The newest update for the viral Steam game Escape from Duckov is out now, and it discourages players from eating poop.

Up until now, players of the game made by five people that has sold more than 1 million copies could eat poop to restore energy and hydration values. Players can still do that after the new update, but it's less effective to do so. The patch notes state:

"Reduced the Energy and Hydration values provided by Poop."

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Silent Hill f spoilers to follow--read at your own discretion.

Set in the fictional village of Ebisugaoka in 1960s Japan, Silent Hill f follows Hinako, a high school-aged girl who is navigating her transition from girlhood to womanhood, defying gender roles and resisting an arranged marriage. As she grapples subconsciously with these struggles, it is revealed in both subtle and overt ways how Hinako has endured psychological and physical abuse in a patriarchal society.

Hinako’s first journal entry discloses her father’s abuse, as she writes “he yells at Mom, throws things around, and even hits us.” On the first run of the game, it takes under five minutes to discover a magazine suggesting women are happiest when submitting to men. For Japanese-speaking people and players familiar with Japanese culture and folklore, there are considerably more clues that enrich the story. As an English-speaking woman living in 2025, I still found myself wholly resonating with Hinako’s experiences and Silent Hill f’s themes of exploring the various manifestations of sexism and abuse.

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Embark Studios recently wrapped up a big Server Slam test for Arc Raiders ahead of its public launch on October 30, and the test was huge. Given that, Embark got a lot of feedback, and the developer has now disclosed some of what's it's working on addressing ahead of release.

The developer said player feedback, along with the team's own internal data, provided "crucial insights" into how Arc Raiders can be improved for launch. Here are the key points, as written by the developer.

• Stability: You helped us quickly identify and resolve stability issues across all platforms during the test. We’ve locked in even more solutions leading up to launch day to ensure a smooth launch experience.
• The Flying ARCs: It turns out their awareness was a bit too high, allowing them to essentially see through trees and bushes. This made their vision unintentionally over-powered, but we’ve adjusted what they can see now, so expect a fairer fight at launch.
• The Dam Tower: We watched many of you bravely, and perhaps a little too easily, access the Dam Control Tower on Dam Battlegrounds. It was fun to watch, but a bit too accessible for a key loot location. That's been fixed to keep the challenge sharp.
• Visual Difference: Some noticed a visual difference between Server Slam and earlier tests on certain hardware. The default settings did change a bit to favor more performance, and we are looking into tuning further to strike the right balance.

Additionally, Embark said feedback from the test gave the studio valuable feedback in terms of bug-fixes and game balance. "Every piece of data and feedback you provided is helping us to make Arc Raiders a better game," the developer said.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 doesn't release until November 14, but Treyarch is already breaking down the content players can expect in the first season. The developer's latest Dev Talk video confirmed seven new multiplayer maps, three zombies maps, new weapons, seasonal events, and more for Season 1 of Black Ops 7.

This new Black Ops 7 Dev Talk video boasts that Season 1 is packed with content across multiplayer and Zombies. "This will be the biggest season we've ever done in franchise history," said senior director of production Yale Miller.

There are seven 6v6 maps confirmed for multiplayer, and this will be a mix of new and remastered maps. The video shows a brief look at Fate, which is a brand-new map inspired by the game's campaign mission called Time and Fate. This features a trippy setting of fractured and floating building pieces from a city in Nicaragua. Other maps briefly shown are Odysseus, which is based on the campaign mission of the same name, and Utopia is a futuristic Guild facility based in Australia. For the season's remasters, Meltdown from Black Ops 2 will return in Season 1 of Black Ops 7.

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During today's DreadXP livestream, a spooky new look at the Paranormal Activity video game was revealed. The gameplay teaser for Paranormal Activity: Threshold showed off a taste of what players can expect, as they find themselves stuck inside a haunted house full of hostile entities and puzzles.

The trailer teased an approach similar to the film franchise, as it was full of found-footage shots and a foreboding sense of dread that the film franchise is known for.

DarkStone Digital--the team behind 2022's The Mortuary Assistant--is working on the game, and it'll feature a Haunt System designed to dynamically alter the types and intensity of scares that players will encounter during their sessions.

