Rayman fans are over the moon after the announcement that the limbless hero will be featured in the next Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope DLC. However, there might be more to look forward to. The game's director, Davide Soliani, teased a return to glory for the French platforming mascot Wednesday. He also confirmed there will be a secret message if you finish the DLC with a 100% completion rate. The prospects of the first Rayman game since 2013 might come to fruition.

According to fan community leader ItzalDrake from Rayman Together, Sparks of Hope director Davide Soliani sent a message to the character's fanbase just before the launch of the Phantom Show DLC:

"I hope that all the community and all Rayman players support us as much as possible because I'm on a mission: my mission is to be able to bring Rayman back to the glory he deserves."

https://twitter.com/RaymanTogether/status/1694386555723342118

When was the last Rayman game released?

The limbless hero has been absent for a long time, which is strange as he was an important mascot for Ubisoft during the beginning of the studio's history. The last true game in the series was Rayman Legends, released back in 2013: a decade ago this month. If you want to go all the way back, the last 3D platforming adventure Rayman 3 came out in 2003. A fourth entry or even a follow-up to the 2D platforming subseries would be a dream for many fans of the series.

Soliani did not outright confirm a new game in the series, but as previously mentioned, he has teased a secret hidden message for those who 100% complete the DLC. "I hope for your support and I hope you like it!" he concluded in his message to the fans.

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Bethesda's first new IP in decades, Starfield, launches in September, but unreleased gameplay footage is already making the rounds. However, after sharing almost an hour of Starfield's opening scenes weeks before launch, it seems the source was arrested.

The debacle began at the start of the week when said leaker posted low-quality videos of himself playing Starfield. Most of the original uploads are no longer available. YouTube's takedowns cite copyright claims by ZeniMax Media, Bethesda's parent company, and removed within hours of going live early on August 22.

However, this didn't seem to dissuade the original uploader. Additional videos later followed featuring himself with several copies of Starfield for sale ahead of the official release date. The original uploads are gone, but other users reposted some of the videos. One line in particular, "Todd, no offense man, that's a good game," seems to have endeared itself already as new internet lingo.

https://twitter.com/Mr_Rebs_/status/1694124414416060459

Naturally, Starfield leaks drew quite a few critical looks. Many of them grew suspicious as the leaker listed copies of Starfield, along with several other items, on the online store Mercari (where his profile seems to have since been deleted). In a bid to prove authenticity, he posted additional videos of himself sending sealed copies of the game to buyers via FedEx.

Not long after, a record of what appears to be the leaker's arrest emerged via Recently Booked and the Shelby County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office site, as reported by Kotaku. Booked as 29-year-old Darin Harris, his charges include two theft of property counts - one felony and a misdemeanor. At the moment, there's no official word linking the leaks and charges. However, the person behind them did not seem to conceal their identity.

If they are related, it wouldn't be the first time crimes involving big publishers landed someone in legal trouble. In 2022, a 17-year-old was arrested in the UK for a hacking spree and GTA 6 leaks. HoYoVerse has also pursued individuals over Genshin Impact leaks, seeking information to obtain identifying information through Discord subpoenas.

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The paranormal horror game Phasmophobia originally launched on September 18, 2020, on PC where it enjoyed popularity among streamers. Kinetic Games has PS5 and Xbox Series X/S ports in the works, but you'll have to wait a little longer than expected before you can get your hands on them. The studio has announced that the game has been delayed, pushing its Early Access console launch from August to October, in the week leading up to Halloween.

https://twitter.com/KineticGame/status/1694849069045194958?t=tRaDEz-xKbFYrOeZT2OxnQ&s=19

As the studio explains on Twitter, the delay is the result of a "fire incident" in its office building, along with "unpredicted development issues." With the extra time gained by the delay, the studio hopes to perfect and fine-tune the ports.

[caption id="attachment_399024" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Kinetic Games.[/caption]

Phasmophobia lands just in time for Halloween

The delay isn't too long, and in the meantime, PC players can enjoy the recently released Ascension update which brings several changes, including a new leveling system with "new rates of progression, new unlocks, and a prestige system," along with several minor bug fixes.

PS5 owners will be happy to know that a PS VR2 version is also in the works, and crossplay will allow friends to play together regardless of what platform they're on. The game has already demonstrated that it is capable of providing a terrifying VR experience thanks to its VR support on PC.

Phasmophobia's minor delay pushes it into an appropriately spooky time, which could end up being a positive for it. However, Phasmophobia will have to contend with several other headliners scheduled for October, including horror titles like Alan Wake 2 and Alone in the Dark.

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Nintendo has announced that the next game joining the Nintendo Switch Online (Expansion Pack) line-up. Excitebike 64 will be arriving on August 30.

Excitebike 64 is generally remembered as being a better-than-expected motocross game. It was a rather strange title where, if you looked past the rather generic visuals and excess of dirt, you’d be rewarded with a lot of strangeness. This includes a soccer mini-game that the internet likes to call the original version of Rocket League and an endless desert.

It also got an unexpectedly awesome trailer:

https://youtu.be/mVHhNyEQeio?feature=shared

I rented Excitebike 64 back in the day and loved it. When I reunited with it years later, I couldn’t find that same spark. I pick it up every now and then, trying to remember why I loved it so much, and still can’t do it. There’s too much dirt. Too much bike. Not enough excite. Still, remember when Nintendo had its own line of sports games that didn’t involve Mario? I prefer Mario sports games over real ones, but I also love variety.

