Game News
Avowed's New Patch Includes Player-Requested Features, Roadmap Is On The Way
Avowed's latest update includes quite a bit of content, but in addition to the usual bug-fixes and stability improvements players expect from a post-launch patch, the 1.3.0 update also includes a number of new features and gameplay changes that were specifically requested by players.
"Your input is key to help us refine and expand Avowed, and we are excited to keep rolling out updates," the game's developers wrote in a recent forum post. "Within the next few weeks, we are going to be releasing a roadmap that will go over some of the plans we have that will be coming to the game over the upcoming year, so keep your eyes peeled!"
Although Obsidian hasn't said anything about a potential expansion for the game, Avowed director Carrie Patel says she'd "love to see us do more" with the game, so the sheer number of tweaks and new additions included in the latest patch isn't too surprising.
Continue Reading at GameSpotAvengers Director Says Future Of Entertainment Lies In The Blending Of Gaming And Linear Storytelling
The last decade alone has seen a major shift in how entertainment is produced and consumed, and while the future isn't set in stone, Avengers: Endgame and The Electric State directors Joe and Anthony Russo have predicted that "linear visual storytelling" is in for a big shake-up once Gen Z becomes the dominant consumers of media. In a new interview, the duo explained how the future of entertainment could be dominated by projects that embrace both gaming and traditional formats to tell a story.
"We are in the biggest transitional moments in the history of linear visual storytelling," Joe Russo said to The Hollywood Reporter. "It's very hard to say in this moment where it’s going because a lot of that is going to be dictated by the taste of Gen Z once they become the dominant consumers. And I don't know that anyone knows what their taste is yet because they have been trained on a completely different model of consumption than we are used to. I expect radical change, I expect immersion, I expect a blending of virtual and linear, gaming and linear."
The Russos are already experimenting with a two-pronged approach to their projects, as The Electric State has a companion game scheduled to arrive later this month. The directors have also mentioned how they're "open" to having video games developed based on their next two Marvel movies, Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. This also lines up with previous comments by Russo about how he believes the future of entertainment will be dominated by gaming.
Continue Reading at GameSpotSilent Hill F Preorders Include $10 Gift Card At Best Buy
Silent Hill f Standard Edition
$70 | Get $10 Gift Card at Best Buy
Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Amazon
Revealed by Konami in 2022, Silent Hill f received a new cinematic trailer this week--though no release date was announced. Showing off a chilling small town in Japan and its lead protagonist, student Shimizu Hinako, it looks like another terrifying entry in the beloved franchise. If you're excited about the chance to finally dive in, preorders are now open at select retailers. Silent Hill f will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC at launch.
Silent Hill f Preorder BonusesNo official preorder bonuses from Konami have been revealed yet, though an announcement is likely arriving at a later date. Keep in mind that most retailers don’t make you pay for your item until it ships--so you're free to preorder now, then swap up your choice if there's a retailer-exclusive bonus that catches your eye. For now, you can get a free $10 gift card for preordering at Best Buy.
Continue Reading at GameSpotThe Super Mario Adventures Comic Is Discounted At Amazon
Nintendo Power was a popular staple of '90s gaming culture, offering not just insight into upcoming Nintendo video games, but also various comics based on many of the Big N's franchises. One of its most popular comics was Super Mario Adventures, which ran in the magazine from 1992 through 1993. The comic strip followed Mario and Luigi as they attempt to rescue Princess Toadstool from the clutches of Bowser. If you've ever wanted to revisit the comic, the full Super Mario Adventures series is available as a standalone graphic novel, and right now, it's on sale for one of the best prices we've seen in years.
Super Mario Adventures (Paperback) $10.55 (was $17)Super Mario Adventures is a full-color graphic novel inspired by the video game series. This collection includes every installment of the series that ran in Nintendo Power, making it great for nostalgic fans and folks looking to enjoy the comic for the first time. The 112-page paperback collection is rarely discounted this much, and this is its lowest price since late 2022. This discount makes it an easy recommendation if you're looking for a way to enjoy the Mushroom Kingdom from a whole new perspective.
See at AmazonAnother cool way to dive into the world of Mario is with The Art of Super Mario Odyssey. The hardcover book is currently on sale for $28.49 (was $50), and it gives you a behind-the-scenes look at its development across 368 pages. The hardcover book looks great, making it an excellent centerpiece for your coffee table.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Paperback) is on sale too, and it's an excellent companion for Super Mario Adventures. This graphic novel also debuted in Nintendo Power, and since it serves as an adaptation of the iconic NES game, fans are bound to find it a worthwhile purchase at just $16.89 (was $20).
