Not long after Mass Effect veteran Casey Hudson's new AAA studio closed its doors, another BioWare veteran's new venture has announced it is pausing operations.
Mac Walters, who worked at BioWare for nearly 20 years, split off in 2023 to make his own studio, Worlds Untold. However, Walters delivered some difficult news this week when he confirmed a decision to "pause operations at Worlds End" as the studio seeks out a "new partner" for its next game.
The phrasing here suggests something might have happened with NetEase, the partner that Worlds Untold was previously working with. In fact, NetEase was announced as the financial backer of Worlds Untold. Walters had previously said NetEase was the right partner because the team shared its vision and passion, and that it had the creative freedom and funding levels necessary to deliver.
Earlier this year, Pocketpair debuted Palworld, and the open-world monster-taming adventure quickly became one of the breakout hits of 2024. But the year isn't over yet, and Pocketpair is already teasing Palworld's first-ever crossover collaboration in 2025, which will bring the heavily armed and adorable monsters alongside characters from the crafting game Terraria.
The announcement was made on Pocketpari's official Palworld account on X. Pocketpair also teased news about the next update for Palworld, which will arrive "very soon."
2024 isn't finished yet for Palworld and we have some exciting news about the next update coming VERY SOON... But first, we want to tell you about something happening in 2025! ! ! ! Palworld x Terraria ! ! ! More info coming soon! @terraria_logicpic.twitter.com/nmLpkPCn2t
Palworld and Teraria are very different games, with the latter embracing a throwback 2D style set in a sandbox structure that resembles Minecraft. By contrast, Palworld has a 3D landscape and gameplay elements that are very similar to Nintendo's Pokemon. We're not sure how the elements of those two games will be blended together for the collaboration. Perhaps Palworld characters can appear in Terraria and vice versa.
If there were ever any doubt about the ever-increasing cultural footprint of the Call of Duty franchise, Black Ops 6 was October's best-selling game in the US, and also the No. 3 best-selling game of 2024 so far. Now, the franchise has apparently inspired the nationally ranked University of Kentucky men's basketball team to reach new heights.
The Kentucky Wildcats are currently ranked No. 8 in the nation and undefeated at 5-0, which senior guard Koby Brea attributes to the team's Call of Duty-inspired training program, Ball of Duty. During a press conference attended by Kentucky Sports Radio, Brea explained the rules of the Ball of Duty and how it was adopted by the team.
"We start to see more clips on film of how connected our team is defensively. How many kills we're getting--you know, three stops in a row," said Brea. "That's something that we take pride [in] and it's something funny that the coaches do. They call it Ball of Duty, and it's just [because] a lot of guys on the team play Call of Duty... And that's like a game within the game... Every game so far, we've been winning that battle."
For the past 15 years, League of Legends' seasons have been just a part of the game's ranked competitive play, with little impact on lore or events. From 2025, Riot will introduce a new seasonal model that's closer to other live-service games, with each year split up into three seasons that will tell a story based on one of the game's regions. The first, arriving in January, will be titled Welcome to Noxus.
The new seasons are a major overhaul for the long-running MOBA, with Welcome to Noxus launching as LoL: Season One. Each season will run for around eight patches, or 16 weeks, and most gameplay updates, modes, minigames, and champions will be connected to the season's overarching narrative. Each season will feature two battle passes, which will function similarly to LoL's current Event Pass, with both a paid and a free track. A number of extraneous rewards systems scattered across the game will be streamlined, with the free battle pass track collecting most rewards in one place.
A look at the battle pass
Ranked play will still follow the traditional calendar year, seeing a single large reset in January instead of timing resets with each season. Players will be able to earn a Victorious skin for each of the three seasons throughout the year, which can be unlocked by winning 15 ranked games during the season.
Earlier this year, a terminally ill Borderlands fan named Caleb McAlpine put out what he described as a "long shot" plea to Gearbox to allow him to play Borderlands 4 before he passes away. According to McAlpine, his stage-4 cancer means he may have less than two years to live. Fortunately, Gearbox has come through for McAlpine and fulfilled his wish.
In an update posted to Reddit, McAlpine thanked everyone who supported his request and confirmed that Gearbox flew him and a friend out via first class to Gearbox's headquarters in Frisco, Texas. During his visit, McAlpine met the developers and Gearbox founder Randy Pitchford. He also shared his first impressions of Borderlands 4.
