The launch of Grand Theft Auto VI later this year--assuming it's not delayed--is poised to be a major moment in the world of video games. According to Greg Rice, who is the lead curator for Day of the Devs and works at PlayStation, GTA 6 will be a huge success that won't necessarily negatively impact smaller games.

"[GTA 6 is] going to be the best, awesome, giant game for the year, for sure," Rice, speaking on behalf of Day of the Devs, told GamesRadar. "I hear a lot of the opposite of devs, worried about it sucking all the space out. 'I don't want to launch during GTA week or even month, because that's all anyone's gonna be playing.'"

Rice believes GTA 6 will be a smashing success--because of course it will--and he also believes the video game industry has matured enough to allow for other, potentially smaller games to flourish at the same time. "It's gonna be a combination of 'there will be games that will be successful around GTA time because they're totally different,' but it'll also bring a lot more people back into the ecosystem," he said.

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For the last couple of years, the Epic Games Store has given away free games every week through its PC storefront. With the company having launched its own mobile store, it has also started a second free games program on iOS and Android devices, kicking things off with a curated library of titles and weekly freebies. The app also features mobile versions of Fortnite, Fall Guys, and Rocket League Sideswipe.

To access these games you will need to create a free Epic account and install the free Epic Games Store mobile app and log in with your account, but once you do, you can start claiming your free games every Thursday through it. One other thing to note is that Android users can access the app via Android-based emulation devices like Retroid Pocket, as they aren't limited to just smartphone and tablets.

Download the Epic Games Store Mobile app

For now, only iOS users in the European Union can install the app, but the app is available worldwide to Android device users and they have a wider selection of games to choose from in comparison. Like its PC counterpart, you'll have one week to grab each game that's offered. Here's a closer look at what you can grab this week, and what the current mobile games library has to offer. You can also explore what the free PC games are this week on the Epic Games Store.

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Spring is officially here, and Fanatical is celebrating with an excellent Build Your Own Play On The Go Elite Collection bundle. You'll get to choose your own games from a list of 21 Deck Verified titles, and the more games you bundle together, the more money you'll save. Purchase five or more games to get each for $7, three or more to get each for $7.25, or at least two games to get each for $7.50. All games are delivered as official Steam Keys, and there's no limit on how many you can pick, so you're free to add all 21 to your bundle if you want. As a bonus, you'll get a 5% off coupon for your next Fanatical purchase.

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There are some impressive games to choose from, many of which regularly cost at least $20. High on Life is arguably the most popular title of the bunch, and having the chance to add it to your collection for just $7 is a great deal. Created by the folks responsible for Rick and Morty, it features a bizarre sense of humor and a unique arsenal of weapons with their own special abilities. Our High on Life review gave it a solid 7/10, and it's certainly worth a closer look as a part of this bundle.

Other notable titles include side-scrolling Metroidvanias like Haiku The Robot, Death's Gambit: Afterlife Deluxe Edition, and the Guacamelee Collection (which includes both Guacamelee and Guacamelee 2). If you're into creepy horror adventure games, The Mortuary Assistant is worth adding to your bundle, while those who prefer cheerier, cozier vibes can check out Bear's Restaurant and Critter Café. There's also 8-Bit Adventures 2, which offers a modernized take on classic pixel art console RPGs like the original Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy.

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An update for Assassin's Creed Shadows on launch day makes a couple key changes to the game's shrines, preventing players from destroying certain items in them. The patch comes amid a discussion about cultural sensitivity in the 16th-century Japan game.

According to IGN, the update changes the game so that the monks inside of the shrines no longer bleed when attacked, while tables and racks throughout the game's temples and shrines are now indestructible. Bowls and drums can be broken, however, and tables can be moved and pushed.

Earlier this week, Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba responded to a question about Assassin's Creed Shadows and its shrines. He said, as translated by IGN, that "defacing a shrine is out of the question--it is an insult to the nation itself. Respecting the culture and religion of a country is fundamental, and we must make it clear that we will not simply accept acts that disregard them."

