EA has released another massive base game update for The Sims 4, featuring hundreds of bug-fixes, a new clothing category, and major overhauls to the way Sim-parents interact with Infants and Toddlers. GameSpot spoke to Sims 4 producer Morgan Henry via email to get a better idea of how these new features work, which bugs the team is working on fixing in the near future, and what's next for The Sims franchise.

Henry has been a part of The Sims 4 team since 2018, overseeing the production of many of the game's 100+ DLC packs. But she says the new base game update--which is available to all players, free of charge--is one of its biggest patches yet, and she's especially fond of the improvements to interactions between Sim-parents and their Infants.

GameSpot: This new update is huge. What aspects of the update are The Sims 4 team most excited for players to get their hands on?

Morgan Henry: It's a difficult toss-up between Base Layers and the updates to Infants. Base Layers add new ways to style existing Tops and Full Body outfits and provide more avenues for expression. We've had fun seeing the combos we can make with them. But… the Infants updates are so nice. I’m a big family player myself, and Infants are such a big part of that gameplay loop. Improving Infants was a real challenge, and the team put so much love and work into it.

One of the biggest issues players have been complaining about lately is a bug that makes all photos and selfies taken by Sims turn completely black. The new update addresses this bug, but the patch notes don't clarify if it works retroactively. Does the new update restore photos in save files where they've all gone black, or does this fix only prevent future photos from disappearing?

Henry: "Black Photo" bugs are very complex, and we know they are very disruptive to our players, so addressing them has been one of our top priorities. There isn't one individual "Black Photo" issue, as each one is unique both in [terms of] what's causing it and how it presents itself, with [each type of photo bug requiring] its own steps to reproduce and requirements for a fix, which has caused a lot of confusion in the community, and even for us unraveling them at times.

One challenge is that some "Black Photos" can be restored and some can't. After our last update, many of the reports involved photos not being able to be restored, even though the bug that caused the issue had been fixed. Recovery depends on if the image data still exists in the save and it failed to load, or if the photo was deleted. Because it varies from bug-to-bug, our patch notes now include detailed entries explaining each "Black Photo" fix and if it's retroactively recoverable.

Each release, we've been fixing all of the "Black Photo" bugs in our database and closely monitoring reports, digging deep on each one to understand when, how, and why it was introduced. Our QV team also does extensive extra testing on the side to produce new ways to create [Black Photo bugs] to proactively address them for players. At this time, we’ve addressed all known "Black Photo" bugs in our database, but, we'll be watching player reports on this topic closely and verifying new reports to see if there are examples of lingering non-retroactive fixes for old reports, or actual new unaddressed cases.

Of the many bug fixes featured in this update, which one was the most challenging for the Sims 4 team to tackle?

Henry: Frequent Infant pick-ups and put-downs was the most challenging issue we addressed as a whole. This was actually a series of different fixes and updates, tracked across multiple tasks. Summed up, Infants can't walk, so they're dependent on other Sims to move them around. Anytime Sims are physically holding or touching other Sims, things get complicated. Horses were complicated. Infants are no different. After all, what's a caregiver if not a big horsey for the Infant? (Joking!)

We held break-down meetings where we watched a lot of gameplay in slow motion, checked logs, interaction queues, and determined the different reasons an Infant would be picked up. Sometimes, this behavior was on purpose. Other times, there were some valid conflicts that we needed to resolve with a bug. And that's just figuring out when to pick them up! We also had to address improvements for when, how, and where to put them down.

There are times they'll still be picked up and put down for positioning, which is just how the game works, but all-in-all, the experience feels greatly improved (despite how challenging it was) and our team is very proud of how it turned out. We hope players are as excited as we are!

It's nice to hear we'll have so many swatches for the new Base Layer items. Are there any plans to expand swatch options for other clothing items?

Henry: Because Base Layers are meant to mix and match with all Tops and Full Body assets across all packs, we really wanted there to be a wide variety of color and pairing options to start. We're always listening to feedback, but we don’t currently have plans to add new swatches for previously released clothing items.

A look at The Sims 4's new Base Layers selection.

Will we ever see a color wheel option for Sim hair, like the one used to customize the fur of cats, dogs, and horses? Are there any plans to expand Sim hair color swatches to more than the standard 24 shades?

