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Crytek has announced the previously in-development Crysis 4 has been put on hold while the studio plans to lay off 15% of its staff. The developer is famed for producing the first-person shooter Crysis series that debuted in 2007, following a group of nanosuited military protagonists opposing a host of powerful mercenaries and technologically advanced aliens called the Ceph. Crysis 4 succeeds three main entries, 2011’s Crysis 2 and 2013’s Crysis 3, alongside the 2008 expansion Crysis Warhead and the 2020 Crysis Remastered release. View the full article

Sharkmob have punched the green light, cracked open the hangar doors and launched a public playtest for their windblown open world extraction shooter Exoborne, which I would gingerly summarise as Anthem meets Just Cause with a touch of PUBG. From today till 17th February at 1pm GMT, 2pm CET, or 5am PST, you'll be able to get your fill of mech-o-looting via Steam. Here's a trailer's worth of wiggly whooshes, big bangs and exowotsits to celebrate. Mmm, exowotsits. They used to be 25p a bag in the 1990s. Read more View the full article

Shiny hunting in Pokémon video games can be a lot of fun, but it’s also a time-consuming hobby that requires a certain degree of luck. One way to add to your Shiny collection easily is to keep an eye out for exclusive drops in the Pokémon HOME mobile app. Made available on Feb. 12, 2025, Shiny Meltan is one of the latest sparkly critters you can add to your collection via HOME. View the full article

With Marvel Rivals gaining more attention, fans are already throwing out ideas for which heroes should join the roster next. While many expected Drax to be the obvious choice, thanks to his combat skills and dry humor, another Guardians of the Galaxy member is stealing the spotlight in fan discussions—and it’s not one of the usual suspects. A post on the Marvel Rivals subreddit titled “NetEase, add Cosmo the Space Dog, and my life will be yours!” has been gaining traction. Plenty of players agree that this telepathic, telekinetic pup would be a perfect addition to the hero shooter, bringing a mix of support and strategy to the game. View the full article

Elden Ring Nightreign launches on May 30, 2025 priced $40 across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam, publisher Bandai Namco has confirmed. Confirmation of the release date comes ahead of the Elden Ring Nightreign network test, which kicks off on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S only on February 14 and ends February 17, with various session times planned. This means you won't be able to play the network test throughout the entire four days, rather during five three-hour periods. Elden Ring Nightreign network test session timings:February 14: 3am-6am PT / 6am-9am ETFebruary 14: 7pm-10pm PT / 10pm-1am ETFebruary 15: 11am-2pm PT / 2pm-5pm ETFebruary 16: 3am-6am PT / 6am-9am ETFebruary 16: 7pm-10pm PT / 10pm-1am ET The network test is a “preliminary verification test in which the selected testers play a portion of the game prior to the full game launch,” Bandai Namco said. "This large-scale Network Stress Test is designed to evaluate various aspects of the online system's functionality and performance. We are looking forward to your cooperation to make Elden Ring Nightreign even better." Elden Ring Nightreign is FromSoftware’s standalone co-operative spin-off set in a world parallel to that of 2022’s Elden Ring. The network test will allow three players to team up and take their chosen Nightfarers to battle "against new terrors, and explore an ever-changing map to defeat increasingly challenging bosses and ultimately take on the Nightlord," Bandai Namco added, before confirming the network test features a three day-and-night cycle squads must try to outlast. Here's the official blurb: The all-new adventure in Elden Ring Nightreign begins at the Roundtable Hold, set in a universe parallel to the events of Elden Ring. Players must choose from eight unique characters, each with their own abilities and powerful Ultimates. Their journeys take them to Limveld, an ever-changing environment, where they will have to make split-second decisions when it comes to combat and exploration in the face of a night cycle that shrinks the map with the coming Night’s Tide. At the end of each night, players will face a powerful boss and, if victorious, awaken to ******* challenges. Each session will culminate in the third night when they must face off against the chosen Nightlord. Individuals can fight the night alone, but strength will come in numbers. Nightfarers must learn to cooperate to take down these challenges, combining their unique abilities together for an unparalleled experience. All is not lost for those who fall in defeat. Unsuccessful runs will grant players relics to allow them to customize and upgrade their characters tailored to their personal play styles. Elden Ring Nightreign is unlike any experience created before by FromSoftware, Inc. In this condensed action RPG, players will never experience the same journey twice as enemies, rewards, and Limveld itself are ever-shifting and evolving with each new session. Defeating greater enemies and venturing into the more dangerous parts of the map will uncover more powerful weapons and greater Rune rewards. Finding Sites of Grace gives each hero a chance to level up and gain crucial power. With each session-based adventure being akin to playing through an open-air dungeon, every journey provides an opportunity to grow lasting stat bonuses. Successful runs against the night bring players ever closer to defeating the Nightlord and unraveling the story behind each Nightfarer in this parallel world. Last year IGN had the opportunity to visit FromSoftware and go hands-on with an early build of Elden Ring Nightreign. We came away impressed, stating that Elden Ring Nightreign “takes the cautious dungeon crawls of Elden Ring and turbocharges them into propulsive, slash ‘n’ dash speedruns.” Check out IGN's interview with game director Junya Ishizaki for even more on Elden Ring Nightreign. 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

