Game News
Upcoming Donkey Kong Controller For Switch 2 Has Lenticular Artwork
Donkey Kong Bananza just hit store shelves today, and it's earning rave reviews from critics. And if you're looking for a fun accessory to complement the instant Game of the Year contender, you'll find the Turtle Beach Rematch Wireless Pro Controller: Donkey Kong Reveal available for preorder.
Turtle Beach bought PDP last year--so if you've ever used a PDP Rematch, this is essentially the same controller, just with new branding. The Donkey Kong-themed model releases October 12, but with DK being all the craze nowadays, it probably doesn't hurt to lock in your order if you're interested. You won't be charged until it ships.
Turtle Beach Rematch Wireless Pro Controller: Donkey Kong Reveal $60 | Releases October 12This controller is designed to work with Switch and Switch 2, though it lacks the C button for GameChat. Beyond that, it's fully compatible with the new hardware. Officially licensed by Nintendo, it offers up to 40 hours of play on a single charge, support for motion controls, two remappable back buttons, and an ergonomic design that should keep you comfortable during extended play sessions.
Overall, the Rematch is a good controller with well-rounded features and a solid build. There are better controllers for the price, but the main draw here is the striking artwork.
Covered in hues of green and black with red accents, it features DK and Diddy Kong racing through the jungle. The back buttons are red while the triggers are green, which should make it stand out in your game room. Its lenticular design means that, as you move the controller, the design will slowly morph, revealing new layers of detail. This is a fairly uncommon design feature--and one that makes it a bit more exciting than your standard gamepad.
Preorder at Amazon Turtle Beach Rematch Wireless Pro Controller: Donkey Kong Reveal
$69 at Amazon and Walmart | Releases July 17
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Death Stranding 2 Asks Less Of Its Players, But Requires More From Its Community
“Come on now, if we all pull together, we can lift up the weight of the world from your shoulders.”
This is a line from the song "Glorious You" by one of my favorite musical artists, Frank Turner, and it’s a lyric that constantly comes to mind as I play Death Stranding 2: On The Beach.
For those who haven’t played either of the games, you are, regardless, likely already familiar with the series' core concept: You play as a porter who delivers packages between outposts in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Ahead of the first entry's launch in 2019, game director Hideo Kojima stated that Death Stranding was to kickstart a new “Strand” genre. “By incorporating the concept of connection(strand), it's [a] totally brand-new genre called action game/strand game(social strand system),” tweeted Kojima earlier that summer.
Continue Reading at GameSpotMortal Kombat 2 Movie Trailer Is Here And Absolutely Bloody
The trailer for Mortal Kombat 2 has officially arrived, and as you'd expect, it looks like this sequel to the 2021 film reboot will be even bloodier. With the threat of Outworld casting a shadow over Earthrealm, it's up to several chosen warriors to step up and win the Mortal Kombat tournament if they want to prevent Shao Kahn's invasion.
Mortal Kombat 2 will hit theaters on October 24, and it has an ensemble cast of new and returning actors. Ludi Lin (Liu Kang), Jessica Mcnamee (Sonya Blade), and Mehcad Brooks (Jax) are back for a fresh round of ultraviolent brawling, and they'll be joined by The Boys and Dredd actor Karl Urban, who plays brash Hollywood superstar Johnny Cage.
Continue Reading at GameSpotCall Of Duty Is Now Asking Players To Verify Their Age
As previously reported by CharlieIntel, some players are receiving messages when logging in to play Call of Duty, requiring them to enter a date of birth before continuing to the game.
An age-verification measure shouldn't be too surprising. Call of Duty games are packaged with a Mature rating in the United States, which means the content is only intended for audiences aged 17 and up, as classified by the ESRB. Call of Duty receives these ratings due to the games featuring blood and gore, strong language, mature themes, and sometimes drug use. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone feature a variety of popular weed-smoking operators, such as Cheech and Chong, Jay and Silent Bob, Seth Rogen, and Snoop Dogg.
Call of Duty now requires players add their birthday to their account. If you’re underage, Parental Consent Required pop up appears with info on how to continue to play.
