Wizards of the Coast is shaking things up on the battlefield. As eagle-eyed gamers were quick to notice when the first Magic: The Gathering "Bloomburrrow" spoilers surfaced over the weekend, "enters the battlefield" will no longer be a phrase used on most MTG cards. Instead, cards will simply say "enters," shortening the text that appears on the card. Magic: The Gathering designer Mark Rosewater confirmed the change on his blog, saying the verbiage will permanently change upon the release "Bloomburrow" later this summer.

"Starting with Bloomburrow, we are changing 'enters the battlefield' to 'enters' (and this will be applied retroactively in Oracle). Entering will be connected specifically with the battlefield, so cards can't, for example, 'enter the graveyard,'" Rosewater said in a Tumblr post.

so are we done with 'Enters the Battlefield?' pic.twitter.com/W4n9P931In

-- winnie! (@wildstwawberry) February 23, 2024

The game designer did confirm the original "enters the battfield" phrase will be used when necessary to help avoid confusion with players. "We will occasionally write out 'enters the battlefield' where we think we need it for clarity in a template," Rosewater added. "'Leaves the battlefield' is *not* being shortened to 'leaves' as we have used leave as a means to talk about cards leaving the graveyard, so it created ambiguity we didn't want."

The change is divisive with players, with some saying the change takes some of the themes out of the game. "Nah, I kinda hate this change. Enters the battlefield is cool and evocative. Enters is boring and lifeless," @DeclareAttacks tweeted.

@SaffronOlive added, "Enters the battlefield becoming just "enters" seems like a good change."

Magic: The Gathering's "Bloomburrow" set has a global release set for August 2nd. "Bloomburrow" prerelease kicks off at WPN Stores beginning July 26th. Before that, however, Magic: The Gathering "Outlaws of Thunder Junction" hits stores. The timeline for that release can be found below.

• Story Begins: March 18
• Debut and Previews Begin: March 26
• Card Image Gallery and Previews Complete: April 5
• MTG Arena Global Release: April 16
• Global Tabletop Release: April 19
• Prerelease Events: April 12-18
• Open House: April 19-21
• Commander Party: April 26 - May 2
• Store Championship: May 4-12
• Standard Showdown: April 19 - July 25

Helldivers 2's out-of-the-gate success was a welcome surprise for developer Arrowhead Game Studios, but it also meant that the team had trouble keeping the servers up and running during the launch period. At one point, the team even had to place a player cap to ensure that everyone who could get into the game would be able to play Helldivers 2 at an acceptable level. Those issues have mostly been ironed out, but the Helldivers 2 developer is still dealing with some of the complications that arose from the situation. Recently, the team shared in the official Helldivers 2 Discord that at least two of those issues have been addressed, and players should now have access to the Super Credits they were missing and be able to unlock new difficulty options.

Helldivers 2 Developers Announce Super Credits Fix

As mentioned, the news comes from the Helldivers 2 Discord. There, community and social media manager Katherine "Baskinator" Baskin said, "For players who were missing Super Credits, we have deployed a fix to our backend that should solve the issues. Please restart your game to ensure that it has taken effect."

In a later post, Baskin continued, "Good news! We have fixed the difficulty unlocking for a large portion of affected users, though perhaps some edge cases still remain."

If you're still having issues with either problem, your first step should be to restart your game and console of choice. That should fix any issues with missing Super Credits, but if you're still having problems unlocking difficulty options, you should consider contacting Helldivers 2's support because it sounds like your issue might be something the team is still working to iron out.

Either way, it's good to see Arrowhead delivering an update like this. It has been, understandably, frustrating for players trying to work their way through Helldivers 2 over the last few weeks. While everything is seemingly stable at this point, that doesn't make up for the missed Super Credits. Hopefully, this fix gets Helldivers 2 where it needs to be, and Arrowhead can move on to adding new content to the game.

What's Next For Helldivers 2?

We don't know exactly what Arrowhead is working on for Helldivers 2's next major content update, but we know it's coming. Remember, this is planned as a live service game, so we'll be getting new seasons and Warbonds for the foreseeable future. Recently, a Helldivers 2 player found a few potential hints in the game's backend files. This included references to the mechs that Arrowhead has been teasing and a hint about a returning faction from the original game.

Helldivers 2 is available now on PlayStation 5 and PC.

Late last night, Palworld developer Pocketpair dropped the next major update for the hit monster-catching survival game. The update included all kinds of fixes and improvements for the many Pals players have come to love, but it's one "unintentional" fix that has some players frustrated. However, it's not as simple as Pocketpair fixing something it shouldn't. In fact, the team has fixed this issue before only for players to find a workaround. We're talking, of course, about the bug that allowed players to capture Tower Bosses in Palworld and use them like you would a normal monster.

Palworld Boss-Catching Bug Fixed

As a result of various bugs that we fixed in the most recent patch, a bug that allowed players to capture the tower boss was unintentionally fixed.

We apologize for inadvertently fixing a bug.

-- Palworld (@Palworld_EN) February 27, 2024

As mentioned, this is a somewhat strange fix because Pocketpair actually took the ability to catch bosses out of the game in a previous update. When Palwolrld launched, players were able to catch all five Tower Bosses using a glitch involving a settlement guard. After that bug gained popularity, Pocketpair took it out of the game to make the Tower Bosses uncatchable again. But players are resilient and quickly figured out a new way to perform the glitch. With this update, that second method has also been axed from Palworld.

That's probably why the tweet announcing the fix was a little sarcastic from the developers. They know a chunk of the playerbase likes being able to catch the Tower Bosses, but it isn't something the team currently wants in the game. That's something that might come eventually, but for now, Pocketpair wants bosses to stay uncatchable. The cheeky "We apologize for inadvertently fixing a bug" line is likely aimed at any players upset by the change.

What's Next For Palworld?

Most players are still getting used to the new update; however, some are already looking ahead to what's next. After all, Pocketpair has big plans for Palworld, including PvP, raid bosses, and crossplay between Steam and Xbox. While Pocketpair hasn't given any indication about the order that those features are coming to Palworld over the coming months, it has dropped the first roadmap. Here's the roadmap as it currently stands:

Addressing Critical Issues

• Currently, numerous bugs have been identified, and we are prioritizing fixing those.
• Sometimes, the world date may experience rollbacks.
• The loading screen may persist when trying to load into worlds.
• ...and so on.

Improvements to Implement ASAP

• Key configuration improvements.
• Improvements to base Pal AI and pathing.

Planned Future Updates

• PvP
• Raid Bosses (End-Game Content)
• Pal Arena (PvP for Pals)
• Steam-Xbox Crossplay
• Various Xbox Feature Improvements
• Server Transfers and Migrations
• Improvements to the Building System
• New islands, Pals, Bosses, and Technologies.

Palworld is available now on Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A will bring back some familiar species, including plenty of Pokemon with ties to the Kalos region. The Pokemon Company announced a surprise new entry to the Pokemon franchise, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, which will send players back to the Kalos region first seen in Pokemon X and Y. Details about the new game are light, but a brief trailer showcased some of the Pokemon that will appear in the new Pokemon game. Most of the Pokemon seen in the trailer were either Pokemon that were originally seen in the Kalos region or have some kind of tie to Mega Evolution, which were also featured in Pokemon X and Y and was teased to make a comeback in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

Assuming that Pokemon Legends: Z-A is around the same size as Pokemon Legends: Arceus, we could expect to see a smaller Pokemon roster than other Pokemon games. While both Pokemon Sword and Shield and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet had 400 native species in the base games, Pokemon Legends: Arceus had only 242 Pokemon species, and that includes several Legendary and Mythical Pokemon.

Here are all the Pokemon (and their evolutions or pre-evolutions) that appeared in the initial trailer for Pokemon Legends: Z-A:

• Ekans
• Arbok
• Pikachu
• Raichu
• Bellsprout
• Weepinbell
• Victrebel
• Onix
• Staryu
• Starmie
• Magikarp
• Gyarados
• Eevee
• Vaporeon
• Jolteon
• Flareon
• Dratini
• Dragonair
• Dragonite
• Pichu
• Espeon
• Umbreon
• Unown
• Steelix
• Barboach
• Whiscash
• Absol
• Hippopotas
• Hippowdon
• Leafeon
• Glaceon
• Sandile
• Krokorok
• Krookodile
• Emolga
• Fletchling
• Fletchinder
• Talonflame
• Litleo
• Pyroar
• Flabebe
• Floette
• Florges
• Skiddo
• Gogoat
• Honedge
• Doublade
• Aegislash
• Sylveon
• Hawlucha
• Klefki

While it was not pictured in the original trailer, the logo for Pokemon Legends: Z-A featured a pattern similar to Zygarde and it's almost certain that it, Xerneas, and Yveltal will all appear in the new game as well.

No release date has been announced for Pokemon Legends: Z-A, but it will come out in 2025 on the Nintendo Switch.

Ubisoft is said to be remaking not one, but two popular Assassin's Creed games from the past. In recent months, rumors and reports began asserting that a remake of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag was entering development within Ubisoft. This news came as a bit of a surprise given that Ubisoft has never previously remade any other Assassin's Creed installments and opted to jump to the fourth mainline entry in the franchise in its first effort on this front. Now, if new reporting is to be believed, it seems that Black Flag isn't the only Assassin's Creed game from yesteryear that could soon be returning.

According to Insider Gaming, Ubisoft is working on a litany of projects tied to Assassin's Creed which is plans to release "by the end of the decade." The two most notable titles that are being developed at the moment include Assassin's Creed: Codename Red and Assassin's Creed: Codename Hexe, both of which will be joining the new Assassin's Creed Infinity hub. Beyond this, two remakes in the franchise are also reportedly in development and will launch in the years to come. This report then claims that the Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag remake is internally codenamed "Obsidian" while the identity of the second remake isn't yet known.

Although it's not known which entry Ubisoft might be choosing to remake outside of Black Flag, there are two potential options that likely stand out above the rest. The first is the original Assassin's Creed, which launched originally all the way back in 2007. Compared to other entries in the series, Assassin's Creed has never been remastered in any capacity, which is quite a surprise. For Ubisoft to return to this initial installment wouldn't be much of a shock, especially given the continued popularity of the game.

The second option is then likely that of Assassin's Creed 2. The reason that Ubisoft would look to remake AC2 above any other entries is because this original sequel is arguably the most beloved game in the entire Assassin's Creed saga. Assassin's Creed 2 eventually paved the way for Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Assassin's Creed: Revelations, all of which told the complete story of Ezio Auditore. If Ubisoft did choose to remake Assassin's Creed 2, perhaps it could also fold in the stories from Brotherhood and Revelations to create one massive game. This is nothing more than pure speculation for the time being, though.

How do you feel about Ubisoft looking to remake multiple Assassin's Creed games? And which entry in addition to AC4: Black Flag would you like to see get the remake treatment? Let me know either down in the comments or reach out to me on social media at @MooreMan12.

Since releasing the first movie back in 2007, the Paranormal Activity franchise has released six more movies and branched out into comics and virtual reality. Today, the franchise announced plans to extend its reach even further with an upcoming video game from the team at DreadXP. We don't know many specifics about Paranormal Activity: Found Footage, but DreadXP did reveal the first teaser today, giving Found Footage a 2026 release window. We also learned that Paranormal Activity: Found Footage is coming from the team that gave horror fans The Mortuary Assistant. We'll have to wait for more information, but knowing Found Footage has that pedigree behind it has left fans excited.

Paranormal Activity: Found Footage Teaser Revealed

From @dsdigitaldev @paramountco, and DreadXP...

Paranormal Activity pic.twitter.com/4OxrXtdvBh

-- DreadXP Games (@DreadXPGames) February 27, 2024

Again, this teaser didn't reveal much. However, in an interview with Variety, Epic Pictures CEO and DreadXP producer Patrick Ewald said, "The films are steeped in rich lore and creative scares, and under the stewardship of creative director Brian Clarke, DreadXP's Paranormal Activity video game will honor those core tenets and offer horror fans one of our most terrifying games yet."

Clark also said, "f you thought The Mortuary Assistant was scary, we're taking what we learned during the development of that title and cranking it up with a more reactive and horrifying haunting system. It's going to be intense!"

Considering how much fans loved The Mortuary Assistant, that's high praise. That game used a procedurally generated story to keep things fresh for every player. By remembering the vignettes seen in one playthrough and mixing them in the next, the game kept fans on their toes with its scares. If the team can take what it learned by making that game and expand it within the Paranormal Activity world, it might have another hit on its hands.

Unfortunately, we probably won't be seeing much more out of the game anytime soon. With a 2026 release window, Paranormal Activity: Found Footage is at least two years away if development goes perfectly. We might not see it pop up until 2025, though development setbacks could push that back.

The good news for Paranormal Activity fans is that they will have an eighth movie to enjoy in the meantime. Paranormal Activity: The Other Side is scheduled to release on October 28th, 2023. After the last movie in the franchise, Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, had success launching on Paramount+, it appears that the team hopes to continue that success while also bringing back elements from Paranormal Activity 3 and 4.

Sony seems quite pleased with its latest handheld, the PlayStation Portal. Released near the end of 2023, the Portal was pitched as an accessory for the PlayStation 5 that would be used solely for remote play purposes. Following the dismal performance of Sony's last dedicated handheld, the PlayStation Vita, some fans inferred that Sony might be releasing the Portal as a way of gauging interest in whether or new on-the-go platform might even be desired. And while it's still early, all signs point to the PS Portal being something that could shape the future of the PlayStation ecosystem.

In a conversation with Game File, PlayStation VP Hiromi Wakai opened up for the first time about how the PlayStation Portal has gone so far. While Wakai didn't share specific numbers when it comes to sales, they did say that the Portal has surpassed expectations that Sony had for it in terms of demand. As a result, it can be safely assumed that the platform is selling at a pretty high rate and may become an even larger part of PlayStation's strategy moving forward.

"Although we don't have any numbers to share, the demand has continued to exceed our expectations," Wakai said. "The production is running smoothly and we've been shipping more units consistently. We will continue to bring more units to the market, so please stay tuned."

Elsewhere in the interview, Wakai addressed the possibility of the PS Portal one day being used to play games natively rather than streaming solely from a PS5. Wakai declined to say anything definitive on the matter and said that Sony wouldn't be talking about future plans for the time being. Still, given the early popularity of the PlayStation Portal combined with the success of the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck, one would think that Sony might rethink its previous approach to the handheld market and could look to take a larger plunge in this space in the years ahead.

What do you think about the PlayStation Portal so far? And are you surprised that this new PS5 add-on has been such a hit with PlayStation fans? Be sure to let me know either down in the comments or reach out to me on social media at @MooreMan12.

A tabletop adaptation of Dying Light: The Board Game has launched on Kickstarter. Glass Cannon Unplugged has launched a new Kickstarter campaign for a 1-4 player tabletop version of Dying Light based on the popular zombie survival video game franchise. The new game puts players in the position of Runners, who explore the city of Villedor and try to avoid the various Infected haunting the city. In a twist on the zombie board game genre, Dying Light: The Board Game includes 3D terrain to help reflect the unique parkour style of the original video games and also incorporates the day/night cycle from the game. Other core gameplay mechanics include dice allocation and push-your-luck mechanics. As of press time, Dying Light: The Board Game has already passed $200,000 in pledges.

