Steam has just released a new sandbox freebie that you can download right now and start playing, if you’re a fan or curious about the genre. Free new additions to the platform are recurrent, and you can find both entirely free games to play, as well as demos and limited-time discounts. For example, right now, there are only a few more hours to grab a hit RPG for free on Steam, and once this is done, the game is yours to keep forever. View the full article
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn makes a strong first impression, showing a studio that's clearly gained more confidence in recent years, branching out with something refreshingly new, but also charmingly familiar. View the full article
The closed beta test is now available to those who have pre-purchased the Miller’s Pack or the Collector’s Edition of The Expanse: Osiris Reborn. View the full article
In Windrose, you'll find plenty of items while looting enemies that might (or might not) have direct use to you, but selling them can be a bit of a challenge. While the game does have vendors, they only accept specific items. Hence, you'll have to reach the correct vendor based on the items you have. Table of contentsWhere to sell all items in WindroseBrethren of the CoastRogue BuccaneersPeople of TortugaSmugglers of Port RoyalWhere to sell all items in Windrose There are four factions available in the current build of the game. You can access the vendors from the home of the respective factions. You'll find the exact items that are accepted by the vendors, along with their sources and selling value, in the tables below. Brethren of the CoastItem NameValue (Piastre)SourceCombat Repair Kit10Naval Combat CraftingMaster Combat Repair Kit30Naval Combat CraftingNaval Supplies150Naval CombatSpecialized Tools250Naval CombatRogue BuccaneersItem NameValue (Piastre)SourceBoar Head20BoarsCrab Shell10CrabsDodo Head20DodoWolf Head30WolvesMountain Goat Head30GoatsSpirits 50Naval CombatCrocodile Head50CrocodilesMunitions100Naval CombatPeople of TortugaItem NameValue (Piastre)SourceProvisions50Destroyed BoatsMedicine100Destroyed BoatsSmugglers of Port RoyalItem NameValue (Piastre)SourceAncient Incense Burner1 GuineaUndead enemies RuinsAncient Chalice1 GuineaUndead enemies RuinsPot with Golden Horns1 GuineaUndead enemies RuinsGld Mask of the Priest5 GuineaRuinsGold Temple Jug5 GuineaRuinsGold Vase of the Chief5 GuineaRuinsSilver Spoon5Pirates Smugglers Undead enemiesSilver Button5Pirates SmugglersBone Beads5Ruins UndeadWooden Talisman5RuinsClay Vase5RuinsSilver Earring15Smugglers PiratesContraband150Naval battles (high level)Luxuries250Naval battles (high level) The post How to sell items and loot in Windrose appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
Chris Avellone, Obsidian's former chief creative officer and one of New Vegas' writers, said Bethesda likely cannot remaster New Vegas or build it from the ground up because the company lacks the "know-how" to do such a thing. As first caught by VGC, Avellone spoke on the TKs-Mantis YouTube channel, saying Bethesda lacks engineering capabilities to remake or remaster Fallout: New Vegas properly. "Just really simply, I don’t think Bethesda has the engineering know-how to make a remaster of New Vegas at all," he said. Furthermore, Avellone said that Bethesda never received the New Vegas source code, at least not in its entirety, because Obsidian chief executive Feargus Urquhart didn't deliver it. Apparently, the game's development was structured in "milestones," the meeting of which would net Obsidian monetary bonuses. The final milestone, Avellone claims, was to bring Bethesda the game's source code and ways to build it out, which would net Obsidian $10,000. [Hidden Content] "Now, what that milestone really meant was if all those assets are given to Bethesda, that means they can recreate the game at any time," Avellone explained. "So, for reasons unknown to me, but I have suspicions, Feargus decided not to cash out that milestone and did not deliver it," he added. He further said that he understood, to an extent, why Urquhart didn't deliver the code. "It’s not a strange decision if you feel, which would not be out of the realm of possibility, that he felt that the New Vegas experience cheated him out of X amount of money, in which case cutting off the revenue stream from that product for a time would be a possibility," Avellone said but also reaffirmed that he doesn't think that was the actual motivation. According to him, Bethsda may have "aspects" of the New Vegas source code, but his sources familiar with the game tell him the company doesn't know how to "reassemble" them. This would be a decisive blow to all the rumors of Bethesda working on a New Vegas remake or remaster, which we covered before. A remake, one that is entirely different from the original game, still is possible from what I understand, but it'd take Bethesda to build a whole new game that retains parts of the old one and shares little with it foundationally. Whether that's a profitable venue remains to be seen, but I feel like there are ******* and better new games to be made from scratch. Bethesda released the Oblivion remaster last year by essentially wrapping the original game, which still runs underneath, in Unreal Engine, bringing an entirely new graphical engine to the title while retaining much of the original's core. In fact, you can run the original Oblivion from the remaster's files with some effort, which goes to show how much of the initial game is preserved. New Vegas, it seems, would be a tough nut to crack in the same way, with no source code to speak of. The post Bethesda likely won’t remaster New Vegas because it doesn’t know how to, Chris Avellone says appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