This is the fourth of five games Nintendo promised us for 2023. Many have been pointing out that somehow Mario Party 3 is currently the one left out. Considering the first two Mario Party games were released in 2022, it’s kind of strange that they aren’t in more of a hurry to complete the trilogy.

It would also be nice if they added more non-Nintendo titles. The Star Wars games, maybe? The Goemon games? Hybrid Heaven? It doesn’t really matter to me, personally, since I have an extensive N64 collection. However, there’s more to experience on the console than just Nintendo’s contributions.

Excitebike 64 will be arriving on the Nintendo Switch Online N64 app on August 30.

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GSC Game World's S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has had quite an eventful development timeline. Fans were initially excited when the game was announced, though it quickly drew criticism when developers announced that NFTs would be included. The Ukrainian studio backtracked on this, though it then had to contend with the Russian invasion of Ukraine which resulted in the game's delay.

As revealed in a fact sheet from the studio at Gamescom 2023, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has been delayed yet again, pushing its release date to Q1 2024. This may be disappointing news but with a new trailer out, you can rest assured that GSC Game World is still working hard on the upcoming game.

[caption id="attachment_398998" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via GSC Game World.[/caption]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2's development has been anything but predictable

It was inevitable that the Ukranian studio would be affected by the ongoing conflict, as it was based in Kyiv. When the invasion began, development was paused as the studio relocated to Prague and employees fled the conflict zone. Some decided to stay and fight alongside the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

https://youtu.be/bcDHClWRHd8

The studio has also found itself subject to cyberattacks originating in Russia, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2's site was banned from the country after it ceased operations there. Despite the setbacks, the studio has continued to condemn the Russian invasion while embracing its Ukranian roots.

https://twitter.com/stalker_thegame/status/1694655679271690472

On a more positive note, preorders for the game are finally available, which represents some progress. It has also received positive reception at Gamescom 2023 where a playable demo was available, indicating that the long wait might be worth it.

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BioWare is a large studio known for titles such as Mass Effect: Andromeda and Dragon Age: Inquisition. It appears that all is not well at the studio, as on August 23, it announced that it is "eliminating approximately 50 roles."

According to a statement released by general manager Gary McKay, the move was made to help BioWare become a "more agile and more focused studio." McKay states that this is an unavoidable outcome, and steps will be taken to "ensure the process is handled with empathy, respect, and clear communication."

[caption id="attachment_398647" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Bioware.[/caption]

What's going on at BioWare?

According to McKay, BioWare's long-term vision is to deliver "exceptional story-driven single-player experiences filled with vast worlds and rich characters." This involves ensuring that the upcoming Dragon Age and Mass Effect games are a success. The announcement reveals that the studio's dedication to Dragon Age: Dreadwolf hasn't wavered, and that a team led by Mike Gamble is still working on the next Mass Effect game.

Employees affected by the layoffs won't be left stranded, according to McKay who promises to provide "impacted colleagues with as many internal opportunities as possible," though he does state that it is unlikely that everyone will find new internal roles. With several roles opening up in Electronic Arts' other studios, affected workers will also be assisted with their applications for these positions.

This is unfortunate news, though BioWare isn't the only studio that has suffered layoffs this year. The AR gaming studio Niantic has also met the same fate, as well as CD Projekt Red and  The Callisto Protocol's Striking Distance, to name a few.

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Microsoft first announced its intentions to acquire Activision Blizzard in 2022. Since then, the road to closing the deal has been a long, sinuous one. The megacorporation has faced pushback from several sources, including Sony. The competitor argues that the acquisition would be anti-competitive, especially if franchises like Call of Duty become Xbox and PC exclusives. Some governing bodies have also stepped in, now prompting Microsoft to revisit its initial agreement.

Previously, Microsoft claimed it was committed to keeping Call of Duty on PlayStation, at least for the next 10 years. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) also voted to block the buyout, driving the companies to push back the merger deadline to October 18. Initially, the CMA made its case against the deal over Microsoft's potential monopolization of cloud game streaming. To appease the CMA, Microsoft has decided to give Ubisoft a piece of the cloud game streaming pie.

Microsoft intends for Ubisoft to compensate it "for the cloud streaming rights to Activision Blizzard’s games through a one-off payment and through a market-based wholesale pricing mechanism." Ubisoft could also offer Activision Blizzard games to cloud services running non-Windows operating systems.

[caption id="attachment_358407" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Ubisoft.[/caption]

Microsoft restructures its agreement to include Ubisoft

The proposed changes would, in theory, limit Microsoft's ability to monopolize cloud game streaming. According to vice chair and president Brad Smith, the company would "not be in a position either to release Activision Blizzard games exclusively on its own cloud streaming service – Xbox Cloud Gaming – or to exclusively control the licensing terms of Activision Blizzard games for rival services."

Navigating cloud streaming rights remains tricky for Microsoft, as it has several preexisting commitments in place. The company currently maintains obligations to "provide cloud streaming rights in the European Economic Area". Currently, Microsoft holds contractual agreements with cloud streaming providers such as Nvidia, Boosteroid, Ubitus, and Nware.

The merger agreement expired in July, though it received that 90-day extension. Nevertheless, Microsoft and Activision Blizzard continue to make headway slowly, and the "transaction is now in a position to move forward in more than 40 countries". If completed, the $68.7 billion acquisition will be the most expensive in gaming history by a significant margin.

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Sony previously unveiled its plans to release a handheld streaming device codenamed Project Q. After a period of silence, we’ve now gotten a better glimpse of the device and its specs. The streaming device's official name is the PlayStation Portal, and it is set to launch this year with a $199.99 price tag.