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Ganondorf Figma - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

$130 | Releases November 12

Preorder at Amazon

Princess Zelda Figma - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

$130 | Releases January 14

Preorder at Amazon

Good Smile's The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Figma figures are available to preorder at Amazon for the first time in many months. The Ganondorf Figma disappeared from Amazon last October, but you can preorder the collectible action figure for $130 ahead of its November 12 launch in the US. The Princess Zelda Figma is also available to preorder for $130. Zelda had been sold out since April, so fans have another opportunity to reserve one before its January 14, 2026 release.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Figma

• Ganondorf Figma -- $130 | November 12
• Zelda Figma -- $130 | January 14
• Link Figma -- $100
• Link Figma DX Edition -- Overpriced

Both figures are sold by Japanese collectible sellers and fulfilled by Amazon US. Since they ship directly from Amazon, the retailer's free 30-day return policy is offered for both figures. Ganondorf preorders originally opened for $97 last summer, so you do have to spend more now if you weren't able to secure a preorder from the jump. The Zelda Figma was briefly sold for $95 last holiday before climbing to $120; Amazon itself was charging this price, so the Zelda markup is only $10.

Based on the prices the now hard-to-find Link Figma figures are selling for on Amazon, it's very likely $130 will soon be viewed as a "low" price. The standard edition Link Figma launched in June for $90, but preorders originally sold for $70. And if you want to buy the Link Figma right now? It's up to $100 from third-party resellers (fulfilled by Amazon). Link's DX Edition with a bunch of extra accessories released in May for $136. Today, the price for the DX Edition from resellers on Amazon is $190 minimum (not fulfilled by Amazon).

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Earlier today, Bethesda Game Studios shared its Fallout Day Broadcast. And while there wasn't a new Fallout game, there were a lot of Fallout-related announcements. Coming up first is the Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition, which will arrive just in time for the game's 10th anniversary next month.

Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition will feature 150 pieces of Creation Club content, as well as the six official add-ons, and Creations, which will allow console and PC users to find even more content. The Anniversary Edition is dropping on November 10 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC. If you already have Fallout 4, the Anniversary Upgrade will be available on all platforms. Game Pass and PlayStation Plus subscribers will also have the option to access the DLC and Creations content. Additionally, Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition will be ported to Switch 2 in 2026.

On October 23, the Bethesda Gear Store will be taking preorders for Fallout: New Vegas 15th Anniversary Bundle. This package will only be available for PC players, and it will include a code for Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition, as well as the following collectibles:

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The upcoming Switch 2 port of Assassin's Creed Shadows hasn't exactly been a well-kept secret. Listings popped up online, and there was a leak earlier this month that suggested the release date would be December 5. It turns out that was just off by three days. Ubisoft and Nintendo have now officially revealed that Assassin's Creed Shadows will hit Switch 2 on December 2, and the news was accompanied by a launch trailer.

Despite some rumors that suggested a $70 price to match the other consoles, Switch 2's Assassin's Creed Shadows will retail for $60. However, it will be on a game-key card unless purchased directly from the eShop as a download. There will also be premium edition for $100 that will only be available digitally.

At launch, the Switch 2 port will have all of the content updates released since the game's debut except for the first DLC expansion, Claws of Awaji. Switch 2 users will have to wait until 2026 for that. However, the Switch 2 version will support cross-platform progression through Ubisoft Connect.

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A new advertisement from Razer is making the rounds on TikTok and proving, yet again, that old-fashioned sexism in gaming is alive and well. Though meant to help promote the tech company's noise cancelling headphones, the ad instead reinforces the stereotype that women--who make up 48% of all gamers, by the way--simply can't stop talking.

Accompanied by the caption "Don't let yapping get in the way of your winning," the ad (first noticed by PC Gamer) depicts a man and woman sitting on a couch together. The man, both holding a controller and wearing a headset, awkwardly shuffles as the woman emphatically speaks to him. After a few moments, he decides to activate the headset's Active Noise Cancellation feature. The woman's voice is drowned out, while the text on the video reads: "Active Noise Cancellation: On, Drama: Off." As of October 23, the advertisement is still up on TikTok.