Activision statement: “In accordance with our efforts to deliver a positive community experience as detailed… pic.twitter.com/q8GJg9Bxm6
"In accordance with our efforts to deliver a positive community experience as detailed in the Call of Duty Code of Conduct, Activision players are being asked to provide updated information to their accounts," Activision said in a statement provided to CharlieIntel.
Continue Reading at GameSpotDonkey Kong Bananza Credits Reveal Voice Actors For DK And Pauline
There's a new voice for Donkey Kong--one of Nintendo's biggest mascots. The credits for Donkey Kong Bananza unveil that Kouji Takeda is the person behind the titular ape. It's actually not Takeda's first time voicing Donkey Kong, with previous experience on the Japanese dub of The Super Mario Bros. Movie as well as last month's Mario Kart World.
According to IGN, Takeda has replaced Takashi Nagasako, who voiced Donkey Kong for over two decades. Meanwhile, there's a new voice for Pauline as well in Donkey Kong Bananza, with Jenny Kidd taking over the English role from Kate Higgins, who had voiced her in Super Mario Odyssey.
Nintendo has seemingly been switching many of the voice actors behind the company's collection of characters over the past few years. For instance, recently Princess Peach and Toad voice actor Samantha Kelly says she was replaced after 18 years with Mario Kart World. In 2023, Charles Martinet stepped back from voicing Mario after being behind the character since Super Mario 64 in 1996. Last month, Martinet explained that he won't say anything weird as Mario for fans to preserve the character's "integrity."
Continue Reading at GameSpotRubik's WowCube Looks Absolutely Wild
The Rubik's Cube is one of the most iconic toys on the planet, estimated to have sold around 500 million units since its inception in 1974. And after decades of brain-busting dominance, it looks like the gadget is finally ready for a shakeup. The Rubik's WowCube is launching later this year--giving you an interactive 2x2 cube that can play a variety of games, launch different apps, or simply serve as a piece of home décor.
Rubik's WowCube Pricing TBD
The Rubik's WowCube doesn't have a firm price or release date yet, but most of its other details have been made public. At a glance, it looks like a small, 2x2 Rubik's Cube. But get a little closer, and you'll see that each cube is actually comprised of tiny interactive screens. These can be used in a variety of ways. You can play games like Space Invaders and Cut the Rope, display apps that highlight information like text messages and the weather, or simply launch a relaxing scene to use it as a display piece on your desk.
See at WowCube
The cube still rotates like a traditional Rubik's Cube, but because of its many screens and built-in gyroscopes, there are countless ways you can use the WowCube. It's earning a lot of praise from folks in the tech industry like Steve Wozniak, and it looks like a wild new take on the traditional Rubik's format.
The WowCube loading a gameGallery
What might be most exciting about it, however, is that the WowCube is an open platform. That means any number of developers can create their own programs, software, and games for the device, which could lead to truly unique experiences in the future. Its library will probably be quite limited at launch (so far we've only seen a few games and apps on the device), but it could grow exponentially as folks get their hands on the cube and its devkit.
Continue Reading at GameSpotPaper Mario: The Origami King Brought The Series Closer To Its Roots
Paper Mario: The Origami King is celebrating its five-year anniversary today, July 17, 2025. Below, we examine the ways the Paper Mario series has changed over the years, and how Origami King tried to recapture its early magic.
Though Mario's platforming adventures are universally adored, the Paper Mario series has a much more mixed reputation. Its first two installments, Paper Mario for the Nintendo 64 and its GameCube sequel, The Thousand-Year Door, are widely regarded as Mario's finest role-playing outings, enchanting players with their imaginative storybook worlds and irreverent humor. As the series progressed, however, it gradually deviated from its RPG roots, shedding many of the elements that had made the first two games so beloved. While the series has never quite been the same since, its Switch installment, Paper Mario: The Origami King, is the only one that has come close to matching the heights of the original titles.
Paper Mario's identity crisis can be traced all the way back to 2007's Super Paper Mario. Originally announced for the Nintendo GameCube, this particular entry effectively began life as an offshoot of an offshoot--one last hurrah for the aging purple console spun out of repurposed assets and ideas from The Thousand-Year Door. By that point, however, GameCube sales had flatlined and a new generation was on the horizon, prompting Nintendo to move the title to the Wii, where it became many new players' introduction to the series.