Henry: This isn't something the team is actively developing right now, but we always appreciate hearing feedback from players about the customization options they'd like to see in the game.

How does The Sims Team feel about the player response to The Sims 4's new paid mod marketplace?

Henry: We really appreciate players sharing their thoughts with us. The Sims community is passionate and creative, and feedback from our players and Makers is already helping us really understand what's working, what needs to be a bit more clear, and how we can continue to improve the Marketplace over time.

Players can still enjoy The Sims 4 the way they always have with the custom content and mods that the existing custom content community continues to share. Our hope is that the Marketplace adds to that experience, not replaces it. It's meant to give players more ways to discover content, expand creative options for console players, and create more opportunities to support our creator community.

Creative expression has always been a huge part of The Sims, and that’s something we want to continue supporting. As the Marketplace grows, we'll keep listening to both players and Makers to make sure it feels like a thoughtful, complementary part of the larger Sims experience and creative community.

As far as bug fixes go, a large part of this update is dedicated to Infants/Toddlers and autonomous Sim behavior. Can you give us a hint about what part of the game you're focusing your attention on next when it comes to major overhauls?

Henry: We know autonomy is a very important topic to players, it's part of what makes The Sims so special! For our next few updates, we want to focus on general autonomy alongside top community-reported issues.

We already have a number of autonomy improvements in the works, from bigger changes like Sims properly facing each other during social interactions, to smaller tweaks like Sims who dislike gardening no longer gardening autonomously. We're also planning to put a lot of effort towards cutting down on spam Sims get from their phones and in The Sims' notification UI, which will hopefully make the game flow better and feel more relaxing.

We have more food, drinking, and dining autonomy improvements in the works based on other feedback we've received, too, and we're always tracking top-reported and voted-on issues from EA Forums as well as feedback from our Discord and Reddit threads pertaining to these topics. We're quite busy, but [are] having a lot of fun working so closely with the community to direct our focus!

Indie-RPG Outward 2 is releasing on Steam Early Access on July 7, and developer Nine Dots Studio wants to make sure you know that even if your PC is an ancient-potato rig, the game will run just fine.

In a new video announcing the co-op survival RPG's release date and system requirements, Nine Dots revealed the game looks great on max settings with at least a GeForce RTX 40780 and 32GB of RAM. But what Nine Dots really wants people to know is how it runs on some of the worst settings imaginable, and it has delivered.

If you are somehow still rocking a GeForce GTX 750 TI with only 8GB, you're in luck, as Outward 2 comes equipped with a "potato" settings preset that is even below the "very low" settings found in the game's minimum system requirements.

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EA has released another massive base game update for The Sims 4, featuring hundreds of bug-fixes, a new clothing category, and major overhauls to the way Sim-parents interact with Infants and Toddlers. GameSpot spoke to Sims 4 producer Morgan Henry via email to get a better idea of how these new features work, which bugs the team is working on fixing in the near future, and what's next for The Sims franchise.

Henry has been a part of The Sims 4 team since 2018, overseeing the production of many of the game's 100+ DLC packs. But she says the new base game update--which is available to all players, free of charge--is one of its biggest patches yet, and she's especially fond of the improvements to interactions between Sim-parents and their Infants.

GameSpot: This new update is huge. What aspects of the update are The Sims 4 team most excited for players to get their hands on?

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Firaxis Games and 2K released the highly anticipated Test of Time update for Sid Meier's Civilization VII today, May 19. It's the most substantial update the 4X strategy game has received since its February launch, reworking how Civilization functions and how victories are achieved in ways that radically change the game.

When Civilization 7 came out, one way it radically differed from previous games in the series was that it had players pick a new Civilization each time they entered a new age. This change was a contentious one within the franchise's community, and the Test of Times update backtracks by introducing "Time-Tested Civs" that withstand age transitions.

Instead of changing civilizations, players will be able to add specific units or infrastructure from other civilizations to their repertoire. Each civilization will also have an "apex age" where it's the most powerful. You can still switch if you want, but I suspect that Time-Tested Civs will quickly become the preferred way to play for many.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSnk8JTY_mw

In addition to Time-Tested Civs, this update scraps the Legacy Path system and, in turn, how victories work. Previously, Legacy Paths focused players down one of four paths -- cultural, military, scientific, or economic -- to progress through ages. Now, players have to complete Triumphs across six attributes -- cultural, diplomatic, economic, expansionist, militaristic, and scientific -- to progress, giving a bit more freedom in what to pursue.