"We got to play what they have for Borderlands 4 so far, and it was amazing," wrote McAlpine. "I don't know if I will be around when the game comes out, but I just want to say thank you to all of you for all of your love and support and for helping in making this happen. It truly was an amazing experience and it was just awesome."
After 31 years, PlayStation icon Shuhei Yoshida is retiring from Sony Entertainment Interactive. The account-executive-turned-SIE-president--who stepped down from his former position back in 2019 in order to helm the company's Independent Developer Initiative--revealed the news via an interview shared on the official PlayStation Blog. Yoshida's last day with the company will be January 15, 2025.
"I've been with PlayStation from the beginning," Yoshida told Sony senior communications director Sid Shuman. "When I hit 30 years, I was thinking, 'Hmm, it may be about time for me to move on.' You know, the company's been doing great. I love PS5, I love the games that are coming out on this platform. And we have new generations of management who I respect and admire. And I'm so excited for the future of PlayStation. So you know, PlayStation is in really good hands. I thought, 'Okay, this is my time.'"
Yoshida joined Sony in 1993 as lead account executive and one of the key members of its PlayStation project. According to Yoshida, he was also the first "non-technical" person aboard the team, and thus played a vital part in bringing the original PlayStation to market. He further elaborated on this in the blog post, stating that his role was largely reaching out to publishers and developers in Japan in hopes of them bringing their games to the PlayStation ecosystem.
Just in time for Black Friday, you can score a great discount on the Batman: 85th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray Collection. This set of animated Batman movies normally costs $205, but it's now available for $100, which is the best price we've seen for the collection yet. Not only do you get 10 Batman movies to enjoy in crisp ultra-high-definition, the box set also includes cool extras like a colorful slipcase, a 24-page commemorative booklet, and more. You can also get Batman's 80th Anniversary 18-Film Collection for only $35.
Hulu is normally fairly generous to potential customers, offering a 30-day free trial that lets you check out the service before opening your wallet. The company is more generous than usual for Black Friday, however, as right now you can sign up for Hulu (ad-supported) for just $1/month. The deal is active until December 2.
Hulu (ad-supported) typically costs $10/month, making this a pretty solid price cut. Better yet, the new payment will remain in effect for 12 months, giving you a year’s worth of Hulu for just $12 (was $120). So if you need an affordable way to entertain guests during an upcoming holiday party or just want to stay busy during these long winter nights, this is an enticing offer.
The are a few limitations to the promotion, as only new or former members are eligible. Membership will also automatically continue once the promotional period ends, so be sure to cancel your plan if you don’t want to pay $10/month.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, the enhanced release of the acclaimed 2021 RPG, has gotten a big discount for Black Friday. The story-rich dungeon-crawling RPG is just $25 at Amazon and Best Buy, so you can start fusing demons and making weighty moral choices without breaking the bank. You can even get a stylish steelbook case with your copy of the game for PS5, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch.
If you'd rather play SMT V: Vengeance on PC or Steam Deck--it's verified and runs great on Valve's handheld--Fanatical has Steam keys discounted to $37.19 in its Black Friday sale. The Digital Deluxe Edition, which includes several in-game perks and a pair of extra Demon Subquests, is on sale for $43.39.
Vengeance adds new navigation and combat options to make battling feel more intuitive, and also features a ton of a brand-new content and story enhancements to help you better connect with the cast of humans and demons. With branching paths that allow you to choose between experiencing the original story or the updated Vengeance route, Vengeance is the ideal version of SMT V for experienced players and newcomers alike.
The original release was exclusive to Nintendo Switch and suffered from performance dips in spots. Vengeance is an improved experience on Switch, but if you have a PS5 or Xbox Series X, SMT V certainly benefits from the more powerful hardware.
While these definitely aren't good entry points for curious newcomers, they're worth checking out for fans who want to explore new corners for the beloved RPG series. All three movies are getting big price cuts, making now the perfect time to pick them up. You can even pair them with one of several Final Fantasy games that are also on sale and spend the holidays exploring these beloved fantasy worlds. Check out the list of Final Fantasy Blu-ray and game deals below, and after that, head over to GameSpot's Black Friday hub to see even more discounts.