The handheld has many of the immersive features of the DualSense controller, including haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. It'll also sport an 8-inch LCD screen capable of 1080p resolution at 60 FPS.

[caption id="attachment_398407" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Sony.[/caption]

Who's the PlayStation Portal for?

According to Sony, the Portal is for people "in households where they might need to share their living room TV or simply want to play PS5 games in another room of the house." This is a feature that has been available since at least the PS3. Remote play has only become more accessible since then, and you can easily take advantage of this feature on PCs, mobile devices, and tablets.

Perhaps the biggest benefit comes with the DualSense features which will ensure you can have the full PS5 experience even when you're not on your couch. A few publications have had hands-on experience with the remote play device. IGN reveals that you won't have to be connected to the same network as your PS5, which means you'll be able to use the device anywhere as long as your PS5 is on and connected to the net.

If you're interested in the Portal, you should be aware that there are some limitations. Most notably, it lacks Bluetooth, you won't be able to play VR2 games on it, and it can't access PlayStation Plus Premium's cloud streaming. There are also general issues that arise with remote play, including latency issues and the need for a constant internet connection. Lastly - and this should be stressed - it is purely a remote play device not capable of running any games locally. If you're not connected to the internet, it is useless.

The lack of Bluetooth likely isn't an oversight, as Sony will be using PlayStation Link wireless audio technology which "delivers low latency, lossless audio and easy switching between multiple PlayStation Link hosts such as PS5 with the USB adapter and PlayStation Portal." Conveniently for Sony, this appears to limit users to using PlayStation Link-compatible headsets, or settling for wired ones. It's hard to not cringe at this choice, as the push for proprietary peripherals such as memory cards played a role in the death of PlayStation's handheld devices.

There are still a few unknowns surrounding the device. Its battery life hasn't been confirmed, nor is there an official release date. The Pulse Elite and Pulse Explore headsets - which, as you'd suspect, leverage PlayStation Link - are also set to release this year, though no release date has been given.

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Xbox and mattress-maker TEMPUR have joined forces to bring you a chair. But not just any chair. This chair is inspired by the upcoming Starfield. And by gosh, it doesn’t look like it would fit in my living room.

Okay, so before you get too excited, the Starfield x TEMPUR chair isn’t for purchase. It’s one-of-a-kind, and I guess it’s just designed as a way to sell Starfield to butts. It’s going to be at Gamescom 2023, and then it will travel to the “Saturn Xperion store in Germany, before enjoying a month-long residency at the TEMPUR store in Westfield, Stratford.” You’ll need to travel to one of these locations if you want your butt to experience this amazing chair.

The press release goes into a lot of boring information that would probably only interest butts. It’s designed after NASA’s typical space chairs and has a joystick on each armrest (arcade style, for some reason). It swivels, so while it looks like one of those step-in chairs that pull forward, you can just turn it and sit down. That’s pretty cowardly.

I could maybe do without the giant desk, but I would totally be down for a space chair. Gamer chairs these days all look like they were pulled from a sports car, but I want one that goes beyond that. If my apartment suddenly launches skyward, I want to be prepared.

Unfortunately, I can’t buy the Starfield x TEMPUR chair, but I can win it. Before the end of the year, there’s going to be a charity raffle. That’s all the information I have on that, so you’ll need to keep your eyes peeled and your butt prepared.

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Nightdive Studios has announced that the N64 version of Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion will be among the next games to get the remaster treatment. Not only that, it already has a release date of November 14 and is coming to PC and consoles.

Originally released in 2000, Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion was an interesting turn for Acclaim’s Turok series. It really shows the awkward evolution of the first-person shooter genre in the wake of 1998’s Half-Life. While the first two games were largely just fast-paced key-hunting games like early FPS, Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion incorporated more story elements and cutscenes. It involved two would-be Turoks trying to fight back against an encroaching threat in the wake of Joshua Fireseed’s apparent death.

https://youtu.be/SdCaj5ZRp-A

It’s the last numbered Turok entry and, really, the last good one. The level design kind of gets mired in the muddy brown industrial look of the late ‘90s, and the action isn’t as swift as the earlier titles. A lot of the real Turok identity gets lost in the pursuit of gaming trends. Despite that, it’s an interesting early-3D game.

While Nightdive previously remastered the first two Turok games, a rerelease of Shadow of Oblivion wasn’t guaranteed. The first two titles already had PC ports that the studio could work off of, whereas Turok 3 never left the N64. However, since they were able to “reverse engineer” and provide the N64 campaign of Quake 2, I had hoped that they put in the effort because they were working on a port to Turok 3. And sure enough…

Does this mean we'll get Turok: Rage Wars someday?

Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion is getting the KEX Engine treatment. Nightdive is boasting a lot of the same enhancements that the Quake 2 remaster received, including real-time lighting and updated models. It’s coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch on November 14.

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A new trailer was shown off for Mortal Kombat 1 as part of the Gamescom Opening Night Live stream. Beyond being another peek at the narrative, there are a few character reveals, as well.

https://youtu.be/nr4lA4N9lFU

At this point, I thought we'd seen the entire roster, but it looks like that isn't the case. Both the legendary Mortal Kombat boss Shao Kahn and his Queen, Sindel, have been shown off.  We also get a closer look at a younger, spunkier Raiden. Mortal Kombat 3 sub-boss Motaro also appears as a pretty awesome-looking Kameo. Uh, I think I know who I'm picking.