Originally released in 2015, Dying Light is a survival horror franchise in which zombies are slow and uncoordinated during the day, but become increasingly aggressive and dangerous at night. The franchise is also unique for incorporating parkour into its gameplay, with the player jumping from building to building and generally traversing the terrain using it. To date, Dying Light has had two main series games and one spin-off. A third game for the franchise has not been announced as of early 2024, although there was a seven year gap between the first and second games. Dying Light is developed by Techland, which is owned by Tencent.

The board game is being developed by Glass Cannon Unplugged, which has also developed board games based on Apex Legends and Frostpunk, as well as an upcoming board game based on Diablo.

Players can get a copy of Dying Light: The Board Game with a EUR60 pledge (about $66) and can obtain a deluxe edition that comes with more infected miniatures. Potential backers have until March 20th to back the campaign. You can check out additional details about the board game at their Kickstarter page.

Yuri Lowenthal, the actor behind Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Marvel's Spider-Man and Marvel's Spider-Man 2, has now revealed what he knows about a potential third entry in the series. It shouldn't come as much of a shock that Insomniac Games will likely look to create Marvel's Spider-Man 3 in the future. Not only did the conclusion of the most recent installment come with some pretty big cliffhangers, but the series continues to be one of the most profitable that PlayStation has in its lineup. Despite this, Lowenthal himself says that he still hasn't spoken with anyone at Insomniac about Spider-Man 3 and doesn't yet know where the studio will take the franchise next.

**Spoilers for Marvel's Spider-Man 2 are mentioned below.**

In a discussion with Variety, Lowenthal opened up about his own take on the ending of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and what it might mean for the future. Although the game's conclusion (and subsequent comments from Insomniac) suggests that Peter Parker might now be written out in favor of Miles Morales, Lowenthal is hesitant to believe that this will actually be the case. When it comes to Marvel's Spider-Man 3, specifically, Lowenthal also said he hasn't read a script of any sort for the next game as it's likely still being written.

"There have been some comments recently that were picked up to infer that Peter's out and Miles is in," Lowenthal said. "While I think that Peter would love to believe that he can just turn it off and not be Spider-Man anymore and live a completely normal life, I don't think that's what's going to happen now."

"I haven't read a script yet. They're probably still working on it," he went on to say about a new game. "But I don't think that's the last we're gonna see Peter. I think it's a cool place to leave it. It's a cool change for him. I think 100% he trusts Miles. Miles has really stepped up and he's like, 'Oh, maybe I can get a little break.'"

In the near term, Insomniac is likely more focused on finishing Marvel's Wolverine, which is set to be the next big release from the studio on PlayStation 5. Beyond this, Insomniac's plans for the next 10 years happened to leak in a massive data breach that came about at the end of 2023. Assuming that these plans don't change in the wake of layoffs that have today hit PlayStation, it's safe to say that Marvel's Spider-Man 3 will eventually see the light of day even though it hasn't yet been confirmed.

Last week, developer Electronic Arts dropped the Fantasy FC promo into EA Sports FC 24 Ultimate Team. This promo introduced several live cards into the mode, which can be upgraded based on real-world performances. As part of that content drop, EA Sports FC 24 brought new versions of Heroes to the game. If those cards get upgraded even further, they'll be very powerful, so EA has added a new Hero Evolution to EA Sports FC 24, allowing players to upgrade one of their Base Heroes relatively cheaply. Below, you'll find a full breakdown of the Base Hero Catch Up Evolution and a list of the best players to use it on in EA FC 24.

What is the EAFC 24 Base Hero Catch Up Evolution?

Unfortunately, this is a paid Evolution. You'll need to shell out either 125,000 Coins or 750 FP Points. That's disappointing news for anyone hoping to get a cheap upgrade, but you can get some nice cards out of this one. Here are the requirements you'll need to keep in mind:

• Max Overall: 88
• Max Jumping: 93
• Max Positioning: 92
• Max Stand Tackle: 91
• Position Must Not Be CDM
• Rarity: Heroes
• Max PlayStyles+: 1

Once you finish all of the Objectives, you'll earn +4 Shooting, +2 Passing, +6 Physical, +2 Overall, +2 Pace, +3 Dribbling, +2 Defending, and the Tiki Taka PlayStyle+.

The Best Players for the Base Hero Catch Up Evolution

There are some great options here, but keep in mind that many of them are going to require a significant Coin investment if you don't already own them. We would suggest you not run out and buy any of these players. If you have them in your club, consider using them, but otherwise, you can probably skip this one. Here's the list of the best options:

• Paulo Futre - LaLiga
• Wesley Sneijder - Serie A
• Saeed Al Owairan - ROSHN Saudi League
• Jay Jay Okocha - Premier League
• Carlos Tevez - Premier League

Futre is the clear winner here. His pace and dribbling both go above 95, meaning he's going to be an incredible player on the wing. Of course, you'd prefer to have his Fantasy FC card because it also has five-star Skill Moves. However, that card goes for nearly one million Coins on the market, making this a much cheaper option.

Sneijder is a solid option if you need an attacking midfielder. His passing is solid and that five-star Weak Foot will come in handy in front of the net. Okocha is very similar, but he brings a bit more pace and dribbling, trading the five-star Weak Foot for five-star Skills. Al Owairan becomes a great winger with blinding pace and solid dribbling. Finally, Tevez is a decent striker with this upgrade, though it is unfortunate that he only has a three-star Weak Foot.

EA Sports FC 24 is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms. The Base Hero Catch Up Evolution expires on March 12th.

The X-Men '97 animated series is finally on the way, and there are plenty of action figures out there to get fans hyped. However, if you want to go even further into the '90s nostalgia, Arcade1Up has you covered with the Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 X-Men '97 Edition cabinet. It comes with 8 classic Marvel fighting games along with online multiplayer, dual speakers, two player controls, a 17-inch display, and a light-up faux coin door for that extra touch of authenticity. There's even some pretty fantastic artwork on the cabinet itself.

Pre-orders for the X-Men '97 arcade cabinet are live here on Amazon priced at $499.99 with a release date set for April 25th (you won't be charged until it ships). That's not a bad price as far as Arcade1Up cabinets are concerned. Their original Marvel vs. Capcom 2 cabinet was priced at $600 for example. Odds are it will sell out, but restocks are expected, so keep tabs on that link for updates. The 8 Marvel games included in the cabinet are as follows:

• X-Men vs. Street Fighter
• Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems
• Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
• X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse
• Marvel vs. Capcom 2
• X-Men: Children of the Atom
• Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes
• Marvel Super Heroes

When Does X-Men '97 Premiere?

The X-Men '97 series premieres on Disney+ on March 20th. X-Men '97 features the voices of original X-Men: The Animated Series cast members Cal Dodd, Lenore Zann, George Buza, Alison Sealy-Smith, Chris Potter, Catherine Disher, Adrian Hough, Alyson Court, and Christopher Britton. The X-Men team includes Wolverine (Dodd), Storm (Smith), Rogue (Zann), Beast (Buza), Cyclops (Ray Chase), Jean Grey (Jennifer Hale), Jubilee (Holly Chou), Bishop, and Morph.

"This is the first X-Men title produced by Marvel Studios," Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Studios' Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, said when announcing X-Men '97. "What an amazing first step to reintroduce audiences to the X-Men with a look at one of the most pinnacle eras of the X-Men comics, which was the '90s."

Added Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, VP of Animation at Marvel Studios, "As an animated show, the original X-Men was the forerunner to some amazing action series. Everyone that is making X-Men '97, top-down, is a fan. On this project, instinctually, we knew exactly what this is. To bring this series forward and pick up that baton, and not just keep running at the same pace, but to really elevate. That's the responsibility."

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are heading back to consoles and PCs again with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants announced this week. This new game scheduled to release on April 23rd isn't wholly new after all and is instead a new version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game released years ago by Raw Thrills. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants will come to the Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC platforms when it releases in April, and its development will be handled by Cradle Games and Raw Thrills.

If you never played the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game first released in arcades in 2017, the trailer below shows off a bit of what it'll look like, though it should look familiar to many other Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles you may have played due to its side-scrolling, beat-'em-up nature.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade Game Returns

While this new version of the game is indeed based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game, the arcade game in question was also inspired by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series from 2012. As such, this game will feature the voices of Seth Green, Sean Astin, Rob Paulsen, Greg Cipes, IGN reported, with each of those voicing the Ninja Turtles during that show's run.

New stages and boss fights will be added in addition to what was already in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game, so there'll be more for returning players to check out. While Raw Thrills and Cradle Games are developing Wrath of the Mutants, it's being published by GameMill Entertainment, a publisher which has not put out a dedicated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game yet but has worked with several Nickelodeon properties by publishing games like Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway and Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 among others.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles themselves have been having a bit of a second wind when it comes to video games, too, with the Ninja Turtles getting their own games while also appearing in others. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is one example of that where the Ninja Turtles returned as fighters, but other games like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge also went over extremely well with fans.

Moving forward, we know that the movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem will be getting a sequel in the form of a video game that doesn't yet have a release date. There's also a video game adaptation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin in the works from THQ Nordic. Fortnite also just recently played host to the Ninja Turtles once more as new crossover content was added to the game.

Pokemon Go is getting a crossover with Pokemon Horizons: The Series, featuring everyone's favorite Pikachu. Today, Pokemon Go announced a new crossover event celebrating the pending release of Pokemon Horizons: The Series in the US. On March 5th, Pokemon Go will launch the Pok?mon Horizons: The Series Celebration Event, which will include the debut of Charcadet and its evolved forms Armarouge and Ceruledge. Additionally, a Pikachu wearing a Captain Hat (matching the look of the anime series' Captain Pikachu) will also be available to catch. This Pikachu will have a new to Pokemon Go move - Volt Tackle, a move with 90 power that also lowers Defense when used in Trainer Battles.

Charcadet has two unique evolution conditions, both tied to Charcadet being a player's buddy Pokemon. Players can evolve Charcadet into Armarouge by having it as a Buddy while battling and defeating 30 Psychic-type Pokemon, and it can evolve into Ceruledge by defeating 30 Ghost-type Pokemon.

During the duration of the event, players will also be able to hatch Charcadet from 2 KM, 5 KM, and 10 KM eggs. After the event ends, Charcadet will hatch from 10 KM eggs only. Players can also encounter anime protagonists Liko and Roy via photobombs during the event as well.

Pokemon Horizons: The Series is a new Pokemon anime that notably does not start Ash Ketchum. The series focuses on Liko and Roy, two young trainers who join the Rising Volt Tacklers, a group of adventurers, as they both explore mysteries tied to inherited items. The new anime series has already debuted in Japan and the UK and is set to launch in the United States on Netflix on March 7th.

Street Fighter 6 has finally added fan-favorite fighter Ed to the hit fighting game, bringing the boxer and former Balrog prot?g? to the mix. With new a fighter comes a substantial new balance patch to adjust nearly every character in the game. If you're playing Street Fighter 6 at a high level, you'll want to dig into these new patch notes to understand which characters are going to give you the best chance to win. Early reports suggest that JP has been hit the hardest, but it might be too early to tell. It's also worth noting that developer Capcom says another, even larger update is coming soon, which will adjust every character in the game.

The team had three objectives in mind with this update. The first is to "improve characters that could not fully express their individual potential." To meet this objective, the team has targeted Jamie and Ryu to give them slight buffs and make them a bit more playable. Next, the team wanted to "improve techniques that were clearly difficult to use." Finally, Capcom wanted to "weaken elements that controlled an opponent's action too severely." For that, they adjusted things like Ken's throw because it was creating too much pressure.

Below, you'll find the full patch notes for the latest battle balance patch. Street Fighter 6 is available now on Playstation, Xbox, and PC platforms.

Street Fighter 6 Ed Balance Update Patch Notes

Patch notes for the battle balance changes can be found below.

? Read - https://t.co/csw3GJbqZw https://t.co/4xYCyYG2cq

-- Street Fighter (@StreetFighter) February 27, 2024

With this update we've added some balance adjustments to a few characters. These were made with the following objectives in mind. 1. Improve characters that could not fully express their individual potential. 2. Improve techniques that were clearly difficult to use. 3. Weaken elements that controlled an opponent's action too severely.

1. Improve characters that could not fully express their individual potential.

Most of these adjustments focused on Jamie and Ryu. Jamie is a character whose potential improves the higher his drink level gets, but there was a lot of work required to unlock that potential, and it was difficult for him to show what he was capable of. For this update, we looked to alleviate this issue by increasing the number of ways he can increase his drink level. While Ryu looks like a character that has been carefully balanced when viewed in a vacuum, he has very few elements to his gameplan that stick out, and in the "standard character" category, his individuality is a bit thin. To address this point, we've made adjustments so that it's easier to make use of his Hadoken, and increased the number of ways players can incorporate his Hashogeki into their gameplan.

2. Improve techniques that were clearly difficult to use.

We've improved techniques that were difficult to connect with in combos or were unreliable as anti-air techniques.

3. Weaken elements that controlled an opponent's action too severely.

We primarily looked at techniques that were very strong as defensive measures for characters. We felt that in the neutral and while on defense, there were some techniques that were low risk but yielded a high return. Therefore we've weakened those techniques that controlled an opponent's action too severely. Regarding Ken's throw, while this is an offensive attack, he winds up in an ideal situation no matter where he is, which creates too much pressure, particularly for characters that don't have any invincible attacks. In order to alleviate this situation, when his throw lands in the corner of the screen, we've made it so that he is in a slightly worse situation after the throw. We feel that the adjustments made during this update cover more area than previous battle adjustments, but we looked to even out the balance of the game without changing anything dramatically. This means that there are some characters that have absolutely no changes, and some characters that were only weakened, but we are looking at performing an overall balance adjustment in the future that will also affect characters not touched with this update. We appreciate your patience as we work towards that.

All Fighters

Modern Controls

Fixed an issue where if a player using Modern Controls would perform a special move using the SP button, scaling would not be applied to that special move if its activation overlapped with screen darkening from an opponent's Drive Rush.

Modern and Dynamic Controls

Added an option to allow for normal throws to be mapped to its own button under Control Settings. Please note that it will be automatically assigned to the LT Button as a default setting.

Armor

Fixed an issue where when an attack with super armor properties, like a Drive Impact, etc., is in the middle of a hit stop due to absorbing an attack, an attack with Armor Break properties would not cause an armor break in that situation.

Drive Rush

Fixed an issue where if both players performed a Drive Rush at the same time, one player's movement would be 1 frame slower.

Perfect Parry

Fixed an issue where under specific conditions, a Perfect Parry would occur even though the Drive Parry absorbed the attack after the 3rd frame of its start up.