Victories are also mostly decoupled from the Triumphs system. It's now possible to pursue military, cultural, economic, and scientific victories as early as the Exploration era, depending on how far ahead you are of your opponents in achieving said victory. Together, Time-Tested Civs, Trimpuhs, and the reworked victory conditions fundamentally change how Civilization VII works and should go a long way toward winning back fans of the older games who didn't like its changes.

There's even more to this update, including the addition of Alexander the Great as a leader, the Fractal Continent map, new dedicated Commerce and Advisor Council screens, and updates to game balance, map generation, and narrative events. This certainly feels like the best time since launch to try the game out. 

If you want to do that, the updated version of Civilization VII is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2. A mobile version of the game is also available on Apple Arcade.

Video game menus have a tough job, as they're designed to grab your attention for a brief moment in time. They're an art form to successfully pull off, and on social media, people are taking notice of them. One of the new trends emerging currently is IRL video game menus, as people are turning themselves, friends, and cats into stars for custom-made interfaces for games that sadly don't exist.

That doesn't mean that you can't enjoy these quick breaks from reality, and some of these menus are very slick. They embody some of the coolest designs seen over the years, with games like Batman: Arkham City, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, and God of War's 2018 reboot serving as inspiration. Those games--and many others--all have a similar main-menu vibe, as they constantly switch between 3D models that are barely frozen in time, highlighting several action-packed scenes and poses.

We've gathered up a few examples below, as well as a few tips on how you can make your own video for your own social media profile.

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Firaxis Games and 2K released the highly anticipated Test of Time update for Sid Meier's Civilization VII today, May 19. It's the most substantial update the 4X strategy game has received since its February launch, reworking how Civilization functions and how victories are achieved in ways that radically change the game.

When Civilization 7 came out, one way it radically differed from previous games in the series was that it had players pick a new Civilization each time they entered a new age. This change was a contentious one within the franchise's community, and the Test of Times update backtracks by introducing "Time-Tested Civs" that withstand age transitions.

Instead of changing civilizations, players will be able to add specific units or infrastructure from other civilizations to their repertoire. Each civilization will also have an "apex age" where it's the most powerful. You can still switch if you want, but I suspect that Time-Tested Civs will quickly become the preferred way to play for many.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Forza Horizon 6 offers another massive open world to fulfill your every racing and car culture desire, but among all the headlining features it offers, it also addresses a small but annoying milestone of the franchise that has irritatingly been seen in every previous entry in the series: a goal that insists you drive down literally every last stretch of road.

There are always hundreds of roads in these games, and you don't get credit for driving on a road until you've driven the whole length of it. The game tracks which roads you've been on by changing them from gray to white (or orange for dirt roads) on the map screen.

For those who wanted to complete this feat and unlock the related Achievement or Trophy, this often meant painstakingly scanning over the map after many hours to find small patches of grayed-out roads that you'd not yet cruised over. Thus, maddeningly, the closer you were to finishing this task, the harder it was to spot the little bits you'd missed.

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There is now proof that Diablo 4's most powerful and rare items, Mythic Uniques, can appear in Charm form, and it's sending the game's community into a theory-crafting frenzy.

Diablo 4's Lord of Hatred expansion released last month and completely retooled how building a character works in Blizzard's ARPG with the introduction of the Talisman and Charms. Charms are essentially passive bonuses players can equip separate from armor and weapons, allowing for even more build customization through additional effects and even set bonuses.

It was known that every Unique item in the game could be found as a Charm (or even created using the Horadric Cube), granting access to the often build-defining affixes Uniques possess without having to sacrifice a gear slot. What wasn't known was that there are actually Charm versions of the best items in all of Diablo 4--Mythic Uniques like Heir of Perdition.

