles and provides newly added features [emphasis added]." That's a marked difference from earlier "PS2 on PS4" downloadable releases, which only say that they were "converted from the original PlayStation 2 version to the PS4 system."

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Assassin's Creed Shadows fan theory might have pinpointed the open-world game's historical setting with a crucial event in Japanese history

Assassin's Creed Shadows fans think they've worked out where the upcoming game could potentially conclude.

Yesterday, Ubisoft finally pulled back the curtain on Assassin's Creed Shadows with its debut reveal trailer, showcasing dual protagonists Yasuke and Naoe, and a setting of 1579. The Reddit post below notes that this setting is intriguing, not least because it takes place three years before the assassination of Oda Nobunaga, Yasuke's lord, and a mighty figurehead of Japanese history.

This event is known as the 'Honnō-ji incident,' where Nobunaga was assassinated by his vassal Akechi Mitsuhide (if you've watched FX's Shogun, that's Mariko's father). The post posits that because we know so little about why Mitsuhide ultimately betrayed Nobunaga, Assassin's Creed Shadows could relatively easily dress it as the series' Assassins versus Templars battle.
There's a chance AC Shadows' climax is the Honnō-ji incident from r/assassinscreed


With Yasuke one of Shadows' two protagonists, his relationship with Nobunaga could very well be central to the Ubisoft game's plot. It's not really a stretch to guess Shadows might feature the Honnō-ji incident in some capacity, but the Reddit user in particular is theorizing that Assassin's Creed Shadows could wrap up near the event, with Mitsuhide as the game's main antagonist.

We don't really know a lot of Yasuke, ultimately. History shows he arrived in Japan in 1579, quite possibly as a servant to the Jesuits, before somehow serving Oda Nobunaga as part of the daimyō's Kashindan, basically his standing army. If you were in a clan's Kashindan, you were effectively considered a Samurai - Yasuke didn't need to fit into the rigid caste system of a Samurai because it's mostly an invention of the Edo period.

Assassin's Creed Shadows launches later this year on November 15 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. We already know that Shadows' open-world map is about the same as Assassin's Creed Origin's Egypt, if you're looking for a comparison point of how large the new game is. Thankfully, that's a hell of a lot smaller than the imposing map in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. 

Assassin's Creed Shadows has a grappling hook to let its shinobi character reach places its samurai can't.


https://www.gamesradar.com/games/assassin-s-creed/assassins-creed-shadows-fan-theory-might-have-pinpointed-the-open-world-games-historical-setting-with-a-crucial-event-in-japanese-history/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Roguelike witchcraft from a master’s spellbook: in Edge 398, Supergiant explains the secret sorcery behind its first-ever sequel, Hades II

As many an indie-game developer has already attested – Hades II’s stealth launch into Early Access caught a lot of people off-guard. But then why not start as you mean to go on? After all, surprise is one of the most important ingredients of a Roguelike. And when you’re making a sequel, springing such shocks becomes that bit harder. 

Little wonder, then, that Supergiant Games spent plenty of time weighing up the pros and cons of a follow-up to its enormously successful underworld adventure. In an extensive interview with the developer, we discover that it had similar conversations after the warm critical and commercial reception that greeted its debut game, Bastion – before it pivoted to make the sci-fi-themed action-RPG Transistor instead. This time, though, a follow-up made even more sense, since there were plenty of mythological characters left over from the first game whose tales hadn’t really been told.

“Even as someone who has been interested in Greek mythology since I was little, I’d never heard of [Zagreus] before working on Hades,” creative director Greg Kasavin tells us – and for that reason, it made sense to expand the story of another. “We were drawn to [Melinoë] in the same way,” he says of Hades II’s witchy protagonist. “There was just enough classical mythology to set our minds racing, but not so much that her story is already defined.”

In Edge 398, we find out why Final Fantasy was a major inspiration, how Supergiant embraced every aspect of witchcraft, which of Hades II’s characters serves as a microcosmic example of the studio’s approach to sequel-making and much more. There are fascinating insights, too, from art director Jen Zee, who discusses the game’s iconic character designs, many of which adorn our 16-page feature. 

Elsewhere in the issue, we examine the fine print of videogame lore, and explain why this optional text is often required reading. We talk to the developers of multiplayer games to find out what happens when the servers are switched off for good – and, in one case, when they’re unexpectedly turned back on. Derek Yu and BlitWorks discuss the making of Spelunky 2, while Bromley’s Splash Damage is the latest subject of our studio profile. And there’s a double dose of Fallout: the TV series comes under the spotlight, while we take a look back at Fallout 4 in Time Extend, and explain why Bethesda’s oft-derided RPG has revealed its depths over the years. 

A game whose own depths might yet take years to full chart heads up our Play section: Billy Basso’s Animal Well is joined by Simogo’s similarly exceptional Lorelei And The Laser Eyes, with reviews of Crow Country, Indika, Stellar Blade, Eiyuden Chronicles: Hundred Heroes and more besides. In Hype, we get an early look at the recently delayed The Rogue Prince Of Persia, alongside Where Winds Meet, Blue Prince, Roman Sands Re:Build and Devolver’s reality TV-inspired ‘thirst-person shooter’ The Crush House. There’s plenty, in other words, to surprise (and, hopefully delight) in the new issue of Edge, which is on sale now. 


https://www.gamesradar.com/games/hades/roguelike-witchcraft-from-a-masters-spellbook-in-edge-398-supergiant-explains-the-secret-sorcery-behind-its-first-ever-sequel-hades-ii/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Furiosa star Chris Hemsworth says it was "liberating" to shed his heroic Thor persona for the Mad Max prequel

Get ready to see a new side to actor Chris Hemsworth as he takes on the role of the the antagonistic Dementus in upcoming Mad Max: Fury Road prequel Furiosa. Although we are used to seeing the star saving galaxies as the heroic Thor in Marvel movies, he is now embracing villainy with the warlord.

For Hemsworth himself that experience of tackling a role so different to the God of Thunder was a freeing one, as he tells SFX magazine in the new issue, which features Doctor Who on the cover: "It was somewhat liberating and refreshing to kind of shed the heroic Thor space and transform into something different, and not have to be restricted by the expectations of the hero, I guess."

Continuing, Hemsworth then explains how he also felt "intimidated" throughout the process of making the action movie too, but co-star Anya Taylor-Joy (who portrays the titular Furiosa) was of great help. He says: "I felt quite intimidated by the whole experience. What we were a part of was both exciting and also scary. I had a lot of questions and a real need to sort of dissect everything. Meeting Anya, I immediately saw the same enthusiasm. It was just a constant discussion. Everything Anya did helped inform everything I was wanting to do. The two characters – although as abrasive and polar opposites as they were – kind of complemented the journey. I didn’t realise that when I first read the script."

In the movie Dementus, who is leader of the powerful Biker Horde group, kidnaps a young Furiosa taking her away from both her home and family. We then follow her as she seeks her vengeance against the warlord at any cost.

And while Dementus couldn't be a more different character to Thor, they do share something in common – both wear a cape! Which is something Hemsworth found amusing, as he told EW: "I was about to say it was nice not to wear a cape, but... I did have a cape in this film. And it's red – or it becomes red eventually, as well. The absurdity of that."


