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The announcement of both Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider: Catalyst has sparked retcon speculation among the franchise's fandom. At last week's The Game Awards, Catalyst’s first trailer was immediately followed by the reveal of Legacy of Atlantis, a “reimagining” of the original 1996 classic. Built with Unreal Engine 5, Legacy of Atlantis is due out next year as the franchise marks its 30th anniversary, with Catalyst set to follow in 2027. While some, quite naturally, suggest starting at the beginning makes sense given the anniversary, others are wondering if the announcement of the new game means the team has to go back and retcon some aspects of Lara Croft's story to make sure everything makes sense in the character's 30-year-old canon timeline. "There are many theories about why the reimagining of TR1 is happening. Some say it’s only because of the 30th anniversary but I personally think it’s happening because it HAS to happen. We’re entering a new unified timeline where some things need to be retconned and some need to be reimagined," suggested X/Twitter user Merychxrry. "This kind of reimagining will likely need to happen for every mainline game, but especially for these four story-heavy titles: Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, Tomb Raider: Legend, and Tomb Raider: Underworld. "You might ask, 'Why not TR2-3 first?' Well, they’re not story-heavy. As much as I’d love to see them remade, we first need to unify these four story-focused games. Otherwise, it would take too long to reach them, and their stories would need to be retconned." As Mery added, the order itself likely doesn't matter — "it could be 4 and 6 first, then Legends and Underworld, or vice-versa" — but since the assets for Legacy of Atlantis will be available first, "it shouldn't take too long to produce these games." "That is actually genius!" replied one commenter, while another said: "Yes! This exactly!" "I feel like LOA is a test, like the [Resident Evil 2] remake was, suggested someone else. "TR1 was the safest choice they had for a reimagining because of its simple story." As game director Will Kerslake recently told GamesRadar+, Catalyst fits into the timeline after the events of Tomb Raider: Underworld. The most recent games, known as the Survivor reboot trilogy — 2013's Tomb Raider, 2015's Rise of the Tomb Raider, and 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider — are still considered as part of Croft's origin story. While the news of the recasting was a surprise for some, actor Camilla Luddington — who portrayed Lara Croft in the Survivor Trilogy — shared a bittersweet Instagram post about her time as the lead this week, saying she loved the fans and Croft will "forever be a part of [her]." Alix Wilton Regan will now play Lara Croft in both Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider: Catalyst. Meanwhile, there's the upcoming Amazon TV show to consider. The live-action Tomb Raider Prime Video series, which will star Game of Thrones alum Sophie Turner, will “reinvent the franchise on a massive scale” and will interconnect “live-action television series and video games into a unified storytelling universe.” Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky. View the full article

Valve has outlined what's new in Dota 2 patch 7.40 and provided a rundown of its latest hero, Largo. "Dota is an ensemble cast, but keen observers looking through the collection of rogues, wizards, druids, and knights (not to mention two characters named 'ranger') may have noticed the absence of that most maligned of hero classes: the bard. At least, up until now," Valve teased, before introducing Largo himself. Largo is the shamanic head of the bardmonk order, and unlike bards that "sing about current events and chord changes," he "tailors every song to his exact circumstances, raising his allies' spirits or, if necessary, their foot speed as they run toward battle (or away). As a frog, his prehensile tongue has, shall we say, all kinds of tricks." One such trick is his Catchy Lick, in which he targets someone, licks them, pulls them back a short distance, and applies a basic dispel. If they're an ally, he pulls them out of harm's way, and if they're an enemy, his tongue deals damage. By dispelling an effect from a target, Largo gets a brief health regen, too. He can also fire froglings that stomp the ground every second, dealing damage and ministuns, and minimize ally mana costs with his Croak of Genius skill. His ultimate skill is Amphibian Rhapsody. To be honest, with a name as incredible as that, I don't even care what it does, but for those wondering, it's essentially a mini-rhythm game. "Largo gets ready to groove," Valve explains. "He is disarmed and his ability bar switches to three song abilities, each with different effects. Songs are only effective if strummed on the beat. "Every time he strums successfully, he gains a stack of Groovin'. Each stack gives him bonus armor and reduces the mana cost of every song, but he loses a stack if he misses a beat. Stacks linger for a short duration when Largo's song ends." As is tradition, the full patch notes are so huuuge they're too big to publish on Steam itself, but you can find them on the Dota 2 website right here. Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky. View the full article

