Polish developer CD Projekt Red has announced that it's hired more than 200 people in the past year, and that the majority of the new hires came aboard to work on The Witcher 4.

As part of CD Projekt's latest earnings report, joint CEO Michał Nowakowski said more than 220 people joined the company's various teams in the past year. "Most" of the new hires are now working on The Witcher 4 to "help improve the quality and scale up" the project.

Specifically, he said the new staff will be working on "solutions" from the Unreal Fest tech demo for The Witcher 4 and trying to implement these things "across the entire game."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

The new trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day hit the internet this week, and it was a giant success, so much so that it surpassed GTA 6's latest record-breaking trailer.

For context, May 2025's GTA 6 trailer reached 475 million views in less than a day, while Brand New Day's trailer surpassed 718.6 million after its first 24 hours, Sony Pictures announced on Thursday. At the time, Rockstar said the GTA 6 trailer was the biggest debut for a trailer for anything ever, surpassing the 365 million views that Deadpool & Wolverine clocked in its first 24 hours.

The accounting for any trailer's views is not exact, as videos are hosted in various places. The Brand New Day trailer on Sony's own YouTube account has 14.8 million views. It was also hosted on the PlayStation YouTube page, where it has more than 10 million views.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

The creators of free-to-play gacha RPG Duet Night Abyss have publicly apologized for a "cybersecurity incident" that saw players' PCs infected with malware. The incident--which developer Pan Studio is calling a "malicious attack"--took place on March 18 and resulted in malware affecting an unknown number of players. Per a recent post from the official Duet Night Abyss X account, the malware was spread via an update patch for the game's launcher, which went live on Steam at 1:04 PT / 4:04 AM ET on March 18.

"First and foremost, we would like to express our deepest apologies for the cybersecurity incident that occurred yesterday," Pan Studio said in a post shared to both X and the game's Steam page. "Following the resolution of these temporary issues, we have conducted a full review and summary of the event."

Pan Studio's timeline says they became aware of the malware incident roughly 24 minutes after the launcher's update patch went live, and quickly began working on a fix, deploying an "emergency update" patch roughly two and a half hours after discovering the issue.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Kirsten Dunst is joining the cast of A Minecraft Movie 2, and this comes not long after she said she wanted to be in the movie because her kids enjoyed the first one and she likes money.

Deadline, which confirmed Dunst's casting, said there is no word yet on the role she will play. In any event, she joins a cast that includes returning cast members like Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks, Matt Berry, and Jennifer Coolidge.

Jared Hess, who directed A Minecraft Movie, is coming back for the sequel. Dunst has appeared in 90+ films and shows, and earned an Academy Award nomination for The Power of the Dog. A Minecraft Movie 2 will be her first video game movie, but she is no stranger to a blockbuster franchise, of course, as she starred as Mary Jane in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Epic Games has launched a brand-new and ambitious-sounding feature for Fortnite, and it's the ability for anyone to make Star Wars-inspired islands using the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN).

This is part of Disney's $1.5 billion investment into Epic Games, and, in short, what this means is Fortnite players with creativity and passion can make their own Star Wars games and worlds within Fortnite. Given how dedicated the Fortnite community is, it's expected the debut of the new UEFN tools for Star Wars will lead to some impressive creations. It sounds exciting, but there are also some key things to know about rights-usage and other limitations.

Enterprising creators can begin making their Star Wars worlds now, while they will be able to publish them to Fortnite's Creator Portal on May 1, just ahead of the May the 4th Star Wars holiday. Epic also announced a Star Wars Game Collection page in the Discover portal of Fortnite, and Epic will highlight some of the best ones via its Epic’s Picks program.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

When Hytale was released, you could find and interact with a slew of different mobs. From enemies with weapons to peaceful animals wandering a meadow, these mobs are all over the map, regardless of your world seed. However, if you tried to tame one of the many animals in Hytale, as you can do in Minecraft, you were met with some disappointment, as that feature wasn't live when the game launched.

Fortunately, the developers at Hypixel have been releasing constant updates since release, and a new update has added the ability to tame animals in Hytale. Below, you can see how the taming process works and the items needed to tame all possible animals you can find throughout the world.

