My personal pick for 2024 Game of the Year was Pacific Drive, a game that is hard to describe briefly. It's a game in which you upgrade and repair a station wagon that you drive through a very strange stretch of forest roads in the Pacific Northwest, known in the game as the Olympic Exclusion Zone. It's a game that, at different times, gave me feelings of Stalker, The X-Files, and Remedy's Control, with SCP-like weirdnesses lurking on the roads or in the woods. It wasn't exactly a horror game before, but thanks to its upcoming expansion, Whispers in the Woods, it will be one soon.

Whispers in the Woods is Pacific Drive's upcoming 8- to 12-hour expansion that gives it a haunting overhaul. It's the game's first "true expansion," Ironwood Studios founder and creative director Cassandra Dracott told me, following a number of patches and content updates since the game debuted in February 2024. It'll be playable from within the base game and focuses on a group of "fanatics" who are obsessed with the game's many anomalies.

Back when I reviewed the game, it definitely creeped me out, so I've always felt like it was a horror game, but I learned that wasn't everyone's experience.

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The Mask Limited Edition (4K Blu-ray)

$60 | Releases November 11

Preorder at Amazon

Arrow Video has become the Blu-ray distributor for '90s hits lately, and its next release is smokin'. That's right, The Mask is getting a new 4K Blu-ray restoration and it's now available to preorder for $60 ahead of its November 11 release. We're expecting this price to drop before then--just look at Lost in Space as an example here--and it also comes with several cool physical extras.

The Mask Limited Edition (4K Blu-ray) $60 | Releases November 11

Released in 1994, The Mask was one of three blockbusters starring Jim Carrey that year, cementing his status as the next breakout star in Hollywood. It's hard to imagine anyone but Carrey pulling off the role as mild-mannered Stanley Ipkiss and his zany counterpart as successfully as he did, as the comedic actor's talent for delivering laughs and his malleable face were key factors in the film's success. Directed by Chuck Russell, The Mask was a big gamble for distributor New Line Cinema, but it paid off handsomely with an impressive box office haul of $351 million at the time.

The popularity of the film led to an animated series adaptation, and a few years later, a sequel was made that we'd really really like to forget about.

This new version of The Mask is a 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by Arrow Video that was approved by Russell himself. The 4K edition supports High Dynamic Range--Dolby Vision and HDR10--as well as lossless stereo, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound, and a new Dolby Atmos mix.

Like other Arrow Video releases, the Limited Edition comes with a reversible sleeve and cover art: One side has the original theatrical poster featuring Carrey's toothy grin, while the other is a simple but striking shot of the Mask as he prepares to P-A-R-T-Y. You'll also find an illustrated booklet with commentary from author Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and original production notes, a double-sided fold-out poster featuring two original artwork options, and six postcard-sized reproduction art cards.

Preorder at Amazon The Mask Limited Edition Bonus MaterialsNew Features

• Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options
• Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and original production notes
• Double-sided fold-out poster featuring two original artwork options
• Six postcard-sized reproduction art cards
• The Man Behind the Mask, a newly filmed interview with Chuck Russell
• From Strip to Screen, a newly filmed interview with Mike Richardson, Mike Werb and Mark Verheiden
• Green Faces Blue Screens, a newly filmed interview with visual effects supervisor Scott Squires
• Sssssssplicin’!, a newly filmed interview with editor Arthur Coburn
• Ask Peggy, a newly filmed interview with actor Amy Yasbeck
• Toeing the Conga Line, a newly filmed interview with choreographer Jerry Evans featuring never-before-seen rehearsal footage
• Terriermania, a new video essay by critic Elizabeth Purchell on canine sidekick Milo

More Bonus Features

• Archive audio commentary with Chuck Russell
• Archive audio commentary with Chuck Russell, New Line co-chairman Bob Shaye, screenwriter Mike Werb, executive producer Mike Richardson, producer Bob Engelman, ILM VFX supervisor Scott Squires, animation supervisor Tom Bertino and cinematographer John R.
• Archival featurettes Return to Edge City, Introducing Cameron Diaz, Cartoon Logic, What Makes Fido Run, The Making Of, on-set interview bites with the cast and director and B-Roll footage
• Deleted scenes, with optional commentary by director Chuck Russell
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery

Like the film? Then check out the original The Mask comicsThe Mask Omnibus Editions

The Mask was an adaptation of the comic book miniseries of the same name published by Dark Horse Comics. While the film was lighthearted and played like a live-action Looney Tunes cartoon whenever Jim Carrey donned the ancient relic, the comics it was adapted from were much darker in comparison and featured more over-the-top graphic violence. While Jim Carrey's version of Stanley Ipkiss is a lovable loser with a heart of gold, the comic book version isn't nearly as likable, and once he gets his hands on the mask, he quickly uses its power to brutally exact revenge on everyone who harmed him.