What if trebuchets, siege towers, and invading armies were utterly adorable? That's the driving idea behind Forfort, a two to four player tile placement board game that turns the medieval era's most impressive fortifications into a puzzle experience - and reading the rules reminds me more than a little of head-to-head puzzle videogames like Poyo Pop Fever and Puzzle Bobble. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Brain-melting board game Mind MGMT is a hefty 38% off on Amazon right now Leave Warhammer's grimdark behind this holiday season with this whimsical and affordable alternative It's Looney Tunes meets DnD when this classic TTRPG finally returns from hiatus View the full article

Embark Games have been cooking, with ARC Raiders v1.7.0 out now that brings quite a lot to the popular extraction shooter - so time for another run. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Kinetic Games recently teased the addition of three brand-new ghosts to Phasmophobia, but without any time references, it was unclear whether it would come alongside the Winter's Jest update or later this year/into 2026. Now, with the Winter's Jest update live, we can confirm three brand new ghosts have been added to Phasmophobia: the Obambo, the Gallu, and the Dayan. View the full article

If you're looking for some D&D-themed beat-em-up action and have a handful of dollars going spare, you need to know about this Humble Bundle deal, which could be an early Christmas present to yourself. The Dungeons and Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara is on ***** now for just $4.94, a 67% discount on its usual $14.99 price tag. Read the rest of the story... View the full article

The holidays are here, and Krampus is ready to spread some Christmas cheer with Phasmophobia's special Winter's Jest event. Seasonal events bring plenty of fresh content to explore while you ghost hunt, which can make them a bit tricky to navigate. Ghost hunting is hard enough on its own, so adding in some special holiday twists makes everything a whole lot harder. There are quite a few prizes you won't want to miss out on, though, so here's everything you need to know to complete the Winter's Jest event in Phasmophobia. Table of contentsHow to complete the Winter's Jest event in PhasmophobiaWinter's Jest event maps in PhasmophobiaHow to identify ghosts correctly for Winter's Jest event in PhasmophobiaHow to complete optional objectives for Winter's Jest event in PhasmophobiaHow to find and open Krampus jack-in-the-boxes for Winter's Jest event in PhasmophobiaHow to help with the Naughty-or-Nice List for Winter's Jest in PhasmophobiaAll Winter's Jest event rewards in PhasmophobiaHow long is the Winter's Jest event in Phasmophobia?How to complete the Winter's Jest event in Phasmophobia Image via Kinetic Games The Winter's Jest event has a mix of standard and special tasks for you to get done, including: Identifying ghosts correctly.Completing optional objectives.Finding Krampus jack-in-the-boxes. Helping with the Naughty-or-Nice List. You don't have to accomplish all of these goals in every round, but the more of these tasks you do manage to get done in each contract, the more points you earn for both yourself and the community. Winter's Jest event maps in Phasmophobia There are 10 unique maps featured in the 2025 version of the Winer's Jest event. Each day, only some of these locations will be decorated and available for the event, as it features a daily map rotation schedule. You can tell which maps are active on any given day by looking for the ones marked with a festive icon on the map board. MapSize10 Ridgeview CourtSmall6 Tanglewood DriveSmall13 Willow StreetSmall42 Edgefield RoadSmallCamp WoodwindSmallGrafton FarmhouseSmallNell's DinerSmallBleasdale FarmhouseMediumMaple Lodge CampsiteMediumPoint HopeMediumHow to identify ghosts correctly for Winter's Jest event in Phasmophobia Image via Kinetic Games Your first key objective in all holiday event contracts is simply to correctly identify the ghost. This is the base goal of all contracts, so you should already have a solid understanding of how it works. You essentially want to capture three official pieces of evidence so you know for sure what ghost is present, although you may be able to identify it with less if it has special unofficial evidence or signature behaviors. All ghosts have three key pieces of evidence you can watch for, though. GhostEvidence #1Evidence #2Evidence #3SpiritEMF Level FiveSpirit BoxGhost WritingWraithEMF Level FiveSpirit BoxDOTS ProjectorPhantomSpirit BoxUltravioletDOTS ProjectorPoltergeistSpirit BoxUltravioletGhost WritingBansheeUltravioletGhost OrbsDOTS ProjectorJinnEMF Level FiveUltravioletFreezing TemperaturesMareSpirit BoxGhost OrbsGhost WritingRevenantGhost OrbsGhost WritingFreezing TemperaturesShadeEMF Level FiveGhost WritingFreezing Temperatures******UltravioletGhost WritingFreezing TemperaturesYureiGhost OrbsFreezing TemperaturesDOTS ProjectorOniEMF Level FiveFreezing TemperaturesDOTS ProjectorYokaiSpirit BoxGhost OrbsDOTS ProjectorHantuUltravioletGhost OrbsFreezing TemperaturesGoryoEMF Level FiveUltravioletDOTS ProjectorMylingEMF Level FiveUltravioletGhost WritingOnryoSpirit BoxGhost OrbsFreezing TemperaturesThe TwinsEMF Level FiveSpirit BoxFreezing TemperaturesRaijuEMF Level FiveGhost OrbsDOTS ProjectorObakeEMF Level FiveUltravioletGhost OrbsThe MimicSpirit BoxUltravioletFreezing TemperaturesMoroiSpirit BoxGhost WritingFreezing TemperaturesDeogenSpirit BoxGhost WritingDOTS ProjectorThayeGhost OrbsGhost WritingDOTS ProjectorHow to complete optional objectives for Winter's Jest event in Phasmophobia Screenshot by Destructoid The second key event task is to complete optional objectives. All contracts have three randomly chosen bonus goals you can tackle to earn additional XP and cash. These tasks are listed on the board right between the truck cameras and the sanity monitor. The types of tasks you'll encounter vary, with some being fairly easy to get done, while others can be quite tricky. Easy objectives are those like cleansing the area near the ghost using Incense or getting the ghost to blow out a Firelight, while hard ones may ask you to capture a video of the ghost or capture two unique paranormal sounds. How to find and open Krampus jack-in-the-boxes for Winter's Jest event in Phasmophobia Screenshot by Destructoid The main special seasonal goal is to find and interact with Krampus jack-in-the-boxes around the active holiday event maps. They're small red boxes with a star on them and can be approached and interacted with to make a Krampus head pop out of them. Krampus boxes can only spawn on the featured daily event maps, which means you'll need to venture to fresh locations each day to find them. All you need to do when you find one is interact with it to pop it open and gain some event points. How to help with the Naughty-or-Nice List for Winter's Jest in Phasmophobia Right outside the front door of each holiday map, there's a Naughty-or-Nice List objective you can complete for even more points. Approach the brown sack with the attached list to view the items you need to find, which are pictured next to each of the names. You'll then need to embark on a scavenger hunt around the map to find the required items and throw them into the sack. You're searching for items like gingerbread cookies, stars, and small bears. Screenshot by Destructoid All Winter's Jest event rewards in Phasmophobia There are four unique rewards featured in the Winter's Jest event, some of which are exclusive to the 2025 version of it, while others are annual prizes that return each year. For completing the first community goal, you unlock the Toy Soldier ID Card & Badge set. For completing the second community goal, you unlock the Winter’s Jest trophy. If you already unlocked the trophy during last year's iteration of this event, you won't get a new one. Instead, you'll start working on the trophy upgrades right away as you contribute progress to the event. For completing your first personal goal, you get the Animated Toy Soldier ID Card.For completing your second personal goal, you get to upgrade the Winter’s Jest trophy. This trophy can be upgraded three times. Screenshot by Destructoid How long is the Winter's Jest event in Phasmophobia? The Winter's Jest event is available to complete from Dec. 16, 2025, to Jan. 6, 2026. This gives you three full weeks to tackle everything it includes, which is plenty of time to get all of the exclusive rewards. If you don't manage to get it all done, some parts will return next year, granting additional opportunities to claim key event prizes like the upgradable trophy. The post Phasmophobia Winter’s Jest 2025 event guide appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

