EA has announced all the bonuses that EA Play Pro subscribers can get for Battlefield 6, and one of them is early access to the upcoming open beta. That's right, although Battlefield 6 is not coming to Xbox Game Pass, it will be available through at least one subscription service at launch.

For anyone just catching up, EA Play Pro is the premium version of EA's subscription program, EA Play (which itself is included with Game Pass Ultimate). EA Play Pro costs $17/month or $120/year, and for that price, members can day-one access to the premium editions of EA's games. Members also get access to a library of older EA titles, rewards each month, and 10% off EA digital content.

EA Play Pro subscribers receive early access to Battlefield 6's open beta, allowing them to play during the August 7-8 window--that's before the wider availability of the open beta later in August. Alternatively, people can play the beta during the August 7-8 window if they signed up to Battlefield Labs before July 31 or if they obtained a code via Twitch or other means. For more, check out GameSpot's Battlefield 6 open beta breakdown.

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Games have entertained children and adults alike since their inception, but some are themed and geared towards a younger audience. However, with recent controversies surrounding Roblox, the gaming platform that claims to have the largest player base in the world, the question about how it protects its younger audience is on the minds of every parent whose children interact with it.

To answer that vital question, we’ll dive right into the facts and explain what privacy filters are available, how the parental controls work, and details about the platform’s content maturity labels. In addition, we’ll share how to report any activity or content you are concerned about, whether it’s related to cyberbullying, your kids being scammed out of Robux, or any criminal activity. We have a Roblox beginner’s guide and list of the best Roblox games so you can judge for yourself whether it’s safe enough for your little one to play.

This article also highlights a Bloomberg Report that focuses on how predators use Roblox to lure children, as well as the official response from Roblox Corp’s CEO, and the controversies the company has found itself in during the years since it was published. Reader discretion is advised.

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Chances are that, if you’re new to Roblox, you won’t know your Obby from your elbow. That’s okay, though, as everyone has to start somewhere, and a beginner’s guide such as this one is exactly what you need.

Here, you’ll find everything you need to get started in the world of Roblox, from how to set up an account, how to customize your avatar, what Robux are and how to use them, and a list of some of the genres of experiences you’ll find on this platform (including the aforementioned Obby-style games).

Once you’re familiar with the basics, we have a list of the best Roblox games, which is constantly updated with fresh and immensely popular experiences. As Roblox is geared primarily towards children, we also have an explainer detailing whether Roblox is safe for your little ones to play and how to safeguard them against potential threats.

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A new survey by Nintendo has gone live, as the company wants to know what its users think of physical and digital game ownership. While there are a few general questions mixed into it, the survey primarily focuses on which format consumers prefer when purchasing games for the Switch 2.

There are various questions asked in this survey on this topic specifically, asking which factors determine if a digital game will be purchased instead of a physical one, while users can respond with multiple replies like "physical games provide a stronger sense of ownership" or "I like collecting physical games" when pressed for answers.

One of the questions asked in the Nintendo survey.

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Lego Mario Kart Collection

Check out the new starter set, expansions, and stellar display model.

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Lego's Mario Kart collection has nearly doubled in size with the release of the second wave of playsets on August 1. And just like with January's launch lineup, the new building sets feature karts pulled from the video game series and introduce a character that had previously never received the Lego treatment: Wario. The fan-favorite antihero and his signature pink kart and paraglider are bundled with King Boo's adorable Teddy Bear-inspired Buggy. The combo pack is one of five new sets you can buy now. And if there was any doubt if Lego Mario Kart is here to stay, the collection now has its own Interactive Lego Mario & Standard Kart starter set.

Here's a quick rundown of the full Lego Mario Kart lineup, including the new releases and the original lineup of playsets, some of which are on sale for all-time low prices:

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Sonic has been blazing through a wide variety of genres over the years, from standard platformers to role-playing outings to rowdy party titles. But one of his most popular spin-off experiences has been the Sonic Racing franchise, which has consistently wowed with each game introducing creative new features on top of its core racing mechanics and exciting track designs.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds brings races across the land, sea, and air alongside tons of kart customization and gadgets. Moreover, there are plenty of beloved Sonic characters to choose from, and even some surprising crossover characters from the worlds of Spongebob Squarepants, Persona, and more.

All of this is best enjoyed with friends, right? Well, what if your friends play on platforms different from yours? Or what if you want to move your progress between platforms? Here's what you need to know about cross-play and cross-progression in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.

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If you're just getting started in Grounded 2, you'll eventually discover some recipes require Grub Hides. These grub parts are components needed for crafting armor items such as the Weevil Shield or the Grub Goggles. In this guide, we explain how to find and kill grubs, so you can craft some early defense items in Grounded 2.

Where to find grubsGrub in Grounded 2

You'll see grub activity from the moment you're free to explore the open world, but you won't be able to access them until later. Grubs are underground, and you'll see their movement from small sections of dirt moving just below the surface.

You need to dig the grubs out and kill them for the Grub Hides resource. Additionally, these bugs can provide a food source, as you also get meat to cook.

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The Little Nightmares franchise has been creeping us all out since the original game landed in 2017, and the series continues its trends of unsettling creatures, dangerous exploration, and melancholy stories with Little Nightmares III. However, unlike the last two entries, Little Nightmares 3 also features online co-op, allowing you to face its eerie world with a friend. There are some limitations to consider, though, so here's what to know about Little Nightmares 3's cross-play and cross-progression functionality.

