Steam

Which background should you give to your character in Avowed? It’s something you may be curious about when you first start the game and are creating your new hero. After you finish their appearance, you’ll reach a section called Background where you have five different backstories to choose from. Read More... View the full article

Behaviour Interactive is delaying Dead by Daylight Chapters and other content such as Rifts and Collections so it will have room to address the community's biggest complaints with the game. This is part of the DBD quality-of-life initiative for 2025, which takes aim at long-standing issues and will be split into two phases. So, while new Chapters are being pushed back, Behaviour is using this extra time to finally make the core experience much better. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: DBD codes February 2025 Resident Evil DBD 2v8 mode release time and details Dead by Daylight killer tier list: all 38 deadly DBD killers ranked View the full article

Everyone has a drink they can't live without. For me it's a can of Monster Pipeline Punch. I know it has a lifetime's worth of sugar in it, and ingesting just one makes me feel as though my heart is about to explode, but every sip is worth it. Sodaman is an all-new action roguelike built around this universal love for carbonated beverages, and it looks like a worthy successor to the best of the genre. With cybernetic augmentations, alien lifeforms, and a neon-drenched aesthetic, Sodaman is out now in Steam Early Access. Read the rest of the story... View the full article

The data for the Event Banners has been updated on the Genshin Impact beta servers, revealing that Gaming, Faruzan, Beidou, and Yanfei will join Iansan as the featured 4-Stars of Version 5.5. With a playable cast that is slowly approaching a hundred characters, Genshin Impact has the impossible task of designing a fair banner schedule. For Natlan, meta characters such as Neuvillette were prioritized over less popular units, and while the Chronicled Banner seeks to soothe the issue in the long term, many Genshin Impact players view it as a temporary solution. View the full article

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer would like to know if video games journalism is OK. He is concerned that the "whole space is gonna go away or be corrupted by things". He mourns the heyday of magazines, and is bemused by this "SEO" malarkey he keeps hearing about. Much like a Dickensian child holding out a bowl for more gruel, he wants to know if there's still a "path" for "people with a real honest voice". Read more View the full article

The suggestion that we might only be waiting a few months for GTA 6 on PC came from Corsair Gaming's financial VP, Ronald van Veen. During the company's latest earnings call, he said (via VGC), "Yeah, GTA 6 is probably the one everyone is talking about. And we'll get a... Read Entire Article View the full article

With a demo now available, Is This Seat Taken? is a wonderfully charming idea for a logic puzzle game about picking up people and putting them in the right seat. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Rocksteady's possible return to making a Batman: Arkhamgame has people talking, but one exciting feature is missing from the discussion. The Nemesis System, made famous by Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, created a unique gameplay experience with enemies that evolved based on how players interacted with them. While this resulted in a greater sense of control over the gameplay experience, the Nemesis System seems to have been left behind after negative feedback about Shadow of War’s monetization tactics and Warner Bros. patenting the system. View the full article

Trials of Osiris always shows the current PvP meta in Destiny 2, and this weekend was no exception. During the Heresy’s first Trials of Osiris weekend, some of the most used things were Titan barricades and pulse rifles—but not the ones you’d typically expect. One of the most used Titan loadouts in Destiny 2 PvP over the last weekend was Arc Titan with the new Aspect, Storm’s Keep. Storm’s Keep modifies the barricade to grant Bolt Charge to everyone behind it. While behind the barricade, players can discharge the Bolt Charge using weapons rather than ability damage. Many players already agreed that this Aspect needs a nerf inside of PvP. “Yeah saw this lately in my trials game. Every titan just hiding behind the barricade waiting for bolt charge,” a player wrote in a Reddit thread on Feb. 16. View the full article

One Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 player has recently stumbled on an in-game character whose name appears to be a humorous reference to Johnny Silverhand from Cyberpunk. This nod to the popular dystopian franchise is far from the first Easter egg that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 fans have discovered to date. View the full article

