The video game market continues to grow and evolve, with multiplayer and live-service games being one area of expansion of late. But don't expect The Witcher and Cyberpunk developer CD Projekt to necessarily follow that path.

As part of the company's latest earnings briefing, co-CEO Michal Nowakowski said the company understands that "the video game market continues to evolve" with numerous new trends. But CD Projekt is going to stick with "cutting-edge single-player" games it's best known for.

"Games rooted in strong franchises and immersive narratives will continue to enjoy great popularity,” Nowakowski said, as reported by Bounding Into Comics. "Our experience, along with brands such as The Witcher and Cyberpunk, which it is our pleasure to further develop, help us build a strong position on the market and paint a positive outlook--while collaboration with global tech and innovation leaders enables us to keep abreast of technical developments in the industry and continue to deliver top-quality entertainment."

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Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga - Limited Edition Box Set (4K)

$207.17 (was $271.54)

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The Star Wars: Skywalker Saga Limited Edition 4K Box Set is on sale for a steep discount during Amazon's Big Spring Sale. Now available for $207.17 (was $271.54), this collector's set includes all nine films in the Skywalker Saga--plus over 26 hours of bonus features. Amazon typically sells this collection for $270-$280, so you're saving over $50 compared to the average price.

This collection originally released in the US in 2019 as a Best Buy exclusive for $225. Over in the UK, the set was exclusive to Amazon. With Best Buy no longer carrying Blu-rays, this 4K set hasn't been available to purchase in from a North American store in years. As strange as it sounds, all Star Wars Blu-ray box sets need to be imported these days.

Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga - Limited Edition Box Set (4K Blu-ray)$207.17 (was $271.54)Gallery

This collection originally released in the US in 2019 as a Best Buy exclusive. Over in the UK, the set was exclusive to Amazon. With Best Buy no longer carrying Blu-rays, this 4K set hasn't been available to purchase in from a North American store in years. As strange as it sounds, all Star Wars Blu-ray box sets need to be imported these days.

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Xbox is testing a new feature called Game Hubs that appears when trying to launch a game, bringing up an additional screen of information such as achievements and playtime alongside a "Play" button instead of immediately booting up the game.

As reported by VGC (who has access to the update), the feature is currently being tested by select members of the Xbox Insiders preview program. The Game Hub appears when selecting a game tile from a player's library or their recently played games list, and instead of launching the game as usual, brings up an additional screen showing stats like Gamerscore associated with the chosen title.

The Game Hub also shows available DLC add-ons, in-game captures, in-game events, and other information tailored to the chosen game. The Game Hub info screen defaults to having the "Play" button selected, so a double press of the A button will launch the game as usual.

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Square Enix has announced that War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius will be shutting down on May 30.

"Since War of the Visions: Final Fantasay Brave Exvius's launch on March 25, 2020, we've strived to provide an enjoyable gaming experience for our players every day that could exceed the day before," Square Enix said in a statement. "However, we've come to the conclusion that it would be difficult to maintain a satisfactory app experience, and therefore to discontinue the app service."

An end-of-service roadmap was also provided. Players are now no longer able to purchase Visiore using real-world currency. However, any currently held Visiore can still be used until the game shuts down. Visiore is the game's premium currency that let players summon units, purchase items from the shop, and replenish NRG. Special Shop sales have ended too.

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Much like the state of The Witcher 4, Naughty Dog’s recently announced Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet won't be released until 2027 at the soonest as well, apparently. Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier took to ResetEra to say in addition to the next Witcher, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet will be out in 2027 at the soonest.

In the thread, Schreier corrected a commenter about what he said during the Game Awards after "teasing" that both games would be released in 2026, saying that was inaccurate.

"I'm pretty sure I said they were both going to be very early teases," he said. "Neither of those games will be out next year."

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Activision has announced that Call of Duty's big Season 3 update has brought forward its release date, while the studio has confirmed that Warzone will go offline for 24 hours prior to the return of Verdansk.

Season 3 was previously announced to kick off on April 3, but now it's starting on April 2, Activision revealed in a video podcast today (below). There will be a free 24-hour Black Ops 6 trial available at this time.