Not a subscriber to SFX? Then head on over here to get the latest issues sent directly to your home/device!


Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga arrives in theaters on May 24. The above is just a snippet from our interview, available in the latest issue of SFX magazine, which features Doctor Who on the cover and is available from Wednesday, May 15. See what you should be looking out for on newsstands below...

For even more from SFX, sign up to our newsletter, which delivers all the latest exclusives straight to your inbox.


That's *so* Bridgerton! Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Jonathan Groff and Indira Varma make an all star line up of the latest @sfxmagazine! #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/m7MJgPHFUVMay 14, 2024See more


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Mortal Kombat 2 Movie Gets October 2025 Release Date

Warner Bros. has announced when Mortal Kombat 2, the sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat film adaptation, will arrive in theaters and IMAX, and it's coming next year. More specifically, Mortal Komat 2 will hit the silver screen on October 24, 2025, meaning we still have about one and a half years to go until we see what's next for these characters. 




Mortal Kombat 2 will arrive in theaters and IMAX on Oct. 24, 2025. pic.twitter.com/ayWHhFe2Hu
— The Game Awards (@thegameawards) May 14, 2024



The first Mortal Kombat movie in this rebooted film series hit theaters on April 23, 2021, and Game Informer had a great time with it – read our 8 out of 10 review to find out why here. Here's hoping we enjoy the sequel just as much, if not more. 



Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid will return to direct Mortal Kombat 2, and it will be written by a new writer, Jeremy Slater (alongside McQuoid), who wrote Disney's Moon Knight series. Alongside returning cast and characters, The Boys Karl Urban will join the fight as Johnny Cage. 



For more Mortal Kombat, read Game Informer's Mortal Kombat 1 review, and then check out John Cena's Peacemaker debut in the game here.  



Are you excited for Mortal Kombat 2? Let us know in the comments below!


https://www.gameinformer.com/news/2024/05/15/mortal-kombat-2-movie-gets-october-2025-release-date?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Virtual Boy: The bizarre rise and quick fall of Nintendo’s enigmatic red console

Enlarge (credit: Benj Edwards)



Ars Technica AI Reporter and tech historian Benj Edwards has co-written a book on the Virtual Boy with Dr. Jose Zagal. In this exclusive excerpt, Benj and Jose take you back to Nintendo of the early '90s, where a unique 3D display technology captured the imagination of legendary designer Gunpei Yokoi and set the stage for a daring, if ultimately ill-fated, foray into the world of stereoscopic gaming.



Seeing Red: Nintendo's Virtual Boy is now available for purchase in print and ebook formats.



A full list of references can be found in the book.




Nearly 30 years after the launch of the Virtual Boy, not much is publicly known about how, exactly, Nintendo came to be interested in developing what would ultimately become its ill-fated console. Was Nintendo committed to VR as a future for video games and looking for technological solutions that made business sense? Or was the Virtual Boy primarily the result of Nintendo going “off script” and seizing a unique, and possibly risky, opportunity that presented itself? The answer is probably a little bit of both.


As it turns out, the Virtual Boy was not an anomaly in Nintendo’s history with video game platforms. Rather, it was the result of a deliberate strategy that was consistent with Nintendo’s way of doing things and informed by its lead creator Gunpei Yokoi’s design philosophy.

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Helldivers 2 will revert enemy spawn rates after player outcry, but it's been "so hectic" that it'll take some time to fix

Helldivers 2 is reverting recent changes that had solo players overwhelmed by huge enemy hordes.

Last month, a Helldivers 2 patch tweaked enemy spawn rates for squads that had less than maximum players. The fewer players in a squad, the more enemy patrols would effectively appear, and at the time this appeared to be hugely punishing for solo players, and even squads where one player just happened to drop out.

Thankfully, Arrowhead has now addressed the unrest surrounding enemy spawn rates. "As many of you have noticed, something has been off with patrols and spawn rate for some time now. This primarily leads to more enemies rearing their ugly heads than they're supposed to, indirectly to players feeling overrun, kiting, and subsequently less fun gameplay," community manager Twinbeard writes in the shooter's official Discord.

This has actually been the case for all players, the community manager reveals, not just smaller teams and solo players. "We've been aware, but frankly, the past couple of weeks have been so hectic that we haven't been able to give this the TLC that it required," the community manager adds, probably referencing the whole debacle with the Sony-mandated account linking.

"We've concluded that it's not working as intended and we're changing it. There might be some minor tweaks, but overall we're reverting back to how patrols and spawn rate worked before the patch that changed them a few weeks ago. We believe that this is more or less how you currently want them to be," the message adds, which should be good news for basically all Helldivers 2 players.

However, the changes are going to take "some time" to implement, since Arrowhead wants to "do things and changes properly instead of rushing them." The developer wants to properly test and review the entire overhaul before implementing it, but this could mean that players are faced with "more bugs and bots than even the bravest of citizens would deem realistic for a while longer."

It sounds like Arrowhead will be diverting resources away from bug fixes and other live issues to put an emphasis on getting the enemy spawn rate changes adjusted and live in Helldivers 2. Hopefully this means the enemy spawn rates won't need adjusting again once the changes go live, which is undoubtedly what Arrowhead is hoping for.

Helldivers 2 patch has 10 bug fixes and 17 lingering "known issues," from an infamous primary that "deals too little damage" to confirmation your gun's crosshair is a lie.


https://www.gamesradar.com/games/third-person-shooter/helldivers-2-will-revert-enemy-spawn-rates-after-player-outcry-but-its-been-so-hectic-that-itll-take-some-time-to-fix/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Dread Delusion | New Gameplay Today

After a few years in Early Access, Dread Delusion, an Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind-like RPG, is finally out in 1.0 on PC! And to celebrate the game's launch, Game Informer editors Wesley LeBlanc, Kyle Hilliard, and Marcus Stewart are showcasing what to expect in today's New Gameplay Today. 



The gameplay you can watch below takes place about five hours into the game, with Wesley exploring an Eldritch castle of sorts. If you like what you see, you can up the game on Steam for $15.99 until May 16, which is when the price jumps up to $19.99. 



Check out Game Informer's Dread Delusion New Gameplay Today below: 





Head to Game Informer's YouTube channel for more previews, reviews, and discussions of new and upcoming games. Watch other episodes of New Gameplay Today right here.


https://www.gameinformer.com/ngt/2024/05/14/dread-delusion-new-gameplay-today?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

PS5 Breaks Sales Record But Still Falls Short Of Target After Crossing 59 Million Units Sold

Sony Interactive Entertainment has revealed in its latest financial earnings report it sold 20.8 million PlayStation 5 units in the fiscal year that ended on March 31. In doing so, Sony sold more than any fiscal year since the console's launch in November 2020. However, despite that achievement, Sony still fell short of its original PS5 sales target for this year, missing it by more than 4 million units. 



Originally targeting 25 million units for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, Sony sold 20.8 million, bringing the grand total up to 59 million, despite the 4 million units miss. As noted by VideoGamesChronicle, however, Sony revised that 25 million unit target in February to just 21 million; it still didn't hit that target, though, just narrowly missing the mark. 





