Before adding Peter Griffin to Fortnite, the creator of Family Guy, Seth MacFarlane, had no idea "what the f**k Fortnite" was. But as soon as he learned about the game, he loved the idea of adding Peter to the island.

The news comes from the official IGN YouTube channel, where MacFarlane was presumably asked about his thoughts on Peter coming to the island. Here's what he had to say:

"It was great. I had to have somebody explain to me what the f**k Fortnite is. And then I said, well, that sounds kinda cool. Yeah, why not let's do it."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Things are a little quiet in Destiny 2 now that Season of the Wish's storyline has almost wrapped up, but there's no harm in paying a visit to friendly arms dealer Xur for a look at his fresh stock of weapons and armor. Here's where you can find Xur this weekend and what he has for sale.

This week you can find Xur in The Tower, inside the Hangar. For his weapon, Xur is offering Merciless. Hunters can pick up Orpheus Rig leg armor; Titans can grab Mk. 44 Stand Asides leg armor; and Warlocks can buy the Wings of Sacred Dawn armor.

Xur locationXur's location inside the Tower.

Spawn in using the Courtyard transmat zone in the Tower to find Xur this week. Head left and down the stairs to enter the Hangar section, then hang another left. Make your way to the north end of the area and look for a staircase that will take you onto a catwalk, where Xur is waiting.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida has revealed that the game originally had a PlayStation 4 version alongside its PlayStation 5 one.

PlayStation's Shuhei Yoshida conducted an interview with Yoshida on The AIAS Game Maker's Notebook YouTube channel about Final Fantasy XVI's development. Yoshida said, "Originally, we were expecting to have a multi-platform release on PlayStation 4 as well. And to some extent, the assets were pushing the PlayStation 4 to its absolute limits."

He continued, "But in the end, the Final Fantasy series has a certain level of graphical fidelity expected of it, and when we tried to eliminate basically all loading on the PS4 version, there were certain parts where we were having to reduce the quality to a point lower than [Final Fantasy] XV."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

When piecing together your PC gaming setup, finding a good monitor is nearly as important as your GPU. There's no point building a fancy rig if it's connected to a screen that can't keep pace--but many of the best monitors on the market are shockingly expensive. That's not quite the case right now, however, as several retailers are slashing prices on a variety of displays as we roll deeper into 2024. From high-end Samsung displays to entry-level monitors, tons of great options are available for great low prices.

Gallery

The Philips Momentum 24-Inch Gaming Monitor is one of the most affordable items on sale, as it's down to just $100--its lowest price ever. Despite the price tag, it offers a bunch of premium features, such as a 1ms response time, 165Hz refresh rate, and AMD FreeSync for smooth gameplay. A larger, 27-inch version is also on sale for $140 (down from $160).

Need something more robust? Look at the Samsung Odyssey 24-Inch Curved Gaming Monitor. Down to just $179 from its usual $250, it gets you a 144Hz refresh rate, AMD FreeSync, an impressive contrast ratio for deep blacks, and an ergonomic, curved display. It also looks sharp, thanks to an angular design and minimalistic black finish. For a larger alternative, consider the LG UltraGear 32-Inch Gaming Monitor, as it offers many of the same features and is now down to one of its lowest prices in months at $305 (down from $400).

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, a drama that chronicles the creation of the first atomic bomb and one of 2023's biggest films, will come to Peacock on February 16.

The movie debuted in theaters in July 2023 and was a massive success, bringing in more than $950 million worldwide. It came to DVD and Blu-ray in November, along with digital storefronts where people could buy and rent the film.

For its streaming release, though, Peacock will be the exclusive source for Oppenheimer when it arrives there on February 16. Peacock is owned by NBC Universal, which owns Oppenheimer studio Universal.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Netflix has announced that Oscar-nominated actor Laurence Fishburne is joining the cast of The Witcher for its upcoming fourth season.

Fishburne, who famously played Orpheus in The Matrix and earned an Academy Award nomination for What's Love Got to do With It, will play Regis. This character was introduced in the book Baptism of Fire, and he's described as a "world-wide barber-surgeon with a mysterious past." He will team up with Geralt, who will be played by Liam Hemsworth after Henry Cavill moved on from the role.

News from The Continent! Laurence Fishburne will be joining The Witcher family as Regis, a world-wise Barber-surgeon with a mysterious past. pic.twitter.com/u8mXxqHs6b

— Netflix (@netflix) January 12, 2024

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Creating a video game isn't easy--and if you're starting from scratch, it can also be expensive. Learning how to use your preferred engine often requires advanced tutorials, and if you don't also want to learn how to draw or piece together a soundtrack, you'll likely want to invest in asset packs. Thankfully, there are dozens of great game dev bundles on sale right now, giving you a chance to start the new year by learning a new skill without breaking the bank.

The Make Your Own Games In Unreal Engine 5 Bundle is one of the most enticing deals, as it pulls together over $1,900 worth of software for just $25.20. The 14-item bundle includes coursework in C++, various asset packs, and walkthroughs on how to develop specific genres like FPS games and adventure games.

