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If the wait for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has become too much to handle, Lucasfilm has announced that a new novel titled Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars will arrive on March 7, 2023, and it will tell a story set between the first game and the upcoming sequel. As detailed by StarWars.com, Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars will be written by Sam Maggs and published by Del Rey and it "finds Order 66 survivor Cal Kestis leading the Mantis crew on an adventure set between the critically-acclaimed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and the highly-anticipated Star Wars Jedi: Survivor." Maggs is no stranger to the world of video games, as she has worked on Anthem, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Call of Duty: Vanguard, and Tiny Tina's Wonderlands. She was also part of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake that has been reportedly paused indefinitely, but she quit after around nine months. If that isn't enough for you, Dark Horse will be releasing The Art of Star Wars J...

A Pair of Obscure Sega Games Are Being Adapted Into Movies

SEGA’s Comix Zone and Space Channel 5 are getting their own movies. The pair of obscure SEGA titles are being developed into films by Picturestart — the production company behind the upcoming Borderlands movie. While not the kind of games that immediately come to mind for film adaptations, it certainly looks as though SEGA is going all in on these obscure titles. SEGA Vice President and Co-COO Shuji Utsumi is overseeing both films while Toru Nakahara, the producer of the recent Sonic the Hedgehog movies, is joining as executive producer. Comix Zone was a cult classic on the SEGA Genesis — a side-scrolling adventure starring comic book artist Sketch Turner who is pulled into his own unfinished comic book by a villain he created. The upcoming film follows a similar thread. “Comix Zone, an adaptation of the cult console game that has been so influential to so many over the years, follows a jaded comic book creator and a young, queer writer of color who, when sucked into the fin...

Madden NFL 23 Review

One of the famous anecdotes surrounding Madden NFL’s origins holds that when Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins approached John Madden about putting his name on EA’s new football sim, the NFL coach turned television commentator had one condition: it had to be a true 11v11 simulation. Hawkins agreed, and one of the most famous names in gaming history was born. Madden NFL 23 is an attempt to bring the series back to those humble origins, returning Madden himself to the cover for the first time in more than 20 years and opening with an “NFL Legacy Game” that doubles as a history lesson. It’s a sweet note to open on, featuring some of the greatest stars of yesteryear, from Brett Favre to Randy Moss, and even going so far as to recreate the original Oakland Coliseum from the 1970s (though, bafflingly, it’s not possible to pick the legacy teams in a standard head-to-head). And in its own way, the rest of the package is a tribute to Madden as well, focusing on the less-flashy simulation ...

Bloodstained Announces Surprising Crossover With Journey

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is getting a new crossover with… err… Journey ? The award-winning 2012 adventure game has inspired a new boss area in Bloodstained which will be added in Update 1.4 on August 23, 2022. “This new section of the castle, The Tunnels, is inspired by the imagery and level design of Journey, but with a Bloodstained twist,” reads an official announcement . “Hidden behind a secret entrance, the Tunnels are large and will require exploration and shard abilities to navigate.” Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night was launched in 2019 – a Metroidvania that tells the story of Miriam, a Shardbinder who was forcibly fused with demonically charged crystals to attune her to the demon’s powers. And it’s not the first time we’ve seen Bloodstained crossover with other popular games. Earlier this year, Aurora from Child of Light made her debut in Bloodstained as a playable character, and now it looks as though the epic, sprawling adventure of Journey has made its wa...

Squirrel with a Gun Is Inspired by Yakuza and Shadow of the Colossus

When footage of the upcoming indie game Squirrel with a Gun went viral last weekend , games like Untitled Goose Game and Goat Simulator immediately came to mind. But, behind the scenes, Squirrel with a Gun's creator is drawing inspiration from two unlikely places: the Yakuza franchise and Shadow of the Colossus. Squirrel with a Gun is a game about exactly what it says on the tin and stars a squirrel who has a firearm. In an interview with IGN, Squirrel with a Gun creator Daniel DeEntremont shared the unique AAA game inspirations that have informed how the titular squirrel can interact with enemies and the environment. "In Yakuza, I like all the heat actions where the little crazy, actiony cinematic [plays], so I put that in the squirrel," DeEntremont said. "I like Shadow of the Colossus, I like climbing the enemies, making that a whole ordeal." What is @QuiteDan 's Squirrel with a Gun? It is a squirrel with a gun. pic.twitter.com/MURfkkdPXS — IGN (@IG...

