Steam

Enlarge / Notice anything missing from the one and only model of the PS5 Pro? (credit: Sony) [/url] Here at Ars, we've been publicly musing about whether the world was ready for a disc-free game console since as far back as 2015. Now, though, the better question might be whether the world ever needs a new game console with a built-in disc drive at all. Yesterday's announcement of the PlayStation 5 Pro seemed to treat the existence of disc-based games as an afterthought. You had to be watching pretty closely during Mark Cerny's "technical presentation" video to notice that the coming PS5 Pro is only available in a single disc-drive-free model. And you'd have to read pretty deep into the official PlayStation blog post on the subject to discover that "PS5 Pro is available as a disc-less console, with the option to purchase the currently available Disc Drive for PS5 separately." That $80 disc drive accessory was introduced as an optional upgrade to the Digital Edition of the PS5 Slim last year, alongside a Slim model that does have a pre-installed disc drive. But now, just one year later, Sony has decided that it only needs a single "disc-less" model of the PS5 Pro as the default. Read 10 remaining paragraphs | Comments View the full article

The Aquarius update for No Man’s Sky added a relaxing pastime for intergalactic travelers—fishing. To put your fresh haul to use, there are also plenty of new cooking recipes to discover and try. Here are all the recipes added to NMS in the Aquarius update. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Persona 3 Reload players are now able to delve into Episode Aigis: The Answer. This release makes one of the best Xbox Game Pass titles of 2024 even better, especially given how a subset of Microsoft's subscribers are able to obtain it at no additional cost. View the full article

The ****** Ops 6 multiplayer beta was the biggest beta in Call of Duty history, it’s been claimed. According to publisher Activision, the beta ranked first for the total number of players, the total number of hours played, and the most matches played. Activision said it also ranked first in terms of the amount of playtime per player, suggesting engagement was strong among participants. Read More... View the full article

The ratings for EA FC 25 continue to drip through and now it’s time for LaLiga to step up, with a fresh batch of the top players released to spark debate among the community. EA FC 25 is now just over a week away from launch and the countdown is well underway. Fresh off revealing the best Premier League players in the game, the top-rated players in LaLiga have now been showcased. View the full article

The return of popular content creator Guy “Dr. Disrespect” Beahm has continued to spark discussion in the streaming community. There are, however, some fellow streamers standing on their stance against Beahm, including Nick “NICKMERCS” Kolcheff. Kolcheff made a 17-minute reaction video to Beahm’s return stream, where the 33-year-old listened to the disgraced streamer’s full thoughts and point-of-view on the situation. When Beahm originally released his statement on the subject on social media, the FaZe Clan co-owner rebuked Beahm, showing heavy disapproval of his actions while also disconnecting himself from the streamer. View the full article

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has released a new update just two days after launch, and while it's not a particularly large patch, it does fix some early problems that players have been having. The hotfix for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 should address a variety of irritating bugs, including several that have resulted in crashes at specific times, especially early in the game. View the full article

Modern Warfare 3 is back for one last hurrah. Season six arrives in September as a goodbye to the game before live-service content switches over to ****** Ops 6 for the fall and beyond. The season six update for Call of Duty includes a lot of stuff, such as The Haunting event, a new map, five new Shipment variants, and more. But the most important addition, as usual, is two new weapons. One of them is an LMG, and it sounds like a blast to use online. View the full article

There are dozens of Modules you can get in The First Descendant to make your characters and weapons much stronger. While most of them have dedicated farming spots, there are a few you can only acquire by combining. Here are all the combined Modules in The First Descendant and how to get them. View the full article

There are over 200 themes you might come across in Dress to Impress and this roster consistently grows with almost every update. One of the many themes you may encounter is Mall Goth, which can be a tough one to dress for. Themes that are more casual like this one are oftentimes tougher to dress for since you have to do more with less to effectively stand out. Preparing to face this challenge makes it a lot more doable, though, so here’s how to create a Mall Goth look in Roblox’s Dress to Impress and some outfit inspiration to help you design your look. View the full article