Continue Reading at GameSpotSwitch 2 Won't Sell As Well As Original Due In Part To Backward Compatibility - Analyst
The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 later this year is expected to be a big moment in the video game industry, and many are wondering how the system is going to sell. Nintendo has not published any sales projections for the system, but one analyst has now said the new console will fail to sell as many units right away compared to the original system.
Joost Van Dreunen of Aldora said in a report that the Switch 2's backwards compatibility support, along with its "relatively modest technical improvements," will "ensure a slower adoption curve." This will be particularly pronounced for cost-conscious consumers, Van Dreunen said. The analyst said the Switch 2 is projected to sell for about $400 at launch, which is $100 more than the Switch launched at in 2017. Other analysts have suggested similar price points, while one analyst believes it could go as high as $500.
Regarding backwards compatibility, Nintendo has confirmed the Switch 2 will play games from the original Switch, but not every title will be supported.
Continue Reading at GameSpotSilent Hill 2 Remake Is Nearly 50% Off For A Limited Time On PC
The superb 2024 remake of Silent Hill 2 is on sale for its lowest price yet on PC over at Fanatical. For a limited time, you can save nearly 50% on a Steam code for rebuilt edition of Konami's survival horror classic. The standard edition is up for grabs for $36.39, while the Digital Deluxe Edition is $41.59.
Get deal at FanaticalThese deals are substantially better than what Steam is offering during its Spring Sale. Directly from Steam, the standard edition is $49 and the Digital Deluxe is $56.
Like the original Silent Hill 2, Bloober Team's remake is a dark descent into a world that has an oppressive atmosphere. Full of surreal nightmares, players not only have to survive the terrors stalking Silent Hill but find answers to the questions that have haunted the protagonist James Sunderland for several years.
Continue Reading at GameSpotDonkey Kong Jungle Beat Was Much More Than A Platformer
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is celebrating its 20-year anniversary today, March 14, 2025. Below, we take a look at how the unusual platformer had a spark unlike anything else in the series.
When fans think of the Donkey Kong series' platforming games, it's easy to consider the timeline as one that began with Rare and its groundbreaking CG graphics in the SNES era before the baton was eventually picked up by Retro Studios with Donkey Kong Country Returns. In Nintendo's history of wacky and inventive ways to play games, there is perhaps nothing quite as bizarre as Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, released in North America in 2005 for GameCube, which gave the iconic ape a stopgap to remember in between the Rare and Retro eras.
The credit can't all go to the Kyoto company though, quite literally so because this was in fact the debut of its newly established EAD (Entertainment, Analysis and Development) Tokyo studio designed to attract new talent from Japan's capital. Even the technology that's front-and-center in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat wasn't created by Nintendo but rather Namco in its 2003 music spin-off Donkey Konga.
Continue Reading at GameSpotCue The Victory Fanfare, As Final Fantasy Franchise Surpasses 200 Million Copies Sold
Square Enix has announced a crystal-shattering sales milestone for the Final Fantasy franchise. Worldwide, the RPG series has now topped 200 million copies sold, with the achievement apparently coinciding with the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series surpassing 5 million units sold.
The official Final Fantasy account on X shared the Ifrit-sized accomplishment for the series. The post also thanks players for "wherever you joined us on our adventures." The RPG franchise began in 1987 with the original Final Fantasy, with the most recent mainline addition being Final Fantasy XVI in 2023. Last year saw the launch of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and the remake made its way to PC at the beginning of this year. In fact, the game starring Cloud Strife and crew set a Steam concurrent-players record for the series. The PC release has also led to Final Fantasy VII Rebirth becoming one of 2025's best-selling games so far. It's an intriguing development after Square Enix noted that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Final Fantasy XVI failed to meet sales expectations in September.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series has sold over 5 million copies worldwide, and the Final Fantasy series has now sold over 200 million copies across the globe!
Wherever you joined us on our adventures, thank you. pic.twitter.com/6eoIoDBXh0
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series--consisting of the first six mainline games in the franchise--originally launched on PC and mobile devices in 2021. Square Enix then brought the Pixel Remaster series to Switch and PS4 in April 2023, with an Xbox Series X|S release happening in 2024. Speaking of Microsoft, Final Fantasy XIV finally arrived on Xbox Series X|S last year, too. The MMO's success has actually led to Square Enix promising more of its games for Xbox.
Continue Reading at GameSpotGet This Free Beer Hat In GTA Online Right Now To Celebrate St. Patrick's Day
Rockstar has released the latest GTA Online update, and part of it involves a St. Patrick's Day celebration.