Two gamers who want tariff refunds sued Nintendo of America yesterday, alleging that the company intends to pocket refunds received from the government instead of giving money back to consumers who paid higher prices. The class action complaint seeks to represent a class including the two named plaintiffs and all other US residents who bought Nintendo products from February 2025 to February 2026. "Unless restrained by this Court, Nintendo stands to recover the same tariff payments twice—once from consumers through higher prices and again from the federal government through tariff refunds, including interest paid by the government on those funds," said the lawsuit filed in US District Court for the Western District of Washington. "Nintendo has made no legally binding commitment to return tariff-related overcharges to the consumers who actually paid them. This lawsuit seeks to prevent that unjust result." The plaintiffs, California resident Gregory Hoffert and Washington resident Prashant Sharan, "paid retail prices for those goods that were increased by Nintendo to account for the tariffs imposed on imported products," and "would not have paid those higher prices absent the unlawful tariffs and Nintendo’s pass-through of those tariffs to consumers," said the complaint filed by the Emery | Reddy, PC law firm. Read full article Comments View the full article
Xbox has reduced the monthly price of Game Pass Ultimate from $29.99 to $22.99, marking the first price decrease for the tier since it was raised by 50 percent last October. The reduction comes alongside a notable change to the service’s content offering — future Call of Duty titles will no longer be available on Day One. The announcement was made on 21 April by Asha Sharma, who assumed the role of Xbox CEO following the retirement of Phil Spencer in February. Sharma confirmed the change via a post on X, stating that Game Pass Ultimate had become too expensive for too many players. Price reduction details The new monthly price of $22.99 represents a reduction of $7 from the $29.99 rate introduced in October 2025, which had itself represented a 50 percent increase from the previous $19.99 price. The updated pricing does not fully restore the pre-October rate but brings the subscription closer to its prior level. The price change takes effect immediately for new subscribers. Details regarding the impact on existing subscribers have not been confirmed at the time of writing. Call of Duty no longer Day One on Game Pass Ultimate Alongside the price reduction, Sharma confirmed that future Call of Duty releases will no longer be available on Game Pass Ultimate at launch. New titles in the franchise will instead be added to the service during the holiday season following their release, placing a gap of approximately one year between a game’s commercial launch and its availability on the subscription. Previously released Call of Duty titles will remain accessible through Game Pass Ultimate. The change applies only to future releases in the franchise. The removal of Call of Duty Day One access is widely understood to reflect the cost burden the franchise placed on the subscription tier. Call of Duty remains one of Activision’s highest-revenue franchises, and its inclusion as a Day One benefit had been a significant factor in sustaining the elevated pricing introduced last year. Xbox under new leadership The price adjustment is the first major public move from Sharma since she took over from Phil Spencer. Spencer’s retirement in February also prompted the resignation of Xbox President Sarah Bond, who had been widely regarded as his likely successor. Sharma joined from an AI division within Microsoft and has stated that her focus is on Xbox as a platform for players and developers rather than an AI integration push. Xbox’s broader product roadmap remains centred on Project Helix, a reported console and PC hybrid device expected to launch within the next two years. Sharma is understood to have used a significant portion of GDC 2026 to engage directly with developers, publishers, and investors about the platform’s direction. For Xbox subscribers across the Middle East, the reduced Game Pass Ultimate price takes effect immediately. The service provides access to a catalogue of games across Xbox consoles and PC, and the price adjustment makes it more competitive against comparable subscription tiers in the region. Also Read: Microsoft introduces major updates to Xbox Achievements View the full article
The Into the Abyss update adds the 'Lurker' storyline set in the Biting Sea, as well as two new playable heroes, alongside several gameplay and quality-of-life adjustments. View the full article