Additionally, Activision confirmed that Warzone will go offline for a period of 24 hours leading to the highly anticipated release of Warzone's OG map, Verdansk, on April 3. As a special bonus, everyone who simply opens the Warzone menu during the 24 hours that Warzone is offline will receive the Kilo weapon for free.

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InZoi is set to launch in early access tomorrow, and developer InZoi Studio is hoping its Sims-like life simulator can challenge EA's juggernaut right from the jump. After a controversy stirred regarding mods, however, one lead dev took to Steam to announce the removal of the DRM program Denuvo from the upcoming build, in a bid to quell disappointment.

In a statement on InZoi's official Steam page, game director and producer Hyungjun "Kjun" Kim confirmed that Denuvo will not be part of InZoi's early-access launch after "consulting with teams from around the world to make a thoughtful and informed decision." Kim says that the decision to use Denuvo was initially to prevent "illegal distribution," but that including the program would ultimately not serve the community at large.

InZoi

"We understand that removing Denuvo increases the risk of the game being cracked and illegally distributed after release," Kim said in the statement. "At the same time, we believe it opens up a valuable opportunity: It allows InZoi to become more freely configurable--unlocking new ways for players to shape new experiences for other players. We believe enabling this freedom from the very beginning will lead to innovative and long-lasting enjoyment for the community."

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Actor Jack Black is a big fan of video games, but what games specifically does he get immersed in? In an interview, the A Minecraft Movie star sang the praises of Rockstar Games' acclaimed 2018 game Red Dead Redemption II, saying he played the title for hundreds of hours during the pandemic.

"It was over pandemic times. I played Red Dead Redemption 2, and I lived in it," he told ComicBook. "It was not a game. It was like a way of life. I got 400 hours clocked, and it was a lot, and I don't regret any of it. It was so fun. It's beautiful out there, it's an incredible universe they created."

A Minecraft Movie is just the latest video game film for Black, as he also played Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. In video games themselves, Black is perhaps best known for portraying Eddie Riggs in Brutal Legend.

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A Shinto shrine that's believed to have influenced a similar location in Ghost of Tsushima has reportedly banned tourists after an undisclosed incident involving foreigners. Named Watazumi Shrine, the Japanese site is found on Tsushima Island, which sits to the southeast of South Korea.

Automaton reports that an official announcement by Watazumi Shrine on Instagram revealed the ban, stating it's taking effect because of "a grave and unforgivable act of disrespect committed by foreigner(s)." No further details were given about the incident, though this apparently isn't the first time problems have occurred at the site. It's believed that Watazumi Shrine was the inspiration for Ghost of Tsushima's Scarlet Rock Shrine.

This connection supposedly led to Ghost of Tsushima fans donating to Watazumi Shrine after it was damaged by a typhoon in 2020, per Famitsu. However, to be clear, there is no indication that the incident is in any way related to the PlayStation game's fanbase. This isn't the only shrine controversy in video games. Ubisoft recently updated Assassin's Creed Shadows so that players could no longer destroy items within shrines in the game, which is set in 16th-century Japan.

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CD Projekt has signed a deal to work with Pokemon Go owner Scopely to make a game based on one of the Polish company's franchises. CD Projekt made the announcement during its latest financial briefing, but didn't elaborate much on the deal.

Scopely, which is owned by Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games, is primarily a mobile game developer. Management was asked to share more details on this deal with Scopely during the earnings call, but declined to discuss the matter.

pic.twitter.com/IGdjb1Dr1a

— CD PROJEKT IR (@CDPROJEKTRED_IR) March 25, 2025

Scopely is one of the biggest mobile game companies on the planet, and recently entered a new stratosphere of success with Monopoly Go.

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As part of CD Projekt's recent earnings briefing, the Polish company confirmed that The Witcher 4 is not going to release anytime soon and commented on the company's thoughts regarding generative AI.

Management said during an earnings call that The Witcher 4 is projected to be released after 2026. The company added that it sees "potential" in releasing "a trilogy within six years." It's been confirmed that The Witcher 4 kicks off a new trilogy, and it seems extremely ambitious for The Witcher 5 and 6 to follow within the space of six years, but that is what management believes could be possible, it seems.