Input Buffering

Fixed an issue with the input buffer, as the input buffer time for a reversal after blocking an attack should change depending on the block's recovery, but for Drive Reversals and some other attacks, it was not properly set.

LUKE

Crouching Medium Punch

1. 3 frames of recovery added when the attack misses. 2. The size of the feet hurtboxes between frames 6 - 24 has been expanded. 3. The size of the arm hurtbox from frame 19 onwards has been expanded.

Aerial Flash Knuckle

1. The landing recovery for when this move is performed at the peak of a jump and misses has been extended by 7 frames. 2. Changed the trajectory for when this move is performed at the peak of a jump and misses. 3. The size of the feet hurtboxes has been expanded from frame 16 until the end of the move. Note: No changes have been made to the charged version.

Vulcan Blast (SA1)

The size of the body hurtbox between frames 1 - 5 has been expanded.

JAMIE

Back Shaver (Forward Throw)

This forward throw has had a follow-up attack added that raises your Drink Level. Continue to hold down the throw input after the throw connects to perform the follow-up.

Breakin' (SA1)

1. The damage of the normal version has been changed from 2100 to 2200. 2. The damage of the follow-up version has been changed from 1750 to 1850. Note: The damage now matches the Drink Level 2 version of the move. 3. Pushback on hit is no longer applied when this move lands on an opponent in the corner. 4. Will now down an opponent for 5 frames longer than before.

The Devil's Song (SA2)

If the Drink Level has been raised prior to activation of this move, the Drink Level will now return to that value when the effect of this move ends.

Overdrive Tenshin

1. Fixed an issue where the collision pushbox on a knocked down opponent would disappear if there was no follow-up attack after the attack connects. 2. Fixed an issue where the opponent's knockdown time was shorter than normal version when Overdrive Tenshin is used in a combo but no follow-up attack is performed.

RYU

Overdrive Shoryuken

Changed the first hit's effect from a knockback to a blowback.

Solar Plexus Strike

The proximity block detection hitbox has been expanded to the edge of the attack's hitbox between frames 2 - 18. Note: If an opponent is inputting a direction away from you while in the proximity block detection hitbox area then they will block, rather than move away from you.

Light Hashogeki

1. Recovery on block has been adjusted from -4 frames to -3 frames. 2. The knockback on block has been decreased. 3. The knockback on block while in burnout has been increased. 4. The distance covered between the end of the active frames and the end of recovery has been decreased.

Medium Hashogeki

1. The attack hitbox has been expanded forward. 2. The projectile clash hitbox has been expanded forward.

Heavy Hashogeki

1. The attack hitbox has been expanded forward. 2. The projectile clash hitbox has been expanded forward. 3. The knockback on block has been decreased. 4. The distance covered between the end of the active frames and the end of recovery has been decreased.

Overdrive Hashogeki

1. The attack hitbox has been expanded forward. 2. The projectile clash hitbox has been expanded forward. 3. The knockback on block has been decreased. 4. The knockback on hit has been decreased.

Denjin Charge Hashogeki

1. The attack hitbox has been expanded forward. 2. The projectile clash hitbox has been expanded forward. 3. The knockback on block has been decreased. 4. The damage of the Overdrive version has been changed from 600 to 1000. 5. The distance covered between the end of the active frames and the end of recovery has been decreased.

Hadoken

The size of the hurtbox around the arms has been reduced.

Shinku Hadoken (SA1)

The size of the hurtbox around the arms has been reduced.

KEN

Standing Light Punch

1. The size of the arm hurtbox between frames 2 - 6 has been expanded. 2. The size of the arm hurtbox between frames 7 - 8 has been decreased.

Knee Strikes (Forward Throw)

Has been adjusted so that if this throw connects on an opponent in the corner some distance will be placed between the players after the throw finishes.

Overdrive Aerial Tatsumaki Senpu-kyaku

1. The landing recovery for when this attack misses has been extended by 7 frames. 2. The collision pushbox has been adjusted to make it more difficult for opponents to jump over this move.

ZANGIEF

Overdrive Double Lariat

1. Adjusted so that the second attack hits opponents not in the air 1 frame earlier. 2. Adjusted so that the second attack knocks down the opponent for an additional 1 frame if it hits when they are not in the air. 3. Adjusted the hit reaction to the first attack when it hits an opponent not in the air so that it is possible for SA3 to connect after. 4. Adjusted so that the first attack's blow back distance is reduced when hitting a mid-air opponent. 5. The distance traveled initially when the move is performed has been increased.

Aerial Russian Slam (SA1)

The hitbox has been expanded downward.

Cyclone Lariat (Super Art Level 2)

Extended the collision pushbox upwards while the screen is dark. Please note that due to the change to Overdrive Double Lariat's blowback effect, this should mitigate situations where it's difficult to perform combos.

CHUN-LI

The size of the hurtboxes around the arms and legs between frames 2 - 8 have been expanded.

Aerial Hundred Lightning Kicks

Now has an initial scaling value of 20%.

DEE JAY

Funky Slicer

1. The knockback on block has been decreased. 2. The size of the hurtbox after the active frames has been expanded.

DHALSIM

Yoga Teleport

Fixed an issue where certain inputs would cause Dhalsim's reappearance position to be different from normal.

Heavy Yoga Flame

Fixed an issue where if the attack landed as a Counter or Punish Counter, the 2nd hit of the attack would deal the same damage as a normal hit.

BLANKA

Modern Controls Lightning Beast (Super Art Level 2)

Fixed an issue where Blanka would perform Electric Thunder instead of Vertical Rolling attack when Super Art Level 2 is active or the player is charging down, and cancels a normal attack with down-back+SP Button.

Ground Shave Cannonball (Super Art Level 3/CA)

Fixed an issue where the attack's reach would extend forward more than usual when performed in specific situations.

MANON

En Haut

Adjusted so that this move has greater inertia when performed out of a Drive Rush.

?toile (Super Art Level 2)

1. The 1st and 2nd hit now have a blowback effect when hitting a mid-air opponent, and following attacks now connect easier on the opponent. 2. After the 2nd hit, if the 3rd attack does not connect, the opponent's knockdown period will be extended. With this change, even if the 3rd attack doesn't connect, it will be more difficult for opponents to counter attack Manon.

JP

Stribog (Modern Controls)

When JP's Embrace cannot be performed because one of his projectile is on-screen, pressing Back+SP Button in Modern Controls would cause nothing to be performed. To offset this, JP's Neutral+SP Button special move, Stribog, will be performed instead.

Standing Heavy Punch

1. The size of the foot hurtbox during the active frames has been expanded. 2. The size of the hurtbox for after the active frames has been expanded.

Crouching Heavy Punch

The invincibility to mid-air attacks that this move applied to the upper body has been removed.

Normal/Overdrive Amnesia

1. Adjusted the immediate scaling value from 15% to 60%. 2. Now has an initial scaling value of 50%. 3. Performing SA3 on a knocked back opponent will now cause the projectile generated from catching an opponent's attack with this move to detonate quicker. 4. After successfully catching an opponent's attack with this move, JP's SA gauge will now not increase until either the generated projectile is gone, or until the current combo ends. 5. The Drive Gauge increase for Drive Parrying or Perfect Parrying the Overdrive version of this move has been changed from 2500 x 2 to 5000 x 2. 6. Fixed an issue resulting in unintended behavior for the projectile when on the edge of the screen. 7. Fixed an issue where the projectile would not disappear when this move clashed with an opponent's SA.

Normal/Overdrive Departure

1. Now has an initial scaling value of 20%. 2. The Drive Gauge increase for Drive Parrying or Perfect Parrying the normal version of this move has been changed from 5000 to 7500. 3. The Drive Gauge increase for Drive Parrying or Perfect Parrying the Overdrive version of this move has been changed from 2500 x 2 to 3500 x 2.

RASHID

After Wall Jumps

Fixed an issue where performing certain techniques after a wall jump would not put Rashid into a Forced Knockdown state even after getting hit with an attack.

1. The size of the hurtbox around the arms between frames 2 - 8 has been expanded. 2. The size of the hurtbox around the arms between frames 9 - 11 has been decreased.

Overdrive Spinning Mixer

The third attack is now invincible to mid-air attacks until the end of its active frames.

Ysaar (Super Art Level 2)

Fixed an issue where the whirlwind wouldn't display as intended when lingering in its final stage.

A.K.I.

Standing Medium Punch

The number of active frames for this attack has been adjusted from 3 frames to 5 frames.

Crouching Light Punch

The attack hitbox has been expanded forward.

Overdrive Snake Step

Fixed an issue where the normal version of Snake Step would be performed instead of the Overdrive Version when inputting Back+AUTO+SP Button while A.K.I.'s Nightshade Pulse is on the screen.

Pokemon Sleep is introducing Legendary Pokemon to the app, starting at the end of next month. Today, Pokemon Sleep announced that it would be adding in Raikou as the first of three Legendary Pokemon coming to the app. Raikou will be available as part of a new Raikou Research event in which players collect samples of Raikou mane and exchange it for Raikou Incense, which attracts the Pokemon and allows players to research Raikou's various sleep styles. As part of the event, Electric-type helper Pokemon will be particularly effective, so players are recommended to raise their Electric-type Pokemon to help them get ready. Pokemon Sleep is also planning to add some rewards to help beginners to Pokemon Sleep participate in the Raikou event and befriend Raikou as well.

During the Pokemon Presents, Pokemon Sleep confirmed that Suicune and Entei would also be added in future events. These three mark the first Legendary Pokemon introduced to Pokemon Sleep since the app launched last summer.

Pokemon Sleep has slowly but surely added more events and new content over the course of the last several months, with one Pokemon or Pokemon line added about once per month. The app focuses on a person's sleep habits, with the app recording and measuring sleep either through a person's phone or the Pokemon Go Plus+ device, and then assigning a numerical score to it based on length and quality. Pokemon are attracted to a user's weekly research site based on a combination of a person's nightly sleep score and the power of a nearby Snorlax, who players feed throughout the week.

Pokemon also announced two new games - Pokemon Legends: Z-A, a new installment of the Pokemon Legends franchise set in Kalos, and Pokemon Trading Card Game: Pocket, a new mobile app focused on collecting digital Pokemon cards.

The set will also include a guidebook that teaches new practitioners how to use and interpret the cards. In other words, it's a lot like a Tarot deck, and exists outside of the game itself. It's intended for fans that are interested in going beyond the game with a deep (even spiritual) dive into the lore of MTG. We also expect that the artwork will be gorgeous, which will make it a great addition to any MTG collection.

If this sounds like like a journey that you want to take, pre-orders for the Magic: The Gathering Oracle Deck are live here on Amazon now priced at $22.49 (10% off) with a release date set fro May 21st. Note that you won't be charged until the deck ships, and if the discount increases between the time that you pre-order and the launch date, you'll automatically get the lower price.

From the official description: "From the team behind The Dungeons & Dragons Tarot Deck comes an officially licensed oracle deck comprising 52 all-new illustrations that celebrate the characters, creatures, and lore of the world's largest trading card game, Magic: The Gathering. Inspired by Theros, the plane where monsters prevail, mortals endure, and heroes ascend, this oracle deck features art of Jace, the Planeswalker; Hythonia, the legendary gorgon; and well-known creatures such as the Pegasus, Chimera, Sirens, and more.

With stunning illustrations, The Magic: The Gathering Oracle Deck also features a guidebook that introduces readers to the practice of oracle cards, including instructions on how to use and interpret the cards and descriptions of each card image. Both denizens of Theros and practitioners of oracle cards hold belief as a powerful tool that we can use to create our reality, and with this oracle deck you'll be invited to explore new realms of meaning."

A new game in PlayStation's iconic Twisted Metal series has reportedly been scrapped following layoffs at the gaming giant. For multiple years now, reports have claimed that PlayStation was in the process of looking to bring back Twisted Metal. This revival in the gaming space was seemingly made in tandem with Peacock's live-action adaptation of Twisted Metal, which debuted on the streaming platform last year. Now, it sounds as though this TV series is going to remain the only thing tied to the franchise that will be coming about in the foreseeable future.

According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, Sony opted to end work on a new Twisted Metal game that has been in development at studio Firesprite in recent years. Firesprite is one of several PlayStation studios that were impacted by these new layoffs at Sony with others including Naughty Dog, Insomniac Games, and London Studio, which was shuttered entirely. This new Twisted Metal project was never formally revealed by PlayStation, but it is said that the game was more live-service in nature compared to previous installments.

Long before its development was scrapped, this new Twisted Metal reboot was met with a number of additional struggles. Back in 2022, the game was originally in the works at Lucid Games, the studio behind Destruction AllStars. For one reason or another, Sony ended up removing Lucid from the Twisted Metal project and then passed it off to Firesprite, which Sony acquired in 2021. After having worked on this new Twisted Metal title for the past two years, Sony then opted to today end the game's development as a whole rather than continue further.

Moving forward, it's hard to know what the future might hold for Twisted Metal. The last entry in the series that PlayStation released was 2012's Twisted Metal which came to PS3. Since that time, PlayStation has ported some of the older Twisted Metal games from PS1 to PS5 and PS4 to make them accessible on modern platforms. Beyond this, though, the only plans that are now known to be in the works with the Twisted Metal IP at large are tied to Season 2 of the Peacock series which is expected to arrive in 2025.

PlayStation should be announcing the free PlayStation Plus games for March 2024 very soon, but ahead of that official reveal, we may have already learned of one of the free PlayStation games that'll be given away next month. That game is Sifu, the kung fu brawler that'll just recently celebrated its two-year anniversary after first launching on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC platforms on February 8, 2022. Sifu will apparently be the headliner for the free PlayStation Plus games planned for March, but it's not yet known what the other two PS5 and PS4 games will be.

This PlayStation Plus leak comes from reputable insider billbil-kun who's pretty much always spot on with these sorts of leaks, particularly when they deal with PlayStation Plus games. The insider reported that Sifu will be available for all tiers of PlayStation Plus subscribers and that the giveaway should start on March 5th but had no knowledge as to what the other free PlayStation Plus games will look like.

Sifu Free for PlayStation Plus Subscribers

Given that Sifu was first a console exclusive on the PS4 and PS5 before it eventually came to the Nintendo Switch, it wouldn't be too surprising to see it given away as a PlayStation Plus perk around two years later. Developed by Sloclap, the game is entirely based around brawler-style combat with an emphasis put on age-based progression as the protagonist ages each time they die and are brought back to life again. Parries, special moves, and environmental combat are some of the features Sifu's combat system employs outside of hammering enemies with more basic attacks.

"Your enemies don't wait their turn, and they don't broadcast their intent," an overview of the combat system in Sifu explained. "Dodge, parry, strike, use combos and be like water making its way through captivating environments. Learn how to master your art, whether by fighting through the underbelly of a nightclub, scrambling through a refined gallery to avoid getting surrounded, or vertically navigating a towering office building."