You know, If Liu Kang was trying to remake the universe to be a more peaceful and prosperous place to live, I'm not sure why he'd bring back Shao Kahn. At least now, he seems to exist beneath the heel of Sindel, which is a bit of a flip.

Uhh, so does this mean there's still a chance that I'll get Sheeva? Please?

Mortal Kombat 1 comes out September 19, 2023 to PC, Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5.

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As part of the Gamescom Opening Night Live trailer, CD Projekt Red showed off some of the upgrades that are coming to the Cyberpunk 2077 base game and its expansion, Phantom Liberty.

Most of this stuff was already shown off, but it's some appreciable features. The perk system is getting overhauled, new weapons and vehicles are being added, and a number of systems and mechanics are getting brushed up. Not all of it looks completely revolutionary, but they did give a peak at the upgraded police system and showed off vehicular weaponry. Both of which I think will definitely improve the moments between narrative.

https://youtu.be/zBrkG3aeWCc

They're also finally implementing a Relic upgrade screen. It was viewable on the base game, but for whatever reason, it wasn't implemented. When I played through, I was saving upgrade points for when it would eventually unlock, but I got impatient and looked it up and found out that there wasn't a talent tree for it. What a tease.

There are a few other bullet points that sound interesting, including an increased level cap, upgraded combat AI, and redesigned cyberware. I'm hoping that you can now have more visible cyberware, but I'm not holding my breath. I thought Cyberpunk 2077 was a bit up its own ass when it came to showing off its production values, but I'm still looking forward to the expansion.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty expansion releases on September 26, 2023. Even if you're not interested in the new narrative, the Update 2.0 overhauls will be incorporated for free into the base version.

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As part of the Gamescom kickoff stream, Microsoft has announced the 2021 RTS Age of Empires IV is launching on Xbox consoles right now!

Developed by Relic Entertainment and released for PC in 2021, Age of Empires IV continues the long-running franchise. Considering it was published by Xbox Game Studios, it's surprising it took this long, but real-time strategy has long been a poor fit for consoles. Microsoft touts that this version will be reworked a bit to accommodate the controller interface.

https://youtu.be/yn4hP2eL0K8

I haven't played Age of Empires since the original 1997 release, but this one was well-received on its PC launch. So, that's cool.

Age of Empires IV is currently available on PC, and launches on Xbox platforms right now.

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NetherRealm's Mortal Kombat 1 is just a few weeks away, and players are slowly learning about what's in store. GamesHub's Edmond Tran recently revealed an interesting detail that suggests the upcoming game may feature some nifty accessibility options. After losing in the Mortal Kombat 1 beta, he did a little sleuthing and discovered that he was playing what he believes to be a blind gamer. This led to him learning that the fighting game features a descriptive audio option for Fatalities.

https://twitter.com/EdmondTran/status/1693244537651785899

The example Tran posts has a narrator describing how Li Mei yanks out her victim's guts and decapitates them with a kick. The gruesome descriptions should serve as a great aid for visually impaired gamers hoping to immerse themselves in Mortal Kombat's gory world. That said, they're nauseatingly vivid enough to use for the awesome factor alone.

[caption id="attachment_393384" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via NetherRealm.[/caption]

Mortal Kombat 1 blends the old with the new

The closed beta test ran from August 18 until August 21, and several players have been showing off the upcoming game's slick visuals and bloody Fatalities. Johnny Cage has received quite a bit of attention, with many players enjoying his moves.

https://twitter.com/JockyRhonson/status/1692629225444970702

Fatalities are a key focus of Mortal Kombat 1. These are of course joined by Quitalities, which will make a return. This finishing move will activate when the loser of a match quits before the end of the round, causing their character to suffer a spectacularly violent death. The game will also introduce Kameo Fighters to provide you assistance during matches. Kameo Fighters revealed include classic franchise characters such as Ferra, Khameleon, Mavado, and Tremor.

Mortal Kombat 1 will be making an appearance at Gamescom 2023, though it won't be the only fighting game available. Tekken 8 is also scheduled to show up, and it'll be playable at Bandai Namco's booth.

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KO_OP's Goodbye Volcano High was first revealed during Sony's 2020 PlayStation Showcase. Featuring colorful dinosaurs in their last year of high school, the game has been subject to numerous delays. The first came in 2021, when countless other games were subject to the same fate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, it was pushed to this year and then delayed again after missing its June 15 release date.

https://twitter.com/KOOPMode/status/1693691706737103311

Its August 29 launch date appears to be the one to stick, as KO_OP has announced that the game has gone gold. The announcement congratulates the team for their "huge achievement", which is understandable, as it appears development was a trying process. Finally, almost four years after the first reveal, we'll finally get a taste of what the studio has been cooking up.

[caption id="attachment_397940" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via KO_OP.[/caption]

What to expect from Goodbye Volcano High

Fang, Reed, and Trish, members of the band VVORM DRAMA, are three dinosaurs in their final year of high school. With only a limited time left, they'll have to make some tough decisions. In a PlayStation blog post, KO_OP described it as a cinematic game that's meant to feel like binging on a series, though "unlike with TV, you’ll have the power and the emotion in your hands as you guide our characters through a branching narrative."

The game has rhythm elements to complement its musical themes and features an original soundtrack by Montreal-based artist Dabu. A demo of Goodbye Volcano High is available on Steam for players to discover more about what the game has in store.

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Atari has partnered with Plaion to recreate its classic entry in the console landscape. The Atari 2600+ will play games from both the 2600 and 7800 consoles.

