Asus threw its hat into the handheld gaming PC space last year with the release of the ROG Ally, and in a new interview, the company has confirmed that a second-generation version of the device is already in development and could be out later this year.

"We most likely will launch a second-generation [handheld gaming console] this year. We will still keep the Windows features, but we will focus more on gaming,” Asus India's VP of consumer and gaming PCs, Arnold Su, said to Techlusive.

The Asus ROG Ally is an impressive device, as it combines a sleek design with powerful hardware and a sharp IPS screen. Because it runs on Windows 11, it also gives users a greater selection of digital marketplaces to access in comparison to Valve's Steam Deck. Steam, GOG, and Uplay all perform well on it, and you can even turn it in to a Game Pass machine by logging into the Xbox app. It is a pricy, and it doesn't have the best battery life, but the ROG Ally is still a solid competitor in a crowded market.

While Nintendo still hasn't unveiled a Switch successor, a new report says the company's next system will sport an 8-inch LCD screen and will arrive later this year. That would be the biggest display ever for Nintendo.

Omdia analyst Hiroshi Hayase is the source behind this latest info for Switch 2, according to Bloomberg. An LCD screen could also be seen as a step backward for Nintendo, since Switch OLED launched in 2021. The upgraded hybrid console features a 7-inch screen, while the original model has a 6.2-inch screen.

This latest info lines up with a report from last year that Sharp was making LCD screens for a new game console. The company was cagey at the time about the collaboration, even apparently taking down presentation slides after the fact. Meanwhile, the most popular PC handheld system just upgraded from LCD screens when Valve unveiled Steam Deck OLED in November.

Most of the story of Destiny 2's Season of the Wish is over for now, but Bungie will give you new reasons to return to the Dreaming City next week with the addition of Riven's Wishes. The new weekly pursuits are set to give players access to high-end rewards, including guns from the Last Wish raid, Exotic armor pieces, and cosmetic weapon ornaments.

Bungie revealed new details about what to expect as Season of the Wish continues in its latest This Week in Destiny blog post. Riven's Wishes are a set of new weekly pursuits that'll cover the next six weeks.

"Starting on January 30, players can visit Mara Sov to accept a weekly quest with a high-risk objective in the Dreaming City, such as completing Legend Lost Sectors or dungeons," Bungie wrote in the blog. "Upon completion of these weekly objectives, players can return to Mara to receive a Wish Token. Each week, you can use this token to choose a prize from one of three different categories."

There are 25 total Tuning Stones you can acquire in Diablo 4, but that doesn't include the two most powerful of the bunch, the Evernight and Genesis. These are called Uber Tuning Stones and they are far rarer than any of the other Tuning Stones you can get your hands on in Season 3.

The Evernight and Genesis stones are only found by completing specific tasks in Diablo 4. However, the reward is worth the effort, as both stones can be incredibly powerful if you equip the right Governing Stones along with them. To see the methods of acquiring both Uber Tuning Stones, look at the guide below.

First up, we have the Evernight Uber Tuning Stone, which has the following effect: "The supported Skill grants you +4 to all Skills when used for 2.0 seconds." You are also to upgrade the Evernight stone by acquiring more of them and slotting them in on your Seneschal companion.

Nexon's Warhaven is shutting down this spring, after what will be seven months of early access on Steam and before its planned console launch.

In an announcement on Steam, the development team at Nexon said it was with a "heavy heart" that it would soon be shutting down the sword-based multiplayer title's live service operations.

"To create a game that could be cherished and enjoyed over an extended period, we invested much consideration and effort," Nexon's statement reads. "However, regrettably, we must bid our sincere farewell as of April 5, 2024. We apologize that we could not come to you with better news."

Progression in Enshrouded can be quite challenging. That's because fixtures like fast travel points are somewhat limited, and you need to be well-prepared if you venture deeper into lands that are covered in insidious mists. Still, if you gain permanent boosts as a Flameborn, you'll be on the road to success. You just need one very special material. Here's our guide on how to get Sparks in Enshrouded.

You can get Sparks in Enshrouded by discovering and interacting with Flame Shrines and Flame Sanctums. Here's a quick summary:

• Sparks are absolutely necessary if you want to "strengthen the Flame" further. You can learn more about these permanent boons in our Flame Altar upgrades guide.
• You'll initially hear about Spark locations upon clearing the Ancient Spire - Springlands tower, which is due north of your base.
• From there, you'll gain more information about these landmarks by (a) talking to rescued NPCs, (b) tagging another Ancient Spire, or (c) discovering certain Flame Shrines/Flame Sanctums. Note that rescued NPCs refer to the Blacksmith, Hunter, Alchemist, Farmer, and Carpenter.