Continue Reading at GameSpotRazer Unveils Pokemon Gaming Gear - Gotta Buy 'Em All Before They're Gone
Razer BlackWidow V4 X Wired Mechanical Keyboard - Pokemon Edition
See at Amazon See at Best Buy See at RazerRazer Kraken V4 X Wired Gaming Headset - Pokemon Edition
See at Amazon See at Best Buy See at RazerRazer Cobra Wired Gaming Mouse - Pokemon Edition
See at Amazon See at Best BuyRazer Gigantus V2 Mouse Mat (Medium) - Pokemon Edition
See at Amazon See at Best BuyRazer has announced a new lineup of official Pokemon-themed versions of several of its gaming accessories, including the Razer BlackWidow V4 X mechanical keyboard, Kraken V4 X headset, and Cobra gaming mouse, as well as a new Pokemon edition of the Razer Gigantus V2 mouse pad. The entire collection is available now at Amazon, Best Buy, and Razer.
While the new Pokemon x Razer products don't add any new features beyond fun new yellow color schemes and skins featuring fan-favorite Gen 1 Pokemon Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander. Nevertheless, these limited-edition Razer devices are sure to be popular releases, so it's worth grabbing them while they're available.
Razer X Pokemon Collection
Continue Reading at GameSpotNetflix's Assassin's Creed TV Series Moves Ahead With Halo, Sons Of Anarchy Veterans
Almost five years after it was announced, Netflix's Assassin's Creed TV series is now moving ahead.
Netflix has officially greenlit the show and announced that Robert Patino (Westworld, Sons of Anarchy) and David Wiener (Halo, The Killing) are the creators, showrunners, and executive producers. In 2023, the previous showrunner, Jeb Stuart, quit the show over a "difference in vision."
Here is the official description for the TV show (via THR): "Assassin's Creed is a high-octane thriller centered on the secret war between two shadowy factions--one set on determining mankind’s future through control and manipulation, while the other fights to preserve free will. The series follows its characters across pivotal historical events as they battle to shape humanity's destiny."
Continue Reading at GameSpotGhost Of Tsushima's Hot-Spring Meditations Are Still Calming Five Years Later
Ghost of Tsushima is celebrating its five-year anniversary today, July 17, 2025. Below, we revisit the juxtaposition between its revenge-soaked narrative and the calm, reflective moments of meditation.
Drenched in thick, burgundy-colored blood after tearing through dozens of enemy Mongol camps, I rode slowly through the Tsushima countryside searching for my next target. There was only one thing that would defer my thirst for revenge: a brief dip in a hot spring.
Ghost of Tsushima tells a complicated and deeply troubling narrative about revenge, possible avunculicide, and a warrior pushed to commit atrocities in order to protect the people he loves. The exploration of those themes gets more difficult with each passing mission as the Mongol invasion of Tsushima takes more and more--in terms of family, friends, and even his own home--from protagonist Jin Sakai.
Continue Reading at GameSpot"Father Of Elder Scrolls" Stepping Away From Industry Due To Ailing Health
Video game industry veteran Julian LeFay, known by many as the "Father of The Elder Scrolls," is stepping away from the industry due to his ailing health.
LeFay co-founded the independent game developer OnceLost Games with other former Bethesda developers in 2019, and the team has been working on a new RPG called The Wayward Realms. LeFay has been fighting a battle with cancer for the past several years, producer Victor Villarreal said in a video. "He has fought bravely and strongly, but it seems he doesn't have very much time left," he said.
Villarreal said LeFay has chosen to leave the game studio to spend time with his family and loved ones. He added that the studio had been preparing for LeFay to eventually leave the company, adding that LeFay made his "visions for the game" very clear to the studio. The team will "work tirelessly to bring that vision to life," Villarreal said.
Continue Reading at GameSpotAlien: Earth Creatively Uses Sex Lube, Just Like The Original Movie
Sigourney Weaver may be the face of the Alien franchise for most of its history, but KY jelly was the unsung hero of the original movie. Such is a slippery tradition Alien: Earth is honoring by continuing to use it in a similar way.
