A new legend begins as you step into the steel toe boots of Goro Majima, a man who has lost his memory and reinvents himself as a pirate on the open sea. Embark on an over-the-top, modern-day pirate adventure with an ex-yakuza, now pirate captain and his crew as they engage in exhilarating combat on land and sea in the hunt for lost memories and a legendary treasure.

Explore the origins of the mysterious Banban’s Kindergarten. Survive the dark past of the establishment. Try to make some friends. Uncover the truth behind the place, and who you are...

Fortnite is offline right now, but fortunately it's not because anything is wrong. Quite the opposite, in fact--Fortnite is down because of routine scheduled maintenance that Epic does with every update. In this case, the update is a big one: the launch of Fortnite battle royale Chapter 6 Season 2, featuring major changes to the island, piles of new weapons and gadgets, and the arrival of Sub-Zero from Mortal Kombat.

Chapter 6 got off to quite a bang during Season 1, as Fortnite introduced the permanent OG mode with its own separate battle pass, and also the Counter-Strike-esque Ballistic mode. In January, the season ramped up once more with the addition of the player-controlled Godzilla boss and the arrival of Hatsune Miku in Festival. But all things must come to an end--we had our fun with the ridiculous Typhoon Blade, but now it's time to move on to less civilized weapons, like the big drill weapon we saw in the trailer.

Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2 start time

When the servers come back up, it'll be Lawless season, which is all about committing armed robbery. That's right, it's Fortnite's fourth heist-themed season. But where the past seasons like this had more of a classy bent, Lawless season is going to be more in the vein of Grand Theft Auto--mayhem is the name of the game here.

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The option to romance NPC characters in RPGs has been around for a long time, and even recent titles like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 offer that feature to players. However, Avowed is bucking that trend by almost completely removing players' ability to court their companions. According to Avowed director Carrie Patel, she made the decision to downplay romance because she felt it takes away from the experience of playing the game.

While appearing on IGN's Unlocked podcast, Patel revealed that she believes the romantic options in RPGs "undermine that core experience" and practically invite players to focus more on the romance than on the story or even the characters themselves. Instead, Patel favored a more natural form of bonding with the player's companions that doesn't end with two characters in bed.

"My hope with players and their companion relationships in Avowed is that they would feel natural, and players would get out of them exactly what they want and exactly as much as they put in," said Patel. She added that it was supposed to be like "you're getting to know some new friends."

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Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Monster Manual

$49.47

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A new version of the Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual, one of the seminal tabletop RPG's most important source books, was released earlier this week. This is the first new version of the book in a decade and is the third new entry in the D&D 2024 Edition Core Collection along with the new 2024 Player's Handbook and 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide that launched last year--and just like those other releases, the new Monster Manual is compatible with D&D 5E books and supplemental materials. You can pick up the 2024 Monster Manual for $49.47 at Amazon.

Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Monster Manual $49.47

The hardcover Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Monster Manual includes stats blocks, lore, and other information for over 500 unique monsters for your D&D campaigns, including 75 all-new creatures. The book also offers guidance on creating unique combat encounters and boss monsters, as well as blueprints for crafting humanoid NPCs. All that gameplay information is supplemented with over 300 pieces of art.

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As mentioned above, Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Monster Manual is part of the new D&D 2024 Edition Core Collection. This updated version of the game--also known as 5.5E--is designed as an enhanced and streamlined version of D&D 5E. While the new 2024 editions of the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and now Monster Manual all introduce new gameplay elements and tweaked rules, they are also backward compatible with 5E materials, including all rulebooks, adventure modules, expansions, and third-party 5E supplements. That also means you can use your existing 5E characters with the new 5.5E rulebooks.

If you're new to D&D or are considering updating all your books to the new versions, you'll find the other Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Edition releases at Amazon, including the new Player's Handbook and updated accessories like official character sheets and DM screen. The only book currently not available at Amazon is the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide, but we expect it will be restocked in the near future. You can also purchase digital versions of the new 2024 Edition rulebooks via D&D Beyond.