If you'd rather not learn a programming language and want to get straight to building your game, check out the Easy No-Code Game Design Bundle, which is built around GDevelop. This platform requires no coding and instead uses a visual, event-based UI to get things done. A few different tiers are available, each one offering a variety of accompanying software, but the best deal gets you 12 products for $12.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

When it comes to wireless gaming headsets that can be used on multiple platforms, offer excellent sound quality, and are wonderfully comfy, it's hard to beat the functional charm of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro. All of that high-end quality does come at a hefty cost--$350--but right now you can save $50 when buying this headset through Amazon.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro headset See on Amazon

This deal is for the Xbox version of the headset--GameSpot's pick for the best Xbox and best PS5 headset overall--and while it is geared primarily toward Xbox consoles, it'll work on PS5, PS4, PC, and Switch as well. That gives you added functionality, making this one of the best all-rounder headsets on the market today.

Internally, there's a lot to appreciate here as the headset can take advantage of Microsoft Spatial Sound for Xbox and Tempest 3D Audio for PS5, you can mix two audio connections at the same time, and active noise cancellation will allow you to focus purely on your game's audio. For added convenience, you can have the base station plugged into both your Xbox and PlayStation console, to make switching between them more seamless.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Paramount reportedly feels the need for speed for a third time, as Top Gun 3 is in development at the studio. The sequel to 2022's Top Gun: Maverick has supposedly been in the works since late fall--so possibly a November/early December timeframe.

The Hollywood Reporter says that sources indicate Maverick director Joe Kosinski will return to helm Top Gun 3. In addition, Maverick co-writer Ehren Kruger is toiling away on the screenplay, per Puck. As for star power, Paramount apparently wants to bring back the trio of Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, and Glen Powell. However, keep in mind that Cruise just signed a non-exclusive deal with Warner Bros. to make original and franchise films, according to Variety.

In July 2022, Teller said he had spoken with Cruise about Top Gun 3, but ultimately it was "all up to Tom." Teller portrayed Goose's son Lt. Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw in Maverick, while Powell played Lieutenant Jake "Hangman" Seresin. This wouldn't be the only big sequel in the works for the latter, as Powell has been attached to Twisters as well.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

A new year has barely begun, and already, a must-play game has entered the scene. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is officially out on January 18, but if you're looking to get a headstart on the game, you can start playing the fast-paced metroidvania as early as January 15.

Sign up for Ubisoft+

How do you get in three days early? All you have to do is sign up for Ubisoft+, Ubisoft's monthly subscription service that offers a wide selection of games to play from the company's catalog, including big day-one releases like the new Prince of Persia adventure.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Sand Land, the action RPG adapted from the manga by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, will release on April 26, 2024, Bandai Namco has announced. A new trailer reveals the game's release date, as well as showing off new (less sandy) biomes, gameplay features, and characters.

Sand Land seemed to come out of nowhere when it was announced at last year's Summer Games Fest, adapting the classic Toriyama manga with a similar style to Bandai Namco's Dragon Ball games. The series is set in a Mad Max-esque desert apocalypse, where water is a scarce and precious resource.

The game follows Beelzebub, a bored demon prince and the son of Lucifer himself, and his chaperone Thief, who join old man Sheriff Rao on his quest to find water for his people. The new trailer also introduces Ann, a "mysterious" mechanic who will no doubt be a helpful companion, with the game offering multiple different types of customizable vehicles for your journey across the sands.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Nintendo is continuing to add Game Boy Advance games to the Nintendo Online + Expansion Pack library with the addition of two beloved GBA JRPGs: Golden Sun and its sequel, Golden Sun: The Lost Age.

The classic JRPGs were released in 2001 and 2002 respectively, following a group of magic-wielding "adepts" who are tasked with preventing the release of a destructive magic known as Alchemy into the world.

The games were both critically well-received on release, with GameSpot's original review of Golden Sun praising its "tight graphics, polished gameplay, and a solid story," awarding the game a score of 8.6/10. Its sequel The Lost Age was also given an 8.6 by GameSpot, with the reviewer calling it "an even more polished game that exceeds its predecessor's high level of quality."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

The Exorcist: Deceiver has hit a bump in the road and has lost David Gordon Green as the film's director. Because Green departs from the film, it's unclear when the movie will be released.

Thanks to The Hollywood Reporter, we know that Green had recently seemed noncommittal, saying in a statement:

"My intention is just to start making things, and as those plans come together, if I find myself in that [The Exorcist: Deceiver] director's chair, I'd be thrilled," Green said." But right now, I'm navigating it from a story perspective and looking at my realities of life as I pivot."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Humble Bundle and book publisher Harper Collins have teamed up for a new book bundle focusing on the beloved Discworld series of fantasy novels by late author Terry Pratchett. The aptly named Terry Pratchett's Discworld Bundle includes up to 38 ebook editions of mainline Discworld novels, and like other Humble bundle deals, a portion of all sales goes to charity.