The Stench of Corruption is one of the several new quests that you can complete in ARC Raiders as part of the Cold Snap update. To activate the quest, you'll have to clear the base game content and then speak with Shani. This guide will help you complete all tasks of this quest to unlock all the available rewards. ARC Raiders Stench of Corruption quest walkthrough To begin the Stench of Corruption, you must complete A Toxic Trail first. A Toxic Trail is also a new quest added to ARC Raiders as part of the Cold Snap update. Once you complete the A Toxic Trail, you'll get a Spaceport key, which is required to complete the Stench of Corruption quest. The Stench of Corruption quest can be broken down into the following parts. Reach the southwest lobby of the Departure buildingFind the staff locker roomSearch the room for any clues to the saboteur's identityReach the tunnels below the SpaceportUse the key on any Flushing Terminal to override the bypass protocol The first task is to enter the Departure building from the location marked on the screenshot below. Go in, and turn right. Head straight, take a left, and you'll find a set of stairs that go down to the staff locker room. You'll have to search the room for clues related to the saboteur. Screenshot and remix by Destructoid You'll find a couple of hazmat suits in the room. Interact with them to complete the third task of this quest. You'll get a Flashing Terminal key. Make sure to add it to your safe pocket. With the key safe in your inventory, exit the Departure building and head to the tunnels. Use the part of the top surface that has caved in, and then head to the location marked on the screenshot below. You'll find a terminal at this location to use the key that you just found. Screenshot and remix by Destructoid Once you complete the quest, you'll also unlock the Warden outfit to add to your in-game inventory. The post How to complete Stench of Corruption in ARC Raiders and unlock Warden outfit appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