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Nintendo Switch OLED - Super Mario Bros. Wonder Console Bundle

$350

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Nintendo has released a new Switch OLED bundle featuring one of the console's best exclusive games: Super Mario Bros. Wonder. The bundle costs $350--the same price as the Switch OLED on its own--so you're essentially getting a digital copy of Nintendo's superb side-scrolling platformer for free. Mario Wonder still regularly sells for its full $60 MSRP. As an added bonus, the bundle also comes with a 3-month Switch Online individual membership ($8 value).

The Super Mario Bros. Wonder Switch OLED bundle is available now at Best Buy. We expect other major retailers, with the exception of Amazon, to stock the bundle soon.

Nintendo typically only releases new Switch console variants or bundles during the holidays and alongside big game launches--such as the Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom-themed Switch Lite that launched last year. But with the Switch 2 slated to launch later this year, it makes sense that Nintendo would bundle the Switch with Mario Wonder to help move existing units.

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There's a famous line in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings where Gandalf the Grey explains that a wizard is never late or early. Instead, "he arrives precisely when he means to." Video games, on the other hand, are another matter. Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game has been delayed again.

The game's developers, Private Division and Wētā Workshop, jointly announced that Tales of the Shire will now be released on July 29. Prior to that, Tales of the Shire was delayed from its 2024 release window and was scheduled to land on March 25. Now, fans will just have to wait until summer to move into the virtual Shire.

In the statement below, the given reason for the delay is that the devs want to ensure "the same cozy experience" is available on all platforms. The note also states that the developers want the game "to feel like a warm hug from Middle-earth."

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Following its recent launch, the mobile Epic Games Store is continuing to roll out free games on Android worldwide and iOS in the European Union. Two new arrivals are particularly good ones worth picking up.

From now until March 20, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Knights of the Old Republic II are available for free through the mobile version of the Epic Games Store. Both were console heavy hitters 20 years ago and defined what a Star Wars RPG would look and feel like. Characters like Darth Revan and Bastilla Shan have been fan favorites ever since, with the latter coming close to actual canonization.

Last month, the Epic Games Store added nearly 20 third-party games. There will be new games offered each month until Epic moves to a weekly schedule later this year.

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A movie based on the video game Sifu was first revealed back in 2022, and now it's gathering steam. It was confirmed today that Netflix has signed the movie, which is based on the Slocap game and will be produced by John Wick veteran Chad Stahelski's 87Eleven banner.

T.S. Nowlin (The Maze Runner) is writing the script, with Dmitri M. Johnson and Mike Goldberg from Story Kitchen producing. From 87Eleven, Stahelski, Jason Spitz, and Alex Young are producing as well. Deadline was first to report on the Sifu movie coming to Netflix. Story Kitchen, formerly known as dj2, is behind the popular Sonic the Hedgehog series, as well as the upcoming It Takes Two, Just Cause, Vampire Survivors, and Disco Elysium movies and TV series.

Story Kitcken's Johnson and Goldberg said in a statement that Sifu has "all the makings of an unforgettable cinematic experience," listing off things like action, emotional stakes, and a unique take on martial arts as being selling points for a live-action feature.

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Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 hasn't even been out for a month yet, but the wildly successful game already has another patch ready to go from Warhorse Studios. Although there are a handful of crash fixes, there aren't many major issues at all in this patch, which Warhorse is calling Hotfix 1.1.2. Instead, the most exciting revision comes in The King's Gambit, where players can now keep the wine flowing for the king.

As related on Reddit, some players ran into an issue in The King's Gambit where the option to pour wine for the king disappears. When the king asks to switch from red wine to white, players failed the task when they couldn't fulfil that simple request.

Warhorse shared the Hotfix 1.1.2 breakdown on the official site for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. According to the developers, the primary adjustments include stability improvements and quest fixes. There's also a specific fix for the game on the Epic Games Store. Taken together, these changes may not seem very significant, but they're meant to help players have a more refined experience.

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The Season 2 Reloaded update is live in Black Ops 6 and Warzone, and while Call of Duty's TMNT crossover event doesn't begin until next week, all four turtles are now available to purchase. The TMNT crossover includes additional character skins arriving with the event, but you'll need to shell out $90 if you want to unlock them all.

Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo's operator bundles are live in Call of Duty's in-game shop at 2,400 CoD Points ($20) each. Each turtle comes with their signature melee weapon, plus various TMNT-themed cosmetics and guns with tracer blueprints to match their specific turtle color. This means it will cost $80 to unlock all four turtles for use in Black Ops 6 and Warzone.

Additionally, three more skins are being added on February 27 with Splinter and two Foot Clan soldiers included in the TMNT event pass. Splinter is part of the paid "premium" pass for $10, while both of the Foot Clan baddies are included in the free event pass rewards.

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Innersloth has made a series of Among Us announcements, including a brand-new game: Among Us 3D. A demo for the game, which shifts the perspective to a first-person view, will be available during Steam Next Fest beginning on February 24.

Among Us 3D for Steam allows players to join cross-platform lobbies with people playing Among Us in VR on Meta Quest, Steam VR, PlayStation VR 2, and PICO. "Fans can expect the same intense, fast-paced gameplay, complete with voice chat, new customization options, game modes, roles, and all the deception-filled fun--without the need for a VR headset," Innersloth said in its announcement. Check out the trailer below to get a first look at Among Us 3D.

Among Us 3D is not compatible, with the original Among Us. Players in that game will not be able to interact with those in Among Us 3D.

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EA and Hazelight Studios have revealed information about how Split Fiction's Friend's Pass and cross-play between different platforms work. There's even a free trial for players who don't own the game.

Similar to Hazelight's previous co-op games like It Takes Two and A Way Out, Split Fiction also offers a Friend's Pass. This allows players who bought the game to connect with someone who doesn't have a copy, and play through the game in its entirety. But this time, Split Fiction's version has some expanded features that weren't in those previous games, such as cross-platform play.

How does Split Fiction's work?

The first step is that one person has to own the game, whether it'd be a physical or digital copy. The next step is to have a buddy download Split Fiction's Friend's Pass on their chosen platform, whether it'd be PC, PlayStation, or Xbox through their respective digital storefronts. Just be aware that if you and your friend are playing on different platforms, for example PC and PlayStation, both of you need an EA account.

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If you've ever wanted to enjoy a few rounds of IRL Squid Game at your home--and with far fewer casualties--you can now check out a great deal on the officially licensed board game. Normally $25, you can pick up Squad Game: The Board Game for just $18.49 thanks to an Amazon Lightning Deal, but you'll want to be quick. Once all available stock has been purchased, it'll revert back to its original MSRP.

Squid Game: The Board Game $18.49 (was $25)

The Squid Game tabletop adaptation follows the basic premise of the Netflix show. Players vie for the $38 million prize--metaphorically that is--by competing in up to six mini-games like Tug of War, Glass Bridge, Marbles, and Red Light/ Green Light. Designed for up to six people to play, the first person to reach the Squid Head will win big in this twisted take on survival of the fittest. Like the Squid Game TV series, surviving players will get to split the money earned up to that point, so it's in your best interest to keep your teammates alive so that you have a numerical edge over the opposing team.

Each session lasts around 45 minutes, so this is a nice way to enjoy a quick round of Squid Game and not worry about being possibly betrayed by a trusted friend. Each of the six games features unique playstyles and rulesets, so you'll want to adapt quickly if you want to avoid being eliminated.

In addition to the official board game, Netflix also collaborated with Spin Master Games on an official set of marbles. If you feel like playing a game of chance, the Squid Game marbles gift set is $15 at Amazon.

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If you're looking to add a creepy collectible to your shelf, you can also take a look at this $107 replica of the Young-hee Doll that made the first challenge in Squid Game so memorable.

Red means stop!

Just like the massive automaton used in the Red Light/ Green Light game, this one features a motorized rotating head and it broadcasts key sounds from that scene, in case you want to play the game at home. Fortunately, heavily armed troopers scanning the playfield for any signs of movement are not included.

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Call of Duty's big new Season 2 Reloaded update is out now, and fans quickly discovered that one of the maps added to Black Ops 6 appears to point to a Tony Hawk's Pro Skater reveal soon.

