A couple of months after the unveiling, CD Projekt Red has decided to pull the curtains back to showcase how The Witcher 4's debut trailer came together in partnership with Platige Image. The developer discusses that a major theme was showcasing how Ciri is somewhat of a mirror to a Stromford girl named Mioni.

The behind-the-scenes video for The Witcher 4 (seen below and posted on YouTube) begins with director Sebastian Kalemba stating "that this is the moment to tell the story with Ciri." From there, the RPG's narrative director Philipp Weber opens up about how The Witcher 4's first trailer--which debuted at The Game Awards in December--follows how two women approach destiny differently.

"We were thinking in the story that Mioni and Ciri are a little bit mirrors of each other," Weber said. "The traditions of Stromford essentially mean that Mioni has to be sacrificed. That's her destiny, and she accepted that destiny. Ciri is known as someone who does not accept destiny, she fights back at it."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Splitgate 2 developer 1047 details has announced new details on the game's upcoming open alpha, as well as more information on the game's massive new Glacier map, which allows for up to three teams to throw down in 8v8v8 competition. GameSpot has an exclusive trailer you can check out below, which showcases the Multi-Team Domination mode on Glacier.

Anyone looking to experience an early slice of the portal-jumping first-person shooter can hop into the open alpha starting February 27 and running through March 2, with access available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

In total, there will be three new locations available in the open alpha:

Continue Reading at GameSpot

In 2014, Monolith Productions introduced its Nemesis system in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. That AI procedural program allowed this Lord of the Rings game and its 2017 sequel, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, to feature enemies who remembered previous encounters with the players' character and evolved accordingly. Unfortunately, with the recent closure of Monolith and two other studios owned by Warner Bros., it may be a very long time before another video game utilizes the Nemesis system.

As reported by journalist Stephen Totilo, Monolith's Nemesis system patent--which remains the property of Warner Bros.--was filed in 2016, and it won't expire until August 11, 2036. The only way the patent could be officially abandoned beforehand is if Warner Bros. fails to pay the associated fees to keep it active.

Warner Bros.' patent on the nemesis system is set to expire on August 11, 2036.

[image or embed]

— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo.bsky.social) February 25, 2025 at 11:49 AM

The Wonder Woman video game was canceled with the closure of Monolith. Had that game been finished, it would have been only the third title to utilize the Nemesis system. Presumably that would have involved Wonder Woman making friends, allies, and enemies over the course of the game's story. However, there was a report earlier this year that Wonder Woman had a troubled development and it was said to be over $100 million in the hole and far from finished.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Sonic Rumble, the Fall Guys-inspired party game from Sega, was supposed to launch at the end of 2024. That didn't happen, of course, and the free-to-play game is now set for launch this spring.

In a blog post, Sega thanked fans for their patience, saying the studio is "committed to delivering a memorable experience for Sonic fans."

Sonic Rumble was already available in a pre-launch early-access period with a limited set of features. For the global launch in Spring 2025, Sega will bring the game up to 1.2.0, and this will include a new competitive game mode and the "Crew" feature that allows players to get in on the action together.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Live-service games are a large and durable part of the gaming ecosystem, and new data from last month demonstrates just how dominant the biggest games have become. A new report from Circana stated that more than 40% of all playing time spent on a PS5 or Xbox Series X went to the top 10 live-service games in the month of January in the US.

Posting on Bluesky, Circana executive director Mat Piscatella also stated that over 70% of active PS5 or Xbox Series X|S players played at least one of the top 10 live-service games during January in the US. While that might constitute a player simply launching the game and playing something else, the more than 40% number is quite staggering, and shows just how much gaming is divided between a relatively small number of games.

Piscatella noted that this statistic reflects the difficulty that new games have in competing against the old stalwarts, especially since total US market spending, total players, and total hours all peaked in 2021. Though the names of these top 10 live-service games were not immediately apparent in the report, recent charts posted by Piscatella suggest that the games include Call of Duty HQ, Fortnite, GTA V, NBA 2K25, Marvel Rivals, Roblox, Minecraft, Madden NFL 25 as possible contenders. Other live-service games that often make the console top 10 include EA Sports College Football 25, Destiny 2, Apex Legends, and Rocket League.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

GOG has announced that it is adding FEAR to its preservation program next month after the game's developer, Monolith Productions, was shut down yesterday. The version being added is the Platinum one, which includes the base game and both expansions. It's on sale right now on GOG for $1.