At 59 million units, the PS5 is just behind the PlayStation 4's 60 million units at the same point in its life cycle. However, Tokyo-based video game analyst Serkan Toto told VGC that 20.8 million units sold is likely going to remain the peak for the PS5, and that this number would have been much lower if not for the release of Helldivers 2 in February, which is PlayStation's fastest-selling game ever after selling 12 million copies in 12 weeks. 



On the earnings call, Sony told investors to expect gaming sales to decrease in the fiscal year that just began (and ends March of next year) due to an expected decrease in console sales. There are also no major games from existing franchises releasing between now and then, according to the company. However, Sony says it still plans to release Concord, the new multiplayer online shooter IP from Firewalk Studios coming to PS5 and PC, this year. 



For more about PlayStation, read about how Hermen Hulst and Hideaki Nishino have been named dual CEOs of the company, and then read Game Informer's Stellar Blade review. After that, check out Game Informer's Final Fantasy VII Rebirth review. 



How do you feel about the PlayStation 5 at this point in its lifecycle? Let us know in the comments below!


https://www.gameinformer.com/news/2024/05/14/ps5-breaks-sales-record-but-still-falls-short-of-target-after-crossing-59-million?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Former Marvel's Midnight Suns, XCOM Designer Jake Solomon Announces New Startup, Midsummer Studios

Jake Solomon, former long-time Firaxis designer and director who spearheaded Marvel’s Midnight Suns and was a lead designer on XCOM: Enemy Unknown, has announced he’s formed a new company following his departure from Firaxis last February. Midsummer Studios is a team consisting of veteran Firaxis and Maxis designers. 



Midsummer was founded by Solomon, who serves as CEO and creative director, game director Will Miller (also formerly of Firaxis), and COO/CFO Nelsie Birch, a newcomer to games with a 25-year career in financial and operations management. They’re joined by executive producer Grant Rodiek, an 18-year veteran of Maxis Studios and former producer/director on several entries of The Sims. In addition to them, the small team currently consists of six other designers.





The company’s debut game will be a next-gen life sim that, according to the press release, “emphasizes player-driven narratives, allowing communities to share memorable moments that grow out of the creativity of players themselves.” 



“The best stories in games are written by the players,” said Solomon in the press release. “At Midsummer we’re making a life sim focused on the drama of modern life, where our players will write meaningful stories just by playing, and then share those stories with the world.”



Midsummer has secured a $6 million investment with several partners and is focused on growing a sustainable studio that values the health and happiness of its employees.


https://www.gameinformer.com/2024/05/14/former-marvels-midnight-suns-xcom-designer-jake-solomon-announces-new-startup-midsummer?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Helldivers 2 Is PlayStation's Fastest-Selling Game Ever, Crossing 12 Million Copies In 12 Weeks

Helldivers 2 is PlayStation's fastest-selling game ever, the company has announced in its latest financial earnings call. It achieved this title after crossing 12 million copies sold in 12 weeks, beating out the record previously held by God of War Ragnarök, which sold 11 million copies in 10 weeks, as reported by VideoGamesChronicle. 



Developer Arrowhead Game Studios' live-service multiplayer shooter sequel hit PlayStation 5 on February 8, with a simultaneous PC launch that same day, which is new for PlayStation. Its usual PC strategy sees PlayStation games launching on PC years after the game's console release – Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut is only just now coming to PC this month, for example. It seems launching on PC day-and-date with PS5 was the right call, though, as Helldivers 2 is now a bonafide hit for PlayStation. 





Arrowhead Game Studios CEO Johan Pilestedt celebrated the news, noting there are more Helldivers 2 players than Swedes (the studio is based in Stockholm, Sweden) while thanking players for helping the team and PlayStation reach this achievement. 




As announced in the Sony earnings call, we have sold over 12M units!



It's crazy to think that there are more Helldivers than there are Swedes 🤯



What a massive achievement from everyone involved in realizing @Helldivers2. A massive thank you to the community for your support,…
— Pilestedt (@Pilestedt) May 14, 2024



Notably, Arrowhead Game Studios is independent – PlayStation published Helldivers 2 as a PS5 console exclusive, in a way previously referred to as second-party. However, given acquisitions are happening more and more this generation, it wouldn't be surprising if PlayStation attempted to bring Arrowhead Game Studios under the first-party umbrella. 



For more, read Game Informer's Helldivers 2 review, and then read about how PlayStation recently walked back its Helldivers 2 PlayStation Network changes. 



[Source: VideoGamesChronicle]



Are you one of the 12 million Helldivers 2 players? Let us know in the comments below! 


https://www.gameinformer.com/news/2024/05/14/helldivers-2-is-playstations-fastest-selling-game-ever-crossing-12-million-copies?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Adam Driver and Aubrey Plaza star in surreal trailer for new sci-fi epic Megalopolis, as The Godfather director calls it his "best work"

The first major trailer for Megalopolis is here, and it’s our best look yet at The Godfather director’s new sci-fi. Debuting ahead of its premiere at Cannes Film Festival, Francis Ford Coppola shared the trailer with a caption calling it "the best work I've ever had the privilege to preside over".



The short clip opens with Laurence Fishburne’s Fundi Romaine driving around a decaying city as he says, "When does an empire die? Does it collapse in one terrible moment? No, no, but there comes a time when its people no longer believe in it." Visually arresting, the neon-filled teaser also features new looks at Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina and Nathalie Emmanuel as Julia Cicero after the first look was released earlier this year.

Elsewhere in the surreal trailer, there are moving statues, a very heavy Roman influence, and our first major look at Aubrey Plaza’s character Wow Platinum – yes, that's really her name. Also starring in the movie, which has been in the making for more than 23 years, are Giancarlo Esposito, Shia LaBeouf, Dustin Hoffman, and Jon Voight.

The film is set in a destroyed New York City-like metropolis, which Driver’s Cesar is trying to rebuild. As an architect with the ability to stop time, he hopes to make it into a sustainable utopia but faces opposition from Esposito’s Cicero. Stuck between the two men is Cicero’s daughter Julia (Emmanuel) who is in love with Cesar.

Megalopolis is due to make its debut at the Cannes Film Festival on May 16, ahead of its release late this year. It’s already had some divisive first reactions too, which have hailed it as everything from a "masterpiece" to "batshit crazy".

For what else is out this year, here’s our guide to all the upcoming movies and 2024 movie release dates to add to your calendar.


https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/sci-fi-movies/adam-driver-aubrey-plaza-surreal-megalopolis-trailer-sci-fi-epic-godfather-director/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Formerly Known As Codename Red, Gets World Premiere This Week

Assassin’s Creed Codename Red now has an official title: Assassin’s Creed Shadows. We’ll also get our first full-length look at the series' first Japanese entry this week. 



Ubisoft announced on X that the game’s cinematic world premiere trailer will air on May 15 at 9 a.m. P.T./12 p.m. ET. Ubisoft’s use of the word “cinematic” suggests that this trailer will not include gameplay. If that’s the case, Ubisoft could be saving a gameplay reveal for its Ubisoft Forward presentation less than a month later, on June 10.




Assassin's Creed Codename Red becomes Assassin's Creed Shadows.