The Grind map, which takes place at a skatepark, includes a banner that says "03.04.25" with the iconic Pro Skater logo above. Assuming it's styled for America, this would point to March 4, 2025. Exactly what could happen on that day, however, is unknown. It was previously reported that a new Tony Hawk's Pro Skater remaster would launch this summer, and if that's true, then March 4 could be when the game is revealed or at least teased further.

Tony Hawk himself chimed in about the tease with the eyes emoji, suggesting this is indeed real and some kind of announcement is forthcoming.

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On January 24, the official Twitter account of Sid Meier's Civilization VII posted a tweet that I had been looking forward to for years. In it, a man spoke these words: "Walang bansang pinagmumulan ng katalinuhan. Ito ay nagbubunga sa lahat ng lugar. Ito'y parang liwanag at hangin. Ito'y katangian ng lahat." In English, this roughly translates to "genius/intellect is not exclusive to any country. It can blossom anywhere. It is like light and air. It is in all of us."

Those are the words of Dr. Jose Rizal, accomplished author, scholar, polyglot, and venerated hero of the Philippines. The moment I heard those words, spoken in clear Tagalog--one of the many dialects of my people--I couldn't help but tear up. It wasn't just because the Philippines finally became an official part of the Civilization franchise with Rizal as a playable leader, but also because my country and its 117 million citizens--with countless more who live abroad--have long been underrepresented in video games.

True, we've seen a few Filipino video game characters over the years, such as Jose Astrada and Pham Luis (Front Mission 3), Talim (SoulCalibur), Conduit (Apex Legends), and Neon (Valorant), but these were more akin to stereotypical depictions of what a Filipino character might be like. Even Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada admitted in a Twitter post that a Filipino fighter that he created, Josie, only bore the good doctor's surname after he heard about Rizal through FGC commentator Mark "Markman" Julio. (Josie's announcement even led to a minor controversy a few years ago here in the Philippines.)

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After the launch of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 last year, it looks like developer Saber Interactive will be working on another game based on a famous IP. Hasbro announced this week that Saber Interactive will be bringing one of its "tentpole IPs" to life as a "AAA" game.

"We have many new digital collaborations in the works, but I'm especially excited to announce this one today, being a personal fan of many of this team's games," Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said during an investor's call (via Polygon). "Hasbro and Saber Interactive will be collaborating on an all-new video game partnership developed by the team behind 2024's mega-hit, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. Combining high-octane single-player action and amazing multiplayer with Saber's Swarm tech, this new AAA title, based on one of our tentpole IPs, is sure to be a hit."

Cocks added that the co-publishing deal between Hasbro and Saber Interactive was greenlit after the team behind Space Marine 2 specifically was assigned to work on this new project. The Warhammer 40K sequel was developed by Saber St. Petersburg, which is one of several subsidiaries owned by the company. As for the IP that Saber will be adapting, that remains a mystery for now, as Hasbro owns multiple brands like Transformers, GI Joe, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic the Gathering, My Little Pony, and Peppa Pig.

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Funcom has announced that its MMO survival game, Dune: Awakening, will launch for PC on May 20. The game is also slated for a PS5 and Xbox Series X|S launch, but a release date for those versions hasn't been revealed yet.

In this iteration of the Dune universe, the main protagonist Paul Atreides was never born. Players assume the role of a prisoner sent to Arrakis to uncover the mystery around the Fremen's disappearance. Along the journey, players will rise from being a nameless survivor to either becoming an agent of the Atreides or the Harkonnen.

The game will cost $50 and those who preorder will receive a decoration called the Terrarium of Muad'Dib that they can place in their bases.

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The Last of Us Season 2 finally has a confirmed release date, and it's set to debut on April 13. Ahead of that, one of the actors who joined the cast for Season 2, Danny Ramirez, has spoken up to hype the sophomore season.

Ramirez, who plays Manny, told Empire that he recently saw some clips of Season 2 and has a warning for fans: "It's gonna f**k people up. It' so good."

That's all he had to say about Season 2. Given that Season 2 adapts at least some of the events of The Last of Us: Part II, Ramirez could be referring to any number of dramatic events that are expected to be featured on the show. Anyone who has played the game or knows the story understands what's coming.

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