How taming animals works in Hytale

As you might have expected, taming animals in Hytale is extremely similar to the way it works in Minecraft. However, the developers have stressed that the current version of taming is basic and in the early stages of development, so it could change down the line as Hytale progresses through early access.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

McDonald's is rolling out another Mario-themed Happy Meal, this time tied to the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy Movie. The promotion starts in the United States on March 26, about a week before the movie lands in theaters on April 1. Instead of the usual small toys like the first movie's collab, these Happy Meals will feature character keychains.

The main set is expected to include Mario, Toad (possibly styled as Captain Toad), Bowser, Peach, and Luigi in his Frog Suit, which we got a look at in a previous trailer. On top of that, Rosalina and Bowser Jr. are part of the wave, as the cast expands beyond the standard Mushroom Kingdom crew.

McDonald’s and Mario go way back to 1990 with the release of Super Mario Bros. 3 for the NES, and only had four toys in the set: Raccoon Mario, a Goomba, a Koopa Paratroopa, and Luigi with a starman. The previous movie tie-in toys came out in late 2022 when the movie was originally supposed to be released, but was moved to Spring 2023. Then there was the Mario Kart 8 set from 2024, which had 10 pieces to collect, including a metallic pink Peach and golden Mario.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

2021's Kena: Bridge of Spirits, which was originally released on PlayStation consoles and PC, is headed to Nintendo Switch 2 very soon. Developer Ember Lab has announced that Bridge of Spirits will hit Nintendo's console on March 26, with preorders opening today from the eShop.

The Switch 2 version of Bridge of Spirits includes the game's previously released Anniversary DLC, which comes with new outfits and accessibility features. Players also get the New Game+ mode.

Bridge of Spirits is also available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, having released on those platforms in 2024. A sequel, Kena: Scars of Kosmora, is set for release later this year on PS5 and PC.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Ubisoft subsidiary Red Storm Entertainment has just laid off over 100 developers and is ceasing game development, according to new reports.

Both VGC and GamesIndustry.biz reported on the layoffs at the North Carolina game studio on Thursday morning. There were 105 jobs cut as part of Ubisoft's latest round of layoffs, and Red Storm Entertainment will now be a support studio working on the Snowdrop game engine, IT services, and customer relations rather than active game development.

It's a sad end for a studio that played a major role in making Ubisoft what it is today. Red Storm Entertainment, co-founded by Tom Clancy himself, created the Rainbow Six series in 1998 and was acquired by Ubisoft in 2000. Over the next two decades, it would help build up the Ghost Recon series and The Division in addition to spearheading Ubisoft's VR development with Werewolves Within and Star Trek: Bridge Crew.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Black Ops Royale launched last week for Call of Duty: Warzone, but the developer Raven Software is already adding one of the most-requested features to the new mode. A solo playlist is arriving later today, but the developer did warn the gameplay currently isn't tuned for the single-player experience.

Season 2 Reloaded added Black Ops Royale as a brand-new battle royale mode, which is heavily inspired by Call of Duty's original Blackout battle royale that was introduced in 2018. Black Ops Royale mode launched with only the option to play in squads of four, but many players wanted a solo queue to tackle the fight alone.

Raven Software announced the solo playlist will arrive on March 19 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET as both a public playlist and a private match option. However, the developer also warned the mode was "originally designed and balanced to launch as a quads experience," and adjustments might be needed for the solo playlist.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Crimson Desert is out today after over half a decade in development, and the early reviews aren't especially stellar. That may be why the stock price of the game's developer, Pearl Abyss, has dropped nearly 30% since the Crimson Desert reviews were released.

According to Seoul Economic Daily, Pearl Abyss is currently trading at 46,600 won--approximately $31.11 in USD--which is down 28.96% from the 65,600 won/$43.79 price that it had earlier in the week. The game's performance may be concerning investors because it reportedly cost 200,000,000 won/$133.5 million to develop.

GameSpot's Crimson Desert review gave it 7/10 and praised its open-world environment, combat, and traversal, while criticizing the quest design, the way the narrative unfolds, and the game's inventory system. On our sister-site Metacritic, Crimson Desert currently has a 78 score, which is far from catastrophic. But the Seoul Economic Daily notes that the stock market "expected a score in the mid-to-high 80s."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

The Best Buy Tech Fest Sale is now live. From until Sunday, March 22, the retailer is offering big price cuts on video games, controllers, TVs, gaming laptops, and more. It's quite an impressive event--some popular laptops are discounted by over $500, and several Apple products are included in the savings--so if you're looking to scratch a few products off your Wishlist, it's definitely worth checking out. Be sure to peruse the full sale, but below you'll find a few of our favorite deals. From PS5 games to cheap Amiibo, here's what caught our eye.

