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My expectations are that Skirk will not be a Cryo DPS in Genshin Impact, despite leaks and speculation indicating she will take on that role once she is released as a playable character. Skirk is a character that was introduced during the conclusion of Fontaine’s main story arc. She is Childe’s master and a seasoned swordswoman capable of dwelling in the Abyss. At the time, she only served as an NPC who revealed information about the game’s plot and backstory, but HoYoverse has teased Skirk among the new Genshin Impact characters set to become playable within the next few updates. View the full article

Civilization 7's development team is acknowledging complaints from the player community about the 4X strategy title and is already working to appease its fanbase. Changes coming to Civilization 7 include improvements to the user interface and the addition of multiple features that have been present in previous entries in the series. View the full article

Valve have updated the developer guidelines for releasing a game on Steam, making it clear that the scourge of mobile gaming advertising-based business models are not going to work on Steam. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Whether it's your first or hundredth time entering Civilization 7's Exploration Age, there will always be unique challenges and opportunities to navigate through as you explore the Distant Lands or expand your empire on the home continent. The Exploration Age's unique features include Religions and Religious units, the infamous Distant Lands and their lucrative Treasure Fleets, as well as a complete reset of all your military units and Independent Powers. View the full article

Despite some very strong challengers in Balatro, Metaphor ReFantazio, UFO 50, and Zenless Zone Zero, Helldivers 2 was my ultimate game of the year for 2024. It's a beautiful, bombastic thing; a masterful reconstruction of one of my favorite co-op games in a whole-new perspective that gives it fresh life. While its first year featured somewhat of a reception rollercoaster, constant updates from developer Arrowhead and the arrival of the Illuminate have brought Helldivers 2 back in style, and you can grab it cheaper than it's ever been on Steam - but be quick about it. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Helldivers 2 Warbond - Servants of Freedom details New Helldivers 2 patch notes make sweeping changes to help you survive longer Helldivers 2 gifts players controversial Killzone cosmetics for free View the full article

A recent leak from Honkai: Star Rail is suggesting that one of the game's most popular classes will not be receiving a new roster member in Amphoreus. The launch of Honkai: Star Rail's fourth fully exploreable world has already brought plenty of major new changes to the game with its initial cast of characters. The release of Aglaea and the newest Trailblazer variant officially introduced Remembrance as a playable Path, with more Remembrance characters expected to be on the way. Now, a powerful fan-favorite class may be missing throughout the Amphoreus cycle. View the full article

With the huge Wine 10 release out, the Wine team have moved back to their regular biweekly development feature releases with Wine 10.1 out now. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

GE-Proton 9-24 is out now bringing with it the usual assortment of fixes, plus as interesting change that will help games detect saves from other games. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

The Chocolate Fish in Fisch is the new bait that has been added in the Valentine’s update, but you can only get a few of them right now to earn the unique mutation. Roblox’s Fisch has a myriad of different baits and it keeps adding new types of baits to the game, which allows players to catch different kinds of fish. Each fish bait has unique stats, which buffs the fishing rod you’re using in different ways. View the full article

Elden Ring's most popular mod is easily the seamless co-op one from modder Yui, and they're back at it again, this time for Dark Souls 3. Read more View the full article

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2debuted to instant success, as posts on social media have suggested that the game has sold one million copies worldwide after just 24 hours. A co-founder of developers Warhorse Studios has commented on the sales, noting that the studio is "happy with the numbers". View the full article

With the huge Wine 10 release out, the Wine team have moved back to their regular biweekly development feature releases with Wine 10.1 out now. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

The PlayStation Network is finally back online after more than a day of outage. Players were barred from playing most of their games, the majority of which in today’s day and age require an online connection. Sony also issued an apology, but fan fervor is far from quenched. “Network services have fully recovered from an operational issue,” Sony wrote in a Feb. 9 post on X, apologizing for how the PlayStation Network suffered a total ****** and went offline for about 24 hours, thanking players for their patience. In addition, all PlayStation Plus subscribers would “automatically receive an additional five days of service” as compensation for their day-long troubles. However, not all PlayStation players were satisfied with this approach. Not only are they angered by Sony’s lack of communication, but also feel that the five days of extra PS Plus membership are simply “unacceptable” and not enough to make up for the outage. View the full article