During a visit to Alien: Earth's set, Wētā Workshop's Tim Domett, the show's creatures episodic supervisor, shared how the 1979 original movie inspired the TV series to use lube meant for sex for some of the practical effects.
"We looked to [Alien] for any inspiration around how it should look and the guideline of what we're trying to achieve. [...] They used KY jelly for this," Domett told GameSpot and others during a group visit to the filming set, while pointing to the Xenomorph model's drool-like goo secreting from its mouth. "We [also] use KY jelly. We use other types, but similar. It's just safe for all things, for going to people's faces. [The Xenomorph] is obviously looming over the cast a lot, dripping onto the costume. Obviously, [we] want to be able to clean that off.
Continue Reading at GameSpotHow Alien: Earth Fits Into The Alien Timeline
Alien: Earth will be the second new Alien project in as many years and the first-ever TV show tied to Ridley Scott's landmark sci-fi horror franchise. Like any new addition to the Alien lore, avid fans likely want to know how to think of it in terms of the broader timeline. Alien: Earth has a definitive answer to that question, though it's interesting to note how that's changed over time.
As the series approaches its premiere on FX and Hulu on August 12, it's officially said to be a prequel to the original 1979 movie, with the story of Alien: Earth taking place two years before that first movie in 2120. That nearly puts the show on the same track as the original movie, which can't be said for the prequel movies, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, which are set in 2093 and 2104, respectively.
The Alien timeline goes backward in time once more with Alien: Earth.
During GameSpot's visit to the series' set in April 2024, showrunner Noah Hawley actually had different ideas in mind for the series, saying during a roundtable interview that he didn't have to be precise quite yet, indicating that the idea of the series' timeline has shifted over the last year and a half in production.
Continue Reading at GameSpotAlien: Earth Star Sydney Chandler Says Following In Sigourney Weaver's Footsteps Is "Terrifying"
FX's Alien series, like most of the movies, casts a strong and layered woman at the center of its story. Portraying the character of Wendy in Alien: Earth, Don't Worry Darling's Sydney Chandler has big shoes to fill, following Alien: Romulus' lead, Cailee Spaeny, who had a similar task last year. Like Spaeny, Chandler is following some legendary performances from Sigourney Weaver, who starred in four Alien movies and is often considered one of horror's best Final Girls.
How's that pressure feel when it's on one's shoulders? Not great, Chandler told GameSpot.
"I try not to think about it too much. I am [thinking about it], and it's terrifying," Chandler said. "I kind of have gone into the mindset of, Alien is one of my favorite movies. And it stands alone. And it will, you know, stand the test of time. And I think what Noah [Hawley] is doing here, which he also did on Fargo, is he took the essence of that film and made something completely original that honors the essence of Fargo, and that's my hope for this, as well."
Continue Reading at GameSpotHow COVID Changed FX's Alien: Earth Series
Living through a pandemic isn't entirely unlike being stalked by "a perfect organism" hellbent on tearing you limb from limb. As it turns out, that similarity was not lost on Noah Hawley, showrunner for FX's Alien series, Alien: Earth. During a roundtable chat, Hawley explained how the pandemic affected the Alien series logistically and thematically.
"We went through this COVID period. I was shut down on Fargo [Season 4]. We had six months before we could go back into production," Hawley said. "And I remember, everything's shut down, and no one really knew what to do, and this [Alien] project was already in the works. For about six months, I would just have a weekly call with [FX's] John Landgraf and Gina Balian, and we would just sort of talk around this idea of the show and, you know, it was actually a really great period to be able to workshop it."
Alien: Earth is finally set to debut after a Fox buyout, pandemic, and Hollywood strike each altered its schedule.
While those considerations were more practical, Hawley added that the series and the pandemic naturally share some space in his mind.
Continue Reading at GameSpotAlien: Earth Showrunner Says "Every Alien Movie Has Greatness In It"
With FX's Alien series set to premiere on August 12, fans continue to debate the merits of the often starkly different installments in the series. Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, Resurrection, and the prequels are each very different flavors of horror, but according to showrunner Noah Hawley, they each have their merits, too.
