Call of Duty ****** Ops 7 is the latest high-profile game to confirm that it uses generative AI for some of its in-game assets, according to a disclosure on its Steam page. After similar disclosures were added to ****** Ops 6 and Call of Duty Warzone's pages last year, the latest entry has followed suit. Some diving into the FPS game have been highlighting content that they believe to have been AI-generated, and the most commonly flagged assets are the Ghibli-style calling cards that can be earned from completing challenges in the new co-op campaign. In a statement provided to PCGamesN, Activision says its use of digital tools, including AI-powered ones, helps to "empower and support our teams to create the best gaming experiences possible for our players." Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: All ****** Ops 7 Zombies Perk-A-Colas All ****** Ops 7 Zombies maps All ****** Ops 7 mastery camos - how to unlock all BO7 camos View the full article
Oh, if only Steam Machine pre-orders were already open... Sadly, our wait for "early 2026" and the Steam Machine release date isn't to be accompanied by the reassuring knowledge that an order is already filed. While you wait for go-time, though, if you're looking for the perfect gear to accompany your new living room PC, make a note here. Yes, it's the Steam Machine Dbrand Companion Cube, a true triumph of tech collaboration. As what's set to be perhaps the best mini gaming PC available when it lands, the Steam Machine is already a stylish option, thanks to its teeny weeny proportions and clean, all-****** build. Plus, you'll even be able to swap its front panel and take advantage of the 17-LED strip of light that runs along its front edge to customize its design. However, if instead of styling your Steam Machine your own way, you're looking to show true allegiance to Valve and its history, the Companion Cube case surely has to be on your wishlist. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Best ****** Ops 7 settings for optimized PC performance Yes, you really can buy a 144Hz, 27-inch gaming monitor from LG for just $89 right now ****** Ops 7 system requirements View the full article
A new War Thunder update has expanded the vehicle lineup of the free-to-play war game, alongside a much-needed naval rework that stops players from exploiting the repair system. While recent newcomers such as Battlefield 6 and Arc Raiders have brought fresh competition, Gaijin Entertainment's combat sim is still holding strong among the platform's most-played games, and this latest overhaul is another good reason to return and see what's changed. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: The best tank games on PC 2025 The best plane games and flight sims on PC The best WW2 games to play in 2025 View the full article
The Etrange Overlord Limited Edition is priced at $89.99 featuring an artbook, soundtrack, Deluxe Edition game, and more on PS5 and Nintendo Switch from NIS America. View the full article
It's been a difficult few months for Destiny 2, ever since the release of The Edge of Fate expansion's Portal—a new progression system that replaced the old seasonal content model with, bluntly, a soulless and underbaked grind. I've written extensively about my problems with the Portal's many baffling design choices, but until now Bungie has only tentatively admitted to the size of the problem... Read more.View the full article
ChromaGun 2: Dye Hard is a very interesting looking first-person puzzler that's now set to arrive February 12, 2026 that's all about mixing colours. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article
The Falcom Acoustics 3 45th anniversary album features music from Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, Cold Steel III, Daybreak II, and more. View the full article
The first Kitten Space Agency pre-alpha has arrived, and you can try it for free right now. Its name is no coincidence; it's a bold play from Dean Hall, founder of developer RocketWerkz and the creator of the original DayZ mod for Arma 2. Built in collaboration with several ex-KSP developers, it's very much angling to deliver a fresh take on the Kerbal Space Program experience. RocketWerkz says it's hoping to capture "the depth and realism of true space exploration" in an easy-to-understand experience "that inspires the next generation of space explorers." Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Kitten Space Agency is a new Kerbal Space Program rival from the creator of DayZ View the full article
This weekend, Atomic Mass Games, publisher of some of the best miniature wargames around, is running its annual Ministravaganza online preview show, unveiling release roadmaps and shiny goodies for all its flagship miniatures games. That's the good news. The even better news is that, next week, two of the top devs behind all three games will be answering your burning questions on all of it, live in our Discord! Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: The masterminds behind Marvel Crisis Protocol unmask new starter sets Marvel Crisis Protocol: Earth's Mightiest Core Set review Best miniature wargames to play and collect View the full article
We're finally getting another proper modern rally racing sim with Assetto Corsa Rally out now in Early Access. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article
Avatar: The Last Airbender is just around the corner now and like all Universes Beyond sets, it's jam-packed with legendary creatures that you could enlist as your next MTG commander. Not all Magic: The Gathering legends are made equal though, so we've taken a look at all 112 (that's 111 creatures, plus one legendary vehicle) to figure out the best ones you can build a deck around. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: With this MTG Avatar The Last Airbender combo you literally can't lose Bizarre MTG card that rocks an old school format spikes in price by 320% Magic: The Gathering release schedule 2025-2026 View the full article