See all deals at Best Buy Video Games

Though it earned mixed reviews, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is certainly worth the price of admission now that it's just $8 (was $20). It may not be as iconic as Origins, but it's a fun RPG, nonetheless. For something that did earn stellar reviews, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is slightly discounted to $50 (was $60). Featuring a hybrid combat system that uses both real-time and turn-based battles, it's an excellent introduction to the franchise. Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter arrives later this year, so it's a good time to pick it up. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is also getting a 50% discount, so if you haven't yet played the hit game, you can add it to your collection for cheap during Best Buy's event.

See all deals at Best Buy

• Battlefield 6 -- $40 ($70)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 -- $45 ($70)
• Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion -- $25 ($50)
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard -- $8 ($20)
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth -- $25 ($50)
• Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter -- $50 ($60)

Gaming Accessories

A whole lot of Apple devices are on sale, including a $50 discount on the AirPods Pro 3 and a $100 discount on the Apple AirPods Max. For something more affordable, the Razer BlackShark V2 X Wired Headset is just $40 (was $60), and its wired connection lets you use it with PS5, PC, Switch, and Xbox Series X--making it a versatile companion for all of your games.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Prime Video's Life is Strange TV series is progressing ahead with the announcement of who will direct the first two episodes. According to Variety, Karyn Kusama has signed on to direct the first and second episodes of the upcoming game adaptation.

Kusama is known for directing the movies Girlfight (which she also wrote), along with Æon Flux, Jennifer's Body, The Invitation, and Destroyer. Perhaps more relevant to Life Is Strange, she also directed episodes of popular TV shows, including The L Word, Halt and Catch Fire, The Man in the High Castle, Masters of Sex, Billions, and Yellowjackets.

In addition to directing Life Is Strange's first episodes, she is an executive producer via her Familystyle production banner. Kusama received three Emmy nominations, all of them for her work on Yellowjackets.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Fortnite's next big crossover is with Game of Thrones, it seems. A report from the Epic-partnered "leak" account ShiinaBR states that the popular characters Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow, and The Night King are all coming to Fortnite on March 20 as part of Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2.

This is the first time that Game of Thrones characters are coming to Fortnite. Numerous other characters and franchises owned by Warner Bros. have been added to Fortnite before, including Mortal Kombat, Harry Potter, and Batman.

With Game of Thrones now heading to Fortnite, that leaves at least one big omission from the WB stable: The Lord the Rings. To date, no LOTR characters have appeared in Fortnite, but that could be something to do with the rights being a tad more complicated given that Embracer owns the gaming rights.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Sony has reportedly announced plans to retire all PlayStation Network branding by September 2026, according to a leaked email that was sent to developers (via ').

"We'd like to inform you that Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has strategically decided to phase out the terms 'PlayStation Network' and 'PSN' across our platform in order to properly capture the breadth of our evolving digital services," the email reportedly reads.

It's not immediately clear what Sony means with regard to properly capturing "the breadth of [its] evolving digital services," but it could be a sign that Sony is trying to move away from being seen as a company that only makes console games, especially given the fact that its next-gen competition is Microsoft's mysterious Xbox PC/console platform, Project Helix. But according to the email, Sony doesn't plan to get rid of PSN itself--it's just getting a new name.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

The new game from former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan, The Legend of California, will hold its first public playtest very soon. Developer Kintsugiyama has announced an alpha test for The Legend of California, and it will be held March 26-30 on Steam.

This is not an open test available to everyone, however. People can sign up for the test by visiting the main store page and clicking the [Request Access] button.

This will be a "very small" test, the developer said, and that means not everyone who signs will get in. Players who are accepted into the test will receive a notification from Steam, and from there, the alpha client will be automatically added to their game library. It will take up about 50GB of space, and an SSD is required.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Get ready for a Kumite, as a remake of Bloodsport is in production. This new spin on the 1988 film that launched Jean-Claude Van Damme's career as an action star will be written and directed by I May Destroy You creator Michaela Coel for A24 Films. This will be the third time that Coel has collaborated with the famed film company, following her work on the mini-series First Day on Earth and Mother Mary.

