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Epic Games has announced the next era of LEGO Fortnite, via its huge Ninjago: Rise of the Ninja update which lands later this week. Arriving ahead of Ninjago's 15th anniversary next year and in time for LEGO's second anniversary within Fortnite this month, Rise of the Ninja looks to be one of LEGO Fortnite Odyssey's largest ever updates — with a new world to explore, Ninjago weapons to master, and some very familiar faces. Zane, Jay, Cole and Kai will all arrive in Fortnite, with the latter ninja part of the Ninjago LEGO Pass. All four characters will also get human-like (as in, not LEGO minifigure) versions for the first time, for use in Fortnite's non-LEGO modes. Players will be able to master elemental abilities by travelling across the game's new Ninjago island and visiting Sanctums to earn ice, lightning and earth powers. It's the latest move away from traditional weapons seen in LEGO Fortnite, following the addition of class-based hero powers a few months ago. Of course, that's not to say that ninja weapons won't also be included — the update will add nunchucks and shurikens too. And perhaps in good time, as well, since today's LEGO Fortnite trailer, above, also shows the arrival of a huge fire-breathing dragon boss. Fortnite clearly has big plans for Ninjago, with a second major game update due in 2026 that is expected to also see the arrival of yet more characters, such as Nya, Master Wu, and Lloyd. Until then, this first drop of Ninjago arrives in-game in just a few days, on December 11. Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social View the full article

Gearbox Software launched Borderlands 4 on September 12 after years of work on the project. Fans loved it, with some folks I know pouring 100 hours into the game. That’s music to the ears of ****** Pitchford, who has been working on Borderlands as a franchise for 20 years. He was pleased to see the technology of making games has caught up with the ambition of the intellectual property. .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 How ****** Pitchford has pulled off magic tricks for decades with Borderlands and more appeared first on GamesBeat. View the full article

Want to get some Pokémon cards from the coveted 151 set? Sam's Club is putting bundles of mini tins from this Pokémon set on ***** later today (December 9), selling them in batches of ten. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: The Pokémon TCG's Mega Hyper Rares are losing value fast, just months after release First edition Omanyte Pokémon card spikes 600%, but it can't catch up with Kabuto Why has this forgotten Pikachu Pokémon card's price quadrupled in one year? View the full article

Fortnite Wrapped 2025 is indeed a thing, all thanks to Fortnite GG, and you can view your annual stats and what kept you busy. While Epic Games Store hasn't added an official feature, fans can still view all their annual insights. This includes the total time spent in Fortnite and the most-played modes. Here are all the required steps to see your annual Fortnite stats. How to get your Fortnite Wrapped 2025 First, head to the Fortnite GG website. Once again, this website isn't affiliated or associated with Epic Games Store and the official sources. You can visit the website by clicking here. You'll find a text box where you can enter your name. Before that, select one from PlayStation, Xbox, or Epic Games. Enter your username for the platform you want. If you use different accounts on different platforms, pay attention to the username you enter. If the details you entered are valid, it will generate an image like the one that I have attached below. While it's for my backup account, the stats will be available based on all the seasons we encountered in 2025. You'll also be able to view the total hours you have spent over the last 12 months, along with the number of completed matches, wins, and kills. Image via Fortnite GG While I would have appreciated a few more insights, it's better than nothing, especially considering there's no official support from Epic Games Store. You can also save the results as an image to share with your buddies on social media. Fortnite currently has plenty of content as part of Chapter Seven, Season One. If you're having trouble finding the various NPCs, you can check out our guide to find the locations. The post How to check Fortnite Wrapped 2025 appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