AMD has just quietly unveiled its newest laptop GPU, the Radeon RX 7800M, and despite it having specs that should make anyone interested in a gaming laptop sit up and pay attention, AMD apparently didn't tell anyone. Instead, the new AMD gaming laptop GPU just appeared on its website. The best gaming laptops live and **** by their choice of GPU, with frame rates, battery life, and system temperatures all being hugely influenced by this choice of component, and balancing all these factors ******** a tricky act. That's why, on the face of it, AMD's new chip would seem well-placed to be a tempting option. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: This download massively boosts frame rates on new AMD gaming laptops AMD's new ray tracing tech is in the PS5 Pro before its own PC GPUs Save 27% on this AMD gaming CPU that doesn't even need a graphics card View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

There's a good chance you're contemplating buying a PS5 Pro after the reveal, and as someone who appreciates the perks high-end gaming can offer, such as native 4K play and smooth frame rates, I can't say I blame you. You're probably the type of person who already has a top-tier OLED TV, a surround sound setup, and most importantly, a comfy couch to lay back on after a hard day at work. I know you, and that's why I'm here to tell you to spend your money on a TV PC instead. And no, I'm not talking about hooking up your existing PC to your television with a super-long HDMI cable. I'm talking about building a real-deal, full-blown PC to go alongside your consoles. Using a dedicated computer that boots directly into Steam Big Picture mode on startup, you can put together one of the best gaming PCs that combines the strengths of PC gaming with all the benefits PS5 Pro has to offer. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: This download massively boosts frame rates on new AMD gaming laptops Dragon's Dogma 2 is finally getting fixed on PC, six months late Steam Deck 2 release date estimate and latest news View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Sony has been at the wrong end of the internet’s ire for the past day due to the massive price it cited for the upcoming PlayStation 5 Pro. The console, supposedly a big upgrade over the original, will cost $700, which some believe isn’t worth it whatsoever. There have been numerous sharp reactions to the price reveal in these last 24 hours, from YouTuber Blandrew labeling anyone who purchases a PS5 Pro an “******,” to creator Mischief saying Sony “can ***** right off” when commenting on the PS5 Pro’s U.K. price that adds up to about $915 without the stand and disc drive (including those two, the price approaches $1,100). The lack of these two big components appears to be the primary reason so many are hating on Sony’s pricing, with several discussions on social media naming this, among other things, as the reason they won’t be purchasing at the base price. View the full article