The Indiana Jones movies may be over, but Indiana Jones and the Great Circle may have more than enough content to satisfy fans of the films. According to MachineGames, the upcoming title will have nearly four hours of cutscenes, which is almost the length of two Indiana Jones movies.
MachineGames' creative director Axel Torvenius was a guest on the MinnMax YouTube channel, and he revealed that The Great Circle has "a lot" of cutscenes that when combined run "roughly three hours and 45 or 40 minutes or something along those lines." He added that it is "the biggest and longest game that MachineGames have ever done."
Torvenius also indicated that the story of The Great Circle is largely unchanged from the outline that Bethesda director Todd Howard pitched to George Lucas in 2009, three years before Disney purchased Lucasfilm. Additionally, Torvenius stated that The Great Circle won't have instant fails during stealth missions, which is something that another game based on a Lucasfilm property, Star Wars Outlaws, only recently fixed with a new patch.
Ubisoft is reportedly working on an Animal Crossing-inspired game called Alterra. In the game, players will build their home on an island inhabited by NPCs called "Matterlings." Players can leave their home to discover new biomes, Matterlings, and materials out in broader environs.
Insider Gaming first reported on Alterra's development. According to the report, the game will use voxels to generate its world. For the unfamiliar, voxel graphics display cubes on a grid, a la Minecraft. Alterra is also set to feature building and crafting mechanics, letting players construct items and locations out of materials they find out in the world. The report claims Alterra was developed from a cancelled project which also used voxel graphics.
Insider Gaming claims they have seen images of Alterra's NPCs. The Matterlings are reported to resemble Funko Pops, i.e. cartoon figures with large heads, albeit in a voxel style. Some Matterlings resemble fictional creatures like dragons, others real-world animals like birds and polar bears.
It just became way less of a hassle to launch 2K games from your Steam library. The publisher has officially removed its launcher from every game that used it on Steam (and the Epic Games Store). The removal went through on November 18, but a follow-up update to ensure the Launcher was fully removed dropped on November 25.
Many games, including Bioshock Remastered, Marvel's Midnight Suns, and The Quarry, will now launch directly through Steam. Other games used the launcher for additional functionality. Those games will now launch a small submenu before opening the game itself.
For example, XCOM 2 and XCOM: Chimera Squad used the 2K launcher for mod management. Now, launching the game will open a small menu which will let you open the mod launcher or the selected game directly. For both games, this change lets you install and use mods on Steam Deck, though the Chimera Squad menu may have some graphical and interface glitches on the portable device.
It's that time of year again, and Apple has officially announced the nominees for its upcoming 2024 App Store Awards, which highlights the very best mobile apps--especially mobile games--have on offer.
"We're thrilled to celebrate this year's App Store Award finalists, whose imagination and craftsmanship have produced amazing apps that users love," worldwide App Store head Carson Oliver said of the nominees. "From games that transport players to fantastical new worlds, to apps that fuel creativity, these developers are delivering remarkable experiences that captivate and inspire."
The following awards are up for grabs this year:
iPhone Game of the Year
iPad Game of the Year
iPad App of the Year
Apple Arcade Game of the Year
Apple Vision Pro Game of the Year
Cultural Impact
2024's finalists include high-intensity mobile shooters, relaxed "cozy" games, and everything in between. The Cultural Impact category also includes the following game-focused or game-inclusive apps:
The Bear
BetterSleep
DailyArt
EF Hello
Oko
Partiful
Pinterest
Keep reading for a look at every mobile game nominated for an award this year.
iPhone Game of the Year Nominee: AFK Journey
AFK Journey was nominated "for building enchanting fantasy worlds with striking battles."
iPhone Game of the Year Nominee: The WereCleaner
The WereCleaner was nominated "for delivering comical and creative gameplay."
iPhone Game of the Year Nominee: Zenless Zone Zero
Zenless Zone Zero was nominated for "immersing players in action-packed storylines."
iPad Game of the Year Nominee: Assassin's Creed Mirage
Assassin’s Creed Mirage was nominated for "transporting players into a world of narrative-driven adventure."
iPad Game of the Year Nominee: Disney Speedstorm
Disney Speedstorm was nominated "for bringing exciting, high-speed racing experiences" to players.
iPad Game of the Year Nominee: Squad Busters
Squad Busters was nominated for "combining the thrill of competition with welcoming, playful gameplay."
iPad App of the Year: Bluey: Let's Play
Bluey: Let’s Play was nominated for "delivering lovable characters and family-friendly fun."