Tune-in for the Official Cinematic World Premiere Trailer on May 15, 9 AM PT.#AssassinsCreedShadows pic.twitter.com/GF0BWqVOhS
— Ubisoft (@Ubisoft) May 13, 2024



Assassin’s Creed Shadows was first announced in 2022 and will be the first entry set in feudal Japan. At the time, Ubisoft described the game as being an open-world RPG and the ultimate "shinobi fantasy." It is being developed by Ubisoft Quebec, the team behind Assassin's Creed Odyssey. It has no release window, but the game is expected to launch later this year.


https://www.gameinformer.com/2024/05/13/assassins-creed-shadows-formerly-known-as-codename-red-gets-world-premiere-this-week?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Square Enix Will 'Aggressively' Pursue Multiplatform Strategy In Company Reboot

Square Enix is rebooting itself, "aggressively" pursuing a multiplatform strategy that includes PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and PC in the process. This comes from the company's latest financial earnings report, which details Square Enix's three-year reboot plan for long-term growth. 



Within that three-year reboot plan, Square Enix lists four pillars: 



* Enhance productivity by optimizing the development footprint in the Digital Entertainment (DE) segment

* Diversify earnings opportunities by strengthening customer contact points

* Roll out initiatives to create additional foundational stability

* Strike a balance between shareholder return and growth investment when allocating capital 









As part of this plan, Square Enix "will aggressively pursue a multiplatform strategy that includes Nintendo platforms, PlayStation, Xbox, and PCs," according to the financial report. "Especially, in regards to major franchise and AAA titles including catalog titles, it will build an environment where more customers can enjoy these titles," it continues, possibly alluding to multiplatform releases for future Final Fantasy games and more.



This strategy switch-up follows reports that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, a PlayStation 5-exclusive RPG that launched in February underperformed; Final Fantasy VII Rebirth followed in the footsteps of its predecessor, Final Fantasy VII Remake, which launched exclusively on PlayStation 4 in 2020, and Final Fantasy XVI, which hit PS5 last year (although it's set to release on PC sometime in the future). 



Square Enix also says it will "devise a platforms strategy for SD [Smart Devices/PC Browser portfolio] that includes not only iOS and Android, but also the possibility of PC launches. It continues, "Furthermore, the Group will strive to maximize the acquisition of new users when launching a title and that of recurring users after starting management of game operation." 





Throughout the financial report, Square Enix uses the word "fun" as a focal point for the future development of its games. It says it wants to focus on the development of titles "delivering 'fun' that only [Square Enix] can create and build." 



In terms of numbers, Square Enix's net sales are up 3.8% year-over-year at $2.28 billion this year, with digital entertainment sales up 2.5% at $1.59 billion. However, its operating income – $209 million – is down nearly 27%. 



These numbers and subsequent strategy shift aren't surprising, considering at the end of April, Square Enix canceled some of its in-development games to be "more selective and focused," which lines up with its new philosophy. This likely means we'll be seeing more titles like Dragon Age XI, Final Fantasy XVI, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on various platforms and less games like Foamstars and The DioField Chronicle. Only time will tell, though, and Square Enix thinks it will take three years for this company reboot.



For more, read Game Informer's Final Fantasy VII Rebirth review, and then read Game Informer's Final Fantasy XVI review. After that, read about Final Fantasy XIV's upcoming Dawntrail expansion, which is due out this July. 



What are your thoughts on Square Enix's new strategy?Let us know in the comments below!


https://www.gameinformer.com/news/2024/05/13/square-enix-will-aggressively-pursue-multiplatform-strategy-in-company-reboot?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Warner Bros. gives Adult Swim games back to their creators rather than kill them

Enlarge / Timely art from the game Traverser, soon to be published by developer Gatling Goat Studios. (credit: Gatling Goat Studios/Adult Swim Games)




Warner Bros. Discovery has spent at least two months threatening more than a dozen indie games developers with the "retirement" of their games, with little to no response as to why they couldn't do something simple and much better for the games' players and creators.


Late last week, one of the Adult Swim Games creators impacted by Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD) seeming shutdown posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he received an email from Warner Bros. indicating that his Duck Game was "safe." "[T]he game is being returned to corptron along with [its] store pages on all platforms," Landon wrote. The same went for Owen Deery, whose notice from WBD about his game Small Radios Big Televisions brought attention to the media conglomerate's actions and who posted that his game, too, will have its ownership and store listings returned to him.


As noted by PC Gamer, the 60-day timeline originally provided to developers for their games to be delisted has passed, and yet most of the Adult Swim Games titles are still up.

Read 4 remaining paragraphs | Comments


https://arstechnica.com/?p=2023832&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Game dev says contract barring “subjective negative reviews” was a mistake

Enlarge / Artist's conception of NetEase using a legal contract to try to stop a wave of negative reviews of its closed alpha. (credit: NetEase)




The developers of team-based shooter Marvel Rivals have apologized for a contract clause that made creators promise not to provide "subjective negative reviews of the game" in exchange for early access to a closed alpha test.


The controversial early access contract gained widespread attention over the weekend when streamer Brandon Larned shared a portion on social media. In the "non-disparagement" clause shared by Larned, creators who are provided with an early download code are asked not to "make any public statements or engage in discussions that are detrimental to the reputation of the game." In addition to the "subjective negative review" example above, the clause also specifically prohibits "making disparaging or satirical comments about any game-related material" and "engaging in malicious comparisons with competitors or belittling the gameplay or differences of Marvel Rivals."



Extremely disappointed in @MarvelRivals.


Multiple creators asked for key codes to gain access to the playtest and are asked to sign a contract.


The contract signs away your right to negatively review the game.


Many streamers have signed without reading just to play


Insanity. pic.twitter.com/c11BUDyka9


— Brandon Larned (@A_Seagull) May 12, 2024


In a Discord post noticed by PCGamesN over the weekend, Chinese developer NetEase apologized for what it called "inappropriate and misleading terms" in the contract. "Our stand is absolutely open for both suggestions and criticisms to improve our games, and... our mission is to make Marvel Rivals better [and] satisfy players by those constructive suggestions."

Read 6 remaining paragraphs | Comments


https://arstechnica.com/?p=2023800&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Former Helldivers 2 lead writer "burned out hard" while updating the near flawless live service game: "I absolutely destroyed myself"

Arrowhead Studios' former lead writer Russ Nickel felt burned out after continually updating a live service game as flexible and unpredictable as Helldivers 2. 

Helldivers 2 has been able to do the impossible for a live service game (stick around for longer than two hours) because the team actively reacts to everything the players do, in and outside the game itself. Helldivers 2's most contested planet got commemorated with an in-game Memorial Day, while the recent review-bombing fiasco might also be immortalized with a free cape.

But constantly building a narrative to evolve alongside community discourse can be more than tiring, according to Nickel, who spoke about the issue in an interview with Inverse. 

"I burned out hard, but it was my own fault," he explained. "I wanted Helldivers 2 to be so perfect that I absolutely destroyed myself. I abandoned my friendships, I pulled all-nighters. The company wasn't asking me to do that, it was just I cared so much about making a good that totally consumed me."

The grind of building a near-flawless live service has inspired the Helldivers 2 veteran to create a horny version of Fire Emblem - a currently untitled strategy RPG with a lot of romance. Despite missing his time contextualizing bug squashing, Nickel thinks his "upcoming game is actually a response to Helldivers and what I learned there" and his burnout is "part of why I'm making this current game."