"I have long been in awe of fighters, and astounded by the discipline, intensity, and isolation the sport demands of them," Coel said to Variety. "I am excited to explore this world, especially so with A24 as my collaborators. Let's f***ing go."

The original Bloodsport was inspired by Frank Dux's stories about competing in a secret underground tournament. None of Dux's claims--such as 329 straight victories, 56 consecutive knockouts, or organizers using high-speed cameras to track his lightning-fast kicks--have ever been proven, but the story still made for an entertaining film. The movie’s theme song, Fight to Survive, performed by Stan Bush, also helped boost its popularity at the box office.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

As the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog 4 movie ramps up production, we finally have official confirmation that Jim Carrey (among other stars) is returning to the franchise, and he'll be joined by other prolific Hollywood actors new to the series.

Per Variety (and initially reported by DanielRPK), Carrey will don the mustache and goggles yet again as Dr. Robotnik, Variety also reported that Idris Elba (Knuckles), Keanu Reeves (Shadow), Colleen O’Shaughnessey (Tails), James Marsden (Tom Wachowski), Tika Sumpter (Maddie Wachowski), and Lee Majdoub (Agent Stone) are returning as well. Additionally, Ben Kingsley and Nick Offerman are voicing characters, while Matt Berry and Richard Ayoade also join the cast. Ben Schwartz is back as the eponymous blue blur himself, while Kristen Bell voices Amy Rose.

An official "title reveal" video features images of returning characters Sonic, Dr. Robotnik, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, and the Wachowskis, while an orchestral take of the Sonic CD theme song "Sonic Boom" plays in the background. The video puts quite a focus on Bell's Amy Rose (and her hammer) and implies that Metal Sonic will be the movie's villain. Quite obviously, the title is revealed to be ... "Sonic the Hedgehog 4."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

You might have been facing progression issues in Pokopia recently that have prevented you from enjoying the game to its full potential. Now, a new Pokopia update has rolled out that fixes those issues, along with some other lesser-known problems that you may not have even noticed.

There are several in-game tasks that were blocked by a set of circumstances you may not even have figured out. While in the Bleak Beach--one of the game's later areas--attempting to complete the Find the Pokemon Center! quest for Professor Tangrowth had some players stumped. It turns out that if the cracked blocks on the bridge were broken before the Professor had the chance to cross it, the request would become difficult to progress. Similarly, a "specific sequence of actions" would also prevent the bridge-repair quest from triggering, meaning you couldn't continue the main story.

Problems occurred in the early game too. In the Withered Wasteland, Squirtle had a tendency to accidentally climb a nearby tree, making him impossible to talk to, and hindering progress there. In Rocky Ridges, the Clear Off the Path! quest could have progression blocked "under certain conditions" and occasionally the story-essential CD-playing Rotom wouldn't appear for you to meet. If you're further through Pokopia's main story, you'll know that's pretty much a game-breaking problem.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

The Dark Knight Returns graphic novels and Blu-rays

Celebrate 40 years of the landmark Batman series

See at Amazon

This year marks the 40th anniversary of The Dark Knight Returns, a landmark storyline that redefined Batman for the modern age. written and illustrated by the team of Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley, the four-issue mini-series is still a must-read adventure that follows an older Batman as he comes out of retirement to face off against several of his iconic rogues and mutant gangs that have emerged on the streets of Gotham. If you've never read it or you're looking to rediscover the gritty storyline, there are plenty of options available, from reprints of the mini-series to animated adaptations. Here's a closer look at what you can pick up currently.

The Dark Knight Returns graphic novels

The celebrated saga that is credited for transforming Batman's image from campy Caped Crusader back to a hard-boiled vigilante, this has been in print as a collected-edition graphic novel for many years now. The 30th Anniversary Edition paperback is the cheapest option at $12.82 (was $30), and a DC Compact Comics Edition will be released on April 7 and is priced at $10. This is part of DC's line of new pocket-friendly graphic novels, so if you're looking for some affordable reading material for your morning commute, it's a good option.

If you feel like spoiling yourself, you can also pick up The Dark Knight Returns Slipcase Set for $38.21 (was $50). Inside, you'll find all four volumes of The Dark Knight Returns in a hardcover format, housed inside a deluxe slipcase cover that features Frank Miller's iconic artwork. An Absolute Edition of The Dark Knight Returns that includes the sequel series The Dark Knight Strikes Again is also available, and it includes additional commentary on the stories.

Continue Reading at GameSpot