In August 2025, Disney Dreamlight Valley held a community vote to design a free Companion reward for all players. Now, the Community Companion has finally arrived, so you may be wondering how to unlock the Sakura Blossom Dragon critter. We've never gotten a free Companion like this one before, so it's certainly a very special prize worth claiming as soon as possible. If you're unsure how to add it to your collection, here's how to get the Sakura Blossom Dragon Community Companion in Disney Dreamlight Valley. Table of contentsHow to get free Sakura Blossom Dragon in Disney Dreamlight ValleyHow long is the Sakura Blossom Dragon available for in Disney Dreamlight Valley?How to get free Sakura Blossom Dragon in Disney Dreamlight Valley Screenshot by Destructoid The Sakura Blossom Dragon is an exclusive code Companion in DDV, so you can unlock it by redeeming the special code COMMUNITYCOMPANIONDRAGON2025 in your settings anytime after The Winter Ball update is live on Dec. 10. While most other critters are unlocked through feeding or can be bought through the Premium Shop, this one is different, as redeeming this code is the only way to unlock this Companion. If you're not sure how to go about this process, here's a full breakdown to help you get through it. Open your Settings in DDV. Switch over to the Help tab.Locate and select the redemption code box. Enter the code COMMUNITYCOMPANIONDRAGON2025.Click the Claim option right underneath the code box. After entering and claiming the code, head to one of the mailboxes by any of the houses you have placed around the valley. Open your mail to find the Sakura Blossom Dragon inside and claim your reward from there. This creature can then be equipped as a Companion in the Wardrobe menu. You can equip up to two Companions at once, so you can have both this critter and another one at your side while you explore the valley. Screenshot by Destructoid How long is the Sakura Blossom Dragon available for in Disney Dreamlight Valley? As of the time of writing, how long the Sakura Blossom Dragon Companion will be available for is unknown. Some redemption codes have stayed active for years, while others have only been redeemable for a few days, weeks, or months. A few codes have been available ever since they were released and seem to be permanent, so since this one is a special community-created gift, there's a chance this one could be, too. If this code does have an expiration date and time, they'll likely be revealed in the future, so if they are, we'll add them here. For now, though, be sure to redeem this code as soon as possible, just in case this Companion is only claimable for a limited amount of time. With a loyal new ally now at your side, you're ready to embark on some tricky adventures around the valley. If you're not sure what to do, consider working on obtaining Fairy Kamut, unlocking all horses and mounts, finding Honey Coral, and completing the Fun! Fun! Fun! quest. The post How to get Sakura Blossom Dragon Community Companion in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

Treyarch and Activision have brought out the big guns for Call of Duty: ****** Ops 7's seasonal events, offering players free rewards to chase every few weeks. One of BO7's first big events is Rally Point, which is a community-based event that tasks CoD players with teaming up to take down lofty goals to unlock new items like the new NX Ravager crossbow weapon and much more. Here's everything to know about BO7 Rally Point, which begins at weekly reset on Dec. 11. Table of contents****** Ops 7 Rally Point event rewardsMission 1: PlacementsMission 2: EliminationsMission 3: ScorestreaksMission 4: Critical KillsMission 5: Equipment Kills****** Ops 7 Rally Point event rewards Image via Activision In this BO7 community event, there are five rewards to earn personally and five rewards that must be accomplished as an overall player base. The basis of the event is built around earning specific items through objectives and items that then be exchanged for rewards. These items, let's call them Medals for now, can be earned in every mode of BO7 and Warzone. Each mission has an individual reward and a community reward, and each mission has a different objective to complete to earn the Medals. All of this info was data mined by @realityuk ahead of time and is subject to change before the event goes live on Dec. 11. Mission 1: Placements Screenshot by Destructoid MissionHow to obtainMission Reward- Personal: Earn 50 Medals - Community: Earn 500 million Medals- BO7 multiplayer: 10 Medals per win - BO7 Zombies: 1 Medal per round completed - BO7 Endgame/co-op: 3 Medals per activity completed - Warzone: 10 Medals per Top-10 placement- Personal: "Naded" emblem - Community: "Power of 7" calling cardMission 2: Eliminations Image via Activision MissionHow to obtainMission Reward- Personal: Earn 2,000 Skulls - Community: Earn 20 billion Skulls- BO7 multiplayer: 5 Skulls per elimination - BO7 Zombies: 1 Skull per elimination - BO7 Endgame/co-op: 3 Skulls per elimination - Warzone: 20 Skulls per elimination- Personal: "Stamp of Approval" weapon charm - Community: "Mechanical Instinct" large decalMission 3: Scorestreaks Image via Activision MissionHow to obtainMission Reward- Personal: Earn 50 Jets - Community: Earn 400 million Jets- BO7 multiplayer: 5 Jets per Scorestreak kill - BO7 Zombies: 1 Jet per Scorestreak kill - BO7 Endgame/co-op: 3 Jets per Scorestreak kill - Warzone: 10 Jets per Scorestreak kill- Personal: "Surfin' For Thrills" emote - Community: "Match Ender" gun screen attachmentMission 4: Critical Kills Image via Activision MissionHow to obtainMission Reward- Personal: Earn 1,000 Criticals - Community: Earn 12 billion criticals- BO7 multiplayer: 20 Criticals per headshot kill - BO7 Zombies: 1 Critical per critical kill - BO7 Endgame/co-op: 3 Criticals per critical kill - Warzone: 50 Criticals per headshot kill- Personal: "Dossier Deletion" weapon camo - Community: "Drop Point" reticleMission 5: Equipment Kills Image via Activision MissionHow to obtainMission Reward- Personal: Earn 1,000 Grenades - Community: Earn 1.25 billion Grenades- BO7 multiplayer: 10 Grenades per lethal equipment kill - BO7 Zombies: 1 Greande per lethal equipment kill - BO7 Endgame/co-op: 3 Grenades per lethal equipment kill - Warzone: 25 Grenades per lethal equipment kill- Personal: "Cover Viable" operator skin for Jurado - Community: NX Ravager crossbow special weapon Rally Point begins on Dec. 11 and lasts one week, ending at weekly reset on Dec. 18. The post All challenges and rewards in ****** Ops 7 Rally Point event appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