Everyone who logs into GTA Online now through March 19 will get the Blarney's Stout t-shirt and the matching Blarney's beer hat. You can see both items in the image below. This content is available to players on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and the newly launched Enhanced version of GTA 5 for PC.
GTA Online is celebrating St. Patrick's Day.GTA Online isn't the only popular game celebrating St. Patrick's Day, as the "Clover Craze" event is going on now in the Call of Duty games Black Ops 6 and Warzone.
Continue Reading at GameSpotAtomfall Isn't British Fallout, But Its "Own Thing For Sure" Developer Rebellion Says
Since it was first revealed, Rebellion's upcoming game Atomfall has often been compared to Bethesda's Fallout. While both games do share a few similarities--from post-apocalyptic themes to killer robots--Rebellion says the game is more than just Fallout with a British coat of paint.
"Once you play it for a bit, you're like, 'oh, this is its own thing for sure,'" art director Ryan Greene explained to IGN. "And one of our owners, Jason Kingsley, he's a big Fallout fan, so inevitably there was going to be some parallels in that any kind of survival in the apocalypse, immediately Fallout's going to come up as a thing. And those guys are great at what they do. And that's cool. The reality is, here's this very successful franchise and we're version 1.0. To be compared to those guys--thank you very much--yes, we appreciate it because that’s a skillful team that's making that stuff."
Another key differentiator in the game is its lack of a traditional main quest, as players will instead work their way through several interconnected stories that all eventually connect to the overarching mystery of the game. Greene added that Atomfall will even allow you to adopt a non-lethal approach to playing the game, and he's "fairly certain" that the game can be completed without needing to kill a single person.
Continue Reading at GameSpotSwitch 2's Higher Chip Price Could Make System $500, Analyst Says
A new report sheds some light on the situation surrounding the Switch 2's upcoming launch, which is poised to be one of 2025's biggest events in the gaming industry (alongside the debut of GTA 6).
Analyst Serkan Toto told Bloomberg that Nintendo will sell "boatloads" of the Switch 2 in the first few months after launch, "almost regardless of price." Toto also elaborated on what he believes will be some of the Switch 2 games coming in the first year, guessing that Mario Kart 9, a new 3D Mario game, Metroid Prime: Beyond, and Pokemon Legends Z-A will come to the system within the first 12 months.
He also predicted there will "probably" be a Call of Duty game released on Switch 2 in the first year, among other third-party support.
Continue Reading at GameSpotBungie Made A Mistake, But Destiny 2 Players Can Keep Their Shiny New Weapons
The 2025 Guardian Games began earlier this week in Destiny 2, but that event wasn't the only thing to arrive. Somehow, Bungie accidentally released some of its Rite of the Nine activities prematurely during the latest update. But the good news is that players will be able to keep any of the weapons they earned from completing those activities.
On Bungie's official site, the devs chalked up the error to the will of the Nine, and added that, "Their will is their own." The company went on to explain that the Rite of the Nine activities accidentally leaked in Update 8.2.5 were in an extremely early state with temporary art and "fake perk rolls." The final versions of those activities will be more refined, and optimized for Explorer, Eternity, and Ultimatum modes.
Luckily, Bungie accepted the mistake with good humor, and noted that the early-bird weapons won't be removed from anyone's inventory. That said, the weapons will be modified a bit to prevent any rule-breaking combos. And they will be available when Rite of the Nine launches some time after the beginning of Heresy Act III.
Continue Reading at GameSpotSilent Hill f Includes Disclaimer About Gender Discrimination And Child Abuse
Konami is alerting players that Silent Hill f features a range of potentially upsetting topics, including depictions of gender discrimination, child abuse, bullying, drug-induced hallucinations, torture, and graphic violence. A notice on the game's website mentions this, along with Konami's statement about how the content in the game does not reflect the opinions of people involved with making the game. This all came about as part of the Silent Hill Transmission livestream where a new trailer also debuted.
"This game is set in Japan in the 1960s and contains depictions based on the customs and culture of that time. These depictions do not reflect the opinions or values of the developers or any individuals involved," Konami said. "If you feel uncomfortable at any point while playing, please take a break from playing or speak to someone you trust."
Silent Hill f carries an M rating from the ESRB. The ESRB's ratings description says the game's cutscenes show "gore and more intense acts of violence," including a character being burned alive; a woman being branded with a hot iron; and a character cutting someone's face open.
