Embark Studios has launched a free open test for Arc Raiders, with the studio aiming to put the servers to the test before the PvPvE extraction shooter officially launches on October 30.

The "server slam," as it's being referred to, is live now through October 19 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Not everyone is seeing the Steam client appear right now, but it's said to be rolling out in waves, so keep checking back.

As announced previously, the Arc Raiders free test allows people to try the Dam Battleground map and experience the progression, crafting, and quest systems. For Embark Studios, the test is being undertaken to help the studio prepare its servers for launch.

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Battlefield Studios has addressed the Battlefield 6 progression elephant in the room, explaining how it intends to patch out "XP farms" and improve player development in the long term. In an update that has begun rolling out across all platforms, players can look forward to a boost to experience points gained from match completion--this has been increased by 10%--and XP from completing daily challenges has increased by 40%.

The XP needed to unlock the first 20 Attachment Ranks has also been reduced, and the other big change is that the assignments that required players to reach career ranks 20, 23, and 26 have been adjusted, and will now require them to reach ranks 10, 15, and 20, respectively.

These updates come at a time when players have begun reporting that servers were filled to maximum capacity, as players would join matches populated with bots so that they could farm for XP quickly and improve their stats by taking on opponents who don't pose as much of a threat as your typical human player.

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As part of the ongoing Sony vs. Tencent lawsuit, a lot of information that was not intended to be made public is being made public, and now another morsel of news has emerged. Documents from the lawsuit reveal that PlayStation Productions boss Asad Qizilbash gave a sworn declaration stating that the upcoming Horizon live-action movie is aiming to release in 2027.

Qizilbash said in the testimony, filed on October 16, that there is already a "working script" for the film and that the team is "actively searching for a director," according to The Game Post. No names were divulged as candidates to direct, however. What Qizilbash did say, though, is that the goal is to begin shooting the Horizon movie in 2026 and release it in 2027.

PlayStation Productions and Columbia Pictures previously worked together on the Tom Holland-starring Uncharted movie and Gran Turismo. PlayStation Productions and Columbia Pictures are both owned by Sony.

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Marvel Rivals developer NetEase has revealed the game's first-ever PvE mode, and fittingly, it's a ghoulish addition to the game that will launch on October 23. As part of a collaboration with Marvel Animation, Marvel Rivals players can hop into Zombie Mode starting next week.

Inspired by last month's Marvel Zombies miniseries, the mode features a select team of heroes--Thor, Jeff, Magik, Blade, and the Punisher--joining forces to take on endless waves of zombies.

Not only will players have to survive against a horde of the undead, but they'll also face off against Zombie Namor and the Queen of the Dead. Marvel Games executive producer Danny Koo added that each playable hero will have a few unique abilities to help even the odds, like Thor having a persistent Awakened state to shock nearby zombies, Magik's Darkchild form, and Jeff's ability to charge through enemies.

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Glen Schofield, a video game industry veteran known for co-creating the Dead Space series and working on multiple Call of Duty games, has said the gaming industry is facing major challenges and that developers can look to artificial intelligence technologies to help solve some of the issues. Schofield made these comments at the same time that many in the video game industry have raised concerns, objections, and fears about the further adoption and implementation of AI.

"We need to fix the gaming industry right now," Schofield said at Gamescom Asia recently, as reported by IGN. "It's broken. It's beaten, it's battered, our developers are battered, they've been taking it on the chin for the last couple of years. We need to bring it back to what it was. Instead of all this negativity."

The games industry should embrace AI, not fear it, Schofield said.

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The former creative lead of the Assassin's Creed series wants to clarify that it wasn't his choice to step away from the franchise. Earlier this week, Marc-Alexis Côté left Ubisoft after roughly 20 years with the company--including the last three as vice president and executive producer of Assassin's Creed.

On LinkedIn, Côté stated that he's still passionate about Assassin's Creed, and he didn't "make that choice" to leave the series. "I did not walk away. I stayed at my post until Ubisoft asked me to step aside," said Côté, who prefaced this by saying he's not resentful toward Ubisoft.

Earlier this month, Ubisoft announced that a new subsidiary named Vantage Studios will oversee the Assassin's Creed franchise, along with Rainbow Six and Far Cry. With this reorganization, Côté noted that Ubisoft "decided to transfer the leadership of the Assassin’s Creed franchise." As previously reported, a "different position was mentioned" to Côté, but he said "it did not carry the same scope, mandate, or continuity" of what he was doing over the past few years.

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After less than two days, Battlefield Studios has announced that it's reverting the recent Battlefield 6 ticket changes based on feedback. For anyone just catching up, the developer said on Wednesday that ticket numbers for Conquest maps would drop from 1000 to lower values, but less than 48 hours later, the developer confirmed the ticket numbers are reverting back to 1000 for all maps.

All Conquest matches now begin with 1,000 tickets for each side and a 45-minute time limit. The developer previously dropped the starting ticket numbers down to 700-900 depending on the map, a decision the company made to help speed up matches. But that's all changing now, and Battlefield Studios said people may face longer matches on larger maps like Mirak Valley and Firestorm.

"We'll continue monitoring player feedback and gameplay data to ensure the pacing and overall flow of matches feel right," the developer said.