In the lead up to the launch, Capcom has been drip feeding players trailers and breakdowns of gameplay for Monster Hunter Wilds, which have largely been received well thus far. New monsters have been shown off, like the technically impressive Nu Urda, while classic monsters of old have made a rousing return, such as the Gravios. Whole hunts have been shown off with players able to get a good look at new gameplay features in motion, and the timing of these seems to be building up toward the next open beta that started on February 7. View the full article

The only way to quick save in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is by drinking a unique potion called Savior Schnapps, making it hard to preserve your progress often. Due to how limited Savior Schnapps can be, you may want to resort to mods to establish a consistent save system. While this takes away some challenge, this can prevent you from having to start again from awkward places in your saves. View the full article

In a recent discussion on social media, Marvel Rivals fans pointed out several issues they have with Scarlet Witch's ultimate ability. Marvel Rivals is approaching the middle of Season 1: Eternal Night Falls, which has introduced The Fantastic Four to the popular hero shooter. While Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman arrived at the beginning of the season, it's expected that The Thing and Human Torch will follow in a large mid-season update. View the full article

The world is a scary place. That’s a fact that it’s hard to escape from when social media is filled with doom-mongering and the news is more depressing than it’s ever been. While the world isn’t likely to actually end, the possibility of irrevocable change to our lives is a lingering threat. If that’s not the most depressing opener on a video game site you’ve ever read, whoever wrote the one that tops it deserves an award. Regardless, the end of the world is a terrifying thought, and it’s natural that the “prepper” mentality is picking up some warranted steam. I’m not suggesting you start hoarding canned food or stocking up on weapons to fight off a zombie infestation, but it never hurts to learn the theory behind survival in an apocalyptic scenario. And, if you’re a bit of a bookworm, there are books out there to help. If you want to prepare for a possible end of days situation, want some tips to help live a more sustainable life regardless of the state of the world, or just want to inject hope into the prospect of an uncertain future, here are 10 excellent books that are worth looking at. Mother Nature is Not Trying to Kill You Rob Nelson, Haley Chamberlain Nelson Image by Destructoid Do you know how to light a fire with just two sticks? Or how to build an animal trap? Bushcraft is a skill that was brought to mainstream attention by the likes of Bear Grylls and Ray Mears, and it’s an essential skill to learn if the world is going to crumble beneath our feet or (more realistically) if you’re just going for a hike in a National Park. We all know the drill. We’ve seen it played out in movies plenty of times. The world ends, and nature starts taking back the cities, including the wildlife. Mother Nature is Not Trying to Kill You not only teaches how to deal with animal encounters, which is useful in and of itself but also how to cope during the natural disasters that are increasing in commonality and severity year on year. No Grid Survival Projects 2025 Sandra W. Lincoln Image by Destructoid Increasingly, the end of life as we know it is less likely to feature some form of zombie apocalypse or cataclysmic meteoric event but more likely to be a total breakdown of infrastructure through shifting magnetic poles or megalomaniac, power-hungry world leaders getting a little bit too big for their britches. In that scenario, relying on yourself to create a sustainable life is the only route forward. In No Grid Survival Projects 2025, you’ll be taught how to create sustainable energy sources (solar, wind, or hydropower, take your pick), how to effectively compost for waste management, and a whole bunch of other stuff that will enable you to entirely live off the grid. Even in a non-apocalyptic scenario, most of the lessons in this book will at least help you save some money, which is always a bonus. The Urban Prepper’s Guide Jim Cobb Image by Destructoid In the same vein, the Urban Prepper’s Guide is filled with tips and tricks to help you survive in almost any situation. The lessons learned through this book are equally applicable in worldwide scenarios or more local crises, making them worth learning even if you don’t think the end of the world is around the corner. Not only will the Urban Prepper’s Guide teach you how to purify water or build a shelter in a pinch, but it also goes into detail about the first 24 hours, as well as financial preparedness. There’s a whole section on injuries and illness, providing first aid instructions that can come in handy at a moment's notice during everyday life and even touches on communication during a life-altering event. Gardening for the Zombie Apocalypse Isabel Lloyd, Phil Clarke Image by Destructoid If the Zombie Research Association backs a book on gardening, you should probably listen, and that’s the case when it comes to Gardening for the Zombie Apocalypse. While it offers a humorous and light-hearted insight into the uprising of the dead