• The Mask Omnibus Volume 1 (Paperback) -- $23.62 ($30)
• The Mask Omnibus Volume 2 (Paperback) -- $30

Some of these scenes made it into the movie, albeit toned down. For example, the mechanics who extort Ipkiss in the film are humiliated by his alter-ego, but in the comics, they meet a gruesome end at his hands. Other characters are gunned down in cold blood and the book doesn't have a happy ending for Ipkiss. If you'd like to see just how absurdly violent the original comic is, you can pick it up right now as part of The Mask Omnibus Edition for just $23.62 (was $30). After the film became a blockbuster hit, more comic books were produced under several creative teams, but nothing beats the original mini-series by John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke, as it's a grim tale about revenge and how absolute power corrupts absolutely.

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In 1998, the first Pokemon games made their way to America as Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue. Now, decades after the games were released, a Pokemon fan has discovered that they left Pokemon Blue unopened in their closet for decades, and it may be worth thousands.

Reddit user Sausagenpeppers recently shared a photo of their unopened Pokemon Blue (via Automaton), which still has a K-B Toys price tag on it.

Found my old Sealed Pokémon Blue for gameboy
byu/sausagenpeppers ingamecollecting

That would have been an exciting find of its own, but when Sausagenpeppers shared a pic of the other side of the box, it revealed that this is a rare misprint of Pokemon Blue that has Pokemon Red's text on the back of the box.

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Pablo Sanchez fans, rejoice. After reviving the Backyard Sports name and releasing three games in the quirky and cartoony series, publisher Playground Productions has launched Backyard Football '99 on Steam and mobile platforms. As with the original release, the football game stars a colorful cast of child athletes, along with younger versions of actual NFL legends.

Real-life players Barry Sanders, Dan Marino, Drew Bledsoe, Jerry Rice, John Elway, Randall Cunningham, and Steve Young are once again in the Backyard Football roster, though this modern remaster notably lacks Brett Favre. Developer Mega Cat Studios ended up replacing Favre with original character Chase Downfield, which marks the first time these remasters have introduced a new kid.

While most of the kiddified professional football players are back, the game lacks any imagery or references to the NFL. The original 1999 release of Backyard Football let players use actual NFL team names, logos, and colors. Instead, players can form teams like the Labrador Receivers, the Dirty Socks, or the Ticklish Tornados. Interestingly, Backyard Baseball '01, which was released on Steam in July, includes MLB teams and references.

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It's no secret at this point that Hollow Knight: Silksong's launch has been a smashing success. The latest data highlighting the metroidvania game's strong start comes from Alinea Analytics, which states that the Hollow Knight sequel has already seen more than 5 million players since releasing September 4.

Alinea's head of marketing analysis Rhys Elliot wrote on Substack that Silksong sold over 3 million copies on Steam in just three days. In addition, Elliot detailed that of the 5 million people playing the game, 1 million of them accessed it through Xbox Game Pass on console. All in all, it's "the single biggest indie launch we’ve ever tracked in that time period," per Elliot, especially factoring in the $50 million generated from Steam.

Another intriguing aspect of the Alinea report looks into previously played games for Silksong players on Valve's storefront. For example, 78% also checked out the original Hollow Knight, while 32% had played Celeste. Keep in mind, though, there isn't tracking for people possibly playing those titles on other platforms.

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The official show schedule for Tokyo Game Show 2025 has been announced, and it was quickly noticed that EA is hosting an event of its own to reveal more about Battlefield 6's campaign.

A presentation on September 26 at 1 PM local time in Tokyo (midnight EST) will include a new look at Battlefield 6's single-player campaign, featuring lead developers Philippe Ducharme and Roman Campos-Oriola, along with the game's English voice actors. This is according to Gematsu.