Despite Elden Ring Nightreign's differences from its predecessor as a dedicated co-op game, the spin-off is still highly anticipated as something of a follow-up to what is among the greatest games of all time. Many longtime FromSoftware fans and newer Elden Ring aficionados alike will be eager to get Nightreign on release day, and possibly even purchase one of its special editions. Nightreign's price point will contribute to the allure of said special editions as well, which offer both in-game incentives and physical collectibles. View the full article

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 release window has reportedly slipped to March, according to one leaker. While the original release window of February was confirmed by Nvidia, a specific date was never announced, and it looks as though the budget gaming GPU could now be coming out later than expected. You can read about the flagship new Nvidia GPU in our RTX 5090 review, but if you were holding out for the RTX 5070 release date window, this reported delay could mean you're left waiting a little longer. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Where to buy 5080 - Nvidia RTX 5080 stock for February 12 Where to buy 5090 - Nvidia RTX 5090 stock for February 12 Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 gaming laptop pre-orders will be available very soon View the full article

FromSoftware has confirmed when Elden Ring Nightreign will launch, and we won't be waiting much longer. The surprise reveal of a standalone Elden Ring co-op game caught us all off guard at the end of 2024, and an imminent beta is going to let plenty of players leap in and try it out for themselves. Whether you have an invite or not, however, it's just a few months until we can play the full version of the multiplayer RPG. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Elden Ring Nightreign release date, gameplay, and news If you're expecting Elden Ring Nightreign beta codes, FromSoftware has news Elden Ring Nightreign beta start date and end times View the full article

From the developer of chilled beekeeping sim APICO, their next game Mudborne: Frog Management Sim is set for release on World Frog Day (March 20th) with a brand new demo. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Elden Ring Nightreign will release 30th May 2025 on Steam, developers FromSoftware and publishers Bandai Namco have announced. In a few short months, you and up to two friends will be called upon to rush a few bosses on a large, shrinking map set in the same universe as the 2022 open worlder. Is it the Elden Ring sequel many would like? No. Is it going to kindle similar feelings of frustration, despair and sporadic religious ecstasy? The omens seem good. Read more View the full article

Ruffy and the Riverside is releasing with Linux support later this year (hopefully - no set date) but you can try it early thanks to a demo release now available. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Minecraft studio Mojang is changing studio heads, after its current boss, Åsa Bredin, decided to step down. In a statement, Microsoft said on Wednesday that Bredin had made the decision to step down “to focus on personal goals outside of work.” She had been made studio head in 2023, after joining the company two years earlier. As per Variety, Microsoft Gaming‘s Kayleen Walters will take over at Mojang. Currently, Walters is vice president and head of franchise development at Microsoft’s gaming division. Read More... View the full article