Below, you can see a map with the locations of a few Flame Shrines and Flame Sanctums that are near your initial base. The landmarks are denoted by a fire symbol inside a white diamond icon. Take note that the game doesn't automatically distinguish between shrines and sanctums that have already been visited and those that still have Sparks.

Enshrouded has you duking it out against numerous foes, and some are more bestial in nature. There's one character that helps provide even more rewards from the loot that you've obtained. Here's our guide on how to find the Hunter in Enshrouded.

• How to find the Hunter in Enshrouded
  • How to reach the Ancient Vault - Hunter
  How to find the Hunter in Enshrouded

  You can find the Hunter by making your way to her own Ancient Vault. This landmark is due northeast of your initial base, or directly west from the Springlands Ancient Spire fast travel point.

  The map shows the location of the Ancient Vault - Hunter.How to reach the Ancient Vault - Hunter

  The best way to reach the Ancient Vault - Hunter is by clearing the Springlands Ancient Spire, which then becomes a waypoint. This lets you jump off the tower prior to activating your Glider. From there, you just need to follow the grassy plateau that leads further east. Just watch out for scavenger and wolf enemies along the way.

  Continue Reading at GameSpot

Epic Games has announced that Fortnite will return to iOS in Europe in 2024 via the Epic Games Store, which is wild because of the Apple v. Epic drama from last year.

Epic doesn't have a timeline about when the Epic Games Store or Fortnite will be coming to Apple devices yet. All that we know so far is that these two apps will only be available for iOS in countries covered by the European Union's Digital Marketing Act.

Fortnite will return to iOS in Europe in 2024, distributed by the upcoming @EpicGames Store for iOS. Stay tuned for details as we figure out the regulatory timeline. We'll continue to argue to the courts and regulators that Apple is breaking the law. https://t.co/MHh6EGVinC

"Stay tuned for details as we figure out the regulatory timeline. We'll continue to argue to the courts and regulators that Apple is breaking the law," reads the official tweet from the Epic Games Newsroom.

The very cool Lego Optimus Prime from Transformers is on sale for $144 at Macy's as part of the retailer's Valentine's Day promotion. Normally $180, the 20% discount matches the best price we saw during Black Friday last year, so now's a great time to pick up the 1,508-piece set. As an added bonus, you'll get a free box of chocolates with your purchase. That means you can gift the chocolates and keep Optimus Prime for yourself. This offer technically runs through February 15, but the leader of the Autobots is marked "low stock" by Macy's.

What sets this particular Lego set apart from many other licensed kits of this size is that it has a level of interactivity built into it. Though you won't be pulling off dynamic poses, you will be able to gently adjust the limbs of Optimus, equip him with his trademark ion blaster, and you can even replace his hand with his legendary Energon-Axe.

The real magic here is that Optimus can transform into his signature truck mode, easily shifting from Autobot commander to a big rig that's ready to roll out. To get to that point is the fun part though, and with 10 bags filled with hundreds of bricks, it'll take you just over three hours to build everyone's favorite Cybertronian.

Skull and Bones will receive an open beta February 8-11, with progress and exclusive rewards earned during the beta period carrying forward into the full game when it releases February 16, 2024.

Beta players will be capped at Infamy Tier 6, but can earn five exclusive rewards that will also carry over to launch, including a unique ship cosmetic, emote, weapon, and Lemur pet. The beta, just like the full game, will feature cross-play and cross-progression between Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and those playing on PC via the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Store. Those looking for even more of a head start can subscribe to Ubisoft+ to play the full version of Skull and Bones three days early on February 13.

Ubisoft has additionally lifted the veil on what the open-world pirate RPG's endgame will look like. After finishing the game's campaign, players will go from working for various pirate Kingpins to becoming one themselves, as they look to build their illegal empire by controlling trade routes, manufacturing and selling goods like rum and opium, committing heists, and engaging in hostile takeovers of rival pirate lords. Each season will add new endgame features, according to Ubisoft.

In a major policy reversal, Apple has announced it is opening its App Store up to game-streaming services. This marks a big win for companies like Microsoft and Nvidia--both of which offer game streaming services that were previously only accessible on iPhones via browser--as well as consumers, who will theoretically be able to access programs like Xbox Cloud Streaming through a designated app.

Apple shared the announcement in a developer blog post, writing, "Developers can now submit a single app with the capability to stream all of the games offered in their catalog." The change is effective immediately and will be implemented worldwide, according to the company. However, it is still up to individual companies to design and submit an app to the store, meaning it could be some time before consumers have access to their game catalogs via the App Store.

The company explained that these changes "reflect feedback from Apple’s developer community and is consistent with the App Store’s mission to provide a trusted place for users to find apps they love." It then added that it will be up to the apps that host this content to ensure that "all the software included in their app meets Apple’s high standards for user experience and safety." GameSpot has reached out to a Microsoft representative regarding the company potentially developing an Xbox application for the Apple App Store and is awaiting comment.