Much of the focus of Battlefield 6 so far has been on the multiplayer element, so fans are eager to learn more about the campaign. EA Motive is developing the campaign, which takes inspiration from the war movie Civil War and the Taylor Sheridan drama Lioness.

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PowerA Borderlands Special Edition Wireless Controller for Xbox & PC

$100 | Releases September 12

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Borderlands 4 launches this Friday, September 12, and if you're planning on getting Gearbox's latest FPS for Xbox Series X|S or PC, you may be interested in a new officially licensed controller. PowerA's Borderlands Special Edition Wireless Controller launches the same day for $100. The controller is themed around Borderlands 4's main antagonist The Timekeeper. The dictator of the planet Kairos, The Timekeeper leads the ruling faction known as The Order. The orange and black color scheme looks great, and the controller also has some familiar iconography, including the Borderlands logo and the mask worn by the Psycho on the cover of the new game.

Officially licensed by Gearbox and and Microsoft, the Borderlands-themed gamepad has the form factor of the first-party Xbox Wireless Controller and customization features that make it a budget-friendly alternative to the Elite Series 2. This is the third PowerA Special Edition Xbox Controller themed around a specific game or franchise. A Fortnite-themed model launched last fall and is on sale for 50% off, and a nostalgic Pac-Man-inspired edition debuted earlier this year.

PowerA Borderlands Special Edition Wireless Controller for Xbox & PC $100 | Releases September 12

PowerA's Special Edition Xbox Wireless Controller offers an impressive list of features for the price. We tested the Fortnite model last year, and it's easily the best controller from PowerA we've used. It has Hall Effect sticks and triggers. Not only are the triggers built with Microsoft's Impulse Trigger technology, but pull distance can be adjusted by flipping locking switches on the back. There are three stopping points, including the default Impulse Triggers. The most restrictive setting turns the triggers into rapid-fire buttons.

Four remappable back buttons are located on the back of the textured, rubberized grips. You can remap inputs without an app using the Map AGB button between the trigger locks. Directly below the mapping button is Profiles, which lets you cycle through three control layouts that you save to the controller using PowerA's Gamer HQ App on Xbox or PC. The app also lets you customize stick and trigger sensitivity, adjust rumble intensity, create stick dead zones, and tweak audio settings for gaming with a wired headset using the controller's 3.5mm audio jack. There's also a volume/chat dial on the front, and you'll find the usual Xbox buttons, including the Guide button, Profile, and Share.

PowerA's pro-style controller connects wirelessly to Xbox consoles and P via the included low-latency 2.4GHz USB adapter. You can get up to 30 hours of battery life on a full charge. It charges via USB-C and includes a 10-foot cable that can also be connected to your console/PC for wired play.

Key features:

• USB 2.4GHz wireless for Xbox and PC
• Rubberized grips
• Hall Effect Sticks
• Four remappable back buttons
• Hall Effect Impulse Triggers
• Trigger locks with three stopping points
• Profiles button: Stores three custom control profiles
• Map AGB button: Remap back buttons on the fly
• Official Xbox menu buttons: Profile, Share, View, Menu, Guide
• Up to 30 hours of battery life
• 10-foot USB-C charging cable (also for wired play)
• Volume dial for wired headset
• Dual rumble motors
• Customize settings with PowerA Gamer HQ App
  • Button mapping
  • Trigger and stick sensitivity
  • Dead zones
  • Rumble intensity
  • Audio

See at Amazon See at Best Buy PowerA Borderlands Special Edition Wireless Controller

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The gaming industry has been a forefront for technology since its early days, pushing the expectations of things like handheld computing, online communication, and of course, graphics. For the last seven years, ray tracing has been one of the bleeding-edge frontiers of graphics. But even as ray tracing-capable GPUs proliferate in consoles, PCs, and even handhelds, many gamers are still skeptical of the technology. So what's going on?

It's a complex question, and answering it requires considering a number of factors. Those include game development standards that make poor or almost invisible use of ray tracing; the fact that ray tracing is a still-nascent technology; shifts in gaming habits and preferences; and the timing of the introduction of ray-tracing graphics cards with regard to shifts in the economy.

Ray tracing is one of the oldest technologies in pre-rendered computer graphics, but is still in its infancy in real-time computer graphics. Real-time ray tracing uses simulated light bounces to light and render a game scene. This allows for an accurate rendering of lighting and shadows and detailed reflections that don't require a bunch of work by artists beforehand. Let's take a look at how ray tracing has played out in the gaming industry so far.