to devour the living, that doesn’t stop this book from being perhaps one of the more useful books I’ve listed here. Whether you’ve got a single pot on your balcony or an entire farm at your disposal, this book will teach you about 20 key crops and how to grow them, including what tools you’ll need. Gardening might not seem all that glamorous, but neither is starving during the end of the world, so learning how to grow your own food is something that everyone should do before that time comes. A Short History of the Apocalypse Frankie Boyle, Charlie Skelton Image by Destructoid They say the best way to avoid becoming consumed by fear of something is to throw humor at it. Boggarts in Harry Potter are based on this very theory: take something scary and somehow make it funny. It’s also the concept of A Short History of the Apocalypse, and while this one might not actually prepare you for the end of the world, it might help ease your stress at the thought. Rather than practically useful information, this book looks into more hypothetical situations. How to join a Militia, tips on cannibalism, and how dating will work in the aftermath of a cataclysmic event are all featured. Plus, this one is completely illustrated, so even if you just want a funny picture to look at while the world falls apart, A Short History of the Apocalypse has got you covered. How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It James Wesley Rawles Image by Destructoid Even if Earth isn’t about to implode upon itself and leave a gaping hole in the fabric of the universe, there are a lot of things to be uncertain about. Rawles is a former US Army Intelligence Officer and survival expert, and these are his tips for surviving during even the most temporary of crises. How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It goes over the basics of water and food sourcing, shelter, and how to stay in touch with distant family, but it also dives into more complex situations like the need for minor surgery or keeping dogs as a form of pest control and even how to ride a horse. Maready’s Emergency Almanac Forrest Maready Image by Destructoid As an almanac, this book is actually a series of 17 books composed into one tome that will fit into your bug-out bag and prepare you for literally any eventuality. With everything from basic bushcraft to auto repair instructions, this might be the only book you’ll need to carry if the end of days arrives. Maready’s Emergency Almanac is a hefty compilation of information and tips that can be useful at any time, not just the apocalypse. You’ll learn how to predict the weather, how to rear and butcher animals, how to construct and use a Baofeng emergency radio, and even how to lock-pick; just don’t use that last one before the final days. Notes from the Apocalypse Mark O’Connell Image by Destructoid Look, I know that this is a horribly depressing list to read. I know that thinking about the end of the world is an anxiety-inducing pastime that’s ardently avoided by most of humanity, and I know this because I live with a constant mid-level of fear for the future. Thankfully, I’m not the only one, and Mark O’Connell has taken this fear and turned it into a journey around the globe. During his travels, he’s met preppers, would-be Mars colonists, billionaires with bunkers the size of the White House, and everyone in between. He’s visited places like Chornobyl, where the unimaginable has already occurred, and learned how different people feel about the decimation of the human race. Notes from the Apocalypse takes fear, and injects hope, and is definitely worth reading if you’re worried about the future. When the Dust Settles Lucy Easthope Image by Destructoid When the Dust Settles is unlike any of the other titles on this list because it doesn’t provide instructions for survival but instead looks at how others manage to survive during events that have already occurred. Lucy Easthope is a disaster recovery expert, and she has helped governments and people recover from cataclysmic events for decades. Bombings, natural disasters, wildfires, and more, Lucy has seen some horrific things. But she’s also seen the determination that people have to survive and how life moves on from these events that change the lives of people who live through them. When the Dust Settles is enough to instill hope that, even if the worst should happen to us, we can all get through it and make it out the other side. The Book HUNGRY MINDS Image by Destructoid If I’m being 100% honest, this is the book that sparked the idea for this entire list, and it absolutely deserves a moment in the spotlight because it’s utterly stunning. A fully illustrated, 400-page long behemoth of a book, The Book is filled with information about how society has evolved over centuries, how they managed to do that, and how that could be recreated should the need arise. While how to build a lute might not be the most pressing piece of information you’ll need if the sky starts to fall, it’s included in The Book alongside other more useful information like structures, farming, and first aid. All of the pages are covered with vintage-style illustrations and this coffee table book just feels like an instructional textbook designed to inspire the rebuilding of civilization from scratch. The post 10 books to help you prepare for the end of the world appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