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Earlier this week, Wizards of the Coast finally obliged eager fans with a deep dive into Magic: The Gathering's next set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm. With its Asian-inspired setting, dueling factions, and focus on everyone's favorite lethal-yet-awe-inspiring creatures, dragons, it's hardly surprising that the set has garnered a lot of attention despite several high-profile Magic collaborations--including both Final Fantasy and Avatar: The Last Airbender--being scheduled to release later this year. Though exploring "Universes Beyond" is always a fun time, Tarkir acknowledges a powerful, universal truth: Dragons are cool as hell.

During March 18's Tarkir: Dragonstorm livestream, the team showcased a good amount of the majestic monstrosities, as well as the set's upcoming Commanders, spells, land cards, gameplay mechanics, and more. GameSpot then got the opportunity to take a look at two unannounced cards, Disruptive Stormbrood and Whirlwing Stormbrood, and chat with lead art director Forrest Schehl and set design lead Adam Prosak about Tarkir and how these cards will shake up Limited formats and make drafting even more fun. Below is a first look at two of the five unaffiliated Stormbroods, followed by an exclusive interview with Schehl and Prosak.

Disruptive Stormbrood is a 3/3 Creature - Dragon spell.Whirlwing Stormbrood is a 4/3 Creature - Dragon spell.

GameSpot: Tarkir is very focused on its five clans, so I'm curious, how do these Stormbroods fit into those?

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Doom: The Dark Ages launches in just a few weeks on May 13. While the gameplay shown so far gives the impression Dark Ages will be one of the most brutal entries in the series yet, those who really want to feel like the Doom Slayer can now preorder a wearable replica of the Doom Slayer's iconic helmet as it appears in Doom: the Dark Ages. The $175 replica is scheduled to ship in May 2026.

Doom: The Dark Ages Doom Slayer Replica Helmet $175

The helmet features authentic details, blending the sci-fi style of ID's Doom universe with medieval inspirations seen in The Dark Ages trailers so far. It also features LED light effects and an adjustable strap. It also comes with a few extras inside of the cool box, like a Doom keycard and three woven patches. We should note that this is a collectible roleplay helmet, so you'll want to wear something much sturdier and safer if you're planning to face the hordes of hell or go for a motorcycle ride.

Preorder at Big Bad Toy Store Gallery

The Doom: The Dark Ages Doom Slayer Replica Helmet is great for anyone looking to assemble a cosplay outfit or add a neat collectible to their shelf. Fans can also grab a replica of the Crucible Blade from Doom Eternal to their collection. The massive pretend sword is made from lightweight materials and features game-accurate details. You can also grab official Doom collectible figures from McFarlane Toys based on different versions of the Doom Slayer's armor, including a variant that resembles a homicidal unicorn.

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Call of Duty: Warzone is bringing back the OG Verdansk map with the launch of Season 3 on April 3, and now the new seasonal promo art for Warzone teases the return of fan-favorite operators from both Modern Warfare and Black Ops games.

The promo art for Season 3 pays homage to the original artwork from Warzone's launch in 2020. As seen below in the side-by-side comparison from CharlieIntel, classic Call of Duty operators stand atop a crashed helicopter in Verdansk, much like the original artwork.

2020: 2025: pic.twitter.com/KZH3DZ4afi

— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) March 20, 2025

Warzone recently celebrated its fifth anniversary with a nostalgic trailer, and this new promo art further confirms that Season 3 is looking to sell players on nostalgia.

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Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition has a hidden mode that could hint at how games will perform on Nintendo Switch 2.

According to modder MasaGratoR, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition has a hidden executable that enables 60fps mode. However, when the mode is turned on, it seems to cause some undetermined issues. As for how the game performs on Switch, its dynamic resolution range is 504p-720p in handheld mode and 760p-1080p while docked.

It's unknown why the game would have this hidden mode, but its speculated that it could unlock when being played on Nintendo Switch 2. There's a chance that the game could receive a patch that lets it take full advantage of the new hardware's capabilities. With the full extent of Switch 2's backwards-compatibility limitations still unknown, though, it's unclear whether this is actually the case.