Over the course of its post-launch development cycle, Sifu got a number of updates that cleaned up the game while also adding new content, too. Some of those updates added and expanded on new features like the Arena Mode, a players where Sifu players could go to text their combat skills through additional modifiers and challenges once they're looking for a new trial after beating the main story a few times over. Sifu got one final content update in September 2023 that dealt with the Arena Mode and more.

Sifu is available in both a Standard Edition and a Deluxe Edition, though according to the insider, it'll be the Standard Edition that's given away for PlayStation Plus subscribers in March for both the PS4 and PS5. PlayStation should share an official announcement soon confirming the news while also announcing what the other two free PlayStation Plus games will be.

Pokemon Day 2024 is here, and there will be plenty of exciting reveals for fans to celebrate. Naturally, there will also be deals, and one of the best offers happening this year includes discounts of up to 60% on a huge collection of apparel, accessories, and more. There are even some huge discounts to be had on coveted Pokemon Squishmallows.

These Pokemon Day 2024 sales are happening here at Hot Topic and here at BoxLunch until the end of the day today, February 27th. Below you'll find some direct links to standout items in the sale.

• Pokemon Squishmallows Deals / 20% - 40% off - See at Hot Topic
• Pokemon Trading Card Game Deals / 30% - 40% off - See at BoxLunch
• Pokemon Backpacks / 20%- 50% off - See at Hot Topic / BoxLunch
• Pokemon Hoodies and Sweaters / Up to 60% off - See at Hot Topic / BoxLunch
• Pokemon Tees - Up to 60% off / See at Hot Topic / BoxLunch
• Pokemon Pins - 60% off / See at BoxLunch

In other Pokemon Day deals, a huge sale on Pokemon plush and figure sets from Jazwares is happening today on Amazon. The collection includes figures in plush in numerous sizes with big discounts, and you can shop it all right here on Amazon while the sale lasts. Note that these deals are of the lightning variety, so they will disappear when 100% claimed or when the sale ends. We've picked out a handful of highlights from the sale below to get you started.

• Pok?mon Paldea First Partner Plush 3 Pack (43% off ) - See on Amazon
• Pokemon Battle Figure 8-Pack (21% off) - See on Amazon
• Pok?mon Fire and Water Battle Pack (27% off) - See on Amazon
• Pokemon 4.5-Inch Battle Figure 4 Pack (23% off) - See on Amazon
• Pokemon Paldea Battle Figure 4 Pack (13% off) - See on Amazon
• Pok?mon Battle Figure 2 Pack Blastoise & Charmander (13% off) - See on Amazon

What is Pokemon Day?

February 27th, 1996 was the day Pokemon Red and Green first released on the original Game Boy in Japan. That marked the official start of the franchise, and The Pokemon Company celebrates Pokemon Day as part of a yearly event. At this time, the lighting of the Empire State Building is the only announced event for Pokemon Day 2024, but we should expect to hear more over the next two weeks. Typically, The Pokemon Company releases a Pokemon Presents livestream on Pokemon Day, or in the days leading up to it. This is where The Pokemon Company typically makes new game announcements, while also providing updates on existing titles like Pokemon Unite, Pokemon Go, and Pokemon Masters EX. You can keep up with all of the latest Pokemon Day news right here.

Elden Ring is one of the biggest video game drops in recent years, and now the manga community is ready to embrace the hit title. After all, the team at Kadokawa has announced the launch of Elden Ring Become Lord. The web comic will go live on March 29th in Japan, and it will feature Hand Punch at the helm as artist.

Currently, Elden Ring Become Lord is slated to go live in Japan through Tatesc Comics. A limited number of print copies will also be published by Kadokawa. At this time, the publisher says the web comic will only be released in Japanese, but other translations could be in the work in the future.

As for the manga itself, Elden Ring Become Lord will feature a member of the Tarnished who dreams of becoming the next Elden Lord. So for those wanting more info on the series, you can read its official synopsis below:

"Adventurous tale of The Tarnished seeking to become the Elden Lord. The grand adventure of the action RPG ELDEN RING is now available in full-color comic. The story follows one of The Tarnished who, guided by blessings, reached the Lands Between and sets out on a journey to become the next Elden Lord. Along the way, the Tarnished encounters charming characters, explores various dungeons, battles mighty bosses, and more."

Of course, this is not the first time Elden Ring has been roped into the manga industry. Over a year ago, Elden Ring: The Road to Erdtree was released. The series has amassed nearly 40 chapters to date, and creator Nikiichi Tobita has experienced great success with the adaptation so far. Currently, the manga's first volume has been released in English, and you can find it on online stores like Amazon right now.

What do you think about this Elden Ring order? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

Pokemon fans are trying to determine whether or not Game Freak's upcoming title Pokemon Legends: Z-A will be coming to Nintendo Switch 2. To close today's Pokemon Presents showcase, a follow-up entry to Pokemon Legends: Arceus was announced to be releasing in 2025. For the time being, there are still far more questions than answers to be had with Pokemon Legends: Z-A, but some fans are already under the assumption that the game is bound for Nintendo's unannounced new console.

At the conclusion of the debut trailer for Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Game Freak said that the project would be "releasing simultaneously worldwide" in the coming year. Although Switch 2 clearly wasn't mentioned in this line, many immediately pointed to the "simultaneously" mention as an indication that Pokemon Legends: Z-A could come to both Switch and Switch 2 at the same time. In all likelihood, Game Freak only used this wording to make clear that Pokemon Legends would be released across all regions at once rather than slowly rolling out around the globe.

That being said, there's a good chance that Pokemon Legends: Z-A will come to Nintendo Switch 2 in one way or another. Previously, Game Freak and The Pokemon Company have remastered or ported Pokemon titles from the past to new Nintendo hardware when given the chance. As such, a similar thing could happen with Pokemon Legends: Z-A if it initially only launches for the base Switch. And if nothing else, the Switch 2 is reportedly going to feature backward compatibility with the original Switch, which means Pokemon Legends: Z-A could be playable on day one of the Switch 2's release in this manner.

Nintendo Switch 2 and Pokemon Legends: Z-A Release Dates

In recent weeks, rumors and reports have asserted that Nintendo recently delayed the launch of the Switch 2 internally from 2024 to early 2025. Specifically, certain reporting has asserted that March 2025 is the particular release month that Nintendo is now targeting for the Switch 2. If true, this would make quite a bit of sense given that the original Nintendo Switch also happened to arrive in March back in 2017.

As for the launch of Pokemon Legends: Z-A, there's a chance that the game could be released in the very early portion of next year. When looking at Pokemon Legends: Arceus, that entry was let loose in January of 2022, which suggests that Game Freak could be planning a similar window for Z-A. Additionally, The Pokemon Company itself has often used its "Pokemon Day" presentations to show off what games will be launching in the coming calendar year. With this in mind, there's a possibility that Pokemon Legends: Z-A could be available to play before Pokemon Day comes to pass again in 2025, which would seemingly put it on track to arrive ahead of the Switch 2.

PlayStation is the latest major gaming company to suffer layoffs with Sony Interactive Entertainmnet announcing on Tuesday plans to reduce its PlayStation workforce by around 900 employees. Some of those affected are at different PlayStation Studios developers like Guerrilla Games and Insomniac Games, with one group, PlayStation's London Studio, shutting down entirely. Those were just some of the ones highlighted in PlayStation's announcement with "some smaller reductions in other teams" planned for other developers within the PlayStation Studios team. The unfortunate PlayStation news comas amid many, many other layoffs affecting different developers across the industry over the past few months.

A message from Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, acknowledged the layoffs on Tuesday and discussed some of the impacted parties. Aside from broader reductions at unnamed studios, Hulst confirmed that Insomniac Games, Naughty Dog, Guerrilla Games, and Firesprite have all been affected. The first is best known for its Marvel's Spider-Man games, the second for Uncharted and The Last of Us, the third for the Horizon games, and the fourth for the co-development of Horizon Call of the Mountain and older games like The Persistence.

It was also said that London Studio would be closed down entirely. London Studio was around for over 22 years and worked on the SingStar games throughout that time. Its most recent game was Erica which released in 2019.

"I am deeply saddened to see talented individuals leave the company," Hulst said in the announcement. "I have so much admiration, appreciation and respect for their work.

"PlayStation Studios will continue to be a creator-led organization driven by evolving our beloved franchises and bringing new gameplay experiences of the highest quality to our fans."

Hulst said that the PlayStation Studios team had to grow over the past few years to meet the challenges of the PlayStation 5 and initiatives to put out games for PC and mobile devices, too. Jim Ryan, the president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, shared his own version of the layoffs announcement as well including a memo sent to employees.

"After careful consideration and many leadership discussions over several months, it has become clear changes need to be made to continue to grow the business and develop the company," Ryan's message to PlayStation employees said. "We had to step back, look at our business holistically, and move forward focusing on the long-term sustainability of the company and delivering the best experiences possible for our community. The goal is to streamline our resources to ensure our continued success and ability to deliver experiences gamers and creators have come to expect from us."

Layoffs across the gaming industry began happening more frequently starting late last year as different studios shared messages similar to those from Hulst and Ryan. Epic Games, for example, laid off around 16% of its staff. Xbox was another with the company announcing layoffs for around 1,900 people within months of acquiring Activision Blizzard.

The Pokemon Company is releasing a new Pokemon Trading Card Game app. Today, The Pokemon Company announced Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket, a brand new app featuring a streamlined version of the Pokemon Trading Card Game. The new app, which launches later this year, will feature cards that have "special visual effects" unique to the app. While there is a gameplay component to the game, the app appears to be more focused on collecting Pokemon cards, with players able to collect special "immersive cards" that allow players to "enter" the world of the card. Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket will also notably include exclusive cards not found in the physical Pokemon game. Players will be able to build decks and battle other players using a "streamlined" version of the Pokemon Trading Card Game ruleset.

Notably, Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket will be a free-to-start game, with players able to open two booster packs for free per day. Players will also be able to trade cards with other players, a feature not present in other digital Pokemon Trading Card Game apps.

A full description of the new Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket app can be found below:

The beloved Pok?mon Trading Card Game (TCG) franchise continues to evolve with the debut of Pok?mon Trading Card Game Pocket, a new app that reimagines the experience of collecting Pok?mon TCG cards in an innovative digital format.

In Pok?mon Trading Card Game Pocket, players will be able to enjoy the thrill of opening booster packs and collecting cards showcasing special visual effects unique to this digital adaptation of the Pok?mon TCG. Pok?mon Trading Card Game Pocket introduces "immersive cards," which give players the experience of leaping into the world of the card's illustration, providing a whole new way to enjoy the Pok?mon TCG. Players will be able to open two booster packs every day at no cost, including cards with nostalgic illustrations as well as new cards found only in the app. In addition, players will be able to engage in quick battles featuring streamlined rules based on the classic Pok?mon TCG battle system.

Developed in collaboration with Creatures Inc., the creators of the Pok?mon TCG, and DeNA Co. Ltd., partners in the development of Pok?mon Masters EX, Pok?mon Trading Card Game Pocket will launch in 2024 as a free-to-start app for iOS and Android.

Game Freak launched the Pokemon Legends series back in 2022 with Pokemon Legends: Arceus, a game that detailed the history of the Hisui region, which would eventually become the Sinnoh region seen in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. The game featured brand new mechanics, including "live capture" mechanics that bypassed battles and a streamlined battle system that featured battle styles that could speed up or strengthen certain moves.

A return to the Kalos region not only means more Mega Evolutions, (a popular mechanic that strengthened certain Pokemon species at the cost of their held item slot), it also potentially means an official release to the Eternal Flower Floette, an alternative form of Floette never released for the game, and answers about AZ, a mysterious immortal character that featured in Pokemon X and Y. The game also looks to feature Zygarde, a Pokemon that was introduced in Pokemon X and Y but did not feature in the lore of the game in any significant way. It was widely expected that Pokemon Z would be a new "third" game but the franchise jumped immediately to Pokemon Sun and Moon instead.

The official description for the game reads: "A new adventure awaits within Lumiose City, where an urban redevelopment plan is under way to shape the city into a place that belongs to both people and Pok?mon."

Developing....

Note that all of the LEGO sets listed here will launch via their respective links at 9pm PT / 12am ET February 29th / March 1st. There will likely be promotions attached to select purchases, so keep an eye out for those. That said, you can take advantage of LEGO Insiders (formerly VIP) offers by signing up for a free account right here. If you want to dive into the deep end, you can find all of the upcoming releases here in the "Coming Soon" section. After the launch, they will shift here in the "Available Now" section. Some of the new releases might also be available here on Amazon, but in most cases you'll want to stick with LEGO to take advantage of their promotions.

Animal Crossing LEGO Sets / March 2024:

• Animal Crossing Julian's Birthday Party (77046): $14.99 - See at LEGO
• Animal Crossing Bunnie's Outdoor Activities (77047): $19.99 - See at LEGO
• Animal Crossing Kapp'n's Island Boat Tour (77048): $29.99 - See at LEGO
• Animal Crossing Isabelle's House Visit (77049): $39.99 - See at LEGO
• Animal Crossing Nook's Cranny & Rosie?s House (77050): $74.99 - See at LEGO

Star Wars LEGO 25th Anniversary Sets / March 2024:

• 75379 Star Wars 25th Anniversary R2-D2: $99.99 - See at LEGO / See on Amazon
• 75375 Star Wars 25th Anniversary Millennium Falcon: $84.99 - See at LEGO
• 75376 Star Wars 25th Anniversary Tantive IV: $79.99 - See at LEGO
• 75387 Star Wars 25th Anniversary Boarding the Tantive IV: $54.99 - See at LEGO / See on Amazon
• 75377 Star Wars 25th Anniversary Invisible Hand: $49.99 - See at LEGO
• LEGO Star Wars Visual Dictionary Updated Edition - Includes Exclusive Star Wars Minifigure: $22.49 - See on Amazon (April 2nd)
  

Harry Potter LEGO Sets / March 2024:

• Talking Sorting Hat (76429): $99.99 - See at LEGO / Amazon
• Hagrid's Hut: An Unexpected Visit (76428): $74.99 - See at LEGO
• Prisoner of Azkaban Brickheadz (40677): $49.99 - See at LEGO
  
• Hogwarts Castle Owlery (76430): $44.99 - See at LEGO
• Hogwarts Castle Boathouse (76426): $37.99 - See at LEGO
• Forbidden Forest: Magical Creatures (76432): $29.99 - See at LEGO
• Hedwig at 4 Privet Drive (76425): $19.99 - See at LEGO
• Flying Ford Anglia (76424): $14.99 - See at LEGO

Disney LEGO Sets / March 2024:

• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' Cottage (43242): $219.99 - See at LEGO
• Stitch (43249): $64.99 - See at LEGO
• Isabela's Flowerpot (43237): $39.99 - See at LEGO
• Elsa & Bruni in the Enchanted Forest (10418): $29.99 - See at LEGO
  
• Mirabel's Photo Frame and Jewelry Box (43239): $29.99 - See at LEGO
• Mack at the Race (10417): $19.99 - See at LEGO

Ninjago LEGO Sets / March 2024:

• Dragon Stone Shrine (71819): $119.99 - See at LEGO
• Wolf Mask Shadow Dojo (71813): $119.99 - See at LEGO
• Kai's Ninja Climber Mech (71812): $69.99 - See at LEGO
• Arin's Ninja Off-Road Buggy Car (71811): $49.99 - See at LEGO
• Kai's Source Dragon Battle (71815): $37.99 - See at LEGO
• Young Dragon Riyu (71810): $15.99 - See at LEGO

Marvel LEGO Sets / March 2024:

• Team Spidey Web Spinner Headquarters (10794: $54.99 -See at LEGO
• Spidey vs. Green Goblin (10793): $19.99 - See at LEGO
• Drill Spinner Vehicle (10792): $9.99 - See at LEGO

Technic Sets / March 2024:

• Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance (42171): $219.99 - See at LEGO
• Mars Crew Exploration Rover (42180): $149.99 - See at LEGO
• VTOL Heavy Cargo Spaceship LT81 (42181): $109.99 - See at LEGO
• Kawasaki Ninja H2R Motorcycle (42170): $84.99 - See at LEGO
• Planet Earth and Moon in Orbit (42179): $74.99 - See at LEGO
• NEOM McLaren Formula E Race Car (42169): $49.99 - See at LEGO
• Surface Space Loader LT78 (41278): $34.99 - See at LEGO
• Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 Pull-Back (42165): $26.99 - See at LEGO

LEGO Icons Sets / March 2024:

• Medieval Town Square (10332): $229.99 - See at LEGO
• McLaren MP4/4 & Ayrton Senna (10330): $79.99 - See at LEGO / Amazon

Speed Champions Sets / March 2024:

• BMW M4 GT3 & BMW M Hybrid V8 Race Cars (76922): $44.99 - See at LEGO
• 2023 McLaren Formula 1 Car (76919): $26.99 - See at LEGO
• Audi S1 e-tron quattro Race Car (76921): $26.99 - See at LEGO
• Ford Mustang Dark Horse Sports Car (76920): $26.99 - See at LEGO

Other Notable Sets / March 2024:

• Forest Animals: Red Fox (31154): $49.99 - See at LEGO / Amazon
• Sea Animals (31158): $29.99 - See at LEGO
• Carousel Ride (40714): $24.95 - See at LEGO

The Walking Dead Universe RPG draws heavy inspiration from the comics series turned television franchise, leaning into each of the show's most common tropes to build an RPG that's heavy on conflict but not overly bogged down by rules. The new RPG, built upon Free League Publishing's Year Zero Engine, boils down the unique cadence and focuses of The Walking Dead - survival and exploration, interpersonal conflict, and of course zombie swarms - into easy to use systems that should be easy for players to pick up and use. What's perhaps most impressive about the the new game is that it feels specifically like a Walking Dead RPG as opposed to a generic zombie RPG, one that should appeal to fans of the show without diving too much into the mythos of the franchise.

Over the course of 193 comic issues and 11 seasons of television (not counting the spin-off shows), The Walking Dead built up a familiar formula for telling stories within the zombie apocalypse. A group of survivors established a haven of some kind and regularly went on supply runs while discovering external threats and dealing with interpersonal conflicts within the group. Over the course of the arc (or sometimes several arcs), the various external threats and interpersonal conflicts would eventually boil over, almost always with violent results. The key to The Walking Dead and what separated it from other zombie franchises is that the zombies were presented as an inevitable threat that often cropped up at the worst times, but was often drowned out by the extreme measures the living took to survive in a ruined world.

In The Walking Dead Universe RPG, players use pools of six-sided dice to make skill checks, with a six representing a success. Players typically only need to roll a single six for a success, although direct conflicts with other PCs or other NPCs are resolved with opposed rolls in which the most sixes rolled win. The game also uses a stress system that allows a player to add stress dice (a differently colored d6) to their skill rolls with higher stakes. While players can choose to take a point of stress to re-roll a skill check, rolling a one on a stress dice causes a player to "mess up" (the actual name of the mechanic) and results in a complication, usually an increase of the Threat Level that denotes the overall interest level of the Walkers always lurking in the background. The stress system works similarly to the Alien RPG's stress system, which uses the same game engine as The Walking Dead, but with an emphasis on attracting walkers instead of panicking.

Character creation in The Walking Dead Universe RPG is based around choosing one of 12 different character archetypes, each of which have a handful of unique talents. Players then stat their character's attributes and skills, which flow through to the number of dice used to make skill checks. Character creation also comes with several built-in roleplaying prompts via an Issue - a character flaw and a Drive, which is a motivating factor that allows players to add two extra dice to a single skill roll per session. Players also have two Anchors, who are characters within the survivor group (a PC and an NPC) that can relieve stress when players speak to them. I like that the game blends mechanical options with roleplaying in a clean fashion, providing some easy prompts for players to use during sessions.

While The Walking Dead Universe RPG isn't a combat-focused game system, it acknowledges that violence is a foundational part of the franchise. The game uses a straightforward system to deal with the inevitable conflict that arises from either the living or the dead. Combat is determined by skill rolls (each player character has a close combat skill and a ranged combat skill that provides a baseline) and a small pool of three health, reflecting the general lethality found in The Walking Dead. When a player's health reaches zero, they suffer a critical injury that can either be lethal or non-lethal, although the players can still save their friend if they can find medical attention in time. Again, critical injuries provide players with an additional roleplaying prompt, giving players the choice to abandon their companion or venture into even a potentially more dangerous situation to save their friend.

Battling walkers is generally higher risk than facing off against the living, as a failure means rolling on a "walker attack" table with a variety of harmful effects. As best, players take stress when rolling on the walker attack table and at worst, a player will suffer a sudden and horrible death. There's also a sub-system for facing off against swarm of walkers, with players collectively rolling to see if they can hold off or reduce the zombie swarm. One thing I like about the walker system is that players can choose to sacrifice someone else (either a PC or an NPC) to try to escape the swarm. If a player wins an opposed roll, they escape combat and force the loser to roll on the walker attack table. If the player's attempt fails, they have to roll on the walker attack table. Either way, an attempted sacrifice counts towards the group of checks a player makes against the swarm, since even throwing an (unwilling sacrifice) to the throngs of walkers can provide an opening to get away.

Other key subsystems in The Walking Dead Universe RPG includes discovering and building a haven from walkers, and making supply runs to collect more supplies. The game also focuses on interactions with rival factions, each of whom have their own issues and challenges that drive them. There's almost an assumption that things will break down between a faction and the player group of survivors, although the game doesn't have any specific mechanic or system to determine how a particular group may feel about the players at a given moment. Instead, the game assumes that roleplaying and the game master can create enough conflict or intrigue to build towards a full-fledged endgame.

Based on a readthrough of the rulebook, it appears that Free League has identified the key characteristics of a Walking Dead story and successfully built up a roleplaying game around them. The core mechanics of the Year Zero engine is generally rules light and focuses on quick resolution rather than playing things out using complex tactics and spacing on a map, which generally works well within The Walking Dead Universe. However, players should understand what they're getting into when they jump into The Walking Dead - it's a game where your character can die very quickly based on one poor roll and also one where a player can sacrifice another character in a trying moment. There is a small section on player safety at the start of the book, but players need to make sure that safety tools are agreed upon and in place before the game starts because there's not a lot of "off-ramps" to de-escalate a poor decision or two within the mechanics themselves. The system is also somewhat limited to what kinds of stories you can tell, but then again this is a Walking Dead game and not a wider zombie RPG system. If you're a fan of The Walking Dead and tabletop RPGs and want to build out your own campaign of deadly survivors and other deadly threats, Free League Publishing has provided a strong system for you to try out.

The Walking Dead Universe RPG is available now with both a core rulebook and a Starter Set designed to help ease players into the game.

Since EA Sports got back into publishing developer Codemasters' F1 series in 2021, the franchise has become one of the best racing games on the market. That continued last year with F1 23 and its Braking Point 2 story mode. With the last few games coming out during the summer, many fans have expected to hear about what the team has planned for EA Sports F1 24. Fortunately, a new leak has seemingly confirmed that we'll finally be getting that news very soon. In fact, the leak claims EA Sports F1 24 will get its grand reveal tomorrow.

EA Sports F1 24 Reveal Leak

Looks like it is happening ?

As we reported in our original report (see Original Story below), the reveal of EA Sports F1 24 should be for tomorrow (if plans didn't change)

Thanks @BlackGamer86 for the alert ?#F124https://t.co/8eejrjajgO

-- billbil-kun (@billbil_kun) February 26, 2024

This leak comes from billbil_kun on Twitter, who is a noted leaker on the platform. Of course, you'll still want to take this with a massive grain of salt, but they're seen as generally trustworthy. It's also worth noting that billbil_kun leaked this announcement date a few weeks ago, and this latest update is a confirmation that it is planned to happen tomorrow.

The reason leakers believe it's coming is that a new page has gone live on Electronic Arts' official site that's a placeholder for EA Sports F1 24. With that popping up today, it makes sense that the announcement is coming soon. With this seemingly confirmed, it also lends a degree of credibility to everything else in the original leak.

There billbil_kun claimed that F1 24 will ship with two different versions. It's not known what's coming with the Champions Edition, but it's safe to assume that early access will be involved, given what EA and Codemasters have been doing over the last few years. Further, the leak claims F1 24 will be released a bit earlier than usual. The current release date is supposedly May 31st, though that could change. Billbil_kun confirms that early access will be involved, meaning players can get in as early as May 28th if they're willing to pay.

As far as the cover star, we don't know who it's going to be yet. The leak claims that it'll eventually feature three Formula 1 stars, but it's not clear who those will be. The leak also says the game is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. There's been no word on PS4 and Xbox One versions, but it's possible those could be announced at a later date.

EA Sports F1 24 will be announced on February 27th if the leaks turn out to be correct and will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on May 31st, again assuming the leaks are legitimate.

Earlier today, Palworld developers Pocketpair confirmed that it still planned to launch its next update before the end of the month. It seems that what they really meant was that the update would be out before the end of the day, as the team has officially dropped the next Palworld patch. The new update is available now on PC via Steam and is coming to Xbox platforms soon. Generally, updates come to Xbox the morning after, so expect to see it in that version soon. The biggest changes with this patch are two major fixes related to save data, making it a much better process.

Pocketpair has also introduced several fixes for the monsters you catch, which should make some of the best Pals in Palworld even better. That includes a needed change to Mossanda's partner skill that was causing bosses to get stuck in walls. Players will also notice quite a few bug fixes for player bases. That includes several changes to how base Pals work to make sure they no longer get stuck on top of buildings. There have also been a few server changes to make finding your preferred server a bit easier.

Below, you'll find the full list of patch notes. Palworld is available now on Xbox and PC platforms.

Palworld Update 0.1.5.0 Patch Notes

[Patch Notice]

?Steam patch v0.1.5.0

?Xbox patch v0.1.5.0

Steam version v0.1.5.0 has been released. (Xbox version v0.1.5.0 will released as soon as it is ready)

Patch Notes:

Major Fixes

• Implemented backup of save data on the world selection screen
• Resolved issue of unnecessary data accumulating in save data

Key Configuration

• Added fully supported keyboard key configuration

Guild

• Modified specification to allow guild members to be removed when not logged in

Player Issues

• Changed long-press operation during player tasks to allow continuous work by pressing the work button once (This is switchable in the options settings)
• Fixed issue where riding in prohibited hunting areas would not result in a crime ?Improved interaction accuracy with adjacent objects

Pals

• Changed specifications so that when a Pal is instructed to "attack aggressively," the Pal will attack enemies indiscriminately even if they are not in combat
• Corrected an issue to allow Pals of rank 1 or higher to be selected as concentrated material (higher-ranked Pals yield more points when concentrated)
• Fixed bug where if a large amount of experience points were gained and the level increased to 50 at once, Pals would not learn any active skills
• Mitigated an issue where using Mossanda's partner skill "Grenadier Panda" on a dungeon boss would cause the boss to get stuck in walls

Base Issues

• Fixed an issue where base Pals would get stuck on top of a logging site, etc.
• Added measures to prevent the issue where base Pals would wander around and get stuck at the border of the base area
• Fixed an issue where Pals at the base would get stuck repeatedly starting transportation tasks and the light bulbs icon would appear over and over again.
• Added measures to prevent the issue of base Pals getting stuck in the farm on a roof
• Fixed an issue where work Pals would get stuck in the summon space of Palbox when restarting the server on a dedicated server.
• Adjusted the default work priority of base Pals (Anubis will prioritize manual labour)
• Significantly relaxed building restrictions for stairs and triangular roofs
• Fixed an issue where sound would play in an infinite loop when Pals at the base used certain active skills.
• Specifications changed so that all changes in environmental temperature are added up (if you put 4 campfires next to each other, the surrounding area will have the temperature of a volcano)
• Implemented "relax" working style on the monitoring stand

Balance Adjustment

• Significantly strengthened mining power for Digtoise partner skills
• Fixed the abnormally high selling price of nails
• Significantly increased the number of police officers who appear when a crime is committed
• Added electric shock effect to Free Pal Alliance's crossbow
• Adjusted the flight distance of Sphere Launcher and Scatter Sphere Launcher.
• Increased the SAN value recovery amount of high-quality hot springs

Network Related

• Renovated the server lobby
• [Search by server name] will now work
• Added the ability to view online players on a dedicated server

*On community servers, this will only be displayed if the setting is enabled

Others

• Fixed the issue where Day 5 Memo was not placed
• You can now adjust the in-game brightness in the settings
• Fixed many minor bugs
• Corrected various incorrect text
• Improved measures against cheating

*We are currently working on an issue where auto-save fails on the Xbox and Xbox Game Pass versions. We expect that this will be resolved in an upcoming update.

===

We will continue development placing top priority on fixing major problems and issues. Thank you for your continued support of Palworld.

Pokemon's most iconic starter evolution, Charizard, has come to life in a cool new way thanks to some awesome craft and cosplay! The Pokemon franchise is getting ready for what could be a massive year for the anime, video games, and more. As Pokemon readies for the full worldwide release of the next major anime series without Ash Ketchum in a starring role, Pokemon Horizons: The Series, the franchise is expanding in a whole new way with all sorts of other anime projects that had launched over the last year or so. And there are no signs of slowing down, of course.

Regardless of where the Pokemon anime franchise goes in the future, fans can count on Charizard playing a major role. Not only is Charizard still one of the most fondly remembered starter evolutions from the Kanto region, but remains one of the major fan favorites overall. It's thanks to how many incarnations of Charizard we've seen throughout the years, and now Charizard has come to life in a whole new way thanks to artist AvantGeek on TikTok. Crafting a cool puppet version of Charizard, it's such a fiery take! Check it out:

@avantgeek

My Charizard puppet is done! Well almost - he still needs legs and the fake arm needs work, but im very happy with what I made in just ONE WEEK. #dragonpuppet #pokemon

? Ghibli-style nostalgic waltz - MaSssuguMusic

Pokemon Horizons English Dub Release Date

Charizard actually plays a huge role in the new Pokemon anime as the partner to Friede, who will be voiced by Crispin Freeman in the upcoming English dub release of Pokemon Horizons: The Series. Premiering on March 7th around the world with Netflix, Pokemon Horizons has yet to reveal its full English voice cast as of the time of this writing. The new anime is the first new Pokemon anime series without Ash at the center of it all, and tells a brand new story with brand new characters.