Michal Nowakowski, the co-CEO of CD Projekt, was asked during the call if he believes it's possible to release the entire trilogy within a six-year window. He said the company does not foresee anything that would make this goal impossible. The new Witcher games are being made using Epic's Unreal Engine technology, which is a major shift from past releases that were built using CD Projekt's own technology.

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Paradox Interactive and The Chinese Room have announced that Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 will now launch in October.

In a new video update, executive producer Marco Behrmann said, "Since our last update, we've added more content to the game, narrative depth, character development, and we have also evolved Fabien's role in the storyline."

Behrmann also clarified that the game is done, but now the development team is focusing on fixing bugs, improving stability, and increasing performance, so that players have the most enjoyable and optimal experience.

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The Nintendo Switch 2 is reportedly launching in June, with a three-phase plan for rolling out both first- and third-party games throughout the rest of the year.

According to a report from Insider Gaming, various sources have claimed that Nintendo has a three-part plan for rolling out the Nintendo Switch 2 launch this year. Phase 1 starts with the launch of the Switch 2 in June, which will be supported by a number of first-party Nintendo games, like the next Mario Kart game, which was shown during the reveal trailer. June is also when more developers will get Switch 2 dev kits. Analyst Daniel Ahmad clarified on X that many developers already have Switch 2 dev kits, with Nintendo just expanding the number in June.

The second phase is set for October to November, which will see more third-party games launch on the console. The last phase is the holiday period, although no other details were given outside of more games being released. The report also mentioned that some content creators and media will be seeing the new console and some upcoming games next week, the same week that the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct takes place.

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Sony has announced that it is pushing out the PS5's latest system software update, version 25.02-11.00.00, in a phased release starting today.

As part of this update, players will have their activity details fully displayed now but potential spoilers will still be hidden. Additionally, Unicode 16.0 emojis are now supports and players can use them in their messages.

The update brings new changes to the PS5’s parental restriction settings as well. When they are set to "Late Teens or Older," the "Communication and User-Generated Content" function will now default to "Restrict." Those who already have set their levels to "Late Teens or Older" will not have their previous settings affected, and it will still show "Customize" rather than "Restrict."

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mClassic Graphics Upscaler (Original Model)

$85 (was $100)

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mClassic Graphics Upscaler (Nintendo Switch Edition)

$85 (was $100)

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mClassic Graphics Upscaler (Retro Edition)

$85 (was $100)

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Marseille has expanded its lineup of graphic-upscaling gaming accessories with two speciality mClassic dongles. The mClassic Switch Edition is tailored around upscaling the visuals on Switch and other widescreen platforms like Steam Deck. The mClassic Retro Edition, on the other hand, is designed for gamers who want to improve the experience of older games with 4:3 aspect ratio on modern TVs. Both of these newly released gadgets are on sale for $85 (was $100) as part of Amazon's Big Spring Sale.

The original mClassic Graphics Upscaler is still being manufactured--and it's also on sale for $85 (was $100)--as it offers a hybrid experience with visual improvements for modern and retro games. The new iterations offer the same marquee enhancement modes while adding two new visual modes each. Let's take a closer look at all three options below.

mClassic Graphics Upscalers -- $85 ($100)

• Original Edition - Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and retro platforms
• Switch Edition - Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, other 16:9 platforms
• Retro Edition - Retro games with 4:3 aspect ratio (N64, PS2, GameCube, SNES, etc.)

mClassic Graphics Upscaler (Original Model) $85 (was $100)

The original mClassic Graphics Upscaler offers a combination of the two recently released specialty editions. It has features and modes designed for games that render in 16:9 aspect ratio (widescreen) as well as tech created to enhance the picture quality and performance of retro games developed for 4:3 aspect ratio TVs.

The mClassic offers noticeable visual upgrades--though the degree to which you notice the differences depends on how discerning you are when it comes to graphics. Switch games can be upscaled up to 1440p at 60fps. It has built-in anti-aliasing tech that smooths jagged edges and sharpens the picture. The exact boost in visual fidelity varies based on the game, in our experience.

On consoles with HDMI such as Switch, PS3, and Xbox 360 (besides first-gen 360 consoles), all you need to do is plug it into your console, connect the included power cable, and then reconnect your HDMI cable from your TV into the mClassic dongle.