Apple Arcade Game of the Year Nominee: Balatro+
Balatro+ was nominated for "inventing a thrilling card game that’s like no other."
Apple Arcade Game of the Year Nominee: Outlanders 2
Outlanders 2 was nominated for "captivating players with revamped graphics and imaginative levels."
Apple Arcade Game of the Year Nominee: Sonic Dream Team
Sonic Dream Team was nominated for "introducing new adventures to the characters players know and love."
Apple Vision Pro Game of the Year Nominee: Loóna
Loóna was nominated for "crafting relaxing puzzles to unwind with."
Apple Arcade Game of the Year Nominee: Thrasher
Thrasher was nominated for "introducing [players to] smooth, trailblazing controls and a mesmerizing alien world."
Apple Arcade Game of the Year Nominee: Vacation Simulator
Vacation Simulator was nominated for "taking players to destinations filled with funny characters and even funnier activities."
Cultural Impact Nominee: Arco
Arco was nominated for "letting players shape their own story."
Cultural Impact Nominee: Brawl Stars
Brawl Stars was nominated for "delivering quick bites of action-packed gameplay."
Cultural Impact Nominee: Do You Really Want To Know 2
Do You Really Want to Know 2 was nominated for "addressing misconceptions about HIV through an endearing interactive story."
Cultural Impact Nominee: NYT Games
NYT Games was nominated for "uniting puzzle-lovers across generations with a daily dose of fun."
Cultural Impact Nominee: The Wreck
The Wreck was nominated for "telling an intimate and impactful story via cinematic gameplay."
Apple has yet to announce when it will unveil the winners for each category, but players can learn more about the 2024 App Store Awards--and the finalists--via the official App Store Awards website.
Amazon is slashing prices on several Star Wars: The Black Series Helmets for Black Friday, including several Stormtrooper models and the iconic Luke Skywalker Battle Helmet. These are now available for some of their best prices of the year, so whether you’re shopping for yourself or want to grab a great holiday gift at a discount, it’s worth perusing all the deals.
With a design inspired by the movies, this helmet can serve as both a display piece and part of an authentic costume. An adjustable headband makes it easy to wear, while a voice distortion box lets you sound like a First Order Stormtrooper.
This helmet was modeled after the Artillery Stormtroopers in The Mandalorian. It too offers a voice distortion setting and an adjustable headband. Like all the other helmets in this collection, it’s an officially licensed product and is built to high standards.
This might be the most iconic helmet on sale, as the Imperial Stormtrooper is one of the most recognizable bad guys in all of Star Wars. It’s also the cheapest at just $66. The full-scale helmet includes an adjustable headband for a comfortable fit and a voice distortion box to make you sound like a Stormtrooper.
Inspired by Sabine Wren’s customized Nite Owl Mandalorian Helmet in Star Wars: Ahsoka, this helmet is slightly different from the above Stormtrooper models. It’s still a functional piece of gear, but instead of a voice distortion box, it features a light-up HUD.
This faithful replica of Carson Teva’s pilot helmet from The Mandalorian comes with a padded interior, built-in LEDs, and plays unique sound effects. It’s a bit more affordable than most others on this list, but no doubt it’d make a great piece of décor.
The iconic Luke Skywalker Battle Simulation Helmet is seeing a nice discount for Black Friday, letting you snag the popular helmet for just $112. Along with a design inspired by the films, it features built-in lighting effects, can play various sound effects, and offers a comfortable fit with plush interior padding.
Looking for even more Star Wars collectibles? A bunch of The Black Series action figures and lightsabers are discounted at Amazon for Black Friday--we’ve rounded up the best deals below.
Earlier this year, CD Projekt Red released REDkit, the official modding tool for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. While that opened up a world of possibilities for PC players, the core game has just received an incredible visual upgrade that may even surpass the title's 2022 next-gen update.
A modder who goes by Halk Hogan released The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project: Next Gen Edition, which claims to raise "the game's visuals to the highest level yet and enhance it to a truly next-gen masterpiece." To back up those remarks, Halk Hogan has posted a 15-minute side-by-side comparison on YouTube that shows off the improvements.