Does Little Nightmares III have cross-play?

If you were hoping to team up with friends for a spooky adventure, you may be out of luck. Little Nightmares 3 doesn't feature cross-play between different ecosystems. However, it does feature cross-play within different generations of the same ecosystem. Here's how that works:

• PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 users can play together.
• Xbox One and Xbox Series X users can play together.
• Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 users can play together.
• PC players can only play with PC players.

So, while you may not be able to join those on completely different platforms, it's good to know you can still hit up your friends who have previous generation console and bring them along for the ride.

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When Darksiders hit consoles in 2010, it left gamers with the tantalizing cliffhanger of the protagonist, War, ready to fight ready to fight the forces of Heaven, Hell, and the Council. Now, after 15 years, the ending of the original game is revisited in the first teaser for Darksiders 4. The announcement video recalls Darksiders' closing moments as War is joined by his fellow Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Death, Fury, and Strife.

The sequel was officially unveiled today during THQ Nordic's online preview event. The publisher confirmed that Darksiders 4 will continue the story directly after the first game and allow up to four players to ride together as the Four Horsemen through co-op.

Darksiders and its sequels take place in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a conflict between Heaven and Hell. War was initially blamed for triggering the apocalypse early, and then given the chance to prove his innocence by searching for the one responsible.

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An official Blizzard forum post has warned players of the perils of buying World of Warcraft gold from a third party. However, Blizzard's reminder that you can instead buy gold officially hasn't gone over well with some in the WoW community.

WoW community manager Kaivax recently reminded players that buying gold from a third-party seller puts a user's account at risk of being hacked, and that players should protect their account and help to maintain a fair gaming environment by shunning the practice.

"Purchasing gold from other players puts your account at risk of being hacked and supports companies that steal accounts, operate bots, and disrupt the game economy," Kaivax states.

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The Sims 4 keeps on chugging along after more than a decade, and all the signs from the powers-that-be at Electronic Arts indicate nothing will change on that front any time soon. The Sims 4 is here to stay, and if EA ever decides to move on to a Sims 5, it won't be in the foreseeable future--a point that was made pretty explicit by Laura Miele, who serves as EA's boss of non-sports games, in a chat with Variety.

"What I wouldn't want to have happen is you to have to start from day zero and start from scratch and give up all of the things that you have created, give up all of the content that you’ve purchased over the years," Miele told the trade publication. "We put out over 85 content packs over the last 10 years on The Sims 4, and so resetting that is not player friendly and not a good idea for our community."

Instead of replacing The Sims 4, EA will build on the existing foundation and expand the greater Sims ecosystem with the multiplayer-focused Project Rene and other projects.

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The Battlefield series is known for destructive environments and combined-arms combat across large-scale maps, but for the first time in several years, Battlefield 6 returns the franchise to the modern era for an entry that has the potential to be a proper successor to Battlefield 3 and 4. Major environmental destruction is back, and the game steps away from the unpopular specialist operators of Battlefield 2042 in favor of the more traditional class system.

"We loved Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 4, and we wanted Battlefield 6 to be inspired by that," VP and executive producer Christian Grass said when discussing the studio's focus for the game. "We wanted to make sure we nailed the tactical destruction system, we wanted the classes to be great, and we wanted the core combat system to be the best we've ever created."

"We knew what we knew what we needed to do in the beginning," Ripple Effect creative director Thomas Anderson added. "To take the best parts of Battlefield 3 and 4 and just push those to quality."

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Battlefield 6 had its big multiplayer reveal this week, and Battlefield: Bad Company designer David Goldfarb is among those who reacted positively.

Posting on social media, Goldfarb said, "Yeah.. Back as f**k" in regards to the Battlefield 6 multiplayer reveal trailer. He clarified in another post that it's too soon to say if Battlefield 6 will indeed be the return to form that it may appear to be. "For sure, we are not back until, you know, we can verify firsthand. But optically, we are back," he said.

Goldfarb worked at DICE on a number of Battlefield games, including Battlefield: Bad Company 1+2, as well as Battlefield 3. Developers at Battlefield Studios says Battlefield 6 is a spiritual successor to Battlefield 3 and 4. Goldfarb previously said some of the Battlefield 6 footage that leaked from the Battlefield Labs test gave off Bad Company 2 vibes.

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Adult games--and games with adult themes--have been delisted from digital game sales portals Steam and Itch.io recently, following pressure from companies that process those platforms' payments to remove them. After an extended period of silence on the matter, Mastercard has released a statement and says that its recent actions are based on the "rule of law" and aren't an attempt to enforce censorship.

"Mastercard has not evaluated any game or required restrictions of any activity on game creator sites and platforms, contrary to media reports and allegations," the company said. "Our payment network follows standards based on the rule of law. Put simply, we allow all lawful purchases on our network. At the same time, we require merchants to have appropriate controls to ensure Mastercard cards cannot be used for unlawful purchases, including illegal adult content."

It's worth noting that there has been no evidence that the games removed from Steam and Itch.io included illegal content, and for an even deeper breakdown, Wired and CBC have detailed timelines on the entire situation so far. Visa also put out a pre-written response to complaints (via Polygon), adding that it didn't aim to "make moral judgments on legal purchases" and that it was also adhering to the letter of the law.

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