The mClassic substantially improves the overall picture quality and playability of game consoles from the pre-HD era--Super Nintendo, N64, GameCube, etc.--on modern flat-screen 4K and HD TVs. A CRT TV is still clearly the best option for retro gaming, but the mClassic is a great option for those who don't want to deal with the bulk of a box TV or the hassle of finding one in general.

There's a switch on the dongle to flip between modern and retro modes. The third "mode" on the original mClassic simply turns the device's graphics processor off.

• Enhancement On: Improves the visuals/performance of widescreen platforms, including Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck.
• Retro Mode: Allows you to play retro games in 4:3 aspect ratio on modern displays. Markedly improves the picture quality of games originally designed for CRT TVs.

Note: Game consoles without an HDMI port--like the aforementioned retro Nintendo consoles--require the mClassic to be connected to an adapter, such as this $30 model or this one for $20.

See at Amazon mClassic Graphics Upscaler (Nintendo Switch Edition) $85 (was $100)

The mClassic Switch Edition focuses solely on modern gaming platforms with widescreen aspect ratios (16:9). When it comes to modern HD consoles, Marseille has always geared the mClassic toward the Switch, which is why Nintendo's console is in the new model's name. But the mClassic Switch Edition can be used with Steam Deck, PS3, Xbox 360, and other devices with widescreen aspect ratios that lack 1440p and/or 4K resolution.

Once again, performance on Switch varies by game, but the mClassic Switch Edition is capable of upscaling to 1440p at 60fps.

You can toggle between three different visual modes on the mClassic Switch Edition:

• Enhancement On: This mode offers all of the same benefits as the "Enhancement On" mode in the original mClassic.
• Switch Plus: Recreates Switch handheld mode while playing on TV. If you think Switch games look better in handheld mode--and you aren't alone in thinking that--this mode might be preferred over the original enhancement mode.
• Switch Enhance Mode: This mode aims to offer some of the key benefits of OLED TVs, namely improved contrast and clarity when dark colors are displayed.

See at Amazon mClassic Graphics Upscaler (Retro Edition) $85 (was $100)

The new mClassic Retro Edition has three different modes geared toward consoles that released prior to the high-definition era. If you are buying the mClassic to play games on SNES, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64 or any other console designed for 4:3 aspect ratio, the Retro Edition is the one to pick.

It has three modes you can switch between:

• Retro Mode: Display games in original 4:3 aspect ratio with upscaled resolution.
• Vintage Mode: Replicates CRT TV picture and audio in 4:3 aspect ratio. This mode does not alter the colors, lighting, or sound, as it's geared toward authenticity.
• Vintage Enhance Mode: A mix of Retro and Vintage Modes, as it balances authenticity with visual fidelity improvements.

Note: Game consoles without an HDMI port--like the aforementioned retro Nintendo consoles--require the mClassic Original or mClassic Retro to be connected to an adapter, such as this $30 model or this one for $20.

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Marseille recommends locking your Nintendo Switch to 720p while docked--the resolution for handheld mode--for the best results. Based on our testing, we agree with that recommendation, but don't forget to turn 1080p back on before you play without the mClassic Original or mClassic Switch.

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Following its sudden closure in August 2024, long-running video game magazine Game Informer is officially back. The staff announced the news earlier today in an official blog post, writing, "The whole team has returned, and we can’t wait to connect with you again."

In the same post, Game Informer editor-in-chief Matt Miller went on to explain that the outlet was given a "new lease on life" following its acquisition by game studio Gunzilla. Furthermore, Gunzilla also rehired the entire team of folks working at Game Informer prior to its closure. Miller stated that because of this rehiring, the team is confident that they can maintain an "unbroken identity of who we are and what we represent."

Gunzilla, which is currently working on upcoming battle royale game Off the Grid, reportedly assured Game Informer staff that the company will operate independently of the studio, with "100 percent of the decisions around what we cover and how we do so" coming from the site's editorial team. According to Miller, Gunzilla Games sees "the same potential in Game Informer as our team does, and their encouragement to do so ethically and free of outside pressure is laudable."