The Pokemon Company teases Pokemon Horizons: The Series as such, "A new adventure is beginning within the wide world of Pok?mon! Arriving at Indigo Academy, a girl named Liko receives her first partner Pok?mon, Sprigatito. But she soon finds herself pursued by the Explorers, a mysterious group that's determined to take the pendant necklace she wears. Liko isn't on her own, though, as Friede, Captain Pikachu, and the other Rising Volt Tacklers offer her protection aboard their airship. Meanwhile, a boy named Roy dreams of becoming a Pok?mon Trainer, unaware of the secret hiding within the Ancient Pok? Ball he carries. As Liko, Roy, and the Rising Volt Tacklers set sail for new horizons, what kind of discoveries await?"

Where does Charizard rank among your favorite Pokemon? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments!

After showing up in several trailers last year, Foamstars was finally released on PlayStation platforms earlier this month. The PlayStation exclusive dropped onto PlayStation Plus on February 6, meaning anyone subscribed to the service can pick it up at no extra charge. Because the barrier to entry is so low, the publishers at Square Enix will likely support Foamstars with several seasons of content even though the game was met with mediocre reviews and tepid user scores. In fact, the team announced Season 2 earlier today, revealing that the Groovy Disco is coming to Foamstars next month.

Foamstars Season 2: Groovy Disco Launches in March

GROOVY DISCO will begin on March 8 from 5 PM PST, so get ready for more foam-flinging action in new limited-time events and our new FOAMSTAR, Coiff Guy! ?#FOAMSTARS pic.twitter.com/LeGRSb5QkJ

-- FOAMSTARS (@foamstarsgame) February 26, 2024

Foamstars Season 2: Groovy Disco is coming on March 8th. That means players only have a little over a week to wrap up Season 1 before everything transitions over. The new season will bring a brand-new character to the game. Coiff Guy is seemingly a professional wrestler turned Foamstar who sports a massive afro and a thick beard. He should fit right in with all of the other colorful characters in Foamstars.

Season 2 will also add two new Extreme Party modes. The first is called "The Grooviest of Battles." It forces every player to fight as Coiff Guy, making for truly chaotic matches. The other limited-time mode is "Super Duel Party," which is a new one-on-one mode that will let players test their mettle in single combat.

Of course, there is also a host of new of skins for players to collect. One of these looks like a play on the vampire Dracula, so it's clear that Foamstars is comfortable getting weird with its skins. Finally, Square Enix is also introduced a new mission called "Dark Ramzey Appears." We don't know exactly what this will include, but it should be a fun new task for players to take on during the season.

Fortunately, fans won't have to wait much longer to see everything that's making its way into Foamstars Season 2: Groovy Disco. Square Enix will likely tease out a few details in the coming days before dropping the full patch notes ahead of the March 8th launch.

Foamstars is avaialble now on PlayStation platforms. Remember, if you're a PlayStation Plus subscriber, you can pick the game up for no extra charge. You only have a few days to claim Foamstars with your subscription, so make sure to add it to your account before the deal expires at the end of the month.

Hasbro is getting into the Eurogame business. Last week, the toy company announced Life in Reterra, a new Eurogame-style board game by Eric M. Lang and Ken Gruhl. The new game is a tile-placement game, in which players gradually grow their community by placing tiles and adding either buildings, gear, or relics on each turn. Having buildings on their community adds extra abilities that go into effect every turn, while other buildings gain extra victory points if they're placed in certain locations or meet other criteria. Players score points by having at least seven blocks of the same terrain on their community or by having certain inhabitants, relics, or buildings at the end of the game.

What's interesting about the new game is that it marks an attempt by Hasbro to bridge the gap between the mass market and the more dedicated gamer. Lang is perhaps best known for his deep strategy games (which include Blood Rage, Rising Sun, and Cthulhu: Death May Die), but this game combines what appears to be easy-to-learn mechanics with deeper gameplay. Other "gateway games" have found success in the mass market in recent years, with games like Disney Villainous and Wingspan being featured on shelves next to more traditional tabletop games.

It's also interesting that Hasbro is choosing to release this game under its own label instead of Avalon Hill, its game imprint that produces games like HeroQuest or Betrayal at House on the Hill.

Life in Reterra is already available over in Europe in French, with a German edition available soon, and the English version available exclusively at Target in the US.

The Simpsons took on Mario Kart with a fun new parody in the newest episode of the series! The Simpsons has finally returned this year with the second half of Season 35 now airing its midseason run as part of FOX's Animation Domination block on Sunday evenings, and the newest episode shed some new light on Homer and Lisa's relationship once more. Taking Homer's reckless driving to new extremes, this ended up giving Lisa some major anxiety she has had trouble dealing with. But Lisa was able to reach a new breakthrough with some reckless driving of her own.

As part of some immersion therapy to get over her anxiety with Homer's wild driving, Lisa figures out that she has a skill in driving go-karts and ends up competing in the official kids' kart racing circuit. The Simpsons Season 35 Episode 12 then sees Homer dealing with the guilt of pushing Lisa into her own kind of reckless driving with his actions, and it leads to a nightmare that sees him literally driving her off of Rainbow Road in a hilarious and wild take on Mario Kart (complete with non-trademarked versions of Nintendo characters of course).

Mario Kart reference from tonight's new episode of The Simpsons, "Lisa Gets an F1". pic.twitter.com/fagfFUL5YR

-- VideoGameArt&Tidbits (@VGArtAndTidbits) February 26, 2024

How to Watch The Simpsons Season 35

If you wanted to check out the newest episode of The Simpsons for yourself, Season 35 of the series is now airing on FOX on Sunday evenings and you can find the episodes streaming with Hulu the day after. There are currently 12 episodes for the new season to check out, and the first 34 seasons of the series are now streaming with Disney+ if you wanted to go through the back catalog too. The long running animated series is described as such:

"This beloved animated comedy tells the story of the Simpson family and the residents of the typical American town of Springfield. Homer Simpson works at the local nuclear plant, and does his best to lead his family, but often finds that they are leading him. Living with Homer at 742 Evergreen Terrace is loving, blue-haired matriarch Marge, troublemaking son Bart, overachieving daughter Lisa and pacifier-sucking baby Maggie."

How do you feel about The Simpsons' take on Mario Kart in the newest episode? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animation and other cool stuff @Valdezology on X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki has opened up about the involvement that George R.R. Martin has had with the game's upcoming DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree. When Elden Ring first launched back in 2022, one of the title's biggest marketing pushes was that it was created in tandem with George R.R. Martin, the author most notably behind the Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) saga. Since then, Martin has publicly stated that he hasn't done any work on Elden Ring in many years as his contributions were done at the start of the project. Now, it's known that this has continued to be true with Shadow of the Erdtree.

Speaking to Famitsu (via TheGamer), FromSoftware president and director Miyazaki was asked about whether or not Martin helped contribute to Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree in any new ways. Miyazaki explained that the work that Martin had previously done for the game was still used to help establish the story and lore than would be expanded upon in the expansion. Outside of this, though, Martin himself didn't work with FromSoftware to write anything new for the DLC.

"The world and story of the DLC was inspired by the mythology that [Martin] penned just as in the main title, and was created thus," Miyazaki said via translation. "To be more precise, what was created this time is part of what was created from the inspiration we took from his mythology for the main title. So, there was no additional writing done specifically for the DLC."

Generally speaking, this news from Miyazaki isn't all that shocking, especially given the manner in which Martin originally collaborated on Elden Ring. In all likelihood, there was still a lot of lore associated with Elden Ring that FromSoftware wasn't able to incorporate in a major way in the base game that it then opted to spin out with this expansion. To that end, Martin still had a big hand in creating Shadow of the Erdtree even though his own efforts on this front were completed quite a long time ago.

After first being announced roughly a year ago, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree finally has a launch date of June 21, 2024. When it arrives at this time, it will be available to play across all of the game's current platforms which include PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC. A Collector's Edition of Shadow of the Erdtree is also being sold by publisher Bandai Namco and comes with a statue of the expansion's newest bosses.

Get your cowboy boots and saddle up, because we're heading to Thunder Junction. The next set of Magic: The Gathering, "Outlaws of Thunder Junction," received an extended first look at MagicCon over the weekend, unveiling a series of cards new to the trading card game. An entirely new plane to the game, Thunder Junction is rooted in Western lore, putting familiar characters into a brand new genre.

The story of "Thunder Junction" begins to be shared on the Magic: The Gathering website and podcast platforms beginning on March 18th, allowing fans to get familiar with the exact characters and lore before they start ripping open boosters a few weeks later. Full spoilers of the card set will be released throughout the last week of March and first week of April.

Prerelease will then begin at stores part of the Wizards Play Network beginning Friday, April 12th and running throughout the following week. Global public release of the set is then slated for April 19th.

"An ancient vault has been discovered in Thunder Junction, and it's rumored to hide untold riches and power. Everyone wants a slice of the pie, but Oko and his rip-roaring team aim to be the first inside," Wizards of the Coast says of the story behind the set. "Oko's son, Kellan, has at last tracked down his wayward father, but his schemes threaten to sweep Kellan into the role of a villain."

The company adds, "The Omenpaths are open, and everyone's blowing into town to seek their fortune as an outlaw. Oko, the baddest outlaw of them all, is getting together a posse of the Multiverse's most wanted to pull off a heist of epic scale."

The full timeline for "Outlaws of Thunder Junction" can be found below!

• Story Begins: March 18
• Debut and Previews Begin: March 26
• Card Image Gallery and Previews Complete: April 5
• MTG Arena Global Release: April 16
• Global Tabletop Release: April 19
• Prerelease Events: April 12-18
• Open House: April 19-21
• Commander Party: April 26 - May 2
• Store Championship: May 4-12
• Standard Showdown: April 19 - July 25

Helldivers 2 has quickly become a bigger hit than developer Arrowhead Game Studios could have imagined. With that success, Helldivers 2 players have been enduring all kinds of server issues, though the team has seemingly worked most of those out after the first few weekends. However, now that Helldivers 2 is mostly stable, Arrowhead will start to look at the next round of content it's going to bring to the live service game. Recently, one player looked through the Helldivers 2 backend and found a few hints at what might be coming with the next Warbond.

Helldivers 2 Leaked Stratagems

This leak comes from a Reddit user who goes by stodal. They posted to the GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit, saying that they dug through the Helldivers 2 files (specifically in the dl_library.dll file) to find what appears to be a list of unused Stratagems along with a few extra tidbits. We know that Arrowhead Game Studios has big plans for the live service side of Helldivers 2, so learning that there's extra content mentioned in the backend isn't surprising.

If you want to check the files, you can do so yourself on a PC using the Notepad app and the game files. However, it's worth noting that the very first leaked Stratagem seems to be a hint at the mechs that the developers have already said are coming. The Stratagem is listed as "DropoffCombatWalker." There's a second listing for the Walker with an additional "PresidentReward" tag. Many are assuming this is the premium version of the mech, though we'll have to wait for confirmation from the developers.

There are several other intriguing stings in the files shared by stodal. One that stands out is "JammedPinata." We can't know exactly what that is until Arrowhead makes an announcement, but it sounds fun. There's also a string that reads "Nuke," which is sure to be a literal blast that will probably take out your teammates as often as your opponents.

It's not only new Stratagems though. Stodal also found evidence of a new faction called the Illuminate in the files. Of course, fans of the original Helldivers will remember the Illuminate, which was added during the game's post-launch period. Thus, it's not a big surprise to see them pop up here. They will likely be added relatively soon as Arrowhead plans to improve the offerings in Helldivers 2.

The leaked files also seem to include hints about new enemy types, including one called the Adept, who can call in backup. As players spend more time in Helldivers 2, they're going to want more enemy types to keep things fresh. Fortunately, it seems that Arrowhead has that in mind and will release several more in the next few months.

Helldivers 2 is available now on PlayStation 5 and PC.

Square Enix has announced when it will be sharing new information on The Rising Tide, which is the next piece of DLC coming to Final Fantasy XVI. At the end of 2023, Square revealed that it was working on two expansions for its latest Final Fantasy entry. The first expansion, Echoes of the Fallen, shadow-dropped in tandem with The Game Awards while The Rising Tide was said to be releasing in early 2024. Since that announcement, Square Enix hasn't said anything else about Final Fantasy XVI: The Rising Tide, but it's now known that this won't be holding true for much longer.

Announced on social media, Square Enix informed fans that it will be holding a panel at PAX East next month on March 22 that will see new information shared for Final Fantasy XVI's next piece of DLC. The panel is set to feature members of the FF XVI development team that will include producer Naoki Yoshida, director Takeo Kujiraoka, and localization director Michael-Christopher Koji Fox. It wasn't said what all associated with The Rising Tide will be shared during the event, but the panel itself will also be streamed on Twitch so that those who aren't in attendance at PAX East can watch from home.

What secrets will surface from the depths at #PAXEast?

Join producer Naoki Yoshida, DLC director Takeo Kujiraoka, and localization director Michael-Christopher Koji Fox as they discuss The Rising Tide.

This panel will also be livestreamed at https://t.co/Nin2NmoJ6n pic.twitter.com/jkCERZazFq

-- FINAL FANTASY XVI (@finalfantasyxvi) February 23, 2024

In all likelihood, this new panel at PAX East for Final Fantasy XVI should result in a new trailer and a release date for The Rising Tide being announced to the public. Given that Square also previously released Echoes of the Fallen without any previous warning, there's also the chance that the publisher could opt to do the same thing with The Rising Tide. This obviously is just speculation, though, and shouldn't be expected by any means.

In the near term, Square Enix is gearing up to release a new Final Fantasy game later this week with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. The second entry in the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy will come to PlayStation 5 exclusively on Thursday, February 29. If you're interested in learning more about that game, you can read our own extensive review right here.

[H/T Gaming Bolt]

Chainsaw Man is one of the biggest IPs in anime, and its reach cannot be overlooked. From top-selling manga volumes to top-tier collectibles, Chainsaw Man has done it all. Really, the only thing Chainsaw Man has yet to do is dive into a full-blown video game, so one fan decided to take things into their own hands. Over on Happy Wheels, a user made a level dedicated to Chainsaw Man, and it brings the 2010 game into a new decade.