Death Stranding Is Coming to Xbox PC Game Pass Next Week

Death Stranding is officially coming to Xbox PC Game Pass on August 23, following recent speculation about the PlayStation console exclusive's appearance on a Microsoft service. Developer Kojima Productions and publisher 505 Games announced that the original version of Death Stranding (so not the upgraded director's cut) will be available to Xbox PC Game Pass users at 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern on August 23 (so 1am UK / 10am AEST on August 24). "The original version of Hideo Kojima’s critically-acclaimed and genre-defying epic lands on the Microsoft ecosystem for the first time, available to audiences who are subscribed to the PC version of Xbox Game Pass," the announcement reads. Death Stranding originally launched as a PlayStation 4 exclusive back in 2019 before it arrived on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store the following year, and its Director's Cut back in January 2022 . This will be the game's first appearance under the Microsoft umbrella, ho...

I Played in the World’s Hardest Pokémon Tournament

The Pokémon World Championships kicked off on August 18, 2022 with hundreds of players from around the globe competing in various Pokémon games in an attempt to prove that they are the very best, like no one ever was. I collected Pokémon cards as a kid but it wasn’t until 2015 that I started playing the game, and now in 2022 I’ve managed to qualify to play at Worlds for the first time. As you can imagine, I was very excited and very, very nervous. It takes a long time and a lot of hard work to get a shot at the Pokémon TCG World Championship trophy. Among its events, the TCG Masters tournament brings together the largest number of competitors out of any contest at Worlds, and has the highest first place cash prize – a whopping $25,000 – meaning it is arguably the most challenging of all the Worlds competitions to win. Here’s a rundown of how I qualified, how I prepared for the tournament, and a round-by-round report on how I did. How to Qualify for the Pokémon TCG World Champion...

Call of Duty: Warzone Announces 'Fifth and Final' Season

Activision has announced that the fifth and final season of Call of Duty: Warzone will begin on August 24, implying the release of Warzone 2 could be right around the corner. Announced on the game's website , the final season is named Last Stand and is centred around a league of Call of Duty villains led by Black Ops 2's Raul Menendez. The original Modern Warfare's Khaled Al-Asad also makes an appearance, alongside Ghosts' Gabriel T. Rorke and Black Ops 3's He “Seraph” Zhen-Zhen. Call of Duty seasons - which takes place simultaneously across Warzone and Vanguard - typically last around two to three months, meaning this final season of Warzone will likely end in November. Black Ops: Cold War's final season continued for around one month following Vanguard's release, and since Modern Warfare 2 is launching on October 28 , this also lines up with a November end date for Warzone - and therefore, presumably, a launch date for Warzone 2. Nothing is confir...

High On Life Delayed to December

Developer Squanch Games has announced that High on Life has been delayed from its original October 25 release date to December 13. “As we work to polish the best possible gaming experience for High on Life, the game’s release date will be moved to December 13, 2022,” Squanch Games said in a statement on Twitter. “The Team at Squanch Games is excited for you to play, and we thank you for your continued patience and support!” New update for @highonlifegame . pic.twitter.com/BdysaV3WF2 — Squanch Games (@SquanchGames) August 18, 2022 Justin Roiland, the creator of Rick and Morty, is behind High on Life. The game follows the player as they rescue humans across the galaxy from aliens that are intending to use them as drugs. In order to fight off the threat, players use weapons called Gatlians. High on Life was first revealed during the Xbox and Bethesda showcase back in June . It was also reportedly a Stadia title at first before Google shut down its first party development studio...

Quake Champions Finally Exits Early Access Five Years After Its Release

Five years after its original release, Quake Champions is finally out of early acccess. The full release of id Software's free-to-play shooter coincides with several games arriving on PC Game Pass, which was announced during Bethesda's QuakeCon event earlier today. First released back in 2017, Quake Champions is an evolution of id Software's classic arena shooter. Asked why it didn't receive a full release when it went free-to-play in 2018, community developer Joshua Boyle said Quake Champions wasn't ready . "I'd say we were at a crawl [at launch last year] and we're at a walk now," Boyle said at the time. Quake Champions has enjoyed mostly positive reviews on Steam, but it has generally failed to take hold among fans in a manner similar to other free-to-play shooters, even with the addition of familiar faces like Doom Slayer and Wolfenstein's B.J. Blazkowicz . Quake Champions is currently available on Steam and will also be downloadabl...