Continue Reading at GameSpotMLB The Show 25's New Features Mean Defense Should Matter More
As I take the field in Vanderbilt's iconic gold, I know the pressure is on. Scouts are watching, and this is my shot to fly up their draft boards. I take my place at third base, locked in and ready. There’s a runner on first, one away, as the pitcher deals from the mound. The batter jumps on the first-pitch fastball; the loud ping of his metal bat pierces the air. The ball rockets up the third-base line, far too fast for me to get a glove on. As the left-fielder chases the ball in the corner, the runner from first is passing second. I take my position, lined up between the left-fielder and catcher. The runner rounds third as the outfielder launches the ball. I cut it off, turn, and take aim at the catcher's glove just past the runner and fire...
It’s these high drama moments that stood out when GameSpot was invited to visit Sony’s San Diego studio to meet with the team behind MLB The Show 25. While there, we were treated to a deep dive and hands-on time with all the new additions coming to the latest iteration of the long-running baseball sim. With fresh gameplay wrinkles, new single- and multiplayer options for Diamond Dynasty, revamped free agency, and more, there’s a lot happening on and off the field. Let’s play ball.
Gallery On the diamondThis year’s updates begin on the field. Ambush hitting brings yet another real-world strategic element to batting. As Chris Gill--Gameplay Director at Sony Diego and a former pro ball player in the Cincinnati Reds' system--describes, good hitters take advantage of scouting and observing tendencies, adjusting to sit on certain pitches. In game, that translates to optionally focusing on pitches inside or outside of the center of the plate. The side you focus on gets a bump to the size of both your good contact area and timing window, while the side you don’t choose is shrunk. That means a pitcher with a go-to finisher (like my favorite, a fastball up and in) may want to try another strategy against a hitter who has experienced their MO. Conversely, if a pitcher has been pounding the inside of the plate, they might be able to surprise the batter with an unexpected pitch away. It’s the sort of cat-and-mouse game that makes an at-bat feel like a contest of strategy as much as stick skill.
Continue Reading at GameSpotSilent Hill F Cinematic Trailer Brings Small Town Horror To Japan
Silent Hill f, the next installment in the long-running survival horror series, was first revealed by Konami in 2022. It's been over two years since fans had any concrete update on the project, but during today's Silent Hill Transmission, Konami finally shared more news on the game and a new cinematic trailer, which brings the series' signature small-town horror to Japan in the '60s.
This is the first Silent Hill game set in Japan, and it will be independent from the other titles in the series with all-new monsters. However, there will be Easter eggs for players who experienced the earlier games. Silent Hill f unfolds in the '60s and it places a young student, Shimizu Hinako, at the forefront of the story as she suddenly finds herself in a twisted reflection of her hometown, Ebisugaoka.
To survive, Hinako will have to follow in the footsteps of the previous protagonists and fight horrific creatures, solve puzzles, and unravel the mystery of what happened to her town. The game will ultimately build towards "a beautiful yet terrifying choice" that Hinako will have to make.
Continue Reading at GameSpotThis New Shooter Is Free For Five Friends If One Friend Buys It
Velan Studios' Midnight Murder Club is now in early access on PC and PS5.. And as part of the pitch to gamers, only one player has to actually has to actually own Midnight Murder Club in order to invite up to five others playing via the game's Guest Pass Edition.
Unlike some other PvP shooters, Midnight Murder Club drops 1-6 players into a large estate called Wormwood Manor without the benefit of lights. Players will have to rely on their own flashlights, proximity chat, or the flash of gunfire to come out on top. That leads to a very lethal game of hide-and-seek.
Velan Studios recently unveiled Midnight Murder Club's Wildcards mode, which gives players the ability to rewrite reality thanks to some special cards. When players pick cards from their collection, they can be given special abilities like super speed or the power to self-detonate upon death. Some of those powers will extend to the other players in the match as well. At the end of each round, players are given new cards to experiment with, and they won't necessarily get the same powers again.
Continue Reading at GameSpotChrono Trigger's Story Is Simpler Than You Remember, But That's What Makes It Great
Chrono Trigger celebrated its 30-year anniversary this week, on March 11, 2025. Below, we look back at how it continues to endure and what continues to make it a powerful, relevant classic.
After 30 years, I still often find myself thinking about Fiona's Forest in Chrono Trigger, and one of the scenes that captures what makes the game so enduring for me.
It's a late-game moment after you complete one of Chrono Trigger's few but meaningful side quests. In it, you meet a woman named Fiona, who has dedicated herself to planting a forest around her small cottage. Her husband has gone away to war as the local kingdom, Guardia, takes on a powerful magician known as the Fiendlord and his army of demi-human creatures. When you find her, Fiona worries over his safety and laments that while the couple had hoped to grow the grove together, she can't tend it on her own.