You might think Happy Wheels went away after YouTubers stopped playing the game, but that is not true. The side-scroller still has new levels uploaded daily by fans, and that is how this epic Chainsaw Man tribute came to life. It even has cutscenes which is wild. So if you like the anime, it is definitely worth checking out Happy Wheels ASAP.

so i found a Chainsaw Man Map in Happy Wheels and pic.twitter.com/RHoYkyhYfP

-- Delta (@Chainsawpedia) February 25, 2024

As you can imagine, this Chainsaw Man tribute is making the rounds online, and fans have renewed their pleas for an actual video game. To date, the manga and anime have yet to roll out a game adaptation. In 2023, a browser game for Chainsaw Man was released marking the manga's fifteenth volume, but it is pretty simple. What fans are wanting is a robust fighting game that gives Denji the chance to bloody himself up. So far, no plans for a Chiansaw Man game are in the works, but netizens aren't giving up hope on the project.

For now, Chainsaw Man is staying busy behind the scenes. Series creator Tatsuki Fujimoto is still working on the manga which is in its second half. As for the anime, MAPPA Studios brought Chainsaw Man season one to life in October 2022. Now, the company is working on Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc. So for anyone wanting a refresher on the series, you can read the official synopsis of Chainsaw Man below:

"Denji is a young boy who works as a Devil Hunter with the "Chainsaw Devil" Pochita. One day, as he was living his miserable life trying to pay off the debt he inherited from his parents, he got betrayed and killed. As he was losing his consciousness, he made a deal with Pochita, and got resurrected as the "Chainsaw Man": the owner of the Devil's heart."

What do you think about this Chainsaw Man crossover? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

Prior to Final Fantasy VII Rebirth releasing at the end of this week, Square Enix has let loose a new patch for 2020's Final Fantasy VII Remake across PlayStation and PC. Generally speaking, FF VII Remake hasn't received a new patch in a very long time as Square Enix has instead moved on to projects such as FF VII Rebirth and Final Fantasy XVI. As a way of making both Remake and Rebirth more unified, though, Square Enix has today returned to the original entry and has made one small tweak.

Downloadable at this moment, Final Fantasy VII Remake update version 1.001 clocks in at a little under 5GB in total. As for what the update does, Square Enix's official patch notes only say that the update is only dedicated to fixing various bugs. However, many Final Fantasy VII Remake players were quick to discover that the patch did something else, specifically associated with the character Tifa.

Based on new images shared to Steam, Square Enix seems to have altered Tifa's design just a bit in Final Fantasy VII Remake. Notably, she now sports a black undershirt with one of her specific outfits. As for the reason behind this change, the look that Tifa's character model now features in Final Fantasy VII Remake is the same that she has in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Essentially, Square must have decided to make this minor change to Tifa's outfit throughout the development of Rebirth and rather than have the look remain different in Remake, the developer chose to instead go and patch the game to make it the same across both entries. It's a bit of an odd situation, but it's one that does make some sense for cohesion's sake.

As for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth itself, Square Enix's second game in its new trilogy is set to arrive on Thursday, February 29, exclusively for PS5. Similar to Final Fantasy VII Remake, Rebirth will be a timed exclusive for PS5 and will be able to come to other platforms at a later date.

"Final Fantasy VII Rebirth improves on nearly every aspect of the Final Fantasy VII Remake, pushing the PlayStation 5 to the limit and creating a jaw-dropping experience in the process," reads our own glowing review of Rebirth. "Improving on both the Remake and the original version of the game seemed like a nigh impossible task, but somehow, Square Enix was able to do just that. Clear your '2024 Game of The Year' lists, because Rebirth might just have it in the bag."

[H/T MP1st]

While the year is only getting started, it's been a great start for early-access survival games like Enshrouded. The new game from developer Keen Games has already sold two million copies in its first few weeks on the market, and it doesn't look like it's slowing down any time soon. Today, Keen Games gave fans a treat by releasing the second major update for Enshrouded. While this patch doesn't add any of the new content players want, it does provide several stability improvements, including crash fixes and a few updates to saving to make sure everyone's worlds stay intact.

On top of the new stability changes, Keen Games has done another pass on monster density in the open world. The developers altered the location of several roaming enemies to improve Enshrouded's balance. There have also been several changes to various aspects of crafting. That includes buffs to how often players get twigs and feathers. Finally, the team has fixed the construction hammer so players can't cut holes into "unbreakable materials like the foundational bedrock material at the bottom of the world."

Below, you'll find a full breakdown of Update 2's patch notes. Enshrouded is available now on PC.

Enshrouded Update 2 Patch Notes

? Patch 2 (v0.7.0.2) is LIVE! Contains oodles of good stuff.

Check out the full patch notes on Steam:https://t.co/vqmHf1Rynu

-- Keen Games ? Enshrouded out NOW! (@KeenGamesStudio) February 26, 2024

Greetings Flameborn!

Here is our second big patch for Enshrouded. Once again, thanks to all of you who reported issues, your support is as helpful as it is motivating for us!

For those of you playing with dedicated servers, you will need to ensure the server is running the same version as the game.

We are working on a fix for the "60Hz display rate", but due to the extensive testing needed, we will be aiming to release it as an opt-in branch in a few weeks. This way, players who feel this is an important part of their experience can help us test it out, without any potential issues affecting the community at large. More info on that later!

And now for the good stuff...

Changelog

Stability and performance

• Fixed several rare crashes.
• Added more security to the saving process to avoid issues with saving, and better protection of the save game in case there is a failure
  
• Reduced the CPU load for idle servers.
• Improved performance in large player bases and large crop fields.

Multiplayer and Servers

• Fixed an issue that could prevent joining a server when the previous session was cancelled or crashed.

Game world

• Redistributed roaming enemies in several areas for improved balancing.
• Fixed more cases of enemies with incorrect levels for the region that they are found in.
  
• Fixed an issue where a Flame Altar near a Shroud Root could lead to the fog in the whole world disappearing. (this isn't how you're meant to save Embervale)
• The game now prevents save points being activated when they are in deadly shroud.
  
• Fixed an issue that could lead to wax and honey spawning in the player base without having to harvest a hive first.
  
• Polished several points of interest.
• Tweaked the sounds from Vultures. (we heard you and them! loud and clear)
  
• Fixed several issues with incorrect ambient sounds.
  
• Fixed an issue with music in dungeons being muted after combat.
• Fixed the timings of the traps in Spires in multiplayer sessions.
  

Gameplay

• Fixed cases where the saving of crops when quitting and restarting the game world did not work properly.
• Increased the stamina cost for the jump attack.
  
• Fixed an issue where players climbing on walls and ladders could interfere with each other. (even though it was funny)
• The water aura no longer heals when the player is dead.
  
• Reduced the amount of twigs needed to craft arrows.
• Increased the yield of twigs from grown bushes.
• Increased the yield of feathers from their sources
• Lowered the amount of Flax needed to craft high end armor sets. (it was maybe a bit too much padding)
  
• Lowered the amount of the resources needed to craft decorative books. (not all books are the Wheel of Time)
• Castle Wall blocks now have the same maximum stack size of 5000 like other building blocks.
• Fixed cases where open doors would block arrows or other projectiles.
• Fixed some rare cases where looted weapons had an incorrect item level.
  

Building and Terraforming

• Construction hammer no longer allows cutting holes into unbreakable materials like the foundational bedrock material at the bottom of the world. (but it was funny though)
  

The reveal of a new Steam game releasing this year has gone viral on social media, and in particular, on X, formerly known as Twitter. Why has the game's reveal gone viral? Well, because it looks absolutely crazy in all the right ways. If you are on social media, there is a good chance you saw this game recently revealed. If you aren't on social media though, there is a good chance you missed the reveal of Kingmakers, which is easily now one of the Internet's most anticipated games for this year.

According to developer Redemption Road, the game in question has been in development for five years already, which explains how it is ready to debut this year. Unfortunately, when it does release, it will be via Steam Early Access. In other words, the full, final game won't release this year. Meanwhile, there is no word of console versions.

Upon reveal, the game's trailer garnered a massive 73 million views on X, complete with 73,000 likes. This is a massive amount for an account that, at the time, had a minimal number of followers. Further, it comes from the studio behind Road Redemption. In other words, not many people know about Redemption Road or have much reason to get excited when they see it reveal a new game. That said, they are excited now. And once you see the trailer below, you will understand why.

"You're the last hope in a dying world. Travel back 500 years, to medieval England, in order to change the course of a bloody war and maybe, if you're lucky, stave off the apocalypse. Can you tip the scales of history and create a new timeline," reads an official blurb about the game.

The game's official description continues, getting into gameplay details: "Each battle you engage in runs as a fully real-time simulation with thousands of soldiers fighting at the same time. Every soldier on the battlefield is controlled by a next-gen multi-threaded AI which controls their decision-making, pathfinding, and loyalty. This, combined with a unique procedural animation system, allows Kingmakers to offer an unprecedented level of character and combat fidelity."

Right now -- in addition to no word of an exact release date or console version -- there is no word if the game will support Steam Deck when it releases into Steam Early Access. Meanwhile, how long it plans on staying in early access, we don't know. This is also not communicated. That said, we don't need to know any of this to be excited to get our hands on it.

Developer Pocketpair has been doing everything it can to keep up with the massive player base it's built up with Palworld. The monster-catching survival game exploded in popularity earlier this year, and Pocketpair has continued to support it with stability patches. However, cheating is starting to run rampant in Palworld, and players want this issue addressed ASAP. While Palworld hasn't received a new update in the last few weeks, the developers have confirmed today that they will have something ready for players by the end of February. That's great news for fans who were concerned that the cheating issue could have led to a delay.

Palworld's Next Update is Due Out This Week

The news comes from the official Palworld Discord. There, Pocketpair community manager Bucky_cm posted a new message that reads, "Next update is still scheduled for the end of the month." That makes it clear that fans should expect the next patch by Thursday, though Bucky doesn't narrow it down any further. Of course, that's only three more days, so it's not like fans need much more information than that.

That's not all of the new information Bucky shared in the Palworld Discord. They also addressed how much cheating is actually affecting Palworld players. Bucky said, "As serious as the cheating situation is, its impact isn't as big as you might think." That makes it seem like the cheating problem might not be as widespread as previously thought. However, they did say, "It is something we want to fix ASAP though. For many reasons."

What's Next For Palworld?

We know that cheating updates and stability improvements are on the cards for the next update, but developer Pocketpair has much bigger plans for Palworld's future. Remember, the survival game launched into early access only a few months ago. With all the success Palworld has enjoyed, the team has had to prioritize bug fixes and server updates, but several major features are on the way. Pocketpair recently shared the first roadmap for Palworld's early access. Below, you'll find a full rundown of what's planned:

Addressing Critical Issues

• Currently, numerous bugs have been identified, and we are prioritizing fixing those.
• Sometimes, the world date may experience rollbacks.
• The loading screen may persist when trying to load into worlds.
• ...and so on.

Improvements to Implement ASAP

• Key configuration improvements.
• Improvements to base Pal AI and pathing.

Planned Future Updates

• PvP
• Raid Bosses (End-Game Content)
• Pal Arena (PvP for Pals)
• Steam-Xbox Crossplay
• Various Xbox Feature Improvements
• Server Transfers and Migrations
• Improvements to the Building System
• New islands, Pals, Bosses, and Technologies.

Palworld is available now on Xbox Series X/S and PC.

It's been more than two decades since the last time Sega released a new entry in the Jet Set Radio franchise, and it seems the next one will take inspiration from a pair of popular games that have been released in the years since. According to Twitter leaker @MbKKssTBhz5, Sega's Jet Set Radio reboot will pull elements from Fortnite and GTA Online. The reboot will apparently be set in an open world, and players can expect shooting elements on top of the traditional graffiti gameplay. Apparently, a remake of the original Jet Set Radio will also be released ahead of the reboot.

The Tweets from @MbKKssTBhz5 can be found embedded below.

Fortnite and GTA Online are some of the main inspiration for the current Sega super game plan. Sega wants to be competitive in the live service scene and use classic IPs in new ways with new technologies.

-- ??? (@MbKKssTBhz5) February 19, 2024

As with any rumor, readers are advised to take this one with a grain of salt. That said, @MbKKssTBhz5 has proven reliable in the past, often when it comes to properties owned by Sega. Earlier this month, that same leaker noted that Jet Set Radio won't be coming until 2026, and that it's expected to be released on the tentatively named "Nintendo Switch 2." That console is expected to release in March 2025, so it makes sense the game would be released on Switch 2, as opposed to the company's current console. It will also feature a mix of new and returning characters from the previous Jet Set Radio games.

What is Jet Set Radio?

Jet Set Radio is a Sega owned franchise that started life on the Dreamcast back in 2000. When it launched in North America, the game was renamed Jet Grind Radio, though the name eventually switched back. The original Jet Set Radio was a major critical success, but it released at a time when Sega was exiting the hardware business. After Sega became a third-party developer, the series continued with entries on the original Xbox in 2002 and the Game Boy Advance in 2003.

Despite having a very passionate following, Jet Set Radio has been missing in action for more than two decades. Fans had been begging Sega for years to bring it back, and they finally got their wish at The Game Awards last December. There, Sega revealed a reboot of Jet Set Radio alongside several other dormant franchises that will be getting new games over the next few years.

The Sega Resurrection

In addition to Jet Set Radio, Sega is currently working on new games in several other franchises that haven't been revisited in a while. These include Crazy Taxi, Streets of Rage, Shinobi, and Golden Axe. As of this writing, very few official details have been revealed about these games, and much of the information about them has come through leaks and rumors. Hopefully Sega won't keep fans waiting too long, but in the meantime, fans of the publisher have a few other games to look forward to this year, including a new entry in the Super Monkey Ball franchise.

Are you looking forward to the new Jet Set Radio? How do you feel about Sega looking at Fortnite for inspiration? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

[H/T: Gaming Bolt]

For those that have completed Persona 3 Reload on the game's hardest difficulty, it seems that Atlus has dropped a hint about the game's much-rumored DLC. Earlier this month, a credible Atlus insider reported that the company was in the process of creating DLC for Persona 3 Reload that would release further down the road. Specifically, this DLC was said to feature "The Answer" content from Persona 3 FES, which is essentially a new epilogue chapter that takes place after the main story. Now, a new discovery has been made that seems to validate these claims.

Shared by @ScrambledFaz on X (or Twitter), it has been found that finishing Persona 3 Reload on Merciless difficulty rewards players with a new item. Upon starting New Game+, this item is a letter that is delivered by Elizabeth. The letter itself seems to have no actual function but it features the message, "At the end of a great trial, the answer illuminates my path." Given that the letter makes direct use of the wording with "the answer", this seems to very much indicate that this same content from Persona 3 FES is on its way to Reload.

If you beat Persona 3 Reload on Merciless ( just merciless, nothing else is required ), Elizabeth will give you a Blue Envelope right after the final cutscene.

If you check the Blue Envelope's description in New Game+, it says something interesting.https://t.co/GoQ5rtHVv3 pic.twitter.com/57XjOkJ1af

-- Faz (@ScrambledFaz) February 25, 2024

At the time of this writing, Atlus itself hasn't confirmed whatsoever that it's developing new content for Persona 3 Reload. That being said, DLC has become a larger initiative for Sega (the parent company of Atlus) over the past few years. With this in mind, a new expansion for P3R is something that would make a ton of sense, especially given how much "The Answer" changes the events of the main game. Beyond this, bringing DLC to Persona 3 Reload will only help Atlus further bridge the gap to the release of the next mainline Persona game.

