Choices have consequences. Unfortunately for Sony, one particular decision has led the company to missing out on a couple of the biggest franchises in gaming. The PlayStation team decided not to publish Demon's Souls globally in 2009, which led to a sour taste for the now-well-known studio From Software. That meant the developer looked elsewhere for a publisher with Dark Souls, according to former PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida.

VGC reports that Yoshida explained why Sony didn't publish Dark Souls while appearing on the Secret Symbols podcast. It wasn't because the PlayStation team wasn't interested, per Yoshida. "From Software was already working on the sequel [to Demon's Souls], but they were so disappointed with how PlayStation treated them, we wanted to work with them again but they passed on it," said Yoshida.

For those unfamiliar, Atlus ended up publishing Demon's Souls in North America for PS3, while Bandai Namco handled similar duties in Europe. Sony reportedly passed on bringing the action-RPG to other worldwide markets because the PlayStation team didn't think it would appeal to the mass market. Ultimately, Demon's Souls ended up being GameSpot's game of the year in 2009.

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Monster Hunter Wilds is almost here, and to celebrate, Secretlab is teaming up with Capcom for a new version of its Titan Evo gaming chair, which is GameSpot's pick for the best gaming chair today. which features a unique design based on Arkveld, the new flagship monster of Monster Hunter Wilds. The Titan Evo Monster Hunter Wilds Arkveld Edition is available to preorder for $624 at Secretlab. Preorders are expected to ship by May 16.

Secretlab Titan Evo: Monster Hunter Wilds - Arkveld Edition $624 | Releases by May 16

This version of the Titan Evo gaming chair features a white and blue color scheme with chain-like details inspired by the monster’s armored tendrils, along with embroidered Arkveld and Exploration Team emblems.

Preorder at Secretlab See all Monster Hunter Chairs Secretlab Titan Evo Monster Hunter Wilds Arkveld EditionGallery

Like all Titan Evo chairs, the chair uses microsuede upholstery and cold-cure memory foam padding and features adjustable components like four-way lumbar support and 4D armrests that swivel to fit your height and body type. The backrest reclines to 165 degrees, and a sculpted pebble seat base helps distribute your weight to relieve common pressure points. It joins the existing lineup of Secretlab's Monster Hunter-themed gaming chairs featuring Fatalis and Rathalos. For additional support, you can pair these Monster Hunter Edition chairs with the Secretlab Memory Foam Lumbar Pillow Palico Edition, which features the Monster Hunter's adorable feline companion. It's on sale for $53 (was $59).

More Secretlab x Monster Hunter Chairs & Accessories

• Secretlab Titan Evo Monster Hunter World - Fatalis Edition -- $594
• Secretlab Titan Evo Monster Hunter World - Rathalos Edition -- $594
• Secretlab Memory Foam Lumbar Pillow Palico Edition -- $53 ($59)

If you haven’t yet preordered a copy of Monster Hunter Wilds, you’ll find the PC version discounted at Fanatical. Offered as a Steam key, you can preorder the standard edition for $57.39 (was $70) or pick up the Deluxe Edition and its in-game goodies for $73.79 (was $90). Looking for a cool action figure to round out your game room? Preorder the upcoming Transformers x Monster Hunter Synergenex Series Rathalos Prime, which sees the Autobot leader Optimus Prime transform into the iconic Wyvern.

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PlayStation and its live-service game slate have had a rough patch, with several announced games being canceled for one reason or another. The Last of Us Online was one of those games that was canceled in 2023 as Naughty Dog shifted its focus to single-player games instead. That's despite it having shown promised, according to one person who got to play it.

Former Sony Interactive president Shuhei Yoshida recently spoke on the Sacred Symbols+ podcast (via Push Square), where he said he liked the game when he got to try it out, but Naughty Dog realized what it would take to make it work after Bungie highlighted some oversights.

"The idea for The Last of Us Online came from Naughty Dog and they wanted to make it, but Bungie explained [to them] what it takes to make live-service games," he said. "Naughty Dog realized, 'Oops, we can't do that! If we do it, we can't make Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.' So that was a lack of foresight."

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Developer Pocketpair has announced that Palworld has reached a massive new player milestone. The game has exceeded 32 million players in the year since the game launched in January 2024.

The player figure covers all platforms, including Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and Steam. The game originally launched in January 2024 for PC and Xbox, with the PS5 edition landing in September 2024. The game remains in an unfinished state via Early Access on PC and Game Preview on Xbox, with Pocketpair promising ongoing updates and improvements.