The Witcher 3 HD Reworked Project: Next Gen Edition is now available on NexusMods. According to the description, "Everything is carefully made with attention to every detail. All this is aimed at making the game more detailed, realistic, consistent and as faithful as possible reflecting the atmosphere of the dirty world of the Witcher."
In October 2023, CD Projekt announced a partnership with Anonymous Content for a live-action project set in the world of Cyberpunk 2077. But how is this project coming along? And what is the status of the previously announced new Cyberpunk anime for Netflix?
CD Projekt management said on an earnings call today, November 26, that the Cyberpunk 2077 live-action project remains in the conceptual stage, but it has progressed beyond where it was a year ago when it was announced. However, management confirmed it's not yet being shopped to potential streamers/studios, but that could happen as soon as within the next 12 months.
In terms of the funding for the concept, CD Projekt is funding this--but not the full project if and when it goes into production. "We would not be funding the whole shooting of the live-action project. That is not in the plan," the company said, adding that the cost of this early production package would not be comparable to the production cost for the entire show.
Customize with 8BitDo Ultimate Software for PC, Mac, iOS, Android:
Remap inputs
Set up three custom profiles
Set up dead zones
Adjust stick sensitivity
Adjust trigger sensitivity
Adjust rumble intensity
Create dead zones
The 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller is highly customizable and offers superb value at full price, so getting one for less than $50 is an awesome deal. It's our favorite third-party alternative to Nintendo's Pro Controller, which is on sale for $49 during Black Friday.
So, why buy the 8BitDo Ultimate if the Switch Pro Controller is the same price right now? Customization is the main reason. The Ultimate has two remappable back triggers and a dedicated app for PC, Mac, and mobile devices that lets you tweak various features. You can remap inputs, set up three custom profiles to cycle through on the fly, and adjust the sensitivity of the sticks, dual rumble motors, and triggers. You can also create dead zones and program macros.
And unlike the Switch Pro Controller, the 8BitDo Ultimate has Hall Effect analog sticks, which mitigates the risk of stick drift.
The Ultimate is a well-designed controller that feels great to hold. I think the Switch Pro Controller has slightly better ergonomics, so I personally switch back and forth between the two controllers. If I'm playing a game with a bunch of control inputs like Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Echoes of Wisdom, I like the convenience of the back buttons on the Ultimate.
The 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth comes with a matching charging dock with a compartment housing the 2.4GHz adapter. You can use the optional adapter on PC, Mac, or Steam Deck to play wirelessly on those platforms. You can also sync the controller to iPhone or Android via Bluetooth.
Customize with 8BitDo Ultimate Software for PC/Mac:
Remap inputs
Set up three custom profiles
Set up dead zones
Adjust stick sensitivity
Adjust trigger sensitivity
Adjust rumble intensity
Create dead zones
8BitDo's 2.4GHz-only model, which leads the way on our list of the best PC controllers, is also on sale for Black Friday 2024. This one largely has the same feature set as the Bluetooth model, just without Bluetooth. That means you lose support for Nintendo Switch. While you can still get it up and running on mobile devices, you'd need to use a USB hub to connect the dongle.
But if you don't have a Nintendo Switch and are just looking for a great wireless PC controller with loads of customization features, the 8BitDo Ultimate is a steal at $40. It gets up to 15 hours of battery life and comes with a matching charging dock. This is also a solid controller for playing Steam Deck in docked mode.
If you're looking for a handheld Switch controller not named Joy-Con during the sale, check out this GameCube-inspired controller, which is 30% off at Amazon for Black Friday.
After debuting on Nintendo Switch and mobile devices earlier this year, Star Wars Hunters will soon be blasting its way to a new platform. Zynga has announced that the free-to-play arena shooter will be entering the PC arena as a free download on Steam Early Access in 2025.
The PC port will feature graphical and performance upgrades, including improved textures, shadows, and rendering quality. The port will also include support for keyboard and mouse along with wireless controllers, and keybinding will be available on all control schemes for custom layouts.
Star Wars Hunters
The PC version of Star Wars Hunters marks the first Zynga-published game on the PC, after the Nintendo Switch version of the game was the company's first-ever console game earlier this year. The Switch and mobile versions have seen multiple seasonal updates since the game's launch, with the most recent season adding the Zabrak archer Nox to the playable roster.
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