I've said it before, but 2024 really was the year of the survival game. We had megahits like Palworld and Once Human, and excellent genre entries like Enshrouded and Abiotic Factor. Then there was Soulmask, The Forever Winter, and even Infection Free Zone. There were so many I wouldn't be surprised if there are loads you still plan on getting around to playing. So if Pacific Drive is one of the games on your ever-growing list, now's the perfect time to play it. If not, then consider this your introduction. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Free Pacific Drive update adds a puzzling new mechanic to the survival game Pacific Drive's new free update expands 2024's best survival game One of the best survival games of 2024, Pacific Drive, just got better View the full article

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 launch left plenty of gamers disappointed, thanks to immediate stock shortages, but that could be about to change. A new rumor is suggesting that supply of new RTX 5090 graphics cards will be vastly improved soon, giving gamers the chance to actually buy one of these new gaming GPUs and leaving scalpers disappointed. The launch of these new Nvidia cards has been rather stop-start. While the company has certainly produced the best graphics card in the RTX 5090, it's been almost impossible for the majority of gamers to get hold of one, while RTX 5080 stock has been similarly constrained. If Nvidia is able to resolve these issues over the coming months, then all the better, for both the company and for gamers generally. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Where to buy 5090 - Nvidia RTX 5090 stock for February 17 Where to buy 5070 - retailers to check for stock first Where to buy 5070 Ti - retailers to check for stock first View the full article

Mortal Kombat 1 dataminers have seemingly found evidence that NetherRealm Studios could be adding Hara-Kiri finishers at some point. Mortal Kombat 1 has been enjoying plenty of success as of late, thanks to the continued support from NetherRealm Studios and the recent release of Conan the Barbarian to the game's continually expanding roster. View the full article

Counter-Strike 2 has reached a new peak player count on Steam, though the exact reason is unknown. Counter-Strike 2 has received numerous game-changing updates and overhauls since it first rolled out, though news on the game has been noticeably quiet in recent months, making its newest player milestone rather perplexing. While tactical, fast-paced gameplay makes up the core of the Counter-Strike 2 experience, many fans obsess over the game's selection of ultra-rare skins and items, which may be a reason for the increase in players recently. View the full article

It was a big week last week for Dragon Ball fans with the canon introduction of a fan favourite form in Daima, and yes, someone's modded it into Sparking! Zero. Read more View the full article

Microsoft has quietly dropped 8th, 9th, and 10th-gen Intel gaming CPUs from its new hardware guidelines for Windows 11 PC manufacturers, but gamers don't need to be too worried. While the company hasn't made a public statement, its guidelines make clear that these Intel CPUs will continue to work with the latest version of Windows 11, at least for now. It's no surprise that Microsoft is leaving these older CPUs out of its future Windows 11 plans. The best gaming PCs on ***** are already using newer processors, while these Intel gaming CPUs are now between eight and five years old and are heading towards obsolescence. For gamers with older PCs, however, it's welcome news that their rigs aren't destined for the junk pile just yet, even if this is a sign that their PCs are starting to get a little long in the tooth. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: There's a new Windows 11 update bug causing game crashes, no fix available yet Windows 11 needs to change, or it will lose PC gaming to Linux forever Windows 11 is coming to Meta Quest 3 for a cyberpunk VR spreadsheet future View the full article

Here's a bit of fluff for you today: fans of Deep Rock Galactic are in for a treat, as you can now grab an officially licensed beer mug and they sure do look fancy. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

The lead quest designer of the tremendously popular The Witcher 3 has revealed that there are things about the game he doesn’t like and would love to have the chance to go back in time to fix them. Even though this may come as a surprise to fans, considering The Witcher 3’s success and enduring popularity over the years, one key member of the development team has some serious regrets about the game. View the full article

Fatal Fury: City of Wolves has revealed fresh details about its forthcoming open beta *******, which is set to take place from February 20 to February 24, 2025, across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Developed by Japanese developer SNK, Fatal Fury: City of Wolvesis the first entry in the fighting game franchise in nearly 26 years. View the full article