Steamhas a seemingly endless array of free games, but most of them aren't RPGs. When they are, they're usually filled with the most complex monetization tactics known to man, boasting gacha systems and in-game currencies galore. The latest free RPG addition, however, is a little more straightforward. View the full article

A listing for the long-rumoured Assassin’s Creed ****** Flag remake has appeared on the PEGI website. Searching for ‘Assassin’s Creed’ on the European ratings board’s website brings up a new listing called Assassin’s Creed ****** Flag Resynced. No written description has been provided with the listing yet, meaning it’s not clear what formats the game is being released on. Read More... View the full article

The brainchild of Mike Pondsmith back in 1988 as a TTRPG, Cyberpunk as a property has exploded in the past decade, thanks in no small part to CD Projekt Red and 2020's release of their first-person RPG, Cyberpunk 2077. Now, five years and expansions, patches, and board games later, the world of Cyberpunk is trying its robotic hands in a brand new – and highly competitive – market with a fully fledged, and collectible, Cyberpunk: Trading Card Game. IGN has had the opportunity to speak with the teams at WeirdCo and CD Projekt Red, who are working on the newly announced TCG, to get a better understanding of the designers at WeirdCo, how this partnership came to be, and even some goodies about the game itself. We've also got an exclusive first look at key card art from the Cyberpunk TCG (flip through the gallery below), featuring Cyberpunk 2077's Saburo and Yorinobu Arasaka, and their handy bodyguard, Goro Takemura. WeirdCo, a new face in the world of TCGs, has been working in close partnership with CDPR themselves to devise this new card game, aiming to capture the tone and aesthetic of 2077 and the Edgerunners' Netflix anime, to deliver a game that doesn't just feel like another TCG just with a coat of Cyberpunk yellow overtop. One way the team is doing this is by working with high-profile artists, both internal to CDPR and the wider community, to deliver gorgeous card art featuring faces that will be familiar to anyone worth their wait in Chrome. Speaking with Elliot Cook (WeirdCo President) and Luohan Wei (WeirdCo CEO), both co-founders of the business, I wanted to know how this new studio came about. Elliot began, "WeirdCo was formed when Luohan and I met each other through our mutual mentor, Bill Mooney: a true legend in the digital gaming space. We immediately hit it off over our passion for building games that truly connect with their communities. Later, we formed WeirdCo to create games together — ones that authentically bring together and inspire people." "Players can look forward to collecting an array of unique variants of characters including V, Johnny, Panam, Judy, Adam Smasher, and more." "CD Projekt Red has a similar goal, and when we saw this in each other we knew it would be a great partnership. What has been paramount, and the question we ask ourselves daily, is “how do we make a game that represents and celebrates every part of Cyberpunk — everywhere it has been and everywhere it is going?" That is the north star of our development." With Cyberpunk being one of the biggest media properties right now, I was curious how a brand new group could tackle such a monster IP, but despite it being a new team, the group working on the Cyberpunk TCG has worked on other large IP card games you probably have heard of. "We at WeirdCo have direct experience working on some great card games" Elliot explains. "Marvel Snap, Duel Masters, and Universus, to name a few. At our core we are disruptors, just like CD Projekt Red, and we both strive to inspire our players. We saw this in each other from the beginning, and I think CD Projekt Red saw our love for the Cyberpunk 2077 universe too. This is an IP that deserves to be explored in different and exciting ways, and we’re committed to doing this authentically with Cyberpunk TCG, side by side with the community." On the topic of CD Projekt Red, they have been a constant ally during the game’s design and development. Elliot provides further details, "We have worked with CD Projekt Red very closely since the beginning of development. They have been the ideal partner; you may even see the same amazing artists who worked on Cyberpunk 2077, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and more as featured artists in Cyberpunk TCG! Every part of the TCG has the impeccable RED touch, ensuring this is a completely authentic Cyberpunk experience." The Cyberpunk TCG won’t be CDPR’s first collaboration in the tabletop space, with other titles like Cyberpunk 2077: Gangs of Night City and Cyberpunk Edgerunners: Combat Zone Board Game, but I was curious what unique joys or challenges came from working on a TCG, so I asked Patrick Mills, CDPR’s Franchise Content Strategy Lead. "Every collaboration is unique, and we’re lucky to work with many partners who are passionate and extremely dedicated to their crafts. While making a physical TCG is something completely new for us, we see the genuine excitement, enthusiasm, and talent in