Cicadamata" - yes the rogue apostrophes are part of the official title, yes I will exclude them in future because they make my thalamus itch - is one of those games that makes me incandescently sorry I didn't spend the past 20 years studying graphics design so that I could, for example, tell you what exactly is going on with that icecream bar HUD, those landscapes of bright diodes and cubes sliding through checkerboard obelisks, those twirling android digits, that wrist-rolling Muji paperweight of a shotgun. Read more View the full article
Skill-based matchmaking has been a hot-button issue in the Call of Duty community for many years now. In ****** Ops 7, it's being talked about again, but for different reasons. Since Modern Warfare launched in 2019, SBMM has been on everybody's minds, with many players feeling as though the game actively punished them for performing well by placing them against higher-skilled opponents to keep things on an even keel. But now, in 2025, the talk about SBMM got so loud that Treyarch and Activision made a move. Here's everything there is to know about SBMM in ****** Ops 7. Is there SBMM in BO7? Image via Activision ****** Ops 7 has two different types of multiplayer playlists called Open and Standard. In Open playlists, "skill is minimally considered," meaning skill-based matchmaking or SBMM is nonexistent. In Standard playlists, "skill is an important consideration," so you may find an experience similar to previous CoD titles where SBMM reigned supreme. I've been enjoying my time in Open playlists, but if you want to try it out, go for it. Screenshot by Destructoid The image above illustrates the icon for Open playlists with no SBMM, and it can be toggled in the multiplayer matchmaking menu between that and Standard. If you want to play without SBMM, play in the Open playlists. Treyarch will likely experiment with different Standard playlists to see what players prefer, and make a decision on what to do from there. When Ranked Play launches in season two, SBMM will be enabled, but that makes sense because it's a competitive playlist. In normal Quick Play game modes in Open playlist, though, SBMM is tuned down considerably and matches feel more random than ever when it comes to who you are matched with and against. This means things like connection are more important when it comes to matching you up in games, and that's a great thing. Get out there and have some fun, CoD gamers. Your sweatband and exercise clothes are no longer required attire...for now. The post Is there SBMM in ****** Ops 7? appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article
Pragmata has been rated in South Korea, suggesting that release information for the game could be coming soon. Capcom first announced Pragmata – a rare original IP from the publisher best known for Monster Hunter, Resident Evil, and Street Fighter – back in June 2020. Since then, it’s been delayed multiple times, and it’s now due in 2026. Now, the game has been rated by South Korea’s ratings authority (via Gematsu). While this doesn’t directly correlate to a release timeframe, it does suggest the game is far enough along to be officially rated by the body. Read More... View the full article
Back in 2012, Dishonored earned the first Game of the Year honor of my tenure at Ars Technica. Looking back on the game some 13 years later, Arkane’s well-constructed world of steam punk magical realism earns its place as a modern classic. The game does a great job of drawing you into that world immediately, with a memorable opening sequence that sees you framed for the on-screen ******* of the empress you’ve been sworn to protect. The scene does a great job establishing the emotional stakes of the coming missions while also throwing you into the deep end of the political infighting that has consumed a besieged, plague-beset kingdom. A Victorian steam punk world you can lose yourself in. Credit: Arkane Studios Those stakes, and a battle against a real feeling of injustice, drive the plot through some admittedly predictable beats as Dishonored continues through a set of sneak-and-assassinate missions. But it’s hard to care about that predictability when even minor side characters on both sides of the conflict quickly develop from stereotypes to engaging, fleshed-out characters. Read full article Comments View the full article
After bringing in another team to help, Deep Rock Galactic is getting Season 6 sometime early next year with a bumper addition of new content. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article
Considered a replacement to the Animal Crossing series, the recently announced Petit Planet just had its first closed beta tests, and a lot of information about the game was revealed. Developer HoYoverse, the creators of RPG hits like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, announced Petit Planet. This new life-sim game instantly rivaled Nintendo’s Animal Crossing series due to the similarities between the two. View the full article
Upcoming Sims-like life simulator Paralives has been hit with a heartbreaking Early Access release date delay, developer Paralives Studio has confirmed. While initially planned to hit Early Access on December 8, players will have to wait a little longer to get their hands on Paralives. View the full article
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Call of Duty ****** Ops 7 is the latest high-profile game to confirm that it uses generative AI for some of its in-game assets, according to a disclosure on its Steam page. After similar disclosures were added to ****** Ops 6 and Call of Duty Warzone's pages last year, the latest entry has followed suit. Some diving into the FPS game have been highlighting content that they believe to have been AI-generated, and the most commonly flagged assets are the Ghibli-style calling cards that can be earned from completing challenges in the new co-op campaign. In a statement provided to PCGamesN, Activision says its use of digital tools, including AI-powered ones, helps to "empower and support our teams to create the best gaming experiences possible for our players." Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: All ****** Ops 7 Zombies Perk-A-Colas All ****** Ops 7 Zombies maps All ****** Ops 7 mastery camos - how to unlock all BO7 camos View the full article