As highlighted in a video uploaded by user J. Rodrigues on YouTube and spotlighted by content creators like Rob2628, Mythic Unique Charms are indeed real. Rodrigues found one and uploaded proof, and later clarified in the comments it dropped as a reward from turning in a batch of War Plans. Others have chimed in on Reddit to state they, too, have found Mythic Unique Charms, like this user stating they found a Ring of Starless Skies Mythic Unique Charm.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Qv_fMUlM-F4

Knowing that Mythic Uniques can be Charms opens the door to some truly wild character possibilities. Where normally a powerful Mythic Unique item like Heir of Perdition or Harlequin Crest takes up a head slot, having one of them as a Charm opens up the option to just use both--one as a helm and one as a Charm. The Grandfather, one of the best weapons in the game, is also a Mythic Unique. Being able to take its power and use it as a Charm, while still getting to keep a powerful, damage-boosting affix on an existing legendary or Unique weapon, is a huge potential damage spike.

It's not exactly clear if Mythic Unique Charms have been in the game since Lord of Hatred launched on April 28 or whether the game's most recent patch on May 13 secretly added them. So far, it's also unclear if players are able to craft them in the same way they can regular Unique Charms. What is apparent, however, is that every top build in Diablo 4 is about to change dramatically, as players start to hunt for these elusive items.

Mythic Unique Charms might not be the only surprise change to come out off Diablo 4's latest patch. One small bug fix is now enabling players to become basically immortal, though it seems like only a matter of time before Blizzard steps in to address the new Resolve-stacking meta.

Games Like Diablo To Loot Your Way Through In 2026 View Images

There is now proof that Diablo 4's most powerful and rare items, Mythic Uniques, can appear in Charm form, and it's sending the game's community into a theory-crafting frenzy.

Diablo 4's Lord of Hatred expansion released last month and completely retooled how building a character works in Blizzard's ARPG with the introduction of the Talisman and Charms. Charms are essentially passive bonuses players can equip separate from armor and weapons, allowing for even more build customization through additional effects and even set bonuses.

It was known that every Unique item in the game could be found as a Charm (or even created using the Horadric Cube), granting access to the often build-defining affixes Uniques possess without having to sacrifice a gear slot. What wasn't known was that there are actually Charm versions of the best items in all of Diablo 4--Mythic Uniques like Heir of Perdition.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Darksiders: Warmastered Edition

$30

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Darksiders has returned to consoles, as THQ Nordic has re-released the first game's Warmastered edition on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The good news is that if you're on Xbox and already own Darksiders for Xbox One, that upgrade is free and brings with it native 4K rendering, 60fps gameplay, and a new Photo Mode.

The bad news is that if you're on PS5, upgrading the PS4 edition is going to cost you $10 (via Prima Games). It's worth noting that, beyond the photo mode, the new current-gen edition only adds a bump in resolution and frame rate, features that many game developers have added for free to their respective titles throughout the current console generation.

So what's going on here? Most Xbox games with upgrade paths are free as part of the console's Smart Delivery system. Introduced alongside the Xbox Series X|S consoles in late 2020, the feature automatically ensures that you're getting the best version of a game you've previously purchased, regardless of your console's generation. For example, purchasing a Smart Delivery game for your Xbox One means that you'll gain access to its optimized version if you hop to Xbox Series X|S.

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Big changes have been happening at Xbox over the last couple of months--from Xbox Game Pass price modifications to an all-caps rebranding--and Microsoft's gaming division is now looking to hear directly from its users with the launch of the Xbox Player Voice.

Essentially a hangout for gamers to voice their thoughts and ideas, the Xbox Player Voice is a Reddit-like forum for comments that users can vote on so that its visibility is boosted. Teams analyze feedback and ideas that could potentially be implemented in the Xbox ecosystem, but Microsoft did stress that not every idea will make the cut.

"We want to be clear: this doesn't mean every piece of feedback will turn into a feature or result in a change," Microsoft wrote. "Building across a large, global platform means weighing a lot of inputs. But better visibility helps close the gap between what you tell us and what you see happen next on Xbox."

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The immersive sim is a genre that doesn't get enough love, so every time a new one comes around, I'm interested in it simply on the basis of it existing. Of course, beyond that, only the good ones keep me for long. I've put about four hours into Thick As Thieves, the new single-player and co-op stablemate to games like Thief and Dishonored, and while it doesn't yet stand (tip)toe-to-toe with those titans of the genre, it's definitely doing enough right that I'm invested in seeing how it progresses through early access.

