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Lenovo Legion Go 2 Handheld Is Up For Preorder
The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is officially available to preorder ahead of its October release, and we also now know how much each of its SKUs will cost: $1,100 for the standard Z2 model and $1,350 for the higher-specced Z2 Extreme version. That makes the handheld gaming PC quite expensive, but the device does have some high-quality hardware inside of it.
Internally, the base model is powered by the AMD Z2 SoC, while the premium model has more power with its AMD Z2 Extreme chip. Other specs include a high amount of LPDDR5X RAM, with the Z2 model getting 16GB and the Z2 Extreme having 32GB. Both of these devices are equipped with a 1TB PCIe SSD--with an option to add up to 2TB of extra storage via MicroSD--an 8.8-inch 1200p OLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, and a 74Wh battery.
The Legion Go 2 also has Switch-like functionality, as its TrueStrike controllers are detachable. This allows the unit to shift between handheld, tabletop, console, or FPS modes. Switching to FPS mode is especially interesting, as the TrueStrike controller adopts a joystick position.
Continue Reading at GameSpotFormer Bethesda Boss Pete Hines Has Strong Words About Subscription Services In Gaming
Subscription services in gaming are popular, and while they are very far from the only way to buy and play games, the profile of the business model is growing thanks in part to the backing of multi-trillion-dollar company Microsoft and its Xbox Game Pass service. Pete Hines, the longtime Bethesda marketing and publishing boss who retired after Microsoft bought his company, has now shared his thoughts on subscription services for games--and he has some issues.
In an interview with dbltap, Hines began by saying he doesn't work at Bethesda anymore and is under no assumption that he what he knew when he was there still holds true today. That said, he believes he is involved enough in gaming still today to understand "what I considered to be some short-sighted decision making several years ago, and it seems to be bearing out the way I said."
Hines said his main issue with a subscription service like Game Pass or others is that the economics might not always make sense--and that's a critical point in a world with mass layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations.
Continue Reading at GameSpotFormer Bethesda Boss Reveals The "Dumbest Thing I Ever Did" At The Company
Former longtime Bethesda marketing and publishing boss Pete Hines retired after Microsoft bought parent company ZeniMax, and in a new interview, he discussed one part of his career where he did the "dumbest thing."
Some may recall that one of the promised items in Fallout 76's $200 Power Armor Edition was a canvas West Tek bag. However, upon delivery, fans noticed that the bundle came with a low-cost nylon bag instead. Bethesda eventually did right by players, but the events clearly left a mark on Hines.
He said in an interview with dbltap that the version of the Power Armor Edition that he signed off on did not have a canvas bag. Someone was trying to "add more value" to the premium edition, and while Hines admits to throwing "sh*t fits" from time to time, in this case, "their hearts were in the right place" with the idea to add more value. What happened was that there was "literally a canvas shortage" at the time, and it was decided by "some folks" to include a nylon bag instead.
Continue Reading at GameSpotFormer Bethesda Boss Pete Hines Fought Hard Against Prey Being Called That
2017's Prey had nothing to do with the existing Prey game or its canceled sequel, leading fans to wonder why the game was even called that. As it turns out, former Bethesda marketing boss Pete Hines fought against going with that name.
"I definitely pissed some people off internally over that because I fought so hard against using that name. I'm the head of the spear, but I had a lot of people across my team--brand, PR and community--and we feel like we're burdening it with a name where we spend more time explaining why it's called Prey than we do talking about the game," he told dbltap. "I regret that I lost that battle."
Hines went on to say that nobody on Earth fought harder than he did on the effort of "changing minds on that," but he ultimately didn't get his way. He was so fired up about it because he believed the company was wasting time and energy explaining the game's title instead of selling people on the game.
Continue Reading at GameSpotNintendo Only Creates New IP When Gameplay Doesn’t Fit Existing Franchises, Former Dev Says
The more things change, the more they stay the same, and for Nintendo, the company still relies on its legacy IP when it starts to develop new games. While we've seen multiple studios and publishers launch new brands over the years, Nintendo has largely stuck to the classics for its new releases, and it often doesn't see a reason to build a new IP. Why? According to a former developer, gameplay comes first and the "wrapper" is chosen based on which franchise fits the project best.
"New franchises haven't come out simply because there's no real need to make them," former Nintendo software developer Ken Watanabe said to Bloomberg. "When Nintendo wants to do something new, it's basically about the gameplay mechanics first--about creating a new way to play. As for the skin or the wrapper, they don't really fuss over it. They just pick whatever fits that new gameplay best."
"Nintendo will then find the right franchise that fits with the new gameplay mechanics that it has developed, but in the rare instance that it can't, the company will consider making a new IP. One of its newest properties--technically--is Splatoon, which first launched in 2015 for the Wii U. While Nintendo attempted to use familiar faces in the third-person shooter game, it simply didn't work out, and the company decided to create the cast of Inklings to carry the series forward and better communicate the ideas of the game to players.