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Inglourious Basterds became an instant hit when it released in 2009. Quentin Tarantino's dark comedy deftly blends genres to tell the tale of Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) as he puts together a team of Jewish soldiers to rebel against the Nazis. It got a 4K Blu-ray release in 2021, but an updated version featuring a new cover and heaps of additional bonus content is now available. It's currently available at Walmart for just $17.89 (was $50), making this an excellent time to add it to your collection.

Inglourious Basterds 4K Blu-ray $17.89 (was $50)

This 4K Blu-ray gets you an updated cover featuring a silhouette of Lieutenant Aldo Raine in front of a red and tan background. Compared to the original 4K cover and its generic "heroes walking forward" design, most shoppers will find it to be the better option. Aside from the new cover, you'll find heaps of bonus features across its two discs.

While this 4K version is available today at Walmart, Amazon will begin selling the same version on April 1. However, only Walmart is offering a discount. Be sure to check it out soon, as it's unclear how long it'll stick around.

See at Walmart Preorder at Amazon Inglourious Basterds 4K Blu-ray Bonus Features

There's a ridiculously long list of bonus features on this version of Inglourious Basterds--though note that most of these are relegated to standard Blu-ray. If something is available in 4K, we've made a note of it below:

• 4K Blu-ray presentation in High Dynamic Range (4K)
• Original lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio (4K)
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (4K)
• Audio commentary by film critic and author Tim Lucas (4K)
• What Would Sally Do?, an interview with editor Fred Raskin
• Blood Fiction, an interview with special make-up effects supervisor Greg Nicotero
• Doomstruck, an interview with actor Omar Doom
• Making it Right, a visual essay by film critic Walter Chaw, author of A Walter Hill Film
• Film History on Fire, a visual essay by film scholar Pamela Hutchinson, author of BFI Film Classics Pandora’s Box
• Filmmaking in Occupied France, an interview with film scholar Christine Leteux, author of Continental Films: French Cinema Under German Control
• Extended and alternate scenes
• Nation’s Pride
• The Making of Nation’s Pride, an archival featurette
• Roundtable Discussion, an archival interview with Quentin Tarantino, Brad Pitt and Elvis Mitchell
• The Original Inglorious Bastards, archival featurette
• A Conversation with Rod Taylor, archival featurette
• Rod Taylor on Victoria Bitter, archival featurette
• Quentin Tarantino’s Camera Angel, archival featurette
• Hi Sallys, archival featurette
• Film Poster Gallery Tour with Elvis Mitchell, archival featurette
• Trailers
• Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Dare Creative

While this new 4K edition Blu-ray from Arrow Video is packed with new special features, there's also the older Inglourious Basterds 4K Blu-ray from 2021 available for less than $20, and it comes with over two hours of extras well. To help you figure out which one is the better purchase, here's a complete look at its bonus features:

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Helldivers 2 creative director Johan Pilestedt has commented on the current state of the video game industry, saying it's "caught in a vicious circle of death and rebirth" that has contributed to the raft of mass layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations in recent times.

"Every so often we lay off thousands of people suddenly, and then nobody understands why, and I think it's just because we converge," he said at GDC 2025 this week, as reported by Eurogamer. "We will always go through the cycles of death and rebirth, but now that cycle is unnecessarily brutal because we don't diversify enough. We need to make more types of games because people are playing more than ever and still we are unable to stay in business. It's ridiculous."

Pilestedt went on to say that it might have been possible to avoid the unfortunate current reality of things "if everybody stopped making battle royale" games and instead made other types of titles.

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Bandai Namco has announced Digimon Alysion, a free-to-play mobile card game. While no release date has been revealed, there will be a closed beta at a later date. The game will also include microtransactions.

Not many details about the game were shown off, but Bandai Namco provided information about some of its characters, including who seems to be the protagonist, a black-haired girl named Kanata Honde. The girl with short white hair is named Futre and it seems like she wields some sort of special power, and another girl named Valner Dragnogh. There's also a Digimon named Gemmon, who is a fluffy white creature with gems encrusted into its body, and it looks like it'll be the protagonist's partner.