As soon as you're done getting flogged in the town square of Troskowitz at the start of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, you learn of a combat master named Tomcat. Tomcat is located to the west of Trosky, but he can teach you some extremely useful combat mechanics. One of those mechanics is the Horizontal Slice, but it's incredibly difficult to pull off if you're just following the game's directions. Performing a Horizontal Slice in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 When you're training with Tomcat at the Nomads' Camp in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, he'll ask you to perform a couple of the mechanics you're trying to learn. The latter of those mechanics is the Horizontal Slice, which is a combat combo that sees you attack from three different directions. This is supposed to be used against tougher enemies that might be more prone to block your standard attacks. The description for the Horizontal Slice during the Combat Training quest. Screenshot by Destructoid During the combat training with Tomcat, you need to perform two Horizontal Slices to complete the "Combat Training: I" quest. This is required to unlock the Combat Training II quest, which unlocks the Master Strike ability. Fans of the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance will know how big of a deal learning the Master Strike is, as it completely changes every combat encounter you'll have moving forward. Unfortunately, the Horizontal Slice is seemingly impossible to pull off if you're just following the directions the game gives you. According to the game's description, the Horizontal Slice requires the following combo: Attack in short succession from up, right and left While you can randomly perform a Horizontal Slice blindly following that combo direction, you won't be able to consistently pull it off. Moreover, you're likely going to hear Tomcat tell you to keep repeating the combo over and over, as you won't be doing it correctly during the combat training. Luckily, there is a way to ensure you can perform a Horizontal Slice with some consistency. You just have to slightly disregard what the game says. Here's the best way to pull off a Horizontal Slice: To start, move your mouse or joystick up right before you attack. If you hold "up" for too long, your attack will default to the left side and the combo will be over before it can even begin. The moment after you attack while holding "up," immediately move your mouse or joystick to the right and attack. You want to ensure you're doing all of this with speed. If you let time go by in between the attacks, your momentum is thrown off, and the combo won't work. Right after you attack on the right, don't move your mouse or joystick to the left. All you have to do is immediately attack again. For some reason, your default attack is on the left side, so if you just press attack after going to the right side, you will attack on the left side without actually having to move your cursor over there. So, the Horizontal Slice combo is actually up, right, right. However, if you attack from the right first and then press attack again, you'll still go to the left side to complete the combo. It's also important to remember the speed at which you attack. Find the right rhythm between the swing of the sword every time you press the attack button. Tomcat can eventually teach you the Master Strike move. Screenshot by Destructoid It will definitely take a few (dozen) attempts to get the hang of the Horizontal Slice, but following my steps will eventually yield you the results you're looking for. Once you pull off two Horizontal Slices during the combat training with Tomcat, you're done with the first part of the quest. To learn the Master Strike, you have to defeat Tomcat in a duel, which is far easier if you use the Horizontal Slice against him. Of course, you might also not be ready for a fight with someone as experienced as Tomcat, so there's no harm in further mastering your skills, getting better gear, and coming back later. The Master Strike is far more useful in the mid-late game, so don't sweat about it if you're still just starting out. The post How to do a Horizontal Slice in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Valve has removed a malicious free-to-play title from Steam after the game's developer "uploaded builds that contained suspected malware." The game in question is PirateFi, which was released on Steam on February 6 before being taken down by Valve less than a week later. While only a handful of people appear to have launched PirateFi, Valve has begun contacting players with a warning that their computers have likely been infected with malicious files. View the full article

Stellar Blade developer Shift Up has promised it will "optimize" the upcoming PC port to "ensure smooth gameplay even in UMPC (Steam Deck) environments." This comes from the Q&A featured in the developers' latest business performance results report. A Stellar Blade PC port has been confirmed for some time with a broad release date window of sometime in 2025, and this latest development suggests that Shift Up is also committed to ensuring the game will run on the best handheld gaming PCs such as the Steam Deck. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Save $100 on this NZXT headset and audio controller in Presidents' Day ***** Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 gaming laptop pre-orders will be available very soon Forget the GPU temp, even the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 power cable can hit 150°C View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Elden Rring Nightreign is built to be a multiplayer game set in the world’s universe, with updated gameplay to create a fast-paced, roguelike experience. But for those who don’t have two other friends to play with, fans have been hoping for alternative ways to play the game to fit their preferences. Dot Esports had a chance to meet with Nightreign’s director, Junya Ishizaki, in a press roundtable to discuss many aspects of the game. We were curious about how matchmaking and player numbers would work, considering most of the trailers only show groups of three teaming up together. View the full article

Elden Ring Neightreign is a unique take on the Soulslike formula, providing players with a roguelike experience that has you play as one of 18 characters in teams of three, trying to take down various bosses, all while scouring for levels and loot. Dot Esports attended a preview event for Nightreign at the end of January, with travel provided by Bandai Namco. We were among the first players in the world to play the game hands-on, and we were pleasantly surprised by what was on offer. But we had many concerns about what players were working towards. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