Considering Razer's history of making cute accessories geared towards female audiences, the advertisement comes as a bit of a shock. Though the ad might not be intentionally sexist, it plays into long-standing gender roles and is extremely dismissive towards the large population of women who also play video games. Coincidentally, a recent study by the Entertainment Software Association found there is a "nearly equal gender split" among video game players.

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A new expansion arrives to Pokemon TCG Pocket on October 29. The big update is called Mega Rising, and this expansion adds powerful Mega Evolved Pokemon to the digital card game.

The Mega Rising expansion features Mega Gyarados, Mega Blaziken, and Mega Altaria as powerful new Mega Evolution Pokemon ex cards. These Mega Evolved Pokemon will each headline their own booster pack, so players will have plenty of new cards to open. As shown in the video below, these Mega Evolved cards feature some pretty dynamic illustrations to make the Pokemon look like they're jumping off the cards.

Pokemon TCG Pocket is celebrating its first anniversary and the major milestone of hitting over 150 million downloads since its global launch. For this occasion, there will be some new updates to the game. One of the biggest changes is an update to the trades feature, which will allow players to trade even rarer cards than the ones that were previously eligible.

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The Kirby Air Raiders Direct isn't the only news out of Nintendo today. There's been update in the My Nintendo Store, which now allows players to use their eShop credit. That opens up a wide variety of collectibles for Nintendo fans to use those credits on.

Wario64 was among the first to notice the update, before adding that Nintendo has also done away with the $250 balance limit.

BIG update on My Nintendo Store: You can now use Nintendo Account Balance (eShop credit) on the My Nintendo Store.
Nintendo has also lifted the balance limit (used to be $250, was able to finally redeem my $50 Target eShop code). Better start keeping an eye out on eShop GC deals https://t.co/RPAZCjm9Jg pic.twitter.com/TbA7labsCm

— Wario64 (@Wario64) October 23, 2025

Earlier this week, Nintendo announced plans to ramp up production of Switch 2 after the console broke sales records and gave the video game industry a massive boost. Nintendo previously estimated of that Switch 2 would sell 15 million units in this fiscal year. Other analysts suggested 17.6 million consoles in that timeframe. However, the projected increase in production may push Switch 2 to 25 million in sales by the end of Nintendo's fiscal year in March 2026.

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Nintendo has finally shown a bit more of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, though apparently by accident. Two 15-second commercials for the Switch 2 were found, both unlisted on the Nintendo of America YouTube channel, and one includes a brief glimpse of a boss fight that we haven't seen before. Those hypersensitive to spoilers should turn away.

Both unlisted videos, uploaded on October 15, are titled "Power Up Your Holidays," with the first video showcasing the previously seen plant-like boss Carvex. But more noteworthy is the second video, which emphasizes the Switch 2 version's use of mouse controls and 120fps support, while also giving us our first look at a boss called Xelios. And this boss is spherical!

We only see it for a few seconds, but Xelios appears to be composed of several hexagonal plates that can shift around, with a green sac and pink core at its center. Presumably, you as Samus Aran will have to blast that pink center to hell whenever this sphere-like boss exposes it.

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Counter-Strike is a megapopular tactical shooter, and one of the reasons for its sustained popularity is its in-game market. Digital items like gloves and knives go for thousands--if not millions--of dollars, but all of that changed within the last few hours as a new update completely wiped out roughly $1.75 billion in value.

According to a new Bloomberg report, in-game CS items ranging from guns to knives to gloves fell 25% between Wednesday, October 22, and Thursday, October 23. In these two days, developer Valve Corporation pushed out an update for the shooter that altered the exchange rates of these items. Immediately following this update, the prices for these items tanked, with market analytics company Pricempire estimating the losses in the billions. Ethan MacDonald, the company's marketing manager, told Bloomberg that he was stunned by the change.

"This was a complete shock to the community," he said. "This completely changes the supply of Counter-Strike's most sought-after and expensive tier of items."