WeirdCo that act as the foundation of any successful collaboration." "Their passion for the franchise has been evident at every stage, and they’re doing an incredible job developing an engaging TCG that ensures an authentic Cyberpunk experience. On the flip side, many of us at CD Projekt Red are huge TCG enthusiasts too — so we’re thrilled to be entering this space with WeirdCo" One thing that is clear is that both teams at WeirdCo and CDPR are taking care to ensure that this is faithful to the Cyberpunk property that its creator, Mike Pondsmith, imagined back in 1988. "For the initial release, our primary goal is to represent the core identity of Cyberpunk 2077" "We want Cyberpunk TCG to be authentic to the spirit and dynamic nature of the Cyberpunk 2077 universe, and wanted to create a TCG that is accessible to Cyberpunk fans who have never touched a card game.” Luohan says, “At the same time, as TCG players ourselves, we wanted our game to have the depth necessary to entertain for a long, long time. And I think we have struck that balance well." Elliot continues, "The best part of this job is spending hundreds of hours with the Cyberpunk universe — whether that’s replaying Cyberpunk 2077, watching Edgerunners for the fifth time, or reading all the Dark Horse comics. Every one of us at WeirdCo loves the Cyberpunk universe, and we built the TCG bit by bit on this foundation. At each step we analyzed every little detail, constantly asking ourselves: "How do we make this more authentic to Cyberpunk?" Many fan favorite characters will be making an appearance as well in this TCG and picking who would be included in this first set was a big decision. "For the initial release, our primary goal is to represent the core identity of Cyberpunk 2077 by featuring many of its most iconic and beloved characters,” explains Patrick. “We’ve collaborated closely with WeirdCo to ensure that the artwork and flavor of every card faithfully captures the essence of who they represent, providing a snapshot of their personalities and what they stand for, as well as including memorable moments players will instantly recognize. Given the complexity of our characters, we wanted to capture their many facets across multiple cards. So, players can look forward to collecting an array of unique variants of characters including V, Johnny, Panam, Judy, Adam Smasher, and more." On the WeirdCo side, Elliot shares, "We worked very hard to figure out which Legends make the most sense for players, and which ones make the most sense for the overall theme of Set 1. While some of them, like V and Johnny, are obvious hits, we have a few surprises up our sleeves too." Being a game composed of a ton of cards, artwork is pretty important in a TCG and WeirdCo is special care to make sure that what players can expect is nothing short of beautiful. "We’ve been working for a long time with a team of over 20 talented artists for Set 1, and are excited to explore new ways of bringing the world of Cyberpunk to life through our card art. Working with artists like Ito, Vincenzo Riccardi, and Joshua Raphael, who each bring their own unique flair to the project, makes each card more exciting than the last," Elliot continues, "We’re not sharing gameplay details yet, so there’s not too much I can say. But Cyberpunk is known for its beautiful yet tragic atmosphere — this is a major focus of ours when it comes to the card art." Details on how Cyberpunk TCG will work remain shrouded behind CDPR's and WeirdCo's firewalls, so we have a bit yet before we have an in-depth picture of how it plays. Cyberpunk's TCG will be launching its crowdfunding campaign in 2026, which is right around the corner. WeirdCo and CDPR will be revealing more of the game soon, along with a deep dive into how the game plays, more artwork, and card reveals, with some more special reveals found only here on IGN. The TCG space is pretty crowded with new contenders entering the ring, it seems like every quarter or so, but few have the name recognition behind them like WeirdCo has with Cyberpunk. The fact that this project has so much support from CD Projekt Red behind it puts it in a different league from others, even before it's out. The excitement from the designers is electric, with Luohan leaving players with this, “I can’t wait for players to see how we’ve adapted the themes of Cyberpunk, like taking on gigs or building a crew, to a trading card game format. I think it is both true to Cyberpunk itself while being innovative to the TCG market as a whole; it’s a perfect combination in this way.” As far as I know, no other TCG lets you play with Keanu Reeves, so that is already a big plus in its favor. Wake up, Samurai, there's a whole new way to burn the city coming. If this sounds up your alley, follow the game and get yourself a special and exclusive Lucy "Nova Rare" card free by signing up over on the game's Launch Oracle page. Scott White is a freelance contributor to IGN, assisting with tabletop games and guide coverage. Follow him on X/Twitter or Bluesky. This article features contributions from Robert Anderson, Senior Commerce Editor for IGN. View the full article