While FEAR was already planned to be added to the preservation program, GOG decided to accelerate the process. "Monolith Productions has given players some of the most unforgettable experiences, blending groundbreaking gameplay with rich storytelling," GOG said in a statement on Twitter. "To honor their legacy, we’re proud to announce that F.E.A.R. Platinum will be joining the GOG Preservation Program."

There are two other games in the FEAR series, including FEAR 2 and FEAR 3. They haven't been announced as part of GOG's preservation program, but GOG said that other Monolith Production games will eventually join too.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Turn10's upcoming Fable game has plenty of enemies for you to swing your sword at, from werewolves to a really big version of roving travel show host Richard Ayoade, but it looks like your greatest challenge might just be an incredibly angry chicken.

A giant chicken that is, as a recent Xbox Game Studios update video briefly showed the Fable protagonist taking on the John Wick of chickens. It's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, but this rooster looks ready to throw down. Good luck trying to kick this feathery fiend.

Chickens have a long history in Fable, as way back in the original game, you could win a special hat in a chicken-kicking competition. In Fable 2, you could earn two chicken-related titles for kicking the birds a respectable distance, and Fable 3 had a chicken-themed suit that you could unlock and even a chance to earn some coin by gambling on chicken races.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Monster Hunter Wilds launches on February 28, but when exactly can you start playing? Capcom has now released the global launch times for the new RPG, while it also announced that people who are picking up the game's physical edition will need to download a hefty patch before playing.

The game actually unlocks on February 27, starting at 9 PM PST. Everywhere else, people can begin playing Monster Hunter Wilds at midnight in whatever time zone they live in, at least on console. The PC editions launch a bit later in many regions. You can consult the chart below to find out when Monster Hunter Wilds unlocks where you live.

Pre-loading is available now for all platforms. As for the big day-one update, everyone who buys Monster Hunter Wilds on a physical disc will have to download a 15GB update to start playing. Anyone who bought the digital version can download this update now as part of the pre-load process.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Fable, one of Microsoft's big upcoming first-party games, has been delayed to 2026, and it has been suggested that a PS5 port is the reason why. Leaker NateTheHate--who recently revealed a ton of Switch 2 info--speculated that the new 2026 release date for Fable could have been approved so that the game could launch on PS5 on the same day as the Xbox Series X|S and PC versions.

"If I had to speculate as to why Fable was delayed: it's to allow some extra time for polish and to make the PS5 version a day-one release alongside Xbox/PC, because the PS5 version was always slated for 2026," NateTheHate wrote in a pair of ResetEra posts.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Gail Simone, an award-winning writer known for her work on the DC franchise, has confirmed she was involved with the Wonder Woman game at Monolith that was just recently canceled.

Simone, the longest-running female writer on the Wonder Woman series, said she was asked to do long-term consulting on the game and jumped at the chance. "It was a perfect storm of stuff I adore," she said. "Wonder Woman, video games, and one of my favorite game studios: Monolith."

Simone went on to say Monolith's Wonder Woman game was "gorgeous and expansive." She said "every effort was made to make this not just a great game, but a great Wonder Woman game. A showpiece epic."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Late last week, Amazing Seasun Games launched the latest beta test for Mecha Break, a new co-op shooter game that's basically Armored Core by way of Titanfall. If the initial wave of 300,000 concurrent players is any indication, Mecha Break could be well on its way towards being a hit. However, all of those players led to some of Mecha Break's servers going down.

In a message on Mecha Break's official social media channels, Amazing Seasun Games apologized to players for the server problems and promised to send out three batches of Ultimate Maintenance Box *15 via Mecha Break's in-game mail.

Pilots,
As our Open Beta went live earlier today, we were overwhelmed by your enthusiasm, witnessing over 300K concurrent players within hours. This posed a challenge to our server capacity and resulted in negative reviews from players. We apologize for any inconvenience and…

— Mecha BREAK (@MechaBREAK) February 23, 2025

The company also stated that the server issues "resulted in negative reviews from players." As reported by IGN, that's not the only reason Mecha Break is getting review-bombed. Some of the issues cited include the monetization practices of this free-to-play game. Many of Mecha Break's perks can eventually be unlocked for free, but it may take an exceedingly long time for non-paying players to get the same advantages as the players who don't mind spending the money.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Last fall, Microsoft unveiled an initiative to let Xbox owners stream any game in their library, even if it isn't on Game Pass. February's Xbox Update moves that agenda forward with over 50 playable games that Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can now access on any supported devices as long as they own the titles.