Continue Reading at GameSpotMetal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Hits 1 Million Sales Milestone
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, the highly anticipated remake of the 2004 stealth-action classic, has officially reached a milestone of one million copies sold. This figure, announced by Konami via its official UK Twitter account, represents internal sales tracking rather than third-party verified numbers.
Still, the milestone marks a significant achievement for the project, which has faced intense scrutiny and pressure given the iconic status of the original Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. It's on par with sales figures for other remakes in the series, and could potentially surpass them given time.
METAL GEAR SOLID Δ: SNAKE EATER is celebrating 1,000,000 copies sold globally!
Our heartfelt thanks for the constant support and enthusiasm of METAL GEAR fans, both new and returning.#MGSDelta #MetalGearSolid pic.twitter.com/GC0MhyJRIY
The milestone is notable not just for the sales figures, but also for the weight of its legacy. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is the first major installment in the series since Hideo Kojima, the franchise's creator and longtime creative force, parted ways with Konami in 2015. The spin-off Metal Gear Survive, which was developed after Kojima had left the company, was not well-received.
Continue Reading at GameSpotMindsEye's Rough Launch Could Have IO Rethinking Future Publishing Plans
Hitman developer IO Interactive got into the publishing game with its IOI Partners program, and MindsEye--from former Rockstar developer Leslie Benzies' Build a Rocket Boy--was the company's first published game. The game struggled mightily out of the gate, with many criticizing its technical performance, among other things. Now, IO's CEO, Hakan Abrak, has reacted to the launch and discussed whether or not the company will continue to publish others' games.
Abrak told IGN that when IO was first chatting with Build a Rocket Boy, the idea was to find a way to "support them," because IO believed in the company's "great ideas." IO was coming in to help Build a Rocket Boy--a brand-new game developer with no releases under its belt before MindsEye--distribute the game.
For whatever reason, MindsEye had issues, and Abrak addressed this frankly. "Well, that was definitely tough, right?" he said. "It was a tough reception. It wasn't what they hoped for, and also what we didn't hope for at IOI Partners."
Continue Reading at GameSpotVote Now To Choose Schedule 1's Next Big Feature
Now that Schedule 1's Rival Cartels update is live in game, a new community vote is live for fans to decide what major feature will be added next. The new poll once again offers three options that players can pick between--hireable drivers, shrooms, and fishing.
One of the poll options, shrooms, was originally offered in the first community poll, only to be defeated by the rival cartel. If shrooms is victorious this time, it will add a brand-new psychadelic drug type for players to offer to their customer base.
Hirable drivers, the most functional of the new options, offers players the ability to hire drivers who can transport items between your various properties, businesses, and dealers. This new feature will also come with a quality of life update to the existing delivery system.
Continue Reading at GameSpotStardew Valley Creator Voiced A Mystery Character In Silksong
Earlier this year, Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone mentioned in an interview with PC Gamer that he might need to retreat to a cabin in the woods to focus on his next game, Haunted Chocolatier. That sentiment rings true now more than ever, as Barone juggles multiple projects--including the newly announced Stardew Valley 1.7 update and a surprise voice cameo in Hollow Knight: Silksong.
PC Gamer caught Barone's name appearing in the credits of Silksong, listed alongside members of Team Cherry and even the family of lead designer William Pellen. Given the shared success of Stardew Valley and Hollow Knight, which launched within a year of each other and became landmark indie titles, it's no surprise their creators have formed connections within the indie development scene.
His role in Silksong involved providing non-verbal character sounds--for those familiar, Nintendo-style chirps and mutterings--for one of the game's new NPCs. While Barone hasn't revealed which character he voiced, The Verge confirmed it was indeed him. Fans are now left to guess which bug-like denizen of the kingdom of Parloom bears his signature tones.
Continue Reading at GameSpot2K Teases College Basketball Game And "Surprises" In Early 2026
NBA 2K26 launches this week, but that's not the only major development from 2K Sports. The company has confirmed plans to launch its own "college basketball experience" just after reports suggested that EA's college basketball game was running into potentially serious issues.
In its statement, 2K Sports said, "Yes, it's true. We're working on a college basketball experience that will feature more than 100 programs from across the country, from powerhouses to Cinderella stories."
Without getting into specifics, 2K's statement continued, "Our approach with college basketball ensures our partner schools, college athletes, and our players all benefit."
Continue Reading at GameSpotSwitch 2 Game Key Cards May Be Controversial, But Ubisoft Defends Them For Star Wars Outlaws
One Ubisoft developer has explained why Star Wars Outlaws on Switch 2 will rely on Game Key Cards instead of standard cartridges, citing technical limitations of the console’s physical media.