More big corporate shakeups are happening inside Microsoft. Kiki Wolfkill, art director, producer, and veteran of the Halo franchise and other big Xbox properties, revealed she's left the company as of April 17. Wolfkill dropped this bombshell on her LinkedIn page (via PC Gamer). She posted the following message: After 28 years, I've made the difficult but exhilarating decision to leave Microsoft! Friday was my last day at a place where I grew up and learned so many invaluable lessons - how to listen, lead, be accountable, and most importantly, to care deeply for who you serve - your team and your audience. I'm so grateful for the opportunities that Microsoft has given me and the career that it let me build in an industry that I love. At the same time, there is a version of me outside of Microsoft that I'm excited to grow and evolve. I have so many learnings to carry forward and more impact to be made and I couldn't be more inspired to climb the next mountain! More to come on that front In the meantime, to all the people with whom I've worked with and around over the last 28 years - a heartfelt thank you for your partnership, wisdom, mentorship, and camaraderie. What a gift the last 28 years has been... thank you, thank you, thank you Onwards! As she mentions in her post, Wolfkill was a mainstay at Microsoft for the better part of three decades. She rose to prominence in 2008 when she joined 343 Industries, eventually becoming 343's Head of Halo Transmedia and Entertainment. That put her in charge of, among other things, the controversial Halo live-action series on Showtime and Paramount+ (check out IGN's Halo Season 2 review for more). In 2022, Wolfkill was promoted to lead Microsoft's Xbox film and TV division. There's no word yet on what might be next for Wolfkill and whether she plans on remaining inside the gaming industry. Either way, this is another big corporate shift for a company that's undergoing a substantial evolution in 2026. Earlier this year, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer retired from the company, while Xbox President Sarah Bond also resigned. In their place, Asha Sharma was promoted to become Microsoft Gaming's new CEO. Sharma has wasted little time in instituting big changes at Microsoft, starting with significantly dropping the price of Xbox Game Pass. Find out why we think that's a great first step toward fixing Xbox's problems. Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky. View the full article
The rise of AI-powered agents inside business organizations has evolved from possibility into what increasingly looks like the next step in enterprise computing. Companies building the technologies behind those agents, including Google, have accelerated their efforts accordingly. Read Entire Article View the full article
Fallout co-creator Tim Cain has a new video going over some of his principles for game design, and as you might expect has some strong opinions on the intersection between design intention, and what players actually end up doing... Read more.View the full article
"'I thought we did a good product for you guys that kept Fallout in the public consciousness, but you guys don't seem very happy about it'"View the full article
Infinity Nikki is launching the second half of its Itzaland chapter in Version 2.5 on April 23, as Infold reveals an overview of the upcoming patch on the game's official blog. Released in early December 2024, Infinity Nikki had an extremely successful launch for Infold, drawing millions of new fans to the dress-up gacha franchise. For its first five months, Infinity Nikki earned a lot of goodwill through consistent updates, constant improvement, and favorable gacha mechanics. It all changed in late April 2025, when Version 1.5 launched to near-universal backlash, as the game's beloved prologue got removed, a controversial dye system was introduced, and severe technical issues plagued the player experience. View the full article
The Columbus Creator Evolution is now live in FC 26, and you can get this free option to improve a card of your choice. Despite being available for free, it provides some big boosts to your selected item. Your chosen card will get stat upgrades, new playstyles, and roles. Here are some of the best contenders for this evolution based on the requirements and offered upgrades. Table of contentsFC 26 Columbus Creator Evolution requirementsFC 26 Columbus Creator Evolution upgradesBest players to use in Columbus Creator EvolutionFC 26 Columbus Creator Evolution requirements Here are the requirements of Columbus Creator Evolution in FC 26. Overall: Max 88Defending: Max 98PlayStyle: Max 10PlayStyle+: Max 2Not Rarity: World Tour Silver StarsPosition: CDMFC 26 Columbus Creator Evolution upgrades The evolution has five levels of upgrades, each with certain conditions to fulfill. Level 1 upgrades Overall: +25|90Agility: +25|92Curve: +25|92Dribbling: +25|89Jumping: +25|87Long Shots: +15|90PlayStyles+: Pinged Pass|2 Level 2 upgrades Acceleration: +15|87Balance: +25|89Def. Awareness: +25|90Short Passing: +25|92Volleys: +15|94PlayStyles+: Intercept|2 Level 3 upgrades Long Passing: +25|92Reactions: +25|91Sprint Speed: +15|89Stand Tackle: +25|90Vision: +25|92PlayStyles: Anticipate|8 Level 4 upgrades Ball control: +25|89Crossing: +25|84Interceptions: +25|91Shot Power: +15|90Slide Tackle: +25|88PlayStyles: Incisive Pass|8 Level 5 upgrades Free Kick: +25|89Stamina: +25|90Strength: +25|87Composure: +25|91PlayStyles: Technical, Press Proven|8 Level 1 upgrade requirements Play 2 matches in Squad Battles on min Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO player in game. Level 2 upgrade requirements Play 1 match in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game. Level 3 upgrade requirements Play 1 match in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game. Level 4 upgrade requirements Play 1 match in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game. Level 5 upgrade requirements Play 1 match in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.Best players to use in Columbus Creator Evolution Here are some of my best recommendations for inclusion in the evolution. Bouaddi Future starsTchouameni TOTWNico Gonzalez Winter WildcardsMatheus Dias FC FantasyGravenberch ThunderstruckDeossa FC FantasyPogba Ultimate ScreamPatrick Vieira Winter Wildcard IconCalhanoglu ThunderstruckStanway Thunderstruck The post Best players for FC 26 Columbus Creator Evolution appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