"I think every Alien movie has greatness in it," Hawley said in a roundtable discussion ahead of the series' premiere. "I think Fincher brought a lot of really great moments and ideas to it, and [Alien Resurrection director Jean-Pierre] Jeunet, the first half of it, I really liked. It was very odd in a way. But I love the sort of clone Sigourney and that whole storyline. Everyone introduced very interesting ideas to it."
Still, Hawley continued, Alien: Earth leans into only the first two movies for its most direct inspirations, especially the 1979 original.
Continue Reading at GameSpotFX's Alien: Earth Series Won't Use Any CG For The Xenomorph
When FX's Alien: Earth premieres on August 12, longtime fans may find themselves holding their breath, waiting to see the Xenomorph for the first time. When they do, they may be delighted to find the iconic creature was brought to life using only practical effects, the show's director of photography, Dana Gonzales, told GameSpot during a roundtable discussion.
"It's 100% real," he said, referring to how the team approached bringing the Xenomorph to life without the use of computer-generated effects. "Even in Aliens, I think there's a lot of CG, and we're not doing any CG Xenomorph."
It's not just the Xenomorph that'll be brought to life with practical tools. As Gonzales told the group, "The Facehuggers we have, they're all real."
Continue Reading at GameSpotVirtuos Enacts Mass Layoffs As Gaming Giant Undergoes "Restructure"
Virtuos, one of the biggest game developers in the world and the team that was behind the positively received The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, is undergoing a "restructure" that will lead to layoffs. A spokesperson for the company told Eurogamer that around 7% of the company's global staff are facing layoffs. The cuts are being made "primarily in teams facing lower occupancy and slower demand due to structural shifts in the industry."
About 200 people in Asia are impacted, along with 70 in Europe. Fewer than 10 people at Virtuos' French office, which worked on Oblivion Remastered, were impacted, the company said.
"We are grateful for the contributions of those impacted. We are providing separation packages, career transition assistance, and opportunities for redeployment across our global network where possible," the company said. "The company's immediate focus is on managing this transition with care, transparency, and respect.
Continue Reading at GameSpotHow To Change Destiny 2 World Tiers For Brave, Legendary, Fabled, And Mythic Difficulty
With Destiny 2's The Edge of Fate expansion came many new features. There's the Portal, which helps you easily find activities to play with far fewer clicks than before. There are new Exotics, including a supremely overpowered Void scout rifle that's proving invaluable through the campaign missions--especially on Legendary difficulty. There's even the new Destiny 2 shooting range, where you can test your loadout. Then there are World Tiers, which allow you to adjust the level of difficulty and customize your experience in patrol zones and hunt for higher-tier weapons and gear.
There are several seasonal and weekly challenges that rely on heading to Kepler on Fabled difficulty or above. However, Fabled and Mythic difficulties are not automatically unlocked. In this guide we'll detail how to unlock them, how to change the patrol zone difficulty, and why you might want to play at higher difficulties.
Here are all of the Destiny 2 World Tiers:
Continue Reading at GameSpotGravity Falls Creator's Best-Selling Book Of Bill Gets Limited Collector's Edition
The Book of Bill Limited Collector's Edition (2025)
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Alex Hirsch's The Book of Bill, the first Gravity Falls book for adult readers, proved immensely popular with fans when it hit store shelves last July. The illustrated novel (of sorts) debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list and remained on the list through the holiday season. Gravity Falls fans who haven't picked up Bill's origin story, as told by Bill, can snag the hardcover edition for only $16 (was $27) at Amazon, where it holds a 4.8/5 star review average based on 4,700+ customer ratings.
Alternatively, you can wait for the upcoming limited edition that's bundled with a handful of extras. The Book of Bill Limited Collector's Edition releases September 23 and is up for preorder for $40 at Amazon. Considering how popular the original edition was, it wouldn't be surprising if the limited-edition version sells out ahead of or shortly after release. With Amazon's preorder price guarantee, you'll automatically get the best price offered from the time you order until your book ships.
Continue Reading at GameSpot