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Comedian and host Conan O'Brien's "Clueless Gamer" segment is back, and the newest episode is all about Borderlands 4 and raising money for a good cause.

In this segment, O'Brien plays Borderlands 4 alongside the two people--Brian Long and Liz Day--who donated the most money in the CharityBuzz auction supporting the charity Next for Autism. O'Brien does what he does best in the episode, roasting the game and playing poorly. In particular, he makes fun of Claptrap for being so annoying and questions why such an absurd game needs any kind of story at all.

Next for Autism is a nonprofit that designs and launched programs to support people with autism. Long and Day donated the most money, winning the auction and a chance to play a game with O'Brien.

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As hype continues to mount for GTA 6, a reliable leaker has discovered possible more information about the open-world game that appears to reference parody websites.

Tez2 said in the GTA forums that they recently came across website domains registered on May 27 under Rockstar owner Take-Two that appear to be related to GTA 6. The domains are for things like "what-up.app," "Rydeme.app," and "hookers-galore.com," along with "myboyhasacreepycorndog.com" and "leonidagov.org." People are theorizing that these are domains related to in-game websites.

None of them are currently online and available to visit, but some believe they will eventually redirect to the main GTA 6 website. Here is the full list of what Tez2 discovered:

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Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally here, and players agree that the game kicks ass--mostly their own. Team Cherry's metroidvania is a challenging adventure, but if you're feeling masochistic, you can dial up the difficulty further with a "cheat" code that references (but is different than) the infamous Konami code. Simply head to the "Extras" section of the main menu and enter this sequence on the D-pad to unlock Steel Soul Mode:

Up, Down, Up, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right.

So what does Steel Soul Mode do? Once you start a new game, you've only got a single life with which to complete the game. No respawns or reloading saves: just a failed run if you fall. Veteran Hollow Knight players might recognize the mode as well, as it was in the first game and it was unlocked after the campaign was beaten for the first time.

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Voodoo Ranger, the popular IPA beer brand, has announced a partnership with 2K Games to create a special-edition Borderlands 4 IPA.

The beer is called Voodoo Ranger x Borderlands 4 IPA, it comes in six-packs, and they're available across the US right now (via BleedingCool). Each six-pack includes a QR code that offers up the chance to win a copy of Borderlands 4 and in-game "golden key" rewards.

Voodoo Ranger x Borderlands 4

It appears this is Voodoo Ranger's standard IPA, and not a specially crafted brew specific to elements of Borderlands. It's 7% ABV and comes in 12oz cans.

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Localizing video games can be challenging, and in the case of Animal Crossing, bringing the distinctly Japanese social-sim to the West in 2002 proved to be a Herculean labor. One of the big obstacles was renaming the game, as its Japanese title of Dōbutsu no Mori had to be changed for its Western release.

The entire localization job took between six months and a year to complete, former Nintendo of America localization manager Leslie Swan said to Time Extension, and one of the proposed titles was Animal Acres, a name that was inspired by the grids of the town. This was ultimately rejected by Nintendo, with the title of Animal Crossing being approved instead.

The late Satoru Iwata--who was the head of Nintendo's corporate planning division at that time--laughed when he heard that Swan and her team were working on the English localization. Game producer Takashi Tezuka had also warned the team about taking on the task, as they'd need to not only translate thousands of lines of text, but also rename characters, come up with new catchphrases for them, and figure out how to adapt Japanese-specific themes for Western audiences.

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Hollow Knight: Silksong's first patch has been announced, and it makes the game easier, at least somewhat. The new update includes a "slight difficulty reduction" for the early-game bosses Moorwing and Sister Splinter. Additionally, Sandcarvers will do less damage.

The new Silksong patch also includes a variety of fixes. Players should no longer get stuck floating after down-bouncing on certain projectiles, while Silk Snippers in Chapel of the Reaper could previously get stuck out of bounds but that should be fixed now.

This patch will arrive mid-next week. Team Cherry said it's already working on more fixes for the second patch. "If you have an issue and you don't see the solution in the list, we may be working on it," the developers said.