The NetEase-backed studio formed by ex-Avalanche Studios founder Christofer Sundberg has announced that it’s making a round of layoffs. In a message posted on its website, Sweden-based Liquid Swords said it was making the cuts following a review of its finances and in the face of “the present challenges of the video game industry”. It said the “deeply regrettable” changes are “intended to ensure the studio’s long-term sustainability”. Read More... View the full article

Can you keep completing the remaining side quests after you complete Avowed’s main story? It’s a question many players will have as they start to get into the game. After all, as engaging as Avowed’s main story is, most of the side quests are where some of the more entertaining (and, to be honest, the silliest) storylines can be found. Read More... View the full article

League of Legends provides a mix of serious competition and hilarious banter. One thing that players get a kick out of is death animations. There are some sad ones—looking at you, Nunu and Willump—but some are hilarious. League players discussed in a recent Reddit thread which champions they think are the funniest, and while there were some good options, such as base Ziggs and Tristana, many have concluded that Rumble tops the bunch. When he dies, the little Yordle is ejected from his seat screaming as he goes out of vision, only to ****** back down a couple of seconds later. The original poster said, “Rumble purely because of the sound he makes ejecting and then crashing back down to Runeterra like Wiley Coyote gets me every time.” View the full article

As one of Steam’s most pre-ordered games right now, we know Monster Hunter Wilds is going to be massive. We also know that Wilds will be some people’s first Monster Hunter game. While we’re sure it will have a solid enough tutorial for newcomers, the series is undeniably dense and complex, and so if Wilds is your first go at hunting monsters you may find value in trying one of the previous games first. So before hopping into the vast and dangerous expanse of Monster Hunter Wilds, there’s one game we really recommend you check out: 2018’s Monster Hunter: World. We don’t recommend Wold because of some big narrative tie-in or cliffhanger ending that will leave you lost and confused when you embark on Wild's central plotline. We suggest it simply because Monster Hunter: World is the game that most closely resembles Wilds’ style and structure. Playing World is a great way to onboard yourself and prepare for the sometimes obtuse systems and gameplay loop the series lives and thrives on. Why Monster Hunter: World? If you’ve kept up with Capcom’s recent releases, you might already be asking, “Should I not play Monster Hunter Rise, the most recent game in the series, rather than go back to Monster Hunter: World?” It’s a valid question. But while Rise is the most recent Monster Hunter (and a very good game!), it's clear that Monster Hunter Wilds is a direct successor to 2018’s World rather than 2021’s Rise. Rise may have refined the series’ signature gameplay with rideable mounts, the high-flying Wirebug grapple mechanic, and a few other flashy tricks, but they arrived at the expense of some of the larger and more layered seamless zones that World boasted. You see, while Rise is available on every platform these days, it was originally built for the Nintendo Switch, and that console’s more modest specs informed several of the creative decisions. This resulted in an emphasis on speed and smaller scale zones, which expedited the hunt-upgrade-hunt gameplay loop but lost some of the larger scale and fascinating friction of World. It is those elements that Rise dropped that Wilds seems to be trying to recapture and build upon. World feels like the blueprint that Wilds’ much larger open areas are drawing from. Monster Hunter: World features large zones and an emphasis on tracking monsters and other living beings through a detailed ecosystem, and so World feels like the blueprint that Wilds’ much larger open areas are drawing from. This is why we believe World is the perfect game to prepare you for what’s to come. Those more open zones, which act as stages for long, thrilling hunts stretched across wide swathes of varied terrain, is where modern Monster Hunter shines. We expect Wilds to deliver on all that, but why wait when you can get an early, informative taste of it in World? Despite seeming like a direct successor, it’s important to note that Monster Hunter Wilds’ story isn't a continuation of the tale told in World. However, World’s approach to story and campaign structure will set your expectations appropriately for the direction of Wilds’ story. You’ll meet staple organizations like the Hunter’s Guild governing body, as well as your adorable feline sidekicks, the Palicos, all of which will be present in Wilds. However, these elements will be wholly unconnected from previous (and, most likely, future) entries. Think of all this as being like the Final Fantasy series, in which each entry is known to feature your bearded friend Cid, a massive Behemoth, bright yellow Chocobos, and other defining monsters roaming throughout the land, but all the games are distinct and unconnected, which allows every entry to put its own stamp on classic ideas. Practice, Practice, Practice Above and beyond