Windrose has different crafting stations for you to set up and use, and one of the late-game processes involves using the Enchanting Table. Part of the endgame content, you'll need to use the table to craft some of the more advanced enchanted materials required for different tasks. Let's first find out how to get your own Enchanting Table in Windrose. How to get the Enchanting Table in Windrose To access the blueprint for the Enchanting Table, you'll need to have unlocked and explored the Cursed Swamps (that was, in my case at least). Once the blueprint is available, you can build the table like all other workstations and then use it to create advanced materials. Image via Kraken Express Here's a list of items you'll need to make the Enchanting Table. Three Mire Metal Ingot: You can get Mire Metal Ingot by smelting Quagmire Powder and Ancient Scraps.Ten Hewn Stone: Hewn Stone can be crafted using ordinary stones. The recipe is unlocked when you get Ancient Scraps for the first time.Ten Plant Fiber: This is one of the easiest items to get, as you can find it by cutting down trees and shrubs.Two Essence Arborum: You'll first need a Large Smelting Furnace and and Plauge Wood. Place the Plague Wood in the Furnace, and it will convert the item into Essence Arborum. Image via Kraken Express Once you've all four materials, you'll be able to craft the Enchanting Table. There are a few more restrictions for using the item. The Enchanting Table requires a roof on top of it.There must be a Bonfire near it for the table to be operational. The Enchanting Table has three major items you can make in the current version of the game. Ingot ArborumFabric ArborumHide Arborum All three items are extremely important in the endgame stage of Windrose when it comes to upgrading the gear pieces and taking them to their maximum potential. The post How to enchant and make the Enchanting Table in Windrose appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
The Steam Machine, just like the rest of Valve's hardware releases, is being held back by increasing RAM prices and an unstable tech market that got thrown into total chaos by rampant AI "growth." Companies eager to cash in on this new technology directly caused a supply issue where RAM, a key component, became so expensive that just about everything under the sun became costlier overnight. That seems to be dying down a little following OpenAI's financing troubles, since that tech giant was the primary buyer of undiced wafers, which it allegedly "reserved" via letters of intent without actually paying for them. According to Price Empire, these developments could be positively impacting Valve, which is allegedly waiting for the RAM issues to die down so it can target a $650 to $750 price range for the Steam Machine. At $650, that puts the Steam Machine on par with a 1TB PlayStation 5 Slim console, the physical version, and about $50 above the digital variant. Valve's machine performs the same as or worse than the PS5 Slim and is going to be carrying the same issues as most PCs due to optimization, meaning the PS5 will likely perform better in games overall. Valve should've just invested more into the Steam Deck 2. Image via Destructoid At $750 or perhaps even more if supply issues start to appear, the Steam Machine will be priced way above conventional PCs of the same power, as well as above other, more competitive consoles on offer, such as all the different PlayStation 5 variants and their Xbox counterparts. Even at $650, the Steam Machine will have a tough time trying to survive on the market. PC components continue to fall dramatically in price, meaning most players can now build good machines for next to nothing (if they can get their hands on some good RAM deal), while prebuilts, too, have been reaching levels far lower than what they once were, to the point of actually competing with custom builds in price. With not much portability, no screen, a pre-installed gaming-focused Linux system, and raw power that doesn't offer too much compared to the competition, the Steam Machine is, I fear, doomed to fail at such a high price. And the more time goes by, the less viable it becomes, since it already has the power level of a console from 2020, which only falls behind the longer Valve keeps it off shelves. At the end of the day, though, this rumored $650 price is a far cry from the initially spouted $800 or even $900+ figures. If it were to launch at those prices, the Steam Machine would fail to capture even a fraction of the audience that it could at $650. What I remain hopeful for is that Valve will learn something from the Steam Machine's launch (they failed to launch one already, and this one is a big improvement) and continue iterating on what could potentially be a third mainstream console down the line. The reiterated Steam Controller looks good already, and Steam Frame is undoubtedly going to be one of the best VR systems to date, so it's not all gloom coming from Valve's R&D labs. Let's just hope RAM stabilizes soon. The post Leak suggests solid pricing for Steam Machine, but even that might be too high to save it appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