Sunsoft Is Back to Remind Fans of Its NES Glory Days

After a long period out of the public eye in North America, Sunsoft is returning to publish three new games based on its classic games catalogue. They include Ikki Unite, a multiplayer co-op roguelike; the return of Gimmick, a classic NES platformer; and Ufouria, a metroidvania expected to hit consoles in 2023. The releases are part of a new strategy by Sunsoft, which will see it lean on its large catalogue of classic games to capitalize on the popularity of retro gaming. "The revival of original game porting to game consoles is a big part of our strategy," Sunsoft general manager Yuichi Ochi tells IGN. "We have a plan to bring our original title to current consoles, two or three titles a year." The most notable of them is Ikki Unite, a new game based on the kusoge or "crap game" that once sold more than 500,000 units in Japan. Sunsoft is also releasing a port of Gimmick on Switch, PS4, and Steam later this year, with a Ufouria port to follow in 2023....

Lord of the Rings' New Owners are Already Talking About Gandalf and Aragorn Spin-Off Movies

The rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit have only just been purchased by colossal holdings company Embracer Group but the company is already talking about spin-off films starring Gandalf, Aragorn, Gollum, and more. Embracer said in its acquisition announcement that, alongside other upcoming Lord of the Rings projects such as Amazon's The Rings of Power and The War of the Rohirrim anime film , it's also eager to explore movie tie-ins for some well known characters. "Other opportunities include exploring additional movies based on iconic characters such as Gandalf, Aragorn, Gollum, Galadriel, Eowyn, and other characters from the literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien," Embracer said. It will also "continue to provide new opportunities for fans to explore this fictive world through merchandising and other experiences." Embracer's aqcuisition of Middle-earth Enterprises gives it the worldwide rights to motion pictures, video games, board games...

Lord of the Rings: Embracer Group Buys the Rights to Make Games, Movies and More

Colossal video game holdings company Embracer Group has entered into an agreement to purchase the rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and will explore opportunities to create new games, movies, and more based on the IP. Embracer has acquired Middle-earth Enterprises from The Saul Zaentz Company, and with it the worldwide rights to motion pictures, video games, board games, merchandising, theme parks, and stage productions relating to the writing of J.R.R. Tolkien – as well as matching rights in literary works authorised by the Tolkien Estate and HarperCollins. The majority of Lord of the Rings media to be released in the last few decades is ultimately owned by Middle-earth Enterprises, with aspects being licensed out for the creation of the likes of Peter Jackson's film trilogies, the Lord of the Rings video games , and so on. Embracer has said it plans to collaborate with both established and new recipients of these licenses, and will explore other opportunities i...

Crash Bandicoot Developer Seemingly Teasing a New Game (That Probably Isn't Call of Duty)

Activision’s Crash Bandicoot developer, Toys For Bob, is seemingly working on something new. The company recently released the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy before getting to work on the well-received Crash Bandicoot 4 . But, as with most of Activision’s studios, Toys For Bob was drafted in to work on Call of Duty last year, something that appeared to prompt some members of staff to leave. Now, it looks as though the developer will get the chance to make something new again. Thanks for playing along, how many did you guess correctly? Ya know, it's pretty convenient we have more wall space to cover... 😉 pic.twitter.com/g4A5hkAHk3 — Toys For Bob (@ToysForBob) August 16, 2022 Teasing an upcoming new game via Twitter , the company purposefully left space for their new project on a list of all its previous games. But could it be? Well, for one thing, it’s unlikely to be a new Call of Duty game. Although the studio was “proud” to work on the development of Season 3 of Ca...