Sony has revealed the full line-up of PlayStation Plus Games Catalog additions for September 2024, which includes The Plucky Squire, Far Cry 5, and more. Announced on the PlayStation Blog, a total of 13 games are joining the library, nine on the PlayStation Plus Extra tier and four on the PlayStation Plus Premium Tier through the Classic Games Catalog and PSVR2 offerings. They're available September 17. September perhaps doesn't have as many heavy hitters as last month, which included The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Wild Hearts, Ride 5, Watch Dogs 2, Cult of the Lamb, and more. PlayStation Plus Games Catalog Additions for September 2024The Plucky Squire | PS5Under the Waves | PS4 + PS5Night in the Woods | PS4 + PS5Chernobylite | PS4 + PS5Wild Card Football | PS4 + PS5Space Engineers | PS4 + PS5Road 96 | PS4 + PS5Ben 10 | PS4Far Cry 5 | PS4******* Whip | PSVR2Secret Agent Clank | PS4 + PS5Sky Gunner | PS4 + PS5Mister Mosquito | PS4 + PS5 The Plucky Squire is certainly the headline game this month as it launches straight onto PlayStation Plus, letting players explore its blend of 2D and 3D gameplay elements. "The Plucky Squire follows the magical adventures of Jot and his companions, storybook characters who discover a three-dimensional world outside the pages of their book," reads the official synopsis. Under the Waves is a narrative driven adventure game about grief, set in the North Sea in a techno futuristic 1970s. Players are offered the chance to not just explore a deep and dark surreal underwater landscape but also the very depths of the human psyche. Adventure and exploration game Night in the Woods is up next, letting PS Plus users who haven't already experience the 2017 game. "Night in the Woods' exploration of young adulthood manages to be charming, funny, and devastatingly sad all at once," IGN said in our 8/10 review. Very different, Chernobylite is promised to be a science-fiction survival horror experience, mixing the free exploration of its disturbing world with challenging combat, unique crafting, and non-linear storytelling. It was released in 2021 and has a sequel on the way. The football version of NBA Playground arrived in 2023 as Wild Card Football. Its developer Saber Interactive said it "takes the fun and excitement of football over the top with exciting arcade action and features a massive roster of hundreds of real-life football players with detailed player models and animations." One for science fiction and grafting fans, Space Engineers is a sandbox game about engineering, construction, and the maintenance of space works. It was announced a decade ago but only arrived in 2019, and joined PlayStation Plus rival Xbox Game Pass in February 2024. Looking to be as wild and wacky as some real road trips, Road 96 lets players travel through a procedurally generated adventure again and again. "Road 96 is a fascinating and frequently tense adventure that manages to keep its story on track despite the odd bump in the road," IGN said in our 8/10 review. Players may be able to complete Ben 10 faster than they can say "it's hero time" but that doesn't mean it won't be a lot of fun, right? "As Ben Tennyson, it’s up to you to save the world," reads the synopsis. "Take on some of Ben’s most infamous enemies, including Zombozo, Queen Bee, and the Weatherheads." The penultimate (for now) entry in Ubisoft's open world first-person shooter series, Far Cry 5 takes players to the deep south of the U.S. as they look to escape from and ******** a doomsday cult attempting to take over the entire country. It also earned an 8/10 in IGN's review: "Far Cry 5 is another wide-open playground with all the necessary ingredients for causing a real ruckus: loads of enemies and allies, temperamental wildlife, and plenty of explosions." ******* Whip is September's virtual reality game as it gives PSVR2 users an action packed rhythm game blended with the first person shooter genre. "******* Whip is a VR highlight with fast-paced rhythm *********, an exciting soundtrack, and an enticingly abstract art style," IGN said in another 8/10 review. Did you know Clank, of Ratchet and Clank fame, had a secret agent alter ego? No? I guess that's the point! Secret Agent Clank is a PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable game from 2008 making its way to the PS Plus Classic Games Catalog. IGN's 6/10 review said we don't hate the game, but are just disappointed in it. Sky Gunner is a third-person combat flight simulator from 2000, originally released on the PlayStation 2. It's now been enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters, however, clearing the runway for takeoff in the modern era. Though perhaps not quite as iconic as ****** Bandicoot or Spyro the Dragon, Mister Mosquito still pulled in a decent review. "It's a little short and about $10 more that [we'd have cared] to pay for it, and it has a few camera and control problems, but the game's creative premise, it's brave completion, and the phenomenal amount of laughter and fun to be had here shouldn't be ignored," IGN said in 2002. Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Twitch is offering free Rust drops again this week, but you have a limited time to collect the handful of items. The Base Invaders Rust event in Twitch Rivals kicked off on Sept. 10, bringing six collectible items for viewers tuning into the streams. Base Invaders concluded on the same day, with two items now unavailable as drops, though you can still earn four skins—if you hurry. View the full article

One iconic scene in Baldur's Gate 3 implies how oblivious the player's companions are. With a fully fleshed-out game that leaves little room for questionable scenes thanks to the dedication of Larian Studios, one little detail stands out as a strange moment under the right circumstances. This unforgettable moment of the game may become weird enough in the player's favor, leaving questions that may interrupt the immersion of the game. View the full article

In the expanding roster of Funko Fusion, famous KFC mascot Colonel Sanders has joined the team. He also comes with two outfits that will require some effort to find and unlock. However, if you do, you can use three different variants of Colonel Sanders in each world within the game. View the full article

If you've been having some issues with Warhammer 40k Space Marine 2 on PC, I've got good news. A new hotfix has just been pushed live, and it amends plenty of crashing problems across all platforms while alleviating the pressure on some CPUs. While Space Marine 2 is the most successful 40k launch to date, plenty of us are still having PC issues that are hindering an otherwise fantastic co-op shooter. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Best Space Marine 2 builds - co-op and PvP loadouts Best Space Marine 2 weapons - all guns and melee weapons Warhammer 40k Space Marine 2 release date, story, latest news View the full article