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Ghost of Yotei's developers embraced the fact that Rockstar chose to delay GTA 6 to 2026, thereby giving Sucker Punch's own game space in the fall season.

Ghost of Yotei co-creative director Nate Fox was asked by MinnMaxx if the entire studio uncorked some champagne and celebrated the news in May 2025 when Rockstar announced GTA 6's delay.

"We're all still hungover. Multi-month hangover. That was a great day," Fox said.

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2017's Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus is one of the last decade's best first-person shooters, blending brutal combat with a Nazi-hunting story that sees protagonist BJ Blazkowicz come face to face with Adolf Hitler himself. For those who have played the game, you likely remember this pivotal scene, but according to the development team, it also could have been a penile scene.

That's right: If it weren't for higher-ups at Bethesda, the game would have shown Hitler's weird penis.

Speaking to Noclip (via IGN), MachineGames studio director Jerk Gustatfsson revealed the (tiny) tidbit of information while discussing the creation of the game. It would have occurred when Hitler was urinating in a bucket (which did make it into the game) as Blazkowicz prepared to deliver his lines in a film audition.

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Microsoft has announced that it has collaborated with LG to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to select internet-connected vehicles. By using LG's webOS Automotive platform, passengers will be able to stream and play games directly from the Xbox app. Players will need to have an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and an automotive data plan to access their gaming library, but Microsoft says that it will give them instant access to hundreds of games via Game Pass as well.

A new video showed off how this works, with the footage specifically focused on people in the rear enjoying some games--just in case you were worried that this partnership could lead to some IRL Forza Horizon from the driver in the front.

It's not unsurprising to see Microsoft expand its cloud gaming initiative to cars, as the company's marketing for its gaming brand in 2025 has been focused on how you don't need to own an Xbox console to play Xbox games. "This Is An Xbox" has been the primary slogan for this advertising campaign, which emphasizes how the Xbox ecosystem can be accessed through a wide variety of devices.

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Helldivers 2 has a way of bringing players together, especially now that Xbox Series X|S gamers can join their PS5 and PC allies in the battle for Super Earth's survival. While Helldivers 2 players have requested an in-game social hub like the tower in Destiny, that won't be coming anytime soon. But it may be a feature in Helldivers 3.

Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani recently addressed the fan request for a Helldivers 2 social hub during an appearance on Reddit (via Games Radar). According to Jorjani, "it's on the feature list for the next one."

Posts from the helldivers
community on Reddit

Just don't expect to move into that social hub anytime soon. As Jorjani previously noted on Discord, "We honestly are focusing on the here and now. [Helldivers 3] is hopefully many years away."

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The iPod age of gaming came and went fairly quickly during the two-decade lifecycle of Apple's signature brand of music players. Apple released 54 games for the iPod clickwheel that could have been lost to time if not for the efforts of game preservationists. It took a lot of effort to bring all of the games back together, but the complete lineup of iPod clickwheel games has now been preserved.

As reported by Ars Technica, iPod Clickwheel Games Preservation Project founder Olsro recently completed the collection by tracking down a copy of Real Soccer 2009. Preserving the titles meant finding people who still had the original games downloaded on their iPods and syncing them up to a Virtual Machine master library that lets other iPod owners access the games at their leisure. Olsro also expressed relief that the completed project "means this whole part from the early 2000s will remain with us forever."

The Virtual Machine titles are compatible with iPod Classic 5G, 5.5G, 6G, 6.5G, and 7G, iPod Nano 3G or 4G, and iPod Nano 5G. Olsro has shared detailed instructions for how to access the Virtual Machine on GitHub. Once those steps are followed, players should be able to enjoy those titles on their own iPods.

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Combining cute Japanese vending machine aesthetics with classic management sim mechanics, Vending Machine Co. is on its way to help you build a passive income empire. The simulation game will release in full later this year, but is currently previewing its kawaii aesthetic with a free Steam demo.

Japan is well-known for its vending machine culture, and this new management sim is putting you in charge of your own Japanese vending machine empire. You can choose which neighborhood to put your machines in, and what to stock them with, with different demographics of customers likely to purchase different stock.

While Vending Machine Co. follows the classic management sim formula, its cute illustrative style and satisfying restocking gameplay is reminiscent of cozy indie hit Unpacking. Managing your machines will initiate other little mini-games along the way, from repairs and upkeep to sorting and counting your cash.

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