It's sounding like Invincible season 4 might not be all that far behind season 3, as J.K. Simmons has apparently already started recording. Read more View the full article

Mel, the latest League of Legends champion, continues to be a menace on the lane and off it, with Riot completely ignoring the players’ complaints. Now, one player went out of their way to prove that Mel is overpowered, using math to show that her Q cannot be dodged. The player posted their findings in a Feb. 9 Reddit thread, outlining the circumstances of Mel’s Q and how quickly it travels. The spell takes 0.42 seconds to land when cast and travel time are accounted for, and cannot be dodged unless the player behind Mel misses the target completely, the player argued. If centered on a champion, the said champion would need 411 base movement speed to dodge the ability, given that the spell has a 65 unit AOE and the average champion movement speed is around 335. When reaction times are added to the equation, a professional player would need around 556 movement speed, whereas the average player would have to move at 784 units to effectively dodge the ability. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

A Reddit user has cast light on the top-rated PC games of all time, with every iteration of one iconic franchise making the top 25. The subsequent comments in response to the Reddit post have led to discussions on which games deserve to be considered among the best PC games ever. View the full article

To say that it’s been an exciting but hectic couple of months as a Pokémon Trading Card Game collector would be an understatement, and things are only just getting started, it seems. Prismatic Evolutions was one of the most hyped expansion set releases in recent years, and despite not being out yet, Journey Together is looking like it’ll be another explosive addition to the roster. View the full article

Square Enix is telling Final Fantasy 14 players it will start suspending their accounts if they have redeemed fraudulent game time cards, as it changes its policy on giving users the "benefit of the doubt." Going forward, FF14 subscribers who have purposefully or accidentally added crooked game time to their account may need to pay Square Enix the retail value of the transaction to get their Warrior of Light back. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Here's everything coming in FF14 7.2, from Cosmic Exploration to Occult Crescent Final Fantasy 14 mod that collects your data could be banned by Square Enix This problematic FF14 mod poses huge stalking and privacy risks View the full article

The Elden Ring Seamless Co-op mod is one of the best unofficial addons for FromSoftware's fantasy RPG. Not only does it let you traverse the Lands Between with pals, but it also frees you from the usual constraints of FromSoft multiplayer. As our own Wes Fenlon enthused last year, the mod "makes Elden Ring feel like a true cooperative game through and through, rather than a cooperative experience cobbled together around FromSoftware's trademark odd online systems.".. Read more.View the full article

Reaching Yumemizuki Mizuki’s best build in Genshin Impact is a vital step toward unlocking her full potential and optimizing her role in team comps. Mizuki is a 5-star character introduced with Version 5.4. She deals Anemo DMG in combat and wields a catalyst, which allows her to deal Elemental DMG with her Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attacks. The first reports about Yumemizuki Mizuki’s kit in Genshin Impact indicated she could operate as a buffer and healer, but upon her official reveal by HoYoverse, it’s been confirmed she is a main DPS focused on Swirl Elemental Reactions. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

It's had an anime, it's had multiple live-action films, but the one thing the popular series Kingdom has never had? An official English localisation of its manga - until now. Read more View the full article