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Disney Wonder: Value Box

$25

See at Amazon

Disney Wonder: Winter Mega Box

$50

See at Amazon

Topps, the company responsible for most of the sports-related trading cards, has just released a new lineup of Disney-themed trading cards called the Disney Wonder collection. The cards feature iconic characters from the Disney universe, including princesses, villains, sidekicks, and everyone in between--and if it's anything like other Topps collections (or the Lorcana TCG, which also features Disney characters), it's bound to become a hot commodity. If you want to start collecting, the $25 Disney Wonder: Value Box and $50 Disney Wonder: Winter Mega Box are in stock at Amazon, and both are packed with heaps of cards to kickstart your catalog.

Disney Wonder: Value Box $25

This box comes with seven packs, with each pack containing six cards (for a total of 42). You're guaranteed one exclusive Diamante Parallel card, though the rest of the lineup is randomly spread across base cards, refractors, inserts, and autograph cards. The autograph cards look pretty striking, as they're "signed" by their respective characters and feature unique designs. The complete Disney Wonder library is comprised of 190 cards, and this 42-card box seems like a fun (and reasonably priced) way to start collecting.

For a full checklist of all available cards, head over to the official Topps website.

See at Amazon Disney Wonder: Winter Mega Box $50

If you really want to load up on cards, take a peek at the Mega Box. This one gets you 15 packs, with each pack containing 4 cards (60 total). Frozen fans, in particular, should check out this option, as you're guaranteed to find three exclusive Frozen character cards per box. So while you'll technically get more cards for the same price by purchasing two Value Boxes (84 vs 60 cards), Elsa and Olaf fans might find the Mega Box hard to turn down.

See at Amazon Disney Wonder Cards: Genie, Tiana, Snow White, Peter Pan

While Topp's new Disney Wonder cards are designed for collecting, those who prefer playing with their cards should check out the Disney Lorcana trading card game. The new Whispers in the Well expansion officially releases on November 15, featuring new cards like Simba, Merlin, Megara, and Beast. The Lorcana: TCG Whispers in the Well Illumineer's Trove is up for preorder at Amazon--and since it's packed with eight booster packs, a storage box, six dividers, dice, and other tokens, it's a fun way to dive into the Lorcana universe. There's also the Whispers in the Well Single-Player Deck, which is arguably a better place to start. Along with a 60-card deck designed for beginners, it gets you a rulebook and a bonus booster pack of 12 cards.

Disney Wonder is just one of many traditing card collections from Topps. As mentioned above, the company is best known for its sports collections, and the new 2025 Topps Holiday Baseball: Mega Box is one of the company's latest releases. The Holiday Baseball Mega Box includes 10 packs with 10 cards each, giving you (or your friends and family) 100 cards to sift through during the holidays. Prefer to skip out on the holiday theme? The 2025 Topps Complete Set gets you all 700 base cards from Series 1 and Series 2 plus 5 rookie image variation cards for just $60.

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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's total pay package for fiscal 2025 has been confirmed, and the executive earned a total of $96.5 million for the year. That is up 22% from the previous year and represents his highest-ever annual pay. It's a massive multiple over what the median Microsoft worker makes, with the median worker taking home around $200,000.

The executive's pay details are coming to light as the company faces scrutiny over its recent Xbox decisions, including layoffs, game cancellations, studio closures, price hikes, and increasing profit-margin mandates. The company as a whole has faced ongoing criticism as well due to its slate of mass layoffs, partnership with Israel, and investments in AI, among other things.

Nadella is paid a $2.5 million salary, a figure that's been the same since 2019. The majority of his pay for fiscal 2025 came from stock awards, making up $84.2 million (87%) of his total pay. Microsoft revealed all of this as part of a regulatory filing disclosed this week, as reported by The Seattle Times.

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Nintendo will let Switch 2 owners try out Kirby Air Riders in just a little over two weeks, as long as they're Switch Online subscribers. The upcoming sequel--from Kirby and Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai--will have online demo sessions during two different weekends next month: November 8-9 and 15-16.

Called the Kirby Air Riders: Global Test Ride, the online demo will offer the Air Ride and City Trial modes. Air Ride is traditional racing and "basically Mario Kart," according to Sakurai. There will be three different courses to check out: Floria Fields, Waveflow Waters, and Mount Amberfalls. Meanwhile, City Trial sees players prepping for battle in a hub area in the first phase (gathering power-ups and upgrading your vehicle) and then competing in the second phase.