Elsewhere, the former lead delved into how the game’s ambitious D&D-inspired campaign came about, the improv that fuelled players' fixation with Malevelon Creek, and how the game "trained" players to fight together against the PSN mandate. 

Helldivers 2 CEO teased an exiled “Predator-like alien species” that’s “planning vengeance” against Super Earth forces. 


https://www.gamesradar.com/games/third-person-shooter/former-helldivers-2-lead-writer-burned-out-hard-while-updating-the-near-flawless-live-service-game-i-absolutely-destroyed-myself/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Banjo-Kazooie enter the Nintendo 64 Multiverse in an incredible-looking mod that spans Pokemon, Conker, and FPS classic Goldeneye

Banjo-Kazooie are (unofficially) back and flap-flipping across a bunch of classic Nintendo 64 worlds, from Pokemon to Goldeneye, in an incredible-looking mod coming later this year. 

Banjo-Kazooie Nostalgia 64 is an upcoming mod project that includes nine main worlds plus extras, 99 jiggies to collect, 115 mumbo tokens, 1000 shiny musical notes, "and more." The project comes from modder Mark 'Kurko Mods' Kurko, who's been keeping the iconic bird and bear alive with multiple excellent mods. 

What makes Nostalgia 64 especially special is that Banjo and Kazooie seem to be entering actual N64 cartridges based on classics from that console. The trailer below shows Banjo-Kazooie coming across cartridges for Yoshi's Story, Bomberman 64, forgotten puzzle-platformer Glover, as well as fellow Rareware-developed classics Conker's Bad Fur Day and Diddy Kong Racing.



Other shots from the trailer seem to confirm a world based on GoldenEye 007, which just enjoyed a remaster on modern systems. We also get to see the gorgeous arts 'n' crafted world of Yoshi, alongside cameos from King K. Rool, Charizard, and Lapras - the latter two hinting at a Pokemon-themed level.

My final question mark hangs over a steely building sporting a massive Nintendo logo, sitting across from another high-rise with a Donkey Kong 64 billboard on top. Are we getting some meta-level commentary about Banjo's split from the Big N? Who knows? The mod looks undeniably great either way.

I'm excited to take the platforming duo for another spin because, let's face it now, as much as Banjo-Kazooie ripped inspiration from Super Mario 64 it also one-upped the mustachioed plumber in nearly every respect and feels damn good to simply play. Speaking of, the scary eel from Mario 64's underwater cavern is also here, so maybe we'll finally see the two icons go head-to-head. 

Banjo-Kazooie first made their solo debut in the titular 1998 game before returning in the appropriately titled sequel Banjo-Tooie in 2000. After a couple spin-offs, the duo made a divisive comeback in 2008's Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, which was more an excellent physics sandbox rather than a jump-and-running Banjo-Threeie. Despite showing up in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Banjo-Kazooie hasn't enjoyed a new game since and probably won't anytime soon judging by the IP graveyard that Microsoft is amassing. 

Xbox boss Phil Spencer says Game Pass has made smaller games and retro revivals more viable: “Banjo fans, I hear you.”


https://www.gamesradar.com/games/platformer/banjo-kazooie-enter-the-nintendo-64-multiverse-in-an-incredible-looking-mod-that-spans-pokemon-conker-and-fps-classic-goldeneye/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

The Magic Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom One Year Later Is In Experimentation

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is celebrating its one-year anniversary today, May 12, 2024. Below, we look at how its playful sense of experimentation is still leading to new discoveries.

There is no single file for "wagon noise" within The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. At no point in your travels throughout Hyrule will you hear a single track that was meant to replicate the sound of creaking wood moving along a dirt path. That's because Tears of the Kingdom's audio system is designed to operate just like its complex physics system. Sounds that happen naturally in the world--wheels turning and hooves stomping, for example--come together just like the wheels and cart themselves. They create a harmonious sound that is made up as you play.

It's a charming example that highlights what makes pretty much everything within Tears of the Kingdom fantastic. Major elements of the game, from moment-to-moment exploration to the clever physics-based crafting system, encourages player-experimentation and provides an amount of freedom that's literally sky-high. For much of their adventure, players make things up as they go.Continue Reading at GameSpot


https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-magic-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-one-year-later-is-in-experimentation/1100-6523363/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Helldivers 2's D&D campaign was set up "about halfway through development" to support over 10 million people "all collaborating on a story"

Helldivers 2's D&D influence, which supports a 10-million-player-strong role-playing campaign, made its way into the game "about halfway through development," according to former lead writer Russ Nickel.

Speaking to Inverse, Nickel revealed that his history as a D&D dungeon master "has been so helpful for game writing." Not only did Nickel need the know-how to build a galaxy-spanning sandbox plan, but more crucially, he had "to be able to let go of those plans" to react to players. 

"I love how collaborative it is," he continues. "It's so crazy to me that right now there's a dungeon master who is playing a game with 10 million people, and they're all collaborating on a story."

Nickel isn't alone in the sentiment either. Helldivers 2 players have collectively pushed the game through one interesting twist after another, and developer Arrowhead Studios has been more than willing to play ball by canonizing the community's most-contested planet with an in-game Memorial Day, encouraging players to collaborate on Major Orders, and even replying to a fan-made campaign to review bomb the game. 

"This feels like what live service was born to do," Nickel says. "For a while, Arrowhead didn't know if the sequel was going to be a live-service title. But as we talked about it more, it was clear that this would make for such a cool live service experience, one where the story can change constantly so it really does feel alive."

The idea to update the live service like a D&D campaign came in "about halfway through development" because the team "were just building the game to be playable" at first. "The back half of development was adding in the narrative and figuring out exactly what that playable prototype would become."

Helldivers 2 is getting removed from sale in more countries without PSN access, prompting blindsided devs to call for it to be made “available worldwide.”


https://www.gamesradar.com/games/third-person-shooter/helldivers-2s-dandd-campaign-was-set-up-about-halfway-through-development-to-support-over-10-million-people-all-collaborating-on-a-story/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

‘Wordle’ Answer Today 1058 May 12th 2024 – Hints and Solution (5/12/24)

Here is the Wordle answer today for the 1058 word, released on May 12th, 2024 and some hints to help you solve it.


Wordle is a very popular word game that has gone viral due to the results being posted all over social media by players and the simplicity of the game. The aim is to guess the five-letter American English word in six guesses or less.


There are no initial clues given as to what the word could be, but once you have made a guess, the tiles will change colour letting you know more about the letters in the word. The three different colours the tiles could change to are grey, yellow, or green.


Grey indicates that the letter you guessed is not in the word at all, so you should avoid using it in future guesses.


Yellow indicates that the letter does appear in the word, but not in the position you have it in now.


Green indicates that you have guessed the correct letter and placed it in the correct location, which is the colour you want to see!
Wordle Game – How to Play


There is also a hard mode for the game in which you are forced to use any correctly guessed letters from the previous row in every guess you make.


You may already do this, but there are times when there are multiple answers for the Wordle and you need to guess a word that contains the potential letters to help you solve the Wordle, which you will not be able to do with this mode.


You can always turn it back off during the game as well if you find it too difficult.