The Pokemon Company found big success with Pokemon TCG Pocket, which is an electronic version of its popular trading card game. It's become a huge hit since its release, surpassing 100 million downloads, so it's no surprise that Digimon would try to capture the same popularity given it has lived in Pokemon's shadow for so many years.

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The Gacha game genre has no doubt snowballed into a gaming powerhouse in the last decade, and though the genre has its headliners, there’s no doubt that there are gems buried in there. The bustling, character-packed strategy title, Girls’ Frontline 2, is among them, now gearing up to carry its player base into an exciting new update that’s stuffed with more new playable fighters than you’ll know what to do with.

The [Aphelion] update is loaded with new characters, weapons, rewards, and outfits. There’s an awful lot more to see, do, and shoot to ribbons--so what exactly is new in Girls’ Frontline 2?

Heaps of new characters

If you’ve played Girls’ Frontline 2, you'll know that its twisting, dense narrative isn’t easily explained, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for even more characters to join your playable Commander in the fight. The [Aphelion] update introduces new Elite Dolls, featuring the elegant but cold leader of H.I.D.E 404, Klukai, and Support character Mechty, whose constant sleepiness doesn’t prevent her from being a reliable ally in critical situations.

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Similar to The Sims, the in-game Zois in InZoi can die if you don't take care of them or if they suffer an accident. It's now come to light that the game has 16 unique types of death, including dying from a need for recognition. During the recent InZoi showcase event, InZoi game director Hyungjun "Kjun" Kim confirmed that a significant element of the game is death, and the game will include numerous ways to bite the dust.

"In InZoi we have a lot of different types of death, because life comes with death. In InZoi you could go to the bathroom and if you slip you might die. Or if you eat some old food you might have to go to the bathroom and, again, die," he said, as reported by PC Gamer. "And when you fix broken-down electronics you might get electrocuted, so you need to be careful."

Another way to die in InZoi is getting hit by a car, "so you might want to be careful around cars," Kjun said. When InZoi launches, players can enable driveable cars from the menu as part of an experimental test, but otherwise, cars drive automatically.

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Assassin's Creed Shadows is out now, and if you're planning to play on a PS5 Pro, it sounds like you're in for a treat. Ubisoft's Nicolas Lopez has stated that the company "went the extra mile" for the game's PS5 Pro edition in an effort to deliver a "meaningful improvement" with the console's extra power.

Now, these are just words from someone who worked on the game and is obviously intent on hyping the game as much as possible. But Lopez was specifically reacting to a piece from Digital Foundry that heralded the PS5 Pro version of Shadows as "one of the most substantial upgrades" to date for an existing game on PS5 Pro.

The "Performance" mode for Shadows on PS5 Pro includes ray-traced global illumination, which isn't available for the performance mode on the standard PS5. Digital Foundry said this "totally transforms the game," with improvements to shadow details and lighting.

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Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has generated more than five times as much money during its first month on the market compared to its predecessor's debut in 2018.

That's according to the analyst firm Circana. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was released on February 4 and was the second-best-selling game on console this past month behind Monster Hunter Wilds, which launched on February 28. On PC, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was the eighth-best-selling game of February 2025.

February 2025 saw some big games releasing, including the aforementioned Monster Hunter Wilds and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, as well as Avowed, Civilization VII, and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. In particular, Monster Hunter Wilds is the best selling game of 2025 so far.

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Typing with an Xbox controller on Windows 11--especially handheld devices--should become easier with a new update rolling out. That's because Microsoft is bringing controller functionality found on Xbox Series X|S for keyboards to Windows 11.

The Verge reports all Windows 11 users should see the new Xbox controller feature in the coming weeks. Not only will there be a gamepad-specific layout for touch keyboards, but there will be controller shortcuts too, such as pressing X for backspace or Y for space. This should sound familiar to Xbox console owners when typing on the system. Microsoft's official language for the update is below:

"We have enabled the gamepad keyboard layout for the touch keyboard in Windows 11. This change introduces the ability to use your Xbox controller to navigate and type. This includes button accelerators (example: X button for backspace, Y button for spacebar) additionally the keyboard keys have been vertically aligned for better controller navigation patterns."