Thick As Thieves recently made headlines when it was announced that it would no longer be PvPvE, and instead is meant to be played solo or in two-player co-op, cutting out the competitive side of it entirely just weeks before launch. It felt like a late swerve, but I can't say it's created obvious issues. It's a lot of fun in solo, and though I haven't had a chance to play co-op yet, I can see that, assuming it's no technical hurdle, it could be even better in that case.

Thick as Thieves plays very much like the games that inspired it, albeit with some early-access touches, for better or worse. At launch, there are two maps, with more to come later, and you'll drop into each one from a randomized point on its outskirts. You'll need to stick to the shadows, dodge patrolling guards--including ghosts who can phase through walls--evade security cameras, pickpocket keys, and escape with quest items and other loot. It's the sort of game where you'll spend most of your time crouching, and even on the game's base difficulty, there's a strong emphasis on needing to stay quiet and blanketed in darkness. It's a true im-sim so, naturally, you can also flush the toilets.

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Disney and Fortnite are teaming up to promote the upcoming Star Wars film The Mandalorian and Grogu with a new in-game screening area that will allow players to watch the first 12 minutes of the movie. The map is live right now, and you can find the Mandalorian and Grogu Watch Party Island in the Discover section of the lobby. And the good news is there's more to do there than just watch the clip, since the map is a small open world with quests that players can complete.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fZx17yaqmY

The activities around the map, which is set on the planet Nevarra from the show and movie, are similar to the relatively simple quests of Lego Fortnite Brick Life--think fetch quests and defeating stormtroopers. It's not particularly complex, but there's a lot more content here than you'd probably expect. Fortnite has had many watch party islands in the past, but none have really been quite this robust.

This watch party island, made in Unreal Editor for Fortnite, is part of Fortnite's ongoing push for custom Star Wars experiences in Fortnite, like the new modes we tried out at the beginning of May. In that way, this watch party map serves as a pretty compelling proof of concept for a quest-based open-world map--it's not too tough to imagine somebody being able to use a map like this to tell an interesting story, since the environment on this map already looks like it was ripped straight from a AAA game anyway.

In addition to showing the clip from the movie, director Jon Favreau will answer fan questions in a special presentation on May 26, after the movie is out, so he can talk about the making of the film and the story. Anybody who spends 20 minutes in the Mandalorian and Grogu watch party island will be granted a free loading screen.

Disney and Fortnite are teaming up to promote the upcoming Star Wars film The Mandalorian and Grogu with a new in-game screening area that will allow players to watch the first 12 minutes of the movie. The map is live right now, and you can find the Mandalorian and Grogu Watch Party Island in the Discover section of the lobby. And the good news is there's more to do there than just watch the clip, since the map is a small open world with quests that players can complete.

The activities around the map, which is set on the planet Nevarra from the show and movie, are similar to the relatively simple quests of Lego Fortnite Brick Life--think fetch quests and defeating stormtroopers. It's not particularly complex, but there's a lot more content here than you'd probably expect. Fortnite has had many watch party islands in the past, but none have really been quite this robust.

This watch party island, made in Unreal Editor for Fortnite, is part of Fortnite's ongoing push for custom Star Wars experiences in Fortnite, like the new modes we tried out at the beginning of May. In that way, this watch party map serves as a pretty compelling proof of concept for a quest-based open-world map--it's not too tough to imagine somebody being able to use a map like this to tell an interesting story, since the environment on this map already looks like it was ripped straight from a AAA game anyway.

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The second wave of new arrivals to Xbox Game Pass has been announced for May 2026, and following hot on the heels of big releases like Mixtape and Subnautica 2, there's a lot to look forward to. Here's the full list of everything being added starting May 19:

Xbox Game Pass May 2026 Games: Wave 2

• Forza Horizon 6 (May 19)
• Dead Static Drive (May 20)
• My Friend Peppa Pig (May 20)
• Pigeon Simulator (May 20)
• Remnant 2 (May 20)
• Winter Burrow (May 20)
• Luna Abyss (May 21)
• Escape Simulator (May 26)
• Echo Generation 2 (May 27)
• The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition (May 27)
• Crashout Crew (May 28)
• Kabuto Park (May 28)
• Final Fantasy 6 (June 2)
• Jurassic World Evolution 3 (June 2)

Kicking things off with this month's new arrivals is Forza Horizon 6. Microsoft's big racing game franchise is back with a gorgeous tour across Japan, and while there's nothing truly groundbreaking here, it's hard to not smile when you're taking on a Gundam in spectacular showdowns. This marks the global launch of Forza Horizon 6, following its early access release this week.