While many gameplay mechanics and features in Elden Ring are returning in Elden Ring Nightreign, one of the game’s loyal companions is nowhere to be seen. Torrent, the horse that guides the Tarnished throughout the game and helped you traverse a lot of the world, is not set to make a return in the standalone spin-off roguelike, which is a letdown for fans of the series who had hoped to see Torrent or at least a horse, help you traverse the world when trying to do as much as possible. View the full article

If I could sum up Elden Ring Nightreign with a single word after playing the game for seven hours at a January preview event, it would be “frantic.” Not because the game is fast-paced, but because the speed at which you need to adapt and gel with your teammates is unlike anything I’ve ever seen FromSoftware do. In Nightreign, you play as one of 18 class characters known as Nightfarers and team up with two other players to tackle a small roguelike world. Your objective is to beat the Night Lord, a boss that appears after three in-game days have passed. You’ll scour the land, level up, and find better weapons and equipment to increase your chances of victory. View the full article

Attention Nightfarers across the world: The time of the Night Lord is upon us, as Elden Ring Nightreign has finally locked in a release date. And it’s a lot sooner than you might think. Releasing on May 30, Elden Ring Nightreign will be available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The game allows up to three people to experience the unique take on the Soulslike formula together in this cooperative spinoff of the Elden Ring world. View the full article

Elden Ring Nightreign doesn’t evolve the gameplay of Elden Ring. Instead, it morphs and twists certain aspects of what Soulslike players have become accustomed to for a different playing experience. While many mechanics that make Elden Ring unique remain, the developers at FromSoftware have shifted and changed certain aspects of the game to fit a more fast-paced experience for the roguelike spinoff. View the full article

Thanks to Bandai Namco, Dot Esports were able to try over six hours of Elden Ring Nightreign gameplay at the end of January to finally experience the game and see what it is about after its initial trailer at the Game Awards in December 2024 teased so much but revealed so little. While we couldn’t try the whole game experience, with some gameplay features like the shop and a host of other content locked in the build we were playing, we still learned a lot about Elden Ring Nightreign. View the full article

FromSoftware developing a follow-up to Elden Ring isn't surprising, but even if Elden Ring Nightreignlooks and kind of feels like Elden Ring, it's still an unexpected turn. Modern FromSoftware has built its reputation on deep RPGs with precise and varied combat, buoyed by obfuscated worldbuilding and indirect storytelling. Nightreign inherits some intrigue, but the only facet it seems to have in spades is Elden Ring's combat, albeit almost entirely separated from any sort of gradual character building. View the full article

Elden Ring Nightreign has set a release date, and it's becoming available not long after the game was first revealed at The Game Awards 2024. The dedicated co-op game is an interesting departure for FromSoftware, being a spin-off of what the developer has become well known for, primarily single-player RPGs. Elden Ring Nightreign's quick turnaround from announcement to launch avoids a lengthy promotional cycle that its namesake had become infamous for. View the full article

EA "passed" on buying a number of blockbuster Activision Blizzard games, including Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, and even World of Warcraft developer Blizzard. That's according to former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon, who said on the Grit podcast that "Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, Blizzard... EA saw all those first and passed on all of them." Talking to former Activision boss Bobby Kotick, Bing said: "This is why I have double-high respect for [Kotick] saying, 'no, no, this is going to be good to own.' And then you kept the people around. "I'm pretty sure that some of those companies, the creative leaders, would not have stuck around [for a company other than Activision], so you did some kind of miracle of keeping them productive for long periods of time." The merger between then Blizzard owner Vivendi Games and Activision in July 2008 created the Activision Blizzard we know today. At the time, World of Warcraft was already the world's biggest subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game. According to Gordon, EA was among the publishers approached to buy Blizzard ahead of the merger, but declined the offer. While Guitar Hero has fallen by the wayside, Call of Duty and World of Warcraft continue to make millions with each new game and expansion fueled by live service revenue, which flows up to parent company Microsoft. During the same interview, Kotick said EA tried to buy Activision and Blizzard several times. "They tried to buy us a bunch of times, we had merger conversations a bunch of times," Kotick revealed. Gordon added: "While you were doing Blizzard, that EA passed on, and you were doing King, EA did PopCap — just stupid things." In the same interview, Kotick declared ex-EA CEO John Riccitiello "the worst CEO in video games." Kotick also opened up about Universal's 2016 adaptation of Activision Blizzard's Warcraft, calling it "one of the worst movies I've ever seen." 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