Palworld hasn't sold 32 million copies, though, as the game is also available on Game Pass. Additionally, the Game Preview program on Xbox lets players try any game for a limited time for free.

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The next Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game is reportedly going to be released this summer, seemingly backing up the claims of another pro skater earlier this week who said that a new one is coming.

According to leaker eXtas1s, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4, known internally at Microsoft as Project Chicago, will launch in June during Microsoft's currently unannounced Xbox Summer Showcase presentation. It'll reportedly be shadow-dropped on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, as well as Game Pass. The leaker couldn't confirm if the game was also coming to Switch 2, however.

Yesterday, pro skater Tyshawn Jones claimed that he was in an upcoming Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game even though Activision had not announced a new one yet. Some version of Tony Hawk's's Pro Skater 3 + 4 was reportedly rejected by Activision after the launch of 1 + 2 in 2020, but things may have changed under Microsoft's leadership since then.

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Composer Jack Wall wrote the music for Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2, but he did not return for Mass Effect 3 and has not worked with developer BioWare since. What gives? We don't know the whole story, but Wall said in an interview that Mass Effect director Casey Hudson "was not particularly happy with me at the end."

Despite that, Wall told The Guardian he was "so proud" of the score for that game, going on to note that it received a BAFTA nomination, even if the game overall "didn't go as well as [Hudson] wanted." The music for Mass Effect 3 was written by a team including Sascha Dikiciyan, Sam Hulick, Christopher Lennertz, Cris Velasco, and Clint Mansell.

Discussing what sounded like a strained relationship with Hudson, Wall admitted, "Fallouts like that happen; it's just part of the deal." This type of working experience was a rarity for Wall, though. "It's one of the few times in my career that's happened, and it was a tough time, but it is what it is," he said.

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Sometimes, NPCs in games are just a way for the developers to communicate with players in the context of the story. Those in-game discussions are usually meant to guide players to their next step, but apparently the Avowed community really wants the companions to shut up about their character getting upgraded gear. Obsidian Entertainment has released a day-one patch for Avowed, and near the top of the community requests was a note that companions will be making a lot fewer comments about players needing better armor or weapons.

One of the other community-requested changes is that players can no longer sell upgrade materials to merchants because it makes it harder to upgrade their characters without those resources. According to Obsidian, there is a plan to make a long-term solution that would allow players to buy those materials back from the merchants.

Most of the changes are quality-of-life improvements, including making companions more viable in combat situations by starting them out with increased health and by letting them be revived with 75% of their maximum health instead of the previously set amount of 50%. Only two of the new changes are directly related to crashes, specifically when casting Corrosive Siphon on destructible objects as well as some "rare leaks and crashes" when the game is paused.

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Radio has always been a big part of the Grand Theft Auto series, with the celebrity hosts and playlists full of real-life bangers making the game's world come alive. A prominent claims that DJ Khaled will host one of GTA 6's radio stations, with the station also playing some of his songs.

Leaker The Ghost Of Hope on X is usually known as a Call of Duty insider, but this time deviated from their usual wheelhouse to report about DJ Khaled's apparent role in Rockstar's highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6.

"DJ Khaled will feature in Grand Theft Auto 6 to host his very own music station that will also play his songs," Hope said in a post. "There is potential for other real-life artists to be included as well on their own radio stations."

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Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2, aka Lawless season, starts on Friday, and it's bringing us an early dose of something we thought we'd have to wait until at least the fall for: a new Grand Theft Auto. Not literally, of course. Epic is not collaborating with Rockstar Games here--they're just adding a new urban location on the map called Crime City, and we'll be spending much of our time this season stealing stuff from vaults, armored cars, and the train, and each other. Yep, sounds like GTA to me.

It's amusing timing, given that the very long awaited Grand Theft Auto 6 looks like it might actually come out this year, a decade and two console generations since GTA 5 launched back in 2013. But even with a proper new GTA title finally peeking its head above the horizon, Epic beat them to the punch with Lawless season.

Not convinced by the comparison? Let's take a look at the season trailer.

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If you're curious about 3D printers but don't want to spend upwards of $1,000 (or more) for a high-end model, Amazon has a handful of great deals on entry-level options right now. Budget-friendly models from Anycubic and Elegoo--two of the most popular brands on Amazon--would be solid choices for those who simply want to dabble with the hobby by printing figures, accessories, and other small objects out of resin.