As related on Xbox's official site, the following titles were among the recently added games that players can stream from their own collection.

• Blasphemous 2
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Slime Rancher 2
• Subnautica
• Subnautica: Below Zero
• The Talos Principle 2
• Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered

Additionally, streaming support for the titles below will be added soon.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Halo: Flashpoint Spartan Edition

$118 (was $125) | Wave 2 Releases February 28

Preorder at Amazon

Halo: Flashpoint - Recon Edition

$56..84 (was $75)

See at Amazon

The Halo: Flashpoint tabletop miniatures game debuted last fall, but unless you preordered months in advance, the officially licensed wargame was difficult to find in stock. British board game publisher Mantic unlocked preorders for a second wave of units when Halo: Flashpoint launched, but stock still appears to be quite limited. As of February 25, Halo fans in the US can still preorder Halo: Flashpoint's Spartan Edition from Amazon for $118 (was $125). Amazon lists February 28 as the release date for the second wave, though dates and prices will vary by retailer and location since Flashpoint is technically an import.

• Halo: Flashpoint - Spartan Edition -- $118 ($125)
• Halo: Flashpoint - Recon Edition -- $56.84 ($75)
• Halo: Flashpoint - Deluxe 3D Terrain Set -- $70
• Halo: Flashpoint - Dice Booster -- $14 ($20)

Alternatively, you can pick up the Recon Edition for $57 at Amazon. Halo: Flashpoint's Recon Edition carries an MSRP of roughly $75, so this is a pretty nice discount. It's important to note that stock is limited, and while Flashpoint ships directly from Amazon, it's only sold by third-parties in the US at this time. Recon is a more streamlined version of the game with fewer miniatures, cards, and terrain pieces.

Flashpoint is a skirmish game that sees players assemble teams of Halo Spartans or Banished Elites and send them into tactical turn-based battles. Those who have played similar wargames like Warhammer 40,000--especially the smaller-scale Killteam format--will find Halo: Flashpoint's premise and gameplay familiar, but the game's creator, Mantic Entertainment, designed it to be approachable to newcomers.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

When it comes to life simulator games, EA's The Sims has largely had the field to itself since its launch 25 years ago. But Krafton's upcoming title, InZoi, looks like it could be a real contender in terms of scale, and it even has more realistic characters than The Sims' cartoonish avatars. Regardless, InZoi director Hyungjun Kim says that he has a great deal of respect for The Sims and doesn't view the two games as being in competition with one another.

"We see InZoi not as a competitor to The Sims, but rather as another option that fans of this genre can enjoy," said Kim during an interview with PC Gamer. "We have great respect for the legacy The Sims has built over the years, since we know that reaching that much depth in such a short period of time is no easy task. This is due to the nature of life sim games which cover the vast and complex concept of 'life,' making it difficult to capture its every aspect."

Kim went on to note some of the features of InZoi, which set it apart from The Sims. In addition to the realistic style for the characters and the world around them, he said that InZoi has "in-depth customization features, and AI-driven creative tools." Krafton has previously stated that the AI features can allow the avatars to develop personalities and even let players use a picture of furniture to translate an object into a 3D model that can be used in the game.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Bungie hasn't been shy about deleting older content from Destiny 2 (a process it calls "vaulting") in order to make room for new stuff, but it appears this controversial practice had some unintended consequences. As part of a lawsuit filed against them, Bungie had to cite fan videos from YouTube, because the content in question is no longer part of the game.

Per Game File, a sci-fi writer named Matthew Kelsey Martineau filed a lawsuit against Bungie last year, alleging that an enemy faction called the Red Legion was plagiarized from the author's WordPress writing. In its response, Bungie dismissed the claims as baseless, but the company's counsel was forced to cite fan YouTube compilations of cutscenes and gameplay from the vaulted original campaign of Destiny 2 in order to make their case. While the publisher would normally be able to simply submit a copy of the game as an exhibit, that's not possible here for obvious reasons.