Earlier this month, the Madden 24 team deployed a patch that was meant to address the in-game player fatigue system in such a way that it would disrupt the competitive meta of frequently blitzing defenders to cause chaos for opposing offenses. Unfortunately, the patch didn't work nearly as intended and players have been left with a worse system for a few weeks and counting as a result.

On January 10, EA Tiburon deployed the patch, targeting players who aren't dedicated pass rushers and thus likely undersized to suffer more severe stamina penalties when engaging with bigger offensive lineman. In short, blitzing defenders from groups other than the defensive line needed to be nerfed. Here's how the patch notes say it should've worked:

• Tuning to fatigue logic so defenders who are not dedicated pass rushers will suffer a more severe fatigue penalty when engaging with a pass blocker that is significantly bigger than them.
  • DEV NOTE: With the prevalence of Defensive Back blitzes being used as staple defenses, we noticed that there were many cases where the DB would get picked up by a Tight End or an Offensive Lineman that was significantly bigger and stronger than the defensive back but the blitzing DB would be able to engage in this mismatch over and over again without fatiguing. Now if a defender who is not a dedicated pass rusher having a Power Move and Finesse Move rating below 70 engages in a blocking mismatch where they are outweighed by 90 lbs or more, they will suffer a significant fatigue hit.

However, players quickly found several issues with this update. For one, where the notes say "if a defender who is not a dedicated pass rusher having a Power Move and Finesse Move rating below 70," it seems to be the case that the defender suffers the stamina penalty if either is true, not both as the "and" seems to suggest.

Publisher Bushiroad and developer KLab Games have announced that the global version of Love Live School Idol Festival 2 Miracle Live will launch in February 2024.

In a peculiar turn of events during the same announcement, the companies also revealed that the game's servers will close on May 31, 2024, along with cutting off in-app purchases. This leaves interested players only about three months to play the game. "We appreciate the love and support you've shown, and we're committed to making these last few months an unforgettable moment," they said on Twitter.

【Global Launch Notice】
We are excited to break the news to you that the global version of Love Live! School idol festival 2 MIRACLE LIVE! is launching soon in February 2024.
However, we also want to inform you that, the Global Version will close its doors on May 31, 2024, and… pic.twitter.com/0LYQ6YnD61

Many Twitter users have left comments under the announcement, mainly asking why even bother launching the global version of the game at all if it's only going to be around for three months. The previously launched Japanese version of the game is also already set to shut down and will be closing its doors on March 31, 2024.

One of the major additions to Diablo 4 in Season 3 is the Seneschal companion. This small robot is able to help you out tremendously in combat, acting like a sidekick that can deal serious damage to enemies. However, if you want to make the Seneschal as strong as it can be and perform specific attacks, you need to equip it with Governing and Tuning Stones.

The stones can be equipped on the Seneschal and give it access to enhanced attacks. The Governing Stones offer attacks themselves while the Tuning Stones enhance the abilities of the Governing Stones. Both are incredibly important to have in Diablo 4, so here's a quick guide on where to get them and a list of every Governing and Tuning Stone in Season 3.

There are a few different ways to go about acquiring Governing and Tuning Stones. The first is through completing the Arcane Tremor events in Diablo 4. Running through these events eventually rewards you with either a Governing or Tuning Stone.

Alone in the Dark is soon to be the latest in a long line of recent horror remakes in the video game world, and that figurative traincar has given fans of the genre some modern classics as of late. That means Alone in the Dark has a streak to uphold. Whether you just want to know the game's release date or you're looking to learn a lot more about this upcoming survival-horror project starring some familiar faces, here's everything we know about 2024's Alone in the Dark.

• Release date
• Platforms

Alone in the Dark was previously due out just before Halloween 2023, but the team needed a bit more time (and breathing room from a stacked October), so it's now coming out on March 20. With only weeks to go, that should mean we've seen our final delay and this is the launch date that'll stick.

Alone in the Dark is due out on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. We're hitting the point in the console cycle where the last-gen machines are getting left behind a lot more, so you'll need to have a gaming PC or a current-gen Xbox or PlayStation to see what fears await in these particular shadows.

New allegations have been brought against former WWE chairman and current executive chairman of WWE's parent company, TKO Holdings, Vince McMahon, with a former employee now claiming she was sexually assaulted and trafficked by the wrestling mogul in a new lawsuit.

Janel Grant, a former WWE staffer, says in the suit (via WSJ) that McMahon both sexually assaulted her and trafficked her, including attempts to arrange sexual encounters between her and WWE officials and talent.