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Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, the long-anticipated vampire action-RPG, has finally arrived. You awaken in Seattle with a pile of mysteries to solve, in a city on the verge of vampire war. Early on, you have to make an important choice: which clan you come from, and making this choice will change which abilities you have access to early in the game.

What's the difference between clans?You can gain access to abilities from other clans buy spending Blood Resonance currency.

Importantly, each clan serves as a class, giving you different passive and active abilities. Each clan has affinities with different types of powers, and unlocking new abilities for a specific clan unlocks more outfits as well.

While the clan you choose will determine which abilities you get first, you will have the opportunity to unlock abilities from other clans later in the story. However, your passive ability is determined by the clan you choose, and you will be locked out of the other passive abilities.

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Hori Guitar Life Controller and Software Bundle

$100 | Releases December 15

Preorder at Amazon

Guitars have been a popular choice for anyone wanting to learn how to play a musical instrument--they're easy to learn and challenging to master--and if you're looking to do just that, you might want to check out this controller and teaching game for Nintendo Switch. Hori Guitar Life launched last year in Japan, and preorders have now opened up for the peripheral ahead of its US release. Priced at $100, it'll be released on December 15, and you can preorder it now through Amazon. Just remember--no Stairway.

Hori Guitar Life Controller and Software Bundle $100 | Releases December 15

Unlike other guitar controllers on the market, the Hori model is designed to accurately replicate the feel of a traditional acoustic guitar and is ergonomically shaped to be comfortable to use. The controller is equipped with pressure-sensitive strings and even includes a pick for when you start strumming, while the software that comes bundled with it offers interactive lessons. Additionally, you can track your progress, see which areas you need to improve on, and use various modes to hone your skills. These include Lesson, Free Play, Musical Performance, Chord Run, and Rhythm Riff modes.

For the songs, Hori has included the following licensed tracks and public domain classics to learn:

• Sweet Home Alabama
• Amarillo by Morning
• Breakfast at Tiffany’s
• Closing Time
• So Far Away
• Born to Be Wild
• Ramblin’ Man
• Rhinestone Cowboy
• Absolutely (Story of a Girl)
• China Grove
• Happy Birthday to You
• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
• Jingle Bells

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One thing to note here is that the controller is only compatible with original Switch Joy-Cons and not the new controllers that came with the Switch 2. You'll need to have a right Joy-Con plugged into the controller, but these are widely available. Amazon currently has a great deal on a single right-hand Joy-Con, as it's selling these for $29.86 (was $50). These are "renewed" models on sale, which means that they're refurbished controllers. The other option is a traditional two-pack of Switch Joy-Con controllers, and these typically retail for $80 for a brand-new set.

• Switch Joy-Con controller (Neon red right-hand model, Amazon Renewed) -- $29.86 ($50)
• Switch Joy-Con controllers (White, Amazon Renewed) -- $55
• Switch Joy-Con controllers (Neon red and blue) -- $80 ($90)
• Switch Joy-Con controllers (Neon red and blue, Amazon Renewed) -- $53 ($80)
• Switch Joy-Con controllers (Neon green and pink, Amazon Renewed) -- $78
• Switch Joy-Con controllers (Neon yellow, Amazon Renewed) -- $55 ($60)

Hori isn't the only company making guitar controllers right now, as CRKD has also ventured into this space. The CRKD Gibson Les Paul Wireless Guitar controllers work on multiple platforms, with pricing starting at $115 for the Black Tribal Encore edition and $125 for the Blueberry Burst Pro version. The company also offers the Neo S, a smaller controller priced at $60 that comes equipped with a five-fret attachment.

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The Switch 2 has consistently shattered expectations in the four months since its release, breaking sales records and bolstering overall industry figures while other hardware manufacturers have struggled. Nintendo expects the Switch 2's momentum to continue, and has ramped up production of the console.

Nintendo has asked its suppliers to produce 25 million Switch 2 units by March next year, Bloomberg reports citing anonymous sources close to the company. The console has thrived in its first few months on the market, and Nintendo is doubtless counting on demand to stay strong following the release of Pokemon Legends Z-A, and onwards into the busy holiday season.

The increase in production suggests Nintendo is easily on track to beat analysts estimate of 17.6 million consoles sold in its first fiscal year--itself higher than Nintendo's own conservative estimate of 15 million units given to investors. The new production plan suggests Nintendo may sell as many as 20 million units this fiscal year.

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Depite carrying the Legends subtitle, it turns out that Pokemon Legends: Z-A is far more of a sequel to Pokemon X & Y than to its predecessor, Pokemon Legends: Arceus--and the clues have always been right there in the name.

As mentioned in GameSpot's review of the latest Pokemon title, Legends: Z-A can easily be considered a sequel to generation 6 titles Pokemon X & Y--it's set in Lumiose City just five years after the events of that game, and brings back many of that game's characters, Pokemon, and even Mega Evolutions. Looking back, the game's status as a sequel has always been right there in the name--following on from X and Y, the next letter of the alphabet is Z, then it would cycle all the way back around to A.

The name could also be a reference to Pokemon Z, a rumored Pokemon title that many expected would be released following X & Y. All the signs seemed to be there for a Zygarde-centered gen 6 sequel, following the long tradition of third Pokemon releases like Crystal or Emerald, but Pokemon Z never eventuated. Instead it took over a decade for X & Y to finally get its follow-up, even if the name also bears the Legends subtitle.

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