The Atari 2600+ is based on the classic wood-grained, four-switch model of the console, which has become the most recognizable look for it. It comes with a reproduction CX40 controller and supports USB power and HDMI. Also, the Atari logo lights up when it’s on. It comes packed in with a 10-in-1 cartridge that has a selection of classic games.

https://youtu.be/SgAcNwG5vCo

The store page also says that it has “been lovingly recreated to the same specifications as the original,” which is kind of vague. I mostly want to know whether the hardware is similar to the original, if it uses FPGA, or if it’s software emulation. It sounds like the latter since it touts a Rockchip 3128 SOC microprocessor. Most games are compatible, as seen in this list. The Atari 2600+’s HDMI is certainly tantalizing since the hardware had previously only supported RF-out. I had actually modified my personal Atari 2600 to support composite out. Modern TVs, even late-era CRTs, tend to hate RF signals.

I wish more companies would do this. Being a retro gamer progressively requires more soldering skills to maintain and modify consoles to work on modern setups. Would I buy an official NES from Nintendo that supports HDMI? Absolutely yes. On the other hand, would I buy a reproduction Atari Jaguar? Yeah, actually, I totally would. The fact that Atari has even gotten into producing new titles for their old consoles is just more tempting.

The Atari 2600+ is available for preorder now for $129.99 USD. The console is expected to ship November 2023.

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Gamescom 2023 will be kicking off today, and Geoff Keighley is the host. He recently hopped on Twitter to reveal that Zack Snyder will be promoting the upcoming epic space opera, Rebel Moon. The Snyder-directed film will be available on December 22, though that’s not the only thing he’ll be promoting, as Keighley also stated that the director has a “special announcement” in store.

https://twitter.com/geoffkeighley/status/1693659685428117822?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

What Snyder could be planning to announce here is anyone's guess. For instance, he has mentioned that Rebel Moon will be receiving a video game adaptation. Not many details have been revealed, though Snyder has excitedly stated that it is an RPG that is “literally insane and so immersive and so intense and so huge.” It wouldn’t be a surprise to discover that his announcement involves the upcoming Rebel Moon game.

[caption id="attachment_397886" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Gamescom.[/caption]

Gamescom 2023 is finally upon us

Gamescom begins with Opening Night Live today at 11 AM PDT. You can watch it on YouTube and Twitter, and if you tune in half an hour earlier, you’ll catch the pre-show. A few games have already been confirmed to make an appearance, including:

• Alan Wake 2
• Assassin’s Creed Mirage
• Lords of the Fallen
• Mortal Kombat 1
• Sonic Superstars

The trade fair will run until August 27. Planned events include Awesome Indies which, as you might guess, will showcase the latest and upcoming indie games. You can also expect the Future Games Show on August 23, and Level Infinite’s Into the Infinite event on the same day.

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After a long period of rumors followed by an official announcement, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is finally nearing launch. Ubisoft's next installment takes place in 9th-century Baghdad, with Basim Ibn Ishaq taking center stage. Mirage is said to return to the Assassin’s Creed series roots, embracing stealth and parkour.

As the case with past Assassin’s Creed games, Mirage features historical locations and figures that complement more fantastical aspects of its story. In the latest developer behind-the-scenes, the Mirage team discussed the meticulous details and research that went into making Mirage. It's all in an effort to deliver a more authentic recreation of Baghdad—one that doesn’t fall victim to common tropes and cliches.

[caption id="attachment_397660" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via Ubisoft YouTube.[/caption]

Assassin’s Creed Mirage focuses on the beauty of Baghdad

With its rich history, Baghdad is an easy city to draw inspiration from. It was once the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, and it had the honor of being one of the world’s biggest cities during the Islamic Golden Age. Even so, despite its rich history, Mirage developers were aware modern depictions of Baghdad often neglect this rich cultural heritage.

According to artistic director Jean-Luc Sala, research for Mirage was a little harder than usual because, unlike other settings, “almost nothing from the period has survived to the present day.” Hence, they consulted various experts and relied on descriptions from Medieval travelers, as well as archaeological findings from neighboring cities. Using this information, the team carved out their rendition of Baghdad into four distinct regions:

• Abbasiyah - Baghdad’s cultural hub where scholars and scientists congregate.
• Karkh - A market district where people barter, bargain, and trade.
• Harbiyah -The industrial district,  described as a "dense, grimy part of the city."
• Madinat As-Salam - Baghdad's vibrant center.

https://youtu.be/nruL1RS4gKs

In the video, Sala highlighted how modern depictions of Baghdad in movies and games often portray it as a ruined landscape. While developing Mirage, the team took their approach the opposite direction, attempting to capture the city's beauty and culture instead. As you explore Baghdad, you'll experience the city’s vibrant culture and note some of those small, attention to detail moments. Listen closely and you'll hear the Adhan - the Muslim call to prayer - when approaching the mosque. Through these moments, developers hope to “tackle some of the common cliches about the region and its culture.”

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is slated to release on October 5 on PC, as well as current and last-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles.

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There were previous reports that Lenovo may be preparing to release a handheld PC gaming device that will compete with the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally. A recent article from Windows Report goes more in-depth regarding the rumored handheld device, while also revealing that there could be AR goggles to accompany it.

According to Windows Report, the glasses are part of a gaming ecosystem being developed by Lenovo. No release date or price is given for the handheld or the glasses, and Lenovo has yet to confirm or deny the reports.