If you're looking for some D&D-themed beat-em-up action and have a handful of dollars going spare, you need to know about this Humble Bundle deal, which could be an early Christmas present to yourself. The Dungeons and Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara is on ***** now for just $4.94, a 67% discount on its usual $14.99 price tag. Read the rest of the story... View the full article

Amazon continue moving further away from making their own games, with them selling off the upcoming March of Giants and the team behind it to Ubisoft. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

"Game award-winning cast, that game"View the full article

Riding the wave of more cozy games, developer Dry Cactus (Poly Bridge series) is working on their next game titled Poly Bricks that will come to Linux. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

"If you encounter problems, please completely uninstall any Mods, recheck the integrity of the game files, and then start the game."View the full article

Codes for Universal Tower Defense provide you with stacks of Gems to spend and many Rerolls to improve your RNG outcomeView the full article

You don't need millions of coins to change your skills any moreView the full article

Dambuster Studios is working on Dead Island 3 and targeting a release in early 2028. That’s according to financial documents, spotted by X user @bogorad222, that outright name the game and state that production is now “moving at pace”. According to the docs, “parts of the game are now in early production,” including feature design, character design, world design, and narrative. “The current predicted release window for the project is Q1/2 2028,” it states. Read More... View the full article

A new wave of repackaged Star Wars Legion kits has appeared on the Asmodee webstore, giving generals new and old a chance to expand their forces. As a massive fan of The Empire Strikes Back I'm pleased to see the T-47 Airspeeder model there - but there's considerably more for the Clone Wars era, with three re-released Droid units and one for the Galactic Republic. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Stock up on Star Wars Legion as multiple miniatures are up to 43% off Exclusive: Star Wars Legion is bringing back Grand Army mode for massive 2,000 point games Join Atomic Mass Games for a live AMA on every Star Wars Legion, Shatterpoint, and Marvel Crisis Protocol reveal from Ministravaganza 2025! View the full article

Plague Inc: Evolved is a game about infecting the world by evolving a deadly global plague, and now there's new ways to play it. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Merger and acquisition megadeals have come to the media and telecom industries, and the result is power plays, platform bets and portfolio pivots, PwC said. For media and telecommunications M&A, the past six months have been characterized by headline-grabbing megadeals, increased consolidation within streaming, and a pronounced shift toward profitability and scale—underscoring a renewed confidence among both strategic and financial buyers in deploying capital. .memberful-global-teaser-content p:last-child{ -webkit-mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, #000 0%, transparent); mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, #000 0%, transparent); } Read This Article Free Get instant access by joining the GB MAX Access tier — it’s free to sign up and unlock premium content.Join Now to Start ReadingAlready a member? Sign in The post M&A megadeals come to media and telecom industries | PwC appeared first on GamesBeat. View the full article

Лару Крофт в анонсированных на церемонии The Game Awards 2025 играх Tomb Raider: Catalyst и Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis сыграет Аликс Уилтон Риган, за плечами которой озвучка Саманты Трейнор в Mass Effect 3, Альт Каннингем в Cyberpunk 2077 и женской версии Инквизитора в Dragon Age: Inquisition. View the full article

Предстоящая Lords of the Fallen 2 станет свеого рода "антиповесточной" игрой, следует из заявления главы польской компании CI Games Марека Тыминского. Издатель не допустит внедрения элементов woke-идеологии* и планирует порадовать мужскую часть фанатского сообщества наличием привлекательных женских героинь в откровенных нарядах. View the full article

Microsoft отказалась от идеи повышения цен на новые игры до $80 — во всяком случае, в обозримой перспективе. Глава Xbox Game Studios Мэтт Бути подтвердил в интервью Variety, что в компании учли мнение аудитории. View the full article

На прошлой неделе прошла церемония награждения The Game Awards 2025. В рамках трансляции была представлена игра Star Wars: Galactic Racer. View the full article

Студия Bungie официально объявила о том, что релиз экстракшен-шутера Marathon состоится в марте 2026 года по цене в 40 евро. Также разработчики опубликовали 23-минутную демонстрацию геймплея. View the full article

Официально Phantom Blade Zero выходит на PlayStation 5 и PC. Релиз запланирован на 9 сентября 2026 года. Дату объявили в свежем трейлере. В нём же раскрыли время эксклюзивности проекта для консоли Sony. View the full article