IO Interactive has released a new gameplay overview trailer, called Rules of Spycraft, for 007 First Light, and showcased a slew of new features players can expect at launch. First Light is the first James Bond video game in over a decade, and it looks to be a blend of some of the best features from the franchise's past. There's also a noticeable mixture of elements from other stealth games, with Hitman being an obvious inspiration, that should provide a deeper layer of gameplay for players to experience. That starts with the new Tac Sim missions, which the new 007 First Light trailer dove deep into. Tac Sim is a new mode led by Dr. Selina Tan that lets you complete missions under specific conditions and with different restrictions, forcing you to dig into your bag of tricks as an MI6 agent. You'll have access to several types of missions, all of with varying tiers of difficulty that come with new challenges and rewards. Some of the Tac Sim missions in 007 First Light. Image via IO Interactive Your performance in these missions will then be pitted against those of other 00 agents across the world. Tac Sim features an online leaderboard that showcases the best results for each mission from the entire player base. There's no word yet on what the top performers on the leaderboards might get as a reward for being the top agent in a particular Tac Sim mission. For all players, though, completing Tac Sim missions earns you XP that you can spend on upgrades for Bond in 007 First Light. This might remind you of Hitman's Escalations mode, which is basically the same premise as Tac Sim. If IO Interactive follows the same roadmap as Hitman and its Escalation Contracts, though, we can expect even more Tac Sim missions to arrive post-launch. Regardless of what Tac Sim mission you're grinding through, though, you'll need to make use of some of the new mechanics 007 First Light has to offer. The Rules of Spycraft trailer showcased a few of these, but the one that looks the most intriguing is a time-dilation feature. [Hidden Content] This was an incredibly popular feature from previous James Bond games, namely the 2003 hit "Everything or Nothing," widely regarded as the best title in the franchise. The time-dilation feature allows you to slow down time during the middle of combat and target specific areas of an enemy to ensure you inflict the most damage possible. Time dilation could also be a factor in certain parts of the story that require you to dodge objects or bullets, but the trailer didn't go into that aspect of the feature. Finally, the new trailer hinted at some post-launch content coming after the release on May 27, 2026. While nothing was made official, the trailer stated that "At IO Interactive, the launch of a game is only the start." You can expect plenty of updates and new content to be added down the line, and this might even include a multiplayer mode in 007 First Light. The Rules of Spycraft trailer ends with a cryptic statement: "Finally, one last unwritten rule might be that an agent is never as good as when surrounded by allies, a team ready to give its all in the field, and companions to defend. But we're pretty sure you'll figure out this part yourself when the time comes." The post 007 First Light trailer shows off a fan-favorite feature from an old James Bond game and a new mission type appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
The latest Hearts of Iron 4 DLC lets you fight back against the rising Nazi powers and reimagine a fundamental turning point on the road to World War II. The new Peace For Our Time focus pack, named after the infamous declaration from British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in the wake of the Munich Agreement, expands the possibilities for Czechoslovakia from 1936 onwards. Whether you pursue new alliances, attempt to forge independence, or lead a government in exile, it's a fresh way to approach the WW2 game. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: You can play colossal WW2 strategy game Hearts of Iron 4 for free this weekend, and it's cheap to keep if you love it New Hearts of Iron 4 DLC expands three major WW2 players, but it's the factions rework I'm most excited about The next Hearts of Iron 4 expansion opens new paths for three key Asian nations View the full article
Crossover events are continuing to come thick and fast in Fortnite, and Cronos: The New Dawn is the latest game to get its own skin in the battle royale game. Whether you're a fan of Bloober Team's 2025 horror game, or simply want to look more threatening than the likes of Homer Simpson or Sabrina Carpenter when dropping in, you can pick up the skin now. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Epic Games is letting Fortnite developers test AI NPC conversations New Fortnite updates turns the game into Singstar and introduces Showdown Act 2 Fortnite's next Icon skin brings another grammy-winning pop star to the game View the full article
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B-book?!View the full article