[caption id="attachment_394545" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Taki Udon.[/caption]

Lenovo’s Legion Go could have accompanying AR glasses

Windows Report had previously revealed a few images of the Legion Go handheld gaming device from Lenovo. It is reported to run Windows 11, and it may be unveiled at this year’s IFA Berlin Trade Fair in September. The Legion Go wouldn’t be Lenovo’s first attempt at a handheld gaming console. The company once had plans to release the Legion Play, and a few prototype units were made available in China. However, the product was never widely released.

No specs are given regarding the AR glasses, though images suggest that it is meant to be used in tandem with the Legion Go. As for the handheld, it appears it will feature a microSD reader, an FPS mode switcher, as well as detachable controllers similar to the Nintendo Switch’s joy-cons. It is also expected to feature an “AMD Ryzen Z1 processor specifically designed for handheld Windows-based devices.”

Using AR glasses, players could potentially blend virtual elements with the real world. A simple example of this can be found in Niantic's mobile game Pokemon Go which allows you to see your favorite critters in your living room. With a much more powerful device, such as a handheld gaming PC, even more opportunities could be opened up.

Though AR glasses are an interesting idea, they won’t be the only ones on the market. Apple has unveiled the upcoming Vision Pro headset that will offer both augmented and virtual reality. Lenovo’s AR glasses could gain a competitive advantage if it manages to undercut the Vision Pro’s hefty $3,499 price tag.

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Nintendo has announced that the longtime voice actor of many iconic Mario characters is stepping back from the role. In a Tweet today, they made the announcement that Charles Martinet is instead moving into the role of “Mario Ambassador.”

Charles Martinet has been in the role of Mario since 1994’s CD-ROM version of Mario Teaches Typing. Beyond the red-shirted plumber, he also went on to voice just about every other male character in the Mushroom Kingdom, including Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi. However, the recent Super Mario Bros. Movie cast Chris Pratt in the role, and trailers for Super Mario Wonder had many people questioning if Martinet had been replaced. That’s still kind of up in the air.

https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1693624002982314108?s=20

The post made by Nintendo doesn’t address the reasons for Martinet stepping back. However, it says that he will continue to travel to promote the character. They plan to follow up with a video featuring Charles Martinet and Shigeru Miyamoto, which will hopefully provide more information.

It’s a bit of a curious thing. Mario hasn’t been the most vocal character, so it shouldn't be that jarring to have another actor in the role. However, Martinet has been almost inseparable from the character for a long while now and had previously stated in 2021, “I want to voice Mario until I drop dead.” Really, I’m just hoping that agreeable circumstances led to him leaving the role.

I also hope Nintendo isn’t planning on taking Mario games into a more dialogue-reliant direction, but that’s a personal preference.

Nintendo did not state if Martinet will still be playing his roles in upcoming games, such as the Super Mario RPG remake or Super Mario Bros. Wonder. More information is forthcoming.

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Gran Turismo is a Neill Blomkamp-directed film based on the popular PlayStation franchise. It tells the tracks the tale of how Jann Mardenborough turned his love of Gran Turismo games into a fully-fledged motorsport career. Though the wide release for the USA is set for August 25, the film has aired in international markets, reception has been good thus far, and it has been reported that the film has already grossed $22.7 million.

[caption id="attachment_395283" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Polyphony Digital.[/caption]

Gran Turismo racing to theatres

The Gran Turismo movie is a star-studded affair featuring Archie Madekwe as Mardenborough, Djimon Hounsou as Mardenborough’s father, and Orlando Bloom as Nissan marketing executive Danny Moore. As Blomkamp has explained, to capture the most cinematic shots, filmographers used FPV drones to carry IMAX sensor-approved cameras. Several cockpit shots were used which will be familiar to franchise fans.

https://twitter.com/BORReport/status/1693278878792642768

Critical reception to the Gran Turismo movie has been positive overall, which reviewers complimenting the film’s authenticity and sincerity. It has not managed to avoid all criticism, and there has been some controversy regarding the film's depiction of Mardenborough’s Nürburgring crash which led to the death of a spectator. Some have described it as insensitive, with Polygon calling it “a tasteless reframing of a fatal event.”

Gran Turismo’s road to theatres has featured a few obstacles. Most notably, it has had to contend with the SAG-AFTRA strike which has affected all of Hollywood. As a result, the movie had its August 11 release date delayed in the USA.

The Gran Turismo movie is but one of several video game adaptations Sony has in store. A Ghost of Tsushima movie is in the works, and fans can also look forward to television adaptations of the Horizon and God of War franchises.

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GameMill Entertainment has lifted the lid off of Flu Games The Walking Dead: Destinies. And, uh, they probably should have waited until it cooked for a bit longer before showing it off.

Basing itself off the popular AMC adaptation of The Walking Dead comic book series, The Walking Dead: Destinies promises to be a narrative-focused game that lets you rewrite the events of seasons 1-4 with your actions. I guess a lot of stuff happened in those seasons. I don’t know, I didn’t watch the show. It sounds like if your favorite character died and you want them to stay alive, you might have the option to do so here.

https://youtu.be/ARpGTkOlufQ

I’m not saying the game looks terrible, but this trailer is absolutely awful. One of the first scenes has a pair of gun-toting dudes approach some sort of compound. They look out over the field, and there’s a bunch of watch towers that don’t have any textures. What’s funny is that the same watch tower model is shown later on in the trailer, but on that occasion, it has textures. There’s also compression all over the video that is so heavy that I had to double-check to make sure I didn’t have it set to 480p.