Bethesda has released The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on pretty much every platform since it came out in 2011, but now it’s found another: the Nintendo Switch 2. Bethesda announced and shadowdropped Skyrim Anniversary Edition today, December 9, on Switch 2 just in time for the holidays. Check out how Skyrim looks on Switch 2 in the video below. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition includes the base game and the three official Expansions: Dawnguard; Dragonborn; and Hearthfire. Players on Switch 2 get experience enhanced resolution, improved load times, performance optimisation, Joy-**** 2 mouse support, motion controls, Amiibo support, and more versus the OG Switch version, taking advantage of the more powerful hardware. What’s more, this edition offers exclusive Nintendo content from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, including the Master Sword, Hylian Shield, and Champion’s Tunic. You’ll also get hundreds of unique Creations Club items, with quests, weapons, armor, spells, dungeons, and more. Bethesda is selling Skyrim for Switch 2 standalone for $59.99, but there’s a free upgrade for Skyrim Anniversary Edition owners on Switch. Owners of the Skyrim (base edition) on Switch can buy the Anniversary Upgrade for $19.99 to play on Switch and Switch 2. Skyrim’s release on Switch 2 is sure to resurface all those jokes about Bethesda milking the life out of the game by releasing it on all the platforms under the sun. Skyrim has been ported and remastered so many times that it’s become one of the internet’s most enduring memes. Bethesda is of course busy working on The Elder Scrolls 6, although development chief Todd Howard has indicated it is still some time away. In a recent interview, he teased that Bethesda could shadowdrop The Elder Scrolls 6, as it did with this year’s The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and now Skyrim on Switch 2. “I like to just announce stuff and release it,” Howard told GQ. “My perfect version — and I’m not saying this is going to happen — is that it's going to be a while and then, one day, the game will just appear.” The Oblivion Remastered shadowdrop was “a test run,” Howard teased. “It worked out well.” Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at *****@*****.tld. View the full article

BAFTA announced the “long lists” for the 2026 BAFTA Games Awards. After one more round of voting by gaming peers, the official nominees will be listed. The “best game” list of potential nominees includes ARC Raiders, Blue Prince, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, Dispatch, Ghost of Yōtei, Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Split Fiction. .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 BAFTA announces 2026 game awards ‘long list’ voting results appeared first on GamesBeat. View the full article