Responding to Digital Foundry's John Linneman on BlueSky, audio architect for the Snowdrop Engine at Ubisoft Rob Bantin explained that the game "relies heavily on disk-streaming for its open-world environments" and that Switch 2 cartridges simply did not give the performance needed for the game to hit its quality target. "I think if we'd designed a game for Switch 2 from the ground up it might have been different. As it was, we'd build a game around the SSDs of the initial target platforms, and then the Switch 2 came along a while later. In this case I think our leadership made the right call," Bantin wrote.
Game Key Cards have already stirred controversy among Nintendo fans, as they serve as a download-key holder rather than containing the full game on the cart. While they can be resold and aren’t console-locked, critics have argued that they pose potential issues for long-term games preservation.
Continue Reading at GameSpotSpielberg Wanted To Make A Call Of Duty Movie But Activision Passed, Here's The Reported Reason Why
Steven Spielberg, the legendary Oscar-winning director, was reportedly interested in directing a Call of Duty movie but it fell apart due to his apparent desire for total control.
Matthew Belloni of Puck (paywalled) reported that Spielberg was trying to make a Call of Duty movie with Universal and wanted to personally direct it through his Amblin production company. Spielberg was said to have partnered with Universal film boss Jimmy Horowitz to pitch the project to Activision, but it didn't materialize.
The report said Spielberg himself is a big fan of the Call of Duty franchise, but what apparently contributed to the project failing to come together were elements that Spielberg asked for. His team apparently wanted a "top-of-market" economic deal, full control over production and marketing, and "final cut." That's Hollywood parlance for a director having final say in the editing process culminating in the version of a movie that plays in theaters or wherever it's released. Spielberg is among a rare few who are known to have final cut privileges, along with Quentin Tarantino, James Cameron, and others.
Continue Reading at GameSpotRIP: The Last 3DS Console Just Lost Nintendo Repair Support
Nintendo has just kicked off its Switch 2 era of gaming, but the company is also saying goodbye to its 3DS line of handheld gaming consoles. While Nintendo continued supporting the 3DS and its various models via a repair service in Japan, even after the systems were discontinued, Nintendo began to slowly wind down these operations over the years. The New Nintendo 2DS XL was the last console to be officially supported in this way, but the company has announced that this is coming to an end.
"As we have run out of parts needed for repairs, we have discontinued repair services for the New Nintendo 2DS XL as of September 4, 2025," Nintendo said in a statement (via VGC). "Repairs for all other Nintendo 3DS series systems have also been discontinued."
This effectively brings the Nintendo 3DS era to a close, as Nintendo no longer has the parts necessary for it to perform repairs on units submitted to its Japanese facilities. The company ended support for the original 3DS handheld in August 2024, and it ran out of parts for the Nintendo 2DS not long after.
Continue Reading at GameSpotDisney Dreamlight Valley Is Getting Horseback Riding In Its Next Expansion
The next expansion for Disney Dreamlight Valley is on the way, adding three brand-new biomes, a handful of iconic Disney horses to befriend--and a new horseback riding mechanic. The Wishblossom Ranch expansion doesn't have a release date yet, but Disney will reveal more about the upcoming content in a showcase stream on October 15.
For now, Disney has teased just part of the upcoming expansion, revealing that one of Wishblossom Ranch's three new mountainous biomes will be called Wishing Alps. The new content will partner you with characters from across Disney's slate of films, including Snow White, mischievous pixie Tinkerbell, and Maximus--the noble white steed from Tangled.
These are just some of the characters who will be a part of the Ranch storyline--with Disney teasing in particular that more iconic Disney horses will be joining the equestrian-themed expansion. Alongside existing Disney horse characters, the expansion will also grant players their own customizable mount, which can be tailored to match your own avatar.
Continue Reading at GameSpotNew The Sims 4 Expansion Brings Vacation Getaways And Imaginary Friends
The world of The Sims 4 is about to get bigger again with the upcoming expansion pack Adventure Awaits. And while tropical getaways and summer camp experiences are the focus of this pack, it's also bringing back imaginary friends from The Sims 3. You can see one of the imaginary friends in the first trailer for Adventure Awaits, as well as an extended glimpse at your Sims vacation options.
Adventure Awaits doesn't just cater to adult sims. Child sims are also given the chance to have formative moments as they discover archery, diving, papercraft, and other camp activities. As for the imaginary friends, they will appear as four different dolls with a handful of personality types: Goofball, creative, competitive, and evil. Picking the evil option seems unnecessarily risky, but it's your Sim life and you get to make all of the bad decisions you want.
There are three Gibbi Point vacation neighborhoods included in this pack, including Camp Gibbi Gibbi in the Wanderwood Wilds. There are so many camp activities for children and adult sims that the only thing it's missing is Jason Voorhees to menace the camp attendees. The other neighborhoods in the pack are Crystal Valley and Jellyfish Junction.
Continue Reading at GameSpot