The game itself looks pretty rough. The graphics seem a couple of generations behind, which I don’t usually mind, but it’s not like the art style was adapted to make up for it. It just looks kind of gross. It could be good, it’s just this trailer certainly doesn’t make it look that way. They probably should have, uh… framed it better.

The Walking Dead: Destinies is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. There’s no release date, but they’re already saying it will be $49.99.

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Get ready for liftoff. Starfield preloads begin Thursday as the game has just gone gold (which means Bethesda's development of Starfield is effectively complete!). Now, players can download the game pre-release on its platforms, but it will be truly ready to play when September 6 (or September 1 for early access players) rolls around. Unfortunately, Steam users will have to wait longer for Starfield preloads to take effect.

Those who own an Xbox Series X|S or a PC with the Xbox app can preload Starfield on August 17. Players on Steam have to wait much longer as preloading on that platform occurs on August 30. If you've bought the Premium Edition or Constellation Edition physically or digitally, you'll be able to gain access to Starfield five days early on September 1. To make the wait even more arduous, the Xbox Twitter page says its hand is moving "closer to [the] giant LAUNCH button."

[caption id="attachment_397078" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Bethesda[/caption]

After delays, Starfield is actually ready

Starfield was originally going to be released on November 11, 2022, but it was pushed back almost an entire year. “We know you’ve waited a long time to play something new from us," said director Todd Howard after announcing the September 6 release date in a trailer. "Believe it or not, we’re kind of the same."

He later said, "We really just can't wait for you all to play it." Now we're nearing that time. Many games from Bethesda's past were criticized for awkward facial animation and bugs across the board, but this new game engine may take Bethesda to the next level. It could lead to impressive showings for upcoming games like The Elder Scrolls VI. As of last year, that fantasy RPG is currently in a design stage of development.

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Do you want to last longer in bed? Well, stop trying, because the new path to prestige is finishing as fast as possible. The bar has been set at 7 minutes, 54 seconds, as speedrunner Mae was able to charm the pants off of Lae'zel in that time. In Baldur’s Gate 3, I mean.

Mae had previously proven that Baldur’s Gate 3 can be completed in around 10 minutes, which is roughly how long I’ve spent in the entire game (that’s not a condemnation, I’ve just been busy with other things). But really, getting is the real goal of CRPGs like Baldur’s Gate 3. Saving the world is just something you do to meet potential partners.

https://youtu.be/C-Rkgdcj5Ds

The video is generally what you’d expect, but fascinating all the same. Mae uses a lot of the normal techniques used to speedrun the game’s opening. They then focus on freeing Lae'zel and getting on their good side. They then settle down in the romantic light of a campfire, sneak away into the night, and submit to their base urges. Hoo boy. I just love a partner with focus.

Frankly, 7:30 minutes of foreplay can be a bit disappointing. Hopefully, the after-glow and pillow talk aren’t part of the run. I wouldn’t recommend speedrunning intimacy with your partner unless you’re on break at the office or waiting on a bus. However, in this busy world we live in, aren’t we always aiming to be more efficient? We often try to minimize and abbreviate our pleasures so we can get back to what really matters: doomscrolling across the dying remains of social media.

Alright, so now we’ve seen the current Baldur’s Gate world record for copulation. Let’s see you do better. Or worse? I’m not sure anymore.

The post How quickly can you go from zero to romance in Baldur’s Gate 3? 8 minutes, apparently appeared first on Destructoid.

Step into your gi, Digital Eclipse has announced that their interactive documentary, The Making of Karateka, launches on August 29, 2023.

The Making of Karateka is more than just a new port of Jordan Mechner’s legendary 1984 Apple II brawler. It also promises video features, playable prototypes, and design documents providing an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at Mechner’s work. Digital Eclipse has even gone to the work of extrapolating on a prototype to provide it into a full-fledged game called Deathbounce: Rebounded. It’s a dual-stick shooter, which is a pretty great sub-genre.

https://youtu.be/IrS2pipZaH0

Digital Eclipse has last tested the interactive documentary concept with the Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration. It goes beyond the simple remaster format by going in-depth into the making of the games. Karateka is a great starting point, as Mechner made it years before the more renowned Prince of Persia. It’s a formative game known for its cinematics and rotoscoped animation.

I personally haven’t played Karateka. I’m pretty sure I have a copy of it for my Commodore 64 that I haven’t dug into yet, but I’ll probably just wait for this release to try it. After all, it’s out in just a couple of weeks. The Making of Karateka releases August 29, 2023 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. The Switch version is lagging behind those versions, with a planned launch in September.

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DreadXP has announced that developer LUAL Games’ text adventure [I] Doesn’t Exist will launch on PC September 9, 2023.

Described as “Classic Zork meets existential crisis,” [I] Doesn’t Exist has you awaken in an unfamiliar forest and has you use your noodle to try and escape. However, things promise to not be as they seem, which is great because they already seem weird and unsettling.

Like many text adventures of the early PC days, [I] Doesn’t Exist doesn’t just provide you with walls of descriptive text. It also uses graphics to depict its strange world. Beyond that, there are animations, so you don’t have to rely on your unreliable imagination to paint you a picture.

https://youtu.be/91PdAe-n5VA

[I] Doesn’t Exist also touts the use of "Natural Language Processing" to support its parser and make things more intuitive. While this means the use of AI, the developer is quick to clarify that it isn’t involved in the creation process and is just to make the language parser more natural. In their words:

"Publisher DreadXP and developer LUAL value the authenticity of human-made narratives, and none of the in-game text in [I] doesn’t exist is AI-generated. The Natural Language Processing technology utilized in the game is not affiliated with ChatGPT or other similar AI platforms and utilizes only the player’s input to access pre-written responses by the game’s super-cool writers."