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is making its way to Nintendo Switch 2 today. Even though the original Switch version of Skyrim has always been playable on Switch 2 via backwards compatibility, this is the fully Anniversary Edition running natively on Nintendo’s latest console. If you already have the Switch version of Skyrim Anniversary Edition, then this is a free upgrade. And if you have Skyrim itself already, then upgrading to the Anniversary Edition is just a $20 fee. But if you don’t own Skyrim on Switch at all yet, then Skyrim Anniversary Edition on Switch 2 is a full $60. .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 Skyrim Anniversary Edition out now on Switch 2 with improved resolution and performance appeared first on GamesBeat. View the full article

The statue teasing something for The Game Awards 2025 may have just had its mystery unveiled, according to an alleged insider, and it may be promoting a game we didn’t expect to see so soon. The annual award ceremony is set to happen later this week, and while awards for the nominees at TGA 2025 should be the center of the event, it will also serve as a stage for new announcements. View the full article

While Xboxis constantly adding new games to the catalog for players, apparently it also has to make room for these new games and do a bit of housekeeping every once in a while, which includes occasionally removing games for one reason or another. This month, however, seven games in total are being removed from Xbox for good, and you'll want to check them out while you still can. View the full article

Owners of the Switch 1 Anniversary Edition can upgrade for freeView the full article

It’s kind of insane that I never realized how perfectly Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles would work as a VR game. VR action games famously feature loads of jumping and climbing, which our turt bros do a whole bunch of on Manhattan rooftops. Sneaking around to do melee combat, and having to learn how to parry and dodge incoming attacks is also something the reptilian heroes are known for that has been done well in many VR games. And because these heroes in a half-shell appear most commonly as cartoons, you don’t have to worry about shooting for photorealistic graphics and the technical VR bottlenecks that sometimes come with it. In other words, why in the heck did it take us so long to get this pizza-powered quartet into a VR game? No matter the reason, I’m glad it’s finally happening with TMNT: Empire City, and the 15-minute demo I played was enough to sell me on this tubular action-adventure. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Empire City is exactly the kind of action game you’d expect from the titular masked heroes. I spent my time fighting members of the Foot Clan as each member of the TMNT crew (including their iconic weapons of choice, like Leonardo’s katanas and Donatello’s bo staff), running and jumping across city skylines in pursuit of justice, and hanging out back in my sewer base and eating pizza. Doing all of that in VR is exactly as fun as it sounds (meaning, it’s super fun!), and it’s especially amusing to look down at your turtle body and remember, “Oh, yeah. I’m an anthropomorphic mutated reptile.” Unfortunately, the section I played was limited entirely to the tutorial, so I was mostly just learning the ropes, like how to hack into electronic devices as Donatello (since he does machines) or how to perform parries on those pesky Shredder-following Foot Clan. The fundamentals were definitely strong, as I was grinning ear-to-ear pretty much the whole time, but I’ll be curious to see if Empire City can build on that to keep it interesting across an entire campaign. For example, I only got to fight one boss at the very end of this introductory mission, and it lasted all of – I kid you not – five seconds as I dodged her opening attack and then whaled on her until she tapped out. Obviously this fight was also a part of the tutorial, so it’s hard to tell if things will get more challenging, but here’s hoping. Building a Better Turtle Something that would seem to indicate a deeper level of challenge is the fact that back at the base there’s a whole menu of upgrades to deal with. None of these were unlockable in the build I played from what I could tell, but it reminded me a bit of the upgrade system in Half-Life: Alyx, where you’re collecting parts throughout levels, then funnel it all into a machine to craft certain upgrades for your character. It’s also just great to see them using Donatello’s propensity for crafting gadgets brought to life via all the junk he stuffs in his pocket along the way, which his brothers made fun of him for doing, of course. I never forgot which of the brothers I was because Empire City did such a good job or reminding me with its banter that was completely on point with the surprisingly good writing for which the series is known. Which leads me to one of my favorite parts of the demo: how perfectly Ninja Turtles it was! The banter between the brothers and their recognizable idiosyncrasies left me smiling, whether it was Leonardo’s tendency to be way too serious all the time, Michelangelo’s wise cracks, or Raphael’s intensity and impatience. The unique weapon aside, I never forgot which of the brothers I was because Empire City did such a good job or reminding me with its banter that was completely on point with the surprisingly good writing for which the series is known. I could easily imagine a world where this thing felt like a reskinned ninja game that felt completely generic, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here. Huge relief. They also do a really good job capturing the comic book/Saturday morning cartoon art style, with environments that look cel-shaded and goofy voice performances that are over-the-top and amusing. Sure, lots of the textures are fairly undetailed, but that works pretty perfectly with the straight-from-a-comicbook vibe that this game is clearly shooting for. I could easily see myself spending a lot of time just hanging out in this world, exploring and fighting alongside friends. Which reminds me: will there be skateboarding in this? Why haven’t they let me skateboard yet?! (Multi-)Turtle Power? One pretty huge thing I didn’t get to see in action is how this will all work in four-player co-op. I can only imagine how much of a blast it’s going to be to roll through with the full shell squad smacking enemies around, but the section of the demo I played felt pretty designed for a single player and it’s a bit difficult to imagine how this kind of gameplay might scale up for four-player bouts. Presumably there’d need to be many more enemies and fewer linear paths than the ones I crept through to make it work. Also, I can only imagine how silly it’ll look to have teammates running around as big ol’ green cartoon characters while swinging around nunchucks. I’ll still need to see a fair bit more of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Empire City before I can speak definitively on it, but so far I’m pretty stoked by the potential here and am absolutely flabbergasted that it took us this long to get a first-person TMNT game. View the full article