Hints for the Wordle 1058 Hints Today – 12th May, 2024




As the word can be quite difficult, we have some hints for Wordle 1058 to help you to solve it, which are:


Hint 1: Contains the letter T.

Hint 2: It starts with the letter O.

Hint 3: There are three vowels in the answer today.

Hint 4: It is an adjective and noun.

Hint 5: Outside; external.


QUIZ: How many questions can you solve from the quiz below?
.wq-quiz-wrapper[data-id="88049"] {
--wq-question-width: 100%;
--wq-question-color: #009cff;
--wq-question-height: auto;
--wq-bar-color: #00c479;
--wq-font-color: #444;
--wq-background-color: #ecf0f1;
}





0%











If you pass the 2nd person in a race, what position are you in?












3rd


2nd


1st






Correct!
Wrong!















When you dig a hole 4 feet deep, 5 feet wide and 6 feet long, how much dirt is in it?












200 pounds


100 pounds


300 pounds


None






Correct!
Wrong!















Jill and Mary enjoy playing hockey, Kim and Jill enjoy playing football, Kim and Mary enjoy swimming. Who enjoys both swimming and hockey?












Mary


No One


Jill


Kim






Correct!
Wrong!















What letter comes next in this sequence? O, T, T, F, F, S, S, ?












F


S


O


E






Correct!
Wrong!















What occurs once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?












Success


Fame


Having a baby


The letter 'M'






Correct!
Wrong!















I am related to the water, but I am not wet. I am related to a shadow, but I am multicoloured. I create an illusion, but show what is real. What am I?












Gold


Diamond


Mirror


Clock






Correct!
Wrong!















What on earth could dance, and live and die, without legs, or lungs, or being alive?












Sand


Water


Wind


Fire






Correct!
Wrong!















What disappears as soon as you say its name?












Distraction


Silence


Frustration


Echo






Correct!
Wrong!















I am an odd number. Take away one letter from me and I become even. What number am I?












nine


eleven


seven


five






Correct!
Wrong!















A farmer had ten sheep. All but seven of them died, so how many sheep were left?












10


None


3


7






Correct!
Wrong!















If you divide 30 by a half and add 10, what's the answer?












25


15


60


70






Correct!
Wrong!















What 10 letter word starts with gas?












Television


Automobile


Aberration


Retirement






Correct!
Wrong!















What goes up and down, but never moves?












Air


Road


Water


Gas






Correct!
Wrong!















You're sitting in a cabin in the dark and cold and you are hungry. You have only one match. What do you light first?












A stove


A fire


Match


None






Correct!
Wrong!















In the kitchen cupboard, there are three jars containing different items. Sugar is to the right of rice and the flour is to the right of the sugar. Which one is in the middle?












Sugar


Flour


Rice






Correct!
Wrong!















How many animals of each species did Moses take with him into the Ark?












1


2


3


None






Correct!
Wrong!















What is half of 2 + 2?












1


3


2


4






Correct!
Wrong!















What common English verb becomes its own past tense by rearranging its letters?












Cry


Sit


Eat


Sleep






Correct!
Wrong!















There are two ducks in front of a duck, two ducks behind a duck and a duck in the middle. How many ducks are there?












5


6


3


4






Correct!
Wrong!















If a doctor gives you three pills and tells you to take one every half hour, how long will it take to finish all the pills?












30 minutes


120 minutes


60 minutes


90 minutes






Correct!
Wrong!










Riddles & Logic Quiz





Less Than Average

Better luck next time!








Average

Not bad!








Above Average

You know your riddles!








Genius!

Wow! Impressive!









What is the Wordle 1058 Answer Today? (May 12th, 2024)




Here is how I managed to solve Wordle 1058 in three guesses today. I guessed the word ‘AUDIO’ first, which is my usual starter word.


This word placed the U correctly as the second letter and showed me that there is an O in the answer.
Daily Wordle 1058 Word 1 – May 12th 2024


I thought the O would be next to the U, so I guessed the word ‘QUOTE’ next.


This was a good word to guess even though it did not place the O correctly as it showed me that there is a T and E in the Wordle answer.
Daily Wordle 1058 Word 2 – May 12th 2024


The next word I thought of was the answer to Wordle 1058, which is…


OUTER!
Daily Wordle Answer 1058 – 12th May 2024


Let us know in the comments section below how many guesses it took for you to solve the Wordle answer today and if there are any other games you want us to start covering!


The post ‘Wordle’ Answer Today 1058 May 12th 2024 – Hints and Solution (5/12/24) appeared first on Fortnite Insider.


https://fortniteinsider.com/wordle-answer-today-1058-may-12th-2024-hints-and-solution-5-12-24/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

After calling the next Battlefield "another tremendous live service," EA CEO threatens to put ads in AAA games

Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson made a string of controversial statements in the company's most recent earnings call, with potential in-game ads and comments about the next Battlefield raising some eyebrows. 

Battlefield might not be the Call of Duty rival that it once was following a string of divisive releases, but Wilson was eager to hype up the next entry in the large-scale, levelutionized series. "I've just spent a whole bunch of time with the collective Battlefield team," says Wilson, funnily calling the next game "another tremendous live service." 

Battlefield hasn't embraced the live service snuff as heavily as Call of Duty or Destiny has, but the seasonal updates and battle passes certainly make the last few shooters qualify. Though, after coming off of Battlefield 5 and Battlefield 2042's troubled launches, I don't know if the series has ever had "another tremendous live service" to brag about, whatever that might mean nowadays.

Regardless, Wilson still boasts that "the largest Battlefield team in franchise history" will "build a Battlefield universe across connected multiplayer and single-player experiences." The Dead Space remake developers EA Motive were just put to work on Battlefield - leaving the cult horror series in limbo - while the studio set up to focus on single-player Battlefield experiences was shut down. 

Whatever the next Battlefield looks like, it's not in the publisher's plans for this fiscal year ending March 2025. An EA Original game and an IP they own - potentially Dragon Age: Dreadwolf - are coming soon, though. 

What was perhaps more controversial was Wilson’s comments about implementing advertisements into traditional, AAA games. "Advertising has an opportunity to be a meaningful driver of growth for us," he continued, "…we have teams internally in the company right now looking at how we do very thoughtful implementations inside of our game experiences."

2020's UFC 4 included full-screen ads for the Amazon Prime TV show The Boys, a decision that had to be walked back after huge fan backlash. Several other EA games have also experimented with ads in the past, such as 2004's Need For Speed: Underground 2, where the company painted ads on the side of in-game billboards. Getting blasted with unwanted roadside ads is part of the driving experience, so I'd take that over literal in-game pop-ups. 

Wilson also claimed that developers have a “real hunger” for AI to be implemented into game development. 


https://www.gamesradar.com/games/fps/after-calling-the-next-battlefield-another-tremendous-live-service-ea-ceo-threatens-to-put-ads-in-aaa-games/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Helldivers 2 gets delisted in more countries without PSN access, blindsided devs call for it to be "available worldwide"

Helldivers 2 is still being removed from sale on Steam in more countries, even after publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) scrapped its hugely controversial PSN mandate. 

SIE previously attempted to force Helldivers 2 PC players to link to an active PlayStation Network account months after launch, leading to a mass review-bombing campaign and Steam delistment in over 170 countries without PSN coverage. Sony eventually scrapped the mandate, keeping account linking as a simple option, but the year's biggest shooter is still being restricted in more countries. 