Grant stated that McMahon coaxed her into serial situations with promises of career advancement. He then allegedly abused her and trafficked her to other men within the company. One of the people in question was referred to as a "former UFC Champion" that whom WWE was attempting to negotiate a contract. Sources familiar with the situation claimed the talent in question is Brock Lesnar.

Billy Dee Williams, probably best known for his role as Star Wars' Lando Calrissian, has opened up about the persistent fan backlash over Lando's betrayal of Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back. For more than four decades, people have approached Williams in different settings, expressing their profound disappointment in Lando's decisions. Recently, he shared his perspective on this prolonged fan backlash in an interview with EW's Dagobah Dispatch podcast.

"When I would pick my daughter up from school, the kids would run up to me and say, 'You betrayed Han Solo!'" Williams said (via EW). "I'd go on an airplane and the airplane stewards would say, 'You betrayed Han Solo!'"

But, that's not necessarily how Williams sees it--or has come to see over the last 40 years. "I got [people coming up to me] for a lotta years, so finally I said, 'Look, think about the whole situation. You're up against a pretty formidable character, Darth Vader, and then there's Boba Fett, and these people were invading my space, and I had to bargain with them… to prevent at least the complete demise of Han Solo and his friends."

Over at Fanatical, you can get your hands on some of Capcom's biggest hits for super cheap right now. From Street Fighter to Resident Evil, several of Capcom's most iconic franchises are represented in the Capcom Collection bundle. For $10 you can choose from three games, four games will cost you $13.29, or you can grab five games for $16.49.

At first glance, United 1944 looks like just another shooter about European war. However, it's much more of a survival game than just a multiplayer FPS like Call of Duty. It blends traditional first-person gunplay with systems you'd see in a game that emphasizes exploration and building like Rust. Developer Novarama just announced a formal demo for the game, so interested players can squad up with other players (regardless of if they have early access or not) or experiment solo.

In United 1944, you can either play a more straightforward FPS mode or a sandbox one. It has two main game modes: Domination and Survivor. Domination is a multiplayer mode that challenges players to take control of maps based on World War II locations. On the other hand, Survivor is the hybrid shooter mode that encourages players to build bases and craft weapons instead of just gunning each other down. So far, the demo and early access have earned praise for gunplay and crafting among other strengths.

Novarama, a Barcelona-based studio partnered with Tencent, announced United 1944 last year in March. After two closed technical tests and two open betas, the developer now has a demo and early access available on Steam. Its currently running a promotion for United 1944 until February 1, where you can buy it for only $18 for early access and all the perks that come with supporting the game.

Beginning development in 2013, Skull and Bones, conceptually, was a spin-off of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, which launched that same year. Both are games where you play as a pirate and engage in naval warfare, improving your ship over time as you gather resources and unlock new crafting recipes. I hoped Skull and Bones would build and iterate on Black Flag--one of my favorite games--to be its own thing. Although naval combat was a pillar of Black Flag, it wasn't the entire focus of an Assassin's Creed game, so a game like Skull and Bones--built from the jump to be an entirely pirate-focused adventure at sea--could make some big swings with its deeper naval combat and presentation, free from the quasi-realistic world and the sneaking and stabbing focus of Assassin's Creed. Having now had a chance to play Skull and Bones, however, that doesn't seem to be the case. Based on my experience thus far, Skull and Bones isn't doing enough to differentiate itself from Black Flag and, as a result, feels like playing a game I already experienced over a decade ago.

When it comes to enjoying Skull and Bones, I think your mileage may vary. Since 2013, we've seen more games that have built and improved upon Black Flag's naval combat--heck, most of them are subsequent Assassin's Creed games like Rogue and Odyssey. So, even if Black Flag had one of the best (and I'd argue it was the best) naval combat in a video game as of 2013, that's not the case anymore in 2024. At the very least, Ubisoft's version of naval combat is no longer novel. For me, it's a little dated and stale and so, consequentially, Skull and Bones feels a little dated and stale.

There are new ideas in Skull and Bones, sure (Skull and Bones has much more ship customization than Black Flag did, for instance, that's based on a color-tiered loot system akin to many recent live-service games), but the déjà vu of the experience is overwhelming and hits like whiplash. It regularly pulled me out of any sort of fun I happened to be having. It's not just the gameplay either--the aesthetic of the experience can feel like it's just been copied and pasted from Black Flag. For example, some of the sea shanties in Skull and Bones sound like the same ones from Black Flag. In the grand scheme of things, whether or not they're new recordings isn't a huge deal--Black Flag has good shanties and I like listening to them. But it's the startling sum of details like this and other similarities--from the combat mechanics to visuals, and from the sound design to the gameplay loop--that make it feel like I was just playing Black Flag again. And I don't want to just play Black Flag again.