Hypemasters has raised $1 million in funding to make new strategy games in addition to its World War Armies titles. Riyadh-based Impact46 led the investment round in United Arab Emirates-based Hypemasters, an international game development studio focused on competitive strategy experiences for mobile. The round included significant participation from GEM 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 Hypemasters raises $1M for strategy game studio appeared first on GamesBeat. View the full article

Horizon Worlds is on the cusp of a significant expansion to its avatar clothing swap functionality. Meta’s metaverse platform made a quiet comeback over the past year, thanks in large part to the company’s decision to pivot to a mobile-first user experience, part of a range of ongoing updates to Horizon Worlds in 2025. Another of these updates was the ability for creators to design and sell avatar clothing items inside their experiences, which Horizon Worlds rolled out over the summer. Since then, popular Horizon Worlds experiences like “Profit or Perish” have implemented avatar clothing items. .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 Meta is building out Horizon Worlds’ avatar clothing swap functionality appeared first on GamesBeat. View the full article

Big Preview | When it comes to Total War's legacy, who better to pick the biggest hitters than their creators?View the full article

2K shared no other information on the teamView the full article

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is widely considered one of the best Star Wars game series ever made, which is why players were incredibly excited when they first learned of a remake in the works at Aspyr Media back in 2021. However, as development woes seem to trouble the studio and the years continue to pass without much news, players have begun to wonder what's going on with the remake. View the full article

Ashes of Creation is coming to early access on Steam, and this guide will help you stay updated for the upcoming launch. While the game has been available to Kickstarter backers, this will be the first time it launches to everyone. The countdown below will help you keep track of when the early access launch happens on Steam so you can jump in at the right moment. Table of contentsAshes of Creation release countdownWhat to expect from Ashes of CreationAshes of Creation release countdown Ashes of Creation's early access will be an extension of the Alpha Two phase that's currently live to Kickstarter backers. You can access the Alpha from the game's official website, or just wait for the following countdown to expire (which means that it's available on Steam). [hurrytimer id="1152752"] The countdown is based on the following times. 10am PT12pm CT1pm ET6pm UTC7pm CET As of writing, Intrepid Studios hasn't announced an exact launch time. The times mentioned above are based on SteamDB, and the actual release could differ. We will update the post if there are any changes before launch. What to expect from Ashes of Creation Ashes of Creation is an MMORPG set in a high-fantasy world that the players themselves shape. Here are the core features that you can expect to enjoy. A dynamic world that constantly changes and evolves based on player activities.Presence of both PvP and PvE content that you can grind for various loot and resources.An expansive crafting system that allows you to use resources and obtain various items. The community itself controls the whole economy of Ashes of Creation.Various archetype combinations that allow you to fine-tune your created character, which feels incredibly personal.Different content that you can play at your own pace, alone or with others. Plenty of content is expected to arrive as part of the early access roadmap in Ashes of Creation. It will be interesting to find out what kind of reception the upcoming MMORPG will have, and if its early access state will be able to draw the attention of players worldwide. The post Ashes of Creation release countdown: Exact date and time appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