Helldivers 2 has now been pulled from Steam in three other countries lacking PSN coverage - Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania - according to listings on Steam Database. It's unclear if existing Helldivers 2 owners in those countries can still play the game.


Sony is still locking out divers from around the world. And Helldivers CEO's reply to 3 more countries being region-locked.#Helldivers2 pic.twitter.com/9xCOuFu27mMay 10, 2024See more


The news seems to have come as a surprise to even the game's own developers at Arrowhead Studios. "We have no idea what's going on," CEO Johan Pilestedt said in response to a player on the game's Discord channel. "Most devs are on a bank holiday and we just found out through the community. We want the game to be available worldwide."

Helldivers 2 has also not been returned to the 170 or so territories that were locked out of purchasing the game, which was a major reason why players banded together to negatively review the game in the first place. But Pilestedt assured players that he was working with PlayStation and Valve to get Helldivers 2 back on the storefront "everywhere."

After Helldivers 2 fixed the bug that helped players squish 2 billion Terminids in 24 hours, a new Major Order pits them against 2 billion bots instead.


https://www.gamesradar.com/games/third-person-shooter/helldivers-2-gets-delisted-in-more-countries-without-psn-access-blindsided-devs-call-for-it-to-be-available-worldwide/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

The Rogue Prince Of Persia Delayed To Later This Month Because Of Hades II

Dead Cells developer Evil Empire has delayed its upcoming roguelike, The Rogue Prince of Persia, because of Hades II. Originally due out on Tuesday, May 14, in PC Early Access, Evil Empire has delayed the game to later this month to give potential players more time with Hades II, which is another roguelike that hit Early Access this week (and it's also gracing the latest cover of Game Informer Magazine). 





"So it's been a bit of a crazy week for us," a statement from Evil Empire reads. "It all started when a little game called Hades II released – you might have have heard of it? Seeing as everyone and their mum is playing that game (including our entire team...and their mums), we have decided to let people have their fun with it before we release The Rogue Prince of Persia. 



"We will still be releasing in May and will be back with a precise date on Monday. While we have every confidence in The Rogue Prince of Persia, it's not every day that a game in the same genre as you, which is one of the most anticipated upcoming games of 2024, will release into Early Access a week before you plan to do the same. We are not prideful enough to ignore the implications of that, and we truly believe that this short delay is the best decision for us and our Early Access journey." 



The team says this extra time will be used to polish The Rogue Prince of Persia even more, add "even more cool things," and fix some bugs. It also notes the Day One patch for the game was getting big and this extra time will give the team more time to test it (and lower the team's stress as a result).



Game Informer went hands-on with the game recently and loved what we played – you can read our preview impressions of The Rogue Prince of Persia here. If you're curious how it looks in action, watch this New Gameplay Today all about The Rogue Prince of Persia. For more, check out our discussion with Evil Empire about the difference between a roguelike and a rogue-lite. 



Are you going to check out The Rogue Prince of Persia later this month? Let us know in the comments below!


https://www.gameinformer.com/news/2024/05/10/the-rogue-prince-of-persia-delayed-to-later-this-month-because-of-hades-ii?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Manor Lords’ medieval micromanagement means making many messes

Enlarge / This peaceful, pastoral scene actually represents a ton of hard work! (credit: Slavic Magic)





Do you ever look around at modern civilization and boggle at the sheer complexity of it all? Do you ever think about the generations of backbreaking labor needed to turn acres and acres of untamed wilderness into the layers of interconnected systems needed to provide basic necessities—much less luxuries—to both early settlers and their generations of descendants?


All that infrastructure work is much harder to take for granted after playing Manor Lords. The Early Access version of the game—which netted a million Steam sales in its first 24 hours last month—forces you to do a lot of the heavy lifting that many other city builders tend to gloss over. And while there are still a lot of Early Access rough spots, what's already there can make you appreciate just how hard it is to build a functioning society from nothing but raw materials and hard labor.


Let go of my hand




In many other city builders, you act as something of a detached, bureaucratic god. Lay down some roads, set aside some zoning, and watch as the microscopic masses automatically fill in the details of the housing, commerce, and industry needed to create a functional society.

Read 14 remaining paragraphs | Comments


https://arstechnica.com/?p=2023437&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

This beginner-friendly 3D printer is the best we've tested - and it's $210 off right now

If you’re a beginner looking to dive into the wonderful world of 3D printers or are in the market for a new 3D printer under $400, now is the perfect time to add the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s to your shopping basket.



As we gushed about in our Anycubic Photon Mono M5s review, this resin 3D printer is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition. This is thanks not only to its speedy processing and its capacity for 12K resolution prints, but also to its headlining feature: its leveling-free printing. By eliminating the need to manually fiddle with the build plate, the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s is not only super accessible for beginners but has a reduced possibility of printer errors.



While it turns out getting access to this game-changing 3D printing technology is a lot cheaper than we thought it would be, $579 is still a pretty premium price tag. It definitely doesn’t compare to the kinds of costs we’d see on top-tier industrial 3D printers but still, a discount would be nice. Thankfully, Anycubic is running an epic sale offering up to 53% off some of its best 3D printers and accessories and the Photon Mono M5s is right there in the mix at a reduced price of $369.




Anycubic Photon Mono M5s | $579.00 $369.00 at Anycubic

Save $210 - While it has seen discounts in the past, we’ve never seen the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s drop below $400. A massive saving like this makes for the perfect excuse to pick up one of the best resin 3D printers on the market.



Buy it if:

✅ You want to save the hassle of leveling your build plate

✅ You want a printer that’ll produce excellent results 


Don’t buy it if:

❌ You’d prefer an FDM printer

❌ You need a super-sized build plate for cosplay pieces or props


Price match:

💲$369.00 at Walmart

💲$509.99 at Amazon


UK Deal:

💷 £339.00 at Anycubic 


Should you buy the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s?




(Image credit: Future / Benjamin Abbott)


The Anycubic Photon Mono M5s has been hogging the top spot on our best 3D printers list for months now – and rightfully so. We’ve yet to come across anything that competes with its nigh flawless mix of print quality, speed, and ease of use. Given the great results you can get from this resin 3D printer pretty much straight out of the box, I’d recommend the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s to anyone from beginners to experts.



Now that the Photon Mono M5s’ price tag has been slashed so significantly, it’s an even better option for 3D printing newbies. Sure, $369 is still a hefty investment but getting your hands on a 3D printer with a self-leveling function that is capable of 12K prints is a decision you definitely won’t regret later in your journey with the hobby. 

---



Want some inspiration for awesome minis to print? Check out the best tabletop RPGs or these best Dungeons and Dragons books. And if you need something a little speedier to handle your slicing software, check out the best gaming PCs.


https://www.gamesradar.com/hardware/tech/this-beginner-friendly-3d-printer-is-the-best-weve-tested-and-its-dollar210-off-right-now/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

The Office spin-off finally gets plot details, confirming links to the original and a major location change

The first major details about The Office spin-off have been confirmed, and it seems like we’re heading to a new location. The original show, which made stars of Steve Carrell and John Krasinski, was set in a Scranton paper company as it followed its employees doing everything they could to avoid selling paper.