"Because (1) Destiny 2's narrative is only available to players in the form of a live-service video game that has changed significantly over time, and (2) physical copies of Destiny 2, and any 2017 version of Destiny 2, are no longer available, the attached videos are the best possible way for the Court to review the accused work," reads the explanation given to the Court in part. In lieu of this, Bungie linked two videos, including a ten hour "complete story of Destiny" compilation from YouTuber My Name is Byf.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

EA and Maxis are finally giving The Sims 4 a burglar of its own in a new update that's live on all platforms. The Sims 4's burglar update coincides with the launch of the new Businesses and Hobbies expansion, though you don't have to buy the new pack to get the burglar. It's a free update for the base game with special interactions if you own certain other expansions.

Maxis included a burglar in The Sims, The Sims 2, and The Sims 3, but never in The Sims 4 until now. Robin Banks, the new version of the criminal mastermind, behaves in much the same way as the burglar in previous iterations. There's a low chance that Robin will enter your residential or business lot at night, and she can potentially make off with anything inside that isn't attached to the structure, such as windows or lights, or that isn't planted in the ground, like your shrubbery. The update also adds a new lot challenge, Heist Havoc, that increases the likelihood of Robin appearing.

Sims might wake up, catch Robin, and call the police before she makes off with their property, though there's no guarantee the police will arrive before Robin makes her getaway. Maxis said the only sure way to stop a burglar is to install an alarm, which alerts police as soon as Robin enters the premises. Sims who are good with their hands can upgrade their alarm to keep it from breaking as frequently or even modify it to release an electric charge and stun the burglar. If your Sim is more physically inclined, they can also pick a fight with Robin, though they might lose if they aren't in good shape.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Released in 2020, Team Fortress 2 Classic is a mod for Team Fortress 2 that re-imagines the original game's early post-launch era. It was one of the most popular fan mods, and now will officially be released through Steam later this year--and can be wishlisted right now.

In terms of returning features from the mod, there is a new special class, the Civilian, which is inspired by Team Fortress Classic. There are also original weapons like the nailgun, dynamite pack, and tranquilizer gun that are said to be redesigned. And the traditionally two-team game now features four-team support in Arena, King of the Hill, and other modes, with the third and fourth teams taking on the colors of yellow and green.

The mod restores the toon-style character shading of the game's beta, reimplements cut content, removes many later additions to the game’s content and lore, and adds new content along with exclusive new game modes. On the visual side, there are improved textures, models, and mapping features.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Microsoft is shaking things up of late by bringing more of its first-party games to rival platforms like PS5 and Nintendo Switch. This multiplatform release strategy is good for people who like games and helps Microsoft's own studios by extending any given game's reach, according to Head of Xbox Game Studios Craig Duncan.

"I think it's good for gamers, I think it's good for our studios," Duncan said on the official Xbox podcast. "Our studios make amazing games, and we want to give those games the chance to reach the broadest audience possible."

This lines up with what Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said recently when asked about Microsoft's new approach of launching its own games on rival platforms. "It doesn't really benefit people to gatekeep games. Restricting where games can be played is not helping the games themselves," he said.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Stars Reach, a new sci-fi MMO seeking funding on Kickstarter, has blown past its initial funding goal of $200,000 in less than an hour of being live.

No doubt the pedigree behind Stars Reach is part of the reason for that. The game is coming from studio Playable Worlds, led by Raph Koster, one of the lead creators of MMO classics like Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies.

Stars Reach is putting a heavy emphasis on its sandbox nature, giving players the freedom to shape its galaxy how they see fit. That means it's up to players to terraform planets, build settlements, form trade empires, genetically engineer alien creatures, or wipe entire planets off the map. The game's universe is procedurally generated, and players will have the ability to shape it to their liking.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Fires fade, but From Software's Dark Souls 3 remains popular among the franchise's fans nearly a decade after it was originally released. And while Dark Souls 3 does include co-op, it's limited in scope in the base game. That's why a modder going by Yui has been working on a Dark Souls 3 seamless co-op mod, which is now out in its alpha form.

The Dark Souls 3 seamless co-op mod can be found on Nexus Mods, but Yuri warns, "If you are looking for a bug free experience, you won't find it in this version." What you will find is the ability to play through the entire game with your friends without having to deal with the restrictions that were placed in Dark Souls 3's original release.

In this mod, the session won't be ended when a player dies. Instead, they will respawn in the same world at the last bonfire where they rested. Additionally, players are no longer banished back to their own worlds once bosses or areas have been dealt with. The mod will also bring the players' worlds together by allowing progression from online sessions to count in all players' worlds, and by syncing up NPC dialogue scenes. Up to six players can take part in a joint campaign, and they can play all the way to the end of the game together.

Continue Reading at GameSpot