The Asus x TUF gaming Hatsune Miku collection just dropped to a new record-low price, so you can dedicate your setup to the adorable, virtual diva for less.View the full article

A major investor in Final Fantasy maker Square Enix has published a 100-page document criticizing the company's performance and calling for a "fundamental reassessment" of its business, citing perceived "sluggish" revenue and profits. In a press statement, 3D Investment Partners — Square Enix's third-largest investor, holding around a 14% stake — claims there has been a "significant deterioration in earning power" despite the company owning some of the world's biggest franchises and being a "preeminent Japanese game developer." "What Square Enix once brought to life was a 'culture' that shaped an era, and an 'industry' that fascinated the world. Is Square Enix really giving birth to something genuinely new, or has Square Enix turned away from the challenges before it and let its steps falter?" the document asks, imploring that the firm "surprises us, moves us, and ignites that passion we once felt," as "gamers across the globe have been waiting, endlessly, for that irreplaceable experience. "However, under the newly established management structure, the past three years have been marked by a pronounced stagnation in both revenue growth and profitability, with a significant deterioration in earning power, as evidenced by declines in operating income, return on equity, and other key performance metrics." Calling this "the most critical management challenge" currently faced by the Japanese company, 3D1P calls for the firm to "devise and rigorously implement concrete countermeasures addressing critical management issues," including the "excessive fragmentation of the development portfolio, product design, and promotional strategies that have led to declining tie ratios, and inflated expenditures such as development costs." "We respectfully urge a fundamental reassessment of the medium-term management plan, with the objective of fully unlocking the potential of Square Enix's distinguished intellectual property and thereby maximizing corporate value." After directly comparing Square Enix with Japanese competitors like Capcom, *****, Konami, Bandai Namco, and Nintendo — and cherry-picking "harsh" responses from Metacritic of both new and established IP — the investment firm revealed that it had been "engaged in ongoing dialogue" with Square Enix since last summer. "Since July 2024, we have been engaged in ongoing dialogue with SQEX HD. In October 2025, we explained to President Kiryu and Outside Director Abdullah the management issues of SQEX HD as seen from the market. We also presented to President Kiryu our proposals. "However, in response to this request, President Kiryu replied only with a brief email stating, without addressing any of the specific management issues or solutions we had raised, and without providing any concrete explanation of his reasoning." 3D Investment Partners is now sharing its views on the perceived management issues "with all shareholders" to "collect [their] frank views, and, based on the views we receive, engage in constructive dialogue with SQEX HD to enhance its corporate value again." IGN has asked Square Enix for comment. Former Square Enix exec and CEO of Genvid, Jacob Navok — the same exec that recently claimed "Gen Z loves AI slop" — also weighed in, saying that the presentation from 3DIP essentially has two themes: "sales are bad" and "dev costs are high." "These are the same issues I addressed in 2024 when discussing the problems with Square Enix's sales for FF16 expectations for sales were set correctly," he added. "They were not met because Square Enix sales were poor, and the game cost too much to make." The very public complaint comes just weeks after Square Enix announced mass layoffs, impacting over 100 individuals, alongside a broader effort to consolidate its publishing organization and focus its development work in Japan. It had also already sold Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montreal, Square Enix Montreal, and a number of associated IPs to Embracer Group, and laid off workers across its western operations in 2024. Square Enix also expects 70% of its QA work to be handled by generative AI by the end of 2027. The company has stated in the past that it intends to be "aggressive in applying AI" across both development and publishing. 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

Creative Assembly recently held their 25th Anniversary Showcase for the Total War series, with Total War: MEDIEVAL III being announced. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article