The new series, which has been given a season order by Peacock, shifts its focus to a Midwestern newspaper publisher, but there will still be some crossover with the original. 

Per the official synopsis, the company is the Dunder Mifflin documentary crew’s latest subject. They’ll follow the group of employees at a dying historic newspaper, which the publisher is trying to revive with volunteer reporters. 

Star Wars and Ex-Machina actor Domhnall Gleeson and The White Lotus season 2 breakout Sabrina Impacciatore lead the cast. While the rest of the comedic ensemble is yet to be announced, we now know that the original show creators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant as well as the US remake’s helmer Greg Daniels are all involved. 

This time the series will also be helmed by Nathan for You co-creator Michael Koman. Production is due to begin in July, but at the moment it’s currently untitled and has no specific release date. 

"It’s been more than ten years since the final episode of The Office aired on NBC, and the acclaimed comedy series continues to gain popularity and build new generations of fans on Peacock," said NBCUniversal president Lisa Katz. "In partnership with Universal Television and led by the creative team of Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, this new series set in the universe of Dunder Mifflin introduces a new cast of characters in a fresh setting ripe for comedic storytelling: a daily newspaper." 

Let’s hope we see a newspaper encased in Jell-O this time around – or at the very least a 'world’s best editor' mug. 

Check out our guides to the best TV shows of all time and all the upcoming TV shows for what else to add to your watchlist.


https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/comedy-shows/the-office-spin-off-new-details-plot-location-change-star-wars-actor/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Helldivers 2 director still talking to PlayStation and Valve about relisting the shooter "everywhere" after PSN mandate saw the game pulled in over 170 countries

Helldivers 2's game director and studio head is still working to get the shooter back on storefronts of countries it was delisted from last week.

In the wake of announcing that all Helldivers 2 players on PC would need to link to an active PSN account last week, Arrowhead's shooter was summarily delisted from 170 countries around the world that didn't have access to Sony's PSN. The stipulation might have been walked back, but Helldivers 2 still remains delisted in countries without PSN access.

Game director and Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt is still working to get Helldivers 2 back on storefronts, though. In a message in the game's official Discord, Pilestedt reveals there isn't any news right now about the delistings being turned around, but he's "speaking to our partners at PlayStation and Valve and pushing for it to be undone." Pilestedt adds that he "won't rest in my desire to have it available everywhere." 

The fallout from the situation surrounding the mandatory PSN account is still an ongoing issue for Arrowhead. The studio's community manager was seemingly fired earlier this week for requesting players review-bomb Helldivers 2 in order to send a message about the mandatory PSN account linking. "I knew I was taking a risk with what I said," the developer wrote in a message to players.

Right now, there definitely isn't a schedule for getting Helldivers 2 back on the delisted storefronts around the world, given Pilestedt's statement, although it's a relief the director is actively working on it. Considering Valve broke its own Steam refunding rule to issue refunds for aggrieved players last week, maybe that's a positive sign for engagement with Arrowhead.

Elsewhere, Helldivers 2 devs are worried it's "tone deaf" to drop a new Warbond so soon after the whole PSN kerfuffle, so they're letting voters decide "in true democratic fashion."


https://www.gamesradar.com/games/third-person-shooter/helldivers-2-director-still-talking-to-playstation-and-valve-about-relisting-the-shooter-everywhere-after-psn-mandate-saw-the-game-pulled-in-over-170-countries/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes doesn't have a post-credits scene, but there's still a reason to stick around

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has finally arrived on the big screen, much to the excitement of fans who have been eagerly awaiting a new chapter in the beloved sci-fi franchise since the last installment, which was 2017's War for the Planet of the Apes.

This latest film, which aims to kickstart a new trilogy in the series, jumps ahead in time to roughly 300 years after the events of War, focusing on the journey of a new young ape named Noa (Owen Teague). On his adventure, Noa will come up against dangerous ape king Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand) and also encounter mysterious human Mae (Freya Allan).

Since this is the next movie in a long-running franchise which aims to set things up for future sequels, you are likely wondering whether Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has a post-credits scene. A trend largely introduced first by Marvel movies, we now see several Hollywood blockbusters with post-credits scenes - sometimes there are in fact more than one if they are feeling extra generous. Typically post-credits scenes go down two routes - either directly teasing what is to come next in a potential follow-up or delivering a fun gag for audiences who decide to stay in their seats as the credits roll.

And so, below we have got you covered with everything you need to know about the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes post-credits, putting all the information in one place as a handy guide for any fan of the franchise. Keep on reading then if you want to know more but be warned, there are spoilers ahead for the post-credits.


Does Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes have a post-credits scene?




(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)


No, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes doesn't have a post-credits scene in the traditional sense of things however, if you do stay around until the end of the credits, you will be treated to a piece of audio.

As the credits come to an end the sound of apes begin to fade in, with this audio closing us out. Although it is just simply the noise of apes we don't think the filmmakers are just monkeying around here, and this is just a small tease that they hope to continue telling stories in this world. 

Director Wes Ball did reveal to us that they hope "to continue on with these characters and story" but a sequel hasn't been given the official green light yet. Keep those eyes peeled though!

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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is out now in UK cinemas and will release in US theaters on May 10.

For more on the movie, check out our interviews with the cast alongside director Was Ball on whether we will see a movie about Caesar's son one day and how these films could build to link up with the 1968 original.


https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/sci-fi-movies/kingdom-planet-apes-post-credits-scene/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger

New Video Game Releases in Week 19 of May 6, 2024

Here’s the list of new video game releases in week 19 of May 6, 2024. The most popular video games released this week include: Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs, V Rising, Indika & Crow Country. A handful of new games in this 2nd May 2024 week. Remember, often the new video game releases this ...


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Deadpool 3 director suggests it won’t be a mindless cameo-fest: "We let the story dictate the characters"

Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy has suggested the upcoming R-Rated threequel won’t be packed with mindless fan service and cameos, even pointing to a returning X-Men actor as proof of concept.

"I'll say we didn't start off with a wishlist," Levy told Entertainment Weekly. "From the day we started devising this Deadpool and Wolverine story, we let the story dictate the characters, not the other way around."

Among them – in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it comeback during the Deadpool 3 Super Bowl trailer – is Pyro, the fire-based mutant played in X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand by Aaron Stanford. 

"Aaron and his return as Pyro was an outgrowth of that, and that applies to pretty much all the characters you'll see in the movie."


(Image credit: Marvel Studios)


In line with that philosophy, Levy previously stated that homework is off the table for Deadpool & Wolverine – and you won’t need to watch a single MCU movie before watching Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine join forces.

"I very much made this film with certainly a healthy respect and gratitude towards the rabid fan base that has peak fluency in the mythology and lore of these characters and this world," Levy said in an interview with AP News. "But I didn't want to presume that. This movie is built for entertainment, with no obligation to come prepared with prior research."

Deadpool & Wolverine, the latest entry in Marvel Phase 5, is set to release on July 25 in the UK and July 26 in the US.

For more, check out the rest of the upcoming Marvel movies heading your way. If you’re still playing catch-up, you’ll need the complete guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order.


https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/superhero-movies/deadpool-3-not-cameo-fest-shawn-levypyro/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=blogger