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons is celebrating its 5-year anniversary today, March 20, 2025. Below, we reexamine how its unprecedented flexibility may have made the series less engaging by presenting fewer problems to solve.

In the original Animal Crossing, you are an outsider: A human living in a town populated with creatures and critters, where time keeps passing even when you turn the game off. There is a sense of distance between you and the town's various inhabitants. They lived here before you. They'll get on just fine without you, even if they might resent you for not dropping by and picking some weeds. These friction-filled touches give these games a unique texture, even in the now-crowded "cozy" genre. Animal Crossing: New Horizons, released a whole five years ago in 2020, is the franchise's most popular game by orders of magnitude, selling 43 million copies as of November 2023. Its coincidental release at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic made the game a cultural and critical powerhouse. But years later, it's hard not to characterize New Horizons as a disappointment. Its island paradise setting is customizable and accommodating but it lacks the friction that made Animal Crossing a classic in the first place.

In part, this is the result of a difference in theming. Unlike every game prior to it, New Horizons positions the player as a settler on an uncharted island. To start, you are the island's resident representative, chosen to be the village’s primary decision maker. You build out the town and pick more of its populace as you go. With every new building, you choose its location on the island. You can freely place furniture items out in the world (more on this later). With these systems, you can structure the town to maximize efficiency. Eventually, you gain terraforming tools to mold the island's layout completely to your whims.

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Getting past the hardest parts of Split Fiction can be a challenge for anyone, but the game has an even more difficult hidden stage that pushes players to their limits. And as a reward for the first players who made it through Laser Hell together, Hazelight Studios is flying them to Sweden to see its next game.

Spoilers for accessing the secret level to follow.

Via Video Games Chronicle, Laser Hell opens itself up in the Isolation level after players enter the correct sequence of switch presses while on the elevator. When the elevator doors open after that, players controlling Zoe and Mio are thrust into a platforming level guarded by moving lasers that seems like it was made by the most sadistic Super Mario Maker creators.

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Assassin's Creed Shadows takes players all the way to Japan during the Sengoku Jidai, the warring states period. As warlords vie for control, it's up to you to aid Yasuke and Naoe, to see how their destinies are intertwined. One is a samurai, a peerless warrior who can go toe to toe against multiple foes. The other, meanwhile, is a shinobi, striking from the darkness to silently eliminate her targets. Our Assassin's Creed Shadows guides hub has everything you need to help you tackle missions and learn about new intricacies in the latest entry to Ubisoft's open-world series.

Table of Contents [hide]

• Assassin's Creed Shadows guides hub
  • Starter guides
  Assassin's Creed Shadows guides hubStarter guides

  The Assassin's Creed Shadows guides below are primarily for those who are just starting their journey. We discuss basic mechanics, such as gaining Knowledge Points to unlock higher-tier skills, as well as the differences between Yasuke's and Naoe's playstyles.

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They say diamonds are forever, but Nintendo 3DS game carts might be ready to give that precious material a run for its money. One Pokemon Sun player discovered just how durable the 3DS cart for the game was, as after it appeared to be lost for several years, they located it in their yard and found that it still worked fine.

"I was cleaning outside and I found this, it's my copy of Pokemon Sun from middle school,” user Lzzz4 shared on the Pokemon Sun and Moon subreddit (via Automaton and Kotaku). "Last time [it] saved [was] November 7, 2018, that's probably around the time I lost it, that means its been outside for about six years and it still works."

6 years outside and it works
byu/Lzzz4 inPokemonSunMoon

While the cartridge did show some obvious signs of wear and tear from being outside for seven years--and the game label was missing--the original save data was still present. Lzzz4's team of Pokemon were ready to resume their journey in the Alolan region, and with over 100 hours logged in the game, they had amassed quite the collection of pocket monsters.

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