UK Daily Deals: Bayonetta 3 Preorders Down to £42.95 at Amazon

We've been throwing a lot of pre-order deals your way recently, and apologies if it's becoming repetitive, but who doesn't love a tasty little saving before a title has even been released? Today we're bringing you a deal on Bayonetta 3, down to £42.95 on Amazon . The much-anticipated Switch title drops in late October this year, so you may as well snatch up a discounted pre-order while you've got the chance. We're also bringing you a 15% discount on the 4K Blu-Ray disc for Deadpool 2, big discount on a LEGO Jeep Wrangler, and over £100 off a robot vacuum. Keep your eyes peeled for some of our favourite little random deals too. Let's have it. Bayonetta 3 Pre-Orders for £42.95 Deadpool 2 4K Blu-Ray for £7.43 LEGO Jeep Wrangler Down 30% Random Deals Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - Reunion for £41.95 £110 Off This Ecovacs Robot Vacuum £25 off Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox Series X) Today's Best PS5 Deals source https://www.ign.com/articles/...

Modding Websites Take Stance Against Anti LGBTQ+ Content

Major video game modding websites Nexus Mods and ModDB have taken a public stance against anti-LGBTQ+ content, after a Spider-Man PC mod aimed to remove every Pride flag in the game. Nexus Mods, a website in which users can share their custom content for PC games , initiated the movement after an established user created a new account (branded a sock puppet) to upload the anti LGBTQ+ content, which swapped out the rainbow Pride flag for the American flag. The mod was subsequently removed. The user, who Nexus Mods called a "coward", had both their new and old account banned, with the creation of the sock puppet account making it "a very easy decision". "If this policy upsets you, if we've broken some moral code of conduct as a business that you can't accept, then please, delete your account and move on, as we will." A blog post on Nexus Mods said: "The fact the user needed to make a sock puppet like a coward to upload the mod showed thei...

Marvel Canceled an Open World Iron Man Game from the Studio Behind Just Cause

Avalanche Studios, the team behind the Just Cause series, was apparently working on an Iron Man game for multiple years before Marvel and Disney pulled the plug on the project. In an interview with MinnMax , Avalanche Studios co-founder Christofer Sundberg said the game "was in development for a couple of years" before it was ultimately canceled around 2012. It would have been an open world game where Sundberg said you'd be able to "take off and just fly anywhere." Sundberg also mentioned the abilitry to punch enemies through walls with Iron Man's repulsor gloves. In this clip from MinnMax's interview, Avalanche Studios co-founder Christofer Sundberg reveals for the first time that the creators of Just Cause were working on an open-world Iron Man game before Disney and Marvel canceled the game around 2012. https://t.co/Ups3MrWmE4 pic.twitter.com/ODeya496uE — MinnMax (@MinnMaxShow) August 17, 2022 The Just Cause games are chaotic open world romp...

Nintendo Was Working On a Controller Compatible With PlayStation and Xbox

Nintendo was working on an adaptive controller that could also be used on PlayStation and Xbox. In an interview with Inverse , former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime says that Nintendo was part of an initiative across the gaming industry to create a platform-agnostic controller. The company used Xbox’s Adaptive Controller as a “jumping-off point.” Fils-Aime explains, “Imagine an adaptive controller that you could play with your latest Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo platform. That's what we were working on three years ago.” He retired back in 2019 and isn’t sure whether the project is still underway at Nintendo, but hopes that it still is. He continues, saying, “But also, my hope is that controller — and the ability for that controller to connect with all of the various systems — is launched and shared with consumers as quickly as possible.” On the subject of accessibility, he believes that the best solution for the gaming industry is one that can work on all...

FIFA 23 Was Accidentally Sold for 6 Cents - and EA Will Honor It

EA accidentally listed its $99.99 FIFA 23 Ultimate Edition for the equivalent of six cents on the Indian Epic Games Store, and the publisher will actually honor the price for those who bought it quickly enough. As reported by PC Gamer , the mistake - which resulted in a 99.98% discount on the unreleased game - was quickly taken down, but not before several people were able to purchase it and share their elation on Twitter . Taking it on the chin, EA emailed each Epic Games Store user who did so and admitted its blunder before confirming that it won't demand the correct amount. Yooo!! Thanks @EpicGames ! ❤️ Bought fifa 23 ultimate edition for less than a dollar!! 😂❤️ #FIFA23 pic.twitter.com/4WvdSvagIu — Moin Hasan (@moin___hasan) July 20, 2022 "A few weeks back, we scored a pretty spectacular own-goal when we inadvertently offered FIFA 23 pre-purchase on the Epic Games Store at an incorrect price," the email said. "It was our mistake, and we wanted to l...

UK Daily Deals: Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox Series X) for £29.95