That’s rather comforting because we all know how well it went when Square Enix tried to make a text adventure using AI.

[I] Doesn’t Exist launches on PC on September 9, 2023. A demo is available to try out right now.

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Jollypunch Games has announced that the high-flying, toy-robot basketball game, Robodunk, will release on Switch and PC on September 25th, 2023.

I previewed the demo of Robodunk on a distantly long-past Steam Next Fest (it was this past February). It’s an over-the-top basketball game in the vein of NBA Jam. Two robots face a team of two other robots in a match of ups. Beyond just scoring some hoops, your robots are equipped with weapons and can dunk from the edges of space. Also, everything is made of wood for some reason.

https://youtu.be/OP55pjjMSkI

There’s also a roguelite progression where you try to make it as far as you can across various rounds of b-ball. Once you’re inevitably smacked back down to Earth, you can upgrade your robots or hire new ones.

After I wrote my preview for Robodunk, the developer reached out to me to get me to extrapolate on my feedback. At the time, one of my biggest issues was that I felt there was a dearth of personality to the whole affair, despite how over-the-top everything was. He pointed out to me that there are apparently lore entries that get unlocked as you play. What!? In a basketball game? No wonder I didn’t see them. That’s the last place I’d expect to find them.

So, I’m eventually going to play the full version, and I’m definitely going to check out these lore articles that give context to the automated dunks happening in the foreground.

You can check out Robodunk and its lore on September 25th, 2023 on Switch and PC. There’s also a demo available to check out on Steam.

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Forklift Interactive has launched Stage Games Inc’s production strategy game, Desynced, into Steam Early Access today.

Desynced is part automation game, part base-builder, and part RTS. You find yourself stranded on an unknown world and need to manufacture parts to repair your ship. You take command of a horde of drones that you use to extract resources and take them to various facilities to be processed. It bills itself as an “automation game without belts.” There’s a detailed system for programming your drones to work more autonomously, and you can also bring in other players for multiplayer.

https://youtu.be/SLVZlg7sp9E

Meanwhile, there is also an RTS aspect to Desynced, where you have to protect your factory. That seems like a worthwhile wrinkle to me since being able to diagnose and repair damage to your automated systems sounds pretty fantastic.

While the automated production genre has been seeing a lot of growth in the indie sphere over the last few years, I haven’t taken the dive yet. I’m not entirely sure why. For one thing, it’s a genre that can only really flourish outside of mainstream gaming, which is something I love. I also enjoy management games. I think I’m afraid of getting sucked in and finding myself having difficulty uncoupling when it comes time to play a game for work. That’s a pretty good problem to have.

Desynced is available for PC through Steam Early Access starting today. Stage Games is estimating that it will stay in Early Access for a year before reaching completion.

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HoYoverse announced via social media channels that two new characters will be coming to Genshin Impact: Wriothesley and Neuvillette.

What do we know about Wriothesley and Neuvillette?

Wriothesley (apparently pronounced “rizz-ly” or “rise-ly”) has a Cryo Vision and is the Lord of the Fortress of Meropide, which is some sort of prison at the bottom of the sea. He is Ousia-aligned; although his previous character art showed him with a Pneuma Vision shape, this was swiftly corrected. Aside from this, we know nothing about his weapon or kit, and will have to wait for further announcements to see how he plays.

Neuvillette is much more mysterious, with some of his information censored with triple question marks. We do know that he is the Chief Justice of Fontaine and some kind of father figure to the Melusines. He is likely very important to the main story in Genshin Impact, which would give a reason for all the secrecy. Neuvillette uses Hydro, but not through a Vision. What exactly he is and how he uses his powers are a great mystery, possibly with answers in upcoming Archon Quests.

[caption id="attachment_396793" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Image via HoYoverse[/caption]

When are Wriothesley and Neuvillette coming to Genshin Impact?

Drip marketing like this usually comes in two versions before the characters are released. This means we can expect Wriothesley and Neuvillette sometime in Version 4.1 of Genshin Impact. Whether they will be in the first half or second remains to be seen, along with who will accompany their banners.

If you are interested in either of these characters, you may want to start saving Primogems now.

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Another Japan-exclusive Famicom game has received new life thanks to fans. 1990’s Dai Kaiju Deburas has received a fan translation patch, turning it into the Anglophonic Giant Monster Flaburas.

Video games have a history of not treating kaiju very well. That’s partially because Japan kept most of the good ones and left us with games like Godzilla for NES or Godzilla for PS4. Dai Kaiju Deburas is a unique take on the genre by focusing more on strategy. You don’t play as the monster itself. Instead, you’re the military, and you’re trying to defend an egg while it’s transported across Japan.

It’s kind of like 1991’s Godzilla 2: War of the Monsters for NES. However, Dai Kaiju Deburas is less of a chore to play.

I actually own this game for Famicom, so I’m happy to see it finally get a translation. There’s a decent amount of text that makes it hard to play if you don’t speak English. My Japanese reading skill got me through a few missions, but I wound up putting it aside and never getting back to it. I had planned on playing it for my old Famicom Friday column, but it kind of fell by the wayside. I’ve even got a picture of it on my Mickey TV. Here you go:

[caption id="attachment_396649" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image by Destructoid[/caption]

Whether you love kaiju, are looking for something new, or just like a decent turn-based strategy game, Dai Kaiju Deburas is worth a look. You can find the patch for it right over here.

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