getting a preliminary understanding of the Monster Hunter universe and how the Wilds’ campaign will be structured, the strongest case for playing Monster Hunter: World first lies in the game's challenging combat. Monster Hunter Wilds’ action is built around 14 weapons, each with their own playstyle and strategies. All 14 of them are also present in Monster Hunter: World, which means you can get a headstart on becoming comfortable with the eclectic systems that govern this series’ genuinely one-of-a-kind combat. Diving into World is a great way to familiarize yourself with each weapon’s techniques and decide which one suits your personal tastes and playstyle the best. Whether it's the quick and flashy dual-blades or the hulking greatsword, each weapon in Monster Hunter is distinct and demands focus to master. So consider Monster Hunter: World a training ground where you can learn weapon basics and build up proficiency. By the time you get to Wilds, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a master of your craft. In the Monster Hunter series your weapon is everything. You don't level up and gain skill points through experience or other traditional RPG mechanics. Instead, all of your abilities and stats are delivered through your weapon. Think of your weapon like a character class or job in a more traditional action RPG – each one dictates your role on the battlefield and how you approach each and every hunt. Playing World will teach you how these weapons can be leveled up using parts collected from slain monsters, and how to build toward the higher-level weapons on your weapon tree. Furthermore, World teaches you early on that you can't just mash your attack button through most situations. The positioning of your character and angle of your attacks are the key to victory, rather than raw damage output. Knowledge of where on a monster’s body your weapon can have the most impact is half the battle. The Longsword is great for slicing off monsters' tails or long appendages, for instance, while the hammer is great for knocking enemies over by bonking them on the head hard enough. Knowing how best to utilize a specific weapon can turn the tide of any battle and set you up for success, so it's certainly worth hopping into Monster Hunter: World and getting familiar with where you can deal devastating damage to your enemies. Having a solid understanding of the tempo of each hunt will be a huge advantage going into Wilds. Your weapon is only one piece of World’s equation though. The Slinger is a tool attached to your hunter's left arm that allows you to use special gadgets and ammunition in a fight. Learning when to shoot a Flash Pod to blind an enemy monster or toss out some poison knives for chip damage can make or break a fight. The Slinger returns in Wilds, and knowing how to pepper in shots throughout a fight will take your game to the next level. You'll need to craft Slinger ammo from ingredients gathered from the environment, so having some familiarity with World’s crafting menus and recipes will go a long way when you start using Wilds’ own versions. Once you've got to grips with World’s weapons and tools you'll begin to peel back the Monster Hunter series’ other recurring layers. Your general gameplay loop begins with following monster tracks, hoping to uncover the whereabouts of the beast in question. Along the way you'll use your pickaxe to mine ore, gather some honey for potion crafting, and grab whatever other materials you find along the way to the monster's location. It all becomes second-nature after a while, and having a solid understanding of the tempo of each hunt will be a huge advantage going into Wilds. A hunt is not about rushing in, getting a quick kill, and moving on. Each expedition is designed to take some time, especially on the first go around. Learning how to dance with the fire-breathing Anjanath is leagues away from understanding the best equipment to prepare against something like the bomb-dropping Bazelgeuse, but understanding all of the different facets of these creatures builds foundational knowledge. And with Monster Hunter Wilds looking to capture the scope and scale of these adventures in a similar way to how World revels in the spectacle, it means the 2018 entry is the ideal training ground. Plus, if you need yet another reason to check out Monster Hunter World ahead of Wilds’ release, you can get some free Palico armor if you import save data from World into Wilds, and an additional set of armor if you have data from World’s massive Iceborne expansion. It's a small thing, but dressing up your Palico never gets old. While you never need to play a prior Monster Hunter game before starting a new one, Capcom’s RPG is a distinctly different animal than any other game out there. While the developer has been working hard to make the learning curve easier with each new game, there are so many unique systems that really the only way to truly prepare for Monster Hunter is by playing Monster Hunter. While there will be many who will find joy jumping right into the new game blind, there's never been a better time to try out Monster Hunter: World and familiarize yourself with the vernacular and community ahead of Wilds’ launch on February 28, 2025. Jesse Vitelli is a freelance writer and published author. A former associate editor at Prima Games, he also has bylines at Kotaku, Inverse, Game Informer, and more. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s success is showing no sign of slowing down — it’s now sold 2 million copies in less than two weeks. Confirmation comes from a tweet by developer Warhorse Studios, which hailed Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s success as a “triumph,” as it had done when the game sold 1 million just a day after going on *****. It's an incredible result for developer Warhorse Studios' medieval Europe action role-playing game sequel, which launched on February 4 across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S. Last week, Warhorse Studios parent company Embracer said Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 had done particularly well on Steam, where it saw over 250,000 peak concurrent players. For context, the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance hit a peak Steam concurrent player count of 96,069 seven years ago. It’s worth noting that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s actual peak concurrent player count will be *******, given the game launched on console as well as PC. However, neither Sony nor Microsoft make player numbers public. Embracer, which owns Warhorse Studios via its subsidiary, Plaion, said Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 “has been initially successful, not only in terms of player and critic reception, but also in terms of performance.” “This reflects the dedication and hard work of our development studio, Warhorse Studios, and our publisher, Deep Silver,” Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors said. “It is our strong belief that the game will continue to generate substantial revenues over the coming years, highlighting the exceptional quality, immersion and appeal of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Warhorse Studios has a robust roadmap, including updates and new content over the next 12 months, ensuring an engaging and continuously evolving experience for the community. “We are immensely proud of the teams involved in the successful release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, which has significantly outperformed our expectations so far,” Wingefors added. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2's post-launch roadmap includes three expansions to be released in 2025. In spring, expect free updates that range from a Barbers feature with additional customization options to Hardcore Mode and Horse Racing. Summer will then follow with what appears to be the first paid content drop, Brushes with Death, which Warhorse said follows protagonist Henry as he “aids an enigmatic artist with a shadowy past.” The autumn season brings the Legacy of the Forge expansion, add-on content that looks into Henry’s past by exploring his adoptive father Martin’s history. Finally, winter sees the release of Mysteria Ecclesia, which sees Henry embark on a covert mission to “navigate the complex dynamics” of the Sedlec Monastery. Getting started in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2? Check out our advice on Things to Do First and How to Make Money Fast Early to get you started, or head to our Walkthrough hub for a step-by-step guide to the main quest. We’ve also got guides for the myriad Activities and Tasks, Side Quests, and even Cheat Codes and Console Commands. Wesley is the *** News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at *****@*****.tld. View the full article

Presidents' Day marks one of the first big ***** events of the year, and if you've been looking to save on video games there's been a fantastic variety on ***** to look through. One of our favorite video game deals at the moment is on Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon for PS5, which is down to just $20 at Amazon and Best Buy. This marks a 67% price drop from its $59.99 list price and a return to its lowest price yet, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. If you've been hoping to dive into its masterful world of mechs, now's your chance to do it and save some cash in the process. Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon for $20 If you're still on the fence about adding this game to your collection, it's worth noting that we had a lot of praise for it in our review. IGN's Mitchell Saltzman said, "Armored Core 6 doesn’t look to reinvent the bipedal legs of the mech action genre, but it does update, refine, and polish them to an aggressive shine." He also mentions that it's "a welcome return of a classic mecha series." If you're looking for even more game deals available during this ***** event, have a look through our roundup of the best video game deals to shop during Presidents' Day sales. Right now some of the best offerings can be found at Best Buy, including discounts on big releases like Metaphor: ReFantazio, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and more. To see even more gaming deals, make sure to check out our individual roundups of the best PlayStation deals, the best Xbox deals, and the best Nintendo Switch deals to see the latest and greatest discounts for each platform. For an overall look at the highlights for each console, have a look at our breakdown of the best video game deals. Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]