See at Humble

The bundle comes in multiple pricing tiers, and the more you pay the more books you get. For just $1, you get the first three Discworld novels: The Color of Magic, The Light Fantastic, and Equal Rites, all in ebook form. Pay at least $10, and you get the first nine novels in the series--including the three ebooks from the $1 tier, plus Mort, Sourcery, Wyrd Sisters, Pyramids, Guards! Guards!, and Eric.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

There's a joke in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 that, if you're at all tied into discussions about Insomniac's Spider-Man games, feels pointed. It comes up during side-plot moments with Wraith, a vigilante who wants Peter Parker's Spider-Man to help her put an end to a fire-obsessed killer cult. When Spider-Man asks Wraith if she has any tattoos, she quips, "Just the one of Spider-Cop's gravestone."

It's a joke that requires some familiarity with the first Marvel's Spider-Man. The 2018 game saw Peter constantly working with New York Police Department captain Yuri Watanabe--the character who, after the events of the first game and its DLC, becomes Wraith. When they worked together, Peter often jokingly pretended to be a hardboiled, Dirty Harry-like detective character he called Spider-Cop, much to Yuri's annoyance. So on the surface, the "Spider-Cop's gravestone" gag is a callback to their previous close relationship and a dunk on Peter's dorky sense of humor, while also highlighting the dark turn Yuri has taken since.

But the death of Spider-Cop also references a larger discussion surrounding the first Spider-Man, and it's a microcosm of character elements at work in Spider-Man 2. In the first game, Insomniac "turned Spider-Man into a damn cop," as Deadspin's Tom Ley put it. But in the sequel, the developer turned that criticism into character development that's an essential part of the story. And, indirectly, it's also one of the main reasons that Peter Parker chooses to step away from his superhero role and let Miles Morales take over.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Overwatch 2 is changing up its usual Quick Play rules with Quicker Play, a limited-edition game mode that features faster captures speeds, payloads, and respawn times. The mode will run from January 12-14, after which Quick Play matchmaking will return.

As for what changes players can expect, much of it boils down to faster gameplay. Respawn times will be set to 75% of their original time, while payloads will move 60% faster. Taking control of the objective point in both Hybrid and Control will be 40% faster, while Flashpoint will be 20% faster. A list of all changes can be found below:

Quicker Play changes

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Ubisoft's Metroidvania platformer Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown currently has a character that's being voiced by a text-to-speech (TTS). And no one seems to know why.

Thanks to an IGN report, we know that an in-game character named Kalux was voiced using TTS, a popular program amongst steamers. In a video posted by IGN, you can hear the voice for yourself whenever the main character travels anywhere on the map.

When Side UK, the production studio, was asked about who's responsible for the usage of the TTS voicing a character, the studio had this to say:

Continue Reading at GameSpot

One of our most-anticipated games of 2024, Pacific Drive, launches on February 22, and PC players can preorder the indie survival game for just $21.59 at Green Man Gaming. That's almost 30% off the normal $30 price.

Preorder at Green Man Gaming

To get the full discount, you need to join the free GMG XP rewards program. Pacific Drive costs $27 for non-members, which is still cheaper than the full $30 price tag, but since GMG XP is free to join, there's no reason to miss out on the better deal. GMG XP members earn points on all game purchases, which can be cashed in for additional coupons and other offers. Members also get exclusive discounts like this Pacific Drive preorder deal. Keys purchases from Green Man Gaming unlock via Steam.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Preorder Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Sweep the Board!

$60

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at GameStop

Demon Slayer fans can team up to hunt demons and master mini-games when Sega's upcoming Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Sweep the Board! launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch on April 26. The game features the characters and setting of the hit anime/manga series and gameplay similar to the Mario Party series, but with distinct Demon Slayer twists.

Players control Demon Slayer characters like Tanjiro, Inosuke, Zenitsu, and the nine Hashira, as they roll dice and explore unique gameboards based on iconic locations from the series. Each board features a day and night cycle--during the day, you'll compete in mini-games to prepare for nighttime battles against demons where you swing the Joy-Con controllers for motion-based attacks.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

As the first new entry in the franchise in over a decade, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is receiving quite the royal welcome from critics. The game moves away from the 3D action-adventure genre and instead offers a metroidvania experience.

The transition seems like the right one, because Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown has a metascore of 86 on GameSpot sister site Metacritic. That favorable rating comes from 59 critic reviews at the time of this article's publication.

GameSpot writer Steve Watts states that the series has "found its new home" as a metroidvania in his review. He adds: "This new genre debut is so confident and impeccably crafted that this should simply be the identity of Prince of Persia for the foreseeable future." Watts wasn't alone either, as other reviewers highlighted how well the game nails the metroidvania feel. In fact, there's a Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown feature that other metroidvania games should steal going forward.

Continue Reading at GameSpot