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Mortal Kombat 2 Steelbook Edition (4K Blu-ray)

$38 | Release date TBA

Preorder at Walmart

Mortal Kombat 2 Standard Edition

$28 | Release date TBA

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart Preorder at Gruv

While Mortal Kombat 2 only recently premiered in theaters, preorders for the bigger--and bloodier--sequel's Blu-ray release are already live at online retailers. While no release date has been confirmed, multiple home video versions of the movie have been announced, including a Walmart-exclusive steelbook 4K edition that's available for $38, and a standard edition that's available in 4K UHD, regular Blu-ray, and DVD formats. Here's a breakdown of each edition available so far.

Mortal Kombat 2 Steelbook Edition (4K Blu-ray) $38 | Release date TBA

Walmart's exclusive steelbook edition features a striking selection of images, starting with the film's primary antagonist Shao Kahn on the front and his adopted daughter Princess Kitana on the rear. Open the steelbook edition up, and you'll find a screenshot from the film, featuring Liu Kang facing off against the resurrected Kung Lao. At the time of writing, exact tech specs haven't officially been revealed yet for any of the upcoming Mortal Kombat 2 editions, but this version does include a standard Blu-ray copy and a digital streaming key.

Like previous releases, this will likely be a native 4K release with support for the usual features, like Dolby Vision, HDR10, and Dolby Atmos. As for the special features, a handful of them will accompany Mortal Kombat 2. These include documentaries on how the storyline was shaped, the expansion of the realms, and a closer look at each warrior featured in the movie.

Mortal Kombat 2 special features

• Mortal Kombat 2; Evolving the Saga
• Building the Realms of Mortal Kombat
• Mortal Kombat 2: Choose your Fighter
• Klose Quarters Kombat
• A "Boon" to Gamers Everywhere

Preorder at Walmart Mortal Kombat 2 Standard Edition $28 | Release date TBA

Mortal Kombat 2 will also launch in a standard edition available in 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD formats. Like the steelbook edition above, the 4K and regular Blu-ray versions of Mortal Kombat 2 include a digital streaming key and the same selection of special features. Here's where to preorder each version:

Mortal Kombat 2 Standard Edition preorders:

• 4K UHD -- $28
  • Amazon
  • Walmart
  • Gruv
• Blu-ray -- $23
  • Amazon
  • Walmart
  • Gruv
• DVD -- $18
  • Amazon
  • Walmart

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart Preorder at Gruv

Continuing shortly after the events of Mortal Kombat, the sequel sees the battle for Earthrealm finally begin. Outworld emperor Shao Kahn will stop at nothing to win the Mortal Kombat tournament so that he can finally invade Earth, and it's up to a handful of chosen champions to step up and thwart the tyrant's schemes. Mortal Kombat 2 features an expanded cast with new and familiar faces in the roster.

One of the big additions to the roster is Karl Urban--who portrays former Hollywood action star Johnny Cage--and several other fan-favorite characters like Kitana, Baraka, and Noob Saibot also appear in the movie.

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Nintendo has a new mobile game on the way, which will turn your selfies into quirky WarioWare-esque minigames. The game is called Pictonico!, and will release on May 28 for Android and iPhone.

Pictonico! was co-developed by Intelligent Systems, the studio behind the WarioWare series of games, and that influence is clear from the minigames Nintendo has teased so far. The main difference is that Pictonico’s minigames pull faces from your photos, warping real people into its absurd minigames.

https://youtu.be/Pl-Y_BMRL_w?si=t8Ri6NKV6l_2kBWB

When setting up the game, you can either snap a photo in the moment or pull an existing picture from your gallery--meaning friends, family, or even your favorite celebrities could be subjected to the indignity of starring in a WarioWare-style game.