Best Budget 3D Printer Deals at Amazon

• Anycubic Photon Mono 4 -- $170 ($280) | Amazon Lightning Deal
• Anycubic 3D Printer Resin (4-Pack) -- $60 ($80) | $54 with Subscribe & Save
• Elegoo Mars 5 -- $200 ($238)
• Elegoo Mars 4 Ultra -- $240 ($330) | Prime Only
• Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra -- $285 ($350)
• 3D Printer Enclosure with LED Lighting -- $38 ($54)

Amazon’s best deal right now is for the Anycubic Photon Mono 4. This Lightning Deal lets you snag the small printer for an all-time low price of $170 (was $280) while supplies last. Capable of building resin models with a max volume of 6.04 x 3.42 x 6.49 inches, it’s a solid choice if you’re looking to print out small figures for tabletop RPGs or for display on your desk. It also uses a 4-point leveling method which is easy for beginners to adjust. It supports an impressive 10K resolution that's great at capturing small details and intricate patterns.

Be sure to pair it with the Anycubic 3D Printer Resin--a four-pack is currently on sale for $60 (was $80). You can save an additional 10% by signing up for recurring deliveries, which can be canceled without penalty at any time.

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Overwatch 2 Season 15, Honor and Glory, is now live with the release of the game's latest update, bringing with it a huge change to how it is played: Perks. It also sees the return of loot boxes, updates to Overwatch 2's competitive mode, and more. You can see the full patch notes below.

The addition of Perks is by far the biggest feature of Season 15. There are basically no balance changes, aside from the game-altering addition of four perks for each hero. Over the course of a match, players will earn XP from dealing damage, earning eliminations, and healing allies. As players level up, they'll get to choose between one of two minor Perks at level two and one of two Major Perks at level three.

Minor Perks augment existing abilities in smaller ways, while Major Perks are designed to be a game-changing moment that can massively change how an ability works or even grant a hero an entirely new one. Blizzard says the feature will add more player choice and strategy to matches. For a full breakdown of all the new Perk abilities for each hero, check out the patch notes at the bottom of this article.

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NetEase has released the first look at The Thing gameplay in Marvel Rivals, the latest Vanguard joining the hero shooter roster. The Thing arrives alongside Human Torch on February 21 and will be free-to-play, just like all current and future heroes.

The new trailer shows off The Thing's abilities as a tank, which mostly involve clobbering enemies. His main attack combo is a series of punches, and he has a more powerful punch with better range as an ability. The Thing can also sprint, knocking enemies up in his path and finishing with a powerful ground pound.

The Thing also has a support-focused ability, which allows him to leap to a nearby teammate, giving himself bonus health when he reaches them. The bonus health comes from rocks that float around The Thing and give bonus health when destroyed by enemies. This was paired with his team-up with Wolverine, which allows him to throw Wolverine as part of the fastball special, a team-up already in the game with Hulk. His ultimate is a large ground pound, which deals damage in an outward cone, knocking up enemies hit, leaving them vulnerable to other attacks.

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Silksong, the highly anticipated sequel to Hollow Knight that has the player take control of the mysterious Hornet, has been removed from Nintendo's eShop. While the game is still listed on the PlayStation Store, Xbox, Steam, and the Nintendo eShop in the EU, the circumstances of why it was removed from Nintendo's North American eShop is a mystery.

A strong theory is that it's being moved to a Switch 2 launch and not outright canceled. Just last month, developer Team Cherry assured fans that development was going smoothly and that the game would indeed be released at some point.

Yes the game is real, progressing and will release. <3

— Matthew Griffin (@griffinmatta) January 18, 2025

"Yes the game is real, progressing and will release," said Team Cherry marketing and publishing lead Matthew Griffin, in response to a fan asking about Hollow Knight: Silksong's development. Unfortunately, no other details were given. Since being announced six years ago, updates have been sparse and sporadic at best.

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Valentine's Day may be over, but Hello Kitty Island Adventure is celebrating the most kawaii time of the year with an extended Valentine-themed event called the Hugs & Hearts Festival.

From now through February 21, players participating in the Hugs & Hearts Festival can catch limited-time Lovebugs: adorable little critters that can be caught all around the in-game island. Take especially good care of a Lovebug, and it will evolve into various adorable new forms.