Continue Reading at GameSpotAnora Criterion Collection Preorder - Save On 2025 Best Picture Winner's 4K Release
Anora: The Criterion Collection (4K Blu-ray)
$35 (was $50) | Releases April 29
Preorder 4K Edition at Amazon Preorder Standard Blu-ray Edition at AmazonThe Oscar-winning film Anora is getting a Criterion Collection release on April 29. Anora will be available on 4K and standard Blu-ray formats, and preorders for both are discounted at Amazon. You can preorder the 4K edition for $35 (was $50) and the standard Blu-ray version for $28 (was $40). A DVD edition is up for preorder for $21.
Anora had a historic night at the 2025 Academy Awards, taking home Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actress (Mikey Madison), Best Director (Sean Baker), Best Original Screenplay (Baker), and Best Editing (Baker). Director and writer Sean Baker became the first person to win four Academy Awards for the same movie.
Anora: The Criterion Collection (4K Blu-ray) $35 (was $50) | Releases April 29Anora is a comedic drama starring Mikey Madison as Anora, a New York sex worker who falls for Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of a powerful Russian oligarch. Their romance is threatened when Ivan's family learns of Anora's past. Along with winning numerous awards, the film was lauded by critics and audiences for its examinations of class, sex work, and contemporary romance.
The Anora Criterion Collection 4K edition includes a new 4K mastering of the film with HDR and Dolby DTS 5.1 support. Both Blu-ray editions have a long list of special features, which we've outlined below.
Preorder 4K Edition at Amazon Preorder Standard Blu-ray Edition at Amazon Anora Criterion Collection Special Features- Two audio commentaries: one featuring Baker, Coco, producer Samantha Quan, and cinematographer Drew Daniels, and the other featuring Baker and actors Yura Borisov, Mark Eydelshteyn, Karren Karagulian, Mikey Madison, and Vache Tovmasyan
- New making-of documentary
- New interviews with Baker and Madison
- Cannes Film Festival press conference
- Q&A with Madison and actor-stripper Lindsey Normington
- Deleted scenes
- Trailers
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing and English descriptive audio
- Essays by film critic Dennis Lim and author Kier-La Janisse
If you're interested in catching up on the other 2025 Academy Awards Best Picture nominees, we've compiled all their 4K Blu-ray releases into the list below. The Criterion Collection is also adding Flow, the winner of this year's Best Animated Feature, to its prestigious library. Preorders for Flow on 4K Blu-ray are available for a discounted price, too.
Continue Reading at GameSpotCoD: Black Ops 6 And Warzone - How To Unlock Low Profile Perk And Flyswatter Wildcard
The latest update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 And Warzone adds a new perk for battle royale players and another Wildcard option for multiplayer. Here we explain how to unlock and use the new Low Profile perk and the Flyswatter Wildcard found in Call of Duty's new Clover Craze event.
Clover Crave is live with a two-week event that adds new ways to customize your loadouts for both multiplayer and Warzone. Collecting clovers during your matches will allow you to unlock a total of seven rewards. This includes the Low Profile perk specifically for Warzone and the Flyswatter Wildcard for multiplayer loadouts.
Clovers are found and can be collected across modes in the following ways:
Continue Reading at GameSpotArcade1Up Digital Board Game Tablet Is On Sale For Up To $100 Off
Arcade1Up's Infinity Game Board is on sale for $50 off at multiple major retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. Normally $500, the Infinity Game Board is up for grabs for $450. Essentially an oversized tablet designed specifically for tabletop games, this well-designed platform includes over 50 digital board and card games and has built-in shop where you can purchase more from a steadily growing library that currently includes over 170 games and activities.
Arcade1Up Infinity Game Board $450 (was $500) | $399 from third-party sellerAll of these deals are available directly from each retailer, but you'll notice that Walmart's listing defaults to a larger $100 discount. This deal is shipped and sold by a seller with only a few customer reviews. We generally don't recommend buying from third-party sellers unless they are more established with lots of positive user feedback. That said, if you feel like taking a chance and saving an additional 50 bucks, the seller offers free returns within 30 days, and you can even return it to your local Walmart.
See at Amazon See at Walmart See at Best Buy
The Infinity Game Board is a lap-sized device with a built-in 18.5-inch HD touchscreen and supports multiplayer for up to six users (number varies by game). There's even online play using its built-in Wi-Fi functionality, and with a full-HD resolution, you're getting a sharp picture for your sessions. Numerous all-time classics received custom makeovers specifically for the Game Table platform. For a full list of games, check out the official Infinity Game Table site. Here are some of the highlights:
Continue Reading at GameSpot