Did you happen to make this discovery for yourself in Persona 3 Reload? And how do you feel about Atlus dropping these hints associated with upcoming DLC for the remake in this manner? Be sure to let me know either down in the comments section or reach out to me on social media at @MooreMan12.

Disney Dreamlight Valley's next big update is set to drop on February 28th, and ahead of release, Gameloft has revealed the full patch notes, detailing everything players can expect to see on Wednesday. There are plenty of things that we've known about, including the ability to change the name of your player and switch contact lenses, and that this update will feature the addition of Mike and Sully from Monsters, Inc. However, there are a bunch of new details that have been revealed, including bug fixes, and the fact that the recently teased Partners statue is coming as a free item to all players. Full patch notes from the game's official website can be found below:

NEW CONTENT AND IMPROVEMENTS:

• A new Realm door opens! Clock into The Laugh Floor and experience a day in the life of this iconic Monsters, Inc. locale!
• Two new characters! It wouldn't be The Laugh Floor without Mike Wazowski and Sulley! Undertake brand new Friendship Quests and earn monstrous new items as you welcome these two to the Valley.
• Check your in-game mailboxes for a surprise! As of The Laugh Floor Update, all players - whether they've been around since day one or join in the future - will receive two much-anticipated items: The Partners statue for your Valley and the ornate Dreamlight Armor outfit.
• Get ready to live monstrously with a whole range of new ways to customize your avatar, from new skin tones, to special contacts for your eyes, to new styles of ears to choose from.
• Plan your perfect cozy evening in with the Starlight House Bundle premium bundle which offers up a wide range of customization items, including a Dream Style for Belle, a House Style fit for her sensibilities, clothing items (pajamas!), and furniture (a starlight projector!).
• A new Star Path begins, offering up exciting new rewards that are equal parts sweet and monstrous - it's the Lovely Monsters Star Path!
• We've expanded Scrooge McDuck's Shop! We know many of you check nearly every day in hopes of seeing that elusive furniture piece that'll tie your Collection together, so with this change, the shop will offer more options to choose from every day!
• That's not all that's changed at Scrooge's Shop... Back by popular demand, doors are now available for purchase once more!
• We've heard your requests and are happy to share that the ability to change the name of your avatar can now be found in the game Settings.
• More optional items are coming to the Premium Shop for a limited time, as well as some returning favorites from past Star Paths!
• Express (and reward) yourself with a wide range of new, weekly DreamSnaps challenges.

TOP CHANGES AND BUG FIXES:

• "The Wild Tangles Swarm" quest: Fixed an issue in which it was impossible to take a picture because the bugs disappeared.
• "The Missing Prince" quest: Fixed an issue in which the statue piece doesn't spawn or can't be collected.
• "Flying Metal Nuisance" quest: Fixed an issue in which a sandstone can block the player's path.
• "The Seed of Memories" quest: Fixed an issue in which The Dreamlight Tree doesn't grow.
• "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Oops" quest: Fixed an issue in which the Espresso Machine would not appear in Chez Remy for some players.
• "Restoring the Sunstone" quest: Fixed an issue in which the quest can get stuck on the 'Bury the Dusk Fragment' step.
• "Something Comes A'Knocking" quest: Fixed an issue in which the tree can't be interacted with.
• "The Heart of Dreamlight Valley" quest: Fixed an issue in which the two heart fragments are recognized as the same one in the Crafting Station.
• "The Great Blizzard" quest: Fixed an issue in which the sparkling water particles do not appear.
• "When Things Go Boom" quest: Fixed an issue in which a flame could spawn in an unreachable area.
• "The Tower" quest: Fixed an issue in which the vine seeds would not appear.
• "The Forgotten Project" quest: Fixed an issue in which the third crate may not spawn.
• "The Ceremony" quest: Fixed an issue in which 'Honored Place' is not registered as placed in front of the house.
• Fixed an issue in which the second half of the Ancient Sphere can be blocked by a sandstone.
• Fixed an issue in which some players received 'Initialization Error #101' when trying to load into the game.
• Fixed an issue in which some objects couldn't be placed on applicable furniture.
• Fixed an issue in which some objects couldn't be removed from furniture when placed on top of it.
• Fixed an issue in which an invisible wall could block some players from reaching the beach area in The Ruins.
• Fixed an issue in which WALL?E's garden could disappear for some players.
• Fixed an issue in which some outdoor furniture or trees would temporarily stop blending in with the ground after purchasing items from the Scrooge Shop.
• Fixed an issue in which some players couldn't claim DreamSnaps rewards.
• Fixed multiple location-specific issues in which items became unreachable.
• Various additional bug fixes, localization fixes, and stability improvements.

All in all, this is looking like one of Disney Dreamlight Valley's most exciting updates so far! There's a whole lot to be excited about in terms of new features and free content, and Gameloft is fixing a lot of pesky bugs. The beauty of this update is that players won't have to wait too much longer for the next one, as Gameloft is planning to drop update 10 in the spring.

Are you looking forward to the next update for Disney Dreamlight Valley? Do you plan on putting up that Partners statue? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

Star Trek: Legends is now available on Steam Early Access. Star Trek: Legends is an officially licensed team-based RPG featuring characters from the Star Trek universe that first launched on Apple Arcade. The game is available via Steam Early Access as of today at a discounted price of $14.99 until 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET, after which the price will rise to $19.99. Star Trek: Legends casts players in the role of fan-favorite Star Trek heroes and villains from throughout the franchise's history as they embark on a mission vying for control of the mysterious Nexus, with the fate of existence hanging in the balance.

According to Star Trek: Legends publisher Tilting Point, the Steam Early Access release of Star Trek: Legends is bringing the game to Steam along with a host of new features and improvements. The game includes 95 Star Trek characters, with 8 expanded episodes with 6 missions each to play through, and the new Collections feature, exclusive to Steam, that allows players to unlock rewards and combat enhancements by collecting sets of thematically connected characters across the Star Trek franchise.

Star Trek: Legends features characters ranging from the crew of Star Trek: The Original Series up to characters from Star Trek: Discovery. Players take command of the USS Artemis, recruiting their team while undertaking missions and making choices that change the game's story.

The Star Trek: Legends Steam launch trailer is included above. Here's the full list of enhancements coming to the Steam Early Access version of the game, via publisher Tilting Point:

• A Universe of Characters to Recruit: Collect and command a roster of 95 playable characters available from day 1, each with 3 to 4 unique skills. Unleash the potential of your team with characters from across the entire history of the Star Trek franchise.
• Complete Collections and Earn Rewards: Complete thematic collections, from Starfleet Captains to notorious Villains. Activating collection-specific combat bonuses adds a layer of strategy to your battles - each completed collection will also reward players with exciting bonuses.
• Play Your Way: We've added both controller and Steam Deck support for this version of the game.
• Experience Expanded Missions: Embark on 8 Episodes with 6 Missions each, offering narrative choices and multiple pathways. The Steam version includes all 8 Episodes from day 1, with refined reward and difficulty balancing for an engaging experience.
• Enhanced Shuttlecraft System: Assign characters to Shuttlecraft routes for XP and rewards. The Steam version introduces a player-friendly and streamlined experience with overhauled timers and rewards for enhanced gameplay.
• Improved Combat and UI: Engage in turn-based combat with up to 4 characters in your team. The Steam version brings quality-of-life changes, combat balance tuning, and a revamped UI for a smoother gaming experience.
• Updated Survival Mode: We've updated the balance of Survival Mode for a better player experience and improved the mode's character reroll feature.
• Customize Your Bridge: Unlock 8 different stations aboard the U.S.S. Artemis, assigning characters to each station to provide combat bonuses. Tailor your team to fit your preferred strategy.
• Enhanced Summons: Collect "Orbs" to summon new characters, now with the convenience of +1 & +10 buttons for multiple summons in a single transaction.
• Unlimited PVP Battles: Challenge fellow players in unlimited PVP battles, earn medals, and advance through lifetime PVP Leagues for better rewards.
• Exciting PVP Seasons: Participate in limited-time PVP leaderboard Seasons, competing for the highest score and exclusive rewards. A fresh start every 2 weeks keeps the competition fierce.
• Operations and Events: Engage in daily challenge battles with the overhauled Daily Operations system. Weekly events offer Event Operations for points, unlocking characters, and participating in faction-specific War Events.

Star Trek: Legends' campaign mode features a storyline by writer Mike Johnson, who may be familiar to Star Trek fans as the New York Times bestselling author who has penned Star Trek comics such as Star Trek: Countdown to Darkness, IDW Publishing's first ongoing Star Trek series, and Star Trek: Picard - Countdown. Players can also pit their crews against others online in PVP mode, with unlimited daily battles in PVP leagues. There's also survival, where players can attempt to unlock more rewards.

Star Trek fans may remember Star Trek: Legends being promoted via a viral campaign featuring Star Trek: The Next Generation star Michael Dorn. One of the Star Trek: Legends developers previously spoke to ComicBook.com about creating a new starship for the game.

"The Nexus, where the game takes place, is this realm that you can only enter through these destructive rifts, so we had to kind of set up that the Federation of Planets created this unique starship that's the only starship in the fleet that can go into that realm," said Amir Lotan, Executive Producer and Creative Director on Star Trek: Legends, at the time. "Another reason is that, because we're bringing in characters from all eras of [Starfleet], we didn't want a starship that would be associated specifically with one of those shows or one of those eras. We really wanted something that would feel like it's the player's as the captain and can't be claimed by anybody that they bring on board."

Star Trek: Legends launches on Steam Early Access on February 20th. The game also remains available on Apple Arcade.

Taking to social media platform X, ConcernedApe has relayed word of the release date of Stardew Valley Update 1.6, and the good news for Stardew Valley is the update is releasing soon. Unfortunately, at first the update is only going to be available via PC, with ConcernedApe noting that the update on console and mobile versions of the game "will follow as soon as possible." Obviously, this is pretty vague. If you are on PC though you can look forward to the update and all the new content and improvements it brings on March 19.

"It's the 8th anniversary of Stardew Valley," reads the brief update from ConcernedApe. "Thank you for all the support over the years! Today I am announcing the PC Release date for the 1.6 update: March 19th. Console and Mobile will follow as soon as possible."

As you would expect, the announcement is already generating substantial hype. At the time of writing this, the post has only been up on X for six minutes, yet it already has over 10,000 likes and over 3,000 retweets. Suffice to say, many are still playing Stardew Valley in 2024. To this end, ConcernedApe also relays word the game has sold a massive 30 million copies to date.

It's the 8th anniversary of Stardew Valley. Thank you for all the support over the years! Today I am announcing the PC Release date for the 1.6 update: --March 19th--. Console & Mobile will follow as soon as possible. pic.twitter.com/dMEFydjSqC

-- ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) February 26, 2024

It remains to be seen what exactly the update will bring. We haven't gotten new information about the content of the update since the summer of last year, when the following was promised/teased: a new major festival, two new mini festivals, new late-game content (which expands on each of the skill areas), new items and crafting recipes, Joja alternatives to some of the end-game quests, 100+ new lines of dialogue, winter outfits for the villagers, a new type of reward for completing billboard requests, support for 8 player multiplayer (PC), many small additions and adjustments, a new farm type, and new secrets.

Stardew Valley is available via Nintendo Switch, mobile devices, PC, PS4, Xbox One, PS Vita, and Mac. It is also playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S via backward compatibility. For more coverage on the RPG -- including all of the latest Stardew Valley news, all of the latest Stardew Valley rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Stardew Valley deals -- click here.

A new Battlefield update out of EA is not the news any wanted to hear about the future of the series. The update itself isn't an officially communicated update from EA PR or marketing, but rather the update comes from Marcus Lehto and his X page. For those unfamiliar with this name, he is one of the co-creators of the Halo franchise who founded Ridgeline Games in 2021. The studio, which was based out of Seattle, was created to work on future single-player Battlefield experiences.

Lehto is obviously an important member of this team and the type of senior-level talent that is next to impossible replace in the current market without breaking serious bank. He has not officially announced he is leaving behind the studio he founded, but he is removed all references to Battlefield and EA from his socials, which only ever indicates one thing.

It is possible Lehto is leaving because a better opportunity has arisen or maybe to take time off. There are a variety of reasons that don't include drama, turmoil, and development issues. These are the most likely implications though, especially given how quiet this has all gone down.

Seems like @game_fabricator has left EA, removing all references of battlefield from his bio, problems are starting already? pic.twitter.com/kqzsWCnTl6

-- DANNYonPC (@DANNYonPC) February 24, 2024

Lehto was not only obviously important to Ridgeline Games and what it was doing -- which was making single-player Battlefield experiences -- but he is a senior level talent EA won't be able to replace easily. This on its own -- not taking into consideration any deeper issues -- is worrying news for Battlefield fans. It could also indicate a change in direction for the studio, aka EA pivoting away from funding single-player experiences in the franchise. Unfortunately, all we have is lots of speculation, and at the moment of writing this, no comment from EA or Lehto on what the heck is going on and what the future of Ridgeline Games is. To this end, if there any more updates to the situation, we will be sure to update the story accordingly.

For more Battlefield coverage -- including all of the latest Battlefield news, all of the latest Battlefield rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Battlefield speculation -- click here.

Hidetaka Miyazaki, the director of Elden Ring and numerous other action games at FromSoftware, has shared some surprising news about the studio's next potential Soulslike title. Since FromSoftware first began making Soulslike games in 2009 with Demon's Souls, Miyazaki has been the director of nearly every project associated with the studio's output in this genre. The only instance where this wasn't true was with Dark Souls II, primarily because Miyazaki was instead helming Bloodborne at the time. And while it seemed likely that Miyazaki would continue to be the director on any future projects developed by FromSoftware after Elden Ring, Miyazaki has now said that this likely won't be the case.

In a new interview with IGN, Miyazaki said that there is a "high possibility" that he will begin passing on the role of director to other team members at FromSoftware on upcoming Soulslike games. Miyazaki explained that he believes this decision would be the right one because it would allow those new directors to have full control of the games that they're creating. While Miyazaki would still serve as the President at FromSoftware and would be the overseer of such projects as a result, he doesn't seem to want to dictate the vision or scope of said games.

"Yes, I think it's very likely that we'll see new directors going forward. And I think if we do that, I'd like to step away from that supervisory role and give them full direction and full control over those projects," Miyazaki explained. "I think really this is the best way and the easiest way for them to flourish within that environment and with those new projects."

In total, Miyazaki has been the director of nine different games at FromSoftware dating back to 2006. As such, to see him begin to leave that role moving forward would mark a drastic shift internally at FromSoftware. For the time being, it's not known what the acclaimed action studio will look to make next, but Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is slated to finally launch in June 2024. Beyond this, Miyazaki has also said that the door is still open for Elden Ring 2 to come about in the future.

[H/T VGC]