Nintendo notes that the special demo software for Kirby Air Riders can be downloaded starting November 7. Outside of the online play test times, players can have a go at Lessons in Kirby Air Riders. So basically, practicing at the game is possible before the first play test begins on November 8.

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Through two separate Nintendo Direct presentations, producer Masahiro Sakurai has waxed informative about his team's next project, Kirby Air Riders, for a combined one hour and 49 minutes. During today's Direct, Sakurai confirmed that, when the game launches in November, what you see is what you get--there will be no downloadable content coming post-launch.

The announcement came toward the end of the presentation, just as Sakurai was getting ready to sign off. "Just so you know, we're not planning any DLC. Everything is here," Sakurai said. He then confirmed that there are no plans to continue the Kirby Air Riders format going forward, saying he's "not planning on making this an ongoing series."

Kirby Air Riders

"I've thrown everything I have into this game from the start," Sakurai continued. "So, I hope you don't miss this opportunity."

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Bluey's Quest for The Gold Pen

$40 | Releases June 25, 2026

Preorder at Amazon

The Heeler family is gearing up for a new video game adventure with Bluey's Quest for The Gold Pen. Made by the show's creator, Joe Brumm, and development team Halfbrick Studios, the new game launches first for iOS and Mac on December 11, followed by Google Play and on January 10, 2026, then finally a console and PC release on June 25, 2026. Preorders for the console release are now live for at Amazon, with the physical PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, and Switch versions all available for $40, while the Switch 2 edition is $50.

Bluey's Quest for The Gold Pen $40 | Releases June 25, 2026

Bluey's Quest for the Gold Pen, is an all-new story written by Brumm that sees Bluey and Bingo (who dons her alter ego, Bingoose) trek across a fantasy land conjured up by Bluey's imagination. The imaginal world features nine distinct realms filled with secrets and side quests to take on as they track down the Gold Pen. The game will feature an adorable new art style distinct from the animated cartoon style.

As mentioned above, preorders are available at Amazon. Most platforms are $40, while Switch 2 preorders are $50. it's unclear if the Switch 2 version will include the game data on the cart, or if it's a Game-Key Card. So far, no preorder bonuses have been announced.

Preorder at Amazon

Since the console version of The Gold Pen doesn't arrive until next year, you can bide your time with Bluey: The Videogame, which is available for $20 on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. Its reviews were a bit lackluster, but young players will probably find something to like with the quirky game that lets them explore interactive setpieces from the hit show across four different adventures. While the base game is just $20, there's also a Bluey Gnome Plush Bundle at Amazon for $50, which bundles the Switch version of the game with a unique gnome plushie. Two different styles are available, but the bundle is randomly packed with just one.

Beyond video games, there are a bunch of cool Lego Bluey sets to peruse. Launched earlier this year, you'll find sets as tiny as 22 pieces, though the Family House Set is arguably the most exciting at 382 pieces. You'll get minifigures for Bluey, Bingo, Mum, and Dad, plus a few accessories that make it a complete playset.

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Elden Ring's Switch 2 port is not going to release on time. From Software and Bandai Namco have confirmed that the Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition for Nintendo's console has been pushed to 2026.

Development "continues wholeheartedly," the developer said in a statement. But a delay was necessary to give the team time for "performance adjustments."

Earlier this year, people who played Elden Ring on Switch 2 said it was in rough shape, with the frame rate in particular getting called out for being poor. Bandai Namco forbade media from showing footage of the game, so we haven't actually seen it in action as of yet, however.

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It appears that Krafton Inc., the South Korean publisher behind the battle royale shooter PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, has ambitious plans in the AI space, with a massive investment of 100 billion KRW (approximately $70 million) aimed at becoming an "AI-first" company.

According to an October 23 press release on the company's official website (via machine translation), CEO Kim Changhan shared Krafton's mid- to long-term vision for a complete reorganization and transformation of every aspect of the company's operations--from workflow to internal communications to management.

The plan is to automate Krafton's work around Agentic AI and fully implement AI-centered management systems. This should allow its employees to focus on creative activities and complex problems rather than, presumably, being hindered by menial tasks.

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