Pictonico! will feature 80 minigames at launch, and is described by Nintendo as “free-to-start.” Free play is limited to just a few minigames, with the rest of the games available to purchase in two separate sets. Volume 1 will cost $8, while Volume 2 goes for $6--refreshingly offered as a single purchase, not an ongoing subscription.

There will be multiple ways to play Pictonico!, from a stage-based progression mode, to the “Score Attack” challenges that include increasing difficulty, a high speed mode, and a sudden death challenge.

Pictonico! is set to release on May 28 on both Google Play and the App Store.

Nintendo has a new mobile game on the way, which will turn your selfies into quirky WarioWare-esque minigames. The game is called Pictonico!, and will release on May 28 for Android and iPhone.

Pictonico! was co-developed by Intelligent Systems, the studio behind the WarioWare series of games, and that influence is clear from the minigames Nintendo has teased so far. The main difference is that Pictonico’s minigames pull faces from your photos, warping real people into its absurd minigames.

When setting up the game, you can either snap a photo in the moment or pull an existing picture from your gallery--meaning friends, family, or even your favorite celebrities could be subjected to the indignity of starring in a WarioWare-style game.

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Square-Enix's line of HD-2D role-playing games have been hailed for how they balance nostalgic appeal with modern-day visuals, and next month, The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales joins that growing library. A new demo for the game is also available right now, giving you an early slice of the next title from the creators behind Octopath Traveler and Bravely Default.

An action-RPG with real-time combat, The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales follows the adventurer Elliot and his fairy sidekick Faie on their journey to complete a thousand-year mission. As part of their mission to lift the curse placed on Princess Heuria of Huther, Elliot and Faie will explore different periods in history, from humanity's strife-filled Age of Reconstruction to the height of prosperity in the Age of Magic. Every era has a looming threat that Elliot and Fae must deal with, and like previous Square-Enix games, the entire experience looks like an homage to Super NES-era JRPGs.

"The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales has some elements to overcome--a chatty companion character and, let's be honest, a clunky title," Steve Watts wrote in his preview. "But it also showed that HD-2D can be applied to other genres that we remember fondly from decades ago. And more than just empty nostalgia or homage, it looks to build on those elements."

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Mortal Kombat Klassic: Sub-Zero

$32 | Releases August 23

Preorder at Amazon

Mortal Kombat Klassic: Reptile

$30 | Releases August 23

Preorder at Amazon

Mortal Kombat is back in the spotlight thanks to the release of the new live-action film, and if you're looking to bring some of that video game magic home, you can check out two new collectible action figures. McFarlane Toys is expanding its line of Mortal Kombat toys with two new "Klassic" Sub-Zero and Reptile figures. Bearing a design that harkens back to their arcade roots, each figure is also constructed from translucent materials to make them stand out on your shelf and you can preorder them ahead of their August 23 arrival.

Mortal Kombat Klassic: Sub-Zero $32 | Releases August 23

The greatest weapon of the Lin Kuei ninja order, Sub-Zero, has been realized in a cool blue plastic inspired by his ice clone ability. The figure comes with an alternate set of hands, a base, and is packaged inside a display box. Featuring 22 points of articulation, it's seven inches tall.

Preorder at Amazon Mortal Kombat Klassic: Reptile $30 | Releases August 23

Similar to Sub-Zero, Reptile has also been manufactured in a plastic that makes the infamous assassin almost invisible. Featuring a smoky translucent design, the Reptile figure also comes with an alternate set of swap-out hands, a full range of articulation, display box packaging, and is the same height as Sub-Zero above.

Preorder at Amazon More Mortal Kombat Klassic Figures

To expand the collection--and host your very own Mortal Kombat tournament--you can pick up several more figures from McFarlane Toys. The lineup currently includes fan-favorite characters like Johnny Cage, Raiden, and Ermac alongside a regular version of Reptile.

• Ermac -- $30
• Jade -- $35
• Johnny Cage -- $32
• Kitana -- $30
• Noob Saibot -- $35
• Raiden -- $29.51
• Reptile -- $30
• Reptile (Invisible) -- $32
• Sub-Zero (Ice Clone) -- $30

Mortal Kombat 2 Blu-ray preorders are now live

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