Sony PlayStation revealed the PS5 Pro yesterday, promising an upgraded gaming experience for new and current players. What should have been a game-changing news day quickly turned sour when an outrageously high price of $700 was announced. It wasn’t long before people online started fiercely mocking Sony for asking gamers to pay so much for a mid-generation upgrade, in addition to needing to buy other accessories separately. Not only that, but the standard PS5 is still a costly machine at $500. But all is not completely lost for the more budget-conscious gamer, as Sony is providing a small alternative for those still looking to adopt their own PS5. PlayStation Direct will be selling refurbished PS5s, both regular and digital editions, at a much lower cost. View the full article

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge In case you missed the news, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions recently went up in price with the rollout of a new “standard” tier, which doesn’t include day-one access to first-party Xbox games. Thankfully, if you’re still keen on an Ultimate membership, CDKeys is offering one-month subscription codes for $11.19 ($9 off) and three-month codes for $29.79 (about $30 off). These aren’t the lowest prices we’ve seen, but they sure beat paying Ultimate’s new price of $19.99 a month. [/url] If you need a refresher, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate grants access to a massive library of downloadable games for Xbox consoles and PC. Naturally, that includes first-party titles like Halo Infinite and Hi-Fi Rush, but also great third-party games like Star Wars... Continue reading… View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Whether you’re soaking up some rays at the beach or exploring the forests between, the Shoreline map in Escape from Tarkov has plenty of gear to find. The greatest treasures, however, lie within the heavily protected walls of the map’s health resort, with its most valuable loot hidden behind locked doors with specific keys. There are a handful of different rooms and cases in the resort that contain incredible loot, but you will need to find those corresponding keys in raid or buy them from the flea market from other players. Some of these keys will, however, cost a pretty penny to buy, which makes sense since you have a chance to get items worth millions of roubles. View the full article

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Want a PS5, but don’t want to spend $700 on a PS5 Pro? Thanks to Sony’s new refurbished website for PS5s, you’ll soon be able to buy an older version of the console for a lot less money than the PS5 Pro’s eye-watering cost. You can see everything that’s on offer on Sony’s certified refurbished website, which lists a bunch of products as “coming soon.” A refurbished PS5 in the original launch design with a disc drive will cost $399.99 (a $100 discount from a new PS5 slim with a disc drive), while a refurbished all-digital PS5, also in the original design, will cost $349.99 (also a $100 discount). Image: Sony The store features refurbished DualSense controllers, too, with white and ****** controllers for $59.99 and... Continue reading… View the full article

Marvel Snap’s latest gaming platforms update is here, bringing changes for seven cards ahead of the weekend. Most of the changes are buffs, which is nice, save for one nerf to a card that really needed it as of late. Read on below for the notes to see everything that is changing, coming to an update tomorrow, Sept. 12. View the full article

Among the new features introduced in WoW The War Within, its delves have been one of the nicest additions. These short-form scenarios can be taken on solo or in a group of up to five, with the ability to bring an NPC along with you to fill out the necessary roles for your party. They offer both a cozy familiarity to Torghast and the ability to snag some nice endgame gear along the way, including some exclusive rewards. Unfortunately, as The War Within Season 1 kicks off, Blizzard warns that one of them is posing a particular problem for players right now. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Win this stunning SteelSeries World of Warcraft PC gaming gear WoW 20th anniversary celebration will let you run BRD all over again The best WoW addons September 2024 View the full article

Anime Vanguards is another strong contender in Roblox‘s competitive tower defense genre, hooking fans with a ton of anime-inspired characters. If you want to strengthen your defenses and become the ultimate rearguard action, our tier list is going to help. Roblox‘s Anime Vanguards shares a lot in common with Anime Defenders—another popular tower defense title—and wants you to assemble a strong team of powerful units. Some are better than others though, so we’re going to break down Anime Vanguard‘s units with our complete tier list and explainers. View the full article