Players can also get their paws on Valentine's Day-themed goodies both old and new. Throughout the event, players can unlock numerous super-cute in-game rewards, including the following items:

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Earlier this year, The Witcher 3 director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz and his company, Rebel Wolves, shared the first look at The Blood of Dawnwalker. This action-RPG will put players in control of the titular Dawnwalker, Coen, a half-human/half-vampire hybrid who has 30 days and nights to save his family. But if players spend too much time in The Blood of Dawnwalker, then Coen may not be able to finish his quest.

During a recent interview with PC Gamer, Tomaszkiewicz compared the experience in The Blood of Dawnwalker to The Witcher 3's Geralt playing the card game Gwint instead of helping out Ceri in her hour of need. There weren't any consequences if players took their time before rejoining the main story. But in The Blood of Dawnwalker, Tomaszkiewicz noted that wasted time could prove to be fatal for Coen's family.

"If you had some resource, and you know that maybe if you don't go, something would happen--then your thinking about this game would be different, and maybe the immersion would be better, and maybe your emotions would be different," said Tomaszkiewicz.

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Several Marvel Rivals developers at NetEase Games have been laid off, according to the game's director, Thaddeus Sasser.

Over on LinkedIn, Sasser said, "My stellar, talented team just helped deliver an incredibly successful new franchise in Marvel Rivals for NetEase Games...and were just laid off!" All six of Marvel Rivals' America-based devs were reportedly let go, two of whom were level designers.

These layoffs in particular come as a surprise given that Marvel Rivals has been incredibly successful and popular since its launch in December. During its first 72 hours on the market, Marvel Rivals hit 10 million players worldwide. The number doubled the following week to 20 million players.

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Activision has announced Call of Duty: Recon Squad--but it's not the next entry in the series. Recon Squad is a new community feedback program that Activision is launching to gather thoughts and opinions from fans about the state of the game. Activision is debuting this as online sentiment around the state of Call of Duty is wavering, with many saying Activision is not doing enough to support the game.

In a blog post, Activision said Black Ops 6 and Warzone players may receive an invitation to join Recon Squad via an invitation from the market research company Fuel Cycle.

"You'll have opportunities to provide feedback through surveys, online community discussion boards, and potentially even invited to focus groups," Activision said.

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Marvel Rivals has been a big success on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC, but the game hasn't come to Nintendo Switch. With the Switch 2 on the horizon for 2025, some are wondering if the superhero shooter could come to the new Nintendo system, and it doesn't sound too far fetched.

Producer Weicong Wu told IGN that NetEase is already speaking with Nintendo and "working on some development kits" for the Switch 2.

"Whenever we find that we could provide great performance for our game on Switch 2, we're open to that," Wu said. "The reason why we didn't launch it onto the Switch, it was the first generation of that device they cannot provide a great experience for our gameplay. So if it could achieve that goal, we're open to that."

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Marvel Rivals has released the first trailer for the Human Torch, the next Duelist coming to the hero shooter and one of the two remaining Fantastic Four joining the roster. The Human Torch will be added as part of the Season 1 mid-season update on February 21, alongside The Thing.

The new trailer shows that Johnny Storm will be primarily a flying character, similar to Iron Man or Storm. His primary fire is a fireball he throws that leaves a small burning area on the ground where it hits. He has six charges, which appear to recharge over time instead of being reloaded. Human Torch can also use a dive attack, which propels him into the ground, dealing damage and knocking enemies back.

Another ability the Human Torch has is to create a square of fire, with the borders of the square dealing damage to anyone standing on them or crossing over. His ultimate ability lets him throw out multiple fire tornadoes, which move around after being placed. The trailer also showed his team-up with Storm, which set her ultimate ability--also a tornado--on fire, presumably doing even more damage than usual. Johnny's flying ability and high-damage output is likely to make him a popular pick once he drops.

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One of the original Xbox's designers, Seamus Blackley, said that computing power isn't a helpful selling point anymore when it comes to consoles.

In an interview with VideoGamer, Blackley said that the power-first approach worked for the original Xbox back in 2001 since graphics weren't as polished as they are now. Focusing the narrative on computing power helped the Xbox stand out among Japanese hardware companies.

"We were a Western company and we were saying 'Okay, we’re going to lose money on these to make them super powerful' and take a bet on the games being awesome," Blackley explained. Back then, the original Xbox was the only console with a built-in hard drive that could handle games like Halo: Combat Evolved, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Fable, and Shenmue 2.

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