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Joel Miller loves a good cup of coffee. Though we're not sure he would be down to try a mushroom blend, some The Last of Us fans might be braver. The mushroom blend coffee trend might still have conventional fans on the fence, but Four Sigmatic--the first commercial mushroom blend company--is partnering up with HBO's The Last of Us for a limited edition blend.

The coffee is a blend of lion’s mane and cordyceps mushrooms, along with Vitamin B12 and coffee bean extract. The company boasts that the blend "increases mental focus and energy." Lion's mane is a popular ingrident in mushroom coffee, and cordyceps have been proven to fight imflamation.

The Last of Us blend has about 180 mg of caffeine.

"Cordyceps can not infect humans," said fungi expert Paul Stamets when the show originally premiered. "This is fiction weaved info a theme speckled with mycology and exploiting Mycophobia: the fear of fungi. It is natural for humans to fear that which is powerful but mysterious and misunderstood. So I applaud the writers for seeing this opportunity to take us on a literary adventure into the realm of sci-fi while exploiting the public’s fascination, fear, and joy of fungi."

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Assassin's Creed Shadows had a successful launch for Ubisoft, and now the game's first hotfix has arrived to make a few improvements to the experience. The patch notes are on the lighter side, despite some of the large file sizes, but Update 1.0.1 for Assassin's Creed Shadows includes better stabilization and fixes for the game's photo mode.

According to the patch notes, the main highlight of Update 1.0.1 is fixing problems with the photo mode on PlayStation 5 and PC. This hotfix addresses a crash that could happen for PS5 users when fetching photos to display on the world map, and it fixes an issue that previously could cause a crash when taking a photo on PC.

The small update also makes global game-stability improvements across all platforms, and the download size for each platform can be seen below.

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The Last of Us Season 2 introduces Kaitlyn Dever's Abby, a central character to the story. Obviously any adaptation will make changes to fit the medium, and that's no different for Season 2 with respect to Abby's story.

In the game, players are introduced to Abby by way of a cutscene (via GamesRadar) that transitions to players taking control of Abby as the playable character for a period of time. This allows players to "immediately form an empathetic connection" with Abby because you're playing as her, writer Neil Druckmann said during an interview attended by Entertainment Weekly.

Obviously, the TV show is not interactive, so Druckmann and the team changed things up, including the timeline. As fans will recall, they only learn about Abby's backstory after a certain major event plays out, with the game then going back in time to see how things came to be from Abby's perspective.

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At GDC 2025, I got a chance to play Sunderfolk, an upcoming cooperative turn-based tactical RPG adventure that lets you play a tabletop RPG with your friends without the need to set up any physical maps or learn a book of rules. Heck, you don't even all have to be in the same place, as the game is entirely controlled via players' cell phones. I had a lot of fun playing Sunderfolk, appreciating how its approachable structure and simple combat system made for a far easier set of mechanics to grasp in comparison to the likes of Dungeons & Dragons 5e, Pathfinder 2e, or Vampire: The Masquerade 5e. Plenty of friend groups who have always wanted to see what all the fuss is about when it comes to tabletop RPGs but simply don't have the time or money to jump into the hobby are going to find a lot to love with Sunderfolk.

In Sunderfolk, each player picks from one of six characters: the raven Arcanist is your traditional spellcaster, the bat Bard empowers and heals allies through song, the polar bear Berserker dominates the front line with a massive hammer, the goat Ranger outputs more damage the farther they are away from the action, the weasel Rogue dismantles foes from up close, and the salamander Pyromancer unleashes fiery explosions. These six characters have been tasked with defending the Arden, a peaceful town where anthropomorphic animals live together, from a growing shadowy corruption that is transforming previously manageable annoyances into monstrous threats.

Sunderfolk's combat is played on a hexagonal grid.

I opted for the Ranger, while two members of developer Secret Door played alongside me as the Bard and Berserker. Sunderfolk can be played alone (one player would just be controlling multiple characters, akin to Baldur's Gate 3), but most of my enjoyment came from strategizing with my teammates and trying to figure out how to best pair our unique abilities together to handle a combat situation. Up to four players can play at a time in Sunderfolk, and grabbing a group of three or four feels like the ideal way to play this game.

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